Free Entwined With the Dark by Nicola Claire Page A

grounded and slipped out of the car to face the next hurdle for the night. I was late, there's no surprise. And I was hungry. But duty called. I nodded to Sergei and Nataliya, who would both stay outside Arthur's terraced house on guard, and strode over to the chipped blue door, rapping three times with a firm hand.
    Do what I needed to do to survive. And forgive myself afterwards.
    Plastering a smile on my face I took a deep breath in as the door was swung open before me.
    "You're late," came Arthur Pencarrow's gruff reply. His cockney accent tingeing the words, so the 't' in late was silent.
    "I had an appointment with the Master of the City, it ran over," I said casually as I stepped past him into the narrow hall.
    I watched as he nodded to Sergei outside and closed the door at our backs.
    "Oh, all righ' then." Well that was easy. "Come on, the others have been 'ere an hour already. They've eaten all the biscuits, sorry." I was sure he wasn't, but I certainly was. My stomach threatened to growl ominously. I rubbed it in an effort to avoid embarrassment.
    Arthur took up most of the narrow hallway, his broad shoulders brushing down either side of the walls. I followed as he led me into the warm and welcoming front room, faded carpet adorned the floor, slightly worn floral sofas with copious amounts of mismatched pillows scattered here and there. Tasselled velvet light shades sat opposite incongruous modern pictures. One wall was covered in a bold print wallpaper, the other painted dark red, the wall with an open fireplace was stripped bare, plasterboard visible beneath tattered remains of wall coverings. Either the room was in the middle of being renovated, or Arthur just didn't give a damn. I was picking the latter.
    I had yet to meet Arthur's kindred vampire, but from what Marie had said, she was quiet and remained in the shadows wherever she went. Unassuming was the word Marie had used. I thought perhaps Arthur's personality made up for any she may have lacked. But I hadn't been introduced, so was refraining from passing judgement just yet. They didn't live together, Arthur was as independent as they came. That's how I had started out, but where I had succumbed to Michel's steadfast pursuit of my heart, body and soul, Arthur had remained aloof.
    I admired that in the Nosferatin.
    Marie was sitting on one of the couches and gave me a bright smile as I entered the room. Trevor, the other London based Nosferatin, was sitting beside her holding a mug in both of his hands, steam rising off the surface indicating a new brew. A teapot sat on the table before them, plus an empty plate. I hate tea and the biscuits were all gone. I stifled a sigh as I sat on a couch opposite them.
    "So, Luce, the others have given a run down of their hunts this week, you might as well give us your report, now you're 'ere," Arthur instructed and I suddenly felt like I was back in school. All eyes turned to look at me expectantly. What did they want to hear?
    I hated this. I hated it so damn much. My fists automatically curled up on my lap, my breath hitched and I was sure my face was flushing pink. Embarrassment? Yeah, sure. But also anger. I had never answered to anyone but myself before. And maybe Michel to a certain extent, as he was in charge of Auckland. Which made me think how badly I had behaved in front of Amun tonight. How terribly I had acted.
    For an instant I just wanted to run. For a fraction of a second I wanted to get up off my chair, belt for the door and never look back. Leave London, leave England. I couldn't go back to Auckland, it no longer truly felt like home. But I could roam, never settle, never stop, never have to answer to another again. Just like I did in South America. When I thought Michel was dead and my life as I knew it was gone.
    I took a deep breath in, asked my goddess for a little understanding and Light, and gave a run down of my week. Of course, I kept out the rogue that got away, the run-in with Sebastian and