The Half-Blood Princess by Mihaela Bogdan (best books to read for self improvement TXT) 📖

After we finished that delicious chicken stew, my stomach felt much better. Amen insisted on paying the bill himself:
  -I am the one who invited you to eat here! It is rude for me to let a lady pay.
  -Neither of you don’t have to pay, aunt Linda said coming with a plate full of home made cookies. Amen you are a blessing to my restaurant because people gather around here to spend some time with you, especially the ladies. And as for you my dear, I know Daniel for years and he said you are like a granddaughter to him. Consider that we are a family. Now I want this plate empty when I return.
  -Thank you aunt Linda, you are too kind!
  Linda came closer to my ear and whispered:
  -I am the only kind person in this town. The rest of them can’t be trusted so be careful child. These demons will destroy your soul easily!
  My first date with Amen was perfect. Despite my awkward behavior, I think I have made him a good impression. But, at our departing, he insisted to walk home with me:
  -Let me escort you to your castle, my princess! It is indecent for a gentleman to leave a lady alone.
  -You are an angel Amen, but ...
  I didn’t know what to say to him so he can let me go alone. I made grandpa a promise that I will not tell anybody about the secret path. Soon my problem was solved when I heard grandpa Daniel’s voice behind me:
  -There you are, Miss Valentina! Master Dracula was worried about you. It is time to return home!
  -Alright grandpa. By the way, this is Amen!
  Grandpa and Amen shake hands and had a short conversation. After me and grandpa waited to see Amen gone, we went to search the secret path. On our way to the castle, I told grandpa how things went for me.
  -Seems to me that Amen had fall for you as well, Miss Valentina!
  -You think so, grandpa?! It was the first time in my life when I went on a date with a young man and I didn’t know what to do.
  -As I reconsider your story, you did pretty well. Hear this from an old man who had deal with love many times: If you want to succeed, be yourself and things will be fine.
  -Speaking of love. I met a woman who owns a small restaurant behind the church. Her name is Linda and she said that you two are pretty close.
  Now it was my turn to tease grandpa about his love life. He didn’t seem to notice it though:
  -She’s the only person you can have a decent conversation without worrying that you’ll end up either broke or dead.
  -Are the town people really that bad? I was sure grandpa and father were exaggerating, but after what Linda whispered into my ear, I began to believe their warnings.
  -Trust me! Even the police are making illegal trades in order to become rich.
  Somehow things became clear why The Devil created vampires on earth. Someone had to put things in balance. Who knows what the world could have been without vampires?!
  -Why is father’s castle near this town anyway?
  -His duty is to get rid of those sinners.
  -Today I didn’t heard rumors about any deaths.
  -That’s because Master Dracula does things slowly but efficient. For example, months ago he found some ill animals in the forest and lured them into town, where they were eaten. Few weeks later, the people who ate them died from food poisoning. Normally, being a vampire, it is easy for him to just kill them in a second. However, he promised to lady Maria that he won’t kill any human being for any reason.
  -But mother is dead now. This means that the deal is off. Why is he still keeping it?
  -Because his love for his wife didn’t disappeared, despite the fact that she’s ... gone. Love is such an interesting and mysterious feeling. You never get bored with it.
  I looked down ashamed that I spoke nonsense again. Grandpa was right. Even if mother isn’t around us anymore, her memory should be respected and father is, apparently, the only one who still cherishes her memory after all these years. Instead of doing the same, I am worrying about my own childish problems. Tears began pouring on my cheeks and chin. Grandpa noticed them and said:
  -You don’t have to feel bad about what happened to your parents, Miss Valentina!
  -But I should be more understanding and supportive towards father on keeping his promise, even after mother died. I feel like a bad selfish person, grandpa.
  -Tell me, Miss Valentina, would a selfish person admit when he or she is wrong or feels bad when something bad is happening? No. To admit your mistakes makes you realize how to become a better person!
  Grandpa Daniel always knows how to make me feel good. When we arrived at the castle I told him how wonderful he is and went to see father. I was heading to the living room, thinking that he and Dragomir must be there, drinking blood. My skin began to have goose bumps when I remembered that bottle with deer blood. I told myself to be strong in front of anybody and anything. Even if that anything is fresh blood.
  The living room was empty. I took this chance to see the family portrait again. The three of us looked so happy together. In all my life I have never seen mother so happy and beautiful. Her face was telling me that her life is perfect. It was perfect until her stupid villagers destroyed all her happiness.
  Maybe that was another reason to leave her natal village. I was glad to leave the village where we lived together along with all the bad memories. This castle was the perfect place to escape your past and build a bright future. As long as no stupid human sets foot in the Dracula family’s castle, things will be alright. This thought made me smile with all my heart at our family’s portrait.
  Too bad grandpa is not in it. Later I will ask him why he didn’t want to take part in this portrait. He was also a family member.
  -What a nice family! Too bad it didn’t last, but as you know happy endings are only in fairy tales to make stupid brats dream well at night!
  Cornelius’s voice scratched my ears badly. I would recognize it from a million. He was standing next to me, looking bored at the picture. I looked at him annoyed, still upset at him for what he said yesterday. Still, I said nothing to him, thinking that he might leave me alone when he sees that I am not eager to have a conversation, especially with him.
  -The butler told me that you had a great time in town today. Is it because of that priest’s foolish son, Amen? What a ridiculous name! He began talking, seeing that I was silent.
  I couldn’t keep quiet any longer. He had no right to insult Amen.
  -Amen is the word spoken at the end of each pray, meaning that you truly believed in those words towards God. Maybe now he will go away and leave me alone.
  -I don’t go to church ... as I can remember. He said instead of giving up. He’s stubborn as a mule.
  -Gosh, I wonder why?! I said with sarcasm, happily to make him shut up.
  -How cute of you to defend that idiot! He looked into my face satisfied that he made me angry again.
  -What on earth is your problem!? Since you arrived here all you did was to tease me and make me want to slap you. I tried to be polite since you are a guest here, but I had enough of your rude behavior! So listen close, Cornelius! I was standing one centimeter in front of him, keeping an eye contact between us to intimidate him. If you don’t began to act polite like a gentleman, I will tell father to kick you out of this castle!
  He stood still, with a smirk on his face and when I wanted to leave the room, he grabbed me by my waist and brought me near his half-naked chest. He put my head on his left side. His heart was beating harder than a drum and I stood there listening to it. After a while I realized that we were hugging.
  -Um ... Cornelius, let go of me now! Someone might catch us like this.
  He reached my head and looked deep into my eyes:
  -I don’t care!
  His face was without emotions, still I could feel his heart beating loudly. In that moment my face was burning and my heart was beating as well. I closed my eyes. His pale face and red eyes were making me feel weak again. Soon his breath was near my face. When I opened my eyes, his lips touched mine and his arms were hugging me really tight. My hands were hanging beside my body, sweating and shaking. I put them on Cornelius’s chest to push him away, but he was stronger than me. So I put my arms around his neck and kissed him back. Then Amen’s face appeared in my mind and I manage this time to loose the hug and kiss, breathing hard.
  -What’s wrong love? Don’t I kiss good like that blond?
  My tears began to fall. I ran away from Cornelius again. My feet felt heavy as I was reaching my room. I locked the door and jumped into bed, crying with my face in my pillow. Today I had my first date with Amen and suddenly ended up kissing Cornelius.
  What was wrong with me? Why does my heart beat for both of them instead for one of them? I had to make a choice because I can’t continue doing this to Amen.

{In this chapter it is presented the story of Cornelius’s life and his point of view about the latest events that took place in Dracula’s castle.}

  Since mom died, dad wasn’t interested in taking care of me anymore. I was ten years old when I became half orphan and since then I grew up on my own. My dad was too busy helping the half vampires with their problems. His method was simple: in order to change into real vampires, the hybrids must drink human blood after killing