Claude hissed then looked in disgust at his arm now dangling uselessly from the socket.

“You won’t stop me, Dmetri. I know you’re trying to protect the Kategans. I will kill them. I will have their land.”

Dmetri leaned heavily on his unwounded leg. The blood pouring out from the stab wound made a nice dark puddle around his nice loafers. Damn shame to ruin a good pair of shoes.

“You don’t need their land and you won’t get it. Do you really think the Kategan pack or the Justicars for that matter will just bow down and let you run in with your people?” Claude’s eyes bulged with rage. “I don’t think I can, I know it.”

“And how do you plan to do that?”

Claude gripped his injured shoulder and slammed it back into place with a harsh grunt.

“Kill the Kategans, then I become their Master. Their pack will answer to me.” Dmetri arched a brow then launched a surprise attack. He let his rage guide his moves.

Rage at endangering Christine, at having his interlude with her interrupted, and landed a two-footed kick into Claude’s chest. The vampire slammed against the ground just as Dmetri did. But he landed harder, jarring his injured leg and Claude was faster to react. He stood and slammed his foot down on Dmetri’s injured thigh. Dmetri grimaced but didn’t make a sound as he whipped his uninjured leg up and kicked away Claude’s foot.

The sound of laughter and car doors opening snapped Claude’s head around. He glared down at Dmetri with hate.

“This isn’t over, Dmetri.”

Dmetri stood, not about to let him get away and tackled Claude to the ground. Claude landed an elbow to his face that dislodged him off his body. Then he faded back into the night from which he came.

Dmetri stared after him then slowly came to a sitting position as he reached for his phone.

Pulling it out, he dialed Brayden’s number. The Elder wasn’t pleased with the news that Claude got away. Hell, neither was he.

“I’ll be there soon,” Brayden said then hung up.

Dmetri stood with a wince and half-walked, half-dragged his leg to stand against the restaurant. His thoughts immediately went to Christine. He licked his lips and could still taste her there. He groaned as his cock hardened like a damn rock. Luscious and sweet, she was the sexiest thing he’d ever tasted. He still couldn’t understand why he didn’t just take her body. He’d wanted to, nearly had many times but something held him back. But he hadn’t been able to keep from tasting her sex. She was smooth and soft down there and though he’d barely put his finger inside her before she started coming, he felt how tightly she gripped his finger.

He’d have her. And soon, before his balls shriveled up. His mind went back to that kiss in the restaurant. He’d never been more surprised by a woman than when she’d boldly climbed into his lap and kissed him . He always initiated contact, he controlled the play, but not with her. She was unexpected, a puzzle, and he liked it.

Sometime later a black SUV pulled into the lot and pulled up beside him. The passenger window rolled down and Brayden gave him a hard look from inside.

“Get in.”

Dmetri carefully pulled himself into the seat and slammed the door shut behind him.

Brayden looked at the wound at his leg and sighed. “Now I’ll have to get the car cleaned.”

Dmetri laughed. “Better your SUV than my BMW.”

Brayden pulled out of the lot. “What happened tonight?” Dmetri told him about the date—sticking only to the needed details. Brayden really didn’t need to know he’d been going down on her when Claude surprised him.

“And he surprised you when you got to the car?”

A nod. Brayden shot him a quizzical look, his lips pulling into a line.

“I smell sex. Who’s the woman?”

“Christine Barrows, the pack healer.”

“A lykaen. Not your usual taste. She must be one refined package.” Uncomfortable with the conversation, Dmetri stared straight ahead. “Something like that.”

“How badly do you think you injured Claude?”

His ego deflated like a popped balloon. “Not nearly enough.”

“Because you were surprised?”

“Yes,” Dmetri said in a hard voice.

They pulled up to the pack’s gate and, after getting through Gerry’s intense questioning about Brayden, he let them through. Dmetri led them to Vane’s cabin.

“You’ll need to see the healer for that wound.”

Dmetri smiled. “I’d planned on it.” Couldn’t wait actually.

It was late as Vane ushered them into his study.

“Sarina’s asleep with Vince.”

Dmetri stood so he wouldn’t bleed on the furniture. “Finally decided on a name then.” Vane grinned as any proud father would as he took a seat. “Damn right.” On a serious note, he turned to Brayden with a nod. “Tell me what happened.”

“Had a run in with Claude tonight. He’s determined to try to kill the Kategans. Thinks he’ll be able to become Alpha of the pack and combine them…if he can kill you all off.” Vane shook his head. “A vampire running a lykaen pack, I don’t know if I want to laugh or scream. Why does he want to do it?”

Brayden took a seat. Even the way he sat spoke of his previous life—a commander. He’d been in countless battles and that kind of history changed a person. He sat stiffly, unsmiling.

Dmetri doubted the man ever smiled, in fact couldn’t recall a time when he even laughed. And he’d known Brayden a long time.

“The women in his clan are infertile, or so he says. During his trial, he said something about birthing complications. We haven’t been able to verify that since our Justicars aren’t allowed on his land. He testified that if they had more land then the women would start breeding again.”

Dmetri nodded. “At trial he said that the tight space of his clan somehow affects the fertility rate.”

Vane shook his head in disbelief. “That’s ridiculous. I mean it has to be. That’s fucking nonsense.”

Brayden nodded in agreement. “True, however Claude’s literally been losing his mind for some time now. At Ariss’ trial, she testified that he’d been slowly losing his wits for years, growing more deranged. He believes it, that’s all that matters to him.” Vane nodded towards Dmetri’s wound which had finally slowed its bleeding. He’d need a good several pints tonight; already he felt lightheaded.

“Yeah, he and I got into it,” Dmetri said.

“I heard you went on the date with Christine,” Vane said. “Where is she?”

“She drove back here. I haven’t been by to check on her yet. She was unharmed.” Dmetri was about to ask if she had, in fact, made it back but Vane beat him to it.

“Gerry called me a while ago said that she came in crazed saying you were attacked.” He sighed heavily. “God, this is all a mess. Nothing can ever be simple anymore.” Dmetri shifted uncomfortably. As if Vane had started and couldn’t stop, he went on.

“And on top of that, Sarina keeps talking about her prick of a father. I wish that dog was dead.”

“Her father is King Brunes, correct?” asked Brayden.

“Yup, the one and only prick of all pricks. She said she can’t get it out of her mind.

Nothing I say or do helps either.”

“Can’t get what out?” Dmetri asked.

“She said she thinks her father killed her mother when she was twelve. Supposedly her mother died in a drowning accident while sailing on their yacht. Fuck. What do I say to that, you know? I don’t know and I can’t find out. Maybe if I tortured the bastard...” Brayden rested his chin on his hand thoughtfully. “I remember that case.” Vane sat up. “There was a case?”

“Sure, when she was reported dead there was an investigation though I don’t think it was a big one. It’s unusual for a lykaen to drown. I think they ruled it an accidental death though.”

“Yeah, but now Sarina keeps questioning things. Says she remembered him acting strangely after he got back from the trip with her; he was vague with details, things like that.”