10 Date with Destiny - My Sister the Vampire (5 page)

She watched as the needle on the speedometer climbed. Were Lillian and Charles concerned? She glanced in the rear-view mirror, but the couple were sitting pressed close together as Charles murmured in Lillian’s ear – small tidbits about the scenery that was whizzing by.

Olivia took a deep breath. She knew Horatio’s vampire reflexes made him a safer driver than any non-vamp on the road, but she couldn’t help clutching the door handle for dear life. She was only human, after all!

Thankfully, the view outside the Cadillac window served as the perfect distraction. The rolling hills were like green waves speckled with red-roofed houses, and the forest that lined the highway was a bright emerald. Olivia had never seen so much vibrant green. She bet her botany teacher, Mr Strain, would be very impressed with all the plant-life here. A cluster of stone towers peeked out from a forest of towering pines, and Olivia remembered their last visit, when her bio-dad had pointed it out as the castle where the real Dracula used to live. The Transylvanian countryside was among the most beautiful in the world.
Honestly, Ivy would be lucky to stay here!

Minutes later, Horatio’s Cadillac whooshed through the Lazars’ gates and between the pillars topped with creepy stone gargoyles.

Somebody’s been watching a few too many car chases
, Olivia thought, rubbing her belly and concentrating on not getting car sick.

The Cadillac zipped up the long, winding driveway of the Gothic mansion where Ivy and Olivia’s grandparents lived. It was still hard to believe that she, Olivia Abbott, was descended from vampire aristocracy. How posh! How chic!
How completely weird
.

‘It’s lovely,’ said Lillian, peering out of the window at the ivy-covered walls and pointed turrets. ‘Even better than I’d imagined!’ Lillian looked down at her outfit, smoothing her tunic. ‘Oh dear, I’m all wrinkled. Do you think Horatio has something to help?’

‘Don’t worry,’ Olivia leaned in and whispered. ‘You look great.’

Horatio honked the horn, which played a sombre bar of a song that sounded vaguely familiar to Olivia. She giggled. ‘What kind of honk was
that
 
? It was Mozart, right?’

Charles swished his fingers through the air as if conducting an invisible orchestra. ‘Excellent! That was a snippet from the “Lacrimosa” passage of Mozart’s
Requiem
.’

Olivia shook her head. ‘I can’t believe I actually got that right. Clearly, I’ve been hanging around vampires for too long!’

The wheels skidded to a stop and the great doors to the Lazar family home swung wide. The twins’ grandparents bustled out to the drive, looking majestic even though it was only 7 o’clock in the morning, Transylvania time! The Countess wore a silk skirt of jade green paired with a satin off-the-shoulder top, while the Count greeted them in a fancy, ruffled chemise that blossomed out from the front of his charcoal coat.

‘Welcome! Welcome!’ cried the Count, striding down the steps.

Seeing them – even so soon after their visit to Franklin Grove – chased the jet lag straight out of Olivia. At least for now. The girls rushed over to their grandparents, Olivia’s camera dangling around her neck. She managed to push it aside right before the Countess wrapped her in a tight hug.

Lillian curtseyed politely. ‘Nice to see you again, sir.’

Olivia’s grandfather tilted his head, looking at her standing there so formally, before pulling her into a warm embrace. ‘Welcome to our home, Lillian!’

Lillian’s eyes bugged over the Count’s shoulder before her lips parted in a wide smile. ‘Thank you,’ she stammered and Olivia’s heart warmed. The moment was so sweet she wished she could save it and put it on a greeting card.

Meanwhile, Horatio didn’t waste a single second. Now that he was back on the job, he rushed around the family, collecting everyone’s luggage. ‘I will have these inside and up to your rooms in just a moment. And don’t worry, Count and Countess Lazar, as soon as I have finished attending to the bags, I will be at your service. I imagine there is a great deal of work awaiting me. I have been away for
far
 
too long.’

‘Absolutely not,’ said the Countess, raising one eyebrow at her butler. ‘You may not go back to work after having just returned home on an overnight flight, Horatio.’

‘But, Madam, I must –’

The Countess lifted her chin. ‘Not another word. I insist you take the day off. You need your rest. We have a big weekend ahead, after all.’

Horatio’s shoulders slumped. Olivia had never known anyone to be so against having a
holiday
.

‘Here, Horatio.’ Charles scooped up two of the bags, one in each hand. ‘Let me help you with these. I’m sure all your work will still be waiting for you tomorrow morning.’ With that, the adults made their way up to the house.

Olivia heard a familiar voice from inside the house: ‘Is that the Vegas I hear?’ Excitement bubbled up inside her. Prince Alex emerged in the doorway. ‘It
is
 
!’ He looked utterly royal in his tailored trousers and midnight-blue button-down shirt, but that was nothing compared to the girl beside him.

Ivy drew a sharp breath and Olivia knew exactly why. Their new friend Tessa waved from the mansion, as graceful as a movie star. There was no sign that she had ever been a serving girl. Olivia remembered when Tessa had been so shy that she’d nearly blended into the tapestries. But now, her eyes were bright and open and her mouth was curved into a soft smile. Her porcelain skin seemed to be lit from the inside. She was dazzling.

‘Wow, she’s beautiful,’ breathed Olivia.
And so happy with Alex
, she added in her head. Olivia was suddenly very glad that the saying ‘green with envy’ was only that – a saying – or else she was sure her face would have an olive tinge.

Tessa practically floated down the stairs. She reached out and grasped both girls’ hands. ‘I’m so glad to see you both. I was worried that since the wedding was so far away, you might not be able to make it, but here you are!’ She squeezed. ‘And Olivia, I saw your performance in
The Groves
. You were magnificent.’

‘Oh!’ exclaimed Olivia, startled by the mention of the movie. ‘Thank you, but,’ she said, quickly trying to shift subjects, ‘I’m much more excited about the wedding!’

Tessa pressed her hands to her heart. ‘Me too! And I’m so thrilled it’s going to be
here
 
!’ She glanced back, admiring the Lazar mansion.

‘Here?’ Olivia and Ivy asked in unison.

‘Er . . . not that we’re not pleased, too,’ said Ivy, ‘but why aren’t you having the wedding at the royal palace?’

Alex stepped forwards, putting his arm around Tessa’s slight shoulders. ‘Your grandparents’ manor is among the most romantic in all of Europe. It is said that, long ago, it was the scene of many romantic proposals and declarations of undying love, because this is where the Free Rose of Summer blooms.’

Ivy tilted her head. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever heard of that tradition and I’m a vamp, so I
know
 
my sister hasn’t.’

Olivia stuck out her tongue at Ivy.

Alex chuckled. ‘Then we will have to show you. I’m due to visit Wallachia Academy later today to go over some last-minute wedding plans with the school head, who is to be a witness at the wedding. But I should just have time . . . Come with me.’ He beckoned, and Olivia and Ivy followed him and Tessa across the lush grounds towards the back of the mansion.

On the other side was a beautiful green field. The group walked up to the crest of a hill that overlooked the blossoming Lazar garden with its colourful violets, tulips and lilies. Vampires, with their advanced horticultural skills, certainly did have green fingers!

Alex took Tessa’s hand and pointed down to the other side of the hill, where the land flattened into a blooming rose meadow. Olivia had never seen anything like it before. The garden was planted with beds of red, pink, yellow, peach, lavender, blue, purple and white. A huge greenhouse – bigger than Ivy’s home back in Franklin Grove – nestled on the edge of the meadow.

‘It’s fabulous,’ said Olivia, taking a deep breath of the fragrant air.

‘Like all flowers,’ said Alex, ‘these roses can live for years and years when aided by vampire cultivation techniques. But despite how strong and long-living these flowers are, at the very height of summer a fierce breeze blows through the grounds, plucking a single rose from the meadow and stealing it away. It happens every year.’

Olivia tried to imagine what that would look like, a single flower soaring through the air.

‘Of course,’ Alex went on, ‘no one has actually
seen
 
this occur for a long, long time, but it is said that the colour of the rose holds significance for any who witness it. For example, yellow means “new beginnings”, while lavender means “enchantment”.’

‘Almost all colours promise good fortune,’ added Tessa. ‘Except blue, which means “impossible love”.’

‘Impossible love does not exist,’ said Alex, sharing a meaningful look with Tessa. Even though their love had seemed impossible, it had worked out. Ivy and Olivia had convinced Tessa at the Valentine’s Ball this year that she could be with Alex and still stay true to herself. Together, she and Alex had overcome the odds and now they were getting married! Maybe Alex was right and no love
was
 
impossible.

But
 
I
know that’s not exactly true
, Olivia thought, with a rueful pout. She forced her lips into a smile and hoped no one noticed.

Tessa rested her head on Alex’s shoulder. ‘I want our whole wedding day to be filled with flowers.’ Olivia sighed but didn’t speak, letting them enjoy their moment. Ivy rolled her eyes.

In silence, they all looked out at the rose meadow. It was hard not to feel a little starry-eyed with the combination of the view and Alex’s romantic superstition. Olivia’s breath had literally been taken away. She’d had no idea her family’s land was the site of such a beautiful and romantic legend.

‘Um, guys?’ Ivy stepped forwards, peering down the hill. ‘Isn’t this the hill I fell down last time we were here?’

Olivia burst out laughing. Leave it to her sister to puncture such a tender moment!

‘Well, with that parting thought . . .’ Alex’s eyes sparkled ‘ . . . we should probably be heading back to the house. There’s a lot to do before the big day!’ He and Tessa exchanged a loving smile, and Olivia found herself having to suppress another wistful sigh.

‘He’s right,’ Tessa agreed. ‘And we’ve stolen you from your grandparents for too long already. But, you two have to promise to come to my
O Inima Sarbatoare
.’

‘Oh Enemy Sar Batter?’ Olivia tried to repeat the words.

Tessa chuckled. ‘
O Inima Sarbatoare
,’ she said the words slowly.

‘Oh In-ee-ma Sar-bat-or,’ Ivy echoed in a very American accent.

‘Tessa?’ Olivia interrupted. ‘I think our Romanian might be a little rusty. It sounds like you’re speaking jibberish!’

Tessa frowned. ‘I’m sorry. It doesn’t have an English translation that I know. Its literal meaning is “One Heart Celebration”.’

‘One Heart Celebration?’ Ivy repeated. ‘No offence, but that sounds sort of sad.’

Tessa smiled. ‘It’s traditionally held two nights before a wedding to mark that a person has just one more night as a lonely heart.’ She intertwined her fingers in Alex’s. ‘Because after that, I’ll forever be part of a pair.’ Olivia didn’t dare look at Ivy, who was surely approaching her tolerance level for mushy love stuff.

Olivia kept one eye on the rose meadow, half hoping she would spot the Free Rose. ‘In America, we call that a bachelorette party.’ Olivia tried to picture Tessa running around in a silly veil made of toilet paper and singing bad karaoke, like at the bachelorette parties she’d seen on TV shows back home. ‘But . . . I have a feeling that the Transylvanian vampire version will be a
much
 
classier affair.’

‘But don’t think you girls are having all the fun.’ Prince Alex waggled his eyebrows. ‘I’m having my own One Heart Celebration. It’s just a shame Brendan and –’ The whole world seemed to lurch into slow motion for Olivia.
He’s going to say it, isn’t he? The J-word
. He was going to say the J-word and there was nothing she could do to stop him. She could see Alex’s mouth forming the word. She could make out Ivy’s shadow, stretching out in front of her, arms waving like she was trying to stop a car crash. Then Tessa was reaching for Alex, but before she could grab him, he finished, ‘– Jackson couldn’t be here.’

Ivy’s jaw dropped and Tessa stopped dead. Olivia suddenly felt as if all the oxygen in the entire world had been sucked up by the sky.

Alex’s eyes flitted between the faces staring at him. ‘Um . . . I mean . . .’ he stuttered. ‘You know, I just thought . . .’ Tessa gently touched her fiancé’s arm. ‘My apologies.’ He bowed his head to Olivia.

Olivia swished her hand and did her best to curve her lips into a bright smile. ‘Don’t worry about it.’ To avoid eye contact, Olivia made a show of glancing around. ‘Hey, if you guys are heading back now, I think I’ll catch up with you in a minute. I want to practise my photography a little before the wedding.’