"It's not just about the lotion." Chloe pouted. "I like Oldcrest. This is my home. But I don't like feeling like a prisoner here. We're strong. We shouldn't have to hide."

"We aren't hiding, darling. But it stands to reason that our comings and goings are monitored. Plenty of people want to hurt you, and it's far easier for them to snatch you up out there than while we're safe at home. If you'd like to go anywhere, I'll take you. With adequate security, it's not a problem."

Other than Mikar, Levi had only two slayers—warriors trained specifically to serve him, back when wars between vampire lines were common. Ruby and Sylvan were the remnants of a bygone era. Mikar had been added to their rank, and he certainly had adequate training to fill the roll, but the three of them still weren’t an army.

Technically, Chloe had more slayers than Levi. There were at least half a dozen Eirikrson slayers still alive, but all were traveling with her elusive older brother, Tom. That said, the last few centuries, Levi had engaged the services of various vampires, ranging from assistants to bodyguards, investigators, and spies. They weren't sworn to his service the way the slayers were, but if Levi called upon them, he could surround Oldcrest with an actual legion. Why he hadn't done so yet, Mikar wasn't sure. Perhaps he didn't trust his warriors enough to have them here in this critical time. More than likely, he had a plan in mind. But they were hardly defenseless. They had Alexius Helsing, his delightfully savage mate Avani, Catherine Stormhale, and the newly turned, yet equally ferocious Bash. They had witches they could trust. And in a pinch, they could even call upon the huntsmen. Sworn to fight rogue paranormals, they didn't typically get involved in vampire infightings, but the leader of the local huntsmen was friends with Chloe, and did consider Oldcrest his home. The huntsmen’s aid wasn’t guaranteed, but Mikar would have bet just about anything that when the time came, they’d be right there with them, defending their home. Even Eirikr himself would stand with them, so long as he managed to get out of his cave again.

By “adequate security,” Levi meant that he'd have Chloe guarded by at least a dozen of those warriors, Mikar guessed. Which was exactly why Chloe dropped the matter. As annoying as staying home could be, he knew she didn't want to put any of her friends in danger.

"Fine. But we can't live like this indefinitely. We're going to have to do something against her." Her voice dripped with abhorrence.

Mikar didn't need to ask who she meant by her. The queen. Eirikr's firstborn daughter. Given the fact that she'd killed several of their friends and had attacked them on a number of occasions, she didn't make the cut on anyone's Christmas list, but Chloe truly detested her guts.

Mikar wasn’t sure that Chloe even understood the reasons behind her feelings. It was more than the mere circumstances of their conflict. Vampires all had beasts inside them, a darker, wilder, and also simpler part of themselves, who saw life in black and white. The queen was threatening Chloe's birthright, her natural place in the world. Chloe was one of the most dominant women Mikar had ever come across. Naturally, her beast was showing its fangs at anything and anyone who wanted what was hers. There may also have been a degree of human jealousy, given that the queen was Eirikr's natural-born daughter. A child he'd loved, cared for, and mourned for thousands of years. Chloe adored her psychotic vampire elder. So unsurprisingly, she didn't want to compete for his affection with his long-lost child.

"Checkmate, by the way," she announced cheerfully.

Mikar growled low, analyzing the board. She was right, dammit.

"I should never have taught you to play chess," he grumbled.

Chloe grinned, replacing the glass pieces on the fancy clear and blue board. As soon as he'd seen that his mate enjoyed playing, Levi had dusted off a ridiculously expensive glassware board from his attic and had it brought to the study where they spent most of their evenings.

"I knew how to play. You taught me how to win."

True. She’d been too attached to her figures—now she never hesitated to sacrifice a queen to conquer.

"That. Remind me to not do that again."

Chloe laughed. "Like you could help yourself. You're too much of a natural teacher and protector, Mikar. You want the best for everyone you care about."

She said it casually, with a matter-of-fact shrug. That was the thing about Chloe. She made all those around her feel proud of themselves. Mikar knew himself to be agitated and short-tempered, prone to killing first and asking questions later, but to hear her speak, he was a good person. A true friend. Of course, he wanted to be. Anyone who met Chloe wanted to get to know her, take care of her, because she made them feel like they mattered. She lifted her people up, like only a true leader could. Her dominance was covered in honey, making her the ultimate alpha. She wasn't even manipulative. Just…nice. Mikar wasn't used to nice. Not from powerful she-vamps. Maybe she'd change as she aged, but he didn't think she would.

The beep of his phone interrupted any response he might have tried to make. Chloe's and Levi's alarms rang at the same time. He opened his messages, and his eyes widened.

He blinked once, and then again, for luck.

"What the fresh hell is this!” Chloe screeched.

He guessed she'd received the same thing as him: a picture of a smiling Alexius, arm around his mate, Avani, standing next to Knox, the ever-infuriating Immortal Wolf. They were holding a marriage license. They'd gotten hitched. Without them. Without even telling anyone!

"They're out of Oldcrest!" Chloe shrieked, affronted. She turned to Levi, who was typing on his cell. Chloe pointed an accusatory finger at him. "You knew! You knew they were going to slip away and do this!"

Levi shrugged. "They let me know they were popping out to sign the papers today, yes. What was I supposed to say? Although you're a nine-hundred-year-old ancient and your mate can rip off heads without breaking a sweat, you cannot get married when you damn well want to? You know no one stops Alexius or Avani from doing what they want to."

"That's not the point!" Her voice was reaching an all-time high. "I can't believe they're getting married without us!"

"They didn't want to make a fuss. Avani grew up in the mortal world, and to her, marriage means something. Alexius wanted to give her that. But neither of them is the whole white dress, big party type."

"Oh, they will get a party, mark my words!" Chloe snarled, stalking to her mate, and grabbing him by the tie. "And if you think for one second that you and I are going to pop by the courthouse for a quick signature someday, you're mistaken. I want a tiara. I want an altar. I want a train, a flower girl, bridesmaids, bouquets, something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. And I will get it."

Mikar had seen Chloe take on Eirikr's daughter before the summer holiday, yet he didn't think he'd ever seen her look quite so menacing. Surprisingly, Levi didn't seem fazed. In fact, the man was amused. He tilted his head. "Oh? Are we getting married, now?”

Chloe let go of the tie and glared up at him. "No. I haven't said yes."

He grinned. "Yet."

Mikar shook his head. He understood what Chloe was doing: taking their relationship at a normal, human pace. They'd started dating just months ago. Regardless of the fact that Levi and she were one hundred percent sure that they were it for each other, and that only death could separate them, she clung to her human ways still. To her, moving in together and getting hitched were things adults did all in due time. Mikar wasn't sure how Levi managed to be patient and go at her pace, but he did.

"We'll see," the she-vamp replied, lifting her chin. "I can't believe you didn't let me know my friends were getting married today." Now she’d switched from angry to disappointed, maybe even sad.

Seeing his friend’s expression darken, edging toward panic, Mikar opted to jump to Levi's aid. "You would have wanted to tag along, and then we would have had to go with an escort. Which would have been exactly against Alexius's and Avani's wishes. Levi didn't want to ruin their day, that's all."

Chloe sighed, wordlessly admitting he was right. "Fine. But don't think I won't make you pay for it, nonetheless," she added, with another scowl at her mate, who just smiled.

"Counting on it."

"Mikar, can I get your help?" Chloe asked, furiously typing on her phone, and rushing out of the tower. "We don't have much time."

"What for?" he asked, following her. He was on duty as her guard until nightfall, so he would have trailed her no matter what.

"Throwing the Helsings a party worthy of their name."

So much for listening to the couple's wishes.

But Mikar was bored, and a party sounded great.

"Count me in."

Tales and Whispers

Diana returned to her seat of choice, on the horses' fountain, and watched the crowd part ways, sending her wary glances over their shoulders. Some of them might have thought about calling the cops on her, but if they did, the memory of what had happened to the phones she'd busted stopped them. That, or the way she’d kicked the three humans’ asses without breaking a sweat.

Not that calling the cops would have done any good. It might have gotten a run-of-the-mill vampire in trouble, sure. Sups didn't need to abide by human laws, but they also weren't supposed to hurt any regulars. While self-defense was a valid reason to bend the rules, more often than not, human authorities stood with human beings, no matter what they'd done, or attempted to do. They protected their own. When a sup crossed the line, the human authorities could either attempt to arrest and detain the sup—at their own risk—or call the huntsmen to do their dirty work. The fact that there was no human alive who could hope to apprehend her notwithstanding, Diana wasn't concerned by the police because, even in the event she was arrested, she had diplomatic immunity in England, and around most of the globe. She was a Helsing. One didn't finance kingdoms, outfit armies, and aid in conquering colonies without some perks. Diana hadn't partaken in any of that, but her family certainly had retained a vested interest in mortal politics.