A Wolf's Cry

by Serenity Angel14

A perilous Immortal War. The sake of all mankind. The burdened waning soul of an Immortal warrior Lycaon prince. Everything rests in the hands of one mortal girl who wants only to live a normal life.

8. Chapter 6 The Anami

Author's Chapter Notes:

Hi Guys and Gals! Thankyou to those who have taken the time to review, you all are my inspiration!

Here's Chapter 6, enjoy!

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Chapter 6 - The Anami

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The sun was finally setting on the most restless day Darien had known in centuries even though his Beast no longer raged inside of him demanding life's blood that would make him one of the Damned.

Finally both Darien and his Beast knew a sense of peace and solidarity; he and his Beast alike wanted their mate more than they had ever wanted life's blood. This was the most at peace Darien had been since he'd been a young pup when nothing had burdened him – before his Beast has stirred – when he had known the innocence and happiness only a young child could experience.

Now the greatest burden upon his soul was his worry for the fate of his people. There was hope now, hope for himself and for his people in Serena, in everything she stood for. But protecting her, protecting the first spark of hope his people had known in near a thousand years, could mean doing things that went against the protective caring ways of the wolfmate.

All day Darien had paced restlessly through his manor. As exhausted as he was after chasing after Serena all night, sleep had eluded him; he was too restless, his mind too preoccupied with his mate and her escapades this night.

Serena belonged by his side and his Beast could not understand or tolerate why she refused to accept him. Then he had paced because of what had been left behind when the last of his fury had faded – no mate could stay angry at his mate, his salvation, for long.

Now what really made him restless was his worry and dread of what was coming. He did not know what was coming, but he could feel something ominous looming on the horizon like black storm clouds that threatened to unleash a terrible wrath upon his people. And what terrified him the most was that the upheaval was all focused on and around Serena.

The Moon Goddess had given him a mate he was rapidly coming to care deeply for, to cherish above all else that he possessed, but at the same time the Moon Goddess had given his people reason to hope. The question was, was Serena the only one of her kind, the only mortal able to be mated with an Immortal, or was she first of a new kind that could give a future to both of the Immortal races? Whatever the case, Serena was in grave danger, for now all the focus of the Immortals was on her and the Damned would soon be coming for her. His mate was now the most coveted being in all the Immortal World and she was his to keep safe.

But even with the renewed hope his mate brought to all Immortal kind, were his people ready for whatever was to come? There was no doubt in Darien's mind that this may very well include a vicious and brutal war that could bring about the spilling of rivers of Immortal blood. Every year that passed the number of Immortals decreased while the number of the Damned increased. They could very well be gravely outnumbered when it came time for battle.

On top of that, Darien worried for his mate and her place in his world. Serena had been correct when she'd said that she did not belong in the Immortal World; even being here in his manor placed her in grave danger. Fighting, aggression and competition were an embedded part of the Lycaon race, just as it was with the mortal wolf kind in the wild. There were fights between his kind for various reasons from playful competitiveness to full out blood-shredding battle. He himself had to fight on occasion, it was his duty. He, at times, had to assert his authority or answer a challenge. He was Alpha, part of that meant that he had to defend his title in battle. It was the way of the Lycaon.

And even though it was highly unlikely that any would even dare to think of challenging his mate, just being in the manor exposed Serena to it and it would be all to easy for her to be hurt even as she stood on the sidelines. When Lycaon kind battled, they had to give themselves completely over to their instincts and animalist nature, logic and thought became secondary. Others could get hurt unintentionally just from being in the vicinity and unlike the Immortal Kind who healed quickly or could shift to heal themselves if the wound was serious enough, Serena could not do such. Too easily she could be accidentally taken from him forever.

What's more it took an exceptionally strong and wilful female to merely exist in his world of male dominance, although Darien doubted that the Moon Goddess would have given him a mate who wasn't able to exist in his world, he had yet to see it in his mate. Yes, he had seen brief moments and flickers of fierce strength, bravery and force of will, but how enduring was will?

It was these thoughts that lead him back to his own chambers where his mate rested peacefully in his bed. Darien stood in the dimming shadows of twilight beside his bed watching her sleep. She looked just as before, serene in her slumber. Her long golden locks lay sprawled over the pillows like liquid sunlight making her skin looked even paler than normal. She was so petite, so fragile, but swallowed by the thick fluffy covers of the bed she appeared as tiny as a child.

This was his destined wolfmate, the one he had been waiting near a millennium for. He had known it with all certainty right down into his very core the very first time he had really looked at her after he had saved her life. This creature, so small and delicate, was his salvation, the one who calmed and tamed his Beast with her very existence. They were one now, even though they had yet to solidify the bond that bound Immortal mates. If she died, then so would he. He could not be without her now, not for anything. He would fight, and he would die for her without as much as a single hesitation. He would give her anything and everything that she needed or asked for; he would stand resolutely between her and all the evils and dangers of the world. She would never again have reason to weep, to feel lonely or afraid.

This tiny mortal woman had every power over him and she didn't even know it.

Darien wished that it was not so hard for her to accept him. It had been centuries since he had known doubt in himself, but he had to wonder exactly what it was about him that she found so hard to accept; was it the situation, the Immortal world that she had not known existed until a week ago, or was it he himself that she had such trouble accepting? It was true that he was not as talented at displaying what he felt as Jadeite was and he lacked the smooth easy-going sense of humour Zoicite possessed that women seemed to find irresistible. Nor did he possess a gift with words to shower her with, but surely he did have qualities worth offering. He was loyal to no end to those he loved, and he fought to keep all his people, his charges, safe. He would provide for her without thought of himself, and he would sooner end his own life than do anything that would cause her any harm. He would keep her safe and protected and he would dote upon her for as long as they both lived. What more could he offer? What more could she want from him?

He had fought to protect her, he had chassed after her when she had run from him and he had delivered no consequences down upon her for it. He had been furious with her but still he had not harmed nor threatened her beyond that of restraining her for her own good. He did not have the words, but surely she could see the devotion expressed through his actions?

Now Darien had to try and remain calm – something that should have been effortless with all his centuries of practiced control, but nothing with her was ever easy – so he could explain the importance of her remaining under his care.

Darien was not accustomed to having to convince someone of anything. He was Alpha and the Lycaon Prince; he was accustomed to being obeyed without question by all. He would let her sleep for as long as she needed, but when she woke he would have to make her see sense, one way or another.

While Darien had been standing motionless, silently staring down at his mate, the last of the daylight had faded into night and the grey shadows of twilight had become the black deep curtain of night. Without a single sound, Darien sat down on the bed beside her and turned so he could stare down into her radiant angelic sleeping face.

There was a faint hint of a smile on her lips and Darien found himself wondering what she was dreaming of. Dare he hope that it was him?

He was not fooled; she hadn't hidden it from him. She may be still unwilling to accept him as her mate, but her body recognised him for what he was. She was attracted to him; there was undeniable sexual tension between them. Last night when he had pinned her against the wall of the night club she had reacted to him just as powerfully as he had to her. He had caught scent of her arousal, he had felt her skin flush with heat, he had heard the frantic beat of her heart even beneath the pounding music and he had seen the dilation of her eyes. She desired him, hungered for him, as he did for her.

Maybe that was the key to getting her to trust him, to accept what he was trying to take care of her. Women, mortal and Immortal alike, felt an attachment to the men whose bed they shared. Women made love with their hearts as surely as they did with their bodies. Maybe instead of being a gentleman and keeping his distance while she settled and accepted him, he should be staging a seduction.

Was he being too indulgent of her? It was his duty to keep her safe, and as long as she kept running from him she was only putting herself in more and more danger and making his job that much harder. He did not want to be anything but gentle with her but she might soon force his hand into far more drastic action she would not like but would be for her own good.

But Darien did not want their life together to start off that way. Like some adolescent with his first crust, Darien feebly hoped that one day Serena might love him as he was coming to love her.

For centuries Darien had believed himself to be incapable of loving anyone who wasn't family to him, but low and behold the fool his mate had made of him. He had lived long enough to know what he was feeling and what he was feeling was growing love for Serena, his wolfmate. It was love that had not come from the knowledge that she was his mate, but rather love for the woman he had witnessed these past weeks.

In his eyes, Serena was the most perfect, most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes upon. She was kind and true hearted, she was spirited and strong-willed, and she showed no hesitation in going head to head with him, the Lycaon warrior Alpha Prince who was the most feared warrior of the Immortal world.

Yes, Serena did not, could not, know that, but she wasn't naïve in concerns to him. Darien knew that Serena could see him for what he was – a dangerous creature who had blood on his hands – but still she refused to submit before him in the least.

Darien could see that Serena knew he was dangerous but she just did not care; she knew he would never hurt her and she trusted in her instincts as he did.

It seemed his sister was right; he had met his match in his mate and he was endlessly grateful to the Moon Goddess for it.

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Serena dreamed of running through a deep lush green forest. The green grass beneath her feet was soft and cool beneath her bare feet, the warm brown tree trunks and branches flew harmlessly passed, the rich green leaves occasionally brush her skin as gentle as a lover's touch. The deep musky scent of nature consumed her senses and the golden rays of the sun that streaked through the canopy above felt like warm silk.

In this paradise, Serena felt free and more alive and happy than she could ever remember being. She felt safe and at peace here, as if this was where she had been born to be, to run free though the trees. All was right in the world, she was free and she was safe.

But suddenly the sunlight faded into shadows and the golden sun became the full silver moon, and Serena knew she was no longer alone. In truth she had never been alone, there had always been someone there, watching her from a distance.

And she wasn't afraid. Even as day became night, Serena still felt safe, still felt happy as she continued to run through the trees, no longer alone.

At her side, keeping effortless pace with her, was a large sheer black wolf with dark blue eyes that gleamed with joy and love for her. His coat was so black that the golden sunlight created streaks of dark blue along his back and shoulders. She felt no fear; instead she felt safe like nothing bad in the world would ever be able to touch her.

Serena knew with all the certainty of her soul that she loved this black wolf so much that she could only be safe, only be happy, in his presence. This wolf was a part of her, had always been a part of her and she wanted nothing more than to remain with him for the rest of her life, to feel his love and to love him in return.

Without him, her glorious wolf, there was nothing but despairing empty darkness.

And then, with the suddenness that could only exist in dreams, just that came to be. The black wolf was gone and there was only hollow darkness and soul-wrenching misery. Nothing mattered, nothing shined, there was nothing.

Serena woke screaming.

All Serena could think of was that the wolf was gone, that she was all alone, left alone without him, and all she could feel was the agony, despair and emptiness that that left behind, tearing her heart apart like a shattered mirror. It was a crushing weight that was crushing down over her entire being, trapping her, crushing her.

There was something there, she wasn't alone, but she couldn't see him. All she could see was the black darkness of the empty void the wolf's absence had left her trapped in.

"Serena. Wake up. It's alright. You're safe. Just open your eyes."

Something was calling her name, whispering soothingly to her, someone so close that she could hear him breathing, but she still couldn't see him. She couldn't see him but she felt as if she should know the voice that was calling to her, but whom did it belong too? She couldn't remember.

Steel vices closed around her wrists and pinned them to the soft surface she lay upon and Serena's eyes flared open and the first this she saw was the deep dark blue eyes of the black wolf that had left her alone.

Nothing made sense. How could her wolf be here if he had left her alone? Serena thought bewilderedly. She knew he had left, she had felt him leave her forever, had felt the terror and the emptiness.

And then it call came rushing back to her in a flurry of images and emotions. She remembered Darien and the mansion, the shape shifting Immortals and her attempts to escape back into her world. She remembered running – three times – and each time being caught by Darien, the Lycaon Alpha Prince with the black wolf's soulful eyes. She remembered that that said Prince – the arrogant jerk – had brought her back to the mansion and locked her back into his bedroom.

Serena breathed in relief. It had all been a dream; a dream that had seemed so real that there was a part of her mind that refused to let the dream go, to accept that it hadn't been real.

Serena lay still for a long moment, her mind slowly readjusting. She could feel her anger for him returning as her dream slowly slipped away as dreams did and her mind returned fully to the real world. The dream had been intense and vivid, but it wasn't real. She wasn't in love with the black wolf with piercing midnight blue eyes and she could live without him.

What was real was that she was the jerk's prisoner again, and the weight that had been crushing her was in actuality Darien lying over her supporting only half his weight on his elbows while using the remaining of his weight to pin her to the bed.

Serena knew it was a futile effort, but she struggled against him anyway, pulling her wrists in attempt to slip free of his hold or fight her way out from beneath him. Between his iron – but gentle – grip and the heavy blankets covering all but the top third of her body, she was pinned.

With a deep irritated sigh, Serena looked up into his eyes as she stilled, submitting to him – for the moment at least. His dark blue eyes were twinkling with amusement as he patiently waited for her to be still.

It seemed that the jerk was not through with his domineering habit of manhandling her when it struck his fancy. He was bigger and so much stronger than she was and he loved reminding her of that fact.

"Are you calm?" Darien asked her, his amusement evident in his tone like water was in the ocean. "Are you awake fully now?"

Serena could think of several much nicer ways in which she could have woken up – waking to find that she was being eaten alive by rabid dogs for example. Or maybe waking up inside a nest of flesh-eating fire ants. Anything would've been better than waking to find him not only watching her while she slept – again – but touching her like she was his to do so at his leisure.

And now he had her at his mercy pinned to his bed.

"You can let go of me now."

Darien knew he should do as she asked and let her go, but he was finding their current position so enjoyable. She was at his mercy, he could do anything to her and there would be nothing she could do about it – and she knew it.

There was something so delightfully amusing about the situation when she was forced to submit to him. He found it was worth enraging her just for the fight that would inevitably end with her sweet surrender to him.

Instead of replying or releasing her as she had asked, Darien stared down into her sky blue eyes that were just as focused on him. He could hear her heartbeat in his ears, racing frantically from either the exertion of her attempt to be free of him or maybe it was because he aroused her so when he was near, maybe it was a bit of both. He could feel her pulse beneath his fingers, pounding rhythmically beneath her soft silky milk white skin. He discreetly inhaled a deep whiff through his nose, taking in her intoxicating scent that tasted of everything pure and coveted in the world.

She was a delight to each and every one of his senses. He could spend the rest of eternity basking in her.

The Moon Goddess truly had been generous in the mate She had chosen for him.

Darien locked his gaze on her inviting naturally rose red lips that were parted ever-so-slightly.

Serena had stopped breathing. He was going to kiss her; she could see his intent in his bedroom eyes and she knew she should scream high heaven or resume her struggles or something that would stop his kiss, but she couldn't. She was entranced by his intense penetrating gaze that held so much emotion within them as he slowly closed the distance between their lips. His eyes twinkled with burning desire, his hold, his touch, on her wrists was secure but painless, and his scent was of everything forbidden, like the mysterious dark warrior of the night that he was. It had to be forbidden to want him, everything about this dangerous predator should warn her away, but everything she felt was the opposite. Everything about him drew her closer and she was helpless to fight against it.

In his eyes he betrayed dark promises of forbidden sinful pleasures and delights while at the same time they bewitched her with promises of devotion and protection. His touch made her skin tingle and his male woodsy scent made her head spin. His scent made her thing of, made her want, carnal wild things that belonged deep in the untamed wilderness.

Her heart was beating so rapidly against her rib cage that it was almost painful, her breathing was rapid and shallow and she felt light headed. Her skin burned so hot that it felt like she was on fire and her breasts felt heavy and tight, aching for his touch.

There was no question about it, everything about him reinforced the promise that he could give her pleasure beyond that she'd ever known, that he could take her so high that she'd have a bird's eye view of heaven.

A faint faraway voice within her warned her that this was wrong, that she was his prisoner and that this shouldn't happen. If she allowed him to kiss her there would be no going back. She would never be able to stop at one kiss, not with him. He was too overpowering, too good at arousing her, before long she'd be stripping for him here in his bed in the same bedroom he continued to keep her imprisoned within.

But oh god! Serena wanted him, she burned for him; the wanting only grew more intense with every passing moment that he loomed over her, his weight covering her most of her body and pressing her into the soft mattress. All the while he was looking at her as if he were seeing straight through her, deep into her heart and soul. She wanted to know his intimate touch, his taste.

Oh god! She wanted the pleasure he silently promised. She wanted to forget and just feel. For the first time in a long time she wanted to live.

Until this very moment, Serena hadn't realised just how closed off she'd been since her parents had died. She'd shut herself down, had switched off her own needs and desires, until all that had been important in her life was her friends, her brother and her study. She wanted to let Darien bring her to life again, to feel what he would undoubtedly make her feel. She wanted the pleasure and the freedom of not worrying about anything but that said pleasure, if only for one night. She wanted to lose herself in him and remember what it was like to live, to take something she wanted and damn the consequences.

What would it be like? To give herself over to him so completely and shut her mind down and focus only on her body and the pleasures he would give her?

Darien must have read her thoughts in her eyes because suddenly he wasn't slow or tentative anymore. Still holding her wrists trapped above her head that rested on the pillow, he claimed her lips with carnal hunger and demanding passion. He moulded her lips to his as he conquered her mouth, kissing her so hungrily, so passionately, that all Serena could do was close her eyes and moan with abandoned longing. He was all intense fierce passion and hard warm strength; she struggled to keep pace with him and in the end gave up trying, letting him set the pace and take what he wanted from her.

His taste was far more intoxicating than she ever could have imagined, she'd been and still was in no way prepared for it, for him. He tasted of the forbidden. He was everything that a good girl shouldn't want but dreamed of in her naughty secret dreams. He was all dark primitive carnal hunger, demanding more and everything of her, demanding that she submit completely to him without holding anything of herself back from him. He was the unrelenting unyielding all-consuming force that she had known was in him. He demanded without apology, he didn't give her the option of not giving him what he demanded. He took it and then demanded more. His hunger was insatiable, ravenous, his lust was all untamed animalism and he was all hard demanding dominant male. He commanded, he fought and protected, he killed and did the things that no other could.

Serena arched beneath him, her back fighting against the heavy covers and the weight of his body on top of her, helplessly seeking more contact. She wanted to scream, she wanted to grind herself against him, she wanted to burst free of her skin and fly, but most of all she wanted more and she never wanted it to stop. She wanted to give him everything that he was demanding and then keep on giving until there was nothing left of her. Until there was only this, this kiss, this pleasure, this deliciously burning fire that had consumed her entire being.

Darien must have read her body's need for more because his tongue penetrated her lips without taking the time to ask permission for entrance and just like that his tongue was probing her mouth, sliding against her own, and demanding that her own tongue join his in the mating dance that was as old as the human race itself.

Never had Serena felt so alive, never had she felt so much! His kiss was like jumping into a pool of hot water; she was drowning in his kiss, in his essence and in everything he was making her feel. Her body screamed in burning anguish for more, so much more, for far more intimate touches, to feel him deep inside of her, deeper than anyone had ever been before. She wanted him where she tingled and burned hottest, the pleasurable tormenting orb of rapture electricity that was building like an impending supernova low in her belly. She wanted to feel him penetrating her with something other than his tongue, to feel him stretching her and bringing her to climax with all his animalistic carnal passion.

Serena wanted to touch him, to feel his hard warm muscled flesh beneath her fingertips, to pull him closer to her, to wordlessly invite his full weight down on top of her to crush her into the soft bed beneath her, but he still had her hands shackled on the pillow by her head.

That was when Serena realised that she was so lost to the sensations he was creating in her body that she hadn't realised that she was writhing against him like a crazed wild animal and she didn't care. His hold was tight but he wasn't hurting her, his lips were hard and fierce against hers, as if he couldn't get enough of her so he was trying to eat her alive. His lips were hard, hungry and demanding, but she felt no pain. All she could feel was pleasure and the burning lust for more.

But what she felt most was the feeling of rightness, that this is what she had been born for, to be in his arms, to taste his kisses, to writhe beneath him.

To be his. She felt as she had in the dream she'd only moments ago woken from.

Darien had known hell, in all its various forms; he had fought in wars and killed in countless bloody battles, he had buried his kin and lingered in the lasting darkness, but never had he known such heaven.

And he wanted more; he wanted it all.

She tasted like strawberries and sunlight, her scent was of vanilla and milk and honey and feminine arousal, and her touch . . . She felt like fine heated silk beneath him, all warmth and softness. He wanted more, so he took more, but no matter how much he deepened their kiss, how deeply he drew in her taste, her scent, it wasn't enough. He wanted more; he wanted her wet, willing and spread naked beneath him. He wanted to feel her slick tight warmth around him. He wanted to be buried so deeply inside her that he branded her as his for all time. He wanted to spill his seed inside of her, and maybe even one day create new life within her small tight body. He wanted to feel her shuddered and spasm beneath him, to feel her naked hot sweaty flesh beneath his, he wanted to feel her come around him as he drove himself deep into her. He wanted to hear pleasure maddened cries and moans in his ear and feel her fingernails dig deep into the flesh of his back in silent demand for more.

She was his mate; they had been born to be together, to come together as one in the flesh. She was his mate, his piece of serenity in the world. He would die for her, he would live for her, he would kill for her, without thought or remorse. He would conquer the world just to lay it at her feet if it was her wish. He would worship her every moment of their lives, as he would any offspring she blessed him. She was his mate and it fell to him to protect and provide for her.

And in this instant, more than any of that, Darien wanted to mark her as his mate and lay his kill at her feet, to act out the most ancient of wolfmate rites.

Serena's wondering soft warm hand digging her long sharp fingernails into his chest instantly brought Darien's full focus back to his mate.

Even though she was so much smaller and physically weaker than he was, she gave as well as she received; to say that she had come alive in arms would be a great injustice. She had more than come to life, she had become the sun – in that she not only lived, but she gave life to all else.

When Serena arched and had moaned into his mouth it had been all Darien could do to keep himself from literally shredding her clothing from her body and thrusting into her before she even had time to even cry out, but he held himself back. It was excruciating torment, but in the morning he wouldn't have his mate accusing him of rushing her into something she hadn't been ready for. Sure, she had turned to liquid fire in his arms with a kiss – that was anything even close to simple – but he wasn't going to take advantage of her when she had become lost to the passion. She wasn't part of his world, not yet at least. If she had been Lycaon, he wouldn't have hesitated to mate because she would have understood her purpose to her mate, would have accepted and relished in their union.

Serena was mortal and at the mercy of his greater Immortal superhuman strength, it would be too easy for him to seduce her into something she wasn't ready for. She was his mate, it was his duty to protect her from all harm, and that included that which he himself could inflict.

So Darien kept himself from going any further, forcing himself to keep him hands where they were holding hers on the pillow, but he couldn't make himself stop or soften the kiss. It took all the self-control he had just to prevent himself from going further; he had nothing left to stop or even slow himself down.

Serena was everything addictive in the world rolled into one and he was helpless against her. His Beast howled in both triumph at finally tasting her and fury at not going further to claim her, to mark her as his mate forever more. His Beast hammered to take her now, to bind her to him so irrevocably that not even she would ever be able to dispute that she was his.

It was not often that an Immortal held back when they found their mate. The urge, the compulsion, to mate in the flesh, to bind together as one was overpowering. It grew stronger with every interaction with one's mate. Had he not been so practiced, Darien never would have been able to hold his Beast back from taking her fully.

However the need to touch her was powerful. He wanted to feel the weight of her breast in his hand, to feel her pebbled nipple against his palm. He wanted to feel the heat of her against him, he wanted to watch her as she lost control against the pleasure of it as she rode him, and he wanted to see her desire for him in her lust softened eyes.

Oh, by the Goddess, how he wanted her!

Serena was becoming really dizzy at a startling rate and she realised – simultaneously with noticing the tight burning in her chest - that it was from the lack of oxygen. How long had they been kissing? How long had she been forgetting to breathe?

She didn't know but she did know that if he didn't release her mouth soon, she was going to pass out from the lack of oxygen.

Reluctantly, Serena cried out into his mouth but the words came out as a muffled moan. Desperate for breath, Serena stilled her mouth – instantly she considered reconsidering, how important was oxygen anyway? – and tried to turn her head away from his mouth, but his assertive demanding kisses made it difficult.

It took him a moment but Darien seemed to realise that something was wrong because he released her mouth and began kissing his way along her jaw line towards her ear.

Serena drew in deep breaths, drawing cool much needed oxygen into her hurting air-depraved lungs, and for a brief moment focused only on breathing.

But not for long. Darien was trailing a path along her jaw line to her ear where he sucked the delicate fleshy lobe into his mouth and carefully bit down on the sensitive flesh. Pain and pleasure zinged through her so erotically that it made her cry out, her breathing more ragged now than when she'd been air-deprived.

And then he was suckling on the throbbing flesh in effort to soothe the sting and her eyes rolled back into her head.

Serena was helpless against anything he wanted to do to her, and not because he was restraining her wrists. She physically wasn't capable of doing anything but what was necessary for her to have more; she was frenzied with pleasure, passion and wanting. She would – and was – welcoming anything and everything he wanted to do to her. She wanted more, she wanted him to bite her ear again and she wanted to feel his hard sweaty naked flesh against her own-.

Without warning, the doors bursted open and Rei, Jadeite, Nephlite and Zoicite hastily and silently, but gracefully, entered the bedroom.

In a blur of black, the warm hard weight that was Darien was gone and she was left feeling confused, cold and dazed alone on the bed.

Darien was furious with them and with himself for not hearing or sensing their approach, but mainly he was furious with them for disturbing him, for entering the room unannounced, and interrupting them. They had been in the middle of something, which had quickly been leading to something else – despite his conscious, but yet-to-be-put-into action decision to stop before they went too far, for which he was the smallest bit grateful to them. Taking his mate in the flesh now was not the best choice at this point in time.

However, he was the Alpha and his dominance needed to be asserted. This was his private chamber; even his family had to knock before entering.

Darien snarled furiously at them, the sound feral, irate and loud in the silence of the room. He bared his teeth as deadly fire flashed in his eyes and he found himself tensed and crouched slightly, battle-ready to protect his mate. His Beast was too close to the surface from tasting his mate so heatedly and Darien was too raw to reattain complete control over his animal side.

They froze at his ferocious and blatant demonstration of dominance, and the three males instantly stepped back and bowed their heads in submission to him so not to further antagonise their Alpha. Rei showed no fear; she only met his eyes with steady patience. She knew no matter how enraged or ruled by his Beast Darien was, he would never harm her. She was a female; it was a deeply engraved instinct in the Lycaon male kind to protect females, especially those under their own charge, just as female Lycaons were programmed to protect their young – their was nothing more lethal in the Immortal World than a female protecting her young, one mate protecting the other was a close second however.

Darien would no sooner harm Rei than he would his mate.

"HOW DARE YOU-!"

Serena flinched at Darien's enraged roar as fear rippled through her, momentarily pushing back the confusion and the recent embarrassment at what they'd been caught doing. She knew Darien wouldn't hurt her but right now he was pissed to the extreme and he looked ready to kill his own men.

Rei looked beyond her brother at his mortal mate and instantly realised just how serious things had nearly become between the two before the Beta's and herself had entered without taking the moment to first assess the circumstances beyond the doors of her brother's chamber. His mate lay dazed and flushed on her brother's bed that her brother, until a moment ago, had also been occupying. Rei assessed the young mortal with a woman's eye and noticed that the initiation of the little "interaction" they had just interrupted had not been Serena's idea.

But judging by the way Serena remained on the bed where she was deep in thought it was obvious that she hadn't been an unwilling participant.

Rei could empathise; the Lycaon kind were passionate and impulsive creatures, control was a learned skill. Control was not in the nature of Lycaon kind and even Darien, one of the strongest-willed of their kind was at the mercy of his own nature, particularly around his mate.

Rei resolved to offer words of womanly wisdom to the young mortal when she next had the chance. The young mortal needed guidance from one was of the world she had been unwillingly brought into.

"Brother!" Rei snapped in her most authoritative warning tone that she'd learned from their mother, turning her attention back to her brother. She knew her tone held warning in it that told him that she knew very well what they had interrupted and that she in no way approved, but she left it at that for now. There were much more important matters at hand at this precise moment. "The Anami mansion has been attacked by an army of Damned. Andrew has lost more than ten of his number defending his walls."

Darien instantly straightened his stance, all else forgotten, his anger dismissed in light of the news that one of the two most formidable and protected mansions of the Immortals on the continent had been attacked by a force great enough to kill such a number in one strike.

The other mansion was this very manor, his manor.

It had been more than a hundred years since a Lycaon or Anami stronghold had been attacked by the Damned, not since before the peace treaty between the Lycaon and the Anami kind had been signed; mainly because that was when the two Immortal races had stopped fighting each other and had joined forces in their battle against the Damned.

But to lose a number as great as ten; the sheer force and number of the Damned attack had to number that which hadn't existed in centuries. The Damned tended to run in smaller numbers as it drew less attention from both their enemy and the mortals.

Like Darien's own kind were gathering, so too have the Damned, and there was only one reason for why the Damned would gather here, now.

Serena.

And there was only one capable of gathering an Army of Damned.

Diamond. He obviously had heard of Serena and he was gathering forces for some plan that he had concocted for his own ominous purposes.

One of the main reasons why Diamond had yet to launch a major strike against them was that Darien had never underestimated him. He knew what Diamond was capable of and had always gone to great lengths to cut him off at the pass. Over the last six hundred years, Diamond had narrowly escaped Darien several times; choosing to flee rather than face him.

And in those six hundred years Diamond had grown stronger, both himself physically and his power, the Damned saw Diamond now as their leader, their prince yet to take his rightful place as king of all Damned and Immortal kind.

Diamond had been bidding his time and it seemed that that time had finally come. He now had something that would make the Damned forces of the Earth willingly serve him out of something other than fear.

Serena. A prize unlike any before seen in the Immortal world.

Everything was focused around her, Darien was sure of it. And he would face, fight and overcome anything that Diamond could throw at him. He would keep his mate safe and far from Diamond's sadistic hands.

Darien returned his gaze to Serena, his sweet delicate mortal mate. She was sitting up in the bed staring at him with emotional and worried eyes. It seemed that she had picked up on that something was gravely wrong.

Darien wanted to go to her, to calm the alarm in her beautiful angelic eyes, but right now he could not spare the time to offer her that comfort. He had no time to spare; Serena had to be kept safe and with the news of the attack on the Anami mansion Darien had much to do.

Again the option of sending Serena to England to his parents and the impeccable protection they could provide made it's way into his thoughts but it went against the grain to send her away from him, especially now. They weren't bonded and he was certain that she would still run the first chance she had. He wasn't a naïve pup, even though she had responded so eagerly to him and his kiss, she was still a flight risk. It would take much more than a passionate kiss and the sexual attraction between them to get her to stay; to make her want to stay. Serena still did not understand the grave danger she was in and he wasn't about to tell her any more than he already had he did not want her to be afraid.

As her mate, Darien had to protect her from more than physical harm.

Less than a fleeting moment had past since Rei had told him her urgent news and already Darien knew what he was going to do, what he had to do.

Returning his attention back to his sister and his Betas and seeing their worry and restless need to act, Darien became the prince he had been born to be. "We must go to the Anami mansion and offer what aid we can. No matter how dire the situation, we cannot abandon our allies when they need us most."

Darien shifted his focus to Jadeite, his eyes hard with authority. "Jadeite, you will stay and protect the manor. I want everyone on high alert. I also need you to call upon every Lycaon in the country for support; we will need as many as we can gather." Darien lowered his voice to a whisper so Serena could not hear, "The Anami have been attacked, ours is coming. We need to be ready for it, and I don't want the defence of our walls to cost as many lives as ten."

Jadeite bowed his head, "Consider it done, my brother."

With that Darien turned his gaze to his sister, for her he had chosen Jadeite, the best of his Beta's, to remain with her and the manor. To separate a mated couple in such dangerous times could cause great harm; each would worry about the other to the point of distraction and in such dangerous times, distraction could cost lives.

"Rei," Darien softened his tone slightly while addressing his sister, "assemble all who we do not want here during a battle, the young and those with child-." As few as they were. "-and send them away as safely as possible, to England if need be. Whoever is organising this most likely won't care about the women and children we are sending away, but send them with those few we can spare and send them by means of the safest routes."

Rei nodded once in understanding; she knew without asking that Darien's mate would not be among those she instructed to go. "Should I contact father, request more numbers?"

Darien nodded his head once, not needing to speak the words that they would need everyone his father could spare. There were more of the Lycaon kind here in his territory now at the spreading word of his mortal mate than there had ever been, but he still needed greater numbers if he was going to defend his territory and protect his precious mate. Damn his pride that had been bred deeply into him with the life of a crowned prince, he would ask for as many men to aid him as he could gather.

"Nephrite, Zoicite, choose eight of our number to accompany us to the Anami mansion." Darien ordered them, knowing that they would not dare to say it aloud that ten bodyguards might just be overdoing it, as the mortals would say.

The two Beta's bowed to him and swiftly left the room to do as they had been commanded. Jadeite took a step towards the door but turned back to his mate upon realising that she wasn't following him.

Darien averted his gaze as the two communicated through their mental link, not wanting to impose on their intimate moment. He had envied the two only a matter of days ago, that they were so obviously in love and at peace, but now he only yearned for that kind of relationship with his own mate.

Unfortunately, because Serena was mortal, their bond may never have the depth and strength that allowed bonded mates to communicate telepathically.

If that was the case, then Darien would accept it and move passed it; he was grateful to the Moon Goddess for his mate, mortal or not, and he would spend the rest of their days thanking the Goddess for the mate he had been blessed with.

To distract himself, Darien returned his gaze to his mate, his expression softened from that of authority that he used when addressing his Beta's. It hadn't even entered his mind to leave her here without him – he had already witnessed what she was capable of when she was out of his presence and he would not let her run again, it was too dangerous now – so she would come with him to the Anami mansion. He in no way liked the idea of taking her out of the safety of his manor and into the company of the Anami coven, but he would not leave her behind and Andrew had sworn to protect her; he trusted Andrew to keep his word.

No Anami would betray Andrew; they admired and respected him far too much. He was a just, kind and mighty Prince who the Anami would one day, the Goddess willing, see as their king.

"We will be travelling to the Anami mansion." Darien told his silent and still mate; he wished he knew what was going on in that beautifully stubborn head of hers, but they had yet to get to know each other to such an intimate depth. "Dress. You need to be ready in thirty minutes. Pack an overnight bag if you must. We may need to remain for the day."

And without another word, Darien turned and left Serena and Rei staring after him. Whatever had been said in their telepathic conversation had Jadeite leaving his mate alone with Serena.

Serena watched wordlessly as the doors closed behind Darien and Jadeite, and she was left alone once again with his sister.

The atmosphere in the room was a little awkward; now that everything was calm Serena was once again embarrassed, partly at surrendering so easily to Darien and his kisses and partly being caught making out like a pair of rowdy teenagers on their first real date.

And caught by his sister, no less.

The sound of rustling fabric pulled Serena from her thoughts and drew her attention to the open door of the walk-in wardrobe where Rei stood looking through the clothing within, both her own clothing that Darien had had retrieved from her dorm room and the clothing that he had brought for her.

"What would you like to wear, Serena?" Rei asked her in a friendlily voice as she looked through what was there. She had spoken with the warmth and ease of friends who'd known each other for years. "I would recommend something dressy since the Anami tend to always dress like they are going to some fancy royal ball."

The last thing Serena cared about was her wardrobe. What she did care about was how fast things were "progressing" between her and Darien. Just last night Darien had had her all but begging for him and this time he'd made her come part with nothing but a kiss, a passionate fire-starting one at that, but still a kiss. How much longer was she going to be able to maintain any semblance of resistance against him? How long before he had her begging to take her for real?

Now that Serena thought about it, she'd never had a serious relationship. The fact that she was still a virgin had never bothered her before. Ever since her parents had died she'd had a one track mind, ignoring everything except for her studies, her goals and those she loved. She hadn't really dated at all and so she had no idea how to deal with someone as full on and intense as Darien was, and even less idea how to resist him. It wasn't like she'd had the practice. She wasn't that innocent or naïve that she didn't know how it worked or was unable to recognise what she felt for him.

What was she going to do? Yes, her body wanted him, but did she want to sleep with him? That was where all this was heading and she felt powerless to stop it.

"The Anami also like their black and dark colours. It's so stereotypical, don't you think? Like some mortal movie, but that's how they like it I guess. . ." Rei was saying as she continued to rummage through the clothing in the walk-in wardrobe, oblivious to Serena's preoccupation.

"What about this?"

Serena blinked, realising at last that now Rei was talking directly to her, and she quickly tried to get her mind back on track. She raised her gaze to see Rei looking at her – a little impatiently – and holding up a dark midnight blue dress that did actually look like something out of an eighteenth century vampire movie.

Serena forced a smile, "Oh, it's nice."

Rei lowered the dress and stared at her for a long moment with inquisitive eyes and a thoughtful expression; it seemed that the Lycaon Princess had finally realised that Serena hadn't been paying attention to her or even thinking about what she should wear to the Anami manor.

"It's going to be all right." Rei assured her in a soothing tone as she walked over to her and fluidly sat beside her on the bed, like the lady and princess that she was – most of the time.

Serena watched her with mild envy. Everything about her was perfect; her flawless dark beauty, her grace and ladylike mannerisms. When she walked, she flowed; when she spoke it was with authority and confidence.

"Darien isn't going to let anything bad happen." Rei told her with confidence in her words and soft caring eyes. "He's too proud, and protective, for that."

Serena blinked, confused at first, but then she realised that Rei thought she was worrying about getting hurt at the Anami mansion, and she really should have been – she was going into a mansion filled with vampires – but strangely she wasn't. She felt embarrassed and insecure, and awkward like the teenage girl she had not long ago been.

To Rei, all Serena could do to respond was nod in acknowledgement. So much had changed with one kiss – no, that wasn't right. To describe what had just happened between her and Darien as 'just as kiss' was like calling the ocean a puddle. She was still reeling, and a kind of numbness had settled over her mind making it hard to think clearly.

Meanwhile, Serena's body still felt overly sensitive and tingly to her, the heat low in her belly still hadn't completely faded and she felt moist between her legs. It scared her that her body was so ready for Darien, so eagerly responsive. She didn't know what to do, and most of all she didn't know if she could refuse Darien if he came to her bed again, she didn't even know any more if she even wanted too.

Rei felt sorry for the young mortal who hadn't only been drawn into the world of the Immortal Night Dwellers, but now was in the dead centre of a war that she had no idea about. Not to mention the added stress of having her brother – with all his dominant, overprotective, overbearing, pigheadedness – keep her prisoner on top of everything else.

But there was nothing Rei could do to help her now other than to help her dress and get ready for the journey to the Anami mansion. Rei did wish that she could accompany the young mortal to offer her physical and emotional support, but she had responsibilities here at the manor to see too, such as the precious innocence she had to get to safety.

---

Less than forty minutes later, Serena found herself sliding into Darien's black stretch limousine as Nephrite held the door open for her. Darien had entered before her and was already settled on the seat beside her as she adjusted her thick heavy velvet skirt.

Rei had helped her get ready; it had taken only fifteen minutes for Rei to not only help her to put on the dress she'd picked out for her, the midnight blue heavy velvet dress that was actually a matching skirt and bodice that made up a dress. The material was thick and heavy velvet – that Serena hadn't failed to realise matched Darien's eyes – that felt like heavy cool silk against her skin. It was a simple dress, with a plain skirt with three layers that would have made it flare had the fabric not been so heavy, that stopped a centimetre before the ground. Her bodice-styled top was the same colour and material as her skirt, but the front of her bodice was two shades lighter with a delicate fine floral design sewn into the fabric and her sleeves ended just passed her elbows. She had a matching heavy warm jacket with her but since it was a warm day she had yet to put it on. On her feet she wore black leather boots that laced up at the inside of her ankle; the leather was so soft that Serena knew the boots alone had to have most likely cost as much an entire semester of her education.

In her ears, Serena wore clear gem teardrop earrings and around her wrist she wore a delicate silver bracelet. That was all, Rei had wanted to do something with make-up but Serena hadn't wanted to spare anymore fuss over her appearance.

It was a testament to her solemn mood that she hadn't even objected or cared when Rei had started to pack her overnight bag. Serena didn't know what had been packed, but she trusted the Princess to pack everything she'd need.

Besides, if she needed something she didn't have Serena had every confidence that Darien would obtained it for her as quickly as possible.

Serena had no idea how she should feel about being so trusting of Darien to provide for her every need and whim, but after a few minutes of trying to work it out she'd just shrugged and dismissed the thought. She had greater problems to worry about right now and even more things to try to work out in her own mind.

As they left the grounds of the manor, Serena realised that they were practically a convoy. In front of them, leading the way was one of those black SUV's with tinted windows that Darien had left in not fifteen minutes before her escape. Behind them was another of the black SUV's with tinted windows in which she'd seen Zoicite slide into the passenger seat of, while Nephlite was up front in the limo sitting in the passenger's seat, constantly scanning the surroundings as they flashed by.

And to make the situation all the more surreal, a man – whom Serena didn't know as she had yet to even see his face as he wore a helmet with a tinted visor that she couldn't see through – was riding a black motorbike; one that looked like the motorbike Tom Cruise had ridden at the end Mission Impossible 2. He constantly changed his position in the convoy, weaving between the three vehicles, back and forth. At times he was in the lead, at others riding between the three vehicles or following closely behind.

It was all for her protection, Serena knew. She was the mortal amongst Immortal werewolves known as Lycaons; creatures with superhuman strength, speeds and abilities. One of which was the ability to turn into a wolf the size of a car with pointed teeth longer than her hand and sharp claws that were even longer and thicker.

Serena knew they were all armed, with that she didn't know; did guns have any effect against the Damned vampires and evil deranged Lycaons?

"You are beautiful."

Serena whirled her head, moving her gaze from the scenery beyond the darkly tinted window to Darien, startled at the complimentary statement; he hadn't spoken a word to her since he'd all but ordered her to dress in his chamber after receiving the news that there'd been an attack on the Anami mansion.

Serena found herself staring into his gentle gaze as he watched her.

Serena opened her mouth, to thank him, but the words froze on her tongue as he gently, slowly, took hold of her hand and raised it to his mouth. He stared into her eyes as he laid a gentle tender kiss on the back of her hand, caring filling his dark eyes.

Serena couldn't speak, not even if her life had depended upon it. Darien was so captivating, holding her hand so gently that his hold was barely more than a caress on her skin; as if he were afraid to hurt her because he thought her to be made of the most delicate and fragile crystal that would shatter under the slightest pressure.

In that moment, Serena found it impossible not to believe that he cherished her, that was how he was touching and looking at her now; as if she were the most important and precious thing in his world.

As if he would die if he ever lost her . . .

Sometime during the last few seconds, Serena had stopped breathing. All there was in her world was him, his touch and those dark penetrating eyes that filled with such hope and contentment when he looked at her. Every time he looked at her, whether she was consciously aware of it at the time or not, there was this heart-wrenching hope in his eyes that made the man who was a force of nature appear vulnerable. As if that were not enough to squeeze her heart, she also sensed a loneliness in him that he'd carried with him for so long that it had long ago become a part of him.

That was how he looked at her, like she was the cure to all his problems, to his loneliness and sadness. Like she was his only reason to hope, to exist.

So many times she'd been told – and not just by him – that she was his mate, the one born to be with him? If that was true and she left him, abandoned him, he would lose everything he was; she could see it in his eyes as clear as anything else.

Could she live a life like that? Forget about everything else, the Immortal beings that lived in the safety of the night, the war and the enemies. Could she live being one person's air, sun and moon? His entire world, his life? Because that's what she saw in him, in his eyes and in his driving fierce will to protect her at any cost. That's what she'd be to him if she stayed.

If she stayed, if she became everything to him, then how would it be possible that he wouldn't become the same to her with all that he was? Already she had witnessed that this was a dangerous world with deadly enemies, what if she lost him? It would kill her, but worse than that was what if she came to love him and he lost her? He'd suffer torment that hell itself would be beyond capable of giving him.

A love, a need, like that was destined for tragedy. If she stayed, she risked everything, not just everything she was, but her entire world, her life, her heart, her soul. Everything she had to gain by loving him was everything that she risked losing.

"Such sorrow in your angelic eyes." Darien whispered emotionally, holding her hand gently in his hand while his other rose to gently caress her check with his fingertips in the barest of touches. "From a mere compliment upon your beauty that graces my eyes?"

He did not understand, could not understand, what had made her so sad and serious before his eyes.

Serena frowned at his words. He had done it again; he had spoken in a way that was far before the present time. When he spoke like that it was so much easier to remember, to believe, that he had lived through times that had long since past; that he was Immortal, hundreds upon hundreds of years old.

That was something else that bothered her. She was no one special, she was an ordinary human, an ordinary girl and he was so much more that it boggled her mind. It was intimidating and awe-inspiring.

How could he understand what she was feeling? He was a Lycaon Prince and an Immortal warrior, he'd never been normal in his life, how could he understand how overwhelmed she felt?

He couldn't. No matter how much Darien tried he would always be who he was; a supernatural force of nature who'd been raised from the cradle to lead and protect. What did he know of wanting a normal life and feeling insecure?

Serena closed her eyes and pulled away from him. She pulled her hand from his and leaned back in her seat, physically withdrawing from him as well as mentally.

Nothing had changed, Serena couldn't let it. She had to get away from him and back to her normal life. Somehow. Maybe after whatever was happening in Darien's world was finished she would be safe enough to return to her world. And maybe, just maybe, she would find a way to make it feel like her world again, make herself ignore her heartache at leaving Darien.

Darien didn't allow his hurt and dismay at her retreat from him to show. She had carefully pulled herself out of his arms and had slid across the seat until she was as far away from him as she could be while remaining on the seat inside the limited space of the stretch limousine.

What was it that made her pull away from him, that continued to keep her at a distance from him? He was sure that it was the same thing that kept her fighting him. There had been sadness and uncertainty in her deep blue crystalline eyes but he could not figure out just what it was that she was so uncertain and afraid of.

So many times he had sworn to protect her, to never harm her for as long as she – they – lived, surely she wasn't afraid of him. Darien had kept the violence of his kind well away from her eyes – he had issued the order that there were to be no "disputes" or fighting on the manor's grounds. The woods that surrounded the manor were vast; his pack had ample space beyond the manors walls. Lycaon kind were aggressive and competitive by nature, there had yet to be a day that had passed since the manor's construction that there hadn't been some form of combat there.

He himself had participated in most of them; before his mate had come to him.

So Darien was certain that she hadn't become uncomfortable in the manor. The only violence she had witnessed had been well beyond his gates.

Serena wasn't fearful of him or his manor, or his pack – she had shown no wariness or discomfort when she had walked through the halls and out the front door.

So what was it? What was it that made her hesitate, that made her pull away from him when he gave her no cause too? Whatever it was, Darien was going to have to overcome it before she would accept him and what he was offering her.

But no matter what it was, no matter how long it took, he would overcome it and he would have her. He would never let her go, never stop waiting for her.

He had waited near a millennium for her, what were a few days or months more?

---

Comparing the Anami mansion to the Lycaon manor was the equivalent of comparing a mud hut to a medieval castle. Serena couldn't find it in her to take her eyes off of the mansion for even the brief moment it took to blink.

While Darien's manor was large and spacious, resembling the grand manor of English nobles with simple but stunning polish and varnished wooden furniture and snug dark rugs on the hardwood floors, the Anami mansion was the size of a grand castle. It was easily three times the size of the manor and it was vastly different in appearance. She had yet to even step out of the limo, but already Serena knew that this Andrew of the Anami liked the ridiculously extravagant and grand. The mansion had to be at least six stories high and stretched across the thickly tall treed landscape.

The mansion stood – Serena silently counted the rows of windows – seven stories high plus with room in the ceiling for the mother of all attics and was – and she silently counted the columns windows – thirty-six evenly spaced windows across. And these weren't regular sized windows either, all but a few were arched windows that were the size of double French doors, standing at least eight feet high. The structure itself was shaped as three sides of a rectangle with the drive way arching into it with a grand fountain in the dead centre of what Serena would call a courtyard. The fountain's bowl was the size of her dorm room and near a full metre deep and in the centre was a solid stone statue of a faceless woman with long flowing hair. She had her face tilted upward and her arms slightly outstretched with her palms facing upwards. Her stance was that of a woman who was basking serenely in the light of the sun. Or the moon.

But the evidence of the attack that had destroyed the stone woman's serenity was unmissable, even in the dim moonlight. Deep long gouges had scared the perfectly manicured law, scattered clumps of earth and grass littered even the driveway. Some of the picturesque trees were missing limbs, had large chunks missing from their trunks, and one tree near the gate was even broken almost in half.

And there were dark patches here and there that Serena did not want to look twice at. The evidence of the bloody superhuman battle that had taken place was extensive but still Serena gasped into wonder at the beauty of the Anami mansion; the destruction caused by the battle did very little to subtract from the mansion's impressive grandeur.

Darien found Serena's wide-eyed fascination amusing and adorable, very childlike. While Andrew and his own fortunes did stand almost toe to toe, the Anami liked ridiculously expensive things and finery. Andrew spent his fortune on the finest of things like jewels, gold and the house of his coven that very nearly rivalled Buckingham Palace. The Anami liked to live in the best and most lavish comforts, while Lycaon kind not-so-much.

His own kind preferred to run through the woods in the deep of the night, to eat in a comfortably loud and well lit dining room, rather than in a dim vast and grand dining hall as the Anami had in their mansion.

The Anami and the Lycaon kind were as abundant in their differences as they were their similarities; mainly, the Anami were civilised and sophisticated while his Lycaon kind was wildly free-spirited, passionate and spontaneous.

To a new eye, the Anami had all the grandeur – and the money.

Darien chuckled under his breath as his mate continued to stare in awe and wonder despite the fresh signs of recent brutal battle. "The Anami will be pleased. They do love to impress one with their glamour."

"It's huge!" Serena exclaimed, knowing she was all but plastered against the glass of the tinted window.

"Indeed," Darien chuckled slyly, "Compensatingly so, wouldn't you say?"

Serena had to think about that for a moment, but when the double-meaning hit her, Serena glanced over her shoulder with an eyebrow raised in sceptical disbelief even as her cheeks flushed with heat. Darien was an Immortal Lycaon Prince but he had just proven beyond all doubt that he was as egoistically male as any and every other guy she had ever known.

How many times had she heard variations of the phrase, 'he's overcompensating' from a male's mouth in her lifetime?

More times than she could ever hope to count.

Serena, however chose not to comment, as she knew perfectly well that Darien had nothing to overcompensate for as only an hour ago she had felt the reason for that against her belly. She could personally guarantee that Darien had no need for a fast flashy car.

There was no mistaking the heated interest that flashed in his mate's eyes; Darien saw it as clearly as he could see the colour filling her cheeks and neck. She wanted him, possibly as much as he burned for her. It seemed that his idea of seducing her into accepting her place with him was not out of the realm of possibility.

But now was not the time. He was about to introduce Serena to a mansion full of Anami; he in no way wanted her off-balance or aroused. He was Prince Darien of the Lycaon kind who had just found his mate – competition for her mate's attention was something that he would NOT tolerate by any measure.

With Serena's face still plastered to the window in wide-eyed awe, the limousine pulled to a stop with the back door positioned only a few feet from the mansion's grand front double thick hardwood doors where a small crowd of people she didn't know waited patiently on the wide cement staircase.

Serena had never seen any of them before, but she didn't need to be introduced to know they were all Anami, and it wasn't just because this was the Anami mansion. They were pale, still and had that look about them; Serena was quickly learning to spot not only Anami kind, but Lycaon kind as well. Immortal kind moved differently than ordinary humans did, they were more graceful, stealthier.

And the confident – cocky – and capable air around them was impossible to miss.

Darien did not wait for his door to be opened for him – which was a demonstration of his authority and royal status – as he usually did – although he never did have to wait more than a moment or two usually. Instead he opened his own door and with his Lycaon speed reached Serena's door a single heartbeat later and was already opening it for her, reaching in for her hand to assist her out.

Deeply imbedded instincts from centuries of war with the Anami maded Darien's Beast howl in protest at having Serena surrounded by so many Anami in their own territory. Even though Darien knew Andrew would take his oath seriously that no harm would come to Serena, he had no intention of letting her out of his sight or far from his side, not outside of his territory.

No Immortal took any chances or risks when it came to his mate.

Too insecure and unsure to worry about everything that was chaotic and unresolved between her and Darien to pull her hand from his – she needed the comfort his over-protectiveness gave her now – Serena looked up at the Anami greeting party. Serena was sure that Darien would understand her anxiety – her only contact so far with the Anami – other than the Anami guards around the manor that were careful never to come near her – were Damned Anami who on both occasions had attacked her.

They were pale as Anami were – although not as pale as the Damned Vampires who'd attacked her had been – and they were all wearing dark colours as Rei had mentioned but, unlike what she'd expected, there was not much black between them. They are dressed like wealthy nobility, more than a little old fashioned but at the same time incorporated with the new styles.

There were four men and two women standing behind the fifth man who was standing squarely in front of them all. He was the one who caught and held Serena's gaze. He stood tall and proud, just as Darien did, but while Darien had blue eyes and raven black hair, this man had golden blond hair – only a shade darker than her own – and green eyes, light green eyes that surprisingly held gentle warm kindness.

Serena could feel the eyes of them all upon her and for the second time in as many minutes Serena found herself grateful for the protective presence of Darien closely by her side. He didn't have his arm around her, but he held her hand in his opposite hand while he had his other hand resting on the small of her back keeping her in the safe circle of his arms. If she were in any danger Darien never would've allowed her to come here, but if danger did arise, Darien would have her in his protective – and possessive – hold in less than a heartbeat.

Darien was an overprotective, possessive, dominant jerk, but right now he was a sturdy presence of warmth and safety around her.

Serena couldn't help but marvel in disbelieving incredulity that in the short time they'd known each other she'd somehow come to trust him with her safety – physical safety anyway – and that he'd protect her no matter what. It was her heart's safety she distrusted in his hands.

"Darien, my friend." The Anami with golden blond hair and green eyes greeted Darien with genuine warm hospitality and friendliness, before he turned his attention to her with his gentle green eyes that Serena instinctively knew missed nothing. "You come bearing a jewel for the eyes to treasure."

Charming. The blond Anami smiling kindly down at her was definitely charming. And it was not just his words that made him charming; it was the way in which he so carelessly offered a compliment and meant it, with such natural easy-going sincerity.

"I come to offer aid, my friend, in any form you require." Darien resisted the urge to pull Serena closer to him; she was in little danger here but still to have her in Anami presence whom not so long ago for an Immortal he had called enemy. His Beast within was cagey and restlessly agitated.

Darien ignored his Beast; Andrew had sworn to protect Serena and he would keep that vow – or he would die by it by Darien's own hand. A mate mattered above all, even friendship.

"Serena, this is Andrew, the crown prince of the Anami people, my dear friend and trusted ally."

Andrew held his hand out in a friendly welcoming gesture that asked for her hand in greeting, but Serena hesitated. Should she? Andrew seemed kind and non-threatening, but he was a vampire and friend of Darien's or not, Darien was possessive of her.

Uncertainty, Serena looked up into Darien's face, reading his expression. Instead of irritation or jealously, Serena found herself staring into a calm expression with a gentle smile on his lips, reassuring her that there was no danger in taking the Anami Prince's offered hand.

Darien carefully maintained his calm expression while his insides were rejoicing and singing with triumphant glory. His mate had looked to him; her stance was a little too tense and there was a trace of fear in her scent that all Immortals present could smell. She was hesitant and uncertain about Andrew and in her moment of tentative distress she had looked to him for reassurance. Darien saw the act for what it was; she had come to trust him with her safety and trusted in his judgement of whether or not she was at risk.

It was a huge step forward; for the last few days Darien had been greatly worried that he was not making any progress with his mate, but that one little look had changed things between them; he was making so much more progress than he had hoped for.

Reassured by Darien's calm composure, Serena turned her gaze back to Andrew and tentatively placed her hand in Andrew's outstretched hand.

Andrew gave her a gentle look and lowered his lips to her hand, where he planted a gentle kiss on the back of her hand. "Serena, it truly is an honour and a pleasure to finally meet you. You are far more enchanting than even I could have prepared myself for."

Heat flooded her cheeks and Serena pulled her hand from the gentle cold hand of the Anami Prince. His compliment was charming and embarrassing; his smooth gentle tone had betrayed that he meant every word and was not merely offering her hollow words to win her favour.

Despite the fact that Andrew was a vampire, Serena found herself feeling quite confident in her intuition that she would like Andrew. He was handsome, charming and kind and there was something soothing about him now that Serena knew that she had nothing to fear from Andrew or those of his . . . coven was the word for a group of vampire's, right? Or was there another word for a group of Anami?

"You much be exhausted from your journey-." Andrew stepped back and extended his arm towards the doors that would take them inside.

Serena looked up at him with a quizzical eye. Exhausted? They had been in the road for less than an hour.

Andrew smiled down at her once again, "Please, come inside. Miss Serena, welcome to the Anami mansion. My coven and I welcome you, and vow that you will be as safe inside these walls that you are within the Lycaon Manor itself."

Serena looked passed Andrew and into the Anami mansion, but all she saw was darkness. With all eyes on her and Darien firmly positioned at her back, Serena swallowed and stepped into the dark Anami mansion.

---

Serena had never thought it possible. Here she was, in the castle-sized mansion of the crowned Prince of the Anami – the good vampires – sitting beside her Lycaon may-just-one-day-be her mate and she was bored out of her mind.

It had been three hours since they'd arrived at Andrew's mansion, and after being lead to the largest library slash study Serena had ever seen, and seated in the overstuffed expensive couches by the fireplace that was large enough to comfortably hold a basketball team, Andrew, Darien, Nephlite, Zoicite and the four Anami who'd been introduced to her as the equivalent of Darien's Beta's, had been talking business. The first half an hour had been thrilling; they'd discussed the attack on the mansion. Darien had offered all the resources and such that he could spare – including a promise to aid him in the hunt of those who'd fled with their lives after the dreadful costly attack.

But then the conversation had turned in the direction of strategies that they could utilise to hunt down the surviving offenders that had attacked the Anami mansion and how to better enhance the security of both the Anami and Lycaon territories.

From there the two princes had progressed to successful strategies of the past – they were Immortal and had lived long, there had been many – to general issues and finally, for the last hour they'd turned to other – more boring – business and political issues of the pack and coven.

Serena had learned from where their fortunes had come from – it turned out that the royal families secretly owned and ran dozens of multinational multimillion dollar business, companies and organisations; a few had greatly surprised her – and that it took a lot of work to keep those business and company's running profitable.

At first, when Serena had lost interest, she'd studied the details of the room and the titles of the books she could make out from where she sat – most of which weren't in English. She found herself somewhat content to sit still and quiet while the men discussed their business; this wasn't her home and she wanted to be polite, but she was long since passed caring about that anymore. There was only so much boredom a girl could take.

Serena was literally seconds away from either exploding loudly or stalking out of the room to find something to do, when both Darien and Andrew abruptly broke off from their conversation and turned their attention completely to her with identical alarmed expressions of someone who had forgotten something they really shouldn't have.

And then all eyes of the room were on her.

Serena blinked, startled and baffled. What? She hadn't moved, hadn't huffed or anything, but suddenly they were staring at her as if they knew exactly what she'd been planning to do.

How had they known?!

For a horrified moment, Serena felt her mouth fall open and before she could think twice about it, she blurted out horrified, "you can't read my thoughts, can you?!"

Amusement became the universal expression of the room, and Serena once again felt her cheeks flood with heat at her embarrassment. There was no scorn or spite, only the fond amusement one often saw when an adorable little child did something humorous.

Darien gently patted her knee with his hand like she was that said child. "No, sweetheart. We cannot read your thoughts."

Out of the corner of her eye, Serena noticed the meaningful look Andrew was giving Darien, but she held her tongue. There was something there, something Andrew found amusing at Darien's words – she had the suspicion that Darien hadn't told her the complete truth just now – and she intended to find out about it.

Later.

With a warm, amused expression and smile on his face, Andrew rose to his feet and looked down at her.

"Forgive my rudeness." Andrew said with a slight bow of his upper body. "It seems that we have been unintentionally ignoring you. It is inexcusable, even with how urgent our initial business was." He straightened his stance, standing tall and proud, the same way Darien did.

Oh, the pride of a prince.

"Are you hungry?" Andrew asked her.

Serena felt all of the colour drain out of her face. She was in the house of a coven of vampires, and she knew for a fact that vampires drank blood – she herself had fed one. Was he offering her blood? Did he want her blood?!

Andrew seemed to read her line of thought in her expression and he gave her a wide smile that was downright entertained. Even though she knew Andrew was a vampire – who could kill her with the flex of his pinkie finger – he seemed less-threatening than Darien, not so overbearing.

"We often have Lycaon kind and the occasional mortal guest grace our humble home," Andrew told her, who sounded suspiciously like he was trying to keep from laughing aloud. "We have a fully stocked kitchen, at receiving news of your impending arrival I had our mortal housekeeper prepare a light meal for those who are not on our liquid diet."

Serena couldn't help it. A beaming smile lit up her face as she rose enthusiastically to her feet. Not only would she be eating – she was really hungry – she would be eating with people instead of eating alone locked away in Darien's bedroom.

Surprisingly, Serena was finding the Anami much more pleasant than Darien and his pack.

---

What Andrew had called a 'light meal' turned out to be more food than she could've consumed in a month.

After asking if she was hungry, Andrew had led them to a dinning hall on the ground floor that had almost had her jaw landing on the floor like something out of a cartoon. The room was two stories high and longer than the biggest bowling alley Serena had ever seen; long enough to fit one long table that could easily seat one hundred people – with plenty of elbow room – and then there was room to spare. From the ceiling above hung half a dozen enormous evenly spaces crystal chandeliers – that twinkled gloriously enough to make the stars envious – and if that wasn't enough, wall lights ran along the walls. On the walls hung what looked like medieval artworks and tapestries, along with decorative swords and other medieval weapons such as spears and crossbows and even those solid metal spiky ball things that hung on a chain from a pole – she had no idea what they were called.

And then there was the feast that took up one fourth of the long table. The hot steaming food was presented uniquely, each dish looking more like a work of art than a dish made to be eaten. The tantalising aromas wafting from the table had her mouth watering.

From where she stood gob smacked at the door Serena could see steaming hot roast meats of every form from beef and pork – with perfect crackling – to chicken and turkey. As well as the roasted meat there were steamed and baked vegetables from mashed potato to baked potato to corn on the cob to green peas! There were several gravy boats filled with various coloured and flavoured gravy's and sauces. And then there were the extras like freshly baked bread that was still steaming.

"Are you going to stare at it all evening, my sweet? Or are you actually going to eat?"

Serena didn't even take the time to look up at Darien who had succeeded in snapping her back to her senses; instead she walked straight to the table and without argument, sat in the heavy darkly polished wooden chair – the backrest of the chair was taller than she was by twofold – Darien held out for her. She was two places down from the head of the table and was already putting slices of steaming roast pork and beef onto her plate when Darien took the seat beside her and Andrew took his place at the head of the table.

As she was serving herself a generous serving of baked potatoes – she'd never eaten such fine food in her life! – she noticed that Zoicite had taken the seat on her other side with Nephlite on Zoicite's other side. While on the other side of the table the Anami Beta's sat and engaged in conversation without prejudice. In fact, everyone at the table conversed like they'd been friends for years – or more likely in the case of the Immortals, centuries.

Serena noticed that the Anami weren't touching the food but were drinking from gold or silver goblets for which she was thankful weren't transparent. She didn't need to ask to know they weren't drinking red wine, but she refused to think about it. No way was she going to ruin her apatite now!

---

With the third helping cleared from her plate, Serena sat back in the surprisingly comfortable chair with both hands resting on her full stomach. She had eaten three servings – the size of which she refused to even think about for fear of seeing that food again – and she was stuffed full. She couldn't eat another bite if she tried.

Even though only Serena, Darien and the Beta's had eaten – the others who'd come with them, their guard, Serena hadn't seen since they'd been escorted into the study slash library after arriving – the conversation had been light-humoured and enjoyable. Serena had found herself participating without thought to the fact that she was seated at a table with Immortal Lycaons and blood-drinking Anami.

That they were most likely drinking blood at the table where she was eating hadn't even bothered her.

The food had been fabulous while the conversation had been enjoyable. At times there had been several conversations involving only a few of the tables occupants while at others times the conversation had involved everyone at the table. The topics discussed had ranged from battle techniques and abilities – Immortal or not, Serena strongly suspected that even Immortal men often exaggerated their abilities – the friends they had in common, to significant events long since past to modern technology and culture.

Serena had actually busted into uncontrollable laughter – with a mouthful of perfectly roasted pork – when she'd heard Zoicite tell one of Andrew's Beta's who sat across the table rather compellingly that the new series Terra Nova was absolutely brilliant.

It was just such a normal thing for an Immortal Lycaon to say!

Needless to say, when she'd been laughing like a mad hyena all eyes in the room had been on her. Again.

Now that diner was finished, all of the dishes cleared away – Serena had politely declined an after diner wine – Serena was content to just sit and listen. Now that everyone's hunger was sated, everyone had quietened down and was content with after-dinner quiet light conversation.

Serena was finding that even though most of them had been born centuries before her grandparents, they were very much in touch with modern times – hearing Zoicite talk about Terra Nova had proven that.

Immortals had longer life spans, and were physically more able – understatement – but they were still people. They loved and hated and knew joy and sorrow. They lost those they loved and relished in new life being born. They had problems and limitations, they could lie and they could die.

And they could love. They loved each other and their own; they fought and were willing to die for each other. They were more than mortal kind, as they really did appreciated what they had. Not the money, but love and family – blood family and the pack or coven. They fought and killed those who'd once been their own to keep mortal kind – and their own – safe.

Serena was really beginning to see that just because they weren't mortal didn't mean that they weren't human.

"And what brings a frown to my table, young Serena? Did you not enjoy your meal?"

A gently inquisitive voice pulled Serena from her thoughts and brought her head around to see that Darien was no longer sitting beside her; the chair was empty and Andrew was looking at her from the head of the table.

Serena looked around for Darien.

"Oh, he had to excuse himself for a moment," Andrew explained with a wave of his hand in the direction of the door. "He had a call from the manor."

Serena followed Andrew's hand to see that Darien was standing just outside the doorway with a cell phone to his ear. His expression was one of irritation but not concern; it obviously wasn't anything serious.

Serena sat back in her chair and turned back to Andrew, recalling as she did that he had asked her a question. She gave him a small sated smile, "The food was delicious. I was just thinking."

"Ah," Andrew slumped back against his chair, relaxing as he continued to smile kindly at her. After a moment he glanced back at Darien and then gave her a meaningful smile. "Did you know that Lycaon kind, much like the wolf kind of nature, love the chase and the hunt? It is in their nature and their blood; the greater the chase the greater the glory and cherishment when they catch their prey."

Why did Serena have the feeling that he wasn't talking about deer when he said prey?

"Not every hunter is worthy of the prey they catch."

"Very true, very wise." Andrew said with a slow nod of his head in agreement. "But I notice you do not disagree with the assumption that the prey will inevitably be caught."

Serena looked over her shoulder just in time to see Darien lower his cell phone from his ear and draw in a deep breath, as if ridding himself of his irritation before continuing. "It depends on the hunter and his willingness to let his prey go if he's deemed unworthy."

Andrew gave no response as Darien was returning to his seat but he sent Serena a wide grin before Darien engaged Serena in conversation, apologising for his brief absence. Andrew was coming to like the tiny mortal woman; she had inner strength and courage that she had proven in these past few hours. In the presence of powerful Immortals she had become comfortable and sociable; such Andrew rarely saw in mortal kind so quickly.

Andrew was confident that they would talk alone again; he had more to say to this young treasure that had yet to be called Darien's own by her own choosing. Darien may have had the young Serena beneath his roof but he had yet to gain her favour.

It was refreshing to see a female unwilling to swoon before the handsome Lycaon Prince – even his own had been ardent in being bedded by the Lycaon Prince. In the days of old, bedding one of the other Immortal race had been one step short of forbidden, but now with the peace treaty and females becoming fewer, cross bedding was not unheard of.

Andrew himself had bedded a Lycaon female a time or two in the past two hundred years, and it had in no form been an unpleasant experience.

In fact, Lycaon females tasted unlike anything he had ever tasted before; Lycaon blood was much better than mortal blood but not as good as Anami blood – but by a mere hairs difference.

Andrew covered his mouth with his hand in an effort to conceal the sinful grin on his face that had come to his lips with the treasured memories and was grateful for the distraction when the smell of whipped cream, hot chocolate fudge sauce and fresh fruit filled his nose.

"Ah, and here's dessert now."

At the word, Serena sat up straight in her chair and spun around in time to see the kitchen staff – six of them – enter carrying two large dishes each.

Serena could see banana splits complete with three flavours of ice-cream, hot chocolate fudge – she could see the seam rising from the rich dark brown sauce – and nuts. She could also see three layered cream and icing covered cakes, two cheesecakes – one was mango judging by the fresh mango slices sitting on top and the other was sprinkled with chocolate cookie chunks and cocoa so Serena assumed that it was cookies and cream – a large crystal bowl filled with chunks of various coloured fruit and she also saw a chocolate infused vanilla ice-cream cake – she could see that it was starting to melt – and a four layer high orange jelly mould.

There were a few other desserts but Serena couldn't bring herself to look at anymore.

With the overwhelming desire to cry, all Serena could think about was the wistful wish that she hadn't eaten so much at dinner!

---

It had taken a full hour for Serena's stomach to settle from its determined effort to return all the food Serena had stuffed her stomach full of. She'd never eaten so much in her life; not on any Christmas or Thanksgiving and for a full hour she'd been deeply regretful that she had.

The desserts had been set in front of her and she'd been so close to tears; she had sat there for a full two minutes battling with herself and with her stomach's insistence that it couldn't take anymore.

But in the end the food had won. Serena was a little embarrassed at what she'd done but she didn't regret it – at least not now that the sickly feeling has passed. She'd picked up a spoon, and had taken a spoonful of nearly every dessert on her plate – nothing more than a taste, really – and with a promise to her conscience that she'd do some extra exercise over the next few weeks, she'd emptied her plate.

One of the cakes had ended up being double chocolate mud cake with a delicate creamy vanilla icing and fresh whipped cream; it had nearly brought her to tears again that she'd had to settle for only two bites of it.

And the home made hot chocolate fudge sauce made from real chocolate! OH SWEET HEAVEN! Her eyes had rolled into the back of her head when the sweet smooth chocolate flavour had exploded on her tongue and she had released a deep pleasurable moan. Never had she tasted anything so . . . so . . . . it tasted as if it had been sent from the heavens, a coveted secret of the gods gifted to mankind! She'd wanted to pour all of it straight down her throat! Talk about an orgasm for the tastebuds!

After dessert – during which even the Anami vampires had been greatly amused and just a little envious of her reaction to the hot chocolate fudge – Serena had taken one sip of plain milk to wash a little of the sugar from her mouth and she'd followed them – slowly – to a comfortable sitting room on the sixth floor.

Serena was definitely not ashamed that Darien had had to carry her up five of the six flights of stairs – and he had done so with such ease she might as well have been a pillow.

There had been several large overstuffed couches and arm chairs that surrounded an open fireplace – situated in the middle of the room. Darien, Andrew, Zocite, Nephlite and those who had joined them for dinner occupied most of the sitting area, talking quietly amongst themselves about various things.

But the air had been too warm and Serena had needed some fresh air – not to mention that she would rather be outside if her dinner decided to make another appearance – so she'd stepped out onto the balcony attached to the comfortable sitting room.

It view was quite breath-taking. The beautiful moon-lit landscape had clearly been designed for those of the night. The flowers were in bloom in the moonlight and the fountain gleamed beneath the silvery light of the moon giving the stone woman the appearance of glowing; even the shadows of the garden had been carefully considered and sculpted as they'd been cleverly sculpted so that in the moonlight they cast shadows of recognisable shapes.

Serena so far had spotted a shadowed silhouette of a woman in a pose of singing, a galloping unicorn complete with wild mane, two crossed swords like she'd seen in so many coat-of-arms and a sleek car.

All the while that she stood on the edge of the balcony looking over the landscape and gardens below, Serena could feel Darien's watchful gaze on her back. It was becoming easier and easier to sense when Darien was near or watching her; not only did her skin constantly tingled with that heated sexual awareness but she felt safe and calm when she knew he was watching over her – which was practically all the time.

Serena knew what was happening; she was becoming comfortable and at home in this world of Immortals, but the cost of that was that she could feel herself being drawn further and further away from the life she had left behind.

Was it too late for her ever to go back to that life? If it wasn't, it soon would be. But did she even want to go back?

Serena felt so confused, so conflicted. She didn't know what to do. She was trying to figure that out but there was a difference between what she wanted to do and what was the right thing to do. And then there was the proper thing to do. She knew what the proper thing to do was and that was to go back to her ordinary life and leave all of this behind. She hadn't been born into this world, she wasn't one of them. She didn't belong in the world of Immortals.

So why was everything else telling her the exact opposite? She didn't know what the right thing to do was or even what she wanted anymore. She felt trapped between two different lives, two different destinies and she had no idea how to choose between them. She was standing at the cusp of two different paths, two different lives and she knew she had to pick one, she just didn't know how too.

And what about Darien? She felt just as conflicted about him as everything else. On one hand he was irritating, arrogant, possessive and obsessive. There was no telling him that he was wrong and there was no negotiating with him, but on the other hand he was risking everything – his life, his pack – to keep her safe. She had no doubt that he would die for her and that scared her beyond words.

If anything happened to Darien, especially because of her, Serena didn't know what she'd do . . it might even kill her.

Could she live carrying the crushing burden of Darien's death? Could she-.

"Such beauty, my lady."

Serena whirled around, startled out of her thoughts by the softly spoken words, to see Andrew standing behind her, watching her with warm compassionate eyes.

It was difficult to remember that he was a vampire when Andrew had such gentle eyes. There was a gentleness about him that made her forget that he could ripe her throat out before she even knew it was happening.

Serena placed her hand over her racing heart and drew in deep breaths, but couldn't keep the smile from her lips. "Jesus! You Immortals don't make any sound at all when you move, do you?! All of you seem to enjoy sneaking up on me and startling the daylights out of me!"

"Shall I whistle or hum next time?"

Serena always seemed to be amusing him, but there was more fondness and humour in his tone and his eyes now than amusement.

Yep, she was definitely starting to like Andrew. He was so helplessly likable and funny and charming, so different from Darien, but at the same time Serena sensed that the two were as alike as they were different.

They had that vibe about them, the authoritative dangerous aura of power and soul-gripping echo of despair that Serena couldn't figure out if it was caused by their duties and responsibilities as princes or that they'd both been alone and sad for so long.

Serena knew without the telling that Andrew had not yet found his mate; he had that same look about him she'd seen in Nephlite and Zocite's eyes, the heart-shattering soul-deep sadness and despair.

Only Andrew seemed to be more apt at either dealing with it or hiding it from others.

Serena knew her thoughts must've been reflected in her expression, because his expression also softened sadly.

"You are a gift upon our entire world." Andrew said softly with sadness in his half-whispered tone as he walked to stand by the balcony railing beside her, politely respecting her personal space but close enough so she could hear his softly spoken words. "You do not yet know the beacon of hope you have become in the darkness that has for too long been our world."

As Andrew stared out over the scenery, his eyes unseeing and distant, betraying that he was in fact miles away, Serena couldn't help but feel for sorry him.

In only a few hours Serena had come to see Andrew for what he was and understand him more than she even did her own brother. Andrew was strong and put on a brave resilient face for his people because he was the Crown Prince of his people, his race, and he needed to be strong in these dark times, but inside Andrew was struggling just as tirelessly as any other Immortal who had lived long without his mate.

Serena hadn't been in this world of the night for long, and for most of it she had been locked away, but she had seen enough to recognise the difference in those who were mated to those who weren't. It wasn't too hard; those who were mated all but glowed with love and joy, while those who were without their mate were depressed and lingered too closely to the darkness all Damned had been consumed by.

Hope for those without a mate was fragile and fleeting. In Andrew, it was obvious. The yearning and failing hope in Andrews eyes wrapped around her heart and squeezed with the need to ease his suffering.

And just like that, Andrew wasn't a vampire or a prince to her anymore, he was a man – immortal or mortal suddenly made no difference to her – who was lonely and burdened by his long and empty life of battle and duty. He was forced to be strong for others, and he ignored everything he wanted for himself because he was responsible for an entire race.

Serena turned her head and looked sadly at Darien where he sat inside the sitting room, talking quietly to Nephlite and one of Andrew's Beta's.

Andrew was so like Darien. Both knew the burdens of the crown they wore and protected and loved their people without any thought of themselves.

"What if I'm not?" Serena asked Andrew as she turned back to him to find him patiently watching at her with his kind eyes.

For the first time Serena allowed herself to truly consider what she had been avoiding. What if she wasn't all that Darien and all the other Immortals believed she was? What if she wasn't the salvation of the Immortal races but the end of all hope? She wasn't stupid, she knew enough from what she'd been told that if she died then as too would Darien, and she knew Darien was crucial to the survival and hope of the Lycaon race.

What would become of the Lycaon kind if Darien fell? And would the Anami race soon follow the Lycaon race into extinction?

"What if Darien is wrong?"

"Then the end of the Lycaon and the Anami kind will come sooner, but regardless." Andrew explained sincerely, solemnly. "We have been dying slowly for well over a thousand years. Some say it was brought about by the Moon Goddess's displeasure of the war between the Lycaon and the Anami kind, but maybe our destruction is inevitable." He sighed heavily and bowed his head in his long suffered sadness. "If we have put more hope in you than is wise, then the result will be that our end will come sooner, but you will not be the cause. Unless something changes, one way or another, we have reached our final days and will leave this world to its oldest but careless race."

Andrew looked into her eyes with a sad smile. "The mortal race was the first race, but in so many ways your race is so young, you still have so much to learn. In our many years we learned the wisdom that mortals, with their precious brief time upon this earth are mostly unable to attain. That's what we were in the beginning, the guardians and guides of the mortal race."

"What happened?" Serena was helpless against her curiosity. "What changed?"

"It is told in many forms, but the truth of the matter is that our ancestors began to lose faith in the mortal race. In the beginning, working together, mortal and Immortals created a time of prosperity, but eventually that gave birth to greed, jealousy and pride that spread throughout the mortal race like a plague. Destruction and war followed, raging across the planet like an unstoppable force that could not be overcome." Andrew told her, heart-wrenching sadness in his tone and his eyes. "Our ancestors tried to overcome it, but it was a futile effort, the time had not yet come that the mortal race could look upon what they had become with all-seeing eyes. So the Immortal races faded into the night, not wanting to become corrupted themselves or used as weapons, and it was in the darkness that we too found our demise. Without the light, the constant unwavering faith in the good of mankind, both Immortal races discovered dark things within themselves and so was born the first of the Damned, those who could not stand it all anymore."

"So, it was the darkness that has driven the Damned insane and evil?" Serena asked, genuinely intrigued.

"It's not so much the darkness as it is the lack of hope and positive things to draw strength from. While the Immortals are just that, Immortal and powerful, our hope and faith came from the best and pure of the mortal race, of those we protected and guided. Without that, without that purpose to relieve the burden of eternity and war, we forgot the goodness in ourselves. This continued until that side of us morphed into something more, something almost sentient. We came to know this by a name, the Lycaon kind call it their Beast, while we Anami call it our Darkness. It is everything inside of us that is apart from ourselves; the animal inside of us born after a long-lasting life of bloodshed and war, and loneliness. The savageness resulting from the lives we live."

Serena was struggling to understand exactly what he was telling her. "So the Beast is made up of all the bad things?"

"Not quite. While it is almost our animalistic side, the predator within each and every Immortal, it is also made up of all the burdens we must bear and what we need to survive. You see, while we protected and guided the mortal race, the mortal race gave us purpose and hope." Andrew turned and looked pointedly at Darien who was still conversing by the fire in the middle of the room. "Take Darien, like all the Lycaon kind, it is said they are descended from the mighty wolf. Most mortals look at the wolf and see sharp teeth and bloodlust, believing that the wolf kills without reason, but in truth the wolf is the noblest creature there is. Unless threatened the wolf is a gentle, loving and protective creature. A wolf is the symbol of -."

"-loyalty and devotion." Serena finished for him, recalling what she'd learned when she'd done some online research on wolves and Lycaons. "Of family."

"Yes. The wolf takes a mate for life and he is loving, protective and devoted to her. He protects his family, the young, old and the between, and all that he is and must be is for his family and his pack. He protects his pack." Andrew brought his gaze back to her, "But when his family is threatened the wolf becomes the most fearsome and determined creature in existence. One who would fight and die for his family without thought for himself."

Andrew paused, mainly to allow his words to sink in but also for effect. "In Darien there is the fiercely protective warrior who has fought too long and too hard for those he must protect and in doing so he carries great burdens and has been forced to do things that others are unable and unwilling to do. But in him there is also the loving and devoted man who protects and loves his family and his mate. There is nothing he would not do for that he loves."

Serena couldn't have pulled her gaze from Darien if her life had depended upon it; she felt so sad for him. So much so she longed to hold him close and soothe away his loneliness and all his crushing burdens. For so long he'd been alone against and in the darkness, but he'd never stopped fighting for his family, never stopped doing what needed to be done.

"An Immortal's mate is his light and his hope in the darkness, his only." Andrew went on, his tone less haunting than it had been the moment before. "Oh, and like the mortal wolves, they show their affections much better than they speak them."

Serena could hardly breathe; the crushing sympathy for Darien was so great. "How long as Darien been alone?"

"From the moment he was old enough to understand the meaning and importance of a mate." Andrew answered, "He has waited for you longer than you can comprehend."

"And if I really didn't want to be with him?"

"He would let you go." There was no doubt in Andrew's tone. He was absolutely positive in the truth of his words. "He would watch over you for every moment of the rest of your life, keeping you safe always, until you passed on and then he would follow you. This is not intended to burden you with guilt, it is only the truth."

Andrew became silent and Serena couldn't stop herself from asking the questions that had plagued her for days now. Maybe it was because he was an independent source who spoke the truth with such open honesty. "How do I know that it's really me he cares for? I mean, does he care for me just because I'm his mate or does he want me for me?"

Andrew shrugged his shoulders. "You don't know. Isn't that what love is, taking a chance? Risking your heart and having faith?"

Serena was silent for a long moment before she turned back to Andrew, with sad compassion in her emotional blue eyes. "Do you yearn for your mate?"

Sadness deeper than any Serena had ever seen before surfaced in his green eyes. "More than anything in all my long existence, but if I want to survive, to hold on for her, I have to keep strong in the faith that one day I will find her. If I lose faith I will fall into Damnation and in doing so it will not just be me that I condemn, but her as well for she will be forced to live without me, even though she won't know it."

Andrew looked deeper into her eyes, needing to communicate the weight of his words. "Any would die for their mate, just as any mate would die without the other. Mates are one, one life, one heart, one soul. With a mate, you can never be alone, never be without. You are the strength of your mate as he is yours. There is nothing stronger than the loving trusting bond between mates. Nothing. Mates are either each other's salvation or Damnation, gift or curse."

Serena closed her eyes and brought her hand to rest on her chest over her heart as if to physically shield her heart from the emotional pain the truth of Darien's long-lasting suffering caused within her. She wanted to cry from the pain, she wanted to cry for the pain Darien had been forced to endure for so long.

And she wanted to cry because still, even now knowing how much Darien needed her in his life, she couldn't bring herself to go to him.

---

Out of the corner of his eye, Darien continued to watch Serena and Andrew as they conversed on the balcony. He was worried at the sadness and seriousness on his mate's face and the troubled conflict in her deep eyes that betrayed that she was thinking hard about whatever it was that they were discussing.

Even with his superhuman senses, Darien could not hear what they were saying. They were far enough away and speaking in hushed whispered tones that were buried beneath the louder din of the busy mansion; the Anami mostly slumbered during the day so the hours of the night were when the mansion came alive with activity.

Darien wanted to go to her, to comfort her and take away the sorrow in Serena's eyes, but there was something he could not explain that was holding him back, something that was telling him that maybe a serious conversation with Andrew would be beneficial in the long run.

At the same time though, he was taking a great risk, what if Andrew was warning her away from him and the Immortal world? Darien doubted that Andrew would stab him in the back like that, but the nagging doubt was still there, born of his insecure hold on his mate.

That Serena was so obviously comfortable in Andrew's presence since meeting him and that she clearly liked him was a two sided coin. On one side, Darien was delighted that his mate was becoming so comfortable in his world, that she liked one of his best friends and his most trusted outside of his own pack, but on the other side of the coin was his jealousy and envy at just how much she seemed to like Andrew and how comfortable she was with another male.

Serena was his mate; she should be that comfortable with him! She should like him! She was his and he would risk losing her to no other male.

A younger, more impulsive Immortal would have intervened – and possibly started a brutal fight with Andrew for dominance and to assert his claim over Serena – but his control was much more practiced than that.

Besides, Andrew had proven his loyalty to Darien long ago. Andrew would not dare even think of taking his mate from him, no matter how unique and beautiful she was. Andrew knew that Darien would tear him to shreds in a wild killing frenzy and the Anami considered themselves above such primal unsophisticated behaviour.

Most of the time, anyway.

Sensing the air stir around him, Darien looked up to see Andrew take a seat on the couch beside him, watching him with curious eyes waiting for Darien's reaction to him speaking with Darien's mate.

But Darien saw more than that in Andrew's eyes, beneath the nonchalant surface dwelled shadows of sadness and yearning. Darien knew the look well; he had carried it in his eyes for centuries before he had found hope in his mortal mate only the week before.

Despite that though, Darien knew that his Anami friend was determined to focus on the lighter side of the situation - to be happy for him, his friend. "She is spirited and strong willed, a perfect match for you, my friend."

Darien nodded in agreement. If Andrew did not want to discuss the emotions clearly on display in his eyes, then that was okay by him. "She is a string of never ending trouble and refuses to listen to me in the least."

Andrew chuckled with genuine fond amusement. "What would you rather? A feeble obedient mate or one who's will is strong and who is able to stand on her own? If she truly is your mate, then she will be the first real spark of life your people have known in centuries, the newest member of the Lycaon Royal Family. And being a woman is hard enough amongst your people, being a queen I imagine would be even harder. She needs to be strong just to live in your world." He gave Darien a pointed look, one that was almost reprimanding. "You have to remember Darien, she is human. She was not born into our world. She was born into a world where she is taught to be strong and not bow before the will of men. She was born into a world of equals. You bring her – against her will – into a world where men are dominant simply by nature's way and you ask her to bow to your word? You ask too much of her."

"My only will is to keep her safe." Darien told him seriously, keeping his voice low so they would not be overheard. Serena still stood upon the balcony and he intended that she did not hear of word of this conversation. It may just destroy all the recent progress he had made. "She does not understand the danger she is in just by being revealed as my mate. She is human; she is completely unable to defend herself. Even the women of my race are able to fight, to shift. In our world she is but a defenceless child."

Andrew chuckled again, his eyes twinkling with knowing. "Do not believe it for a moment, my friend. Strength or abilities she may not have, but cunning and a sharp mind she does. Do not underestimate her. And do not forget what you are asking of her. Think about all she has lost in the last week; her world, her family and her friends, not to mention her freedom, her safety and her way in the world. She can never go back to that world again. She is trapped in our world now, but not by her will or her own doing."

"To stay by her own choosing is what I am trying to change, but she is not making it easy." Darien turned his head to watch her out of the corner of his eye. She was still standing on the edge of the balcony looking out over the nightly landscape.

"Would she hold your interest if she did?" Andrew asked, not expecting an answer. He was truly happy for his Lycaon friend that he had found such a precious gift as his mate, but he could not help but to be constantly reminded that he himself had not.

Thanks to Serena though, he and the rest of Immortal kind now had new hope in that area, and it was that hope that Andrew used to keep the crushing weight of his own Darkness within at bay; his thirst had long since become a burning demanding force within him that constantly had be to controlled and contained.

Darien watched as his mate shifted her weight and covered her mouth with her hand as she yawned exhaustedly. She'd had a long day and she did not have the endurance and stamina of his Immortal kind; while Darien himself could go near a week without sleep, he knew mortals needed nightly rest for their health and wellbeing.

Darien made a decision he had been prepared to make before they had even left the manor. He turned his full attention back to Andrew, knowing the answer he would receive before he even asked.

"By your will, my friend, we will return to the manor at midday, it's the safest time for Serena to be in transit." The Damned rarely attack during daylight hours and he would not take any further risks with her that weren't absolutely necessary. "She will need a bed for the night; she requires rest."

"Of course," Andrew said with a single slight bow of his head. "Accommodations have already been prepared for all of you."

Darien rose to his feet and returned his eyes to his mate. "Only Serena will be resting tonight. The rest of us will not be sleeping."

Andrew did not need to ask what his Lycaon guests would be doing this night instead of sleeping. All of them, Darien included, would be awake and alert to protect the cherished jewel standing on the balcony.

Serena would be the only one to slumber inside of the mansion's walls this night.

---

Near a mile away, crouched low on a round bolder, a shadow watched the lone female figure on the balcony of the Anami mansion with sharp eyes. He could see her every feature clearly, despite the distance or the darkness of night.

He could even make out the sky blue colour of her tired eyes and had the commotion within the mansion not been so persistent, he would have been able to even hear her delicate heartbeat.

He had not moved at all in the last two hours, only his hair and clothing in the cool night breeze gave testament that he wasn't of stone.

Soon. Soon she would be his and with her would come the moment he had been waiting for. With her he would have all the power and influence he would ever need to become King of all Immortals.

Soon.

Piece by piece, finally, everything was coming together.

---

Chapter End Notes:

I have no idea how long it's going to take to get the next chapter up, but I will try for within the next 3 weeks but no promises, my life is a little unpredictable right now.