Witch's Curse

✔Chapter 7

Today was Vlad's thirteenth birthday and The Count had decided to flip through an old photo album filled with pictures of his children when they were little as he told Maize and Vlad stories about Vlad when he was younger.

"The rest is Ingrid." The Count spoke in disinterest as he came across a drawn picture of her.

"Do we have to do this every year?" Vlad asked from where he and Maize sat on his bed. "It's embarrassing."

"I know, son... You forget, I was young once." The Count said.

"Yeah, six hundred years ago." Vlad replied which caused The Count to slam his book shut.

"So. What wild mischief have you got planned for your party tonight?" He asked his son. "You little delinquent."

"Balloons... Cake... Pass the parcel?" Vlad listed.

The Count hummed at that.

"You're just a late starter. It'll come with time." He said as he got up from the end of the bed.

"Not that much time though Master Vlad." Zoltan said. "Only three more years until you become a proper Vampire."

"Yes. Thank you, Zoltan." Vlad responded sarcastically. "I haven't forgotten."

"Three short years. Of course there'll be no normal parties for you then." Zoltan said.

"I'm trying not to think about it." Vlad said as Maize turned her back to Vlad since he started taking his shirt off.

"No cake. No balloons."

"Shut up!"

"Just sucking blood and avoiding stakes."

Maize waved her hand as Vlad told the stuffed wolf to put a sock in it and a pair of socks shoved their way into the wolf's mouth.

"Thank you, Maize." Vlad said as he turned to her.

"You're not the only one trying not to think about becoming a Vampire in three years." Maize said.

Vlad sighed as he turned back to Zoltan.

"Yes. Three years. Three whole years to find a way out of ever becoming a stupid Vampire." Vlad said. "Starting today."

Vlad walked off to continue getting dressed as Maize and Zoltan looked up at a sign on one of the walls in the room.

'Today is the first day of the rest of your life'.

****

"Happy Birthday, Vlad." Maize said as she held out a small, neatly wrapped, box to her best friend.

"Maize, you didn't have to get me anything." Vlad said, but accepted the present none the less.

"I know." Maize told him. "I made this for you a few weeks before we left Transylvania. I was just waiting for the right time to give it to you."

Vlad smiled at her before tearing off the wrapping paper and opening the small box within. His smile widened as he saw a thin leather bracelet that had tiny red and dark blue transparent beads threaded through the braided black material.

"I love it, Maize. Thank you." He told her honestly as he gave her a hug which she returned.

Not long after that, Robin and Chloe arrived at the castle with presents in hand. Vlad unwrapped Robin's first.

"Glow in the dark plastic fangs and a bottle of fake blood." Vlad said. "Thanks Robin."

"It's dead cool. Let me show you." Robin said as he took the fangs.