CHAPTER TEN

He watched her through half closed lids. He almost smiled as he watched her silently debating with herself. Although he wished she would hurry he was freezing. He ignored his natural inclination to curl himself up into a ball he wanted to appear as approachable as possible and now it looked, as it was about to pay off.

He watched and waited as she started to make her way over to him on all fours. He closed his eyes and forced himself to relax not wanting her to know that he had been awake and watching her but they flew open when he felt her moving between his legs.

He watched her scoot and lean carefully back against him. He didn't know why he felt the need to shock her but he enjoyed her small screech immensely when he closed his arms around her.

He realized he enjoyed getting a rise out of her maybe too much. She was the enemy after all. He should take the Crystal from her now and be done with it. He started to reach for her brooch when something unexpected happened. She turned in his arms and curled up against his chest.

He looked down at her in surprise. She was so trusting and although it made his job easier he made no move for the Crystal. He tried to concentrate on the fact that she was the enemy and not how perfectly she fitted against him.

He had realized the danger too late because while being so close to her protected them from the cold it also caused another problem . He was starting to feel something and the feelings were so unexpected and alien to him that he was starting to think that the cold wasn't so bad after all. It would keep him from wondering about all kinds of things like what it would be like to twine those golden locks around his hand to feel them sliding through his fingers.

He shook his head angrily he didn't understand what was happening to him he was used to feeling many things but these emotions she was inspiring were unfamiliar to him and he didn't know how to deal with them. He heard her let out a soft sigh just before she began rubbing her cheek against him chest. She was trying to drive him crazy? He cried silently while biting back a groan

He had to stay in control he couldn't give into these urges if only she didn't feel so good in his arms if only he didn't want to kiss her so badly. Suddenly without warning her shot up off his chest and once their eyes met he was lost.

They said that every great warrior has an Achilles heel and he was starting to think he had just met his when she licked her lips and he felt as hunger he had no idea existed he knew with a certainty that he had to get away from her before he surrendered to this need that had sprung up out of no where

He heard her pleading to be let go and knew that was for the best and was about to do just that when she did the unthinkable. She licked her lips again. All thoughts of letting her go were forgotten only the need to know if those lips tasted as sweet as they looked remained and he set out to find the answer.

Sailormoon watched in disbelief as that dark head drew closer she knew she should be trying to break free but the pull was to strong she had wanted this since the first time she had laid eyes on him and right now it didn't matter who he was or if it was wrong or not nothing mattered except this

Their lips met in an explosion of heat that consumed them both. Sailormoon couldn't believe this was real she never knew a kiss could be so powerful.

Everything she was feeling was overwhelming she reached out to grab onto him and felt him wince. Reluctantly she drew away but his head followed

"Sweet so sweet" he groaned as his lips once again searched for hers

"Wait" she said breathlessly "your shoulder"

"Forget about it. Its nothing"

Sailormoon reached over and tapped it and he flinched. She looked at him in concern before saying softly "take off your shirt"

………………

"What was Jedite up to? He missed us by a mile" Venus stated curiously

"I think he meant to" Jupiter stated but was confused as to why

"He was aiming for that cave over there" Neptune said pointing at it "Well what's left of it."

"Why would Jedite want to destroy that cave?" Uranus wondered out loud then stood stock still in horror as a thought occurred to her. "Where's Sailormoon?"

………………………….

Sailormoon had a hard time controlling her breathing as he started removing his shirt. He was so masculine and just plain hot. And from the way he was looking at her he knew exactly how it was affecting her. But concern soon over rode everything else when she saw him grimace as he was shrugging it off his shoulders. She got behind him and what she saw made the breath catch in her throat. His whole back was covered in blood.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Its only a scratch. Its no big deal"

Sailormoon tore off a piece of her skirt and started cleaning away the blood and than she found the root of the problem He had a large splinter lodge in his shoulder

"You call this nothing" she cried imaging the pain he must be in

He looked at her over his shoulder. He didn't know what to make of her. She was upset because he was hurt?

Sailormoon bit her lip nervously that piece of wood seemed to really be imbedded in their but it had to come out.

"This might hurt" she whispered tearfully before grabbing the end that was sticking out. She felt him tense but he didn't make a sound not even when she began to pull it out.

She nearly burst into tears when she lost her grip on it. It was so slippery from his blood that it was hard to keep a handle on . When she lost her grip for the third time she knew she couldn't go through it again. Even though he hadn't made a sound she knew it was causing him tremendous amount of pain. She had to use the Crystal it shouldn't take to much out of her besides she didn't have a choice.

She rested her hand on his bare shoulder and had to force herself to concentrate she was about to activate the crystal when he turned around sharply and grabbed her by the wrist.

"What are you doing?" He growled

Sailormoon swallowed nervously "I'm going to use the Crystal to heal your shoulder we don't know how long where going to be trapped down here and it might get infected."

He looked at her suspiciously "Heal my shoulder? And that's all?

She nodded her eyes begging for him to trust her.

He knew he shouldn't trust her but what she said made sense and once his shoulder was healed their will be nothing to stop them from continuing where they left off. That thought alone made him anxious to get it over with

"Alright do it."

He felt the warmth of her hand on his back again and then another warmth took its place.

Sailormoon concentrated on removing the splinter and healing the wound. When she was done the wound was healed and she rested weakly against his back

Darien sat their for a minute he knew his shoulder was fixed but that wasn't all she had done. Knowingly or unknowingly she had given him enough energy to leave this place if he so choose to. He had also felt the power of the Crystal and he knew its potential and what he could do with it.

He jumped up startled she stood up and looked at him in confusion than she started backing away from him. He was looking at her funny. She felt the wall against her back and knew she was trapped. Very nervous now she started to babble.

"How much air do you think we have down here? Do you think we'll be stuck down here for long? I mean we have no food no water. What are we going to do?

He walked over to her silently and pressed himself against her so now she was trapped between him and the wall.

Take the brooch a voice inside him cried. No kiss her. Another one cried Take the brooch. Kiss her. Both these thoughts ran around in his head. He wanted the Crystal. Beryl wanted the Crystal. But he also wanted to kiss her again. Both desires were strong and they waged war on one another.

Sailormoon didn't know what was going on but acting on instinct she raised her hand and ran her fingers through his hair

He trembled at her touch and with eyes burning hot he began to slowly lower his head down to her.

Sailormoon loved the feel of his hair and as his head began to lower towards hers she could only whisper "yes"

But the kiss never came just as their lips were about to touch they both heard it

"Sailormoon? Sailormoon can you hear us? Are you in there?"

"It's the Scouts" she gasped in surprise

Darien growled low in the throat. The Sailor Scouts their timing as always stunk but no matter their will be a next time He reached out and grabbed her hair twining it around his hand he brought it up to his face and inhaled it's sweet fragrance than without word he disappeared

Sailormoon crumbled to the floor. He was gone.

"Sailormoon can you hear us? Sailormoon?"

For a split second she thought about not answering maybe if they went away he'd come back but she knew she was being ridiculous he was gone and she couldn't worry her friends needlessly.

"I'm here" she cried

……………

"Are you sure you alright." Mina asked in concern

"For the last time I'm fine it wasn't all that bad down their. She turned to look at everyone they had all been determined to walk her home even after she told them it wasn't necessary

"You had to be scared" Mina insisted "sitting alone in the dark with all those rats and spiders and who knows what else. You could have had one sitting right next to you and never know it

"Mina" the other girls cried

.It's alright guys really I just need some rest. I'll call you all tomorrow bye

Serena waved goodbye and with relief they all started to leave she hated lying to them but telling them the Dark Prince had been stuck down their with her would have left her wide open for a whole lot of questions that she didn't want to answer. Head hung low she entered the house.

And as soon as she walked through the front door her father was their shouting questions at her. "Who is he? Why haven't I met him? Where does he live? Where did you met him? Does he go to school? Is he working out? How come I haven't heard anything about this boy before?"

Mrs. Tsukino walked up and put a hand on her husbands arm giving Serena an apologetic look "Dear calm down I told him you might have a young man and he just went off from their.

"So who is this young man" her father demanded

There is no young man she stated before heading up stairs

Mr. Tskino gave his wife a smug look "See I told you."

But Mrs. Tuskino wasn't paying her husband any mind she was looking up at her daughters retreating back with a frown something wasn't right.

"So" Sammy cried barging in her room and plopping himself down on the floor beside her bed "tell me about this guy and why wont you let mom and dad meet him?"

"Get out" Serena sighed

"Come on Serena I'm your brother I'm suppose to check out all the guys you date it's my right"

"There is no guy now will you leave" she cried close to tears. She didn't want to talk to anyone about him she wouldn't know what to say. What would she tell them hey guys I think I'm falling in love with the enemy or Hey Mom and Dad there is a boy but I think he's more interested in this Crystal I guard than me yes didn't you know I'm Sailormoon also known as the Princess of the Moon and the man I'm interested in is the loyal servant of Beryl, Queen of the Negaverse and he plans to rule this planet by her side.

Serena didn't notice the tears but she became aware of them when her brother got off the floor and joined her on the bed and took her in his arms.

Serena tried to hold back but all this time of putting up a front and having no one to confide in wouldn't let her hold out for long the first sob caught her by surprise and by the third one she was afraid she'd never be able to stop.

……………….

Malachite was kneeling in front a statue in one of Beryl's prisons when Prince Darien walked up on him

"Malachite is this what it takes to bring you to your Knees a statue of a woman?

Malachite got quickly to his feet "What are you doing here? He snarled standing in front of the statue protectively

Darien smiled but his eyes were hard. "Someone decided to play a little joke on me today and collapsed a cave I happened to be in.

"It wasn't me. Now leave."

"Oh I know it wasn't you" Darien said softly looking over the statue so this is Zosite I hear Beryl imprisoned her in stone until a time she felt Zosite was ready to be released something about past mistakes.

":If you know it wasn't me than why are you here?" He asked sharply ignoring his reference to Zosite

Darien smiled and started walking around the room. Malachite followed him with his eyes not about to let him out of his sight. He wasn't fooled like Beryl he knew how dangerous Prince Darien really was. In fact he believe that he was the only who suspected just how dangerous to all of them he was.

"I already know whose responsible but if one person would dare than so might another." He stated menacingly

He stopped for a second to look Malachite in the eye and before Malachite knew it Prince Darien was leaning against the statue. Malachite never even saw him move one minute he was across the room starring at him and the next he was standing in front of him next to the very thing he was the most desperate to protect

Prince Darien reached up to caress her stone cheek very lovely it's a shame that Beryl might never change her mind and release her from her imprisonment it's a pity Sailormoon's not here with her Crystal I'm sure she would take pity on poor Zosite and change her back to normal. She's so delicate and fragile why one fall and she could be gone forever

"Get away from her" Malachite bit off angrily

Smiling Darien backed up holding out his hands. "It was just an observation" he stated and then his smile faded "but it could happen. You should watch your step it would be a shame to lose someone you love twice."

Malachite watched him leave without saying a word before turning to face Zosite

"Oh my love what am I to do?"

Prince Darien watched him unobserved he had planted the seed now it was time to stand back and watch it grow.

"I told you Sailormoon love is a weakness and that is why I want no part of it"

"That's so sad" a voice whispered softly

Startled Prince Darien swung around "Whose there?"

When she walked out of the shadows he thought he was hallucinating. It was his golden goddess from his dream.