The Mauritanian Vampire Queen

When you're the only daughter of a powerful and old-fashioned family, they tend to be a bit overprotective. As much as a family can love its precious daughter, they must understand that someday, she'll have to flap her wings and fly away. That's the way of nature, and of the mundane world. I wish my parents understood that.

My name is Nasira "Nana" Boubacar, and I was born in the City of Adel Bagrou, southeastern Mauritania. My father, Aziz Boubacar is Afro-Mauritanian, and my mother Yasmin Aoun is originally from the small town of Hazmiyeh, Republic of Lebanon. They met while my mother was visiting Nouakchott, capital of Mauritania. They fell in love, got married and had little old me.

My family lives in a fortress-like enclave that has been in our family for centuries. Al Qasr is what we call it, and for untold generations, the Boubacar clan has lived in that towering enclave. In my home, I had quarters vast enough for the Los Angeles Lakers to practice dribbling in, and servants. We're a wealthy clan, and our name carries much respect. Sounds like paradise, eh? Must be why I couldn't wait to leave it all behind.

Sounds like a regular tale, eh? Guy meets gal, and had a daughter, who now wants to get out from under mommy and daddy's shadow, and that sounds little pretty common stuff. Well, it isn't. For starters, I'm a Vampire, or Ghouls, as the Arab world calls my kind.

Yes, vampires do exist. Before we go any further, I must clear up certain misconceptions about us. Yes, we do drink blood, but we can function just fine in the daylight hours. I often hear the phrase "Vampires are eternal", and that's a load of bullshit. No one lives forever. Not me. Not you. I was born, I live, and someday, I'll die. Just like you. The only difference is that my kind have a lifespan equal to a thousand years. Death comes at the end of life for all of us. The fact that I belong to another species, a very old and resilient one, makes no difference.

To get a new vampire, a male vampire and a female vampire must get together, hook up and then the female vampire ( hopefully ) gets impregnated and, about five and a half months later, a new vampire offspring comes into the world. Sorry, Twilight fans, I cannot turn a human being into a vampire by biting him or her. When I bite someone, he or she dies. A vampire's fangs contain a natural paralytic which shuts down the victim's heart within minutes. Even if you get away, all the vampire has to do is wait and his or her victim will die.

If you were to look at me, you'd never suspect what I was, and that's how I like it. I stand five-foot-nine, curvy and sexy, with light brown skin and long black hair which I usually tuck away under my Hijab. I was raised Muslim, and my Islamic faith is important to me. Does that surprise you? It really shouldn't. We all need something to believe in, and at the end of the day, we are all creations of the Most High. Even vampires.

That's my belief and if you don't like it, you can kiss my shapely Afro-Arabian ass. Besides, who are you to judge? I left Mauritania and haven't looked back. I came to the City of Boston, Massachusetts. Just an ordinary gal in the big city, that's what I almost managed to convince myself I am. I enrolled at a small school, Bay State College, and immersed myself in my new life.

"Where did you say you were from again, sister?" asked a deep, masculine voice. I was walking on Commonwealth Avenue, on my way to the Boston Public Library to do some studying when the voice startled me. Even with a Vampire's ultra-sharp senses, it is not impossible to be caught by surprise, especially when distracted.

"Oh, hello Ali," I said, and I looked at the tall, dark and handsome young man who stood before me, and smiled. Ali Mahama, the young African-American guy who works at the Bay State College registrar's office as an assistant, has had his eyes on me ever since I started attending the school.

I'm not at all surprised that Ali Mahama is fascinated by me. I have that effect on mortals, both male and female. We vampires emit a certain pheromone which renders us irresistible to mortals. Makes them easy to bend to our will. I am however peeved that Ali has apparently followed me.

"As Salam Alaikum, Sister Nasira, I am sorry for startling you," Ali said, and I nodded and smiled girlishly, like the ordinary mortal female I was pretending to be. Ali looked into my eyes without blinking, and I stared right back. Usually, mortals find it hard to look into the eyes of a vampire. Call it our predatory gaze, if you will. Ali, however, held my gaze.

"Apology accepted, Brother Ali, I was just heading to the library, care to join me?" I asked in a soft tone, and Ali nodded. We walked past a few trendy little stores, then emerged on Copley Ave, and crossed the street. Located right next to the green line train station, the Boston Public Library at Copley all but dominates the local area.

"Where you born in the States or in Africa?" I asked Ali as we sat inside The Courtyard Restaurant, located in the garden section of the Boston Public Library. We dined on Lamb Tartine, white rice and Seared Line caught Tuna. Kind of expensive, to dine in this cozy little place. Luckily I had my Visa card with me. I looked around and noticed people staring at us. It occurred to me that Ali and I were the only non-whites in this place, but I shrugged it off.

"I was born in Minnesota, and my parents came from Ghana, if you want to be precise," Ali said smartly, and I smiled. The brother wasn't just fine-looking, he was also quite sharp. Determined to catch Ali off-balance, or at least try to figure out what lay behind that handsome mug of his, I changed the subject, steering the conversation to everyone's favorite subject...himself.

"Oh, my life is an open book, sister, I was born in Minnesota, and lived in Minneapolis all my life, and came to Boston for a change," Ali said, and then the handsome brother stroked his goateed chin, and smiled at me. I saw amusement in those golden brown eyes of his, and Ali fixed me with that suddenly steely gaze of his, and did not smile.

"Why are you so curious about me?" I asked Ali, point-blank. All of a sudden I felt tired of the double entendre and flirtation I had going on with this guy. Suspicion flared deep within me. Did this mortal know what I am? If so, then Ali just signed his own death warrant. My kind hasn't survived so long among hostile, xenophobic humanity without doing whatever it takes to rid ourselves of any potential threat.

"Oh, I know you're much more than you seem, my lovely sister," Ali said with a mysterious smile. Instantly I froze. I smiled at Ali, determined not to show the panic that I felt. You see, my kind make it our business to eliminate any human being who discovers what we are. The survival of our species depends on this. Oh, and any vampire caught harboring a human who knows the secret of our existence must also be slain.

"What do you know about me, brother?" I asked Ali, and waited for his answer. Ali smiled, and for a fraction of a second, I felt remorse for what I might have to do. What I must do. If Ali figured out what I am, then he must die. I don't relish the thought of killing this beautiful young man, but if it's my duty, I will do it for the survival of my people.

"You are really from the old world, sister, you don't even recognize your own kind when you see them," Ali said, shaking his head. The young man smiled, and this time, his teeth elongated and sharpened. Ali scratched his chin, and before my amazed eyes, his fingernails became wicked-looking, long claws. Ali grinned, and then, in a flash, changed back to normal.

"You're one of us?" I whispered, flabbergasted. Ali smiled and nodded. I looked into Ali's eyes, and that's when realization hit me. How in hell did I not know it? Alright, let me explain, folks. There are different types of vampires, depending on the environment in which they're from. Just like the wolves of North America are different from those you find in China or India, for example. I am a Ghoul, desert-dwelling vampire subspecies commonly found in Africa and the Middle East.

"I'm a Asasabonsam, my kind are commonly found in West Africa, especially Ghana and Nigeria," Ali said, and I nodded. The vampire community is as vast and as diverse as humanity itself, if not more so. We lead different lives and we're adapted to living in different environments, but we are one people.

"Well, it's good to see another member of the Kindred in Boston, you could have told me sooner, I thought you were a stalker and was debating whether or not to kill you," I said, laughing, and Ali smiled. Not for the first time I noticed that the brother from Ghana had a very nice smile. I liked his fangs, too. They're nice and sharp, very clean and wicked-looking, and I like that in a man. Among vampire females, we believe that vampire guys with long fangs tend to have long-you-know-what. I hope that's true in Ali's case. Hmmm, maybe someday I'll find out.

"I sensed that you were Kindred, and approached you because you're a beautiful woman from the Motherland of Africa, a land I long to visit, and I'd love to get to know you better," Ali said calmly, and he gave me the once-over in a most flirtatious way. I suddenly relaxed, as relief washed over me in an awesome way. I smiled back at Ali, and shrugged.

"Well, Ali, I left home and don't miss it, and I'm looking to explore Boston, and all that it has to offer," I said, licking my lips for emphasis, and Ali smiled and nodded. In a bold move, Ali gently laid his hand on mine, when the waitress came with the cheque. Smiling, Ali produced his Bank of America debit card and paid for our meals, even though I already had my Visa out.

"Let's keep in touch," Ali said, and then he whipped out his Blackberry. I smiled and dictated him my cell phone number. Ali smiled, and then chivalrously held out his arm, which I linked with mine, and we walked out of the BPL together. I couldn't know it at the time, but this was the beginning of a grand adventure for me.

"Thanks for walking me home," I said to Ali as we stood in front of my dormitory, located only a block from the main building of Bay State College on Commonwealth Avenue. Ali smiled and nodded, and impulsively, I gave him a peck on the cheek. Ali blinked nervously, and I laughed and gave him a hug, then waved him goodbye.

I could feel Ali's eyes on me as I entered the dorm. I walked straight to my room, and once there, I let out the happy squeal I'd been holding in since the door. I looked out the window, and noticed that Ali was walking away, slowly. I smiled, and with my keen Vampire eyesight, I could see Ali's receding silhouette as if he were real close.

"Nice butt," I whispered to myself, then fell back into bed. I am loving my new life in the City of Boston, Massachusetts. I've only been in town for about three weeks, and the town is lovely, racially diverse, culturally rich and vibrant. I am fascinated by it. I also look forward to campus life at Bay State College. I never thought I'd meet a member of my species here, though.

You see, we vampires exist in low numbers, and we tend to keep far from huge population centers. Worldwide, I think there are a few thousands of us. We live discrete lives. We're fixated on staying away from humans, and avoiding detection. That's the price we pay for survival. Me? I want to live, not just survive. That's why I left Mauritania, where I was born and raised, and came to Boston.

My cell phone buzzed, and I picked it up. It was Ali, texting me. "Goodnight, sweet goddess of Mauritania, I look forward to showing you many delights in the coming days if you let me," the text read. I smiled and kissed the screen. I saved Ali's number, and resisted the temptation to text him back right away.

"Sure thing, goodnight, see you later Ali," I texted, and then I went out for supper. I roamed the Boston night for a while, and somehow walked from Commonwealth Avenue all the way to Dorchester, a one-hour trip. The September night was cool, and people were still out. I saw a young man lurking in an alley, a tattooed and burly Hispanic or Italian guy who whistled at me.

"Hello sweetness, are you lost or something?" Mr. Tattoo asked, looking me up and down. The guy came closer, and I inhaled his scent. While all five senses are enhanced in a vampire, the sense of smell is indeed the strongest. I could smell all kinds of things on Mr. Tattoo. There was blood on his hands, earlier, he either roughed up or killed somebody. This guy isn't a pretend gangster like so many out here. Nope, he's the real deal.

"Oh no, I think I found what I'm looking for," I said, and I drew Mr. Tattoo to me, and embraced him as I would a long-lost lover. The fool thought it was his lucky day. I kissed him, then sank my fangs into his neck. Mr. Tattoo tasted wonderful. In instants Mr. Tattoo died, and I drained him of his precious blood. What I took from him will sustain me for a week. I disposed of his corpse, then began the long walk back to my dorm. Tomorrow, I'm taking Ali to the Copley Mall. My treat. Then, maybe we'll go hunting humans next time when I get hungry. I love Bostonians already. If Mr. Tattoo was any indication, then these people are magically delicious...