Olivia rested her chin on her knees, staring out at the blues, purples and yellows that speckled the field. The fragrant mix of juniper and rose filled the air, making her feel peaceful for the first time in days.
‘This is the first time I’ve seen my uncle in years, you know. I’ve had nothing to do with him since I was a child, long before my father died.’ Tessa twirled a blade of grass between her fingers. ‘My family fell out with him when he made one scene too many. I began work at the palace and in time I almost forgot about the scandal he’d brought to our door. I fell in love with Alex and decided I just wouldn’t mention my uncle to anyone. It would be better that way.’ She rested her chin on her knees. ‘But when he turned up yesterday I knew I couldn’t escape my past any more. I know he seems nice enough now, but he’s brought my family a lot of unhappiness.’ She pressed her heels into the ground. ‘And now he’s doing it again! The Queen had finally learned to accept me – and then he showed up.’
Olivia saw Ivy shoot her a worried look. She also saw that Tessa had noticed it. ‘You think I’m exaggerating,’ Tessa went on, ‘but it’s true. Mark my words. Before the night is out, he’ll have drunk too much O-Neg and be singing a stupid song, or who knows what other totally mortifying thing!’
Olivia giggled, then quickly tried to cover it up with a fake cough. ‘Sorry,’ she said when Tessa clearly wasn’t buying the coughing routine. ‘But I think families are made to be embarrassing. It’s like their job. Trust me, I understand. My dad does tai chi in the front yard! Where the whole street can see him!’ Tessa let out a soft snort. ‘But listen to you.’ Olivia gently touched the bride-to-be’s arm. ‘You’re talking as if there will be a wedding now. That’s progress.’
Tessa shook her head. ‘I don’t know. I’m worried that my uncle will make the Queen disapprove of me again. The Queen and I have come a long way, but Uncle Vincenzo doesn’t exactly make my humble roots seem any more endearing. She already thinks I’m not good enough for Alex. This can only make things worse.’
‘Is your uncle really a bad man, though, or is he just sometimes a bit silly and OTT?’ Olivia asked.
Tessa rolled her eyes. ‘He’s not bad exactly. You’re right. He doesn’t mean to do the things he does – he just gets a bit overexcited.’
‘And don’t you want the Queen to accept you for who you are?’ Ivy said. ‘I thought that was the whole point of this year’s Valentine’s Ball. You and Alex got together and you didn’t have to change into some horrible, posh vampire, remember?’ Ivy shuddered. ‘I think we have enough of those running around. Vincenzo may be a little over-the-top . . .’ Tessa raised one eyebrow. ‘OK, a lot over-the-top and, well, he may be quite loud. In fact, he might be all the things you don’t like. But he can work on being reliable and he can work on becoming a better uncle and those are the things that matter. So is it really that terrible if he acts a bit crazy in front of all these stuck-up vamps?’
‘I guess not,’ Tessa muttered.
‘Trust me,’ said Ivy, placing a hand on Tessa’s shoulder. ‘I know what it feels like to be the odd one out. You should see me surrounded by all those bunnies in Franklin Grove!’ Tessa peered at her sideways, one corner of her mouth starting to curl up into a smile.
‘It’s not like it’s going to kill them!’ Olivia added. ‘Only a wooden stake could do that.’
Ivy groaned at her sister’s bad vampire joke, but Tessa grinned. ‘I appreciate your optimism and all, but –’ a mischievous look glimmered in her eye – ‘don’t come complaining to me when my uncle starts a conga!’
Olivia crossed her fingers and squeezed her eyes shut. ‘Does this mean we’re going to have a wedding? Does it?’
Tessa wrapped both the twins in a tight hug. ‘It was never really off.’
‘Yes! I knew it!’ Olivia bounced up, squealing. She checked her watch. ‘But – oh my goodness – we don’t have much time.’ She was in business mode and her to-do list was already forming in her head.
Make-up
Hair
Nails
Jewellery
Avoid messy food at all costs . . .
‘Right – we have to get to work.’ Olivia snapped back to the present. ‘First, we need to get dressed. Then Ivy needs to write some of her news article and, as for me, I have to . . .’
Olivia’s words were swallowed by a fierce summer breeze that whipped through the grounds. The back of her neck tingled. From across the garden, she saw a single rose-head lift out of the meadow, floating on the warm air. Olivia couldn’t see what colour it was, but she knew what she had to do. She ran after it, sprinting through the grass and clover. Without waiting, she plucked it from the air with both hands, too scared to look.
Tessa and Ivy arrived, panting. ‘Well?’ asked Ivy.
Slowly, as if holding a butterfly, Olivia uncurled her hands, revealing a perfect blue rose. ‘Impossible love,’ whispered Olivia.
Tessa gasped. ‘Does that mean Alex and I – ’
But Olivia cut her off. ‘The rose isn’t a message for you and Alex. You two are perfect together.’ She stared at the rose, transfixed. ‘It’s a message for me and Jackson.’
Chapter Ten
Glowing paper lanterns and fairy lights flickered high above the dance floor where a ten-piece vampire band was playing an upbeat version of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. Deep-purple blooms spilled out of the towering centerpieces that were balanced on top of plush velvet tablecloths so expensive looking Ivy couldn’t imagine actually eating off them.
The wedding had gone off without a hitch. Tessa looked beautiful in her lace dress and Alex had seemed fit to burst when he saw her walking down the aisle. Even the Queen had appeared pleased! The choir sang from a balcony and four little girls scattered flower petals in front of Tessa’s satin slippers as she walked down the thick carpet towards the prince she was about to marry, on the arm of – Vincenzo! After Olivia’s little speech Tessa must have found him to make up with him. Ivy couldn’t wait to find out the details.
Then there had been the vows; the rings; the first kiss as a married couple. Even Ivy had been moved – not to tears or anything, but still, it had been sweet. Olivia had teased Ivy that she’d been crying, but she seriously wasn’t. Her nose was just itchy.
After Olivia had caught her blue rose, a big yellow one had come and whacked Ivy in the face, giving her a nose full of pollen. She’d be sneezing for a week. Ivy pulled the yellow rose out of her bag, smoothing the petals. She knew the colour yellow meant ‘new beginnings’, but did it have to mean watery eyes and the sniffles too? OK, Universe. Ivy lifted her eyes to the dark, night sky. You’re coming in loud and clear. Everything seemed to be telling her to go to Wallachia Academy – but how could she leave Olivia and Brendan, especially now, when her sister seemed to need her most?
Ivy took a seat next to Olivia at one of the round guest tables. Olivia was dressed in a gorgeous pink chiffon gown, her hair pulled back with a shimmery headband. The twins sat in silence, watching Alex and Tessa share their first dance to the Moonlight Sonata. Tessa’s dress was a stunning lace gown adorned with silk and tulle roses. Buttons lined the back of it, all the way from the neckline to the elegant train that trailed lightly upon the floor. Alex twirled his new bride around the dance floor, dipping her low and planting a sweet kiss on her cheek.
‘Now that,’ Ivy insisted, ‘is cheesy.’
Olivia turned to face her, pinching Ivy’s cheeks and tugging at them like she was a long lost aunt at a family reunion. ‘I know there is a hopeless romantic hiding somewhere behind that tough goth exterior.’
Ivy put her hands on her hips and gave her sister a ‘try me’ look. ‘Are you sure about that?’ Olivia rolled her eyes. Ivy smoothed down her black kimono-style dress and adjusted the chopsticks that were pinning her bun in place.
The music stopped and Prince Alex took the microphone. ‘We would like to thank each and every one of you for making our special day possible.’ Ivy noticed him wink
at the two of them. ‘It is my great honour to present to you my bride, Princess Tessa!’ The crowd cheered. Tessa was wearing a delicate tiara on top of her elegant up-do. ‘And now, we’d like to invite you, our guests, to join us on the dance floor.’ He handed the microphone back to the lead singer and the band started up again.
Olivia raised the lens of her camera and snapped a few shots. Their article for VAMP magazine was due first thing Monday morning and Ivy still had a small pad of paper stashed in her purse for jotting down final notes. A Date with Destiny – Transylvania’s Very Own Cinderella Story, the headline would read. She hoped Georgia would eat it up.
‘Oh my darkness!’ Ivy grabbed Olivia. ‘Look over there!’ She pointed at the head table, where Vincenzo was offering his hand to the Queen.
Ivy covered her mouth in horror – and a little amusement. The Queen stared, blinking at Vincenzo’s outstretched hand. To Ivy’s surprise, Her Majesty accepted his invitation. She even managed not to look totally appalled. Ivy’s father was dancing with Lillian nearby, leading her in swift steps to the band’s tempo – Ivy could tell he was doing everything he could to take her in the opposite direction of Vincenzo’s flailing dance moves. Vincenzo was twirling around to the song like he was performing an act in the Nutcracker. Meanwhile, the Queen looked terribly confused and was just shuffling from side to side snapping her fingers. That was bad enough, but if Vincenzo managed to force the Queen into a conga line, Ivy thought she might literally die laughing!
Tessa tapped her mother-in-law on the shoulder. ‘Mind if I cut in, Your Majesty?’ Her new tiara sparkled under the twinkly lights.
The Queen fanned herself, a bright flush on her porcelain cheeks. ‘Be my guest!’ she said and scurried away as quickly as if someone had pulled the fire alarm.
Olivia flattened her hand over her heart, pointing to Tessa and Vincenzo. ‘Oh my goodness!’
Tessa curtsied in front of her uncle, who bowed in return and looked like he might almost burst with pride. ‘Shall we?’ asked Tessa. The uncle–niece duo waltzed around the floor, eyes shining and big smiles stretched across their faces.
‘Are you two behaving?’ Ivy and Olivia tilted their chins back to see their father standing behind them. His tie was loose around his neck and his sleeves were rolled up. He must have really been dancing up a storm!
‘Of course,’ they said together. Lillian pulled a chair up next to the girls, whipping a mirror out of her clutch bag and smoothing her hair back into place with a pocket-sized comb.
Ivy twisted in her seat. ‘You know, Dad, it was pretty cool what you did today.’
‘You act surprised.’ Charles frowned. ‘I’m cool. I’m hip.’ He turned on the spot, modelling his admittedly very suave-looking tuxedo.
Ivy mock-scowled at him. ‘Dad, the most recent music you listen to comes from the eighteenth century. But anyway, we’re proud of you for letting go of past grudges.’
Lillian stood back up, looping her arm through Charles’s. ‘Proud, indeed.’ She planted a gentle kiss on his cheek and Ivy tried not to giggle when her father’s face blushed three shades redder. The two excused themselves to take a stroll around the grounds and Ivy and Olivia waved them off.
‘I haven’t seen Dad this happy in ages.’ Ivy sighed, leaning back in her chair. Wedding guests passed by, balancing plates full of red-velvet cake and strawberries dripping with chocolate fondue.
In an unoccupied corner of the dance floor, Ivy spotted Helga and Horatio. Helga’s arms were stretched stiffly around Horatio’s thick neck and they were swaying a foot apart, out of step with the music. And there was the wedding planner, deep in conversation with a handsome man as she led him around the flower arrangements, pointing out the most spectacular stems.
‘I think Lucia’s luck could be on the turn,’ Ivy said. ‘And check out Helga and Horatio!’ She bounced in her seat, casting an excited look at Olivia, but her sister was staring down at the bright-blue rose she’d been carrying around since the moment she’d caught it.
Ivy reached over and squeezed her sister’s hand. ‘I’ve made a decision. I’m not –’
Olivia held up her hand. ‘Yes, Ivy . . . you are.’
‘But I don’t want to leave you.’
Olivia looked at Ivy seriously. ‘I can survive a school year. Yes, it’ll bite – but it’s worth it, isn’t it? You need to find out more about your heritage, and about yourself. Your life as a vampire won’t always include me and I’m OK with that.’
Suddenly, Ivy wasn’t convinced that they’d been born only minutes apart. Olivia seemed so mature! She wrapped her sister up in a huge hug, and not just to hide the tears pooling in her eyes – though that was an added benefit.
‘Ouch!’ Olivia yelped. ‘Watch the super-strength!’
Ivy softened her embrace. ‘Oops! Guess it’s a good thing I’m going to Wallachia after all.’ She pulled away and poked at her bicep. ‘I really need to get these freaky vamp powers under control.’ Ivy felt her phone vibrate from inside her black clutch. She pulled it out. ‘It’s Brendan,’ she told Olivia.
‘Well, go on then.’ Olivia shooed her away. Ivy really did have the most understanding sister in the world – of humans or vampires.
Ivy picked up the hem of her dress and walked out into the shadowy grounds, beyond the gleam of the paper lanterns and loud music. ‘Hello?’ She plugged one ear with a finger so she could hear better.
‘You answered!’ Brendan’s voice was husky and familiar and made Ivy’s heart ache in her chest. ‘How’s the wedding?’
Ivy swallowed hard. ‘It’s been . . . eventful,’ she admitted with a short laugh.
‘What’s wrong? You sound all weird and scratchy.’ Her boyfriend knew her too well.
‘Brendan,’ she felt herself waver but then remembered what Olivia had said about getting to know her heritage and getting to know herself. ‘I think I’m going to stay in Transylvania and go to Wallachia for a while.’ A long pause stretched between them like the Atlantic Ocean. ‘Um, are you still there?’ she asked.
‘Yeah. I’m still here. And I think that’s exactly what you need to do, Ivy,’ said Brendan. She could tell that he meant it. ‘But on one condition.’
Ivy’s forehead wrinkled. ‘What’s that?’
‘Don’t you dare come back to Franklin Grove all snooty,’ he said, teasing. ‘Or your sister and I will have to knock you down a peg or two.’
‘Please,’ Ivy replied. ‘You two couldn’t knock me anywhere. It’s my super-vampy powers that got me into this mess in the first place, remember.’ Ivy tried to joke, but even as she said it she was almost overwhelmed at the thought of her family getting on the plane without her. She’d be staying here and Brendan would be waiting for her there, in Franklin Grove. What if she hated Wallachia? The only person she knew there was Petra, and she wasn’t so sure that girl could be trusted. Sophia, Camilla, Brendan, Olivia – she already had the best friends anyone could ask for. All of these changes were too much to bear. ‘It’s just that I’m really going to miss you,’ she admitted. ‘Even more than I realised. Coming to Transylvania has made me see how difficult it will be.’
She heard Brendan gasp. ‘Did Ivy Vega just get all sappy on me?’
Ivy knew her boyfriend couldn’t see her fist planted firmly on her left hip, but she hoped he would sense it, and get the point. ‘You better not tell a soul.’
‘Cross my heart.’ Brendan chuckled. ‘But, for the record . . . I’ll miss you too.’
After they had said their goodbyes – maybe three or four times more than was necessary – Ivy clicked her phone shut and stuffed it back into her elegant but too-tiny bag. Smeared eyeliner would most definitely not be a good look, she thought, swiping underneath her eyes.
When she re-entered the hall, her eyes locked with Olivia’s. Her sister was waiting with her patented Olivia smile and open arms.
‘Don’t forget about me, OK?’ Ivy said, hugging her twin.
‘Hello?’ Her sister
fake-slapped her. ‘How could I? Whenever I look in the mirror, I’m reminded of you. We’re identical, remember?’
‘Except for the blusher.’
‘And the extra eyeliner.’
The girls giggled, before their sweet moment was broken by a single word: Paaarty!
Vincenzo pumped his fist on the dance floor and jumped into a split mid-air.
‘Ouch!’ Both girls cringed in unison. There was the sound of fabric tearing. ‘That looked like it hurt.’
The wedding band sped up the number and vampires dressed in their evening best flocked to the dance floor. When in Rome . . . thought Ivy, as she dragged Olivia out after her.
‘Let’s dance!’
Two conga lines, a vamp sing-a-long, and a good old boogie to ‘Let’s Do the Vamp Walk’, and Olivia was worn out. She wandered out of the dance hall, breathless. She’d been cheering at football games for years, but these vamps had party stamina! She stopped in the archway to watch everyone dance to ‘A Hard Day’s Bite’.
Olivia looked from Ivy to her dad and Lillian, and finally to her grandparents, who were bopping away like they were two hundred years younger than they really were. These people were her family and maybe, just maybe, she’d be OK without . . . She forced herself to think the name.
Jackson.
She strolled along the outside passageway that ran along the edge of the mansion. Crickets were chirping and Olivia could just make out the Big Dipper if she ducked her head out into the open air.
Voices were coming from an adjoining room. ‘The bats have to be ready for their release at ten sharp!’ Olivia overheard Lucia the wedding planner directing. ‘The couple simply cannot leave without a flock to herald their new start. It’s bad luck not to have bats!’
Olivia chuckled to herself. Vamps! They have some crazy traditions. She walked along, appreciating the gardens and the starry night, the soft grass sinking under her high heels. The night was so tranquil that she was startled by the sound of her phone beeping.
10 Date with Destiny - My Sister the Vampire Page 10