by H. T. Night
“Romeo,” she breathed my name into my ear, from an inch away, and it sent a thrill through me as my desire rose for her and she moved her hand to my thigh, shyly. I was in heaven.
She was beautiful beyond words, beyond breath, beyond moonlight, her skin luminescent under my gaze, near-glowing in the soft night of wonder that unrolled as a gift to me, from her.
A part of me didn’t want to go further. Up to this point, I just wanted to experience her. Anything past this point was beyond my understanding. I really didn’t know how to proceed. It was almost incomprehensible to me to take her innocence, to ravish her, in essence, to ruin her in the desire to satisfy myself.
“I want to be with you, Romeo.”
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“I want to experience all of you.” Juliet looked up at me, a sincere twinkle in her eye. Her hand moved closer down my stomach. Then stopped as she waited for me to say yes.
I let out a long breath, indecision moving toward certainty. I looked into her eyes and kissed her passionately. Then our bodies told the story. For every touch, kiss, and embrace she gave me, I returned it to her tenfold. It rang in my head, what I was, what I am, what I shall be, with her: A giver of pleasure, not a taker of the same.
I stared into her eyes as my hips positioned themselves, between her legs, pressing against her flesh. I leaned down and said, “Juliet, this is my first time.”
“It is mine, too,” Juliet answered softly. Her face held an expression of the serenity of her perfect trust in me.
I decided that we would need more room for this endeavor than this king-sized bed. I pulled the bounty of expensive goose-down pillows from the bed to the floor and her eyes followed them in understanding.
I slid from the bed and took her with me She closed her eyes tightly, waiting, tense and was sweetly shocked when instead of piercing her without preamble, I lowered my head to her flesh and coveted it, honored it with my lips. I began at her forehead and moved downward to her eyelids, and her cheeks, the tip of her nose, her lips, her neck.
She relaxed under me, arching toward my lips and sighing in pleasure. I worshiped her beauty at the very fount, drinking her as she sighed deeply and laced her hands in my hair, pulling gently. When her breath began to come in small shudders, I changed our positions, rolling us over, so that she was on top of me, pressed to me. I stopped.
“What is wrong?” she panted.
“Juliet. You must give yourself to me completely. You must give it if you want me on this night. If you do, it will seal us, for eternity, that you willingly gave me all of yourself.”
She nodded her eyes misted with desire. “Yes, I do,” she replied, understanding.
And so, I let her decide the moment when we would be one. I held her sweet weight in my arms and when she did give herself, it was with sheer joy on her face and my name on her lips.
As one, we kissed one another a thousand times, and her tears of gladness, I drank them with my tongue and lips.
This was the most amazing act of love I could have ever imagined sharing. As surely as time unfurling, we became a part of each other, for all time…
When we were done, I rolled over and lay next to Juliet on the wooden floor of her bedroom, resting her body on all of the goose down pillows, an altar for her comfort. When her breath came slower and she came back to me, she smiled in wonder.
I kissed her smooth forehead. “Hello, Juliet. Welcome to Us.”
“Hello, Romeo.” Words escaped her at that point and she just glowed with happiness.
“We can make a difference,” I said, turning my head to look Juliet in the eyes. “Not just to ourselves, but to all the vampires and werewolves who come after us on this journey toward uniting the immortals in peace. It is not just about us. It is for all the world, Juliet. We are the first. The first of many.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“This thing that is going on between us is bigger than even us. It can change people’s hearts. Have them look through different-color eyes and see people as equals, regardless of anything outside their character, their species…”
Juliet then continued right where I left off, looking into my eyes, with love, “What is in our hearts could be manifested throughout Verona. A manifesto of unconditional love. A proclamation of its possibilities.”
“If it was just that easy,” I said, realizing at about the same moment that Juliet did that the idea was bordering on ridiculous. I began to come back to reality. This next act of ours would be much tougher than a virgin werewolf making love with a virgin vampire.
“It can start with us,” Juliet said. “We’ll plant a seed.” She giggled at the irony of the word. I smiled. She had a long funny bone, my Juliet did.
I said, “We can announce to all our love. We could properly introduce ourselves to each other’s families and start from there.”
“It needs to be big. My family only reacts to large displays of affection. An announcement as big as this needs a party.”
“A party?” I laughed. “After what happened the last time? It was a near-fatal debacle.”
“It needs something else.” She moved her eyebrows together, thinking, and, for long moments, I did the same.
I saw what this meant to Juliet and that moved my heart. “Okay, here is what we can do. We’ll throw two parti crowspan>
“It sounds perfect,” she cried out in delight. “Yes!”
I kissed Juliet on her forehead and I lay with her all the way until morning, making my arms her tender home, one that she would crave always.
In the gray pre-dawn, I got up to pull the curtains tight for my vampire lover. She said that her house began to get
up around 6:00 a.m., so I split out of there around 5:30. I had no idea what vampires did during the day, except to shut themselves away from sunlight. I had places to go and things to do. For our future.
Once again, I made it home without being seen. I had a couple of parties to plan. They had to be grand. This event would be for posterity. The unfolding legacy of Romeo and Juliet was about to go public.
Chapter Eleven
The next day, I slept all day and as I was waking up, I had one last glorious dream. I dreamt of my special place. This time I was not alone there. I had Juliet by my side.
You see, my special place isn’t of this world. It was never a matter of the actual location. It was who I was with. As long as we are together, we can be anywhere. Anywhere is my special place, as long as I’m with Juliet.
After I woke up, I decided to put together a party that would be for the day after tomorrow over in Central Park. Central Park was also a neutral location for both families. I decided to keep it on the down low with everyone; the human servants I could trust. Which was about all of them. I had some human servants that knew people in the Capulet’s camp and they helped me set up a party on behalf of Juliet for her family. The tricky part was keeping the families separated. The two party tents were only going to be about fifty feet apart. So security was going to be a big deal. I had to dip into Daddy’s credit card. I’d deal with the repercussions at another time, when he saw the bill.
When I was finishing setting everything up, it was close to 11:00. It was a lot earlier than I normally go but I was needing to see her badly. I did the usual subway to taxi route. I hopped the fence and I began approaching Juliet’s neighborhood carefully because I could hear people talking. As I approached the street to Juliet’s house, I heard a commotion ahead. I quickly turned into my werewolf form and climbed up the first tree I saw. Luckily, the first tree was an extremely large one. From the t fh hithat kree top, I could see a large group of Capulets in the street, gathered around Juliet’s home.
Tybalt was standing on a car addressing the crowd. “Family, friends, and others who have joined our call to wipe out the world. Stand up with me as we pledge to take out and eliminate by any means necessary all other immortals who don’t follow our code.”
The crowd cheered. What cod
e is that? I thought. We drink more blood before 9:00 a.m. than most people do all day?
I looked on in horror and couldn’t believe what I was witnessing. It looked like a vampire lynch mob ready to attack any werewolf on sight. This wasn’t the safest place in the world for me to be at this moment. I didn’t care. All I cared about was seeing Juliet.
At the corner of the street, I could see Juliet standing and cheering. From the bottom of my heart I hoped that was her cover to appear to be like they were. I don’t know what had happened to Verona. Before, there was a definite hate between the two families and two different immortal factions. Now it seemed that both sides wanted to wipe the other side out, at all costs. Leaving zero value to life itself. Maybe it wasn’t just about making a buck anymore. It looked like the vampires wanted to wipe out everyone, and Mercutio’s sentiments regarding werewolves weren’t far behind.
I watched on and slowly the mob broke up and started going home. After a while, everyone finally left. I waited till I couldn’t stand it any longer, and then made my way back up to Juliet’s room.s n>
I leaped onto the balcony with little regard to the repercussions, a far cry from just two nights before. I expected Juliet to already be outside, but she wasn’t. I transitioned to my human form and knocked on her back door on her balcony.
I waited and then Juliet slowly made her way to the door and unlocked it. “Is everything okay?” I asked.
Juliet looked at me and began to cry. “No, it is not okay.”
I ran over to her and she sobbed in my arms. “What is it, honey?”
“I am being…” She stopped short of finishing her sentence.
“You are being what, sweetheart?” I asked.
“I am being forced to marry Paris!” Juliet cried out.
“By who?” I asked.
“By my family,” she answered.
“Over my dead body,” I said without hesitation.
“You don’t understand, Romeo. This has been my father’s plan since I was a little girl. Paris had finally taken a liking to me, and now my family wants me to marry him.”
I was shocked and I didn’t know quite what to make of it. “Has he proposed?” I asked.
“He proposed at the end of our first date three months back.”
“You have been dating him?” I asked.
“Not in the way you think. He courts me. He has taken me to movie premieres and royalty functions. Nothing romantic. In his mind, he thinks he’s being romantic, but we have never been alone and have never kissed.”
“And he wants to marry you?”
“That’s the way these rich folks do it.”
“And he proposed to you on your first date?”
“Yep.”
I looked down smiled at Juliet. “That is actually quite funny that a person of such high esteem could be so clueless. I have a feeling it is more about his uncle and less about him.”
“Less about Paris?” Juliet looked confused. “Why is that?”
I looked at Juliet and smiled. “Paris is obviously gay.”
Juliet’s eyes bulged out. “No, he’s not.”
“Come on,” I said. “He hasn’t even wanted to be alone with you. Rich folks or not. A guy interested in women doesn’t do that. I think it’s obvious he is in love with Prince Escalus himself. He watched over that man with love.”
“Do you really think that is the case?”
“Yes,” I said.
“I hope to God you’re right. But if something might be going on between them, why would he act interested in me?”
“It’s because this is about his family and your family merging. And it’s obvious what they want to do once that happens.”
“Which is what?”
“Merge witches with vampires. The leaders of your family obviously feel that a marriage between you and Paris would open up the gate for them to learn sorcery. Maybe they are trying to find a loophole or something. And it’s obvious the ruling House of Verona want to merge because if they join the side with the most wealth, they will have the upper hand.”
“Maybe. Regardless of any of that, I don’t want to marry him.” Juliet leaned in and hugged me tightly.
“Listen, that will never happen. I promise you that. Gay, straight, vampire, werewolf, warlock…no one is marrying you except me.”
“Are you speaking the truth?”
“Of course. I want to marry you. I want to spend every waking moment with you.”
“And I with you. But…I need to know.”
“Need to know what ?” I asked.
“I need to know if you’re all in for this.”
“Of course I am,” I protested.
“This is going to be bigger and more serious than anything we have ever known.” Juliet looked at me deeply and tears dripped from her eyes.
I reached out my finger and wiped the tears from her face. “I don’t care what happens, as long as I am with you.”
“I love you, Romeo.”
“I love you, Juliet. We need to let everyone know tomorrow night. I have set everything up. My servants have worked it out with your servants.”
“Yes, I know. Tomorrow night, we will announce our love to everyone.”
Juliet and I embraced. I held her tightly and said, “We are doing the right thing.”
“Are you sure, Romeo?” Juliet said, still holding me around my waist.
I gripped her tightly back and said, “It’s the only way we won’t have to live in secrecy anymore. The likelihood is we will be ostracized by our own kind, but that isn’t going to matter…”
“…Because we have each other.”
“Yes, Juliet, because we will have each other.” I couldn’t explain why any of this made any kind of sense. But I knew we needed to do something big.
Then we reclined on top of her very large bed, facing the ceiling. Juliet extended her arm and said, “Look how skinny I am.”
“You have some meat. Especially in the right places,” I said jokingly, but meaning every word that I said. I looked at Juliet and said “Tonight, I don’t want to worry about any of that. I want you to come with me to a special place.”
“A special place?”
“Any place is special as long as you are with me. This place I want to share with is the most special physical place on this earth to me. Will you go with me?”
“Of course I’ll go with you. What should I wear?”
“Dress warm.”
Juliet put on a light leather jacket and we stepped out on her balcony. I looked down at Juliet and said, “I haven’t seen you turn yet.”
“How do you know that I do?” Juliet answered. “Not all vampires have the gift.”
“But you do?” I inquired.
“I may. Are you curious there, my Romeo?”
“With this kind of build-up? How could I not be?” I said, giggling softly, mindful I could be heard out on the balcony.
“Okay, if you want a show, I’ll give you a show.” Juliet kissed me and took a step back. Juliet then turned into a beautiful red hawk. She was gorgeous. She had two slick black stripes on both sides of her body.
“Very nice. That is one sexy bird.” Then I turned into my gray and white werewolf form and then the two beasts of the night were off to Liberty Island.
Chapter Twelve
We made our way to where the ferry docks. I knew one of the guys who ran one of the boats. I had him meet me at the docks at 3:00 a.m. He was there because he o nace>
As we sailed away from the dock to Liberty Island, we looked back and saw the Verona City skyline. The skyline had never been tinkered with since the days when it was New York City.
I looked away from the grand city and now toward the island, where I was taking my angel of the night. This island had been my solitude for years. And very recently, I would come here and think what would be coming over the horizon. I had no idea that I would be able to take the very person who was what I was looking for.
The ferry sto
pped and docked; the lines were secured and the gangplank was lowered. We stepped out of the ferry and made our way forward to disembark.
“The Statue of Liberty is to the right. Let’s go this way,” Juliet said, pulling my hand down a path to the right that was the quickest route to see the Statue of Liberty.
I held my ground and said, “I have something else I want to show you.” I maneuvered myself to no longer be dragged by her to the right and shifted our weight straight ahead toward the old New York City Skyline.
I led Juliet by the hand until we made our way to the water. We hopped over the ropes, so we could feel the cold water wash up on our feet.
“That’s cold!” Juliet called out. She had kicked off her shoes so she could feel the cold water on her toes.
“Yes, it is,” I said, laughing as the water washed onto my ankles. She was right. The water was really darn cold.
I looked over at Juliet who was now playing and splashing in the water that barely came up to her knees. I looked at her and never felt so much love in my heart for anyone.
Juliet saw me looking at her and smiled. She looked out toward the water and said, “I’m afraid, Romeo.”
“Why?” I yelled out to her.
“What if others don’t see this to be the way we see it?” Juliet walked over to where I was standing and wrapped her arms around my waist.
I looked down at Juliet and I wanted to remove all hurt and pain from her body. All I could do was say the following, “I’ll do everything in my power to see to it you never feel pain again.”
Juliet looked at me and said, “Pain is part of the beauty of the world. Without pain we wouldn’t be able to measure the extent of joy.”
“Even still,” I said as plainly as I could. “As long as I breathe, I will make it a priority that I relieve you of as much of it as possible.”
Juliet looked at me and smiled. “I believe you.”
I held her tight in my arms and just felt the peace of being together. I knew if both families could somehow tap into the peace that Juliet and I feel for one another, maybe it could change their minds. I know it was farfetched, but so is what I felt for Juliet. It was beyond this world. Just maybe was bigger than their hate. “Tomorrow night, right at 10:00 p.m., we bring both of our families together at the midtown east entrance of Central Park. There is a beautiful white stage just to the front of it. It’s just sitting there right out in the middle of nowhere, a beautiful white gothic stage. It seems out of place, but is beautiful nonetheless. We will bring them there to a celebration in a mystery family member’s honor.”
