Night's Illusion

by Amanda Ashley

  When he materialized in the living room, he found Cassie huddled on the sofa, the remains of her dinner on the coffee table. “Are you all right?”

  “I had an unexpected guest today.”

  “Yes, I know.”

  “You know? Did you send her?”

  “Of course not.” Seating himself beside Cassie, he took her hand in both of his. “What did she want?”

  “She said she’d just come by to say hello and that she hoped to see me again soon. Perhaps at the wedding. I know you like her, but she’s scary.”

  Giovanni laughed softly. “She can be. She’s mellowed a lot since I first met her.”

  “She didn’t seem very mellow to me.”

  He grunted softly. Mara’s residual power still lingered in the air.

  “She didn’t say it in so many words, but I got the distinct impression that I’d regret it for the rest of my life—however long or short it might be—if I did anything to make you unhappy.”

  He arched one brow in wry amusement. “She’s worse than a mother hen,” he said, kissing the tip of her nose. “But you’ve got nothing to worry about, my love. Once we’re married, you’ll be family and she’ll defend you to the death.”

  To Cassie’s surprise, she found that oddly comforting.

  “Have you decided on a day yet?”

  “What? Oh. For the wedding. How about Halloween?”

  He stared at her. “Are you serious?”

  “What better day to marry a vampire than on All Hallows’ Eve?”

  “If that’s what you want.”

  “I’m kidding, silly! But how about October first?”

  “Sounds good.” Two weeks, he thought. Fourteen days until she would be his. The thought was exhilarating. And terrifying.

  He called Mara with the good news that night, after Cassie had gone to bed.

  * * *

  “So, he’s getting married,” Logan said when Mara ended the call. He shook his head. “Hard to believe, after all this time. Do you suppose his equipment works?”

  Mara stared at him from across the bedroom, then burst out laughing. “I hope so! For both their sakes. How’s yours?”

  “I haven’t heard any complaints from you in the last nine hundred years,” he said with a wink. “But feel free to check it out for yourself anytime.”

  * * *

  Eyes twinkling, Edna Mae said, “That was Mara on the phone.”

  “What did she want, dear?” Pearl asked.

  “You’ll never guess!” Edna Mae exclaimed. “Father Lanzoni is getting married!”

  “Really? When’s the big day?”

  “October the first! You know we have to be there.”

  “Of course, dear, but . . . do you think it’s safe for us to leave here?”

  “Oh. I hadn’t thought of that. But it seems a shame to miss the wedding.” Edna Mae drummed her fingers on the arm of the sofa. “You know, I was thinking, maybe we should go back home.”

  “We have no home to go back to,” Pearl said. “Alric burned it down, remember?”

  “I meant Texas. We’ve been gone for ages. No one will remember us there. We could buy a little place, come back here for the wedding, then scurry home to Texas.”

  “It could be risky, dear,” Pearl warned.

  “Maybe it’s time we took a little risk.”

  “I don’t know. Maybe. Maybe we should talk it over with Monroe and James when they get back.”

  “If you like,” Edna Mae agreed. But she had already made up her mind. She was going back to Texas—and to the wedding—whether Pearl went or not.

  * * *

  “Hey, Sheree,” Derek called. “The priest is tying the knot in two weeks.”

  “I don’t believe you!” she said, looking up from the book she’d been reading.

  “It’s true. I just got a text from my mother. She’s not one for practical jokes, you know.”

  “Or any other kind,” Sheree muttered. And then she smiled. “I’ll need a new dress!”

  * * *

  Roshan DeLongpre shook his head. “I don’t believe it.”

  “Believe what?” Brenna asked. “Who was that on the phone?”

  “Mara. You remember Father Lanzoni?”

  “Of course.”

  “He’s getting married.”

  “Really?”

  Roshan nodded. “I never thought it would happen.”

  “Well, good for him. He’s been alone far too long. I wonder what she’s like, the woman who finally won his heart?”

  “We’ll find out in two weeks,” he said, grinning. “I’ll bet the whole clan turns out!”

  * * *

  Rafe stuffed his cell phone into his pants pocket. “Did you hear any of that?”

  Rane grinned at his brother over his prey’s head. “Wait until we tell Savannah and Kathy. They won’t believe it.”

  “I know. But it’s great news. I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces when we tell them.”

  “Mom’s and Dad’s, too,” Rane added. “They’re coming over tonight, remember?”

  “Right. We’d better get a move on then. You ready?”

  “Yeah.” Rane released his prey from his thrall, waited for his brother to do the same. “Been a while since we hunted together.”

  “We should do it more often,” Rafe said. “Race you home!”

  * * *

  Abbey Marie was smiling when she tossed her cell phone on the footstool and settled back in Nick’s arms. “What do you think?”

  “I think miracles never cease,” he said. “What do you think?”

  “I’m happy for him. Aren’t you?”

  “I guess so.”

  “You guess so?” she asked, frowning.

  “Yeah, poor man. It’s like I told you before. He waited centuries to find the right woman, but I’ve already found her.”

  Chapter 29

  Alric moved through the dark streets like a scythe, mowing down everything and everyone that had the misfortune to cross his path. Damn Mara! She had killed the first hunter he’d hired and when the second hunter heard the news, then met Lanzoni, he’d quit.

  Maybe he should just forget about her and concentrate on his ungrateful fledgling. You’d think the stupid priest would have a little gratitude for the gift he’d been given. If he hadn’t sired Lanzoni, the man would have died centuries ago. Alric swore a vile oath. His fledgling had lived long enough, as far as he was concerned. Though how he’d find him now that Mara had severed the link between himself and the priest remained a mystery. Damn the woman’s interference!

  Well, to hell with incompetent hunters. And to hell with detectives. Yanking his cell phone from his pocket, he called the detective he’d hired and fired him.

  He’d been going about this all wrong, he thought as he made his way to a bar with public Wi-Fi. He did a quick search online for Goth magazines and booked ads in each one, promising a hefty reward to anyone having knowledge of Mara or Father Giovanni Lanzoni or their whereabouts. Then he contacted an advertising firm and arranged for them to print posters offering the same reward for the same information and have the posters sent out to all the Goth clubs in the Western United States. If Lanzoni was in the area, there was a good chance Mara was, too, he decided. He was betting that even the Queen of the Vampires had to be somewhere in the vicinity when she tampered with his mind.

  He would find her or the priest, one way or another.

  No matter what it cost.

  Chapter 30

  She was getting married in two weeks, Cassie thought as she lounged on the sofa, scrolling through Google looking for ideas on planning a hasty wedding. Two weeks! And suddenly she didn’t think she’d left herself enough time to prepare. She was stunned by all the details she hadn’t considered—such as flowers and pictures and someone to walk her down the aisle and a bridesmaid. Not to mention where to have the reception and what to serve.

  And where to go on their honeymoon . . . ?

&nb
sp; Maybe they should just elope, she mused. Laying her phone aside, she leaned back against the sofa. She didn’t have any family, so she didn’t have anyone to walk her down the aisle. Her only friend was Darla, who really wasn’t much of a friend. And Cassie didn’t want her at the wedding anyway. So, no bridesmaids. No guests other than the vampires Johnny considered family. And since they were all vampires, there was no need for food or champagne—or even a cake. She grinned as she imagined a fancy three-tiered affair with a bride and a vampire groom on top.

  Maybe she’d ask Mara to be her maid of honor, Cassie thought, and burst out laughing. She sobered just as quickly as she realized that everyone attending the ceremony would be a vampire.

  Except the bride.

  What was she doing? Thinking? She would be as helpless as a lamb in a den of wolves.

  “Cassie.”

  Startled, she bolted upright. “Johnny! What are you doing here?” She glanced at the window. “Is something wrong? The sun is still up.”

  “I know. It’s an added benefit for some ancient vampires.” Her chaotic thoughts had disturbed his rest and brought him home hours before dark.

  Brow furrowed, she cocked her head to the side. “How ancient are you?”

  It was a question he had dreaded.

  “Johnny? No secrets between us, remember?”

  “I’ve been a vampire for thirteen hundred years, give or take a decade or two.” To his knowledge, only a handful of vampires were older—Mara was thought to be over three thousand years old, even though she’d had a brief period as a human before being turned again. But her stint as a mortal hadn’t diminished her powers in the least. She remained the most powerful vampire in the world. Nick Desanto was around two thousand, Alric, fourteen hundred.

  Cassie stared at him. Thirteen hundred years, give or take a decade or two. He had already lived over a dozen lifetimes before she’d even been born.

  “Does it matter?” he asked.

  “I don’t know.” She tried to imagine what it would be like to live so long. To see everything she knew change or disappear, to watch everyone she knew grow old and die. She thought of the myriad changes he must have seen in all that time. Inventions that she took for granted would have been unthinkable a thousand years ago. Thirteen hundred years. He should have been dust long ago, she thought morbidly, and then she frowned. Was she seeing the real Johnny? Or was there some sort of monster hidden beneath his handsome exterior?

  Giovanni watched the play of emotions flit across her face. He didn’t have to read her mind to fathom her thoughts, or to know she was wondering if he was some kind of freak. Hell, maybe he was. Maybe he’d been a fool to think he could have a lasting relationship with Cassie, or with any mortal woman.

  Not knowing what to say and not willing to wait around to hear her say it was over, he simply vanished from the house.

  “Johnny?” Frowning, Cassie stared at the place where he’d been standing a moment ago. Where had he gone in such a hurry?

  And why?

  * * *

  Giovanni materialized on the front porch. He had intended to leave, but what if he had misjudged her reactions? What if he was projecting his own thoughts and insecurities onto Cassie? What if she wasn’t thinking he was some kind of monster? What if she’d just been astonished at how old he was? If he wasn’t a vampire and someone told him they had lived thirteen hundred years, he would probably be speechless, too. And who could blame her for having second thoughts about marrying a vampire? Maybe he had been attributing his own fears to her. Maybe he should go back inside.

  Johnny? Her voice, in his mind.

  I’m here.

  Why did you leave?

  I thought . . . I thought you’d feel different about me now.

  Because you’re so old?

  He frowned. Was she laughing at him?

  I was just surprised, that’s all. I mean, even without the added thirteen hundred years, you’re an old man. I mean, you are on the downside of thirty.

  Cassie . . .

  Johnny, come home.

  The words were scarcely out of her mouth when he materialized in front of her. It didn’t startle her nearly so much this time.

  “I was afraid you were having second thoughts,” he said. “That you were thinking I’m some kind of . . . of . . .”

  “Freak?”

  He frowned at her. Had she been reading his mind?

  Taking his hand, she tugged him down beside her. “I was having some doubts,” she admitted. “And I let my imagination run away with me for a few minutes. But mostly, I was fretting over the wedding. I don’t know anything about planning one, and while I was looking up suggestions online, I realized I’m not your average bride. I don’t have any family. Or any close friends to be my bridesmaids, or anyone to give me away. And then it occurred to me that I would be the only human at the ceremony, like a . . . a lamb among lions and it . . . it scared me.”

  Giovanni put his arms around her, thinking they were two of the most insecure people he knew.

  “My family would never hurt you, Cassie. None of them is a killer . . . well, unless it’s necessary to preserve their own life or that of their mate. If you didn’t know they were vampires, you’d think they were just ordinary people. Well . . . except for Mara. There’s nothing the least bit ordinary about her.”

  “That’s for sure,” Cassie muttered.

  “So, are we still getting married?”

  “Yes. I think I just had a case of bridal jitters.” The minute she’d thought she had lost him, Cassie had known she didn’t want to live without him.

  “I’m sure Mara’s son, Derek, would love to walk you down the aisle,” Johnny said. “I’ll ask him, and then I’ll talk to Logan about being my best man. And we’ll get Mara to be your maid of honor.”

  Cassie smiled inwardly, remembering how she’d considered that earlier and how the mere idea had made her laugh.

  “You don’t like that plan?”

  “No, it’s fine.” She frowned as a new thought occurred to her. “I’d like to be married in a church. Is that going to be a problem?”

  “Why would it be?”

  “Well, it’s holy ground. I’d hate for the groom and all the guests to go up in flames.”

  “There’s nothing to worry about, love,” he said, grinning. “I promise you that won’t happen. We can text invitations as soon as you pick a time and a place.”

  “Who will we get to perform the ceremony?”

  He frowned. In days past, he had officiated at the family weddings. “I’m sure we can find someone.”

  She snuggled against him, content to be in his arms. Vampire or not, she loved him more every day.

  And in two weeks, he would be hers and she would be his for as long as she lived. She closed her eyes as a little voice in the back of her mind whispered, It could be forever, if you were a vampire, too.

  * * *

  The next day, Cassie went online looking for a nearby church. She found a small, nondenominational one close by. The pictures showed a lovely white brick building set amid a swath of green grass surrounded by trees. Noting the phone number, she called and learned the day she wanted was available. A minister could perform the ceremony for a small donation to the church.

  Smiling, she booked a reservation, then looked at her checklist. Dress, yes. Church, yes. Maid of honor and best man, yes. Someone to walk her down the aisle, yes. Flowers . . . ?

  Another quick phone call and she crossed that off her list. She debated about a photographer, but then, remembering Johnny didn’t show up on her cell phone and he’d told her vampires didn’t cast a reflection or a shadow, it seemed unlikely that their image could be captured on film. She crossed photographer off her list. If she wanted pictures of herself as a bride, she could always use her cell phone. It took better pictures than her old camera ever had.

  When she saw Johnny tonight, she’d ask where he wanted to spend their honeymoon. She didn’t really care, as long
as they were together.

  * * *

  Johnny arrived with the setting of the sun. “How are you, my lovely bride-to-be?” he asked, taking her in his arms.

  “Wonderful. I missed you.”

  “I missed you, too. Have you had dinner?”

  “Yes. Have you?”

  His gaze moved to her throat. “Is that an invitation?”

  “If you want it to be.”

  “Very much so.”

  She pulled her hair back, baring her neck to his gaze.

  “Ah, Cassie.” He rained kisses along the length of her throat before biting her. The scent of her blood, the taste of it, was like nothing else. Hot and sweet and filled with vibrant life. It went through him like sunshine, warming him from the inside out. He took only a little, but it was enough. A flick of his tongue sealed the tiny wounds.

  “Finished so soon?” she asked.

  He kissed her lightly. “You’re my dessert,” he said. “I’ll have dinner later.”

  She smiled at him as he sat in the big easy chair and pulled her down on his lap. “I have to get ready for work soon.”

  “I know.”

  “I was thinking about our honeymoon today.”

  “Oh?” A thrill of excitement swept through him at the thought of holding her, making love to her for the first time.

  “Where do you want to go?” she asked.

  “I don’t care, as long as you’re with me. Where would you like to go?”

  Cassie shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t know. I’ve never been anywhere. But you must have been everywhere.”

  He made a vague gesture with his hand. “I’ve seen a place or two in my time.”

  “What was your favorite one?”

  “Italy.”

  “Isn’t that where you were born?”

  He nodded. “It’s home.”

  “I’d love to go there. I’ve always wanted to see Rome and the Colosseum and Venice and the Leaning Tower of Pisa and Vesuvius. But . . . can we afford it?”

  “Money is no object, cara mia. We can visit Italy and anywhere else you’d like to go.”

  She beamed at him, then sighed. “I’ve got to get ready for work.”