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I squirmed. How much I wanted to share was another question I hadn’t quite sorted out. I was kind of winging it.
“The ceremony will be forthcoming.” Eli smoothly redirected the topic. “Two, in fact. One here and one inElphame.”
Jesse was silent as we walked to a large table where Christy and Sera were waiting. Beatrice did not follow yet.
“Tell them.” Jesse watched as Eli pulled out my chair.
Once I was seated, Eli opened a bottle of wine that was dusty enough that I knew it was older than I wanted to know. He poured glasses for the five of us and lifted his glass in a toast. “L’chaim.”
We echoed the toast, and I swore I might melt into a puddle of goo.
Sera looked from me to him and back. “Say it.”
“Say . . .” I hedged, but I was grinning. “That I’m madly in love and married?”
Christy had a slow, Cheshire Cat smile creep over her. “Pay up.”
Both Sera and Jesse got out cash.
“You had insider info,” Jesse groused, not releasing the wad of cash.
Christy gave him a quelling glance. “You’re her brother. That’s the definition of insider info.” Then she looked at Eli and held out a hand. “Pay up, Boss Man.”
“Seriously?”
“I had more faith in your willpower . . . or . . . doubt in my charm.” Eli shrugged.
And I realized it was love he feared wasn’t real. I grabbed him and planted a kiss that had both of us gasping when we separated. “I love you, husband.”
Eli stood and raised his voice, “May I present my bride, Geneviève Crowe.” He motioned to the bartender. “Drinks to celebrate!”
Then, he looked around. “Tip your bartender and waitresses. My wife is not one to cross.”
Laughter and cheers greeted his words, and I was overwhelmed with the way he looked at me here in public, with friends and witnesses.
“Enjoy this moment,” Beatrice whispered into my mind. “I shall stand guard.”
I realized that she’d been at my side for that reason for hours. She’d worried when I was inElphame.She’d patrolled with me. She was taking on the responsibility of Tres. And she was here tonight to watch over me until we knew exactly who funded the grant, what Hebert had to do with it, and where the lovely dead Daphne fit into the puzzle.
“I have this.” Beatrice looked at me from the barstool where she sat, lifted her glass and said, “L’chaim.”
In the next moment, I felt the approach of at least a six dead people. They were, as before, pockets of emptiness.
“Friends.” Beatrice nodded. “Guards for the perimeter.”
She’d brought back-up. For a moment, it was enough that I could almost forget that my dead great-times-great grandmother was there because of the threats against me and the threats against her. So, I settled into my husband’s embrace and let the joy of celebration distract me for a few moments. I’d resume my patrols once Tres was sorted out, but the grant didn’t stipulate that I had to work ten-hour shifts.
Two hours later, Tres was a no-show. I called a few times. No Tres. No Ally. No Iggy.
My worries were starting to grow, and any remaining peace I had was shattered when a bullet came whizzing into the bar. Iflowedas it came toward me, faster than was normal for me. Draugrwere fast, but not bullet-dodging fast.
A high window broke a millisecond before the bullet thudded into the chair where I’d been seated a moment prior.
Shards of wood splintered, one drove into my thigh and others embedded into my forearm and leg. Apparently, even with extra speed, bullet dodging was still, in fact, impossible.
“Geneviève!” Beatrice was at my side. In a blink we were bothflowing.Less than a second later, Sera, Christy, and Jesse were tucked behind the bar.
I wasn’t fool enough to try to separate Eli from me. He had a sword raised and was ready to fight at my side.
