If the kid had any sense, known haunts would be the last places he'd go. But then, young vampires were inclined to think they were invincible and it generally tended to be their downfall. "Anything else? Or did you just call at this ungodly hour to piss me off?"
Stephan grinned. Gabriel wondered if his brother had been drinking. The last time he'd seen him like this was when they'd gone on a weeklong twenty-first bender. And that was years and years ago.
"Lyssa's gone into labor."
"Hey, congrats." At least that explained why he was at the compound. He must have taken Lys there so she'd have someone close while he was at work. It also explained why he was grinning like a drunken fool. "How's she doing?"
"Fine. I called O'Hearn down, just to check things out.
She reckons it'll be a good five or six hours before anything major happens."
Changer births tended to be a lot longer than human births.
He hoped Lyssa was strong enough. "You want me down there?"
"No point until something actually happens. Come down when he's born, and we'll get drunk together."
"Mom and dad hovering?"
Stephan snorted. "Half the bloody clan is hovering. The rest are on their way."
"Well, your son is the first male grandchild to be born." He grinned. The Stern's didn't get together that often, but when they did, they made the most of it. There'd be a hell of party at the compound tonight. "Give me a call the minute anything happens."
"Will do."
The vidscreen went black. Gabriel scrubbed a hand across his eyes again. Though he couldn't have been happier for Stephan, this birth came at an awkward time for him. As much as he wanted to be with his brother, he also needed to ensure Sam was safe. Hopeworth was after her, of that he had no doubt, even though, as yet, there was no real evidence to back him up. He stared out the window for several seconds, listening to the starlings in the trees outside his window squabble, then reached for the vid-phone and quickly dialed Karl's number.
His friend answered on the second ring, looking as if he'd been up for several hours. His wild brown hair was tied back in its customary bandana, and dirt caked his weather-lined face.
Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "You eating mud for breakfast these days?"
Karl grinned. "You'd think so. It's been pissing down out here. Went out to check the greenhouses and lost my footing."
"You busy tonight?"
Karl hesitated. "Yeah. David's got the lead in a play at school. They're performing tonight. Why?"
David was Karl's youngest and Gabriel's godson. "Thought I'd ask you to do me a favor, but it really doesn't matter."
"I'm free after about eleven, if that's any help."
He hesitated. "No, it's okay." If Hopeworth had orchestrated the attack on Wetherton, surely they'd lay low for a day or two before moving again. He was probably worrying over nothing.
Karl scratched his chin, smearing mud further. "Are you aware that I'm seeing that pretty partner of yours later today?"
Gabriel smiled. He obviously didn't mean Illie. "Why?
Something wrong?"
"Nah. O'Hearn called me in. Wants some help decoding the gene patterns."
"You had a chance to look at the test results I gave you?"
"Yeah." He hesitated. "Look, why don't you come down to the clinic today? I think we may need to talk to you both."
And wouldn't Sam be absolutely wrapped to see him there?
He smiled grimly. He only had himself to blame. If he hadn't been such a bastard and so pointedly ignored her over the last few weeks, maybe she'd be a tad happier about seeing him outside of work.