A Raven in the Hand

CHAPTER 7

There were people gathered around the erecting ring, the stage hands, sound guys, and even the visual guys were making their checks, working out the bugs before Showtime. They were scattered around, hooking up sound equipment, setting up the ring, there was even a crew taking out the walls of the cage for the Hell in the cell match between Bobby Lashly and Finley.

Kayla was busy taking shots with her high resolution camera. Some people wouldn't know that the old looking tool was actually state of the art digital, sending the chosen pictures straight to her laptop through the air that was sitting on a chair close to her. She liked to take pictures, she seemed to always see something else in the photo, something better than what she had planed.

She started taking pictures of the runway, unaware of the presences stepping closer to her from behind.

"I thought it was you…" Kayla spun around in surprise, especial at what he was wearing.

She hadn't expected the Undertaker to just show up in broad daylight, wearing tight blue jeans and a Nomad sweater. He even had the biker boots and blue/white bandana. He actually looked quite human, even a little of the handsome side.

"Shouldn't you be hiding in a coffin in a haunted chateau right about now?" She smiled.

"That would be a vampire. Those haven't been seen in years." He relied as he took a few steps closer, his hands were nestled in the front pouch of his sweater, giving him a relaxed look.

He couldn't help but smile at her, "You won't give up, will you?"

"Now I've been thinking, what if I gave you an offer couldn't refuse?", asked Kayla as she quickly took a few snap shots.

Mark raised an eyebrow, "You want to make me an offer? What are you up to now?"

"Well, what would you rather have; a coven of very nosey but terrified witches chasing you around or one girl taking a few notes, taking a few pictures..." she snapped another picture of him, "After all, it's not everyday that we get an opportunity to study your kind..."

He looked at her with a sarcastic look, "Like what? Like me?"

She moved closer to him, just so he could hear her speak, "A reaper with flesh! They had all been described at being bony, but there's no bones about you! For whatever reason you are for, I'm not going to pass this up! At lease with me up your ass, you can't get into much trouble."

The Deadman couldn't contain his laughter, "Honey, you think I can be trouble? I'm not the one to worry about, it's the other one you should watch."

"What do you mean?" She looked at him puzzled.

"You didn't do all your research, I'm not alone…" He grinned as he took out one of his hands and pointed behind her.

Kayla turned around and spotted the man that he was pointing at. The giant was just taller than the Deadman, but just as wide. His frontal partially shaved head and the protruding fore head gave him a Neanderthal appearance, the one white eye seemed to bring out the fright in people as he approached and they moved quickly to get out of his way.

"That's Kane?" She asked with her eyes wide open.

"Yeah," The Deadman grinned, "that would be him." He leaned closer to her ear, his breath on her neck sent a sweet shiver down her spine, "He's the one you really have to watch out for."

Kayla moved quickly away from him, she didn't like the way he made her feel when he was round her now. It wasn't fright, not nervousness. No…it was something else, a feeling that should have never found a place in this.

"There's two of you…I should have guessed, he's using the name, might as well. How many are you here?"

"You ask too many questions, little one." He was still smiling, "Haven't your elders taught you any manners?"

"I want to know your secrets, why you are here…and why of all places here? Why did you come to wrestling? I'm still confused with that."

"You know what they say about curiosity killing the cat…"

"…but satisfaction brought her back." Kayla grinned, "And I am very curious about you."

"Be careful of what you wish for my dear, or it just might come true."

She moved one hand on her hip in frustration, "Is that all we're going to do, is just throw cheep shots at each other? You know, I could just go behind you and do my own snooping."

"Now I know you won't let this go."

"You know I can't, not something unnatural…"

"Death is part of Nature…" His tone was serious.

"But why are you here?" She asked, "Why did you leave…"

He motioned her to stop talking, "Too many ears here, some on, I'll take you to my dressing room.

He extended his arm, like a gentleman would have in years gone by. Kayla quickly grabbed her laptop and put it and her camera in her bag and took his arm into hers, letting him lead her to his room.

He smiled down at her, she could help but return the gesture.

"What's your real name?" She asked him.

"We don't have names, where we come from. We are just what we are, there was never a name used. I guess you can call me by the name I did take when we came here."

"Mark?"

"Yes, my turn. How did you discover you were a witch?"

"My mother is a witch, and so was her mother all the way up through the family tree and far into England's history. Our family had lived in Salem since their arrival when the puritans first arrived in Salem. I pretty much grew into it as my mother taught me, but she always told me never in tell anyone who was not of the Goddess."

"So, Batista doesn't know about your craft?"

"Oh hell no! He would really think of me as a nut job!"

Mark couldn't help but chuckle, "You humans are quite funny."

They had reached the door of his change room, he grinned at her, "Would you like to do the honours again?"

She shied for a moment, "No, it's your door."

He just simply turned the knob and opened the door, Kayla followed behind as they walked inside, closing the door behind them. The room was similar to the one in the Gardens, except a little larger. Mark had sat down on the leather couch with his arms outstretched on the top of the head set, he looked up at her and smiled softly.

"You can sit down, if you want. Unless you're still scared of me?"

She sat down on the far end of the couch, she didn't want to be so close. He was still supernatural, it was still hard to believe he was a reaper, and that there was two here.

"You never told me why you were here. Why you and Kane came here, or even how you came here. I mean, there's so much I want to know about you."

"Can't you leave some things well enough alone?" He moved a little closer to her.

He had noticed her when he first entered his room, she didn't have the same feel he had felt from other witches. Her power was different, it was still from her witch heritage, but there was much more to it. He had never seen a human, witch or not, with a pure white aura. It was truly beautiful to look at, it was after all her soul reflecting outward. Only those born of another world would carry an aura like that. But Kayla was definitely human, there was nothing of unworldly within her. Born of two humans, one being a witch, would produce nothing but a witch child.

The Undertaker had noticed how her power moved within her, he had watched her since he noticed her energy within the wall of the Gardens. He actually even watched her as she broke into his room and search it. He was allured by her, of curse she wasn't aware the effect she was having on him. His kind never thought of joys of the flesh, even though they had experimented with it when they came and liked it, as any male would.

Btu there was a certain pull from her, an almost silent call from deep within her soul. It seemed there was something locked deep within her being, a part of what she would be. Truth be told, he was quite curious of her as much as she was of he. Mark wondered why her beauty had this effect on him, could he be actually attracted to this human? A witch! The thought had crossed his mind for a moment, but Reapers knew nothing of love. But that didn't mean there was no stirring of new emotions, after all, he was living a human's life.

To be continued…