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  “You have no idea how happy this makes me. Thank you,” she said as she released me.

  “No problem,” I said as her focus went back to my nails. “Trust me, in time, you’ll get over him.” She nodded but did not meet my eyes. My stomach turned, refusing to trust her.

  Kalia and the others were ecstatic to learn of our agreement to start over and forget about all the mistrust and anger between us. There was less tension in the room because of it and it seemed much more like a party.

  You okay, Lily?

  All eyes turned to me again. I shrugged.

  “He’s not supposed to be talking to you!” Kalia shook her head but had a smile on her face.

  I’m dealing. You?

  Confused…but happy as hell!

  I couldn’t help but beam at that response. I knew what he was confused about and I had a feeling everyone else did too, though they pretended they weren’t listening.

  I’ll be seeing you very soon. I love you. I looked to see if they heard and saw the smiles, except for Maia, who was pretending to concentrate on the tiny rhinestones she was expertly gluing on my nails.

  I’ll be the one in the front with the huge smile on his face. I love you, Lily.

  ~ Thirteen ~

  By nine a.m., my stomach was turning and my hands were shaking to the point that I couldn’t hold the photographs we were looking at still. Kalia and Fiore kept laughing at me and calling me the ‘blushing bride’. Riley and Beth had already left with Pierce and Raul to go their hotel to get ready for the wedding.

  In only two short hours, I would be walking down the aisle to the man of my dreams. Everything was finally going my way. After all that had happened lately, it was still hard to believe things could be this easy. I had made what everyone, including myself, thought of as a mistake. I had committed the ultimate taboo. I had fallen in love with a human. That one simple thing had set off a chain of events that had caused so much violence, but had brought us to a happy ending anyway. Kalia interrupted my thoughts when she came back in the room with a basket full of make-up.

  “It’s time to start getting you dressed,” She set the basket on my vanity table and pulled out the seat. “I want to have you ready before Aaron and I get ready. Maia will be in when she’s ready since she’ll be receiving the guests.”

  I made my way to the seat on shaky legs. She smiled and put an arm around me, squeezing me to her side. I took a deep breath and nodded to let her know I was ready.

  “It’s a really nice thing you know, what you did for Maia. She really means it when she says she’s sorry. She doesn’t often see the error of her ways so this is really important,” Kalia said.

  “I can definitely sympathize with her when it comes to her feelings for Ian. He was charming when he wanted something. I fell head over heels for him too. I also know how hard it was to get over him.”

  “Well, I’m happy for Maia but I’m happiest that you did get over him. Christian will make you happy for the rest of your days.” Her eyes glowed with happiness.

  “I do know that. I just hope I can make him happy.”

  “You already have.”

  She took her time applying my make-up. If she didn’t like a color, she blended a new one on her hand. I guess that’s what you do when you’re a painter. Once she was satisfied with my face she began taking the rollers out of my hair. The whole time, she had me facing away from the mirror so I couldn’t see her progress. She pinned some of my hair on top of my head but left the rest hanging down my back.

  “Cover your eyes and don’t breathe,” she said. “It’s time for the hairspray.”

  She had to have gone through a whole can of hairspray because I held my breath for quite a while. Every time I thought she was done she’d arrange something else and spray again. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be a model and have to sit through this daily. No, thank you.

  “Now your veil.” She expertly placed it on my head, over the tiara she had let me wear as my something borrowed. The tiara had been the one her mother had worn when she was married and then Kalia when she married Aaron.

  “Do you think I’m doing the right thing?” I asked, suddenly feeling more than nervous – panicked.

  “You don’t have a choice in the matter,” she answered, as she fluffed the veil.

  “What do you mean?” I didn’t understand her choice of words.

  “Fate brought you together. I believe there is someone out there for everyone, someone created just for us. You found yours and this is the logical next step.”

  “I know he will do everything in his power to make me happy, like you said, but I never really believed in fate or happily-ever-after. I guess maybe I was wrong,” I admitted.

  “You and Christian are meant to be together. You will be happy, forever. You’ll see.”

  As if on cue, Maia knocked on the door and entered before we gave permission.

  “Ready for the dress?” she asked and walked to my closet door.

  “We are.” Kalia pulled me up from my seat and led me away from the mirror.

  I stepped into the dress and they pulled it up. Once they had everything clasped and my veil fluffed to perfection, Kalia stepped away from me. Tears instantly welled in her eyes. Even Maia had a genuine-looking smile on her perfectly made-up face. She looked gorgeous in a shimmering, blue floor length gown and her usually straight dark, blunt hair in curls.

  “No crying today, please,” I said, feeling like I might join her if she didn’t stop.

  “You really are the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen,” she cried. I turned my glance toward Maia in time to see her nod. I heard the front door open and close and my stomach filled with butterflies in anticipation.

  “I’m going. Guests are starting to arrive. I have to lead them out back.” Maia smiled at me again before she left the room.

  “She’s trying,” Kalia said, obviously hearing my silent question. I nodded. Today was certainly not the day to question Maia’s intentions.

  “Can I look yet?” I asked, feeling the usual butterfly party in my stomach.

  “Oh, of course, I’m sorry!”

  She led me to stand in front of the mirror and at first glance I wasn’t sure who I was looking at. A beautiful, graceful woman, with cascading curls down her back stared back at me. Her eyes were innocent, trusting, and glowing from happiness.

  “Is that really me?” I touched my face, careful not to mess up Kalia’s amazing work, to make sure it really was.

  “I told you. You are perfect.”

  “You did it,” I told her.

  “I only enhanced what you already had,” She fluffed my veil some more. “I need to go get ready. Fiore will be in with your bouquet any minute. Some guests are apparently a little early.”

  “I hope your friends like me,” I said nervously. Kalia and Aaron had invited vampire friends of theirs I had never met. Christian and I had had no one to invite. All my human friends were gone and Ian had made sure that I’d had no friends since our separation.

  “There’s nothing not to like. Besides, once you’re with Christian, you’ll notice no one else, trust me.” She kissed my cheek lightly and rushed out of the room. Fiore came in right after.

  “Wow!” she said.

  “Wow, yourself,” I replied. She looked like someone from the front cover of a romance novel in her sparkly burgundy gown. Her hair was piled high on her head with rhinestone combs on the sides. “You look absolutely gorgeous!”

  “Not compared to you,” she took a deep breath. “Christian is one lucky man. He better take good care of you.”

  “We’ll take care of each other. It’s a promise.”

  Aaron walked in next. He looked stunning in his tuxedo. There was something so elegant about having the ceremony performed by him dressed like that instead of the typical clergyman.

  “Well, it’s almost that time already,” he kissed my cheek. “You look like an angel.”

  “Thank you.”
/>   “The piano player is ready to go. Everyone is seated. You and Fiore need to get downstairs,” he said. He looked almost as nervous as I felt.

  “How’s Christian doing?” I asked.

  “He’s been like a little boy on Christmas morning. He hasn’t sat still for hours. Are you ready?”

  I took a deep breath and swallowed hard. I had a habit of holding my breath when I was nervous and I had no idea when I’d breathe again.

  As Fiore and I waited for our cue to start walking down the aisle, we could hear the loud chatter outside. Within moments, Kalia was at my side so I didn’t really have time to go into a full panic. Soft music started playing, Fiore’s cue to start. She handed me my bouquet and made her way down the back steps toward the tent and the aisle that would lead me to my husband. The aisle was lined with cord draped in white calla lilies and dark green ivy. Everywhere I looked I saw white flowers with a sprinkle of burgundy flowers here and there. The chairs our guests sat in, most of which I didn’t recognize, were covered with burgundy silk.

  I draped my arm through Kalia’s and waited for our turn. She beamed at me. I was overwhelmed with emotions at that moment and fighting hard not to let the tears start.

  “I love you…mom.”

  She looked as shocked as I felt but she quickly recovered and a smile washed over her face. “I love you too, my daughter. Now let’s get you to where you belong.”

  I hadn’t even noticed the wedding march started and the guests were on their feet, eyes on us. We started walking down the steps, slowly, my knees shaking with every step I took. It wasn’t until we were half way to the front that I finally laid eyes on him. He stood next to Pierce, his eyes sparkling, his smile wide. His blue eyes sparkled like diamonds with his happiness. He took a deep breath and gathered himself but his smile didn’t diminish. In fact, the closer I got to him, the wider it grew. When we reached the front, I realized I had no idea who was watching us walk down the aisle since I paid attention to nothing but Christian. Kalia was right. No one else mattered.

  She placed my hand in Christian’s. Aaron asked, “Who gives this woman to be wed?”

  “I do, her mother.” Aaron’s eyes widened but he became serious again as he prepared for his role. The ceremony was short and simple. We repeated the customary vows, exchanged rings, and lit a unity candle. I looked into his eyes, as we settled in front of Aaron again, and I knew I was home. I was exactly where I wanted to be, now and forever.

  When Aaron said Christian could kiss the bride, I threw my arms around his neck and clung to him until he had to force me away. “Lily, I don’t think Aaron is finished yet.”

  Since the guests were also vampires, they heard and erupted into laughter.

  “Oops!” I’m glad it was impossible to blush.

  He announced us for the first time as Mr. and Mrs. Christian Rexer and the laughter turned to thunderous applause. We made our way back up the aisle, with Pierce and Fiore following, and back into the house. I felt like I was in a daze as we walked into the kitchen. It wasn’t until Kalia grabbed me into her arms that I finally took a deep breath. I realized Christian never let go of my hand.

  “Take a break for a few minutes and then back outside. I’m so happy for you,” she said before releasing me. That’s when I finally really looked at my new husband.

  Christian stood in front of me, my hand still tightly grasped in his, looking down at me with so much love and happiness in his eyes that I felt like I would melt. A sense of security, very foreign to me, engulfed me. I couldn’t believe this tall, perfect man had really chosen to spend eternity with me. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed me so passionately that Fiore and Kalia actually let out an “aw”.

  Aaron cleared his throat and I couldn’t help but giggle as I reluctantly pulled my face away from Christian’s.

  “That was a beautiful ceremony, Aaron. Thank you,” Christian said.

  “It was an honor. Thank you for letting me do it.” He put his arm around Kalia. “We should go back out. Everyone wants to congratulate the bride and groom and we have pictures to take. Don’t forget your flight leaves tonight so you’ll want plenty of time.”

  My husband looked at me with a huge smile and grabbed my hand. Together, as husband and wife, we walked out to greet our guests and celebrate the start of our new life.

  ~ Fourteen ~

  The reception began as soon as we had finished posing for what seemed like a thousand photos. Tables were set up on either side of the wooden platform that would be our dance floor. Vampires sat talking and laughing together. I was passed from one set of arms to another and introduced to so many I couldn’t keep their names straight.

  The only ones that looked out of place were the humans in the band. They must have been wondering why there was no food at this wedding reception but Kalia had thought to have drinks and snacks for them. When they played the song that was to be our first dance together, the party grew so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Christian took me in his arms and we twirled around the dance floor like we had been dancing together all our lives.

  “I didn’t know you could dance like this,” I whispered, my lips brushing his ear.

  “I never had the opportunity to show you. You’re pretty amazing yourself, Mrs. Rexer.” Butterflies danced in my stomach when he said my new name and I leaned to kiss his lips as we kept dancing. The crowd applauded and cheered.

  “I can’t seem to find words adequate enough to describe the love I feel for you,” he said, breaking away from our kiss first.

  “I love you too. I’m so happy. Happy doesn’t seem like a good enough word either.” He nodded.

  The rest of the reception was spent with almost everyone dancing. Kalia danced with Christian and I danced with Aaron. Fiore and Aloysius danced to a few songs together and they made a stunning couple. They even sat together when they weren’t dancing. Christian danced to one song with Maia, since I thought it best to include her, hoping she had been sincere in what she’d said about starting over. Soon after, Carlton, a friend of Aaron’s, persuaded Maia to one dance. While they twirled on the dance floor, he kept his eyes on her face but she refused to look at him. He didn’t seem to care as long as he was dancing with her. I almost felt bad for her – almost.

  I threw the bouquet, which a shocked Maia caught, and Christian threw my garter, which to my surprise, Carlton caught. He looked at Maia and she quickly looked away. When he slid the garter up Maia’s leg, he looked at her with longing but she paid him no attention. Cameras snapped like crazy but she always turned her face from them.

  As the sky streaked in yellows and oranges with the setting sun, Aaron made the announcement that the bride and groom needed to leave for the airport and the party abruptly came to a halt. The band began breaking down their equipment and packing things up. Yet another line formed and we were passed from vampire to vampire, hugged and kissed, and wished much happiness. I took Christian’s hand and we made our way back into the house to change our clothes and gather our luggage.

  “I can’t believe this is actually happening,” I said as I wrapped my arms around my husband’s neck, pushing our bedroom door closed with my foot.

  “It already happened and it’s a dream come true. You are forever my wife,” His lips brushed mine. “I think you’re going to need help getting out of this gown.” He smiled.

  I nodded and turned my back to him, waiting for him to undo the clasps. His fingers trembled as he did so and the gown fell around my feet. I felt his lips touch my shoulder and a chill ran up my spine.

  “We better hurry. We don’t want to miss our flight, do we?” I said, wishing our flight wasn’t so soon.

  “I know, I know. I wish it were later too. I would love some time alone with you.” He went to the closet and grabbed the clothes he had already picked out for the trip to Lima. It was spring here, which meant it was autumn in Lima so we both dressed in jeans, sweaters, and sneakers, to be comfortable for the long flight.

  “
I need to pull all the pins out of my hair,” I said and started. He held out his hand to receive them and laughed as I set one after another on his palm.

  “I am so glad I’m not a girl. That looks like a lot of work.” He placed the pins on my vanity table as I ran my hand through my hair and fluffed it with my fingers the best I could.

  “Ready, Mrs. Rexer?” he asked, taking my suitcase.

  “Ready, Mr. Rexer,” I replied and leaned to kiss his smiling lips.

  “Oh, sorry to interrupt,” Aaron said but his smile betrayed him. “I came to see if you need help carrying this stuff.”

  “Sure. That would be great,” Christian said and handed over one of the suitcases. “Is Maia coming to the airport?”

  “No. Riley and Raul are staying here tonight instead of the hotel and she offered to keep them company.” We all started down the stairs.

  The front door was already open and we could see all the vampires that attended our reception assembled along the front walk. As we passed through the crowd, rice rained over us and they clapped and cheered. Aaron placed our things in the back of the car as we said our goodbyes. Maia was the last to walk over to us. She held her arms out to me as she drew near. I looked at Christian and he nodded.

  “Have a nice honeymoon,” she said as she withdrew her arms from around my back. I wasn’t sure but it sounded like she spoke through gritted teeth. Another chill ran down my spine as Christian helped me into the car next to Aloysius. Trusting her was going to take some work.

  As we went down the driveway, Maia was the only one who didn’t wave. I watched as she opened her cell phone without taking her eyes off our departing car. I focused on her thoughts but she had already blocked me.

  As much as we looked forward to our honeymoon, it was difficult parting with Kalia and Aaron. We waved to them until they were out of sight as we walked through security with Aloysius leading the way. To my surprise, Christian and I had seats in first class but Aloysius would be seated in coach. He said he didn’t need anything special and wanted to give us some privacy, not that we would get much on a crowded airbus.