Chapter 3 - Chapter Three

Thalia

It's been two weeks since Dario, kissed me in his house and we both have been so busy that we didn't have time to talk about it. We also haven't been alone since. Whether it was planned that way by Dario, or mere coincidence, I don't know but maybe that was a blessing in discuses. Because that one kiss has messed with my sanity.

But other than my rational sane brain losing to very vivid daydreaming at the worst times ever, a lot has been going on. Everything is being put together for the big Anniversary ceremony. A lot of aristocrats and dignitaries have stater to arrive including Logan and Leo's fiancés. Lady Francesca and Lady Dominique.

They are cousins and met Logan and Leo by chance at a party held by a mutual friend in the Elven realm. These two sleaze bag Trolls (and yes, people I mean actual trolls) were hitting on Francesca and Dominique and tried to get handsy with them when like knights in shining armor (Ok, more like knights in Gucci and Armani) they came and rescued them sweeping them off their feet and well after that thing progressed at a steady pace and two years later, they are planning their weddings.

Now Francesca and Dominique are truly stunning beauties inside and out they have hearts of gold and are both some of the kindest, sweet, and gentlest people I have ever met. Francesca is short and petite, with long golden blond hair and ocean blue eyes perfect flawless ivory skin rose-colored lips. Dominique is tall and willowy with black-blue waist-length hair, forest green eyes, flawless ivory skin, and naturally red lips. Then, stole Logan and Leo's hearts at first sight.

So yes, a lot has been going on including me moving into a small little cottage about a half-mile from the castle near the outskirts of town. (And yes, we have towns, in Nosferatu just like any other realm, we just usually get all are supplies that we can't make or produce ourselves from the human realm or some of the other realms.

When I say we I mean me? As I am the one that mostly visits the human realm as I blend in better, usually it's for food like fruits and vegetables, meat and blood. Here I should mention that yes vampires drink blood they need it but they can eat food as well and even though males and females can drink each other's blood they usually just drink blood from blood bags provided by non-suspecting humans. And as for the fruit and vegetables as they need the sun to grow, and people to tend to them, we need to get them from the human realm.)

Now I know you are wondering how do you get all the stuff from the human realm to Nosferatu, well like most things in the supernatural world with magic there is a house in the human realm that acts as a portal to Nosferatu, but the portal only works when activated and it can only be activated with vampire blood. That is sort of a fail-safe to make sure if humans stumble into the house they won't accidentally be transported to Nosferatu.

So yes, I have been busy, and daydreaming about Dario has not made life easier, that is why I am still packing up all my stuff that should have been packed two days ago. I mean I am moving into my cottage in an hour and I am still packing.

While packing the last of my books I hear their cars approaching luckily for me I have good friends though they are only a handful, they are loyal and good and offered very kindly to help me move.

My thoughts get interrupted by Willows's soft footsteps. Her soft knock brings my head up.

"Thalia, sweetheart, are you finished the moving party has arrived."

"Well, I would love to say yes but I am still finishing packing my books and then I think it's just my clothes."

Smiling she enters my room

"I am going to miss you, you know. But I think this will be good for you. I keep forgetting you not the small scared little girl anymore. You are all grown up now, but please promise me you will come and visit at least every Sunday."

Sweet, kind-hearted Willow she tried hard the last few days not to cry even now her beautiful big doe brown eyes are full of tears.

"Willow, of course, I will. Do you honestly think I will be able to stay away from you and Lucian you guys are my parents' blood or not that is what you are to me and the only family I have, nothing and no one is ever going to change that?"

Moving over to her I give her a hug, from the outside looking in we might have been mistaken for sisters, if people didn't know better. Willow is tall and slim, with fiery red hair that hangs in loose ways down her back, with her big doe brown eyes shining out of her perfect heart shaped face.

"Thank you, sweetheart, for saying that, and to us, you are our daughter always. Now let's go greet your friends before I ruin my makeup by crying my eyes out."

Smiling and laughing we make our way down the stairs to the living room.

A general greeting of hello greeted us as we reached the bottom of the stairs. They all came to help me you would think I was moving a whole house not just a room, lucky for me the cottage is fully furnished so it was just my stuff and linins that had to be moved. The moving party consisted of Dario, Logan, Leo, Griffin, Danica, Francesca, Dominique, Skye, and Rose.

Skye and Rose have been my friends since my early teens when I worked at the same Café as them, they were some of the first friends I made in Nosferatu; they are common vampires meaning that they were turned vampires by their now exes. Who abducted them from the human realm, needless to say when they awoke to their new lives and reality set in that relationships were over very quickly. But luckily, they have made their peace with the life they now live and they enjoy it.

Skye is short and curvy in the best way possible she has short curly brown hair that frames her beautiful face with big blue eyes, she will probably not be considered a stunning beauty compared to the Vampire elite, but she is very pretty with the bubbliest personality ever she is like sunshine personified.

Rose is again the opposite she is medium height with medium-length dark blond hair and hazel eyes just like Skye she would not be considered stunning if compared to the vampire elite but she is pretty and has a calm and gentleness about her that draws you to her she is the friend that will always listen to you and help you in any way she can.

"Skye, Rose, I am so glad you guys could get of work to help me, thank you."

"Like we would do anything else plus and you can't say no you're not working tomorrow, we asked just so you know. We are celebrating your big move tonight."

"Guys, I don't think…"

"No, we are not hearing it, it has been ages since we last went out to have a little fun and besides Princess Danica, Griffin, Prince Logan, Prince Leo, Lady Francesca, and Lady Dominique will be there too. So, you have to come."

"Skye, Rose, we told you just call us by our names we are friends after all and we are not around other people, please having are friends call us by are titles all the time is just not fun."

"Sorry, your Highness … I mean Logan it is a force of habit." Rose and Skye say in unison.

"Wait, Dario isn't going?"

I say this to the room in general but my eyes focus on Dario standing at the back of my crowd of friends.

Smiling to himself he answers before anyone else has a chance.

"No, Thalia I am not going I am just not feeling in the mood for a party though you have my sincere apologies, for skipping tonight."

"But?"

"We should get moving if you still want to get to parting before sunrise, right?"

"Dario is right, ok Leo, Griffin, and I will take the heavy stuff and move it so long and then you girls can take the smaller stuff, you're all packed up Thalia? And Dario you can help with moving Thalia's art stuff, so if you screw up any of it, she kills you not us."

"Ha, very funny Logan, you know you just showed your scared stiff of our little dhampir right, anyway that's fine I will move the art stuff. Are there any of the paintings that are, going to Thalia?

"No, I made all of these for Lucian and Willow, I am going to make new ones for my little cottage."

"Ok, well to work then"

The girls and I head upstairs to finish packing my clothes which led to a lengthy conversation about how it is a shame that my cute clothes never get much wear time, and the guys started moving all of my other belongings to the cottage.

Having all my friends helping made moving quick work as the girls left with the last of my clothes and books, I make my way up to the attic that was my art studio for as long as I can remember Dario and Lucian's whispered voices die down as I approach the top stairs.

"Hi, am I interrupting anything?"

"No honey not at all, and your timing is great Dario is just about finished"

Looking at Lucian I am sure that my appearance did in deed interrupt a conversation they were having, but looking around I see that he is right Dario did in deed finish packing all my art supplies everything was neatly packed away ready for moving.

"Ok, Thalia let's go I will load these in the car while you say goodbye."

With that, he leaves.

A few minutes later after saying goodbye to Willow and Lucian, we find ourselves in his car.

"Thank you for all your help you all made moving easier."

"Well, if we left it up to you, well then you will still be moved by next year."

"Are you implying that I am lazy?"

"No, just that you are busy that is all. Did you ever think about what you would have done if you didn't become a guard, like if you got married surely you won't want to be a guard anymore? I mean you will never have time for your husband or kids."

"You know, I have never been asked that before. I guess if I had a choice I would like to become an artist and paint full time. I love it and as you know have very little time for it. But it was the one thing that helped me get through everything when I first got here. It became my lifeline and afterward became my source of comfort and joy. It truly makes me happy and I think I am pretty good at it."

As I look over toward Dario I see him smiling at me with the most disarming smile I have ever seen.

"You know I still don't get it, Why do you have so little confidence in yourself at times. When it comes to being a guard you own it you know your worth and how good you are, but when it comes to the more personal things, that's more you. You don't seem to have a clear view of yourself. You're not just pretty good at painting Thalia your amazing. Did you know my Dad offered Lucian and Willow the chance to name any price they wanted if they were willing to sell him one of your paintings just one? And they said no, to the king they said no. Willow said some things are not for sale and your paintings are priceless to them. Dad still wants to ask you to do a painting for him as a gift for Mum but things got kind of busy with the anniversary celebration and all. Hell even I will kill to be able to say I have a painting done by Thalia D. Though I would prefer something more personal than just a beautiful landscape."

Hearing all this fills me with warmth and happiness I have never known before. I have known Dario long enough to know he will never lie to me about something so important and personal.

"Thank you for saying that and I would love to paint something for the King, and maybe even for you, Your Grace if you are a good little prince."

Laughing loudly at my statement he turns off the road down a little country lane towards my new home. My cottage is perfect with two bedrooms a bathroom cozy sitting room and a kitchen that is small but big enough for all my needs. It even has a lovely spacious attic that spans the length of the cottage with windows on both sides giving it lots of natural light perfect for me to use as an art studio. My friends have already started unpacking my things and making the cottage cozy and inviting. As we get out of the car and walk up the little garden path I am greeted with a small garden filled with blooming roses, honeysuckle, Fox's cloves, and a variety of other blooming flowers. Stepping through the front door I can't help but smile the grey stone of the cottage has been complemented with the soft hues of blues, purples, whites, and cream color scheme on the inside giving the cottage a tranquil and relaxing atmosphere.

"I love it."

"We knew you would," Danica says as she places the last of my books on the bookshelf.

"Yeah, when Danica heard you decided to move she all but jumped on this little place. We wanted something bigger and more modern but she was adamant that this is the place for you."

"Well as I am one of her best friends I know what she would like and Thalia would feel lost and so uncomfortable in a big cold modern house. She likes books, art, and things that are different and has a sense of charm and magic. She is an artist so I knew she would fall in love with this little cottage and it's perfect it even has a space where she can paint and views the mountains and the forest and meadows everything a painter's little heart would desire."

"Princess if you ever decide to enter the job market you should give relates a try or interior design you would be amazing at it," Griffin says with a teasing smile

Giving Griffin a playful glare Danica turns towards me with a look that clearly displays the question she is dying to know the answer to.

" I love it! Danica, it is beautiful and amazing, your amazing you chose really well."