T. A. Grey (4 page)

She shook her head at him and turned around so she could look up at him. Her cheek was red where she’d been lying on it and her skin had a sexy sheen to it that brought erotic images to his mind.

“I knew you’d be back here sniffing around.”

He had the urge to clean himself after that comment. “I do not
sniff
around. That’s a lykaen thing.”

Her eyes closed as she laughed. “It is,” she said coming to a stand. She stood mere inches from him.

Dmetri didn’t know what to make of her. She was a puzzle. No one had ever approached him so boldly—unless he ordered it. She didn’t seem intimidated by him in the least. It was as if she thought him like any other ‘fellow’. The thought curled his lip with disgust.

She leaned into him, closing her eyes, and softly
sniffed
his chest. Her breath let out on a delicate sigh that made his heart feel strange in his chest. And then she laid her hand on his chest and looked up at him.

“You smell rich—”

“I am,” he interrupted.

She clamped her lips together, but her eyes were laughing. He looked down at the tanned hand on his black jacket and noticed her nails weren’t long or painted but blunt. He’d always loved the look of long nails, but then he couldn’t really picture this wild woman taking the time to paint her nails. She’d probably find it...frivolous.

“Rich and...” she leaned forward and pressed her nose as close to his neck as she could.

She barely came up to his chest and damn he wished she were taller just then. When she spoke again her voice was a little husky. “Delicious.”

Dmetri’s skin coiled warm and tight. She was so vibrant and golden. He wanted to eat her up.

“Come to dinner with me.”

An eye roll and then she walked away to turn off the obnoxious radio.

“Don’t you know how to ask?” While she laughed at him all he could think about was bending her over his lap and spanking her until she apologized—with her mouth on his cock.

Striding to her, he grabbed her hand. She seemed startled but let him hold it. Her hands weren’t very smooth but homely with some calluses on the palms. He rubbed his thumb across her palm, feeling her warm skin against his cooler skin. The pulse at her throat jumped and he’d never felt more triumphant—she wanted him.

“Will you come out to dinner with me,
millaya moya?
” Her eyes lit up with something, he hoped it was excitement. “Trying to woo me with sexy Russian, huh?”

He smiled. “If that is all it takes then I will speak in Russian from now on.
Vse dlya vas.
”

“Stop or you’ll make me shiver.” She picked up the radio and headed towards the sliding glass doors.

Realizing she hadn’t answered his question, he asked again. “Will you come to dinner with me?”

She opened the door then paused to look back at him. One hand came to her chest as she cocked her head to the side to think about it. She hummed as her fingers rubbed closer and closer to her breast. Full, luscious breasts he planned to make great use of. Dmetri watched that hand move closer to the mound then stop just short of it. His mouth actually watered.

“No,” she said sweetly then turned inside.

Grinding his teeth, he snatched her arm. She looked up at him in surprise, her lips slowly curling into a little grin. God, she was going to drive him crazy.

“You said if I asked you then you’d say yes. I asked.” Her laughter trickled over him. “I didn’t say I’d agree, honey. I just asked if you ever ask for permission. I got my answer. Sorry, maybe your English is a little bad.” She gave him a pitying look.

Next she’d be signing him up for English as a Second Language classes at the nearest college. Dmetri had had enough. She was running circles around him, happily too, and he was done with it. Time to pull her to a stop.

He cupped the back of her neck and pulled her towards him. Her eyes widened in surprise and then her gaze fell to his lips.

She fluttered her eyelashes at him. “Why, Dmetri, are you gonna kiss little ole me?” His frown deepened at her insolence and then he kissed her. Her lips were soft and warm, very warm. He pulled back quickly because his dick was already hard enough to snap with that one simple touch. If he tasted her, he might not be able to stop.

He grinned as he saw she was slow to open her eyes. Her cheeks were just a little flushed and her fingers had curled gently into his jacket. Damn he couldn’t wait to have her.

“Dinner tomorrow,” he said.

And then he left before she could utter a word.

Vane answered the door after the first knock.

“Come in, Dmetri.”

Dmetri strolled into the living room and saw an entourage waiting. This was supposed to be a small one-on-one interview with Vane’s cousin to make sure she didn’t have any contact with Claude before coming here. Instead, every one of the Kategans was here including their mates.

Jackson was the first to acknowledge him. With a grin, he came forward and clasped him in a brief hug. Jacks and he had grown a relationship of sorts after he turned him into a vampire.

The decision to turn him was made easily because—Vera had needed it. In the following month after turning Jacks, Dmetri and he had exchanged a few punches and, surprisingly, had grown close while he taught Jacks the ropes of being a vampire.

“Good to see you, old man.”

Dmetri smirked at the jab. “Rather be old than a young babe like you,
drook
.” Jacks laughed, clapping him on the back, and escorted him into the living room. He exchanged greetings with the big Kategan family and took a seat across from Vanessa.

Vanessa looked better today. She’d showered and wore fresh clothes—clothes that barely covered anything. A frown crossed his lips as he took in the young girl’s short skirt and tight shirt. She sat with her leg crossed kicking it constantly as if she couldn’t wait to get out of here.

“Why do I have to talk to the vamp?”

“I just have a few questions for you.”

She rolled her eyes and crossed her other leg, kicking faster.

“You came from California?”

“
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.

“With whom?”

“A friend.” Unable to stay this close to her and lie, Christine walked around her and went to the bedroom to sort through what she was going to wear.