"So did you? Go after them?" she prompted.

"A bargain is a bargain," he said. "Once he'd settled into his new...state of being, we did track them down. To their den in a nearby village. They'd just robbed another man and were bragging about how many times they'd stabbed him and how he'd screamed before he died. My intention had been simply to scare them off and retrieve what was left of Alexander's things, but..." His voice trailed off.

"The world was better off without them in it," Gabi finished quietly.

"Hmm." The gloom was back.

Gabi climbed out of bed and wrapped a silk robe around herself before going to him. She put her arms around his waist, resting her face against his back. She loved the feel of his smooth skin under her cheek and his clean, male scent.

"You don't really think you should've let the murderous thieves live, do you?" she asked.

"No, they deserved what they got. It was only a matter of time before they turned on each other in any case. Men like that don't cooperate for long," he replied.

"Then what is it?" Gabi was puzzled. The conversation had taken a wide circle; Julius was skirting something.

"It's..." He shook his head.

"Don't say it's nothing." Gabi's voice carried a thread of steel.

"I still forget how much you can feel." He wasn't really talking to her, but she answered him anyway.

"Yes, it can be quite intrusive," she commented dryly. "Now spill what's on your mind before I'm forced to torture it out of you."

"It's the thought of Clan succession," he said finally. "I keep hoping that Alexander will come into his full abilities soon. I know he has it in him to be a Master, but until he does, the whole Clan is at risk."

"Because of the succession thing?" she asked.

He turned and put his arms around her, drawing her close and burying his nose in her hair, as though needing her strength. She liked that thought.

"If I were to die the true death, who would lead?" he asked. "Fergus is currently the only one with the potential to be a Master, and he won't accept the role. He knows as well as I do that he doesn't have the heart for it, nor the charisma or patience to lead a large Clan."

"How long do you think it will be before Alex reaches that point?" Gabi had no idea what the standard was for achieving Master-level Vampirehood.

"For the most part, Masters rarely get there before three centuries," Julius supplied.

"So, just another hundred years to keep you alive and kicking, then," she mused. "I think between me, Alex and your guard, we can make sure that happens."

He pulled back and tipped her face up to his, his fingers tangled in her curls. "It is such a strange thing for me to be able to share these concerns with someone. You have to forgive me if it takes a while before it comes naturally."

They both knew there was nothing to be done about Alexander's powers or lack thereof, but sometimes a shared burden was a lightened burden. Gabi hugged him a little tighter.

"Don't worry. I promise to keep wheedling things out of you," she a.s.sured him. "I can be quite charming when I want to be."

"Really?" he asked in mock astonishment. "That I have to see."

In a lightning-fast move, she had him p.r.o.ne on the floor beneath her with a knee to his chest. "I have a charm all my own," she countered with a devilish smile, dropping the robe from her shoulders.

Gabi stifled a yawn as Trish opened the door and entered the bustling coffee shop. It had been a long morning helping a celebrity couple with their pack of spoilt, overfed, undertrained and never exercised miniature poodles. Exhausted after the Consort ceremony and subsequent bedroom antics with Julius, she'd found her new clients particularly trying. Celebrities and the super wealthy were often the most troublesome of clients, expecting miracles without any effort on their own part, and this morning Gabi had been hard-pressed to keep her temper reined in. Only dangling the threat of having the dogs removed from their care had finally broken through their little fantasy world and made them focus.

Every time she treated a case like that, she vowed never to do it again, but her name was now being thrown around by some highly influential people, and in the end it was the animals she felt sorry for, and it was for them that she kept accepting the jobs. They may not thank her once she'd forced their owners to take responsibility for healthy feeding routines and robust exercise regimes, but they would lead far happier, healthier lives in the end. If their owners stuck to the programme, of course.

Trish's happy smile immediately lightened Gabi's mood. At least the argument with Derek hadn't ruined her and Trish's friendship. She stood up to hug her friend and beckoned to a waiter, who arrived promptly with a couple of menus and took drinks orders. Trish took the seat opposite Gabi and looked at her with a serious expression for a few seconds.

"What?" Gabi asked, wondering if she'd developed a boil on her nose or sprouted a third ear.

"You look tired," Trish admonished. "That husband of yours is keeping you awake too late."

Gabi snorted, Julius wasn't technically her husband, not in human terms at least, but the gorgeous new ring on her left hand certainly made their commitment feel more real. Husband certainly sounded better than boyfriend and was less likely to attract unwanted attention than Consort.

"I'm sure Kyle isn't allowing you your full night's beauty sleep either," Gabi shot back, enjoying the faint blush that immediately rouged Trish's cheeks. "It's just the d.a.m.n virus that keeps you looking fresh as a daisy while I look like death warmed up."

Trish turned her embarra.s.sment into a smirk; she was still in the early days of adapting to the effects of the Lycanthropy virus, but she was coping remarkably well.

"I'll spill if you spill," she challenged Gabi cheekily.

"Lah lah lah lah lah," Gabi responded, pretending to block her ears. "It'd be like hearing about my brother's s.e.xual exploits, which is almost as bad as hearing about your parents having s.e.x." She shuddered theatrically. That wasn't strictly true; she and Kyle had often swapped notes on their s.e.xual partners in the past, but she had no intention of discussing exactly what went on in the bedroom with Julius. She'd never been a wilting violet in the bedroom before, but Julius, and the addition of blood-taking as part of the fun, had taken her places she'd never dreamed of.

Trish giggled. "Chicken," she accused, but dropped the subject. "So?" She put a questioning inflection into the word as she dropped her voice to a low rumble. "How did you cope with all the introductions last night? Some of those Vampires are just creepy. And the females...some of them looked like real pieces of work." There was a brief lull in conversation as a waitress brought over their iced coffees and took their meal orders.

Gabi pulled a face. "It was a long night, that's for sure." She paused, not wanting to bring up the unpleasantness, but knowing she had to. "How is Derek? I'm sorry about what I said."

True to form, Trish waved her concerns away, but sighed. "He's fine," she said, pulling an exasperated face, "and he deserved what he got for the things he said about Julius. He was trying to rile you in a very stressful situation. He'll get over himself."

"I still should have handled things better." Gabi pulled a face. "You'll have to teach me how you do it. You keep such an even temper, even with the Change."

Trish chuckled wryly. "Someone has to be the adult in the family, and right now Derek isn't doing a very good job of that."

"Do you think we can find him a Werewolf shrink?" Gabi asked, only half joking; it was getting to the point that she might just start asking around.

"Maybe we just need to find him another s.e.xy female to pine over instead of you," Trish suggested. "Speaking of females...some of those Vampire females were dressed seriously OTT. Talk about dressing to impress."

Gabi rolled her eyes. "And you should've seen the poisonous stares I got from some of them when Julius wasn't looking; if looks could fry, I'd have been a spit roast before the evening was over. I'll be watching my back for the next while."

"But surely they wouldn't dare, not with the reputation that follows you around or with that overprotective, super-powerful Master Vampire doting over you?" Trish looked aghast at the thought.

"You never know." Gabi shrugged. "They might be Vampires, but that doesn't necessarily make them intelligent. I hope I don't have to kill too many to make my point." Both women grinned evilly.

"So, how do you feel about being his Consort, aside from all the Vampire politics?" Trish pressed cautiously.

A small smile tugged up one corner of Gabi's mouth. "Well, it all happened a lot sooner than I was comfortable with, but I don't regret the decision." She looked down into her tall gla.s.s. "I know it's early days and that we're coc.o.o.ned in the bliss of love and pa.s.sion, that it all might wear off in a few years or few months, but I guess it's got as much chance of lasting as anyone else's relationship. It's something we'll have to work at, and there'll be times that it's difficult, but we've had bad things thrown at us, we've both made bad decisions, and we've found ways to deal, so that's gotta be good, right?"

Trish smiled as though she'd said something as obvious as sunrise. "Of course you'll have to work at it, but the way the two of you have dealt with the s.h.i.t that's come your way in the last few months really is a testament to an incredible partnership. You two were made for each other; there's no question about that. And he is madly, deeply, insanely in love with you. I'm so happy for the two of you."

And Gabi knew that Trish was truly happy; the happiness spilled from her in waves. She was one of the most genuine people Gabi knew, and though she'd lost parts of her relationship with Kyle when he fell in love with Trish, what she'd gained in her friendship with Trish more than made up for those losses.

"And you've managed not to strangle Kyle in the last two weeks, despite his annoying tendency to be a neat freak?" Gabi asked Trish. Moving in together had been a big step for the two of them, as Kyle had been trying to avoid tying her down too early in her Werewolf life. It had taken some persuasion on both Trish's and Gabi's parts to get him to cave in.

Trish laughed. "Luckily I'm a bit of a neat freak myself, so that isn't too much of an issue. I'm still not sure I'll ever be able to compete with his van, though." She looked mournful.

Gabi nearly snorted iced coffee out her nose. "Yes, sadly you'll always only be the second great love of his life after that d.a.m.ned van," Gabi agreed. "Fortunately the van can't cook or bake like you do." Their casual chatter and exchange of gossip continued through their meal, Gabi happy to be in the company of a woman who could match her for appet.i.te. As the lunchtime rush pa.s.sed and the cafe emptied, conversation turned to other issues.

"So, have new Princeps been appointed yet?" Trish asked in a low voice.

"The nominees have been contacted and have accepted their nominations. Fortunately Julius managed to avoid that particular fate, though it seems inevitable that it'll come up at some point in the future," Gabi told her in an equally low tone. "They've pa.s.sed some new laws even in the absence of a full Court."

Trish raised her eyebrows, intrigued.

"The first was to outlaw the Turning of any person under the age of sixteen, with no exceptions. Between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one Turning is discouraged unless there is no other option; in other words, the person is dying. The penalty is death. All vampires have to 'register' any underage Vampires they already have in their Clans and Houses or any underage rogues that they know of. They've also pa.s.sed a law preventing any Vampire trying to conceive a Dhampir. This one also carries an instant death sentence. All Masters have been informed of the existence of a Dhampir, without any details being given, as well as of the agreement to magically seal the secret away in case of future need of it. Experimentation is now strictly prohibited, and I am under the express protection of the Princep Council. By Vampire standards I am untouchable." Gabi grimaced. They all knew she would be under constant threat for the foreseeable future.

"Has anything more come of the Oracles' visions?" Trish asked, eyes wide.

"No, nothing more than that Mariska is in league with the Devil or the Devils' Court," Gabi replied. "Whoever she's teamed up with this time is definitely some kind of threat to the Magi, and they're very good at shielding. I think the Magi have more of an idea who it could be than they're letting on, but they're keeping mum at this stage. I guess when things get too hot for them to handle, they'll come and demand help."

"That woman sure is a trouble-stirrer," Trish commented, shaking her head.

"Yeah," Gabi agreed, "if it wasn't for what she'd already done to the City and to me, I'd be tempted to leave the Magi to deal with her, but I have a personal score to settle with the b.i.t.c.h, and I intend to make her pay up." Her eyes flashed in anger. Mariska needed to meet her maker sooner rather than later, and Gabi had every intention of hastening that appointment.

"Speaking of scores to settle." Trish leaned forward across the table. "Have you heard anything about Caspian?" Her eyes were wide with curiosity. "I couldn't believe it when Kyle told me he just vanished before you left the Princeps' Court. Julius has had me trying to find him, but he's never been one to leave an electronic trail."

Gabi sighed. Caspian, the Spanish Vampire who'd sworn fealty to Julius just before their trip to the Princeps' Court, was also technically her Sire. He was another headache she was trying to avoid aggravating. Between the story she'd heard at Court about Caspian's history, her own suspicions about his grip on sanity, and his mysterious disappearance, she was almost hoping he'd managed to get himself killed off somehow and that it wouldn't have to be her or Julius who had the dubious honour.

"I haven't heard anything," Gabi told her at last. "I'm not sure he'll show his face around here again. Though his fealty to Julius should pull him back regardless of his intentions. I guess we'll deal with him if he turns up, though what Julius intends to do about him, I'm not sure."

An elderly couple shuffled up to the table nearest them and sat down with twin sighs of relief. They gave the two women polite smiles and took menus from the waitress. "You also have to tell me more about the Princep Court," Trish pressed. "Kyle's hardly told me anything. Was it really a proper castle, and did it really have secret pa.s.sageways?" She broke off as she glanced over and realised the elderly couple at the next table were close enough to hear their conversation and were doing a bad job of pretending not to listen to them.

"Hey, there's usually an ice-cream van down at the dock on sunny days." Gabi quickly filled the silence. "Let's go grab a gelato."

Gabi was sorely tempted to spend the rest of the afternoon soaking up the sun and chatting with Trish, but a chime on her phone reminded her that her accountant had been begging for paperwork for weeks, and her tax deadline was looming. Sadly, even ferocious Vampire slayers had to jump when the tax man called. She had to make a trip into the City centre the following day to take everything her accountant had asked for, and she wasn't even close to sorting it out yet. Her office was a maelstrom of paperwork that needed to be filed. So she reluctantly hugged Trish goodbye, promising to join her and Kyle for dinner over the weekend, and drove the borrowed Audi home.

The pets were happy to see her as Rose had already finished up and left for the day. She continued to procrastinate over the paperwork and used Roman's need for some exercise as an excuse to go for a mind-clearing run with the Rottweiler. The sun was already ducking behind the horizon and her stomach was growling when she finally traipsed to her office to do the inevitable.

She should've taken Rocky with her on the run, she reflected an hour later as she tried to arrange papers into folders, with the tiny furry speedster tearing up and over the desk, knocking stationery flying and scattering stacks of paperwork on the ground in disorderly heaps.

"You're lucky you're too cute to yell at," she groused at the tiny terrorist, picking up yet another stack of papers from the floor. The sound of her phone beeping was actually welcome for once.

"I have food, and I'm on my way to fetch you," purred Julius's silky voice over the phone. A small shiver raced down her spine.

"Where are we going?" Gabi asked, grasping at any excuse to escape her current torture.

"We had an invitation to visit Savannah at her lab. I thought we'd take her up on it," he replied.

"Oh," Gabi said, surprise rendering her temporarily speechless. She remembered the invitation, but hadn't thought they'd be taking it up quite so soon.

"Be ready to go in twenty," Julius said, his tone mild, but Gabi could feel his amus.e.m.e.nt at her consternation. "And don't forget that Savannah wanted to meet Razor. If you think he'd enjoy the outing, bring him along."

CHAPTER 6.

The 'lab' was nothing like Gabi was expecting. Perhaps the memory of Jason King's macabre laboratory, set up to clone the Lycanthropy virus, was still too fresh in her mind. While the exterior of this one looked something along the lines of a rural barn, the interior was more like what she'd expect to find in a world-cla.s.s medical research lab. All white tiles, gla.s.s and stainless steel. Meticulously clean and illuminated by bright, modern lighting. The large central area of the lab was big enough to accommodate half a dozen cars, and did at that moment have two, sans doors and some other body panels, standing off to one side.

Along one side were smaller, gla.s.s-walled cubicles. Gabi counted six in total, each one with an array of microscopes, computers, Petri dishes, gla.s.s tubes, various jars of what Gabi a.s.sumed were chemicals, and dozens of electronic instruments that Gabi couldn't put names to. Two of the cubicles were occupied by women; one was a Vampire and the other was a Shifter if Gabi's Vamp-sense was on target. One was jotting notes onto an electronic tablet, and the other was studying something under a microscope. To one side stairs led to a mezzanine level, which appeared to be storage of some kind. A bank of insulated and, in some cases, refrigerated shipping containers lined the upper floor. Gauges and blinking lights adorned most of them, and a mechanical hoist, big enough to move an entire car, stood motionless against the far wall.

"Wow," was all Gabi could force out of her mouth as she tried to take it all in. Though she didn't glance at him, she knew Julius had an amused smile on his face.

"Julius," Savannah's effusive voice came from their right, "and Gabi. May I call you Gabi, my dear?" The grey-haired woman was suddenly in front of them, moving with that unnerving speed that Vampires unaccustomed to being around humans often displayed.

"Yes, of course," Gabi agreed quickly, still a little sh.e.l.l-shocked.

"Oh, and you brought the cat," Savannah enthused, dropping to her haunches to study Razor.

Razor didn't puff up and growl at her, which was unusual enough for Gabi to send out a questioning thread towards his mind. He had no fear of the bubbly woman, only curiosity, Gabi discovered, relieved she wouldn't need to defuse the situation. Taking him out with her more regularly was certainly teaching him better social etiquette. He still didn't take to Werewolves very well, but others he treated with indifference until they proved either friend or foe.

Savannah reached out to him. "Would he allow me to stroke him, do you think?" she asked, her gaze so intense on Razor that she could've been measuring him up with her eyes.

Gabi didn't know whether to be alarmed by her scrutiny. Julius's mind brushed hers softly, a gentle touch of rea.s.surance; he trusted Savannah implicitly. It also served as a reminder to Gabi that Savannah was a mind reader; she quickly bolstered her mental defences.

"Uh, just put your hand out. Let him come to you," Gabi suggested, sending Razor a mild 'be nice' thought.

He glanced up at her, blinking slowly; then he moved forward a few steps and b.u.t.ted his head against Savannah's steady, outstretched hand. He moved closer and rubbed against her white lab coat.

"You can pet him now if you like," Gabi offered, a little surprised by Razor's easy acceptance of the Vampire. Savannah did, at first stroking his head and then progressing around his shoulders and down his back.

"Hmm," Savannah said with a thoughtful air. "I shall have to make some adjustments for his size. He's bigger than I would've thought possible. The odds of exactly the right combination of DNA..." She trailed off, giving Razor a final pat before rising. "Come along. I have so much to show you." It was clear she was in her element and delighted to have them in her domain. She was almost bouncing as she led the way to one of the cubicles near the rear of the building. Both the lab technicians glanced their way as they pa.s.sed, but neither seemed overly surprised to see two strangers and an overly large cat in their workplace.

The cubicle Savannah led them to was a lot less tidy than the others Gabi had peeked into; bits of what looked like sc.r.a.p leather lay in heaps on the floor while precise cut-outs adorned the pristine, white countertops. Knives, daggers and swords lay piled and crisscrossing the large central counter alongside baths of chemicals and pages of handwritten notes on large sheets of thick paper. A whiteboard dominated the wall on one side of the room, and there was barely s.p.a.ce to put a finger amongst the chemical symbols and complex equations scrawled across it.

Savannah swept to the far counter, the one with all the leather cut-outs, and then turned back to them. "Does he have a name, your cat?"

"Yes, of course," Gabi replied. "His name is Razor, but I usually call him Raz."

Savannah smiled brightly. "Razor, of course. That suits him perfectly. Would Razor mind getting on this counter and letting me fit something to him?"

Gabi quirked an eyebrow. The inventor Vampire had designed something for Razor?

"Oh, don't worry," Savannah said quickly, misinterpreting Gabi's look. "I won't harm him. I heard that he was injured once before when fighting off demons, and I thought I could make him something that would protect him in the future."

Gabi was finding it hard to merge this animated, almost hyperactive person with the composed, elegant woman she'd met just a few days ago at the Consort ceremony.

"Something to protect him?" Gabi asked as she patted the counter and gave Razor a tiny mental nudge. "You mean like armour?"

Razor obliged by jumping lithely up on the counter and sniffing the bits of leather inquisitively.

"Yes, exactly like armour," Savannah agreed approvingly. "I've been working on treating tanned hide with the same compound I used on your car. I've had to make some tweaks to get it to adhere to the surface without making the leather as stiff as metal, but I think I've almost got it." As she spoke, she lifted what looked like a pile of small leather patches, but once she picked it up, Gabi could see that the patches were actually attached to a piece of woven fabric, each patch slightly overlapping the next, like the scales on a fish. "As I said, I'll have to make some adjustments for size, but I'd like to see how it moves on him if you think he would let me put it on."