Crossed Knives and Slit Throats

The Mark stands on top of a cross at a church, waiting patiently for his target to run by at any moment. His breath inhales the chilled air and his eyes shut, letting his mind think on his throne beyond the Gate. He dreams of it every night, walking the same path as he does with his treasures intermingling with the bodies of the slain he has brought into the realm of the dead. It is a good dream, perhaps the best that he could ever hope for.

His dream continues, but this time with him looking at something from afar, something much larger and grandiose than his simple pile of bodies and gold. His eyes pinpoint a woman, a demon woman. Her horns poke just above the mask she wears and her tail swishes back and forth in spoiled pleasure. She is surrounded by many other demons and humans that acknowledge her and cater to her whim. A grimace comes on The Mark's face in both the dream and in reality as he names the woman that now looks down on him and begins laughing.

The Mark: Laura...

A yell of terror forces his eyes open as the same woman that he saw in his dream now dances with athleticism around a group of men and has begun to strike each one individually.

The Mark: That target was mine!

The Mark leaps from his perch and unhooks two knives from the holster on his chest, leaping into the fray.

The takedown of all five men was quick between the two killers, leaving only one that is pushed into a wall and then held back by the sudden clash of two knives that cross over his neck; One knife held by The Mark, the other by Laura Kinney.

Laura Kinney: Back off, half-blood filth! I had this man in my sights before you came stumbling in!

The Mark: You had him in your sights only because you didn't plan to see him walk this route, I knew he would by investigating his previous excursions and made the right choice of his route he would have with his goons!

Laura and Mark bash heads with each other, forcing the knives to get even closer to the now gasping man.

Laura Kinney: You WILL back away from this like a good boy.

The Mark: You will have to force me to do that!

Laura Kinney's eyes shimmer a moment and grins at The Mark.

A man that managed to survive suddenly shoots up onto his feet and draws his sword.

The Mark: Controlling another man to do your dirty work?

The man roars out and goes to slash at The Mark, forcing The Mark to pull his knife away and stop the blow.

The Mark: COWARD!

Laura Kinney only laughs as she pushes the man that was against the wall away, leaving The Mark to deal with his fate. In a fit of rage, The Mark throws the sword that is pushed down on him and throws his hand out to the attacker, forcing the attacker to stop. The Mark closes his hand into a fist as the man crumples to the ground and blood begins moving toward The Mark.

The Mark: Damn her. She'll already be too far gone for me to catch.

The Mark remains surrounded by the pile of bodies as towns guards surround him.

Head Guard: We have you now, monster!

The Mark remains quiet as he evaluates his options. The head guard moves toward him with a coil of rope, ready to tie his hands.

The Mark: Humanity has hated me long enough; Demons scoff at my name. It's not my time to be captured and beheaded, yet.

The blood that lays on the street raises up and pierces into many of the guards, immobilizing them like they had been stuck into spikes. The head guard looks back at his crew for a brief moment, allowing The Mark to escape into darkness, yet again. As the blood goes back into a liquid form, the guards collapse to the ground, each gripping a spot where the stiffened blood spike shot through them. Wherever in the town The Mark has gone, he speaks to the god that has always listened patiently to his pleas.

The Mark: Lady Death, I make it my mission, my life's goal... I will end Laura Kinney's life so that she can be carried through your gate so she will be forced to lay with my pile of victims as I sit on my throne, how it should be.