Disclaimer: Yo, big ups to you guys for the reviews so far. I'm surprised that no one commented on the twist from the last chapter, but that's alright. Anyway, here's the next chapter. I don't own Spider-Man and company, of course.

Chapter VIII
New Blood

(("Where… where am I?"

Peter opened his eyes and found himself staring at his reflection, in his Spider-Man costume. Something was very wrong, for Peter was hanging upside down wearing his costume but it was jet black. When did the symbiote reattach itself to Peter? Peter released the line from which he was hanging and clung to the skyscraper. He was terrified and he couldn't remember anything since the battle with Venom. He distinctly recalled the symbiote escaping into a storm drain but that was all. Now, it appeared as though the symbiote had returned to its first love. Or victim. Peter wanted to peel the symbiote off of him but when he reached for it, it vanished literally into thin air. Peter then found himself in his red and blue costume and seemingly alone, overlooking the city.

"What was that," he wondered. Every word he spoke was followed by an echo. "How did I wind up in the middle of…" Peter never finished the question, instead being kicked violently across the roof.

Venom appeared out of nowhere, his tongue lashing around in the air. The ooze receded so it was Eddie Brock who was facing Peter. "C'mon, Pete, join with us," The symbiote enveloped Eddie's face. "You know you want to. There's no point in denying it."

Venom let loose a series of tendrils, more than Peter could hope to avoid. Peter tried in sheer desperation to get loose but the tendrils had him tight and wouldn't let him go. He couldn't control his movement, so Peter was aware of his proximity near the edge of the roof. Peter fell and plunged toward the street below, now the entire symbiote attempting to bound with him. Peter ripped and tore at the symbiote as the street grew closer, and then everything went black. Peter found himself alone, still in his red and blue suit and in a dark place covered in webs. He looked himself over and reasoned that the symbiote was gone. Peter figured he could breathe a sigh of relief, but then the symbiote reappeared from underneath the suit.

"No," Peter protested, trying to rip the symbiote from his body. "Not like this. No!"

It was already too late. The symbiote was rapidly engulfing Peter even as he tore at it to escape its grasp. Peter tried to swing away but the symbiote quickly wrapped around the web line and rendered it useless. Ultimately, Peter sank to his knees and went into a fetal position as the symbiote engulfed him completely. There wasn't anything left of Peter after that. In his place was a hideous, inhuman creature that only vaguely resembled Venom. Standing upright as it was, this creature was neither Peter nor Venom. It let out a hideous, ear piercing screech that seemed laced with nothing more than poison.))

Peter awoke sweating profusely and breathing heavily, and unintentionally stirring Mary Jane from her sleep. "Peter? Peter, are you okay?"

Peter held his face in his hands, trying to wipe the sweat away. "I'm fine. I'm just a little… I don't know."

"You had that dream again, didn't you," MJ asked. "The same one you've been having for the past three weeks?"

Peter only nodded at first. "I know it's only a dream, but I can't shake the feeling that something's going to happen."

"Peter, the alien's gone," MJ said, trying to ease Peter's angst. "Eddie Brock's locked up. It's over."

"I want to believe that, MJ," Peter sighed in defeat. "I honestly do."

Mary Jane didn't know what more to say to Peter. All she could do was comfort him as best she could. Peter knew Mary Jane was trying to ease the angst that was growing inside. He also knew he wasn't exactly psychic. People had dreams all the time, although on occasions, the dreams were the same every single night. Peter simply felt in the pit of his stomach that the symbiote was still out there, waiting to make its next move.

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"I'm not a bad person. I just wanted to give the people what they want," Eddie Brock appeared to have hit rock bottom, and now he was a patient at Ravencroft. "I guess my plans fell through the cracks at some point. If only my dad could see me now."

Ashley Kafka sat across from Eddie, actually closer in proximity since Eddie didn't show any violent tendencies. "You father? You mentioned him last week, Eddie. Let's discuss your childhood. What was it like?"

"Miserable," Eddie said, point blank. "My dad didn't quite hate me; he just didn't love me. He always gave me half-hearted encouragement, but I always knew he was disappointed in me. I guess that's why I started working for the Bugle. I wanted to prove to him that I worth something. And then along came the spider."

"That's when you decided to sell those the falsified photos, correct?" Ashley pointed out.

"Hey, I was just trying to give Jameson what he wanted," Eddie snapped. "Then Spider-Man ruined my life. He humiliated me. I lost everything. But then the alien symbiote came to me, and it gave me the power to do anything I wanted. But first we had to kill Spider-Man. We were the poison to that slimy little bug. We were Venom."

"Eddie, I know that you honestly believe everything you're telling me right now, but you need to come to the realization that this Venom thing never existed," Ashley said. "Venom was simply a persona that you created to cope with the mishaps of you life."

"Whatever makes you happy, Dr. Kafka," Eddie said. "But it was real for me. You see, I know who Spider-Man really is under that mask. But I'm keeping that to myself until the symbiote returns to me. Then, we'll see who needs therapy."

Ashley sighed. "Okay, that should bring an end to our session for this evening."

Eddie was escorted back by an orderly back to his padded cell with Ashley following them. He'd been incarcerated in Ravencroft for the past three weeks and in those three weeks, Eddie became something of a model patient. Ashley reasoned that some of the more unsettling patients could learn something. She didn't really hold out much hope for a select few as Eddie was sent into his cell. An unsettling thing about Eddie's cell was that it was right next to the cell that housed Cletus Kasady. Ashley walked into Eddie's cell, reasoning that Eddie wouldn't attempt to attack her or escape. Eddie never did.

"I have to go now, Eddie, but we'll continue our sessions tomorrow."

Eddie sat down on the lone mattress and looked at Ashley. "Do you really have leave, Dr. Kafka? It gets kind of lonely in here sometimes."

"Aw, ain't that cute," the maniacal voice of Cletus Kasady sounded. "Hey Brock, don't worry. I'll keep you company after I slice your girlfriend's throat."

Eddie didn't take kindly to Kasady's comment and punched the padded wall. "Shut the hell up, Kasady. I'll come over there and bust your ass."

"I dare you, you little punk." Kasady spat in defiance.

Eddie took a deep breath and regained his composer. "I'm sorry about that."

"Forget about it, Eddie. Look, you've made incredible progress since you've been here," Ashley said. "A few more sessions and you'll be ready to return to society."

"Well, I guess I owe my progress to you, Dr. Kafka. Thanks."

Ashley nodded. "Goon night, Eddie!"

Ashley left the cell and started off down the hall, while watched through the single window in the door. "Good night, Ashley."

"Hey, doc, don't be a stranger," Cletus shouted. "You're always welcome in the madhouse."

"You keep this up Kasady, and I'll ring your neck," Eddie shouted back at Cletus. "I swear to God I will."

"I'd like to see you try, Brock." Kasady spat back.

Eddie Brock and Cletus Kasady bickered back and forth from that point. They didn't really draw too much attention to themselves. In fact, the only person who paid any sort of attention was Shriek. She was enjoying the turmoil, wishing only that she'd caused it.

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By night's end, Ashley was ready to head home. Getting her things together and leaving her office, Ashley started out toward the front entrance. She turned sharply upon hearing a faint sound in the background and saw nothing. Dismissing the sound, Ashley kept walking as the lights went shut down in the asylum. She never would've notice the glob of black ooze creeping its way out of a storm drain in the floor. Still weak from a lack of a host, the symbiote slowly oozed its way down the darkened halls. It knew, somehow, someway, that its human host was here. Eddie in the meantime had fallen asleep. Cletus was still wide awake. He was busy cutting his forearm with a knife he'd smuggled into his cell. Neither of them was aware of the alien's presence. The symbiote slithered onward until it stopped and began to convulse. The convulsing ended as quickly as it started and the symbiote slithered on, seemingly unaware of a tiny part of it falling behind. The symbiote came to a single door and seeped underneath into the other side, where Eddie was sleeping. The smaller piece of the alien didn't follow, instead seeping underneath the next door. Eddie awoke from an all around restless sleep upon hearing a strange sound.

"Is someone there?" he asked.

Eddie had seemingly gone so crazy that he was now talking to shadow. He must have been crazy, because it appeared that the shadows were moving. Eddie needed to squint to make out what was there. He reached a hand out and the shadows seemed to reach out and grab him. Eddie stepped back and hit the padded wall in shock. The symbiote quickly and violently engulfed Eddie, steadily regaining its strength. Eddie fell to his knee and felt the familiar a feeling of wholeness in knowing the one he loved had returned to him. The commotion caught the attention of Cletus Kasady.

"Hey, Brock, you dying in there or what?"

Cletus received his answer when a massive, burly black arm crashed through the padded wall. Then Cletus was staring right at the maw of a gigantic, humanoid creature. Caring less about the human standing in front of him, Venom bashed the wall opposite the door and escape through it. He just as quickly climbed up the otter wall. Cletus couldn't hope to follow the creature and could watch only in astonishment.

"No, no, no, no," Cletus protested. "Come back! Give me that power. I deserve it more than Brock. Give it to me."

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Ashley had just gotten into her car when she heard the escape alarm going off in the asylum. Then Venom landed on the hood of the car and snarled. Ashley screamed in absolute horror at the monster that was staring at her. Then something inside of Ashley told that something was familiar about the creature.

"Tell us doctor," Venom snarled. "Do you believe us, now? Or are we still delusional?"

Now Ashley was damn sure of everything. "Oh my God! Eddie, is that you?"

"There is no Eddie Brock. We are Venom."

Venom hopped of the hood of the car, sprinting toward the front gates of the asylum. Ashley was horrified by what she saw, so much so that she couldn't bring herself to exit her car. Perhaps it was sheer idiocy or foolish bravery on her part, but Ashley got out of her car. It was just in time to spot Venom perched atop the stone wall. Venom looked back at Ashley, snarling at her. Strangely, Venom hesitated to move but eventually swung away.

"Eddie, comeback," Ashley yelled to no avail. "Eddie!"

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Cletus Kasady was still in utter shock at what transpired. He was even more shocked to have seen that monster that nearly bit his head off. Whatever kind of power that thing gave Brock, Cletus wanted it. He felt he needed it. Deserved it. So focused on the events was Cletus, he didn't notice the symbiote offspring that was slithering across his arm. The offspring found the cut that Cletus inflicted on himself and it was then that Cletus noticed. The symbiote seeped completely into the wound, and Cletus was left wondering if that was it. The symbiote offspring seeped back out, but something was different. The offspring was now blood red. Before Cletus could do anything, the symbiote rapidly engulfed him. The orderlies, five of them, heard Cletus' screaming and rushed to assess the problem. As they rushed over, the cell door was literally launched off its hinges. The impact startled an already startled Shriek and she was the first to see Cletus Kasady. Or what used to be Cletus Kasady. The monstrous black and blood red entity skulked out of the cell and faced the orderlies with yellowish white bug eyes and a mouthful of needle like teeth. An endless series of tendrils waved in the air around the monster.

"Kasady!?" one of the orderlies wondered.

For the first time, the creature spoke out. "Kasady… is… dead."

The monstrosity sent out the almost living tendrils and grasp two of the orderlies, literally squeezing the life out of them. One orderly attempted to attack Kasady, but he was with a series of flying razor tipped darts to his stomach. Kasady tossed the two lifeless orderlies aside and went after the remaining orderlies. He willed his arms into weapons, his left arm into a blade, and his right into an axe. The orderlies stood little chance in combating Kasady as he simply slashed and gouged them into pieces. Shriek laughed at the sight of the Kasady making mince meat out of the orderlies before Kasady turned to face her. The symbiote receded from Kasady's face so Shriek could face him. In a flash, Kasady ripped Shriek's cell door from its hinges. Shriek rushed out and Kasady cut off the strait jacket, freeing Shriek and exposing her in a black and silver costume.

"Interesting choice of clothes." Kasady commented.

"Please, take me with you," she begged, pleaded to Kasady. "You and me, we can unleash so much carnage around the world."

Kasady cocked his head at Shriek and he whispered, "You kind of cute," The comment made Shriek smile, until she felt what felt like a thousand knives thrust into her gut. "But you ain't my type."

Shriek's breathing went shallow and she muttered, "But… I… love you." Then she dropped to the floor in a heap.

Kasady smirked at his handy work and said, "Carnage, huh? That don't sound too bad," The symbiote enveloped around Kasady face. "Thanks, bitch!"

Cletus Kasady, now the living embodiment of carnage, set to carve a swath of destruction and mayhem. He'd left Shriek lying on the ground among the other bodies, reasoning that he didn't need her to bring the murderous hedonism he desired. Unbeknownst to Kasady, Shriek was actually still alive, albeit barely. Her fingers were moving ever so slightly. Kasady obviously wouldn't have care one way or another. All he really care about, if he cared at all, was the carnage he would indeed unleash upon the unsuspecting citizens. A new kind of Hell had come to New York.

Authors note: That should clinch Chapter VIII and finally, Carnage is here. What do you guys think so far?