Green - a werewolf story

42. Fangs and Fur

This was a terrible, terrible idea. Vanessa couldn't for the life of her understand why she'd agreed to it.

"This is awesome!" Abby said as she took in the décor of the Bloodbath, decked out in cherubs and hearts for the occasion. "They should keep it like this."

Green's sister had said yes to going to the engagement party before Vanessa had even managed to get all the words out. Then she'd set to making both herself and Vanessa "presentable." Vanessa was glad that Green had insisted they sleep for a couple of hours before talking to his sister because she'd spent every moment after with trying on outfits and sitting still while Abby fixed her hair and makeup.

Now she was wearing a short, silver dress of Abby's with matching stiletto heels she was sure she'd stumble and break her feet in. When she'd told Green about her concerns he'd kissed her and suggested that they skip the party and retreat to the blue guest room they'd been given because surely the only safe place to wear shoes like that was in bed?

Vanessa had been about to agree when Abby found them leaning against the guest room door and bullied them into escorting her and her husband to the car.

"I can't believe the owner agreed to do this," Ted Thrall said, looking around at all the glitter. "She's a vampire for heaven's sake."

"She's also a good friend of Letitia and Maria's," Vanessa said.

"Still," he said, shaking his head. "I know for a fact that she used to hunt down and kill inquisitors all over medieval Europe and now..." he squeezed one of the sequined heart pillows "... this."

"Don't be like that," Abby said. "It's romantic!"

"It's ridiculous."

"It's not!"

Vanessa ignored their bickering to survey the room. The crowd in the club was a mixture of supernatural creatures and their human friends. Or perhaps blood donors would be a more accurate term for it. She took a deep breath. Vampires, ghouls, a bunch of different kinds of shapeshifters, witches and some strange new scents she didn't recognize.

"I'm not sure this is a good place for someone days from giving birth," Vanessa said under her breath to Green.

"I think we have to let the heavily pregnant woman decide that for herself," he said.

"There are things in here I don't even know the name of," Vanessa said, looking around and searching for threats.

"That's what the bodyguards are here for," Green replied, nodding to the three wolves who kept themselves within four feet from his sister. "Besides, Ted's the second best fighter I know. No one's harming Abby on his watch."

"The second best?" Vanessa asked and accepted a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. "Who's the best? You?"

"My sister Alyssa," Green replied.

"The more I hear about your sister, the more I want to meet her."

Green smiled at her. "Yeah, I think the two of you would like each other."

Vanessa didn't know why it made her feel all warm and fuzzy when he looked at her like that, but it did. She decided to stop questioning and just enjoy it. Smiling back, she leaned forward and kissed him. This was one of the few upsides of wearing high heels, she thought as he startled, then kissed her back. She was already on her toes so she didn't have to reach up to kiss him.

Someone cleared their throat behind them.

"Sorry to disturb you, but do you have the... thing?"