Being here was the last place I wanted to be. Telling this powerful creature that it was my Sire who was abducting the MPs was the last thing I wanted to do. But letting this disaster go on and more Norms become his prey was the most important thing.

  I had to swallow my pride and do what was right. If I didn’t, I would no longer be able to look at myself in the mirror. I would not be worthy of Samson.

  Where the hell that thought had come from, I didn’t know. And I didn’t have time to think about it, because we’d stepped into the main clubroom of Desire de Sang.

  It wasn’t empty. But it wasn’t full of Norm patrons either. Vampires dotted the tables off to the side. Various levels of Sanguis Vitam and Dark swept out to greet us. There was a vampire in the corner who wanted to hunt, and he didn’t care who he hunted or how he accomplished it. The pull told me he was about to go rogue. I wondered if Gregor knew that and had him here as a wild card, trying to make me do something that would publicly announce what I was.

  And then I wondered where Amisi was, surely she felt the pull too.

  Samson and I walked to the centre of the room, facing Gregor, and bowed low, hand fisted over chest.

  “Master of the City,” Samson said. “We are honoured to be in Wellington.”

  “Uninvited.” It was short and sweet and full of venom.

  I straightened up. Samson didn’t. But us being here was not what had Gregor’s fangs in a knot.

  “Any more gone missing?” I asked.

  Never let it be said that Georgia Deverell can’t cut to the chase like a boss.

  Gregor studied me and then flicked his fingers, and Samson shot upright. Samson turned slightly so he could stare at me, a strange look crossing his face. I shrugged. What was that all about?

  The Master had been using his influence to keep us bowing, the Dark Shadow said.

  You broke it?

  It didn’t touch us.

  Why?

  She didn’t answer, which meant she didn’t know.

  “Two more,” Gregor said into the strained silence. Two more MPs missing.

  I nodded my head. “Any sign of the Taniwha?”

  “We have not been able to locate them.”

  That hurt. That admission cost him a lot, and he did not like it. I endeavoured to smooth his ruffled cape with a question he might be able to answer positively.

  “What connection have you found between the MPs?”

  Gregor smiled. It almost reached his eyes. Which were more platinum than grey right now.

  “Two Labour Party members and one National,” he said. Similar to in Auckland. “They have agreed on some policies in the past, but mainly are at opposing ends of the political spectrum. Currently, there is no evidence that they are collaborating on any movements within Parliament.”

  In other words, no link.

  “My turn,” he said, stepping closer.

  I held my ground, but only because Samson looked like he couldn’t move or breathe. Whatever the Enforcer was doing, it was working on Samson. I knew I could reach my stake and make a show of defending us both. But I wouldn’t until I absolutely had to. Pissing off the Enforcer was not my go-to MO.

  “What do you know about the creature behind this?” Gregor asked, coming within staking distance.

  I was sure he did that on purpose; he wanted me to pull my stake and make a good show for all the vampires watching.

  If he exposed my secrets, I would be at a severe disadvantage. Some of the vampires in here were old. Old and powerful.

  I had other secrets of course that I didn’t want out in the open. But I had to give him something.

  “Were the witnesses’ memories erased?” I asked. He nodded. “Fairy induced psychosis,” I said, sounding like I knew what I was talking about.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.” I smelled ozone at the girlfriend’s house. The ozone I smell when Aliath uses a portal to get to me.

  “Interesting.” Gregor began to pace. The vampire in the corner started to drool. No one paid him any attention. It was as if they couldn’t even see him.

  I flicked my eyes towards the Master of Wellington City and then looked back at the rogue, willing Gregor to see what I was seeing. He ignored me. But I was certain he’d understood what I was trying to say with that move.

  “You believe it is a fairy who is behind the abductions?” Gregor asked.

  “A fairy is involved,” I said, being careful not to give too much away.

  “That is not what I asked.”

  The rogue shifted, moving forward until his weight settled on the balls of his feet; ready to pounce.

  A human walked in. Panic swamped me. The pull set alarm bells off inside my head. She carried a tray full of glasses of red wine. Or it could have been blood; I was too busy fighting the urge to draw my stake.

  She walked the perimeter of the clubroom, offering up glasses to each of the vampires as she passed them. She got closer and closer to the rogue, who was only remaining where he was because he sensed what I was.

  A Nosferatin’s Light calls to the Dark in them. The Darker he became, the more of my Light he saw. The more he was drawn to me and not the human.

  It wouldn’t be enough to stop him. But it was enough for him to know at that moment that I was a threat.

  “Don’t do it,” I whispered.

  Samson made a sound at my side. I didn’t spare him a glance; Gregor had him securely bound.

  “What was that?” Gregor asked.

  “Don’t do this,” I said more loudly. This time the words were directed at Gregor himself.

  “Do what, vampire?” he asked.

  I looked around the clubroom at the vampires present. I didn’t know them. I didn’t know a single one of them. Not even the vampires in Auckland City knew what I was. This was unfair. This was uncalled for. But life is rarely ever fair. And Gregor Morel was the Enforcer for the Iunctio.

  For some reason, he felt this show was necessary.

  I looked at the human woman who was making steady progress towards the corner where the rogue waited. Like a spider watching a fly approach its web.

  I could do nothing. It would hurt. Nut would wail. But I would be safe. I would live.

  Survive at all costs, the Dark Shadow said.

  Yes. I could survive at all costs. And I would lose a little of myself.

  I looked back at Gregor.

  He smiled. He knew I couldn’t do nothing.

  I glared at him. His smile widened, flashing fang.

  The woman stopped before a vampire, within feet of the rogue. She had one glass of wine left on her tray; it had been planned meticulously.

  Fuck.

  I sucked in a breath of air, my hands fisted.

  The human tossed her hair at a flirting vampire.

  Her scent wafted on the air. Even from here, I could smell the purity of her blood.

  The rogue lifted his face and inhaled. Red swept over his hooded eyes. He licked his lips.

  The human moved.

  The rogue pounced.

  19

  Worry

  I’d started forward before I realised that everyone in the room had stopped.

  The rogue. The human. The vampires. Gregor.

  I spun around and took in their statue-like appearance and then my eyes landed on Samson.

  His eyes were a mix of grey and black; a charcoal colour I had only ever seen once before.

  “What are you doing?” I asked stepping up to him. Sweat had started to bead on his brow. He looked at me and then flicked his eyes to the rogue.

  Clearly, he still couldn’t talk. Couldn’t move. Whatever Gregor had done was still working, even though Samson had changed reality for everyone in the room.

  “Oh, Samson,” I whispered. When he used this talent, he became Darker. He lost some of Lucinda’s Light.

  It was a Dark talent. A forbidden talent. One he had kept to himself. He’d told me because he said I would understand. The call to use the Darkness within. I did. Like me, he fought it daily. More often than not he won. But now this.

  Could he fight such Darkness if he willingly let the Dark in?

  His eyes darted to the rogue again; his skin was moist with sweat. He looked pale.

  He couldn’t hold this for long.

  I spun around and flashed to the rogue, then staked him before Samson passed out.

  I was back by my mate’s side before the dust had settled and Samson had released his talent into the night.

  The vampires all moved; barely perceptible changes to their positions. But enough to know they were under their own power again. I had no idea what Samson had made them think was happening, but whatever it was, they didn’t seem upset by it. Until Gregor noticed the rogue was gone.

  He looked at the corner of the room where the rogue had been and then looked back at where I was standing.

  He knew I’d staked him. The dust was still there after all. But the others hadn’t seen me move and didn’t know I could handle silver. At least, not yet. I waited for the Master of Wellington City to approach and pull the offending article out of my jacket’s pocket. But he just studied me, his eyes glowing that platinum and silver colour, his fangs visible between his slightly parted lips.

  And then Amisi walked in.

  I almost wept with relief at seeing the Nosferatin. I didn’t know her well. I hardly knew her at all, but the Light she brought with her made it suddenly easier to breathe.

  She looked first at Gregor as if she couldn’t help herself, and then she did a Nosferatin quick sweep of the room. Her eyes lingered on the dust in the corner briefly, and then they settled on Samson.

  I stepped in front of my mate. Blocking him from her view.

  Her almond shaped eyes met mine.

  She did a double take.

  She took a step toward me.

  Gregor stepped between her and me, blocking her view.

  “Ma ange,” he said in his French accent. It was smooth and sexy. I hated it. “I thought you were busy with Lucinda.”

  “I sent her back to London when I felt the pull.”

  He winced. I was stuck on Lucinda being in New Zealand and not letting Samson - or me - know.

  Amisi stepped around Gregor and looked at Samson. Gregor moved to intercept her again. She raised a long-fingered hand, palm out, and said, “Don’t.”

  Gregor Morel, Master of Wellington City, the Iunctio’s boogeyman did as she asked. He didn’t move a muscle.

  “Samson,” she said, her voice soft and careful. “Samson,” she said again, slowly approaching. “Oh,” she said, as she took in more of his Dark. “No.” She shook her head. “Lucinda’s heart will be broken.”

  I stepped between them as soon as she mentioned Lucinda.

  “There’s nothing wrong with him,” I snarled.

  “Stand down,” Gregor warned in an equally as loud growl.

  Amisi didn’t even blink.

  “Easy, sister,” she murmured. “I mean him no harm.”

  She walked closer, and it was all I could do not to stop her. Not to step between her and her goal. Not to grab Samson and get him out of here, away from her. Away from her silver stakes and so, so vibrant Light.

  She raised a hand. My fingers wrapped around her wrist before she could touch him.

  “Mine,” I growled.

  Gregor appeared at my side; I hadn’t even seen him move. Not a flash but something else. His hand wrapped around my arm; the one holding Amisi’s wrist.

  “Mine,” he growled back.

  We stood like that for a suspended moment and then Amisi sighed.

  “Fine,” she said and twisted out of my hold and moved back.

  I glared at Gregor. He glared back at me. But finally, he withdrew and moved to his Nosferatin’s side.

  “What’s going on here, anyway?” she asked.

  “Nothing, ma ange,” Gregor said. “Merely a meeting.”

  “A meeting with a rogue?” Amisi asked, one perfectly plucked eyebrow arched.

  Gregor looked contrite. I snorted. He shot me a hard glare.

  “A test,” he said returning his attention to Amisi.

  “Did they pass?” she asked, nodding towards Samson and me.

  Gregor looked back at me. “Surprisingly, yes.”

  I almost choked on a hurriedly indrawn breath.

  “Good. Then I want a drink.” She turned toward the bar and then threw a scowl over her shoulder to Gregor. “You shut the club for this?”

  “I shut the club for many things, ma ange. It is my club.”

  Amisi began to pour herself a Kahlúa and milk.

  “What would you like to drink?” she asked.

  “You know what I like,” Gregor said on a purr.

  “Not you,” she snapped. “Them.” She nodded at Samson and me.

  I blinked and looked up at Samson. He still hadn’t moved, but his colour was back, and he was no longer sweating. It wasn’t using his talent that took it out of him, I thought. But fighting Gregor’s hold while doing it.

  “Release him,” I said.

  “You do not command me,” Gregor growled.

  “I passed your test. Release him.”

  “Stand down,” he growled.

  “Gregor,” Amisi said quietly. “Samson is Lucinda’s vampire. This isn’t right.”

  Gregor made a frustrated sound in the back of his throat, and Samson stumbled forward. As if he’d been leaning against whatever hold Gregor had on him and when it was gone, he hadn’t been able to catch himself.

  I reached out and gripped his arm. A shot of electricity went through me, but circumstances being as they were meant I could ignore the lust that accompanied it. Samson straightened up and growled low, his vampire-within staring out of his eyes.

  “Come now,” Amisi said, cajolingly. “It’s all over. We will share a drink. Whisky?”

  Samson nodded his head and then finally tore his gaze off Gregor and looked at the Nosferatin instead.

  “Thank you, Amisi,” he said. “Whisky will be fine.”

  “And you, Georgia?” she asked.

  I didn’t want to share a drink with either of them. Gregor was a douche and Amisi had seen Samson’s Dark.

  “She’ll have a Vanilla Vodka,” Samson said, moving us both to stools at the bar.

  “Nice,” Amisi said. “Why didn’t I think of that?” She stared at her Kahlúa and sighed.

  The vampires in the room started to mingle; clearly having received telepathic instructions from Gregor to get on with their lives. Some left the room, one went and turned on the music, a couple laughed uproariously at another’s joke. It was all very civilised.

  I sat down on the barstool beside Samson and didn’t make a sound. It was my turn to be the statue.

  Sanguis Vitam washed out around us, sealing us in a bubble; making our conversation private.

  “Nothus,” Gregor said, and Amisi stopped fussing with the drinks and looked me in the eye.

  “I only sensed vampire last time you were here,” she said, “but I see it now. I see the Light.”

  “Nosferatin,” Gregor added and something vulnerable shifted in his eyes.

  Amisi reached over and gripped his hand tightly, but her eyes were on me when she spoke again.

  “How did this happen?” she asked.

  “Nut,” I offered. “When my Sire failed to turn me, she saved my life. Lucinda’s doing.”

  “Luce? Huh,” she said and took a sip of her drink. “That’s some origin story.”

  I reached out and lifted the Vanilla Vodka up, then thought to hell with it and took a sip. Samson lifted his glass to his lips and downed all of the whisky.

  Amisi looked across the bar at him and smiled. Then she poured him another.

  “I sense this has not been easy for either of you,” she said.

  “We’ve managed,” I said, defensively.

  “Georgia is mine,” Samson offered and downed his next glass of whisky as well.

  I frowned at him. He flashed fang back, the Black Dog staring out of his eyes.

  “Mine,” he said, and that was definitely the Black Dog talking.

  Gregor looked disgusted, but Amisi smiled a mile wide.

  “The Dark is never as foreboding as when it is seen through a single pair of eyes.”

  I stared at her.

  “An old Egyptian Nosferatin saying,” she explained with a shrug. “The flip side, as Luce would say, is that the Light is never as bright as when seen through two pairs of eyes. She likes to make up sayings.”

  Gregor snorted.

  “Samson,” she said, then looked at me. “No, Georgia,” she corrected. “May I try something?”

  “What?” I demanded.

  “A sharing of Light.”

  Gregor stiffened.

  “Not like that, you sex fiend,” she snapped. I thought perhaps that Gregor was still in the doghouse. “A simple transference of Light to offset Samson’s Dark,” Amisi added, looking directly at me.

  I didn’t want her Light anywhere hear him.

  “No,” I said.

  “Perhaps you should try it,” she offered. I didn’t know how. “Later,” she said. “When you’re alone, maybe.”

  Did that mean I gave him my Light while we…did the deed?

  I took a sip of my drink. Considering we were trying to avoid physical contact right now, that seemed like a really, really bad idea.

  “I’ll be fine,” Samson said. “It settles when my vampire-within settles.” He looked at me. “Right now he is agitated.” Then he glared at Gregor.

  “I had to know she could control it,” the Master of Wellington City said. I didn’t think Gregor was used to explaining himself, so part of me was impressed that he’d bothered.

  Another part of me was just pissed.

  “Your test,” I snarled. “Some test.”

  It had been a fucking good one, but I wouldn’t let him know that.

  “If it is known that a Nothus walks New Zealand’s streets,” he said without inflection, “and that the Enforcer for the Iunctio ignored her presence, all hell would rain down on this country.”

  “All hell being the Champion,” Samson said, his body relaxing slightly.

  Which was strange, considering who we were talking about. But I guessed he felt better understanding Gregor’s motives. If Gregor was to be believed.