Dancing Dragon by Nicola Claire Read Free Book Online Page A

switched allegiances and lined up in front of the tall, statuesque Egyptian. Gregor's low growl could only be heard by those next to us, all of which had luckily been vamps.
    He rolled his head on his shoulders and led me to a reserved table in the corner, drinks were immediately placed in front of us. A Bacardi and Coke for me and something dark and no doubt potent for Gregor.
    “You know, Morel, considering the country she comes from, having her serve alcohol behind the bar is a bit gauche,” I said, quietly, whilst sipping my drink.
    Gregor's eyes flashed silver, still fixed on Amisi at the bar, then slowly returned to look at me.
    “It was either that or have her as part of the entertainment.” The entertainment wore even less than Amisi had on, short-short leather mini skirts, minuscule leather straps and fabric strips as tops and six inch thigh-high leather boots. They also were tasked with enticing the clientèle into nefarious deeds, none of which I really wanted to be privy to. “Besides, she follows Nut. Nut would understand.”
    I couldn't argue, given the choice I'm sure Nut would, but it's more than that. Gregor was a Nosferatin before he was turned. Nut herself engineered the turning, he has met her, he knows her as well as I. It was not an arrogant vampire talking, but a former hunter like me.
    “I dread to think what you would have had me do,” I muttered under my breath.
    That received a winning smile, the tiniest flash of fangs. “Lucinda, you would only ever have been my personal entertainment. The leather straps would have looked good on you.”
    “And they wouldn't on Amisi?” I asked, incredulously. He still comes on to me after all this time and with Amisi across the room?
    He paused, considered his words, then said, “Amisi is not exactly like you, ma cherie. She is... precious. She requires my protection. You are more than capable of holding your own with my kind.”
    Oh, he was so wrong there. “Amisi has more skill in her little toe than I do in my whole body, Gregor. She can take care of herself and she wouldn't appreciate you thinking otherwise.”
    His smile broadened. “I feel compelled to protect her. She is mine to protect.”
    And there you had it. The vampire within him had already claimed her as his kindred. I may have been an attraction to Gregor, a distraction from his self hatred at the time, but Amisi was now his sole purpose in life. If there is one thing to be said about vampires, they are proprietary. They mark something as theirs and they will not share.
    I smiled back. “That's better,” I said, holding his gaze.
    “Do I pass the test, little Hunter?”
    “Just in the nick of time. Any longer before you declared your undying love and I would have had to stake you.”
    He held a hand to his chest, above his heart and gave me a mock sigh. “You are so harsh, ma cherie. So harsh.” And then flashed a smile and a wink.
    We passed the next two hours just talking and teasing one another, it was a balm on a hot summer's night, a welcomed distraction from the pain in my heart. Gregor knew how to bring me out of myself, he knew how to make me forget my worries and concentrate on the here and now. Gregor had always been a closet hedonist. Hell, at one stage I don't think it was a hidden trait at all. But, he couldn't bear the thought of me suffering now and not try to make me find a way to have pleasure.
    After two hours of his undivided attention I brought myself back to reality and ushered him to his office. He was the Master of the City, I had monopolised his time long enough. He didn't fight me on it, so he'd probably been dealing with some of his business telepathically with his line. I appreciated the fact that he had spent so long in my company. His time was precious and he had given more than enough to prove he cared.
    Before he left me, he cast a glance at Amisi, still surrounded by throngs of attentive male customers and pursed his lips.
    “I think it time our