Harry rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. “He was mated to a woman named Sophie. She tried to get pregnant for years and it never happened. Then finally, six years later she got pregnant. The whole clan celebrated until...she and the baby died. The healer said it was a complication in the birthing, but Claude didn’t believe it. He killed the healer, and we ended up burying three loved ones that day.
After that, the man was never the same. To put it simply, he went batshit. Started mumbling crazy things about pregnancy problems in the pack, infertilities, things like that. We kind of let him go because we figured it was just his way of mourning.”
“That’s great but what do you want from us?” asked Dmetri, quickly losing patience. He didn’t give two fucks about Claude’s past. He had no sympathy for the man. The argument with Christine really nagged at him too.
Harry lifted his chin. “We want to be absolved from any of the crimes that Claude’s committed. If possible, we might be able to help you catch him, though we haven’t seen him since he took some of his more loyal followers with him. And well, now they’re dead, aren’t they?”
“As long as none of your clan commits any crimes there will be no charges filed against you,” said Brayden. “But if you help him in any way, whether you give him some blood or money, the Justicars will be so far up your ass you won’t know where we begin and you end. Got me?”
Dmetri arched a brow at his friend. Being around the Kategans must be getting to both of them. He never heard his friend so riled up.
“Yeah, I got it. So can we do anything to help?”
Dmetri and Brayden shared a speaking glance. “Just keep your clan locked up tight, enhance security, and keep your eyes open. If Claude learns you came to us he might seek vengeance.”
Harry stood. “I can take care of my own.”
Dmetri shook hands with the man and waited until he left before turning to Brayden.
“What’s got you so tense, drook? ”
Brayden blinked, surprised. “I’m not tense. I’m never tense.”
“You are right now, have been for a few days.”
“Being tense would mean that I’ve let something get to me, and I never do that. It interferes with the job.” Brayden gave him a look that dared Dmetri to challenge him. Dmetri let it slide.
“Right,” Dmetri said.
They headed outside into the vacant parking lot. They’d chosen a trashy hotel for their little visit, a place where the carpet smelled, the cheap paintings on the wall came from a dollar store, and the bed’s comforter was stained with God knows what secretions. But the location was perfect, only fifteen minutes from Kategan land, and the lot had no streetlights. Perfect dark.
They jumped into Brayden’s SUV and sped off down the road. Dmetri noted his friend’s permanent frown but decided not to say anything. Besides, he had his own shit going on.
Christine was driving him crazy. He’d left only because he intended to give her a few hours to calm down before he came back at her. A few good kisses and she’d change her mind. His eye ticked at the thought. Dammit, even he wasn’t sure if that would work. Maybe on a lesser woman, but not her, not his Christine. She was strong, confident. Maybe too strong.
“We got something here.”
Dmetri came alert, his eyes quickly surveying the black scope of trees flying by the car.
“What is it?”
“Behind us.”
Dmetri looked in the rearview mirror and spotted a small car rapidly catching up to them.
He tensed in his seat, though not in fear, but with excitement. He needed to let off some steam, badly.
“How long they been there?”
“Came up on us a minute after we left the parking lot.” The car’s engine roared as it nearly touched their bumper.
“Slam on the breaks,” Dmetri said.
“No.”
The car closed in, the screaming roar of the car’s little engine piercing Dmetri’s sensitive ears. The car slid side to side like a taunt, the tires squealing on the dark pavement. Dmetri found himself chanting in his head: Come on, do it. Hit us. Human, lykaen, or vampire he was ready for a fight. His blood pumped fast and furious in his veins.
The car beeped at them then swung left in the passing lane and pulled up beside them. He saw Brayden’s lips part in disgust at the same moment two young girls grinned up at them from their car. Two very young human girls wearing little more than nothing. They waved, smiles and giggles abundant, then honked once more and squirreled their car ahead of them. Brayden slowed enough to let them get out of eyeshot.
“Fucking girls,” Dmetri cursed.
“The disappointment in your voice is heavy, Dmetri. Is this woman Christine bothering you that much?”
Dmetri stiffened. “What business is it of yours?”
“It’s not, but if it’s interfering with your job then it is.”
“It’s not interfering,” Dmetri growled, fists curling so tight they turned white.
“Good, make sure that it doesn’t. Capturing Claude Phelans is our priority, not getting laid.”
“It’s not about getting laid.” Dmetri hated even saying it. The word “laid” rolled off his tongue like sludge. Christine wasn’t a lay. She was a flesh and blood woman, a fierce lykaen with quick smiles and humor. Hell, she’d even made him smile, several times. And he liked it.
God, maybe he was letting her interfere with him.
A slash of movement in the forest caught his attention. Dmetri tensed. “Did you see that?”
Brayden’s answer was to slam both feet on the brake. He brought the SUV to a screeching stop of smoking rubber. They both jumped out of the car and were sprinting after the figure in the next second. They were only minutes from Kategan land and the sentries didn’t come out this far, whoever it was shouldn’t be here. God, he hoped it was Claude. He wanted a nasty fight and to bring in the bastard for the last time.
They ran hard, breaking through the trees and relying on their night vision to find the perpetrator. Damn, but he moved fast. Dmetri pushed his muscles until they burned, his lungs growing hot, his arms pumping fast. Brayden caught up to him.
“I’ll catch him from the side.” He ducked to the left and moved in a blur to corner the perp in.
Dmetri heard a soft sound, then the hard slam of bodies onto the ground. He mentally cursed himself that he hadn’t gotten there first; he wanted to be the one who finally brought down Claude. He ran by another dozen trees before he came upon them.
Brayden had the perp pinned to the ground with his knees digging into his back. Dmetri blinked, something was off. The figure was small and had long hair.
“Shit it’s not Claude.”
“I know,” Brayden said. The man’s eyes were bright, livid.
“Get the fuck off me you asshole!”
Dmetri blinked in surprise at the feminine voice and then started to laugh. The small figure below Brayden squirmed and struggled.
“Get off her. You can’t save her just to go hurting her now.” Brayden stood quickly, back straight, hands loose at his sides. Vanessa Kategan turned onto her back with a grimace, her face pinched in pain.
Dmetri knelt beside her. “You okay?”
She glared at him like he was the one who’d leaped on top of her. “No, I’m not okay. I was already sore from the...from the other day and now this asshole jumps on top of me. What the fuck?”
Shaking his head, he held his hand out to help her up. She grunted and when she stood, she swayed on her feet. A satchel sat in the dirt next to her. Dmetri picked it up and started rummaging inside.
“Hey, that’s mine!” She made a grab for it but Dmetri merely turned to the side.
“Clothes, a wallet, a phone. You planning on leaving again without telling anyone?” If her glare could hit, he was sure she’d just nailed him in the balls.