A Vampyre's Sunrise, Jeff Schanz [best summer books .txt] 📗

were three bathing beauties he had coaxed on board, whose combined IQ wouldn’t match any one of their chest measurements. All three of them bounced and giggled as they waited for Lia to arrive. The yacht’s owner, named Vaughn Pelletier, allowed Brandt to borrow the yacht for the wedding with two stipulations: One, Brandt pay Vaughn one thousand dollars; and two, Vaughn be allowed to give the bride a kiss. Considering there was no one else to give away the bride, Mr. Pelletier was given the honors as long as the kiss was on the cheek. Brandt gave the man a hard stare to make sure there was no misinterpretation. Vaughn laughed away the challenge and slapped Brandt on the back with a meaty palm.

In front of Brandt were several rows of chairs supplied by the hotel. Two dozen tourists, who were happy to be a part of a show (and were promised an open bar reception at the hotel), sat in the chairs waiting for the bride’s entrance. Several bystanders stood on the dock thinking a movie was being filmed.

To Brandt’s right was a cute little girl who had wanted to meet Brandt. She was curious about what was happening on the yacht, and she thought Brandt was Clint Eastwood. Brandt accepted the compliment, although Eastwood was considerably older, and asked if the girl wanted a part in the wedding. Her parents allowed it, so little Chelsea became the maid of honor.

To Brandt’s left was Nathan. Discounting Brandt, Nathan was the most invested in the proceedings, and was proud to be the best man.

Behind Brandt stood Father Vestor. He wore a blue double-breasted blazer that sported two full rows of gold buttons, five rows of made-up service ribbons, several hanging medals, and two gold epaulets. His pants were stark white with gold piping, and his cap was the stereotypical captain’s hat, complete with gold leaves and anchor badge. He clenched a pipe in his mouth. Brandt had told Vestor that the pipe was too much (the whole outfit was too much), but Vestor waved it off and said that it helped him get into character. Vestor looked like a cross between Napoleon and Captain Ahab. Brandt rolled his eyes and hoped to hell Lia wouldn’t know the difference.

I am so freaking dead.

Suddenly the three bikini bimbos jumped up and started clapping. Lia was walking down the aisle.

As had happened the other day when she had emerged from the helicopter, his breath caught in his throat. Her white dress flowed behind her as she glided. It had been her mother’s. There were no baubles or lace, it was just a simple fitted gown, shoulderless and sleek. It contoured to her slim athletic figure to just below her hips, then spread out into a fan. Her face was obscured by the traditional veil, but her smile was still bright enough underneath it for Brandt to see clearly.

His Lia. Though I don’t deserve her.

But God had given her to him anyway. And he to her. The relationship between Brandt and God had been conflicted (at best) until the day Brandt was able to destroy Mikhail and save Lia from being turned undead. It seemed God had a plan for Brandt all along, and here it was. Hopefully.

With a circus freak wedding.

Vaughn walked beside Lia. His Hawaiian shirt was tucked into his cargo pants, his girth rolling over his waistband. His flip-flops popped down the aisle. Brandt wanted to slap a palm over his own face. Lia glanced around at all the tourists who were watching her and snapping pictures. She shrugged shyly. Brandt knew she didn’t see things the same way he did, even when looking at what he thought was obvious. What she would see here was that she was about to be married to the man she loved, on a boat like she wanted, by a ship’s captain like she asked. He hoped.

Brandt let out his held breath.

Lia was led in front of Brandt. Vaughn lifted up the veil and grinned like a man who was about to get his reward. Brandt tensed. Before Vaughn could do anything, Lia gleefully reached out and gave the man a very sweet kiss on his cheek. She stroked a hand on that cheek as she pulled back, making sure she ended up a full step away. Vaughn bit his lip, then smiled reluctantly.

You read his mind, didn’t you? That’s my girl.

She took her place next to Brandt and stared deeply into his eyes. Her beautiful smile was bright enough to illuminate the rest of the deck, even though the tiki torches were doing an adequate job.

Father Vestor cleared his throat and lifted his ministerial speech book. Brandt barely noticed. He was lost in Lia’s eyes again. It was so easy to do when she was looking at him. The first of many blushes to come bloomed on Lia’s cheeks. He knew how easily she blushed and was surprised it took this long for the first one. She mouthed words at Brandt. It took a second for Brandt to translate:

“Thank you.”

He had brewed up a wedding that should be an episode on a sit-com, and his bride was thanking him. But he knew that’s probably not how she saw it. She was having a wedding in her mother’s dress and was about to commit herself to a man who vowed to die for her, and had already killed for her. It might be enough for Lia.

And then Vestor spoke.

“Arrrr. Me lads, lasses, and mateys. We be gathered here today to join these two in hoooly matrimooony. Arrr.”

Oh – my – GOD! He thinks captains talk like pirates? Maybe Lia wouldn’t notice.

Lia shot her eyes to Vestor, stiffened, and then looked at Brandt.

I’m dead, I’m dead, I’m dead.

Lia pinched her shoulders in laughter, but kept her lips tight and covered them with one hand. She whispered, “I love this.” She wasn’t mad? She was actually amused?

God? Buddy, I owe you big.

Vestor swizzled the pipe around in his mouth and continued. “Arrr. Do ye have the rings?”

Five minutes of ring exchange (Brandt had found his parents’ rings like he promised), a few phrases of flowery speech by Vestor, still done in pirate voice, and then they came to the vows.

Brandt was first. He had written and trashed several versions of his vows, but in the end, he just thought he’d say what was in his heart. It was a consistent trait that tended to get him into trouble, but it was also very much him. Lia knew him as well as he did himself, and she would expect him to wing it. He breathed in deeply and started:

“I came to you a lost man. My life meant nothing to me. I could think of nothing and no one that mattered, except the lost lives of my Army brethren I had blamed myself for. All I wanted was to earn the second chance of life I was given. I had no idea that second chance would lead me to you. You saved me. You saved my soul. You gave me the reason to live that I didn’t believe I deserved, and love that I only dreamed was possible. And now all I want to do is give you my life, my heart, my soul, to keep you happy and safe until the day I die. You are the greatest, most wonderful thing I have ever known, and I treasure the chance to be your husband, and spend the rest of my days making you happy. There is nothing on earth or heaven that can keep me from your side. My love for you is more powerful than any man, beast, demon, or god that might seek to separate us. I am yours entirely, and eternally.”

The tourists “Ooo’d” and “Aww’d,” and the bimbos clapped quietly, bouncing on their toes.

Everyone looked at Lia. It was her turn, but she was frozen. She was staring at Brandt, unblinking, her eyes watering, her mouth quivering. Her expression was a wrestling match between ecstasy and crying, flickering like it may explode.

Brandt tilted his head down a degree. He mouthed, “Honey? It’s your turn.”

There was that same wild hunger in her eyes that he had seen the first time they had made love. It meant she was losing control of her emotions. She burst out in a sudden cry. “Oh, that was wonderful!” Disregarding her cue, she sprang forward and wrapped her arms around Brandt, kissing him deeply. He tried not to laugh through her passionate display.

Vestor discreetly coughed. In a low voice, he said, “Not yet, me lassie.”

Lia suddenly released her lip lock and backed away embarrassed. Her peculiar, hair-trigger emotions had gotten the better of her on her biggest day.

“Oh, my god,” she whispered, abashed. “I’m so sorry.”

The tourists “Ooo’d” and “Aww’d” anyway. Lia frantically waved her hand at the minister. “Oh, please, that was not my vow,” she pleaded. “May I still say my real one?”

Father Vestor chuckled and spread his arms. “Arrr. Go ahead, me lassie.”

Lia composed herself and faced Brandt. Brandt tried to hold back his amusement. It was a strange little comfort to know he wasn’t the only one who screwed up today.

She pinched her shoulders up bashfully and said in a soft voice, “I wrote a poem for you.” She closed her eyes for a moment to remember the words, then started:

“A life timeless, but not alive. An eclipsed sun, shrouding me in darkness like a coffin wherein I hide. Your light shines upon me, breathing air into my lungs, coursing blood through my heart. Through your eyes I see myself, not as I am, but how I wished to be. My unrealized dreams made true. You are the sun in which I dance. Your love feeds me, nourishes my very essence. I drink of it, devouring it in unquenchable hunger. Still, you offer me more. More than I ask, you willingly give. In return, I offer my love, my heart, my soul. Should it be within me, it is given unto you. All that I am is yours. For always and forever. I am your Lia.” She paused a moment and gave him one of her sweetest smiles. “I love you, Rembrandt Dekker. I cherish the honor to be your wife.”

Once again, the peanut gallery “Ooo’d” and “Aww’d.” Brandt was almost as frozen as Lia had been a moment ago. She wrote and memorized a poem about me. This demure woman, who had been deathly frightened to be seen by humans just a few months ago, had proudly written and read a profound poem that laid her soul bare, fearlessly displayed in front of strangers, all just to prove her love for him. He wasn’t a poetry fan, and he had no idea if it was any good, but it was the sweetest thing he had ever heard in his life. Stunned, his brain reflexively wanted to commit the same faux pas Lia had done earlier and just reach over and kiss her. Instead, his body did nothing but stare at her.

Lia dabbed at her eyes with the back of her hand. Brandt tried to keep his eyes from watering as well. This stunning elfin princess, this sweet, gentle, loving vision standing before him, this sexy, insatiable, smart, funny, giving, selfless beauty in a pretty white dress was staring deeply into his eyes and telling him in front of the world (such as it is) that she was willingly and happily his for life. Brandt knew that’s what happened at weddings, but somehow it didn’t seem like it would really ever happen to him.

If you cry, they’ll revoke your man card, dude.

“Brandt?” said Lia.

“Hmm?”

Besides Lia, everyone else was looking at him. Father Vestor leaned in expectantly. Whatever Vestor had said a moment ago had flown by Brandt.

“I do,” mouthed Lia.

Shit! He had missed his cue for the “I do.” Vestor craned an eyebrow.

“I do!” blurted Brandt. He cleared his throat and smiled. “I absolutely do.”

Father