Skulduggery lay on the medical bed with his boney arms behind his skull. He looked up when Valkyrie entered the room. It had been a couple hours since he had last seen her and didn't like being apart for that long. He raised up on his elbows but saw that Valkyrie's face wasn't very happy. "What's wrong?" he asked immediately.

"What's wrong?" she exclaimed, "What's wrong is that you've been keeping crap from me and for what? In hope I would never find out? That I would never ask?"

"Valkyrie, if you're talking about the whole brother nonsense, then it's just-"

"I'm not talking about that," she interrupted him, "I mean the little details like 'It seems you found a new toy to play with?'"

"Valkyrie- "

"And not only that, but they also address you as Ang? What the heck is that about?"

"Valkyire, don't interrupt me," he sat up right in the bed, "I used to think women were only used for that purpose, I admit. That's until I met my wife and got her pregnant." He could hear the acid in his voice, but he didn't care. "I fell in love with her then and never again slept with another woman. After the death of her, my child, and myself; I had time to think. I had time to sit down and reflect and everything that I have done and you know what? I feel pretty bad for it all. I am referred to as 'Ang' because of a nickname I used to carry." Valkyrie stared at him. He guessed unable to think of anything to say. So he sighed and said, "I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "It's okay, really. I'm just glad you tell me the truth." She smiled and sat herself next to him.

"What if someone walks in?" Skulduggery asked, placing a gentle hand on the small of her back.

"I don't care anymore. What if I don't get to see you tomorrow or next week?"

He drew his head back a bit. "Now why would you think about something like that?"

"It only made me realize that when I saw Sharon leaning over Finbar wishing him to come back."

"He's alright isn't he?"

"Yes, we got him here as soon as possible."

"Good." When Valkyrie didn't say anything more, he made a sound as if to clear his throat. "Well, we can get into the Black Market now."

"Yeah but who are we looking for?"

"I have been thinking about that. I had made a conduct to say that Kenspeckle's still a suspect. Wreath could have killed Romel for all we know but the person who killed him didn't have a strong magic and if they did it was undetectable."

"So it could be another investor like you said?"

"Maybe or maybe it was the boss himself. Romel could have been a crook and pissed off the head man." That's when the door opened and Sharon walked in.

"Hey," she smiled, "How are you guys doing?"

"Fine," Skulduggery responded, "Um... I was wondering if I could ask you a question." "Sure, no problem."

"Who is in charge of the Black Market?"

"Last I heard, a new man just stepped into that position. His name was Crane Legous."

"Funny name," said Valkyrie.

"Are there any other major investors?" Skulduggery asked.

"There aren't many major corporations around anymore ever since Crane took office. The only remaining high salesmen is a woman named Elia Red."

"Right," Skulduggery muttered. I've worked in this position for how long and I don't know these names! I should know this... "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now hurry up and get better," she smiled and walked out.

Skulduggery turned to Valkyrie and ran his boney finger on the side of her jaw. "You're so beautiful."

"And I'll never get tired of you saying that." She got up and walked over to the door. "I'll see you in an hour okay? I got some things to do and then we could head back to Cemetery Road." She winked.

------

SkulPoint of View

Ghastly was kind enough to drive them back to Gordons house to pick up Skulduggery's Bentley. Oh, how he missed his Bentley. He retrieved his jacket, gun, and car keys and soon he and Valkyrie were off back to Cemetery Road. When Skulduggery pulled into the drive way, he got out of the car and opened Valkyrie's door. When they finally entered the household, Valkyrie pulled out the Tame and tossed it to him.

"Now let's talk." She smiled.

"Of course," he slipped off his jacket and threw it on the couch. Lifting her off her feet, he brought them to her room. She laughed. He laid her on the bed and they began to take off their clothes.

"At least you remembered to take off your clothes first," Valkyrie laughed as she unstrapped her bra.

"I've learned my lesson," he threw his pants to the side.

"I also noticed how much wiser you got with using the Tame," she commented.

"I figured how to use that thing properly to get what I want out of it."

"Do you think you could walk around human with it on without granting anyone else s desire?"

"I was actually thinking of that," he pushed her down on the bed, "And I think I can get that to work."

Valkyrie smiled, "I'm sure you can pull it off. It would be a brilliant disguise."

Skulduggery reached over her to grab the Tame. He opened it up and the room was engulfed in darkness.

"Hey," snapped Valkyrie, "Why so dark? I want to see your face when you re talking to me and kissing me."

He made a face that she couldn't see. "Okay..." He closed it once more and reopened it with a red mist. "Better?" he smiled.

"Yep," she exclaimed, "I can see that cute smile of yours." She touched his cheek.

"Oh, flattering." He leaned in to kiss her deeply pushing up against her. She began running her hands up and down his back. He parted and looked down at her. "Valkyrie," he breathed, "I'm part of The Undertakers."

"What?"

"The Undertakers. They were a group of people who killed the wicked because they believed they deserved it."

"That gang that Wreath mentioned earlier? You're part of a gang?"

"Correction. I was part of it."

She nodded, "And that's why Krey called you brother."

"Yes," he sighed, "But that was a very very long time ago. I was part of The Undertakers when I was still alive."

She hugged him close. "If you think I'm mad at you, I'm not."

He pulled away from her slightly. "But you don't understand. We were not the nicest people around. I killed people on a daily basis. It was a routine to find a mugger on the street and cut his head off."

She blinked. "Are you trying to scare me?"

"No," he said lifting up from her, "I'm trying to tell you how serious my past is."

"That's right," she reached for his chin, "Your past."

He gripped her hand gently and gave her another kiss. How he loved being with her. How he missed being cared for and understood. I love you. He ran his right hand down her back lifted her to him. He felt her slide her fingers through his hair and kiss him more passionately. The taste of her he compared to sweet nectar.

Rolling him on to his back, Valkyrie kissed his neck as he kissed the top of her head. He ran his fingers across her chest as she spread out her legs for him. He reached his lips up to kiss before entering into her body. He would give anything to make her happy, to make her feel loved. He would never leave her... never.

-------

Skulduggery and Valkyrie laid next to each other with their arms around each others waists above the sheets. Both wishing to never have to let go of the other. Valkyrie cleared her throat, "So tell me more about The Undertakers." She laid her head comfortably against his chest.

Skulduggery thought for a moment. "Well what do you want to know first?"

"Everyone had a nickname you said. What was yours and the others?"

"Here's the order in which The Undertakers was created," he began, "Thirteen of us to be exact. There is the leader which was indeed Bloodlust. Then there was I, second in command. I was known as The Merciless Angel."

"Ang..." she whispered in understanding.

"I personally prefer Skulduggery," he smiled. "Anyway, then there was the three brutes: The Devastator, Brutal Craze, and The Colossal End. We had a sensitive named Bitter Plague. Two other elementals besides myself: The Lovely Phobia and Frostbite."

"You had girls in your group?"

"Yep, besides Phobia there was The Sorrowful Remains who was an adept."

"Ah..."

"Two other adepts were The Atom Split and The Insane Shocker. We had one other necromancer named Nightmare, go figure."

She laughed.

"And lets see I know I'm missing one more... ah yes. We had a vampire. His name was The Grim Eater."

Valkyrie couldn't have held back her laugh if she tried. "The Grim Eater? Seriously?"

"Seriously but no matter how silly the name, we were never to be underestimated."

"Why are your names so... I don't know the word... unpleasant?"

"We liked to think of ourselves as punishers for the bad, executioners for the worst and the pretty for the ugly."

She laughed again. "Well, well. I'm sure you scared the crap out of them."

"And we did. When the war came about, we practically sold our souls to the highest bidder. Ending up working for the right side."

"At least. I don't know what I would do if you were a criminal."

"Maybe in my next life, I'll be a criminal."

"Well the Sanctuary would have a hard time getting to you."

He held her more tightly. "After I died, the group began to be more aggressive to the opposers. To avenge the death of one of their own. It came to a surprise when I returned. Blood immediately appointed me the head of the group because he knew what I wanted to do next."

"Kill Serpine."

He nodded. "But by the time the war was over, I passed the position back to Blood and told them I was leaving."

"The five years you disappeared from the face of the earth."

"Blood wasn't very happy about it, not to mention the other eleven. They called me a traitor and a coward for leaving them. I was surprised when I saw Bloodlust again today. I suppose I figured he was dead, like the others. I have heard of the death of one of my brothers in paper one morning, Brother Frostbite, was hit but a train and had died instantly. Then there was the death of my sister Lovely Phobia, who was beheaded in a bar. There was soon the death of Brother Brutal Craze who was strangled and killed as if someone was picking off my family."

"Did you consider them your family?"

"I did, I had no living relatives. Mine were wiped out by the plague that spread through Europe."

"I'm sorry." He could feel her sympathy.

"There's no need to be sad about it. For all the years I've been around, I've learned that grieving never got you anywhere."

"What about Wreath?" she asked, "Bloodlust said master when he showed up."

"Ah yes, Blood was the apprentice of Solomon Wreath."

"Like your master Kane Gregous?"

"Yes," Skulduggery smiled and suddenly it turned to a frown.

"Man," Valkyrie laughed, "Wreath was older then dirt. Skulduggery...?" She looked up at him.

"Sharon said earlier that the leader of the Black Market was a man named Crane Legous."

"Yeah..."

"I think she mistaked the name for Kane Gregous."

Whoo that was a load of reading for you guys wasn't it?

Sorry about that. But hey now you know a little more about the Skul-man More to come!