Hotel Transylvania - The Count

I

I smooth out the bottom of my form-fitting black dress with a sigh.

"Mr. and Mrs. Sorine, parents of the bride and family." All the monsters go quiet and stare at my parents as they cautiously walk down the carpet set for them — I rush out onto it with a gleeful smile as I spot Emery and his wife Larissa. I let out a squeak as he rushes at me and lifts me up into a bone crushing hug, I place my head on his and sigh in relief. I haven't seen Emery since me and Maven visited him over a year and half ago. 

He places me back down on my feet and crosses his arms. "Long time no see stranger. Ever heard of airplanes?"

 I roll my eyes and laugh, "Shut up you know I've been busy." 

He nods and rubs the corner of his mouth before motioning to the side, "With your vampire plaything?" 

I let out a snort and look to where he's pointing to see Maven coming down the stairs greeting guests, "Don't call him that. It's so disturbing,"

I wave over Johnny as he looks at us, "This is that granola dude I left with." I rub a hand through Johnny's hair as he waves at my family. 

He smacks my hand away from him and crosses his arms, "Sup."

Emery snorts but extends an arm out towards Johnny, I leave them be and rush over to my parents. Mom stops me at arm's length and looks me over. "Oh, dear lord, should've told them black wasn't your color darling," 

I felt my heart thud against my ribcage at her insult. "Right, right... yeah, sorry." I whisper as my body tenses from its once relaxed state. "Nice to see you, too, Mom..." 

She smiles and turns her snooty nose up at me as she pats my cheek lightly. "Mmm," she hums and lets me go.

I turn to dad and hug him as he laughs and pats the back of my head lovingly. He pulls away and cups my face giving me a soft smile. "You look gorgeous sweetheart, ignore your mother. She's got jetlag."

I frown and huff, "Yeah? For 20 years?" 

He shakes his head as I turn to greet Larissa with an outstretched hand. She gives me a sweet smile and walks towards me embracing me instead. I stand there my hand still stretched for a handshake behind her as I process what she's doing — I awkwardly pat her back as she pulls away.

"This place is so Victorian, I love it." She says cheerfully, I let out an exasperated laugh as I pull myself from my family and walk back to Emery and Johnny.

"How's it going," I ask looking between both men, their faces making me arch a brow. 

Emery looks at me trying to catch his breath from laughing. "You guys seemed to have had a great adventure together." 

My face flushes at the sound of that and I widen my eyes, I snap my head to Johnny who scrunches into himself laughing nervously. "You told him of the story we agreed to never speak of?" 

He slowly nods and I let out a growl as I smack Johnny upside the head. "You moron, that was a 'take to the grave' secret."

A hand slides up my hip to my waist as someone presses a kiss to the side of my head, "What's a take to the grave secret?" 

I look up and my heart melts as my body relaxes. I lean into Maven with a soft smile. "Just you know... story from a concert..." I trail off, Maven hums and nods, his eyes still on me as he grins.

"You mean that one where you got super drunk—" He starts to say and I smack his arm and cross my own placing a distance between us, he lets out a deep laugh as he reaches a hand towards my arm pulling me back in. 

He looks up at Emery and holds his opposite hand towards to him, "Nice to see you again,"

He nods and claps his hand into Mavens shaking it before letting go. "Definitely." 

Maven looks to the side and smiles his gorgeous smile when he sees my parents. He looks down at me his gaze softening, "Shall we go greet your parents?"

I immediately shake my head as he walks us over, "No Maven— Hi mom!" I switch my tone immediately as I shrink into myself. She hums looking Maven over up and down.

"Well, isn't he a pretty boy, not much on his bones but... a good face." She critiques lifting Maven's left arm and squeezing. "Hm," she looks over at her husband who gives a welcoming smile to Maven.

"Welcome to the family son." He holds a hand out to Maven who excitedly takes it shaking it.

"It's lovely sir, your daughters beautiful." He plays along and lifts my face up by the chin to look down at me.

"Gets it all from her mother," dad says as he looks down at mom himself. 

She doesn't spare him a glance as she scoffs, "God if I looked like our daughter, I'd shoot myself."

I get the same stab in the heart I've always felt whenever I was near her. Maven gives a fake chuckle and pulls me flush against his side — his grip on my hip deathly tight, but he had a hold on his self-control.

"It was nice meeting you. We'll be going now; we're setting up for pictures." Maven veers us away and walks us over to the check-in counter. He leans my back against it as he cups my face.

"Are you alright darling? You know what she said is wrong, your absolutely ravishing." He says leaning down to press out heads together.

"Really?" I ask quietly, closing my eyes to just feel him.

He hums and presses a quick kiss to my lips. "Really."

I smile up at him as I inhale and lean into his body. "I love you," I mumble feeling relaxed and safe wrapped in his arms. He presses his cheek on my head and squeezes me.

"I love you, my darling bride." He pulls away from me and dips down lifting my chin up slightly to press another kiss to my lips, this one much longer, ending with a little nip to my bottom lip.