Ok, here's the next chapter, with a tiny bit of Marcus/Erika. (What can I say? Jess has started a trend.) It's short, plus it's in a flashback that leads to angst, I'm just warning you now. The flashback is written in italics.
***
Painful Memories
***
Damon looked at Marcus as he leaned in the corner. Neither one spoke, but then again, they didn't really have anything to say to one another.
Finally, Damon decided to break the silence. "So…Marcus, how are you?" Marcus just glanced at him for a moment before closing his eyes. "Come on! Talk!" Marcus didn't even look at him this time. Damon slightly growled before walking up and tapping him on the shoulder. Instantly Marcus' hand snaked out and practically crushed Damon's hand in it before knocking him backwards.
Damon mumbled something under his breath as he stood up. "Alright, that's how you wanna play?" He walked over and tried to punch Marcus, but the hybrid simply dodged before backhanding the half-demon, once again knocking him backwards.
"This is really becoming annoying," Marcus dryly stated before closing his eyes again. Damon brushed himself off as he rose to his feet.
"Oh? Fine, let's see how annoying I can get." With that the half demon started to whistle. Marcus almost flinched when he had begun since it was obvious he didn't really know how to, but afterwards he held his calm and just stood there. Finally Damon stopped. "Hey fucker, say something," he said, trying to get the hybrid's attention by cursing at him; and again, no luck. "Oh come on! Don't tell me you're not talking to me because I was working with the guy who killed your little plaything. Is-"
Damon was going to say "Is that what this is about?", but he didn't get the chance to finish his sentence as Marcus suddenly appeared right in front of him and before Damon knew what was happening his back was to the wall, the hybrid elder's arm almost crushing his throat. Marcus' eyes changed pitch black as he leaned foreword.
"Don't you ever talk about her in that way again," he hissed before letting Damon go.
"It's your fault, you know. You killed Sebastian's brother, so he decided to have some payback."
Marcus bitterly smiled. "I'm surprised he told you about what he did to me," he said after a moment.
Damon almost snorted. "Told me? Hell, he was bragging about it, saying he wished he could have seen your face." he trailed off as he saw the look of pain and anger appear on the elder's face, as he was suddenly engulfed by some rather dark memories.
***
Marcus opened his eyes and slightly snarled as he heard the knocking at his door. Pushing Erika's arm off from where it rested on his body, he stood up and walked towards the door after getting a pair of pants on. He opened the door to find Mason, who began to bow, but Marcus raised his hand, telling him to stop.
"Forgive my disturbance," he began as he handed Marcus a cellphone. "But Sebastian has called. He wishes to speak with you." Marcus nodded and took the phone, shutting the door in Mason's face before he could react.
Putting the phone to his ear he said, "What do you want?"
"Now, now, Marcus. I simply wished to talk. Now, as both you and I know, this little quarrel between us has gone on for a while, and I think that we should end it. Don't you agree?"
After a moment Marcus nodded. "Yes, I guess we should."
"Excellent," Sebastian answered. "Now, I need you to meet me somewhere. I have something to discuss. You know that bar near the hospital?"
"Yes," Marcus answered.
"Good. Meet me there as quickly as possible."
With that he hung up.
***
Sebastian looked at the phone in his hand with a cruel smirk. That was easier than he had expected.
He looked over at the figure that stood behind him. He wore all black, with dark brown hair. The man glanced at Sebastian, who nodded in confirmation. "You know what to do, Razor."
Razor nodded before exiting the room.
***
Marcus looked at his phone when he suddenly heard Erika sigh as she stirred. Walking over to her, he knelt down and ran a hand through her hair. "Who was that?" she whispered.
"It was Sebastian," Marcus replied. Instantly Erika sat up with a questioning and worried expression, but Marcus just held up a hand, stopping her before she started asking questions. "He wants to meet me to discuss something. I'm going now." Erika opened her mouth to speak, but he placed a finger on her lips. "Don't worry. I'll be fine."
Erika nodded, but she seemed unsure. "I love you," she whispered after a moment before she passionately kissed him.
"I love you too," Marcus breathed after he pulled away. Then, putting on a set of normal looking clothing, instead of his robes so he wouldn't draw attention, he gave Erika one more kiss before walking out of the room.
***
Marcus reached the bar around fifteen minutes later. Inside were the sounds of drunken yelling and fighting. Men were drinking, playing poker, or fighting. Walking up to the bar he sat down in a stool.
The bartender looked at him for a moment before opening his mouth to speak. "Hey, you." Marcus raised his head and looked at him. "You wouldn't happen to be Marcus, would you?" When the elder nodded in response the bartender reached into his pocket and pulled out a tape recorder. "Someone told me to give this to you."
Marcus took the recorder from the bartender and pressed play. After a moment, his eyes widened, filling with shock and horror.
This is what was on the tape:
Marcus, I see you are just as predictable as I thought. You should know damn well by now that I do not make truces with anyone, including you. You killed my brother, so now it's time that I evened the score a little. If you are listening to this, you've fallen for my little trap. Also, by the time you listen to this, your precious Erika will most likely be dead by now.
Marcus crushed the recorder in his hand, ignoring the shocked look the bar tender gave him before leaping out of his stool and practically becoming a blur as he ran out of the bar. Once he was out of the sight of human eyes he transformed into his hybrid form with a growl as he ran back to the mansion as fast as his hybrid speed could carry him.
***
Razor looked down at the floor at the now dead female vampire as she lay at his feet. Sneaking into the mansion hadn't been very easy, especially since Marcus always wanted several death dealers to patrol the halls around his and Erika's room for intruders. But, Razor was an expert at sneaking into places. He raised his short sword, which dripped Erika's blood from where he had stabbed her in the heart.
He started to sheath the sword when suddenly the window exploded as Marcus, in full hybrid form, burst into the room. Razor had one second to look surprised before trying to slash at the hybrid. Marcus dodged, grabbed his arm, and using all his strength, ripped it out of its socket. As Razor screamed in pain, Marcus lashed out with another hand, his claws digging into the assassin's lower jaw, and with a sickening tearing noise, ripped it out before raising it and plunging it into Razor's skull.
Razor's corpse hadn't even hit the ground before Marcus had run to where Erika's body lay. He quickly scooped her body up in his arms, looking at her beautiful face. Her eyes were closed, and if it hadn't been for the blood pouring from the wound in her chest, it would have looked like she was sleeping peacefully.
"Erika," Marcus whispered as he changed back into his human form. Reaching up he brushed some of her hair out of her face. "Erika."
She didn't move.
No...
Then the door burst open as Mason and another death dealer stormed into the room, armed with machine guns, which they lowered when they saw Marcus. Then they noticed the corpse lying on the floor, as well as Erika's body that Marcus was cradling.
"Oh no," Mason whispered.
Marcus just continued to gaze hopefully at Erika, mentally begging her to wake up. Nothing happened. He closed his eyes, a few tears escaping from his eyes and falling down his cheeks. "I'm sorry," he whispered as he leaned down and gently kissed her. "I shouldn't have left. I'm so sorry." That was all he could get out before crushing her body to his and crying.
"What happened?" The second death dealer asked after a moment. For a while Marcus didn't respond; then, the elder raised his eyes, which held a rage that caused the two death dealers to back up.
"Sebastian..." Marcus hissed, even as his eyes changed to pitch black.
***
"So, how did you two hook up anyway?" Damon asked. Marcus just glared at him. "Ok, forget I asked." There was another pause, and he opened his mouth to talk again, when suddenly the door opened and Gabriel walked in.
"We have a problem."