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lacked. What was Nice like at this time of year? Spring in Saint Petersburg was chilly and it often snowed. Her sire had always made it sound as though it was warm all year round in the south of France. Unlike most vampires, she enjoyed summer, but that was when daylight ruled in Russia and the night was short. The lingering heat in the air when it eventually grew dark enough to leave the mansion relaxed her and made the world seem a better place.
    “Sophis!”
    She jolted to attention, saluting Tynan and snapping her heels together.
    “Both of you will stop this foolish behaviour. Do you understand?” Tynan said and she nodded without hesitation.
    Vivek saluted and dipped his chin.
    Neither of them had ever queried Tynan’s orders. That only led to more questions in Sophis’s mind. Tynan was younger than both her and Vivek, but he deserved the rank he had achieved in the short years that he had been a Venia. Both he and his brother, Jascha, were exemplary and perfect soldiers, trained as humans in special operations for the Russian government, and then as vampires to be the elite of the guards. Sophis knew that Vivek felt the same as she did about Tynan. If he could accept a man younger than him as his commander, why couldn’t he accept a woman as his equal?
    “I have a mission for you, and it will require you to work together.” Tynan stood and pushed his chair back before planting his palms on his oak desk. He levelled them both with a hard stare. “Perhaps it will knock some sense into your heads. You will hunt in the city tonight, without your squads, and will find out how many vampire hunters have arrived since our last count.”
    Sophis blinked. That sort of mission was something usually reserved for elite guards and Tynan himself. It was an honour to do it in his stead, but it was daunting too. The mission was important enough normally. With the Creator Day masquerade starting soon, bringing almost one hundred high-ranking vampires from the other six pure bloodlines in Europe to their mansion, scouting the number of vampire hunters in the city was critical. A wrong count, even if it was only one missed hunter, could spell disaster. The number of guards and their position in the grounds could prove ineffective and result in failure to protect the lords and ladies of the bloodlines.
    She wouldn’t be responsible for that.
    Tynan was showing faith in both her and Vivek by giving them this mission and she wouldn’t fail him.
    Tynan nodded as though he had seen the resolve in both of their eyes.
    His brown gaze shifted to her and softened. “Are you sure you’re up for this mission?”
    Sophis cast her eyes around the room, searching for her strength and battling the sudden wave of fear that swept through her blood. After what had happened during her last city patrol and encounter with a vampire hunter, and the events of her past, it was only natural for her to feel apprehensive about heading out of the mansion grounds in search of them. Once she was out there, everything would be fine and she would overcome any residual fear of facing the hunters again.
    She nodded. “I am.”
    A hint of a smile touched his mouth.
    “Good to hear.” He regarded both her and Vivek, his deep voice losing its warmth and regaining its commanding edge. “I do not need to tell you how important this is. Many hunters have entered Saint Petersburg in recent weeks. We must discover what is happening. Hunters have never known of the masquerade before but we are beginning to suspect that they know now. Head into the city, scout them and report to me. Can you do this?”
    Sophis and Vivek moved as one, pressing their hands to their chests and speaking in unison.
    “Yes, Commander Tynan.”

CHAPTER 3
    V ivek kept pace beside Sophis, his focus on the dark rundown residential streets surrounding him, alert and aware of every shadow and every nook where a hunter could hide. Sophis’s deep brown gaze remained locked ahead of her and he