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Not one for false humility, he said, “I guess they’d have to learn to take no for an answer.

” His smile underscored that my compliment was a testimonial and not flattery.

“You look smashing tonight. Let’s skip the party so you can allow me the privilege of counting the layers in that skirt.

..” His smile turned wicked enough to make my breath catch. “One by one. Slowly.”

Not gonna lie. First, I stopped breathing, then my heart sped up.

“I thought clothes don’t matter,” I countered.

He pulled back and showed me a mock frown. “I said that? I must’ve been mad.”

I intended to chuckle, but what came out was a decidedly girlish giggle.

I tossed my head flirtatiously. “You are temptation embodied.” Stepping close enough so that he could feel my breath on his face, I said, “But I’m the inspiration behind these parties and can’t miss.

I’d like to hear more about what you’re thinking on the way home though.

” With a quick peck on the cheek that, hopefully, wouldn’t leave an imprint of Sahara Mist lipstick, I folded myself into the seat and began the process of trying to get both skirt and me into a hot sports car.

As Romeo dashed away happily carrying us into the longest night, I was thinking, “Who knows? This could turn out to be the best night of my life.”

Jarvis took my jacket. Even though the air outside had gone from crisp to undeniably cold, Keir didn’t need a coat. He had an internal system that kept him comfortable in any conditions.

John David stood near the arched entrance to the drawing room so that he could greet guests as they arrived.

“You’re late.” He smiled good-naturedly. “The king and queen are already here.”

I wondered if we’d violated some sort of royal protocol by coming after the royal couple. If so, I hoped it would be overlooked. Special rules for family.

Evie had taken my suggestion and was wearing a red gown with vertical beading.

Nothing could make her look svelte while at the end of pregnancy, but the other side of that coin was that nothing could keep her from being stunning.

She just was. When she glanced in our direction, I caught her eye.

Her smile told me she knew she looked both gorgeous and regal.

Judging by the volume of combined laughter, the party held the promise of being the best ever.

Perhaps that was helped along with the giant crystal punch bowl filled with Mai Tai.

I supposed John David had chosen Mai Tai as the signature drink because of its festive color and not because a tropical cocktail was in any other way related to Winter Solstice.

To the point of festive color, someone had added the appealing touch of floating lime slices on top.

When I turned that direction, Keir immediately grabbed my elbow and shook his head so slightly that only I saw it.

He was trying to save my dignity. He’d once been witness to what happens when I get started with Mai Tais.

I allowed myself a backward glance and a brief, wistful sigh before asking the closest waitstaff for a glass of buttery chardonnay sans oak.

Keir was right. I wasn’t there to morph into Wasted Rita.

I said hello to a handful of neighbors as I made my way to where Evie had been trapped by Maggie. Maggie was a legendary creature of magical Eire, but now she was one of Evie’s subjects. Life is strange.

I kissed my girl on the cheek.

“You look outstanding, Mom.”

“Say it again. I can’t hear that enough.” When she opened her mouth to repeat it, I said, “Just kidding. I see you took my advice. The gods made this color for you.”

“I get tired of saying, ‘You were right’, you know.”

I chuckled and looked at the king. “Diarmuid. You seem to be taking good care of Evangeline.”

He looked at her adoringly, which is what I love to see. “’Tis my number one priority,” he said.

“Glad to hear it. Are you prepared for priority expansion?”

He looked confused.

Evie said, “She means the baby.”

“Ah!” He laughed. “Save your worries, Magistrate. I have room in my heart for two lasses.”

I smiled. “I don’t doubt you.”

A spoon was being struck lightly, but repeatedly against a crystal glass, creating a clear bell sound that instantly brought the gathering to attention. Everyone turned to face our host.

“Welcome all and Happy Solstice,” said the vampire with a wide smile that showed off his pointy canines.

He could be saying, “Welcome to your nightmare”, but the undeniable charm of our host made people feel at ease.

“We’ll begin the evening with dinner in the Ambassador Room across the corridor, then adjourn to the ballroom upstairs for dancing.

But first, let us toast the king and queen for doing us the honor of attending.

” He held his glass aloft. “To the very handsome royal couple and their family in progress. May their lives be long and merry.”

No creature of good heart could object to a toast so chock-full of goodness.

My friends and neighbors said various versions of “to life, long and merry” and drank to my precious daughter.

A little over a year ago, I’d sat in a tawdry motel room, not knowing what would become of me.

Now, my Evie was queen of Irish fae, about to bring a quasi-immortal daughter into the world. I felt myself tearing up.

Keir leaned close and whispered, “Don’t cry, my love. Your makeup is party perfect, and you don’t want to do an impression of Tammy Faye.”

I instantly forgot about the toast as my head jerked toward my husband. “You never cease to amaze. I’m surprised you know who Tammy Faye is.”

With a scoff, he said, “Even die-hard sports enthusiasts know who Tammy Faye is. Her name is shorthand for runny makeup.”

“Yeah,” I said. “And fraud.”

Just then, Esme and Kagan approached. Both seemed remarkably changed.

Kagan, because he was not wearing a scowl.

Without his sour expression, I’d have to be careful not to mistake him for Keir.

Especially since both wore traditional black tie.

Thankfully, Esme had outfitted Kagan with a handsome tartan cummerbund I guessed was Black Watch.

As to Esmerelda, I’d never before seen her dressed in something other than a dark color.

Tonight, she wore a V-neck emerald-green dress that fell around her perfect figure like liquid, and also made her emerald-green eyes arresting.

I found myself not knowing whether to stare at her eyes, which were magnetic, or the vampy shade of red lipstick, which was consummately seductive.

She was not supposed to outglam me. How dare she? It was against the rules. Had I forgotten to mention that?

Keir was smiling like a proud matchmaker. And I supposed he was entitled to that.

When I’d finally learned what happened to get the two back together, I had to begrudgingly admit that my spouse was partly responsible. Shockingly, he’d given Kagan excellent advice, custom-designed.

Not only did they look good enough together to turn heads. They also looked happy. Given the surly personalities we’d all come to know, that was noteworthy.

“So, green is your color,” I told Esme. The last thing I expected was a blush. Who would’ve thought Esme had a blush in her?

“Thank you,” she said.

I turned my attention to Kagan. “I like the tartan you’re wearing, brother-in-law. Is it Black Watch?”

It wasn’t entirely social chit-chat. I love tartan plaids and try to associate them with names or at least clans.

“Es designed it,” he said. “She named it Sephalion Dress.” That was perhaps the most words I’d ever heard Kagan speak at once. He punctuated the sentence with a tiny twitch of his mouth, as if it might be a joke. I was afraid to laugh because it might not be a joke. More context, please.

Esme was smiling proudly. I said, “I’m not surprised by your creativity, but you’ve outdone yourself. Does this mean that all three sephalia get to use the pattern?”

“It was a gift to Kagan.” She looked up at him lovingly in a way that made me want to tease her with a Valley Girl two-finger gag. I restrained the fifteen-year-old me and kept my socially passive smile in place. “So, it’s up to him.”

When I looked toward Kagan, he shrugged. I took that to mean he didn’t care either way. The disengaged Kagan was the Kagan I was used to.

Jarvis appeared at the threshold of the drawing room carrying an actual crystal bell. When it rang, the crowd quieted. It was like magic, except for the fact that it worked every time.

“Dinner is served,” he announced.

Leaning toward Keir, I said under my breath, “Thank the stars. I’m starving.”

Doing a quick replay of my day, I realized why. I’d had a light breakfast but forgot lunch amidst the frenzy of finishing the Yule decorating of my house and getting ready for the party. Fortunately, there was enough ambient sound to disguise stomach noises.

It seemed that John David made a game of trying to make each party more spectacular than the last. That included the menu.

I wondered which world-renowned chef he’d brought in this time.

I wouldn’t have to wait long to find out.

The vampire always brought the food architect to the dining room, excuse me, I meant to say, “Ambassador Room,” and introduced him between entrée and dessert courses.

John David had seated Diarmuid at the other end of the table so as not to appear more important. Keir sat across from me at table center. He was between Molly and Ivy. I was between Fie and Jeff.

We began with an oyster mushroom bisque.

That was followed by Caesar salad made tableside by five sous chefs.

The main course was blackened salmon smothered with shrimp and scallops, topped with a barely-there-mild Creole sauce, served with lime jasmine rice.

Beautiful to look at. Good enough for seconds.

In fact, I wasn’t able to curb my appetite enough to save room for dessert.