“Is the sister similar to her?”

Drantos hesitated to answer.

“She’s way worse,” Dusti informed him. “She’s a defense attorney from Los Angeles. Her law firm had to hire Bat her own personal security team because she’s pissed off so many people she gets death threats on a daily basis.” She took a breath. “I am not kidding about that castration if you were to force her into going to bed with you. She’d actually do it, and probably buy a case to carry your balls around in her purse just for the meanness of it.”

“Dusti,” Drantos rasped, “stop.”

Aveoth laughed again and released her, backing up. He studied Drantos. “She’s got spirit.” His gaze lowered down his body. “I see you still have your balls.”

Drantos sighed. “Yes. Dusti’s the sweet one.”

All humor disappeared from Aveoth’s features. “I want to meet Batina.”

“She already has a mate.” Drantos kept his voice very low. “He’ll never allow you to have her.”

Dusti turned her head to gape at Drantos. “Who?”

He met her gaze. “Kraven.”

Her mouth fell open. “No.”

He gave a sharp nod. “He hasn’t informed her yet but it’s true.”

“Oh, that poor bastard.” Dusti winced. If it was true, her sister would hurt the guy. Bat had obviously liked Kraven enough to consider fooling around with him but her sister didn’t do long-term relationships.

“Your Kraven?” Anger tinged Aveoth’s voice.

Wariness tightened Drantos’s features. “Yes. My brother.” He shot a glare at Craig, still on his knees. “That one and several others attacked my family to steal my mate, and my brother was injured protecting Batina.”

“How bad was he hurt?” Aveoth’s skin seemed to darken to that dusky gray again and his flesh appeared to harden.

Drantos cautiously inched closer until he reached Dusti’s side. He wrapped an arm around her waist, hoisted her against his naked body, and backed away from the GarLycan.

“He’ll live but it was pretty serious. They tried to rip out his spine and almost succeeded. He couldn’t defend himself because he was holding on to Bat to protect her.”

Aveoth’s head snapped in Craig’s direction. “You attacked VampLycans from another clan? I forbid fighting amongst the clans.”

“Decker ordered us to retrieve his granddaughter Batina at any cost. Those were his words. He said to bring Batina to you, regardless of who we had to kill to do it.” The guy’s voice shook with fear. “He specifically stated even if we had to kill VampLycans.”

In the blink of an eye, Aveoth was gone. He moved so fast that it just seemed to Dusti as if he’d teleported. He appeared in front of Craig for a second then suddenly turned around. Dusti choked back a scream when she realized what she was witnessing.

Craig’s head rolled in the dirt, his body slumping in another direction.

Aveoth had avoided the blood spray by taking one step to the side. He’d beheaded the guy.

Drantos snarled and transferred her from his arms to behind his back. She knew he did it to protect her, just as surely as she knew he didn’t stand a chance against a GarLycan. Aveoth could move too fast. An image of Drantos ending up that same way flashed through her mind, his head removed from his neck…

She didn’t think. She just reacted by lunging around him and throwing her arms up, putting herself between him and the threat.

What am I doing?

She wasn’t sure, but Aveoth hadn’t killed her when he’d had the chance. He’d said he wouldn’t hurt a descendant of Margola. She prayed he’d meant that.

Drantos gripped her hips but she just pressed back against his front tightly and clutched at his bare hips to keep him from moving her. She didn’t want Drantos to die. Even if that meant using her body as a shield. She stared at Aveoth, praying he wouldn’t come at them next. He was a terrifying sight with his slate-gray skin, appearing more stone than flesh.

“Please don’t hurt him,” she pleaded softly.

Drantos growled and tried to lift her. “Release me and be quiet.”

“No.” Her nails dug into his skin and she shoved her back against him harder. “You shut up.”

Aveoth didn’t move but he did watch Dusti closely. “She protects you? Interesting.”

“She is unique,” Drantos said, sighing again. “Are we going to fight?”

Aveoth’s gaze lifted to Drantos. He waved a hand at what used to be Craig. “He deserved it. He attacked another clan against my orders, stole a woman, and his scent is on her leg. He drew her blood. I hate anyone who would abuse a woman. The fact that she’s so human and helpless to defend against him really riles my sense of vengeance.”

“Understood. I would have liked to kill him myself, though you were kinder than I would have been for drawing my mate’s blood. I wanted to make him suffer first.”

Dusti wondered if either of them realized how cold they sounded discussing the dead corpse on the ground. She refused to glance at what used to be Craig. Throwing up would ruin the image she wanted to display of being tougher than she really felt.

“You killing him may have caused tension. I do it and it’s justice. These are my lands and my laws were broken.” Aveoth took a deep breath. “Speaking of laws, what does your father think of you mating to someone who smells so human? You’re the eldest son and it’s your duty to produce strong offspring. You risk failing with her.”

“It doesn’t matter what he thinks. She’s mine.”

“He could reject her.”

Drantos softly growled. “I don’t care.”

Aveoth studied Drantos with a frown. “I believe you.”

“I wouldn’t lie to you.”

“Are you still close to your father?”

“Yes.”

“But you’d defy him if he rejects her as your mate and you’d leave your own clan?”

“I’m not giving up Dusti.”

“So possessive.” Aveoth smiled. “Go. Take her and leave.”

“Thank you.” Drantos wrapped his arms around Dusti’s middle. “Did you know Decker planned to use Batina to blackmail you, to help him start a war between our clans?”