22. Family Secret

"Constance I want to tell you a story" he said over his oatmeal as we had breakfast together.
"A story?" I asked, my father was not a man who told many stories over the years.
"Well...it's a bit more than just a story" he said mysteriously. And before I could respond he began.

In 1567 a Hungarian servant girl slept on a makeshift bed of damp straw. Her mistress was a highly respected and popular Countess. The servant girl waited on the Countess day and night. On this particular night the servant girl and her mistress were not alone. A fire, the only source of heat and light in the room, created moving shadows on the stone walls. Moving among these shadows was a dark figure....

The figure moved closer and closer to the sleeping servant girl.
The servant girl felt a light touch on her shoulder and turned, expecting to see her mistress needing help with her chamber pot.

But when she turned her eyes met the cold stare of a stranger.

The servant girl opened her mouth to scream but as hard as she might no sound escaped her lips. The stranger took her face in his hands. She noticed that his hands were not just cold but icy. The strangers stare transfixed her. She felt her body go limp and was not able to defend herself as the stranger sunk long fangs into her small warm neck. She had heard stories of "bloodsuckers" and expected her life to drain away. But, instead she felt an icy chill run into her neck and down each arm. The sensation ran down past her stomach and through her legs until she could feel the last bit of warmth leave her toes.

The servant girl had been infected....infected by an ancient curse. A curse that would haunt her for the next 400 years. The servant girls name was Audra.....Audra Youngblood.

My head began to spin and I was sure that I would soon throw-up or pass-out. I didn't know why but I instantly knew deep in my heart that the story my father had just told was true. I also knew that the curse he spoke of was now my curse.

My father continued to speak but the words sounded miles away...

"My mother, your grandmother, was not a monster or a demon. She was an innocent girl who was cursed to live for eternity, she fled persecution by moving around the world before anyone could notice that she was different. Her last stop was Riverview. It was here that she met my father and fell in love."

"It was my birth that finally freed her from the curse. Unfortunately this meant passing it along to me. But, with her guidance I learned to control the dark forces within my soul and live a normal life...until...the death of your mother. I don't think her death was an accident. I think it's the curse. It's tired of being kept quiet, it wants out, it wants to create havoc on the world again."

"Constance, I am telling you this because you must control the darkness within you or "IT" will control you. I am sorry but this is your legacy."

That evening, in my room, I pondered the information I was given. Meanwhile, in another room, my father was greeted by death.

He had passed on the Youngblood legacy just in time. He had warned me of the darkness within. Now, would I be strong enough to heed his warning??