The Portal to Sidhe: Book 1

by Kelsey Schaeffer

  “Uh…uh wait.” I cried, but Damon kept going. I followed behind him until we reached my room. My heart was pounding as he turned to walk into the sitting room, but as I followed behind him, I realized Ben was gone. My heart slowed as I felt relief of Ben’s disappearance.

  As Damon and I stood in the sitting room, he reached out to hold my hand and said, “I would like to take you to the ball.”

  My heart started racing once more, as I didn’t know what to say. The guilt was becoming too much and I knew I had to tell him the truth. “I need to tell you something Damon,” I said quietly.

  “What is wrong?” he said full of concern.

  I felt awful; I had been lying to him and avoiding him. I had promised to give him a chance at a relationship. Instead of telling him the truth, I was avoiding him like a coward. Damon was my very best friend and I was being awful to him.

  I took a deep breath as I sucked in air, “Damon, I have been seeing someone else.”

  His face sunk and he looked as if he wanted to cry. He didn’t say a word as a single tear slipped out the corner of his eye. He quickly wiped it away and tried to appear tough.

  “I tried Damon, but you’re my best—”

  “I understand,” he said looking gloomy. “You tried...I get it. Well, I’m going to head home. I guess I’ll see you...when I see you.” He looked down and headed towards the door.

  I went after him and followed him to the first floor. He didn’t turn around or even say bye. He opened the door and shut it behind him; he was gone. I felt like a complete jerk. I went back upstairs and knocked on Ben’s door. When he answered he could see I was in distress.

  “Is everything okay? He asked.

  I couldn’t speak as tears started steaming from my eyes. He walked me into his room and sat me down on his couch. He wrapped his arms around me until I stopped crying. I told him everything. I told him how Damon had proposed and I turned him down. I told Ben how I had almost lost my virginity with Damon only a few weeks before, and everything else that happened.

  “I care about Damon so much!” I cried. “He’s my best friend. I don’t know what to do.”

  “I’m so sorry Miranda. I never should have agreed to move in here. This is my fault. I was just lonely and wanted to keep you safe. I let this get too far. This is why I just stay away.”

  “It’s not your fault,” I said, “I lied to Damon and let him down. This isn’t your fault.”

  “No…no, Miranda. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have let you in. You’re just so beautiful and sweet. You’re the first woman I have care about since…” he stopped and looked down.

  I was too concerned with my own guilty feelings to let him finish what he was going to say. “Ben, maybe we need a break. I need to think about what I am doing before I hurt anyone else.”

  Ben nodded his head, but he looked upset. “I am still here to protect you,” he said. “I made that obligation to you and your father.”

  I nodded my head.

  The rest of the week I continued my training and spent the remainder of my free time on my own, occasionally spending time with my father. The following week came and went and I saw Ben and Damon very little. I saw Ben at home some, but he rarely left his room. He was giving me the space I requested. The ball was coming soon and I had pushed two men I cared about away.

  Chapter 7

  It was finally the week before the ball. Just as the warm breeze blew through the late spring air, excitement blew through town. My anxiety was kicking in full speed, as I would be crowned Queen and move into the mansion the next day. My aunt Allison asked me to spend a day in town with her, Sophia and Maria to find a dress. My aunt was so excited for my first town ball. I loved my aunt Allison, but I wished that my mother could be there for the event.

  I agreed to join my aunt and her friends and the four of us headed to town. As soon as the car pulled out of Pine Lake, my aunt asked me the dreaded question, “Do you have an escort for the ball and your coronation?”

  I gulped; I had turned down Damon and had been avoiding Ben. “No,” I said quietly.

  “Oh what about Damon!” She said full of excitement. “The two of you are so cute together!”

  I wasn’t sure what to say. “We’re just friends,” I said in a flat tone.

  Thankfully my aunt changed the subject and the three women began to fuss about dresses. About thirty minutes after driving, we arrived in the small town nearby. The town had a nice dress shop where the women typically picked out their dresses. The four of us entered the shop and its beauty dazzled me. I had never gone to any of my school dances, since I had very few friends from school and our school was quite small.

  I was a bit of a tomboy, and only dressed up for special events. The ball would be the most formal event I had ever attended, so for once I was actually excited to go shopping. The dress boutique was quaint, but lovely. There were mirrors on several walls and a large crystal chandelier sparkling in the center of the room. There were fancy dresses hanging on every wall.

  The ladies faces began to glow as soon as they entered the boutique. Although the ladies were in their forties, their expressions were replicable to a high-school student, shopping for a prom dress. As I began to explore the store, I felt my face begin to light up as well. The store was overwhelmed with feathers, satin, chiffon, organza and lace and my father had given me his credit card. For the first time in my life, I was given no limit.

  The four of us were pulling dresses left and right and handing them to the associates who placed them in our private dressing rooms. As they shopped, the women sipped champagne, while I drank sparkling grape juice. Excitement was rampant throughout the boutique.

  I selected simple black gowns, short dresses, ball gowns and a even a very eccentric turquoise high-low dress with hot pink feathers at the bottom. All of the dresses were beautiful, but I saved the turquoise dress to try on last, because it was so different and unique. I would never select a dress as such before, but this event felt so special and I wanted to stand out. The outside of the dress was made with turquoise chiffon and the dress was sleeveless. It was fitted from the top all the way down and flared at my hips. The front of the dress hit right above my knees, but stretched to floor length in the back. What I loved most about the dress was the hot pink feathers lining the inside. The feather’s were visible from the front of my dress and flowed with every step I took.

  When I emerged from the dressing room with the eccentric dress on, my aunt and the others smiled and clapped their hands. Everyone agreed; this dress was the one.

  I watched the other’s pick out their gowns. My aunt selected a simple sleeveless gray ball gown. Sophia chose a very simple short black dress with three-quarter length sleeves. Maria picked a sheath lace gown in blush with long sleeves. Everyone looked beautiful in the dresses they had selected. After hours of trying on dresses, we finally checked out and left the store. We each had a magnificent gown in hand.

  After shopping, the four of us had lunch at a small cafe in town. The food was wonderful and I enjoyed spending time with everyone. Sofia and Maria mostly talked about their husbands and children, while my aunt and I stayed quiet. My aunt Allison had never found love as she had spent most of her life helping my father raise me. Now that I was grown, my aunt spent most of her time as my father’s assistant, running the town. In her free time, she took shifts at the town’s bar and grill as a server. My father was always generous to my aunt, as she had dedicated so much of her life to our family. My aunt and I talked very little over lunch and mostly listened to Maria and Sophia chatter.

  On the way home, my aunt sat in the backseat next to me. We listened to Maria and Sophia chattering more, but out of nowhere my aunt said, “It wasn’t that long ago, your mom was with us. You remind me so much of her.” I saw a few small tears forming in her eyes. She gently patted them dry and smiled.

  I spent the last few days at the mansion learning a few last minute details. Maria and Brandon decided my last da
y of training would be Wednesday, so I could use the remainder of the week to pack and prepare and prepare for the ball.

  After leaving the mansion Wednesday, I felt relieved that I was finally finished with my training. As I walked home, I knew that it was time to find an escort for the ball. It was tradition for all town members to bring an escort to the ball, and being my coronation, I knew it was important to follow tradition.

  It took very little thought for me to pick Ben as my escort. The thought of a romantic evening with him seemed captivating, as I was charmed by his presence. Although we had spoken very little over the last several days, my mind was filled with thoughts our many special moments. Some nights, I replayed our intimate memories together just before I fell asleep. I hoped after requesting space, I hadn’t pushed him away. After a few weeks of clarity, I realized how much I wanted Ben in my life.

  When I arrived home, I went upstairs and knocked on Ben’s door. I was full of anxiety as I waited for him to answer, but he opened the door and smiled when he saw me.

  “Come in!” he said looking excited.

  I came in and sat on his small couch. He sat next to me. “Can we…uh…talk?” I said bashfully.

  “Anything,” he replied.

  “I’m sorry if I pushed you away,” I said.

  “Miranda, you didn’t push me away. You were dating Damon…and I got in the middle of that.”

  “But that’s the thing Ben. I don’t want Damon. He’s my friend. I tried…and I just don’t have feelings for him.” I looked down and blushed. He was so attractive it made me shy. I continued to look at the floor as I said softly, “I want you.”

  When I looked up, I saw Ben was beaming. “Are you sure?” he asked politely.

  “Yes! You’re all I can think about.” I cried. Then I said quietly, “I have missed our breakfasts and talks. I missed reading together,” I felt reluctant as I said, “…and other things.”

  Ben smiled, “I miss you too. Miranda, I really care about you. You’re the only woman…only woman…I…I,” he paused.

  “What is it?” I asked.

  “It’s just been awhile since I cared for a woman the way I care for you.”

  I smiled. Then I said, “I would like to ask you something.”

  “Of course!”

  “Will you escort me to the ball Saturday?”

  He smiled and took my hand, “Of course I will! I would have asked you, but you wanted space.”

  “I know,” I said. “I’m sorry.”

  He seemed very happy that I had asked. He asked me the color of my dress so he could buy me a corsage. Then he offered to help me moved over the weekend. I graciously accepted.

  The next two days I spent packing; Ben and my father helped. Ben was beginning to grow on my father, so when Ben was off doing something on his own, I decided it was time to tell my father about my relationship with Ben.

  “Dad, I need to tell you something. Please don’t be mad.”

  “What’s going on Sweetheart?”

  “Promise you won’t be mad?”

  “I can’t promise, but whatever it is...I will still love you.”

  “Okay...I have been seeing Ben.”

  My father just stared at me blankly. “Okay,” was all he said. He continued looking at me, waiting for me to say more.

  “Are you mad?”

  “Why would I be mad?”

  “Just the way you have been acting with Roger. You just seem...angry a lot. I know you aren’t fond of Ben and you love Damon.”

  “Well of course I love Damon. He’s been like my son since he was little. I haven’t always been fond of Ben because he turned your mother. Part of me blamed him for her death. But the truth is, Ben and the other vampires helped save our town. I owe them gratitude more than anything. Your mom was the love of my life and sometimes it’s hard to not be bitter. But if you care for him, I am happy. I know your mom thought a lot of Ben.”

  “I understand Dad.”

  Then my father went on, “Miranda, it doesn’t matter if I love Damon or how I feel about Ben. What is important is that you find someone who you love and loves you just as much. Ben seems like a good man and if you’re happy...so am I. I am sorry for the way I have been the last few weeks. Roger has just brought up so many bad memories. I just wanted you to have a storybook life. I never wanted you to go through the terrible things I went through, but I know I can’t protect you forever. I just fear for you Sweetheart.”

  “Thanks Dad. I just wanted you to know, Ben is escorting me to the ball.”

  My dad smiled and gave me a hug. “Just don’t give up on Damon, he’s a good friend,” my dad finished.

  Saturday finally came around, the day of the ball. I headed to the mansion to get ready with Sophia, Maria and Aunt Allison. My aunt Allison helped me put on makeup and she did my hair. As I was grateful for the help, I wish my mother could be there by my side to see my big day.

  Ben and the other men were getting ready nearby. When I was almost ready, I heard the door slowly opening.

  “Everyone decent?” I heard my dad say.

  “Yes!” we all chimed.

  My father walked in and when he saw me, tears started to form in his eyes. He looked embarrassed and quickly wiped them away. “Can I borrow you a moment? He asked.

  “Sure,” I said smiling. I followed him out of the room and into another room that was empty.

  He stood there for a moment without speaking, then he started to tear up once more. He pulled a box out of his pocket and opened it up. Inside was a silver necklace with two heart shaped emeralds and a medium diamond. As my father placed it on my neck, he told me it had belonged to his mother many years ago. He said that he had given it to my mother for their first ball, but as she passed away, it was mine now. I smiled and felt honored to wear something so beautiful that had once belonged to my mother. I hugged my father tight as I felt tears forming in my eyes. I quickly blotted them away, as to not ruin my fresh makeup. As I tried to keep calm, I could see tears were rolling down my Father’s eyes. This was a very special moment for my father that brought back many emotional memories.

  “You look so beautiful!” My father spluttered, trying not to cry any harder. He hugged me tight and kissed my cheek before wiping the tears from his eyes.

  “I love you Daddy,” I said softly. “I wish I could have known her Dad.” I began to choke back tears, so I took a deep breath in. I had to keep my cool as my big presentation was coming very soon.

  I headed back to the other ladies to quickly touch up my makeup and hair. It was almost time for our entrance and we could hear the band playing a light jazz song below. We made a few final touches just before there was a knock on the door.

  I opened the door to find my father, Brandon, Virgo and Ben waiting outside. Ben looked captivated when he saw me. He was smiling profusely as my appearance caught his eyes on fire. I typically wore very little to no makeup and casual clothing, so Ben was caught off guard by my sudden change in appearance.

  Ben entered and took me aside; he pulled a corsage out from a box and placed it on my hand. I took a boutonniere I had purchased for him and pinned it to his stunning tuxedo. Ben looked incredibly attractive in his fine attire with his golden hair slicked back.

  “You look...AMAZING!” he cried.

  “You look amazing too!” I exclaimed. He kissed my forehead as he hugged me tight, careful not to misplace my hair.

  Maria and the other’s were about to head down to the ball. She told me to wait upstairs as the crowd would be gathered in the foyer waiting my entrance. My father kissed me on the cheek and the others gave me hugs and congratulated me.

  My father was escorting my aunt as he had done since my mother died. Although the two were only friends, my father cared very much for my aunt and always took care of her. My father never could get over the loss of my mother, so he never had a special woman to take to the ball.

  Ben and I waited in the bedroom, as the others headed to the mansi
on’s grand entrance. I was so nervous; my hands were shaking. I had been training my entire life to be Queen, but that didn’t change the fact I was very shy. As soon as I walked down the stairs, the crowd was mine. While waiting, Ben took my trembling hands and held them tight. He smiled at me for encouragement.

  After a few moments, I heard the band quiet and Maria began to speak. My heart began to race and I squeezed Ben’s hand harder. “Welcome everyone to our annual ball. As everyone knows, this ball is extra special and a bit bittersweet.” Maria paused and continued, “After many years, Brandon and I will be stepping down from an honor that our King Alexander gave us many years ago. It was so wonderful to lead the town, but as our interim rule is coming to and end, the beautiful Princess Miranda will be taking our place. Before we enter the ballroom for a wonderful feast and dancing, we will witness King Alexander crowning his beautiful Daughter. After a lifetime of learning how to rule this town, it is time to pass our reign to her. King Alexander, please come forward.”

  I heard footsteps as my father walking to the middle of the staircase where Maria and Brandon were standing. I heard Maria pass the microphone. Then I heard my father’s voice. “My daughter has spent the last month training very hard to take this position and I am pleased to crown her Queen tonight. Without further ado, my daughter Miranda!”

  My heart was pounding and I knew it was time for me to make my appearance. Ben smiled at me and helped lead my way to the door. The two of us left the room and went to the stairway. As soon as I was to the top of the stairs, I heard the crowd begin to clap and cheer. Ben looked at me and smiled.

  The two of us walked slowly down the staircase as the feathers of my dress flowed softly behind. My father had the biggest smile on his face as he wore the king’s crown on his head for the first time in my life. He had a second crown in his hands; it was the crown that had once belonged to my mother.

  When the two of us reached my father, Ben released my arm and stepped aside. My father spoke loudly as he held the crown in his hands, “This crown was last worn by a wonderful woman who led the town and died in its honor. Tonight as I remove my crown, I will place her mother’s crown upon Miranda’s head.”