Belonging to the Vampire Prince

Emilia’s POV My heart is racing, and my lungs struggle to get air as I run as fast as my legs can carry me. Limbs sting my face as I maneuver around trees blocking my path to safety. I feel sticks breaking and leafs crunching under my feet. I try to pick up speed but end up tripping on a limb. "Please leave me alone," I scream in the dark of night as I shake uncontrollably from fear. Feeling the ground beneath my hands, I try to lift my body to start running again until I see them. Red eyes were glaring at me. A vampire is hunting me! I sit straight up in bed with my heart beating a million miles per hour in my chest. Cold sweat is dripping down my face as I struggle to grasp reality. I had the dream again! It is the same dream that keeps haunting me over and over again. I didn't mind having the dream when I first started having it. When it started, I walked through the woods and came upon a lake. It is beautiful and peaceful, making me want to stay there for a time. I sit for a while and let the beauty and peace of this place embrace me. That is how the dream was when I first started having it, but as time went on, it started changing, and now if I don't wake up in time, the dream quickly turns into a nightmare where I'm being chased through the woods by a vampire. Sometimes I can wake up from the dream, but if I stay too long in it, I turn around and face the vampire. I can tell he is incredibly handsome with dark hair and red eyes. The red eyes scare me because they are lusting for your blood. The moonlight in my bedroom lets me know it's too early to get up, so I rest my head on my pillow and pull my covers back over me. I can never go back to sleep after I have a dream. The only thing my mind can focus on is the red eyes. Before I knew it, the sun had replaced the moon, and sunlight was now lighting my room up. Feeling the cold morning floor beneath my feet, I made my way outside to our well to get some water for my parched throat when I saw my father doing the same thing. "Good morning Emilia. How did you sleep?" My father asks as he fills his cup up with water. "Not good. I had the dream again," I sighed as I filled my cup with water and took a drink. We start walking back into the house to sit at our table and talk. "I wonder why you keep having the same dream?" Asked my dad as he looked at me through furrowed eyebrows and tight lips. I can tell he's just as concerned by how many times I've had the same dream as I am. "I wish I knew," I sighed as I sat my cup on the table. "I wish your mom were still here to give you advice," said my father with tears in his eyes. I know he misses my mother badly. He can't talk about her without his eyes becoming misty. My mother lost her life when she checked on a neighbor's sick child. The sun started to set by the time she was able to leave. From what my father told me, my mom fought with all her might, but in the end, she was not strong enough to fight the vampire off. My dad has never been the same since she died. He tries to put a smile on his face, but I can tell there are some days when even smiling wears him out. "Me too," I said with a tear falling down my face, "I miss her." "She always knew what to say to make you feel better," My father says as he gets up from his chair and hugs me. "You know what to say also. I don't know what I would do without you," I stated as I hugged him back. I want him to know he's doing a good job raising me by himself. "I have to go to work in the fields, but I'll be back before nightfall." My father said, letting me go as he wiped the tears from his eyes. "Be safe, and I love you!" I declared as he walked over to the door to leave for work. "I love you too." stated my father as he walked out the door. After my father leaves, I get pulled out of my thoughts when I see Christine walking down the road. She and her family live just a few doors from my father and me. We have long known the Miller family; their daughters are both sweet and kind. They are one of the few families who know I am a girl. The Millers do not try to hide that they had two daughters as my parents hid me. Both Christine and Julie have stunning faces with big round eyes framed with long, dark eyelashes. They have high cheekbones and perfectly arched eyebrows. Their hair is brown and goes down to their waist. They look every bit like what I would think a beautiful female would resemble. Christine is 23 years old, just like me. I am just a few months older than her, and Julie turned 18 a few months ago. Sometimes I was jealous of Christine's beauty, but I would not go against my father's wishes and start acting or dressing like a girl. "Hello, Christine!" I yelled, trying to get her attention through my front door. "Hello Emile, how are you doing today?" Christine said as she walked up to my door. It is so lovely having Christine as my friend. She understands me better than anybody else. I would go crazy if I didn't have her to talk with. "I'm doing good. Just working on my chores for today. How about you?" I responded as Christine stood in front of me. "I'm doing good also. I'm headed to the market to get some supplies I need to make supper for tonight. Do you want to come with me?" Christine asked as I saw a basket hanging off her arm. "No, I can't. I still have chores that I need to get finished." I said as Christine came inside my house and sat at my table. I love talking to Christine and her sister Julie. They are my windows to the feminine side of things. I wouldn't know anything about being a girl if it wasn't for them. "How are things going with the Adam?" I asked her. Christine has had a crush on Adam for a long time, and from what I know, it sounds like he likes her too. "Things are going well. He kissed me yesterday." Christine said as her face got red from her confession. I just smiled at her because I'm glad one of us is finding love. I don't think I'll ever fall in love. Most people think I'm a boy. "That's awesome. I'm so happy for you. Do you think Adam will ask you to marry him soon?" I ask. "Yes, I think it'll be soon." She said with a big smile on her face. We sat at my table and talked for a while until it was time for her to go. We said our goodbyes, and she started walking to our town's market. The rest of the day went by smoothly. I got caught up with my chores and even started reading a book that my father gave me. Suddenly, I heard a lot of commotion outside my house, so I stopped reading the book to see what was happening. I saw many people going to the Miller house looking concerned. I thought about going over there but decided against it. I am pulled out of my thoughts as I hear my father enter our house. It is just us two who live in our home. My father never remarried after my mom passed away. "How was your day, Emile?" Said my father setting down his work supplies. "It was good. I started reading the book you bought me the other day." I told him as I started putting away his tools. "That's good, but you might want to sit down. I have some bad news to tell you," my father said as he gestured to the chair next to him. I stopped putting away his work tools when I saw the look of concern he had on his face. "Henry Miller told me Christine is missing. He said she walked to the market to get some biscuits and flour but never came home. From what he told me, they looked all around our town, and nobody has seen her." Said my father as he grabbed my hand. He looks sad and worn out. "No, that can't be. I just saw Christine before she went to the market. We talked for a long time." I said, trying to comprehend what my father was saying. This couldn't be happening. She can't be missing. "I told them to hide their daughters better, but they would not listen to me," my father said with tears. "No family should have to go through what they are going through. Henry said they had already cut Julie's hair and dressed her like a boy. He does not want to lose another daughter," said my father. He goes quiet after that. I can tell he's lost in his thoughts, and I'm lost in mine too. After eating, my father secures our home like he does every night and heads to his bedroom. Hearing about Christina has taken a toll on him. I know he is afraid for me, so I must be extra careful not to draw attention to myself. I can't imagine what would happen to him if something happened to me. As I lay down in bed, I let the tears fall for Christine I had been holding back for my father's sake. I cried myself to sleep, thinking about what could have happened to her.