Pyre
Chapter 2
By Kayla Chavi
Rating: R
Genre: Drama/Romance
Website: http://www.angelfire.com/ky2/todream/index.htm

* * *

I really thought I was safe.

Home free.

I didn't know who my stalker was, but that didn't matter. He was leaving me alone and there were times I couldn't remember him and how much he scared me.

Then I got another letter and rose. This time it was in my own home; in my own room; on my pillow.

~I'll see you tonight.~

I dropped the letter as if it had burned me. I didn't even touch the flower. Apparently, I didn't have to, it bled all over my pillow, creating a rose-shaped stain.

Never before had I felt so violated. Receiving notes and roses at school was one thing; receiving them in my own house was another.

It meant that he had been in my home.

It meant he had been in my bedroom.

I was physically ill at the very thought. I ran to the phone to call Darien. I didn't want to be alone, and I was starting to get hysterical.

Never was I more thankful to hear the sound of his voice as I was then. There would be other times that I would have to call him, other times that I would need him, but this time was the first time that my stalker had been so close. It scared the living shit out of me and I needed Darien. I believed in the Gods at that moment, for he was there when I called.

"Hello?"

"Darien, its Rei," I said, trying to control the tremor in my voice, but unable to, for he heard it anyways.

"Rei? What's wrong?" he demanded, getting right to the point.

"I got another letter. It was in my bedroom!" My voice ended on a shrill note as I did my best not to scream in his ear. "He's been in my home, Darien! In my Goddamn bedroom!"

"Rei, first you need to calm down," he said logically. "Take a deep breath. Now, is your grandfather home?"

I was clutching the phone so tightly that my knuckles were white and my hand was starting to hurt. I was doing my best to calm down, but at this point I wasn't succeeding.

"N-no," I tried to think of where he was. My thoughts were in a whirlwind, spinning faster and faster to the point that I couldn't grab a hold of anything. I couldn't think. Couldn't moved. Finally I was able to force myself to remember that he was away at the base of Mt. Fuji, teaching a temple seminar. I hung onto that thought, it gave me the control that I was rapidly loosing.

"Do you think whoever put the rose and letter there is still in your home?" he asked. In the background I could hear that he was putting on his jacket and picking up his keys. He was coming. He was coming. He was coming. . .

I hung onto a second coherent thought.

Mentally I searched my home and the temple, but didn't feel any presence other than my own. "No. . .no, he's gone now."

"Okay, here's what I want you to do, lock all your doors and windows. Make sure that no one can get in." He paused, "Rei, exactly what did the letter say?"

"I'll see you tonight," I whispered.

"I'll be there in five minutes." I heard the click of the phone and then the dial tone. Setting my phone back in the cradle, I went and did as he had asked.

It kept me busy while I waited. Those five minutes were some of the longest in my entire life. Never before had I been so happy to hear the screech of motorcycle tires, then I was in that moment. I knew at some point happiness and safety would come again. However, knowing and believing that is two different and very difficult things to separate. It was happiness that I experienced at that sound.

I ran out of the temple to meet him, flinging myself into his arms and crying hysterically. he just held me before pulling away to look down at me. His eyes were gentle and concern was etched all over his face, which was normally impossible to read.

"Are you alright?" he asked gently.

"Better now that someone's here," I said sniffling and then hugged him again.

He laughed quietly and hugged me back until we heard someone clearing their throat. We broke away and standing there was a very indignant looking Serena.

"Hey Meatball-Head."

Serena just sighed, giving me this look, like I had betrayed her by hugging Darien, "My name is Serena," she said testily, "If I had realized that you were with this idiot, I wouldn't have bothered you. Ami and I are going to the Crown, we thought that you would like to join us," she raised an eyebrow, "but if you're busy. . ."

"Serena," I sighed, knowing how much she liked Darien and how it bad it looked with him hugging me like that. Then I came up with a wonderfully stupid idea that actually was closer to the truth than it wasn't. "Someone broke into my home, Darien was the first person I thought to call."

No, I hadn't told my best friend about the letters. For some stupid reason I wanted to protect her from the filth of the world. She was saving it on a daily basis, she didn't need to know the monstrosity she was saving. I would never actually come out and tell her, Darien would do that for me, explaining everything that I didn't want to talk about or even think about.

Her expression brightened considerably and became its normal cheerfulness, "Well, I guess I can forgive you then, since he did do something noble," she joked. "I suppose we can invite him to come along with us."

I would have laughed at the shameless invitation, had I not seen the dumb love struck look on Darien's face for the split-second it was there before being replaced by what I like to call the 'Cool College Boy' look.

"Sounds great, Meatball-Head."

"Serena," she automatically corrected.

I just laughed, my predicament forgotten.

* * *

Darien was either a great tension breaker or tension maker, depending on who you are. I argue for the former, Serena for the latter, (although she won't argue very long if she's confronted on it).

During the rest of the afternoon he managed to make me forget about my stalker, and he managed to make Serena mad at several times. During one such sparing, Ami and I just exchanged a look with Andrew, Darien's best friend and shrugged. He winked, knowing just like I did, that the two were probably hopelessly, desperately, in love.

The argument was about to get violent when all three of our communicators beeped at the same time. That halted the argument, made Serena pout slightly and then sigh as we all stood up.

Darien just blinked, "Where are you going?" he asked as we gathered up our school supplies. He locked eyes with me, forcing me to answer. He wanted to know, what in the hell I thought I was doing by going off in a group of weak girly girls.

Ami led us out, followed by Serena, who was muttering about Luna's timing. I just stopped at the door and flashed Darien my best 'I'm really okay and happy' look.

"We're going to save the world."

One might say that Destiny stepped in at this moment and took control over the rest of my life. Then again, you probably wouldn't if you knew me, for I violently don't believe in Destiny or Fate but. . .

Sometimes things happen that you can't control and you feel as if you stop living your life the way you want to and begin watching it as you are forced into it.

For me, that moment came when I walked out of the Crown and into battle.

* * *

I'm sure Darien thought that was the biggest joke on the face of the planet. Three teenage girls saving the world from the Negaverse.

Yeah, right.

That, however, was not what I was thinking when I was slammed into the wall by the youma. My skull hit the brick hard and I winced, as I felt the blood beginning to trickle through my hair and down my neck.

I was thinking that I was going to get rid of all the evil creeps on the face of the planet. The rose and letters came into my mind and I beat the shit out of the youma before shooting fire at it.

"Sailor Moon now!" I shouted.

"Moon Tiara Magic!" she cried and the youma was then dust.

I sighed and sank to the ground, my legs giving out from underneath me. Mercury and Moon came up to me and knelt down, I had taken more of the attacks than they had. Tuxedo Mask had of course disappeared into the shadows, just like he always did.

Frankly, that annoyed me. I knew that he wasn't evil, but he still should have the curtsey to stick around and make sure we were okay. It would be the gentlemanly thing to do.

Sometimes your thoughts don't make sense after a battle; mine rarely do.

"Mars?" I looked up at them and managed a slight smile.

"I'm okay," I whispered and leaned against the wall I had just been slammed against.

Moon nodded and Mercury got out her computer to look me over. "Nothing's broken," she announced with a slight smile.

"Good," I said and slowly stood. "I'll see you both tomorrow then," I lightly touched the back of my head and winced. Pulling my hand back I saw that my gloved fingertips were covered with faint traces of blood. It was drying and would be hell to get out of my hair when I showered.

Moon smiled and hugged me briefly, "Great job, Rei," she whispered in my ear before turning and going home. Mercury smiled and turned in another direction towards her home.

I stood there for a moment before going in the direction of the temple. Only thinking about a nice warm bath and scented relaxing candles, I cut through several alley ways before I stopped short.

Imbedded in the wall of one of the alleys was an envelope, held there with a rose. I just started at it for a long moment, not really believing that it was there. I had to be over tired from the fight and was just imagining things. My subconscious was just playing a trick on me.

I rubbed my eyes several times and blinked. The rose and envelope were still there.

I screamed at myself to just run home, run away, run somewhere other than here. I screamed to not touch it, just walk away.

My body didn't listen to my mind as I slowly walked up and touched the rose. I pulled it out of the wall and realized that this rose was real. That unnerved me, I had been expecting it to bleed all over me. I took the letter that was on the same beautiful parchment as before.

Slowly, I broke the seal. The handwriting was the same, with the same red writing.

~Beautiful performance. Turn around.~

I turned around and then paled, coming face to face with my stalker for the first time.

Standing there with a smirk, was the General we had been fighting this past month. Dressed in his gray uniform with red piping and white gloves, was the man who had been tormenting me for the last two months.

Two months. I hadn't even known that he as a person had existed until a month ago when he had smirked and taunted us after a battle. He hadn't even appeared to us until after two months of fighting his youma. He had been stalking, terrorizing my life. This man, not thing.

Jedeite.

"I told you I would see you tonight," he said, not moving from where he was from.

I just stood there, my hands trembling while they held the letter and rose. When it came obvious that I wasn't going to say anything or run away, he slowly walked up to me. His blue eyes just looked at me, and then looked over my body.

Never was I more aware at how much the senshi uniforms showed, until he looked at me, and I had thought that my school uniform was revealing enough. It disgusted me to have his eyes wander my body and that I knew his thoughts were taking a less than appropriate vein.

"You were amazing tonight," he said, "I sent one of my strongest with instructions to see if it could kill you, the glorious Sailor Mars" he continued, stopping when he was very close to me, my back was against the wall.

I dropped the rose and letter, letting them fall to the ground. My hands tried to find a grip on the wall behind me, as if it would support me in my fear. Fear was an emotion so alien to me, that when I truly experienced it for the first time in my life, I was ready to pass out.

I never took heroes for granted after that. I never took for granted a person's strength to look their fear in the eye and not quiver. It made me appreciate the strong of the world, for in that moment I was as weak as the innocent victims of Jedeite's recent attack.

"Obviously he failed," I finally snapped, looking up into his eyes. I was struggling to maintain my dignity. I knew it, Jedeite knew it and he used it.

Looking into his eyes was the first mistake of many to come. My violet clashed with his blue, and later, in the safety of daylight, thoughts would settle on how beautiful they were. I felt my knees weaken slightly, but I forced myself to stay standing.

"Obviously," he said with a hint of sarcasm, laughing just a little under his breath.

It was warm when it hit my face and I felt something uncurl in the pit of my stomach as he stood even closer to me. Lightly he took a gloved finger and traced it along my jaw line, slowly, and I would realize later, sensuously. I turned my head away sharply, not wanting the filth of his touch on me.

"Get away from me," I said and tried to push him aside. I found that he was quite unmovable. He wasn't a large man like Darien or Andrew, but tall and thin with a lithe muscular body. His uniform hid it well, but I knew that he was very strong physically, not just in the dark magic arts that he held as part of the Negaverse.

He just laughed softly, his voice held a deep tremor and I could feel his chest vibrating from the sound, he was so close. So close that our bodies were almost touching. I couldn't force my hand to pull away, it was as if it were glued to his chest.

Jedeite pushed me back into the wall as if he had expended no effort in the sudden movement. "Can't do that," he said simply and the smirk was back on his face as he placed a hand against the wall, boxing me in. "You see, my fiery Senshi, I have become enamored with you. I'm not going to leave you alone."

"A thing like you can't feel passion or be enamored with anyone," I countered, considering bringing my knee up into his groin. That thought died without the will to back it up.

He just laughed, "I assure you, Rei," his other hand lightly ran down the side of my body, from breast to hip. I shivered slightly, not exactly sure what my body was doing when it got goose bumps at his touch. I was repulsed. . .not. . .no. . .no. . .I couldn't be aroused. Not by him. Never by him. "I can feel passion just as much as you can, maybe even more so."

He leaned down to kiss me and I sharply turned my head away and looked down, hoping to avoid the intimate gesture. This angered him and he roughly grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. Then his mouth was on mine in a passionate kiss that left me violated.

It was my first kiss ever, something that had been immortalized by storybooks and fairytales. It was supposed to romantic and beautiful, sweet and gentle, not this.

Not this violation that left me sickened when he pulled away.

Again I tried to push him away, which resulted in a harsher kiss than before. He threaded his hand through my hair, pulling it and causing the wound at the back of head to bleed again. I cried out in pain, allowing him the freedom to force his tongue into my mouth. His other arm wrapped around my waist and held me against the hardness of his body.

And the hardness of something else. It hit me in the stomach and caused another wave of fear. God, he was enjoying this to the point of arousal. I may be a priestess, but I was no innocent when it came to matters like these.

Then just as quickly as it had began, he threw me away from him and back against the wall. My uniform caught and tore down the middle, leaving two pieces that barely kept me covered. I crossed my arms across my chest in a sign of defense and self preservation. He looked me over again and smiled, obviously liking what he saw.

Liking what he had done to me.

"Till next time, Rei," he murmured and then was gone.

I looked at the place where he had been standing and then burst into tears.

* * *

I don't know how I made it to Darien's apartment. I don't remember transforming back into my street clothes, but I somehow did. I knocked on the door, still crying and hysterical.

A few moments later, it opened to a very surprised Darien. He just took me in his arms and into his apartment. He set me down on the couch and looked me over.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"I was walking home and he was in an alley," I whispered. "He kissed me," I started to cry again. "God, Darien, he kissed me!"

He just looked at me a moment before pulling me into his arms and just held me while I cried. He then noticed that I was bleeding. "Did he hurt you?" he asked.

"He slammed me into a wall," I said after a moment, trying to calm down. I didn't add that it was several times, and that I was bleeding before I met up with Jedeite.

I forced the name from my mind, refusing to give him the power over my mind to think his name. I needed something else to call him. My chaotic train of thoughts came up with something that I would use probably for the rest of my life.

Bastard.

Darien winced, "Let's get you cleaned up," he said and repeated what would become ritual in the next few months.

After he had helped me bathe and dressed me in one of his shirts and an old pair of boxers, he sat me down again. We sat there for a long time in silence.

"Do you know who he was? Had you met him before?" he asked after a long moment.

I closed my eyes tightly and laid back on the couch, curling up into a little ball. I didn't answer him for a long time.

"Yes," I whispered.

"Who was it?"

"No one," I swallowed and kept my eyes closed, "no one important."