It was his birthday. His human birthday, the date his wife had told him to forget. Another reason for the distance between them. The Phoenix had instinctively accepted her as his life partner but even though both his human and his Phoenix side were weary of her. He had lost his trust in their relationship. Permanently.

It had been five freaking months since he had been transformed. Though he had learned to live with it and his merging was nearly completed, he still wasn't happy about it.

He had long since crossed the point where he could tell both of his sides apart. The Phoenix' instincts were his now and his resentment influenced the Phoenix behaviour towards his life partner. Distance and distrust.

He had kept to himself as much as possible only trying to keep Joline out of this mess. For her he had even tried to forgive Jenny, but he couldn't get himself to do it. A real sad prospect for the eternity he didn't choose.

Mark sighed and looked at the calendar on his desk. This was a day to reckon. He had avoided any social contacts besides Lisa and, as he lived with them, his so-called family.

The clan had sent him several invitations to join festivities and whatever, which he had nicely declined. Mark couldn't imagine to have fun in a flock of Phoenixes. Not that he had specifically liked social gatherings when he was still human.

Well today's invitation was not an invitation but a summoning by his king and father-in-law himself. One he could not ignore or bypass. A fact Lisa had been very clear about. He was now subject to the clan-jurisdiction and disobedience towards a direct order of one of the Clan-chiefs would be regarded as treason.

Mark had hoped against hope that an important new case would have kept him from being there in time, but nothing had happened.

Lisa and his colleagues even made him leave early. They had told him to be careful and that he had to represent his unit. Their worrying about him felt reassuring and cosy, like being part of a family. He would have never thought it possible regarding the bad start. But after a little time, everything was settled.

Though he still shuddered when he thought of his second first day - after two weeks of merging. Lisa had fetched him since he was not allowed to drive a car until he had completed his merging. Jennifer had been severely scolded by her family because letting him drive on his first day had been insanely dangerous.

A Phoenix in merging could not entirely control his fire, since it was directly linked to their emotions. They could spark any time. There had been cases of cars exploding due to such uncontrolled sparks.

Lisa awaited him in her old rundown car which seemed out of place in the fancy driveway that led to the front door of the Teine's city mansion. His actual 'home'. It certainly didn't feel like it. He had never liked houses built to show one’s power.

They always had seemed to him like a museum not a home. He would have never thought, that he would have to live in one of those one day. But here he was without much of a choice left. The merging required some things his tiny flat couldn't offer. Never mind the Teine Clan letting a white Phoenix live outside their direct control. Mark felt like a prisoner in his new life.

'I would like to be a bird, they say, I will be free, they say... Quite the opposite actually.' Mark muttered as he got into his stepmother's car. Lisa coughed as she tried to hide her laughter at his remark. She knew him well enough to know that this humour was his way of coping.

He had always made the funniest jokes in his most desperate times. When his parents were murdered, he had done the same. A psychiatrist wanted to classify him as emotionally underdeveloped until she saw him break down and cry when he deemed himself alone. Strong on the surface.

Seeing him in these dire straits made her crumble internally. It was harder to accept than the inhuman juggernaut, that killed one of her colleagues or had barely recognized her a few days ago.

Those were products of his new instincts - ancient Blood did always tell one way or the other - but this desperation was a product of his own psyche. He hated his new life. She knew she had to help him anyhow.

But right now, they had to go to work. Being over with it would clearly be a good thing. The second first day after killing one of his colleagues, whilst being the victim of his own instincts, was certainly not the best way to start in a new job. But afterwards she would take him home to talk.

Another reminder of his new constitution was his instinctive fear of going underground. Lisa knew of this fear - in fact she did use the underground parking area mainly because she knew of it. Every clan-member knew the most important weaknesses of the other clans.

This special underground fear was a hint towards the Phoenixes' real weakness - total darkness. They could only use their powers if there was any kind of light source. They depended on it. A place devoid of light was sheer torture. Just like a fire dragon couldn't stand the total absence of warmth, you get the idea.

Knowing of the weakness was one thing, but seeing her beloved stepson struggle was another. She cursed John inwardly. The commissioner had told her that she could save her son from this fatal weakness... If she forced Mark to go underground every day during his merging. Her son was a white Phoenix a very special and powerful species. He would get used to the absence of light. Overcome it eventually. Be his own light-source just like Jordan Teine.

Mark's breath grew ragged and forced when the car crossed the border between daylight and the Neon lit underground parking lot. Every fibre of his body protested feared the absence of light.

He hated himself for his uncontrollable shaking, for his mind running wild, trying to figure out how to flee. His human-side had to summon every ounce of willpower he could muster. He felt disgusted by the Phoenix' display of weakness. The very same part of him that had made him a murderer feared the darkness like a little child. How ironic.

Mark fought himself and won. Forced his body to calm down though he still looked like some junkie in the rehab. But that was what he was right now, a junkie, addicted to light. And it did feel like a rush when his Phoenix' powers came back the same moment they left the darkness of the parking lot. He felt delighted and hated himself for it.

His gloomy mood forbade any kind of conversation, so they walked in silence. Lisa knew anything she would say right now, could not bring any comfort, so she tried to be simply at her son’s side. Trying to show him, that he was not alone.

Awkward silence greeted them when they entered the 'Familia's' main quarters.

'So, you are back.' stated a tall man in jeans and a nirvana shirt - Lisa's beta, Michael, as Mark recalled. His whole body showed a certain tension, but no aggression. The Beta wolf lowered his head towards the phoenix he knew to be stronger. Mark's phoenix-side registered his submission, his human-side felt even more awkward, when he realised his other sides complacency. An inborn dominance completely new to him.

'Yes. Here I am.' Mark muttered unsure how to react to the unasked questions filling the room. How to deal with one side his being complacent and self-satisfied, whilst the other drowned in awkwardness and guilty consciousness. He tried to keep his struggle hidden and held up a cool facade.

'Don't think too much about your deed. As far as I know, you have been set up.' Joanne, the kitsune said as she saw easily through his facade. He sighed and his image crumbled instantly. '

'I don't know about that. You all know much more about this world I stumbled into than I do. All I know is that I had no control over what I did that day. My first day in this new life and my first murder... I might have been set up, but in the end, I burnt him, or at least a part of me did.' Mark said seriously and covered his face with both his hands suddenly tired. Not physically but mentally exhausted.

Lisa put her hand on his shoulder. 'Don't worry, Mark. There is no one in this room who hasn't had his own share of murder. Willingly or unwillingly. Sometimes you can't control what you are, well at least, not what you are doing. If it makes any sense... I guess I suck at prep-talks.' Michael muttered the last part as he became increasingly aware of his teams amused looks. Mark felt really thankful though he agreed Michael sucked at prep-talks. 'Thanks- I guess.' he mused unsure how to react. The sudden change from awkwardness and fear to jovial friendliness was a little much to take right now.

'Oh, come on, guys. It's not like I did not predict hot birdy-here and our cute oddball would become friends in no time. Ya know gentlemen pay their gambling bets...' the kitsune's voice resounded as she led the two remaining members over. They had been there out of sight. His phoenix had known and decided to ignore their presence until further notice. Now he noticed the small, athletic man, whose mannerism and aura reminded him of a cat as well as the disturbingly handsome dark-skinned man with his dead eyes staring at him unblinkingly. Mark shuddered. His human-side wanted to run away, whilst his phoenix-side wasn't flustered in the slightest. The schism again.

'My name is Edgar Minelli. I am a were-cat and responsible for background-checks and so on...' the smaller man said as he handed Joanne some money. His gamble Mark guessed. 'This one is Xaver Martin. He's a wyvern. A formidable spy, does not talk though.' he added and pointed towards the taller man.

'Sorry if it is rude to ask... but I never heard of a wyvern...' Mark asked in a cautious manner.

'No, it's okay to ask. Wyvern are some kinds of smaller dragons though they are not related to the dragon-clan but evolved separately.' Edgar explained. 'They tend to be loners. Unwelcoming towards strangers, not unlike us were-cats.' he furthered his explanation and added 'Don't worry we don't hold any grudges against you. In fact, you relieved society of a potential threat. Lorenzo was totally nuts. A real lunatic...'

'Well thank you, I guess. I hope I am not considered as a lunatic, now?' Mark wanted to know.

'No, you're not. An asset. That's what you are. Precious. But I don't think we are going to keep you for a long time. Your kind is too rare to be wasted on us. We are nothing more than the clans Punch and Judy show to uphold the imagine of democracy and human justice. The clans’ jurisdiction works differently than the humans. They will get you there... you are a walking lie-detector as a white phoenix and one impossible to lie to at that. Far too precious to be wasted outa here.' Edgar stated and shook the stunned Mark's hand.

'You shouldn't involve yourself in these things, Edgar.' Lisa reminded him sternly.

'What is this lie-detector busyness about?' Mark asked curiously. Lisa sighed and shot Edgar an angry glance, who just shrugged and smiled.

'I can't tell you much. It's more about rumours and gossip. The Teines are not very talkative about their leader’s abilities. But a white phoenix is considered a born inquisitor. You cannot lie to one of your kind. Well once you are done with your merging that is.' Lisa explained to Mark, who just stared at her flabbergasted.

The rest of their day was not very spectacular. Lisa took him home and they drank his favourite tea whilst talking. He felt at home. Even now he clearly remembered the dread he felt as his stepmother drove him 'home' to the godforsaken Teine mansion.

All of his working days had been like this. First working with his new friends at the 'Familia', then staying with Lisa for some time, before having to return to the mansion. This routine was nice. Besides his weekends. On weekends he was expected to spend time with his family. Long silent hours of not knowing what to say unable to cross the schism in between. Silent tears falling from Jenny's cheeks. No trust between partners though his merging proceeded fast and steady. Mark eventually came to terms with being what he was. Even kind of liked it though he didn't know whether it was him or just his feelings influenced by the merging.

Right now, his merging was nearly done. Only his eyes had remained human. No bird eyes like those of the other phoenixes he had seen. Jenny was clearly worried about it, even more than she was about their lack of partnership. Eyes were the embodiment of one’s soul. That was what she believed. This morning John had told him about it, when he had tried to intervene and mediate between his brother-in-law and his sister. Mark had smiled and told him 'You are my friend. So are the guys at Familia's. But that does not mean I am going to listen to your advice, ya know. Just leave me be. I'll be a complete phoenix eventually. Don't have much of a choice about it, do I?' 'I know, Mark, but I don't understand, why you are so stubborn in this. You forgave her already, didn't you? You came to terms with what you are. You talk to her friendly. You even befriended me... But at the same time, you keep your distance as much as possible. You are going to meet our father, today. He is going to evaluate you. Your usefulness. If he knows about you avoiding to integrate into our clan, he will force you to do it, you know...' John had explained in a tone that made Mark think, that the phoenix-crown-prince had his own experience with going against his domineering father’s wishes.

Mark sighed and turned to Lisa who awaited him next to the door. 'No point in delaying any longer, is there?' he asked. Lisa smiled sadly. 'No there isn't. Just get over with it and hope for the best.' She answered. This was definitely going to be his worst birthday ever.