Chapter Eleven: Insatiable Hunger

*Hiiro sat stunned by the words Serena had just spoken. She was engaged to the man whom he was out to kill? His mind spun. What did this mean? Had she betrayed Shields for him? Did she love Shields? Did she?

"Do you love him?" Serena looked up through her puffy red eyes.

"Love him? That pig?" She sneered. Pulling from Hiiro's grasp she stood and turned away from him. She crossed her arms over her chest, as if to protect herself from some unseen force. "I could never love him. He is a heartless, ruthless murderer who cares nothing for me save for my looks." More tears streamed silently down her cheeks.

"I am a ruthless murderer as well." Hiiro stated softly.

"No." She whirled around and ignored the pain and effort it took to do it. "Hiiro Yui, you look me in the eye. You are no such thing." She declared softly.

"I've killed Serena. I want to kill him."

"Your motives are?" She asked softly.

"To stop him from killing anymore people."

"And that is what sets you apart from him." She told him firmly. Hiiro glared.

"And what is it that drives him?" He spat.

"Pure greed." She hissed in contempt. He had never heard her so disgusted with anyone. "Do you know why I hate him?" Hiiro shook his head. Serena took a deep breath.

"When I was younger, I was madly in love with a boy named Duo. It was no more than a crush, really. When Darien found out, he murdered Duo in front of the entire town. The entire town! And then he grabbed me by my neck and held me out for everyone to see. And he told them that if he ever found out that any of them tried to hurt me, would not help me, or tried to steal me away from him he would kill them all."

"You are the cause of the town's dislike of strangers?"

"Yes, through Darien. He destroyed any friendships I had. Then, when I ran from him, I had nowhere to hide but this farm. He would get so angry with me when I would disappear from his sight for hours on end. But I couldn't stay near him."

Hiiro watched her shuddered and closed his eyes. He couldn't decipher what to think or do. On one hand he went on what he knew. Serena had never lied to him, but she had kept this a secret. However he knew she was too innocent to have known this would affect him this much.

On the other hand he went on his feelings. He felt hurt, somehow betrayed she had not told him of both Shields and of this boy Duo. He felt jealous. But he also felt relieved to know that Serena hated Shields and that Duo was out of the picture. Both hands pointed for him to take one direction, but all his logic told him he should go the other. He opened his eyes and looked once more at Serena.

She stood before him in the dull candlelight. The light blue dress made her look different, more womanly. Her skin looked pale and flawless save the tearstains that ran down both her cheeks. Her sapphire eyes were melancholy and full of tears, and her long honey blonde hair spilled over her shoulders and back shrouding her in gold. Her expression was one of anger, sadness, and pain. She was so innocent to everything…

Hiiro reached out and tugged at Serena. He pulled her in close to him and held her tightly. Damn logic. He had been ignoring it so far and everything had turned out fine, why not this as well? Besides. He could no longer deny what he felt for Serena.

"Serena. If you vanished from my sight for hours at a time, I would be angry too." He murmured in her ear. She leaned into him, drawing from his strength.

"Would you?"

"Yes." And he leaned forward and kissed her. Softly at first, and then they deepened the kiss and passion overruled their senses. When they broke, Serena pushed him away.

"Hiiro, you can't!" She gasped flushing a brilliant red.

"I can't what? Kiss you?" He mocked.

"It's improper, that's what!" She replied indignantly. He laughed a deep, throaty laugh at her. Their gazes met, and she could see the fire in his swirling midnight blue eyes.

"I don't give a damn if it's improper or not." He told her in a low growl. He bent over and kissed her ear, trailing small butterfly kisses down her neck. He would have continued, but the damn dress she was wearing made that impossible.

"Hiiro." She moaned slightly in bliss. So lightheaded, so warm, so loved… No! "Hiiro! Stop this! It isn't just that it's improper! Darien's threat…"

"You think Shields can kill me?" He smirked darkly.

"You don't know him Hiiro! He isn't a man to take lightly." She warned him.

"Neither am I." Hiiro replied.

"You don't understand Hiiro! He's violent. And strong."

"Really? Stronger than me?" Hiiro asked pulling her back into his arms. She gasped.

"I…I…"

"Don't know? Did he ever hold you like this?" He teased. But she frowned.

"Yes, he did. And he did more. And when I slapped him and kicked him, he laughed and continued to do it. And when I spat at him, he hit me. I know his strength Hiiro! You underestimate him!" Hiiro frowned.

"He hit you?" She blushed.

"I told you he has a temper. When he's angry his favorite thing to do it throw things- from plates to me."

"And he touched you?" She blushed deeper than before.

"He was a sick man Hiiro." She looked down, ashamed. "He had an insatiable hunger to touch me, I think."

"I'll murder him with my bare hands." Hiiro was livid. How dare someone try to corrupt his innocent Serena? Kissing was one thing, but more than that without a woman's consent was a disgusting and perverted thing to do. That man truly was a bastard!

"Hiiro, I'm serious! That man… he's a no good scoundrel! He plays dirty!" She implored him to think. But she already knew what he would say.

"Serena, I swear to you I am not going to let him come back here and harm you." His arms tightened around her and he inhaled the sweet scent of her clean hair. "I am going to protect you."

"Hiiro…"

"No." He quieted her. And for once, she did stop. For a while they stood in silence, just enjoying the feeling of being close to each other. But when Hiiro noticed Serena's eyes were slowly beginning to shut, he decided it was time for bed.

"Come on Serena." He softly shook her awake.

"Hmm." She sighed. "I'm so tired I could just sleep here all night."

"Hnn." He grunted, amused at her tired state. He walked her over to the bed and sat her on it. She began to unbutton the dress she was wearing, and Hiiro turned around knowing she expected him to know to do so on his own. A few moments later he heard shuffling noises, and then a large dress landed on him. She giggled and Hiiro mumbled something she didn't hear.

"Goodnight Hiiro." She said softly. He turned around. She was sitting in her bed, halfway under her covers in nothing more than her white undershirt and bloomers. She looked devilishly innocent… he inwardly groaned.

"Goodnight Serena." He answered. He turned to leave, then stopped. Turning back around, he made his way towards the bed. When he reached it he softly kissed Serena's mouth, then as she snuggled down beneath her blankets he kissed her forehead. She smiled with her eyes closed.

"Sinful man." And she instantly fell into a deep sleep.

Hiiro shed his clothes and fell into his bed easily. Slipping under the blankets he closed his own tired eyes. But they were happy tired eyes. His fight with Serena had been resolved, he knew Shields was heading his direction, and most importantly, Serena trusted him again. He sighed. She was lovely and sweet, not to mention bossy and strong minded when she wanted to be. He loved it all. And he was asleep.

)(

"Time to wake up gun boy." A sweet voice whispered in his ear. Hiiro smiled in his sleep. "Come on Hiiro, time to get up." The voice came again, this time slightly laughing.

"I'm tired Serena. Go away and come back tomorrow." He moaned. Then his eyes shot open. "You're walking on your own?" She nodded vigorously.

"Come on gun boy, I made breakfast!" She laughed and walked out his door. Hiiro lay gaping for a few moments more. She was walking on her own! It had taken her three weeks after the snakebite to get her back to this strength. The poison must have been strong for her petite body to have had that hard a time battling it.

Then what she had said to him registered. Breakfast! Something he hadn't burned! Hiiro smirked at his own eagerness for another of Serena's well cooked home cooking. Dressing as quickly as he could, he entered the kitchen and stepped up behind Serena, who was standing in front of the iron stove stirring something.

"Smells good." He said. She jumped.

"Hiiro Yui, I done told you not to sneak up on me like that!" She scolded lightly.

"Sorry. Forgive me?" He asked, leaning down and hovering just above her lips.

"Well, alright." She submitted. He pulled away.

"Good." She glared.

"Sinful man." They glared at each other and then smiled. Hiiro then did bend down and brushed his lips against her softly.

Each time Hiiro did that, kissed her like that, she fell more and more in love with him. She couldn't help it. She knew it was wrong, socially unacceptable for a man to kiss a lady as he did before they were married, but when he did it, it seemed all right. Darien had done it too, but his kisses had never been sweet or gentle, only cruel and hard. Hiiro had a way about himself that Serena didn't quite understand. He could be so cold and emotionless at times, but when he was alone with her and the mood struck him, he had a salty sense of humor and an uncanny tendency to flirt. Maybe that was why she liked him; his changes so often reflected in his actions were so dynamic and thrilling, while at the same time sweet and fulfilling.

"I have to go into town today." He told her when they parted. "I need to replace the horseshoes on one of the horses. The red mare."

"I need sugar too."

"Come with me." He asked. She raised one eyebrow.

"Why? If you hadn't noticed, I do not like the town as much as you do."

"I want you near me. I don't want Shields showing up here without me here to protect you. You can come with me and I can keep you safe."

"You know I'm not incapable of defending myself. I have my knives. And if all else fails, I can hide. It's no different from the danger I faced in the past when you went into town."

"I know. I just want your company." He told her. She looked at him for a moment.

"Alright. I suppose I could pay Quatre a visit as well, check up on everything." Hiiro's eyes darkened.

"Serena, Quatre…"

"I know Hiiro. He's told me before. And I had to tell him that I was sorry, that I couldn't never return his feelings."

"Couldn't never?" Hiiro smirked.

"Couldn't ever. Why do you have to correct me like that? I like being wrong."

"And I like being right."

"Gun boy, you're pushing it. Do me a favor and saddle the horses while I clean these here dishes." She smiled widely, and Hiiro knew she had purposely said it wrong.

"Yes mame." She promptly kicked him out of the kitchen for his remark, and he left to saddle the horses. *

~~~I'm really working towards a goal of 200 reviews here people! PLEASE make my day and let me know you liked this! It's coming to and end so quickly you won't have many more chances to tell me what you think! Much love –Vixen ~~~