He looked like an avenging angel. All stark and full of righteous anger.

  “Is this how the Master of Wellington City greets one of the Lux Lucis Triubuo’s vampires?” he demanded.

  “Hello, Samson,” Amisi said pleasantly.

  “Amisi,” Samson offered just as kindly. His eyes returned to Gregor, flashing cinnamon and taupe.

  “Remember your place, Beauregard,” Gregor said calmly. But there was a depth of horror to that calm.

  “My place?” Samson growled, ignoring the implied threat. “Would that be my place as the Lux Lucis Tribuo’s representative in New Zealand, Morel?”

  Gregor growled back but said nothing.

  “I do not believe she would be happy with this outcome.”

  Samson was talking of Lucinda, of course. Lucinda was his mistress. He was part of her Lux Lucis Tribuo line, along with Sergei and Nataliya. Lucinda had three prophesied roles. The last of which meant Giver of Light. She was the most powerful Nosferatin in the world and as such, clearly carried a shit tonne of weight in vampire circles.

  The Enforcer had gone preternaturally still.

  “Yes,” Amisi said, tapping my stake against her thigh as she studied the Master vampire before her. “I must agree with Samson, Gregor, this is not going to make Lucinda happy. And an unhappy Lucinda…”

  She left the sentence hanging.

  Gregor pointed at me and snarled, “She is Nothus.”

  “Is she?” Amisi asked. “I see only a vampire.”

  Hello? Lying here in a heap with Light thrumming inside.

  And then I realised, my Dark Shadow had at some point pulled my Light back to her. Locked it down. That’s if I’d really had any of it in the first place. Because I was thinking, Amisi’s Light might have masked my Light, and the Dark Shadow had read the situation clearly.

  That’s why she’d only fought the Enforcer with her Sanguis Vitam. That’s why when I’d asked for my Light, she’d said an emphatic no. She’d only agreed at the end because we were royally screwed by then. Trapped beneath a chandelier with an angry Iunctio councilman bearing down on us. But as soon as the other Nosferatin had appeared inside the club, my Dark Shadow had tamped down on our Light, snuffing it out like you would a candle.

  Clever Dark Shadow, I whispered inside my mind.

  She purred back at me, quite chuffed.

  “What do you mean?” the Enforcer asked.

  “I see the Dark,” Amisi said. “I see very little Light. And all I sense is Vampyre.” She spared him a look of amusement. “You are mistaken, my love.”

  Gregor snorted. It was such a shock to hear the benign amusement that I sucked in a breath of surprised air. And on it, I tasted sticky toffee and sweet passionfruit and freshly baked bread, woodsmoke and newly cut grass. Amusement, desire and love.

  If they weren’t mates, I would be very surprised.

  “You owe Georgia an apology,” Samson said, recovering faster than the rest of us. He knew exactly what I was. Or most of it. He knew, at least, that I was Nothus. Half vampire and half vampire-hunter. But he was running with Amisi’s assessment - an assessment that was surprisingly incorrect - and I could hardly blame him. I could tell what Amisi was; she should have been able to tell what I was. But without my Light in my control, I no longer appeared Nosferatin.

  “Get this thing off me!” I growled, because…Vampyre.

  Samson flashed to my side and started to lift the chandelier. Gregor reluctantly moved to help him. Samson’s growl put paid to that. He did not want the Master vampire anywhere near close enough to do me any more harm.

  Gregor gave him a sharp look, but it wasn’t one of anger. It was more now of surprise. He looked at me and then looked back at Samson and then looked back at me.

  “Really?” he said, sounding bemused. “This one?”

  The chandelier landed in a thunderous crash across the dance floor, and Samson crouched down at my side, ready to help me up if I needed it. I couldn’t show that sort of weakness, so I asked the Dark Shadow for help and sprang to my feet, fangs flashing, Sanguis Vitam thrumming inside.

  “That apology?” I asked.

  The Enforcer studied me but said nothing. I hadn’t expected an apology, but he would have expected a vampire to ask.

  “This is a nice surprise, Samson,” Amisi said as if we hadn’t just had a deadly standoff and Gregor’s club wasn’t in tatters all around us. “What brings you to our fair city?”

  “We came seeking answers,” Samson told the Nosferatin. “And instead have more questions.”

  Don’t push it, I thought. If we complained too much, Gregor would become suspicious. More suspicious than he already was.

  He hadn’t stopped studying me.

  When we’d last met, I was half Dark-half Light. He would have known it. He hadn’t made a mistake. He knew that somehow I was hiding what I was. But maybe because his mate was there, he was holding back. I didn’t think he’d be so circumspect if I met him alone down a dark alley.

  I chose to steer clear of those for a while.

  “What answers were you after?” Amisi asked, ignoring Samson’s reminder of what had just happened.

  She walked over to an intact booth and slipped into a seat on one side. Gregor raised his hand and out of the back, from down an unlit hallway, flew four glasses and a bottle of whisky. Untouched by my attempts to cause the vampire’s business serious harm.

  He approached the seating area and started to pour four glasses of the scotch, handing the first to Amisi with a soft smile, and shoving the rest toward the other side of the booth, where we were expected to sit down.

  Samson looked at me, a question in his eyes. Did I want to continue with this or cut our losses and run?

  I ran from no-one.

  Damn straight, the Dark Shadow said, stealing my line.

  I walked across the debris-strewn floor and waited for Samson to sit on the bench seat first. I was not going to be stuck in a corner with no way to fight. The Enforcer smirked into his drink. Samson swallowed down his own need to be able to move freely and slid across the seat to sit opposite Amisi. The Nosferatin had no such issues sitting in the corner. She was serenely wrapped in her Light.

  “Your questions?” Gregor prompted.

  I wasn’t sure how much Jett trusted this vampire. And he was a member of the Iunctio. If they weren’t already aware of the abductions of the MPs, then by telling him now, they surely would be. And then they would send someone to investigate further. Of course, the Enforcer was already here, no doubt the Champion, the vampire in charge of the Iunctio, would just use him to investigate. Or ‘enforce.’

  But as the Master of Wellington City, I also found it hard to believe he didn’t already know what was happening to members of our parliament. So, although confiding in an Iunctio councilman went against every fibre of my being, he could very well end up a valuable tool in my investigative abilities.

  If we could continue to hide our Light.

  For the first time since Álfheimr, I was thankful to Queen Sofiq.

  “Three members of parliament have been abducted from their electorates in Auckland City,” I said.

  Gregor said nothing.

  “Evidence points to supernatural involvement.”

  Still nothing.

  “We believe it was Taniwha.”

  “I see,” he said. “And what makes you think the Taniwha have returned to Michel Durand’s city?”

  It was strange how he called Auckland Michel’s and not Jett’s. But then, the Taniwha had been evicted when Michel had been Master of that City. So, maybe it was because of that.

  But I was pretty sure it wasn’t. Jett might have been the Master of Auckland City now, but Auckland would always be Michel’s. Michel’s and Lucinda’s that is.

  I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. Their moving to London seemed like abandonment to me. But knowing that Auckland would always be their home gave me a sense of hope which made for an uncomfortable feeling.

  For now, though, I had more immediate concerns. Like how I explained I had scented Taniwha at the scenes.

  “Georgia is Auckland’s supernatural liaison to the Police,” Samson said. “She hears things.”

  “Just hears?” Gregor asked.

  “I have talents,” I said. Admitting that much was not a hardship. Every vampire had talents to some degree, and both Gregor and Amisi would have been able to tell I was a level three/level two master. It would be expected that I had talents.

  “What talents?”

  No way was I going there.

  “Talents that make me believe the Taniwha have returned to Auckland,” I said levelly. “Lost anyone lately?”

  Sanguis Vitam swept out and wrapped around me, but it was not a lover’s embrace. It was sharp and hard and stung relentlessly.

  “Careful, vampire.”

  Well, at least I was only a vampire to him at long last.

  “Three MPs,” I said, valiantly ignoring his blood life force. “They’re after something. I can’t find the connection. So, I need to find the Taniwha instead.”

  The Sanguis Vitam retreated.

  “You make a valid point,” the Master of Wellington City said. Then he took a leisurely sip of his drink. “You are welcome in my city,” he finally added, and I could feel Samson relax at my side.

  Not yet, the Dark Shadow murmured in warning.

  I was with her on that one.

  Because in the next moment, his Sanguis Vitam was back and with it, words whispered in my ear for only me to hear.

  “I know what you are,” he said. “And I will discover how you have hidden your secrets. Mark my words, Nothus. I own you. Your death is mine for the reaping.”

  It sucked to be me.

  11

  Hunger

  We couldn’t visit the Taniwha during daylight hours, which meant we had to wait for night to fall. Night would also mean Aliath’s return. He’d promised me one day before he’d whisk me back to Álfheimr. I wasn’t sure how literal the fairy would be. Would he time his return to the second, or would he simply turn up sometime during vampire hours?

  It didn’t matter; I had to come clean.

  Gregor offered us sanctuary in one of the chambers beneath Desire de Sang. I could sense vampires nearby, but without my Light to guide me, I had no way of knowing how Dark they were. If there was a pull in this city, I thought perhaps I wouldn’t feel it. Which was a good thing; Amisi could hunt any rogues without me trying to beat her to it, so she wouldn’t figure out what I was.

  It didn’t bear thinking about Auckland suffering without a Nosferatin to guard it.

  I paced the small but well appointed quarters we’d been given. I needed to sleep. But sleep eluded me. I had to warn Samson that he’d be flying solo on this mission shortly. Samson and Mark did not get on; it was to threaten Samson in particular that Mark had silver bullets made. But if the detective wanted the intelligence I was gathering, he’d have to let Samson help him.

  And I’d have to ask Samson to help me.

  I turned around and paced back the way I had just come.

  “Something is bothering you,” Samson commented from the armchair he had taken.

  I clenched my fists and tried to think.

  “Gregor will honour his welcome,” he said. “Unless we break his rules.”

  “I don’t plan on breaking any rules,” I said.

  “Then what has upset you?”

  I stopped pacing and decided to woman up. Vampire up. Whatever.

  “Aliath will return for me this evening.”

  Samson went preternaturally still. His vampire peeked out behind taupe and cinnamon eyes. I thought perhaps it had started pacing.

  “Your debt to him has not been paid?” he carefully asked.

  “Three hunts,” I said. “I’ve completed one, which he’s trying to lengthen into more, but I’m fairly sure I can hold him to the letter of our agreement. But he still has two more hunts owing him, and he’s currently got a hard-on for Light Fey spies in Queen Sofiq’s court.”

  Samson blinked at me.

  “Why is it that you know so much more about the damn fairies than a newborn vampire should,” he growled.

  Way to make me feel special, Samson. Newborn indeed.

  I sank down onto the bed and tugged on my ponytail.

  “Not by choice.”

  “How did you meet?”

  “Stu’s case.” Stu was my BFF’s cousin and an old friend, who’d been framed for murder. I couldn’t think about that right now. I got Stu off the charges and staked the perpetrator. Who happened to be my Rogue Sire. Enough said. “At one stage fairies were suspected,” I clarified.

  “Their involvement in the vodka mixer is a given,” Samson replied.

  He was right. A fairy, or fairies, had aided my Sire in doctoring SubZero’s Vive La Vodka drink to make the Norms become addicted to it. But that was a problem for another day. I had a more immediate fairy issue to contend with.

  “I need you to take what we learn about the Taniwha to Detective Anderson,” I said.

  “Are you asking for my help, Gigi?”

  “You’re already helping, aren’t you?”

  “A further favour then.”

  I ground my teeth together.

  “Will you or won’t you tell Mark about what we learn here in Wellington?”

  Samson offered an enigmatic smile and nodded his head.

  “I will.”

  I let a breath of air out that I didn’t need to do and said, “Thank you.”

  “You are welcome, Mate.”

  I growled at him. He laughed.

  Then sobered, “Are you armed to fight a fairy?”

  I touched my empty jacket pocket automatically. Amisi had taken my last remaining stake; I was down to just a silver knife slipped into my boot.

  “Does silver hurt them?”

  “No. But sharp things might.”

  I smiled, flashing teeth. “Then I’m armed.”

  He didn’t smile back at me.

  “Quit it, Samson,” I snapped. “I can take care of myself.”

  “I know,” he said surprising me. Then he stood from his chair and looked at the bathroom. “Do you mind if I shower first?”

  I swallowed. “Sure. Why not? Go for it.” Shut up now!

  He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. And then he was gone, and the bathroom door closed behind him. A few seconds later the shower turned on and running water covered any other noises he might have made.

  I sat back on the bed and stared at nothing. If Aliath turned up now, I probably wouldn’t get to say goodbye to Samson. For some reason that was more important than ever now.

  I didn’t want Samson to worm his way back into my affections. I hadn’t fully eradicated him in the first place. But now he was back. Firmly on the side of friend not foe, and halfway to desirable lover.

  I knew exactly how good he looked naked under a hot shower spray.

  I groaned, and someone knocked on the door.

  If it was the fairy, he was being uncharacteristically considerate.

  I snorted and walked to the door, opening it up and peering down at two young women.

  They bowed, hand fisted over chest, and said in unison - a decidedly creepy thing to bear witness to - “The Master of the City sends his good wishes.”

  I stared at them. They stared back at me. Then slowly one of them tilted her head to the side, displaying her neck and the vein beneath her creamy skin.

  Oh, dinner.

  “Right,” I said, stepping aside. “Come in.”

  They walked into the chamber and looked around. Not at the decor; no, they were looking for Samson.

  “My companion is in the bathroom,” I said. “He’ll be out shortly, and I’m sure he’ll, you know, want a bite.”

  They blinked at me.

  OK. I walked over to the armchair Samson had vacated and sat down.

  “Which of us would you prefer, Mistress?” the blonde on the right asked.

  I waved a hand and said, “It doesn’t matter.”

  “Perhaps your companion would have a preference?”

  I grimaced. He better not pick the blonde, I thought stupidly.

  “You,” I said, pointing at the blonde myself.

  She walked toward me and had just started to sit on my lap when Samson emerged from the bathroom, hair damp, towel wrapped around his waist, droplets of water glistening on his broad chest, drawing every single eye.

  He knew damn well we had visitors. He was a damn vampire; he could hear a pin drop at fifty metres.

  I glared at him, and he said, smiling, “Ah, dinner. Perfect timing.”

  He walked toward the bed, and I had a moment’s regret that I’d chosen the only armchair. Now he’d have to feed off the brunette on the soft surface of the mattress. He didn’t recline and make it more than it was, but he was still wrapped in only a towel, and any energetic movements would have revealed way more than he should have felt happy about.

  It certainly revealed way more than I or my Dark Shadow were happy about.

  He sat and patted the side of the bed. The blonde had sat herself down on my lap already, but I hadn’t made a move to drink from a vein yet. She sat perfectly still, no doubt aware that there was more going on here than a simple feeding. They were both well versed in vampire behaviour by the studious blank looks on their faces.

  The brunette approached Samson without making eye contact. Yes, they’d both picked up on the tension in the room and weren’t going to fan the flames any higher. I relaxed slightly and reached out for the blonde’s wrist.

  “Neck,” Samson said, his voice lower than usual.

  “The wrist is fine,” I said, sounding stilted.

  “You need to be well fed for your visitor tonight.” Aliath. He wanted me as prepared as I could be for the fairy’s return and my journey back to Álfheimr. I could get what I needed from the woman’s wrist, but the vein in the neck was close to the heart and therefore more sustaining to a vampire.