Chapter Thirty-four

Mark breathed deeply as he regained himself. He moved his hands to either side of Dawn and then jolted up. His head snapping around them as they stayed still locked together. His eyes grew wide as he looked all around them.

"Um... love?"

He looked down at her as her eyes fluttered opened. She graced his cheek. Then she registered the look in his eyes and didn't understand it. "What is it? What's wrong?"

He chuckled. "You really liked this place, didn't you?"

Her forehead scrunched as she looked around. Then her eyes shot wide seeing they were in the forest next to the stream. She realized that she wasn't feeling the bedding and pedals below her but the sandy stream shore. The same place they had visited when they took a walk with his camera. When he let her use his camera and taught her how to use it.

She blushed as she covered her face. She couldn't remember moving them here. She just remember feeling bliss with the sensation he made her feel. There was never a thought once to this spot but say for a fleeting moment. But she would have known she was shifting them, wouldn't she?

Mark chuckled as he tugged her hands away from her face. He leaned down and kissed each of her cheeks. "Don't be embarrassed." He looked her in the eyes and stroked her hair. "I love that you brought us here." Then he looked around. "But you might want to shift us back before we're discovered bare here."

Dawn giggled as her hands wrapped around his waist and she held him against her while the world shimmered again. He wrapped his arms around her too when he found them again in their room.

"Shit!" Mark snapped his head up to see Barr with his back to him. A second later he found that Dawn and he were in the bathroom. She was trembling a bit.

Mark looked down at Dawn and graced her cheek begging her to look at him. When she did, he kissed her for a few seconds till she stopped trembling. He pulled back ever so slightly just to rest his forehead on hers looking into her eyes. "I'll go deal with him. Stay here?"

She nodded and he pulled a towel down to cover her. She timidly kissed his hand in gratitude. He smiled and rose grabbing a robe from the back of the door. He turned to her as he saw her sit up and had the towel perfectly around her so she was mostly covered. He opened the door only enough for him to slid out into the main bedroom.

He stomped for a few steps before he registered that no one was in there. He turned to the bathroom door and placed a hand on his. "He left. I'm going to see what they had wanted. I'll be back in a little."

"Alright." He heard her say timidly through the door.

He made sure the robe was on properly before he marched out the door of their room. There were voices laughing down the stairs. His fists were balled up as he descended the grand stairs.

He found Barr in the front room with Targ and a few others. From the look of Barr's back, he didn't want to walk in on them. Targ turned when he saw Mark coming over. He was the first to get to him and hold Mark back.

Barr put his hands up. "I didn't mean to intrude on that, but when I came up, you two weren't in there. I had no idea you two... um... sealed the deal."

"Do you have any idea how embarrassed she is now?"

Barr frowned. "You two had vanished and I had no idea."

Targ got Mark's attention. "He meant no harm. He did say you guys weren't there when he entered to tell you. None of us thought that was how your evening would turn out."

Mark blew out a deep breathe. "I hadn't realized she was ready either." When he was calmer, he looked at Targ. "There must have been a reason for him to look for us."

Targ nodded. "We have some news regarding the search for Mr. White." Targ gestured for Mark to sit down which he did. Targ stood before Mark in front of the fireplace. "They've located a warehouse were he has taken shelter. At the moment they have it surrounded and have confirmed he is inside. There's a team about to enter and take him down."

"Correction boss. They have him in custody but there's a complication." Han said as he looked up from his laptop. "Seems they have to take him to the hospital."

Targ went over as Mark puzzled over this. He knew Nicholas was an immortal because of what he did. He didn't need a hospital. Mark saw the cuts heal himself when he was striking Nicholas in fury.

Targ read the report and his eyebrows shoot up as he turned to Mark. "They say the prognosis is grim for him. The report says that they have him on a respirator at the moment."

Mark ran a hand through his hair. "But that doesn't make sense. He's immortal. Ageless like Dawn." Targ brought his hand to his chin as he thought.

"It's because his connection to me has broken." They all turned to Dawn who stood just inside the door. She was wearing a long nightgown with a silk robe over top of it. She looked so shy and dainty how she stood leaning against the doorframe with her hands holding the frame.

Mark rose and pulled her into his arms. He just had to comfort her. "What do you mean love?" He asked softly as he graced her cheek moving a strand of hair away.

She laid her head down on his shoulder as she looked at Targ. "I think when Mark and I... we..." Her cheeks flamed too embarrassed to say what they did. "I think Nicholas lost his immortality." She looked up at Mark. "Because it went to another."

"You don't know that the immortality passed to me." He shook his head as images she showed him played in his mind. "I don't feel different."

"I think she might be right." The two looked over to Han who was still looking at the screen of his computer. "The docs at the hospital say that his body is starting to fail on first glance." He shook his head before he scrubbed a hand over his face. "They said some cuts are starting to magically open all over his skin."

Targ looked back to the couple. "What do you want to do?"

She pressed herself closer to Mark who tightened his hold around her. "I don't know." She whispered to Mark.

He stroked her hair. "How about we get some sleep and decide in the morning? Get a good nights sleep so we can think with a fresh mind."

Targ nodded. "We'll also have new information in the morning."

Mark smiled wistfully turned them from the room. "Lets get you to bed love."

A small smile played at her lips hearing that from him. He rubbed her upper arm lightly as they made their way up the stairs. A prayer in his heart that they were free from Nicholas's treachery and evil. That by them making love they took his arrogant ageless power away.

In the room, Mark helped her into bed before he put on a pair of lounge shorts. He slipped in after her and soon they both were drifting off. Both content and comfortable in the other's embrace. A feeling of rightness.

~~~

Mark sighed as he woke again to an empty bed. He was getting used to it because he felt deep down that Dawn was alright. That there was nothing to worry about. It was like his senses were so acute to her.

He sat up and stretched then smiled as the bed dipped and arms wrapped around him. "I'm surprised that you're not down in the kitchen like you've been."

She shyly shrugged. "I needed to think this morning." Her voice was small.

He turned to her and looked at her. "About what you want to do?" She nodded. "Anything I can help with?" He asked as he guided them to lay down on the bed together. Her in his arms while she held onto his waist.

She looked up at him. "Should we go back and see?"

He moved her hair off her face. "Do you feel okay with that?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. A part of me wants to see if it really is him. Another part of me is afraid to see him again."

"How about this?" He snuggled her more to him. "We go and if you can't do it, we go to our place. We forget about him and live life. What do you think?" He looked down at her and she rose up to press their lips together. He groaned in delight as they kissed more.

After a time, they rose, dressed, and went down to breakfast. During the meal, they informed everyone they had decided to go back. They thanked them for letting them stay there. There were sad faces, but they were happy that they were safe to go back.