“You see that as a flaw?” It disgusted Kraven. The kid in question was probably weak like Bat and her sister, unable to defend herself properly.
The kid hesitated and shrugged. “Decker thinks it is. She’s still alive because Lorn goes after anyone who threatens her. He practically castrated a few guys who thought she might be fun to fuck with once. He took them on by himself and left them bleeding in the dirt. I saw him fight. He could hold the clan if he wanted to. Most fear and avoid him.”
The teen rushed away in the next instant, taking his fallen clansman.
Kraven felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. The new information would help them take out Decker. He just needed to get Bat safely to his village and call the three other clans together to hold a meeting. They also needed to learn more about Lorn. It would be hell to help him gain control of that clan, only to later find out he would be a bigger problem than his predecessor.
He checked on Bat, keeping his distance so she wouldn’t spot him. He hadn’t retrieved his clothes yet or cleaned up. It amused him seeing her by the fire. She held a rock and a stick. He scanned the area, sniffed, and then decided to quickly check on Drantos. It would only take a few minutes. Bat was safe for the time being. He trusted that the teen wouldn’t return.
He’d almost reached where he’d picked up Drantos’s scent when the wind blew in his face. He froze as the scent of enforcers filled his nose. There were at least two of them.
He spotted them in the distance, moving fast and heading right toward Bat and the fire. He regretted building the damn thing. He should have caught fish and made her eat it raw.
He spun, rushing back to Bat. He needed to get her the hell out of there. Those weren’t enforcers from his clan.
The sight of something caught the corner of Bat’s eye and she turned her head, gaping at the person coming at her. It was Kraven, minus his clothes. That didn’t faze her as much the fact that he was covered in blood.
She dropped the rock and stick, rushing forward.
“Are you all right? Oh my God.”
He had a wild look in his eyes as he threw up his bloodied hands to avoid her making contact. “Don’t touch me.”
“You’re hurt!”
“It’s not mine.”
She didn’t know what to say.
He pointed to his right. “Run, Bat. The river is that way. Cross it and keep going. I’ll find you.” He turned, giving her with his back. “I’ll hold them off.”
“Hold off who? Where are your clothes? Where did that blood come from?” It was splashed across his chest, hips, and thighs. He even had some down his back.
“Damn it!” He turned his head, glaring. “Run!”
Another loud, scary sound came from nearby and Kraven crouched, seeming to focus on something to his left. “RUN! They’re coming.”
It wasn’t so much not knowing what kind of animal could make such frightening growls as the way he’d snarled the order at her, sounding vicious, that got her moving. She spun, darting in the direction he’d pointed.
The sound of moving water helped her find the river. She paused at the edge, watching it rush by. The hundred or so feet between her and the other side alarmed her. Swimming had never been something she enjoyed.
A roar came from behind her. It was a nightmarish sound, followed by a sharp snap of wood. It was all the motivation she needed to wade in, frantic to put space between whatever Alaskan wildlife could be that thunderous. It sounded huge. The icy water had her gasping but she kept going until the current knocked her over and she paddled for all she was worth.
It’s a bear, Bat decided, fighting to keep her head above water. Maybe a few of them. Those thoughts motivated her to swim as unseen things bumped into her in the water. Something snagged on her shirt but she was able to get away from it. Her feet touched ground after what seemed forever and she saw the embankment. It was rough finding the strength to crawl out of the water. Her limbs felt heavy and her teeth chattered from the cold.
Chills racked her as she used a tree to help get to her feet. Her head began to hurt more, a migraine of major proportions coming on. It had to be the freezing river that had caused the headache to worsen.
Why was Kraven naked? She had no clue as she turned to peer over her shoulder. The river had swept her away, and it curved out of sight of where she’d gone in. There was no sign of him or the bear that had made that terrible roaring. She’d never heard them make those noises in any movie she’d seen but she was hardly a nature buff.
Her clothes clung to her as she caught her breath, debating on what to do. Pure terror at their situation struck. She was soaked to the skin, night would fall soon, and she didn’t see any sign of civilization. Being alone in the woods, at the mercy of nature and hypothermia, would be a deadly combination. She turned, forcing her legs to move, and walked deeper into the woods to find some shelter. It would be nice to stumble upon a random cabin.
She hugged her body and made it about half a mile before her aching bare feet made her stop. Her headache grew worse, until it caused her to drop to her knees. She curled into a ball, absolutely miserable.
Oh God. Am I dying? My head feels as though it’s going to explode. Tears filled her eyes at the hopelessness of her situation. Find me, Kraven. Please. She reached out a shaky hand, grabbing leaves and trying to cover her freezing body.
Chapter Seven
Kraven used a log to float his clothing and boots across the river to keep them dry. His jacket slid off during the swim over and he hadn’t been able to rescue it before the current had swallowed it up. He tossed his remaining things up on the embankment and turned, going back underwater and scrubbing his skin. He surfaced and climbed out, dressing quickly and entering the woods. He needed to find Bat before darkness fell.
It worried him that she might not have made it across. He shoved that thought back, refusing to contemplate that he wouldn’t find her. She was alive and out there. He just needed to find her before one of Decker’s enforcers did.
He finally found a sign of where she’d come out of the river. He bent, examining the faint tracks she’d left where she’d crawled, then stood. He grinned.
“That’s my hellion. I’m coming for you.”
It was slow going to track her. She didn’t weigh much and was barefoot, barely leaving a trace. The sun went down and frustration rose. Where is she? He wanted to call out her name but it could attract unwanted attention. He sniffed the air every time the wind blew, hoping to pick up a hint of her scent. There was nothing.
He started to worry that she’d been caught when he picked up a low moan. It was to his left. He crept forward, alert. Another one followed and he inched closer, prepared to attack—until Bat’s faint scent reached him. He lunged forward, tracking another good ten yards before spotting her shape curled up on the ground. He would have missed her if it wasn’t for the faint pained noises she made.
He dropped to his knees near her head. Part of her was covered with leaves. He brushed them away. “Bat? I had a hell of a time finding you. You’re lying on a bed of leaves and they masked your scent. It was smart but I damn near passed right by you.”
She moved as he touched her shirt. It was still wet and plastered to her skin, the material ice cold. “Kraven?”
He didn’t like the way she said his name. It was too soft and pain laced her voice. “Fuck, Hellion. You should have taken your clothes off and wrung them out. You’re still so wet. You don’t know anything about survival out here, do you?”
“Sorry, not a lumberjack.”
He grinned, happy to hear her smartass remark. “Are you hurt?”
He helped her stand up and began to remove her wet clothing. She didn’t protest as he stripped her all the way down to her bare skin. He just scooped her into his arms when he was done. “Hold on. I’ve got you. There’s a place real close that will afford us shelter.”
He backtracked to a spot he’d found earlier.
“Talk to me, H
ellion.”
“I feel like I’m dying,” she whispered.
He tensed. “You’re just cold, but I’m going to warm you up.”
She whimpered. “My head. It hurts so bad.” He took a seat in the sheltered area under a tree and between two large rocks. It would afford them protection against the wind and help hide their scents from trackers. He placed Bat on his lap and reached up, blindly feeling her skull, sniffing too for any hint of bleeding. “Did something in the river hit you? Did you fall and strike your head? Answer me.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?” Her words made his anxiety higher. She seemed confused. He couldn’t feel any damage. His hands lowered, examining every inch of bare flesh. There were no obvious cuts or bumps.
“Finding me. I was scared.”
“I’m here. Where are you hurt? I can’t help you unless you tell me.”
She shivered in his arms, turning her face against his throat. “My head,” she got out. “It feels like it’s splitting in two halves. It’s never been this bad before. It’s agony.”
“Did it start in the water? Did you hit it while we were apart? Did something in the river slam into you? Did you fall?” He tried again to get her to answer.
“Plane. Now it’s much worse.”
She suddenly went lax in his arms and the shivering ceased.
Fear gripped Kraven when he realized Bat had fallen unconscious. He sniffed at her. She smelled of the river strongly, her body chilled beyond safety, but it was her head he worried more about. There was no scent of blood and he didn’t find any wounds as he ran his fingers over her once again, everywhere he could touch.
“Fuck,” he snarled, realizing how faint her heartbeat pulsed when he ignored the surrounding wood noises to give her his full attention.
He allowed his inner animal to ease forward a bit to take control of his instincts. His teeth elongated as he decided he’d do whatever it took to save her, regardless of the consequences.
She’d tasted a few drops of his blood before, when she’d bitten him during sex, and hadn’t had any adverse effects. If anything, it had seemed to have a positive effect on her libido. He might be able to heal her. It would start the mating process if he gave her a lot of his blood, but she was his anyway. He bit down on his tongue. Pain lanced through him briefly when he pierced it with his fangs.
The taste of blood filled his mouth and he sealed his lips together and lowered his face. Bat’s lips were soft as he forced them open with his own, his tongue exploring hers. He bled into her slowly. She jolted under him, kissed him back as she became somewhat responsive, but the sluggishness alarmed him.
Kiss me, damn it, he mentally urged, despite knowing she couldn’t hear him. She did it though, even if it wasn’t close to passionate. He curved his hand around the back of her head and used his thumb to gently stroke her throat, urging her to swallow. He could only pray it wasn’t too late and his blood would work fast.
His dick responded but he ignored it. This wasn’t about sex, but about sharing his strength with her. She was ill and needed him. She kissed him back with a little more eagerness and her hands actually lifted to barely grip his shoulders. She didn’t seem to be with it enough to realize she touched a little fur, another thing that alarmed him. His Bat would have freaked-out, but she seemed unaware.
His tongue traced over her upper teeth, felt how smooth they remained, and he wanted to howl in rage. She didn’t seem to have Vampire traits or she would have started to grow fangs. They would have elongated to cut his tongue more, maybe even bitten into him if her instincts kicked in to feed to save her life. It didn’t happen.
He bit himself again, groaned from the pain, and more blood filled their connected mouths. He just hoped it helped.
Bat finally tried to turn her head away and he allowed it, figured that she might have taken enough. She promptly passed out again.
Kraven growled and repositioned her on her back. He sprawled over her and wrapped her with his body, pinning her under him. She needed his warmth.
He zeroed in on her heart rate, listened to each beat, and after some minutes relaxed when it grew stronger. Her body warmed slowly until it wasn’t so dangerously chilled.
The thought of losing her left him feeling helpless. He hated that emotion, wasn’t thrilled that he felt it, but couldn’t deny the truth. He’d never been so emotionally attached to a woman. Ever.
Her breathing grew stronger until her heartbeat told him she just slept and the danger had passed. The huge sense of relief hit. The mouthy attorney mattered way too much. His head lifted and he stared at the pale column of her throat, tempted to take some more of her blood to help cement their bond.
He clenched his teeth together, his fangs gone, and resisted. She didn’t need blood loss on top of it all. Bat obviously didn’t heal as fast as VampLycans without some help. He hated how human she was at that moment. It made her vulnerable and frail, two things he hadn’t wanted in a mate.
He turned his head and peered out at the woods, looking for danger. The wind picked up and he relaxed when he caught Drantos’s scent. He cleared his throat and made a soft noise his brother would hear to let him know where he was.
In seconds he got a response. They needed to talk but he didn’t want to leave Bat alone. Drantos made another soft call, his way of saying it was urgent. Kraven softly cursed.
“What?” Bat stirred.
“Go back to sleep. I’m going to cover you with my clothes. Rest, my little hellion. I’ll be right back.”
“Kay.”
She didn’t argue and drifted right back out. It worried him. He was torn between caring for her and finding out what his brother had to say. He rose and watched her curl onto her side, instantly cold once his body heat was gone. He stripped out of his shirt and covered her with it, then rushed in the direction of Drantos.
His brother waited a few yards away near a tree. “I ran into one of Decker’s men. He’s toast.”
“I ran into a few of them. One made me kill him but I talked another out of going after Bat. He was barely full grown.” It still pissed him off. “He shared some info though. Decker is forcing them to do his bidding and most of them aren’t happy about it. It’s only a matter of honor that they do. He gave me the name of someone in their clan who might be a better leader. Ever heard of Lorn?”
Drantos shook his head. “No.”
“Me either, but he refused to become one of Decker’s personal enforcers. That’s got to mean something, and he survived saying no. We’ll have to have him checked out of it’s possible to finally be rid of Decker.” He paused. “How is your woman doing?”
“Dusti and I got separated. I’m searching for her. She saw me fight one of them and I had to send her across the river alone. I found where she made it out and tracked her this way. I smelled you and Bat first. Have you seen Dusti? Smelled her?”
“I would have gone after her if I had. Do you need help looking for her?”
He hesitated. “No. You stay here, Kraven. Guard Bat. I know she’s annoying but you can get rid of her once we reach the village. Dad will assign someone else to guard her.”
“She’s my mate.” He spoke the only words needed to clarify everything to his brother.
Drantos snorted. “Oh man.”
“Yeah. She loves to fight me at every turn.”
“How did she take the news?”
“I haven’t told her yet. She thinks I need medication to tame my wild imagination.”
His brother had the nerve to laugh.
“Fuck you.”
“Sorry. I just wanted to check on you. I have to find Dusti. Can I have your jacket? I lost mine. She gets really cold.”
“The river snagged it. Sorry. Go. Bat and I are bedded down for the night.”
“I’ll bring Dusti back this way but we’ll give you a little space. I doubt we’ll run into any more of Decker’s clan soon. I hope not, anyway.”
“Me too.”
Kraven turned and rushed back to Bat’s side. She no longer slept and had sat up, donning his shirt.
A chilly wind blew, reminding Bat of how cold Alaskan nights could be even near summer. The thin material of Kraven’s shirt she’d put on barely made a difference in shielding her.
A twig snapped close by. She tried to make out anything in the darkness but she remained blind.
“It’s just me,” Kraven rasped. He touched her arm, startling her, before he softly cursed. “You’re chilled to the bone, damn it.”
“I assumed you were making sure nothing was close enough to try to eat us. I would hate that a lot more than being cold. I have your shirt. Unless you want to give me your jeans, there’s nothing more you can do.” Her voice quivered. “It’s going to get colder, isn’t it?”
“Yes. But I’ll keep you warm. How’s your head?”
“Much better.” The pain was almost gone. “I guess it was from me being so cold and all the stress I’ve been under. I don’t suppose you could build another fire? I’d really like one about now.”
“I could but it would only draw attention we can’t afford.”
The thought of warm flames made her bite back a groan. “Are you sure it’s too risky? I thought bears feared fire.”
“I can’t light one, Bat. Trust me on that, okay? You’re on moss. I want you to lay back flat for me. I’m going to use my body to warm yours.”
She didn’t really want to do that. Waking in the big guy’s arms had been bad enough. She’d been turned-on instantly. With her arms wrapped around her legs, tucking them to her chest, it could afford her some warmth. She grimaced but reluctantly stretched out, shivering harder from the cold ground under her. She’d rather be warm than uncomfortable, even if Kraven’s body on top of hers gave Bat ideas.
Metal jingled.
“What are you doing?”
“Removing my belt. I doubt you’d enjoy my buckle digging into your skin.”
It hit the ground before his hand touched her thigh. He tapped her. “Spread them to make room for me.”
Kraven Page 10
