Wilder Family Halloween (2 page)

boots, and a silver liquid silk charmeuse wrap top. She had a coiled whip hooked to her sash and

she’d done something to her eyes, some feminine make-up thing involving smoky lines and dark

smudges that made her look savage and mysterious.

She held little Aleksandr in her arms. The boy was dressed like a wolf, and looked like the child in

Where the Wild Things Are.

“Let the wild rumpus start,” Konstantine murmured.

When Zorana and Aleksandr reached the bottom, she placed him on his feet and asked, “Aleksandr, what does the wolf say?”

Aleksandr spread his arms wide. He growled and ran at his father.

Douglas screamed like a little girl and hopped away.

Aleksandr growled and chased Jasha and Rurik and Adrik, and Konstantine, and when Konstantine

tripped over his big bunny feet and tumbled to the floor, Aleksandr put his foot on his grandfather’s

chest and roared in triumph.

When Ann, Tasya, Karen and Firebird had finished giggling, Konstantine spoke sternly to his wife.

“Where is your costume, woman?”

Zorana answered promptly, “This is the costume I wear everyday.”

Although he didn’t think he was going to like the answer, he asked, “What costume is that?”

Zorana came and knelt by his side, and brushed his hair off his forehead. With dignity and

dominance, she announced, “I am the Beastmaster.”

Konstantine pounced as swiftly as an old wolf, toppling her on top of him and wrapping her in his

arms. “You are insolent and audacious.”

“One must be when one lives with you, Konstantine Wilder.” She smiled into his eyes, and silently

promised him a night he would never forget …

“Okay. Enough of that,” Jasha spoke while their other sons gagged or whimpered or turned away.

“You two are going to give us kids a complex.”

“What? This love is a mystery to you? You still believe we found you under a cabbage leaf?” But

Konstantine stood, lifting Zorana with him, and announced, “I will make a speech.”

The boys groaned.

He paid his rude sons no heed, knowing well they loved and admired his speeches.

He gestured toward the krasny ugol, the red corner. There, in this holy place in their home, Zorana

had reverently placed their hard-won and ancient icon on a red satin cloth. Four different aspects of

the Virgin Mary portrayed joy, sorrow, pain and glory, and now looked upon his family. This was the

icon which a thousand years ago had been cut by the devil’s sword. And only last year had been the

pieces been reunited into one holy icon — and that joining had broken the evil pact and freed the

Wilder family forever.

Now all was as Konstantine and Zorana had foreseen.

His sons were married to the loves of their lives, and this year would bring four, or perhaps five or six, new additions to the Wilder clan.

The Wilders were indeed blessed. He looked around at his sons, at their wives, at his own precious

Zorana. He touched his heart, and his speech was brief and succinct. “No words are worthy of our

joy.”

His family solemnly nodded, and hugged, and the women wept.

Then the doorbell rang.

Konstantine spread his arms wide and high. “Come! The food is prepared. The vodka is poured. Let

us open the door and welcome our friends into our new home and our new lives.”