MoonLife (11 page)

This is why I am going to do the Turn
,
I thought,
I want this feeling with him forever
.

And then I woke up…

Dammit
!
W
hy do I always wake up just when the good stuff starts? We could have done that all night, I thought to myself. I looked at the clock and found that it was mid afternoon. I was glad to have gotten some sleep but man I would have liked to stay in that dream a while longer. I felt all rubbery all over, like I do normally after Sebastian and I have been fooling around. That was a fantastic dream, I hope Sebastian realizes that dream just made this day crazy long. Not getting to see him until Midnight for the ceremony was going to make it longer yet. I rolled over and thought about going back to sleep. Maybe I can just sleep until eleven tonight, get up and get married?

Nah, that will never work.

I have to practice for the ceremony and I finally get to see the dress I will wear tonight. Manduragos have so many traditions that surround the binding ceremony
,
it’s crazy. I can’t see Sebastian until the ceremony, I can’t view the dress until time to get ready for the ceremony,
and
I have to be bathed by three Mandurago women to be made clean before the ceremony. Oh and the
Mandurago
King is going to feed on me at the Ceremony to pass me on to Sebastian. Great right? I am surprised Sebastian will allow that, he gets so jealous and all, but I guess it’s much like the giving of the bride by the father. The elder tastes me, verifies that I am worthy
,
and then
passes me on to Sebastian with his blessing. After the ceremony there is a special bridal chamber that we will be escorted too. There we will have our evening together and after we make love I will start
the Turn
, but no one knows how long
the Turn
will take since it’s different with everyone.

Just thinking about it made my stomach start doing back flips. I have been trying not to focus on it, trying to center on the ceremony and the things I am truly happy about. I love Sebastian, this is the right thing to do and making love for the first time will hopefully be phenomenal. From this point out I am not even going to let myself think about
the Turn
. Not even for a minute. Not going to allow me to think about how bad that’s going to hurt. How it’s going to feel as if I’m on fire all over, and burning to death. Yup, I am not going to think about how it maybe hours and hours of that feeling…

“Sadie…are you awake?” whispered Wendy from outside the door.

“Yes
,
I’m just laying here not thinking about Turning tonight
,
” I said, flipping over and sitting up in bed.

“How’s that working out for you?” Wendy asked.

“Not well. What’s up?”

“Well, I thought we should go get some breakfast
,
”
she said,
looking at the clock, “Well
,
maybe lunch
. It’s the
day of your wedding and all. We could go see where the Manduragos eat. Up for it?” she looked like a little girl wanting to go to Disneyland. Wendy is Wiccan and loves all this paranormal stuff. Getting to be in the Mandurago compound is like Christmas to her and who I am to deny her Christmas
?

“Sure
,
let me jump in the shower and we’ll go.”

“Awesome
,
Sadie. Maybe we can have a look around too. We haven’t actually had time to explore yet. Maybe there is a place to buy souvenirs?”

“
Wendy, a
re you crazy? This is the Mandurago's home lair, not a tourist attraction; they aren’t going to a have a souvenir shop.” Sometimes I just don’t know about that girl. She smiled at me as I headed to the shower.

Chapter
Ten

“Told you so! Told you so! Told you so!” Wendy said as
s
he shook the snow globe with the Buffalo Terminal in it.

“Crazy, I can’t believe they have snow globes of the building. Why would they have those? I ‘m surprised it doesn’t say Mandurago Terminal on it.” Souvenirs…what kind of Magicals sell souvenirs?

“Well this place is a very big deal to the Manduragos. They come here from all
over;
it would be nice to bring a souvenir home of your trip. I mean, I would want one
,”
Wendy said
,
as
s
he gathered a few up to buy.

“You would want one from Denny’s if we were on a trip. You’re weird like that.” I said giggling at her. She was the souvenir collector. She has thimbles, salt and pepper shakers, basically anything really tacky she could find on our trips, she bought. I never got it, but it makes her happy
,
so who am I to judge
?

We headed out of the souvenir shop and back out into the main level of the compound with two
M
agical bodyguards in tow. This is what they would have called the concourse when it was a train station. It was easily the size of a football field with a rounded ceiling and different tunnels going to different tracks. They no longer use the tracks, but the building was renovated immaculately back to the time period. With brass fixtures and ornate tiles, it actually did feel like we just stepped back in time. We walked down a bit looking at all the different store fronts. There were all different kinds of stores from clothes to computers. We noticed several restaurants, but nothing was open yet. Guess there isn’t a lot of call for breakfast in vampire town.

We finally found a little cafe that was open and serving breakfast. It was extremely charming, like something straight out of Paris. There were tables set up outside the cafe as well as
inside;
we decided to take one outside so we could people watch. Wendy and I love to people watch and who knows what we would see here. We met the hostess and were seated. Bram and Ludwik set
up guard watch on both sides of the cafe. The waiter came over and took our order
,
but was unusually quiet. I could feel that he was not Mandurago
,
but some other Magical. I can imagine in a place like this, that it attracted all types of people. Wendy ordered coffee and scrambled eggs while I ordered a
D
iet
C
oke and a California omelet. The waiter thanked us for our order, and was very cordial towards us, yet I still was getting a weird feeling from him.

“Wendy
,
did you think there was anything strange about that waiter? I got a weird vibe from him.” I said as the hostess brought our drinks.

“He probably just knows who you are. Ludwik was telling me last night that hundreds have come in for the wedding tonight. Did you know it was prophesized that a Mandurago would marry
the
Kali Princess and restart the Village of Magicals?” she said
,
smiling like a cheesier cat. “You are a bon
-
a
-
fide Magical legend come to life. No wonder the waiter is acting strange around you.”

“I didn’t know that
.
Sebastian never tells me that kind of stuff. Sometimes I think he forgets that I am new to all this. If I ask him about it, he is more than happy to share the
info;
it’s just getting the info to ask about… that’s the hard part. I need an assistant, a Magical underworld
assistant that knows everything and can fill me in. I really do wish they ha
d
a
Manduragos for Dummies
book. I would buy it.”

“Yeah
,
you and me both. Imagine how fascinating that would be. We could make a fortune.”

“Do you think? Who but you and I would buy it?” I said giggling. Right then I noticed a familiar face walking up the concourse. It was Keket from the club last night. She noticed us sitting at the table and we waved her over.

“Good morning
,
my
p
rincess.” And Keket bowed to me. Lifting her head up, she smiled.

“Good morning, would you like to join us for breakfast?” I asked.

“No, I have to head to
the S
anctum. I am one of the workers getting it ready for tonight’s ceremony. We have just a few hours left to get it ready.”

“I heard that hundreds are coming in for the event
,” said
Wendy
.

“Not hundreds, thousands. By tonight this place will be completely full, all to see you
,
Princess
,
become the
q
ueen. We have been waiting an extraordinarily long time for this day. It was prophesied thousands of years ago. It was written that one day a Mandurago will marry the Kali Princess and all the races will be united. It is a new start for all Magicals.” Keket said smiling at us.
No pressure there
,
I thought to myself.

“I hope I can live up to everyone’s expectations. I do plan on going back to the
V
illage and reclaiming it eventually, once my Royal powers come in. I think my
m
other would have wanted that.”

“Yes
,
she would have greatly wanted that. She was a truly great
q
ueen; we were all terribly upset when she was taken from us.”

“Did you know her
,
Keket?”

“I knew of her, but I did not know her personally. I would have loved to. She did many great things for all Magicals. She allowed us all to live together as one, not caring what we were or where we were from. It is not many rulers that will do that and think of us all as their own.”

“I hope to keep her tradition and make her proud.” Thinking a bit, I asked. “Would it be alright if we went with you to the Sanctum to see how the preparations are coming?”

Keket thought about it for a moment. “I have never heard of that being done, but I don’t know of any traditions that state you may not. As you know there has never been a ceremony before where a Kali Princess is
b
ound to a Mandurago. So we are doing all we can to make it extremely memorable. Let me call and ask quickly and also tell them of your arrival, would that be okay?”

“Of course, we’ll wait here and finish our breakfast. Just let Bram know if we can come by and we’ll meet you down there.”

“Yes
,
my
p
rincess
,
I shall. Oh and thank you for the personal invitation for tonight. My sister and I are more than honored to be seated in your personal family area. I hear I am seated next
to the Magicals that raised you. It is a great honor.” She bowed and backed away, turning to leave.

I turned to Wendy surprised. I didn’t think anyone that I knew was coming, but Sebastian must have arranged for my parents (
the
Magicals that raised me) to be here. With all that was going on, knowing that they were coming was a delightful and overwhelming surprise. “Mom and Dad are going to be here. Did you know?” I asked Wendy.

“Yes I knew. It’s impossible to keep a secret from you
,
too. Sebastian has been planning it all along. He so wanted you to have family here. They are arriving this afternoon
,” she
said
,
leaning over and hugging me.

I was so relieved to know they were going to be here. I missed them and was missing the fact they wouldn’t see me become bound. Sebastian had talked about having a big ceremony back in Sacramento after it was all said and done. But I’m not really the kind to throw a second wedding so people can attend. That seems strange to me. I mean we would already be married, why do another wedding? A wedding reception party is what I had planned to do, but with them coming and Wendy already here there isn’t actually a need for that now. I sat back and thought for a moment how lucky I am. I have a man who genuinely knows what’s important to me, he’s my friend, lover, confidant and he cares, I mean really cares about me. Knowing all this is why I am going through this, why
the Turn
no matter how tough it maybe, is what I must do.

“Excuse me
,
Princess…” said Bram
.

“Sadie, please Bram, call me Sadie
,”
I said to him for the one hundredth time.

“Okay, excuse me Sadie. I just got a call from Keket and they are expecting you at the Sanctum? Is that something you want to do?”

With an enthusiastic YES! Wendy and I got up and followed the guys down one of the train tunnels to the inner Sanctum. When we came down the tunnel to the doors, I knew we were there. The area was buzzing with a remarkable supernatural energy. It was very powerful, very bright and felt almost touched by the gods. The doors were ornate with large wooden carvings of a tree that spread over both doors. The size of the doors was something not to be overlooked. They were at least three times as high as me, with the towering spiritual tree covering every inch of it. Each branch of the tree was twisting and growing, changing and spreading, reaching up and out to cover the surface of the large doors in intricate detail.