Just One More Secret

The Way Things Are - IX ✔️

                                                                                  2,033 AD

(Almost fourteen years later)

"Will you be alright on your own, Junie?" Aunt Aria asks.

She has already begun to put her dark blue hair with light silver strands into a high neat bun. Her face is neatly washed with her sparkling white eyes that bring out her grayish olive skin. She is wearing a dark blue, tight sweater and tight blue and silver skirt that brings out her curves. Her boots are long and silver.

"Yes, I've been a vampire for almost thirteen years. You have a good time at your meeting," I respond as she kisses my forehead.

"Love you. See you in a month or so," she responds 

"See you soon," I whisper as she vanishes in thin air.

I run out of the cave as I make it to the lake. 

I still see the same reflection of the sixteen-year-old with brunette hair and yellow eyes. I should see a thirty-year-old woman. Its been lonely just with my aunt Aria. I haven't seen my family grow up, Astrid, or Draven. I haven't seen anyone in these lonely woods. I'm nowhere close to my old home. I'm just a lonely woman stuck in the wilderness. A forest vampire. 

I dance on the water. It's the only thing that makes me who I am. I wear Astrid's purse, my hide skin look, and my necklaces. 

I take off my clothes gently putting them aside as I step into the water. I run the water down my long hair as it slicks back. Little drops fall from my eyelashes and hair as I sing.

"Goddess, I've found you," a voice says. 

"Oh my! Draven!" I shout hiding more in the water.

He hands me a towel as a smile stretches across his face. The air brings the towel to my hand as I stand up. The hide skin wraps itself around my body as I wear bone bracelets and anklets. A crown of vines sits on my head. It's little big as some of the leaves cover my face. I push it back up as Draven smiles.

"So cute, sweetheart," he says getting down on one knee.

"Will you start a new life over with me? Juniper Sage Indigo, I've searched my whole life, 241 years, to find you and another thirteen and a half years to find you again. I have never met such a beautiful goddess with eyes like the stars. You are the happiest girl who laughs, sings, dances, and shows others love even if they don't deserve it. My love, Juniper, will you make me the happiest man in the universe and marry me?" he asks revealing a precious ring with the gemstone of black with little golden sparkles. I don't say yes because of that. For heaven's sake, I could be a gemstone. 

"Yes!" I chime pulling him into a hug. My arms wrap around his neck as his wrap around my waist. He smiles and tilts his head down to look into my eyes.

"You're still short, sweetheart. And you replaced your lumberjack look," he laughs. 

"It was time for a change. Things will change and things will stay the same," I smile looking into his beautiful bronze eyes. His hair is wild and spiky. He wears no shirt, but he does wear shorts, a bone necklace, and sandals. Something you'd wear in humid weather not here.

"Yes, for sure," he says.

"So what happened to everyone else?" I ask.

"My father was sentenced to death for sending you to the Alpha Blood Vamps who have been in hiding for seven years," he says.