LISTEN EVERYONE. THERE IS AN INTIMATE SCENCE BETWEEN DARIEN AND SERENA IN
THIS CHAPTER. ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT TO GRAPHIC BECAUSE OF MY YOUNG READERS I
HOPE IT DOESN'T OFFEND ANYONES PARENTS. I MADE IT AS BRIEF AND AS NON
REVEALING AS POSSIBLE (SORRY FOR MY MORE MATURE READERS).ANY WAY I JUST
THOUGHT I'D SLIDE IN THIS LITTLE NOTICE. ENJOY
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Zosite actually felt herself trembling. Neither she nor any of the other generals could have withstood such an attack as the one that the Dark Prince had. At the very least he should have crawled away from that blast. But not only did he walk away from it he walked away without a scratch on him. And she didn't believe for one second that Beryl was as unconcerned as she'd like everyone to believe. He didn't even appear angry at her for attacking him and that unnerved her more than anything else.
She thought about Malachite and how he tried to warn her. She thought that he had been exaggerating the threat that Prince Darien posed. But now she knew that it was she who hadn't understood. But she was beginning to.
Tuxedo mask had always been a formidable opponent. And although it irked her to admit it he usually came out the winner in most of their scrimmages. And time had only made her enemy stronger. She had mistakenly thought that she was still dealing with the same person. But now she found out that, that wasn't so. He was more than simply her old nemesis. He was not only the Prince of the Earth but most importantly the Dark Prince of the Negaverse. And combined they made for a very powerful foe.
She had always been a fighter. Bowing to no one but her Queen. But now it seemed that the fates had joined together to create something unforeseen. Someone unexpected and someone who just might have the power to make them all bow before him. ........................ .....
He reached down and grabbed her by her shirt and yanked her high up off the ground. "It's time you learned a very important lesson Serena." He pushed her back until she was up against the trunk of a nearby tree. He then pressed his body against hers thereby trapping her between him and the tree.
"Please" Serena begged very much frightened by this side of him that she was seeing. "I don't understand." He was like a stranger to her. A dark and deadly stranger who now had in his possession the imperial silver Crystal.
His right hand came up to encircle her neck. "Stop playing games with me" he hissed
"I'm not" she cried tears streaming down her cheeks "I don't know what your talking about."
Darien shook his head. He struggled to keep his focus but the sight of those tears were doing strange thing to him and being so close to her wasn't helping the matter either. He fought to hold onto his anger and his grip on her neck tightened just a bit than an instant later the pressure was gone. " I wont be distracted" he growled "Now that I have the Crystal theirs nothing stopping me from destroying you."
"Why are you doing this?" Serena cried. Didn't he feel as she did? Had everything been a lie? Searing pain sliced through her at the thought. No, he had to feel something for her he just had too. .........................................
"I should never have let her come." he announced grimly
"You couldn't have stopped her."
He looked at her with anguished eyes "I can't let him hurt her any more."
"Destroying him isn't the answer. Please" she begged when she saw that he wasn't convinced "it can't end this way."
"Do you think I want it to be this way?" he whispered harshly "don't you think that I know that by destroying him I'm ending any chance we have to be together."
"Where together now." she replied softly
"Are we? He demanded harshly "Than touch me. Go on" he urged "reach out and touch me."
She let out a sharp gasp of pain. "You know that I cant. Why are you doing this?"
He took step towards her "I ache every day with the need to be with you. To be able to touch you. To once again to hold you in my arms and feel your lips against mine. I live for that day. But I can no longer ignore the danger to you by allowing him to live."
She blinked back her tears. "You'd leave me?"
His heart broke at those softly spoken words. "I(I couldn't bare it if I hurt you. I would rather die than see that happen."
She gave him a broken smile. "Without you I might as well be dead."
"Don't say that." his whispered harshly his throat tight with suppressed emotions.
"Why not? It's true. And no matter how much you want to convince yourself other wise I cant survive without you."
He let out a bitter laugh. "So either way I cant protect you. Either I destroy him or allow him to destroy her. It wont matter because either way you'll get hurt." He shook his head "I don't know what to do. I don't know how to save you." .....................................
Furious with himself Darien stepped back and away from her. How could he let tears and the pain he heard in her voice affect him like this? She was the enemy. He looked down at the locket clutched in his left hand. He stood there for second indecisive. Than before she knew what was happening he threw it at her. "Transform" he ordered
Serena caught the locket and then could only look at him in confusion
"Transform" he barked again
Serena had no idea what was going on but logic told her that as Sailormoon she'd have a better chance of standing against him at least until she got to the bottom of this.
Darien stepped back another few feet to watch her transform. And he couldn't believe his eyes for a brief but tantalizing moment he saw his golden goddess before him just like he's seen her in his dream. In all her glory. He felt his pulse quickening and damned her for this affect she had on him.
"What do you want from me he" growled when she finally stood before him as Sailormoon.
"To be with you. Just to be with you."
He sucked in a startle breath. Her words caused an unexpected reaction in him. The icy rage that had held him in its grip since he had learned who she really was began to thaw.
Sailormoon saw the change coming over him and just as she was about to threw herself in his arms she heard the cries of her Sailors.
"Neptune deep submerge"
"Uranus world shaker."
"No" Sailormoon yelled and jumped in front of him taking Neptune's and Uranus attack head on.
"Sailormoon" they cried as she fell to the ground
Darien looked down at her in disbelief. Why did she do that? He looked up at the Scouts who were conversing on them and before he knew it he was picking Sailormon up in his arms and then before their eyes he disappeared taking Sailormoon with him. .......................................
Sammy plopped down on the bed and lowered his head into his hands. The scouts had met up with Darien again only this time he had took Serena. He had to believe that she would be all right He knew that Darien would never hurt her. But he thought in a weak moment maybe the Dark Prince would. ..................................
He snuck her into Palace not understanding why he just didn't hand her and the Crystal over to Beryl. She was his enemy. So why was he helping her? He thought about that kiss in the cave and bit back a curse. He didn't need this complication he really didn't. But despite his protests he didn't tell anyone of her presence and he placed her in a healing pod to heal her wounds and to speed up her recovery.
When her injuries were healed he brought her to his chambers and laid her down on his bed. Confused and strangely excited he just watched her as she slept.
When Serena awoke the first thing she noticed was that she was no longer Sailormoon and that she was in unfamiliar bed in a strange room.
"I see you're awake"
Startled Serena jerked up in bed and turned to where the voice had come from
"You" she gasped when he stepped out of the shadows. She looked around her with new eyes "Where am I?"
"Your in Beryl's palace. In my chambers."
"Am I your prisoner?"
"I don't know" he admitted, "I haven't alerted anyone of your presence"
"Why?"
He approached the bed and came to sit down next to her. "I'm not sure" he paused "maybe because of this" he said softly and raised his hand to caress her cheek "or this" as he lowered his head to hers.
Their first kiss had been hot and steamy. This time he showed her how gentle he could be. He kissed her slowly and thoroughly. Taking his time he worshipped her lips with his own. After some time had passed he pulled back slightly to look down at the beauty in his arms and muttered harshly "Has anyone ever told you how dangerous you are?" And she was. She was a danger to his peace of mind and to all of his plans. Because when she was in his arms everything else cease to matter.
Before she could respond he took her lips in another kiss only this one was soft or gentle but hot and hard and it laid claim to her. Before long they were lost in each other. Nothing else existed. Nothing else mattered. Not who they were or what they were fighting for. Nothing existed in their world but each other. That was why she didn't even protest when she found herself back against the bed with him over her. Nor did she protest when he reached for the hem of her shirt. It felt right. It felt familiar.
Every kiss every caress was like some long forgotten dream and their hearts cried out.
I know her I know him
She belongs to me He belongs to me
Everything seemed so familiar to him. Every sigh every sound she made was like an echo of another time another place. But something was missing.
"Darien. My name is Darien."
"Darien" she gasped and everything was perfect.
Some time later as she lay in his arms her head resting on his chest she asked him something that had been troubling her.
"Darien is this for real?"
He looked down at her in confusion not understanding the question.
"I'm just scared that this is all a dream and that I'm going to wake up any moment. And that you wont be there."
"Just don't think about it."
"But-"
He stopped her protests with a kiss. He knew they couldn't have anything but this one night. She was a weakness he couldn't afford. He thought again about keeping her but pushed the thought from his mind. It would never work she was all that was good in the world and well he wasn't. After tonight it will be harder to face her in battle if not impossible but he couldn't let her disrupt his plans not even if apart of him wanted to. Maybe it would be easier for the both of them if they could convince themselves that this was just a dream. A brief, wonderful dream.
....................................
That night the Scouts didn't sleep a wink. They were all too worried about Serena and their future. It was early that morning when Mercury's mini computer gave off a few beeps.
"What is it?" Jupiter asked tiredly
Mercury who was now studying it looked up in excitement "Its Sailormoon's communicator. I'm getting a reading."
The Scouts all jerked up
"Where?" Uranus asked hurriedly already heading for the door.
"The Park. Exactly the same spot we were at yesterday."
"Let's go." Mars stated "But be prepared. This might be a trap."
When they arrived at the park they didn't find Sailormoon but Serena lying down on a bench.
"What's going on?" Venus questioned
"I don't know. Keep an eye out for the enemy" Uranus advised
"Ummmm" Serena moaned
"She's waking up"
Jupiter knelt down beside her "Serena. Serena are you alright?"
Serena's eyes opened slowly taking in her surroundings then with a cry she sat up on the bench.
"No" she cried the sound torn from her heart. The scouts looked on in concern as she then proceeded to sob uncontrollably
Darien watched from a distance. He felt her pain like it was his own. He was so confused. He didn't know why she affected him like this. Words she had whispered to him around dawn came back to haunt him.
"Your so beautiful" he murmured caressing her bare back
You make(me feel("
When she didn't finish he smiled thinking she had finally fallen asleep
"Alive" she finished softly
He looked down at her sharply but this time she really was asleep
He looked at her now surrounded by her friends and finally understood what she had meant. He had lived with an emptiness inside of him for as long as he could remember. He had thought it was because of the darkness that dwelled in his soul. But now he knew that until he met her he had only been half alive. And yet it had to end. The feeling she inspired in him were dangerous. She was a weakness that he could not allow himself to afford. Knowing there was nothing left for him here he left her to her friends.
"What was that?" Mercury cried
"What?" Neptune asked anxiously looking all around "Is it a trap?"
"There was a blip on my computer it was only for a second but it could have been the enemy. It came from over there" she said pointing at a cluster of trees
As soon as the words were out her mouth Serena was up and running
"Serena wait" they cried
Serena ignored them her eyes searching the trees and the surrounding area frantically looking for any sign of him but there was nothing. She dropped to her knees in despair. Oh Darien. It was only then did she notice she was clutching her locket. She still had the Crystal. He didn't take it. And for some reason that made her cry all the more harder.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Zosite actually felt herself trembling. Neither she nor any of the other generals could have withstood such an attack as the one that the Dark Prince had. At the very least he should have crawled away from that blast. But not only did he walk away from it he walked away without a scratch on him. And she didn't believe for one second that Beryl was as unconcerned as she'd like everyone to believe. He didn't even appear angry at her for attacking him and that unnerved her more than anything else.
She thought about Malachite and how he tried to warn her. She thought that he had been exaggerating the threat that Prince Darien posed. But now she knew that it was she who hadn't understood. But she was beginning to.
Tuxedo mask had always been a formidable opponent. And although it irked her to admit it he usually came out the winner in most of their scrimmages. And time had only made her enemy stronger. She had mistakenly thought that she was still dealing with the same person. But now she found out that, that wasn't so. He was more than simply her old nemesis. He was not only the Prince of the Earth but most importantly the Dark Prince of the Negaverse. And combined they made for a very powerful foe.
She had always been a fighter. Bowing to no one but her Queen. But now it seemed that the fates had joined together to create something unforeseen. Someone unexpected and someone who just might have the power to make them all bow before him. ........................ .....
He reached down and grabbed her by her shirt and yanked her high up off the ground. "It's time you learned a very important lesson Serena." He pushed her back until she was up against the trunk of a nearby tree. He then pressed his body against hers thereby trapping her between him and the tree.
"Please" Serena begged very much frightened by this side of him that she was seeing. "I don't understand." He was like a stranger to her. A dark and deadly stranger who now had in his possession the imperial silver Crystal.
His right hand came up to encircle her neck. "Stop playing games with me" he hissed
"I'm not" she cried tears streaming down her cheeks "I don't know what your talking about."
Darien shook his head. He struggled to keep his focus but the sight of those tears were doing strange thing to him and being so close to her wasn't helping the matter either. He fought to hold onto his anger and his grip on her neck tightened just a bit than an instant later the pressure was gone. " I wont be distracted" he growled "Now that I have the Crystal theirs nothing stopping me from destroying you."
"Why are you doing this?" Serena cried. Didn't he feel as she did? Had everything been a lie? Searing pain sliced through her at the thought. No, he had to feel something for her he just had too. .........................................
"I should never have let her come." he announced grimly
"You couldn't have stopped her."
He looked at her with anguished eyes "I can't let him hurt her any more."
"Destroying him isn't the answer. Please" she begged when she saw that he wasn't convinced "it can't end this way."
"Do you think I want it to be this way?" he whispered harshly "don't you think that I know that by destroying him I'm ending any chance we have to be together."
"Where together now." she replied softly
"Are we? He demanded harshly "Than touch me. Go on" he urged "reach out and touch me."
She let out a sharp gasp of pain. "You know that I cant. Why are you doing this?"
He took step towards her "I ache every day with the need to be with you. To be able to touch you. To once again to hold you in my arms and feel your lips against mine. I live for that day. But I can no longer ignore the danger to you by allowing him to live."
She blinked back her tears. "You'd leave me?"
His heart broke at those softly spoken words. "I(I couldn't bare it if I hurt you. I would rather die than see that happen."
She gave him a broken smile. "Without you I might as well be dead."
"Don't say that." his whispered harshly his throat tight with suppressed emotions.
"Why not? It's true. And no matter how much you want to convince yourself other wise I cant survive without you."
He let out a bitter laugh. "So either way I cant protect you. Either I destroy him or allow him to destroy her. It wont matter because either way you'll get hurt." He shook his head "I don't know what to do. I don't know how to save you." .....................................
Furious with himself Darien stepped back and away from her. How could he let tears and the pain he heard in her voice affect him like this? She was the enemy. He looked down at the locket clutched in his left hand. He stood there for second indecisive. Than before she knew what was happening he threw it at her. "Transform" he ordered
Serena caught the locket and then could only look at him in confusion
"Transform" he barked again
Serena had no idea what was going on but logic told her that as Sailormoon she'd have a better chance of standing against him at least until she got to the bottom of this.
Darien stepped back another few feet to watch her transform. And he couldn't believe his eyes for a brief but tantalizing moment he saw his golden goddess before him just like he's seen her in his dream. In all her glory. He felt his pulse quickening and damned her for this affect she had on him.
"What do you want from me he" growled when she finally stood before him as Sailormoon.
"To be with you. Just to be with you."
He sucked in a startle breath. Her words caused an unexpected reaction in him. The icy rage that had held him in its grip since he had learned who she really was began to thaw.
Sailormoon saw the change coming over him and just as she was about to threw herself in his arms she heard the cries of her Sailors.
"Neptune deep submerge"
"Uranus world shaker."
"No" Sailormoon yelled and jumped in front of him taking Neptune's and Uranus attack head on.
"Sailormoon" they cried as she fell to the ground
Darien looked down at her in disbelief. Why did she do that? He looked up at the Scouts who were conversing on them and before he knew it he was picking Sailormon up in his arms and then before their eyes he disappeared taking Sailormoon with him. .......................................
Sammy plopped down on the bed and lowered his head into his hands. The scouts had met up with Darien again only this time he had took Serena. He had to believe that she would be all right He knew that Darien would never hurt her. But he thought in a weak moment maybe the Dark Prince would. ..................................
He snuck her into Palace not understanding why he just didn't hand her and the Crystal over to Beryl. She was his enemy. So why was he helping her? He thought about that kiss in the cave and bit back a curse. He didn't need this complication he really didn't. But despite his protests he didn't tell anyone of her presence and he placed her in a healing pod to heal her wounds and to speed up her recovery.
When her injuries were healed he brought her to his chambers and laid her down on his bed. Confused and strangely excited he just watched her as she slept.
When Serena awoke the first thing she noticed was that she was no longer Sailormoon and that she was in unfamiliar bed in a strange room.
"I see you're awake"
Startled Serena jerked up in bed and turned to where the voice had come from
"You" she gasped when he stepped out of the shadows. She looked around her with new eyes "Where am I?"
"Your in Beryl's palace. In my chambers."
"Am I your prisoner?"
"I don't know" he admitted, "I haven't alerted anyone of your presence"
"Why?"
He approached the bed and came to sit down next to her. "I'm not sure" he paused "maybe because of this" he said softly and raised his hand to caress her cheek "or this" as he lowered his head to hers.
Their first kiss had been hot and steamy. This time he showed her how gentle he could be. He kissed her slowly and thoroughly. Taking his time he worshipped her lips with his own. After some time had passed he pulled back slightly to look down at the beauty in his arms and muttered harshly "Has anyone ever told you how dangerous you are?" And she was. She was a danger to his peace of mind and to all of his plans. Because when she was in his arms everything else cease to matter.
Before she could respond he took her lips in another kiss only this one was soft or gentle but hot and hard and it laid claim to her. Before long they were lost in each other. Nothing else existed. Nothing else mattered. Not who they were or what they were fighting for. Nothing existed in their world but each other. That was why she didn't even protest when she found herself back against the bed with him over her. Nor did she protest when he reached for the hem of her shirt. It felt right. It felt familiar.
Every kiss every caress was like some long forgotten dream and their hearts cried out.
I know her I know him
She belongs to me He belongs to me
Everything seemed so familiar to him. Every sigh every sound she made was like an echo of another time another place. But something was missing.
"Darien. My name is Darien."
"Darien" she gasped and everything was perfect.
Some time later as she lay in his arms her head resting on his chest she asked him something that had been troubling her.
"Darien is this for real?"
He looked down at her in confusion not understanding the question.
"I'm just scared that this is all a dream and that I'm going to wake up any moment. And that you wont be there."
"Just don't think about it."
"But-"
He stopped her protests with a kiss. He knew they couldn't have anything but this one night. She was a weakness he couldn't afford. He thought again about keeping her but pushed the thought from his mind. It would never work she was all that was good in the world and well he wasn't. After tonight it will be harder to face her in battle if not impossible but he couldn't let her disrupt his plans not even if apart of him wanted to. Maybe it would be easier for the both of them if they could convince themselves that this was just a dream. A brief, wonderful dream.
....................................
That night the Scouts didn't sleep a wink. They were all too worried about Serena and their future. It was early that morning when Mercury's mini computer gave off a few beeps.
"What is it?" Jupiter asked tiredly
Mercury who was now studying it looked up in excitement "Its Sailormoon's communicator. I'm getting a reading."
The Scouts all jerked up
"Where?" Uranus asked hurriedly already heading for the door.
"The Park. Exactly the same spot we were at yesterday."
"Let's go." Mars stated "But be prepared. This might be a trap."
When they arrived at the park they didn't find Sailormoon but Serena lying down on a bench.
"What's going on?" Venus questioned
"I don't know. Keep an eye out for the enemy" Uranus advised
"Ummmm" Serena moaned
"She's waking up"
Jupiter knelt down beside her "Serena. Serena are you alright?"
Serena's eyes opened slowly taking in her surroundings then with a cry she sat up on the bench.
"No" she cried the sound torn from her heart. The scouts looked on in concern as she then proceeded to sob uncontrollably
Darien watched from a distance. He felt her pain like it was his own. He was so confused. He didn't know why she affected him like this. Words she had whispered to him around dawn came back to haunt him.
"Your so beautiful" he murmured caressing her bare back
You make(me feel("
When she didn't finish he smiled thinking she had finally fallen asleep
"Alive" she finished softly
He looked down at her sharply but this time she really was asleep
He looked at her now surrounded by her friends and finally understood what she had meant. He had lived with an emptiness inside of him for as long as he could remember. He had thought it was because of the darkness that dwelled in his soul. But now he knew that until he met her he had only been half alive. And yet it had to end. The feeling she inspired in him were dangerous. She was a weakness that he could not allow himself to afford. Knowing there was nothing left for him here he left her to her friends.
"What was that?" Mercury cried
"What?" Neptune asked anxiously looking all around "Is it a trap?"
"There was a blip on my computer it was only for a second but it could have been the enemy. It came from over there" she said pointing at a cluster of trees
As soon as the words were out her mouth Serena was up and running
"Serena wait" they cried
Serena ignored them her eyes searching the trees and the surrounding area frantically looking for any sign of him but there was nothing. She dropped to her knees in despair. Oh Darien. It was only then did she notice she was clutching her locket. She still had the Crystal. He didn't take it. And for some reason that made her cry all the more harder.