Bloodlust

By Usabelle

AN: Hi everybody! Happy 2005! See, I told you that I'd have a new year's present for you! When I read the reviews for chapter one (thank you!), it seemed that a lot of people were confused about whether or not Beryl was bad. Let's just say that she's got a motive for being so nice... she's hardcore evil. Also some people thought that there was a Serena/Sapphire pairing in the works. That won't happen. As adorable as he is, that's just not their relationship. I'll go into it more in the later chapters... he'll play a greater part later in the story. So here you go, Chapter Two of Bloodlust!

Standard Disclaimers Apply.

Chapter Two

Darien scowled as he slumped against a brick wall in a dark alley. He'd been searching two nights now and he still hadn't found her. The necklace she was given called to him after the night she betrayed him. His pure and blinding anger had set a fire to the royal blood in the necklace, emitting a signal that he could track. Faint as though it was, he knew that she still had the necklace and he knew that she was near, but he still hadn't found her. Every person he asked had no recollection of a Serena Tsukino. Perhaps she had moved. Perhaps she had- wait! He felt a tugging sensation and knew that he was close. His ocean-colored eyes narrowed sharply as he scanned the immediate area. Nothing.

Slowly, the realization came upon him that he was standing in front of the local university. She was somewhere on the campus. 'Fantastic,' he thought wryly, 'the one person I'm trying to find is only one of thousands of students.' Suddenly, he felt a prickling sensation move up his spine. The sun! Cursing fluently, he took one last look at his vacant surroundings and fled for the underground keep. The sun wasn't up yet but he felt the warning in his bones... the warning every vampire got before sunup. He ran with an inhuman speed toward the keep, anger fueling his worn body.

How had she escaped him? The Prince of the Undead? And he was still only a prince because she hadn't held up her end of the bargain! He let out a breath as he came to a stop in front a large onyx dais on the ground in the middle of a thick forest. A trip that would have taken any normal person half an hour by car had taken him about five minutes. If anyone would have been on campus to witness his flight, all they would have seen was a blur. Vampires never left a trail. And they were never seen for long. But that was how they preferred it... how he preferred it.

Darien winced as his skin began to burn horribly. Quickly, his eyes flew to the horizon that was painted a pinkish-purple. Sunrise was near. "Damn it," he whispered as he took a shining golden blade from his holster. It was just his luck that no vampires stayed around this close to sunrise to open the door for him. The only other way to open the door to the keep was with a vampire's blood, but he was weak enough already from the few rays of light. Blood loss was the last thing he needed. With a heavy sigh, he brought the blade up to his arm and slashed his wrist.

He muttered a few words in a forbidden language as maroon blood spilled messily from the wound onto a ruby lodged in the middle of the dais. Before he knew it, the gem began to glow and the circular stone moved away to reveal a set of stairs. In a hazy delirium, he weakly made his way into the Onyx Palace.

As soon as he reached the bottom floor of the keep, servants rushed to his aid. He watched numbly as his wounded wrist finally stopped bleeding and a crystal glass filled with a dark crimson liquid was brought to his lips.

At the first sip of blood, he felt some of his strength return to him. He hadn't fed in over a day and his thirst had begun to take a toll on him. As soon as he finished the drink, his mother burst into the room, concern apparent in her dark features.

"Darien, where have you been?" she approached him worriedly, placing a hand on his cheek. She recoiled when she noticed that her hand was stained red from her son's blood.

He frowned, cringing as a servant dressed one of his many burns. "You know bloody well where I was."

"We will find her. There are already spies in the city. You know that she can't run forever and soon, our people will locate her and bring her here. But you will get yourself killed if you keep this up, Darien!"

He stood up abruptly and nearly fell back from the dizziness. Clutching the gilded armchair, he attempted to stare his mother down. "Only a royal can track her through the necklace. She's my mate. She's my problem," he said sharply, blue eyes on the verge of turning a tempestuous red.

"That's my boy." A dark, sinister voice entered the conversation and Darien easily recognized it as his father's. Damien had an affinity for sneaking up on people, much like his son. "So loyal. So determined. You are our salvation, son."

A weak smile graced Darien's tired features. All his life he'd been told that he was going to save their race. That he was going to bring about change... a new age for the vampires. And his father, the Lord of the Undead, had expected the impossible from him because of it. He was forced to be the strongest, the smartest, the fastest... because his father would tolerate nothing less from the future king. "I will go out again tomorrow night. I have a lead. She attends the local university, that much I know." When he was too weak to stand, he fell onto the silk-covered bed but covered his exhaustion with a look of determination.

Lily shook her head at her son reproachfully. "Darling, right now you need to rest. Worry about the girl later. You're wounded."

Darien glanced down to find horrible lacerations on his hands, which had been exposed to the first few rays of sun. He looked up at his mother in horror. "Does this happen every time?" Never before had he been exposed to sunlight. Everyone had always made sure to keep him away from danger because so much depended on him.

She gazed at him sadly and smoothed down his messy raven locks. "Yes... but through your line, one day the sun allergy will be eliminated. Don't worry, your wounds will heal during hibernation today." Her crimson eyes began to shimmer as she placed a hand to his forehead. "Sleep now, my child." With her simple command, Darien fell into a deep slumber.

Lily bit her lip as she stood and left the room with her husband. As soon as they were a safe distance away, she whirled around to face him. "You can't push him like that, Damien! He could have been killed!"

The dark lord merely smiled. "You worry needlessly, my love. Darien is my son. It takes more than a few rays of sunlight to obliterate us."

Her brow furrowed in anger at his arrogance. "The burns he sustained weren't minor. He will have to hibernate longer to heal completely. Don't expect so much from him."

Damien shook his head as he started walking back down the hall. "He'll be fine, darling. If I were you, I'd worry more about that fiancée of his."


Darien awoke late the next day. Groaning, he brought a hand up to his face and dimly noticed that the lacerations were almost completely healed. As gently as possible, he turned over in search of a clock. Stumbling out of bed, he wearily made his way to the ornate clock at the other end of the large room. When he noticed how late the hour was, he let out a growl of frustration and raked a hand through his disheveled hair. It was already eleven o'clock and he'd missed at least three good hours of searching.

As quickly as possible, he pulled on his black hunting outfit and made his way to the entrance of the keep. His mother spotted him just before he began climbing the stairs and he groaned. "Yes, mother?"

She stared at her son sadly. "Be careful, Darien. Promise?"

He sighed and gave a slight smile. "I promise. I'll be back before sunrise. This time, have someone there to open the door. I think we'll be having company tonight." With that, he left the underground palace and sped toward the university.

After only a few minutes, he arrived at the campus. Sneaking into the area where college students still roamed about, he was met with the stares of several young women. He smiled wryly at a particularly flirtatious one, thinking that he was most likely her worst nightmare- not a dating prospect.

A frown crossed his handsome face as he realized that he couldn't feel the Day Walker's presence anymore. It wasn't a large campus, so he figured that it wouldn't hurt to ask around. He approached a blonde who was walking toward the dormitories in a desolate area. "Excuse me, but I'm trying to find Serena Tsukino. Do you know her?"

The blonde smiled. "Actually, my friend's roommate is named Serena. Don't know about the last name, though... But she's definitely Serena! I don't think it's a common name..." She seemed lost in thought as she stared into space for a moment. He felt tempted to roll his eyes. Of course he picked a brainless one.

"Uh... she has blonde hair and blue eyes. Do you think that might be her?" He sighed as he realized that he'd given her the most vague description possible... the only things he could remember about her. And she could have even changed her appearance since then. He was about to walk away when the woman's eyes lit up.

"Oh my gosh! I bet it is! No way!" the bubbly blonde exclaimed, "I only met her once... real pretty but shy, you know? So anyway, why are you asking? Hey, I'm Mina. Maybe you'd like to go to this party that my friend's throwing tomorrow night?" He nearly groaned in frustration. She had the attention span of a flea.

His cerulean eyes narrowed and began to glow slightly. The only way to shut her up was through hypnotism. "Just tell me where she is," he spat in a steely voice, his glare cutting through her.

The woman's eyes went blank and she fell into a trance. "She... she works at the coffee shop on tenth a lot... or she could be in class... she's never at her dorm..." she responded mechanically.

Well, he reasoned that it was worth a shot even if she was an absolute moron. Wordlessly, he broke the trance he put her in and stalked away. Mina blinked and shook her head. What had she been doing? Wait... where did that guy go? She whirled around to find him nowhere in sight. Shrugging, she continued with a smile on her way to the dormitories.

Darien scowled. He'd practically been sent on a wild goose chase to find this damned woman! And for what? A title? As he reached the local coffee shop, he concluded that if it wasn't worth it, there'd be hell to pay. The bell jingled irritatingly as he entered the well-lit area. He cringed at the bright lights in the crowded room; he wasn't used to such unbearably bright light. However, as soon as he walked into the shop, he knew that she was there. He felt a strange tingling sensation... and he could smell her blood. It was sweet and inviting... a million times more tempting than a normal human's.

His dark eyes narrowed as he honed in on a beautiful blonde woman behind the mahogany counter. It had to be Serena. Angelic, soft features... a slight frame... full lips... a rosy complexion... she was everything he'd pictured in a Day Walker... everything he pictured in a wife. He knew instinctively that it was his betrothed. She smiled gently as she conversed with a male customer and he felt his blood boil in jealousy. Careful to control any vampiric reactions from his anger, he calmly walked toward the counter, pushing past overworked college students. Just before he reached the blonde, a woman grabbed his arm and his jaw tightened. Not now! Not when he was so close!

"Hi! Welcome to The Beanery! I'm Molly," the brunette greeted in a nasal voice.

"Hello," he said tightly, barely suppressing the urge to attack. He would've just used his hypnotic powers to move everyone out of the way, but he couldn't do it in such a crowded area. It was too easy to start attacking that many people. A bloodbath was the last thing he needed here.

She smiled flirtatiously despite his lack of reaction. "I was wondering if you'd like to try our new mint chocolate espresso?"

"No, thank you. Now if you'll ex-"

"Well then would you like to grab a coffee with me? I can go on break now."

'I'd rather eat mud,' he thought, and nearly screamed as Serena was approached by another man. Except, this one was wearing... an apron? He smirked as he looked at his 'competition'; huge glasses, braces, and terrible acne were his good points. An arrogant smirk played on his full lips. It was doubtful that she'd choose the boy over him. He briefly glanced at the woman in front of him who was staring up at him hopefully. "Sorry, I need to talk to Serena."

"Serena?" she asked disappointedly, and he nearly cringed at the nasal sound. She turned around to find the blonde and her manager disappear behind a green door leading to the employee lounge. "Oh... she's talkin' to Melvin right now. He's our manager. Sorry, but you'll have to wait."

He was the Prince of the Underworld and he had to wait because the woman was in a meeting?!? Frustrated, he stalked away and sat down in a chocolate brown loveseat, grabbing a thick book on an end table nearby. Him? Wait? It was ridiculous.

Thirty minutes later...

She still hadn't come out! What the hell was wrong? He'd scanned the tastefully decorated room several times now, but to no avail. Still the same students studying in the corner... two girls laughing irritatingly loud as they sipped mocha lattes... a young man typing away on a laptop... no sign of Serena.
Suddenly, he saw the manager walk up to the counter. Glaring at the unfortunate looking young man, he shot up, throwing down the novel and stalking toward the counter. As soon as he reached the cash register, the man withdrew immediately. "Uh... c-can I h-help you?" he stumbled over his words, absolutely terrified.

"Where is Serena? I need to talk to her," he ground out darkly, ebony locks falling in his eyes and making him look even more dangerous.

Melvin turned his nose up at the intimidating man. "I'm not at liberty to say."

Darien grabbed the much shorter man by the collar and yanked him upwards. "Tell me where she is or you won't live to regret it."

"Sh-she is n-no longer emp-p-ployed here," he stuttered, shaking violently.

Darien felt his fangs elongate in his anger and he fought to suppress the change. "Where did she go?"

Melvin shook his head. "I don't know... she cleaned out her locker and left."

Thoroughly disgusted, Darien threw down the pathetic man. "You will rue the day you fucked with me and mine," he spat, sharply turning and walking away.

Just as he was about to leave, Molly spotted him and ran over. "Hello again! You want that coffee now?"

"No," he muttered darkly.

The brunette seemed unfazed by his obvious lack of interest. "Hmm... I don't want that coffee either. Well... uh... where did you get that outfit? Is that real leather? It's very nice." She smiled widely, placing a hand on his arm.

He nodded and removed her hand as discretely as possible. "Do you know where Serena went?"

She shook her head sadly. "Poor thing got fired... she really needed the money, too. Anyway, are you a model or something? You could be."

"Uh... sure."

Her head tilted to the side as she studied him. "Why do ya wanna know so much about Serena?"

His eyes narrowed in suspicion. "I need to speak with her. She owes me something."

"Oh no, you're not one of those bill collectors, are ya?" her brown eyes were wide with fear and he blew out a breath exasperatedly.

"No. I just need to find her."

Molly nodded. "Well if ya really need to find her, she'll be at the party tomorrow night."

"What party?"

She grinned. "Her roommate's boyfriend's Halloween party. It's at his family's mansion... you know, that huge house up on the hill overlooking the lake? Everyone'll be there. And I don't have a date..." she hinted none too discretely.

"Not interested," he said coldly. Subtlety obviously didn't work with her. He was about to pull on his black leather gloves and leave when she gasped. "What now?"

"You're bleeding!" she exclaimed and he looked down in boredom. Sure enough, the wound on his wrist had reopened and blood was spilling everywhere. "You need to get to a doctor! Wait, lemme take you!"

His glacial eyes narrowed and he pushed past her to the door. "I'm fine," he mumbled before disappearing into the night. As soon as Darien was a good distance away from the shop, he halted and braced himself against the wall of a building in the shadows. It was apparent that he wasn't fully healed and that he shouldn't have gone out in the first place.

He decided to head back to the keep. Despite his weakness, the night had proven to be productive after all. He could chase after her tonight, but he figured that it would be better to rest and find her the next night at the party. After all, he had to look his best when he met his Queen.


Serena scowled as she walked down the deserted sidewalk. She'd just been fired by her asshole of a boss, Melvin. There she was, talking up a customer when Melvin asked to speak with her privately. Apparently she'd been late one too many times and he decided that it was "in everyone's best interest" to let her go. Oh, how she wanted to pulverize the little nerd!

If he only knew the reasons why she'd been late the past few days! After she'd woken up everyone in Beryl's mansion the night of her birthday with her scream, they'd kept her up all night asking ridiculous questions. Was anybody following her? Had she met anyone with strange powers? How often did she go out at night? Ridiculous questions followed by no answers. And once Beryl and Diamond had seen her necklace glowing like it did, they demanded that she remove it... but Serena refused.

Sapphire simply sat there, rather amused at the situation. The only advice he offered was that maybe someone was trying to find her... and as soon as the words left his mouth, Beryl and Diamond sent him away. Beryl claimed that Sapphire didn't know what he was talking about and she and Diamond would find out why the necklace was glowing.

So the next day Beryl made her stay at the mansion. She'd missed class and work, but Beryl called in for her. And the next day, she was making up a lab she'd missed and was consequently late for work. Besides all of that, the necklace was still glowing! She'd kept it tucked beneath her shirt during the day but now that no one was around, she pulled it out. Still glowing red... still felt warm... She frowned as it lit up the dark area. Why the hell was it doing that? She was sorely tempted to test the liquid inside, but that meant breaking the glass... breaking what her parents gave her.

Her life was getting ridiculously complicated and Melvin had just made it harder. She sighed as she entered the dormitories. There was a Halloween party the next night and her roommate had been bothering her to go.

Well, she supposed that her schedule had opened quite a bit more and that now she had no excuse not to go to the party. And it was a costume party. Damn. It looked like she'd have to borrow something from her well-to-do roommate, Ann. Fan-freaking-tastic. When she reached her room, she slipped in quietly, only to realize that Ann and her boyfriend were... busy on the bottom bunk.

Serena blushed as she put a hand up in front of her face to shield her eyes. "Uh... any chance that this could be continued at a later time?"

The brunette sat up and adjusted her shirt unabashedly. "Oh Serena, you're such a killjoy."

Rolling her eyes, Serena turned around so that the couple could make themselves more presentable. "Sorry but I'm tired and I really don't feel like sleeping in the library tonight."

Ann's boyfriend, Alan smiled as he made his way to the door. "Sorry about that. Won't happen again."

Ann smirked as she kissed him goodbye. "Oh yes it will!"

Serena simply shook her head as she prepared for bed. She knew some very strange people.

Little did she know that she'd meet someone even stranger very soon...

Serena winced as Ann tightened the laces on the back of her gown. She was going to the Halloween party as a princess and Ann insisted that she wear her one-of-a-kind creation to the party. Yes, Ann was a fashion major and despite some of her hideous monstrosities in the past, Serena had to admit that this one was rather nice.

It was a beautiful off-the-shoulder gown of white and gold and despite how painful it was, it made Serena look like a princess. She blushed as she glanced down at the low-cut neckline. "Ann, I think the dress is too tight..."

Her roommate, dressed as a French maid, merely laughed. "Not at all! They're supposed to be pushed up like that, hon."

Serena's face reddened even more. "Uh... okay. But how am I supposed to get there? This dress is heavy and I don't think I could fit in a car." Not only was the gown heavily beaded but the layers of tulle beneath the white silk also prevented her from walking normally.

Ann rolled her eyes. "Aw, quit stalling. We're going to be late! And will you at least do something with your hair? You're putting my fine work to shame."

A wry smile played on Serena's face as she looked in the vanity mirror. Two familiar blonde buns sat atop her head as always with curled streamers flowing down. No matter what Ann said, she still loved the hairdo she'd worn since childhood. "I like my hair this way."

Shaking her head, Ann attached the frilly maid hat to her auburn hair and headed for the door. "Fine. Just throw on your tiara and let's go."


Serena frowned as she stood in a remote corner of the crowded room with a cup of punch in her hand. Ann had, of course, left her side the moment she spotted Alan and currently, the only thing she wanted to do was leave. She glanced at a clock on the wall. Only fifteen minutes? Sighing, she scanned the room of inebriated college students. She barely knew anyone there and the people she did know were too busy grinding or getting smashed.

Really, it was a shame because the house was lovely. It screamed wealth and if people weren't currently trashing it, she probably would have liked the place. A sparkling crystal chandelier hung overhead and she smirked as she found a fake spider hanging from it. Very nice. Her surroundings looked like a museum covered in cheap Halloween decorations. She cringed as a drunken young girl knocked over what looked to be an expensive vase. Apparently Alan's family hadn't college-proofed the area.

She stared down at the pinkish-red liquid in her Dixie cup. Not making eye contact was best, she supposed, because one wrong move and she too could end up on that dance floor with the mass of writhing bodies. Glancing at her roommate and her boyfriend, she smacked her forehead with her hand as she caught them doing everything but the reproductive act. Just as she was about to down the horrific smelling drink in hopes of forgetting the sight, she spotted Ann's best friend, Mina.

Serena immediately looked away, hoping that she'd be missed. As nice as the girl was, she wouldn't leave her alone. By the end of the night, she'd have Serena going out on a blind date with one of her friends. And that was the last thing she needed. After a moment, Serena couldn't see Mina and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Serena! I'm so glad you could make it!" The high-pitched voice made Serena flinch, and she turned around to find the bubbly blonde in a Catwoman bodysuit, grinning widely.

"Oh... hi Mina. Uh... nice to see you too," she spoke hesitantly.

Mina nodded enthusiastically. "So who are you here with?"

A frown pulled at Serena's glossy pink lips. "Nobody."

"Really? I thought you'd bring that guy with you."

Serena arched a golden brow in suspicion. "Who?"

"Oh my God... he was like the most gorgeous guy in the world! His eyes... and his hair! And, well he didn't smile but I bet his smile's fantastic too! He asked me where you were the other night... he needed to find you or something. Lucky girl! You haven't talked to him?"

She shook her head. "I don't even know who you're talking about."

"Well I hope you find him. And if you don't want him, send him over to me." Mina winked and Serena looked at her tiredly.

"Thanks," she deadpanned as Mina walked up to a random guy and started dancing. Serena's attention turned back to the cup of punch. It was looking better and better, which was really, really sad. She set the paper cup down on a marble table and decided to leave as a slow song came on. There was no point in staying. She was having a miserable time and... and...

She completely lost her train of thought as a dark-haired man walked through the white French doors. Wearing a red velvet lined black cape over a billowing white shirt and black pants, he looked very much like a vampire. A very sexy vampire, she admitted to herself. His perfect raven hair fell into piercing blue eyes and she found herself staring. As if by magic, his eyes suddenly met hers and she froze. He caught her looking at him! A blush crept up her cheeks as he stared back at her.

Attraction. There was a definite attraction as he gazed upon her from across the room. His slow, knowing smile made her stomach flip in anticipation. The man looked like a god and she simply stood there, unmoving.

Before she could blink, he was in front of her, the scent of cinnamon and musk invading her senses. "Dance with me, princess?"

"I... um..." Faintly she realized that he had already taken her in his arms and that they were moving in slow circles to the music. The man stared down at her, his midnight blue eyes a beautiful contract to the smooth alabaster skin and dark hair. She flushed; how lucky was she?

Biting her bottom lip gently as his hand played with the beaded material at her waist, she struggled to think of something intelligent to say. Trust her to meet the most incredible looking man in the world and go completely tongue-tied. Glancing up at the much taller man, she smiled slightly. "Nice costume," she commented softly, "A vampire?"

He smirked as he looked down at her, "The Prince of Vampires."

She grinned back at him. "Should I be afraid?"

He smiled again, but this time it was dark and dangerous. "Very." He glanced down at her and noticed a chain hanging around her neck. Running a long, gloved finger along the chain, he stopped at the swell of her breast where the chain disappeared under the dress. "What's this?"

A shiver ran down her spine at the cold touch. Although she couldn't entirely blame it on the cold... "It's... it's uh..." she stuttered, searching for some sort of explanation. Beryl had told her not to say anything about it to anyone. But he seemed... different.

Gently, he slipped the pendant out from beneath her dress. "It's very nice... an heirloom?"

Serena's eyes widened as she noticed sharp fangs that had seemingly appeared when he saw the necklace. "Oh my... your fangs... they almost look real..."

"They are," he said darkly.

Her brow furrowed as she lightly touched the pad of her index finger to the tip of a fang. She winced as it pierced her skin at the touch, drawing blood.

A cynical smile graced his handsome features as he let her bleeding finger slip into his mouth, suckling gently on the wounded tip.

She gasped as she felt his tongue slide over the wound in almost a caress. As he sucked on her finger, she noticed a crimson color growing in his hypnotic azure irises. He closed his eyes, as if in ecstasy and let go of her finger.
Simply staring up at him, she made no move to leave. She trembled as his eyes opened and he stared at her lustfully.

He dragged his tongue along his lower lip, taking in the last of her spilled silver blood. "You taste wonderful, Serena." She started. "You know my name?"

"Serena Tsukino?"

"No, Stratovsky..." she paused, stunned as the realization came upon her. "I... how did you..."

His navy eyes seemed to pierce through her as he looked at her coldly. "Your name is Serena Tsukino." It was not a question, but a statement... a command.

She broke eye contact, now incredibly confused. "I suppose it was... a long time ago. But nobody knows that."

"I know many things," he murmured enigmatically.

His voice... dark and deep, lit a fire to her skin. "My parents... It was my father's name..."

"And you changed it?" he growled. Funny, he sounded almost angry.

Vaguely she noticed that she was backed up against a wall, far away from the partygoers. "Well... I was adopted, so my name changed." She blushed at her forwardness. "I really don't know why I'm telling you this. I don't even know you!"

"You know me," he whispered, "Or at least, you will."

"What are you talking about?"

He gave a sinister grin as he placed his hands on the wall behind her, blocking her exit. "You thought you could escape me, Princess. But I do not give up so easily."

She shook her head. "I really don't know what you're talking about."

His glacial eyes narrowed and she shivered in fear. "Yes, you do. You owe me something, and I most certainly intend to collect what I'm owed."

Now she was beginning to get angry. What the hell was his problem? "And what might that be?" she asked, head held high.

Darien's jaw tightened at her question. "Don't act like you don't remember, darling. You forget who I am."

She stared at him incredulously. "No, you haven't even told me your name!"

"Darien."

Serena spoke with a saccharine sweetness as she smiled up at him. "Well Darien, it was lovely meeting you and we should do this again-"

He smiled back arrogantly. "We won't need to. You're coming with me."

"Why should I?"

"You want to know how I found out your name? Do you want answers? Then come with me. Let's see if we can't jog your memory."

And against her will, Serena's feet began to move as she followed him out of the house. He held the answers she so desperately craved... and something else she couldn't name. And if he truly did try to threaten her, she could easily escape... couldn't she? She mentally nodded; her 'gifts' would protect from anything dangerous. But as she looked at the man she was following, she had a feeling that there was no way of ever escaping him.

Serena scowled as Darien moved quickly towards a wooded area at the edge of the property. "Excuse me, but can you slow down? I can't keep up. Where are you taking me anyway?"

He stopped suddenly and she nearly crashed into him. Turning around, he regarded her tiredly. "The Onyx Palace."

Her brow furrowed. "What's that?"

Rolling his eyes, he began to walk again. "My home."

"Oh," she nodded and followed closely behind him. "That sounds nice."

He smirked. "Funny, I never thought of the word 'nice' when describing it."

She moved so that she was walking next to him. "So... are you like a prince or something? You said you live in a palace, but how many palaces are there in upstate New York?"

"You'd be surprised... and I already told you I was a prince."

Her brow furrowed as she searched her memory. "Huh?"

He smiled coldly at her. "You haven't figured it out already?" When he received a blank look, he sighed. "I am a vampire."

Serena froze in complete and utter shock. He was a... a... "You're a... are you sure?"

A deep chuckle rumbled in his chest and if she weren't terrified, she would have found it attractive. "Positive."

She shook her head and began to back away. "I kind of find that hard to believe. A vampire?" It was unbelievable! She was beginning to feel threatened by the secretive man. "Listen, I'm not interested in joining your cult or whatever the hell it is."

He smiled as he advanced on her. "It's not a cult. And did you miss the fangs? I am the Prince of the Vampires."

Sure he was the Prince of the Vampires. And she was the princess of a long lost civilization. The man must have been joking. "Hang on. You want me to believe that you're one of those 'I vant to suck your bloooood' guys?"

His navy blue eyes narrowed at her question and he crossed his arms over his chest. "The mortal interpretation is more fiction than fact."

"So then what? Are you, like, allergic to sunlight and garlic and silver? Can you turn into a bat?" Serena threw her arms into the air when he simply looked at her amusedly.

"Again with the questions," he shook his head at her reproachfully and received a glare. "Fine. I can't be exposed to sunlight or silver. I don't eat garlic because I don't like the taste. And I can turn into a bat, but I prefer not to."

She stared at him with a mix of frustration and shock. Did she believe him? As she thought back to the episode with the fangs, she mentally nodded. "So you're really a vampire. Well how do I fit in to all of this? Are you going to suck my blood or something?"

He grinned lasciviously. "As much as I'd like to, no."

Still not convinced, she backed away. Her dark, dreary surroundings didn't help the situation. "Then are you going to turn me into a vampire?"

"No."

She growled in frustration. "Then what the hell do you want with me?"

Suddenly a frigid wind swept through the forested area and Serena immediately picked up Darien's change in demeanor. His eyes began to transform from a mesmerizing cerulean to a terrifying crimson. He began to stalk towards her and she clutched the tree behind her, unable to move. "I want what you have denied me," he ground out, staring at some unseen point in the distance. "I have been alone for so long. I have waited too many years for a future that continues to elude me!"

"What future?" she whispered faintly, struggling to breathe as she gripped the bark behind her.

He turned to her then, eyes glowing with anger and hatred. "My future as the Lord of the Undead... as King."

"Why... why can't you?" Her voice was paper-thin and could barely be heard amidst the howling of the wind. In her terror, she barely realized that the wind began to calm and his eyes started to turn back to their normal shade of blue.

A lopsided smile crept onto his angry features as his appearance began to change back to normal. "What is a king without his queen, Serena?" Absently, she noticed that she could feel his hot breath on her cheek and that his heavy-lidded eyes were staring at the silver chain around her pale neck.

With a gentle gloved hand, he lifted the necklace from her skin and she nearly protested until she saw the look on his face. Slipping it off, he held the silver pendant in front of her and the script she'd noticed a few days earlier became visible. "This is a promise. Do you know what it means?" He spoke softly and gently now, so different from a few moments before.

She struggled to find a single coherent thought as her senses were assaulted by his heady masculine scent. Attempting to concentrate on the question, she simply answered "No."

He smiled as he placed the necklace in her palm. His eyes... such a strange silver-blue, they reflected the moonlight and she felt herself get lost in the hypnotic gaze. All of her previous thoughts fled at the look on his face... so romantic. So... She gasped as she felt something warm graze her exposed neck. Glancing downward, she found him placing feather-light kisses right beneath her earlobe. Suddenly, he stopped and whispered in her ear. "It means that you are destined to be my Queen. You are meant for me, Serena."

She shuddered as he began to place open-mouthed kisses on her neck and she closed her eyes, savoring the sensation. Never before had she felt anything like that. His name was a faint whisper on her lips as his kisses became more ardent. The silver necklace slipped from her fingers and fell to the ground, unnoticed, as he pushed himself up against her, his arousal apparent in their closeness.

Darien was quite pleased with his betrothed. She would make an excellent queen. As he nuzzled her collarbone, he dipped his tongue into the hollow to taste the salty skin. At her sharp intake of breath, he grinned. Lifting his head, he found the blonde with her eyes closed, her head resting against the tall tree as she breathed deeply. "We can continue this later," he whispered, nudging her forward.

Her eyes snapped open at his words. "I... um... well..." she couldn't think of an intelligent thing to say. However, when he gave an arrogant smirk, she was quickly brought back to her senses. "How much farther is it? I don't think I can walk much more." Her heeled feet were absolutely killing her and her dress was weighing her down.

After staring at her searchingly for a moment, Darien checked their surroundings. His full lips pulled into a smile, "I can get us there quickly, but I suggest you hold on." He picked her up without warning and she squealed.

"What are you..." She couldn't get out another word because suddenly, they were moving at an inhuman speed through the forest. She clung to him for dear life as he moved swiftly and silently. Her surroundings were a blur of deep greens and brownish-blacks and she knew that it would be best to close her eyes.

Before she knew it, he stopped in a small clearing. Hesitantly opening her eyes, she slid off of him and studied her surroundings. Nothing could be seen through the circle of thick evergreen trees and it seemed as though this was only a tiny clearing in the vast forest they'd traveled through. She noticed a flat black dais on the ground, but other than that, the area was bare. "Uh... I don't see a palace," she said skeptically, crossing her arms over her chest.

Neglecting to answer her, Darien simply stepped toward the dais, muttering a few words in a language that Serena did not recognize. Within seconds, the stone began to glow eerily and it moved away to reveal an ancient-looking staircase. Where the dark staircase led, Serena had no idea. And she didn't want to find out.

"We're not going in there, are we?" she nearly shrieked, backing away. Suddenly, Darien disappeared and she bumped into something. She turned around to find him right behind her, smiling that same arrogant smile. "How did you..."

He shook his head, raven locks falling into his eyes. "You ask far too many questions for your own good. Come, everyone is waiting."

"Who might everyone be? Your vampire friends?" she asked nervously, still nonmoving.

"No, bunnies and unicorns. Of course they're vampires!"

"And they don't want me for a midnight snack?"

He laughed quietly before his expression darkened in the moonlight. "They would very much like that. Which is precisely why we need to be careful."


Serena slowly made her way down to the ground floor of the Onyx Palace. Everywhere she looked, sharp black crystals shot upwards from the floor and reflected the flickering candlelight of the keep. Something deep and hidden within her cried out in warning; an ominous feeling came over her and she shivered. The palace lived up to its name. She heard whispers as she moved down the final steps to the bottom level. No one was visible in the darkness... only red and gold eyes glowing eerily. Her bare skin began to feel numb as the cold of the keep began to seep into her.

Darien picked up on her feelings immediately. He removed his long black and red cape and wrapped it around the shivering woman. "You're cold," he commented when she looked up at him questioningly.

"Can... can you read minds?" she asked quietly, keeping close to the intimidating man.

Snickers could be heard in the background and Serena's eyes widened in fear. "Occasionally...if emotions are strong enough." He glared into the darkness and all of a sudden, the laughter stopped.

Serena wrapped the cloak even tighter around her. She couldn't see much through the dim candlelight. Shining black columns lined the dark hall that seemed to go on forever. Her instincts told her that this place wasn't safe... but as she looked to the man striding confidently through the palace, she reasoned that he was. Putting a hand on his arm lightly, she stared up at him anxiously. "Darien, where are we going?"

"Somewhere safe." He couldn't trust his 'friends' to stay away from her. From the moment they'd entered the keep, he knew that his people sensed her. They knew she was different... they could sense it in her blood, just as he could. Day Walker blood tasted best... sweeter than normal blood... and he couldn't risk one of his friends discovering her unprotected.

Suddenly, a vampire lashed out in the darkness, hissing at the young blonde with venom in his golden eyes. Before Serena could blink, Darien had the man up against the wall with a silver-tipped dagger pointed straight at his heart. "Do you know who you were attacking?"

"No, my Lord."

Darien put the jewel-encrusted dagger back into his belt and glared venomously at the handsome man. "You were attacking your Lady Queen. Apologize."

The dark-haired man bowed mockingly at Serena who was shaking in fear. "My apologies, Lady Tsukino."

Serena said nothing, simply grabbing Darien's arm as he led her away from the frightening man. She could not stop her trembling as she followed him deeper into the keep. The light stroking of his hand on the side of her waist did little to assuage her fears.

He led her down a dark hallway to a room with an intricate gold keyhole. It was a room designed specifically for royal vampires. Only those blessed with the gift of a royal key were allowed entrance... she would be safe there until he could make their bond permanent. "This is your room. Only a vampire of royal birth can get in, so you will be safe."

Serena moved to the large velvet-covered bed slowly, taking a seat and staring at her still shaking hands. The room was beautiful and extravagantly decorated... but far too big for one person. "A-Are you leaving?"

Darien smirked as he leaned in the doorway. "So eager to have your way with me, Princess?"

She glared at him and picked up a plush red velvet pillow, tossing it as his handsome face. To her chagrin, he caught it easily. Biting her lip, she scanned the spacious room lit up by numerous candles. "It's very nice, but I don't intend on staying the night. I have class in the morning."

He laughed and she grew agitated. "That is no longer your concern." Stepping closer, a rosy flush crept up her cheeks in response to his proximity. "My needs are your main concern now. I will answer your questions later. Now you will sleep." He took a seat on the king-sized bed beside her and she nearly rolled into him from the movement.

Straightening up, she glared at him. "No," she shot back defiantly.

Smiling slightly, he put a hand to her forehead and stared down at her. His eyes began to shimmer and he commanded her once again. "Sleep."

"No. Are you trying to use your powers on me?"

A blush crept up his pallid features. "They only work on the weak-minded. I am pleased that you are not so easily seduced by my power... just my looks."

She gasped. "In your dreams! Now... get out. I'm tired."

He smiled slightly, leaning in so his lips almost touched hers. "As you wish," he whispered softly, lips just barely grazing her own. A fire had been lit within her at his simple action and she could tell that he'd had a similar reaction by the lust filled expression on his face. "Goodnight, Princess." Before she knew it, he was no longer in front of her and was standing by the door.

When he closed the door behind him, she realized that she was all alone in a strange place... a strange underground place where she couldn't even call for help. She sat in the quiet room, fear overtaking her. And suddenly, the lock on the door began to rattle. She gasped and shot off the bed, running to the other end of the room.

The door opened and in slipped a cloaked figure. Serena tried to make out who it was that lurked in the darkness, but to no avail. "Who's there?" she asked, and cursed herself for exposing the fear so apparent in her voice.

The figure allowed the hood to slip off of her head and reveal long raven hair and a set of startling purple eyes. She circled Serena who now held a candlestick in her hand in self-defense. "So you're the pretty little Day Walker?"

Serena looked at her strangely. "A what?"

Violet eyes glared at her venomously. "You never noticed strange powers? The urge to eradicate those different from you?"

She didn't know whether to be insulted or to press on. "I have powers, but I never-"

A mirthless smile graced the frigid woman's features. "And you thought it was coincidence? A gift?" She laughed and Serena stiffened at the noise. "You are not so lucky. My dear, you are simply the last of the Day Walkers."

"Day Walkers?"

The woman feigned shock. "Oh, don't tell me that mommy and daddy didn't tell you! Your fate is so important after all." Smirking, the dark-haired woman shook her head. "The salvation of our race rests in some useless girl's hands. It's sad, really."

"I honestly don't know what you're talking about."

The woman's eyes glowed a reddish-purple and Serena knew to back away. "A new breed... no more bloodlust... an invincible race..." Her voice was cold and cruel and chilled Serena's bones.

"Can you please explain what's going on?" Exasperation mixed with fear and it was blatantly obvious.

She scoffed at the blonde. "Why should I explain what you already know? It's been programmed into you, Lady Tsukino. The urge to procreate... to further your line... to ensure survival. You and my brother. Pathetic."

Serena gently bit her bottom lip. "Your brother?"

A bitter and hate-filled expression filled the vampiric woman. "Yes, Darien has a destiny to fulfill. Darien will bring about change. Darien has such a future ahead of him. Did they ever think that perhaps their daughter could bring about change?"

Darien? This was Darien's sister? Serena stepped forward in sympathy but stopped at the glare she received. "Listen, it looks like you have some serious issues with your brother and your parents, but-"

The dark-haired woman smirked. "You don't know the half of it. They say that the only way to ensure survival is to mate with the Day Walkers... I say eliminate them! Kill those who have slayed us... those who have ruined us!" Her fangs elongated and Serena stepped back.

"Please leave me alone." It was a quiet plea, but it rang out in the silent room.

"Leave our race alone, Day Walker! Our blood is on your hands, you filthy mortal and I'll be damned if your silver poison mixes with the royal line!" she spat, lunging at the blonde from across the room.

The last thing Serena remembered was crying out in fear before she blacked out.

END CHAPTER TWO

AN: So, what did you think? You may be a little confused about Darien's sister right now, but I'm going to explain it more in the third chapter. Since school's starting up again (yuck), the updates may take a little bit longer, but I'll try my hardest. I promise. Also, thanks a million billion trillion to my editors. You complete me. And reviewers? You light up my life. So before I get too emotional, I'm going to go. If you get a second, please leave a review. They really do help! Sometimes, they even make me write. :) Again, thanks a bunch and enjoy 2005!