Chapter 24 All For Her #2
“Places, everyone!” I called out, clapping my hands. “And remember, when they arrive, we all shout ‘Cruor, she did it!’ ”
As everyone moved into position, I felt that familiar rush of anticipation that always preceded my best mischief. Tonight was going to be legendary, and I couldn’t wait to see Seri’s face when she realized it was all for her!
#
Foster showed up right on time, driving Seri down to the lake in her precious golf cart as she sat blindfolded and giggling in the passenger seat. I signaled to the waiting guests, raising three fingers, then two, then one.
“CRUOR, SHE DID IT!” Everyone shouted in unison, even Cas, which I counted as my first victory of the night.
Zane Cimmerian: Absolute Legend.
Fossman removed Seri’s blindfold, and her gray eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as she looked around.
“Oh!” Her hands flew to her mouth. “What is this?”
“To recognize your success, beloved.” Ko moved forward to take her hand.
“Your anti-siphoning ward is a remarkable achievement,” Cas added, his voice carrying that rare note of open admiration.
“Revolutionary!” I chimed in. “Hence, the epic celebration!”
Her eyes darted to the banner that was still drying, then back to us, a blush spreading across her cheeks, flustered beyond belief.
“I don’t know what to say,” she whispered, tears already welling in her eyes. Called it. “It’s just a ward.”
“It’s not just a ward,” Lucian corrected with his usual gravity. “It’s protection against one of the Darkest violations one can experience. Don’t diminish your accomplishment, daughter.”
The tears spilled over then, and Seri insisted on hugging everyone.
She started with my brothers and me, of course, then moved on to Kaori and Lucian, who accepted the embrace with a soft, “Harrumph.” Mrs. Wentzel received a hard squeeze, and her grandson Addison got a gentler hug.
Even Fosteroni endured a quick one, looking uncomfortable.
Brummy, of course, received the most enthusiastic greeting of all.
Seri dropped to her knees to hug the pup, cooing over his adorable top hat while he licked the tears from her cheeks.
“All right, enough crying!” I declared. “This is a celebration! Music! Dancing! Cake!”
I hit play on the sound system, and Kaori linked arms with our girl.
“Come on,” she said. “Mrs. Wentzel’s cake is a masterpiece, and you have to cut the first slice.”
Mrs. Wentzel beamed with pride as they approached the cake, and that almost set off another round of tears, but Seri kept it together as she took the knife and made the first cut while we applauded.
As the party progressed, our guest of honor moved from person to person, her face glowing as she accepted congratulations and praise.
Cas stayed close to her, although I noticed him relaxing incrementally as the evening wore on.
Ko alternated between engaging in serious conversation with Kaori about the implications of Seri’s ward, and staring at Seri with that soft, besotted expression he got whenever she did, well, anything.
Then our beloved clapped her hands in delight, her eyes shining with happiness as she looked around at all of us.
“This is the best night! Thank you all so much.”
“Don’t thank us yet,” I warned her with a wink. “The night’s still young, and it’s time for the games to begin!”
“Please don’t,” Cas said without any real hope of being heeded.
The cannon chose that moment to activate. Glitter. Everywhere. Chaos Level: Apocalyptic.
#
“Next up: Floatie Race!” I yelled.
“Ko! Shouldn’t you be keeping this guy in check?” Foster grabbed a glass from the drinks table, smirking at me over the rim.
“Let me have my fun, Fozzy Wozzie! And while you’re at it, prepare to be crushed by the Fuzz Squad, you loser!”
I crammed a piece of cake into Brumster’s mouth, grabbed another for myself, and led the charge to the far side of the dock.
“Ready to race?” I shouted. “Every swan on the lake is in play. First pick of party favors for anyone who beats me back here!”
“Addy, you’re with me!” Foss-man yelled, already crouched in run position.
With a grin, Ko teamed up with Seri despite Cas’ muttered, “Don’t encourage him, Serafina.”
Oh, Fuzz Squad was fully encouraged. Brum-Brum barked in excitement, and I barked with him.
Everyone participated, even old Mrs. Wentzel, who teamed up with Kaori. Only Sir No-Fun and Father Frostbite stood on the dock with crossed arms and watchful eyes, a resemblance neither would ever acknowledge.
We stayed on the water until moonrise, then it was back to the dock for another round of drinks before more games, including a gummy worm scavenger hunt by headlamp. It helped that The Darkling’s Regret was much stronger than anticipated.
Koa waited until we’d all drifted back toward the food, then said the thing he was best at saying: Just enough.
“Nothing’s better than seeing you happy,” he finished.
All right, one point to him, I decided graciously.
More cake. More drinks. More hugs. Then the evening settled into its final act as the sky deepened to indigo, stars pricking through the darkness like tiny diamonds.
I signaled the DJ—okay, it was just a playlist on my phone, but I liked to pretend—to transition to slow dance music. The lively pop beats were replaced by the gentle strains of a string quartet that floated across the lake like a dream.
It was, if I do say so myself, romantic as hell.
“Who’s ready for some awkward swaying to emotional music?” I clapped my hands together.
“Must you describe everything in the least appealing way possible?” Cas shot me a look.
“It’s a gift,” I replied with a shrug.
Seri stood by the edge of the dock, her face tilted to the stars, a serene smile on her lips. My chest did that funny little squeeze again, the one that happened every damn time I was reminded of how absurdly lucky we were to have this magical, compassionate, brilliant woman all to ourselves.
To everyone’s surprise, it was Lucian who approached her first, extending a hand with formal grace.
“May I have this dance, daughter?” he asked.
“I’d be honored, Papa.” Her eyes glowed as she placed her small hand in his much larger one.
We watched as he led her in a waltz, moving with the grace of a predator, but also with a gentleness I didn’t think he was capable of.
“Well, that’s not something you see every day.” Kaori appeared at my side with two glasses of The Darkling’s Regret. She handed one to me, and we clinked glasses as we watched Lucian twirl Seri beneath the willows.
“The fearsome vampire king, dancing with a lunar witch who insists on calling him Papa,” I mused, taking a sip. “The supernatural tabloids would have a field day.”
“He likes her. More than he’s willing to admit.”
“Everyone likes her. It’s impossible not to.”
As Fosterina claimed Seri for the next dance, Kaori’s eyes sparkled with mischief. Or maybe it was the booze.
“Dance with me. Mr. Cimmerian?”
“Your wish is my command, Your Majesty.” I offered her my arm with exaggerated gallantry.
I was pleased to discover that she had a party vibe that matched mine. She moved with a natural rhythm and didn’t mind when I added a dramatic dip.
“You know,” she said, “your father is immensely proud of you three, even if he’d rather be staked than say it aloud.”
“Right. That’s why he spent nearly two decades treating us like his personal assassin squad.”
“People can change, Zane. Even cranky old vampires. Especially cranky old vampires who suddenly find themselves with a beloved who refuses to tolerate their emotional bankruptcy.”
That startled a genuine laugh out of me.
“Is that the official medical term, Dr. Ro?u?”
“Yep! Fortunately, it’s treatable with regular doses of family dinner and the occasional heartfelt conversation.”
“I’ll take your professional opinion under advisement.” I spun her one final time as the song ended.
Cas swept Seri into his arms next. He might be allergic to public displays of emotion, but there was no mistaking the look on his face as he took our beloved into his arms. His expression melted into something so tender, I had to pinch myself to believe it was real.
They barely moved to the music, just swayed together, foreheads touching, and melted into each other’s eyes.
Ko was watching them, too, his face soft with love and pride.
When the song transitioned, he stepped forward for his turn, and I swear the air around them shimmered as they connected.
He waltzed with Seri with an effortless grace, adding gentle kisses and whispers that made her blush and smile in equal measure.
Brum-Brum took a turn “dancing” with Seri, too, his little top hat hanging under his chin as he rose on his hind legs and she held his front paws and moved them in a small circle.
I myself waited for the perfect moment, the crescendo of a particularly romantic violin solo, before making my move. Striding across the dock, I cut in with a bow.
“My turn with the belle of the ball, fuzzypants.” I took Seri’s hand and got a bark of approval from my wolf bestie. “You enjoying your party, moonbeam?”
“Absolutely, Zoodle.” Her gray eyes sparkled as I led her in a dance that was probably a bit too energetic for the slow music. “It’s wonderful! And you are too cute.”
“I am not cute!” I protested with a scowl. “I am dangerous and unpredictable and—”
“Cute,” she finished for me, tippy-toeing to kiss my chin.
Well, there was only one appropriate response to that! I tightened my grip on her waist, picked up our pace, and danced us down the dock. Cas, who knew me far too well, had started moving toward us with a warning look, but he was too late.
“Hold your breath, peach!” With a flourish, I danced us right off the end of the dock with a spectacular splash.
The cool water hit us like a shock, and I kept my arms around her waist, making sure we surfaced together. She emerged with a gasp, her hair plastered to her face, looking like a drowned kitten. The most adorable drowned kitten in existence.
“Zane Dorian Cimmerian! You are impossible!” she spluttered, then dissolved into giggles.
“Thank you. I work very hard at it.”
From the dock above us, I could hear Ko’s deep laugh, Cas’ resigned sigh, and an excited woof as Brumsy jumped in to join us.
Before long, Kaori, Addison, and Foster had a cannonball contest, and even Mrs. Wentzel sat on the edge of the dock and dangled her feet in the water, a small smile playing on the old girl’s lips. Only Cas and Lucian remained dry, watching our antics with matching expressions of fond exasperation.
All in all, the evening had been a staggering success. I got to go wild, Seri got a beautiful night of recognition, Koa got to stare at her unabashedly for hours, and Cas got to lurk in style. Even Lucian seemed marginally less brooding than usual, which in vampire-speak was practically euphoric.
As I floated on my back, staring up at the star-studded sky, I decided that celebrating Seri was my best creation ever. Let the world know this radiant chaos, this reckless joy, this her was ours.
“You realize,” Ko said as he swam over, “we’ll have to top this for her birthday.”
I grinned as Brumous floated past us atop a giant swan float. Someone had fixed his top hat, and he looked positively noble with his nose pointed moonward like a dapper little water lord.
“Don’t worry, bro. I’m already planning the volcano.”