Author's Notes: Thanks to the readers. On with the fic....(sorry have to make this fast)
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When Midnight Comes - Chapter 4 By: Hell's Huntress (R)
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The sun was long gone by the time they had arrived. Darien had instantly resorted to challenging his next rivals for the night, and once again he had beaten every one.....but with less ease for that night. His mind was often traveling to the female who would be paying him a visit. One of his rivals nearly beat him, but he managed to get his mind back once again.
Once again, the sound of swords and cries of men rang through the late night air. It was only a few minutes until midnight, and each passing minute increased Darien's anxiety. Many of the other men noticed his lost concentration which is why there were many attempts made to take advantage of this. All attempts failed, but his concentration was still far.
Finally, the last man before midnight weakly walked out of the castle and rode off into the night. He was worn out and slumped over his horse, while Darien was only slightly tired.....with two marks on his cheek. He could still feel the sting of the scratch marks on his face, but he paid no attention to it. The pain still lingered at the back of his mind. His salty sweat mixed with the scratches, causing the pain to be something he wouldn't forget until the next morning.
With a heavy sword, he leaned against the walls of that room and closed his eyes while waiting for Serena to arrive. His eye lids were slowly closing as sleep began to wash over him. The cool wind from outside mixed with a warm breath on his neck, allowing sleep to creep closer. It wasn't until a few moments later when he realized that she was behind him.
" You're not too tired to fight me now, are you? "
Darien turned around upon hearing the femenine voice. Completely awake now, he raised his sword and aimed it at her throat almost as quickly as he had turned.
" You're not going to kill me, are you, " she cocked a brow at the sword.
Darien stared absently at her for a few seconds before lowering the sword. " No. Pardon me. It's an automatic reaction, " he smirked.
" Is it? "
" Yeah.....you know, before we get on with this game of ours, I'd like to ask you a few questions. "
" I came here to fight not to chat. "
" Consider it a proposition then. "
Serena only stared at him with narrowed eyes as if to examine him before finally replying. " Very well then. What exactly is this proposition of yours? "
" Since our little battle is quite intriguing, and since my castle is rather large with numerous rooms....maybe you'd like to stay with me here at my place for a few days. Maybe just for tonight, so we can carry on with his game more often, " at the last word, Darien elbowed her stomach and grabbed her arm in an attempt to throw her off.
Serena, who had been taken off guard, frowned at this and landed on her feet once his threw her. She grabbed his arm instead and threw him off in turn. Darien nearly landed on his feet....nearly. He fell to the ground, giving Serena more time to move. She swiftly grabbed his sword and aimed it at his throat before he could get up.
" Pretty fast, aren't you? "
" That's what happens when you try to distract me. "
" And I did, " he grinned as he grabbed his sword which was gripped tightly in her hand. Knowing that she wouldn't let go, he took advantage of this, and rolled her on her back using the sword and placed his elbow right on her throat once she was down.
Serena kicked him off her body and twisted around with the sword still in her hands, cutting Darien's fingers. He automatically let go of the sword, giving her complete advantage over it. Using his free hand, Darien only shot his fist out toward her in an attempt to hit her jaw. He nearly hit her but he froze in mid air upon seeing the grin on her face.
" Go ahead, hit me, " she smirked while looking down.
Darien looked down as well only to find that she had aimed the sword right in front of his penis. "Naughty girl, aren't you, " his voice darkened.
Serena laughed. " Nah.....I'm just being fair. Hit me and your little man gets it. "
" Little man?! He's not little, " he growled as he kneed her fist which was holding the sword, causing her to drop it. The sword fell to the ground as both made a dive for it, only to have them both grab each end of the sword.
Darien spinned the sword around in an attempt to move Serena. She was light enough but she held her ground. Her feet seemed to be glued to the floor despite the fact that she had the pointed end of the sword. Small drops of blood began to pour out of her hands, causing her to let go of the sword. Darien returned it back to where it belonged and smirked at Serena. " So, we're even now. "
Serena looked at him while biting her bottom lip in pain. She didn't make a sound.
Darien instantly grabbed her waist and pulled her out of the room toward his own.
" Hey, " Serena shrieked while struggling to free herself. This only tightened his grip.
Setting her on the edge of his bed, he grabbed a wet towel and wrapped it around her bleeding hands.
Serena, who had been expecting him to rip her clothes off stared at him with curiosity written all over her face. " What are you doing? I thought - "
" I'd rape you? You thought I would rape you, " he chuckled. " I'm not that low. I can't battle with a wounded woman because you wouldn't be much of a challenge then. You'd only be weak. I can't have a weak rival. "
" Then why did you - "
" Suddenly grab you? Because I knew you would protest had I simply asked. "
Serena looked at him with a small hint of amusement written all over her face. She watched him as he wiped the blood off her hands despite the fact that his own hands were bleeding. Her eyes trailed across his ebony hair toward his midnight blue eyes which looked so focused. His cheekbones, his firm nose and jaw, and all the way to his lips. Serena licked her lips absently upon seeing them.
" I think you need to attend to your own wounds if you're planning to heal mine, " she finally stated.
Darien looked up at her. " I don't have to. The towel absorbs my blood as well anyway so we're both getting the treatment. "
His answer would've sounded sweet had he not made that next comment.
" Besides, I can fight better than a woman, " he smirked.
Serena raised her brows in disbelief and stood up. " How dare you say - "
Darien laughed, cutting off her sentence. " Relax, I was just teasing you, " he gently pulled her back down on the bed and continued working on her wounds.
There were a few minutes of uncomfortable silence that followed. It was only broken when Darien began to speak once again. " So.....do your hands feel better? You looked as if you didn't even feel anything. "
" That's because I didn't. " She looked up at him with a small smile pasted on her lips. " It hurt a bit, but I didn't know a man could be such a good doctor, " she smirked.
Darien was about to make a sarcastic comment but he only laughed and looked up. " I'll take that as a compliment instead....."
His sentence trailed off upon realizing that there was only less than an inch of space left between them.
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Author's Notes: So.....cliffhanger! Pardon the typos please, and thanks again to all the readers.
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When Midnight Comes - Chapter 4 By: Hell's Huntress (R)
*************************************************************************************************
The sun was long gone by the time they had arrived. Darien had instantly resorted to challenging his next rivals for the night, and once again he had beaten every one.....but with less ease for that night. His mind was often traveling to the female who would be paying him a visit. One of his rivals nearly beat him, but he managed to get his mind back once again.
Once again, the sound of swords and cries of men rang through the late night air. It was only a few minutes until midnight, and each passing minute increased Darien's anxiety. Many of the other men noticed his lost concentration which is why there were many attempts made to take advantage of this. All attempts failed, but his concentration was still far.
Finally, the last man before midnight weakly walked out of the castle and rode off into the night. He was worn out and slumped over his horse, while Darien was only slightly tired.....with two marks on his cheek. He could still feel the sting of the scratch marks on his face, but he paid no attention to it. The pain still lingered at the back of his mind. His salty sweat mixed with the scratches, causing the pain to be something he wouldn't forget until the next morning.
With a heavy sword, he leaned against the walls of that room and closed his eyes while waiting for Serena to arrive. His eye lids were slowly closing as sleep began to wash over him. The cool wind from outside mixed with a warm breath on his neck, allowing sleep to creep closer. It wasn't until a few moments later when he realized that she was behind him.
" You're not too tired to fight me now, are you? "
Darien turned around upon hearing the femenine voice. Completely awake now, he raised his sword and aimed it at her throat almost as quickly as he had turned.
" You're not going to kill me, are you, " she cocked a brow at the sword.
Darien stared absently at her for a few seconds before lowering the sword. " No. Pardon me. It's an automatic reaction, " he smirked.
" Is it? "
" Yeah.....you know, before we get on with this game of ours, I'd like to ask you a few questions. "
" I came here to fight not to chat. "
" Consider it a proposition then. "
Serena only stared at him with narrowed eyes as if to examine him before finally replying. " Very well then. What exactly is this proposition of yours? "
" Since our little battle is quite intriguing, and since my castle is rather large with numerous rooms....maybe you'd like to stay with me here at my place for a few days. Maybe just for tonight, so we can carry on with his game more often, " at the last word, Darien elbowed her stomach and grabbed her arm in an attempt to throw her off.
Serena, who had been taken off guard, frowned at this and landed on her feet once his threw her. She grabbed his arm instead and threw him off in turn. Darien nearly landed on his feet....nearly. He fell to the ground, giving Serena more time to move. She swiftly grabbed his sword and aimed it at his throat before he could get up.
" Pretty fast, aren't you? "
" That's what happens when you try to distract me. "
" And I did, " he grinned as he grabbed his sword which was gripped tightly in her hand. Knowing that she wouldn't let go, he took advantage of this, and rolled her on her back using the sword and placed his elbow right on her throat once she was down.
Serena kicked him off her body and twisted around with the sword still in her hands, cutting Darien's fingers. He automatically let go of the sword, giving her complete advantage over it. Using his free hand, Darien only shot his fist out toward her in an attempt to hit her jaw. He nearly hit her but he froze in mid air upon seeing the grin on her face.
" Go ahead, hit me, " she smirked while looking down.
Darien looked down as well only to find that she had aimed the sword right in front of his penis. "Naughty girl, aren't you, " his voice darkened.
Serena laughed. " Nah.....I'm just being fair. Hit me and your little man gets it. "
" Little man?! He's not little, " he growled as he kneed her fist which was holding the sword, causing her to drop it. The sword fell to the ground as both made a dive for it, only to have them both grab each end of the sword.
Darien spinned the sword around in an attempt to move Serena. She was light enough but she held her ground. Her feet seemed to be glued to the floor despite the fact that she had the pointed end of the sword. Small drops of blood began to pour out of her hands, causing her to let go of the sword. Darien returned it back to where it belonged and smirked at Serena. " So, we're even now. "
Serena looked at him while biting her bottom lip in pain. She didn't make a sound.
Darien instantly grabbed her waist and pulled her out of the room toward his own.
" Hey, " Serena shrieked while struggling to free herself. This only tightened his grip.
Setting her on the edge of his bed, he grabbed a wet towel and wrapped it around her bleeding hands.
Serena, who had been expecting him to rip her clothes off stared at him with curiosity written all over her face. " What are you doing? I thought - "
" I'd rape you? You thought I would rape you, " he chuckled. " I'm not that low. I can't battle with a wounded woman because you wouldn't be much of a challenge then. You'd only be weak. I can't have a weak rival. "
" Then why did you - "
" Suddenly grab you? Because I knew you would protest had I simply asked. "
Serena looked at him with a small hint of amusement written all over her face. She watched him as he wiped the blood off her hands despite the fact that his own hands were bleeding. Her eyes trailed across his ebony hair toward his midnight blue eyes which looked so focused. His cheekbones, his firm nose and jaw, and all the way to his lips. Serena licked her lips absently upon seeing them.
" I think you need to attend to your own wounds if you're planning to heal mine, " she finally stated.
Darien looked up at her. " I don't have to. The towel absorbs my blood as well anyway so we're both getting the treatment. "
His answer would've sounded sweet had he not made that next comment.
" Besides, I can fight better than a woman, " he smirked.
Serena raised her brows in disbelief and stood up. " How dare you say - "
Darien laughed, cutting off her sentence. " Relax, I was just teasing you, " he gently pulled her back down on the bed and continued working on her wounds.
There were a few minutes of uncomfortable silence that followed. It was only broken when Darien began to speak once again. " So.....do your hands feel better? You looked as if you didn't even feel anything. "
" That's because I didn't. " She looked up at him with a small smile pasted on her lips. " It hurt a bit, but I didn't know a man could be such a good doctor, " she smirked.
Darien was about to make a sarcastic comment but he only laughed and looked up. " I'll take that as a compliment instead....."
His sentence trailed off upon realizing that there was only less than an inch of space left between them.
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Author's Notes: So.....cliffhanger! Pardon the typos please, and thanks again to all the readers.