Chapter 35

Part 4: Stone and Fire

"You have to admit, they clean up pretty good for a bunch of rocks."
Dana Logan sputtered, barely managing not to spew champagne all over her forest green silk bridesmaid's gown.
She glared at her friend Katie, who sipped daintily from her own glass while gazing happily over toward the bar, where her new husband was talking and laughing with his groomsmen and coworkers. Katie was right, of course. They were all tall, broad-shouldered and handsome, Dana's own brother Bram among them. But only half of them could really be considered rocks. And Katie was up to something - matchmaking, most likely. "Shouldn't you be dancing or mingling or something?"
"Taking a break," Katie murmured. So much happiness radiated from her that Dana half expected there to be a halo surrounding Katie's antique ivory lace gown and artfully coiffed mahogany curls. She fluffed her veil, glanced back at the men and sighed. "But aren't they gorgeous all together like that? I mean, Damien is the best but none of them is hard to look at."
"How much champagne have you had?" Katie was an Earth witch, very grounded and practical. It wasn't like her to be dreamy.
"You'd be surprised," Katie murmured, a quirky little grin flitting across her lips.
Dana leaned over and sniffed. As a half-dragon, her senses extended well beyond the normal human range. "Sparkling apple cider. You fraud, you're not drinking at all, are you?"
Katie shook her head and gave Dana an enigmatic grin. "Nope. Not for another eight months or so, anyway."
Dana winced and closed her eyes. "Of course. You're pregnant. Jeez, is there something in the water around here? I sure as hell hope it isn't catching."
"What is my sister-in-law whining about now?" A giggle accompanied the words as a tiny pixie in a green gown identical to Dana's bounced around the corner from the ladies' room. Bounced being the operative word. Twyla, an actual pixie, had married Dana's brother last Yule and already had a noticeable pregnancy bump. As she was barely over five feet tall, she was well on her way to being round.
"She's just jealous," Katie teased. "We've both landed husbands and she's doomed to be a lonely old maid."
Dana rolled her eyes. Katie knew perfectly well that Dana had no interest in marriage. This old joke between them had taken on new life in the month since Katie had met and fallen in love with Damien St. Pierre, a handsome gargoyle from Montreal who had just transferred to the Philadelphia Police Department's paranormal squad.
"Well, there are plenty of choices over there," Twyla sighed, inadvertently bringing the conversation full circle. She snagged a piece of cake from a passing waiter and dug in with a happy little moan. "I've honestly never seen so much prime beefcake in one location. And that includes the all-male revue in Atlantic City. The best part for you, my girl, is only two of them are taken - and one of those is your brother anyway. So grab one of the others and have some fun. Live a little. Nobody says you have to marry one of them."
Dana looked over at the group again. They were nice to look at, she had to admit. And at least all the gargoyles were taller than her and didn't look like they'd break in half if she hugged them. Around a group of ordinary men, she always felt like a giant.
"Remy seems like a riot," Katie added. "He's a cartoonist, after all - he's got to be funny. And then there's Marc. I told you he's the prince of their clan, didn't I?"
"Only half a dozen times." Not many of the gargoyle clan had traveled to Philadelphia for the wedding but Damien's three closest friends had made the trip, along with his parents. Platinum blond, Remy Rocher was gorgeous and he'd been flirting outrageously with Dana all weekend but he just didn't make her heart go thump. Neither did financier Marc Armel, the best man, a tawny god in a perfectly tailored dinner jacket. No, unfortunately, that honor went to Baudoin Dumont, the most stern and serious of the bunch. Even though Beau had been her official escort at the ceremony, he hadn't looked her way once all night.
As if he could feel her stare, Beau turned and raised one bushy eyebrow. His hair was the color of dark oak - not quite brown, not quite black. It was cut short, probably to tame that hint of a wave she could see trying to break through. His features were sharp and strong, not classically perfect but very sexy and very masculine. His hands were big and Dana couldn't help wondering what they'd feel like running across her curves. His hazel eyes crinkled as his mouth widened into a knowing grin and Dana felt her skin flush. A quick glance downward assured her that the blush went all the way to the neckline of her sleeveless gown.
"Ah, so you do see something you like. And it looks like Beau does too." Twyla's perky little voice drew Dana's gaze back to this side of the room.
Dana shook her head. The three women conversed for a few minutes, until a flicker of movement in her peripheral vision caught Dana's eye.
The men had apparently finished their drinks. Bram was crossing the room in long, sure strides, his bronze eyes fixed on his pixie bride. Dana couldn't help but smile at the besotted grin on Twyla's pretty little face. Bram deserved every bit of happiness he'd found and Dana loved her new sister-in-law. Even if Twyla hadn't been smart, funny, and loads of fun, Dana would have adored her just for the fact that Twyla was so obviously nuts about Bram.
"Ready for another dance?" Bram's deep voice was filled with concern and affection. "Or are you getting tired?"
"Dance." Twyla set down her empty plate and bounded into Bram's arms. He whisked her off to the dance floor.
"How about it, cherie? Will you do me the honor?" The groom had followed Bram over and was now bowing over his bride's hand.
"Maize wee." Katie's accent made Dana wince. Katie's heart was in the right place but her French still needed some work. Soon the happy couple had also drifted off to the dance floor, leaving Dana standing alone. Story of her life.