"No, thanks, I still have a little left," Ashe held up his glass. "I really shouldn't be drinking too much of this stuff. It's all sugar."
"Werewolf metabolism burns right through that," Loren grinned. "Shifters, too, or so I've heard."
"I have to expend energy in a different way," Ashe said.
"How?" Craig, the new cook, walked in on his way toward the deck.
"I just do," Ashe shrugged and brushed past Craig on his way toward the stairs.
"That kid is as strange as they come," Craig muttered, believing Ashe out of hearing range. Ashe heard Craig's comment clearly as he ran lightly up the stairs to his room.
* * *
"Aedan, our marriage is over. You said so yourself. When you pulled financial assistance away from me for that boy, and wrote the letter stating you weren't his father and wouldn't support him, well, I had little choice. I'm not his real mother. Someone here in the community told me that. I passed your letter to Mr. Winkler and granted legal guardianship to him. I have copies of the paperwork if you want them," Adele snapped at Aedan over the phone. Honestly, he'd walked away, why was he calling now? "Mr. Winkler seems more than wealthy enough to support the boy."
"Adele," Aedan sighed over his cell. "The boy has a name. We raised him. He's just as much yours as anyone else's."
"Not anymore—the courts here say so. And if you think you're going to get him back now, well, you'll have to show up in court. During the day." Adele terminated the call angrily.
"Honored One, we have a problem," Aedan Evans looked across Wlodek's wide expanse of antique desk.
"I heard," Wlodek growled. He'd listened to the entire conversation. "Had you consulted with me, I would have warned against removing support for the child. Were you overzealous with compulsion as well?" Wlodek lifted an eyebrow the slightest bit.
"I was emotional at the time," Aedan admitted. "I did not think my words through. Nathan tells me that Adele has taken her newly found single status to a logical conclusion and is now in another relationship."
That shocked Wlodek, although he used the vampire mask to show no reaction to the news. He'd promised his second child, after all, that things would go back to normal for Aedan in two years, right after Ashe's eighteenth birthday. This could seriously impact that promise. Wlodek wanted to sigh but held it back. Perhaps Flavio was correct and Wlodek had erred after all. Now, Ashe might be out of his reach if Weldon Harper chose to side with Winkler over the boy. Wlodek knew that all-out war could resume between the werewolf and vampire races if this weren't handled diplomatically.
"Charles!" Wlodek shouted. Charles was standing in Wlodek's office in seconds.
"Honored One?" Charles asked softly.
"Charles, how many rogues are currently in the Unites States?"
"At least twenty, perhaps more," Charles replied immediately. He had an exceptional memory, even for a vampire, and most vampires had amazing recall.
"Contact Gavin and Anthony. Have them ready to fly to the U.S. at a moment's notice. I will attempt to get the Grand Master's permission for Ashe Evans to help them clear out our rogues there, first."
"Of course, Honored One. Would you like for me to call the Grand Master as well?"
"No, I'll do it myself."
"As you say, Honored One." Charles whisked out of Wlodek's office.
"Aedan, go home. Pick up your next assignment from Charles before you leave."
"I will, Honored One." Aedan dipped his head to the Vampire Council's highest-ranking member and walked out of the spacious office swiftly. Wlodek released the sigh he'd been holding before lifting the phone and punching in the Grand Master's number.
* * *
"Honored One, the child has school to consider," Weldon spoke as diplomatically as he could to the Head of the Vampire Council. "He is sixteen, as you recall. If you wish to utilize him in tracking your rogues, then I demand equal time. I have rogues as well, and not enough trackers to hunt them. Have you truly thought this through? He's still a child. We could exhaust him at best, kill him at worst. He has no experience or training in this area, while those he goes against are, in most cases, much older, more devious and certainly more experienced."
"I intended to send two of mine to guide him," Wlodek had been neatly backed into a corner.
"And I could provide some training, but honestly, how much free time will he have? His guardian is demanding he pass the GED and then take nine hours of college courses, in addition to working part-time to cover the cost of his educational expenses." Weldon had chosen to fabricate that part, but he didn't want Wlodek to know that Winkler had volunteered to pay for everything as long as Ashe kept his part of their bargain.
"I can help with expenses, if he assists in taking down rogues," Wlodek almost growled. Once again, Wlodek wanted to curse over Aedan's refusal to support his son. The subject of support was a glitch—a hole in the agreement Aedan had signed with the Vampire Council in order to have a child. Nowhere did it say that he was obligated to provide for the child. At the time, it had been understood. Aedan had obviously read the agreement and discovered the flaw. Now, Wlodek had little legal ground to stand on and potential enmity and possible war with the werewolves if he didn't cooperate. He considered punishment for Aedan, and then recalled that Ashe had shown up immediately when Aedan had been in danger before. Wlodek heaved a mental sigh.
"I will speak with Winkler. I think perhaps one or two weekends per month might be utilized for your purposes, Honored One, as long as it does not interfere with full moons or other important activities." Weldon winked at Winkler, who sat across from him in Winkler's private study. Thomas Williams was also listening from a seat nearby. Wlodek believed that Weldon was at his home in North Dakota.
"If that is what I can get, then it will have to be enough. I will speak with you soon regarding this arrangement?" Wlodek's voice was even, displaying no emotion.
"Absolutely, Honored One. Soon—after the full moon."
"Of course." Wlodek hung up.
Winkler burst out laughing. Thomas Williams grinned. It wasn't often that Weldon had such a strong upper hand against Wlodek of the vampires. Ashe, who'd hovered overhead as mist, was satisfied with what he'd heard and relocated to his old house in Star Cove. Someone had told his mother he wasn't hers—Wlodek had mentioned it when he'd first spoken with Weldon. Someday, that person might regret that they'd interfered. Meanwhile, Ashe materialized inside his old bedroom in Star Cove and studied the shelves of books. He still had clothing and a few other belongings there. If he gathered all of it into his mist, he could get it in one trip.