QUOTE : I stand so abruptly that Leiza startles.<br /><br />“If Violet wants to find me, I’ll be outside chopping wood,” I tell her, causing her to choke back a sound that suspiciously resembles a smothered laugh.<br /><br />When I eye her, she’s the picture of seriousness, nodding once again. “Of course, Alpha,” she says so graciously.<br /><br />Tearing my shirt over my head, I toss it to the ground. Leiza’s phone rings, and she puts it aside.<br /><br />“A vampire is calling me. That can’t be good,” she says as she meets my eyes, almost asking for permission to answer Shera’s call.<br /><br />“They’re trying to reach me. Not you. They can kiss my ass. I need a minute to deal with this.”<br /><br />“I thought you were tired and going to get some sleep,” Leiza states, and then swallows down whatever else is on the tip of her tongue.<br /><br />“I’m no longer tired,” I point out dryly.<br /><br />Another nod from Leiza, and I walk out shirtless to go chop some fucking wood for the fireplace Violet rarely ever uses.<br /><br />There’s an axe wedged into one of the piles of wood near the chopping block, making this simpler than expected, so I get to work.<br /><br />Before I can even make one small pile, Damien is wheeling into the driveway, barely putting the brake on, before he hops out.<br /><br />His eyes narrow on me, and then his brow furrows. It’s when his lips start to twitch that I bristle, feeling a little too transparent.<br /><br />“Didn’t realize you’d gotten this pathetic, mongrel,” he drawls. “And here I thought our calls were being ignored so you could have Violet to yourself.”<br /><br />“I’m holding an axe,” I warn him.<br /><br />“Not a Van Helsing axe,” he volleys with a growing grin.<br /><br />The side door swings open for Violet as she walks out, eyeing me first from my spot near the sidewalk by the street, and then Damien next.<br /><br />“What’re you doing shirtless?” she asks, looking back over at me. “It’s like ten degrees out here. People are going to think that’s weird.”<br /><br />Damien restrains a smile.<br /><br />“You were almost out of wood,” I tell her, gesturing to the…fucking full wood chamber on the side of her house.<br /><br />I couldn’t squeeze another piece in there if I wanted to.<br /><br />Violet glances from it, to me, to Damien, and then to the wood again.<br /><br />“Tiara keeps it filled, and we hardly use it, since the heat is on…” She lets her words trail off, clearly confused.<br /><br />Damien outright grins. “Just what are you doing, exactly?” Damien muses.<br /><br />Tossing the axe to the ground, I glare over at him. “Why are you here?