Cammie laughed as she continued on to the RV.
Donna couldn’t imagine doing this without her sister, and Cammie did seem to be coming out of her shell a little. Remarkable, considering where they were staying, but maybe knowing that the queen had thought enough of Donna to make sure she had the best accommodations was some kind of comfort for Cammie. Like they weren’t exactly in enemy territory here.
Donna went into the bedroom, shut the door, then pulled out her pajamas and changed, leaving her clothes on a bench at the end of the bed.
Finally, she slipped under the covers, between sheets that had undoubtedly cost a fortune, and closed her eyes. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to sleep with so much on her mind.
But she drifted into nothingness quickly.
She awoke to the soft thrum of rain falling and the familiar smells of home cooking. She smiled. She wasn’t sure how long she’d slept, but it was clear from the muted voices and hushed tones filtering into her room that the rest of the house was being quiet on her behalf.
She sat up, feeling refreshed. The time for being quiet was over.
Now it was time to go to war.
Donna took a shower, washed her hair, put on the jeans and sweater she’d brought in from the RV, and went out to the kitchen, following the delicious smells.
“Hey, there you are,” Cammie said. “How’d you sleep?”
“Good. Soundly. I think the rain helped, although I don’t know when it started.” No dreams about anything or anyone, thankfully.
Cammie glanced out the window. “An hour or so ago, I think. It’s already lightened up a bit.”
“Good. I’m not looking forward to walking to the main house in a nice dress and heels in this weather. Even with an umbrella.”
“I’m sure,” Cammie said.
Donna inhaled. “The food smells amazing.”
Cammie smiled. “Glad you think so. We’re about ready to eat.”
“I’m going to have a little blood first.” Donna could see dusk was fast settling in, but she checked the time anyway. Almost seven. Nightfall was upon them. She took a bag from the fridge and put it into a bowl of hot water to warm it, then settled in at the breakfast bar to wait. She didn’t exactly need to feed, but she wanted to be at her strongest in case she encountered Fitzhugh at the memorial gathering.
The fridge looked pretty stocked, so someone had done a good job of bringing things in from the RV.
The house door opened, and Francine, Bunni, and Kace hustled in. Kace was carrying about three hundred pounds of luggage. Raindrops spotted them all.
Francine waved. “Hi, honey, we’re home.”
Bunni snapped her gum as she looked around. “This is so gucci, Donna. The queen must have really liked you.”
Kace rolled his eyes before catching Donna’s gaze. “Temo said our rooms are upstairs?”
Donna nodded. “Yep.”
He started up the steps. “Let’s go, ladies.”
They followed him, and a few moments after they went up, Neo came down and joined Cammie and Donna in the kitchen. Donna was just pouring herself a glass of B negative.
She held up the bag and gave Neo a big smile. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages. You want some?”
Neo settled into a chair at the breakfast bar. “I would love some. And I feel the same about seeing you. Although hanging out with my man is all right, too, you know. No complaints there.”
“I’m sure.” Donna got another glass down and filled it.
“How’s the glamouring coming?”
“Pretty sure I have the hang of it now, so thank you.”
“No problem. By the way, Temo brought me up to speed on the whole council sitch.” Neo sighed. “Something stinks about this business.”
“Yeah,” Donna said as she handed the glass to Neo. “And it’s Fitzhugh.”
Phone in hand, Charlie came running in. Well, not running exactly, but she was fast-walking with purpose. “He’s here. Marcus just texted me that he’s arrived with his entourage.”
“Who?” Donna asked. “Fitzhugh?”
Charlie nodded. “They’re being put up at the house.”
Neo arched her brows. “Maybe we should have asked about staying there.”
Charlie shook her head. “No, this is better. Marcus told me if you stay at the house, you don’t have the same amount of privacy. Trust me, being given the guesthouse was no small gesture.”
Fitzhugh would definitely get riled up about that. “Will they all be at the memorial tonight?” Donna asked.
“I’m sure Fitzhugh and Claudette will be. I don’t know about the rest of his staff. I’m not even sure who he brought with him, since Marcus didn’t say. Although he did mention that they flew, so Fitzhugh might have just brought his admin. I doubt Fitzhugh brought any of his donors, although anything’s possible. His admin is a vampire named Quentin. Been around awhile, although I don’t know exactly how old he is.” Charlie shrugged. “He’s all right. Better than dealing with Fitzhugh, but not by much.”
“Well, I don’t think anything will happen at the memorial. Fitzhugh isn’t dumb enough to make a scene there.”
“Agreed,” Charlie said. “He’ll be on his best behavior while he’s in the house or within earshot of anyone that he thinks matters, meaning the queen’s staff or any of the senior vampires who attend.”
Donna had a thought. “Is it possible that members of the council could be here for the funeral? I know they’re supposed to be anonymous, but it makes me wonder.”
Charlie hesitated. “I can’t say one way or the other. It’s definitely a possibility.”
“Which means I need to watch what I say and who I say it to.” She took a breath. “We all do.” Then she shook her head. “I don’t want to think about this right now. I want to have a nice dinner and take a few moments to enjoy everyone’s company before things really get complicated.”
Neo looked at Donna with questions in her eyes.
Donna understood. “You need to figure out how to rig me up, don’t you?”
“I do. And it would help if I knew what you’re wearing. I don’t think it would hurt to put mics on Pierce and Charlie too. He’s as liable to say something to them as he is to you. Even Temo.”
“How much equipment did you buy?” Donna asked.
“Enough to rig five people, but that was mostly because I figured we’d better have backup in case some of the equipment crapped out.”
“All right. We’ll determine at dinner who’s going. I’m thinking Hector, Cammie, and Kace might be the only ones who don’t.”
Harper and Will came downstairs.
Donna glanced up at them. “Are you two okay with your room?”
Will nodded. “As long as Harper can put up with my snoring, we’ll be just fine.”
Harper laughed. “It’s cute that he doesn’t realize I have a spell for that.”
The rest of them laughed too.
Pierce came in with a couple of suitcases. “What did I miss?”
“Just Harper being funny,” Donna said. “Still raining, huh?”
“It is. More of a drizzle now. Although, if the temperature keeps dropping, we may end up with snow.” He rolled the bags toward the bedrooms.
Donna pointed. “Hey, that’s my suitcase.”
Pierce nodded. “Cammie packed your stuff up while you were sleeping. Most of it, anyway.”
She looked at her sister. “Thank you.”
“No problem. But if you want to thank me, set the table.”
Donna clapped her hands. “You heard the chef. Let’s get the table set and make sure everyone’s accounted for.”
That got them all moving, and in the midst of the happy chaos, Donna touched her crucifix and said a little prayer that things with Fitzhugh would work out in her and her family's favor.
Then she sent a quick text to Christina to check in with her and another quick one to her son, Joe Jr., with a promise to call him soon.
; Before long, they were all gathered around the table. Thankfully, it had an extension leaf, and with the addition of a few folding chairs found in the downstairs storage closet, everyone had a spot.
Cammie had outdone herself with the simple, homey meal of spaghetti, meatballs, and a big salad. She’d even gotten Temo and Charlie to rustle up some garlic bread on their jaunt to the security store. They’d also picked up several bottles of chianti, which were being liberally poured.
Despite everything else going on, the mood was joyous and light and exactly what Donna needed.
Having everyone together like that for a meal made Donna sentimental, reminding her of the happier times during her childhood. Before her father had left and things had spiraled downward.
Her father. The Prime’s emissary. She shook her head as she thought about that.
“No salad?” Pierce asked as he held the bowl out to her.
“Sorry, I was thinking about something else. I’d love some, thanks.”
“Fitzhugh?” He used the tongs to fill her side plate with greens.
“No. My father.”
“If you’re worried he’s going to be here—”
“It wasn’t that. Just thinking about who he was and who he is and feeling a little nostalgic for days gone by, I guess.” She smiled. “It’s nothing.”
He gave her hand a little squeeze. “Dressing? We have Italian or blue cheese.”
“Italian. Might as well stick with the theme.”
Smiling, he handed it to her.
She didn’t want to talk about the memorial or getting rigged up to try to catch Fitzhugh at his own game, but it needed to be done. They weren’t here on vacation, after all. And it made her realize how much she loved these people and having them around, even Bunni, for all her silliness.
When they got back to New Jersey, there would be no reason she couldn’t have all of these people over for a big dinner once in a while.
Unless, of course, the council decided she couldn’t go home to New Jersey.
“Great dress,” Neo said.
“Thanks.” Donna had chosen the long-sleeved black sheath because it was funeral-event-appropriate but still a little sexy thanks to the gathers on one side, the body-hugging silhouette, and the peekaboo slit that ran from shoulder to shoulder about two inches below the bateau neckline, exposing a hint of skin and cleavage. “You don’t think it’s too sexy, then?”
Neo narrowed her eyes and stepped back, taking a moment to look at it again. “Oh, it’s sexy, all right. But not too much, no.”
Donna snorted. “You just said it was a great dress, then you acted like you hadn’t even looked at it the first time.”
“Well, I meant it was a great dress because of its thick fabric and long sleeves. Gives me all kinds of options for wiring you up and hides the wires nicely. Although there really aren’t that many wires. Just one that connects the mic to the little battery pack.”
“I hope you mean the one you already taped to the small of my back, because I’m out of spots to hide another pack like that.” Her crucifix was in her strapless bra. Probably unnecessary. The crucifix, that was, not the bra. But the cross had become Donna’s security blanket, and if ever there was a night for such a thing, this was it.
“Just that one. Hang on.” Neo tugged Donna’s hem down, then stepped back again to give her a once-over. “I can’t see the mic, but I’m shorter than you.” She looked around, then hopped onto the bed for a better vantage point. “Okay, clearly no one is going to be this tall, but someone might be on second floor and be able to see below, so come over here and let me look down your dress to see if I can see anything.”
Shaking her head in amusement, Donna walked over.
Neo peered into her cleavage. “Nope. Nothing. Besides your fabulous rack, I mean.”
Donna laughed out loud. “You might have had too much chianti at dinner.”
Neo hopped off the bed. “Man, that was some dinner. I didn’t know your sister could cook like that.”
“She doesn’t spend a lot of time in the kitchen, but when she does, it’s worth showing up for.”
“Apparently.” Neo glanced at the time. “We should go soon, I guess. It’s almost eleven. I know it’s cool to be fashionably late, but too late might seem disrespectful. I just need to put my boots on and grab my phone, and then I’m ready.”
Neo was in black leather pants, a black slinky tank top studded with tiny black and silver squares, and a black fitted blazer.
“Same here,” Donna said. “Heels, lipstick, and phone.”
“Okay, see you out there in a minute. By the way, I’m not turning the mics on until I see Fitzhugh. No point in recording a lot of stuff we’ll just have to weed through later.”
“Sounds good.”
As Neo left, Donna went to the closet and took out a pair of simple black pumps. She hadn’t brought that many shoes, but her selection was still pretty decent. Most of the ones she’d brought were black, so picking something suitable wasn’t hard.
She slipped the heels on, wondering if she should bring her little black clutch. She hated to have to carry something like a purse, but without it, she had no place to put her phone. She made a quick decision and changed into the snakeskin pumps she’d worn earlier.
Those shoes had a matching clutch with a chain strap that would allow her to hang the little bag off her shoulder. Much easier for a cocktail party evening.
From there, she went into the bathroom, slicked on a slightly darker-than-nude lipstick, then tossed that in the bag as well. She took one last look in the mirror. Satisfied that she looked appropriate for the evening, she went out to see who else was ready to go.
The rain was still coming down outside. The walk to the main house, even with umbrellas, wasn’t going to be fun.
Pierce was sitting on the living-room couch, looking elegant in his dark gray suit and deep-plum tie. He got up as soon as he saw her, and she could have sworn a dark, smoky shadow vibrated off of him for a split second. “You look too good for this crowd.”
She smiled. Maybe the weird shadow had been just a glitch in the reaper matrix. Although she’d never noticed anything like that around Will. “You look pretty handsome yourself. Too bad we have to go out in the rain like this.”
“I found a couple big umbrellas in the coat closet, but yes, we’re bound to get a little wet.” He shrugged. “Can’t be helped. Unless you want to have Will drive us all over in the RV?”
“Might not be a bad idea, but that seems silly for such a short distance.” Donna shook her head. “We’ll tough it out with the umbrellas. None of us are made of sugar, right?”
“Right,” he said, chuckling.
She looked at him more closely. He really did look fantastic. “How are you feeling?”
His brows bent. “You mean with the reaper thing?”
She nodded.
“Great. Honestly, the biggest change is how sharp my senses have become. Everything sounds sharper, looks clearer, tastes better than I remember…” He glanced toward the door. “If we weren’t on the queen’s estate, I’d go for a run just to see what my body can do.”
“So why don’t you?”
“And have it all recorded? No, I’d rather keep my new abilities, whatever they are, under wraps for now.” He tipped his head toward the other side of the room. “I did go into the little gym over there and have a go at the machines and weights. Nothing, not even the heaviest settings, posed any real challenge.”
“Wow. You’ve turned into a superhero.”
He laughed. “Let’s just say Fitzhugh really doesn’t want to provoke me into punching him again.”
Harper came downstairs. She was in skinny black jeans, black boots, and a Van Halen T-shirt. “Donna, do you want me to put that glamour on you? After all, you’re going to see Fitzhugh tonight, right?”
“I am, but I don’t really want everyone who’s there to think I’m desperate and pitiful, so unless you can craft a spell that on
ly affects the way Fitzhugh sees me, I’m going to pass.”
Harper nodded. “I wouldn’t want everyone else to perceive you that way either, and unfortunately, it’s not the kind of spell I can tweak in such a way. Not without more prep and something personal of Fitzhugh’s that would let me narrow it down to him. Sorry.”
Donna shook her head. “It’s okay. I may still need the spell if I get the chance to meet with him alone. And if I can set that up tonight, I will.”
“Let me know,” Harper said. She glanced out the windows as Bunni, Francine, and Neo came down the stairs as well. “I can help you out with that rain, though.”
“Oh? I didn’t know you could control the weather.”
Harper grinned. “I can’t. But I have a few other tricks up my sleeve.”
A few moments later, after Temo, Charlie, and Will had joined them, Harper showed Donna exactly what one of those tricks was by walking with them to the main house and keeping a magical canopy over their heads the entire time. They arrived under the portico as dry as the moment they’d stepped out of the guesthouse.
Two of the queen’s staff greeted them, dressed in all-black uniforms. The man and woman took their coats, then the man showed them to the great hall, giving them a chance to see more of the house.
It was as impressive as the foyer, and all done in a similar style.
The great hall, however, truly defined the word great. It was an enormous, two-story space with a wood-beamed ceiling and a fireplace at one end that was big enough to walk into. A crackling fire filled the room with warmth and the subtle, pleasant scent of woodsmoke.
The exterior wall held two sets of French doors that led onto a large stone terrace, which was probably lovely on summer evenings when there was no rain. She hoped that was the case tomorrow night for the funeral service. Otherwise, she imagined they’d be in this room again. Which wouldn’t be a hardship.
Three different seating areas occupied the floor plan, each one a grouping of plush upholstered and leather furniture atop gorgeous Oriental rugs. Art adorned the walls, but the canvas that dominated the space was a larger-than-life-size portrait of Artemis above the fireplace.
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