CHAPTER TEN

Serena couldn't remember ever being so frightened. The sight of those blazing red eyes staring back at from the abyss was enough to totally freak her out.

"I warned you" he hissed angrily giving her a hard shake "I told you what would happen if you got off the bed. I had such plans for you Serena but now its too late I've tasted the sweetness of your energy and I hunger for more.

Serena let out a cry as she was suddenly jerked into his arms squeezing her eyes shut she whimpered in fear as she felt his hot breath against her throat. She was helpless against him he was so strong and without her locket she was powerless to stop him.

Damien felt the hunger for her energy clawing at him. It was too soon but their was nothing he could do now. For thousands of years he had searched for one such as she one whose lightness matched his darkness he had found her once during the silver millennium but she was snatched from his grasp by the interference from that infidel Queen Beryl and now before he could get what he needed from her she was about to perish for once he started consuming her energy he wouldn't be able to stop until he had consumed all of it.

He was more than a being who lives in the darkness and feeds off the light he was a warrior. A warrior who relished the heat of battle and enjoyed a good fight but all through the centuries all he found were easy prey who fell quickly in battle against him. And now the warrior inside of him craved for a real battle against the light

And he believed that in Serena he had finally found what he had been searching for, for so long. A worthy opponent. But now it was too late already he could feel the mist closing in on them and his own hunger for her was all but consuming him. He had to have her energy. It had been centuries since he had tasted one so pure so sweet and he knew that once he started to feed he wouldn't stop until there wasnt'a drop of energy left in her body.

He felt the mist close in around them and knew it was time.

The part of him that was mostly beast growled its satisfaction as the hunger took over overriding any lingering regret as they began to feed off her.

Serena never knew anything could hurt so much before she had only felt a glimpse of what Darien must have gone through when the mist had him in its grasp but now she felt the full measure of it and she began to scream in agony. Her attempts to break his hold increased tenfold but his grip was unbreakable and it wasn't long before she began to weaken. As she lay limp in his arms her only thought was of Darien and that he was safe.

She could feel herself growing weaker soon even the pain began to fade and all she felt was a calm serenity with the knowledge of those who had past before she knew that soon the pain would be gone and that she'd be safe. At that thought Serena finally stopped struggling and excepted her fate.

"No Serena you cant" Darien's voiced echoed in her head

"Darien?" she moaned

"You have to fight Serena. You cant give up."

"So...tired" she muttered sleepily

"Fight him Serena." He commanded

"Cant...don't have the crystal"

"Serena you have to fight back before its too late. Do it for us for our friends we all need you so much."

Serena frowned his voice was growing weaker as if they were growing farther apart she knew what it was costing him to communicate with her like this even in his weakened condition he refused to give up and he refused to let her give up. She could do this they needed her and she needed them.

Damien was lost to everything but the taste of her. One taste hadn't been enough and now he knew he wouldn't be able to stop until he had consumed all of her energy. Even as she grew weaker he continued to feed he knew it would be over soon that she was barely hanging on so he was totally taken off guard when a bright light split the air burning him with its purity. He let Serena go and roared his rage as pain seared through him. He leaped back eager to escape not prepared for the attack.

When he was once again enclosed in the darkness he was able to regain control of the beast inside him so when he approached Serena on the bed and sat down next to her he was in complete control of his hunger. She lay their past out and completely helpless but he didn't finish her off she had stopped him from feeding that it self was unheard of but that she had accomplished this by using a power she had no idea she even had was amazing and he was very impressed. He had chosen well.

"Master?"

He stood as his companion and creation Sasha she came to him in her human form as a beautiful red head with cold grey eyes that when rested on him grew a few shades warmer. She gave the figure on the bed a quick once over she recognized the signs of her master having fed and paused in amazement when she heard the faint but real sound of a heartbeat. Walking up to him she wrapped her arms around him.

You haven't finished your meal?

Damien barely looked at her. "So I see your finally awake." he stated before removing her arms and stepping closer to Serena. "She's very weak return her to her friends I have no use for her until she regains her strength"

Sasha gave him a look of confusion than of understanding she gave the figure on the bed another look "She's the one you've been searching for? she asked her voice laced with disbelief

"Yes now do as I say" with another look at Serena he faded into the mist

Sasha studied the weak human laying on the bed and could find nothing remarkable about her she supposed some men might find her attractive. Sasha let out a gasp as another thought occurred to her. Did Damien find her attractive? No it couldn't be but the way Damien had looked at her gave her pause and she had never known her master to stop feeding once he had begun especially when their was still even a drop of energy left.

Sasha's cold grey eyes grew colder as she looked at the pathetic human lying so helplessly in the bed. Damien was hers she was his most perfect creation and he loved her above all else and she wasn't about to let anything or one come between them especially not this mere slip of a girl. She would watch the situation carefully and if he gave any signs of wanting more from this girl than her energy She'd destroy the girl herself and suffer her masters wraith gladly.

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The Scouts who were giving their energy to Darien refused to give up even to the point where they could barely keep their eyes open. It was Luna who first noticed the change in him.

At first when Darien had been attacked he thrashed around on the bed and yelled bloody murder at the top of his lungs it was all they could do to restrain him but quickly that changed as more of his energy was drained the weaker he became until it came to the point where he was as quite and as still as death. But now she detected a faint movement from him the first time he had moved in hours.

"I thinks what's ever been draining his energy has stopped" she confided to Artemis.

Artemis agreed but to make sure he ran over to check Darien's vitals on Mercury's mini computer. His relief was heartfelt when he told them it was over.

"Is he going to be alright" Venus asked in concern "Does he have enough energy?"

"He's going to be fine" Artemis assured them "He just needs to rest" he gave the scouts a hard stare "Its what you all need"

The Scouts gave a collected sigh of relief as they stopped the transfer of energy and giving one another a weak smile they past out from exhaustion.

Artemis looked over at them and felt very proud of them. "Our girls did it Luna they saved him" when Luna didn't respond Artemis turned to look at her and found her head hung down in front of her. Murmuring his concern he hurried over to her side.

"Luna? What's wrong?"

Luna looked up at him her eyes swelling with tears. "Yes they did good but we could have lost them Artemis and with Serena missing and now Darien being attacked" she shook her head angrily "I don't know what's going on I'm suppose to guide them but I don't know what to do."

"It's alright Luna The girls and Darien made it through this and when they've recovered their strength will find Serena and get her back" he promised earnestly

Luan started to respond when she saw something out of the corner of her eye that had her eyes widening in apprehension.

"Artemis look out" she cried

Artemis turned to see what it was that had her so afraid and than he too saw it it was like a dark cloud of black smoke and it was entering the bedroom through the open window.

"Run Luna" he cried but it was to late the black cloud was apon them and soon they were engulfed by it.