Showing A Lick of Frost by Laurell K. Hamilton

You know me. I am Meredith Gentry, princess and heir apparent to the throne in the realm of Faerie; one-time private investigator in the mortal world.

To be crowned queen, I must continue the royal bloodline - I must produce an heir. To fail would allow my aunt, Queen Andais, do what she most desires: to place her twisted son, Cel, upon the throne of Faerie...and kill me.

I am surrounded by loyal guards, my best loved - sworn to protect and to love me - yet for all our eager efforts, I remain childless. My sinister Queen and her confederates conspire against me and so my bodyguards and I have slipped back into Los Angeles. But it seems exile is not enough to escape those with dark designs upon us. King Taranis, vainglorious ruler of Faerie's Seelie court, has accused my guards of a heinous crime and asked the mortal authorities to pursue them. If he succeeds, my men will face a hideous fate. I know Taranis's charges are baseless - for his true target is me. He tried to kill me when I was a child. Now I fear his intentions are far more terrifying...