Chasing Shadows

by Rebbeca Stoddard

  Tears streaked down my cheeks as I climbed into my bed. Legally we wouldn’t be married in human courts. Tomorrow morning we were going to say different words in a different ceremony that would be permanent. We would be married in the eyes of the gods, which was way more serious than the legal courts of the mortal world. I sat up and thought about what was going to happen. In a few short hours, I was going to be forced out of bed by my mother and the nymphs. Clamora would prepare me for a few of the steps that I needed to take before standing next to Sebastian. I was going to wear the dress we had bought for homecoming, and I wasn’t going to wear a veil. The gods didn’t see a point in hiding the face of the woman you loved when getting married. Since the occasion was important, I would wear a white fluffy flower with rhinestones in my hair and would carry a white rose. However it wasn’t a human occasion, so we didn’t need a cake or massive amounts of food on short notice. It didn’t feel like my life was over, or like it was beginning. All I felt was scared and excited. Emotions racked my brain as I thought about marrying the one person—well, the one vampire—I couldn’t live without. My thoughts took a happy turn and I smiled. I thought about what it would mean for us when we won against the u da yv la dv. With a smile on my face and happy images bouncing through my head, I lay back down and closed my eyes.

  At seven in the morning, my mom came in with a plate full of eggs, sausage, bacon, and cheesy potatoes. I had already been awake for an hour, waiting for the craziness to begin. My mom had decided she wanted to make it as human as possible without inviting a whole bunch of people or any family that wasn’t immediate. Alexandier didn’t even know what was going on, which was probably for the best. He would fuss and worry about whether this was really what I wanted. It was kind of sad that he wouldn’t be there, my big brother, to sit close to me while I spoke some of the most important words of my life. Sighing softly, I dug into the breakfast and ate most of it before pushing it away. Once my mom ran downstairs to put the plate away, I hopped into the shower and wiped the sleep out of my eyes. By the time I was out with my hair dried and my teeth brushed, Clamora and the nymphs had arrived.

  Seeing Clamora standing on her own and out of the hospital made me smile. Her hair was still silver and her body was still worn down a bit. I was just happy that she was alive and able to be here. Everyone was designated to do something to get me ready. Fiora was going to do my makeup, Willow my hair, my mom my nails, and Clamora would prepare me for some of the words I would speak and the way the ceremony was going to happen. We took up shop in the bathroom, and they each went to work. My hair was pulled, twisted, brushed, teased, curled, straightened, and pinned, all while Fiora plucked, concealed, applied, rubbed off, and reapplied makeup. The only two who weren’t causing any pain or annoyance were my mom and Clamora. They sat there silently, giving advice when asked, and shot me pitying looks.

  Once the nymphs were done, they rushed around to get themselves ready while Clamora walked me through the steps. “Believe it or not, these are a lot like mortal weddings, more than you would think. Most of the time if a father figure is present he will walk the female down to the altar. That is what your father will be doing. In a way, it is like giving the bride away, but that’s not exactly what it is. The job of the father is to say the okay and allow the ceremony to take place. Once that is done, Hera will begin the marriage. The vows are not the same for supernaturals as they are for humans. They will be far more in-depth and permanent. There is no backing down or divorcing if you argue or fight with each other. This marriage is forever. Complex forms of ‘I do’s’ will be said, and you will then have to kiss. Before it is completely finished, Sebastian will have to take a vow for the gods in front of all, as will you. As soon as the vow is completed, if the gods feel like it was all sincere, an intricate tattoo will form on both of you. Matching in size, shape, color, and area, it will represent your love and the vows you took. It will sting a bit, much like the one on your back did. But it will be finished before you can even think too much on it. Then it is over—it will be finished.” Clamora took a deep breath and smiled. She rose from the edge of my bed and walked out of my room.

  “You have a tattoo?” my mother asked as she finished my nails.

  “Yeah, I actually forgot about it,” I said with my forehead crinkled.

  “How did you get it?”

  “After I completed my change, it popped up. It’s really pretty.” I stared at the door, wondering why Clamora had left the way she did. Her smile had been sad. Part of me knew she left because she didn’t want to cry in front of me, or be asked what was wrong or what had happened. Clamora had been secretive from the beginning, and that wasn’t about to change now. I sighed and my mom left me alone in my room to get dressed.

  The garment bag sat perfectly on my bed. It had been unzipped about a quarter of the way to let my dress breathe. No one had seen it except my mom and me. All the thoughts I had been having the night before finally came rushing back. I was terrified. Even though I knew Sebastian was the one for me, my soul mate, it was scary to realize we were getting closer to everything that I had been trying to ignore. Through all the craziness that was happening, through all of my fears and worries, this was going to be the best day of my life. I was going to marry Sebastian. Sure, we probably wouldn’t have anyone toasting us after the ceremony or any delicious food while people danced the night away. But that was all okay. Once we were finished, I was going to have the best person I could have ever met by my side forever. Taking a deep breath, I moved toward the bag and unzipped it the rest of the way.

  Chapter 11

  Shortly after I slid into my dress, my mom came in and buttoned the back. Once it was buttoned, I remembered the feeling that came over me when I tried it on—that great things would happen in this dress. I smiled and tried to smooth down every surface of the beautiful dress in order to keep from crying. Fiora would kill me if I messed up my makeup. Taking deep breaths, I slid into my black Toms. My mom laughed when she saw me and handed me a shoebox. Inside was a pair of ivory flats that had a small dusting of glitter so they shimmered softly in the light. Smiling at my mom, I slipped out of my Toms and into my new flats. They matched perfectly with my dress. In that moment I felt more beautiful than I had ever felt before.

  Fiora and Willow burst into my room, both dressed in beautiful maxi dresses that matched their personalities. Willow’s hair was down but had one small braid framing her face, while Fiora threw her hair up in pins; it was wild and messy while still looking absolutely beautiful on her. No one had allowed me to look in a mirror until I was completely ready. While my mom rummaged around my closet to get a full-length mirror, Willow placed the delicate flower in my hair, pinning it so it stayed no matter what I did. My mother emerged from the closet and made me close my eyes before she set the mirror down. I already knew how the dress looked on me, but I didn’t know what Willow had done to my hair or Fiora had done to my face. Everyone in the room shuffled around on nervous feet, and I waited a few more seconds before opening my eyes. When it sounded like the nymphs and my mom were anxiously bouncing around, I did.

  Willow had curled every inch of my hair and softly pinned parts back. The curls weren’t over the top; they were subtle and soft. She had teased the crown of my head to give my hair a little bit of volume and had placed the white flower delicately on the right side of my hair, pushing more strands toward the back and revealing bits of my slender neck. Once I finished gazing at the flawless job she had done, I looked at my makeup. A thin line of eyeliner created the stage for my eyelids. Soft gray and gold shadow made my green eyes vibrant and big. Large amounts of mascara had been applied to my lashes, making them much longer than normal. She had played with my cheekbones using soft pink blush that lined them wonderfully. Their work went along with my dress fantastically. I felt like I had stepped out of catalog or a movie. Excitement welled within me, and I couldn’t help but twirl around and laugh.

  The feeling in the air seemed to shift, and I t
urned and looked at the door. My dad stepped in with a big smile on his face. He looked happy to see me, but I knew he was worried. I was his baby girl, growing up too fast, ready to take on the world and save it from something much worse than demons and nightmares. Everyone had left us alone, probably to give us some time to talk before I made a vow in front of the gods. His eyes moved around nervously and he twisted his hands anxiously. Smiling, I sat down carefully on my bed and waited for him to join me. Once he sat down with me I held his hand and placed my head on his shoulder. No matter what happened, I would always be his little girl. I would always need my dad. Careful not to wrinkle his clothes or mine, he pulled me into a tight hug and held me there.

  “I’ll always be your little girl, Daddy,” I whispered.

  He sniffed softly, probably in hopes that I wouldn’t hear it. “I know, baby. I know.” He squeezed me one last time before letting me go.

  It was chilly outside, and I hugged my dad closer as we walked into the backyard. The whole thing wasn’t a big ordeal; at least it wasn’t supposed to be. We weren’t doing a normal mortal ceremony. The one we were doing one much more serious, it was life-bonding. Shivers prickled my skin. We had begun our journey down an aisle that seemed much longer than it was.

  No music played, no one rose to their feet, and no one wore anything super fancy except for Sebastian and me. Sebastian. My thoughts raced through memories and thoughts of him as my dad and I slowly walked forward. We had only known each other for a few months, but here we were. There was no doubt in my mind that Sebastian was my other half, my soul mate, the one sent to me to match my being perfectly, to keep me sane and grounded. Feeling suddenly emotional and shy, I peeked up at him from under my eyelashes. He was handsome and utterly perfect in a black suit. His hair was tucked down neatly where it needed to be and pulled and twisted up in other places. My heartbeat sped into overdrive; it threatened to flutter out of my chest and race toward his heart. We belonged together. And thankfully, we would forever be together.

  The air crackled and sputtered heavily around us, signaling a god was coming. Lightning strikes popped up all around us, and the gods and goddesses from the other night appeared before us. My parents were both wide eyed as they watched the scene before them. Beautiful men and women dressed in elegant togas stood gracefully where the lightning had scarred the ground. One last crack in the sky signaled Hera’s arrival. We made it safely to the altar. I smiled at Sebastian first then bowed my head gently toward Hera. The goddess of marriage was here, which meant we were officially ready to get started.

  “As AubrieAnna’s father, please answer this, Mr. Lukenson: Are you prepared to give your daughter to this vampire, to allow him to care for her even in the most sacred and horrendous of times? To love her as no other could?” Hera’s voice rippled through the air.

  “Are you ready for this, baby?” my dad whispered to me.

  “Yes, I am.” I smiled and kissed his cheek.

  “I will allow it.” My father placed my hand gently into Sebastian’s as he said the words.

  “Then it shall be.” Her voice had a solid ring of finality in it.

  “We stand here today before the gods and goddesses of Olympus to perform the most sacred of all ceremonies. The binding of AubrieAnna and Sebastian will last forever. Their souls will search in eternity for each other should they be separated. A journey will begin today, one that will never be forgotten. This is the first ceremony that will help heal our world, your world.” Hera paused and looked around at the many faces that had come to witness our ceremony. “Sebastian, do you vow before the gods to keep her safe, watch over her, and if death comes calling to try to save her from it, even if it means taking your own life instead?” Hera turned toward Sebastian and questioned him.

  “I solemnly vow to do so,” he answered with a smile on his face.

  “AubrieAnna, do you vow before the gods to protect him, save him, and love him through even the toughest of battles?” Hera turned to me.

  “I solemnly vow to do so,” I replied.

  “Sebastian, you may speak of your promises and vows to AubrieAnna.”

  “I promise to keep you safe and protect you through everything that is going to come our way. I will never let anyone harm you, and I will tear down cities and towns to find you if you get lost or stolen from me. I vow to keep your heart beating and to keep my love for you for eternity. I swear to allow you to get angry with me and still love you through it, even if you are not correct. I also promise to always tell you that you are right, even if you are not. I will die for you and kill for you. I will be the rock that you need, shelter to keep you warm, and a shoulder to cry on when everything becomes too much. These are my promises and vows to you.” He squeezed my hands and smiled brightly at me when he finished.

  “AubrieAnna, you may speak of your promises and vows to Sebastian.”

  I took a deep breath. “I promise to love you more than anyone has ever loved you before. I will always watch out for you and keep you safe from harm. I will sacrifice myself for you to keep you from death, from sickness, from pain, and from sadness. I vow to help you find your way when you are lost, and I will search viciously when you are not to be found. I swear to share my life with you, to tell you what I need to and want to, and to try not to get too cross with you when you try to take control to save me, even if it is from myself. I promise to take care of you, and when the time is right to take care of a family that we will share. These are just a small few, but these are my promises and vows to you.” I smiled and blinked back a few tears.

  “These vows and promises have been heard by the gods and have been sealed with the golden ring of a bond.” I looked around, curious as to what she meant by the golden ring of a bond, and I gasped in surprise. Surrounding Sebastian and me was a small gold thread; it shimmered and danced around us. “The golden ring can be seen by those who recognize the bonding of your souls. The bond is now to be sealed with one more thing, a kiss of the souls.” Hera stepped back and nodded at us.

  Sebastian pulled me into him gently, as if my being would shatter under his touch if he were too rough. His eyes softly searched mine, and his hands cupped my face. I felt my eyes close and his lips brush against mine. The second our lips touched, I felt my soul touch his. I felt them connect, collide, and dance. I didn’t have to open my eyes to see the gold ring brighten and pull tighter around us. Dots scattered across my eyelids, and my soul slowly came back into my body, reconnecting at every edge of my being. Sebastian must have felt it too, because he pulled away slowly. Everyone clapped in awe of our kiss. My body felt strange, stronger and tight. The burning itchy sensation of the tattoo came and went on my ring finger. When we turned to look at Hera; she nodded and smiled at us. Our bond was complete. Our ceremony was finished. Sebastian and I were bonded. The thought made me feel giddy and excited.

  Hours had passed and we stood in the dining room talking with everyone, smiling and enjoying food and refreshments. Before the ceremony, I had told my mom I didn’t want to have a dance or anything, that we could do that at the human version. Fiora and Willow laughed and told me how romantic our promises and vows were. They had both cried helplessly and had to use many tissues to keep their makeup from smearing. When they finished complimenting me, they went and hugged Sebastian and told him how happy they were for him. My dad hugged Sebastian too and welcomed him into the family. He swore on his mother’s grave that if anything ever happened to me that he would kill Sebastian. Sebastian, being the scaredy-cat he was, nodded and told my dad that he wouldn’t have to kill him because if anything happened to me then he would do the job himself. Of course, my mother cried on him and hugged him tightly, telling him how grateful she was that he was now bonded with me. Clamora stood back and waited patiently to talk to us once everyone had settled down and floated off into their own conversations. She told me that just because we were now bonded and stuck together didn’t mean that I was off the hook for training and learning new things about sup
ernaturals. I smiled at her and agreed. Although she was distant with me, I knew she was happy that we had done the ceremony.

  All the events of the day flashed through my mind. The long hours of getting ready, the slow walk down the aisle, the sweet words that were spoken, all of it was worth the feeling I had. I felt whole, happy, and stronger than ever. Exhaustion slowly crept over me as my thoughts floated around my mind. Sighing softly, I excused myself from the room and headed up the stairs to my bedroom. Once I was in my room, I smiled to myself and walked to the bathroom. A warm bath sounded perfect, and I turned the faucet on to let the tub fill up. Turning back toward my bedroom, I reached up my back and tried to flick open the buttons. Sighing, I thought about just tearing the dress off, but I couldn’t do that. We still had homecoming to attend to. I sat down and contemplated calling someone up to help me out of the dress when Sebastian peeked his head in. When he saw me, he entered and offered to help. Standing up, I turned my back to him and he got the buttons open easily. Feeling shy, I hugged the dress to my body and disappeared with a hanger into the bathroom.

  My tub was full of warm water and bubbles. I stepped in and waited for Sebastian to come in. He waited for a few more minutes then came in the bathroom. Noticing a chair from this morning, he pulled it up next to the tub and sat down. Once he was comfortable, he bent down and took his socks and shoes off, then rolled his pant legs up and stuck his feet into the water. I laughed and flicked bubbles at him. He smiled back and wiggled his toes in the water. The mood went from silly to serious in a flash. Sebastian sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “AubrieAnna, I want to talk to you about a few things.” He looked at me with a fire in his eyes that I couldn’t quite read. I had never seen anyone look at me like that before, so intense and deep.