Cursed Hearts Chapter 9, a sailor moon fanfic

As promised, here is Chapter 9 of Cursed Hearts! Thanks to everyone for all the reviews! I love them so please keep them coming, they really inspire me to write!

Now one thing you all should know about me is that I'm not so great at poetry, as you will discover while reading this chapter, so please go easy on me!

We're at the end now, only one chapter is left after this one, oh and the Epilogue of course!

Chapter 9

Monday, After School

It amazed Serena how differently she was being treated now that everyone in town knew she was Darien Shields's girlfriend, one he was fiercely protective and possessive of. Although his protectiveness and possessiveness was sweet, in most eyes it couldn't be seen as 'normal' or 'healthy' behaviour.

But despite that, there was no more staring or whispering, no more rumours or gossip about the embarrassing events that she'd been involved in. At least, not to the extent that it had been. She wasn't naïve, she knew there was still talk about her but now it was well and truly behind her back and not so obvious and out in the open. There was a new air of respect and, dare she say it, fear around her now. Everyone was careful about what they said around her and about her.

So were the ways of high school. The popular were treated like royalty and the less popular treated them with respect, awe and even fear. It was like she'd just married the King of Willowson High and now no one wanted to displease their queen. Not that Serena thought of herself as the Queen of Willowson High, but she couldn't deny, even to herself, that it was a relief to be free of the snickers and suggestive comments and blatant leering.

Serena felt comfortable and happy at school now. She didn't feel like an outsider anymore, instead she felt as if she belonged at Willowson High. That she was part of it and it was all thanks to Darien, and her friends of course.

Even the weather in Willowson had become brighter. For the first time since Serena had arrived in Willowson, the heavy grey clouds that usually hung over Willowson had parted to reveal the golden sun and endless bright blue sky. It had only lasted a few hours but the warm golden rays had felt wonderful on her skin. Her skin had too long been denied the vitalising golden rays of the life giving sun. Even though her skin had always been delicate and sensitive, she still needed sun light.

It had been so long since she'd felt the sun's rays; to soak up the warmth had felt so freeing. Not to mention that it made her feel more upbeat.

Sitting in Darien's arms in the sunlight had been beyond words. Due to the sunny and warm weather, the entire group had sat outside for lunch With the cool lush green grass beneath her, the warm sunlight on her face and the warmth of Darien's body at her back, she'd been in heaven. The only thing Serena knew that could have been better than that moment was being alone with Darien in a place where they could dispose of their pesky clothing.

Ever since they'd first met, there had been increasing sexual tension between them that had grown to be undeniable and even though they'd finally given into their desires, the sexual tension hadn't eased but had only grown stronger. However, now it was slightly more manageable. Serena always found herself wanting Darien and she could tell from the looks he was constantly sending her way that he felt the same way.

They couldn't keep their hands off each other. It was only the knowledge that they'd have time together after school that kept them from disappearing during school hours to find a secluded place for what Darien referred to as a "quickie". Every time Darien whispered in her ear that they should disappear and find a place for themselves for some private time because he needed to touch her, it always made her blush and giggle. And as much as she wanted to – wanted him – Serena always told him that they weren't doing "it" at school.

Now it had become a game for the both of them. Darien had taken it as a challenge and he'd tried all kinds of sweet talk – and even sweeter touches – in attempt to tempt her into changing her mind but each time Serena forced herself to hold strong, giving him a smile and a good humoured retort.

But she wasn't fooled. Serena knew that Darien knew how much she wanted him and it was only be a matter of time before she gave into him. Darien could be quite charming and persuasive when he wanted to be. Hell, he didn't even need words, a simple touch was enough to make her heart race, her skin tingle and her mind become clouded with lustful thoughts and images.

After seeing his home on Saturday, Serena had gained an understanding of what Darien's life had been like before she'd become a part of it and how much he needed her. It had been so large and empty that she immediately realized that he'd been alone and miserable but he'd never let anyone see that. He needed her to take away his loneliness.

Truly the Darien she knew and loved was a completely different Darien than the Darien the rest of the world knew, the Darien that she'd heard – and been warned – of was not who he was now.

Serena had felt sadness for him after seeing how he lived, but it had faded into love when she'd realised that taking her home meant that he was letting her in, letting her see him as no one else ever had. And Serena knew just how hard it had been for him. He'd spent most of his life keeping people away in order to protect himself but now, against everything that he'd used to protect himself over the past decade, he was letting her in.

Serena now understood. She didn't only understand him better, she understood just how much he cared for her. He didn't say the words, he couldn't, but she could hear him saying the three precious words in other ways. Taking her home with him had been one of many. She understood just how much he cared for her, how much he needed her in his life. He didn't want to be alone anymore. In his heart he'd never wanted to be alone, it was only his sense of self preservation that had driven the desire never to be close to anyone ever again.

Just as Endymion had been before Serenity had come into his life and had brought him to life.

And their time in his bed on Saturday hadn't been hurried or lustful. It had been slow and tender. The entire time they'd stared into each other's eyes, allowing each other to see the raw emotions there. They hadn't had sex. No, like Serenity and Endymion's first time, they'd made love.

Afterwards, when she'd fallen asleep in Darien's arms, Serena had been more peaceful, happier and calmer than she'd ever been in her life. She highly doubted that she could've gotten a more peaceful sleep on the clouds of heaven. She'd slept with a smile on her lips, love in her heart and Darien in her dreams. Endymion and Serenity hadn't come to her then or later that night. The dreams she'd dreamt then and that night had been filled with only Darien.

Early Sunday morning, before her family had even woken, Serena had climbed into Darien's Aston Martin, shared a long passionate kiss with him that had lasted a full fifteen minutes before Darien had pulled away from her and had driven them to the park where they'd sat beneath the same willow in the same position as they had the day before. The cold, drizzly and windy weather had kept the park deserted and even though they'd been completely alone, they hadn't messed around or gotten any more intimate than making out. Darien had been prepared for the icy weather and had brought a heavy blanket with him that he'd wrapped around the both of them. It had kept away the cold and the willow had kept away the rain.

It had been cold, rainy and grey but to Serena's eyes it had been more beautiful than a sunset could ever be. She was beginning to get used to the cold and the rain and she was beginning to see the beauty in the grey bleak landscape. Some things didn't need colour to be beautiful.

They'd talked all day about everything and anything, for a few hours they'd discussed Serenity and Endymion and the curse but they'd made no further progress than they had on Saturday. They could do nothing but wait until Serenity and Endymion sent them another dream. There was something they were missing or hadn't yet been shown, and until Serenity and Endymion gave them another clue as to what they had to do to break the curse, there was little they could do.

They hadn't even noticed when it had grown dark and night had fallen thanks to Darien and his wandering hands, and she'd been late for curfew. Luckily, her parents had realised that any efforts to keep her away from Darien were pointless as they didn't even ground her, although they did give her a few extra chores as punishment that she accepted without complaint.

Her parents had taken her threat to move out seriously. And she'd been serious. Serena didn't want to be serious about leaving her family, but she couldn't lose Darien. He was a very large part of her now and she wouldn't be able to live without him. To Serenity, Endmyion had become air, and that's exactly what Darien had become for her. Without him, she couldn't breathe and she'd suffocate.

Serena sighed as she was brought back to the present. As wonderful as this weekend had been for her, she had other things that she had to pay attention too. She'd been spending so much time with Darien and even when she wasn't with him, thinking of him, or about Serenity and Endymion, and as a consequence her grades had taken a nose dive. The last thing she wanted to do was to give her parents more ammunition to bring up their disapproval at her choice in boyfriends again. Slipping grades were something her parents wouldn't ignore.

That was why Serena was still at school after the final bell rather than in Darien's Aston Martin with the heater blasting heated air over her cold face. It was strange but the weather seemed to be growing colder very quickly. It was strange considering it was spring and the sun had been shining not a few hours ago. If it kept getting colder it would only be a matter of time before a thick layer of snow and ice blanketed the town.

Serena pulled her coat tighter around her and hugged her books tighter against her in an effort to preserve what little warmth she had left. Serenity's locket felt like ice around Serena's neck from the icy weather, but there was nothing she could do about it except to hurry and get out of the cold. There was nothing that would make her take it off. It gave the both of them a little piece of mind in believing that Serenity and Endymion were watching over her, protecting her. Serena could almost feel them watching over her, and it made her feel a little safer outside of Darien's presence.

Serena walked briskly down the hallway towards her Mathematics classroom to collect the extra homework her teacher had given her due to the bad grade she'd gotten on her last pop quiz. The halls were deserted, the freezing weather did wonders at hurrying students along and emptying the school campus. The school's heating system was just not up to the challenge of keeping the school warm against the freezing temperatures, especially the unseasonal weather that Willowson was experiencing. Some of the teachers had been overheard discussing the possibility of sending students home and closing the school if the temperature dropped any lower.

Needless to say, there were several hundred students openly wishing that it would keep getting colder.

Thankfully the door to her maths classroom finally came into view. There was something about extreme cold weather that seemed to make things take longer than they really did. Right now, Serena just wanted to collect her homework and get out of there and into Darien's heated car – and his arms – as fast as possible.

Nothing warmed her up like Darien could. His arms, his kisses and tantalisingtouches. Not to mention the sex . . .

Despite the fact that she was freezing, Serena felt herself becoming warm and moist in certain places at just the thought of what Darien was so effortlessly able to do to her and her body . . .

Serena bit her lip in order to suppress a groan. Darien really was making her a sex addict.

Realising that she was about to be alone in a classroom with a male teacher, Serena pushed back the memories and urges so as not to send the wrong – and very inappropriate – idea to her teacher.

Drawing in a deep breath of icy air that succeeded in lowering her body tempterature enough to weaken the blush that had flooded her cheeks, Serena opened the door and stepped into the classroom to find it empty. There was no teacher packing up his books and papers, waiting for her so he could hand her the additional homework he had for her or anyone else for that matter.

Did she have the right classroom? He had assured her that he'd be in the classroom for an extra half an hour as he had papers to grade or something. Had he gone home early because of the cold weather?

Feeling annoyed that she was out in the cold and away from Darien longer than she had to be, Serena turned around to leave the classroom only to find the door slamming closed, seemingly on its own.

Serena stared at the closed door for a stunned moment. The doors were heavy and weren't the kind of doors that normally closed by themselves. They were large heavy solid wooden doors that swung inward to avoid passing students being knocked out by an opening door when walking down the hall.

Was someone playing a prank on her? There was no breeze or wind inside – that she'd been aware of – to blow it shut and Serena was certain that she'd been alone in the hall and she was certain that she was alone in the classroom.

Shaking her head, Serena silently scolded herself for being paranoid and dismissed it as the wind. She reached for the doorknob to open it and leave. She would see her math teacher in the morning.

But the doorknob wouldn't turn. It was locked fast.

Serena's annoyance at her absent teacher drained away as she studied the doorknob and lock and her annoyance drained away to be replaced by alarm and confusion. The doors didn't lock on the inside. The locks were designed to open from the inside regardless of the door being locked or not.

What was going on? Was it jammed? Was someone playing a prank on her? How had they rigged the lock not to open, and more importantly, why? What was the point of this? Did someone want to lock her in overnight?

That didn't make any sense, why would someone do this to her?

And who were they that they were brave enough to face Darien's wrath when he found out about this? After all that had happened, Darien would be homicidal.

Maybe she wasn't the target. Maybe she was just unlucky enough to fall into the middle of a prank meant for someone else.

Serena didn't have any answers and she didn't think that she was going to get any answers anytime soon.

Serena dropped her books onto a nearby desk and reached into her bag for her cell phone. She'd call Darien and ask him to get someone to unlock the door. He wouldn't be happy if he found out that someone may be playing a joke on her but right now she didn't care. When she was out of the classroom she'd deal with Darien and do what she could to calm him.

But before Serena could dial Darien's number on her cell phone – that was her first speed dial – a sudden loud whooshing sound pierced the silence from the other side of the room caused her to gasp in fright and jump, startled. Her cell phone fell from her hand, hitting the floor loudly as she followed the sound to the far window on the opposite wall.

By the sound of it, one of the blinds had just been violently pulled down.

Serena frantically scanned the classroom. The blind had been pulled down, she knew because when she'd come into the room all the window blinds had been up. But who could have pulled down the blind? There was no one else in the room. Was it a faulty blind? Had it come down on its own and it was just a coincidence that it had happened while she was in the room?

Lowering onto her knees, Serena looked around under the desks, searching for any sign that there was someone else in the room but there was no one and everything was silent and still. The only thing out of place was her cell phone lying on the floor where it had landed when she'd dropped it.

What the hell was going on?

The hairs on the back of her neck now stood on end, her senses screamed at her that something was wrong. The room had suddenly grown much colder, so cold that she could see her own breath. She was really close to freaking out now. The doors and blinds were closing on their own and the room was growing colder by the second. These weren't things that just happened. Not like this.

She had to get out of there. Now. She never should've left Darien.

Turning her attention to her cell phone where it laid on the floor beneath a desk a few feet from her, Serena moved forward on her hands and knees towards it. She needed to call Darien.

But before Serena could reach for it, the sound of another blind being pulled violently down echoed through the chilling silence of the room.

Serena's head snapped up and her mouth fell open, a silent gasp escaping her lips. Her eyes grew wide at the sight, her ears she could disbelieve, but not what her own eyes were seeing.

One by one, before her very eyes, the blinds violently closed.

On their own. One after the other the blinds were yanked down, until finally, the last blind was yanked down and the room fell into darkness.

Overwhelming fear swept over her and Serena froze, paralysed as she stared helplessly around the darkness, but no matter how hard she tried to see through the darkness, she could see nothing. She didn't know what was happening and she didn't care to know, she had to get out of there. Now!

Something was happening, something she couldn't begin to explain. Serena didn't know how she knew but she knew with certainty that she was in grave danger and if she wanted to live, she had to get out of there. Something evil and supernatural was after her.

And the only one who could save her was Darien.

'Darien! Please! Please come looking for me!' Serena begged him silently.

Serena felt so helpless, so afraid, just as Serenity had felt when she'd been taken from her bed and tied to the branches of the dead weeping willow, knowing that she was about to die by being burned alive. Knowing that she was going to be taken from the man she loved more than her own life.

What Serena was feeling felt the same. It was the same fear, the same instinctive knowledge that she was in grave danger and was close to her death.

Serena swallowed thickly as she struggled to regain control of herself and the fear that threatened to overwhelm her. She had to do something. She wasn't the type of girl who always needed someone else to help her. She was strong. She had to do something to save herself. She needed to go to the door and if it didn't open, she would try a window.

All Serena knew was that she had to get out of this classroom. Her life depended upon it.

Abandoning her cell phone, Serena rose to her feet, but before she could take a single blind step, another sound echoed through the blackness. A whooshing sound, that in the black silence was as loud as thunder, followed by golden orange and red light, which lit up the room from the far corner and banished the darkness.

At first, it was a single flame of fire, a spark in the darkness, but then without warning or reason, it tripled in size with a deafening bang, like an explosion, and shot with the speed of an arrow along the wall below the windows. With every inch, the flames grew higher and hotter.

Serena felt her eyes widen almost painfully at the sight of the flickering flames spreading across the far wall with impossible speed and determination. It was as if the flames possessed a mind and a force of their own. The flames kept spreading in a straight line until the entire wall was consumed by the flames. The wall, with the windows and bewitched blinds, were her only way out except for the locked door behind her.

Hot black smoke stung her eyes and filled her lungs so quickly that Serena was unprepared for it. So unprepared that she was overtaken by a coughing fit that threw her off balance and the next thing she knew, she was on her hands and knees on the floor.

Serena closed her eyes in a desperate attempt to protect them from the stinging black smoke and she lowered her head into the collar of her heavy coat to cover her mouth in attempt to filter some of the smoke.

Serena could feel the heat from the flames, even through her heavy winter clothing, it was burning her exposed skin and the smoke was growing thicker by the second, but somehow, unexplainably, the room still felt so cold. How was that possible? The room was going up in flames but the freezing chill was still consuming the room.

She was terrified and confused beyond anything she had ever known and on top of that barely able to breathe. Her entire body was trembling with fear and the cold, and she couldn't stop coughing. Everything within her screamed at her to get out, to get back to Darien who would keep her safe. He would protect her from whatever was happening.

The voice of her fear screamed at her irrationally, ordering her to scream her lungs out, to call for Darien because without him she'd die, but she fought against that voice. She had to keep calm or she would only bring about her fate that much sooner. And she had to last as long as possible because of the other part of her fear.

Fear that she'd soon be forced to leave Darien, to be parted from him and to leave him alone. Serena didn't know how he'd react to losing her just as Endymion had lost Serenity, but she knew it wouldn't be a kind fate. She feared above all that Darien would share in Endymion's doom.

She had to get control of herself so she could get out of the room before it went up in flames. She had to push back the fear, she had to live. For Darien. For her family and friends. For everyone who loved her and needed her.

Serena forced her eyes to open despite the thick black smoke stinging her eyes. The will to survive rose up within her and fought back against the fear, flooding her heart with hard determination. Serena lowered herself as low to the floor as she could manage while remaining on her hands and knees and quickly looked around.

Her cell phone. She had to get to it, to call Darien for help. He was waiting for her in the parking lot. He had helped her against impossible odds before, he could save her now.

Scanning the floor for it once more, Serena spotted it two desks away, laying open on the floor where it had landed when she'd dropped it.

Serena flattened herself against the floor, lying on her belly. She needed to stay as close to the floor as possible because smoke rose, the cleanest air left in the room would be closest to the floor.

Knowing she only had minutes before the entire room was completely engulfed by the flames, Serena slid along the floor towards her cell phone.

The roar of the flames was deafening as it took hold of everything in its path, already half of the classroom was alit, the desks, the blinds, the walls, even the floor and the ceiling.

Serena was only a desk away from her cell phone. She reached out for it, not wanting to get any closer to the flames than was necessary. The flames were only a few feet away and spreading closer. She could feel the burning heat on her still cold hand.

It was such a contradiction. Common sense told her that it should have been as hot as hell in the classroom, not partly hot and partly freezing cold.

The cell phone was only inches from her grasp, she was so close to her one real chance at calling for help, but without warning or rational reason or cause, the flames jumped.

One second the flames had been a good foot away, the next they were between her and her cell phone.

Serena screamed, terrified, and snatched back her hand as she watched the furious flames swallow her cell phone, the plastic melting before her eyes.

Serena scrambled backwards, away from the flames, back towards the door.

The door! It was the only way out now. Her only hope.

Something was going on here, something Serena couldn't understand.

Behind her Serena could hear glass shattering and explosions beneath the deafening roar of the fire but she forced herself to ignore it. She had to get to the door. She had to live.

For her parents, for her brother. For Darien.

Her heart froze at the thought that once again fought its way through the fear and determination to live. She'd only just found him, the love of her life, and now she might be taken away from him.

NO!

Serena couldn't let that happen. It would destroy him. Darien had already lost so much in his life, he couldn't lose her too. She wouldn't let herself be taken from him. She loved him and she wasn't about to be taken from him like Serenity had been taken from Endymion.

Fire would not claim her as it had claimed Serenity.

The parking lot was deserted except for Darien and his sleek shiny Aston Martin that really did look out of place in the high school parking lot that was usually filled with cars that were ten years old or older.

Darien was waiting for Serena, his girlfriend.

A tiny happy grin spread across his lips every time Darien thought or said that and now was no exception. Serena was his girlfriend. It was still so hard to believe. It was hard to believe that she'd chosen him. That she was his and Darien had the feeling that she'd be his for a long time.

A very long time, as in the rest of their lives.

Serena had sent him a text message explaining that she'd be a little late meeting him at his car as she had to collect her additional math homework. Apparently she hadn't done so well on her latest math quiz. Darien knew he was partly to blame for that and he planned to tutor her. It would be hard for them both to focus on studies as their thoughts would always be elsewhere but it was an excuse to spend more time with her as well as the fact that he wasn't going to allow her to fail because of him.

And Darien could think of all sorts of way of rewarding her for her hard work, especially after the weekend he'd just had – most of it spent with her and a lot of that spent getting into delightful mischief, the kind young adults in love were prone too.

'Darien! Please!'

Darien froze, a silent gasp escaping his startled lips, as Serena's desperate and fear-filled voice echoed in his mind, pleading desperately for his help.

What the hell?

And Darien found his eyelids forced to close by an outside force as images flashed in the darkness before his eyes.

The first thing Darien realised he was seeing was fire, a lot of fire and it was spreading quickly, devouring everything in its path without mercy. For a moment he thought he was seeing Serenity being burnt alive again but then the image changed, replaced by another. He could still see spreading flames but now he saw a delicate figure lying motionless on the floor. The flames were moving quickly towards her unmoving figure. He watched in horror as the flames mercilessly consumed her long strands of golden hair that were scattered on the floor around her. The fire was heading for her, quickly and with dark determination. These flames mercilessly intended to take her life.

It was Serena lying still on the floor and she was in danger.

"SERENA!" Darien roared with soul shattering desperation as the hold of the vision released him and his eyes flew open, blazing with sheer determination and naked fear.

It had been a warning. Endymion or Serenity was trying to warn him that Serena was going to die consumed by merciless flames just as Serenity had been, if he didn't do something now! Serena was in danger; he could feel it and he had to get to her now! He wouldn't lose her, not for anything! He'd die first!

Before he even realised he was in motion, Darien was running as fast as his legs would allow him, but it wasn't enough. He had to move faster, he had to get to her now! He flew across the school campus, following an invisible pull rather than paying any attention to where he was going, all the while praying that he arrived in time to save her.

The flames in his vision had been spreading quickly, faster than he was running towards the building he knew Serena was dying within. It was right in the middle of the campus and it would take him some time – precious time – to get to it. Seconds that would pass with the pace of decades.

Without slowing down in the slightest, Darien reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He had to get to Serena but he also had to be prepared in case he couldn't get to her. If he needed help, he needed it to get there now.

Fortunately, Darien knew this town better than most and he knew how to make things happen in the time he needed them to happen. From memory, Darien blindly dialled as he threw himself around the side of a building. Only one more building stood between him and the one he needed.

Three times the phone rang in his ear before it was answered.

"Yeah?"

"Andrew." Darien near yelled into the cell phone. "Get next door and tell Carl Sampson that the school is on fire! Serena's trapped inside! I need him here now!"

John Sampson, Andrew's immediate neighbour, was a member of the Willowson Fire Department and lived only a block from the fire station. He'd be able to get things moving a lot faster than dialling 911 or anyone else.

"Holy shit!" Andrew swore through a horrified gasp, and the line went dead.

Darien released his hold on his cell phone, not caring where it landed or what happened to it. He didn't need it anymore, Andrew wouldn't let him down.

Darien pushed himself to faster. His heart beating like frantic drums in his ears as he practically felt the adrenaline flooding his system. He could trust Andrew to do what he had to do to get the fire department there as soon as was humanly possible. Darien had to trust Andrew because if he failed, if something happened to him, Andrew would be the only hope Serena had.

Darien rounded the corner of the final building, nearly losing his footing from taking the corner too sharply, and instantly saw the column of thick black smoke flowing from the tall raging flames that danced from the windows of the very room he knew Serena was inside of.

NO! He couldn't be too late! Serena was still alive!

He wasn't going to lose her like this! He wasn't going to watch Serena burn alive as Endymion had watched Serenity burn.

Like Endymion, he wouldn't survive it and he wouldn't want to. He was going to save her or he was going to die with her. Except unlike Endymion, Darien would join his love in the murdering flames.

The door wouldn't open. It wouldn't even budge the few millimetres that the lock would usually have allowed. It was stuck fast.

The heat from the flames was immense, even though the chilling cold still remained in the room somehow. The flames had completely consumed the far wall and half of the room and were moving closer and closer to her, growing hotter and hotter.

Serena had taken off her coat and her jacket and now had her jacket pressed firmly against her face to filter the smoke from the air what little it could, but there wasn't much air left in the room, just smoke and heat that was starting to burn her and the flames still hadn't reached her.

Unable to bare the heat on her skin anymore, Serena moved herself back into the corner of the room beside the door, as far away from the flames as she could get. The teacher's desk provided little cover from the heat of the flames but it wasn't much and it wouldn't last much longer. The desk was already turning black before her eyes from the heat; soon it would spontaneously burst into flames. She covered her head with her hands and curled her body into the smallest ball possible, and pressed herself as far as she could into the corner of the room.

Serena knew that if the door didn't open soon, she'd be dead within minutes. She was praying with every fibre of her being that someone had already seen the smoke and had called the fire department, even though she knew that even if the fire department were next door to the school, they wouldn't get there in time, they wouldn't get to her in time.

Her only hope was with Darien, but a part of her didn't want him to save her because that meant that he'd have to endanger himself to do it and she didn't want him to be in danger. She wanted him to be safe more than she wanted him to save her.

Serena had never thought of herself as a selfless person, although she did know that she wasn't the selfish type, at least she hadn't thought that she was, but now she had something in her life that was more important that everything else. Someone she wanted to live on, someone she wanted nothing but the best for, she wanted it more than she wanted to live. She loved Darien and the thought of something happening to him terrified her more than the thought of dying horribly in bewitched flames.

Out of the corner of her eyes Serena could see the flames moving closer and closer to her. The teacher's desk, that had provided her with some shelter from the heat, suddenly and finally exploded into flames and Serena could do nothing but press herself back into the wall in a futile attempt to escape the scorching heat.

What was worse was the heat was that Serena could feel herself growing queasier by the second. She could feel herself slipping deeper and deeper to unconsciousness. The smoke was making her dizzy and she knew it would only be a matter of seconds before she lost consciousness. She was no expert but her body and mind were telling her that they weren't far from shutting down completely and finally.

Serena knew one fact about fire and smoke that brought her some comfort. Unlike Serenity, who'd been conscious and alert when the flames had consumed her, she wouldn't be. The smoke would make her to pass out before the flames would get to her. At least she wouldn't be conscious to suffer the agony of the hot flames melting the skin and flesh from her bones.

The dizziness was overpowering now and Serena knew her time was up, another minute or two in this room and she'd never wake up.

'I love you, Darien. I'm so sorry I have to leave you alone.' His smiling face flashed in her mind's eye, his wonderful handsome face that she loved so much. As the darkness of unconsciousness began to weigh too heavily on her, one last thought passed through her mind before she was overcome by darkness. 'Again.'

That was Serena's last thought before she fell into the peaceful darkness where there was no toxic smoke making it agony to breathe or raging flames burning her delicate skin; there was only dark peaceful nothing.

There was only peace.

Every second mattered as Darien sped down the hallway towards the only access point to the classroom since the windows were blocked by a thick wall of furious dancing flames. A part of him hoped that Serena had already gotten out but something told him that that wasn't likely.

They just weren't that lucky.

If Serena had gotten out, he wouldn't have been sent the vision, the warning. Serena was in danger, grave danger, he could feel it. Endymion and Serenity had brought them together and now they'd hopefully given him enough of a warning to save her life and keep them together.

He had to get to Serena in time. He wouldn't fail to save Serena as Endymion had failed to save Serenity. He couldn't. He wouldn't. Serena meant as much to him as Serenity had meant to Endymion and he could no sooner lose Serena than Endymion had lost Serenity. He wouldn't survive it. In such a short amount of time, Serena had become his everything and he'd do whatever it took to save her life.

Even if he had to sacrifice his own.

There! There was the door! Darien could see the thick black smoke seeping out into the hallway through the gaps between the door and the doorframe.

Fortunately, the doors opened inwards. It would be possible to kick the door open if he had too.

But if he couldn't get through the door, he'd go through the walls if he had too! Nothing was going to stop him from saving her. Nothing.

Darien grasped hold of the doorknob, ignoring the searing heat of it and twisted, but it refused to turn more than a quarter of an inch. It was locked.

He didn't stop to question why the door was locked, he just had to get it open. NOW!

Taking firm hold of the doorframe, Darien tensed his entire body, summoned all of his strength and threw everything he had into his lower body as he threw his leg back and swung it forward, aiming for the dead centre of the door.

Darien ignored the sharp pain that ricocheted through his leg as his foot made contact with the door and bounced harmlessly off as the door held fast.

Violently, Darien kicked it again and again, each time with more force. Each time he did, a loud bang echoed unnoticed around him and the door shook but remained firmly in place.

The smoke leaking from around the door stung his eyes and burned his throat but Darien forced himself to ignore it. His lungs screamed in protest at the amount of toxic smoke he was inhaling, but he ignored it too. Serena was in there, breathing the smoke; he had to get her out before it was too late.

But the door was too strong, he couldn't get it open. Kicking it open wasn't going to work and he was wasting precious seconds. Seconds that Serena might not have.

Releasing his hold on the door frame, Darien threw his body backwards until he hit the opposite wall and he angled his body until his left shoulder was facing the locked door. Drawing in a deep breath, Darien tensed his entire body and released a furious cry as he shot forward, forcing his shoulder into the door with all his strength.

Sharp pain, pain ten times greater than the pain he'd endured while kicking the door, shot through him but again Darien forced himself to ignore it. He took a step back before shooting forward and ramming his throbbing shoulder into the door once again.

Still the door remained firmly locked in place.

What the hell kind of door was this? Darien was certain that it wasn't reinforced – what school would install reinforced doors inside the school? – so why was it still refusing to budge? Why couldn't he get it open? He was more than strong enough to knock down a door!

Knowing he was out of time, Darien backed up until his back was once again against the opposite wall and he sharply drew in another deep breath.

'Endymion! Help me save her! Please!' Darien begged the spirit and with a fierce roar he threw himself off of the wall and shot forward with all the speed and strength he had left in him, preparing to ram his shoulder and entire body into the door with as much force as possible. He had to get the door open this time or he knew there'd be no hope for the girl who held his heart.

For a split second, Darien sensed another presence there with him, a familiar presence that was just as indomitably determined to save her as he was.

Darien hit the door, pain exploded through his shoulder and upper body, but with an ear-shattering crashing thud, the door swung violently open. A thick, hot cloud of black smoke consumed him, wafting through the doorway out into the hallway.

Not stopping to take a breath of quickly diminishing fresh air, Darien drew in a breath of toxic hot smoke deep into his lungs.

Even as the coughing fit hit him and his lungs struggled to draw in cleaner oxygen, Darien scanned the room but he could see nothing but flames consuming the entire room through the thick black smoke.

"Serena!" Darien wheezed frantically. She was in there, he knew it. He could feel it.

A soft groan, that Darien shouldn't have been able to hear over the roar of the flames, reached his ears. Following the sound, he looked down at his feet to see, with both relief and horror, Serena curled up in the corner beside the door, unconscious.

Relief flooded through him, relief so potent that he could've cried from the sheer intensity of it. She was alive! Serena was alive and breathing. She was unconscious but she was breathing. He hadn't been too late. Thank god. Thank Endymion and Serenity. Another minute and he would have been too late.

Without hesitation, Darien knelt down, curled his arms around her and pulled her up into his arms. She fell limply against him, her head resting against his chest while her long golden hair spilled into her lap.

Hastily, Darien leapt to his feet, holding his precious burden securely against his chest. She was so light that he could've been holding a child, a delicate angel that had an absolute hold on his heart.

Darien backed out of the room, holding her securely in his arms and he took off down the hall that was filling with smoke as fast as he was able. It was only a matter of seconds before he burst through the doors and out into the cold, clean air of the icy late afternoon.

It was dark enough outside to be easily mistaken for twilight due to the thick grey clouds above that were working extra hard to keep out the sun's rays that they'd seen earlier that day.

Darien didn't stop running until he was clear of the buildings and back in the parking lot where his car waited.

Serena was safe now. She was still unconscious but she was breathing more deeply now, he could see the rise and fall of her chest and feel her pulse beneath his sweaty hands, as her precious little heart worked hard to pump blood around her body. Her visible skin was bright red from the heat of the flames but she didn't appear to have any serious burns that he could see.

Should he take her to hospital or wait for the ambulance? Now that he took the time to listen, Darien could hear the sirens in the distance, growing louder as they grew nearer.

Help was on its way. Help that would've been too late to save her.

Darien gently laid her down on the icy hood of his car. Before he did anything, he had to assure that she wasn't hurt. He gently but hastily ran his hands over her body, searching for any injuries that he couldn't see. He found nothing but that didn't mean she didn't have any internal injuries.

People died from smoke inhalation.

Ice cold fear pooled from his heart to his stomach, colder than the icy air around him, and Darien gently leaned down and cupped her warm face within his cold hands. She was pale but at the same time her skin was flushed red from the heat of the flames that had nearly taken her from him forever.

What was it going to take to keep her safe? He'd do anything, give anything, to keep her safe but it seemed that despite all that he was willing to do for her, it wasn't enough. Somehow, something was finding ways around him and he had to find a way to stop that. This time had been close, closer than the other "accidents". Whoever or whatever was after her was getting closer. Soon enough they'd find a way around him that he'd be unable to save her from. He was going to lose her if he didn't do something and do it now.

But Darien couldn't think about that right this second, in this moment he had to be focused on Serena. He had to see her open her eyes, he had to know she was alive and was going to stay that way.

"Serena? Baby? Angel?" Darien called down to her urgently, desperately as he gently shook her, trying to rouse her. "Please, open your eyes. Serena. It's Darien. Please. Don't leave me." He begged her, his heart was ice and it was in his stomach. "I need you."

A barely audible weak moan escaped her parted lips. "Darien?" She croaked hoarsely.

Darien breathed in overwhelming relief, unaware that he'd been holding his breath. "I'm here, baby. You're going to be alright. You're safe now."

Slowly Serena opened her eyes enough for him to see her blood-shot eyes, most likely the result of the thick smoke, and she looked up at him through her barely open eyes. "The fire-."

"You're safe." Darien assured her as tears came, unnoticed, to his eyes. Had he been in his right mind, it would've shocked him. He hadn't cried since the day his mother had died.

Serena looked up into his eyes with worry and love in her own beautiful eyes. Eyes that were bloodshot and puffy but were still filled with love and life. "You saved me." It wasn't a question.

There was so much turmoil raging inside of him that Darien didn't know what he was feeling: relief, love, happiness, fear, desperation, worry. So many emotions churned within him, creating a chaotic storm of feeling that was maddening, but he didn't care, all he needed now was to see her smile. Only then would he begin to calm down enough to even begin to regain control of himself.

A smile onto Darien's lips, a smile of relief, love and joy. This was one smile he didn't have to force. "Not for the first time. I'm getting pretty good at it by now." He joked half-heartedly. He needed her to smile, just once, for him.

And his efforts were rewarded, the faintest of smiles twitched at her lips, but it was there. "What would I do without you?" Serena asked him, this time her voice held less of a hoarse edge to it.

"You'll never have to find out." Darien whispered, his tone heavy with emotion, and his words were a vow to both of them. He carefully wrapped an arm around her shoulders and lifted her up into a sitting position on the hood of his car, cradling her against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly against him. The thought of losing her was like having his soul ripped from his chest and pulled into the deepest, darkest corners of hell.

Darien felt Serena lean into him and rest her head against his shoulder. She was so small, so delicate. It would be so easy for him to lose her, she was like a small child and, although she was strong and fierce inside with an unbendable will, outside she was fragile and delicate. She needed protecting, she always would and if someone had to do it, then it would be him. Curse or no, she was his and he was never going to let her go, never going to betray her. He wouldn't watch her die as his heartless father had watched his mother die. He would do everything in his power to make sure that never happened with Serena.

He had come very close to losing her tonight and he couldn't bare it. If he ever lost her, he wouldn't survive it. In Endymion, Darien had seen what happened to a man who lost the woman he loved more than anything else and he wasn't going to let it happen to him. It may have been selfish of him, but he was going to do whatever he had to do to protect her so that he'd never have to lose her.

"Darien? Are you alright?"

Darien blinked as he was pulled from his thoughts and looked down to see Serena staring up at him with worry in her soul-baring eyes. Her voice had sounded so frail and unsure and worried that it instantly brought the fierce need to comfort and protect her shooting to the surface.

It was then that Darien realised that his fists were fisted at her back. She had picked up on how still and tense he'd become, even in her condition, and it was causing her unnecessary distress. She shouldn't be worrying about him now, she needed to worry about herself.

"I'm fine." Darien assured her, lying through his teeth. He was anything but fine. His entire world was in grave danger. Someone wanted Serena dead and he couldn't let them succeed. He had to protect her, to keep her safe, and he would do anything it took to do that.

Maybe he should get her out of town, take her someplace safe until he ended this. With his money, he could even buy a place somewhere to stash her. He could take Andrew and leave her with him. He trusted Andrew enough to leave Serena with him for a few days to protect.

But even in his current state of mind, desperate and fearful, Darien knew that he couldn't do that. Firstly, he couldn't leave her somewhere that far away from him in case the evil followed her and secondly, the curse wouldn't let her leave without serious consequence. No one left Willowson for long without great misfortune.

Turning his attention back to Serena, he realised that Serena wasn't convinced for a moment that he was fine. Darien could see that in the look she was giving him that practically screamed, 'You honestly expect me to buy that?'

Darien drew in a deep breath and allowed his tense body to relax. It was over and they were both safe and fine. Serena was here, safe in his arms and she wasn't going anywhere.

"I'm fine." Darien promised her, his voice much calmer than it had been a moment before.

In fact, now that he was calmer and allowing his body to relax and the adrenaline to filter out of his system, Darien was beginning to feel the strain his body had endured. Aches and throbs were becoming much harder to ignore, especially in his legs and shoulder. He could practically feel the bruises forming on his shoulder.

Bruises Serena would never see. He could still remember clearly the look she'd had on her face when she'd seen him hurt after the building had practically fallen on top of them. He didn't want to see that look on her face again, the self blame and guilt, although he had to admit to himself that he'd really liked how worried and attentive she'd been towards him afterwards. It had felt nice to have a woman look after and worry about him again. But still, nothing was worth that look on her beautiful face.

"How did you know?" Serena's soft voice broke through his thoughts. "Did you see the smoke?"

It took Darien a moment to realise what she was talking about.

Oh, how he wished he'd seen the smoke, then he wouldn't have had to rely on Endymion's warning to save her. If Endymion hadn't-.

No! He wasn't going to think about it again. It tortured him too much to think about losing her.

"Endymion." Darien answered, knowing that the one word would explain everything to her. "He sent some kind of vision. I saw you and you were . . ." He trailed off, choking on the word he couldn't even think. He'd almost seen her death; the flames had been so close to her, so close to consuming her. If he'd been any longer in getting to her, she would have died in the flames, just as Serenity had been. The vision would have come true.

"Darien!"

Darien blinked, once again pulled from the deep abyss his thoughts had pulled him into. He looked over his shoulder to see Andrew running towards them, his car parked on the sidewalk with the driver's side door wide open. He looked frantic but relieved to see them there.

It took Andrew only seconds to reach them.

"Are the two of your alright?" Andrew asked anxiously through his heavy panting.

"We're fine, Andrew." Serena promised him, sounding much better than she had only seconds before. She'd almost sounded like her normal self.

Andrew looked pass them and all colour drained from his face. In fact, he almost looked green.

Darien followed his gaze and his eyes grew wide in horror. It had only been a matter of two or three minutes since he'd pulled Serena out of the burning classroom but by the sight that greeted him, it seemed impossible that it hadn't been half an hour ago. The two story administration building stood between the parking lot and the burning building but that didn't matter. The fire had consumed the entire building and the columns of flames were so high that they towered a full story above the building, clearly visible over the Administration building.

If the fire wasn't stopped soon, it would consume the entire school.

How could fire spread so quickly that it had consumed the entire building that contained more than a dozen classrooms? It wasn't a small building. He'd heard of forest fires spreading and travelling incredible distances and speeds but a structure fire? Surely it couldn't spread as quickly as a forest fire? The forests were made of burnable materials, trees, leaves, bark, but these buildings were built from brick. Brick didn't burn – as far as he knew – it cracked and exploded. Surely it would slow the blaze down even a little?

"It felt cold."

Darien blinked, confused by her statement. What had felt cold? He looked down at the delicate treasure in his arms who was now looked so much more pale and scared. What had felt cold and why did it terrify her?

Serena looked up into the eyes of her dashing hero, allowing him to see the fear there. Now that she was out of the burning building and safe in Darien's arms, she was able to reflect and remember. "The classroom. It was full of fire but it was so cold, so unnatural. I could feel the heat of the fire but the air was cold, too cold. The door and the blinds closed on their own and it was getting colder and colder by the second and then suddenly the fire ignited and spread on its own."

On its own? Darien couldn't seem to wrap him mind around what she'd just told him. Was she in shock and unaware of what she was saying or was she speaking of what had really happened? But how could it be possible? Fires didn't spontaneously start, on their own,and definitely not in the middle of a well-maintained deserted classroom.

But less than a few weeks ago, curses and spirits hadn't been real to him either. This was the third time that Serena had nearly been killed under suspicious circumstances. It was clear that someone wanted her dead and if they were willing to burn down the school to do it then it was clear that they'd stop at nothing until they succeeded. This had to have something to do with Serenity, Endymion and the curse. They were running out of time, he had to break the curse before Serena got hurt or worse.

This time it had been way too close a call. If Endymion hadn't given him that vision, Serena would be dead. In a fire, just as Serenity had died. It wasn't just that he owed Endymion anymore; this was about Serena and saving her life. Serena's life, and his own, depended on breaking the curse.

And soon.

"That's it. We have to finish this now." Darien's voice was hard with lethal determination. There had to be a way to break the curse. They needed help but who could help them? Endymion and Serenity could only help them so much; they'd been dead for centuries. There had to be someone living who knew about the curse. It was real, he and Serena couldn't be the only ones who knew that. Chances were that almost everyone in the town knew it, they just refused to believe that it was real, even though deep down they knew it was real. They all knew.

And then an idea occurred to him. It hit him without warning or apparent cause. It was a long shot but it was all that they had to go on right now. A long shot was better than nothing at all, which is what they had.

"I think there might be someone who can help us. It's a long shot but it's all we have." Darien told Serena and turned to Andrew. "We have to go."

"What? Why? Where?" Andrew asked, completely bewildered.

"I can't explain." Darien told him as he stepped back and gently helped Serena down off of the hood of his car and carefully set her on her feet, keeping his hands around her in case she wasn't able to stand steadily on her own feet. "Just know that it's important."

"But the cops and the fire chief are going to have questions. This is like a crime scene or something!" Andrew protested, still baffled that they were leaving. "What the hell am I going to tell them?"

"Whatever you want, just keep Serena out of it." Darien warned him with an edge to his voice as he opened the passenger door for Serena. "The Shields family are going to make a sizeable donation to the school to cover the damage and to rebuild it better than it was."

"Well, that's going to go over well!" Andrew snapped sarcastically. He was obviously not happy with being left behind to clean up, so to speak.

Darien helped Serena into her seat and clicked in her seatbelt before he turned back to Andrew, closing the passenger side door with a soft thud. "Look, Andrew. You know they're not going to arrest me and you have a solid alibi since you reported it in person several blocks away. Serena is the only one who can be looked at for this, but she didn't do it and I'll be damned if I am going to let anyone suspect her of arson. She nearly died in there. I need to get her out of here, now. Make it clear to anyone who even thinks about connecting her with this that they will have to go through me to even lay eyes on her."

Andrew's eyes grew wide at Darien's serious and deadly icy hard tone, the words were a threat – not directed at him – but one that he had every intention of keeping. Andrew wasn't stupid; he knew that there was something going on that he wasn't in on. Darien was too protective of Serena and there was too much happening around them both. This was the third time Serena had nearly been hurt in an "accident" and Darien was deadly serious about protecting her.

So Andrew closed his mouth and nodded, communicating to his best friend that he'd take care of it while he took care of Serena.

Darien gave his best friend a sharp, appreciative nod and climbed into the driver's seat. Within seconds the car pulled out on the street, speeding away from the school as fire trucks, police cars and an ambulance passed them, all with their sirens blaring and their emergency lights blazing brightly.

Serena felt sick in the stomach, her head ached and her eyes and lungs still stung from the smoke. She reeked of smoke and she felt so hot, her skin was still flushed red from the heat of the flames, but she barely even noticed any of that. Instead she was watching Darien carefully out of the corner of her eyes, fearful that he'd lost it. This had been the third attempt on her life and she was fearful that it had pushed Darien over the edge. She didn't want him doing anything that may lead to him being hurt or would get him into trouble.

"Darien?" Serena spoke tentatively, afraid not of him, but of that look hard of resolve on his face. "Are you alright?"

"I have to end this now. That was too close." Darien sounded furious; his voice hard and strained with the effort of controlling his fury. Serena watched as his hands tightened around the steering wheel until his fingers turned white. "And I'm not going to let there be a next time. This ends. Now. I need to find a way. Whatever's after you isn't going to be breathing for much longer."

Okay, now Serena was a little afraid of him. He was downright homicidal and that wasn't the Darien she loved. As adamant as he was when it came to protecting her, he wasn't a killer. He talked the talk but he could never kill anyone.

Right?

"Darien. You're scaring me." Serena whispered in a trembling voice. He'd never hurt her, she didn't doubt that, but she was scared of what he was capable of in his current state of mind.

Darien was silent for a long minute before he reached across the space between them, without taking his eyes off the road, and took hold of her hand tightly. He was on the threshold of holding her hand too tightly but Serena said nothing. He was too far out of it right now and she wasn't going to push him any further. Especially not while he was driving at the reckless high speeds that he was, with only one hand on the steering wheel. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you, Serena. I'm NOT going to lose you. I'm not."

He was rambling, speaking more to himself than to her. It seemed that he'd finally lost it completely and if she didn't do something to help him regain some semblance of rationality, he was going to do something stupid or dangerous or both. She loved him; she wasn't going to let him do anything that would put him in danger, of any kind.

Darien steered the sleek powerful black vehicle sharply around the corner, the tires screeching loudly as they desperately tried to grip the course wet road beneath the vehicle.

Serena cried out and flung her arm upwards to the roof to prevent herself from being thrown around anymore than she had to be. She watched as Darien righted the car, turning the steering wheel completely around with the palm of his hand.

Darien knew how to handle the powerful machine, Serena didn't doubt that, but Darien's driving was becoming more and more reckless with every turn.

"Darien, stop the car." Serena ordered in a serious voice.

No response from him.

"Darien!" Serena snapped in a firm authoritative voice, the same tone her mother often used when she reached her limits.

That seemed to snap him out of whatever stupor he seemed to be trapped in and he turned to look at her out of the corner of his eye. "What's wrong?"

"Stop the car!" Serena demanded again in the same tone.

Darien looked at her for a long moment, a startled expression on his face, but to her relief the powerful sleek black Aston Martin Vanquish slowed until he pulled onto the side of the road.

Breathing a deep breath of relief that the car was stationary, Serena released her seatbelt, reached over him and turned the key, turning the engine off.

"Serena-."

But before Darien could say another word, Serena was already in motion. Lifting herself out of her seat, she swung her leg over the gearshift and his legs until she was kneeling on the driver's seat, her knees on either side of his, so that she was practically sitting on his lap.

Darien looked startled, but he made no move to neither stop her nor remove her from his lap.

Serena laid her hands on his hard chest and looked into his startled and confused face, his eyes had softened marginally but they were still as hard and as cold as ice. They were darker than she was used to, missing their usual warmth and sparkle.

Without saying a word, Serena reached for his hands. Without resisting, he allowed her to bring one large hand to rest on her thigh while she brought the other up to cup her cheek. She held his hands in place with her own as she stared into fierce his eyes with her heart and soul bared within her own eyes. She needed to connect with him, needed him to feel her love and to remember what it was that they shared. She needed him to feel her, to know that she was there and that she was alive.

Darien loved her so much, he hadn't yet told her, but he screamed it in everything he did, in every look he gave her, in every touch. But never did he scream it so loudly than when and after he was saving her life. Serena knew, she wasn't blind, to what he would sacrifice for her and that terrified her. To live without him would be worse than anything else she could ever image.

Seconds became minutes as they sat staring into each other's eyes in the silence and the deepening darkness as the sun began its descent beyond the horizon behind the heavy grey clouds. It would only be a matter of minutes before twilight ended for another day and the darkness of night came once again.

Serena stared into his eyes, not daring to blink despite how much her sore irritated eyes wanted too. She was afraid to break the connection she'd created between them. She needed him to calm down and remember who he was before she could risk releasing him from the hold she held over him.

And before her eyes, without warning and with the swiftness of a flash of lightening, the intensity and ferocity in his eyes changed, morphed into something else. Something just as strong but much warmer.

Pulling his hand, that cupped her cheek, from under hers, Darien cupped the back of her neck and pulled her forward, his lips covered hers with a kiss of demanding ferocity and ravenous passion.

Through his kiss, Serena felt everything radiating chaotically from him. She felt his boiling frustration and fierce determination and resolve to act, to protect. She felt his fear of losing her and his burning love for her. She tasted his feelings of frustration at being unable to protect her better today and she felt his need to be as close to her as possible.

Never had Serena been kissed with such ferocity, intensity and starving hunger. Darien's need for her was insatiable and it was eating him alive. He needed more, and then more still. He needed to be closer to her than he was, he needed her kiss her deeper than he was. He needed more of everything, he needed more of her and she wanted to give him, but she knew that whatever she could give him wasn't going to be enough. He was too tightly strung.

Within seconds, everything faded and Serena was unable to think. He was lost and he was pulling her into fervour with him. As her mind became clouded with love and lust, with hunger and passion, all that mattered to her was his frantic kiss, and the desire quickly burned through her. Between her legs, she felt herself becoming wet and her body was burning, hotter and hotter until the flames they'd left behind only minutes ago held nothing in comparison to the desire burning within her now. She could feel Darien's hand on her thigh, roughly moulding the soft flesh, driving her into frenzied pleasure that was building and building to the point that it was well beyond madness.

And then his hand cupped her backside and he was pushing her against him, right onto his impressive erection that was tenting his jeans. The moment she came into contact with him, she cried out into Darien's mouth from the unbearable pleasure of it.

In the far corners of her mind, a distant voice warned her that this was insane, that they were in his car on a road that anyone might come down at any moment and see them, but as rational as the voice was, as real as the warnings were, Serena just couldn't bring herself to care about anything but Darien and his strong hands that were taking her closer and closer to ecstasy.

This hadn't been her intention when she'd climbed on top of him but Serena wasn't about to stop now. She wanted this almost as much as he did. She'd nearly died today, had nearly been taken from him forever. It was only her worry for him that kept her own chaotic emotions at bay.

But right now Serena was being overcome by a different kind of chaotic emotions, namely desire and love. As Darien pushed her harder against his erection, Serena lost control of her body. She was riding him, riding his erection, grinding her heated core against his erection harder and harder with each grind of her hips. She was panting uncontrollably around Darien's tongue, his tongue wildly exploring her mouth, dancing with her own tongue. His large hands roamed frenziedly over her body, everywhere at once, searching, as if ensuring himself she was there and safe.

Serena was dizzy from the lack of oxygen but again she couldn't bring herself to care. She wanted more of this, more of him.

Serena could feel her pleasure building with each touch, each stroke along his impressively long hard erection. She was lost to the sensation of it, oh, so so lost. How quickly Darien was teaching her in the ways of sexual intimacy, already she knew just what to do to drive him into madness, to give him as much pleasure as he gave her.

It wasn't until Serena realised that she was close to passing out for the second time in less than half an hour that she began to listen to that irritating voice of reason in the corner of her mind. If she passed out again, Darien would well and truly lose it and she wouldn't be able to calm him then.

Very reluctantly, Serena stilled her grinding hips and pulled away, breaking their kiss. Only then was she able to draw long deep breathes of icy oxygen and put her lungs and her mind to ease.

They were both panting and aroused; Serena could feel his arousal pressing against her just as palpably as she could feel the wetness that soaked her panties.

"I need you." Darien growled through his heavy panting, his hands still stroking her body.

Serena knew he didn't only mean physically, his need for her was so much deeper than physical need. He needed her in all ways possible.

"I know." Serena whispered through her own heavy breathing as she stared into his hungry eyes, eyes that had regained their spark, not in full, but it was there. "I love you."

Serena watched as something flashed in his eyes, it was too brief for her to name, but she could guess as to what it was.

"I know." Darien whispered back, a hint of sadness to his voice.

Serena gently stroked his check and chin with her fingertips, able to feel the coarseness of the day's growth. He needed to shave. "Promise me something."

"Anything." He swore without hesitation.

"Don't blame yourself for this." Serena whispered softly, her breathing finally beginning to slow. "I'm here, with you, that's all that matters. You couldn't have done anything other than what you did. You saved me. You always save me."

It was almost dark now, it was nearly impossible to see Darien's eyes clearly enough to read them, but Serena knew that after a long moment of silence that he wasn't going to stop blaming himself. He wouldn't give her what she asked because he'd never break a promise to her, so he'd never make a promise to her that he couldn't keep.

By god, she loved him but she was beginning to fear that Darien loved her too much, that it was going to get him killed.

"We'd better get going." Darien said finally, as he gently helped her off his lap and back into her seat.

As Darien started the engine and pulled back out onto the road, Serena put her seatbelt back on and looked out the window into the darkness of night. How quickly night seemed to fall in Willowson, it didn't take long for the darkness to consume the grey gloominess that hung over the lone town.

But it hadn't always been this way. In Serenity and Endymion's time, the sun had shone and there'd been colour and life all around, now there were only never ending gloomy grey clouds and greys, browns and greens of nature that came with such gloomy weather. Truly, this town was cursed. So rarely did the sun shine, so rarely was there the good and beautiful things in life here and when they did come, they were always fleeting and ended too soon.

This town was suffering, as it had for centuries. This town, and its people, had suffered enough. It was time for forgiveness, as the time for punishment had long since passed. Maybe that was what Serenity and Endymion really wanted from them, to undo what they had left behind, to help Willowson find forgiveness for crimes long since passed.

And they were running out of time to do it. Something was out to stop them; something was out for her life. Why it was, Serena didn't understand but she didn't doubt that whoever or whatever it was that wanted to stop them was after her blood. But why wasn't it after Darien? Of course she was relieved that it was only after her and not Darien, but why was it after only her when they both wanted to end the curse, when they both received the dreams from Serenity and Endymion?

She was missing something, something that felt as if it were right in front of her face, she just wasn't seeing it clearly and it was as frustrating as hell.

Serena looked up at the dark, starless sky above and closed her eyes. 'Please. Please, help us.' She prayed to the heavens, to Serenity and Endymion. 'Please help us to end the suffering of this town and stop whatever is coming for me. I don't want to have to watch Darien die trying to save me. I will give anything you ask of me, just please help me keep him safe.'

But there was no answer of any kind.

Finally, Serena sighed deeply and opened her eyes. The sky above was so unnaturally black; she missed the moon and the starry skies. Something she'd always taken for granted. How often did one stop and look up at the glorious night sky and truly appreciate the beauty spread out in the heavens above them?

Serena didn't realise that they'd slowed down until she felt the car turn to the left, leaving the paved road and pulling onto an old dirt track that looked as if a car hadn't used it in years. As they made their way down the bumpy, windy track, there was nothing around them but thick, leafless, ghostly trees with winding, empty branches, like ghostly hands reaching every which way.

Finally the trees parted to reveal an old, two-story farm house that looked centuries old but well maintained for its age, although it still needed a lot of work. In fact, it looked almost exactly like something that would've been seen in Serenity and Endymion's time. She wouldn't be surprised if she was to learn that it had been built in the late 1600's.

"What is this place?" Serena asked Darien as he brought the Aston Martin to a stop.

"The family living here are said to be powerful physics." Darien explained with doubt and uncertainty as he switched off the engine but left the headlights on. "They've been living in this house for hundreds of years. Maybe even since Endymion and Serenity's time. It's a long shot, but if anyone in this town can help us, it's them."

Serena turned her attention back to the house and gasped, startled. She quickly blinked as if to clear an image and looked at the house again. It was as it had been the first time she'd laid eyes upon it only seconds ago. For a fleeting moment, the house had looked vaguely familiar but for some reason in her mind's eye, it had looked brand new. She shrugged it off as her imagination.

"Stay in the car." Darien ordered as he opened his door and got out of the car just as the front door of the old house opened.

Serena could see her clearly in the light aimed directly at her from the head lights. A young woman, who looked to be a few years older than herself, stepped warily out onto the porch. She wore a wispy colourful skirt and colourful bulky jewellery and she had long thick black curly hair that sat lightly on her shoulders and ran down her back. She looked just like a Hollywood gypsy and she was just as flawlessly beautiful with flawless tanned skin and deep red lips.

"This is private property." Serena heard the young woman say sharply though the open driver's side door. "If you want to make an appointment, please come back in the morning. She isn't seeing anyone tonight."

Who wasn't seeing anyone for what?

"I need to see Minerva." Darien said just as sharply, his tone making it clear that he wasn't going to be dissuaded.

"I'm sorry. She isn't seeing anyone tonight." The young gypsy woman repeated with a hint of anger and wariness to her voice. "Come back tomorrow and she'll see you then."

Serena watched as Darien reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a thick wad of cash. She didn't need to see them all to know that every single note was a one hundred dollar bill. "I need to see her now. Name your price."

The gypsy's eyes widened in awed surprise at the sight of so much cash being offered. She continued to stare speechlessly at the thousands of dollars Darien was offering her. The young woman probably hadn't seen so much cash at once her entire life, judging by the look of the house.

"Let them in, child." A much older, huskier, female voice ordered the younger woman from inside the house.

The words from the older woman calmed and seemed to assure the young gypsy, who stepped to one side of the door and held out her hand, silently telling him to give her the money and enter the house.

Darien reached into the car, turned off the headlights and closed his door. Seconds later Serena's door opened from the outside and Darien reached over her to unclick her seatbelt before he helped her out of the car. He pulled her protectively close and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, keeping her pressed protectively into his side. It seemed that the protector was back in full.

Serena didn't protest. She remained pressed to his side, allowing him to practically carry her to the porch and inside the house, dropping the money into the young gypsy's hand as they passed her.

Behind them the door closed as the young woman followed.

The room, the entire house, smelt of history and times long since passed. This place was old and held a lot of ancient memories. This was the kind of house with mysterious secrets. From the furniture to the paintings and portraits on the walls to the grand arch doorways, everything was from another time. The house was even lit with fire lamps rather than electric lamps.

This house wasfrom another time, it did not belong in the twenty-first century.

"Wait here." The young gypsy woman ordered as she disappeared through aged heavy dark velvet curtains hanging from the archway to their left.

"Darien." Serena whispered nervously, thankful for his strong, protective presence around her.

There was something familiar about this house, as if she'd been inside it before, and it was freaking her out in a big way. She knew, somehow, that if she went up the staircase in front of them, there would be three bedrooms and a linen closest to the left and the double doors to the master bedroom to the right. And she knew that the quickest way to the kitchen was to go through the ached doorway to her right and go through the door on the far wall of that room.

How did she know this? Serena didn't even know where she was, so how could she have been inside this house before?

"Hush, Angel." Darien whispered back, his voice intending to be soothing as he tightened his secure, comforting hold around her, hugging her against him protectively. "We're safe here."

"How do you know?" Serena asked, unexplainably she knew he was right now that she allowed herself to feel it. While they were in this house, a house that held more than the eye beheld, no harm would come to them. There was something mystical about this house.

"I can feel it." Darien whispered, never taking his eyes from the curtains the young gypsy had disappeared through. "There's something here. It feels safe."

And then the curtains parted and the young gypsy reappeared. "She'll see you now." And she extended her arm into the room, signalling for them to enter.

Plastered to his side, Darien led her through the archway and into the room. The first thing Serena noticed was the old gypsy woman sitting in the centre of the room in an old armchair. To the woman's right was a small circular table with a deck of what Serena assumed were really old tarot cards. The entire room was dark except for the fire burning in the massive old hearth. Heavy drapes framed the room, every wall, concealing every wall and window except for the hearth. Even the ceiling was concealed behind draping colourful silky material that shimmered in the golden light of the flickering flames.

Serena tried not to look at the flames, the memories of her latest near death experience were far too fresh in her mind and she didn't want to freak out. This felt too important to be distracted from.

Instead Serena focused on the old woman, dressed in flowing colourful silk scarves and bulky old fashioned earth jewellery. The kind made from stones and gems. Her hair had long since turned grey and her tanned skin had succumbed to the effects of age. But there was something, like the house, that was familiar about her. There was a wisdom in the old woman's eyes that couldn't be denied and demanded respect. This was a woman who knew things others didn't and the way she was looking at them now said that there was much that they didn't know that she did.

She held the answers to their questions, she knew their secrets.

The old gypsy woman first took a long look at Darien, as if she were seeing right into his soul and could see all his secrets and his sins. And then the old gypsy turned her attention to her.

Serena felt a strong urge to shrink away from the old woman's piercing gaze but she forced herself to ignore the urge. Darien had come here believing that they had a chance to find some answers, he'd never lead her into harm's way, so she'd remain silent and still and let Darien do what he'd come here to do.

"I've been waiting a long time for the two of you." The old woman said a matter-of-factly in a voice that had also bowed to the hardships of time.

Serena couldn't help but wonder what the old gypsy woman meant by that. Why had she been waiting for them? How had she known that they'd come?

Darien opened his mouth to reply, but the old woman spoke before he could utter a sound.

"You are here about the curse." It was a statement, not a question.

One that neither of them knew what to respond to, but before they had the chance to think of something, the old woman slowly and awkwardly rose up from the chair and onto her feet.

Had Darien not been holding her so tightly to his side, Serena would've gone to her side and helped the old woman. She looked too old and frail to be on her feet without help or some form of assistance.

Serena watched helplessly as the woman slowly crossed the room until she was standing directly in front of them, hunched over so much that she stood only slightly more than half her height.

The old gypsy was staring at them with a strange expression that Serena couldn't even begin to understand. It was almost as if the old woman had lived her entire life waiting for this day and she couldn't quite believe it was here, but as wise as she was, she was handling it with dignity and the seriousness the situation deserved.

"You are old souls." The woman stated, with certainty and significance. "And only the two of you can end this curse." She pointed a bony frail finger at them. "If your love and devotion to each other is strong enough to withstand the trials ahead, you will succeed in this." And she held out her frail hand towards Darien and looked pointedly down at his free hand.

Darien hesitated a long moment, as if considering whether or not to comply with her unspoken demand, but eventually he surrendered his hand to the old woman.

The old gypsy took hold of his hand in both of her hands and turned it over so she could see his palm. She stared down at the palm of his hand, searching for what they couldn't read.

"I see you have already overcome a number of trials." The old woman sounded impressed, almost. "But the worst is yet to come. You need to be ready to face what you don't want to face. The truths of your past." Holding Darien's palm in her left hand, she ran the fingertips of her right hand lightly over his smooth palm. "Protector. Lover. Eternally devoted. You walk the emptiness searching for that you have lost, that which is most precious to you. You are without your heart and soul, she you may lose for a second time holds them. To walk the lonely road of earth bound eternity, that is your fate unless you are strong enough to face what you must."

Darien wasn't sure whether or not to take her seriously. She sounded so certain that it was hard not to hang off of every word. In all honestly, he hadn't believed that he'd find any answers here, above all he'd just needed to act. To do something. But now he was beginning to believe that there was something here, that this woman may just know what she was talking about. "What must I face?"

"That depends on you." The old gypsy told him mysteriously. "It depends on whether or not you have learned what you didn't before."

"What does that mean?" Darien asked, frustrated with the cryptic answers.

"That is for you to learn, not for me to tell you." The old gypsy woman released his hand and held her hand out for Serena's. "Now you, child."

Serena was fearful more than anything else to what the old woman would see in her hand. A part of her wanted to believe that the woman was a fraud, but she couldn't ignore everything she was feeling, what her senses were telling her. This was a place of ancient things, way beyond her understanding. But, summoning what little bravery she had left after her long day, Serena gave her hand to the gypsy woman.

The old woman stared silently at her palm for a long time before she spoke. "You are in grave danger, child. A great evil, an ancient evil, is stalking you. It seeks your blood and dying screams, just as it did long ago. It does not want you to do what you seek, to have what you must." She looked up into Serena's eyes, compassion and wisdom in her ancient eyes. "You are what the lost searches for but his rage, hatred and burning hunger for revenge over events long since past divides you both. No peace can be found until forgiveness is granted. In the place it all began. Only then can the curse truly be lifted. You are the key to it all, to the end. You and you alone can ask this of the one who has cursed this town."

To say that Serena was both confused and frightened by the old woman's readings was an understatement..

The old gypsy woman released her hand and looked up into Darien's eyes. "You will lose her to a relentless darkness more evil than I am able to relate to you, unless you let go and believe. Believe in everything you have forgotten since your mother left this world."

Without warning, the old woman sagged from exhaustion. Releasing Serena's hand, the old woman turned her back to them and returned to her chair, obviously no longer having the strength to stand. She returned her attention to Darien, looking him straight in the eyes. "You believe the answers lie in the past, but what you seek lies right before your eyes, you only need open them. And I fear you will have to very soon or you will lose what you hold closest to your heart."

With those words, Darien's hold on Serena tightened to the point that he was one fraction away from hurting her.

The old woman sighed with fatigue and lowered her eyes from them. "You seek to know the curse and here it is." She pointed to the hearth behind her. "My family has carried the secrets of what happened that black night the curse was cast. We have tried many times to lift it but this magic, this will, is greater than our own. My ancestor had a vision the night tragedy befell those young lovers, and she recorded the curse in hopes that one day a love would be born into this world strong enough to defy it and finally break it. To free this town and her family of a curse our ancestors deserved but their children did not." Her voice was growing weaker and softer with each word. She was falling asleep. "It's time for this to come to an end and for not just my family to know peace, but all families in this town. The fate of this town, and your own fate, lies in your hands and in the strength of your love. A love that has waited so long to burn bright once again." The last few words were mumbled sleepily as she finally fell into the peace of sleep.

Serena searched the hearth with her eyes, looking for what the old woman had been pointing at but she saw nothing, until she raised her eyes to what was above the hearth. A flicker of rogue fame had caused light to be reflected off one of the old woman's many rings and reflect onto the wall above the heath. There was something there that was more than plain fabric.

Pulling out of Darien's hold, he was reluctant to release her but he let her go, Serena walked towards it, Darien a single step behind her.

Spotting a candle cradled in an old candle stick behind the old woman's arm chair, Serena quickly fetched it and carried it to the hearth. After today, she should've at the very least been left with a wariness of fire, but she felt nothing. Truly this house did feel safe.

Kneeling by the old hearth, Serena lowered the tip of the candle into the flames and waited for it to catch a flame. With the candle burning, Serena rose to her feet and carefully raised the candle, allowing the light from the single flame to illuminate the wall above the fire place.

And both Serena and Darien gasped in union.

It was an old tapestry that covered the entire wall above the hearth. It was old, at least several hundred years old, and unlike the typical tapestry that portrayed images, this one had only the written word, several lines of it in fact, sown in elegant script of the old calligraphy.

Serena's eyes travelled slowly over it in wonder, she wasn't looking closely enough to read the script, she was too preoccupied with admiring such a beautiful old tapestry. Elegant and colourful designs had been skilfully sown into the tapestry, faded colours ranging from deep reds and blues and purples, to yellow and oranges. The calligraphy was written in golden thread, so fine that the letters looked to have been written using a single golden line.

"Serena." Darien gasped breathlessly.

Serena turned and saw that something had caught his complete attention, something that had completely captivated and shocked him. He was motionless, staring at something through wide and unblinking eyes.

Serena followed his gaze and instantly saw what had captured his attention so completely. At the top centre of the tapestry, woven so finely that it looked so completely life-like was a perfect likeness of Serenity's locket. The same locket she, at this very moment, wore beneath her coat and around her neck.

"It's . . ." Serena couldn't say it, it wasn't possible. The locket had been worn by Serenity for only a few months before it had been buried, hidden away for centuries, to be unearthed by them only days before.

"-Serenity's locket." Darien finished through unmoving lips.

It was all real. There was no doubt now. Serenity. Endymion. Their tragic ends. The curse. Everything. It was all real, this was irrefutable proof.

It was a long minute before the regained themselves and finally turned their attention to the words written beneath the image of the locket.

Darien took the candle from Serena's numb hand and held it up to the tapestry while Serena slowly read aloud the words of the curse that held the entire town captive.

"In a time long since past, in a world of new beginnings beneath blessed starry skies

In a town of a willow weeping tall and upright

True love ignites between young hearts before unseeing eyes

To be bonded eternally their entwined heart's delight

In one moment of musical grace the spark of love is born

Between she of purity and loving heart and he of isolated soul and bountiful estate

Under a cloud of secrecy they meet hidden from the whispers of scorn

And by fate's wish they are bound eternally as fated soul mates.

Without warnings hence tragedy fell upon true love with murder unjust

Before evil's triumph an angel unjustly burns by hells unforgiving fire

A lover's broken cry, a soul divided by jealousy's evil lust

His hollow life willingly surrendered beneath the town's inflicted dire

A curse cast from rage and hate upon guilty kin

Upon the ground of the condemned faithful love is forever forsaken

Through time the young shall carry their forefather's sin

Trapped upon cursed grounds lest life from them be taken

Should love of purity and unyielding devotion bloom beneath cursed sway

And truth be known in place of lies before dawn's light

Let a second chance be bestowed with the dawning of a new day

Or the condemned shall forever dwell beneath the curse's endless bleak night."

It was a record of everything, of Serenity and Endymion's love and their tragic end, their unjust murder and the curse. Darien couldn't believe it, the answer had been right here the entire time, for centuries the answer to Willowson's curse had been here.

But unfortunately there were only two short lines that gave them any clue as to how to break the curse.

"Should love of purity and unyielding devotion bloom beneath cursed sway

And truth be known in place of lies before dawn's light."

The translation was simple enough; the truth had to be revealed by those who held a love strong enough to overcome the curse, but breaking the curse, Darien knew, would be anything but simple. Sure, he loved Serena more than anything else and he'd do anything for her, and he'd never betray her, but was their love that strong? Strong enough to break a powerful curse that had existed for centuries?

And how did they have to reveal the truth? Did they have to tell someone? Print it in the Willowson Times?

What would be enough to break the curse and set Endymion and Serenity free after so long?

Darien didn't want to leave her, Serena could tell that as clearly as she could tell day from night. Firstly, he'd taken forever to drive her home and secondly, they'd been sitting in her driveway for over half an hour, not saying or doing anything but sitting silently in their seats. Darien was staring straight ahead with an emotionless mask on his handsome features, sitting motionless, except for his fists that had been tightening their hold on the steering wheel ever since he'd switched off the engine half an hour ago. He had to be hurting himself by now.

Serena didn't want to leave him, it was the last thing she wanted to do. But she had to go inside, she had to go home. Her family had to be worried about her. Word of the fire would've already reached them, and she knew her parents. They'd worry, as any caring parent would, that she'd somehow been involved in the blaze, not the lighting of it, but they'd fear that she may've been hurt as they knew that she went to school there. She couldn't just disappear, leaving to believing that something had happened to her. She just couldn't do that to them, she loved them too much. No matter how much she wanted to go with Darien, to spend the night safe in his arms, she had to put the minds of her family at ease.

And on top of that, Serena was completely exhausted. There would be plenty of time tomorrow to spend with Darien, to go through what they had learned and to come up with a plan to break the curse by revealing the truth of what had really happened in January of 1643. They would be rested and everything would be clearer in the morning.

"Darien, I have to go inside." Serena told him, her reluctance to do so clear in her voice.

Darien didn't answer. He sat unmoving, showing no sign that he'd even heard her, and staring straight ahead, not blinking.

"I'll be safe here. Good night, Darien. I love you." Serena reached for the door to get out of the car.

But before Serena even had a chance to open the door, she felt two large hands close around her waist, pick her up and effortlessly turn her body around. The next thing Serena knew, she was pressed into Darien's chest, his arms wrapped around her, holding her in place, in a gentle but iron embrace.

It took Serena's startled mind a moment to catch up. Was she really as light as a rag doll or was he really that strong?

"No, you won't be." Darien mumbled in her ear, his distress loud and clear in his words and his tone. "You're not safe with anyone but me."

Serena sighed deeply, breathing in his intoxicating masculine scent and allowed him a few moments to hold her. Just as he needed. He was so fearful for her that it broke her heart, even letting her out of his sight was a struggle for him. Especially after what had happened today.

The way Darien held her, so tightly, was as if he couldn't hold her tightly enough. This embrace was all about his need for her. There was nothing sexual about the way he was holding her now; it was a completely different kind of need. This was about his love for her and the need he had for her in his life. He was holding onto her as if she were his life, he was holding onto her like a drowning man would hold onto his life as he fought to get to the surface that was just there, just out of his reach.

Serena understood. She was his life now, his reason to live in a world that held nothing else for him. She understood because she felt the same. She loved her family, her parents and her brother and her friends, but Darien was the one she couldn't live without. Her loved ones it would pain her to lose but Darien was the only one she couldn't survive losing.

She didn't understand how she could love him so much, need him so much. How had he become her everything in a matter of weeks? He was water, air, he was her sunlight. Without him, she would forever be lost.

"I almost lost you today." Darien mumbled into her neck. He was trying so hard to find the strength to let her go, but it just wasn't in him. Not anymore. It had been lost when he'd gotten the vision of her lying motionless on a burning floor, surrounded by deadly fire.

Darien was trying so hard to convince himself that she was safe, that she was alive and was there with him. He had succeeded saved her. She hadn't been burned alive as Serenity had been. She was his and she was there with him, unharmed and safe.

Oh, how much he needed and loved her. If he'd lost her today . . .

Darien couldn't even think it. She was his miracle. In a matter of weeks she'd brought him to life, she'd become the light of his life and he couldn't live without her. He loved her and he was going to do whatever he had to do to keep her, no matter what he had to do. He had saved her against impossible odds, not once, not twice, but three times. He didn't know if it was luck or that they were being watched over, but he knew that the odds stacked higher against them every time he came close to losing her. They were running out of time, the next time he may not be so fortunate as to have a vision or see the trouble coming. If he let his guard down for even a moment, he could lose her. He had to finish this, as soon as he was humanly able.

But how? He still had no clue what the curse meant or exactly how he was going to break the curse but he had to find a way. He wouldn't rest until he did.

The old gypsy woman had been right about one thing at least, he could feel it coming. It was on the horizon. Something big was coming, their greatest trial yet, and he wasn't going to let her be put in danger again. He would continue to protect and watch over her and when the time finally came, he would fight for her and he would keep her safe. If demanded of him, he would die for her.

One thing was for certain, nothing and no one was ever going to lay a hand upon what was his.

She couldn't believe it! She'd had her! Serena had been seconds from her fate when Darien had somehow made it through her power to save the little twit from the flames bent to her will!

Beryl had long been beyond madness but this was something else, something so much more potent. With an enraged frustrated high-pitched screech, Beryl threw out her hand towards a large bolder and without warning, it exploded into tiny pieces and dust. Many of the pieces were sent flying in her direction, but not one touched her.

As if an invisible force had protected her . . .

How had Darien gotten through her seal on the classroom? And what had slowed her enchanted flames? No one had ever been able to defy her will or escape her before. Not like this. Another magic had interfered and saved them, it hadn't been able to stop her – nothing was that powerful – but it had slowed her magic.

Surely Serenity's curse wasn't that strong, that inclusive. The curse condemned and imprisoned, it didn't protect and it hadn't before messed with her evil powers and dark magics.

She was trapped within the limits of Little Willow but Beryl had always been able to use her powers and spells at her leisure. She'd long ago tried to escape the horrid little town, but nothing she had attempted had succeeding in freeing her.

Something had changed. And recently. Something unexpected.

Over time Beryl had changed. She'd become more powerful and skilful in her dark arts. It wouldn't be much longer before her powers grew stronger than Serenity's curse. She would be free and the world would be hers to do with what she will.

But first Beryl had to deal with Serena and claim what had always been rightfully hers. Enough games, enough hiding in shadows and pretending. It was time to act, to take.

She'd made a mistake in letting the Seer line continue to live on. She'd always believed them harmless and powerless to act against her, even though they did know of the curse and believed in it. They'd been waiting with her, waiting for this time, for them to be reborn, but never had they interfered with her.

Until now. She should have ended their line long ago and now because she'd dismissed them, Serena and Darien knew more about the curse and what had transpired so long ago than she liked.

Serena had to die. Tonight. No more patience, no more attempted "accidents", no more of Darien miraculously coming to Serena's rescue. Serenity and Endymion had interfered in her affairs for too long. With Serena's death, Serenity would be no more, and as such so would be the fate of the curse that had imprisoned her for too long.

It was ironic that the same curse that trapped the townspeople with her had also protected them – and the world – from the worst of her dark arts. But once the curse was lifted, the world would be at her mercy. There would be no one left to stop her.

Beryl blinked, realising that her thoughts had wondered. She quickly refocused on the more immediate issue at hand.

Serena was going to die, slowly, painfully. Just as she had so long ago, but this time it wouldn't be so merciful. This time the flames weren't going to do her work for her. This time she would know just what it meant to mess with the sorceress Beryline.

With her frustration fading, and her plans forming, Beryl turned her back to the image of the Seer's home with an evil, triumphant smile on her face. By the end of this night she would have her victory, her freedom and her Darien.

At last.

Finally her time had come. Long ago, she had sealed Serenity's fate, now she would do so again.

Once and for all.

With a wave of Beryl's hand and a flicker of her dark power, dancing golden flames sparked to life inside the Seer's dwelling that Serena and Darien had left over an hour ago.

As the fire spread through and took hold of the old dwelling, Beryl turned her back and walked into the darkness of the night with a triumphant evil grin on her lips, anticipation like a drug in her veins.

Behind her a young woman's scream pierced through the night, but Beryl ignored it. Only one thought held her attention.

Serena Stevens would not live to see another dawn.

Hopefully the last chapter will be posted before Christmas but I can make no promises other than I will try!

If that is the case I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!