Authors Notes: After much debating, computer eating, FFN messing up…this chapter is finally finished and ready for posting. Of course, its not completely edited and all that, because I have been lazy, but I read over it, and tried to get them all, so let me know what you think of the chapter and all that!
Disclaimer: I don't own Salior Moon
Dedication: all you people who have waited for FFN to get back up, my god yes this is for you, anyone else being drove nuts here?
~~~
Makoto felt the power of Jupiter flow around her, and grinned, this bastard was going down; they had gone too far this time. It was bad enough that they had hunted her, but to take out people who she had just meet, and didn't have a chance against them, well to her it was worse than murder. Even though that was what that other bastard had done, murder was something she did not condone, no matter what circumstances were brought into it, it was wrong plain and simple, no matter what.
"Oh so you do have another transformation," he mocked, a brow rising, as he took her newly Senshi clad body.
Makoto smirked at him, "fortunately, or unfortunately however you chose to look at it." She taunted back.
"Oh rather fortunate if you ask me," he said with a feral smile, his fangs dropping to his bottom lip, and his eyes glowed with his own power. "You present more of a challenge that way."
"What happened to the other fang boy, he get away?" she questioned.
"Not actually," Hassan's voice snarled, "I am right behind you."
Makoto never hesitated, and that was probably the thing that saved her skin. Throwing her body to her right, she felt his power barely graze her aurora. He was quick, she noted, and how in the hell had he snuck up on her?
This is not our fight chosen one; you must do this one alone Came their deep melodious voices, as she mentally searched for them.
'Great now you tell me,' she spat back at them. Before calling upon her own attack, "Sparkling Wide Pressure," she snarled, sending a wave of electricity at the two men. Hassan wasn't as quick as Nathan, and he was singed by the attack, causing his hair to stand on end.
"Bitch you will pay for that," he growled, before rearing back on his haunches and launching at her.
This time she was ready.
Falling flat on the ground, she caught him with her legs and sent him flying upwards and her attack right after him, not expecting her move, or the additional power behind it, he was slammed into the tree. Before the wave of electricity that was following, pounded into his already limp body.
He was out cold.
"Nice move," Nathan said, once more re-emerging from the trees, Makoto spun to meet him, her green eyes still flashing with anger.
"Oh so you decided to come out of hiding?" she taunted, the adrenaline of battle filling her, she no long cared if he was stronger, she was quicker, faster, and had her anger and pain to feed her power. He did not stand a chance right now, no one did, not when she, or any of the other Senshi, were in this mode it was what made them so dangerous. Piss them off in battle; take what they held dear and they had more than just power backing them.
He smiled, a cold smile that did not reach his eyes, "I was actually enjoying the show," he replied with his own smirk.
Rolling her eyes, Makoto went down into a fighting stance, as he took a stronger version of her own, and glared at him. "Time to face the music," she growled.
"I think you might be pleasantly surprised," he replied, "or unpleasantly, it's really how you, Makoto, want to look at it," before he launched a kick at her head.
The first thing a bout the fight that Makoto noticed, was he was testing her, again, every punch, kick, and elbow was directed more to knock her out, not to harm her, and on a second note, he wasn't really pushing himself. It was like he was trying to find her limits, the abilities of this new transformation.
It infuriated her.
The additional anger was all it took, it was like she was channeling it, forcing it to become whatever she needed to defeat the opponent in front of her, and this time is was something she needed dearly.
Speed.
For now she was no longer fighting for herself, she was fighting to avenge the people that lay in pools of their own blood around her. For every gash, cut, and scrape on their bodies, she would return it to them bastards who had done it to them, ten fold. And with that determination came anger, and with that anger came power. She wasn't sure how she knew, but she did, and flipping backwards she glared at the man in front of her, and called on her third transformation.
"Jupiter Starlight Power," this time there was more power, and it filled her veins, her body, and her soul. From the tip of her toes, to the top of her head, power, electricity, and the never-ending storm that was so much a part of her, was her soul.
Opening her green eyes, she let the storm rage, "Jupiter Oak EVOLUTION," it was like a cry from the heavens. And with it, she let all her pent up rage, and hatred, the pain from being separated from her Princess, from her fellow guardians, the agony of loosing her newfound friends. People who had taken her in, without a second look, the fear that he and that werewolf had brought upon her and the dirty feeling that came with their kissing her. She let it all go in one attack, and she felt more than saw him go flying backwards, and the spray of deadly, electrified leave crashed around the clearing. She also mentally saw the werewolf lord be tossed like a baby into the night air, crackling like he himself was lighting.
Dropping to her knee's she panted slightly, the attack had taken everything she had to give, her energy, the anger that kept her body fueled, everything.
'I see you have finally made it your star form', Lady Jupiter said, appearing before Makoto as if she were a vision. Her long hair streamed around her in un-kept curls, and this time, transparent wings fluttered at her back. 'Congratulations, but the one called Nathan will be back soon, for as powerful as your attack was, it will only deter him for a moment.' Reaching her hand out, she took Makoto's; 'We will retreat for now, come with me my child.' Before green light surrounded them, and Makoto felt like she was flying. In actuality, she noted, they were merely floating, and a moment later her feet touched the ground, and the land she was in caused her to gasp. She was home, at the ruins that had been her and the others child hood home, or at least what they called home after that fateful attack so long ago.
"Why did you bring me here?" She questioned the lady in front of her. Even though she knew she was a part of her, a piece that she needed, was missing, and would never be truly whole until she had it, she always felt like a petulant child when faced with the same green eyes that were boring into her now. It was almost like she was trying to read her soul.
'Because if you and the others are going to bring down the werewolf Lords you are going to need something that we hid here, long ago.' She said with a sigh, 'I had hoped to keep this off a little longer, but the others are occupied at the moment, and the dark tide grows. If you all are to have any chance to survive then you must have what lies within the caves of light.'
"What do you mean?" Makoto demanded.
'We are not all seeing, and the future is un-clear, to quickly turning to see anything of definition, but if you do not get the weapons of old, you will die, if you do get them, then it is left up to chance. What will happen in the next few weeks is not clear. Not even Pluto the guardian of time can tell, and she knows everything, even if she can't remember it all.'
"We are going to die," Makoto demanded, an ache forming in her chest.
''All things die Makoto, even we, as powerful as we were back when we ruled the universe, died. But weather or not you get to live long lives, or they are cut short by fate, and circumstances that we can not see, is yet to be decided. That is how things go. Senshi are not immortal, although we are as close, we are still non-immortals. The Senshi have a job, we guard, defend, and protect, and death comes hand in hand with that, it is something that we have had to learn to accept, and you must as well. Life is not easy, things are snatched and stolen from you at the drop of a dime, and your life can be snuffed out just as easily.'
' It is the law of the universe, even Pluto, who has seen and done more than any creature in galaxies, can not live forever. The time line will break one day, end, and she will go with it. Or it may not, the universe may go on forever, but the beings that created it did so with a purpose, and they gave us ours. We live, we guard, we fight, we love our Princess, and sometimes a man, but we die. We always die in the end, to die defending, or to die in our beds asleep, that is the only difference.' Her tone was sad, but filled with determination.
"I think I understand," she whispered.
'You understand a great deal more than you realize young warrior of Jupiter, but it is time for you to understand even more, destiny is a funny thing, it takes you down many paths, many lives, this is one though, that I wish you did not have to take.'
Makoto shrugged, "It doesn't really matter what you or I want right now does it? Sere is in danger, that is all that matters, now what must I do?"
The lady smiled softly, before closing her eyes, and Makoto could almost swear that she saw a tear streak gently down her face as she watched the women. 'Do you remember the caves that we forbid you to go into as children?'
"Yes." That cave had been the result of many a scolding for them, and many schemes, laughter, and curiosity.
'The weapons are in there, hidden, I do not exactly remember where, but they are there, you must find them, and then bring the others here, so that they may to claim a part of the past that must be taken in both hands.'
Makoto nodded, "I understand."
'But even though this is not the hard part of your journey I am loath for you to complete any more on your own, so I will join you my soul. I think, my memories shall be more of a value now than they would hinder. You will not see me again, but I shall always be a part of you,' she finished, before she started to glow again, and then she disappeared, and Makoto suddenly had the feeling of being complete. Whole with herself once again, as a part of her she never knew she was missing became one with her once again. It was a designedly odd feeling.
"Well here we go," she grumbled, before trekking off to find the caves. It was not hard, for her child hood memories, with that of the ladies, led her directly to where she wanted to be. Finding the small entrance she crawled through it, muttering curses under her breath at whatever deity had made the hole as small as they did. Had they gone insane? 'Yes lets pick the biggest, tallest, widest hipped one out of the group to crawl around inside of a cave made for someone like Serena, oh yes this was A GOOD IDEA!'
She grunted as the sides of the walls scrapped her already sore shoulders, and she crawled on the muddy floor. 'Please don't let there be any bugs, I don't think I could handle that right now.' She moaned as a mental picture of slimy bugs slinking around of the floor hit her. Pushing it aside she gritted her teeth and continued on.
She didn't know how long she had crawled around on the floor. All she knew was that she needed to hurry up, she felt icky, with all the mud that had build up on her hands and knees, and her skirt and body armor was clinging to her, sweat soaked as she was. Reaching up with a muddy hand she wiped the perspiration away from her stinging eyes, even though she could feel the mud plaster to her face. She was definitely going to need a bath after this little adventure.
Continuing her motion forward, she screamed, as he hands no longer had anything to cling to, and she was sent sprawling forward. She landed a few seconds later, in a large cavern, lit by some eerie type of light that reflected off the many gems that were embedded into the wall.
Makoto felt her breath stop in her throat, for sitting on five pedestals were weapons, that glowed by their own power. A bow in red, a sword in yellow, a staff in green, a harp in blue, and a wand in silver, they were perhaps the most beautifully crafted things she had ever seen. Walking over to the staff she blinked down at it. It had some engravings on it, like leaves, and lighting, that were wrought actually into the wood, she figured the carvings gave her better grip. Reaching down she picked it up, and felt like she had just been handed a thunderbolt, of sheer lightning, and grinned. She could feel the power thrumming through, and around her, and it was intoxicating.
She had found the weapons.
Turning at the sound of water she felt her smile grow when she saw the pool of water in the corner. De-transforming, she stripped out of her clothing, and slid into the water. The cool water on her nude body felt wonderful. It was refreshing, and it was probably the best bath she had ever taken in her life. Sighing softly, she splashed and swam around until her limbs started to protest, and she felt like a prune. Climbing out she wrung out her hair and curled up on the moss that had managed to grow in the cave, it was dry, and she felt warm, even though the water and the cave itself were cool.
Before she knew what was happening, her exhaustion crept up on her, from her early battle, and the emotions that had coursed through her body. In just moments the warrior from Jupiter was sound asleep.
A lady watched as the girl slept. 'Two of you have rejoined,' she breathed with a nod, 'there might be a chance after all'.
~~~
Serena gasped as she was suddenly twirled away from the little temple that she had been staying in, and gaped even more when she found herself in a room, a room large enough to be considered three or four, but a room non-the-less.
"What in the world," she spat, yanking her wrist, which Endymion still held onto, away from his body, and back to her own. Before taking several steps away from him as well, "I demand to be taken back to the temple right this instant!"
'My, my, is that the way to treat your rescuer?" he demanded, before licking blood off his lips. Her blood she realized, with a scowl, what did he think he was doing?
"Rescuer?" she repeated, her tone angry, "Your no more my rescuer than I am yours, you…you…" not being able to think of a good insult she carried on. "In fact I was perfectly fine until you decided to drop in." she was angry, and probably sounded like a two-year-old, but she didn't care one bit. For one thing Rei wasn't here to scold her, and this man had just taken her from her refuge, after he had told he was the only one who could take her to her Senshi. Then had marked her, whatever the hell that was, and now here he was asking her if she was treating him right, it was down right infuriating.
Endymion, taking in her flashing eyes, and nightgown glad body, had to hold back the urge to laugh. She was furious with him that was easy enough to see. He would have to be careful though, she was his equal in power, even if she didn't look, or act like it.
"If you say so," he said sitting down calmly in a chair next to him, resting his head on one of his hands he smiled up at her. "But now you're here, what are you going to do about it?"
Her moth worked up and down but nothing came out, causing him to want to break into even more laughter, she was adorable. Her eyes snapped again in anger, and he figured that she had seen the barely concealed laughter shinning from his eyes.
"Your laughing at me," she growled, her arms coming to, crossed, over her chest as she tapped her foot and glared at him.
"Yes," he admitted.
That caused her to scowl even more, "why?"
He just shook his head, "because you're adorable."
Of all the answers that she had been expecting for him to throw at her, that was not it. "Flattery will not get you out of trouble," she covered. Even though her heart pounded, and she was tempted to run for the hills, or at least in whatever general direction the nearest Senshi was in.
He chuckled then, she didn't have a clue. "Okay," he said with a nod before leaning back in his chair to make himself more comfortable. "But you're going to have to trust me, or else you will be captured, or worse, if I let you go back out there."
"I am a big girl, and I can take care of myself." She argued.
"It doesn't matter how big you are, your still in danger."
"I defeated you didn't I?" she said, a brow raising in question, as she stared him down with her blue silver eyes.
He sighed, how was he going to get her to listen to him? "Listen, to me, for one second."
"Why should I, you have done nothing but cause me trouble." She retorted, "First you chase me up a rock cliff, then you chase me in the woods. Fight me in the woods, wound and cause my Senshi pain and worry, now you have added kidnapping to your list of things to do, so why in whatever deity there is out there name, should I Serena trust you?"
"Because right now I am the only one standing between you and Beryl," he argued.
"Who? And even if you were, not true, my Senshi are out there somewhere."
That caused him to groan in frustration, why did she have such an un-ending faith in four women? Putting his thoughts to question he glared down at her, "Why do you believe that they can save you from anything?"
"Because they always have, and always will, its their sworn duty, they are my sisters, my loved ones, my family, they would die for me, and I would die for them, that is just how it is." She explained her voice softening as she talked about the four most important people in her world.
Sighing Endymion leaned back against the chair he was currently occupying. He was the Prince of the Earth, ruler of the vampires, wielder of the golden crystal, mortal enemy to Beryl the Outcast, and the werewolves, and he couldn't get a five-foot, silver headed women to listen to him.
"What will make you believe me?" he questioned, with a sigh, force, no matter how much he wanted to use it, would not work here, at all. She would just flare back up with her crystal, and the three women that were in his castle would come running. Then he would have to deal with his pissed off Generals, and pissed of women. He was going to have to just talk, and tell her what he could, or what she wanted to know, and pray that worked. Otherwise he would have his hands full, and he did not want to deal with that right now.
Serena stopped and stared at him, her own million thoughts racing through her head. What was he implying in all this? Was he just asking what he would have to do to gain her trust, like a deed of goodwill or something. Her mind racing she stared at him in confusion. Before the realization of what she could do hit her. Ami would be proud, she mentally congratulated herself, even as she put words to her thoughts.
"I want to know exactly why you became you," she said with a nod, all her questions could be answered, she knew. "I want to know who this Beryl person is, why she is after my Senshi, I want to know why you marked me, and what that is, and I want to know exactly what is going on around here, that to much for you?" she demanded.
Endymion blinked at her, before he shook his handsome head. He should have known she would ask something like that. Licking his lips again he sighed when he tasted her blood still lingering there, a reminder of what his earlier actions had done. She would have to know sooner of later, for they had already started the dance of fate with each other. Right now, him marking her, it wouldn't matter much.
"Beryl is a being, a powerful one, who once was inhibited by a thing called Metallic, she had a daughter, named Metallica, from what our sources say, but we know little else about the creature and her daughter. Power source, nothing is known, besides that fact that Beryl stole some of his power, and never returned it. She used part of this power to change us into what we are now."
"How did she do that," Serena interrupted, "And when?"
"Me and my Generals grew up together, you see there is not that much age difference between us, like it seems to be with your Senshi, so we trained, grew, and bonded with each other. Anyway, after the Great War, to make along story short, in which we took back our kingdom from other countries, we had a visit from a little old lady. She seemed harmless enough, but when I refused her magical help, I already had the crystal and the guys, she became furious. She cast a spell on us, using some odd phrasing of words, Zach has it written down somewhere, anyway it turned us into what we are today. "
"At first we were her slaves, following her whims of what to destroy and who to kill, me an my people who had fought so long and hard to win a war, had fallen in one night. It infuriated us, at 26 we had freed everyone, at 27 we were slaves again. So we fought it at every chance we were given. Until Zach came up with a plan, using a combination of the crystals, and the Generals magic, we were able to break her hold on the people, and on us. The call to destroy, to kill, was gone. So we made up new rules, laws, everything we needed to survive with our killing instincts. We studied magic, the land, developed our own power even more than before, and then one day you and your Senshi arrived in our world. It confused us, left us befuddled, so we followed, either to kill you or, take you back to the castle. You did what we would never have expected.'
"We escaped," Serena said with a nod, understanding dawning on her features, no wonder they had been so intent on finding them again, they were supposed to be the most powerful people in the world, and a mere handful of little girls had escaped them. Never mind that it had been mostly Ami, who had done all the dirty work, they had still escaped.
"Yes, you got away, we were furious, and we vowed that we would find you again, and we did." He shrugged, it was true, they had found them, and now they weren't letting them go. Instead of little girls, they had grown into beautiful and powerful women, and there was no way they were letting that slip through their fingers.
Serena pondered that for another few moments, before she realized he had not answered all her questions.
"So you and your Generals are close."
"Very, more so than brothers."
'Like me and my Senshi, interesting, I didn't think anyone else could have that type of bond, must have something to do with that crystal he has got, I will have to ask Ami about it the next time I see her. If I can find her, hopefully I will find Rei here; she spouted something about a blond along her link…so she might be here. If I can find her, then there is a better chance for finding the others.'
"What is this bonding thing you and, whatever the other person's name was, were spouting back and forth about."
"Bonding is a sacred means, its like an engagement of old, when a man would present a women a ring, or necklace, maybe earrings, did your village do this?" he questioned.
"Um, and engagement gift? Yes, they did," she nodded. It had been a gift of sorts that stated that the women had granted him her hand, and that she would belong to no other.
"Well, making, or bonding, someone is the same thing. It forms a magical barrier around the person, and all vampires, werewolves, and anyone with magic can sense it. It is like a hands off, a warning, stating that no man, or women, may touch this individual.'
"So what your saying, is you marked me, without my consent." She yelped, understanding breaking across her features.
He nodded, "I really didn't have much of a choice, if I didn't then he would have, and then you would have been beyond my reach for a hundred years or so. I couldn't let that happen." He shrugged.
"What does this bond do?" she demanded.
"Well if you mark me back, you're my life mate, and if it's right, soul mate, and you can never leave my side, nor may I leave yours."
Serena stared at him, he had, that audacity of, what in, this was just not fair. She had not asked for this in life. She silently fumed at him. She would be no ones life mate, not now, not ever. She had seen where that path led people.
"You obviously need to think about this," he said standing.
"No you're the one who needs to think, on second though what were you thinking? You cant just walk up to someone and…and…bond them…mark them or whatever. Its just plain WRONG." She was trembling with anger once again, as she stared up at the gorgeous man looking down at her. His expression was blank, and she couldn't read it, she didn't care.
Had this happened to all of her Senshi? She was going to have to find them to find out, the poor things.
"Calm down princess," he said softly, though his eyes meet the challenge in her own, and returned it. "And your Senshi are safe, so stop worrying about them, now go to bed, you some sleep." He ordered, pointing to the bed in the far corner of the room.
She glared at him, she was a princess, and even though she could barely remember what it had been like, she knew one thing, she did not like getting ordered around. "You got to bed," she snapped, "you're the one running around bonding people. I think if either of us needs a nap, its you." Turning her back on her she glared out the window.
How dare order her around like a child? She was no longer one, and even though he was probably a lot older than she was, she had been in more lifetimes that had to give her the edge right?
She heard a slight chuckle behind her but she refused to turn and look, he was laughing at her again. That only served to fuel her anger. That arrogant man, someone was going to have to give him a boot to backside. How dare he laugh at her!
"If you're going laugh, oh childish one, go to bed, or go away, now." She snapped.
Another chuckle then a muffled, "As you wish Princess," before the door was shut.
Whipping around she glared at it, that was it, dangerous he may be, a vampire he may be, but she; she was a pissed princess. And that by far, that was the most dangerous of all.
~~~
Ami woke slowly but surely, as she fought her way up from the depths of a sleep that didn't want to seem to let her god. But she was warm, and content for the first time in days, and now when she didn't want to wake, her body was forcing her to accept, and become aware of everything around her.
'You is awake' Keike's mental voice cheered, bringing her out of her sleep completely.
"Yes, yes I am awake, what is going on?" Ami demanded sitting straight up in her bed, covering a yawn with her hand. That was when she realized some key factors in her environment.
First of all she was in a bed, just not any bed though, a huge bed with curtains hanging all around it, to hide the occupant, from anyone's prying eyes. The room itself, from what she could tell from around the curtains was just as large, as it had to accommodate a bed big enough for about six people or at least that was what her mind was telling her.
'Yes it is big,' the tiny puppy replied to her mental status, her tone bored, 'but we must get out here.'
Ami nodded in agreement, the puppy was quick, maybe faster than she was. As her mind called up the dredges from the night before she sighed softly in thought. She had chosen Zach; not that he had given her much choice. A scowl slammed across her features as she glared at the curtains, the bastard. She had had two choices, a vampire, or a werewolf; she let her head fall into her hands. Why couldn't she just have been a normal child in normal world? Instead of an ice wielding women with the power to help take out a universe?
Her lips twitched in a half smile, which of course was fixing to be changed into a vampire. One that she was far to intimately aquatinted with. She had the oddest dream of her young and short life, in which she had gotten, memories that had nothing to do with her, and yet she had been in some of them.
It had been some of the freakiest moments of her life.
She had actually been inside his head, seen everything he had ever seen, done everything he had ever done, and she felt violated. She shuddered softly as the feel of hot blood sliding down her throat, and joy, and life giving qualities it had brought in those first few months, entered her mind. She was totally disgusted, but on the other hand she had a new aspect on him, besides the blood thirsty one.
He was completely and wholly dedicated to his prince, and would die, or kill for him, in a heartbeat. Much like they the Senshi were with their own princess. It was actually quiet interesting, how deep everything ran into him. He was irrevocably tied to his Prince, as they were to their Princess. It was perhaps the only thing they had in common, she was a powerful Princess of a Planet of its own, and he was a General, a commander to a prince. And yet he had bonded her, and his own intellect thoroughly captivated her own mind
That had never happened before.
But she could and would not think of what could happen between the two of them she had to get to Serena, and fast. The princess was in the castle somewhere, hidden but there, she could barely feel it. Her senses had long been tuned to that of finding and protecting the girl child though. She was not the strongest of the inner Senshi, nor was the fastest, she was however the smartest, and the strategist, and could think her was out of every situation, and this one would be no different.
Men were not hard to figure out, or dissect, but she had the oddest feeling this one was going to throw her for a loop. She shot a glance at Keike was starring at her with an expectant look on her features.
"Oh all right, let me get dressed and we will get moving," she grumbled.
"Moving where?" Came a smooth male voice from behind the curtains, and a moment later they were thrown open to revel a very amused Zach.
She shot a look at Keike who looked just as surprised as she did, well that at least, was comforting.
"I don't know I was thinking about a stroll through death lane, you?" she spat, the covers yanked up to her chin, as she glared at him. She was not someone who was normally afflicted with anger, she normally hid behind her cool exterior, but now she had reached the, I-AM-PISSED, beware my wrath stage, and there was no returning. At least not until she froze someone, or something. Her mind had started to wander down Rei and Minako's path and she wanted nothing more than she hit him with an ice blast in a very sensitive area. Of course, that would mean she had to actually admit to him that he got to her. So it would have to wait, until they were in a battle.
"Actually I came to make sure you had no lasting effects from the bonding," his tone was still amused, but it held a hint of concern.
She rolled her eyes at him, "I am perfectly fine, so go away, and do whatever you do at whatever time it is in the day."
He smirked at her, "It is currently midnight, and I am fixing to go to bed," his tone held a slight predatory gleam in it, and she suddenly had a very bad feeling about this.
"Then leave," she said making a shooing motion from around her covers, "now!"
"Did I mention that this was my room?"
Keike was up in a heartbeat, fangs extended, her hair raised on her body, as she growled low in the back of her throat. With her fur sticking up like it was she looked twice the size she actually was, and Ami had never been so happy to someone in her life.
'You have bonded her, fanged one,' she spat, 'but come no closer you shall until she had give you her expressed permission. I Keike her soul sister, deem it so.'
The two warriors eyes meet over the bed, and Ami had the distinct feeling that they were testing each other out, feeling to see which one of them was going to break first and fore most. She didn't know who won, but eventually Zach nodded.
"I will sleep in my own bed," he snarled, his own fangs falling, but there was a gleam in his eyes she didn't like.
Neither did Keike it seemed.
'Then I will sleep between you,' she spat.
He growled in the back of his throat, before stalking off.
"You won?" Ami said surprise echoing in her voice, she had been fully prepared to jump up, ice flying if he had mad a move towards her sister.
'Yes, because of the nature of our bond he can not touch me, if he want's any chance of a relationship with you. You see if I die, a piece of you dies, and there is always the possibility that you will die with me. If he injures me you will be against him, so for the time being we are at a stalemate. It will not always be like this, but for now it will.'
That was when Ami realized something, "Keike you're not talking like a child anymore, how is that?"
'When I hit my head, my powers came forth, causing me to mature quicker than I would have normally, and the knowledge of my people came as well, I am as grown as you, only my body as not gotten that far, it will before to long I think though. For when the mind grows, so does the body."
Ami gaped at the tiny creature, but yelped with surprise when Zach entered the room once more, dressed in a loose shirt, and a pair of shorts-at least from what she gleamed from his memories that was what they were called.
She watched him crawl to the other side of the bed, and scooted as far from him as she could actually get. Keike instantly padded between the two of them, before plopping down in the large space between them, her ears cocked at Zach. It was almost a taunt, but not quiet, Ami decided. She was merely daring him to question her position, the man glared at her, and the air hissed between his fangs, but he made neither a motion nor a sound at her.
She really didn't know if she was relived or terrified at that, but she would settle for thanking the gods above that he wasn't pressing anything. In fact she was pretty sure he was pissed off, but he kept it under control. Considering she could feel the waves of anger and something else she couldn't quiet identify coming off of him.
She tucked the covers over her scantly night gown clad body, and turned her back to him. She instantly felt Keike's warmth hit her from behind, as the tiny creature curled into her back, providing more than just warmth, but comfort. For Zach was obviously going for the last punch, and his words feel over her conscious as he mentally berated her.
'You can hide behind the cub, but I will get to you eventually, you will be mind child of the winter night, you will belong to me, heart, mind, soul, and body. Kid yourself not, your mine.'
She shuddered softly, before closing her eyes, and desperately praying for sleep.
She woke some time in the middle of the night the only sounds in the room were those of the gentle snoring of the puppy beside her, and the even breathing of the man across the bed. They were gentle and evoked visions of sleep in her own befuddled mind, but she had some serious planning to do.
Serena was somewhere in the castle, and that meant one of many things, the first and foremost that she must find her, and then get her the hell out of here. She didn't care if she was sleeping in her own bed, in the heart and most protected place in this place; it had a wrong feel to it. And she could not make herself feel like she was being protected properly. She was in the castle, but not where she needed to be to aid her at the slight drop of a pin.
She didn't like it.
Not having her somewhere where she couldn't get to her, aid her, heal her, sooth her, being separated from her princess was hell on earth. And there was only one thing she could do fix it.
She had to leave here, and quickly, but she had the odd impression that that was going to be as hard as it was to keep from getting killed recently. The man beside her was now weaved into her life, she wasn't quiet sure what the bonding he was talking about was going to do to her life, she was sure it was going to take more than her normal amount of effort to get ride of him.
She had felt it, briefly, yet it was still there, a link similar to the one she and her fellow guards shared. That was not good, and could never be. It meant he could track her, follow her every move, no matter how hard or fast she ran. Unless of course she could find Rei, the woman was a pro at fixing links so that they didn't show, feel, or tell you where someone else was.
That all depended on her getting a hold of her. It wasn't going to be easy.
For Rei had been missing since that first fight, and her link had been dim, like she was in a haze, and wasn't quiet out of it. Fire had flared along it briefly, before it had dimmed again. The only explanation she had for it was that someone was hiding it.
Whoever it was damn good.
It took a lot to hide a link from one Senshi to another. A lot of mental power in fact, Rei could barely do it, and she was the strongest person she had ever met. That meant a couple of things. Either it was dumb luck, or whoever it was far more powerful than even she had thought. She has suspicions that it was the blond man who had been chasing her on that night that had been engraved into her mind.
She would have to leave here and soon, more than just the fate of her princess relied on it; there was something out their singing to her soul, calling to her. She had to find it, before someone else happened.
Time was running out, and she the Princess of Mercury could feel the end coming quicker than the others. It was her gift she was so closely linked to her planet that it sent her a slight warning signal.
The end was drawing near, and she was helpless to stop it.
~~~
Minako woke slowly, her body slowly responding to her orders. Her eyes slowly opened, and she realized in those five point two seconds that she lay their she was in a fairy tale bedroom, and she was going to love every second of this.
She sat up in the bed, her eyes wide with wonder, as she gaped at the room around her this was beautiful. It was done in creams and yellows, with all the beautiful wall hangings that she could imagine, even in those funny little memories that appeared in her dreams were nothing like this.
She was stunned, and could barely comprehend that it was all for her, until that was she spotted the man in the corner, then it all fell into place, and she found herself glaring at him.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?" She demanded coldly.
He smiled calmly at her, his expression amused, and she felt taken aback. He had never shown any emotion before in her presence, and this one had thrown her for a loop. She felt her mouth drop slowly, before she threw the covers back and stomped across the floor to stand in front of him. Her mind barely realizing that she was barefoot or that she was a nightgown.
As far as she was concerned she could care less.
She propped both hands on her hips and glared at him. "Well are you going to answer my question or gape at me all day?" she demanded.
He smiled, "Good Evening, Princess."
She cocked a brow and looked over her shoulder, a scowl lighting her features, "Oh your talking to me, for a moment there I thought that Serena was behind me," she spat. "Speaking of Princesses, where is mine? And where the hell am I?"
"You in my castle, in a room next to mine, and she is safe."
"Oh well then pardon me while I go find her," she growled turning towards the door.
"You won't find her." Came the calm reply, causing her to whip around angrily.
"Oh really and why wont I find her oh talking stone? I am just the leader of the Salior Senshi, nothing big," she growled her hands clenching into fists into her hands, her sign starting to shine on her forehead.
"Because she is with my Prince, and none find him when he doesn't want to be found."
"Which is exactly why I have to find her!"
"He wont hurt her," he replied gently, a finger reaching out to gently run down her check, causing her to flinch away.
"I don't believe you," she replied coldly.
"You should because I will not lie to you," he replied, before whispering softly, "never to you."
She cocked her head and stared at him like he had grown an extra head, and he guessed to her, he had. For he had gone from the beast to the prince in a few moments and she didn't know how to handle him.
Good that was exactly what he wanted, if he kept her off balance then she couldn't find as many ways to fight him back. He had watched Zach and Justin enough to know how to woe a woman, and what not to do. Besides he had his own instincts to rely on to tell him all he needed to know.
Women were complicated, but that was half the fun in figuring them out. The challenges that they provided were what mad life so interesting. His smile spread a little further across his lips. And he had found a firecracker.
"What are you smiling at?" She demanded, her tone cooling rapidly from heated anger, to cold malice, and he could only shake his head. She was entertaining in her normal state, and even more so when she was angry.
He wasn't quiet sure when she had gotten under his skin, or even how she had done it so fast, or how she had made him fall for her so quickly, but she had. There was not a chance in the world he was letting her slip away without his claiming her first.
Even if it took a lifetime.
He shook himself out of his revere when he realized that she was waiting for an answer. "At you," he replied softly.
She rolled her eyes, "Take me to your leader," she quipped under breath, and his sharp ears picked it up.
"What?"
She sighed softly plopping down on the couch, "I want to see my princess now!" she snarled, her eyes wide as she glared at him.
A small smile spread across his lips, as a plan flashed through his brain, "I will take you to her later, if you have dinner with me tonight." Minako's eyes flashed with outrage at the suggestion, and he continued on, "But if you don't want to you can just wait until later to see her."
She glared at him, pushing back the pout that wanted to surface, and scowled for all she was worth. "Fine," she growled, when he continued to stare at her, un-wavering. "But if you don't hold up your end of the bargain," she snapped her fingers and glowered at him, "poof, no more pretty boy got that?"
He bowed a smirk playing across his lips, "Yes, Angel." Before ducking out of the door.
A vase followed his path, and he barely managed to duck, behind the door before it slammed into the wall.
"DON'T CALL ME ANGEL," she spat at the closed door, her voice cold.
She sighed softly, throwing her hands up in defeat these people were far to irritating for her. One did not just show up and annoy someone, but oh no that arrogant, she took a deep breath. If she could a bath out of this, then she would give him props, if not, he was going to meet up with a very pissed Warrior of Venus.
"My Lady," a woman said appearing out of nowhere, "if you follow me I will lead you to the bathing chambers."
Minako blinked, first of all at the procession that the woman had appeared, and secondly on the fact that she had not heard her approach. No one had snuck up, effectively, on her for years. So this practically blew her mind.
She nodded dumbly, before following the woman in front of her, as she lead her out of the room she was in, down a short corridor, and through another door and she was taken into a bathing chamber that blew her mind.
It was huge, and the tub looked like a sunken pool, and she grinned to herself. Oh yes, if he wanted to have dinner with her that badly, a smirk played across her lips as she stripped down to bare skin.
She stuck a foot into the steaming tube and grinned to herself. Gentle hands lathered her hair and scrubbed her scalp for her, as she soaked on a seat in the middle of the pool. She could feel herself start to doze, when water was pored over head and she was gently helped up.
A scrub brush was placed into her hands, full of soap, while her hair was gently shifted aside, and another brush scrubbed at her back. Minako giggled slightly, she had not had someone else scrub her back sense she was a child.
She smiled softly as the helped her out of the tube moments later, handing her a couple of towels. In those few short moments her smile went from sleepy, to sly. Kunzite had just better watch his back, she looked at the mirror in front of her and nodded, oh yes, and he was never going to know what happened when Minako Goddess of Love and Beauty got a hold of him.
This would be all over, very shortly. She smirked to herself, as the ladies pulled out a long golden dress that seemed to shimmer by itself. She blinked in surprise, but did not protest as they dried and brushed her hair, before rubbing some type of salve into her nude body. Once that was done, the dress was draped over her form, and she shivered in delight at the softness of it.
She took a peek in the mirror and couldn't help but grin, she was ethereal and Angel even and she knew it well. The man next door did not have a chance, she was going to go to dinner then find her Princess no matter what it took.
Walking with a light step to the connecting door she knocked calmly, ignoring the protests of the women behind her. She had always done her own thing and she was not going to stop now.
The door opened a few moments later to revel and amused Kunzite, and he took her breath away. He was dressed in what was plainly a generals dress form, and it fit and lined his body to perfection. Of course, by the raising of his brows, and widening of his eyes she knew she had caused the same reaction in him.
He recovered quickly though, and he reached out and grabbed one of her hands, leaning over he gently pressed his lips to her hand. "My Lady," he murmured, "May I welcome you into my humble home?" he questioned.
She rolled her eyes but nodded. It was time to start the games.
~~~
Rei glared at the man in front of her, her violet eyes flashing dark anger, as she snarled low in the back of her throat. Something that she had started lately, she figured that it had to do with their link, but she was beyond caring at the moment.
"You can NOT keep me locked up, no matter how much you want to do it!" she spat at him.
"Wanna try me?" Justin responded his own eyes flashing with his anger, his fangs protruding from his mouth as he glared at her.
She propped her hands on her hips and just glared at him. He had returned from whatever meeting it was he had disappeared to, then he had told her she was not allowed to leave the room, something that did not just sit well with her, at all. And she was letting him hear about it.
"I think the question you need to ask yourself Jason," she spat his name like it was a curse, "is if you want to try me!"
He growled again low in his throat, and she tapped her foot in annoyance, "I am a big girl who can take care of herself, so bug OUT!"
"You are my mate Rei, I will not bug out of anything."
Her eyes flew upwards at his choice of words, and she felt anger flow over in waves. The bastard, she belonged to no one but her princess.
"Your what?" She growled walking forward until her index finger was stabbing into his chest, her eyes flashing molten lava as she continued to glare at him.
He smirked down at her, before lowering his head until his lips were brushing her ear, "My mate," he repeated.
Her fist slammed into his stomach causing him to stumble slightly, as he had not been expecting that move. "I belong to no man," she spat.
He looked up his eyes glowing with new waves of anger, "I beg to differ," he replied coldly.
She meet the challenge in his eyes with her chin upwards, he didn't scare her, at least that was what she was telling herself. He in fact terrified her, he was bigger, stronger, and faster, and the only chance she had was when she was transformed, which at the moment she was not.
"Tough luck then, because I don't agree," her voice was harsh with her anger, and slightly breathless with fear, the fear just angered her more. She should fear no one no matter how much bigger they were than her.
He reached out with one hand and snagged her arm yanking her taunt body against his, as she glared up at him, her hands trapped between their chest, his face was cold, expressionless, but his eyes gleamed down at her in an all to familiar expression. It was the gleam of a predator a predator that just caught its prey.
She barely had time to draw in a breath before his lip captured hers own. This kiss was nothing like the one he had so brutally thrown across her lips on their second encounter. For his lips were soft, and warm, she noted as her head spun, and it seemed that they were totally devoted to memorizing every contour on her mouth. She barely felt him shift her body closer, as one of her own hands drifted behind his head to the soft hair at the base of his neck, it was a slow process as she tried to fight the en-coming emotions, and desires bombarding her senses. But he was warm and solid, while she felt like she was slowly turning to mush against him, as she fought against him. She groaned low in the back of her throat, as he continued to assault her mouth with his own and she pushed against his chest, desperately trying to free herself from his embrace. But he was insistent, and his mouth never wavered.
His hand reached upwards and tilted her head gently to the side as he deepened the pressure against her lips, all the while tilting her head to try out a new angle. As his lips
became more insistent, the more her head spun. The other arm snaked around her waist holding her firmly in place, and ending her struggles, as she lost the battle, against herself, before it had truly begun.
He would slowly nibble at the contours of her lips as if memorizing every line of symmetry that went with her mouth, before he would once again deepen the kiss, his tongue unabashedly exploring her mouth, sending wave after wave of foreign emotion over Rei's already taxed mind. It was intoxicating, as he slowly awoke emotions in her that she had never thought possible, as the hidden dormant of her mind slowly came awake.
Before she could comprehend what she was doing, she returned his kiss, as their tongues danced an ancient sacred dance, a dance of fire and passion. Her arm tightened further against his neck, as her hands buried themselves in the nape of his neck.
He broke the kiss moments later, his chest heaving against hers, as she buried her face in his neck, desperately trying to force air in and out of her burning lungs.
"I think," he murmured catching his wind faster than her, "that you do belong to me little one," his hand ran along her shinning hair, in a gentle manner, all the harshness and anger gone. It was replaced with lust, and something else, something that frightened her more than the fact that he wanted her body.
"Drop dead," she whispered softly, her body lax against his stronger one, to tired to fight anymore, as the days emotional battles, and the physical one started to catch up to her.
A low chuckle emerged from deep within his throat, and he scooped her up, she had been climbing into bed when he had arrived, so he simply leaned down and tucked her under the covers. She was as light as a feather to him, and the task was easily performed.
She grumbled at him, her tone angry as he tucked her into the bed. That was all the protest she gave him though, for as soon as her head hit the pillow she was asleep. He sighed softly before stripping out his heavier clothing and into his nighttime lighter garb. Moments later she was tucked against him, and he was off searching for his own sleep.
~
Rei was walking down endless corridors, totally clueless as to where she was much less where she was going. But something compelled her to continue on, it was almost like she was on a treasure hunt, but could not find the end of the game.
She finally came to the end of a corridor, and she opened the door, what she saw inside made her yelp with surprise. There stood Christopher, a gleam of triumph in his eyes as he stared at her.
"So it worked," he said almost thoughtfully.
"What is going on here?" she demanded, her heart pounding in her chest.
"I have brought you into a dream of my creation," he explained softly, a smirk playing cross his features.
She gaped at him, before anger flashed across her persona. "How dare you, send me home this instant!" She snarled.
He nodded, "Just know this pretty one, if I can't get to you in your dreams, I can get to you in real life, you may belong to Justin for now, but you will be mine." His words echoed in her mind as she sat straight up in bed, the force of her movements dislodging Justin's arms around her, and waking him.
"What's wrong?" he questioned instantly, his voice soft with concern.
She shivered slightly as the cooler night air wrapped around her hot body, "nothing, I just had a disturbing dream."
He looked at her closely in the dim night, and even though she could barely see him she had the feeling that he could pick her features out clearly in the night air. "Are you sure?"
"Positive," she breathed with a nod, lying back down.
She jolted slightly as his arms wrapped around her waste but she snuggled closer to his warmth, for the first time craving the closeness and the sense of protection that he was offering her. He just pulled her closer to his warm body, before pulling the covers across the both of them. Her head rested on his shoulder. He waited until her breathing regulated and she had stopped trembling. Using his mind he gently placed a shield around her mind. If anyone tried anything else again tonight, he would know of it, and then they would wish they had never messed with her. She was his chosen mate, and no one, touched or frightened her without paying the price, and he did mean no one.
~~~
Christopher smirked at his still sleeping brothers, they were clueless, and he had only discovered how much power he actually had by accident. Beryl could torment, and scare them all she wanted, but he had an edge over her that she knew nothing about.
Laughter erupted from his lips, finally, it looked like things were going his way.