My Vampire Prince (10 page)

             
We finish eating our breakfast and head to the car for our shopping trip. Lliam tells me that we are going to some kind of specialty mall, it is only known by supernatural beings.  We pull up to what appears to be a historic warehouse building. It looks sort of eerie.  As we walk closer to the front door, there appears to be an electronic key press lock. He punches in a four digit code, and the doors slide open for us. One we are inside, I realize that this place is the biggest, classiest looking mall that I have ever seen. In the store directly in front of us, I notice a beautiful dress. It is red with black lace around the wrists, hem, and neck line. It fluffy and flows from the waste down. It appears to be eighteenth century gothic style, maybe. I love it.

             
Lliam looks at me and smiles, he must be reading my mind again.
“
I think it will be a lovely dress for tonight darling. It is strange though. That your favorite colors are the same as mine.
”
He winks at me and I smile.
“
It must have something to do with the fact that we were created for each other silly.
”

             
Laughing and holding hands, we walk into the store ahead and he hands me the dress in a size four. I go into the dressing room to try it on. I step out of my own clothes and start replacing them with the beautiful gown. I notice the price tag which reads two thousand, four hundred dollars and ninety nine cents. Wow! That is way to much money, I can
’
t afford it. I still want to try it on though, I want to see how I look in such an expensive dress. I finished putting it on and look at myself in the mirror. I look like a princess, like I am suppose to be wearing it. Royalty, I look like royalty.

             
I sigh knowing that I will never be able to afford the dress, take it off and slide it back onto the hanger. I walk out of the dressing room in my own clothes to find Lliam, who is waiting just out side the door for me.
“
You didn
’
t like it on?
”
He asks me puzzled.
“
No, I mean it looked magnificent, but I cant buy it.
”
“
Why Victoria?
”
“
Lliam, it twenty four thousand dollars! That
’
s way to much money for one dress. I am not getting it, and that
’
s final!.
”
I all but stomp my foot and hang the dress back up where we got it from.

             
We leave the store and walk through a few more. I don
’
t see anything that I like as much as the first one. He leads me to a small diner across the hall from the first store we went to. We sit down and order some lunch. Lliam says he needs to use the restroom and disappears. I sit for a few minutes daydreaming, about our dinner tonight with Lliam
’
s mum. I am a little more than nervous. Lliam returns with a large dress bag over his arm. I know exactly what is inside of it.
“
Lliam! I know you didn
’
t go back there and buy that dress. Your insane. I told you that is to much money for one dress. Take it back!
”
“
Victoria, that doesn
’
t even put a dent in OUR fortune. You need to get used to this. What is mine, is yours. You can spend it however you want.

Chapter 16: Royalty

             
I realize that I have lost this battle. I give him a defeated hug and accept the very expensive dress. Our lunch comes, and we never mention the price of the dress again. We sit talking quietly through our lunch. I don
’
t tell him how nervous I am about meeting his mom, but I am sure he knows.
“
Lliam, are you sure your mother is going to like me?
”
He laughs a little at my question before replying.
“
Victoria, anyone would be insane not to like you. You
’
re beautiful, and you have the best personality ever. You are tender hearted, caring, reliable, and trust worthy. Plus, we were created for each other, how could she not like you?
”
We giggle a little more. I guess he is right, I am just worrying way to much as usual.

             
We leave the specialty mall and make our way back to Lliam
’
s house. On the way we stop by my shop to see how business is going. The owner, Aviel, is there. I give him a big hug and introduce him to Lliam. The two men walk away talking to each other. No, doubt Aviel is grilling him, making sure he is a decent man. Aviel and I have been working with each other for almost four years. We have developed a strong bond, he is as much family to me as my best friends, mom and dad.

             
I sit and chat with Ellen and Lianna, check the register tape, and do inventory. Once I am finished with that, I fill our a quick order form for new merchandise. I tell my girls that I want them to be my bride
’
s maids and that I am going to ask my little sister, Chelsea to be my maid of honor. They are ecstatic! I show them the dress the Lliam bought me for tonight.
“
What is the occasion for such a fancy dress?
”
Ellen asks me suspiciously.
“
Well, I am meeting Lliam
’
s mother tonight, and we are going to go over wedding plans.
”
“
Who is she, Queen Elizabeth?
”
Lianna asks, now laughing hysterically.  Well not Elizabeth, I think to myself. How am I going to explain this.

             
Just in the nick of time, Lliam and Aviel return. That was a close one, I guess I am going to have to get used to thinking on the spot. The boys are both smiling at me.
“
Ok guys, what
’
s up with the treasure-cat like grins?
”
Aviel gives me a hug, and kisses my cheek.
“
You
’
ve got a good man here Vicky, congratulations. I
’
ll see you at the wedding. Your off until than with may. No arguments. Consider it my wedding present.
”
I hug him hard and thank him but insist that he call me if he needs me.

             
Lliam and I walk out of the store hand in hand and head back to his car.
“
When we get to my place, go up the my room. Paudrigene will meet you there to help you get ready for dinner. She has take quite the liking to you.
”
We pull into the driveway and walk up to the door. The butler opens it for us and greets us professionally. I kiss Lliam and make my way to his bedroom.

             
As I expected, Paudrigene is waiting for me. She runs to me and hugs me tight.
“
Oh lady Victoria, I am so sorry. I am just so excited for you to meet the queen and the royal family!
”
“
Paudrigene, I love hugs, you don
’
t have to worry about hugging me.
”
She is worried about hugging me, how silly. The royal family? Did she say I am to meet the royal family? I wonder why Lliam didn
’
t mention this to me, I guess that would be why I have to look to formal.
“
The entire family is going to dinner!?
”
“
Oh, I am sorry miss. I thought you knew. No worries, they will love you and this dress is going to make you even more stunning than you already are!
”
We laugh and she helps me dress, do my hair, and my makeup. She leaves for a minute and returns with a lovely pair of high-heeled shoes.
“
These were the Queen
’
s. She wore them when she first met the royal family, and she sent them for you.
”
I slide the shoes onto my feet and take a final look in the mirror. I am ready to go now. Paudrigene leads the way to the formal dining hall.

             
As I walk into the room everybody stands. A butler in the corner announced,
“
Presenting lady Victoria, our soon to be Princess.
”
Oh my, everyone is staring at me. There must be twenty people standing around the huge table, all looking at me in awe. Why are they looking at me like this? I think to myself. Lliam comes to my side and grabs my hand.
“
Hello darling. Let me introduce you to everyone.
”
He introduces me to everyone except who I assume to be the king and queen first. As he tells me who they are, they come up to me and kiss my hand, than return to their seats to sit down.

             
The queen comes up to us and kisses my hand like everyone else had.
“
I am Queen Mourin, but you may call me mum. It is a pleasure to finally meet you.
”
She hugs me and I am to shocked to really say anything back to her. She takes her seat and than Lliam
’
s father, the king makes his way up to greet us. He doesn
’
t say to much, just gives me a hug and tells me to call him dad.

             
Finally, we get to take our seats with everyone else. I can
’
t remember everyone
’
s names but I know we are sitting across from Lliam
’
s brothers; Peter and Paul. The queen and king are next to each other at the far end of the table. Everyone is talking quietly amongst themselves. I am still to nervous to say much, and I am glad that I am only asked an occasional, easy to answer question. One question however, asked my Lliam
’
s dad, surprised the shit out of me.
“
So, Victoria, what do you have planned for your future?
”

             
Well of course I plan to marry his son, but do I still get to continue with my original plans? I figure that I will just tell him what I had planned before Lliam and than change them if necessary. Everybody is staring out me now, waiting for me to respond.
“
Well, as you all know,
”
I start timidly.
“
I plan to marry Lliam. After that, I guess I will continue working my shop in hopes to one day own it, or one just like it.
”
Lliam smiles at his father like he is speaking to him with his mind.
“
Oh Vicky deaf, it is ok if I call you that right?
”
I nod my head. My close family calls me that all the time, so he may as well do it to.
“
That is a wonderful goal for your future. You seem very intelligent. What about children? Have you thought about that?
”

             
The queen is staring at me quizzically. Everyone else at the table is still silent. I don
’
t like all of this attention, everyone looking at me as if I am a contestant on a game show, or a criminal on the stand in a court room. I haven
’
t really thought about children. I mean, I have always known that eventually I want kids, but I hadn
’
t thought of when. I try to keep my answer short.
“
Oh. Yes. I love children.
”
. The queen is still staring at me.
“
Victoria, if I may steal you for a little while, we need to talk. Excuse us please.
”
I stand and follow the queen out of the formal dining hall.

             
We continue walking down the hall in silence. I have to say something, this is becoming awkward.
“
Ummm
…
mum?
”
It feels weird calling her that. She looks at me, so I continue.
“
Ummm
…
thank you
…
for the shoes. That was very thoughtful, and I love them.
”
That
’
s all I could think of to say, but it was honest.
“
Oh honey, I want you to be very comfortable here, and I know how sentimental you can be, Lliam told me. I thought that you would like them and you did. I am so very glad. Come now, we haven
’
t got much time before Lliam sends out a search party.
”
We laugh and hurry down the hall.

Chapter 17: My office and my dream house

             
We walk down the hall for what seems like an eternity. It is lined with portraits of the ancient royal family. Some of the pictures were dated hundreds of years ago. One picture stands out to me more than the others. Jeremiah Mackey. His portraits say he was born in 1602 and died in the year 1812. He was more than 200 years old, and was very attractive. Lliam looks a lot like him. His red hair, red beard, and blue eyes, and they have the same nose and smile as well. I am admiring the picture until the queen says,
“
Come Victoria.
”
I take a few more steps so that I am now standing in front of a pink door with her.
“
Victoria, I designed this office for you long before I knew who you were. Of course, it will be your office away from home as you won
’
t be living here. Please come in, and if you don
’
t like it, we can redecorate one day.
”
She opens the door and I follow her in.