Veronica and the Vampire by Linda Thomas-Sundstrom

Author:Linda Thomas-Sundstrom [Thomas-Sundstrom, Linda]
Language: eng
Format: epub

Chapter seven

Sandra Davis was a vision in the doorway. A blue brocade mass, to be exact.

Yards of sky-colored tulle dotted with sequins surrounded a set of pale, exposed, rounded shoulders, like stars hovering near a mountain peak. Like the scales of the Loch Ness monster, rising from the loch.

Gone went all thought of foreplay, and dreams of whipped cream. The imaginary tiara tumbled from Veronica’s head. Although the buzz of electricity arising from Christian’s hand continued, bringing goose bumps to every inch of her quivering flesh, the church’s doorway — and what stood in it — had an immediate sobering effect.

Self-confidence vanquished, Veronica put a hand to her chest. The sea of blue blocking their path rotated slightly, bigger than life, filling the space between the steps and the pews. Her mother wasn’t smiling. And her mother’s eyes were trained on the approach of the happy couple with intensity that screamed of the Spanish Inquisition.

“Veronica. About time,” her mother mouthed, one hand on her ample blue hip, and looking like the teapot in the I’m a little Teapot song.

Veronica’s intake of air nearly burst her dress at the seams. She tottered in her pretty shoes.

“Ah,” Christian whispered with a possessive nuzzling gesture behind her ear. “It begins.”

Oh yes, it was starting, all right. The building seemed to grow by ten stories, stretching like taffy, its tan stucco exterior soaring upward. The scent of crushed roses became sickeningly abundant, almost grotesque. They hadn’t even gotten inside yet, and her mother was ruining everything.

Christian lifted his hand for a cheery wave at the blue blob, then gave another wave to the dark, as though he had found someone he knew in the distance, in the opposite direction. He turned Veronica around and hustled her toward a side entrance, hidden behind some trees.

With her back to the wall, in a space of relative anonymity that was inches from the open door, Veronica faced Christian and held out her hand. “I was wrong to think this would work. I’m sorry. Do you mind removing them now, before it’s too late?”

Christian’s face showed puzzlement before he caught on. His tone was amused. “I’m afraid I can’t remove them, darling.”

The lovey-dovey word and the way he said it produced a twinge in her armpits, but Veronica refused to lose focus.

“Christian, don’t you see? She will make mincemeat out of you. She will stop at nothing less than full battle. If it’s a business requirement, no one at the agency has to know about my request. I’m sure you’ve heard it before.”

Christian’s smile faded slightly. “I’m sorry. I can’t change the teeth, even though I want more than anything to please you.”

“You don’t understand,” Veronica said, but it was too late for more of an explanation. Music had started. Real music, this time. She peeked inside, where candles glowed yellowish-white, and vases held more flowers than she had ever seen in one place.

Everyone was sitting down.

She held her palm up with a stronger insistence. The teeth were a death sentence.

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