Look Before You Leap [True Blood]

34: Happily Ever After

"My lips are sealed!" I promised. "I'm going to get back to the other vamps, but it was so good to see both of you. I'm so happy for you!" I hugged Rachel again and then Alcide before running back to the party.

Four Months Later

"I'm going to cry again," Rachel said.

"Rachel Caroline Compton, don't you fucking cry on me," I snapped. "We just spent an hour and a half making you look like a Barbie doll. If you cry off all this makeup, I will murder you before you get the chance to walk down that aisle."

She giggled and held her hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright, no tears!" She turned back to the mirror and grabbed her head in her hands. "I look like a princess."

"You look stunning," I agreed. Her dress hugged her body down to her legs, where it cascaded in layers of lace. It had lace across the top and to her elbows. The lace had subtle beading and tiny sequins arranged in floral shapes that complimented the lace's pattern. Had it been designed any other way it may have looked too conservative, but instead it looked elegant. The lace let just enough skin show through to keep it sexy. It was exactly the kind of wedding dress Rachel had always pictured herself in.

"Help me put this in my hair?" She asked holding up the large jeweled hair piece that was supposed to fit on the side of her head and keep her hair pulled back into a sleek, over the shoulder, curled ponytail. I stood up and pinned the hairpiece in.

"Perfect."

"Where did Jess and Sookie go?" Rachel asked.

"Last minute preparations. It's a really good thing Sookie knew that guy Quinn, he put this together fast."

"You don't think it was too fast? With the way things go around here, I just couldn't wait."

"If people are going to talk, they're going to talk. There's nothing you can do about that. All I care about is that you and Alcide are happy." She smiled and nodded. I grabbed two tissues and held them under her eyes before she started crying. "Stop! Stop it!"

"We're all ready!" Jessica said, popping her head in the door. She gasped, "Rachel, you look amazing." Sookie stepped in after her and put her hand on her chest. Both Sookie and Jessica wore lilac dresses that mirrored my own, minus some extra beading that mine had.

"Quick, say something funny so she doesn't cry!" I insisted.

"Niall is cursing Bill and sulking because you didn't ask him to walk you down the aisle," Sookie offered.

"I don't even know the man!" Rachel said, suddenly annoyed. "Of course I asked Bill, he may not be my dad but he's a hell of a lot more fatherly."

"Preach," I mumbled. Since Warlow had been dealt with, I had met my biological father. He wasn't exactly anything to write home about.

"Are you ready?" Jessica asked. Rachel nodded. "Alright then, let's get out there!" We headed downstairs and to the back door.

The front lawn had been decked out with tables and paper lanterns for the reception. Meanwhile, the back lawn was where the actual ceremony would take place. The event planners had spent the last two days hanging twinkle lights from the trees, there were so many lights that the yard glowed. Taking a note from the fairy dimension, everything was decked in purple flowers and ivy, including the arch that framed the priest and Alcide.

I leaned back from the window. "Looks like we're on!"

Rachel let out a nervous squeal and squeezed my hands. "See you out there!"

"Don't trip!" I called as I opened the door. A look of pure terror washed over her and I giggled as I stepped outside right behind Jessica and Sookie.