My Beloved Vampire

I Can Hardly Wait

Scarlett’s Point of View

“Dylan, give me the car keys. You know damn well you’re not allowed to drive any vehicle I’m in” Danny put his hand out for the keys. She didn’t bother to argue with him she just handed him the keys.

“The only reason I’m not arguing with you is because Stacia is with us and it’s his first time out and about without Akito” she playfully huffed at him.

“Don’t be nice on my account, give him hell, sister” Stacia laughed as he egged Dylan on.

“That’s enough of that, we don’t have time to dilly dally if we want to get to the fabric store before we have to meet everyone at the restaurant” Danny started the car before any of us were in it.  His text alert went off when Dylan got in the backseat with me, “ah, Boom said the sound system is coming along nicely.”

“Did he say how everything looked?” Dylan was nervous, three weeks ago Rowan and the rest of us talked her into staying away from the building until it was finished because she was driving herself and everyone else crazy going numerous times a day.

“No, he did not. I just told you what he said! Would you please try and take it down a notch?”

“All your doing by thinking like that is calling in exactly what you don’t want to happen” Stacia offered.

“That’s what I told her!” I pushed her leg, “Danny and I have been keeping very close tabs on everything that is happening. It looks positively perfect!”

“You guys are right, and I know you’re on it. If it wasn’t for both of you, I wouldn’t have been able to bring my vision to life. I love and appreciate you both so much” Dylan smiled at me.

“What are you looking for at the fabric store that you don’t have in your studio?” Stacia turned to me.

“I want to find materials I can make wings with” I said.  Danny slammed on the brakes in the middle of the street.

“Jesus Danny! And you talk about my driving!” Dylan shouted at him as she flew into the back of Stacia’s seat.

“You are winding me up! You must be!” Danny pulled over to the side of the road and spun around to look at me.

“What!? It might help bring my Faye powers out!”  Dylan was looking at me like she thought I was crazy, but she didn’t know how to tell me.

“Um…Scarlett,” Stacia pinched his nose. “Faye are known to be fussy little creatures; they may not take that in the spirit that you mean it. And I’m not sure it counts if they’re not real wings.”

“Do they really have wings?!” Dylan grabbed the back of Stacia’s seat.

“Mother of Christ, Scarlett growing wings is beyond my capabilities” Danny was mumbling to himself. “Can you imagine what Lucky’s reaction would be if one day she sprouts wings?”

“To my knowledge they do not have wings” Stacia said stoically.

“Can we just go to the store please?” I didn’t care what they said, I was willing to try anything. Danny and Stacia picked fabrics for me to make him more shirts while Dylan followed me around, I didn’t mind, it was a huge, converted warehouse with rolls and rolls of stacked fabric. I felt better with her right behind me.

“You think I’m nuts, don’t you?”

“No, not really. I get it, I’m not sure it’ll work but hey, maybe a Faye will take pity on you and help” she teased me as she followed me to the register.

“I’ll take help anyway I can get it!”

Rowan’s Point of View

“The coast is clear Raffa,” I said as I pulled into the parking lot of Beloved’s which was good because if Dylan would’ve had to wait for me, I think she would’ve cast another itching spell on me like she did the last time I made Raffa fish in the house, it stunk for days thankfully she didn’t make me itch that long, she made it stop when I promised I would never make it again. I  called Bastien and asked him to come get Raffa, I knew he needed water and he was so upset with me for taking him to get his shots he wouldn’t look at me.

“How’d it go?” Bastien asked when he walked outside.

“Good, he’s as healthy as a horse.”

“I’m sure he is with the food you make him every day, and your morning runs down the beach.”

“I’m not his favorite person right now” I nodded towards the car, Raffa was sitting in the back with his back to me.

“Are you going to wait out here for Dylan?”

“Yeah, I don’t need them both upset with me.”

“Smart man,” he patted my shoulder and took Raffa inside. “Boom’s inside working on the sound system and Rebecca and Laa should be here any minute.” I leaned against the car and waited for my girl and the rest of the crew to arrive. I felt my whole face smile when I saw our car pull into the parking lot, Dylan rolled down the back window and smiled at me.

“What’s up with you girl? You got a man?” I leaned in the car window.

“Not if you’re the one who’s asking” she met my lips with a kiss. I opened her door and helped her out of the car “did you go inside?”

“Nooo, Bastien came out to get Raffa, but I waited out here, I know better than that. Besides, I wouldn’t want to see it all finished without you.”

“Get excited!” Scarlett clapped her hands.

“I already am” Stacia said, “I haven’t seen it since it was gutted.”

“What are we waiting for? Let’s go” Danny was his usual impatient self.

“I hear a piano!” Dylan looked towards the front door.

“Shall we?” I hooked my arm around hers and walked her into the large, dimly lit lobby, there was a hostess stand when you first came in with big, vintage, green velvet circular couches perfectly spaced apart and a piano in the far corner. The two doors leading to the dining room were always to remain closed so people waiting to be seated couldn’t gawk at the patrons already seated while they ate. I squeezed her hand and led her to the dining room, I heard Danny gasp when the door opened, even I wasn’t prepared for how beautiful it was. The floors were a pearly white throughout the restaurant including the lobby, a massive crystal chandelier hung halfway down from the incredibly high ceiling. The height of the ceiling gave the room a much larger feel to hit, the VIP tables were booths built into the walls, all the tables were covered with crisp white tablecloths with a vase of fresh flowers. The lighting was a mix of candlelight and soft magenta lights that gave the restaurant a dreamy glow. The stage had the same floor as the rest of the room and was set off by heavy white velvet curtains. Dylan and Scarlett both thought a white-on-white stage would really showcase the performances.

“It’s perfect! It’s exactly what I envisioned the first day we saw it!” Dylan looked around in awe at our first business venture together. “Scarlett, this wouldn’t have been possible without all your sketches! You’re the best!” she hugged her tightly.

“It was because Boom was so patient showing me his memories of what you wanted day in and day out until I had them just right, he’s the real MVP” Scarlett twirled through the tables.

“I heard my name” Boom grinned as he walked in from the speakeasy. He greeted Danny with a kiss before Dylan jumped on him.

“You’re the best, thank you for all that you’ve done!” Dylan gave him a big hug.

“The acoustics are incredible in here; the shows are going to sound perfect. We’re just about done with the sound system in the speakeasy, come check it out.”

“It’s like stepping back in time” Danny sounded nostalgic, “I can’t believe how different it looks in since the other day.”

“Do you think it looks like an authentic speakeasy?” Scarlett asked Stacia.

“I don’t know, I was locked in that godforsaken hut when they were all the rage, but I plan on making up for lost time now.”

“Oh, that’s right, sorry” Scarlett tried to hide her giggle. The speakeasy was just a door and a short hallway from the restaurant, but it was a totally different world. It was dark and gritty just like they were back in the day.

“Well, Jr. What do you think?” Bastien asked as he stepped down off the small low stage.

“I love it! I can’t wait for tonight!” Dylan was giddy and I loved it.

“It’s already a huge hit. We’re booked solid every night for the foreseeable future” Bastien told her proudly.

“As I live and breathe” Laa said when she and Rebecca joined us.

“This is an amazing place. I’m so proud of all of you” Rebecca said sweetly.

“Laa, tell me what you think” Bastien pulled back a red velvet curtain and revealed her corner booth. The only light was from the candlelit sconce that hung on the wall above the table that had a large crystal ball that sat in the middle of it.

“I just love it! The crystal ball sets the tone, don’t you think?” She sat in the booth and looked around.

“The things you can make appear in that ball!” Stacia was excited.

“How do you do that?” Dylan didn’t know if he was serious or not.

“It’s simple, if he says it’s okay, I’ll show you how to do it” Stacia nodded towards Bastien.

“I say it’s okay because I would like to learn myself” Laa said before Bastien had a chance to respond.

“Scarlett, where’s Lucky? I haven’t seen him” Rebecca asked.

“He wanted to wait until tonight when it’s open to see it for the first time. He’s looking forward to it. Almost as much as I am looking forward to him having to dress up.” Scarlett giggled at me when I groaned because I knew I would have to dress up as well.

“You don’t have to do it every night, only the nights we’re at the restaurant” Dylan smoothed my hair. It was a little longer on top than I usually wore it, but Dylan liked it, so that settled that.

“Beloved, unfortunately we have to get going. You have two appointments this afternoon” I reminded her. “The second appointment is the one that put it the big clothes order from Scarlett besides the ring and tonic they ordered from you.”

“I have it all bagged up and ready to go” Scarlett said. “I’ll bring it over or send Lucky with it.”

“Why don’t you bring what you’re wearing tonight, and we can hang out and get ready together” Dylan excitedly suggested.

“I love that idea! You can help me with my wings if I haven’t finished them.”

“You’re what?” Bastien asked Scarlett.

“Don’t ask. Please don’t ask” Danny shook his head.

“Why don’t all of you come over, we can have a family celebration before we head out for the night” I extended the invitation to everyone else.

“That sounds lovely, I’ll return your car when we come over” Danny said as he kissed Dylan goodbye. I picked up Raffa and carried him to the car, Dylan turned around one more time before we walked out to the parking lot.

“Eeek! Baby I’m so excited for tonight! I can hardly wait!”