• I watched in the mirror as I fastened the large choker around my neck. The velvet was soft against my neck and the pendent hung heavily on my collarbone. The vampire crest had been handed down to me to protect even though I had never been bitten. The crest was a dark, almost black, red with light red veins running through it. The veins were intracted and unique, almost like a snowflake, unable to be copied


    I pulled my blond hair down from its bun and it curled wildly, to my dismay, falling just low enough to barely brush my collarbone and frame the pendent. The square neck of my dress fell too low for my comfort, but to quote my mother, "Beauty before comfort."


    The reflection stared back at me as I, again, wondered what had become of me. This person in the mirror was not the person I recognized as myself. Spots that had marred my face for several years had disappeared and I had grown from being shorter than my petite mother to towering to almost my father's height.


    The chamber door opened and I turned with a smile to face the person who entered. Green eyes found mine blue and I took a startled step back, my smile falling.

    "Marcello," I whispered and the man nodded.


    "Greetings, Adelaide," he replied as he crossed the room. I took another step back to create space between us. "It has been so long."


    "Yes," I agreed, but silently, I thought it had not been long enough. I flinched as his figures deftly lifted the pendent off my skin.


    "They were right," he murmured as he ran a thumb over the black stone in the center, "you carry your burden well." The pendent fell against my skin, ice cold. I held it in my hand to warm it. He looked back into my face and for a moment warmth flashed into his eyes. "You have grown up."


    "Yes," I whispered as the pounding of my heart made it hard to breathe and I turned away from his prodding stare. I could feel him behind him as I dabbed perfume under my jaw with trembling hands. As the chamber door opened, I felt him move. I turned to face the person entering and took a cursory glance around for Marcello. I smiled at my father as he stood next to the door.


    "Adelaide," he greeted.


    "Hello, Father," I returned as I crossed the room and pecked a kiss on his cheek. His temples were streaked with gray and lines bordered his blue eyes, a mirror image of my own eyes. His eyes showed approval as they took in my appearance. I cleared my throat self-consciously and he smiled at me.


    "Dinner awaits," he said as he offered me his arm. I took it and he place his arm over mine as we walked. "There is some one I wish to introduce... well, reintroduce, to you?" My smile fell for a moment as I thought of the day he reintroduced me to Marcello. Marcello was there the day of my birth and returned when I turned seven to give me the trinket. My smile returned half-heartedly. We entered the grand dining hall and froze as my eyes located my childhood sweetheart who stood before me. I swallowed hard as a million things ran through my heart and head.


    "Donavan?" I finally choked out in disbelief. He, too, had grown up since I had seen him. The young, blotchy, short boy I had fallen in love with was now a tall, full-grown, handsome man.


    "Adelaide?" a deep male voice had as much disbelief in it, if not more. The voice was the same as I remembered, the same lilt and accent as before just deeper. Subconsciously I felt Father pry his arm away from mine. Donavan stared at me in shock, his face very clearly showing how startled he was.


    "I need fresh air," I said as I quickly turned on my heal. I found myself in the garden, next to the lavender bush before my head was on the same page as my feet. The scent of my favorite flower, the lavender, relaxed me and I let out a lilting sigh. Foot steps behind me made me tense.


    "Adelaide?" Donavan's new voice called softly and I turned to face him.


    "Donavan," I whispered as I studied his face for the boy I knew. He was there just behind his brown eyes. His hand cupped my face as his thumb stroked a small scar on my cheek.


    "I can't believe it's you," he murmured and I pulled away as he lowered his head to mine. His eyes traveled to the pendent and he touched it. He frowned, revealing anger from our childhood that I had been chosen and not him. "You still carry this thing on you?"


    "It is my burden," I answered and he jerked the pendent off my neck.


    "It your burden because you choose it to be," he snapped and I made a grab for it but he held it over his head. "This trinket is pointless."


    "It is not a 'trinket'." I protested as I jumped in an attempt to grab it and I landed wrong. I fell against his tall frame and he dropped the pendent as he automatically stabilized me. My hands were on his shoulders and his hands were on my waist. Almost simutantiously, our mouths connected. I tilted my head back as his lips moved on mine. My mind emptied of all thoughts except those of the kiss. His lips were soft but the pressure of his lips was firm.


    "I must ask you to release Adelaide," Marcello called as he crossed the garden, appearing out of thin air. "And pick up the trinket from the dirt."


    "Donavan," I whispered as he tried to place me behind his body, "Do not do anything, and just do as he asked." He ignored me and kicked the pendent across the garden. It skittered over the stone with the same sound as a china cup being dropped.


    "She never wanted to carry the burden of the dead!" Donavan spat and he took my arm as he pushed me toward the palace.


    In a matter of moments, Donavan was jerked toward Marcello and I was shoved away. I landed hard in a rose bush and I stared at the scene before me. My hand brushed the pendent as I tried to stand.


    Marcello had a firm grip on Donavan's upper arms, staring down at him. "She's mine," Marcello hissed then bit Donavan's neck.


    "No!" I screamed and threw myself at them in a vain attempt to save Donavan. Marcello let Donavan's lifeless body fall to the ground and caught me with gentle, but supportive hands. I slammed my fist against his chest and he held me against him until my anger had spent and grief overwhelmed me and sobs racked my body. I tried to break away as a numbing coldness spread through my arms, but I found I could not. I looked up and saw that his normally green eyes were a bright yellow. I froze in my struggles and bowed my head in fear.


    He released me but one hand and placed a black ring on my left ring finger. "No one can claim you," he whispered and I tried to take the ring off to throw at him.


    "No," I sobbed and hit him and he caught my arms with ease before my hand made contact with his face. He touched my forehead with his lips and I tried to push him away with ineffective hands. He vanished and I sank to the ground next to Donavan. Dark red blood pulsed from the place where Marcello had bitten him, but there was no heartbeat. I cradled his head in my lap as tears slid down my cheeks.
    My mother found me later after Donavan's body had turned cold. She pulled me away from the body and led me to my chamber. I collapsed in bed and muffled my sobs with my pillow.

    wahmbulance wahmbulance wahmbulance wahmbulance wahmbulance