Dancing Dragon Read Online Free PDF Page A

longer, but he didn't come. And by then the emotions I was feeling had morphed from pain and hurt, and lost love and bewilderment, and confusion and dashed hopes, to anger and hatred and a sense of life being so not fair. Not fair at all.
    I showered and dressed quietly, in my usual hunter gear. Short-short black mini skirt, tight fitting black T-Shirt and custom made jacket with two silver stakes and a silver knife hidden in the pockets. Before I put my jacket on, I slid into my holder, sheathing my Svante sword down my back. No make-up, just a flick of my hands through my below shoulder length, brown, straight hair and I was done.
    A quick phone call to Michel's pilots at the airport and my flight was scheduled. I couldn't stay here any longer, I needed to get away. I needed a friendly face. Hell, I needed a shoulder to cry on. Auckland would have to survive without me for a couple for days. I needed out. I threw some gear together in a bag and walked down the stairs to find my vampire and guards and let them know they could take a mini break too. No way were they coming with me.
    I found Samson in the gym downstairs. I waited for him to finish with his weights and then stepped into the glow of lights by the door.
    “Hey!” he said, cheerfully.
    Samson and I had come a long way since he joined my line six weeks ago. We'd spent a lot of time together and I found I really liked him. He was intelligent and quick witted, but very quiet and reserved. Long blonde hair, invariably tied back at the base of his neck and big brown eyes, he was handsome, but what you noticed first about Samson was the mark, or Sigillum -like star, that graced his cheek. Laced with iridescent swirls and geometric designs, it was the mark of the Lux Lucis Tribuo . Samson was mine. A Brit, he had a nice accent and acted like a gentleman. He was so far removed from the evil Dark vampire I had been confronted with initially, that it was almost like he was a completely different person. I liked him, he had become a friend.
    “ Hey, yourself. Um, I'm heading away for a couple of days, so take care of the place OK?”
    He finished wiping off his handsome face with his towel and threw it into the hamper in the corner. Nothing but net.
    “What's up, Luce? Are you running away?” Even Samson, having only known me for six weeks, knew me pretty damn well. I always run, it's what I do best. Other than staking evil undead creatures of the night that is. I just don't handle emotional confrontation well.
    “Not at all. I need a rest, a vacation. I'm going to visit Amisi for a couple of days. Do some girlie stuff, you know, paint our nails, stay up eating chocolate ice cream all night, talk about boys, maybe pick up a stray one along the way.”
    Samson huffed in response. “Yeah. That'll happen. What does Michel say?”
    “Say about what?” I asked, picking at a thread on my jacket that had come loose and was suddenly very interesting.
    “You haven't told him. Don't you think he'd like to know if his kindred Nosferatin is leaving the city?” he asked, gently.
    “What are you, Samson? My mother? Michel could give a rat's arse about what I do right now. Fuck Michel!”
    Samson suddenly stood up and then froze. It's not that he comes under Michel's influence, but Michel is his employer and the only reason he can stay in this city to be near me. Piss Michel off and he could get evicted, lose his night time job and income, and be made to stay away from his mistress: me. The one who makes him feel safe and warm and happy. So, I knew instantly what Samson's reaction was all about.
    “He's standing behind me, isn't he?” I said, casually.
    “Yes mistress, he is.”
    Ah crap.
    “Leave us, Samson, if you would.” Michel gave it as an order, but because Samson is not one of his vampires, he didn't lace it with Sanguis Vitam , just the menace of his office as Master of the City.
    Still, Samson is not a total weakling and he is mine. His loyalty is bound by the