Love and Blood (Evening Bower Book 2)

by Sherry Rentschler

  “No, princess. He eagerly waits for you. What Raikas did was unthinkable but the ring matters. We must see it placed on your finger. The marriage must happen for both of you.”

  “Dra, the Halloween events are a few weeks away yet. You could go and come back in time,” Rhea said to Drahomira.

  Alexander shook his head. “No, my lady. I’m afraid this will take the princess away for a while, perhaps months. She must marry, and then we prepare for the coronation.”

  No one knew what to say. Rhea and Drahomira exchanged frustrated looks.

  The silence broke with Franklin’s arrival. He pushed a cart loaded with coffee and wine, some tempered for both guest and Amor-el. One glass was warm and this he offered Dra who drank it in one gulp like a tequila shot. A pensive, if wary, Amor-el sipped his wine and casually offered a suggestion.

  “Centuries ago, and Rhea I believe you can back me up here, families, especially royal ones, married by proxy. This arrangement ensured signed marriage contracts, and agreements settled, dowries paid in advance, and political desires assuaged. A proxy groom stood in for the real groom, and the bride married the proxy. The marriage was legally binding and even recognized by most of the churches. A year or so later, the bride would travel to the actual groom’s country and have the formal church ceremony to benefit the country’s people and to satisfy the records. These arrangements were common and appeared quite successful. Much of Europe was bred by proxy,” Am laughed.

  “The proxy must be royal,” Dra objected, “and a relative.”

  Alexi nodded agreement, “I am an original royal, princess. My father, you know, was once King and friend to your father. And I am truly Sergei’s uncle.”

  “And if you do not do this, Dra?” Rhea wondered.

  Alexi answered, “If Dra does not marry then she cannot take the crown. If she refuses the crown, then the lands, the castle, and the people, all revert to the Magyars. She loses everything, and I can tell you that Raikas will proclaim himself king on her birthday, whether or not she is alive. The next day, the Magyars will slaughter the gypsies along with their wolves. For fun. Blood will run in the Vltava River, and it will never be clean again.”

  “By all the gods,” Rhea exclaimed. “You cannot let it happen.”

  “Of course not, little birdy. I will claim my rights. But New York matters too.”

  Amor-el stepped up to Alexi. “I offer this home and our family chaplain. I would volunteer to stand in for Dra’s fiancé but obviously, I cannot. If you stand in and you make this proxy agreement, what kind of time does that give Dra?”

  “A month, maybe two. If Dra is married, even by proxy, then the formal wedding can happen as late as her birthday, the Winter Solstice.” He glanced at Dra. “And a joint coronation the same day for you and Sergei.”

  Amor-el nodded. “Rhea? How quickly do you think?”

  “Tomorrow? If the chaplain will come. We can decorate the patio. It can be done easily, my love.”

  Alexi, along with everyone else, waited on a verdict from his redheaded princess. Rhea took a deep breath and went to her friend. Blue and green eyes searched one another.

  “You can do this, Dra. Think only of Sergei,” Rhea urged.

  A defeated Dra looked around. Her green eyes narrowed in anger.

  “I’m leaving for New York in two days. Married or not.” She reached in her pouch and pulled out Sergei’s ring, sans finger. The massive ten-karat gold ring housed an eight-carat, round diamond solitaire. The band highlighted the land’s mythology with dual mythical turuls on each side of the stone. She let her finger roam over the edges and smiled, remembering the story Rhea told her.

  Suddenly she thought it fitting that Rhea already knew Alexi. Somehow, the situation was more palatable remembering Rhea’s past was part of Dra’s future. She tossed the ring to Alexi.

  “There you go, my proxy prince. Until tomorrow.” Before Alexi or Rhea could stop her, she and Reaper disappeared.

  Alexi mused. “She is very contrary, even now.”

  Rhea nodded. “Yes, even now. Sasha, you may leave it all to me. Tomorrow Dra will marry Prince Sergei Vratislav of Bohemia, by proxy. After that, we will have to wait and see. Let us say midnight. It is Drahomira’s favorite hour.”

  Alexander shook hands with Amor-el and kissed Rhea’s hand again. His gratitude was endless. Franklin escorted him out. A few minutes later, everyone heard the clanging wind chimes. The wards worked.

  “Wow,” Victoria said. “You’ve had a cool life, Miss Rhea. A prince. A princess. A queen. A wedding!” She clapped her hands. “I need a dress. Sondra needs a dress. Everyone needs a dress.” She proclaimed.

  “Well, not me,” Am said sourly.

  And everyone laughed as Victoria dashed off to find Sondra. She could barely wait for tomorrow to go shopping.

  Rhea wondered why she felt so ill despite the positive way the situation ended.

  “I will sit down and plan with Franklin and Cooke. Do you think we need to invite anyone besides the chaplain? Her club people, perhaps?”

  Amor-el frowned. “No, my love. Drahomira’s ceremony isn’t one of love. I seriously doubt she will even tell her staff.”

  “Still, it must be memorable because it will be official.”

  “Oh, I’m certain it will be memorable, my rose. Because Drahomira seems to forget, the ceremony must be consummated. Also by proxy.”

  STEEL HAD WASTED no time telling the rest of the club staff about his encounter with Victoria and that she was not the body in the fire. Since his report, every column about the suspected arson held a particular interest for all of them, especially Janice. She scanned every article and continuously watched the news. Also, someone spotted Janice hanging out with a new man. They’d all seen him before, but he never stepped inside the club.

  Tonight, however, he made an exception and graced them with his presence. With his royal charge out doing business, he drowned his sorrows having failed at everything they tasked him to do. Long ago, he developed a taste for whiskey. It burned like good blood, and he finished his seventh shot.

  “Toby, hon. You’re going to be no good later if you keep on.” Whined the woman on the stool next to him.

  “Oh shut up, Z. Mind your own damn business.”

  Janice rounded the bar with an empty tray and squeezed in between the bar stools to leave Tobias breathless from a wet kiss. The other woman next to him rolled her eyes.

  “I’m mad at you,” he said to Janice.

  “Oh goodie. A spanking is in my future,” Janice laughed playfully.

  “More like a lashing,” Tobias growled and pulled her close.

  “If you mean a tongue lashing, baby, get started,” she whispered and kissed him again.

  “Good grief. I’m going to our bar,” said the other woman and slid off her stool.

  “Don’t wander too far off. You’re still fresh,” Tobias warned.

  The other woman shot him a bird and winked. Heads turned as she passed. Tall but only because she wore five-inch stilettos, the woman called Z dressed in a slick black knit sheath that didn’t hide her body’s luscious curves. Her deliberately lazy walk forced men to ogle, and even the women admired her unforced style. Thick, straight, blue-black hair rippled down her back and swayed like a pendulum in counter motion with her hips. Her eyes were smoky, not just from makeup, but also from the stunning grey color that peeked through her black lashes.

  “Goodnight Zephyr,” called Seth from behind the bar.

  The woman waved, exited to the street and then slowly strolled toward the Riverwalk. With all the attention, getting clients might be easier than she imagined. She rubbed her shoulder. At least when the scar formed.

  Janice scowled at the woman exiting. “I suppose she’s your new girlfriend,” she said pouting. “Just like you to set me up and leave me dry.”

  “Not yet,” he said huskily and pulled her to him, giving her lip a nip.

  Get your things, babe, we’re leaving.” He p
ushed her away and started for the back door.

  Steel blocked his way. Tobias slowed and then stopped.

  “Well?” Tobias challenged.

  “The key. I need it back.”

  “Haven’t got any key.” Tobias started around him but Steel’s arm shot out, and he stepped in his way again.

  “Look, man, you didn’t tell me what you were going to do.”

  “Lower your damn voice, bus-boy. I didn’t tell you anything because I didn’t do anything. Now move.” He shoved him a little harder than he meant to and Steel tumbled into a set of stacked chairs. Tobias frowned and would have said more, but Janice caught up with him.

  “Hey, what happened?”

  “He lost his balance. C’mon woman, I’m hungry for you.”

  Janice spent about one second wondering why Steel would bother Tobias before she snuggled into him. They left by the back door.

  But someone else spent several minutes wondering what caused the altercation.

  No one noticed Detective Bayone standing by the rail in the mezzanine above.

  BACK AT THE HOTEL, Alexander put in a call to Raikas. The phone service failed, as usual. Next, he tried Wickam who appeared to be dodging his calls. Next, he called Sergei. He couldn’t help smiling at the sound of his nephew’s voice. He listened as Sergei outlined the local events and then Alexi went straight to the point.

  “You are going to hate this, but the good news is tomorrow you will be married. Now, don’t start yelling. To the princess, of course.” He listened as Sergei hit him with all the reasons how they couldn’t make it happen in time and then Alexi laughed. “Actually, it will happen here, and I’m ashamed that I didn’t see this as an option long ago. It might have saved me, us, I mean you, so much trouble. Not even Raikas can deny this, my boy.”

  Carefully and in detail, he explained what the princess said and how she felt. He outlined everything including Riviere’s proxy wedding idea.

  “Yes, it will be blessed by the church and the papers will be completely legal. I can’t reach Raikas so we won’t tell him until the ceremony is over.” More questions. “I will be your proxy. There isn’t anyone else. And who else has your best interest at heart?” He smiled at Sergei’s laugh. “It pleases me to make you happy. By tomorrow at midnight, you will be His Royal Highness Prince Sergei Grisha Premysld Vratislav, heir apparent to the Vampire Magyar throne. You will legally rule beside Her Majesty, Queen Drahomira. The marriage makes it official, and you two can have all the pomp and celebrations when she comes home.” There was a long pause. “I’m sorry but no. Not for another month or so. She does charge you to prepare for her birthday. She plans on celebrating with a wedding and coronation on the same day.” More laughter. “Yes indeed, you will begin the new year together as King and Queen. Now let me go, and I will call you when it is official. I fly home the day after. Goodnight my boy.”

  How desperately he wanted everything to go the way Sergei hoped. But in his heart, he knew that once this was over, nothing would ever go right again. Raikas’ plans were too layered, his vendetta too vile ever since Viktor’s “death.” Thank goodness, the arson failed to find its intended target. Such an impulsive act on Tobias’ part, and a decision they would undoubtedly punish him for making. Unfortunately, the fire served up a warning that he couldn’t undo or else he would end up revealing the rest of the triad’s plans. Thinking of them, he wondered where the elf was hiding. He hadn’t seen anything of him. All Alexander wanted was to get Dra out of town before the Duke arrived.

  Someone knocked on his door and broke his train of thought.

  “Just a moment,” he called as he looked around. He stuffed his royal papers into a drawer and then opened the door. Tobias and Janice presented Alexander with a bottle of vodka.

  “Evening boss. This is Janice. She’s Dra’s club manager.” Tobias winked conspiratorially.

  “How do you do, miss? Won’t you come in?”

  “Pleased to meet you, sir. I’m Tobias’ girlfriend.” She preened like a peacock, ponytail swinging.

  Tobias snorted, “yeah, that too.”

  Niceties completed, a smiling Alexander stepped aside for them.

  They stepped inside, and Tobias immediately blurted out information. “My sire wants you to, hey! What the hell?”

  Alexander had pulled Janice to him, kissed her lips and before the shock registered, he snapped her neck. She crumpled at his feet like a broken doll.

  For a moment, no one said anything as Tobias blinked and tried to understand.

  “Let that be a lesson.” Alexi stepped over her and opened the vodka. “Next time it will be you. No more mistakes. No more making decisions without consulting me. The fire was stupid and almost cost my country a princess and the triad, our plan.”

  “But it didn’t!” Tobias protested in a small voice staring at the still smiling, very dead Janice.

  “And that’s why you are still alive. I don’t care what your sire wants. I’m telling you to get your bloodless ass to the den and stay there. No more throwing money around. Find your girls and fix them up! Be ready to open by the New Year. I’ll take care of the princess. Besides, I have news. I am getting married.” He chuckled and poured some vodkas.

  “But damn, why did you have to kill her? She was so perfect. And what about the phoenix? I still need to get the book, right? I could have done that with Janice’s help.” His tone bordered on a childish whine. Suddenly, Alexi’s words dawned. “Wait, married?”

  “I’m in perfect position to finish our plan. I didn’t realize I know this phoenix which makes it all too easy.”

  Tobias stared. “You know the phoenix? But married? To who?”

  “To the princess, idiot. That’s right. Now get out of my sight before I call your sire and send my regrets. And dump her,” he pointed his glass at Janice, “in back of her club. Don’t forget to mark her. I don’t want to see you again until I call you.”

  Alexi downed his drink and tossed the glass against the wall. It shattered into a hundred pieces. Wickam flinched and abruptly left.

  Sure, Tobias did as instructed, and would never admit it, but he cried a little when he dropped Janice in the garbage. Seemed damned unfair of the prick. Tobias had plans to drain her dry after a good night of body-breaking sex. Too bad. He liked her. Quickly, he tore her top off her shoulder and carved a rune deep into her flesh. The blood drooled down her collarbone. He gasped, licked the oozing blood, and leaned in to kiss those beautiful lips smelling of strawberries. Then he bit her throat but didn’t drink, much as he wanted her. The blood was cold and dead. Too bad.

  She was still smiling, eyes open, when he pulled a few plastic bags over her. Her long legs peeked from under some cardboard. He fought temptation for her, even now. Such a shameful waste. He wiped his eyes and shrugged.

  In the morning they would discover her body by lunch if not before. When Tobias thought of that bitch’s angry face, he chuckled and decided that maybe Alexander did him a favor after all.

  A small breeze rattled a garbage lid. A few papers fluttered. The alley never felt so alive, even in the shadow of death. An ignoble, blighted end for an innocent with lousy taste. A lock of Janice’s fine hair, lifted, twirled and fell. The body lied, but blood never did.

  WORRY TIGHTENED AMOR-EL’S brow.

  “Chérie, you collapsed. Don’t think I’ve forgotten, especially since that old friend of yours found you. I should have been here. Well, I’m here, now. Please tell me what is wrong?” Am lowered himself beside her and pulled Rhea close, hoping to scare away the chill that bound her.

  “I am frustrated, Am. I am always tired and all Destin does is feed from me. I am exhausted and cannot recover my energy. First, we had to fight for our love, then we had a son, and I almost died. Since then there has been a constant army of construction workers and noise, and I stopped liking Franklin’s cooking, bless him. Destin grows faster than any normal baby should, and I cannot catch up. It has been one surprise after another
. Thank the gods Cooke is here. Her tonics help. So does her cooking. Nothing is truly wrong, my love. I am overwhelmed and exhausted. Motherhood is such a new challenge,” she exhaled and rested her head against his.

  “I have just the thing to perk you up. I was going to wait until Halloween, but there is no reason for you not to know since it’s finished. Come with me, beautiful.”

  “Now? But Destin,” she argued as he picked her up in his arms.

  “Our son is fine. Sondra has him. I have you, my rose, hold on. You will like this, I promise.”

  She nestled into his arms with her lips kissing his throat. He shuddered and forced himself not to toss her back down on the sofa and consume her. Her cinnamon scent filled his senses and reminded him of their first garden encounter, before the chaos. The garden! Of course.

  With his memory refreshed, he was out the patio door and across the mansion lawns turning east, moving deeper into the bayou. Darkness wound around them as his mansion faded in the gloom.

  “Am, where on earth are you taking me? I feel like I am about to meet Mike Meyers at the water’s edge or something.”

  Suddenly the swamp bracken and trees cleared. Ahead, on open land, stood a massive plantation home. The portico supported no less than ten huge columns. At least twenty stone steps spread down from the front porch, widening at the bottom like a bride’s train. Lights inside the huge white house burned amber and cast a warm glow over the grounds. There were at least six chimneys, and all of them offered smoke curls.

  “Am, this is incredible. What is this place and why have I never seen it?”

  Am set her gently down on solid ground and took her hand in his.

  “Remember when Destin was born we said we wanted a home we could be proud of, one without the memories of burning and death? My home, where I found you and loved you, stopped being our haven. I wanted more for you, for us. I wanted us to offer a place to our friends and include all the things we loved so much. I purchased the land and built this for you because you said you wanted a bower, a private place to wait in the evening, somewhere to sit by the fire and be safe, and a sanctuary where the roses could grow along with our son.”