It was just another ordinary day, shopping with my best friend Natalie in mid jump. Natalie flicked her long blonde hair over her shoulder as we continued through the shop, her head turning at the male vampires that pass us. We had been best friends for as long as I could remember. She is not only my best friend but she also happens to be my cousin. My uncle Jeremy and his wife Crystal had been married not long after my parents and within a few months I was given one very gorgeous cousin. Natalie was so much like her mother it was crazy, she liked to feed directly from humans but that was dangerous in our world now. We were a known species and there were some humans that would rather see us burn in the depths of hell rather than walk freely among us. And that was why we now had mid jump. Natalie loved to come here, to do nothing more than wander the shops, checking out what the latest fashion was and perv on other vampires. I liked it here too, it's a peaceful place that we don't have to fear humans or slayers. My parents don't worry about me if I'm here, they know that I'm safe, but still, because I'm royalty, I have my permanent shadow. Danny always maintains a respectful distance, knowing that young women don't want to be seen in public with their guards. Instead he chooses to look like a stalker. Not sure on which is better. Mid jump was a new creation; our queen had implored the phoenix to pass on her request to our maker to make a safe haven for the dark beings. A place where we needn't fear being attacked by slayers. I could understand it, even though she had been queen for only a few decades, she had come under attack a lot. Her days were spent being surrounded by many king's guards, her castle was constantly under watch, protected by dozens upon dozens of guards. She couldn't take a step without at least one of them being by her side. It was the same for her children too, I knew that they were all sick of it. How did I know? Well, I am Ivy Nicolai. Not only am I royalty but I am the daughter of Lilly, one of the women who along with the queen and two other women were the centre of a prophecy. My parents had maintained a close friendship with all of those that were involved in the prophecy and as such, we were privy to all sorts of information that wasn't widely known.

Things had changed greatly since their prophecy had come to pass, a year ago we went to war with the largest faction of slayers our kind had ever seen. It was so bad that many had died in those awful days, many that we had loved we had lost. Vampires for the first time feared the slayers, something that my grandfather told me was unusual. Normally we were a strong and resilient race, we feared nothing yet there we were, fighting a war that we were losing fast. I was still haunted by the memories, watching my friends fall to the earth, dead before they hit the bloodied dirt. But we prevailed, in the battle we held strong, fighting not just for our own survival but for the survival for our planet. It was dying fast. The humans had no clue how bad it was, how close to the end they really were. Our queen had a moment of infinite wisdom or maybe she was tired of being the target of so many plots to end her life. She offered the humans a treaty, hand over the land to us, we would repair it and return it to its former glory. Stupidly, the humans agreed. Maybe it was desperation, maybe it truly was stupidity. Either way, there wasn't a vampire that cared, so long as the humans handed over the planet to the vampires. Now we had the upper hand, mid jump had been created as a safe haven for all dark beings and the vampires were repairing the land as best as they could. It hasn't been easy, man still hasn't changed his ways, still mistreating the earth with little care for their own wellbeing. There was something brewing though, I could feel it. I knew the queen all too well to know she'd let them get away with destroying her realm. In the days after the treaty was signed, our queen split the earth into four quarters, each to be taken by one of the women of the prophecy, to keep an eye on the rectification works.

My days are pretty boring, I don't have any official royal duties yet, I can do as I please. I am living the life of a princess, third in line to the throne of our little kingdom. Not that I wanted it, I was happy for my grandfather to continue in his loving rule of our people. My father had little interest in it as well. He and my mother were too busy with my siblings. I had eight of them already. We were all the same, taking after our father. Black hair and green eyes, fair skin and thin frames. There was yet to be a child that looked like my mother and I don't think she was impressed. I knew she looked upon Natalie with her blonde hair and brown eyes and wondered when she would have a child that looked like the rest of her family.

Cheesy department store music blared a little too loudly as we wandered through the store. The layout in this place was a little random. At the entry was household goods, to the left was electronics and to the right was clothing. Beyond the clothing was the music section which if it were me, I would have put it next to the electronics instead of the toy section. To me toys beside children's clothing seemed a logical choice. But not in this place. So the fact that the day turned out as it did was of no surprise. I could see a blur in the corner of my eye, praying that the blur was who I thought it was.

"Dreamboat, three o'clock." Natalie whispers flicking through the rack of clothes.

I turn and look at the him, I was right. One very handsome man clearly making his way to the music section. The sandy blonde hair neatly flicked back, golden brown eyes just like his mothers, tall and definitely gorgeous.

"I know him." I whisper back.

"You do not Ivy."

"I do." I grin at her.

It wasn't a surprise that Natalie didn't know that I knew him. She was so wrapped up in her own little world that she was hard pressed to know what day of the week it was. It also didn't help that he was from a different kingdom, and the royalty and aristocracy from different kingdoms only ever got together at functions.

"You're a dirty rotten liar Iv, you do not know him."

"I do Nat, trust me."

"Prove it."

I look smugly at her as I step backwards, knowing I will end up in his path. He bumps into me and instantly apologises, seeing me he grins.

"Hey Ivy, long time no see."

"Hey Jonah. How's your mum and dad?"

"Good."

I turn and look at Natalie, my eyebrows high with a definite smugness, she gapes at me, so very shocked.

"Mum's about to go into a down cycle." he shrugs "You know, end of the current life."

"Oh, how long before the rebirth?"

"Couple of days."

"So you'll be the only phoenix for a couple of days then?"

"Yeah, almost." he half laughs. "So, how are your parents?"

"Knocked up again." I groan. "Like bloody rabbits those two are."

He laughs, clearly my parents popping out the siblings constantly is amusing. I find it rather annoying, screaming babies, smelly nappies blech.

"Mum did say fifteen."

"I know." I say groaning again.

"And that's just the first hundred years." he says with a wicked glint in his eye.

"Yeah, great. Thanks for that."

"Any time. Hey you should stop by and get your cards done."

"I thought that was only if it was important."

He shrugs. "Knowing the future is always important."

I can see Natalie slowly flicking through the clothes pretending to look at them, but clearly her attention is on us.

"So, what are you up to today?"

"Oh, uh... We were shopping."

He looks over at Natalie.

"My cousin Natalie, Jonah."

"Hey." he nods at her. "No curtsying. Without guards today."

"Oh, she doesn't know."

"Know what?" she frowns.

I frown back at her, hoping that she won't push me.

"Why are you without your guards?"

"Such a pain in the arse." he whines.

"They are for your protection."

"Where are yours?"

"Over there."

I gesture to the linoleum path that had been carved through the carpeted sections. Danny was keeping his usual distance. He looked like he always did in a full black suit and tie, crisp white linen shirt, standing upright arms clasped behind his back.

"As if I would be allowed out without my shadow."

"Iv, I'm hungry." Natalie's eyes darken.

"We should probably go and get something to eat."

"Have you tried the diner at the end of the food hall?"

"Which one?"

"Chuckie's. The best blood I have ever tasted."

"Cool."

"I'm feeling a bit peckish, come on, I'll show you."