To Rajiv’s right sat a young man with a gold crown on his head and an entitled smirk on his face. That had to be the prince. Russell fought an urge to wipe the smugness off his face, and not with a silk napkin. The rest of the people on the right were probably his entourage. The last in line was a woman. Russell assumed that the further down the line a person sat, the lower his rank. Behind the seated guests, six men in black silk robes were standing and eyeing him and J.L. with suspicion.
Russell smirked. How many bodyguards did the prince need? He had to be a wimp.
To Rajiv’s left sat his uncles, Rinzen and Tenzen, plus four more elderly gentlemen. All the guests had stopped eating to look at the intruders.
Russell felt a tug on his trouser leg and noticed that J.L. had knelt. So this was the formal greeting? With an inward groan, he knelt. Then, to his surprise, J.L. planted his hands on the stone floor and bowed forward till his forehead touched the ground.
Damn. No way was he prostrating himself before Jia’s fiancé. He glanced at Rajiv, who looked tense but was keeping his face expressionless. There was no help for it, Russell realized. Rajiv was a future in-law, so Russell couldn’t embarrass him in front of his own kind. Gritting his teeth, Russell bowed low.
“I bid you welcome,” Rajiv said.
“Your kindness is beyond measure, Your Eminence,” J.L. said. “Please forgive our ill-mannered intrusion. We merely wish to pay our respect.”
Russell rolled his eyes. Enough with the groveling. He started to stand but noticed that J.L. was still sitting on his knees, so he followed suit.
“Allow me to introduce you to my esteemed guest.” Rajiv motioned to the right. “This is Prince Kim Mi-nam of South Korea. Your Highness, these gentlemen are Wang Jin Long and Russell. They are both Americans.”
The prince sniffed. Russell was tempted to cure the prince’s sniffles, and not with a tissue.
Rajiv gestured toward the Vamps. “Would you care to join us?”
The prince stiffened and set his chopsticks down with a loud clunk. “You intend to share this table with vampires?”
Rajiv gave him a conciliatory smile. “Don’t worry. They won’t be eating any of the food.”
“That is not the point,” the prince growled. “They’re loathsome, filthy creatures.”
Russell gritted his teeth. He was tempted to wash out the prince’s mouth, and not with soap.
Rajiv’s hand gripped his chopsticks so hard that his knuckles turned white. “These are my dear friends and trusted allies. Perhaps you have heard of our troubles? For over forty years, my people have been plagued by Master Han and his three vampire lords. Many of my people were hunted and slaughtered, including my parents and the parents of your betrothed.”
The prince shrugged. “We have heard the horror stories of Master Han and his three lords, but that sort of loathsome behavior is hardly surprising for vampires.”
Rajiv’s smile looked forced. “Then you may be surprised to learn that there are good vampires. Jin Long helped me kill one of the vampire lords, Lord Qing. Russell killed Lord Ming, and just recently, he killed Master Han. With that one brave act, he succeeded in doing what my people have been unable to do for forty years. And by killing Han, he stopped an army from attacking my village. To me and my people, these men are heroes.”
The prince grunted and regarded Russell and J.L. with disdain. Russell met his gaze, giving him a look of challenge. Which would you like first, Prince? A black eye or a broken nose?
Rajiv lifted a hand, and a servant approached. “Please bring two cups and a bottle of Blissky for our new guests.”
As the maidservant rushed off, Rajiv gestured to the food. “Please enjoy the meal. Let me pour you a drink.” He lifted a teapot and filled the prince’s cup.
The were-tigers started eating again. Russell and J.L. scooted to the end of the table, where they sat cross-legged. Russell watched everyone carefully and noticed that Rajiv’s gaze was drifting often to the pretty young lady in the prince’s entourage. She was quietly focusing on her plate in front of her.
The maidservant placed two cups in front of Russell and J.L., then filled them with Blissky, a mixture of synthetic blood and whisky.
“I must say, I am terribly disappointed that Lady Jia is not here,” the prince grumbled. “Surely she knew we would be arriving soon.”
“I apologize,” Rajiv murmured. “It couldn’t be helped.”
“Why will you not tell me where she is?” the prince demanded. “I could have my men fetch her.”
Rajiv smiled. “I appreciate the offer, but that will not be necessary. We hope to have her back soon.” He exchanged a look with his uncles. The other men on his side of the table shifted uncomfortably and fiddled with their food. Obviously, none of them wanted the prince to know where Jia was.
“A toast to Lady Jia.” Russell lifted his glass, and everyone drank. “So, Rajiv, can you tell me who everybody is?”
Rajiv looked relieved to have the subject changed. “You know my uncles.” He motioned to the four older gentlemen. “These are esteemed members of my Council of Elders.”
“I have already introduced my entourage, but I will do so again.” With an annoyed look, the prince nodded to the people on his side of the table. “My father’s secretary of state, the leader of our Council of Elders, my personal secretary, my head of security, and Lady Yi-soo.”
“If I might be so bold as to inquire, why is there a noblewoman traveling with you?” Rajiv’s gaze lingered once more on the young lady.