Free Meeting Destiny; Lachlan’s Story (Annalese and the Immortals) by Annie Buff

pulled out the red satin ball gown. Strapless with a mermaid flare just under the bum. She’d gotten red elbow-length gloves and red and silver stilettos.
    “Oh crap, where’s the jewelry I asked for?”
    Both women sorted through the boxes and did not find jewels.
    “This is bad, Sophia. I needed that stuff. This is so bad!”
    “Oh girl, Vlad loves buying jewelry. I have a thousand things. You need something borrowed anyway. Go dress, I got you.”
    And she did have her. Sophia knew she was getting a friend forever and she wouldn’t let her down.
    Vlad found Lachlan on the balcony doing his best to kill a pack of cigarettes. “Ah, I see you’re not calm yet,” he quipped.
    “Nay, you would think after ten, it would calm me down, but nay. I’m a wreck. What if she changes her mind? I think I take me own head then.”
    He was a mess. Vlad knew what to do. “Well McCain, that girl thinks the sun rises because of you. Don’t worry, she will be down. In the meantime, I have a proposition for you.”
    “Ye do? What is it, T.?”
    “Well, you know how you want Lese to have your name?”
    “Yeah T., keep going,” Lachlan lit another, and Vlad took one of his own.
    “You’re my fledgling, my child so to speak. The only one. I’d like it, it would honor me, a huge honor bestowed onto me, if you took Tepes and shared it with Annalese. You already bear the Dracul crest.” He patted his chest. “And it would please both myself and Sophia if we were bound in that way. Mehmet could make it so.”
    Lachlan stood facing his sire. He kept trying to form a sentence, even one word, but he needed a minute. He put up a finger to indicate it. He held a breath until he could finally speak. “Vlad, I don’t know what to say. Just having you give me your mother’s ring was such an honor. Then the crest.” Lachlan had tears. “This is so unexpected.”
    “So say you’ll do it. Take Tepes after McCain. Be my heir, my family.”
    “I need to speak with Annalese, but I think she will tell me yes. So unless something crazy happens, yes Vlad, I will take it. It will be an honor and a privilege to be Tepes.”
    “Thank you, Lachlan.”
    The two Vampires hugged.
    “Now let’s go find your girl and announce to the guests the mating and naming.”
    And off they went. Lachlan stepped on to the patio Lachlan Michael McCain. He left it Lachlan Michael McCain Tepes. Honored was such an understatement.
    Mehmet approached the two Vampires at the bottom of the grand staircase. “I see your mate approved of the man skirt.” Mehmet caught humor in Lachlan’s formal Highland attire. He was dressed in his black and red kilt, formal jacket, sporran, sgian drabh on his right hip and his ghillies. Ghillies were traditional black thick solid shoes. Any proud Scot wouldn’t dress without them.
    And on this day, Lachlan was the proudest man in the world. All he was missing was the claymore strapped to his back. He almost donned it, but thought better of it. He was not going into battle, not on this day.
    Vlad spoke with Mehmet about the naming and Mehmet agreed to make it official. He had taken the life of Vlad’s only living blood. He had Sophia, and now Lachlan and Annalese. It was only right.
    Sophia came down the staircase into Vlad’s arms. “Ah pixie, you look delicious as usual.”
    “Aye, she looks ravishing. But aren’t ye missing someone? Like me mate to be?”
    His first thought was, Shit, she’s not coming. Fuck, she’s changed her mind.
    Sophie giggled. “She just wanted to make a grand entrance Lach. In three, two, one, there’s your bride, Lachlan.”
    His head shot up. At the top of the stairs she stood. Lachlan couldn’t speak, couldn’t draw a breath. His legs were shaking and his palms were sweating. He thought for a moment he was going to faint.
    Vlad had his arm and quietly said, “Go, meet her at the bottom.”
    He got the twenty feet to the bottom stair as Annalese descended. He stopped, held out his hand