Kiss of the Dragon by Nicola Claire

eye on my conversation and I could hardly blame him now. Things were precarious, I was beginning to see, and Michel's desire to keep me safe would be all encompassing. Which made his choice to send me to London intriguing. How difficult would it have been for him to let me do this, whilst his desire to protect me would be in overdrive?
    You have no idea, he added, repeating his earlier words.
    I stifled a laugh and returned my attention to Yves and Sophie.
    "Well thank you for coming," I said with feeling.
    "Our pleasure," both Nosferatins replied. "We are relieved to be working so closely with our Nosferatu brethren again," Yves added. "It has been many centuries since the Nosferatin and Nosferatu were so closely aligned."
    I thought about that for a moment. It was a clear indication of Michel's political leanings. He had a kindred, the first Champion to do so, I believe. He understood the strengths of the Nosferatins and because of that, he didn't fear us as much as the previous Champion had done. Which only boded well for future relations between our kinds. We were of the same ilk originally, after all. But he would have his work cut out for him with some of the Iunctio's Council, I was sure.
    I turned my attention back to Yves being away from Paris because of me. "I'll be heading to London tomorrow, so you can both go back to Paris then perhaps." I wanted them to know they didn't need to stick around for days on end, that they could return to where they were needed most. I appreciated that they had taken time out to be here, to offer extra protection upon my return, but their lives were waiting. Not to mention the innocents of Paris needed them back home.
    "What takes you to London?" Yves asked.
    "I have an assignment," I said sounding extremely pleased with myself. Yves grinned back at me, picking up on my school-girl excitement.
    "A dangerous assignment?" he asked.
    "Are there any others?"
    He laughed and shook his head, then added, "Ah, but will it involve silver?"
    "I'm hoping a whole lot," I replied, wondering in that second where my stakes and Svante sword had got to. I'd had them in Álfheimr , but Sergei and I had left in such a hurry I hadn't taken the time to retrieve them from the Hyrða guards.
    They arrived not long ago, sent through a portal directly here , Michel whispered in my mind. Aliath did not wish for you to be unarmed , he added, sounding a little put out by the Fairy King's continued interest in my wellbeing. I was relieved my weapons had returned to me, but I had to wonder why the Fey had portal access to the Château, that they could apparently use with such ease. Michel didn't comment in my mind, making the uneasy feeling inside increase.
    "Could you use some assistance?" Yves was asking, making me struggle for a second to pick up where our conversation was. Michel was distracting when he was near, but when in my mind it was ten times worse.
    "Um," I said finding my place again. "I'll have vampire guards with me and my Tego Texi Tectum . I should be good."
    "But it never fails to have too much," Yves commented. "Another Nosferatin wouldn't go astray."
    I wasn't sure it was necessary, I could always call on Arthur Pencarrow's crew. The London based Nosferatins were sticklers for rules though and always worked in a team. Asking for their help would mean all of them would join in and the thought of Marie, my former scaredy-cat protégée, getting involved in whatever I was doing, was a little disconcerting. If I could keep her out of harm's way at all, I would.
    Out of curiosity I asked, "Who have you got in mind?"
    "Sophie," Yves replied and the young girl smiled up at him. It seemed caring and full of pride that he would suggest her at all. But surprisingly not full of lust. Maybe she wasn't his girlfriend after all. "She is experienced," he went on. "Well trained, highly skilled and" - now he smiled with pride - "she moves silently through the night. None would know she is with you, should you