Chapter 8: Vanilla and Lavender

It had been a few days since Usagi had gone up to the mountains for their supposed vacation. He had called her the following day to tell her he had been asked to work overtime this week and asked if it was ok he stayed back, and Usagi could just enjoy some time alone with their daughter. She told him it was fine, which was his first clue that things were not fine. He knew it was often the opposite whenever a woman said things were fine. She was now gone four days, and would only respond to his texts with one-word answers, which was proof she was indeed unhappy with him. Mamoru accepted she was upset with him, but he figured it was better she was upset with him but safe.

During his time at home, he had started looking up anything he could find about their new enemy. He had gone to the library and taken out books on any mythical creatures he could find. Frustrated, he slammed the book he was currently reading shut and tossed it on his coffee table. He leaned back into his couch, and brushed his hands through his hair, nothing seemed to match up with what they were dealing with. He desperately wanted to protect his family, and yet the only thing he could do was hide them away. A light tapping at his door pulled him out of his silent reverie.

He pulled himself off his couch and headed toward his foyer, the light tapping was the exact opposite of what he liked hearing. He thought about how when his wife forgot her keys she would bang heavily on the door and ring the doorbell repeatedly. He reckoned most people would find that an annoying tendency, but he relished in it. Something about her need to get to him quickly made his heart sore, and he sighed realizing he was missing his wife desperately.

He pulled open the door without looking first, and to his amazement, a subdued small blonde looked up at him with a question in her eyes.

"Usako?" he simply said to his wife who appeared impervious.

A smile erupted on her face and she jumped into his arms. He pulled her close and nuzzled his head into her neck. He pulled away instantly, something was wrong, he couldn't explain it, but his wife had a different smell. A mix of vanilla and lavender, it was something he could pick out of a room before he even saw her. She had always smelt this way, it was a comforting smell to him. When he held her now she didn't smell the same, it wasn't bad but just different. It was a strong scent like cinnamon and musk, he couldn't explain it. She was still in his arms and he saw the hurt in her eyes. He shook his head, just because she changed her scent didn't make her any less his wife than she was before. He pulled her close again, but he still couldn't shake a feeling that something was wrong.

"I'm sorry Usako, I just wasn't expecting you. Wait where is our small lady?" Mamoru looked into her eyes, but she was smiling again, was it him or was her smile off? It didn't seem to reach her eyes, as it always had. He realized that she was likely still very angry with him, which would explain her odd behaviour.

"Oh, she is fine. I left her with my parents, I wanted to spend some time alone with you." She smiled at him seductively, and he couldn't help a chill that came over him. He pulled out of her arms and started toward the kitchen.

"Well I was about to get a drink, can I grab one for you?" he said, as he walked into the kitchen. He couldn't explain what he was feeling, but he just wanted to get away from her for a moment. A wave of guilt hit him suddenly, here was his wife home to see him after being gone for four days, and he was running from her like a scared child. He knew he was scared of her and how angry she was going to be, he suspected she had figured out he had lied to her and that was why she was back.

"No, I'm ok," he heard her respond behind him. He opened the door to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. He unscrewed the cap, and took a big swig before turning around and almost dropping the bottle on the floor.

Standing before him was his wife in nothing but her bra and panties, and an enticing red lacy set he had never seen before. He returned the lid to the bottle and placed it on the counter and walked back to his wife.

"Usa, you look incredible" he breathed. A knowing smile crept onto her face, as she bit her lip.

"What can I say, I missed you and I need you to touch me," she said as she walked towards him and place her hand on his chest. She leaned up and started nibbling on his neck, and started undoing the buttons on his dress shirt.

He closed his eyes, and she trailed kisses down his exposed stomach as she worked on the remaining buttons. Even though he still felt something was off, he couldn't help the growing need he felt for her as he started to strain into his pants.

When she was done removing the buttons of his shirt she moved her kisses back up to his neck as she pulled the shirt off of his arms.

"Kiss me," she pleaded to him, and he leaned down and captured her lips.

The usual fire he felt when he kissed her was absent, and when he opened his mouth to allow their tongues to dance his feeling of unease grew strong. The kiss was all wrong, he had spent years enjoying the sweet kisses he shared with Usagi, and this one was all wrong. Their tongues and lips didn't meet as they should. Something was wrong, this was not right.

He pulled away from her and put his hands on her shoulders to keep her away for a second. He stared into her eyes and realized her eyes were off, they weren't as blue as they had always been. These were not the eyes of the soul he was destined with, no whoever this woman was in front of him, he knew it was not his wife.

"What's wrong?" the woman impersonating his wife asked casually.

"Who are you?" he demanded of her.

"Mamoru what are you talking about, it's me Usagi. You know your wife, who would very much like to finish getting naked with you."

As soon as those words escaped her lips he knew for certain she wasn't his wife. He pushed her away. He snapped his fingers as a rose appeared in his hands, and he instantly transferred into Tuxedo Mask.

"You are not my wife, she has never once called me Mamoru."

A wicked smile now appeared on the woman standing in front of him.

"Your wife is a mousey annoying brat, she has you under a spell. You know what you really want is a strong sensual woman who could make all your fantasies come true. I am here to save you, we can rule alongside each other. Once we stop that infuriating rabbit we will have all the power to rule over this universe. She has altered your true path way too many times, Beryl tried to save you, but she failed. Where Beryl failed I will succeed. You will have my love and we will worship each other".

Mamoru looked down at the woman claiming she want to save him. Why did all these women lust after him, without even trying to understand him? His Usako was the only one who loved him for who he was on the inside, not because he was a prince or objectively handsome. He was disgusted they could think he wanted power over true happiness. Usagi Tsukino-Chiba was a pure light in this world, and only evil could make his mind forget it. He was determined not to get brainwashed this time, it wasn't fair for Usagi to have to keep saving him. No, he would defend his mind, and her honour this time.

"You will never have my love. Usagi is everything you wish you could be, while she holds ultimate power, her greatest power is her light and her love for others. There is nothing attractive about your evil hate-filled heart. All I see is pure ugliness radiating off of you, I could feel it the moment I opened the door." He lifted a rose and aimed it at her heart, and just as he was about to deploy it he heard a familiar voice yelling his name.

"Mamo-Chan!" He looked to the left and there standing in the apartment was Usagi looking terrified with Chib-Usa on her hip.

It was enough of a distraction that when he released the rose it missed the woman entirely. The woman then changed from looking like his wife, and he was shocked at who he saw standing before them. There with her black hair and crimson red lips was Akane. She howled with laughter.

"Oh my dear Mamoru, you shouldn't have done that. Although you may not see it now, I will show you how wrong you are about her." She turned around and faced Usagi as she made a circle with her hands. A blue light started to emit from her hands, and Mamoru only had a split second to react.

He ran towards his wife and daughter, flinging his cape out to try and prevent them from being hit by the evil power Akane was sure to spring on them. He felt a wave of light hit him, followed by excruciating pain before everything went dark.

xoxo

"No!" I screamed as I watched Tuxedo Mask fall to the ground after taking the brunt of Akane's attack.

A small crying voice in my arms brought me back to the reality I needed to get my daughter away from this evil woman. I just could not leave Mamo-chan to be taken from my life again. I looked down at my daughter and pleaded with my eyes that she would understand me.

"Chibi-Usa I need you to run and don't stop until you can find a grown-up that makes you feel safe. Do you understand me?" Chibi-Usa's red eyes seemed to fill with understanding as she nodded her head. I put her down and screamed at her to run. I planned on distracting Akane enough to make sure Chibi-Usa got out, and then transform and save Tuxedo Mask.

"Oh, you silly rabbit," Akane sneered with venom in her voice. She shot her hand out and I felt my whole body freeze. Filled with terror I heard my daughter crying behind me. Please tell me she isn't frozen, I pleaded to the universe.

Akane walked around me and I knew from the crying I could still hear that she was frozen.

"Come here tiny rabbit, I'll protect you. Your mommy is a little stuck for the moment. Let me take you somewhere safe like she wanted you to go".

"No! Don't touch her," I screamed. I could hear Akane's evil laugh behind me, followed by Chibi-Usa's terrified screaming.

"In 24 hours from now, have Mamoru meet me at Tokyo tower. If you promise to surrender Mamoru to me, I will give back your daughter unharmed. If you try anything, mark my words. She will die".

Still frozen I could hear my front door slam, as my daughter's screams grew quieter.

A/N

Hi, lovelies! I know it's been a few weeks since my last chapter came out, but I'm back, back again, Starlight's back, tell your friends!

I hope you like where this is going. Also, there will be a sequel to this story. Not sure if I am doing a trilogy or a Saga just yet, but I do have a plan for the next story in this series.

Reviews as always are love. They also encourage me to write faster (I mean when I do have time, work has been insane lately). I will say the next chapter will likely be out way faster than this one was!

Also a huge shoutout to the lovely MasterRay5 who has agreed to Beta my work. Thank you so much for taking the time to look it over, it means a lot to me

xoxo SB