BLOODBOUND DESIRE

11:50 pm, Downtown, New York city "Help! Somebody, please help me! Hel_ ahh!" Lira's eyes opened wider as sharp edges of a sort of metal whip impaled her skin. She let out a scream as another stroke fell on her back. She stumbled forward, well as much as was possible without her cane. Each movement felt excruciating but she didn't relent. She yelped as her hand was pulled up and she was held in place by a heavy force. A chill ran down her back as the heavy footsteps from earlier got closer. The closer the footsteps got the faster her heartbeats. No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't get out of the telekinetic hold. There was a sudden rush of adrenaline when she noticed a crack in the mental hold on her body. She grabbed her saddle bag and threw it towards the reddish white-eyed creature behind her and rushed forward. She did not go far before she was hit from behind by a heavy buzzing force and flew forward. She tried kicking or hitting whoever held her up but only met air. She thrashed around while screaming, "Nooo, Let me go! Heeelp! Heeelp! Someb_" Everything went dark before she could complete the sentence. ***** A day earlier, Delight cafe, Queens, New York City. "Sorry, we are closed," Lira said looking up from the account books open on the counter. At the sound of the bell chime from the front door of her Cafe. It was almost midnight. The last customers, a group of college aged girls left a short while ago. As did her sole Employee, Tania. The sound of steady footsteps made her look up. Lira let out the heavy breath, she unknowingly held. Her gaze fell on a tall beautiful woman with a set of striking green eyes. The woman looked neither young nor old. She was dressed in a bright red deep-cut knee-length gown, red 6-inch strappy heels, and full-length black trench coat. Her long blonde curls were swept to the side. It fell on one shoulder. Although not visible. Lira could still remember the throne-like tattoos that ran down the woman's caramel skin. "Gigi," She whispered, quickly standing and hurrying to the door. She looked out the glass and surveyed the streets. She was relieved to come back empty. She brought down the screen and rushed to the window, "What are you doing here, Gigi?" She pulled down the shutters on the door and window. She placed a hand in the middle of the other woman's back and pushed her forward. "You shouldn't have come here," Lira muttered, eyes trailing at the quiet street outside the cafe. "What if someone sees you?" She turned away from the window, "Your presence here could ruin my business. You better have a f*****g good reason to be here." "Watch your language, Lira. Does a mother need a good reason to see her daughter?" Lira pressed her lips into a thin line, "She does if she is a blood slave like you". "You_" Regina raised her hand but stopped halfway as she met her daughter's defiant expression. She gritted her teeth and brought down her hand, "You've spent too much time with mamá. You are slowly turning into her!" "Thank you," she said with a smirk. Regina glared at her daughter for a few seconds before she looked away. A few seconds later, she took out a small velvet box from her small mini Dior bag and placed it on the table beside Lira. "I don't have much time, take that. It is a family heirloom. You will be twenty eight in a few months, you should have that". She frowned and glanced down at the velvet box, "What is it?" "It is a necklace, it has been in your father's family for a while. Your grandma gave it to me when your brother was born". Her hand inched close to the velvet pouch but paused a few inches away and glanced at her mother, "Shouldn't it go to Rheal?" Her mother frowned slightly and shook her head, "Your grandma instructed me to give it to you once you turn 30". "That explains it," she muttered under her breath. She picked up the pouch, raised the flap, and looked in. There was indeed a necklace inside the pouch. She dropped the flap and returned her gaze to her mother, "I have the necklace so you can now leave". "Leave?" Regina Jovi scoffed, "You really are something". Her eyes narrowed, "Isn't the leash on you getting painful?" "Lira!" "What?" Regina shot her daughter a sharp glare, "I don't have time to deal with you," she turned around and left the cafe. Lira stood by the door until she left. Once the black Bentley that brought her mother drove off. She went back into the cafe and shut the door. She quickly went back to cleaning up the cafe. It was getting late. Normally she would leave that for Tania but she had a lot in her mind. Cleaning always helped her clear her mind. Later, after locking up, she climbed the stairs to her apartment, slowly. Her knees ached. She leaned on her good leg, breathing hard. She stopped at the top of her apartment stairs. Her breath was heavy. After a long day, the pain in her knees had gotten worse. She leaned slightly on her good leg for a few minutes. Before she resumed moving forward. Her knees buckled as she walked past her next door neighbour's front door. Her eyes widened as her gaze fell on the male figure lying in front of her front door. "Ah_" She immediately caught herself before a scream nearly slipped out of her mouth. I should call the cops..." She slipped a hand into her bag and took out her phone. She suddenly regretted putting off replacing the hallway bulb. But quickly made a plan to do so tomorrow. There were three apartments on this floor, both of which were empty except her own so essentially she was on her own.