She elbowed him in the side, hard enough that he grunted. “I know that.”
Christian’s concern was infectious, and her fingers pinched Alon’s arm as she watched him pull the zip strip on the envelope, and tip it upside down until the contents fell into his other hand.
It was a white envelope, about the size of a nice greeting card, and made of quality paper. It looked like an announcement of some sort to Natalie, and she wondered briefly if this was how vampire lords were welcomed to the fold. But Christian’s puzzled expression told her that wasn’t it.
He ran a finger under the sealed flap, pulled out the heavy stock card inside, and started laughing.
Natalie frowned, then shoved away from Alon, walked over to Christian, and pulled the card out of his hand. She’d read only the first few words, “Ms. Lana Arnold and Lord Vincent Kuxim request . . .” before Christian hugged her close and told everyone, “We’re going to a wedding.”
Chapter Thirteen
Mexico City, Mexico
CHRISTIAN WAS THE last to arrive, and he suspected his fellow Vampire Council members had planned it that way. He scanned the gathered vampire lords. Sophia was missing again. And there was no Rajmund, but Lucas was here this time, his long frame slumped over one of the big conference room chairs, looking like a bored teenager. Aden stood against the far wall. Christian wasn’t a small man, but Aden was huge, and he was eyeing Christian with thinly veiled hostility. Christian had never met the Midwestern lord, so this had to be more carryover from someone else’s crimes.
“Christian,” Vincent said, speaking first as the host of this gathering. He came over and offered his hand. “You’re looking better than the last time I saw you,” he added with a grin.
“A hot shower does wonders,” Christian joked, shaking hands.
“You know everyone, of course.”
Christian nodded, then walked over to greet Raphael. The North American Vampire Council was, strictly speaking, a council of equals. But everyone in this room knew who was really in charge.
“Raphael,” Christian said, with a bare tip of his head. He would have loved to know how much Vincent had told Raphael about Hubert’s death, and Christian’s talent. But he wasn’t about to ask.
“Christian,” Raphael responded, smiling. “Congratulations on your victory. A double victory from what I’ve heard. Hubert and Anthony both in one night.”
“I had a good team.”
“And hidden talents,” Raphael said, telling Christian all he needed to know.
Christian eyed him carefully. “It’s always best to hide one’s skills from one’s enemies.”
“But not from one’s allies.”
Christian nodded, conceding the point for the present. But then, they hadn’t been true allies before tonight, had they?
“No Sophia?” Christian asked, changing the subject. He waited to see if Raphael would follow his lead, or push for more.
“We’re all worried about her,” Lucas called from across the room, sounding completely alert despite his less than attentive posture.
Christian turned, concealing his surprise. It was still difficult for him to reconcile this gathering of powerful lords with the fact that they really were allies. And yet, there was no doubting the sincerity of Lucas’s concern.
“No one’s heard from her yet?” he asked, remembering Duncan talking about her absence during the challenge gala.
“Not a word,” Aden chimed in, sitting at the table and no longer radiating hostility. As if now that Raphael had given his blessing, they were all old friends.
Christian took a seat at the table, more than willing to go along with the lowered level of tension in the room. “Is that unusual?” he asked.
“Unusual enough,” Duncan said. He was different than the other lords, his persona one of quiet, calm confidence, rather than bristling power. Not that he lacked power—he just didn’t broadcast it the way the others did, including Christian himself. “Raj has tried to reach her several times, with no success, and his spies have reported a lot of movement among her people in Toronto.”
“My Cyn is quite concerned, as well,” Raphael commented. “She is . . . friends with Sophia’s mate,” he added, and Christian noted a distinct flavor of distaste in Raphael’s tone. “Could it be another European plot?” Raphael asked Christian directly.
Christian thought about his answer. He wasn’t aware of any plans to challenge Sophia, but that didn’t rule out the possibility. He was familiar with the schemes of Mathilde and her friends, but they weren’t the only Europeans eyeing North America, and he said as much to his new allies. “Mathilde made no secret of her plans for this continent, and there were those who, while not allies of hers, would certainly try to take advantage of the disruption she caused to further their own goals.”
“Berkhard is also in the wind,” Raphael commented. “He was there with Mathilde and Hubert at the beginning in Hawaii, but, like Hubert, he left soon after I was . . . temporarily subdued.”
“I don’t know any of his specific plans, but I do know Berkhard. He would view Sophia as an easy target because she’s a woman.”