Chapter 15
A few minutes later
Hannah and Chess headed outside to where the wedding was going to take place. Lupe and Chess were bridesmaids and Nilsson was the best man. The wedding music started and Diana escorted her daughter down the aisle. Hannah was dressed in white, covered in lace with a white hat and a veil. Her hair was done up in curls and her gray eyes were shining.
Thierry looked at her and thought she had never looked more beautiful. He was dressed in a black tux with white shirt and bow tie. His white blond hair was combed neatly back off of his forehead and his dark eyes were shining. Finally Diana deposited Hannah beside Thierry and went to sit down. "Do you Thierry take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife . . ." The preacher intoned. Everything seemed to move very fast then and before anyone knew it the preacher was saying, "You may kiss the bride." Hannah leaned forward and they both kissed, deeply. This was a fulfillment of all of their dreams and they were going be very happy together.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
Later at the reception
Hannah and Thierry danced together through almost every song. It was like they were two halves of a whole that could never be parted, for fear of disastrous consequences. Finally when the last song ended, Thierry led her over to the buffet table. "Having a good time?" Thierry inquired.
"The best, I've was never this happy until I found you," answered Hannah, honestly. Thierry smiled at the comment and took a sip of the punch glass he was holding. He was glad to see her so happy. "So where are we going on our honeymoon?" asked Hannah.
"It's a surprise," said Thierry.
"Am I gonna have to tickle it out of you?" threatened Hannah.
"No, you are just going have to wait that's all," said Thierry. Hannah relented after that, but was still curious.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
That night
Hannah lay in bed with Thierry beside her. This was their wedding night and they both intended to enjoy it. They then started to move towards each other hesitantly at first then with more speed. Both were a little nervous, but as soon as they started their nervousness seemed to disappear. They both had been waiting for this moment for a long time and their passion for each other had never dimmed.
Thierry entered her, trying to be as gentle as possible and when she moaned, he knew he was doing; it right. He started kissing her neck and then her mouth. Hannah didn't resist and cried out in pleasure as he slowly started kissing her breast. Hannah was a willing partner and she slowly started stroking his chest lightly. Thierry growled, as she stroked and kissed him passionately, on the chest then his neck and finally his lips. They explored every part of each other's bodies and found what pleased them the most then touched these parts lightly stroking them, until either of them groaned in pleasure. Hours later they lay back sated and tired, until they both fell asleep in each other's arms.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
The next morning, Hannah awoke and felt a slight warmth next to her. She snuggled against it and found Thierry stroking her back. She smiled up at him and he returned it with one of his own.
"Hello," he whispered.
"Hi," she replied.
"Hannah, did I hurt you last night?" asked Thierry, seriously.
"Oh, no Thierry, last night was wonderful," said Hannah. "I never knew it could be like that."
"Neither did; I and thank you, my dear. By the way, what do you want to do today?" asked Thierry.
"Stay here . . . with you," said Hannah.
"Don't you want to know about our honeymoon trip?" asked Thierry.
"Oh, I can find out . . ." Hannah said, suggestively.
"How pray tell?" asked Thierry, intently.
"You," Then she threw the covers over both of them.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
Hours later, Hannah woke up again in Thierry's arms. Thierry was looking at her with a soft smile on his lips. You know, I've waited thousands of years to do this, he thought to Hannah.
You must have the patience of a saint, Hannah thought back to him, A; very celibate saint.
Thierry grinned at that. "It was all worth it just for you to be in my arms right now," said Thierry, breaking the silence.
Hannah looked at him and a silent tear worked its way down her cheek. She didn't deserve him he was always so good to her. Thierry gently wiped her tear away and asked quietly "What are you thinking about, my love?"
Hannah smiled sadly at him before answering. "Just that I didn't deserve you, you're so good to me."
"I would do anything for you, Hannah. I've waited centuries just to hold you in my arms, my sweet," whispered Thierry, lovingly.
After that, they embraced and started to love each other again. And for awhile, no more words were said.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
"Thierry?"
"Hmm?"
"What about our honeymoon?"
"What about it?" A slight kiss was placed upon Hannah's neck.
"Where are we going? When?"
"We are going in a week and going everywhere, a trip around the world."
"Oh, Thierry." A kiss upon Thierry's lips . . . A kiss on Hannah's lips . . . another kiss . . . and another . . .
After a few minutes, Hannah again spoke. "Thierry, about my mother . . ."
"Are you suggesting that we take her on our honeymoon?" replied Thierry, teasingly.
Hannah promptly slapped Thierry's arm. "No! Of course not, silly. I'd rather be with you."
"Good," replied Thierry. Then he kissed her . . . and kissed her again and again . . .
"Thierry, why can't we go in a few days? Are we going to spend all our time in bed?"
Thierry kissed Hannah again with a passion that would rival the fires of Hell. "That's not a bad idea," said Thierry with a grin.
Hannah slapped his chest, "Thierry!" Then she agreed with him. "You know, it wasn't such a bad idea, but I'd rather do at least a little sightseeing on our honeymoon than stay in bed with you."
Thierry looked at her with sad puppy eyes, a little hurt crept into his voice as he spoke. "We could stay here, in bed instead of going off on our honeymoon," he suggested wickedly.
"Oh, I'll show you! C'mere." Hannah grabbed Thierry and kissed him passionately as they tumbled off the bed with the covers onto the floor. A growl followed by a giggle was heard from the bedroom, but no one dared to disturb its occupants.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
A few days, after they had managed to peel themselves away from each other, Thierry and Hannah got ready for their trip. Thierry made the final arrangements while Hannah went to see her mother.
"You're going where?" asked Diana startled.
"Everywhere and every place on a trip around the world," replied Hannah.
"Can Thierry afford it?" asked Diana.
"Yes, of course," said Hannah.
"What about his house? His workers and servants?" asked Diana.
"It will be taken care of. Don't worry. Thierry is a very fair employer," said Hannah.
"Hannah, about his workers and servants . . ." said Diana letting her sentence trail off.
"Yes?" asked Hannah, prompting her to finish her thought.
"Don't they look awfully young to be working here?" asked Diana.
"Yeah, I guess," Hannah began to feel a little uncomfortable.
"How did he get them?" asked Diana.
"I think they were out of work and Thierry had some positions to fill. So they came," said Hannah.
"From where?" asked Diana.
"You would have to ask Thierry about that," said Hannah.
As soon as she finished that, Thierry walked in the room. "Hello, Diana."
"Thierry, I want to ask you about your servants," said Diana.
"Yes, go ahead," said Thierry, suddenly on his guard.
"Aren't they a bit . . . young?" asked Diana.
"Yes, I guess they are," said Thierry.
"How did they come to be here and where did they come from?" asked Diana.
"I had some positions to be filled so they applied and my servants come from everywhere," said Thierry.
"I'm not buying that. What's the real reason?" asked Diana.
"Well, the reason might be that I'm really an ancient vampire that's thousands of years old and I have other vampires serving me," said Thierry, flippantly, deciding to take a gamble.
Diana laughed. "Oh, you don't expect me to believe that!"
"No, of course not," Thierry smiled, but inside, he was grateful that she accepted that.
"No, really, how do you get these young people?" asked Diana.
Thierry sighed. "Diana, they are older than they look." Then he turned and left the two women alone in the room, grumbling about generations.
Diana turned to her daughter with a look of confusion. "Does he mean that they have been working for generations or that their families have been working for him for generations?"
"Yeah, something; like that," replied Hannah.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
Days later, Hannah and Thierry went off on their honeymoon. Everyone saw them off as they got into the car. They had already packed their luggage inside. They said their good-byes and finally they rode off for their round trip around the world. They started in the major cities except Paris then they went to the small towns as well in what ever country they were in whether it was Madrid, Holland, Vienna, Berlin, and so on. The one surprise that Thierry had managed to keep from Hannah was that instead of a week like he had said, they were going to stay for two whole months. Hannah was overjoyed by the whole prospect.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
Two weeks later, Diana Snow decided to go out for a walk. No one stopped her since she had free reign over the place. She remembered a little restaurant that she had been at years ago when she had been in college. It was called "The Color Groove", because it had been done in shocking psychedelic colors like Groovy Green or Mellow Yellow. She went to find Lupe in order to get directions to the restaurant.
When she found her, Diana asked "Lupe, do you know where "The Color Groove" is?"
"The old restaurant? It goes by a different name now, but I can still give you the directions."
"Okay."
After Lupe gave her the directions, Diana got Nilsson to drive her to "The Cool Rave", as "The Color Groove" was now known. As she arrived there, she got Nilsson to come back for her in five hours. When he left, she entered the restaurant.
In some ways, it hadn't changed. Not really. It still looked like the same old restaurant that she had known with its funky colors of Mellow Yellow, Violence Violet, and Really Red. But now instead of being filled with under clothed hippies and psychedelic lights, there was now kids dressed in thrift store clothing from the 1960's and 1970's danced to techno-electronic beats instead of the soulful tunes of Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Blondie.
"Hey, Mrs. Peel! How's it hanging?" shouted a voice from behind her.
Diana turned and saw a tall man with waist-length salt n' pepper hair tied back in a ponytail. He wore a red T-shirt that read "Save the Planet" in big letters and he wore tight blue jeans. He had sandals on his feet. "Donnie!" Diana cried, recognizing the man instantly, "How are you?"
"I'm doing fine, babe," said the man called Donnie.
"What are you doing here?" asked Diana.
"What do you think? I bought "The Color Groove" although it's called "The Cool Rave" now." said Donnie. "Things may be different now, but it is still a party, man."
"Donnie; are you still on those drugs?" asked Diana.
"No, Di I got clean in 82 when 54 went down," said Donnie.
"Studio 54 you were at that place?" asked Diana.
"Yeah, I was, but then I moved back here and bought our old hangout. I've just been taking it easy the last few years," said Donnie.
"Have you heard anything from our old gang recently?" asked Diana.
"Yeah, some have died, some got married and some have become bums," said Donnie. "Oh, do you know that guy you liked?"
"Yeah? Why?" asked Diana.
"Well he's here. Damn I don't know what he has been doing to himself, but he hasn't changed that much, if at all. He's gotten older a bit, but damn he looks like he's 35 or something," said Donnie.
Then suddenly a familiar voice broke into their little chat. "Are you talking about me behind my back?" asked the man, chuckling. Diana and Donnie turned and found a tall, dark, and handsome man behind them.
"Ian," Diana whispered.
The man called Ian smiled and said, "Di you haven't changed a bit."
Donnie chuckled, "Hey Di this is the guy you lusted after. Remember what you told me you wanted to do to him?"
Diana blushed and slapped Donnie on the arm, "Shut up Donnie."
"What?" asked; Donnie.
"Uh could you leave us alone a minute, Donnie?" asked Ian.
Donnie wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and said, "Oh you all want to do that?"
"Donnie I'm always a gentleman," said Ian.
"Yeah and your also always a spoilsport," said Donnie, as he left them alone.
Ian gently took Diana's arm and led her over to his table. They sat down and Ian said, "Diana."
"Ian," said Diana.
Ian's mouth broke into a wide grin; "We're not getting anywhere you know."
"You look very good Ian for a man who is 55," said Diana.
"You don't look bad yourself," Ian said.
"Ian, I've got wrinkles. I'm 55 for goodness sakes I'm not as pretty as I used to be," said Diana.
"On the contrary you're as pretty as when we first met," said Ian, as he took her hand and kissed it.
"Oh Ian," said Diana, breathing heavily.
Then suddenly Ian got up out of his seat and held Diana in his arms. He kissed her passionately, making the very fires of their passion seem unquenchable except to each other. They kissed until their very breath was stripped from them.
Diana was the first to break away. "Ian...Ian," she gasped.
"Di… Diana. Am I going too fast for you?" asked Ian.
"No, Ian...No, it's just it has been so long...I."
"Yes, I heard. I'm sorry about your husband..." replied Ian.
"That's all right. It's been awhile. Besides I had Hannah to think of."
"Hannah?" Ian asked.
"My daughter, thankfully, she's married now."
"She got married? To whom?"
"To a young man named Thierry Descouredres"
Ian's warm amber eyes grew golden in the light. "Thierry I've heard about him—all good things. He's a good man." He turned to Diana and hugged her to him. "Now, where were we? Oh, yes. Now I remember." He kissed her again with desire, fueling the flame of eternal need. "Di."
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
"Oh, Ian," she softly began to kiss his neck.
"Diana, you are the most beautiful woman in the world. I've loved you since our college days. Perhaps tonight..."
"No, Ian. I can't."
"Why not. Don't you . . ."
"Yes, yes. But it's too soon for this. How about we date first, then we..."
"Date? Do you want to date me?"
"Yes, of course. It's been so long, but perhaps I can see you in two weeks."
Ian smiled. "Of course, will you be in town?"
"Probably not, but I could come up for a visit?"
"Well, I have to go. Can I give you my phone number?"
Diana smiled, "For late night phone calls?"
Ian smiled, "Of course." He got a piece of paper, wrote on it, and then handed it to Diana. It read: Ian Dargeus 324-9009. They shared one last kiss before Ian left her at the Cool Rave. She only had to wait an hour more before Nilsson had to pick her up. By then, she was with Ian again and they were kissing.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
Two months after they had left, Hannah and Thierry returned to the States, more in love than ever. It would take the Jaws of Life to separate them. Nilsson drove them back to their house where their friends and Hannah's mom was waiting. Everybody greeted them with open arms.
"How was the trip?" asked Lupe.
"Okay," replied Hannah, dreamily, while looking at Thierry.
"Thierry?"
"Fine," he replied, as he stared into Hannah's soft gray eyes.
"O-kay. I'm not gonna get anything out of them," replied Lupe.
"Don't worry, Lupe," replied Diana. "When they recover from their honeymoon, they will tell all, I'm sure."
"Hi, mom." said Hannah.
"Hello, Diana," said Thierry with a nod.
"Well, I just wanted to say good-bye," said Diana.
"Mom? You're going so soon," said Hannah.
"Well, honey, I have to get back to work. Some people have to work for a living, y'know."
"Oh, Diana, I have a present for you . . . from Egypt," said Thierry.
"A present? Thierry, you shouldn't have!" replied Diana.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
Thierry gestured for Diana and Hannah to go into an empty room. Then Thierry went to where his luggage was after Nilsson had brought it in. He rifled through it and brought out a large package. He presented it to Diana, bowing as if he was a knight presenting a holy relic to a king.
"For you, Diana," he said.
Diana began to unwrap it and Hannah turned to Thierry with a curious look on her face.
What is it? Hannah asked directing her thoughts towards Thierry.
It's an ancient Egyptian sword made of copper, replied Thierry.
Where did you get it? An old collector? Hannah asked.
Let's just say that it's been "in the family" for awhile. Thierry smiled at Hannah mischievously.
Diana finally uncovered the ancient sword and picked it up with both hands gingerly. "Oh, it's so beautiful. Where did you get it?"
"I've had it for awhile." Then he whispered an old Egyptian prayer to her:
You, the fairest and wisest of all creation,
May you see only light and never dark,
May the taint of evil never seek you out,
May the gods grant you peace and happiness for all your days.
Seek out the true path and may it guide you to paths yet traveled
and yet see the paths past and done.
"How-how did you know that?" asked Diana.
"An old collector told me about it," replied Thierry.
"No way can a collector have told you about that. I have a friend who's a professor who studies Egyptian religion and life. That prayer came from a certain dynasty in Egyptian history that barely has any writing left; whether it was, burned by the people or destroyed by the grave robbers of the tombs, there is only a few fragments left. "Who or what are you, Thierry?" replied Diana.
Thierry sighed. Thierry looked at Hannah and Hannah looked at Thierry. Then Thierry spoke to her telepathically; Hannah your mother is too smart for her own good. I wonder if we should tell her about . . . me.
Hannah sighed. I don't want to tell her. Her life might be in danger if we told her.
I know Hannah, but your mother will keep asking questions if we don't tell her now and that could be deadly for her. "Mom why don't you come; sit over here on the couch and let me, tell you a story." Her mother sat and Hannah began. "Do you remember when I went to see that psychologist?" When Diana nodded Hannah told her the whole story. "Well it all started with notes I had been writing to myself..."
A few hours later when she finished Diana didn't say anything for a moment, but then finally she said. "I don't believe it."
"Mom have I ever lied to you before? I couldn't make up a story like this to save my life," said Hannah. Diana finally nodded knowing her daughter was telling the truth for Hannah would never lie to her.
"Is that why everybody around here looks so young?" asked Diana.
"Yes, you see, made vampires like Thierry stop aging when they are turned," said Hannah.
"You must never mention this to anyone. For if certain people in the Night World found out you knew about them they would come and kill you. Some vampires are not as nice as I am," said Thierry.
"Oh I can take care of myself," said Diana.
"Mom . . ." Hannah began.
"Or Ian can take care of me," said Diana.
"Ian? Who is Ian?" inquired Hannah, curiously.
"He's an old college friend I ran into while you were on your honeymoon," said Diana.
"Hmm, Ian Dargeus, I've heard of him. Some consider him a friend, while others consider him an enemy and others like me only know him by reputation," said Thierry, almost thoughtfully.
"So, is it okay to have Ian; protect me?" asked Diana.
"Yes, it's fine," replied Thierry.
"I guess," said Hannah, not so sure.
"Well, I have to go to catch my flight. Perhaps I can visit you in two weeks, all right?" Diana gave her daughter a hug and Thierry one too. Then she was out the door and into one of Thierry's cars driven by Nilsson that would take her to the airport and drove away in a trail of dust.
Hannah turned to Thierry after her mother had left. "What do you know?"
"What?" asked Thierry; innocently.
"About Ian?"
"What about him?"
"What do you know about him?"
"He's rich through his father's wise investments and his own, he's young about in his fifties, and he's never been married."
"He's young but yet in his fifties?"
"He's younger than me," quipped; Thierry.
"You have a point there," replied Hannah.
"Well, come on then. It's time to go to bed," said Thierry.
"What time is it?" asked Hannah.
"Oh, 6:30 p.m."
"That early?"
"Well, we won't be out of bed until seven in the morning," grinned; Thierry.
Hannah slapped Thierry's arm playfully, "Thierry!"
Thierry gently picked up Hannah and carried her to their bedroom. Then he laid her down on the bed and began to kiss her passionately. Softly, they undressed each other and started to playfully touch each other. They placed kisses on whatever place they could reach and touched on every place of bared skin. And they continued this and more throughout the night.
Thierry woke up near morning as Hannah was still sleeping. He watched her as she slept. She looked like a child in sleep even though when she was awake, she looked about five years older than he did. She was aging like everyone else and there was nothing he could do about it. But after she had grown old and withered, she would die and he would morn. But still several years would pass and she would be reborn again.
Perhaps this life together would be enough to sustain him until she was reborn. But then he had all eternity to wait . . .
The End