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don't you just go and tell your Master that I'm kind of busy tonight.”
    “ Aww, come on, Luce! Ya know I can't return to him without ya, he'd have me for dinner, he would.”
    Unfortunately, as melodramatic as that sounded, he would. Michel might be one of the nice guys, but he was a Master Vampire in charge of a city, albeit a city in the antipodes, he had to be strong and ruthless when it counted. I had no doubt Shane would clob it for my refusal to attend .
    Another sigh and another subconscious flattening of my skirt and shirt. “OK, let's go see the Master,” I said as I strode past him into the night.

Chapter 2
Master Knows Best
    Michel owns a number of night clubs and bars throughout the city. All the Masters of Cities throughout the world seem to be into the same business. I guess it's easy to conduct your affairs from an establishment that only gets going after it's dark. The one Shane led me to this evening was called Sensations. If I didn't know it was vampire owned, I'd have liked it. It had a certain charm and was very subtle in its overtures towards the night life. And I'm not talking your average club scene either. Some of the bars around, even ones Michel owns, are a bit camp, to say the least. It's a surprise vampires aren't out of the coffin yet, everyone seems to be into fang right now.
    Fantasy at it's best. Unfortunately, I know better.
    Sensations was just off K Road; Karangahape Road to those from out of town. But not down the red light end of the street, up near Queen Street and the more reputable establishments. It had an ornate plastered concrete façade painted in black, with large double sided dark wooden doors. The windows were all blacked out and the overall effect, far from being too dark and foreboding, actually gave off the appearance of sophisticated chic.
    There was always a bouncer on the front door, tonight it was Bruno. Yeah, clichéd I know, but that's his name, has been since well before the Napoleonic Wars. He wasn't one of our allies, that was for sure, I somehow doubted that he was even one now. All muscles and broad shoulders, he was an impressive sight. Of course, that's the point of a bouncer, isn't it? To intimidate, but to also look damn fine in their tight fitting black jeans and tee. Bruno wore it well.
    He nodded to us both as we passed the queue to get in and turned to open the door. “Lucinda Monk, long time no see.” His sharp eyes made a slow graceful trip from my head to my toes, then back up again. “Good to see you.”
    His smile didn't fool me though, Bruno wasn't one I'd like to meet alone in an alley. Not exactly a bad guy, but not OK either. I never put my back to Bruno if I could help it.
    “ Yeah right, Bruno. Wish I could say the same.”
    See, that's me, all bad attitude. Scare the boogie men off with my smart mouth. That'll work.
    Inside the club was all plush upholstery, lush furnishings in muted colours, dark wood, not imitation, but the real stuff, heavy but sleek. Smoking's not allowed in public premises any more, they made that illegal some time ago, thankfully. So it didn't have the old world feel of smoke filled rooms and sweat soaked people. The air conditioning was on and although not super cold, it was cool and pleasant. That's Michel for you, creates a pleasant environment even in a place where you intend to get drunk.
    The place was of course packed, any establishment owned by Michel would be. Especially if he was known to be in attendance and I didn't doubt for a moment that the people here knew just that and hoped to catch a glimpse. Michel was the bachelor of the city. Everyone wanted a piece of him.
    They could have him, for all I cared. I just wanted to go home and take a steaming hot shower and ease my aching body into bed. It had been a hellishly long night.
    Shane walked straight past the people milling around the comfortable couches and sitting at the cosy two seater tables, past the first and main bar, to a door marked private at