"What a night, but what have I done?" D thought as if he regretted it. Looking upon her again he felt his heart stir.

"Remember it was only dinner,"the hand whispered.

"I have found the one my father told me about, the one that would hit me. Should I let it be?" She rolled over to her back, looking like a sleeping angel. D looked again at her delicate features and found his answer.

"You decide, I can't be your brains all the time, and besides I never get to see anything. I hear moans and get all sweaty in this glove and for what your personal satisfaction."hand became a little louder and more sarcastic.

"Silence, after my night, not even you could ruin it."

"Oh, I forget you're a big man, finally lost your virginity and took hers too, is it worth it, now that you feel so alive and all fuzzy."

"Yes, it is." He gently kissed her and she woke in response to him.

"Good morning." Phoenix said smiling in a dreamlike state.

"Good morning, how did you sleep?"

"Better than I have in a long time."She smiled and sat up. The silk sheet draping upon her chest and flowed over her legs. her arms hugged her legs as she rested her head upon her knees, she just looked upon D and smiled. D turned to his side and supporting his head with his right arm he gazed upon her.

"Shall we have breakfast?" she asked, as she traced her finger upon his chest. As she moved the sheet fell exposing her flesh to him, and she was comfortable with that.

"I think we should," with that D pulled the sheets up, tackled her and kissed her.

"Some breakfast." They kissed once again as D's hand gently moved her leg to the side. He place himself between her legs, his right hand clenched her breast as he began to move himself in her. He felt large inside of her and she couldn't let it go. They made love once again as if they were playful lovers enjoying a rare moment together.

Around noontime they found their way to the stables. The stables were five stalls long and very clean. There was fresh hay upon the ground and the troughs were full of food. Each stall was made of light oak, with gold nameplates upon each door. The sunlight peered in and the sweet wind roamed freely.

"Real horses?"D inquired.

"Yes, two Arabians, Jasmine and Arabi and two thoroughbreds, Mystic and Ceilia. I don't really care for cyborgs, but yours is in the last stall, fixed and ready to go."

"Again I thank you."

"Don't worry about it, I think you have already repaid me."She had a devious look on her face. D kissed her forehead lightly.

"I would like to ride one of your real horses."

"Great, we'll ride to the castle, you can do a little re con work."she stated.

"Sounds like a plan." They saddled up the two Arabians and went into the field. the horses were majestic looking, white groomed coats, and soft long manes. They were muscular and well trained, to D only riding his horse was easier than this. The field was full of wild golden grain and a small farm house could be seen just upon the eastern horizon. The day was warm wight a cool wind to their backs. There was barely a cloud in the sky and the sun was bright. D wore a navy blue tunic and riding pants, his boots were brown leather and came to mid calf. He wore his hat and the jewel upon the side glistened in the light. His cape, wore upon his shoulders and draped upon the horse, lightly fluttering in the wind. He gripped the reigns sternly and rode calmly, like the experienced rider he was. Phoenix wore black tight riding pants with a simple white cotton suit shirt, tied just below her bust. Her boots were black leather and came to the bottom of her knee. She wore her hair up in a french twist, with strands flowing around her face and neck. D rode next to her and they discussed the vampire in more detail.

"Jonathan and I have one thing in common we were born at the same time. I do mean at the same time, down to the last second. We even played together as little kids, he was like a brother, which is why I guess he waited for kill me last."

"Strange, yet despite your upbringing together he still seeks to kill you?"

"Yes, being the last mage it also makes me the most powerful of my kind, left. I have been alive for about five thousand years, and since the average mage only lives to about five hundred I'm kind of unique."

"To kill you not only completes his quest but he would have almost god like power?"

"Yes,"she sighed at the thought.

They approached the clearing and looked upon the castle. The terrain was different now instead of plush grain fields it was desert like, with little vegetation. The only plants were the ones by a slim creek, just west of the castle. The main wall was black stone with a gorge around it, there were two turrets and one main archery tower. The castle itself had four towers in a pyramid formation and each tower had a large center window. The fortifications had ghouls and mutants patrolling them. The drawbridge was up and a burst of white flames came from the gorge.

"That gorge spits a white fire about every two to three minutes. It is believed that the fire is actually from the spirit of the earth. The patrol is always there, I guess they do not sleep or he has enough of them to keep cycling through them. The stone is lava rock, which is hard to get through but you can see through it."

"You've studied this castle?"

"A little, gotta know my enemy."

"Is he a day walker?"

"Honestly I do not know, he could be because he his only a dhampire, no offense. As a child I never really went outside much, because I couldn't and there were not alot of windows in the castles, so time was irrelevant to me."

"None taken."D scanned the area and began planning a way in. He would go at night, and try to elude the guard, getting over the gorge would be easy, for it was thin enough for him to jump it.

"I should return tonight, I'll leave as soon as she falls asleep, no sense in worrying her. This could be a challenge, it looks well guarded, I'll have to circle around the parameter and look for a weakness." D thought, his mind was calculating.

"Shall we go?" Phoenix steadied her horse. Her horse became startled as if it sensed a presence, that frightened it.

"Going so soon sister?"a low voice hissed.

"What?"

"You just got here, stay for lunch, my lunch." A man floated behind Phoenix. D saw him and drew his sword. His long thin sword gleamed in the sunlight reflecting it into a bright beam. The figure, shielded his eyes for a moment at the gaze upon the sword. The light reflected upon his face, giving D a better look at his adversary.

"I have no qualm wight you dhampire, just the mage. You may live if you leave now." A sly smile crossed his face. His blue eyes shimmered letting a devilish appearance cross him. They were like Chaotica's glowing a light blue color with no pupils. His face was very pale and his lips were thin and red. Strands of long silver hair, flowed around his face. He was built like D slender and strong, with a gentile look to him. He wore a hooded cape over his black tunic and pants. A jeweled broach held the cape upon him, it had three marquis cut rubies around a square emerald. He had a sword belt on that dipped to the left holding a golden sword in it. the hilt had a large pearl upon the end of it. Phoenix was calm and motionless, she winked at D letting him know that she had a surprise for the guest.

"Leave her alone."D almost commanded.

"Now, now, tell me sister are you fucking this one?" he licked her ear and crossed his arm around her waist. He looked down upon her and gazed upon her chest. Her white cotton shirt was slightly open, giving him a view of cleavage. He smiled upon the site as if to taunt D with what he saw.

"That's none of your business, you signed off on our sibling relationship when you killed Chaotica."

"Oh, yeah so let's see we are no longer relatives, so tell me my friend,"he looked at D " man to man is she any good?"

"Like the lady said that's none of your business." D's expression became intense with hatred.

"Oh I get it you two love each other, pity Genivieve, would have made a wonderful bride, don't you think. See I don't want to kill you just marry you, the most powerful mage as a loving and obeying bride. The chaos that could rapture the world and I could, rapture you every night."He hastily kissed her neck, leaving a faint red mark upon it.

"That's enough!" She lit on fire and forced his grip off of her. He flew back in a schreik of pain and disbelief.

"Later, my dear I'll see you later!" He went away angry in a puff of smoke.

"I like the rough ones." was heard as the smoke dissipated.

D got off of his horse and went to her, pulling her off he held her for support. He knew that even though she wouldn't show it she needed to be held.

"He will never harm you again, Phoe....I mean Genivieve." They stood there as she let out her fear, anger and sadness to him. Pulling herself away she wiped her eyes and gazed at D, grateful to him for all that he's done.

"Should I explain?"

"No, I get the whole picture, this isn't a fight for your life it's a fight for your hand in marriage. You two were like siblings because Chaotica took care of you after your mother's passing. When she died you cut off the tie between you two and that gave him a shot to either kill you or love you. When he realized your power, he though it best to have you, and ultimately to reproduce with him almost god like offspring, with vampiric strengths, none of the weaknesses and mage power beyond the limits."

"I knew you would understand. About my name, though? I changed my name after her death because she always said that to be a woman is to be a Phoenix, you have to come back stronger from any and every disaster." she gazed upon him and smiled.

"Actually I like Genivieve, better, it suits you better." D lifted her chin and pressed his lips on hers.

"I won't let him have you, and he cannot scare me away, I do not scare."

Upon that statement, she whisked them back to the castle and they sat before a marble fireplace. D held her wrapped in a black fleece blanket as she sipped a brandy. The only light was the sunlight that peered though the window, but the sun was getting low and D knew he would have to leave. Moments of silence passed and D realized that she was asleep, ever so peaceful, he placed her on the couch and left.