27. All Dressed in Black

Chapter 27

All Dressed in Black

A lice stood in front of the double doors, waiting for them to open. She held a bouquet of purple and white flowers, a stark contrast to her elegant black wedding dress. Sleeveless and squared with a square neckline and open back. Black sleeves up her arms. The dress trailed into a pleated bodice and waist snug against her frame. It descended into the finest silk as the train circled behind her: smooth, soft, and shimmery.

The wedding dress was made by the finest tailors of the Oaken King—fairies who masterfully crafted designer clothing. They wove intricate patterns into the dress, almost vine like. Moving in the flickering candlelight, the black silk shimmered with a mesmerizing array of colors, resembling twinkling diamonds.

Her purple hair was pulled back behind her shoulders. A few flowers had been plucked from the surrounding forests by sprites and woven into her hair. She insisted on wearing her black, curved, pointy witch's hat, but the fairies wouldn't allow it. They were the artists, and she was their art. Elegant. Poised. Magnificent. Beautiful.

Alice allowed herself to smile. This wasn't the wedding she had imagined, but given the circumstances of the past few weeks, she allowed it. She had risked her life and her soul for the man she was about to marry. Her best friend. Her confidant. Her soulmate.

He did the same. He had risked his soul so she could live and fight the Savinos. A random house for sale in a small town she had never heard of had changed her life more than anything else in the world. A chance encounter on a moonlit night brought together the union of two souls. She tried not to move, so she didn't ruin the perfectly laid out dress, but she allowed herself to smile.

"Don't start without us," a woman's voice said.

Alice glanced over at the approaching figures. Entering the candlelit room were her parents—Rowena and Linus Primrose. They were roughly the same age as the Raskins. Both had black hair with streaks of gray. Her mom wore an elegant hunter green dress. Her dad wore a slimming black tuxedo with floral flares on the end of his lapels. The fairies had provided both outfits.

"Mom!" Alice said as she stretched out her arms. She wanted to rush to embrace her mom, but the long train of the dress limited her movement.

Her mom swooped in and embraced her daughter in a long hug.

Alice fought back tears. "I've missed you so much."

"I missed you too," Rowena said. "Oh, how I've missed you. Missed this."

Rowena relinquished the hug, but still touched Alice's arms. "You look like a princess."

Alice and her mom gazed into each other's eyes, both welling with tears. Alice couldn't hold back any longer, and one trailed down her cheek.

"Why be a princess when you can be a witch? Right, sweetie?" Linus said as he pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to Alice.

She used it to wipe the tear away without ruining her makeup. "Right, Daddy," Alice replied as she opened her arms and hugged her father.

"You look beautiful," Linus said.

"Thank you," Alice replied.

Rowena said, "I'm excited to finally meet this Hugo. You should have introduced us sooner."

"In fairness, I was on the run and hiding until a month ago," Alice reminded them.

"He better be nicer to you than the last vampire," Linus said. "Or else I'll have words with him."

Alice chuckled. "He's better than everyone else I've dated combined. No question."

"Good," Linus said with a wink.

"Well, if he's half the man Ez said he was—" Rowena began.

"Ez spoke highly of him?" Alice asked.

"She said he truly loved you and was a good man," Rowena said.

"He's the best," Alice said.

Linus stood on her left side with Rowena on her right. They slipped their arms under her arms as she clutched the bouquet of flowers.

"I'm honored both of you will be walking me down the aisle," Alice said.

"No," Linus said.

"It's our honor to walk you," Rowena finished.

Alice's eyes welled. "Thank you. By the way, Mom, I had them add little vine details in my dress. I know you wanted me to be a green witch, so I did it to honor you."

Her mother tapped her arm, resting her head against it. "Thank you."

"I think it's time. The music is changing," Linus said.

Right on cue, the double doors opened.

A path of the most luscious grass guided Alice to the wedding altar through a path of her friends, well-wishers, and other fairies. Her future husband waited at the end. He was flanked by Oliver, Max, and Galahad. Esmerelda, Carol, and Guinevere waited for her to ascend to her rightful place. The full moon above bathed the entire wedding in a bluish-white glow.

It wasn't the venue she had envisioned, but Hugo was the ideal man, the type of person she had always dreamed of marrying. He loved her for who she was, not what she could do.

Alice and her parents began their waltz down the aisle. They took small, lingering steps as the orchestra music played. Fantastic, elegant music played by the finest of the fairies. A song more at home in Ireland with its Celtic melody—a nod to Alice's ancestry.

All eyes focused on Alice, but she focused on the man standing near the altar. The man who rescued her from the amulet of witch's fire. The man she rescued from death itself. The man she was going to marry. Hugo Dodds.

He stood upright, shoulders pulled back, and his arms by his sides. He had his hair in its signature meticulously coifed style, a gleam in his eyes, and a smile beaming from ear to ear. He wore a black tuxedo with green leaf ivy interwoven into his jacket lapel. He wore a purple shirt with a black necktie—her two favorite colors.

Oliver stood behind him wearing a black tuxedo and white shirt and holding Max's leash. He smiled like a proud father and best man. Max wagged her tail, less enthused by what was happening and more interested in being around new people. Carol and Ez awaited Alice's arrival wearing colorful, handmade dresses by the fairies. It was perfect.

Alice's hands shook, and her heart raced. Her knees wobbled as she concentrated on every step. She breathed deeply to calm her nerves. She glanced at her mom and then her dad, giving them a smile before returning her attention to Hugo. Five days before Christmas, and she got exactly what she wanted for Christmas—her Hugo. She gulped as she approached.

The Oaken King stood before the wedding party. "Who gives this woman to join in union with this man?"

"We do," Alice's parents said in unison.

Hugo stepped off the wood carved platform. He shook her father's hand and gave her mother a hug. He winked at Alice. Her stomach churned with the tickle of butterflies. She bit her purple lower lip. Her parents stepped to the side, and Hugo took Alice's arm.

"You're beautiful," Hugo whispered. "The most beautiful witch I've ever known."

Alice's heart fluttered. She tried to reply, but the emotions overwhelmed her. She could only muster a few words. "Thank you."

Hugo helped guide her as they stepped up onto the platform, arm in arm. Ez took her bouquet. Alice and Hugo held hands.

The Oaken King stood upright. "Dearly beloved, we are here today to witness the union of two souls as they become one." He turned to Hugo. "Hugo Dodds, do you join this union of your own free will and acknowledge this eternal bond?"

A tear rolled down his cheek. "I do," he replied.

The Oaken King turned to Alice. "Alice Primrose, do you join this union of your own free will and acknowledge this eternal bond?"

She paused, almost letting out a giddy laugh as tears streaked down her face. "I do," she replied.

"Now each will recite their eternal vows before we bind them together in the hand fasting ceremony."

Hugo gulped. "Alice Primrose, you are the light of my life, the one who found me in the darkness. I couldn't imagine spending my life with anyone else. There is no one else I would want to hold and be partnered with besides you. You risked everything to save me. We've risked everything for each other. I promise to honor you and cherish you and fight for you for the rest of our days and beyond."

Alice let go of Hugo's hands. She motioned to wipe the tears from her face with her gloved hands, but Hugo produced a handkerchief and handed it to her.

"Always the gentleman," she whispered as she wiped her tears and handed back the handkerchief.

"Always," he replied in a hushed tone as he placed it back in the pocket of his black tuxedo.

They took hands once more.

"Hugo Dodds, you are the most kind, caring, and thoughtful person I've ever met. You were always there for me when I needed you. You found me in the dark in my time of need. You gave your life for me. I fought an entire army of the undead for you, and I would fight them again if it meant you would always be by my side. You are the love of my life. I will hold you in my heart for the rest of our days and beyond."

Hugo's gaze met hers; his icy blues intently locked onto her emerald green eyes. He furled his eyebrows. A knowing grin appeared on his face. Alice wanted to break eye contact, but his gaze made love to her soul, and she wanted it to continue.

"Please present the rings," the Oaken King said.

Oliver reached into his pocket and removed two wedding bands. He handed them to Hugo. "These were specially made with a little bit of input from the three of us."

Hugo took the bands, glancing down at them in his palm, and chuckled.

"Please place the rings on each other's hands," the Oaken King said.

Hugo lifted her left hand and placed the band on her ring finger. It was a simple band made of black onyx on the outside rim. Polished, purple amethyst ran down the middle.

Alice laughed. She took Hugo's ring and did the same. It, too, was a black onyx band with inlaid, polished amethyst. Their eyes met once again, and almost as if they were speaking an unspoken language, they both twisted their respective rings twice.

The Oaken King pulled out a red ribbon, about a yard in length and an inch in width, from his flowing, shimmering robes. "Please take this ribbon with your right hand and then hold each other's hand with the ribbon in between. Then cross your left over the top."

Hugo and Alice did as instructed. They held the red ribbon in their right hands as they took each other's hand. They crossed their left over the top.

The Oaken King took the remaining ribbon and wrapped it around their hands and arms. The ends of the ribbon drooped down from their forearms. He placed the open ends in between each other's left hands.

"With this ribbon, I have bound them to their vows," the Oaken King proclaimed. "This ribbon is not tied, only held together by each other's love. For as long as they have the will to love each other, they will be bound together for all time. With this, they have become husband and wife. Hugo Dodds and Alice Primrose Dodds, you may kiss and become one."

Hugo pulled Alice in close, and they kissed—soft, gentle kisses. It was an eternity, yet it was an instant. The crowd gathered and cheered the union of Hugo and Alice. Oliver patted Hugo on the back.

The Oaken King puffed out his chest and raised his arms above his head. He shouted, "Now we celebrate!"

Later in the evening, an elegant feast prepared with the finest foods had been laid out for the gathering guests. An assortment of fruits, cheeses, breads, and wines all for the guests to enjoy. Music filled the great palace hall of the Oaken King. The few guests who arrived mingled with the fairies. Outside of the Raskins, most were friends of Ez and Alice.

Hugo and Alice sat at a large, sprawling table at the front of the crowd. They were flanked by their flying broomsticks. Max sat next to Hugo, her head resting on his lap. She begged for food, but Hugo gave her none.

Alice nibbled various cheeses, fruits, and breads, but she was far too preoccupied to finish anything. The past few days—the past few weeks—had been such a blur. The sleepless nights. The endless research. The longing for Hugo's touch once more. The battle with a banshee's ghouls. Her body was exhausted, but her soul was alive. She was made whole once again. Alice grinned, her heart fluttering.

Alice found the Raskins in the crowd. They struck up a conversation with some of Ez's associates. Carol appeared to scold Oliver for something he said, no doubt his next brilliant idea for the store. She chuckled at the thought. Everything was right with the world.

Alice took a sip of wine. The sweetest wine she had ever tasted. Far superior to anything she created. The right mixture of grapes, fermented sugars, and an earthy undertone tantalized her tongue.

"This is really great wine," Alice said.

Hugo took a sip. "Not as great as yours."

"You don't have to lie," Alice said.

"I'm serious. Give me your wine over this anytime."

"Don't you mean our wine?" Alice asked.

"You make it. I'm only there for moral support," Hugo said.

"It's our wine." Alice took another sip. "And thank you."

"You're welcome, and I know it's our wine," Hugo replied with a wink. "But it's your wedding day, so you get all the credit."

"It's our wedding day."

"Yeah, it is," Hugo said as he offered up his wineglass in celebration.

They clinked their cups together, and they each took a sip.

A group of women approached them, all dressed in black with black eyeliner. A perfect fit for Alice's stylistic choices.

"Allie, aren't you going to introduce us to your man?" one of them asked.

"Allie?" Hugo asked as he leaned over to Alice.

Alice rose and bounced around to the other side of the table while holding up the train of her dress. She embraced the three women in a hug. These were Alice's closest friends: Circe, Tabitha, and Zoe.

They were her companions and the original coven from her school days. They had formed a bond and friendship as they learned their magical ways. Everyone in school created their own coven, and they were together throughout their learning. Excluding the time period that Alice had to hide in Newbury Grove, the four of them were inseparable.

"You made it!" Alice said.

"You didn't think we would miss this, did you? Even if you only gave us a day's notice," Circe said.

"We heard little Allie was getting married, and we had to see for ourselves," Tabitha added. "No way she was settling down."

Hugo stood and joined them on the other side of the table. He stretched out his hand and said, "Hugo Dodds. A pleasure to meet you."

Zoe batted her eyes at Hugo as she took his hand. "Charmed." She turned to Alice. "He's cute."

Alice gave Zoe a slight push. "He's mine."

"Lucky girl," Zoe said.

Circe turned to Hugo. "The stories we have to tell you about Alice . . ."

"Oh, she's told me. She's told me how the four of you would tear it up on the weekends," Hugo said.

"Hopefully, she didn't tell you everything. We have to keep a little mystique about our shenanigans," Circe said.

"We'll have to catch up sometime. You shouldn't be a stranger," Tabitha said.

"I think we're going to be free more often now. We definitely need to catch up," Alice said.

"We'll talk more, but there are some water nymphs we want to go talk to," Circe said. "They have a private grotto." She turned and waved to someone off in the distance.

"You three go have fun," Alice said.

"Later, Allie," Tabatha said as they wandered off.

Alice turned to Hugo.

"Your friends seem fun," Hugo said.

"You don't know the half of it," Alice said.

The Oaken King approached them. "Hugo, Alice, please join me in my private room. I have a special gift for you."

Alice and Hugo shrugged their shoulders and followed him. Max tried to follow, but Hugo commanded her to stay. She sat and waited as the two of them followed the Oaken King down a hallway.

He guided them through the palace toward a private chamber. Potion vials and other assorted objects not too dissimilar to Alice's workbench decorated a table. In the center of the table was a small black cauldron. The Oaken King moved around the table and stood facing the two of them.

"You two have drank from the spell?" the Oaken King asked.

"We did," Hugo answered.

"And it worked?" the Oaken King asked.

"It did once, but not the second time," Alice replied.

"I created the spell many years ago," the Oaken King said. "I thought it would do the world some good. Clearly, I was wrong."

"You made the spell?" Hugo asked.

"I did. I'm thankful you brought it back to me," the Oaken King said.

Alice's jaw dropped, and she shook her head in disbelief. "Do you know how much pain and suffering this has caused? Not only to us, but countless people throughout the ages."

"I'm aware," the Oaken King said.

"Why didn't you retrieve it and stop the suffering?" Alice asked.

"I wanted to see if love was real. If two people loved each other so much and they drank from the spell not for power or greed or lust, but because they were so in love with each other . . . Then they could transcend death itself," the Oaken King responded.

Alice and Hugo glanced at each other. Their eyes locked. Each gave a knowing half-smile. Their fingers met and interlocked, connecting each other once again.

The Oaken King said, "I will keep it safe, so no one will ever see it again. I will spread the word the spell has been destroyed, so no one else will seek it and use it for nefarious purposes. But since this is a special occasion with a profession of love, we should use it one more time."

"We tried drinking it a second time. It didn't prevent Hugo from turning into a vampire," Alice said.

"No. No, the spell won't cure vampirism. You are a vampire forever. The transformation still occurred, and you will carry it for the rest of your days."

Hugo bowed his head.

"However," the Oaken King began. "It can be used to cure some of your ailments. Please spit into this cauldron."

"But it didn't work the last time," Alice protested. "He suffered despite drinking from it."

"But did you both drink from it the second time?"

Alice closed her eyes, recalling the events. She was in a hurried panic; she never second guessed her actions until now. Hugo drank from the cup. She did not.

Alice shook her head. "I did not."

"Please. Spit," he commanded.

Hugo and Alice both stuck their heads into the bubbling cauldron and spit, once again forming The Lovers' Kiss. The Oaken King used a wooden ladle and dipped it into the bubbling cauldron. He extracted the spell and poured it into an awaiting wineglass. The Oaken King presented it to Hugo and Alice.

He said, "Now drink."

Alice and Hugo locked eyes and nodded. Hugo took a drink first from the wooden cup and then handed it to Alice. She took a sip. An explosion of flavor and acidity washed over her tongue. Her body erupted with warmth and happiness and love. Every cell in her body was on fire with life. She could see sound and hear colors. The great symphony of the universe played out before her. It rivaled the best cookies from Holly Claus.

"Whoa," Alice said as she set the cup down.

"We fairies are the guardians of love. I wanted to give you the greatest wedding gift I could. Hugo Dodds, while you may still be a vampire, the sun's rays will not harm you. Your blood will not boil. You will not turn to ash. Your bloodlust will no longer overwhelm you, and you shall no longer frenzy," the Oaken King said.

"Thank you. Thank you for everything," Hugo replied.

"You don't know how much all of this means to us," Alice added.

Hugo paused, focusing on the ground. "I have one more thing to ask. My reflection. He disappeared when I turned, and Alice's reflection lost her lover. Can she cast a magical reflection of me again?"

"The moment you drank the spell, your reflection returned," the Oaken King said.

Alice and Hugo turned to each other with smiles on their faces.

"You know, they're probably—" Hugo began.

"They're going to have a lot of fun before we return home," Alice said.

They laughed.

"This is why I created the spell. For lovers. For those who are willing to risk everything for each other," the Oaken King said.

"Thank you," Alice said with a tear in her eye. "Thank you so much."

"And now for my favorite part of a wedding," the Oaken King said, clapping his hands together and shimmying his hips. "Let's go dance."