It was a new experience for Mara, shopping with other women. She’d never had any female friends. She had spent most of her mortal life as a slave; as a vampire, she had preferred the company of men.
She tried on a dozen dresses, each one beautiful, and yet none of them seemed right until she found a cream-colored, floor-length gown of brushed silk that fit as though it had been made for her. She had decided against wearing a veil. It wasn’t as if she was some modest virgin, after all.
Savanah whistled softly when Mara stepped out of the dressing room. “Wow, you’ve got to buy that one!”
“We’ll be lucky if he doesn’t ravish you right there on the floor of the chapel,” Kathy said.
“Are you sure you just had a baby almost six weeks ago?” Cara asked with a shake of her head. “It took me six months to get my figure back.”
“Yes, but you had twins,” Kathy reminded her with a grin.
“True enough. Enjoy your baby while you can, Mara,” Cara said wistfully. “They grow up way too fast.”
Mara nodded. She couldn’t believe how much Derek had changed in just six short weeks. He was such a handsome, even-tempered little thing.
Turning, Mara looked at her reflection in the mirror. It was still something of a shock to look into a mirror and see herself staring back. She canted her head to the side. With all due modesty, she had to admit that she did look good. The gown clung to her figure, emphasizing her breasts, which, thanks to motherhood, were larger than ever, making her waist seem even smaller than it really was.
“You’re going to be a beautiful bride,” Cara said.
Mara smiled faintly. All brides were beautiful. Plain or pretty, wearing a wedding dress transformed them all.
“Yes, indeed,” Kathy agreed. “Are you sure you don’t want a veil?” She held up a froth of cream-colored lace.
“Oh, it’s great!” Savanah snatched it from her sister-in-law’s hand and placed it on Mara’s head. “It’s perfect!”
Mara looked at herself in the mirror again. The veil fell in graceful folds past her shoulders.
“What do you think?” Savanah asked.
“I’ll take it,” Mara decided. After all, she would only be a bride once. She might as well do it right. She just wished she was as excited about her upcoming nuptials as Cara and her daughters-in-law.
It was the end of November. For Mara, the days had passed all too quickly, and suddenly, the wedding was upon them. Mara stood in the small dressing room located in the rear of the church while Savanah and Kathy fussed over her hair and her gown. Cara sat in the corner, holding Derek.
“You look absolutely lovely,” Savanah said, smoothing a wrinkle from Mara’s veil.
“Thank you.”
“I think that does it.” Kathy gave Mara a hug. “Kyle’s a lucky man.”
Kathy and Cara moved toward the door, pausing when they realized Savanah wasn’t behind them.
“Are you coming?” Kathy asked.
“Yes, I’ll be right there.”
Kathy and Cara exchanged glances, then left the room, closing the door behind them.
Savanah laid her hand on Mara’s arm. “Is everything all right?”
“Of course,” Mara said brightly, “why wouldn’t it be?”
“Well, for one thing, brides are usually happy. I’ve seen corpses who didn’t look so glum.”
Mara started to say she was happy, but the words refused to come.
“It’s not too late to change your mind,” Savanah said quietly.
“I wish that was true,” Mara said. “But there’s no going back now.” Lifting her chin, she left the dressing room, her footsteps heavy as she made her way to the chapel.
It was a lovely old church. The altar and the pews, carved from oak, carried the patina of their years. A shaft of bright silver moonlight filtered through the beautiful red, blue and gold stained glass window above the altar, a deep blue carpet covered the wooden floor. The chapel was nothing like the lavish temples of ancient Egypt and yet there was a sense of peace within these walls that she had felt nowhere else on Earth.
It was quiet in the chapel. Mara glanced at those already seated. Roshan and Brenna sat side by side, holding hands. They were a handsome couple. Roshan wore black, as always; Brenna wore a dress instead of her customary blouse and full skirt. Vince and Cara sat with Brenna and Roshan. Abbey Marie sat on Cara’s lap, contentedly sucking her thumb. Rafe and Kathy sat in the second pew. Derek slept in Kathy’s arms. Mara studied Rafe’s wife, wondering if she ever regretted her decision to accept the Dark Gift so early in life. Did she ever long for children of her own?
Cordova family friends Susie and her were-tiger husband, Joe Cagin, sat behind Rafe and Kathy. Mara had been surprised to see them. She had never been particularly fond of Joe, though they had rubbed elbows from time to time during the War. Susie was a unique individual. Mara sometimes thought the other woman’s life sounded like a paranormal soap opera. Susie had been an ordinary mortal until a werewolf bit her. She’d had a difficult time adjusting to being a werewolf, had been afraid her three sons wouldn’t be safe around her. Susie had been swept up in Edna and Pearl’s horrendous experiments during the War. She had been on the brink of death when Cagin and Kathy persuaded Rafe to bring her across. He had done so, reluctantly. To Mara’s knowledge, no other were-creature had ever become a vampire.
Mara glanced at her watch, wondering what was keeping Father Lanzoni. The watch had been a wedding gift from Kyle. It was lovely, but only served to remind her that she was mortal, subject to the passage of time. Time. It was her enemy now.
“I’m sure Father Lanzoni will be here soon,” Savanah said.
Mara nodded. Savanah looked lovely in a shimmery gown of rose-colored silk. As best man, Rane stood beside Kyle.
Mara was beginning to think they would have to postpone the wedding when the double doors of the chapel flew open. But instead of Father Lanzoni, Logan stood there. Clad in black trousers, a black shirt, black leather boots, and a long black duster, he looked as handsome as the devil himself and equally dangerous.
The chapel suddenly hummed with tension as Roshan and the three Cordova men turned to stare at Logan.
Mara could almost smell the sudden increase in the testosterone level. She glanced at Roshan, who had gained his feet.
“It’s all right,” she said quietly. “He’s a friend of mine, here at my invitation.”