Long Live the Queen (The Immortal Empire) by Kate Locke

laughed – humourlessly, of course. “She didn’t stay down here. She went up.”
    Up? At dawn? Brilliant. Just one more advantage she had over other aristos. And of course, she inherited it from me. I could go out into the daylight without it burning my sensitiveskin or blinding me, and I didn’t have to feed right beforehand to do it.
    So she was gone, then. Not my problem any more – unless she came back. Time to set up better security, perhaps. I glanced down at the bandage on my arm. The scratches on my face were beginning to heal, and some blood would help them along. I was going to need more than a bag of blood if Ali crossed my path again. I was going to need to brush-up on my fighting skills, and a gun. Something that packed a punch and fired bullets that could take down a goblin the size of an elephant.
    “All right,” I said, my gaze skimming over Val and Vex and the assembled goblins. William stood with Elsbeth, who fussed over him even though Ali’s kick hadn’t hurt him. The pup Alexandra was in her mother’s embrace, seemingly unfazed by what had transpired, but the sight of her in Ali’s arms would haunt me for a long time. “I owe you all an apology for bringing her here. I’m supposed to protect you, not put you in danger, and for that I am sorry.”
    William’s hand brushed my hair. “Good-hearted. Too much.”
    That was a laugh. I was too selfish, that was what I was. Too cocky and reckless by far. And right now I was heartily ashamed of myself. “Everyone get some rest, we’ve got a big night ahead of us.”
    “Hunting the abomination, lady?” William asked, a little gleefully.
    I nodded. “We’re going to need help on this one, my friends.”
    “You’ve got the pack,” Vex said.
    “And Special Branch,” Val offered, holding up his rotary.“Tactical teams are being called out to search for her now. I’m going to join them.”
    I took Vex’s hand and rose to my feet, holding my injured arm against my chest. “Good. I’m going to need Ophelia and her… friends.” Val didn’t know about the insurgent hideout at Bedlam, and I wasn’t going to tell him. The longer he believed that place was nothing more than an asylum for damaged halfies, the better. “She has human connections.”
    “And the leeches?” William asked, lip curled.
    I gave him a grim smile. “Leave the vampires to me.” One of them owed me a favour – a big one.
    My father.

CHAPTER 7
THE SUDDEN DISAPPOINTMENT OF HOPE LEAVES A SCAR
    If he’d been fully healed and topped up on blood, Vex could have braved the dawn and joined the search for Ali. Instead, he chose to sleep with me. I didn’t allow it to go straight to my ego, however. I reminded myself that my place was the most logical should Ali return. It would keep her from the pack and give us the added backup of the goblins. Although I had to admit that strategical advantage aside, I wanted him to stay with me, and I think he wanted to stay as well.
    And since I’d been ordered to stay out of Special Branch’s way while they conducted their search, I had nothing else to do. I’d rather be out there looking for my daughter – for all my protesting that’s what she was – but Val thought it would make things worse, and then there was the chance I might get shot by someone thinking I was her. Good point, I guess.
    Ali was a monster, but she was mine, and I’d always gotabnormally attached to things I thought of as mine. I couldn’t get attached to her. I couldn’t save her, and I doubted there was much I could do to help her, but I could stop her.
    “You should take some of my blood,” Vex suggested as we took the lift back to my place. “It will help you heal.”
    My arm was beginning to itch, signifying that it was already on the mend. “I’m fine. I have steaks in the ice box.”
    His stomach growled at the same time mine did, and we shared a smile.
    He touched my hair. “Are you certain she didn’t hurt you worse?”
    I shook my head