A/N: Enjoy my fellow readers and reveiwers. I didn't make it as long as I usually do but I hope it's still up to snuff. Send plenty reveiws. -Rei
Undertaker woke up to the scent of cherries and soap tickling his nostrils and something weighing down his chest. Softened light filtered through the heavy fabric that surrounded them. His body ached in a familiar way but for the life of him the deadman couldn't remember bedding anyone the night before. Opening his eyes Undertaker's gaze immediately focused on the black canopy hanging above him and the last few hours came rushing back to him. Eyes wide Undertaker looked down.
And sure enough, Morte lay naked and coddled half on top of him. Kane lay on his side behind her, his head pillowed on his brother's shoulder and his unscarred arm slung across them both. It was perhaps the strangest sight he had ever seen and yet so right that he couldn't bring himself to move. He Mark Calloway had slept with his brother and the closest thing he ever had to a sister. Both of them had been virgins the night before. Undertaker thought perhaps that he should feel some kind of quilt and disgust at what he had done but he didn't. Then Abeebah groaned and Mark couldn't help the half smirk that curled his lips as he suddenly felt the young woman's mind came into consciousness.
"That really happened didn't it", she asked him without opening her eyes. "Yeah", Curious the red haired Texan allowed Abeebah's feeling to wash over him. "You don't regret what we did", he stated unnecessarily. The aching throughout her body registered satisfyingly across their' link, "no", she agreed, "I don't". Finally opening her tawny eyes Abeebah looked up at him. "I never knew it could be like that", the 'thank you' was left unsaid because there was little need of words between them. Unconsciously he tucked a downy lock behind her ear. "You're different princess". Abeebah stretched along his side with a jaw cracking yawn, "we all are old man", she huffed with an amused smile.
Mark raised an eyebrow finally noticing that his brother was too awake but like him had not dined to move. His mismatched eyes were open and watching the tender display between his two lovers with quiet contentment. It was a far cry from the broken and aggressive being that had entered the WWF. He said the words that none of them wanted to hear, 'Tell him that we should get up soon'. The elder Calloway blinked in surprised and interrupted Abeebah before she could translate. "I can hear him". Two sets of eyes locked on to his. They were just as surprised as he. 'Side affect'? "Side affect", the dead man and eldest horsemen agreed softly. They all fell quiet, relaxing in each other's company.
After a few moments of silence Kane spoke again, 'we can't stay here forever', Undertaker quirked a sad smile similar to Abeebah's, "its tempting isn't", he asked them both. Neither his brother nor the little woman sandwiched between them responded. Their silence was answer enough. They didn't want to shrug back on their' defenses either. None of them wanted to go back to hiding the human beings behind the monsters. However, a cruel world awaited them outside their' marriage bed. None of them could afford to be seen as weak and none of them would ever be completely comfortable acknowledging that part of themselves publicly.
In this place they had found a safe haven in which they could be more than the monsters the world had made of them. Unspoken though it was they all agreed that what happened last night was to be kept secret that it was theirs' and no one else's. Outside of here betrayal and pain would probably be a constant between them as Bearer's parting gift controlled Kane and his brother. Abeebah would do what was best for her and not side with either of them. The Calloways knew she may know their' hearts and minds but she was having a next to impossible time dealing with her own.
Sighing Mark sat up and helped his two lovers do the same. And then Kane caught a glimpse of Abeebah's left ankle. Grasping the appendage he pulled it up so that they could all see the chain tattoo that was wrapped around it. "Da hell", Abeebah gazed along with the brothers at the now marking her previously bare ankle. None of them even bothered to acknowledge that they were all still completely naked. Kane traced each link with his forefinger, 'the witch didn't say anything about this'. "We'll have to ask her", the brothers were surprised to hear a growl enter the young woman's voice.
Uncaring she shrugged, "You two are a bad influence". Retreating from the younger Calloway's touch Abeebah reached for her robe only to notice tattoos on her lovers' left ankles mirroring her own. "She definitely didn't say anything about this". Mark shrugged there was no point in worrying about it until they had to. The three of them put on their' robes with varying noises of disgust as the smell and itch of sweat and sex registered in their' minds. The priest and Matilda were nowhere to be seen so they went to their' bathrooms to wash off the remnants of the night before.
After they were all clean and dressed Mark then guided them to the kitchen where his former mentor was waiting with Ar. They each gave their' own variation of a polite greeting and sat down at the table where there was a healthy bounty of breakfast waiting for them. Kane lifted his mask just enough to eat small bites as he listened to his brother begin to question the witch. "Our bond has changed; there are chain tattoos on our ankles, are these typical"? The blond looked pointedly at the priest at her side. Ar bowed her dark head, "yes my prince you will find these changes are very much natural, the chain tattoo is a physical representation of your bond much like a wedding ring, and your bond marks both how they appear and where they are unique to you three alone".
"As for the changes", Matilda continued, "you'll take on more of each others' personality traits, balancing each other out". 'How long will the bond last', Undertaker spoke for his brother this time seeing as Abeebah was eating a piece of fruit. "For as long as your souls exist, not even death can undo it", Ar said. 'Shit', it was a universal thought that resounded through the bond. All of them had suspected that this might happen but none of them thought it would be true. "What about the compulsion", Abeebah finally asked trying to shake the mild case of shock at being blindsided. The blond witch shrugged helplessly, "either Kane breaks out of it somehow or he falls prey to it it's as simple as that".
"And will we fall prey to it because of our personalities blending", Mark asked with a quirked lip. Abeebah and Glen stared at him, 'that's just creepy'. The deadman grimaced soundlessly in agreement. "The possibility is there but considering your bride's elements may just be enough to break it". 'Or just delay the inevitable', Kane mused coldly. 'None of that, we can be realistic later right now we've already go too much on our plate', thought Abeebah irritated with the whole situation. Glen grunted without looking up from the sandwich he was currently wolfing down. "Does anything else needs to be brought to our attention", asked Mark.
Matilda nodded, "you must be careful from now on we don't know how this might affect your powers in the long run not to mention I have a sinking suspicion that Paul hasn't given up yet especially since he was able to make you believe your brother was dead for twenty years". Deadman all but growled in agreement. Ar stood to her feet and bowing at the waist handed him a manila envelope. "A bonding gift from myself and the other elementals", she explained at deadman's quizzical look.
Opening the envelope the demon of Death Valley read the document that was inside and was shocked into stillness. The darkest horseman stood to read over her bondmate's shoulder and too was shocked into stillness. Kane regarded them both with raised brows under his mask, 'what'? 'They gave us-', Abeebah started, 'land', Mark finished, 'they gave us a couple hundred acres of death valley. The big red machine stiffened, 'you're serious'. 'Dead serious, pardon the pun', replied Abeebah retaking her seat.
Feelings flowed through their' link like a river raging rapids of old hurts and anger. Imperceptibly Mark's grip on the document tightened. "The land is to do with what you will your highnesses and if you ever have need of the elementals our contact information is in there as well", Ar said straightening her spine with a nod toward Matilda. "Now I must take my leave, thank you for your invitation Matilda", and without another word the priest left. The trinity didn't even acknowledge the woman's exit. Replacing the document in the envelope Mark put it in his pocket and forcefully shoved twenty years of aguish and confusion into the back of his mind.
He watched as Abeebah scooted closer to his little brother to comfort him even as Glen pulled his mask back to its proper place. She didn't touch him just sat by as the chestnut haired man gathered himself under the sudden onslaught of old wounds being reopened. Knowing she was there was comfort enough. Matilda ignored the bi-play knowing that her observations wouldn't be appreciated. Clearing her throat she turned her attention to her former pupil.
"What will you do now"? Chaotic green eyes met her steel gaze, "we'll live", 'that's all we really can do', he added silently. Abeebah shot him an ironic smile. Yes that was all they really could do. A few hours later the three of them were on their' way to Cambridge minds and hearts awhirl with conflicting thoughts and emotions. And it wasn't until they arrived the next morning that they all were able to put what happened in the back of their' minds.
Abeebah's siblings were at the hotel waiting for them. She and Mark pretty much told them that they were bonded for life but left out that the bond wasn't complete before they went to Matilda's. They also mentioned the compulsion but didn't go in depth about it, just told them to be careful especially around them if they started acting strangely. Delia had raised an eyebrow and succulently informed them that there was no such thing as normal when it came to them. And then she shrunk under their' combined glares. The following weeks were busy ones as the WWF was constantly on the move doing signing sessions and photo shoots not to mention fighting Sunday, Monday, and Friday.
As a result neither the horsemen nor the Calloway brother's really acknowledged the passage of time. Even as Brandon qualified for the royal rumble and the brothers slowly but surely fell back into their' solitary habits did they even really notice that the night Undertaker was to face HBK was fast in coming. Delia and Evan kept a close eye on their' eldest sibling as she grew tenser and tenser as Mark and Glen slowly grew apart. The big red machine and the deadman had stopped talking to each other and avoided the horsemen as well. It got so bad that Abeebah began making plans with her youngest sibling to buy a house once they earned enough money.
Brandon and Delia agreed with the plan if only to keep their' sister distracted from the drama leading up to the royal rumble. Brandon thought about confronting Undertaker and Kane about their' ignorance of his sister's pain because of their' silent withdrawal. However one amber eyed glare from Abeebah was all it took for him to reconsider. The darkest horseman would retaliate with unparalleled brutality if he or anyone else for that matter interfered. The hazel eyed Johns would never kill her siblings but she wasn't against doing them serious harm if it suited her mood. And that was another change that Brandon noted, Abeebah was usually almost unnaturally distant emotion-wise.
But now she snapped more had fits of melancholy but she also smiled truly, and laughed more than she had ever done. The change was almost frightening as it was a relieving. None of the horsemen really knew what to make of their' sister's transformation and so did nothing but go on with their' carriers in the WWF. January eighteenth came sooner than Brandon or any of the horsemen expected. And everyone was preparing for the royal rumble. Commissioner Slaughter had even gotten Evan to help with some last minute organizing duties. Abeebah wasn't even in San Jose because she didn't have a match until the following week and instead head gone to check out some houses in a quiet little fishing town in Maryland.
They all knew the real reason why she had left but none of them voiced it. Delia stayed and helped her elder brother prepare for his royal rumble debut, occasionally smack him upside the head every time he got too jittery. Undertaker was getting ready for his own royal rumble match though he wasn't entered in the free for all. No he was set to retrieve what was rightfully his from the loud mouthed punk who had stolen from him on more than one occasion. Deadman planned on paying the boy back in blood sweat and tears.
Seething anger boiled in his gut and he was helpless to stop it, further blinding him to all else including his bond to Abeebah and Glen. It was what blinded him to the fury answering his own along with betrayal coming off his younger brother in waves. He didn't even feel Abeebah shouting at him in the back of his mind. And his distance was all Paul Bearer needed to get to Kane. The overbearing manipulator had been watching from the shadows surprised that the two brothers had allied themselves to each other but not displeased by it.
It would make Undertaker's demise all the sweeter. It was easy enough to find Kane as he stood alone in the shadows of San Jose arena his dark head bowed. "Well there you are son, learn ya lesson yet"? The big red machine tensed his entire body locking up in anger. Silently he wondered if he could get his entire hand around the bulbous head of his supposed father. Paul smiled sleazily at him and Kane wanted nothing more than to put his question to practice yet for some inexplicable reason he couldn't do it. "He's abandoned you again hasn't he", there was no need to question who 'he' was, "abandoned you for what? A belt"? If it were even possible the dark haired demon became even stiffer.
'He's lying', the big red machine repeated to himself over and over in his head, 'he has to be'. The bug-eyed man circled around the big man like the vulture he was, assessing, judging. "Ah bet he was real nice ta ya, real brotherly and all that", the older man sounded disgusted. "But he's been ignoring ya lately hasn't he". It wasn't a question. 'Shut up', "Now all he can think about is that belt isn't it", 'Shut up', "He was just using you and once he's done he'll throw ya away", 'SHUT UP'! Faster than Bearer could blink Kane was in his face breathing heavily with rage as the last few months played behind mismatched eyes.
And like he had done when he had woken to find out his parents were dead and he alone Kane denied it screamed in his mind it wasn't true. But he was wrong before and had paid twenty years of his life because of it. Icy pain shot up his spine, constricting his lungs, and freezing his heart. He couldn't afford being wrong again; his heart couldn't take the agony. So Kane ignored the screaming in the back of his mind, telling him not to listen, ignored the fact that that Bearer was using him too, ignored the fact that he knew this was a compulsion. He just didn't want to hurt anymore. In her hotel room in Maryland Abeebah cursed vilely as Kane's thoughts filtered into her head. He was going to betray them. 'Wait a minute, us, since when were there an us'?
Abeebah shook her head. Kane was going to betray Undertaker and it would be none of her business they were not hers to protect. The excuse was hollow and Abeebah knew it. What the three of them shared defied words even though they chose not to acknowledge it Abeebah thought all of them would always know it was there. 'But noooo', she thought grasping at the telephone to call Brandon, 'Kane just had to go doubtful on my ass and Bearer the manipulative bastard just had to fuck with what is mine'. And with Undertaker ignoring the link it was impossible for her to warn him especially since he wouldn't listen without constantly be beaten over the head with the fact that it was happening.
Picking up the receiver she dialed her brother's hotel room number with a deft hand and balled the other in hopes of calming down. "Hey Beebs", the darkest horseman furrowed her brow at hearing her sister's voice. "Where's Brandon"? "Busy being a nervous wreck", Delia's tone was dry, "what's up"? For a moment Abeebah considered lying but sighed, she wouldn't be able to live with herself she did that. Hopefully her younger sibling's appetite for 'making things interesting' would take a back seat. "Shit just got real" (a/n: sorry guys couldn't resist).
Even though Abeebah couldn't see her sister's expression she was sure that Delia was biting her lip in excitement. The gesture didn't bode well for anyone's sanity but desperate times called for desperate measures. "Who's the target"? Again Abeebah considered not telling Delia anything lest she do something stupid. Namely writing a check her ass couldn't cash. It wouldn't be the first time. But the situation called for Abeebah to trust Delia not to and sighing the eldest Johns decided that was what she was going to do.
Brandon was useless when he was on pines and needles. "Paul Bearer", Abeebah dragged the name from her throat reluctantly. Not out of any sense of well being for the asshole who she blamed the entire situation she found herself in but for Delia's safety. "Cool, I'll get it done", Delia said. Abeebah could just imagine the evil grin that was on her sister's beautiful face, "goodnight then". Delia laughs, "aren't cha gonna tell me ta be careful". A Mona-Lisa smile tugged at Abeebah's lips. "Would you listen"? The answer was immediate, "no".
A choked laugh issued from Abeebah's lips before she could stop herself, "behave yourself Del". "Of course not Beebs, of course not". Delia hung up the phone. She glanced over at the open door of the bathroom where Brandon was keeled over and throwing up into the toilet boll. "I don't understand why you've got your panties all in a wad". The elder horseman didn't even glance in her direction as he finally heaved out the last of his breakfast. Dragging himself up Brandon flushed the toilet and moved to the sink to splash cool water on his face.
He had heard the entire conversation though he was in no shape to contribute. This endeavor would be Delia's own as Evan was too busy at the arena and he was all but out of commission due to anxiety. "Don't screw around Delia; this isn't the type of game you usually play". Brandon stared at his pale reflection in the mirror trying to shake off the sudden case of stage fright. Delia said nothing, knowing that her brother didn't doubt her ability to wreak havoc on any target but also warning her that this particular plaything Abeebah threw her wasn't normal.
He wouldn't just outright tell her to be careful but it was still a warning. Delia grunted and left without a backwards glance. They would see each other at the arena. The caramel skinned beauty arrived at the San Jose arena shortly therefore after, careful to avoid the already gathering crowd and most of the backstage crew. She even ran into Undertaker but didn't bother to speak to him because he was ignoring everything else around him. The slightly insane girl could admit to herself that the way his green eyes stared with utter emptiness was creepy. Finding Paul was harder than she thought necessary but found him she did.
In Kane's locker room the obese red faced smug bastard was talking trash to the big red machine. The second youngest horseman managed to crack open the door without either male noticing her. And Delia couldn't believe her eyes, she couldn't claim to really know Kane but the mammoth of a man who towered over Bearer was being dressed down like a toddler. It was sickening, it was wrong, but most of all it was telling. Delia had seen personality similarities between Undertaker and Abeebah but now she could see the similarities between Abeebah and Kane.
She tried to shake the image of a young yet stoic Abeebah being scolded by one or both of their' parents out of her head. She had a job to do and reminiscing wasn't going to get it done. Plus Delia didn't want to sink deeper into the past where she couldn't hide from the living nightmare. Backing away slowly the young wrestler furiously began to think of a plan to somehow get the fat bastard alone. Kane was obviously under Bearer's control and would sooner choke the life out of Delia rather than help her. 'Beebs always did know how to pick a bad situation to get herself caught up in', Delia though sardonically.