Vampire Princess

Chapter 2

Dear Diary,

Happy birthday to me. It's my eighteenth birthday and my parents feel the need to throw me the party of the year even though I would be happy to have my few friends come over to eat and ride horses, maybe bathe in the pool. Instead they invited only A listsers listers, royals, celebrities, politicians and oh yeah, vampires.

Apparently my Manifesting is a huge deal. Well on the plus side I can just run out of there at the speed of light if I embarrass myself somehow. I just know I will, I always do.

Grandmother hired a stylist to get me ready for the party. I love her but sometimes I just want to scream that not everyone can be the perfect royal like she expects. Well I should get going if I'm late Mother and Grandmother will be angry.

Love,

Nicole.

I am putting my diary away when Mother comes in. "Happy birthday, honey," she says smiling.

"You told me that already," I point out. "At breakfast, remember?" It was only a few hours ago, how could she not?

"Well I just wanted to tell you again and give you this," she produces a small package from behind her back. "It's just something I want you to have now that you're all grown up."

"Thanks," I say taking it from her. She watches as I carefully remove the paper to reveal a small purple box, I smile, she remembered my favorite color. But it's what's inside that makes my gasp. There's an emerald green butterfly broach sitting there. "It's beautiful," I whisper in awe.

"I know getting family heirlooms might've lost its significance after your father and grandmother gave you so many but I thought you should have something from my family as well," she says. "Wear it to the party later. It'll look good with your dress." With that she rises and leaves the room closing the door quietly behind her.

I take the broach carefully in my hand and turn it over slowly like it might break if I applied too much pressure. There was an engraving on the back 'Live today for tomorrow might not come' it read, Mother had always told me that even though vampires didn't die. "Better safe than sorry," she had said when I pointed it out.

Too soon there is a knock on the door and a maid, Matilda, comes in to announce my stylist. A short, fashionably dressed woman with bottle blond hair walks in holding two large bags. "My name is Genevieve, Your Highness. Your Grandmother asked me to be your stylist for the evening. I'll be ready to begin in a minute but I need to set up, preferably in a well lit room with plenty of counter space and a mirrors."

"Just go into the bathroom and set up however you like," I say. Hopefully I can still find everything later. I hear her moving around and several items clatter to the floor while she swears. In her French accent it sounds so funny that I find myself laughing into my pillow.

"All done, Princess!" she announces poking her head out the door just enough so that I can see her almond shape blue eyes.

I sigh and rise from the bed habitually smoothing the red cover before going into the bathroom.

My eyes widen as I step inside and look at what Genevieve has done. All the makeup and creams that Grandmother and Mother had bought me were missing and instead there were ridiculously expensive French cosmetics some if which I had never even heard if of but after taking three years of French I could guess their use. There is a chair that looked like it came straight from a salon sitting in the middle if of the room facing the mirror that was now surrounded by bright lights.

"Have a seat," she says and I obey and look somewhat apprehensive when she begins messing with my light brown hair. I washed it earlier so Genevieve wouldn't have to. She squirts some liquid that I can't identify into my hair and I close my eyes and let her work her magic.

When I reopen my eyes I find myself staring at a beautiful woman, she looks like me with the same brown eyes but her hair is neat in a way that mine never could be. Wait, is that me? It is! I gape at myself in the mirror while my stylist looks on satisfied with my reaction. "How did you do this?" I ask still in shock. "I never looked thus pretty before."

"Darling, we're not even close to finished yet. You still need make up then a dress and finally accessories. If you think you're pretty now just wait until I'm through with you!"

She gently pushes me back into the chair. I don't even remember getting up but I had and was now standing in front of the mirror. I obediently sit and close my eyes trying not to squirm too much as she brushes on make up. I hate wearing things like that it just gets in the way and I feel like if I move my face too much it'll crack. I lean back and endure the torture letting my mind wander to my latest Drama script. We are doing Twelfth Night and I'm going to play Olivia.

I ran through the scrip in my head twice before Genevieve was done applying the make up. It felt weird on me but the results were do so worth it.

I look like a perfect china doll. The sickly pale skin that I usually hate looks a delicate porcelain and my brown eyes are framed by long lashes and the eye-shadow makes them look even brighter than usual. The bags underneath them are gone as well and I can't find the slightest flaw on my face. "It's perfect!" I exclaim happily marveling at the way my now full red lips move. I can't resist the urge any longer and begin making faces at the mirror just to see how it will look. Genevieve laughs when I make my eyes bug out and open my mouth wide.

"I'm glad you like it," she says stifling laughing. "Now it's just the outfit that you need." She recovers from her giggle fit and tugs me up by the hand. "Let's get you dressed. We only have half an hour before the party starts."

We walk out into my room, "That's a lovely picture. Where did you get it?" she asks pointing at a painting of running horses that was hanging on the lilac wall near my wardrobe.

"We didn't buy it. I did it myself," I say. "I did most of the paintings in here as well."

I notice a dress bag that wasn't there earlier hanging in the wardrobe door. "It's a beautiful piece," she tells me removing the bag to reveal a beautiful layered, off the shoulder dark purple dress. It had just the right amount of ruffles, not enough to make it too girly but enough to make it pretty. I take it off the hanger and put it on carefully being sure not to mess up my stylists work.

It hugs my body in all the right places showing off my slim figure and putting a little bit of skin on display. The jewels on the bodice sparkle when I move and the shimmering fabric looks like flowing water when I make even the slightest movement. I move to my dressing table and Genevieve helps me pin on the broach Mother gave me and I put on some other jewelry to match.

Finally the outfit is complete. I even wear silver heels that pinch my feet slightly and long dangly earrings that I can see in my peripheral vision. "One last touch," Genevieve announces. I raise one eyebrow questioningly and she produces a small wooden box in answer. I open it and see a diamond encrusted tiara sitting inside. "You can't be a princess without a tiara," she says jokingly as she places it in my head.

"Silly me," I say mockingly. "How could I forget the most important thing?"

"You're ready," she says stepping back and surveying her work. In two hours she took from being me from a fashion impaired girl to a princess.

"Thank you," I say earnestly.

She smiles at me. "It was my pleasure, now go wow them," she commands tucking a stray strand of hair that fell from the elaborate bun behind my ear.