Newly Wed and Slightly Dead

by Danielle Garrett

  Harmony snorted. “Oh! I forgot about that!”

  “See, the fact that you could forget something like that just proves my point. It means that didn’t even hit the top Richter of crazy for a Winters family gathering.”

  “All right, I’ll give you the point. But that doesn’t answer my original question.”

  Drat.

  Harmony grinned.

  I sighed and swirled my wine glass, all amusement fading. “It’s been a few years, okay. I mean, I’ve gone on some dates, but I’ve been busy with work. I worked my tail off for the promotion to the magic wedding-planning department. Every weekend of my life has been booked up for the last three years. Birthday parties, bachelorette weekends, baby showers, retirement dinners, anniversary celebrations. No one wants to date someone who can barely find time to go out to dinner on a regular basis, let alone leave the haven long enough for a romantic weekend or getaway.”

  Unknowingly, Harmony had landed on the emotional equivalent of a land mine. Before I let the ticking bomb fully implode, I wrangled my anxiety back in line and forced a smile. “Not to mention, the sheer volume of bridal magazines I keep in my purse is enough to scare off most well-meaning men.”

  Harmony smiled, but I knew she’d seen the momentary slip of my calm, cool, collected mask. She was my sister. There probably wasn’t much point in even trying to keep up the facade for her, but it was an old habit. I didn’t let anything deter me. Not my boss, not Kait, not even the nasty clients like Lucinda Vanguard. I’d learned years ago that being unshakable was the best defense against the sometimes-bitter parts of life.

  I thought back to that morning’s disastrous staff meeting and realized that maybe my mask was slipping more often than I’d thought. If CeeCee hadn’t interrupted my argument with Kait, it could have turned into a nasty shouting match that would have left the office gossip mavens buzzing for weeks.

  I needed a vacation. What I’d told Harmony wasn’t an exaggeration. I’d literally worked every weekend the last three years of my life, ever since I got serious about making the move to the magical-wedding department. Kait had been hot on my heels the entire time. If I’d missed one event, it would have given her leverage to use against me when the time came for a spot to open.

  Harmony offered me a warm smile. “Well, if my experience is any indication, you aren’t missing out on much,” she said with a small laugh. “Every relationship I’ve been in has turned into a complete three-ring circus and somehow, in the end, I always end up playing the clown.”

  I appreciated her attempt to cheer me up. “I think you’re on the right path now,” I said. “Besides, there’s plenty of time for dating later. After all, you’re not a hundred years old yet.”

  I winked at her, and she laughed.

  The Vanguard rehearsal crept up on me with as much subtlety as a runaway train. Or, perhaps more accurately, a train with Kait firmly planted at the controls.

  “Are you sure you have the flower order confirmed?” she asked.

  I glanced up, my top lip curled back into a snarl. “Yes,” I growled through clenched teeth. “As I’ve already said twice this morning, everything has been confirmed.”

  She smiled sweetly before checking something off on the clipboard she held. I hadn’t caught a glimpse of her notes, but I imagined the heading was something like: “Steps to Drive Anastasia to Day Drink.”

  If so, she was ahead of schedule. It was only ten in the morning, and I was ready for a cocktail.

  “I just wanted to make sure we’re on the same page,” Kait said.

  The false innocence to her tone sent me over the edge. Without a word, I got up from my desk, abandoned my own notes and checklists, and stalked out of my office.

  Kait called after me, but I ignored her, and kept walking. Judging by the looks on the other planners and associates that I passed on the way out, my expression was somewhere between “don’t mess with me” and “ax murderer” and they all scurried out of my path.

  Outside, the chilly spring morning air smacked me in the face and I breathed deeply, sucking it in as if I hadn’t fully taken a breath all morning. If I’d had a pillow handy, I would have screamed into it. Or smothered her with it. Instead, I continued down the sidewalk, muttering to myself, all the way to my favorite coffee house, Magic Beans.

  The shop was part of a chain specific to the haven, with one notable exception—the one that resided in Seattle proper and contained one of a handful of public portals into the haven. I ordered a Ruffled Feathers latte to go and waited with a cluster of other patrons at the end of the counter as a friendly witch brewed espresso and potions with equal speed and precision. A Ruffled Feather contained a splash of espresso, but the biggest draw was the shot of soothing potion that would calm my nerves.

  It wasn’t a cocktail, but it would have to do.

  I wasn’t sure if I was angrier at Kait’s incessant barbs or the fact that Hyacinth had saddled me with her in the first place. All I knew for certain was that the sooner the Vanguard wedding was over, the better. And who knows, maybe Kait would get carried off by a bat or something. I didn’t fully know the extent of Lucinda’s plans for the rehearsal, but she’d mentioned a special surprise for the couple. It wasn’t out of the realm of possibility she’d let loose a cloud of bats in place of doves. The very least she could do was rid me of the obnoxious busybody.

  Latte in hand, I marched back to the office.

  Kait was back at her desk, phone in hand, and I breathed a sigh of relief as I slipped back behind my desk, grateful to have a moment’s peace.

  “Anastasia!”

  I winced as Hyacinth appeared in the doorway. “Kait’s just told me things are woefully behind schedule for tonight’s rehearsal. What is going on?” she snapped.

  Should have gone for the cocktail.

  Mustering up every bit of patience I possessed—which, at that point, wasn’t much—I forced a placid smile. “I’m not sure what Kait thinks hasn’t been tended to, but I can assure you, we are right on schedule. I’m planning to leave in an hour to head to the Vanguard estate and oversee the preparations. The florist will meet me there, as will Francois, the caterer. The rental company has already dropped off the tables, linens, dishes, etcetera.”

  Hyacinth seemed taken aback, almost frustrated by the lack of holes in the ship. “Photographer?” she asked.

  “Confirmed to be there at six,” I answered before taking a long sip from my latte.

  “And music?”

  “Lucinda has a band arranged,” I replied coolly. “I’ve checked in with her to make sure they’re confirmed.”

  Hyacinth paused, then gave a sharp nod. “Very good. Glad to hear it.”

  She turned and left the office and I cut a glare across the floor to Kait’s desk. She held up a hand and wiggled her fingers.

  I swallowed down my bubbling frustration and waved my hand at the door, slamming it shut.

  As expected, everything was moving like well-oiled gears by the time Kait and I arrived at the Vanguard estate. One of Lucinda’s household staffers greeted us at the door, and after handing over our coats, we took a quick tour of the first floor, checking in with the various vendors to ensure things were on schedule.

  I resisted the urge to rub Kait’s nose in it, choosing instead to handle her antics with cold indifference. If she was anything like the childhood bullies that ran rampant at my academy, reacting to her taunts and digs would amount to feeding her, and that was the last thing I wanted to do.

  There was only a week left to go. I could keep myself in check for a week. After all, the hard part was over. After the rehearsal, it really was a waiting game.

  Dimitri and Alice were in the kitchen with Francois, taste-testing the appetizers he’d artfully prepared. They glanced up when Kait and I entered the room and smiled. “Ana, you have to taste this quiche!” Alice beamed.

  “Even I can’t stop eating it,” Dimitri said with a grin. “Normally, I only eat for show, but this stuff
is pure indulgence.”

  I smiled at the happy couple. “I keep trying to get Francois to teach me his secrets, but he swears there’s no magic involved in his wonderful creations.”

  “Just love,” the caterer said, glowing with delight.

  I glanced at Kait and then at Alice and Dimitri. “This is Kait, she’s my assistant for the remainder of the wedding. If you need anything, coffee, mints, a snack, feel free to let her know.”

  Alice and Dimitri nodded and introduced themselves to Kait. She played it off with a cool smile and exchanged handshakes with the couple, but I could feel her irritation radiating like a pot of water about to boil.

  “Where is Lucinda?” I asked, ignoring Kait’s stewing.

  “She’s still getting ready,” Alice said, a hint of an eye-roll to her reply.

  Dimitri grimaced. “She should be down shortly.”

  “She could do us all a favor and just stay up there,” Alice muttered. “Maybe then we could enjoy ourselves.”

  “Francois, do you need anything?” I asked, trying to change the subject.

  He shook his head. “I’ve got everything well in hand, Ana.”

  I flashed a smile. “All right. I’ll check with the minister, but I believe it’s about time we got the rehearsal underway so we all have a chance to freshen up for dinner.”

  The rehearsal went as smoothly as could be expected, considering Lucinda’s near-constant interruptions to make minuscule changes to the program. She swapped the order of the bridesmaids three times before finally deciding to arrange them all back to the order we’d started with. The flower girl also got a one-on-one coaching session.

  By the end of the second run-through, Alice’s jaw was clenched so tight I worried she was doing permanent damage to her molars.

  Dimitri finally stepped in to end his mother’s theatrics when she announced she’d like one more practice run. “Mother, I think we all know what to do,” he said, his tone gentle but firm.

  “Lucinda, Dimitri is right,” I interjected. “Everything looks perfect. And, I’m afraid if we don’t wrap things soon, we’ll still be rehearsing when the guests arrive for dinner.”

  Lucinda gave her son a long look before finally nodding. “Very well.”

  The rehearsal dinner was a much larger gathering than I was used to, almost a mix between an engagement party and a rehearsal dinner. Lucinda had invited over a hundred guests to join in the merriment, and Alice had her bridesmaids and their dates, but no family, present.

  The little I’d gathered about her background indicated she’d grown up without a family, bouncing between temporary homes until she’d turned eighteen. In some ways, it was a blessing there weren’t too many humans in the mix. The vampires had been warned ahead of the event to act human and not discuss anything to do with the haven or magic or vampirism, but with over a hundred vamps in attendance, I wasn’t one-hundred percent certain there wouldn’t be some kind of leak.

  Happily, it appeared my concerns were unwarranted. As the cocktail hour began, the humans and vampires mixed with ease, and I started to finally relax a little. Kait had made herself scarce after the rehearsal, no doubt plotting her next attempted upset. I decided to worry about her later and even grabbed a flute of champagne from a passing server’s tray, ready to toast myself on a job well done.

  That’s when Lucinda stood from her seat at the main table and raised her own flute, tapping lightly with a fork to garner the room’s attention.

  The music softened and the chatter of the crowd faded. Alice gave Dimitri a sidelong glance and shrugged.

  “Good evening,” Lucinda began, smiling at her guests. “Thank you for being here this evening to celebrate this momentous occasion with my son Dimitri and his bride-to-be.” She paused and gave the couple a tight-lipped smile, raising her glass slightly before continuing. “As many of you know, I was hesitant about this union, but I’ve warmed to the idea and have decided to offer a token of my blessing to Alice and Dimitri.”

  Lucinda waited a moment, letting a rush of whispered speculations build in the room.

  I looked at Alice again and saw red splash across her cheeks. Did she know what was coming?

  Lucinda turned and looked right at her. “Alice, as soon as you officially join the Vanguard family, I will present the keys to this estate to you and Dimitri. I want this house to be the home in which you and Dimitri raise a family of your own.”

  A ripple of applause and exclamations rang through the room, but Alice didn’t look happy. She leaned over and whispered something in Dimitri’s ear. He said something to her in reply, and while I imagined it had been meant to sooth her, it didn’t work. Alice threw her napkin down on her plate of half-eaten entree and pushed back from the table. Dimitri reached for her arm, but she shrugged away from him and stood. With a fiery glare at Lucinda, she stormed from the ballroom, her heels clicking on the marble floor in the stunned silence she left behind.

  A fresh burst of whispers erupted, and I gestured at the band. The conductor picked up on my cue and ordered a lively song that drowned out the murmurs of the crowd.

  Lucinda turned back to address the crowd and raised her glass. “To family!” she called over the music.

  The confused guests took her lead and shared the toast. Dimitri got up and chased after his fiancée and I downed my own champagne.

  I wasn’t sure of Lucinda’s meaning, but in the context of the conversation at Alice’s final fitting, it seemed fairly plain she meant the keys of the family estate would be handed over upon Alice allowing Dimitri to turn her into a vampire—something Alice had made clear wasn’t an option. I wondered if that had been discussed in the meeting with Lucinda’s lawyer after the fitting.

  It wasn’t any of my business, and it wouldn’t have been my concern, except for the fact that the tension felt like a pile of kindling. All it was going to take was a single spark to send the entire wedding up in smoke. And if that happened, I imagined my wedding planner career would burn down as well.

  I searched the room looking for Kait. It would be best to divide and conquer. She could keep tabs on Lucinda while I went to see Alice. However, Kait was nowhere to be found. Sighing, I headed for the arched entry to the ballroom. I checked the bathrooms on the first floor but didn’t find my wayward bride. It was dark outside, but the garden off the study was illuminated with floating lanterns. I stepped outside and called Alice’s name.

  I didn’t find Alice, but found Kait tangled up in the arms of a tall and impossibly handsome vampire—one of Dimitri’s groomsmen. I cleared my throat and Kait jumped out of her skin when she saw me. Quickly, she patted down the front of her dress and ran a hand over her polished updo. “I was, uh, just getting some air,” she said lamely. “It was stuffy in the ballroom.”

  I looked past her to the tall vampire. “Do you know where Dimitri is? I’m looking for him and Alice.”

  “Haven’t seen either of them,” the vampire replied.

  I waited, and both Kait and the groomsmen leapt into action. “We’ll go look for them!” Kait said.

  They scrambled back through the study, and I shook my head after them.

  I waited a minute, giving Kait and her new friend a moment to get away, and then went back inside. I was about to go upstairs to check the bedrooms when Francois came to find me, his face flushed of his normal glow.

  Oh, stars. Please tell me the kitchen isn’t on fire, I thought as he raced toward me.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked, keeping my voice just above a whisper.

  “Ana, you need to come with me right now!” he declared, ensnaring my wrist.

  “What happened?” I asked, my mind already whirling with worst-case scenarios, most of which revolved around one of Lucinda’s guests turning a bridesmaid into a Capri Sun.

  “It’s the mother of the groom,” Francois said, once he’d pulled me a little farther from the crowd. “She’s … she’s gone.”

  I glanced over my shoulder to her table. Sure enou
gh, the seat was vacated. “She’s probably off getting an earful from Dimitri. That toast was—”

  “Ana!” Francois interrupted, his voice harsher than I’d ever heard it. “She’s dead!”

  Chapter 4

  “I’m sorry,” I smiled and shook my head, convinced something was clogging my ears. “I thought you said dead.”

  Francois frowned at me. “Ana, Lucinda Vanguard has been murdered.”

  My head kept shaking, somewhat involuntarily. “No. No, that can’t be right. She was just here,” I protested, pointing into the ballroom.

  “Anastasia!”

  I turned at the sound of my name and found Dimitri barreling toward me, his eyes wide with alarm. My heart sank, and I looked back at Francois. “This is … real?”

  “I’m afraid so,” Francois said. “One of the household staffers came across her … uh … remains.”

  I gulped, catching the full meaning of his words. “Ashes?”

  Francois gave a solemn nod.

  Dimitri stopped beside me. “I can’t find Alice. Do you know where she is?”

  Panic rose inside my chest, and I shook my head. “I’ve been looking for both of you since the toast.”

  Dimitri raked both of his hands through his thick hair, looking around in complete bewilderment.

  I looked back at Francois, completely at a loss.

  Over my six-year career as an event coordinator, I’d picked up a handful of tricks in case of matrimonial disaster. Broken high heel? Got it covered. Tear in a delicate lace veil? Sewing kit at the ready! Vampy bridesmaid with low blood sugar? No problem. I carried an extra flask of B positive in my purse at all times.

  But this? Well, it certainly wasn’t something I could fix with a strategically placed bobby pin or a tube of Krazy Glue.