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An Angel From Hell
By Kayla Chavi

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Chapter 9

I stood in Darien's office in the dawning hours of the early morning. The sun hadn't risen yet, there was still time.

Still time to find him.

The wreak to his office was amazing. The outer office was a mess and there had clearly been a struggle, a fight. His Sword lay on the ground, kicked away to the corner. Slowly I bent to pick it up and held it in my hands tightly.

Five minutes later my hands began to burn, the Sword telling me that I wasn't pure enough to hold it, to wield its Power. I had held this sword before, when I was fighting Berylka, but when you're in the heat of battle you don't notice little annoyances like this.

Ten minutes later I still held it in my hands. Rei was the one who noticed that I was slowly melting my hands off. She grabbed the Sword from me and glared down at me. She really is a lot more intimidating than she realizes.

"Serena, burning your hands off isn't going to help him any."

I just laughed bitterly, "Did they take anything?"

She sighed, "My office has been torn apart, but everything is still there. Serena.....the book with the spell in it has been torn to shreds." I was quiet for a long time and I could feel the eyes of Jedeite and Amy on me, watching me closely for a reaction.

Any reaction. Silence. So I decided to give them one.

"Do you have another copy?" All three exchanged a look but I decided to ignore it. Hey, I didn't say that it would be a big reaction.

"Yes," Amy said quietly.

"Can we still do the spell?"

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Senna?" Jedeite asked, hoping to distract me by using the name beloved.

"Can we still do the spell?"

There was a long moment of silence before there were two sighs.

"Yes Serena, we can still do the spell."

"Then we do it tonight, same time, same place. Darien missing changes nothing." I closed my eyes tightly and turned to go. "Jedeite, get home before the sun."

And then I was gone in a blur of movement.

* * *

I have to finish this. I have to finish the story of the first time. Already I can feel him dying. I can feel that he's in pain and I know that I have to finish this. Why? I'm not sure, only that I know that I have to.

Gods, I can feel him dying.

He's in so much pain.

Darien. . .

* * *

The conversation with Damien had left me cold inside. Like something monumental had happened and I was unaware of it.

Sighing I went into my rooms and got ready for bed, it was almost sunrise and I could feel dawn approaching. I was slipping on my nightdress when someone caught my hand. I gasped in surprise and was pulled around to face him.

Endymion was standing there and I smiled, happy at seeing my husband.

"You're not getting ready for bed now are you?"

He pulled my cold and mostly naked body to his and kissed me with a passion that surprised me. Sure we had kissed passionately before, but never right away. Our kisses always started slow before getting out of control.

His arms slipped around my waist and held me to him tightly. I slipped my arms around his neck and returned the kiss just as passionately. He lifted me off the ground and placed me on the bed, shedding his clothing quickly.

Again I was confused, we always undressed each other. I liked the feeling of him pulling my clothes away and I loved just touching him as I would undress him. But I didn't question this at the moment, I was too distracted by what his mouth was doing.

I didn't realize what exactly was wrong until after he had entered me. He was gripping me forcefully, hard enough that if I had still been mortal, I would have bruised. He was pushing into me with a force that he had never used towards me ever.

Ever.

Sure, I liked it rough at times. Damien and I had experimented a little, but Endy didn't know that. If fact, Endy had never been anything but gentle and passionate.

Something was wrong.

This wasn't making love.

This wasn't passion.

I tore my mouth away from him, "Stop," I said quietly, "You're hurting me."

He looked down at me and then kissed me again. I tried to stop him.

That's when I realized what he was doing. He knew something and that something was making him act like this. He wanted me to force him away, to show that I was physically able to.

And he was willing to rape me to do it. For the first time in our life together he was being violent towards me.

"Endy, stop!" I cried, hoping that he would hear the pleading in my voice. "Please!" Hoping that he couldn't tell how much I was enjoying this in reality. I could feel him pause, slowing his movement for a moment before pushing himself off of me. He rolled off of me and laid next to me, his breathing hard and labored.

Mine wasn't. But then again, I didn't breathe. I knew that for the first time, he was noticing this.

I wanted to cry, and almost did, but I knew that the bloody tears would not help me in this situation. Sure I had enjoyed that, but no one likes to have their husband try to hurt them. So I curled up into a little ball, my back to him, wondering what had happened to my wonderful, loving, caring husband. The husband who would die before hurting me.

"You were enjoying that," he said after a moment, his voice carefully controlled.

I didn't say anything, I know that he wanted an answer and I could tell when he rolled onto his side and was watching me carefully.

"You were with me all the way until you thought that something was wrong."

"You were trying to hurt me."

"Did I?"

I closed my eyes, his voice was so cold, so unfeeling. I rolled over and looked him in the eyes. His face was just as hard and cold as his voice. But his eyes.....They held a hint of betrayal and then suddenly I knew. He knew what I was and he was hurt by it.

"Can I?" he asked bitterly, for the first time showing any emotion. His dark silver blue eyes bore into mine and I sat up, pulling the sheet around me. My nakedness embarrassed me. Another first.

"Yes," I said after a moment. "Because you just did," I whispered and he made a sound of disgust. I turned to him angry. "What? I'm not allowed to have feelings?"

Suddenly I got angry and in a blur of movement I had his hands pined above his head and was straddling him. I was barely using any of my strength, but I was stronger than him.

"You obviously don't," he looked up at me angry, seemingly unfazed that his wife was bodily holding him to the bed.

"What?"

"How many men Serena? How many different men have you fucked since becoming whatever the hell it is that you are?"

"Gods," I whispered and let go of his hands and just sat up. "How dare you ask me that."

"I dare because I am your husband and until a year ago that meant something."

"It still does!"

"Horse shit!"

I stared at him. I didn't blink; I didn't answer; I just stared at him.

"Endy I love you," I whispered. I had no idea what to say and that was the first thing that came to mind.

"Do you?" he challenged.

"Yes! With all my heart!"

"It isn't even beating!" he snorted. He reached up and grabbed my breast forcefully. He pressed his palm against my heart.

Oops, I guess he had noticed that too.

"That doesn't matter. I chose to be with you because I love you. Even being what I am, I still love you!"

"Can you love?"

"Yes," I whispered and looked down. This time I really was crying, blood tears falling onto his chest.

"Do you love him?"

"Him?" I looked at him confused. Him who? What him? Who the hell was he talking about?

"That man I saw you with tonight. That man who kissed you."

"Damien?" I blinked and then I laughed quietly. "I don't love him."

"He loves you."

"So?"

"You knew that he loved you and you let him kissed you."

I sighed quietly, and knew that Endy wasn't going to like hearing my next sentence. Like I said before, there are some things that a man just doesn't need to hear.

"I've done more than kiss him," I whispered and didn't meet his eyes.

"So you have been with other men."

"Just one other."

Silence.

"He was my maker," I finally whispered. "The line between lover and friend is very thin for us, it might as well be nonexistent. But Endy, you must believe me that I haven't been with him at all since I came back."

"Believe you?" his voice was a hoarse whisper and he sat up, me still in his lap. He sighed quietly, "Never once was I with other women. I wasn't even tempted to because I loved you so much. I had so many opportunities, you were gone for six months out of a year, but I never did."

"Endy...."

"And then you're kidnapped and disappear for a year and you can't even offer me some comfort that you did the same for me. Our vows meant nothing."

"NO! They meant everything to me, Endy please...."

"Please what?" he glared at me, it was still clear however that he was hurting. He gripped me tightly by the shoulders. It was a lot harsher than he would have done if I was mortal. He knew that he couldn't hurt me now, so he wasn't going to pretend to be gentle.

"I never meant to hurt you. I came back because I wanted to. Because I love you."

"Why?" he demanded finally after a long silence. "Why did you do this to me, Senna?"

Senna. I was still his beloved.

"You're point of view tends to change after you die," I said quietly and I knew I was telling him something that he didn't want to believe. There was a difference between knowing and believing.

"Die?"

"I'm a vampire," I said quietly, "The Undead. Immortal."

He closed his eyes tightly and just sat there and I saw something pass through his features that almost scared me.

"No," he whispered. "Tell me that you're lying to me, Senna."

I didn't answer him. He knew that I was telling him the truth. "Endy..."

He slowly opened his eyes and stopped. "Tell me that you're lying to me."

"I'm not," I whispered; another tear splashed down on him.

Then with a gentleness that was so unlike the harshness of before, he made me look at him. "Gods," he whispered and then kissed me. I just wrapped my arms around his neck and returned the kiss. "My Senna, my beautiful Senna," he whispered into my ear, just holding me tightly.

Something changed that night.

I knew it would. I wasn't completely blind to it, I knew that something would happen.

And it did. He touched me less and let me around our children less. I knew that he was worried about something.....now if I only knew what it was.

* * *

The sun had just barely set and I was out in the gardens playing with my children. It had been three years since I had come back. I hadn't seen Damien at all or had any contact with others of my kind. I fed off of prisoners in the dungons of Endy's kingdom. And the rare times that I visited Atlantis, I fed off of slaves. I never told my husband how or when I killed, I knew that it would bother him too much.

All ready I could feel him pulling away from me. At the moment I was stealing time with my children, for he didn't like me around them. I think that he was worried that I would corrupt them. I never told them what I was, and they never knew about vampires.

"Mommy, where's daddy?" Rini asked me after twirling around and falling in the flowers.

"He's in a meeting," I said and had her come sit in my lap. I began to braid flowers into her light auburn hair. "He'll come and play with you soon."

Antony came and sat down next to us. He was eight years old and had the same blue eyes as his father. All ready he had managed to break hearts of all the little seven year old girls around. I thought he was charming.

"Mommy?"

"Yes?"

"Why does Daddy sleep in a different bed then you?"

I blinked and looked down at him, wondering how he knew, and why he was asking. I just tried to smile down at him, "What do you mean, Antony?" I asked instead.

"You and daddy used to sleep in the same bed. We just to come in and wake you up in the mornings, but now you're not there anymore, we only wake daddy up and you sleep during the day," he looked at me with all the intent a little eight year old could muster and I smiled.

"Mommy and Daddy have different schedules," I said after a moment, "I have to do things at night while he's sleeping and he has to do things while I'm sleeping," I paused when I felt a familiar presence near, "Unless you have a better explanation, Endymion."

I heard the bushes move and he came into view. Rini clapped her hands, happy to see her father. "How do you do that mommy? You always know when Daddy is trying to sneak up on us!" She ran up to Endymion who picked her up and swung her around.

Antony stood and bowed respectively to his father and helped me up as well. "Well Father?" he asked looking up at Endymion. "Do you have a better explanation?"

Endymion raised an eyebrow and we exchanged a look. Our son was incredibly gifted in being able to see through muddled situations.

"Does the fact that I don't sleep with your mother, bother you?" Endymion asked instead, setting Rini down and telling her to go play elsewhere.

"Should it?"

My husband raised an eyebrow and I just let him continue this conversation, not saying anything. This was his call. Whatever he told our son was what I would agree with.

Yes, Endymion and I were so attune to each other we could have entire conversations in just one look. It's cute, in an incredibly mushy kind of way.

"You're mother and I are just busy," he said calmly. "Like she said, we work different schedules."

"Grandmother says that you and mother are fighting, that's why you aren't sleeping together. She says that when that happens, men sleep with other women. Is there another woman in your bed father?"

I wanted to kill Terra.

One: She was telling our son that Endymion and I were fighting, which technically wasn't true. We were avoiding each other. Fighting meant we had to be in the same room.

Two: She was giving our son the idea that he could cheat on his wife. It didn't matter that he was eight years old, he would remember this when the time came. I never forgave her for that. I didn't forgive her for a lot of things. I think that Endymion was ready to kill her too.

But at the moment I was too stunned by the questions that my son was asking. He was so much like his father, it amazed me to see how controlled he was about this.

Endymion reacted quite well to hearing his son ask him these questions, "No, Antony, there is not another woman in my bed. You're mother and I are not fighting," he knelt so that he was eyelevel with his son. "Antony, always believe that the only person that I will ever share a bed with is your mother. Now, I'm sorry that you were told these lies, but you need to go and get ready for bed."

"Yes Father," he smiled happily and gave Endymion and I a hug before running to obey his father.

I watched Endymion slowly rise to his feet. He looked at me for a long moment and was about to leave when I stopped him.

"Did you lie to our son?" I asked quietly and tentatively touched his hand.

He stopped and slowly turned around to face me. "How can you even ask me that Senna?" he asked just as quietly. "I made a vow that you would be the only one and I've kept it," he said bitterly.

I sighed quietly and then nodded before turning to go my own way. This time it was he that stopped me.

"What is it that you do when you leave at night?"

I stopped. "I wander," I said after a moment, "You sleep and I have nothing else to do, so I wander around," slowly I turned to face him. "Do you hate me Endymion?"

We had become strangers, he and I. It was odd saying his entire name. He still called me Senna, but that was more out of habit than it was out of endearment. These last few years had been hard on the both of us. We were still trying to deal with our situation.

I think it says something of him that he would continue to try to make our marriage work when he hated me. Damien just doesn't understand why I loved Endymion. This was one of the reasons, because he tried.

He was quiet for a long moment, "No, Senna. I don't hate you. I hate what you are, I could never hate you."

I nearly broke down into tears as I looked at the ground. I heard him walk over to me and felt him gently take my chin in his hand.

Slowly he raised my head so that I was looking at him. Just as slowly he leaned down and kissed me gently.

"Remember, a part of me will always love you, Serena," he said quietly after he broke off the kiss.

* * *

Endymion didn't reject me completely. He never could, it was part of the curse and part of the blessing. But he did reject me in so many little ways.

I had taken to wandering days at a time, just disappearing and reappearing at will. I didn't learn until later that all vampires go through this apathetic faze. Every time I left, I knew he was wondering if this time I wouldn't come back.

I hardly ever saw my children now, and I don't think that they missed me. This hurt me more than I ever thought possible. The only thing holding me to my home was my husband and the hope that I could convince him to let me turn him.

We discussed it a few times, never arguing or raising our voices.

"Endy?"

"Hmm?" he was laying in my arms and I was lightly stroking his long ebony hair. (Personally, I loved his hair, it was never this long ever again and I wished that he would just grow it out. Unfortunately styles change).

"How much do you love me?"

I heard him sigh quietly, "Are we playing this game again?"

"Uh-huh."

He looked up at me, his dark silver blue eyes full of sadness for a moment.

"I love you with everything I am capable of, Serena," he said quietly, "I will always love you, you know that."

"Always is just a short time now," I whispered, tracing his jaw with my finger.

"No," he said simply and caught my hand.

"No?" I asked innocently, like I didn't know what he was saying no to.

"I know what you're offering me, Senna, and I don't want it. I am content to be what I am." He sat up and moved so that he was half over me. "I don't want to lose my soul."

I looked away sadly, "But Endy. . ."

"Senna," he sighed, "I can't become something I loathe. Not even to be with you for eternity."

"So you hate me now? I thought you said you loved me." I was trying to manipulate him into letting me turn him. He knew it and I knew it.

Again we were having entire conversations in just a few words and looks.

"I do love you, Senna. I'll always love you, remember? I hate what you are, not who you are. Why can't you see the difference?" He gently tried to make me look at him.

"Because there is none," I whispered, "This is who I am now."

"No. You will always be my Serena. You will always be that innocent girl that I fell in love with nearly eighteen years ago," he said firmly.

"I'm hardly innocent, Endymion."

He smiled and then kissed me softly, "A part of you will always be innocent, Serena, you can't change that."

I sighed quietly, "So the answer is no?"

"It will always be no," he said and kissed my forehead before laying back down next to me. "I am content with the life I have been given."

I nestled myself in the crook of his arm and sighed quietly and closed my eyes. "I don't think I'll ever be that content," I murmured. "I'll only be happy when I can be with you forever."

He chuckled and pulled the blankets over us. We were quiet for a moment, but it was a comfortable silence. We had gotten used to the situation we were in and were managing the best that we could. There were times I thought that he could forget what I was and we were happy in a way. It was an adjustment after awhile, and it was really little Antony's question that brought us closer.

Still there was doubt on Endy's side. Every morning or night he asked me the same two questions.

"Are you going to be leaving again tomorrow?" There it was, right on schedule.

"Yes," I said after a moment, "Tomorrow night, late. I'm going to visit And're, I haven't seen him in a long time."

"Will you be coming back?"

I pulled up from his shoulder to look at him, meeting his eyes like I always did when he asked this question. "Always, j'thia. I'll always come back to you."

* * *

I had decided that my next trip was going to be visiting my brother. It had become a joke over the years, how I would show up and scare the living out of him. He was getting older and I needed to talk to him. I didn't know how long it would be before I could get back to Atlantis before he died.

This time I decided to show up in his room. He wasn't there, but it didn't mean that he wouldn't be soon. I knew my brother well, any moment know he would come in the door, probably with either a slave or one of his wives.

About five minutes later he did come in and as predicted he was with his second wife. They were almost to his bed when she pulled back from him and raised an eyebrow. "Andy, who's that?" she asked rather calmly.

And're looked over where I was sitting and smiled rather brightly. "Serena!" He let go of his wife and ran over to me. I grinned impishly and hugged him back just as tightly. He laughed and then swung me around.

"Loose the girl," I whispered into his ear. He nodded and hugged me even tighter.

"Para, get lost," he said simply over the top of my head. She blinked and I could feel her anger at me all the way across the room. If she hadn't been my brother's wife I would have killed her long before now.

She pretended to be innocent and dumb at times, but in reality she was a conniving bitch. I liked his first wife a little better, but Setsuna and I didn't get along very well either.

Para looked ready to argue but she just swept a deep curtsy. "I will see you later then, Andy?"

"Go."

After she left I smiled, "Have you seen the light yet?" I joked. He laughed quietly and then nodded and kissed the top of my head.

"If I didn't know better, I would say that you haven't aged a day since the last time I saw you," he teased before scooping me up and dumping me on his bed and sitting down in front of me.

I laughed quietly, "It's the land air," I said with mock seriousness. "It defies age."

He just shook his head and then sighed. "So, why are you here? The last I heard you and D'mion were getting along just fine."

"Oh, were getting along fine," I said dryly, "We're getting along very well in fact. We get along so well that we're sharing a bed again," I sighed.

"So why the sigh?" he asked and looked down at me.

"He pulls away from me at the worst possible times," I said after a moment.

"Physically or emotionally?" he asked gently.

"Both," I said.

"Sexually too?"

I was never more grateful for the fact that my blood didn't move as I was now. If I had been human I would have been blushing. Being made into a vampire didn't cure me of some of my shyness.

And talking to your brother about you and your husband's intimate life is never an easy or comfortable thing.

"Yes," I said and then sighed again. "I can't understand why he hates me so much. I've tried to do everything that I can to make him more comfortable with what I am. I've tried to do everything I can to show him that I'm still me. Still the Senna he fell in love with."

And're was quiet for a very long time. "I don't think that he hates you Ser' I think that he's having a problem coming to terms that you are the very epitome of everything he was taught to hate and destroy."

I looked at him blankly for a long moment. "H-hate? Des-destroy?" my voice shook with barely controlled tears.

And're sighed quietly and then took a deep breath, "Endymion comes from a long line of Destroyers. In his bloodline there is always a man or a woman who has a special Power meant for the killing and destroying of demons and Evil. Vampyres fall into the category. It was only recently that Garlkesh was allowed to have his own temple and be respected as a demigod."

He paused to let me understand and comprehend his words. "So, Endy. . .Endy is one of these Destroyers?"

And're nodded and gently took my hands in his. I hadn't noticed until then that they had been shaking uncontrollably. "Serena, you must understand that even though you are Evil in his eyes that he is willing to give up everything he believes in to just keep you alive. He battles with himself everyday whether to try to kill you or not. He's torn between having you with him and saving your soul."

I closed my eyes tightly. "Why can't he just tell me this?"

"Because he loves you," my brother said gently.

I was silent for a very long time before I looked at him. He looked at me with a great wisdom and understanding before pulling me into his arms and half hugging me, half holding me. I began to cry, not caring that he was wearing mostly white, letting my tears stain the fabric a deep red.

"Thank you," I whispered. And're just nodded, knowing exactly what I meant, even if I wasn't sure myself.

* * *

I arrived back at the palace of K'thia about two months after visiting with my brother. While I was there I had met the young woman he had truly fallen in love with, much to the scandal of the Atlantis court. Ritika was a young slave girl that And're was going to free and then name her as he first wife.

Needless to say the nobles weren't happy, neither were Para or Setsuna. Though I was happy for him and knew that he would spend the rest of his life with a person that he loved.

I was lost in these thoughts as I walked to mine and Endymion's room. It was the dead of night when I opened the door and came into the darkened room.

What I saw nearly made my heart beat again.

Berylka.

With Endymion.

In our bed.

With a soft cry I fell to my knees. Endymion was half asleep, his arm loosely draped across her waist and she in his arms, her hair all around the two of them. My hand went to my mouth when I saw him murmur a name into the tramps ear. Berylka had been smiling but she frowned slightly.

He murmured the name again.

Rena.

Senna.

Serena.

I closed my eyes tightly and then slowly stood. I wasn't one to take defeat lightly. I cleared my throat and I saw Beryl look over at me. She smiled smugly and moved further into Endymion's arms.

Endy looked up and saw me. For a moment he looked extremely confused, like I wasn't where I was supposed to me. He looked at Berylka in his arms and he paled considerably.

"Care to explain?" I managed to ask calmly as I crossed my arms across my chest. I held my head high and met his eyes. I couldn't read them at all, emotions past through them too quickly for me to comprehend what he was feeling. Our soul bond wasn't helping me much either.

He practically threw Beryl out of the bed and rolled off of his side. He stood quickly and I noticed that he was dressed from the lower half down. That was unusual, he never did that, even when we were fighting he always slept bare.

Berylka was on her feet very quickly and pretending to have shame and cover herself. She threw on her dress and I just watched the both of them coldly.

"I'm waiting."

"It's not what you think," Endymion started.

"You think I can actually form a thought right now?" I looked at him, my face reflecting my feelings of confusion and hurt, "That I'm capable of forming a coherent thought?"

"Gods, Senna, would you listen to me for a second?"

"Serena," I corrected him. "You've lost the right to call me that."

Berylka smiled coldly and I shot a look at her. "I suggest you leave before I kill you," I told her.

She narrowed her eyes, "You don't have the right, Damien--"

"I am his Consort. I have all the right in the world. Go. Now."

She disappeared in a blur of movement and when I was sure that Endy and I were alone, I turned my gaze back towards him.

"I know many things about you Endymion, but I never knew you were a liar."

He narrowed his eyes at me, "I'm not a liar, Serena."

"Then what was that?" I gestured to the bed, "Because it looks to me that you've been lying to me."

"Give me a moment to explain!" he almost shouted, remembering at the last moment to be quiet so that the gossipmongers wouldn't hear us.

I was silent, and then finally nodded, indicating for him to continue.

"I had no idea that she was there," he said after a moment. "I went to bed early tonight. I woke up shortly afterwards and I thought that was you. So I did what I had been dying to do for these last few months."

"Make love?" I said bitterly. Men were all the same, they only cared about one thing and one thing only.

"No," he said sharply, "No. Yes I wanted to, but what I've really wanted is to just hold you," he said after a moment, his voice a little more soft than before.

Slowly I met his eyes. We just stared at each other for several very long minutes of silence. "Serena, I promise you, I didn't touch her. I wanted you. Only you."

I didn't say anything. I wanted to believe him so much. I wanted to trust him that he really was innocent. I closed my eyes tightly. My brain was screaming at me to not believe him, but my heart. . .

My heart knew that he was incapable of touching that woman. To this day I believe what he told me. So with my eyes closed I nearly collapsed. He caught me, not letting me fall. Gently he picked me up into his arms and took me slowly over to the bed. I buried my face into his neck.

Sometimes that made him incredibly nervous, but he didn't even shudder. "Hold me then," I whispered and he nodded, kissing my forehead.

After a long moment he made me look at him. "Serena, always know that I would never do that. I made a promise to love you, honor you, cherish you for eternity and I will. I promise."

I nodded and let him hold me. I didn't tell him that I knew of his other promise.

The promise that he would kill everything of Evil that he came into contact with. My brother had explained more, such as the Council that even the King had to answer to. It was then I began to wonder when they were send the Angels of Life after me.

So, with these bitter and conflicting thoughts and emotions, I fell asleep in his arms. Content for the moment.

It was the contentment before the storm.

* * *

I was twirling around in fast circles, laughing the entire time. Endymion had heard of a new style of dancing and we were trying it out in his court. He was having as much fun with it as I was.

He was older now, and being King had taken a toll on him. His long black hair was streaked with silver and his face starting to wrinkle. He had never been more beautiful to me. I thought that he was incredibly attractive and I loved him even more now than I did when we were first married. By now most of the court knew that I wasn't exactly human, but I was given a respect and left in peace. They just attributed my youth to the fact that I was from Atlantis, an empire that was mysterious to them.

But at the moment I was twirling in very fast circles until Endy caught me by my waist and lift me off the ground and into his arms. We both laughed and the court clapped politely as he carried me outside and onto the terrace.

I giggled as he playfully nuzzled my neck. It had taken us nearly twenty years to get through everything. Twenty years until we trusted each other completely. Twenty years to reach near happiness.

"My beautiful Serena," he murmured and spun us around. I held onto him tightly and just rested my head lightly on his shoulder. "I love you," he whispered and then leaned down to kiss me gently.

I smiled up at him, "My beautiful knight," I playfully nuzzled his neck and nipped at it gently. Endymion didn't trust me to feed off of him, but I did bite him gently at times. I asked him once if he was unnerved by it, but he just laughed quietly and told me that he didn't mind.

He gently set me down on my feet and gently tilted my head up towards his. "Serena, there is something that I want to tell you," he said after a moment of silence.

I nodded, "What is it Endy?"

"I've gotten over it," he said after a moment, "I. . .you being what you are. . .it. . .it doesn't bother me anymore. I love you. All of you." He managed a slight smile. Gently, I reached up and brushed his hair away from his face and trailed the back of my hand across his cheek.

"You have no idea what that means to me, my lover, my soul." I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. After a moment I buried my face in his neck and cried softly. His arms locked around my waist and we just held each other until I was done crying.

He kissed my forehead and was about to say something when there was a commotion from inside the large ballroom. I looked up at him curiously and he just shrugged as we went back inside. All of the dancing had stopped and there was a path cleared for two new comers who had caused a silence to befall the room. I looked at the two curiously, wondering what they were doing here.

One was a tall blond woman. She looked like a thin, muscular man, but it was obvious to me that she was a woman. Her eyes were blue and cold and she carried a large sword at her waist. She was dressed all in tight blue men's clothing.

Her partner had the oddest color of hair I had ever seen. The woman's hair was a sea green and wavy. She was beautiful and much more feminine that her counterpart. She was wearing blue as well, but her choice was a knee length skirt, slit to give her freedom of movement. On her back was a quiver full of arrows and she was carrying her bow casually.

They walked to Endymion and I, being slow and deliberate in their movements. I took my husband's hand, wondering if he knew who they were, because I had a very good idea. It seemed my worry was justified.

They were called Anklias which roughly translated means angels of life, belonging to a secret cult that lived to be hunters of vampires. They always traveled in pairs. However, they preferred combat to assassination. Damien told me once that this pair that I had encountered was one of the best, having sold themselves completely to their cause.

Endy's hand clenched mine tightly and I could tell that he was nervous. I wonderful why, but didn't have a chance to think as the pair bowed before us. Endy nodded at them to stand.

"Allow us to introduce ourselves," the blond said formally, "I'm Hakura and this is my partner, Michiru."

"Welcome to K'thia," Endymion said just as formally, "I am King Endymion and this is my wife and Queen, Serena," I did not bow to them formally at all. In fact I just watched them coldly. A quiver of fear ran through me. They weren't here to ask permission to go through the countryside looking for vampires. They were here for me.

Michiru bowed formally to me, but Hakura did not. She looked at me just as coldly. "What is your business here?" I asked them, my hand not leaving Endymion's.

"Our business is for the King's ears only," Hakura said loud enough for the court to hear.

"You have interrupted a celebration," I said and my grip on his hand got tighter, the only thing betraying my nervousness.

"And we are greatly sorry," Michiru said quietly, "but this can't wait."

I clenched my jaw but didn't say anything. Endymion finally nodded, "I'm sorry with the break in the celebration," he said to the court, "but I'm afraid I must hear out our two prestigious guests."

There was a little bit of a commotion as the court left. "I'm staying," I said simply to Endymion. He looked down at me for a moment, like he might argue with me. "Endymion, I'm not an idiot, those two girls are here because of me. I need to stay."

He nodded and then led our two guests into his private study. I just sat down in one of the large chairs. Hakura's gaze flickered at me for a moment.

"What we have to say is for your ears alone," she said to Endymion.

"My wife is an extension of me, as I am of her," he said simply, "Serena will stay. Whether she hears it now or later does not matter. I don't have anything to hide from her."

Michiru looked at me a little apprehensively before sighing quietly. "Endymion, when we learned of your situation we came as soon as we could. Unfortunately it wasn't until two years ago that we learned that the Queen was a vampyre."

"You do know that she's a vampyre, right?" Haruka asked. The two women were effectively ignoring me. Did I ever mention how much I hate it when people talk as if I'm not there?

Endymion chuckled, "Yes, I know what Serena is."

"Why isn't she dead yet?" Haruka demanded and I actually laughed quietly. She glared over at me and I just smiled.

"I am dead," I said after a moment and laughed again. I stopped when Endy shot me a look.

"Senna, you're not helping," he said dryly.

"Sorry."

Endymion sighed quietly, "I'm not going to kill my wife," he said after a moment. "She is the mother of my children and what happened wasn't her fault. She's not evil."

Haruka gave him a skeptical look, "They are always evil Endymion. It's in their nature. She is a killer."

"Has she magiked you?" Michiru asked gently. "We can perform the ritual to break her control over you."

"I haven't been magiked," Endymion said irritably, "And Serena hasn't killed anyone in a very long time. I am going to ask you to leave."

The pair exchanged a look and the aqua haired girl sighed quietly, "We have orders to kill the Queen if you will not do it."

"You have got to be insane."

That wasn't Endymion, that was me. The three of them looked at me, the two women stunned at my statement.

I continued, "First, you're assuming that you could kill me. I'm the Consort of the Master." I stood up and walked over to stand next to my husband. The two women looked surprised at my declaration. The Master was impossible to kill, and according to legend so was his Consort. Kalkia explained it to me once, for being the First Childe she had been the first Consort. "And second," I continued, "you're assuming that Endymion would let you."

The stared at me for a long moment. Haruka finally narrowed her eyes. "The soul bond," she hissed and clenched her jaw.

"Exactly," Endymion said, not arguing with me at all. "Are your people going to insist on the insanity of a king?"

"Of course not," Haruka closed her eyes after a minute. "We call upon the Oath that you have taken." She opened her eyes which were now glowing faintly. "We call upon all that is Sacred."

Michiru took her hand and her eyes began to glow as well, "We call upon Duty," she whispered, "You will not be able to eat, think, or sleep until you have preformed that which you promised."

"So mote it be."

A Power came over them and then towards Endymion. I saw it and didn't think, I stood in front of it and let it overtake me. I fell to the ground a moment later, not seeing anything but darkness for a long time.

* * *

Sitting down in a crowded bar with hazy smoke all around you, is not my idea of a good time. Of course my idea of a good time usually included a nice shapely blond or brunette. I sighed heavily and looked at the clock for the umpteenth time.

She was late. Sunset was three hours ago; she should have been here by now. Trust a vampire to be late.

"Sorry I'm late, Andrew," she said, sounding breathy as she slid into the booth across from me. "Thank you for meeting me here."

I managed a slight smile, "Do you know where Darien is?" I asked after a minute of silence. I watched her carefully. Her blue eyes looked like she had been crying for hours and there were slight traces of blood on her pale cheeks.

"No," she said after a moment.

"Is he dead?" I managed to ask in a gentle tone. I know, surprising even for me. It was strange, ever since I had met her I felt this protectiveness around her.

I told Darien about it once and he just laughed. "She's like that. She makes everyone think that she's helpless and innocent. Really she's not. Try to ignore it, Drew."

I tried. It didn't work, she really is helpless at times. Like now, she's ready to fall apart because he's gone, or missing, or heaven forbid, dead. So I watched her and after a long moment of silence I took her hand gently.

She looked up at me, her eyes misty. "I don't know," she whispered, "I felt him die but. . ."

"But?" I prompted.

"It's different than all of the other times. It's like I can almost hear him, but then he's to far away." She looked down at her hands and then placed something on the table. I looked down at it, a little confused. It was a computer disk, a rather high tech one for our times. And by high tech, I mean something that only the government has. "I'm thinking by the time that Darien is either reborn or that you find him again, then this will still be useful."

"What is it?" I asked picking it up slowly and looking at it carefully.

"The answers to all the questions that he wanted to know. Everything's in there. Our story, how we first met. Falling in love. Our marriage. Our wedding night. My death and rebirth. Betrayal. His death. All of its in there."

I breathed in sharply. I was holding history in my hands. "Why are you giving this to me?" I asked.

"Darien is gone. I am tired of watching him die and be reborn. I am tired of the curse. Tonight I'll get my revenge on Berylka and then tomorrow morning I will walk out into the sun."

I had no response to that. She slowly stood up and looked down at me. She smiled just a little, though it was sad.

"I'll finally get to see the sunrise."

Slowly I nodded and stuck the computer disk into my pocket carefully. "Do you want my help tonight?"

She shook her head, "No. Andrew, Darien values you as his best friend, his family. I won't have your life on my heart either. Besides, listen to your little sister for once." She leaned down and kissed my cheek before disappearing.

I blinked several times, stunned by what she had just told me.

Little sister?

* * *

For the first time ever, I could feel the sunset. I could feel the unbearable heat of the sky leaving. It fascinated me, as did the feel of the bed sheets around me.

I knew what I was. There was no way I couldn't know. I opened my eyes and looked over at Damien, my Sire.

Serena's Sire.

Did that make us brother and sister?

God, I hope not.

I heard a laugher and then flushed slightly, realizing that he could hear my thoughts.

"You are very interesting young Endymion," he said, watching me with a hint of curiosity. He walked over to me and I slowly sat up. I felt incredibly strong and felt no hunger. He smiled, "That is because I fed you enough to last a thousand lifetimes. You drank directly from the Master for several hours. You will not be hungry for a long time."

I nodded, knowing that he was satisfying my want to not kill. For some reason I still had my soul and the thought of killing innocence make me sicken inside.

"Serena?"

"She is not here. Nor does she know about your current situation, Endymion."

I sighed, "Darien," I corrected. "Where is she?"

He smiled slightly, "That is for you to find out. . .Endymion."