Submitting to the Bloodlust

My Nightmare Came True

Maurianna's POV

I stare at the address written on the napkin again.

"14112 Wildflower Ln Suite 6 – Glinda."

"This is it," I whisper to myself and open the blue-painted wooden door at the front of the shop. The bells on the door chime when it slams shut behind me. Inside the store, the walls are lined with herbs and spices, vials of colored liquids, and jars of animal organs.

Oh god, why did I come here alone?

An old woman, at least 80, emerges from the back room, cleaning her bloodied hands on her apron. The smell of iron makes my skin crawl with tiny prickles.

"Hello dear, how may I help you?" she calls in her screechy voice.

If a movie producer were to write a screenplay about witches, she would play the perfect one. Which is ironic because I came here to see a witch. I bet this is her.

"Hi. I am looking for Glinda. Roberto from 88 Italian sent me," I say just as I practiced.

I can’t believe I practiced how to greet a witch. This is the sketchiest thing I have ever done in my life.

"Yes, yes, come in, dear. I talked to Roberto a little while ago. I have been preparing for you." She motions for me to follow her to the back, and I almost get cold feet. I cannot back down now, though. I have been searching for a real witch for days now, and she seems to be the only one so far with a good reputation.

As I enter the back, the smell of blood infused with dry herbs makes me sneeze. I clutch my stomach as it starts to ache.

Glenda raises her eyebrows at me curiously. "I’m sorry about the fumes, dear... they are to ward off evil..." Her apology sounds more like a joke, but I pay it no mind. I take a seat in the chair across from hers that she points to and fold my hands in my lap. I have this need to constantly touch things, and I don’t want to be tempted to fiddle with the vials on the table before me.

"What monster are you trying to keep away, my dear?"

"All of them," I chime, which makes the old woman snicker.

"It does not work that way, dear, although I wish it did. Do you know what specific creature you are trying to keep away from your home?"

I think about her question for a moment. "What lurks in the dark, can compel people to forget, and can influence someone’s actions?" I ask. I am certain that this woman is seasoned enough to know about this far more than I do.

She thinks for a moment and then grabs three of the vials and mixes them. "There are several species that mimic what you describe… Here." She holds out the vial, and I take it. "Put this on a paintbrush and wipe it over every entrance of your house. While you do that, say 'Genus Tuum non est grastissimum.' This should ward off all creatures of the night who have ill intentions."

I came home before my mom got here so I could do as the witch instructed. I felt dumb trying to speak in Latin. I don’t even know what the words were or what they meant. I could have been inviting all the monsters into my home and spreading an alluring potion on my walls… but I have to trust the witch. I have no other options.

I remember how easily the monster killed Frank. I remember the monster having no remorse when he did it. He or the others came into my house every single night for years. He used some mind control trick on me and my mom. I’m scared to find out what else he did to us or will do to us. Mom mentioned that the monster had no right to worry about her after what he did to her, and it frightens me.

What could he have done to her to make her fear him so much? He killed another man for putting his hands on my mom; that’s honorable… but at the same time, gruesome. In what world is it okay to kill someone?

I hear my mom’s keys jingle in the lock, and I rush to put the chair back under the table. It smells like an essential oil bomb exploded in our house because of that weird potion the old witch gave me.

When my mom comes into the kitchen, her nose scrunches up in a look of disgust. “What is that awful smell?” she whines. I lie and tell her that I got a new air freshener, and luckily, she buys the story.

If my mom and the monster had a child together, I’m sure she knows about witches and spells… right?

“I’m making steak for dinner. Do you think you can make a salad?” Mom asks while she takes the few groceries out of the paper sack she placed on the counter.

“Sure,” I tell her. In no time, the steaks are cooked, and the salad is done. I set the table, and Mom and I sit down for dinner.

A few moments into our meal, Mom starts to be “mom”. “Why didn’t you go to school today?” she asks while she cuts her steak. Her eyes do not meet mine, like they never do when she already knows the answer.

“It’s the last week of my senior year. The grades are already final. I’m not going to waste my time when I can stay home and check out colleges.”

I hope she believes my lie. It's not a total lie. I did walk past the community college today when trying to find the witches' shop. That’s got to count for checking it out... right?

She puts her fork and knife down and squares her shoulders. “Why did you go see Glinda today, Maurianna?” Her eyes pierce into mine, making me uncomfortable.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I lie, trying to stall for time.

How does Mom know that I went to see the witch today? I don’t know what to say to her. Clearly, that man did something to her to make her forget. Unless she is that good at acting.

Mom takes a sip of her water before pulling a small vial from her pocket. The vial that once held the potion from the witch. “I know that smell from anywhere. The only witch in town who knows how to make a potion to ward off evil is Glinda. What are you trying to keep out of our house? I need to know; we may not have much time.”

“What? It doesn’t matter, Mom. They can’t get in.” I tell her.

Mom laughs and gets up from her chair. She strolls over to my side of the table and stands beside me. “Oh, but you're wrong, child. If you’re trying to ward off Demon, you just did the complete opposite. I need to know who you are trying to keep out of this house. Is it Demon?”

When Mom’s words sink in, I panic, “What do you mean I did the opposite?” I ask her frantically.

Our front door opens, and boots tap the floor as someone walks down the hall. Mom’s face goes white, and I swear I can hear her heartbeat accelerate. My childhood monster comes into view, wearing a smirk on his face, and my heart stops.

“Olivia, my bride. It’s good to see you,” he says to my mom. His eyes are soft when he looks at her. The atmosphere grows thick with tension, and then his eyes fall onto me.

“Who are you hiding from, sweetheart? Because I know Liv wouldn’t be stupid enough to trust a witch.” His tone changes drastically from when he was talking to my mother, more menacing now.

Mom steps forward, putting herself between him and me. He chuckles and strides closer, closing the distance between him and her. “You’re a fool to think I can’t get through you to get to her.” He whispers softly. His words are playful, and he raises an eyebrow at her.

Mom stands taller. The smell of her fear vanishes. “You and I both know you wouldn’t hurt me, Demon, or I’d already be dead.”

He lifts his hand and moves a strand of hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. “If it weren’t for our daughter, you would be dead.” He pulls his hand slowly down to her neck and grasps it lightly as if he is going to choke her.

She laughs in his face. “You have no use for me now. She’s eighteen. I did what you wanted. I gave you an heir and raised her. That’s why you’re here, to take her home. So, what’s stopping you from killing me now?” she taunts him.

When he tightens his grip, and her face turns pink. I panic. I pick up my knife from the table and launch it at his head, which towers over my mother. I am mortified when his fist flies up in a blur and catches it. He peers up and locks eyes with me. I expect him to come after me, to be mad, but he chuckles and grins.

Mom turns around and scowls at me, displeased with my actions.

He throws the knife onto the table and dips down, kissing my mom on the cheek. “Are you going to come with me and Mauri, or can I not trust you to stay this time?” He asks.

I take a stand and square my shoulders as my mom taught me. “I’m not going anywhere with you. You murdered Frank. You and your weirdo friends used to stare at me while I slept, and then you did some voodoo on me to make me forget everything like I’m some puppet. I don’t know you, and I don’t want to.” I yell at him.

When his face falls and his eyes turn red, I run for the back door. I sling the door open and run into a solid form standing on the other side. It’s one of the monsters from my childhood, I recognize him. Demon laughs behind me as a cotton sack is forced over my head. I’m thrown over the monster’s shoulder.

“I’ll put her in the car, sir.” The man says, and we start to move.

As we move away from our house, I hear my mom shouting at Demon. Right before I am thrown into the back of a car, I hear the familiar sound of someone’s neck being snapped. I scream out of fear because I know it is my mom.

The man wraps his hands around my mouth, and the funny smell from the bag makes my thoughts go black.

The cold metal shakes beneath me. My hands are bound behind my back, and my ankles are tied together. Tiny bits of light shine through the threads on the sack that is still over my head. The sound of clattering is the only other noise I can make out besides the hum of the engine. When I try to pull my hands free from their restraints, I elbow a solid object next to me. I think it’s another human.

“Sire, she’s awake.” A low voice comes from above me.

My eyes burn from the brightness of the sun when the sack is ripped from my face. After the black spots of shock leave my vision, I am able to finally see where I am. I am laying on the floor of a meat truck. Two frozen pigs hang by their feet from the ceiling above me. The two men from my house last night are in the front seats of the vehicle. When I remember the person by my side, I look over to find my mom lifeless on the floor next to me. Her lips are blue, her skin is pale.

“Mom!” I scream and try to scoot closer to her. “MOM!” I scream again when she does not move.

“Calm down. She will wake up soon.” Demon says from the driver's seat of the car.

“What did you do to her? Why does she look dead?” I cry. It feels like all my blood has been replaced with liquid fear. This is an absolute nightmare. I have been kidnapped by a vampire, and my mother is lying lifeless next to me. I don’t see how this could get worse.

“I turned her into a vampire,” Demon says nonchalantly.

I thought that it couldn’t get any worse… and I was wrong. He turned my mother into a vampire. Like Dracula from the horror movies that I used to watch around Halloween when I was a child.

“Vampire?” My question is hysterical. I don’t even feel like me anymore. That witch must have done something to me. She must have given me a Freaky Friday spell or something, and I am currently living someone else’s life.

My mother sets up abruptly. She inhales sharply, gasping for air. Her hands fly to her neck grasping it where Demon once did. She looks around the truck like she is the prey searching for a sign of her predator. Her eyes fall on the men in the front. She scooches backward and starts to cry in fear. She is trying her hardest to get the furthest away from them as possible.

What on earth did he do to her?

He stops the van and puts the gear stick in park. When he turns and makes his way to the back of the truck where she is, she starts to scream. He kneels down in front of her, and she starts to smack him trying to get him away from her. He grasps her by the wrists and forces her hands to her chest – stopping her assault.

“Liv, it’s me, honey.” His voice is sweet when he speaks to her.

“Demon?” she cries out. Her hands fumble beneath his as she tries to intertwine her fingers with his. He lets go of one of her hands and touches her cheek.

“Everything hurts.” She whines. “It hurts so bad.” She cries again.

“I know baby. I’m going to fix it. Are you ready?” he asks gently.

“Stop! What are you going to do!?” I scream. I thrash around trying to get free, but I can’t.

The guy from the passenger seat puts his boot on my thigh to hold me still. “Shhh, he won’t hurt her.” He claims.

I don’t believe him. He turned her into a vampire… to me, which is hurting her. “Liar!” I shout and try to get loose.

Demon pulls a knife from his back pocket, and I see red. I sit up and bite the guy who is holding me down on the leg through his jeans. He slams my face to the ground with his massive hand smooshing my cheek. He holds me there with a godly force.

I watch as Demon puts the blade to his hand and cuts himself. He brings his hand up to my mom's lips, and she drinks his blood. She just drank his blood! He then hands her a blood bag, and she starts to suck it down.

My stomach feels nauseated, my dinner threatens to come up. I shut my eyes and count to fifty in hopes that this nightmare will be over when I open them next.