Sean shifted up to the next gear, feeling the heat puff against his legs as the tires flared to life. He could barely grip the handles tight enough with the pressure from the speed hitting him like a wall. When he risked looking in the mirror, he saw Anti was struggling to stay conscious. Whenever Anti's head fell across his shoulder or arm, Sean felt the warm blood from his eyes and mouth running down his skin. The sensation flooded him with feelings that Sean didn't realize he had. He wanted them to survive this. Holding his breath, Sean steered the bike through traffic using just his gut instinct. He couldn't let himself think about it. If he saw an opening, he took it. If someone got in his way, he sped up to move around them. A demon flew up around a car to attack his side, hissing and reaching out for Anti. Anti let out a weak hiss, but Sean was already acting. Swerving hard to the left to avoid the demon but straightening up and speeding up on the other side of a truck. Leaning over the tank a bit more to keep the wind off his face, Sean tried to move past the long truck. The truck let out a loud honk, then started to drift into them to try crushing them against the guard rail. Sean started to panic since he couldn't speed up and braking would be too dangerous with the demons on his ass.

Suddenly, Anti hissed out to him. "Hold on." Sean gasped as Anti shifted on the bike, kicking the guard rail and sending the bike into a slide across the pavement. Sean screamed as the bike fell to the side and headed right under the trailer of the truck. Anti's hand slammed against the pavement seconds before their legs were going to touch the rushing cement. Anti's black claws sparked wildly over the black pavement as he helped guide the bike under without getting them torn apart. Clearing the truck trailer, the bike was facing the wrong way, but Anti kept his hand on the ground and suddenly gripped the pavement. His fingers digging deep into the cement. Anti's tail then lashed over Sean's hand, before Anti yelled out. "GAS IT!" Sean gunned the gas, hearing the back tire squeal and catch with a hard jerk. The bike dashed back on track and Anti shifted to sit properly again. Sean smirked to himself at how cool that was, but his smile faded when he saw Anti's hand hanging limply at his side. From the fingers up, Anti's hand was black and smoking. From the tips of his black nails, blood was dripping from him, causing the flying demons to flock to the drops like scent trained hounds. Anti's tail fell limp against the handle, prompting Sean to yell out over the engine. "ANTI?! You still with me?!" Anti lifted his head, his bright glowing eyes flickering as he weakly hissed into his ear. "Do I have a choice."

Steering around traffic, Sean yelled out to him. "What can I do?!" When Anti didn't answer, Sean screamed out desperately. "ANTI, PLEASE! I don't know where I'm going!" Anti glanced behind them, seeing the flying demons gaining on them. Spitting blood, Anti coughed out weakly. "Take the exit... I have an idea." Sean quietly took the exit, letting out a sharp scream as he drifted for the first time into the turn. Anti adjusted on the bike like a cat getting ready to pounce, while telling Sean flatly. "You're not going to like this... but it will get his attention..." Sean wanted to ask what he was talking about but had to focus on merging off the exit and heading toward a neon colored tunnel. The sign over the neon tunnel read: 'Welcome to Sin City.' The paint on the glassy black road was down in black paint that glowed under the lights from the tall lampposts. Neon lights highlighted every dark pace of the road and tunnel, and Sean got a sudden bad feeling about this. Anti took a deep breath and extended his hands up over his head with a sharp yell that made Sean flinch. As they passed lampposts and neon lights, they exploded and sent out streaks of electricity toward Anti's fingers. Anti's arms and body began to ripple with electricity and his bright green eyes turned into an intense neon green.

Barely missing colliding with a car, Sean entered the tunnel and gawked as Anti moved his arms to make the strands of electricity dance along the curved walls of the tunnel until there was no way to get through or around them. Then slowly around on the bike, Anti yelled out to Sean. "Don't let go of the bike or fry!" Anti then threw his arms out to the sides with a pained scream that unleashed a pulsing wave of electricity in all directions. The sensation was so intense that Sean's hair stood up on end and the crackle of electricity was frightening. Car tires exploded as electricity touched them and melted the rims. Burns scorched the tunnel walls and knocked out the power to the whole highway. The flying demons stood no chance. Incinerating into ash at the slightest touch of the electricity. Sean began to groan as the metal of the bike heated up to uncomfortable levels, but fear made him keep ahold of the handles. Sean couldn't explain why Anti's bike wasn't blowing up but guessed that this wasn't the first time he'd done this. Sean could barely see with just the sparks of electricity shining the way out of the pitch black tunnel. Just as they were leaving the tunnel, Anti fell hard down onto the seat of the bike and whined out. "I'm drained..."

Sean glanced back, calling out Anti's name but Anti slumped over the back of the bike. All the electricity he had made vanished instantly, plunging them into darkness. Left with no choice, Sean slammed on the brakes, causing the bike to slide and fall to the side. Anti and Sean tumbled off the bike, but Sean could only think about Anti. Wincing, Sean pushed himself up and rushed to Anti's side. Cradling Anti in his arms, he yelled out to him. "Anti! Wake up! Anti! Please!" Sean shook Anti a little, then gasped sharply as two headlights came rushing into view. The horn honked with a deafening roar, but Sean knew he couldn't get them both to safety in time. He was going to get hit. All the air left his lungs. Sean could only stare at the blinding lights. When the hood suddenly crumbled in on itself like it had hit something. The crunching metal and squealing tires filled the air. As the headlights turned inward toward the thing it hit, Sean exhaled a single name. "Damien." Dark stood unfazed by the collision, his hand braced out on the truck's hood. There was a brief burst of flames inside the cabin of the truck, before Dark turned to face them with bright irises of pure rippling flames. Releasing the truck, Dark walked toward them at a brisk pace, asking with deep concern. "What happened?"

Still shaken and a little disoriented from the speed he'd been driving at, Sean squeaked out. "They're after him! Dark... We can't leave..." Sean couldn't even finish. He suddenly felt exhausted and fell back across the pavement. Everything was dark, until the darkness appeared to swirl, and an echo of his own voice distortedly asked. "Who are you?" Sean stared into the vast swirling darkness and shrugged out. "I don't understand. You know who I am. I'm me." From the swirling darkness, the echo answered. "I don't know you. How do you know him?" From the center of the swirling darkness an image of Anti's glitching face appeared in a room that Sean didn't recognize. Shrugging, Sean blurted out honestly. "I don't... How badly did I hit my head on the pavement? This is a dream, right?" The darkness swirled to show a man in dark robes with an illuminated white cat mask in the candlelight. The eyes of the mask were so dark that Sean could barely tell the person wasn't a demon with black eyes. The man tilted his head, calmly stating out. "What is your name?" Rolling his eyes, Sean huffed out. "I'm Sean. What's your name, dream echo?" The man tilted his head like he was writing something down, before answering distractedly. "Marvin."

Raising an eyebrow, Sean started to say what a funny name his dream self had chosen, until he instead blurted out upon realizing. "Hey... You look like the guy Anti was fighting. Is this... What's going on?" Marvin looked up from something to tell him casually. "I could ask you the same thing. Tell me what this demon wants so I can destroy him! Before he kills us!" Sean blinked, mumbling out. "He... Us? What is happening right now?!" Marvin opened his mouth to say something, but the sound began to cut in and out. "...Hunting... Time... Killed Chase's..." Sean tossed up his hands, but Marvin distortedly rushed out. "Don't let him possess you!" The swirling darkness swallowed the image of Marvin, but Sean could faintly hear Marvin chatting something in Latin. Frustrated, Sean yelled out. "Wait! I don't under-!" With a sudden gasp, Sean jerked upright on a familiar silk sheeted bed. To his surprise, Natemare was sitting on the side of his bed, his hands pressed to Sean's temples. At the foot of the bed, Dark was pacing a ditch into the carpet to the sounds of Chicanery's soft whining. Dropping his hands weakly, Natemare panted out over his shoulder. "Shit that took a lot out of me. Dark... I felt someone else. Whoever it was... It was strong." Dark stopped pacing, asking in a mumble of a voice. "Can you track it?"

Natemare looked a little pale, when he shook his head, but told him honestly. "I'm not familiar with this energy. You might want to take a look for yourself." Dark nodded but waved him away as he rushed out. "Later. Go. Rest." Natemare stiffly got to his feet and Sean gawked at Natemare's body. He was covered in fresh scratches and bites. As Natemare reached the door to the bedroom, Dark quickly stated out. "Natemare?" Natemare stopped, looking over his shoulder as Dark bowed his head and added in a nicer tone. "Thank you. I'm in your debt for this." Natemare smirked just a little, teasing back. "You sure are and I won't let you forget it. I'm gonna check on Anti before turning in." Dark smirked, waiting for Natemare to close the door. Before the door even closed though, Chicanery leapt onto the bed to drape herself over Sean's lap. Her soft whines filling the room before she pushed him down on the bed and began to lick his cheek. When the door clicked shut, Dark rushed to the side of the bed and pushed a needy Chicanery away. Wiping his face from all Chicanery's kisses, Sean smiled up at Dark who leaned over him and asked in a shaken tone. "Are you alright? I was worried..." Nodding, Sean placed his hands on Dark's shoulders and lovingly told him. "I'm ok. You were just in time. How is Anti?"

Dark's hand stroked Sean's cheek, answering absently. "He's doing better. I've got him hooked up to twelve car batteries. It's not what he needs... but it is keeping him stable for now. His injures were... something else entirely. I was worried the something had happened to you when you didn't wake up after a few hours." Shaking his head, Sean leaned more into Dark's hand and purred out. "No. Marvin's stuff didn't work on me. He wanted Anti... and so did those things..." Dark narrowed his eyes on him, mumbling out. "Marvin? Who the hell is that?" Sean shrugged, openly telling him a bit groggily. "I don't know. He didn't say... but he sounded like... me." Dark leaned back slowly, turning his gaze to the fire as he mumbled out to himself. "Damn it, Anti... What did you do now." Sitting up on his elbows, Sean asked nervously. "Should I worried? Natemare said that Marvin was... strong. And he made Anti bleed. He caged Natemare. I... I didn't think that was possible." Dark avoided his eyes as he grumbled out. "It is not possible in your realm. But... there are others." Sean's eyes widened as the thought jumped to mind, causing him to blurt out. "Holy shit. Your family. From other realms. Does that mean that Anti has... That Marvin is..." Dark finally looked back at him with an unreadable expression.

Sitting up more, Sean leaned over the side of the bed and groaned out. "Oh, I think I'm going to be sick." Nudging the trashcan closer to Sean with his foot, Dark rubbed Sean's back and said coolly. "I'm afraid that it what it sounds like. But I didn't think Anti would be that reckless. He gains nothing from finding them." Sean rose a bit, huffing out dryly. "Unless he can possess them." Dark's hand stopped rubbing his back. Sean's whole body tensed. Sitting up on all fours, Sean rephrased lightly. "Dark? Can he possess them?" Dark got to his feet, allowing Chicanery to immediately take his spot. Rolling onto his back, she put her big paws on Sean's sides and pushed until he began to pet his belly. Standing by the fireplace, Dark told him thoughtfully. "I suppose he could. I already had Mark as my vessel when I met my family. But... I guess if he doesn't have one. He could try. They are matches to him in a way..." Sitting on his heels, Sean uttered out in a hurt voice. "He's... He's trying to replace me." Dark's soft brown eyes drifted over to him, asking with light concern. "Does that bother you?" Petting Chicanery, Sean admitted easily. "Well... ya. I mean, I don't want him to merge with me. But... I didn't think that he'd... find someone else either."

Chicanery struck with a quick kiss to his lips, before kicking out her legs to draw his full attention to her. Petting her a bit absently, Sean told Dark curiously. "Can he really replace me as the vessel?" Dark drummed his fingers on the mantle, before answering. "If he found a vessel that matched what he needs, then yes. In some ways. You are still his life force. You have the strongest connection to him because of it. However... if he found someone like you with a similar energy or personality. Then he could use them as his vessel. That person just wouldn't be as strong of a vessel. He'd still have to worry about you and people getting ahold of you... but he could fake others out by claiming he found his vessel." Smirking a little, Dark admitted coolly. "It is clever on his part. I'll give him that." Sean bit the end of his thumb, asking nervously. "So, you think he did this to protect me? To protect us? With us getting married, I mean." Dark didn't even hesitate when he blurted out through a chuckle. "Not a chance in hell. Anti did this for himself." Sean's shoulders fell and Dark added more solemnly. "The question is why. Why would he kick open a hornet's nest now... The idiot has no idea what he has done."

Prying himself from the bed and Chicanery, Sean asked hopefully. "Tell me. What does this mean?" Dark moved closer to Sean. Running his hands down Sean's bandaged arms, Dark whispered to him gently. "I'm the only demon that I know of that has interacted with other realms. Cohabited with them. Made them family to make it easier to interact and keep track with them. My family... are like me. We think similarly. We feel similarly. However... That can be dangerous. With a personality like... Anti." Sean raised an eyebrow, chuckling out innocently. "Well, sure. But I'm not like that. So, chances are that the others are..." Dark pressed a finger to his lips to tenderly shush him, before telling him in a deep buttery voice. "You are marrying me. Some part of you is just like him. You just don't realize it because you center yourself around a different set of emotions and values than he does." Sean swallowed as he thought more on it, then whispered out just to break the tension up. "So... will we be inviting our families to the wedding?" The question caught Dark off guard, causing him to laugh heartily before pressing his warm lips to Sean's. To Be Continued...