Current day...
Dmitri woke from his nightmare still able to smell the light musky scent of Anastasia's skin. His wildly beating heart and sweat-covered flesh had him whipping back the thin sheet and rising from his bed. Many years ago, he'd made a tentative peace with Cheri, but at times like this, he wanted to wrap his fingers around her throat and rip her head from her body. She'd changed, he'd changed, but thoughts of Anastasia always brought his violent side to the forefront. He paced across the floor trying to control his bloodlust. He could feel tentacles of the crimson tide pressing against his consciousness.
"No," he yelled into the room. He knew opening the door to his violent past meant death for those around him. With slow, steady breaths, he finally managed to gain control, but it left him with a raging headache.
"Your guests have arrived." The Kodiak's grumbling voice thrummed loudly into Dmitri's mind.