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“I don’t expect anything.”
Ray craned his ghostly neck to observe us from between the seats. “Look at you two. It’s like watching the mating dance of the two most awkward birds on the planet. Is this what it’s like for all otherworldly beings? Because it explains a lot.”
“I think it’s sweet,” Nana Pratt chimed in. “I like that he’s acknowledging that she’s capable of acting independently but is still offering support if she wants it.”
“That’s called interdependence,” Ray announced. “But Lorelei shouldn’t expect him to be a mind reader. She needs to communicate clearly and directly.”
It seemed Ray and Nana Pratt were both spending time with psychology books. Next time I went to the library, I was bringing home the latest John Grisham to distract them.
“I’ll follow your lead then,” Kane said, although he didn’t seem convinced.
“Sounds like a plan.”
“Please go inside,” Ray said. “This is painful to watch.”
I turned back to glare at him. “You can meet us inside.”
Kane bypassed the valet and parked in one of the spots near the entrance marked for VIP guests.
He escorted me to the end of a short line, where we were greeted by security guards and a metal detector. These guards weren’t vampires. As we inched closer, I realized they were mages.
“Know any of the guards?” I whispered.
“They’re not local.”
Smart. Any Fairhaven mages would recognize Kane on sight. They were probably on his payroll, too.
The guards made a show of scanning people and checking bags, but it was clear to me they were told to search for weapons of a more magical variety as well.
The guard pulled the small dagger from my purse and inspected it. “Do you always carry a blade to formal affairs?”
“At the last formal event I attended, the cheese was sliced far too thick. This time I came prepared.”
The guard snorted. “I’m almost tempted to let you keep it.”
I offered an engaging smile. “What if I promise to only use it on food?”
He pocketed the dagger. “Come see me when you leave and I’ll let you have it back, if you’re nice.”
Kane stepped in line beside me and placed a proprietary hand on the small of my back. “Why don’t I come see you when we leave, and I promise not to break your neck if you give it back?”
The guard’s swallow was audible. “Yes, sir.”
“He doesn’t even know who you are,” I whispered, as we entered the ballroom.
He squeezed my waist. “It isn’t simply my name that’s effective.”
The ballroom reflected Magnarella’s over-the-top style. Servers adorned in peacock feathers that would’ve looked right at home on the Vegas strip. An orchestra played in the far corner. More food than the local grocery store. And, of course, an ice sculpture of the vampire himself smack in the center of the ballroom.
Ray sucked in an imaginary breath. “Will you look at this room?”
Nana Pratt appeared equally floored. “I’ve never even been to a wedding as nice as this, and I went to Sharon and Mitchell’s wedding at the Marriott in New York City.”
“Takes money to make money,” Kane said with more disdain than enthusiasm.
“I’m going over to make sure the punch bowl isn’t spiked,” Nana Pratt said.
“You do that.” Alcohol in the punch was the least of my worries.
