Chapter 6: Love in Painful Measures

        Serena could swear she saw the room turn when she entered, but it couldn’t be that for she saw many people still engrossed in conversation. Perhaps it was the general aura of the whole place, for it seemed that all of the sudden everyone knew that Angel had arrived. She almost felt self-conscious and she re-adjusted her mask just to make sure no one could really see her. She already saw two young men heading towards her with that particular glint in their eyes that she knew so well. My my, this must be a new record. she tried to contain her mirth and succeeded admirably. Giana sure wasn’t kidding about this dress! I feel like a princess. The white silk swished loosely about her ankles. The dress itself was embroidered with small crescents at various intervals about it. It was cut in the latest style, but dipped precariously low and was slit up her leg slightly. As she walked, parts of her legs flashed through the exquisite white silk, tantalizing the male audience she was gathering. This should be fun.

        Darien saw her the minute she walked in the room. His hand squeezed the half-full glass of brandy he was carrying and his conversation with a pretty young widow dropped off rapidly. His heart was beating so fast he thought it might burst through his chest lovely thought. He scolded himself for acting this way but he could not help himself. The only thought left in his head was the one telling him to go to her. Go to her...

        Serena gulped and anxiously downed the remaining wine in her glass, the only outward signs of her distress. She watched half in fear, half in desperate wanting, as Darien crossed the room, staring straight at her. Oh God I need to sit down the emotions were almost too much for her. There was no where readily available to sit though so she tried to lock her jellied knees. The men talking to her didn’t seem to care that she was far away from their conversation, each thought that she was daydreaming of their own selves. One man, Edward, whom she had met before followed the path her eyes made across the room and saw Darien headed towards her. She thought she saw him smile.
        Darien and he clasped hands like old friends when he finally reached the small group.
        "Edward! How have you been my friend?" he said jocundly. Edward replied with the same good humor,
        "I was doing fine until you decided to show up and try to take Angel from my fingertips." Serena gave him a teasing glare and said,
        "Edward, you know that I wasn’t yours." she shook a friendly finger at him. Darien laughed,
        "Oh-ho! She has you there." Edward help up his hands in defeat,
        "Well, since I haven’t made the impression I had hoped, I guess I’ll see if I can catch up with that young widow I saw you with earlier Darien." With that, he promptly departed and left Darien alone with his Angel.
        Serena actually had butterflies in her stomach. Oh god, get a grip, you’ve done this a thousand times before. And besides, you might as well have fun tonight before your break. she thought. All of the sudden she smiled and cocked her head up at Darien. She saw him gulp and she giggled inwardly. My how the mighty doth fall so easily! she entwined his arm in hers and led him outside into the gardens. They walked for a while in silence, Darien not quite knowing what to say and Serena gleefully watching him suffer. She was startled when he suddenly grabbed her and covered his mouth with hers. She was shocked, but not for long. She leaned into the kiss with all her and enjoy the play of his tongue with hers. Sweet, warm emotions turned fiery very quickly and Serena decided to leave it at that for a while.
        It was hard to pull away, god was it hard. He was all she had wanted since she turned 14 and now here he was, sharing his passion with her. She felt like she would just melt into him, just for a while, if only she could. The love for this man, yes she recognized it as love now, was almost more than a woman could bear. His touch was fire and he almost hurt her with his heat. She couldn't pull away, but she had to, and Serena was, for the most part, a practical girl. She stepped away from the circle of his arms. She felt like ice without his warmth. It had never been like this before. She attempted a smile,
        "What - no ‘hello’?" His confused expression soon turned to a devil’s smile.
        "I was overcome by your presence." he said with a bow. She moved away and kept walking down the garden paths into the rose section. Darien hurried to catch up, some part of him rebelled at having to chase after a woman, but the most important parts of him willed him onward. She heard him follow and said.
        "That’s sweet." She had to suppress her laughter as she heard Darien trip and right himself beside her. SWEET?!? She’s treating me like a teenager who’s smitten with her! he thought angrily. She never let him get to near her. He knew that and it angered him. His mind was churning with ideas of how to possess her, this witch who haunted his dreams. Well, she was reputed to be an informal courtesan and he had talked to her lovers, fat old men all of them. How could she stand them touching her? He shuddered with the thought of it. He could make her see what she was missing. He knew he could. She wanted him as much as he wanted her, he could feel it plainly when they kissed. But she wouldn’t let him take her anywhere. If she were mine, I would take her to...wait a minute, why not just take her? he mind reeled with this new thought. Yes! He could do it, just sort of kidnap her. She would give in once he had her all to himself.
        A small part of him wondered if he wasn’t being too obsessive, but the larger part of him was so absorbed in Angel that he forgot to care. Angel and he walked around and around the garden. Serena let herself be kissed and touched and courted by Darien. It was all like a dream to her, and finally she was letting it happen. Her heart ached for him to hold her, tell her he loved her but she knew he didn’t and so she accepted what he was willing to give her. He whispered in her ear, asking if she wanted another glass of wine. Wine, she thought, would be very nice to calm me down right now. So they re-entered the ballroom to get a few glasses.
        Usually the wine she drank was watered down, but the wine Darien gave her was not. He knew that. He held his breath but she didn’t seem to notice and he happily watched her down the glass. Serena felt rather giddy, but assumed it was from all the lights and music and perhaps a little from the man standing next to her. She felt so free and had another glass, and then another. After an hour, Darien judged that she was fairly well on her way to being drunk and gently took her outside.
        "Do you want to go home Angel?" she looked up at him and gave him a vacuous smile, nodding as if her head was loose on her neck. Darien felt rather guilty but then she slipped her hand inside his shirt and felt his heart. He almost died of happiness. He somehow managed to get her in his carriage and told the driver,
        "Take me to the townhouse, and be quick about it."
        "Yes sir." He knew better than to ask about the young woman, he assumed she was just some lightskirt the Earl had picked up. Darien propped her head on his shoulder and cradled her in his arms. He thought he heard her whisper "I love you" before she fell asleep in his arms for the ride home. The thought did wonders to him, he felt an indescribable pleasure wash over him like a spring rain. He gripped her tighter and she snuggled down into his warm embrace. He throat closed up with desire for this small woman. The night was still young, they had only been at the party for about an hour before they left and it was only the hour of seven now. Early, very early, but all the more reason to go home know with this beauty in his arms. He doubt anyone would miss her, since no one knew who she was. Quietly, as the carriage pulled to a stop, he lifted the still sleeping Serena and put her in his bed, much to the curiosity of the maids and his butler Geoffrey. He sat down in an armchair and watched her sleep.

        When Serena woke up it was dark outside. She didn’t remember going home but here she was in her bed. It sure as hell didn’t feel like her bed. Her head ached slightly and she felt rather queasy. She took in her surroundings, and realized they were not familiar. Before she could scream, however, a hand closed over her mouth. She looked up with fear-filled eyes, terror crawling up her spine.
        "Please do not scream, it really won’t do any good." she recognized that voice! She said angrily once his hand moved,
        "What the hell do you think you’re doing?" he lazily sat back down in the chair and said,
        "Fufilling my every desire."
        "Damn you! What are you planning to do?!" He raised his eyebrows.
        "You of all people should have guessed." his eyes softened and he rose from his chair to brush his hand over bangs softly.
        "But..." she protested.
        "Why are you fighting this, you know you want me as much as I want you." He leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips. Her mask had fallen away but it was too dark in the room for him to see her face clearly. She pulled back slightly.
        "But you don’t even know who I am."
        "I don’t care, you’re all I need." her heart thundered. Her body melted. Why am I fighting this? I love him, I always have. When he finds out who I am he won’t want me. Please God just let me have this night... She sank into his embrace, and where he touched her she felt the fires of heaven. Her eyes glistened with tears because she knew this night was all she would ever have of him, when the morning came he would find out who she was and he would hate her for it. Her arms tightened about his neck and she gave all of herself to him that night. The one man who she loved, the one man who would never marry her.