Redeeming The Cursed Vampire King

One More Step

VENNIE CULLEN

“You can’t change my mind, Mama… she is leaving with me…”

I did try to block his voice out by leaving the living room immediately after it was announced that I would be moving away from home, but the vibrations of that voice hunted me down… every corner of the house has been affected by that voice and I hated the fact that his voice had the power to decide my fate... My life… even though I was already twenty years old.

Happy birthday!

Whoever came up with that saying should be found and probably castrated. All my life, I had zero reasons to be happy on my birthday…

Even when I was still a baby, there was nothing happy about my birthdays… granny made me understand that it was because my mama died that same day and the family couldn't celebrate while mourning.

Happy Birthday!

That’s a fairytale as long as I am concerned.

Mine has always been a mourning day. Happy mourning day would be appropriate… or perhaps the word happy should be totally removed from my life. I used to be happy once upon a time when I haven't discovered that there was another way to live than living within my family mansion…

I used to be happy thinking that I was a princess trapped in a tower and would one day be saved by my prince charming.

I was trapped in a tower for many years, yet my prince didn't show up neither did a frog show up.

My tower was my home… my room… my life.

“But she is of age, Hiram. This is when she should be prepared by learning spells, not running away–”

“No, Mama. That wouldn't happen. I will take her to live in the mountains. She will be staying there with–”

“Don’t mention his name in my home, Hiram! Don't you dare!”

My granny and her son, my father, were arguing in her room while I wallowed in sorrow on the floor of my room on the day that I should be celebrated. Puffy eyes. Running nose. And a heavy heart. I tried to think of a way to save myself from my father’s plan. Whatever his plan may be.

“Look at you, Vennie. Poor little Vennie– oh pardon me, Vennie isn't little anymore, yet you still look pitiful sitting at the foot of your bed with a running nose and red eyes–”

“Get away from me, Shelly. I am not in the mood for you!”

I shouted at Shelly who had found her way into my room to mock me like she always does. However, my high-pitched voice didn't stop Shelly from laughing like an i***t. What was funny? Or was I missing something?

Nothing was funny about the current situation, but why would she care? She will be going to the festival in less than two hours, anyway, while I would be stuck here and shipped off to a damn mountain in the morning.

“Relax, Cousin. I just came to tell you about the family meeting they are holding in the living room –”

“I heard more than enough before you came in, so leave me alone, Shelly. Please.”

I gritted yet pleaded but Shelly waved me off and said “Sadie is simply trying to change your father’s mind, Vennie. He has decided to take you to the mountains and do you know those that live in the mountains?”

Shelly was trying to scare me and she succeeded. I mean, why won't she? I have read about the savages in the mountains. Those people struggle every day, practice spells and prepare for the nightwalkers' invasion.

If my father was truly trying to protect me from the nightwalkers as he claimed, then he should have been taking me far away from the mountains. Those savages will never be able to protect me… I don't need protection anymore, for goodness sake.

“I knew you wouldn't know since you know nothing about the town. The mountains are occupied by dark sorcerers and they only accept people like you to carry their babies. They won't care if you die or live as long as they breed with you and–”

“Will you shut your mouth and get out, Shelly!”

I yelled, rising to my feet and pointing to the door. Shelly looked stunned and knowing her, she would come up with a comeback soon, but rather than wait for that to happen and get hurt by her words, I pushed for her to leave my room without wavering.

“Now, Shelly!”

“Good luck getting married to an old savage and having his babies after he crawls between your legs and makes you look like them–”

“Get out!”

I yelled when Shelly’s comeback began to prick my heart like sharp arrows. She rolled her big eyes that I always thought were pretty, and stomped her feet before walking out of my room, but not without yelling “I will miss having you weak ass around, Vennie… happy married life. I should say that now since no one will be attending your wedding, that's if there will be one.”

I screamed, hoping that my high-pitched voice would spread all over the world and let people know that I was suffering within the walls of my home and with my family members.

I was suffering, weeping, and wishing that this birthday would be the last I would ever witness… I wished for death…

“My darling child, shush! Don't waste your energy by screaming…”

Sadie found her way to my room and gathered my trembling frame in her arms, sitting beside me and whispering to me that everything would be okay.

“Why do I have to leave like this, granny?”

I said, with tears in my eyes and on my cheeks. I was terrified and didn't want to go to the mountains. I wanted to be free for once in my twenty years of living. I yearned to have freedom.

“Vennie. You aren't a child anymore. Of course, granny will always be here for you, but have you thought of the path you want to take?”

Sadie whispered to me, holding my face in place and connecting her old eyes to my bright blue ones. My heart rose and fell rapidly as I chased after my breath. My running nose also made it difficult to breathe evenly, yet Sadie held my face, which I knew would be red from all the crying.

“I just want to be free, Granny. I w-wa-want my fr-free-dom…”

I cried and, once again, Sadie hushed me.

“Then why wallow in sorrow when you can chase after your freedom? You are a very special child, my darling. You are special and can do whatever you want if you set your heart to it.”

Sadie whispered again. Her eyes were trying to convince me like always, but I shook my head, letting her know that she wouldn't be able to make me believe I was strong this time. I am weak. I have accepted that.

I didn't have any spiritual energy. I have accepted that too.

I was the house of Cullen’s weirdo… even that has been accepted.

But I couldn't bring myself to accept the arranged marriage that Shelly mentioned when she came to taunt me. I just couldn't get past that.

“Look at me, Vennie Cullen…”

My granny kept speaking with a hushed voice and I realized that she didn't want to be heard by anyone that might be walking in the corridors or nearby. When it drew on me, I also stopped sobbing loudly.

Eyes connected, and my granny began to speak again.

“Is your freedom in the mountains? Is your freedom in your father’s decision to take you away from me? Is your freedom here in the mansion?”

All those questions had the same answer- No.

Sadie smiled when I answered her with that simple word and she continued questioning me again.

“Can you hear the voice telling you what to do? Can you feel the pull you have toward that unknown world outside? Can you sense your freedom out there? You believe you will be free if you leave the mansion on your own?”

Yes… that was the answer to all of those questions and I made Sadie know. She smiled again but I could tell from her eyes that she wasn't pleased. She will miss me and wherever I go tomorrow, I will miss her always.

How I wished she was still as strong as she used to be so she could compel my father and make him do her bidding, but from what I have heard, Sadie was using the rest of her spiritual energy to keep up the shield of the mansion.

She has been protecting our house from getting invaded by the nightwalkers who roam the streets of Hope Valley after sundown. I have never heard one nor have I seen one except in the pages of books.

And it was all thanks to my granny.

“I don't like your father’s choice, but whatever happens to you as you journey through life, know that I will always be with you, Vennie–”

“That’s a lie, granny. Once I leave with father tomorrow, you will never be with me again.”

I began to cry again as my heart became too heavy to remain within my body.

“That’s a lie, Vennie. Don't be delusional. Have you forgotten you are wearing my protective necklace? The best and only one of its kind.”

Sadie pointed to the silver necklace she had put on my neck on my thirteenth birthday. She said I would need it someday soon, but I have never needed the necklace up to this very moment… I do like it though. It complemented me so well and Shelly had always wanted to have it for herself.

“Utter the chanting spell that I have thought you and help will reach you from above, Child. Trust yourself and trust granny too, okay?”

Sadie whispered and I nodded even though I had forgotten the words that made up the chanting spell she told me would activate the necklace when I needed it. I dare not tell her that.

“You have a long journey ahead of you. Either you follow your father or you go with the pull and voices in your head, you will still journey far, so rest up, Vennie.”

Sadie announced, rose to her feet, and moved to leave me alone. “Goodbye, Vennie. I hope you chose the right path, my child.”

Why would she tell me goodbye when she just told me that she would always be with me? I shoved the urge to cry to the depths of my soul and began to think about the path I wanted to choose and how I would go about my chosen path.

Hours after Sadie left and after I heard Shelly leaving for the festival, it hit me. It hit me straight in my gut that all I ever had to do to get my freedom was cross that line that my father drew.

In a way, I had also been caging myself by staying behind the line.

“Let's get you beyond the boundary, Vennie Cullen…”

That voice said to me. The same voice that has been whispering FREEDOM into my mind, soul, and brain ever since I woke up this morning. Crossing the boundary was how I should begin my 21st year.

And all it would take was one more step…one more step was all it would have taken me all these years, but I was too stupid to realize that.

Not anymore.

Because I left my room to take that one more step toward freedom, but taking that step wasn't as easy as I thought… I ran straight into a strong barrier between me and the world.

It has always been there but I had never had trouble with it until today!