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wear. So she’d just worn it when he visited next. And nothing else . He’d liked that part. “He’s one of those men who remembers tiny details.”
    Susan’s nod indicated she was leaning away from violence and toward tea and tiny sandwiches the next time Clive was in London. “So not only does he know red is your favorite color, but that peonies are your favorite flower. A man who pays attention. I approve.”
    He probably had a little logbook to keep track of her personal details. He was that sort of fastidious. “Yes. He stocks his apartment with my favorite wine. He even goes with me to the shooting range. I...goddess, I like him even if he really does need to lighten up. But he comes with a lot of complications, including a passel of whiny Vampires who don’t like their new daddy dating that mean old whore who killed their old daddy.”
    Susan burst out laughing. “There’s a lot of talk. About you and the Scion. I’ve seen pictures of him. He’s rather delightfully beautiful. I mean, they all tend to be. But this one knows how to wear a suit, and he did go after you to try to save your life. So that’s a plus.”
    “The gossip is annoying.” She’d rather people talked about her skill with a blade than her love life. It was embarrassing.
    Susan smiled serenely. “People like to talk about you. You’re mysterious and frightening. He’s powerful. You’re both charismatic, and together I’m sure it’s rather overwhelming.”
    “I’m not marrying him or anything. He’s someone I like, and for whatever reason he likes me.” Rowan crossed her arms over her chest.
    “Of course he likes you. As for not marrying, thank goodness. You don’t need to be making any rash choices about anyone or anything right now. But you seem...” Susan cocked her head and looked Rowan over. “Less prone to stabbing people.”
    “A fine quality in a mate, that.” Rex patted his wife’s knee. “A good partner can tone down one’s homicidal tendencies.”
    “Is he good in bed?”
    Rowan blushed down to her toes and was torn between clapping her hands over her ears or wishing herself a million miles away.
    “It’s important!” Susan said to Rex’s admonishing look.
    “He takes care of business.” And that was all she wanted to share about that with people she thought of as sort of parents. “On this refreshingly honest note, I’m going to go back to the hotel. I have an early start in the morning.” She planned to leave hours before Valerie and her entourage. She wanted to get to the Keep ahead of the others. She needed time to get herself together and also, to establish her dominance with the Vampires before the other Hunters showed up acting like douchebags. If Rowan arrived first, she’d be able to blunt any excess or silliness the others might bring with them like fourteen suitcases and all manner of personal assistants whose jobs were nothing more than fetching pencils and putting chocolates on pillows.
    Rowan wanted a tone of professionalism and a little fear to be set. Getting to the Keep first would allow for that.
    She accepted kisses and hugs and hurried out after one last promise to keep Susan updated.
    A black cab dropped off a fare, and she realized that while she could walk back to her hotel, it would be even better to just let someone else get her there. She had on heels anyway.
    With a last wave over her shoulder, she slid into the cab and then realized her mistake as she looked up and realized it was no ordinary London cabbie behind the wheel, but Crazy Carl the taxi man.
    “Lookie here! It’s Sally.”
    Before she could say a word, he’d hit the locks and peeled away from the curb and into traffic.
    Red light indicated the doors were secure, and she knew better than to fight it.
    Despite his scary driving and tendency for showing up at random—usually to deliver some sort of ominous advice—Rowan had a soft spot for the handlebar-mustachioed amateur-taxidermist sage.
    The quiet street