“Dusti is my one,” Drantos stated firmly. “I’m certain.”

“We’re done talking right now. This is not over though. No one is going to forget what they witnessed here but we’ll face the consequences later. I don’t want to leave our clan unprotected, now that I know what Decker plans. He could have already contacted Aveoth to launch an attack.” Velder spun around and raised his voice. “Move out. We’re returning home.”

Drantos turned and frowned at Dusti. He glanced at her feet. “I’ll carry you. Come here.” He reached for her.

“Forget it.” She inched around him and avoided touching his hands. The ground was cold against her bare feet but she didn’t want him touching her again. “I can walk.”

“Dusti.” Frustration sounded in his voice.

She avoided his gaze. “Save it. Don’t you have a girlfriend to go apologize to?”

“Damn it,” he snarled. “It isn’t like that.”

“Spare me.” Despite the fact he’d protected her again, she was still mad and hurt. His girlfriend or ex situation, whatever, didn’t sit well with her. She hurried her pace, following his father. The man wasn’t friendly and he’d wanted to attack her but it beat arguing with Drantos. There was no excuse for him being involved with one woman and then having sex with her. He hadn’t mentioned anything about Yonda, and he should have.

More people were ahead of them once they cleared a thick area of trees. A dirt road curved out of sight and two pickup trucks carefully drove along them, stopping where the group assembled. They were a rough, fit-looking bunch. Yonda walked to one of the cabs and jerked the door open. She withdrew folded clothing from inside and dressed. It stunned Dusti that she seemed unaware of all the men around her. Some of them were glancing at the bent woman putting on sweats, obviously checking out her ass.

What kind of world does Drantos live in? It unsettled her and made her even more leery of VampLycans. Her mother had been one of them and had fled. She was starting to understand why. They just weren’t…human enough. Their modesty was nonexistent and they seemed like a brutal race.

The sight of Bat and Kraven across the clearing, along with Red, made her feel relief. Her sister looked worse for wear but alive. She seemed to be arguing with Kraven. Velder switched directions and advanced on them. She went to follow but Drantos suddenly gripped her arm, gaining her attention.

“We keep some sarongs in the trucks for when we shift. Come with me and let’s get one wrapped around your legs. They’re cold.”

“My legs aren’t your concern.” She jerked out of his grasp. “I’m going to go check on my sister.”

He planted his body in her way. “Cover your legs first.” He glanced around and seemed mad. His voice lowered. “They are staring at them.”

She glanced at a few of the men nearest them and noticed they were appraising her. She didn’t like it. “Fine. I’ll wear a sarong.”

He pointed at the truck that Yonda wasn’t near. “Over there.”

She spun and advanced on it. Drantos was the one to open the passenger door. The floor had piles of folded material. He grabbed a black one on top and turned, opening it. He even started to bend, as if he planned to help her put it on. Dusti just yanked it out of his hands.

“I can do it myself.”

“Dusti,” he whispered. “You need to trust me.”

“Fat chance,” she muttered, figuring out a sarong was a lot like a thinner version of a big towel. She wrapped it around her waist and tied it in a knot so it formed a skirt that reached her ankles. “You were dating that woman before we met. That’s all kinds of messed up, Drantos.”

“Look at me.”

She released the soft material and threw her head back, glaring at him. “What?”

“I told you it wasn’t like that. We were having sex.”

“She wanted your father to kill me. She said I wasn’t good enough for you. She acts like a jealous girlfriend.”

“It’s because you’re human. It’s difficult to explain.” He frowned. “We’ll discuss this at length once I take you to my home. Now isn’t the time. You’re still in danger and so is the clan. Just stick close to me and do as I ask.”

She just wanted to hug her sister and go home. She was done with Alaska, her insane grandfather, the whole VampLycan thing, and especially Drantos. Her life had turned to shit ever since she and Bat had boarded that flight. She was hungry, sore, and felt miserable. They’d survived a plane slamming into the ground and then had been kidnapped from the crash site. To make things worse, she’d almost been attacked by some hell beast. The near drowning in the river and almost turning into a human Popsicle hadn’t been fun, either. Last but not least, she’d learned that her mother had been keeping big secrets from her daughters and she wasn’t what she’d appeared to be.

All those things had lowered her guard enough to trust the man in front of her. Who was a cheating bastard.

Tears filled her eyes. It was too much. It just all slammed into her at once. They weren’t alone in the woods anymore and people were around them. Maybe not people. Creatures in skin. She darted a frightened look around, really understanding that she wasn’t anything like them. Her and Bat were surrounded by the things they probably would have paid money to see featured in some horror movie.

I’m having a breakdown, she acknowledged, but didn’t try to reign in her emotions. I’m entitled to one after all this shit has happened.

It wasn’t actually Drantos’s fault that her grandfather was some kind of evil mastermind or that Vampires and Werewolves were real. But he’d been the one to tell her the truth and take her away from the other survivors from the plane. Maybe a rescue team would have found them and she’d be back in her apartment if he hadn’t done that. She’d still be clueless—and happier for it.

“Dusti?” Drantos inched closer and tried to take her hand.

“Don’t!” She stumbled back.

He growled. “Keep your voice down.”

“Fine,” she whispered. “I know you saved my life a few times but stop touching me.” His earlier words replayed through her mind. “I just need you to back off me right now, okay? Just leave me alone.”