Punk Rock Vampire

Pearl

A/N: I'm a huge fantasy/paranormal/supernatural fan, but this is one of the few times I've really ventured into the genre for a Richonne fic. I think this may become a trend. :) I'm itching to explore this Vampire Rick/Michonne dynamic and am so excited you're along for the ride!

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Rick watched from backstage, as enthralled with Michonne as the crowd. She lingered on the edge of the stage, whipping her long locs in a circular motion in sync with the music of her band. One half of her head was shaved almost down to the scalp. The hairstyle was new. It suited her.

Rick had come to the show straight from his business meeting. The bumper-to-bumper traffic characteristic of the Seattle metro area had him itching to fly, but the need for discretion had outweighed his impatience. Michonne's band, Angry Black Woman, was opening their first statewide tour in the city she'd called home for the past five years.

As a successful but unremarkable contracts lawyer, Rick had the time to both manage his territory and remain close - but unconnected - to Michonne. Attending her concerts was always a risk, but this was a major event in her career that he'd refused to miss, even if she remained completely oblivious of his presence.

Michonne's best friend, Andrea, pounded on the drums with a ferocity that Rick admired. She and Michonne had met in college, where they formed the band with another girl who eventually dropped out to attend med school. The softness of her big blue eyes and cropped curly blonde hair contrasted with her bulging biceps, as she kept the beat of the punk rock melody.

Sasha, the third member of the band, played a bass guitar that was nearly half her size. A brilliant guitar player, she was more on the quiet side, spending most of her free time reading books and watching episodes of Star Trek. Rick had no clue why Daryl had inserted that last detail in his notes.

Mike, the lead guitarist and most recent band member, joined Michonne front and center. They played off of each other seamlessly, ensconced in the rhythm of their own world, as she belted out the haunting lyrics:

Filled with doubt, though she is right

So she moves, anxious but steadily

Fading now into the night

According to Daryl, who kept a close eye on Michonne while Rick traveled for clan business, the two musicians had become an item months ago, while he was attending a gathering on the East Coast. Their chemistry translated onstage, Michonne gazing into Mike's eyes as she sang and he strummed his electric guitar, their deep brown complexions shining blue in the stage lights. Michonne's skin held an ethereal glow, making Rick's fangs tingle.

The wood of the column he was holding cracked and groaned beneath his death grip. Rick took a breath, releasing the pole before he did noticeable damage. Michonne was a grown woman, free to make her own mistakes both in life and in love.

From what Rick had gleaned from his own background check, Mike's ambition made him more of a business man than an artist. He'd played for a number of bands before joining Angry Black Woman a little over a year ago. While Michonne was content to perform music for her fans throughout the Pacific Northwest, Mike wanted more - more money, more fame, more opportunity. Whether Michonne had picked up on that - or had simply chosen to ignore it - Rick was unsure.

Their duet ended in a screeching crescendo, the crowd shouting its admiration. Michonne returned to the mic, her skin glistening with sweat:

And she ran like blood