Masked

XXV

"Can you believe we get married in just four days?" Taran said as we sat down at lunch with our friends.

"No it seems like it's been forever since I proposed to you."

"Hey lovebirds, we need to make sure we have all the last minute preparations for you."

"Sorry Nick, we'll try to pay attention."

"Alright," he nodded, "all we really need to do at this point is call the people who weren't sure if they were coming or not."

"Easy enough, Taran and I will do that this afternoon," I confirmed as my phone went off.

Looking at the number I saw it was restricted but decided to answer it anyways, "hello?"

"Michael? Oh thank God you answered, I wasn't sure you would."

"Amelia... why are you calling under restricted? What's wrong?" I said as all my friends became silent.

"You're not going to believe what I found out."

"What is it Amelia?"

"Lacie isn't dead! We can bring her back to life. I found an antidote that might just work, and then she will become invincible."

I could hardly believe what I was hearing, "Amelia where are you, and where did you find this out?"

"I've been researching since you've left and found some stuff. She'll be a new creature, but will come back to life. Why aren't you jumping for joy?"

"Amelia... I um... sort of moved on. I'm engaged to Taran. I sent you an invitation."

"Liliana and Mark must've thrown it away and not have told me," she said fuming. "But wait! You just moved on like that? You don't want to get Lacie back?"

"Of course I do Amelia, but she won't be the same, and I would just be a friend to her."

"Oh... I see..." she whispered, "well I hope you enjoy your wedding Michael. I have to go before they find me talking. Liliana and Mark kind of have forbidden me from calling. When is the wedding? I want to come and tell you more about what I found."

"In four days on the beach of Australia."

"Okay I'll meet you there. See you soon."

She hung up after that and I shut my eyes, not sure how to explain the abnormal conversation I just had with my sister.

"Michael who was that?" Taran said taking my hand.

"My sister, she found a way to bring Lacie back."

Taran looked away for a moment, "oh well I guess you want to go back to her then."

"No Taran I don't," I caught her face in my hand, "I would rather have her remain dead because I wouldn't want her to be changed."

"You changed me."

"Yes but,"

"It's okay if you want to go back to her. I understand if you want to call the wedding off," she said as tears began to fall.

"Taran don't be ridiculous. I'm not bringing Lacie back, and we are getting married."

She sniffled and shed a few more unintentional tears, "if Amelia shows up then, can I meet her?"

"Yea, because in case there is a way to change Lacie for whatever reason you should be there to hear it at least."

Taran agreed without questioning my motives and went back to the wedding plans. My mind was concentrated on Lacie for the rest of the day. In the back of my head, I secretly wanted her back, but more of me didn't want to hurt Taran. I eventually convinced myself not to think about Lacie until later that evening when Taran had gone to bed. I was still contemplating on what I would tell Amelia. I wanted so badly to hear the antidote, but if Lacie came back would she still want me to be happy, or want me back and hurt Taran?

Somehow Sam came to mind and I shivered though I knew he was already dead. There was just an odd feeling in my gut that he could be brought back to, or really wasn't... dead. That creeped me out even more and I decided to try and sleep. With my luck I would probably scream in the middle of the night and give away my normal secret routine of staying over.

I wrote a note to Taran and flew out her window to get some fresh air. My cell phone began ringing, 'crap Taran didn't see the note and now she thinks I'm abandoning her,' I thought. It was a resticred number again and I answered it knowing Amelia was on the other line.

"Amelia?"

"Michael, I'm in Australia. Where are you?"

"Well that was quick."

"Yea I told Liliana and Mark that I was going to shop internationally for a few days; which I am to some extent."

I grinned knowing Amelia always had to shop or do something with fashion wherever she went. "Meet me in Sydney by a cave, you can tell me there."

"Okay see you then."

I hung up and flew towards the cave and waited for my sister to come. Moments later I heard wings approaching and saw Amelia swoop in and huge me.

"Michael I've missed you incredibly."

"Me too, how are you?"

"Okay I guess. Liliana and Mark have completely condemned you to where I'm essentially the only child."

"Jerks," I muttered and waited for Amelia to launch into her story.

 "Okay so i started researching resurrections of gargoyles to see if there was a way to bring her back. I started this after you left, and thought maybe it would bring you back so Mark and Liliana would still want you. Anyways, I found that if you put moonshine mixed with human blood and Rosemary it would bring them back."

"Why Rosemary?"

"Some wives tale on Rosemary being holy and pure."

"Would she still be a gargoyle?"

"No she would be a resurrected one. Her kind if called splice."

"Sounds kind of eerie if you ask me."

"Agreed, but what do you think? Is it worth trying?"

"Amelia, Lacie is buried in a cemetery in the United States, probably already decomposed by now," I winced at how harsh I sounded.

"No actually I found that she is still intact and isn't that far down in the ground."

"Did you dig up her grave?"

"Sort of," she mumbled.

"Oh..." I said not sure what else to say.

"Come on Michael, what's the worst she could do? Not like your new girlfriend and just leave you instead?"

"Yes and then seek revenge on innocent people."

Amelia looked down, obviously not considering that and sighed, "okay. We don't have to change her then."

"Wait, I'll talk to Taran about it and see. Come stay with us, she would love to hang out with you. She's really into clothes and has a dazzling wardrobe."

She knew as well as I did it only took very little to persuade her, "okay, let's go meet your fiance."

**Three chapters left! Sorry about this story, like I said, it was a long time ago when I wrote this.**