It was late when Mark, his fiancé and her daughter went to their room. Well not their room but the suite Jennifer had booked for her and Joline. The extra room seemed to be a little superfluous now. But Mark had thought it would have been awkward to stay in one room if Jenny had denied his proposal.

Right now, the room was indeed superfluous but still better safe than sorry. Mark felt like the luckiest man alive. It was late and they had sent the sleepy Joline into her bed but the celebration was far from over.

'come my dear. My fiancé... I still can't believe it... I want to show you something.' Jenny smiled and took his hand but instead of heading towards their bedroom, as Mark had hoped, she pulled him out of the room.

'where are you taking me? Shouldn't we stay in the room if Joline wakes up?' Mark asked unsure of what Jenny wanted to do. It felt a little off. The way she pulled his hand was a little hasty. He loved her and trusted her but his instincts warned him about the situation. She didn't bother to answer but smiled. And he followed her. Despite his feeling.

They left the hotel and went to the beach. The moon was bright and illuminated the night as if it was day. Waves rolled at a distant sandbank their breaking sound was the only thing to disturb the silence. A light breeze carried the aroma of the sea and the first breath of winter. No one else was outside in the cold and beautiful night. The stars were their only witnesses.

Usually, Mark would have loved a night like this and walk at the seaside at this hour. He was a creature of the night as Lisa often joked. Staying up late had always been far easier than getting up early. But tonight, he couldn't get rid of the cold feeling inside. He shivered inwardly which nothing to do with the cold night air.

'Why don't we head inside? It is far more romantic in the candlelight. I am cold and tired... But we might celebrate together at a place a little more comfortable...' Mark suggested trying to get his beloved back to the common ground. He smiled but felt weary inside. A little bit of fear grew in his heart.

' No, my dear. I have to show you something. It is far more important than you know. ' Jenny replied with a strange fire in her eyes. A lump of ice grew in his stomach. She pulled him into a cave.

At first it was dark and his fear reached a new level but then he saw a flickering light. The cave was illuminated by a candelabra, there was a blanket and several cushions on the floor. 'it was only a surprise.' he thought and heaved a sigh of relief.

Jenny let go of his hand and smiled. 'I had it all prepared for us in advance. It's an exclusive privilege of my family and this place is somehow sacred to us. We call it the cathedral of light. You will know when the sun rises.' his fiancé explained to him in a serious manner. Then she smiled.

' sit down it won't be cold. There's a hot spring under the cave. It's quiet cosy to lie down and watch the stars. It's a clear night it's perfect. 'she told as she lay on the blanket and invited him over. He followed her wish and lay down beside her.

She was right it was wonderful. Watching the stars and feeling the heat of the stone-floor in his back the dark though and distrust vanished.

He sighed and put his arm around her shoulders. A cosy silence enveloped both of them. After a little while he felt Jenny's hands wander all over his body and he shivered in anticipation. He knew she wanted him to wait before he started interacting.

When the tension he felt was too much he pulled her over and kissed her passionately. Her hands occupied themselves with the task of undressing him slowly. He wanted to do the same but she pushed his hands away and told him to wait.

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When she was ready undressing him, she let her hands again run over his stomach following his leans muscles. He groaned and when her hands finally unpacked his lower body, he was more than ready. She smiled and began to undress herself slowly as if dancing to a slow tune. His eyes body, were fixed on her as her dress slowly fell to the floor. She was naked underneath.

They loved each other with the same passion they had at their first time. She was an experienced lover and he was an eager student.

After a while they lay down on the ground and Mark fell asleep feeling completely satisfied.

*** *** *** *** ***

Everything was different when he woke up with a start. He was still in the cave and still together with his beloved but the whole atmosphere had changed.

The lump of ice was back as he stared at the strange glowing knife directed at his heart. He followed the knife upwards to the slender hand that held it. Jennifer's hand. Mark couldn't understand what he saw. The love of his life was threatening him with a knife.

His thoughts raced and tumbled in his head. His heart felt as if already stabbed. Then a picture surfaced his mind a young athlete in a hotel-room stabbed with a knife another still in hand. The female serial killer. Then all puzzle pieces fell into place.

The series had stopped two months ago when he started dating Jenny, who he got to know whilst investigating the case. He was such an idiot. His bad feeling was right all along. But now it was too late to regret. He was chained unable to run.

Tears started to burn in his eyes and his went dry as he croaked 'why are you doing this? Don't you love me?'

'I love you more than my life. You don't understand what I am doing. But you will understand. It will hurt but afterwards we are going to be together for eternity.' she explained. 'she is a maniac. She doesn't know what she is doing.' Mark thought frightened.

He didn't want to hurt her. Even now. He still loved her with all of his heart. Then she put a knife in his hand and told him to trust her. 'you have to stab me when I am stabbing you. It's a leap of faith and I know it's too much. It always is.' she explained as if talking about mathematics.

He clenched his hand around the knife and she put his hand with the knife towards her chest. 'Trust me.' she said and began to sing in a foreign language that resembled more the voice of a bird than a human.

Mark felt his thoughts drift away and fell into a trance. He could not even think about resistance when she told him to stab her and did the same.

As their heart's blood mingled a fire ran through his body that burned away the remains of his consciousness.

*** *** *** *** ***

When the first ray of the morning sun entered the cave, the ritual Jenny had planned was completed. She had been bright awake for a while now and watched her beloved anxious. 'please let him be strong enough. I can't stand another failure like Damien. I love him with all of my heart.' she prayed as she watched the sunlight touching Marks body.

Then it ignited and she felt a wave of relief as his body shrunk and changed. After a while it enlarged again until there was no human body but a giant fiery bird. A Phoenix like herself lying on the ground. It lay awfully still but now she knew it was only a matter of time.

Mark woke up and cried out loud. There was nothing human in this cry. It was the cry of a bird of prey high pitched and sharp.

His consciousness took a while longer to adjust. But only parts of his human personality awoke at that time. Dizziness and an overwhelming calm slowed down his very thoughts. All he knew was that he was alive and the change was still incomplete. Memories and new impressions raced into his mind. Mark knew what had happened. His body knew. He was a Phoenix now. A bird of prey. A fire birds.

He shook his head and looked down. Something was off, out of normal. His feathers were white and blue flames were covering him over and over. He was no normal Phoenix for they were red, orange or yellow in all shades.

'Am I wrong?' he asked the red Phoenix with the emerald green eyes who he recognized as Jenny.

'No. You're alright. You are just like my father a white Phoenix. This colour comes with special powers. Don't worry.' she replied and invited him to their nuptial flight. That was when his new instincts took over and he lost his last bit of humanity flying into the light of the rising sun, until he landed again.

When his human consciousness took over the leading role again, he felt as if a train had hit him. He was no longer human. The clans he had investigated had taken him and turned him into one of their own. The serial killer was his wife. His life partner and an odd instinct told him that he was bound to her for eternity. Mark had never felt this helpless in his whole life.

The world he had known had come to an end.