“Ya, ya, ya.” Kate’s eyes lit up in excitement as she ran off to search for a tiara.
“Thank you.” Sydney stood and bowed to Dominque, still in character. A small smile formed as she caught a hint of amusement in the vampire’s eyes.
“Syd,” Samantha called from across the room.
“The princess is all yours, my queen.” Sydney winked and quickly made her way across the room to Samantha.
“You’re a beautiful bride.” Sydney unconsciously fiddled with her naked ring finger where she’d once worn Kade’s diamond. She drew a deep breath and bit her lip, struggling to tamp down her emotions.
“Are you sure? I want to look perfect for Luca.” Samantha glided her hands over her waist, fingering a seam of beading. “Do these pearls look straight? This one looks a little off to me. I think they may have to be resewn.”
“It looks perfect.”
“Are you sure?” Samantha cocked her head, studying the stitching.
“Absolutely. You can always ask the seamstress when she comes back if it will make you feel better.”
“My parents are coming,” she continued as if she hadn’t heard Sydney. “It’s been rough going with me moving to New Orleans. They weren’t thrilled with it, you know. My nerves are shot.”
“Your parents love you and they know you’re getting married to an incredible man. He’s your soulmate. That’s all that really matters.”
“Hopefully they’ll be okay with Luca as a son-in-law. You know how he is.”
“Yes, yes I do. Luca can be…well, it’s just that he…” Sydney briefly hesitated. “You know. The human thing.”
“He hates humans,” Samantha said, locking her eyes on Sydney’s as she stared at the mirror. “You know it’s true.”
“Hate is a strong word. I’d say more like…is indifferent.”
“They’re weak,” Samantha replied in her best impersonation of Luca.
“Food,” Sydney countered with a small laugh.
“Oh Goddess. My parents are not food.”
Sydney circled around to face Samantha and took her hands in hers. “Luca adores you. He’s a bear. But a loving bear, nonetheless. He’s going to behave.”
Samantha lowered her gaze. “They don’t know.”
“They don’t know what?”
“My parents. They don’t know everything,” she repeated, her words slow and deliberate. “About me. About Luca.”
“Oh. Well. Hmm.” Sydney paused and gave a closed smile, attempting to muster support. Not all humans approved of paranormals. “I don’t know your parents all that well but if they are anything like you, anything at all, they will be okay. They love you. They want to see you happy.”
“I told them I met Luca at a tech conference, and he offered me a tech job at Issacson Industries.” A nervous chuckle escaped her. “Shortly after Kate was born, we flew up for the day so they could meet her. Dad is a civil war buff, so he had a great convo with Luca about Gettysburg but it’s not like they’ve seen his fangs. I know some humans are aware, but my parents are conservative. Go to church every Sunday. Happily live in suburbia. Mom enjoys Bunco with the girls. I didn’t even tell them I was pregnant until pretty far in. They weren’t crazy about me giving birth and not being married. I once tried to tell Mom about the magick and being a high priestess, but she quickly went into a rant about how someone gave her sage and how she doesn’t care for woo woo malarkey. Pretty sure she used that word. Malarkey. I’m surprised she didn’t bring up Hell. If she only knew where Kate was born…oh Goddess.”
“Your mom and dad love you. She’ll come around eventually.” Sydney attempted to calm her.
“I couldn’t explain why I didn’t give birth in a hospital, so I told her I had a home birth. A home birth, Syd. Seriously. That’s what I said. How was I supposed to tell her I gave birth in a demon cave? Who even does that?”
Sydney stifled her laugh.
“I can’t have any of our special friends shifting or doing anything crazy,” Samantha continued.
“Logan will keep his wolves under control,” Sydney assured her.
“Well. Ready or not, she’s going to find out today that I am a high priestess and what that really means. Wait until they get a load of Leo.”
“It’s all going to work out. It’s meant to be. I have to believe that for all of us. It was destiny. The Goddess saw fit to make you high priestess.”
Samantha took a deep breath and nodded.
“Personally, I think there was magick in you long before your feet ever touched down in New Orleans,” Sydney speculated.
“I wasn’t a witch. But maybe sensitive,” she admitted. “Sensitive and in denial. I don’t know.”
“How do you really know where the magick came from? I know your ordeal with Simone caused it but maybe it wasn’t her magick. Maybe you had a seed, a spark of magick? Maybe you just didn’t know. I did one of those DNA tests once. Thought my whole life I was Italian, and it turns out I’m mostly Scottish. That’s how we found out my great-grandfather was adopted.”
“This is a little different.”
“It is but it isn’t. Maybe there is magick somewhere in your family tree. You never know, Sam. Maybe after the wedding you could have a heart-to-heart with your parents. Explain what happened. My guess is they’ll understand. Magick family tree or not. Besides your mom loves Kate.” Sydney smiled. “It’s Christmas. Everyone’s a little kinder.”
“Do you really think so?”
“I know so. We all have a little magick in us anyway. Even humans. We all have a soul. We love unconditionally. That’s magick isn’t it?”
A ding sounded, interrupting their conversation. Sydney rooted into her back pocket and dug out her phone. “Oh man, who is it now…ugh, sorry.”
Her smile faded as she read the text. Got a body down in Holy Cross. You’re gonna want to see this. Sydney tapped at the glass. Send the addy Brt
“Work?” Samantha asked with a frown.
“Spoke too soon. Almost everyone’s kinder.” Sydney pressed off her phone and stared at Samantha. “The rest are assholes.”
“No Syd. Not today. It’s the day before the wedding. We’re supposed to drink mimosas all day. Have fun doing girl stuff.”
“I’m sorry, Sam. I’ve got to check this out, and then I should be free. I’m just going to pop in for a consult. I promise to be back by noon.” Guilt threaded through Sydney as disappointment washed over Samantha’s face. She reached for her purse and turned to the bride. “Keep the champagne cold. The limo will be here early. It’s you, me, Kalli, and Laryssa. Wynter will be there for a bit too. Court of the Two Sisters, then mani-pedis. We’re topping it off with massages so you’re cool-as-a-cucumber relaxed for the wedding. It’s going to be amazing!”
“Okay, but don’t be late. You work too much.”
“Madame! Tu es magnifique! Vérifions les détails une fois de plus,” the seamstress exclaimed as she entered the room waving a pink velvet hanger.