I've Been Waiting For You

Chapter 72

"We have company." Mavka told him as they walked down the empty corridor.

Distorted whispering echoed louder the more further they walked. The whispering seemed to be affecting him the closer they get to the door but Markus tried not to let Mavka or Raven know.

"Can you tell who it is?"

"There's more than one." Mavka told them turning her head to look at him.

She tilted her head to the side, her gaze roaming over his face. Markus peered closer at her when she suddenly reached out to grab his face in her hands.

"Mavka, what's wrong with you?"

"Transcendent Nephalem that drinks blood." Mavka said smiling eerily at him.

"How is that possible?" Raven asked as she whipped her head around to stare at him.

Markus stared intently at Mavka, body tense but she made no move to attack him.

She appeared fascinated by her recent discovery.

"How did you know?"

"The whispering has been affecting you, right?"

Markus looked at Raven whose green eyes flashed with worry.

"Raven, it's not that bad."

"How long have you been drinking blood?"

"Not long. It only started when I found Mitchell."

"Is he human?"

"No, I don't think he's fully human."

Mavka spun around to stare down the corridor they had just passed. A growl left her mouth seconds later before the lights blinked out, leaving them in pitch blackness.

"Something is in here with us."

Markus turned to peer down at the corridor. He was able to see perfectly with the help of his eyes.

He saw three creatures dashing towards them, hissing sounds drifting from their mouths.

"We need to get out or here." Markus whispered fiercely. He spun around and they ran as fast as they could, their footsteps echoing loudly on the floor.

"There's another door up ahead."

"What's with all the doors?" Raven asked angrily.

"No time to argue. Let's just go through it." Markus grabbed the handle and hissed as the metal burned his palm. With no time to ponder, he pulled the door open and they rushed inside just as the creatures banged on the door.

The hinges groaning under the pressure.

"That door is not going to hold much longer."

Markus palm continued to burn but he didn't let it be a hindrance. He looked around expecting a room but they were outside in a clearing. But even though they were no longer inside the building, nothing at all indicated how close they were to the exiting this place.

The burning in his palm got hotter, extending up his arm, all over the right side of his body, making Markus hissed in pain. He grabbed his arm, squeezing it tightly, hoping this will distract him from the discomfort.

"Something is wrong. The right side of my body is burning up." Markus glanced at Mavka and Raven.

"What did you touch?"

"Just the door handle." He told them, holding up his hand to show them.

The burning became so intense, as though someone had spilled scalding liquid on him. He looked down at his arm expecting it to be red but instead black tribal tattoos appeared on his arm disappearing under his sleeve.

"So, it's true." Mavka gazed at him in revered awe.

Markus still hadn't gotten use to her staring him without that menacing gaze she wore on her face when they first met.

Raven turned her attention to the door. She sniffed at the air, emitting a growl. Her mouth opened wide, showing sharp fangs and teeth razor sharp claws projecting from her fingers.

"We're too exposed out here. We need to leave this place." She hissed, her green eyes staring around.

"What is it Raven?"

"Those things are here for you."

Markus heard a hissing from behind him and turned to see Mavka dressed like a dark female warrior.

"I thought you were a demonic spirit."

"I never corrected you. I just let you assume."

They turned around when the creatures banged on the door, ducking just as the door flew off its hinges, landing on the ground leaving a deep hole. The three creatures simultaneously let out loud snarls at the trio.

Markus wasn't one to run from a fight and no way was he going to run now.

It's a good thing he had trained with Kev and Susan. He braced himself as the first creature came charging at him. Aaron ducked to miss the sharp claws that swiped through the air, barely missing him.

He brought his fist up, connecting it hard to its jaw. Its head snapped back with a loud crack as it the floor but the creature got back up with a loud snarl. Markus stood still, feet shoulder width apart, shifting his feet slightly in front of the other.

He could hear Mavka and Raven fighting the other two creatures but he didn't let that distract him. The creature opened its mouth, spitting acidic liquid at him.

Markus dodged but a hiss escaped his mouth when the acid touched his skin. He saw a tree limb on the ground and ran to pick it up. He held it tightly in his grip, breaking it so there was a sharp pointy end.

Markus ran forward holding the pointed end outward, driving it through the creature's stomach but not to kill it. A loud painful howl left its mouth making Markus cover his ears.

He stared at the creature as it writhed on the ground. Not knowing what prompted him, Markus walked towards it and drop to his knees. He held out both hands to touch the creature on its cheeks.

The tip of his finger glowed red along with the tattoos on his arm. It burned but this time it was manageable. The light from his hand traveled down his arm enclosing the creature's body.

Suddenly there was silence as the creature began to transform.

"Mavka, Raven stop fighting! It's changing."