A fallen angel in the city of angels, closed for AmbrosiaCaress and Niceandbrutal

[Niceandbrutal]

Los Angeles. The city of angels. That moniker had never failed to amuse Marcus Kane. It wasn't the faux ironic amusement of a distant middle class laughing at a city filled with ravenous predators in the form of agents, businessmen and lawyers. It was, rather, the wry bitter amusement of a survivor of its streets, an alpha predator in his own right.

Marcus was on top of his immediate foodchain, but he wasn't successful in Los Angeles by any stretch of the imagination. He was homeless, with all the other homeless and street persons fearing him. Dark stories about Marcus Kane circulated. He'd had special Army training, some said. He was just loco and best avoided, others said. The fact was that no-one that crossed Marcus Kane lived to tell the tale. But no-one came out and said what everyone knew in their heart of hearts: Marcus Kane was, literally, a beast.

He'd had uneasy dreams and outright nightmares in his youth about hunts and savagely tearing apart prey. Come puberty, and his father had started locking Marcus inside the basement during full moons. Marcus remembered little of those early nights other than a searing pain before unconsciousness set in. He awoke the next morning in a thrashed room with scratch marks on the walls and the door. And Marcus knew what he was, as his father had known all along. As soon as Marcus told of his dreams, his father knew that the curse of the Kanes wasn't extinguished.

******************************************

The back alley in South Central was one of his favourite haunts. It was dark and long, with many alcoves to give shelter from prying eyes and the occasional wind and rain. He chose to sleep in wolf form most of the nights as his enhanced senses would trigger him if danger was close. People could pass by him and not see him, and if they did they'd more often than not mistake him for a dog.

Tonight was different, though. There was an electricity in the air affecting him and, judging by the sounds and smells, others as well. Dimly aware of two men jacked up on speed walking down the alley, Marcus was distracted by the hint of a sound he'd never heard the like of. It was as if background noises suddenly melted into a choral rendition of order from chaos. It ended in a rushing popping sound, and a scent of sweet flowers and purity filled Marcus' entire being, making him weep with a longing he'd never before been aware of.

It took him a moment to register the beautiful female form lying a few yards in front of him. The two men on speed seemed quicker on the uptake. Pheromones washed off them in filthy waves as their bodies reacted to the sight of the naked woman in the alley, intruding on the otherworldly scent that had sent Marcus into a rapturous longing. And Marcus knew there would be trouble. They hadn't seen him lying in the shadows. They were advancing towards the woman who seemed to be confused beyond measure.

"Don't worry honey. We'll take reeeal good care of you," one of the men said in a raspy voice, thick with lust. The other man chortled evilly. "She doesn't look to be 'all there', but damn she's fine! I go first. Hold her down!" The first man moved to take hold of her arms while the other grabbed her legs. Marcus stalked out of the shadows, a huge shaggy beast with fangs, claws and angry yellow eyes. He crouched down and pounced on the man going for her legs.

 

[AmbrosiaCaress]

The darkness consumed her, having wound around her like the serpent that all angels feared. What had she done wrong to warrant such punishment? What had the heavens found so abhorrent that they would shroud her in that all consuming shadow and send her to the land below? That dark serpentine tendril snaked deeply into her mind, easily tearing into the very essence of who she was... an angel.

She was not one of the important angels, angels that were written about, angels that were sang to, angels that little children talked about with awed voices or prayed to before bedtime. She was merely an angel, sometimes tasked with being a guardian, other times with more menial objectives. She was young, meaning her time in the heavens was just beginning. She wanted to learn, to grow, to fulfill, to be one of the angels that the humans below did know, at least in prayer. Her endeavor lead her to mentor under one of the Arch Angels, the most powerful in the heavens.

But she was young, and as she turned her shining gaze to the powerful angel, she found that a fire began to burn within her. An all consuming heat that burned deep in the core of her very being. And when it turned to flame, she found herself swallowed by the sin of lust. One of the 7 sins...

Lust.. A very strong sexual desire...

When taken before the Arch Angels for judgement, despite her begging and apologies, the punishment was swift, and harsh. Her wings were clipped, which, in this case, meant they are now nothing more than an elaborate tattoo upon her back. The only time the wings of an angel would be ripped clean off would be if the worst sin, killing a human or another angel, had been committed. This, thankfully, was not the case with her, although Lust was a close second.

And she was banished from the heavens, sent to the world below, to face her temptations, to face her lust, and hopefully win the battle within her. If she lost, her soul may very well be sent to the bowels of hell, or worse, shredded and destroyed completely. To complicate her punishment, her memory has been cloaked, hidden from her. This was part of the punishment yes, but it was also a mechanism to keep her safe.

Angels are not meant to walk the earth, there are those that hunt fallen Angels, those that wish to awaken them and use the power within for their own. She must face her temptation alone, and vulnerable, with no assistance from the heavens.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

It was as if a fog was lifting. A dark fog, that shrouded her senses. The darkness that shrouded her slowly dissolving. Where was she? The sounds, sounds she was no longer familiar with, scrapings of people nearby shuffling down the dark, dirty street, the loud blare of a horn coupled with the cursing of some voice, a momentary flash of lightning followed by the deeper base note of thunder in the distance, and the voices of.. men... close by...

"Don't worry honey. We'll take reeeal good care of you," one of the men said in a raspy voice, thick with lust. The other man chortled evilly. "She doesn't look to be 'all there', but damn she's fine! I go first. Hold her down!"

Hold who down? Hold her down? She still was not quite sure where she was, what was happening, or even... who she was. The only thing she knew was she was laying on the dirty concrete in some alley, if her quick glance around had been accurate, and she was naked, as in completely naked. And 2 men were about to... about to....

"No... no noooooooo"......

 

[Niceandbrutal]

The man trying to pry the woman's legs apart never knew what hit him. Marcus in wolf form closed the distance with a leap and a savage growl that ended in the man's throat. With a savage twist of his powerful neck, Marcus broke the man's spine and severed his carotid artery.

Rage was emanating off him in waves, and he was lost in the red fog of fury that accompanied his killing. There was anonther man. Marcus turned as a shot rang out and a searing pain shot through his flank. The other man had a gun.

"S-stay back," the speed freak yelled, aiming the gun at Marcus. Marcus advanced, snarling and growling. More shots. More red streaks of pain. The only effect the bullets had was pissing him off further. The gun went CLICK and Marcus knew he had him.

A savage, almost humanly gloating sound escaped Marcus, and the man started crying. And then he caught a whiff, just a hint of that scent which had touched him so profoundly. He was still angry, but his blind fury and bloodlust left him like dew on flowerpetals in the morning sun.

With a swipe of his paw, the gun went flying, as did the knife the speedfreak produced, waving pathetically in front of him. Marcus changed form in front of the man, sending the would-be rapist into hysterics.

He leaned in and whispered with real menace: "Take off your pants, your shoes, and your jacket. NOW!" The shaking man complied, then took off running.

Marcus picked up the clothes and approached the naked woman cautiously, holding out the clothes, and said with a placating yet gruff voice: "You're safe now. You should put these on."

A pause, then: "What- WHO are you?"

Marcus in human form: https://images.***********nEdotNY4Ag3A2bC37

 

[AmbrosiaCaress]

Everything seemed to happen so fast, it was like a blur. Someone, no, wait, something, came out of the shadows just as the men had descended upon her. She never got a look at what... it.... was... Just that it was huge, vicious, and literally tore one of the men apart.

As it was all happening around her, she managed to crawl, scramble back into the darkness, seeking the shadows to help cover her nakedness. Why was she naked? How had she gotten here? Wrapping her slender arms about herself, she tried to melt into those shadows, now suddenly afraid of what was attacking the 2 men. Attacking? Or had it come to her defense? Or was she just at the wrong place at the wrong time? Where was she? Who.... who was she?

The sound of a gunshot rang out, and another, followed by an enraged howling that sounded to her, like a beast from hell. She buried her head against her chest, hands on her ears, trying to block out the sounds, the screaming, growling, gunshots, crying, was it her that was crying?

Then it all went quiet. She could hear, just barely, the flat slapping sound of someone running, and running fast, she could hear the soft glide of a breeze, and the thick dripping of blood from the dead body, or what was left of it, laying closeby, and she heard, steps, the bootsteps of someone approaching her. No... please no... her wildly panicked mind was screaming at her. No.. don't do this....

"You're safe now."

Safe. He had come to her defense. But what was it she saw? What was it she heard? Because it was not him...

"Safe" she repeated back to him, her voice barely a whisper. With a quick glide of her fingers thru her dark hair, she dared to look up at the man, the stranger, standing in front of her.

"You should put these on."

Slowly, cautiously, she reached for the clothes he offered.

"Thank you"...

She stood slowly as she took the offered garments, but stayed in the shadow of the building as best she could. She knew being naked was wrong. It felt.. wrong. Everything felt.. wrong. Turning her back to the stranger, she slipped on the dirty jeans and tee shirt, and the jacket, the shoes were entirely too large for her, so she left her feet bare.

"Who are you?" It was funny, they both asked the same question at the same time, just as she turned to face him again. The problem was, she had no idea who she was. None at all, or where she was, or how she got there. Her mind, was a complete and total blank.

 

[Niceandbrutal]

A sudden and unexpected sense of modesty took hold of Marcus, and he turned away to give the apparently confused and frightened woman a semblance of privacy in the public but abandoned alley. Even so, he caught a glimpse of her tattoos. Tattoos of angel wings weren't all that uncommon, with "bad girls" coyly trying to give the impression that they were fallen angels, a notion that would have had Marcus roll his eyes in exasperation at the best of times.

Thing was, Marcus was walking, talking, living, breathing proof of the supernatural. He discounted nothing as a possibility. But his mind was already getting fuzzy with the details, and he had to close his eyes to remember the turn of events: A noise like no other... and then a... thing happened... a feeling of-of.... bliss? Naked beautiful woman. Assailants. Murder.

Something was definitely not right here. Marcus highly suspected he'd been an unwitting witness to a supernatural event. He knew that people who witnessed his transformations seldom lived to tell the tale. And those who lived had their memory scrambled in what Marcus suspected was a built in mental defense mechanism.

Marcus turned around and looked at the woman. The clothes of the speed freak were for a slender man, and they were still baggy on her. And dirty. Still, it only subdued that intriguing scent of hers, the scent that had caused him to stay his paws and fangs and spare her assailant.

They had asked each other the same question at the same time, and Marcus had to smile despite the bizarre situation they were in. Blood was still seeping out of the man he'd just killed, and far off he could hear the terrified screams and ramblings of the man whose life he'd spared.

"We can ask and answer questions later," he said gruffly, trying to not show the effect she had on him. He felt docile, forgiving... kind? It was confusing, to say the very least. But in a few minutes there would be commotion and screaming here, and even though no names would be named, the street people would know that Marcus had claimed another victim.

He held out his hand to her, not trusting himself to look her fully in the eyes, but stealing glances her way nevertheless. "I need you to trust me, lady. We have to get out of here. Police will come down on this place soon, and we don't want that. My name is Marcus. Marcus Kane. I will not harm you." A quick glance at her naked feet. "We don't have to go far."

 

[AmbrosiaCaress]

She hesitated.. looking at the stranger's outstretched hand. So much larger than hers, so much stronger. But in reality, she had no other options. She could not stay alone here, those 2 men had already proven that. She didn't even know where "here" was.

"I need you to trust me, lady. We have to get out of here. Police will come down on this place soon, and we don't want that. My name is Marcus. Marcus Kane. I will not harm you. We don't have to go far."

Swallowing hard, wishing she had a name to at least give him, but there was nothing. All she was sure of was, waking up naked on the dirty pavement, the 2 men, the thing that attacked them, and now... Marcus.

With a slow nod, she slipped her delicate fingers into his larger hand and allowed him to lead her out of the alley. It was dark, the storm she had heard before, rumblings of thunder, and distant flashes of light, appeared to be moving closer. The rain hadn't started, yet, but you could scent it in the air. The storm was coming.

She walked beside the larger man, her dark eyes wide, confused. In reality her eyes were not just dark, but nearly black. When in the heavens, most angels displayed the clearest, almost translucent eyes. This was not true for fallen angels. When an angel was cast out, their eyes darkened to the color of midnight black, like hers were now.. That crystal gleam of what she was, still shone deep within, it was just hidden, veiled, shadowed...

She took in the myriad of large, tall, currently dark, buildings surrounding the streets, let alone the occasional car speeding down the street. It took only a few minutes for the sounds of sirens to echo to their ears, he having been right in that the police would soon be descending on the alley, after the nearly insane crying and rambling of a naked homeless man, obviously on some kind of drug or drugs, drew them there. They'd find that body, torn apart. She didn't know that it was a pattern, that it had happened before, that she was currently walking beside the man that was the cause of those deaths, those ripped apart bodies...

"Where.... where are we going.... Marcus" she finally asked, after they had walked several blocks, the sounds of the police fading slowly behind them....

 

[Niceandbrutal]

"Where.... where are we going.... Marcus"

They had moved away from the relative safety of the alley, now fouled by a dead body and policemen with their air of rancid smugness enveloping them.

"It's a shelter from the weather. There will be other people there but they will leave you alone when you're with me. They- they fear me."

This was odd. Usually, Marcus felt proud about the fact that he was so intimidating to others that they left him alone. Now? It bothered him, made him feel ashamed.

The refuge was an auxiliary tunnel used for the construction work of the LA subway back in the day and since abandoned and forgotten by the city planners. There were old oil drums filled with different types of fuel found on the street to give some light, some ambience, and a semblance of heat.

When they entered, big fat spattering raindrops and the roll and crash of thunder and lightning heralded a proper thunderstorm

People sat huddled in groups around the barrels, while others sat alone in the shadows. The mood was cautiously communal, with a guarded trust existing between the erstwhile inhabitants.

The mood changed abruptly when Marcus entered the refuge. People pulled closer together and avoided his eyes. A wind of whispers and mutterings coursed through the assembled outcasts and a couple of people made the sign of the cross and used the protection against the evil eye that metalheads mistook for a sign of the devil.

The whispers and mutterings changed slightly when the woman entered behind Marcus, taking on a tone of curiosity and wonder. They, like him, sensed something about the woman, though their senses were less acute than Marcus' were.

Marcus surveyed the gathering and saw no known troublemakers. This place would do. But he needed to address the people gathered here. He raised his voice:

"You all know who I am, and most of you fear me. I know this. I can smell your fear as I speak. But I tell you that you have nothing to fear from me unless you cross me and," he placed a hand on the woman's shoulder and his mind got calmer and his voice softer, "this woman." He paused and reluctantly removed his hand. "As long as we stay here, you are all under my protection."

He turned to the woman. "Let's see if we can find a place in here for the night." They were both drawing stares. Suspicious and fearful ones directed at Marcus, and curious stares at the woman accompanying him.

 

[AmbrosiaCaress]

Instinctively, she moved slightly behind Marcus when entering the darkened, shadowed maw of the tunnel. She could see the flickering of fires set in barrels, and several, if not more, groupings of people, huddling around or near those fires. She could see some of their faces in the flickering light, and more when the lightning hit and illuminated the entire tunnel. She could see the fear, sense the fear, as their eyes focused on the man she stood beside. Some made the sign of the cross, and she was strangely compelled to approach them, to tell them all would be ok, no one would hurt them, not why they were there. But why would she even think that? Where had that thought and feeling even come from? Why, did she herself, feel such a sense of, almost a serene wave, of compassion flow over her at that simple blessing of crossing oneself?

"You all know who I am, and most of you fear me. I know this. I can smell your fear as I speak. But I tell you that you have nothing to fear from me unless you cross me or this woman, as long as we stay here, you are all under my protection."

He lay his hand to her shoulder as he spoke, and she felt something, deep, vicious, a darkened soul, and she lay her own hand over his, as if to comfort him. She didn't understand it, she didn't even know why she did it, but he seemed to calm as soon as she did.

His words puzzled her though. Why would these people fear him? But that question quickly answered itself, or did it, when she remembered the screaming, and the body torn apart in the alley. Had he done that? She had not seen what had moved in the shadows, she only caught a glimpse. And then Marcus was there.

"Let's see if we can find a place in here for the night."

She nodded. She was exhausted, and not really sure why. She felt as if something had happened to her, something she could not even begin to explain.

She could feel the eyes of the people they walked past following them. And, even over the sound of the rain and the deep rumbling of the thunder, she could hear them whisper, about a monster, a beast, who now had a girl with him? Were they talking about Marcus?

He seemed to know his way in the darkness of the tunnel, as he walked without hesitation and she sensed he had no fear of any of the people within. They feared him, that was obvious. They were the many, he was but one, it was an interesting dynamic.

He lead her to an alcove toward the back, where there were blankets among a few other things. He seemed to sense her need to be away from the others. Right now the other people scared her. She still had no idea where she was or how she even got there. After the encounter with the 2 men, who tried to hurt her, she feared all others, except him. He could have hurt her too, she knew that, and he did not.

She stepped into the shadowed small enclosure, moving to the back, wrapping a blanket around herself. The storm outside was raging, and she could hear the people greeting others who were seeking shelter and had no place else to go. Some, upon hearing that Marcus was there, actually left in fear, others stayed as clear of the alcove as they could, keeping a wary eye open. It was more than obvious that despite his words, many still did not trust.

"Why do they fear you Marcus?" she asked as she settled, drawing her legs under her. She had a million questions, of course, but those were about herself and he would have no answers to those, she was sure...

 

[Niceandbrutal]

Marcus couldn't believe it. He was actually starting to feel bad about people fearing him. He noticed how newcomers were warned that he was here, and how some of them would rather risk the thunderstorm than to spend the night in the same shelter as him.

For the longest time, he had preferred, relished even, other people's fear of him. He remembered how that had started, but the memory of that incident was just too painful to even contemplate. And now he was with this strange woman who made him second-guess what he believed to be his very nature.

"Why do they fear you Marcus?"

Ah. She went straight for the jugular, didn't she?

"Because I am cursed. Because I am a beast. Because I kill with impunity."

That last one wasn't true, strictly speaking. Not since he gained sentience while a wolf and control over his shifting form, anyway. He only killed now when he thought people deserved it. He leaned in and lowered his voice.

"They only suspect the truth, but I trust you, for some reason. I am a skinwalker. A lycanthrope. A werewolf. Until I gained control, I changed against my will every full moon, or whenever my mood was violent."

He stopped and stared at her. Her eyes... he noticed them just now. Completely black.

"I could ask what you are as well, seeing how you... how you..." Damn this memory bullshit!

He strained to recall the circumstances around when he met her. "You just... appeared. Out of... thin air. And there was a sound. And a... scent."

"Who are you? WHAT are you!? And what is your name?"

 

[Nyte_mare]

(Please note that Nyte_Mare and AmbrosiaCaress are the same Writer)

"Why do they fear you Marcus?"

"Because I am cursed. Because I am a beast. Because I kill with impunity."

He.. kills... killing was a sin. A sin.. had she committed a sin? Why did that resonate with her?

"They only suspect the truth, but I trust you, for some reason. I am a skinwalker. A lycanthrope. A werewolf. Until I gained control, I changed against my will every full moon, or whenever my mood was violent."

Her breath caught at that admission. Werewolves. The word was almost foreign to her. She was not sure why. But a flash of a memory, not a past memory, but from only a hour or so ago, raced across her mind. A beast, a monster, a demon. Demon? Now that word, that word made her almost recoil back against the damp wall of the small alcove. Demon. Demons were bad.. Evil..

Was he evil?

She watched him intently. Her fear of him was gone. She already knew, if he wanted to hurt her, he already would have. He could have dragged her to another alley and done what he wished. No, he did not want to hurt her, he had saved her, he had.... found her... But how had she gotten to that alley?

"I could ask what you are as well, seeing how you... how you... You just... appeared. Out of... thin air. And there was a sound. And a... scent."

"Who are you? WHAT are you!? And what is your name?"

She did recoil back then, just a little. Not because of the tone of his voice, or his insistence. But because she herself, had no answers for him.

"I.. I can't answer that Marcus" she whispered, no longer meeting his gaze with her own. Her head was down, long tendrils of her dark, midnight black hair fell forward, veiling her pale face and equally midnight black eyes.

She did not understand what he meant by "appeared out of thin air"... All she could remember, no matter how had she tried, was waking up and hearing those men talking. And the waking up, it had felt like she was emerging from a fog, a mist, shadows that had coiled around her and were suffocating her. When she emerged, she was able to breathe again.

"I do not even know my name. I don't know how I got there. The only thing I remember is hearing the men's voices, waking up, naked, alone, hearing them and seeing.....you"

She saw him then, she saw the Beast that he was, saw him in her mind, tearing apart that one man.

"And I remember you, saved me from them, you, and the Beast that you are"... when she said that, she reached out and lay her had over his. Her palm was soft, warm, as if radiating a deeply seated energy..

"But other than that, I can not even remember my own name..."

 

[Niceandbrutal]

"I.. I can't answer that Marcus. I do not even know my name. I don't know how I got there. The only thing I remember is hearing the men's voices, waking up, naked, alone, hearing them and seeing.....you. And I remember you, saved me from them, you, and the Beast that you are."

The beast that he was. It didn't sound judgmental coming from her, it was more a statement of fact. But she did not seem upset with him or disgusted by him. Still it hurt him, though he got the feeling she was just trying to find her footing on the very slippery slope of her amnesiac mind and his abrupt confession to her of his true nature.

And then her impossibly soft, impossibly warm hand lighted on him, and his mind started racing:

was he a beast, though? He had made no choice, the curse was forced on him and he had managed to assert control over his form after that fatal night when his father hadn't locked the basement door properly and he ripped his own parents to shreds and...

He started shaking and sweating, his hand gripping hers like his life depended on it.

...and after he gained control he was no longer a slave to the moon or the victim of his own temper in the same way, but he could never go back to Oregon and for all he knew he was a wanted man and living on the streets was bad but he only killed when threatened or to protect innocents and yet a part of it relished the kills and...

He dropped her hand like he'd burnt himself, and was surprised to find that he was weeping, huge wracking sobs shaking his body.

"What did you DO to me? Who ARE you? WHAT are you?"

And then, a flash of memory. Her tattoos. He spent a couple of minutes calming down, an odd feeling of calm in him he'd never felt since... ever!

"I don't know if this helps or if you're even aware of this, but you have tattoos on your back. Angel wings. I don't know if you're just a slave to edgy fashion or if there's something else going on, but I suspect from your black eyes, what you just did to me, and from those tattoos that you're more than just a Valley girl who's been doing too many drugs."

A pause as his sniffling subsided, then: "I think I want to help you. But I would like to have a name I can call you by. Is there any name you'd like me to call you?"

 

[AmbrosiaCaress]

When she laid her hand over his, she felt something, almost like something awakening inside him. She wanted to ease what he was feeling. It wasn't pain. No, it was shame? Shame at what he was? Shame at what he had done? Shame and... guilt. That was what she felt, a strong, almost overwhelming sense of guilt.

But it's not your fault

The words never left her lips, they only formed in her mind.

It's not your fault

It was then that he gripped her small, delicate hand, within his larger, rougher one. And he was shaking...

"Marcus" her voice as soft, low, a melodic whisper. But it was if he could not hear her. The heat coming off him was palatable, his trembling only deepened. She could not read his mind, she did not know his thoughts, but she could feel his guilt. Guilt that he killed. Killed his parents. Killed others, many others. Guilt that he.... the Beast.. wanted to kill... reveled in it...

It's not your fault..

The words were on her lips, just right there, about to be whispered into existence, when he jerked his hand away as if he had been burned. She recoiled, almost expecting him to lash out at her, but instead, she watched as he dissolved into sobbing, his body shaking almost violently. She was about to reach out again, when he snapped at her...

"What did you DO to me? Who ARE you? WHAT are you?"

Again, she sunk back against the damp wall of the alcove, drawing her legs up tighter to her chest.

"I.... I don't know" she quietly answered. Yelling back was not going to get her anywhere and was not going to bring back any memories.

"I don't know if this helps or if you're even aware of this, but you have tattoos on your back. Angel wings. I don't know if you're just a slave to edgy fashion or if there's something else going on, but I suspect from your black eyes, what you just did to me, and from those tattoos that you're more than just a Valley girl who's been doing too many drugs."

Valley girl? Tattoo? What was that? Drugs, she knew drugs. Drugs had robbed so many people of so much. She remembered watching over a girl... young... tying off a vein... She... remembered? Then it was gone. The whisp of whatever memory that was faded away like a puff of smoke on the wind.

He had started to calm down, and it seemed he did not even realize that she had reached over and was so very gently stroking his back, her fingertips lightly dancing along the muscles that rippled beneath his own worn shirt and jacket. She wanted to comfort him. She could feel, sense his confusion, his guilt, his sadness. And something deep inside her wanted, needed, to help him with that... help him understand what he did was not always his fault, or would not always be his fault.

"I think I want to help you. But I would like to have a name I can call you by. Is there any name you'd like me to call you?"

It was funny, she was just thinking about how she wanted to help him, forgetting that, well, she herself needed help, and amidst his own issues, he was willing to help her, an unknown stranger.

Unknown...

"A name?" Everyone had names. His was Marcus. She remembered that. But what was hers? Why could she not remember her name? That was a fundamental part of who one was, like, knowing you were human. Why could she not remember where she was, or how she got there. Yes, she most certainly did need help..

Her midnight black eyes met his. "I have no name".... the admission was sad, the sorrow over not being able to remember was dripping in her words...

 

[Niceandbrutal]

"I have no name"

This only deepened Marcus' suspicions about the less than ordinary arrival of the beautiful woman in front of him. She seemed confused, and her confusion seemed to deepen the more they talked. And Marcus so desperately wanted to help her, the woman who, despite her own distress, was stroking Marcus' back in a calming manner.

She should be trembling with aftershock after almost being raped, after witnessing Marcus tearing one of them to shreds. But no. She seemed more confused than frightened to Marcus. And her eyes...

Marcus had a hard time tearing his own eyes away from those black eyes of hers. He felt a sense of awe and comfort simultaneously looking at or rather into them.

"Well, I need to call you something. If I am going to help you, I can't just run around saying "you there" or "girl" or "woman". Maybe I can pick a name for you? What do you think about "Angela" or "Angelina"? I've always liked thise names."

He was squirming with embarassment now. "I-I've always liked those names," he added self-consciously.

Another thought struck him: HOW was he going to help her? More than likely, she was not registered anywhere if his suspicions were true. And even if she was, her amnesia was a great hindrance. Image search on the interner, maybe? It was a slim chance, but it was all they had to go on. They needed an internet café.

Marcus told her: "We should get some sleep. I want to see if I can help you find out more about yourself tomorrow. We need an internet café and a web camera."

 

[AmbrosiaCaress]

"Well, I need to call you something. If I am going to help you, I can't just run around saying "you there" or "girl" or "woman". Maybe I can pick a name for you? What do you think about "Angela" or "Angelina"? I've always liked those names."

He was squirming with embarassment now. "I-I've always liked those names," he added self-consciously.

She watched him as he seemed to be trembling a bit, twisting and looking away as he spoke. He was as much of an enigma as she was. She knew now that she had seem him tear apart that man in the alley, and he was not human when he did it, yet here he was, being gentle and almost afraid? no, that wasn't it, it was something about her that was affecting him and she could not quite understand it. What was it about her?

"Angelina... Lina... I like that" and she actually smiled, her soft pink lips curling upwards as she repeated the name "Lina..." For some reason, and she could not even begin to understand why, that name sounded... good... to her...

"Thank you, Marcus" as she spoke, she moved closer to him, reaching out and brushing her fingertips along his cheek. When he turned his eyes back to hers, she could still see the guilt and shame smoldering inside, flickering just under the surface...

"We should get some sleep. I want to see if I can help you find out more about yourself tomorrow. We need an internet café and a web camera."

Sleep, that sounded good to her as well. She wasn't sure why, but she felt exhausted, as if she had been awake for centuries.

"Sleep sounds good" she nodded, still holding his gaze.. "Marcus... it's not your fault" she finally whispered as she leaned into his, trusting him, and her eyes slowly closed...

 

[Niceandbrutal]

Lina".

Her smile, brief though it was, brought down more of his mental defenses. It was innocence and beauty taking tangible form, or so it seemed to Marcus.

Her soft touch and her trust in him further eroded the walls he'd built up around himself. She dozed off to sleep leaning into him, and Marcus dared not move in case he startled her or woke her up. And so he sat there, feeling her gently press against him and listening to her light breaths as sleep took her.

The storm outside reached a clattering crescendo, and then it faded little by little. Marcus felt himself growing sleepy almost despite himself, and his eyelids drooped and then closed. Sleep took him. And so did his dreams.

It was his recurring nightmare of that terrible evening when he killed his parents. Only this time, he didn't dream of the red haze he was in as he did it. This time he was a mute witness to the horrors he visited on his parents in beast form. It was the first time he bore witness to his parents' last moments, and it shook him more deeply than anything else he'd seen.

He advanced slowly, menacingly, growling, as his father held out his hands in a placating manner, silver dagger lying forgotten on the coffee table, not willing to hurt his son even now. "Easy Marcus. I know you're in there. I- NOOOO MARCUS!" Those were his final words, as Marcus lunged and sank his teeth in his father's throat. The beast roared in triumph as Marcus watched, impotently, despairing. His mother came running at him from the kitchen, wailing and sobbing with grief, a carving knife grazing his skull as it bounced off of him, leaving no mark. He swept her feet from under her with one swipe of his paws, and she fell on top of her dead husband, whimpering in the knowledge of her imminent death from the beast that was her son.
As he sank his teeth in her throat, she whispered "it's not your fault, Marcus..." And then she too died.

Marcus woke with a start, not surprised to find tears streaming down his face. He sniffed and wiped his tears away, looking down at Lina's sleeping form, seemingly undisturbed by his turmoil. Seeing her gave him comfort, as did her scent. He slowly, gingerly made himself more comfortable and settled down, her warm body still gently pressed into his, her breath still seemingly undisturbed.

He fell asleep again, a feeling of deep sadness still lingering within him. He slept until well after dawn.

 

[AmbrosiaCaress]

Maybe it was the fact that he was the one that found her. He had seen her first, in reality, perhaps a millisecond before the other 2 had. This was a good thing, because, when an angel is case forth to earth as punishment, he or she is not allowed to simply roam free. They bond to some degree to the first person who sees them. It is part of the punishment, as well as restraint. Angels wondering without some kind of restraint can be dangerous, just as demons wondering the earth unbound can be dangerous. Where as demons are summoned, or can be summoned, angels can not be. But the rules still apply, to some degree.

Lina's trust in Marcus comes from he being the first one to see her. He may not have been the first one to approach her, obviously, but that mattered not. His eyes saw her first. The bond was cast. She didn't know that, of course. All she knew was that she trusted him. She was lost, confused, and blank. But she trusted him.

And because of that trust, and that bond, a sleeping Lina caught glimpses of his horrific nightmare. The scream from his father NOOOO MARCUS, as the Beast, the Werewolf, ripped out his throat even as he begged him, yet the Beast remained shadowed to her, as if Marcus were hiding what he was from her, even as he slept. His mother, the Wolf tearing into her, yet the mother didn't scream, she forgave him... It's not your fault, Marcus.. even as her life's blood spilled from his fangs, his jaws.

Lina startled awake, shaking her head slightly, her dark eyes blinking into focus. The storm had passed, there was no thunder, no lightning, in fact, she could see peeks of sunlight, the golden rays bouncing around the inside of the tunnel they were in, not penetrating the alcove, she and Marcus were still in darkness.

She could hear others, talking and moving about within the tunnel. She heard chattering about food, a local McDonalds that would allow the homeless to come by and eat any premade food from the day prior that had not been sold, and would offer orange juice and coffee. Just the thought warmed her heart a bit, such kindness, not that she was hungry, she had not even thought about that, but maybe Marcus would be.

He was still asleep. Lina shifted just a little, laying her hand to his head, sensing that at least now, he slept a dreamless sleep. She wanted to ask him about this nightmare, but decided, no, it was better to stay silent about it for now. She didn't want to upset him. But she also got the sense, and she was not sure why she knew that, that she could ease his guilt, help him settle, allow him to let go and be forgiven...

Be forgiven...

She managed to get to her feet, and stepping over the sleeping Marcus, she stood at the entrance to the alcove, just watching. Many of the others that had been in the tunnel overnight were gone. But there were several left, including a couple, that had a mattress and blanket and some other meager belongings in another small alcove across from the one she stood in. She had not noticed them last night, but it was dark and stormy and Lina had focused on just following Marcus. But she saw them now. They were older, maybe in their 40s or 50s. And they were having sex. Lina's eyes widened as she watched, the woman was on her hands and knees, her head resting on the faded, old mattress, her hips up and presented for the man who had mounted behind her, his fingers digging into her sides as his own hips rocked forward and back, his cock driving into her sex over and over again. Lina could hear him grunting each time his cock disappeared inside her, could hear the woman's soft cries as well....

She stood there, transfixed, her eyes wide and staring, and felt a deep seated heat that seem to ignite in her core... that was when she thought she heard Marcus stirring.. But she was so fixated on the couple that, when he touched her shoulder, she jumped, twisted and fell right back into him....

 

[Niceandbrutal]

"Be forgiven..."

The sentiment reverberated through his head, almost taking on a tangible form, battling his self loathing, his doubts, and The Beast Within. The battle was not decided in one night, but the first round went to forgiveness. When he awoke, it was to a set of conflicting emotions.

He knew she was close, because her scent was strong. But there was a new element to her scent. He smelled and heard the couple having sex, and for a moment he thought their scents had him confused. But there was a scent of arousal other than their filthy bodies' emanations. He was startled to realize that Lina's fresh scent was now spiced with her pheromones.

The effect on his body was immediate. An almost painful erection pressed against his pants as he was suddenly wide awake.

He slowly stood up and gently moved towards the sounds and the scents. She stood transfixed, watching the copulating couple going at it like, well, dogs. Marcus didn't begrudge them their brief moment of pleasure, but a deep seated hunger and longing took him.

He had never had sex with a woman. He was too afraid that The Beast would emerge in moments of tender passion to turn them into nightmares. He'd felt The Beast tugging at his mind when he masturbated and did not want to take the chance on tearing his partner apart. But now, he felt different. Calmer. And his arousal was for the first time ever NOT tinged with the rage of The Beast.

He had not meant to startle her, it was just an attempt at a tender touch for her to know he was there. But she jumped, half turned, lost her footing, and fell into his arms. Marcus held her and looked into her big black eyes.

And then he muttered "Forgive me," and kissed her, oblivious to the people around them, oblivious to the copulating couple protesting and calling them creepy Peeping Toms, oblivious to the change of mood that swept the place as Marcus, The Beast of South Central, displayed genuine tenderness towards someone. Oblivious to anything but her scent, the warmth of her body, and the softness of her lips.

 

[AmbrosiaCaress]

"Forgive me"

For a moment, Lina thought maybe that was the first step to dealing with his guilt. He needed to understand that what he did, had done was not his fault? But what had he done? What had he been doing all along?

The thought was fleeting, a mere second (or less) later, and his lips found hers. Lina was not all that sure what was happening, or why. She had been startled when he touched her shoulder and fell back into his arms. And now...

She did not protest, not right away at least. The feel of his lips was soft, gentle, warm. But even more that that, was the feeling she was experiencing deep inside herself. A part of her came to the realization that he needed this. If she rejected him suddenly, she feared his reaction and she feared he may close up to her, and she could feel him opening himself up, something she knew, for some reason she just knew, he never did. The other part of her flashed a quick memory? Is that was it was? Of an... angel? Of feeling the same heat that was now ignited inside her, for an angel? Wait what? But that thought, or memory, or dream, or whatever it was, was gone as fast as it had hit her. And all she could see, and feel, was Marcus. But the heat that was smoldering inside her did not stop... she could feel it, even as she trembled in his arms. It was as if something took over, for that brief moment Lina returned the kiss, her lips parting, the lightest brush of her tongue gliding over his lips and teasing into his mouth.

NO... wait... she could not do this. She was being punished for this, for feeling just as she was feeling at this very moment. NO, this was wrong, wasn't it? It didn't feel wrong. But it should have. It should FEEL SO WRONG...

Lina broke the kiss with a low gasp... "Marcus... I.... I... can't" it wasn't a rejection, it was an admission. She could not do this, she could not. No, she could not... Lina was shaking in his arms as she looked up at him. There was no real fear in her eyes, the blackness seemed to be swirling as her own emotions twisted inside her. She had only just met him, she was pure, she was untouched, she could not, it was wrong, she had to control this, control her want, her need, her.... lust... that was why she was... here...right????

 

[Niceandbrutal]

For a brief couple of seconds, Marcus knew peace, bliss, and a short glimmer of joy. She seemed taken by surprise, but soon enough answered and deepened the kiss, her tongue deliciously tickling his lips and gently probing into his mouth. He could smell her arousal deepen, and suddenly, confusion, even... fear?

"Marcus... I.... I... can't"

It was not a rejection. It stung, but it was not a rejection. He held her still, looking into those mesmerizing black eyes and saw the turmoil she was in. He wasn't sure why she felt the need to break the moment, but whatever else he was, he was NOT a rapist.

He helped her find her footing and slowly, reluctantly, released her from his embrace until he was holding her hands in his. He did not shy away from her look as their eyes met.

"I was kind of seized by the moment. I could smell your... condition from watching these two," he gestured to the now grumbling couple, "and I have never felt calm and at peace enough to dare attempt... what I just did. If it was wrong of me, I aplogize. But just so we're clear, this changes nothing between us. I still want to help you."

(And I feel more at peace with you now than I've ever done in my life!) He wanted to add, but she was in a state of confusion and turmoil deeper than his, he suspected. He did not want to add to her burden and he did not want to come across as needy. She had, he felt, already quieted The Beast, and though he could feel the anger (and The Beast) in him still, he felt that they were sufficiently subdued. For now, at least.

He sighed and gently let go of her hands, smelling still a trace of her arousal but ignoring it. "We should get breakfast. I have a few dollars in my pocket, and we have a long day ahead of us. McDonald's is our best option as far as quantity is concerned, but as for taste and nutrition... I wish I could treat you to something better."

He held out his hand to her and gestured towards the opening. "We can drop by the Salvation Army's shelter and at least see if we can get ourselves cleaned up a bit. Are you coming?"

 

[AmbrosiaCaress]

"I was kind of seized by the moment. I could smell your... condition from watching these two," he gestured to the now grumbling couple, "and I have never felt calm and at peace enough to dare attempt... what I just did. If it was wrong of me, I apologize. But just so we're clear, this changes nothing between us. I still want to help you."

She watched his eyes as he spoke, felt the quivering of his hands. Slowly, she shook her head, several stray tendrils of her pale golden mane falling over her shoulder. "You did nothing wrong Marcus" she assured him. She would not lie, she had wanted that kiss as much as he did. But that was a thought SHE had to chase out of her own head, and heart.

"We should get breakfast. I have a few dollars in my pocket, and we have a long day ahead of us. McDonald's is our best option as far as quantity is concerned, but as for taste and nutrition... I wish I could treat you to something better."

He held out his hand to her and gestured towards the opening. "We can drop by the Salvation Army's shelter and at least see if we can get ourselves cleaned up a bit. Are you coming?"

Nodding, her hand slipped back into his. She was hungry. Her belly was beginning to protest. And she desperately wanted a drink. At just that thought, she became aware that she could still taste Marcus, his lips, his tongue, his kiss, on her own lips and that warmth deep in her core swirled once more.

She followed him out of the tunnels and into the sunshine. She was acutely aware that the people left in the tunnels all stared at him, and her. Some of them seemed to have a genuine look of concern on their faces, as if they were afraid for her. Lina was more afraid of them, than him and moved closer, wrapping her other hand and arm around his as they walked into the sunshine

The warmth of the sun's light felt wonderful on her skin, and she paused, stopping him in mid step, to just turn her face up to the light. The glow highlighted her pale soft skin and the golden color of her long mane, the shine accenting her fair beauty. She felt his eyes roaming over her and turned her dark gaze to him, pink lips slipping into a sweet smile. "the sun feels good" she explained simply, before moving again as he did.

She followed him into the shelter down by the river. It was small, clean, and the volunteers seemed to know Marcus. They did not show the fear of Marcus that the homeless people did, but they did show some concern over her. "The shower for women is this way" a nice older lady took her by the hand to show her, as Marcus apparently made his way to the men's shower.

"What's your name hunny?" she asked.

Did she have a name? Wait, Marcus had called her Angelina... Lina....

"Ummm... Lina..."

"Lina, is everything OK?"

"Why do you ask?" she had a puzzled look on her face as she regarded the woman.

"Marcus is a bit if a loner. We do not usually see him... with anyone"

The fact was, altho none of the people at the shelter had any "suspicions" about that "side" of Marcus, he still scared them to some degree. He was always polite when he came in there, which was rarely, but there was something, feral, about him that they could sense to some degree.

"I am ok" Lina assured the woman as she stripped out of the dirty clothes from the druggie and stepped into the shower. The warm cascade of water felt so very good and Lina took her time to enjoy the shower and getting her body cleansed.

The woman was not entirely convinced, but the girl was a adult, and Marcus had never shown any aggressive tendencies around them at the shelter. The girl was unmarked and unafraid, so she let the matter drop.

Lina finished her shower, and got out to a warm, soft towel. She dried as the volunteer came back in with a pair of jeans and a tee, and the appropriate underwear. "These should fit you nicely" she said. And she gave her a backpack with a change of clothes within as well, shorts and a sweatshirt, and another change of underwear. "Take my card. Call me or come here if you need to for ... any... reason"....

Lina had to admit, it felt better to be in clothes that fit, never mind being clean. The woman helped her braid her hair, and had found her a pair of ankle boots to wear.

She met back up with Marcus in the lobby. She had to admit, he looked handsome...

She followed Marcus out of the shelter and down to the McDonald's for breakfast...

Then to the library. There were PCs there, some with cameras. Lina had no idea what they were or how to use them. Marcus had a clue and sat down to do some research..

The thing was, no matter how hard he looked, she was NO where on the Internet..

 

[Niceandbrutal]

As her hand slipped back into his, he for the briefest of moments caught a hint of pheromones from her. He pondered it for a second, but let it go. She seemed confused and distressed enough, and he really didn't want to add to her confusion. He loved it when she wrapped her arm around his. He wasn't sure if he felt protected or protective, but whatever it was it was a new and bright emotion that he liked, so he didn't question it.

Outside, and she stopped him to bask in the sunlight. He tried not to gawp, but her beauty in daylight was unmatched by anyone he'd ever seen. Whatever or whoever she was, she wasn't afraid of the light, which in Marcus' book was a Good Thing. He knew there were other creatures out there that shied away from the sun, and they were more often than not corruption manifested.

So what did that make him? Marcus had always thought of himself as something Evil, but ever since he gained sentience and a semblance of control, he'd been trying to atone for what he'd done to his parents. But could he, Marcus, truly be considered evil or even responsible when he'd had no control over The Beast?

He pondered these things while on the way to the Salvation Army shelter. Once there, he parted company with Lina and was followed to the showers by a young attendant who had the reluctant air of someone who'd drawn the shortest straw. He showered in silence, relishing the feel of warm water and soap, ridding his body of the foul smells of old sweat and rotten shoes.

He was toweling himself, enjoying the feel of a rough towel scraping across his skin, leaving him dry and almost raw and red. The dryness after felt wholesome and fresh, and Marcus didn't look forward to getting into his dirty clothes again. To his surprise, he didn't need to. Apparently, a retail store had donated a ton of remaindered clothes and shoes, and Marcus dressed himself in a blue and white plaid buttoned shirt, a pair of jeans, new socks and underwear, and a brand new pair of sneakers. Like Lina, he also received a small backpack with extra clothes.

Feeling a bit self conscious for looking and feeling like a human being again, Marcus met up with Lina again. He loved her outfit and tokd her so. After the brealfast at McDonald, frustration waited for them in the library. An image search in several archives revealed nothing. Zip. Nada.

After hours of frustrated searching, taking new pictures, and Marcus with growing impatience asking Lina if she didn't remember ANYTHING, Marcus exclaimed in annoyance, drawing the ire of a nearby librarian.

In a hopeless gesture, he googled "black eyes". After sifting through medical data about bruising around the eyes caused by blunt trauma and at least one TV series and a Radiohead song, he found references to how demons and fallen angels both had black eyes, which made sense when you thought about it, seeing as they were the same stock.

Not much more was to be found about the subject, but it gave Marcus some pause. On a whim, he googled images of angel wing tattoos.

Compared to the short glimpse he'd caught of Lina's tattoos, the images he saw were simpler, cruder, less detailed.

But nothing of this helped them in the least. It only deepened the mystery. Marcus didn't dare say it to her, but he was more and more convinced that Lina indeed was something Other, something not entirely human. But he trusted her. He sensed no evil in her, only doubt and turmoil.

What Marcus was unaware of, was that his image and google searches had set alarms ringing at the mainframe of a corporation who specialized in captures of creatures of a supernatural make. He was unaware that he himself had on several occasions evaded capture by this very corporation.

The mainframe had tracked the IP address of the PC, and they had hacked the camera and were recording him and Lina.

As they got up and left, a hit team was dispatched to capture, unharmed if possible, one suspected lycanthrope and one suspected angel, fallen, or demon.

Sitting on the stairs outside the library, Marcus buried his head in his hands in frustration. No result. Day wasted.

"I am so, so sorry about this, Lina," he said, his voice heavy with sadness. "I had some hope of finding at least SOMETHING useful today. We'll have to think of another approach. But for now, let's see if the Salvation Army has any food left. And maybe they know someone we can ask?"

He got up and held out his hand to her.

An unmarked van was 3 blocks away, moving slowly towards them in the afternoon traffic.

 

[AmbrosiaCaress]

She watched as he worked at the screen he sat in front of, watched him get more and more aggravated. It was clear to her that he was not seeing or finding what he was looking for. She knew he was looking for something about her. But she wasn't sure what. Would she even show up on that screen? Why would she?

Two things she did notice, he had found some kind of information regarding black eyes and another regarding angel wing tattoos. Lina herself was not aware of either of those things when it came to her. She was not aware of the color of her eyes, or angel wing tattoos... What were tattoos?

They spent the majority of the day at the building with the books, as she called it. She did take some time to peruse the books while he was at the screen. There were so many, about so many things. She even found books about angels and demons, which fascinated her for at least a couple of hours. until she got confused about what she was reading, and made her way back to Marcus. She stayed with him until they left...

Outside, he sat down hard, his head in his hands..."I am so, so sorry about this, Lina," he said, his voice heavy with sadness. "I had some hope of finding at least SOMETHING useful today. We'll have to think of another approach. But for now, let's see if the Salvation Army has any food left. And maybe they know someone we can ask?"

She sat down next to him and leaned into his side, gently gliding a small hand up and down his back. "It's ok Marcus. As long as I am with you, I am ok" It was the truth.. she felt ok when with him. She was still confused... but felt safe with him. She felt.. connected to him.

She agree'd with his idea, and stood at his urging, taking his hand. As she did that, she stepped in and hugged him, pressing her smaller, lithe, sleek form against his stronger, broader torso and body. She lay her head to his chest, hearing the heavy thudding of his heartbeat, and the rise and fall of his breathing. She wanted him to feel her close, she sensed he needed to feel her close. It had only been maybe 24-36 hours since she found herself on the pavement, naked, in that alley, and Marcus had saved her. Yet, she felt a connection to Marcus, one she could not explain or understand.

She wanted to ask him why he looked up black eyes and tattoos. But now was not the time. He was distressed. She didn't want him to become even more distressed. Perhaps that is what brought out that Beast that lurked inside him, that Beast that he was trying to keep hidden from her. He had told her what he was, he was trying to keep her from seeing it.

They stepped off the library steps and began walking back toward the Salvation Army Shelter. The sun was just beginning to set, the sunlight imbued with a deep golden color, the shadows of the night awakening, slithering their slow creep into the world.

"Marcus... can I ask...." they were walking along, her hand actually held in his, looking almost like lovers, a couple out for a late afternoon walk in the waning sunlight. She was about to ask why he had looked up black eyes and whatever tattoos were... when she stopped dead in her tracks. It felt like the hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end, a cold shivering sensation raced through her, touching every nerve, every surface. She had to physically stop herself from turning and running, but from what?

He obviously sensed her distress.

"Something, is not right" she whispered leaning into him. She was trembling, her entire body quivering. She could feel something, it was almost as if she could feel a predator stalking her, stalking them. But wasn't he a predator to? Did he feel it? The sense of foreboding that was flooding her every pore, swimming in her mind, and it was getting stronger, as if whatever it was, was drawing closer.

"Marcus.. it's getting closer. I.. don't like this" Lina was visibly shaking now....

 

[Niceandbrutal]

She was comforting him. She was the one without a record, history, or memory, and she felt the need to comfort HIM because he couldn't help her find out who she was. Despite the situation they were in, Marçus couldn't help but smile and marvel at the beautiful woman whose scent and touch had such a wonderful calming effect on him.

They got up and walked hand in hand like it was the most natural thing in the world, and this might explain why Marcus, happy as he was, was slower on the uptake than her.

"Marcus... can I ask...."

And then she stopped.

"Something, is not right"

Marcus sensed it too now. He'd been hunted by the police once, and a vindictive street gang, and once, he'd been hunted by something Other. He'd evaded the police and the Other, and reduced the membership roster of the street gang. But that was at night. This was early evening, and they were out in the open, surrounded by people.

"Marcus.. it's getting closer. I.. don't like this"

They were not moving. They stood out like sore thumbs because they were not moving.

"Keep walking," he told her, dragging her along. "We are less conspicuous if we keep moving."

They did not turn around and look, but Marcus kept checking reflections in the storefront windows they passed. His ears started picking up the low growl of a van whose engine was in low gear. He also became aware of a black van creeping along, its occupants scouting out the tinted windows.

"Van," he said. "Not sure how many people are in there. But I get the feeling they are looking for us." He handed her his backpack with clean clothes.

"Listen to me. The next alley we're coming up on, you need to run down it as quickly as possible. Make your way back to either the tunnel or the Salvation Army shelter. I will find you. I need you to be safe. I will stall them."

They came upon the alley, and he pushed her in that direction. "Go! NOW!"

He turned to face the black van. The sliding door was slightly ajar, and the barrel of a rifle was poking out of it. Marcus saw the flame and puff of smoke before he felt the bullet sting him and heard the crack of the rifle.

The Beast wanted out. Marcus channeled the fury and the pain into a sharp focus, and he leapt through the air, gaining wolf form mid leap and slamming into the side of the van. Not his brightest moment, but at least all attention was on him instead of her. He hoped she'd make it to safety.

The van door slid open, and three men in black uniforms jumped out to surround Marcus, who roared his challenge to them. He would do all he could to keep her safe.

 

[AmbrosiaCaress]

He sensed it. He knew something was very wrong..

"Keep walking," he told her, dragging her along. "We are less conspicuous if we keep moving."

They did not turn around and look, but Marcus kept checking reflections in the storefront windows they passed. His ears started picking up the low growl an engine that was in low gear. He also became aware of a black van creeping along, its occupants scouting out the tinted windows.

"Van," he said. "Not sure how many people are in there. But I get the feeling they are looking for us." He handed her his backpack with clean clothes.

"Listen to me. The next alley we're coming up on, you need to run down it as quickly as possible. Make your way back to either the tunnel or the Salvation Army shelter. I will find you. I need you to be safe. I will stall them."

They came upon the alley, and he pushed her in that direction. "Go! NOW!"

She did not want to leave him. That was the absolute last thing she wanted. But she did as he commanded and ran down the darkened alley as he turned to face the van.

Lina heard the rifle shot. She was not sure what it really was, but the sound echoed in the alleyway and she came to a sudden, skidding stop and whirled around to see Marcus get hit with the bullet and then leap, shifting into Wolf form, at the van. All in the middle of a busy street, in the fading light of day.

"MARCUS!!!"

She was running back up the alley toward the Wolf and the Van, which had now slammed open it's doors to reveal 3 men, all armed, all dressed in black, surrounding him. Never mind the myriad of people who were now staring, eyes widened at the scene before them.

Lina came a stop at the alley entrance and closed her eyes...

"Usstan quarth, Usstan ortelanth, nindel jal vrine'winith p'los uns'aa"
(I command, I pray, that all cease before me) (The language is Elven/Drow)

She had no idea where the words came from, they simply floated from her lips. And the world, at least this little part of reality, ceased all movement, seeming to be suspended in time and space, or perhaps better stated, suspended between heaven and earth. Marcus, because of his strong bond with Lina, was immune. HE could move and she watched as the Wolf turned to face her.

"I can not keep this in place for long" she implored the Beast. "We must move, we must move NOW"... she was turning back toward the alley.. "PLEASE MARCUS... PLEASE".. she could feel her control slipping. Could feel reality wanting to move again, to revert back to normalcy..

She could not erase memory, that she could not do. People would talk of the Large Wolf, the Black Van, and the confrontation, but many would think it was an exaggeration, or a TV show being filmed, or a movie. There as no such thing as Men turning into Wolves.. there was no such thing as Werewolves.

The girl and the Beast were running down the alleyway and disappeared around the corner, into the darker recesses of the city streets just as her hold gave way and reality once more snapped into place.

Lina, winded, finally stopped running and leaned back against the damp wall of a building. It was darker now, the sun had just set, the shadows hiding both she and Marcus from any prying or searching eyes, for the moment. She could hear the Beast, close by and she turned to look at him, reach out to him.... to it... to the Beast... "It's me Marcus...Lina.. I.. think we are safe, for now..."

 

[Niceandbrutal]

Marcus assessed his three opponents, his mind enraged but strangely lucid and calculating. The Beast was his to command now, not the other way around. Problem was, the way these men moved told Marcus of extensive training and experience. And he was pretty sure those were silver daggers they were brandishing. Still, he would make them pay dearly before he-

"Usstan quarth, Usstan ortelanth, nindel jal vrine'winith p'los uns'aa"

What the Hell? A commanding yet gentle voice made his hairs stand on end even as sound and movement ground down to... nothing. He turned and saw... Lina. And for a moment, and maybe this was his imagination or a trick of the evening light, there seemed to be a brief flash of light around her.

She blinked in apparent surprise and the world lurched with a brief flash of sound and movement before it ground to a halt again. Excellent. He could tear out the men's throat and be gone before-

"I can not keep this in place for long. We must move, we must move NOW"

She turned around, and Marcus hesitated. He wanted to teach them a lesson, to tear out their arteries, to have them bleed out on the pavement, helpless, while he-

"PLEASE MARCUS... PLEASE"

He shook in frustration, but another lurch of sound and movement decided for him. Lina had protected him with some power. He could escape with his life. He followed her as they ran down the alley, letting her call the shots for now.

They ran and they ran through the labyrinth of the narrow streets and back alleys of the city, the sound and the movement snapping back as they ran, until Lina stopped, winded.

Marcus was shaken to the core. He'd never seen a display of power like this, ever. She was magnificent. Marcus did a quick scan of their surroundings with his senses. No threats that he could feel. Good.

"It's me Marcus...Lina.. I.. think we are safe, for now..."

Marcus nodded before realizing he was still in wolf form. He changed back and stood before her, eyes wide in awe. He thought she was helpless and in need of his protection, but she had just saved his life in a display of power whose magnitude Marcus couldn't match.

He breathed deeply and looked at her, his mind still trying to fathom what he'd seen and experienced. "How... do you know how you did that?" And then, quietly, "I think you just saved my life. Those men had silver weapons. They were not afraid of me."

He paused. His mind started calming down. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her black eyes. "We have to assume they'll come looking for us again, with different tactics. Do you know why they are hunting us?"

Marcus had been hunted before. But this was new. These were not police or some ragged ass street gang. They were, as far as he could tell, not supernatural beings. But they knew OF the supernatural and came prepared to fight supernatural entities, the silver daggers on display being all the proof he needed. They'd been prepared to gun him down, but they'd used regular bullets, meaning... meaning that they didn't know he was a werewolf until he changed midair and crashed into the van. So that meant they were going after Lina!

Marcus felt his stomach lurch and drop. He looked at Lina intently. "They didn't know what I was before I changed. They were after you, not me. You have powers, powers that these people want to exploit. I think my searches on the internet might have triggered an alarm, along with the image searches. It's your eyes. They do kind of stand out."