"Your obsession with her will be your doom, Khan," said Marshall. He tried to use his best Prophet voice, like the deep sultry rasp of the Oracle of Delphi. But the illusion was broken when he pushed the frames of his horn-rimmed glasses up his brown nose and smiled.

"Shut up, Marshall," replied Esen. It was a long time since he was Khan and that ancient title was no longer his. Death did not allow you to keep titles or creature comforts like riches or swords. And most devastatingly, Death did not allow you to keep loved ones, either.

"Hades wants me to remind you to get back to work," Marshall said, moving along with his real message from the Underworld since Esen looked grouchy.

"I don't serve Hades," Esen replied. He kept his eyes on Kamaria and watched as she tenderly washed the dirt and grime from the fourth, and latest Full Moon Strangler victim.

"Fine. Erlik, then, whatever. The God of Death has many names because everybody fucking dies. Okay? Just get back to work and stop staring at that girl," Marshall continued, his irritation made his voice an octave higher, the words spilled forth on fast-forward. Someday, Marshall would get his own list and someone else would play messenger for the Reapers who allowed themselves to be distracted enough to gain Hade--Erlik's attention.

Marshall vanished in a puff of black smoke that lingered in the air for a few seconds, causing Kamaria to look up from her work and sniff out the mysterious source of the change.

"She's not just any girl," Esen murmured quietly when Kamaria returned to her task. "She's my soulmate."

...And her name is on my list.

Stay tuned!