Although we were both hosting the party, of course Lucius was there first—especially since my small group of guests was running late, thanks to Mindy's endless readjustment of both our hairstyles—and he smiled as we entered the room.
"Welcome, everyone," he greeted us, coming up beside me and slipping my hand into his. "You look beautiful tonight, Antanasia," he noted, glancing down to appraise the red dress I'd chosen for that evening. A long, full silk gown with a delicate pattern of Swarovski crystals across the "bodice," as Lucius would say. I'd chosen the dress not really to impress him but to honor my birth mother, who'd been known for wearing crimson.
"Red is a fitting color tonight," Lucius added, as though he recognized the tribute. Then he bent slightly, cupped my chin in his hand, and kissed me. Even though I was about to be a wife, I was still a teenager, too, and I flushed a little, because my parents were right there. Not too long ago, I'd been humiliated just to be caught sitting on the porch with Lucius, both of us moving close to a kiss that never quite happened.
"I'm glad you like the gown," I told Lucius, fighting that urge to blush. "You look nice, too."
Then Lucius released my hand and stepped past me to greet my parents. "Ned, Dara—so nice to see you. Welcome to my home."
"It's good to see you, too, Lucius," Mom said, pulling him to herself and holding him tightly. "We've missed you."
In spite of the way things had ended in Pennsylvania, my mother had forged a bond with Lucius while he'd lived with us, and I knew that she was being sincere. The fact that Lucius, who had grown up without a mother, didn't answer right away also made me think that he was truly glad to see her again, too. "Thank you for coming," he finally said, and although his voice was quiet, I was pretty sure it was thick with emotions that he was working hard to control.
When Mom released him, he straightened and moved to my father, and though I suspected that Dad, even more than Mom, had distrusted Lucius during those last few weeks that he'd lived with us, Ned Packwood was never one to turn away a hug. The two men hesitated for just a second, then Dad threw his arms wide and invited, "Come here, you!" Clasping Lucius to himself, he gave his back about five hearty slaps, until Lucius, laughing, withdrew and held Dad at arm's length, noting, "Easy, Ned! You strike hard for a pacifist!"
We all laughed then, and all at once I exhaled with an audible whoosh and felt my shoulders relax. I hadn't even realized how tense I'd been about their meeting until I saw that things were fine between them.
I knew that my parents were still worried—maybe terrified—about my marrying into vampire royalty. But a part of them had always known that this moment might come, and, true to their beliefs about parenting, they were letting me be the adult they'd raised me to be, and accepting Lucius back. To be honest, I doubted they'd ever really let him go.
Then Lucius went to Mindy, who suddenly seemed uncertain about how to act in such a regal setting. Or maybe she was worried, in her own way, about reuniting with Lucius after everything that had happened in high school. "Umm..." She actually started to curtsey and held out her hand, as if she expected him to kiss it. But Lucius smoothly drew my friend into a less vigorous, but still welcoming, embrace. "Thank you, Melinda, for coming."
"I wouldn't have missed this for the world, Lukey," Mindy said as they stepped apart. "I've been stocking up on shoes for this kind of shindig for years!"
It was probably the first time Lucius had ever been addressed by such a casual nickname in his own castle, but it seemed to amuse him, along with Mindy's first shoe reference of the trip. "Well, I hope the event is worthy of your footwear," he told her. Then he turned to me, saying, "I'm sorry, but I have to excuse myself. I need to 'mix and mingle' with our Romanian guests, as you Americans would say."
I looked around to realize that several other people—vampires—had arrived while we'd been occupied. Among them I saw some of my Dragomir kin, including my uncle Dorin, face already flushed with the warmth of the room and maybe the glass of dark red wine that he held in his hand as he told some animated story to three of my cousins.
I turned to look across the room to a far corner and saw that Lucius's uncle Claudiu had joined us, too, and the peace that I'd just felt to see my friends and family reunited was shaken a little.
Claudiu—younger brother of Vasile, whom Lucius had destroyed in this very house...
I hadn't been sure Claudiu would show up for a happy occasion. Although he was one of the Elders who ruled the clans, there was no love lost between him and Lucius. But Lucius, always one for decorum, had insisted that we invite him, because to do otherwise would alienate him further and maybe even cause a rift that couldn't be fixed.
Claudiu's presence in the room seemed to dim the candles a little, though. I stared at him, remembering that—along with eternal love—politics, intrigue, and diplomacy were part of my new life too. I'd be binding myself to whole the Vladescu clan when I said "I do" to the vampire who was pressing his palm against my back, promising me, "I won't be long, Antanasia."
"I'll go with you," I offered, thinking that it was probably proper for me to greet everybody.
But Lucius stopped me by moving his hand to my arm and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You will have time to speak to everyone later," he said with a smile. "Why don't you look after our American visitors? I can bring our relatives to you, which is perfectly fitting, given that you are not only royalty, but also—for one more day—still technically a guest here."
I gave him a grateful look, knowing that he was probably bending protocol a little to give Mom, Dad, and especially Mindy time to settle in before they were left alone at a party where they were outsiders. I looked around the room once more, noting that more guests had arrived and trying to recall who was a Vladescu and who was a Dragomir. Not that I wasn't practically an outsider myself.
Then I watched Lucius walk with his usual confidence toward Claudiu and the small group that surrounded Vasile's brother. I envied my betrothed the ease with which he moved in the circles of power that I was joining.
I also found myself appreciating other things about Lucius. His always impressive height; his thick black hair, cut a little bit shorter and neater than he normally wore it, for our wedding; and the way he carried off the dark custom-tailored suit that he'd chosen for this occasion.
I was so caught up in observing him that I barely noticed Dad saying to Mindy, "Come on, Melinda Sue! Let's see if we can't find something to drink."
I probably should have offered to help them, but I was kind of transfixed to think that I was about to marry the guy who was smiling as he talked with his uncle, acting as if there were no tension between them...
"Your prince looks very handsome tonight."
My mother whispered that in my ear, and I jolted, then turned to find her laughing at me, a teasing look in her eyes.
"Mom!" I started to protest. But there was really no reason to deny that I was admiring Lucius, the way I used to do. "It seems like he's getting even more handsome, to me," I admitted.
"I think he's getting more handsome, too," Mom agreed. I jerked back a little, surprised by the comment, only to see that she wasn't laughing anymore. "He's happy, Jessica. Happiness makes people beautiful."
I smiled at my mother. "I hope he's happy, Mom."
Then Dad and Mindy rejoined us, just in time for Lucius's deep voice to break into the quiet conversations that were taking place around us as he announced, "Please, everyone, take your place. Dinner is served."
I went to my spot at one end of the table, Lucius took his at the distant other end, and the rest of the guests searched for their names on the vellum place cards that were artfully arranged on silver chargers before each tall chair.
As we all took our seats, I realized that there was one empty place—one person missing, at Lucius's right hand—and for the life of me, I couldn't recall who was meant to sit there.
I was distracted from wondering, though, as a team of silent, uniformed servers swep
t away the place cards and replaced them with individual menus explaining the night's selections in swirling calligraphy.
One by one, the menus were slipped beneath our noses.
And a few seconds later, all of us Americans began to laugh out loud.
Chapter 5
"THAT'S A NICE touch, you two," Dad said, grinning at me, then Lucius. "Very thoughtful!"
I smiled at Lucius too. His secret, last-minute addition to the menu—Lentil Casserole a la Vladescu—was definitely an inside joke, given how he'd despised my vegetarian parents' reliance on grains and beans, and especially lentils, but it was also just a nice thing to include for them.
"The casserole is Lucius's idea," I admitted, ignoring the confusion on my vampire relatives' faces. I was sure they all knew what lentils were, but their significance on the menu was lost on the other Vladescus and Dragomirs.
"You should have called and asked for my recipe, Lucius," Mom teased. "I would've shared it!"
Even from far down the table, which was being circled by two servers filling long-stemmed glasses with red wine, I could see the amusement in Lucius's eyes. "Oh, I couldn't trouble you like that!" he joked. "Let's see how my cook handles this ever-so-adaptable and persistent little legume on her own. I am always eager to taste a new variation!"
All at once, to see Lucius at the head of that huge table, in control of the menu and the conversation, I was struck by the magnitude and speed of the changes taking place in my life. Less than a year ago, Mom had practically dragged Lucius by the ear from our modest dining room table and scolded him for being rude to Jake during our first date. I looked from Mom to Lucius and back again, thinking that could never happen now. Lucius was far beyond anyone's control.
I was living independently in a new country, but was I a real adult like that, too?
I squirmed on my chair and glanced at Mindy, who warily eyed the dizzying array of silverware spread out before each of us. I wasn't sure if I knew when or how to use some of the gleaming implements, either.
I'd wielded power with Lucius on the night that I'd stopped the vampire war and claimed my place as leader of the Dragomir clan. But I couldn't help wondering: Who did I resemble more?
Lucius, at ease and in command?
Or Mindy, smiling—but nervous?
The two servants pouring wine reached Lucius and me at the same time, their performance choreographed to serve us last, and I nearly placed my hand over my glass to signal that I didn't want—couldn't drink—wine. Then I looked quickly to Lucius and saw that he seemed oblivious to being served. I glanced at my parents, too, as if for approval, before remembering that a sip of wine was legal for me in Europe, and I no longer needed permission. More to the point, I would be expected to take part in the toast, even if the taste made me cringe.
I slipped my hand back down to my side, hoping that nobody had noticed my near mistake, and watched as the dark liquid swirled into the glass. In the firelight, it looked a lot like something else that I wanted much, much more. Craved and needed, actually.
Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lucius rise, and my attention shifted back to him as he raised his glass high to toast us all.
I knew that he was enjoying himself. That I was seeing Lucius Vladescu in his element. Yet I was also keenly aware that part of his enjoyment stemmed from the very fact that, given who was in the audience, something as simple as welcoming guests could be fraught with peril. That one snub, intended, unintended, or merely perceived, could have serious repercussions.
I looked around at my Dragomir relatives—and at Lucius's uncle Claudiu, who sat stiffly in his seat, his long, pale fingers gliding up and down the stem of his wineglass, and my throat tightened.
Claudiu would probably love a fight. As a Vladescu Elder, he'd been part of the plot to have Lucius dispose of me some dark night in the bed that we'd share, so the Vladescus could rule unchallenged over an empire of vampires.
I turned back to Lucius, terrified, suddenly, by my future, and desperate for reassurance that he really could keep me from harm. And seeing Lucius calmed me.
Still, my eyes darted back to Claudiu. What about those times when Lucius couldn't be at my side?
I was so preoccupied with fighting a rising panic that it took me a second to notice that Lucius hadn't started his toast yet. He wasn't looking at his guests—or even me.
His attention was drawn to the wooden door at my back, which squeaked open on its old hinges. As the door swung wider, ushering in a chilly draft that made the candles flicker in the chandeliers, Lucius's expression changed dramatically, so I forgot all about Claudiu and secret plots.
I started to swing around in my seat, certain that whoever was entering the room wasn't just some servant bearing another tray. And right as I twisted to see behind myself, Lucius confirmed that somebody important had joined the party.
"Although he arrives deplorably behind schedule," Lucius announced as I caught my first glimpse of the last, late arriving guest, "I ask you all to welcome my one and only brother!"
Chapter 6
Brother?
THE WORD CAUGHT me completely off-guard, and I had a flash of betrayal, certain that Lucius had kept a huge secret from me. He didn't have a brother...
I was stunned, too, by our new guest's appearance as he sauntered into our midst, making a beeline for Lucius.
The rest of us were in formal attire. Even Dad, who usually wore decrepit T-shirts that advocated for causes no one had thought about in ten years, was in a suit. But the guy who was strolling the length of the room, grinning like he didn't realize he was making a scene, wore a pair of grubby board shorts and a yellow T-shirt that advertised a Venice Beach surf shop.
As he passed by the table, the candlelight reflected off glossy, long brown hair, which was cinched into a loose ponytail with what looked like an old leather shoelace. Hair that was maybe too glossy, as if it needed a wash.
I also noticed a familiar sound as he walked, and glanced down at his feet, where I discovered a pair of black rubber...
Flip-flops?
I rose from my seat and turned to Lucius, wanting some sort of explanation and half expecting my impeccably mannered vampire prince to be very displeased. If this really was his brother, the late arrival and the sloppy clothes were disrespectful.
But when I saw Lucius's face, I realized that he wasn't angry.
On the contrary, he was grinning from ear to ear, setting down his glass and pushing aside his chair in order to step toward the newcomer.
What the...?
I looked at my parents and Mindy, who all seemed confused, and I was embarrassed to do little more than offer them a baffled shrug.
Awkwardly, I spun back to Lucius just in time to see him extend a handshake to the guy he'd called brother, who in turn clasped my future husband's hand before pulling him into the same kind of back-slapping embrace that Lucius had shared with my dad.
It wasn't until Lucius grabbed the stranger by the shoulders and spun him to face us that I could see they shared nearly identical smiles, the gleaming white teeth of Vladescu nobility. It was almost as if I was thinking the words that Lucius spoke as he announced, still smiling, "This surf bum who dares to join us—late, and in such inappropriate attire—is, I am almost ashamed to admit, my best man."
I sank back down onto my seat, still not quite believing my eyes.
This... this ...was the legendary Raniero Vladescu Lovatu?
Chapter 7
"SO ..." MINDY DREW her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs, probably trying to keep warm in my bedroom, which was chilly even in summer. "What's up with that Raniero guy? He was a surprise, huh?"
I finished buttoning up my pajamas and crawled onto the mattress with her, as if we were having one of our slumber parties back in Lebanon County. "Raniero's definitely not what I expected," I agreed.
Mindy cocked her head. "So what do you know about him?"
"Only that he's Lucius's co
usin. But Lucius considers him a brother, because he spent a lot of time at the Vladescu estate when they were growing up. They were raised like siblings."
"Doesn't Raniero have parents, either?" Mindy asked, sympathy in her voice. "Why'd he live with Lukey so much?"
I smiled at Mindy's use of that nickname again. I'd missed that—along with everything else about my best friend. "Raniero does have parents—in Italy," I explained, trying to recall everything that Lucius had told me about his best man. "But the Elders thought it would be wise to educate him with Lucius." Mindy seemed confused, maybe because we'd grown up in a culture where "heirs to the throne" weren't such a big deal. "Why?" she asked.
"Since Lucius really is an only child, the Elders thought it would make sense to prepare another young Vladescu vampire to rule—just in case something should happen..."
I couldn't bring myself to finish that sentence. Not on the eve of my wedding, when I was supposed to be planning for a long, happy future with Lucius. I couldn't bear to think about the possibility of something awful happening to him.
"Anyway, the Elders thought Raniero showed promise and could be raised to serve as Lucius's right-hand man—almost like a general," I added. "A second-in-command, since there's no pure-blooded Vladescu brother."
"So what went wrong?" Mindy asked, grabbing a pillow and hugging that to her chest, too. "Because Raniero doesn't look like he could lead a limbo contest at whatever beach he washed up on—let alone take charge of an army or a nation!"
I shrugged. "Lucius hasn't revealed much more about him. Only that he abruptly moved to California a few years ago, putting distance between himself and the clan leaders."