Wedding Belles - Complete

Chapter 7

There were several sets of damp eyes as Dimitri and Rose turned to face their guests at the church. Looking at her side of the chapel, Rose saw Lissa delicately dabbing at her eyes with a dainty lace-edged handkerchief. Meanwhile, Janine was sitting beside Abe, blubbering into a multi-hued handkerchief that could not belong to anyone other than the eccentric mob boss. Rose was surprised to see her mother so emotional but had no time to consider it before Dimitri grasped her hand and led them back up the aisle.

The photographer had them pause for photos together in the vestibule as their guests made their way out into the church forecourt, waiting to sprinkle the newlyweds with confetti when they finally exited through the ornately carved timber doors.

"You're meant to shower us, not sprinkle it down my dress!" Rose growled, turning to glare at Christian as he threw a handful of confetti towards her cleavage.

"I'm just giving Belikov something to do after the reception," Christian said, leering meaningfully.

"Trust me, he has plenty to keep him occupied after the reception – he doesn't need any help from you!"

Dimitri shook his head, rolling his eyes at Rose and Christian's antics before his wife was pulled away from him, everyone wanting to congratulate them.

"When did you get here?!" Rose gasped to Eddie once she'd been hugged by her mother, father, Dimitri's family and Lissa.

"Arrived a couple of hours ago." Eddie subtly shook his head, letting Rose know it was just him, and that Adrian, Sydney, and Jill were not with him. "I had some business at Court, so I met up with Mia, and we flew here."

"We'll talk later," Rose promised as she was pulled away by Alberta.

The congratulations finally complete, Lissa was carefully picking the confetti out of Rose's hair before the photographer lined everyone up for the obligatory posed shots. Eventually, through with those, Abe led the guests to a pretty courtyard off the commons where pre-dinner drinks would be served while Rose and Dimitri went with the photographer to have more pictures taken. With such a small group, the mood was relaxed and casual, despite everyone wearing their finery. Friends and family stood mingling in small groups sipping at their drinks and chatting.

Yeva was sitting all but holding court, despite the presence of the Moroi Queen. She had Paul and Eddie ferrying her a constant supply of nibbles and glasses of champagne.

"You're looking very pleased with yourself," Abe commented, coming over to sit next to the wily septuagenarian.

"It's a happy day," Yeva replied simply, giving Abe a smile. "There's nothing like weddings and babies to bring a family together."

"Well, there's not going to be any babies," Abe retorted, referring to the fact that as two dhampirs, Rose and Dimitri would not be able to have biological children together.

Yeva smiled at Abe mysteriously, before calling Zoya over to fix her hair. The little girl came over immediately, recognizing her great-grandmother's word as law. At nearly three, she and the two-and-a-half-year-old Katya were more like sisters than cousins. With the signature Belikov dark hair and eyes, they were both very pretty little girls.

"There you are," Karolina said in Russian, coming over with Xander to inspect the two little girls.

"What's that about?" Abe said, looking over to where a genial Stan Alto was carefully holding a baby.

"He offered to hold Maxim so Sonya could get something to eat and drink," Karolina answered distractedly, more interested in wiping food from the girls' faces, so they were presentable again. Abe met Yeva's eyes, and she gave him another enigmatic smile. Suddenly Abe understood why his daughter found Dimitri's grandmother slightly unnerving.