Bella Vita (42 page)

“
Pssh, you'll be the most
beautiful vampiress to exist.” Kelly looked like a pixie and I knew
once she was in her dress it would be hard not to envision her as
an evil fae that would quite easily snatch children from their
cradles.

“
Okay, now to wardrobe...”
A small plain woman said as she ushered us into yet another
room.

Amelia was standing there in all her violet
glory. She was in a simple black dress. Her purple eyes were warm
and happy.

“
Merry Met, Princess.” She
curtsied slightly at me.

“
Merry Met, Amelia, and
it's just Emma. I'm not a princess.” I bowed slightly to the
woman.

“
You're our princess, and
after this wedding, you'll be our queen. Plain and simple. It has
been foretold and so the families that have always taken care of
the vampires will finally rise to royalty when their children wed.”
She purred as she started toward her racks of clothing.

“
Let's not remind me.” I
smiled and tried not to let it dampen my fragile mood.

“
No worries, let's get that
little body into my masterpiece.” She beamed.

I stripped off the robe and closed my eyes
as I was instructed- apparently everyone was big on surprises.

“
Now, Kelly, how about you
go with my assistant Javier and get your sweet little self ready?”
Amelia's voice was friendly and full of confidence.

“
Kay, see ya in a bit, Em.
I'm sure you'll look fabulous.” Kelly sounded so excited, and I
could only imagine what runway shows would be like with
her.

“
Now, Emma, keep your eyes
closed and in a second I'm going to have you step into the base
skirt, afterward I'll pull the dress over your head. And don't
worry your style will be fine.” She held my hand as she positioned
me where she wanted me, I heard her faint footsteps and then two
loud unzippings.

I stood as silent and still as I could
manage. Anticipation pulsed through my body.

“
Okay, left foot... right
foot. Hold still.” Amelia was all business.

I felt the rough and smooth textures of the
inner skirt.

“
Now over the head... no
sudden movements, please.” I felt the smooth silky material slide
over my body- all tingles and coolness.

“
Can I look now?” I asked
as she began tying me into the dress.

“
Not yet, impatient one.”
She pulled on the strings of the corset, cinching it as tight as
possible.

I felt the soft wispy material of the veil
rest slightly against my face as she attached the piece to the
tiara. I could almost feel her stand back and look me over for
faults and flaws.

“
Now, I'm going to lead you
over to the mirror, no peeking yet.” Her voice was natural, not
giving away anything.

“
Can I look now?” I asked
as soon as she stopped me.

“
Yes, open your eyes,
Princess.” She purred.

I slowly cracked my eyes. I blinked several
times as I took in my transformation. I looked like a vampire
princess, there was no other way to explain it. The black and red,
the spiderwebbing on the veil, the detailed beading on the bodice
and trailing down the side- all of it added up to one thing, and
that was vampire princess.

“
Ohmygoodness!” My breath
caught.

“
So... do you like it, hate
it, wanna burn it, frame it?” Her violet eyes begging to be told
she did a good job.

“
I love it! How did you
manage to get it so
perfect
?” It was the only word that
could explain how I felt- all of my doubts were instantly washed
away.

“
I'm so glad you feel that
way... now let's get a look at your maid of honor. Javier, bring
her in.” Amelia's voice was authoritative and carried far for being
quiet.

I watched Javier in a plain black suit, his
shaved head slightly glistening with sweat. He totted Kelly along
as he walked her into the room.

“
Em, they won't let me look
until you see...” Kelly whined.

I looked at my friend in wonderment. We
chose a slick number for her, way less frills and embellishments.
At the base of her slip dress was a long slit that went up to her
thigh, but instead of revealing flesh it showed a deep slash of
crimson- keeping with the wedding colors of red and black. Even
with the pink hair, she looked just as I had imagined. Part of me
wanted to throw some wings on her back, but I resisted the
urge.

“
Well... can I look?” Kelly
tapped her foot.

“
Yep.” I didn't want to
give anything away.

I watched as she opened her eyes, much like
I did. She looked from the bottom to the top. Her face pulled into
pure radiance. I could tell that she loved it.

“
Holy mother of somebody...
this is the flipping best dress ever!” She shouted.

“
I'm glad you like it. Now
let's get you girls into your shoes and headed to the pictures of
just you two.” Amelia was determined to keep us on
schedule.

Kelly and I were shooed from one place to
the next. We went through several rounds of pictures with various
parts of the wedding party, yet managing to keep Dom and I apart. I
was dead set on keeping that old tale about it being bad luck when
you see the bride before the ceremony. When all the shots were
done, minus the bride and groom and complete wedding party,
Grandpa, Kelly and I walked to the bride's suite. Grandpa had
debated with my dad and they decided that he would walk me down the
aisle- yes, our weddings are very similar to regular ones- well,
minus the blood sharing and drinking.

“
Are you ready,
sweetheart?” Grandpa was a calming presence as I felt my body start
to lurch outta control.

“
Oh, you know, just wedding
jitters. Has anyone ever been stood up before at one of these?” My
voice became a squeak.

“
That is just ridiculous,
Em. Dom loves you more than most people love to breathe!” Kelly was
trying to be reassuring.

“
Yes, it has happened
before. Although it's a rarity. The last one to occur was Isabella.
She made it this far, but they turned their backs on her for a
minute- she said she needed to use the powder room, and the rest is
history.” Grandpa's eyes were knowing; he wanted to make sure I
knew the history of this ceremony and the people
involved.

“
Wow. I bet Dom is even
more jittery than you.” Kel laughed.

“
Thank you for telling me,
Grandpa. How much longer 'til it starts?” I swallowed
audibly.

“
Well, first you're going
to take a sip of this drink and then one of Anna Mills's people
will be in to put us in place when necessary.” He handed me a
flask.

“
Um, Grandpa, I hate to
break this to you, but alcohol... eh... doesn't really affect us.”
I bunched my brows at him.

“
Just take two sips,
child.” His calm tried to force itself into me.

I slugged back two sips and instantly felt
better. It was blood, and something else- but whatever it was
helped to calm me.

Just as the calm spread through my body, a
thin man stepped into the room and whispered something to
Grandpa.

“
Well?” I needed to know
what was going on.

“
In about five minutes the
ceremony will begin. We are to move to position in three.” He rose
from his chair.

“
OHMYGOD, Emma! You. Are.
Getting. Married!!!” Kelly bounced up and down in front of
me.

“
Apparently, I am.” I
giggled at her.

We did a final check in the mirror, and had
Grandpa look us over before we were both handed our bouquets. The
deep red roses looked striking against the black dresses, but mine
stood out for the sunflower and daisies that it also held. I
brought the flowers to my face and took in their deep fragrance-
well, what I could detect under the spray they had been applied
with.

Grandpa led us both out to
the hallway that would take me to Dominic and my future. Fear
seized my body and throat shut.
Can I
really be what they need? Am I capable of being their queen?
I didn't know if I could be what they expected of
me.

Emma Mary Hutchinson, you
were born for this. You will do just as you've always done, be
yourself and be true to what you know is right.
Grandpa's words were like a boot stomping out the fire I had
just started under me.

“
Now, we must be in our
positions.” He stepped back and took my arm as Kelly stepped
forward.

One of Anna Mills's people gave us a thumbs
up for positions.

Somewhere in the distance an organ began to
play. The music swelled in the hall in front of us. I gulped for
air- I was suddenly very short of breath. With the way I was
struggling to get air into my lungs, I was certain I would faint or
have tunnel vision or something- then I remembered that my need for
oxygen is less than most people's. I took a deep breath.

Calm the hell down,
Emma!
I wasn't sure that shouting at
myself would work, but I had to try.

“
You will be your radiant
self and this will be over before you know it.” Grandpa cooed into
my ear.

Thanks.
My voice was failing me.

Calm and collected, as the
saying goes.
His voice was
soothing.

The doors opened in front of us. Kelly
looked back just once and then stepped out. I started the internal
count that I was supposed to follow.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Six.

Seven.

Eight.

Nine.

Ten.

I stepped out into the
aisle. Everyone in the room rose. My heart beat
way
faster than usual. I reminded
myself about the second pause between each step. The music wrapped
itself around me, breaking away my fear. I didn't look at the
people I passed, I was still afraid and nervous. Then I found
Dom.

He was in a tux with tails, his shirt a rich
scarlet, and his bow tie was black. When I reached his face, I knew
that he was so happy; that this moment was the best in his life.
His entire body seemed to be glowing with excitement and happiness.
Just seeing him, and knowing that I was the cause of the emotion
caused my entire panic feeling to disappear.

I reached the point where Grandpa and I
parted ways. He put my hand in Dom's and bowed away slightly.

Dom escorted me the rest of the way. We
bowed formally to each other- well, I curtsied. We turned toward
the robed figure in front of us. My mind instantly drifted to a
different moment with robed figures.

Focus!
I ordered myself.

The hooded person spoke and
his voice was a thick creamy sound. The language he spoke was the
one I knew was lost- used only now for rituals, but I knew
it.

Eare nega, nez foth ere
nowe...
His voice boomed.

Merry Met, we're here to
celebrate...
My mind translated for me
internally.

Ishink jegt dex qoul
begono.
He continued.

The joining of two souls as
one.
It somehow sounded more like a spell
to me.

Ne via, ne merta, nez
petrel ey ishink, ne gertn insticles wednea Emma Hutchinson t
Dominic DeDominico.
I could feel the spell
circling us.

In life, just as in death, we're destined to
be joined, so we come together to bring Emma Hutchinson and Dominic
DeDominico.

Ne via, nez foth ere nowe
noa viez exex ishkin jegt lepend.
He
continued.

In life, we celebrate our lives with the joy
of another.

Wexen esetl asteple, Emma t
Dominic nist slova instincla fere.
The
spell wove on.

Through this union, Emma and Dominic will be
bound to each other.

Ilz nist dizsy det ina
lepend t neli siute si via wexted, nist ilz lacind heurete na liped
dotsith det noz afrez.
The spell knotted
itself around us.

They will exist for one another and only
through this life shared, will they find happiness in what comes
for us after.

Diz siute ne wexteza vias
holinat lotope setuh nez slova ilz.
The
man gestured behind him.

It is through the sharing of life's sacred
source that we bind them.

Two small plates were brought forward, each
holding a small sharp dagger and an empty goblet. Each was held by
a child. I watched Dom pick up the dagger, and I mirrored him.

Exex esetl retre , mei
slova jitel a vez, Emma Hutchinson, teot netelata t afrez.
Dom sliced open his wrist and held it over the
goblet, the smell of his blood awakened something deep within
me.

With this dagger, I bind myself to thee,
Emma Hutchinson, for all of eternity and after.

Exex esetl retre, mei slova
jitel a vez, Dominic DeDominico, teot netelata t afrez.
My wrist poured blood into the goblet until the
cut healed itself, the magic of the ceremony seemed to envelop
us.

With this dagger, I bind myself to thee,
Dominic DeDominico, for all of eternity and after.