Lorn Read online

  Trust had never been an issue between them, but his brother was right. This was Kira. Lorn tended to be paranoid when it came to her. There was no choice though. He shifted his body and gripped her under her arms. She moaned when he lifted her, scooting on his back and using his feet to push in the right direction. Her weight was slight and easy to maneuver but it was tough to angle her high enough for his brother to reach inside the hole to grip her arms.

  She slid over his chest and then his face when Lavos pulled her away. She had gone totally limp, seeming to have lost consciousness. He rolled over the second she was clear to scramble after them. The night air was welcome once he left the tight confines of the cave and he breathed it in deep, instantly reaching for her.

  Lavos handed her over from the cradle of his arms after staring down at her neck with a frown. “You sure she’s changing and not just suffering sickness?”

  “Yes.” He hugged her close to his body, careful not to crush her. “Her eyes were glowing. It’s begun. She never had that ability before.”

  “Maybe you’re wrong. She could have that trait.”

  “I know everything about Kira.”

  “Shit. I’ll clean up here and follow to hide all tracks or scents you leave behind.”

  Lorn turned to go but his brother grabbed his shoulder. He looked back at him, wary.

  “I’ll hunt before sunset and tie up a deer near your den. She’s going to need to feed. I hear they wake pretty hungry. Watch your damn neck.”

  “I will. Thank you.”

  “We’re brothers. I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  “Go. It won’t be long before Davis returns with others. There’s a lot of work to do. Be damn alert so you don’t run into any of them on their way out here. I’ll patrol the area around your den just to make sure nobody comes sniffing, in case we didn’t think of something.”

  Lorn gave a sharp nod, his gratitude immense. He moved fast but didn’t run. It would jar Kira. Her breathing was slow and regular, as if she slept, but he knew better. The pain had become too great for her still-human mind to endure. Every step was taken with caution to leave no trace. Lavos had enough to clean up and he didn’t want to add to his burden.

  The den was stocked with food but Kira wouldn’t need that. Not anymore. A wave of grief threatened to crush his heart. He’d always avoided contemplating her future since it couldn’t be with him, but this was a twist he’d never seen coming. In seven days, he’d have to lead her to the outside world and leave her there to survive. There would be no more watching out for her or assuring her safety from the people who lived in her proximity.

  The Vampires were territorial too, and they didn’t abide rogues. The bastard who’d turned Kira couldn’t exactly take her back to whatever hellish nest he’d made and introduce her to his other children. Not anymore. Part of Lorn wasn’t sorry about that. There was no telling what kind of abuse she might have suffered under a master’s guidance.

  Money wouldn’t be an issue. He had plenty of it, and so did Davis. The two of them would make sure she had access to funds. They might be able to buy her some remote home, but how would she feed? Livestock? Who would care for them while she slept during the day?

  Frustration rose again as he kept moving, carrying her closer to his second home. Then he remembered…

  Ravenous.

  He’d almost forgotten about the long-gone clan member with stronger Vampire traits. Decker had made some bargain with his mother, allowing her and Ravenous to live in the territory. The money Decker had been paid to accept that family had helped bend those rules, like he bent so many others. Ravenous had enough Lycan blood to withstand the sun without any ill effects but he needed to drink blood, as well as eat food.

  He didn’t know where Ravenous had gone but he could try to search for him via the internet.

  The tale had become near legend about how two full-blood Vampires had arrived in their territory some years ago from another country. Decker hadn’t given a shit that they were ignorant about the war or that they’d inadvertently broken the pack. He’d just ordered them killed. Ravenous wouldn’t stand for it, and he’d helped them escape, leaving with them. He was obviously sympathetic to his father’s people. Rumor had it that he’d threatened to challenge Decker.

  It had been one of the few times Decker had backed down. It meant Ravenous was strong and fierce, because their clan leader was a mean son of a bitch.

  Lorn glanced at Kira’s upturned face. She was too attractive for his peace of mind. The concept of asking another man to take her under his protection wasn’t easy to swallow. Ravenous might feel the desire to keep her as his own in ways that had Lorn clenching his teeth. Jealousy rolled off him in menacing waves.

  He’d always heard good things about Ravenous, though. Not from any of Decker’s supporters, but that just meant he must be honorable. It would be best to send Kira somewhere she’d be safeguarded, even if it was into the arms of another man.

  “Fuck,” he hissed. The urge to kill something struck hard and fast.

  Lorn glanced at the starry sky, grateful it was still a few hours from sunrise. But summer was almost upon them and the days getting longer and longer. Kira had always seemed fragile but never more so than at that moment. One touch of the sunlight would sear her beautiful skin, blister it, kill her. She would be virtually defenseless while she rested during the day. Old Vamps could move around under shelter when the sun rose, but the recently turned were weak and comparable to a newborn in that regard.

  He reached his property with a sigh of relief and sped up into a light jog. The den was hidden from everyone in the clan with the exception of Lavos. His parents didn’t even know where it had been built. Lorn wasn’t stupid enough to trust his father, and whatever his mother knew, she might unwillingly share with her mate through their bond.

  His parents wouldn’t be happy with him away for days. There were duties expected of him, especially with Decker and his enforcers on the run from the GarLycan leader, Lord Aveoth. It had become Lorn’s job to calm anyone anxious over the situation and keep the peace amongst the clan members. Nabby had tried to start plenty of fights but he’d backed down with Lorn standing in his way.

  He scanned the area but nothing seemed out of place. He slowed his pace as he jumped from one large rock to another, not touching the ground to leave behind no trace. He paused near a circle of huge boulders and shifted Kira to hang over one shoulder, freeing his hand. He jumped atop one of the boulders then dropped down. There was a space between the boulders where he’d hidden the opening to his den. He reached under one of the bushes he’d planted, found the release, and dug his fingers inside. The latch popped and it automatically triggered the cage to silently rise from below ground. Dirt and part of the bush remained on top of it.

  It rose out of the earth until a latch caught along the bottom, holding it in place so he could step inside the narrow but tall steel box. The springs would prevent it from falling too fast when he stepped on the release. He made sure all of Kira was contained inside then stomped down, there was a slight click, and the elevator lowered.

  The night sky disappeared, along with the fresh air when it took them completely underground. He stepped out into a narrow tunnel, only pausing to lock the cage in place. No one could spring the latch from outside now. He strode forward as the floor steeped lower until he reached a metal door.

  He appreciated modern technology and battery-operated devices. He punched in the code after touching the faceplate to activate the lights on it and the inner lock released, admitting him into his secure den. It felt chilly inside and pitch dark. He turned to throw extra bolts that couldn’t be accessed from the other side, sliding a thick bar across the door as a final safety measure.

  Claws couldn’t breach the four-inch steel that surrounded the den from floor to ceiling. Air vents dug below ground for long distances made certain they’d never suffocate. He knew the small space so well that he walked to t