Ch. 2 - Darkness

I feel nothing. All I feel is cold and numb, yet I can still move. I could hear the whispers around me, the smell of something so delicious that makes my throat dryer, I do not know what this is.

"Is she okay, mother?" I hear my sister's voice next to me as I felt a soft hand on my head.

"I do not know, her fever has not gone down and heart is beating so fast that I worry she might not make it. Has the doctor come yet?"

"I do not know mother, what do you think attacked her? Was it a monster?"

"I do not know that answer my child, I just hope they come in time." My mother tells her sighing as worry overwhelmed them both, I wanted to comfort them and say that I'm okay, but I feel so…weak.

I couldn't move my body at all, it feels as if I'm trapped in a dark room with no way out. Why don't I feel scared? Shouldn't I be terrified of this? Am I cursed?

"Doctor! You came at last, please help her." My mother begged as I felt a hand on my head.

"Has her fever gone down?" A male raspy voice ask.

"No, it has not and her heart it is beating fast. I do not know if she'll make it through the night."

"Has she woken yet?"

"Not for the last 3 days, is there a way to save her doctor?"

"I do not know, but whatever this disease it, I am sure we can cure it."

"Please do whatever you can, I do not wanna loose her as well." My mother sobbed out as I knew my sister is comforting her.

I could feel his hand on my face moving it to the side, checking my wound on the neck that I knew is still covered with my own blood.

"Hm, I do not see any wound at all."

"What?" My sister whispers and I too was confused.

"Where was the wound located." He ask and I could feel my mother's hand on my neck.

"Right- what?" She whispers in shock.

"It was right here!"

"What happened?"

"Prince Alexandre, you remember where her wound was right?" My sister ask.

"Of course."

"Show the doctor, please." My mother begs and I felt his hand on my neck where my wound should be.

"It is not here anymore. I cannot believe it." Prince Alexandre says.

"It is quite an odd thing, a wound does not heal unless sorcery has been used." The doctor tells them.

"Are you saying that we did this? We are not witches!" My mother exclaimed.

"Not that I am saying you are."

"But you are suggesting it. My sister has been attacked by a monster and you think we did some sorcery to heal her?!"

"Enough, the matter of her healed wounds is something that is not important. The future queen needs to be in good health." He says and silence took a toll around us.

"Yes, your grace." The doctor says and soon footsteps left my side. It took all of my strength to open my eyes and everything was so clear. I could see the lines on the wooden wall, the dust flying freely in the air, the smell of the pine cones from outside along with such a sweet scent. I slowly got up from my bed and followed the scent. I opened the door slowly from my room and peeked outside seeing that nobody was there. I made my way towards the front door and opened it as a beam of light hits me.

A burning sensation covers my skin as the unbearable pain made me scream in horror before running back immediately to my room to get away.

"Veronnika!" I heard my mother's call as I shut my door and ran into the corner. I breath heavily and looked down at my hands seeing my burned skin heal which causes my eyes to widen in shock.

"Veronnika!" My door opens revealing my mother as she ran in and hugged me. I could smell something sweet around her, I instinctively buried my face at the crook of her neck as my hands grip on her dress tightly.

She smells so sweet, so hungry. I thought as I feel my mouth open.

"Mother!" My sister calls causing for her to pull away from me.

"Bellatrix, call the doctor, hurry." She tells her as I wheeze.

"M-Mother." I coughed out as I felt her hand rubbing my back.

"It is alright, my child. I'm here. Bella hurry!" My mother shouted and I groaned at the loudness.

"M-Mother, g…get-" I panted before coughing up again only for blood to come out my mouth.

"Oh gods." My mother gasp and soon footsteps came into my room.

"Stay back." The doctor tells her pulling my mother away as I wheezed and coughed.

"Please save her." My mother begs as I groaned clawing onto the floor with my nails. I hear slow footsteps come near me causing for me to let out a snarl.

"Get away." I warned him as I slowly look up towards him, I could hear almost all of their pulse pumping through every surface and it's suffocating me. The sweetness, I can almost taste.

"Veronnika, I came to help you."

"No, don't…I don't want to hurt you." I panted as I try to fight the urge to eat him.

"Veronnika."

"I said go!" I grab the edge of the bed and threw it their way causing for them to move quickly. Shock plastered into their faces before the Prince tells them to get out of the room and shutting the door. I could still smell the sweet scent pumping into their veins and this time its luring me in too much. I wanted nothing more but to feast that sweet scent.

"How did Veronnika have that much power? Did a demon possessed her?" I heard as I looked towards the door. Heartbeats, its pumping so fast with fear that sings to me like a lullaby. I wanted- No, enough, this is not me. What is wrong with me?

I questioned myself as I breath heavily, but their scent its so…alluring. I want to taste it.

"Mother, please…help me." I begged at the other side knowing that she'll come in to help me, maybe I can have a taste.

"Veronnika."

"Don't. Demons will do such, if you take their crys you may end up becoming one." The doctor warns her and I growl lowly before backing away.

"What should we do then doctor? I cannot leave my child at such state!" My mother says as I tapped on the floor in silence waiting.

"We need a priest to cleanse her."

"I do not think a priest would help my sister."

"If she is to be future queen, a priest is the only thing." Prince Alexandre says and I rolled my eyes at his words.

"You still want her to be the future Queen at her state?!" Bellatrix growled with envy. I always had a feeling that she hated me ever since I was born and I guess such feeling is right.

"No, I want her to be healed to be my future Queen."

"Why do you want her to become the Queen?!"

"Because her kindness and beauty are no other, I've seen it all along with yours and you are no better."

"Enough! We should not be fighting like this. We need to leave and get us a priest for her to be cleansed. Prince Alexandre if you will?"

"Of course." He mutters and left as everyone else did.

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I do not know how long I stayed in this room, all I could hear are the voices from outside about me becoming a monster that I cannot be healed, possessed by a demon who shall be unnamed or cursed for not accepting a hand in marriage.

Have I been punished by the god because of that? I am not tainted as such nor touched by any man yet I have been cursed by this…disease. Yet I feel so powerful, but the hunger, I wanted nothing more than to sink my teeth into someone's neck and see the life drained from their eyes. Is this what it feels like to be a monster? Numb, powerful, hungry for blood? It is a beautiful taste.

"Over here father, please heal her." I heard my mother from the other side and the door opens as I looked up seeing a man in white robes holding a book and a small bottle of holy water while my mother hid behind him.

"Mother please, I'm scared. Please hold me." I begged as I knew she won't resist such temptation.

"Do not listen to her, the devil is the one talking." The priest tells her as he opens his bible.

"Please mother, I'm okay." I told her and she only backs away causing for me to growl lowly as I glare at her with hunger.

"In the name of the lord, let this child be free from the demon's hold." The priest chanted as he splashes holy water at me as I screamed and covered my face.

"I banish you from this realm and to leave this girl in the name of god! I banish you vile demon!" He shouted as he keeps throwing more water at me. I fell onto the floor whimpering and coughing.

"Veronnika!"

"It is not over yet, the demon still has a hold of her." The priest says as I hear him walk up to me. I felt his hand at the back of my head, but I grab it and twisted his arm causing for him to let out a painful scream.

I grab his head and pulled it back before sinking my teeth onto his neck while my mother screams in horror. The blood flows freely down my throat as I moaned in satisfaction, I pulled away breathing heavily satisfied as my thirst ceased, but my hunger for more builds as I stood up and ran towards my mother tackling her and biting her neck as she as well let out a pained cry.