CHAPTER SEVEN

When Serena woke up she found herself in a strange dark place. She was laying on a round black bed the only light source that of a nearby candle sitting on a black night stand. It cast a light on her and the bed but beyond that was total darkness.

"No" Serena Whimpered

"Yes" came a voice out of the darkness

Serena jerked up in the bed reaching for her locket. It wasn't their. Now she was truly afraid. She was defenseless. A sudden spark of hope flared within her with the thought that all this was simply another dream but that hope was soon squashed as he seemed to know what she was thinking and said

"This is no dream princess. Welcome to my humble abode."

Serena strained to see through the darkness. "Who are you? Where am I?" she cried

"I've already told you this is my home."

"What do you want? Why have you brought me here?" The laughter following her questions caused her to shiver.

"I've brought you here to prove something to you Serena. To prove that from me their is no hope of escaping. No matter how fast you run no matter how far you go I'll always be able to find you. And as for what I want" he paused before purring "why I want to kill you of course.

Again his evil laugher surrounded her. Serena's heart cried out in pain. Darien she would never see him again. She would never feel his arms around her or the touch his lips against hers again. Their beautiful future gone. A future she so badly wanted to fight for but couldn't. Without her locket she couldn't transform into Sailormoon and as Serena she was no match for the dark forces at work here. But with this pain also came anger. Her fear for the moment forgotten she threw her head back and looked straight ahead with defiance.

"Than get it over with" she shouted angrily

Serena could have sworn that he was in front of her but before she knew what was happening he was behind her on the bed. One arm closed around her pinning her to him while wrapped around her neck. Turning her head at an odd angle he made it impossible for her to move it.

I could snap your neck right now" he hissed

He twisted her head slightly further to the side causing her to cry out in pain. "But I wont. Do you have any idea how long I've waited for this moment? Too long to end it so quickly.

"I don't understand" she whimpered "How do you know me?"

"It was a long time ago when I first felt your presence. It was during the time I believe you called the Silver Millennium." He ignored her gasp of surprise "Yes I was coming for you even then but that stupid woman Queen Beryl interfered. I thought I had lost you forever. Than I began to feel your presence again.

"I don't understand why I'm so special?"

"You see my home before you. I live in the darkness it's where I thrive. I'm apart of it. We consume the light and you my dear are the light. Your essence is stronger than I've felt in a thousand millenniums. It's brighter than any star hotter than any sun" his arm tightened around her "And I want it."

"I'm so hungry" he whispered hotly against the back of her neck "and not just for your energy" he said with a wicked laugh and let his teeth gently graze the back of her neck careful not to break the skin. Serena let out a harsh sob that caused him to laugh again. "Remind you of last night huh when you were in the garden with what's his name.

"Darien" she replied in a broken whisper

"Ah yes Darien you must really love the guy if you didn't sense me watching you"

"What did you do to me?" She cried out in anguish

"I gave you a taste of my powers and the mists. I opened up your mind and let your basic instincts take over which enhanced the senses. Your sense of smell, taste all of them. Which is why you bit poor Darien because all of your instincts cried out what? What did they tell you?" When she remained silent he roared "Tell me?"

"That he was mine and mine alone" she sobbed "But why? Why did you do it?

"To prepare you my lovely to prepare you for what's to come. I grow tired of killing the weak and the helpless. I want a challenge. I need it. I'm quite bored you know."

"Why me?"

"I've already told you" he retorted impatiently "your life force is the strongest I've come across in a great while. You have no idea how long I've searched. Even though you have no chance of winning I'm looking forward to the battle. Do try not to disappoint me."

"You know" he stated as if an after thought "I can see why so many have fallen for you. Your essence combined with your beauty makes you a deadly combination. I could almost find myself...No" he broke off harshly "I wont allow it." His grip tightened painfully. "I will consume your light Serena. Soon you will be ready and I will feed."

The next moment Serena found herself being thrown to the other side of the bed and when she looked up he was gone. The soreness of her neck final proof that this was indeed no dream and that she was at his mercy. She laid down on the bed tears silently falling.

Darien her heart cried Oh Darien

..............................

Darien couldn't believe his eyes Serena was gone. He looked at the girls his eyes filled with disbelief and fear. "Where is she? he asked hoarsely.

"She's gone" Luna cried out her eyes wide with disbelief

"But how?" Lita wanted to know "she was just here we all heard her cry out for Darien just a second ago where could she have gone so fast?"

Darien made his way over to his bed. The bed where he had just left her just a little while ago when something caught his eye. All the breath left his body when he saw what it was. He bent over and when he stood up he held Serena's locket in his hands. He held it out for the girls to see for the moment incapable of speaking.

Mina put a hand to her throat and said out loud what they were all thinking. "She wont be able to become Sailor Moon. She's defenseless."

(Darien)

Darien swung around sharply his eyes going back and forth from one side of the room to the other.

(Darien)

"Serena?" he said with disbelief

The girls were now looking at him in concern. He was like a crazy man his eyes moved rapidly around the room as if looking for something. Than suddenly he stopped and a strange expression crossed his face. They all cried out and rushed to his side when he suddenly collapsed back onto the bed.

They called out his name but if he heard them their was no way of knowing as he slipped into a coma like sleep and no amount of yelling or shaking could wake him up.