I knew he could hear it, but I didn't care. I did love Dom. I loved him in a way that stories were based on- in a way that little girls dream about- the only problem was that I loved someone else as well. I had a hard time fully letting Mike go, I had dreamt of him since I was a little girl and then I found him! Can you believe it; I got the guy of my dreams? It so doesn't seem possible, but it happened- and then I lost him. Why does that happen? Whose story is this? What happened to happily ever after? I sighed out in frustration.
If Dominic heard any of my mental muttering, he never mentioned it; he merely leaned over and kissed my forehead.
“Mia bella let us go home for dinner. I am sure some of the guests will have arrived by now.” He smiled at me a crooked smile and I nearly fainted.
I nodded and we walked hand in hand together to the car. To be quite honest, I was a little nervous that I'd see Mike again and somehow embarrass myself again, or hurt Dominic. It made me a little jumpy to say the least, but I got through the whole episode relatively well.
I calmed down dramatically once we got out of town.
“Emma.” His voice showed the effort he made to keep it sounding controlled.
“Yup.” I was worried I had done something.
“Thank you.” In those two simple words I felt like he was saying a million things. I tried to probe his mind, but it was locked sealed tight.
Just when I thought I wouldn't get anything, he flashed me an image of Mike.
“You're welcome.” I wasn't exactly sure what I was being thanked for, but I knew he needed to hear my acknowledgment of his gratitude.
When we got home, the scene was very familiar from not so long ago. The house was once again ablaze in the dimming sunlight. It looked very welcoming. This time, the front porch held decorations for the ball tomorrow. There were black streamers twisted around some of the columns with my red flower seemingly growing up them. Everything was done with elegance; that was slightly annoying because I surely would not call myself elegant.
The front door was open and I could see further decorating had gone on while we were in town. Dom circled the driveway once and then parked in the garage.
“You ready for your moment of absolute glory?” I wasn't sure if he was serious or joking.
“Bring it on.” It was a good response when I was slightly confused.
We walked into the kitchen which was full of people working hard to get the evening's meal together. I was always a little startled to find strangers in different parts of the house for these kinds of events. Generally we didn't have any sort of staff. I never wondered how everything got done, but now I understood. I could tell that there were a couple of major chefs and the rest were merely pawns in the kitchen game.
Our entrance caused not even the slightest hitch in their flow. I assumed they were afraid to screw up because at least one of the chefs looked like he could easily blow a fuse.
We went into the dining room first, but it was empty … never a good sign since it meant that we had more guests than could fit in our oversized dining room. I tried to be positive, but I felt my movements begin to slow. Dominic noticed instantly.
“Is there a particular reason your feet have been weighed down or just for the fun of it?” His voice was all mocking.
“Bite me.” I hissed at him.
“Don't tempt me, Emma.” The tone was both dangerous and seductive.
I looked at his eyes and blushed.
The living room was turned into the dining room for tonight but I could tell that they had begun to set up for tomorrow as well. I hated to note that there were even more place settings this time than at my birthday. How will they fit all these people in here? It didn't seem possible, even for Houdini.
They will manage. You'd be surprised. Dom sounded a little bitter, but I let it pass.
Ah, Emma. I was hoping you'd arrive soon. Your dress, shoes, and jewelry arrived while you were gone. My mother's voice penetrated my mental haven.
Thank you, mother. I hated nothing more than her sudden desire to be a better mother. It made me want to puke.
If you want you can go up and look, I had that young girl servant that helped last time take it up to your room. Dinner will be a little late tonight, due to our guests. You and Dominic should both change. Her motherly concern was fake, but the desire to want to appear perfect wasn't.
Her name is Mary! I felt disgusted about the fact that something like a name of another living being wasn't important to her.
“Yes, yes, dear.” Clearly I was dismissed.
I stomped off toward my room.
“Em, don't get upset with her. It is the lifestyle that changes the people. But your mother has always been treated as royalty. Your entire family has, even by the human world. Both of our families have. But it doesn't mean that when you are in a place of power that you have to be like them.” He smiled and walked off into the room that he was using while he was here.
I walked up the stairs and felt highly confused. Clearly Dom had learned to handle this life better than I was doing. He also knew how to handle the snobs that our parents were. I couldn't help but wonder what made him different from it all since he grew up with it.
I learned from everyone. His thoughts gently flapped against mine like the wings of a butterfly.
It never stopped surprising me when someone else's voice entered my mind. I didn't respond, I was merely thankful for him explaining to me.
My room was dark and I wanted to see all the details of my attire for tomorrow, so I flicked on the light. I had switched the bulb when the changed occurred so the light wouldn't blind me. It was strange to see with my new vision and I generally noticed it when I was in my room. I had all the memories from before my change and I could remember how everything looked to me then. Somehow the world had gotten sharper, crisp, and a little less hidden. My room was no exception. I missed the look of it before. It made me want to move things and make it more accommodating to my new sight. But I couldn't bring myself to change something that I had been so in love with- so it stayed the same.
I found my dress hung on the huge mirror that had been brought in for the last big event here. I really hated to have to walk into a room and be faced with three versions of myself. Now my features were a tiny bit sharper, my skin was smooth and perfect, and my color had faded the slightest bit more. I was a pale ivory soap bar.
I grabbed the dress from the hanger and held it to my body. The darkness was a beautiful contrast to my light skin. Tomorrow would be lovely and everything would go as planned. Too bad I couldn't share it with Mike. The thought leaked out before my brain even had a chance to catch it. Let him go, Emma! I shouted at myself. I knew the household would hear me, but I didn't care. This was my problem and I was going to deal with it.
I went to my closest and pulled out a hunter green, long-sleeved dress. It was made of a clingy material, and it only went to right above my knee. It was young but appropriate for tonight. I really hated all the pressure that was now on me to uphold the family name. If they had wanted me to able to do all this stuff perfectly then they should have raised me as a royal or something. Frustration oozed from every pore.
I slipped the dress on and pulled my dark locks into a tight bun at the nape of my neck. I did gentle eyeliner- my family would be pleased- and a clear lip gloss. I really didn't want to put shoes on, but I slipped on a pair of black, ballet-like slippers.
I walked downstairs to a room full of mental greetings awaiting me. The noise was deafening.
Congratulations, Emma! A heavy Russian accent said.
Welcome Change, Emma! A nasal, mid-western voice greeted.
Hooray! Great Change! An English woman shouted.
Merry Met and Change, Young One! An ancient voice said that held a whole lot of languages in one.
Emma. I could pick his voice out of them. Don't get overwhelmed, keep walking and say your general thank you, you will get to meet each person tomorrow. I knew that no one else coul
d hear him.
I smiled as widely and perfectly as I could manage with the barrage of voices shouting in my head. Thank you all for coming and for your congratulations. They are greatly appreciated. I cannot wait to get to meet each and every one of you face to face. It's always good to be able to put a voice to a face. I tapped my head and gestured to everyone. They laughed. I sighed.
Dinner happened in a blur of discussions that I wasn't really involved in, eating delicious foods that were very much imported, and gossip.
I listened to one woman- she could have been the nasal, mid-western voice- talk about how one of the local daughters got caught doing the 'you know what' with one of the human local boys, and she had actually bitten him and there was a huge scandal. The woman, who was short, roundish, and didn't seem overly beautiful to me- maybe she was before she ate the horse and pinched her nose shut- glowed with glee when all the listening females took sharp intakes of breath and then clicked their tongues. I mean, whose business is who's here?
I really wanted to say something, to think something unfortunately, I was stuck being polite. Did I really have to deal with these kinds of people? The answer was, sadly, yes.
I sat patiently as the clock ticked past three in the morning. Inside, I had become blank and desensitized by all that was occurring around me.
We had coffee and sat in smaller groups and they gossiped more. I sat with Dominic, my grandparents, and another couple that was as old as my grandparents. They were polite and spoke mainly of things that my family had once been involved with. They told us about an island that we owned- so didn't know we owned a freaking island! - and how the inhabitants were trading with the people of their island. Their gossip was less about scandals and more about the people that would interest those of us sitting here, and how they were doing. My brain was going to ooze out of my ears.
Mia bella, do you want to leave and go to bed? I always wondered how some people could pick up on some things and others couldn't.
I nodded my head slightly.
“I think that it is time for us younger folk to retire,” Dominic said to the elder group.
“I definitely agree with you Dom, my darling Emma is beginning to look a bit on the exhausted side,” Grandpa said with tenderness.
“Oh, Emma, dear, why didn't you say anything?” the sweet old woman across from me asked, in a pitched voice that made me think of bird calls.
I blushed slightly. “I'm sorry, madam, I was so interested in what everyone had to say. The thought of missing something was far worse than missing some sleep.” I beamed.
My grandparents were obviously pleased with my answer and the other couple also were happy.
“Please, go to bed, dear.” The man patted my hand.
“I think I shall. Please excuse me.” I nodded at the group and kissed my grandparents goodnight.
Dominic escorted me out of the dining area and up to my room.
It was difficult to talk to him when I was so tired. My brain didn't want to work the way it should. I kissed his cheek softly.
“Thank you,” I told him.
“No problem, there was no reason for you to have to sit there any longer. The older we get the more prone we are to forget about the need for sleep. It's very common for elder vampires to stay up at night, just talking about nothing really.” His voice was calm and in my state it became hypnotic.
“I'm so tired. When does everything get started tomorrow, eh, I mean today?” The thought made me feel even more tired.
“Some of the guests are coming for breakfast in about four hours. You could probably miss that fine. Everyone is doing something for lunch. And then there are the activities of greeting and speaking with everyone this evening. Then there will be the dancing, then eating, and then your planned entertainment. All that should begin around four o'clock.” He smiled at me encouragingly.
“Good grief.” I felt overwhelmed.
“Go to bed. I'll wake you when you need to get up.” He kissed my forehead and then walked back downstairs.
I went inside and was very thankful to see my bed. I pulled the clingy dress off and found what I hoped was my pajamas.
When my head landed on my pillow, I wasn't sure if I was still awake. It didn't matter because soon the darkness took.
My dreams were vivid and filled with voices … so many voices. They were all spinning around me without faces. I woke several times only to be pulled back under by the wave of exhaustion. I finally stopped having my nightmare from when I was a little girl. I missed it. I would have easily traded a few tears to have the familiar dream instead of the strangeness that flooded my slumber.
Knock, knock.
Great now the door is talking to me! I really felt insane.
Emma. I told you I would come and wake you. Dom was clearly amused.
Let's call it off and go back to bed instead, okay? I wanted real sleep.
Sorry, Principessa. Your public will be awaiting you in about two hours. Time to get up and start getting ready. His amusement was like music in my head.
No, go away. I'm sleeping … “Wait, did you say two hours?” I shot out of bed.
He smirked. “Yes, I did say two hours. But do not fret, everything is in order. After you shower, the lady from New York will be in to do your hair and makeup.” He gently pushed me toward my bathroom.
“I'm going, I'm going. Jeeze!” I laughed.
The shower was hot, too hot, but I didn't have time to adjust the settings to be perfect. I wish I had a bathroom like Dom's. I sighed at the memory of the awesome bathroom and my time in Italy.
It is always yours, mia bella. Somehow it felt odd enough for me to feel embarrassed that I got caught thinking of him in the shower.
Privacy! I finished washing the soap out of my hair and out of my left eye since I'd opened it when I heard his voice. I could hear his laughter in my head. All I could do was smile in response. I shook my head and got out of the shower.
I grabbed my robe and had enough time to get it tied before the lady from before came barging in.
“Emma, darling, it's been ages. Not to mention that is how long you were in the shower. Do you think masterpieces are created in a few snap minutes?” Monique rambled on at me for a few minutes as she got set up.
Please save me! I listened to her talk about the current styles in New York, how hard it was to book her, and how lucky we were. I decided that I liked her better the last time.
“So, I was thinking that we would do the same thing with your hair as last time, being that you have another hairpin? As for your makeup, I think that since you are even lighter than last time, very minimum blush … because we don't want you looking like a scarlet, do we? I have a red lipstick that is the exact same color as that beautiful flower. Gentle black eyeliner. Other than that, I don't think that we will need anything else.” She beamed and gestured for me to sit down on her magical traveling chair.
I sat and spaced out as the process began. I could feel her pulling and willing my hair into submission, but I wasn't aware of anything more than that. I sat as still as a statue and closed my eyes.
Somewhere else in the house Dominic was singing a song to himself. I only caught the first part before he realized that I was listening. It was about love, death, and compromise. I could only guess that he was thinking about the prophecy.
What's wrong, Emma? I could have smacked him for his tone.
Like you don't know. I've been through this once before. I could've lived with just the one experience. I was frustrated at being stuck sitting in my bathroom that was now too bright, especially while Dom could roam free.
Don't blame me, mia bella. I'd take your place but it isn't my night. All I have to do is stand next to the beautiful woman and smile and greet people. I could hear laughter in his voice.
Whatever. I spaced back into Monique and her work. She was almost done with my hair.
“So, how are you liking it?” She smiled at her creation, clearly pleased as she put
the last bit of my hair into place. It was curly, cascading, and perfect- just like last time.
“It's lovely, Monique.” I smiled. Clearly she didn't think it was a good enough compliment.
“Lovely. Ha. It's perfect! And you will look absa-positive-lylutely perfect tonight.” Her eyes got an odd gleam to them and then she began on my makeup. I was once again lost in a cloud of powder.
Why so much powder? What is the point? Dominic's voice entered my head looking for a glimpse into the female psyche.
Devil if I know. I grumbled.
When the dust cleared my makeup was done. I looked the same pale beauty I had been before. The only difference was that I know had light eyeliner, gentle blush, and fiery red gloss on.
Monique produced my jeweled accessories and started to pin the flower into my hair. The bright red ruby was a great contrast to my raven black hair, just as it was on my ivory white skin. I turned this way and that and watched the light catch on the gems. The reflection was something that I had never seen before, but I greatly enjoyed. Somehow my new senses made it all the more amazing.
“C'est fini! It's Perfect!” Monique purred at her masterpiece. I didn't want to burst her bubble and tell her I could have done the same thing and in less time.
“Thank you very much. It's wonderful.” The lie felt natural, something that scared me deeply inside.
It is second nature to us. We live in a nest of lies. It is how it must be, mia bella. Do not fret over things you have no control over. He sounded like he wanted to take my distress.
“It was my pleasure, dear. Now it is time to get you dressed and downstairs. The maid is there to help you.” She gestured toward my room, but I wanted nothing more than to tell her what I thought when she referred to Mary as my maid. Instead, I smiled, thanked her once more, and left the room.
Bella Notte Page 24