“Let’s get this over with.” Veso wasn’t looking forward to meeting his new clan leader. He didn’t hate Lorn, but they’d never been close. He knew Lorn hadn’t liked it when he’d trained Kira to fight. They’d exchanged harsh words and Lorn had threatened to kill him if anything bad happened to her. He wondered if Lorn would blame him for Kira being attacked by Vamps.

They walked up the hill, Veso helping Glenda along. She really had trouble seeing, stumbling a few times. It was tempting to carry her but he didn’t want to hurt her pride. It would bother him being carried home. She might feel the same way.

Lavos took the stairs first, throwing open the front door. Veso followed, keeping Glenda close.

The first person he saw was his father. He paced in front of the fireplace, but stopped and spun when they entered, their gazes locking.

“Veso.” His father advanced in long strides, hugging him.

He had to release Glenda to wrap his arms around his father. “I’m fine. They drugged me or I wouldn’t have been captured.”

His father eased his tight hold and studied his face. “I thought they’d killed you.”

“They had other plans. We escaped.” He reached back, blindly gripped Glenda’s arm and tugged her forward. He saw surprise on his father’s face as he lowered his gaze, staring at her. His dad jerked his gaze back to him, one eyebrow arching.

“This is Glenda. She helped me escape…and she’s going to be my mate.” He braced himself, expecting a bad reaction.

His father’s mouth parted, he inhaled, stared at Glenda again—and then shocked Veso by smiling. “I see. Hello, Glenda.”

“Hi.” She pressed against Veso’s front, facing his father. “It’s nice to meet you. Since you look so much like Veso, I’m guessing you’re his father? He’s spoken a lot about you.”

“I am. My name is Bran. It’s nice to meet you.” His dad shot him a questioning look.

“She knows everything.” Veso tried to guess where his father’s thoughts may lie. “The master who kidnapped me also took Glenda. She’s a relative of his. He wanted us to breed a daughter together so he could raise her to be his companion.”

“He said he wanted to make her his queen,” Glenda muttered. “He’s crazy.”

“This is a story I want to hear.”

Motion and noise drew Veso’s attention to the stairs. Lorn and Kira came down. He noticed immediately the changes in Kira. It wasn’t just her paler complexion. There was a gracefulness to her movements that had been missing before. She smiled when she saw him. Lorn didn’t.

They stopped at the bottom of the stairs and Veso pulled Glenda closer.

“Thank goodness you’re alive.” Kira tried to come to him but her mate snagged her arm, keeping her by his side. Kira frowned up at Lorn. “He’s not a threat to me.”

“That’s not established yet. Your scent has changed since the last time he saw you.”

“I caught him up on events.” Lavos moved to the side, halfway between the couples. “He knows Kira is turning more VampLycan than Vampire.”

“Who is the woman?” Lorn’s frown deepened as he studied Glenda.

“My mate, or she will be soon. Don’t worry. She already knows everything. And I plan to leave your clan as soon as I’m able.” Veso took a deep breath and blew it out. “I’d like permission for my father to guard her while we track and take out the nest who kidnapped us. The master wants her recaptured. She won’t be safe until they are all dead.”

Lorn met his gaze. “Are you leaving because you have a problem with me leading the clan or because of what she is?”

“I’m glad you stepped up and took control.” Lorn wasn’t anything like Decker. He was a vast improvement.

“You don’t want to challenge me?”

Veso shook his head. “I’m not a leader. I just want to take out the threat of that nest and keep my mate safe.”

Lorn inhaled. “You haven’t completed the bond.”

“We’ve been on the run for days. It wasn’t the time…but she’s mine.”

Lorn came closer, stopping about five feet away. “I want those bastards dusted too. Truce?”

“We’re not at war, Lorn.” Veso released Glenda and bowed, lowering his gaze as a sign of respect. He rose to his full height then, staring at the new clan leader. “I accept you until it’s time for us to leave.”

“Is it that distasteful to vow allegiance to me?”

“No.”

“Then why are you planning to leave the clan?”

Veso glanced at Glenda then back at Lorn, but said nothing.

“Some won’t be happy, but they’re already pissed about me taking over and mating Kira.” Lorn grinned. “We already have enemies here. You have a lot to fight for and defend with a human mate if you stay with us. I’d like it if you’d become one of my enforcers.” His humor faded. “That doesn’t mean the same thing as it once did under Decker’s rule. I’m not looking for executioners or assassins. We only kill if there’s no other choice. I’d like for us to finally live in peace with other clans.”

“You’d let me keep Glenda?” Veso wanted it to be clear they were a package deal. He was also pleased to be asked to become an enforcer. He knew Lavos had dreamed of peace between the clans, and it was nice to know his older brother had the same goals. They were all in agreement.

Lorn gave a sharp nod. “You might want to keep her away from the clan for a while but in time, they’ll come around. That’s my hope. Change will be slow to take but as I said…I have hope. I’d be honored if you’d stand with us, rather than against us, Veso.”

He nodded. “Done. You have my allegiance. Would you like a blood oath? I’ll give it.”

“Your word is good enough for me. The lodge is the safest place right now. Davis will defend your soon-to-be mate and my Kira when we leave. Let’s go upstairs. We have a map in my office. Show me where this nest is holed up. We have bloodsuckers to hunt.”

Veso waited for all of them to take the stairs, then met Glenda’s gaze. She was frowning at him.

“What?”

“I didn’t agree to be your mate. I have a life back home.”