Chapter 8

I watched Mark closely over those next few days. I couldn't understand how I was experiencing weird things around him but really couldn't prove that they were really happening. I had to get answers and I finally got my chance. My uncle Kevin had called me one day and apologized for what happened between him and me in the diner.

"It's ok Kevin really," I told him, "I know you were just worried about me."

"Yeah but I feel like I need to make it up to you and that's what I'm going to do." He said.

I smiled, "How do you plan to do that?"

"Giving you today off. I'll run the diner for the day and you take a much needed day off."

I gasped at the idea, "Oh uncle Kevin no…I couldn't let you run that place by yourself,"

"But you will for today," he said. "You never get any rest and I think it's high time that you do."

Mark chuckled from the couch, "He's right you know,"

I glared at him, unsure of how he could hear that from over there but I chose not to question it when he gave me that look…

"Take the day off baby girl, I promise things will be amazing when you come back tomorrow." He said.

I sighed and finally gave into his demands, leaving him happy as a clown. After our conversation I kicked off my shoes and then leaned against the wall and watched Mark.

He was doing his normal routine of getting up, making me breakfast, and then heading off to the diner when I decided it was time for more research. I hopped on the computer and once again looked up his name, finding that there was now more to the story of his release from the WWE. It turns out there were reports of all the female talent reporting that the Undertaker had done unnerving things to them when they worked storylines with him. It didn't go into detail about what exactly happened but something told me that they all probably reported the same thing I witnessed, but was unable to prove. Question is…why was he released if they couldn't prove it was really happening? I sighed and looked up some pictures of him while in character and boy was he intimidating to look at. The icy cold stare he gave his opponents had to be enough to make them surrender to him in the ring. I personally would have taken a count out any day over a tombstone from this guy.

Later on that day I decided to take a walk down the street of my neighborhood. There were several people sitting on their porches either watching the sunset or watching their kids play safely in their yards. I smiled at the thought of having a nice house with a bigger yard. I always wanted a dog or even a little child of my own to love and care for. Hmph. Those things could never happen for me though…

As I was on my way back to my house I got the feeling that I was being watched. I looked behind me and saw three guys walking further behind me, all of them wearing black hoodies and blue jeans. I figured it was just some loud mouth teenaged boys and decided that they weren't anyone to worry about…big mistake. I wasn't too far from my house when they caught up to me. The one in the middle grabbed my arm forcing me to turn around and face him. To my horror his face was beyond pale and he had sunken black eyes that had dark shadows around them. The other two were the same with sinister smiles on their faces revealing sharp fangs in their mouths. I wanted to believe this was a prank but something about this was all too real.

"Is there something I can help you with gentlemen?" I asked, trying really hard to not believe what I was seeing.

"Hey pretty lady…" the middle one said. "A woman like you shouldn't be walking the streets all alone."

I was about to say something when he pulled me in close to him making my lips quiver in fear.

"Don't worry…we'll take care of you," he said before snarling loudly.

I yelled and kicked him between the legs. As soon as he released me I took off running for my life but I could tell they were close behind me. I reached my hand out to touch my front gate when one of them pounced on me. Just as he was about to yank my head back and bite my neck, there was a gust of powerful wind that sent these men flying backwards. I looked over my shoulder and saw them sitting up to see their attacker and when they did they became even paler than they were before.

"It's…It's y-you!" the one on the right yelled.

"Let's get the hell out of here!" the middle one screamed before they all took off away from my neighborhood.

I watched them go quietly before slowly turning my head around to see who it was that saved my life. Although I seemed to know the answer before I saw him, seeing him still brought a surprise to my face.

Standing next to the entrance of my fence dressed in a long black trench coat with black boots, black pants, a bare chest, with a black cowboy hat on his head was The Phenom, The Undertaker. The icy stare brought tears to my eyes and he slowly approached me and then helped me to my feet. We stared at each other for a moment before he took my hand and said, "Come….I want to tell you something."

I nodded and let him walk me into my house. I sat down on the couch and watched and gently checked my neck and then my face for any bruises or scratches. Once he was done, he stood back from me and then folded his arms.

"So…are you ready to tell me the truth?" I asked.

He stared at me coldly, "I dunno…do you really deserve the truth?"

I shook my head, "You don't scare me one bit…"

He sighed heavily, "Which is why you bother me…You're the only woman I've met that isn't scared of me even after you've figured out how different I am. However…although you bother me…I can't help but feel the need to protect you from time to time."

"What exactly are you?" I asked. "It's obvious to me now that you've definitely been hiding something from me."

"I'm a demon…plain and simple." He said. "I was a normal human once before though."

"And what happened to you to make you like this?" I asked.

He looked at me with a soft expression, "I made a deal with the devil…a deal that I lost and now I'm bound to remain a demon forever."

"That's awful," I said.

"Don't."

I looked up at him, "Don't what?"

"Feel sorry for me…it doesn't make sense when you've only just met me." He told me.

I shrugged, "I have a big heart, it's only natural for me to feel this way."

He took a deep breath and looked over my head, "So…do you want to know how I got like this?"

"Actually…I'm wondering if there is a way to set you free. I feel like you've been dealt a hard hand in life." I told him.

"Stop…you are full of emotions I don't understand…" he said.

"Maybe that's why you're the way you are." I told him. "Were you not considerate of others feelings or something?"

"no. I asked the devil for riches and fame…and I got all those things only if I gave him my soul in return…"

"And there's no way out of this? You don't have your riches or fame anymore…" I asked.

He gritted his teeth, "No…I'm afraid that I'm stuck like this for the rest of my life…that is…"

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing…it's not something I'm capable of."

"Please tell me, I want to help you." I told him.

He looked at me blankly, "Love…I have to show an act of love and get it back in return."

I smiled, "Awweee how romantic,"

He chuckled, "If you want to say that…personally I love having these powers."

"Is that why you're such a jerk at times?" I asked as I folded my arms.

"Mostly….anyways now that I've told you all this you must keep it a secret. No one can know about these supernatural powers."

"Fine I promise….now about those vampires…"

"Soul eaters…they're soul eaters. If they would have bitten you your soul would have been used to keep them alive….you of course would be dead."

I rubbed the back of my neck as his words sent chills down my spine. "Are there more out there?"

"Oh yes…and they'll keep coming as long as your soul remains as pure as it is." He said.

"Pure? I have a pure soul?" I asked.

He smirked, "You sure do…even I have trouble staying away from you."

I blushed, "Is that a bad thing?"

"It could be…a pure soul is like a drug to demons…draining you of yours would only make my powers ten times greater…it's like an adrenaline rush."

I glanced at the clock and saw that it was 9pm. "Oh, well I better get to bed. We've got a long day tomorrow."

He raised his eyebrow at me, "How is it that I don't scare you?"

I shrugged, "Maybe it's because you keep saving me."

He watched me as I headed to my bedroom to get ready for bed. I too was unsure of why I wasn't afraid of him…even with knowing the danger he could bring.