The chapel was quiet. It was late enough that most had gone home, and only one solitary father was wandering around the small house of god. With her hood drawn up all the way, head bowed, and hands clasped before her Andrea looked like any other repentant believer. She had tucked her snakes away into the back of her hood, held together gently by a length of red ribbon. Her bare knees had long gone to sleep, pressed against the cold stone floor, and her sandal clad feet were tucked behind her. Her newest dress, which she had spent the last of her funds on sways around her legs as she shifted, the dark cream fabric reflecting the light from both candles and bulbs. She could hear the soft shuffling of the priests shoes against the stone as he moved around closing and locking windows and doors.

Her muttered words were to soft for the man to hear, which she was more than thankful for.With so much weighing on her mind, she didn't want someone else doubting her too. "I...don’t even know what to say, Blessed Lord... I am so confused. I am caught in the midst of a violent crisis of faith... so uncertain and doubtful. I am going through a difficult time in what touches the depth of my belief..." She recited what she knew, pausing only to fumble over the words that she had nearly memorized. Something her mother had sent her, a long time ago.

"I am almost tempted to give in to impatience and despair. Something within me cries out for you, yet you seem not to be there..." Taking a slow breath, she shifted on her knees, feeling pins and needles race down her legs as she moved them. She had been kneeling for hours, thinking and praying. ".. I have broken away from many childhood beliefs. I decided to let me faith pass through the filter of my personal experience. Suddenly, I found myself too far from you... from security and certainty." She could feel Jorge's words weighing down on her shoulders, and bowed her head even more. "...If I still turn to you, Blessed Lord, it is because I have not yet lost the hope of finding an exit door-" A shadow fell over her clasped hands. Andrea paused her self, lifting her chin to spot the priest standing beside her with his coat and keys in hand.

"Child... you have been here for hours. Don't you think it's time to head home?" He smiled politely, but she knew it was just a formal way of kicking her out so he could close up shop. She didn't blame him, it was an hour after he was supposed to have left. "Oh... yes. Sorry father." Unhooking her gloved hands from one another, she pushed herself to her feet and adjusted her coat around her. It was a little chilly tonight... she could feel goosebumps on her arms. The priest held out his arm politely, to walk with her to the door. It was far darker outside than she had expected... which led her to believe that she had been there longer than a few hours. She slipped a guilty smile the kindly priests way, and worked the pins and needles from her legs as she descended the chapel steps. "...Do you need a ride home, child?" The Greek paused, turning to glance over her shoulder at the man as he finished locking up the doors. It was a kind gesture... but it was safer if she walked herself.

"No, thank you... I will be fine. Good night Father." The two parted with that. Andrea made her way down the sidewalk, her head in the clouds more or less as she went over the last little bits of the prayer she had been forced to stop. She had a few blocks to walk. Nothing big, but the area was a little unfamiliar. Houses scattered the streets rather than businesses, with only a few stores here and there to break up the pattern. Street lights cast an ominous glow over the sidewalks, and the barren streets weren't really helping matters... It was a little unnerving, she had to admit.

*Prayer is from the Prayer for Faith in Time of Doubt.*

The darkness was always so comforting to a killer. The expanse of shadows had the ability to hide the deepest of sins that have been or ever would be committed. They could mask the living, hide the dead, even allow one with the power of take lives to stalk through them in utter silence. Yes, it was no small truth that Vicente loved the darkness.

In the middle of the night, when the moon high above in the sky, barely any light could be seen touching the lone city below. The monoliths of buildings extended out, their shadows encompassing everything, swallowing whole city blocks in a certain of darkness that let no man, woman or child escape. It was from one of these clawed shadows that the harsh, strangled breathes and cries for mercy echoed out from. Down lower, amidst the dark allies of the warehouse district (the bad part of town), from one of the many abandoned stores, a man cried for his life.

“God, please! I…I didn’t say anything, I swear I didn’t!!”

This length of the city had been an economic wasteland. Shops that had stood for years prior to the economic crises fell within months of each other to the point that now all that was left was emptied husks with a few barely struggling buildings still around. In one of these buildings, a man by the name of Carmine was a bloodied mess. He knelt down, his two arms, weak, hung down to floor. Two knives, though, were struck directly through the palms, and effectively pinned him to the ground.

In front of him, pacing back and forth in the shadows was a tall, muscular, older man. The assassin actually snarled as he peered at him closely, his eyes flaring a bit as he watched Carmine struggle against the knives that pinned him down.

“You’re going to die either way. If you want it to be more painful, by all means, struggle.” The assassin sighed as he held his cell phone to ear and spoke with someone on the other side. Seconds passed like minutes and before long, he smiled as muttered silently into the device. Quietly he clicked the phone closed and turned his attention back to the injured man. “That was Falcone. He says you’re lying. He knows you attempted to go to the cops. You have no loyalty.”

“N-Noo…I…I…I just…”

“Shut up,” Vicente said as he pushed himself off the wall and stepped closer. His grizzly face was older, weathered, wrought with the scars of experience and age. But that did not stop him from smiling. “Now, I understand you may be a little upset. After all…what I did to your family…heh…that was some cold sh–“ He backed up as Carmine attempted to lunge forward. All that produced was another squeak of pain from him. Grinning, Vicente ruffled his hair as he stood. “Down tiger. Now…Falcone wants you to hurt. That’s why the hit was put on your children. You’re wife, well, that was simply for fun on my part…” he unrolled a small cloth and began to remove a couple more blades. “But you…he wanted me to pay particular attention to you. So…let’s get started.”

The fear in Carmine’s eyes was enough to drive any man over the end. He could have dropped dead right there if he had a weaker heart. But…because of a human’s need to live, fight or flight kicks in fast. Suddenly all the man wanted to do was run. He attempted the stand, strained his limbs and immediately began to feel the pull on his palms. He grunted silently while Vicente had his back turned, attempting to stand more. The pain was unbearable and he was sure he could feel the rush of blood pouring out from the widening wounds.

But he didn’t care. He needed to run.

RIIIIP!

“ARRGHGH!!” Carmine took a second, only a second to scream in pain as he stood and ran for the door. He did not even bother to look at his ruined hands.

Vicente spun the second he heard the scream but as he grabbed his blades, the man had already just stepped out the door. A string of Spanish curses fell from his lips as he holstered his knives and immediately began chase.

Carmine ran, ran for all he was worth. He headed for the only opening in the fenced off area, praying, hoping he could get there before the killer could. Why weren’t there more people out?! He cried dreaded tears as he ran, finally made it to the opening and rounded the corner fast and hard. It was only then that he slammed into something smaller, yet solid. He gasped in pain as he stumbled and attempted to stop himself from falling by grabbing the fence.

“ARRGH! My…god!!” he breathed as he shifted himself to lean on his shoulder now. Pleadingly he looked at who he bumped into, praying. “Please…love…of God….help me….”

Her walk ended abruptly as she started past a dark alley. She could hear something inside.. like distant footsteps and hurried breath. Pausing, she stared out into the darkness for a moment, unsure of what to make of the sounds, before she pointedly decided to ignore them. Whatever it was, she was going to assume it was not a good thing... and she needed to keep herself out of trouble as much as possible. Her hackles rose, snakes twitched in her hood and she chewed on her lip as she sped up her pace and passed by the alley. She barely got a few steps away before her conscience kicked in and she was forced to stop and turn to peer over her shoulder back the way she had come.

...What if someone needed help? It was her duty as a human to lend her hand to someone in need, wasn't it? For a few, agonizing seconds she shifted back and forth on her feet, plucking at the bottom of her dress. Feeling like time was an issue, she turned on her heel and sped back toward the alley. She didn't hear that the footsteps had gotten closer, until a shadowed figure lunged from the darkness into her path and connected with her solidly. Andrea bounced back, nearly breaking her tailbone on the concrete as it caught her. She managed to catch herself before cracking her head open on the sidewalk, but was jolted enough that her glasses nearly flew from her face. With a startled squeak, she made sure she was decent before scrambling to her feet and angling a frightened look at what had bowled her over. ... it was a man. A man who was clinging to the fence against the side of the alley in order to remain standing, and who was also praying to god for help.

“Please…love…of God….help me….” He looked like hell. All blood and bruises, and when she caught sigh of his hands she felt her stomach flip a full circle. One gloved hand flew to her mouth, more to keep herself from screaming and losing the contents of her stomach in the street, than anything else. Staring was not going to help the man though... she needed to think. "Hold on.." She whispered, unable to get any strength into her voice at the sight of him. She reached down and took hold of the bottom of her dress, ripping off a length of frill to use as a bandage, then dug in her pocket for her handkerchief. She was at his side in an instant, and used her sharp teeth to rip her kerchief in half. "Give me your hand..." Tugging one glove off, she held out her own hand to grab his, but he had a wild look in his eyes and was staring past her into the open street behind them.

"Help me... gotta... gotta get away! He's gonna.. gonna kill me!"

Andrea stared at him, more than a little frightened, and shot a worried look into the darkness. She reached out without asking and grabbed him by the elbow. Someone was going to kill him? Then standing in the dark was not going to help... She needed to drag him out into the open, where someone passing by might be able to stop and help. He resisted her, still locked onto the fence like it was his life line.

"Come on, I am going to help you..."

Vicente growled as he heard the man leave and immediately began following. He was not going to let the man live, as a matter of fact he could have killed him earlier. But…Falcone wanted him to suffer. So…maybe in a way this was a good thing. This small chance he had would serve as an excellent hunt. People in the city were so easy to track down, there were so many nooks and crannies to corner them, so many abandoned buildings in which their voices and screams for help could get lost. It was perfect but not too much of a challenge for the experienced assassin.

This turn of events, though, ought to lighten things up just a tad.

Running out into the night, Vicente snarled as he saw the man turn the corner. He was off in a burst, his heart thumping in his chest as he chased. The area was abandoned so he doubted that the man would receive any help at all. Even if he did…well…Vicente would not make taking too lives for the sake of anonymity.

Heavy foot falls breaking the ground, his breath cooled and controlled, the assassin ran, letting the cool air of the night whip across his tight, muscular form. Eyes squinting, his hand already reaching to the blade at his side he strained to hear where the man was. There a gasp, a tumble and another cry for help. Perfect.

>> "Help me... gotta... gotta get away! He's gonna.. gonna kill me!"

Yes, I am… he snarled in thought.

>> "Come on, I am going to help you..."

Once Vicente rounded the corner, he paused as he saw his prey being aided by someone else. Of all the wrong alleys to walk down. All that meant was that he was going to have to get twice as bloody. He remained still, invisible in the shadows as he peered and watched. The other was a young lady and apparently she anxious to help others. That, of course, was her mistake. Charity never got anyone anything but trouble. It was as bad as putting your nose into someone else’s affairs.

Only way to save that person was the clip off the nose.

But first…

The movement was quick. His arm moved in a flash as he pulled the blade from its holster, arched upward and send the deadly, sharpened metal flying through the air. It spun, the pale light of the moon catching only the subtlest of flashes as it spun through the dark air. It was practically invisible, only more like a trick of the eye rather than a deadly weapon. But, as with any deadly weapon, it struck with the deadliest of accuracies.

“Please! We gotta-” THUD “GAhhhh!!!”

Carmine’s eyes went wide as he stood there, staring at the young lady, his back turned to the hidden killer. A trail of blood slowly began to trickle down from his lips as he struggled to find a voice, begged to say just one more thing. But it was too late. The blade had pierced through his back, slipped past the bone and implanted itself straight into one of his lungs. Gasping as blood filled his breath, more began to spill from his lips as he tumbled down to his knees. Unable to form words anymore, the most he could do was shake his head, pleading her to run.

The man down, Vicente slowly walked forward, he smirk on his lips as he pulled another knife free from the sheath. A devilish twinkle in his eye, he nodded towards the girl, twirling the point of the blade against his finger.

“Hola, sweetie. Out for a stroll?” he growled/chuckled at her.

She tried to smile, to calm the frightened man down so she could lead him away from the alley. He let go of the fence finally, his legs shaking so bad that she didn't think he'd be able to stand on his own without her supporting him. "Shh.. it is alright, I am here.." Not like that was saying much...

She needed to get him to safety before whatever was after him reared its head. One of his mangled hands flopped onto her shoulder, vying for a grasp that sliced tendons and flesh wouldn't allow it to take. Andre used the opportunity to try and get that hand bandaged. With half of her kerchief grasped between her teeth, she pressed the other half to his...eh... wound. She wanted to get the length of dress she had torn off around it. If what she had in mind was correct, running her hand over the fabric after would create a temporary cast of sorts to keep him from bleeding to death. She supposed she could have just touched the wound itself... but she doubted burning pain would help the situation....

But... before they had so much as moved out of the shadows, the man clinging to her gasped and went completely stiff in her arms. He wheezed, his eyes wide and blank and staring right at her. His legs gave out as blood spilled from his lips, trickling down his chin onto his shirt... and her coat. She stared at him, open mouthed and frozen solid as his legs gave out and he dropped to the sidewalk at her feet. A man had just died in her arms. She had his blood on her.... Her bare fingers twitched in the air where they had been working on him a few seconds ago, and she stared blankly into the darkness of the alley as another man emerged. An older male... ragged and terrifying. She saw the glint of a knife, and officially freaked out.

“Hola, sweetie. Out for a stroll?”

Her body reacted on its own, hauling her back before her mind- or feet for that matter- could catch up. For the second time that night, Andrea found herself slamming her tailbone straight into the pavement. Sloth was jostled from his nap, as were the other snakes. They felt her fear in an instant, and Sloth's beady orange eyes appeared from around the back of her neck. He peeked out from her hood, eying the strange male who smelled... odd. very odd. As well as blood, fresh and delicious on the night air. Andrea was still in shock, and couldn't think of anything to say... or really do... accept run. Running was good. She was good at running.... Running should be done soon. She didn't wait for him to say anything else, turned, scrambled like a dog on four legs, then bolted off down the street as fast as her sandal clad feet would take her.

She would go to the chapel... she would be safe in the chapel...

Within mere seconds the young lady was scrambling back away from him, had fallen onto her rear and then scrambled into a run. Had Vicente been anyone else, he would have been greatly offended by that. What could possible cause her to run in such a way? Did he not comb his hair properly? Was there a stain on his teeth? No. Maybe it was the fact that she attempted to aide a dead man and now she feared the same fate would befall her? Vicente had to scoff at that. Of course it was a silly thought…

…He’d make her death MUCH quicker.

Well…at least he was going to before she decided to run. Now he was going to have to find something a might more creative to do with her.

She was fast, he could give her that. With a smirk, the older assassin shouted at the top of his lungs.

“Run little piggy!” he cried as he walked casually up to the dead man. Leaning down, he ripped the one of the strips of her dress that she had been attempting to use as a bandage. Holding it loosely in his hand, he only continued to grin ever more wider to herself. “Run as fast as you can...”

Holding the rag tightly in his hand, Vicente suddenly found himself snarling. The crack of bones, the stretching of skin, it was the usually ritual filled with the usual amount of pain. But the man didn’t scream out, he didn’t cry, he didn’t beg for it to stop. He brought it upon himself…to unleash his more wild side. After all, if the child wanted to play hide-and-go seek, he had to give himself a slight edge, didn’t he?

The reshaping of bones was harsh and extremely painful but after years and years of doing it, Vicente had a handle on the agony. Besides, the end result was well worth it. Standing in the street, the assassin now had the furry face, large man and golden eyes of an African lion. The maw open, Vicente gently licked his black lips as his predatory eyes shifted left and right. So far no one was around still. Excellent.

He held the rag up and inhaled deep. Absorbing the scent molecules, ignoring those of the familiar Carmine and zeroing directly on the one he didn’t. That was girl, clear as a bell. A grin tilted the edges of his vicious mouth as he stuffed the strip of cloth into his pocket.

“Oh…Piggy…” he teased. It was supremely disturbing to hear his gravel-like voice echo out from the lion’s maw. He began to walk forward, following the smell as easily as if it were a long string attached to the girl’s waist. “Come out…come out…Wherever you…”

ROOOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR!!!!![/b][/color]

The lion’s roar burst out from his throat and shook the very air around him. As it echoed out into the city, he hoped, he prayed that the girl heard it. Maybe she’d run just a tad faster and give him a good hunt. Wouldn’t be worth it if he tore out her heart too early. The night was young.

Only the sound of her heels slapping against the sidewalk greeted her ears as she ran. She felt like screaming, like a ball of shriek was holed up in her throat... but she couldn't get anything out. She ran faster than she had ever run before, and only stopped once she saw the church come into view. The Greek staggered to a stop half a block away, bent over and gasping for breath. A dizzy feeling washed over her and she realized that she may have pushed herself to far... but who would blame her?

ROOOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR!!!!!

With a shriek, she took off at a sprint again. The chapel stairs were vaulted two at a time, and she pounded on the front door soundly for a minute until she remembered that the priest had gone home. She was locked out, and there was no one around to help. She was starting to feel like the dead man a few blocks back. Turning, she hopped over the railing of the porch, nearly snapping her ankle in two when she hit the ground at an odd angle. There was a little side alley big enough for one or two people to wander through, and she was hoping that there was a side entrance or something in back. Darting into the darkness, she had to hop a small chain link fence, catching her dress some more as she clambered over it. The fabric tore, leaving a triangle section of cotton and lace hanging from the top.

She ignored it and pushed on. Her alley ended in a little parking lot behind the chapel, which a small set of stairs and a second door. She was at it in moments, and was rather distressed to find it locked as well. "...malakia!" Her eyes shot up the wall, to find a little window not to far up. And it was cracked open. Gritting her teeth, Andrea hoisted herself up onto the railing by the door and latched her fingers onto the window frame. She was barely tall enough to reach it... She dug her toes into the wall and pulled herself up with a strength brought on purely by fear. One hand reached in to clutch the inside of the window sill, while her un-gloved hand pushed at the window to make more room for her to enter.

She pulled herself into the room, collapsing onto the carpet, then turned and slammed the window shut. After she had caught her breath, she glanced around the room she was in. An office... probably the fathers. Breathing out a deep, shaky sigh, the twenty three year old got to her feet and headed for the door. Her legs felt like jello as she descended the stairs into the main room of the chapel, and she could feel her heart hammering away inside her chest at a million miles an hour. Flicking the lights on, she resumed her spot from before, kneeled and began to pray. It would calm her down, at the very least... "... Grant me strength in this hour of need... Grant me protection from those that wish me evil..." Ducking her head, she pressed her entwined hands against her forehead and sucked in a shuddering breath before whispering more soft prayers.

The scent was so easy to follow. The walking chimera snarled as he dashed down the sidewalk, following the smell as if he had an empty stomach and he was following the smell of fine cooking on the fire. And hungry he really was. Saliva dripped from his eager maw, his yellowed fangs ached in his gums to be stained his blood, his tongue tingled with wanting to have it spill down his throat. He wanted this girl now, it was an obsession that he end her, that he pulling that beating organ from her chest and swallow it whole.

This was the blood frenzy. So much animal DNA ran through his body that it began to cloud his mind a little. It made him focused, too focused on one thing that teetered on the edge of obsession. Unfortunately that girl was the object of his bloodlust now. It was nothing personal though…she just made a good hunt.

Tearing down the street, Vicente paused as he caught good whiff of her scent and turned to the side. There he saw a church. Her scent vaguely hung around it. Did she really run to hide in there? The assassin stalked forward to investigate, but as he did, her scent became strong again. This time it wafted from a chain link fence leading to a nearby alley. Brow arched, he followed that smell, easily climbed over and continued his chase. She was a quick little rabbit and it was because she was quick that he wanted to devour her all the more.

It would taste so sweet, biting into her flesh. He knew it would. It just had to be! That…or it was the animal talking in his head. Either way…he didn’t care. He’d get her.

Finding himself in a parking lot now, Vicente glared around the wide open space and found himself momentarily lost. The scent was slowly drifting away. He growled in frustration as he began to stalk, sniffing, looking for any scent that would lead him to her. It was only as he got closer to the church that the tiniest particle of her scent entered his nose.

Golden eyes wide, nostrils flaring, saliva dripping...he was onto her again. He turned suddenly and found that indeed, there was the tiniest flicker of light come from a window in the church. She was in there all right.

As Vicente crept towards the building the maddening allure of to have her began to echo in his mind. But as he reached the back entrance and attempted to pull it open, he found it was locked. That…was very unfortunate again. The window was too small for him to break and crawl into…maybe…just maybe he should give up and walked away…

Naww… he thought as he held out his right arm.

That same sensation, that same burning pain that had wracked through his head when he shifted into his Lion’s head, once more coursed through his body as it radiated from his right arm. Bones audibly cracked and reordered themselves as the skin struggled to keep up and stretch and grow fur. But…instead of the tan colored fur of a lion, his arm was covered in coarse black hair. The dark skin of his arm rippled against the large musculature of his new arm and even accommodated the fact that it was much longer. No…this was no lion’s arm. Instead, the powerful limb he had just finished shifting his arm into was that of a gorilla, a silverback mountain gorilla, strong and deadly.

Vicente gasped through his lion’s maw as he held up as new arm and flexed the fingers momentarily. It was only a second though before he suddenly grabbed onto the door hand and began to pull with all his might. Muscles taunt, veins bulging, Vicente pulled…and pulled…and pulled…

Crrrreeeeaaaaaakkk….RIP!!!

He stumbled back briefly, feeling the door suddenly give away to his strength. Once it did, he opened his eyes and stared at the ruined remains of the door. Eagerly he licked his lips as he strode into the empty office. His gorilla arm hanging low, he sniffed the air and immediately took in her scent all over again. She was here…

A smirk on his muzzle, Vicente peeked into the office, smelling that she was further in the building. But still…he called out…

“Piiiiiiiggy…oink…oink…” he growled as he stepped in. “Time for you to squeal…and squeal…and squeal…”

".. Please... accept the souls of the departed, and protect the meek." She was starting to calm down... she could feel it. Her heart had gone back to a relatively normal beating pattered, and her jello legs had gone away. She still felt stiff and highly frightened, but she wasn't about to start foaming at the mouth and pass out. She had a little plan already forming in her head, too. She would stay in the chapel until the priest came back in the morning, explained what had happened... call Jorge and give him a recounting of what had happened and then go back to quietly avoiding life for a while...

She was getting awful tired of running for her life.. Taking another deep breath, she pushed back the shield of her hood and scratched at the back of her neck. She was alone, it was safe to have them out... at least for now. Sloth curled protectively tighter around her shoulders and she patted the white snake again before clasping her hands again. "..Give me strength and courage. Watch over me and those I hold dear... and forgive the sins of the wicke-" The sound of cracking wood caught her attention. It echoed out into the steepled room and bounced off the walls to mock her. Andrea froze like a deer in headlights, not even moving to look up. Her breath caught in her throat, her eyes went wide, she found that she couldn't move.

“Piiiiiiiggy…oink…oink… Time for you to squeal…and squeal…and squeal…”

Her hands clutched at one another, one gloved and one bare. She could feel her elbows shaking against the wood underneath them as fear crept back up her spine and took a hold of her completely. Every fiber of her being was screaming at her to run... but the front door was locked, and she had nowhere to hide... the building only had a few rooms, one large main room and a few smaller ones. None of the smaller ones had doors, either. She was trapped.... and probably going to die. "o father in heaven..." Her voice was barely a whisper, and she could do little else but bow her head for a moment and press her hands to her face. "...watch over my friends..."

She pushed herself up onto legs that would barely hold her and and darted across the room as fast as she could. The lights in the main room flickered off as she hit the switch. Andrea ducked behind one of the benches near the front doors, and reached back to tug the ribbon from her hair. She didn't know where the guy was... but he sure hadn't come from the front door... which only left the back. Gulping, she pressed herself against the wooden bench and stilled her breathing so she would be able to heard his approach. The hope that if she just kept quiet enough and remained hidden everything would be ok blossomed in her chest, and she clung to it. If she was going down... she would at least put up a fight. It was all she could do...

Vicente inhaled deeply.

Yes…she’s in the main room, He thought as he crept out of the hall and stopped in the entrance way to the main area of the church.

Even before he had gotten inside, he saw the lights click off from the hall and the barely audible sound of frantic feet running. It seemed that she was all alone here since the place looked practically deserted. There were no janitors, no father, no nobody. She ran into an empty church and, it seemed, did not even bother to use the phone in the father’s office to call for help. She really was just making the job too easy for him. Maybe he would make her death just slightly quicker than he wanted to.

Golden eyes glared into the darkened main room as he Vicente peered closely. It was only the scent he needed. She could hide and run around in the dark as much as she wanted to, but he knew that it would do her no good. He could walk in there blind and find her just as easily.

His large gorilla hand latched onto and crushed the frame of the entranceway as he slowly stepped into the main room. This man had become a true nightmare. As if his regular frame and appearance weren’t enough, the assassin now stood with a full lion’s head, vicious and snarling, along with a thick, massive gorilla’s arm that looked as if it could crush someone’s skull single handedly. He was a walking hodgepodge of some of the most dangerous creatures in the world…and all of it was mixed into the single body of one coldhearted man.

Another deep sniff and Vicente shuddered with delight. He had her cornered, he knew he did. So he could take all the time he needed.

Strolling into the room, he looked at all the dark, shadowy corners, glared at the pews, sniffed in the direction of the other hallways. But none of them enticed him. She here…somewhere…he could smell the fear. An amused chuckle felt from his feline maw as he crept into the room and looked around, gently letting his large primate hand claw at the wooden benches.

“I know you here.” he said loudly. His voice reverberated around the cavernous room, causing his growling tone to echo louder and louder. Even he felt the tingle in his spine of fear at his words. That made a grin creep across his face. “See…I know you’re here…because I can smell you…” he announced to the hidden corners. He pulled the rag from his pocket and held it up, waving it in the dark like a flag or condemning evidence. “You have such a…unique scent, Piggy. So…sweet…delectable…like a rare, savory meat that I simply can’t help but sample. You…You will truly be a delight.”

Walking past more pews, his feral eyes searched the dark. Row after row he found nothing, but he was not in a rush. He knew she had to be paralyzed with fear, so she was not going to run anymore. He could afford to have a bit more fun with her. His large, pink tongue slipped out from between his jaws and licked his lips, dripping more saliva onto the ground. After eyeballing another row, he turned his attentions towards the shadowy walls. She was somewhere…and her scent was getting stronger.

As he gripped the back of another pew with his gorilla fist, Vicente squeezed hard and immediately felt the wood crack and crush beneath the force.

“If you want to keep playing hide-and-seek, that’s fine,” he said with a nod. “Just…makes me want to find you all the more. Makes…the urge to sink my teeth into your still beating heart grow stronger. So…please…” he grinned in the darkness, his eyes flashing, his teeth gleaming and his cackle echoing with such volume that the devil himself could not have done better. “…keep prolonging it. I beg you…”

RRRROOOOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRRRR!!![/i][/color]

He roared, once more, just so he could hear her panicked heart beat harder in the darkness. It was the perfect music for this little game.

The sounds of crackling wood reached her ears again. She stuffed her fingers into her mouth to keep from gasping. It was much closer... like if she were to peek around the corner of her bench she would see him standing there. Waiting. It forced her to shudder violently. Panic momentarily overwhelmed her and she found herself on the balls of her feet, wanting desperately to bum rush the door and attempt to break it down. Or maybe just pound on it as hard as she could and scream. She knew how old the building was, and that the Priest was the only person who had a key to unlock the door. Which unlocked from the outside, unfortunately.

...maybe.. just maybe she could get around him. Find something heavy that she could throw at him and run back toward the parking lot. Someone had to be around... someone had to help her! She heard the sound of feet, unhurried footsteps. His breathing sounded... primal. Inhuman, and she could hear what sounded like finger nails being dragged along wood. Her eyes shot to her left, towards the wall at the end of her bench, and as quietly as she could she crawled on all fours toward it.

“I know you here.”

It felt like she was stuck in a horror movie. She was the unfortunate soul who died first... or last. The way his voice sounded created horrifying images in her mind. Causes and reasons that she didn’t want to think about... Andrea made it to the end of her bench, her serpents alert and aware.. but more than a little confused. They were smelling something new.. something strong and musky. They didn’t know what to make of it, but they kept their eyes peeled because of Andrea’s fear. Placing her back square against wall, she tried to peer through the darkness to see the man. Her glasses made it nearly impossible...

With only a little light filtering though the stained glass windows, there were only selected patches were she could see anything. She shifted, pushing herself along the wall as quietly as she could. “See…I know you’re here…because I can smell you… You have such a…unique scent, Piggy. So…sweet…delectable…like a rare, savory meat that I simply can’t help but sample. You…You will truly be a delight.”

She stopped breathing entirely, a new breed of fear digging its claws into her chest. What did he want from her? This wasn’t the cliche I have to kill you because you saw me kill someone anymore... this was something more. A numb feeling centered itself in her gut as her imagination picked up where it had left off and ran through a thousand gruesome scenarios before she could stop it. Andrea squeezed her eyes shut, curling up into herself with the cold wall behind her. She didn’t want to die like this... Alone and quite literally terrified out of her wits. She wanted Saph to burst in through the door like a hero, sweep her off her feet and carry her away from danger...

As if.

“If you want to keep playing hide-and-seek, that’s fine, Just…makes me want to find you all the more. Makes…the urge to sink my teeth into your still beating heart grow stronger. So…please……keep prolonging it. I beg you…”

He... he was going to eat her? She felt the world pitch violently as darkness threatened to swallow her, but fought the feinting spell back. If she passed out now, she was dead for sure... It was so beyond anything she could have imagined that it seemed surreal. She was being hunted, not just followed. Hunted.

Her thoughts flashed back to the man who had died in the alley. She wondered if he had been the mans first meal... and promptly wanted to throw up all over again. Another soul shattering roar filled the air, forcing her to cover her ears. She moved then, scrambling along the wall until the bone chilling sound stopped bouncing off the walls. Still on her hands and knees, she felt the cold metal of a candle holder touch her skin, and froze. They were rather large objects. Heavy, but useful if she could manage to use it as a weapon. She decided to take his offer of keeping the game going, though she was seriously going to feint if he mentioned her heart again.

Her un-gloved hand wrapped around the metal base, and she shifted herself onto the balls of her feet. The shadow she was in was fairly dark, halfway between the pew and the front door. Gulping, she forced herself to stand and plucked the heavy candle holder from its spot next to the wall. Really... she should have thought the action through a little more... because not only did the candle topple from the top of the metal structure, but the bottom of it caught on another candle holder and sent it crashing to the ground.

She cursed silently, and darted towards the pew, and more importantly, the only way out.

The hunt was causing the fur to rise up on the back of Vicente’s neck. As he stalked the shadows, he knew that his prey was still in here, gasping for breath, trying to calm herself and keep from passing out. He could swear that he could hear her heart beating like a conga drum in the darkness of the church. The sound, the smell, the anticipation, it all only served to allure the primal minded assassin as he crept closer and closer, taking his time and trying to savor the sweetness of it all. He knew, he knew that he should not actually eat her, or sample any part of her flesh. What would that do to his mutation? Would a part of her forever become a part of him to shift to at will?

But he did not care what the answer would be. He needed her that badly. The animalistic side of his mind had been toyed around with enough. The hunt was fun, but now, as he crept closer, he knew that it was time to end this little game.

He salivated more at the thought, golden eyes shooting left and right as he attempted to discern her exact location. His large, primate hand grabbing the edge of another pew, he stopped as he inhaled deeply one more time. She was close. Maybe…he would have to scare her just a bit more to get to come out. Though he did not like it when he prey gave up without a fight, it may have been the better option right now. It was obvious that she needed to be put out of her misery…

Vicente was quite the humanitarian.

Gripping the pew tighter, Vicente suddenly reared his extra large, extra muscular arm back and pulled the pew free from its soft. The wood cracked and splintered as he ripped it off its hinges, causing the ruckus to echo throughout the entire church. It sounded like a symphony of destruction to him and it was pure music to his ears. With that pew dislodged he then kicked forward and broke another. Just a little chorus to go with the magnificent symphony that he had started.

CLAAANG!!! CRAAASSSSHHH!!!![/b]

But apparently his little Piggy decided that she wanted to join in the music making.

The grin was wide as it shot across Vicente’s face. He immediately turned towards the source of clatter, his eyes peering, looking for something, anything that had made the sound. When he focused, his feline eyes pulled back the shadows and he something…on the floor was the fallen candle holder that had caused all the racket. It was as if his little happy meal was trying to leave him breadcrumbs to follow her. It was simply delightful…

Stalking towards the fallen items, his nose sniffing this way and that, he suddenly paused at another row of pews. The scent was so strong and intoxicating that he knew she was close. He could hear her sweat dripping, her trembling bones…god how he wanted her.

With a suddenly turn he snarled as he lashed out, knocking another pew away with his massive arm. The bench became dislodged, cracked and splintered under the massive strength of his arm. A cloud of dust and fine wood grain filled the air as the large, feral lion head glared into the shadows.

“Hello sweet Piggy,” he growled. “It’s time to play…”

A string of curses flowed to mind. She focused on blending into the wall behind the pew. If she didn't move... he wouldn't find her. Not quickly, anyway.. She slid slowly, like any fast movements would get her caught and killed, and hefted her makeshift weapon with her. His 'it's time to play' jest set her fear ablaze all over again. She forced herself to hold her breath, and inched her way along the wall toward the doorway. She was close... freedom was just around the corner. All she needed to do was-

The lights flickered to life over head, and her held in breath rushed out of her in a short, startled squeak. She had unknowingly run herself over the light switch, ending the game of cat and mouse in an instant. And, as if that wasn't enough, something from a nightmare was standing not far enough away from her with hungry jaws parted, saliva dribbling into his fur.

She damn near feinted right there, but managed to press herself into the wall hard enough that her wobbling legs didn't drop away completely underneath her. That was no man, no alley killer. It was a lion with a man's body, and a black furry arm. Andrea felt suddenly plain in comparison. Sure, she stood out like Christmas against the whitewash wall, small in comparison, and visibly weak due to the way she was barely able to hold up the heavy candle holder. She stared at the man like a frightened mouse, all traces of fight flooding out of her. How was she supposed to even hope to win against that?

Sloth locked his eyes on the strange man, his tongue flicking out to taste the air. He didn't recognize the scent... it was unfamiliar and strange. Yet, oddly exciting. Ira, Vana, and Avarice hissed loudly, fangs bared as they attempted to make themselves look larger and more threatening. Her hair squirmed, snakes raising themselves up from all sides to watch the man like hawks. Andrea meerly stood, shaken so much that if she moved she was afraid she would topple over completely.

"...Why do this?" She heard her voice over the hissing of her snakes, and licked suddenly dry lips.

"I have done nothing to you."

Maybe she could reason with him. Plead her case and convince him to let her go? She was hardly meal worthy to a lion... man. Not skin and bones anymore, but not exactly meaty. Her sandaled feet shifted under her as she tightened her grip on her weapon, green speckled fingers turning nearly white against the dark metal. She felt sweat trickle down from her temple, and chewed on the inside of her lip.

The in the air was the first thing that caught his attention. That swift movement that any trained hunter could catch, those of a fleeing creature in a still room. It was like a flare going off announcing that she was somewhere close. Vicente just reveled in the sensation that she was still trying to run. To know that his prey was so hopelessly caught made a sickening smile twist his lion head features. This was definitely the most exciting hunt of his life and all he wanted to do was collect his reward and devour her down to the marrow of her bones!

No…won’t…eat… he struggled with his thoughts. Just…need to silence her…

But the animalistic side of mind was slowly beginning to win. He was not going to last much longer if he remained like this but he needed his form in order to find her and make sure she didn’t talk. He needed to keep her scared, to be able to track her wherever she went. So the shift would stay at least until he was ready to drive his blade home…

The silent footfalls continued, his ears spun and pointed as he followed. Slowly he began to stalk her through the shadows, creeping closer and closer, dodging over debris and pews until…

Click.

The room was filled with a flood of light so suddenly that Vicente had thought it was already morning, that somebody had pulled the drapes from the windows and caught him. But, as it took a second for his eyes to adjust, he looked around and noticed that the lights had been flicked on. His brow arched curiously and a low rumbling erupted from his throat as he flicked his head back to see someone standing next to the light panel, holding a heavy candle holder in her tiny arms.

Immediately that grin replaced itself across his features…

“Hello little Piggy…”

He had to admit that he really was not expecting what he saw from her. She was green. And not in a “she’s about to be sick” way, she was literally green. On top of all that it seemed as if her hair was wriggling. It was only when he focused that he saw the mass of snakes that lived in her hair. For a moment, Vicente flashed back to his father, how he had told him about the demons and denizens of the underworld that managed to make it to the surface. He believed for a moment in those stories again. That this girl could have been a servant of a serpent spirit!

But that was a fairytale. If anything…she was just a mutant. They die just as easily…

>> "...Why do this? I have done nothing to you."

Arching his head curiously, it really looked as if Vicente was attempting to think it over. After all, it was an honest question, right? The girl was going to die so why not know why before it happens? After all, she had a right didn’t she? What would be the best excuse? She stumbled into a criminal act? He couldn’t let her live and possibly squeal later? She was just at the wrong place at the wrong time? All the excuses were so clichéd despite their truthfulness.

But she was right. She had a right to know. So…opening his mouth…

“RRRRRRROOOOOOAAARRRR!!!”[/i]

Momentarily enraged by the lust to stop her beating heart, Vicente lost control and, grabbing the nearest pew with his primate arm, ripped it free from its station and sent the splintered, cracked wood sailing across and crash into the altar at the front. Growling more savagely, foam of spittle on his lips and fur on end, the nearly rabid looking assassin locked his predatory eyes on his prey.

Eyeing the green skinned girl closely Vicente did not bother with any more fearful banter. Instead…

…he charged!

He paused, stared at her. Was he thinking? ... Was there hope?

She watched, silent and frozen. The moment ended quickly as another fearsome, savage roar erupted from him, and he ripped a bench from the floor like it weighed nothing, sending it flying in her direction. She barely had a moment to register what was happening before bits and pieces of wood rained down on her, and the beast charged.

A scream left her then, tumbling from her lips as she sank down the wall and hefted her weapon up in his direction, and threw it. She didn't want to get eaten! She didn't want to die!! Andrea flung herself to the side, scrambling for purchase. Her sandals slipped, but she managed to drag herself off to the side and out of danger... for the moment. He was fast, a lot faster than her.

She had been lucky so far... hopefully it would last.

"Leave me alone!" The Greek caught the side of the podium the priest usually stood behind as she flew by, yanked and sent it crashing down to block the path to her as much as she could. Sloth curled protectively tighter around her neck, almost a little too tight and one snake bared it's fangs and sent a stream of venom flying across the gap between her and the man. She spared a second to gawk at the raging lion man, before bolting back towards the pews.

Her venom didn't quite reach the man though, only flying a good two feet before it sloshed all over the wooden podium, turning the light wood instantly a pale gray. Ira hissed next to her ear, Vana copied him, and Hubris turned to keep an eye on the attacker while Andrea tried to put some distance between herself and the monster. Her foot caught on a large chunk of what had once been a bench, and she pitched forward into the floor. Her cheek connected soundly with the stone, and she saw stars for a second.

Her right foot protested when she made to draw it back up and put her weight on it. Her heart leapt into her throat, and with a strangled gasp she attempted to get to her knees. She couldn't afford to sit around.... not with that monster on her heels. Turning to keep an eye on him, she plopped back onto her butt and kicked away the offending piece of wood that had toppled her. One serpent reared back, mouth open wide, and hissed as loudly as it could in the lions direction...