Shifter DNA are compatible yet, and even if it was I hardly think we’re at that point yet, despite how it looked when you came in.”
Grig stepped up behind his mother, freshly showered, and looped his arm around her neck. “Oh hey ho, and how did it look when you came in, Mother?”
“How did what look when she came in?” Em’s fingers were entwined through Cat’s while the curvy reporter sipped a mug of hot cocoa. Her shakes had subsided, Drei saw.
Cat pulled away from Em to brush a kiss on Elena’s cheek. “Elena.”
“Hello, darling.” Elena touched Cat’s shoulder. “I hear there’s some news?”
Cassandra sighed, and told Elena everything she’d explained to them at the club. Their mother listened, perching herself on the end of Grig’s desk. When Cassandra finished, Elena remained silent for a brief moment.
“Mom?” Grig shifted to a spot next to her on the desk. “What do you think?”
“I think I’m glad this young lady was there to save your fool life tonight, Grigore. Bit by a vampire? And a poisonous one at that? Very sloppy.”
Grig ducked his head. “I know. Extra training hours this week. Promise.”
“With Andrei.”
Grig winced, but nodded. Elena patted his knee. “And this vampire that got away, Andrei? The one who’s after our Cat?”
“That’s the second time he got away. He runs as soon as the odds aren’t in his favor.”
Elena spun the bracelet on her wrist contemplatively. “We need to capture him. Find out what he knows about Cat, why he wants her so bad. Emilian, I expect you to coordinate with the other squads and make sure everyone is on the lookout and has the same orders.” She gave Em a hard look. Em nodded in response. Elena continued.
“He possesses the ability to Ice? We need to counteract that somehow. Grigore, I want you in with the doctors. Once you’ve had that wound double checked, you can see if they have anything that will temporarily incapacitate the bloodsucker.”
“Yes, Commander.” There was no questioning that their mother was in work mode now. Her eyes were flinty with determination and you could almost hear the wheels in her head spinning. When she shifted her gaze to Drei, he straightened his shoulders. Her lips pressed together and her eyes slid to Cassandra before she jerked them away.
He felt the redhead stiffen beside him and turned to see her narrowing her eyes at his mother. “You could just ask, you know.”
“Cassandra? What is she thinking?” He ignored the way his mother growled at his words. Cassandra’s green eyes met his.
“She’s pleased you’ll be keeping me occupied enough that she won’t have to post actual guards on me. Saves money and I might not even realize I’m not free to go.”
Anger, jagged and electric, spiked through Drei’s blood as he rounded on his mother. “Is that what you think? I’ll just distract her with my dick?”
Grig covered his bark of laughter with an unbelievable cough. Elena Lupei shrugged one shoulder. “Don’t be so melodramatic, Andrei.” She sighed and turned to Cassandra. “Well, I can see your talent has its disadvantages as well. But no matter. Will you stay, as our guest, until we’ve got this figured out? We will keep you safe. And we’ll just need to run a few tests. Cat can tell you, they’re all harmless.”
“No.” Drei didn’t even think about it before he spoke. He knew from the startled look on Cassandra’s face that it hadn’t even crossed his mind. But the response was immediate and primal. He bared his teeth at his mother. For the first time in his life, Drei was going to disobey her orders. “We’re not turning her over to the lab rats.”
Cat touched his folded arm gently. “Elena’s not lying, Drei. None of the tests are very painful or invasive.”
He fought the urge to shake off her hand and snarl. He and Cat may snipe at each other, but she
Grig stepped up behind his mother, freshly showered, and looped his arm around her neck. “Oh hey ho, and how did it look when you came in, Mother?”
“How did what look when she came in?” Em’s fingers were entwined through Cat’s while the curvy reporter sipped a mug of hot cocoa. Her shakes had subsided, Drei saw.
Cat pulled away from Em to brush a kiss on Elena’s cheek. “Elena.”
“Hello, darling.” Elena touched Cat’s shoulder. “I hear there’s some news?”
Cassandra sighed, and told Elena everything she’d explained to them at the club. Their mother listened, perching herself on the end of Grig’s desk. When Cassandra finished, Elena remained silent for a brief moment.
“Mom?” Grig shifted to a spot next to her on the desk. “What do you think?”
“I think I’m glad this young lady was there to save your fool life tonight, Grigore. Bit by a vampire? And a poisonous one at that? Very sloppy.”
Grig ducked his head. “I know. Extra training hours this week. Promise.”
“With Andrei.”
Grig winced, but nodded. Elena patted his knee. “And this vampire that got away, Andrei? The one who’s after our Cat?”
“That’s the second time he got away. He runs as soon as the odds aren’t in his favor.”
Elena spun the bracelet on her wrist contemplatively. “We need to capture him. Find out what he knows about Cat, why he wants her so bad. Emilian, I expect you to coordinate with the other squads and make sure everyone is on the lookout and has the same orders.” She gave Em a hard look. Em nodded in response. Elena continued.
“He possesses the ability to Ice? We need to counteract that somehow. Grigore, I want you in with the doctors. Once you’ve had that wound double checked, you can see if they have anything that will temporarily incapacitate the bloodsucker.”
“Yes, Commander.” There was no questioning that their mother was in work mode now. Her eyes were flinty with determination and you could almost hear the wheels in her head spinning. When she shifted her gaze to Drei, he straightened his shoulders. Her lips pressed together and her eyes slid to Cassandra before she jerked them away.
He felt the redhead stiffen beside him and turned to see her narrowing her eyes at his mother. “You could just ask, you know.”
“Cassandra? What is she thinking?” He ignored the way his mother growled at his words. Cassandra’s green eyes met his.
“She’s pleased you’ll be keeping me occupied enough that she won’t have to post actual guards on me. Saves money and I might not even realize I’m not free to go.”
Anger, jagged and electric, spiked through Drei’s blood as he rounded on his mother. “Is that what you think? I’ll just distract her with my dick?”
Grig covered his bark of laughter with an unbelievable cough. Elena Lupei shrugged one shoulder. “Don’t be so melodramatic, Andrei.” She sighed and turned to Cassandra. “Well, I can see your talent has its disadvantages as well. But no matter. Will you stay, as our guest, until we’ve got this figured out? We will keep you safe. And we’ll just need to run a few tests. Cat can tell you, they’re all harmless.”
“No.” Drei didn’t even think about it before he spoke. He knew from the startled look on Cassandra’s face that it hadn’t even crossed his mind. But the response was immediate and primal. He bared his teeth at his mother. For the first time in his life, Drei was going to disobey her orders. “We’re not turning her over to the lab rats.”
Cat touched his folded arm gently. “Elena’s not lying, Drei. None of the tests are very painful or invasive.”
He fought the urge to shake off her hand and snarl. He and Cat may snipe at each other, but she
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