Vampireee

What Anuja saw was a whole new world of flowers and beauty.A waterfall on one side flowef into a huge lake. The whole area was covered with tulips ,marigolds ,roses and other wild flowers. Small animals like rabbits ,squirrels ,sparrows and a few more scampered around.

She moved towards the waterfall and decided to train there. It was the most quiet and secluded place by far.

Closing her eyes, she tried to divert the magic flow of her body towards her hands and chanted the spell.

But she felt nothing as she opened her eyes to see her process. To her disappointment, nothing had happened.

She continued trying for sometime ,but she failed again and again similarly with zero progress.

At last getting frustrated, she decided to take a break. She sat on a nearby rock and closed her eyes taking deep breaths.

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While she sat there in complete silence, a hand wrapped around her eyes, blocking her viee.

"Aaaaah! Who is there?",she said screaming at the top of her voice.

"Shhh, I'm not here to harm you I'm just a passerby" ,said a man in a sweet but at the same time a bit playful voice.

Collecting herself, she tried replying confidently, "People who don't mean any harm shouldn't be behaving like this. "

Saying this her voice shook a little, thinking 'What if I angered him?'

But instead of an angry voice she heard cheeky laughter. The person behind Anuja removed his hands.

She immediately turned around to see her one minute jailor ,only to find a man whose beauty astounded her. He had shining black hair just like a crow's feathers and ruby red eyes just like that of a demon's. He had two elongated canines. He looked like a...a… vampire.

But what changed my doubts into certainty was his pale complexion.

Looking him in the eye Anuja asked him warily, " Are you a vampire? Did you come with the Vampire King?"

On this she saw him laugh loudly.

"So many questions from a little thing like you. Well let answer one of your questions for now, I'm a vampire"

Hearing his answer she wasn't that shocked, but a fear for her life crept into the pit of her stomach. After all, aren't vampires supposed to drain humans by drinking their blood?

Seeing her horrified expression he replied in a smooth voice," Don't worry I won't eat you. Actually I was wondering whether you were supposed to be practicing magic?"

'Hnh? What does he mean? Of course I was practicing magic! But how did he know that?' She mused.

"Your expression  tells everything . But I must say that you are one of the worst I've ever seen, even among the ones born in every thousand years."

He smirked.

Hearing this Anuja started seeing red ,so she replied pointedly," If you are so good then why don't you teach me?!"

"Sure, I can teach you. But for that you need to follow all of my orders."

"Fine, let's see if you are all talk or not"

But little did Anuja knew that the Vampire before was not ordinary and that the reason for his help was her extraordinary magic core ,about which she herself didn't knew.

But she was gonna unravel a lot of secrets and mysteries.

"By the way what is a human like you doing here?", asked the Vampire.

Feeling hesitant Anuja said," That's none of your business."

Hearing her retort he said,"If you don't want to answer it's your wish. No need to get angry. Come on I will teach you some basics magic tricks."

Taking her hand, he pulled her towards the lake.

'Who does he think he is holding my hands like this on our first encounter?'

Thinking this she tried to yank back her hand ,but his iron like grip doesn't budge.

She decided to ignore the feel of his hand around her, for her magic training's sake. Moving ahead they stop in front of the lake.

' Why's the Vampireee standing beside me? Vampiree… I'll give him that as a nickname as I don't know his real name.'

Standing there he closed his eyes and concentrated. And even after 15 minutes he is in the same position.

"Hey Vampireee , how long are you going to stand like that?"

Hearing this he opened his eyes and looked at Anuja like she had committed the biggest crime of the world.

"Wha...What did you just call me?!?!" ,he screeched.

"Vampireee ,well you didn't tell me your name so I gave you a nickname."

"My name is Ralph ,you can call me that." He grumbled.

" Mmmh ,no I like the sound of this one. Anyways ,this will help you to learn some self discipline. Right, Vampireeeee?? ",saying this she couldn't control a giggle from coming out.

But what triggered her uncontrollable laughter was his facial expression. It felt as if the whole world was going to be destroyed and he was the reason for it.

'But why does his name sound so familiar? Hmmm, forget it I have much important work to do.'

Trying to calm himself ,Ralph tried to concentrate on his job. Trying to forget the biggest horror of his life, it would be the first time that anyone disrespected him like this.

But it was a different feeling for him. For first time in his life ,he didn't feel lonely ,separated , different ,alone.

Feeling a bubble of happiness emerging from inside.

He felt a mix of emotions.'I shall make her mine ,definitely.' That was the thought that passed through his brain.

He continued his work saying," I have awakened my inner force by concentrating. I want you to do the same by the placing your full concentration on one point."

"On what?"

"It can be anything like your favourite thing, favourite food or....."

"Or?"

"Favourite person like a boyfriend. "

Hearing this Anuja started coughing uncontrollably.

"I don't have a boyfriend....",she said with a tint of red painted on her cheeks.

"Then close your eyes and concentrate on me ",said Ralph with a cheeky smile.

She gave him a slap on the shoulder with a warning glare.

"Ok ok, don't be angry and start concentrating."

With a light laugh she closed my eyes and start to concentrate, thinking about who is most important to her. Only one person came to her mind, Ryan.

She concentrated on him and tried to control the flow of her magic core.

"Now lift your right hand and concentrate the flow of magic into your palm."

She lifted her hand and let the magic flow through her veins ,feeling a warmth gathering around her hand.

After awhile of concentrating she heard a voice.

"Now open your eyes slowly and don't let your concentration waver."

Opening her eyes, she looked towards her hand to find a water cocoon in het right palm floating mid-air.

Getting excited she started jumping up and down and hug Ralph saying," I did it Vampireee!!! I did it!!!"

Forgetting completely about the water orb in her hand.

Looking up they both see the water orb falling on them in a slow motion.

It exploded with a splashing sound making them both wet in the process.

"See what you did now?!?!", exclaimed Ralph.

"Sorry. ", she said in a meek voice ,making an innocent face.

Seeing this Ralph couldn't be anymore angry and decided to forgive her.

Looking towards the sky Anuja realized that it was nearly afternoon and Liz shall soon come in search for Anuja. She should leave.

"I should leave it is really getting late...", saying this Anuja hurried towards the castle leaving Ralph behind.

Before he could react the maiden before him left him alone running forward in a hurry. Seeing her back disappear between vines and trees.

That's when he remembered that he didn't know her name, the girl who stole his heart at first meeting ,at first glance.

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Running back towards the castle she saw the garden coming into het view. Seeing this she stopped for a minute catching her breath, only to hear a concerned shout.

"Anuja!! Anuja, where are you?!"

She moved towards the voice slowly and cautiously.

Sneaking behind Liz ,Anuja gave her a fright by suddenly jumping on her from behind.

"Aaaaaah!!!! Please don't kill I will give you whatever you want!! Please, please leave me alone!!"

And on and on went her rambling.

"Liz!!Liz, it's me Anuja.. Calm down you scared cat"

Hearing her voice, she calmed down a bit  and peeked through the barrage of hands covering her face ,in Anuja's direction.

"Anuja.... Damn it! You gave me a heart attack. Do you know how scared I was, huh? Don't do this ever again. "

Laughing on her angry look, Anuja said," Ok ok ,madam. I wouldn't do any such thing ever again. So why were you searching for me?"

"Ummm Actually, His Highness Emperor Ryan wants you to meet King Ralph."

"King Ralph!!!"

"Yes ,he is the king of vampires and he specifically requested your presence. His Highness didn't want to agree but currently he is a guest and disrespecting him wouldn't be good ,that too when he is here  to sign a treaty."

Hearing her words ,Anuja went into a daze.

'It can't be the same Ralph right?A vampire king wouldn't deal with a common human girl like me ,right?But the one whom I met was also a vampire!

If it's really him he will definitely kill me. I even called him with a weird nickname.Well there is no point on fretting now that it's done. Just  let's go and meet him and hope that both of them aren't same.'

Following Liz towards the direction of hall ,Anuja kept fretting upon on the thought of this vampire king,not realising when she had reached the place.

Ahead of her, Liz knocked on the huge door lightly bringing her out of her trance.

"Come in"

Came the command of entrance in the soft sophisticated voice of Ryan. It held a completely different feel from normal, it has an aura of an Emperor.

Opening the door, Liz moved to one side making way for Anuja.

Looking up to face her worst fear right now, she wished that it was someone else.

But all her wishes remained unanswered as she saw the man in the middle of the hall standing beside Ryan.

Looking towards her he gave me a smirk ,hidden to all other people.