Jasper's arm was tight around my waist as we congregated around the reception. "Jasper!" An accented voice called causing us both to turn around. Two vampires, all golden eyes staring back with kind looks. The girl that stood out of me, in particular, looked an awful lot like Noah. I look up at Jasper to see his smile glinting at the girl.
"Clarissa," He greets moving from me to give her a hug "Eliza," He moves and hugs her as well less tight than Clarissa but still affectionately, "This is Lilith, my mate," He introduces I watch both vampires clasp hands glancing at each other with love in their eyes.
"It's so nice to finally meet you, Jasper has told us so much about you. You're just as beautiful as he described," Clarissa says, letting go of Eliza's hand and taking mines in hers as she greets me.
"Yes, as my mate said, you're very beautiful," Eliza says, not moving forward like her mate did, but giving me a kind smile.
"I wish I could say the same. Jasper hasn't told me much about you," I admit moving back to Jasper and Clarissa moves back to Eliza as we continued to talk. I laughed at a few of the comments that Eliza made when I sighed "I should go check up on Bella, I can feel her anxiety from here. It was so nice to meet you," I say, and Clarissa pulls me into a hug and Eliza followed. I turn to find Bella.
"Bells," I squeal, pulling her into a deep hug, "You're hitched," I point out teasingly before looking at Edward and giving him a hug. "Who would've thought you'd be married first, the hermit," I say, and she pushes me playfully while blushing.
"Lilith, this is Eleazer, Carmen, Tanya, and Kate," Edward says, introducing me "Our cousins from Alaska," I smile at them
"It's good to meet you," I say Eleazer watches me carefully
"You're the one with the offensive talent Carlisle was telling me about," I shrug
"I guess," I offer, and he hums obviously, not wanting to get more into it at the wedding. I smile, noticing the blonde vampire's reclusiveness to the conversation as she stares off at Seth and Billy across the room. The angered look on her face reminding me too much of Victoria causing me to slightly tense.
"Irina, come meet the twins," Carmen prompts her putting a name to the face. Irina's gaze snaps back to us.
"I can't do this," Irina says her voice laced with an untouched and dark emotion.
"You promised," Tanya points out her eyes wide with authority
"They invited one," All of the Denali's gaze fleeted to Seth
"He's our friend," I defend, still slightly tensed at Irina's behavior
"They killed Laurent," She accuses
"Laurent tried to kill Bella," Edward points out feeling the need to defend Seth, who was nothing more than a boy.
"I don't believe that," Irina said, scorned getting close to Edward and Bella, which made me tense more. "He wanted to be like us, to live in peace with humans. With me,"
"I'm sorry," Edward apologies as Irina turns her back and leaves
"He's just a boy," I mumble, "Wasn't even a wolf when Laurent died," I point out knowing she could hear me. Bella giving me a look as she reached out for my hand which I let her take. Jasper, having sensed my apprehension, joined me at my side.
"Irina," Carmen calls for her sister
"Uh... let's not monopolizing the bride," Eleazer says awkwardly "Congratulations," To which Bella responds with a thank you.
"Well, what's not a wedding without some family drama," Edward sweeps what happened under the rug for the sake of not upsetting Bella. I sigh looking at Jasper before putting back on a smile and looking at Edward.
"Can I steal the bride away for a sister dance?" I ask Edward who laughs, but then nods and I drag my sister out to the dance floor when the musicians had switched to something a little faster paced, Bella and I dance as we had in our bedroom. Bella finally letting go of her embarrassment and moving with me. Our dance had no rhythm or means, but it fit. I twirled her under my arm giggling before Alice came up to us, letting me know that it was time for speeches. I took a seat at my assigned seat on Bella's side with Jasper as Emmett took the first speech.
"Excuse me, is this thing on? Hello?" Emmett starts tapping the microphone before flashing his large smile. "Uhm... I'd like to propose a toast, to my sister, Bella, I hope you got enough sleep these past 18 years, cause you won't be getting any more for a while," I gasp out a laugh and the audience stayed quiet. I look at my dad who took a large sip of his drink. Emmett gets off the stage and Jessica makes a move up to the stage. I look at Bella.
"Who let her have a turn at the microphone?" I whisper and Bella chuckles quietly, as does Edward.
"Well, Bella was just like everybody else," Jess starts, "Totally mesmerized by Edward or the hair as I call him," I bit my lip to keep from laughing, "And then, suddenly, Edward was all about Bella. Even though she's not the captain of the volleyball team. I'm just kidding, I'm just kidding, or the president of the student council," I snort causing Bella to look at me, which only made me laugh a little more. I look back at Angela, who had her face buried deep in her hands. Dad goes next.
"Edward will be a good husband," He nods, "I know this because I'm a cop, I know things. Like how to hunt somebody to the ends of the earth," I look at Bella with a wide smile. "And I know how to use a gun," Dad lightly threatens which causes me to laugh again
"Now that you're my sister," Alice started her speech off strong, "You'll have to get over you adversion to fashion," I look back at Noah who was smiling wide at his mate, "skirts, heels, handbags," Alice lists off
"Go to sleep my love," Mom begins singing that lullaby she'd sung us to sleep with when we were children "Go to sleep, when you wake, you'll see me," She sings her tears, getting the best of her. I smile at my mother who had no shame and the biggest heart.
"I'd like to thank Renee and Charlie for bringing such a wonderful person into the world and into our lives. We will cherish and protect her forever," Esme kept her toast short, which meant it was my turn. I make my way up to the stage taking the microphone.
"Hello," I greet, "I'd like to propose a toast, to my sister and her husband. I'm not really good at the spoken stuff, so I've prepared a song. Something that will show the love that Bella and Edward share. I hope you like it," I say looking mostly at my sister before turning to the black grand piano. Setting my champagne glass down onto the polished black body positioning myself over the keys. I begin the cords. Alice had hired a drummer I'd worked with in the past. He agreed to help me to get the feeling I wanted.
I don't wanna be touched by the fear in your eyes
I don't wanna be left for my demons to find
When the leaves are gone and the beating's sung
Brings the world bang drums
Tell me you, will hold me in the golden afterlife
Yeah, you
You don't have to die alone tonight
I look at my sister who listened to the words in thought.
I will find you in a burning sky
Where the ashes rain in your mind
Ohh, ohh
Sacrifice
If we're closer to the other side
And the heavens all start to cry
Ohh, ohh
Sacrifice
Sacrifice
Sacrifice
I knew these words rang true for the relationship they had but putting them out for the world to hear. This was something only our family could understand and I liked it that way.
Be a dose of protection through the blood and the tears
If you losing yourself, then my body is here
When the leaves are gone and the beating's sung
When the leaves are gone and the beating's sung
Brings the world bang drums
When the leaves are gone and beating's sung
Brings the world bang drums
Tell me you, will hold me in the golden afterlife
Yeah, you, you don't have to die alone tonight
The sacrifices we all had made to love who we wanted to, be happy, live the life we'd fought for. They were dauntless. My gaze drifted to Jasper, who was the reason I could convey these words with my soul.
I will find you in a burning sky
Where the ashes rain in your mind
Ohh, ohh, sacrifice (Sacrifice)
If we're closer to the other side
And the heavens all start to cry
Ohh, ohh, sacrifice (Sacrifice)
I was getting closer to the climax of the song my favorite part.
If you start running away there'll be no where to hide
If you start running away there'll be no where to hide
The cords got closer as I hit the final chorus. Bella looked moved and elated all at once.
I will find you in a burning sky
Where the ashes rain in your mind
Ohh, ohh, sacrifice
If we're closer to the otherside
And the heavens are starting to cry
I'd hit the note. I smile to myself as I finish the chorus. Bella smiled widely, wiping the happy tears from underneath her eyes.
Ohh, ohh, sacrifice (Sacrifice)
I will find you in a burning sky
Where the ashes rain in your mind
Ohh, ohh, sacrifice (Sacrifice)
Sacrifice
I finished getting the applause of the crowd as Bella rushed from her seat embracing me. "I love you," I whisper she tightens her grip.
"I love you," She whispers back. I pull away from her, placing a kiss onto her warm cheek and moving back to my seat. Bella sits back next to Edward, who I'd given a hug when I sat down. I look at Jasper who took my hand when I sat back down. Edward picks up his glass and moves to the microphone. It takes him a moment to start.
"It's an extraordinary thing to meet someone who you can bare your soul to and accept you for what you are. I've been waiting, for what seems like a very long time, to get beyond what I am," He pauses looking at Bella who was still overcome with emotions "With Bella, I feel like I can finally begin. So I'd like to propose a toast to my beautiful bride. No measure of time with you will be long enough, but let's start with forever," The entirety of the party moves their glasses to the lips in sync. I smile at Jasper who squeezes my hand. When the speeches were done the music got louder and the party got rowdier. Jasper and I moved together in harmony on the dance floor in quick steps. I laughed when he twirled me under his arm.
"I can't wait to do this with you," I whisper when a slower song came on. I laid my head on his chest as we swayed.
"Soon," He promises kissing the crown of my head. We stayed like this until he had to bring the car around the front for Edward and Bella to leave. I stood with mom who'd been crying.
"So he really won't tell you where he's taking you?" Mom asks my twin
"No, it's a surprise," She answers
"Well, wear a hat, sunscreen, take care of yourself," Mom says, picking rice out of her hair
"I will," Bella promises Mom pulls her in for another hug whispering an I love you. "Thank you," Bella says they stand for a moment before I pull my sister in for another hug. "I love you, Lil," I hear her whisper.
"I love you too, Bells," I inhale, "Okay, have fun, be safe, and love where you're going," I list
"You know?" I smirk
"Of course, now go, Dad is looking a little depressed," I say, pushing her toward our father. I look at mom whose still emotional. I wrap an arm around her watching Bella and Edward leave for their honeymoon. Everything feeling whole and perfect.
AUTHORS NOTE
Fun fact. This whole scene is the entire reason I wrote this book, I imagined a scene like this 3 years ago and felt compelled to write this entire story. Imagine that lol