We join Abby and Xander on their big day, a huge wedding at Hotel Spectre. When the rings go missing, the bridal gown gets tainted with blood and the groom starts a fistfight in the garden, only the efforts of friends and creatures can make Abby have the wedding day she deserves. Whatever fate had in mind, this will be the happiest damned bride that ever animated her lawn ornaments. Or else.

Excerpt:

“It’s not in here. How could you think it was in here?” Bitsy was hissing at Echo and the dragon took offence.

“I tasted Xander and Abby in here. How could I know that they used this room to sneak aside and frolic?” The dragon shook her spotted head and scowled. “They seem to have copulated in ten percent of the building.”

They were on the floor with the ballrooms and the wide expanse of dance floor stretched before them. “I am sorry. If Alphaica hadn’t taken off with the rings, I wouldn’t have endangered the wedding.”

“True, but she is a handful. Buffy and I both need to watch her when she flies.”

Echo inclined her head and she picked Bitsy up by his shoulders, taking flight. “There are other places to search. I sense something in the basement that seems a likely candidate.”

Bitsy would have shrugged, but pinned as he was, he simply agreed. “Let’s get moving. Time is running out.”

* * * *

“Where did the caterer go?” Laura and Seesee were in the centre of the hotel kitchen watching the staff milling around trying to come up with the morning buffet for all of the species.

“He had a nervous breakdown. The idea of cooking for the Nexus as well as all of the dignitaries was too much for him.” Salleth the Lamia let her scales rub against each other.

Seesee assessed what still needed to be done and made an executive decision. “Call in all of the food vendors from the Magic Summit. Abby likes their food and she doesn’t really care about what she eats as long as it doesn’t kill her.”

Salleth blinked. “Okay. If you are sure…”

Laura nodded. “Wonderful idea. Bring them in as fast as you can. The council will bear the price of the transports.”

The snake scales writhed. “You want them all transported?”

“We do. Time is of the essence here.” Seesee smiled grimly as she helped take some small items out of the oven. “Get a mind healer in here in the meantime to work on the caterer. He shouldn’t have taken the contract if he couldn’t do the job.”

“Will do.” Salleth was on the phone and talking to food vendors in seconds, promising them full recompense for all of their products and services if they could get their butts into a portal.

Laura sighed in relief. “That was a close one.”

Seesee smiled and her prehensile hair writhed with tension. “We aren’t out of the woods yet. Let’s head to the tent for hair and nails. Abby will be getting twitchy by now.”