Levana Ceri (Moon Love)

CLANG! CLANG!!

Serena opened her eyes and growled low in her throat. She couldn't stand it anymore! She threw the blankets off of her and leaped out of bed. It was four in the freaking morning and they were still at it. Serena grabbed the cool pink silk robe that was hanging on the bedpost and wrapped it around her, covering the matching skimpy pink shorts and wife beater she wore to bed. Serena opened the window to her room and leaned out looking at the two lone figures in the courtyard. "HEY!! Some people are trying to sleep! Knock it off all ready!"

Darien, caught off guard by Serena's yell, nearly missed blocking Kunzites sword as it slammed down toward his head. Bringing his own sword up he felt the blow to his sword vibrate along the length of it to his shoulder before he pushed Kunzite off of him. "Dammit Serena shut up! You're going to get somebody killed down here!" Darien yelled up at her, not daring to take his eyes off of his opponent."

"My money's on Kunzite!"

Darien growled while Kunzite smirked at him. "I agree. Someone will get killed but I doubt it will be me Master, when the delectable Miss Serena is leaning out of her window half naked."

Darien's shocked eyes quickly shot up to the window, only to have Kunzite place a foot behind his and slam him into the ground. Darien grunted as his body met with the ground and held his breath when he felt the sharp point of Kunzites razor sharp blade touch his adams apple. He knew that if he so much as swallowed he took the chance of cutting his own throat. Kunzite chuckled deep in his own throat before he looked up at Serena and nodded his head. "Thank you Miss Serena. No one makes a more tempting distraction then you."

Irritated, Darien grabbed the tip of Kunzite's sword and threw it away from him, wincing slightly when the blade sliced into his flesh. Kunzite laughed and watched as Darien sat up and glared at Serena. "Thanks alot Serena."

"You're very welcome." Serena said with a smile as she rested her chin on her fist, making herself comfortable at the window. "I've had to stay up everynight and listen to you 'practice' with Kunzite, and every night he ends up winning. Why don't you give it up all ready? The sooner you accept that you suck, the sooner I can start getting some good night rest." Serena finished sweetly.

"I practice because I want to get better. Trust me Serena...no one will ever be better than you at sleeping."

"Oh no." Serena grabbed her chest in agony, "That hurt Darien...I'm devastated." She mocked. Darien rolled his eyes and allowed Kunzite to help him stand.

"The most important rule in sword fighting is to-"

"Never take your eyes off of your opponent. Yeah I know." Darien finished for him.

"Widen your stance and keep your wrist loose Darien. Then...maybe, you might have a shot at beating him." Serena commented lazily from the window. Darien glared up at her "What the hell would you know."

"More than you obviously. I'd never be caught off guard like you." She sneered.

"Actually Master, I agree with Serena. Widening your stance would give you more control. And you hold your sword too stiffly. Nicely done Serena."

Serena smiled down at Kunzite prettily and Darien felt unreasonable anger clutch at his chest. "If you think you can stop flirting with Kunzite for abit, how about you come down and we can test your skills you seem to think you have."

Serena snorted. "I may not be as good as Kunzite but my father taught me enough that I wouldn't look like a fool as you do."

Darien grinned at Serena's sharp tongue. Brushing his hair from his face he gave her the first real smile he had ever shown to her. "Why don't you put your money where your mouth is meatball head."

Serena's heart fluttered in her chest when he smiled at her. "I'll be right down to wipe the floor with you." As soon as she stepped away from sight of the men Serena rubbed her chest where her heart beat faster when his laughter floated up to her. What was wrong with her? She'd been arguing with him non stop for nearly a week since he first arrived and this had never happened.

Serena frowned. There was no good in lying to herself. This had happened before. When he first touched her in the foyer. When she realized that no matter how much they fought, he would find any excuse to touch her. When she caught him staring at her many times with hunger in his eyes. When his whole body would tense aggressively whenever Jadeite or Nephrite flirted with her....when he first kissed her when they met. Serena shook her head angrily. Damn him for acting like a possesive male. He didn't even like her and made no bones about it. Yet she'd always feel a thrill jolt up her spine when he'd purposefully pick a fight with her or call her meatball head to get a rise out of her. She knew he did it to keep her focused on him instead of the other men. She was woman enough to realize that.

He made her so angry that mostly she could ignore how devastatingly handsome he truly was. How when he was angry and yelling at her she never truly felt threatened by him. She could ignore the sexual heat that emanated from him whenever he was close to her...but if he smiled like that at her again...she didn't know what she would do. The legends were wrong. Her people were wrong. She was only supposed to feel sexually aroused around her mate. And she knew damn well that this man was not her mate. He infuriated her like nobody else. Mates were supposed to bring pleasure to the other, comfort, tenderness...love. Not the need to just rip off eachother's clothes with no thoughts of love or forever...just heat.

Serena rubbed her head trying to make sense of this. She'd seen mates find eachother on the moon. It was literally what humans would call love at first sight. No matter where they were or what they were doing, it was almost like something clicked within the other when they were near eachother. They would drop whatever it was they were doing and find eachother. When they finally came face to face they would expel the breath they didn't know they were holding and run into eachother's arms and hug. They would kiss very gently and they would know...this is the one. Then the night of their wedding (she was told) they would make love to one another slowly and tenderly. Very considerate of the other. And they would make love as long as it took to make a child. Once a child was conceived the cycle would be complete. They would form a family, be bound to one another forever through love and companionship. It's what her parents had, what her people had. The mates were stronger than best friends. Stronger than normally wedded couples. They were eternal.

But what she was feeling now was not that. She felt hot, desperate...vulnerable. Darien pissed her off, she wanted to rip out his hair. Or better yet his clothes. This was not love, it was dangerously turning into obsession. Whatever was happenning between her and Darien scared the hell out of her. And it had to stop. She needed her powers, and she needed them now. Darien was not her mate. Even if she did sleep with him, which was becoming a very likely possibility with her traitorous body, it wouldn't grant her her powers. And she would never forgive herself for not waiting for her mate. She had many centuries left to find her mate. Darien as a human only had a few years to his life. Maybe 60, 80 at his best.

Serena felt her breath catch. The sobering thought that Darien would die...Serena shook her head angrily. Such thoughts would gain her nothing. The important thing now was to wipe that smug look off Darien's face. Serena smiled evily and ran down to the courtyard.

"Jeez meatball head. And here I thought you were gonna be all talk since you took so long." Darien taunted.

"With the lenght of time you took, I'd have thought you would at least get dressed Serena." Kunzite added with a smirk. Darien ran his eyes down the length of her body, paused at her breasts before returning to her blushing face. "Nice try meatball head. Just because you're barely dressed does not mean you're going to distract me as easily."

Serena raised her chin defiantly. Let him think that she purposefully neglected to get dressed because she wanted an upperhand. Instead of him knowing that she simply forgot because HE was just that damn distracting. Kunzite stepped in front of her and handed her a sword that was incredibly light. She arched a brow at him. Kunzite smiled and said low enough for only her to hear. "No need to give him any advantages. I had this specially made for when Jadeite and Nephrite began their training. You know what a pair of weak bitches they can be."

A surprised laugh escaped Serena at Kunzite's choice of words. He shrugged and stepped aside, giving the pair space for their battle. Darien smiled at Serena and did a few quick spins and turns with his sword. Serena narrowed her eyes at him and he laughed. "Just a few warm-ups."

"Yeah right." Serena carefully tested the lightness of her sword. It was incredibly light, as she thought earlier. And much easier to swing thanks to that. Serena grinned cockily at Darien then completed two graceful spins, with the sword over head, before landing in a ready position with both hands holding it lightly in front of her.

Darien had a new gleam of respect in his. "Impressive. Now let's see what you're really made of." He finished before rushing at her.