Hey people, I must say that I was a bit scared to attempt a new story after Tourniquiet. But I was suddenly struck by inspiration and yeah..i hope you enjoy, please read and review and tell me what you think, and if I should keep going. I think this story is a little bit lighter than tourniquet but I hope you enjoy it all the same. (PS: to all those who reviewed the last chapter of Tourniquet I will update a last time and answer all of your questions.)

Anyway on with the story!

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The old story of a young man using a woman's body for his own momentary pleasure and then leaving her in the morning with nothing but unfulfilled promises of love to salvage her dignity are almost cliché. Serenity like any other girl child had heard these warnings from her mother-yet nothing was further from her mind as she lay in the arms of what she believed was her one true love.

A gentle sigh escaped her pink lips as her head rested on her lover's chest. Her golden hair swirled around them enveloping them both in a warm blanket of what she believed to be love. Her feelings controlled her reason to such an extent that the dim, dusty setting of the small motel with it's dreary furniture and rotting floor boards seemed to her nothing short of the lavish beauty of the Venetian courts. However the dark pragmatic voice in her mind would not allow her to forget the hard lessons of her convent up bringing. She slowly bit her bottom lip as only now after her first experience of true passion did she question her actions. Pre-marital relations with a man were no doubt a sin in the eyes of her faith-and she could not bear the fought that the fiery doors of hell loomed before her. However her romantic side (which made up most of her persona) would not stand for such thoughts and once again convinced her that not even God would object to actions that had been taken because of the love that she and Seiya shared.

She snuggled closer to his bare body, seeking his warmth to confirm the thoughts of her mind. A frown formed itself on her lips as his body went stiff under her touch, she glanced up at him questioningly, the hurt plain in her crystal blue eyes. Her discomfort was completely lost on him as he stared at the ceiling in a cool, contemplative manner. He detangled his limbs from her in a calm, almost business like fashion, and quite casually picked up a long cigar from its place on the vanity and put it to his lips. His muscles tensed and his shoulders pushed backwards as the smoke began infiltrating his lungs.

"Seiya?" She asked quietly, her voice almost breaking mid syllable. All her uncertainties were conveyed in her quivering voice as she uttered his name. He tilted his head towards her and took the cigar away from his lips, allowing the smoke to leave his full lips and swirl in the crisp air of the motel.

"The latrines are over there, and the wash bowl there" He replied calmly, pointing to two opposite ends of the small room. Tears began to well into her eyes, as she gathered the rough cotton sheets around her form in a gesture of modesty. She slowly reached out to him, but the moment her fingers made contact with his upper arm, he visibly flinched causing her to withdraw her hand away instantaneously. Her lower lip began to quiver-each dismissive gesture accompanied with a cold syllable added a wall around her heart. As the walls grew in number they pressed against her beating heart causing an almost physical pain to grow in her chest. A small gasp escaped from her lips. As a result she pressed the back of her hand to her mouth to prevent any further outbursts. Her shoulders began to slump forward as her conscious weighed more and more heavily on her mind.

"Surely, last night." She began, looking up to him with a look of pure desperation. He merely sighed and stood up, putting on his breeches. He turned to her, his face a riddle of irritation and annoyance.

"Look, last night was pleasurable to both parties but I need a woman with more, shall we say experience?" he uttered the words in a mocking fashion, the corners of his lips curving up in a slight smile. Her breath caught in her throat from the sheer force of her anger. She stared at him in utter disbelief, it was beyond her comprehension that the man who had made profusions of love to her only hours ago could now stand and ridicule her in such a fashion!

"You bastard" She did not yell the words, but merely whispered them conveying all the emotion that was rolling through her. Tears were now falling freely down her cheeks while her lips were pressed together firmly. His eyes narrowed, indicating that his annoyance had changed into anger. He grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her off the bed, half hurling her to the floor.

"Now look you little whore, I suggest you leave this place instantly for I have a meeting with your father in the next room. I do not intend to ruin a perfectly good deal with a merchant because I have robbed his daughter of her priceless treasure." He uttered the last words in a sarcastic fashion, yet even in his anger he did not miss the look of determination that passed across her eyes. He brought his face inches away from hers and sneered.

"If you're considering revealing what has transpired between us to your father I suggest you also find a new residence. For I am certain that he would instantly rid such a sinful being from his God fearing home. Do you not agree?" He asked smiling at her triumphantly. He stood slowly and turned heading towards the door. Without warning she sprung at him-he turned just in time for her to hit him head on. She beat against his chest with her fists, screaming at him for the injustices he had done to her body and heart. He grabbed her wrists and pulled them away from each other. Shaking his head and glaring at her in the way one would a misbehaved child.

"Really, after your little performance last night I truly believed that you were a lot more aware of the ways of the world." He pushed her away from him and let his eyes wonder over her nude form-he then reached out and pinched an exposed nipple causing her to gasp and shudder away form him. He in response merely threw his head back and laughed before leaving the room and slamming the door behind him. Leaving her with nothing but her shattered pride to keep her company.

Serenity leaned against a wall in order to find some support. Her chest heaved as her breathing came out in sharp, short chunks. She slowly sunk down to the floor well aware of the pitiful image she made. She pulled her knees to her chest in order to gain some warmth while sniffling loudly and using the back of her hand to wipe away the tears that had accumulated on her cheeks. Never before in her life had she felt so dirty. So incredibly used and worthless.

In the duration of her lifetime she had witnessed no ill behaviour on the account of anyone-and could be well forgiven for having believed that evil did not exist. Her appreciation of religion was not guided by the hard facts of the bible but more so with her own feelings of right and wrong. Her naivety was clear in the pureness of her aura and the innocence present in her blue eyes. Seiya had been able to notice these features immediately and had exploited her weakness in order to gain what he desired. Serenity submerged her face in her hands and cried through the pain and tried desperately to ignore the nausea that was developing in the pits of her stomach.

It was the last time she would allow herself to cry so freely.

After what seemed like hours of weeping she picked herself up off the dusty floorboards and slowly gathered her clothes. A sob caught in her throat as she noticed a simple red stain on the crumpled sheets. Yet instead of unravelling once again she straightened her posture and tilted up her chin. There in the dim, unclean settings of the claustrophobically small room she made an oath that would guide her for many years to come. She swore to herself that never again would she allow anyone to acquire the power to hurt her so devastatingly as Seiya had. Unbeknownst to her the cycle of change began with that oath. She could now see the dirty, dank room for what it was-a cheap motel room that was designed for whoring and other such indecent activates.

She left the room and closed the door slowly behind her. As she walked through the Venetian footpaths her hands were clasped firmly about herself. Although it was not on account of the brisk air. She gazed bitterly towards the long boats that carried lovers through the channels of Venice. Although a part of her was adamant that love was merely an illusion a deep part of herself still longed for it. As she reached the front door of what had been her childhood home her heart sank. She could not bring herself to enter. The romantic ideals of her head told her that all would be forgiven and that perhaps no one would discover her mistake. Yet for the first time in Serenity's short existence her reason won over emotion. For the first time she displayed true courage.

She slowly leaned forward and plucked a wilting rose from a nearby bush and placed it's slender stem through the door handles. Even though it's petals were blemished and its stem disfigured the patches of vibrant red against the dark grey door hold the promise of what could have been. With that as her final good-bye she turned her back on everything she cared for and moved slowly into the world. A world from which she had been protected from all her life.

As the dark emerged so did the monsters of the night. Yet these monsters were not the supernatural beings that she had feared during her childhood minutes before surrendering to slumber. These monsters were only too real, too utterly human. This quality made them all the more terrifying. Whores lined the streets, adorned in their vulgar stained dresses-their face paint running from the sweat that had accumulated from attending to past clients. Disfigured and maimed beggars also crawled on the streets, often calling out to passers by in an almost indiscernible language.

A loud shriek escaped from Serenity's lips as an arm grabbed her by the waist from the shadows. She struggled to free herself from her captor's arms yet it was of no use. His stench of alcohol, sweat and other bodily fluids caused the nausea in her stomach to re-emerge. Her heart was pounding violently against her chest as her mind vividly explored all the things the man could do to her.

"What's a pretty girl like you doing out here at this time of night?" She looked up at him quite startled. She had expected the man to use poor grammar and to slur his words. However he pronounced his words in a sophisticated manner with such an elegant air that shocked her.

"Umm..I.." She stumbled for a few minutes loosing all her self-confidence under the piercing gaze of the man's deep emerald eyes.

"Runaway have we?" He asked smiling, his eyes dancing with amusement. For a moment rage and self-righteousness filled her being. Yet the memories of the night before were still fresh in her mind. She looked away ashamedly and slowly nodded her head.

"Well its not safe for you to be out here alone-come come, I know a place where you can stay for the night." She followed him obediently, although her instincts were crying out for her to turn and flee-she could not. She had no hope of survival if she remained in the streets. He led her through the winding roads until they reached a large sand stone mansion. Serenity was utterly in awe of the building that stood before her for it seemed to extend to the very clouds. She swallowed loudly and used a shaking hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"You are too kind sir, one of the few true gentleman left I dare say." She whispered quietly as she stole a glance at her companion. A blush emerged on her cheeks as she recalled her earlier thoughts. The man was not in the least intimidating, his deep emerald eyes and blonde curls were if anything quite boyish. On hearing her words he threw his head back and laughed heartedly.

"I am no gentleman, I do nothing without a guarantee that it will somehow serve my own purpose." She looked at him sharply, unsure of what he meant.

"How could I-" The man cut her off by abruptly by wrapping his hand around her waist and pulling her against him intimately.

"Welcome to the house of Medici my dear." All the colour drained from Serenity's features as her body started trembling violently-she pushed him away from her instantly. The house of Medici was famous for its patronage of the arts. Yet it was even more renowned for its education and training of Courtesans. She turned on her heel and was about to sprint away when the man grabbed her upper arm none to gently.

"Now now, my little spit fire. You have two choices, you can stay here and be educated in both the ways of society and in letters or you can return to the streets where men and thieves are hungry for you." Serenity slowly bit her lip, comparing the outcomes of her so-called choices. A few hours ago she would have rejected the man vehemently, yet after the event of the morning her self worth and idealised notions of the value of the female body and virtue had almost entirely diminished. Thus within a moment she was able to trade her very soul in order to survive.

"Now may I know the name of my new protégé?" He asked swiftly, correctly interpreting Serenity's silence as a positive response.

"Serenity." She replied meekly.

"You may call me lord Andrew." He replied, taking her hand in his and walking her towards the mansion.

On her way there Serenity only paused once to witness the blackened form of what had once been a vibrant crimson rose.

So the angel fell from heaven into the waiting arms of the devil.

And that was just the beginning…..