CHAPER 18

David was stunned by her beauty when he opened the door, she was the last thing he thought he would every see at his front door. Last time he saw her this close, her eyes were blue, now they were a deep shade or emerald green. The Bautista siblings seemed to have a thing for green eyes.

The Animal told no one of his sudden crush on a girl not from his world, who would believe that a well dressed and respected man would be interested in a Goth princess like her. But he knew now she wasn't your normal girl next door, it just seemed to make her that more interesting to him.

"David Batista?" The vampress asked meekly.

"Yeah?" Dave couldn't help but smile at her exotic and beautiful face.

"I need to speak to you about your sister Kayla, I fear she is in danger most horrid!"

Dave raised an eyebrow, "Danger?"

"Yes…" Ariel certainly seemed very distraught, "She was taken this night by Death's Hand…I did not know who else to seek help from…"

The Animal let out a small chuckle, "Why don't you come in…"

Dave move aside and let the undead angel into his home, like Kay, he didn't feel she was a threat. He couldn't have explained to himself why he was attracted to someone so different, what was it about this strange one that made the Animal take notice?

"It does not seem that you are too concerned about your sister…" Ariel voice as she entered the Bautista home.

"Trust me, I've been telling Kay for over a year that guy was bad news." Dave couldn't hide his humor.

"Who's here Dave?" Ariel was shocked to hear from the living room.

As she entered, the vampress was filled with a mixed feeling of strong emotions. Her witch friend seemed safe and unharmed, but being held in the arms of Death terrified the undead.

Kay noticed her fearful friend and released herself from Mark's loving embrace, "Ariel! It's ok, he's not going to harm you…"

"Kevin said that he had taken you…" The poor girl was confused, "…but you are here…with Death?"

Kay put on a forced smile, "Ariel, This is my boyfriend, The Undertaker. He was actually rescuing me from your man and his goons."

Fear turned into puzzlement, "The Deadman is…your man? The one you were telling me about…"

Dave leaned over to Ariel, "Wrong isn't it?"

"Quit it Dave!" Kay growled as she showed Ariel a seat on the couch, "Just let her get used to being around Mark, she'll be fine in a moment."

"Yeah I know," Dave sighed, "he's a lot to get used to."

"Dave! Enough!" Kay roared.

Mark let out a chuckle of his, "Let him speak his mind, Kayla, his discontentment of our relationship will only strengthen it."

Kay sat down beside her vampiric friend, "Ariel? Why did Thorne come after me tonight?"

Fear and shame crossed the vampire's face, "I fear it is all my fault. Dreams are coming to my sleeping mind, dreams that seem all too real. These dreams seem to make my man angry…he says that it is your magic that is fouling my mind."

"What are these dreams about?" Mark asked in his cold tone, he refused to let go of his dark side while a vampire was so near to his love.

"They seem to begin happy, there is song and merriment, there are torches and color all about. I can hear children laugh and sounds of joy and flames so high in the black sky…" Ariel revealed.

"That doesn't sound so threatening." Dave smiled, but Mark new better.

"What else happened in your dream?" The Deadman demanded, Kay gave him a stern look as if to say 'easy on her'.

Ariel took a deep breath, "The laughter turned to screams of terror, the only colors I remember were red as blood, everyone is running in fear and I would rise from my day slumber with their dying cries for help still in my ears."

"That's really heavy…" David commented in a whisper.

"Do you remember anything of when you were turned?" Kay asked softly.

Ariel looked at her puzzle, "No, I remember nothing of that time. It has been far too long."

"So…" Kay continued at her investigation, "Could these dreams be deep rooted memories that are now coming back to surface..?"

Mark grinned, he knew where she was going with this,, "Ariel, could it be possible that you are beginning to remember when you were turned?"

Ariel finally looked into the eyes of Death, and she did not feel the fear she had felt before in his presence, "Perhaps, it was so long ago…."

"And a very traumatic experience." Mark added, "It would be something that you wouldn't forget, unless someone made you forget."

Now both Kay and Ariel looked at the reaper confused, "Why would someone make her forget her turning?" Kay asked.

"I don't know, Kayla, but it sounds like someone is hiding something very important in your friend's past." Mark looked closely at the vampress, "Do you know who turned you?"

"I believe it was Thorne who did so, I only have known of him since I can remember my undead life." Ariel replied.

Mark leaned back and stood tall at his realization, "I think Thorne's hiding something from you, Ariel, and hanging out with Kayla has somehow started to trigger your memories and he doesn't like that. That's why he went after Kay, to get rid of the trigger. He's the one hiding something."

"What would my Thorn hide from me?" Ariel felt betrayed by the Deadman's words, "Why would he harm me so?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to beat it out of him. Nobody goes after my woman and gets away with it!" The Deadman growled.

Kayla couldn't hold her excitement, seeing Mark step into his Reaper posture turned her on at that moment. She leaped out of her chair and into his arm.

Mark grinned at her, "You like?"

"I love." Kay grinned as he kissed her softly.

"I hate to break up this hurling moment , Mortisha and Gomez , but we do have a guest." Dave sarcastically announced.

Mark kept his loving star at his love, "Mortisha and Gomez?"

"I'll explain later…" She relied with a chuckle as Mark released back onto her feet.

Ariel still sat in silence, still toying with the idea that Thorne was keeping something from her, could he betray her so?

"What will you do with my man?" She asked quietly.

"I don't know, Ariel…" Kay wanted to reassure her but she wasn't going to beat around the bush, "We need to know what is so important in your past that he's ready to kill a witch over it."

"A witch with a Grimm Reaper as a boyfriend to boot." Dave grinned, "What an idiot!"

To be continued…