Free Drantos (VLG Series Book 1) by Laurann Dohner

the hard press of an aroused Drantos against the vee of her panties. The rough denim of his pants brushed against bare skin.
    “Easy, sweetheart. I’m not going to do anything to you. Yeah, you turn me on. It’s that simple. But I won’t act on it. You need to calm down and stop looking at me as if I’m going to attack you. I just want your word you’ll stop fighting with me.”
    She couldn’t speak. His eyes slowly returned to a dark blue color, the glow fading. She gasped in air the second her entire body turned ridged with alarm. Her hands lifted to fist in the material of his shirt.
    “Don’t make me control you again.”
    “What are you doing to me?” she whispered, afraid despite what he’d said. “ Stop it.”
    “Your mother should have explained what she was so I don’t have to. Maybe she thought there would be no reason to have to tell you about your bloodline, since you had a human father and must not have inherited any traits that would betray you to your enemies.”
    Dusti could deal with his crazy talk. She relaxed a little to allow her mind to calm down. With it came a sense of comfort she latched onto. “I’m not an alien.”
    But he might really be one…
    No. That’s nuts. Now he’s making me lose my mind.
    It was possible exhaustion and too much stress had taken their toll. That would explain it.
    “I’m not either. There’re regular humans but there are also other races. He took a deep breath, pressing against her chest a little while he inhaled. “I’m other —and so was your mom.”
    “Other?”
    She wondered if Bat could hear them but doubted it, since they were a good five feet away from the other couple. Drantos also had lowered his voice to a soft, husky level that wouldn’t travel. The voices from the survivors were just a murmur but their words weren’t recognizable. Drantos didn’t answer.
    “Let me go. Please?”
    He turned his head, reached for something, and then pulled the other blanket over their bodies. He met her gaze again but an almost sad expression softened his features. “Not until you know the truth.”
    Dusti hesitated. “Okay. Hit me with it. I’m dying to hear this. What was my mother?”
    Sincerity softened his gaze further. “We’re VampLycans.”
    “Sounds Russian or something.”
    “We’re considered blooded wolves.”
    “You don’t look red to me and you hide your tail really well in those tight jeans.”
    He ignored her smartass comment. “A long time ago, Lycans and Vampires banned together and had formed an alliance. The Vampires usually hired humans to protect them during the day, but they’d been betrayed too often and suffered heavy losses. They were desperate enough to turn to their enemies, the Lycans. It worked for a while. The Vampires got their protection and the Lycans enjoyed the lifestyle the Vampires could provide.”
    Dusti let that settle into her mind. She decided to humor him. “They had good parties, huh?”
    Drantos’s features tensed. “This isn’t a joke. I’m attempting to inform you of your heritage.”
    Irritation arose inside her at having to listen to his insane garbage. “Two words for you: Take. Meds. Vampires and Werewolves aren’t real . You’ve watched too many movies.”
    A soft growl burst from his parted lips. “Vampires have abilities that Lycans don’t. They can control minds and make humans do as they wish, and can even erase some of their memories. Lycans found that really helpful since they were forced to live nomadic lives. It meant keeping their numbers low and never staying in one area to build homes. It was a dream of theirs to settle in one place. The Vampires gave them that luxury. They suddenly could live without fear of being hunted. If a human happened upon a Lycan in a compromising situation, the Vampires could make the humans forget.”
    “What did these Lycans do that gave them away?”
    “They lose their skin if they’re highly emotional. Rage. Fear. Grief. Humans