Aicha Rana

Mortal Days

Poverty and hopelessness tend to grind people down, but Aicha never lost her basic sense of optimism. Born in Marseilles, France, to a poor North African family, Aicha didn’t have a lot of prospects growing up. She dreamed of going to art school and becoming a rapper, but instead she barely had time to practice her rhymes as she was working in a warehouse or as a waitress.

To make money when times were tough, Aicha dealt drugs to her friends and made amateur videos for YouTube of herself rapping or dancing. Sometimes she participated in more serious crimes, but never against people like herself: poor, in a precarious position. She justified it by their collective need. Nobody was taking care of them, so they had to do it themselves. Although in all honesty, sometimes it was just because you get dumb ideas when you’re high at 2 A.M.

In her final years as a mortal, Aicha’s life moved from catastrophe to catastrophe. Her father was in a workplace accident and lost his leg. The stress of having to support him gave her mother panic attacks. Her little brother went to jail for a mugging. As far as she knew, this would be the shape of her life forever.

Kindred Nights

Five years ago, Aicha was one of the millions of working poor from immigrant backgrounds toiling all over Europe in menial jobs. Her creative ambitions remained hobbies, making it possible for her to find a modicum of happiness in an otherwise gray life.

In the movies, an eternal vampire falls in love with a girl who has unique qualities of loyalty and love. It wasn’t like that for Aicha. She was the random victim of a monster’s momentary need. One night, when she was out partying with her friends, an ancient undying creature drained her blood and forced her to become her childe.

Her first nights as a vampire were a terrible time for Aicha. Her newfound Hunger threatened to destroy who she was and Khadija Al-Kindi wasn’t exactly a caring, helpful sire. The older Child of Haqim expected Aicha to get her shit together or die.

For a year Aicha followed her sire in a desperate stupor, barely comprehending the hell she had entered. Yet bit by bit, her former personality emerged again. She found she could control the Hunger if she set her mind to it, at least most of the time. She could help people even as her service to Al-Kindi demanded she hurt them. The money she suddenly had access to could be sent home to her family and friends from her mortal days, elevating them from poverty.

Aicha works as a fixer and guide for Al-Khadija, traveling the world with her sire. Fortunately, Khadija keeps her on a long leash, so she has time and opportunity to explore the world of the Kindred for herself.