Blood and Hexes (After Darkness Falls #4) - May Sage Page 0,7

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.

The first Helsing had been Desideria, a gentle lady of the house of Lombard, bred to marry a human king sometime around the fall of the Western Roman Empire. At puberty, she’d developed an ability that didn't fit into the Middle Ages’ idea of what a proper lady should be. They'd dragged her out of bed in the middle of the night, intending to burn her at the stake. And they would have done so, had Ariadne not intervened, snatching the girl up. Ariadne had trained her to use her powers, and when she grew older, had turned her into a vampire. Desideria had chosen the name of her house. Helsing. Quite apt, all things considered.

Some of the vampires of the time had retreated from humanity, only interacting with them when they needed a snack. Not Desideria or her descendants—Diana's ancestors. They whispered in the ears of kings and emperors, using their influence to make them dance to their tunes like puppets. Helping when it suited them, betraying alliances when it didn't.

While certainly respected, the Helsings were mistrusted. Their standing among the vampire race wasn't nearly as high as that of the Drakes or the De Villiers. Perhaps because, like the Stormhales, they were defined by their magic more than by the blood in their veins. Perhaps because they never showed their hand until they were sure to stand on the winning side. But for human beings? Helsing was the most prestigious house among the seven royal vampire lines. What remained of her family was endeavoring to further that legacy, still shadowing the lords of the world.

Except for her and her brother.

None of the tourists knew it, but Diana could have beheaded all of them and walked off without so much as a slap on the wrist. Fortunately for humanity, she wasn't fond of taking lives if she could help it, and she never hurt innocents.

"Is that blood on your boots?"

Diana's eyes widened in horror, and she gasped, leaping to her feet. She bent down to inspect her boots from all angles.

Standing up, she crossed her arms around her middle and glared at the girl in front of her. "That wasn't very nice."

Juniper looked good. Like Diana, she wouldn't age another day in her life, but that didn't prevent her kind from changing in other ways. For one, the last time they'd seen each other, Juniper's blonde locks had been in perfectly schooled waves, while now, she had a sophisticated platinum bob. Secondly, Juniper had clearly gained power. Diana naturally felt potential threats around her, assessing anyone who came close. She could count on both hands the number of people alive who made her tense. Juniper still wasn't one of them, but she didn't feel as inconsequential as she used to. She wasn't a bug Diana could have crushed without effort. If they fought, the girl might even land a punch before Diana wiped the floor with her face.

"Nor is terrifying a bunch of regs, but that didn't exactly stop you, now, did it?" Juniper retorted, snorting.

Diana rolled her eyes. "They deserved it."

Juniper grinned, tilting her head to a dark, elegant car waiting behind her. "Come on. Let's get you out of the rain before you cause any more trouble."

They hopped in the back, and flopped on soft beige leather seats.

"Where to, Juni?" the driver asked.

"How about you drive around for a while? We'll let you know when we make up our minds."

In other words, Juniper wasn't sure Diana wanted to go to her usual haunts with her. She wasn't wrong. Diana would prefer to avoid running into the rest of her coven—particularly her slimy sire—if she could help it.

As the car crawled through the lit-up streets of London, Juniper produced a bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice, with two glasses, from under her seat.

"Oh, now we're talking!"

She took the glasses and watched her friend open the bottle with a pop.

"Fancy some fresh blood powder with that?" Juniper offered.

Diana's eyebrows lifted an inch or so.

Since they'd synthesized blood, the rules and restrictions about drinking directly from humans had tightened. They differed from