Lorn shifted his gaze to Veso. He understood the importance and nodded, twisting his claws and causing the master to shriek from the pain. He gripped him by his arm with his free hand, squeezed hard, and bone broke. “Answer him.”

The master screamed again but then went silent.

“Answer him,” Veso snarled. “Otherwise we’ll tear your limbs from your body and wait for you to heal enough to wake up before we start again.”

“That sounds fun.” Flay grinned. “I call right leg.”

“I’ll take the left,” Lavos offered.

“Answer him,” Veso hissed. “You’re going to die but I’ll make it faster. Your choice.”

“With the council in Chicago,” the master wheezed. “They’ll make you pay for this! I was under orders to come here from them. You have to let me go!”

“What were your orders?”

The Vampire glared but answered. “They wanted someone to come here and kill some VampLycans. We were to set fire to your homes and cause as much damage as possible.”

“Why?” Lorn’s voice deepened, his anger growing.

“I didn’t ask,” the master hissed. “I saw an opportunity.”

“To drug one and breed me to Glenda?” Veso dug his claws in a little deeper.

The master screamed, “Yes!”

“That’s all I needed.” Lorn backed up. “Verification. Decker is working with these bastards. He’s the reason they are here. End him.”

“With pleasure.” Veso leaned in, snarling next to the master’s ear. “Be a king in hell.”

He released Charles’s arm and grabbed his throat again, slowly ripping into the soft flesh in front. The Vamp tried to scream but choked on his own blood. It took a few adjustments with his hand but he beheaded the bastard, his body turning to dust. Veso backed away, wiping the blood from both hands on his pants.

“Bet that felt good.” Flay spun. “Let’s go hunting. I’m sure there are more of them down here.”

“Fucking Decker,” Lorn rasped, fury in his tone. “I’m sure he sent them to punish us for not fighting to keep him here and agreeing to slaughter the other clans.”

“It doesn’t matter, my sometimes-furry friends. We’ll kill them all,” Fray called out as he left the room.

Veso followed them out. They wouldn’t stop until everyone in the nest had been disposed of.

* * * * *

Glen woke, startled by the door opening. She’d fallen asleep on the couch in the small living room of the guest apartment.

Bran stepped inside, carrying a brown bag and a mug with a lid.

“Sorry if I woke you. I figured you might be hungry.”

“Thank you.” She sat up straighter. “Have you heard anything yet?”

He shook his head and placed the bag and mug on the coffee table in front of her. “Do you mind if I open the windows and let in some sunlight? It’s so gloomy in this basement.”

“Sure. Go ahead. It’s morning already?”

“It is.”

He crossed the room to the high windows along one wall, pulling back heavy drapes. Light came in from the outside, brightening the room a lot. She leaned over and turned off the lamp on the table.

Bran turned, staring at her. He didn’t move to leave so she figured he might want to say something to her or maybe get to know her. Veso had stated he wanted to mate her. As his father, Bran might have questions. She could totally understand that.

She hadn’t been alone with Veso’s father until that moment. Kira had told her he’d stayed behind though at the lodge to help protect them. He’d avoided her all night. Now, his face didn’t give away any of his emotions as he silently regarded her. She noticed again how young he looked. If she hadn’t known he was Veso’s dad, she’d have sworn they were brothers, only a few years apart.

“Do I frighten you? There’s no need for that.”

“I’m sorry. Am I staring? You look so much like Veso, only with longer hair. Too much so.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You don’t look old enough to be anyone’s father unless they are really young.”

He chuckled. “Ah. I guess my son didn’t tell you everything. We age very slowly. I assure you, I’m much older than I look.”

She wasn’t about to ask for the year he was born. It seemed rude. That also reminded her of her manners. “Would you like to have a seat?”

He came closer and sat in a chair on the other side of the coffee table. “Thank you, Glenda.”

“It’s just Glen, please.”

“My son calls you Glenda.”

“I’m aware. He seems to have a problem with shortened names, unfortunately. Veso told me about you.” She glanced down at the mug, smelling coffee. She looked back at him. “How you left your clan to care for him when he was just a boy. He loves you a lot.”

His expression softened. “He shared that with you?”

“Yes. He told me about his mother too. She sounds like she was pretty terrible to you both.”

Bran’s mouth compressed into a tight line.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. Veso told me about how you built a cabin for him, and you sacrificed a lot to raise him.”

“It was a privilege, not a hardship. He’s my son.” Bran suddenly leaned forward, his eyes growing brighter. “I want you to tell me the truth.”

She lowered her gaze fast, staring at the coffee. “Please don’t try to control me.”

He sat back in the chair. “My son told you about our gifts.”

“He did.” She glanced up to find Bran’s eyes had returned to their normal color, the unnatural brightness gone. “I won’t lie to you. Just ask me whatever you want to know.”

“Why are you refusing to be my son’s mate? Is it because he’s a VampLycan?”

“I didn’t know anything about you until I was kidnapped. The world was round and the scary things in life were diseases and killer criminals. Human ones. I have a life I built and worked hard for. Staying here would mean giving all that up. Plus, I don’t know him all that well. It’s kind of nuts to know a person for less than a week and then promise to spend the rest of your life with them.”