Occam’s Razer

"Shit," breathed Greyson as he looked at the other men. "Didn't see that coming."

"Honestly, neither did I," shrugged Mathew, not seeming to care. "But now we have another shit show to deal with," he continued and looked at Sasha.

"And just what is that, wolf? How much hair you are going to be shedding on the furniture?" smirked Sasha as he looked at the other man.

"I don't suppose you know what Vlad has been up to lately?" asked Mathew, completely ignoring the shedding comment. It wasn't his fault that his wolf shed. Besides, it was up to Natalia if she would let him be a wolf inside the house.

"Vlad?" replied Sasha confused. "No, what about him?"

"He has started up a vampire circus. Apparently, it is very popular amongst the humans, but not everyone comes back from the show," said Mathew slowly, looking around the room. "The human police are investigating, and most of the agencies have sent out warnings, but right now, they have no concrete evidence. Only missing people. Vlad is up to something, and it is involving the humans. I am also willing to put money on the fact that he had something to do with all the wolves drained of blood."

Sasha leaned back in his chair and contemplated what the wolf had said. "And the Head is away on a hunt right now," he confirmed. "But it's not like we get a dossier on the hunts. They just hit, and we follow the clues."

"So, as far as we know, Van Helsing is on his way to California right now?" smirked Mathew. He didn't particularly care what Vlad and his House was up to. That was vampire business. But if he was the one behind the deaths of the wolves, well, that was a completely different story.

In fact, it would be enough to spark the war between vampires and werewolves again.

"I did happen to overhear an interesting conversation between our Princess and the Head when we left you guys yesterday," admitted Sasha as he looked around the room. Technically, he wasn't supposed to disclose anything that he hears his Head talking about, but if everyone is committed to the same woman, then it doesn't count. He just didn't know where Levi stood on the matter.

"Just spit it out," said Dementyev, understanding why the other man was hesitating. Even if he is not on board, he knows enough to keep his mouth shut.

Sasha nodded in understanding. "Buttercup said that she felt that Vlad had something to do with the wolf killings, but both Lucas and Viktor brushed it off like it was nothing."

"Do you remember exactly why she thought that way? I mean, she was one of the best people on the force when it came to identifying and capturing serial killers and the like. I would trust her feelings more than anyone else's," said Mathew, a serious look crossing his face.

He wasn't lying. Natalia's reputation for being able to hunt down and apprehend killers was legendary in the New York police force.

"She pointed out that there was no blood found in the grave," replied Sasha as he got up and went to the wet bar along one side of the wall. "Drinks, anyone? We have whisky, bourbon, tuica, and visinata."

"I'll take a visinata," said Mathew. He always loved the sour cherry liqueur. "And what is it that humans say? The simplest answer is usually the correct one?" He grunted his thanks as Sasha handed him his glass.

"Occam's Razer," replied Levi. "And if you are still offering, I will take a tuica. It has been years since I had one."

"Trust me when I say that you can not get better tuica and visinata than at a Head's house. They have an old, traditional brewer creating the liquor just for them," said Sasha as he went back and poured a glass of the plum brandy. "Anyone else while I am here?"

"I'll take whatever you recommend," said Greyson, not knowing what the two liquors that the others were drinking. But if they were specific to his new world, he might as well try one.

"I'll take the tuica," added Dementyev. "This seems like a conversation for something strong."

Sasha chuckled as he passed out the drinks. Greyson took a sip of the amber liquid and then let out a choking cough. "Careful, it will put hair on your chest," joked Levi as he shot back the liquor before getting up and getting a second glass. "Just like my father used to say in the old country."

Dementyev grunted, preferring to sip the strong brandy. "Nothing like the taste of home, that is for sure."

"I thought you guys are Russian?" asked Greyson, confused as he took another sip. He fought back the urge to cough and allowed the drink to burn down his esophagus and into his stomach. If nothing else, it would definitely keep him warm.

"We are," chuckled Levi. "But that doesn't mean that we don't know good alcohol when we taste it. And American alcohol is nothing compared to the old-world stuff."

"Back to Natalia. What was your Head's response to her pointing out the obvious?" asked Mathew as he continued to drink the sour cherry liqueur. He was the only one with a glass, but he really didn't mind. More for him at the end of the day.

"Only that she didn't understand. Vlad's monster drives him, but he still has his hard lines that he won't let anyone cross," shrugged Sasha. The other four men groaned.

"Dumbest thing that he could have said," muttered Levi under his breath as he sipped on his second glass of the plum brandy.

"Agreed," nodded Sasha, raising his own glass in a salute. "But no one has ever accused my Head of having any sort of EQ."

Mathew snorted in agreement.

"So, what are we going to do? Both of our House Heads have already stated that Vlad is not involved," said Sasha.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I am going to see to getting a new Head of House. Then I am going back to work and see what information the humans managed to collect," said Mathew with a smirk as he finished off his drink. "Have fun," he continued as he walked out of the door and went to hunt down his mate.