Hi again.. I want to thank everyone who's been
emailing me!! I really appreciate all of your
comments. I think we're nearing the end of this
story... So hang tight.. and enjoy the ride.

Disclaimer: No, I don't own sailormoon.

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		  A Dark Lust, Chapter 7

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	Serena sobbed quietly into her knee's as she sat
bundled up in the far corner of the small, dark closet Erebus
had thrown her into. She had lost all hope... she only prayed
that her friends had been returned safely. It'd seemed as
though hours had passed. She wanted to stay hidden in there
forever though. As far away from Erebus as possible, for as
long as possible. That was fine with her. Her thoughts shifted
to the ceremony that was to take place in two days time. They
(she and Erebus) were to be wed. Married!

	'It can't be..' she thought to herself, 'I was meant
for Darien! What did we do to deserve this? What did *I* do
to deserve this?' Serena looked up, the way she always would
when she would look at the moon. Even in this dark place, she
could still picture it. Hovering above her, showering her face
in it's warm light...

	"Mother..please help me..." She whispered, more to
herself than anyone else. "Please.. tell me what to do.." She
closed her eyes slowly, but she knew she couldn't sleep. She
hadn't since she'd been there. She wondered if she ever would
again...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~*~ Light. Beautiful, warm light. All around her. No bruises
here... no pain. Her mother. Queen Serenity. Serena smiled,
for the first time in a while, and ran to her. Queen Serenity
smiled softly and opened her arms and welcomed her lovely
daughter. A tear ran down her cheek as she looked down at her
little girl, so grown up. How she wished she could make Erebus
pay for what he was doing to her little angel, but no. She
could not disrupt time, or what was to be.

Serena looked up, noticing her mothers tear, she took a step
back. "Mother..what's wrong?" she asked carefully.

"My beautiful Serena.. You called for me. I will always be
here when you need me. Please understand.. how much I wish
I could help you right now. But trust me, please, do not lose
all hope. There is a still a light, and you and Darien will
be together again. Your love will conquer all my darling...
don't lose hope!"

Serena whiped away her tears, "Mother! It's so horrible! I
don't know if I can bare it any longer... he... we're to be
married in two days! There isn't enough time... he's killed
me inside.. how can I go on?"

Queen Serenity reached out and threw her arms around her
weeping daughter, "Serena, please, have HOPE. Darien and
your friends will never give up on you, they're working
to get you back as we speak! Please believe in them, it
will only make them stronger. Have faith in yourself! And
have faith in them... you will all be together again soon.
...I'm afraid I have to go now.. be strong! I love you,
Serena"

Serena held tighter to her mother, "NO! Please don't go!
I can't go back yet, I just can't!" But soon, the light
faded, and darkness was once again her only comfort.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~@~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	She heard a knocking on the door, for a moment, her
entire body reacted with shivers, but they passed as she heard
the knock again, this time, more obviously from the bedrooms
front door. Serena quietly eased herself off the floor and
crawled closer to the closet door, and gently put her ear against
it's cold surface...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~@~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	Nebil knocked quietly first, then harder when she heard
no reply. Finally, she heard a groan and a few mumbles. 'Good
enough for me!' She thought as she forced open the large door.
Erebus was on the floor next to an empty bottle. 'He's been
drinking,' She grinned, 'Trouble in paradise?'. Her grin didn't
stay long though. The girl wasn't anywhere in sight - had she
escaped?

	Nebil walked calmly over to Erebus who was half paying
attention. She kicked the bottle out of his reach and glared
down at him. She had a small bandage wrapped around her head
now, and the bleeding had all but stopped. But her strength
wasn't what it had been. She prayed he wouldn't notice, she
had to stay strong!

	"Didn't I say 'GO AWAY'? Erebus mumbled. He began to
sit up, but seemed to think better of it and laid his head
slowly back on the floor and closed his eyes.

	"No. I need to speak with you now, Erebus. Get up!"
Nebil crossed her arms over her chest, and stood glaring down
at him. Though inside her heart was racing, was she sure she
could hold this up? What if it was a mistake...

	Erebus opened one eye, "Excuse me?? Nebil, how DARE
you speak to me that way!" He rolled over and pushed himself
to his feet, staggering a bit. Nebil grabbed his arm to steady
him, but he just shoo'd her hand away. "I don't NEED your help
wench!" 'Wench?!' Her eye's flashed. "Go away, it's time for
me to see to my fiance!"

	Nebil blinked. Fiance?! Erebus saw her expression and
grinned. "Yes, that's right. Princess Serenity and I are to
be wed, this Thursday."

	"But Erebus! That can't be! She's just a child Erebus,
I'm more than she'll ever be!" Nebil felt her eyes well up as
she said every word. "I thought you loved me!"

	Erebus looked at Nebil sincerely for a few seconds,
then started laughing stupidly. Nebil, shocked to say the
least took a step backward, mouth hung open. "YOU? Hahahaa
ooh dear sweet Nebil, I just needed a CHILD! Hahah.. you
fool.. I never loved you. And once more - you couldn't even
give me a SON. I'm sure Serena here will at least be worth
enough to provide me with an heir to my thrown! You're
pathetic Nebil, I could never love you. I don't LOVE anymore.
Get out of here! I need to .. see my bride!" He stumbled
his way over to the closet slowly, as Nebil just stood there.
Her heart broke in a thousand places all at once.. He... he
had used her. But what about their daughter?

	"It meant NOTHING? What about Xandria? No.. NO! You're
LYING! I won't believe you Erebus.. you.. you can't mean it.
I know how things used to be! I know you cared for BOTH of us.
If this stupid little bitch hadn't come along none of these
problems would've occured!" Nebil ran to Erebus' side, her
voice pleading now, "Erebus - let me just get rid of her - we
can be happy again! She's ruined *everything* we had! But we
can have it back!" She nodded her head in a 'yes' motion, tears
of hope rolling over her flushed cheeks. "I can get it back to
us - just let me get rid of her! I can fix this Erebus! I can!"

	Erebus stood still. Just looking at Nebil in disgust.
He pulled back his hand and shoved her to the ground. "Get,
out. You are no longer welcome in my home! How DARE you speak
of my bride to be that way! GET OUT! And take your little rat
child with you!" He spit these words, each hitting Nebil harder
than any physical blow ever could. She looked down at the locket
she still held firmly in her hand. She stood up quickly, running
out of the room which bellowed with heavy laughter from the drunk
man. She had to get out of there..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~@~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	Ami rubbed her forehead. She'd been working at it for
hours... nothing seemed to work! She was tired.. but everyone
was watching her... she couldn't fail them. She was afraid of
what would happen if she did... Ami shook her blue bangs out
of her eyes, which threatened her with tears. If she let those
tears fall, everyone's hope with drop with them to the floor.
She had to do this...

	Mina paced silently in the back of the room, Artemis
was walking next to her, looking up to see if he could figure
out what exactly she was thinking about. Though, he had a pretty
good idea.

	Lita was in the kitchen, making everyone tea or coffee,
and bread. She felt the need to cook. It was the only constructive
thing she could manage right now. She was so angry. How could she
have abandoned her princess like that.. to .. to that CREEP! She
swore silently to herself, that should would make him pay. No
one messes with Serena and gets away with it! She punched into
the dough she was kneading, and a smirk played across her lips.
She knew what would happen if she ever managed to get her hands
on that Erebus guy...

	Raye sat quietly on the couch. She had wanted to go to
her temple to do a fire reading, but the others had made it clear
that it wouldn't be wise. If her grandfather knew she was home,
word could pass around, and then what? What if Serena's parents
found out everyone was back - and wondered where their little girl
was? No.. they had to stick together until they got Serena back.
And as far as she was conserned, it wouldn't be long. It couldn't
be. She wouldn't let it.. if it was the last thing she did, she
would get Serena back safe.

	Darien just sat, intently watching Ami - so he could be
ready the second it was fixed. He knew, it probably wasn't helping
her concentrate - or even help her work faster.. but.. he couldn't
help it. Serena.. HIS Serena.. had been there FAR too long now. He
didn't know yet what was going on, or how she was feeling. He felt
so lost with their connection cut off the way it was now. Like a
part of him was dead. He wondered if she felt the same way. If she
had TIME to feel the same way.. He had to save her. There was no
other choice.

	Luna knew. She knew Ami couldn't fix the computer. Ami
never worked this slow. And she never got frustrated. Not like
this. She could see it in the poor girls eyes. She was scared.
Scared that they'd all hate her. No... they could never hate
Ami.. they were putting too much pressure on her. Luna knew she
would have to speak up soon, on Ami's behalf. They had to find
another way... but.. was there another way? Luna couldn't think
of one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~@~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	Erebus opened the door abruptly, causing Serena to fall
forward onto the floor. He grinned drunkenly. "Listening in on
my conversations, hm? You'll have to pass up that habit real
quick beautiful." He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her up
to his side. Serena didn't say a thing, she just kept her head
down. She didn't want to look at him. Or give him the pleasure
of knowing how much she wanted to scream right then.

	Erebus brushed a peice of hair from her cheek, then
seemed to think for a moment. "You know, this hairstyle of yours,
it will never do." Serena looked up shocked, "Wha-what do you
mean?!" Erebus smiled, and tugged the two meatball shaped buns
out of their ties, letting her hair fall down to the floor in
beautiful waves. "Well, it's far too long, for one thing. And
you are going to have to put it up as Beryl did. That's how
things work here. You'll learn to love it." Serena's mouth
hung open, she shook her head from side to side violently,
"I'll NEVER wear my hair like that.. that EVIL WOMAN! NEVER!"
Erebus narrowed his eyes, "Don't you EVER, EVER, talk about
Queen Beryl like that again!" Serena shook her head again, "She
was an evil, stupid, power hungry woman! I'll NEVER be like
her! NEVER!" Erebus growled and grabbed Serena by the back of
the neck and pushed her into the bathroom. He roughly pushed
her head onto the counter as he fished around for scissors.
"NOO! You can't! STOP!" He grinned as he cut her long, beautiful
locks from her ankles, all the way up to her mid back. Just like
Beryl, he thought to himself. He wasn't done yet.

	Serena sobbed, sitting on the ground, holding her
hair that had spilled all over the floor in her hands..."You
bastard.. I HATE YOU!" She sobbed into her hair, "i..h..hate..
yoou" She rocked back and forth, he just laughed as he walked
back into the room holding a gown and a new crown in his hand.
Serena stood up, and shoved the hair into his face, "LOOK WHAT
YOU'VE DONE! JUST LOOK! You SON OF A BIT-" Ouch. That one hurt.
It even knocked her to the ground. Out cold. She'd feel that
when she woke up.

	Erebus just looked down at her little body, sprawled
out on the tile floor, and grinned. She'd have a fabulous
surprise when she woke up. He fitted the gown on her, and
pulled her still body off the ground, holding her in place
at the counter as he brushed her hair, and placed the new
black crown on her head. 'She won't even recognize herself..'
he grinned, 'she never looked more beautiful.'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~@~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	Nebil ran blindly down the hallway, finally reaching
her sleeping daughters room. Her little angel.. she couldn't
ever know. He couldn't mean it. He.. just couldn't. Nebil sat
down on the end of the bed and put her head in her hands, and
sobbed. Little hands wrapped themselves around her neck and
shoulders a few moments later...

	"Don't cry mommy. Everything will be alright, you'll
see!" Xandria smiled as she leaned over and kissed her mothers
cheek. "I made you something today..." Nebil smiled lightly at
her daughters gentle voice. "Show me baby.."

	Xandria smiled brightly and hopped off the bed, running
quietly to her closet and disappearing inside. Just seconds
later, she returned, carrying a small box. She walked up to her
mother and presented her the gift. Holding the box up above her
head. Nebil wiped her face with the back of her hand, and picked
up the small box, and slowly pulled off the lid. Inside, were
twp	 wax-like figures. Each carefully detailed, with such skill,
one wouldn't ever suspect a child so young could have taken the
time to create them. But the image before Nebil shook her. It
was a man, and a young woman, in eachother's arms. The man she'd
seen on the screen... when Erebus was talking to him.. the man
with the dark hair and the stormy blue eye's. And the girl -
it was the moon princess. They were in eachothers arms, smiling.

	Nebil almost dropped the box, she put a hand over her
mouth. Xandria's expression dimmed, a frown formed on her lips.
"You.. you don't like it mommy??" Nebil shook her head, "no..
no baby, I love it.. it's.. it's just so beautiful. What made
you .. think to make it?" Xandria, her smile returning, shrugged.
"It came to me in my dreams. They were so.. pretty! I wanted
to share it with you mommy. Isn't it pretty? I worked really
hard on it! I took me lots n' lots of time! But it was worth
it. I love you mommy!" Nebil hugged her child tightly, holding
back her tears. It was all becoming clear to her now.

	Nebil tucked Xandria back into her bed, and kissed her
on the forehead, waiting for her to drift off to sleep. After
the child was fast asleep, Nebil paced quietly in the other
side of the room. She stopped, and pulled Serena's brooch from
her pocket. Nebil opened it, gazing at the beautiful crystal
inside. She didn't dare touch it.. she'd heard stories of the
power the actual crystal held, should anyone not of the royal
moon family try to control or use it. She walked over to the
wall closest to her, and looked at the portrait that hung in
it's center. It was her, Xandria, and Erebus. He was smiling..
a true smile. Not the crazed smiles he'd been harboring lately.
She sighed, she knew what she must do... even if it meant
losing him forever... and there wasn't much time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~@~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	Serena rolled over onto her stomach with a groan.
Her jaw was pounding, which was equally met with the pounding
in her head. She put her hand up to her head as she pulled
herself off the ground. She froze. 'My hair!' Tears returned..
'he.. he cut my hair.. it was all i had left.. why .. WHY did
he have to cut my hair..' She cleared her eyes as she stood,
still in the bathroom. She turned around to face the mirror,
and let out a loud scream at the person in the mirror that
stared back at her...

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Whew! That was kinda a long one wasn't it? I hope you like it!
I really like this chapter ;) Probably one or two chapters left,
n' that outta do it! I hope you enjoyed!

stay tuned ;) Thanks to ALLLL of you who wrote me! i'm loving
hearing from all of you and I'm glad you're enjoying the story!

*hugs to all!*
Take care ;D
Destiny