A/N: For Warning and Disclaimer, redirect back to the PROLOGUE

Chapter 4: Ominous Dreams

Argilla awoke to the warmth that surrounded her body. She looked around herself and saw that she was lying down on a bed; she also noticed a pair of arms securing her body.

"Serph…" she smiled slowly. As she slowly tried to pry his arms off her, they automatically tightened. "Instinct…"

She called out to him again, "Serph…"

Hearing her voice, Serph slowly opened his eyes but nuzzled back in her warmth. He needed this, he thought. After arriving at the city a few hours before, he carried not one but two unconscious members. He stayed at both their bedsides until either of them awoke. Gale's condition had stabilized and was recovering, and because of the demon virus, his recovery was nothing but miraculous. Argilla, on the other hand, was harder to predict as she had lost consciousness so suddenly. Her physical examination came back negative for the presence of wounds and her bloodstream proved clear of any kind of poison or toxins.

They then came to the conclusion that her problem was purely psychological. Tension? Anxiety?

She called his name once more, "Serph…help me up…"

Serph slowly disentangled himself from her and looked her straight in the eyes. He held her hands tight and his eyes shone with bright curiosity. He wanted to know what went wrong. Argilla refused to meet his eyes and looked away.

'Those eyes…' she thought with fright. 'Those eyes looked like Serph's eyes…but it couldn't be his…They couldn't be his eyes…'

Serph titled her face to meet his gaze and she obliged to the persuasive tug of his slender fingers.

"Serph…I'm sorry. I've been a burden to the group…and to you…" she said sadly and regretfully. Serph shook his head, "No…you haven't…What happened?"

Argilla's eyes widened slightly at hearing his voice. His voice was like a melody to her ears as it wasn't always that he chose to speak. She opened her mouth to say something but held back. She sighed and tried again, "I…had a dream. No! It wasn't a dream…it was more like a memory."

Serph nodded and encouraged her to continue.

"I was in this dark place…I don't really know but then, I felt extreme pain in my body…in my chest." Serph grasped her hand tightly in support. Argilla's heartbeat hastened, "I felt like I was…like I was…being devoured!"

Argilla's back slumped and tears flowed freely in her cheeks. Serph took one of his hands and wiped them as soon as them came. Argilla looked up at him and continued, "I remember…looking at the face of my devourer…"

Serph furrowed his brows in anticipation; anyone who hurt Argilla would pay. Her eyes were so filled with terror and fright that they bore holes into his own eyes.

"Serph…his eyes…his eyes looked…exactly like yours!" she suddenly burst out. Serph blinked back in surprise as a flash engulfed his mind. There. He saw everything…he saw himself fighting Heat…and killing him. It was in a laboratory and Sera had seen it. He saw himself having an argument with Argilla. He saw himself hitting her and disabling her before transforming and lunging himself at her. For the first time, he saw himself for what he really was. He was a monster. Humanity? He had no humanity in him. He was just a cold-blooded monster that was incapable of such concepts.

As the visions faded, his body shook with shame and he removed his hands from her and started to walk out of the room. Argilla watched him leave and made no move to stop him. She didn't fear Serph; she loved him, but the question was…what he felt towards her now…now that he too had remembered what had transpired between them long ago.

Serph stopped at the door and looked at her. She saw sadness and deep regret in them. She bit her lip and wondered if it was wise to have told him about her dreams…about her memories.

He mouthed the words to her, "I'm sorry…I love you." and left her in her room.

"Serph! Wait! Don't leave me! Serph come back!" she shouted after him but he did not heed her words.

xxxxx

Serph walked through the hallways of the inn and almost bumped into Cielo.

"Ey brudda! Wat's hapennin? Did Argilla wake up from her beauty sleep?" he asked expectantly. Serph nodded slowly and began to walk again.

Cielo scratched his head in confusion, "Huh? Lover's spat most likely." he concluded and proceeded to Argilla's room.

'Why? Why have I done that to them? To Heat…? To Argilla?'

Serph felt frustration engulf him. He loved Argilla…but how could he do that to her? He loved her, that was true but did he love her back then? His mind worked up the possible scenarios and conclusions and rationalizations for his past actions.

"I'm a monster…"

xxxxx

Argilla got dressed and headed towards the door to find Serph only to find Cielo and Roland walking through the door. "Hey guys! Did you see Serph anywhere?" she asked anxiously. "Give me a break Argilla. I just came from my room. How about you Cielo?" Roland asked. "Serph? Yeah, I just bumped into him in de hallway. Say, Argilla?"

"What?" she snapped impatiently.

"Umm well…did something happen between you two? Serph seemed upset, ja?"

Argilla shook her head, not wanting to answer his questions, "Not now Cielo. I gotta go! Take care of Gale for me!"

With that, she dashed out of the room. "Man…brudda, she didn't even notice you eh?"

Roland blinked, "Wha?"

Cielo grinned, "Don't be naïve wid me brudda! Cielo has eyes! Word of advice: give it up!"

Cielo chuckled at his own advice and headed for Gale's room leaving Roland dumbfounded.

xxxxx

Argilla ran as fast as her feet could take her. She wandered out of the hospital and into town. She turned her left and right but found no sign of his silver hair. She had been searching for him for the past hour now and in such a small town as Underground City, one would think that tracking down a strange-looking man with silver hair would be easy.

Argilla sighed in frustration. 'Where could he be?' As she looked up, she saw the brilliance of the moon once again. The night was getting older by the minute. The houses had all been shut and no one roamed the streets save for a small few people who were probably heading towards their own homes to retire for the night.

Argilla shivered as the cold wind pricked her face. 'I guess…Serph doesn't want to be found…he probably hates me…'

She turned around and started to walk away, 'I should get back too…the others might be worried'

But after taking a few steps, she turned around once again and yelled, "Serph!" She waited for but a minute but no one answered her call. She bit her lip in frustration and worry and started towards the Lokapala HQ building.

xxxxx

Serph had noticed Argilla's presence for the past hour, ever since she stepped out of the hospital but dared not to reveal himself to her. He wanted to see her, observe her and see how she interacted with people. As a member of Embryon, Argilla was expected to act in a certain manner; as did he. And because of that, none of them had ever been candid.

He smiled as he saw how she tried her best to find him. He took in the different facial expressions that she bore on her face; how she pouted her full lips in disappointment; how she bit her lip in anxiety; how she stomped her feet when annoyed.

His smile faded as he remembered the real reason he walked out of her bedroom. Monster. A voice inside him kept whispering it in his ears that he didn't know what to do. Serph knew that what had happened in the past cannot be undone. He also believed that the chances of being redeemed from the sins of the past are grimmer still. But he had got to try. He wanted nothing more than for Argilla to look at him in the same way as she did the day before.

He heard her yell his name and he watched in the shadows on the roof of a building as she slowly made her way back to the Lokapala HQ building.

'Later on tonight…' he thought.