Drantos(82)

“Batina?”

Her sister’s name coming from Aveoth’s lips had her taking another step back to put more distance between them. Even those inches made her feel a little better.

“Is that your name?”

She still couldn’t speak. She shook her head no.

“She lies!” Craig rose to his feet. “She is—”

“DOWN!”

The loud order from Aveoth hurt Dusti’s ears as if thunder had torn through the woods. She nearly dropped to her own knees even though he apparently spoke to Craig. Out of her peripheral vision, she didn’t miss her kidnapper collapsing back to the ground, lowering his head and trembling violently, as though he were having a mini seizure. She could relate. Her instincts screamed at her to curl into the fetal position.

Aveoth seemed to suddenly appear right before her. The guy moved too fast to track with her eyes. A cool, smooth hand that definitely didn’t feel fleshy gripped her face. He didn’t hurt her but he used a good hold that kept her immobile. She whimpered when she saw his eyes. They glowed silver now, the color seeming to swirl around his irises, as if they had a life of their own.

“Are you Batina, granddaughter of Marvilella and Decker? Don’t lie to me.”

“No,” she whispered.

“She lies,” her kidnapper quaked. “I took her myself. She acknowledged her identity when I did.”

The handsome man lowered his face to stare into her eyes. “I see no lie.”

“There were only two of… Shit! You conniving bitch! You allowed me to take you instead of your sister, didn’t you?” Craig tried to get to his feet again.

Aveoth turned his head to give him a warning look and rumbled again inside his massive chest. The VampLycan dropped back to his knees.

“She lied to me. She’s the younger granddaughter,” he hurriedly explained. “The the more human one who didn’t inherit the strong bloodline.”

Aveoth’s color started to return to a normal shade as he took deep breaths. His hand on her face seemed to warm while he calmed down, the texture of it softening to flesh again. His silvery eyes cooled to blue. Dusti couldn’t look away from his gaze when he gave her his full attention again.

“What is your name?”#p#分页标题#e#

“Dusti.”

“Your full name.”

“Dustina Ann Dawson.”

“Are you also the granddaughter of Marvilella?”

“I…that’s what I’ve been told. I never met her. My mother’s name was Antina.”

His hand slid down her throat, his thumb pausing on the area just above her collarbone, before inching forward until she knew he could feel her rapid pulse over her carotid artery. She prayed he wouldn’t slice it open to just kill her where she stood.

“Feel no fear.” He lowered the volume of his voice to a husky rasp. “I would never hurt a descendant of Margola. She was Marvilella’s sister. We’d intended to become lovers but she died before reaching maturity.”

“I don’t want to be your lover,” she blurted. “No offense.” She couldn’t seem to shut up once she got words to pass her lips. “You’re a good-looking guy for someone who makes me want to run away from you screaming. But I met someone. He might be a cheater. I’m not sure. But I fell in love with him. I didn’t even know Vampires, Werewolves and what you are existed until a few days ago. You wouldn’t like me anyway. I’m a shitty cook. I’d end up killing you with food poisoning. And I drool when I’m asleep if I’m really tired.” She sucked in air. “Also, I think my grandfather is a piece of shit who doesn’t have the right to give me to someone as a gift. He’s a cheap bastard who never lifted a finger to help my sister and me. I hate him.” She sealed her lips together to stop babbling.

One of his black eyebrows arched upward. “Are you done?”

She managed a small nod.

He watched her silently but his thumb moved slightly to caress her throat. The soft touch distracted her from her terror a tiny bit. He didn’t seem angry over anything she’d said. He actually appeared to be a little amused, if she were to judge the softening of his features and the way one side of his full lips lifted as if he tried to hide a smile.

A deep growl came from Dusti’s left. She tried to turn her head but Aveoth prevented it when he wrapped his fingers around her throat. He didn’t cut off her air but he had a secure hold on her. He lifted his other hand and held it up, almost a signal for something to stop.

“Hello, Drantos. What are you doing in my territory without calling first to inform me you wanted to visit? I knew someone approached from half a mile away. You attempted to stay upwind but my senses are too keen not to hear that lumbering body of yours, no matter how skilled you’ve become at sneaking up on a target. And the wind shifted once to reveal your identity.”