Arthur was still sleeping. Quinn left him that way as he grabbed his go-bag. This wasn't the first time they'd had to leave with no notice. He'd learned to keep a bag packed with clothes, baby supplies, his important papers, and money. It was something he could just grab and go.
He pulled his go-bag out from under the bed and then set it on the mattress. He changed out of his work clothes and into a pair of jeans and a blue Henley. He added boots and a jacket and then walked over to the baby.
As carefully as he could, Quinn dressed Arthur in his bunny suit. He wished he could take the time to change him, but he just didn't have that long. He'd have to wait until they got where they were going to do that.
Quinn grabbed the front carrier off the hanger on the wall, pulled it on, and then lifted Arthur into it. He covered the baby with a blanket, grabbed his go bag and the diaper bag, and then walked out of his room, shutting the door behind him.
Before moving down the hallway, he tilted his head and listened. He started walking again when he heard Dmitri's low murmur still coming from the front porch. He opened the door to the bedroom to find Robby and Hannah sitting on the side of Robby's bed, holding hands. Their go-bags sat on the floor at their feet.
"Are you ready?"
They both nodded.
"Did you remember your school tablets?"
He'd lied through his teeth when he said the kids had to get up in the morning for school. The kids homeschooled. There was no way Quinn was sending them off to a human school. Who knew what could happen?
Robby nodded and pointed to their bags. "I put them in there."
"Okay, grab your bags. Robby, help Hannah." Quinn walked to the door and peeked down the hallway again. He glanced back at the kids. "We're going to sneak out the back door. There's a man on the porch. I want you to be as quiet as possible so he doesn't hear us. Okay?"
They nodded again.
Quinn grabbed Hannah's hand and led the way, staying close to the wall. When he reached the kitchen, he pulled the back door open, thankful it didn't squeak, and then ushered the kids out into the backyard. As soon as they were through the door, Quinn closed it and then led the way to the back gate.
Once in the alley way behind the house, Quinn led the kids toward the street, making sure they stayed close to the edge of the fences lining the narrow alley. It was dark out, with no moon. Hopefully, that would allow them to get where they were going without being seen.
It was time to make themselves scarce.
Chapter Four
"No, sir, he refuses to meet with you before morning."
Dmitri wanted to pull his hair out or scream in frustration. There was a part of him that wanted to strangle the guy refusing to meet with the prince. There was another part that was impressed that the guy had said no.
Who said no to a vampire prince?
"I told him I'd stay here tonight so he could get some rest and then bring him to you in the morning." Dmitri swallowed tightly. "He threatened to make me deal with the kids if I woke them up."
What did he know about kids? Prince Nikolas's tribe had a few, but vampire children were so few and far between, they had just a couple in Prince Marcus's tribe. The last child born in the tribe had been over ages ago.
"Three kids, Dmitri?"
"The oldest looks to be about eight or nine. The girl is maybe three years old. The baby can't be more than six months old. According to the waiter, they all need blood. He donates his blood once a week to feed them because he says he can't afford synthetic blood."
"What in the hell does that mean?" Marcus snapped. "Vaile Industries will give blood to anyone who needs it."
"That's not what he says. According to him, he's gone to our tribe and Vaile's tribe as well as a few of the others in the area and he's been turned away each time."
"That just doesn't make sense."
"That's kind of what I told him."
"Why hasn't he joined a tribe? He'd get blood that way."
"Same situation, sire. He was denied and turned away, told that he wouldn't be accepted because he's human and the children are only half vampire."
When the waiter had first told him, Dmitri thought for sure he'd been lying. Now, maybe not so much.
"All right, Dmitri, I'll allow the meeting to be postponed until morning, but I want him and those children here bright and early."
"Yes, sir." He didn't relish sleeping on a couch when he had a perfectly good bed back home, but an order was an order, and it had kind of been his idea. "I'll call you if there are any changes."
"Do you want me to send Nico and Saul back to you?"
Dmitri glanced toward the house. "That might not be a bad idea. I don't like how easily those rogues found him."
"I thought they followed him home from the restaurant?"
"I followed him home from the restaurant. I didn't see a single rogue until they showed up."
"You think they found him some other way?"
"Yes." Dmitri couldn't say how, because he didn't know, but he'd bet money on it. "I think there is more going on here than we know, and I think it has to do with the rogues."
"Do you think it has anything to do with Chambers?"
Dmitri winced. "I didn't get a chance to ask him about Chambers."
"Okay, I'm sending Saul and Nico back to you. If what you're saying is true, it isn't safe for this guy—what is his name, Dmitri? I can't keep calling him the waiter."
Dmitri felt a hint of heat in his cheeks. "He refused to tell me."
Silence met his announcement and then laughter filled the air.
Dmitri rolled his eyes. "Sire."
The vampire prince continued to laugh.
"Sire!"
"Sorry, Dmitri." Marcus chuckled a little more. "But it sounds like this human is giving you quite the run for your money."
He was, but Dmitri refused to admit that.
"Stay there tonight and keep everyone safe then report to me in the morning."
"Yes, sire." Dmitri said that specifically because he knew it would drive Marcus nuts.
He hung up and glanced out at the street. There wasn't much to see. It was a relatively quiet neighborhood, although it wasn't the safest of areas so that could just be him. He could hear vehicles off in the distance even this early in the morning, but none drove down the street in front of him.
He sent out his senses, scanning the neighborhood for trouble. He couldn't sense any other vampires in the area, but that didn't mean they weren't coming. Rogues didn't tend to give up, and they seemed particularly interested in the waiter.
Dmitri shook his head before turning and heading back into the house. He spotted the folded blanket and pillow on the coffee table right away. He wouldn't need them because he doubted he'd sleep, but it was nice that they had been provided.
Not knowing this guy's name was proving to be a problem. That right there would keep him up if nothing else did. Information was power and right now, he needed that power.
Dmitri shot a quick glance down the hallway and then started snooping. He felt a bit guilty as he began opening drawers in the kitchen. He found the usual stuff that belonged in a kitchen—silverware, utensils, hand towels, and washcloths—but that was all.