A Call of Vampires (A Shade of Vampire #51)(15)

Corrine had done a fantastic job with my wedding dress, and I was filled with gratitude for her craftsmanship and attention to detail. The corset was snug, glazed in fine white lace with delicate floral embroidery and small pearls. The bolero was made of the same lace, covering my shoulders and arms and somehow bringing out the natural shimmer of my skin. The skirt was beautiful, pure white, with a wide diameter and plenty of soft silvery tulle underneath to keep it full.

“You look absolutely breathtaking.” Corrine smiled as she took a few steps back, admiring her handiwork.

I felt my skin light up, my emotions running wild, and I struggled to stay upright. The excitement and jitters were getting to me, but I’d survived an actual war—there was no way a wedding would knock me off my feet.

“Thank you,” I mumbled, and looked at myself in the large floor mirror in front of me.

“Jovi will pass out at the altar. I’m willing to bet on it.” Aida grinned, her golden eyes glistening with tears of joy. I loved her like a sister, and I was thankful to be surrounded by so many incredible women as part of this new family of ours—a fascinating mixture of Eritopians and Shadians who advocated love, peace, and tolerance.

“I might pass out before him.” I chuckled, fighting another bout of lightheadedness.

Hansa came to stand in front of me and put her hands on my shoulders. She was a bridesmaid, as were Vita, Aida, Serena, Viola, Aura, and Almandine. Given the importance of this day, I wanted them all to be a part of it, and I wanted them to look as beautiful and as radiant as Jovi had made me feel from the moment we’d first laid eyes on each other. They wore matching dresses designed by Corrine’s daughter Arwen. They were simple but gorgeously elegant, the gray silk hugging their bodies, complete with thin straps and a large silver orchid on each right shoulder.

“You’re simply a vision, little sister,” Hansa said, her silvery skin glowing as she swallowed back tears. “So please, make us all proud and don’t fall flat on your face during your wedding ceremony. I will make fun of you for the rest of our lives, and that means oh, so many years…”

I burst into laughter and instantly relaxed as she smiled, then dropped a kiss on my forehead. Aura handed her a small silver bowl in which she’d prepared some red war paint—the color of our tribe, the color by which Eritopian society recognized us as Red Tribe succubi.

“I’m getting married, Sister,” I joked, watching as Hansa gathered some paint on her index finger. “I’m not going to war.”

“You are a succubus of the Red Tribe, Anjani Gorria,” Hansa declared with gravitas. “You will walk down the aisle as one. You will be married as one. And our new family must accept you and welcome you into the fold as one.”

I nodded slowly. She drew a single red line on my neck, from my chin to the meeting point of my collarbones. Her wisdom and pride were something I hoped I would one day acquire and impart to others, as well. Until then, however, I was honored to have her near me, to teach me even when I might think there was nothing left for me to learn.

She took a step back, wiping the tears that had finally broken through. Victoria took her place in front of me with a warm, loving smile.

“You know, I think this would be the point where I give you some advice on marriage and living as a couple,” she said gently. “But we all experience married life differently, and that’s the best part about being with someone. You get to write your own story, add in your own emotions, and, well… simply be! But I will tell you one thing, Anjani. My son is the luckiest creature in all the universes to have found you as a soulmate. Just love and be good to each other, and everything else will fall into place.”

“Thank you.” I fought back another wave of tears. Victoria took a deep breath and mounted a gorgeous set of clip-on pearl droplets on my earlobes. “I’m… I’m honestly out of words…”

“Save them for later, honey.” She winked. “These earrings belonged to my grandmother and namesake, Victoria Novak. They were part of her wedding dowry, and felt like an appropriate gift... Today you become a Blackhall, Anjani. Consider this your ‘something old’.”

She gave me a brief hug and stepped aside. I grabbed a tissue from Almandine’s trembling hands and patted the corners of my eyes. Aida came forward with a small silver box tied up with white ribbon. She gave it to me with a mischievous grin.

“I think this is my way of officially welcoming you into the family,” she said. “I’ve thought of you as my sister since we were stuck beneath the protective shield of Draven’s mansion, to be honest, so I’ll just say what I’ve said before. Anjani, you are way out of my brother’s league, but he will love and cherish you until the very end. I hope you have a perfect wedding day, and that you get to look back and, like me, say ‘This is freakin’ perfect’!”

We both laughed as I opened the box and took out a tear-shaped perfume bottle. It looked very extravagant and expensive—I’d experienced shopping in “Hawaii” with Aida, and I’d seen this and many other equally luxurious brands in one of her favorite malls.

“It’s a rare edition. It’s been discontinued, but I thought it was perfect for you, so I made a few calls and got my hands on a dozen of these perfumes,” she said. “I also had Corrine add a magical twist to it, so make sure you wear it tonight. Combined with your succubus nature, it will have a very special effect.”