Olivia was flattered but she heard a tut coming from across the table. Directly opposite her, the Queen was watching them with her lips pressed together.
Olivia felt a hot flush creep up her cheeks and she tried to un-blush as she concentrated on her food. Is the Queen unhappy that her son is fraternising with a human? Olivia wondered. Alex had kept glancing over at her while they were talking. Is her Royal Vampness one of the ones doing the ‘discussing’ about vampire–human relations?
Olivia saw Ivy leaning forward on the other side of Alex, trying to catch her attention.
Horatio suddenly appeared at Ivy’s side. ‘What may I do for you, Miss Ivy?’
‘Uh, no, no, nothing,’ Ivy mumbled. ‘I was just trying to . . . um . . .’
‘Ivy and I very much enjoyed our drive from the airport,’ Olivia said to the prince, hoping it would be enough for him to include Ivy in their conversation.
Horatio bowed and backed away. The staff had been so quiet, Olivia had almost forgotten they were standing there.
Alex dabbed at his mouth with his napkin. ‘The countryside here is underappreciated by the world’s tourists, in my view. I can never get enough of it.’
‘And I can’t get enough of this pâté,’ Ivy said. She had already finished her little portion and was munching on the watercress around the edges that everyone else was leaving untouched. ‘Do you think there will be any more of it?’
Alex chuckled. ‘Are you asking if you can have mine?’
Ivy winced. ‘No, no. I just meant . . . I could massacre a burger right now.’
Olivia glanced around the room, suddenly aware of the silence that surrounded them. Twenty-nine other faces were turned in their direction. Ivy’s exclamation had come at just the wrong time. Burgers at a formal dinner?
Olivia could see her sister struggling to swallow and Olivia had no idea what to do to save her sister.
‘Oh, yes,’ Alex said, loudly enough for the whole table to hear. ‘Those wagyu beef burgers from Japan are such a delicacy.’
The Countess, sitting opposite them next to Mr Vega, agreed. ‘When I went to visit the Imperial House of Japan, they served the most wonderful kobe beef, which is a kind of wagyu.’
Olivia let out her breath as the other vampires nodded appreciatively. Ivy shot Alex a grateful look.
For a prince, Olivia thought, Alex seems really down-to-earth and welcoming. His modesty reminded her of Jackson a little.
She missed Jackson. Is he even missing me? Will he do anything at all for Valentine’s Day?
Across the table, the Queen snapped her fingers at the maid, Tessa. Olivia noticed Prince Alex watching intently. ‘My water is too warm. Bring me ice,’ she commanded.
‘Yes, ma’am.’ Tessa curtsied and hurried off.
Gosh, Olivia thought. The Queen sure knows how to act like a royal.
‘If you like our Romanian countryside, Olivia and Ivy, I must show you our estate,’ said Prince Alex. For some reason, his face had coloured. ‘Please be my guests at the palace tomorrow.’
Olivia felt a thrill. The palace!
She glanced across the table and saw the Queen staring back, her face impassive. Olivia gulped. It seemed that the Queen of Transylvania wasn’t happy that her son was mingling with a human. Not one tiny bit.
As the rest of the courses arrived one by one, Ivy tried not to say anything. Every time she had attempted conversation, she’d said something stupid. Olivia fits in better than me – and she’s the bunny!
Ivy was used to being around vampires, but the vampires that she knew weren’t so hoity-toity. She missed Franklin Grove; she missed Brendan, she missed Sophia . . .
And to top it all off, she thought, I’m hungry! The food was delicious, but the portions were tiny.
‘Is everything to your satisfaction, my dear?’ asked the Count, wiping a drop of wine from his moustache. ‘You seem unsettled.’
Ivy didn’t want him to think she was too selfish to appreciate all the effort they were going to for them.
‘I think it might be jet lag,’ she offered.