Vampire King of New York (37 page)

“We are gathered for the joining in marriage of Evelyn Christina Cordelais and Maximillion Vander Meer. There are no official ceremonies for the vampire race, therefore each couple must design their own.

David handed Max a short sword with a hilt encrusted with rubies, which he presented to Evelyn. “This sword had been in my family for generations, I give it you, Evelyn, to keep safe for our first child.” She accepted it and Laura helped her put it in the sheath, which had been belted onto her wedding dress at the last minute.

Laura handed Evelyn a long sword. The pommel of the hilt was a diamond encircled with sapphires. Evelyn presented it to Max. “This is for the protection of our home.” She held it out to him. He accepted it and put it into the sheath he also wore.

“Now for the vows. Max.”

He took her hands in his.
Evelyn, I love you. If I make a mistake, please, still love me.

“The vows will be spoken aloud so all may hear.”

Max cleared his throat. “In my past, I found you in the heat of battle. In this age, you found me in the heat of battle. You are the only true treasure. Even when the distance of time stood between us, we loved each other. Now that we are together again, I will make every day of your existence a blessing, because you have blessed me with your love.”

Wow. Max, that was beautiful.

Thank you.

“Now, Evelyn.”

She reached into the only pocket built into the gown. The little scroll of paper wasn’t there.
Oh, God.

Laura leaned over her and whispered, “I’ll take your bouquet, and you take this paper.”

Thank you.

No problem, Evie.

With shaking hands, she unrolled the small scroll. “Max, I dreamed of you for a long time never once believing you were real. But you were. For all the times you’ve saved my life, given me hope, made me laugh, and kept me safe and loved, I join with you no matter what fate throws at us next.”

I’m glad you said that.

Why? Is another disaster headed this way?

You never know.

Oh, fine.

They both laughed.

“Now we will have the exchange of rings,” the officiator announced.

Laura placed Max’s ring on the hilt of the short sword for her sister, and Evelyn presented it to Max that way. He took it and she helped him put it on.

“With this ring, I take you for my husband.”

Max placed her ring on the hilt of his long sword and held it forward. Evelyn took it off the hilt and Max helped her put it on. “With this ring, I take you for my wife.”

“Are there any objections to this joining?” the officiator asked the crowd.

The doors to the hall burst open and in walked the King of New Jersey with his entourage. They stopped when they saw all the faces focused on them.

The officiator raised his voice, “I said, ‘Are there any objections to this joining?’”

“Oh. I mean no, not at all,” the New Jersey sovereign said, as he and his group quickly took seats in the back.

“If there are no objections …” He paused. “… then drink of this cup together.”

Hatcher stepped forward to assist the officiator with the cup.

“This is honey mead a tradition among the Vikings for the new couple.” He held the cup out to Max who took a sip and then held it for Evelyn, who took a sip too. They gave it back to the officiator, who drank it down.

“Now with the power vested in me by the State of New York and the Arnhem Society, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Max took her in his arms and kissed her. Then he swept her up and carried her down the aisle and out the doors, leading the procession down the stairs to another hall. There was quite a feast for the few humans in attendance and endless trays of gold goblets of blood.

The music began almost immediately. Max led her out onto the dance floor and swirled her around in a series of waltzes. At one point, she whispered in his ear, and he led her over to her father.

He bowed. Donovan bowed. “Evelyn, would like to dance with you.”

“I’m honored.”

Evelyn hugged her father and led him out onto the dance floor. They danced slowly preferring to talk more.

“Are you happy now, Evie? You’re not concerned over Max anymore, are you?”

“I’m very happy, Papa. I did the right thing by marrying Max. He needs me.”

Her father laughed.

“Papa, when I died and became a vampire, I saw Mama.”

“Is she still an angel? When Laura died, she said your mother was an angel.”

“So that’s what they meant by a Celestial. Yes, I guess so. She told me that she will always love you, but you need to move on.”

“Yeah, I kind of knew that.”

Noblesse cut in. “Pardon, but I would like to dance with your father.”

Evelyn released her father and watched Noblesse twirl away with him.

Max was across the room speaking with the King of New Jersey.

“That is quite a fetching bride you have,” Vladimir was saying to Max. “Her manners are extraordinary, very Old World, rare to see in the New World. I could not resist her request for help.”

“And we thank you for that. Your guards worked well with the Arnhem Knights in making it a successful operation.”

Evelyn walked up to them. She loved her new vampire hearing.

“My love, may I present his majesty the King of New Jersey, Vladimir Vortesky.”

The king bowed, and Evelyn did her best formal curtsy all the way to the ground.

Oh, oh. Can’t get up.

“Oh, allow me, my dear.” Vladimir offered his hand and helped her to stand.

“Thank you.”

“No, it is I who thanks you by honoring me. I was considering the matter, however and believe that times have changed, and such a name as mine would be too great a burden on a child. May I request instead that you give your firstborn my second name?”

“What is that?” Max asked.

“Stephan.”

“Such a wonderful name,” Evelyn exclaimed. “If it’s a girl, we can name her Stephanie.”

“Yes, yes, I would be honored.” The King of New Jersey bowed again.

“Thank you.” Evelyn only nodded her head this time. She would need more practice to prevent being stuck on the floor doing a formal bow.

“If you will excuse us, my bride needs to eat something.” He touched her lightly on the cheek. “You’ve grown too pale, dear one.” Max ushered her away to their table. She drank down some blood mixed with honey mead, but he made sure her next drink was only blood. Too much of anything else would be hard on her stomach for a great while.

Max, when do we make our escape?

Soon, my love. Soon.

“There you are,” her sister shouted. “We’re going to do the Cordelais dance.”

“Oh, no,” she groaned, hoping to avoid the family ritual.

“What’s the Cordelais dance, my Evie?”

“It’s a Telkhine show of power. I won’t do it, if you don’t want me to.”

Max grinned from ear to ear. “Actually I think it would be very appropriate. We have a new alliance with New Jersey. They should have a better understanding of what we have on our side. Go ahead. Show off your Telkhine talent.”

Laura took her by the arm and led her onto the emptying floor. Dexithea and her daughter, Dex, joined them. The orchestra stopped playing. A single violinist stood.

Her sister stood in the center and faced the onlookers. “We are the Cordelais family originally from New Orleans. We are Telkhines, the great weather-wrights of old. Of course, we won’t call up a storm.” She raised her hands, sending sparks in the air around her.

Oohs
and
aahs
came from the crowd.

“But we will make a little atmosphere. Violin, please!” The violinist played a light Scottish tune. Laura turned to her small group. “Dexithea and Dex, a little fog from the highlands to hide our feet.”

With the two from Pennsylvania chanting, a rolling mist came up from the floor and covered their feet in blankets of white.

Laura rubbed her fingers together producing a white-hot arc. She nodded to Evelyn who rubbed her hands together and held them out holding two red flames, like lilies on the water aflame with passion.

Dexithea spun around and a breeze whipped up around the Cordelais family, making some of the decorations flutter. The violin solo grew in intensity. Laura bounced lightning bolts from hand to hand. Then she folded her hands and looked at Evelyn. The bride walked to the center and with one hand threw a whip of flame over her head in a circle like a lasso.

People cheered. Evelyn spun it and then clapped hands. The flames were gone.

“So that is what Telkhines are,” Vladimir said.

Evelyn swirled and fire flashed around her. She stood and gestured to Max.

“Excuse me,” he said to his guest and crossed the room to walk through fire to his bride. The orchestra played again, and he held her close in a dance. The fire hadn’t burned him when he went to her sea-bound kin for her; it didn’t harm him now while he embraced her. Evelyn gazed into his blue-gray glacier eyes and knew she was home.

The party didn’t end until the following evening. The vampires danced and drank and danced. Blood flowed in bloodwine and blood coolers and slow blood fizzes.

Excusing herself, Evelyn went upstairs with Laura to Max’s office in the Arnhem Society to change. They sneaked inside and shut the door. The fire burning on the hearth gave the dark rosewood paneling a romantic glow.

“Okay, get me out of this dress. I need to change for traveling.”

The zipper went down her back, and Evelyn stepped out of the gown. Then a hand on her back stopped her. The touch was warm and familiar. She turned into Max’s strong waiting arms and muscular naked body.

“Where’s my sister?”

“I asked her to leave.”

Caught in her bra and slip, he encouraged her toward the sofa. “I can’t wait, my Evie.”

“Max, we have a plane to catch. I want to make love on the plane. Come on, get dressed.”

He scooped her up and they fell together on the sofa. His mouth inhaled hers. He pushed his tongue into her mouth, stroking her fangs.

“Aaaaaaah.” Regaining her mind, which was hard to do with hot lava coursing through her veins, Evelyn gently pushed her new husband away. “Max, I want to make love on the plane right now.”

Faster than you could say done, Max was dressed. He helped her into the blue silk blouse with a little fondling, the blue pencil skirt with some finger wandering, and her pearlescent jacket. The crown and veil he carefully took off and placed on his desk. She still wore a silk lily in her hair, and he asked her to keep it that way. Hurriedly she put back on her shoes that had gotten lost in the scuffle.

They left by the back stairs into the garage, where Vincent waited with an open door to the limo. Evelyn slid in with Max next to her. Laura and David were already there.

“What are you doing here?” Evelyn leaned against Max.

Laura giggled. “I wanted to say goodbye.”

“It’s not like it’s going to be forever. We’ll be back before you know it.” Then she turned to Max. “When will we be back?”

He put his arms around her and pulled her into his lap. “In a couple of months.”

“Months?”

“Yes. After we go to Iceland, we’re going around the world.”

The car pulled to the curbside at the airport. They all got out and walked into the private lounge of VMeer Industries. When the luggage was loaded, Laura hugged her.

Then Max hugged his sister-in-law.

“You be good to her, Maxi, I mean, Max.”

Everyone laughed.

“It’s going to be weird not hearing you in my head, Laura.” Evelyn hugged her once more.

Then Max took her hand. “It’s time to go.”

Everything was private and quiet. They walked down a pristinely white corridor and onto the ramp for the jet.

“Good evening, Mr. V, and congratulations on your marriage. Good evening, Mrs. V,” said the tall man in uniform.

“Who is that?” Evelyn asked, as Max led her inside and to a very comfortable double seat with a table in front of it.

“That was the pilot.”

A young red-haired woman in uniform approached. “Good evening, Mr. V. It’s good to have you with us.”

“I remember you,” Evelyn said. “You were with the Arnhem Knights when we went into New Jersey.”

The flight attendant smiled, flashing her fangs. “Thank you for remembering me, your Majesty.” She curtsied. “I am an Arnhem Knight though not assigned to New York. When I heard the call go out to bring back King Max, I joined a unit.”

“Thank you, Briga.” Max nodded.

“It was my honor.” Briga took out a small card. “Majesties, we are awaiting clearance from the tower for take-off. We have several delicacies on board.” She handed the card to Evelyn. “Is there anything you’d like me to prepare for your dinner?”

Evelyn glanced at the combination of food and blood drinks and gave the card to Max. “Please, choose for me,” she asked her husband.

“After takeoff, we’ll have blood champagne.”

“Very good.” Briga curtsied and walked back up the aisle.

Max put the seat belt on Evelyn and then did his own.

“I forgot. I won’t be able to eat food.” She leaned her head against his shoulder. “Max, you’re going to have to teach me a lot of things.”

He caressed her hair. “I will.”

The plane taxied out and took off. A few minutes later, Briga returned with their drinks.

Evelyn loved it, cool and stimulating. It tickled her nose. When they were finished, Max unbuckled them and took her down the aisle, past other stuffed chairs and tables, to a door.

“Where are we going?”

“To the bedroom, of course.”

He opened the door and Evelyn was amazed to see the king-sized bed. Once inside she opened one door and found a rather spacious bath and also a closet.

“Are you pleased?”

“I didn’t think you could have something like this on a jet.”

“Since it’s my personal jet, it has the amenities I desire.”

When he said the word ‘desire’, his eyes went silver. Evelyn’s heart pounded in her chest.