Prologue: One Touch: One Kiss

Once upon a moment in the year 2000…Thomas Roman kept himself quiet that it almost resemblance invisibility. He actively chooses to completely avoid the human population. Sometimes he would make a brief appearance to defend the exploited and misunderstood women. Throughout the ages he learned that society chooses to favors disrespect, like it was their right…

“Billy, no…” the female voice travel through the pre-evening mistiness. Her voice trembles with fear; breathing harshly; feeling the start of the contractions.

Thomas Roman slowly sit upright listening intently. He can hear the wild heart beat of the woman clearly in distress. His hearing in tune with the unborn baby. He can smell the fresh blood. Getting onto his feet he quickly opened the tomb that’s his home. His blueish eyes pierced through the mistiness.

“Tell me Gia,” Billy Asher was furious.

“It hurts, help me.”

“I will once you tell me.”

Gia groaned when a furious pain seared through her lower body. Her fear brittle…the onslaught of the sudden premonition gripping hold of her tightly…seeing the opening of a tomb, a man making his appearance. She saw him through the mistiness of her pain addled brain. His eyes hypnotic watching her…waiting…

“It hurts,” she groaned.

“Tell me Gia,” Billy shakes her.

The sudden pressure of a cold hand around his neck; startled him. Turning he went pale before sudden blackness settled around him.

“Help me, please.” Gia begged holding out her curled fingered hand.

Thomas Roman bared his fangs as the fresh stirring blood was overwhelming. He rushed back into the tomb closing it. His finely tuned ears can still hear the mother-to-be; being in clear distress. Circling his tomb; he can sense the unborn baby. Standing motionless he senses a pull to the yet to be born baby.

“I am sorry baby-girl.” Gia groaned as another contraction seared throughout her body. Breathing fast and heavily she start to push as tears streamed down her checks. Being trapped between giving birth and continuous premonitions of a pale skinned man; her eyes tightly clench when she felt sudden cool hands between her legs. Visible fear rushed throughout her body but looking into his hypnotic eyes a kind of calmness settles over her.

Thomas struggled to resist the fresh flood of blood. His fangs extended while he helped the baby being born. His senses were overwhelmed; hearing the heartbeat; holding the vulnerable baby in his hands. The baby eyes looked directly into his trapping him. It was a strange sensation for him…He bared his fangs again bending his head before softly kissing the pulsing artery in her neck. He retracted his fangs looking at the mother watching him intently with a look of confused horror. Once he was certain the mother and baby were fine, he stood; turning and run away with the baby giggling in his arms. He moved with a speed barely being able to be seen by the human eyes.

“Maya…” Gia whispered.

Thomas was dancing between the graves with the giggling baby in his arms. Once it dawns on him, she was cold he sprinted back to the mother and softly placed her on her chest. The mother and baby instinctively bond.

“William Asher…” Gia said.

Thomas picked up both mother and baby. With unbelievable speed he moved through the grounds of Doom Cemetery. The cottage was nestled in the far side of the grounds.

“What the hell?” William exploded when his door was kicked opened. Everything was happening so fast; before he could fully comprehend, he watches the pale skin man placed his daughter-in-law on his bed wrapping her warmly with the still nursing baby.

“Who are you?” William Asher looked into the blue bleak eyes of the pale man.

Thomas bared his fangs the fresh available blood spinning his world around. He quickly moved outside but suddenly stopped mid-flight. Turning like he was pulled back he stood now looking at the mother and baby both watching him intently.

Gia reached for his pale cold hand placing it on the baby’s and hers. She turned and exposed her neck offering her blood freely.

Thomas quickly latched onto her neck and bite. He only drinks a second but knowing what she had offered. He was gone before they realized…

Maya slowly opened the cottage door. Its her seventh birthday. She eagerly peered around the door hoping to see her mother. She had to blinked several times but she saw no one. The pink bicycle with happy birthday balloons just stood in front of her.

“Papa,” she called happily.

William quickly comes around the cottage. He had been working in the back. He quickly placed the shovel against the wall. He had already seen the gift.

“Maya…” he kneels in front of her.

The small arms wrapped around his neck. Wordlessly he pulled her against his chest. He tried searching for him but know it was useless.

“Teach me to ride papa.”

“Wait here for a moment.” William went into the cottage to retrieve the pink bicycle helmet. He just shook his head and went outside to spend the day with his grandchild. Her constant laughter filled his heart with love and pride…Watching her like so many times; he wondered what had happened to her mother. He certainly doesn’t care about his son; her father.

“Maya Asher…”

The fourteen-year-old girl looked cautiously around. She saw the rich; popular Olivia Stone and her friends quickly coming towards her. She stood motionless waiting. She had learned early to be careful around her peers because she was their constant source of enjoyment because she lives on their property.

“What’s the hurry Maya?”

She studied the blonde girl dressed in pink and white; waiting.

“I ask you a question Maya. Where are you going?”

“My grandfather is waiting for me.” She answered quietly.

“Today is your birthday, right?” Olivia smiled looking at her friends.

“Yes,”

“Come with me. I have a surprise.”

Maya looked surprise and curious. She followed them secretly hoping it might be her mother. Especially on her birthday; she felt close to the mother whose face she doesn’t know. She just feels a very instinctive sense of her absent presence.

“Where are we going?” she asked already following the girls but in truth knowing its probably a trap of some kind. Being at the mercy of the rich taught her to be careful but she was curious about the so call surprise. She was constantly hopeful…maybe some day her mother might reach out. She just doesn’t know…hope is a powerful emotion.

Maya just turned twenty-three in the year 2023. She had the distinctive feeling her life was about to change so she decided to spent the day away from Doom Cemetery but instead found herself being trapped… Permanent words ringing in her ears… “Curiosity trapped the cat.” Cruel laughter ringing in the misty air. She realized she still don’t get that she was the joke.

“Olivia…let me out.” Maya called but quickly understood the words was only in her mind. It slowly dawns on her she was trapped and buried alive and she wasn’t alone.

Tears streamed down her face with eyes shut remembering the moments from her seventh birthday…happiest day all thanks to her grandfather. Turning fourteen was the start of the abuse from Olivia Stone. It was also the beginning of knowing someone watched her but apparently not today when she turned twenty-three.

She frowns when she felt the cloying wetness making the chills run down her spine. She briefly heard voices then absolute silence. Confusion widen her eyes. She realized she was sweating with growing fear.

Darkness around her; feeling the growing suffocation; her mind somehow felt scrambled. It slowly dawns on her again she was trapped in a tomb within a coffin. She could barely move but the most shocking realization; she wasn’t alone.

Something solid yet soft was sticking in her back or rather the length of her body. Trying to force her mind into understanding; staying motionless; allowing her frightened mind to take stock of her life in the Cemetery.

“Who is here…with me?” she asked openly frightened.

She felt her body being stirred as someone underneath her starts to move. Arms gently circled around her frame. There was something so breath-takingly electrified in that touch…over familiar that she felt her whole-body calming making her breathe slow and easy.

Maya felt calm…

She felt unbelievable trust…

Her emotions were completely scrambled but she breathlessly waited…

Thomas Roman reborn in the year 1919 in Europe. He never thought about the time before his rebirth; only since he was turned. He had a gentle master who taught him the art of being a guardian. All of his guardian children have long since grown. It sometimes saddens him, making him a loner but something has shifted the year 2000; here in Doom Cemetery.

He can hear her strong heartbeat. He can smell her emotions. He can clearly hear her thoughts…knowing she trust him without understanding.

He reached and pushed the coffin opened. The tomb was also darkened but there was enough light for her to see.

“Can you get out?” he asked softly.

Maya felt shock waves rushing through her. There was something just beyond her memory bank.

“Who are you?” she asked softly. “Please tell me before I turn around.”

“I am Thomas Roman; born in the year of 1919.” He answered.