They rode for hours toward New Orleans. Home of Mardi Gras. The place where the legendary streak died. A normally mystical town, full of gypsies and witch doctors. This wasn't the case this time around though. That's not what this town is about right now. No, this town is home to Madness this week.

Cain drove the black Harley fast and the engine roared. Athena held on tightly to the waist of her saviour as they rode, the wind whipping their black hair.

She had no idea why, but she liked him. He was strong and brave, of course. However, her reasoning eluded her this time. Athena Massey had always been taught not to even talk to strangers, and this man was definitely a stranger. She didn't even know his name.

Cain winced and pulled the Harley over into a rest area, not even waiting for Athena to let go before he pulled away from her and doubled over in pain. Athena tilted her head at the giant of a man as he groaned a bit.

"...grrrrr...."

"Damn, mate. Are ya okay? Ya look like shit!"

She walked over to him, gently placing a hand on his shoulder as he fell to one knee. A frown crossed her lips are he pushed her away.

"I'm fine!"

He roared.

"Just get away from me..." he said, hand clasped on his left side tightly. "...I'll be fine. I'm stronger than anyone in this world."

She pursed her lips and turned her nose up in the air.

"Hrmf. Ya don't look too good to me, mate. Ya know, bein' down on one knee like ya was gonna ask me to marry ya!"

He chuckled under his breath, still holding his left side.

"Me? Ask you to marry me?"

"Me mum always said that of the shoe fits, then ya wear it. Ya know I see ya starin' at me bum!"

Cain growled like a feral cat and stood. With every bit of energy he could muster, he limped over to Athena, and weakly grabbed her by the throat. Mustering what bit of demonic power he had, which was none, he attempted to intimidate the woman.

"Woman! I don't "love" anyone! If I did, it'd be myself! You want to make light of the world's first mur..." his eyes half closed, he swayed a bit. His words trailed off and he grunted in pain as he fell to a knee again. "...argggg..."

Athena squealed and dropped down to next to the vulnerable Cain, who could barely even stand on his knee. Athena saw him clutching his side once again, but as his hand dropped weakly, she saw the glimmer of red in the light of the full moon. She felt her heart race as her cool demeanor disappeared and she began to pace back and forth, and repeated the same phrase over and over...

"This can't be happening! This can't be happening! Oh my gawd, what am ah gonna do! Not agin!"

She shook her head. "Snap th' fuck outta it, Attie! Ya gotta help this bloke!"

Cain laid on his back, blood pouring from a wound in his side. He was paler than usual, and his breathing was shallow. For all intents and purposes, our hero was bleeding to death.

Athena gathered herself and walked over, removing her jacket and pressing down on the small but bloody wound of Cain. He didn't move at all, just groaned. Obviously, there was something further wrong with him, and Athena saw it.

"Bollocks! I gotta get ya to a hospital, mate!"

The Last Son of Eden uttered two words which sounded more like three.

"..no...hos...pital..."

Fade to black.


He awakened in a white room. The bright lights were quite painful to his once mainly nocturnal eyes. Darkness was what he was used to, but lately, metaphorically he had stepped into the light. The bed he'd been given had been quite comfortable, the pillows soft under his weary head. He sat up in bed and groaned.

"Ugggh....what the fuck happened? My head is killing me."

As he looked around the room he saw monitors. He saw a kiosk. He saw that the walls were a generic blue color and upon further inspection, he saw Athena there. She was curled up under a blanket in a recliner and softly snoring. He narrowed his eyes.

Cain's Thoughts Said:This woman took me to...a hospital? But why? I threatened to kill her for Pete's sake. Hell, I had every intention of killing her following her ridicule of my lust for her. Yet, she showed me...what is the words humans use for it? Is it sympathy? She was...nice to me?

He could have killed her if he were still the demonic beast. But seemingly, a loss of blood had weakened him, which was natural. For a human it was natural.

Cain's Thoughts Said:Shit. That's right, I am a human now. Okay...don't panic Arkham. You're still tough as nails, you'll survive. You were human once over two thousand years ago. Isn't that right? What was it like again?

He caught himself staring at the angelic curves of her face. He noticed the way her nose turned upwards, and how her lips looked so soft. Even under her...

Cain's Thoughts Said:Purple lipliner? That's kind of...kind of...what do these humans say? Ah yes, hot. Hotter than Caroline Burchill even. A girl who has to get notes from her friend reminding her of interviews. That's downright unprofessional. But who am I to judge? Hrm...she's waking up...

"Mmmmm..."

He noted the curve of her breasts as she stretched like a cat. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked at him sleepily.

"Are ya feelin' betta, mate?"

He strengthened his resolve then looked away.

"Yea. I'm fine. My head hurts."

She giggled.

"That's whut 'appens when ya sleep for as long as ya did, mista."

He looked down at his gown and shook his head. He just knew this wasn't right. He had always been cruel and a murderer. Yet the sleepy Australian goth girl with messed up raven hair had saved his life. He just had to ask.

"How long was I out?"

"'Bout two days, Mista...."

"Cain...please call me Cain."

She grinned broadly and shook his hand.

"Athena. Nice ta meet ya, Cain. Ya had me worried there for a minute, ya did."

He nodded and just stared at his hospital bracelet. Suddenly, the door opened and a young black woman in brown scrubs walked in, pushing a cart with a tray on it. Cain sniffed the air, the vapors from some sort of beef filling the air. Peas and mashed potatoes. Butter. He forced himself subconsciously not to want it. The young CNA smiled at Cain, who remained stoic.

"I know someone who's probably hungry!"

His expression never changed as he lied, his growling stomach betraying him.

"No I'm not. Leave me be, woman."

Grrr.

His stomach growled again. Athena just took the tray from the CNA and smiled.

"No worries, love. Ah'll make sure our patient eats."

The black lady wiggled her head back and forth.

"Hrmf...good luck with that, girl. That boy's got a nasty ass attitude."

"Trust me, ah got this. This bloke's gonna eat, 'cause I am gonna make him."

Cain smirked.

"Yeah right. Like you could."

The CNA left the room and Athena looked at the stoic Cain who just looked away from her and the tray. As she sat down on the side of his bed, she held the tray on her legs, and removed the lid on the plate. Cain's stomach growled ever louder as the scent reached his nostrils.

Athena smiled brightly.

"'Ey buddy! It's feedin' time!"

"I'm not hungry."

"Ya can lie all day bout that, mate but I hear that tummy growling. Now open up ya gob and eat some tatas!"

He furrowed his brow and grimaced.

"Hrmf. I said no, woman. I am NOT hun-...mmmm!"

He was cut off in mid sentence as the young woman forced the potatoes into his mouth. They were good, to be sure. He hadn't ever eaten modern food, as his source of sustenance had become human hearts. This food, however, was hot. It was savory.

It took a few tries to be sure. Athena had to really coax our hero into eating, and he didn't smile once. He just kept looking mean, because cruelty was all he knew. Of course, that was slowly changing. He experienced kindness from the woman who should fear him.

After about fifteen minutes, he still didn't smile. He just nodded and said in the most genuine way possible...

"T...thanks..."

"No problem, handsome. We gotta keep ya strength up so ya can get outta here."

Cain's Thoughts Said:Hopefully before Monday night. I do have a match. Of course, she obviously doesn't know that. Nonetheless, maybe I will allow this woman to live. I have never experienced such kindness without said person asking for nothing in return. But Monday...I need to be out by Monday...

She fed him a sip of tea from a white Styrofoam cup, smiling the whole time. Maybe this really is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

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