She removed the sweatpants, put on Drantos’s underwear, and then put the pants back on. It gave her a place to hide the gun down the borrowed briefs. The gun sagged a bit but she rolled the waist of the sweats to help support the weight. She closed her eyes, thinking about what she was about to do.

It was crazy. It was probably stupid. It might not work…but she needed to try. Everyone thought she was cowardly and that she needed to be protected. Her sister would have the nerve to pull a stunt like this.

That thought gave her the courage to walk out of the bedroom. Crayla waited in the living room but Drantos and his father were gone.

“Are you ready to do this?” Crayla didn’t look convinced.

“Yes.”

“Be certain, Dusti. This is a dangerous situation. Decker has no honor and he’s vicious.”

“He wants Bat alive to use her. I’ll just be her.”

“Lake is still outside. I motioned for him to stay when our mates left. I’ll go tell him our plan.”

“What is that, exactly?”

“I’m going to have Lake call his sister. She’ll have the number to reach Decker. Lake will tell him that he grabbed you from our village and wants to make the exchange for his niece. No VampLycan would dishonor another by stealing their mate, but it’s behavior that someone like your grandfather shouldn’t question.”

“Because he’s an asshole with no morals. That’s something he’d probably do.”

“Exactly.” Crayla smiled. “Lake will tell me where Decker wants him to take you. I’ll give you a head start before telling our mates. They’ll rush to save you. Lake will hand you over to Decker, grab the child, and run back in this direction, but by that time, our mates will be on their way to you. Is that clear enough?”

“Crystal.” Dusti felt fear but she refused to let it change her mind.

“It’s possible that Decker could take you, if they don’t reach you in time. We have no idea how many enforcers are protecting him or what kind of escape plan he’s made in case of a trap. I’d have one if I were him. Are you prepared for that?”

Dusti understood. “He’ll want to take Bat to Aveoth.” The memory of meeting the GarLycan leader flashed in her head. “At least Aveoth knows who I really am. He’d let me go and give me back to Drantos. I feel confident about that. He’s definitely a badass and I wouldn’t be bummed if he beheaded my grandfather. I’ve seen him in action already.”

Crayla regarded her sternly. “Hide your fear. That’s important.”

“I’m going to be channeling Bat. She doesn’t get scared. She gets pissed off and mouthy. Trust me. I’ve got her down.”

Crayla nodded. “Be strong and courageous for your mate. He’ll be furious that you defied him but his anger will be lessened if we pull this off without a hitch.”

“How pissed is Velder going to be at you?”

“He’s my mate. He knows me well so he shouldn’t be surprised by anything I do. You’re a woman in our clan and that child is a VampLycan girl.”

“Good enough.”

“I appreciate that you’re concerned for my relationship with my mate.”

Dusti forced a smile. It was more a matter of how angry Drantos would be if she was the reason his parents weren’t on speaking terms—on top of going directly against what he’d told her to do.

Chapter Twenty

“Lake?”

Dusti peered around the dark woods behind Drantos’s home. Crayla said the VampLycan would be waiting for her there. Movement to her right drew her attention and the big guy from the store stepped out from behind a massive tree. Enough light showed from the house for her to distinguish his grim expression. He didn’t look happy to see her.

“I’m desperate to save Asha but this goes against my better judgment.”

She could respect that. “Is that your niece’s name? Asha? It’s pretty.”

“She’s a pretty girl.”

“How old is she?”

“Almost two.”

Dusti really hated her grandfather. He’d kidnapped a baby, not a little girl. It made it so much worse. “I know the risks. Let’s do this, okay?”

“I wouldn’t be doing this if Crayla hadn’t ordered me to. She said Velder would agree with her. Your mate is going to want to kill me, isn’t he?”

She decided to change the subject. “Did you call your sister and were you able to reach Decker?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“He gave me a place to meet. I don’t think this is a good plan.”

“Not you too.” She sighed, feeling frustrated. “Focus on your niece. I can handle myself. Just get me there, grab that baby, and haul ass to get her back here. That’s the plan. Crayla said she told you what we had in mind when she came back from talking to you.”

“She did. I just don’t think this is going to work.”

“I can pull off being my sister to a man who hasn’t seen us in twenty years. Give me some credit.”

“Decker could hurt you if he figures out you’re the wrong sister.”

“I’m wearing Drantos’s clothes for a reason. I smell like him, don’t I? It masks my scent. I learned that when I met Aveoth. I can do this. Just get me there and save your niece.”

“I don’t know if you’re brave or stupid.”

“Let’s call it a bit of both. Do you need to tie me up or something? Crayla said you could move faster if you’re carrying me.”

He shifted his stance some, his shadow moving. “Drantos is going to kill me for this.”

“He’ll be too busy yelling at me.”

He snorted.

“Let’s get this show on the road. We don’t have a lot of time.” She glanced back, spotting Crayla watching them from the back porch. “We’re wasting what little time we have.” She faced Lake again. “We need to get going before Drantos and his dad come back to the house and notice I’m gone.”

“I told Decker I couldn’t get a vehicle so he agreed to meet us close to the border of our lands. It might be uncomfortable for you but I can move faster if you’re over my shoulder.”