Maria Consuela clicked through her rosary beads. "The horror was so unexpected. It reminded me of the night I was dragged off to the torture chambers of the Spanish Inquisition."
"Sweet Mary and Joseph." Maggie crossed herself.
Vanda snorted. "No one expects the Spanish Inquisition."
Darcy pulled the wedding invitation from her purse. "This is the right time and place." She showed Gregori the invitation.
He shook his head. "The ceremony should have started ten minutes ago."
"Hallelujah!" Cora Lee jumped to her feet, her hoop skirt billowing to the sides to fill half the pew. Her blond ringlets, gathered in clusters over each ear, bounced in rhythm with her skirt. "The wedding is off! That means we can move back into the master's house."
"Oh, I do hope so." Lady Pamela pressed her handkerchief to her bosom, which was mostly exposed in her Regency-style ball gown of pink watered silk.
"Wait a minute," Gregori warned them. "Hold your horses."
Maria Consuela huffed. "Who would bring a horse into a church? How barbaric."
Gregori rolled his eyes. "Look, I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for this."
"Reasonable?" Lady Pamela stuffed her handkerchief back into her reticule. "The only reasonable course of action for Roman is to dismiss that foolish mortal and send her packing."
Cora Lee snapped her fan shut. "Then we can have our old rooms back."
"Exactly." Princess Joanna stood. "I propose we move back tonight."
"Wait!" Gregori removed his cell phone from an inside pocket of his tuxedo jacket. "I'll try calling again. We have to find out what's going on first. So, cool it, ladies. Don't get your panties in a bunch."
With a snort, Princess Joanna sat back down. "As if I would wear such a ridiculous undergarment."
"Good grief." Gregori stepped back with a shudder. "I don't even want to think about that." He punched in a number on his phone. "You gotta get them out of my house," he whispered to Darcy. "I can't take it anymore."
"I'm trying. But you can see how stubborn they are." With a gasp, Darcy spotted Connor entering the church. She instantly stiffened. Her lungs squeezed in her chest, making it difficult to breathe. Good God, she hated the way she always reacted when he appeared. It had been four years and she still couldn't put that dreadful night behind her. She opened her mouth to warn Gregori, but the words wouldn't come.
Connor spoke quietly to the guests. Some responded by rushing out the front door. Others used their cell phones to teleport away. So was it true that the wedding was cancelled? Had Shanna had second thoughts about marrying a vampire? Darcy often wondered how such a relationship could possibly work. It just wasn't fair to drag someone into the vampire world. She knew that all too well.
"Hey, Connor!" Gregori motioned for the Scotsman to join them. "What's up?"
Darcy automatically stepped back as Connor approached. Her heart thundered in her chest so hard, it echoed in her ears.
The Scotsman strode toward them, dressed in formal Highland wear, which included a lacy white jabot shirt, black jacket, and a black muskrat sporran. He bowed slightly to the ex-harem. "My ladies." His gaze lingered on Darcy.
She turned away, unable to meet his sharp blue eyes that always watched her with a tinge of regret.
"We have an emergency situation," Connor announced. "Ian and I brought a limousine to help evacuate the ladies. We must leave immediately."
"What about the wedding?" Gregori asked.
"I'll explain later." Connor gestured toward the front entrance. "Yer lives could be in danger. Please move calmly and quietly toward the exit."
"Eek!" Cora Lee lifted her hoop skirts and skedaddled for the front door. The other ladies rushed after her. Darcy hovered toward the back of the group so she could overhear the men talking. She was uncomfortable being that close to Connor, but her curiosity was stronger. Of course, it was her wretched curiosity that had caused her nightmare to begin in the first place.
"Where are we going?" Gregori asked.
"Romatech," Connor replied. "For the reception."
"And my mother?" Gregori asked. "Is she all right?"
"Radinka is fine. She's with Roman and Shanna. Angus and Jean-Luc are there, so they have plenty of protection."
Protection from what, Darcy wondered. It must be the Malcontents.
Gregori had rented a limousine for the night since there was no way he could cart around ten women in his Lexus. Even so, it had been a tight fit with all the ball gowns. The ex-harem was happy to divide into two groups - half going in Gregori's hired limo and the other half traveling in the limo Connor had brought.
Gregori climbed into Connor's limo. "I want to know what's going on." He sat as close to the driver's seat as possible.
Darcy wanted to know, too, so she scooted down the long side seat to sit next to Gregori.
Connor was in the front driver's seat next to Ian. He twisted to the side, so he could see everyone through the open window. There were six occupants in the back - Gregori, Darcy, Maria Consuela, Princess Joanna, Lady Pamela, and Cora Lee.
"So did the master come to his senses and cancel the wedding?" Princess Joanna asked.
"Nay, milady," Connor answered. "The ceremony is happening as we speak. At a private chapel in White Plains."
"I guess that's why they're not answering their phones." Gregori unbuttoned his tuxedo jacket.
"Oh, fiddlesticks." Cora Lee had taken up the entire back seat with her hoop skirt. "Now we can't move back into the master's house."
Lady Pamela pressed a hand against her bosom. "This is quite beyond the pale. I tell you, that mortal chit is toying with us. She invites us to the ceremony, then sneaks off to get married elsewhere."
"She is evil," Maria Consuela announced. "Roman will rue the day he married that Whelan wench."
"Enough." Connor glowered at the ladies. "Shanna is not to blame for tonight's problems. 'Tis her father who is wreaking havoc. All day long, he was calling Roman's house, threatening the daytime guards and promising trouble if the wedding wasna cancelled."
"How did he find out about the wedding?" Gregori asked.
"We doona know. Only those who were invited knew about it. Then this evening, Father Andrew called Roman and told him that Sean Whelan was threatening to attack any church in the city if they allowed demonic creatures inside."
"Wait a minute," Darcy interrupted. "Are you saying Shanna's father knows about vampires?"
"Aye." Connor sighed. "I suppose there's no harm in telling ye. Sean Whelan is a CIA operative and head of a team called Stake-Out. Their sole purpose is to terminate all vampires."
Darcy gasped. "This is terrible."
"What is this CIA?" Princess Joanna asked.
"I'll explain later," Gregori told her.
Darcy lowered her gaze to her hands in her lap. So now there were two enemies - the Malcontents and a group of CIA agents called the Stake-Out team. Poor Shanna was marrying into a very dangerous world. No wonder Angus MacKay had offered to walk her down the aisle and play the part of her father. Her real father was a vampire slayer. What a terrible mess.
Beside her, Gregori spoke, "I still don't see how Sean Whelan found out about the wedding. Hardly anyone knew about it. Do you think the priest - "
"Nay." Connor shook his head. "Father Andrew has become good friends with Roman ever since he took Roman's confession. He wouldna tell anyone."
Gregori rubbed his chin. "Well, someone leaked the news."
Darcy thought back. Had she unwittingly told someone? For the last two days, Corky Courrant had been hounding her for information about the wedding. Corky and her crew from Live with the Undead had been invited to the reception at Romatech, but Corky was dying to record footage of the actual ceremony. Darcy had refused to divulge any information, for she was certain Shanna and Roman would want to exchange their vows in private.
And then she remembered. Good God, she'd mentioned the wedding to Adam Olaf Cartwright. She'd forgotten about that, or rather, she'd tried her best to forget about that whole encounter. She'd especially tried to shove the memory of his kiss from her mind. But it still sneaked into her thoughts. How could she possibly forget how warm and passionate he had been, how much she had desperately wanted his warmth, and how much she longed to see him again.
So what if she'd mentioned the wedding to him? He didn't know Shanna or Roman. He was a regular person who didn't even know the vampire world existed.
She shivered with a sudden chill. What if she was wrong?
Chapter 7
By the time they arrived at Romatech, the bride and groom were there and already married. This news caused most of the ex-harem to trudge wearily to two round tables in the far corner of the large room. There they sat and sulked, casting sullen glances at the bride. Shanna was across the room with her new husband, chatting happily with Gregori's mother.
With a sly grin, Gregori motioned toward them. "Let's go congratulate Roman for taking five hundred years to find a bride."
"I'm sure he considers her worth the wait." Darcy followed him with Maggie and Vanda.
Gregori glanced at the ex-harem, skulking in their corner. "Life of the party, aren't they? Do they still refuse to be on the reality show?"
"I'm afraid so." Darcy sighed. At least their number was dwindling. Two of the ex-harem had decided to move to Paris and become models. And then another had shocked them all by announcing that she was eloping with her secret lover. With Maggie and Vanda already involved in the show, Darcy needed every remaining woman to participate.
But they all refused.
Gregori greeted Radinka with a peck on the cheek. "Mom, you shouldn't be on your feet. Go sit down."
"I'm fine." Radinka adjusted her son's tie. "Don't worry."
Darcy gave Radinka a hug. "It's so good to see you again."
"Our Darcy, a television director!" Radinka beamed at her. "I'm so proud of you."
Darcy felt the heat of a blush invade her cheeks. "Thank you for calling the casting agency for me."
"I was happy to help. I've always known you would be a blessing to us all. Have I not said so?" Radinka tapped a finger on her temple, which was her way of reminding everyone that she could predict the future, and was therefore, never wrong.
"Yes," Darcy murmured, her cheeks still warm. Honestly, her confinement had always seemed more like a nightmare than a blessing. She turned to the bride, who was wearing an elegant gown of white satin. A series of pleats accented her slim waist, while the veil hung halfway down her back. "Shanna, you look so beautiful. And so happy."
Shanna laughed and glanced at her new husband beside her. "I am happy. And thank you for the matching bathrobes. I loved seeing my new initials monogrammed on the pocket. That was so kind of you."
Darcy waved the compliment away. "My pleasure. And I wish you both the very - "
"Fantastic!" Gregori's loud exclamation drew everyone's attention. He'd been deep in conversation with Roman, but now, he grabbed Darcy by the shoulders. "Guess what? Roman signed the lease on that rental property I told you about."
"For the Vamp restaurant?"
"No, the penthouse. For the reality show."
Darcy gasped. "The huge one at Raleigh Place? With the swimming pool and hot tub on the roof?"
"Yep." Gregori grinned. "It covers two floors, plus a third floor for the servants."
"It's perfect!" Darcy turned to Roman. "Oh, thank you!"
"I'm glad to help." Roman's smile faded as he leaned toward Gregori. "I want some concessions from DVN for this - free advertising of my Fusion Cuisine and the new restaurant."
"No problem," Gregori assured him. "I'll get right on it."
Darcy turned to Maggie and Vanda. "Did you hear that? We have the penthouse!"
Maggie squealed and gave her a hug. "I knew it would work out. Everything really does happen just the way it should."
Vanda grinned. "This is going to be so cool!"
After thanking Roman again, Darcy and her friends joined the other ex-harem ladies.
"Did you hear the good news?" Maggie sat next to Princess Joanna.
"Prithee, what good tidings could you possibly bring?" The princess sipped some Bubbly Blood from a champagne flute. "Is the master having the marriage annulled?"
"No." Vanda plunked down in an empty chair. "Roman signed a lease for a giant penthouse. And since I'm going to be on the reality show, I'll be living there. I'll have a bedroom all to myself. And my own bathroom. And a hot tub."
"Land sakes," Cora Lee whispered. She slanted a hopeful glance toward Princess Joanna. "That sure does sound nice."
"We are not humiliating ourselves on television for the peasants," the princess announced. "Besides, with three of the harem leaving, we will soon have more room at Gregori's house."
"Exactly," Lady Pamela Smythe-Worthing agreed. She looked down her nose at Darcy. "I assume you and Maggie will be joining Vanda at that ridiculous penthouse?"
"Probably so." Darcy took the last empty seat at the table.
"Then, there will only be four of us left at Gregori's." Princess Joanna smiled smugly. "We will be quite comfortable."