Entwined With the Dark by Nicola Claire

Sergei looked alarmed and Nataliya looked worried and slightly confused. Finally after another furtive glance around by both vampires, they both got in the vehicle.
    "What's up?" I asked as I pulled away from the side of the street.
    "Nataliya thought she saw a fairy," Sergei answered matter of factly. There is one thing to be said about my vampires, they don't try to sugar coat a thing. If something is amiss they tell me. Knowledge is a weapon, Sergei often says.
    "So?" I prompted. Fairies were everywhere, was it cause for alarm?
    "I thought I recognised him, but I am now unsure," Nataliya replied, but then turned to gaze out the window and refused to say anything more.
    I shot Sergei a glance, he shrugged, but said under his breath, "Make haste, mistress. I have a bad feeling about this."
    Great. Just what I needed, a return to the old days when fairies hunted me and I was constantly running for my life. At least with Sergei and Nataliya here, there was little a fairy could do. I think that's why Sergei was somewhat relaxed about the sighting, but the fact that Nataliya hadn't voiced who she thought she had seen, left me a little cold.
    We made it to Samson's house unhindered and found a car park right outside. The house was in a delightful one-way street. Lovely wrought iron fences, green leafy trees and wide footpaths. It was equally as stunning as Michel's street in South Kensington, but I knew what awaited us inside would not compare. I flipped through my keys until I found Samson's, he'd insisted I had full access to his London home. It was only fitting, I had given him full access to mine in St. Helier's Bay.
    Inside I flicked on the lights and Sergei made sure the house was completely secure and safe. Nataliya hung by the front window, brooding and staring into the night. I watched her for a moment, then decided I really needed to eat. There wouldn't be much, but Samson had filled the pantry with non-perishables and the freezer last time we were here. I walked into the kitchen and began to forage. Several minutes later I had a plate full of steaming canned lasagne and a bottle of Merlot with three glasses on a tray in my hand. I set it down on the coffee table and proceeded to hunt out the remote for the stereo system.
    Samson had all the gadgets a geek could desire. Top of the range plasma TV, Blu-ray, stereo with surround sound, X-Box - you name it he had it. In a lovely bright white room with splashes of colour here and there. I really did like his house. When I turned back from the stereo, Sergei had opened the wine and poured us all drinks. This felt right, domesticated, normal. This brought back nights at St. Helier's Bay. He handed me a glass and gave me a rare smile. He was relaxing here too. Maybe he found Michel's house a little oppressive as well. I hadn't thought my Russian duo would have minded about such things, but you never knew. Beauty was in the eye of the beholder, I'm sure they were capable of appreciating beauty too.
    I was well into my lasagne and wine, Sergei surfing on a tablet computer and half way through his glass, when Nataliya muttered suddenly, "I thought as much." We both turned to look at her as she swung back from the front window, her glass of wine had not been touched at all. "Fairies," she said with disgust, but surprisingly not alarm. "I hate the fuckers!"
    Sergei was on his feet, a sleek shiny gun in his hand, braced for attack. Nataliya waved him down. "We know him, it's Aliath."
    "Aliath!" I exclaimed, pushing my tray off my knees and coming to my feet. "Is that who you saw outside Arthur's?"
    She frowned in reply and shook her head.
    "He's at the door," Sergei announced. "What do you wish to do, mistress?"
    Aliath, Prince of Dökkálfa , Herra of the Grey Lords, nephew to Queen Sofiq, next in line to the Dark Court's throne. I had a tenuous alliance with this fairy, but I hadn't seen nor heard from him in months.
    What the hell could he want with me now?

Chapter 6
Fucking