PROLOGUE


It was cold for an October night, almost to cold, but then again is was Minnesota and in the month of October it could be anywhere from 50's to 90 degrees below zero. She put on her coat as she paid for her bill at Mickey’s Dinner in St. Paul.
“Thanks Flora.” she said walking out the door.
“Anytime dear, and thank you!” she smiled at the large tip she left her. “See you next week.”
Kitty just waved her hand over her shoulder, pulling her trench coat tighter around her body. Kitty stood about 5'10" she was about 150lbs and her features were beautiful with piercing emerald colored eyes. It was a nice contrast against her pale skin and short dark hair. Her cell phone rang as she caught it on the second ring.
“Kitty.” said the voice loudly into the phone.
“Ya.” she said holding the phone away from her ear.
“I have a situation here.” said another female on the line.
“I will be there in about 5 minutes.”
“Hurry up...” the phone went dead.
Kitty turned off her phone and clipped it back in place. She started off into a run, and soon she was just a blur. The adrenaline pumped through her system as she became faster, her eyes glowing with intensity. She knew if they needed her help then it was something more than hairy, it was damn well scarey. Kitty was a Were-Hunter, she was a panther and the biggest baddest cat that walked in the state of Minnesota, possibly the entire world or so she thought. Cats were not partial to the cold, but a long time friend needed her assistance.
She co-ran a night club called “Blood Lust” with her partner in crime Solo. Solo was also a Were-Hunter, but her breed was much more rare as she was a Dragon. She preferred her human state but when needed she changed into the dragon form. Just a smaller version is all. Sometimes she did it just for kicks to have the clientele think it was all part of the act.
They also owned a paranormal shop on in Uptown, called Dancing Dragons. That was the location Solo often stayed. Of course Solo’s true name was not that, but she choose to keep it simple, and easy for ‘humans’ to remember.
Kitty ran faster as she was nearing 1st Ave, where their club was. She could already hear the commotion inside the building growing, the tension almost hanging in the air.
“What is going on?!” she said coming to a slower run, so the bouncer Jeff could see her. There were people lined up outside of the building to get in. The regulars were there in their Goth. attire, and some new faces as well. All was welcome at Blood Lust. Were-Hunter, Dark-Hunter, Human, Apollite, Katagaria, Dream-Hunter, Gods alike... everyone was welcome, as long as all knew the rules. You start shit and you became shit. The Dragon of the Domain does not play, she gets hungry and you become an appetizer. Their motto was, If you Bite us, we Bite you back, and you will wish you were dead. Of course the humans thought it was a great place to come to hang out. Some tried to dare each other to go to certain places inside the club, since it catered to almost everyone’s needs and taste.
“I am not sure, boss.” he shrugged his large shoulders. Jeff stood about 6'2" and his arms where about the size of Kitty’s legs. His hair long and blonde hanging loosely over his shoulders. He was a very intimidating person. He was a Timber-wolf and his eyes almost gave him away if you studied him closely. Kitty walked into the building.
“Dragon! Where are you!” she called over the loud music.
~Office.~ Was the single word in her head.
She pushed her way passed people in the crowded entrance.
A woman glared at her with an evil eye.
“What’s your problem?” she said as Kitty walked past.
“Don’t make it you.” Kitty said continuing to make her way to the back office.
Kitty made it to another door, that was guarded by another man. She nodded to him as he let her by.
“Boss.” he said opening the door for him.
She continued back to the back office, the white light of the halls almost blinding her. “Damn I think we need to paint or decorate this hall.” she sighed heavily.
~No... it is like that just in case some one comes back here by mistake, the wards will turn them around.~
“Yes, o-mystical one.” Kitty said opening the door to the office.
“About damn time you get here, Kitty.” Solo said as Kitty stood in the door. “Come in, so you are not hanging in limbo.”
Kitty rolled her eyes as she took a step over the threshold and into another realm. It was where Solo tended to stay, where she could change and be free if needed and she could fly off the cliff and soar through the sky without notice. This was a mutual office that was connected to the shop in Uptown, and there home in Excelsior. It was quiet possible that when you opened that single door, if you wanted to go around the world it would take you. That was one of the mystical powers of the Dragon, and Kitty didn’t question it.
Solo was a little shorter than Kitty. Her hair was a medium brown, with a white stripe down the center of it. Her eyes were a brilliant violet and they changed color to her mood.
“So what is the urgency?” she said coming closer to their desk.
Solo put down a few pieces of paper on the desk. “We have a situation, and I am not sure what you are going to think about it.”
“Oh boy.” she said rolling her eyes, taking a seat in the leather bound chair in front of her. She crossed her legs feeling the leather tighten around them. The Dragon always had a situation arise and they were the only TWO in the world that could fix it. As if the Daimon population wasn’t high enough. “What is it this time?”
“Well...” she said turning to look at the far corner as if something moved there.
Kitty turned to look as well but saw nothing but a shadow. The hairs on the back of her neck rose.
Solo sighed softly as she sat down in her chair. “I am not sure how to put this.”
“Spit it out.” Kitty said getting impatient.
“Well we have been friends for a very long time.”
“Yessss...” she hissed slightly.
“Well...” she twirled a lock of hair around her finger, which Kitty knew that was a sign of nervousness. The Dragon was hardly EVER nervous, this must be serious.
“Please, Solo... just tell me what is going on.”
“I must be leaving, Kitty.” she said quickly and if her hearing wasn’t what it was, she wouldn’t have heard her completely.
“WHAT!?” she screamed standing and slamming her hand down on the desk. The force going straight through the ancient oak and shattering it in two.
Solo cringed slightly seeing her friend so upset.
“What do you mean you must be leaving? Leaving like a vacation? Moving? What?”
“Well sort of.” she shrugged slightly. “I am being called back.”
“Called back where?”
“Well, um...” she hesitated.
“It is alright to tell her.” a voice said from the shadows.
Solo nodded as Kitty turned quickly at the shadow in the corner but saw nothing.
“I have mated.” she said softly showing her the mark.
“WHAT!” Kitty gasped at her long time friend.
“How? When? Where?” she paused. “Who?” she finally asked.
“Well...” she paused turning into half dragon, half human. She tapped a claw on her chin as she tried to explain it to her. “I met him here.”
“How? I thought this was your domain. No one can come here unless you have allowed them too.”
“Well... that is the tricky part. I can not close this domain to any dragon. All dragons are my kin, and all dragons have the power to come here.”
“Oh-Kay.” she said trying to grasp this fact. Solo was not to be mated, they told each other they didn’t need a guy, and only if they wanted some they found a human man to satisfied their primal lust.
“I mated a long time before I ever met you Kitty. And well...” she paused.
“He came back?”
“Yes... and no.” she sighed heavily at the feeling of heart break she heard from her friend.
“And I thought I would have to kill some Daimons tonight or something, that you needed me to do a little crowd control.” she said sadly.
“Well I do need you.” Solo interjected.
“Ya...” she said softly. “You have a man now. You don’t need me.” he voice trailed off as her heart broke.
“Well... what I want to do, is give this all to you... legally. I will not need it, and when I am gone no one will remember me. Even though my statue will stay in the shop and in the club as a reminder that I was here.”
“I don’t want you to sign, Solo.”
“I am sorry Kitty but I will have too... I don’t want to leave any ties, cause unfortunately you wont remember me either.” she said softly as a tear came to her eye. The tear fell from her cheek and landed on the desk in the form of a brilliant crystal.
“What do you mean I wont remember you?” she said harshly.
“Well...” Solo said bending down and picking up the papers. “Your memory will be erased as well. I should have stayed back in my own time, Kitty. You need to understand that a dragon is not welcome in the 22nd century.”
“Bull shit.” she said bitterly.
“It is true, Kitty. I am sure you will be ok with out me. Remember you are one bad mamba jamba.” she smiled softly to her.
Kitty tried not to laugh at her words that her long time friend used to call her.
Solo signed the paper work and handed it to her.
“Please sign this Kitty.”
Kitty took the paper work as the desk magically reappeared as it was before her hand went through it.
“Fine.” she said starting to get teary eyed. Kitty singed the papers quickly.
“I am glad I got to meet you Kitty.” Solo said. “I will never forget you. Dragons never do.”
“Ya whatever.” Kitty said bitterly. She couldn’t believe why her long time friend was doing this. Why couldn’t her mate come live here?
“He can not live in this time, Kitty.” she said reading her thoughts.
“Don’t read my thoughts!” she said bitterly. “They are mine, and not yours.”
“I will still come in and check on you.” Solo said as she watched her friend stand up.
“They are all signed.”
“Good.” she said as they disappeared. “I will miss you Kitty.”
“Whatever.” Kitty said heading for the door. “I hope you both have a nice life.” she said angrily.
“I want you to keep this, Kitty.” she said chaining the dragon tear and putting around her neck. “It will come in handy, one day.”
“Whatever.” she said bitterly.
“Goodbye, Kitty. I do love you.” she said.
“I...” she said turning around and the dragon was gone. Her mind was hazy and she could not remember why she was in her office, or what she was doing. “Whoa...” Kitty said shaking her head. “I have been working way to hard.”
“Hey boss.” she heard a call from the hall.
“Ya, Bobby?”
“There is someone here saying they know you.”
“What’s there name?”
“Uh... Bailey.” he said.
“Ya, ok... I will be there in a moment.” she said shutting the door behind her.
“Ok, boss whatever you say.”
Kitty walked out into club and up to the front to deal with the new troubles in her life.