Friends, let me tell you a tale that will freeze your blood and chill you to the bone: A tale of a creature who lives on the blood of the innocent and prowls in the deepest, darkest depths of your nightmares. He is a Prince of Darkness, one of the denizens of the night...yet, at first glance, he is not what you would expect...

Our story begins in Orange County on a dark stormy night...

May 1979

Huntington Beach, California

10 PM

Lightning flashes in the pitch black sky illuminating a large gothic mansion on a hill overlooking downtown Huntington Beach. Rain pelts down across the small town, heavier than any other night. The residents remain huddled within their cosy homes oblivious to the stirring deep in the night...an ancient evil rising above the town and settling over the hill...

A young woman paced a long hallway arms wrapped loosely over her stomach. She was a slip of a thing barely over four feet tall. Long black hair fell beyond her waist; her skin was pale, alabaster almost translucent. The bump in her stomach, evidence of an impending pregnancy, was the only large part of her physique, and even then only by a little.

Eyes half closed, she sang softly to the unborn babe that stirred within her. Glass rattled in a window close by; she glanced toward it. A gibbous moon hung low in the sky; the silhouette of tree branches cast strange shadows onto the inside walls. They looked like hooked claws. Raindrops dripped down the steel frame of the window. She shivered a little then continued her movement.

A shift in light quality tugged at the edge of her vision and she glanced toward the window again. A dark shadow fell across the window ledge. A looming figure filled the window frame. She swallowed hard pulling her nightgown close to her body and hurrying further into the house.

She headed for the largest room on the lower level of the two-storey building senses on high alert. Glancing warily from side to side, she noticed an open window along one of the hallways, but she didn’t slow to close it. She needed to get further into the colossal mansion. She would be safe then. Safe from whatever was out there…

Someone was out there. She could sense whomever it was without having to see them. Her skin prickled unnervingly as she made her way into the darkened living room. Then she halted heart rate increasing as she heard a sound coming from her left.

A low hiss as if from an exhaled breath filled the room and seemed to envelop her senses. She shuddered and stumbled toward the wall, fumbling in the dark for the light switch. She hit it and soft light filled the huge room. Then she swung round to where she’d heard the noise. There was no one there.

She relaxed and leaned against the wall, breaths slowing.

Wiping a hand over her face, she sighed softly, laughing at herself. “Just imagining things...”

Soft laughter reached her ears as soon as she voiced that thought, then a sibilant hiss deep from inside her mind: I wouldn’t be too sure of that, sweetheart...

She gasped holding her hand to her throat as a burning pain shot through her heart. Fear gripped her and she dashed for the door entering the dark corridor and racing toward the one sanctuary she knew.

The tiny chapel in the centre of the mansion was the only place she knew that could not be breached by the denizens of the night. Even he would hesitate before breaching the code of sanctity that was set for that place. No matter that, she was one of his ilk; she was still pure of mind and heart, even if her soul had been darkened.

More laughter echoed through her, taunting her as the corridor seemed to get longer by the second. She whimpered as she stumbled along, arms wrapped over her stomach.

Finally, after what felt like hours, but was really only minutes, she reached the enormous double doors that lead to the chapel. She reached out, fingertips brushing the handle. She went to turn it, the latch unlocking.

“Don’t.” The voice that echoed through the darkness caught her off guard and, allowing her hand to fall from the handle, she sank to the floor clutching protectively at her stomach.

A deep, masculine chuckle slid around her entering her mind as she trembled, pressing into the floor. Silent footsteps approached and the same looming figure she’d witnessed in the window earlier towered above her.

She gazed up at the figure, nostrils flaring. It was male, the levels of testosterone in his blood was overwhelmingly evident; she could almost taste it in the stifling atmosphere that surrounded them.

Sinister shadows obscured his face from her as she cowered against the wall. However, she did not need the light to recognise him. She could smell his blood, sense it pulsing through his veins as he stepped closer to her. His bulky frame blocked out all light. Straightening up so she was standing, she hissed, lip curling, showing a fang. He chuckled, the sound sending shivers down her spine.

“You’re close, aren’t you?” His deep voice chilled her to the bone. Looking away, she brought her hands to cover the bump beneath her dressing gown. He smirked faintly, teeth flashing in the dark. “How soon?”

She trembled, breath catching in her throat. “Days...”

“When?” His tone was harsh. She shook her head. His hand shot out gripping her throat. She grabbed hold of his muscled forearm, more just to hold him then to try to push him away.

His grip tightened. “When, sweetheart?”

She whimpered as his fingers squeezed on her windpipe, clawing weakly at his skin, absently noting the ink that etched the length of his strong arm.

He growled low. “Tell me...”

“The 9th...” Her voice wavered desperately. He released her and she slid to the floor pressing her forehead to her knees.

There was a rustling above her and then he was right in her face, crouched before her, his breath hot on her flesh. “Know this, sweetheart...your child belongs to me...he has my blood coursing through his veins...” He chuckled cruelly. “And you know what that means don’t you, sweetheart?”

She trembled but lifted steely eyes to his; his expression concealed behind dark shades.

A sudden burst of bravado surfaced from within her soul. “No. That won’t ever be...you’re a fucking monster. I will not allow you to corrupt our child.”

His laughter was ice-cold. He touched his fingertips to her neck, stroking lightly. “Oh? And how do you propose to stop me?”

She whimpered. “I won’t let you near him...”

He sneered, eyes narrowing behind his shades. “It’s a boy?”

She shuddered turning her face away, knowing she’d given him too much information.

He smiled icily. “Then it’s already too late to stop this...he’ll be as black as the night...”

“No...” She let out a desperate sob. “No...he will not...I won’t allow it...”

He smirked then leaned close to force his lips against hers slowly pressing his tongue into her mouth curling it against her sharp canines. She whimpered clutching at his biceps. He snarled and bit her bottom lip hard, drawing blood. Then he drew back, standing, watching as she winced sucking her bottom lip.

Chuckling he whispered, a deadly promise, “Do not think that you can hide from me. Wherever you go...I will find you.”

Then he was gone as silently as he had come. Trembling she remained huddled against the wall eventually falling into a deep, yet, troubled slumber.

* * * * *

The next morning found her hurrying through the mansion into the master bedchamber. Blood-red drapes hung around an enormous four-poster bed. She avoided the bed, not even wanting to look at it, afraid of the memories that stirred in her mind. Memories of the night her child was conceived. She had been a virgin. He had not been gentle. Now, she wanted rid of those memories, this life.

Moving quickly, she went to the walk in wardrobe and began to gather her clothes together, grabbing a large suitcase and tossing them inside. She did not have time to worry about making sure they were neatly folded. She planned on leaving and never coming back. She had no idea where she was going to go but she knew she had to find a safe haven for her unborn child.

She paused for a moment as he stirred inside her womb.

Placing a palm over her belly, she murmured soothingly. “Hush…you’ll be okay…” He stilled and she went back to her packing.

Half an hour later she stood in the front hall overstuffed suitcase at her feet. Holding her right hand to her stomach, she gave the huge entrance hall one last glance over. She would miss the place; she was born there after all. However, she knew that she had to get away, find some place safer for her child to be born. After that, she did not know what would happen. Only time would tell.

Lifting her bag, she stepped out through the front door and made her way down the steps to the vehicle waiting to take her away. The chauffeur opened the door for her; she nodded her thanks and slipped inside. As she did, an icy tingle snaked down her spine and the sensation of someone watching her filled her with dread. She turned her gaze toward the hills towering behind her home scanning the horizon; then motioned the chauffeur to close the door.

As it clicked shut and the driver climbed in, starting the car, an overwhelming wave of fury descended upon her.

She gasped clutching at her stomach, curling on the seat of the car, whimpering. “Drive…for mercy’s sake…drive!”

Wild rage surged across the hill, the rain thickening as lightning flashed furiously in the sky. She huddled tighter into herself muttering soft prayers over her unborn child, holding his wrath at bay, wanting to feel even the smallest sense of hope. Yet, knowing that in the end it was useless. She would lose… Hewould win.

He always did.

Notes