CHAPTER NINE

It was so dark she couldn't see anything. Serena closed her eyes in despair. How could she ever hope to find him when she couldn't even see where she was going?

(Let your heart guide you Serena)

Serena eyes flew open. What? Who? That the voice it sounded so familiar knowing their was no time to waste she closed her eyes again only this time she concentrated on Darien and their love.

when she opened them again she could detect a faint light off to her left as she watched the light got dimmer and dimmer.

"Darien" she cried and rushed off in the direction of the light

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

The Scouts who were giving their energy to an unconscious Darien whose energy was being sucked up by some unknown force were growing weaker by the minute.

"Girls you must stop." Luna commanded fear for Darien and the girls ringing in her voice

"Luna's right you cant go on like this." Artemis cried "Whatever is draining Darien's energy is too strong. No matter how much you give him it's not going to be enough.

"Just a little bit longer." Jupiter said weakly her eyes all but closed

I know he can beat...this. Mars implored

"We have to hang on" Mercury said encouragingly

"For all our sakes but especially for Serena and Darien. We cant fail them" Venus cried

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

Serena came apon the light but their was no sign of Darien anywhere. Than before her eyes the light faded and she was once again in surrounded by darkness.

"No" She cried and reached out to where she had last seen the light.

Her hand encountered something solid and just as she was getting a grip on it a sharp pain struck through her arm. It felt like it was on fire. The pain was mind blowing but despite the pain she grabbed onto the object and pulled with all her might. It gave away and she fell backwards from the force.

She hit the ground with a hard thud only to have the wind knoocked out of her as something hard fell on top of her. In the dark she couldn't see what it was and she started to panic when something about the weight seemed familiar. She moved her hands along the shape

"Darien" she sighed in relief

"Serena" he moaned softly

Serena held him to her tightly. "Oh Darien I-" she broke off suddenly as something grabbed a hold of her foot and the same intense pain flowed through her as before. She cried out and jerked her foot away

"Darien get up" she pleaded and with her help they both got to their feet. If only they could make it back to the bed then they'd be safe from the mist. But where was it she couldn't see anything and she was so turned around she couldn't tell in which direction she had come from. She closed her eyes and trusting some inner instinct that had led her to Darien headed off in the direction she hoped would lead them back to safety.

Serena gave a great sigh of relief when she saw the faint light of the candle in the distance. Darien who was half being carried by her he was so weak raised his head with great effort. He started to say something when Serena let out a cry of pain.

Something was on her leg and working it way up the pain was even worse than before. She could feel herself growing weaker. Its draining my energy she thought with sudden understanding.

"Its the mist." she shouted in horror "We have to make it to the bed" she cried weakly the mist was quickly draining her of her energy.

"Serena" Darien cried out in alarm he knew better than anyone what was happening to her and the horrible pain she was in. With a burst of strength he pulled her out of the Mists grasp.

"Run Serena." they both rain for the bed.

"Where not going to make it" Serena cried out in despair

"Yes we are" Darien gasped they were almost there just a little further "Jump Serena."

The two of them jumped for the bed and landed on their faces. Darien sat up quickly pulling out his saber.

"It's alright" Serena gasped "Where safe for now as long as we stay on the bed"

"I don't know Serena we-"he gave a slight moan before he crumpled back down on the bed

"Darien!"

"I'm sorry Serena I'm still a little weak"

"Its more than that you've lost too much energy. You have to return to your body"

"No" he stated harshly and attempted to sit up only to fall back down in pain.

Serena placed his head in her lap and lowered her forehead onto his.

With tears spilling down her cheeks she begged him to leave her.

"Please my love go."

"No" he stated again even more harshly than before "I wont leave you." he tried once again to rise but this time he couldn't even raise himself off the bed "I cant Serena. I cant leave you"

"You have too." she pleaded "You cant hold this form much longer."

"Darien please" she begged placing her hands on each side of his head she leaned in to press her lips against his telling him without words of her love and her faith in him and the knowledge that they would be together again but that he had to leave her now.

In his kiss he responded that he understood but that he would be back and he would never leave her again and that he would live for the day when they would be reunited and with one last silent farewell he disappeared.

Serena felt his absence like a knife to her heart but she knew that he couldn't have stayed with her he had lost to much energy and to stay would have meant his death.

Her heart was filled with sorrow but she wasn't allowed to wallow long as a horrible roar split the air.

"I told you not to get off the bed." he roared angrily "I told you what would happen if the mist tasted you."

Damien was furious and hungry. He could feel the beast inside him clawing to get out. Through the mist he had tasted her sweet pure energy and he hungered for more. He tried to fight back his urges tried to ignore the memory of her sweet taste. He tried to remember that he wanted more from her than just her energy but the beast inside him refused to listen. It was hungry and what it ached for was within his reach he wouldn't back down until he devoured her.

"I warned you" he hissed just then the candle by the bed flickered and blew out leaving her once again in complete darkness. A horrible wind swept through the place so strong that the very bed she was sitting on began to shake. Serena closed her eyes and held her hands over her ears as the wind howled.

She let out a scream when claw like hands grabbed her. Her eyes flew open and she screamed again but this time in horror at the sight that greeted her. Red glowing eyes stared back at from the dark void.

"You tasted so sweet" he breathed harshly "Now we want more we need more."

She tried to pull away but he was too strong

"You've awakened the beast my Dear Serena and now he must be fed"