“I hope you do one day, Dmetri. You should experience it at least once in your life.” Silvery blonde hair whipped over his shoulder as he tossed back his head and laughed.

The sound was rich and thickly accented. His jaw was hard, nose straight, lips almost thin which spoke of his Slavic heritage. He was large too, though not as big as lykaen men were. He was taller than Vane by an inch or two and was lean like a swimmer, yet he didn’t give the appearance of being skinny.

He had an aura about him that spoke of strength and confidence. It was even in the way he sat, leaning back with his hands supporting him on either side, his long legs kicked out in front of him. Hell, he even wore a suit. The last time she’d seen a suit was at Darien Kategan’s wedding. And even then he’d worn no shoes with it.

“Been alive a long time, drook. Never needed a mate, don’t see the point in it.” Vane gave him a sarcastic grin. “Sometimes love just hits you. You never see it coming, never expect it. I hope it hits you—hard.”

Dmetri stood and rocked on his feet, then his gaze veered towards the window and landed directly on her. Pretending she hadn’t been standing there hoping to hear something juicy, she opened the door.

“Vane, your mate and new baby are ready to see you.”

He jumped up and ran past her. Right before he left the kitchen he turned back to her excitement, panic on his face. “Boy or girl?”

She smiled a little and shrugged. “You’ll have to see for yourself.” He gave a happy shout and ran upstairs. Christine started after him, to make sure everything was okay and to see if Sarina needed some blood to replace all she’d lost or maybe a couple of stitches if her perineum had torn. Her mind lost in thought, she didn’t hear the vampire approach.

“You like to eavesdrop.”

She embraced the blush that came over her and smiled at him. “Any good person does on occasion.”

“How’d you like to have dinner with me?”

Christine didn’t know who was more surprised by his question. She studied his face for a moment and decided him, definitely him. She laughed softly and turned away.

“I don’t think so,” she tossed over her shoulder.

She thought she heard him mutter “we’ll see about that” but she couldn’t be sure because her heart was pounding in her ears.

Just then a jovial shout sounded from upstairs. Vane shouted loud enough for the entire pack to hear. “It’s a boy!”

Dmetri finished buttoning his white Charvet dress shirt and picked up his black belt. The belt was his favorite. It had a silver buckle that shined in the light and smelled richly of fine leather. Vane’s words floated through his mind as he finished looping his belt. What did he need a mate for when a nice buckle made him just as happy?

He was glad to have the night over. He swore he could still hear Sarina’s cries echoing in his ears long after he let himself into the guest cabin he was staying in. It still gave him shivers just thinking about it.

He left the cabin to go check out the perimeter of the pack. He needed to get an idea of the Kategan’s security and defenses. It was late evening as he made his way down the street.

Pack members stopped in mid-sentence or in some cases, mid-step, as they saw him. He grinned and waved as a mother shoved her daughter behind her. Feeling like a wolf, he grinned wider and flashed his fangs. The mother’s eyes went wide and she hastily pulled her daughter back into the house.

Ah, it was good to be a vampire.

The sun lowered into the sky, casting the land in an orange and pink glow. He hated it.

He loved the night, relished it in fact. A sweet vein and a warm body was enough to make him ruin a good suit to fuck the right woman under the stars.

He made his way off the road and into the large expanse of field that led to the edge of the property. His eyes searched the area, memorizing the roads and exits, any possible area the pack might be weak. The Kategans’ defenses were strong. It wouldn’t be easy for Claude to get in. But if the mad vampire wanted in, he’d find a damned way.

He came upon a large garden lined with rows of growing vegetables and herbs. The smell of fresh soil teased his nose. He sneezed and continued through a path of lettuce and carrots.

Movement caught his eye. A woman kneeled at a plant and was picking leaves off it. He recognized her immediately.

Coming up behind her, he stopped and admired her body. He loved his women chic and classy. Women that wore gowns and expensive lingerie that teased his eyes. This little thing wore cut-off shorts that were frayed at the ends and a baggy white tank top that somehow looked sexy. Simply baffling.

She wasn’t as slender as he usually preferred either, but curvaceous with round hips and thighs. His cock hardened and he had to agree with it, she was a fine specimen.

Suddenly she stiffened as if finally registering his presence. Slowly she came to a stand and turned around. Her hair was pulled back in a messy tie that looked like she’d fixed it up quickly, and her shirt was covered in loose soil. A smudge marred her cheek like she’d wiped her face with a dirty hand.

“I didn’t hear you coming.” It sounded a lot like an accusation.

“Of course not. I’m too quiet for you to hear.”

She gave him a dirty look that said he’d just insulted her; he shrugged. “Looking...lovely today,” he said drawing his words out as he looked her up and down once more.

Sun-kissed skin, that’s what she had and a lot of it too. He found he liked it.

She arched a brow and perused him as well. Though she didn’t look nearly as impressed.

Dmetri found himself looking down at his expensive suit with a frown. He looked great, and he knew it.

Without a word, she finished her survey, picked up her bundle of herbs and marched away. Dmetri’s eyes followed like a damn magnet. Her ass swayed side to side in the sexiest rhythm he ever saw. Damn. Maybe Vane had a point. He hadn’t had a steady woman since Vera....

He was following after her before he could think twice. She shot him a quick glance over her shoulder.

“What do you want, vampire?”

His eyes widened. She sounded bored. He was the most un-boring person she’d ever met.

She just didn’t realize it yet. He found himself stiffening and didn’t like it.

“Christine is it?”

She stopped and turned around, a little smile on her face. “Yes, and you are?”

“Dmetri Demidov.”

He snatched her herb-free hand and brought her fingers to his lips. With a little smile, he thumbed off some soil then pressed a kiss to her knuckles. She smiled and took a saucy step towards him. That was the only way he could describe it. She didn’t just walk one foot in front of the other. She swayed, hip cocking to the side, and he loved it.

“A Russian vampire on Kategan land,” she said pulling her hand away. God, she was so warm. Even a foot away from him, he could feel her heat. “What’s brought you here?”

“Not used to having vampires roaming your little community?” She laughed, the gold flecks in her eyes catching the dimming sunlight and shining even brighter. Dmetri’d never noticed or cared much for eyes before, but hers captivated him.

“Not unless they had a death wish. Though, with Vera mating that half human, vampire fella, I suppose it isn’t that strange.” She paused and her face lit up. “Hot damn, you’re him! The one Vera talked about who changed Jackson.”

For some reason he felt the sudden need to look away with embarrassment. The unusual feeling had him rocking back on his feet, but he refused to look away, that was cowardice.

“I did,” he said finally.