Disclaimer: The Night World is the work of L.J Smith. Only the story is mine and a few extra characters. Alexa, the clichéd villain- she's mine.

17

Ash realized when the car pulled up that he was back at the same place he had been before. Hadn't she thought to change her 'lair'?

When he followed her in, he saw that Hannah had been tied to the same post that Mare had been.

He looked at her sympathetically. At least she wasn't down a mine shaft this time.

He turned to Alexa. "Let her go."

"No." She said simply. "Now you will be mine."

Ash tried hard not to laugh.

"I'll never be yours. I have a soulmate. Mare. No one else can be my soulmate." He said stubbornly.

Alexa turned to him, her eyes flashing with fury. "Well maybe if I can't have you, no-one else should either."

Ash shut up.

"I thought as much. Now comply, or else Hannah over there might find herself in trouble."

One of Alexa's minions walked over behind Hannah threateningly.

"Thierry so owes me." Ash thought. He faced Alexa.

"What do you want me to do?" He asked, shuddering inwardly. This wasn't him. Not anymore.

Alexa smirked, turning off the illusion that made her Alex. "Well, for a start, you could get changed out of that…"

Ash had put on the thickest woolly jumper he could find. As well as a long pair of trousers. Mare would have killed him if he went with Alexa dressed with too much skin showing.

He hoped she wouldn't kill him when he saw the outfit Alexa was holding up. "A LOINCLOTH?" He asked in denial. Or maybe she'd just burst out laughing.

While everyone's attention was towards the loincloth, Hannah managed to get one of her hands free from the ropes. After all, she had had experience at it… She just hoped she could get free before Alexa had her way with Ash. Still, the loincloth was quite amusing. She hadn't seen one since her life as an Egyptian priestess. And the thought of Ash wearing one…

Thierry was driving so fast Mare was wondering if he hadn't been the one that had given Ash driving lessons. But he still wasn't driving fast enough for her.

Holding onto her seat belt for her life, and acknowledging that the green hue of her brother's face was going to get darker, she called to Thierry. "This car can go a lot faster than this…"

They still couldn't see a sign of the car that Alexa had taken. Just as well that Thierry had fitted all the cars with GPS technology…

She couldn't believe it when she realized she was back. How stupid could this Alexa woman be? Especially to take Ash away from her.

Ash tried not to be embarrassed. But it was kind of cold standing in a loincloth. And he looked ridiculous. And Thierry had been wearing something like this thousands of years ago?

He walked hesitantly towards Alexa, fully aware that Hannah was in the room and would be bound to give Mare a blow by blow report. He groaned inwardly.

Alexa, grinning scarily, walked up to Ash. He flinched as she started running her hands over his chest.

Hannah pulled her other hand out of the ropes and ran towards the door, narrowly avoiding being hit by the door being flung off its hinges.

Alexa turned wrathfully. "I've only just had that door fixed!"

Hannah ran straight into Thierry's arms as Mare came running out from behind the door straight towards Alexa. And punched her in the face, knocking her to the floor.

She turned to Ash and started laughing hysterically, taking in his loincloth.

Ash nodded in confirmation of his previous thought. And being incredibly stupid, decided to do something that had his sisters shocked.

He bent down on one knee.

Mare sobered suddenly. He wouldn't would he?

"Will you marry me?"

Mare stood there in shock.

Don't worry. I don't mind being left to wait so long while my sisters are laughing at me…

YES!

Ash stopped in shock. You will?

Yes you dufus! Yes! Yes! Yes! And Yes!

Could you say it audibly though? Everyone thinks I've made a fool of myself…

You proposed to me wearing a loincloth and you say that?

Mare…

Okay. I just like watching you squirm.

"YES!" Mare shouted.

Rowan, Kestrel and Jade clapped for joy as Mark tried hard not to jump with them. He needed to look manly after all.

Ash turned to Thierry. "Will you be my best man?... You do owe me one." He said, pointing at the loincloth.

Everyone laughed as Thierry nodded.

THE END!

I know it's corny, and I could have gone on to the wedding, but I think that this was a nice place to leave it.

Sorry for the whole proposing thing, but I figured that Ash has changed enough for Mare to accept. Who thought he was the marrying type!

Thanks for everyone who reviewed and stuck with the story right till the end!

I will still answer reviews- just not requests for more chapters.

Xanthia Nightshade- Thanks for being a regular reviewer. I would have updated sooner, but I haven't been able to get to a computer for a while.

Tessadragon- Thanks for the last burst of encouragement. This story has run out of steam or I have, something like that. I give anyone permission to use this storyline to do their own sequel if they want though.