Chapter 8

Lia~

Yesterday with Maddie was so much fun that we decided to do it again before my big date with Lucas tonight which I still can't believe is happening.

The guy of my dreams asked me on a date and I didn't even have to compel him with my vampire side!

Maddie arrives around 3:30 and wastes no time. She barges into my room with 3 servants in tow, all carrying make-up, dresses, shoes, and of course, enough hair products to choke a whale.

Why this girl is so extra only the moon goddess knows! I already have all this stuff so I have no idea why she'd even bother bringing hers.

"Okay bitch, we have exactly two and a half hours to make you look spectacularly gorgeous and if you ask me..." she trails off, taking in my oversized hoodie and messy hair, and sighs, "Two and a half hours definitely won't be enough."

I roll my eyes at her as she practically drags me off the bed towards the vanity and starts doing my make-up. "Oh sweetheart, when he sees you tonight he's going to absolutely die." she giggles and I close my eyes so she can start.

***

"Just a bit more sparkle and done!" I open my eyes to admire her work and almost gasp at the beauty of it. My eyeshadow is a gorgeous smokey eye but with blue and silver touches that really make my eyes pop and she used a pink lipgloss with a silver tint for my lips, making them look naturally plump and full, and finished the look with a little rosy blush on my cheeks. She kept my hair in its natural curls but added some jeweled hair clips, matching the sapphire necklace and earrings I'm wearing.

"I love it, Mads." I admire her work and then notice something wrong with my eyeliner. Human sight wouldn't be able to pick it up but thankfully I'm not human and am able to notice the writing in dark blue over the black, making it almost unnoticeable. I couldn't read the inscription properly because of the false eyelashes she put on me but it looked like some sort of spell, a protection spell.

I glance up at Maddie and notice her staring at me, maybe thinking that I noticed the inscription. "I love the eyeshadow and how you did the shading in the corner of my eye, it's so beautiful." She looks grateful and relieved, probably because she thought I didn't notice the writing but I did and it made me wonder.

"Thanks, now let's get your cute little butt in that gorgeous dress and go meet your date who should be here in less than an hour."

*knock* *knock* *knock*

"Come in, Lila." my personal assistant, Lila come shuffling in, looking just as adorable as ever. Lila is 25 years old but can pass for 16 any day especially in the yellow and pink sundress she's currently wearing.

"Madam, here's a Lucas Maxwell to see you. He says he's picking you up for the ball."

"Wait what!?" Maddie and I scream at the same time. It's barely 5 o'clock so what the hell is he doing here already?

"uh- I'll let him know you'll be a minute." She shuffles off, probably to go tell Lucas that we'll 'be a minute'.

Maddie looks absolutely horrified, "Okay, no time to figure out why the fuck he's so early, get your ass in that dress now!" Together we get me dressed in record time and I grab my purse with my mask in it as well as emergency supplies, lipstick, tampons, wolfsbane, silver dagger, stuff like that. A girl can never be too prepared.

I try my best to gracefully run down the stairs where I spot Lucas sitting on the couch with an old picture of me and my dad. The air is sucked out of my lungs at the sight of that picture.

It was of dad and me when we went ice skating for the first time. He's holding me on his shoulders while we're both laughing and skating through the snow. It was a perfect day, one I'd repeat a million times over but even the all-mighty tribrid can't resurrect the dead, trust me I've thought about it many times. "I see you're stalking my old pictures, pretty creepy if you ask me," I say with a playful smirk.

He turns around and I'm momentarily stunned but this time in a good way. His hair is swept back while a few unruly curls have escaped the gell he probably used to tame them and his fitted black tuxedo makes his perfectly sculpted body look absolutely divine. He chuckles, "Well you were pretty cute as a kid so can you blame me?"

I fake being hurt by this, "So you're saying I'm not cute now?" I pout my lips and nearly burst out laughing at the look on his face.

"No, no that's not what I'm saying. Back then you were cute but now..." he trails off and his eyes seem to roam over every inch of my body and stop to look me straight in the eye, "Now you're absolutely breathtaking." I suck in a breath and can feel the heat creeping into my cheeks.

"Well, you're not so bad yourself." I've never been this shy around a guy in my entire life. I'm usually confident and kind of cocky from time to time but never around him.

"Why thank you, m'lady. Now how about we make haste and get to the ball. Your chariot awaits." the ridiculous accent makes me giggle as he takes my hand in his.

"Have her back by midnight and you kids be safe. No funny business." Maddie says in a stern tone but by the way, her lip is quivering, I know she's seconds away from bursting out laughing.

"Yes, mom." Lucas and I respond and the same time. All three of us start laughing while Lucas and I exit the house and climb into his car.

"So, to the ball?" I ask once my dress is fully inside the car. Lucas starts the car and I stare out and admire the amazing view of the woods behind my house. It's to help us make a quick escape if we're ever attacked but mostly it's a perfect place for me to practice my magic and hunt when my vampire pushes for control. I can feel my magic buzzing in my veins and the feeling is electrifying. Something is different though, the feeling is much stronger than it usually is. Sparks start dancing on my fingertips in colors I didn't even know were on the spectrum ranging from blinding white to gold and a shade of blue I've only ever seen in the mirror. I stop the sparks when I hear Lucas get inside and hide my hands.

"Not yet. There's something I want to show you first."

I raise my brow at him but comply nonetheless, "Lead the way." and off we go.

***

We stop near the woods at the edge of town. I look at him with confusion. If I wanted to visit the woods I could've gone into my backyard. "Luc, why are we here?"

He shushes me and gets out of the car, runs to my side, and opens the door for me. "It's a surprise." the moment he takes my hand in his, a bolt of energy shoots through my veins and makes me gasp from the sheer pleasure I feel but as quickly as it came, it vanished. I thought I imagined it but my the stunned look on Luc's face, I wasn't the only one who felt it. He helps me out in silence, almost as if speaking will ruin whatever just happened. "Come with me." He says as if I even have a choice.

We walk along a stony path and I'm about to complain about my feet hurting when we enter a clearing and I'm left stunned. It looks like something straight out of an old Disney movie. There, in the middle of the clearing, is a wooden table with matching chairs and a picnic basket next to it. That's not what leaves me stunned though. It's the feeling of being here before. This place sparks something within the deepest parts of my memories and I can feel the magical energy buzzing in the air. I'm not sure what it is but this place has a powerful magical aura surrounding it that I'm sure even humans would be able to feel. "What is this place?"

"I'm honestly not sure myself. My mother brought me here once when I was little and I've been coming here ever since. Something about it just pulls me and it's like this place is unaffected by nature. I've seen flowers blooming in the middle of a show fall here."

I walk along the path and with each step I take, I can feel myself growing stronger as if this place's magic is feeding mine. "Let's sit down and eat." he opens the basket to reveal several sandwiches and cakes and- no way!

" ICE CREAM!" I scream and grab the tub of cookies and cream ice cream, my absolute favorite.

Lucas laughs and hands me a spoon, "I never knew you were such an ice cream fan." I open the tub and shove a spoonful into my mouth.

The taste of the creamy goodness makes me involuntarily moan from the sheer deliciousness and my eyes shoot open to reveal Luc's flushed face.

My own cheeks heat up," Sorry, I just love ice cream. It was one of the things my father and I always enjoyed together." I go to take another bite and freeze. I've never been comfortable talking about my father to anyone besides Maddie and Cammie and I just mentioned him to Lucas without even thinking twice.

He notices the look on my face and takes my hand in his, again sparks erupt from where we touch but we're both too distracted to notice. "Tell me about him, your dad."

I give him a sad smile while he starts snacking on the sandwiches and I do the same, "My father was the strongest man I knew. He was fearless and gave up everything when I was born. He left his home and moved here with my mother to raise me. He was my hero and it broke mine and my mother's hearts when he died." I continue telling him about my dad, from the time we went ice skating to the time he taught me how to swim.I get lost in the memories but I don't miss how Lucas is staring at me with a look so reassuring and sweet, it gives me the strength to continue.

By the time I'm done talking the food is gone and I'm choking back tears. I thought I was past it but I still miss him so much. Lucas wipes away my tears and helps me stand up. "He would've been so proud of the woman you've become. Now let's get you to the ball, princess." I smile at him and laugh.

"Oh please, a princess wishes she looked this good." I smirk, "I don't exactly have a lady in waiting and 20 servants to help me dress, all I have is a demanding Maddison which is probably worse." he laughs and we walk back to the car in comfortable silence, feeling the sparks dance between us once again.