Blood Ties

Prologue

"So what's a guy like you doing in a place like this?" her voice was like honey to my ears it was sweet and lovely. Her eyes were match for her voice. Light brown with a trace of amber so subtle it was almost non-existent.

"Looking for a girl like you," I answered back. She grinned at me.

The club was packed, everyone bouncing to the rhythm of the music. Nodding to the earth shattering bass being put out by the speakers. We were at the bar and she approached me from behind. It was a wonder how I was able to hear her soft voice over all the music. She was beautiful, with short jet black hair, and rich dark skin.

"How about a drink?" she whispered into my ear.

"Fine by me" I answered back.

Suddenly my vision of her was gone. A large walrus like man forced his massive self between us.

"Hey pretty lady you wanna dance?" its voice deep as the oceans.

"I'm sorry big boy but you're a bit too big for lil' ol' me." She said lazily back the giant of alcohol and leather.

"I said lets dance." He sounded angry at the girl but I could care less.

"The lady says no dude. I guess she doesn't like her men…..like you." I grinned up at him.

"What did you say to me little girl." He snarled at me. I jumped right off my stool and glared one foot up at into his beady black eyes.

"I said the lady doesn't want to talk to a lard ass like you, mate." I shot back coolly. He gave a growl that would terrify even a lion, this right hand shot toward my face in a boulder of a fist. He was fast but I was faster, I ducked his hand and danced away from him as he connected with the empty stool I previously occupied. I grinned up at him.

'Is that all you got fat boy? Com'on hit me!!! I egged him on.

He raged after me as I retreated into the crowd. The dancers split apart to let me and this behemoth fight. He swung wildly, missing me every time. I knew I wasn't stronger than him so I would just avoid his fists and land whatever jabs I could to any vulnerable spots, his ribs, spine, kidneys, face. He started to slow down. He started to show his fatigue and I couldn't let him live it down.

"What's the matter Chunky? Your getting tired already?" I called over the still pounding music. He's breathing increased and he lost his footing temporarily loosing his balance. There was my opening. I rushed him with quick but hard shots to his joints, especially his legs. He soon toppled under the barrage of punches and collapsed onto his knees. "Told ya she wanted a manwith more…stamina." I said out, of breathe.

Everyone was watching intently except her. Out of the hundred or so pairs of eyes watching us, not one of them were hers no honey amongst these mundane browns and blues.

"I'm outta here" I said a little exhausted.

The night air was cool and intense at it hit my warm skin and burning muscles. I loved that feeling. It's like you can feel the adrenaline seeping into every inch of your being and just as easily, slipping away. I walked around the nightclub into the dark parking lot. I easily spotted my bike amongst the many SUVs and sports cars littering the space. Within minutes I was on my way uptown along the deserted west side highway with the wind flowing through my braids and whipping my face. There was nothing close to that feeling that rush. That sensation of freedom only a motorcycle can give.

About 20 minutes later I found myself alone in my dark apartment reading my mail, getting ready for bed and then work tomorrow. But something moved in my house.

"King??" I called. But the pooch was usually asleep at 3 am. And he was, King was fast asleep in his usual spot by my bed side. My heart began to race as another sound was made this time at the very end of the darkened hall behind me.

"Whose there???" I called reaching for the nearest blunt object being my old baseball bat I kept behind my bedroom door. The terror began to eat away at me as I felt someone at the end of the hall but I couldn't see anything just pure impenetrable darkness.

"Don't worry." A voice from the dark called. "You're safe. I won't let anything happen to you, love" her voice caressed my ears and melted my fears away. She moved into a tiny sliver of light dividing my room from the dark hallway. Her bare pale foot tiny and slender was the first to be revealed in light. Followed by the other and the deep red of her dress. Her presence calmed me drastically I didn't care about anything else but her. Her scent filled my nostrils and her voice smothered my ears until it was all I could hear. She seemingly glided across the floor leaving her entire body in the moon's light while her face remained in shadow. She moved onward revealing the same lovely dark skin and full loving lips. The black hair dancing on her forehead as she walked. The only differences were her eyes. Instead of the soft honey amber color, her eyes burned with a shade of red similar to the blood that flowed in me. Her red eyes began to pulse in a rhythm unlike of ever seen.

"Who are you?" I asked craving to feel her touch. She glided right to me and whispered.

"My name is Angela, and you are my King"

The feeling of her comfort vanished. Fear and terror washed over me like and icy waterfall of pain. Her eyes pulsed in sync with my heart and her bloody eyes flashed into an almost constant ray mirroring my hearts terror-filled hum. Her lips curled back to reveal a set of fangs so sharp they gleamed in the dark. Before I could blink the pain split into my neck and my life fled from my body quicker than I anticipated. My knees buckled under my own weight. My strength fled along with my life. The pain burned my consciousness into nothingness. I was too tired to scream, to move, to breathe. To live.

That was the day I died.