Ten years later
I woke up to Holly jumping on my bed, "Mum! It's my birthday!" She shouted excitedly.
I laughed and sat up, "I know! How old are you know, twenty-two?" I joked.
Holly laughed, "no! I'm ten today!"
"Let's go and open your presents," I said with a smirk. She squealed with excitement and followed me downstairs to the living room. I had placed three presents beside a birthday card and a chocolate cake.
My daughter ran over to the card, "I open the card first because it's polite, that's what you said, isn't it?" She asked trying to remember my words from her last birthday.
I chuckled, "that's right," I smiled as she ripped the envelope open and read the card aloud.
"Dear Holly, happy tenth birthday princess! I love you so so so much, love from mummy," she read the card and gave me a huge hug. She crawled back to the pile an frowned.
I furrowed my eyebrows, "what's wrong?"
She sat upright, "I don't have a card from dad this year," she said quietly. Every year James sends Holly a birthday card with some money inside of it but he hadn't this year and I knew why.
I shrugged, "maybe the post man is running late," I suggested and held back a smile.
She nodded and opened her first present, "it's a phone!" She cried dramatically. I had bought Holly an IPhone 5s for her birthday this year. Ever year she asked for one and I always promised her I would when she turned ten. She opened her other two presents to reveal a box full of all of Roald Dahl's books. Holly loved reading and was always asking for new books. The other present was a new dress and necklace.
She smiled at me, "thanks mum!" She hugged me again and I hugged her back. When she pulled away I kissed her forehead.
I stood up, "you still have one more surprise to come," I told her and winked playfully.
Her eyes widened, "what is it?" She asked excitedly.
As if on cue the door knocked and I smiled, "not what, who," I corrected as I opened the door to James. He brought me into a bone crushing hugs.
I laughed, "I missed you," I told him quietly.
He kissed my head and pulled back, "I missed you more," he replied.
Holly appeared next to us, "daddy?" She asked quietly.
James lifted her up and spun around, "Holly! Look how big you are," he shouted over her excited screaming.
Holly wrapped her arms around his neck, "this is the best birthday ever," she told us.
James smirked, "it's only going to get better from here," he put her down and entered the house.
Holly clung to him, "how is it going to get better than this?"
James smiled at me, "we're going to visit granny, grandad and auntie Carrie," this was news to Holly and me.
I raised my eyebrows, "we are?"
"We are," James said with his signature smirk.
An hour later we were on our way to hell. Holly was amazed by everything we passed and I couldn't stop staring at James' smug smile.
He turned to me, "stop staring at me," he said still smiling.
I rolled my eyes, "just keep your eyes on the road," I turned to try to hide my blush. Even though we were both older now he still knew how to make me blush.
We were driving through the forest now and James was increasing the speed.
He smirked, "ready?" He looked to Holly who was sleeping peacefully in the back seat. Her long brown hair fell perfectly beside her head.
I nodded, "it's not that scary," I said with a shrug.
He laughed, "you weren't saying that when I first brought you here. You were screaming like this," he mimicked a loud, high pitched scream.
I slapped his leg, "Holly's sleeping!"
He bit his lip, "sorry," he whispered loudly. I rolled my eyes.
Holly yawned loudly, "why are you screaming mum?" She asked and rubbed her eyes.
I stifled a laugh, "that was your dad," I informed her. Holly laughed dramatically but gasped when we hit the tree that teleports us to hell.
I laughed, "did that shock you?"
Holly frowned, "I just wasn't expecting it." James smiled and shook his head and pulled into his parents driveway. We walked in and was greeted by Victoria.
Holly hugged her tightly, "granny!"
She laughed, "happy birthday Holly!" She turned to James, "I've missed you so much," she told him.
He hugged her briefly, "I've missed you too, where's everybody else?" He asked looking over her shoulder.
Damian walked out of a room and Carrie followed, "happy birthday!" They shouted simultaneously.
Victoria smirked, "do you want to know what your present is?" She asked.
Holly squealed, "yes! Is it a puppy?" She asked and her eyes widened dramatically, "did I get a pony?" She asked seriously.
I laughed, "Holly, calm down," I told her with a smile.
"Sorry," she mumbled. Victoria told us all to follow her and she took us to her garden. In the middle of the garden was a cow tied up to a tree.
Holly furrowed her eyebrows, "a cow?" She asked confused. I couldn't tell whether she liked the cow or not.
Damian laughed, "no, not the cow. We're giving you the ability to talk to animals. The cow's here for you to try it out on," he explained.
Holly nodded, "and how do you give me the ability?"
Carrie smiled, "I know! You have to drink some of the cows blood mixed with this potion," she pulled out a small glass bottle filled with a blue liquid, "it doesn't have to be a cow, it can be any animal," she said with a shrug.
Holly nodded, "okay! Can I do it right now?" She asked another question.
Victoria nodded, "yes! James go and get a glass and a small knife," she instructed her son.
"Ay ay captain!" James mock saluted and ran back into the house only to return a few seconds later with the required tools.
I shifted on my feet, "is the cow going to be in pain?" I asked. Even though I had been a vampire for a long time now I had once been a human and still care for animals.
Damian smiled, "no, it will only be a small cut," he promised before drawing a small bit of blood from the animal and catching it in the glass. Carrie poured the blue liquid in with it and handed it to Holly who quickly drank it.
I smiled, "did it work?"
Carrie grinned, "try it out Hols," she pushed Holly forward gently and Holly tried speaking to the cow.
She smiled, "erm, hello?" She said awkwardly.
The cow made a few noises but by the shocked expression on Holly's face I could tell it worked.
She grinned at me, "it works!" She cried amazed.
I laughed, "good, what do you say now?"
She turned to Victoria, Damian and Carrie, "thanks!" She hugged them all and we all laughed.
Carrie was the first to pull away, "let's get some food and then the cake!" She ran inside the house and we all followed.
We had chicken and chips for dinner and we laughed and talked about how me and James met. We even spoke about Bennett and we didn't do that often in front of Holly.
Holly frowned slightly, "I wish I could've met uncle Ben."
I smiled sadly, "he was a lovely man," I told her and James nodded his agreement.
Carrie's voice came from the kitchen, "time for cake!" She came into the living room with a huge chocolate cake with ten candles in it.
We all sang happy birthday to Holly and she helped to cut the cake. We ate and spoke some more and at the end of the day Holly had fallen asleep on James' lap. I was resting my head on his chest and he had his arm around me. We were all sitting in the living room watching gnomeo and juliet, it was Holly's favourite. James was running his hand through my hair and I eventually fell asleep.
I dreamt of Bennett. I dreamt he was playing with Holly and talking with James and I. It seemed exactly how it would be if he was really there. Bennett turned to me, "look after my baby brother," he told me. I promised I would and he gave Holly a hug before leaving.
James was shaking my shoulder, "Lily, we're going home now." I woke up and James was holding a sleeping Holly.
I rubbed my eyes, "alright," I turned to the others, "bye, thanks for having us," I thanked them sleepily.
They all smiled, "see you soon," Victoria waved and James placed Holly on the car. I got in the passenger side and rested my head against the window.
James began driving down the road, "are you excited?"
I looked up at him, "excited for what?" I asked.
He smiled, "for our new life. Me, you, Holly, Carrie, Dad and mum. Our small family. It's not exactly a family that comes in a photo frame but it's still our family and it's going to work," he told me.
I smiled, "excited doesn't even begin to describe it," I leaned back on the window and closed my eyes. So this was my life now. Our small vampire family, it sure was something.
I sat up, "do you know what?" I suddenly felt less tired.
James looked at me and back to the road, "what?"
I smiled, "our story would make a great book."
The End.