"We have a situation, Valerius," he said sternly. "A group of Daimons are after a Katagaria pack and they have women in labor-"
"Where do you need me?"
Ash smiled. The Roman had his moments. Good and bad. Luckily, this was a good one.
"I'll be right there." Ash hung up the phone. He dashed into a nearby doorway where no one could see him and flashed to Val's side in his mansion.
Valerius did a double take at seeing Ash in his living room before the Roman could even return his cordless phone to its pedestal. Dressed in a black Armani suit and black silk shirt, and with his shoulder-length dark hair pulled back into a ponytail, Valerius was the epitome of a privileged, well-bred man.
Patrician to the end.
The only hint of shock Valerius showed was a slight arching of his right brow.
"We don't have time for conventional means of transportation," Ash explained.
Before Val could ask him what he meant, Acheron grabbed him and they materialized close to the Katagaria den.
Val scowled at him. "How did you do that? Are you some odd Were-Hunter hybrid like Ravyn?"
Ash gave a dark half-laugh. None of the Dark-Hunters knew he was a god and he really wanted to keep it that way. The less they knew about him and his sordid past the better. "Long story. The pertinent part is that I have to be careful using my powers around the pregnant Katagaria. If the pregnant wolves are forced into human form by my powers, it'll kill them and their babies instantly. So, I'm fighting strictly hands-on as a human just to be safe. Your powers aren't ionically charged so you should be safe to fight as always."
Val nodded in understanding.
Acheron manifested his warrior's staff, then led Val toward the den.
The camp was in total chaos as the males, mostly in human form, tried to gather up the pregnant wolves and pups and move them without using their magic.
Vane and Fang stood over a pregnant wolf in labor while another male, who bore a striking resemblance to Vane, knelt by her side. The man was quite a bit older than the brothers.
It was Markus.
Ash remembered him well. The ruthless Katagari ruler hated everyone outside the pack.
Then again, Ash amended, as he looked at Vane and Fang, their father hated many who were in the pack as well. Including his own sons.
"Do us proud, Anya," Markus said sternly. "Know I will raise your pups under my full protection."
The wolfswan whined.
Their father stood up and raked a sneer over Vane and Fang. "This is your fault. I curse the day I ever had werewolf sons."
Fang growled at the insult that implied they were more human than animals, and started for his father, but Vane caught him.
Markus curled his lips. "You'd best protect her young. The gods better help you both if something happens to them." He stalked off toward the others.
Acheron and Val headed toward the brothers.
"What are you doing here?" Vane demanded as soon as he saw them. "I told you we can handle this."
Acheron planted the end of his staff in the ground and eyed him with a patience he didn't really possess. "Don't play hero, Vane. The last thing you need is to fight Daimons off your back while Anya labors."
Vane narrowed his eyes at them. "Do you know anything about delivering a baby?"
Ash nodded. "I do indeed. I've helped deliver more than my fair share of them over the last eleven thousand years. Human and otherwise."
In spite of his earlier words, Vane appeared relieved by Ash's answer.
Vane looked at Val. "What about you?"