It wasn't as easy as she thought it would be. His organization had so many layers that by the time she got to one she could see
another ten. After a week of spells, flirtation, and lots of other things she would never admit to doing, she finally found out where
was. She had two choices. Make an appointment for two weeks in the future, or storm in there with weapons blazing. She made the
appointment, then late Saturday night she found a sexy blue dress at the store that would hide her normal arsenal. Silver cross
on her neck and holy water earrings she walked right up the strip joint and walked in.
A man came to take her weapons, but she ignored him going strait for the door. He tried to stop her, but somehow managed
to fall asleep. Serena wiped the small bit of dust off her fingertips then went through the door. Music, smells, and people
assaulted her heightened senses as she came upon the main room of the building Even so she wove her way though to the office
without trouble.
She didn't knock, and the door didn't just open for her. Instead she turned the doorknob and opened the door for herself.
The office was empty, but there was another room just beyond that. This one a bedroom with soundproof walls. This one was
also black fleece unlike the office's stark white linoleum and if Serena hadn't always been on the receiving end she might just
appreciate the effect it would have on the occupants. Before her was a scene much like the one at her apartment the week
before. Darien was wrapped up in the blankets either asleep or feigning it.
"Go away, I don't want to hear it Jed, just let me sleep." There was a faint Command behind it, and a human might have
fallen for it, but it was weak especially for Darien. He rolled over uncovering his head, but in the near pitch black light he
couldn't see her. He opened his midnight blue eyes and stared at the ceiling thoughts unsaid. Using both magic and latent vampire
ability Serena moved around the bed to stand by him. From the shadows she could see his hollow yet still handsome features. Her
heart went out to him and both her magic and her vampire abilities failed her. Suddenly she could be seen.
"Serena… What….How…Why are you here?" He looked like a child awed by some new wonder that was completely unexpected.
Serena's heart was even more lost.
"I had to find you, to see you, to make you understand to…" She felt weak kneed and had to sit on the edge of the bed
to keep from collapsing. Darien sat up and pushed the blankets out of the way. He wore black sweatpants and a tank top. Tanned
and muscular despite his thinness Serena could hardly breathe, let alone think. Involuntarily she brought out the locket from her
purse, and the sweet melody brought her to her senses. She held it up between them letting it play. It was the symbol of
everything they had once shared, everything she couldn't remember and everything she didn't want to. They had both changed so
much over the years, maybe even centuries they had been apart. They were years one of them couldn't remember and one of them
couldn't forget.
Almost of it's own accord, Darien's hand slowly reached out and touched the locket. The melody changed slightly so that
it was more complete. Both halves of the melody played and together it was a wondrous song. Serena gasped as she suddenly
found herself in Darien's arms. For a few moments they forgot everyone else and everything going on around them. For a few
short moments they were together as they should have been all their lives.
Once Serena could think again she pulled herself away a bit and steeled herself for what she knew she had to ask.
"Darien, I talked to Andrew and he said that it doesn't matter where my Queendom was, but when. What does that mean?"
She was almost afraid of the answer but she had to ask. She had to know. Darien took a deep breath.
"Serena, after you died, no well it was probably before, when your mother was killed she had only a few advisors with her,
but none of the court. She had no way of knowing what was happening only that all of our lives were in danger so she gathered
every bit of magic her advisors had to offer and with all that power she sent us back in time. When we died or just before, our
bodies were sent back into the past somewhere close to the beginning of the Middle Ages. She felt that with what we had become
it would be easier for us then. But when she sent us, she also sent that which poses the threat for all mankind and us especially."
It made an odd sort of sense to her. She could understand the reasoning behind the actions her mother had taken if not
the means but something nagged at the back of her mind and when she realized what it was, her hopes fell.
"Then there is no way to get the amulets of power she gave us. We have nothing to fight with." Tears formed in her eyes
again and spilled over. She felt completely lost. Darien got off the bed and went to a black nightstand. From one of the drawers
he pulled a small crushed velvet bag. Serena hadn't noticed that he wasn't next to her and when he dropped the bag in her lap she
jumped a bit. Without touching the bag she looked up. Darien sat on the bed next to her and wiped the tears off her face.
"Open it Serena." She looked at the bag not understanding and fumbled at the strings. Finally Darien took the bag from
her hands and pulled it open dumping the contents on the bed between them. Eight amulets and one round crystal poured out in
a stream of precious metal. Serena didn't seem able to comprehend what this meant so Darien took her hand and placed the round
crystal in her cupped palm then covered it with his own. The crystal flashed and encased them in its silvery glow. Slowly the light
faded leaving them filled with warmth and energy. Serena and Darien's eyes were locked as they shared emotions neither of them
had felt for a long time. Serena threw herself into his arms and to a long kiss.
"It's been so long Serena, and so hard. I've watched you ever since I first found you, protected you as best I could.
It wasn't easy." He said grinning and Serena knew what he meant. She grinned back. "Well if you would stop throwing yourself
in the way of danger, my job would be much easier. It's hard doing everything from the shadows." He hugged her again kissing her
thoroughly.
"Is this reward or punishment?" Serena asked sounding as unlike herself as she ever had. Being this close to him and in his
arms made rational thought close to impossible. He kissed her again just cause he could.
"Neither, both. Now I'm not sure where you're going to keep this, but don't lose it." He handed her the crystal. She
cupped it in her palm and thought for a second. With a faint idea, she pulled the locket to her by Its silver chain. Then she
opened the secret compartment where the piece of paper was. At the sight of it Darien pulled back a bit. She dumped it out on
her palm and thought for a moment.
"You don't honestly believe we need this anymore do you?" She asked faintly. He shook his head. "Good." The piece of
paper spontaneously combusted into a small fireball, then was gone. Serena set the crystal into the small round hole left in the
metal. As before it molded the metal to fit around it. The locket shut perfectly but it was a bit different. It had been a star
locket before, and it still was, but now the metal seemed to have a faint heart pattern in it. Serena didn't really like girly stuff,
but it seemed fitting. She pulled the chain over her head and settled the locket in place.
"Darien, instead of fighting and protecting me from the shadows, why don't you do it by my side?" She said it really
quickly hoping he would hear her out before saying no. When she didn't hear a quick answer she looked up into his thoughtful
eyes.
"I don't think anyone will completely accept that I'm not fighting on the side of evil, but I will be beside you Serena,
forever. I haven't waited so long to get you back, only to lose you in some street fight. Where ever you go, I go." He seemed to
be taking this much to seriously for Serena so she decided to lighten it up.
"Everywhere??" She had an impish grin on her face that suggested things neither of them was ready to handle.
"Everywhere." His grin matched hers and before she could say anything else she found herself incapable of speaking at all.
another ten. After a week of spells, flirtation, and lots of other things she would never admit to doing, she finally found out where
was. She had two choices. Make an appointment for two weeks in the future, or storm in there with weapons blazing. She made the
appointment, then late Saturday night she found a sexy blue dress at the store that would hide her normal arsenal. Silver cross
on her neck and holy water earrings she walked right up the strip joint and walked in.
A man came to take her weapons, but she ignored him going strait for the door. He tried to stop her, but somehow managed
to fall asleep. Serena wiped the small bit of dust off her fingertips then went through the door. Music, smells, and people
assaulted her heightened senses as she came upon the main room of the building Even so she wove her way though to the office
without trouble.
She didn't knock, and the door didn't just open for her. Instead she turned the doorknob and opened the door for herself.
The office was empty, but there was another room just beyond that. This one a bedroom with soundproof walls. This one was
also black fleece unlike the office's stark white linoleum and if Serena hadn't always been on the receiving end she might just
appreciate the effect it would have on the occupants. Before her was a scene much like the one at her apartment the week
before. Darien was wrapped up in the blankets either asleep or feigning it.
"Go away, I don't want to hear it Jed, just let me sleep." There was a faint Command behind it, and a human might have
fallen for it, but it was weak especially for Darien. He rolled over uncovering his head, but in the near pitch black light he
couldn't see her. He opened his midnight blue eyes and stared at the ceiling thoughts unsaid. Using both magic and latent vampire
ability Serena moved around the bed to stand by him. From the shadows she could see his hollow yet still handsome features. Her
heart went out to him and both her magic and her vampire abilities failed her. Suddenly she could be seen.
"Serena… What….How…Why are you here?" He looked like a child awed by some new wonder that was completely unexpected.
Serena's heart was even more lost.
"I had to find you, to see you, to make you understand to…" She felt weak kneed and had to sit on the edge of the bed
to keep from collapsing. Darien sat up and pushed the blankets out of the way. He wore black sweatpants and a tank top. Tanned
and muscular despite his thinness Serena could hardly breathe, let alone think. Involuntarily she brought out the locket from her
purse, and the sweet melody brought her to her senses. She held it up between them letting it play. It was the symbol of
everything they had once shared, everything she couldn't remember and everything she didn't want to. They had both changed so
much over the years, maybe even centuries they had been apart. They were years one of them couldn't remember and one of them
couldn't forget.
Almost of it's own accord, Darien's hand slowly reached out and touched the locket. The melody changed slightly so that
it was more complete. Both halves of the melody played and together it was a wondrous song. Serena gasped as she suddenly
found herself in Darien's arms. For a few moments they forgot everyone else and everything going on around them. For a few
short moments they were together as they should have been all their lives.
Once Serena could think again she pulled herself away a bit and steeled herself for what she knew she had to ask.
"Darien, I talked to Andrew and he said that it doesn't matter where my Queendom was, but when. What does that mean?"
She was almost afraid of the answer but she had to ask. She had to know. Darien took a deep breath.
"Serena, after you died, no well it was probably before, when your mother was killed she had only a few advisors with her,
but none of the court. She had no way of knowing what was happening only that all of our lives were in danger so she gathered
every bit of magic her advisors had to offer and with all that power she sent us back in time. When we died or just before, our
bodies were sent back into the past somewhere close to the beginning of the Middle Ages. She felt that with what we had become
it would be easier for us then. But when she sent us, she also sent that which poses the threat for all mankind and us especially."
It made an odd sort of sense to her. She could understand the reasoning behind the actions her mother had taken if not
the means but something nagged at the back of her mind and when she realized what it was, her hopes fell.
"Then there is no way to get the amulets of power she gave us. We have nothing to fight with." Tears formed in her eyes
again and spilled over. She felt completely lost. Darien got off the bed and went to a black nightstand. From one of the drawers
he pulled a small crushed velvet bag. Serena hadn't noticed that he wasn't next to her and when he dropped the bag in her lap she
jumped a bit. Without touching the bag she looked up. Darien sat on the bed next to her and wiped the tears off her face.
"Open it Serena." She looked at the bag not understanding and fumbled at the strings. Finally Darien took the bag from
her hands and pulled it open dumping the contents on the bed between them. Eight amulets and one round crystal poured out in
a stream of precious metal. Serena didn't seem able to comprehend what this meant so Darien took her hand and placed the round
crystal in her cupped palm then covered it with his own. The crystal flashed and encased them in its silvery glow. Slowly the light
faded leaving them filled with warmth and energy. Serena and Darien's eyes were locked as they shared emotions neither of them
had felt for a long time. Serena threw herself into his arms and to a long kiss.
"It's been so long Serena, and so hard. I've watched you ever since I first found you, protected you as best I could.
It wasn't easy." He said grinning and Serena knew what he meant. She grinned back. "Well if you would stop throwing yourself
in the way of danger, my job would be much easier. It's hard doing everything from the shadows." He hugged her again kissing her
thoroughly.
"Is this reward or punishment?" Serena asked sounding as unlike herself as she ever had. Being this close to him and in his
arms made rational thought close to impossible. He kissed her again just cause he could.
"Neither, both. Now I'm not sure where you're going to keep this, but don't lose it." He handed her the crystal. She
cupped it in her palm and thought for a second. With a faint idea, she pulled the locket to her by Its silver chain. Then she
opened the secret compartment where the piece of paper was. At the sight of it Darien pulled back a bit. She dumped it out on
her palm and thought for a moment.
"You don't honestly believe we need this anymore do you?" She asked faintly. He shook his head. "Good." The piece of
paper spontaneously combusted into a small fireball, then was gone. Serena set the crystal into the small round hole left in the
metal. As before it molded the metal to fit around it. The locket shut perfectly but it was a bit different. It had been a star
locket before, and it still was, but now the metal seemed to have a faint heart pattern in it. Serena didn't really like girly stuff,
but it seemed fitting. She pulled the chain over her head and settled the locket in place.
"Darien, instead of fighting and protecting me from the shadows, why don't you do it by my side?" She said it really
quickly hoping he would hear her out before saying no. When she didn't hear a quick answer she looked up into his thoughtful
eyes.
"I don't think anyone will completely accept that I'm not fighting on the side of evil, but I will be beside you Serena,
forever. I haven't waited so long to get you back, only to lose you in some street fight. Where ever you go, I go." He seemed to
be taking this much to seriously for Serena so she decided to lighten it up.
"Everywhere??" She had an impish grin on her face that suggested things neither of them was ready to handle.
"Everywhere." His grin matched hers and before she could say anything else she found herself incapable of speaking at all.