Set Me Free

~Chapter One~

"You fucking bitch!" screams Mr. Grabby Hands, over the sound of the music blaring through the dark, intimately sized club. He stumbles backwards, clutcheing at his injured 'family jewels'.

I narrow my eyes at him. "Yeah, I'm a bitch, but I'm not yours. So keep your hands to yourself -- or next time I'll do more than squeeze...I'll rip them off."

The slimeball winces and spits in my direction before sauntering off to nurse his wounds.

Turning toward the bar, I flag down Elijah for a drink. He comes over and begins to prepare my usual -- O Positive, at a nearly perfect temperature of 96.3° fahrenheit. It's not on the menu, as vampires are not 'out of the coffin' so to speak. This is just one of the perks of being best friends with the bartender.

"Hey, Sid. I see you're still causing men to limp away in fear," Eli chuckles. "what happened, this time?"

"Drunk assholes. They're all the same," I sigh, rolling my eyes. "This one just came up behind me and full on grabbed my ass!" Eli hands me the drink and drops his head in disappointment at his gender, pinching the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger.

"Humans are so abrasive. Sometimes I wonder why I left Necrabyss. And then I remember I have you." I smile around the straw as I sip my drink.

"Aww, thanks, doll," Eli smirks as he offers his hand for a fist bump and I return the gesture.

Eli and I have been friends for about 2 years. That's about the time I left my kingdom to join the mortal world. Yes, my kingdom. I am Princess Obsidian Dawn of the Kingdom of Necrabyss. It's kind of like the place all supernatural creatures go to await the next step in their afterlife. A type of limbo, you might say, but for supes only. Some come to stay, others choose reincarnation -- but you can't choose what you'll be in your next life -- and some, those who are just ready to stop the loop of existence, decide to jump into the Abyss. The Abyss is the final resting place for those souls who are ready to be at peace.
It sounds darker than it is, believe me.

I left Necrabyss because I was ready to have some fun in the mortal world and stop being shoved into the 'royal' box. I wanted to be set free. And now here I am getting my ass grabbed at a bar. Eh. Can't have everything go my way, right?

As I'm sipping my drink, lost in thought, Eli gets called away by a customer in need and I don't even notice when he comes back.

"Earth to Obsidian," he says, pulling me out of my reverie.

"Hmm?" I blink back into the here and now. "Did you say something, babe?"

"I said 'you've got an admirer,'" he subtly nods his head in the direction of a woman in a fishnet top with a chained bustier atop the fishnet. Even in the dim light of the club, I could see she was looking in our direction.

"Oh?" I say, looking back from under my lashes as I finish off my O+.

"Yep. Called me over to order a Screwdriver and told me to tell you she liked how you handled Mr. Grabby Hands." Eli chortled as he nudged my shoulder, wiggling his brows.
I slid my glass toward him with a smirk indicating I was finished and stood, bracing my hands on the bar.

"Thanks, babes. I think I'm gonna head out. It's about closing time anyway, yeah?"

Eli looks at his watch, and his face brightens. "Yes! Nearly a quarter to 3A.M. You've got about 4 hours till sunrise. Maybe you could use some of that time to get to know Screwdriver, if you catch my drift." He winks and I bite my lip at the thought.

"I'll see you later, love." After giving him a quick over the bar hug, I turn to give the woman -- my admirer, as Eli called her -- a 2 fingered salute but her place at the other end of the bar was empty. "Hmm, she's gone. Damn."

As I'm walking out of the bar, I hear Eli call after me, "Let me know when you get home safe!" I can hear by the sound of his voice that he's fighting not to laugh. He knows I'm a vampire and can handle myself. He's messing with me. I keep walking and casually flip him the bird over my shoulder. That does it. He's full on cackling as I finally make my exit.

The street lights cast an orange glow over the parking lot and the night air is still and quiet. I look around to make sure that I'm alone before I melt into the shadows. I tend to use the blanket of shadows to choose my method of travel. Mist is one of my favorite forms to take. It reminds me of when I was a human, so many centuries ago. You know that tingly feeling when your foot falls asleep? Your whole body feels a bit like that when traveling as the mist -- only less intense.

Walking off to the side of the building, I get the sense that I'm not alone. Just before I step into the shadows, I feel a soft brush of breath on my neck. With vamp speed I whirl around, teeth bared, ready for anything. Surprisingly, no one's there but there's a small spot just out of reach of the lights cascading over the lot. It's too dark a shadow for the area. I narrow my eyes and prepare to attack, but is I do, the shadow dissolves into the deep darkness beyond. As it goes, I catch the faint sound of a giggle. It sounds like a woman. Before I have time to decide what kind of supe is messing with me, it's gone and I'm once again alone. I fall into the shadows quickly, letting my body flow fluidly into mist and hurriedly make my escape toward home. Hoping with all my might that it's not someone trying to take me back to Necrabyss.