Tess whistled. “I think that officially qualifies as ‘farting dust old.’ ”
“Something like that.” Selina cocked an eyebrow. “Which means I have more than enough magic to roast the fur off a werewolf.”
The she-wolf winced. “Noted.”
“I thought so.” Selina smirked.
“Nice little elf.” Tess reached out to delicately flick the point on Selina’s ear.
She couldn’t help a shudder as the sensation reverberated through her body. Elves’ ears were incredibly sensitive, and she ducked away from further touch. At least the elven stereotype had been helped a bit with the Lord of the Rings movies. It was more Orlando Bloom and less Keebler’s now.
The door to Chloe’s room swung open and her Aunt Millie stepped inside. Magic radiated from the old woman, an unmistakable aura of power surrounding her. “It’s time.”
Chloe’s chest rose as she drew in a deep breath, and the most radiant smile crossed her face. Selina had to look away. Gods, had she looked that happy on her own wedding day? Probably, but that was hundreds of years ago now. She could still see it so clearly in her mind. Some memories faded, but that day was locked in forever. The way the flowers had smelled, the soft dress against her skin, the way her little cousin Bess had squealed and clapped and danced in excitement. But Selina’s young husband had died a few years later, and all that joy had crumbled. Pain stabbed in her chest at the thought of her loved ones, stolen away by time and Fate, until there was no one left. She shook herself, straightened her shoulders, and lifted her chin.
Damn, but she hated weddings and all the little reminders of the past they inevitably brought with them. Merek was lucky she liked him, or she never would have agreed to this. The ceremony couldn’t be over soon enough, and then she could get to the part with the champagne. She shrugged the tautness out of her shoulders and forced a smile to her face.
Accepting the bouquet Tess held out, Selina smoothed her dress and wished it covered more flesh. The pale green gown was strapless, knee length, and tight enough to hug every curve on the way down. Tess wore a matching dress, but actually had the rack to pull it off. Chloe’s dress was a white version of theirs, only instead of stopping at the knee, it flared out like a mermaid’s tail all the way to the floor.
Sucking in a breath, Selina led the way out of the room. She ignored the fact that she was seconds away from a whole crowd of people turning to look at her. She hated being the center of attention. Give her the background any day—she’d leave the posturing and grandstanding to people like Millie. She strode down the stairs to the immense foyer. Double doors opened to the evening air. It was warmer than Seattle ever got at night, no doubt something Millie’s magic had pulled off.
Huge white tents had been set up outside, the silk fabric sheer enough to see the stars overhead. Torches and subtle spotlights lit the yard with a romantic glow. The late hour was in deference to the vampires in attendance who couldn’t handle the daylight hours without risk of torching in the sun. Her stomach clenched when she stepped out of the doors, and every single person twisted in their chair to look at the bridal party.
“Oh, fuck me,” she groaned under her breath.
I heard that. Tess’s telepathic voice floated through her mind, lilting with amusement. Of the Magickal races, only werewolves and vampires had the ability to project their thoughts.
“Damn werewolf hearing.” But Selina smiled when she said it, trying not to trip over her pointy-toed shoes. She stepped off the front porch and down the rose petal–strewn path that led up the aisle and ended with the pastor, Merek, and his groomsmen.
She focused on them, rather than the hundreds of eyes locked on her. Merek looked happier than she’d ever seen him. He’d made the transition from the Seattle PD to the FBI Magickal Crimes Unit the year before, and the change seemed to suit him. Two other broad-shouldered males stood next to him, waiting for the women. Their tuxedos fit them to perfection.
On the far end was Luca Cavalli. Born in Italy, he looked like a tall, gorgeous, and elegant advertisement for Armani. Appearances were deceiving, however, because he wasn’t just a pretty face. The vampire was legend in Magickal law enforcement. He ran the FBI’s MCU, and he was the best there was. The only time she’d ever seen him lose his cool was the day Tess was mauled, Changed into a wolf, and effectively stolen from his life forever. In any sort of romantic capacity, anyway. Once she’d survived the Change, he’d managed to get her transferred from her position as a coroner for the Normal side of the FBI and over to the Magickal side, which threw her into his path more often than not.
Alex Nemov was the best man, and Chloe’s orphaned godson. She and Merek had recently finalized adopting the teenaged werewolf. Alex’s mother had died when he was a child, and his father had been killed by the same terrorists that had turned Tess into a wolf.
This night was a step into a new life for Merek’s little family, and Selina was happy for them. She just wished she could be an anonymous guest rather than walking down the aisle in this painted-on dress. She couldn’t remember ever being so conscious of so many sets of eyes on her at once. She was used to standing back and observing others, investigating, asking questions, not being thrust in the limelight with nothing better to do than smile pretty for the cameras people aimed at her.
She knew the moment Chloe came into view, because Merek’s eyes lit up and his jaw sagged a bit. A grin curled her lips. Yeah, that was exactly how a groom should look when he saw his bride in her wedding gown.
Her husband had looked at her that way.
She tamped down on that thought and took her place to wait for Tess and Chloe. Selina hadn’t thought about her marriage in decades, maybe longer. She wasn’t one to dredge up the past. She’d found that holding on to it would make her crazy.
But today seemed designed to remind her that she was alone and she hadn’t always been.
Tess joined her, studiously avoiding looking at the groom’s side, specifically a tall vampire. The small orchestra Millie had hired seemed to grow louder as Chloe walked down the aisle, arm-in-arm with her aunt.
Everything passed in a blur from there, for which Selina was grateful. The ceremony was brief, thank gods, and at the end Merek dipped his new wife into a deep bend and kissed her thoroughly while a raucous cheer went up from the crowd. They hurried up the aisle, Alex escorting Tess behind them. Cavalli offered Selina his arm, and she curled her hand into the crook of his elbow.
Tess was the one stuck giving the toast on the bride’s side, and Alex’s speech as the best man made Chloe cry and hug him tight. The couple’s first dance was the first time Selina was completely out of the limelight, and she heaved a sigh of relief as she blended into the crowd and just watched them have their moment.
Alex sidled up beside her and nudged her in the ribs. “You look hot.”
She cracked up and almost snorted champagne through her nose. “You sound like your godmother.”
“Yeah, well.” He shrugged, his pale green eyes gleaming. “She raised me right, what can I say?”
“How old are you, kid?” He was tall and broad, not an ounce of baby fat left on him. His face was lean, his tanned skin and dark hair a sharp contrast to his eyes. She’d bet he made all the teenaged girls swoon.
“Sixteen. Seventeen in a month or so. My birthday is right after graduation.”
“So if you’re this super-genius, how are you still in high school?” From what Merek had said, the kid could hack anything with a power switch, and had a photographic memory to match.