Seeing Cheri was never easy. Dmitri had managed to form a friendship with Vorlyk, but it would never happen with the vampire who sired him. Theirs was an uneasy truce. He kept his arm across Nikka's shoulders, his hand on her upper arm, ready to attack if Cheri made even a small move to harm his mate.

Cheri knew, obviously feeling the power he did nothing to hide, and she made the wise decision to keep her distance.

"Nikka, mate to Dmitri, I welcome you and yours to my ...