He growled. “Maybe I’ll send a memo to her too.”

Montgomery just laughed.

• • •

Late that evening, when the Market Square stores had all closed, Vlad walked to the back of Erebus Sanguinati’s mausoleum, where Grandfather and Leetha waited for him.

“Simon will be here in a few minutes,” he told them. The Wolf had been a little confused, to say nothing of wary, about being asked to have this discussion in the Chambers. After all, it was only the second time since Simon took over the Lakeside Courtyard years ago that he’d been invited inside the black wrought-iron fences that marked the boundaries of the Sanguinati’s part of the Courtyard.

“Why does he need to be involved?” Leetha asked.

Vlad studied the female who had relocated here when the terra indigene abandoned the Toland Courtyard. She was an intelligent, beautiful hunter. Not in Stavros’s league as a predator, or his, or even Nyx’s, but deadly nonetheless.

“Simon Wolfgard is the leader of this Courtyard,” Vlad replied.

“And why is that with Grandfather residing here?” she challenged. “The Sanguinati always rule the Courtyards in prominent human cities. While this city isn’t as significant as some of the cities we rule on the East Coast, it’s still a major port on the Great Lakes.”

“The Sanguinati support the Wolfgard here.” Vlad felt his temper sharpen.

“Enough.” Erebus’s snarled command was directed at both of the younger Sanguinati, but he had turned toward Leetha to make it clear that she was the provocation. “It was decided many years ago that shifter forms were better suited to lead Courtyards in certain areas of Thaisia, just as we were better suited to rule the large urban cities and coastal towns.”

“Then why . . . ,” Leetha began.

“Perhaps the Sanguinati ruled in Toland so long they began to think of other terra indigene as subordinates rather than strong predators whose ancestors chose a different shape that better fit the other predators and prey where they lived. Your attitude displeases me, Leetha.”

She looked stunned. “I—I’m sorry, Grandfather. I didn’t mean to give offense.”

“Then learn. Simon and Vladimir are friends. They work together, live as neighbors, have fought well together. There is true cooperation in this Courtyard, not just an agreement to work together to defend against the human infestation as is the case in so many Courtyards. And that cooperation has opened up opportunities for all the terra indigene. Tolya now rules a Midwest town, a rustic place compared to Toland, but the Sanguinati have a foothold in a part of Thaisia as never before—because Tolya was willing to work with the Wolfgard and other shifters in the area.”

“So isolated,” she whispered.

Vlad studied Leetha. Was there a hint of fear in her voice? Tolya, and the Sanguinati he had selected to join him in running Bennett and some of the town’s important businesses, seemed to be thriving. But unlike the Wolves, who usually hunted four-legged animals and liked living in the wild country, the Sanguinati were better suited as urban predators, with humans being the preferred prey. That wasn’t as easy to do when you knew everyone in a small town—and they knew you. That was one reason the Sanguinati preferred using larger human cities as their hunting grounds.

The other reason was that, in larger human cities, his kind didn’t often deal directly with terra indigene like the Elders.

“If you cannot accept Simon as leader, perhaps you would rather be living in Talulah Falls,” Erebus continued. “It is under Stavros’s rule now.”

“No.” Leetha’s tone made it clear that she didn’t want to answer to Stavros.

Interesting. Vlad knew Stavros had agreed to rule Talulah Falls so that he would be close enough to present himself as a potential mate the next time Nyx came into season. Had he turned away from Leetha’s invitation the last time she was in season, unwilling to become the mate of a female who wasn’t his first choice? Or perhaps Stavros, who could poke fun at his own kind, had sensed on some level that he and Leetha would not suit each other once the physical mating concluded.

And, in truth, Talulah Falls was even smaller than Lakeside and in far more turmoil, as terra indigene and even some Intuits moved into the town to join the remaining humans in keeping the power plant and other necessary businesses running.

It suddenly occurred to him that both Stavros and Tolya had seen the possibility of working in a mixed community because of their visits here.

<Vlad?> Simon called. <I’m at the fence. If I need to be in human form for this meeting, I’ll have to find some clothes.>

<Not necessary.> Vlad smiled, almost feeling that amber stare despite being out of sight. <Being in human form, I mean. Should I open the gate?>

<Not necessary.>

He looked at Grandfather Erebus. “Simon is here.”

“Open the gate for him, Vladimir.”

“Not necessary.”

The fence that defined the Chambers wasn’t tall, wasn’t trying to keep anyone out. Anyone who entered uninvited didn’t leave. But maybe leaping over the fence to join them was Simon’s way of telling Leetha, and any other Sanguinati who might be in doubt, that he was, in fact, the leader of the Courtyard and he respected their boundaries by choice.

<Grandfather Erebus,> Simon said politely once he joined them.

“Wolfgard.” Erebus tipped his head in the slightest bow.