(Southern Vampire Mysteries 07) All Together Dead

Author:Charlaine Harris
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: sf_fantasy
Published: 2010-03-14T00:00:00+00:00

11

IWAS SO ANXIOUS TO GET OUT OF THE CROWD IN THE wedding hall that I collided with a vampire, who whirled and grabbed my shoulders in a blur of darkness. He had a long Fu Manchu mustache and a mane of hair that would have done a couple of horses credit. He was wearing a solid black suit. At another time, I might have enjoyed the total package. Now I just wanted him to move.

“Why in such a hurry, my sweet maid?” he asked.

“Sir,” I said politely, since he must be older than I, “I really am in a hurry. Excuse me for bumping into you, but I need to leave.”

“You’re not a donor, by any chance?”

“Nope, sorry.”

Abruptly he let go of my shoulders and turned back to the conversation I’d interrupted. With a great wave of relief, I continued to pick my way through the assemblage, though with more care now that I’d already had one tense moment.

“There you are!” Andre said, and he almost sounded cross. “The queen needs you.”

I had to remind myself that I was there to work, and it really didn’t matter how much inner drama I was experiencing. I followed Andre over to the queen, who was in conversation with a knot of vamps and humans.

“Of course I am on your side, Sophie,” said a female vampire. She was wearing an evening gown of pink chiffon joined at one shoulder with a big broach sparkling with diamonds. They might be Swarovski crystals, but they looked real to me. What do I know? The pale pink looked real pretty against her chocolate skin. “Arkansas was an asshole, anyway. I was only astonished that you married him in the first place.”

“So if I come to trial, you will be kind, Alabama?” Sophie-Anne asked, and you would have sworn she wasn’t a day over sixteen. Her upturned face was smooth and firm, her big eyes gleamed, her makeup was subtle. Her brown hair was loose, which was unusual for Sophie-Anne.

The vamp seemed to soften visibly. “Of course,” she said.

Her human companion, the designer-clad fangbanger I’d noticed earlier, thought,That’ll last ten minutes, until she turns her back on Sophie-Anne. Then they’ll be plotting again. Sure, they all say they like crackling fires and long walks on the beach by moonlight, but whenever you go to a party, it’s maneuver, maneuver, maneuver, and lie, lie, lie.

Sophie-Anne’s gaze just brushed mine, and I gave a tiny shake of my head. Alabama excused herself to go congratulate the newlyweds, and her human tagged along. Mindful of all the ears around us, most of which could hear far better than I could, I said, “Later,” and got a nod from Andre.

Next to court Sophie-Anne was the King of Kentucky, the man who was guarded by Britlingens.

Kentucky turned out to look a lot like Davy Crockett. All he needed was a ba’ar and a coonskin cap.

He was actually wearing leather pants and a suede shirt and jacket, fringed suede boots, and a big silk kerchief tied around his neck.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.