The Curse

Chapter Two

The cool air brought the warm scent of pulsing blood. The town streets will filled with bursts of laughter and cheering from the bar just a bit farther down the way. I used the shadows to conceal myself as I moved towards the pub. Once outside the door I pulled a scarf over the lower part of my face only revealing my eyes. When I opened the door everyone was staring at a large man standing on a table. 

"My friends, let us drink to the amazing beauty that has come to France." he lifted his cup and his eyes flickered to me and and I looked away. When I surveyed the room I noticed a man in the far corner who had his face buried in his hands. 

"Excuse me sir," I sat across from him. I could feel his sorrow radiating from his body. The level of pain this man was enduring was similar to what I felt when I took someone's life for the first time. "Why are you so upset. 

"My wife," he looked up at me. "She died a year ago today." I saw his cheeks were wet with tears. "I have tried to honor her wish of finding my happiness again but the only time I have any sense of happiness is when I think of joining her in the afterlife."

"Is this truly what you wish?" I whispered. 

"It is, but every time I have tried I failed." he began to cry again.

"I will grant your wish if you so desire. Follow me to the alley." I stood and walked out of the tavern with the man following behind me. Once outside I felt my teeth lengthen and my throat become scratchy. I focused my eyes on his and felt our minds link. "You will not make a noise or movement. This will be over quickly and you will soon see your wife again." I lifted his wrist to my mouth and my teeth punctured his flesh. The warm liquid spilled down my throat and something awoke in me. I clutched his arm hearing the bone break, and when the blood wasn't moving fast enough I tore into his neck. It wasn't long till his body fell limp and after I drank the last drop I let go of him and he fell to the ground. The moon light showed me how much control I lost. I covered my mouth as I saw the poor man's neck torn open and his shirt stained with blood, when I glanced down at myself my skin was stained red. I picked up the body as if it was lighter than a feather and took him to the woods and place him under a tree near a small stream.

"I am sorry sir, but I hope you were able to reconnect with your wife." I felt a few tears slip down my cheek as I covered my face again and headed back to the castle. 

***

I was walking in a daze as I entered the gate, unable to process the horrifying murder I commited. I lost all control and tore that innocent man apart. 

"Selena! Where have you been?" Katerina yelled. I looked up at her slowly, my body numb. "There has been a horrible murder in the town, my father has called us to the throne room." she took my hand and dragged me through the halls and then into the throne room. With a quick glance there were only high born people here. We stood next to her fiancee and Francis was directly across from me, but it made no change within me.

"I'm glad you were all able to make it here. We have recieved word that a man was murdered outside a tavern and then dragged into the woods. The person who witnessed this said that the man responsible drank the innocents blood until there was nothing left." the king's voice carried and echoed with in the room. "In the history of France we have a legend of beings that live in the night, who feed off of blood to survive. Until now they were believed to be extinct and a mere myth." my blood ran cold and I realized my face was still covered with my scarf and if it were to fall everyone here would my blood stained mouth. "My people, a vampire has returned." 

"If what has been reported is true how will we protect ourselves?" Henry shouted. I felt a brief annoyance when I saw him. 

"We are safe during the daylight, but we also have obtained a special herb called Verbana. We have mixed it with some of the wine, and also we will be handing out small portions to everyone in this room." Mary stood and a servant girl began to pass wine glasses around the room. I relaxed a little bit, I was only half vampire due to a curse and normal things that would kill a full vampire don't effect me to same way. Another servant began to pass out a few leaves that must have been the natural state of this Verbana herb. Once it touched my hand I felt a deep burning sensation. I balled my fist around it and put it in the pouch I had attached to my hip. There were blisters and my palm was bright red. I was wrong, it seems this herb has a severe effect on me. 

"We are going to find this creature and kill it by burning it in the sunlight." the King raised his glass and once the servant finished passing them out and I got mine we joined in. I did my best to fake my drinking, but the smallest drop touch my lip and there was an instant pain coursing through my mouth. "You may go now." I was grateful to hear those words and hurried away only to be pulled back. I wiped my mouth and realized that no blood came off, it seemed as though the scarf had rubbed it off.

"What is wrong with you Selena?" Katerina asked. I froze, could she have seen my hand? Did she figure out that I'm the monster they are hunting with just a few small details? "You have seen Francis twice but haven't really talked to him." I let out a sigh of relief and she crossed her arms. 

"Katerina, we have been over this. I am not a princess, your mother hates me and Francis barely notices my existence." I bit my lip and remembered how he was able to get Henry to leave me alone. 

"Oh stop, Francis is a kind man. He doesn't care about titles or anything like that. Just go talk to him. If it helps, drink some wine. Just not the awful stuff with that weird herb in it. There is some in the dining hall still let's go." she once again dragged me into another room. She grabbed two bottles and handed one to me. "Let's drink up." I laughed and began to drink. We both finished our bottles after a few short minutes and I began to feel a little dizzy. "Now, go and talk to my brother." I simply nodded and left the room. I stumbled into the hallway searching for Francis.

I could't tell if I was walking in circles around the castle but I finally came across another person in a hallway. 

"Sir, do you think you could help me?" I stumbled over to him and almost fell.

"What do you need?" he responded.

"I need to find Francis," I hiccuped. "I have something to talk to him about, it's very important." I looked up at the man but I couldn't see his face clearly, everything started to get blurry. 

"Selena, it's-"

"I am in a terrible rush sir, I have to tell him," I paused. "I forgot what I was supposed to tell him. Thank you for your time sir." I smiled and began to walk away when the stone floor started to move and it was too late to brace myself when I realized that I was falling. 

"Selena are you okay?" the man rushed over. 

"Hey, do you have a twin brother?" I mumbled.

"No." he laughed.

"Then why are there two of you?" My eyes closed and I faded into darkness.