A/N: Hello! Ok, so this is a story that has been floating around in my mind for a while. This is ONLY the forward, and from the next chapter on, we will mostly be dealing with SQ.

I do not own any characters, blah blah blah you know the drill.

AU: Vampire Regina...

On the night of Regina Mills 25th birthday, everything changes. The life she thought she knew no longer existed, the people she thought she could trust, no longer seemed worth trusting. Her fate was sealed long before she was born. Long before she ever had a chance to make decisions of her own free will... Not everything goes as planned, however, and suddenly nothing is as it should be...

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All magic comes with a price. It has to, it's the natural order of things. For a life given, a life must be sacrificed. That is why few wish to have it. Few willingly seek out and take in the power. So few, in fact, magical beings were becoming fewer and fewer. And something had to be done.

Rumplestiltskin was not a man to be messed with. He also wasn't someone you wanted to come looking for you. Very few called for him, but when they did. It was usually out of desperation.

This case was different, however... This was a willing victim. Someone who was desperate, but had already hit rock bottom. She would most likely give up everything, and that would give him everything he needed. Everything he needed to keep Magic alive, to keep his powers going, and to eventually get everything he ever wanted.

"You wish these powers why?" Rumplestiltskin asked with his impish laugh.

"I seek power and freedom. I want nothing more than to leave these rags for riches." A young Cora stood tall as she made her proclamation.

A glimmer was obvious in the imp of a man's eyes. They sparkled a golden hue as they took in the millers daughter. She was beautiful and quite bold. "You think magic means power and freedom?" He smirked as a finger trailed over the bare arm of Cora.

She shivered, not sure why. Rumplestiltskin's touch was warm, but the air around him was cold as ice. "I believe once I know enough of it I can become powerful enough to have all I could ever want or need." Her nose in the air as she spoke. She knew she was being foolish, but she couldn't handle it anymore. Her deadbeat drunk father could hardly keep himself awake long enough to provide for them. Without him, she had nothing. They were nothing.

A fire Cora didn't even notice was burning burst hot into the room, almost burning her skin as it flamed up, and then imploded on itself returning back to its normal size. "All magic comes with a price dearie," Rumple was swirling around Cora as he spoke. He didn't have to use all the dramatics, but it was so rare he got to use them these days. "Your price will be paid with every lesson learned. The more you learn, the higher the price." His fingers drummed together gleefully, as he licked his lips, coming to a complete standstill. "Your first lessons will begin at sunrise, and the price you pay tonight will be this," He said procuring a glowing purple bottle from thin air, and into his hand.

"Wha- What is it?" Cora asked wide-eyed as she took a tentative step forward, her shaky hand reaching out to the mesmerizing bottle.

Closing his hand quickly the bottle vanished. With a wicked chuckle, one dark enough to send a shiver right to Cora's spine, he magicked two chairs and a table to the otherwise empty room. "A smart girl to ask questions, although, what an obvious question to ask," He laughed, two teacups full of hot delicious smelling lemon tea were now steaming in front of them with a snap of his fingers as he continued his dramatic display of powers. "I usually would not offer tea or an explanation as to why I do what I do, to anyone." He sighed as he picked up a spoon and began swirling his tea. "But I feel as though I must in this case." He set his cup down his golden eyes boring into the slightly frightened brown across from him.

Cora picked up the tea searching, for what she didn't know. Had he poisoned it, or slipped that purple vile into it, she would surely see it. Wouldn't she? She could tell by the smirk on Rumple's face he could read her like a book. Rolling her eyes she set down her teacup and pushed in toward him. "It needs sugar," She smirked trying to remain confident. It seemed he needed her as much as she needed him. "Tell me, and then we'll go from there. I don't believe anything you tell me can make me change my mind." She said confidently, waiting for her sugar.

With a flick of his wrist, a cube fell into Cora's cup and then two into his. "We shall see." Rumple shrugged before taking a sip of his tea. "The price you pay will be that of your child." he pointed to Cora's flat belly no longer smiling, only seriousness conveyed in his tone.

Cora scoffed and rolled her eyes, "I am not with child. Surely you know this." Her eyebrows furrowed, as she shook her head.

"Foolish girl," Rumple practically hissed as his hands slammed on the table. "One day you shall marry. You will bear a child, a girl." He closed his eyes as he spoke now, golden visions of his mind bouncing off the white walls. His tone instantly softening as if he were another person altogether. "She will be the most powerful Queen this realm, or any realm has ever seen. She will keep the magic alive." He smiled. Where there was a child, was now a woman towering across the moving images on the wall. Her face was distorted, but her hair was as dark as raven feathers, and her skin practically glowed of bronzed perfection. "She will become Queen on her 25th birthday. That age she will stay," His eyes opened, the images vanishing, the fire dimming as the next word trailed out of his mouth. "Forever,"

The single word caused goosebumps to erupt on Cora's skin as she studied the shadowed face of the man across from her. "You wish me to harm a child who is not even born yet?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. It was an odd request, a scary request. But if what he was saying was true, then, what would that mean for her, for her daughter. One she didn't even know, but could already imagine. She had practically seen her already.

"No harm will come to your child," Rumple shook his head. But his smile returned to his face, that Cheshire like girn that made Cora want to run screaming from the room, questioning why she had ever even thought she could go through with this. "Like I said, she shall stay 25 forever. She shall rule over the magical land, and all its inhabitants. Forever." The word was repeated like a mantra. And she supposed, it kind of was.

Letting out a breath she wasn't even aware she was holding Cora spoke again. "That seems like a lonely life, does it not?" she questioned meekly peeking up through her eyelashes as she spoke, reaching out for her tea just so she had something to do with her hands. "Queen, forever. Who shall rule with her, who would be fit to live forever by her side?" She practically scoffed as she thought of the faceless baby, child, and woman she saw right before her eyes.

"She shall find a mate. A mate of her choosing that she sees fit." He drummed his fingers against the table. He had taken particular precautions with this. Of course, there was still a price to be paid. Many prices to be paid, but right now he was willing to barter. Willing to throw in things. He had seen Cora coming a mile away and knew she was the one to pass on the legacy of Magic. She herself possessed no natural magic herself. But it wasn't anything that couldn't be taught. It was something that would be innately embedded in her daughter though. As well as the serum... Which would ensure his plan worked.

"And if I change my mind?" Cora asked, suddenly not so sure about this plan anymore.

"Then I shall find another." Rumple hissed, now in Cora's face. "And you will live out your days here. Poor. With nothing." He growled fire sparked from his fingers, and he threw his head back in a laugh.

"No harm will come to my child?" Cora put a hand on her stomach.

"Like I said dearie, all magic comes with a price." He smirked, vile once again in his hand.

Cora reached out swiping the bottle before she could change her mind. Purple smoke swirled from the top, once she lifted off the cap with a pop. It smelled of apples, jasmine, lavender, and a unique magic that she couldn't place. "Deal," she swallowed.

"Tomorrow, Sun up. I don't like to be kept waiting." Rumple's voice bounced off the wall, but Cora was left alone.

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a/n: So I don't know if anyone is interested in this story, but if you are let me know. If not... Ok! LOL!