Veso (VLG Book 4)

by Laurann Dohner

  He blinked but didn’t move or say anything. She eased away from the wall. She had to walk sideways to avoid flashing him her bare backside. The curtain covered her breasts down to her mid-thighs. She was afraid to look away from him as she kept scooting closer to the bedroom door.

  “We’re both under a lot of stress,” she reminded him. “So just chill out. Sorry I called you a dog. I was mad. You have a tendency to do that to me. You’re very abrasive.”

  He moved his head to keep tracking her. It scared her a little. She had no idea what he was thinking or if he was still pissed. His expression had blanked but those yellow eyes reminded her of a predator. The dog comment had been a little out of line but justified. Still, she wasn’t about to admit that aloud to him.

  She made it to the bedroom door and relaxed a little. He blinked again and she backed into the room, reaching out to close the door between them. Her fingers brushed the wood and she pushed, hoping there was a lock on it.

  Veso lunged, coming right at her. A table was in his way but he just shoved it aside.

  A scream caught in her throat and she only had time to suck in air before two-hundred-and-whatever-he-was pounds slammed into her.

  It threw her off her feet and backwards. She expected pain but she hit something soft instead. Her body bounced once on the mattress before she was pinned when Veso grabbed her wrists, jerking them above her head. He leashed them together between his finger and thumb. Their faces ended up being inches apart and she couldn’t look away from his sharp fangs.

  “What are you doing? Get off me!”

  His eyes glowed a brighter shade of yellow. They were eerie, yet entrancing. They really did remind her of a cat’s, only the shape was wrong. It was the inhuman quality of them.

  Her heart was pounding and she felt fear. Would he hurt her? She didn’t think he would. Sure, he was a jerk, but he hadn’t left her inside that mine. He could have. He’d even taken her up that cliff. A cruel person would have just abandoned her on that ledge to face the coming night where those creepers could get her.

  “You piss me off too,” he snarled.

  “You lied to me and broke the phone. You treated me like a moron when you told me to shower. You just didn’t want me around when you made that phone call. I played along because a hot shower did sound good. I also didn’t want to argue with you again.”

  His grip on her wrists lessoned a tiny bit but not enough for her to jerk them free. She tried to no avail. His skin was a little chilled from the cold water he’d dosed himself with from the hose outside. He was big, and she was more than aware that he could crush her, but he’d braced his elbows on the bed to hold most of his upper body weight. She felt small and helpless under him. It was a reminder that he wasn’t anything like her. Being half Vampire and Werewolf was a pretty terrifying concept.

  He didn’t respond and she continued, trying to calm him down.

  “You get pretty condescending, Veso. I’ve been through a lot. I know you have too, but you were just taken to that mine. I was there for a while. I didn’t know about Vampires or creepers.” She took a breath. “Or about what you are. It’s all new to me and it’s kind of been a nightmare I wish I hadn’t experienced.”

  Some of the brightness of his eyes toned down to a softer shade. It encouraged her.

  “You keep accusing me of wanting to molest you. It’s insulting. I don’t know what your world is like but in mine, the men usually pursue the women. Not the other way around. I don’t have any trouble getting dates if I want one. I don’t have to take advantage of drugged men. Do you see how your accusations could push someone’s buttons? It would be like me accusing you of getting kidnapped on purpose so you could be locked in a room with me. Hell hasn’t frozen over, has it? You say I’m not your type. Well…Ditto.”

  “What is your type?”

  The question surprised her. “What?”

  “What types of humans do you fuck?”

  She wasn’t sure how to respond. Part of her wanted to tell him it was none of his business, but she was still floored that he’d even asked.

  “I bet they’re scrawny and weak.”

  “I…” She didn’t know who to be more insulted for. The kind of men he thought she dated or herself. “Please get off me.”

  “Answer. Describe your last lover.”

  “No.”

  “Because he was scrawny and weak.”

  “You really are an asshole.”

  He growled.

  She swallowed, regretting those last words. “Please get off me? Is that better?”

  “Why the hell do you smell so good?”

  “What?” He threw her for a loop again.

  He sniffed at her, and she gasped when he buried his nose against the side of her throat. “You smell so fuckable to me.”

  Her heart raced. “It’s the blood. Remember? They stole our blood and injected us. They gave you some of my blood and forced your blood into me. That master guy said something about fooling you into thinking we were mated or something like that.”

  His mouth was compressed into a tight line when he raised his head. “Right. That’s how your finger isn’t cut anymore. My blood healed you.”

  “That’s possible?”

  “Yes.” He eased some of his weight off her upper body but didn’t let go of her wrists. His gaze lowered to her chest. “You’ve still got bruises that haven’t faded yet. They must have been pretty severe to still show.”

  “He jabbed two needles into me.” She swallowed hard. “That’s so weird. The blood thing, that is.”

  “You wouldn’t understand.”

  “Do you already have a mate?”

  “No. We can only take one. I wouldn’t feel affected by you if I was already taken.” He grumbled a little, his chest vibrating. “I still want to fuck you.”

  She had no words. She just swallowed hard and stared at him.

  “We’re not mated. My mind knows it but my body isn’t listening.”

  “Make it listen to reason then,” she suggested.

  He glanced away, seeming interested in studying the room. He finally looked at her again. “The Vampires ripped out the line going into the house. I managed to connect it again but it didn’t work. Then I realized where we are after finding some mail the human had in a drawer. I’m farther from my territory than I should be, so no one will be looking for me here. It means they kept me drugged for at least one full day before I woke. I lost my temper and broke the phone.”

  “Oh.”

  “We’re going to have to stay together longer, until we can find a connected one so I can call my people. I would leave you here but it isn’t safe. The master will return to his nest at nightfall and he passes this cabin. I didn’t go to all that trouble to rescue you only to allow you to be recaptured. It would just mean he’d attempt to drug and kidnap another VampLycan to breed with you.” He growled, his gaze lowering to her breasts.

  “And that makes you angry?” He appeared furious.

  He held her gaze. “Yes.” That one word was snarled.

  “Me too.” She was glad they had something in common.

  “No one else is going to fuck you if I can’t.”

  She hadn’t expected him to say that. It left her mute once more. He leaned in and sniffed her again. She held still since it was impossible to get him to move off her until he was ready to.

  “Damn,” he rasped. He suddenly buried his face against her skin.

  Glen gasped when he nuzzled his nose against her neck and licked the skin right under her ear. His hot breath fanning her flesh tickled a little. She didn’t struggle, too afraid he was going to bite her. He’d admitted he was part Vampire. Maybe he did suck blood.

  “Don’t eat me. I’m not food,” she said in a shaky voice. “I’m a person. Remember?”

  He groaned. “Don’t give me ideas.”

  “Please, Veso?” She recalled reading that using someone’s name helped somehow if she found herself in a bad situa
tion with another person…or was she supposed to tell him her name, to remind him? She had a hard time thinking when he ran the tip of his tongue along her neck again.

  “Be quiet. I want to test something.”

  “That doesn’t sound good.” She realized she spoke that thought aloud.

  He suddenly nipped her with sharp teeth.

  He didn’t break skin, but there was no question that he had fangs. She could feel them against her throat. The bite didn’t hurt but it did startle her. A jolt shot through her body. It wasn’t fear. She wasn’t sure what it was, but it made her aware of her fast heart rate and how warm he now seemed to be on top of her.

  He growled low and nipped her again. The second time didn’t come as a surprise—but her response did. Her entire body started to tingle, almost as if a limb had gone numb and she’d tried to move it, forcing blood to circulate. She’d never experienced the feeling on such a massive level.

  “What are you doing to me?” She tried to free her arms. She wanted to touch him for some crazy reason.

  He nuzzled her with his face and picked a spot lower on her throat, almost at her shoulder. He bit her again, that time a little stronger. His fangs didn’t hurt but she did close her eyes, totally focused on his mouth. Her nipples beaded tight and she shifted her legs, spreading them a bit to alleviate some of the heat that suddenly seemed to flood her lower body.

  “Answer me! What are you doing…?”

  He wedged one thigh between hers and tilted some of his weight. He moaned, nipping her again. Glenda closed her eyes and fisted her hands. An awareness began and she identified it quickly. She was turned on…and it was growing stronger.

  “Why are you doing this? You don’t even like me.”

  He paused exploring her skin with his mouth and teeth. “That’s the problem. I’m starting to.” He lifted his head away from her throat, panting. “I’m just…seeing if I can turn you on.”

  Glen opened her eyes and was mesmerized by his. They were beautiful and surreal with how yellow they had become. It was a reminder that he wasn’t human but for some reason, it didn’t matter as much. She lowered her gaze, studying his face. He was so handsome, whatever he was. He moved his head and his gaze caught her attention again. She couldn’t look away.

  “I’m attracted to you.”

  “This can’t end well,” she blurted.

  The brightness of his irises dulled a little. “I know.”

  “Let me go.”

  He glanced down at her mouth and she could almost guess his thoughts. He was considering kissing her. He had fangs. They were displayed when he ran his tongue across his lower lip. Part of her was tempted to lean up a little and meet him halfway.

  “I can’t mate a human, but I can fuck one.”

  Anger stirred inside her. It wasn’t reasonable but it upset her off all the same. “You think I’m not worthy of you. God, you’re such a jerk! Get off!”

  He suddenly rolled away and released her. The bed shifted as he left it and stood, keeping his back to her. “Put on clothes.”

  She sat up and grabbed at some of the bedding, hiding most of her body since the curtain wasn’t enough. Her hands trembled. “I will when you leave.”

  He didn’t move. Long seconds ticked by until he finally spoke. “It’s just a trick because I’ve been given your blood and you’ve been given mine.”

  “I pointed that out, remember?”

  He slowly turned, and she couldn’t stop her mouth from dropping open when her gaze lowered to the towel wrapped around his waist. He was hard and fully aroused. There was no missing that when his cock was straining against the material. He was big all over.

  “Glenda,” he rasped.

  She forced her gaze up to meet his.

  “Get dressed or I’ll take you.”

  She sealed her lips and took a deep breath through her nose. She swallowed, avoiding glancing down his body a second time. “Are you going to make me do it in front of you? A little privacy would be nice.”

  “Right.” He didn’t budge.

  “That means you should walk out of the room and close the door.”

  “I know.” He still didn’t move.

  They studied each other and he finally turned, walking to the doorway. She took in his broad back, then the outline of his ass through the towel. He had an amazing body. He came to a halt at the door and clutched the frame on each side.

  “Could you close the door?”

  The wood creaked and she saw his fingers whitening. He had the frame in a death grip. A low growl sounded.

  “Fuck it.” He spun, staring at her. His eyes were bright yellow again. “I want you. I know it can’t end well. I can’t mate a human but I need to find out what this is between us. I want you too badly.”

  She yanked the covers up higher on her chest, almost to her throat. “No.”

  He cocked his head and his nostrils flared. “You want me too.”

  She conceded that, yes, he affected her. She was more than aware of the signs her body was suffering from sexual desire. “We’re a train wreck, Veso. Do you know what that means?”

  “What?”

  She paused, debating her words. “We’re not even the same species but I guess I could get pregnant if we have sex. That’s what that master creep said. I do not want that to happen, and you don’t want that either. You’d probably kill me.”

  He scowled. “I wouldn’t do that.”

  “I don’t know you well enough to be certain you wouldn’t. Just walk out and let me get dressed.”

  He paused then gave a sharp nod and turned back around, snagging the door handle on his way. He slammed the door closed between them.

  Glen sighed and eased her hold on the covers, slowly getting out of bed.

  “Shit,” she muttered, walking toward the dresser. Talk about a close call.

  Chapter Five

  Veso paced the living room and clenched his fists. He was furious at the master Vampire who’d put him in this mess. He kept glancing at the closed bedroom door and fighting the urge to go after Glenda. He still wanted her. His dick felt rock hard and her scent drove him insane.

  The phone wasn’t working so no help would be coming. He’d have to take her with him to keep her safe until he found a working phone or a vehicle to steal to take him back into his territory. He was half tempted to wait until dark and set a trap for the master. He’d like nothing better than to rip that son of a bitch to shreds.

  He quickly discarded the thought. He had no idea of the numbers he’d face. It would leave Glenda vulnerable if there were too many and the nest could steal her away while he fought. He also wasn’t about to forget how they’d captured him the first time. The cowards used darts.

  He calculated again where he estimated he was and felt more rage. They’d taken him almost eighty miles from home. He knew all the roads around his territory. The Vamps would have had to carry him for at least six miles to reach one of the old roads. They were in bad repair from years of neglect and it would have slowed them down. The sun would have risen before they reached the mine. It meant they must have kept him drugged, and had hidden out somewhere closer to his territory during the day, then the drugs began to wear off when they were taking him inside the mine.

  Had they done anything to him while he slept? Bitten him? Used him as a food source? His injuries would have healed within hours.

  Glenda opened the door, wearing some human’s clothes. They were huge on her and obviously belonged to a man. The long sleeves of the button-down shirt were rolled at her wrists so her hands weren’t lost in the material. She’d borrowed jeans and had used a belt to keep them up since the waist was too baggy. The bottoms of them were rolled to reveal her bare feet.

  She looked absolutely adorable—and that pissed him off too.

  “My turn,” he grunted, storming past her and slamming the bedroom door.

  The scent of her lingered in the room so he breathed through his mouth as he examined the cabin
owner’s clothing. Nothing fit him right. He settled for a pair of sweats that only reached to his calves. He tried on a shirt but it wouldn’t button over his chest. He bent a little to look down his body and the tight arm sleeves ripped at the seams near his shoulders. He snarled, digging his fingers into the tears and yanking the sleeves off entirely.

  There was a mirror and he stepped in front of it. “I look ridiculous.” His people would laugh if they could see him.

  “Are you okay in there?”

  “No.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  He stalked over to the door and jerked it open. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if she laughed, but she frowned instead when she saw him. Her gaze traveled down his body. “Oh. You’re kind of big.”

  “Kind of?”

  “You look like the Incredible Hulk, minus the green skin.”

  “What the hell does that mean?”

  She glanced down at the sweat bottoms. “Um… Let me find scissors. They’ll look better if we turn them into shorts. I’ll cut them just above the knee.”

  He appreciated her helping him as she went into the kitchen and started opening drawers. She located what she wanted and came back to him. “You should stay in the bedroom and hand them to me through the door. They’ll be easier to fix if they aren’t on you at the time.”

  He hesitated. “Thank you.”

  She smiled. “You’re welcome.”

  He stripped off the sweats then opened the door to find her inches away, waiting. She accepted them and strolled back into the kitchen. He watched through the slightly open door as she removed the bottoms of the sweats. It didn’t take much time before she handed them over.

  He closed the door and pulled them on. They now reached just above his knees. He went to the mirror to take a look. The sweat shorts looked better but the shirt still irritated him. He left the bedroom.