Astonishment tore through Dusti. She glanced at Drantos to find him watching her from not too far away. He was close enough to overhear them. She didn’t dare warn her sister of the real danger yet. “You’re attracted to Kraven? Do you have a concussion? I realize you were thrown out of your seat into the aisle and hit your head. You still have a mark on the side of your temple. He’s not your type, Bat. A briefcase isn’t surgically attached to his hand and he doesn’t have news anchor helmet-head hair.”
Bat smirked. “I did hit my head but nothing is wrong with my eyesight. I see the way Biker Bear there has his eye on you, and how you keep watching him when you think he’s not looking.” Bat climbed to her feet. “I have to pee. I’ll be back.”
“But—”
Dusti talked to air as her sister disappeared into the tree line.
She sighed. She needed to warn her sister about the brothers but she feared Drantos would hurt them if he knew she’d tried. Her attention returned to the man, only to witness him glaring at the area her sister had disappeared into. He shoved a bottle of water at a passenger before storming in that same direction.
“Drantos!” She pushed herself up to a standing position, feeling a second of dizziness. His head snapped in her direction and he shot her a seriously pissed look as she caught up with him at the tree line. “She had to go to the bathroom. You don’t want to follow her into the woods. She’ll be right back.”
He’d gripped her arms in a heartbeat and jerked her into the woods. In seconds, she found herself out of the firelight with her back pressed against the bark of the nearest tree.
Drantos glared down at her, his tight hold on her arms nearly bruising. She could see his features since he faced the fire behind her in the small clearing.
“What did you tell her?”
“Nothing! I swear.”
His suspicious gaze narrowed. He released her arm, hesitated, and then cupped her cheek gently with his big warm hand. He lowered his face to hers, making her heart pound. She was pretty sure he planned to kiss her.
She jerked her head back when his hot breath fanned over her parted lips.
He froze. “I want some answers, and you’re going to give them to me.”
She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. “Okay. Just please don’t hurt us.”
That response made his gaze narrow even more. “I’ve never harmed a woman before.” He tilted his head a little, his focus lowered to roam down her body then back up. “You smell totally human. I couldn’t get a good read on you before and thought it might just be your clothes. Some of us borrow already-worn clothing to fool the senses of others.” Their gazes met again. “I take it your mother mated to one? You have human blood?”
Dusti stared up at him while his words sank in. “Shit. Seriously?”
He frowned. “Just answer the question. It’s important.”
Then it sank in that something was really wrong with Drantos.
She had a friend from high school who’d become paranoid and antisocial in his late twenties. He’d been diagnosed bipolar after a group of their friends had gone to check on him. They’d discovered he’d used rolls of aluminum to wrap all the walls of his apartment and screamed at them about how no one was safe. They’d called an ambulance. The meds they’d put him on helped him stay more rational, but she was familiar with how a chemical imbalance could mess with someone’s sanity.
It was possible the guy in front of her had the same medical condition. He even sounded like Greg. It had all been about humans vs. aliens for her friend.
“Human? Is that what you said? It’s bad enough that you’re a possible kidnapper-for-ransom bad guy, but you’re also off your meds, aren’t you? Of course I’m human! So are you. You said my mother mated to one? Really? Mated? This is the planet Earth.” She shook her head. “Could my day get any worse? What’s next? A meteor shower? A forest fire? Maybe rabid squirrels will attack us.”
He slowly smiled. “I enjoy your sense of humor.” His smile fled. “Maybe you don’t know my scent, but I’m the same as your mother was. Cut the act.”
He was totally bonkers. She normally wouldn’t have messed with someone like him and just backed away, but he had her pinned where she stood. “You used to be a woman?” She looked him up and down. “That’s the best sex change I’ve ever seen. Wow. Impressive. I never would have guessed. You might want to back down on the male hormone shots. I think you’ve overdosed on them.”
“What?” He looked angry.
“You just said you were what my mom was. She was a woman. Were you born a little girl and then had a sex change? Otherwise, I wouldn’t say that.” She smirked.
He studied her face and then paled a little. “Shit. You’re not acting, are you? You don’t know, do you?”
“Know what? That you’re bipolar and went off your meds? I’m understanding that fact real quick. Didn’t your doctors warn you that you’d lose your grasp on reality if you stopped taking them? Let me guess. You felt better and thought you were cured. Listen, the only way for you to be functional is to continue taking your pills. Do you have them with you? Let’s find you some water, okay? You’ll feel much better within a few days once you’re back on them.”
He stayed quiet for long seconds, studying her face again, until she shifted her body from the uncomfortable moment. His eyes closed and his head tilted back.