“Regardless,” Velder stated. “Decker is alive and got away. I need to make a lot of calls. I’ll report to Lord Aveoth what direction Decker took. I’ll also alert his clan that the girl is here with us and make arrangements for her parents to join her here.” He looked at his mate then. “You and I will talk afterward.”

“She’s one of mine. Don’t give me that look, Vel.”

“Not this again,” Dusti muttered. “Let’s just clear the air now. I wanted to do it. You wanted me to pretend to be Bat. The only one who had a problem with it was Drantos. My mate, my problem. I refuse to be the reason my mate-in-laws argue.”

Both of them looked at her.

She shrugged. “I hate bullshit.”

“Obviously not, master of bullshitting,” Drantos drawled.

Dusti laughed, turning her head to grin at him. “I do like that title.”

“What title?” Velder didn’t sound amused.

“Never mind.” Drantos shook his head. “It’s a private joke between my mate and me. She’s fine. You both should go. We have our own argument to finish.”

They left and Dusti turned in his arms, wrapping hers around his waist. “Are we okay? I love you.”

“I love you too but you’re going to drive me insane.”

“You’re a tough guy. I think you can handle me.”

“I can think of many ways to do that.” Desire flooded the bond they had, the emotion filling her.

“Make-up sex?”

“Make-up sex,” he confirmed. “You have a lot to atone for.”

“Sounds sexy.”

“It does.”

“Good. And I can’t wait until Kraven and Bat return.”

“I know you miss your sister.”

“I do but she’s really going to piss your parents off.” She grinned. “Tag, she’ll be it. I almost feel sorry for your family. Almost.”

He laughed. “I want to make love to you right now.”

“That sounds like heaven.”

A slight noise sounded from outside. Dusti immediately tensed, prepared for someone else to walk into the house unannounced. “Why don’t you lock the door? I’m so sick of interruptions.”

“So am I.”

She let him go and he stalked over to the front door, bolting it.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Dusti entered the bedroom first. “Alone at last!”

“Yes.” Drantos followed, closing and locking that door too. “I’m going to shower. I’ve been running in the woods and I’m covered in sweat. I’ll be right back.”

“Hurry.”

She watched him go but then decided to join him. He’d already turned on the water and was standing under the spray by the time she’d stripped and entered the bathroom. She enjoyed the view of his body through the steamy interior of the shower stall. He had his head tipped back but quickly sensed her, turning his head and smiling.

“Do you have room in there for me?”

He shoved open the door and held out his hand. “Always.”

Dusti stepped inside and tried to open her mind. Waves of passion hit her and she reached out, grabbing hold of Drantos. He chuckled and hooked an arm around her. “Open up to me.”

“You’re the one who closed me off. You’ve been guarded since you found me. I could only pick up that you wanted me a few minutes ago.”

“I was angry but I’m not anymore.”

“So I feel.” She caressed his skin.

He groaned, lowering his mouth to hers. “You make me so hot. You burn me up, sweetheart.”

Dusti closed her eyes and could relate. She loved the way he kissed her. It went from mild to an overdriving need to be inside her. She wanted him so bad it hurt. He dominated her mouth with his tongue, picking her right up off her feet and pinning her against the stall tiles. She lifted her legs, hooking them around his waist. Lust rolled between them, reflecting off each other until he shifted his hips and entered her. Dusti cried out at the feel of his cock filling her.

Drantos tore his mouth away from hers and went for her throat. His tongue swiped over her skin, right before he bit. His fangs caused a slight amount of pain but he thrust up into her at the same time, distracting her with more pleasure. Her gums began to throb but she wasn’t sure if it were really her sensation or his. The taste of blood wet her lips and Drantos moaned against her throat. He moved faster, fucking her hard and deep.

She clawed at his shoulders and knew she wasn’t going to last long. The climax tore through her in the next instant and she shouted his name. Drantos came with her. She could feel it both in her body and through the mental bond between them. He clutched her tighter and sank to his knees with her still wrapped around him. Water poured down them both from the showerhead, dousing their upper bodies. It didn’t matter.

Drantos removed his fangs from her neck and licked at the spot he’d bitten. He chuckled. “That was a quickie. Ready to go to bed and do this a hell of a lot slower?”

Dusti became aware that she had her mouth still pressed to his skin when she tried to talk. She opened her eyes when she pulled away and saw that she’d bitten him too. There were no puncture wounds from fangs but the familiar twin crescents from her smooth row of teeth. She’d broken the skin in a few places but it wasn’t bad.

“I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. You can always bite me. I heal, remember?”

He shifted so the water wasn’t pouring down on them and she met his gaze. “That was something.”

“We’re newly mated and we had a scare. It’s normal.”

“I’ve never gotten off that fast before.”

“You’ve never been mated before either.” He changed his hold on her. “Stand. Let me turn off the water.”

She hated to untangle their bodies but did with his help. He rose up to stand next to her and twisted off the flow of water. He threw open the door and stepped out, just running a towel quickly over his body. He dropped it and grabbed another, opening it for her.

“Come here.”

She stepped out and he dried her body as quickly as he had his own. He threw that towel aside as well and surprised her by sweeping her off her feet. He carried her to the bed and gently laid her down.