Maria once more stepped to my father’s side. My father handed Maria my mother’s crown and removed his own crown from his head. He handed Maria his crown and she handed my mother’s crown back.
My father looked straight into my eyes. As I stared back into his deep brown eyes, I could see he was trying not to cry. It looked as if he was proud, yet melancholy all at once. I bowed my head and my father placed my mother’s crown on my head. The crowd began to cheer. I was now their Queen!
My father hugged me and shook Ben’s hand. Ben hugged me and the two of stood for a few moments at the top of the staircase next to my father.
Soon the band took over and announced, “Please join us in the ballroom for cocktails and appetizers.”
My father smiled at me once more and said, “I’m so proud of you!”
Ben took my arm and we headed down the stairs and into the ballroom. Mr. and Mrs. Eperhaus traditionally threw the ball. They were an older, yet wealthy couple that had a very fancy house nearby the mansion. The couple had done an amazing job at setting up the ball. The room was beautifully decorated with floral arrangements galore. Pink peonies, white roses, hydrangeas and ferns were arranged throughout the ballroom. A few teenage volunteers from town were walking around in fancy attire with plates of appetizers. A fancy bar was set up on the side and a large buffet table was awaiting a feast.
The seating arrangement was placed at the front of the ballroom. Once we entered the room, Ben and I checked the seating chart; we were front and center at table one. I was seated next to my father and Aunt Allison. Brandon, Maria, Sophia and Virgo were seated at our table as well. As soon as I entered the room, town members were hugging me and shaking my hand in excitement. Mr. and Mrs. Eperhaus were standing near the seating chart, greeting each guest as they entered.
“Congratulations,” Mrs. Eperhaus said as she wrapped her arms around me excitement. Mr. Eperhaus shook my hand and smiled.
The Eperhaus’ shook Ben’s hand while I said, “Everything is beautiful. Thank you for hosting this event.”
“The pleasure is ours,” Mr. Eperhaus replied. “We look forward to many more!”
The fairies were gathered nearby and talking amongst themselves. I walked over to them to say hello as Ben followed behind. I was very excited to see Florence was at the ball and doing better. She was speaking with Nikolaus and Damon. I walked over to the three, as I wanted to see how Florence was feeling. Nikolaus smiled and Florence looked as if she had recovered well. I hugged them both and they congratulated me. I hugged Damon last. He was reluctant as he wrapped his arms around me, as I had an overwhelming sense of guilt once more.
“Congratulation Miranda,” he said when he pulled away.
“Thank you Damon,” I smiled.
Damon looked at Ben and Ben looked at Damon. They both looked uncomfortable, but Ben reached his hand forward and smiled. Damon frowned for a moment, but reached forward and shook Ben’s hand as he said, “Hello.”
“It’s good to see you,” Ben said politely.
“You too,” Damon said coldly as he pulled his hand away as if Ben’s hand had burned his flesh.
As soon as we said hello to all the fairies, Ben and I headed to the bar and ordered drinks. The two of us socialized and said hello to all the guests. I was not typically social, but I knew the town expected me to be friendly and mingle. Ben was very polite, but I could see all of the socializing was making him a bit uncomfortable. I knew exactly how he felt.
Everyone was excited to shake my hand and congratulate me. Although he looked uncomfortable, I could tell Ben was happy to be by my side. My nerves were on fire and Ben helped to keep them cool. I was ready for the music to start, so I could dance the night away in Ben’s arms.
After we spoke to almost everyone in town, the band announced dinner was served. We headed to our table and soon after, Mrs. Eperhaus let our table know we could make our plates. Ben and I ate an amazing meal and talked to the others at our table for some time. Once everyone finished their meal, the band picked up the music and opened the dance floor.
Ben led me to the dance floor and the two of us danced and had fun for quite some time. We moved to fast songs and he held me tight during the slow ones. I loved feeling his body close to mine as sparks ignited through my entire body.
As we swayed to the pace of the gentle melody, I shut my eyes and felt as if Ben and I were completely alone. When I opened my eyes, I gazed into Ben’s blue eyes as the disco ball lit them with a glow. The way Ben stared at me with his fascinating eyes made me feel like I was the most important woman on earth. It felt like the perfect moment, as time stood still, while Ben and I softly danced to the soft romantic tune.
After several dances with Ben, my father finally cut in and asked for a dance with his daughter. Ben handed me to my father and the two of us danced away. “I’m so proud of you,” my father whispered in my ear as he held me in his arms.
I smiled and held on to the man who raised me and gave everything for me. He wasn’t my blood, but he had done everything in his power to give me an amazing life and teach me to be a wonderful ruler. I loved my father so much and felt bittersweet that tonight would be the last night in his home. His home was only a few steps away from the mansion, but I was still leaving him after eighteen years.
After the song ended, my father embraced me once more and headed away. Ben was nowhere in sight, but I saw Damon only a few feet away. I walked over to him and smiled. He gave me a half smile, but I could tell it was forced.
“Would you like to dance?” I asked.
“I don’t think so,” he said.
“Can we talk then?” I said.
“I guess,” he said quietly.
The two of us snuck out of the ballroom and headed upstairs to the sitting room in the master suite. Once we were seated, I said, “Damon, I don’t want what happened to ruin our friendship. You’re my best friend and I don’t want to lose you.”
Damon looked at me with a harsh look on his face. Regardless of his appearance, it was obvious he was hiding his pain with stiffness.
“Miranda, I don’t know what to say.” He paused. “I almost lost my virginity with you and I love you. I always have loved you. We have been best friends our entire life. We do everything together and always have. I know before recently, we never even kissed…but I was always waiting on you. I never even looked at other girls…because I always knew I wanted to marry you one day. “
Tears started dripping from my eyes as he spoke, and I tried to wipe them away before they ruined my perfect makeup. I couldn’t believe what Damon was telling me. He was my best friend and I never even considered marrying him. I assumed one day he would meet some one and so would I, and the four of us would be good friends. I felt so naïve and stupid to ever think that Damon and I would be best friends our entire life.
“Why did you wait until we graduated high school to tell me any of this? Why did you wait so long?” I said angrily as I choked back tears.
“I don’t…I don’t know.” Damon said, as he looked full of regret “I wanted to kiss you so many times when we were young. When we took walks down by the lake, I wanted to take hold of your hand. Even before we could drive and we rode bikes around town, I would stare at you when you weren’t looking. So many times I just wanted to hold you and kiss you and make you mine.”
I put my hand over my mouth in shock. “Why did you keep this from me Damon!” I demanded.
“I was scared. We were so young. I wanted to wait until we were both older. Miranda, I have loved you for so many years. You have always been so beautiful, but you ignored every guy that ever looked your way. You ignored them and always came running to me. I thought it was because you wanted me.”
I had to keep choking back tears as I said, “Damon…I was shy. You know I’m so shy. I was much too scared to go on a date with any guys from school. I spent every minute with you because you’re my best friend. You’re like family…I didn’t have to be shy around you.
I’m so sorry I led you on like this.” It felt like my heart was breaking for Damon.
“Miranda…if you just let Ben go and give me another chance…I could never love another woman the way I love you—”
“Damon…please,” I said.
“I mean it. Please just give me a chance. We can wait ten more years before we get married. We can do whatever makes you happy. Just give me a chance, please.”
The tears I had been choking back, finally started to drip from my eyes and I tried to wipe them away as quickly as they fell.
“I’m not trying to make you cry,” Damon said. “I just want you to be with me.”
“Damon…please,” I said again. It killed me to listen to Damon pour his heart out to me, when my feelings for him were not the same. I was falling deeply in love with Ben. I loved Damon as a friend and I wanted to love him the way he loved me, but I couldn’t change the feelings in my heart. I took a few deep breaths and wiped away another tear and said, “Damon…I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I am falling in love with Ben and—”
Damon couldn’t stay strong any longer as tears began to stream from his eyes. “Just go,” he said.
“Damon, I don’t want to lose you.” I cried, “Please don’t stop being my friend. I need you.”
Damon smiled through his tears, but I could see he was still hurting. He shook his head and said, “You need to go. Everyone is going to be looking for you. You won’t lose me. I…I just need time to heal…that’s all. Go on.”
I nodded and stood up. He was right. Everyone would be a wreck if I went missing on such an important night. I waited for Damon to follow behind, but he stayed seated and didn’t move.
I quickly touched up my makeup and headed back down the staircase. The moment I walked back into the ballroom, Ben saw me and quickly came to my side.
“I’ve been looking everywhere for you Miranda. I was so worried.”
He softly kissed my lips. When he pulled away, I frowned as I said, “I needed to talk to Damon. I couldn’t leave things the way they were. He’s my best friend.”
“I understand,” Ben said. Then he looked worried, “Are we okay?”
I smiled, “Of course.”
Once Ben and I were together again, the rest of the evening was complete bliss. I didn’t see Damon the rest of the evening, but I was preoccupied in Ben’s arms. The two of us waltzed in circles, led by the elegant glow of the disco ball dazzling the room around us. Occasionally one of the male members from town stole me away, but I quickly found my way back to Ben at the end of the song.
Around eleven o’clock, the crowd began to clear out and by midnight there were only six of us left. Ben and I decided it was time to head home, as we were exhausted. We said goodnight to my father and walked home. We jogged home, as it was gently raining. A soft clatter of thunder boomed in the distance as lighting struck down on the mountains.
When we arrived home, the two of us headed upstairs to change out of our damp attire. Ben stopped on the second floor and waited for my direction. I smiled at him and gestured for him to follow. Ben looked nervous as he followed me up to my room.
Once we were inside of my room, he pulled me in and instantly began to kiss me. Our kiss was passionate and intense as if we had waited all night for this moment. Ben took my hand and walked me towards my bed. He unzipped my damp dress as it fell to the floor. Once my dress was off, he quickly removed his tuxedo and underwear.
By the dim light of the moon, the two of us stood completely naked in each other’s gaze. I could see droplets of water sporadically on Ben’s skin, as we were still damp from the rain. Ben lifted me off the floor and set me on the bed. Then he crawled in the bed and lay down next to me. I could feel his warm damp skin graze against mine as he snuggled close to me.
The two of us began to kiss once more. As we kissed I could hear the rain begin to pound against the roof as a big storm was rolling in. As the rain poured down, I could feel the intensity of his passion flowing into my body as we kissed to the rhythm of the rain. The more we kissed, the more energized. The more power I felt, the harder I kissed him. As we continued to kiss, thunder boomed just outside the window as lightening illuminated the room. The house softly shook as I pressed my lips against Ben’s and trembled in delight.
Finally, I pulled away and said, “Drink my blood,” but he shook his head. “Please…I’m ready. I want this with you.”
As the lightning illuminated the room, his topaz eyes gazed into mine for a long time. He looked as if he was trying to decline, but I could see that he desired me as much as I wanted him.
Without a word, he obliged my invitation and began to softly kiss my neck as he had before. As the shocks of his kisses were sent through my skin, I felt his fangs slowly bite into my neck. I felt a sharp pain that quickly turned to ecstasy. I could feel his lips softly slurp blood from my artery, and I could feel him grow aroused as he continued to drink my blood. While he drank my blood, I felt his hand glide down my stomach until he touched me in a way no man had touched me before. His used his fingers to fulfill desires I had never felt.
I quietly moaned under the sound of thunder, as Ben thrilled me with the ecstasy of his touch. As Ben fulfilled my desires, he continued to drink my blood. After a few more drinks of blood, we were both sexually energized and I wanted so much more. I could hear by the sound of his moans, Ben was very turned on.
My heart was racing and my nerves were burning with fire. I felt attracted to Ben the way a magnet is attracted to metal. As Ben pulled away from me, the momentary space between us left me craving his body even more.
As blood trickled from my neck, Ben stroked my hair and stared deep into my eyes. “Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said softly as lighting lit up the room.
Ben climbed on top of me and I felt his naked skin against mine. As his body caressed mine, I could feel sparks of energy and heat igniting through my body. As Ben thrust his lips against mine, I could feel energy seeping through my body once more.
After many warm kisses and igniting touches, I finally felt him thrust himself into me. Like his bite, I felt pain at first, but it quickly turned to intense pleasure, more than I had ever felt in my life. As he made love to me, I could feel him biting my neck once more and taking small sips of my blood. The intensity between pleasure and pain was like no other. I shut my eyes and felt fireworks exploding through every inch of my body. As each firework exploded, I felt the spark and heat of each eruption against my skin. I could feel Ben’s desire for me through the energy burning through his skin.
As we continued, each thrust created more power and intensity. I could hear Ben breathing loud as he licked the blood from my neck. He held me tight as our passion continued to intensify. Finally when it felt as if our energy was about to explode, I felt one single firework explode inside of me. The last firework was the strongest of them all and I braced Ben while energy was sent through every inch of my body. I squeezed Ben’s back as each spark burst through my body. I could feel my face tighten as I moaned from the passion
Finally, the heat from the sparks drifted away and a rush of delight rushed through my body. I felt no pain or sorrow. It was if every molecule of my body was healed and restored. The sensation was the greatest I had ever felt in my life. Neither Ben nor I moved for several moments until I heard his breathing slow. After several moments, Ben rolled off of me and onto his side. He held my bare body tight in his embrace as a burst of thunder shook the house once more.
As lighting illuminated the room, the two of us lay quietly, listening to the sound of the rain. As Ben quietly held me tight, I realized the two of us were covered in my dried blood.
“My God!” Ben cried as he held me tight, “I have never felt anything like that.”
“It isn’t normally like that?” I asked softly.
“No…” he said, “It was amazing. Our powers must have collided…” he was having trouble speaking from excitement. But he paus
ed for a moment. Then he looked deep into my eyes and said, “Miranda...I…” he was trembling and paused for sometime. Another clap of thunder boomed loudly from outside as he silently started into my eyes, while gathering the courage to go on. Finally he gathered his nerve and said, “I love you.”
My heart began pounding, as I didn’t realize he loved me, but I felt it too. I had been falling in love with him for the last several weeks.
“I love you too,” I replied.
I snuggled into his arms and shut my eyes. I was so happy, I didn’t care that I was covered in blood. I felt his warm naked body against mine and I began drifting peacefully into a dream. I dreamt of Ben and our love. Dreams of our future and our perfect quaint town projected peacefully through my mind. My life was so close to perfect.
Abruptly, out of the calmness of my blissful dream, I was thrust back to life as I felt a solid hand hit me across the face. Suddenly calm turned to chaos and perfect was no more.
Part Two
Chapter 8
I opened my eyes. As lightning lit the room, I saw several dark shadows scurrying around. Ben instantly jumped from the bed to protect me, but one of the shadows knocked him down and the room went dark again.
“BEN!” I screamed in horror as thunder shook the house.
The two of us were still completely naked, so I tried to run and cover myself, but someone grabbed me instead. As I felt them wrap their arms around my naked body, I tried to fight. Thunder roared outside the window as lightning flashed into the room. As the room was quickly illuminated, I tried to look around, but the creature was fighting me and I was unable to see what was going on. The creature was extremely strong, too strong for me, even after my energy was resorted just a short time before.
The storm was growing louder as rain hammered against the window and thunder boomed the sky. As the wind howled like a wolf under a full moon, I screamed and I heard Ben yell my name. The creatures had him as well.
The Portal to Sidhe: Book 1 Page 9
