The main hall was noisy, filled as it was with both humans and vampires both becoming increasingly inebriated. The smell of food was heavy in the air and Lucian supposed if he needed to eat, the luscious aroma would have appealed to him. People danced around him, clearly enjoying the merry music the band were playing but his thoughts were elsewhere, namely on his conspicuously absent bride. This temporary separation was her idea and it was so at odds with her usual behaviour that he’d automatically been on his guard. Even when she wasn’t by his side she was distracting him. This feast was for her. After the previous day, when his hunger had bordered on animalistic, he’d become acutely aware of his bride’s all too human needs. He couldn’t remember ever seeing her eat and the idea that she was going without while with him niggled away at him until he’d decided to throw this feast for her. She was small enough as it was without starving her further but strangely she hadn’t wanted to come downstairs with him.
