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a vampire in the area. Maybe two. Hard to tell with the wind though. I sensed power, too. Not as strong as you or me but there was some decent power in the air.”
    Connor frowned. Vampires. “What did Larissa say?” The newest member of their pack was an ancient vampire, bonded to Aiden.
    “She and Aiden both agreed. The trace of something was in the air but…it wasn’t there long, so…” Erin sighed and he could practically see her frustrated expression. He could certainly hear it in her voice. “It might have been an old scent.”
    “On our property?” he asked dryly, not looking for an answer.
    She sighed again. “Yeah, I know.”
    “Keep Teresa and Ryan in the cabin with two packmates inside at all times. Mix up the shifts, I don’t care how you do it.” It would be harder to make it appear like Ryan and Teresa were alone this way, but his pack’s safety was more important than anything.
    “How’s Rafael and his team?”
    “Settled in, no movement that I’ve heard of.”
    “Hmm.”
    Connor had a feeling he knew exactly what Erin meant.
    “If this is a vampire thing… Teresa is connected to Natalia,” Ana said, speaking for the first time. Her thoughts mirrored Connor’s.
    “That’s what I was thinking,” Erin said. Even over the phone they’d have no problem hearing each other, not with their extrasensory abilities.
    “Me too.” Connor would have to put in a call to one of The Brethren now. “Check in with me in a couple hours. For the next twenty-four hours, let’s make it a regular thing.” It might be overkill but he didn’t care. If his brother’s mate wasn’t expecting so soon he’d be out there with them right now. But as it was, he wasn’t leaving Liam—who was a ball of stress. It was like the male had completely lost his mind with worry.
    “Sounds good. Now spend some damn time with your mate.” Erin was chuckling as she hung up.
    Ana’s mouth curved up wickedly. “That sounds like a plan to me.”
    Connor settled his hands on her hips, rolling his erection against her. Unfortunately she had jeans on, but he’d soon remedy that. “I need to make a call first.” His voice was strained as he spoke. God, he didn’t want to do anything but sink inside his bondmate. Duty called though.
    “Calling Juhani?”
    Yeah, she knew him well. He nodded.
    “Good. Maybe there’s no connection, but…” Trailing off, she slid off his lap.
    He immediately wanted to tug her back on top of him, but this couldn’t wait. Natalia had killed a high ranking vampire a few months ago—in self-defense—and The Brethren had made it clear that was the case and there would be no retaliation from vampires. If anything, vamp and shifter relations had strengthened since that incident, but Connor knew how immortals could be. Someone could have waited a few months to strike, targeting Natalia’s sister, or her sisters. It would be a calculated move to hurt Natalia by harming her family. Before he called Juhani, he started to ask Ana to call her cousins and warn them to be on alert, but realized that was exactly what she was doing as she pulled out her own cell phone.
    Smiling at how in tune they were, he made the call to Juhani. Tomorrow morning he’d make sure the sisters had guards whenever they went off the ranch.
    * * *
    Natalia cracked open an eye at a buzzing sound. Her phone. It was five in the freaking morning, who could be texting her…
    Panic exploded inside her as she jerked upright, her sheet falling to her lap as she practically dove for her cell. It could be Teresa. When she saw Aldric’s name on the caller ID she calmed. Sort of.
    His text was brief. Downstairs, didn’t want to knock and wake everyone. Can you come down?
    Her heart rate tripled, making her curse her stupid giddiness at the thought of seeing the male, but she quickly shot off a text telling him she’d be right down. She still brushed her teeth and splashed cold water on her face first. Even if she and Aldric