Coming of Age
I walked slowly into the house, dragging my feet. The way Ian was acting really confused me. One minute he was my enemy the next he was in a way another protector.
I dropped my bag by the door and started for the stairs, I wanted to take my shower before Davion arrived.
"Hey Dawn, wait a sec." Echoed my Dad's voice, I stopped at the base of the stairs, groaning inwardly.
He jogged over to me and leaned against the railing. "Your birthday is coming up in two weeks." My eyes widened when I realized he was right. With everything that had happened lately, I had forgotten my own birthday!
"Uh…yea…October 13th. What of it?" I responded trying to hide that I had had a blonde moment. "You'll be eighteen right?" he asked, his eye tightening slightly. I nodded. It was hard to believe I was really that old already. Where had the time gone? "Look I'm not very good at this kind of thing, but here in England it's customary to throw a girl a coming of age party when she reaches adulthood." His voice lowered into a near whisper, "I was wondering if you'd like me throw you one." My lips threatened to curve into a smile. "Well I've never had a ball thrown for me before." I said weakly. His face brightened with excitement, "Good, I'll get started planning the party. We can have it the weekend of your birthday. How's that?" I nodded with a smile. He leaned over the railing and planted a kiss on my forehead.
He turned around on his heel and went back to the couch. I quickly ran up to my bathroom. I took a quick shower, and blow-dried my hair. Afterwards I pulled on a pair of black shorts and a pink tank top. Suddenly exhausted, I collapsed onto my bed and sank into a coma.
I was awakened by heaviness on my chest. My eyes opened and looked down to see what was on top of me.
My body went rigid when I saw that it was Davion, lying next to me, his arms around me, with his head resting on my chest. I tried to speak but I could find no words to say.
After a long silence, I was finally able to get my lips to move, "W-what are you doing?" I asked, my body still frozen. His beautiful eyes fluttered open at the sound of my voice. "Listening to your heartbeat." He said, his voice warm and strong. "It's such a beautiful sound." He whispered. A loving smile spread across my face, as I began to run my fingers through his shiny black hair.
He squeezed my body tighter, pressing his cheek harder against my chest. "I have heard countless hearts in my lifetime, but yours is the one I'd fly into the sun for…just to hear its song." I took his head in my hands and lifted it towards me, so I could see his face. My smile had disappeared and my eyes were widened in worry.
"What's wrong?" I asked, my voice shaking. His eyes drifted from my face to the terrace window. "They're coming for you." I let out a bitter laugh, "tell me something I don't know." His eyes flashed toward me, his lips setting into an unhappy line. "When I returned to my crypt after you fell asleep, I found Scarlett there waiting for me. Nos is tired of my rebellion, he's ordered that I be killed. Scarlett said that she would get Nos to spare me if I gave them you… she knows you have magic blood. If she drains you, she will obtain more power than ever before."
"What did you tell her?" I asked, already knowing the answer. "No, of course." He replied bleakly. "Davion, I will not let you die for me!" I groaned, hugging him tightly.
In a quick movement that I was not prepared for, he turned over on his back, pulling me on top of him. He pressed my face to his chest, firmly yet gentle enough that he did not hurt me.
"Listen to my heart." He ordered, his fingers stroking my hair. I listened intently to utter silence. "I-I don't hear anything." I said looking up at him. "Exactly…my heart no longer beats. I will not let them stop yours." He touched my cheek lightly, his eyes held no comfort for me. "I will gladly give my life for yours." Seeing the tears beginning to build up in my eyes, he drew me up in his arms, allowing me to sob on his shoulder. "Fight" I blubbered in his ear, "fight them Davion. I can't lose you again! I won't make it." His hold tightened. "I intend to. Don't worry."
That comforted me somewhat. I knew I had nothing to worry about. Davion was an excellent fighter. When he had me to protect he was unbeatable. At least…I hoped he was.
I decided to change the subject, I told him about my upcoming birthday and the coming of age party. His eyes sparked when I said the date.
He leaned over, so that his face was but inches from mine. Our eyes locked, "How strange that you and I share the same birth date. You were born 365 years to the day that I was turned." A beautiful laughter reverberated from his chest, "If that isn't fate I don't know what is." He said with a smile that melted my heart. His cool lips connected with mine and we slipped slowly into a bliss that seemed to go on forever but in reality was only a minute long kiss.
Much too soon, he got up to leave, saying that he was extremely hungry and needed to hunt. I hugged him and kissed him goodnight, unwillingly letting him fly off into the night.
The day's past excruciatingly slowly as we planned my party. Due to unending pleas from Kat, I had decided on a masquerade theme since my birthday is so close to Halloween.
The party was now only three days away, I'd sent out all the invitations, made up a menu, booked a band, yet still I had no dress.
I was finally able to persuade- after a lot of begging- Maria to take me shopping. We ravaged several stores, looking for the perfect dresses.
Maria looked awesome in everything of course, she being a supermodel on the side. I on the other hand, had worse luck. Everything I tried either was too puffy, heavy, tight, showed too much skin, or made me look fat. Maria finally took pity on me and picked out a dress for me. It was crimson red, with white under-skirts that flowed around my feet, and a heart shaped neckline. It fit me perfectly and made my blue eyes pop and complemented my skin tone. I ended up buying it, Maria got a backless peach colored gown with sleeves that came off the shoulder, and a plunging neckline. Dad was goint to flip!
I skipped up to my room and hung up the dress, making sure it would be hidden from Davion's view when he came.
He never did come. It was the day of my actual birthday, and I still had not heard from him. I was worried beyond human limits.
The day was absolutely beautiful and I needed to clear my head, so I went to the park after school and sat on a blanket on the cool grass. I sat with my knees pulled up to my chest, wondering where in the world Davion might be. As if on cue my undead boyfriend sauntered out of the darkness of a shady tree.
I gasped when I saw him, he was out in the sunlight wearing only jeans and a black tee shirt with the words, "Bad Boy" written on it in bold letters. My jaw hit the ground, he was even more beautiful in Daylight. "H-how?" I stuttered, unable to believe my eyes. A rumbling echoed from his chest, as he sat on the blanket next to me.
He leaned over to me and kissed my cheek. "Surprise!" he whispered the movement of his lips against my skin, sent excited chills running up and down my spine. He pulled away, an amused smile playing on his lips. "Your blood is still in my system, somehow it allows me to stand direct sunlight for a while." His smile broadened, "Today's my last day as a free man, and I'd like to spend it with you." I felt the familiar feeling of blushing cross my face.
Wanting to irk him just a bit, I turned away from him, crossing my arms in mock anger, "Where have you been?" I growled the question. He ran his fingers through his hair, the smile was still there. "I was tracking Scarlett and her goons, protecting you remember?" He brushed my hair lightly, "Try not to get so worked up." A small child ran past us, giggling happily. His mother bent down and picked him up, wrapping her arms around his small body in a loving hug.
A smile crossed my face as I watched them. "You like children?" asked Davion's voice. I looked over at him, he was facing forward, his eyes locked on the child and mother. "Yea" I replied, truthfully. I just didn't care for werewolf children. "Would you like to have some one day?" he continued the corner of his lips drawing up in a smirk. I could feel myself blushing again as I envisioned what my children would look like…little miniatures of Davion. "…Maybe… some day." I mumbled with embarrassment. He lay back on the blanket, closing his eyes, enjoying the warmth of the sun for the first time in nearly four hundred years. "You should, you'd make a wonderful mother." He spoke as if he would have nothing to do with it. Like he…wouldn't be the one to father my babies. "Why haven't you had children yet, Davion? You'd make a great father." His lips pulled down in a frown, and he turned over on his side, turning his back on me. " I would have liked to have a family, but…that's not even an option for me anymore. Vampires can't have children. We lack the ability to give life…we only take it." He stated this cold hard fact, with sadness apparent in his voice.
I was greatly disappointed. I didn't just want children…I wanted his children. "I'm sorry." I whispered, touching his head in comfort. His hand clasped over mine, "Don't be. I'm just glad everything still works." He chuckled loudly at the expression that appeared on my face when I visualized what he was saying.
Later we took a walk through the park. He held on tightly to my hand as we strolled, and I couldn't stop blushing to save my life. He then led me under a massive tree, its leaves just beginning to turn beautiful shades of red. Davion pressed me up against the tree's trunk as he kissed me, our lips moved in perfect unison as we explored each other's mouths. Finally he stopped the kiss, allowing me to breathe. As I caught my breath he took my hand and pressed something round in it. I opened up my fingers to behold a golden coin on a long chain. "Is this what I think it is?" I asked hardly believing what I held in my hand. "A genuine Spanish doubloon." He laughed in my ear, "Happy birthday." I looked up into his eyes not at all understanding. "W-where did you get this?" I asked, turning the coin in my hands. He took it from me and held up in the sun, "I stole it." He saw the horrified look on my face and laughed again, "Many, many years ago, during one of my darker times." He handed it back to me, "I was a sailor then, a captain if fact, I obtained this and much more after I captured a Spanish merchant ship. I know how much you love those Pirate movies so I thought you might like a little of my pirate hoard." He chuckled again. All of a sudden I began to laugh as well, "Davion you were a pirate!" I yelled, my whole head going red from laughing. Davion really was my perfect man.
Suddenly Davion began to scream. His skin started to turn black at the points where sunlight was hitting it. "Oh my God!" I yelled, stripping off my jacket and throwing it over his head. "Can you phase?" I asked him, trying to block him as much as I could from the sun's harmful rays. He nodded and phased us out. Everything went black for a second then the darkness faded and we were standing in the crypt. He handed me my jacket and hobbled over to his coffin. He climbed into it, groaning with the pain that shot through him with every movement. "Looks like my time is up." He moaned, lying back in the stone coffin. "I'll see you tonight." He said with a weak smile and shut the lid.
That night I waited impatiently in my room, pacing back and forth in front of the terrace doors. I had just gotten back from dinner with my parents, and was still wearing the dress I had gotten to wear for Davion's Christmas party. I hadn't worn it since that horrid night, but now that Davion was back I saw no need to let it go to waste in the back of my closet.
"Ugh! Where is he!" I yelled at myself, in frustration. Then I heard a familiar meow and rustling of the curtains. I looked down to find Davion's cat, Alucard sitting happily at my feet, his feline lips curved up in what looked like a smile. "Hey their Alucard." I cooed lifting him into my arms, "Where have you been? I haven't seen you in forever." I felt Davion's presence in the room so I looked up but as I did so Davion grabbed me by the hair and crushed my lips with his. I pulled away, shocked and blushing.
Davion looked haggard, his hair was all disheveled and his clothes were torn and dirty, his face was also smudged with dirt and he was no longer wearing any shoes. I gasped at his appearance, "What happened to you?" I asked, worriedly. He sighed then stumbled over to the bed and collapsed. "After I recovered, I went to see if Scarlett was up to anything, but before I could reach her, Alexander came at me with a bunch of ghouls." I dropped the cat, and rushed over to him in horror.
Urgently I ran my fingers over his body, looking for any damage. Beneath my fingertips I could feel laughter rumbling through his chest. He placed his hand over mine, then gently kissed my lips again. He pulled his face away, his eyes never moving from mine, "I'm alright." He reassured. "Here" he said, reaching into the pocket of his coat. "Another gift for you, courtesy of Alucard." He pulled out a fuzzy kitten with golden fur. "I picked her up on the way back, from the family across the street. Apparently, Alucard has been busy with your neighbor's cat the past few weeks. I giggled nuzzling my face in the kitten's fur. "I'm going to name you sunny." I told the little creature. The name fit her well. She was as golden as the sun and her eyes were crystal blue. I had never seen such a beautiful cat, aside from Alucard of course. "Oh thank you, thank you." I yelled, throwing my free arm around Davion's neck and hugging him tightly.
A gorgeous smile spread across his face, "You're welcome."
Davion and I lounged on my floor for a while, playing with Alucard and his adorable daughter. "Do you think, Alucard's immortality was passed on to her?" I asked, pulling a ribbon across the floor for Sunny to chase. "Maybe" he replied absently, twisting one of my long curls in his fingers. "His eyes moved to my face, they were so beautiful tonight, they were glowing even brighter than normal, "Your ball is tomorrow night, I hope you know how to dance, you'll be doing a lot of it."
"Of course I know how to dance."
"I mean dancing, not that horrid thrashing about you do."
I stuck my lower lip out in a pout.
He chuckled and got to his feet. "Come with me. I'll give you a crash course." He said, reaching out a hand. I took it and he pulled me toward the terrace doors.
As we stepped out, I watched with wide-eyed amazement as his wings unfurled and began to take flight. To my horror he pulled me into the air with him. "What are you doing!" I yelled, terrified. He gave me a warm loving expression and I couldn't help but look deep into those luminescent pools of green. "Trust me," he whispered, and all my fear melted away.
He pulled me close to his body, placing my feet over his and we went into the waltz position. We twirled together in the air, our eyes never parting from the other's gaze. His touch was usually so cold it chilled me too the bone but tonight, in his arms, I felt warm. His warmth protected me from the cold night air.
"I feel silly, there isn't any music." I complained, trying to distract myself from the improper thoughts that were seeping into my subconscious.
He raised his head to the heavens, a strange grin appearing on his face, "Can't you hear it? Listen closer. We are dancing to the music of the night." He whispered in a whimsical tone that mesmerized me. I closed my eyes and tried to listen. Sure enough I could hear it, the thudding of my heart against my rib cage, the flapping of Davion's wings, the chirping of the crickets, and the sound of the wind blowing through the trees. It all mingled together to create a beautiful melody, natures very own lullaby.
"I-I hear it." I announced in a shocked voice. He chuckled, tightening his grip around my waist. We continued to dance for hours, our movements effortless in the air.
Finally, he sat me down on the terrace, and we sat together on the railing, our feet dangling over the edge. "Are you having a good birthday?" he asked. I rested my head on his chest and closed my eyes as I took in his heavenly scent, "Very good." I sighed, "You're too good to me." He squeezed me tighter to his side, and kissed the top of my head.
This was the best birthday EVER!!