"Ethan! Hey, buddy? Wake up." Rory hovered over Ethan's sleeping form.
Ethan lifted his head up, startled, and the two bumped heads. Both of them groaned in pain, holding their heads.
"What are you doing in here?" Ethan asked, looking at Jane.
"I let him in." Jane smirked. "Oh, Ethan! You're so dreamy! Marry me!" Jane teased.
"You ever heard of privacy, you little rodent?" Ethan snapped.
"Mom! Ethan hit me!" Jane whined, lying.
Ethan threw one of his pillows at her, making her scoff. She ran off while Ethan sighed in annoyance. Ethan looked at the calendar, then at the box on his nightstand. Today was the day.
"Ethan, get up. The council wants to see you. They said they have a job for you." Rory explained.
"You can tell the Vampire Council that they'll have to wait. Today, I am a man." Ethan retorted.
Rory's eyes widened. "Oh, that's right! Are you completely and fully sure you want to do this? It's basically a promise that you'll marry her soon. Maybe even right after she turns her technical age of eighteen."
"I'm completely and honestly sure, Rory. She's my girl, and there's no one else I would imagine myself with." Ethan held up the box, flipping it open to look at the rings. They were perfect.
~~~
"Some dream you're having, sis."
"Benny!" I sat up in bed, startled. "Have you ever heard of knocking?"
"What's the point if you're asleep? That, and the noise of you sounding like you're kissing someone when you're really canoodling with air." Benny smirked.
"Just get out so I could get dressed. I need to leave early to meet up with Ethan. Today's our anniversary." I explained. "Two years. I'm surprised he can stand me for two years."
"He's been our best friend for longer than that. He can deal with me as well as I can deal with you." Benny walked over and kissed the top of my head, making me smile. "I picked out a nice outfit already to make it easier on you. Tap Ethan to make sure he knows you're up and get dressed. I'll do your hair."
I hugged him, resting my head on his shoulder. "Thanks, Ben."
"You're welcome, (N/n)." Benny said softly. "You're still my seventeen-year-old sister. I'm taking care of you for the rest of my life. I love you."
"I love you too." I replied, pulling away with a small smile. "Now, get out. I don't care if we're twins, you are not seeing me change."
~~~
There is no pretending, I love you, and I will love you until I die, and if there is a life after that, then I'll love you then. Attached was a single red rose.
I looked at the card with such love, I couldn't even put it into words. I sniffed the rose, smelling the delicious scent. I placed the card in my locker magnetic organizer. The rose was placed in the magnetic pencil holder until I could take it home after school.
~~~
"Are you sure you really want to do this? Because we can back out of this now." Benny asked Ethan next to his locker.
Ethan sighed, closing his locker. "I'm positive. You're still on board with this, right? You've got my back?"
"You make my sister happy, E. Yes, I'm on board with this." Benny nodded.
"I put the first rose and the note in her locker already. Eight roses and eight more notes to go. All in... five hours." Ethan looked at his watch.
"Why five hours?" Benny asked, confused.
"Because then it would be a year since you gave me the idea." Ethan said, a smile flickering on his face.
"Fair enough."
~~~
You want to know who I'm in love with? Read the first word again. Another red rose was carefully slipped into the card.
"How is he so sweet?" I whispered. "Why does he treat me so special?"
"Because I love you." Ethan whispered in my ear behind me.
I smiled, turning around and kissing him sweetly and lovingly. We both smiled into the kiss, Ethan nipping at my bottom lip teasingly. He pulled away, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.
"Why are you teasing?" I pouted.
"Because you look too cute for your own good." Ethan kissed the tip of my nose. "Are you ready for tonight?"
"Of course." I nodded.
"So cute." Ethan kissed my forehead. "I'll see you during free period, okay? Dinner's at seven."
"I'll be there, no doubt about it."
~~~
"(Y/n), the council needed something from Ethan." Benny ran up to me.
"What do they want with him?" I asked curiously.
"I don't know." Benny said quickly.
"Wanna go check on him?" I asked, holding out my hand.
Benny nodded and took my hand.
I used my speed to get us to the abandoned building. I nodded to the vampires guarding the entrance and walked in with Benny.
"How were they so welcome to you coming in?" Benny asked, looking at the guards in amazement.
"I'm a vampire priestess that can glamour when some of the oldest vampires can't. I'm kinda respected here." I explained.
Benny and I waited in chairs by the window, me tapping my foot anxiously. What did Anastasia want with Ethan? Did something happen?
"Hey, th-that went well." Benny said as I saw two men walk past us.
I rushed in front of them, making them stop. "Stop and drop him. He's with me." I straightened myself.
They nodded and let him go slowly, walking back into the room they were just in.
I immediately wrapped my arms around him. "Are you okay? Did something happen?"
"I'll tell you about it later, okay?" Ethan whispered.
I nodded in understanding.
~~~
I'm amazed when I look at you. Not just because of your looks, but because of the fact that everything I've ever wanted is right in front of me. Another red rose. How many roses was this boy going to give me?
"It's funny, Ethan, because you're my everything too."
~~~
Before I met you, I never knew what it was like to be able to look at someone and smile for no reason. Another red rose.
"Four red roses." I placed the rose and the notes with the others. "Nothing will come between us, Ethan, I can promise that. Nothing."
~~~
I want you. All of you. Your flaws. Your mistakes. Your imperfections. I want you, and only you. Another red rose.
"I don't deserve you." I whispered, smiling foolishly.
"Let me spoil you. Don't do anything for me, let me spoil you. You gave me the bracelets for our first, let me treat you for our second." Ethan said as we laid together.
"I'm getting you something, Ethan, and you can't stop me." I kissed him softly.
"A little thing, okay?" Ethan compromised.
"Just a little thing."
I had gotten him a keychain, since I knew he loved to hang them on his backpack. It says, "I love you to the Death Star and back", and it had a green lightsaber attached to it. It was sweet, yet nerdy. Just like Ethan.
~~~
I choose you. And I'll choose you, over and over and over. Without pause, without a doubt, in a heartbeat. I'll keep choosing you. Another red rose.
"I choose you every second of my life, Ethan." I whispered.
~~~
You came into my life and became it. Another red rose.
"Seven roses." I counted. "Infatuation." I whispered. "How many more, Ethan?"
~~~
I look at you and see the rest of my life in front of my eyes. Another red rose.
"That's another one of the many things we agree on, Ethan." I tucked the notes into my backpack. "I love you so much."
~~~
I want you today, tomorrow, next week, and for the rest of my life. The last red rose.
"Eternal love." I smiled brightly. "How is this so perfect?"
"What do you think?" Ethan walked over, leaning against the neighboring locker.
"I think your gestures are going to make me look like I don't care about our relationship." I looked into his eyes.
"Never." Ethan kissed me reassuringly. "Ready to walk home?"
I nodded. "Of course."
~~~
"You could be my it boy, you're the greatest gift, loving you could be a crime. Crazy how we fit, boy, this is it. Give me twenty-five to life. I just wanna rock all night long, and put you in the middle of my spotlight. You could be my it boy, you're my biggest hit, boy, let me play it loud, let me play it loud, let me play it loud like-"
I gasped when I froze as I touched the area on my neck where I had been bitten, white clouding my eyes. Jesse appeared with a sinister smirk on his face. He was smiling directly at me. I unfroze, gasping for air like I had been choked.
"(N/n)? Are you okay?" Benny walked into my room.
"Yeah." I straightened myself, ignoring the vision. For now. "I look decent, right?"
"You look perfect." Benny assured me. "Now, come on. Ethan texted me and told me to get you outside."
I nodded and walked outside with him. I saw a figure walking down the street, walking closer to us. Ethan was wearing a baby-blue button up with a grey sweater vest and dress pants. He was holding a rose in his hand. He smiled, kissing me quickly when he stopped in front of her.
"Grandma said ten, okay?" Benny looked at Ethan.
Ethan nodded, then held out his arm. "Shall we go?"
I giggled, locking my arm with his. "We shall."
~~~
"Enjoy your meal, sir." the waiter seated us. "And enjoy yours. Very lean, but healthy."
I looked at the waiter suspiciously as Ethan looked around. I looked at Ethan with a smile. "Thank you for taking me here, Ethan."
"Are you kidding? I like treating you." Ethan picked up the folded napkin, fumbling with it.
A hand reached out and unfolded it for him. "Thank you, my good- Erica?!" Ethan exclaimed quietly, surprised.
"Aren't you the most adorable couple ever?" Erica smiled.
"You work here?" I asked.
"Vampires need money too. So, would you like to hear our specials? We have one dessert so sweet that goes straight to your bloodstream." Erica explained.
"Um, can we just have a second with the menus?" Ethan asked awkwardly.
"Take your time." Erica walked away.
"Can you tell me what happened with Anastasia?" I asked quietly after a moment.
"One of the elders was attacked." Ethan started, making my eyes widen. "She wanted me to see who did it. It was a man in a long cloak, and he had some sort of symbol on his back. I didn't tell Anastasia the last part though."
"You drew it, right?" I asked.
"Read my mind." Ethan smiled for a moment.
"I'll look at it after." I said. "But right now, let's enjoy this."
"Speaking of this, there was actually something I wanted to talk to you about." Ethan licked his lips nervously.
I sat up straighter so he knew I was paying attention. "I love you, (Y/n)."
"I love you too, Ethan." I smiled softly.
"I know we're young, but I know I love you and I want you for the rest of my life." Ethan continued.
"I do too." I nodded.
"I know it might seem... big, but I got us... these." Ethan put a box on the table, revealing two silver rings.
"And, with your answer these rings may or may not guarantee our future together. Do you accept it?" Ethan finished.
I looked at him, too shocked for words. I nodded, making his eyes and smile brighten. "What was that?" he teased quietly.
"Yes." I said breathlessly.
Ethan beamed and slipped the rings out of the boxes.He placed the first ring on his finger, then placed the second on mine. He took my hand and kissed it, making me giggle.
Ethan suddenly froze, making me frown. He didn't touch anything that would trigger it. After a few moments, he let go of my hand, looking at me with worried eyes.
"What's wrong? Did something happen?" I asked worriedly, yet quietly.
"Jesse." Ethan said through gritted teeth. "He needed something. I need to go call Benny, I'll be right back."
I nodded as he got up, walking out of the seating area. I fidgeted with my bracelet nervously. I put my fingers to the spot where Jesse bit me again.
"(Y/n), stay by your brother and Ethan at all times. You're in danger." Jesse said, his smile not there.
"What do you want? Why do you care about me?" I questioned, surprising myself.
Jesse sighed. "I'll explain later, okay? Just listen to me. I know Ethan will protect you."
I snapped out of it as Ethan sat back down at the table.
"What?" he asked, noticing my expression.
"He got to me too. Told me to stay by you because he knows you'll protect me." I explained.
"I will. I promise." Ethan assured me. "Jesse said that the Lucifractor is somewhere called Darkwood. I called Benny, he's got it. He's coming to meet us here."
"What does this thing do?" I asked.
"It basically kills the vampire side of a human, killing all of the matter inside of them. You can't touch it, okay? I don't want anything to happen to you." Ethan explained.
"Nothing will happen to me." I leaned over the table and kissed him quickly.
"I'll go get your coat." Ethan said and started to get up.
He knocked into the waiter and the latter hissed at him. "Please be careful, sir."
Ethan sat down, a shocked expression on his face. "This is a vampire restaurant."
"How? I thought you chose to come here." I asked calmly.
"I asked Erica for recommendations, and she chose here." Ethan looked back at the waiter.
"You recommended a vampire restaurant?" I glared at Erica.
"Vampires have restaurants?" Ethan added.
"Look. There's two types of people in this world, the eaters and the eat-ees. You both need to know who you're going to spend your life with." Erica sighed.
"We've known it for two years, Erica!" I whisper-yelled. "There is nothing for us that we need to know about each other. We know everything so far."
"Is there something wrong with the meal? Would you like them seasoned?" the waiter came over.
"I think we'll take them to go, please." I said calmly. "There's Benny."
Ethan and I ran over to Rory and Benny, with Sarah trailing behind. Benny tossed Ethan a bag and Ethan opened it.
"Okay, this is the good news." Benny sighed. "Bad news is-
I heard the growl that cut Benny off. It was a dark shadow that was acting like an animal. "That thing sure wants its chew toy back. Why can't we just give it to him?"
"Are you nuts? It's powerful enough now without giving it a super weapon." Ethan scoffed. "Maybe we can destroy one powerful thing with another."
"Good idea! Do it, now!" Benny said, panicked.
"I've got to figure out how to use it!" Ethan argued.
I sighed and took it from Ethan, aiming it at the monster. It shot purple electricity at the thing, making it bow down on its knees. I felt the thing draining me, but I kept going. My eyes flashed a mixture of blue and yellow, my magic and my vampire powers mixing. It finally disappeared and Ethan snatched it from my hands. Benny caught me as I closed my eyes, drained.
"What is that thing?" Sarah asked, panicked.
"What did it do to my sister?" Benny added.
I opened my eyes halfway, almost liddedly. "I totally almost tasted that earlier." Rory said excitedly.
A purple wave ran through the restaurant, making me wince as I was hit with it.
"Ethan, it hit her." Benny said quietly. "We need to get her home, now."
"If you talk about what you saw tonight, the only people who will believe you are the ones that will eat you." Ethan called out to the unaffected couples.
They rushed out of the restaurant as I managed to stand on my own two feet again. I stumbled as Benny held me up. He let go slowly and I looked at Ethan.
"I told you not to touch that thing." Ethan said, half-worried and half-angry.
"But I knew how to control it." I retorted. "We needed to get that thing killed before it could hurt anyone else. What if it hurt you, or Benny? I didn't want to risk that. I'm fine now, I promise. I'm okay." I reasoned.
Ethan hugged me, holding me tightly. "Please don't do that again." he whispered.
"I promise." I assured him.