Vampire Kisses fanfiction
REMEMBERING GRACE
Alexander Sterling/OC: Grace Jasper

Chapter One. Remembering Grace
"If you love somebody, let them go. If they return, they were always yours. If they don't, they never were."

A dark and haunting night provided blissful romance for Dullsville's cutest goth couple. As the two of them lay underneath the stars and bright white crescent moon, they cuddled with each other, holding the others hand.

Alexander Sterling peered down at the beautiful girl who longed to be in his arms. He stroked her raven black hair, occasionally pressing his lips to her forehead.

"It's a beautiful night," sighed Raven Madison, pressing her head against Alexander's chest. He looked up at the sky and sighed.

"It is, but it's not as beautiful as you," he replied sweetly. Raven smiled and reached up to kiss her boyfriend's soft, full lips. Alexander openly allowed her to kiss him, tangling his fingers through her black hair.

Alexander sighed. What a perfect night. Just the two of them, lying in the backyard of the Mansion, watching the stars twinkle above them.

When he opened his eyes, however, he realized that he was not holding his spunky girlfriend. In her place was a much daintier girl, perhaps a little shorter than Raven. Her hair was jet black, and it cascaded past her shoulders in short layers. Large chestnut eyes peered back at him instead of Raven's dark ones. Alexander jumped, eyes wide with shock.

"Grace?" he asked. He shook his head and Raven's face immediately came back. She looked up at him, confused.

"Grace?" she asked strangely. Alexander stared at Raven for a long time. What had just happened? Had he really just seen Grace's face … his former lover?

"Alexander?"

Raven's voice cleared him from his memories. "I meant to say that you're grace … ful," Alexander improvised smoothly. Raven arched an eyebrow skeptically.

"I'm graceful? Please. Alexander you know fully well that I'm anything but graceful, unless I'm jumping fences," Raven scoffed. Alexander smiled and stroked the side of her face.

"That's what I was referring to," he joked with a chuckle. He pulled out his slick black cell phone, flipping it open to check the time. "It's very late. Perhaps I should walk you home now."

Raven clung to his body in protest. "Can't we just stay here for a little longer?" she pleaded. Alexander chuckled and sat upright, a pouting Raven following in suit.

"Meet me back here at eight o'clock sharp?" Alexander suggested. Raven's pout soon turned into a grin.

"It's a date," she said with a wink. Alexander smiled and pulled her in for one last kiss before helping her up from the ground.

Once Alexander dropped Raven off at her house and walked inside his home, he slammed the doors behind him and leaned against them, breathing heavily. Why had he seen Grace's face instead of Raven's? What was going on?

Sebastian Camden walked downstairs from the entertainment room. He was still in his black Metallica pajama pants and a black wife beater.

"Raven went home already?" asked Sebastian sadly. Alexander ignored his best friend, and furrowed his eyebrows, concentrating. He had not seen Grace in years, had not thought about her in years. Truthfully, he had actually forgotten about his former girlfriend, his first love. How could he have forgotten about her? He had left Romania because of the Maxwells, also leaving her behind. Being with Raven had clouded those memories of the nights he and Grace spent with each other. So why had he just remembered her now?

"Alexander? Are you all right, man?" Sebastian asked, approaching Alexander with a puzzled look.

"Sebastian, do you remember Grace?" he asked suddenly. Sebastian crossed his arms and knitted his eyebrows together in concentration. Suddenly, he beamed.

"Grace Jasper? Oh yeah, I remember her. That girl was hot. And she was all yours … lucky," he said. Alexander bowed his head as Sebastian rambled on. "She was the dainty one, right? The dancer? Long black hair, gorgeous brown eyes … always wore heavy eyeliner on the tops of her eyes instead of underneath them."

"Yeah, that's her," Alexander muttered.

"What about her?" Sebastian asked curiously.

"I just … I haven't talked to her or seen her in years. I had completely forgotten about her … until tonight. Just right now when I was outside with Raven, I saw Grace's face instead of hers. I don't know why," he explained.

"Hmm … that's strange. Maybe something reminded you of her. Something you or Raven said, your surroundings …"

"I just kissed Raven and when I opened my eyes to look at her, Grace was there instead," Alexander said, shaking his head. Sebastian clapped a hand on his best friend's shoulder.

"Maybe you just miss her. Why don't you give her a call?" he suggested.

"I don't know her number," Alexander replied sheepishly. Sebastian slumped his shoulders.

"Oh. Yeah that won't work." He pondered some more, and then finally shrugged. "Maybe it was just a spur of the moment thing. You'll go back to dreaming about Raven when you go to sleep."

Alexander nodded. "Yes, you're right." But he honestly did not know if he was or not. While he walked Raven home, he could only think about Grace and the time they spent together. All of their memories flooded his mind and he couldn't even see Raven. It was all about Grace.

"Come on. Play me a round of Fangs and Fire," Sebastian suggested, playfully punching him in the arm. "You're still a level 12 and I'm already level 28. You're vampire will never beat mine." Alexander strained a smile and agreed to playing video games with him. He needed something to get his mind off of Grace. Nothing better than a gory and combative game of Fangs and Fire.

Unfortunately, the game did not really help. It took his mind off of her for a couple of hours, but then Grace started appearing in his thoughts again, and this time she would not leave. When the sun began to rise, Alexander sulked to his coffin. Even undressing out of his street clothes and into his pajamas brought memories to him. Alexander shut his eyes tightly. Yes, he had been in love before Raven. Yes, it was serious. Yes, things happened. But why was everything coming back to him now?

"I'm not in love with her anymore," Alexander said out loud to himself. "I know I'm in love with Raven. Grace shouldn't matter right now."

Of course, that did not mean he did not care for Grace. If something were to happen to her, he would be concerned, but that did not mean he had to be in love with her, not again.

Although, they were happy together. Alexander remembered never being happier when he was without her. Alexander had many girlfriends, but none were like Grace Jasper. Her eminent beauty, charm, and personality was what drew him to her. She was so sweet and kind, so gentle, so graceful. She knew how to treat him well. She knew how to care for him. She knew how to love him.

Alexander climbed into his coffin, sitting with his back slightly arched forward, his shoulders slumped. His black locks fell into his face as he curled into a ball, holding his legs together.

I guess I do miss her, thought Alexander sadly. I love Raven with all of my heart, but I loved Grace too. I had so much fun with her. She understood me better than anyone … even Raven.

Alexander sighed heavily. He knew Raven had to know some time that he had been in love before her. He had only kept it from her because she knew it would upset her. He knew he was Raven's first love, her first boyfriend, only because she could never meet anyone like her. Alexander had met many people like him in Romania, all goths, all vampires.

"It's going to hurt her," Alexander muttered to himself, "but I can't keep anything from Raven. It's only fair that she knows."

How Alexander was going to break it to her, he did not know. He would come up with a way, hopefully. He lay back down in his coffin, pulling the black duvet over his body and stuffing his face into a matching black pillow. And instead of dreaming about his days with Raven, he dreamt of how he met Grace Jasper, and all of the history they shared.

The streets of Alexander Sterling's neighborhood were quiet and desolate. The sky was black and starry. Tall pine trees speared the sky, filling the air with a wonderful familiar scent. He was out for a walk to inspire himself to paint. He loved painting landscapes and nature. Stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans, he strolled down the street, off the path, and into a mass of trees. There was a clearing up ahead that usually held much inspiration for him.

Leaves and twigs crunched underneath his combat boots. There was a soft breeze that blew through his long black hair. Alexander sighed with content. How he loved his home, Romania.

The trees were beginning to disperse, but as they were, he began to hear the faint sound of music. Knitting his eyebrows together with curiosity, he followed the music. It was a soft serenade by — was his ear right? — Evanescence.

The trees opened up to the clearing he was headed to, and in the clearing was a girl, a vampire girl … dancing. Her hair was long and jet black, and it shined an almost bluish color underneath the moonlight. Her moves were so intricate and graceful; Alexander was mesmerized by her movement. He peered from behind a tree, feeling just a twinge of awkwardness from spying.

She twirled on the balls of her bare feet, her arms flowing in response to the movement of her legs. The girl wore a short flowing black dress, which was torn at the hems and neckline hazardously. Underneath she sported a pair of black dancing tights. From what Alexander could see, her closed eyes were coated in very thick eyeliner, black eye shadow up to her eyebrows, long lashes coated in mascara.

Alexander was drawn to her, and he could not take his eyes off of her. She appeared so free, so full of life as she traipsed across the clearing, performing the splits and turns in midair.

The song was drawing to an end, and with one final last twirl, the girl opened her eyes — beautiful, shining, chestnut eyes — which landed on Alexander with surprise.

Alexander flushed a deep crimson against his pallid skin, and he quickly hid himself behind the large pine tree like a shy little boy. He noticed the girl's pallid cheeks had flushed pink as well.

"It's okay," he suddenly heard her call in a gentle tone. "You can come out."

Alexander's breathing was heavy. Hesitantly, he peeked out from behind the tree and looked down into the clearing. She was gazing curiously back at him, her hands behind her back, her head cocked to the side.

"I'm sorry for spying," Alexander said, embarrassed. The girl only smiled.

"I don't think of it as spying," she said. "You were merely watching me dance, right?"

Alexander chuckled. "Yes, we can call it that."

"I hope you enjoyed what you saw, then," she said.

"Oh, very much," Alexander said with a nod, walking further into the clearing. "You're a very beautiful dancer." The girl's cheeks blushed again and she looked away shyly.

"Thank you."

"I'm Alexander," he said, extending a hand. The girl took it in both of hers and shook it. Alexander noticed how tiny and dainty her hands were. They looked so delicate, like they would break if he squeezed them too hard.

"I'm Grace," she replied. "So, what brings you out to the clearing on such a beautiful night?"

"I was hoping to be inspired to paint a picture," Alexander replied.

"Oh? Paint? You're a painter?" Alexander nodded. "Well, it's always nice to meet a fellow artist."

"Indeed," Alexander replied with a chuckle. "Luckily, watching you has inspired me greatly."

Grace bit her bottom lip with her fangs and blushed again. "That's very kind of you. Is that your specialty — painting people?"

"I really don't have a specialty," said Alexander, stuffing his hands back into the pockets of his jeans. "But I do enjoy painting portraits when I can. I know people who are so much better than me, though."

"I bet you're being modest," said Grace with a grin. "Then again, I wouldn't know unless I saw one of your paintings."

"You could see them, if you want to," suggested Alexander with a shrug. Grace's smile widened.

"I'd love to." Alexander smiled widely.

"I hope you don't mind me painting you," said Alexander. "I probably should have asked first."

"No, no. It's no problem at all," assured Grace. She giggled. "Actually, I'm quite flattered that you want to paint me. I've only had professional portraits done with my family. Being painted while dancing … that's something new to me."

"This is probably very sudden for you. After all, we don't even know each other," Alexander said sheepishly. Grace grasped his hand.

"It's fine, really. I have no problem with being painted by a stranger, unless they had other intentions." She narrowed her eyebrows suspiciously. "You don't have any other intentions, do you, Alexander … if that is your real name?" she teased. Alexander widened his eyes and shook his head.

"No! No, not at all. Just merely to paint you. And yes, Alexander is my real name," he chuckled. Grace giggled again, such a lovely sound to his ears.

"Okay, then. Just making sure," she said. "Do you plan on staying long? Perhaps we should sit down. The grass won't bite us, I'm sure."

Alexander laughed. "Sure, why don't we?"

He followed her into the middle of the clearing. Evanescence had suddenly changed to AFI as they sat down across from each other. Alexander crossed his legs while Grace straightened her short ones in front of her, placing her palms in back of her to hold her up.

"You have good taste in music," Alexander said with a grin as he glanced over at Grace's lonely iPod, sitting in travel speakers that she'd brought along.

"Oh, thanks," she chuckled. "I've always been a fan of Davey."

"Who else do you like?" asked Alexander.

"I'm more into punk rock than anything, I suppose. Some heavy metal when I feel like banging my head out." She laughed and Alexander joined her. "What about you?"

"Rock is such a big genre. I love mostly anything in it, as long as it includes some hardcore guitar shredding, screaming vocals, and major drum bashing," said Alexander. Grace laughed and clapped her hands.

"You are so cool! I'm the same. Are you a musician too?"

"No, not quite. Just a painter."

"Well, you have awesome taste in music, so you're still cool," said Grace with a wink. Alexander chuckled.

"I'm glad. The same applies for you. Dancing is an excellent hobby."

"I'm happy you think so. I'm more into contemporary than ballroom, unlike everybody else. My parents insist I dance ballroom, but I just don't feel it's me. Contemporary is my calling."

"How was it you were inspired to start dancing?"

"My grandmother was a huge dancer. She danced practically everything from ballroom to modern. I loved the modern dance, but felt it was too traditional. I started looking into other dances and watched videos of contemporary dancers. I thought it was beautiful. I tried it out and fell in love with it. It's all I do, now," explained Grace with a smile. "What about you and your painting?"

Alexander chuckled. "My grandmother was my inspiration as well." Grace beamed. "She was a baroness and fled to the United States of America for peace. She built a mansion there and resided there alone, since my grandfather was dead. She kept herself busy by painting, and, when I was old enough, taught me."

"Your grandmother was a baroness? Wow! So you must be royal blood, huh?" Grace said. Alexander shrugged.

"Royal? Maybe, but I feel just like any other vampire. There's nothing too special about me," said Alexander nonchalantly.

"Well, Alexander, I'm glad you were spying on me while I was dancing. You're turning out to be a special friend," said Grace with a smile that made Alexander's heart race. He smiled in return. Grace was special, and he knew that she herself would become a very promising friend, and, to his luck, someone a lot more special.