“Da,” she said, mimicking his Russian.

“How did you get all the way to Chicago by yourself?”

Vane took a seat next to his mate on the couch. Sarina held her new sleeping babe in her arms. “She said she had some money and took the greyhound,” he said.

“Did you meet anyone strange on your trip?”

She cocked a thin black eyebrow at the question. “I met tons of strange people. People talking to themselves, a guy who smelled like garbage, a man who said he knew when Jesus was coming—it was fun.”

Dmetri saw Vane bow his head into his hand. “Were any of them vampires?” She stopped kicking her leg. “No.”

Reading people wasn’t his forte, that was more Brayden’s area, and he couldn’t be sure whether she was telling the truth. “Why are you here?” She gave an exasperated look at Vane. “I already told him all of this. Dad pissed me off for the last time. He’s arranged a marriage for me. Can you believe that? I mean what century is this, really?”

“To who?”

She shivered in disgust. “A nasty old man. Dad only wants to do it so they can combine the packs since we’re next to each other. One big pack. Dad said everyone needs this. Yeah, everyone but me.” She snorted and Dmetri saw a flash of pain in her eyes.

“The man she’s referring to is Joseph Harrington. He has a much larger pack, combining them would make them more powerful,” said Vane.

Dmetri cocked a brow at that. “Who’d run the pack then? There can only be one alpha overseeing the pack.”

“I don’t know. I’ll have to call my Uncle Eric. Either way, Vanessa’s too young to be mated off to Joseph Harrington. The man’s got to be in his forties.”

“Try fifties,” she said, a disgusted look on her face. “He has kids my age. And I’m not too young, Vane. I’m almost eighteen.”

Dmetri almost laughed, he didn’t buy that for a second. She had to be barely sixteen. But when Vane didn’t dispute it, he looked harder at the girl. Finally, he shrugged. Anything was possible after all.

“I’ll talk to Eric. I agree this isn’t right,” said Vane.

Vanessa leaned forward in her seat, eyes wide with excitement. “So I can stay?” Vane hesitated for a moment. Sarina whispered something in his ear and he nodded. “Of course, we have room.” Then he gave her a hard look that had her excitement diminishing. “But there will be no partying, no running around, no sneaking out, and no leaving this land. Do you hear me?”

She looked puzzled as if she didn’t know whether to believe him or not. “I can’t even leave the pack?”

“No, no one is right now. We’re having...safety issues and I need you here and safe.

Either agree to my terms or I swear I’ll pick up that phone and have Eric come and get you.” She looked shocked at the terms, but eventually nodded. “All right, I agree.” Dmetri checked his watch and noted that it was almost six o’clock. Dinnertime soon. He grinned, anticipation rushing through him like a warm drink.

Vera grinned back at him. “What’s got you so happy?”

He hesitated to say anything then shrugged. What did he care what anyone thought?

“A date.”

All heads turned to him.

“With who?” asked several Kategans at once.

“Christine, your pack healer.”

A strange thing happened then. Several people chuckled in surprise, a few gaped in astonishment, and Vane tensed.

“What?” he asked, his excitement dying in place of irritation.

Sarina and Vane exchanged a long glance. But it was Vera who spoke first as if she was unable to contain her excitement. She straight up laughed at him, a full dissolve of giggles that left her gasping.

“You and...Christine.” More giggles ensued.

“What of it?” He felt his anger growing.

Rome’s grin was pure shit eating. “You don’t stand a chance, my man.” Dmetri stood and towered over the Kategans. “Like hell I don’t.” Anything he wanted he got—one way or another. He could have her, willing and begging, in under a week if he wanted.

Darien Kategan sat with his arm around his vampire mate. He smiled and said, “That woman has...high standards.”

Dmetri relaxed infinitely. He already knew this—to an extent anyways. She’d already told him he wasn’t good enough for her. Not that he was going to admit that to them.

“I’m an Elder with the Justicars, one of the most sacred jobs there is. Not to mention a man of great wealth.” He sounded like a smug ass but he didn’t care, because it wasn’t a boast.

A few more chuckles came from the women. Fists curling, Dmetri rolled his neck to loosen the tight muscles there. Damn, he hadn’t been this stressed in a long time.

“Explain what you mean now.” It sounded like a threat, and it was.

Sarina elbowed Vane and he sighed. “Christine has a thing for...men of power or position, or whatever you want to call it. She used to chase after me even though I wasn’t interested.”

Dmetri thought about that for a moment. For one, the Alpha was obviously an idiot.

Secondly, he had more power than Vane did. Therefore, winning Christine the healer won’t be a problem.

“I don’t see the problem then.” He stood tall, a brow cocked.

Again, the Kategans exchanged a telling glance. Dmetri felt that tic in his eye pulse again. God dammit, he’d never experience that before either.

“Her mother,” Rome said with a grave nod.

“What about her mother?” he asked, his voice rising.

The baby fussed at the sound of his voice and Sarina sent him a scathing look that had him withering back down into his chair.

Vane answered his question. “Her mother is...a fierce creature. She’s always told her to mate up with an Alpha of a pack. The high status means something to her for whatever reason, and she’s always pushed Christine for that.”

Dmetri shook his head. What was with these lykaens? Giving away daughters for marriage, pressuring them to marry up, it didn’t make any sense to him. Those were the old ways; ways he’d thought were long gone.

“I’m not looking for a damn mate. I’m going on a date.” The idea of keeping Christine on for longer was appealing. He liked her quirkiness; it intrigued him as nothing else had in a long time.

“But she is,” Vera said softly.

Dmetri stood and started for the door. “That’s foolishness.”

“It isn’t to her,” Vane said after him. “It means everything to her.” Dmetri closed the door quietly behind him even though he wanted to slam it. He was better than any alpha. His wealth and status alone made him a damned black diamond in the rough. Besides, he wasn’t looking for a damned mate. He just wanted her body.

Christine paused in the process of drying her hair when a knock came from the front door. She’d decided to let the sexy Russian vampire take her out even though she hadn’t actually agreed to it. She had to admit she appreciated his persistence. He reminded her of herself.

Throwing on her silk robe, she made for the door.

Putting on a sexy smile, threw open the door ready to battle with the vampire for being so early. Her smiled died instantly at the sight of her mother.

“Oh, mom.” She closed the robe tighter around her. “Come on in.” Her mother gave her an arched look at her attire and came into the house, her heavy heels clicking on the wood floor.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

Christine tensed at the question. Her mother’s simple question was not innocent. She should be prepared for this by now, but then she wasn’t used to explaining a date with a vampire to her mother.

“I have a date.” Hoping that would be the end of it, even knowing that was impossible, she went into the bathroom to finish her hair.

Her mother followed, a harsh look in her dark brown eyes. Christine flicked on the loud hair dryer and pretended to ignore her mother. Nancy was not one to be thwarted so easily. She unplugged the hairdryer and the cord landed with a thud in the sink. Christine barely held her sigh.