Rue tried to be serious. She wasn’t all that good at it either. It probably looked worse on her than it did on Quesnel. “I believe I could kill one of them, if I had to. He was very rude.”

“Yet they are vampires, and you were raised by a vampire. You would have more trouble than most, I think.” Still so serious.

Rue wanted to tell him to stop. This conversation was making her uncomfortable. “Perhaps that’s why the Shadow Council decided to grant me sundowner status. They knew I would struggle with death dealing – morally as well as physically.”

“I cannot believe your mother would allow such a burden.”

Rue stiffened. She may not always get along with her mother but she would not have her maligned. “My mother knows her responsibility to queen and country. She would not have permitted the conference of sundowner status if she didn’t think I could handle the repercussions.” Perhaps that was part of Rue’s own ready acceptance: Mother is actually treating me like an adult.

“Indeed? And has she ever been a sundowner?”

“No, only a licensed exorcist. But Paw’s held the title since he became head of BUR.”

“And how has your father handled the repercussions?” Quesnel wondered.

Rue considered this question. Really considered it for the first time in her life. She had always known that her adored Paw was one of the few men in Britain authorised to hunt and kill vampires and werewolves as needed. But she’d never thought much about how he felt about that, nor indeed how the rest of the supernatural community might regard him as a result. It must be lonely. That Rue could understand. Her three parents had tried hard to bring her up without spoiling her overmuch, but Rue knew she was unique in the world. There weren’t even historical records of metanaturals, only rumour and hearsay. It was an odd kind of loneliness, like being the last of a dying race. Would she be further ostracised if she killed as well?

“Paw is Paw – things mostly roll off him. How else could he survive marriage to my mother?” she answered at last.

Quesnel cradled her face in his hands. “Don’t accept sundowner status, chérie. You can say no.”

Rue shook her head against his touch. “All three of my parents serve the crown with grace and integrity. If the Shadow Council trusts me with this, I will accept the responsibility. It is an odd birthright, but it’s mine. Besides, why do you care?”

Quesnel lowered his hands. “You are amazingly frustrating. Has anyone ever told you that?”

“Frequently. It’s part of my charm.”

Quesnel turned all French on her in an instant. His eyes back to twinkling. “Very well, mon petit chou, I think I should kiss you now, before you are corrupted by circumstances beyond our control.”