Man Of My Dreams

Chapter Four

I lingered around Baylee’s shop some more while she went in search of a map. She said there was a portal not very far from here that I could cross through. If I understood her correctly, the portal isn’t far from my run-down house. It would be risky, going back near Mama. But I have to. And if I run into Mama I’ll just tell her the truth. She might even be glad to see me go if it meant she can finally leave that swamp. 

  Baylee walked back into the room and sat a map down on the table. She took out a pen and circled exactly where the portal in the veil would be. I thanked her, and offered her more money, which she again refused. I promised her I’d come back here one day and explain it all to her in due time. She only nodded and said she’d be there waiting. I got back on my bike, feeling hopeful for once. My trip into the city had gone well. Vampires didn’t seem to be the monsters I thought they were. At least, not all of them. 

  I wondered if the king was kind as well. Or if he would control my mind and body to do whatever he wanted me to. I shivered at the thought of not being in control over my own self. But even that thought wasn’t enough to deter me away from this. And maybe it was my newfound hope, but I decided last minute that I would stop and tell Mama I was leaving. Legally, she couldn’t force me to stay there. I took the main road that led right to my house. I’m not even a little bit afraid right now. The successful trip to the city is certainly to blame for my bravery.

  I walked inside and found Mama sitting in her recliner. “Mama, I need to tell you something.” She looked at me, her face bored and annoyed. I sat on the small loveseat. “I’m leaving,” I blurted out. She quirked an eyebrow and began to say something before I stopped her. “I went into the city today and no one tried to kill me.” Her face went from bored and annoyed to rage and anger instantly. “You did what?” My heartbeat sped up. That newfound bravery dimmed. 

  “I’m an adult now,” I looked down at my hands that were folded in my lap,  “I was going to just leave without saying anything. But I changed my mind last minute. Get out of this swamp, Mama. I don’t wanna keep holding you back from a better life than this one.” Surprisingly, Mama’s face relaxed. She blinked once, twice. “I think I waited too long to tell you what I’m about to tell you.” My brows knitted together. “I’m not your real mother, Wren. I mean, I am, in the sense that I’ve raised you and taken care of you your whole life. But I didn’t give birth to you.” 

  I sat there, stunned. All the words I wanted to say wouldn’t come out. So I just listened. “19 years ago, I met your father. He was recently widowed after your biological mother died from cancer. It didn’t take long for us to fall in love. For me to fall in love with you, as well. I know, that seems like a lie based on the coldness I’ve shown you all these years. But I did love you, I do love you. Your father asked me to marry him four months after we met. And I agreed, if we didn’t have to live here in this ratty old house in this god-forsaken swamp. It was after our honeymoon that he decided to tell me of the curse that was put onto your family.

  Three hundred years ago, your nine-times great grandmother, Genevieve, was taken by a vampire king. She was held captive for 25 years before he released her. She had gotten sick and older in her mortal body. The king had undoubtedly grown bored with her. He agreed to release her, if she would promise him the next born girl of her bloodline. She agreed, she’d wanted to spend her last remaining time alive with her only child and her parents. Bargains require magic and blood. And once she signed that contract, a glowing line invisible to all but the king would lead him right to the family as soon as a girl was born. 

  But she didn’t tell the king that girls were a rarity in her family. When Genevieve came home, she didn’t deny any of the harsh and cruel accusations her family made against the king. And so generation after generation has vowed to protect the next born girl no matter what. And by the time the next one was born, the family had found a way to sever the bargain’s connection to them. The last girl born in the bloodline was you, Wren. And even though they had snuffed out the king’s connection to you, your father still wanted to take extra steps to keep you hidden. So he kept you here, and then eventually me. And then the bastard died on me barely a year later. Sticking me here with you. Disregarding the life I had made for myself before I ever even met him.” Mama’s face was twisted in anger and regret. But she kept on. 

  ‘I suppose I’ve resented you all these years for your father’s own doings. It’s unfair and cruel. But everything I had ever done for myself was taken from me when your father tricked me. I could have left. I almost did. But your family wouldn’t allow me to live long after. And I guess forcing me to stay here and take care of you is their way of keeping you safe. I’m not kin to them. If the king ever went looking for your family, he wouldn’t think to look here in this swamp at a woman who isn’t blood related to them. 

  I’m telling you all of this because if you're going to leave here, you should at least know that there’s somebody that’s probably been looking for you your entire life.” 

  I stared at my mother, or who I thought was my mother. I didn’t expect this… Would my family really kill her as soon as they found out we left this swamp? Do I even still want to leave? To find Kian… Would he hold me there, too? Mama, or whoever she is, was just staring at me. After a few minutes of silence, I finally spoke. “What do you think I should do?” She stood and walked into the kitchen and pulled out a box of things from far back under the kitchen sink. 

  She set the box on the table and motioned for me to come. “There’s money, first- aid supplies, a gun with wood tipped bullets, and stakes. I acquired these things in hopes that one day, we would have this conversation. I’m sorry for always being so cold and hateful. I do love you, Wren. But I wasn’t meant to be a mother. And this is my way of paying you back for all these years. Go,” she said, handing me the box, “discover who you really are. Run far away from this swamp and never look back.” I started to tell her nevermind that I didn’t want to leave. I don’t want her to die over this! But she only shook her head. Like she knew what I was going to say. 

  “I have lived long enough. If someone in your family finds me, well… I’ll be sure to make it hard for them.” I nodded, tears stinging my eyes. All these years I’ve avoided confrontation with her as much as possible. I’ve kept my head down and my eye contact at a minimum. I’ve gone out of my way to not even attempt to speak to her. And the first time I get a smidge of courage to look her in the eye and tell her, not ask, that I’m leaving… she spills every single reason for why we have lived this way. 

  If I had ever suspected the conversation would go like this I would have said something years ago. Better late than never, I supposed. I took one last look at that run-down house, and then I made my way across the muddy swamp to get some answers. I’m not entirely convinced Kian won’t kill me or hold me captive like he did Genevieve. But I want answers. I need them. Why do I dream of him every night? If I uphold my family’s end of the bargain, what will become of me there? 

  Will I be a slave? Will I be tortured and beaten? Killed at last? My curiosity and desire to leave this swamp and experience a new world was overriding the fear I should have exposing myself to the king. Mama lied to me about vampires, that much was evident. True. What if Kian didn’t hold Genevieve captive against her will entirely? What if she, too, wanted to escape our family? There was something amiss in that story Mama told me and I was determined to find out.