I wake up and see my ceiling white with paint. I hear pots and pans clang together. Not aggressively but...,

I get up and get dressed then I go to the kitchen.

It has a light yellow morning sun paint on the walls with white molding. White tiles for the floor were gleaming dimly in the light. I look to seeCrystalmaking breakfast.

"Morning John!" She says in a carefree way.

I don't answer. She's in a blue tank top and has on black pajama pants.

I'm surprised any one gets up as early as me. And I get up atfour thirty!

She hands me a coffee cup with steaming coffee inside it.

"It's dark," she says, "I don't know how you like it... so I left it dark so you could add whatever you wanted in it."

I take the cup and look at it. I take a sip testing the heat. Then I look back at her smiling face.

"Thanks."

"Breakfast should be done in a moment."

I go to the small round table in the corner of the kitchen and sit on a chair by it. I look out the window besides me to see an owl looking at me from outside.

"Crystal?" I ask.

"Hm?" She say's looking up from her work.

I look away. "Nothing."

"Okay."

I feel a pain run into my chest and it starts to throb. I get up grasping the shirt area over it and start to walk to my room.

"John? You okay?"

"It's nothing just a little heart burn that's all." I groan.

I walk down the hallway and into my room. I open the door and another pounding sensation hits me. I shut the door and collapse near the bed. I struggle to get up. I look at my ring and I see it vibrating. And all at once the pounding stops. I look at the little blood rosy bead on it and I see a girls face come into view. She has hazel eyes and light silver hair.

"John a soul near you is about to be stolen. It may be yours."

"Is the thief a creature?"

"Yes," she says. "It's one of the creatures you are hunting."

I look at the door and then look at a M16 I have in a closet.

"Have you told anyone about the curse John?"

I look back at her.

"Yes," I say to her. "I mentioned it to a man but then killed him so the curse should still remain a secret."

She nods.

"What do I have to do to end the curse?" I ask.

She looks at me confused.

"Why would you want to break the curse John?" She asks. "You could live forever!"

"I have had this wretched thing on long enough that I can't die. That is unless you decide to kill me internally." I say. "But you wont do that now will you? Eh Jezebel?"

She gives me a longing look. "Of course I won't John. You mean too much to me."

I sigh.

"You loved me and I you. Have you forgotten that? Do you not care?"

"Of course I care." I say. "I'm trying to free you am I not?"

"True." She says. "Have you found someone?"

"I think I might have but..."

She looks at me. "You love her don't you? The one you saved last night?"

"I don't know what I think!" I snap at her quickly.

She looks at me hurt.

I sigh. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

A nock comes to my door.

"You better hide."

Her face disappears from my sight.

I get up and open the door.

Crystalis there.

"You okay?"

"Yes." I say. "What do you need?"

"I just came to tell you that breakfast is ready."

"Okay."

She turns around and starts to walk away. I follow.

As we move down the hall she stops and twitches.

I notice this.

'It's her! She's the thief!'

But she starts to move again.

'Wait! What are you thinking?! You over reacting. She probably just had a chill.'

She stops again and twitches.

"You or another will lose a soul. By one of the creatures you are hunting." Jezebel's words say in my head again.

'No it's not her! It can't be! I helped her!'

She turns around and I see I helped an enemy.

Her eyes are pure black and her nails have extended.

"It is you!" I say. "You are the thief!"

She smile and her once normal teeth have now changed to blood stained fangs.

"Yes," she hisses. "Is there a problem?"

We start to walk backwards toward my room. I look over my shoulder to see my M1911 on my bed and waiting to be used.

"Don't even think about it." She says. "I could kill you before you make a single move."

'She's right. And I hate it when they are!'

"Want to know how a marrius takes a human's soul?"

'I think if I stall her enough I can make it to the bed, and then I might be able to kill her.'

"Sure," I say to her. "I hear it's horrible."

I know this is not true in the eyes of some humans, but I have to stall her long enough to make my move.

"First the marrius subdues her prey," she says in a seductive voice. "It's ten times more affective than that of a siren."

"How interesting."

'Come on! Two feet from the door!'

"She begins the seduction with simple kisses on the cheek." She says brushing her hair back.

I look back. I could probably use flash step but... they can detect that movement and use it to their advantage. I have to keep on doing what I am doing.

"That sounds pretty extreme for one soul."

She smiles.

"Your soul is different," she whispers in my ear. "Your are said to be the one who could end the Marrius forever. The one who couldn't be affected by the venom we produce. And the soul that's supposed to be the sweetest."

We reach my door way and she takes a bigger step forward and kisses me on my cheek.

"Mmmmmm...," she smiles. "You are sweet."

"Thank you?"

We step closer and closer to my bed. She looks at me with a look of want and thoughts.

'I don't want to know what the heck's going through her head right now!'

I hit my foot board.

'If I can just reach back and jump fast enough, I might be able to pull it off. Now to make her angry.'

"You know-"

But I can't continue. She stops me with a quick kiss on the lips. She steps back with a smile on her face.

"You know," I start, "I really am flattered by the offer but..." I glare at her and my tone hardens. "The fact is, I hate your kind. You have hit a new low. Trying to take my soul with that pathetic form of seduction?! Your race is a pathetic excuse, and a waste of my time!!"

She fumbles back a couple of paces. Extreme hatred and rage fills her eyes.

"You will suffer greatly for that human!!" She screams.

Her nails grow longer and she starts to charge me.

I take this moment to jump back and grab the gun from my bed. I aim it at her. She lunges at me and I let the bullet fly.

She hits the ground.

I get up and look at the corps. It changes back to normal and I seeCrystallying there with blood flowing around her. Instantly my heart fills with remorse.

'I shot her... I saved her then I shot her. Why doesn't this make sense?!'

A pain slams into my heart and I fall onto the ground.

I wake up and hear a knock on my door. I try to get up.

I'm gasping and breathing extremely hard. A cold sweat glistens as it moves slowly down my face. The knock comes again.

"C-Come in."

The door opens andCrystalcomes in and sees me struggling to get up.

"Are you okay?" She says as she helps me to my feet.

"Y-yeah," I gasp. "Just a dizzy spell."

"If your sure." She sighs. "Any way I came to tell you breakfast is ready."

I go and grab the nine millimeter from my desk and slide it into the holster of my belt.

As I turn to the door I seeCrystalshiver.

I grab the side arm and aim it at her.

She turns around and see me aiming it at her.

"John?!"

I stare at her. Sweat beads my face.

"John what is going on?!"

"Shut up." I say in a low voice.

She stares at me.

"Why do you want my soul?"

She looks shocked.

"What?!"

"Why do you want my soul? Why is it more special than the other hundreds of thousands?"

"What in the world are you talking about John?"

I grab my ring and I start to move towards her. Normally the ring would vibrate if a Marrius was near but it doesn't.

I lower my gun. She is breathing hard from fear.

"What was that about?" She gasps.

I turn away from her and walk to my room and shut the door.

I go to my closet and get my combat vest. I put it on as well as my leg holster. I then open a small box and open it.

Inside there are two M1911s. I put one in the holster of my combat vest, located near my side but in front of my torso, and on in the leg holster.

I go to my desk and grab a piece of paper with writing on it. It's my check list.

•Police field M1 shotgun: in the umbrella jar by the door. Check

•M16 assault rifle: in the kitchen under the dinning room table. Check

•Two M9s: in the sofa remote pocket. Check.

•38. Special revolver: in the desk drawer.

I open the second left hand drawer and find the revolver in it's place.

•Check!

•MP5 submachine gun: in the guest room under the bed. Check.

That's everything.

My ring starts to vibrate and I hear a nock at the door.

"I got it!"Crystalcalls from the kitchen.

I dart out of my room to the top of the three stair flight connecting the hallway to the living room.

"Crystal no!!"

I see her open the door as I dart down the stairs. I see a child standing there with a smile on her face. A little girl.

She starts to speak but I slam the door in her face.

"John what was that for?"

The door starts to bang loudly and I grab the M1 shotgun from the umbrella jar.

"Stand back!"

She looks at me shocked. "John it's a child!"

As if on cue, a small hand smashes through the door and reaches for the knob.

I aim the shotgun at the hand and let a bullet fly.

The arm gets the full force of the blast and lead, and retreats back through the hole.

"Yeah," I say to her. "Some tough kid!"

The hand shoots through the hole again and grabs the knob of the door. Her nails are longer than before. She opens it before I can get another shot off.

Her eye are black, her teeth are blood stained fangs.

I grabCrystalshand and dart towards my room.

"You won't escape!" I hear her hiss.

We are half way down the hall when I hear jumping.

I turn around and nudgeCrystalto my room.

"Keep going!" I demand.

She keeps running.

I turn around and hear the jumping getting closer. The marrius jumps onto a wall, then jumps onto another.

She lunges toward me. "Die human!"

I raise the shotgun and send a small cloud of bb's into her. She gasps and then falls on top of me and doesn't move. I push her off and walk towards my room.

I open the door to seeCrystalunder the desk. She spots me.

"John you're alive!"

"Yeah." I sigh.

She gets up and I hear a scrape behind me.

I turn around and the little girl lashes out at me.

I get the entire blow. It tears my shirt and leaves five huge gashes on my chest. I look up and she jumps on me. I hit the floor with her on top of me. She's clawing at me and biting me. I'm trying to get her off.

"Crystal!" I call. "Shoot the damned kid!"

"But it's a child John!"

"Could a damned child, at the age of six or seven, take down a man?!"

"Well where's a gun?!"

I punch the little girl after she bites me in the neck.

"In the second left hand drawer of my desk should be a 38. Special!"

She looks and pulls out the revolver as I fight tooth and nail with this kid.

"Why won't you just die?! You've been shot twice with a damned shotgun!"

She only growls and hisses and continues to claw and bite me.

I look and seeCrystalaiming the gun.

"Take the damn shot!"

As the kid rears back to stab me with the ten long, sharp finger nails,Crystalfire the gun and the bullet hits the kid's forehead.

She falls on me and I push her off. I get up and walk toCrystaltaking the gun away from her shaking hands.

I aim the gun and fire two more bullets into the dead girl's skull. I turn to seeCrystalstart to cry.

I put the gun on the desk and sit next to her on the bed. Instantly, she buries her face in my torn shirt. I place a hand on her back and one on her head.

"It's alright," I sigh. "You did the right thing... you saved me from it."

"But it was a child." She whimpers through my shirt.

"I know that's what it looked like. But it's something else, something that looks like a human."

She looks up at me. Only her eyes are showing the rest are still buried in my shirt.

"What?"

I sigh. "I guess I can't hide it anymore."

She sits up.

"Hide what?"

I look ahead out a window.

"For over a hundred years a creature, called the Marrius, has hunted men for their souls. They are only female. And the reproduce with the help of the soulless men they catch and make they're slaves."

"Oh." She sighs. "How do they steal souls?"

"They subdue the victim. It's ten times more powerful and alluring than a Siren. After the smooth talk they kiss the man on the cheek. Then they start to make out. Then the affaire. That's when the soul is taken from the male."

"So why do they want you?"

"I volunteered for a program that would transform men into Marrius killing machines. We have powers, gifts, which allow us to kill any marrius we face."

"So you're-"

"No," I say quickly. "I'm still human, just a bit inhuman."

She looks away.

"How did they do it?"

"They found rings earlier in life that held a special power. They connected them to machines and used them to make formulas to changes us from what humans we are."

I pause and continue.

"Over a hundred men shown up. But most died during the process. Others searched for the marrius but died a horrible death. I was the only one who survived. I am the only success." I say looking at my hand. "This ring came from the facility. It holds a special being's soul."

"Is it your girl friend's soul?"

I sigh and look down at the floor.

"Yes it is. I wasn't the last person in line for the 'alteration', if you will, but when I was through the facility was sacked. She was in the facility when it occurred. When the facility got sacked, everyone who hadn't the treatment were killed even the women. Some of those who did have the treatment, and survived it, died that day."

I take off the ring and put it on the table. And cover it up with a cloth.

"What are you doing?!"Crystalasks.

"I'm removing the ring."

"But you'll be-"

"No I have had the solution that came from the ring injected into me. The ring is used to back that up and to detect the Marrius."

"Oh."

I get up and go to the mini-fridge in my room and grab a glass bottle of beer. I open it and take a drink. I go back to the bed and sit down. She watches me take another drink.

"That won't help." She says.

"No it won't." I say looking at her. "But I'm thirsty."

She stares at the cuts, bruises, and scares on my arm and torso. I look away and take another drink.

"You life is heck ain't it?"

"Yes." I say to her. "It has been a bit."

She leans up and kisses me.

I look at her.

"What was that for?"

She looks away blushing. "I'm sorry it just happened."

"Actually I don't mind."

We lean closer to each other. Her eyes close and we kiss. I hear a small rattle on the table behind me.

I pull back and look to see the ring vibrating under the cloth. I grab the shot gun and run.

"John what's going on?"

I point to the ring. She sees it and looks back at me.

"What does that mean?"

"That's when a marrius is near." She looks for the revolver.

I run to the front door and open it to see no one there.

I shut it and I hear a click be hind me.

"Drop that shotgun John."Crystalsays behind me.

'Please tell me she's not a marrius. PLEASE!'

I turn around and see her on the top step of the three step flight of stairs holding that 38. Special.

"I said 'drop it'."

"Crystalplease let's be reasonable."

I look at her and my eyes change to the red slits. Another personality shows itself.

"You realize if you try to gun my down I won't die."

She looks shocked.

"I know what you're thinking. I have no idea why the ring went off."

I look towards a window. And see hand prints.

"But I think I figured it out."

She looks at the window too.

"There was one here!"

I nod. My eyes returning to normal.

She looks at me then asks, "But what do you mean you can't die?"

"I said I was the only success in that 'alteration', that part is true. But the ring they used to make me is cursed."

She gasps.

"Immortality is part of that curse."

"So that means..."

"No, only the marrius can kill me. That too is part of the curse."

She looks at me with a hint of greed.

"The facility is destroyed." I say.

The greed goes away.

"What happens if the Marrius kills you?" She asks.

"The whole world is doomed to destruction."

"What do you mean?"

"I am the only success in the process. I am the only one who can kill the Marrius."

"You have to kill over a billion creatures by yourself!!"

"Yes," I sigh. As I sit down on the couch.

She comes over and sits next to me.

"You really have a lot on your shoulders."

I lean back and sigh.

'I know I do but I don't need you reminding me.''

She leans over and kisses me, then she leans back and smiles.

"I can see why the Marrius want your soul so bad," she says. "You're so sweet."

I look at her. "How do you mean?"

"You let me stay with you when I had no where else to go. You saved me from three thugs, plus a marrius,. And you are telling me a dark secret."

I look at her.

"The marrius didn't come after you. It had no intention. It came after me. And plus I'm telling you this secret because you shouldn't be left in the dark about the things that will happen here in this house."

"I know," she sighs. "But you are still sweet."

"I thought you meant like taste sweet."

"Oh you do. But not like the Marrius thinks." She explains. " I'm defiantly not a marrius."

"Okay."

She leans up and kisses me again.

'Why, out of all the things I have done, am I stuck between two girls?! One has my love and the other is starting to get it too. Oh I know I'm going to regret this, but please have a marrius attack right now.'

I get my wish.

A knock on the window draws us apart.

I look to see a brick fly through the window with a note attached to it.

I get up and keep my shotgun in ready position. I walk to the brick slowly keeping my eye on the window. My foot hits the brick and I pick it up and take the note, expecting a marrius to jump at me right now. I look behind me and seeCrystalwith the revolver in her hand.

I grab the note and decide to go back over toCrystal.

We know you're the only success from the facility.

You're out numbered, Give up! ...

Or someone gets hurt.

Some one very, very close to you.

I turn to seeCrystalbehind me.

Is that who they mean? I think so but...

The phone rings and I pick it up and hear the sound of breathing.

"Hello?"

"Hello Johnathan Robson," and evil hiss says on the other end of the line. Marrius no doubt. "We want to negotiate. You've taken two of our operatives' lives."

"More than that. Don't forget the facility."

"Yes I remember." She hisses harshly. "Bring only the ring to the coordinates we are about to give you."

About then I hear something whirr. I turn to see the facts machine starting to receive something.

"Why do you want me?" I ask. "I'm sure there's other facilities that have had more success than me."

"No there's not." She then says in a sweet tone. "I know it's unclear now , but all will be revealed at the set time assigned. You will understand after a meeting with our queen."

"Queen?!"

"Yes, the queen." She says. " The most beautiful of us all. The most successive. And the most loved." She adds. "by both our people."

"Liar!" I snap. "My people want to destroy you!"

"Not all of them."

"Name them."

"Gangster, suicides, and broken husbands," she explains. "All of them want one last good time before death. And we happily oblige them."

"No." I gasp not able to believe it.

"Yes," she says. "But you're different. We want you to rule us all." She says.

""What?!"

"Think about it. Marrius can only be killed by those who had the treatment. And those who've had the treatment can only be killed by the Marrius. We are two sides of the same coin." She whispers. "All the most beautiful women in the world. And you rule them all."

I don't speak. It would be the only dream of a man, not in his right mind though. But power, money, weapons, and , crazy enough, women.

I look at Crystal.

"The one you look at now could join too. And Jezebel."

That ended the dream.

"What do you know about Jezebel? She's dead!!"

"We know a lot about you." She says. "So... are you coming?"

I look back to Crystal worried and angry.

"Yes," I reply after a minute. "But if anything goes wrong. Expect a hell of a fight."

I hear a laugh. "Fine."

I hang up.