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An Angel From Hell
By Kayla Chavi

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Chapter 6

"We need to talk," I said quietly.

She was silent for a very long moment before meeting my eyes.

"Yes. We do."

I think I blinked at her several times before I managed to cover from my surprise.

"W-what?" I stuttered. She smiled slightly.

"You're right, we do need to talk."

I blinked again. And then I took control of myself. "I want to know why Beryl called me Endymion," I said being direct and blunt. Two things I was good at.

Or terrible at, take your pick.

Serena bit her lower lip and was quiet for a very long time. I knew she was just trying to phrase everything so it seemed like she was answering my questions, just by giving me more questions.

"You are a lot like Endymion," she finally said, "She thinks that I think that you're Endymion."

"Do you think I'm your dead husband?"

I winced inwardly. That was cold and I could tell that it hurt her in some way.

"You and Endymion are two completely different people," she said trying to smile, "You are so different from each other, even physically."

"That's not answering my question," I said being blunt again.

"No," she whispered looking down, "I don't think that you're Endymion. You're Darien Kincaid," she looked up at me and I saw her eyes were colored with blood, like she was about to cry but was trying not to. "A man that I love."

Of course she had to do this.

Of course she had to give me the guilt trip.

Of course I had to be in love with her.

I sighed and stood up, walking around the desk and knelt in front of her. I took her small hands in mine, a small gesture to show that all was forgiven and that I wasn't mad anymore.

God, I can never stay angry at her.

I gently thumbed the tears away and kissed her forehead and she looked up at me. Our eyes met and I saw such a sadness that I wasn't prepared for it. I also saw love, but I dismissed it after a moment.

She's a demon, demons can't fall in love.

"I love you Darien Anthony Kincaid," she whispered and I blinked. Where the hell had she gotten my middle name? "I love you. You're my soul."

I didn't know how to respond to that, and apparently I didn't have to, because Serena was quite content on letting me hold her.

* * *

After she left it didn't take me very long to get angry with her again.

I practically slammed the hundred dollars down on Andrew's desk. He looked up at me, very surprised. "What's this for?" he asked puzzled, "Did you owe me money?"

I rolled my eyes, "You were right," I said and he blinked, "About Serena. She didn't answer my question and I felt like she was either telling me a half truth or a lie."

"Which are about the same thing," Andrew pointed out and for a moment he looked angry. He just sighed and took the hundred dollars. "So are you going to stay with her?"

"That depends if you think that I'm already with her," I said and sat down in one of his very uncomfortable chairs.

"You know, four days ago I almost made love to her," I said out of nowhere.

And I mean out of nowhere, Andrew just stared at me.

"Okay, where did that one come from?" he said finally giving up on actually doing work and pushing the papers aside.

I ignored him and continued, "She saved my life. She risked so much to make sure that I lived. It would have been so easy to kill me. She could've let that Beryl thing rape me and kill me, but she didn't. She saved my life and then thought that I would reject her for it."

"I take it she bit you," Andrew said idly.

"God, Drew, she was in tears about it. I told her that I forgave her and I almost believed that she could actually care about me. I almost gave into everything that she had been trying to get me to do ever since we had met. God, I almost made love to her!"

"What stopped you?" Andrew raised an eyebrow.

"She did."

"Say that again?" Andrew stuttered.

"Serena did. She pushed me off of her--"

"Don't need all the gritty details, Dare--"

"--and said that we couldn't. And then she said something about when we make love it will be because I want it and I'm not suffering from blood loss." I sighed and ran a hand through my hair.

"Probably because she knew that you wouldn't be able to get it up."

I shot him a deadly glare and he just gave me an innocent look. Andrew is sometimes too crude for words.

"Very funny."

"I thought so."

"Get your head out of the gutter."

"You're the one who brought it up."

I rolled my eyes and just gave him a look. Finally I sighed. "So now I'm back where I started four days ago," I said, "Lost and confused....."

"And in love," Andrew finished for me.

"And completely and totally in love."

"Your life sucks, Dare."

"Tell me about it."

* * *

Jedeite was waiting in Rei's office when I got in that night. I raised an eyebrow, "Rei won't be in tonight. She has the night off," I said, but somehow I already knew that he knew that.

He smiled slightly, "I'm not here to see Rei, I'm here to see you."

Again I raised an eyebrow but just gestured to my office, inviting him in. "What did you want to see me about?" I asked as I sat down.

Jedeite slowly sat down across from me and I noticed that he wasn't glowing. Which meant that he was trying to be calm and didn't want to intimidate me. Wonderful.

"Serena," he said simply.

"There's a big surprise," I muttered and met his eyes. You would think that the world revolves around her. "What about Serena?"

He was quiet, "Do you have any idea what you've done to her these last few days?"

My eyes widened. This wasn't what I was expecting in the least. He sounded like an upset brother.

Great. The last thing I needed was for her 'family' to get pissed off at me.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"When Serena came back from talking to you, she looked like she had died."

"She is dead, so are you for that matter."

"You know what I mean. She was so happy that day you forgave her for biting you. In fact that was the happiest I had seen her in a long time. Now," he sighed, "Even organizing the party she doesn't want to do anymore. She wants to die."

"She is dead," I said again. I know I wasn't being very helpful, but Jedeite had a part of Serena I didn't.

Her trust.

And I wasn't just going to let the opportunity to actually get to know Serena just get away. She told Jedeite everything. That I was sure of. I wanted to know, I wanted to know what the deal was here.

He glared at me, "Serena has never hated what she is," he said slowly, "until whatever you talked about last night. She wants to die, to become dust."

"Why doesn't she?" I asked surprised. Normally when these kinds of creatures wanted to die, they did.

Jedeite smiled wryly, "She can't."

"Can't?" I was confused.

"She's unable to, Darien," he said and I could have sworn that his voice was gentle. "Serena, Beryl and me are the oldest vampires around, with the exception of the Master and well...Kalkia but that's not important, she doesn't really count anyway. We can kill each other, but we can't kill ourselves. You can't even kill her."

I almost laughed. Like I want to kill her. That would be the day.

I sighed, "So she's feeling suicidal and you won't kill her and she can't kill herself. Wonderful," I said dryly and ran a hand through my hair.

"For a human you really are an unfeeling bastard," Jedeite said angrily and stood up. Whatever patience he had before dissapeared. "You're her soul and you don't even care that your rejection is killing her inside."

That again?

I'm her soul. Great. Now if I only knew what that meant. I guess now is as good as any time to find out.

"Care to explain?"

Jedeite sighed, "When a mortal becomes a vampire, they lose their soul," he said and our eyes met, "No conscious, no remorse, no guilt. It's a very nice way to spend eternity, killing and not having to pay for it."

Tell me something I don't know.

I didn't say that, but my overly sarcastic and caustic mind wasn't being very kind. I wanted direct answers and I knew that I would never get them. It was making me irritable.

If I could have hit him without breaking my fist I would have.

"Sometimes we meet a mortal that we care for and then love. When we give them the only human emotion we have that's worth having, a part of their soul becomes ours. When that happens we are alive inside and the demon within us is kept away. We kill less, and when we do we sometimes regret it."

Jedeite was quiet for a long moment, "You are Serena's soul, Darien. Your rejection is hurting her more than you could ever know."

I lost myself in a lack of thought. I literally couldn't process what he was saying until it had been quite for almost ten minutes.

"What happens if I die?" I asked instead of what I really wanted to say, "Will she become suicidal again?"

"No. She will no longer have a soul until she loves again. So you see, Darien, how important you are to her."

I sighed and then nodded, trying to tell him that I understood. "Was she always like this? Always needing a soul?"

It was his turn to be quiet for a long time.

"Yes. Serena should have never been made into a vampire. She loved life and the sun too much to be made a demon. Unfortunately, she always loves men who reject her."

"Reject her?"

I was confused, who would reject Serena?

Then I winced inwardly. I just did reject Serena, according to Jedeite.

Jedeite sighed, "Her husband."

"Idiot."

He just laughed. "I agree."

"I never meant to hurt her," I said after a moment.

"I know. And I know you love her," he said and smiled at my very indignant expression. I never admitted to anyone but Andrew I was in love with Serena. "I can see it every time you look at her. You hide it well when she's around, but your eyes are always full of love."

He slowly stood up and I just watched him, my jaw hanging open.

"Don't be the idiot that Endymion was," he said and then in a blur of movement was gone.

* * *

I pounded a weeks worth of frustration out on the vampire that I had managed to corner while I was Hunting. It was a very satisfying feeling to see him poof into dust and become nothing more than a little pile of ash.

I turned around sharply when I heard clapping from behind me.

Standing there was Beryl, lazily leaning against the wall of the alley. She pulled away from it and slowly walked towards me.

"I'm impressed," she purred in a low husky voice, "That was one of my masters."

"That's great," I said dryly as I watched her. I wanted to make sure that she didn't get me in the same position that she had the last time. "I feel very special now."

She just smiled and circled around me, my eyes never left her in the silence that followed.

"My how you've changed, Endymion," Beryl finally said after a long moment, "There was a time when you didn't look at me with such hostility and hate. You used to look at me with love."

I raised an eyebrow, "Somehow, I doubt that." I had given up on trying to tell this woman that I wasn't Endymion even though her words really confused the shit out of me. Serena said that I wasn't Endymion and Beryl kept saying that I was.

Who was I supposed to trust, a psychotic vampire or the even more psychotic thing that was circling me?

"And why is that?" she asked with a pout, looking like I had mortally wounded her.

"You aren't my type," I said with a lofty smile and she narrowed her red eyes at me.

"That's right, I'm not a lying, conceited whore," she hissed.

I lost my temper and used my forearm to backhand Beryl, her head snapped to the side from the force of it.

Which was very idiotic on my part. She was a vampire and I was a mortal. Granted I was a Demon Hunter, but she was still a vampire.

A Powerful vampire.

She slowly looked back at me, a cold anger in her eyes. For a moment I thought she was going to kill me.

Then she started laughing. She looked up at the sky holding her stomach and laughed, the sound echoing eerily off of the alley walls.

"You really haven't changed," she said when she managed to calm down, "You will always protect that bitch until you die."

She paused and our eyes met.

"And Endymion," she whispered, closing the distance between us, "You will die for her. Just like you have, so many times," she murmured in my ear before kissing me softly.

Her lips were hard and cold and I pulled back in revulsion. Beryl felt like a corpse, cold and dead.

Which technically she was.

Amazing that Serena never did that to me. While she was cold and hard, she was always soft when I held her.

I snapped back to reality before my thoughts could wander down *that* dangerous path.

I harshly pushed her away from me, "We'll see," I said just as calmly as she had been talking, "But somehow I don't think so."

"Why? Because you would never die for the woman you supposedly love?" she gave me a skeptical look.

My silence apparently gave her the answer she wanted.

"I didn't think so. You will always die for her," she paused and was suddenly behind me, "or is that, because of her?" she whispered into my ear.

Then she was gone.

"Remember Endymion."

I closed my eyes and then swore under my breath.

"Wonderful. Just wonderful."

I was answered by a quiet laughter. This caused me to close my eyes and groan quietly. I didn't really want to turn around and look the other vampire. You would assume that it was Serena. You would assume wrong, for standing behind me was Kalkaylakia. I won't go into the details of our first meeting, but I will say that she is one of the most frustrating women I know.

That includes Serena.

"I warned you, you know," she commented and moved so that she was standing in front of me. The vampire (who if you recall, doesn't really count as a vampire according to Dead Boy), stood at about five foot four. Legend says that she is what happens when an Elf gets made into a vampire. Rei told me once that she was a little batty.

"No you didn't," I insisted as I looked down at her. Despite her height, she is an intimidating presence. Her eyes are a dark green but they have these threads of silver in them that make her look ethereal. Her auburn hair is unbelieveabley long and the last time I saw her it was down. Currently it was up in this elaborate updo that must have taken hours.

"Yes, I did." She smiled and her blood red lips (pun intended) curved up into a smile.

"You said that I would be in the middle of an epic battle between Good and Evil."

"Exactly. I warned you."

"Serena is not good."

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that, Darien?"

"She's a vampire."

She sighed heavily and shook her head. "Why must everything always be black and white? Why can't you accept the gray? Serena is closer to white then you would like to believe."

"She's a vampire."

"And you're a man," she stated simply. Before I knew what she was doing, she reached out and grabbed my crotch. I breathed in sharply and looked down to see that the silver threads in her eyes were glowing. "But you are not evil." She released me a moment later.

"Think about that, mortal."

* * *

"What do you think?" I asked Jedeite as I twirled in the bright red dress. It was low cut and styled to the late 1600's except that it didn't have the long flowing sleeves.

"I like the robes better, Reishe," he said smiling, though his eyes had already traveled my body several times with this dress.

"But I'll look like a Priestess," I sighed coming over to sit in his lap, draping my arms around his neck. "Innocent and pure. Have you ever considered that I might want to look sexy?" He laughed softly and kissed my neck, moving his mouth along my throat. "Besides," it was my turn to smile, "I like your reaction to this dress better."

"You haven't even tried on the robes yet," he pointed out.

I closed my eyes and then clenched my jaw stubbornly, "I won't wear them."

He raised an eyebrow, "Why not Reishe?"

"Because I'm not whoever it is that you want me to be," I said simply meeting his eyes, "I won't wear something that obviously reminds you of her, the real Reishe. I want you to want me, Rei Shien, not whoever it is you see when you look at those robes."

He looked at me and kissed me softly, "You are who I want," he murmured into my ear, kissing me along my neck. Goosebumps and tingles traveled my spine.

Damn it! I had to fall for a sexy vampire.

"You are her," he continued simply, "Yes, eight thousand years will change a person, but you are who I want. I've always wanted you. I always will."

I was quiet for the longest time and he slowly slipped his arms around my waist pulling me closer.

"I'm your soul," I said simply and looked at him. He smiled and then nodded.

"You always have been. I cry when you aren't around me."

"You cry when I'm tired and we can't--" I stopped when I saw the unamused look on his face. I grinned impishly and then sighed, letting him kiss me again.

We were quiet for a long moment.

Then I smiled, "A Priestess?" I raised an eyebrow, "Why do I find that so hard to believe?" He smiled.

"I was a Priest and it was very frustrating when you wanted to play by the rules and I was willing to go to Helika because of you. You were just too damn godly." He kissed me softly, "Though we found other ways," he teased and I actually blushed.

We still had other ways. We only used them however when I was tired and he didn't want to half kill me. Sleeping with a vampire is not easy and frequently draining.

We were quiet for the longest time as I slowly accepted what he was telling me. True I was very freaked out by it all. I mean he had spent his Unlife looking for me and then making me fall in love with him every time.

He kissed my forehead, "If you don't want to wear the robes, J'thia, I won't ask you again."

I smiled and lightly kissed his cheek, "Thank you," I murmured and rested my head on his shoulder and he held me close for the longest time.

It was in that instant that I realized it.

I was in love with an angel.

An angel from Hell.

* * *

"I'm crazy."

"I agree, Dare," Rei said smiling at me, looking me over.

I was standing in the middle of my apartment dressed in a knight costume. It was black and silver and had a long cape that was draped over on of my shoulders. I had found it three days ago in a costume shop that Rei had dragged me into.

"I can't believe that I'm wearing this. I feel like a big piece of metal."

She laughed and straightened the robes that she was wearing and fussed with her hair.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" I asked nervously as I attached one of my very real swords to my waist. If I was going to be in a crowd of vampires and other assorted demons and creatures then I was going to be prepared and armed. Rei was also armed, but she was able to hide her weapons in the monstrous robes she was wearing.

Even in ten yards of crimson silk she was able to look exotic and beautiful. Then again, she was Rei Shein and could pull any look off.

Well any look except innocent. She left that to Serena.

"It's a wonderful idea," she said and turned to face me. "You'll have a good time after you grovel for forgiveness and everything will be alright." She made me look at her, her violet eyes dangerous for a second. "And you will have fun Darien Kincaid."

"Yes Holiness," I teased and she sighed melodramatically.

"I don't know why I put up with you," she said and I grinned.

"Because I'm your best-friend-since-we-were-both-dragged-into-this-by-fate," I said and kissed her nose impishly, "That's why."

"And all this time I thought it was because you control my paycheck," she teased an gave me a hug. "It will be alright Darien," she whispered after a moment.

"She doesn't know that I'm coming," I said after a moment, "what if she's given up," I closed my eyes, "What if I've made her so angry with me that she leaves me forever."

"You're turning into a girl." Rei was quiet for a moment, "You really do love her, don't you."

I looked down at her, my eyes filled with pain, "Yes," I whispered, "I do."

She smiled and gave me a hug, "Everything will be fine, Dare. Serena will probably hug you and then kiss you quite passionately the moment she sees you."

"How can you be so sure?" I asked, knowing that I was being uncharacteristically insecure.

"Because this is Serena we're talking about," she grinned, "And she enjoys seeing you jump way to much."

I rolled my eyes and then laughed. "You're right."

"Of course I am," she said impishly and going to the door, "now are we going or not?"

* * *

The open pavilion was amazing. The pillars looked like they were marble and had banners of deep red and marine-blue and silver draped between them. It looked like something out of a legend.

Which was probably the intent, and knowing Serena, was probably a replica of the grand throne room of Atlantis.

I saw the assorted demoni, elves, vampires, and mortals that made up Serena's circle of friends and was amazed at the differences of the people and things she knew.

I was talking to a group of High Elves when a bright flash of red black and silver caught my eye.

That's when I saw her.

* * *

I knew he was here the moment that he came in.

My un-beating heart sang at the feeling of his presence.

He came!

He actually came!

He didn't hate me!

He came!

I would comment on the patheticness of my thoughts and feelings. I was so dependant on him that I needed help. But then again, where is the fun in a healthy normal relationship?

There isn't any, I tell you. It's better this way.

At least that's what I tell myself. But I digress.

I forced myself to calm down before I suddenly started breathing again and I searched the room for him.

I myself was wearing a silver and black dress that was a lot like the dresses I wore so long ago. It was edged in red, which managed to pull out the little red that remained in my hair out. I stood still as I watched for him, searching the crowd.

Then I saw him and our eyes met.

* * *

Slowly I started towards her, my heart pounding the entire way. She watched me closely, her face completely unreadable and I knew that I would have to be the one to approach her.

God, I was so whipped. If this were some comedy of the television you would hear the whip cracking several times.

Serena was standing on the dais of a mock throne, cold and hard as a statue. I walked up to her and knelt formally, taking her hand in mine.

I lightly kissed it and met her eyes. It was then that she smiled and drew me to my feet. Without words I apologized and with out words, she accepted it. I leaned down to kiss her softly and then I was suddenly enfolded in her arms, which were wrapped tightly around my neck.

Her mouth opened and she kissed me passionately, our tongues intertwined for the longest time before she must have felt my embarrassment at the whole situation and slowly pulled away.

"Thank you for coming," she whispered lightly touching my face, "My Knight."

I laughed softly and kissed her again, "I will always come for you," I whispered.

I realized that this was starting to sound like a badly written romance novel, but I was past the point of caring. She smiled and kissed me again.

The whip snapped again.

"This means everything to me," she murmured and our eyes met, "Everything."

Then, in this dream, I took her hand and drew her out to the dance floor.

* * *

I smiled when I saw Darien and Serena kiss. Jedeite must've seen it too, for he lightly elbowed me in the ribs and pointed them out with a nod.

"I knew it," I said smiling smugly and then giggled as he nuzzled my neck, biting it gently.

"So did I, Reishe," he teased.

I watched as Darien and Serena broke away, probably telling each other some kind of mush. Then I saw him pull her out towards the dance floor.

I paled.

"Is something wrong, J'thia?" he asked looking down at me.

"Darien can't dance," I said very worried. "He's never been able to."

Jedeite raised an eyebrow, "How can he not be able to dance?" he asked surprised.

"Trust me," I said watched them.

The dance floor cleared so it was just Darien and Serena.

Alone.

In the middle of a dance floor.

Oh God, please help him.

* * *

I woke up from the amazing dream with a start.

I was standing on the dance floor when it cleared and Serena and I were the only ones.

That's when I remembered that I couldn't dance.

Retarded chicken, remember?

I paled and was to the point where I was about to walk away from Serena and leave her there. Love or no love, I was not about to make an absolute fool of myself. Dancing in clubs is one thing, ballroom dancing is a completely different.

Serena's hold on my arm tightened slightly and she moved effortlessly into my arms. I swallowed nervously and looked down at her.

"Rena...I-I--"

"Shhh...." she put a finger to my lips, "Trust me."

Then the music started.

The whip cracked a third time.

I know its odd, she led the first half of the dance as I got used to it. Amazingly, she made me look like a good dancer. We flowed effortlessly to the music in a simple but beautiful waltz.

I was back in the dream. The perfect dream in which I could dance with my demonic angel.

As the dance ended, I pulled away from her and bowed. She smiled up at me and did a deep curtsy.

"You're amazing," I said pulling her close and just standing with her, it was as if time had frozen just for us. "Completely."

Serena just giggled and lightly touched my lips. "I--" she started and then stopped.

She was cut off by a sudden blast that shook the entire pavilion. The mortals screamed and the rest of the partiers jumped. Smoke filled the area.

"Someone wants to make an entrance," I heard Serena mutter. She stayed close to me and let me wrap an arm around her waist.

When the smoke cleared I saw Beryl standing there.

"This is a big surprise," another mutter from Serena. I blinked, I wasn't used to her being so sarcastic. "I don't believe that you had an invitation, Berylka." Serena tilted her head to the side and her tone was calm.

"Really?" Beryl asked innocently, "That must have slipped my mind."

The entire crowd was hushed, no one said a word as Beryl walked closer to me and Serena.

"Isn't this a sweet site," Beryl continued gesturing to us, "An innocent little girl and her charming Prince."

"That's Prince Charming," I said dryly, not letting her scare me.

She and Serena both looked at me with a look of confusion.

"Never mind," I muttered. They obviously never read fairy tales. It was probably because they lived in one.

Serena continued to glare at Beryl. "Leave," she said and her voice held a deadly ring to it, "Now."

"No. I don't think so," Beryl said smiling and continuing to walk towards us. "Someone has to tell Endy that you've been lying to him."

"I haven't lied to Darien," Serena narrowed her eyes.

"Good," Beryl raised an hand that began to glow with a sickly red orb, "Then you won't have anything to feel guilty about."

I stepped in front of Serena and drew my sword.

My sword wasn't a prop, it was an actual sword. A Blessed one at that.

Beryl just smiled and flung the orb at us. I raised my sword and partially blocked it. It hit me and sent me flying across the floor. I landed on my shoulder and back, pain shooting through me as I tried to stand.

I saw that Serena was holding her own orb of power, though hers was a bright blue as she flung it at Beryl.

There was a lot of flashing of lights as I pulled myself to my feet. The next thing I saw was Beryl preparing to strike Serena, who was holding my sword.

Which, I probably would have been upset at if the situation wasn't so dire.

It was a Blessed sword.

Beryl flung her Power at Serena and it impacted on her stomach creating a charred hole. Instantly she regenerated, but her orb died in her hand. She pulled herself to her feet and Beryl gathered her Power and was ready to strike when a loud clear voice rang out.

"Stop!"

Apparently that sound of this voice brought fear to most of the inhabitants of the room. Especially Beryl.

Her eyes widened in fear and all the feeling of her Power in the room, died. I felt someone help me up.

Jedeite.

He too looked worried as he pulled me the rest of the way to my feet. I winced at the pain in my shoulder and stomach. It was only then that I noticed the burn that went through my clothes.

He supported me as I looked for the speaker who could command so much.

Between the two vampires appeared a tall pale man, with pitch black hair and gold eyes. He didn't look that much older than I did and I noticed the glow.

A vampire.

Which explained more than it didn't.

Beryl was looking at this man in fear as she took a trembling step backwards. Serena however smiled as the man walked over to her. He gently gathered her in his arms, lightly touching her face, neck, and shoulders. They're gazes were locked and then I saw her tightly close her eyes and bury her face in his chest. He sighed and rested his head on hers, lightly stroking her back and hair.

Jealousy doesn't even begin to describe what I was feeling.

Over the top of Serena's head he looked at Beryl.

"What are you doing here, Child?" he asked her. His voice was calm and peaceful, though it was clear that Beryl had a reason to fear him. "Why do you attack Senna?"

Beryl narrowed her eyes, "I am just fulfilling the Curse," she said and took another step away from them.

"Fulfilling the curse my ass," Jedeite muttered from his place next to me and I looked at him confused. He sighed and looked at me. "Long story."

I raised an eyebrow and decided to leave it at that.

"The Curse does not include death. Endymion is not yours to kill. Now go, before you try my patience."

"That's not fair!" Beryl shouted and the room began to titter. "You are always--"

"I thought I told you to leave," the man's voice rose and had a hint of anger.

"But--"

"You are acting like a spoiled child, Ylka. When I tell you to do something, you will obey."

They locked gazes and Beryl lowered her head.

"Yes, Father."

Then she was gone.

Serena was smiling smugly to herself as she pulled away from the man. Again they looked at each other and he lightly touched her face before kissing her forehead. He leaned down and kissed her lips as well. It wasn't wild or passionate, but it was loving. Just from that kiss I could tell they had been or were now, lovers. Serena pulled away a moment later and looked over at me. Her eyes filled with worry and took a step towards me.

"Senna!" the man called to her and grabbed her wrist. She stopped and turned towards him. "Why do you go to him?"

"I don't think that this is the time or place to have this discussion," she said calmly and he raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on the corner of his mouth.

"Nevertheless, we will have it." I saw a deadly ball of fire start growing at his hand.

I swallowed nervously and paled.

I don't think that this vampire liked me very much.

I don't think any vampires liked me very much, period.

Serena sighed and looked at him and then at me. "You know why," she whispered so softly that I could barely hear her.

"He doesn't deserve that from you, he doesn't deserve anything from you, my Childe," the man said and made her look at him. "Endymion does not know how."

The ball of Fire began to grow. A low growl began to emanate from Jedeite, who seemed upset at the man's actions. Or maybe it was Serena's actions. I wasn't that sure about the whole thing.

"He isn't Endymion!" Serena actually yelled and forced herself away from the man, yanking her wrist from him forcefully.

I got worried. This man obviously was someone Powerful. From the sudden tenseness of Jedeite next to me, along with his low growl, my worry became very validated.

And I became frustrated. I hate Endymion, whether I was him or he was me or not, I hated him. He was beginning to get on my nerves.

As was the tall vampire with gold eyes.

"He is Darien! Endymion died eight thousand years ago. I'll even admit that Endy was a self-righteous bastard, but he died and is never coming back. Darien is nothing like Endy! Darien and Endy are so different that its impossible to even believe that they could be the same person."

She took a few more steps closer to me and stood in front of me and Jedeite.

Her words were confusing me. First she says that I'm not Endymion, then she says that we are the same person.

Make up your mind Serena!

The man raised an eyebrow, "His inner core is that of Endymion."

"I know," Serena whispered, "but that doesn't make him Endy. Anymore that that makes him Mamoru or David, or Miguel. He is Darien."

"He is a Demon Hunter."

"If they get caught, then they deserve to be killed," Serena said simply. "Don't tell me that you've started to feel something for the Young Ones."

The man smiled and then laughed softly. He crossed to Serena and then hugged her tightly. She hugged him back and smiled up at him. He kissed her again. That same loving kiss.

"Be careful my Child," he said quietly, thumbing her jaw and then her neck. "Do not let him hurt you again. For if he does, I will do what I wanted to do four thousand years ago. I will do what I almost did."

Great, now I was being threatened and I didn't even know why.

Nor, at this point, did I care.

And then, in a blur of movement, we were alone.

I started breathing again, not really realizing until then that I had been holding my breath. I felt Jedeite relax and his growl stopped. Serena looked over at me.

To be honest, I didn't know what I was thinking or feeling at that moment. I couldn't concentrate, but I did know one thing.

I was very sure about it too.

I reached out for her and pulled her to me forcefully, ignoring the pain in my shoulder and stomach and I held her tightly, burying my face in her hair. Her arms slipped around my neck and she pulled herself up to me. I pulled back slightly and then kissed her.

When we finally stopped kissing the party had ended and all but Jedeite and Rei had left. They were standing next to us and Jedeite still had a look of worry on his face.

"Serena," he started, "If you were not his favorite I would suspect that you would be very dusty," he said and she smiled slightly.

"I'm his favorite because I did not fear him in the first place."

Jedeite smiled slightly and shook his head and then hugged her. "You threw a wonderful party," he murmured and then began to speak in a language I didn't understand.

Serena responded to whatever he was saying with a shake of her head. He raised an eyebrow and sounded like he was chiding her. She then gave him a pointed look at Rei. He shook his head and then took Rei's hand before walking away from us. I looked down at Serena and noticed that she looked extremely distressed about something.

I put an arm around her waist and pulled her to my chest and made her look at me. Her eyes slowly rose to mine and she tried to smile. I just leaned down at kissed her softly.

"Let's get out of here," I murmured into her hair.

"Darien...." her voice trailed off and she bit her lower lip, "We...we need to--"

I cut her off with another kiss. I didn't want to talk about what just happened. I didn't want to think about it and I sure as hell didn't want to analyze it.

For once I was tired of asking unanswered questions. I just wanted her to be happy.

"Let's not talk," I murmured again and lightly kissed her along her neck and pulled her close to me. I heard her laugh softly and then take a hold of me tightly around the neck. Suddenly we were moving faster than I could imagine and this time I remember flying.

Then we were at my apartment.

* * *

It must have been around noon before I slowly opened my eyes, the sunlight was barely peeking in through the window shades. I looked over to my left and saw a beautiful blond nestled in the crook of my arm. I smiled and rolled onto my side, supporting myself with my elbow and resting my head on my hand. Lightly I stroked her hair and then pulled the sheet up to her shoulders, just in case she got cold.

I had woken up next to Serena many times, but none of them were like this.

Last night we had made love for the first time.

It was as simple as that.

It was as beautiful as that.

And I better stop before I start spouting bad poetry.

I sighed quietly and then kissed her forehead. God, she was so beautiful. I had given into everything last night. I gave into her and all my self-righteous thinking went right out the window.

And if I had thought she would have been willing, I think I would have proposed to her last night. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. It was then that I decided that I had to tell her that I loved her. Even if it meant nothing to her, I had to tell her.

Women like to say that being intimate means nothing but physical gratification. They're wrong. Last night meant everything to me. It was more than just sex.

Okay, so it was the first time that it meant something. But it was better because of it.

I also decided that I wanted to record everything, I wanted to tell our story from both our points of view. Last night was what started the story.

I tend to think a lot in the mornings.

I tend to think a lot after sex.

I sighed again and this time gently kissed her lips. I saw her smile and knew that she wasn't asleep. Her eyes were still closed as she shifted closer to me, resting her head on my chest as much as she could.

"What are you looking at," she murmured.

I smiled and kissed her again, "The woman I love," I murmured back.

Corny? Yes.

Cheesy? Of course.

True? Absolutely.

Her eyes slowly opened and she looked at me, her expression bordering on unreadable and hopeful, "Really?" she whispered her fingers lightly touching my lips.

"Really." I gently kissed her fingertips and she smiled brightly.

"I love you Darien," she whispered and closed her eyes again, nestling into my shoulder and neck, "Xalliva zi, J'thia."

I smiled and sighed, for the moment content and happy.