I may puke, Gregori thought, then narrowed his eyes on another name. Abigail. Where was she? He studied the small photo and spotted another kid half hidden behind Belinda and obscured by Lincoln’s waving hand.
A tug of sleepiness dragged at him, and he glanced at the time. Nine minutes till sunrise. Damn, he needed to hurry up. He scanned a few more articles and photos. Apparently teenagers Madison and Lincoln had traveled with Tucker when he’d first campaigned for president. There were a bunch of photos of him sandwiched between his grinning daughter and son.
Belinda and Abigail were nowhere in sight.
Lincoln was now a senior at Harvard, while twenty-year-old Madison was a sophomore at a prestigious art school in Washington, D.C. She’d become quite a celebrity in the last few years, constantly followed by paparazzi when she went on extensive shopping trips in New York City or when she accompanied her father to black-tie events, playing hostess in dazzling designer gowns. He had to admit she was a beauty, and in spite of her young age, quite at ease in high society. Then again, she’d grown up in the life.
But where was the mother? And the other daughter?
“Gregori!” His own mother, Radinka Holstein, cracked open his office door and peeked inside. “It’s awfully late to still be working.”
“Hey, Mom.” He exited all links and powered down his laptop. “What’s up?”
“Just wanted to let you know that I’ll be out of town. Roman has asked Shanna and the kids and me to stay at the school for a while. We’ll be leaving tonight right after sunset.”
“That’s a good idea. You’ll be safe there.” No one in the mortal world and very few in the vampire world knew where the Dragon Nest Academy was located. He folded the page with his strategy plans, then stuffed it into his pants pocket as he stood up. “I have to go out of town, too. What do you think of the president?”
Radinka tilted her head in confusion. “Why are you asking about him all of a sudden?”
Gregori closed the blinds on his window. “I have a meeting with him later tonight.”
“Oh.” Radinka’s eyes widened. “That’s quite an honor!”
He shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not if he’s an ass.”
Radinka scoffed. “That’s no way to talk about the president. I really admire his wife. She’s been battling lupus for years, you know. And now I hear she has diabetes, too. Poor thing can’t get a break.”
“Oh.” Maybe that was why she’d disappeared from the publicity photos. Gregori cast a guilty glance toward VANNA. He shouldn’t have indulged in insulting thoughts toward the first lady. “What about the daughter?”
“Madison?” Radinka waved a hand in dismissal. “She’s in all the magazines with her silly little dog named Dolly.”
“No, I mean the other daughter.”
“There’s another daughter?”
“Yes.” Abigail. “She’s not in any of the pictures.”
“Maybe she’s shy,” Radinka suggested.
Or ugly, Gregori thought with a snort. Another wave of sleepiness pulled at him. He strode toward his mom and pulled her into his office for a hug. “Take care. I’ll see you in a few days.”
She hugged him back, then gasped. “Gregori, what is she doing in here?” She glared at VANNA. “Didn’t I tell you to get rid of that disgusting thing?”
“I am getting rid of it. I’m giving it to Connor for his five-hundredth birthday.”
Radinka slapped at Gregori’s shoulder. “You can’t give that to him! Haven’t you heard? Connor got married!”
Gregori stepped back, stunned. “What?”
“Connor got married. He called Angus tonight to request a month off for his honeymoon.” Radinka grinned. “Isn’t it wonderful?”
“What?” Gregori shook his head. “Who on earth would marry Connor? He’s a grouch. And he’s totally against us Vamps marrying mortals.”
“He didn’t marry a mortal. He married an angel.”
Gregori’s jaw dropped. Marielle had given up heaven to marry Connor? “Snap! You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“No, I’m not. They’re married.” Radinka clasped her hands together over her heart. “Isn’t it beautiful?”
Gregori swayed. The sun must be nearing the horizon. Or maybe he was reeling from shock. Connor was married? To the beautiful Marielle? Hell must have frozen over. He glanced at the beaming look of delight on his mother’s face. Oh yeah, it was coming. Wait for it. Five, four, three—
“I wonder if they’ll be able to have children,” she whispered.