Fang Wedding-Dr. Gabriella Van Court Book 4

By Tanya Goodwin

Maxine Cade thought she was the only hybrid vampire/mortal that existed, and so did her vampire parents, Gabriella and Max. That is until Maxine met Benjamin, surprisingly a hybrid too.

That they both straddled two worlds only brought Maxine and Benjamin closer, and now that they had grown, exponentially, to young adults, their engagement was inevitable.

Time off from her duties as a vampire ER doctor, Gabriella drives everyone batty with her compulsive, over-the-top, wedding planning, especially Maxine, who feels left out in more ways than one. Becoming a full-fledged vampire is all she ever wanted.

With Maxine and Gabriella distracted with a wedding planning tug-of-war, neither saw what was coming—evil lurkers, who would do anything to stop the vampire wedding event of the century.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tanya Goodwin
• Release date: Jun 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463821824

Tanya Goodwin

Tanya Goodwin writes romantic suspense with a twist of medicine, medical romance, and mystery. Her experiences as a physician are reflected in her characters and in her stories. Tanya is a graduate of the University of Miami School of Medicine and completed her specialty training as an obstetrician and gynecologist in Tampa, Florida. A former New Yorker, she now resides in St. Petersburg, Fl. Her present life as a traveling doctor allows her to switch from stethoscope to keyboard. Tanya is a member of Romance Writers of America, Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

GABRIELLA sat in Vamp Veil’s plush, red velvet chair. The baby girl, a hybrid vampire/mortal, she had with Max, her then mortal husband and now full-fledged vampire, was standing statuesque while being fitted for the most beautiful wedding gown.

Maxine had grown exponentially overnight from a gurgling newborn to a young woman.

Where had the last seven years gone?

Gabriella sank further into the soft chair and sighed in between sips of her complimentary Bloody Mary. At this rate Maxine and Benjamin, her daughter’s husband-to-be, and also the only other known hybrid among vamps, would age faster than she and Max ever thought possible. But Maxine’s uncontrollable growth curve was undeniable. And her daughter’s love for Benjamin was also undeniable.

Yes…this was happening.

She grinned, recalling how Max kissed their daughter before she and Maxine left for the vampire bridal boutique, and before he reported for his night shift as ER doc at the hospital. Gabriella had requested her evening ER shifts off until after the wedding. There was way too much to be done before the special night.

Gabriella lingered her thoughts on Max, who was probably buzzing around the busy ER, while she sipped her drink. But he was more than capable, even without her. And wedding planning was work, too. Besides she’d return to partner with Max once Maxine and Benjamin were off on their honeymoon.

Gabriella gazed at Maxine while the seamstress stuck pin after pin in Maxine’s gown. If she hadn’t bitten Max, the hottest ER doc she’d ever worked with, then they wouldn’t have had Maxine, who they both loved to the moon and back.

Barbara burst into Vamp Veil. Did I miss anything? She skidded to a halt and raised her hands. Oh, my! Maxine, you are a vision!

Maxine turned her head. No, Auntie Barbara. You’re just on time. And you’re biased.

I might not be punctual, but I know a beautiful bride when I see one.

Actually, Barbara was vamp late, twenty seconds late, which in mortal time was twenty minutes, more or less. It was the best rough estimate, given there was no exact formula for converting vamp time to mortal time.

Barbara’s frequent tardiness when she was a mortal waitress, got her fired multiple times. It was during her last, and final job that Barbara had noticed that Gabriella was a vampire—Barbara claiming to have had read extensively about vampires—most of it surely, stereotypically untrue, and then followed Gabriella, begging to become a vampire. Barbara was such a pest that Gabriella finally agreed and turned Barbara, who incidentally became a better vampire than a waitress.

Barbara’s subsequent marriage to Gabriella’s Uncle Claude solidified her membership into the family, and fortunately so, because it was Barbara who had protected baby Maxine from Baltac, former evil vampire king, and his witch paramour, Mystica, and Gabriella was eternally grateful to her for that.

Maxine’s cheeks flashed an anemic pink, exposing her half mortal side. You’re my favorite auntie.

Barbara rolled her translucent blue eyes. I’m your only auntie, that I know of.

Hold still! the elder vampire seamstress barked.

Maxine straightened her shoulders. Okay.

Barbara plopped into a cushy chair next to Gabriella’s and crossed her legs. What a delightful place! I’ll just chill here until that ancient seamstress is ready for us.

Shhh. Keep your thoughts to yourself!

Barbara giggled. Well, she is ‘old.. er.’

I’m older than she is, Gabriella corrected Barbara.

Yeah, but you’re hot. That woman’s progenitor must have been desperate to bite into her, or blind, or massively hungry.

Barbara, the woman’s peering at you.

Barbara smiled at the seamstress, showing polite fangs.

That’s better.

I did that for Maxine.

Barbara raised a talon when Vamp Veil’s junior assistant approached her with a Bloody Mary cocktail in her hand.

Barbara reached for the drink. Thank you.

Enjoy, the assistant said.

Barbara glanced at Gabriella. Now I like her.

Gabriella chuckled. I knew you would.

Princess Nina, King Cecil’s long-lost daughter, and Maxine’s best friend and maid of honor, came bouncing into the upscale fitting room while wearing a red satin gown. She clutched Maxine’s hands, and the two jumped up and down together, both displaying their sparkling fangs.

Ah, to be young! Barbara gushed.

Gabriella showed her own shiny fangs. Yeah, she dreamily said.

The seamstress from hell flung up her chubby arms. I can’t work like this!

Princess Nina and Maxine halted their revelry and parted hands.

Even Gabriella and Barbara straightened in their chairs.

I’m sorry, Madame, Nina said with her eyes downcast.

The seamstress waved to Maxine. I’m done with you. She crooked her talon at Princess Nina. You’re next.

Princess Nina stood royal still, while the seamstress adjusted the gown’s seams and length.

Barbara nodded her head. It was a bit big on her.

The seamstress growled at her. Thank you for your opinion, she retorted.

Barbara took a sip of her Bloody Mary and raised her cocktail glass. You’re welcome.

A vampire stare-down began between Barbara and the seamstress. Enough was enough!

Gabriella stood and bared her fangs, and Barbara and the seamstress backed off.

That’s better, Gabriella said.

She sat back in her chair.  Peace at last.

Barbara drank her Bloody Mary, while the seamstress altered Princess Nina’s gown.

How does it look? the seamstress asked Gabriella.

Grand work. Princess Nina is stunning, and my daughter…radiant.

The seamstress grinned, showing a respectful amount of fang to Gabriella.

Problem solved.

Princess Nina sped off to the changing room to join Maxine.

The seamstress folded her hands. Mother of the bride, next.

Gabriella tossed down what remained of her cocktail, set the empty glass on a coffee table, and stood. She zipped over to the seamstress who grabbed a red sequin gown from the rack of handpicked gowns.

This will look grand on you.

Gabriella ran her fingers along the gleaming sequins. The gown’s sheen almost blinded her. She had a variety of evening wear, but nothing like this! Scrubs comprised most of her wardrobe.

You don’t think it’s too much? Gabriella asked.

Oh, absolutely not, Barbara and the seamstress gushed at the same time.

Gabriella slipped on the ruby red gown, and it hugged her body in all the right places.

I don’t have to do a thing to this gown, the seamstress said.

Barbara clasped her hands together. It’s as it was made exactly for you!

Hmmm. It feels right, Gabriella said.

Next, the seamstress said.

Barbara raised her hand. That would be me.

Barbara popped up in between Gabriella and the seamstress. Which one is mine?!

This black taffeta one.

Ooh! Classic. Very Audrey Hepburn. Barbara patted her hair. All I need is an updo.

Eh, I don’t see it, the pudgy seamstress said. She raised her brows. I must get more pins.

She must be as blind as a bat, Barbara whispered to Gabriella, while the seamstress zipped off to restock her pin pile. Barbara pushed her hands into her hips and struck a seductive pose. I do look like Audrey Hepburn, don’t I?

Gabriella smiled, chuckling to herself. The resemblance is uncanny.

Barbara clapped her slim fingers together.

Anything to make Barbara happy, who looked classic in that dress.

While Barbara danced around in her black gown, Gabriella reminisced about her and Max’s more intimate wedding, where she wore a nice off-the-shoulder black dress that emphasized her slim neck. The way Max gazed at her! She wouldn’t have traded that dress for the finest wedding gown. But Maxine wanted what she wanted, and that made Gabriella and Max happy.

The entire wedding planning challenged Gabriella, but she relished every moment. More serious discussions had to wait. Maxine was bound to ask to be turned before her special day. But her answer to Maxine would crush her daughter, once again. Gabriella couldn’t