Drantos(74)

The sound of metal creaking caught her attention and she saw the driver’s side door of the tipped truck being pushed open from the inside. The hinges protested loudly but it finally gave way. A man tried to climb up and out of the cab. It was Velder. She recognized him despite the fact that blood covered the side of his face. He almost made it out but then another beast leapt up on the side of the truck, using one swipe of his claws to strike the struggling man. He fell out of sight, back inside the cab of the truck. The beast used those same claws to tear into the door and shove it closed, placing both front paws on top of it, as if it were purposely trapping Drantos’s father. But the creature didn’t stay there long, leaping off to attack someone else.

Dusti tensed, placing her hand on the truck to brace herself as she prepared to run like she’d never run before. She just needed to shove Kraven off Bat and pray she was alive. If she could move, they’d run like hell and hope none of those beast things followed them.

After a few ragged breaths, Dusti sprinted the distance to the other truck. She pressed her body against the back of it then slowly eased around, so close to her sister and Kraven that only about eight feet separated them.

A hairy beast suddenly stepped out from in front of the truck, just a feet away. Dusti waited for it to turn its head and see her. She held her breath, praying that didn’t happen. It stepped out more, blocking her path to Bat.

“Batnna?” it snarled in an inhuman, horrible voice. “Batnna?”

Terror held Dusti immobile. The creature advanced and seemed totally focused on Kraven and Bat.

It sunk in that it might have been saying Batina. It was looking for her sister.

That thing was one of her grandfather’s people and it had come to take her sister to him.

It prowled closer to Kraven and Bat. They weren’t moving, unaware of the danger. Dusti shook all over but moved. Her voice wouldn’t work, the creature too terrifying for her to get words out. She struggled to even swallow but finally managed. She had to draw it away from Bat.

“I’m Batina,” she whispered.

The thing turned its head so fast that Dusti lost her footing, falling back against the truck. It was the only thing that kept her from landing on her ass.

The beast had pitch-black pupils and scary teeth. It stared at her and came closer.

“Batnnna?”

It sounded worse when it hissed than when it made the rougher, louder snarling sound. She nodded. “I’m Batina,” she repeated.

It moved to her side, inches away, and paused next to her. It crouched down. “Grrrr onnnn.”

She didn’t understand.

A naked, bloodied man strode forward, gripping something that appeared similar to a girdle. Hope flared that he’d attack the beast but instead he grabbed Dusti by the back of the jacket she wore and yanked hard. She ended sprawled over the back of the shifted VampLycan. The man released her and twisted her body until her legs fell on both sides of the creature, as if she were about to ride a horse. He shoved her flat so her stomach and breasts pressed tight against fur. Something snapped over her back and squeezed her sides. She cried out in pain as it was tightened until she felt as if she might break in two.

The guy straightened. “You’ve got her, Craig. She’s secure.” He hit the beast’s ass. “Go! We’ll put down a false trail for them to follow.”#p#分页标题#e#

The creature under her bolted forward and Dusti realized exactly what that man had done. He’d effectively tied her onto the enforcer’s back. The girdle thing belted her to the creature from her hips to just under her ribs. It ran, picking up speed. The fur covering the beast’s body did little to cushion her from the rough ride.

He jumped, a sick feeling going through Dusti when they were in the air, but he landed hard enough to make her scream if she’d been able to draw breath. It was just too painful being slammed around.

Decker Filmore was going to end up with her instead of Bat but she doubted she’d still be alive by the time she reached him. The hell beast under her leapt again and when he landed, the tight material around her felt as if it might snap her spine from the jostling. She blacked out.

* * * * *

Fury gripped Drantos. He roared into the woods over not being close enough to protect Dusti. His father carefully lifted Kraven off Bat, evaluating her limp body with a shrewd assessment. He ran his hands carefully over her ribs.

“Is she alive?” Drantos couldn’t retract his claws to touch her himself. His rage had his animal side too close to the surface.

His father nodded. “Yes. She’s breathing fine and I don’t detect any broken bones. Kraven used his body to cushion her but the force of him landing on her appears to have knocked her out.” Velder turned, checking on Kraven. “He’s badly injured. He’s lost a lot of blood and we need to get them home.”