Wedding Bells & Cinnamon Rolls

2 - Even Vampires Get Nervous on Their Wedding Day

It was a beautiful day to get married, Corbin Westbrook mused as he shuffled from foot to foot on a flower-covered dais in front of Ashford's small lake. The mid-June weather was pleasantly warm, but not too hot so as to be uncomfortable. A light breeze blew through the thick forest encircling the estate, drawing cool air off the lake. To accent the bucolic scene, a family of wood ducks was paddling serenely around the perimeter.

He'd told Autumn that she could have as elaborate a wedding as she desired, but his practical fiancée only wanted something simple. Just one more reason why Corbin loved her.

The wedding guests were seated in comfortable white chairs arranged in the courtyard. Placed on each seat was a small container of blowing bubbles with Autumn's and Corbin's wedding date stamped on it—something Jordyn had lobbied hard to include. And other than the flower-decorated trellis over Corbin's head and ribbons on the chairs, that was it for decorations. Ashford's ballroom, where the reception was to be held, had a few more bells and whistles.

Marnie's husband Jake, standing next to Corbin on the dais, flashed the vampire a grin and gave him a thumb's up as Corbin began to fidget with his tie. Taking a deep breath, Corbin clasped his hands in front of him and looked out over the seated guests. On his right were thirty vampires and all of Ashford's staff; on his left was a smaller gathering made up of Autumn's employees, Jordyn's four best friends and her boyfriend Marcus, and ... Autumn's parents.

Corbin's jaw tightened slightly as he looked at the pair. On the outside, there was nothing remarkable about them: just two unassuming fifty-somethings with greying hair and crows' feet in the corners of their eyes. They were dressed simply and conservatively: Autumn's father in a blue suit and her mother in grey. A simple gold cross hung around her neck. He didn't believe they belonged here, but in the end, it had been Autumn's decision to invite them.

They sat at the very back, separate from everyone else. Whether it was by choice or someone had told them to get lost, Corbin didn't know. Frankly, he didn't care.

Autumn's mother lifted a tissue to her face and coughed into it. Corbin's eyes narrowed slightly as he took in the woman's pale complexion and thin frame. Was she sick or getting over some sort of illness? Sighing softly to himself, Corbin made a mental note to ask one of his fellow vampires who had been practicing medicine for two hundred years to keep an eye on the woman.

As he lifted his wrist to check his watch, Ashford's main doors swung open. Right on cue, the violinist that had been hired for this moment began to play.

Immediately, all of Corbin's attention was on that one spot and he stared into the shadows cast by the doors. Jake clapped him on the back and said, "Here you go, man."

Jordyn emerged first, followed by Marnie. Corbin shifted, his lips curving into a smile that only got larger by the second. Jordyn reached the dais and climbed up, standing on her tip-toes to give Corbin a kiss on the cheek.

"Love you, Dad," she whispered. "Stop fidgeting."

Corbin chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "Love you too, sweetheart." Jordyn may not be his biological child, but he loved her all the same. His only regret was that he hadn't been there from the start.

Winking, Jordyn stepped down and took her position at the edge of the dais next to Marnie. The violinist paused, then the familiar chords of Wagner's "Bridal Chorus" emerged softly from the instrument's strings.

Corbin's head snapped up and his eyes focused on Ashford's open doors. Autumn stepped into the warm summer sun and descended the stone steps on Magnus's arm. Corbin's mouth dropped open and he stared. Dear God, was there any woman more beautiful than Autumn?