The Devil's Shadow | The Empty World Sequence

Seventeen

St. Roses, New York City, 14 February 1992 AD.

Valentine's Day. The small Catholic church in the Village was musty, snow and ice falling from damp wool, and candles burning. Louis stood before the altar rail smiling to himself, he thought it hilarious two vampires were marrying in a church, what a mock to the sacrament.

In a small room at the back of the church, full of dusty books, Blade stood before a mirror. Her mother was outside the door, asking to come in. Blade was wearing white, and crying, Niki stood before her, feeling kind toward her brother's bride and catching up the blood-tears on a bright red handkerchief. "OK, Mom, OK, I'm almost ready," Blade said.

From the shadows at the back of the church the groom and best man emerged. "I don't look normal enough do I?" Robert asked. The hair was wild as usual, his jacket was black velvet, and the white shirt underneath had ruffles on both collar and sleeves, he wore a tie of black satin in a neat bow, his ears and fingers were covered in gold jewelry, he had a white rose pinned to one satin lapel, the pants were tuxedo pants, but he wore Doc Martin's under them.

"You look like a rock star," Steven smiled, looking very normal in a conservative black tuxedo. "No one really expects you to look normal. Do any famous models ever marry guys who look normal? No, they all look like rock stars and dress like princes."

Robert smiled at Steven as they went down the side aisle to the front of the church. It was Blade's mother who had used guilt to force her daughter into getting married here. Blade had refused to make it a mass. Her father was insulted, the tall blond sitting very still in the left front pew. He was reading a missal.

At the back of the church a slight woman with short blonde curls held a hand to her brow as a 21 year old boy in stark immaculate black wool opened the bottle of Tylenol for her. "Here, Mom," he said and offered two pills in his hand.

"I'm OK, go sit with your father," but she snatched the bottle from his other hand.

"Can't I just wait here a while?"

She gave him a mother's look and the boy walked down the aisle, looking from side to side slowly as he did. All his assorted relatives were on the left. He waved to his cousin Randy and passed a pew full of very old women as they hissed secrets about him to each other.

Robert joined Louis before the rail. His son, the boy in ruffles and tails, posing now officially as his brother whispered to him. "That's him?" He asked.

Robert looked up the aisle, a tall figure in neat black suit and wrinkleless white shirt moved down the aisle. "Julien? Has to be."

"Looks like he should be the model," Louis said.

Robert shrugged. He walked away to see how Min was doing. She was feeling weak and sick, and all the Humans were convinced this was the ordinary happy cry of all wedding guests.

But Louis stayed and watched the young man who walked down the aisle, his shoes were black patent leather, and as he walked closer it was obvious the laces were of ribbon. There was a small gold cross hanging from a slender chain, but no tie. His eyes moved over Louis' figure for an instant but then he looked down and bent to sit in the front pew.

This father and son looked awkward together, both handsome figures, but it was obvious they didn't love each other. "Did you have to wear that suit?" The father asked quietly.

"Yes."

"You look like you're dressed for a funeral."

"Being lain out in a coffin sounds nice about now," said his son. "I wish I hadn't quit smoking."