Six Months Later

I groaned ,trying to get up. Why did Mia have to choose to get married on such a glum, foggy day? There was no light outside. And as much as I loved Mia, I didn't want to get out of this bed, the bed I shared with my soul mate Adrian. If you would have asked me a year ago, I would have said there was no way in hell that I would fall in love with Adrian Ivashkov, but looking at him now, I couldn't bare the though to live without him.

I looked over to his side and noticed he slept peacefully. It was a crime to even think about waking him. I sneaked out of bed and walked in the shower, hoping that it would wake me up. I looked in the mirror ,not really seeing myself. There were bags bigger than trash bags under my eyes. I really needed to stop playing around with the Arian a little.

When I got out of the shower, I could see that Adrian had made the bed; he was now cooking breakfast. I walked into the kitchen and the smell of omelets hit me dead in the face.

Adrian looked cute in his apron ,cooking flipping and doing all sorts of things with the eggs. A soft laugh escaped my lips. I hugged him from behind. "Moring, little dhampir." He turned around to give me a quick peck on the lips, but he had to do it fast since his eggs were burning.

"Moring, babe."

"Breakfast is done," he said pointing to the counter with the stools. I could see a blue plate with an omelet with cheese and some spices.

I was very hungry, suddenly. I ate in the wonderful meal in about ten seconds. Adrian was on his firsts bites when he asked, "Want me to make you another one?"

I leaned in to give him a fast kiss. Mia was going to kill me I was supposed to have been ready an hour ago. "Thanks, babe. But I gotta go! You know how Mia gets with all those hormones!"

I ran out the door and I could hear his laugh following behind me. I ran to Mia's room and prepared myself to get Mia's outburst. Pregnant ladies are too out of control. I walked into the room and found Mia sitting on a chair. She looked ready to pass out and kept rubbing her stomach frequently.

I saw a lot of relieved faces when I entered the room I walked straight up to Mia. "Hey. Are you alright?"

"Yeah."

"Thank, God you are here, Rose." Lissa said coming up behind me. "So wouldn't let anyone touch her. She kept saying 'let's wait till Rose comes.'" Lissa had a bigger belly than Mia even though Mia was a month more pregnant than Lissa. It had to do with Lissa eating all the times and craving things; with Mia, Eddie got the cravings. Ha!

"So, Mia, now that I'm here how do you want me to do your hair?"

"Do whatever you want as long as it looks good."

Lissa and I set to it. Lissa applied make up and I started curling her blonde hair. It took a while, with the amount of hair she had. After I finished curling, I pinned her hair up all over her head. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. "Rose, Lissa! I love this."

I patted her back. "You better. Now stay calm let me put your crown on." Tasha Ozera handed me the crown. I adjusted it and pinned that and her veil with some bobby pins.

Someone else handed me the a bag. I realized a second later that it was Mia's dress.

Her dress was cute. It was not fancy or anything but it was cute. It was a strapless dress; it had a white silk ribbon that tied at her back. It was special order for Maternity. She stood up to walk to the bathroom to change and asked me if I could help her.

I had no other choice but to agree. She stripped out if her clothes and slipped inside the dress. I had a little trouble zipping it; I had to call Lissa to help me. She laughed when all told her that I need help with the zipper.

Hey, talking about zippers, Lissa bent down and her zipper ripped. Now it was Mia's turn to laugh. "Oh my God! Liss! How weight did you gain since the last time you tried this on?"

Thankfully Tasha had taken a sewing class a couple of years ago. She sewed up Lissa's dress in no time! I looked at the clock and almost had a heart attack! Lissa's incident left me with twenty minutes to get dressed and ready. Everybody helped (thank God) to get me ready. Lissa did my make up and Tasha straightened my hair.

I slipped inside my black dress and were all ready to go downstairs. There was a knock on the door. Mr. Rinaldi walked in and tears sprang to his eyes as he took in his beautiful daughter, Mia. She really did look good in her white dress and her baby bump.

"Mia, my daughter, you look beautiful!" He walked up to his daughter and hugged her tight. It was kind of emotional to see that. I had never had a relationship with my dad and it was understandable; I barely knew him. But I wished I had.

"Thanks, Dad! I wish Mom would have been here." Both their eyes filled with tears and we let them have their Father and Daughter moment.

"Now, now. Don't cry. Be happy. You're getting married." He looked at all of us and asked Mia, "Ready?"

"Girls take your spot out there!" I ordered them.

They left willingly. Probably scared that the mean Rose Hathaway would come out or the hormonal Mia would yell at them. Lissa trudged along after them. She looked really funny walking. Not that I was going to admit that or she'd go psycho all over me.

"Mia you have five minutes to get out there."

I walked out the door and caught up with Lissa. I don't know where she had gotten that but she was happily eating King sized chocolate bar. I rubbed her belly. "Damn Lissa, do you carry around a store in your purse or what?"

"Hey a girl has to eat."

I laughed and we walked towards to where the ceremony would take place.

Unlike Lissa, Mia had chosen "A Black Tie Affair" theme for her wedding. You had to wear either black or white to the wedding. There was only seventy guests. Mia wasn't keen on the whole Royal thing well, she used to be but Eddie had changed her point of view on the world.

We were now standing in front of the chapel. The music started playing and that was our cue to sit down well, Lissa's cue to walk. She waddled to the sitting area.

They said their vows and put each other rings on. Finally, it was time to kiss the bride. Eddie and Mia were flushed with excitement and happiness.

The ceremony went well and the part went fine. Mia and Eddie had chosen to get married in Vegas but the whole part was outside. Candles lit the pools making the night look like there were a million stars. Tables with beautiful lilies covered the tables that held large candles. It was beautiful.

It was the time they had to board the plane to leave there honeymoon. Everything would have been perfect if not for one thing.

I felt the nausea that alerted me Strigoi were nearby. They went for Lissa first but before they reached her Christian set a ring of fire around her. I immediately thanked God—or whoever was listening that I had brought my purse that carried my life filled stake. I staked the first Strigoi I could get my hands on.

It all happened to fast. A strigoi grabbed Adrian form behind and wrapped another hand and his neck. "Take one more step closer her and I'll break her neck!" The Strigoi growled to Christian who kept going towards Adrian and the Strigoi.

I threw myself as a Strigoi, hoping to be a distraction. I was a distraction the Strigoi let go of Adrian and advanced on me he threw me several time across the pavement. Christian took the distraction as an advantage; he set him half on fire and then to Lissa because another Strigoi was advancing in her.

I faintly saw the infamous Janine Hathaway, my mother, stake the Strigoi that was beating me up. Faster than light can travel, my mother went to stake the last Strigoi. I laid there on the ground, ignoring the pain in my ribs. I looked everywhere, trying to look for Adrian to see if he was fine. There he was, leaning down and lifting me off the ground, cradling me against his chest.

"I got you, little dhampir" was all I heard before I blanked out in Adrian's safe arms.