The Pear Tree is a traditional, country hotel set on twenty acres of lawns, gardens and lakes. The long, winding driveway went up and behind the main building to the carpark and entrance to the Bartlett Suite. It was a very large room with a square dance floor in the middle and small, circular tables clustered around it. The floral centers of bright yellow flowers and white carnations were tied with silk ribbon and bows. Even the chairs had gold bows looped around them. A platform at the back and behind a curtain was set up for a disc jockey later. The head table was set up just in front of it at the edge of the dancefloor. Little name cards were placed to show where we should each sit or you could refer to the framed chart on an easel by the door. The bar at the back looked fully stocked and ready for the ensuing merriment. Doors opposite from the entrance opened onto a grey stone terrace before a garden stretching out towards the horizen. Guests murmured how lovely it was as I joined the greeting line next to the bride and groom. It wasn’t my wedding so I wasn’t clear on why I was a greeter, but I stood and shook hands politely. Not everyone came through the line. I notice Rourke and Ben didn’t. They hovered in the doorway till they thought everyone was distracted enough for them to slip by, but I saw them. I wondered why LeBron invited them and why they showed up.
The meal was nice, chicken in a nondescript sauce, roast potatoes and greens. It went down well, but soon we were at the part of the wedding I’d been dreading – the speeches. I watched LeBron turn shades of crimson as his father told stories about him. He was so very proud of his son. His sister smiled at him, knowing his pain. She had dark hair just like LeBron and their father, but eyes like the woman next to her. Their mother was very slim and tall with short, medium brown hair. Her daughter was like her and just a few years older than me. She was introduced to me as Cecily in the line, but from the way she wrinkled her nose, I guessed it wasn’t what people called her or what she preferred. I thought it brave to sit the ex-wife at the same table as their father’s current girlfriend. A complete opposite to her, Tammy was a curvacious, short woman spilling over with bubbly energy, and her clothes. She was one of those women who said “big is beautiful”. I agreed, but she didn’t wear clothes that complimented her shape. She wore popular brands that didn’t go bigger than a sixteen, so that’s what she squeezed herself into. The woman was not a sixteen. I heard two of the groomsmen bet whether or not the dress would hold till the end of the reception. LeBron’s mother, by comparison, wore a lavender pants suit with a white t-shirt underneath. I thought it made her look macho, especially her flat shoes. Then again, I suppose she didn’t need the heels as she was tall enough. LeBron mentioned she was a detective working further south.
Cecily wore a dress the same shade as her mother’s suit. A-lined and very nice, it was something I couldn’t wear with my boobs but hers were small and pert. The kind a lot of men favored. I shook my head trying to get my mind back on track. When I swung my head I caught sight of the woman on my right.
The other bridesmaid, Brie’s cousin Candy, was petite, curvy and blonde like her. She was human, although both her mom and brother were shifters of the same strain as Brie. Got to love that genetic lottery. Candy’s brother, Clark, was one of the groomsmen. His brown hair hinted that he was once as blonde as his sister when he was younger. I smiled a little brighter at him remembering our first meeting.
I’d controlled my giggling until Candy told the coordinator no dessert for her as she was diabetic. I knew I shouldn’t laugh, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the names of the siblings, Candy and Clark Barr, and excused myself from the room. LeBron found me bent double in the corridor laughing so hard tears leaked from the corners of my eyes. She hadn’t liked me much since then.
She jabbed me in the ribs just then and I realized eyes were on me. It was my turn. LeBron had asked me to make a speech. I wrote something down, but it sounded wrong so I’d decided to wing it. I had no idea what would come out of my mouth until I opened it. I took a deep breath, stood and cleared my throat.
“When I first met Michael, I wasn’t sure I was going to like him.” Brie shot me a scathing look, but LeBron looked patient, so trusting. “I didn’t know what kind of man he was – the kind that took the word of others as Gospel or one who could think for himself and see what was really going on around him.” I took a deep breath and turned to face the couple. “But he soon showed me he was a kind, decent, brave man with a lot of heart. We’ve been through some shii…” I bit my lip and quickly covered my bad language. “Stuff together and he’s always gotten my back. I came to trust him and am proud to call him my friend. When he met Brie,” I said and she went still as I said her name. “I’ve never seen him so happy. It was like watching two pieces of a whole come together to be complete and I wish them all the happiness life can bring.” I raised my glass, signifying the end of my speech with a toast, and abruptly sat down again. Candy leaned into me.
“Did you actually mean any of that?” I took a sip from my glass and gave her serious eyes.
“I don’t bother saying things that I don’t mean.” I let her chew on that for a little while.
The head table was moved as the room was tidied up for the evening party. Zoe ran into my arms. I held her with one arm as she straddled my hip and we walked over to join her family. Simian smiled and kissed the top of my head.
“Nice speech.”
“I did my best.” Simian always made me feel like one of his family. Sometimes, I got the impression that he saw me as his third child, which was both sweet and irksome at the same time.
“You did good,” said Sophie, sliding her daughter free of her limpet like attachment to me. I looked around for Jack who’d located another boy about his age and was talking to him excitedly about some game for his PlayStation Portable.
“At least I didn’t say anything about the dress from custard hell.” I messed about with the skirt as I looked down at the floor.
“I don’t think it looks that bad on you,” said a very masculine voice from behind me. His hand rested on my back and I could feel the incredible warmth of that hand. It radiated along my entire body.
“That’s because your fashion retarded,” I bit back. DJ laughed. He had a very good, masculine laugh. I turned to look at him. He looked at me far too intimately, like he’d seen me naked. Well, he had, sort of. I’d covered up for the most part, and it was an entirely unerotic circumstance. DJ wanted me, I knew that. I’d known for months now and was very good at pushing his advances away. I’d had a lot of practice. I couldn’t, however, control the way my body reacted when he touched me. He was so handsome, but also a possessive, macho dick. Part of it was from being a werewolf, and some of it was just him. He wanted to date me exclusively, but I didn’t want that with him. I was still involved with the vampire Aram, but DJ wouldn’t take no for an answer. He thought if he could get me to sleep with him that my resistance would crumble. Aram knew better than that. I promised him that I wouldn’t sleep with anyone else until I offically cut the cord between us. Because I wasn’t actively dating Aram, DJ thought I was territory to be explored and conquered. I warned that if I ever found him scent marking my building, he’d lose his favorite appendage. It didn’t make him any less keen. His hand moved from my back and slid down my left arm.
“Hows the arm?”
“As good as its ever been.” I was tempted to hit him in the gut with it just to show him how well it was. I’d dislocated my shoulder and broken my radius and ulna when a wall fell on me at the beginning of summer. I say fallen, but I mean pushed by one pissed off madame. It healed in a matter of days but I wore the sling the doctor had given me for a full six weeks. I didn’t want people knowing that I wasn’t human, and DJ called me a coward for it. It was my secret and I would decide who knew and when. I was still adjusting to being different, which was one of the reasons I wasn’t dating anyone.
He ran his fingers up and down my forearm, making me shiver. Yes, I was attracted to DJ in some purely primitive, physical way,
but he didn’t get that it wasn’t enough for me. Wolf mating mentality, I assumed. I lifted my arm, bringing his hand up with it, and quickly and decisively bit the side of it. He snatched it back and I turned to see the beginnings of anger in his eyes. If he wouldn’t listen to my words, then maybe he would understand wolf behavior. Female wolves bit males they wanted to ward off from being potential mates. Simian stepped between us.
“Now, now,” he said all smiles so it wouldn’t look like he was stopping a fight. “Let’s just enjoy the wedding shall we.” DJ cradled his hand and backed down. I didn’t draw blood so he’d be fine in a couple of minutes. I headed toward the open terrace doors and stepped out into the cool air to catch my breath. When I was mad I felt much better when I was out in open air. I thought that it was caged bird syndrome – something deeply embedded in my psyche as a phoenix.
The sun dipped just behind the horizen, painting the sky magnificent hues of orange, pink, and deep purple, encroaching darkness. Night creatures had more hours to roam the earth this time of year. I walked onto the lawn, across the grass to the wooden fence. It was one of those timber fences that had three beams across two posts. I climbed up the first rung and stuck my arms out, letting the breeze blow over me. I closed my eyes.
Hands on my waist were the first sign that someone was behind me. I knew they had to be more than human to sneak up on me like that.
“King of the world,” said a male voice. I turned my head slowly and looked down at Clark. I smiled at him.
“I hated that movie.”
“Yeah? Me too. She should have gone whole hog and stole his wallet before pushing him off the door and letting him drown. An opportunity missed, silly bitch.” I laughed. His swearing held no bite because he was trying to be funny. He stepped back so that I could turn around and sit on the top rung.
“Nice service wasn’t it?” He asked, needing reassurance. I nodded. I liked Clark. Compared to his sister, he had a sense of humor. He got why his name was funny.
“I needed a breather though.”
“Understandable. Me too.” He leaned against the fence next to me, silent for a few minutes. There were people I was comfortable with, and Clark was one of those.
“Brie seems really happy,” he said smiling off into the mid distance.
“Yeah. Some people are just made to be a bride.” He looked up at me as I rested my elbows on my knees and my chin on my hands.
“You sound like you don’t fancy it?” I opened my mouth to say something, then closed it. Technically, I was already a bride, to a vampire. I declared the right of Novia to save Aram over a year ago. As far as vampire society was concerned, we were a couple. A vampire bride was supposed to one day become a vampire herself, but because I can live as long as Aram as I am now, there was no point in it.
“I’m not at that point in my life yet. I’m only twenty-two. I’m still finding myself.”
“Yup, I get that. I’m thirty and I’m not sure I’ve found all of myself, yet, either.”
“Yeah, but I’m pretty sure that’s because as your sister said, you couldn’t find your ass with both hands.” Clark smiled at me friendly, no under currents of anything else.
“It’s possible.” We stared at the building, watching as night washed over it like a wave. Candy appeared at the top of the steps. She glared at me, and then pointed at Clark and the spot next to her.
“Why doesn’t she just call ‘here kitty, kitty’?” He smirked as he pushed away from the fence.
“You get used to her. She had to hold her own as the only non shifter in the house.”
“Doesn’t mean she gets to be a bitch.” He helped me down from the fence, which confused me a little. I hadn’t decided to get down.
“You laughed at her name; that’s on you. Come inside. I don’t think she was just pointing at me.” I grumbled following at his side.
“C’mon, her name is Candy Barr. If you don’t find that funny you might as well be dead.” He smurked again and we followed her back inside. Mister and Mrs LeBron were ready to take their first dance as a married couple. I found a patch of wall to hold up and watch. It just happened to be next to Rourke. She darted sideways glances at me and I crossed my arms over my chest.
“What are you doing here Rourke?” I asked quietly. She looked at me and back at the dancing couple.
“I was invited.”
“I get that,” I said, keeping my tone low, “doesn’t explain why you came.” She considered her answer for a minute.
“He’s one of my best officers. He asked me to be here and I’m here.”
“Even if you don’t approve of the bride.” Her body tensed slightly and she clenched and unclenched her fists.
“Even so. It’s his choice to associate with these people,” she replied. Her voice wasn’t entirely neutral when she said ‘people’, as if that wasn’t her first choice. I knew in that instant LeBron hadn’t told her he had lycanthropy. I had only a second to hide the shock on my face before she stole another glance at me. I didn’t know what LeBron was thinking. He’d never pass his next physical and Rourke would be pissed he’d kept it from her. She watched me go very still and quiet and didn’t know why.
“And Ben?” I asked. She looked at him. He sat at a stool at the bar.
“He just wanted to see if you’d really wear that dress.” I blinked at her. It was news to me Benjamin had seen the bridemaid dress before today. I looked down at the offending frock.
“Wasn’t my choice.”
“Why’d you agree?”
“As you said, he’s one of the good ones. He asked me so I did.” It was her turn to blink at me, trying to pull me into better focus and adjust her image of me. Whatever she saw didn’t please her anymore than normal, so she turned her eyes back to the dance floor. Other couples began to join the newly weds. LeBron’s best man, a rather round fellow named Georgie, came over and offered his hand to me. Candy and Clark were already on the floor, and I danced with Georgie, my designated groomsman. It wasn’t that I didn’t like Georgie as I took his extremely clammy hand. I just wasn’t much of a dancer. Aram gave me a few lessons, but I still stood on toes. I stomped on Georgie’s feet in the rehearsals.
“I apologize in advance.” He smiled at me, a very personable guy.
“I wore extra thick socks, just in case.” I smiled weakly and let him take me out on the dance floor. He put his hands on my waist and I rested mine on his shoulders, keeping our bodies six inches apart. The coordinator deemed this appropriate. Unfortunately for Georgie, he wasn’t a very tall man. His eyes were level with my clavicle with me wearing heels. His face flushed red. As he tired leading me, I stumbled and stomped on his foot. He yipped.
“Sorry, sorry.” We decided it was best we just sway from side to side on the spot. I was thankful when the song ended and I politely backed away with an awkward smile. I couldn’t escape, though. Clark tapped me on my shoulder and informed me I had to dance with him too. He was shifter quick so I didn’t get his foot as much and we used the floor more. My next dance partner was my favorite. I squat down to twirl Zoe around the floor. She looked especially cute with her blonde hair tied back with ribbons. She wore a white dress with a bright crimson sash around the middle, a full netted skirt, and little white socks with red shoes. Because she had been up for a long time, her eyes were a little tired, but her smile was bright. When the hem of the other yellow dress came into view, I looked up and realized Candy was holding my gold clutch. I was puzzled, ready to be pissed.
“Your phone is ringing,” she said, handing it to me.
“Oh,” I said, pulling out the phone and looking at the caller identification. It was my office phone calling. “Thanks. Can you watch Zoe?”
She nodded while I rose and answered it.
“Hold on Trink. Let me find somewhere quiet.” I held the phone to my chest and worked my way through the crowd to the terrace. It was dark and quiet out here. I put the phone back to my ear. “Okay Trinket. What’s up?”
“Detective Hamilton called,” she said getting straight to the point. “I told him you were at a social function.”
“What’s he want?”
“You to give him a call. He gave me his cell phone number.”
“I have it. I’ll call him back now. Thanks.”
“No problem boss.” I smiled at the phone. A tiny part of me liked when she called me that. It was way better than being called Miss Cassandra all the time.
“I’ll see you later.” I hung up, scrolled through my contacts and hit another number. Hamilton answered on the second ring.
“It’s me. What’s up?”
“Ah Cassandra, so good of you to call back so quickly,” his voice all charm and politeness.
“Yeah, I’m prompt. What do you want?”
“Straight to the point?” He questioned.
“That’s the way I like it.”
“I’ve got a dead guy that I want you to come take a look at.” I groaned loudly. Why didn’t people ever want me to come look at a box of fluffy puppies? Fluffy puppies I’d go see, no questions asked.
“Where?” He gave me an address that I scrawled on the back of a business card with an eyeliner pencil. “I don’t know that area well and I’m out of town. It might take me a half hour to get to you. I need to call a cab.”
“I could send someone to get you. Where are you?” I looked back inside at the lights and the warm scene, then turned my eyes back to the dark.
“LeBron’s wedding. Rourke and Ben are here. I don’t want them to see a squad car. They’ll get suspicious. I’ll get a cab.”
“I’ll take you,” came a voice from behind me. I turned and saw DJ standing against the wall in the darker shadows, next to the building.
“Who was that?”
“Never you mind,” I told Hamilton. “I’ll be there soon.” I hung up. DJ walked towards me a little menacingly, snatched the card from my hand and read the address.
Deadly Sin (Cassandra Farbanks) Page 2
