well. And while it wasn’t her intention to be annoying and bossy, she kind of was. All the time.
She walked to the bathroom doorway and paused. “Please wear the dress I’ve chosen. I ’ve pulled it out and it’s waiting for you in your closet.”
I bit back a retort. “I guess,” I said.
My mom looked at me, her eyes sad and filled with frustration. My heart lurched. I knew I was letting her down somehow. She came back and gently touched my wings. “Why don’t you have Zenny help you fluff and clean these?” She ran her fingers through the dark feathers, her touch soothing.
“Okay,” I said, catching her gaze in the mirror. For the past few months we’d been at such odds. It seemed no matter how I tried we didn’t click like we used to. Lately she focused more on what I was required to do as the princess of Sharra and less on what I needed as a teenage girl.
If it weren’t for my uncles bringing me the latest news in the form of entertainment magazines from the human world, I’d be miserable. It just felt like my mom didn’t understand. I had needs, desires, goals… I wanted a life outside the castle. Outside of Sharra. And my damn wings? Ugh. Why did I have to be the only vampire in the entire world to have them? My life was difficult and my mom just didn’t get it.
Meetings were boring. Listening to the magical creatures of Sharra complain about how so-and-so stole a piece of fruit off their land and asking my mom what she was going to do about it was beyond tedious. I wanted to see a movie. I wanted to go to high school. I wanted to go on dates, attend football games, and maybe kiss a boy or two. I wanted the wings on my back to disappear. I wanted normal.
That didn’t seem like too much to ask. But I was almost sixteen and my life was passing me by.
It wasn’t fair.
Both my parents had attended regular high school. They lived an ordinary life for years before coming to Sharra. Why couldn’t I be given the same consideration?
My dad walked in. “Dad,” I hollered, crossing my arms over my chest, even though I was still fully dressed.
“Hey, sweetie. How’s my girl?” He came over and kissed me on the cheek.
I forced myself not to blush. “I’m too old for that,” I said with pretend haughtiness.
He tapped the end of my nose with his finger. “Never.” Then he turned to my mom and things got really awkward. He pulled her to him and kissed her lightly on the mouth. She gave him a secret smile.
“Gross,” I shouted. “Get out! Both of you.”
Chapter 2
They laughed.
My dad winked.
And while I feigned disgust, it was a moment just like theirs that I craved. I wanted to love and be loved by someone the way they so obviously loved each other. That wasn’t going to happen in Sharra. There were no swoon worthy guys. The only time I ever saw a handsome man in Sharra was while I was out in the forest when I was a lot younger. But even he had been too old. I didn’t want to admit it to myself, but I knew who he was… And he was out of the question, big time.
There were male vampires in the land , but the old Vampire Queen, Sharra, had created them, which meant they were all way too old for me. Since Mom wasn’t creating any more vampires, the chances of meeting a boy that was also my age and a vampire was impossible. Of course there were elves, ogres, fairies, and other magical creatures that had boys my age, but… ewwwww!
“Breakfast. Five minutes,” my dad insisted.
“I know. I’d get ready if you two would leave.” I applied some black eyeliner. It was a little too heavy for my mom’s tastes, but then she rarely wore makeup. It was Aunt Cindy who showed me how to apply it the way humans did.
I caught my mom’s grimace in the reflection. “What?” I asked, holding the liner like a pencil in my right hand.
She leaned over and kissed the top of my head. “I love you, darling.”
“I know, mom.” And I did . I knew she and my dad both
She walked to the bathroom doorway and paused. “Please wear the dress I’ve chosen. I ’ve pulled it out and it’s waiting for you in your closet.”
I bit back a retort. “I guess,” I said.
My mom looked at me, her eyes sad and filled with frustration. My heart lurched. I knew I was letting her down somehow. She came back and gently touched my wings. “Why don’t you have Zenny help you fluff and clean these?” She ran her fingers through the dark feathers, her touch soothing.
“Okay,” I said, catching her gaze in the mirror. For the past few months we’d been at such odds. It seemed no matter how I tried we didn’t click like we used to. Lately she focused more on what I was required to do as the princess of Sharra and less on what I needed as a teenage girl.
If it weren’t for my uncles bringing me the latest news in the form of entertainment magazines from the human world, I’d be miserable. It just felt like my mom didn’t understand. I had needs, desires, goals… I wanted a life outside the castle. Outside of Sharra. And my damn wings? Ugh. Why did I have to be the only vampire in the entire world to have them? My life was difficult and my mom just didn’t get it.
Meetings were boring. Listening to the magical creatures of Sharra complain about how so-and-so stole a piece of fruit off their land and asking my mom what she was going to do about it was beyond tedious. I wanted to see a movie. I wanted to go to high school. I wanted to go on dates, attend football games, and maybe kiss a boy or two. I wanted the wings on my back to disappear. I wanted normal.
That didn’t seem like too much to ask. But I was almost sixteen and my life was passing me by.
It wasn’t fair.
Both my parents had attended regular high school. They lived an ordinary life for years before coming to Sharra. Why couldn’t I be given the same consideration?
My dad walked in. “Dad,” I hollered, crossing my arms over my chest, even though I was still fully dressed.
“Hey, sweetie. How’s my girl?” He came over and kissed me on the cheek.
I forced myself not to blush. “I’m too old for that,” I said with pretend haughtiness.
He tapped the end of my nose with his finger. “Never.” Then he turned to my mom and things got really awkward. He pulled her to him and kissed her lightly on the mouth. She gave him a secret smile.
“Gross,” I shouted. “Get out! Both of you.”
Chapter 2
They laughed.
My dad winked.
And while I feigned disgust, it was a moment just like theirs that I craved. I wanted to love and be loved by someone the way they so obviously loved each other. That wasn’t going to happen in Sharra. There were no swoon worthy guys. The only time I ever saw a handsome man in Sharra was while I was out in the forest when I was a lot younger. But even he had been too old. I didn’t want to admit it to myself, but I knew who he was… And he was out of the question, big time.
There were male vampires in the land , but the old Vampire Queen, Sharra, had created them, which meant they were all way too old for me. Since Mom wasn’t creating any more vampires, the chances of meeting a boy that was also my age and a vampire was impossible. Of course there were elves, ogres, fairies, and other magical creatures that had boys my age, but… ewwwww!
“Breakfast. Five minutes,” my dad insisted.
“I know. I’d get ready if you two would leave.” I applied some black eyeliner. It was a little too heavy for my mom’s tastes, but then she rarely wore makeup. It was Aunt Cindy who showed me how to apply it the way humans did.
I caught my mom’s grimace in the reflection. “What?” I asked, holding the liner like a pencil in my right hand.
She leaned over and kissed the top of my head. “I love you, darling.”
“I know, mom.” And I did . I knew she and my dad both
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