CHAPTER 1

It was a warm summer night. The light of the stars shined peacefully on the cold stone with the carved letters. "BALTHAZAR ADDAMS, 1948 – 1975" read the inscription. In front of the tombstone, the freshly shoveled soil was gracefully welcoming a large hearse made of expensive varnished wood.

A tall figure, dressed in a striped black suit, was standing over the open grave. He was a young man with olive colored skin, bright black eyes and a head of equally black hair, orderly combed and covered in brilliantine. He had a peaceful look on his face. He fixed his eyes on the coffin, smiled and whispered to himself:

"My beloved cousin… Now he will rest forever, under the earth that holds the lifeless bodies of our most treasured ancestors. May your journey be full of lovely thorns and singing vultures, my dear cousin Balthazar. Rest in peace."

He then turned around and looked at the crowd. The origins of their notorious clan of witches, sorcerers and servants of dark magic were lost in the centuries. And now, their modern descendants were gathering here, in the Addams cemetery, to honor the memory of Balthazar Addams. The image of the black clad figures wandering around brought peace to his mind and joy to his soul. He and his brother, being the offsprings of one of the few modern patriarchs of the Addams family, had inherited the mansion and the cemetery. He visioned all the funerals he would have the luxury to host. Gomez Addams was a strong and powerful man, more than capable to continue the tradition of the infamous dynasty.

Walking among the crowd, he noticed a face - or rather, the lack of a face - that looked familiar. A head of beautiful, soft, ground-long hair was having a conversation with an old lady. A smile was drawn on Gomez's face.

"Cousin Itt! Here you are! I have been looking for you!"

The hair creature, who was wearing a tall black hat, turned around. He looked delighted. He mumbled an inconceivable string of gibberish, which sounded like a warm greeting. Gomez smiled.

"Oh yes, Itt, Balthazar will be missed, but he died an Addams, and what is better than that?"

Itt replied with another string of screechy gibberish, and Gomez shook his head.

Suddenly, he realized how rude he had been to the old lady Itt was talking to. He turned to her and looked her in the eye. She was a short woman with a hunch, long gray hair and a sweet face. The rags she was wearing looked like the apparel of a seasoned witch, out in a hunt for the ingredients of her potion.

"Mrs Frump! I am terribly sorry! How did I ignore you? Please forgive me!"

The old woman smiled widely.

"Gomez Addams! You remember me? The last time I saw you in your aunt's house was when you were still a kid!"

Gomez smiled back.

"How could I forget aunt Drusilla's best friend?" he said in his Castillian accent.

"Ah... Drusilla Addams, your aunt, was such an extraordinary lady, my son! Oh, such memories we had together! But she died too young, and I'm afraid you didn't have the chance to know her well. And now her only son, Balthazar... But how would we enjoy life if we didn't know that death awaits us?" she concluded joyously.

"Indeed, mrs Frump! And I am thankful that Cousin Balthazar will rest here, near our house. I will always feel his spirit close to me. Really, did you know the police thinks I have something to do with his death?" said Gomez with a sarcastic grin.

Esmeralda Frump laughed.

"Oh Gomez, how could they think that?"

"It's ridiculous, isn't it?" he murmured. "It's quite obvious that it was the stale entrails he ate for dinner. They accused me of poisoning him. Apparently because I was the last person who saw him alive, and also because having a sword duel before dinner is considered potential motive or something"

"What a thought! My dear Gomez, people are crazy!" said the old lady with a confused expression on her face.

Suddenly, she looked like she remembered something.

"Gomez! You haven't met my daughter, have you? Oh, she was right here! Where has she gone again?" she said, searching for her in the crowd.

"Morticia! Come here, my dear! I have someone to introduce you to!" she shouted as she saw her daughter's silhouette beside a gravestone. The girl came closer and looked around her, to see the person her mother was talking about. And, as her gaze met with his, she suddenly froze.

And that made two of them. Because Gomez was also standing there, unable to move, with his eyes wide open. He could not believe the sight in front of him. Her tall, slim figure and her beautiful curves covered in the black fabric of her dress. Her skin, white like the pure marble of the tombstones around her, glowing eerily under the starlight. Her eyes, black like the deepest abyss. Her raven hair, descending down her back like a waterfall of darkness. And, more than anything, her luscious lips, like two perfect scarlet rose petals. Gomez felt that he had been brought to this world only for one purpose; to be kissing those lips.

"Morticia, this is Gomez Addams! Gomez, my daughter Morticia!" said mrs Frump, breaking the silence.

"It's a pleasure" whispered Gomez. He knelt down, caught her hand and kissed it gently. The touch of his lips sent shivers down her spine. And, at that moment, she felt that she had been born with one mission; to be kissing those lips.

"Likewise" she managed to pronounce.

"So... You are the owner of this place, mr. Addams?" she asked, trying to find a topic of conversation.

"Please, señorita, call me Gomez" he said.

"Gomez" she repeated slowly, as if she could feel the taste of his name in her mouth.

"Would you like to... have a walk around here then? See the cemetery?" he continued. "I could show you around, if that would please you" he said reluctantly.

"Mama?" said Morticia, turning to the old lady.

"Oh, you children, go have some fun!" mrs. Frump answered with a wink.

"Then, please, follow me" said Gomez, proposing his hand to her. She gave him hers, and he held it with affection. He felt like he was holding a white lily, graceful and fragile. He guided her among the graves and started showing her the statues, talking to her about his ancestors, buried under that ground, and their stories.

"Aunt Laborgia, executed by a firing squad… Cousin Fledge, torn limb from limb by four wild horses… And darling uncle Aymar… buried alive." Gomez's voice was trembling from the thrill. He fixed his eyes on her and watched as she looked at the statues in awe. He could see in her eyes her excitement and her admiration.

"It must be such an honor to be an Addams, Gomez" muttered Morticia. "I wish I were part of a clan with such a glorious history."

Gomez could not help staring at her. She had captured his gaze, and, most likely, his heart too. How could a creature so divine be walking next to him? Was it real or was he living an illusion? He made a quick decision. If it really was an illusion, he had to make it last.

"Morticia… Would you like to see the house too?" he asked, not taking his eyes from her.

She quivered. She could not take her mind off the sensation of his touch. She could not define what it was about Gomez that drove her insane. But it did, and she could not resist him. He was the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on, and the only one she wanted to lay eyes on for the rest of her life.

"Oh yes, I would love to see the house" she said, and her soft, melodic voice echoed in the quiet night.

(Thanks for reading, please review!)