Breathing heavily, sweating enough to fill a small bucket, Markus sleeps in his bed, as across the hall Dryden, his eight-year-old son sleeps soundly and peacefully. Markus begins to pant heavily, almost as if in a nightmare as his eyelids flutter quickly…

Markus jerks his body, and sits up in bed, huffing and puffing after the horrible nightmare he had been having, in memory of the night his soon to be wife Autumn was viscously attacked and murdered and he could do nothing to stop it.

Markus looks over at the clock flashing "12:00" and bats it off his nightstand. Squinting, still half-asleep, he turns on the light above his bed, and shuffles through a few things and finds his watch. Bringing it within inches of his face, he reads the dials, and realizes that it’s all ready eight a.m. Markus reaches under his blanket and pulls out the remote control to the TV in his room and switches it on, flipping through channels. He stops at the news and turns the volume up.

"And in local news today, the death toll has increased to eighteen, as two more bodies were found out in the twelve-hundred block of Ellis Avenue. And earlier this morning, at a press conference regarding these vile attacks, the mayor had this to say…"

"Ladies and gentlemen, there were two more bodies found this morning in MacArthur Park on Ellis Avenue. The victims were identified as nineteen year old Bernice Rottenburry, and sixteen year old "Big Nate" Thomas, revered leader of the V.R. Loco’s, a dangerous criminal threat to our city. Alert is at a maximum, and I assure you all that whatever can be done to apprehend the assailants, and remedy the situation are, and will continue to be done, without interruption of anyone’s daily lifestyles. We just ask that you are extra careful around the city as we approach the Halloween weekend."

"Candid comments from the mayor on the situation, in which he vows to have it under control and settled…" Markus turns the TV off without allowing the broadcast reporter to complete her sentence.

After a moment, he begins to think, up a plan, before picking up the phone and walking to the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. He dials up a number on the phone and waits, sitting on the toilet as it rings. Three rings pass and finally the other line picks up.

"Hello?", the voice on the other end responds.

"Hey Duncan, we’ve got a bit of a problem here. You see the news this morning?" Markus asks curiously, not sure what to make of the situation.

"Nope, something I should have known?"

"Well, the toll is up to eighteen, I think its about time we go teach a few of your brethren a lesson on biting more than you can take!" Markus replies swiftly.

"Hey man! Lay off, we’ve been through this far too many times. I know you’re pissed because of what happened. Listen, there’s no way you could’ve combated Tobias, and then taken Eve down. Taking Tobias alone is asking more too much in itself! Here, just calm down and we’re going to have a little pre-Halloween party tonight…boys night out. Oh yea, and Sphinx can come along too I suppose."

Duncan laughs jokingly as the two end the call and Markus heads downstairs to the smell of burning food. As he nears the kitchen, he coughs hard, trying not to breathe in the smoke that’s coming from the next room. He quickly heads to the kitchen just in time for the smoke alarms to start blaring loudly.

"Oh great Sphinx, wake up the whole damn neighborhood why don’t ya!" Markus said sarcastically, panicking to blow the smoke away from the alarm and stop the howling sounds it was making.

"Daddy?"

"Oh Christ! He’s awake. Damnit Sphinx!" Markus frustratingly remarks.

"Calm down! It’s almost nine, he can wake up… damn. What's wrong? Another nightmare?" Sphinx retaliates.

"Yeah, they keep coming back to me, catching me off guard. And every single time I have to watch it replay in my memory, it hurts that much more. I can’t make them stop, and it sure as hell isn't getting any easier."

"I'm sorry, I know that I always resented her, but for what it’s worth, I would have given myself in her place if I had it to do over myself." Sphinx looks down at the floor and then sighs, before turning back to the sink. She places the hot pan in and runs water over it, listening to the sound of the pan fizzle as the cold water reacts to the hot pan. Markus turns his attention to the little patter of footsteps behind him, greeting his little son as he entered the doorway to the kitchen, and wraps his arms around his dad lovingly.

"Morning dad. Can I get some breakfast?"

"Sure champ. Go for it, if you need any help, Auntie Sphinx will help ya out."

"Ok."

Markus walks off into the other room and sits down, staring at the chess board placed on the coffee table, gazing through the crystal pieces carefully, drifting off, deep in thought. He sits, hunched over the edge of the chair, staring at the board, and the pieces scattered across the board, in their own little squares, as though a game had been halted before it ended, and the pieces were left where they were to pick up on the rest of the game later. He rubs his face with the palms of his hands, and runs his fingers through his short black hair slowly, letting out a deep sigh.

Sphinx walks into the room, slowly, so not to startle or disturb Markus, and takes a seat in a chair on the opposite side of the coffee table and chess set. She gingerly glances at the table, and moves one of the black crystal pieces and smirks, looking up at Markus.

"Check." She remarks, with a hint of giggle in her voice.

Markus looks at the pieces and makes his next move, placing his Queen in the way, to defend the King. Next, without hesitating, Sphinx moves her Rook, and takes the Queen Markus set up to defend. Markus looks up at Sphinx and the move she just pulled, and sighs as he knocks his King over on the board, forfeiting the game to her.

Sphinx stands and moves over towards Markus, sitting with a leg over the side of the chair, and another over Markus’ lap. She holds on to Markus and rubs his chest, as she tries to ease his mind.

"Markus, you’ve really gotta take it easy. I know it all still hurts, and that it hasn’t been any easier, but you have got to just move on. You have a son who loves you. And then you have Duncan, one of the best friends I’ve ever known that you’ve had. Of course you still have me, and you know that no matter what, I’m always going to love you." Sphinx comments, sitting next to Markus, who turns his head toward her and looks down at the floor.

"I wish it were only that easy. I really, really do. It just hasn’t ever been that easy to deal with. And I swear that it won’t get any easier, until I get my hands on Eve and take her down myself. Then, and ONLY then, will I know that I’ve done what I had to, to avenge Autumn."

Sphinx sighs and kisses Markus’ forehead, getting up from her spot next to him, and starting upstairs before pausing and looking back down at him.

"Babe, you better get your head together, we’ve got patrol tonight."

Markus, head still fixed, staring at the chess pieces; then locks eye contact with Sphinx for a moment, and then back down at the chessboard. Before too long, Markus places his hands on his knees, using them for leverage to stand up, and then quietly walks down the hall to the kitchen and through the door, without saying a word.

Later that night, It’s a little foggy, and difficult to see too far ahead, as Duncan, Sphinx, and Markus move along the streets, patrolling for vampyres, or anything else that may seem out of the ordinary.

"Guys, this really feels a bit off. I know that there’s nothing around, but I'm just getting a really weird vibe about all this." Markus says as they pull to a stop at a red light on an abandoned street, late at night.

Just before the light goes green, a shrill shrieking sound is heard from down an ally. Markus instinctively jumps out of the back of the jeep, and starts for the damp, darkened ally, with Duncan and Sphinx giving chase as well. As they run down the ally, they spot a pack of about four vampyres. Three are feasting on a male, while the fourth pins the woman’s arms behind her, forcing her to watch, and wait, contemplating her own death, coming soon. As the three pause at first sight, Markus sees this and snaps, remembering the similar happenings to him and his ex-fiancee years ago. Markus charges the pack, feet pounding the gravel beneath him, splashing through the thick puddles of water on his way to the pack.

"Fuck"! Duncan responds as both him and Sphinx are forced to give chase to Markus’ aid as he thoughtlessly charges head on with the hungry pack of vampyre beasts.

The pack notice Markus, Duncan and Sphinx coming towards them quickly, and the three feasting stand up, and the one not, throws the woman aside, ready to take care of the pack of hunters coming after them.

As the four vampyres, and three hunters duel it out, as the woman watches on in shock. Duncan clotheslines two of the beasts trying to attack him, as Markus dropkicks one, and Sphinx connects with a cartwheel kick on another. The four are quick to get back up and the seven of them all begin a fierce fight, going back and fourth. Markus is thrown into the side of a trash barrel, and Sphinx pushed into a wall, but manages to walk it and up over the male vampyre, shoving him into it and unsheathing a dagger from her leg holster and slashing the creature’s throat as he turns back towards her. With a swift move, she pulls a machete out from her coat and with the other hand, slices down, lopping the head off the demon as he falls to the ground, and de-materializes into dust. Duncan kicks one in the stomach and pulls one off his back onto the other. As one gets up, Duncan quickly whips his hand around and catches one in the face, knocking him back into Sphinx as she snaps his neck and drives the machete through his heart, watching him turn to dust as well. Markus fights off the vampyre and kicks him in the crotch, and watches him back away slowly. Both Markus and the beast stare down, before the beast charges Markus quickly. In an instant Markus pulls the katana from his hip holster and drives it immediately through the waist of the vampyre, splitting him in two, and becoming nothing more than a cloud of dust filtered through the windy air.

Markus and Sphinx stand for a moment, catching their breath, as Duncan pats them both on the back. Markus looks up at Duncan with half a smile, and places the long blade back into its holster hanging off his hip, before standing back up straight and moving towards the woman, curled up in the darkness. She moves away slowly, screaming as Markus moves closer, before backing into a cage fence and screams out for help before Markus moves over to her slowly, and kneels over in front of her.

"Shh, I'm not going to hurt you ma’am. I'm here to help you. That’s why we took care of those guys for you. Please just stop screaming." Markus says to the lady in a soft whisper. The woman’s frightened screams turn into painful sobs as Markus wraps an arm around the woman and hugs her for a moment. He helps the woman to her feet and she looks down at her dead boyfriend before turning around to thank Markus. But by then, the three had all ready scattered off and were out of view.

Back in the car, the three sit, and discuss what just happened when Markus comes up with an all too familiar suggestion.

"Hey, lets head over to Styles, I need a drink!" Markus remarks to Sphinx in the passenger seat, and Duncan driving.

Sphinx just looks back, shakes her head and smirks as Duncan hangs a right at the intersection and heads down the street in the direction of the nightclub owned by a good friend of Markus’, DJ Kulaid. As they get nearer, the once abandoned street becomes packed with cars and people, lined around the corner trying to get in. Markus scans over the long line of people, noticing all types of people, from the gangster, to the punker, and even the gothic people. Many of the groups of people are listening to the music inside that pulsates through the walls of the club. And even some aren't waiting to make out inside the club, they’re pressed against the wall, without a care in the world, having their way with each other right in line.

Duncan parks the car on the opposite side of the street, and the three get out of the car, and head across the street and over to Seth, the bouncer at the club. As they get closer to the red velvet rope that hangs outside the doors, keeping people outside the club, Seth opens the rope, recognizing Markus, Duncan, and Sphinx from the many times a week they show up. The three head into the building, the Techno music at such high decibel, that you can feel the beat through the floor and up your body.

Inside, Markus looks around the room and sees people "freakin" left and right, and a guy even having sex in part of the V.I.P lounge area. Markus Duncan parts ways, as he sees a woman eyeing him.

"Well, it looks like I’ve got some business to attend to, don’t miss me too much you two." Duncan says with a smirk on his face as he moves away from the group and towards the skimpy dressed woman. Sphinx leaves Markus at the door, and moves to the front of the dance floor, right in front of the stage, and begins to slowly dance a bit seductively. Markus turns his attention from her and spots Kulaid walking down the stairs from his office on the second floor. Markus bumps shoulders with a few people, making his way through the heavily packed crowd over to his friend.

"What's goin on brotha?" Markus greets Kulaid, as the two shake hands and walk through the mass of people.

"Same ol’ thing dawg, just another night." Kulaid remarks, shaking his head a little. "Oh yeah, come with me, you’re going to LOVE this!"

Markus follows Kulaid up a set of stairs onto the stage, as the lights dim down so that its next to impossible to see. Kulaid leans over to Markus, as the music dies off, and the stage becomes a bit more packed with the live band of the night. A banner is released from the wall, revealing the logo of the special guest band appearing tonight.

Kulaid whispers to Markus "I’ll let you introduce these guys tonight, only cause you’re my best friend, and I know you love these guys. So don’t get used to it!" Kulaid chuckles and the lights come back up. The crowd erupts into frenzy of cheering and screaming as Markus turns and realizes that by some miracle, the live band happened to be none other than Linkin Park. Markus walks along the stage, shaking hands with Mike Shinoda and then Chester Bennington, the two lead singers of the band, before moving to the center of the stage, and grabbing the microphone from the stand and introducing them.

"Ya'll ready to fucking rock? Oh, come on! That’s not good enough. Get loud up in here!"

The crowd starts to cheer loudly as Markus begins to rile and pump them up in anticipation.

"Yeah! Give it up, for the hometown boys! Give it up for LINKIN PARK!" Markus screams out as the music starts. As Chester opens up with a ten second scream, Markus jumps down from the stage, as Linkin Park opens up with a remix version of "Forgotten" from their new album, with "Chali 2nd". Markus and Kulaid move to the office for a drink, leaving Duncan with his new lady friend, and Sphinx to mingle with the men, and do a little drinking and dancing.

"So, what's the word from out in the hunter land?" Kulaid asks curiously.

"Same old thing. We took down four of them earlier tonight. It was pretty shaky at first, but we got the job done. Jesus man, that guy was only sixteen, and his girlfriend, she couldn’t be any older than he was. It’s starting to get really bad, and I don’t know how much longer I can do this. I'm starting to wonder, if I’ll ever be able to finish the job." Markus replies, dejectedly.

"I don’t know what I can tell ya man, except that sooner or later, everyone’s going to have a moment of judgment, and then it’ll come down to do or don’t. I know you’ll make the right call." Kulaid grabs a beer from the mini fridge in his office and tosses it Markus’ way.

A loud scream is heard downstairs as the band plays on. Kulaid looks down to check on it, and notices a parting of the people, at the front door, as two people enter the room. Upon closer look, they hold the severed head of the bouncer, Seth.

"SHIT!" Kulaid screams out angrily. "You wanted your shot at em, well consider your prayers answered!" Kulaid turns his head towards Markus concerned; "They just walked in the door."

Markus drops the beer and stands up, removing twin 9mm’s from a holster on his back.

"Christ! I told you not to bring that shit up in my club! Now look what you’re getting yourself into." Kulaid screams at Markus.

Markus pulls back on the slide on one of the guns, then the second and looks up at Kulaid sadistically, and with a grin. "Oh, don’t worry. Consider it taken care of."

Markus swings the office door open and starts down the stairs screaming to Eve and Tobias as they stand at the entrance, and only exit to the club, the music stopped all ready.

"It’s me you want, not any of these people. So lets just take this outside, and leave these people alone." Markus comments, the twin guns hidden behind his back. Duncan and Sphinx realize exactly what's going on, and they quickly move by Markus at the bottom of the steps and they ease slowly closer to the two top enforcers in the still unknown vampyre leaders kingdom in Southern California.

"Oh, you again. Mmm, I think that I'm going to enjoy this. Tobias, you take care of Duncan, I want the feisty man and the tasty little woman he’s got with him. I just hope she tastes as good as his wife did!" Eve laughs after making the comment, as all of the anger builds up and overloads, as Markus loses his cool and runs straight for Eve, and is quickly knocked back and onto his back on the floor, as Duncan goes after Tobias and Sphinx attempts to help Markus.

Tobias tosses the decapitated head of the bouncer at Duncan and has it kicked back at him followed by a roundhouse kick from Duncan to Tobias, knocking him back to the steel double door entrance, shut behind him. Eve backhands Sphinx away and picks up Markus and scoops him up, slamming him onto the hard floor, going back after Sphinx. Sphinx tries fighting back but is knocked headfirst into one of the stools at the bar. Eve sees this and takes advantage, as Markus struggles back to his feet, after all ready dealing with one altercation with vampyre beasts tonight, and now dealing with two of the most deadly on the force. Tobias fights off Duncan and throws him through the double doors and all the way outside into the street.

Eve licks up Sphinx’ neck seductively, ready to take yet another woman Markus cares for out of his life. She bears her fangs and is about to sink them into her neck when she hears a clicking sound and something pressed against her head and stops. She looks up out of the corner of her eye and sees the hard polished chrome barrel of a 9mm pressed against her head.

"I’ve waited five years to do this! How does it feel now? To know that your life will be ended in mere moments, and by the same man whose fiancée you killed? Payback’s a bitch, and so are you! Now GO TO HELL!" Markus slowly puts pressure on the trigger and before letting off a round into Eve’s head, Tobias lifts Markus into the air and tosses him over the bar counter into the glass bottles on the wall, watching him fall hard to the ground yet again.

"We’ve gotta get out of here before the police! We cant blow our cover, Jade will have our heads!" Tobias warns Eve as he helps her to her feet, before cutting the power line on the wall and watching as the lights go out.

Kulaid gets the generator working, and Duncan stumbles through the doors back into the club, to assist Sphinx to her feet, as she rubs the back of her head. The only things missing are Tobias and Eve, who made a quick getaway when the lights were out. Moments later, Markus slowly uses the bar for leverage to pull himself off the floor and to his feet, hurled over the bar itself, breathing heavily, coughing, and wiping a bit of blood away from face, that trickled down his cheek from his eyebrow.

Eve and Tobias walk into a building on the other side of town. Once inside, the glow of multiple black lights, and strobe lights immerse the room, as Techno music blares, and people dressed in tight leather, vinyl, latex, and much of nothing, are seen in cages tied up, being whipped. Others are restrained to a wall, and others having other wild fetishes, and fantasies being acted out on them. At a single table in one corner of the room, sits a woman, ((DRESSED)) observing the goings on of the people, seemingly getting off on the fetishes displayed by the people in the club. Eve quickly makes her way through the people and sits down in the lap of the woman, facing her and begins to violently kiss and lick all over the neck and lips of the mysterious woman. Tobias follows slowly behind. After a moment, Eve gets up, and followed by Tobias, Eve and the woman, head into a room marked "Authorized Personnel Only" and latch the door shut behind them.

Inside, they walk down a long hall to a cavernous room, where a group of men sit, feasting off innocent women, at tables. A lone woman stands, back to the room, staring at a portrait of a somewhat tall man, well built, and a woman in a tight fitting white dress, and what appears to be a little boy in the middle.

The woman, and Eve, arm in arm, walk up to the woman, as Tobias watches the men feast. After exchanging a momentary kiss, the woman introduces Eve to this woman staring at the picture.

The woman clears her throat and drags her hand sexily over the other woman, staring at the picture’s shoulder. "Eve, I’d like you to meet my newest acquisition. I'm sorry, I didn’t catch your name."

"Oriana." The woman remarks as she turns around, facing Eve and this woman Eve is hanging off of like lovers.

Eve looks a bit jealously at the woman and then licks up her woman’s neck, and whines a bit. "What do we need her for?"

"Because she is going to bring us the prize. She is going to deliver into my hands Markus and Dryden Alexander!" The unusual, mysterious woman explains.

"Why can’t I do that? We were so close baby, we almost had Markus and his little bimbo girlfriend, Sphinx." Eve retaliates.

The woman seems obviously angered at this comment and lets out a sharp scream before calming herself down. "I see. Oriana, I want Markus, and Dryden Alexander brought to me, ALIVE! As for this girlfriend of his, kill her, I have no need or desire for her."

Oriana responds with a nod and an evil smirk before walking away and back towards the club to exit.

"She isn't even one of us Jade! What can she do that I can’t baby?" Eve asks, whimpering at Jade.

"She isn't one of us, but she is a witch, she is involved in the black magick arts. She can use ways we cant, to get Markus and the little boy."

Eve is dejected after this comment and pouts at Jade for a moment. Seeing Eve pouting, Jade drags a her index finger up under Eve’s chin and presses her lips into Eve’s, and the two begin to heavily grope the other, getting a little carried away in the moment before Tobias clears his throat, breaking up the two.

Jade pauses for a moment and kisses Eve before backing off. "Baby, I need you to lure Markus out, and then our new sorceress lady will do her part. All right? He’s going to be at the park, I know he will, he always goes to the park on Wednesday nights."

Eve nods and pouts as she walks out.

Back at the Alexander house, Markus sits with an ice pack around the back of his neck, Sphinx with one on her shoulder, and Duncan sitting just a little dirty, cracks his neck and laughs.

"You two are puss’! Humans… can’t believe how such a self-called dominant species can be so weak. I swear!" Duncan jokingly comments to both Markus and Sphinx.

"Kiss my ass vamp! I’ve got your weak right here!" Markus grabs his crotch and chuckles, and laughs for a moment before clutching his ribs in pain. "OUCH! Pain, it hurts! Damnit." Markus laughs while whining in pain. Sphinx laughs along with, as Markus gets up.

"Where are you going hun?" Sphinx asks Markus curiously.

"Where else do I go Wednesday nights? The park." Markus responds.

"Oh."

Markus tosses on a coat and realizes the tight black shirt he has on has a few slashes and a hole in the right rib area. He shakes his head and sighs before taking the keys to his car and walking out. In the driveway, he opens the garage door and gets inside his Ford Excursion, and buckles up, turns up the music playing and pulls out of the driveway and heads down the street.

Markus makes his way down and parks in the lot just outside the park and slowly walks down the grass, remembering the night, as clear as day, and breath for breath what was said and what happened. He spots the Jungle gym and climbs up it, sitting on one of the bars at the top of the gym and stares up at the stars for a moment.

"I miss you Autumn. I miss hearing your voice over and over in my head. I miss your soft touch, the way you always had an answer for my problems. How you wouldn’t let me quit, you wouldn’t let me ever give up at anything, no matter what it was. I'm sorry I let you down that night. I tried, I really did, but I let you down. I couldn’t stop them. And now, I’ve got to live each day without you, and each night, reliving the memories."

A tear slowly slides down his cheek, followed by another and another.

"I wish you could be here right now, I need you sweetheart, I don’t know if I can do this without you. I'm sorry, but I don’t think I can win this battle. I wanted so badly to avenge you. I wanted to make them all pay for what happened to you, and for five years now, I’ve been fighting them, and I’ve been winning the fight, on some level. But I just don’t know anymore."

Markus sniffles, and wipes the wet tears from his face, letting out an emotional sigh.

"You should see Dryden, he’s getting so big. It’s insane. And he’s got your smile. Every time I see him smile, it reminds me of you. Sphinx is helping me raise him. I know you two never really got along well, but she’s really helping out. I owe so much to her. She told me something this morning, I don’t think that I’ll ever really forget, and it should make you smile, or at least help ease your mind. She told me that if she could, she’d have traded places with you that night. We all really do miss you, even Duncan. Except I think that he’s beginning to get tired of me talking about you all the time. Plus he doesn’t understand my emotions. Vampyres, some of them I guess you just cant kill, and then when you try to explain human emotions, they just don’t understand that either. But he’s become like a brother to me, kind of like how Kulaid did back in High School. Remember him? Yeah, he misses you too. I love you, wherever you are. And some day, when it’s my time to go, we can be together again, forever."

Someone mocks Markus’ sobbing and claps, laughing all along. Markus turns his head and sees Eve, circling around from behind the gym, around to the front.

"That was just touching. If I had a heart, that would probably make me all emotional inside." Eve shrugs and snickers. "Oh well, too bad. I guess that kills that idea."

"What the hell do you want?" Markus replies, beginning to get all defensive.

"What do I want? What do I always want? I want you!" Eve response beginning to climb the jungle gym towards Markus.

Markus reaches for his katana, and realizes he forgot it. He reaches behind him for the guns and remembers he took his holsters off when he got home. After a moment, Markus begins to back up and head down the opposite side of the jungle gym as Eve goes up.

"Aww, did someone forget something? Not so tough without your sword and guns are ya big boy?" Eve sarcastically remarks, licking her fangs.

As Markus reaches the bottom, Eve swings inside between one of the bars and kicks Markus in the face, and climbs out of the jungle gym as Markus falls to the grass on his back. Eve quickly jumps on Markus but is kicked back into the cage of the jungle gym, before pouncing Markus again as he attempts to get up. Pinning his arms to the ground, she grinds down over him and licks up his neck.

"You know, I could make this all so much easier for you if you wouldn’t fight it. No more pain, no more suffering, none. You could be happy again, and you would love it all so much more, if you would just QUIT FIGHTING!"

"Sorry, my complexion is pale enough." Markus kicks up between Eve’s legs and knocks her forward over on her back on the grass and rolls back and on top of Eve, before getting up and kicking her in the stomach.

"FINE! Have it your way. Fight me, and die anyway!" Eve responds as she gets to her feet and the two circle a tree.

Markus grabs a branch of the tree and uses it to swing and kick Eve in the face, before doing a back flip on to his feet. Eve charges Markus and is drop kicked before getting back up, and growling at Markus.

"Whoa, sounds like someone needs her shots! Don’t wanna catch rabies or anything."

Eve charges and tackles Markus to the ground and starts slashing at his chest, tearing his shirt to shreds, and leaving little claw marks in his chest and stomach. She pins his arms to the ground and unleashes her fangs and gets inches from punching them into Markus’ neck before being hit by the bright light of a police officer’s flash light. Eve quickly gets up and runs off, but not before whispering into Markus’ ear.

"Until next time…" With that said, Eve gets sprints into the brick foundation behind the swings and disappears into the night, leaving Markus to cough and slowly get to his feet.

As Markus gets to his feet, a policewoman arrives to see what was happening. Markus clutches the back of his neck and mumbles random obscenities as with his other hand, he looks down at the black shirt, torn beyond repair. He looks up at the woman who flashes the light over him.

"What happened here?" The policewoman asks concerned.

"Umm, it’s a long story, and it’s a short night." Markus replies

"Excuse me. I asked you a question, now would you like to answer me now, or shall we head to the station, and you can answer it there?" She asks again.

"All right, no need for extremes. I'm sorry if I may seem a bit agitated, I’ve been in three fights tonight, and I'm a bit worse for wear, if you cant tell yourself."

The woman scans Markus’ body with the flashlight, and notices the tears in his shirt and the claw marks on his chest, face and the dirt all over his pants.

"So I can tell. Do you need anything? Medical attention? Drink? Anything?" The young policewoman questions.

"Alcohol, very strong alcohol!"

"I was thinking more along the lines of coffee, Mr…?"

"Alexander, Markus Alexander. I live a few miles away from here. Hey, you must be new on the force, I would’ve thought I met all the detectives by now, I’ve been through enough crap being questioned and filling out reports about attacks and such for the past five years." Markus curiously remarks.

"Umm, yeah, this is my first night."

"I can tell, all ready, you’re nicer to me than any of them have been in years." Markus jokingly responds. "So, how’s about that coffee?"

Markus and the young policewoman get into his car, and leave to a coffee shop down the street a mile or so. Once they get to the shop, Markus gets out first, and goes into the back and reaches inside a black duffel bag and replaces the shirt he had on with a black tank top. As the two enter the shop, Markus gets the door and catches a glimpse of the police lady’s butt and makes an appealing accepting look that is unseen to the detective, and she walks over to a table and takes a seat. Markus smiles and shakes his head, sitting down opposite her.

"So, now we’ve got the coffee coming. And now it’s your turn to come through on your end." The woman makes Markus aware of the agreement they had.

"Oh, yeah. I was just attacked, plain and simple." Markus responds.

"There’s gotta be more to it then that. Nobody is ‘just attacked’. There’s always background to it."

"The truth isn't something that’s believable. If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me, just like the rest of the guys on the force. So lets just keep it short, I was attacked by a woman who really doesn’t like me, and insists on making my life a living hell." Markus explains.

"Well, the boys at the station are pretty thick. They don’t like to believe anything that they haven't seen. And even then, its next to impossible. They are too stubborn and pigheaded to admit that they were anything than wrong, or less than perfect." The officer admits with a chuckle.

"Well, officer…" Markus looks at the policewoman’s name on her uniform for her name. "Well officer Davis, it’s just really complicated. People don’t believe in what I believe in. But then again, not many people see what I’ve seen in my life."

"Such as?" Officer Davis asks curiously, as she sits forward, wanting to hear what he has to say.

"Well for starters, seen their fiancée murdered in cold viscous blood right before their very eyes, incapable of doing a thing to help or stop the people from doing it." Markus replies a bit hostile.

"Oh god, I'm sorry to hear. Did they ever catch the people who did it?" She asks.

"Well, to be completely honest, the woman who attacked me tonight, is the one who did it." Markus looks at the tabletop as he tells her about it.

"Wow, I see. Why didn’t they ever do anything about it? I mean, the guys on the force are slow, and pretty dim witted, but in five years, you would have imagined they would’ve made some progress." Surprised, she responds.

"Yea, well, they don’t believe any of my story. They think I'm insane, that I'm delusional." Markus explains.

"Do you have a picture?" She asks. Markus pulls out a picture from his wallet that he always carries with him, and hands it to her, a picture of Markus, Autumn, and a three year old boy, Dryden. As she sees it, her look shifts from curiosity, to shock for a moment, before briefly shaking and handing the picture back.

"Are you all right officer?" Markus asks concerned.

"Umm, yeah. So what was the coroners explanation for her death then?" She asks.

"That’s one of the worst parts of the story, they never found her body. I went back after I got the police, and both Eve, the woman that killed her, Tobias, this big bulky bastard that held me back, and Autumn, my fiancée, were all gone." Markus takes a sip of the coffee and puts a bit more cream in it and takes another drink. "So they never filed my report, because there was no body, or evidence to support my claims."

The officer takes Markus’ hand slowly. "I'm sorry, I wish that there were more that could be done. But what did you tell them?"

"You’d think I was delusional as well if I told you."

"Try me, I'm pretty open minded."

"Vampyres. I told them that it was a pair of Vampyres that attacked me and murdered my fiancée. And before you completely rule that out, I know it’s true, I saw the girl that killed my fiancée, I saw her bear these incredible fangs, they had to be really sharp, cause they went through Autumn’s neck like a hot knife through butter." Markus explains some more.

"So, you think Vampyres did it?"

"Let me guess, you think I'm insane to now, don’t you?" Markus sighs and looks at the cup of coffee in front of him.

"No, I don’t. As a matter of fact, I believe everything you’re telling me. I’ve had a theory of my own. These deaths, you know, the ones that the Mayor has been trying to make people feel good about, they’ve all been gruesome, and involved large amounts of blood loss and bite marks, and chunks taken out of people’s necks. At first I thought it all was just some stupid cult ritual thing, imitating vampyres. And I don’t know why, but I believe you." Officer Davis responds.

Markus looks up slowly and with a bit of shock and surprise, "you know, you are the first person that isn't my close friends, that’s said that to me. Thank you Officer Davis, believe it or not, this actually makes me feel better."

"Please, call my Marilyn. And hey, that’s what I'm here for. There are too many cops who are so concerned on keeping this stern rock-hard rep and doesn’t care about actually handling the situation with caring as I do."

"Well I wish more of the force were like you, and beautiful like you too." Markus snickers.

The officer looks oddly at Markus for a moment.

"I'm sorry, that was out of place." Markus apologizes.

Marilyn laughs for a moment and smiles, taking Markus’ hand once more. "Don’t worry about it, frankly, I'm kind of happy you said something. I thought you were one of the more attractive men I’ve seen around here. And I'm surprised, this is Los Angeles, people are supposed to be really good looking down here. But all I see are gangsters and overblown egos all day, so I think a person like you, is a relief, and a breath of fresh air for once."

Markus nods and giggles, "Yeah, I can see how that would be a problem. Hey, pardon me if I'm off, or out of line, but would you care to go to dinner, or come by for a drink or anything. I know how crazy that must sound, being as how you’ve known me for only a few short hours, but I don’t know, I just really would love to get to know you better."

The officer looks up at Markus and smiles softly, "I’d like that quite a bit. I’m off duty tomorrow if you’re free. And of course not out killing vampyres." She giggles, but her giggle quickly fades away, as Markus looks a bit tense. "Did I say something wrong? If so, I'm sorry. It was just a joke. Please forgive me."

"No, not at all, don’t worry about it. I'm fine, no feelings hurt." Markus looks across the room at the clock on the wall, and sees that it’s all ready 3:30am and breaths heavy for a moment. He looks at the empty cup of coffee on the table and looks up at the officer and smiles, "Well, I’ve gotta get home, get some sleep, its been a long night, and I'm in serious need of some relaxation. But tomorrow night it is then. So until then, take care of yourself, and I’ll see you tomorrow, say…eight?"

She nods and Markus shakes her hand, and nods "It was a pleasure, hopefully tomorrow night, it wont have to be under such serious circumstances." Markus puts a twenty-dollar bill on the table and waits for Officer Davis to leave first and then walks out afterwards, thanking the waitress as he leaves.

The remainder of the dawn passes, much like any other dawn, everyone either still sleeping, or just beginning to wake up to get ready for their jobs. The sun begins to peak out over the horizon, while preparing the day for more of the same as before.

Meanwhile in the Alexander house, it is now mid morning, somewhere around 6am. Markus sleeps soundly in his bed, as Sphinx sleeps in her room. Down the hall little Dryden walks into Markus’ room, and crawls into bed with his father and passes back out.

Downstairs, Duncan and Sphinx now sit, drinking cups of hot chocolate, watching the morning news, and discussing anything in general. Sphinx wipes her forehead with her forearm and gets up to turn the air on. Even in the morning, it is still rather warm for so early. Sphinx sets up the chessboard and looks with a grin at Duncan.

"Oh no. I saw you and Markus play, I'm not that stupid." Duncan is quick to reply with.

"Fine! Just kill my fun why don’t ya. Hey, have you seen how edgy Markus has been lately? I'm worried about him." Sphinx retaliates, with her eyebrows slunk on her face, almost as if she was worried beyond comprehension.

"He’s just really stressed right now. I think that he’s got so much going on, and we’ve never really been this close to getting Eve and Tobias, and as close as we are to nabbing their superior, I just think that he’s really nervous and anxious. He knows, you know." Duncan looks at Sphinx questionably, not sure if she gets what he’s talking about.

"Knows what?"

"Who it is. He knows. He just wont believe himself, or allow himself to believe it is who it is."

"Who is it?"

"Not even I know who it is, but he does, and he’ll have to face it. Sooner or later." Duncan sits back in the chair, and takes a long drink of the hot chocolate, watching the local news as Sphinx sighs, slowly nods, and takes another drink, moving a piece on the chessboard.

"I love him, and I miss how he was, before all of this happened. I just wish that it were so much easier to get that Markus back. I don’t want to push him, because I know that he still loves her, but Christ, it’s been five years now. He’s got to make a decision soon. It’s not going to be an easy one, but he needs to make some decision as to what he’s going to do. I just hope he can snap out of all this." Sphinx looks at the chessboard, and moves the black crystal piece, and then the clear crystal piece again, playing against herself now.

"I know Sphinx, I know. You’ve just got to let him make it on his own, and when he is ready and able." Duncan comments, moving one of the black pieces, scooting closer, finally sucked into a game of chess with Sphinx.

"Dad…dad…dad, wake up."

"Huh, what?" Markus rubs his eyes and looks up, to see Dryden, standing beside him in bed, trying to get his attention, and to wake him up. Markus gazes up for a moment and sits up, and wraps his arms around Dryden’s tight, hugging and holding him close.

"I love you, you know that?"

Dryden nods and smiles up at his dad. Markus gets up out of bed and Dryden gives chase. Right at the top of the stairs Markus stops Dryden for a moment.

"Hey there kiddo, go get a shower, and then you can come downstairs and have some lunch with me before I go out tonight." Markus tells Dryden who quickly makes a line for the bathroom.

Markus heads downstairs and into the front room in his pajama bottom plaid pants and takes a seat next to Duncan on the couch.

"Oh god, she suckered ya into chess, huh?" Markus shakes his head and pats Duncan on the shoulder. "Oh how it sucks to be you! Let me guess, you turned her down initially, and then she started playing herself, and you were drawn to it, right?"

Duncan looks angrily over at Sphinx who can do nothing but grin from ear to ear and giggle a little bit.

"Nice knowing ya Duncan!" Markus remarks before walking into the kitchen. As he reaches in the refrigerator, he remembers something he forgot to mention and hollers out to the front room. "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you two, I'm going out on a date tonight, so Sphinx, I'm going to need you to watch after Dryden, and Duncan…well do whatever it is you do."

Alarmed, Sphinx quickly steps out of her chair and heads into the kitchen. "Who are you going out with?" Sphinx asks curiously, trying to hide any hint of jealousy.

"Umm, this really great woman I met last night, she’s a police officer." Markus gives a cute, funny look to Sphinx. "I was thinking maybe, since she’s a cop, maybe she can handcuff me?" With Markus’ head still buried in the fridge, Sphinx rolls her eyes, gasps, and walks back into the front room.

Markus pulls out a bottle of Gatorade and takes a drink, and carries it with him back into the front room. Watching with a grin, he stares carefully at each move made between Sphinx and Duncan. Making little sounds when he makes the wrong moves, Markus begins to snicker and giggle, enjoying watching someone that isn't himself, fall victim to Sphinx and her mastering of chess.

A few hours pass, as Duncan, Sphinx, just relax, after what was a hellish night, and hectic experience. Dryden sits, staring at the chessboard, as Sphinx sits back, relaxed, fully believing that she’s going to just annihilate Dryden. As the two combat strategies in the chess game, Markus heads back downstairs, just in time for Sphinx’ worst nightmare…

"Checkmate."

"WHAT!?"

"Umm, your king cant move anywhere without being in check, so I think that means that I win, right?"

"Oh my God!"

"Well I’ll be damned, she’s not invincible! You see that Duncan? We’ve been beaten by her, and all of a sudden, we’re outdone by an eight year old." Markus laughs it up, after thinking that over. Sphinx begins to break down, and freak out, because she finally lost a game of chess for the first time in her life, to Dryden, a boy all of close to twenty years younger than herself.

Sphinx gets up to see Markus, all dressed up, ready to go out on his date. He grabs his keys and begins to head for the door when he’s stopped by Dryden, who hugs onto Markus for a moment before letting go.

"All right, you do what Auntie Sphinx says, and just don’t make any sudden movements and Uncle Duncan won’t get mean." Markus hugs Dryden tight as Duncan looks over at Markus and gives him the middle finger.

"Love ya too Duncan." Markus blows a kiss at Duncan and smiles before leaving the house with a big smile on his face. Sphinx says not a word, but stares at Duncan concerned a bit. Dryden bounces on the couch for a moment and then bounces down onto Duncan’s lap.

As Markus pulls into the dirt entrance way to the local Halloween Carnival, he quickly is forced to slow down, carefully avoiding hitting one of the hundreds of running, rambunctious children, running around in their Halloween costumes, just two days before Halloween. As he gets out of the car, and heads towards the entrance, dressed down, sticking out amongst the crowds of costumed children, and teenagers, he scans the crowd of people around him and smirks, watching the kids having a blast, in their various costumes. He gets to the entrance, and walks past a group of people, looking as if they’re chaperoning the festival. As he walks past one, she calls out to him.

"Markus?"

Markus turns around and realizes one of the people he thought was patrolling the carnival was actually the woman he was meeting for the date, Marilyn. He takes a moment to scan over her ensemble, a long deep, dark red celtic dress, a black choker, and a pair of knee high black leather boots. Markus’ eyes widen at the sight of this, as she shyly smiles.

"Wow."

"I hope that’s a good wow?"

Markus nods with a grin on his face, and then shyly blushes for a moment and turns away, only to have Marilyn move in front of him again.

"Wow. I'm sorry, I didn’t realize I was supposed to dress the part. I feel underdressed now." Markus states.

Marilyn smiles and takes Markus’ hand in her own, and giggles for a moment before kissing his cheek.

"You look amazing just as you are, don’t worry about it at all." Marilyn leads Markus past the opening gates and into the carnival itself. They begin to talk about anything and everything, about themselves, their lives, their families, their hobbies and anything under the sun they could get away with talking about.

Hours pass, but it feels as though they just got there. Markus looks down at his watch as it reads 10pm. He shrugs it off and wraps an arm around his date and pulls her closer to him, as she smirks a bit. They continue to walk the length of the carnival over and again. They stop for a moment, and Marilyn looks up at Markus kind of shyly and nervous at the same time.

"Umm, I know this may seem a little fast. But would you like to come back to my place? I can make us something to eat, watch a movie maybe?"

Markus stops and ponders for a moment and then thinks about how he’s waited five years for someone to feel this way for him again. And how its taken this long for him to finally date, that he was going to ride this night out as far and long as it was going to last.

"Absolutely." Markus follows Marilyn to the entrance and she follows him to his car, as they get in and she directs him in the way to her place.

A bit later, they arrive at a nice two-story house. He pulls into the driveway and parks it. They both get out of the car and she leads the way into the house. As she opens the door and steps in, Markus is overcome with an intoxicating aroma, relaxing, romantic, and at the same time sensual and sexually stimulating. He takes his coat off and sets it on the back of her couch as they proceed to the kitchen.

"I hope that you like lobster."

"Do I like lobster? Oh man, you’re in there! Lobster is probably my favorite of all foods." Markus responds as Marilyn looks on with a funny look on her face. "Oh, I'm sorry, I got a little too excited there. Your house smells amazing, it’s so relaxing, and yet romantic." Markus compliments.

"Oh, don’t worry about it, I think that it’s cute that you get all riled up and excited like that. And thank you. I think it’s good for mood to have something that can relax, and yet be highly romantic at the same time."

Marilyn leads Markus into the dining room, dimly lit, and quite romantic, as all around the room, scented candles are lit. And on the table, two candles are lit, almost cliched-like. Markus peers around the room, at what seems to be a deliberate setup. He glances at the beautiful woman he sees in front of him and smiles, before sitting down at the dining table.

"This is remarkable. I wish my house looked this nice, and smelled this nice." Markus notes toward Marilyn as they sit and begin to eat dinner.

The two eat the dinner she so eloquently prepared, while conversing over past experiences, and little stupid stories about themselves, trying to get to know the other as much as possible.

As the night progressed, so did the activities. After a long dinner, the two retired to her den, where the television and lounge area was located. There Marilyn set up the movie while Markus got some popcorn. Markus entered the room with a nice sized bowl of popcorn and sat down at one end of the couch. Marilyn takes a seat next to Markus after setting everything up and the two begin to snuggle up a bit as the movie starts. Marilyn reaches at the end of the couch and grabs the bottle of wine that wasn’t finished at dinner and takes a drink, handing it to Markus, who takes a drink as well.

Halfway through the movie, Marilyn had fallen asleep, but Markus, unmoved, half-laid there, running his fingers through her hair, while watching the remainder of the movie. When it ended, Markus picked Marilyn up and carried her upstairs to her bedroom and laid her in bed. When he let her down on the bed, she re-awoken and with an almost innocent gaze into Markus' eyes she asked Markus to stay with her.

"You’re tired hun. You need some sleep. So you sleep tonight, and then when you’re fine and everything, we can go back out or do something." Markus replies.

Marilyn sits up as Markus gets ready to get back up, and wraps her arms around his neck, and presses a soft kiss into his lips. Markus drops back to a knee and completes the kiss before pulling away, and sitting at the edge of the bed.

"Babe, you are tired, and you really don’t want to do this. I don’t want you doing something you’ll regret later on." Markus softly says to Marilyn, being extra cautious about what happens.

Marilyn speaks no words, her only response is pulling Markus down slowly, pressing another kiss softly into his lips, parting them with her tongue and swirling it around his, massaging it softly. Markus tries to pull back away again, but is unable to, with the grip Marilyn has on him. After a moment, Markus quits trying to prolong the experience and gives in to her and her desires. Slowly, one shred of clothing at a time, the two strip each other of any clothing and begin to plant soft kisses all over the others body. Marilyn begins to become much more active, no longer sleepy, as she rolls over on top of Markus, placing soft slow kisses all over his neck and chest, before pausing to look down at him with a bit of a evil grin. Markus giggles and places his hands at her thighs and massages them slowly as she sucks on a soft spot just below his jaw line. After a bit more, and more intense foreplay, the two slowly make the transition into sex, grinding into each other, slowly at first, gathering momentum, speed and power as the intensity builds.

Back at the Alexander house, Sphinx had long since tucked young Dryden in to sleep, and sits, half asleep, staring at the television, thinking about what Markus must be doing right now. Why he hadn’t come home yet, and whether or not she was going to tell him how she felt about him, still. How her feelings for him had never ended, just were masked by his sorrow and guilt for his fiancee’s death. Slowly she drifts into sleep, when she hears the sound of glass shattering from the back door leading to the kitchen. Abruptly her eyes open, and she jumps to her feet, but slowly proceeds towards the back door. Once she gets there, she notices the door, slightly cracked open, and some shards of broken glass in front of the door. Outside the wind starts to pick up, pushing the door open more, slowly. As Sphinx inches closer to the door, she reaches over to the cutlery board, and pulls out one of the larger knives, and prepares to attack anyone at first sight.

She steps over the broken glass and outside, looking around. As she turns around to go back inside, after not seeing anybody outside, Eve springs out from the inside of the house, and pounces Sphinx. Eve paws fiercely at Sphinx’ face but is kicked all the way in the air and back into the refrigerator as Sphinx starts to get up slowly. The two begin to brawl, matching wits and stamina all throughout the kitchen, knocking pots and pans from the hanging rack above the cutting block. Sphinx is thrown through the kitchen door into the living room, and hits headfirst into the coffee table. As she fights in and out of consciousness, Eve makes her way upstairs. Suddenly, a shrill scream is heard from a room down the hall on the second level of the house.

Sphinx fights dizzily to her feet, and crawls up the stairs. When she gets to the top, she uses the railing to pull herself to her feet once more, a patch of blood slowly beginning to drip from her forehead down the bridge of her nose and over her top lip to her bottom lip. Eve walks out of the room, at the far end of one of the two ends of the second level with Dryden under her right arm, screaming and crying. Eve notices Sphinx with the blade still gripped in her right hand, and drops Dryden, who immediately scurries into the bathroom and closes the door quickly behind him. She walks closer to Sphinx, as an old fashioned stare down ensues. Sphinx stands in stance, ready to fight, as Eve, nonchalantly, moves in closer. Sphinx wastes no time and charges Eve, tackling her to the ground, sending sharp punches into Eve’s face. Eve throws Sphinx off of her, and goes on the attack, tearing through the tight fitting top of Sphinx like nothing, and clawing at her face, chest and stomach. Eve slowly slides up and over Sphinx’ body, almost seeming a bit too aroused by this, and gets ready to sink her fangs into the throat of Sphinx when suddenly Sphinx opens her eyes.

"Not today bitch!" Sphinx kicks Eve off of her and into the banister railing at the top of the stairs, and a few of the wooden rods holding the banister up crack and begin to give way. Eve keeps her balance, but is obviously in pain. Sphinx moves in closer, with the knife in hand once more. As she moves in closer, for the kill, the bathroom door opens and out runs Dryden. As Eve moves out of the way, Dryden runs at Sphinx and knocks the knife out of her hand. Sphinx turns to see Dryden, a hunger on his face only exhibited by a vampyre. A look of sharp horror comes over Sphinx’ face as she is weakened by the sight, and realization of Dryden, the boy she helped raise for five years, had been turned. With this momentary weakness, Eve grabs a hold of Sphinx, and hurls her into the banister, as the remaining wooden rods give way, and Sphinx falls twenty feet down through the coffee table.

Dryden wraps his arms around Eve as the two make their way downstairs and loom over the limp, motionless body of Sphinx, staring wide eyed and hungry.

Its morning now, and the phone rings at the Alexander house, over and over, without answer. Duncan tries repeatedly to get a hold of anyone, and becomes worried, because someone is always home to answer the phone, whether it is Markus, Sphinx, or even Dryden. Duncan decides to get on his Kawasaki Ninja and get over to the house, and make sure everything is all right.

Meanwhile, Markus is just waking up, in an empty bed. He sits up, as Marilyn is nowhere to be seen. Markus gets up, slides on his boxers and jeans, sitting at the edge of the bed, trying to wake up. Downstairs, the phone rings, and Marilyn answers.

"Hello?"

"It’s done, you’ve gotten him away from his house, now all you’ve got left to do is bring him to me."

"I cant."

"What the hell do you mean you cant?"

"I’ve hit a bit of a snag."

"I really don’t give a damn what you hit, your job was to bring him to me, and you WILL do what you’re ordered, or the repercussions will be much to your displeasure."

"No, I won’t do it."

"Need I remind you just who the hell I am, and who you are? You’re MY servant, not the other way around. Now god damnit, do your fucking job before I have it done for you, and the penalty will be permanent!"

Marilyn, quite distraught, replies, "Yes ma’am". Just before she hangs up the phone, Markus walks into the room, overhearing Marilyn’s acknowledgment and then her hanging up the phone. Marilyn hears Markus enter the room, with the pattering of feet on the tile floor. She turns around and sees Markus standing at the doorway. Markus notices the distraught look on her face, and walks over to her, placing his hands on her cheeks gently.

"What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?" She replies.

"You just seem agitated, like something’s really bothering you."

She shakes her head and a ringing is heard from the front room. Markus recognizes the ring tone as his cell phone. He rushes to answer it and the voice on the other line, visibly angered and saddened catches Markus off guard.

"Hey Duncan, what's up?"

"You better get home now!"

"Why?"

"Well, for one, Dryden is gone. And second off, Sphinx is gone too."

"They probably left together. You know her, she spoils that kid rotten. It’s probably all right. I'm sure they just went out, so Sphinx can buy more crap for him."

"No, no I don’t think that’s it. There’s a note here, and I don’t think that their not being here has anything to do with shopping. I…I…I think you should just get over here NOW!" Duncan hangs up the phone, and Markus hangs up next, and turns to look at Marilyn, with a petrified look on his face, breathing heavily.

"I’ve gotta go. I'm sorry, but something happened while I was here, and my son and best friend are gone, and I don’t know where they’ve gone to." Markus remarks to Marilyn, as he quickly pulls his shirt over his head and tosses his jacket over his shoulder and rushes to the door.

"Markus, wait. I’ve got to tell you something."

"Its gotta wait, I need to get home." Markus replies.

"No, it cant wait. It’s important. You need to listen to me."

"Listen, I'm sorry. But I am really freaked here, and I need to get home and see what's going on."

With that said, Markus quickly closes the front door behind him, gets into his car, and speeds out the driveway and on his way back home, as Marilyn begins to break down and cry, with her back to the front door.

Back at the Alexander house, Markus bursts through the door, and stops dead in his tracks, at sight of the coffee table in front of him, broken into pieces. Duncan hears the front door open and quickly makes his way downstairs and towards Markus. He slowly moves closer, and pulls from his pocket a note. He opens the note and slowly extends his hand to Markus, who takes the note from Duncan, unfolds it, and begins to read. As he reads on, the stern look turns to one of terror, as he slowly feels his knees weaken.

Markus crumples up the sheet of paper and throws it across the room, watching as it falls onto a piece of checkered cloth. Markus notices, and walks over to the cloth and picks it up. After examining it carefully, and closely, he comes to realize that it was a shred of torn pajama shirt that Dryden has. Upon a closer look, Markus sees a red spot. As he takes a closer look, the darkish red colored stain turns out to be a bloodstain. Markus drops the cloth and stumbles over to the couch, and lets out a growl, before sobbing crazily, with his hands cupped over his face.

Duncan peers over at Markus, and sets the glass of vodka he had on the bar, and walks over to Markus slowly, taking a seat next to him.

"What are you going to do?" Duncan asks curiously. Markus just continues to cry, harder than before. Duncan takes a deep breath, sits upright and sighs, shaking his head. "Bastards, every last one of them!" Duncan remarks yet again, but being given no response from the emotional Markus. After a moment, Markus quits crying and slowly pulls himself to a stand, and goes to the closet. There he reaches in and finds a black duffel bag. He tosses it on the couch, and starts upstairs, not speaking a word.

Minutes go by and Duncan sits on the couch, pondering the situation he’s now in. Markus heads back downstairs. Duncan turns his head to see Markus all set up to go hunting, with his katana at his side. He takes the duffel bag and fills it with some thick heavy wooden spears, capable of tearing through vampyre flesh and piercing their hearts in seconds. Duncan stands and questions Markus.

"Where do you think you’re going? You know that they’re going to have a trap set up for you." Duncan points out to Markus as he throws the duffel over his shoulder.

"I know. Stay here. If you don’t hear from me by midnight tonight, then ill be dead. And you’ll know what to do." Markus responds, and walks out the door, not giving Duncan an opportunity to protest. As Markus pulls out of the driveway, Duncan makes a quick call to Kulaid, Markus’ best friend.

As the light of the day quickly fades to the deep dark blackness of night, Markus gets ever so much closer to the warehouse. Feelings of rage, pain, guilt, torment, and an extreme and unrivaled hatred build to a boiling point inside of him as he pulls off the main road, onto a dirt road, leading to the lot and the warehouse. As he speeds through the harsh dirt road, he looks around outside, for anyone who could or would attack him from behind. The car pulls to a stop, he steps out, and hops over a concrete wall, into the main structure room of the warehouse. He carefully unsheathes his katana and stands guard, waiting for something to happen. He moves past a dismantled guided machine arm, and over an assembly line of some form. A rustling is heard behind him. Markus quickly whips around and near takes the head of the figure behind him. As the person moves into the light, its discovered to be the woman he seems to have fallen in love with, Officer Marilyn Davis. With a look of shock, and confusion, Markus re-sets his blade in its place attached to his hip belt.

"What the hell are you doing here? You may be a cop, but you don’t know what's going on here. They don’t teach you to deal with crap like this in the academy. So Marilyn, just turn around, and don’t walk, RUN to your car and get the hell out of here before you get hurt." Markus walks up to Marilyn and instructs her to leave. From his other behind, while talking to Marilyn, another bit of rustling breaks his concentration, and he turns quickly as suddenly a spotlight shines down from the second story to him. And then another, and another, finally lighting the majority of the empty, unused warehouse. Markus turns 360, and notices the pack of vampyres on the catwalk on the second floor, and Eve behind him. He pulls his blade out once more and stands ready to duel with her. Eve just laughs at Markus, unconcerned with what seems to be a threat to her existence.

"Tsk, Tsk, Tsk. What exactly do you think you’re going to do with that little thing? You going to kill me? You forget, if you kill me, you wont ever see Sphinx or your little boy again!"

Markus drops his blade to the ground and angrily replies, "where the hell are they?"

"Oh, they couldn’t make it to join us tonight, they were a little, preoccupied." Eve laughs with a sinister smirk as Markus screams out to her.

"I swear to God himself, if you’ve done a thing to them, whatever pain they feel will be inflicted on you ten times over!" Markus replies.

"Oh, you’re too fun. It’s a pity I'm going to have to kill you. Oh, but don’t put all the blame on me, I couldn’t do it alone. If it weren't for the distraction your lovely little Oriana, or wait, its Officer Davis, isn't it? Well either way, if it weren't for her, and your wild little escapade last night, I wouldn’t have been able to pull it all off." Eve explains to Markus, who immediately turns back to Marilyn.

"What the hell?"

"Markus, let me explain…"

"You little bitch! I cant believe you. So you play with my heart, which gives them time to take my best friend and my son. And now you’re handing me over to them, huh? Is that how it works?" Markus hollers angrily into the face of Marilyn, as she begins to break down into tears slowly.

"It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I was just supposed to turn you over to them. I didn’t know that your son and friend would be hurt. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. It wasn’t supposed to be this hard. I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with you in the process. Markus you’ve got to believe me." Marilyn cries out to Markus, pleading her case with him, as Eve mocks her from afar. "Markus, please. I don’t want to hurt you. I never meant to hurt you after I met you. I wanted this to stop, but she wouldn’t let it. She wouldn’t let me back out of this."

Markus clutches his head with his hands, and lets out a scream that echoes through the seemingly empty, motionless building. Eve walks forward slightly, and laughs as Markus stares hurt, at Marilyn, feeling betrayed, confused, and a whole other slew of mixed emotions. Eve quickly comes from behind Markus as he’s distracted and swings at him with a piece of the dismantled control arm of the assembly line. As she swings for Markus’ head, Oriana dives, pushing Markus out of the way, and taking the shot to the ribs; the force sending her about fifteen feet back, and into the concrete pillar of the building, snapping her spine in half. She falls, motionless onto a pile of broken up cement blocks. Markus screams out and charges Eve, but a second machine arm comes from the ceiling down, and grapples around Markus, holding him captive in its claws. He looks up and sees in the control room, Tobias at the helm of the arm. Immediately Tobias control the arm to tighten its grip, slowly squeezing the life out of Markus. As Markus hangs, unable to move without causing pain,

Eve walks over to, and climbs up onto the arm, and stares face to face, sitting on part of the level arm, at Markus seductively. She drags a nail over his cheek, hard enough to just barely draw blood. Eve moves in and slowly licks up the side of Markus’ cheek, cleaning the blood that slowly begins to pour from the slash, clean off his face.

"Pity, such a waste of such talent." Eve whispers into Markus ear, before slowly kissing his lips, letting out an evil laugh, and dropping back down to the warehouse floor, as Tobias makes the arm clamp down on its grip of Markus a bit more, forcing Markus into unconsciousness.

As Markus regains consciousness, a satin length, being used as a blindfold is removed from his eyes. As he tries to look around, his vision is blurry, partially from the pain, because of the stress put on his body, and partially from the blood flow not completely re-circulating after nearly having the life squeezed out of him. Immediately his first instinct is to speak, but finds it impossible, since he’s been gagged. As his vision returns completely clear to him, he looks around at his surroundings. He looks at what has him unable to move. And he notices the tight leather cuffs, strapping him directly into the wall, on each hand, and ankle. As he tries to move his neck a bit more, he comes to realize his neck is attached to a similar restraint as used on his hands, only in a collar form. Also, similar restraints are used around mid-legs, making them impossible to swing and kick, also a large strap around his waist, only further securing him to the wall, just as a precaution, so that its assured of his inability to break free, or even squirm free somehow.

As Markus looks around a little more, he sees various torture devices, and other little kinky sex toys and such hanging off the wall and sitting on tables. Loud techno music ceases and finally a body walks out of the door, followed by another, and three more. Markus makes the first out to be the big, beastly Tobias. The second is Eve, and the final three are servants. Tobias walks up to the restrained Markus, and wraps the palm of his hand around the face of Markus and squeezes tightly as Markus lets out a muffled scream. Eve moans slightly at the sound of Markus’ pain, almost as if some crazed fetish. She strides closer to Markus and removes the gag, before whispering in his ear, "Scream for me baby."

The three servant vampyres all begin to take random shots at Markus, as he’s helpless to defend himself. The trio bloodies up the defenseless Markus, before being ordered to stop by a voice coming from the door, and darkness of the corridor on the side of the room. Markus turns his head as much as the collar restraint will allow him, almost in disbelief at the voice. Out from the shadows of the door, a woman steps out, pale in complexion, pupils in her eyes blood red, and a sick, twisted smile across her face.

As the woman steps forward, face to face with Markus, she briefly snickers and strokes his cut cheek, softly, with her hand. She slowly moves in and gently presses her lips into his, kissing him with a passion that had died years ago.

"It’s been a while baby." Jade replies as tears begin to trail down from Markus’ eyelids, down to his jaw line, and fall to the floor. She smirks and backs away slowly, pacing around him.

"Aww, I thought you would’ve been happy, maybe even relieved to see I was still alive, well maybe not alive, but among the living. After all, you’ve been having those nightmares every night, and you’ve hoped and prayed that I would come back to you. Don’t try to deny that deep inside you, in the darkest part of your soul, you are happy to see me, in one way or the other." She smiles as Markus struggles to find words.

"This isn't happening! This is some kind of nightmare" Markus stumbles to say, as the tears just keep coming.

"Oh baby, this is all real now. No more nightmares, no more fantasies, this is reality, the grim, hard, true reality. You’ve been trying to get to the bottom of who was at the control of all the mayhem that’s been going on around here for a while now. And you’ve been struggling to let go of what happened with your beloved fiancée Autumn, while all along, who you’ve hunted, and who you couldn’t get over, were the same person, just in a new reincarnation." Jade explains. "You see Markus Alexander, your fiancée Autumn, she was weak, she didn’t have leadership skills. But now, she, I'm sorry…I have control over all of these vampyres, as well as control of my best hired hand, Tobias, and my new baby, Eve." She laughs and wraps an arm around Eve’s neck, "and it seems that by the looks of things, I have control of you as well."

"Autumn…" Markus tries to plead before being interrupted.

"AUTUMN IS DEAD! Why is that so hard for you to believe? The person you see before you is no longer your dead fiancée. I’ve reinvented myself. I’ve taken charge, and I'm I have absolute power over everything in my world, which is more than I can say for you, pathetic bastard! Get over it, your fiancée is dead, and I'm what took her place!" Jade screams, directly into the face of Markus, twisting the knife of grim reality deeper and harder into his heart. "Oh, but don’t worry, against my own better judgment, I’ve decided not to just flat out kill you, like Eve thinks I should do. You will make a great slave. Markus…Markus…Markus, you always were one to command respect and control of a tough situation. How does it feel to be my bitch now?"

Markus struggles to fight free, squirming the little bit he can, letting out a yell, as the veins in his neck begin to pulsate. After a moment, exhausted, Markus gives up, and hangs his head down, staring at the floor, the pain he feels, an indescribable and excruciating torture. At the sight of Markus giving up, and passing out from the pain, Jade orders Markus to be set free, and a collar and chain placed on him, attached to a hook hanging from the ceiling.

"I’ll deal with him when I'm ready. Right now though, its playtime." Jade comments, turning her back on the still restrained Markus, arm wrapped around the waist of Eve, whose suckling all over Jade’s neck as they walk into one of the specialty fetish rooms of the club.

Markus comes to, and opens his eyes, screaming as the blood trickles into his eye and the burning sensation sets him off. A figure stands in front of him, unknown at the time from the pain he’s feeling.

"You wanna shut up before they catch us both?" The voice of a man says, whispering into Markus’ ear. In a moment, the man tears through the leather bondage collar with a knife, and hurls Markus over his shoulder, and rushes out of the club, just before Tobias can get to the main room where Markus was held captive. Tobias quickly runs into a room that Eve and Jade are playing around in, and cautiously tells her of Markus’ escape, which sends her into a rage.

Back with Markus, he’s handed a bottle of drinking water, and hangs his head out of the window, flushing the blood out of his eyes, and fully regaining his vision again. As he sticks his head back inside of the car, he turns to see Kulaid driving.

"Where did you come from?" Markus asks curiously, but thankfully.

"Duncan called me just after you left your house. He told me to tail you, and told me where you were going. I was staking you out since you got to the warehouse… OH SHIT!"

As Kulaid explains, and then lets out a panic, Markus turns his head to the front of the car, and notices Tobias standing in the middle of the road.

"Run the fucker over! Don’t stop, don’t slow down, for God sakes, speed up!" Markus instructs Kulaid, who steps on the gas as Tobias remains unmoved in the middle of the road, on a collision course with the car.

As the car is about to collide with Tobias, he jumps up, landing on the hood of the car, and punching a hole in the driver side of the windshield. He grabs the throat of Kulaid, who struggles to break free and keep control of the car. With struggling breath, Kulaid tells Markus to get out of the car, and save himself. Markus turns the offer down, and Kulaid tells him to again, but louder, as he continues to struggle to get breath out. Finally Kulaid unlocks the door, and with all the power left, he shoves Markus with enough force to jar the door open and send him hurling over on the sidewalk.

Markus coughs and sits up on the sidewalk after his momentum ends and he stops rolling around. He stares on, as Tobias, still on the hood of the car, attacking Kulaid. Still watching on, Markus sees a horrific event, as Kulaid sends the car right through the security fence of the electrical plant, and right into one of the huge electrical towers, sending it toppling over on the car, and both burst into flames. The blast wave sends Markus, who raced to save Kulaid, backward about ten feet. As he gets to his feet again, he spots a figure moving around in the flame. The shadow of a man quickly crawls, and then stands, running out of the blaze. Out of the inferno, the flame quickly dissipates, and the clean, undamaged body of Tobias appears. Markus, realizing that Kulaid had died in the explosion, runs to a dark ally and hides, before Tobias gets a chance to see him. As Tobias passes, Markus drops down from the fire escape of the nearby apartment complex, and scurries off as ambulance and fire department sirens blare in the nearby area.

The following morning…

As Duncan sits on the couch, stained lightly with a red tint, after the brutal attack that claimed the lives of both Sphinx and Dryden Alexander, the front door swings open, and through limps Markus. Shirt torn to shreds, and dried blood above his right eyebrow, down his cheek, from his left arm, and a little from his lip, Markus closes the door behind him. He sits down in the leather recliner farthest from the kitchen, closest to the door, and lies back, letting out a torturous groan, before closing his eyes briefly. A deep sigh gives way for him sitting up in the chair, and hunching over his knees.

"Markus, man. You look trashed. What the hell happened last night?" Duncan asks worriedly.

Markus tells Duncan to turn the TV up and listens in closely, lying back again in the chair as the news broadcaster speaks of yet another night of terror in Southern California.

"Last night, and into early this morning, police have been running around rampant, as three more victims have been added to the total number, making it twenty-one total deaths in the past week. The first body was discovered at an abandoned warehouse on edge of Los Angeles County. The body was unidentifiable, but is described as a woman, mid twenties, long red-ish brown hair. The second body was found at the local electrical plant, charred, but dental records identified the body to be that of local club owner, Patrick "Kulaid" Primous. Otherwise known as DJ Kulaid at club "Styles", Patrick Primous had built a prestigious reputation as a popular emcee. His family was unable to be reached for comment at this time. And the third body…"

As Markus hears of a third body, he slowly sits up in the chair, listening closely to the information about the third body.

"…The third body was identified as Mayor Kyle Polk. The passing of the Mayor elect, now leaves the acting deputy mayor, Kristina Haire. Acting Mayor Haire wasn’t around for questioning this morning, as she was across town on a campaign for the passing of proposition 187. When she returns, she’ll be sworn in and we’ll get have her sentiments on the situation. But for now, the toll has now shot up to twenty-one, and many people are thinking twice, before heading out for the holiday festivities, on this, Halloween. We’ll be back with the forecast and show you how Los Angeles plans on luring a pro football franchise back to the ‘City of Angels’. All that and your morning editorial, when we return… You’re watching Good morning L.A, on NBC channel 4."

Duncan turns the television off and turns to Markus, who lies silent, unmoved from his position in the chair. After a brief moment, and absolute silence, Markus sits up, and cups his face with his hands, rubbing his eyes with his palms.

"So, what’s the deal man? You know don’t you?" Duncan questions with a hint of curiosity in his voice.

"Yeah I know…I know all that I need to know." Markus replies, now standing by the mantle, staring hypnotically at a picture of him and Autumn taken back at their High School Graduation together. He takes the picture, and kisses it, before hurling it halfway across the room, into the glass mirror hanging on the hallway closet door. As the glass shatters, Duncan whips his head back around to Markus with a questioning look on his face. Puzzled by Markus’ actions, yet somewhat understanding of what he must be facing right now. Markus turns back to the fireplace mantle, and leans on it, his elbows at rest on the hard wood, and his fingers being brushed nervously through his once spiked, now messy hair.

"Markus…" Duncan calls, but receives no answer. So again he calls to Markus, but like the first time, Markus, stands there without motion, or reaction. Finally, Duncan hollers out to Markus with an aggression in his voice.

"MARKUS!!!" Duncan yells out to Markus, who replies in a low, soft voice.

"What?"

"What the hell are we going to do about this? Me, you, and…" Duncan pauses for a moment, before in a softer voice continuing, "…Sphinx were planning for this night. Not like this, but we’ve been trying to prepare ourselves for this night. We knew coming into this that there was a chance this could happen. Maybe not to this extent, but it’s happened. And you’ve got a choice…you can sit around on your ass, depressed that your best friend is dead, your son very well is dead, or now one of them, and your dead fiancée is now the mistress of this syndicate we’ve been fighting for the past five years. Or…you can get off your ass, and we can go out there and protect thousands of people from further deaths. Either way, I choose protect those still living!" Markus shoulders slump down, staring at the white wall, still leaning against the mantle, facing the fireplace, back turned to Duncan. Duncan takes a moment, and then shakes his head, looking down, and then folds his arms over his chest. "So, what’s it gonna be…partner?"

Markus closes his eyes, as a tear breaks free from his shut eyelids, and trickles slowly down his cheek. In his head, he knows what’s right and what’s wrong. The principal he’s defended, and fought for, for five years now seems all too distant of an approach, upon the new circumstances. Faced with the decision of having to finish the creature that now consumes the cold black heart of his former fiancée, or allowing many innocent children and families to be slaughtered or turned, Markus struggles to come to a clear conscious decision. Thoughts and emotions sent spinning on a spiraling roller coaster, wildly fill the void of Markus’ heart and mind as he cant bear to think of doing the unthinkable to the soulless body that remains of Autumn. But knows that the beast that resides within the body, Jade, has to be defeated, or else the repercussions would be hard and brutal.

Demons that haunted him in his dreams have manifested themselves into reality, and now forced to make a decision promptly, Markus faces what could be the toughest decision he’s ever come up against. He’s dreamt of the night Autumn was taken from him. But never in his lifetime, would he have conjured up a situation where he’d be forced to face her, and deal with the fact that if he doesn’t destroy her, he soon would be destroyed himself.

Another tear falls from his eye, as abruptly his eyes open, and accept the harsh reality. In one swift move, with Duncan waiting behind him, Markus turns around, and obviously looks as though he just made the most difficult decision of his life. He looks down at the floor, and then back up to Duncan, with a somewhat possessed look in his eyes…

"She’s gotta go!"

Markus walks into the kitchen, and grabs a Gatorade, and something to eat, as Duncan follows suit a distance behind. The two sit down at the dining table, and map out a plan for the night. As they sit, putting together strategy after strategy, and thinking about how and where to implement certain situations.

As the two continue to converse, putting together last minute preparations for the trial ahead, the day slowly turns to evening. The sun not quite set yet, but the streets are beginning to fill with rambunctious kids of all ages, all meeting up with their friends, and other families, getting ready to go out trick-or-treating. Markus takes a look through the dusty blue blinds, and shakes his head, seeing all the people, discounting the threat that the city has undergone, with the massive string of murders in the past week leading up to Halloween. As he steps away, Duncan stands at the doorway, between the kitchen and the front living room, arms crossed, leaning his shoulder against the doorway, watching Markus.

Across town, Jade and her most trusted and best minions, Eve, and Tobias, prepare to head out, for a night of mayhem, and feeding. Eve and Tobias sit at the bar, Tobias behind the bar, and Eve sitting on one of the stools, putting down a shot of Tequila. Eve dressed in a pair of spider web designed fishnet stockings, a black mini one piece leather corset, and skimpy bottom suit, with a pair of thigh high boots, and spiked jewelry around her wrists and neck. Eve scans the room, and arches her back, thinking about all of the fun she’s going to have, the victims, the blood, and the pure sexual charge she gets from combining the two aspects and feeding off sweet innocent blood. Through the darkened doorway leading to the honeycombed caverns underground, Jade steps through, dressed in her Halloween best, a pair of skin-tight red vinyl pants, with a long red leather tail, with the pants hanging down around her crotch, revealing the top of a black silk thong. A webbed long sleeved fishnet shirt, with an extremely tight black vinyl strapless top with red flames going up the top, as well as her leather boots, bondage bracelets and jewelry, and a studded, ringed collar with chains dangling from the hoops. And the dark makeup, on her cold, pale, dead vampyre face completes the Halloween costume.

As Jade walks out, she immediately catches a glimpse of Eve, as well as Eve noticing Jade. Jade walks slowly over to Eve, and sits on the stool next to hers. Eve quickly jumps up and into Jade’s lap, facing her, and slowly begins to press hard strong kisses down Jade’s neck and up to her lips. She grabs a hold of Jade’s tail and smirks.

"And what might you be little girl?" Eve asks with an evil grin.

"What does it look like, I’m a horny devil!" Jade replies, as both laugh, and Eve grinds down on Jade slightly. Tobias quickly interrupts, and reminds then that they need to get a fresh early start if they want to get the prime cuts. As Eve frowns at Tobias for catching them in the moment, and interrupting it, Jade gets Eve off, and the three, as well as the few remaining minions, dressed in their assorted costumes, to avoid suspicion, leave the fetish club, on a spree for fresh meat.

Meanwhile, back at the Alexander house, Duncan waits at the bottom of the stairs impatiently, as Markus finishes getting ready. After hollering at Markus a few times, finally Markus responds, coming into view, around the corner of the upper level hallway to the top of the stairs. He quickly makes his way downstairs. Duncan looks Markus over, whose decked out in a black samurai warrior skirt type of bottoms, a dark maroon red, long sleeved top, black steel toed Doc Martin boots, a pair of stylish round frame lens glasses, and a long black overcoat. In his right hand, holding a duffel bag, and noticed in the gleam of the ceiling light, the buckle for his chest harness, holstering twin 9mm handguns, and packing a dozen fully loaded ten-shot handgun clips. Sheathed on the belt around his waist, his backup 29’ katana blade. As he tosses the duffel bag on the couch and unzips the top, inside a chrome and black steel 12-gauge shotgun rests, as well as a box of extra rounds.

Duncan, jaw dropped to the floor, smiles and nods his head, clapping his hands together at Markus, and the sight he sees before him, a man possessed, a man throwing caution to the wind, and a man with unbridled determination.

"Now that is more like it. Glad to see you’re coming prepared." Duncan compliments. Markus grins slightly and zips the bag back up. He reaches in and under the neck of his shirt, and pulls out a heart-shaped pendant on a sterling silver neck chain. He kisses it and looks back up at Duncan, who looks on at Markus approvingly, complimenting the newfound style.

"Here’s the plan, it’s gonna change a bit, we’re going to meet back up later, but first, I’ve got a little unfinished business of my own. You try to fend off Eve, Jade, and her boys as long as you can, and ill get to you as soon as I take care of Tobias."

Markus nods and tosses the duffel bag over his shoulder, and the two walk out the front door, en route to the final confrontation. Markus and Duncan shake, and hug briefly, wishing the other the best of luck, and departing, Duncan heading in one direction on his Kawasaki Ninja, and Markus in the Ford Excursion. As he starts up the car, the song ends, and coincidentally the radio DJ had this shout out to make:

"And we’ve got a special Halloween request and shout out here for Markus, from Jade, who says "come get me baby!"

Markus revs up the engine some more, and turns on the police scanner, listening for any activity over the bandwidth. He pulls out of the driveway and heads in the opposite direction from Duncan, heading towards the fetish club he was taken to when he was captured. Markus, on patrol, watches carefully along the neighborhoods and streets, looking for anything suspicious. As he gets to the club, the door hangs wide open, as if it were abandoned and nobody bothered to close the door. Cautiously, Markus steps inside. Once inside, strobe lights flicker on and off, swinging violently from the ceiling. As Markus walks further, he stumbles over something, as he turns around he notices an arm from under a table, as he looks under for the rest, he finds it, in a bloody, brutalized mess. He continues his walk, avoiding random bodies lying over the floor. He looks over at the wall, and at the body of a woman, strapped up, and restrained to the wall in quite the same way he was, after being captured. She tilts her head slowly, back and fourth. As she turns her head to the right, there are the remains of what was her throat, shredded through with razor-sharp fangs. He tried to get a look at her face, but through the stringy hair, which was black, with silver streaks running through it, only saw a pair of eyes, white, as if the pupils had disappeared. After a moment she stopped moving, and Markus presumed her dead. He turned away and saw on the wall a note, held to the knife with a dagger, that looked strangely familiar. As he reached the note, and pulled the dagger out, he took a look at the handle, and identified the custom designs to be the dagger Sphinx had, and on the note it read:

"Oh baby, I'm sorry you missed us. Do you like the knife? Think of it as a memory captured in it. It was her favorite dagger, was it not? Oh well, she’ll live, or actually, she wont. We won’t be home for a while, we were hungry, so we went out for a bite. You’re more than welcome to make yourself at home, or even better, come get me!

Markus drops the note on the bar booth, and hears a thumping sound from behind him followed by footsteps. Quickly, Markus turns around, one hand on his blade, but nobody was there. As he examined again closely, the only thing he noticed, was that the body, that was strapped and restrained to the wall on that device, was gone. Strange, Markus thought, but his priorities were laid out, he needed to find Jade, and get to her before she got to anymore innocent people. He rushes back out the door, carefully avoiding the bodies spread over the ground and hanging halfway over tables, back to his car and sped off, listening close to the police scanner.

Meanwhile Duncan had come where he was destined to go. As he stopped in front of the long steps, up to the large double doors of the Church, he removes his helmet and takes a hard long look at the cross, symbolized on the roof. Duncan steps off the bike and walks up the steps, and through the double doors. Inside, the pews are empty, and candles provide the main source of light into the holy building, aside from the moonlight coming through the windows. He takes a seat at the front pew, and entwines his fingers together, as he stares at the statue of Jesus, nailed upon the cross, at the front of the church. He waits patiently, and silently, not making a sound, just waiting for Tobias to show.

Markus drives along the streets, eyeing the herds of people, all dressed up, celebrating the holiday, the festivities, and partaking in the traditional "trick-or-treat". He overhears on the scanner, of an attack involving a police officer, downed, and the assailants apprehended. Markus, with an odd feeling about this, punches the gas pedal and rushes down towards the scene of the attack. When he gets there, quickly jumps out of the car and heads to the police cars. He sees a body, lying on the cement, with only the leg showing. As he moves closer, he sees the rest of the body, and recognizes the large portion of the neck missing. Inside, a stiff scream is heard from the upstairs of an apartment. Markus starts to head up into the building, but sees the shadows climbing down the fire escape to the damp, dark ally behind. Markus grabs the duffel bag and gives chase to the two people, shadowed by the night. The chase ensues all the way down the ally way and through some bushes.

At the church, the door flings open, and immediately Duncan rises to his feet. As he turns around, he sees a sight much like his own, extremely well built, and ready to end things right there and then.

"Well, well, well. So this is it, aye Duncan, old friend? Why do you defend them anyway? They’re humans, they’re below us. They’re nothing more than scum, their value is only as high as their blood tastes. Why do you fight your own kind, shun your own species, and fight alongside these people, much less respect them? It’s insane!" Tobias cockily remarks, as he walks through the isle, between the two pews.

"Are you blind? These people are just as much our equals as the primitives that came before us! We may be a physically evolved race, but you know what? I’d rather befriend one of them, then befriend a sick, arrogant, punk like yourself!" Duncan replies. This sends Tobias into a rage, and suddenly he leaps into the air, over the final three rows of pews, and pounces Duncan. The two exchange blows, rolling around on the ground, trading the top and bottom positions repeatedly. Duncan is able to kick Tobias off him, and back into the fifth row pew, where he crashes hard into the wooden bench.

Duncan climbs over pew after pew, to get to Tobias, before being knocked to the ground by a sharp right hook. Tobias gets back to his feet quickly, and kicks repeatedly at the stomach of Duncan. After about four or five of them, Duncan blocks one and trips Tobias up, sending him to the ground as well. The two duel to their feet, and Tobias pulls one of the wooden beams from the wall, and swings it at Duncan, catching him in the chest, hurling him back into the wall.

Meanwhile, Markus chases after the two unknown figures he’s been chasing since the apartment complex. Through a little wooded golf course he trots, before heading into another set of bushes. As he makes his way out of the bushes, he’s grabbed by the collar of his coat, and thrown over onto the grass on his back.

When he looks up, he sees the face of Eve, standing over him. He swiftly kicks up, connecting with her face, knocking her into the brick foundation. He gets up speedily, and looks around, realizing that he’s back to the park, yet again. As he jabs at Eve with hard kicks, he’s caught from behind with a kick to the small of his spine. He falls forward and turns around to see a pack of three vampyre minions surrounding him. He curls up into a ball, protecting himself the best he can, while receiving kicks repeatedly. After a moment he stops moving, and the beasts stop kicking at him on the grass. Suddenly, on the spur of the moment, Markus comes up with a plan, and quickly begins to break dance. He performs a "windmill" on the wet grass, and while flailing his legs in the air, he manages to make contact with each of the three minions. From there he shoots back up to his feet, and begins fighting off the threesome of vampyres. He whips his body around, hurling his right leg into the air, and connecting a spinning cartwheel kick to one of the three, and then kicking another in the crotch, followed by sweep kicking the third to the ground. One of the three gets back up and attacks again, kicking at Markus, but having his leg blocked. Markus slides between the vampyre’s legs and behind him, kicking him into one of the other two. The third one used the lying one as a springboard and bicycle kicks at Markus. Markus stumbles back onto his butt for a moment, grasping his chest. As one grabs for his leg, Markus kicks the other up and connects into the demon’s crotch with force strong enough, the demon vampyre flipped over Markus and landed on the other side of him on the ground. Markus sprung to his feet and ran to the swing set, as the other two gave chase. Markus swung around one of the legs to the swing set, and kicked one in the head, and wrapped another up in one of the chains from the missing swing. He wraps the chain around the vampyre’s head and hangs him with it, watching as the beast struggled to free himself, but to no avail.

The second and third came running after him, but he pulls from his belt the dagger he retrieved of Sphinx’s, and spun around one, managing to slash him across the throat, watching him fall to the grass disposed of. And then jabbing the third one in the heart with the dagger, before kicking the blade all the way into his chest, watching him too fall to the grass.

Back at the Church, Duncan is being decimated by Tobias in all forms. Fighting to get a shot in, Duncan is thrown from wall to wall of the holy building. He lies motionless for a moment on the hard floor of the building, before slowly using the pew as leverage to get back to his feet. Tobias, slow too get after Duncan, smiles cockily, as though he all ready won the battle. With a second wind, Duncan uses the pews to propel himself in the air and dropkicks Tobias back a few feet. Duncan charges the stumbling Tobias, and spears him into a confessional booth, literally bursting the four walls and door to the booth, into a pile of sticks and twisted metal.

Duncan pulls Tobias up by his shirt, and throws him towards the main stage of the church. The two begin to duel once more, blocking each others kicks and punches, before Tobias swings and hits Duncan in the side of the head with a heavy wooden cross, knocking him off the stage onto the floor between pews. Tobias hops down from the stage, and stomps into the gut of Duncan, pummeling him into the pew itself.

Tobias throws Duncan off the pew, and tears it from the foundation, onto its side. Duncan uses this as a chance to get his breath back, and kicks at the back of the knee of Tobias, who immediately buckles after the kick and screams out in pain. Duncan leaps after Tobias, but is caught in a chokehold.

Being held high in the air by one hand, wrapped tightly around his throat, Duncan fights to get free, kicking at Tobias, punching the massive arm, and muscles of Tobias, all to no avail. Tobias uses momentum to his advantage, and lifts Duncan up a bit more before throwing him down into the pew, with force enough to split it in half. Duncan lies there, arms stretched wide, feeling beaten. Tobias picks him up, not done yet, and begins to wail away with right and left fists to the face of Duncan, further punishing him.

All the way back at the park, Eve laid back as Markus finished off the remainder of the minions, and struck from behind without warning, sending Markus shoulder-first into the steel pole of the swing set. She kicked down at Markus, but he was able to roll out of the way. She tried a few more times again, and Markus still found it possible to roll and dodge the kicks at him. He gets back to his feet, and the two begin to fight it out. She grabs a hold of his overcoat, and pulls it free, revealing his blade, and chest holster, holding the rounds, and twin 9’s. She lets out a cat-like meow before pouncing at Markus, putting him on his back on the ground. She starts clawing away at his shirt and face again, much like she’s done in the past. This time Markus wastes no time, in knocking her off him, but she’s quick as well to hop back on, and pin his arms above his head, while connecting crushing knees into his chest and stomach, knocking all the air out of him.

As he coughs, trying to get a breath in, she stops for a moment and growls before standing up, pulling Markus up by his hair. She kicks him with a right to his left knee, and then kicks with her left into his ribcage, and then another right kick into the side of his head, knocking him over quickly. She grabs him by the scruff of his neck, and throws him over into the cage of the jungle gym, watching his spine bounce off the thick bars of the cage.

Eve watches Markus, struggling to his feet, and reaches behind her, and pulls out a "Cat of Nine Tails" leather whip. She swings it around for a moment, laughing evilly, before whipping it at Markus, listening to him cringe and gasp for air, as the leather snaps off his skin, sending a sharp sting throughout his body. She repeats again, and the pain intensifies, as each snap, burning and stinging worse than the previous.

As this is happening with Markus, Tobias continues to dominate Duncan, who shows only brief flashes of offense, in the midst of a flurry of attack at the hands of Tobias. Duncan screams out in pain, as he’s thrown into a pane glass window, partially shattering it. Tobias drags Duncan down, and throws him into the side of the main stage, and walks over slowly, and arrogantly. Tobias lifts Duncan into the air, and hurls him all the way up on the stage, and through the main table at the front of the stage. As Duncan falls through the table, breaking it into pieces, collapsing the wooden legs of the table, the two candles lit at each end, fall over, and catch the lace cloth and wooden table on fire. It starts small but grows hotter and bigger every moment.

Tobias walks up the steps, methodically, and peers down at the broken, limp body of Duncan, whose eyes are shut, and entire body is motionless. Tobias shakes his head and smirks, letting out a chuckle.

"It’s a real shame Duncan, you were the best." Tobias comments to the seemingly lifeless body of his foe.

Duncan, playing dead, instantly opens his eyes, and grabs one of the table legs that had caught fire and gives a response of his own to Tobias…

"I still am the best…" Duncan remarks, with an unleashed anger in his voice, as he shoves the flaming wooden table leg through the throat of Tobias, who quickly tries to pull the leg out, before falling over onto his side, as the flames consume his body. "…And don’t you ever forget that!"

As Tobias’ body burns up to ash, Duncan rolls over to the edge of the stage, and sits up, catching his breath, legs hung over the side like a little child, hunched over his knees breathing heavily and deeply.

In the park, Eve slowly walk up to Markus, almost crucified-like against the side of the jungle gym, arms spread out, body limp from the physical abuse it’s taken. Eve pushes herself up on Markus, slowly sliding up and down, dragging the leather whip over revealed parts of Markus’ chest and stomach, through the massively torn shirt. Seductively, she moves up and down his body, before pulling away, listening to Markus groan in brutal pain.

"Aww, does it hurt? Do you want me to make it all better? You pathetic little shit! It’s your kind, weak, vulnerable, and so full of emotion. It’s sickening! And as you’ve seen, I’ve been able to turn weakness and vulnerability into domination, into a woman, unrivaled by any other, including myself. I released her inner demon, I can do the same for you, if you like. I can bring you two back together again. Or better yet, I can just kill you, and end your sorry excuse of a life right now!" She moves in closer and drags her nails harshly across Markus’ face, drawing blood, and leaving claw marks across his right cheek. "You’re no fun! At least she screamed before I took her from you!"

As Eve backs up, winding up to re-start the whipping, the adrenaline begins to pump through Markus’ veins, listening to her talk about his fiancee, antagonizing him to the point of insanity. As she snaps the whip, Markus extends his forearm out, and the whip wraps around it. Markus yanks on his end of the whip, hurling Eve at him. As she approaches him quickly, he whispers in her ear…

"Bite me bitch!"

Markus releases the whip from his forearm, and uppercuts Eve back a ways onto the grass, as she falls on her back. Quick to get up, and with a stunned look on her face, she screams out in battle cry, as she charges Markus. He moves out of the way, as she rams face first into the jungle gym. She bounces back, and Markus kicks her in the small of the back repeatedly, as she falls to her knees, arms curled up over the bars as he continues his raid of kicks. She groans softly as Markus kicks away, before pulling her up by her hair and bringing her back to him from behind.

"Scream for me!" Markus whispers mockingly into Eve’s ear before pulling the twin 9’s from the holsters on his back, and shoving her into the gym again. He backs up a couple yards, and waits for her to turn around. As she does, a little string of blood trickles from the side of her mouth, down her chin. She realizes it, wipes it away brutishly, and screams out, charging Markus at full speed. Instinctively, Markus raises the two 9mm handguns at Eve, points and fires off three shots a piece, into her chest and stomach, before firing one final off in the center of her head. The head of steam she gained was enough to carry her a few extra feet, before she dropped to her knees, with a frozen look of shock in her eyes and across her face. From her knees, she falls over face first into the grass, at Markus’ feet.

From the bushes nearby, Markus hears something or someone scurrying off into the woods he came from earlier, before the confrontation with Eve. Hearing the sounds of police sirens coming closer, Markus runs towards the cement foundation, grabs his katana that lie on the grass in front of it, and jumps into the bushes, giving chase yet again.

Through the woods, he chases a fast foe, between tall lanky trees, sharp pointy bushes, and shrubs scattered all over the ground, making it very difficult to easily maneuver through, and make ground, to catch the figure. The woodsy area quickly disappears behind Markus as he continues chasing the assailant. The two run full head of steam behind them, through the sidewalk area, plowing through children ahead of them. In the dim street lamps, Markus can make out a bit the person he’s chasing. It’s obviously a female, by the shapely body, and the outfit she’s brandishing. Markus puts two and two together and comes to realize that the person he’s been chasing for the past twenty minutes was the woman he once called his own.

Markus continues chasing Jade, fighting for every breath he can muster, and hoping his legs don’t give out on him. She turns the corner, and into a small gated community, as Markus follows close behind. As she drops over the wall, she lands awkward, and takes a moment to get herself up, as Markus scales the wall with ease. As she stands at her feet, Markus stands behind her, arms folded. She turns just in time to see Markus there, and immediately begins to whimper, hoping to plead with Markus’ sensitive side.

"Not this time Jade. It’s time for this to end here." Markus remarks, as Jade backs into a wall slowly, before faking a tear down her cheek. As Markus begins to weaken and lower his defenses, Jade strikes with a roundhouse kick that knocks Markus back a few steps.

Jade immediately goes right after Markus, with sharp kicks, and fast fists, just decimating Markus, as he still cant handle hurting her. She claws at his face, with her talon-like sharp claws, before Markus raising his knees and catapulting her across the grass back into the brick wall. He quickly finds his footing in the wet grass, and waits for her to retaliate. As she charges him, he swings, but misses, and Jade catches him with a kick to the sternum, followed by ramming her knee into his face.

As Markus falls back on the grass, Jade stomps down into his chest, the spiked heel of her long leather boots grinding into his abdomen. She snickers and laughs, as the heel begins to pierce through his shirt, and grinds into the skin of his chest.

"You really are quite sad. But don’t worry, It’ll all be over with very soon." Jade replies as she lifts her boot and thrusts it down. Markus rolls away, as the boot is caught in the mesh electrical steel grid work near the generator for the community. Markus grips his right hand over the wound in his chest, as he gets to his feet and slowly moves toward Jade.

She breaks her heel free of the mesh steel and kicks it at Markus, but has it blocked and returned with a kick to the stomach, as she’s kneeled over momentarily, Markus scissors kicks at the back of Jade’s neck, dropping her to the ground. Grabbing a handful of hair, Markus pulls Jade to her feet, and kicks her once in the left knee, then the right knee, then as her knees begin to buckle, an uppercut to put her flat on her back, on the street.

As Markus gets closer to Jade, she sweeps at his feet, knocking him on his back hard on the street. Quickly, she springs to her feet and slide up over Markus’ body, and slowly part her lips, revealing a pair of razor-sharp teeth. She leans down and just barely pierces Markus’ neck, before being hurled into the air, and into the gate entrance of the community, hard enough to break the controls and cracking the door open slightly.

Jade slides down, falling to her butt on the hard asphalt of the street as Markus unsheathes the katana, watching as the moon reflecting off the blade makes the blade glow and glisten slightly. Markus takes slow strides towards Jade, as she begins to whimper and whine, pleading with Markus not to do what she knows he’s preparing himself to do.

Suddenly, she gets up, and lunges forward at him, knowing he couldn’t get a clean slash with the blade, immediately whips out one of the twin 9’s and fires a shot, dropping Jade in her tracks. She looks down at the bullet hole in her chest, between her breasts, and begins to cry out to Markus, pleading even more now.

"Baby, you can’t hurt me, you love me. Remember everything we’ve been through. Please, you don’t want to hurt me, you…you…you love me. Stop this, and I can make everything right!" Jade slowly moves in towards Markus, who’s obviously nervous, the gun shaking noticeably in his hand. She plants a soft kiss on his lips as the gun falls to the ground. After a moment, Jade begins to indulge in the kiss, but Markus pushes her off him, and onto her butt on the street.

Markus grabs the katana, and slowly presses the blade into Jade’s chest, not quite finishing the job yet. Markus pauses, as tears begin to well up in his eyes, and stream down his cheek. He apologizes for what he has to do, and lifts the blade, kneeling in front of Jade, and begins to drive it down.

With a quick kick, Markus is knocked back, off of Jade, moments before the blade pierced Jade’s flesh. Markus looks up and over at what kicked him, and a look of sheer horrific terror comes across his face. As a tall slender woman, well shaped, with black hair and red streaks stands before him. He recognizes the woman as the same one who was at the club, tied up against the wall, seemingly tortured to death. It’s only then he realized, this was all a plan, every move he made was anticipated, from disposing of Eve, to meeting in this exact spot. Markus gets to his knees and cries harder.

"Sphinx?" Markus cries out.

Sphinx walks over, helping Jade to her feet, placing an arm on Jade’s shoulder, as the two methodically walk towards Markus. The two stand at Markus’ sides, and peer down at him hungrily.

"Oh, it’s not all bad Markus. You see, now you can have the best of both worlds, you always loved me, but you wanted both of us. Now you can have it. Our way isn't so bad, you’ll learn to love it." Sphinx remarks, as Markus drops his head, giving up.

The two former loves of Markus’ life, now vampyress’ bear their fangs and lean down to finish the job, but are caught off guard, as from behind, a hand grabs each of their shoulders. Both ladies turn around, to be met with a massive beast of a man in front of them. The look of pleasure turns to fear, as the man before them is none other than Markus’ savior, Duncan.

"Ladies…Ladies…I don’t wanna be the only one not getting any action!" Duncan cockily remarks as a fist is thrown in the direction of the two women.