Night fell over the City of Juba, Capital of South Sudan. In the Fahd District, close to the historic Malouf Park, lay a sumptuous white villa. The place was lovely, complete with a two-story house built out of white stone, with a garden and a swimming pool. A three-meter high metallic wall surrounded the property, shielding it from the outside world. The neighbors often wondered about the proprietress, a tall and lovely, dark-skinned young Nubian woman who only comes out at night and keeps to herself. It is not the African way to be unneighborly that's for damned sure...
"Night at last," Rafika said to herself as she rose from her bed. Heavy drapes hung on the windows, keeping the dreaded sunlight at bay during the daytime hours. Rafika took a look at her surroundings. The king-sized bed, the table, the chair, and a massive book shelf comprised the contents of her bedroom. Rafika's ample collection of outfits hung on hangars in a walk-in closet down the hall. As Rafika yawned and stretched, a trio of furry dogs bounded toward her.
Rafika smiled and patted the two big brown dogs, Lucky and Marquis, on their furry heads. Harriet, the tiny chihuahua-terrier mix, was the latest addition to her little family. Rafika headed to the kitchen, and pulled a huge slab of beef from the fridge. Extending her claws, Rafika sliced the meat into digestible portions and dropped it into the bowls. Lucky, Marquis and Harriet woofed excitedly and then ate while their mistress watched. Rafika filled the dogs drinking bowls with cold water, and then headed out of the kitchen.
Stepping into the bathroom, Rafika took a long shower. Afterwards, she dried herself and put on some clothes. A bright pink T-shirt, blue jeans and Black sneakers would do just fine for tonight's outing. Rafika headed out into the night, and the streets of Metropolitan Juba welcomed her. It was barely seven and the sky was suitably dark, which worked fine for Rafika. Everywhere Rafika went, men and women alike looked at her. The tall, curvy and dark-skinned young African woman was quite beautiful, but it wasn't just her looks which attracted curious onlookers.
Rafika is a Vampire, and has been one for many, many centuries. Long before European colonials began invading African nations in search of land and resources, Rafika walked the earth. Vampires have been living among humans for thousands of years, and humans tend to sense something different about these very human-looking monsters when they encounter them. Vampires tend to only invite stunningly attractive human beings into the ranks of the Undead. Being beautiful and damned go hand in hand, it would seem...
The stories and myths of a thousand nations painted Vampires in a negative light. Just like human beings, Vampires can be good, bad and every shade in between. Rafika is a Vampire, sure, but it takes more than being Undead to become a monster. The only blood which Rafika drinks comes from hoofed animals such as cows, sheep or goats. A local butcher gets paid handsomely to keep Rafika supplied in animal blood. The meat Rafika happily shares with her pets. Rafika loves dogs, and can't stand people. Many people feel the same way.
As Rafika walked through the streets of Metropolitan Juba, she smiled at the women and men who called the South Sudanese Capital home. Merchants, businesspeople, saleswomen, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters, all kinds of folks walked the streets. Rafika walked past hair salons, restaurants, night clubs, public libraries, universities, political offices, hospitals and the like. Even after living for close to a thousand years, Rafika couldn't stop marveling at human ingenuity.
When Rafika was mortal, circa 200 A.D. the African world was quite different. In those days, Africa was a major power and nobody messed with it, not the Europeans or the Arabs or the Asians. Rafika has seen the rise and fall of great African realms such as the Songhai Empire, the Mandinka Kingdom and the Nok Kingdom in West Africa. Rafika remembers the latter days of the Nubian Empire, whose borders included Sudan, South Sudan and parts of Egypt itself. The glory of Africa has been overlooked by the world, but Rafika remembers...
As Rafika roamed the streets of Metropolitan Juba, she did not know that she was being watched. The watcher was none other than Aliyah Garang, daughter of Malik Garang the Butcher. The tall, slender, dark-skinned and short-haired young South Sudanese woman had been fascinated with Rafika ever since the Vampire gal walked into her father's butcher shop. Rafika smiled politely as Aliyah looked into her eyes. Women who love women spot their own kind through a specific and often prolonged eye contact. There's nothing more to it than that.
Rafika, who has loved both women and men in her nearly thousand years of existence, knew better than to get involved with Aliyah. At the end of the day, Rafika respected Aliyah's father Malik too much to make a move on his daughter. The Butcher kept Rafika supplied with fresh blood for a price, and also provided the meat which her dogs Lucky, Marquis and Harriet loved so much. Rafika doesn't mix business with pleasure. Nothing good ever comes from such an entanglement.
"You are beautiful, Aliyah, and I do love women as well as men, but you are off limits," Rafika told the amorous young African woman. Mere days after meeting Rafika, Aliyah showed up at her house to declare her intentions. Rafika did not welcome such a visit. Aliyah stared hard at Rafika, astonished by her rejection. Rafika felt bad about her choice of words but decided that what she'd done was for Aliyah's own good. The life of a Vampire is unpredictable and dangerous. Rafika's affairs with mortal women and mortal men seldom ended well for either party. A Vampire's existence is a lonely one, such is fate...
"Rafika, I know women, and even though we just met, I know you are afraid to love, I will prove you wrong," Aliyah said haughtily. As Rafika tried to come up with an answer, Aliyah stormed out of her front door. Rafika watched Aliyah until the young African woman disappeared into the night. Rafika figured that Aliyah would find another lady to love. Aliyah's obsession with Rafika was just beginning. The young woman has been stalking Rafika ever since...
"Such beauty, such grace," Aliyah said as she followed Rafika from a distance. It had been months since Rafika laid eyes on Aliyah, but the young woman's fascination with her would not go away. Aliyah has loved several women before meeting Rafika. There was Theresa Goh, a tall, gorgeous widow who was awesome in bed. Aliyah had fun with Theresa, but she wasn't in love with her. Aliyah wanted Rafika because she was gorgeous, mysterious, and unattainable...
