Till Death Do Us Part

by Lari Smythe

  * * *

  Elizabeth and Melanie met me at the door and ushered me quickly inside and then upstairs to the new bathroom. Elizabeth insisted I bathe although I'd bathed in the creek after my last hunt—I didn't argue, I could tell there was no point. While I bathed, I decided Jason was right, I'd just go for it, after all, if Elizabeth and Jason's mom had worked together on this, how bad could it be. While I dried off, I noticed a pair of underwear and a robe on the back of the door. I slipped them on and stepped out into the hallway. Elizabeth and Melanie were waiting for me. They hurried me down to Elizabeth's room.

  Melanie did my hair—which was impossible, but she did an admirable job of pining it up on top of my head with just a few curls flowing down in the back and in front of my ears. She also wove a diamond laced hair band—fake I hoped—around the bun. Elizabeth insisted on doing my eyes, and would not let me see the makeup she was using.

  'Trust,' I reminded myself. Elizabeth wouldn't do anything to jeopardize my safety or self-control. Before she let me open my eyes, she turned me away from the mirror.

  "Open your eyes." she said. "What do you think?" she said to Melanie.

  "Perfect." Melanie's face lit up like a little school girl. Behind her, on the door, was a dress bag.

  "Is that my dress?"

  Melanie turned. "Yes."

  "I can't wait to see it." I stood.

  "You can't." Elizabeth said, stepping to my side. "We'll put it on you, then we have a cloak to cover it. You must keep your eyes closed. You cannot spoil Jason's surprise."

  "You made the dress, right? I'm not going to be embarrassed?"

  "No, you're going to be beautiful beyond your wildest dreams." Melanie said. "I've been waiting for this moment all week."

  "Okay, I trust you."

  "Excellent." Elizabeth wrapped a blind fold around my eyes—she knew me too well.

  "First these," Melanie said. She gently took my left hand and slid on an elbow length satin glove and then followed with the right one.

  There was ruffling on the bed and Melanie whispered, "It's stunning, even better than the picture."

  "It turned out splendidly." Elizabeth said.

  "I can't wait to see her in it."

  Melanie—I think—untied my sash and pushed the robe off my shoulders.

  "Hold your arms up over your head." Elizabeth said.

  When I did, they slipped the dress down over my body. Melanie adjusted the top. The only thing that felt different than the last fitting, were the poofy, off the shoulder straps.

  "There," Melanie said, making another adjustment to the front of the bodice. "Lace her up."

  Behind me, Elizabeth began pulling laces tighter from my waist up to the middle of my back about where it seemed the straps connected to the gown. "Ah," Elizabeth gasped, "we forgot the petticoat. Arms down."

  They pulled what felt like yards of material up under my arms. "Hold this," Melanie said, "but try not to wrinkle it."

  "Okay."

  Melanie touched my leg and I lifted my leg as she slid the petticoat under my foot. We then did my other leg and they pulled the petticoat up over my hips and tightened it at my waist.

  "Okay, release the dress."

  When I did, they busied themselves around me, straightening the gown. Finally, the fidgeting stopped.

  "Shoes." Melanie said. "Right foot please."

  I lifted my right leg and Melanie slipped on a high heeled opened toed shoe.

  "Left." And she put on the other one.

  I could sense them step away. There were happy giggles.

  "Okay," Melanie said, "shows over. Arms out to the side. They weren't kidding about the cloak. The sleeves were so long they even covered the gloves—all the way past my finger tips. What ever I was wearing—what ever Jason had planned, I was going to be surprised.

  There were tires on the gravel out front—Tink was here.

  "Oh, I wish I could see it." Melanie said.

  "Nancy said she would take plenty of pictures."

  I felt their hands on me.

  "Here we go." They edged me forward.

  "I don't seriously have to wear the blindfold, do I?"

  "You won't fall." Elizabeth said.

  "It's really not necessary." Melanie said.

  "I like what she said." I added.

  "Very well, but—"

  "I know, I know, no peaking."

  Melanie carefully unwrapped the blindfold being extra careful not to mess my hair or eye makeup.

  I could see now, but the cloak concealed everything. We hurried down the steps. Everyone was waiting at the bottom. They were all smiles.

  "You cleanup nice." Hayley joked.

  I held out my arms. "I have no idea."

  "That's the way it is supposed to be." Elizabeth pushed me toward the door.

  "See you guys, and thanks."

  "Have fun." They all waved.

  Tink was standing next to the opened passenger's door. "Your gentleman awaits." He bowed and then stepped aside and let Elizabeth and Melanie get me situated in the car so I wouldn't wrinkle the dress. Finally they pushed the door closed.

  Tink ran around, got in, and we started down the driveway.

  "You're not going to tell me, right?"

  "Nope." Tink glanced over at me a few times and smiled.

  "You sure about this?"

  "Sounds like you have trust issues." Tink said.

  "I trust him, it's just sometimes he can be a little over the top."

  Tink laughed. "I'll have to remember that one."

  We were almost to the school before either of us spoke again.

  "So," I said, "you and Hayley?"

  Tink just smiled and nodded. On the way up to the school, he glanced down at the clock on the radio and pulled off to the side of the road.

  "Okay, I'm walking from here? Aren't we late?"

  "Do you have your cell phone?"

  "Why, is something wrong? Are we in danger? Is Jason in danger?"

  Tink laughed again. "Jason is in danger, from you."

  "Very funny." I handed him the phone from my purse.

  "What do I do?" Tink puzzled.

  "Who do you want to call?"

  "Jason."

  "Here, give me that." I took the phone and pressed the call button.

  "Hey, Jason, it's me."

  "Tink's supposed to call. Is everything okay?"

  "No, I'm going crazy here."

  "Put Tink on."

  "Fine." I handed Tink the phone.

  "Yeah, she's going crazy... okay, we're on our way, less than a minute." Tink handed the phone back to me and pulled away from the curb. After a short drive, we pulled up at the main entrance to the school.

  "Tink, the dance is in the gym, it's around there." I pointed out the windshield.

  "Just following orders."

  Jason's mom came out of the front door with Cathy's mom. Tink hurried—human hurried—around and opened my door. Jason and Cathy's moms helped me out of the car. They giggled at the getup Elizabeth and Melanie had me in.

  "Come on, hurry." Cathy's mom said. "This way."

  They ushered me into the front hall area, but stopped short of the hallway to the gym.

  "Can you walk with your eyes closed?" Jason's mom said.

  "Yes."

  "Okay, then close your eyes, you'll have to trust us." Jason's mom said.

  I closed my eyes and could feel them undo the cloak that concealed my dress. As they peeled it away, I could hear them whisper.

  "Stunning." Cathy's mom said. "You said her mom made it by hand?"

  "Yes, it's breathtaking." Jason's mom added.

  They smoothed out the dress and then there were camera flashes from every angle. Jason's mom wasn't kidding when she said she was going to take plenty of pictures.

  While I was nervous, I was also extremely excited. It seemed like so many people had helped Jason with this. I couldn't wait to see myself and Jason.

  "Okay, dear," Jason
's mom said as they each slipped a hand into one of mine. "here we go." We started forward.

  "No peeking." Cathy's mom reminded me.

  The gym quieted as we approached and then I sensed him. He was wearing cologne, but there was no doubt he was there.

  "Jason?"

  "You're not peeking are you?" he said.

  "No."

  The two moms let go of my hands and then Jason took my arm in his. The reverberation from his pounding heart was deafening—he was totally excited about whatever was about to happen. There were more flashes I assumed from Jason's mom's camera.

  "You guys look awesome."

  "Alex?"

  "Yeah, me and Matt get to be the doormen."

  "What?"

  Coach's voice boomed from the other side of the closed doors. "So, without further ado, this year's honorary couple, Miss Izzy Faulkner and Mr. Jason Whitaker."

  "Open your eyes." Jason whispered.

  As I did, the doors to the gym swung open and Jason led us into the gym among our classmates applause. He led me directly under the large chandelier we'd made in Art. Mrs. Snyder dimmed the lights and lit the chandelier. The other twinkle lights around the gym also came on. Jason pushed me out to arms length and for the first time I realized what he was wearing.

  A velvet, blue coat with tails framed a brown, suede vest over a white, ruffled shirt with ruffles that extended beyond the sleeves of the coat, circling his hands. He wore black leather pants, with black, knee-high boots. My gaze drifted down to my gown. The bodice was golden, velvet and the dress, satin, yellow with swoops of material that arced from panel to panel.

  Jason pulled me closer and then slid his arm gently around my waist as a slow song began to play.

  'Tail as old as time, true as it can be,

  Barely even friends, then somebody bends unexpectedly,

  Just a little change, small to say the least,

  Both a little scared, neither one prepared,

  Beauty and the Beast...'

  "I love you." Jason whispered as we whirled around the floor. "I hope you don't mind the costume choice, I thought it fit us—me being the beast of course. He flexed his muscle.

  'Ever as before, ever just as sure,

  As the sun will rise...'

  "I love you." I echoed back.

  Jason dipped me back and I saw Coach's smile.

  "Bittersweet and strange, finding you can change, learning you were wrong," I sang along with the lyrics.

  'song as old as rhyme, Beauty and the Beast.'

  Jason spun me slowly out to arms length and then escorted me off the dance floor as the song concluded.

  "Boys and girls, Jason and Izzy." Coach said. "And now, tonight's home coming king and queen. Without further ado, tonight's home coming king, Mr. Matt Costas."

  Matt walked out into the middle of the floor and bowed.

  "That's great," Jason said.

  "And, finally, this year's home coming queen, Miss Lisa Meyers!"

  I squealed with joy as Lisa walked out onto the floor to meet Matt. "I'm so happy for her. She needed this so bad."

  The music to Cinderella started, and Matt and Lisa danced. Halfway through the song, the subwoofer started beating and the disc jockey transitioned the song to a more contemporary piece and invited everyone to join them on the floor. Jason and I eased back away from the crowded dance floor.

  "Well?" he said. "What do you think?"

  "I have no idea, my mind isn't working tonight."

  "That's good, right?"

  "Yes, very good."

  Coach came by and shook hands with Jason, but I gave him a hug—not the easiest thing to do in a full petticoat. Jason's mom followed and took more pictures. It would be nice to have some with my eyes actually open. Ms. Moore followed with congratulations and admiration for our costumes. Then the school yearbook photographer came over with Matt and Lisa. She posed us for several pictures, even one with Alex and Cathy, but Alex drug Cathy back out on the dance floor as soon as the photographer was finished.

  "Look at us!" I said to Lisa. "We're gorgeous!"

  "Like we totally rock!"

  Matt and Jason went for punch.

  "You two look nice together." I said to Lisa.

  "He asked me out while we were dancing."

  "And?"

  "Of course I said yes."

  "That's great. I'm happy for you."

  "You know, I believe you. And that's cool, really cool."

  Jason and Matt returned with punch, but Matt said he and Lisa had to dance to the song that started. He set their cups down and they danced out onto the floor leaving Jason and I alone.

  "You knew the lyrics," Jason said.

  "Yeah." I cocked my head to the side, remembering. "My mom used to play the movie for me while she did laundry."

  "I didn't think you remembered anything."

  "I don't, not really, this just kinda popped in my head."

  "You okay then?"

  I nodded. "Elizabeth and Benjamin are my family, but it would be nice to remember more about my past."

  "You want to dance?" Jason said.

  I looked out across the crowded dance floor and took a shallow breath. "I'd love to."

  While we were dancing, I saw Jason's mom take several pictures. She was going to have quite and album to show Elizabeth. With all the activity, it was getting hot on the dance floor and the intense human scent finally forced me to retreat.

  "You want to leave?" Jason said.

  "No, how would that look, besides, I just need a little break."

  "I hear you, this costume is cooking."

  I sniffed toward him. "Ah, Jason medium rare, Au Jus."

  "Very funny. I don't think we're allowed to leave the gym and get back in—they're afraid of kids sneaking out for drugs—liquor—sex—you know."

  I looked toward the doors where we made our entrance. "They have to let us use the bathrooms—maybe that will do."

  Jason shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

  We started for the doors.

  "Jason!" Matt yelled. "Get your butt over here, we're getting a team photo—just the guys."

  "You mind?" Jason said.

  "No, I'll be fine. I leaned up and kissed him. "I won't be long, promise."

  Mrs. Snyder handed me one of the passes. They were only allowing two out of the gym at a time. They were being cautious, but with good reason. I walked down the quiet hallway to the lady's room outside the cafeteria. As soon as I pushed open the door, I knew something was wrong—my senses perked up, but that was all I managed before he pounced on me. He was strong, much stronger than me—stronger than just his human diet. He spun around to my back with his arm around my throat and slammed me up against the wall. Tiles shattered and clattered to the floor from the impact.

  "Not a sound or you end here."

  His grip on my throat was like iron, like nothing I'd ever experienced. Tink and I had fought often—mostly for fun, but not always and Tink's grip paled in comparison. I could feel the fractures forming as the tissue in my neck began to tear—this was no idle threat.

  "Yes." I replied with a strained voice—almost a whisper.

  "We're going to walk out of here together. You will not resist, understood." He eased his grip on my throat.

  "Okay."

  He spun me around, my back now against the wall and I saw him for the first time. He was monstrous, muscles bulging out of his torn clothing, his face huge, bloated, but hard, and deep within their sockets, familiar blood red eyes. There was no doubt he was the one Benjamin called the historian, but he was at least twice the size of what I remembered from the bar in Georgia.

  He released my throat; but grabbed my upper arm. He must have suspected I might sacrifice a hand to escape, but doubted I'd be willing to lose an entire arm. We moved toward the door, but it suddenly opened, and in walked Lisa.

  "Ahhhh!!!!!" she shrieked before fainting. She hit the floor with a thud, muted by her billowing Cinderella gown as it
fluttered down around her.

  He pulled me through the door and turned toward the school's main entrance, but Lisa's scream had alerted the police outside the doors.

  The two police officer's were already inside, but momentarily froze when they saw us. They went for their guns.

  "Police, hold it right there!" one of them ordered.

  Their weapons would be of no consequence to either of us, but for some reason, the historian immediately turned away and drug me toward the gym.