She came to the top of the grand staircase and looked at the throng of people below. The Principessa, with the help of Katie, was overseeing the revamp of the Debreks’ London home, and for the last few weeks, since the wedding, the house had been filled with human decorators, plumbers, electricians, and joiners.

Just having these humans in Byron’s home filled her with worry. How was she supposed to keep the Debrek secret world hidden and Byron and Amelia safe with all these human strangers milling about the house? She had tried to counsel Byron against letting so many in at once, and tried to limit the number, but Byron was relaxed about the whole thing. Too relaxed.

Alexis gripped the wooden banister. Byron had become less careful since she and the Principessa became bonded, but Alexis vowed she would not take her eye off the ball. It was her job to be vigilant, and to make sure everyone was safe.

For all they knew, one of Victorija’s vampires could be down there, playing the part of a human and plotting right under their noses. Alexis had initially placed guards everywhere, determined the humans would see nothing they shouldn’t, but both Bhal and Byron had said it made this seemingly normal private London home look even odder to have guards on every doorway.

Now there were just two on the entrance hall, but her security cameras were everywhere. No one was going to cause a security issue on her watch.

Something else caught Alexis’s attention—the clatter of heels on the marble hallway floor. Katie had appeared from one of the downstairs rooms and walked across the floor towards one of the humans.

She hadn’t spoken with Katie properly for a long time, unless it was to do with the house or Amelia and Byron, but that didn’t mean Alexis hadn’t taken notice of her. Alexis always noticed Katie, but she would never allow Katie to see that.

Her eyes caressed Katie, wearing a tight black skirt and white blouse. Alexis studied her so much that she knew every curve, every inch of Katie. Alexis asked herself time and time again why this one petite human captured her attention so much.

She had been surrounded by beautiful women most of her long life, she’d even been on the verge of marriage to one, but none had kept her attention like Katie Brekman. Katie wasn’t glamourous—she was the girl next door with that simple, natural beauty that few possessed.

Alexis watched Katie talking to one of the painters. They were looking at paint colours, and Katie was laughing at what the painter said. She sometimes wished she had that kind of easy-going humour that would allow her to speak to Katie like that, but then her stoic personality was the one thing that protected her from getting hurt.

Then something changed. The male painter boxed Katie in against the wall and was entirely too close. Fortunately, Alexis’s enhanced hearing was able to listen in on their conversation.