Till Death Do Us Part..

Artemis startled at his touch, resisting the urge to jerk back. he seemed kind enough, she didn't want to insult him. "Soul searches?" the word sounded familiar, the spirits liked to whisper about them

"Ya, you never heard of em?" he asked as he tucked her hair behind her ear. "There, that's better. Now I can see that pretty face of yours."

Artemis blushed crimson but otherwise ignored his last comment "the spirits mention them, but otherwise- no, I haven't"

Mark watched her and gave a slight nod. "come on, I'll show you. I have a few pictures, it'll help you get the gist of what a soul searcher is." he held out his hand to her.

Artemis smiled softly and feel in besides him, skillfully avoiding his hand. That was just too much for her introverted personality "okay"

Mark chuckled and walked with her towards the garage where Brendon worked. The band was already practicing, a couch set up in the middle, Brendon asleep on it with his car parts magazing over his face. "It's over here." he said and nodded over towards the back of the shop

Artemis nodded and followed in behind him, curiosity ruling her

Mark pulled a dead looking photo album off the shelf that was covered in dust. It wasn't very thick, only a few pages. He set the book ontop of the hood of a little honda civic and opened it up. "Soul searchers are people that have turned into...well basically demons. They go around extinguishing all souls that wander the earth and anyone who can talk to or help them. Or, even those who are haunted by them." He showed her the pictures of the humans, and then the deformed beings they had been turned into.

Artemis stared in horror "you mean they intend to kill us?"

"Or..seperate our souls from our bodies, which is a painful process if you're not already dead, and then torture our souls until our light burns out and we are no more." Mark said as he watched her. "Me and Brendon try and help all those that we can get to the other side before the Soul Searchers can find them. That's why they don't like people like us."

Artemis looked at him,baffled "you guys actually talk to them? Why?"

Mark shrugged. "Well someone's got to help them." He said as he watched her. "don't you think? The only time it's backfired is with Bridget. She refuses to leave." he frowned. "that's the girl that stole Brendon's magazine earlier."

Artemis frowned, still not understanding how they could bare it. "...I suppose... Have you ever seen a soul searcher before?"

Mark smiled and lifted his shirt to expose a scar that streached across his abs. "I got a little to close to one once." He chuckled and nodded. "We've run into them a few times, but we've been able to stay hidden after the last time."

Artemis shuddered at the thought an resisted the urge to reach out and touch the scar. She fell silent, not sure what else to say

"You just have to be careful. It's a good thing we found ya, if you hadn't of known about them they could have walked right up to you and stole your soul. But don't worry, we can show you how to fight them off."

Artemis nodded, slightly dazed by the onslaught of new information. She wasn't alone? Soul eaters?
"thank you" she murmured, instinctually hiding behin her hair again
(alright, I'm off to sleep. It is far too late >.<)

Mark watched her for a minute and frowned. He saw a hair tye on her wrist and slipped it off. Turning her around, he quickly braided her hair so it was all out of the way and then turned her back around to face him. "Much better." he said with a bright smile once he could see her face.

Artemis raised a confused eyebrow. did he just braid her hair? "um..thank..you?" she resisted the urged to slip off the elastic and allow her hair to fall across her face again. this guy sure was... bold

"It just kept getting the way, couldn't...see...your eyes.." Mark said getting lost in her eyes. He cleared his throat and looked away, rubbing the back of his head. "right, um so. Soul Searchers, bad. Helping spirits, good. Unless they are spirits that are annoying like Bridge."
"Hey! I heard that!" Bridget glared at him from across the garage.
"Ya, ya I know you did." Mark said with a smirk.

Artemis blinked hard a few times and turned away, still fighting hard not to let down her hair. she felt so exposed without something to hide behind. "why is she still here?" her eyes landed on Bridget

"I don't know honestly." Mark shrugged. "We tried to help her, but she refused to go. It was as if she wanted to stay. She's been with us since....oh I don't know..we were twelve when we found her I think." Mark looked at Artemis. "She likes getting almost caught by the Soul Searchers. She finds it funny."

Artemis eyed Bridget "what do the soul searches do with a soul once they've taken it?" she asked, her voice small

Bridget looked over at her and smiled as she floated towards her and sat on the hood of the Honda. "Torture it. Soul Searchers can actually touch us, unlike humans. They're like a deformed version of mediators. You can feel everything, all the pain and agony a regular person can. But it's heighted by like five times."
"Bridget! Don't tell her things like that!"
"why? it's true. You know it is."
Mark frowned, glaring at her.

Artemis shivered and dropped her gaze "ha-have you ever been captured?" curiosity killed the cat, but oh well