Thirst for Blood

*Hey y’all. Once again, I’m back. Ok. This one might get a little odd. I really don’t know, I’m just kind of winging this one out of the blue…. But a warning, it is extremely dark, lots of lime, violence, and light swearing. Without further ado…

I DO NOT BELIEVE IN DISCLAIMERS…. Here we go! *

Prologue: Consecration

 

*The pool of shimmering glass sparkled and shined with the candlelight flickering off of the hard cold surface. As he stared into the mirror, he gave a small smirk. Why did he even bother? He knew he was perfect. He was the most feared and hated creature in the land, no, world, how could he not look perfect. Raising his fist, he brought it back, then let it fly and shattered the mirror. ‘Not much of a loss’ he thought to himself. ‘I don’t have a reflection anyway.’ He smirked and laughed loudly at his own joke. Then he stopped suddenly. Tonight was the night. Tonight was the night he consecrated his bride. Thinking of her, he licked his lips in anticipation.

He had met her a mere two weeks ago, but at first glance he had known she would be his. He had only just moved into the area, and upon greeting his neighbors, he found her. Just thinking about her sent shivers up his spine. Her long silky silvery golden hair. Her porcelain white skin. Those deep pools of azure blue to gaze to the world through. Her perfect curves, long legs. And, of course, that long, creamy neck. Her blood was completely pure and completely untainted, not a drop of wickedness lay with in her soul, and her heart radiated love and warmth for all. Yes. For he, the greatest, the King of the Night, Serenity would give herself in full willingness and love. After that, he would allow her to stay by his side as the Emporess of the Dark. Darien laughed again at his full proof plan. He would enjoy breaking her tonight. Checking his cape one last time, he slowly shifted to the form of a bat and took flight out the window into the black moonless night.

>>>*<<<

Sighing heavily, Serenity waited and waited for the night to be over. She loved to dance; yet she hated these socials that her parents threw. The balls were always grand affaires that she was forced to attend, and worse, forced to dress as only the most respected ladies would.  In her frilly baby blue gown she felt like a doll, dressed for nothing more than to pleasure the men’s eyes. It was not that she was ungrateful to her parents for their hard work to buy her such pretty bobs; yet she still wanted less.

What she really wanted right at the moment was to leave. In fact, she wanted to leave for China, like her brother was doing. Her elder brother, Samuel, was lucky enough to have be able to join the army. Now he was leaving to go off on exciting adventures and voyages whilst she was stuck at home embroidering pillows. She knew soldier’s lives were hard, she had watched Samuel and the rest of his platoon practicing. It was from them that she learned her love of weapons. She could wield a sword better than most boys her age, as well as was highly skilled hand- to -hand combat. Her main problem lie within her physical traits. Being short and thin did not help her in her quest for more strength, and, of course, being a woman was certainly very problematic, for she was not allowed to fight in the first place. As she watched the dancers swirl around and around, she began to get rather dizzy. Excusing herself from her friends, she strolled out onto the patio to get a breath of fresh air.

Breathing heavily, she twitched her nose in disgust. For some odd reason, the fresh air seemed to reek of rotted things. Only once before, she recalled, had she smelled such an atrocious smell. It had been only about two weeks ago, the same night she had met that Count Darien fellow from some country  far to the East of Europe. She couldn’t place the exact smell, but it smelled coppery and rotten.

“Good evening, dear, fair Serenity. My, but you are a vision of loveliness tonight.” She spun around on her heel to come face to face with the very same Count Darien who had just been occupying her thoughts. 

“Why, thank you Count Darien. I didn’t see you arrive.” She almost blanched at the sight of the mans sickeningly sweet smile. She knew what he was up to, and if he even tried it, he would get the biggest wake-up call of his life.

“Yes. I always try to be modest. Why is a fair maid like yourself standing out in the chilly wind. A frail soul such as yourself might catch a chill. Allow me to escort you in for a dance, please my lady?” He gave her one of his most ‘dashing’ smiles and knew she would be putty in his hands if he could just get her to dance with him.

“ No thank you, sir. I am quite content at the moment out here and away form the crowds. I suggest you go farther away than I.”

“Why fair maid?”

“ Because you reek of a rotten stench, and we wouldn’t want any one inside getting sick from the smell, now would we, oh dearest Count Darien?” She feigned a look of pure innocence and smiled sweetly.

“Serenity, you mock me. I have given you no reason, and I suggest you refrain from repeating it, unless you beg trouble to yourself.” He glared with a warning glance deep into her eyes, trying to gain control of her with his hypnotic trance.

“Oh. Well, then, in that case, I suppose I do beg trouble to come knocking for me, for I simply must tell you once again to leave my vicinity, you are beginning to make me lightheaded with that rotten stench of yours.” She smirked this time, getting bolder. What could he possibly do to her at a party?

“Serenity.” His voice was dark and deep, filled with lust and something akin to rage. “You have asked for trouble, now you shall receive your demand.”

“Is that quite so? And how do you intend upon stealing me? Right out from under my father’s nose? Here? Tonight? I think not.”

“Too bad, because I think so.” With that, he grabbed for her arms and yanked on them hard, twisting her around so that her back pressed up against his stomach. With one hand covering her mouth and the other holding both her wrists down, he began to drag her away into the night.

Though Serenity struggled with all of her might, she simply could not break loose. All of her old self -defense tricks, her old escape tricks, flew from her mind when they were executed to no avail. Her attacker was just far too powerful for her to even have the chance to scream.

>>>*<<<

Serenity awoke to find herself laying in a well -fitted satin bed. When she sat up and saw the true nature of her resting place, she let out a delicate scream. She was in a coffin. Of all places to put her, why would that bastard Count Darien place her in a coffin. Looking around, she saw another coffin besides hers. The top was closed, but she could barely make out the fancy writing atop the casket. As she read the dusty writing from her position, she realized what was going to happen to her if she did not find a way out. But was it possible?

As long as she could remember, people had told her stories of witches and ghosts and vampires, but she never truly believed in any of them. Until now. If Darien truly was what  the legends foretold of him, she was in hot water. No wonder he had been so strong: he had an endless amount of energy granted to him from the devil himself. And his distinct smell, it had been that of old dried blood. Now with more clues, she had been able to put together the missing puzzle pieces.

“Your finally awake my dear.”

Darien had waited the rest of the night and through the next day for her to awake. As soon as he had drugged her, he had been able to fall asleep without worries. Now that she was awake, he could hardly wait to ravage her of her blood, her soul, and all else that she still held untouched by the dark hell of the damned.

“Why am I here? What do you want with me?” She asked, her nose high in the air, trying to act brave, when in reality she was about to break down into tears.

“I have chosen you.”

“For what purpose?”

“You will be my Emporess of the Dark, my vampire queen.”

“I will do no such thing!”

“You haven’t any choice. Last night we consecrated the ceremony. All I have left to do is the final ritual and we will be bonded as one forever into eternity.” He smirked.

“What?” She cried out in horror. She didn’t remember a thing! How was it possible?

“All we have left to do is create a vampire out of you. Then we can begin the final acts and we will be soul bonded.”

“No! I will never become a vampire you evil creature! You may have sold your soul to the devil, but I will never let you or him claim mine!”

“You haven’t a choice my dear.”

“And why not? I wish to be given a fair chance to win my freedom!”

“Oh really?” She huffed at the sarcasm in his voice.

“Yes, really. You can even name the way I can try.”  Slightly a taken back by her forwardness and feisty spirit, he decided to let her have her whim.

“Very well, in order to gain your freedom from me, you must…” he looked around the room and his eyes fell upon two gleaming streaks of metal. “You must defeat me in a hand to hand sword duel.” ‘She’ll never stand a chance.’ He thought privately.       

“I accept your challenge. You will provide me with a weapon?” ‘I cannot believe what luck I have. He picked my best field.’ She thought. As he handed her a shiny rapier, she took a few practice swings and then bowed in the proper fencing manner.

“Let’s begin.” Darien said. The two dueled as of their lives depended upon it, but in truth, only one soul did.  As they parried each other mark for mark, strike for strike, lunge for lunge, time flew by. For ten minutes. Then twenty. Finally, after a half an hour of solid dueling, Serenity made a desperate lunge at Darien that he had not been expecting. She managed to lock sword hilts, then disarm her opponent gracefully.

“I’ve won Darien. Give me back my freedom.” He frowned, trying to think of a way out of it. Then he found his loophole.

“I told you I would let you go. I never said I wouldn’t still create a vampire out of you. Come here!” With that, he lunged at Serenity, grabbed her by the waist, and dragged her off, screaming and into the night. *

Chapter One: End of Death, Beginning of Immortality

*Serenity opened her eyes and was left in a shocked state. Letting out a slight gasp, she looked around her surroundings. It was a place she felt she had been before, yet she could not remember at any one time coming to it. Looking down at herself, she found she was clothed in a long flowing white gown. Then, noticing a soft glow from above her, she crossed her eyes to look up, only to find a strange symbol imprinted upon her forehead.

“Don’t make faces such as those Serenity, your lovely face will get stuck that way.” Serenity turned around to find herself staring at a tall and graceful woman who wore a dress much the same, and had silver hair and light blue eyes. Upon her forehead, too, was the strange crescent moon symbol.

“Who are you? Where am I?” Serenity asked.

“You are home. Or what is left of it. Oh my dear Serenity. I wish you could already remember who you truly are.”

“What do you mean? I do know who I am. I am Serenity Crescent, the daughter of Ilene and Kenneth Crescent. Who are you and where am I?”

“Pluto?” Serenity watched as yet another mysterious woman revealed herself from the shadows. She had long dark green hair and carried a staff. She also wore the most revealing outfit Serenity had ever seen a woman wear. A short green skirt baring almost the entire leg, a tight, white body suit with giant maroon bows, and high boots.

“Yes My Queen?” Asked the new woman.

“Please tell my daughter of her future and of the events the time stream has ‘chosen’ for her to participate in.” Serenity noticed how the woman with the silver hair was slightly upset over this ‘time steam of events’, and she also noticed how she had called her her daughter.

“I’m afraid you must be mistaken. I am not your daughter. I am the daughter of Ilene and Kenneth Crescent, as I have already informed you.”

“May I, your Highness?”

“Yes, but, Pluto, please be gentle.”

“Of course you Majesty.” Serenity watched as the green haired woman began waving her staff about and chanting strange words.

“What? What are you doing? Stop, please!” Before she could protest anymore, Serenity felt as if a huge weight had been dropped down upon her shoulders. It pushed her to her knees, and she closed her eyes to allow the strange unusual sensations to fly through her mind. She began to remember a lost time, a lost life. One where she had lived upon the Moon during a time called the Silver Millennium. One where she had been royalty, the Princess of the Moon in fact. She remembered the two women who were standing beside her, the one with the silver hair as her mother, and the one with the green hair as the guardian of the Time Gates. She remembered her old friends, the former princesses of the planets as her royal guards, also known as the Sailor Scouts. She remembered Beryl ripping apart their world and lives, killing people, destroying all in her path. She remembered watching her friends die, then dieing herself. When it was all over, she took a couple of deep breaths, then noticed someone was calling to her.

“Serenity? Serenity, my daughter, are you alright?”

“Yes. Yes Mother, I’m fine.”

“Do you remember Princess?”

“Yes Pluto, I remember now, thank you for restoring my memories.” After she said that, she stood again and thought in silence. She felt good, as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, yet at the same time, felt a heavy feeling of guilt creep over her. She began to cry into her hands silently, hoping that it would ease her pain.

“Oh, my poor Daughter. I’m so sorry I had to revive your memories.” Said the silver haired woman, enveloping Serenity in a giant hug.

“Oh Mother. Why did they have to die? Why? What did they ever do to deserve such an awful fate? Oh why?”

“They did nothing. They did not deserve it, but we can not change the past now my dear.”

“I know, but it still hurts.”

“I know my dear, I know.”

“Your Highness…”

“Yes, I know Pluto. Serenity, my dear Daughter, listen to me. You haven’t much time left here, and I need to explain some things to you.”

“Much time? Why can’t I stay forever with you?”         

“My dear, you are still alive. Right now, we are in Limbo. It is a place between life and death. You’ve some how found your way here whilst you slept. Dear, listen to me. You were reincarnated in the wrong time. You should have been reincarnated later in the time line, but the time stream made a mistake. You were born nearly two hundred years before you should have been. Now another mistake has been made. A vampire by the name of Count Darien has made you one of them. If you had been born in the right time, this never would have happened, but because you weren’t…” She let the sentence hang in the air.

“Then it wasn’t just a dream? I really am one of the undead? I’ve given up my soul to the Devil and His evil and vile will?” Serenity asked her, ready to burst into tears again.

“Yes.” Spoke Pluto. “ But, it makes things in the time stream a bit easier actually. Instead of letting you live, then die, then be reborn again, you can just live until the rest of the Sailor Scouts are reincarnated. Or until times change so much that they can no longer be reincarnated. At that point, we will take your soul and you will be able to stop living. But there is no guarantee which version of the future will come to pass. You must continue living until time chooses it’s own path.”

“So I’m to be stuck as a vampire forever?”

“No, only until time decides what path it will take.”

“Mother, can’t you change something?”

“I’m sorry, my dear, but that is the will of time, even I have no control over it. Until time does choose, live a full life my dear.”

“Drinking blood and only living during the night? That is your idea of a full life?”

“Serenity. A vampire does have to drink blood, but not every night. When you turn fiftieth anniversary of being a vampire, you will be able to go for three to five days without feeding. The older you get, the longer you can go without  ‘blood’. And, Princess, on your eightieth anniversary, you will be able to start living during the day again. And you can even shape-shift into a bat when you want. Being a vampire is not so different.” Said Pluto.

“Still, those times are years and years away.” Serenity argued.

“Just do your best to pull though Serenity. That is all we ask. As a vampire, you will gain a speed and agility you did not have as a human girl. Use that to your advantage.” Said her mother, trying to make the situation look a little better.

“And, Serenity, before you go, let me remind you: the only way for a vampire to die is to either be impaled with a wooden stake through the heart, or for their coffin to be destroyed. You cannot cross water without your coffin, you have no reflection in mirrors, and you have hypnotic eyes now, so be careful how you look at people.” Pluto finished.

“But, wait! How do I even use all of this power?” Serenity asked, her mind muddled with these new theories.

“You simply will it to happen. You want it, you just concentrate and it was come about. And before you leave,” Serenity noticed she was beginning to become invisible. “And  before  you leave, you should know that you will have all of your financial needs and housing needs  met automatically. Don’t worry. When you leave Darien, there will always be money or something to help you along your way in your purse.”

“What! Wait! No! Mother! Pluto!” She cried as she fully disappeared.

Chapter Two: An Unsatisfied Hunger

 

*She bolted straight up and looked around. Once again she was in a coffin, but this time, she was not alone. Laying beside her was Count Darien, the blood sucking bastard of the undead who had done this to her. Looking around the room for an escape route, she spied a lone open window. Carefully sneaking out of the coffin, dressing, and trying not to awaken Darien in the process, she moved over towards the window.

It was high, almost four stories up from the ground, but she knew it was the only way to get out. Standing a top her windowsill, she took a deep breath and jumped. A quick rush of air and she landed gently on the ground, hardly making any noise. ‘Mother was right. I do have incredible abilities now that I’m a vampire. I am hungry though.’ She thought to herself. ‘Wait, can I even eat anything? I could never drink the blood of another creature. Could I?’ She wallowed in guilt at even thinking of the hideous deed, then sighed. It was the only way for her to live. And what about a coffin? If she needed to be inside of it when the sun came up, she would need to return to Count Darien’s home. Her situation was getting worse and worse as she thought about it.

>>>*<<<

Where could she have possibly gone? And how had she had the strength to do it? When his Mistress first consecrated him, he could not stand by the time he had woken up, much less escape from her. Not that he would have wanted to. He shuddered in remembrance of Keiko, his first Mistress. She had been absolutely perfect in everyway: dark, sexy, evil, and she had loved him to a fault. He too, had loved her. It was too bad that one of her minions had had the nerve to kill her while she slept. It was also too bad that he had figured out who it had been, because, of course, he had righted the killing of his Mistress by killing her killer. That had left him in charge. But this new girl he had found, this ‘Serenity’, she was something else. He lusted after her like nothing before. Not even Keiko had made his blood boil as this tiny little girl did. Well, however she did it, she was gone now, and that meant he would have to go find her.  Besides. He needed to teach her how to behave. He was her new Master, after all.

>>>*<<<

Serenity sighed. This was the fifth house she had come upon, and still she could not bring herself to feed on the innocent people inside the houses. She looked at the sky and knew daylight was drawing nearer. She was so hungry, and her energy draining so quickly both because of her ordeal last night and the fact that she had not yet fed her huger. She ran her finger over her upper teeth for the third time in ten minutes. She still couldn’t believe she had fangs. Sharp ones too. So sharp that the first time she had tested them with her fingers, she had cut herself. She sighed again. This was now the sixth house and still, she had too guilty of a conscience to eat. Suddenly, she heard the noise of flapping wings. Thinking it was a bird; she thought no more of it. Until she felt heavy, muscular arms encircle her waist and pull her in closer to a solid, large body.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk my Serenity. How dare you think you could ever possibly leave me.”

“Count Darien. I won our duel. I was promised my freedom. Of course I should think I can leave you.” She sneered back at him, appalled he would have even forgotten he had made a promise and given his word.

“Yes, you did win your freedom. But, my sweet night  flower, did you honestly think you could survive without me? I doubt you know anything about a vampire or how to use their power. I doubt you even have enough power to feed tonight without me help. Face it, my little imp, you are stuck with me until you have at least learned the ropes of being a vampire.” He smirked at what he thought was her plain stupidity. ‘How dare she think she can survive without my help?’ He thought. ‘I’ll must definitely show her.’

“Well, Count Darien… I think I would be just fine on my own. I don’t need you to explain to me how to be a vampire. I am one now, so I should know how it all works.” She prayed this ploy would work. And besides, it wasn’t all lies. Pluto had taught her a little about being a vampire in her dreams. Now all she had to do was use the knowledge she had been given and she would be just fine.

“Is that so? Do you know you need to feed? Can you even find it in your heart to want to drink the blood of innocent men, women, and children? Please enlighten me, Serenity.” He said, with some mocking tones in his voice.

“I can if need be!” she cried at him.

“Then prove it. Show me how strong you really are.” He challenged her.

“I just might!” She would show him, that two-timing lying, cheating, and stealing weasel. She swiveled around to face the tiny shack she had only just passed the front walkway to and strolled up to the door. Gently tapping on it, she saw a light glow burst through the dimness and soon the door was opened wide. Before her stood an older man, forty or so. Without hesitation, she grabbed for his nightshirt, pushed him back against the wall, and exposed his vulnerable throat to her hungry eyes. Without thinking about the consequences of her actions, she titled her head and viciously bit down upon the man’s veins. Because she was knew to the experience, she dribbled a bit of the sticky red liquid down her chin and let it drip down her throat. As if she didn’t notice it, she continued to drink the man’s blood until finally she had drawn the life force entirely from his body. When she was finished, she used the man’s shirt to wipe away the excess blood that had  dripped; then she turned to face Count Darien.

“So I don’t know how to feed? So I have too kind of a heart? Was it kind of me to murder this man? Hmm? Was it nice of me to then rub it in his dead face by using his shirt to wipe his blood from my lips? Do I shudder in revulsion at how wonderful the warm dark liquid tasted as it rushed down my throat and through into my veins? Do I? I would love to know Count Darien!” Her dead eyes blazed with anger and hatred.

Darien had stood the whole time watching this display of temper quietly. So maybe this Serenity wasn’t as peaceful as her name made her out to be. Well, that mattered little. He would still be her Master and she his slave girl. There was nothing that would stop him from achieving that goal. Maybe a few setbacks would slow him down, but he would still reach it one way or another. This was probably the first of the setbacks. That was all.

“Impressive. But did you know that…”

“That I need to be in that death trap of a coffin before the sun rises? Yes, I knew that too. Don’t take me so lightly Count Darien. Tomorrow night I leave you for good. After all, you should be a gentleman and keep your word.” She smirked at him, then turned on her heel and stalked off, back towards his ‘home’.*

Chapter Three: I’m Mine, Not Yours

 

*It was almost light. Serenity sighed as she paced back and forth between the window and her coffin. She did not want to get inside of it. It would be like announcing to the world “yes, I’m dead but still alive!” It was just too weird. She thought back at how easily Count Darien had gotten in. She wondered vaguely if he had ever had this problem, or if he was always able to just get into a coffin and not think about what it truly symbolized. She looked back at the coffin again. This time, she was able to walk up to it and rest her hands upon the silky texture of the fabric that lay inside. She ran her hands over the small raised puffy lump at the head of the coffin; which was supposed to be a pillow, and then quickly pulled her hand back. No. She couldn’t. It was just too weird. But she had to. The sun would be coming up over the horizon any second now, and without the protection of her coffin, she would become dust. That was what the stories spoke of anyway. And she really didn’t want to find out whether or not they were true. She saw the first glimmer of light begin to hang over the eastern sky, and scrambled for her coffin. Yes. Being in a coffin was better than being dust. Just as the sun’s rays hit the coffin, she shut the door, shutting herself into the darkness.

Unfortunately, Serenity could not sleep. Now that her mind was off of the thought of being inside a coffin, she couldn’t take her mind off of the man whom she had killed. Before, if she had ever done something like that, she would have cringed inside and beaten herself up for her insane actions. Now, she couldn’t stop thinking how right she had been. Not only had she shown that Count Darien creep that she was no delicate flower in the wind, she felt slightly more confident. And the fact that her belly was full helped too. But she had killed an innocent man. Somewhere in the world, that man had to have had family. Someone would miss him somewhere, and she would be the cause of someone’s grief. The more she thought about it, the lower and lower she felt about her actions. But it had been a necessity. She had to eat sometime, and that man was just the most convenient thing to eat. Gods, she sounded like a cannibal. But now, wasn’t that what she was? She had to eat the flesh and blood of other humans to live. Didn’t that make her a cannibal? Just before she drifted off to sleep, she finally came to a conclusion: she would do whatever it took to survive, even if it meant killing another person so that she could eat because she needed to be alive until it was decided whether or not her friends would be reincarnated like her self. At peace with herself in her mind, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift off into a deep sleep.

>>>*<<<

The night was cool when Serenity opened the door to her coffin. Surprisingly, she had slept well. Then again, it could have just been the fact that she was tired. Or maybe the fact that because she was dead, she should sleep well. ‘That’s the old saying’ she thought to herself. ‘Rest in Peace. Oh well. They also say there’s no rest for the souls of the damned, but that didn’t come true last night.’ As she got out of the coffin, she saw Count Darien watching her from a perch a top the windowsill.

“So I see you’ve finally awakened. I was wondering how long you would sleep.” He said to her in his most nonchalant way.

“Well, I had to get up sometime, and I thought now would be a good time. Besides, I have a busy night tonight. I have to go to arrange for my coffin to be shipped out of here.”

“Why do you insist upon leaving? You and I both know you never will. You’re too weak to do anything on your own.”

“I am not too weak. Last night did I show weakness?”

“No. But in bed you certainly were weak.”

“How dare you even suggest such a thing you psychopathic freak of nature! You’re an evil jerk who doesn’t deserve to live, much less die.” She exclaimed. How dare he suggest such terrible things about her? She did have a reputation to protect after all.

“I enjoy being an evil jerk, so it really is no insult to me one way or another.”

“You gave your word I would have my freedom. Even a cold leech like yourself has to have an honor code.” When she saw was tan face go pale, she knew she had hit the mark. So he did have an honor code to abide by. This could make for an interesting argument.

“Yes. I have an honor code. And yes, I do have to keep my word.” He grumbled a bit. “I also can’t lie about the honor code, so go then. Just take your coffin with you and leave. I’ll let you go for now. But mind you: I will want you back.  You are my slave, and I your Master. We are one now, and I will not tolerate our separation for long.”

“Tough luck there Count Darien, because I won’t becoming back, and nothing you can say or do will make me. Good night.” With that, she jumped out of the window and headed for the nearest town. After all, she needed help to move her coffin somewhere.

>>>*<<<

Several hours later, Serenity had managed to not only pack her coffin in a giant wooden crate, but ship both it and herself on a boat across the seas. She would not stay in this godforsaken country any longer. Especially in a place where she was thought to be dead and where she had a lust thirsty Count Darien after her. As she strode down the main street of the town, she saw an old beggar woman on the corner. She had been so busy that she had not yet eaten that night. The old woman would be a perfect victim because no one wanted her around anyway, so no one would notice her missing. Sneaking up behind the old woman, Serena promised her money if she followed her to the ally way behind them. After seducing the old woman off of the street out of sight, she quickly but roughly took hold of her shoulders, then opened her mouth, bared her fangs, and bit down on the old hag’s neck. The sweet, warm, red honey instantly refreshed Serenity beyond her widest dreams. She felt so warm and content. As the old woman slumped to the ground, Serenity stopped her drinking to check on her. She noticed that while she was only half full, the woman was nearly dead. Nearly. Serenity decided that instead of killing the woman, she would find another victim and finish eating with them instead. That way she wouldn’t have to kill anyone to get her fill of blood. She had to hurry, though, because the sun was coming up, and as soon as it rose, the ship that held her coffin had to leave the harbor, and she had to be on it and in her coffin. *

Chapter Four: Times Change

 

*Serena looked up and down the paved street of Tokyo. Seeing an ally, she ran down it and stopped at the dead end. The bricks were too smooth to scale, and there were no fire escape ladders for the first time in a long time. Slowly, she turned to face her attackers. Giant men leapt at her from three sides of her. As each of them wielded a weapon, she wielded hers. The first one came at her with his chains and tried to hit her. She simply dodged, then caught the chains and turned them on their owner. Pretty soon after that, the guy was laying on the cold cement tangled in a painful knot of chains. Next a man with a crow bar came after her. Swinging wildly, Serena noticed how it threw him off balance. Making him lunge for her, she quickly ducked to the side and gave him a kick on the back that sent him sprawling into the ground face first. The final guy took the stand against her. His weapon was none other than her own, only a slightly different version. Lightly and skillfully he swung a long katana towards her. She drew her own broad sword and began to thrust and parry his blows. Soon enough she had disarmed him, both in terms of the sword, and in terms of his actual arm. He, too, fell to join his comrades on the ground. Quickly, she whipped out a wooden stake and impaled all three undead men upon it. The black liquid that began to seep from their hearts was only more of a reminder of what they were. Then, as quickly as she had run into the ally, she rushed back out of the ally and down the street out of their sight.

Serena sighed heavily as she finally reached the safety of her apartment. Sitting down gracefully on the floor in the sunlight, she began to meditate. As she cleared her mind to prepare for the meditation, she had a quick flashback. She remembered her eightieth anniversary as a vampire. It had been the first day in eighty years she had been able to go out into the sun again. She had just awoken from her nap and had decided to clear her mind before she left for the day. She had sit down in the exact same place as she was sitting in now, and she had not been able to concentrate because of her excitement. That year had been the year 1985. Now it was well over that, in fact, it was now the year AC 198. She had been alive for so long, and yet only after her eighty years of confinement in the darkness did she begin living.

Now she lived just as every other person in the solar system did. She worked during the day, slept at night, and had fun in-between. All right, so she didn’t work. She had no need to. Besides, she wouldn’t be hired anyway. She looked too young. Seeing as how she was made a vampire when she was only fifteen years old, her looks hadn’t changed since then. She still looked as though she were fifteen, and perhaps even younger. Well, she didn’t mind. She had already graduated school three times, and did not intend on going back a fourth time. She had no place to put another diploma anyway. And on top of it all, Pluto had kept true to her word. If Serena ever wanted anything, all she had to do was pull out a credit card and she could have it. Wonderful things, credit cards. They made dealing with money so easy for Serena. She had also shortened her name. No one used names like Serenity anymore, not to mention Darien and his goons only knew her by the name of Serenity, so to make her life a lot easier and to make her appear more normal, she had dropped the last part of her name and just added and ‘a’ at the end. So far, it seemed to be working for her just fine.

“Well, so much for meditation.” She couldn’t focus her mind today, no matter how hard she tried. She decided instead to take a walk, and maybe feed. She hadn’t eaten in almost a week. Once again, she threw her sword over her shoulder and sauntered out her door, heading for the park across the street form her apartment building. She never made it there.

>>>*<<<

“And lift! Come on Trowa! Quatre! Put your backs into it! Come on!”

“Baka Maxwell! Why don’t you help them instead of jeering them on? It is your couch.”

“Because Wu-man, it’s not just my couch anymore. It’s our couch. That means they won’t mind carrying it up the stairs to our new apartment.”

“Kisama Maxwell! Do not call me Wu-man! My name is Wufei! Oh the injustices you commit.”

“Jeez, chill out mister justice. It was only a joke. That’s right Quatre! Lift from your knees, not your back!” The two boys chose that moment to stop what they were doing and stare at the one yelling at them from the top of the stairs. Oblivious to the death glares he was receiving, the boy at the top of the stairs continued to bug the other three.

“Hey! Why’d ya stop! Keep going! Come on!”

“Duo. Shut up.” Said one of the boys who had been lugging the couch up the stairs.

“What?” Asked the boy at the top of the stairs in disbelief.

“Did you just tell me to shut up? I think that’s a first! You’ve never told me to shut up before! Wow Trowa, I’m so proud of you! You deserve a lollypop!”

“Oh, really? And if I tell you to shut up like he did, can I have a lollypop too?” Asked a sweet voice from behind the boy at the top of the stairs. All four of the boys turned to look at who spoke. Their eyes met with a peculiar sight. There, standing in the center of the hall was a beautiful girl. She had long honey colored blonde hair with silver highlights, azure blur eyes, a body to die for, and most of all; she had the most angelic look on her face imaginable.

“Babe, you can have a lollypop for just standing there and looking good.” Said the boy at the top of the stairs.  The girl laughed and all four of the boys were drawn to her. She sounded like a pixie when she laughed.

“I don’t know if I could do that for you, but I do know I can help you move that couch.” She said.

“What? You already look hot right there! Don’t move! Let us men do the grunt work little lady.”

“ Well, from my experience, ‘men’ usually need help with their grunt work.” She replied, with a mocking tone in her voice, but with a smile on her face.

“Onna! We do not need help. It is you who needs the help if you believe you could move that couch better than us.” Answered the boy at the very bottom of the staircase.

“Suit yourselves, but I would like to be able to get out of the building tonight. I wanted to get to the grocery store.” She said, trying to think of an excuse to get out of the apartment other than a walk. Besides. She ate. Just not the same types of food they did.

“Good. An onna who cooks for her man is a good onna.” Said the man at the bottom of the staircase again. The three boys watched the girl’s eyes narrow and one of them decided to break it up before it even started.

“Miss, my name is Quatre Winner, and these are my friends, The one closet to you is Duo Maxwell, the one on the other end of the couch is Trowa Barton, and the one at the end of the staircase down there is Wufei Chang. All five of us are moving into apartment 12H.”

“Well, being your across the hall neighbor, and pretty much only neighbor, let me say welcome to the pent houses of the Tokyo Apartments. All five of you? There are only four of you.”

“Yes. The last one of our group went to get food for dinner. He’s not back yet.” Said Duo.

            “So I see. Well, speaking of food, I need to get down to shop, so…”

“Yeah, right. Ok guys, let’s haul that couch up!” Duo cried. Serena watched as the two guys who had previously been tugging the sofa up the stairs gave the boy at the top a glare, and then did as he said and began lifting it up once more. She studied them as they did this. Duo wore a priest’s outfit, but had such a happy personality that it cancelled out the black. He had long chestnut colored hair pulled back into a braid, and violet eyes that seemed as if they were constantly laughing. Quatre, on the other hand, seemed to be a polite boy with well-bred manners. ‘I thought they didn’t make those anymore’ she silently joked to herself. He had short blonde hair and light blue eyes. Then Trowa came next. He hadn’t spoken much yet, but she gathered that the others were used to it. He looked like a very perceptive boy, but at the same time, like he was open to other possibilities. He had the most unusual piercing green eyes and long brown bangs that covered on side of his face. When the boys finally got the couch out of the stairwell, she was able to see Wufei. He was a Chinese boy with black hair and black eyes. She saw that he carried a katana on his back, and that he was a proud boy filled with honor. ‘No wonder he didn’t want a girl’s help. He thinks women are weak. I’ll have to show him differently.’ She thought to herself. She vaguely wondered what the fifth boy looked like, and if he was as cute as his friends.

Over the years, Serena had dated many men. Some older, some younger, never dating one twice. She could never bring herself to do it. All of them had bored her the first date, and she most certainly didn’t want to be bored. Her train of thought was cut off by Duo.

“So babe. What’s you name?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot to give it. I’m Serena. Serena Tsukino. I’m living in the only other pent house in the building, the one right across from you. In fact, it’s the only other apartment on the entire floor.”

“Huh. This place is big. Where did you find it Quatre?” Duo asked him.

“Oh, the classifieds.” Answered the blonde.

“Wow. They must have been desperate to rent it out then. Hmm, I wonder why. With what they charge me for living here, you’d think they could live on that alone.”

“Oh yeah? Who do you live with? Your parents?” Asked Trowa.

“I live alone.” Serena answered lightly. She was used to getting the third degree, and by now it was routine.

“Alone? How could a babe like yourself live alone? Where are your parents? You seem young…” Duo asked her.

“My parents are dead. As for my age, well, I’m not that young, I just look like it, that’s all.”

“Oh. Sorry. I didn’t mean to pry or anything like that. It’s just that…” Duo began trying to apologize.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m used to all of the questions anyway, so it doesn’t make any difference.” Just then, another boy walked through the doorway of the stairwell.  Serena stood, trying to look indifferent; when in reality she was nervous. There was something about him, this new comer. He was cute, but that wasn’t it. There was something else.  Her stomach began flip-flopping about and though she tried to will it to stop, she couldn’t.

“Hiiro! You’re back! Did you get food?” Cried Duo enthusiastically.

“Hn.” Was the new boy’s reply. He looked around the hallway and his eyes met those of a beautiful blonde’s. He quickly scanned her over. She had long honey colored blonde hair; deep azure blue eyes, long, graceful legs, slender body, and looked as though she had seen a ghost.

“Are you alright?” Hiiro asked the girl. He watched as she was shaken out if her reverie.

“What? I’m sorry, I didn’t catch what you said.” Her voice sounded like a wind chime.

“I asked if you were alright. You’re pale.” He said.

“Oh, yes, I’m fine. I’m naturally this color. Even if I lived under the sun all day I would look like this. Not that I mind. I don’t burn, which is always a major plus.” She answered him lightly, knowing full well she was so pale because she was dead.

“Hn.”

“So then you got the food Hiiro?” Serena watched as ‘Hiiro’ shoved a bag with Chinese writing on it into Duo’s hands.

“Alright! Chow Mien! Thanks Hiiro! Oh, by the way, Serena, this if our fifth friend, Hiiro Yui. Hiiro, this is our neighbor from across the hall, Serena Tsukino. She lives alone.” Duo quickly introduced them.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Hiiro.”

“Likewise.” Was the only response she received. Then came an uncomfortable silence in which they all just stared at each other. Then Serena, who was beginning to become extremely hungry, knew she had to leave. She hadn’t eaten in over a week, and now her thirst for blood was getting out of control. She had seriously considered taking one of the these boys right now, but that would look just a bit odd. Besides, she didn’t want to eat them, they seemed like nice people. She just wanted to leave for food.

“Well, if you’ll all excuse me, I am getting staving, and I still have to go shopping for food, so…”

“Eat with us! Come on! Hiiro bought Chow Mien!” Duo cried.

“Yes, won’t you please have dinner with us, Miss. Tsukino?” Added Quatre.

“Oh no, I couldn’t impose. Besides, Chinese food isn’t really my forte. Anyway, I have to be going, I’ll see you all around. Ja ne!” She called out. By the time she had finished her last sentence, she had been half way down the stairs, leaving five very confused boys behind her. *

Chapter Five: Ghost Stories Gone Wrong

 

*Hiiro sighed. Where were all of his friends again? Oh, now he remembered. They were at Serena’s. Again. It seemed as though they lived across the hall with her instead of in their apartment they were over there so often. Not that he minded. It made his life a hell of a lot quieter. He got more work done without Duo and Wufei fighting, and without Trowa and Quatre constantly talking or trying to stop the fights between Wufei and Duo.  In fact, his life was now so quiet that he couldn’t concentrate. He kept thinking of his friends and what they could possibly be doing with Serena every day all day. He sighed again, shut down his laptop and opened the door to his room. After grabbing a coat and some gloves, he left his apartment and went across the hall. For a moment he stood in front of the door thinking if this was the right thing to be doing, but he shrugged the thought and knocked. When Serena opened it, he felt the blast of cold air fly out of the room as it always did when she opened the door. Her apartment was always below fifty degrees, even on days when the temperature outside was over a hundred. Even when the heater was on full blast it was cold. It was strange. He and Duo had checked to see if there was something wrong with the furnace, but everything had checked out perfect. Why was it so cold?

“Hi Hiiro. Come on in, we were wondering how long you would be cooped up with your work.” She said to him with a small smile on her face.

“Hnn. I had a lot of work to do.” He answered. He didn’t want her to find out about the true nature of his work, so he just told her that he had ‘work’ to do. After all, she was so nice and so, well, adjusted that he didn’t want to rock her boat by telling her about he and his friend’s being pilots in the wars, much less being the Gundam Pilots.

“That’s fine. We were just about to begin a movie. Why don’t you come in and take a seat?” Serena said, trying to be as polite as possible. Was it just her, or were Hiiro and the others hiding something from her? Not that she was innocent of keeping secrets, but still…  well, no time to think about that now… She opened the door wider to let him in.

“Hey Hiiro! Glad you finally made it!” Said Quatre.

“Hey Hiiro man! We’re going to watch Dracula Dead and Loving it! Ever seen that movie?” Asked Duo. Hiiro shrugged. He had seen it a couple of times, and Duo knew that. In fact, it was Duo’s favorite movie.

“Wait a minute. We’re watching what?” Serena asked in surprise. When she had told Duo to go out to the video store, she hadn’t expected him to get a movie about vampires! This was like a giant nightmare! Suddenly she didn’t feel as well as she usually did.

“It’s an old vampire movie! It’s really funny. It has Leslie Nielson in it, and he plays this vampire, it’s this whole joke movie on vampires basically. What’s wrong? Scared the vampires are going to eat you? Huh Sere?” Duo teased her. 

“No. Not exactly.” Serena replied quietly. That was a blatant lie. In reality, she was terrified Darien would finally catch her and then keep her… even now he had his stupid goons combing the cities across the world for her, and she knew it too. The few who had caught up to her, she had been able to slay no problem. The thing was, if Darien ever found her, she would have huge problems with him. He was still stronger than her any day of the week.

“Sere?” Asked Quatre. “You know, if you really don’t want to watch it, we can always see what’s on TV.”

“No, no. I’m fine. I just don’t like vampire movies. I’ll make an exception this time though.” She gave her trademark smirk to the boys as she settled down under the moonlight in her favorite spot on the floor.

“Well, then, let’s get the party started! Come on, Halloween is tomorrow night! We have to watch a scary movie anyway, it’s tradition.” Duo rambled on.

“What is everyone going to be tomorrow night?” Asked Trowa.

“I’m going as the grim reaper!” Announced Duo enthusiastically.

“Nothing new there. I will be going as a Chinese martial artist.” Said Wufei proudly.

“Humph. You would. Quatre, Trowa, Hiiro, Sere?” Duo said dejectedly.

“I thought I would go as Inspector Gadget” Said Quatre.

“ A clown.” Said Trowa.

“Nothing.” Said Hiiro.

“Wait a minute, nothing Hiiro? Come on old buddy, you have to be something?  A mummy, or Frankenstein, or, hey, I know! Go as a vampire!” Duo cried out.

“No!”  Serena screamed.

“Huh?”  Dead silence filled the room as all five of the guys stared at her.

“Hehe. I mean, no. It doesn’t suit him. A vampire has damned their soul for all eternity to the Devil. Please promise me none of you will ever pretend to be a vampire?” She said with a dark tone underlying in her voice.

“What? Onna, what is it with you and vampires?” Wufei asked her.

“Nothing. Just promise me?” A chorus of yeah’s and sure’s echoed in the room. She sighed in relief. “Besides… Hiiro would fit in much better if he went as a warewolf.” She grinned after her last remark.

“She’s right! Hiiro would look good as a warewolf!” Duo began laughing so hard that he fell off of the couch. Soon the others, even Wufei and Trowa, were laughing hysterically at the thought of Hiiro as a warewolf.

Hiiro just stood watching them all. A warewolf? Him? Maybe he should comb his hair more often… nah… the weirdest part of the conversation was when Serena had gone off rambling about how vampires were damned for life. Just what was she thinking about? And what was with her fear of vampire movies? She was acting strange tonight. Instead of remarking, he simply zipped his coat up and faced the TV, where the movie was starting. Soon the others followed in suit, zipping up their coats and watching the screen.

“Sere?” Asked Duo after they had all settled in.

“Yeah Duo?” She asked.

“What are you going to be? You never told us.” Duo asked.

“I’m not sure. Halloween is really important to me, but I never dressed up before…”  That was true. In all of her years, she had never dressed up in a costume for Halloween. She always handed out candy and sweets to the children that came to her door, but spent most of the evening deep in thought and meditating. She hated leaving the house on All Hollow’s Eve because it was the night when Darien’s power was the strongest. She usually used most of her power in the meditation to repel him from finding her through some spell or something.

“What? Never? Even Hiiro’s gone in costume before!” Duo cried in shock.

“I know. Well, I just wouldn’t know what to be. I would need to be something fitting, but I don’t fit into any categories.”  She said, trying to deter them from getting her out of the house on such a wicked night.

“Something fitting? How about an angel? Or a princess? Or maybe even a belly dancer or I know! A french maid… you know, the ones with the tiny little skirts and really tight tops. I’m sure I could find one of those costumes for you on short notice.” Quatre said.

“Quatre. A short skirt and tight top? What’s gotten into you?” Duo mocked him. Serena watched Quatre blush.

“I didn’t mean it like that! One of my sisters went as one last year, and I thought I could get that costume…”

“Quatre, it’s alright.” Serena said half laughing and half trying to be serious. “I was kind of thinking of not going anywhere tomorrow night anyway.”

“What?” Said Trowa. He had thought Serena would die to go. She looked like the type of girl who would love free candy.

“Yeah. I’m not a huge fan of Halloween.” She said.

“But you just said it was important to you1” Duo argued.

“It is. But not that way. Let’s drop it, alright?” Serena really didn’t like the way the conversation was heading. Little signs in her brain were screaming warning at her, and she was definitely listening to them loud and clear.

“Not that way? Drop it? Serena, you sure are one strange girl.” Duo said, shaking his head.

“But you’re still here, aren’t you Duo? So I can’t be all that strange.” She said smirking.

“Yeah…” That ended the conversation and they all went back to watching the movie.*

Chapter Six: All Hollow’s Eve

 

*Serena paced around her apartment frantically. Tonight it was Halloween. Tonight was the night evil was at it’s strongest. And tonight she was going with five boys whom she had only known for six months out to a party. She was crazy. She had to be. She still didn’t know what to wear, and they would be at her door in five minutes.

She had briefly considered  going as an angel, but somehow it didn’t seem fair that she, a damned soul, go as one who was saved. Then she thought of going as a ghost by throwing a sheet over her head and cutting holes in it for eyes and a mouth. The problem with that was the fact that she didn’t own any sheets. Now she had arrived at one conclusion. She had two choices: go as a vampire, meaning dress in all black and let out her fangs and make them look like fakes; or go as her past self, the Princess of the Moon.  Both had draw -backs and both had perks. She just wasn’t sure which was better. If she went as a vampire, she would have enhanced vision and agility, but she would also become hungrier in her heightened state of awareness. If she went as the Moon Princess, she would feel and look pretty, but also feel guilty about her past all night long. Decisions decisions.

“Sere! Are you ready? Come on!” Called Duo from outside her door.  How had she gotten suckered into this again?

“Coming!” she called back. Alright. Time to choose. She vaguely remembered making the boys promise not to pretend to be vampires the night before and sighed. She couldn’t ask them to do something and then go and do it herself. ‘Princess Serenity it is.’ She said to herself. Closing her eyes and willing the change to occur, she opened her eyes and there she stood. Not being able to look at herself in the mirror, she assumed she looked as she had pictured herself. Grabbing the cloth bag Duo had told her she  would need, she walked to the door and opened it.

“Alright. I’m ready. Where did you say we were going again?” She asked them all.

“Ouch. Sere, you are way hot in that dress.” Duo let out a low whistle following his comment. Serena watched as all four of the guys let their eyes roam over her body. She let them get used to the idea of her in a dress, and then, when they didn’t stop staring, she smacked Duo upside the head gently.

“Watch the eyes. You’re missing a member.” She said.

“Yui went out three hours ago to get a costume and isn’t back yet.” Wufei told her.

“Oh, what a shame. He’ll miss us. Are you all sure I have to go?” She asked, trying to get out of this one last time.

“Positive.” Said Trowa. ‘Great, even the silent one is in on it too. The fun never ends with these boys.’ She thought to herself.

“Fine then, let’s get this show on the road.” She said. She quickly looked over the rest of the boys. Duo was wearing a long black robe with a hood and carried a real metal scythe. She vaguely wondered where he had found it. Then came Trowa wearing a clown costume. He had gone all out: baggy pants, suspenders, and half a clown mask. Quatre stood next to him in a beige trench coat and hat. Under the coat he had strapped to himself a funny looking belt where a whole bunch of gadgets were stored. Wufei came last in a traditional Chinese robe and his katana gleaming in the light. Not much change there. They looked good.

“Let’s go.” Came a voice in the shadows. All five of them turned to see Hiiro stepping out of the shadows. Serena gasped.

“Hiiro! You’re bleeding! What happened?”

“Sere! Can’t you tell fake blood when you see it? Damn Hiiro, that blood gets more realistic each year. Come on, let’s go!” Duo cried, dragging Trowa and Quatre off by the arms with Wufei in tow. Serena stayed behind. She knew real blood when she saw it. At least, she had better.

“Hiiro. You’re really bleeding. I can tell. Come on in my apartment and I’ll fix it up.” She said.

“Hnn.” Was the only response she received. But Hiiro did allow her to lead him into her apartment and sit him down on the kitchen counter.

“What happened? It looks like someone tried to skewer you with a sword.” She asked him, trying to block out the wonderful smell of fresh blood as she cleaned his wound.

“A fight.”

“What? I thought, the boys said, that you went out for a costume. How did you get into a fight?” What was Hiiro supposed to say to that? “No, I didn’t go and get a costume, I went to blow up a rebel military base instead?” No, of course he couldn’t say that.

“I went out.”

“So because you went out, you got in a fight?” She stopped bandaging the cut on his arm and looked into his eyes. “I know there’s more to it than that, but I’m not going to ask. When you and the others are ready, tell me. But not until then. Now, where’s your costume?”

“I didn’t have a chance to pick one up.”

“I figured as much. Hmm. Wait here. I might have something.” He sat confused for a moment. Why would she have something that a guy could wear? When she left the room, he tested out his arm. It stung, but her bandage was tight and strong. It would hold through the night until he could do it properly in the morning. When she walked back into the room, she was carrying an old suit.

“I know this doesn’t look like much, but it’s a vampire costume. You can wear this so your friends don’t get suspicious.”

“I thought you didn’t want me dressing as a vampire.” He smirked at the incredibly pale blush that crossed her white face.

“Well, I don’t. But, you do need something to wear. Besides. If you don’t wear it, We’ll be really late and you won’t have a costume. Desperate times call for desperate measures.” She said, smiling and handing him the suit. It had been in her coffin when she had left Darien’s, so she assume it was his. Well, Hiiro could wear it for just one night.

>>>*<<<

“There they are! Serena! Hiiro! Where’ve you two been?” Called out Duo as the two newcomers entered the party.

“Sorry we’re so late. We had some costume problems.” Serena gave as an excuse.

“No prob. I got you covered! Hey! The punch is over there, there’s food over there, and the dancing is in the middle. Oh, yeah. And Sere, if you ever decide to leave the safety of the Perfect Soldier, I’m in the make-out corner, so stop by and give me a friendly hello! See ya, wouldn’t want to be ya!” And Duo disappeared into the crowd.

“How does he have that much energy all the time?” Serena asked Hiiro.

“Sugar.” Serena laughed at Hiiro’s answer to her question. She felt so small and lost in the huge crowd of the rave. It was good to know some one was with her in it. She looked up and smiled at Hiiro. When he slightly smiled back, her stomach jumped into her throat. What was it about that smile of his that made her want to do back flips in mid air?

“Yui. I thought you and that onna weren’t going to show. That would have been the smartest move  either of you had ever made.” Wufei said, stepping in front of them.

“Sorry Wufei. I’m not much of a party person, and neither is Hiiro, but we still come out of the woodwork once in a while.”

“Well, what do you think?” Asked Quatre, who had just joined them with Trowa.

“Hnn.” Said Hiiro. He wasn’t one for these huge raves, but for some odd reason, he had let Serena drag him to this one. He subtly looked her over for the third time that night. She looked more beautiful than usual in her costume. The long flowing white dress was spotless, and it was low cut enough to be revealing, yet high enough not to give too much away. The empire waist line made her look as though she was walking on air, and being sleeveless, it made it seem as though it was being held up against gravity. Her long golden hair was up in an unusual style, two buns a top her head with two long streamers flowing down. Her pale skin made her look like a faery, and she had a golden upturned crescent moon symbol on her forehead that gave her an angelic appearance. All in all, the total effect she created under the multicolored strobe lights and smoke was, to say the least, absolutely stunning. No wonder he had let himself be dragged here. She was too beautiful to say no to.

“It’s fine so far, but there are so many people and the music is so loud!”

 “It’s supposed to be this way! It’s a rave! Just don’t drink anything that’s already been opened!” Shouted Trowa as the DJ cranked the volume up even louder.

“Hey, Sere, want to dance?” Asked Quatre.

“Yeah, sure!” he smiled at him and left Hiiro’s side. For all that she was always icy cool to touch, when she left Hiiro’s side, he felt in immediate drop in temperature. He watched as Quatre lead her to the dance floor and placed his hands on her hips. He watched them swaying to the music and watched as Serena began to close her eyes and just sway. He couldn’t help but fell a bit jealous at his comrade, and briefly wondered what would happen if he were to cut in and ask to dance with her instead. Then he thought the better of it and decided it would be unacceptable for the Perfect Soldier to show that much emotion.

      Serena was having a great time. The last time she had gone dancing, she had been kidnapped by Darien. Now, in this, ‘rave’ as they called it, she was having a blast. There were no important foreign dignitaries for her to kiss up to, and no sons of nobles to feel obligated to dance with. Quatre was a good dancer, and she felt almost comfortable in his arms. Almost. As she closed her eyes to listen to the heavy beat o the music, new thoughts invaded her mind. Instead of picturing herself dancing with Quatre, she saw Hiiro. It was strange, and she felt guilty that while she was in Quatre’s arms she was thinking of another, but she could not stop her  newest train of thought. As soon as the dance was complete, she thanked Quatre and told him she was thirsty, thinking that would free her of any obligation to him without his feelings.

      “Quatre, I’m a little thirsty. Would you mind if I went and got something to drink?”

      “No. In fact. Why don’t I go get you a cup of punch. I’ll make sure it’s not spiked or anything.” Serena, being ignorant to the meaning of the word spiked, agreed and watched as Quatre disappeared into the heavy crowd.

      “Where did he go?” Said a deep voice behind her. Turning around, her eyes met another set of deep, dark blue ones. Her stomach flipped again, and she was sure that if her heart had still beat, that it would have skipped a beat.

      “He went to get me something to drink. Why? Miss him?” she tried to smirk, but his smirk caught her breath away.

      “No.” Without more than that word, he led her back out onto the dance floor. He pulled her close and she lay her head upon his chest. The slow song was nearly half over, but it didn’t make much of a difference to either of them.

      Hiiro was in pure bliss. When he had seen her and Quatre separate, he had decided to screw whatever the hell his military training had taught him and go for what he wanted. Now that they were dancing together and she had laid her head upon his chest, he brought his arms up around her waist tighter and pulled her in closer to him. Yes, this was pure bliss.

      Serena couldn’t place it. She felt so warm and safe. Being in Hiiro’s arms was a wonderful feeling. When she felt his arms tighten around her, she only became more enamored with him. He was so dark and mysterious, yet at the same time he seemed so innocent. As she closed her eyes, she began to hum to the song. She noticed how the song had changed from the slow one they had started dancing to to a faster one. Oh well. She was so comfortable. It didn’t really matter.

            Quatre walked back through the crowd to where he had left Serena before. As he looked around for her, Trowa came up behind him.

            “She’s not here anymore.” He said.

            “Where did she go?” Quatre asked, a little confused. It wasn’t like Serena to just go off, especially in a big crowd like this.

            “Hiiro asked her where you went, and then asked her to dance. They’re still out there.” Trowa said with a slight side smile. He pointed the couple out to Quatre and watched as the blonde’s face lit up with a knowing grin.

            “So how long has he liked her?” He asked.

            “I don’t know, I only just noticed he was acting different. But then, she acts strange around him too, so I don’t think the feeling is only one sided.”

            “Well then, here. You can drink this. It looks like they won’t be leaving each other for a very long time.”

>>>*<<<

            “I’m so tired!” Yawned Duo as the group of six walked down the street. The party had ended a little under fifteen minutes ago, and they had missed their last bus making them walk home.

            “That DJ played pretty good music.” Said Trowa.

            “I agree.” Replied Quatre. “What did you think Hiiro?” Quatre glanced at Trowa while he said this with a smug grin. He noticed Trowa giving him much the same look right back.

            “Hnn.” Hiiro was too busy thinking of other things to give a full response. He had Serena walking right next to him, and that was probably not the best thing for his sanity at the moment.

            “I liked the music too.” Serena said. For the first time in a long time, she was tired. She knew she would have to feed tomorrow night if she wanted to keep her energy level where it had been the last couple of days. She yawned, then tried to lay her head on Hiiro’s shoulder while they walked. She felt his arm snake around her waist and help support her.

            “Yui, where were you the last couple of hours? After you came in, I never saw you again.” Complained Wufei.

            “Hiiro was busy dancing.” Said Trowa with his best poker face on.

            “Dancing? Yui, you danced? With who?” Wufei pressed him.

            “He spent the entire evening dancing with Serena.” Said Quatre, catching onto Trowa’s plot.

            “Hiiro? And  Serena? There’s something wrong with that. Oh wait, I know. Hiiro never shows emotion. How could he and Serena have danced all night together?” Duo joked.

            “Yui? Yui?” Wufei asked. He turned around to see Hiiro with his arm around Serena’s waist and her head resting on his shoulder. He also noticed the faint glimmer of a lost emotion plaguing the dead boy’s eyes. He dropped the subject after that.

“Hold it right there pansy boys!” Came a voice from in front of them. The boys and Serena immediately became alert. Four boys a little older than themselves were standing in front of them, each holding a weapon and looking like they were not in a very good mood.*

 

Chapter Seven: Would You, Could You?

 

*“Can we help you boys?” Quatre asked, hoping they wouldn’t have to get into a fight with Serena around.

            “Yeah, you can. First off, you can tell us why that boy is wearing Count Darien’s suit.” Said one of the thugs, pointing to Hiiro.

            “Who is Count Darien?”  Trowa asked.

            “Just tell us where you got the outfit.” Said another one of the thugs.

            “It was given to me for a costume for the night.” Hiiro answered darkly.

            “Who gave it to you?”

            “None of your business.” Hiiro responded. These guys were up to no good, and if they wanted to play with a Gundam Pilot, they would get to. He wouldn’t say he hadn’t given them a warning though.

            “If that little girl gave it to you, you only have to do one simple thing, and then we’ll leave you alone.” Said yet another thug.

            “We’re not giving her to you, so back off before you learn how weak you truly are.” Wufei said. It was unjust of them to threaten them, but even worse to threaten the life of a weak onna.

            “Weak? Us? Fine. You may not want to give Serenity to us, but we’ll be getting her one way or another.” Said the first thug. All four of them began advancing upon the group.

            “Serena, go hide in one of the allies. We’ll take care of these jerks.” Trowa said.

            “No.” She said it with so much hatred that it made all five of the boys do a double take and stare at her.

            “What do you mean ‘No’?” Onna, get moving! You are too weak to stay here.” Wufei told her bluntly.

            “No. This is my fight. It is you five who should go and hide. I’ll deal with these goons.” She said, stepping in front of them to face the oncoming creeps.

            “So, you’re Serenity. I can see why Darien wants you so bad. You’re beautiful. You’ll make him a wonderful mistress. I can just see you in those chains in his room right now.” Said the first thug.

            “Get lost creeps. I’m warning you.”

            “We’ve heard about your reputation, Serenity. You’ve killed more of us than any other, ever, but that won’t save you now.”

            “Want to bet?” With that, the boys charged at her. Serena took them on two at a time. Noticing how annoying her dress was, she willed it away and was left standing in the clothes she had been wearing before she had changed for the party. Her sheer long sleeved black shirt and her long black sweat pants were the perfect thing to fight in, and she was glad she had been wearing them. She did a few flips and landed in front of one of the vampire thugs. Grappling with him, she finally kicked him hard in the shin, then downed him by hitting the back of his head with her elbow.

            “Guys! Find me a sharp piece of wood! Fast!” She called out to her friends, hoping they would hear her and do as she asked. In the corner, Trowa saw an old chair that had been thrown out. He broke a leg of the chair and threw it to Serena.

            “Here Sere!” He and the others watched as she whipped the wooden stake around and harshly impaled the boy upon it. Then she pulled it from his heart and just as the next vamp rushed at her, she shoved it straight up through his heart. As she pulled it out, he fell towards her, falling on top of the stake again, only this time slitting his throat open with it.

            Serena watched as the stake went clear through the vampire’s throat, shuddered, then pulled it out and spun around to face the last two. One took his time in circling her, while the other hung back to watch the fight. Serena tried to wipe the cold sweat from her brow and blood from her cheek. She only succeeded in smearing the blood around more. Then vamp attacked. He drew a pair of nunchakus and  began a complicated  kata with them. Soon they were spinning so fast Serena couldn’t keep them in sight. She felt one of them smack her heavily in the shoulder, then another on her right leg. As she dropped to her knees, she did a spin kick and tripped the vampire onto the ground with her. She took the opportunity to stab him in the arm. Then, while he was still squirming in pain, she stabbed him through the chest, making sure to hit at least one major artery. As she looked up from the bloody body that lie beneath her, she scanned the street for the last of the vampire goons Darien had sent for her. He was nowhere to be seen.

            “Serena?” Quatre asked her from behind. She slowly turned around to face her friends. What would they say when she told them the truth? If she told them the truth? Did they think less of her for killing those vampires? Were they disgusted with her? This was not good.

            “Serena?” This time it was Duo who said her name.

            “Yes?” She asked them, fear evident in her voice.

            “What was that all about? And where did you learn to fight like that?”

            “It’s a long story. Look, I have to get out of here. Hiiro, burn that suit, and fast. That’s how they found me. That damned man. Thinking he can outsmart me. I’ll show him. Burn it here, don’t wear it home. And then stay inside for a day or two, don’t go anywhere.”

            “Serena. What is going on?” Hiiro asked her.

            “Look, when I was younger, I met this guy. We had some problems, and I left him. He’s been mad at me ever since. He sends his thugs out to find me. Until now, they’ve had a hard time finding me, but now one of them got away to tell him where I am, so it’s only a matter of time before he shows up too. I have to go.”

            “Serena, stop!” Duo yelled out to her. “You can barely walk. We saw the hits you took, not to mention the fact that you’re dead tired. Let us help you back home.”

            “No. It’s too dangerous. Just stay away from me. I knew I never should have gotten too close to you all. You’re so nice, I don’t want any of you hurt. Just steer clear of me from now on.” With that, she began to limp off.

>>>*<<<

The five guys just stood there, dumbstruck. Each was thinking along the same train of thought. What just happened? Serena can fight? She can kill? How did she change her clothes so fast? And what kind of trouble was she in?

“Anyone want to start?” Duo asked, trying to lighten the mood between the five boys.

“What the hell was that? She went from being a weak onna to killing those three thugs. And in a very brutal manner as well.”

“She killed them like they were vampires or something. Sheesh.” Duo said.

“Do you think she was alright? Those bruises looked pretty bad.”

“Yeah. How did she manage to keep fighting after she got those?” Trowa asked.

“I know I couldn’t.” Duo added in.

“Duo, what did you say?” Hiiro asked him.

“I know I couldn’t.”

“Before that. About vampires.” Hiiro was forming a hypothesis in his mind that he knew ought to be crazy, but fit the situation too perfectly to be true.

            “Oh. I said she killed them like vampires. You know, with the wooden stake through the heart and all.” After hearing Duo repeat himself, Hiiro walked over to the messy corpses and studied them. The others followed him and their eyes widened at what they saw.

            “This is going to sound kind of crazy, but does anyone else see fangs in that man’s mouth?” Quatre asked.

            “Yeah. Your not crazy Winner, there are fangs in his mouth. The others are the same. Yui, are you suggesting Serena is a vampire slayer and these are real vampires? Come on. Be logical. That’s impossible.” Wufei said blatantly. 

            “If it is, then why is it here in front of us?” Duo asked him.

            “Hiiro? Where did he go?” Quatre asked.

            “To see Serena of course. Where else?” Trowa answered.

            “Of course. Why didn’t I know that?”

>>>*<<<

            She was running about her apartment frantically when she heard a knock at the door. Checking to see who it was, she sighed. Did she have enough guts to face him? It didn’t matter, he was coming in whether she wanted him to or not, that much was obvious when she heard the sound of the door’s lock being cracked. As the heavy oak door swung open, she just stood in front of it and stared.

            Hiiro knew she was standing there from the minute he knocked on the door. When she didn’t open it, he decided to try his luck with picking the lock. Easier done than said. Within seconds he had it open and was staring face to face with her.

            “Who are you?” Was all he asked. He figured the other questions could come later. Right now, this was the most important.

            “I am Serena Tsukino. Who else would I be?”

            “The thugs wanted Serenity. Close enough to your name, don’t you think?”

            “They did want Serenity. I am Serenity. Or I was.”

            “Were?”

            “Oh Hiiro. I want to tell you. I do. But what will you say? What will you think? You’ll hate me!” She was just as frantic now as she had been before he had knocked on her door.

            “Just tell me. I’ll decide later what I think of you.”

            “It doesn’t work that way.”

            “Are you a vampire slayer?” He saw her eyebrows raise in shock and surprise.

            “Why would you think that?” She asked him.

            “I saw their fangs. I know what they were. What are you?”

            “ In a way, I am a vampire slayer. But I’m so much more. Please don’t make me explain any farther!” He shut the heavy door hard and moved in closer to her. He could feel the chilled air that constantly surrounded her and tried to ignore it. He moved in closer still and backed her into a corner. Grabbing onto her icy arms, he held them with a firm grip until she was forced to look into his eyes. When she did, he was sorry. All he saw was fear, loneliness and guilt.

            “Serena,” he started, much softer this time, “Serena, please tell me what you are.” She gulped and stared directly into his eyes. They were so piercing, so incredibly deep that she couldn’t break the gaze.

            “I can’t. you’ll hate me.”

            “I won’t hate you. If anything, I’ll want to help you more than ever.” He raised one hand to her ice-cold face and drew his fingers down the side of her cheek. Then he ran them over her lips and down her chin. “I swear to you Serena, I won’t hate you.”

            “Would you love a dead person? Could you love a dead person?” She asked him, fear still completely overrunning all of her senses.

            “How could I love a dead person if they are dead?” He asked, now confused.

            “What if I were dead. What would you do?” she asked him.

            “You’re not dead though. You’re standing right next to me, alive as can be.”

            “No, I’m not. I’m standing next to you, Hiiro, yes. But just because I’m standing next to you doesn’t mean I’m alive. Were those vampires alive while they were walking around the streets?”

            “No. They were the undead.”

            “Then what do you think I am?” She asked, her voice near a whisper.

            “You’re one of them? A, a vampire?” He asked, almost in complete disbelief. She, this lively, wonderful girl whom he had fallen for these last few months, was a vampire? Fallen for? What was he thinking! Was she one of the undead? How was that even possible? She was so normal. She slept at night, was out in the sun during the day, she laughed and joked and didn’t drink blood… how was it possible?

            “What if I said yes? What if I told you I was?” She asked him.

            “I would ask you to prove it.”

            “ Come with me.” She whispered into his ear, so softly that he could barely hear it. Curiosity won over, and he followed her to a door she had made he and the other boys promise never to enter, her bedroom. She opened the door and led him slowly inside. As his eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room, he looked around. He saw hundreds of candles all around the room, only a few of which were lit. He saw a table covered in wooden stakes like the one she had used earlier that night, and a long broad sword mounted on the wall above the table. He saw a giant wooden cross upon the wall, and directly below it was a dark mahogany box in the shape of a coffin. When he strode up to it, he saw a name engraved in sliver upon the top. ‘Serenity Crescent’ was what it read.

            “So? You could have gotten a box like that anywhere.” He knew he was in denial that the one person he finally felt so close to was dead, but he wanted her to humor him anyway.

            “Really? And can you get teeth like these anywhere?” She asked him, finally revealing her fangs to him. He moved closer to get a better look at them in the dim light. When he saw them, he had the sudden urge to run his finger over them, to feel how sharp they were, to test them to see if they were real. He didn’t  fight the urge. As he ran his finger over them, he sliced it on their sharp edge. Before he knew what was happening, he felt her pull his hand from her mouth, then bring it back towards it. Hiiro felt her soft lips gently press against the small cut and suddenly, the little pain he had felt was gone. So was the blood. She had healed him.

            Serena looked into his deep eyes, hoping he could except what she was, hoping that for once in her long dead life, she would not have to be alone. When she saw his eyes peer back into hers, they appeared to be searching for something that they thought they could find within her lost soul. Soon, she felt him move closer to her and embrace her in his strong warm arms. Then she felt him kiss her neck, then shoulder ever so gently. She melted into his arms and, from the exhaustion of the day, the party and fight, not to mention the emotional stress, she collapsed into his arms and allowed him to fully support her weight.

            “Serena?” He asked, his voice full of concern.

            “I’m fine. Just low on blood and tired form the day’s events. I need to go find something to eat.”

            “You mean someone?” He smirked at her slip in words.

            “Yes. No. Hiiro, what do you think a vampire eats?”

            “They drink the blood of their victims until their victims are dead.”

            “Most vampires do. I do not. I only take a little from a bunch of people. That way I get fed, but I don’t kill my victims either.”

            “You don’t have enough strength to find a ‘victim’ tonight.” She watched as he picked her up, opened the coffin lid, placed her inside, and began unbuttoning his shirt. “Drink my blood instead.”

            “Hiiro! I could never do that! You’re my friend, I lo…well, I just could never feed off of you like that. No. I’ll go hunting.”

            “Like I said, you’re too weak to go hunting tonight Serena. Serenity. Drink my blood until you have enough strength to go out.” He said in a very forceful yet still monotone voice.

            “But…”

            “No buts. Drink.” He commanded her as he knelt beside her coffin and exposed his vulnerable neck to her hungry eyes. She did as she was told. As gently as she could, she pulled him in closer to her. Biting down quickly, she began to satisfy her hunger at a slow pace.

            Hiiro couldn’t believe it. At first it had hurt, but now the sensations he was feeling were incredible. They were taking over his mind and leaving him with nothing but thoughts and memories of Serena. He felt her heightened sensations through their link. He felt her hunger slowly subside as she drank form his neck. He felt her pure joy that he trusted he this much. Then, before he knew it, she had pulled away from him and was catching her breath. He felt dizzy and lightheaded, but soon the feeling passed and he felt only slightly more tired than before she had bitten him.*

 

Chapter Eight: On the Run Again

 

            * “Hey, guys? Does anyone know where Hiiro went? Last night after Serena killed those vampires, he stormed off and still isn’t back yet. I’m getting worried about him.” Quatre said to the rest of the boys while they sat around the breakfast table. It was still early, only five thirty, but they were all up and waiting for Hiiro to come home. At one point during the night, each of them had drifted off to sleep, but now they were all up and alert.

            “ Maybe Serena killed him too.” Everyone shot Duo a dirty glare. “Sheesh. I was only joking.” Just then, the door banged and Hiiro walked into the kitchen with Serena trailing close behind him.

            “So then, if you don’t eat food, do you drink anything? Ever?” Hiiro asked her. Apparently, the two had walked into the apartment mid-conversation and weren’t about to stop to explain it to the rest of them, they just had to sit and wait.

            “Nope. Never ever. Except blood. But then, you knew that, didn’t you?” She smirked at him. The guys watched as he smirked back.

            “I had better know that.” Serena began to laugh slightly as she took Hiiro’s usually seat at the table in-between Trowa and Duo.

            “Good morning guys. Well, I suppose you all want an explanation as to the ‘thugs’ problem last night, am I right?” Serena asked them.

            “Actually, we were more interested in where you and Hiiro have been all night.” Duo said with a short laugh. “But we would like an explanation of that as well.”

            “Oh. Hiiro and I were in my apartment. You could have tried knocking on the door, and that might have gotten you in, but I doubt it. We were busy last night.” She said.

            “When you say busy, what does that imply?” Trowa asked, smirking  just slightly. Hiiro gave him an ultimate death glare and Serena smacked him upside the head.

            “We were talking all night.” Hiiro supplied coolly.

            “Right. Except for that hour when you passed out. Other than that, we were talking.” They nodded their heads to verify their stories together.

            “Hiiro passed out? And I missed it? How come?” Duo pegged them with questions.

            “Slow down Duo. Both our heads are still pretty muddled from all the new information, wouldn’t you say Hiiro?”

            “Hnn.” He grunted.

            “Alright. So why did Hiiro faint?” Duo asked again, this time in slow motion.

            “Blood loss. Sorry again about that Hiiro. I didn’t mean to take so much the second time around.”

            “It’s alright. I told you to. In fact, you should drink more.” He said, quite at ease with the whole conversation.

            “Yeah, but not from you. Or the guys. I need to go hunting. I should wait until tonight though. I’m a lot less conspicuous when it’s dark, you know?”

            “Freeze! Rewind! What are you two talking about?” Duo cried out.

            “Yeah, care to let us in on the little secret?” Wufei added. They watched as Serena gave Hiiro a scared look, then turned to watch him give her a supportive one. Something was definitely backwards with them today.

            “We were talking about me and my eating, err, drinking habits.” Serena said, now quite unsure of herself.

            “You drink?” Asked Quatre and Trowa simultaneously.

            “Uh, yeah. But not the way you’re thinking. Hiiro told me that last night when you all looked at the vampires, you saw their fangs, and that was how you knew they were vampires. Well, there are other ways to tell too. First of all, a vampire has fangs. That much is obvious. But do you think a vampire can live outside during the day?”

            “No! Everyone knows vampires turn into dust when the sun comes up. And another way to tell if someone is a vampire is to look at their reflection. They won’t have one.” Duo announced happily. “What does this have to do with what you’re talking about and you’re drinking problem Sere?”

            “Do you have a mirror?” She asked them.

            “I think I might.” Said Trowa. He stood up to go look for one.

            “And Duo, after a vampire has been a vampire for over eighty years, they can stay out in the sunlight.” She said, correcting him.

            “Says who?” He asked her.

            “Says Serry. Now listen to her or omea wa koruso Maxwell.” Said Hiiro, pulling his gun out and checking his bullet number.

            “Here’s that mirror.” Said Trowa. He gave it to Serena and stood behind her, looking at the blank mirror. Though she was staring straight into it, there was nothing there. No, face, no hand, no reflection. It hit him like a ton of bricks. She never ate, She didn’t like vampire movies. She had a ‘drinking problem’. Serena was a vampire. He looked around at his comrade’s faces. Apparently, they had come to the same conclusion as he.

            “You’re one of them. You’ve sold you’re soul to the Devil!” Accused Wufei.

            “No! No! Not at all! I was made a vampire against my will! I didn’t ask for it to happen and I didn’t go willingly. I was forced.” Serena cried out in shame and fear. These were her friends? The ones who accused her of wanting to damn herself for eternity?

            “Serena. They don’t know any better yet.” Hiiro said, trying to calm her down. He should have known Wufei would say something about her honor or about injustices. Suddenly the room was dead quiet.  After a few moments of the uncomfortable silence, Serena stood up and ran out of the apartment. Hiiro stayed behind, intending to give his ‘friends’ a piece of his mind.

            “Hiiro, you let her corrupt you. You’ve let that wench of a devil’s advocate corrupt you!” Wufei started.

            “Omea wa Koruso. Just because she’s a vampire does not make her damned. Wufei, Trowa, Quatre, Duo, she told you because she thought you would understand.”

            “But Hiiro! She’s one of them! Why did she go and kill her own kind last night?” Duo asked.

            “Because. She’s not one of them. She is the only vampire ever created against her will. She was raped and then consecrated over two hundred years ago. Now the same vampire who created her wants her back. His name is Count Darien. He is the head of the vampires. And you went and killed what little faith she had left in the living.” He gave them all one more of his coldest possible death glare, then stalked out of the room.

            “Well? What do we do now?” Asked Trowa.

            “Serena can’t be evil. She just can’t be. She can’t even be dead! She’s got so much life!” Quatre said in a melancholy tone.

            “But she is. Yui is brainwashed.”

            “If he’s brainwashed, then so am I. I believe Serena.” Said Duo.  Quatre and Trowa sat quietly for a moment, then both nodded and stood up next to Duo.

            “You’re all insane!” Wufei screamed at them.

            “Maybe.” Trowa said. “But we’ve never made a wrong decision before. Why would we start now?”

            “Because she’s bewitched you!” Wufei yelled back.

            “I thought you didn’t believe in magic Wufei.” Duo mocked him.

            “I don’t. Ahhh! Why are we all still standing here? Let’s go apologize to that baka onna.” Wufei said. With that, all four of them stormed out of the apartment and across the hall.

>>>*<<<

            “So you have to leave before that Darien follows you here and catches you?”

            “Exactly. I’m sorry. I just can’t go back to that sleazy bastard.” She said with hatred in her voice.

            “Don’t worry. I understand.” He said calmly.

            “I understand you have responsibilities as a Gundam Pilot. Don’t think I don’t. You and I, we both fight for peace. Just different ways.”

            “Still…” heavy banging cut him off.

            “Would you get that?” She asked him. “I have to finish packing these candles.”

            “Sure.” Hiiro left for the door. A few moments later he came back with four very nervous pilots following him. Serena couldn’t bring herself to look them in the eyes, so she simply nodded in acknowledgment to their arrival.

            “Sere.” Quatre began. “We just wanted to apologize for our behavior. It was extremely rude of us. We were just in shock. Now that the news has sunk in, we realize how wrong we were to write you off as one of the villains.” Serena smiled slightly at his words.

            “Yeah. Hey, Sere, I’m sorry babe. Think about it this way: how many people know a living dead person?” She almost laughed at Duo’s apology.

            “I beg your pardon Serena. I didn’t mean anything in a rude or harmful way towards you.” Said Trowa. Then he nudged Wufei.

            “Onna, you may be dead, but you fight well. Maybe you’re not working for the Devil after all.” Serena turned around, full blown grin on her face.

            “Do you all really mean it?” She asked them.

            “Of course onna. We wouldn’t say something we didn’t mean!” Wufei snapped.

            “Thank you guys!” She hugged each of them as a thank you for their apologies and then began retelling her tale. *

 

Chapter Nine: Bittersweet Surrender

 

            *Where was she? He slammed his fist into the wall again. Darien was frustrated.  He had spent over two hundred years chasing after the ghost of girl who called herself Serenity. God he wanted her back. In all of the two hundred years he had been searching for her, he had never found any woman that even closely matched Serenity’s spirit and attitude. No one else had made his stolen blood boil the way she had, no one else had sent shivers up his already frozen spine.

            Then, last night, he had received word that one of his subordinates had not only found her, but also made it away with his damned life. Of course, the minute he had heard that, he had called the airport and arranged for his transportation. He thought would catch her this time; he thought she would be his.

            Now he wasn’t so sure. He had been up and down the main street of Tokyo four or five time now, and one sign of her had made an appearance. He assumed that she had burned the outfit he had left her, so tracking it would be out of the question. And there were so many people, who could find anyone in this city? He slammed his fist into the wall again, then caught a whiff of something on the light breeze; something that he had not smelled in over two hundred years. He smelled Serenity. He would know that delicate smell of clean soap and roses anywhere. Quickly heightening his sense to there maximum capacity, he raced down the street and off to find his run away mistress.

>>>*<<<

            “Look at us! We’ve just been sitting here all day talking! It’s nearly three o’clock!” Serena exclaimed, standing to look at the great grandfather clock next to the entrance.

            “Hey, yeah. Wow. Is anyone else hungry?” Duo asked the group.

            “Yeah, I’m starved. I could go for some food right about now.” Said Quatre, standing and stretching along with the rest of the group.

            “There’s a burger place down the street from here, why don’t we head over there?” Trowa said. When no objections were made, he assumed everyone was in favor f the idea. “If we leave now, we should be able to get a table before the afternoon crowd comes in.”

            “Fine. Let’s go then.” Wufei agreed.

            “Would you all mind if I joined you? I would rather not be alone.” Serena asked quietly.

            “Sere! We thought it was a given you were invited. No matter what you eat or don’t eat, you’re still one of us don’t you know!” Duo laughed happily. Hiiro watched Serena beam in response. Every time he saw that smile, he wanted to jump. What was that all about? So suddenly last night he had started feeling strange about her. He didn’t want her alone with anyone other than himself, he didn’t want her smiling at anyone else but himself, but at the same time, he was happy when she was happy, even if it was when she was with a different guy. Where had this feeling of possession and jealousy come from? He shook his head, trying to make sense of the new emotional turmoil that was churning within his heart.

            “Thanks  guys!” She said. Serena was so happy they still thought of her as one of them. Then she caught a glance at Hiiro’s face. She knew he had accepted her more than any of the others, but he was acting so strange. Not that she wasn’t. After last night, she hungered for something she couldn’t fathom. She knew she wanted Hiiro near her. She knew she wanted more than that. She just didn’t know what exactly she wanted. After she had bit him, she felt connected to him in a way she couldn’t logically understand. Though she was trying to, she couldn’t come to a solid conclusion about what her feelings meant. It was strange, but at the same time, felt good and warm inside. Slowly, a vague memory of a lost feeling was resurfacing.

            As the gang of six walked down the street to the burger restaurant, they talked and laughed and joked as if they were the most normal people in the world. Their conversation was light and full of harmless insults to each other. As soon as they sat down and had ordered their food, things change slightly. Hiiro noticed the color loss in Serena’s face and knew what was coming.

            “Guys, I’m going to use the lady’s room. I’ll be right back.” She said.

            “I’ll come with you.” Hiiro said in monotone voice that left no room for arguments.

            “Hiiro? The lady’s room?  That’s uncharted territory man. Do you really have that many guts?” Duo joked with him.

            “Hnn.” Was his response the braided boy. He knew full well Serena wasn’t going to the lady’s room, but going out to feed instead. As he and Serena stepped out the back door of the restaurant, she turned to him.

            “Hiiro, you didn’t have to come. You probably don’t want to see this anyway.” He watched as she tilted her head down towards her chest in shame and crossed her arms over her chest as if she were cold.

            “There’s a woman in the corner over there that should hold you for a short while.” He said with a slight smirk. He grabbed her lightly by the shoulders and spun her around in the direction of the woman. “And when you’ve finished with her, you can have some desert.”

            “Desert? But I don’t eat…”

            “Go feed.” He lightly pushed her forward, then stepped back to watch her stalk her innocent and unsuspecting victim. After a brief struggle, he saw her sink her long sharp fangs into the woman’s soft neck and shuddered. He remembered the delicious feeling of her soft lips upon his neck, and the coolness of her breath. He remembered the slight pain that became a overload of sensations that made his adrenaline pump and blood rush. By the time she was done with the woman, he was completely gone within his mind.

            As Serena finished the small life-giving snack, she turned to look at Hiiro. She noticed his glazed over eyes and vague expression. She wondered what he was thinking about. Then she walked up to him and gently touched his cheek with her frosty hand. She gasped as he grabbed her hand and turned it palm up, then brought it to his mouth and kissed it.

            “Hiiro?” She breathed. He wrapped his warm arms around her cold body and bent down to kiss her shoulder.

            “Bite me.” He whispered into her ear.

            “I can’t. It wouldn’t be fair to you.” She whimpered. He was so close…

            “I asked for it. Don’t you want desert?” He asked her, sending chills up and down her back.

            “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Were her last words before she kissed his neck gently, then opened her mouth to make the incision. As she drank his dark red blood, she felt warm. She had never felt so warm in her entire life. As the warmth flooded her blackened veins, she knew she had to let go or he would pass out.     

            As she kissed his neck, he felt the hairs on the back of it stand on end. Her icy lips barely brushed up against his neck, then came down harder in what should have been a bruising bite. He felt the blood drain from his body like it was being soaked up by a sponge. Then, just as quickly as the sensation had begun, it ended.

            “Keep going.” He commanded her.

            “I’ll kill you.” She whispered.

            “Then I’ll die a happy death.”

            “No.” She pulled away from him and looked into his eyes. By now the moon had risen and was glinting over the roofs of the buildings that loomed over them. She could see how the moonlight highlighted his hair, face and eyes, giving him the appearance of something divine. Pulling herself back into his warm embrace, she strung her arms around his back and snaked them up into his hair. The messy strands slipped softly through her fingertips as she continued to stare into his eyes.

            “Hiiro. I can’t kill you. You don’t deserve it. No one does, but you least of all. You’re too innocent. Don’t let me corrupt your soul anymore than I already have.”

            “Serry, you haven’t corrupted me. Long before I ever met you I was damned.”

            “That’s not true. Hiiro, you are never damned until you deny what you believe deep within your heart.”

            “Then why are you damned? You know you don’t believe that just because you’re a vampire means you have to kill. Why does that save me from damnation and not you?” His voice was growing cold and harsh.

            “I… I… I don’t have the answer to everything Hiiro. Why ask me a question I can’t answer?” A lone tear began to trickle from her eye. Hiiro bent forward and kissed it, drinking in the salty drop of liquid.

            “ I’m sorry.” Was all he said.

            “Let’s go back in. The other must be wondering where we are.” Just as they pulled away from each other’s arms, the back door swung open.

            “Yui, Onna. Where have you been?” Wufei said bluntly, obviously not taking notice of the compromising position they had just moved out of.

            “Sorry Wufei. I got hungry and need to find a snack.” Serena told him quietly. She watched as his eyes widened, then blinked and opened again.

            “Oh.” He stammered. He hadn’t expected that. Well, who was he to stand in the way of the vampire nature to need to drink blood? “Well, come in now. Yui, you’re food is getting cold.” He spun around and went back inside, followed by two very quiet friends.

>>> *<<<

            This was it. Darien was sure that this was the place. It positively reeked of her scent. He looked around the rooms again. He found her coffin in the bedroom. The very same coffin he had given her. He ran his hands over the soft, smooth and well-polished wood. Then he looked in the boxes that were sitting all around the room. He found dozens and dozens of candles. So she liked candles did she? Carefully, he began unpacking the candles from the boxes and setting them up all around the room. Once he was done, he threw the box of wooden stakes out the window for good measure. Nothing was going to interrupt him tonight. Nothing.

            Walking around the rest of the apartment, he found her kitchen was well stocked with food  of all kinds. He briefly wondered why she would need food if all she drank was blood. Then he shrugged the thought off and explored the balcony. While he stood under the moonlight, he took a deep breath, then sighed. Suddenly, his ears perked up. He heard her voice, her laughter. She was on her way home. Soon she would be his again. He quickly went back inside and shut the balcony door. He wouldn’t want her suspecting anything, now would he?

>>>*<<<

            “Serena? Earth to Serena? Are you there space cadet?” Duo bugged her as they walked up the stairs to their apartments. Serena heard him and began laughing at his phrase.

            “Roger that mission control. Space cadet here. I read you loud and clear.” Everyone began laughing, except Hiiro, who merely smirked. She caught his eye and knew the look he shot at her meant that they needed to talk, and soon.

            “ I was going to ask if you wanted to come to our place for some coffee. Then I realized you don’t drink coffee.” Duo said, still laughing.

            “Well, I’d like to come anyway.” She grinned at him.

            “Great!” Quatre said as he waited for Trowa to unlock the apartment door.  As they all entered the apartment, Quatre and Trowa went to make the coffee. Duo sat down and turned on the radio. Wufei just sat down at the kitchen table watching Quatre and Trowa.

            “Serena, can I speak to you outside please?” Hiiro asked her quietly.

            “Sure.” She answered, her voice equally as solemn. She allowed Hiiro to lead he out to the balcony and close the door behind them from prying ears. Then she saw Duo walk up and press his ear against the glass door, as if he were trying to here what they were saying anyway. Quatre and Wufei came up behind him and while Wufei dragged Duo off, Quatre closed the heavy drapes on them so they could have some privacy.

            Hiiro, too, watched the episode with Duo and Quatre and Wufei and had to smirk. Then when he caught Serena’s eyes again, he straightened his composure. He lost the slight smirk he had been wearing and his eyes grew darker. After the incident in the ally, he knew what was plaguing him, and thought that if he told her, she would know how to cure him.

            “Sere.” He began. Then he stopped. He couldn’t do it. He was afraid.  For the first time in his life, Hiiro Yui was afraid.

            “Hiiro. I need to ask you something.” Serena took over. She saw he was hesitating, and thought that now would be as good a time as ever to tell him.

            “Hiiro, last night when I asked you if you could love a dead person, you asked me how do you love a person if they are dead. I never answered you. Well, I can’t answer that question either. But you never answered my question. Could you, would you, love a dead person?” She held her breath, waiting, hoping, he would understand what she was trying to tell him.

            “Could I? Would I?” He said, unsure of what she was asking him. How could someone love a dead person? A dead person was buried under six feet of the earth. But Serena wasn’t buried, and she was dead… light filled his heart.

            “I could, I would, and I do.” He took her hands in his and placed them around his neck. “Serenity.” Was the only word he could manage to say. She was so close to him that it was messing with his mind. He could barely think straight.

            “Hiiro?” She questioned him, trying to make sure he understood what she meant.

            “Serena. Aishiteru.” He whispered into her ear.

            “Hiiro?” She asked him quietly. She didn’t understand the meaning of the word.

            “It means, I love you koi.” He felt her pull in closer to him and hug him with all of her strength. They just stood there for a long while, hugging and holding onto each other, drawing strength from each other’s solid bodies.  Soon, he felt her draw back slightly and kiss his ear.

            “I love you too, Hiiro Yui.” Slowly she trailed butterfly kisses down his cheek to the corner of his mouth. Then she stopped, unsure of what to do. He settled that problem by sliding his head towards hers and meeting her lips with his own. An innocent and chaste kiss soon became heated and full of passion. He deepened the kiss with his strong and solid kisses, so full of desire that it almost overwhelmed her. She too, kissed back with as much pent up love and passion as she could possibly muster. As they broke breathlessly, they stared into each other’s eyes. Love could be found in both sets as they just stared.

            “Let’s go in, you need to sleep.” Hiiro told her.

            “Yeah. So do you.” As they walked back into the apartment, Hiiro snaked his arm around her waist and she lay her head upon his shoulder. They fit so perfectly together… They walked in to see the four other boys sitting around the kitchen table drinking the strong black coffee Trowa and Quatre had made.

            “So how were things on the balcony?” Duo pressed them. “It was pretty cold out there, but I’m sure you were able to heat things up.” He snickered along with the three other boys. Hiiro shot him a death glare and Serena stuck her tongue out at him.

            “I’d be quiet if I didn’t want bite marks in me neck, Duo.” She said sweetly. She watched as he squirmed, then gulped and backed his chair up.

            “You won’t be biting anyone unless it’s me.” Hiiro said possessively.

            “You let her bite you?” Trowa asked, his full of wonder.

            “Hnn.”

            “Are you crazy Yui?” Wufei asked him.

            “No, he is not crazy. Incase you’ve forgotten, I don’t kill my victims, I simply take enough of their blood until they faint. And I didn’t even take that much from Hiiro.” Serena said, defending herself.

            “It doesn’t hurt. It feels almost good.” Hiiro said quietly.

            “It does? Asked Quatre.

            “Can I try it?” Duo asked?

            “No.” Serena and Hiiro said simultaneously.

            “Sorry!” Duo yelped again.

            “I’m going home. Good night guys!” Serena said with a huge yawn. A chorus of ‘goodnight’ was heard and she opened the door and went across the hall. Hiiro sat down and grabbed a cup of coffee. He was ready for Duo’s teasing to begin. He even had enough bullets this time.

>>>*<<<

            Serena walked into her apartment and knew something was amiss. It was one of the perks of being dead, she could always tell when something was wrong, or different. She noticed a soft glow coming from underneath her bedroom door and raised her hackles. Someone was here. And she had a pretty good idea of who it was. Seeing her sword laying on the couch next to her, she picked it up and unsheathed it. Holding it out in front of her, she walked towards her bedroom. Kicking the door open, she saw that all of her candles that had been packed were set up and lit. Blood red rose petals were scattered about the room, and her wooden stakes were missing.

            “Like what you see?” Came a cold evil whisper from behind her. Strong cold arms surrounded her, causing her to gasp and drop her sword. Now she was unarmed and defenseless.

            “I’ve missed you so much my vicious lover. I’ve been looking for you.”

            “Well, if anything, you smell ten times worse now, and I’ve been avoiding you.” She spun around, twisting out of his grasp and facing him. “Count Darien. I’m giving you till the count of ten to get out of my apartment, or you’ll regret it.”

            “I will, will I? Do you remember what happened last time you said that to me? You became a vampire. I certainly don’t regret that. Do you?”

            “Bastard! Get the hell out!” She screamed at him.

            “ I can’t very well do that, now can I?” He smirked evilly.  Then he advanced on her slowly, as if to build an even greater fear in her. “I could smell you a block away. Now I smell you, and something else. Who have you been with?” he asked her darkly.

            “None of you god damn business you undead bastard!” He grabbed for her arms and held them tightly, pinning her against the wall right above her cross and next to her coffin.

            “Tell me!” He screamed in rage. She looked into his eyes and saw red. Blood red.

            “Serena?” Came an enraged yet calm voice from the doorway. She looked to see Hiiro and Trowa standing in the doorway, one with a gun, and one with a wooden stake.*

 

Chapter Ten: Go to Hell, Welcome Back to Heaven

 

            *Serena sighed in relief when  she saw her two friends. Then she did a double take. Darien would kill them if they provoked him! The other three pilots ran up behind Hiiro and Trowa just in time to watch the fight.

            “Hiiro! Trowa! Go away, I can handle this! Go! Run!” She yelled at them. They stood still, their eyes never leaving Darien.

            “This? This boy is who you let touch you?” Darien sneered. He smelled the same scent on the boy with the wooden stake as was on his Serenity. “A mere mortal boy?”

            “Let me go Creep Darien!” She struggled even harder, knowing she had to help Hiiro and Trowa.

            “Let her go.” Came Trowa’s calm collected voice.

            “Why? She’s mine. I made her, I keep her.” Darien smirked. If these living boys thought they could defeat a vampire, they were welcome to try. And fail.

            “Let. Her. Go.” Hiiro said, his voice barely holding back his rage. So this was the jerk who had destroyed Serena’s hopes and dreams? He was going to regret it. Darien let Serena go and she slid to the floor. She then watched the events unfold.

            “You think you can order me what to do? You will learn soon enough that no one messes with Count Darien Shields!” he lunged. Trowa fried his gun, but the bullets didn’t even phase Darien. He jumped out of the way and managed to get behind him, where he could help Serena to stand up.

            Hiiro watched as Trowa helped Serena, and knew that he would take care of her while he fought Darien. Darien stood and lunged again, this time directly at Hiiro. Hiiro side stepped him and made sure to punch him while he was falling. Darien made a fast recovery and hissed, baring his fangs at Hiiro. Taking out a silver knife, Darien sliced Hiiro’s already injured arm. Hiiro grimaced, but said nothing as he continued to fence with Darien, the silver knife against the wooden stake. It seemed as if they were even in all aspects, speed, agility, skill, and drive. Nothing could stop them from achieving their ultimate goal: Serenity.

            Serena watched as the two men dueled for her. She thought they were crazy, but was glad Hiiro cared so much. What was she thinking! She would rather be fighting Darien herself than make Hiiro do it for her. But she couldn’t interfere with them now. That would be unsportsman like, as well as against the vampire code of honor. Even she was not above that code, and if she broke it, she would be dust faster than she could apologize. All she could do was sit and watch and wait for a victor.

            Hiiro was getting frustrated. Darien was good, every bit as good as Serena had said he would be, and maybe more so. But he wanted it more. There was no way in hell Hiiro was going to let Darien take Serena from him. They had only just found each other. No. He would win if it was the last thing he did.

            Darien was getting angrier by the second. This foolish living by was showing him up in front of his own mistress. How he hated being shown up! In anything! First he had had the nerve to touch her. And now, to fight him for her? His rage grew and heightened his senses and agility by two fold. He lunged again, determined to win.

            Everyone could see when Darien stopped holding back and started putting out more and more of an effort. They watched as he threw his knife at Hiiro and knocked his stake out of his hand. They watched as Darien punched Hiiro across the cheek and knocked him to the ground brutally. Then he grabbed him by his hair and held him up. Bending his limp neck to expose it even more, Darien bit down into Hiiro’s soft flesh.

            Hiiro felt the agonizing pain surge through his body. This bite was not like Serena’s gentle touch. This was a brutal beating that was against his will. He groaned and screamed in pain. In the background he heard Serena yelling at Darien to stop hurting him, but it was to no avail. Darien kept sucking and slurping. Hiiro felt his heart begin to be pulled upwards by the heavy suction Darien was creating. He felt his own warm blood begin to trickle down his neck and then cool and dry. Still, Darien did not stop.

            “Stop! Darien! Stop!” Serena screamed at him. She tried to jump onto Darien, but Trowa grabbed her waist just in time, preventing her from getting herself hurt. She watched helplessly as her love was slowly being killed, his life drained bit-by-bit, drop-by-drop. Then, when his body went limp, she went hysterical. Her fangs bared, she pulled out of Trowa’s hold and jumped for Darien. Darien spun around and caught her just as she was about to land on him. He pushed her off of him and onto the floor. Then he tackled her.

            “You are mine Serenity! Mine!” He cried in rage, eyes still red with bloody rage. His chin was covered in red warm sticky blood. Hiiro’s blood. Serena struggled.  Waving her arms around on the ground frantically, she felt a rough piece of wood. She grabbed it and stopped fighting Darien.

            “You’re right Darien. I am yours.” She pulled him into a tight hug. Then, in his ear, whispered: “In hell.” She then stabbed him with the stake through his back, straight through to the heart. She was convinced she had never heard a more wonderful sound. Darien on the ground, moaning and writhing in pain, gurgling and coughing up blood as he slowly became dust on the floor. When he was gone, she raced over to Hiiro’s limp body, which Quatre was trying blindly to find a pulse to.

            “Please be alright. Please be alright!” Serena begged. Suddenly, a slight cough rang through the silent room. Hiiro’s eyes fluttered and then opened. He moaned and coughed again. “He’s alive!” Serena cried, tears streaming down her face.

            “Darien?” Hiiro asked, still hacking softly.

            “Dead. I killed him. Hiiro, you’re going to be alright. I promise, everything will be just fine. Just go to sleep.” Serena used her eyes for the first time ever to put Hiiro into a trance of sleep. After that, she herself, fainted from exhaustion.

>>>*<<<

            Serena awoke to find herself in her princess garb. She turned around and saw her mother and Pluto standing behind her.

            “Mother? Pluto? Am I dead?”

            “No my dear sweet daughter. You are still alive. In a matter of speaking.” Queen Serenity gave a sad smile to her daughter.

            “Are you displeased in my actions as a vampire?” Serenity asked them, her head bowed low to her chest, eyes trailing the pattern on the floor.

            “No, no my dear. We couldn’t be prouder. In fact, you have fixed the error in the time line.” Said Queen Serenity, beaming at her daughter.

            “How could I have done that?” Serenity asked, quite confused.

            “Princess. When you killed Darien, you destroyed the greatest evil on Earth. There are two forces that always fight each other, the good and evil forces. As of late, the evil force was gaining the upper hand because of Darien and his power. Now that he is gone, the forces have balanced out once more, allowing your friends, the Sailor Scouts, to be reborn.” Pluto explained with a smile on her face.

            “They’re going to be reborn?” Serena asked happily.

            “Yes, my dear, they’re going to be reborn.”

            “What about me?” Serenity suddenly asked. “What do I do until then?”

            “Well, we can take your soul and let you be reborn with your friends, or you can stay a vampire until then.” Pluto answered her.

            “If I stay a vampire, what happens with…”

            “Ask him. He and his friends will understand.” Queen Serenity cut her daughter off with a knowing smile.

            “Mother? Are you sure?”

            “He’s prefect for you Serenity. He loves you and you love him. There is nothing more perfect for you than love my darling daughter. Just ask him. You’re waking up now. Remember my dear, I love you.”

            “And I you…” Serena felt herself fade into oblivion again as she had the first time she had seen her mother over two hundred years ago.*

 

Epilogue: For All Eternity, Blood is Thicker than Water

 

            *Serena opened her eyes to a darkened room. Staying laying down, she looked around and noticed she was in her coffin, but not in her room. She saw above her her cross, and next to her a table with her sword,  a candelabra, and a very bloody wooden stake. As her eyes followed the rim of the room, she saw that she had been placed next to a set of balcony doors. She saw a couch against a wall and a large armchair across from it. There was a fireplace and desk to one corner of the room, and a laptop and vid-phone sat upon it. On her other side, she saw an empty bed. Where on earth was she?

            “You’re up.” Said a deep voice from the balcony. She flipped her head around in that direction, knowing full well whose voice it was.

            “How do you feel?” She asked, her voice full of concern.

            “Fine. You’ve been out for nearly a week.” He informed her with a side smirk. She stood from her coffin and took notice of her change in clothes. Instead of her all black outfit, she was dressed in a long white cotton dress.

            “So, are you responsible for my change in attire?” She too, smirked.

            “Did you think I would let anyone else near enough to you?”

            “Never. How long have you been up?” She smiled, concern still evident in her voice and in her eyes.

            “I slept for two days. I was awake but in bed for the third. Technically, I’ve been up for two days.” He walked over to the armchair and sat down in it. She walked over to him and sat on the floor below him, laying her head upon his knee. Not looking up at him, she began to trace a pattern on his knee.

            “Where are we?” She asked him.

            “While we were asleep, Quatre shipped us, all of us, over to his home in the Sanq Kingdom. After the first war, we all stayed here for a month. Then we split up, each of us going our own separate ways until Mariemeia tried to declare war on the ESUN. This was my room during that time.”

            “Oh? I’m not bothering you by being in here, am I?” She asked, suddenly extremely conscious of their position.

            “No. I told them to put you in here when I woke up. They had originally put you in the room next door with all of your clothes and candles. I had them move just your coffin, cross, and one candelabra in here.”

            “And Darien’s stake.” She whispered.

            “And Darien’s stake.” He repeated. He saw her face and cringed at his hard-edged thoughts. He was being real smooth. She was here, just woken up from a nap after killing someone who raped her of everything, and he was telling her about where they were and whose room was whose. “Serena,” He began, wanting to make amends for all the wrongs that had ever been committed to her in her life. “ Are you alright? With Darien?”

            “Yes. What I did was a good thing. I know that. It’s how I did it that is bothering me.” She answered him with a low tone in her voice.

            “How did you do it?” He honestly didn’t know. He had been knocked out at the time.

            “I hugged him and then stabbed him in the back. I told him I would be his in hell. I was so cruel. But, Hiiro,” She began to sob lightly. “Hiiro, the worst part was, I let him nearly kill you! How selfish was I? Gods, how could I have possibly ever let that evil creature almost kill you?” She felt his strong warm arms wrap around her and pull her up to sit in his lap.  For a while, they just sat there, him cradling her shaking and sobbing body, and her drawing strength from his warm and loving embrace.

            “Serena, I saw Trowa hold you back. You did try to stop him. But you couldn’t, and you know it. Nothing could have stopped what happened to me. Besides, could you have really broken the code of honor? Intervened between us during our fight? No. You know it. Stop blaming yourself for something you had no control over.”

            “But Hiiro. He almost killed you. I almost lost you. What if I lose you again? What if you get shot? Or stabbed? Or some fluke accident happens and you die? I don’t think I could stand it. I would be stuck here, the living dead, while you are gone forever.”

            “Serena. I won’t die.”

            “But what if? There’s always that chance. And, what happens when you start to get old, and I’m still the same, ageless little girl you knew fifty years ago? Would you still love me? Could you honestly be happy with me like that?”

            “What else can we do Sere? It’s bound to happen sooner or later. Unless I become a vampire like yourself, that is the inevitable reality of our situation.” He took a deep breath. He had thought about this long and hard. He knew what he wanted.

            “What are you saying Hiiro? That, that you want to be a vampire like me?”

            “Will you change me Sere? Will you make me one of your own kind?”

            “Hiiro! Do you know what you’re saying? You’d be given immortality, sure, but the changes you’ll have to go through… Hiiro, do you know what you’re asking me to make you give up? You couldn’t see the sun for eighty years. You would have to hunt and drink blood like I do. Is that the kind of life you want? And what about your friends? What do Duo and Quatre and Trowa and Wufei have to say about this?”

            “I know exactly what I want Sere. I’ve thought about this long and hard. I know what I will give up. I know what I will have to do. I also know I will always be with you. As for the others, I don’t know.”

            “Don’t you think you should tell them? I mean, you will be dieing and coming back to life. That’s a pretty important change.”

            “Then I’ll ask them right now.” He picked her up and walked over to the door. Opening it, he saw Duo coming down the hall. Duo, too, it seemed, saw them and went ballistic.

            “Hey Hiiro! She’s up! Hey Sere! How do you feel? Boy, for a while there we thought you were going to stay dead this time!”

            “Duo, get the others. We need to talk.” Hiiro blurted out.

            “Hi Duo. I’m fine. Hiiro’s right though. He has something he needs to speak to you all about.” She said, in much the same fashion.

            “Sheesh, alright, yeah, sure. I’ll get them. We’ll be in your room in ten minutes.” Duo said, then bounced down the hall and out of sight. Hiiro carried Serena back into his room to wait for the others.

>>>*<<<

            “… want to become one of the undead?” Are you sure Hiiro?” Quatre asked him.

            “Yeah, I mean, dieing is one thing, but dieing and then coming back to life is another.” Duo added.

            “Yui, you’ll be damning yourself for eternity.” Was Wufei’s only comment.

            “If you know this is what you want, then live according to your emotions and do it.” Trowa said quietly. They were discussing Hiiro’s choice, and so far, only Trowa agreed with them. Then Wufei spoke up suddenly.

            “Yui. If you wish to damn yourself, that’s fine with me. However. If you do, I expect to be damned with you as well.”

            “Wufei?” Serena asked him. That was definitely not something she had been expecting from Wufei of all people.

            “You heard me onna.”

            “I’m with Wufei.” Said Trowa suddenly.

            “Hey! Don’t count me out!” Said Duo. They all looked expectantly at Quatre.

            “I hope you won’t mind if I join you all for eternity as well then?” He said with a broad grin.

            “Are you all sure?” Serena asked them.

            “Like Wu-man said, you heard us onna.” Duo said happily.

            “Kisama! Baka braid boy! Don’t called me that! Injustice!” Serena and Hiiro exchanged glances. They were going to spend their eternity with these people? Someone down there really hated them.

>>>*<<<

            Each of them was dressed in all black. Each had a cross around their neck, and each had left their necks exposed. The room was lit with dozens of softly glowing candles. Five coffins were lined up, side by side, each with a different name engraved in silver upon it. As the door opened, the watched Serena walk in. She, too, was dressed in an all black dress, simple with a low cut neckline. Around her neck hung a heavy wooden cross, and in one hand, a candle. She placed the candle on the table next to Wufei. He was to be consecrated first.

            “Wufei, do not be nervous and do not hesitate. I’m going to bite your neck. Once I have taken all of your blood, you will bite mine and drink it back. As you drink, it will become easier. I promise. Are you ready?”

            “Yes.” He replied solemnly. He felt her cool breath trickle down his neck, and hen felt her two soft lips touch his neck. He gulped in fear, then stood tall and proud, not flinching, even when she sunk her fangs into his neck. After she had finished, he felt so lightheaded he was about to faint. Before he could, she grabbed his head and held it to her neck. Knowing he must complete his mission, he bit down hard, causing her to moan in pain. He felt sorry, but knew he must save his energy for drinking. As he drank, he felt stronger, more powerful. When he thought he had had enough, he pulled away form her neck and looked at her face. It was straight, showing neither signs of pain, discomfort, of pleasure. He backed away, allowing her to move on to Quatre. Then she moved to Trowa, then Duo, and, finally, Hiiro.

            As Hiiro felt her break the skin again, that familiar sensation washed over him. He felt so complete, so whole when she did this to him that he wondered what had taken him so long to convince her to do it again. His mind muddled in confusion and suddenly he felt lost. She had never taken so much blood before, and he wasn’t used to being so lightheaded. When she pulled away, he slightly turned his head to her neck, and just before he bit he, he whispered “Aishiteru koi.” Then he bit down hard to break the skin and began to drink back his vampire-tainted blood. After he was done, she pulled his head from her neck and lightly said to him, “Aishiteru koi.”. Then she stepped away from him.

            “You have all been consecrated. I would suggest a full day’s sleep before you try to hunt. If your all up to it, tomorrow night, I’ll teach you how to hunt.” As she watched each of them nod, she smiled inwardly to herself. They would be good, honest vampires. Perfect for her friends once they had been reincarnated… hmm… she would have to set that one up… She watched as each of them climbed into their coffins and settled down. She went around to each of them, reassuring them that they would be fine before she shut the coffin lid. When she came to Hiiro, she stopped.

            “Did I hurt you?” He asked her concerned.

            “Not more than it should have. Besides. Tomorrow night, after you’ve fed and rested, you can heal these bruises away.”

            “Don’t think I won’t.” He said wit a light smirk. Then she saw the first glimmer of sunlight begin to sparkle over the horizon.

            “You need to rest. Sleep well, my love.” He kissed him gently in his lips, then his neck.

            “And you as well koi.” With that last sentence, he drifted asleep. She shut the door to his coffin, thinking about how wonderful her life was going to be from now on.*

 

The End.

What do you think? To dark? Not dark enough?  Not mushy enough? Too mushy? Were the fight scenes good, ok, or horrible? Was it detailed enough? LET ME KNOW! Vixen: Rix13Rix@aol.com!! ;)