Serena sighed as she awoke, she could still feel her body trying to knit its nerves back together. How could it be that one man could control her as completely as Darien had? How could it be that one man could have made her feel such pain?

Then she remembered something amazing, something that had her sit straight up.

Darien Damascus was dead.

Serena couldn't stop the wide grin from spreading across her face. She felt the tight knit of worry in her stomach begin to unwind itself and an odd feeling of happiness began to spiral its way through her limbs. Warmth was creeping through all of her extremities; she had never felt as free as she did at that moment.

She stretched her arms luxuriously and paused when they hit smooth silk on their way back down. Her bed in Heero's suburban home did not have silken sheets adorning it. She looked around the room with more than just a second thought now. Her memories from last night came bubbling back to her.

Now she remembered more than just the demise of Darien. She could recall with clarity their flight from the wrecked home, and their arrival at their present location. The large oak furniture of the room and the wrought iron filigree of the room were searing reminders of just what type of person ruled her current property.

Lord Zechs Marquise was a man whose name was only whispered in the world of the Unnatural species. No one in Silver Alliance knew where the man had come from; they only knew the vast amount of sway and power that he held. His name was legendary, and previously none had known what he even looked like. Serena was awed, and unbelievably on edge, that she had been in the presence of this man, and that she was now in his house, or rather mansion.

Serena swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood as best as she could, her limbs still felt strangely detached from her body, but she wasn't in too much pain. She realized with a slight jolt that she had probably slept for hours, and hoped that the others hadn't already arisen. She rushed towards the silken drapery lined window and thrust the drapes wide.

She sighed; the sun was just sinking towards the hill, she still had plenty of time before the nocturnal members of the house hold arose. She was in a lengthy silken nightgown that she had found in her room the night before and she studied it and her ragged clothing from the night before.

"I'm going to have to look for something else," she murmured to herself. She felt a small ounce of guilt at rifling through the wardrobes of the room for clothing, however she laughed at herself. She was in the mansion of the greatest vampire lord of all time. She was sure he wouldn't notice one bit.

She found some of what she was sure were supposed to be comfortable lounge wear in the back of the wardrobe, however they were still flashy and rather over done. She cast a glance at the window again. "Okay," she said, she forced a smile to her face "I'm going to change and then I'm going to find the others and we're going to make some plans!"

She nodded fiercely to herself and then set about getting ready for the day, hope burning away in her eyes.

X-_X-_X

"This place is huge!" gushed Mina. She fell back onto the bed for emphasis. Duo grunted as half her limbs landed on him, but grinned nonetheless.

"Yeah," he agreed "I'd forgotten what this place was like on the inside, outside's a little threatening to look at."

"You've been here before?" asked Mina, turning onto her stomach.

"Yup," Duo said, he buried his hands in Mina's hair playfully "It was a long time ago, though."

"A long time?" Mina mused to herself, Duo answered to her anyway.

"Yeah," he said, his voice took on the musing tone now "With Heero."

"How old are you?" Mina asked him, it was probably the hundredth time she'd asked.

"Uh, uh, uh!" Duo said "You know that you have to guess."

Mina huffed. "Like that's worked out good so far."

Duo grinned. "Heero and Zechs used to be really close."

"Really?" asked Mina, her eyes wide "That seems so…"

"Unusual?" Duo offered.

"Yeah," Mina said with a laugh "The lord seems so…friendly."

Duo laughed aloud at that. "Nah, Heero's really friendly too."

"To you maybe," half grumbled Mina "I haven't seen him smile a happy smile yet."

"Well," Duo said silkily "I think that'll probably change soon enough."

"And why's that?" asked Mina skeptically. She shoved Duo a bit. They'd just woken up a few minutes ago; Mina had a hard time sleeping during the day still, even when the night exhausted her. The previous night she'd been able to sleep as well as a small child though.

"You're cousin brightens the prospect," Duo responded.

"Excuse me?" said Mina incredulously "Why would that be?"

"Heero seems to have gotten himself a little bit of an obsession," Duo grinned.

"What?" said Mina, fear popping up in her eyes "No vampire is going to use my cousin as a plaything again!"

"Shh," said Duo, he stretched "I don't mean that, I just think that he's attracted to your cousin."

"Why would he be?" she asked, her voice was still a little edgy "She's a human, why would Heero care?"

Duo made a thoughtful noise and then spoke slowly; he closed his eyes as he did so. "She is not a normal human, just as you weren't. That's something that Heero can respect, hate, ponder over and maybe even…love."

"By your theory Heero should be in love with me and the rest of the Silver Alliance members," Mina said waving a hand around.

Duo shook his head. The light out of the window was beginning to get dimmer by the moment, they'd no doubt been asleep a good ten to twelve hours. "Serena's got a special draw to him."

"How can you know?" she said, her voice doubting him "It's not like you've been chatting her up."

"No," laughed Duo agreeing. "But it's just the way you can see them interact."

Mina didn't say anything. "I'm not saying they're in love or anything like a fairytale," Duo continued "I'm just saying that they obviously share an attraction."

Mina still didn't say anything and Duo pressed on, wanting to prove his point. "Like with Heero, interacting with someone who thinks like a human but who is obviously not technically a human, and interacting with someone who is as mature a thinker as Serena, as all you alliance scouts are, are thinks that interest him. Heero's always had an odd connection with humans."

"Why?" asked Mina "Don't all vampires base their thoughts of humans on meals."

"Yes," laughed Duo again, this conversation was amusing to him, he was surprised that Mina couldn't see what he could. "But that's one of the things that make it different to Heero. Look, Heero is intrigued and more than likely attracted to your cousin. He's led a different life than most vampires; it'll be interesting to see where this goes."

"Not if it goes to having holes in my cousin's body," Mina said crossly. She didn't like Duo's nonchalant declaration on his long time friend and on her cousin.

"It wont," Duo responded sounding surely.

Duo was saved Mina's retort by a sturdy knock on their bedroom door. Duo wiggled his nose a bit "It's for you."

"I," Mina declared "Am going to grow my sense of smell to be better than yours."

Duo smiled to himself. He loved the blond girl; she was so fun to interact with. It was definitely a profitable move, mating with her that is. He watched with interest as his mate opened the door and unveiled the two women who were standing beyond it.

"I said so," Duo murmured to himself, smirking when Mina's head twitched his way ever so slightly.

Mina looked at the other two and then down at herself. They were dressed in clothes that she doubted came from anywhere but the wardrobes of the room they had been put in for the night. Mina herself had rifled through the wardrobe in her and Duo's room, finding the silken nightgown that she was currently wearing. Her study of Uranus and Neptune's clothing led her to blush as she looked back down at herself.

"Good morning," she chirped happily in an attempt to make what she now recognized as an awkward situation better.

"Good morning," replied Neptune. Uranus smiled at her briefly, put a hand around her lover's back and then half glared at the werewolf still lounging on the bed.

Duo grinned smugly back at her "Morning gals!"

Neptune laughed back at him, totally opposite from her partner. "Good morning, Duo," she said angelically.

"I suppose you'll want to speak to my favorite little lady here?" He asked back, he sat up and stretched his limbs and yawned wide.

"If you don't mind," replied Neptune. Mina's face dropped, she had hoped that the conversation that was about to happen, would never happen. She didn't want to listen to her friends condemn her, especially with Neptune smiling as serenely into the room as she was.

Uranus grumbled something fairly intelligible, it was apparent that she didn't care whether Duo minded or not.

"No problem," said Duo. "Let me grab a shirt."

He strode (with somewhat too much manly gusto) over to the wardrobe across the room, the same one that Mina had found her nightgown and the loose pants that Duo was wearing now, the night before. Their room was drenched in a tide of soft blue and accents that were meant to suggest sea life.

"Where's Saturn?" asked Mina.

"Resting still," replied Uranus somewhat shortly.

Mina nodded and watched nervously as Duo pulled out a black shirt, far dressier than was necessary, from the wardrobe and tugged it over his head. He didn't enjoy the closets full of silks and cashmere's that Zechs had in this place, but he'd live with it. He pulled out a pair of what were probably designer jeans and turned back to the girls still in the doorway.

"I think I'll change my pants elsewhere," he grinned at them, making them part of his joke.

"See you in a bit, babe," he said to Mina, kissing her on the cheek and winding his way sinuously between the two older women and out of the room. "I'm going to go find Heero; it's about time for him to get his lazy butt up anyway."

Mina couldn't bring herself to reply to him. She looked up into the eyes of first Uranus and then Neptune before speaking in as polite a voice as she could muster. "Please," she said "Come in."

"Thank you."

X-_X-_X

"Knocky, knocky," Duo sang, tapping on Heero's door. He smirked at the predictable lack of response and then grasped the door handle, inviting himself into the room.

The vampire's room was set up much differently than that of the human's guest rooms. The ornamentations of the room were noticeable different, everything was trimmed in gold still yet everything had a distinct edge to it. Bars glinted behind floor length, thick drapes. The wardrobes were still standing in their rigid place; however the most noticeable difference was the surprisingly plain coffin set in the middle of the room.

Duo glanced around uneasily as he shut the door behind him. No matter how long he had known Heero entering the room of a slumbering vampire was still an experience that a person did not go into feeling no fear. He only continued in a few steps, no matter how confident Duo was there wasn't any way he was going to stand directly beside an occupied coffin.

"Heero," Duo sang the word again. "Heero."

A vampire being awoken while there were still some rays of sunlight left was an odd thing. However Heero was an odd vampire and Duo knew that Heero would want to have a foot out of the coffin before Zechs Marquise did. He cleared his throat.

"Heero!" he let out the great shout, and then cringed. The top of the coffin literally flew off from the base and Heero erupted from it in a flurry of snarls and curses. His eyes were wild and his stance was prepped for battle right up until the second before he attacked Duo. His eyes quickly took in the familiar form of the other man and his animosity lessened visible.

Duo sighed "Morning sunshine."

"Duo!" Heero said sternly. While his killer instinct was lessened it was still simmering below the surface. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Well," Duo said slowly, he was trying to calm his beating heart. He's woken up Heero before, however each time was a new 'treat.' "It's about time you got up."

Heero growled.

Duo beat the conversation to the punch. "Zechs'll be up soon. The sun is almost set and everyone is already moving about the house."

Heero nodded "We have to convince Zechs that it is in everyone's best interest that he helps up against Relena."

"And you think he'll actually do that?" Duo said skeptically, watching Heero throw a glance to the window. "He's become a hermit. Not to mention the personal aspect…"

"Zech's loves life above all else," said Heero "Relena as a ruler at this point would end all life."

"And he'll be able to see that?"

"We'll make him," growled Heero. "We sought his help last night and he gave it to us. He's already sympathetic."

"I'm anxious, Heero," said Duo "This is all a lot, really fast. I've been in the shadows for years, it feels like we're being thrust into the lime light without any warning."

"Yes," Heero agreed, he turned a shrewd eye to the wardrobe and was rifling through it the next moment.

"Will anyone else be doing this with us?" asked Duo, more to himself than to Heero. "Will the rest of our species want to even be aware of this?"

"Hn," Heero grunted, pulling clothing out of the wardrobe. "I believe that everything that is going to happen will happen without our world even being fully aware."

"Well," Duo forced his emotions to rise "We've fought losing battles before!"

Heero didn't respond to his statement. "Is she awake yet?"

"Now who would that be?" Duo asked smirking.

Heero sent him a dirty look "The cousin."

"Why do you care?" Duo asked.

Heero's hands paused momentarily, almost too short of a time for Duo to notice. "She has sway with the other humans here, Zechs will be fascinated with them, and I think we may have to rely on them some."

"Sure," said Duo, his tone innocent.

"Are you ready?" asked Heero nastily. He was across the room in a moment his hand pulling the door open.

"Way ahead of you, bro," laughed Duo, he walked out behind Heero, grinning.

"You know Heero I think it's time you settle down."

"I think it's time you cut your hair."

X-_X-_X

"What are we doing here?" asked Saturn. She directed the question to Uranus and Neptune yet her eyes kept swirling around the room from one face or one object to another.

"We're putting our fate in the hands of vampires," said Uranus "That's what we're doing."

"Oh hush, Haruka," said Neptune. She and the rest of the silver alliance scouts were all assembled on one side of the room; Quatre had come and gathered then all, saying that they would be conferencing as a whole. Neptune turned her attention to Saturn.

"We need to figure out a plan, a way to solve our current problems," she explained softly.

Saturn only nodded. Mina sighed on the other side of her. Her discussion with Neptune and Uranus had been a surprising one. Instead of condemning her they had given her their blessing. Mina was certain that she had Neptune to thank for it over all.

"We're going to have to fight," said Serena sadly. She had a hand to her chin and was looking sadly down at them from her position on the other side of Uranus.

"Of course we are," said Neptune, as if giving Serena a reminder. "Be proud that we are going to fight, we are protecting those that are too unaware to protect themselves."

"I am, Michiru," said Serena assuredly, it wasn't the reason behind the fighting that had her thoughts dampened. "I am honored to be able to give what I can for the hopes of others."

"You are very kind, princess," said Uranus. Even in a vampire's mansion her smile at Serena's usual self sacrificing words was genuine. Her adoration for the younger blond girl was a soft spot she's always had.

Serena just smiled and shook her head.

"We have to fight the lycan princess?" asked Saturn.

"Yeap!" said an enthusiastic voice from the doorway. Duo and Heero were standing within it.

"Duo," said Mina happily. Duo strode across the room to peck her on the cheek "Hey, babe."

Mina smiled and sat back down, Duo joining her as the end to the small couch that Saturn was also sitting on with them. The attention of the others was still on Heero.

"Isn't it a bit early, Dracula?" asked Uranus cockily.

"Well you see they invented these objects called curtains," Heero shot back snappily. Duo grinned up at the man; any emotion of Heero's was always a treat to witness.

Uranus held her tongue.

Heero smirked at her and strode across the room with a strut in his step. He sat down next to Serena in an equally cocky manner and threw a hand over the back of their shared furniture, rather close to resting on her shoulders. Mina shot a dirty look up into Duo's face.

No body said anything after that. Serena shifted uncomfortable next to Heero, reliving certain memories in her head that made her feel like she were back in high school, gushing about gossip to her pet cat, Luna. Uranus grumbled a bit to herself, and she and Heero were sharing glares over the top of Serena's head.

"Where's Wu?" asked Duo finally. He pushed his head back, hanging it off the back of his shared couch and lolling his eyes at Heero.

"He's probably with Zechs," said Heero, as if in an aside. "They haven't seen each other in a very long time."

"Great," said Duo laughing "Old men sitting around and talking war stories."

"You've been amongst humans entirely too long," Heero said.

"Nah," Duo replied, he jokingly nuzzled Mina.

"And how were your sleep gentlemen?" Michiru began to ask diplomatically. A couple of the other room occupants looked at her incredulously.

"What do you plan to do about anything?" asked Saturn. If anyone had really cared to look at the girl they would have noticed that she had been glaring at anyone and everything. "What can vampires do that we can't?"

Heero tilted his head, a somewhat unfathomable look on his face. "Child," he began, bringing his arm from the back of the couch, all signs of previous emotion had drained from him "If there is one thing you should fear in this life or the next it is the power of a Vampire."

His statement ended in a snarl and even Duo twitched a little uncomfortably. "Do not speak to her that way!" shouted Uranus, looking at the angry vampire across from her directly in the eye.

Heero leaned forward, his body pressing into Serena and squishing her into the side of the couch uncomfortably. "Guys," she said hastily "Calm down, there's no reason to fight."

"I agree," came a new voice.

"Jeez, Quat," said Duo, he identified both the fae and his lycan lover. "Aren't you a little late to this shin dig?"

"I apologize," said Quatre with a Serene smile "We were greeting our host properly and letting him know we were assembled, and running a couple errands."

Trowa snorted, his bright green eyes shifting animalistically. Duo doubted the integrity of their apparent 'errands.'

"And where is our esteemed host?" asked Heero.

Just on cue another figure, or rather two, appeared behind Quatre and Trowa, answering Heero. "I am right here, Lord Yuy."

Heero's face tightened.

"And so is my dear Wufei," added Zechs "I've been promised a spar later on."

No body in the room beside Heero and Wufei really knew how to take Zechs so his statement wasn't responded to that well. "Cool," said Duo, laughing a bit.

"Indeed," said Zechs laughing with him, he easily sidestepped the two in the doorway. He eyed Wufei with a secretive glint in his eye. "It's been ages."

"Literally," said Wufei.

"So," said Zechs looking around the room. The temperature seemed to decrease as Zechs' look turned frosty. "It seems you've come because you need my help to kill, eradicate, or rather totally destroy my own sister?"

X-_X-_X

So my new policy is going to be expect an update once to twice a month, probably more towards the once side of things.

Hope you enjoyed.

AnimeSiren