Vanda scanned the room, then looked down when something tugged at her skirt.
Constantine clenched her skirt in his fist, his eyes wide with worry. "Is something bad going to happen? Why doesn't that lady like Phineas?"
"She just doesn't know him," Vanda explained. "Once she gets to know him, I'm sure she'll like him."
"I see him." Maggie pointed at the dance floor. "He's over there by the band."
Vanda quickly poured a cup of punch and pressed it into the little boy's hands. "Can you take this to your mom? She gets very thirsty."
"Okay." Tino headed back to the dance floor, carefully holding the cup of punch.
Maggie gave Vanda an appraising look. "You really are good with children."
Vanda shrugged. "Come on, let's get to Phineas before LaToya does."
She and Maggie skirted the table, but came to an abrupt halt when Corky Courrant made a grand entrance into the banquet hall. Her cameraman followed, the camera perched on his shoulder as he recorded the scene.
"Oh great," Vanda muttered. "Who invited her?"
"She reports on all the big parties." Maggie pulled Vanda behind a potted plant. "If she sees you, she'll start screeching at you."
"So? I'm not afraid." Vanda moved back into view.
Maggie pulled her back. "She'll try to provoke you into a fight. She wants everyone to think you're violent."
"I am violent." Vanda stepped out.
"You don't want to start a scene." Maggie tugged on her arm. "It would ruin Lara's engagement party."
Vanda spotted LaToya on the dance floor, handing Phineas a drink. "Looks like someone else is going to ruin it first."
Meanwhile, she didn't have to worry about Corky seeing her. A group of well-dressed Vamps had gathered around the reporter, no doubt hoping they would appear on her next show.
"Don't crowd me," Corky hissed at them. She wore a glittery black dress with a low bodice that displayed her augmented bosom. The shimmering black skirt hit just below her knees.
Vanda recalled that one of the brassieres she'd sabotaged was black. And she'd altered some black underwear, too. She gave Maggie a sly grin. "Corky might be giving a bigger exposé than she planned."
Maggie frowned. "What do you mean?"
Corky posed in front of the camera and spoke into a microphone, her voice drowning out the low roar of others. "This is Corky Courrant, reporting for Live with the Undead. Tonight, I'm attending the posh engagement party of Giacomo di Venezia, known as Jack to his close friends, like moi. Recently, some rumors have surfaced. I know the truth, of course, so I will confirm that Jack is actually the son of that famous libertine, Giacomo Casanova."
Corky assumed a tragic face. "I'm afraid the other rumors are true, as well. It grieves me to tell you this, but Jack is, indeed, illegitimate. And not only is he a bastard, but he's fallen for a common mortal. Once again, a rich and eligible male has brought shame upon Vamp society by marrying far beneath himself."
"That's enough!" Jack pushed through the crowd to confront the newswoman. "I won't have my future wife insulted."
"Jack!" Corky grinned maliciously. "How kind of you to grant me an inter—"
"Aargh!" a hoarse voice shouted. Glass shattered on the dance floor.
The crowd turned to see what was happening. Phineas had fallen to the dance floor, his hands grasping his throat as he squirmed in agony. Lara kneeled beside him, while LaToya hurried away, circling the crowd to reach the entrance.
"He's been poisoned!" an onlooker yelled.
Jack pushed through the crowd to reach Phineas. Jean-Luc and Roman met him there. Lara whispered to them while murmurs of poison spread quickly around the room.
"We're under attack!" a male Vamp shouted. "Sound the alarm!"
"It's the Malcontents!" another Vamp yelled. "They'll poison us all!"
Glasses dropped all over the banquet hall, the sound of shattering glass accentuating the squeals of fear. Frantic Vamps stampeded toward the foyer.
Connor blocked the entrance, his broadsword drawn. "No one leaves the premises till we find the person responsible."
Vamps screamed at him, demanding to be allowed to leave. Others huddled in groups, shrieking and glancing wildly about.
Vanda shook her head. What a bunch of cowards. She considered going over to Connor to tell him what had happened, but noticed Jack headed toward him.
Corky positioned herself close to a group of wailing Vamps and smiled gleefully at the camera. "Pandemonium has broken out! I've never seen such a disastrous party in all my life!" She waved her arms at the scene behind her.
"Sweet Mary and Joseph," Maggie whispered. "Corky's going to talk about this for weeks."
The newswoman gestured toward Phineas, who lay writhing in pain on the floor. "Will this poor Vamp die? Stay tuned after these messages from my sponsor, Vampos, to find out!"
"Can I hide here with you?" someone behind Vanda whispered.
She turned to find LaToya crouched behind the potted plant.
"Shame on you," Maggie fussed at her. "Phineas is in pain."
"I didn't know it was going to hurt so much." LaToya set the bottle of hot sauce on a nearby chair. "I just wanted him to leave me alone. And now that Scottish dude has the entrance blocked and I can't get out."
"You should tell Connor what you did," Maggie said. "Everyone thinks we're under attack from the Malcontents."
"I think Connor knows." Vanda motioned to where Jack and Connor were whispering to each other.
"Damn." LaToya frowned at Phineas, who still lay on the floor. "I didn't think it would hurt him so bad. I mean, he's already dead. How could it get any worse?"
"We can be more vulnerable than people think," Maggie said. "Poor Vanda nearly died the other day when a snake attacked her."
LaToya's mouth dropped open. "You mean, you two are…?"
Vanda gave her a big smile that showed her fangs.
"Oh shit." LaToya rubbed her brow. "I've really done it now."
"And we're back!" Corky's voice filled the room as she spoke into her microphone. "As you can see, the poisoned Vamp hasn't died…yet. But hope springs eternal."
"Miss Courrant." Jack stepped toward her, and the cameraman swerved to record him. "Let me state for the record that this is not a Malcontent attack. One of our guests has accidentally swallowed a little hot sauce. That's all. We expect a quick and full recovery."
Corky eyed Jack with a dubious look. "And if it was a Malcontent attack, would you admit it? Tell me the truth now. Doesn't your disastrous engagement party predict an equally disastrous marriage?"
Jack stiffened. "Of course not!"
Corky sneered. "The evidence is clear. Your marriage is doomed!"
Snap!
Corky jumped as one of her bra straps popped out from her bodice. She looked down just as the second strap broke loose and slapped her in the face. Her heavy breasts sagged down. "Ack!"
The crowd, which had been cowing in fear a moment earlier, now erupted with laughter.
"Stop that! I'll see you all ruined!" Corky attempted to cover her breasts as she glared at the cameraman. "Cut!"
Maggie gasped and turned to Vanda. "What did you do?"
Vanda grinned. "I booby-trapped her." She stepped forward for a better view. "And if we're lucky—"
"Aagh!" Corky's black panties fell to her ankles. Her face turned red with rage as she scanned the snickering crowd. "Someone sabotaged me! I'll find out and make you pay!"
A strong arm grabbed Vanda and pulled her back.
She stumbled. "Phil! What are you doing here?"
"What are you doing, Vanda?" He glanced at Corky, who was now hurling insults at individuals in the crowd. "Don't let her see you. She'll know it was you." He dragged her back.