It's a curse to wake up from being cursed.

I had no memory, but I had vague memories. It was confusing and made me want to sit down on the dirty floor of this convenience store to think about what I suddenly knew and what was still blank. But that wasn't exactly an option I had.

He was different, that much was obvious. It had been a while since she had seen him, from the brief times she had of course, but the man who stood in front of her was, in fact, a man, even if she knew differently. He had stabilized and managed to perfect the form he had wanted, a solid masculine body that stood confidently and filled in the finely styles white clothing he wore. No longer were white scales unevenly spaced on every piece of exposed flesh, instead of smooth and pale skin, an exotic face that only defined even more with the slightly slanted eyes outlined in oddly fascinating dark gray lashes that matched the thick brows on this face. Thick white hair that could have been transparent if not for the sheer amount was purposely combed back and out his face, the dim yellow lighting in the store contrasting vividly with the being before her.

She might not have recognized the exquisite face before her had it not been for those golden eyes which hadn't revealed a hint of emotion, his plump lips, the only color on his otherwise pale face beside his eyes that brought a reluctant allure to them with their blooming shade of pale rose. Those very lips were pressed together as if trying to hold something back, two fuzzy images of a vicious mouth opening to bite her while another of those same lips murmuring something into her ear was the only answer she received in return for the thought. He had most definitely excelled in the art of perfecting his form. But that didn't matter because she knew the truth behind the beauty.

He was a monster. But a much too familiar monster.

Her mind was a mess of time and sensories, names and foggy thoughts clashing with the life she was living in that present. She knew of her name, of where she was truly born, but it was out of reach like the clouds in the sky. There, but not. But one thing was firm in her mind. The only thing her emotions and body agreed upon. A fear that she had only felt before in her nightmares resurfaced the longer she looked at him. She didn't know why but she felt like the creature before her was to blame somehow, she wasn't entirely sure if she had gone mad and that the images in her mind telling her that she had once fought him, hunted him even and more were manifestations of her own desperation to know more about herself. Perhaps she had truly lost it, but even if she had, she did not trust the creature before her. She took a step back and tensed when his eyes narrowed.

"Wait, we don't have time for this again." He hissed softly, reaching out to her slowly. Eyes widening at the voice that came out of him she took another hasty step back until her back hit something cold and hard, not thinking she reached behind her until her hands took hold of something smooth but deflated where her hands had come into contact. She held it out in front of her as if it were a shield of some sort.

He stilled with his hand half outstretched, golden eyes glanced down, his right brow twitching as if he were surprised. He looked back up at her, the corner of his mouth slightly lifting. She knew she shouldn't have looked down but she did so anyway and then cursed.

Lay's Barbeque flavored. Family Sized!

Well, she wasn't going to put it back now, holding it up higher in front of her she pointed it at him as if she were wielding a weapon.

"Get the hell away from me you-you creeper!" She warned, not completely sure why she didn't trust him. He unnerved her, her stomach felt as if it were being forcefully emptied the longer she stayed around him. It was just him and her in the back of the store, the cashier conveniently absent as low radio music played and the dark of the night displayed through the windows. Beide her the refrigerator hummed softly, at the end of the line the last one flickering as old lights began to die out. 

She felt panic begin to swell within her as the realization that a man, who looked like he belonged anywhere but this dingy old store, was accosting her and that for whatever reason she felt as if she knew him from old memories that couldn't have been real, but that filled her body with dread at the thought of him anywhere near her. He was dangerous, she could see it in the way he watched her with golden eyes that couldn't be real. She had to get away, her old feeling of flight kicking in. Now she just had to figure out how. She could make a run for it, from her peripheral vision she caught sight of the open aisle. 

"Mykela, please-" Her name coming out of his mouth just made her feel all the more worried. She didn't even wait for him to finish whatever he had been about to say, making a hasty distinction she threw the bag of chips in his direction while throwing out her free arm and taking hold of the refrigerator handle, throwing it open she ran, hoping that the glass would give her a second to run out into the aisle. She took all of one step when she hit a full stop. Behind her, the refrigerator door shut firmly.

She didn't have to look up to know he had somehow gotten in front of her in impossible timing. His body was somewhat cold, even though the layers she could feel it. Stepping back, she looked up at him, he placed both of his hands behind his back and took a step forward. Her back hit the cold glass.

"What do you want?" She asked wearily, stepping to the side. He followed her, matching every step she took.

"I merely wish to talk. Like we have so many other times before." Why didn't she believe that?

"I'm sure you do. Just like I'm sure you've talked to a lot of people who've probably never been seen again. I'm politely declining." She said without thought.

"Why are you always so stubborn before and after we meet." He hissed surly, more to himself as his eyes narrowed, keeping pace with her quick back steps.

"What?" She blurted out.

 What was he going on about? And how did he even know her name, to begin with? He was making it seem as if they had known each other, conversed even, but that couldn't be possible. Her losing her mind and coming up with an odd scenario that involved him she could almost ignore. Him losing it and coming up with a scenario that involved her? Not a chance. She didn't recall ever seeing him...in this life at least. That last thought bothered her.

"Look, I think you've mistaken me for someone else and that's okay, but back off." She had maneuvered her way to the front of the store now, him calmly following along as if the situation wasn't at all odd. He tilted his head to the side, a frown on his lips as he looked down at her. There weren't many people who looked down at her, but now she knew what it felt like and she wasn't sure how that made her feel, especially in this situation.

"You truly don't know who I am, do you?" The man said softly. "It has gotten worse." He shook his head as if something displeased him.

Then again how the hell should she know what he was thinking, she had never tried to obtain knowledge just by looking at someone. She wasn't some grand detective. She was just...Mykela, no one special. New and odd memories sturred in her mind as if disagreeing with her, she pushed then down and focused on the problem at hand. Or better said, the problematic man.  She shook her head at him, reaching behind her, feeling for the handle on the door.

"Look I have friends waiting for me, so I'm just going to go now. With my friends. A group, who are waiting for me." She huffed with falsity but knowing her words came out weak with belief as she herself couldn't believe them. She had one friend.  His blank stare, not changing, told her he believed her as much as she did. After a moment he gave out what should have sounded like a soft sigh.

"Please, allow me..." He began to lean down towards her, invading her space with his body as he took a step closer, the open white coat he wore skimmed over her thin blows. She stilled her chest, but could not still her heart as it pounded a fierce and wild beat.

She froze when he leaned down, his arm coming out beside her waist, his face inched closer until it hovered over hers for a moment. Golden eyes smoldering and rich, the vertical black pupils expanding slowly, she felt something flutter and crack within her. The sound of a bell going off and cold wind ruffling her skirt broke her out of whatever had distracted her. He had opened the door. She glanced down to see his pale hand on the metallic handle of the door, pressed down so that the door was pushed outward. She released a shaky breath and took the opportunity to back away from the smell of what could only be burning alcohol, cold air and something dangerous that left a strang taste on the tip of her tongue.

 Taking a much-needed gulp of cold night air, even if it was tainted in the stench of smoke and alcoholic beverages that had returned to the ground in a very unpleasant way. She turned and tried to quickly make her way across the dark parking lot and back to the club, or in reality away from everything behind her.

The sound of a second chime going off warned her that this night would not go as she wished. With a sudden bolt of annoyance that wasn't like her she stopped and turned, hands clenched into fists at her sides as she glared at the man who had followed her insistently. She had never struck another person in her life, but she would go down swinging if the creep tried anything.

"What is it? What do you want from me?" She demanded harshly, her words and voice rough.

He halted and stared down at her, the Seven-Eleven green sign flickering on and off, casting a green shadow across his face, distorting as his expression darkened. Whatever courage she had gained, fleed as his black pupils narrowed until they were barely visible in the dark of the night, his mouth opening as he spoke harshly, not restraining his words this time. Something about his voice pulled at her body as if something that had been slumbering in her had begun to awaken and wanted to reach out. Her breaths came out faster, chest lifting as goosebumps appeared over the exposed flesh.

"It's not what I want from you, but what you've promised me Mykela. We've done this many times already and every single time it gets worse." With every word, he took a step closer until he leaned over her frozen frame. "Please don't make this harder then it has been for me."

She couldn't help the nervous laughter that bubbled out of her and even that didn't last long.

"Look, I don't know how you know my name or even if we do know each other but I honestly don't know you." She took a step back and held her hands out in front of her, the chilly cold of the night catching up to her as she shivered in her inappropriate weather clothing. "I wish I could help you, but I just don't know what you're going on-"

Loud noises made her turn her head to look to her right, but he was not deterred by it. Obviously intoxicated a rowdy crowd of men were walking towards the store but one of them looked over and then began saying something to the others who looked over as well and they changed course and headed right towards them. Her worry began to increase dramatically as alarm flashed through her. What if they were his friends? Her chances to flee were slimming.

"Have you lost total recall?" The man in front of her asked in doubt and something else she could not name filled his tone. Her eyes flickered between his and the group that was nearing fast.

"Uhh..." She said unsure of how to respond to that without triggering whatever was driving him to even talk to her.

"Hey man!" A voice slurred from the group. "You botherin' the lady?" 

Her brows furrowed at the question thrown at him. Did that mean he didn't know them? Scanning the group of men in wrinkled clothing and disheveled appearance she decided that there was no way in hell the neatly kept man in front of her could hang out with the red-eyed and graceless men who bumped into one another more standing still than when they had been walking over. 

The man in front of her ignored the one who had just questioned him, confirming her thoughts, but also presenting a new dilemma. If she could get their help in getting him away from her then that was fine, but it was somehow easier running from one man then a group of men. She had seen some not so nice looks thrown her way when she had scanned their stupified group. Better the devil you know. His gaze had not moved from hers, not once, so she was surprised to see that his eyes were closed as his fingers pinched at the bridge of his nose, frustration clear with the stiff frame of his shoulders.

"While truly unexpected, it makes more sense now." She thought she heard him mutter under his breath. When he opened his eyes she was once again was taken aback by how bright and vivid his eyes were. "None the less I believe I know how to solve your momentary memory lapse." He said clearly now, his voice softer than when he had asked her to release him from...whatever he had been talking about.

"Hey, I'm talkin' to you asshole. He bothering you sweetheart?" This time the voice was directed towards her, she looked over at a brown-eyed man with shortly spike hair, his eyes were red-rimmed and slightly unfocused but other than that he seemed to be the one in the group who was the soberest.

She hadn't seen him move.

One moment the men where on their feet, barely, and then they were on the groud, eyes closed and slumped over one another as if purposely piled on top of one another. It took her a moment to look away from the human body pile on the groud as if her mind was still trying to figure out if they hadn't already been on the ground. When she finally looked up and meet the calm gaze of the golden-eyed man she stared at him, her mind in a blank.

"Did you do that?" I managed to choke out, feeling off balance. She wasn't one to believe in things she couldn't see and even if she hadn't seen anything she would be a fool to ignore the fact that he was standing farther from her then he had been original as if he had gone somewhere and then come back. 

 She waited for he would deny it,  to look behind him and exclaim some surprised phrase at the piles of men behind him. Hell, she would use the chance to run for her life.

"Yes." He answered truthfully, no hesitation or doubt in his tone as to what she was asking about.

Or not. 

Eyeing him she shivered, this time the reason not being cold weather. Looking back and forth from the slumped men to the tall one that looked back at her fervently, a focused and tracking like gaze that made it feel like no matter how much distance she tried to put between them would not be enough. Would never be enough. Wrapping her arms around herself she looked up at him with wide eyes.

"You aren't crazy, are you?" She whispered.

"No."

"Those aren't contacts, are they?" As if proving her right the black pupils thinned before expanding again, but staying straight rather then circular. She had been hoping this whole time that it was merely bad lighting and her glasses being smugged that had been the reason.

"No." 

"You really do know me, don't you?" She asked bleakly.

This time her question made him pause, his lips thinning as he considered how to answer her. After a moment he responded slowly, as if not pleased with the answer.

"In a way." He said evasively.

His answer worried her because it made thousands of questions come to mind, with thousands of possible answers that were just as worry some. She felt oddly numb as if her flight instincts had been working so hard in trying to get her to run that her body had grown numb to them. And to him. Her next question came grimly, heavy on her tongue as she asked it, but already sure of the answer as she looked into those animals like eyes.

"You aren't going to leave me alone, are you?"

He looked down at her, his hands coming up to the lapel of his white coat before opening it wipe and shrugging the trench coat off of his frame revealing a white vest on top of a white long sleeve shirt that stretched over the strong muscles that flexed as he moved. The gold framed sun glasses he had taken inside hun from the V of his shirt. He didn't even have to take a step closer to her, he merely spun the coat in an impressive maneuver that came more from his wrist as he threw the coat on over her shoulder. It wasn't warm, but its large size covered her frame and protected her from the cold night air. His pale hands lingered on her shoulders, skimming over a curl that came in contact with his finger before he pulled them back and behind his back.

"No." He said somberly. "I will not."

She said nothing then, not sure what came next, or more specifically what he wanted to come next. She was still in doubt over something, but if he felt so strongly about knowing her and whatever he was sure she had promised him then she could at least indulge him and see where this took her. As long as it wasn't six feet under, of course.

"Thank you for the coat." She said rather reluctantly, not sure what to make of the situation. Unwrapping her arms around herself she took hold of the jacket to keep it securely on her shoulder, not that it could have easily slipped off. The thing was like a blanket over her shoulders. A blanket that smelled very alluring to her.

"It's nothing." He said still looking at her in that oddly intense way. She looked away not entirely comfortable, she instead looked down at the pile of guys.

"They are alive, right?" She asked, biting her bottom lip. She could see some of their chests rising but for all she knew, she thought she was seeing them move. 

"Yes, just unconscious." He informed her. "I know that you don't trust me yet, but I think it would be in our best convenience to leave before we attract attention." He said motioning for her to turn and walk.

She made a point of looking at the unconscious bodies on the ground and then to him. The corners of his lips twitched.

"I said us. They are different."

She stood her ground.

"You say you know me, but I'm not going anywhere with you until I know who you are." She said boldly. He lifted his chin and then tilted it as if waiting for her to continue. It was a very odd gesture coming off of him, something about it made her pause but then she shook it off.

"What's your name?"

"Venom." She blinked once. Twice. When he didn't laugh she realized he was being serious, she also couldn't imagine the stoic man laughing either. Unique, very unique she thought.

"Last name?" She questioned slowly, still dwelling on his name. Venom. What type of people named their child venom. He must have had a hard time in school. The eyes probably didn't help.

He shook his head at her. "Just Venom." Her eyes narrowed at that. "Honestly."

"Convenient." She mumbled looking off to the side. Now, what was she supposed to scream out if he tried to grab her? Venom, wouldn't really work.

"What-" He cut her off.

"I promise all of your questions will be answered but I think we should-"

"I'll talk to you but I'm not walking off into the night with you Venom." She said his name purposely, emphasizing it for more than the sole reason that she didn't believe it was truly his name. But it could have been part of the reason she said it at all. He looked over her shoulder and squinted in concentration before looking back.

"I comprehend, but do you not wish to check on your brunette friend?" His words startled her because she had been so focused on her possible life she had forgotten about Leona. Immediate guilt assaulted her as thoughts of what could have happened to her passed her mind. She hadn't gone clubbing before, but she wasn't obvious about its dangers. Then his words hit her along with a realization.

"How do you know I came with a brunette? Were you watching me? " She asked, her voice rising with distress at the thought and with an inkling that she was right, not liking how he looked over her shoulders once more to where the club was as he answered.

"I've been looking for you. Tonight was an opportune chance of finding you." He corrected, looking back at her, pale brows furrowed.

"What have you done to my friend?" She demanded steely. He mixed her with an expression that could have been thought of as exasperation if it had lasted long enough.

"Me? Nothing. My sister on the other hand? She can be a quiet persuasive in her own ways which makes her very flamboyant, so if you wish to save your friend from imminent danger then I suggest we go now." 

Eyeing him distrustfully she begrudgingly turned and began to walk back to the club with him close by, she wasn't sure yet if she could trust him but she wasn't willing to risk Leona's life for it in case he really had done something to her. As they walked in silence she went over his words. She had been moving around for a very long time for reasons not even she completely understood, over the years feeling as if she were both running from and to something greater then her understanding. Could it be that he somehow knew something about her, that even she herself did not? If she had automatically felt uneasy as she and Leona made their way to the club, just as she felt when she knew it was time to move from where she was staying, was it possible that she had been running from him? But how had her body known when he was getting near? How had he known where to look for her? 

"You don't own a black car do you?" She asked abruptly, breaking the silence. She could hear the pounding music now, not actual words but a rhythmic beat as the club came back into view. She eyed him as they walked, his side profile just as dazzling as the front.

"No."  He answered without hesitation, turning to look at her as well, she was about to let out a relieved sigh when he continued. "But my sister does." 

She almost stumbled over an even concrete tile but managed to catch herself. She noticed that his arm had already been extended, as if ready to catch her. He quickly tucked his arms behind him.  His sister had a black car.

But that didn't have to mean that it was the black car that had been outside of the hotel she had been staying at. Things could not be that connected because if they were, then it might really be in her best interest to learn what exactly Venom, she felt like it could be more of a nickname then an actual name, might be her best chance of learning more about her past.

Whichever it may be.

As they neared, she worried that they would have to get back in line in order to get in, but Venom walked right past her and continued to pass the line of people waiting to get in. She wasn't about to cut, the line wasn't even all that long. She slowed down and got ready to get in line when a strong tug pulled her back in place, looking down she saw that he had grabbed at the sleeves of his coat and had tugged her away from the line. Confused she went to open her mouth when he shook his head and with his free hand removed the sunglasses that hung from around his neck to put them back on. He tuned back around with her in tow, walking towards the door as if he couldn't be stopped. Which he wasn't, muttering low apologies to the people in line she followed after him with her head down feeling guilt about cutting.

Walking through the silk curtains already her eyes began to scan around for Leonas red streaked hair, but to her astonishment, she didn't have to look far. Beside her Venom said something, but she couldn't hear him over the music, but she was sure if she had been able to focus that it would have been a curse.

Leona, her boss for all of four months and two days was pole dancing.

"I didn't even know she could do that. She didn't tell me she could do that." I muttered open-mouthed as she hooked her legs over her head upside down and twisted down the pole slowly. "Where did the pole even come from?"

I was sure it hadn't even been a feature of the club. The dance floor had cleared some, but some people had decided to stand as close as they dared as she danced-twirled- around the crowd that had gathered to watch. All eyes were on her, from those sitting down to those standing. Well, not all eyes. Mindlessly she walked closer, pushing past people to get a better look as if upon closer inspection she could realize it was some someone that just looked like Leona.

"Whoa."  It was Leona. And it wasn't just a pole dancing show, it was also a lap dance.

Mykela was close enough to realize why some people had grouped closer to the front then the back, pushing through she realize there was someone sitting in a pulled out chair placed strategically right in front of the pole. She could only see the back of the woman's blue-black hair, but from what she could tell it, the woman was model-tall with the darkest skin she had ever seen in person. Her black clothing was almost the same shade as her smooth dark skin, making it alluring to stare at the similarity. And that was just from the back. Two long and slim arms were extended out, moving around in rhythm as she danced in the chair and stared ahead at the show being thrown in what Mykela guessed was her honor.

Leona, feet on the ground, danced her way to towards the woman in the chair until she was in her space, with her body swaying and moving in a way that had the crowd hollering and cheering. Mykela wasn't even sure if that was Leona, it looked like her but, the eyes were glazed and there was this look of pure unadulterated hunger and euphoria on her face. She hadn't even known dancing that closely on someone was possible, she tilted her head to the side, then had to stop as she almost smacked her face with the palm of her hand as it came up to stop her glasses from falling to the floor. When white filled her peripheral vision she turned to see Venom beside her, the clear image of displeasure.

"Is that your sister?" Mykela asked him in disbelief. He ignored her question. How could someone be so persuasive as to get another human being to start dancing on a pole in a dance club? Was she type of hypnotist?

"Cut it out." He hissed softly beside her, her brows furrowed, she wasn't doing anything. When his tinted gaze remained forward she figured he must have been talking about his sister. But there was no way she could have heard him from the distance and-her eyes met a glare frostier then night and darker than death.

It appears that his sister had indeed heard the low words within the loud room as she slowly tilted her head back over the chair, her tall frame bending in a way which indicated natural flexibility. Upside down she stared at Mykela with a focused gaze, her eyes zeroing in on her like a hound on a scent during a hunt. That rage being thrown at her from that glare alone made me gulp, petrified. Without removing her eyes from me she lowered her arms and placed her lithe fingers on Leona's forearms, pausing her public show. Disappointment and confusion filled Leona's face as she backed away.

Twisting and standing in all of one movement, the towering woman made her way off of the dance floor, the quick changing lights from the dance floor illuminating her in their colors as a dark shadow. There was no hesitation in those long leather covered legs as each step brought her down the stairs without watching her step. Her arms spread around her, shoving the bodies that tried to swarm her, to be with her. It was as if she knew from where the next body would come from, her palm facing out in their direction before they reached her. Mykela found herself both transfixed and alarmed by the face heading in her direction.

Black hair that gleamed blue in the light trailed down like a river of agony down her back, stray pieces braided and intertwined with bright blue string. A long and model-like body that wore thin black layers that were cut off in uneven lengths that somehow emphasized her height as they dragged around her like a queens curtain, shoulders bare but decorated with silver charms that covered her forearm. Zipper inforced boots covered her feet, their bottoms glimmering silver under her as she walked, showing that the sole was made out of actual metal rather than rubber. She had a long heart shaped face that emphasized her cruel beauty. Everything about her features were sharp, from the long nose to the perfectly dark painted lips beneath them, the slanted eyes that were framed by lashes longer then most could have naturally. The eyes, especially those eyes.

There was no humanity in those eyes.

The thought made her flinch, not because it was harsh, but because anyone who ignored the alien beauty around those eyes could see their own darkest periods reflecting back beneath a thin layer that could be pierced by a wild fury. The woman had seen her flinch, she knew because of the large shark-like grin that began to spread on her face. Mykela went to step back, the almost numb feeling of flight rising up in her like a race car in the final lap but was met with resistance as a strong hand to her back held her in place. Behind the exoticly frighting woman Leona trailed, like a puppy in love with doll-like eyes. The crowd behind them had once again filled the floor, but most of their eyes hadn't left the main article of entertainment, watching with almost expectant eyes for something more to happen as they took sight of the two newcomers. Or better yet the mysterious male in shades that glowed like an angle with his mere appearance.

Darkness and light, they might not have looked alike and might have not even be related by blood but these two definitely knew each other. Fidgeting within the coat as if it were going to give her any protection from the silent stare that had marked her like a target Mykela looked away from those black eyes and instead tried to catch Leona's eyes to no avail.

"I see you've decided to let her walk." A low seductive voice hissed. Mykela tried not to look back at the woman, but you don't just ignore a voice like that. "You should have broken her legs like I suggested in the beginning."

On the other hand, ignoring her would mean not having to stare at those dark eyes that narrowed in on her with distaste. Her eyes widened at the words. Why did his sister seem to hate me so much?

"Release the friend." Venom demanded softly, ignoring the previous words which half stressed me because it either meant she was kidding or because he wasn't ignoring the suggestion. "You know we have no time for this. Its getting close to minute mark." 

I bit my tongue to make sure I was really awake. I knew for a fact that no one was touching Leona, so why would she have to release her? Nothing that came out of Venom's mouth was making sense. A huff came from the dark woman standing in front of me before, much to my bewilderment Leona moaned, looked around and then began to sway on her feet as if she could no longer retain the strength to hold her own body weight. Instinctively I reached out to catch her, but it was unnecessary as the one reached behind her lazily, her hand curling around Leona's upper arm as her head dropped to her chest.  It almost looked like the woman was holding Leona's body up with a single arm. 

"Leona?" I began to worry when there was no response, no bopping of her head or twitching of limbs. At least I could see her chest rising and falling at a steady pace as if she were sleeping.

"Worry not little hunter, the pet lives." Sneered the woman towards me, my outreached hands dropped in front of me. 

"Hunter?" I mimicked. Her eyes scanned me this time, looking at my shaken form and eyeing the coat over my shoulder. She swung her gaze to Venom.

"How extensive is it this time?" She murmured, some of the rage from her voice disappearing as if it had never been there all along. I felt whiplashed trying to keep up with everything that had gone on so far into this night. Was this usually how clubbing went for Leona?

"Enough." Was all he replied before motioning to the entrance with his head. She made a face before wrapping an arm around Leona's waist and then promptly carrying her to the door like a weightless football. People eyed her in disbelief as she went.

"Wait, were is she going?" I demanded, already following behind to keep an eye on her. The woman freaked me out, but still, I couldn't let my only friend be carried off with the princess of darkness.

"Home." Venom said beside me. I almost turned to glare at him but decided not to chance losing sight of the two in front of us. When we made it outside the night's air had me taking a fresh breath.

"Not to your home right?" I asked wearily. "Because whatever your ulterior goal is here, I'm not going home with you. Sorry." She added, not wanting to be rude. An odd sound came from him, but he nodded in agreement.

"Not our home. Yours. Which is why," The had followed his sister to the clubs back parking lot where few people were hanging out near. My insides tightened when I recognized the black car we were headed towards. "We are going to need you to tell us the location of where she is staying."

That didn't sit too well with me. If I gave them the location of where she was staying I would also be telling them where I was and if things went horribly wrong tonight then that mean that they could come back anytime they wanted to pay a visit. While I could be long gone by that point, Leona would still be there. Alone.

"It's fine, I can call a cab to drop us off." I insisted, slowing down as we neared. His sister pulled out keys from somewhere in her outfit, the car's lights flashing. 

"Mykela, you have my word that your friend will come to no harm from my hand nor my Viper's, but I urgently need to speak to you." Venom promised besides her, leaning down so that his words fanned over her face. Somehow she knew that behind his shades those golden eyes would be gleaming.

I somehow also knew that he had purposely kept my safety out of that promise.

Viper, what a comforting name.

"She's in."

I looked over to see Viper closing the car door and walk around to the driver's side. Without waiting for my response Venom walked over to the car and opened the back door, waiting for me. They had me at a disadvantage with her already strapped in the car. My feet felt heavy as I walked over, I took the coat off and motioned for him to take it. A shaded gaze looked down at me before he reached out to take it. Rather reluctantly I got in, sliding next to a slumped Leona who had her head pressed against the window. Once Venom was seated his sister turned to me, the sound of the doors locking no doubt sounding louder to my ears than their own.

"Where too?" She asked with a preditors grin.

*   *   ~  *   *

"Across the street...across the god damn street." She muttered angrily, coal black eyes glared at me through the rearview mirror in the car. "How dare you move across the fucking street?" 

I opened my mouth to say something but found that since I wasn't exactly sure what I had done to piss Viper off that I had no answer that could have possibly pleased her, so I closed my mouth and shrugged. Beside her Venom shook his head.

"As expected, the unexpected." He murmured.

"Don't praise her you fool." Viper said through clenched teeth. "At least last time she merely went back to the previous places she had moved from. She's trouble, right from the start that's all she's been." The words came out dark in the fast-paced car. 

For some reason, her words stirred something in me, not anger, but some form of acceptance as if I knew that word well and could tie myself to it from the moment my first breath had been taken in this world. I couldn't understand anything those two had spoken of this whole night, but somehow they knew me, even if I couldn't recall ever seeing them. But she was right in one thing. When I first started going on the road, I hadn't felt confident to venture out far from where ever I was staying which more times than not lead to me traveling back to whatever Inn I had decided to stay in until I had finally traveled far enough that my little back and forths could no longer be made possible.

How long had they been looking for me? They looked no older than mid-twenties but there were so many things off about them that I wasn't sure I could trust my eyes. 

Venom reached over and patted Viper on her head as if trying to calm her, she tried leaning away to get out of his reach but his arms were so long and there was only so far she could lean away. She went tense under his hand at first but seemed to physically calm as he began to soothingly comb through the top of her hair, leaning into his touch. She grumbled something under her breath.

Looking to my side I studied Leona, she didn't smell strongly of alcohol so I saw no reason for her to be this passed out unless she consumed some type of drug. During my time working with her, I knew that she had her wild moments, but never had I expected something like what she had done tonight. She had faint bags under her eyes which were different from her smudged eyeliner, it looked as if she hadn't slept for a couple of days which I was sure she actually had. 

We hadn't even been in the club for full thirty minutes and she somehow managed to go pole dancing and I somehow managed to get the attention of two people who were stranger then words could describe them. When the car began to slow to a stop I looked up to see her parking in front of the bookstore. I quickly undid my belt and her's preparing to get out quickly, but somehow he was already outside with the car door open. The night's wind hitting me only a moment after I had realized he had opened the door. Shuffling out I got out just as the door on Leona's side opened.

"Thanks." I muttered, looking down at my brown boots as I made my way to the gate that would lead to the little ally for the apartment door. Turning to face both of them with forced smile I spoke as cheerily as I could.

"Thank you for the ride, it was a pleasure to meet you." I tried reaching for Leona, but with a single raise of her shapely brow Viper made me cower back.

"Nice try, hunter." She purred with a cruel smile that bared more teeth then kindness. "Now get inside."

Trembling dejectedly I reached for the key in the pocket on the inside of my skirt. It had been small enough to put the keys in, but now I was wishing it was big enough to hide me in it. I opened the gate and then went to the front door, unlocking the apartment door and heading up the stairs with them in tow. When we got to the top I stood in front of my door and eyed Leona's door. She had her key on her, but I wasn't sure where on her persona it was.  They were too alluring and alien, not to mention tall to be within the plain walls of the hall. Venom walked over to her, taking in a deep breath and motioned to the door behind her.

"You stay here as well." He might have intended it to come out as a question but it came out more as a statement. She didn't answer him and instead pointed to Leona's door as Viper held her football style single-handedly as if it weren't a strain on her slender form.

"I'm not sure where her key is, but you can put her in my-HEY! That's illegal." I shouted as Viper turned around and twisted the doorknob which gave off a snapping sound as the locks broke. She turned to give me a not so innocent expression.

"It was already broken." She strutted in without another word.

I stared after her in disbelief, from where I was standing the broken chunk of whatever piece of the lock it had been, did not look open.

"I will pay for that." Venom said, snapping her attention from the sounds coming from within Leona's apartment. It sounded like Viper was opening drawers. "Now," He nodded at her door. "open."

She eyed him unsure, clenching her key in her hand until the dull edges stung.

"I don't think-"

"I will GLADLY open your door as well, hunter." Viper threatened as she came walking out from Leona's apartment door, shutting it behind her with a scowl.

I bit my tongue and turned around not wanting to cause any more damage to Leona's building. If I lived, this was surely coming out of her paycheck.

They didn't seem bothered or even surprised by her lack of decoration. Shuffling into the bare living room I went to the window and turned to face them, but then shuffled back when Viper came walking towards me and took my spot on the window with daring eyes. I wasn't crazy enough to jump from it. Yet. But it seemed led like she didn't trust me enough to take the chance. I backed up until my back was against the corner of the room. Venom walked in last, the door shutting faintly behind him, along with the locks. His steps were slow and calculated as he looked at her through those dark shades. I maneuvered my key through my fingers until its long end stuck up if I made a fist. By the window, Viper scoffed, crossing her long arms over her chest.

Now that they were in her tiny apartment the reality of her situation did not sit well with her. Not at all. Here she was cornered in her own living room as two beings who looked so vividly similar as they did dissimilarly. Why hadn't she left when she had the chance? 

"Alright we're here, you can say what you want and leave." I said with false bravery.

Neither said anything which made her feel all the worse because silence could mean anything. It could mean that Venom had lied and he didn't want to really talk and instead wanted to kill her with his grumpy lover who wasn't really his sister. It could mean that he had stalked her at the club and had decided she was weak prey and she had stupidly let him in. For all she knew Viper had already taken care of Leona, who had been the only other witness-well actually no, everyone else at the club was a witness but next to them she was plain so she could totally comprehend not being remembered when her body was discovered by the police. Viper chuckled, which threw my already pounding heart into overdrive. If they didn't do something I would die from pure anxiety.

"Listen to that," She said looking over at Venom. "So fast."

He finally spoke.

" I can comprehend that this is not a comfortable situation for you, but I am on your side." He said softly. 

"Why do you need to be on a side? And why my side?" I asked suspiciously.

"Because we- to better say, you are in a precarious situation that makes your side a favorable side." He said vaguely. 

"Bearly." Viper muttered. We both ignored her.

"What do you mean by precarious? You make it seem as if I'm in some kind of danger." The only imminent danger she could see were these two. He took a step forward towards her but then halted when she flinched.

"We are here to help you-" Viper cut him off.

"And our selves. Mainly our-" Venom suddenly turned towards his sister, half crouched and hissed warningly. The sound resonated through the room louder then it should have, chilling the room. He straightened himself before the sound had even left the room as if he hadn't done something utterly animalistic in front of me. 

"She is not wrong, but it is far more complex then her childish comments make it seem. As I was saying, we are here to help you-"

"Why?" I asked him trembling. "You mentioned me promising you something back in the parking lot and now you're saying you want to help me because it's favorable. So which is it? And why do you need to even help me in the first place?" I demanded, one of my hands clutching the front of my shirt, my fingers digging into my stomach as nausea ate at me, my breaths coming out shallow.

He muttered something under his breath that I couldn't hear, but apparently Viper did because she shook her head.

"Because you are cursed." He stated seriously.

I blinked at him, pushed my glasses back up my nose and then nodded.

"Okay."

"Okay?" He repeated.

"Okay." I confirmed and pointed to the door. "Okay, you can go now. We've talked."

"I knew it." Viper muttered shaking her head and looking back out the window. Her lack of movement worried me. What if they refused to leave? Would I have to go? Wait, this was my apartment, why would I go?

He stared at me for a very long time before nodding, filling me with relief. 

And then he reached up and removed his sunglasses, golden eyes blazing with some unknown emotion. When he started walking towards me I raised the hand with the key.

"Hey! Stop, stay right there!" I shouted, pressing myself against the wall as much as I could without becoming apart of it. Why wasn't I surprised at the fact that he ignored my words?

"I know I promised you I wasn't going to do this until I could get you to remember again, but you're not the one that has to convince you when you are like this." He said surly as he neared me. I wasn't sure if it was because I was trembling so hard that in my sight he was as well, but that's certainly what it looked like.

"Y-You didn't promise me anything. So please don't do whatever it is you want to do." I said bleakly, pressing the key to his chest as he stood in front of me. My hand trembled before me, much like my body.

He looked down at me, pupils going wild as those golden eyes seemed to lighten. He ignored the key to his lower chest and suddenly brought both arms around her. As the bronze key fell from her hand, twirling in the air, so many things happened. Venom wrapped one arm around her waist, bringing her body flush against his cold solid form, her feet off the ground. The other hand swept the hair from around her neck to bare it to him, tangling his fingers in her curls in a secure fistful. He brought his lips near her ear and hissed and apology before sinking something that didn't quite feel like teeth but that burned worse than fire into her neck.

The key it the floor.

"She's going to kick your ass when she wakes up."

Spirling, spinning, breaking. My mind was dissolving.

"She'll have to wait after the headache goes away."

Melting and bubbling, memories popping,  their release already having been near the surface.

"Then she'll make a nice outfit out of your skin."

Waves of emotion drowned me, filling my lungs as it were air, forcing itself down my throat as it weren't.

"Do you have no faith in your brother's skills?"

Something sharp, claws and eyes, slithering and grinning in the dark.

"Not when she's the one that gave you those skills."

A shell cracking, grip slipping, eyes opening, a new life slipping away as an old one takes place.

"Then I shall beg for her forgiveness."

I passed out.

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[Authors Note; 

Ayeeee two in a week.

What do you think so far?