Chapter Twelve

Dawn tried to groan at the groggy feeling in her head. When she wanted her eyes opened, she found it difficult. It took over a minute for her to get them open. Even with them open, she found it hard to see. Everything was blurry and so unfocused.

"Your eyes will adjust in a moment my sweet." Dawn jolted back at that sick voice. "That's right. You remember me? Thought I would have died by now, right? Well no such luck for you my precious. When I took you, I gained immortality with you. How wonderful for me." He laughed making her feel ill.

Nicholas. Her worse nightmare in the flesh and still alive. From the sound of it, he was stuck ageless just like her. He takes her virginity and he gets to live forever. What a crummy exchange.

"I was very upset with you when you walked right out of your room and ran away. You were very naughty for doing that, but..." His voice changed as she felt him draw closer to her. "Your power could be so perfect for me. You see I was thinking about your power to walk through one wall and into another as the perfect way to get the fastest money ever. You could take me into a bank vault and we can be richer than anyone in the world with those fools would be none the wiser."

"I won't do it." Dawn spoke the best she could with her lack of ability to move.

Nicholas loomed over her. "Oh but you will. You will or say bye bye to that little boy toy of yours. I know who he is and can kill him so easily. What with all the knowledge I have gained through the years. I have studied becoming a doctor, lawyer, among other things. Can you imagine what disastrous things I could do to him if I don't get my way?"

Tears welled up in Dawn's eyes. He was a cruel man to do this to her. She was starting to be happy again and now that was ruined. He had destroyed it again.

Her eyes adjusted to see him grinning down at her. "But first. I think a reunion is in order. I have missed the feel of you so much these past fifty years. Since your paralyzed, what better opportunity for me to have you."

Dawn tried to shift at all, but couldn't. He was going to force her again. She had thought this could never happen again. She was severely wrong. He was going to take her against her will and she was powerless again. All she could do was close her eyes as he ripped her clothes away and did as he pleased. Tears streamed from her eyes and that just made him go harder. She felt so disgusted with him and herself even if she was paralyzed and unable to do anything about it.

~~~~~

Mark groaned out loud against the grogginess of his head. Slowly he remembered what had happened. He shot up only to fall weakly back down. He felt about and he felt like he was on a bed.

He opened his eyes and found he was in his bedroom In his bed. He took his time as he sat up not wanting a replay of having the world spin around him. His whole body felt weak and shaky.

"Just take it easy for now Mark." Patience said from her seat on the window bench.

Mark shook his head as he tried to get up. "But he has her. I need to find her and save her from him."

Patience pushed Mark gently back down on the bed. "We are trying to find her. Angel Kat and I have the best people on it."

"Have you been able to see anything?" Mark asked looking at Patience who was knelt down in front of him as he was perched on the edge of his bed.

"I've been trying to see, but something is wrong. Everything I see is after the fact. I can't see what happens to her until it has happened..." Her eyes unfocused as she slipped into another vision. Another suddenly vision.

Mark held her upper arms while Darius knelt behind her and held her up from behind. Mark prayed that this was good news. His heart sank as he watched tears streaming down her face and she started to tremble.

Patience blinked then turned sobbing into her husband's shirt. Darius wrapped his arms around her and rested his cheek on the top of her head. He didn't know what she saw, but it was bad. He looked to Mark who looked like he had been gutted.

"Patience honey. We need to know what you saw." Darius whispered in her ear trying not to seem like he is rushing her.

"It was horrible. What an evil, vile man." She sobbed out.

Mark slid off the edge of the bed to his knees. "Please. Is Dawn alright?" He held a hand over his chest. She had to be alright. She didn't need anything else hurting her, but he feared that that man was doing just that. Hurting her.

Patience looked at Mark with sorrowful eyes. "Oh Mark. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. He...he...he...oh god...he raped her. From what I heard, he raped her years ago too."

Mark placed his other hand over his heart. Was that what she was hiding from? Why she flinched at his touch? Why she didn't want to get close to anyone? To be hurt by a man in such a way. Even Mark wouldn't fully do such a thing.

"I need a drink." Mark stated as he pushed himself off the floor. He staggered weakly through his place only partially aware that there were others. He went straight to the cabinet above the bar, opening it. He pulled down his bottle of scotch and poured himself a glass.

A hand shot out to cover the mouth of the glass. Parro stood looking at Mark. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

Mark jerk his hand back. "I think it's the perfect idea." Mark quickly downed the drink and pour another. "I let him drug her." Drink. "He then drugged me." Drink. "He let me see him take her." Drink with sobs. "And now he's raped her." He drank twice for that one as it hurt the worst.

"What!?!"

"Patience just saw it." Mark's voice trembled.

"And you want to know something. He's been searching for her for fifty years." He downed another drink. He took in all the shocked faces. "That's right. She is way older than fifty and she was alone for most of it." He grabbed the bottle and glass taking them to his dining table at the other end of the kitchen. "That bastard told me before I passed out." Mark thudding into a chair and poured another glass.

Darius marched over, took the bottle, then poured everything down the drain. "And you think drinking yourself into a stupor is going to help her?"

"There's nothing I can do."

Darius turned back to Mark. "Yes there bloody is!" Darius got in Mark's face. "Have you kissed her?" A nod. "Did she kiss you back?" Another nod. "Then you're in her heart and you can help. She is counting on you to help her. She came to you when she was hurt."

"What can I do?" The look of defeat was on his face. Mark. The softest of whispers floated through the air around him. Mark closed his eyes whispering Dawn's name in his mind. Help me. He could hear the frightened tone in that whisper which twisted his heart. He asked how, but there was no reply. Nothing to tell him how to help his Dawn.

"You can start by being strong. She is out there and you'll need to be ready for when we find wherever she is. She'll need comforting now more than ever. She opened up to you for a reason."

"You think there is a reason they kept bumping into each other? Once literally." Parro asked from behind Darius.

"Soulmates." Mark said hanging his head. He didn't know how he felt about that prospect. Someone just for him? He had only dreamed. People thought that the soulmate thing was between a creation and their match, be it another creation or a normal like him. Could it be possible that with her gifts, she was like them? A creation and he was her match? A dream, he thought. A nice dream he wishes were true.

"Yes." Darius said sounding like he was talking to both of them at the same time. "What you're feeling right now is exactly how I felt when Patience was taken from in front of me. The gut wrenching, heart ripping feeling consumes you and drinking is the only thing that numbs it. Trust me, I know." Mark looked up at Darius feeling a kinship to him now. "The best thing is to help find her and then go after her. Go to her and hold her to never let go."

Mark took everything in and knew Darius was right. When they find her, Mark will never let her run from him again. He'll hold her and make sure she would never want for anything ever again. He would bow to her as if she was a goddess which she was to him.

Mark bowed his head nodding. "So lets start sobering you up from what you drank so you are ready. Then we'll go to the agency and see the progress lending a hand if we can." Mark nodded and Darius made some coffee for Mark.

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