I rush to look at it. There in the walk in closet hangs a garment bag holding my wedding dress. I unzip it and stare at the dress that I will wear into a new and everlasting phase of my life. I sigh in contentment.
“You will be heart-breaking, love,” Aidan whispers over my shoulder.
“Thank you, Aidan. I was going for stunning.”
“You are stunning in anything you wear.”
I jab him in the stomach, actually his rock-hard abs. If you get to pick your own body might as well make it devastating. Lucky djinn.
“You’re naughty,” I say over my shoulder and he kisses the top of my head.
“Lily, are you ready yet?” Helena calls. “Your dress looks beautiful, doesn’t it? They did a good job with it.”
“Yes, do you think it is a mistake not having a veil?”
“No, I think veils are old-fashioned. It will be fine. You still have your mother’s comb to wear. Now hurry and get ready. Aidan, come with me and tell me what happened last night,” Helena says as she shuffles Aidan out of the room.
I hurry through a shower and get dressed. When I come out of the bathroom, Helena, Hannah and Aidan are waiting for me. We link hands and are whisked to a prestigious salon in the city. When we land, Helena quickly takes charge.
“We want to get the works. We have appointments and a wedding to go to tonight so we can’t be late.”
“Yes, madam, where is the bride?” the owner of the salon asks.
“Here I am.”
“I will be taking care of you myself. Let’s get started with a mud bath. It is heavenly for your skin. Soften you right up.”
I smile at her and wave to the others as they are led on to their adventures. The mud is very relaxing. Next they want to wax my eyebrows but since they were exactly the way I wanted them when I was turned, there is nothing to do so they move on to my nails and toenails. I love getting my feet done. The warm water is heavenly. I decide to have a French manicure. Keep it simple. Aidan is tagging along as we move through the various stations, chatting me up all the while. After my nails we move to my hair.
Aidan had planted a bug in Basilio’s phone and GPS on his car. Every time there is some action he gets a text and listens in on his bluetooth. Occasionally he gets a far off look as he listens. Then when he comes back to me he smiles and shakes his head. Nothing interesting happening yet. He takes a minute out to listen as they tackle my hair.
The shampoo girl washes my hair and applies a deep conditioning treatment. Everyone else is getting their hair done at the same time so we talk. I only wish Manda was here sharing it and talking about her upcoming nuptials with Aidan as I tell the stylist to put small curls in all over. It takes a lot of products to get it to hold and overrule the crazy curls that usually take over, but finally we win. Everyone looks great. We walk around the corner to an alley and take each other’s hands and transmanifest back to my bungalow. It’s strange how we are living on two levels. On one we are immersed in one of the biggest days of my life. On a deeper level we are grieving and anxious over one of our own. Manda is always on our minds.
“Lily, do you want some wine or coffee, dear? You can’t leave. I don’t want Sebastian to see you and he is sure to be pacing the villa by now,” Helena says.
“Some coffee would be great.”
Aidan summons another peppermint mocha and then some coffee and tea for the rest of the party. We sit around on our little veranda and chat until it is time to get ready, an hour before the limos will be here to pick us up. Helena and Hannah leave to get dressed in their simple, silver satin dresses. Aidan keeps me company. He changes his clothes in a flash to a gorgeous tuxedo. He is mouthwatering.
“I’m tempting you. I can see it in your eyes,” he grins.
“You look very nice, Aidan.”
“I could help you undress if you wanted,” he asks with a sly smile.
“Behave yourself, Aidan.”
“That’s against my nature, love.” We both know he is trying to put on a good face for my day. I hope soon I’ll be doing the same for him.
“We’re back…” Helena sings out. “Let’s get you into your dress, Lily. Aidan, you need to leave for a few minutes. Now.” Aidan grins again before he disappears. “What lingerie are you wearing? Oh, that’s perfect. Where did Sebastian put his mother’s necklace? I’ll go get it.”
“It’s in the wall safe. The combination is 19-06-10-87.”
“Got it. Hannah, help me hold the dress while Lily steps into it.”
“’Lil, this dress is so beautiful. Sebastian is going to wig out when he sees you in it. What does your bouquet look like?” Hannah asks.
“Calla lilies and white roses.”
“Nice.”
“The church is full of lilies, roses and candles, or at least should be by now,” Helena says. “Keep your fingers crossed, ladies.”
I slip into my dress and Helena deftly does the hundred buttons covered in silk. I slip into my heels, Jimmy Choo bridal, then Helena helps me put on Sebastian’s mother’s jewels. The necklace is an intricate design, double-layered sapphires and diamonds with matching earrings. I turn around so everyone can see.
“Oh man, Lily, that is epic. It makes the dress,” Hannah says.
“You wear it like a queen, my dear,” Helena says.
“It’s heavy. I feel very vulnerable in it.”
“Sebastian is going to die, Lily. He is just going to die.” Hannah is ogling.
“Let me fetch Aidan. I am going to have him pop us to the church. I don’t want to take a chance on letting Bast see you or us wrinkling our dresses,” Helena says as she leaves the room. I have Hannah help me put my mother’s sapphire comb in my hair.
Soon Helena is walking back in with Aidan. His eyes never leave me.
“You look very beautiful, Lilith,” he says in a husky voice.
“Thank you, Aidan.”
“Aidan, will you pop us to the church? I don’t want anyone to see us. I believe we are ready to go. I told the gentlemen that we were leaving and they were almost ready,” Helena tells us.
Aidan takes my hand and kisses it. Then he kisses my cheek. He takes Helena’s hand, kisses it and joins it with Hannah’s, kissing it also before we pop over to the church.
“My girls are growing up,” Aidan says when we arrive. It’s a throwback to the movie Aladdin, one of his favorites. Of course he whoops it up when the jinni gets set free.
We are a quiet group. Aidan holds my hand the whole time and keeps running his thumb across my palm. I am starting to get nervous. I’m not sure why. I think it is a good kind of nervous. I ask Helena for my hand sanitizer about three times, being extra careful not to get any on my dress.
The Basilica di San Lorenzo is a non-descript church from the outside, inside it is all lit up with candles. We landed in front and walked into a fairy tale picture. The architecture is rocking it, as Hannah would say. The Medici Family used this church as their family parish church and the statues and frescoes are flawless. Flowers and candles decorate every square inch of available surface. A wide white runner covers the middle aisle. We wait in a side chapel until the big event. Father Benedetto greets us girls. We chat briefly before the photographer moves in to take some candid shots of us as we wait. I hear the quartet warming up. I hear when Sebastian and the men arrive. Aidan leaves my side for a minute to get them and then returns to me. Julian will stand up with him. I let out a big breath of air. So not easy when you don’t breathe, but necessary to calm my nerves. Aidan hands me my hand sanitizer for what I hope is the last time tonight. He kisses my cheek.
“You look beautiful and are beautiful. Sebastian is beyond lucky to be getting your hand in marriage tonight. I hope you are as happy for us as I am for you when Manda and I have our day.”
“I will, dearest.”
TEN / LILITH
The music starts. My cue to line up behind Helena. Hannah is first in line. Finally it is my turn. Diel, Aidan, Andrew, Liam, the Ki
ng and Armand stand up as the wedding march begins. Diel and Andrew are holding the babies and Hades sits proudly next to them.
I search for Sebastian’s eyes. He looks at me with an expression of awe. My gaze never leaves his the entire trip down the aisle. When I reach him, he takes my hands and kisses them.
“I love you,” he whispers.
“I love you, too.”
The ceremony is a full mass. There is something magickal about celebrating mass in this ancient church. Sebastian stares at me. He holds my hand the entire time. I hear Andrew sniffing and smile. I am blessed with friends. Bast’s hands shake when he puts his ring on my finger.
When it is over, Father Benedetto pronounces us Mr. and Mrs. St. John and tells Sebastian he can kiss me. Which he does, very sweetly in front of all our family and friends.
The music swells and we join our family for their congratulations. We are swarmed with hugs and kisses. Aidan shakes Bast’s hand and they lock eyes for a minute before Sebastian smiles at him. Men! Julian slips Father Benedetto a handsome gift for performing the ceremony and we are on our way.
Sebastian and I leave in our limousine that is stocked with chilled champagne. Bast quickly puts up the divider and turns to me.
“I have never seen anything more stunning than you are tonight, mon amour. You take my breath away. I meant every word I said tonight. I promise to love you until the end of time if we are lucky enough to live that long. Nothing will keep me from you, cherie.”
“And I meant every word I said tonight, Sebastian. I will love you forever. I promise to take care of you, to honor you and cherish you forever. I love you so much my heart aches from it.” Somehow repeating our vows again to each other gives them even more weight.
Sebastian kisses me like he is afraid I will disappear. We embrace and kiss all the way back to the villa, whispering love words, and being generally mushy and I am loving it.
I am a little disappointed when we pull up at the front door. I was lost in Sebastian. Everything seems mystical tonight. We get out of the car, hand in hand to cheers from our friends. Sebastian has one of his five hundred-watt smiles on his face, so genuine, so contagious.
The musicians aren’t here yet but the bar is set up so everyone wanders about with their drinks. The King makes the first toast.
“To the happy couple. May you have five hundred years of happiness.”
Sebastian whispers that five hundred years won’t be nearly enough.
“May you always feel like you do this moment,” Julian says.
“May your love for each other continue to grow,” Helena says.
Aidan doesn’t toast us. He winks at me instead. The quartet arrives, tunes up and begins to play. Sebastian asks me to dance immediately and leads me out to the center of the patio. The pool shines in the moonlight and floating candles sway gracefully on the water.
Dancing under the stars on my wedding night. I will never forget this moment. Aidan summons candelabras and places them around the terrace. Andrew and Liam circle the patio and light them. Aidan could have lit them but he recognizes Andrew’s need to help. The night is perfect. True to his word, Sebastian doesn’t release me for a second. We dance continuously and kiss while we dance. Finally, Julian steps in and demands a dance with the bride.
“My child, you are glowing. I am very proud of you and Sebastian tonight. You make me think I might have to ask Helena to marry me.”
“I doubt she would,” I laugh.
“You’re probably right. She is stubborn.”
When our dance is over, Aidan steps in. He dances wonderfully and whisks me around the little stone terrace.
“You broke my heart tonight, love. Unfortunately I will live through it.”
“You flatter me. I know you are really thinking of Manda. Will you keep a cell phone on you during the next week? I know you hate them but I want to stay in touch with you while we are away.”
“Will you really call me on your honeymoon?”
“Yes, I will. You and Hannah are my best friends and, well, more than that. I will miss you.”
“I will keep a cell phone on and charged even, just for you. Love, I thought you were going away for a month?”
“We changed our minds. We’re going to take a week and then get back to the business of finding Manda. Even taking a week doesn’t feel right.”
“Thank you, love. Take your week and don’t let my troubles interfere. You deserve this time.”
“A problem for you is a problem for us too. We love you, Aidan. I’ve told you are family.”
He bends down and gives me a quick kiss on the lips and then he hands me off to Sebastian, he takes both our hands. Sebastian doesn’t even look upset. I smile up at him and he smiles down at me.
“For my dearest friend, I give you a wedding gift that will fulfill your lives in a way you have only dreamed about,” Aidan hints.
“What is it?” Sebastian asks.
“Something that will take about nine months to grow.”
My mouth is hanging open.
“But that’s impossible,” I whisper. My voice is almost a hiss. How dare he play with my emotions like this?
“Nothing is impossible with a little Djinn magick, love.” He caresses my cheek. “Sebastian, you will be a wonderful husband and father. I pray Manda and I have this opportunity one day.”
“You will my friend. We will find her. I promise we will,” Sebastian says gripping Aidan on the shoulder.
“Thank you, Sebastian,” Aidan says, letting his pain show for a brief moment.
“Is it really possible Aidan,” I whisper, afraid to hope.
“Yes, it really is. It’s a gift I don’t give lightly. I could think of no better gift to give to you, Lilith. I know you have secretly wanted this and you will be amazing at it.” He smiles down at me and kisses my cheek and then shakes Sebastian’s hand.
Sebastian pulls me in close to him. I am holding his hand and start running my nails over his ring. It makes me smile to see it on his finger. He looks down at what I am doing and grins.
“I never thought I would see one of those on my hand, cherie. You have tamed me. You didn’t even have to try. I did all the work, I think.”
“I think you are right. Can’t we make all these people go away and start our honeymoon right now?” I beg him. “I want to open Aidan’s present.”
He laughs his rich deep laugh. Everyone looks over with indulgent smiles. I love laying my head on his chest when he laughs like that.
I sigh. Sebastian was right when he said that when I sigh, I am home. I am where I need to be when I am with him.
Soon the party starts to wind down as far as the music and the bar are concerned. They each are paid well and sent on their ways. The vampires are anything but tired. Everyone is sitting in groups talking. Sebastian and I think we have been good long enough. We decide to say good night to everyone.
“Since my wife will be sleeping away half of tomorrow, I plan on making the most of tonight, so we are going to retire now. Good night to you all,” Sebastian says.
Everyone laughs and either comes to kiss us goodnight or waves to us.
We walk arm-in-arm to the bungalow where Sebastian swings me up into his arms.
“Is it not tradition, cherie?”
“I believe it is when we return home, love.”
“Well, I will have to do it then and then again when we move into our new home,” he laughs.
“It’s a deal! I love when you do this.”
“Then I shall do it much more often,” he says kissing me.
We continue kissing for a long time. Sebastian puts me down and starts unbuttoning my dress and occasionally kisses the back of my neck or runs a finger across my shoulders, sending shivers down me. It takes forever. Finally we get it off and hang it up. The lingerie speeds things up considerably. Sebastian starts to take his clothes off and I stop him. I want to undress my husband, slowly. He groans as I kiss his hard chest and ripped abs one at
a time.
We make love like we are discovering each other’s bodies for the first time. Our lovemaking is so sweet and gentle. We are husband and wife now. The words have impact and meaning. When we are done we hold each other until dawn. If a baby is made this night it will have been conceived in the most loving way possible.
I wake up to Sebastian’s naked and willing body and it isn’t long before we are up to no good. Our lovemaking is just as magickal as the night before. Eventually we have to face the afternoon – and meet with our family before they head back. Aidan is going to transmanifest them all back. They will be going in groups and Aidan will send the luggage ahead of them.
“Bonjour, Helena,” Sebastian says.
“You look in an especially good mood today, Sebastian.”
“I am. My wife is beautiful. I love saying ‘my wife.’”
Julian gives Helena an arch look and she pretends to ignore it. It is an ongoing thing. She, the most romantic of souls, avoids anything to do with marriage, though they have been together over five hundred years.
“I talked to the Blvediks and they are already moved out and I have a crew in cleaning the house and making small repairs. I will not have any painting done or anything like that until you and Lily see it so you can decide what you want to do.”
“Shh… that’s on the down low, Helena. No use causing Andrew to go into fight or flight mode.” I carefully look around us and see it’s just Helena and Julian so far.
“Thank you, Helena. I will leave the decorating up to Lily. She, I mean, my wife, has excellent taste,” he smiles.
I kiss him. “My husband is incorrigible.”
“Yes, he is,” Helena says.
“Has anyone seen Hannah yet?” Aidan says as he walks in.
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