(28) Two vampires, a ghoul and a shifter.

"No! No way, no how. I won't."

Roderick cocked an eyebrow. "It seems to me, Piers, that you said basically the same thing when I told you that you were going to be staying here. Now you're complaining because I'm taking you with me on my next assignment?"

"I—I'm actually enjoying myself for once, umm, watching Linden try to stay out of Helmut's clutches."

"I'm sure that's quite amusing but hardly a good reason to say no to me. After all, how many times do you get to go to Paris?"

"Well— Paris, huh? Can we go clubbing there? I hear they have some great ones."

"The whole city to explore and all you can think about is the clubs." Roderick's lips quirked up in amusement.

"So I miss them."

"Miss what?" Linden asked as he came into the parlor.

"The clubs. We're going to Paris!"

"Oh." Linden flopped down in one of the chairs.

"There's a definite lack of enthusiasm in that response," Roderick said.

"No, it'll be fun. It's just—"

Piers jumped in before Linden said the wrong thing, "That he'll miss Helmut."

Linden shot him a disgusted look. "Will not."

"Actually," Roderick told them, trying not to laugh, "Helmut's coming with us to act as your bodyguard."

"No way!" Linden looked at him in shock before burying his face in his hands.

"Way," Helmut said, smirking as he came in, leaning against the doorframe with crossed arms.

"I'm doomed," Linden muttered.