FORBIDDEN

Chapter 1

A dark petite figure emerges from the looming shadows of the alleyway like a predator. It's prey dashes down the narrow pathway, running for its life.

The figure is calm and maybe even a little bored with this game already. It pulls something from its belt and raises its arm.

The prey is halfway through the alley now, panting.

The dark figure hurls an object from its hand at the prey. The prey falls instantly to its knees---a direct hit to the heart. The figure effortlessly walks over to the fallen body.

Around the corner of the alley appears a young man. He stops in his tracks at the sight he sees before him, dropping his brown leather messenger bag to the ground with a thud.

The dark figure pulls the thrown object out of the back of the lifeless body, and whips around at the sound of the thudding bag. Before the young man can make a run for it, the dark figure pins him against the brick alley wall.

"Wh-who are you?" the man asks shakily. The figure's face is still not visible, even this close. It is shaded by an oversized black hood.

The figure pressed a blood-covered dagger to his throat.

The man's eyes squeeze shut and he presses into the brick wall. "I'll do anything you want! Please, don't ki-"

"Shh!" the figure places a firm gloved finger over the man's mouth. It slides the knife gently across the man's throat, making a thin tiny cut. It pulls the knife away and smells the blood.

The man winces, and opens one eye cautiously.

The figure reaches its left hand up and pulls down the hood. Long curly black hair falls down and a woman's face is revealed.

The man opens both of his eyes and stares in shock and maybe even in awe of her beauty.

The woman holds the knife closer to her face and licks the man's blood on the knife.

The man scrunches his face in disgust.

"What are you?" the woman demands.

"Wh-what?" the man asks in confusion.

"You heard me," she says roughly. "What are you? Fairy? Ghoul? Rugaru?"

"Um, human?" the man responds. His voice cracks.

"Don't lie to me!" the woman shouts and puts the knife back on his throat.

"I'm not!" he pleads. "I don't know what you are talking about! Please!"

She moves her head close to his and stares into his eyes---nose to nose. When she is satisfied, she pulls away and puts her knife in its holster.

The man lets out a deep breath and adjusts the thick plastic frames on his face. He doesn't dare move far from his place against the wall. The woman still scares him.

"There's something off about you," she says. "You smell different than the others."

"Thank you?" he tries. This woman confuses him.

She huffs a laugh. "You certainly act like a human." She walks over to the body on the ground. "Normally, you would've been dead by now," she lifts up the body on the ground by the hair and reveals a man's face forever frozen in fear. "like this son of a bitch, but there's something about you that makes me curious." She smirks and reaches into her jacket pocket.

The man flinches out of instinct.

The woman pulls out a lighter and steps away from the body. She clicks the button and tosses it at the body. The body unnaturally engulfs into flames. The woman sees the look of horror on the man's face and says, "Don't worry. He was just a nasty vampire."

But that doesn't comfort the man. He gulps.

"Oh, forget it. I'll explain everything later," she goes over and picks up the messenger bag. "Let's go." She begins to walk out of the alleyway.

The man stays frozen and scared. When she notices, the woman turns around. "We can either do this is the easy way or the hard way, and I think you saw how good I am with a knife. But, I mean, it's up to you." She smirks.

The man immediately jogs toward her, but makes sure to hug the wall to stay far away from the burning body, now forming into ashes.

When he reaches her, she asks, "So what's your name, kid?"

"I'm, uh, Elliot," he says, unsure as to whether or not he should be telling her anything.

"Well, Elliot, I've got a lot to show you," she grins and reaches for her hood. "I'm Melinda and your whole world's about to change." The hood goes back to hiding her identity to all but Elliot.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hey, guys! I want to try writing this new story, so let me know if you like it by voting, commenting, and sharing. Then I'll write more :) I think I'm pretty happy with my descriptions on this one and am excited to see where it goes!