Okay, so idk why this chapter is so long but you have waited long enough for it. Thank you to my bae-tae Beej88, who by the way, loved this chapter. It really picks up from here guys enjoy the ride!

Chapter 7

"Sunshine, if I ever disappear, please tell people that I ran after the Devil, trying to get my soul back."

― April Genevieve Tucholke, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

It fascinated him, the two of them. They were so obvious; him in his attempts to touch her and her with her determination not to let him. He would reach over, grazing her shoulder as he went for the salt, and she leaned away to "scratch her ankle". He dropped his napkin, leaning over to retrieve it from the floor and while his head went towards her lap, she bounded up for a refill on her almost full glass of water. It was like a dance, the two of them. Both of them denying any feelings they had for one another. Well, Serena was denying. Darien reminded him of the lost little boy that used to chase Serena around when they were children.

He didn't understand why or even how they could stand to be this way. He could never part himself from Lita. The thought alone was enough to make him crazy. Suddenly, he knew exactly how Darien felt in that moment and why he was trying so hard just to touch Serena. He would do the same thing if it were him and Lita. He grabbed Lita's hand under the table to steady the nerves he'd kicked up at the thought. She squeezed his hand back without question as the two of them watched the drama, live in front of them. Who needed tv when you had these two?

The front door banged open, revealing a frantic looking Rei, causing everyone at the table to jump up.

Rei ran by, heading over to our 'secret' chest of weapons, opening it up. "Apartment complex, somewhere on 21st street."

Serena left to go to her room, probably getting dressed, while Lita joined Rei at the chest. "Somewhere on 21st? Can't you be a bit more specific?"

"I'm not a GPS Andrew!" Rei practically screeched at him, he'd never seen her so upset. "Besides, we will know it when we see it, trust me."

He trusted that he was not looking forward to knowing what that meant, a cold harsh shiver running up his spine. Serena reappeared wearing one of her usual hunting outfits, tight and dark. Her ability to change so quickly was astounding and she made his polo and khakis seem silly as he joined the group to get armed. Lita handed him his favorite bat and they all moved to leave before Darien stopped them.

"What the hell do you all think you are doing?"

Darien looked confused, like he didn't already know this was what they usually did. Serena paused at the front of the group, turning to give the man an irritated look. Probably more mad that the group actually stopped for him than with his question. But she didn't say a word which he found surprising, given the looks she was giving him.

After a long pause and valuable time wasted, Rei looked over at Darien, glaring at him as well. "We don't have time to discuss this Darien. And believe me, you are going to need our help with this one."

vVv

Rei was not kidding, the apartment they were looking for stood out like a sore thumb. The whole building was swept up in a dark aura and what lights were working flashed on and off like strobe lights. It reminder her a bit of the haunted house they'd gone to all those years ago, a shiver involuntarily running up her spine at the memory. A few windows were open, others were broken, and glass littered the ground around them. It looked like a gateway straight to hell.

She pulled her thin sword from its sheath and Darien gave her a scathing look, either not wanting her to get involved or disappointed that she needed a weapon. Whatever the reason, she shrugged it off. She was going inside and she was using her blade, not all of them were happy to get their hands dirty.

Taking careful steps up the small stairway to the tiny landing made of cement, they stood at the ready as Lita opened the door, pulling a few times before it finally gave way to her. The hinges squealed loudly, as if the door hadn't opened in years, but it was due to the extra weight on the door. Everyone but Darien jumped back as a body fell backwards onto the steps. The corpse, once a man, had been disemboweled, his internal organs missing.

Darien took a step closer looking deep into the cavity of the body while the rest of them tried to keep their dinner intact. She'd seen a lot over the years, but this definitely took the cake, causing her stomach to flip. She took deep breaths to keep from completely losing to her belly. Darien searched lower and she saw what he'd found. The man's jewels were missing too. Then he sniffed the air, searching for some kind of scent, while she had to again keep her stomach at bay. Glancing around, she saw the white and slightly green faces of the others and knew it wasn't just her.

Darien stood, looking deep into the apartment complex's dark entry. "It's Pontianaks. And it looks like it's a lot of them."

Lita's already pale face grew even paler, all the blood leaving her face completely. "Pontianaks? What's that?"

"They're like Vampires, but they feed on internal organs instead of blood. Legends say that they're women who died during childbirth."

They followed behind him as he went inside, Andrew and Lita hesitating slightly and coming in at the rear. Sounds could be heard echoing off the walls as they stood in the middle of the staircase looking up. Screams of men and women and a few demons as they chased their prey. But as soon as they stood in the middle of the dark room and looked up, everything became deathly silent. The Pontianaks knew they were there. Probably smelling the Hunter they'd brought with them.

Rei looked around at the group. "We need to split up. There are too many of them and too many floors."

Darien didn't look happy about it but he didn't fight it. "They mostly attack men but will still go after a woman if they get in the way or piss them off."

She looked over at Andrew as all the blood drained from his face yet again. "Andrew, you're with me. Lita, go with Rei."

She was surprised when no one objected to her partnering, splitting off as she'd said and heading for the stairs, even though Darien looked like he might boil over about it. Darien could take care of himself, no one was questioning that, but he probably wanted her with him, his over-protective tendencies kicking in. Andrew was the one who was in the most danger and she was the second strongest. Rei could protect Lita while they took out what they could.

Darien came in close to her but spoke to all of them. "You will smell a floral scent at first, but when they are closer, you will smell rot. That is when you need to prepare yourselves. Aim for their hearts or take off their head, just like a Vampire."

The others made their way to the stairs, but Darien grabbed her hand, stilling her. She looked at him, finding his eyes on hers and struggling to pull away from him. She could pull herself out of a Vampire's compulsion and yet she could not break away from the Hunter's stare.

"Be careful."

She was insulted by his insinuation, his spell on her broken in an instant. "We have been doing fine without you for years now. I can take care of myself."

She pulled her hand from his and met up with Andrew who was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. He watched her every move with a smug smirk on his wasn't sure why, but she looked back at him, no shame or embarrassment in the least that she'd caught him looking her over.

He winked, "See you soon," then disappeared into the darkness.

Another shiver ran up her spine, no matter how hard she tried to contain it. Andrew smirked at her, and she bounded up past him. She gave his shoulder a gentle but firm knock as she passed, causing him to chuckle at her while her cheeks burned.

Lita and Rei split at the third floor, it looked worse for wear but quiet while they continued on to the seventh. Andrew gave Lita a small peck on the cheek before she disappeared, making her worry that the blonde man would be distracted with his thoughts of her the whole time. Splitting them up was a good plan, as long as the two of them didn't overburden themselves with worry and get themselves killed while distracted. Darien had braved the elevator, taking it to the top, level twenty. Even with her muddled feelings towards the man, she found herself struggling to focus as she worried about him as well. The feeling must be tenfold for Lita and Andrew. There were a lot of floors to clear, it was going to be a long night and she needed to focus.

They pushed open the door to the seventh floor hall and were immediately blown back by the smell of rot and blood. Several doors remained shut but the few that were opened had blood pooling out of them. Andrew carefully walked around the blood, doing his best not to make any sounds.

She called down the hall, "Anyone here? If you are, stay inside, it's not safe!"

A muffled voice came through one of the doors. "I've called the cops!"

Great, just what they needed. 5-O coming in here and either shooting one of them or adding to the body count of innocent victims.

Darien said that they were close if you smelled rot, but that was all she could smell. Even with her strong sense of smell, the rot was overpowering. They were masking their smell, filling the air with as much blood as possible. Were they waiting for them? Planned all of this from the start?

Her senses tingled and she reached out, grabbed Andrew by the collar and pulled him back. A Pontianak slashed the air where he'd stood just seconds ago. Then it turned and growled at her. Guess she was either in the way or she'd pissed it off. It looked like both to her.

She readied her sword, pulled it back up to her shoulder and ran full speed towards the creature. It came at her in return. It was demon chicken and she was going to win.

Her blade hit, pulling it through in a clean, swift movement. It was a full second before its head hit the floor and its body dropped. She continued down the hall, flicking the blood off her blade. Andrew came up behind her, throwing salt on the body and setting it on fire. He caught up to her quickly, not wanting to be far from her, which was a good choice given the circumstances. There would be no warning, the floral scent would not be there to ready them. They were going to have to go off of her senses completely.

With four floors done, they had decided to double back and help Darien. It wouldn't be much longer before the cops showed up and her and Andrew were covered in the thick blood of these Pontianak. She'd killed four and Andrew had killed two, smashing their brains into pulp, getting blood all over both of them.

This was one of the benefits of wearing dark clothes for this line of work. A trick that had yet to occur to Andrew as his bright blue shirt now illuminated the dark blood on him. Her skin, however, was another story. So pale that it made the blood stand out even worse than on Andrew's shirt.

They made their way up the multiple flights of stairs. It was impossible to know where Darien was or where he'd been. Contacting Rei and Lita had been easy, they just called their phones. The two of them were waiting outside the building for them hoping to stall the cops if they could. But none of them even knew if Darien had a phone.

They started at the top, peeking in on the floors and checking for any Pontianaks. Each floor held the aftermath of war, but no Pontianaks or Darien. The halls were quiet and still, dead.

Making it to the eleventh floor, they stepped inside and an overwhelming sensation of doubt clouded over her. The door slammed hard behind them and something told her things were not right. The hairs on her neck stood straight up and her chest twisted with anticipation and worry. Something was wrong, very wrong.

There was no blood in sight on this floor, not on the ground or the walls. But there was a trail of blood leading down the hall and around the corner. Andrew stayed right behind her and her heart raced as she followed it. Turning the corner, at the end of the hall, was a large lump of a man slumped up against the wall. His stomach gutted and his intestines were pulled out, stretching across the floor to a creature who was bent over munching on them.

It started as a tremble, but then she started to shake, her whole body going into a frenzy. Looking closely at the corpse, its black hair covered its face keeping it hidden from view. Black hair and olive skin….just like Darien.

Tears burned her eyes, blurring her vision and ability to think. A scream curled out of her throat and through her lips. It sounded inhuman even to herself. Before she even knew what was going on, feet pounded the stiff carpet as she rushed at the monster on the floor. She could hear Andrew calling after her but not what he was saying, her mind was set on the bitch who'd killed Darien.

She rammed her sword into the heart of the creature, the power behind it so hard that it propelled them both backwards, slicking the tip of the blade deep into the wall behind them.

The creature stopped moving so she released the blade. It stuck to the wall even with the heavy body of the Pontianak on it. She leaned down to Darien's body, tears falling unchecked down her cheeks, her heart twisting and the chrysalis around it shivering. It felt as if something was threatening to release inside her. She gently touched his shoulders, her control slipping from her the more she looked on his corpse, then cupped his face so she could kiss his cold lips. Just as her hands touched his icy skin, a voice called out to her from behind.

She turned, a grimace heavily set on her face and ready to pound anyone who came near her or the hollow cast that remained of the only man she'd ever loved. Tears still blurred her sight, but she could make out two figures behind her. Wiping at her eyes, she looked again and her breath caught in her throat. Standing next to Andrew...was Darien. But he didn't stand for long, sprinting to get to her side. Her brain was foggy with relief and it washed over her whole body, putting her in a numb euphoria, even as Darien yelled at her.

She didn't understand what he was saying, only that it made her turn around back to the body that wasn't Darien's. It lifted its face, revealing blood red eyes, the same ones from her dreams. Pulling her up with it as it stood, quickly getting to its feet. Her senses returned to her in a flash and she managed to pull her wrist free from him, getting a few steps away before the red-eyed creature swept her up again. Darien reached them just as his hands tightened around her, but he managed to release her long enough to knock Darien back, his body crashing into Andrew's the only sound in the hall.

His breath fanned her face as he spoke. "My little rabbit, I had no idea you cared so much."

She spat in his face. "I thought you were someone else you dick."

He laughed as he wiped her saliva off of his ugly face. "What a mouth you have, so pretty yet so dangerous."

He forced his mouth onto hers, kissing her roughly. She bit his lip and pushed on him as hard as she could, spitting out the blood that had rushed into her mouth from cutting his lip with her teeth. He released her only to grab her again. This time his touch seared through her, burning and spreading all over her body till white blinded her vision. It was as if her body was on fire and she squirmed in hopes of getting free. Images began to flash before her, too fast to understand, but they were starting to slow down.

She was ripped from his hold and she found herself in Andrew's arms, tossed to him by Darien who took it upon himself to kick the crap out of Abel. Now she felt numb, the fire receding, but a mixture of adrenaline and euphoria filled her once panicked body. All the back and forth with her emotions and the amount of work they'd done that night was hitting her hard and making her feel weak. Andrew dragged her away, rounding the corner and she caught a glimpse of Darien landing a punch on Abel's jaw. A sickening pop followed the hit.

Andrew took the both of them back to the stairwell and her wits finally returned, pushing against him trying to get free of his hold. But whatever Abel had done to her weakened her greatly and she couldn't even free herself from Andrew.

She hit his chest with pathetic punches. "Andrew go back, we can't leave him to fight alone!"

He didn't slow in their escape. "Serena you're in no shape to fight. We'll just get in the way. Darien is a real Hunter, a true Van Helsing. He can take care of himself."

Rei and Lita were waiting for them on the street. Once they were outside, they both ran to them, their mouths opening to ask something. But they were all silenced when the sound of glass breaking drew everyone's attention back up to the eleventh floor. Abel's body was falling towards them, after being tossed through the window, and they all took several quick steps back. He righted himself, landed on his feet, stood slowly and looked at all of them, but mainly her. As much as she didn't want it to, her first thoughts were of Darien even as Abel stood before her. Wondering instantly if Abel had bested him and he was dead or dying back up on that floor above them. Abel took a step towards them and then something, or rather someone landed hard on top of him.

Darien had him pinned to the ground but it wouldn't be long before he broke free.

He looked up at the four of them, anger filling his face. "Get her out of here!"

She pulled again at Andrew's hold, fighting to stay by Darien's side the whole way as she watched him disappear in the distance.

vVv

After cleaning the blood off of their skin and changing their clothes, Andrew left her on the couch, and stood at the back of the apartment with wooden stake at the ready. He tossed one to Lita, her and Rei managing not to get a single drop of blood on them, as she joined him in his watch.

Rei set about putting up a protection barrier around the apartment, chanting and slapping up runes and scrolls. None of them knew if the rules still applied, if Abel needed an invitation to enter their home. They didn't own it and he was as old as Jesus. There was no way to know what rules did or didn't apply to him.

Everyone's attention was drawn away from her and all she could do was sit and think about Darien. He was still out there, they'd just left him to fight alone. Sure, he was a Hunter, but Abel was powerful. There was no way Darien could handle the creature alone. With no one watching, she sat up, left the couch, and made a break for the door. Wrenching the door open, she swung it wide and was met by Darien, who stumbled in. She caught him, his shoulder baring a deep gash that he held together as best as he could.

"LITA!"

She pulled him over to the couch and threw him down, checking him over for other wounds, he waved her off. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Bastard clipped me then flew off. I made sure I wasn't followed, I don't think he knows where you live."

Rei shouted from a corner. "I'm putting up a barrier anyways."

"Can't he just...sniff us out?" Lita was looking around frantically, as if Abel would pounce any second.

"He could but….he would need a good source of a scent like bed sheets or clothing." Darien tried to sit up and she pushed him down again.

Andrew stayed by the window, not ready to relax yet. "What the hell was that? Did Abel plan all that?"

Darien sat up, his face twisting in pain and she pushed him back down on the couch again. "He must have set the Pontianaks loose on that building. He doesn't know where Serena is but he knows how to draw her out," and turned his eyes on her, "and we made it easy for him."

Lita appeared with their big first aid kit and a bowl of water with a cloth. She grabbed the scissors out of the kit, carefully cutting away the torn and blood soaked fabric. Then she started cleaning the wound. Lita excused herself, the sight of blood making her queasy. Serena had long ago gotten used to the sight of blood. She thought Lita had as well but, clearly, she was wrong.

She was doing her best to be gentle but she heard him sucking his teeth a few times as she worked. "He could have killed you."

Darien smiled through the pain at her. "No he couldn't, he was just lucky. I was distracted."

"I thought you were dead. I saw that body and I thought….."

He placed a hand on hers, pausing her cleaning. "That's what he wanted you to think, he used an illusion on you. But something like a Pontianak isn't going to be what does me in."

She found little comfort in his words, pulling her hand free from his and finished cleaning his wound, wondering just how strong Abel was to get an illusion to work on her. She pulled a needle and thread from the first aid kit and began threading it.

"Uh, do you know what you're doing?" Darien eyed her suspiciously.

Andrew, still at the window, answered him. "Don't worry, she's had a lot of practice on us."

It was sad but true, she had become the resident steady handed sewer of flesh. The first time had been when she was the only one not in need of stitches, as she never did.

She rubbed some numbing cream around the wound and set to work. Her face inches from his skin, she felt his eyes watching her while she sewed. She expected him to whine at least a little, as the cream didn't block out all pain, but instead he sat in silence. She had one knee on the couch while the other sat in between his legs to give her the best angle over his shoulder. Eventually, she got tired and had to sit on his knee. He placed his free hand on her back to support her, the warmth of it soaking through the the thin cloth of her t-shirt in seconds.

The others, either satisfied that they were safe for the night or too tired to keep up their patrol, went to bed while she was still sewing. It had taken almost an hour, but the end of Darien's long, deep, slash was within her reach.

"That was reckless of you. Going after that last Pontianak."

She kept her eyes focused on her task, even with his mouth right at her ear. "I killed it. Isn't that what we are supposed to do?"

His hand began slowly stroking her back. "You were blinded by your anger. You attacked without thought."

She huffed, "Like you've never done the same thing."

"Yeah and look where it got me. Abel hurt you, he...touched you. I was reckless because of that and now you are sewing me up as a result."

She had forgotten about the kiss. Suddenly, she felt dirty and desperate to brush her teeth. She finished tying off the last stitch and sat back, looking over her work.

"Not bad."

He was looking at the stitches then back at her. With their proximity and the position she was in -basically sat in his lap- she found herself blushing. She promptly hid her face in the first aid, grabbing goss and wrapping it around his shoulder to finish the job.

She was all set to remove herself from him but his hand held fast to her back, keeping her still. Unsure of how long it had been there, she felt the heat of his hand from his wounded shoulder as it rested on her thigh.

Out of nowhere, he popped the knee she sat on up, just enough to knock her off balance and fall forwards onto him. It was dumb luck that her hands landed on the couch behind his head, supporting her from falling onto his injured shoulder. As if she hadn't been too close to him before, now their noses touched. She gripped the back of the couch tightly, hoping to steady her racing heart.

"Don't you ever be that foolish again."

He was referring to her close encounter with the devil. Pissed, she tried to right herself and get off his lap, but his hand held her where she was.

She glared back at him. "Don't you get yourself killed. Especially over me."

Her glare did nothing to intimidate him. Instead, he smiled back at her. "You're worth it."

She wanted to slap him, but if she lifted a hand to do so, there would be nothing to stop her full weight from crashing down on him. "Don't say that. Don't you dare say that. I don't want anyone dying for me."

His smile didn't falter in the slightest. "Guess I will just have to live for you instead."

No matter how hard she tried, a smile escaped her grimace for a second, but he still caught it. She tried to get up again but he held her still, a sigh escaping from her as she rolled her eyes at him. "I need to wash the ancient Vampire out of my mouth."

A growl came from his throat, angry at the memory of Abel's mouth on hers, but it got him to release her. She made a speedy escape to the bathroom, letting her heart slow down as she rested against the back of the door. It wasn't Abel's threats or close calls that had her so rattled, it was Darien's.

When she came back out, Darien was fast asleep in the same position she had left him. He was far from the boy she remembered, except when he slept. She lost herself watching his face. The rise and fall of his chiseled chest that matched the puffs of air escaping his lips. His hair fell over his eyes and she had to physically stop herself from brushing them away for him. She could have watched him all night, sincerely considering it for a moment. But then her exhaustion tapped her on the shoulder. She did the best she could to make him comfortable and went to bed herself.

vVv

Three weeks ago….

The shrill beep of his phone as it rang broke the small semblance f silence, disturbing his research into a recent string of illness that was going around in the area. He suspected it was an Asag, a demon who liked to cause sickness. At the moment he was trying to hack into the CDC's records to get a better idea of what was going on.

His phone flashed the name and number of his old lab partner from Cambridge. A nice girl who just didn't seem to get the hint.

"Hi Beryl." (an: couldn't resist)

"Darien, how are you doing?"

He tried to sound polite instead of blatantly uninterested as he was. "I'm fine, thank you."

"Are you free this Saturday? There is a party I was hoping we could go to...together...as a date. What with Graduation this weekend, it might be our last chance to see one another."

This girl was shameless. The Adan rang out in the background and he was sure she heard it as well. "That would be nice, but unfortunately I'm out of the country."

"Out of the country?! Where are you?"

"Saudi Arabia."

"What the hell are you doing there?!"

"Oh I'm..," he looked back at his screen, his hacking program working on and nearly complete, "running down a lead on a job."

"Really? There? You're not coming to graduation?"

He had long ago lost interest in the conversation, if he ever had it in the first place. "I'm afraid not."

"So...this is goodbye?" Sadness leaked through the phone and he figured it was supposed to affect him.

"Goodbye, Beryl."

He cut her off mid-sentence when his computer pinged its victory. Pulling up report after report he found nothing too out of the ordinary. It looked like it was a bad case of the flu going around.

"What do we have?"

He closed the computer before facing his Uncle. "Looks like we have nothing. Just a case of the flu."

"Good. We have to go."

"Go? Already?"

"Yes. Your Aunt has called us back. We have to go home."

Every part of him froze at the single word home. He had been dreaming of this day for years now and it was finally here. A strange warmth spread in his chest, one he hadn't felt since he'd left Serena behind. He was sure she was the only person in the world that could make him feel this way, his heart warming and racing as if it had been dead all this time and was suddenly coming back to life at the thought of her. But now it had been so long, there was no way he could see Serena again. She would have moved on by now. Finding someone else to be with…..

The thought of her with someone else made his blood boil, the comforting warmth turning into something painful. Someone holding her and kissing her, it was all he could do to keep himself from throwing his belongings into his suitcase and running to the airport. Suddenly, he couldn't get to Tokyo fast enough.

vVv

He woke in a strange place, but that was nothing new to him. Remembering he was at Serena's he rose hastily to find her, pulling at his stitches. A groan escaped his mouth unwittingly before somewhat tumbling towards Serena's bedroom.

But her bed was empty. The sun had just begun to rise and now his panic was as well. Abel had found her and taken her all while he foolishly slept on the couch.

The front door opened slowly and he whirled around to find Serena walking back into the apartment like it was nothing.

"Where the hell were you?"

Shocked, she looked at him like he was the crazy one. "I went for a run."

"You did what?"

She put her hands up, pacifying him. "Geez, Darien, calm down. I run every morning."

Her attempts to calm him only goaded him on, her lack of self awareness clear as day to him. "And you don't feel that it's a bit foolish to be going out by yourself right now?"

She turned on him. "What am I supposed to do? Cower in my high tower and stop having a life?"

"Until we kill Abel, yes."

She threw her hands up in the air and let out an exasperated yell. Taking a few steps away from him, she spun towards him again putting her hands on her hips. Now still, he couldn't help but take in her appearance. She wore clothes, tight and skimpy, that she would have never worn back when he knew her. Her tank top and capris clung to her like a second skin. Sweat glistened off her chest only drawing more attention to the tops of her breast popping out of the neckline of her top. And to make matters worse, she was still catching her breath, making her chest heave up and down. He could feel his resolve softening, his brain and words turning to mush.

The look on her face told him that he was caught and now she was moving closer to him. "Is there anything else, Darien?"

"Huh?" He was having a hard time thinking clearly and the closer she got the harder it got.

She stood right under him now. "If you are concerned then maybe next time you should come with me."

She walked away heading towards the bathroom, lifting her shirt up over her head before walking through the door and out of sight.

Now he felt like he'd just run a mile. That was definitely not the same Serena he grew up with.

He heard the water start so he went back to the couch with a flop and did his best to try and not think about her in the shower. Water cascading over her body. A body that he would love to see naked. God, he was supposed to be thinking about anything else and here he was actually trying to imagine it! As if his imagination could ever compare to the reality.

Her walking by in nothing but a towel ten minutes later did not help.

vVv

When she came back out to the living room, Lita and Andrew were sitting in the kitchen with Darien. Signaling the end of her fun. She was having a good time messing with him, pay back for the way he had been messing with her.

That said, she didn't bother changing her outfit, which she wore in hopes of throwing Darien off his kilter some more. Even in the early hours of her run, she could tell it was going to be a hot day. She put on a loose silk skirt with purple and white flowers print with lace at the hem that ended mid-thigh. With a tight white tank on top and her hair in a ponytail, she swished into the kitchen more than she normally would.

But Andrew had him fully distracted taking all the fun out of her entrance.

"If we could find a place near here, that would be great."

She gave Lita a confused look, but Lita had stars in her eyes. "They're talking about being roommates!"

Lita was swooning but she wasn't falling for it. "Are you sure you want to sign a lease with this guy, Andrew? He's just going to skip town in a few weeks."

Giving her an angry eye, Lita jabbed her elbow into her ribs hard. But it didn't wipe the smile off her face, even as Darien gave her a look of indifference.

"I'll sign a lease with you in complete confidence my friend!" Andrew clapped a hand on Darien's shoulder, forgetting the large gash the man had received the night before.

A hiss came from Darien and her feet took her to his side without her permission. "I'm okay. Just a little stiff."

Ignoring him, she started unwrapping his bandages to take a closer look. "Damnit Andrew, he popped a stitch!"

Andrew shrugged while she went to get the first aid kit out again. Darien was back on the couch when she returned, waiting for her. She assumed the same position as last night however, this time she was in a skirt. As much as it pleased her to see the look on Darien's face as she practically straddle him, she was regretting her outfit choice.

He rested his hand on her thigh like before but this time it was on her bare skin. He squeezed it while she worked to repair the damage, using it to help with the pain, although she was pretty sure it was just an excuse.

She leaned in closely while she worked, hoping to make the new stitches tighter. "So is this what I have to do to get you close? Pop a stitch?"

She frowned, "I wouldn't suggest it, you'll get an infection."

He squeezed her thigh again but this time she wasn't touching him; he was asking for her attention. "It would be worth it."

A shiver went down her spine and he felt it. His other hand was rubbing her back again, gently holding her close to him, closer than she needed to be anyways. This time she wasn't fighting it, she was trapped in his stormy eyes again, unable to pull away. What was it about this man? It made no sense, his control over her. She had been able shrug off any attempts at mind control by many a nasty beast and yet here she was leaning into the skid of the Hunter. He pulled at her with no effort and it irked her deeply. Not that she could do anything about it, clearly.

However, she sensed an audience, breaking the hold he had on her to her relief. Looking up she caught Lita and Andrew watching them. They quickly turned away but she had seen them. She put the bandage back in place and hurriedly got off of him and back on her feet. Making a hasty exit to her room.

vVv

Twisting, he glared at the two idiots behind him. They sheepishly retreated deeper into the kitchen. Before he could get off the couch and go after her, Serena reemerged with her backpack and a large stack of blue books.

"I've got to stop by school for a bit." She didn't look at any of them as she bee-lined to the door.

"Damn Serena, I thought you finished all your exams last week?" Lita yelled, not leaving the kitchen.

Serena held the large stack of blue books up as high as she could. "I did finish last week and now I need to turn these exams into my professor before he flips his lid!"

"Aren't you going to eat breakfast?" Lita mothered her.

Serena took her hand off the door and returned to the kitchen. Just when Lita thought she was going to sit and eat with them, she grabbed an apple from the island, held it up as proof, and returned to her escape.

He stepped in front of her, stopping her again. "I thought we discussed this this morning? You don't need to be going out alone."

She huffed, "Come on Darien, it's the middle of the day, I'll hardly be alone."

"Being surrounded by possible victims is not what I meant and you know it. Abel could use any of them to get to you. Or worse, send Zombies." He couldn't help the shiver that ran through him at the thought of Zombies, they were the worst. "I'll come with you."

She put a hand on his chest, pushing him out of her way. "No you won't. You need to stay and rest so you can heal."

Watching his face, she grimaced, and left the door. He thought he had managed to keep her home but she soon returned to his dismay. This time she came with a scarf. She then proceeded to wrap it around his neck tying it in a knot behind his neck. All her movements were so quick, he didn't get a chance to enjoy her closeness or the blush that was on her cheeks.

Serena pulled away and out of reflex, he wrapped his un-slinged arm around her waist and pulled her back to him. He himself was unsure where that reflex came from, his body acting as if her leaving was a death sentence to him. And to her. She released the air in her lungs in surprise, her blue eyes going wide.

He was surprised himself, but he had done it now. "Be smart Serena, let me go with you."

For a moment, it looked like she might cave, but instead she gently pressed on his wound making him crumble back away from her. "You need to focus on healing." She didn't hurt him too much, just enough to get her point across, but he still pleaded with his eyes finally getting her to cave. "Okay, I'll take Andrew with me." Andrew stood without protest to go with her. He opened his mouth to protest for him but she cut him off. "Andrew and I have been working as a team for years. We have each other's backs. You on the other hand can't even take care of your own until that shoulder heals."

And that was that. They left without another word.

"You hungry?"

He turned his head, looking at a miffed Lita who now was left with food for four people. Careful when he got up, he joined her at the table, eating in silence.

vVv

Andrew sat next to her in comfortable silence. He watched the world fly by outside the window as the tram sped it's way further into downtown.

Sparing a look over at Serena, he found her reading a book, unfazed by his presence. Thinking back to what she had said less than an hour ago, he started to get mad at his dear friend.

"Serena, don't you think you are being too hard on Darien?"

She slapped the book close and looked him in the eye. "What?"

"The guy is trying really hard. I thought you believed in second chances?"

"I do."

His blood was slowly getting warmer and warmer the longer she gave him a cross look. "Then why are you not giving Darien one? He's a good guy Serena, one of the best I know and you are tearing him apart. You're being cruel."

"You forget Andrew. I already gave him a second chance. And he walked away from it."

"Okay well then give him a third chance."

She turned her body towards him, a frustrated sigh releasing as she did. "What is your deal Furuhata?!"

"He is going to stay Serena. He is going to stay for you. But not if you keep pushing him away. Not if he thinks you don't want him here." He was talking with his hands, something only did when he was truly frustrated.

"I don't want him here!" She was screaming at him now.

"Yes you do. I can see it in the way you look at him…."

"And how do I look at him?"

"Like a savior. A gift from God, here to save you from your terrible woes."

"I don't need to be saved."

"No….but you want to be."

They had been staring at one another, challenging each other but now she turned away again, arms crossed definitely across her chest. He had to laugh, she was just like Darien sometimes.

"Look Serena, you may think you want him gone. That he doesn't deserve any more chances, and you may be right. But you still need to give him one because if you don't, you will regret it for the rest of your life. He is your one Serena. You two belong to one another."

His peace said, he returned to watching the world in silence, perfectly content with ignoring the stubborn brat the rest of their trip out.

vVv

Andrew still wasn't speaking to her by the time they got home. He went straight to Lita's room and shut the door. She wasn't sure why he was even considering getting an apartment, he lived here.

The sun was a little over halfway through its stretch across the sky, making the windows in her room shine like gold. She loved this time of day in her room simply for that reason. All she wanted was to flop in her bed and not wake up till tomorrow.

However, there was a dark haired mass taking up a good portion of her bed.

He snored softly on top of her covers. On his back, making sure to protect his shoulder, he was propped up on her pillows. Probably fell asleep waiting for her. She carefully climbed on the bed next to him, sitting across from him. The shirt she had cut him out of was discarded on the floor. He now wore a bright blue tank that she was pretty sure belonged to Andrew. It did not fit him very well, in size or color.

She inched her way towards him and moved his bandage just enough to take a peek at his stitches. They looked good, given the circumstances. She rubbed a finger across them lightly, feeling the jagged frays of the thread as it stuck oddly out of his skin.

It was not the first time she wished her healing ability was transferable. The first time was when Rei got a claw through her calf. It took her three months before she could walk normally on that leg. Sometime she swore she saw her still limp from time to time. Another time was when Andrew got tossed through a wall. He had been lucky to have found a spot of plaster instead of a metal beam. Two cracked ribs and every time he coughed, they had all held their breath. Lita had gotten away with minor scrapes and bruises, mostly due to Andrew intervening.

Now she wished more than anything that she could help Darien. He had gotten his wound because of her, just like everyone else, it was all her fault. Danger always found her. Maybe it was good thing that Darien had left, he might be dead by now if he had stayed, killed because of her.

And now Abel might kill them all just to get to her. She couldn't let that happen. She wouldn't. She would give herself over to Abel before it got that far, even if he did kill her, at least she would die knowing they would have long happy lives.

Except maybe the man sleeping before her. She didn't know what he would do if she died for him. No matter how much she wished to deny it, she knew Darien loved her and that he would die for her. It was a fact that haunted her still, the idea of him risking it all for her when she struggled with him being so near. It threatened her way of living, surviving on her own and protecting her heart to the fullest. He was a threat to her heart more than anything else.

His face was scruffy, in need of a shave. She brushed his hair off of his face and when he didn't move from her touch, it emboldened her. She moved closer, examining his face, a face she used to know so well now was a stranger to her.

There was a small scar just to the right of his nose, so small it hid in the curve of his bridge, invisible from a distance. Another new scar in his left brow, almost completely obscured by his brow hair. It had been a deep one, cutting almost to the bone. Along his jawline, one stretched out from his ear. It was almost as long as her pointer finger.

She touched and examined them all. Till she had counted them all. She moved on to the rest of his body, keeping a mental note of each one. She found several more on his arms, when his lips parted and let out a moan, she froze, sure she had been caught.

But he didn't stir any more than that. She moved back to his face, watching for signs of him waking. His lips parted, letting puffs of air flutter across her face.

Andrew's words rang in her mind. Whether she gave him another chance or not, she couldn't deny that Darien would always have a place in her heart. Even with it firmly wrapped up tight, she could still feel it beat wildly when he was around. Denying it to everyone else was easy, but to herself…..

Giving in, if for only a moment, she brushed her lips across his, keeping her eyes open wide for any signs of him waking. He didn't move. She pressed her lips harder to his, letting her eyes finally close. Instinct took over, her hand grabbed his face, pulling her in closer. She sucked gently on his bottom lip, glad to have someone else on her lips instead of Abel.

It only lasted for a second, that was all she would allow. Darien was still snoring, but now a smile played on his lips as if he knew what she had done.

Slipping away, she cursed, and then went back over to her desk. Grabbing a post-it, she wrote a quick note and stuck it to his chest before leaving him asleep on the bed.

vVv

Pain erupted through him, waking him with a start. He had rolled over onto his bad shoulder in his sleep. The pain of it had woken him. Looking around, he remembered that he had come into Serena's room to rest. He had looked through her books, a large collection given the girl he used to know, and looked through the papers of work she had on her messy desk. Really, her desk was the most like the old Serena of all her things. Her desk, and her closet, which was a mess of clothes. After nosing around for a few minutes, he had stretched out on the bed, dozing off.

He didn't mean to sleep so long, glancing at the clock he saw that he had been out for a few hours. Serena should be back by now but she was definity not in her room with him.

Stepping out into the rest of the apartment, he found it empty and panic began to rise in his chest, tightening to an almost painful effect. He didn't see Andrew anywhere either.

"Serena? Andrew?"

Silence. He was alone in the apartment. Finding it difficult to breathe, his adrenaline kicking into overdrive, he had to take steadying breaths just to think straight.

Rushing towards the door, he heard some paper dancing in the wind and a light weight on his chest. He looked down to find a bright pink post-it stuck to him. Darien ripped it off, reading it quickly, and laughed.

Calm down, I'm on the roof

-Serena

He found her, asleep in an old lounge chair. Laying on her side with a book on the ground close to her, the sun hitting her hair and making it glow. One arm rested across her ribs while the other curled up next to her face. Her hair was splayed out all around her, coming loose in her sleep for its tie. Her chest rose and fell rhythmically while her little, pink lips parted slightly, releasing a small snore.

He could have easily watched her for hours but it was getting darker by the second and Abel was still on the loose and out looking for her. She was far too vulnerable up here.

Her, already short, skirt had hitched up even higher on her thighs, his first move was to correct that. His next move was lifting her up with this one good arm and taking her downstairs.

Rei was in the living room when he walked past carrying Serena. She spared them a look from her very thick book. After relinquishing his load on her bed, he realized how much strain he had been pulling on his stitches, carrying her about. He must have shown it on his face when he came out of her room, given the look on Rei's face.

"How's your shoulder?"

He laughed, "Never better."

She gave him a look, "You should go home, shower and rest. You are looking a bit worse for wear there Darien."

"I'm fine."

"We need better than fine against Abel. You said it yourself, he doesn't know where Serena is. That and my barrier spell, she will be safe here till you are 100%. You need to have your Uncle take a look at that shoulder. And, seriously take a shower cause you stink!"

"So you're kicking me out?"

She thought about it for a second, putting a finger on her chin, "Yes. You can go home and come back for all I care, just go home and take care of yourself first."

He had gotten the hint and made his way to the door.

"Hey Darien?" He stopped, turning to find a tentative Rei smiling gently at him. "Thank you...for coming back. She...we needed you."

With a nod, he left.

vVv

A dirt path, winded away towards a small town just a few steps away. But for some reason, it just wasn't close enough. She wasn't sure why, she just knew deep inside that she was scared and she was running. Running towards the town she knew she was not going to make it to.

Claws dug into the flesh of her shoulders, lifting her up off the ground. She kicked her legs in vain but it was a human response. Her hands scratched and clawed at the talons that held her, even knowing that if she were to get free, at this height it would be her death.

The path and village expeditiously shrunk away to a few dots of light in the distance. The Moon was so full and close, she felt that she could reach out and touch it.

Then the creature descended at breakneck speed down to, the likes of which, made her heart beat faster with absolute terror. A huge structure, on top of a hill, settled in darkness. Although she did not know who it belonged to or where it existed, she knew that she was terrified of its very existence. It had tall barristers that all came to dangerous sharp points. Stained glass colored the walls in dark reds and purples. The whole building reeked of darkness and death.

It glided into the large castle through an open window, the one the creature left through night after night. It slowed, only enough to throw her down to the ground again. Hard cold marble smacked her knees and face. Everything was throbbing, but that was the least of her worries.

The room was dark, only a few candles lit magically as she made her way to her trembling feet. But even in the darkness, she could make out enough the room to know that she now stood in a bedroom.

Reappearing behind her, she was thrown roughly on the bed. Moving rapidly, she didn't even get a breath in to scream as the creature climbed on top of her. It held her tight, only releasing her long enough to slice her clothes off. Now trembling, naked on the bed, red eyes stared into hers.

She was frozen. She couldn't even breathe. It sneered, its white fangs glowing in the night, as its hungry eyes searched her body. All she could do was shiver from the chill of the cold castle touched her entire body.

It leaned in close, nothing but red eyes, white fangs, and blackness, "I told you, you are mine Serenity."

Finally, a scream erupted from her throat, as the creature sank its teeth into it.

She was shaking. Or rather someone was shaking her. She had to get the creature off, had to get away.

"Serena! Wake up!"

Knocking Ami off as she did, she sprang up from the bed, still screaming. Ami looked throughly freaked while Serena felt it. She grabbed her neck, checking it for puncture marks and blood. Then looking herself over to find she was still dressed. In her dream she had worn a blouse and long skirt like you would see on reruns of "Little House on the Prairie". But now she was back in her skirt and tank top.

"Serena are you okay?"

She looked at Ami who had pulled herself up from the floor and was standing over her as she sat on her bed. "Yeah...yeah...it was just a dream."

"That was one hell of a dream."

She was little thrown, hearing Ami curse. But they had all been through a lot. They had all changed. "Yeah it was."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"It was….it was just so real. I could feel everything like I was really there."

Ami sat down next to her on the bed. "Interesting. Maybe it's not a dream then."

"What else could it be?"

"Maybe it's a memory. Sometimes, we will block things that are too painful for us to handle. It's a coping mechanism. But eventually, it catches up to us, usually in dreams."

"So you think I'm remembering things that actually happened to me?"

"It's possible."

She shook her head, "Uh, no it's not. In these dreams, I'm in places I have never been to and time periods long before I was born."

Ami shrugged, ending the conversation. She stood and left her room without another word. But she had already said a mouthful. This dream had been longer and far more terrifying than the first one she had. She could still smell the sheets on the bed and feel his tongue on her skin.

It was Abel. That she was sure of. But that was all she knew. Whether they were memories or not it made her skin crawl. The feeling of his touch on her skin was still fresh. Her stomach turned, lurching in betrayal, and she ran to the bathroom.

vVv

He had to be careful not to get his stitches wet but Uncle had taught him a trick with plastic wrap and body tape. The hot water felt good on the rest of his body, even after the additional resting, he still felt stiff all over which was strange for him.

He was also weary of how long it was taking his wound to heal. It was a deep cut, yes, but his accelerated healing gifts should have taken more of the string out of it by now.

Even with his sore shoulder, he felt like a new man with fresh clothes on. Glad to be out of Andrew's clothes. The tank top had been the only thing that came close to fitting, his shoulders were broader than Andrew's now.

He found Uncle in his study, or rather his Library, reviewing over text after text. Probably looking for any references to Abel.

Michael sat back from his current book when he entered and sat next to him, rubbing his tired eyes. "Abel is truly an illusive beast. I can find the occasional reference of him here and there but nothing concrete. The guy was involved with almost every Vampire we have ever heard of."

"He attacked us, last night. He used Pontianaks to lure us out. Have you ever heard of other demons helping one another?"

Uncle shook his head. "No, but that only confirms my suspicions. He is ancient."

He lifted his shirt, wincing as he did. "Bastard got me."

Uncle rose swiftly, examining his sliced shoulder. "Abel is not like the other demons you have faced Darien. He is strong, stronger than you or me. Your body is reacting to that. The threat of such an old creature, your Helsing blood is not strong enough to heal you like you are used to."

Darien shook his head. "The guy attacked an entire 20 floor apartment building, killing most of the residences, just to get to Serena. It doesn't matter how old he is or how powerful, he has to be put down."

"Maybe we should give him Serena. It could give us an advantage, he would be distracted and it would lead us to his lair."

He stood rapidly from his seat, face to face with his Uncle. "Are you crazy? We can't give him Serena!"

Uncle sighed, "I know you're fond of the girl Darien, but you really need to ask yourself whether she is worth it…"

Before he even really knew what was happening, his fist made contact with his Uncle's jaw, sending him backwards a few steps.

Uncle righted himself, holding his jaw and laughing. "Alright, I get it. I just wanted to see if your feelings had changed."

"What the hell Uncle. You're still testing me?!"

"That girl has had you wrapped around her finger since you were too little to even understand the implications. I think I would be surprised if you didn't still love her."

"Let's just focus on the mission, shall we?"

"Yes, and that is what you need to be doing as well. This is just another mission Darien. Treat it as such and you won't be needing any more stitches. You let that girl distract you and Abel will not hesitate to slit your throat. Right after he slits Serena's"

vVv

Serena emerged from the bathroom, white as a sheet.

"Are you okay?"

Serena looked at her, eyes blurry from tears. "I think so."

Ami sat with her at the table. She had just finished telling her about Serena and her dream. Rei had heard Serena screaming from her room but Serena was heading to the bathroom by the time she got to her. It was lucky Ami had returned from her mother's or who knows how long Serena would have been trapped in that nightmare.

"Why don't you come sit with us?" Ami asked.

Serena silently obliged sitting down with a hard thump. Her eyes glued to the table before her as if it would soon tell her the answers she sought. She looked over at Ami to see the same concerned eyes she knew she had as well.

Rei put a hand on Serena's, readying her for the question. "Did you dream about Abel?"

She laughed, "If you can call that a dream."

"I was just telling Serena that it could be a repressed memory."

They both looked at Ami but Serena was shaking her head. "But that doesn't make sense. Sure they felt real enough, but it would be impossible for me to have lived those moments."

They grew silent for a moment, but then she had an idea. "If they are memories, maybe we can use the same ritual we did to return Ami's and Mina's memories?"

Ami stiffened with discomfort. "I don't think that's a good idea. If they are repressed memories, flooding Serena's mind with them could put her in shock or a coma."

Serena stood so promptly, she almost knocked her chair over. "Abel is not going to stop until he has killed me and probably all of you as well. I need to figure out these dreams. They could be the key we need to ending Abel before he can hurt any of us. It is worth the risk if I can keep all of you safe."

Rei looked over to see Ami was still hesitant. "Ami, we need you on this. We need as many people as possible to make it work. Are you in?"

vVv

She didn't like this. Having her memories returned to her had been rough, she wouldn't want anyone to have to experience it. And here she was helping her friends do it to Serena now.

Mina had returned a few hours after her. She had traveled all the way to America to see her parents. She looked over at Ami, tired and worried. Mina wanted to do this just as much as she did.

Rei tried to reassure them. "Hey worst case scenario, nothing happens. It is completely safe."

Mina huffed, putting her hands on her hips, "Pretty sure you said the same thing to me and then I got possessed by a mad Vampire and kissed Serena."

"And was that so bad?!"

Andrew, Lita, Mina, and herself created the circle around Serena as she layed in the middle of the living room. Everything was set just like when they had been the ones getting there memories back.

Rei took one last look around the room and then looked back at Serena. "Are you sure you don't want to wait for Darien?"

"No. He would probably try to stop us anyways. We don't need him."

She noticed the glare that Andrew gave to Serena but he didn't say anything. It was a strange little moment between the two of them that left her curious as to what they were arguing about. Must have had something to do with Darien.

Rei began her chant, and the rest of them stood silent, focusing on Serena.

Minutes passed, nothing happened. She wasn't even sure if Serena was awake, she was so still. Rei on the other hand was focusing so hard she had started to sweat on her brow.

With the last of her energy, Rei pushed as hard as she could, but nothing happened. Serena laid unmoving while Rei dropped to her knees next to her.

Rei put a hand on Serena's shoulder, attempting to wake her. "I'm sorry Serena but it's not going to work."

Everyone released their breath, relaxing their bodies once more. But Serena still didn't move. Rei began to gently shake her, using the hand she still had on Serena' shoulder.

Out of nowhere, Serena started screaming. It was as if boiling hot water had been poured all over her body as she writhed out of control, in pain.

They all dropped to her side, trying to hold her still and wake her. "She must have fallen into another bad dream." Ami managed to yell over Serena.

Rei shook harder, no longer afraid of hurting Serena. A banging came from the front door and she turned just in time to see Darien break through the door. He rushed over to them, standing over the scene, watching Serena in complete agony.

Fear and anger mixed together on his face. "What the hell did you do?!"

Rei stuttered with fear, "She...she….she was having dreams….memories about Abel. So we did the ritual to return her memories."

Darien joined them on the floor next to Serena. "Abel is sending her memories of his past and you decide to open up the floodgates for him? You just gave him full access to her mind!"

Serena stopped, no more screaming, no more thrashing. Everyone let out a sigh of relief, except for Darien. He watched her as if he knew what was going to happen next.

Still unconscious, Serena's body lifted off the ground. It pushed all of them back and they watched in horror as she continued to rise a good three feet off the ground. It was as if gravity had stopped working on her, her floating up like a balloon.

Darien was the first to get his wits about him, standing so that he was hovering over her face. "Serena?"

At the sound of her name her eyes snapped open. She landed on the floor, back on her feet and full of grace, looking around the room at all the eyes that were on her. When her eyes made it to her, Ami had to bite back a scream. Gone were the beautiful light blue eyes of Serena. Now they were red. Blood red. Serena was a Vampire.

I know, I know. But I promise to post Ch 8 real soon alright?!