Faith, Edison, and Kane ran around the garden, Kane standing at least two feet taller than the younger two. I sighed. Why was I not surprised that I was watching Kane? Well, at least Jane had a reason: She was fixing Kane's room in shades of salmon pink and creams.

Suddenly, Vladimir was sitting on the blanket with me, smiling, offering something to me. I took the dark flower from him and held it up for examination.

"It is a fire lilly," I said bluntly. I smiled a little at it.

"Yeh, there's a grove of them over under the butterfly bush," Vladimir said. I patted his hand. He took mine in his own. He tilted my chin up, forcing me to meet his red eyes.

"Alice, I know it really upsets you," he said, "but you have to believe that it will all turn out fine. I won't call her Vanity. Jane is insane, I know. But you are a part of Kane's life. Even more than she is right now. She won't ever change no matter if she's human or vampire. Okay?"

I nodded. H brought my face closer for a short kiss and then we just sat and stared at the kids. It made me happy that Kane and Faith had gotten on from the very beginning. In fact, Kane was like a big sister for her. It was a nice change from the despair I felt. It was so hard to love a child to death, but despise their parents. Well, I wouldn't say I despised Dustin, but I didn't exactly love him either.

Then Jane and Dustin came out and Jane called out to her new child.

"Vanity! I have your new room ready, honey!" her voice rang out and Kane ran and jumped into Jane's arms.

Faith took my hand and Edison reached for Vladimir to pick him up. We all headed inside. Jane and Dustin continued with Kane to the elevator, but Vladimir and the kids and I kept down the main hallway to the very end. The same tall blonde vampire as when I first came here opened the door for us.

"Quick question," I said. The man looked down at me. "What is your name?"

"My name is Ahiy," he said. I smiled and nodded.

"Nice to get to know your name, Ahiy," I said back and walked into the ballroom. I noticed that Hannah, the sullen light brown-haired vampire girl who had been Jinx and Azure's guard, was sitting in the corner with her mate, Teagan. Teagan had a tan pallor and thick, black, straight hair. He was a cute kid, although he was eighteen.

Faith ran into Destiny's open arms. Jinx, Azure, Skander and, Israel smiled at me. At least they were all in light moods. Hell, with all the kids running around, why shouldn't they all go out and get some, too? Jeez, even the thought made my head spin! I pushed the thought from my head.

Alec called out to Faith and she ran up to him, giggling. He picked up his daughter and I looked on at them. Then I realized it was Sunday. I knew what I wanted to do, what song I wanted sing.

I walked out of the room and down to the elevator. I got the second floor. I went to my room (which I had recently redone in the same color as my room back in Iceland) and picked my acoustic guitar. I sat on my bed and played it out. I sang "Sunday, Bloody Sunday." It felt especially good to get out my feelings and emotions.

It was amazing.

That feeling I got when I sang or played my guitar.

I knew my place when it happened. There was no confusion, stress, or longing. It all just… clicked.

I looked solely at my guitar and nothing else. I heard someone come in and they sat on the bed with me.

"Sunday bloody, Sunday… Sunday bloody Sunday…"

I let the last chord ring out and then sat back to look at Vladimir, who had this look of wonder on his face.

"Do you play?" I asked him.

"No," he said back. "But if you could teach me, I'd love that!"

I laughed and rolled my eyes.

"Oh, you don't want me for a teacher. I'm not a very forgiving one. I lose my patients too easily."

"Oh, I don't know about that."

"I do."

"Well, that wasn't why I came up here," Vladimir said. I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck. He embraced me back.

"So what is it that you wanted to say to me?"

Vladimir pulled my arms from around my neck and we pulled away to look at each other.

"Tomorrow night there is this ball on the island of Sicily…"

"Right," I nodded, "Le Festa Delle Luci: The Festival of Lights. Did you want to go?"

"Well, yeh, but I kind of wanted it just to be us two."

Vladimir ran his fingers through his hair and gave me this side ways look that was half hopeful and half shy. Awww…

"I don't see why we couldn't," I said. "It would be really fun. Just us. But it might be hard to sneak out with no one catching us."

Vladimir laughed.

"Alice, if anyone can do this, we can," he grinned at me. "But we should tell Israel or Jinx so that they can watch Edison."

I nodded. "I'll tell them my way."

I reached out to Jinx's mind and she didn't let me in. Oh yeh! She was out… doing who the hell knew what! I shot my mental signal to Israel. She let me in.

Hey, dearie! What's up?

Hey, Is. Vladimir and I are doing something tomorrow night and we were just wondering if you would watch Edison?

I'd love to!

Thanks so much, Israel. Oh, and can you do us a favor and not tell anyone else? I don't want them, and by them I mean Destiny, to be all happy and squelly and want every last detail. I mean, if you tell Jinx, Azure, or Skander that's just fine, but not Alec. You know he'll tell if Destiny asks him.

Yeh, I know it. Don't worry. My lips are sealed.

Thanks, Is. I owe you one. I love you.

I love you, too.

I clocked my blonde friend out and smiled at Vladimir. He smiled back and lifted me up off the bed. He bent down and kissed me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he wrapped his around my waist.

The next night, I was rushing through the garden in a big, super-poofy black dress with a single blood red ribbon around my waist and trailing down the back of the sparkly tulle skirt. It was easy for me to run in it because I was a vampire. Had I been human, I would have killed myself, no doubt about it. I hopped over the stone wall, and took off into the woods surrounding the castle.

I noticed in my peripheral a dark shape running in and out of the trees, keeping pace with my own steps. I smiled to myself. Vladimir…

We ran until we hit the docks. We could see the island of Sicily, and it was a glow with lamps and candles. We could hear the music, the glasses clinking, the laughs, and all the people. We joined a group waiting for the nest boat. It was a whole mishmash of random people. Dark-skinned, light-skinned, old, young, families, single people, couples. Some were dressed more elegantly than I was, and some were dressed less elegantly than I was. That's what I liked to notice: diversity. I thought it was beautiful.

When the boat came back for us we loaded up and the ride across was great. Like the girl, Skipper, I had met at the wedding; I also shared a love of water. The moonlight splashed across it, and rippled along with the tiny curvy waves made by the boat as it glided through the black midnight waters. I was entranced by them.

The boat ride was very short and we arrived on Sicily quickly. We got off the boat and Vladimir and I stayed behind a little bit longer to see the boat go off back across the water. I waved at nothing on the boat, but just to wave.

We made our way up the path, which spilled out into a large, illuminated party pavilion. It was huge and beautiful. People danced all around. I saw families swaying with their kids and I missed my own child. But he was busy having his own fun with Israel and the rest of my family. Vladimir took my hand we spun out on the dance floor.

Okay, I'll admit it; I was way more jump up and down and fist pump rather than the dancing to the songs they were playing. But they were still charming.

We whirled around the room, me staring into Vladimir's eyes. I know it's sappy, but it was just what was happening. It felt like we were the only people at the festival. Then I noticed that we kinda were. There were only a few other couples dancing around us, and everyone else had given us some room. It embarrassed me a little, but I didn't let it show. It was easy not to, I had been trained since my first day in drama class freshman year. I smiled remembering.

Ah, Chad Poole… And Dollface and Dylan, Mollie, and all my other friends. I missed them terribly. But that was all a long time ago now. Or at least it felt like that.

I decided that the night was more about how I felt about who I was dancing with rather than how I much I missed my human life. When the song we were dancing to ended, we cleared out and gave the place back to the humans. Vladimir and I went over to a corner where we wouldn't be noticed and he held me close. We watched the dancers go around and I actually really enjoyed just that. For some reason, it just fascinated me, watching all the dresses swirl around, seeing the mothers and fathers dance with their children, or couples gaze at each and laugh. I couldn't place why it entertained me so much. Maybe it was that little thing I had about diversity again.

I laughed to myself and Vladimir looked down at me, a curious smile on his face.

"What's so funny?" he asked good-naturedly.

"Nothing," I said. "I was just thinking about… different. I've always kind of dug different."

Vladimir laughed.

"I can tell. I like different, too. Speaking of which… I bet that's how our wedding will be."

"Well, yeh. I mean, I'm going to be planning it. You know, when you propose to me properly," I teased.

Okay, I know I wasn't the most enthusiastic about Vick and Annelynn's wedding, but that was kind of… yeh. Not the most fun circumstances. It was all okay now, of course, but still. It hadn't really been when I was there.

But, um, my love of weddings kiiiinnnddd of borderlined… obsession. I kind of had had every single detail (except for the groom!) of my own wedding already picked out since I was eight years old. In fact, I loved weddings so much, I already had plans to force Destiny and Alec renew their vows just so I can be there to watch them and I was going to do the same to Jinx and Israel. So, Destiny was not alone in my boat of insanity.

"I'll make that unique, too," Vladimir smiled. "In fact, I already have it mapped out. And I have your ring all picked out. I just need to get it."

I nodded. I wondered how this would happen.

"Let's dance," I said suddenly, pulling my love back out to dance. I know everyone is all "Oh, we just danced the night away!", but seriously we did. Like, no joke! The sun had literally hit where we had been standing before we dodged back over the garden wall. We laughed because, all in all, it was funny. Like I said, I like to live on the edge.

We hurried into the side door and ran right smack into Israel, who had all three kids.

"Oh!" she said in surprise. "I was just taking them outside to watch the sunrise."

"I am afraid you just missed it," Vladimir said apologetically. Israel's face fell only slightly.

"Oh, well. We have eons to catch another sunrise! "

"Thanks for watching him," I said, taking my son into my arms. Edison fidgeted and I put him back down. He smiled up at me and then looked back at Israel.

"Can we still go outside?" he asked.

Israel laughed and nodded. Edison cheered and reached up for me to pick him up. I did and he kissed my cheek. I set him back down.

"I love you, Mama and Daddy!" he called as he and the rest of the gang headed out the door.

"I love you, too!" Vladimir and I called in unison. We looked at each other and I leaned against him.

"He really loves you," I murmured. Vladimir squeezed me to him.

"I really love him and his mother," he whispered back. I sighed in contentment. Then Vladimir groaned.

"I need to go," he said abruptly. "Skander and Azure had wanted to speak with me today."

I gave him a funny look and asked, "Why?"

He shrugged. I thought about it for a few seconds, then Vladimir tilted my chin up to face him. He had that cute, shy and hopeful look on his face. He leaned sown and pressed his lips gently to mine. The kiss was very sweet, and I took a few seconds to detach myself and analyze his scent. It was like almond-y, and berry-ish, very distinct and easy to follow if I ever lost him.

We pulled apart and Vladimir took a few seconds to lean his head on my mine, our eyes still closed.

"Love you," I said.

"I love you more.

"Liar…"

Vladimir pulled a face then laughed and took off. I sighed after his racing shadow. I kicked the dirt I had tracked in with my shoes and dress. Falling in love was… different. A good different, but still different.

I walked down the hall and to the elevator, wondering what my creator and his twin wanted with my mate. I decided that, since it was them, I'd let it go for the time being. Maybe I'd just sing about it. I went up to my room and looked out the window. I could see over the entire garden. Is and the kids were playing an extreme game of tag. I smiled to myself.

I left the window and picked up my guitar. I sat on my bed, played, and sang.

I had stopped singing and had just started strumming when I heard approaching footsteps. I knew who it was before she poked her curly blonde head into my door.

Destiny smiled at me and I waved her to come in. She sat down on my bed with me and she had a teen magazine in her hand. I cocked my head at it. She giggled.

"I found this old thing in my room," she said. "I found this little quiz and I thought maybe you'd like to have some pointless fun."

I smirked as I thought.

"I do like pointless fun," I mused. "Shot."

"Okay," Destiny said, flipping through the crinkly pages. "You'll love the title: 'How well do you know your guy?'"

Oh, goody. Well, I knew my guy pretty well, so I knew it would be cake.

"Okay first question: What color is his eyes? Okay, since that question is stupid, what color were his eyes?"

"They were brown," I replied with no hesitation, "like his father's."

"Okay. What is his favorite color?"

"Forrest green or Katniss green as I call it."

"Okay. What is his favorite food?"

"Blood!"

"Great! How many pets does he have?"

"Uh, does Edison count? Cause he can be a little monkey sometimes!"

We both laughed and Destiny continued.

"What is his favorite song?"

"'Horror of our Love' by… by… uh, I never really asked, but I know what it is and it's his favorite."

"Kay. So what is his favorite place to be?"

"Iceland."

"Where is he from?"

"Iceland."

"Last one is: Who is his best friend?"

"Mmm… his sisters?"

"Maybe. Okay, that's all."

"How about you? What are those answers for you and Alec?"

"One is Icy blue, two is red, three is blood, four is none, five is 'Fireflies' by Owl City, six is wherever me or Faith is, seven is Itali, and eight is me."

"Cool. Hey do you know why Skander and Azure wanted to talk to Vladimir?" I asked Destiny suddenly. "I mean, what could it be?"

Destiny sat in thought, then shook her head, her hair bouncing with the motion.

"I don't know. I remember that when Alec… oh, my God…"

"What? What is it? Tell me."

"He… he's gonna ask for your hand in marriage!" Destiny squealed happily. I looked at her, confused.

"But… we already talked about it. He already, sort of, had my hand in marriage," I said. "Do you think…?"

"Maybe he's getting permission from them. After all, Skander did create you. And that makes Azure kind of your uncle."

"I guess so…" I said slowly. "And that makes more sense than planning for the zombie apocalypse, which by the way, is going to happen."

Destiny gave me a funny look.

"Well, it is," I muttered.

"Okay, Alice. I'll see you later."

She got up off the bed and headed out as I waved. I set my guitar on the ground and laid back on my pillows with a huff.

Asking my guardians for permission to marry me…

Wow. I guess this was really getting official.