“I’m going to need to save my apples for now, but I have something you’ll appreciate.”

“If it’s lacy and black, I’m in for that one as well. Dibs on the Devil’s three-way this time,” I tell him very seriously.

He gestures to the pregnant shifter’s belly, giving me a silencing look.

“It’s not like it knows what I’m saying,” I dutifully inform him.

And I thought Emit was stupid.

Vance pinches the bridge of his nose briefly, something he does when someone is irritating him, before returning his attention to the phone call.

“Violet, anything you want to trade is perfectly good with me. I have a bit of a mess to clean up. If you need more, have Leiza call Avery and set it up,” he tells her a little distractedly, as he kneels in front of the woman.

“O…kay. Sorry. Be careful out there.”

The line goes dead again, and he lowers the phone.

“How far along would you say she is?” he asks.

“She’s a little on the small side, so the size of that bump would lead me to roughly estimate twenty weeks, give or take a few.”

“Then Shera has a new prisoner to attend for another twenty or so weeks,” he decides.

I almost want to groan. “She’s going to hate me for this one. She hates shifters worse than wolves.”

My phone rings this time, and I answer just to be a dick to Vance, hoping Violet’s calling me from Emit’s phone.

“If this is really you, wolf, make it worth my time.”

“Damien is going to stay with Violet. I’m on my way to meet you right now.”

“What? Did something fucking happen?” I ask, nervousness catching me by surprise.

“I just decided three hunters are better than two, and the sooner you prove you can make good on your promise, the sooner I’ll be able to actually focus on Violet, without all the distractions Idun brings with her head games.”

“Damien can’t protect her for shit on his own,” I remind him.

“Van Helsing knights started showing up an hour ago after Leiza called Avery to schedule a plane.”

“An hour ago? Violet just asked me for the plane,” Vance says as he pinches the bridge of his nose again. “What the hell is going on over there?”

“She’s young, stubborn, and impatient. Don’t ask. Just focus on finding Idun so we can get out ahead of this for once,” Emit says before hanging up.

“What the hell does he think we’re doing?” Vance asks like he’s offended.

“We’re dealing with the mess you make when you don’t check for prying ears,” I remind him, since this is clearly all his fault.

“Like you would have checked behind a wall.” His dry tone is coupled with a condescending look.

The woman between our feet groans as she starts to wake up, and all our attention returns to her. She blinks a few times, startling as she takes in her surroundings. Then her eyes widen in remembrance, and fear draws her stiff, just as her eyes collide with my chest, never lifting any higher.

“Welcome back,” I tell her with a cold smile. “Congratulations. Instead of dying, you’re about to be my personal prisoner.”

The entire room chills, and she aptly trembles. She’s old enough to fear me. Smart omega.

CHAPTER 4

VIOLET

“How long until they rehydrate?” I ask Tiara, mostly to take my mind off the very horrifying second flight of my life, in which Vance was not the pilot.

My legs are still unsteady, and Bobo is carrying Flem, because Flem passed out during the first bit of turbulence. At least there was no lightning nor plane crash this time.

Avery personally charted our flight plan to account for a plane full of conductors. Then he flew us. Then he led the convoy of SUVs to the hotel. Now he’s wheeling my bag for me like I can’t do that myself, as he follows me inside.

“He’s always quiet like this when he’s on duty,” Leiza says from beside me, eyeing the man I swear could second as a facial statue. “I love the strong, silent, silver foxes.”

She makes a little growl in her throat, and his lips finally twitch.

“Glad to see you’re human, Avery,” I tell him, only making those lips move subtly again.

I glance around at the grand foyer, which has a lot of little side rooms that could serve as stores if we knocked down a few walls.

“Van Helsing knights have the option of picking the immortal they want to be if they decide to take the plunge,” Leiza says as she moves closer to him. “Silver wolves are much hotter than silver foxes.”

“I’m sure they are, Ms. Tine. I’m planning to stay human, though,” he informs her very respectfully, as though she’s more than an omega.

I swing my gaze back to him, finding him at a militant stance, while he stares straight ahead, dressed in all tactical gear like Vance wears on a hunt. Apparently it’s just a uniform for them, because we got a full escort by very silent men, who all dressed the same.

“Is it still a rule that you have to leave your pack if you want a Van Helsing knight?” Leiza purrs from behind him, as she stares at his ass.

Thankfully, he seems like he’s used to this.

“Since last I checked, Ms. Tine. Which was last month when you asked the same question.”