Chapter 16: Embracing

            Winter has approached us and all is well, so far anyway.

            I really needed that extra something from Dante and now that I have agreed to be his wife, it is finally happening.

            Yes, some may say it’s way too soon to be even thinking about marriage.  But when you really have nothing left and love is thrown in your face, why shouldn’t you take it and embrace it?  I plan to do just that.

            To be completely honest, I have no clue what type of wedding it will be considering there are no priests left.  I hadn’t really thought of that until now.

            Dante spent most of November calling friends and making plans while I waited around, watching TV, sleeping, relaxing; for the first time in almost a year.

            Usually it was always the bride’s job to make arrangements and plan things and invite people.  But without my mother here, I had absolutely no clue.  Dante explained to me that it didn’t matter as long as his closest friends were there.  I didn’t even think of trying to contact anyone I had known…there wasn’t anyone left for me.

            The wedding plans made me depressed and feel more alone as ever but I still sat on Dante’s lap and listened to his phone calls, smiled and laughed with him when the time called for it and looking through catalogues and magazines for beautiful centerpieces and dresses and all of the fixings.

            Don’t get me wrong, I’m more than excited to marry Dante.  But the process and having no one to do it with was something I could easily give up.

            I missed my mother more than ever during these times.

            I took it into my own hands to search the internet, look through Dante’s large library of books, and try to find anything at all about the creature I had become.  Although I do not feel like a creature, I certainly have powers that set me at a different level than everyone else.

            If my vampire “comrades” in this world ever decide to try to kill me, I must be ready and I must be willing to attack; even if that means killing Dante.

            For years it seemed like, I would voyage to the large back yard, sit in the grass, and contemplate this new world and what would become of it.

            I had been told that all of the humans were dead, but were they really?  It was hard to tell.  Dante never let me out of his sight unless he knew for sure that I wouldn’t leave or try to run away.  It hurt me a little inside to know that he didn’t exactly trust me all of the time but then again, he knows I have had a lot on my mind for a very long time now.

            I will embrace and love this new life and body of mine.  For the first time in my existence, I found myself as a beautiful and lovely person.  Yes, I’m a little disappointed that I can’t spend eternity as a vampire with my one true love; but then again, I can spend eternity with my love as my own type of immortal.  Could it be any more awesome than that?

            I searched and searched through pages and pages of the internet and books and found nothing but stupid myths about the person I have become.

            I read things like, imaginary relatives and things I could supposedly do with my mind and all of this bullcrap I didn’t buy for one second.

            It didn’t stop me from trying though.  I decided that I have always been a strong-minded person; I’ve always gotten what I’ve wanted when I really put my mind into it.  So why couldn’t I make these ridiculous myths truth?

            I started small, using my mind to move things around the room, bending spoons (I know, stupid, right?), knocking pictures off of walls and hearing Dante laugh in the next room.

            I decided I had to take things to a more serious level.  This kid crap wasn’t cutting it anymore in my book and I needed to make things a little more interesting.

            I walked to the back yard, closed my eyes, and bent my head up to face the midday sky.  I began concentrating on a large tree in front of me, began concentrating on the roots which wound through the earth and thought of them unwinding, unraveling, breaking.  Suddenly I opened my eyes as I heard the tree start to crack; I watched a few roots start sprouting and my eyes grew wide.

            Yes!  I thought to myself.  Finally, I’m getting somewhere.

            Dante came running out the back door and stood with a look of bewilderment across his beautiful face.  He stared at the tree and glanced back at my face, over and over until he finally murmured something unintelligible.

            “Yes, I did that,” I admitted with a smile.  “Can you believe it?  Crazy, huh?  I didn’t think I was that powerful but look!”  I pointed to the tree, broken and leaning to the far left.  I was completely proud of myself for what I had accomplished.  I didn’t need anyone training me or telling me what to do, I could handle this myself.

            At that very moment, I decided I would try to do something completely nuts.  I closed my eyes again, seeing Dante’s shadowy figure still in my sight.  I began making him move closer to me, seeing him move closer to me.

            I heard a small gasp and opened my eyes to see him standing straight in front of my face.

            I jumped back, surprised at what I had done yet again.  “This is amazing!  How am I doing this?  Shouldn’t it be harder than this?”

            “Actually, from what I’ve heard, darklings have very strong minds.  They can basically do whatever they want as long as it has nothing to do with free will.  Meaning, you cannot change someone else’s mind about anything.  You can make me come closer to you, but you cannot make me love you if I don’t.”

            “I see,” I placed my hand under my chin, “It’s all so interesting.  I just can’t believe it’s just as easy as thinking of something to happen…and then it just….happens.  It’s all that simple!”

            “I know, my love, it’s wonderful.  This new power suits you well.  You have been strong-minded ever since the first time I saw you.  I should have known what you were to become.  I have known Damien for a very long time now and I just can’t believe I never saw it coming with you.”

            “Yeah, that is kind of weird.  So, you’ve known my dad for awhile now?  Does he really love me, or is he just lying, Dante?  I’ve wondered ever since I was a little girl.  He left my mother and I so easily that it’s just so hard to believe he wants to be a part of my life now and the decisions I make.  It’s almost downright aggravating.”

            “I understand, love.  But, he does really care for you.  He cared for your mother a great deal.  He actually…watched her just as I did you.  He missed her.  He missed you as well.  But….he knew it wouldn’t have worked out with the way he used to be.  He was power-hungry, Victoria.  When it came right down to it, yes, he did care about you and your mother but he cared more about power than anything else.”

            “Power?  What do you mean?”

            “He tried to overthrow Vincent many times.  Although he isn’t a vampire, he is more powerful than the entire vampire race put together.”

            “How do you figure?  I mean, yeah, we can make people move places and do things but we couldn’t make you hate each other or anything crazy like that.”

            “Well, there are instances where that is possible, actually.  You see, the very weak-minded individuals are easily susceptible to being controlled by someone with a stronger mind.  Someone like yourself.  If I hadn’t known what I wanted, if I would just allow anything to happen to me and my decisions, you could easily make me love you.”

            “But, I thought you just said that I couldn’t do that?  So…there are exceptions then?”  I sighed, “Oh, it’s all so confusing.”

            “I know, I know, but you’ll understand soon enough.  Everything has complications but what matters is that you’re trying and you will find your answers soon.”

            “Just please, tell me everything you know.  I can’t take it anymore.  I mean, I’m figuring out things on my own but how do I know when I’ve approached a weak-minded person?  And more about my father, why would he want to overthrow Vincent?  And how did you ever meet my father?  I’m freaking out, Dante, I need to know!”

            “Alright, alright, we’ll discuss this over dinner.  Come, my love.”