Bitten by Magic

Contents Title PageRecapChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter 9Chapter 10Chapter 11Chapter 12Chapter 13Chapter 14Chapter 15Chapter 16Chapter 17Chapter 18Chapter 19Chapter 20Chapter 21Chapter 22Chapter 23Chapter 24Chapter 25Chapter 26Chapter 27Chapter 28Chapter 29GlossaryAfterwordAbout The AuthorThe Vampire Genesis Chronicles Bitten by MagicLara BronsonTacit Press, LLC RecapPetra, an American student, travels to Romania planning to visit her hero, Vlad the Impaler’s castle ruins. To her surprise, she finds a pendant and a ruby which accidentally sends her to the times of the ruler she admires. At his castle, Petra becomes a maid while pretending to be mute. One night, she bumps into a knight and accidentally divulges her secret.Gabriel doesn’t lose the opportunity and asks Petra to meet him the following night. Though she feels a spark, Petra is still unsure if she wants to have a relationship with Gabriel.While he is gone, a nobleman takes interest in Petra to the point where she has to convince the entire court she has royal blood.Though she manages to convince Vlad the Impaler and gets to live at the castle, a magical being with wings enters her bedroom every night.Once they realize the being targets only unmarried maidens, Gabriel officially announces his plans to marry her.She finally gives their relationship a chance only when she feels she might lose him.As their bond blooms, Petra wishes to retrieve her pendant from Boyar Dobre on the day when Vlad the Impaler plans a purge for his scheming nobles. To her dismay, the boyar finds her in his chamber and cracks the ruby, which makes Petra feel weak.When Gabriel and Petra find out they need the help of Mother of the Forest, they embark on a journey into the woods. They enter an enchanting meadow, and an older woman welcomes them. Chapter 1The hustle and bustle of the Saturday market reminded me of the time when I went with my parents Christmas shopping. Except I was in the fourteen hundreds, enjoying far less sanitary conditions, and the present wasn’t a pair of reindeer socks, but a tall, red-headed man who somehow could send me back in time. Or at least that’s what Muma Pădurii said.Back when we arrived at Muma Pădurii’s hut, or rather her fancy cabin, we couldn’t believe someone in medieval times could live such a lavish life. The sparkly new, wooden construction resembled a king’s summer residence rather than a frail, old lady’s home. When she invited us in, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Her entire living quarters were covered in crochet items: crochet curtains, tablecloths, and a million crochet doilies—a grandma’s dream. And mine. Plus, the old lady resembled my grandma so much that it rekindled many distant childhood memories.She sat us at the kitchen table and prepared tea. Yes, the hot, amber beverage everyone sometimes called coffee’s cousin. Okay, when I said everyone, I meant myself, but that was not the point. The point was that Wallachian people didn’t drink tea. They preferred milk or wine. And when extremely drunk, they mixed them by accident and still drank it.This lady, on the other hand, knew what tea was and how to make it. Muma Pădurii’s tea wasn’t made from actual tea leaves but from cherry branches and raspberry leaves. It was more of an herbal tea but still a significant improvement from goat’s milk. No offence to Vincenta von Goat.When Muma Pădurii placed the clay cups in front of us, Gabriel began smelling the reddish, hot beverage, most likely fearful of poison.“Do not fret, lad,” she said. “If I wished you dead, I would’ve sent a few more boars along your way.”“You were the one to send the rabid boar?” I asked.“It is only expected for me to protect my forest,” she said.“Your forest?” asked Marius.“Why yes, most who come here are trespassing. But when I felt the presence of this young lady here, I had to send a message.”“A message in the form of eerily gazing forest animals?” I asked.“It worked, didn’t it?” The old lady smiled.“We’re here not because of the animals,” said Gabriel. “The seer sent us.”“Is that so?” asked Muma Pădurii.“Yes, but we also had an excellent fight with the boar,” Marius said, grinning.“But why would a seer send you to me, especially since you didn’t heed my message?” Muma Pădurii sat at the table next to me.I took the cracked pendant from my trusty white bag and showed it to her.“It’s the Eye of the Dragon. I haven’t held one of these in too many years,” the old lady said, snatching the jewel from my hand. “But the stone is cracked. Who would do such a dreadful thing?”“A man who has already met his fate,” said Gabriel somberly.“Is that so?” The old lady peered at me and the stone intermittently. “I see you are linked to the stone’s magic. It is why I felt your presence in my forest. But now, I see the magic is fading.” The lady hit the nail on the head. On my head.“We want to send Petra home.” Gabriel leaned and took the pendant from Muma Pădurii.“Is that so? My powers are not strong enough for me to be of help. You must search for a Solomonar who can guide you in your next steps.”“Where do we find a Solomonar?” asked Gabriel.“They usually roam around loud places, like markets or taverns,” said Muma Pădurii.“Is he an unnatural being?” asked Marius.“Last time I checked, he rode dragons and conjured rain at the snap of a finger. So yes, he is one of us,” said Muma Pădurii.“Dragons? There are dragons here?” I thought but wished not to interrupt.“They prefer places with people since it is easier to hide in plain sight,” said Muma Pădurii.“But isn’t the forest The Other Realm?” asked Anca.“Not quite. Some magical beings live in the forest, but The Other Realm is far greater than that. Many don’t know it simply because we avoid the world of simple people as nothing good ever comes from it. Thus, most people wouldn’t even see