| Author's Note: this story is getting pretty good, people seem to love the mystery in it. I don't blame you, I love movies that are like this fanfic I'm writing. Anyway, enjoy this chapter and remember to read everything carefully, because things will begin coming more clearly out into the open now. Heart of the Sun Chapter 4 Serena blinked a moment, sat calmly watching her grandmother after what she had just said."Excuse me?" Sara blew out an exasperated breath."You heard me girl. You and Darien are the first two lovers of the legend. Its in you that the curse upon Selene will be lifted. Its in the two of you that evil will come back from the dead." She decided she needed to take this calmly and cooly, needed to keep her wits about her."Grandma, where did you get an idiotic idea like that?" "Its not an idea, its fact. You two have already begun heading in the right direction. Remember the legend, the way the curse will be lifted?" Serena could feel her hands were beginning to tremble."It will take two couples coming together, loving one another. The first will lift the curse and bring evil back from the dead, the second will earn Selene's trust and the blood of the moon and put evil to rest."she spoke precisely, having nearly memorized the story. Sara nodded."Serena, you have to accept this. Its been your destiny since you were a child." She shot to her feet."I don't believe in destiny and the fact that your telling me my life has been planned for me isn't something I want to hear." "Nothing was planned. You would have met Darien and fallen in love even if this curse hadn't been put on Selene." She could only gasp."Darien? Darien!! I don't love him and I'm certainly not going to fall in love with him! I'm here to research a story, gather information and facts, not to shop for a wedding cake!" "Serena, calm down. I meant-" "I don't want to hear anymore! Just stop already. I plan my own life!"she pointed to herself."I have control over myself, not anyone else. And there's no way I'm going to fall in love with Darien just to fullfill some stupid legend!" She was shouting so loud Yaten had woken up and come down the stairs, standing in the doorway of the parlor and watching them."Whats going on?"he asked, his eyes blurry from sleep. "Sara here thinks I'm going to settle down with Darien, going to fall in love and lift a curse. You chose the wrong person! I don't want to settle down, I don't want any of that! So get those ideas out of your head and don't mention this to me again."she turned to march from the parlor. "I see you already are falling in love with him, otherwise you wouldn't be so angry."Sara spoke quietly, and with a challenge in her voice. Serena stopped and because she heard the truth in those words, decided it best not to respond. She stomped from the room. Yaten watched her go, still confused."I don't get it. You actually think that curse will be wiped away if her and Darien get hitched?" "Its not as simple as just getting hitched. They could marry, have children, and live the rest of there lives together and it wouldn't matter. They need to love one another for the curse to finally be gone." "You actually believe in all that, don't you?" Sara sighed and shook her head, sitting back down."The two of you have absolutely no faith in such matters. I imagen its your father's doing. He always hated the legend, hated Selene and anything that was even a bit out of the ordinary. So of course when he raised the two of you he instilled the fact that romance can't exist in the heart." "Yea, your right there. He's always been really down to earth. I guess thats why it upset him so much when Serena became a writer of the supernatural."Yaten was quiet, considering the matter."I've never seen Serena lose it that bad. She's always so calm. I think sometimes that I took all the fire and left her none or something." Sara suddenly felt very tired, and very old."She needs to accept this. You can't run from your fate." "She doesn't believe in fate, so don't even mention that."he scratched his head."I thought the legend was it would take two couples to get rid of that curse. So....if Serena and Darien are the first, who's the second?" Judging by how Serena had just taken the news, she had no doubt this one would simply blow if she told him the truth."That has yet to be seen." He shrugged, but felt a small nagging in his mind. That wasn't the answer he had wanted."Well, I'm going upstairs and see how she is. Knowing her she's packing and plans to get out of here as fast as she can. Away from Darien, I mean."he rolled his eyes."I'll go convince her otherwise." He went up the stairs and found her tossing her clothes in a bag, mumbling to herself about stupid curses and even more stupid ideas on love."So I take it your running?"he asked, leaning on the door. She speared him with one frigid glare."I'm leaving because this project is not worth my time anymore. Curse or not, fact or fiction, I don't care. I'm going to England and research....Jack the Ripper or something." He nodded, amused by it all."Uh huh. You gonna tell Darien?" "I have no commitment to him and therefore don't need to explain anything to him."but she had halted for just a moment at the thought of him. "You spent the night with him Serena. I'd say that makes him somehow important to you."he pointed out. "It was a mistake."she grabbed a pile of blouses and shoved them in her bag. "Funny. You hate making mistakes, just hate it. You've always stopped something before it could become a mistake, if I remember correctly." "Look Yaten, I'm not going to stay here and let Sara arrange my life for me. I think Dad had the right idea about her. I think we would have been better off not knowing about her." "Serena, I know you don't mean that. She's not trying to arrange your life either, she's just confused herself. She actually believes in this legend and thinks you and Darien are gonna give it the starting kick off."he was quiet a moment, watching her go back and forth packing."I think somewhere inside you you actually believe she may be right." "I don't believe anything."but he could hear the catch in her voice. "Then prove it. Don't run, don't go charging off like your ass is on fire. Stay and prove that this curse doesn't exist."he folded his arms over his chest, smirked when she stopped her pacing."Whats it gonna be?" She didn't want to admit that she actually believed this curse could be real, that somewhere inside her believed Sara could be right because she could actually feel something building inside her for Darien. It was all to...wierd, to frightening. Angling her chin, she turned to her brother."I'm not running anywhere."she picked up her bag and dumped the contents back onto her bed."I have no reason to believe I may be falling for Darien and that this curse could actually exist. Its just an interesting story for me to put into a book." He nodded."All right then. I guess Sara was wrong." "Your damn right she was wrong."because she could feel her entire body was tense, she focused on relaxing, on not letting any of this get to her."I plan my own future. I live my own life, not someone else." "Glad you realized that."his stomache grumbled, loud enough for them to both hear. He glared at her when she laughed."Its your fault. Your shouting woke me up and I was sleeping nice and warm. You owe me a breakfast, I think." She put a hand to her mouth, eyes wide."I can't believe I let Sara's crazy ideas make me so mad. I should go apologize to her." "Nah, she'll live. I'm going to get dressed and your treating me."satisfied with how he'd handled the situation, he left to go to his own room. It was one thing to stay and keep researching, but it was another matter to maintain her relationship with Darien. Yaten had been right when he had said that in order for Serena to have spent the night with Darien, she had to have some type of feelings for him. The truth was, she felt something so strong building inside her that it frightened her. With Josh she had felt it too, but that emotion had been controlled. She had always known that even though she loved him, she was her own person, that she would be able to exist on her own without him. With Darien she didn't think she'd be able to go a week without him. The thought didn't sit well on her, so in the days following her fight with Sara, she avoided him at every opportunity. He called the house and she told the maid to tell him she wasn't there. She didn't go to the bar, made sure to be out of the house as much as possible. Usually she took Yaten and they went exploring across the countryside, her taking snap shots while he flirted with any woman he could find. It had been two weeks since her fight with Sara when she and Yaten pulled into the drive at the house late one night, her laughing over a perverted joke he had just finished telling her when she noticed Darien's truck parked there, waiting. She then spotted him sitting on the porche, with the porche light at his back. Yaten saw him, then turned to look at her, noting she had paled."Time to pay the piper." "I can't see him. I can't."she whispered, but at her first sight of him she had felt so much yearning fill her heart she was sure it would burst. "I don't think you have much of a choice in the matter."he climbed out of the car before she could stop him, called out,"Hey Darien, where you been? I haven't seen you around too much lately."he walked toward him, leaving her alone. Resigned, she got out of the car, shutting the door and going over to the two men. When there eyes met and held, Yaten rocked back on his heels, clucked his tongue."I think I'll go inside. Nice seeing you Darien, don't be a stranger."he left them alone. She kept herself rigid, made sure her expression was cool and detached."Hello Darien." His own expression was the opposite of hers, full of rage and life."Why the hell haven't you taken any of my calls?!"he was trembling with fury, his hands made into fists at his sides. "I haven't been home. Yaten and I have-" "Then why the hell haven't you RETURNED any of my goddamn calls?!!"he shouted so loud she jumped a full step away from him. It took her a moment to calm the racing of her heart."Darien, I think maybe we should speak of this when your calm. I have some things to tell you and its better that you listen when your not so angry. So if you don't mind-" He came forward and gripped her shoulders, held them so tight she flinched."I want to hear this right now! Go ahead, tell me. I'm listening. Tell me now when I'm looking at you, when were in front of each other."but he could already see what it was she wanted to tell him, and it was breaking him. She looked up at him, made sure her eyes were cool and composed."I think we made a mistake by sleeping together. I don't have the time or the inclination for a fling, or even a casual relationship. I'm almost done with my research here and I'll be moving on soon. I don't want to be tied down because of you or feel any guilt because you want me to stay." His hands bit into her shoulders so hard she was sure she would have bruises the next day."This isn't a casual relationship. This is more then that." Her breath hitched a bit, but she calmed herself. He couldn't want more. Men like Darien...they couldn't wait to move on to another woman and keep there options open. She wouldn't let herself be cheated on and abandoned again. She was stronger then that now. "I'm sure your speaking that way because you just want to get me into bed again." "How can you say that? How can you? Didn't you feel ANYTHING that night we were together? Were you just there for what I could give you?!"he shook her slightly. Some of her own anger snuck past the barrier she had put up."Me? Didn't I feel anything?! What about you! All you wanted was to get me into bed, then dump me and move on to bigger and better things!" He was shocked, and it showed clearly on his face."Serena, I never-" "Save me your explanations! Your all the same. Now let me go so I can go inside and begin packing my things to leave this godforesaken town."she tried jerking back, but he held on. He searched her eyes, searched past the swirling fury, and saw raw wounds that he had just re-opened in her."He really hurt you, didn't he Serena?" Her eyes snapped back to his for just a moment, but it was enough to tip him off to the truth."I don't know what you mean and I'd appreciate if you just let me go." "It was this Josh guy, wasn't it?"he remembered now. She'd been engaged to him, which meant the bastard had meant something important to her. Which also meant he had been the one to slash these wounds so deeply into her."He betrayed you, didn't he?" Was she that transparent? she thought with some annoyance."Let me go or I'll-" His hand curved around her cheek, tipped her face to his."Please don't hold back from me Serena. You mean so much to me."he bent, brushed his lips over hers."I would never do anything to hurt or betray you." Something was melting inside her and she wasn't sure if she wanted it too."I don't....I can't..." "Say you'll take me back. Say it. Say you'll be mine."he whispered into her ear. Her heart was in her eyes when she looked at him, but he saw only warm affection. Trying to keep it cool when she would have thrown herself into his arms and declared her heart, she blew out a breath, eyed him."All right. We'll try this again." When he picked her up and swung her into his arms, she laughed, neither noticing how Sara watched from the window of the estate, smiling. She had planned to leave that same week, but she couldn't. She even began packing her things once, but she stopped before she ever really started. She didn't want to depend on him so much, she didn't want to need him so much. She liked being independent, she liked knowing she was her own person and didn't need someone else there constantly backing her up. But her days with him were special to her. It was a terrifying thought when she realized she was in love with him. The day she did she was at home, typing away at her recent book she was working on in her labtop, frowning deeply as she added in the story that descended through her own family. Her eyes wondered to a rose he had given her the night before, a red rose she had put in a vase and set next to her bedside. She was staring at it, her eyes turning dreamy without her realizing it, when the thought struck her like a bolt of lightening. She was in love with him. Horrified at herself, angry with herself, she got up and immediately began to pace the room, twisting her hands together, stopping to stare sightlessly at the wall. When had this happened? Was it the first time they had made love? Was it afterward, when he had held her and whispered to her in Gaelic, causing her insides to dissolve at how sexy his voice had sounded? Or had it been when he had taken her to dinner the other night? When he had surprised her, giving her diamond earrings, and a daimond necklace that matched? Or perhaps it had been when he had handed her the rose, a simple gesture that had won her over like no diamonds, no caresses ever could have. Either way, the thought wasn't sitting well with her. She couldn't be in love with him. She knew exactly how it was to fall for someone, to give them everything, then to have them turn there back and throw that trust, that love you had given, back in your face. She didn't know if she'd be able to handle Darien's betrayel. She had loved Josh, yes, but with Darien....it was so much more. It was as if she was giving her body and soul to him, like she was handing him her entire being without her even wanting too. She stopped her pacing, lectured herself on jumping to conclusions. Darien had done nothing so far to make her wary of him. He had been honest, sweet, caring and considerate. He respected her, would sit and listen to her as if what she said was made of gold. He always did little things to please her, either send her flowers or surprise her with a picnic in his bedroom, which had promptly ended in love making. She trusted him, she told herself. He wouldn't betray her. He just wouldn't. He wasn't like Josh. He was trustworthy. But she still couldn't get rid of the small, nagging feeling in the back of her mind. But that was normal. Josh had after all made her extremely wary of men, suspicios of them to the point where she didn't even trust any enough to go out with them. Darien was the first she had gone out with since the entire Josh incident. So it had to be natural that she was still uncomfortable with the whole thing. In time she would get used to it. And hopefully in time she would get used to the idea that she had fallen desperately in love with him without her even knowing it. More relaxed now, she went back to her book, working without any interruptions this time. Darien didn't know why he felt drawn to that old haunted. He'd only ever come in all his years with Sara when she wanted to pay it a visit, or lately Serena. But even then he hadn't come to often with her because he was always out in the fields, working or in his office at home making calls. But now, standing before it, he felt oddly drawn to it. It was as if something was calling out to him. Shaking it off, he walked up the walkway and to the front door, knocking and standing back to wait. When the little maid came and opened it, she bushed at the sight of him and welcomed him in, stepping back. Amused at her red face, he thanked her and told her he wanted to take a quick look around for Serena, that she had asked him too. Heading up the stairs, he didn't see the maids wistful gaze following him. He walked through most of the upstairs rooms, glancing in and out of them, then into another room at the end of the hall. He knew this room had belonged to Selene, Sara had told him that much. Stepping in, he could see how it had once belonged to a woman. There was even the scent of her in the air, he thought with a slight frown. He felt her presence before he saw her, turning to look into the deep green eyes of the woman who had died in this house. She was watching him calmly, but there was a smile in her eyes, a joy he had never seen there before. It confused him that she would show up now, when he hadn't seen her for some years. Not since he was a rangy teenager. Not at all shocked or nervous to see her, just a bit confused, he studied her, wondering what to say. The other times he had seen her when he was younger she had always disappeared almost immediately, before he could begin asking her questions. There had always been so many questions he'd wanted to ask her. It was odd how now, years later, he didn't feel inclined to ask her anything. No questions came to mind, nothing. Just the easy sensation of watching her and being watched. "Its not easy, is it?"she asked, speaking to him for the first time, her voice soft and whispery. His mouth fell open."What?"had she just spoken to him? She smiled now, a lovely smile that calmed him somewhat."Love. Its not an easy sensation, is it?" He shook himself, determined not to act like an idiot and continue sputtering."Why do you say that?" "I should think its obvious. She'd very stubborn, isn't she? Cool, calm, extremely beautiful, yet fragile as well."Selene moved across the room, sat in a rocking chair that faced the window to her room. How many times had she sat here, she mused, rocking and thinking of her love, a love she had lost so long ago."She makes a man like you trip all over himself, doesn't she?" He didn't know how he felt about another woman, especially a ghost, listing exactly how he felt and acted around Serena."Look-" She held up a hand."Please don't become angry. I only speak the truth, and you know that. There's no shame in how you feel, nor any reason to become angry over it." Eyeing her, he cocked a brow."And why do you care what I feel for Serena?" She looked out the window another moment, then turned back to him."I should think you would know why." He shook his head, although he was almost sure what she was about to tell him."I have no idea." She pushed her foot into the ground, sent the chair rocking back and forth."Sara has spent her life waiting for this. She waited patiently for you and Serena to grow, for the both of you to find each other. Its thanks to her devoted heart that this curse is finally coming to an end." He waited a moment."You've got to be kidding. Me and Serena? Are you actually saying that Serena and I....that we...." "Are the first couple to come together and break the curse."she finished for him, watching him pale considerably."I've waited hundreds of years for Serena, for you. Just as I've waited to see my Endymion again." He wasn't as surprised as he should have been. It was almost as if it had been....destined."She's not going to be happy about this."he whispered mostly to himself. "Oh no, of course not. No woman wants her future planned. But then, it never was. The two of you would have found each other, curse or not."she stood, her green eyes soft."Believe that." It worried him, knowing what he knew now."I'm not so sure....I mean, I really do love her, don't I? I'm not only feeling what I'm feeling because....because you need it right?" Selene shook her head, went to him and put her hand to his cheek." Love can never be forced on someone, pushed into there heart. Its an emotion that not even you have control over. It just...comes to you." "I can accept that....I can accept this, but she won't. She has too much sense, too much control with her mind and not her heart to accept this."and it worried him more then he cared to admit. "Just remember Darien, love itself is the key to your, to her happiness."and with that, she faded before his very eyes. Blinking a moment, he blew out a breath."Thanks Selene. You've really helped make matters more complicated."shoulders hunched, he turned and left the room. Because all she'd done was work on her book, on researching and spending time with Darien, Raye felt she needed a wild girls night out. Yaten had just left that morning back to New York and she felt somewhat alone. Raye claimed that if they went to a local club, where young people went to dance, relax, and have a drink, she would feel better. So she'd agreed. It had actually been no hardship for her. She'd always focused on her work and developed hardly any friendships with women, and the fact that she'd managed to develop one with Raye both surprised and thrilled her. She informed Darien over the phone, listened to him grumble about it, told him he could come over for a bit while she got ready. He'd immediately agreed, not telling her he would be cancelling an appoinment with his bookeeper to see her. She dressed in a snug fitting, cream colored blouse that was cut low, and a matching skirt, with skinny, little heels. When Darien came over she was in the middle of applying her make up, standing at her dresser mirror, brushing light eye shadow over her lids. He walked into her room, took one look at her in her skinny heels and attire, and groaned. "Serena, you look gorgeous." She had to smile, now smoothing lip balm on."Thanks. Raye said she didn't want me wearing something conservative, so I hope this is ok." He growled low in his throat, went to her and wrapped her in a fierce hug from behind."I don't think I want other guys in a club looking at you like this." "You don't have much of a choice, because this is girls night out."finished with her make up, she turned in his arms, laughed when he attempted to kiss her."Oh no. Your not ruining my make up. I just finished putting it on." "The hell with your make up."he leaned in and kissed her, slow and deep."Think of that when some jerk tries picking up on you."saying it out loud made him frown with worry. "Darien, don't worry. No one will look twice at me."tilting her head, she heard the doorbell ring."There's Raye. I better get going." He watched her go to her closet, reach in and pull out a jacket."Serena, can't I come?" She shook her head, her silvery hair floating around her shoulders, her blue eyes filled with amusement toward him."No honey. Girls night. Go drink a beer with your friends."she walked out of the room with him trailing behind her. "I want to drink a beer with you."when he saw Raye at the bottom of the stairs wearing a flashy red skirt and shirt, he scowled."Raye, your making my life hell." Raye took one look at Serena and knew why. The woman looked almost etheral as she descended the stairs, her hair and eyes seeming to be glowing. She doubted any men would even glance at her while Serena was around."Darien, girls deserve there nights to themselves, you know." "Well then you'll have to do me a favor and tell any guys that this girl is taken."and he was determined to keep it that way. "I will. Ready Serena?" "Yes."she looked back at Darien, laughed at his glum look."I'll see you tomorrow."she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. When Serena walked ahead outside, Raye patted his arm."Don't worry. She's all yours, trust me." "Yea, and I'm going to keep it that way. Take care of her Raye." "I will."she went to her car, opened the doors for her and Serena. Darien watched them drive away, worried and annoyed with himself at the same time. They arrived at the club Raye had told her about, Raye groaning over the long line that traveled along outside and around the building. Serena stared at the all the people waiting, not understanding what could be the hold up. She had never been to a club in her life and had no idea how one was worked. "This might be a bit of a wait."Raye was telling her as they walked toward the building. Then, considering something, she eyed Serena."Or maybe not." Serena was looking ahead at the building and the people, wide eyed at all the noise that was coming from it."Why do you say that?" "Sometimes the guys at the front judge it not only by who's on the list, but who's the best looking. I think your going to get us in a bit faster."taking Serena's hand, she steered her toward the entrance, around the line of waiting people. "Wait. What do you mean? How am I going to do that?"tugged along, she had no choice but to keep going until they were at the front, where the huge security guards stood looking fierce, all of them keeping an eye on the line and the surrounding area. "Hey guys, how about you let us in?"Raye purred, making sure to move aside so the guards could get a look at Serena as well. They turned, looked her up and down, dismissed her, then there eyes moved to Serena. She saw them all stop to stare at her, eyes wide, and she watched as there eyes all melted before her. They turned and moved aside for her, still gazing at her."Your in."one said, trying to keep his voice gruff, failing when Serena looked at him. Satisfied her plan had worked, Raye took Serena by the hand and led her in, past the mesmorized guards, and to where the blasts of music hit them, the heat of several bodies, and the huge noise all this made. "I haven't been here in a while."Raye shouted over the loud pumping of the music, spotting a handsome man already eyeing her. Flattered, she led Serena to a table, where a waitress came and took there orders for drinks."So what do you think?" "Its loud."Serena shouted back, still trying to take in all the sounds around her."Now what do we do?" "We can sit and enjoy our drinks."Raye said after the waitress had brought them there drinks."Or we can talk, enjoy how men are looking at us, or even get up and dance. Its all up to what were feeling like doing." Before they could decide, Raye's eyes darkened, focused on something past Serena's shoulder."Well look who it is." Serena glanced over her shoulder, saw a slim, extremely beautiful blonde woman enter the club, accompanied by two other women, one a tall brunette with vibrant green eyes, the other a lovely, short haired women with calm blue eyes. Raye's lip was curling with disgust."I can't believe she's back." "Who is that?"Serena took a sip from her drink, made a face at the sharp taste. "I'm not sure if your going to like knowing, but she's......Hey Mina. Back already huh?"Raye stood, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Yes, you know I can't stand being away from home."her voice was cultered, sexy and low. Serena turned to her, found that up close the woman was even more beautiful."Hi, I don't think we've met. I'm Mina Jade."and she held out her delicate hand. Serena was a quick judge of people's character and even though she knew Raye didn't like her, she found there was something kind in her eyes."I'm Serena. Serena Whittington." "Well Serena, its a pleasure to meet you. Any friend of Raye's is a friend of mine."Mina's smile was genuine, as well as what she said. "Serena's going out with Darien."Raye suddenly put in. Mina's smile spread."Are you really? I bet we could share some stories over him." Before Raye could snap at her again, the man who had been watching her when they came into the club came and asked her to dance. She accepted, leaving only after Serena assured her it was ok. Mina's two friends disappeared into the crowd, leaving them alone."May I sit?"Mina asked politely. Serena nodded."Of course." She sat gracefully, ordering a drink when a waitress passed."So how long have you and Darien been going out?" "Oh um.....about three months. Maybe a bit longer." "Longer then that? Well I'm impressed. Darien was never one to let a relationship linger for more then a month. He claims work is more important to him." Serena vaguely recalled that this woman and Darien had once been an item."How long did the two of you go out?" Mina raised a light brow."I see Raye's been talking. Well we only went out for....three weeks. And it was never really serious. It was more of a curiousity to see if there was anything there. You see, Darien and I have known one another since we were children. We've been friends for quite sometime and it occurred to us a few months ago, when I was visiting, to see if perhaps there could be anything more."she smiled brightly."There wasn't. We laughed at each other more then anything. When he kissed me, it was like kissing my brother. And he didn't even work up to that until the third week we'd been going out. The moment we kissed, we knew it was all a mistake." Serena wondered about why Raye had such a strong dislike for this woman."If you don't mind my asking, why does Raye dislike you so much then?" Mina sighed."That goes back a couple of months. I've also known Raye for a long time. We were friends once, but that changed the moment Darien and I began going out. Raye had had a crush on Darien and wanted to act on her feelings, but then I got in the way. She's never quite forgiven me for that." "Were you two close?" "We weren't best friends, but we were friends."she tapped her fingers against the table to the rhythem of the music."I've tried apologizing to her, but she won't listen. So I figure I'll give her time."she cocked her head."Besides, your going out with Darien and she doesn't seem to hate you." "She'd been kind to me since the beginning. She actually encouraged me to give Darien a chance." "Give him a chance? Do you mean you didn't want too?"she scooted closer to her."You have to tell me about this." Serena found she liked the other women very much. She was kind, funny, laughed uproariously at the stories she had to tell over Darien. She wondered why the name Mina Jade sounded so familiar, found out Mina was a famous clothes designer in the U.S. and Europe. "I love my job, but it keeps me traveling and very busy. I hardly have any time to myself and when I do I like to come home. As they say, 'there's no place like home.'" "Darien will be glad your back then." "I think he might be too busy with you to be glad to see me."she looked past Serena and her eyes lit with happiness when she spotted someone."I knew it." Frowning, Serena looked over her shoulder to see Darien standing at the entrance to the club, looking around, another man standing next to him, a tall, dark man who looked extremely handsome. Sighing deeply, she looked back at Mina and found her laughing. "I had a feeling he would come."Serena confessed, feeling someone standing beside her. She turned and looked up, a gorgeous man standing beside her and bending down to ask her to dance. Before she could decline probably the tenth man in the past ten minutes, Darien came barreling over to them, shouldering the man aside and hoovering over her. "Back off."he warned, an angry gleam in his eyes. The man did, leaving them. Serena was shaking her head when he turned to her."I just knew you wouldn't be able to hold back." "I can't help it."because he felt he was completely right in his coming there, he hauled her up out of her seat and kissed her hard, and long enough to have her head spinning."Miss me?" She pushed at him."Put me down." "Not until you admit it."he bent to nibble on her neck, enjoying how she wriggled against him, his strong arms holding her easily. "I think your the one who missed me more."she pointed out the obvious, grateful when he set her back on her feet. "I did, I'll admit it."he bent and put his lips to her ear, sending shivers up her spine."And now all the guys in this place will know to back off." She stiffened her spine."Did you come here to mark your territory?" "I came here to watch whats mine. And you are mine Serena."before she could protest, he kissed her again. Mina watched the exchange, amazed. She'd never seen Darien jealous or posessive, never seen his eyes fill with such an emotion.....with love. There was a gentleness in his manner, a reverance there even while he had her lifted off the ground in his arms. She realized immediately that her old friend had fallen deeply in love. And the realization brought her joy. "Are you going to hound her all night, or are you going to say hi?"she said, watching as he went from gazing at Serena and caressing her cheek to snapping his head to the side to stare at her in shock."Hey Dar." "Mina! Your back!"he let Serena go to hug her."When did you get back?" "Earlier today."she hugged him, let go to step back and watch in amusement as he immediately returned to and banded an arm around Serena's waist."And I see I've missed quite a lot in my absence." "I guess you've already met my number one girl."Darien angled his body toward the tall, dark man who had come with him."This is an old friend of mine, Chad Osborne. Chad, this is Mina Jade and Serena Whittington." Chad nodded to them, unsmiling."Pleasure."when Raye joined them something in his eyes changed, deeped as he stared at her. "Darien, I can't believe you would come and ruin our night."Raye huffed out, hands on hips. She spotted Chad and immediately forgot her anger."Who's your friend?" He introduced them, watched in amazement as Chad actually took Raye's hand in his and raised it to his lips, kissing it gently. Then he noticed how several men were still eyeing Serena and felt his fists tighten."Were leaving."he shouted down to her. She nodded, grateful to him."Thats fine."she didn't find the club scene to comfortable. "Raye, you'll run Chad home, right?"when the two of them ignored him, he knew they would definitely be leaving together."All right then, were going Mina." "I figured that much out. Perhaps the three of us could together and have lunch tomorrow?"she went with them when they walked out, leaving the loud music and stepping into the quiet night. Darien looked at Serena for comfirmation, something Mina had never seen him do."That sounds great."Serena said. Outside now, Mina could see why Darien had fallen for her. In the club it had been dark and she hadn't been able to make her out, but out under the lights, her silver hair shone, her blue eyes sparkling. The two of them made a striking couple. "I'll see you two tomorrow then. At the bar?"at there nod, she smiled and watched them walk away. As they drove home Serena spoke to him about how they'd gotten into the club, how the guards had stared at her if as she wasn't human."It was so wierd."she commented, still somewhat shocked about it. "I don't think you realize how beautiful you are Serena."and the fact both humbled and amazed him. Women always knew just how beautiful they were and since Serena was more gorgeous then any woman he'd ever been with, he couldn't believe it. They drove by the Whittington Estate, saw the light from Selene's room was on."I wonder if thats her."she mused. He glanced back in his rear view mirror."Probably. She seems to be around more since you showed up."saying that brought back the memory of everything she'd told him the other day. "Yea, I suppose."when they arrived at his home she didn't protest, only went with him inside and upstairs to his room, where she began to undress."Sara told me the stupidest thing a few weeks ago." "What did she tell you?"he removed his shirt, then the wifebeater he'd worn beneathe, moving to unbuckle his belt. "She told me that you and I are actually going to break that curse."she chuckled a bit at the idea as she slipped out of her skirt, not seeing how Darien froze."She said were the first two lovers of the legend. Isn't that stupid? Of course, I acted pretty dumb myself and let her upset me about it." He turned to look at her, studied her carefully, saw she believed what she was saying."What did you tell her?" She shrugged, standing in her underwear now as she headed for the bathroom adjoining his room."I told her that thats not possible. Curses don't exist, and we don't even love each other, so the whole idea is crazy."she splashed her face with water, washed it quickly, then began applying cream that she'd left there since she seemed to spend the night often. Standing in his boxers in the middle of his room, he could feel his heart constriciting."Is that right?"he sat heavily on the edge of his bed, listening to her as she hummed and switched to combing her hair. "I mean, its so stupid to believe that a curse could even exist. I've researched them for years and have not found one with any solid foundation to it."she put her comb back, walked out and didn't glance at him as she walked to the bed, or she would have seen his broken expression."Don't you think the same thing?" Even as he felt pain taking over, rage came pumping through him with it."Is it so hard to love me?"fists tightly clenched, he stood, his muscles taut with his anger as he turned on her."Is it so impossible?" She looked at him, surprised at the fierce anger she hadn't seen."No. I didn't mean it like that. I only meant-" "I know what you meant!"he shouted, watching her jump back in shock. The fact that she had just laughed at the idea that they could love each other made him furious."You don't give a shit about me!" She backed away from him as he advanced on her, the look in his eyes frightening."Darien-" "This is really ironic."laughing at himself now, frightening her even more, he ran his hand through his hair, continued laughing like a loon."This is just too much." She watched him, edging around and away from him."Darien, I didn't mean that how it sounded."she had no idea what had overtaken him and she wasn't sure what to say to it."I do care about you." He stopped laughing suddenly, turned darkened eyes on her."Oh you do? So you do care about me?"he moved so fast she was shoved up against the wall of his room before she could blink."What about the legend? You just got finished telling me you don't believe shit about it, that it can't be true because we don't love each other." That was one thing she would stand firm on. She angled her chin, her blue eyes firing up as they met his."I don't believe in destiny or fate or any of that bullshit and you know it. There is no curse, only a ghost haunting that house because she can't seem to move on." "A ghost with your face!"he shouted, not understanding why she had to be so stubborn, not understanding why the entire situation enraged him so much."A ghost who is putting her fate in our hands!" As soon as the words left his lips he knew his mistake. Serena's eyes went from defiant to narrowing suspicion, advancing on him when he began to back away."What the hell do you mean 'putting her fate in our hands?'" "Nothing. Its the same thing that Sara told you about the curse, its just-" "You believe it too."she breathed, watching as his eyes stopped darting about and finally snapped back to meet hers. She saw the truth there and the fact that he could believe in it, believe in something that was so absurd, so fake, made her snap."I'm leaving."she said firmly, grabbing her clothes and beginning to dress. This time he saw the end in her face, in her eyes, and knew it was his own fault. He had spoken to soon, she hadn't been ready to know yet."Serena, please don't. I didn't mean-" "I know what you meant. I know exactly what you meant."she bit it out viciously, shoving her feet into her heels and standing to walk into the bathroom and get her purse."And I've just about had it with everyone thinking that I'm going to fullfill some legend." He followed her when she marched out of his room and started down the hall."You can't keep running from this. I saw her Serena. I saw her and she spoke to me. She HAS been waiting for you, and for me. Your here now, you can't leave."they were coming down the stairs, where she grabbed his phone and quickly dialed for a cab."Why can't you believe in this?!" "Because I can't."she whirled on him, her eyes alive with fury, slamming the phone back into its reciever after finishing her call."I can't believe a woman died and cursed some jewel, I can't believe that she's waited hundreds of years for you and I to meet and fall in love, that she's waited to trust someone enough so she can give them her precious jewel and finally rejoin her love." "But its true!"he took her by the shoulders, shaking her slightly."Its true, and she has! And your just too stubborn to accept that!" "Its not stubborness, its sense, something I was born with, but it seems you weren't."she shoved his hands away, walked to the front door and opened it to wait outside."I'm going home tomorrow. I've had it with this place. I'm going home to where I won't have to hear about a legend that I'm supposed to finish, to where I won't have to put up with an old woman who's constantly trying to set me up, or with a man who can't seem to take no for an answer!"she shouted the last at him, making him stop in his tracks and stare at her. They stood there on the huge porche of his home in the dark, with only the sound of the crickets around them and birds singing softly in the trees. She was breathing hard now, winded up by the fight they'd been having and by her own fear that everything he said could be true. She watched his face close up, she watched him take a step back, nodding slightly."Your right. About everything. Except I can take no for an answer."he made sure to keep his expression cool so she wouldn't see how much she had just slashed at his heart."I hope you have a safe trip home. Goodnight Serena. And goodbye."he said it just as the cab came zipping up the drive, whereupon she opened the back door and climbed in without saying another word to him. He watched it drive away, watched the only woman who had ever meant anything to him leave him standing in the night alone, his heart broken at his feet. Stay tuned for Chapter 5, the final chapter to "Heart of the Sun" ~sailorperfect@yahoo.com |