“Of course you are. You waste resources on them, Dmetri.”

“I hardly see how fucking can be a waste of anything. I have too much money to count anyways. Just because you prefer the life of a hermit doesn’t mean I want to share any part of that, drook.”

Silence for a moment then, “I called to give you an assignment.” Dmetri glanced with longing at the bedroom. “I was in the middle of something.”

“You’re always in the middle of something. This has to do with your friends, the Kategans.”

Dmetri’s grin flattened. Instantly he thought of Vera, his ex. The lykaen and he had spent a year together. He’d enjoyed it, she was a joy to be around, but as with all things, he’d grown bored and restless. He’d broken her heart, which admittedly, he didn’t care much for. It wasn’t that he’d loved her, because he didn’t, but she was a good person and didn’t deserve what he did to her. It worked out for the best though, now she was happily mated—to a vampire thanks to him. He figured he’d owed her that much. They were loosely friends, which worked out best for both of them.

“What about them?”

“Claude Phelans escaped today and killed four guards.” Dmetri straightened, body going alert. “What the fuck? Four, why were there only four? I ordered at least eight guards to cover him.”

Brayden’s voice turned bitter. “Someone over there decided the crazy vamp didn’t need eight guards. He took off in the transportation van. We found it ditched off the side of the highway. I’ve sent trackers out but he’s good; he had them doubling back and running around in circles before they lost his scent completely.”

Dmetri thought back to the hearings with Master Claude Phelans. The vampire was fucking nuts. Mad and violent, he got the idea in his head that he needed the Kategan’s much bigger land to solve all his problems. He was willing to send in his guards to die, or to die himself, to see his cause come to fruition.

“You think he’ll head for the Kategans to finish what he started?” asked Dmetri.

“That’s what I would do.”

“I don’t get it. He said his women are infertile, that the land was corrupt. The man’s mad.”

“His insanity doesn’t matter. He’s violent and won’t stop until more people die. How many is up to you.”

Dmetri choked, not knowing whether to laugh or not. “What was that, my friend?”

“You’re new assignment is to go to the Kategans. I’ve already called Vane Kategan to give him a heads up. I want you there until we find him.” This time he did laugh. “I am not going to babysit an entire pack of lykaens.” Brayden interrupted quickly. “You doubt you can do it?” Dmetri’s jaw clenched. Of course Brayden would jab at his ego. “You know I can—”

“That’s exactly why I’m sending you. Just keep an eye on the place.”

“Fuck this. That isn’t my job, drook. Send another Justicar.” He glanced at the bedroom and sighed knowing he’d have no play tonight.

“The lykaens would never allow that many vampires on their land at once. You know how distrusting they can be. Vane agreed to allow you though. Listen, this is big, Dmetri. If he attacks the Kategans and rallies his clan, we’ll have a full-out war and we are responsible.”

“Shit. Sometimes I hate politics.”

“Get over there now; they’re expecting you.” Brayden hung up before he could think of a protest.

“Suka.”

Dmetri strolled into the bedroom and sent his entertainment away. Cursing, he started packing his suitcase. It looked like he was going to the Kategans.

Dmetri pulled to a stop and rolled down his window at the guard’s request.

The sentry leaned down to peer into the driver side window. “What’s your business here?”

Dmetri cocked a brow. “My business is with the Kategans. And they’re expecting me.” The sentry wasn’t impressed; he eyed Dmetri hard then searched the front and back seats with a pensive eye. Satisfied with what he found, he stepped back and radioed in on a talkie.

“Sir, Dmetri Demidov is here. I’m sending him up.”

The sentry nodded and motioned him to drive on. Dmetri saluted the guard and pulled into the big lykaen community.

Kategan land was rich and fertile. Dmetri assessed the land as a surveyor or contractor might. According to his notes, the Kategans owned roughly 2,000 acres of land. He’d thought the problem with the vampire leader Claude Phelans was over after they arrested him and his clan for forgery and a host of other crimes. Damned if the man didn’t have an insane determination with his sights set on the Kategans.

Vane Kategan threw open the door on the second knock. Dmetri had known the alpha for years, had dealt with him during the peace treaty deliberations for too many years to count now.

He’d also dated his baby sister.

“Vane,” he acknowledged with a nod.

Vane looked grim, dark shadows formed under his pinched eyes, and his lips were pulled flat.

“Come on in and explain this shit storm to me.”

Dmetri followed Vane into the study off the living room. After declining a drink, since he really didn’t think Vane had anything he could stomach, he took a seat across from him.

Vane’s tense shoulders were slumped forward, his hair a mess as if he’d run his hand through it too many times.

“How bad is it?”

Dmetri shrugged. “We really won’t know until we find him. We think he has good reason to come here though. At least to him it is.”

Vane rolled his shoulders back, and then rubbed at his muscles like they were killing him.

“What’s going on? You seem pretty tense.”

Vane choked on a laugh. He sighed and cracked his neck. “It’s Sarina. She’s due any day now. I hate this feeling. I don’t know what’s going to happen. Fuck, I have no control over it.” Dmetri grimaced. “I don’t wish I was you. That’s for sure.” Vane gave him a hard look. “You should. She’s been a blessing in my empty life.” Dmetri laughed, leaning back in his seat. “No thanks. A mate doesn’t make sense to me. I enjoy having the option to switch up when I get bored with them.”

“Like you did with Vera,” he said with an edge to his voice.

Dmetri had to tread carefully here. “What happened in the past was for the best. She’s mated now, isn’t she? Happy and all that...good stuff.” Vane nodded, then stood to pace with hard steps. “This thing with Claude Phelans couldn’t have come at a worse time.”

“Is there ever a good time for something like this?”

Vane nodded in agreement. And then a piercing cry ripped through the house.

Vane was running through the house before the cry ended. Dmetri followed the alpha as he bound up the stairs into the bedroom. He expected to find the room drenched with blood, bodies lifeless on the floor, or twitching with the aftermath of death. What he did find shocked him so much more. He swore that if he still could, he’d vomit.

Sarina lay on the bed, the sheets drenched with watery fluid. Sweat matted her hair to her face and neck, and she clenched the bed sheets with enough force to make him cringe.

Vane ran to her side and wiped the hair out of her face. “My God what happened?” Sarina panted in sharp breaths, her face pinched with pain. “Water broke,” she choked.

Vane collapsed against the side of the bed, his head bowed. After a moment, he seemed to get a hold of himself. He turned to Dmetri with the commanding eyes of an alpha.

“Get the healer. Down the street and turn right. She’s the second house the on right. Get her now!”

Dmetri’s lip curled. “You don’t tell me what to do, alpha.” Sarina keened as a particularly hard contraction hit. Dmetri cringed. “On second thought, I think I’ll go.”

He was out the door a second later. He found the small cabin exactly where Vane said it would be. Unlike Vane who answered the door on the second knock, Dmetri had to bang harder and louder until finally he heard a voice grumbling inside.