8 old dream

“I just want a normal life,” Sierra said, her voice tinged with despair. “Why can’t I have that?”

Raige could see the sadness reflected in her eyes, a sight that pained him deeply.

Sierra’s tears cascaded down her cheeks, a heartbreaking spectacle that Raige desperately wanted to avoid. It seemed like she was carrying a heavy burden, a secret she couldn’t bring herself to share.

“Is that what you truly desire?” Raige asked, his voice soft with concern.

“Yes, absolutely,” Sierra said, a faint smile gracing her lips. “I want to bask in the sunlight, to live and ultimately pass as a human. I have no desire to exist eternally as a vampire; it seems mundane.”

“It sounds like you’ve already mapped out your future,” Raige said, his expression warm and inviting, his mind preoccupied with his best friend’s aspirations. “Are you certain? Remember, we’re only thirteen, Sierra. The future holds countless possibilities.”

“There’s nothing I yearn for more than to experience life as a human,” Sierra said, her eyes filled with a dreamy longing. Turning her attention back to Raige, she asked, “How about you, Raige? Aren’t you envious of humans who can freely revel in the sunshine? Do you ever question why we were born this way, forever thirsting for blood to survive? It feels so unjust.” Her gaze was fixed on Raige’s eyes, searching for an understanding, a shared sentiment.

Raige, smiling wistfully, met Sierra’s intense gaze. “I’ve never dwelled on that,” he said, his voice laced with a sense of resignation and acceptance. “I’m content with my existence. While I may miss out on basking under the sun, I possess abilities beyond the reach of any human.”

“We may be different creatures because God has plans for us,” Raige said as Sierra reflected on his words. Shaking her head, Sierra expressed her inner turmoil. “We’re not the same, Raige,” she said, her voice filled with sadness. “I can’t bear to be like this forever. I never wished for this, to be a monster who must kill to survive. I didn’t seek power or abilities; all I desire is a normal life. To live like an ordinary person, free from the complexities of this existence.”

“If obtaining the elusive elixir from the other realm is the only path to realizing my dream, then so be it,” Sierra declared with determination, her voice laced with a fierce resolve.

“Are you truly that desperate?” Raige asked, his confusion evident. “Remember, consuming the elixir will result in your death.”

“Yes, I’m aware,” Sierra said, her tone unwavering. “The elders have drilled that warning into us for ages. Yet, the legend speaks of a return to humanity after a few hours.”

Acknowledging the witches’ caution, Raige expressed skepticism. “Indeed, the witches forewarn that anyone who drinks the elixir will lose their memories,” he said, his voice laced with concern. “It’s the reason why no one dares to attempt taking it. Your resolve is truly remarkable, Sierra.”

“I don’t care,” Sierra affirmed, her voice firm, her gaze resolute. “I have no desire to remember this pathetic life either.”

With a heavy heart, Raige lowered his head, a somber expression clouding his features. “Are you prepared to forget your family and me, your closest friend?” he asked, his voice laced with concern.

“Come on, Raige,” Sierra said, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness. “You know well that my stepmother and siblings don’t care for me. I am practically alone in this world. You’d want to see me happy, wouldn’t you?” She appealed to her friend for understanding, for support.

Raige gave a somber nod, his heart heavy with the depth of his affection for Sierra, willing to go to great lengths for her happiness.

“But we both know the challenges of obtaining the elixir, Sierra,” Raige said, a tinge of realism creeping into his voice. “It’s safeguarded by formidable beings.”

Sierra’s smile held a trace of resignation. “Yes, I’m aware,” she said. “That dream may remain unattainable forever, perhaps…”

Despite her apparent acceptance, Sierra harbored a profound reason for her eagerness to escape her fate, a secret unknown to Raige.

“Raige, your father is calling for you,” Lothian’s voice suddenly rang out in the distance, breaking the moment between them.

Raige turned towards Sierra, only to find her gaze fixed on the human children playing in the distance.

“Go ahead, Raige,” Sierra said abruptly, a hint of self-deprecation in her tone. “Don’t let your father catch you talking with a girl of lower standing like me.”

“You’re not of lower standing, Sierra,” Raige clarified. “It’s simply that your mother wasn’t a pure vampire, while your father held a high rank as a general in the king’s court.”

In response, Sierra rolled her eyes and retorted mockingly. “Yes, my father is a general and a pure-blooded vampire, much like your father, who reigns as the king of vampires.”

“Come on, Raige,” Lothian reiterated, urging Raige to depart. “I don’t want to face your father’s reprimands again.”

Sierra gently pushed Raige, assuring him she’s ok. “Go on, Raige; I’ll head home shortly after freshening up.”

Reluctantly, Raige left Sierra alone. However, her solitude was short-lived as she was soon approached by her father’s servant, Jammy, the only one privy to her whereabouts outside their estate.

“Sierra, it’s time to return home,” Jammy informed her respectfully. “Your betrothed has come to visit, as per your father’s instructions.”

Sierra let out a weary sigh, her heart sinking. “Why does he persist in visiting me?” she wondered. “What more does he seek? He may be my future husband, but can he grant me the freedom I once enjoyed before that fateful day?”

“I understand your reluctance, Sierra,” Jammy said, her voice laced with sympathy. “I know you’re not keen on marriage, but it’s unavoidable. According to vampire tradition, it’s imperative to wed and produce an heir before turning eighteen. Our longevity and powers may shield us, but should humans uncover our differences, our kind would face persecution. Thus, bearing an heir swiftly is crucial.”

Sierra’s father intended for her to marry the pureblood son of a high-ranking general, who showed an unexpected interest in her.

As Sierra entered their mansion, a resounding slap from her father met her, causing her to shut her eyes tightly. She stifled her urge to cry, knowing that displaying weakness would only provoke further abuse from her father, a common occurrence, even for the slightest of mistakes she made.

“Did I not instruct you to tend to your fiancé?” Demitre’s authoritative voice echoed throughout the cavernous Hellard mansion. “Cease chatting with strangers outside.”

Silently, Sierra clenched her jaw shut. Raige was far from a random acquaintance; he was the prince of their clan. However, revealing Raige’s identity risked severe repercussions, as Raige’s father had forbidden him from venturing beyond the realm until he was sufficiently prepared to face the dangers lurking outside. Exposing this truth would only lead to Raige’s punishment.

Within the vampire community, interactions with humans were strictly monitored until they matured, as young vampires often struggled to control their bloodlust.

“If I were you,” Hilda, Sierra’s stepdaughter, inserted, her voice dripping with malice, “I’d confine that girl to her chamber. Who knows, she might be plotting to flee with that mysterious young man.” Her words further stoked her father’s anger.

Sierra shook her head upon hearing her stepsister’s words. While she harbored thoughts of escape, her intentions were not as devious as Hilda imagined. She hoped to clarify her actions, aware that her father, a seasoned general, possessed a keen intuition and a knack for uncovering the truth when he wished to.

Before Sierra could offer an explanation, her father forcefully dragged her, seething with anger.

“So, you’re scheming behind my back,” Demitre accused, his voice laced with fury. “Just like your mother.”

Confused and in pain from her father’s tight grip, Sierra mustered the courage to question, “What do you mean by that, father?”

“Be silent, Sierra!” Demitre’s shouted command struck fear into Sierra’s heart, prompting tears to cascade down her cheeks. Despite her struggles, her father’s physical strength outweighed hers, making it easy for him to confine her inside her room.

“Please, father,” Sierra pleaded, her eyes widening in realization of her father’s uncompromising resolve. “I’ll comply with your orders; just don’t imprison me.”

Meanwhile, Raige uncovered Sierra’s impending betrothal and her abusive family situation. Without Sierra’s awareness, Raige returned to their cherished spot to leave a necklace for his best friend. However, as Sierra hurried back home, Raige decided to trail her discreetly, thinking he might find a way to hide in her room and wait for her return. Raige grappled with a difficult decision that day. He would steal the elixir, without knowing he had to sacrifice his friend Lothian in the process, together with his love of his life, Sierra.

Harnessing his ability to manipulate time, Raige swiftly acquired the elixir, a task fraught with emotional turmoil. As he held his dying best friend in his arms, he grappled with the weight of his actions, the cost of his power, the sacrifice he’d made.

Raige awoke from the haunting dream that had tormented him since Sierra’s passing. If only he had foreseen the centuries that would pass before he could reunite with her, perhaps he could have devised a different course of action to free her from the clutches of her abusive family. Imagining a life where they were blissfully wed and raising children together filled him with regret, but he knew he had to let go of that future now. Sierra wouldn’t suffer the same fate in his arms again. He was determined to find a new way to rescue her and ensure her happiness this time.