Page 1 of Searching for the Prince
CHAPTER ONE
Gwil had long since given up on being welcomed into the elite circles of vampire society. He was allowed on the periphery, where he could be useful, like investigating mundane issues for the Vampire Council, but nothing he’d consider important, so he still couldn’t quite believe he was part of the congregation for the marriage of the Dark Viscount of MacLove and Robin Flint, the future Dark Viscount Whetford. He didn’t think either of them knew he existed or was present at their nuptials.
Hyax stood next to him, looking amazing in full fae prince regalia. Another thing he’d been unprepared for was to actually get to have Hyax as a lover rather than just a friend and business partner. Not behind closed doors either, kept as a dirty secret, but out and proud, even if Hyax’s parents weren’t one hundred percent on board.
“I don’t think I’ve been to a legitimate vampire castle before,” Hyax said. “It’s really rocking the gothic vibe.”
“I’ve not been to this one, I don’t think many have as the Dark Earl of MacLove isn’t known for being big on visitors. And I’m only here because I’m your plus-one.” He didn’t want to sound bitter, but it summed up his standing in the paranormalcommunity that he’d got an invite because of Hyax. “I’m still not sure how you managed to swing an invite either, let alone bring me along.”
“I told you, I’m representing my parents as the leaders of one of the six other tribes, all of which were invited, so it was considered something of an olive branch.”
He knew the MacLoves were big shots in the vampire community, but Hyax had confirmed the rumours he’d heard about the Dark Earl being royalty in the fae realm, so could be considered more important there. Their tribe, the Calanti, weren’t what he’d call flavour of the month with the other fae—not having had official open channels to the others for more than a thousand years was a bit of a giveaway. “Since when have you lot accepted olive branches?”
“When I started shagging a vampire.” Hyax rolled his eyes and jostled him with his elbow. “Get with the picture, Gwil, a vampire and fae wedding, we could hardly not go as a couple.”
They’d been dating a few months now, although Hyax’s parents thought they’d been together longer. Hyax bending the truth when he’d needed a boyfriend to stop his parents from marrying him off and Gwil was the first person he’d thought of to play his Romeo.
“I bet your mum loved that. I can’t say I’ve noticed a warming towards me on your mother’s part.”
Queen Talia had made her opinion of him pretty clear—she thought Gwil was an acceptable plaything for Hyax, but he wasn’t worthy enough to marry him. Hyax believed she’d mellow eventually and while Gwil was immortal, and had the time to wait her out, he wasn’t convinced he would win the long game.
“I might have insisted I attend, and with you.” Hyax squeezed his hand. “Not just because I think we should find a way to improve relations with the Calanti tribes, but it helpssocialise the concept of a vampire marrying a fae with my people.”
Hyax had proposed, not with the grandeur Gwil might have expected from a prince but he’d learnt in his long un-life not to miss out on something by being a churlish twat, and Gwil had accepted despite Hyax’s parents not being too keen on the idea. “Oh, well when you put it that way I can see your reasoning.”
Hyax leant closer and dropped his voice lower. “It does mean I get to see you in a suit. You know how much I love peeling you out of one.”
Gwil was partial to Hyax stripping him naked. “We do have a lovely room. Would be a shame not to make proper use of it. Four-poster beds have great potential for all sorts of fun.”
Hyax’s eyes glowed gold for a second and Gwil suspected he might end up at the mercy of his clever magic, pinned to the bed for both their pleasures. If Hyax had planned to reply, he was cut off by the sound of bagpipes. Not the usual caterwauling he associated with the Scottish windbags of doom, but more melodious and less eardrum-splitting. He might go as far as to say he didn’t hate the noise.
“Oh, I don’t think I’ve heard the fae pipes played in years,” Hyax said, sounding as if he were fond of them.
“They’re tolerable I suppose.”
“I take it you’d not be keen on having them at our wedding?”
“I’d rather record Midnight retching up a furball.” Midnight was his cat, and apart from the odd heaving action, she was a good girl, and he’d fight anyone who disagreed.
“I’ll put that down as a maybe then.”
The doors of the great hall swung open, and Gwil craned his neck to get a decent view. The Dark Earl of MacLove was a secretive bastard, and his mixed fae heritage wasn’t openly discussed, but Gwil knew even less about his son Prince Simon. Gwil wasn’t high enough on the social ladder to be party to thegood secrets, but he presumed there must be more behind this wedding than members of different vampire Houses wanting to play nice.
Robin Flint followed minutes later. He was an attractive bloke, not on Hyax’s level because Gwil was nothing if not biased, but Robin had an aura about him that corroborated his reputation of being able to get whatever he wanted. Gwil had seen him about. He’d only ever been on the periphery as he didn’t get to visit the places Robin Flint inhabited unless he was working, so he wasn’t surprised to see him scrub up well for his wedding. Prince Simon though, was hidden under a cloak and Gwil was as intrigued as everyone else when he stood opposite Robin and the hood was pulled back to reveal a pretty bloke with long black hair who screamed fae as much as vampire. He was the perfect blend of his parents.
Hyax leant closer. “I can taste his magic from here.”
“That strong?”
“More that it’s a different flavour. Let’s just say, I would say the fairy prince is probably an expert sucker and I don’t just mean of Robin Flint’s cock.”
He had to bite his lip to hold back the snort. The ceremony itself was interesting enough—a blend of vampire and fae traditions—and not like any he’d attended before. His sister was a dark countess and they’d not been on speaking terms when she’d married. From what he’d heard, hers wasn’t as grand an affair as this, but then she was her husband’s third wife and Penelope wasn’t a princess, no matter how important she considered herself.
Hyax watched with a dopey smile. Gwil wasn’t sure what it was he hoped for his own wedding, but he’d pretty much do anything Hyax wanted, be that eloping to a human registry office or a five-day immersive ceremony in a woodland glade.
They filed out into the reception hall, following the other guests, all of whom were more important than him, so Gwil decided he would stick next to Hyax to avoid being asked who he was and prevent himself from being thrown out for being a pleb. He would be a pretty poor detective if he didn’t know who most of the people in the room were on the vampire side. There were representatives from every House and various societies, and no one would have turned down an invite without a good reason. Gwil nursed a glass of blood, the vintage of which was so rare it probably cost more than everything he was wearing, including his favourite pocket watch. Which made him think of someone else. He glanced around. There were famous vamps and beautiful people, but no sign of his old friend, well, ex-boyfriend, but it seemed the society wedding of the year couldn’t tempt Oliver Hoffman away from his research.
“Who you looking for?”
