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

he ended up talking about marrying Valentina with his son, Cornelius.
  Vladimir tried bringing him to reality:
  -Dragomir, I know you have good intentions, but I do not think it is you to decide it! Vladimir said after drinking all the fox blood from his glass.
  -All I am saying is that Valentina’s life would be much easier this way. You know the history of half bloods. Neither the vampires nor normal humans don’t accept them. Trust me, I was one of them in the past and it will be a wise decision for your daughter to follow my example; to become a pure vampire!
  -My friend, you are right! But let us take one step at a time. After twenty years of loneliness, me and Valentina are finally reunited; despite the fact that her mother and the love of my life is gone. I want to know her past, I want to know her personality and be by her side from now on.
  -I see. Well it is enough time for that. I was thinking that Valentina and Cornelius may fall for each other and you can have a bigger family!
  -How could you come up with this idea?! In case you did not notice, your son is upsetting her!
  Dragomir arranged his tie nervously and continued:
  -That’s exactly what I am thinking! If those two get to know each other better, maybe Valentina would manage to change Cornelius in a good way!
  -And how does this going to happen? Vladimir asked doubtful.
  -Just think about your wife, Maria. Before you married her, you were the strongest, most feared and most cruel vampire the world ever known. But after she came into your life, you got soften. You stop drinking human blood or killing any sinful mortal. Some of the vampires did bring up the idea about dueling you to death to take your title, my dear friend.
  Hearing these words, Vladimir’s eyes shone brighter than the flames:
  -How dare you? He grabbed Dragomir by his shirt and began tightening his fingers.
  -Calm down, Vladimir! I am on your side! I just want to inform you about what the other vampires think about you at this moment. This is the reason why Valentina should become pure. If she does it, the others will respect and fear you again, like in the old days.
  After listening to Dragomir, Vladimir let him out of his hands:
  -Is that so? He asked Dragomir, still not believing the words he’s been told. All his life, he did not care how others thought of him. He did as his heart told him and by now it told him well.
  -Yes, old man. This is the reason why I came here in the first place: since your wife was a mortal and you have a half blood daughter, the vampire community wants to take away your title as King of vampires. Making Valentina a pure vampire and letting her marry Cornelius will probably change their minds. Moreover, everybody will win something from this.
  Vladimir sit in the armchair near the fire place and said exhausted:
  -All this time I have been living in the past. Since Maria run away, time froze for me. But when I found Valentina sleeping in a cave in The Black Forest twenty years later, it was then when I realized that the years have past.
  After a silenced pause he continued:
  -You are right Dragomir, it is time for Count Vladimir Dracula, The King of vampires to restore his feared reputation. And about Valentina’s condition; that will have to be her decision, not mine! If she wants to become a pure vampire like her father, very good. If she does not, then I will have to face those against her in a battle to the death. As for the idea of being Cornelius’s wife ... to be honest I still do not like this idea, but if she indeed loves him, then I will give them my blessing.
  With the conversation closed, Dragomir and Vladimir filled their glasses once more, cheered and drank for their friendship and for the good things that will occur in the future.
*
  The two male vampires didn’t know that Valentina has been listening to their conversation from the beginning. After crying a while in her bedroom, she wanted to confess her love for Amen and Cornelius to her father.
  ”He is my father and I must ask him for advice, mustn’t I?! I mean, that’s the reason why you have parents in the first place, to help you grow and teach you how to deal with problems. I hope he won’t get mad that I love a mortal who happens to be the priest’s son. And Cornelius is not a good choice either. Despite the fact that he’s Dragomir’s son, he is rude and conceited. Or the fact that our fathers are best friends will make Cornelius more fit for me?
  Oh, mother! I really wish you were near me right now. This is a perfect time for a mother-daughter conversation. But in my case, it has to be a father-daughter conversation instead.”
  Valentina squeezed her brains all the way from her bedroom to the library front door for ideas. She must find a way to explain to her father her feelings about the two boys that took her heart. She tried to figure this problem out by herself, unfortunately she didn’t had love problems before.
  In the end, she figured that maybe her father knew the correct answer. After all, he has been married to her mother and both gave life to her. Therefore, Vladimir was an expert in love, or Valentina is the only one who thinks that?!
  When she reached the library’s door, Valentina heard her father talking to someone. It was Dragomir’s voice and even though she knew it wasn’t polite to spy on someone, she put her left ear on the door anyway. This way, every word spoken from the other side sounded very good into our little spy’s ear.

*
  My heart began to beat fast and my forehead was sweating. Was it all true that father’s reputation has gone bad since he married mother? If so, I had to not be selfish and make a sacrifice for him as he did, letting mother and I to have a normal life. Oh, mother, where you may be now, I hope you won’t be upset when I will become a real vampire. I will do this for father because I love him as much as I love you and I want him to be happy.
  But to be Cornelius’s wife ... this decision will have to wait. My love problem can wait, father’s reputation in the vampire community is much more important now.

 

XIII/13

After Dragomir left father alone in the library, I entered very confident:
  -Father, I heard what you and Mister Dragomir spoke! I want to tell you that I have decided to become a pure vampire.
  -Valentina! Father said with his eyes wet, ready to shed tears.
  -I know you want to restore your title in front of the other vampires, so I agree. Let them come to our castle tomorrow night and then we can begin the transformation.
  -Valentina ... do you realize that you have to kill a human being and drink his/her blood after that?! Father asked looking concerned into my eyes. His eyes were spreading mercy and pity towards me. I swallowed nervously and said:
  -I will choose my first victim!
  After this statement I went into town to have a better thinking. Father called grandpa Daniel, Dragomir and Cornelius to help him decide which vampires should be invited. I am sure that the three vampires will hunt animals for more blood and grandpa will have a lot of decoration to do. Before I left, I promised to help him on my returning back.
  Fortunately, aunt Linda’s restaurant was still opened when I reached the town, even though it was almost bed time. She was surprised to see me at this time:
  -What is it dear? Are you fine? Daniel is fine?
  -Yes, we are fine. I just want a quiet place to think, that’s all.
  -You are lucky! This place is empty at this hour! Let me close the door and windows to have more privacy.
  Aunt Linda closed the restaurant carefully, as if someone didn’t had anything better to do than to spy on us, and brought from the kitchen a tray containing a bowl of noodles soup and a small plate with backed potatoes.
  -Sorry darling! This is what was left after today’s dinner menu.
I took a sit at the table where she put the tray, which was at a corner next to the kitchen. The food was warm and great. When I finished eating, I wanted to return home, but aunt Linda sat next to me:
  -Please, stay here a little longer. I want to ask you something.
  -What?
  -How are things in the vampire world?
  I didn’t know what to say. How could aunt Linda know that there are vampires in this part of Transylvania?
  Noticing my silence, she continued:
  -Daniel didn’t tell you that I know your family’s secret? Stupid thing for him to do! Yes child, I am aware that Count Dracula is a vampire and that you are only half human. Me and Daniel are some sort of secret lovers so I am informed often about what is happening in the castle.
  -I guess telling you what bothers me won’t surprise you.
  -I don’t think so!
  So I began telling her the conversation between father and Dragomir, my decision about becoming a pure vampire and my dilemma on finding my first victim.
  -Finding a ‘volunteer’ in this matter will not be a piece of cake. But I can give you some names of the people I can’t stand in this town.
  -No, aunt Linda! I better let father or Dragomir to do this task for me.
  -And what about Amen?
  Until then my mind was focused on restoring father’s reputation in the vampire world that I almost forgot all about Amen. Indeed, after I will become a pure vampire, I would probably have to marry Cornelius and forget about him. It may not be easy, but it is the right thing to do.
  -Aunt Linda, it is late! I should probably go home now. Tomorrow I will help grandpa Daniel with the cleaning and decoration. And don’t worry, he won’t be my first victim!
  This made aunt Linda breathe easily and she escorted me outside.
  -Good night darling and good luck tomorrow night! She said giving me a strong hug and added: we may never see each other again. After letting me free, I noticed tears streaming on her cheeks and chin. I wipe them out and kissed her on both cheeks.