My friends are around me. Everyone is holding their breaths. Mark is looking on with just as much shock as I had. I don't think anyone expected this...except Candy.

“Yes.”

JB pulls it out at that moment. A diamond ring that is tainted red. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in in my life. He puts it on my finger and everything is right in the world again. I'm looking at this man that I love and I know this is a moment that I'll never forget. This is everything that means anything to me. Who knew that all I had to do was die to really feel what true happiness was.

He hugs me at that moment wrapping his arms around me before he turns to the others.

“He said yes...”

Everyone is silent until JB says that and then people start clapping. I watch as Candy, Hyun and Rosa goes over to congratulate JB.

Bambam and Satyr come close examining the ring at that moment.

“Oh my god. Is this...” Satyr starts off.

“I think it is.”

I look at my two friends a little confused on what the hell they are talking about right now.

“Guys...what?”

“He really has no idea what he's wearing. The ring is showcasing the magnificent 10 carat cushion cut red diamond in the center and 2.50 ctw of dazzling round red diamonds on the sides,” Satyr is describing it looking down at the ring as though she was on the shopping networking before showing it to JB.

Bambam stares at it, “It's one of the lucky ones.”

“Lucky ones...”

“You don't know what those are do you?” Satyr asks.

She's saying it as though I should know what they are talking about. I am interrupted though. I'm interrupted because JB comes back over. He taps Bambam on his shoulder so that Bambam can move out of the way. I think Satyr and Bambam are just as excited about this as I am. When Bambam steps aside JB steps up to me.

“Guys I'm going to need a minute with my new fiance,” he says, “That's in case you didn't mind.”

Bambam nods in satisfaction, “Of course not, go, go, go be romantic or...whatever...”

I watch JB grab my hand at that moment. He leads me off into the woods. We get deep into the woods until we finally get to an open pond. The water in the Garden of Eden glistens blue as though there were sparkling lights under the surface. I look down at the water and just feel a warmth coming up from it. It's not a regular body of water. It's beautiful and magical. Things like this only existed in Eden and for this very moment everything was perfect.

“Fiancé huh?” I ask him.

“You stuck with me baby...” he says “...come here.”

JB pulls me close. I think he's about to kiss me but he doesn't. He picks me up, scoops me in his arms and throws me in the goddam pond. I splash hard into the warm sparkling blue water, screaming so much that I think the others at the camp might hear me.

“JB!”

I can't stay mad for long. I especially can't stay mad because JB has taken off his shirt. Those muscles are glistening over the reflection of the water as I look up from the bank. He has a playful smile on his face. He drops his pants next, revealing those perfect athlete legs sculpted to perfection. I can't believe this man just proposed to me as I look up at him mesmerized. This body is everything. There is no way in hell he is human. Him being a vampire prince is the only way to explain this perfection.

Lastly comes his drawers.

His is in his hand...already semi hard and throbbing. His eyes are staring at me. There is no more smile on JB's face. He means business when he descends into the water. The ripples threaten me every step he takes until we are face to face.

“Take your shirt off,” he tells me.

I don't hesitate taking my shirt off and handing it to him. It's already soaked. It doesn't matter. He throws it up on the bank and stares at me as though telling me that I should know what happens next.

My pants come off and then my underwear. I don't even hand it to him. I just let them float in the pond.

We are up to our shoulders in the water when we begin kissing. He rubs his hard up against me and it presses up against my lower abdomen. He rubs it up and down slowly in the water. I feel my heart racing when his tongue slides in my mouth over and over. He's slow this time. It's not like the other times we had . This time he's not trying to me. He's trying to make slow passionate love.

The water cascades over our bodies after we kiss several times. He turns me around, lifts me up and wraps the back of my legs around his waist. Then he begins to enter me...slowly and purposely sticking me deep into my loins.

“Oh ...”

“I'm going to do you.... mhmm...just like this...for the rest...of our lives,” he tells me between short pants as he s his hips into me, letting me feel every inch of his .

I lean my head back so far that I'm wresting my head on his shoulder. He at the sides of my neck still suspending me in the water. The smooth of his and the warmth of the water around us is making this the time of a lifetime.

“You promise?”

“Of course. I'll love you and only you. Forever...”

It seems endless as I sit in that water making love to the man that I love. It seems like I truly understand what immortality means. And I ...again and again, filling the pond with my and not even caring. We have for what seems like hours without getting tired.

After our skin has become soggy and I'm fingers turned to prunes he pulls me out of the water onto the bank and we lay on the side of the pond in the soft grass.

“I think I just fell in love all over again,” I tell him.

JB smiles at me a little bit, “That's how I feel every day that I see you. And I plan on showing it to you every day too.

I look down at the red ring, “This is a good start.”

“It's a Lucky One.”

There goes that term again.

“Bambam used that term before too. What the hell is a lucky one?” I ask him.

JB is laying on his stomach. His is still glistening wet from the pool. It's nice and round and I'm tempted to go bite it. I can tell he's thinking the same thing because he's grabbing onto my as we are laying on the grass hardly paying attention to my question.

“Oh geez. Can we just have again? I don't want to go into how important they are.”

“JB. It's important to me.”

He responds, “We talked about it about a month ago. Remember.”

“No I really don't,” I respond, “It reminds me something from my childhood. A song my mother used to sing to me...”

“It's an ancient artifact. One of three. It was passed down to me when Ecbert made me his heir. A ring, a necklace and a bracelet. Some say they were Eve's jewelry when she was in the garden of Eden. And when she was banished...her jewelry stayed behind. So they say, at least. I doubt it, but either way Ecbert said this ring is to prove that one day I'll rule Eden when he goes into his slumber for a couple centuries. It's said all three of them together keep Eden pure.”

“And you gave it to me?”

He shrugs, “It's not my most valuable possession anymore. You are...”

That's when JB pulls me close and without having to say any other words I'm sure just how much I mean to him. I fall asleep wrapping him up in me. I let JB lay on my chest until his mouth opens and he slowly falls asleep holding me like a little boy would hold a teddy bear that he wanted to always keep close to him.

I can't sleep. I'm far too excited and honestly still a little by JB laying on my chest. JB is so passed out that he doesn't even hear the rustling in the bushes and after a few seconds I realize that it's someone there. I am about to wake JB up but then I realize who it is.

My eyes widen to see Mark sneaking up on us. Mark turns away when he realizes that both JB and I are laying down . I unclaw JB's body off of mine, grab my shirt off the bank, wrap it around my waist and lead Mark further down the bank.

Before he gets anything out I just start spilling everything.

“I know this is sudden. I wasn't expecting this. Mark this was the last thing I was expecting but...”

“You can't marry him,” Mark explains.

I can feel the heavy look on Mark's face. Mark is clearly upset about this and I knew he would be. I figured if anything like this would happen I'd have time to really cement a distance from Mark but here was my ex really standing here and there are tears brewing up in his eyes. I mean JB might have shown a little emotion but Mark wasn't the emotional type. He was probably the least emotional person I knew save Jackson of course. The fact that he is standing here now looking so upset is ripping me apart.

“I love him Mark.”

“More than me?” he asks.

“More than anyone.”

“You're not safe with him,” Mark explains, “Your father told me about Lilith. Do you think this is the time that you need to be aligning yourself with the royal family? What if Lilith attacks? These royals will stay in Eden and fight a losing battle. Lilith cannot be destroyed...”

“Then I'll stay with JB. I'll fight with him,” I explain to Mark.

Mark shakes his head, this time with more anger than sadness, “You're a in' idiot. You want to die for that ? Jackson won't let you do this. You already know he won't. Being around the royals is dangerous for you...you know why...”

I realize now that Jackson has shared almost everything with Mark. He trusted Mark, probably more than he trusted me. I had to wait forever for my father to share the secrets with me that he did with Mark.

“It's not up to Jackson.”

“Please...Jr... don’t do this. This is a mistake.”

“Maybe...but what if it's not. If Nelly has been in Eden this entire time Lilith must have known where it was. She knew how to get here. Why was she asleep? It's been a while since she's woken up. Why hasn't she attacked Eden yet?”

Mark shrugs, “Maybe she's waiting on something.”

“Or maybe she can't get in. She left Eden, remember? Maybe she can't get back in. Maybe I'm safe and maybe I've found my happily ever after. Mark...if you love me, if you really love me though, don't you think you should be happy for me that I've found it?”

Mark looks at me.

There is a grim shade all around his face when he shakes his head and says, “I hope you're right man. For your sake.”

“Mark...”

He doesn't listen to me as he walks away. He doesn't look back. For the first time ever I think Mark has finally come to the understanding that there is nothing that is going to pull me away from JB. For the first time I think he has truly given up on me.

The next day Mark is gone from camp before the rest of us head back to the city.

“You have to let us plan the wedding,” Bambam and Satyr state almost at the same time while we are walking back.

“I'm cool with this if...JB is,” I say.

JB is close enough to hear. He stops, puts his arms around my shoulder, “As long as you are ok with it. anything my man wants he gets. King Ecbert will probably hire some wedding planners but...Bambam and Satyr can definitely be your representatives.”

That seems good enough for Bambam and Satyr. They have this confident excitement that is kind of making them more excited than I am. They are walking forward towards the city and JB lingers back with me.

“You told your father...”

“Of course. I needed permission to give away one of the Lucky Ones...they are really a big deal. He's not the one I was worried about,” JB explains.

We both know what JB is talking about.

“Jackson?”

JB nods, “Your father hates me.”

It's weird that all of a sudden a man, more like a boy, who I never knew until a couple months ago is now one of the major players in my life causing concern. Truth be told I would be lying if I said that I didn't love Jackson especially after the scare that I had thinking that he was dead. Still I don't like the idea of me having to get his approval about this.

I try to settle down JB as we approach the city gates, “Listen. He doesn't hate you.”

JB raises an eyebrow, “He faked his death, made me look weak in front of the whole city and then threatened my life if I exposed it.”

I can't help but to laugh at that.

“He just doesn't want...things to come out.”

“Neither do I. I just proposed to you. I'm not trying to ruin the best thing that in' happened to me. He's tripping. And I don't care if he's your old man. He looks our age and I still honestly don't like no attractive dudes around my man so he better gets with it or get gone!”

I know JB is only half serious so I push him on the shoulder a little bit.

“I'll talk to him.”

“You better. You have a month to do it.”

“What happens in a month.”

“Engagement party...hosted by the king,” JB laughs, “The media is going to be there. I asked everyone back at came to keep it quiet but by the engagement party everyone will know.”

I am shocked, “That's not a long time to plan. Exactly how long has the King known you wanted to propose to me yo?”

JB shakes his head, “Man that's not important...”

“JB.”

“I kind of told him the first time I kissed you. Told him I was in love and that I was going to marry you one day. And well...it just...happened like that.”

I nod, “That early?”

“I knew what I wanted and King's go after what they want...”

***

The weeks goes by pretty fast after JB's proposal on the camping trip. I have to keep reminding Bambam and Satyr to be extra quiet because they are ignoring all the teachers and spending time in Class is awkward as as the week goes by because I'm avoiding Jackson without even planning to. Then there is Mark. Mark hasn't shown back up to class. He's completely stopped coming and everyday Jackson seems to get more and more worried about him. I know why Mark has been skipping class and by the beginning o