This chapter was written in a period of writers block when ideas weren't flowing for my other story Power Over Me. There is more to this story and I will be trying to update both stories again in the near future.

As always please review.

Enjoy

Chapter 1

Sarah didn't know how it had come to this, calling out to the sky hoping he would appear. It was the most extreme of last resorts, but she knew she had no other choices left, not now, not anymore.

"Goblin King, Ruler of the Labyrinth, I seek an audience." Her voice rang out across the park that had been her childhood playground. "Please your Majesty, it is urgent that I speak with you." She pleaded to the empty air as the park grew increasingly overshadowed in the strange light of dusk.

"And what matter would be so important that you would call you to me?" A velvety baritone voice behind her teased.

Sarah's heart skipped a beat, he'd actually appeared, she felt like crying out in relief but she knew she had to harden her gaze.

"Surely you don't think your dreams are still on offer, Sarah?" He crooned in Sarah's ear, she had to repressed a shiver.

"I know that you don't want me anymore, maybe you didn't want me in the first place, but I had to call you. They've been taken." Sarah said, refusing to turn and face the Goblin King.

"Who exactly has been taken?" He whispered, tickling her ear with his breath.

"The children, Toby and Iona, all that's left of my family. They were abducted a week ago, the Police were useless. We paid the ransom but they didn't return Toby and Iona." A tear slid down her pale cheek despite an earlier resolution not to show weakness. "I don't know what else to do. I have to make sure they're safe."

"And what is it you think I can do? I have no sway in this realm." He casually stroked the back of her neck with his gloved fingers as he moved round to face her and she leaned in to the gentle contact.

Sarah found her breath catching in her throat as her eyes surveyed the timeless King. He hadn't changed. He was still as beautiful as ever, if you can describe a man as beautiful. His pale skin gleaming the half-light, thin lips, mismatched eyes and up-swept brows displaying a careful smirk. She avoided looking at the incredibly tight black pants that encased his legs or the wealth of skin his open necked white shirt revealed.

Jareth had been surprised by the summons, adults did not usually call out for the Goblin King. His breath had been taken away when he appeared and realized that it was Sarah who had called out to him. She was older now, no longer a child, and from what Jareth could see the girl had blossomed nicely. Her skin was pale with just a hint of rosy blush in her cheeks. Her dark was lustrous in the rising moonlight, Her green eyes were still wide and innocent although they seemed to hold a great deal of pain.

The Goblin King found the way Sarah responded to his touch delightful. The tears he saw running down her cheek however was not. He knew the summons was a last resort, that the mortal was desperate but he wasn't going to give in easily, not even when the children were at stake, this was the girl who beat his Labyrinth he wasn't going to just roll over.

"I want to offer you a deal, a bargain."

"A bargain? How interesting." He injected a sultry overtone to his voice, promising all the pleasures of the flesh. "Do go on." He began to play to with a crystal.

"I would say the words, you take them to safety." The girl was standing stiffly her arms crossed and clenched tightly to her stomach.

"And you could run the Labyrinth again to save them? I don't think so." No way I'll give you the chance to win again, he added silently the crystal in his hands vanishing, he would give no opportunities for her to leave him once more.

"I know you wouldn't." Jareth could sense something was wrong, perhaps it was her intoxicating smell that was clouding his judgement. By the Gods she was an attractive woman.

"You simply give them to me without asking anything in return? Not much of a bargain, precious." He was definitely starting to sense something was truly wrong.

"I would know they were safe, with someone who would care for them like they were his own."

"And what of your parents? Surely they do not wish to lose the little ones forever." He tilted his head trying to see the catch in the deal.

"Dad and Karen, I don't think they'll mind," She started, more tears sliding down her cheeks, "They're both dead."

"You could live with yourself, live with just handing them over?" It's true that he had not watched the girl for some time but had he missed so much of her life? "What happened to the fearless, strong willed girl who bested my Labyrinth?" He wanted her to beg him to take her too, he would in a heartbeat. The King was genuinely curious as to why Sarah would do this.

"I could be at peace knowing that they were safe and loved because the girl knows that the world is not fair." The Goblin King was close enough to the beautiful woman for her to put a hand on his bare chest right over his heart. "There isn't time for you to second guess this decision! Promise to keep them safe, not to turn them into goblins, to raise them as your own, to show them love. Promise me! Give me your word!"

Taken aback by the fire in Sarah's eyes Jareth responded without thinking. "I give you my vow."

"I wish the Goblin King would take Toby and Iona into his care, right now." Her words came out in a rush.

As she said the words Jareth saw Sarah shrink a little and relief pass across her face, but it was soon replaced by an expression of pain. The Goblin King took it as the pain of being separated from her siblings.

He pulled a crystal out of the air to check that the children had arrived in his realm safely. "They are in the castle being attended to, they seem unharmed." He confirmed throwing the orb back into the ether.

"Then I have only one thing left to do." Using the hand that had been laid over his heart she grabbed the front of his shirt. Before he could stop her, she connected her lips with his own. There was an urgency to her mashing her mouth against his own. The shock was quick to fade and he was soon responding with an urgency of his own.

The kiss was full of fire and passion, like Sarah was sharing her soul with her King. Jareth responded like an addict in need of a fix, he pulled her body tight to his own causing Sarah to gasp in pain and push him away.

"Sarah what's wrong?" Jareth was now confused, worry had begun to overtake the happy glow the kiss had caused.

The mortal was having trouble standing. She started to fall and Jareth rushed to catch her before she collapsed completely, cradling her in his strong arms. It was clear she was having trouble breathing, her lungs were inflating in ragged gasps.

She removed the hand that had been clamped to her side. It was red with blood. Blood that was now blossoming from the wound in her abdomen.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jareth was looking at the wound in horror.

"I had to make sure they were safe." She whispered putting a hand over his heart staining his pale skin red with her blood. "Remember your promise," She couldn't hold back a gasp, "or I... I will find a way to come back and beat the living shit out of you." Her eyes began to close.

"No! Stay with me Sarah." Jareth commanded lifting the stricken woman into his arms.