Curious eyes slid over me as I stepped into the stinking pub, but many also averted their gazes, shrinking as small as they could in their chairs. I laughed lightly and enjoyed the contrast from the first time I entered this place.

"Same as always?" Hilda hissed, and I looked down at the small woman and nodded before heading over to the triplets' table. I settled into the rounded sofa and threw my feet up on the table. I felt the gazes and heard the whispers; everyone knew that no one sat at their table without an invitation. "Do you have a death-wish?" the raccoon muttered as she approached the table with my bottle. 

 "I need to talk to the ladies," I replied calmly. She scrutinized me with narrowed eyes before throwing out a warning, "No fighting indoors!" 

 "I promise," I said with an innocent smile, raising my hands toward the ceiling. 

 Once she left, I leaned back and lit a cigarette while my eyes scanned the creatures in the room. At one of the lower tables sat four little gnomes bickering over playing cards, coins flying around them. A few wolf shifters were sitting in the opposite corner, and I immediately felt their watchful gazes; it was obvious they were talking about me in hushed tones. This pub was a neutral place; everyone was welcome, but it was closest to the Vampire Quarter, so the wolves usually stayed away from here. It struck me that they probably weren't from Paris—maybe just passing through or something. 

 I took a swig from my beer bottle and glanced toward the front door; the girls usually showed up around this time, but the sisters were nowhere to be seen yet. I sank a little deeper into the sofa and closed my eyes, listening to the sound of laughter and muted discussions as I waited. I heard glasses clinking and coins being tossed. Hilda's furious hissing and the staggering steps of drunken badgers being thrown out. Amid it all, I clearly distinguished the deep chuckle of my very own lion. The corners of my mouth lifted slightly when I realized he must be playing cards with the other guardians at the usual table further in. 

Suddenly the heavy wooden door of the tavern creaked open, and the air seemed to chill as three figures stepped inside, their presence a ripple of unease that swept through the room. The triplets. Conversations hushed, mugs paused mid-air, and all eyes darted toward the doorway, though none dared to linger too long.

They moved in perfect synchronization, each step deliberate and unnervingly silent, like predators stalking their prey. Their black bob haircuts gleamed under the dim, flickering light of the tavern's lanterns, framing sharp, symmetrical faces that were unnervingly identical. Their skin was pale as moonlight, contrasting starkly against the dark, sleek attire they wore—black leather jackets with high collars, tailored to perfection, and combat boots that barely made a sound against the creaky wooden floor.

But it was their eyes that drew every gaze, despite the fear of meeting them. Crimson-red, glowing faintly like embers in the dark, they seemed to pierce through flesh and bone, revealing every secret, every fear, every sin. Those eyes were a warning, a promise of violence lurking just beneath their cold, expressionless façades.

The eldest—or perhaps just the boldest—stepped forward first, her head tilting slightly as she surveyed the room. The faintest hint of a smirk tugged at her lips, enough to send a shiver down the spines of the tavern's patrons. Behind her, the other two fanned out subtly, their movements fluid, like shadows stretching under the dim light.

A burly man at the bar, brave—or foolish—enough to mutter under his breath, quickly fell silent as one of them turned her gaze on him. The red in her eyes brightened for a moment, and he shrank back, pale and trembling, as though she'd drained the very courage from his veins without lifting a finger. The triplets walked towards their table in the corner, their movements as seamless as flowing water. When they sat, it was with an air of regal command, their silence louder than any shout. Even Hilda hesitated to approach, her hands shaking as she set three goblets of red wine before them, her eyes fixed on the floor.

They were the fiercest vampires in town—whispered legends of their ruthlessness circulated like ghost stories. No one challenged them, not anymore. And as the triplets sipped their wine, the faintest trace of red smeared on one of their lips, the room seemed to hold its collective breath, praying they had come only to drink. 

"Have you gotten lost, darling?" a smooth voice whispered in my ear. 

 My hand slipped behind Mei's back, and I met her red eyes with a smile. "I thought it was time we got to know each other." 

 On my left side, Pei studied me with curiosity, while Yi stared at me with a murderous glare. "I don't remember sending an invitation, Loyson," she snapped.

"You're taking far too many liberties," Mei chirped, licking her ruby-red lips as she straddled my legs. 

 "You're lucky," Pei noted, nodding toward the Guardians' table. "The place is packed, and you have many witnesses." 

 I leaned forward over the table with Mei's arms wrapped around my neck. Long nails scratched my scalp. "You don't think I would sit in your sofa without a plan, do you?" I said, my eyes amused, and I flirtatiously blinked at Mei before my gaze shifted toward the Guardians, meeting a pair of calm blue eyes framed by golden curls. I winked at him, a theatrical gesture to create the impression that I wasn't afraid of him. In reality, I wanted to assure him that I had a plan. He held my gaze steadily for a while until a silky hand with long red-painted nails grasped my chin and turned my face toward hers. 

 "So what is it you want, darling?" 

 My hands wandered from her thigh up to her slim waist. "Maybe we could talk in a slightly more private place?" 

My suggestion was completely dismissed, and instead, the other sisters took their places on either side of me. "We're not asking again," Pei whispered, slipping her hand under my shirt and letting her nails graze my stomach. 

 "So answer our question," Yi insisted before she wrapped both hands around my neck and squeezed. 

 "What..." Mei whispered against my lips before pressing them against mine and forcing her tongue into my mouth. 

 "...do you want?" Pei mumbled in my left ear, sucking on my earlobe. 

 "...from us?" Yi asked sensually, dragging the tip of her tongue along my neck. 

 I closed my eyes, trying to focus on my plan and not drowning in the sensation from the caressing hands that sought their way under my clothes and the soft lips exploring my body. 

 "I want to serve your Lord," I moaned softly, so quietly that only the triplets could hear me, and the hands immediately stopped moving. 

 "Is he brave?" 

 "Or an idiot?" 

 "Or both?" 

They laughed, glancing at each other with delight. 

 "You know who I am," I continued breathlessly, "you know what I'm capable of." 

 Yi turned my face toward her and smiled confidently. "We've heard about you, darling, and I can assure you that our Lord knows exactly who you are." 

 Mei grabbed my chin and pressed her lips against mine in a long kiss before whispering, "We'll mention it to him." Then she rose from my lap and nodded for me to leave the table. 

 With a smile, I drank the rest of the contents of my bottle before standing up and bowing to them. "Until we meet again, ladies," I grinned, lighting a cigarette as I turned and walked out.  

The night air was fresh and pleasant, the total opposite of the pub, and I felt a wave of relief wash over me. The scratches from their claws stung across my body, but other parts of me were not as pleased that they had stopped so suddenly. 

 "You're playing with fire," a voice rumbled beside me, and I looked up into the blue eyes.

"It's work, not play," I assured him, watching him nod thoughtfully, but he said nothing more. 

We had an agreement: no talk about work; life would get too damn complicated otherwise.
I noticed how he looked around before suddenly pushing me against the wall with unusual force. His hands gripped me tightly, and I felt his hips pressing against mine. Deep from within his chest came that growling sound I loved, and soon his tongue filled my mouth. My hands found their way into his hair, and I eagerly responded to his desire. When he was forced to break the kiss to take a few breaths, I couldn't help but laugh. 

 "I didn't think you were the jealous type." 

 "I'm not," he panted against my neck, "but you're in deep water, so I thought I'd take one last taste while I had the chance." 

 "Sure," I grinned, feeling a bit flattered, "you can relax; it's just a job." 

 I met his eyes, but now the gaze was filled with concern. "I can't protect you everywhere, Dominic." 

 "I know," I mumbled, running my fingers through his beard. "But I know what I'm doing."

 "I hope so," he muttered unusually downcast before giving me one last kiss and leaving me to return to his colleagues. 

 "Can I sleep at your place?" I called after him. 

 "I expect nothing less," he grinned as he walked inside.

I woke with an ache in my body, muscles stiff and protesting as I shifted slightly. Shouldn't vampires be immune to this kind of thing? I groaned softly, realizing this was likely the price of going weeks without Valec's blood drops. But the discomfort faded as soon as I became aware of the warmth beside me. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, his breath soft against my hair. His arm, heavy and solid, was draped over me, pinning me in place. Not that I minded. Trapped like this, I felt a strange, comforting contentment—a weight I wasn't eager to escape. Smiling faintly, I rested my cheek against his skin, breathing him in. For years, I'd believed love was something else entirely—some abstract idea, a fleeting thrill, or maybe just a convenient arrangement. But now, with him, I understood what it truly meant. Real love. The kind that didn't just fill the empty spaces but remade you completely. Closing my eyes, my thoughts drifted back to the life I'd left behind, the loose ends fraying in my absence. My apartment—was it still mine? Did Lexie make it home that night? Should I reach out to her somehow? And Ben... who was covering all his shifts now? A flicker of guilt tugged at me, but I pushed it aside, letting the steady sound of his breathing anchor me to this moment.

 "Magnus?" 

 "Mmmm?"

 "What if we leave?" 

 He yawned widely and replied without opening his eyes, "What do you mean?" 

 "I'd like to go back to my apartment." 

 He laughed softly, "Do you think you're stuck here?" 

 I buried my face in the golden curls covering his chest, "It feels like it."

 "You can go wherever you want, Dominic; you're not forced to live here, but most choose to stay away from humans because it's easier that way." 

 "Will you go with me?" 

 "If you want, but unlike you, I can't be away forever. I have a lifelong contract with the city." His answer wasn't what I wanted to hear, but I mumbled a low thank you before I kissed his shoulder. His fingers found their way into my hair, and I felt my whole body relax as they slowly massaged my scalp. "I know what you're planning," he finally said. 

 "I'm not planning to leave forever; I just want to make sure she got home and is okay." 

 "Not that," he sighed, opening his eyes to look into mine. "I know you're trying to infiltrate Séjour de nuit." 

 "How?" I asked quickly, sitting up with a pounding heart. 

 "Calm down, no one else knows," he said, lying on his back with his hands behind his neck. I rubbed my temples with my palms and ran my fingers through my hair. 

"I have no choice; you know I can't say no." 

 He nodded, "I know." 

 "But?" 

 He sighed heavily and shook his head, "Valec has gotten cocky, Nic. Ever since he saw how strong you've become, he's been taking too many risks." 

 "What do you mean?"

 "The vampire world is bigger than Paris; there are Princes, and there are rules and laws that must be followed, and Valec is walking on thin ice."

"Princes?" I murmured curiously. 

 "Don't get me wrong; I don't give a damn about your white-haired idiot of a creator, but I don't want him to drag you into trouble." 

 "It's probably too late for that," I smirked, leaning forward to lay flat against him until I rested my chin on his chest. 

 "I'm serious."

 "I can tell," I grinned back. 

 "Just be careful, okay?" he muttered, trailing his fingertips along my spine. 

 "Of course," I replied with a smile and leaned in for a kiss, fully aware that there was something heavy behind his words, but I'd rather live in the moment than worry about intrigue and politics. I had my own plan, and as long as it included Magnus, I didn't care about anything else.