I’d hoped to find a decent date for the wedding, but prospects were looking grim. Is it possible to die of boredom? I looked around the room at the vampire sentinels and dignitaries talking in hushed tones. Not one of them was a match for me. Signs point to yes.
“Tamara.” Eve’s voice was stern. “What on earth is your problem? You look like you just drank sour milk.”
I wrinkled my nose at my friend. At first glance, her curly strawberry-blond hair and bright, blazing aqua eyes made her look like some sort of angel. But Eve was a vampire, a particularly strong one. Even though I was human, she would never harm me, because we were friends. But she would, and did, scold me when she deemed it necessary.
“I was just wondering if I could die from lack of stimulation,” I told her.
“Lack of stimulation? Perhaps you should have a cup of tea.”
I glared. “Ugh. I meant these men. Not one of them will do as a date for the wedding, and you know it.”
Eve arched an eyebrow. “Are you sorry your courtship with Lord Bryson ended?”
“Not a bit.” I yawned. “He was tiresome—just the mention of his name puts me to sleep.”
“What about that sergeant—the one who brought you the gnome?”
“Sergeant Lance. He was fun for about a week, then he got all needy. Boring, Eve, boring. I need someone who doesn’t require constant reassurance.”
She shook her head. “You sound a bit mean.”
“Well, what do you know about it?” I cried. “You and Balkyn are awfully cozy these days. I bet you’ll dance with him all night at the reception then have a proper snogging session. So you’re all set for a date. It’s easy for you to be nice!”
Eve frowned so hard her lips turned pale. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to…” She cursed under her breath as she turned on her heel. “Get away from you.”
“What, you don’t want to talk about snogging your boyfriend?” I called after her, but she didn’t turn around. Balkyn was a recently turned vampire, and Eve totally had a thing for him. But she wasn’t one to gossip, so I’d have to wait and see for myself what was really happening between them.
There was a rustling from my tote, and I peered into it. Two sets of large eyes stared up at me. “Do you need a walk?” I asked.
The gnomes shook with excitement and made singsong gibberish noises. I hoisted the tote over my shoulder and slipped out of the formal salon. Deep in a discussion of security at the wedding, the vampire dignitaries and sentinels didn’t even look up. As a Goodwill Ambassador representing the royal family and the settlements, my input would be limited at such a meeting. Still, I attended it because I insisted on attending everything. That was my duty and my right as a member of the royal court. It was also my right to leave such a meeting when it gridlocked due to procedural disagreements that wasted my time and bored me to tears.
I sashayed through the hall to the kitchen, which was located at the rear of the castle. The staff had left table scraps as per my orders. Elsa and Beast would be thrilled to see the bacon and little morsels of roasted butternut squash. I headed through the doors to the back lawn and took a deep breath of clean, fresh air once we were outside. I would never admit it, but I loved living in the North. The castle grounds were lush with thick, springy grass, and a riot of multicolored wildflowers bloomed in the gardens. I sometimes missed my family’s estate in Settlement 11, but I’d never enjoyed the outdoors as much as I had since coming to live at the Northern palace some months before. It was beautiful country, pure and unspoiled. Now, if only someone would open a day spa around here…
I set my tote down and called to the gnomes. “Here we are. Elsa, Beast, out you go.”
Two football-sized puffs of fur—one brown, one black-and-white—rolled out onto the lawn. Each gnome had large brown eyes surrounded by lush lashes. The brown one was Beast. The black-and-white one, who sported a tiny pink bow in her fur, was Elsa. They blinked up at me expectantly, tongues lolling.
“No treats yet. You know the rules—first you must exercise, then you get your reward. Otherwise, it’s no fun, just gluttony!”
They loved the outdoors, too, and were game for my requirements. They took off, first whizzing across the expansive lawn then cutting into the garden paths. I laughed and followed them. A brisk walk always lifted my spirits.
But the warm afternoon couldn’t entirely cure me. It was nothing short of tragic that I didn’t have a date for the royal wedding. My dear friend Blake Kensington was marrying Prince Austin Black, ruler of the North, this coming weekend. I was a bridesmaid, and my dress was absolutely to die for, but it looked as though either Beast or Elsa was going to be my escort. At least my purple gown was stunning. I’d get a matching bow for whatever gnome I brought.
I hustled to catch up to them, lost in thought. I needed to reassess my priorities. It was almost a year since I’d left Settlement 11 and entered The Pageant, a televised dating contest. Young human women from the settlements competed to get engaged to Prince Dallas Black, a royal vampire. At the end of the show, Dallas chose my friend Gwyneth to be his bride. They’d gotten married several months back and were blissfully happy. Dallas and Gwyn were taking a brief hiatus from their royal duties and coming North for Blake’s wedding this weekend. I couldn’t wait to see them.
I’d been a finalist in The Pageant, of course. Prince Dallas had asked me to stay on as an esteemed member of the royal court, a Goodwill Ambassador. It was my duty to represent the interests of the human settlers among the vampire rulers. Since my appointment, I’d learned that I was adept at politics. I had a clear head and was able to see the big picture, and I was able to articulate my thoughts quickly and clearly. I enjoyed discussing the status of the settlements, the North, the government, and evolving policies. I’d always believed that I was destined for great things but never knew specifically how my talents would best be put to use. But working for the royal cabinet felt like home; I’d arrived at the work I was meant to do.
Two of my friends, Shaye Iman and Blake, had also been asked to stay on as ambassadors. Shaye had been working on initiatives to combat poverty in the settlements. Blake had gone to the North to act as a liaison for the king and queen. Now she and Dallas’s younger brother were about to be married.
I hadn’t seen Blake in weeks, but she was finally coming home this afternoon. A human rebel had attacked her, and Austin had been forced to turn her; otherwise, she would have died. They’d been staying at a cabin in the woods as she’d adjusted to her new life as a vampire. Really, they were keeping her sequestered until she’d reached a point where she wouldn’t attack humans and guzzle their blood. New vampires had a tendency to do that.
In her most recent letter, Blake shared that she and Austin had anonymously visited a human village and that she’d been perfectly fine. She’d maintained control and was no longer afraid of putting others at risk. She couldn’t wait to come back to the castle, reunite with her friends, and marry Prince Austin.
Per her request, I’d practically planned the entire wedding, right down to the very attractive bridesmaid dresses. Even though she could no longer consume human food, the only details Blake really cared about were the buffet and the cake. We’d sent multiple letters back and forth and picked out the menu together. Everything would be perfect…
Except that Beast was going to be my date. I sighed as I reached the garden. Beast and Elsa appeared to be playing hide-and-seek; they merrily rolled inside the long green stalks of the flowers and intermittently peeked out, looking around. I paced the path. I’d had a few beaus since The Pageant ended but no one special. I’d dated Lord Bryson, a stuffy vampire with a large estate, and more recently, Sergeant Lance, a vampire sentinel. The sergeant filled out his uniform nicely, but he, too, was rather dull. The fact that Gwyn was deliriously happy with her husband and Blake was about to be married made me ache a bit. I wanted to be settled, too.
Long ago, my mother had taught me to be clear about my intentions. She always said it was easier to get what you wanted when you knew exactly what that was. So as I walked in the garden, I mentally articulated my wants and needs.
Professionally, I wanted my career in politics to soar. I enjoyed working on policy and making meaningful changes at the top level that reflected the growth of our society. Personally, I wanted to be swept off my feet. I wanted someone exciting, sophisticated, and dashing. I wanted an enormous royal wedding like the one I’d just planned for Blake.
Maybe I’ll meet someone at the wedding. That thought put the spring back into my step.
I hummed to myself as the gnomes played. Everything was going to work out fine. Why had I been worried? I was Tamara Layne.
Things always worked out perfectly for me.