author: Ann Lovedrew email: sailor_beauty15@yahoo.com rating: PG 13 title: Blood and Moonlight part: BOOK 1 - TALES OF THE PAST : Chapter 2 Disclaimer: Nope, I do not own Sailor Moon (sadly V_V) or the concept of "vampire" though it seems to owe its popularity from my country. The story is mine however so enjoy :D AN: Sorry for the long wait! Have a very pleasant read! For L.A.S and destiny... BOOK 1 - TALES OF THE PAST : Chapter 2 Thump! Thump! A loud sound resonated through the empty halls of the Moon Palace. I turned to one side trying to ignore the noise. Thump! Thump! The noise continued, persistent and annoying. I listened carefully and my eyes opened in amazement as I realized that the noise was coming closer and closer to my room. I quickly got up in a sitting position and my eyes focused on the door. Nothing but cold darkness surrounded me and everything seemed to freeze for a moment as the noise stopped in front of my door and an eerie white fog made its way inside. My heart started beating faster until all I could hear was the drum-like noise it made into my ears. I pulled myself closer to the wall, trying to escape the menacing presence. I shuddered as I felt the cold stonewall on my back and grasped on the silk sheets tighter and tighter. Everything else around me disappeared as my eyes were locked on the margin of the bed - the mist was approaching. I wanted to scream but nothing would come out. I brought my legs to my chest and shut my eyes. I was expecting to feel the freezing touch of the fog but nothing came. I suddenly heard voices and then I could hear a door being slammed shut and then silence. I cautiously opened my eyes - the fog was gone. I let out a sigh and started breathing heavily as though I hadn't taken in oxygen in centuries. I pulled the covers up to my chin and tried to calm myself. I kept repeating to myself that nothing really happened and that I must be dreaming. Everything seemed so weird that I thought that I must have been losing my mind. "You're not a child anymore! Relax... There is nobody here except you..." I said out loud trying to comfort myself. '...or nothing', I added to myself before falling in a deep sleep. Ehlon quickly entered his study and slammed the door shut. It was after midnight and he was quite drunk as he usually was. No point in going through life without savoring the simple pleasure - food, wine, women, war - he always said. The whole island was filled with "stuck-up bookworms" as he liked to call them and considered that the gift of life was wasted on them. Were they boring? Yes, to the King they were mainly because you couldn't be interesting and worthy of the King's presence unless you disregarded everything a proper civilization stood for - ethics, culture, kindness, stability, peace. Ehlon let himself fall on the comfy chair and leaned backwards, closing his eyes. A taunting smirk played on his lips. Anyone who would have seen him now would know this was bad news - he was plotting something. And that "something" was most likely bloody and cruel that would only bring profit to the King and his needs. A sudden knock on the door made him open his tired eyes and look towards the door. "Enter!" he commanded. The door slowly opened and a man entered. He appeared to be in his 40's with his shoulder long gray hair pulled into a ponytail and green eyes that scanned the room before quickly resting on Ehlon. He stood proud and saluted the King before placing his hand on his sword. He always kept it there. It relaxed him to know that he was always ready to protect himself... or to attack. "Yes, Arahmon?" the King slowly spoke as he looked at the man. His cruelty and fighting skills had won him the place of commander in Ehlon's army. It was better to have such a dangerous man on his side than somewhere out there, plotting to overthrow him. "It has been done, Your Majesty! The dove has come and I was assured that our 'guardian angel' will most certainly be here on the next full moon." Ehlon grinned broadly and nodded shortly before gesturing for Arahmon to leave. Everything was going according to time. Well, it was high time he finally got some profit from the things he couldn't change. "Congratulations, Milord!" a cold voice echoed from a dark corner of the room. Ehlon turned and saw a hooded figure emerging from the darkness. He got up and his grin broadened. "I knew you would be pleased, my dear!" he said and walked towards the figure. Ehlon encircled her waist and pulled her close, kissing her passionately and making her hood fall revealing a cascade of wavy red hair. "Of course I am, my King!" the woman said as she caressed Ehlon's cheek, gazing into his eyes with an emerald stare. Something flashed for a moment in the woman's eyes before a seductive smile appeared on her face. She had a victory, one from a long line over that man. She was pleased. Minako couldn't fall asleep that night. It's not that she wasn't tired - she most certainly was. Working at the temple was pretty hard especially now when they had to prepare the Moon Celebrations as well. Maybe she was upset because of that and couldn't sleep... Yes, that should be it... Her eyes went back to a white piece of paper barely visible in the dark. She sighed. No, that wasn't it. She got out of bed and went to the window, tilting the paper to one side to read it again for what seemed to be the thousand time she did it that night. Meet me tonight at in the rose garden, next to the fountain, before the guard changes. I'll be waiting, hoping to see you... D. She sighed once more as she looked out at the starry sky. He had slipped it to her when he kissed her hand after dinner and then left without saying anything except smiling. And he had such a gorgeous smile too... His deep eyes seemed to sparkle with a flame and his whole face light up with joy... He was so handsome and charming... She had liked him since they were kids but never dared to say a thing. He was most certainly off limits. He was going to get the crown after all and he could have had any princess. Why would he look at her? She had no parents, no title, no place to go... She was more like a little sister anyway... But then why this message? Minako stared at it again and her eyes rested on the initial "D." She shut her eyes as she pondered what to do. She desperately wanted to go but was it the right thing to do? She couldn't stand to have her heart broken by him. "Damien..." she whispered out loud and a shiver moved through her as the name escaped her lips. She opened her eyes and grabbed her blue robe before rushing out the door. She ran through the halls and down the stairs towards the garden entrance. The girl stopped from a moment as she stared at the gates. There was still time to go back, to avoid heartbreak and trouble. She took a deep breath before pushing the gates open. Since when was she a coward? She smiled as she ran without stopping until she saw the familiar place. Minako stopped and tried to calm her heartbeat as she could hear the crystalline sound of running water. She took a few more steps and appeared from behind an oak. There was the fountain and him. Her heart skipped a beat as he turned and fixed his gaze on her before starting to walk towards the girl. Minako slowly walked towards him and they met halfway. She met his gaze and remained silent. The moment of silence seemed to be never ending as Damien stood quite in front of her. The girl sighed. "Listen..." she began uneasy but didn't go on as Damien placed a finger gently over her lips. His eyes moved up and down before smiling. "I'm sorry I brought you here like this! You must be freezing!" he said as she brought her close to him, gently wrapping his arms around her body. She blushed and shivered slightly more from feeling his body pressing against hers than from the cold night air. "Do you remember that time when we went swimming?" he said softly. Minako's eyes sparkled with tears as she recalled a very frightening summer afternoon 4 years ago. They went to the beach with other kids and decided to go for a swim in the warm ocean. She didn't really want to as there were waves and she had never been a good swimmer. After her parents died on sea the young girl pretty much refused to have anything to do with the water but the other kids taunted so she gave in. The 10 yearold Minako shakily entered the sea, walking slowly and turning her head every now and then to look at the safety of the beach. She started to swim managing to avoid the bigger waves and began to grow confident. She wanted to rest and tried to reach the sea floor with her feet but couldn't. A noise got her attention and she turned to see a huge wave coming towards her. Minako screamed shortly before being hit by the wave and going under. She could still remember the awful feeling of being lost and taking in water. Her lungs ached as the salty water replaced the air. Minako thought she would die then and there until she felt somebody grabbing her arm and pulling her up. A sudden light blinded her and all she could see was a pair of dark brown eyes before fainting. "I do..." she said and cried softly. That was the very first moment when she realized she loved him. She loved him for being a friend, for being there for her and for saving her. She entrusted her heart to him then and she never really wanted it back. It was safe with him. Minako felt him hug her tighter and rock her back and forth like you'd comfort a child who had a bad dream. "I thought I had almost lost you then... And I didn't like that feeling..." Damien whispered. "Yes, losing a friend is hard..." "I agree, it is..." Minako felt her heart break. He really only loved her like a friend. She was just foolish. "...but losing a loved one is harder..." he continued. She raised her head to look into his eyes. What did those dark mysterious eyes hide? Love, compassion... Where those feelings for her? She prayed they were! She prayed with all of her heart that he felt that for her... "You kissed me then..." he added and smiled as he saw her go red in an instant. "I've been dreaming of that kiss ever since... I've been thinking about how it felt to have your soft cherry lips touch mine again with such passion that it would make me forget about everything..." Minako looked at him in shock. She had left to join the temple soon after and they had seen very little of each other for the years to come. She had been living at the castle only for a couple of weeks. The longest weeks of her life as she could see the object of her affection every single day and feel her heart break the equal amount of times. And now? Was he saying what she had always wanted him or was she only dreaming of her impossible love and would wake up hugging her pillow? Damien cupped her chin and leaned in slowly stopping inches from her face. "What do you feel, my dearest Minako? My hears is in your delicate hands... Give it wings or let it crash..." he whispered softly. The girl looked at him for a moment before closing her eyes and letting a single tear run down her cheek. "My heart has been yours, milord, for 4 years!" she whispered before feeling Damien's lips softly brush against hers. Minako felt her knees go weak and was grateful for Damien's strong arms holding her as the kiss deepened and becoming more and more passionate. As the kiss ended, she leaned her head on his chest and both of them remained in silence enjoying the melody of a lonely mocking bird. A man watched from the shadows as the two lovers kissed. He grinned to himself and resumed smoking the cigar he had dropped when Minako and Damien kissed. He had never thought that he would see such a scene when he followed the young girl outside. She had been indeed hard to miss as he saw the blonde girl running. He wanted to see where she was going... And if she would be alone... He licked his lips at the thought. Such a beautiful, innocent and untouched girl... And she was with the young prince... That right there was the recepy of scandal. "If Ehlon would ever find out... " he said to himself and smirked at the thought. He would like the outcome of that... It would be dramatic and fun - his kind of fun. Menihatos was becoming more and more entertaining. He took out a piece of leather with a gold phoenix embedded on it. Yes, it was definitely becoming more and more interesting and he was in the middle of it all. If he played his cards right then everything could be won by him.... "Everything..." he whispered. He pushed his shoulder long gray hair back and gave one more glance to the fountain before throwing his cigar and walking away. He would have pleasant dreams tonight - dreams of a goddess with long blond hair and cherry lips waiting to be kissed. His green eyes glittered for a moment and a taunting smile played on his lips as the night engulfed him. The night might bring comfort and peace to a pair of lovers but it also hides darkness and evil, terror and fear, plans and desires that might threaten to destroy our last shred of happiness or hope of a new day after all of our troubles. Darkness has been a heaven for creatures that seemed to live only in fantasy and dreams but is that always true? Not all myths deceive us. Some just protect us from the cruel truth that would shatter us. Something lied hidden, away from our city, brooding in the coldness and darkness of its lair, waiting for the moment to awake and make itself known. It remained dormant but attentive to what happened, to every single detail that leaded to the completion of the plan it had entrusted its entire energy and existence to. It had to happen and it would. The fates wouldn't let down such a humble servant that wanted nothing more than the chance to fulfill what it had been waiting for centuries, what it had traveled for from such a great distance... Its gaze moved towards the only source of light - a pale ray of moonlight playing on something white in the center of the room. It smirked. What has to happen will happen no matter what... "In do time..." a cold inhuman voice whispered. The best things in life come to those who wait after all and it knew how to wait... ****************************** Note from Serenity: I write everything as I remember it and what I don't know from personal experience I took out of letters, diaries and even the very minds of the characters. ****************************** Note from the author: Hope you liked it and sorry for the long wait!