by H. T. Night
“Who will the mystery family member be that we will be celebrating?”
“We will be introducing ourselves to each other’s families.”
Juliet rolled her head in my chest as we both looked at the breathtaking view of Verona. “Romeo, how could I feel the way I do about you so quickly?”
“B sizee="ecause you’re amazing. And I’m amazing. When two amazing people meet amazing meet…amazing things are bound to happen.”
Juliet looked into my eyes and melted. “You, Mr. Romeo, are more amazing than I could have ever wished you to be.”
I lowered my head and kissed Juliet passionately. It was a deep, long, kiss. “Juliet,” I whispered.
She looked up at me and asked, “What is it?”
“I want to show you a place. A place I often go for tranquility.”
“Aren’t we already here?” Juliet asked.
“It’s a particular place on the island. It’s over there.” I motioned toward the Statue of Liberty. “It’s a place so dear to me that I have never shared even the knowledge that such a place exists with anyone.”
“Let’s go,” Juliet said.
“Climb on,” I said.
“Onto your back?”
“Yep. Hop on.” I turned and showed Juliet my back. “Get a strong hold of my neck so when I turn, you have a firm hold.”
“Why don’t I just fly to wherever you want us to go?”
“I would really love it if you would hold on to my back and experience what I’m about to show you.”
Juliet smiled at me and said, “I’ll do my best to hold on. If I slip, I can always turn to my hawk form.” Then she climbed up on my human back and nearly made me pass out by how tightly she wrapped her arms around my neck. I breathed out then slowly turned to my giant werewolf form. I could feel Juliet’s grip around my wolf neck and she had her hold pretty tight. I was convinced she’d be able to hold on.
Hold on, Juliet, I thought. You’re about to take a ride.
With Juliet’s body completely fastened to my werewolf back, I jumped across the fenced area. I leaped to the base of the Statue.
Then very slowly, I climbed up the back of Liberty, facing Verona. Juliet was tightly gripping my back. As I went up the great statue, we both looked out to Verona. The lights were spectacular as we reached higher and higher. I knew in my heart if this view inspired me and if Juliet was the one, she would see it for the exact beauty that it is. She would see it from my perspective.
As I reached the top, I planted myself on her left shoulder and balanced myself just right to turn. Once I knew I had it steady, I turned from werewolf back to my human form.
I wrapped my arms around Juliet. Here we were, a vampire and a werewolf on the shoulder of sister Liberty, staring out into the night.
“Romeo, I don’t want to leave you tonight.”
“What exactly does that mean?” I asked as I continued to embrace Juliet.
Juliet pulled away slightly and looked me in the eye and said, “If you and I are going to be together forever, then it should start immediately.”
“Immediately? Like how?” I asked.
“I want you to take me to a safe place tonight. A place where there is a giant king-size bed and a bad HDTV set in it. I don’t want to ever not be by your side.”
I looked at Juliet and was beside myself. “It all begins rig
ht now. Our future begins at this moment.” I looked at Juliet and couldn’t believe the passion and love that was behind what we were saying. “I love you, Juliet.”
“And I love you, my Romeo.”
Chapter Thirteen
The only place I knew of to take her that had a bed and a TV was the back area of Friar Laurence’s butcher shop’s office. I couldn’t possibly imagine taking her there. So, I did the best thing I could. I got us a room at the nicest hotel in Times Square, the New York Marriott Marquis in the heart of everything. If we were going to start to live our life out in the open, this was as good a spot as any to spend our first night.
It cost a lot of money, but once again, I knew a guy who owed me a favor. What can I say? A lot of guys owed me favors? I got a real good deal and that was where we went, once we left Liberty Island and came back to Verona.
If you’re going to go, go big. Go big on the first night you spend the rest of your life with somebody. You got it. Start it right. And a luxury suite at the nicest hotel in the most famous city in the world is a nice place to start.
We had a huge room with amazing sleeping quarters. This was our first full night together. I wanted to do this right.
When we got to the room, it was almost daylight. We asked specifically for a vampire suite. Vampire suites are suites that have no windows, are very vampire friendly, in regard to a nice jug of the finest blood in the mini-bar for just about ten times what it’s worth.
This was going to be the way it was from here on out. No sunlight and human blood. I needed to be sensitive to that. I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would feel sympathetic toward a vampire. This had been a miracle. Venus, the love Goddess, had clearly given this gift to us. Or maybe there wasn’t anything cosmic about it. It could just be that when you met the right person, everything just fit right and everything went smoothly.
Maybe that is how you know. Nothing cosmic actually happens. It is just the natural order, falling into place. Maybe I was being naïve, but I think the world was ready for a love like this.
I carried Juliet into our royal suite fit for kings. The color scheme to the room was pink with glimpse of light blue. It was a beautiful sight indeed. The backdrop extended Juliet’s beauty into radiance. I laid her on the light pink bedspread. She looked amazing. Her eyes had never appeared more beautiful.
She grabbed me and pulled me close to her. Then she pinned me to the bed and said, “Are you for real?” she said in a way that was not endearment and sasize="+0">, but more like speak now, or forever hold your peace. She wanted to know if I was just wasting her time.
“I’m all about us, no matter what! This is who I am. This is all I want.”
Juliet held her breath and said, “We are really doing this. I can’t believe it. I mean…this is what I want from the depths of my soul. I just can’t believe it has already started.”
“Where does your family think you are today?” I asked, concerned.
“I texted Martha and told her I was going to be staying at my cousin’s. I texted my cousin and gave her the heads’ up.”
“Does she know who you are with?”
“Of course not. How about you? Does anyone know you’re here?”
“I trusted one person. He didn’t like it. But I know I can trust him with more than my life.”
Juliet looked at me and said, “Let me guess. Mercutio?”
“He would be the one,” I said.
“What does he think?”
“I was only able to talk to him briefly when we stopped at the gas station.”
“I didn’t see you talk to anyone,” Juliet said.
“I’m pretty slick with the phone,” I said. The truth was, when she slipped into the women’s restroom when the taxi driver had to stop for gas, I took the time to give Mercutio a buzz.
“Well, what does he think?” Juliet asked.
“He thinks we’re freaking crazy,” I said.
“We are kind of crazy, aren’t we,” Juliet said, smiling at me. She was too adorable. I leaned in and kissed her as we lay on the bed. Juliet returned my passion with forceful kisses of her own. We began rolling around, kissing on the bed. I could feel Juliet trembling.
“You’re trembling,” I said.
“I’m so happy,” Juliet answered.
“A type of happy that makes you chilly?” I asked
“No, a kind of happiness that makes me feel vulnerable.”
“Let me warn you,” I said. “This is real. I’m not turning into a pumpkin at midnight. I’m here {. I sito stay.” I turned Juliet on her back and we both slid i
n underneath the covers. We were both fully clothed, except for both of us taking off our shoes as we entered the room.
I smothered her with my body heat and began removing my clothes.
“I don’t know if getting naked will keep me from trembling,” Juliet said.
“You’ve got to trust me,” I said.
I began removing Juliet’s sweater and she kicked off her jeans. We were both completely naked, except for we both had our underwear on.
I placed Juliet on top of my bare body and allowed our skin to touch and to rub. Our skin began heating up as it rubbed together.
“I feel warmer,” Juliet said.
J
uliet and I began to kiss passionately and we held each other. We consumed one another. We were no longer two people. We were whole.
I don’t think I fell asleep until noon. Juliet fell asleep shortly before I did and I sat there staring at her beautiful, sweet face, dreaming of a better tomorrow, until I fell asleep myself.
Chapter Fourteen
I woke up hours later and it was still daylight so I knew I had only been asleep for a couple of hours. I laid in my bed and held Juliet’s body close to mine. I smelled the back of her neck and loved her with every bit of me. As I held her, I began to feel nervous about what we were planning to do later that night.
“Are you awake?” a voice below my chin asked.
“I am,” I answered.
Juliet released my caress and she turned over onto her back. Her hair was spread across the pillow behind her. She couldn’t have looked more beautiful even if she tried. She was the image of radiance. I was going to lay it all on the line for her today. I was certain about how I felt toward her. I was not certain how both of our families are going to take the announcement.
I stroked Juliet’s hair as I gazed into her eyes. There is a purity about her that I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. I had never loved like this before. It didn’t make a damn lick of sense.
I think there is a part of every man that, if he had the fortune of meeting his soul mate, the one true person only he should be with…I think there’s something deep rooted that is in every man that he would fight for her love at all costs.
Juliet looked at me and said, “Is this the part where you tell me it’s too hard?”
“Not a chance, sweetie,” I said. “You’ve got me mistaken for someone else.”
She smiled at me and I felt her trust warm in me.
“Today is about you and me. You just need to make sure your family is at Central Park at the southeast entrance. It is right behind a statue of a couple of eagles mauling a ram. It is right behind that statue. Tell them to follow the white decoration toward the white stage.”
“A stage?” Juliet said.
“It’s really cool. The stage is an off-white stage that gives off a sense of history and mystery. I’m positive you will like it.”
“If you love it as much as you do,” Juliet answered, “I know I am going to love it. I have a problem, however.”
“What is it?” I asked.
“I have nothing to wear. All my clothes are at my house.”
“Leave that to me,” I promised.
She nodded.
I knew Mercutio was the perfect person to come here and deliver us an outfit. He had amazing taste in women’s clothing. I was pretty sure he had dressed Benvolio the other night. I just wasn’t sure if I wanted him to know anything more about the plans tonight. He knew I was with Juliet, but he had no idea what we were planning to do. I couldn’t afford for him to get upset and tell everyone before the announcement.
I decided to risk it. I called Mercutio and he seemed to be surprisingly supportive. He said he’d bring the dress over before nine o’clock. That would be more than enough time before the party.
Juliet said she had a couple of servants she could trust that could come over and help her get ready after Mercutio dropped off the dress. She told me to go and get ready at home, and that she would be okay. I wasn’t too sure if I thought it was safe. But I had to trust what Juliet thought.
So, around 9:00 o’clock, Mercutio dropped off the dress, and I told him to wait. Shortly after, Juliet’s people came with her hair and makeup stuff to help her get ready. They didn’t let me see what the dress looked like, so I’d be surprised later. It was almost as if everyone, including ourselves, was looking at the announcement as a wedding.
Mercutio and I split around 9:30. Once we got clear of the hotel, Mercutio stopped on 43rd Street and said, “Have you thought this through, man?”
“Not really,” I said as honestly as I could. “All I know is I have never felt this way about anything or anyone. I am going to do whatever it takes to be with her.”
“Be with her where?” Mercutio asked.
“Anywhere with her is where my harmony lies,” I said.
“Harmony?”
“Yeah, in harmony,” I stated. “A place where there is peace and no fighting sounds like a good place to me,” I said.
“You only feel this way now because you just met this girl,” Mercutio said. “Two months ago, you were spouting the same rhetoric.”
“Don’t you see, Mercutio? Meeting Juliet has changed me forever. And when you are finally aware of that, you know you have found your salvation.”
Mercutio stared at me and did a long, slow sigh. Deep, deep down he had never heard me speak like this. He must have known that I believed in my heart of hearts that Juliet was not only the one for me, but that she was also my sanctuary.
“Okay, Romeo. Just because you feel this way. It doesn’t mean I have to accept it.”
“All I ask is that you respect Juliet.”
Mercutio looked at me and smiled. “I know about you, Romeo Mt yAll I aontague. You are getting soft on all of us.”
“I’m not getting soft, Mercutio. I finally opened my eyes.”
“The thing is, Romeo, I want blood. I’m fed up with being on the outside. I want the Capulets to hate the sound of my name as much as they hate the sound of yours.”
“That’s stupid,” I said. “Who wants anyone to hate them?”
Mercutio looked at me and said, “I do. We do. All of us Montagues do. Even though I don’t share your blood on the inside, I have vowed to spill my blood for you on the outside. The Capulets stole all of our land and most of our finances. We hate them for destroying both of our ancestors. Or did you forget about all of that?”
“When is it going to end?” I asked. “When is enough.... enough?”
“No one knows that answer.”
“Well, maybe tonight is a step in the right direction.”
“I don’t think so, friend, for your sake. But I think you might be blinded by love,”
“Maybe I am. But it is what it is, and I’m moving straight ahead.”
“Well, you have your entire family coming. So whatever dog-and-pony show you plan to pull off
, you will have the whole family at your disposal.” He paused. “For better or worse,” he added wryly.
I looked at Mercutio and said, “I hope people see it for what it is. Two people in love.”
“I doubt it.”
I didn’t like the sound of that.
Chapter Fifteen
When I went home and changed my clothing, my family members wanted to know what this party was about. I told them to come and have a great time and they would soon find out.
I got up to my room. We lived in an old hotel that they turned into a mansion. I have six brothers and sisters and I am the oldest. I had my own apartment inside the property. I went up to my room and got ready.
I took a long slow shower. I hadn’t slept much in the last few days and I was enjoying the hot water as it hit the center of my back. I adjusted my shoulder blades and aimed the hot water on top of them individually, as if a masseuse was tenderizing a muscle.
It was an amazing feeling as the water hit my body, as if my old life was being washed away. Inside, I was ready to celebrate all
of the things my love for Juliet had to offer. But, when I thought about the outside world and how we would be perceived, that made me nervous. Then when I thought about being able to spend every waking moment with her, I knew it was all going to be worth it.
I got out of the shower and put on a pair of black slacks and a white button-down shirt. I then put on a dark navy blazer and finished it off with a long skinny black tie. I thought I had never looked better.
Everyone in the Montague house had left for the party a couple of hours ago. I wanted to go there later, alone. I took a cab to Central Park because it wasn’t too far away.
I got dropped off near the southeast entrance. From there, I did a slow walk up to the parties. I wasn’t sure how I got here so fast. But, I was here, and I loved every minute of it. I began to walk faster, anticipating the big night ahead.
I looked straight ahead. The organizers set up the area exactly as had I asked. About a couple thousand feet into the southeast entrance was a beautiful white stage.
There were two tents, side by side, under a mesmerizing blue glow of light that was added to create an ambiance. One tent was for the Capulets and their vampire kinsmen. It was a tent that catered to a vampire audience. It had all the things that vampires would like for a party. Kegs of blood, and lots of alcohol. Their tent faced the southeast entrance and was roped off, right in front of the second tent.
