Claws and Fangs

by Laurann Dohner

  The driver hit the brakes and Chase’s eyes widened.

  “We had company,” Lethal called out.

  The back door slid open and a tall blond wearing a kilt climbed out. “I’m glad to see you.”

  “It’s good to see you too, but couldn’t you have worn pants to my rescue? Were you gonna flash your hairy thighs to distract them while Chase got me out?”

  Blaron laughed. “I would have if it worked to save your arse.” He peered at Lacey. “This is her? That wee lass captured you?”

  “Shut up. Let’s go. Her team found us, and I’m sure they’ve realized by now that we’re gone. They’ll be leaving there soon, and I don’t want to make it easy for them to locate us again.”

  He crawled into the van on his knees, ducking his head, and glanced at a few of the werewolves sitting on the floor in the back. “Any of you touch her and you’re dog biscuits.”

  Blaron climbed in and closed the door. “Let’s go, Chase.”

  “Where to?”

  Lethal hesitated. “The club. We have to take care of these hunters and they’ll be coming for us anyway. We don’t want to disappoint them.”

  Chase eased off the brake and the vehicle rolled forward. “Isn’t she going to be upset if we kill them?”

  Lethal settled more comfortably with Lacey on his lap. “They weren’t coming after us just to say hello. I heard them talking while they were surrounding the building. They’re pretty angry that she attempted to fool them into believing she’d dusted me. The one called Jeff had a surveillance camera hidden where I was kept.”

  He inwardly winced, determined to find all video the bastard might have of his Lacey, naked, astride him. Nobody but he would see her beautiful breasts bounce while she rode him. “The humans need their memories wiped—or they need to die.”

  Chapter Seven

  “Wake up, my bonny lass,” a sexy, masculine voice crooned next to her ear. Hot breath tickled her skin before a gentle kiss brushed along her neck.

  Lacey opened her eyes to stare at a white ceiling. She flattened her palms against Lethal’s solid chest. She fisted a handful of his tank top as she focused on his blue eyes.

  “You dick.”

  He grinned. “Aw, that’s my sweet lass. Tell me how you really feel.”

  “You blood-drugged me.” There wasn’t a thing wrong with her memory. “Where are we?” She looked past his face again, studying the ceiling. It wasn’t her apartment. She was almost afraid to turn her head.

  “We’re at my club.”

  Her heart lurched. “Why?” Had he lied to her? Was he going to toss her to his other vampires to drain dry? It was the worst scenario she could come up with on short notice.

  “I told you, I’m fond of the place. I wanted you to see it.”

  She didn’t believe him. “Lethal?” Her grip on him tightened even more. He was bent half over her and she was lying on something soft that kept her slightly upright. “What are you planning?”

  Irritation narrowed his eyes. “I don’t know how many times I’ve got to say it. You’re safe.”

  “Not quite,” a deep male voice stated. “Her friends could show up at any time.”

  Lacey jerked her head to the side and gawked at the tall blond man wearing a red kilt. He wore a belt with a sheathed sword and a black tank top. A long braid trailed over one broad shoulder, down his chest, to almost the hilt of the weapon. His accent was a little thicker than Lethal’s, but she guessed they were from the same place. It meant he must be the friend she’d heard about.

  She was in a room with not just one master vampire—but two.

  “That’s Blaron,” Lethal rasped, still watching her intently. “How do you feel?”

  She had to force herself to look at him. “Angry.”

  “Besides that? Do you feel stronger?”

  “I feel betrayed. You lied to me.”

  He flinched. “I’m sorry. I told you why I had to do it.”

  “You tricked me into taking your blood, and I told you the club wasn’t safe.”

  “Your friends showed up at your apartment.”

  That news sank in. “How?”

  “You used your mother’s maiden name. Ring any bells? At least that’s what I overheard before I got us out of there.”

  “They aren’t my friends.” She had hoped Jeff wasn’t smart enough to figure out how to track her. “They’re my team members. I take it they didn’t buy the scene I left behind to fool them?”

  “There was a hidden camera in the warehouse.”

  The blood drained from her face as she realized what that meant. “Oh shit.”

  “I’ll find the footage if they kept it,” he swore.

  “What is on it?” Blaron inched closer.

  “None of your business, Mr. Sword,” she snapped, her gaze silently pleading with Lethal not to answer his friend. “What if they upload it to the Internet? Your teeth...” She glanced at his mouth, remembering how his fangs had shown while they were having sex. “We can’t let them do that. They might think it’s the proof they need to show the world you exist.”

  He had the nerve to grin. “I’m more worried about how much of you is shown. Humans will just think it’s some kind of vampire fetish video. They are very popular with your kind. It seems we’re considered romantic in some movies.”

  “It’s not funny.”

  “It kind of is.” He winked. “It was hot. I bet it would get a lot of hits.”

  “Damn,” Blaron chuckled. “Don’t tell me you and the lass were filmed with your pants down.”

  Lacey blushed. “You’ve got to find it and destroy it.”

  “I will.” Lethal eased back onto his knees. “Are you hungry? I ordered food for you.”

  She had to release his shirt to sit up, thankfully noticing that he’d dressed her in an oversized T-shirt and sweatpants. They didn’t match but she wouldn’t complain. She’d been naked when she’d passed out.

  Her gaze wandered around the room. It was a large office with a few desks and she was on a black chaise lounge.

  “You keep food in a vampire club? What? Cookies? Maybe orange juice if women pass out after you take their blood? That’s sweet.” She knew how thick her sarcasm sounded.

  Lethal laughed, rising to his feet. “No. Real food. Our security team enjoys a hearty steak now and then, so I had them prepare one for you with all the fixings.” He waved to one of the desks. “Eat. You need to keep up your strength.” He extended his hand to her. “We’re waiting to see if your vampire hunters come here.”

  She accepted his offered hand, feeling slightly weak. It was probably a side effect from the blood he’d given her, she surmised. He pulled her to her feet and a wave of dizziness hit. She swayed but Lethal was there, holding her close with one arm wrapped around her shoulders. Then he shifted his hold and just swept her into his arms.

  “You need food.” He sounded angry. “You’ve got to take better care of yourself.”

  “Easy,” Blaron said. “She’s taking all this better than I’d expected. She didn’t wake screaming from being here. No need to snarl at her.”

  “She’s too fragile.” Disgust was clear in Lethal’s voice.

  “She’s human, not an invalid.”

  Lethal gently set her in the chair and pushed the plate closer. She was stunned by the massive platter-size meal, and her stomach did rumble as she inhaled the appealing aroma of a perfectly cooked T-bone steak.

  He stepped back. “Eat it all, love.”

  Lacey opened her mouth to tell him how much she hated being given orders, but changed her mind. She was starving. She reached for the silverware, almost surprised that they’d given her a sharp knife. Lethal stayed at her side but focused on his friend.

  “Don’t you have something else to do, Blaron?”

  “Not really.” The vampire rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. “The club is closed while we play bait for the hunters. Chase took a few of the pack with him to hunt the rogue. It�
��s just a waiting game now to see if they’ll come after us at night or during the day.”

  Lacey cut the steak into bite-size pieces. “They’ll hit after dawn if they come.” She peered up at Lethal. “You’re going to kill them? They aren’t bad people. They’ve had loved ones taken from them. They don’t know there’s both good and evil in Bloodsucker Land.”

  He frowned.

  “Two of them lost their mothers. My boss lost his brother. They were murdered by vamps.”

  “Did she just say ‘Bloodsucker Land’?” Blaron looked appalled.

  “You get used to her slang.” Lethal sighed. “We won’t kill them if we don’t have to. Blaron and I will try to get into their minds and wipe them. Chase might be successful if we fail. He’s pretty powerful. His father was almost a thousand years old when he sired him.”

  She almost choked on the steak she was chewing. She swallowed. “There are vamps that old?”

  “Aye,” Blaron answered. “To be sure. Of course, that one ain’t gonna be around much longer.” He grinned at Lethal.

  She glanced between them. “What’s going to happen to him? Do you eventually die of old age?”

  “No.” Lethal took a seat on the corner of the desk. “He abused Chase as a boy by taking his blood as if he were a convenient snack whenever the mood struck. The bastard thinks he can use his son as an assassin when he wills it. He’s in for a surprise the next time he comes after him.”

  Blaron’s sword scraped as he pulled it from the scabbard and waved it in the air with a slashing motion. “We look after our friends.” He pointed it at the floor.

  Lethal nodded in agreement. “We three stand together.”

  “So Chase is another vampire?”

  Someone knocked on the door and a pretty woman entered. “Is there anything else you need?”

  “No thank you, Mora. You can leave for the night. We don’t wish you to remain here if there is a fight.” Lethal’s tone had softened. “Be safe.”

  The other woman smiled at him. The green-eyed monster roared inside Lacey. She glared at Lethal until the door closed and he happened to glance her way. His smile disappeared.

  “Is Mora one of your donors?”

  Blaron whistled. “I’m going to take a stroll around the club. I’ll leave you to explain what Mora is to us.” He fled the room.

  “No.”

  “You’ve never taken her blood or anything else? Lifted her skirts?”

  “She’s got a mate.”

  “Mate?” She pushed her plate away. “What does that mean?”

  “She’s a half-breed werewolf. Being mated means she’s committed to a wolf. He’s the same with her. And I don’t take blood or sex from the pack that works for us.”

  Lacey set down the knife and clenched her hands in her lap under the desk. “Werewolf?” She must have heard him wrong.

  “Aye.”

  “Don’t do that cute accent thing. Werewolves exist?” She was glad she was sitting down as she quickly reassessed the situation. “You have a pack of werewolves protecting you while the sun is up?”

  “Yes. We pay them well and they keep us safe.”

  “She looked so normal.”

  He arched his black eyebrows. “What did you expect? A lot of facial hair while they’re in human form? Perhaps they wear collars or bark instead of using words?”

  “No. I’m just...we suspected they might be real but you just confirmed it. And your voice changed when you spoke to her. I thought maybe...you know.”

  “She was once a lover?” He smiled. “She’s just timid. We keep in mind not to move too fast or do anything to startle her. Chase is soft on her.”

  “He likes her but she has a mate? That sucks.”

  “He isn’t attracted to her. She’s weak in the pack and he’s very protective of the half-breeds. Wolves are naturally aggressive, so he makes it known that anyone who causes them harm will answer to him. We tend to agree. Mora is gentle of heart and fiercely loyal to Chase.”

  “But not to you?”

  “I’m not her alpha, but she respects us.”

  “Alpha? You mean Chase is a werewolf? You said his father was a vampire.”

  “He’s both.”

  “Wow.” She picked up her fork. “Okay. There’s a lot I have to learn. I didn’t even know vampires could have children.”

  “It’s complicated. I’ll explain it sometime.”

  “Do you have any kids?” She silently hoped not. That would mean there was a woman out there with a previous claim on him. She also was suddenly fearful of getting knocked up. “What about me? We didn’t use protection.”

  “I have no children, and I can’t get you pregnant.”

  She blew out a relieved breath and took another bite. “So what’s next?”

  Before Lethal could reply, the door was thrown open, striking the wall. Blaron stormed inside, gripping his sword. “We have uninvited guests. They are sneaking down the alley.”

  Lethal slid off the edge of the desk. “Shit. They’re attacking before dawn. That’s brave.”

  Lacey rose to her feet. “My team?”

  Blaron held her gaze. “At least twelve humans, and they are armed with assault rifles and crossbows.”

  She gripped the edge of the desk. “Jeff must have called in a few of the other teams.”

  Lethal growled, glaring at her. “What other teams?”

  “We usually work in small groups of four or five people, but there are a few teams spread throughout the area. Sometimes we’ll join forces if it’s a big nest.”

  “You could have warned me.”

  “I told you not to come back to the club!”

  “Argue later,” Blaron demanded. “We didn’t expect so many. We need to go to battle. This ends now. I refuse to be hunted.”

  “Don’t leave this room,” Lethal snarled at her. He bent near another desk and came up brandishing a sword of his own.

  “Are you both crazy? You need guns!” They wouldn’t stand a chance against a hail of bullets.

  The vampires left her in the office, slamming the door behind them without comment. The loud sound of scraping metal alerted her. She crossed the room and tested the door. The handle turned but it wouldn’t open. It was solid, and no amount of tugging worked. She was locked in.

  She slapped her palm on the hard surface. “Damn it!”

  Lethal felt highly irritated. “Teams. Plural.”

  Blaron glanced at him as they climbed the stairs. “Your human said we weren’t safe. She didn’t lie.”

  “I thought maybe a handful of them would come.”

  Mora waited at the top of the stairs as they entered the main floor of the club. Lethal was furious when he saw her there, holding a gun, ready to defend them. She hadn’t gotten out in time. Chase would be bad tempered as hell if she got hurt. He paused long enough to give her orders.

  “Go guard the office. Don’t unlock it or enter. My lass has a temper.” The basement would be the safest place for them both.

  She nodded and fled, ducking under his arm as he held the door open.

  Blaron grinned as he secured the door and locked it. “What position do you want to take?”

  “Up.” He pointed at the rafters. “They always assume we lurk in the dark. Let’s not disappoint them.”

  “You really want them alive or were you just attempting to spare yourself a fight with your human?”

  He sighed. “Some will die, but let’s try to avoid it as much as possible.”

  Blaron leapt first, landing quietly above. He pulled a cell phone out of his kilt. “I’ll tell the wolves.”

  Lethal crossed to the bar then joined his friend in the rafters. It was dark, the lights off. The humans wouldn’t see them if any made it past the guards.

  The distant sound of a grunt reached his ears. It had begun. His fangs elongated as he peered across the space at Blaron.

  “It’s done. I told them to avoid kills if possible,” the other vampire whispered
. “They aren’t happy.”

  “Nor am I.”

  The sight of Blaron’s white teeth flashing in a grin irritated him.

  “What?”

  “You’re getting soft. Perhaps it’s time to change your name to Lenient.”

  “Fuck you,” he hissed. “You’re one to talk. Your Matty has two kittens. You used to call them the devil’s spawn.”

  “They’re to keep her company while I’m at work.” He shrugged. “They stopped hissing at me. Cute critters if they were minus the claws. They tore up the curtains. They make the lass happy though, so I just bought new ones.”

  It was Lethal’s turn to smile. “We could use some softening from a woman’s touch.”

  “Aye,” Blaron agreed. “But after we deal with the hunters.” He cocked his head. “Hear that?”

  Lethal gripped the hilt of his sword. “They believe they are sneaking in the back. The lucky fools have no idea we’ll try to spare their lives.”

  Chapter Eight

  Three humans holding crossbows crept along the far wall by the dance floor. Scuffling sounds came from the alley as the wolves subdued the rest of the hunters.

  Blaron jumped first, landing just feet away from two of the trio that had made it inside. His sword flashed in the dim light as it struck wood, smashing one of the weapons. He used his free hand to knock the second human away.

  Lethal landed behind the third human, who was attempting to shoot Blaron with a stake. The human didn’t seem aware of his presence until he cried out as the weapon was torn from his grasp. Lethal struck the man in the face hard enough to knock him flat, then pounced, pinning him.

  He allowed his fangs to show as he hissed, enjoying the instant horror that transformed the human’s face. One glance assured him Blaron had the other two subdued. He returned his focus to the hunter under him.

  “You thought it would be easy to invade our club?”

  “Fuck you,” the human grunted.

  “You’re the one who’s fucked.” Lethal cocked his head and heard some of the wolves talking nearby. They wouldn’t be so relaxed with their conversations if there was still any threat present. “Your hunters have been dealt with.” He lowered his face, his eyes glowing. “Who is in charge?”