And the Forth Seal was broken
And I heard a voice say “Come and see”
And I saw
And Behold a Pale horse
And the name of the rider upon it was Death
And Hell followed with him
Revelations, chapter 6, Verse 8

“Storm is coming in.”

Ororo was wiping the counters down as Jubilation stared out of the window of the small diner. She rested her chin on the handle of the mop she had not used in the past half hour and lounged against the side of the wall.

“You know, that floor isn’t going to get any cleaner with the mop in only one place,” Ororo said, glancing up at her.

“Bad stain here, think it’s old coffee,” she replied, her eyes never coming away from the approaching clouds. They were dark and heavy with rain. She sighed loudly, knowing the bonfire party her friends had planned for tonight was probably not gonna happen.

“Sucks,” she mumbled and finally started moving the mop halfheartedly.

“Oh, come on, Jubes, don’t take it so rough, there will be other parties.”

Jubilee just pouted. “Yeah, whatever.”

“Maybe it won’t rain,” Ororo said, trying to bolster the girl’s spirit. “And then you can go and do whatever seventeen-year-olds do at parties like that.”

She walked back around the table and started gathering up what was left of the dishes as Jubilee gave her a wicked grin.

“You have no idea what that would be, do you?”

Ororo picked up a knife from one of the plates and pointed it at her. “I know damn well what it’s not gonna be, and if little Mr. Drake does not want his religion changed, he better have a good idea, too.”

Jubes stuck her tongue out at her adopted sister. “Oh please, like I’m some kind of slut to just give it away, after only a first date.”

“Your little ass better not be any kind of slut, or I will lock you up in your room and brick it up.” Ororo warned, with no hint of humor. “Mom would kill the both of us.”

She threw the knife and the rest of the dishes in a wash bin and hefted them to the back. “I have heard of Bobby Drake’s reputation, and I have no intention of you ending up a notch on his bedpost.”

“I would settle for a notch on the back seat of a car right now,” she mumbled.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“I am warning you, Jubilation, Lorena Bobbit doesn’t have anything on me!” she shouted from the back.

“Yes, General,” Jubilee saluted, and she went back to mopping. “So what time are you opening shop tomorrow?”

“Going to be here at six; expect a big rush in the morning. Nate said he was going to bring some of his work buddies here for breakfast,” she replied, throwing away what little food remained on the plates. “If we make a good impression, we could be serving the entire mining crew.”

Jubilee twirled her fingers in the air. “Woo-hoo, that means I’ll be slinging eggs and pancakes for five hours.”

Ororo laughed a bit. “You won’t be complaining so much when we have enough finally for you to get a car.”

“Right now I’d settle for a mule; probably fit in better with the locals around here, anyway.”

“Oh, come on, this place is not so bad,” Ororo said, smiling. “It kind of grows on you.”

“Like a fungus.”

Ororo laughed out loud. “Brat.”

They had been here for almost a year now. The little dream their mother had of wide-open spaces, living in a quiet Midwestern town. Moving from Los Angeles after their father died had been hard for all of them, but Ororo knew her mother had a determination tempered in steel. She had told them that a fresh start was what they all needed, a chance to build something of their own.

And to get away from the dark times the city had caused.

Ororo rubbed absently at the ring on her right hand, the one her father had given her before he had died. He had told her it was like the one he had given her mother, a link between their souls. She had not taken it off since.

The diner was their mother’s idea. A promise of an easy life away from anything that resembled what their lives were like in the city. Ororo remembered the look on her mother’s face the day they had opened; it was like she had given birth to another child.



For that one day in such a long time, they were united as a family again.

Then the heart that had held her and Jubilee and Ororo together for so long stopped. She died not but a few days after the diner had been finished. Heart attack, that was what the doctor had said when they pronounced her DOA at the hospital. Just as the pain of her Father’s passing was beginning to ease, her mother was gone just like that.

Jubilee had screamed for them to leave this all behind and go back to their old lives, but she had refused. Her sister had told her that there was nothing for them here anymore, but Ororo responded by saying that all they had left in this entire world was a this place and a dream their mother had for them, and God help her, she was not going to let that last part of her mother fade.

Eventually, Jubilee came around and even became enthusiastic about helping her before and after school. They had adjusted as best as anyone could expect. And nothing more could be asked of them.

“So, how was the “date” between you and Deputy Dipstick?” Jubilee piped in. bringing Ororo out of her thoughts. “Should I call the caterer and book the church?”

Ororo rolled her eyes. “Please, I would rather gouge my eyes out with a curling iron. He asked me out, and I want us to get in better with the townspeople, so we had a drink and that was it. And it’s ‘sheriff’, not deputy.”

“Oh, excuse me! Are you going to see him again?”

Ororo grimaced. “No thank you, the guy is creepy as all get out, I got away as soon as I could, and I tell ya, Jubes, the guy has some issues.”

“Hey, it might do you some good to have a good run in the saddle, it’s been a good long while for you,” Jubilee said, setting the mop aside and coming to help her with the dishes.

“The guy is psycho, Jubes, he’s like Barney Fife from Hell, and he kept giving me the Ted Bundy looks.”

“Should have told him to fuck off, then,” she said, popping a piece of gum into her mouth.

“Trying to fit in Jubes, telling the sheriff to fuck off is not the way to go; besides, he’s friends with Mr. Fisk. The guy pretty much owns this town, so we’ve got to try to maintain some amount of civility.”

Jubilee shrugged. “Whatever, wuss.”

Ororo splashed her with some of the dishwater.

“Ughhhh, so not cool!” She wiped off the water with a rag. “Well, the front is good, and I’m out, gonna see if the party is kicking yet.”

“You want a ride?”

She shook her head. “Nah, Bobby is gonna meet me at the flea market they call a mall here, don’t wait up.”

“Remember what I said, Jubes, or I’m going to jail for murder,” Ororo reminded her, shouting to her fleeing sister, “And if it starts raining I expect you home pronto.”

“Yes, Mein Fuhrer,” she said, and she was gone out the front door.

Ororo snickered and put away the last of the dishes, undid the apron she wore and finished up the last few chores.

The thunder echoed through the sky as she stepped out of the diner and locked up the door. The clouds had settled over the sky and the wind blew a harsh chill. Ororo pulled the brown jacket she wore around her more tightly and made her way to her truck in the back lot.

The narrow alley way was never a favorite place of hers to go, even when the sun lit the expanse. It was always colder here, darker, rats scurried throughout the trashcans and dumpster, and the smell was always strong. Ororo always had her pepper spray close to hand for some reason when coming through this alley.

She always had a feeling of being watched as she walked down it. A presence that waited for her every night, lurking in the dark, waiting for her to come just close enough to…

Ok, enough girl, she scolded herself. No more Clive Barker books for a while, going back to Nora Roberts.

A bird called overhead, a crow; the sound sent goose bumps down her arms and she slightly quickened her pace.

Finally reaching the end of the alley, she turned left and saw her pale green Ford Ranger. Some would say it was a strange choice of vehicle for her, especially Jubes, who had begged her to pick something different, but there was just something about a truck that appealed to her more than a car could.

Of course, if she could have, she would have chosen a motorcycle, but Jubilee had almost had a conniption at the thought of having to ride on the back of a cycle with her.

Getting in, she started the truck and pulled out of the lot. Their home was just outside of town, about seven miles worth, in the backwoods. A nice home if anyone should see it, not huge, but more than ample to house just her and her sister. Ororo liked it a lot; Jubilee did too, even though she said the surrounding area looked like the summer home of Jason and Leatherface.

Ororo headed east on the main road, past the other closing businesses, waving at a few people here and there. She saw Nate and Scott, two of the miners who had came into the diner the other day and praised her for a hell of a meal, standing outside of one of the few bars in town, talking.

Nate smiled and waved back at her. Scott absently did the same, apparently wrapped up in whatever conversation they were having.

Nathan Dayspring was a nice guy; Ororo thought maybe something could develop between the two of them as well, if the situation ever presented itself. The thought of dating again, after such a long hiatus, scared her a bit. The only date she had to account for in almost three years was with the Sheriff straight out of the pages of the novel Desperation. So at this point, she felt that it would be best for another to bring the topic of the ‘D’ word up first.

She was only a couple miles from home when she saw the flashes of red and blue in her rear view.

“Shit.”

She pulled over to the side and groaned when she saw the Sheriff step out of the cruiser and saunter over to her car. He had on mirrored sunglasses (It was dark outside, for God’s sake) and a tan cowboy hat pulled down low on his forehead. He was tall and of a good build, with hard features, but his skin was a strange shade of white, almost a transparent pale.

Just one more thing that added to his overall creepiness, Ororo thought.

He tapped on the window and smiled.

She rolled down the window with a sigh. “Evening, Sheriff.”

Nathaniel Essex, town sheriff, removed his sunglasses and let his almost black eyes devour the woman that sat before him.

“Ms Munroe,” he said in a flat voice. “How are ya this evening?”

“Good, just heading home, really beat, been a long day,” she said, wearing a fake grin; if ever God wanted to send a meteor down now would be an awesome time for it.

“IS there something wrong?”

He took a long and deliberate look over her body.

Jesus, the guy isn’t even discreet about it, Ororo thought.

He inhaled and let that wicked grin crease his mouth back up. “None at all, just thought maybe I could see what you had going tonight, thought maybe you might want to come have another drink with me.”

“I am sorry, Sheriff, I won’t be able to tonight, I’m dead on my feet.”

“Well, maybe you won’t have to be on your feet all night.” The look of his eyes was blood curdling. “I am sure we could find plenty of things to do that don’t require us to stand.”

Ororo gave him a hard look. Over and over in her mind, she was so tempted to kick this guy in the nuts, but other than the fact that she would end up in jail, she sure did not need that on her reputation.

The little devil in her that looked so much like her sister was cheering her on for it.

Taking a deep breath, she matched Essex’s look. “I don’t think so, Sheriff, my sister will be home shortly, and I don’t like leaving her in the woods by herself.”

It was not a total lie.

Sheriff Essex leaned forward, coming very close to Ororo’s face. She felt for the pepper spray in her pocket and held it tight. If it came to it, she would spray this guy and THEN kick him in the balls, jail be damned.

He took another deep breath and licked his lips as he pulled away. “Well, I sure don’t want to keep your little baby sister waiting all alone in the deep dark woods by herself.” He placed the sunglasses back on his face. “I guess we will have to schedule for a different time.”

Ororo quietly let out the breath she had been holding. “Good day, Sheriff.” She pulled out onto the road and drove off.

Nathaniel Essex stood still as he watched the truck drive away, quite fast and none too discreet about it. Even as the rain began falling on, and it flowed down the brim of his hat, he kept his eyes fixed on the gradually fading taillights

Ten minutes later, Ororo reached the gravel road that led into the back woods where she lived. The sky was very dark now, and the rain had started. Flashes of lightning illuminated the tree line, making shapes appear that were not really there. Ororo just wanted to be home and out of this weather. She loved the rain, but at this moment she wanted to be behind a locked door, in case a Manson in a badge happened to be around.

She reached the house, pulled her purse and jacket with her and went inside. She wanted a nice glass of whatever had a proof level and a bit of TV. She would have to call Jubes, too, and hope the girl had her cell phone on and that it was getting a signal. The area around here played hell with cell phones. They only had the one between them, but she was almost certain that it was the only one in the whole of the town.

She picked up the house phone and dialed. The message service came on and Ororo gritted her teeth: Jubes had the phone turned off. She left a snippy message for her to get home ASAP, and then threw herself onto the couch in the living room, switching the tube on and just relaxing.

Hours later she had fallen asleep on the couch, the TV set to a scrambled station, and the glass of wine she had drank sitting on the stand beside her. She was wrapped up tightly under a blanket and her breathing was deep and even.

Outside the rain poured, the thunder cracked and the wind howled.

Nothing was stirring.

Not even the crow that sat on the tree limb outside. It stood completely still even as the rain battered down upon it, the yellow eyes never flinched away as lightning split the sky. They focused on the house in front of it and on the sleeping form lying on the couch.

There is a man going around taking names
And He decides who to free and who to blame
Everybody won’t be treated all the same
There will be a golden ladder reaching down
When the Man comes around
Johnny Cash


Black Blood

Within the Raven

Have I been forgiven?

A Haven

Of Crows watching Squawking

Drifting above me Hawking*

The music drifted to Ororo’s ears and she woke grimacing as Jubilee’s speakers hammered into her brain. She was in the kitchen, dancing to the music and pouring a large bowl of cereal. She noticed her sister’s rising when she sat down to eat.

“Good morning, sunshine!” she shouted over the music.

Ororo forced herself off of the couch and went straight for the stereo, and she quickly turned the volume down.

“You know a little bit of music is good for you in the morning,” Jubilee said around a mouthful of Coco Puffs. “Helps get ya going.”

Ororo scoffed as she made her way to the coffee pot. “I don’t see how you listen to that stuff so early.”

Her sister shrugged and took another mouthful of cereal. “Gets me pumped up, I sure can’t listen to your stuff, Donna Summers puts me to sleep.”

“This stuff makes me feel like I should be sacrificing a goat, Jubes,” Ororo said, sitting down at the table and taking a sip of her coffee. “So did you get my message?’

She had that you’re in a world of trouble look on her face.

Jubilee shook her head. “Sorry, phone was dead, but once the rain kicked in, Bobby brought me home and we just hung out for a while.”

“Doing?”

“We just watched a couple of movies, so claws in, Missy,” she said. “We were quiet so as not to wake the slumbering goddess from her sleep.”

“I didn’t even hear you come in, I must have been catatonic”

Jubilee snickered. “And snoring like a wounded boar.”

Ororo playfully slapped her sister on the arm. “I was not, shut up!”

“Oh, I tell ya, honey,” Jubilee continued, “it was like the offspring of a chainsaw and a jackhammer crying to be fed.”

Ororo laughed and spit some of her coffee out. “You bitch!”

She stood up and put her cup in the sink. “So are you ready for the fun and adventure today?”

Jubilee did the same with her dishes and rolled her eyes. “Oh boy, yes, I cannot wait, watch me hyperventilate in anticipation.”

“Get dressed, brat,” Ororo said, grinning. “We leave in twenty.”

Jubilee went upstairs and began changing, as did Ororo.

They both came back about fifteen minutes later, dressed in plain clothes with just a hint of makeup.

“You’re not going to do your hair?’ Ororo asked.

Jubilee scoffed. “What’s the point, it’s not like I’m out to impress anybody.” She ran a hand through her shoulder length black hair once. “Besides, not all of us were blessed with salon quality hair even after sleep.”

Ororo smiled and whipped her hair around her shoulders. “I am cursed, am I not”?

Jubilee rolled her eyes. “I hate you.”

They walked to the truck, got in and were gone a minute later.

Jubilee pulled a CD out of her pack and popped it in.

The music started thrumming in the small confines of the Ranger, much to Ororo’s chagrin.

Rage in the Cage

And Piss upon the Stage

There’s only one sure way

To bring the Giant Down

Defunct the strings

Of cemetery things

With One flat foot

On the Devil’s wing**

Jubilee screeched out the lyrics as Ororo tired her best to ignore

Crawl on me

Sink into me

Die for me

Living Dead Girl

Ororo had never been happier to see the back lot of the diner than she was right now. She shook her head a bit when she stepped out, trying to shake the ringing the music and her sister’s voice had caused in her ears.

Jubilee went ahead of her into the alleyway. Ororo hesitated a moment, but at the sound of her sister calling for the door keys, she proceeded through. She kept her eyes straight ahead and focused on the light coming from one of the street lamps around the alley corner. All the while she did her best to ignore the creeping chill going down her shoulders, and the faint sounds that sounded almost like whispers.

She held her breath those last few moments before she stepped out of the alley darkness. She started down the alley a moment and felt the rise of goose bumps form all over her. The shadows seemed to dance in front of her, as if they were daring her to enter just once more.

Jubilee came to stand by her and waved her hand in front of her face. “I know that turning away from such a interesting spectacle like a dark smelly alley is hard, but ya think maybe we could get started like today? I have one hour before I need to head for school.”

Ororo nodded and reached for her keys to open the door. She walked to the back and threw the main switch to bring the lights on, and she was thankful for the brightness that chased away the lingering feelings of darkness from the alley.

She and Jubes went right to work, setting the coffee pots on and warming up the ovens. Jubilee brought out several large containers of eggs and bag upon bag of bacon. It was only a bit after six, and the morning crew did not come in until around seven, but Ororo needed to make use of the time Jubilee was here to help her. It got hard sometimes when it was just her running the place when Jubes was at school. She thought of hiring someone to help out, while Jubilee wasn’t there.

Maybe an ad in the paper would be just the thing, she thought as she started placing pans on the stove.

The bell on the door rang as it opened and shut.

It was unusual for anyone to be in this early in the morning, but business was business.

Ororo nodded that she would get it as Jubilee kept working on getting the eggs out of the container. Walking through the swinging doors, Ororo saw two men that she had not seen around the town before. She was hardly on a first-name basis with the majority of the townsfolk, but she knew many of the faces around.

But these two were new.

One was a tall stocky man with shaggy blond hair that obscured the look of his eyes; the other was slightly smaller with black hair and eyes a strange color of green.

They took a seat at the counter and planted their eyes on her.

The way they were staring was a bit unnerving for her.

“Good morning gentlemen, can I get you some coffee?”

They both stared at her a minute more before the dark-haired man finally managed a smile and nodded. The blond kept his eyes trained on her until he received an elbow in the ribs from his partner.

Ororo sat the cups on the top and poured them full. “You guys want anything else?”

“I can think of a few things,” the blond said, rubbing his hand over his chin.

Ororo did not like the sound that was in his voice, it made her uneasy. “Excuse me?”

The dark-haired one hit his partner in the ribs again and smiled. “He means that we want something to eat with this good coffee, isn’t that right, Laughton?”

The blond swept his eyes down Ororo’s legs and slowly exhaled. “Whatever you say. Mac.”

The one called Laughton raised his eyes to meet Ororo’s. He smiled at her and Ororo felt like a mouse in the gaze of a Moccasin.

“Eggs, if you would please, and some bacon and dry toast, please,” Mac told her, breaking the silence.

Ororo nodded quickly and went to the back. She could feel Laughton watching her as she went through the doors to the kitchen.

Jubilee was popping her gum and softly singing as Ororo came to stand beside her.

“Eggs, bacon and toast Jubes, and quick I want these guys to eat and get the hell out of here.”

Jubes quirked her eyebrow at her. “What’s the matter?”

Her sister shook her head. “Nothing, just get on it; these two are weird.”

“Sheriff Psycho weird?”

“About the same.”

“I’m on it. Want me to spit in their eggs?”

“Jubes!”

“Just asking.” She cracked some eggs and began scrambling.

The bell on the front door rang again, and Ororo went back out front and was relieved as could be to see Nate walking in with a huge smile on his face. Mac managed a smile at the large man while Laughton kept his head lowered.

“Now there is a sight worth seeing every morning,” Nate said, reaching over and shaking Ororo’s hand. “How are ya doing, Ro?”

She smiled at him, and thanked whatever powers that he was here. “Just fine, Nate, how about you?”

He shrugged. “Ya know how it is, another day on the grind, another day I’m not a rich man, but at least I get to eat like one in the morning.”

“Your usual?”

“If you would, please.”

Ororo went to the back to get Nate’s usual of sausage, bacon, and flapjacks.

He turned and nodded to the two on the other end of the bar. “Morning.”

Mac smiled at him again, a smile that was forced at best. “Morning.”

“You two new in town?”

Mac lit a cigarette. “Just passing through, is all.”

“Where ya from?”

“Is that really any business of yours, Po dump?”

Nate narrowed his eyes. “There’s no reason to be rude, mister.”

Mac laughed. “Believe me, boy, I haven’t even started yet.”

In the back Ororo was pouring the pancake mix into a pan when she heard a shout of pain from the front. She told Jubes to stay where she was and rushed out the door.

Nate was bent over the desk with a gun pressed to his temple, and the one called Mac was holding it.

“Register! Now!”

Ororo swallowed loudly and slowly moved to the cash register.

Laughton was giggling as he pulled a pistol from the back of his pants. “Tell whoever is in the back to bring their ass out front!”

The last thing she wanted was to get Jubes anywhere near these two lunatics. “It’s only me.”

Mac pressed the barrel of the gun tighter into Nate’s temple. “Don’t fuck with us, lady, you bring them out here or I fucking promise you, I‘ll splatter cherry pie all over this fucking place!”

The fear was freezing her voice, not letting her speak.

Mac sighed. “Go see who the fuck is back there.”

Laughton snorted and walked around the bar.

Ororo made her way to move in front of him but he raised gun to meet her at eye level.

“Just sit that ass right here, sugar” he said and walked through the doors.

There was a loud crash and cursing, and Ororo started to go through the doors but was stopped by Mac.

“Don’t you fucking move, bitch,” he said. “Laughton?”

The doors swung open and Jubilee came tumbling out. Ororo went down on her knees by her sister’s side. She was sobbing and there was a bright red spot on the side of her cheek.

Laughton came out holding a towel to his gun arm. There was bright red flowing from underneath it. “Little bitch tried to stab me.”

“Oh, get over it,” Mac said. “The register, now!”

Ororo did not move from her sister’s side. “It’s right there, just take it and get the hell out of here.”

Mac motioned Laughton for the register. “Oh, we plan on being gone here in just a few, but first,” and he brought the gun down on Nate’s head, and knocking him cold.

He raised the gun at her. “First things first, though, you’re gonna let that little bitch up and she is gonna come with us.”

Ororo shook her head violently. “Fuck you.”

“That’s exactly what we had planned.”

Laughton had finished getting the money out and was now standing above Ororo. “I want this one, Mac.”

“Thought your motto was the younger the better.”

“This bitch looks real sweet man, and I want to see if that hair color of hers is natural.”

Mac rolled his eyes. “Whatever; let’s make this quick, though. We take her to the alley, finish with her, then get rid of her and we’re gone.”

Laughton grabbed Ororo by the wrists and hauled her away. She fought back with all she was worth, kicking, punching, and screaming the whole time. She managed a solid kick into his groin but it only earned her a hard backhand to the cheek.

They made it to the alley and slammed her against the wall and began tearing at her clothes. She still fought back but the strength of this man was unnatural. He ripped her shirt and tore at her pants, all the while licking her along the neck.

Mac stood a bit away keeping watch but still turning to enjoy himself in the sight of her partially naked body.

Caw, Caw

Laughton stopped and looked up to the noise and came to face a crow sitting on the edge of the roof. It was staring down at him with great interest.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Mac said, getting exasperated with his partner’s waste of time.

“There is a big fucking bird looking at me.”

“Jesus, would you just fuck the bitch so we can go, please?”

Laughton held Ororo around the throat to hold her still. “Get the fuck out of here!” he hollered to the crow.

The crow cocked its head to the side at the man’s words, and began cawing again, but this time in a rapid succession, and it fluttered its wings. It kept this up for a few moments and was soon joined by another crow that mimicked its movements. The cawing and the dancing of the birds in front of him made Laughton almost forget about the woman in his hands.

“Shit, somebody’s coming, keep the bitch quiet,” Mac called out.

The crows flew off at Mac’s words and Laughton was brought back to reality. He lowered Ororo down to the ground and placed a knife at her throat. “Say anything and I will slit you clean, and do the same to that little skank inside, you hear me?”

Ororo gritted her teeth and nodded.

The sound of an approaching roar hurt her ears. It was nothing like she had ever heard before, even though it was loud, it was not the volume that caused the pain. It was something else.

The blur of a form passed the opening of the alley. Mac peeked out the side and saw a motorcycle stopping in the middle of the street and turning back around. It came to a stop in front of the diner. The rider dismounted and walked to the door.

He was not very tall, but his shoulders gave him a wide berth, and he had shoulder-length dark hair, topped with a black Stetson hat. He was wearing jeans and a black jacket with the same colored boots. A trail of smoke rose from the cigar in his hand. He walked to the front door and made to open it but paused and tilted his head to the right a bit.

Mac could have sworn he was looking right at him. He stepped away from the door and made his way to the alley. Mac hid the gun behind his back and quickly pulled a cigarette from his pocket and leaned his back against the wall. The stranger stepped into the alley and stood on the other side of him. The hat hid away the face, but the man’s body language told Mac that he was relaxed.

“Got a light, pal?”

The stranger brought the cigar to his mouth and took a long drag. “Nope”

A real smart ass, Mac thought. “Well, mind if I borrow that stogie of yours so I can light mine?”

The cigar was dropped to the ground and crushed underneath a heavy boot. The eyes of the stranger rose to meet with those of Mac.

Mac had only been scared once in his entire life that he could remember. He was going to lock lips with a Fir De Lance, one of the most deadly snakes in the world. The guys who had decided to kill him for some reason he could not remember had decided to be creative. Mac did not remember what it was about or even how he got out of it, so much time and drugs had clouded his memory, but he could remember the eyes of that snake staring back at him. Cold and dry, slit and soulless, like something so unearthly it could not possibiliy exist.

But it was all too real.

And this stranger had eyes like that snake. The same soullessness, the same aura. His grandmother told him once that the Devil used chains of ice to keep the souls of the dammed bound in the pit of fire. These eyes were that color.

The stranger took a step forward and Mac brought his gun to bear. “Hold it right there, asshole.”

The stranger stopped but never broke eye contact.

“I think it would be best if you just get on that hog of yours and get the hell out of here.”

The stranger smiled at him.

Soulless. Mac faltered a bit but kept his gun steady. “Did you fucking hear me, man? Do I have to put one through your brain box for you to get me?”

“I hear ya just fine, bub.”

Snap.

Mac felt his hand and wrist snap as soon as the stranger shot his hand out and jerked it to the side. He did not even have time to cry out before his head was slammed into the wall.

Laughton stood with Ororo in his grasp and knife to her throat. “Back the fuck up, pal.”

The stranger barely turned his head to the voice.

“You get the fuck away. or I’ll cut this bitch’s head clean off. man!”

The stranger said nothing, only bent low and picked up the pistol that Mac had dropped. He faced them and started walking.

“I’m fucking serious, man, I’ll slice this whore if you keep coming.”

The stranger seemed to shrug his massive shoulders. “You do it and there is nothing between you and me; either way boy, you’re mine.”

That tone left nothing to doubt. Laughton knew he was not the smartest guy in the world, but he had a knack for calling a bluff. This guy was serious. Slowly, he released his hand from Ororo’s throat and began easing it to the back of his pants for his gun.

The stranger stopped mid-stride and tilted his head to the side. Laughton thought it looked familiar but he was too scared to remember anything except for his gun.

“The choice is made.”

In a blur Ororo was thrown out of the way. She crashed into the wall and her head rung with the force of the strike. She shook it away and started to stand when she saw that the stranger had been the one to throw her and was now driving the point of the knife into the throat of the man who had tried to rape her.

He stood there gasping and choking as blood oozed from the wound and his mouth. He tried reaching up to pull the blade free but the loss of blood was making him weak. The stranger only stood and watched as the man struggled.

He turned finally and saw the woman on the ground. He walked over to her and offered her his hand. “Come on girl, now, sure ain’t your time.”

Ororo just stared at him a moment and finally offered her hand to his. He pulled her up and checked her throat. “You’ll live.”

He walked her back into the diner. Ororo’s head was spinning; she did not know what to make of any of this. “You just killed two men,” she finally managed.

“They’re not dead” was his only reply.

“You stabbed one in the throat.”

“You would be surprised what ya can live through.”

He let her lean all of her weight on his shoulder and he supported her with ease.

“Oh God, Nate, Jubes!” She hurried through the doors and saw Jubilee crawling on the floor toward Nate.

She bent down and helped Jubilee up. “Are you okay?”

She weakly nodded. “What did they do to you?’

“Nothing, it’s okay.” She reached down and tended to Nate. He was starting to regain consciousness, but he was still in a daze.

“Are you okay?”

“Ro,” he managed. “Oh, shit Ro, what happened?” He took a look at her torn clothes. “Oh, Jesus, what happened?”

“Nothing. I’m okay, thanks to him.”

They all turned and looked at the stranger who had said nothing, standing at the door.

Nate tried to stand, but his dizziness prevented it. “Where are they?’

“The alley; don’t worry, they aren’t going anywhere.” She cast a glance at the stranger again.

He only stood there with a blank expression, but with eyes that were taking in everything intently.

“Jubes, call the cops.”

Her sister nodded and went to the phone.

The stranger turned and opened the door.

“Wait.”

He stopped at the sound of the woman’s voice.

She came over to him and wrapped her arms around him. “Thank you.”

He stood perfectly still.

She was amazed by what she felt. The strong muscles under his clothes were like stone, but something was strange. It was mid-July now and hot as could be, but this man felt as if he had stepped from a meat locker.

She moved away. “Thank you so much, I don’t know what else to say.”

He said nothing and turned for the door again.

“I didn’t get your name.”

“I didn’t give it.”

“Ro, Sheriff wants to talk to you,” Jubilee called to her as she watched the stranger walk out the door.

“Coming.” She cast one more glance to the door and then went to the phone.

Laughton still was pinned to the wall as the Stranger came back to the alley. His eyes were wide with fear at the approaching footsteps of the man.

Caw, Caw…

Laughton managed to look up and see the roof covered in crows; their yellow eyes all staring intently at him.

He turned away from them and met the eyes of the stranger.

“Marco Laughton,” he said. “I am here for you.”

The crows scattered to the air and circled overhead. Their calls and squawks drowned out the screams that echoed in the alley.

Song credits:

*The Black Crows by Dark Lotus

**Living Dead Girl by Rob Zombie

The Hair on your arms will stand up
At the terror in each sip and each sup
Will you partake of that last offered cup?
Or disappear into the Potters ground
When the man comes around
Johnny Cash


I Am the Darkness of the night that no light can pierce

I am the Cold that surrounds the grave

I am the Wolf that stalks the child’s crib

I was the Monster in the Closet

The Beast hiding under your bed

The Eyes that sought you out while you slept alone

I am always there

And will be till the End of Days


Ororo bolted from her bed as the scream in her throat choked away into a hard sob. A cold sweat beaded on her forehead and she breathed raggedly. She reached over to her nightstand and swallowed down what was left of the glass of wine and breathed out long and full.

“Damn dreams,” she said as she rose from her bed and went into her bathroom. It had been a long time since her last one. A time where she was finally getting the much sought after sleep she had been pursuing. She flipped on the light and fetched a small bottle from the cabinet. Ororo hated pills with a passion, and she hated it even more when she realized she wouldn’t be getting any sleep without them.

It had been almost two weeks since the incident in the diner. A very long two weeks that was starting to take its toll on her already spent energy. Nate had a mild concussion from the blow he took to his head, but other than that he had been fine. Jubes was still a bit shaken, but the girl was born with piss and nitro in her veins; it would fade fast.

Ororo was the one worse for wear. A near rape was one of those life-changing moments that any person, male or female, is likely to come away from with some mental scarring. She was at least thankful that she was able to say NEAR rape.

Of course, there was Essex around to just add more crap onto her already full pile. She couldn’t forget that strange smile on his face when he said he would see that she would get home ok every night when she closed up, and that he would have a deputy or himself there every morning she opened.

It was a perverse mockery of a kind gesture.

She had thanked him for the offer but promised that she would be fine. Actually, she had already procured Nate’s help for an escort in the late evening. He had been all too happy to oblige.

Ororo lay back down on the bed and pulled the covers tightly over herself. It had been cold lately, a cutting wind had been blowing in from the north and the heater in the house was just not doing anything to help the situation.

As she waited for the pills to kick in, her thoughts went back to the dreams she had started having again. She tried her able best to keep them to herself; Jubes sure didn’t need to know she was having them again.

She had started having them a few days after her father’s funeral.

They were always different.

Except for the darkness.

That cold and crushing blackness that haunted her sleep.

The casket of her father sat before her in some of them.

And she would have to watch as his corpse screamed as the darkness descended upon it and devoured it with hidden fangs.

Other times, she was alone in a empty room with the sound of heavy footfalls echoing in the halls outside the door, and her father’s screams telling her to run. She would huddle in the corner as the door splintered before her very eyes, and then the cold and the sable darkness would rush in and swallow her whole.

Enough girl, she scolded herself.

She laid back and hugged one of her pillows tightly to her chest before finally falling away into a restless sleep.


Arkham Heights

Richard Fisk downed a large shot of whiskey in a single gulp and wiped away the drops on his lips. The two whores he had been with lay in a beaten and twisted mass on his bed. He was sure one of them was dead from the abuse he had given her. A thin dribble of blood leaked out her nose as she lay there, her bare chest never rising.

He had been angry, He needed a release. The day had not been a good one. Wilson Fisk, his hell-be-damned father, had called again this morning. He was checking up on his beloved baby boy. It had been almost six months since he had to come to this little backwater hick town at his father’s request. The heat in New York was still too much for him to come back to the business there, he had been told.

“Fucking bullshit,” he cursed as he downed another shot of liquor. The Manneti family had a contract out on him after a deal had gone south, and now the blame fell upon his narrow shoulders.

Taking the majority of his crew with him, Richard left the city and came to this little hole of hell that his father pretty much had in his back pocket. He was doing what little business he could, most of the places here were already supplying protection to his father, and the mine pretty much ran itself.

Essex was helping him with his drug trade. He and his deputies had a firm grip on the populace, so no one ever asked any questions.

There was a large shipment on the way from Jersey that Essex was supposed to pick up from a pair of mooks.

And that was when it all went down the crapper.

Laughton and Mac were bringing in a few Keys of prime goods for both Fisk’s business and personal use. Needless to say, when he woke up the other day with the news of both his men and his product missing, he was fit to be tied.

He had been drinking since then and had Essex bring in a couple of hookers from the next town over. He had been brutal with them, taking out his aggression and anger. He would have the deputies clear out the corpse and dump the other one back in an alleyway somewhere.

He had told his father this morning of the incident. The smug bastard had berated him for his lack of foresight. Mac and Laughton were a pair of merciless killers, he said; what did you expect to happen when you show the sheep to the wolves?

It had gone on for about an hour before Wilson Fisk had finally decided that he would send in a pair of Troubleshooters, guys that settled things at their bosses’ whim. Richard had protested that his men could handle the situation, that they would find the product and whoever took it, and then show them the business end of a blowtorch.

But as always, his father won out in the end.

So in a week a pair of his father’s best would be at his door and telling him how things should be done. Richard knew this was just another way for his father to keep an eye on him and to make sure things are done the way Big Boss Fisk wants them to be done.

Taking one more long pull, this time straight from the bottle, he pulled his robe around him and walked from his bedroom. He left the already cold corpse and the other hooker in a macabre embrace.


The Miskatonic overlook:

The town lay down there in all of its complacent glory, the younglings all content in the blindness that would forever encompass their eyes.

His work was here, though.

His job was laid out before him.

There would be blood in the coming days.

There would be pain.

And on the air, he thought he smelled that familiar stench.

In the corner of his eye he could see them. Their little twisted bodies crawling through the shadows like snakes in a pit. Their yellow eyes like distant fires in dark wilderness. The gleam of their razor-filled mouths shining in the moonlight.

He sneered at them and they scattered in the darkness.

A crow called in the distance and he tilted his head toward it. He reached into the jacket pocket and pulled out a single match that he used to light the end of the cigar hanging form his mouth. He blew out the smoke in a long puff; the cigar scent did nothing to cover the odor that still hung in the air.

He turned and walked back toward the motorcycle that stood but a few feet away. They were surrounding him now. He could see them in the darkness, smell their stench and could see the hate that burned in their squinting yellow eyes. They would spit and curse and mock him from the distance that they had, but they would come no closer. They dared not to.

A crow fluttered into his view and landed on the handlebars of the bike. It stretched its wings out and cocked its head to the side. He gave it a hard look before ever so slightly nodding. The crow took back to the air and gave its lonely call that had a strange echo in the empty and still night.

He watched it fly until the night melted it away into the darkness. He kicked the starter and thundered away from the lookout. He never once turned and saw them come out of the shadows and scream and swear at him as they let their stench drift through the air.

It was the smell of brimstone.

And in the coming days, it would grow ever the stronger.

And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

Revelations, Chapter 8, Verse 13

The Arkham Heights:
It was so quiet here in the hills of this town in the dead of night. The chirping of the insects was made to silence; the rustling of wildlife was absent, even the wind dared not blow to break the stillness of this time.

The Stranger sat on his motorcycle and just stared at the vast and well-furnished house from the small path he had found in the woods leading to the home. His eyes never turned, his lids never blinked; there was focus there, an intent of origins that I know not of. He could smell it, though, the stench that came from within the “home,” that bitter and sickening scent. The smell of the The Taint.

So could they.

They were swarming through the foliage and dangling from the branches of the trees. They cursed and screamed and defecated on the bushes and ground, leaving a sour and horrid stench in the air.

One of the smaller ones grew bold and slithered its way to the Stranger on its belly. It pissed on his boot and gnawed on the heel.

Without even glancing down, the Strangerraised his boot and crushed the little abomination into the ground. It shrieked once before its body shriveled and disappeared into an oily, tar-like smoke

The others around him screamed their profanities and obscenities at him all the louder.

The Stranger only sat there and ignored their tirade.

He had business on his mind.

It was always business.

A slight warm tickle at the back of his mind finally brought him out of his trance. A scent of something different came to him, something like pastures and smoke of incense.

All around him, they scattered, fleeing in all directions, still cursing and screaming until they had all but disappeared. The Stranger only sat still as he heard the footsteps approach him from behind.

He didn’t even turn to face the one who came to stand beside him. He was tall, with eyes of such brilliance, and hair like golden curls of wheat. He had skin the color of alabaster, and the profile of a handcarved statue of old. He was dressed in a white T-shirt, faded blue jeans, and a long, gray-colored duster.

For a moment the two stood in their silence, neither speaking nor glancing over at the other. There was such a stark contrast between the two, as if they did not belong in the same space as the other.

The Stranger brought a cigar from his pocket, lit the tip, and took a long drag; as he exhaled the smoke out he breathed his greeting. “Warren.”

The taller man turned his eyes to the Stranger. “Still like those things, huh?”

He said nothing, only took a deeper drag and slowly let it out.

“Of all the bad habits there are, I really can’t imagine one worse,” the one called Warren said as he leaned against a nearby tree.

“I’m sure you could,” was the Stranger’s reply; his eyes had gone back to the house before him.

Warren followed his gaze to the house and after a moment turned his eyes away. “Strong there, very strong like an oil fire billowing to the sky.”

The Stranger gave the barest of nods.

“How soon are you going to act?’ Warren asked.

“Whenever I fucking feel like it,” came the gruff reply.

“Time is a factor, you know,” Warren reminded him.

“Only for them,” the Stranger said, pointing at the house with his chin.

“You have another one to see to, as well; I trust that you will be taking care of that in due time.”

“Why don’t you?’

Warren shrugged, “Not my job. You know I am pretty much just an errand boy and I would not have it any other way. Your job is too messy.”

Warren eased in a bit closer. “Orders from the higher ups, though, want to see this deal of work done and done quickly, and the other one is to be seen to as much as these.” He gestured to the house.

“I’ve done this a very long time. I don’t need you and your kind telling me how it’s done.” The Stranger fixed him with a dangerous gaze. “Tell them I’ll see it done, but I do this my fucking way.”

Warren held his gaze firmly, a feat that few could be able to accomplish. “Fair enough. Just know that time is running out, for both sides.”

“You sticking around?’ he asked Warren.

“I’ll be nearby to keep an eye on things, but be on your guard; the Other side is sending in a couple of their own agents to sway events in their favor. Keep your guard up.”

“As if I need to.”

Warren broke a smile and pulled his coat around him tighter. “Well, it’s always fun to catch up with you, one day we will have to do this again.”

The Stranger scoffed. “Get the fuck out of here.”

Warren smiled a bit more and walked into the darkness of the forest. His footsteps echoed for a moment, and then they were gone.

The Stranger shook his head and went back to watching the house, and all around him the screaming and foul stench crept back upon him.

Back in town:

It had been a busy day for Ororo; Nate had been good on his word with bringing in the mining crew. Jubilee had stayed with her long as she could before she had to get off to school, but even after they were still coming in. She decided that an ad in the paper for some extra help was on her list of got-to-do’s.

Nate and Scott had volunteered to lend a hand, but she told them to just sit down, shut up and eat up. After the mad rush was through, Ororo was sure she had gone through at least a dozen boxes of pancake mix, and almost double that in eggs and bacon.

Scott and Nate would not take no for an answer, though, when it came to helping her clean up.

“Won’t you guys be late for work?’ she asked.

Scott shook his head as he gathered up the dishes. “Nope. Worked the night shifts last night. We’re heading home after this.”

“Thank God for that,” Nate said. “Hell of a long night just working the light duty shift the doc has me on.”

“Well, I’m surprised they’re letting you work at all,” Ororo replied.

Nate shrugged. “Its not that bad only a mild concussion, Doc says I just need to take it easy for a while.”

“Always do what the doctor orders.”

Nate chuckled. “Yeah, whatever. It’s still damn boring.”

Ororo smiled and carried a stack of dishes to the back

As she went through the doors, Scott looked at Nate and made a strong gesturing motion with his head. Nate held up his hands and nodded his head.

“Uh…. hey Ororo?” he said, just a bit shaky.

“Yeah?” she called from the back.

“Uh… Scott and his wife and I were going to Hank’s bar and grill tonight…and uh…I…uh, we were wondering if you would like to come with us.”

Ororo smiled at his stammering; it was definitely cute to see a man like Nate fuddle his words. She poked her head out of the doors and smiled. “What time?”

Evening:
Ororo went through the entire span of her wardrobe and hated everything she found.

Oh, God, was it really so difficult to find something to wear for an evening out with friends?

“DATE! DATE! DATE!” came the cry from a bounding Jubilee crashing into her room and throwing herself down onto her stepsister’s bed. “The world must be coming to an end! You’ve finally got yourself a date.”

“Jeez, Jube, you make it sound like it’s been years.”

“Ummm, it has been. You haven’t been out on a date since the Cowboys won a Super Bowl.”

“Thanks for reminding me,” she muttered as she brought out a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved black sweater. “Think this would do.”

Jubilee shrugged, “I would wear something that would show of those great assets of yours.” She pointed to her chest.

Ororo rolled her eyes. “God, Jubes, it’s a double date and I don’t think flashing them with my assets would be a good move for a first outing.”

Jubilee shook her head with force. “Oh, yes it is. You need to get laid, girl, and I’m talking five dollar romance novel laid, shake the pillars of heaven.”

“Enough,” Ororo warned. “I am just going out with friends.”

Jubilee stood up and walked over to her sister. “Look, ‘Ro, I want you to enjoy a little bit of “you” time. It’s been hectic the past few weeks, and you definitely need to unwind.”

Ororo turned to her sister and looked into her almond-shaped brown eyes. It had been hard for the both of them. Jubilee was a strong girl; she didn’t let it show, but she had been shaken by the events that took place at the diner a few weeks ago. Ororo had caught her crying a couple of times, but she would blow it off when asked about it.

It wasn’t the events that transpired that had rattled her, though; it was the feeling of powerlessness she had felt of the whole thing. The dread sense that she could do nothing to help her beloved sister.

“I’m fine, Jubes, don’t worry about me; it’s you that I’m most concerned about,” Ororo said, embracing Jubilee in a warm hug.

Jubilee buried her head in her sister’s shoulder and held her tight for a moment. “You know me, ‘Ro, like Mom said, nothing can hold down a firecracker like me.”

Ororo smiled at the mention of their mother’s nickname for her younger sister. “She would be proud of the young woman you’re turning into, you’re strong just like her.”

Jubilee looked up at her and smiled, “Honestly, I would rather have had the curves.”

Ororo playfully slapped her on the back of the head. “Brat.”

A knock on the door brought them out of the embrace.

“That’s Nate; I have to go. you’re going to be ok, right?” Ororo asked.

Jubilee rolled her eyes. “GOOOOOOO! I have TV, music, and all the chili dogs I can eat! Go have FUUUUUN.”

Ororo smiled, grabbed her purse and went for the door. “You’re going to be a little angel, right?”

Jubilee winked. “Only if you promise to dance with the devil a little tonight.”

Ororo smiled and went out the door.

Hank’s Bar and Grill:
They were halfway through dinner, and Ororo could not remember having a more relaxing and enjoyable time.

Nate was a real doll, so nice and sweet, and he and Scott were a riot when the two got on a roll. Scott’s wife Emma was nice enough, even if she was a bit of the uptown type.

Hank’s food was a thing of legend in these parts. Ororo had a light marinated chicken breast in a lemon sauce, as did Emma. The boys gorged themselves on rack after rack of Hank’s special barbeque ribs.

There was a band playing, a slow country tune, good for dancing. She had the urge to ask Nate for a dance, but she was a little disappointed to find out he refused to do so because of his severe case of Two Left Feet syndrome.

All in all, though, she was content with sitting and talking with them, about everything from work to the hunting trips Nate and Scott took, about Emma’s job as principal of the high school Jubilee attended and everything in between.

She did not notice the figure that walked into the bar and sat down at a far table in the back of the room. A Stetson hat pulled low over his brow, he sat as still as a statue. The waitress, a young girl by the name of Allison, walked over to him and asked for his order.

He sat there silent and unmoving for a moment before finally raising his eyes to hers. She was taken aback a bit by the sternness of his gaze but quickly composed herself.

“Beer.”

“Uhm, what kind?” she asked.

“Wet.”

Taking the hint, Allison walked away.

It was a good twenty minutes before Ororo noticed the strange, ice-colored eyes fixed upon her from across the room, and her breath stopped hard in her chest.

For just a moment she felt frozen in place, not a molecule of her body responded to any mental command.

“Ororo, what’s wrong?” asked Scott.

She did not quite hear him; the world just wasn’t coherent for a moment.

“Ororo?” Nate asked.

She turned to look at him and saw the look of concern on their faces.

When she turned her head, the man who had saved her life was standing in front of her. The shadows seemed to blend around him, even under the lights. The cowboy hat on his head shaded his face, but somehow she could still see his eyes underneath.

Nate saw him, too, and was very confused. Before he could say anything, though, the Stranger stepped forward and offered a hand to Ororo.

“Wanna dance?”

b>I can hear what you’re thinking

All your doubts and fears
And if you look in my eyes in time you will find

The reason I am here

Mark Collie
“You gonna make me wait an eternity, Darlin’?”

A question was asked, and a hand was offered.

Ororo had no had time to speak before Nate and Scott did it for her.

“Excuse me sir, who are you?” Scott asked as he rose from the table.

Nate followed him and stood beside the stranger who had walked over to them.

“You’re that guy,” he said, furrowing his eyebrows, “the one from the diner.”

Scott’s eyebrows rose high up his forehead. “You mean THE guy?’’

Nate nodded. “Didn’t get your name.”

The stranger hadn’t turned toward them yet, he just stood there still with a hand offered to the woman sitting in front of him.

Nate did not like being ignored. “Look, pal, I appreciate greatly what you did, but we were kind of in the middle of something.”

The stranger’s head turned a bit toward the voice. He raised his head and fixed him with a gaze.

Nate was a big man. He easily pushed six-five or six-six, and almost three hundred pounds of hard work induced muscle. The stranger was half his size, at the very least.

But then why did Nate feel all of his bravado seep from him like water from a cracked pipe?

The stranger lowered his hand and took a step forward. It took all of his fortitude for Nate not to take a step back.

Scott stood by Nate’s side, despite Emma’s silent urging for him to sit back down. Not a small man himself, he, too, had to gaze downwards at the strange man who had come to their table.

The stranger’s hands slowly folded into a pair of fists, his knuckles cracking loudly as they did. His eyes switched slowly back and forth between the two taller men.

Hank had been in the middle of fixing a batch of his specially made fried Twinkies, when he had stepped out from the back to get a few bottles of chocolate syrup from the dessert bar. Then he saw what was happening.

No stranger to bar fights, he knew what scene would promise to come if he didn’t intervene.

He stood over by the register where he kept the sawed off shotgun hidden. He knew Scott and Nate were good guys, but this new guy he had never seen before, so better safe than sorry. It wasn’t even loaded, the shells were kept in a small compartment. The sight of a shot barrel twelve gauge was usually enough to break up any altercation.

“Gentlemen, I would trust that if you have business of a rough-housing nature, you would have the good foresight to take it outside,” he shouted over from across the bar.

Ororo stood up and placed a hand on Nate’s large shoulder. “Nate, please, it’s no big deal.”

He turned his eyes away from the stranger’s (something he was thankful for, to his secret relief) and breathed a bit steadier. “But Ro…”

She smiled at him and gestured for him to sit back down. ‘It’s ok, guys, really.”

Nate was not easily convinced but sat down all the same, as did Scott. Their eyes spoke volumes of concern as they watched Ororo take the stranger’s hand finally, and they began a slow walk to the small dance floor.

The band had just started a new song. The regular singer had given way to a young woman, one of the waitresses actually, Allison. She took the microphone and began singing as the rest of the band played a slow melody.

Where did you come from, out of nowhere it seems
Maybe an angel is smiling on me

I know it’s crazy, you have taken my heart

I’ll never leave you,

You’re my missing part

He put an arm around her waist and held her hand off to the side. And they began to slow step to the music.

Yes I will die for this dance
To hold you, and talk of romance

Never been lucky, but got to take a chance

Caught up in some kind of trance

Yes, I will die for this dance

Ororo was caught up in the strange feel of his arms, they were strong and a bit rough, and they were cold. She still remembered the feel of his body, hard and cold like a statue of ice. It was not unpleasant, though, and that she could not quite understand.

He was looking at her, and it was so hard to meet that gaze.

“You certainly know how to make a scene, don’t you,” she said, hoping to take away the nervous feeling all the way down in the pit of her stomach.

He didn’t say anything for a moment, just watched her a bit longer before he spoke. “I’m real good at that.”

She smiled, hoping he would mirror it, but to no avail. “I really do appreciate what you did for us.”

He nodded, but said nothing.

“The cops didn’t find any bodies,” she said.

He didn’t answer, he only held her just the slightest bit tighter.

“You don’t think they got away, do you? I mean, after what you did to them.”

“Wouldn’t worry about them anymore Ororo.” he replied.

The way he said her name frightened and excited her all at the same time. “You know, it’s really not fair that you know my name and I don’t know yours.”

The corner of his mouth rose ever so slightly. “Take a guess.”

She laughed a bit. “It’s not Rumpelstilskin, is it?”

He said nothing, that corner of his mouth still arched a bit.

“Um…James?’ she asked.

One of his eyebrows went up at that.

“Ok sorry.” She said. “Guessing games are not my area.”

Ororo moved her hand down his shoulder a bit. “You could just tell me.”

His face inched a bit closer to hers. “Do you really need to know?”

Her eyes fell into his. All around her she stopped hearing the music, stopped seeing the few other people dancing around them. She was not even sure she could hear her own heart beating anymore.

The lights seemed to wane, and fade into darkness, but his eyes, oh God, his eyes were still so clear.

They pierced her like a cold wind. They were like a pair of hands that simultaneously tore her body apart, all the while giving her rushes of pleasure like she had never felt before.

He inched a bit closer, his breath as hot as the heat of a roaring fire. Their bottom lips touched ever so slightly. She opened her mouth a bit and shared his breath, it was so hot, and yet it sent chills up and down her spine.

“Oh, God, who are you?” she thought she heard herself ask.

At that moment the entire world came back into being. The lights of a thousand suns flooded back around them, and the sounds had suddenly become deafening.

They were still as close as before. His breathing was steady, but hers had become fast and shallow.

Their lips were still barely touching.

“Thanks for the dance,” he murmured and then walked away towards the door.

Ororo felt as if she was naked as he left. She followed him toward the front. “Wait.”

He stopped slowly at the door and turned a bit to look at her.

“What’s your name?” she asked.

She was not sure if it was an illusion of the light, or if she saw his lips turn into the faintest hint of a smile.

He brought his hand to his hat and tipped it to her. Then he was gone out the door, leaving Ororo feeling like a child lost in the woods.

She did not even feel Nate’s gentle hand on her shoulder, nor the words he was saying to her. She was entranced by the retreating figure in the windows that was mounting a motorcycle and speeding away.

Highway 40
The roar of the engine shattered the sounds of the night. He pushed it hard and fast, tearing the motorcycle down the asphalt. He left a trail of smoke and fire in his wake.

As He rounded a corner he came to a sudden halt on a long empty stretch of the highway. He revved the engines loudly as he just sat there. They were all around him again. Their stench and sound flooded his senses.

One of them leaped in front of the motorcycle. It was a tall one, the size of a man and so shaped. It grabbed hold of the handlebars and leaned its grotesque face forward and screamed in his face. Its large pointed and misshapen teeth dripped foulness and gore. The stranger held its gaze and never flinched until he reached up and gripped it around the throat. The thing struggled under the iron grip and thrashed about, trying to break free.

With one quick movement, its neck was snapped. He hurled it away just as its horrid body began melting away into an oily essence.

A new smell came to his nose then. Something even more foul than the horrors that surrounded him. He knew someone else was here.

“I love watching you do what you do,” a feminine voice told him, and he instantly recognized it.

He turned to see a tall and undeniably beautiful woman standing just to the side of his motorcycle. She wore something that would be considered indecent in public; it left very little to the imagination. Her red hair hung low over her shoulders and ran down the front of her ample chest. Her green eyes did little to hide the maliciousness behind them.

“Madelyn.” He didn’t bother to hide the irritation and disgust in his voice.

She smiled, revealing perfectly shaped teeth. “I love hearing you say my name; you just don’t know what that does to me.”

He lit a cigar to cover up the stench she gave off. “You ever hear of a fucking shower?”

She threw one of her long and shapely legs over the cycle and sat down in front of him, pushing her hips into his. “Would you join me for one?”

He blew a pillar of smoke in her face, to which she inhaled deeply. She placed her arms around his shoulders and licked him along the ear. “You taste better than ever.”

“What do you want with me, Madelyn?” he asked, growing tired of her games.

“Do you even have to ask?” she said as she slipped one hand down to the zipper of his pants and slowly undid it. Her gloved hands went inside and she instantly found what she was looking for. “All you have to do is tell me how you want it.”

“If you don’t get your talons off my dick, I’m gonna see how far down a road you have to drag a body to peel all the skin off of it.”

She smiled at him and withdrew her hand.

“You really know how to turn me on.” She leaned in to kiss him.

He pushed her away none too gently.

“Cut the shit, Madelyn.”

“It’s been so many years; don’t you miss me even a bit?”

He said nothing; he just kept that hard gaze on her.

“Time really doesn’t change anything, does it?”

“You should know that by now.”

She leaned back against the handlebars still in a seductive pose and a pout on her lips. ”Always business.”

“Always.” He shrugged.

She sighed and realized now was not the time. “Very well, then, to business.”

She eased her way off the bike, still rubbing all of her body over his, and she stood up to her full height.

“Have you made contact yet?”

“With one of them, but not your boy.”

“Time is a factor…”

“Heard that already, don’t need a fucking echo.”

She smiled; she really did love his gruffness. “Ahh, I see. So the Other ones have made contact with you, too, I thought I smelled them. Who is it this time? That little pansy, Warren? I figured it would be him, but I know he’s not alone.”

She leaned forward. “I’ll bet that little bitch is with him, you know the one, that other little redheaded cunt that…”

“It doesn’t fucking matter now, does it?”

She shook her head, her hair like fire in the wind. “I just don’t want to see your favor go towards that side.” She walked around him and touched both of his shoulders. “Especially when I could offer so much more.”

He shook her hands off his shoulders. “I do my job, Madelyn.You should know I don’t give a shit which side wins in the end, as long as I get what’s coming to me.”

“Why settle for that, when I can offer you more than you could ever imagine,” she said, walking around to the front. ‘We will have the one that is marked for us, but if the other one could fall into our ranks, then can you imagine the shift in the balance of power.

The world and everything in it could be ours.”

He actually laughed. “What the fuck ever, Madelyn.”

“What do you think is going to happen to you when our side finally does win, have you considered that? You need me whether you want to admit that or not; it would be good to have a… ’Friend’ in the higher ranks.”

She walked away into the darkness a bit.

Think about it.” She blew him a kiss and then faded away into the night.

He sat there a long while, with only the cigar smoke moving in the otherwise still night.

Twenty five miles outside of town
Clint Barton lit another cigarette and took a long deep drag. The ride from York was killing him. The sitting was a bitch; he needed activity, something to keep him occupied on this trip. Lester sure wasn’t a great source of conversation.

When Big Boss Fisk had assigned him to this fucking baby-sitting job of that little prick son of his, he had assured him he could handle it on his own.

Not one to take chances, though, Fisk had given him a partner. And of all the fucking people…

Lester “Bullseye” McManus.

What a fucking idiot.

He had damn near begged Fisk for any other partner.

He dropped names like Wade Wilson, William “Sand” Barker, or even Cletus Cassidy.

But Big Boss Fisk never changes his mind when it’s set.

So here he was out in the middle of nowhere, with a fucking lunatic for a partner, for a shit job that was way below his standards.

The fucking things he did for money.

He pulled out a small knife and began running it along the pad of is fingers. A small line formed along where the knife ran, and blood started flowing out. He licked it up and leaned back into the passenger chair, closing his eyes.

The taste of blood still strong on his lips, he smiled and fell into a light sleep.

Later that night

The wolf stalked the house in a wide circle

Its coat like midnight incarnate

Its eyes like pools of burning oil

Its teeth obsidian shards of steel.

It bent down low and its hackles rose to the sky

It charged into the front door and splintered it into a thousand pieces

It smelled the air and its ears rose at the sound of the crying

It moved as a shadow escapes daylight

Moving up the stairs and into the room where the cries came from

In front of it was a small crib with a blanket hanging off the side

Slowly it eased its way forward

Until it reached the edge

Inside the baby stirred and whined

Lips pulled back over horrid fangs

It rose its head and howled

And then it struck

Ororo bolted up from her bed and held her pillow close to her heart.

The nightmares were getting worse.

Nate stirred a bit, but did not wake up.

She looked over at him and breathed out a slow breath.

They had made love that night.

It was an unexpected and unintended thing.

But after tonight, she did not want to be alone.

She was afraid

She didn’t even know why, exactly.

The nightmare was horrible, she would not lie.

But that was not it.

It was something else.

She did not know if it was the sense of foreboding she had that was hanging over her head like a thundercloud.

Or if it was the fact that Nate’s face was not the one she had been seeing tonight when she had made love.

In her mind, she had seen hard features and heard a gruff voice say her name over and over again.

And she saw those eyes again.

Watching her the whole time.

And she did not know why that scared her so.

But also, why it excited her just as much.

You know your days are numbered
Count them one by one
Like notches in the handle of an Outlaws gun
You can outrun the Devil if you try
But you will never outrun the hands of time
--Mark Collie


The school bell was the sweetest sound that Jubilee had heard all day. She gathered up her books into her bag and made for the door. The halls were alive with loud chatter and slamming lockers as she made her way through the twisting mob of people.

She walked out the front double doors and soaked up the first few rays of sunlight before it hid itself quickly behind a coming cloud. It smelled like rain again. She was surprised this town hadn’t floated away by now with all the storms that came through.

Jubilee walked over to a nearby tree, threw her bag down and sat down beside it waiting for Bobby. He did not have baseball practice today, so he had promised her a ride home. She was grateful for it; her feet were killing her in these boots. She had gotten in trouble for them as well. Mr. Cassidy had written her up for them being out of school standard.

She rolled her eyes at the memory of her History teacher telling her that they were not “becoming of a young lady” and that “Someone may get the wrong idea”.

“Whatever,” she whispered to herself and leaned back against the trunk of the tree. Bobby sure liked them. She had heard him almost whimper when she walked by him this morning, and she flashed him a practically evil grin.

He was aching for it.

She had been dating Bobby for a while now, and the two of them had grown close, she guessed. He was much higher up in the school hierarchy than she was, best player on just about every school team, popular, good looking and all of that. His grades were not always up to their best, but with his athletic prowess, the teachers always cut him a break.

And oh did it ever piss off so many people that he took a shine to an out of town city girl like her. And Jubilee did indeed love rubbing it into the faces of so many of those uptight prep wanabees.

He wasn’t a total prize, though. He was funny and cute, sure, but there was a definite mean streak to Bobby Drake. He could be demanding, arrogant, obnoxious, and sometimes even a little scary.

Especially when it came to sex.

Jubilee had yet to take that step, and she was not sure that she wanted it to be him the one that she took it with.

They had gotten hot and heavy before, and she thought once about giving in, but something deep down inside of her begged her to stop. Bobby had not been too pleased about it, that was for sure. It was the fight that had ended their relationship for a short while, until he came back with all smiles and sweet words. Jubilee felt a tug in the back of her mind to just leave things the way they were, but that smile of his worked its magic on her heart once again.

Things had been a bit different since then. They still made out heavily, but Bobby hadn’t tried to take it further since, and so far they seemed to be getting along better than ever. Bobby had comforted her after that whole diner incident, holding her as she cried into his shoulder. He had listened to her for hours and hours about her sister’s well being.

He really was being a real sweetheart.

But the shadows of doubt still seemed to work their way into the deepest parts of her mind. And it frightened her that she could not figure out why.

“Hello there, you sexy thing, you.”

Jubilee looked up at the voice and there was that so-cute smile of Bobby Drake shining down at her like her own personal star in a midnight sky.

“Hey there, Ice cube,” she said, giggling and wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Don’t call me that,” he said, returning the hug. “And keep your voice down, I don’t need everybody to know that story.”

She pulled back and teased him with that little grin of hers. “Oh, don’t want people to know what we did with that bucket of ice that I put on your…”

“Enough,” he almost shouted, and even though he was still smiling, Jubilee caught a glimpse of that old anger flare up in his eyes. She brushed it off and pretended she didn’t see it.

“Ok, James Bond, I’ll be sure to keep all your secrets in a very safe place.” She kissed him on the lips softly.

“Care to tell me where that place is?” he asked, one of his hands gliding down the small of her back and resting on the top curve of her butt.

She reached around and moved the arm back up to her shoulder. “You would have to be a very good boy, and Drake you don’t have a clue on how to be that.”

“You could teach me.”

Jubilee laughed. “Who the hell says I know anything about being good?”

She grabbed his hand and her books, and the two walked toward Bobby’s car.

In the distance, a pair of eyes watched the retreating figures walk to the school parking lot. Eyes of ice underneath an old worn Stetson hat, with wisps of smoke curling and writhing in the air like a serpent.

A crow called overhead and the eyes of the Stranger switched to it. He motioned his head at the circling bird and it flew off in the direction that the car the children had driven off in went.

He sat there a minute more, with the sun’s fading rays warming the leather of his jacket. A bad storm was coming tonight, he could hear the thunder rolling in the distance, and he could feel the cool breeze of rain creeping on his skin.

One of the little things leaped atop his handlebars and danced and mocked him, hurling its insults with its little fang-filled mouth.

The stranger sat so still for a moment before reaching out and grabbing the small piece of filth with one hand and holding it firm.

Its tiny mouth bit with jagged teeth, leaving torn flesh on the Stranger’s hand. He paid it no mind and took the cigar from his mouth, pressing the lit end against the little filth’s head.

It screamed and thrashed trying to break the grip, until it moaned one final time before melting away into that oil black tar that made up its body.

The Stranger wiped his hand on seat of his bike, trying to rid himself of the disgusting mess that was left. That smell would stay on him for a while. He caught it with full force and he wrinkled his nose at it. He could never get used to it.

He needed a drink.

He kicked the bike to life and roared off into the distance, with only the crack of thunder to echo his leaving.

He ended up in a small bar on the outskirts of town by the name of Harry’s.
Small, but neat and comforting.

He ordered a beer and a bottle of whiskey and sat alone in the back in the darkest and furthest corner.

It was empty in here other than himself, Harry, and the one waitress working.

He lit a cigar to ignore the stench coming from his raw hand. He had gone to the bathroom and scrubbed at it until it bled. That smell would just not come off.

The fumes of the cigar helped some, but it was not enough. It was never enough.

The door to the bar opened, and the scent of roses on a summer wind circled all around him. It seemed there was a faint smell of incense in the air and the Stranger knew that smell all to well.

And he hated it worse than even the stink coming from his hand.

In came a woman dressed in very simple clothes, faded jeans and a badge shirt with a simple brown jacket. She was tall, with long red hair and deep green eyes like undiscovered emeralds shining brightly in some dark mine.

She saw him instantly, walked over and sat down with him.

He didn’t look at her, only took another mouthful of whiskey down.

She said nothing to him, only sat that with a little smile playing on her lovely face.

He sighed slowly and loudly. “Can’t I get one moment to my fucking self.”

“Good to see you, too.” She took the shot he had just poured for himself and swallowed it in one graceful motion.

He snatched it away and refilled it, swallowing the liquid quickly. “What are you doing here, Jean?”

Even though she was smiling at him, her eyes were mirroring the sadness in the depths of her being. “After so long, that’s all that you have to say or ask?”

“Ain’t nothing else fucking worth asking.” He answered, slugging back another shot. “If you’re here about the thing, save your breath. Warren already came and spoke about it.”

She nodded. “I know, I’m kind of acting as his back-up.”

The stranger scoffed. “Surprised they assigned you, all things considering.”

“I asked for this,” she said, folding her arms over her chest. “I thought maybe you and I could speak on certain things when the job was done.”

“When the job’s done, you know what happens; things go on for a little longer and then it’s the last hurrah, so who gives a fuck.” He slammed the shot glass down on the table and finally met her gaze. “You go back to where you were, and I get what I got coming. No more need for me when all this is over.”

“There is a horrible end waiting for you,” she said, her eyes ever so slightly brimming with tears. “Please, I am sure something can be done, you know what is written, I don’t want to see that happen.”

“Fuck what is written,” he shouted. “What do you think, Jean? You think that I’m gonna come back with you, that it’s all gone be changed?” He reached over and placed a hand against her cheek. “You think I am gonna fucking forget what happened the last time?”

The look in his eyes, that hurt, that pain, and most of all, so much hate.

“I didn’t ask for any of this, Jeannie, but somebody, somewhere decided to hand me the biggest fucking ever, and I got to live with that, so don’t be like the other side and try to make deals with me, because like I told them, I really don’t give a shit as to which one of you wins.” He stood up and began walking away.

Jean stood up and followed. “You know what happens if they get her, right?”

He stopped and slightly turned his head.

“The balance will be broken, and all will be lost,” she continued. “If they get both of them, then all of this will have been for nothing.”

“I told you I don’t give a shit,” he spat.

“You do; even if you don’t want to admit it, you do.” She countered. “No one was ever dealt a worse hand than you, I know it, and all of this time you have had to do what no one else has, but you still carry a spark of caring inside you.”

“I don’t see your boss doing any fucking thing about it, huh? No, he leaves guys like me to do the dirty work.”

“You know the ways in which he works,” she said.

The stranger spit on the ground. “And all of you know the way I work, my fucking way.”
He got on his bike and started it.

The roar from it tore at Jean’s hearing. “Romulus has come on Samiael’s behalf.”

Romulus.

That son of a bitch.

He killed the engine.

Jean walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. “I know this will not be easy for you.”

He looked at her. “Romulus hasn’t been around since…”

That dark look came over Jean’s eyes and she bowed her head in shame.

The stranger steeled himself. “Yea, since THAT day when all the world needed you the most, when I needed you the most, and you just stood by and let what happened happen.”

“You know we couldn’t interfere; we didn’t know the plan, none of us did. what did you expect me to do on that day, defy the orders?”

He sneered at her and shook his head.

She was crying so silent, but her words came out strong. “Madelyn is here, too, I know; you know they are both going to try you.”

“Yeah,” he said not bothering to bring up the little run-in he had already had with Madelyn. “And as always, can’t expect nothing from your side, right.”

As much as it pained her, she nodded her head.

“Good.” He started the bike once more and revved it hard. “I do this and then it’s all over, and I hope that I never have to see you again, Jean.”

He charged off in a cloud of smoke and gravel.

Jean watched him go with tears still running down from her eyes.

”Forgive Me,” she asked, but her words were lost on the wind.

Elsewhere, Nathaniel Essex was brooding over the current state of events. The last thing he needed in this town was a pair of trigger-happy gunmen on his front doorstep. He and his men were more than capable of taking care of what was needed. He’d hoped to get a message to Big Boss Fisk, but that fat, bald prick never responded to him. That dumb fuck of a son was never any better; always thought they were so fucking smart.

He lit a cigarette and rolled down the window of his patrol car and waited. It was close to closing time and he didn’t want to miss one of the few things he got to enjoy nowadays. The door to the diner opened and out walked the finest piece of ass in the whole town. That skin, that hair, that ass, every part of her screamed to be taken against the nearest wall.

Essex rubbed at the crotch of his pants as he watched Ororo walk into the alley. It was actually starting to become painful watching the way she moved. He ground his teeth and clenched his free hand in a tight fist.

As drop-dead fuck me as she was, she really knew how to give a guy a cold shoulder, with the exception of Dayspring, that is.

“Fucker,” he whispered to himself, blowing out a stream of smoke between his almost unnaturally white teeth. That big ox didn’t deserve a woman like that. John Ruckus, one of his deputies, had told him he saw her with Dayspring and the Summers the other night at Hank’s.

He also told him about some drifter runt that had come in and got a dance with her.

Essex pulled the smoke from his mouth and put it out on the underside of his wrist. The burn made the erection in his pants throb with excitement.

It felt so good.

He spared one more glance at Ororo, who was now in her truck, and breathed deeply. He swore he could almost smell her bathed in sweat, bent over his bed, screaming in both pleasure and pain.

The satellite phone’s ring brought him free of his perverted fantasy.

It was Fisk.

Shit.

“Sir,” he answered, barely hiding the contempt.

“They are here, get your ass to my place in an hour.” Click.

Essex threw the phone on the passenger seat with a huff and started his car.

“Soon, baby, really soon,” he told her and drove away.

He did not know that he was being watched all the time. A pair of malicious green eyes had been studying him from the dark. Madelyn could taste the wonderful contempt and lust emanating from within the police cruiser, and she let it wash over her.

“Things are about to get interesting.” She spoke to the shadows and they seemed to quiver at the sound of her voice. She stepped into them and faded away as if she were never there.

Bobby was sure of it this time. He reached up and rubbed Jubilee all along her chest as they continued to vigorously make out. He had been playing the nice guy thing for a good while now, knowing that if he let his temper flare or get too worked up that he would never get into her pants.

She seemed to be so willing right now.

They had parked atop the Arkham Heights, way out of the sight and ears of any passerby. He knew that today would be the day.

His hopes were dashed, though, as he reached down to undo the button on her jeans.

“Whoa, there tiger,” she said between kisses. “You know the drill.”

“Just relax, Jubes,” he said and continued to fumble with the button.

“Bobby.” She spoke louder and pushed him off. “I thought we had worked through this crap.”

Bobby sighed loudly and slumped against the door of his car. “What the fuck, Jubes?”

She shook her head at him. “I thought we agreed that we weren’t ready for this.”

“I never agreed, I said I would wait.”

She threw up her arms. “And two weeks is all you’re willing to wait.”

“Come on, Jubes, you’ve been teasing me and leaving me with a hard-on that I could hang wet towels on; you need to think of my feelings.”

Oh, that did it.

“Your feelings?” she asked, not quite sure if she heard him right. “Bobby, I like you, you can be a great guy when you want to be, but right now, you’re being a bigger prick than what you claim to have.”

There was that look in his eyes, that strange and terrifying stare that he fixed her with from time to time.

He spoke not another word, and reached over and grabbed her around the throat.

“Bobby, stop it, no….” Her voice was cut off by a hard slap across her cheek. The tears welled up in her eyes, but she kicked and punched for all she was worth.

Bobby Drake was not a large guy, but the time he had spent in all of the sports he had played gave him a hefty bit of strength. He shrugged off her blows and began tearing at her shirt.

Jubilee tried to scream but the hand around her throat was too tight. The scene at the Diner came crashing back down on her, and her spirit was cast down into a deep void of despair.

“Trust me Jubes,” she thought she heard him say. “You’re gonna like this.”

The glass behind him shattered, and an arm reached inside and grabbed Bobby by the back of the hair. He screamed as he was dragged out.

The world snapped back into reality for Jubilee and she was terrified. Was she still being raped? She was afraid that her mind was playing tricks on her until she looked out and saw Bobby slammed atop the hood of the car by the guy from the diner.

She wrapped her shirt around her chest and got out.

The stranger had his forearm pressed hard down on the throat of Bobby Drake and he was gasping loudly for air.

Jubes could only stare in shock.

“Raping young girls, is that your thing, boy?” the stranger asked, pressing harder on Bobby’s throat, not letting him respond. “Is it just the pussy you’re after, boy, or do you get a kick out of the whole dominance thing?”

He raised him up and hit him across the face with an open-handed slap.

Bobby felt his entire body quake from the blow. He could muster no strength to fend off his attacker.

The stranger brought his face close to Bobby’s and breathed air so hot and thick it felt as if it was fanned by flames. “You like taking advantage of people weaker than you, huh boy? You get off on it; with your Uncle being the Sheriff, you never have to worry about it, do ya? This wouldn’t be the first time you would have gotten away with it.”

The stranger slammed Bobby against the side of the car and breathed a warning to him. “I know you boy, I see you when you think nobody else can. I am there when you turn the lights out at night, so I will know, remember, that I will know. Make this mistake again, and I will cut you in ways that would make you useless to a woman.”

The stranger hurled him to the ground in a broken heap.

His gaze then set on Jubilee, and she jumped at the sight of his so cold eyes.

She couldn’t hold his stare long; she looked down at Bobby, who was still moaning on the ground.

She landed a hard kick right into his crotch. “Better find a new place for your towels, asshole.”

She pulled her clothes around her and started walking down the gravel road to the highway.

She said nothing to the stranger as she walked past.

“Need a ride?” she heard him ask.

“No thanks.” She shouted back and continued on.

“Twenty miles back to town, and in those boots you’re gonna be real sore.”

She stopped, let out a deep breath and turned to face him.” You know you just beat up my boyfriend.”

The stranger looked down at the now vomiting boy lying by his car. “Real shitty taste you got.”

She scoffed. “I could be worse off, I could be some weird old stalker, who likes to beat up kids and then offer rides to poor teenage girls.”

He said nothing, but let one corner of his mouth go up in the slightest of smirks

Jubilee rolled her eyes in frustration. “Look, thanks for what happened at the diner, you probably saved me and my sister’s lives, and thank you for today, even though I could have handled it, but trust me, you’ve done enough, so thank you once again and good day.”

He shrugged his large shoulders, tipped his hat to her and walked over to the motorcycle sitting by the side of the road.

Jubilee had not seen that.

Damn, it was nice.

“Is that yours?” she asked.

The stranger stopped turned to look at her, and now he was smiling for sure.

“Your chariot awaits,” he said, offering again.

“Can I drive?”

“No way in hell,” he answered roughly.

Hear the Trumpets,Hear the Pipers
One Hundred million angels singing
Multitudes are marching to that big kettle drum
Voices call and voices crying
Some are born and some are dying
Its Alpha and Omega’sKingdom Come
Johnny Cash


Can you feel it Ororo

The smell of it

The taste

That chill at the back of your neck

That ever so slight whisper in your ear

I can see you

Do you feel me here?

Do you know I watch you all the time?

Do you know that I watch you as you quickly get into bed after you turn the lights out afraid that I am there underneath your bed?

And I am

I am waiting for you here

In the dark

Reaching out to pull you in

And swallow you up

I will always be here

Waiting for you……

Wanting you……

Come to me…..

Ororo snapped awake. Her breath was haggard, cold drops of sweat fell from her forehead, and her hand was gripped around the pillow against her chest so hard it ached.

“Shit” she whispered to herself and went into the kitchen; she poured a glass of water and drank it down quickly. She closed her eyes and breathed out a long breath. Those damn dreams kept coming to her more of late. It didn’t matter how deep of a sleep she entered, they were there to greet her as soon as she drifted off. It was so cold in the house, all the windows were closed and the heater was on, but she felt a dread chill wrap around her shoulders.

She walked into the den and took one of the small blankets on the couch and wrapped it around herself. She sat down and stretched out her arms and legs, trying to make the lingering feelings of the dream drift away.

She had taken a day off from the diner today. All of the business that Nate and Scott had been bringing in lately had allowed her to do so.

Nate had been the one to suggest that she should get some rest. She hadn’t stopped really since that incident at the diner.

Ororo didn’t want to stop though. It kept her busy, kept her mind from drifting to thoughts that she knew she shouldn’t

And of people she shouldn’t

Nate had to almost break a kneecap to keep her in bed this morning. He had stayed again last night. He came over they had dinner, a movie and then made love. She liked waking up to him in the morning. The sight of his large and muscular form gave her a much needed sense of security. When he had left for work, she felt so isolated,

She had gone to the diner for just a moment to finish up some cleaning. She just needed to get out for a while. She had felt better about herself until when she left she saw that police cruiser sitting parked across the street.

Essex was watching her.

She didn’t see him, but knew that it was in fact him

She could feel it

Like lying on an examination table, a cold metallic feeling crept up and down her body

She did her best to ignore it and made her way quickly through the alley and to her truck.

When she got home she took some medicine and tried to take a long nap.

“So much for that.” she said, turning the television on, and flipping through the channels

There was not much on that was for sure, average evening shows, and afternoon news.

She sluggishly switched from one channel to the next

An older man wearing a very fine suit and holding a large black bound book appeared on the next channel.

“And I say to you all’ He said. “Fear not those who walk in my Light, fore no Evil shall hinder your steps for those that follow my course so sayeth the Lord.”

Ororo didn’t turn the channel for a reason and turned the volume up a bit

“But to those who turn their back on the way of righteousness.” the preacher continued. “I say woe to you, for the time is coming, the stains of evil shall engulf this world and the Horseman will ride, and all the power of Hell shall follow them and Death Himself will walk among you reaping all as a farmer would his crops.”

A thunderous roar came to Ororo’s ears. She turned the TV off and went to the door.

Up the gravel road came a motorcycle bearing two riders, and her breath caught in her throat as she saw her sister on the back seat and the stranger in front.

Even from here she could see his eyes

Looking into her own.

The stranger stopped right at the foot of the steps. He eyes never left hers as Jubilee dismounted from the back.

“That was fucking awesome.” She said, while pulling her backpack over her shoulder. “If I promise to be your lifelong slave can I have this?”

The stranger only barely raised the side of his lip in a small grin.

Jubes sm8iled and suddenly took notice of her sister staring at the tow of them.

Jubilee had wrapped her shirt around her body so that Ororo would not notice the tears and small bruises that she had on her chest from Bobby. It was best that her sister be left in the dark about this evenings happenings.

She bound up to the steps and kissed Ororo on the cheek before turning back to the stranger.

“Thanks for the lift……” She paused waiting for an answer.

The stranger said nothing only slightly tipped his hat to her

“Strong silent type” She whispered to her sister as she went inside/” Taaaaake it”

Ororo said nothing back.

She studied the stranger a moment

The stranger?!?!? She thought to herself, Shit I still don’t know his name. God it was like being in a cheesy western

She did not know his name

She did not know a damn thing about him

Other than that look he gave, it made all the areas of her mind race and swarm

Despite how she was feeling she had to take into consideration that a total stranger had just driven up their house with her little sister in tow.

“Just who the hell are you and what were you doing with my sister.” Anger yep, that was the way to go, even if it was all for a show, anything to keep those eyes from burrowing any deeper into her soul

The stranger reached down and pulled out a pack of Camels.

He struck a match on the end of his thumb and lit it

He took in a few deep drags and let them out slowly

“Did you hear me?” Ororo snapped, coming down the steps to next to his bike. “I asked what the hell were you doing with my sister.”

“Heard ya fine darlin” He spoke back. “Just being a Good Samaritan is all.”

“Why was she with you?”

He shrugged/ “She had a argument with some kid outside of her school, he took off and she started walking, even in a small town like this not good for a girl to walk that far by herself/”

Ororo wasn’t convinced. “And what were you doing by the school?”

“Coffee” was his only reply

Ororo’s brow furrowed in confusion

“My favorite coffee place was closed today, had to get some at that little shop over by the school.” He was actually smiling at her now.

She felt the tremors in her legs jump to a six point five

“Oh” She couldn’t find any more words and the anger she was using as a shield just dissolved at the way his lips formed into that grin.

He threw the cigarette to the ground and stomped it out. “Feeling under the weather today?”

“No” she responded, looking away, “Just needed a day off is all.”

“Eventful past few weeks huh?”

She nodded, if he only knew

“Well thank you for bringing her home, let me get you some gas money at least.”

He waved that away. “Don’t worry bout it darlin.” He patted the one of his handlebars. “This beast runs off blood sweat and tears.”

“Please take it” She reached into her pocket and pulled out one of the twenties in there. She handed it to him.

He reached up and slowly but firmly, folded her fingers over the loose bill.

A power line didn’t have the spark that their touching did.

“Forget it” he whispered. His voice, even at a whisper had a thunder to it

He squeezed her hand a moment more before releasing.

A crow called off in the distance and the stranger turned his head to it.

He listened to the calls a moment longer before turning back to Ororo. “Guess I better be going/”

He went to kick start his bike but she stopped him from doing so.

“Wait, what’s your name.”

His name

He almost laughed at that

“Do you really need to know?” He asked seriously

Oh God if I don’t find out I will fucking scream

“Yes.”

He sat in thought a moment

As if he were trying to remember

“Logan” He pulled the hat on his head up a bit. “You can call me Logan.”

He started the bike and left

Ororo stood there a while, rolling that name off her tongue and tasting how sweet it sounded.

Arkham Heights

Clint Barton sat in a finely furnished office, taking a few shots of whiskey, and waiting for Boss Fisk to show up.

The little prick had no punctuality. You just didn’t leave one of your best hitters sitting around with his thumb jammed up his ass/

McManus sat in a chair across from him, twirling a small knife on the tabletop. The crazy bastard had been quiet of late. That made Barton’s skin crawl

Essex and a couple of his deputies were there too. One of them a tall and overweight man named Dukes or something like that, the other a heavily built man with a worn face. The name on his uniform read Gargen

Fucking Po-dumps

In the corner of the office was a few of Fisk’s guys

The large frame of Creed was unmistakable. Fisk had wanted Creed with him when his father assigned him to this little piece of nowhere. That walking tree trunk was a poster boy for steroids.

There were a few other faces Barton recognized. The majority were just hired muscle without a brain between them. Lonnie “Tombstone” Lincoln was there, last Barton had heard of him, the Guilimornia Family had a hit on that sick fuck for what he did to a bunch of wise guys with a piece of barb wire and a salad fork

A few others of no real reputation.

All except Russo

Billy “The Beau” Russo

Consigliere of the Fisk organization

And the fucking nurse maid to Richard

He stood slightly away form the others of his group, wearing a finely bade suit with a cigar smoldering in an ashtray beside him. He had barely said two words to either Barton or McManus/

The guy was smart and no one could ever deny that

He knew what it meant bringing in a pair of hitters like these.

Richard Fisk wanted something done

And he wanted it done bloody

The door to the study opened and Fisk walked in wearing a white evening robe with a glass half filled with bourbon

He was a young man. Average build and of fair complexion. He wore his blond hair in shoulder length and usually well combed. He would be called a handsome man by most, but Barton had to admit right now the guy looked like a pile of hammered shit

The drugs and stress were finally starting to show on the kid. It really was a damn shame when Barton thought about it. The kid had real potential in this line of work. He was damn smart and savvy, had a great mind to make money.

And he was vicious

And that was a strong word coming from Clint Barton

Barton knew exactly the kind of killer he saw himself as

Sure the money was good and he would sure as hell never turn down a fat paycheck.

But all in all he just liked the killing

Really just LIKED it

And the Fisk family was always more than happy to keep his dark little fetish satisfied

The things he had been asked to do for Richard Fisk in the past though…..

Shit, it sometimes bothered him how cold and merciless the little prick could be

Fisk sat down at his desk, poured another cup full of booze before addressing his guests.

“Welcome Gentlemen” He said half heartedly. “I hope your trip was well, but in all honestly I really couldn’t give a fuck.”

McManus laughed a bit under his breath, Barton said nothing

“As you know I have a problem in my little rat hole of a town” He took a pair of photographs that Russo had sitting beside him. “A few days ago, a couple of men under my employ went missing and the merchandise they were carrying is gone.”

“How do you know they just didn’t fuck ya and cut and run?” McManus asked, not bothering to hide the humor in his voice

Barton absently shook his head. The dumb fuck would have been dead a long time ago if he weren’t such an effective hitter.

“I have faith in my employees Mr. McManus.” Fisk answered, knowing that Lester “Bullseye” McManus was just being his normal sociopath self/ “Not out of loyalty. But because they know what I do to pieces of shit who don’t deliver when they are supposed to.”

He handed the photographs to Creed. The large man took them and handed them over to the two professionals.

They were pictures of an alleyway. There were no body’s only bloodstains on the brick walls.

“This is where they were last known to be.” Fisk added

“No corpses?” Barton asked

Essex shook his head. “Other than that blood not a single fucking thing, even their vehicle was gone”

“They lay low?” Barton asked

Essex snorted and looked over at Fisk

“Not as well as I had would have liked>“Fisk answered. He took another photo out and handed it to Creed. “They assaulted a pair of women at a local greasy spoon.”

McManus whistled at the picture of Ororo he was handed. “Now that is a piece of ass right there man.”

Barton took the picture and had to agree. “So you think this little lady whacked out your guys and took their stash.”
“Hardly” Fisk said. “Marco and Laughlin didn’t have the self restraint or common sense that God gave a bag of hammers, but they were capable men.”

“So no leads?”

Fisk cleared his throat. “Sherriff.”

Essex pulled out yet another photo. “Tire marks in front of the diner where the woman works” He set it down on the table for McManus and Barton to see. “Somebody came calling, but not a fucking clue as to whom>“

“There is someone new passing through from the word around town.” He continued. “A drifter, short stocky guy, rides an older model hog, One of my deputies just caught a glimpse of him in a bar the other night with the Munroe woman, and from her report it was this guy who beat the hell out of our missing colleagues.”

Barton nodded his head. “So we go shake down this bitch for info?”

Essex didn’t like the sound of that. “She doesn’t know anything; she hasn’t been here long either.”

“Just makes her more suspicious doesn’t it.” Barton retorted

“You go and rough her up and I have to clean up the mess” Essex grounded out. “And when I just string her along, what happens when she goes to the state cops, there’s only so much shit I can shovel.”

“Who said we would rough her up?” McManus said looking up from the blade he had been twirling on the desk. “We would probably show her the time of her life.”

Barton mirrored the sadistic grin McManus was beaming to Essex.

The sheriff felt the blood thunder in his ears. These sick fucks would not be going anywhere near Ororo. If anybody around here was going to break her in it would be him

“Don’t fuck with me on this Barton” Essex hissed out. “Remember who the law is around here”

Barton stood up and got nose to nose with the sheriff. “Do I look like law abiding citizen of the year to you Po-dump?”

“ENOUGH” Fisk shouted “You two assholes put your dicks back in your pants and put the measuring tape away”

They stood facing each other a second longer before each returned to his own corner. Essex shot a look to Barton that promised this wasn’t finished

“Essex is right Barton” Fisk continued after both men had calmed a bit. “The last thing I need is State here fucking up my schedules anymore than they already are, but I need information on this little sawed off prick that’s running around town and so far the only one who seems to know anything about him is this Munroe bitch so I want her tailed.”

“Wait a damn minute my men….” Essex tried to say but Fisk cut him off

“Are not worth the meat bags they call a body.” Fisk interrupted. “I want this done professionally, follow this woman, see what she knows, and after you find this fuck kill him and her, whether she knows anything or not.”

“For fuck sake…” Essex shouted

“No loose ends” Fisk hissed. “I want my merchandise found, and this whole shit pile cleaned up do you follow me?”

Barton and McManus both nodded rose and left.

Fisk turned to Creed and Lincoln. “Keep an eye on those two; make sure they keep their minds in the right head.”

The two large men nodded and left

Russo whispered something into Fisk’s ear and he nodded. He stood up and made to leave.

“Get in contact with my buyers.” He said to Essex at the door. “Tell them they will have their shipment before the week is out.”

Essex burned holes into Fisk’s back as he left

“Who do these City fucks think they dealing with?” Gargen spit out

“This is our town right boss?” Dukes asked

Essex breathed in a deep breath and clamed his nerves. “Get Toynbee to talk to Fisk’s dealer, let him know what needs to be done, Dukes you and Ruckus put a watch near Munroe’s house, and tell Raven to get the boys together tomorrow night, we got things to discuss.”

The two deputies nodded and followed behind Essex as they left.

The Miskatonic Overlook
A lone figure lounged against a large rock high up in the cliffs.

His large formed draped lazily over the sharp edges of the broken boulder.

His deep colored eyes looked over the town with a malicious amusement.

A scorpion crawled onto his arm and made its way up the sleeve of his black colored jacket.

He looked down and smiled.

He grabbed it by the tail and hoisted the squirming thing up to eye level

He snorted a laugh at the little creatures dangling

He stuck his tongue out and let the dangerous stinger rest on the tip.

He squeezed

Hard

Small drops of venom oozed out and fell onto the end of the figures large and cracked tongue.

He closed his eyes and relished the taste before biting the tail off and crunching it loudly between his teeth.

He swallowed it down quickly and then threw the rest in.

A few loud wet crunches and then he swallowed again, He almost moaned with the satisfaction. He reached into his mouth and pried out one of the pinchers which were wedged between a pair of his strange and misshapen teeth. He pulled it out looked at it a moment and began using it as a toothpick to get the smaller pieces of carapace out from his back teeth.

When he was done he tossed it aside and stood up. He was large and very tall; He easily reached the seven foot marker. A large black trench coat hung down to the black leather boots he wore. He reached down and grabbed a black leather ranch hat and placed it atop his head.

A strange and familiar wind caught him just right, and he smiled at the scent it carried.

“Hello Logan.” he whispered ever so quietly. “Nice to see you again.”

He laughed as he turned and walked away into the dense forest that lay around the cliffs.
He disappeared into the thick brush and the stones of the mountains seemed to breathe sigh of relief at his parting.


Highway 41

Logan

That was a name he had not heard in a long time

A long time

He had told her

Did he know why?

Did he have a reason to?

No

He just had

Mysterious ways He thought to himself and scoffed

He decided to put it away in the back of his mind

Things were in motion now

There was work to be done

He knew HE was here now. He could smell him on a coming eastern wind.

The players were getting in place.

The golgus were out in full force now.

Everywhere he looked he saw the little bastards sneering and screaming at him.

There were thousands of them in the town now

Tens of thousands

Things were about to get bloody that was for sure

He had wondered if Madelyn had made her move yet.

Probably not. The bitch was as meticulous as she was cruel

She would probably start with a different one before moving her way up the the prize

The stench of the Taint hung around so many here.

She could choose anyone of them as a puppet to get what she and hers wanted

Logan knew it would just be one more obstacle he would have to see too, just one more job to take care of

He hadn’t seen much of Warren and Jean

For that he was glad

He caught only a glimpse of Warren earlier that morning.

He had been perched high on a Cliffside near the Miskatonic, squatting down with his head bowed and his hands together.

He had started his part and wherever Jean was Logan was sure she was doing the same.

The last player had arrived later in the evening at dusk. Logan had caught that all too familiar scent.

Romulus had come

And he had brought friends.

Logan gunned his engine down the long highway and prepared himself for what he must do.

Essex’ home

Fucking little bastard shit asshole cocksucker

Needless to say the sheriff was not happy. He knew Fisk was a bastard n all but he was taking away what he felt was his job and giving it to a pair of trigger happy psychopaths.

He slammed his badge and gun belt on the table and kicked off his boots. He needed a release.

He opened the always locked room in the back of his house and stepped in

The things and pictures that hung on the walls I don’t have the heart or the stomach to say, but perverse was too subtle of a word to describe them

He stripped naked and sat in the lone chair in the middle of the room. He took the picture of Ororo he had taken one day off of the table and looked at it longingly.

He wanted her

She was his, to do with as she pleased

Nobody else was going to get her but him

Nobody.

He reached over and took the small surgical scalpel from the neat and organized table and ran a crimson line down his forearm to his elbow,

He smeared his hand in the blood and began rubbing at his exposed crotch.

The burning sensation of his arm and the slickness of his hand turned him on instantly. He gripped the picture and himself harder as he began moving his hand.

Damn it felt good

But it wasn’t enough

He wanted more

He wanted it to be Ororo’s blood

He wanted it to be her hand, her body.

He would give anything for it

“My my” a low and sultry voice said.

Essex jumped up with scalpel in hand.

A tall red headed woman stood in the corer of his playroom.

“That maybe the most delicious thing I have seen in a long time” She said motioning to his still hard and crimson soaked erection

“Who the fuck are you and how did you get in here.” Essex shouted. The front door was locked as was the door to this room, He had never seen this woman around town, and he had to admit he would defiantly remember one like this.

She laughed and took a step forward. The sheer outfit she wore left little to the imagination.

She was gorgeous.

“Oh Darling I am all of your dreams come true.”

Essex was still angry but that look in those deep green eyes held him firm. He couldn’t even move if he wanted to

Madelyn smiled when she knew that she had made the right choice.

“You want this woman don’t you Nathan? You want Ororo.” She purred

Essex couldn’t find the words. That look in her eyes, that sound of her voice, the way her lips parted with every word, and the movements of that amazing body.

He barely had the mind activity to nod yes

She walked over to him and took the hand that still held the blood stained scalpel and ran it down lightly over her shoulder. The wound bleed a deep, deep red.

“I can make it happen” She whispered into his ear. “Do you want that?”

“Yes” He weakly responded.

She smiled and dropped the clothing form her body. “Drink of me Nathan, and take me as you would her and I will see all your darkest fantasies come true,’
Essex bent down and lapped up the blood on her shoulder as a rabid dog might

They laid and bed and as he entered her, he felt a level of pleasure and pain that was unfamiliar to the race of man.

As he pumped faster and faster into her she smiled knowing her first victory was in place

Bishop takes Knight Logan She thought. Your move

Go and tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler, the gambler, the backbiter
Tell them that God is going to cut them down
Tell them that God is going to cut them down
-Johnny Cash


“You’re a sick fuck you know that right?”

Clint Barton shook his head in disgust as he took a long drag on his dwindling cigarette

Lester shrugged , his eyes never leaving the group of young girls exiting the school gym “Hey if they are old enough to crawl they are in the right position right?” He flashed a sadistic grin

Barton felt the bile rise up in the back of his throat. He opened the car door and stepped out dropping his smoke to the ground and grinding it beneath his heel “Scumbag” he said as he shut the door

His partner chuckled and went back to his watching.

Clint lit another cigarette and pulled deeply

He sighed as he let it out and watched the blue grey smoke drift away on the breeze

He wished he was on the way out of this town with it

It had been almost a week now

Watching

Observing

Learning routines

Munroe had a pretty basic schedule she adhered to

Early to the diner, day of work put in then back home out in the middle of the woods

Time to time they would see her with a few others. Some guy named Dayspring, big guy, works at the mines
Probably fucking each other. He did have to admit a certain envy for that. That woman was very nicely built
Legs that went on for miles, an ass that could balance a tray table, and a set of tits that made him wish he was a nursing babe again.

Unlike his “partner” Barton didn’t care to choose form what MacManus called the “fresh rack”

Casting a sidelong glance into the vehicle he could not hide the disdain on his face for the man there. MacManus was a one of a kind type psychopath, cold, remorseless, sadistic…and happy

Barton was good at his work and it would be a lie to say he didn’t enjoy it

If all of the bodies he had buried over the years were to stand up, those that could that is provided they were buried with all legs attached , then Jersey would have a hell of a population problem

He liked the look of fear in his victims eyes. That last plea that they would always make. The bribes they would offer, the promises they would make. It did give him a rush like no drug or woman could ever provide him

A quiet voice popped into his head then

Quit bullshitting yourself Barton

You are just as sick as that piece of crap

“I don’t torture people” he spoke aloud to it

What about that kid in Soho?

Come on you remember

The chains, the knife,

The hacksaw

“Little bastard got what was coming to him” he fired back

How old was he? 19? 20 tops?

Barton tried to ignore it but found the voice growing louder in his ears

Never even been with a woman he had said

Course after the ways you cut him up he wouldn’t have been able to do much with one anyway

“Shut up” Barton was whispering now in a venom drenched voice

Remember the sound that hacksaw made when it went through the first bone? How he screamed for you to kill him after every stoke of the saw? You were hard as Chinese algebra while you did it

“Go fuck yourself”

Maybe that’s the source of it huh? Forget stiletto heels and black lace panties. You need a bit of pain and blood to get off don’t you

“I’m done talking to you” The throbbing at his temple was like a thunderbolt

Can you imagine what the Munroe bitch must be like? Peel back the skin of that finely built back and really get inside of her huh Clinty boy?

Barton bashed the side of the car with his fist so hard the bone of his ring finger snapped out of place

“What the fuck?” MacManus yelled arching his head out of the driver window “What’s your problem”

Barton brought his hand to his chest and held it “Just watch for the fucking kid” he said between clenched teeth

MacManus arched an eyebrow and pulled his head back into the car “Somebody needs to get laid more” he suggested loudly

Barton took hold of his finger and felt for the break

It was clean

Sucking in a large breath he set the bone back without so much as a whimper of pain

He let out a haggard sigh and reached in the backseat for a roll of duct tape that was standard issue in their “kit”

He tore a piece off and wrapped it tightly about his finger

It hurt like the fires of damnation, but at least the voice in his head had stopped

For now

Sheriffs office

Raven Darkhome had not been able to sit in one place all morning. She checked her watch for the third time and sighed loudly as she noticed how slowly the arms were moving . She sat straight and smoothed the edges of her uniform down adjusting the badge over her left breast. She caught the look that Dukes shot her as she did so and gave him a raised finger at his gawking eyes.

The large man chuckled to himself and went back to the card game with Gargan and Toynbee

Ruckus and Marko stood by the front talking silently to each other and sipping at the stale coffee casting glances to their partners that spoke of their concerns

Raven couldn’t help but mirror their concern

Essex hadn’t come to work the previous day. That was not like him. The man got his rocks off by parading around town and showcasing his authority. You would have to shove that badge up his colon to keep him form flashing it around town day in and day out.

He had not made their meeting that night either

No call, no message

Nothing

Raven twirled her fingers in her hair in irritation

Even their usual night of debauchery did not happen

She rubbed at the bruises he had left her from last week

One on her inner thigh that stretched down to the side of her knee

She could still feel his teeth upon her breast. The lacerations there were slowly healing. He had taken a chunk of flesh with one of his “love bites”

The thought of it again sent her blood boiling

When it was clear He would not show up for the meeting that he himself had arranged she called the boys off and sent them home at around ten

She had waited until three in the morning at her house for him.

And not a single fucking call

There were times she wanted to see just how hard she could kick that man in the balls

Problem was he would probably like it

As she let a small smile crawl up the side of her mouth Marko walked over and placed his coffee upon the desk

“You heard anything from him yet?” Marko was big, very big. The man topped out at almost seven feet tall and was a wall of brick made flesh. He gazed down at her with impatient eyes.

“Nothing” she said not looking up at him, still twisting her hair into small curls

The large man threw his hands to his side “Of all the fucking times he decides to take a damn vacation”

Gargan nodded “This shit with Fisk is gonna get heavy if we don’t find out what’s going on Raven”

Toynebee threw his cards upon the table “I talked with Hugo last night, he wasn’t happy”

Raven rolled her eyes “As if I care what mood that two big coke pusher is in”

“He has obligations Raven just like the rest of us” Toynbee scratched at the splotchy beard he was attempting to grow. “That man doesn’t get what he needs all his west coat contacts don’t either and they are gonna start sending people out to “correct” the situation with Fisk”

Ruckus joined Marko’s side, not a small man himself at a solid six-three “And that just gonna lead to full on fucking war in the middle of this town”

Marko leaned down closer to Raven’s face “We are the mule point for the entire west coast contacts, shit comes in form Big Fisk, Little Fisk gets it to the buyers out there and we all get a to wet our beak a little” He slammed a ham sized fist upon the table making it creak loudly “And now its all gonna go down the fucking drain and the one guy who should give the most shit about it isn’t even fucking here”

“Lay off the juice Marko, it may swell your head but it does shit for your brain”

Raven looked form Marko to Essex

He had came through the front door and she hadn’t even noticed it

Apparently she was not the only one to miss his entrance

Dukes turned around in a startle at his voice “Shit boss you damn near gave me a heart attack”

Essex smiled, his bone white teeth flashing “Sure Dukes blame me and not all of those fucking cheeseburgers you shove down that fat fucking gullet of yours”

Dukes smiled nervously and stood along with Gargen and Toynbee

“How goes it boss?” Ruckus asked

Essex didn’t say anything for a moment as he scanned each of their faces

He felt a moment of disgust at his deputies

A moment of sheer loathing

Useless brainless sacks of meat

He slowly popped his neck and sighed inwardly

Well He would have to work with what he had

He could be resourceful

They had said they thought him a very resourceful man

They liked that about him

She liked that about him

“Where have you been?” Raven finally broke the silence and walked in his direction “I must have called you a hundred times since the other day, you were the one who wanted us all together last night”

Ahh sweet Raven

At least she still had her uses, as tame and fleeting as they were

“Business” Essex answered “All part of business”

He removed his hat and sat it upon his desk. He left his dark shades on. The weather outside was overcast, storms were moving in again, not exactly the kind of day where sunglasses were needed. The fact he was inside the office with its bunker like lighting fixtures made Raven take a mental note

“We have a lot to see to Sheriff” Raven said also taking note of his color. Essex was a pale man anyway, too long in the sun and it would seem he would shrivel like burning paper. He seemed even more so today, almost translucent, she could see the way the bones in his face moved with every small gesture. He appeared as almost a skeleton wearing a skin suit.

And his smile did mu8ch to enhance that appearance

“Are you ok?” she asked

That smile

That increasingly disturbing smile seemed to grow wider by the minute

“Of course” Essex gestured to Ruckus “Been keeping tabs on Munroe?”

“Cortez and me been taking shifts he is up there now, no sign of Fisk’s guys yet”

“Keep an eye out for those two and for those two mountains of dog shit Creed and Lincoln I don’t trust them any better” Essex pulled his chair out and sat “Get back up there with Cortez I want two sets of eyes on her, if Fisk”s dogs get out of hand I trust you know what to do”

Ruckus nodded his understanding and walked out

Essex turned to Toynbee “Set up a new meeting with Hugo, tell him there are some changes we need to make.”

This took the rest of them aback

“Fisk wont like that boss” Gargen put in

“I don’t give a turtle’s puckered asshole what Fisk likes” Essex smirked at the shocked look on the faces of his deputies “Leave Fisk to me Deputy this will work out in all of our best interests”

Toynbee didn’t seem reassured but left to go make the arrangements

“How about me boss?’ Dukes asked standing before him

So eager to please

Goooood

“I want you tons of fun and the walking testicle over here” He gestured to Marko “To hunt that little sawed off shit that’s been riding around this place like he fucking owns it down and bring him kicking and screaming to me”

Dukes smiled and happily went to leave

Marko was not so enthusiastic “We don’t even have a decent description of this guy”

“Short , stocky, rides a hog and wears something from the Clint Eastwood fashion line” Essex leaned forward “You are a police officer Cain, go do some fucking police work” The mocking in the tone was so thick even Dukes picked up on it

Marko shook his head and left grumbling “Shit gets more fucked by the minute”

When they were alone Raven finally asked “What in the hell are we doing Nathaniel?”

She walked over to his desk and sat upon the edge “I was never gung ho about all of this to begin with but if you try screwing Fisk we will all end up lawn mulch”

Essex heard her talking but paid no mind to the words she was saying. He was too caught up in the curve of her breasts, the way her uniform clung to the sides of her hips

He could feel the saliva forming in his mouth and drip off the end of his tongue

“Your going to start a war Nathan” She said louder

Essex stood up and walked around her and nuzzled at her neck

Raven felt her anger intensify but their was no point in resisting

That would only make him more ravenous

And that would in turn to the same for her

He nibbled none too gently at her ear and whispered in a low and edged tone “The war is already on Raven” he drew a drop of blood form her lobe which earned him a shuddered gasp of pain and arousal “Get on the winning side”

Raven turned and kissed him hard

Their lips met and she closed her eyes drawing in his breath

Essex turned her around and ripped the bottom half of her uniform off

He held her down and removed his shades

The eyes underneath were black as midnight, no iris no pupil

Just black

Soulless

The eyes of a shark

And they were hungry

Elsewhere

Cortez had been sitting in the car now for too long he needed a stretch.

He had been tailing this woman all day and honestly he had seen mold have a more diverse routine

Diner

Home

Diner

Home

Once in a while she would meet Dayspring at Hank’s bar they would come to her place bada bing bada boom and then wash and repeat

Two days never felt so long

He agreed to take the morning shift for Ruckus on the hope of maybe catching her taking her morning shower

So much for that

No perks at all

He stepped out of his well hidden cruiser and popped every joint in his body. He looked down at his watch and was happy to see that Ruckus would be here soon to relieve him. A chance for a decent meal would be nice aside form the fucking leftover pizza he had been forced to contend with lately

The ringing of natures call came through loud and clear

Stepping a bit further into the brush, he found a suitable spot to do his business

Gazing around the thick woods he noticed a leafless tree not far in front of him

And one big fucking bird sitting upon a lone branch.

Cortez squinted and saw that it was a crow
A damn big one

It was looking at him

He shook his head and smiled

Yea sure looking at me, like I was road kill

He tried to ignore it but found his eyes wandering back toward the bird

It wasn’t moving

Just staring with clear yellow eyes

Cortez thrust his crotch out at it “This sure isn’t no worm here pally and if ya even try to peck at it ill rotisserie your fucking ass”

No movement

No sound

Just staring

Cortez tried again to ignore it, zipping up his pants he turned and made to walk away

Those eyes though

He could feel them boring into his back

He turned

And there it was still staring

Picking up a loose stone upon the ground Cortez hurled it “Get out of here you shit with wings”

The stone flew far off its target and the bird sat motionless

Cortez found another and again made a wild throw that did not come close to connecting

He could feel the hair on his neck stand on end and the palms of his hands go damp with sweat. He could not tear his eyes away no matter how he screamed for it to happen. He felt his hand slip down to the holster of his revolver and grip the firearm firmly

Once more his body betrayed him as he could not bring it to bear, his hands were shaking too badly.

The crow spread its wings and made one low call

The sharpness of it cut into Cortez’s ears and he felt the tars begin to form at his eyes

The crow called once more

And this time it was joined

A guttural howl answered on the wind

No sound accompanied the beast’s approach.

No snapped twigs

No rustling of leaves

Not even the heavy falls of its paws

As silent as shadow

Cortez was sobbing now. The fear held him as one would embrace a dying lover. Upon his back he felt the cold and icy breath along his spine. The mental commands that were screaming in his mind to run were ignored. He found he could see nothing except those yellow eyes, feel nothing except that cold breath that was caressing his back.

And the smell

Oh God, the smell

So ripe and horrid, if the fear had not frozen even his involuntary actions, he would have vomited

A voice then

Hard and rasp, like nothing he had ever heard and prayed never would again spoke in his ear

“Run”

His bolted wildly, his body finally released from the grip of dread. He barreled through bushes, not feeling the cuts from the thorns or the branches that slapped across his face. He just had to go, get away from what was there

Cortez could still feel it there behind him though

His body was pumping to its limit, trying to outdistance the horror behind him. The image in his mind though he saw as clear as the sky, whatever was behind him was still there, effortlessly keeping pace

Smiling

Teeth like razors shone in a wicked grin, a gaping mouth dining on the rich fear that Cortez emanated.

It was not his imagination or the fear at work, Cortez could see it without turning around. Blinded by the abomination he did not see the tree that he ran into face first

The coppery taste of blood filled his mouth as he went down, the crunching of broken teeth enveloped his hearing. He flailed upon the ground until he managed to place his back against the very tree he had hit

And he saw it then, and had fear not clenched him within its grip once more, he would have gouged his own eyes out

Upon four legs it strode toward him, hair the color of night, and as hard as quills. A black and wart covered tongue lapping at its jowls, teeth long and dagger like……smiling

A true hound of hell

It stopped suddenly gazing at him with pale glowing eyes
Cortez reached down again for his firearm, the fear fueling his need for survival

“That wont even piss him off”

That voice

A mist had formed around him, dark and gray it surrounded him the tree and the beast before him. A figure strolled casually from the heart of it. Cortez could not make it out who it was at first, only the stocky outline of a man, wearing what appeared to be a cowboy hat

“Alberto Cortez” It whispered with the force of a tremor “I have come for you”

Cortez did not even have time to scream.

Elsewhere

Ororo swore she heard something just now, a shout, a cry….something

It gave her chills whatever it was. She looked back toward the house and thought of postponing her dip into the nearby creek. It was still early enough for her to enjoy a quick swim before she would have to go back and get ready for her date with Nate. She shrugged and continued down the half grown trail.

The creek was not large, but the water was clean and just cold enough to be invigorating. She had shown it to Nate and neither of them could resist the urge of skinny dipping in it on a few occasions.. She smiled as she thought of him. He was a great guy, kind and strong, a bit too serious sometimes but when he did smile it was to die for.

She wondered if she was falling in love

She wasn’t sure of that.

How could she be?

When she found that the majority of the time her thoughts drifted to Logan

“Logan” she said the name softly as she neared the creek’s edge and felt a chill flow over her skin

“Down girl” she said to herself again. “Nate is a wonderful man, and he doesn’t appear out of no where and disappear just as quickly, pick the safe choice”

She knew what she was saying

But that didn’t mean she would heed her own advice

She walked into the creek, clothes still on, wanting to drown the fire of her thoughts out as quickly as possible. Ororo ducked her head beneath the surface and let the chilled water caress her face. She stayed there for so long she could feel her chest about to burst.

Breaking the surface of the water she took in a sweet lung full of air, and let out a short scream of surprise as she saw Logan crouched by the creek edge

“Shit” she almost leaped from the water enough to stand upon the surface “Stop doing that”

He tilted his head to the side and the corner of his mouth almost raised into a smile “What?”

“Sneaking up on people like that” She walked toward the edge where he sat unmoving , shaking the water from her hair “How long have you been there?”

“Long enough to know you can hold your breath a long time” he answered not raising his head to meet her gaze

“And just what are you doing out here?”

He brought his head up and gazed at her, the force of her look reigniting the flames of the thoughts she had just tried to quench

“Hunting”

She arched a brow “Hunting?”

He nodded

“Don’t see a gun anywhere. You do it with your bare hands?” She asked in jest but not sure if he wasn’t capable of such a thing

“Not that kind of hunting darlin” he stood and lit a cigar form the pocket of his jacket. He inhaled once and blew a plume of smoke “your gonna catch cold like that”

She didn’t realize she was shaking, the wind had picked up, but she was not sure if that was what was doing it

“I could do with the break honestly, if it was to happen” she answered rubbing at her arms

The weather never bothered Ororo. Hot or cold it never seemed to phase her one way or the other, and this time was no different. The wind was not what was making her shake

Pulling his jacket off he placed it about her shoulders before she could object

“No need risking it” he said tipping his hat back and letting her take in the full features of his face. He was wearing a simple black shirt, no design or brand marker upon it, every movement accentuating the well developed muscles underneath “Care to take a walk?”

She pulled her attention away form his body and back to him “A walk?’

He nodded “you know one leg in front of the other in a slow rhythm”

“Thanks for pointing that out smart ass” She quipped

He laughed then

And Ororo could not tell if it was wonderful or terrifying

She looked back toward the direction of her house “I don’t know I have some plans for the night”

“have ya back in plenty of time darlin” He quirked the side of his mouth again “Cross my heart”

She thought a moment afraid to say yes and desperate not to say no

Finally she gave in

“I guess a nice stroll around the park wouldn’t hurt” She smiled

Logan felt that smile as if molton rock had ignited inside his chest He nodded and they started

“By the way” She asked “Did you hear something a little while ago? A voice shouting?”

He cast a side long glace at her shook his head “Quiet as death darlin” he smiled “Quiet as death”