"Death offers you thorns, eternity offers you roses, and life offers you both."

― Matshona Dhliwayo

May 12th, 2003

Abandoned suburbs

As I sit in the red leather seat of my limo, my heart aches and my soul weighs heavily. I'm dying after centuries of ruling over the vampire clans. Sekhmet, the goddess, has finally found a suitable heir for me. She chose a heinous human. Her decision caught me off guard. But I dare not challenge her because she is the source of all vampires. Because she is the only one who truly has the power to end a vampire's life, she is the one who decides who will rule next. As I look across the street at the deserted house, I sigh. Wooden boards cover the windows, brown grass surrounds the dilapidated house, and cream-colored paint peels away like rotting flesh. As her mother screams her final painful push, I can hear the chosen child's cries. The pungent odor of urine replaces the stench of fresh blood and placenta. How can a pitiful being save my kingdom? My rage rises as I snarl at the thought. When I think about my people's future, the anger that has built up in my mind quickly dissipates. I take a deep breath in and try to relax. The goddess has time to reconsider and choose one of the vampire children to inherit the throne instead of this low-born filth. Although I know this isn't true and is just wishful thinking on my part, she doesn't have time, and neither do I. The other leaders have already identified their successors. "My queen," he says.

I swing my head, startled by my thoughts. How could I have overlooked my lover? When I look at him, my heart bursts with joy. Taking in his features, I notice apricot-colored eyes, pale clear skin, and long black wavy hair with the most seductive smiling lips staring back at me; his beauty makes my pulse quicken.

"Yes, Samual," I say, shaking my head to clear my mind. "Are you sure Sekhmet didn't get this wrong, love?" Surely a peasant, a human peasant, isn't our only hope." I take my lover's hand in mine. I grimace, looking into his eyes as I speak with certainty and hypocrisy. "You will not question our goddess, Sam; she has never let us down before, and as our creator, the goddess is never wrong." "Yes, dear, please forgive me; I know I'm speaking out of line." He reaches out his hand and places it on the back of my neck before yanking me to him and kissing me passionately. Grabbing my hair roughly. He nips my lip and licks a droplet of blood from it. My throat begins to dry and burn from hunger, so I know he's thirsty. "How long have we been without nourishment, my love?" " I exclaim as I take a breather. "Two weeks, give or take," he says, grabbing my face and nipping at my chin. I grab his face and shift into a sitting position on his lap. My black lace gown drapes over his white slacks. "I'm hungry, and I know you are, so take a quick bite, and I'll return the favor." He pins me so tightly to the seat across from us that I gasp. He's always been the faster of the two of us, grabbing my neck with one hand and splaying his other hand across my hip. With his canines, he bites into my neck. I experience instant arousal and euphoria, my nipples hardening.

I can hear him sucking my blood. Each pull he takes goes to my clit, giving the impression that his mouth is there.

I feel his shaft swell through his pants and know we need to stop, but I don't care because pleasure has won and my worries have faded. With my hands on his chest, I push him back and knock him to the other side of the seat. In an instant, I'm on top of him. I shift my head to his neck and bite, his blood filling my mouth and causing me to moan. He always tastes like the most expensive wine. "Fuck yes, that's it," he moans as I finish my last sip of his blood, he cums and pulls me into his body. I stop biting his neck and yell, feeling the energy of his orgasm pulsing through me as if it were my own. I back away, my gaze fixed on his giggling face. I notice myself grinning back. "I love you, Sam, but we have to go." "Now that we have a daughter, we have to remember to feed her more frequently; we can't just feed anywhere," I say as I lean back, adjusting my dress and hair while still grinning. "You have my undying love, too." "I'll be more cautious when I'm near the kid," he jokes. Sam rushes over to open the door for me before I can even touch the handle. The cold night air hits my face as Sam takes my hand and leads me out of the limo. He then shuts my door and gives me a flirtatious smile and wink. Sam takes a step behind me, as he always does to ensure he can protect me in case of danger, and we walk quietly to the abandoned house until the silence is broken. "Did you bring the funds, Sam?" " "Yes, dear, but are you sure her mother will accept the money?" I come to an abrupt halt. I tilt my head to meet his gaze. "She will humans are naturally greedy, only thinking of themselves, and even their so-called motherly bonds can be broken by the slightest provocation," I say. He stops me from walking again by grabbing my arm, his face expressionless. "That may be true in some cases, Susan, but it is not true in all. I'm not joking. What if she decided that her daughter was more important than luxury?" I can feel his anxiety pulsing through the bond. I turn away from him and return to the house. As my thoughts race, I keep walking towards the house. I take a deep breath of the night air before beginning to explain. "We force her and persuade her to give up the baby for adoption." We give her the money so she can start over. We will also persuade her that she never wanted a child and never cared for her daughter, but let's hope it doesn't come to that because my abilities have deteriorated." As we continue forward, he walks in front of me. He appears to be listening for disaster more than usual tonight. We finally make it to the front door. The baby's crying has stopped. I hear her mother comforting her daughter, and I feel a pang of guilt about what I might have to do if this mother objects to our plans. When Samuel opens the front door, the smell of blood intensifies. When I realize the blood smells like cinnamon and honey, I gasp. I moan at the delicious smell, which is both sweet and addictive. I'm glad I sensed our hunger and calmed our bloodlust. Or I could have been possessed by the odor and ripped the human's neck open with my teeth. Now I understand why they say human blood is our only drug. I hiss in disgust as a rat squeaks by my feet. "I can't believe the goddess chose human dirt like this instead of a vampire child born of noble blood," I grumble to my beloved. Finally, we reach the mother. I can tell she doesn't have much time left because of her bloody thighs and her labored breathing. My entire being is stunned as sympathy pours in. Her long, exquisite lashes are glistening with unshed tears, and her rich, ebony skin is drenched in sweat. Her gorgeous huge bow-shaped lips form an elegant yet reserved smile as she raises her head. I hiss in disgust as a rat squeaks by my feet. "I can't believe the goddess chose human dirt like this rather than a vampire child born of nobility," I muttered to my beloved. Finally, we reach the mother. I can tell she doesn't have much time left by looking at her bloody thighs and hearing her labored breathing. My entire being is stunned as sympathy pours in. Her long, exquisite lashes are glistening with unshed tears, and her rich, ebony skin is drenched in sweat. Her beautiful huge bow-shaped lips form an elegant yet reserved smile as she raises her head. I would never feel this way about one of their kind; these are someone else's feelings. As I realize this, I am transported to her memories. I relive her memories as if they were mine, feeling her anguish, suffering, struggle, and trauma. Everything is obvious to me. With a sickening shiver, I sense the goddess's presence. This is entirely her fault. "Please, goddess, stop. Please show mercy! " I scream as the pain and suffering of humanity claw at me like a living beast. I stagger back, clutching my chest as agony like I've never known spreads throughout my body like wildfire. I am abruptly removed from her memories. The agony and suffering that had plagued me were gradually fading.

The goddess appears in front of me, her face contorted in rage. "You call her filthy and lowly, but you can't bear half of her pain," the goddess laughs as she grabs my throat. Her claw-like nails penetrate my skin.

"This is why you are unfit to rule. This is why I take away your blessing and authority. This is why I'm putting you to rest! " she screams, her fangs extending in rage. I see Samuel sprint past me to the goddess as he prepares to attack; she turns her head his way, and with a flick of her wrist, he's on his knees; she hisses at him and looks down at him. "You mischievous boy, defending your blood born from her punishment how noble as well as stupid of you, she must learn she is not the decision-maker I am!" " She releases my neck, and I collapse to the ground, gasping for air as my life force returns. My eyes well up with tears. I looked up at her, terrified and amazed. Until tonight, I had given up on the goddess. She hasn't appeared since the last ruler, and she summoned me for the first time today to inform me of the location of the chosen child. She glows as if the sun is inside her skin. Long black locs cascade around her curvy figure. Her skin appears to be labradorite, whereas mine appears to be milky quartz, her lips plump and luscious, and her eyes as dark as a black hole. She is dressed in a flowing gold silk gown that, instead of reflecting sunlight, appears to reflect the light of a newly formed star. "Goddess, why are you appearing now?" It is not her time to die. Has she been a bad ruler? You never gave her your blessing; you never guided her; she bears no responsibility." Samuel begs her to spare me, his eyes beseeching her. "You stupid child, stay silent."

I did not ordain her as a priestess because she was unworthy. She devised a system to benefit herself, lowering those without gifts while elevating those with gifts, such as you; this is not how I wanted my children to live."

My lover's head snaps back as she flicks her hand upward once more, and blood splatters from his eyes. As my eyes start to overflow with blood, I feel his anguish through our bond. She returns her gaze to mine, clicking her tongue. "I've come to warn you, my two mischievous children who have made life miserable for my other children. Neither of you should endanger this child. If you think me taking your immortality and gifts is cruel, just wait to see my wrath if you don't obey my orders." She lowers her hand. Samuel collapses forward, gasping for air and clutching his stomach, his face contorted in agony. Her gown billows eloquently around her as she turns to face the human mother. "You, my dear, are accompanying me to a paradise that this world has never seemed to bestow upon you, nor has the god of humans shown enough concern to provide for you." The goddess kisses her hand and looks at her with such warmth that I am overcome with jealousy and rage. "You're not her goddess; you owe her nothing; why do you worship her and despise me?" Isn't it true that I'm one of your creations? Isn't it true that I was made in your image? I didn't know what to do because you never spoke to me or graced me with your presence." "You dare to speak to me as if you are worthy," she says, and I flinch as I see the calm rage swirling in the black unforgiving darkness of her eyes. "I know you murdered the other potential priestesses before the blessing ceremony, and I see your entire heart is black as coal." Because I thought you were just misguided, I blessed you with a blood born mate you could cherish and love for the rest of your life, and what do you do?

You murder him, stealing his heart with the temporary blood gift I gave you. Then, using the power, bind an unwilling mortal lover to you. Samuel was your sister's mate; he was never meant to be yours."

When my sister is mentioned, I hiss and shake my head in denial. "I should kill you, you stupid envious girl, because that gift was never yours, it belonged to your sister, and I only gave it to you so that you could help her find her mortal companion," she says as she leans down and grips my face. Her body was too weak at the time to hold onto that power, so her powers were transferred to you until she found her mate. But you murdered her, as you did the other priestesses, because you were jealous. You don't deserve her talents or her poor mate, whom you forced to be your blood born; you deserve to suffer." As her hands clamp around my cheeks, my chin cracks. As I begin to believe, all hope is lost. The mortal mother's voice cracks as she addresses the goddess. "Goddess, you are not evil; please, the prophecy will be broken if you kill her now; have mercy on her." The goddess begins to smile slowly, her fangs receding as her rage fades. She drops my face from her grasp and tosses me to the ground as if I were nothing. She returns to the mortal like a caring mother, and I am hurt as the past resurfaces and jealousy consumes me once more. Why couldn't she bless me like my sister; instead, she tried to give me a farmhand as a blood born; wasn't I good enough to get a royal mate? Was I unworthy of the blood-binding gift? I remained strong while my sister was ill. Why did she choose a poor vampire farmhand over the attractive mortal prince for my blood born? She returns to me, her eyes filled with sympathy and pity, and before leading the mortal daughter to the palace, she says one last thing.

And what she says breaks my heart and freezes what's left of my soul. "If only your sister hadn't made you envious, my darling lost child, you would have heard me calling out to you." The first male priest would have been your blood born, and he would have been enormously powerful and beneficial in my opinion. He would also have been the ruler of the other beings I planned to create. You could have been a queen with your land, but your rage and jealousy destroyed your promising future. I truly regret the future you missed." As she walks away, I start crying because I know what she says is true. I crawl toward my beloved, my heart twisted with pain. Weeping over his sleeping body, I consider the future I robbed him of. I lament the future I could have had. I cry for the sister I murdered and deceived out of selfishness, and I also cry for the possible partner I could've had. As the strong energy fades, I curse the heavens as a breeze sweeps in. Knowing the goddess had left me to deliver the child and make her demands before returning to her realm with the chosen child's mother.