A/N So for those of you who read the prologue before today, I have made a few changes. I decided to have replace Cam with Dyson and Amy with Kenzie to give the story more characters from the Lost Girl Series. I hope this doesn't deter you from continuing to read the story. Thanks, and please leave reviews.
Prologue, South Africa Jan. 1992…
Bo
I remember going through my prefight routine, Dyson my brother/trainer was taping up my hands in the locker room. We were discussing my fight plan, this was by far my biggest fight yet. I have been fighting in these underground fights since I was seven years old but I had never fought in a main event like tonight. The stakes were extremely high for me if I win, we are finally free!
We are in one of the many fight locations that Malachi owns here in South Africa. This one happens to be in Cape Town. Malachi owns most of Cape Town and its surrounding areas, including me and other slaves who are forced to fight or work in his many illegal enterprises. Malachi is one of the most powerful people I have ever seen. There are rumors that he is a vampire or some sort of immortal being because no one can remember a time when he wasn't in control. I have my doubts, all I know for sure is that I want to be free on him.
Malachi comes into the locker room to give his normal prefight speech. I hear him but I'm not really listening to what he has to say. It is always the same, I choose to focus on the task at hand. If I win I will finally be free, that's all I really care about.
I hear my walkout music start and know that means it is fight time. Dyson leads me out. I vaguely hear the announcer run through my profile. The announcer starts the prefight intro, in the blue corner standing six foot two inches tall, 180 pounds with a record of 21-0 we have Bo Dennis. She has 20 victories by knockout and one by death. The crowd goes crazy! It is insane how excited people can be to watch children fight each other, often to the death. It's also crazy how much money Malachi makes at these fights. These "cat fights" as they are called, are big money makers for the slave owners, as well as, those who bet on the fights. Once I'm in the cage I do a few laps to give the crowd a good look at what they are betting on or against, and also to settle my nerves a little. I then make my way to my corner for the last minute prefight instructions.
A few seconds later the music keys up again and my opponent begins to make her way to the ring. The announcer begins her introduction, "In the red corner, all the way from Las Vegas, Nevada Cassidy Méndez. She stands in at five foot eight inches tall, 160 pounds. She has 30 knockouts and six by death and no one has been able to make it passed the first round."
As I walked to the middle of the ring to get the referee's last instructions and to tap gloves, I tried not to focus on the opponent's intro instead focusing on what I needed to do to win. I walked out to the middle of the ring and stared into cold steel grey eyes. I have looked many opponents in the eyes but none of them looked as vacant and absent of emotion as hers. It was like she was on something that allowed her to turn off all her emotions but still have the ability to follow directions.
After we tapped gloves in the center of the ring, we returned to our prospective corners and waited for the bell to ring to start the fight. I looked at Dyson and said, "I have never seen anyone with such vacant dead eyes before. It's like she is a robot with no emotions, I mean I thought that I void of emotion but something is different with her. I don't have a good feeling about this!"
As the bell rang signaling the fight to start, she came at me like a raging bull. I was able to sidestep her tackle attempt at the last minute and land a superman punch to her right temple. She didn't even flinch with the impact of the punch. What the heck, that punch usually knocks the strongest guys out it should at least staggered her! What the hell is she on, something isn't right! She counter the punch with a spinning back hand that landed on the side of my face and sent me flying about five feet into the cage. Damn, she was strong! Before I could move she was on me. Her punch had me seeing stars but I still had enough sense to block her attempt to throw me. That seemed to only piss her off and make her try harder to get me to the mat. She began throwing knees to my right side, then my left. It seemed like I was done for, but with about 45 seconds left in the first round I somehow escaped her grasp. I am pretty sure I have a few broken ribs from her onslaught of knees because it is hard for me to breath but I'm not giving up. I also have blood running down my face that I'm not exactly sure where it is coming from and right now I need to focus on getting out of the first round alive. I somehow landed two quick jabs that backed her off of me a little and then I landed a solid right to her kidney which seemed to just piss her off and nothing more. She just looked at me like I was just a bee that was buzzing around her enough to bug her but not sting. She was like a bull in a china store, charging straight ahead not caring about getting hit. She charged straight at me as the bell rang and I was able to land a perfect flying knee right under her chin. This should have definitely knocked her out but once again didn't seem to faze her. Something is definitely not right!
I returned to my corner glad I had managed escaped the first round which apparently no one else has been able to do, but I felt like I had been 10 rounds with Rhonda Rousey! This chick was definitely on something, there is no way that a normal person could take all of my punches and knees and not even feel them. I was not an amateur, I have been fight for seven years and never lost but I guess there is a first time for everything. As I sat down in my corner, the cut man began to work on my right eye, Dyson was rattling off things I needed to do in the next round.
I looked up at him, "Nothing seems to hurt her. I have thrown two of my best attacks at her that landed perfectly and she just looks at me like I'm not even there. In the mean time she is killing me. You better have the towel handy to throw in if it gets too bad. I'm going to try my best but I just don't have a good feeling about it, but at least I have made it to the second round."
Dyson looked at me with a concerned look and said, "Stop thinking so much and remember your training. Don't let her trap you against the cage and definitely don't let her take you to the ground. You have this, bring it home!" As I stood up, I thought I love my brother but I don't think he is watching this fight.
Dyson
After the fight instructions were delivered, Bo came to the corner and said something wasn't right with her opponent. She also said she didn't have a good feeling about the fight, which she had never said in the last seven years of fighting. The thing about Bo is that even though she is forced to fight, in reality she really enjoys it and she is very good at it. I know without a doubt that she will go out there and do her best, not only to win her freedom but because she hates to lose. As soon as the bell sounds, Mendez charges and all I can think is the fight is about to be over before it gets started! Bo side steps and lands a vicious superman punch perfectly placed to the temple, this will be lights out for Mendez. What the fuck, that punch didn't even seem to faze her and I have seen Bo knockout guys with head gear on with that punch. Bo is right, something is definitely not right! Mendez counters with a spinning back had that sends Bo into the air and back at least five feet into the cage. All I can do is yell for her to get out of the clinch and stay off the mat. Then amazingly just as the bell rang, Bo lands a flying knee perfectly to her chin that will surely at least knock her down except it doesn't! Ok, now I don't have a good feeling about this fight.
When Bo came to the corner she was babbling about Mendez being on something. I just told her to shut up and concentrate on the fight and to use her jab to keep Mendez on the outside and whatever she did don't get taken to the mat!
Bo
The bell rang, again she charged like a bull. I sidestepped her again and used her momentum to throw her to the mat. Before she had a chance to recover, I jumped on her in a full guard and started raining down hammer fists to her face with everything that I had. I was able to connect with quite a few before somehow she threw me off of her like I was a sack of potatoes. She then leaped up and onto me in full guard and began nailing me with punches and elbows to the face for what seemed like hours, but was really only a couple of minutes. I heard the referee signal 10 seconds left in the round, all I needed to do was last another 10 seconds! I somehow managed to break her guard and get her off of me. As I was trying to get up, she came with a vicious kick to the stomach while I was on all fours. The kick sent me flying at least four feet across the ring into the side of the cage once again. If my ribs were not broken before, they sure as hell are now! Again all I could think was that she was too strong, she had to be on something. There is no way that a girl her size and age could do the things she is doing without being on some sort of drug. Thankfully, the bell rang before she could attack again. I lay against the cage where I had landed attempting to catch my breath so that I can make it to the corner, but I can't. All I can do is lay there coughing up blood and trying to wipe my eyes so that I can see. Dyson and my corner man come out and basically carry me to the corner.
Dyson
I can't watch this, Bo is going to get killed by this chick. She seems to have superhuman strength or something. Maybe Bo is right and she is on something. I literally have to go into the ring and carry her back to the corner. I break open the smelling salts to bring Bo back into focus. I have to stop the fight! I tell Bo I am throwing in the towel but she says no let her try and finish it. I want to argue but I know that it won't do any good! She's right Malachi won't allow the fight to be stopped. Bo said she could run from her for the last round. I told her fine but if she gets taken to the mat I was throwing in the towel. I will not watch her die in the ring.
Bo
I know what you are thinking, the ref should stop the fight before someone, me, gets killed. Not going to happen in these fights, this is not the UFC or any other legal fights. In these fights you fight until the owners tell you to stop or someone is dead. The owners and most members of the audience have placed big bets on the fight. These fights are big money makers for the slave owners especially, Malachi, who owns me. He will definitely not stop the fight, so I am literally fighting for my life, as well as, my freedom!
Dyson breaks open the smelling salt which allows me to focus on him and says, "I won't let you go back out there. You can't see out of your right eye and can barely breathe, I'm throwing in the towel before she kills you!"
"No let me try and finish this. You know as well as I do Malachi will not allow the fight to be stopped. I think I can run from her enough to get me through this last round."
"Ok, but if she gets you against the cage or on the mat, I'm throwing it!"
Dyson helps me up just as the bell rings. Again she comes charging in. This time I summon what energy I have left to jump up, wrap my legs around her neck and with her momentum, I'm able to throw her to the ground. When she lands, she actually looks a little surprised and stunned. I use this opportunity to land a superman punch to the top of her head and she goes back down. Great I might actually have a chance here. I approach her just as she is getting up to throw a kick to her face, but she blocks it. She grabs my ankle and as she gets up she spins me off the ground by my ankle and throws me into the cage. As she lets go of my ankle I hear a loud snap and then I hit the cage with a loud thump. I can't believe that just happened! The pain from my ankle is excruciating. It has to be broken! I try to catch my breath but I can't. Before I even have time to think she jumps up and comes down with her foot to my head, mounts me and begins to beat my face in. I try to block her blows but she pins my arms under her knees so that I am helpless. As I look up into her eyes, it's like there is nothing there. It is like she is a dog waiting on her owner to tell her to heal. Out of the corner of my eye I see Dyson throw in the towel but the ref just kicks it to the side and lets her continue to hit me. I struggle for a few seconds but then things begin to go dark. My last thought was, this is how I die! As I start to fade into the abyss, I hear Dyson shouting and then out of nowhere there is streak and suddenly Cassidy flies off me and into the side of the cage on the other side of the ring. Then I see the most amazing women, then Dyson's face comes into view. He is saying something but I can't hear him as my eyes begin to close. Then just blackness.
Dyson
Bo leads the round off with an amazing head tackle and for a split second I thought she may be able to finish the fight. She then landed another superman punch to the head that surprised and stunned her for a moment. Bo then set up for a kick to the head but Mendez was able to block the kick and grab her ankle. Mendez then uses Bo's ankle to spin her around and throw her into the cage with a loud snap, I knew her ankle was probably broken. Before Bo has time to react, Mendez is on top of her reigning down hammer fists to her head. She tries to block them but Mendez is able to pin Bo's arms with her knees and she has no way of defending herself against the blows to her head. The ref should stop the fight but he doesn't. I throw in the towel signaling him to stop the fight before she kills Bo but the ref looks at Malachi and just kicks the towel away. That is when all hell breaks loose! I am trying to get to Jessie but I am being held back by three of Malachi's guys and then I hear a loud bang and everyone starts to scatter. There is lots of yelling and gun fire. I'm not sure what happens because all I can think is that I need to get to Bo. Even after the bang and gun shots, Mendez is still pounding away. Next thing I know I see Mendez go flying across the ring and someone kneeling over Bo's body. I get to her just as she passes out. She is a mess and I don't know what to do!
That is when I notice a women standing next to me with a police vest on. She quickly scoops Bo's body up and tells me to follow her. She is strong and quick and it takes everything I have to keep up with her. We go back to the dressing room and she puts Bo on the training table and begins to examine her. I can tell by her face that it's not good.
She finally looks at me and says, "If you want her to live, you are going to have to trust me."
"What the hell are you talking about? Are you a doctor or a cop? What is going on out there?" I fire off questions one after another.
She says, "I will answer all your questions once we get out of here and are safe but right now the only thing that can save her is my blood. I promise I CAN save her but only if you do exactly what I tell you."
I don't know what else to do so I just shake my head and say, "What do you need me to do?"
She pulls out a knife and slices open her hand. Then tells me to open Bo's mouth so that she can give her a few drops of her blood. I do what I am told even though I have no clue what is happening. All I know is that I can't lose Bo, she is all I have left. Once this is done she tells me to gather all our stuff because we need to leave immediately. By the time I grab our stuff, Bo has opened her eyes and is just staring at the women before she passes out again. Although she is unconscious, I can tell by the fact that her breathing isn't as labored as it was that whatever the lady did saved her, at least for now.
Again the women scoops Bo up like a rag doll and said, "Follow me, we need to get to the airport and get to the States."
I grab our things and follow her. We make it outside before being stopped by Malachi and some of his guards. She turns to me and hands me Bo and says, "Meet me at hanger three at the Cape Town airport. It is only about two miles from here. If I am not there in 20 minutes tell the pilot I said to leave without me. He will ask you for a pass phrase, tell him UNLV running rebels will make the final four this year. Do you understand?" I nod, and take off out the door.
Outside there is a car waiting with the keys in it. I carefully lay Bo in the back seat and throw our gear into the passenger seat and haul ass to the airport. About five minutes after we arrive the women shows up covered in blood and with a busted lip. She doesn't give me a chance to ask any questions, she just grabs Bo and we board the plane. Within five minutes we are airborne. The next few minutes are a blur to me. This strange women begins taking care of Bo like she is a doctor. She examines her quickly, starts an IV bag and puts a neck brace on her. Then she moves to her ankle, which is clearly broken and with a loud horrifying pop puts it back in place and then wraps it with a brace.
I finally find my voice and yell, "What the fuck is happening? And who the hell are you?"
She smiles and says, "I guess you don't remember me Dyson. My name is Lauren Lewis."
"Are you a doctor or a cop?"
"Both."
"How do you know my name?"
"I was friends with your parents before the attack on the village you were living in." "My story is a long one so before we get started would you like to clean up or eat?"
"No maybe later. Right now I need to know what you did to my sister!"
"She will live but she has many injuries that we will need to get taken care of once we land. I have her stabilized and will watch her closely until then. I know you have many questions and I will answer them all but first let me tell you my story and how I came to know your family." I just nod. So she begins her story,
"The first time I met you was about fifteen years ago in a small village in South Africa. It wasn't long after your family moved into the village that your mother became pregnant with your sister, Bo. They hadn't planned on having a child in a third world country, especially since your mom was just about to turn 45. Unfortunately they couldn't just pack up and go home like they wanted because of the company they worked for, so instead they began searching for the best medical care they could find. Even though they were both doctors themselves they wanted a specialist since your mother was older. Although Bo was a big surprise to them, they were very excited and a little scared. I used to think it was luck that brought me to that village many years ago, but now I am not so sure it wasn't fate.
At any rate, I was making my yearly rounds to the small African villages when I met you and your parents. You had to be around ten or so at the time and were definitely a handful. You were always running around the village trying to catch the native animals, which could be quite dangerous, but you were fearless. I see you still are.
I was just passing through, when one of the village elders stopped me and told me about your family and your mom's condition. I was well known in Africa, not only as a doctor, but some say I could create miracles. Most of what they think are old tales that have been passed on from generation to generation, but I will get back to that. Anyway, I was definitely intrigued by what the elder said so I had the chief introduce me to them. Of course, when he did he told them that I was the best doctor on the continent and they should let me help them with the delivery of their child.
It didn't take long for your parents and me to become close friends since we had so much in common. We all were trying to make Africa a better place. Your mom, of course, began asking me about the closest hospitals and what kind of neonatal care they had. I gave her the rundown on all the local facilities but said that I had more experience than all the doctors combined and would be happy to help her throughout her pregnancy. I could tell that she was scared, not only because she was in Africa but because she was older and knew she would be at a higher risk for complications because of her age.
Your mother and I became very close, very quick. I quickly realized that I needed to stay close so that I could help monitor her progress so that we could make sure nothing went wrong. So I decided to stay in the village for the next nine months. I continued my work at the villages but only the ones within a day or two drive. Your mother and I became like sisters. I grew up without a family but something about your parents made me feel like I finally had one, that I fit in.
The day Bo was born was probably the happiest day of my life! The moment I first touched her as she came into the world, I knew she was special. Don't take this the wrong way but from the moment I first touched her I knew there was a connection between us. I know it sounds insane and creepy but there was this electrical shock that ran through me the moment I touched her and it happened again tonight when I picked her up out of the ring. I don't know how to explain it except that when I touch her she makes me feel complete. I just want to protect her and keep her safe and I hate it has taken me this long to find you both. I have been looking for you both since I found out about the massacre at the village you were living in. It was like you just disappeared.
That is when I decided to join the police force and eventually create a team devoted solely to shutting down the fight rings, hoping that one day I would find you both again. I only wish it wouldn't have taken me as long as it did. I should have been there that day and then none of this would have happened."
As she finished the story she began to cry. I didn't know what to say, so I said that I would like to clean up now and get some food. Then I had a million questions for her but I wanted to give her time to get herself pulled back together and I needed time to process everything she had told me.
Once we were both cleaned up and had eaten, I begin with the questions. "Ok, I'm not sure where to begin but I guess the first thing is why the hell did you feed her your blood? How is it supposed to save her and if it did why is she still unconscious?"
She looks at me for a few minutes like she isn't quite sure what to say. Then she says, "I'm not going to lie to you but you probably are going to think that I am bat shit crazy. I need you to keep an open mind about this and hopefully in time you we believe me. Here goes, I am a vampire and our blood has special abilities. One of them being able to heal humans of many things."
I begin to laugh hysterically, what the hell does she think, I'm stupid! I know that vampires don't exist. My response is "Whatever, even if I thought you were telling the truth, then why hasn't she woke up if your blood is supposed to heal her? You're a vampire, right! I thought you said you wouldn't lie to me."
Her response is, "Dyson I know it is hard for you to believe but it is true. I can prove it but I need you to understand that not many people know we exist and it is best that it is kept that way. There are some very bad vampires, like Malachi but there are good ones too and I am one of those. I need you to believe me. The reason Bo is still unconscious and not completely healed is because I only gave her enough blood to keep her from dying so that it would look like she did, that way Malachi wouldn't come looking for both of you."
"How the hell are you going to prove that you are a vampire?"
"I could show you a couple of ways but I will start with this." She pulls out a knife and cuts her hand and within minutes the cut has disappeared.
I say, "That is just some sort of magic trick, like fake blood or something. You are going to have to do better than that in order for me to believe you.
"Ok, how about this?" She opens her mouth and her canine teeth grow into fangs right before me.
"Another trick!"
"Alright, do you know what you packed in your gear bag and where it is?"
"Yes, I know what's in it and it is in the very back near the bathroom, why?" All of a sudden she disappears and then reappears with Bo's gloves. I barely have time to even realize she is gone. There is just a weird streak, hey just like the one I saw before Mendez was knocked off of Bo when all hell broke loose at the fight.
"Ok, so let's say that I believe you, how old are you?"
"My human age is 28 but I am actually over 500 years old."
"How can you be out in the sun?"
"I am what they call a hybrid or day walker, therefore the sun doesn't bother me like it does the elders who are pure bloods. These fights have been going on for hundreds of years and no one has been able to stop them. They are ran by the vampire elders who are many centuries old which also makes them very powerful."
"Are there going to be any side effects from Bo drinking your blood?"
"No, the only side effect, as you call it, is that she didn't die. I gave her a very small amount, just enough to keep her from dying and get her stable enough to travel. Although my blood has many uses to humans, I only use it when extremely necessary."
"What are some other things that your blood can do?"
"If used frequently, it can have all sorts of, let's go with side effects. One being superhuman strength which is why the other fighter was able to beat Bo so badly. I had heard rumors of the slave owners using a drug to make their fighters easier to control and become unbeatable."
"That makes sense, well sort of, the drug part anyway. Bo kept telling me something wasn't right with Mendez. She said her eyes were vacant and she was stronger than anyone she had faced before."
"Did my parents know?"
"About what? The fact that I'm a vampire? Your mom did, like I said we became like sisters. We didn't keep secrets from one another."
"Unbelievable!"
I sit there and try to process all of this crazy information for what seems like hours but in reality, I guess it was only minutes. Lauren just sits there quietly and waits for the next round of questions. By now the adrenaline has left my body and I am tired, too tired to think straight. The next question I ask is, "Where are we going?"
Lauren replies, "To the United States, where you will be safe and far away from Malachi."
"How we don't have paperwork and how are we going to explain Bo's condition?"
"I have friends in customs who will allow us through and I work at a hospital outside Las Vegas when I am stateside and I often bring injured people with me when I have been away. They think I work with doctors without borders when I'm not in town. I have people working to find your great aunt Kenzie."
"I know how to reach her, I think. All I need is a phone." I don't really know or have the energy to hear anymore until I get some sleep so I ask, "How long will it take us to get there?"
"It will take a good 48 hours due to the fact that we will have to refuel a couple of times. Why don't you get some rest and we can talk more when you wake up."