“I can’t believe you’re home,” Cara said, wiping her tears with one hand. “Why didn’t you tell us you were coming? Oh, it doesn’t matter, I’m so glad you’re here.” Still hugging her son, she looked at Savanah. “Thank you for bringing him home.”

“I didn’t…”

“Oh, yes, you did,” his mother insisted. Releasing Rane, she offered Savanah her hand. “I’m so happy to meet you.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Cordova.”

“Cara,” she said, squeezing her hand. “Well, come in and sit down. I want to hear everything.”

The next hour passed quickly as Rane brought his parents up-to-date on what he’d been doing since he left home. Savanah was completely charmed by his parents, both of whom were sympathetic when they learned of her father’s death.

To Savanah’s surprise, Rane’s mother offered her a glass of iced tea and a slice of chocolate cake, neither of which Savanah had expected to find in a Vampire’s house.

“We keep food on hand for the neighbor kids,” Cara explained. “They love to come over after school. Especially the teenage boys. They’re always coming around, asking Vince to fix their cars, or make them go faster.”

Vince grinned at Savanah and shrugged. “They’re good kids.”

Rising, Cara said, “I should call Rafe and tell him you’re home.”

“Don’t forget to call your folks,” Vince reminded her with a smile. “We’ll never hear the end of it if you don’t.”

“You’re right about that,” Cara said, and went in to the other room to make her calls.

Rafe and his pretty blond wife, Kathy, showed up a short time later, and Cara’s parents arrived some twenty minutes after that. Kathy and Rane’s grandparents greeted Savanah with welcoming smiles as they introduced themselves. Cara’s father, Roshan, was tall and lean with powerful shoulders and long limbs. His hair was black, his eyes a bold midnight blue set beneath straight black brows, but it was Cara’s mother who held Savanah’s attention.

Brenna DeLongpre seemed too pretty to be a witch. Fiery red hair fell to her waist, her eyes were almost as green as Mara’s. She wore a white peasant blouse over a colorful, ankle-length skirt; a necklace of amber and jet circled her throat.

Vince brought out a bottle of vintage wine. After filling everyone’s glass, he lifted his own, and said, “A toast to the prodigal, who, though away from us, was never out of our hearts or our thoughts.”

“Here, here,” Rafe said.

“And to the woman in his life,” Cara added. “May she always feel welcome in our presence and in our home.”

Rane slid his arm around Savanah’s shoulders. Drawing her close, he whispered, “See? I knew they’d love you. So, will you marry me?”

Chapter Forty-One

Savanah glanced around the room. No one would ever think any of the occupants were Vampires. She was finding it a little hard to believe herself.

Rane poked her in the ribs. “You didn’t answer me.”

“They really are wonderful people, aren’t they?”

“I think so.” He looked at her, his dark eyes intense. “You still haven’t answered my question.”

“Yes, Rane, I’ll marry you whenever and wherever you want.”

“She said yes!”

Savanah glanced over her shoulder, startled, as Brenna announced her decision to the room.

“I’m sorry,” Brenna said, hurrying over to give Savanah a hug. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, really, but…welcome to the family!”

“This calls for another toast!” Vince said.

The next few minutes were hectic as everyone came over to wish Rane and Savanah well. Amid bear hugs and smiles, Savanah found herself wondering who would perform the ceremony, since it was illegal for Vampires and mortals to intermarry.

Rane must have been reading her mind because a moment later, he put the question to his father.

“There’s only one place to hold the wedding,” Vince said, smiling at Cara. “Right?”

“Yes, of course,” Cara replied.

“And only one priest to join the two of you together,” Brenna declared.

“Father Lanzoni,” Rafe and Kathy said in unison.

“Who’s Father Lanzoni?” Savanah asked.

“He’s the priest who married us,” Vince said, giving his wife’s hand a squeeze.

“And us,” Roshan said, smiling at Brenna.

“And us,” Kathy added, linking her arm with Rafe’s.

Rane kissed Savanah on the cheek. “We can’t break a tradition like that, can we?”

“No, indeed,” she agreed.

“So, when’s the big day?” Kathy asked.

“Whenever Savanah wants,” Rane said. “We haven’t really had time to discuss it.”

“We’ll have to let Mara know,” Vince said.

“Speaking of Mara,” Roshan said, “I hear she’s taken a mortal lover. Is that true?”

“I don’t know for a fact,” Rafe said, “but I’d say it’s a safe bet.”

“I wonder if she’ll bring him to the ceremony,” Brenna remarked.

“I wonder if he knows what she is,” Cara mused.

“Well, one thing is certain,” Vince said, refilling his wineglass, “we know she’ll come.”

The next week was filled with excitement and anticipation the likes of which Savanah had never known. Once she made the decision to marry Rane, there seemed little reason to wait. The women in Rane’s family were more than supportive, and they were all eager to help with the planning, although there was little to plan. There was only one choice for a church, and no need for a caterer.

The one thing Savanah did need was a dress. To that end, the females in the family whisked her into Portland to go shopping. White dresses were no longer in vogue for brides, and Savanah tried on dresses in every color of the rainbow.

Though she had always envisioned herself walking down the aisle in a long white gown, the one she fell in love with was a pale, pale blue. The lines of the gown were simple yet elegant, modest yet sexy.

When Savanah stepped out of the dressing room to show Kathy, Brenna, and Cara, the looks on their faces told her she had made the right choice.

“Perfect!” Kathy and Brenna exclaimed.

“Rane’s going to love it,” Cara said, giving Savanah a hug. “You’ll be a beautiful bride.”

Savanah picked out a shoulder-length veil to match the dress, as well as a pair of heels. Leaving the bridal shop, they went to a store that specialized in lingerie. Savanah’s initial embarrassment at picking out such personal items in the company of Rane’s mother and grandmother soon gave way to laughter as they examined a variety of undergarments, including edible underwear and crotchless panties, which brought a rush of heat to Savanah’s cheeks as she imagined wearing them for Rane.

She picked out a long, black nightgown and matching peignoir, several pairs of bikini panties, bras, a robe and slippers. Cara insisted on buying her a different-colored teddy for every day of the week. Brenna gifted her with a shimmery silver nightgown that looked like it had been made from stardust and moonbeams.

Kathy chose a flowered nightgown, a matching velour robe, and fluffy pink slippers. “For after the honeymoon,” she explained with a shrug. “Or for those mornings when you don’t feel like getting dressed. After all,” she said, gesturing at the pile of gossamer gowns, “you can’t answer the door in any of those.”

The only time Savanah felt the slightest bit ill at ease was at mealtimes. Rane’s parents assured her that she was welcome to cook in the house, but she politely declined, preferring to eat at one of the restaurants in town. Rane always accompanied her in the evening, lingering over a glass of wine while she ate dinner.

Mara showed up the night before the wedding with a handsome young man in tow. As Mara introduced Kyle to Rane’s family, Savanah couldn’t help wondering if Kyle Bowden knew that, except for the two of them, everyone else in the room was a Vampire.

She was glad when Mara and Kyle took their leave and Vince and Cara went to bed, giving Rane and Savanah some time alone in the living room. Though they had shared a bed in the past, Savanah had told Rane she wouldn’t feel comfortable doing so in his parents’ house, and he had acceded to her wishes.

Now, sitting on the sofa, Rane pulled Savanah closer to his side. “Nervous about tomorrow?” he asked, one hand lightly massaging her nape.

“A little.” She snuggled against him. “We haven’t talked about it much lately, but I’m still hoping to find the Vampire who killed my mother. Do you think I ever will?”

“I don’t know, but you’ve got a lot more help now.”

“What do you mean?”

“My family. Mara. They’ll all help.” Frowning, he ran his hand over his jaw. “You know, it occurred to me before that Mara might know who the killer is.”

“How could she possibly know that?”

“You always ask the tough questions,” Rane said, blowing out a sigh. “It has to do with her power. She’s lived a long time. I’m not sure how she does it, but she seems to be able to tap into whatever affects the Vampire community. It wouldn’t surprise me if she knows who killed your mother.”

Savanah bolted upright. “When can we ask her? Do you know where she’s staying? Can we call her tonight?”

Rane slipped his arm around her shoulders and drew her back down beside him. “I don’t know where she’s staying, and even if I did, I doubt if she wants to be disturbed.”

He was right, of course. Savanah had seen the way Kyle Bowden had looked at Mara. No doubt the two of them were curled up in a bed somewhere. Savanah let out a sigh. She had waited this long for information about her mother’s killer; she could wait one more night.