IMMORTAL VISIONS Read online

  IMMORTAL VISIONS

  M. K. R O Z E

  Immortal Visions

  Text copyright © 2018 by M. K. ROZE

  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  This book is the work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.

  Printed in the United States of America.

  Contents

  TITLE PAGE

  COPYRIGHT

  DEDICATION

  1. ROMANIA

  2. BRAN CASTLE

  3. RESTLESS NIGHTS

  4. TOTAL JERK

  5. HIS TOUCH

  6. PSYCHIATRIST

  7. BLURRED VISION

  8. A NEW BEGINNING

  9. HOME SWEET HOME

  10. DATE NIGHT

  11. SOMETHING’S WRONG

  12. ODD BEHAVIOR

  13. SURPRISE

  14. SUDDEN LOSS

  15. TOO MUCH WINE

  16. HOSPITAL HORROR

  17. MUMA PĂDURII

  18. UNSEEN

  19. LOSING MY MIND

  20. OVERBOARD

  21. THE FIGHT BEGINS

  22. HUNTED

  23. THE TRUTH

  24. FIVE CENTURIES AGO

  25. IMMORTAL DEATH

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  DEDICATION

  I dedicate this book to my children. Without their help, this novel wouldn’t exist.

  CHAPTER ONE

  ROMANIA

  I shivered as a cool breeze rushed through me. My eyes shot open. A young woman with a pallid face was standing in front of me, wearing a black Medieval gown. With only the moonlight to see, I searched her light hazel eyes for answers but found none. They had no life behind them—only hypnotic emptiness.

  “W-who are you?” I yelled.

  The woman grinned at me like she was in a trance while twirling her black curly hair around her finger.

  “Oh, my God, did the plane crash?” I narrowed my eyes down the street at the dilapidated buildings with straw - thatched roofs. “Where are we?”

  Her lips began moving, but I couldn’t hear her.

  “Speak up!” I shouted.

  “Divinity, did you think we wouldn’t find you?” she said in an accent I’d never heard.

  “My name is Viata, not Divinity.”

  She said something else, but I still couldn’t hear her.

  “What are you saying?”

  Her eyes turned red as fire, and she grabbed me by my neck.

  “Let me go!” I dug my nails into her ice-cold arm, trying to get out of her firm grip.

  She reached over her shoulder and pulled out an ancient-looking sword.

  “What are you doing?” I cried as I tried to get away.

  The woman hissed, blowing her foul-smelling breath in my face and stabbed me in my stomach.

  I screamed from the burning pain and clutched the long sword, holding it in place. “Why?” I choked and fell on the ground.

  As I lay there, she leaned over me and moved her head like a cobra, her eyes penetrating mine.

  My heart slowed down, and my vision started to fail.

  “Viata! Viata! Wake up!” Mom’s voice yelled in my ear as she shook me.

  My eyes blinked out of control until Mom’s face came into focus. Her blue eyes turned black, and her features morphed into the woman from my dream.

  “Get away from me. I’m not Divinity!” I pushed her head into the window.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Dad exclaimed, grabbing me and holding me in place.

  “Let me go!” Within seconds, Mom’s face turned back to normal. “Mom, I’m sorry. I-I thought you were her.”

  “Who?” Mom said rubbing her head.

  “The woman, the woman from my dream, called me that, then stabbed me with a sword.”

  “Didn’t you have the same dream the night of your seventeenth birthday?”

  I put my knees up to my chest and wiped the sweat from under my eyes onto my jeans. “Yes, but this time it was more vivid.”

  “Will you two please keep it down?” Dad scolded.

  I shot him a dirty look. “What’s your problem?”

  Dad looked at my mom. “Julia, will you please calm her down?” he said and glanced at the other passengers on the plane. They were staring at me like I belonged in a mental ward.

  A flight attendant approached us. “We heard screaming. Is everything okay?” she asked.

  “Yes. Our daughter had a nightmare,” Dad said.

  “I’m sorry. Do you need anything?”

  I looked up at her. “No, thank you.”

  “Okay, well let me know if you change your mind. We’ll be landing in Romania shortly.”

  I nodded.

  “Awesome contacts,” she said.

  “Thanks.” I put my sunglasses back on.

  She smiled and walked away.

  I wasn’t wearing any contacts. I was born with light silver eyes that looked like mirrors. When I was younger, kids at school used to call me an alien, and I hated it. Mom felt bad and took me to the eye doctor to get colored contacts, but when I put them in, I went blind until I took them out. The eye doctor told me that it was the weirdest thing he ever witnessed.

  “How embarrassing,” Dad said.

  “Which part? Me getting killed in my dream again or my alien eyes?”

  Dad sighed and looked down.

  I glanced at the trailer for Wonder Woman on the TV.

  “Bret, stop it,” Mom said sternly.

  Dad leaned forward, looked Mom’s way, and arched his thick brows. “When we get back home, you need to schedule another meeting with her psychologist. Or better yet, call your sister, Jessica.”

  “Our daughter doesn’t need a psychiatrist. She needs us.”

  “Well, we can’t help her,” he said and looked at his phone.

  “Really Dad? I don’t need to sit in a room and reminisce about kids that used to bully me.”

  Dad turned my way. “Viata, they did a lot more than that. They locked you in a damn dumpster for two hours.”

  “Thanks for the reminder. That’s the past. I’m fine now.”

  Mom stared him down. “That’s enough, Bret.”

  Dad looked away.

  After five minutes of me thinking about my dream, Dad patted my leg. “I’m sorry for yelling at you.”

  I forced a smile. “Apology accepted. I’m sorry for screaming like a nut.”

  Mom cleared her throat.

  I hugged her. “I’m sorry for hurting you.”

  “It’s okay. I used to have nightmares too. Remember that night, Bret?”

  Dad chuckled. “How could I forget the black eye you gave me.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. “You did? Why?”

  “A man was attacking me in my dream, and when your father woke me up, I sucker punched him thinking it was the man.”

  I couldn’t picture my mom hitting anyone. She was too fragile.

  When we landed in Bucharest, we got off the plane and entered the massive airport. It was a lot like the one we departed from in Jacksonville, Florida, except all the signs were different.

  We retrieved our suitcases and continued toward the exit.

  Outside, Dad flagged down a taxi. The young male driver got out, greeted us, and o
pened the trunk.

  Dad took my suitcase. “What the heck is in this?”

  I grinned. “My entire summer wardrobe.”

  He looked at Mom and rolled his big brown eyes.

  “Viata,” Mom said. “Please tell me you’re kidding?”

  I shrugged. “What? I didn’t know which outfit to wear.”

  When we got in, it was a tight squeeze, but we managed.

  “Can you take us to the North Railway Station, please?” Dad asked.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Where are you guys from?” the driver asked.

  “St. Augustine, Florida,” Mom replied.

  “Very nice. What brings you guys to Romania?”

  Dad placed his arm around Mom. “We’re celebrating our anniversary with our daughter before she starts her last year in high school.”

  “And to show me where I was born,” I added.

  “Congratulations!” he said and looked over his shoulder at me. “You look like a Romanian goddess.”

  I smiled and squeezed Mom’s leg. “I’m not Romanian, but thanks for the compliment.”

  Mom removed my hand. “She’s not eighteen for another six months.”

  “My apologies.” He turned around with a confused look.

  A lot of people thought I was older than my age. I was born with Poliosis, which caused a thick gray streak in my hair. I hated that too, so when I was thirteen, Mom took me to a salon to have it dyed brown to match my hair, but it washed out when they shampooed it.

  The driver was staring at me with the same look, so I looked out the window, thinking about how I was anxious to start college next year. My parents were well-known criminal lawyers and were respected by many. I decided to follow in their footsteps and become one too.

  The driver continued through downtown Bucharest. It was bumper-to-bumper traffic, but I didn’t mind. It gave me time to see all the people that were walking along the cobblestone streets. I smiled when we passed a few girls sitting at a table outside laughing. It reminded me of my best friend, Kaylee.

  As we drove on, I took a couple of pictures of the baroque historical buildings that were all clustered together.

  “How do you like it so far?” Mom asked.

  “I’m in love. It looks like downtown back at home.”

  It reminded me of my earlier dream too, but I wasn’t about to tell her that.

  “Yeah, it does,” she replied and placed her hand on Dad’s leg.

  When we pulled up in front of the massive train station, I got out and stared at the beautiful clock high up on the building’s façade. Gray pillars supported the old stone structure, creating a remarkable view. I took out my phone to take a video as we walked inside. It looked like a mall with tons of food and stores.

  We got on the train, and I was happy to see it had two seats in each row. I sat behind my parents and put my stuff in front of the empty seat, near the aisle.

  “How long before we reach Brasov?” I asked.

  “About three hours,” Mom replied.

  After the other passengers boarded, the train started to move slowly. I placed my forehead against the cold window, observing the luscious countryside full of beautiful tall, old oak and pine trees.

  After a while, I faced forward, trying to get comfortable and put my sunglasses on to shield out the sun.

  An older woman walked past me, then stopped in the aisle. “I love your hair,” she said.

  “Thank you.”

  She smiled and walked away.

  Mom peeked through the space between the seats. “See, Viata, everyone wants your hair color nowadays.”

  “Yeah, well, that’s because they weren’t born with skunk hair,” I whispered, trying not to laugh.

  “Skunk hair,” Dad repeated and chuckled.

  I’d gotten used to it over the years but hated it when I was in middle school. Everyone made fun of me, calling me not only alien but skunkhead too. The nickname stuck with me, so I figured I’d use it.

  Mom elbowed him. “I’m sorry, honey. Your father is a jerk today.”

  “He’s fine.”

  Dad looked back at me and winked. “I was kidding. You know that, right?”

  “You better be.” I got up and gently tapped his head.

  He laughed. “I deserve that.”

  “Yes, you did,” I said followed by a yawn.

  I sat back down and placed my feet on the opposite seat. A creepy old man was staring at me from across the aisle, so I put my sweater over my face.

  Within seconds, images of the crazy woman from my dream returned. I grabbed my phone, took a selfie, and texted my best friend, Kaylee. Also, Liam, a childhood friend who lived next door.

  Hey, I’m here in Romania.

  I sent it to Kaylee, then Liam.

  Kaylee responded right away with a picture of her cute baby face and her huge smile.

  I miss you! Hurry back, please.

  I chuckled and replied.

  You’re something else. Love you, Sis. Oh, and I love the blue hair. It matches your pretty eyes.

  We called each other sisters because, like me, she had no siblings.

  When Liam didn’t respond, I was certain he was still mad at me because I couldn’t go on a camping trip with him.

  The woman from my dream was still in the back of my mind. Trying to ignore it, I put my earbuds in and watched Ariana Grande videos on YouTube to distract myself.

  A deafening screech woke my parents up as the train pulled to a stop.

  “Hey,” I said. “We’re in Brasov.”

  We gathered our luggage and got off the train. A crowd of people rushed in front of me, separating us.

  “Mom. Dad. Wait up,” I shouted.

  They didn’t hear me and kept walking.

  Beyond them, a man in his thirties was rushing toward me. His long brown trench coat made him look suspicious. His eyes fastened on mine.

  I looked away.

  He walked right into me, knocking my water bottle out of my hand.

  “Hey, slow down!” I yelled.

  He stopped and stood there as I bent down to pick up the bottle.

  I glared up at him. “May I help you?”

  His jaw dropped, and his hazel eyes widened. He snapped out of it and bowed before me like I was a queen. “Divinity, where have you been? And what happened to your hair and emerald eyes?” he said with the same accent the woman from my earlier dream had.

  My heart skipped a beat. “Why are you calling me that? Who are you?”

  He stared at me blankly. “What did he do to you?”

  “Who?”

  He ignored me and grabbed my shirt. “You need to come back home.”

  “Let me go you freak!” I yelled and ran through the crowd to my parents.

  “Did you see that weird man back there?”

  “What man?” Dad asked, looking back.

  “You didn’t see that man grab me? He’s the only weirdo wearing a coat at the end of July.”

  Dad looked all around. “No.”

  “Did you, Mom?”

  “No, sorry. I was reading an email from a client on my phone.”

  “Mom, he bowed before me then called me Divinity just like that woman did from my dreams.”

  “I’m sure you misunderstood him, honey.”

  “He tried to kidnap me too.”

  “He did what?” Dad said. He let go of his suitcase and raced over to find him.

  “Bret!” Mom yelled out, but Dad kept charging through the crowd.

  “Are you sure he tried to kidnap you?”

  “Yeah, he grabbed my shirt and said he wanted to take me back home.”

  Mom wrapped her arm around me. “Viata, are you certain you’re not letting the dream you had earlier scare you?”

  “No, I’m not. I’m telling you the truth.”

  Dad came back out of breath. “I didn’t see him.”

  “Stay near us. There are a lot of freaks out t
here,” Mom said.

  “Yup, it’s true,” Dad replied. “Jules and I see it every day in the courtroom. And you will too when you become a lawyer.”

  “Maybe I should become a shrink instead for people like him.”

  “Let’s get out of here,” Dad said.

  As we continued to the front of the train station, I kept glancing over my shoulder to see whether the creepy man was behind me, but there was no sign of him. I didn’t understand how someone in real life would call me the same name from a dream I had. Maybe I did misunderstand him. I was tired.

  We got into another taxi. “Where would you like to go?” the female driver asked.

  “Dracula’s Bed and Breakfast Inn, please.”

  “Dad, you can’t be serious? Are you guys fascinated with vampires?”

  “Ah, no. Why?” Dad replied.

  “Um, Dracula? You know that he’s fake, right?”

  Mom laughed.

  “How do you know that for sure?” Dad said with a serious look.

  My eyebrows raised. “Someone with too much time on their hands created him to scare people.”

  “Calm down. I was kidding. You’re the one who said you wanted it to be a surprise.”

  I looked past Mom. “Well, I regret it now,” I joked. “Why there?”

  “It’s where your mother and I met, so we always stayed there in the past.”

  “That’s romantic, but you still could’ve picked a better place other than a vampire one.”

  “You’ll love it,” he said.

  “Sure I will. So how long does it take to get to the bloodsuckers Inn?”

  Mom smiled as she shook her head.

  Dad chuckled. “Without traffic, it’s only ten minutes, but at this rate, it will take at least an hour.”

  “Cool.”

  Out in the countryside, we passed several farms with horses and cows that were surrounded by picturesque green mountains. Their imposing presence transfixed me.

  We sat in the cab for nearly an hour because of the bumper-to-bumper traffic. I still couldn’t help but think of why the strange man called me Divinity, so I looked up the name on the internet and found nothing but desserts. In the end, I shrugged it off. I must have heard him wrong.

  After a long climb along a narrow road winding up the side of a mountain, we finally pulled up in front of the hotel. My first sight of the impressive structure took my breath away.