"They won't understand at first. And they'll be angry. But I'll still be their daughter. I'll still live in Dullsville and graduate high school and go to college. And they were hippies. If anyone understands being different, it's them. I'll just have to remind them."
"We will have challenges," he said.
"I know. But if we are together, then we can take them on, together."
"I've never met anyone like you." He drew me in again and kissed me passionately.
Then we sat on a bench in the cemetery and made up for the time we'd lost being apart with kisses and making plans for our future. I was like a girl who had just got engaged. I was completely overwhelmed by the moment and the promise of my life with my one true love. I held and squeezed Alexander harder than I ever had before and became magically lost in his lips as I cherished that I was soon to become his vampire mate.
Chapter 20 Waiting for an Eternity
I was going to become a vampire! It was all I'd ever thought about and dreamed about and now it was coming to fruition! I was so afraid I'd dreamed it that I texted Alexander a million times to reassure myself that it was real. It was, and it was going to be for all the right reasons.
What would I wear? Who would I invite? When would it happen?
The following evening, I met Alexander at the Mansion. As Stormy was eating, I sneaked a kiss with him upstairs in his attic room. "I'd like to invite Becky," I said."I figured you'd want to include the world."
"I do," I said. "Everyone I've ever met."
"You have to understand, many people might not want this to happen."
"You mean like Jagger and Luna?" I asked.
"Yes."
"They are not going to ruin my night!"
"They aren't going to ruin anything anymore," he said. "That's what he's told me. But I just wanted you to know..."
"That it's still hard to trust them?"
"I don't know..."
"Then we should probably keep this a secret," I suggested. "Make it private. It's the only way."
"I'm afraid you might be right," he said, caressing my hair.
"Is that how you imagined it? Just us?"
"No - but in this case, it might be for the best. If word gets out..."
"I know."
"Are you okay with that?" he wondered.
"I don't want anyone to stop this. And isn't it really between us?"
He nodded. "I want this to be a beautiful night for you."
"It will be. Just having you there. That's all I need."
"Yes," he said. "I'll be there. You can count on that."
But then I thought about the ceremony I'd always imagined. And it was missing someone who had been by my side since third grade.
For a moment I looked away. Alexander took my chin and drew me back to him. "What's wrong?"
"It's just that I really want Becky there - " I confessed.
He smiled. "I know."
"You do?"
"I think she should be there."
I gave him a huge hug. When we released our grip, he seemed as if he wanted to say something more.
"What is it?" I asked.
"I think Sebastian should be there as well."
Now a smile overcame my face. "Of course he should be there. I can't wait, Alexander. This is going to be wonderful." He seemed equally excited.
"I'll set everything up," he said, gazing into my eyes. "The altar, the coffin, the ceremonial goblets."
"What can I bring?"
"Just yourself." He touched my cheek with the back of his hand. "I'd like you to come to the cemetery just after sunset," he continued. "I'll need some time to get ready for you and arrive myself."
"I won't be late," I said.
"And then we will finally be together - as we both have always imagined." He gave me a long, tender kiss that sent tingles down my spine.
"I'm going to find a dress," I said. "One that you'll remember for eternity. Did you tell Stormy?" I asked my boyfriend.
"I thought you'd want us to tell her together," he said.
I was so pleased with Alexander's sensitivity. Stormy had originally wanted Alexander to bond with Luna. But now that she saw Luna's true colors, she might be happy that I was the one who was going to the altar with her brother after all.
Alexander grabbed my hand and led me down the attic stairs, then the main ones. We found Stormy petting Phantom and reading a fashion mag in the parlor while Jameson was in the kitchen cleae k align="juning up from dinner.
Alexander sat down beside her and I sat on the other side of him.
"What's up?" she said. "Is something wrong?"
"No," Alexander said, putting his arm around her. "I just wanted to let you know - Raven and I are going to have a ceremony."
"What kind of ceremony?" she asked quizzically.
"The covenant kind," he replied.
Her eyes widened and she looked at me. "You are going to be turned?" She was as excited as she was surprised. "You really are going to do it?" I nodded.
"This is so fabulous!" she said. "Can I come?"
"We'd like you to be there," Alexander said. "In fact, Raven wants to do this while you are here. That is why we are going ahead with it so soon."
"That is so sweet!" Stormy rose and gave Alexander a hug, then gave me a loving embrace. "Will Billy be my date?"
"Uh ... no," Alexander said. "That's what we want to talk to you about. This is going to be private."
"Mother and Father won't be there?" she asked.
"We want to do this soon. There isn't time. We are also inviting Sebastian and Becky. But that's all. We don't want word to get out. You know how the Maxwells can be."
"I see that now. My lips are sealed," Stormy said. "I am so happy you'll finally be like me." I was so flattered that Stormy was so pleased. I couldn't wait to be part of their family.
I was so flattered that Stormy was so pleased. I couldn't wait to be part of their family.
"What will I wear?" she wondered.
"You can wear the dress you wore to the fall dance," I told her.
"What will you wear?" she asked me.
"I have only a short time to figure that out," I said. "But will you be the flower girl? We need someone to scatter the dead black roses."
"I'm your ghoul," she said with a wink.
And with that, we finished the evening with some smoothies, knowing in just a few more days, I'd be requiridastian anng the Romanian kind.