I spun back around and stared at him. That’s right. He’d withheld information.

  “Are they all members of parliament?” I asked, my voice low and threatening.

  “Georgia,” Mark said in warning.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  “Two Labour, one National,” he finally admitted, naming the two main political parties that made up the New Zealand parliament.

  “And one of them the Minister of Police,” I offered.

  “I didn’t keep it from you on purpose. I mean,” he said, scratching at his already spiked up hair, “you were going to figure it out as soon as you got here.” He looked toward the front of the property even though he couldn’t see it from inside the house. “Parliamentary car,” he added.

  That’s why the black sedan had seemed familiar. Its license plate had the obligatory CR on it. For Crown. And there’d been little placeholders for the flags alongside the bonnet for when it was on official business.

  I stared at Mark for a moment and then turned and walked down the stairs.

  “Georgia,” he said in a hiss. “I need more.”

  “I don’t have more to give you right now, Detective,” I said as Grumpy Guts came out of the sitting room, arms folded over his chest, eyes narrowed. “But I might do if I can just check on something.”

  Mark ignored the pertinent look Grumpy was giving him and followed me out of the house and down the front steps.

  “I’ll drive you,” he said.

  “No need. I’ll be faster on foot.”

  He grimaced at that reminder of what I was.

  I’d made it to the roadside when I realised he hadn’t followed me past the property boundary. I turned to look back at him.

  “I rescind your invitation,” he said.

  I felt the magic or whatever the fuck it was that allowed me into the Carrow’s house slam into my chest. The Dark Shadow made me stand my ground, growling and pacing inside as she faced off against the detective.

  I’m not sure what I was trying to prove, but the hurt I felt at Mark’s distrust of me and the fact that the Dark Shadow was righteously furious inside made me take the several steps between us, crossing the threshold of the property and snarling in Mark’s face.

  “Be careful how far you push me, Mark,” I said. “If you want my help, you’ll play a little nicer.”

  “You’re gonna blackmail me, Georgia?” he asked, standing his ground.

  “What part of fully Dark do you not get?” I hissed.

  “Can you get back in the Carrow’s home?” he asked quietly.

  I looked up at the villa, feeling my Dark Shadow prowl from side to side. She snapped her teeth at Mark and hissed at the house, which I took to mean that no, I could not get back inside the Carrow’s home.

  “No,” I said because I had to say something. Otherwise I was likely to hiss and spit like a wild animal. His vein had started to look very appealing as well.

  Prey. Blood. Life, the Dark Shadow growled inside my mind.

  “See?” Mark said mildly as if a pissed off vampire wasn’t standing within a foot of him. “I get exactly what fully Dark means.”

  He turned and walked back toward the old villa. I wanted to shout at him to not place his back to a vampire. Any vampire. Especially me. But the uniformed cop on the balcony had watched our heated argument even if he hadn’t been able to hear it.

  I tossed my hair over my shoulder and turned on my heel and walked off into the night. The shadows crept out to greet me. The moon hid behind a cloud and helped out. I pulled the Darkness around my body and let the Dark Shadow out.

  I didn’t remember a moment of the journey from Mt Roskill to the CBD. But by the time I made it to Sensations, the Dark Shadow had been sated, and the skin across my belly felt a little too tight to be comfortable.

  At least, for me.

  5

  Affront

  Camilla Cabello’s Never Be The Same was playing on the stereo at Sensations. Something about seeing red and suddenly being a fiend. It sounded about right. I walked in through the front vestibule, ignoring the head nod greeting from the bouncer on the door; inhaling deeply and letting the scent of the Norms wash over me.

  I’d started swaying before I’d even reached the dance floor.

  The Norms had started moving closer before Camilla finished the first chorus.

  I had a guy in front of me and a guy at my back within seconds; two pairs of hands skimming my sides, riding up over my thighs, slipping in under my shirt. Heat seared me. Scents assailed me. The music pumped in time to the blood in their necks.

  My arms rose up and wrapped around the guy’s neck at my back as we swayed back and forth to the pulsing, rhythmic Cuban beat. The guy in front looked like all his Christmases had come at once. I’d certainly give him something to pray to God about.

  The spell was cast, the web set, I licked my lips and tasted pine needles and musk. The humans around me were forgotten. The vampire at my side drew all my attention.

  I pushed front guy back with a slow seductive touch of my hand to the centre of his chest. I leaned my butt out, pressing against back guy’s impressive erection, and then hip bumped him away as I twirled in front of Samson.

  Samson. Samson. Samson.

  My arms lifted above my head as I did a little shimmy before him and then I wrapped my hands behind his neck, pulling his taut body close to me. I could smell him. I could smell his scent. And underlying it all, I could smell his confusion.

  Usually, I’m not able to get a handle on Samson’s emotions. My empathic talent fizzes out where he’s concerned. Normally, it’s because I’m angry around him. Or lusty. Take your pick. But tonight, the Dark Shadow was in the driver’s seat, and she’d had enough of pussyfooting around whatever it was Samson and I shared.

  I leaned in and licked his neck and then followed it up with a nip of my teeth.

  I’d fed from him before. Right here on this dance floor. I’d pressed my lips to his skin and let my fangs sink through to his delicious blood. And it had tasted divine. I was in no way hungry right now, but tasting Samson again made the Dark Shadow purr.

  “Gigi,” he said; his deep English accented voice sounding husky and full of the sounds of sex. “Where have you been?”

  “Around,” I said and pierced the lobe of his ear with a fang, following it up with a lick of my tongue.

  His hands tightened on my hips, he pulled me closer, pressing my breasts up against his hard chest. He lowered his head and nuzzled my hair, inhaling deeply. I’m not sure what Samson scents when he breathes me in like this. My signature scent of course, but maybe more. Because every time he’s done it in the past, his whole body shivers as though it’s the most alluring, most addictive, most compelling thing he’s ever scented.

  He’d done that when I was human too.

  “A week,” he growled into my neck. “You’ve been gone a week.”

  “Working,” I purred, running one hand down his front, over defined pecs and washboard abs and the most glorious cock a man could ever hope to possess.

  “Babe,” he growled back at me. “What’s got into you?”

  “Nothing. Yet.” I gave his arousal a squeeze, and he shuddered. “But you could change that.”

  He made a sound. Halfway between a growl and a groan. His hands slowed their hungry perusal, and he inhaled deeply. Then his whole body stilled.

  “You smell of the cop,” he said, voice low and threatening. “And of blood. A lot of blood. Gigi,” he hissed, pulling back and looking down at me, “what have you done?”

  The Dark Shadow stilled inside and studied the vampire before her. I thought perhaps she was both angry at his assumption and intrigued. I was just tired all of a sudden.

  “You know,” I said, stepping back, “you never passed up the chance to fuck before.”

  “Is that what we would have been doing? Fucking?”

  I turned and started pushing my way through the Norms towards the bar. Doug was manning it, along with a new bartender I didn’t recognise. My replacement. The Dark Shadow bared her fangs, and it took all I could do not to do the same.

  Samson’s hand landed on my elbow, and he spun me back around to face him.

  “You know damn well what we had before was not fucking.”

  “Wasn’t it?” I asked and jerked my elbow free.

  I made it to the bar this time and caught Doug’s eye. Doug smiled in greeting and then frowned at something over my shoulder. That would be Samson. Doug likes Samson; he does, really. But Doug does not like how Samson makes me feel. Well, usually makes me feel. Tonight was different and Samson knew it. But Doug was a little slow to catch on.

  A Vanilla Vodka appeared before me and a soft tap of Doug’s fingers on my wrist in support. Samson slipped into the seat beside me and accepted a glass of whisky from the new barmaid. I studied her. She was pretty. And human. And she knew what Samson liked to drink without him having to ask.

  My Dark Shadow hissed and arched her back inside. Right there with you, sister, I thought.

  Competition, she said.

  Not if I can help it.

  The Dark Shadow settled, appeased at my announcement.

  Just because I didn’t want to walk back down that path of loved-up bliss with Samson didn’t mean I’d let anyone else fill my shoes for me.

  I turned to face the vampire in question.

  “What have I missed?” I asked.

  He let out a bemused breath of air. I inhaled and confirmed the emotion.

  “You’ve changed,” he said. “I can see your Dark.”

  “Does it match yours?” I enquired.

  Samson looked away. He didn’t like his Dark. He’d fought hard and long to defeat it. Lucinda had saved him in the end but only because he’d wanted to be saved. He’d been awash in her Light until recently; when he’d used his reality-altering talent to alter Mark’s and a good portion of Mt Eden Prison’s realities. Since then, the Dark had not retreated. He’d lost a little of his Light.

  It amused me, in a detached kind of way, that we both had the same problem.

  “Jett’s been looking for you,” he said, not meeting my eyes.

  “Warpath kind of looking?”

  “Possibly. It’s hard to tell with Jett; he always looks ready for battle.”

  He is also worthy, the Dark Shadow murmured. That, too, was a path I’d rather not tread.

  “Where have you really been, Gigi?” Samson asked again.

  “Álfheimr,” I said, taking a nonchalant sip of my vodka mixer.

  “What?”

  “Paying back a debt.”

  “You owe a fairy? Are you mad?”

  “Beginning to look that way,” I muttered.

  Samson swallowed the whole of his whisky in one hit and held the glass up to the barmaid to refill it. She jumped to carry out his command. I cocked my head at her and watched as she poured the drink. She had some skills. She smiled widely at Samson when she slid the topped up glass across the bar to him. I draped my arm over his shoulder and started playing with his hair, and then gave him a hickey.

  When I looked back up, she was down the other end of the bar, face flushed, Doug between her and me. He flashed me a warning look. I smiled back. The Dark Shadow laughed.

  “All right,” Samson said. “Who the hell are you and what have you done with Georgia?”

  I smiled at him and winked.

  He didn’t smile back. He looked worried. I inhaled and confirmed the emotion.

  “Well,” I said, “if there’s nothing else to report.”

  “Lucinda and Michel left while you were gone.” He sounded sad. I stopped breathing. “She wanted you to know that she could come back at any time…”

  “I don’t need her.”

  “I know. She knows. Just…”

  “Thanks.” I stood up, saluted Doug and said, “Gotta see a man about a dog.”

  And walked toward the back of the bar.

  Samson didn’t follow, but I could feel his eyes on me the entire way across the busy clubroom floor. I could still feel his Sanguis Vitam after I’d entered the code to the private area of Sensations and closed the reinforced door behind me.

  I leaned back against it for a moment and tried to catch my breath. A shaky laugh slipped out at the thought of needing to breathe at all. Amateur.

  I shook my head, dusted myself down, and then walked down the hall on the left that would lead me to the Master of the City’s office and chamber.

  He was waiting for me. Any number of vampires could have told him I was back in town and that I was here. Hell, even Doug could have. He’s not one of Jett’s vampires, but he does work for him. Samson does too, come to think of it. I pushed those useless thoughts aside and strode into the Master of the City’s lair.

  He was leaning back in his office chair, long legs extended before him, hands clasped behind his curly head of dark hair, the shirt he was wearing stretched tight across oversized muscles, his crooked nose having no ill effect on his striking features. He looked decadent and powerful and layered in wicked sin and debauched thoughts.

  My Dark Shadow approved.

  I did too if I were honest about it.

  “Hey,” I said and threw myself into the seat opposite him.

  “Hey?” he asked, sounding not in the least amused. “Hey, after seven days of no word?”

  “Aliath,” I said and he growled.

  I watched him as he got his vampire-within under control again. It didn’t take long. I was pretty damn sure Jett and his vampire were in tune with each other.

  “You are forgiven,” he announced.

  “Thank you,” I said dryly.

  “What did the fairy want?”

  Lying to a master vampire was a tricky business. Lying to Jett could prove fatal. There was that whole amor certamen to think about. It might save me. But it would probably still hurt.

  So, I deflected.

  “Three members of parliament have been abducted. Heard anything about that?”

  Jett leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers together. His azure gaze pinned me to my seat. I felt his Sanguis Vitam before I’d registered what the colour change in his eyes meant. It wrapped around me and stroked me in places it should not have been.

  “Jett,” I said through gritted teeth.

  “Hush, kitten. I am thinking.”

  And feeling me up helped him think?

  My Dark Shadow only purred.

  Hussy, I snapped at her.

  She rolled over onto her back and writhed sinuously.

  I let out a breath and ground my teeth.

  “I suspected something when parliament was called back from their break early,” Jett finally said. “But I did not know that three members had gone missing.”

  His gaze pierced me.

  “Who?”

  “I only know of one. Malcolm Carrow. Minister…”

  “Of Police,” Jett finished for me. “Has your detective called on your services again, Georgia?”

  “Yes.”

  “What does he suspect?”

  “Foul play?” I offered.

  Jett smiled. It was in no way friendly.

  His Sanguis Vitam slapped me on the butt. I made a squeaking sound that segued into a hiss.

  The Sanguis Vitam retreated. The air between us thickened. Jett’s eyes had gone from azure to turquoise and cyan. He studied me as if I held the answers to the universe. Then he slowly leaned forward. The Dark Shadow had stopped playing slutty and was sitting up, on high alert. She held me firm, but I didn’t need her backbone at that moment. I knew exactly how dangerous Jett currently was.

  “Where is your Light?” he growled.

  Fuck. How did he…?

  His Sanguis Vitam wrapped around my neck and hauled me up off the chair, feet dangling.

  “Fight me, kitten,” he said.

  I closed my eyes. My fists clenched; there was nothing to hold onto; my arms straight down at my sides. I wasn’t even struggling. Struggling would get me nowhere and would only make me look weak. I remained still. Silent.

  And asked the Dark Shadow, Any ideas?

  We have Light, she said.

  Of course, we did. She just had to give it to me.

  I waited. Jett waited.

  The Dark Shadow slowly pushed the Light toward the part of my mind where I could reach it.

  We are not prey, she said.

  Damn straight we’re not.

  I slammed my Light into Jett and watched him writhe. His Sanguis Vitam otherwise occupied, I slumped to the floor and struggled back upright before he noticed his effect on me. By the time I sat back in my chair, Jett had come down from his pleasure/pain high.

  “That is better,” he said, sighing. He looked like he’d just gone a round or two with a sex-crazed energiser bunny.

  More likely, Playboy Bunny.

  I crossed my arms over my chest.

  “Wanna tell me what that was all about?” I demanded.

  “I’ve missed you,” he said, his voice deep and melodic.

  Yeah, right. Thanks, Aliath. Some spell you cast there. Jett might no longer desire me joining his line, but he sure as hell still desired me. But I couldn’t lie to Jett. Well, I could, but he’d smell it a mile off and I’d pay for it.

  Time to get his mind elsewhere.

  “What smells of wet dog?” I asked.

  His head tipped forward, from where he’d been resting it on the back of his chair and enjoying the afterglow of my Light. Azure looked back at me again.

  “Any number of things, but I gather you mean supernatural,” he said.

  “Yes.”

  “The abductions.”

  “Yes.”

  “What else did you scent at the scenes?”

  “Just one scene and aside from wet dog, the victim was scared and the abductor amused.”

  I watched Jett closely for any sign of impending subterfuge.

  “I know there’s more than one type of shapeshifter,” I said, “but I also know that New Zealand is home to the Taniwha. Do Taniwha smell of wet dog, Jett?”

  “Yes,” he said. “But there are no more Taniwha in Auckland City. Lucinda saw to that.”