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“Hey, freak of nature,” a familiar male voice called from outside, punctuated by another knock “Are you in there?”

Heaving an annoyed sigh, Marrok yanked the door open to find a nightmare nearly as bad as the one that had awakened him Golden hair spiked above sleek brows and wicked blue eyes A glittery Hollywood sifted wizard’s iroaned Noould never have any peace

“Are you callingfrom you, that is rich”

“If today is your day to conduct beheadings, count me out” Braickind into seeing things his way for four hundred years

Marrok frowned and propped his sword against a nearby wall

Braic circle guarding your place, or must I continue to stand on the mat?”

“If I do not?” Marrok challenged, raising a dark brow He was heartily teical coxcomb amused him at times…but Marrok didn’t dare trust him

“If you don’t letjuicy…”

Brah Marrok cared little what the wizard had to say He uise, then force, coerce, or beg her into unlocking that accursed book and setting him free

“Enter,” he huffed

Bram stepped inside and shut the door behind him “You look like hell Did you sleep in yesterday’s trousers?”

Marrok stared at his rumpled chinos “Did you come all this way to be my mum?”

“If you need one…” Bra in his eyes

“What the hell do you want? Say it and be gone,” Marrok de to his room to snatch a fresh T-shirt and old jeans out of a drawer Then he trekked across the hall to his bathroom

Bra outside after Marrok slammed the door in his face

After donning fresh clothes, he turned to a h his dark hair Ancient eyes stared back at hier, and thwarted lust He did look like hell

“To talk to you,” Braravely i me to the Creepified Forest”

“Iickind” Not necessarily important to him

“Since I’m the only friend you have, it’s important to you, as well”

“I have no friends” Marrok pictured Bra his teeth He smiled

“All right, then I a who knows of your immortality and still speaks to you”

Marrok grunted and reached for his toothbrush “I am not interested I must hunt”

“The local ?”

Marrok wrenched open the bathroo insect “Is ickind so starved for a comedian that you suffice?”

Brahed “I really have come for a reason”

Though the wizard loved to antagonize hiickind would not visit without cause

“You will only pester ive in Why are you here?”

“Because I’ve had a vision”

Vision Being in the saive hi Bram around was like a perical healer for this sort of thing”

“Because when it comes true, it will involve you”

“I involve ” He shouldered past Bram and headed for the kitchen

“And all of ickind knows it Ever heard of the Book of Doomsday?”

“Nay”

“It’s also called the Doomsday Diary”

His uninvited guest placed his hand on Marrok’s shoulder I under his forehead, then between the te to sneak into his thoughts Marrok jerked away and slammed a mental door between them

Bram reared back in surprise, speculation on his face Clearly, humans were often unable to block him from their minds But Marrok hadn’t survived half of forever without learning a few tricks

“Never have I heard of the accursed book by either naain, or I will slice you in two”

“It would be a for you to try, human” The wizard snorted “You’ve never seen the book? It’s red with gilt inlays, and is small, ornate, and very old”

That sounded like… Marrok shoved the thought away, lest Bram read it No reason to add fuel to his fire

“You do know soickind knows of the Book of Dooht know of the book because it was created by randfather’s nemesis”

“I did not know Merlin well Why should I know of his enemies?”

“Well, Morganna was your lover”

Marrok gri of lust with a real bond”

“She’s the reason you’re immortal She cursed you with the book, didn’t she?”

By hell’s fire, how could Braht of it”

“You’re lying”

“Shove off!” Marrok stoestured with a wave

“A moment more…” The wizard sent him a sober stare “I want to share my vision with you”

“Of?”

“The future Watch”

“Keep your visions to yourself, you droning codpiece”

Brarabbed his arm, and waved a hand in front of his face A picture appeared before Marrok’s eyes He fell into it, unable to back away

Nightti and lovely, now decayed A sray robes trimmed in red Others wore normal dress and oddly vacant stares

Intrigued against his will, Marrok peered closer, then reeled back in shock The people in robes dragged the others toward the house with ropes about their necks The air of excite the berobed was palpable