Drantos Read online

  She’d had enough. Dusti just wanting him to stop talking nonsense and get off her. “They threw a big ol’ orgy?” she interrupted.

  “Damn it,” he snarled. “Stop.”

  Fear hit her over the pure rage that darkened his features and she sealed her lips. Don’t piss off the insane linebacker-size guy on top of you, she silently ordered herself.

  “The male Vampires secretly plotted to impregnate as many Lycan women as possible. They wanted to form an army of half-breed children. Some believe it was so they no longer had to keep an alliance with the Lycans. They could be guarded by their own children. Others believe it was just because they finally had an opportunity to breed, and that appealed to them.

  “Some of the Lycan men started to disappear. The Lycans quickly figured out they were being murdered by Vamps so they could gain access to the widowed mates, whether they were willing or not.” Anger deepened his voice. “The Vamps were attacking Lycan women. They violated them by controlling their minds, and then their bodies. A war broke out between the two. A lot of Lycan men died but it gave the women a chance to flee. A group of them—some who were pregnant and others who had already birthed half-breeds—ended up in Alaska, since there were no major human towns here at the time. Vamps need humans to feed from. They can survive off animals but I’ve heard animal blood tastes like shit to them and weakens them over time.

  “The Lycans and VampLycans were safer here, but we still broke into four clans in case the Vampires were able to track us. It was about survival. They wouldn’t be able to take us all on at once and it would provide time for the others to flee if one clan was attacked. It helps keep our numbers in check too. It’s how we stay under the radar, by monitoring the size of our population so we don’t draw attention to ourselves, and what we are. Humans just see our clans as small towns, not a threat to them.”

  Dusti held her tongue. Drantos paused, licked his lips, and took a few breaths. The anger eased from his striking features.

  “The survivors soon discovered a clan of Gargoyles in the area. They’d fled Europe to avoid being hunted by Vampires, humans, and others of their kind. They were dying out. Gargoyles tend to breed more boy children than girls. They had so few women of their own kind that they’d fight to the death at times, killing each other to gain access to one. They needed women to breed with and the survivors of the war didn’t want another fight, this time with Gargoyles. They had lost a lot of their males already.”

  “I’ve heard enough.” She just wanted him to stop. None of it could be true. She didn’t want it to be.

  “I’m telling you the truth.” Drantos paused. “Imagine a bunch of frightened people in a desperate situation. Many of the Lycan women had been raped, in mind and body, and had birthed children sired by Vampires. These women had lost fathers and brothers who’d died fighting to give them time to escape. Some had lost their mates. They were vulnerable, so some of their single women offered themselves to the Gargoyles. They formed a new alliance. The Gargoyles swore to live side by side with us in peace and to help fight any Vampires who came after us, if the need arose to defend the clans. We had the common enemies of humans and Vampires.”

  “But according to your crazy story, the pregnant women were about to birth Vampires. Some had already. You said they were enemies. At least try to make sense.”

  “The Gargoyles were willing to become allies with the half-breeds because they were desperate for the full-blooded Lycan women to breed with. Our clans are linked by bloodlines, but only on the Lycan side. Gargoyles and Lycans had GarLycan children. The children born in our clans are VampLycans. Half Vampire, half Lycan. Over a hundred half-breed children made up the first generation of our new clans. They frightened the pure-blood Lycans. They were stronger than them and had inherited some Vampire abilities. A vast majority of the Lycans not mated to Gargoyles left when those children started to mature and those traits began to show.

  “Your grandfather is a first-generation VampLycan, Dusti—and after he matured to adulthood and took over his clan, he didn’t agree with how the clans were split into four. He’s power-hungry and believes there should be one ruler, one clan. He wants the GarLycans to help him take out the other clan leaders and anyone else who opposes him. He plans to start a civil war.”

  “Didn’t the Gargoyles take off too when these super half-breeds grew up, if they’re so scary?”

  “No. The Gargoyles were dwindling until they mated with the full-Lycan females. Their children born from that alliance filled their clan to a strong number. Aveoth is a half-breed who leads his own clan. They consist of a mixture of GarLycans and full blooded Gargoyles. His father was a Gargoyle, and his mother a GarLycan. Both Gargoyles and GarLycans are pretty damn tough. They fear no one. That’s why we can’t allow Decker to use you or your sister as leverage against Aveoth to force him into a war with us. It would be a bloodbath with few survivors.”

  Dusti just stared at him, trying to take in everything he’d said. It was possible he didn’t believe in aliens. She almost wished he did, because she was used to Greg’s world. The one Drantos had made up in his head was way more complicated and involved mythical paranormal creatures.

  His eyes…okay, she couldn’t explain that. Which unsettled her and made her nervous.

  “So you’re telling me I’m related to Vampires and Werewolves?” She didn’t want to hear any more and felt hysteria begin to rise up. It couldn’t be true. “Or am I part Gargoyle? I’m a little confused but it’s all cool. Next full moon, I’ll try to howl just to see if I sprout hair. I guess now I know why I usually get sunburned instead of tan when I lay out. I just thought it was my fair skin but now I’ll know to avoid the sun and sharp wooden stakes. I don’t think I’d like to be a Gargoyle statue though. It sounds boring.”

  The blue of his eyes darkened into near black, stopping her humor immediately as alarm spread throughout her body. It made him look evil.

  “You aren’t part of the GarLycan clan. And it’s not something to make fun of. To be a VampLycan is an honor.”

  “Couldn’t I be a fairy instead? They have sparkly magic dust and wings. I’d much rather you tell me I’m one of those.”

  He sighed. “This is how you’re going to deal with what I’m telling you? Making smartass remarks?”

  She nodded. “This is too messed up.”

  “We’re trying to avoid a war, Dusti. You need to know what’s really going on.”

  “Can you at least make your fantasy world make sense? According to you, you’re already at war with Vampires.”

  “Vampires are no longer a threat. They’ve tried to come after us a few times over the years and we’ve slaughtered them. That war ended when they realized how strong we’d become.” He hesitated. “It’s a war between the clans we want to avoid right now. That’s the threat. Decker’s clan isn’t strong enough to take on everyone else. He’d lose unless he can force the GarLycans to his side. That’s why he can’t get his hands on your sister to use against us. He’ll hand her over to Aveoth so he’ll fight us too.”

  “Why is Bat so important to this Aveoth? Why would he want her?”

  “Aveoth was once promised your grandmother’s sister. She died before that could happen. He’ll want Bat because she’s a direct descendant of the woman who should have been his.”

  “It sounds crazy. You have to see where I’m coming from.”

  His gaze lowered to the neck of her blouse. “I know, and I’m sorry I had to be the one to tell you the truth, but I can prove it. I’m dominant and you aren’t.”

  “You mean you’re stronger.”

  He glanced up, his intense gaze meeting hers before he focused lower once more. “You’re part Lycan, even if it is very minimal. I can force it to the surface.”

  She felt really uneasy over the way he studied her throat. She pushed against his chest again, futilely, unable to move his heavy bulk. He suddenly tucked his head, burying his face against her neck. She tensed.

&n