Chapter Thirteen

Soul Mates

Under Endymion's watchful eyes Serenity pulled her son in to her arms for the first time in three months. She couldn't keep her hand from roaming over his body, to see how he had grown and to make sure no harm had come to him. Endymion had taken good care of his son, but then she had never had a doubt that it would be any other way. In the midnight sky Thane pulled the moonlight along with him and he toddled on unsteady legs to his father and back in to her arms.

A huge toothy grin across his face he screamed her name in delightful laughter. She watched eagerly as he chased after a lighting bug through the legs of the family surrounding him.

They were all watching her, wary and unsure of how to act. Serenity wasn't surprised with that either, she wasn't sure how to act in her own skin anymore. In slow mounting moments she was gaining control, but it was difficult. More than a few times she had had to be pulled off Endymion when the darkness overcame her. Though instances terrified her, and so under the gazes of those surrounding her she was a bit more apprehensive.

"Mama watch!" Thane commanded, rounding Mina's leg and coming to face her. Holding out his hand he offered the lighting bug he had captured, wrapped neatly in a glowing orb made of moon beams.

She couldn't stop the hiss that erupted from her mouth, scaring both Thane and herself at the action. Thane immediately dropped his prize, casting the light from his small body in understanding.

Only to be snatched in to Ethan's arms and pushed behind the boy's back. Inside she could smile; his father had taught Ethan well. He protected those smaller than himself.

The light, the purity, and innocence were what had hurt her. Serenity back away, mortified at what she had done, and at the knowledge she had barely controlled herself from ripping out her son's throat.

Turning her back, she struggled for some edge of control, and listened as Mina soothed Thane's hurt feelings. Goddess, what kind of mother was she, what kind of monster had she become. Lifting her eyes she met Endymion's and knew then that this was what had terrified him, what had urged him to send her racing from his arms. Understanding bloomed in her heart, along with the resentment. They had faced so much together, didn't they deserve some shard of happiness.

"Serenity?" Endymion asked softly, pulling her in to his arms. She knew the unasked question but she didn't have an answer for him. Shaking her head she suppressed the urge to cry. Thane was already upset, and tears would not help the situation.

Turing back at the scene at hand, she stared bewildered as Thane opened his arms to her and entreated the word "Mama". He was offering his trust, and forgiveness. The same thing she had once offered her lover. Plucking him Mina's arms she wrapped him tightly against her and held on for dear life. She couldn't help the tears that feel from her eyes as she cuddled her baby.

She did not want to lose her heart and soul to the darkness. She did not want to lose her family.

- - - - - - - - -

Seiya paced urgently in the large dim room. He had been pacing for over three hours and was starting to get agitated. With no moon tonight it was the prefect time to put his plan in to affect, the prefect time to make her is own.

"Ann!" he snarled in to the dim light at the other end of the plush room. The blasted witch ignored him. Moving quickly he placed himself behind her, pressing his body in to the back of hers. She didn't so much as flinch and that annoyed him further. Blinder than a bat, the witch always knew where he was, a sixth sense constantly keeping an eye on him. If she hadn't been so useful he would have killed her long ago.

"Ann," he said again, purring her name between his teeth. Bending forward he pulled her cherry colored locks from her neck, and scrapped his teeth along her bare skin. Moaning, she pressed herself against him.

"Now tell me," he whispered in the dim, "How much longer 'till you bring her to me. It must be tonight my darling."

"Shortly, my lord," Ann cooed, bring her attention back to the spell in front of her. Seiya snarled, releasing his toy he went back to pacing. A grim smile on his handsome face.

- - - - - - --

Tucking Thane in to his bed, was a pleasure Serenity never thought to enjoy again. Pressing the heavy blankets around her son, she fussed a bit before beginning satisfied that they would ward off the cool night air.

"Serenity," Endymion called, bring her out to the nursery and in to his arms. "I have something for you," he said, kissing her forehead.

She flushed in pleasure, though not at all certain she deserved anything. Catching her expression Endymion chided her.

"Give me your hand," out of his pocket he pulled a silver ring, with a crescent moon made of diamonds. The dainty ring slid on her finger easily, and sparkled in the din of the night. It was a betrothal ring.

"Oh, Endy!" she gasped, "It's beautiful. But why?" she asked, peaking up at him.

Endymion smiled, loving the look of joy on her face, "So you'll have something to wear until we're married…" he looked a little shy when he added, "It was my mothers original ring, and well…I thought you would like it."

His lover looked so uncertain that he frowned.

"You mother approves of the marriage?"

"Of course, why wouldn't she?"

Serenity opened her mouth slowly, exposing her. Endymion ran his thumb across her plum bottom lip and touched her long canines. "Would you have married me before?" he asked softly.

She kissed his finger, "In a moment," she answered, leaning in to his hard body.

"Then that's all that matters," pulling away he led her down hall, pushed open a thick iron door and walked in to a large living area. She gave him a quizzialing look.

"I used to live in the cottage that we had shared, but since you arrived with Thane, I haven't wanted to be far from the nursery. Just in case he needed me," Endymion cleared his throat, "and since the last bit of time has been rather…um…busy, I just decided to have this room redone as my living area and I wanted you to stay here with me tonight…every night, " Endymion finished.

"I don't know if that's such a good idea," Serenity said looking vastly uncertain. But she had to admit the thought was nice, they hadn't been able to spend a night together in almost two years. First with the separation and because of her. "What if I hurt you?" she said in a small voice.

Endymion shook his head, "I trust you, the same way you trusted me." Bending down he kissed her lips softly, and then with more fire as she reacted to him. Thrusting his tongue between her lips until she coaxed to his way of thinking, he smiled brightly when he laid her down on his bed. In moments he had stripped her of her clothing and traveled his hands up her naked body. They made love with wild abandonment, surging together with the intent to bind their souls and shed the darkness that had disrupted their lives.

- - - - - - -- ---

Serenity woke slowly, her body slipping into reality in an unhurried pace. She stretched and yawned loudly, tucking herself deeper into the soft sheets of the large bed.

But something was wrong.

She opened her eyes and found herself staring at a hard stone wall, not the dark red curtains that had covered the windows of the room that she had shared with Endymion.

Panic swept over her, as she sat up quickly in the foreign bed. Flushing at the thin satin nightgown that barely covered her figure she tugged the cover tightly around her and rose carefully from the bed.

It was night out side; she could see the stars twinkling in the sky, the moon rising slowly in the midnight wake.

"Ah, your awake my darling," a smooth voice inquired from behind her. Serenity spun quickly, eyes flaring swallowed up by the blackness and teeth elongating.

Seiya greeted her with an amused chuckle.

"You!" she hissed. Was it to much to hope that she would have been rid of him? Too much to want to be left alone.

"Me," he agreed, "It's nice to see you awake my darling, awake and looking so delectable." His eyes traveled up the length of her body, missing nothing and taking in every curve she had.

On impulse she took a step back, frightened.

He stalked her, pressing his body to the iron bars that held him captive.

Serenity swallowed her fear, "Where am I?"

"Here, in my home."

"How long have I been here?"

Seiya cocked his head to the side, "Three days. I was worried that you would not awaken from the spell." But he didn't look too worried to her. "I have a surprise for you." He ran his hand along the bars of the cage, and Serenity could feel her prison constrict with hallow black energy.

"What?" she croaked, her head spinning and the colors of the room beginning to blur together. The darkness in her soul surged forward, desperate to know the touch of a forsaken counterpart. Her body began to shake, and her throat closed in on itself in reaction of conflict with in her.

Breathing steadily she gaze at him.

He gave her a mocking smile. A knowing smile, one of triumphant.

"I want you," he said slowly, "But more I want to destroy Endymion. I want his land, his power, and his wealth," he made a tsking sound, "But you…well you will destroy his soul when you give over to me. Your betrayal will rip his heart out and leave him a shell of a man." Walking around the cage and pushed the dark energy forward in to her body, "Perhaps I underestimated him in our first encounter. Like you…I was his maker. Like you he defied me." A soulless laugh came from him, "Now I have what I need to finally defeat him."

Anger sparked Serenity's features and she pressed forward in the prison, ignoring the rushing pain as the darkness urged to take control, "I will never betray him," she snapped.

The smile he gave her chilled her to the bone, "I thought you might say that," with a flicker of his hands the wide doors she had not noticed flung open and two men carried another through, throwing him to land at the edge of the cage.

Her eyes widened, her heart pounded, and fear clung to the very scent of the room as she recognized him. He had been beaten badly, burn marks scored his body, blood ran freely from several cuts, and bruises lathered his body. She pressed her palm to mouth to keep from screaming at the horror.

A groan ripped from Endymion's throat as Seiya lifted his head and shook it with renewed vigor.

"But what would you do," he asked, "To save his life?"

Serenity closed her eyes, and when she opened them she was staring into Endymion's dark blue eyes. Her eyes locked with him she answered Seiya, "What do you want."

Releasing Endymion's hair, Seiya slipped his hand through the bars, "You."

Shaking she dropped her hold on the sheet that was wrapped tightly around her body, with care and disgust she slipped her hand in to Seiya's. The diamond betrothal ring Endymion had given her twinkle between them as the dark master curled his hand around hers.

Her fate was sealed. She couldn't bare to look Endymion in the eyes.

- - - - - Hello Everyone: I know that I it took me forever to get this chapter up. So I'm completely sorry. But I had finials for school with which was kicking my butt. So the next chapter is the last, and it will contain Epilogue. Remember to review. - - - - -