Lucy
“About this queen business….” Lydia is studying her fingernails, painted a blood red color she clearly thought was appropriate for what is essentially a vampire wedding.
“What about it?” I ask as Pirosca fusses around me.
“Lydia is terrified you’re going to make us call you your highness.” Eliza giggles into her champagne.
“Never mind the whole queen thing, I want to hear more about Strasbourg,” Grace demands. “What happened when you went to court. Were you scared?”
“Oh, yes!” Sophia sits up from where she’s laid on my bed. “It sounded terrifying.”
“I’ve been in court more times than you’ve had hot dinners,” I reply.
“So, you shouldn’t have got caught.” Kezia snorts with laughter at her own joke. I ignore her.
“But this was very different,” I say as the sights and sounds of the huge modern courtroom come flooding back. “Dominik was magnificent, of course.”
“She has to say that,” Lydia says in a loud whisper behind her hand to Sophia.
In the last two months, Dominik and I have spent some time in Pécs to wind down from the kidnapping and while everything was prepared in Budapest. Pécs in spring is particularly beautiful, and it was the rest I needed.
But a vampire consort’s work is never done, and when I suggested to Dominik we should try to get some legal protection for monsters from those, like my uncle, who couldn’t accept the new world order, he agreed.
Something he’s going to have to get used to, after all.
“And the justices agreed with us. They’re going to amend the European Human Rights Act to include references to the inhuman, and it means that people like my uncle will face the full force of the law.”
“That sounds like a victory.” Eliza smiles.
“It is, providing all the European countries enforce it. That part is up in the air for the time being. There’s more work to be done.”
“And you’re going to have to take it easy after your wedding, my dear,” Grace says, putting her hand on my bump. “Once this little one is born, you’re going to have your hands full.”
She meets my eyes.
“I can’t wait. Neither can Dominik,” I say quietly.
I still can’t quite believe my luck at having a handsome vampire who wants to jump my bones at every opportunity and who worships my changing body with a reverence which has to be illegal somewhere.
It helped so much to get over what our respective families did to us, along with throwing ourselves into the work needed to get our case heard.
“So, have you and Dominik thought of names yet?” Eliza asks.
“Names?”
“For the baby, you idiot.” She laughs.
I put my hand on my bump.
“We thought Damek if it’s a boy and Josephine if it’s a girl.”
“Those are lovely names,” Grace says.
My eyes fill with tears, and I squeak with alarm, not wanting to ruin my make up. Fortunately Sophia is immediately by my side, dabbing at me with a tissue.
“Sorry, sorry,” I apologize.
“Don’t be.” Grace puts her arm around me as Pirosca finishes up. “I was crying if I couldn’t put my shoes on by the end, and you’re due in what, three weeks?”
“I can’t believe both of you have monsters as mates and babies!” Eliza says, clasping her hands together.
“Don’t worry, it’ll be your turn soon.” Kezia chuckles.
Eliza gives her a baleful look. “You know that’s not going to happen. I’m not up for a relationship, not ever again.”
“Don’t blame you,” Lydia says. “Males of any description are trouble. Best to just use them and toss them aside.”
“Just make sure you don’t end up with a baby on board like me.” I laugh.
“I have taken every precaution for that not to be the case,” Lydia growls, causing Kezia and Sophia to collapse with laughter.
“Anyway, you’ve got your university course to look forward to.” Grace pulls Eliza in for the group hug. “I can’t believe all three of us are going to be in Budapest.”
“I wouldn’t have had the guts to come if you two weren’t here.” Eliza grins at us both. “But I’m so pleased I did.”
“I’m pleased we’re going to have a babysitter on hand whenever we want.” I wink at Grace.
“Oh, no.” Eliza backs out of the cuddle, “I’m going to be far too busy…studying.”
“That’s what she says.” Lydia puts her tongue in her cheek. “But we’ve all been students, Eliza, and this is a big city with a LOT of ruined pubs, so…”
“I mean it. This course is costing me an arm and a leg. I’m going to be making the most of it,” Eliza says, ever the serious one of us.
“You know if you need help, you can come to us,” Grace says to her.
“Spoken like a true werewolf mafia moll.” I choke with laughter.
“Says the queen of the vampire mafia.” Grace retorts.
“We are, aren’t we?” I chuckle.
There’s a knock at the door, and Lydia opens it. A thrall has his hand over his eyes.
“It is time, mistress,” he says in halting English.
Lydia looks at me with her brow creased in confusion. “Thank you, Lázlo,” I say and indicate to Lydia she can close the door.
“What’s that all about?”
“Oh, the thralls don’t want to risk Dominik’s wrath by looking at me.”
“What?” Kezia explodes.
“Don’t worry,” I exhort, “he wouldn’t do anything, and he’s not bothered, but most of the thralls have been in his family since the sixteen hundreds, and they’re a bit stuck in their ways.
” I sigh. “I’m doing my best to see if we can at least bring them up to the Eighteenth century, but it’s going to take some time. ”
“This is so weird,” Sophia says, “being among the monsters.” She claps her hands. “But I love it.”
“Your friends had better go with the thrall,” Pirosca says. “Your mate will be coming for you shortly.” She smiles at me and cups my cheek with her hand. “And if I have done my job right, he will be unable to take his eyes off you.”
“Oh, you’ve done that.” Kezia snorts. “There’s enough cleavage for him to get lost in.”
“I wish you’d get lost.” I flap my hand at her, unable to stop giggling. “This is supposed to be serious!”
“It is serious,” Dominik intones from the doorway. “And why is there a thrall out here with his eyes closed?”