Kingdom of Our Own (Serenity)

Throwing the last pieces of dry, thin driftwood in a pile on the gravel path behind the cobblestone wall in front of the light-house Darius sat back to admire his handiwork. He’d assembled the pieces together to resemble an eagle with its wings spread out. Though art had never been his strong point he thought he’d made a reasonable job. It was a crisp spring evening. It was coming to a close as night began to creep across the evening skies in streaks of dark blues. He rubbed his cool hands together, blowing on them to warm them before taking a matchbox from his jacket pocket. Pulling out a match, he struck the side of the box until the end lit up in a single bright orange-red flame. Bending over, he set the driftwood alight shaking out the rest of the flames on the match until it went out and picked up the packet of raw mussels he'd bought along with the pan. With a rush the flames on the driftwood came to life in phantasmic blue and lavender, crackling noisily with raw intensity and passion. Taking a seat on one of the boulders that was jutting out of the ground he tore open the packet and put them on the pan, holding it over the flames. His brown eyes reflected the flames, making them a shade lighter than they already were. Darius didn’t like fire but he knew that it would get cool later on and he wanted to impress. He was wearing a corduroy hooded black jacket, white shirt and fitted black pants that showed off his body.  His hair was carelessly messy as usual, spiked up at random intervals to create a kind of devil-may-care look.        

This place was like a second home. There was the light-house, the sea and always new things washing up ashore that he found interesting. The light-house had a good foundation, having lasted decades upon decades without its walls crumbling. The inside had a winding stair-case and at the top, was a telescope along with a wooden desk with a kerosene lamp and the circular lens set up to cast out light to warn incoming ships. The long stretch of beach left him plenty of land to explore and the ocean waters in front of him was a mysterious vacuum of undiscovered creatures and treasures. He’d found a small chest of ancient copper coins, clams, even rusty pendants and a shark tooth. When he’d gone for a late night swim, he’d half expected to come across the shark that’d lost it but had encountered an irate octopus instead that had tried to strangle him for accidentally stealing its meal. And if he listened really closely, he could even hear the sound of petrels from far away. He had enjoyed doing this by himself until now. Before he’d met someone special. Serenity. He wanted to get to know her better, what she liked or didn’t like doing, what made her happy or upset. What her favourite things were. He had put a letter with a chocolate rose at the mouth of her cave that had said: Hey, I had fun with you the other day so I thought we should get to know each other a little more.  Meet me at Astridax on the beach at the Light-house at 5:00pm. Promise you're going to have the time of your life. Signed with “Your Friendly Neighbourhood Rogue.”  

He glanced at his phone which he put beside him, checking the time. Close to five. Shaking the pan with one hand and putting it down he reached inside the back-pack he brought with the other. Inside were two bottles of sparkling white wine and wine glasses. He had bought it for this occasion. Popping open the cork, he pulled out the glasses and started pouring the wine into them. He hoped she would come. She had been on his mind ever since their session in the forest. He had a great evening planned for her.

Darkness vanished by the minute. The rising sun expelled gleaming sunshine through the mouth of the werewolfess' cave. Salty tears dampened the pillow beside Serenity's face. Destructive thoughts had messed with her mind the previous night and brought her to tears, making the lone warrior cry herself to sleep. Nothing felt good in this life. Everything was disastrous and nothing seemed to go right for her. Maybe there was a price to pay for the sins she had reluctantly committed in her past. She rolled from her right side onto her back; silk sheets moulding to her body. The air seemed to grow thicker until her divine gold eyes opened to greet the world. Brightness fought its way through the shadows. Now the cave was flooded with light. Serenity sat up, the sheets uncovering the top half of her body, waiting a minute to get out of bed. After deciding she was ready to take on the day, she ripped the sheets off of her and went to get ready. Not knowing exactly what outfit to wear, she walked over to her cave entrance wearing her underwear and looked out across the open woodland. Shades of green sprung up from every direction. Simply beautiful. A scent lingered of someone very familiar. Her training partner, Darius. Immediately a pearly white smile formed. Her gaze whizzed around, looking for any sign of him. A letter and chocolate rose were placed neatly on the ground. She picked them up and took a bite of the cocoa scented rose. It tasted so good; dark, rich chocolate. Eager to read the message he had left, she placed the rose down inside and unfolded the piece of paper. She read the letter aloud and couldn't help but smile whilst doing so. Her mood instantly brightened and excitement took over. She had plenty of time until 5pm but she didn't want to take any risks of being late. Running to her closet, she rummaged through the array of colours and was drawn to the blue section. One dress caught her eye and was perfect for the occasion. A knee-length duck egg blue dress, fitted at the chest and stomach and flared out at the waist; white lace decorating the upper body. After getting changed into the dress and a pair of small white heels, Serenity applied a light coverage of makeup and started styling her long, luscious hair. She backcombed the roots to give her a dramatic volume boost and left her soft curls to do as they pleased. Ready to go with hours to spare, the werewolfess laid down on her bed and began painting her nails white before patterning them with dark blue roses. Once all ten nails had dried, she closed her eyes and fell into a light sleep.

A few hours passed until the warrior woke again. She checked her phone and it was just after 2pm. She still had to get a boat over to Astridax to meet the 'friendly neighbourhood rogue' and she didn't want to be late. Serenity jumped up and put her phone into her purse before swiftly heading outside. She quick-walked through the forest towards Downtown. From there she was to get a cab to the coast where she could get a boat over to the island where Darius was waiting for her. He sure made the night ahead sound special so hopefully he would live up to Serenity's expectations. When she finally reached the busy streets of Downtown, she whistled for a cab to which one immediately stopped by her side. She stood at the corner of the road with the lights and the lace. Serenity crawled in and told the driver of her destination. He nodded and told her that she looked very nice as he glanced at her in the mirror to which she just smiled. Cruising down the city streets, watching the scenery swoosh past the window. The sun seemed to be setting already. With all luck, leaving a gorgeous sunset for the two to enjoy each other's company under. Eventually they arrived at the coast and she discretely took some cash out of her bra and handed it to him whilst thanking him for the quick journey. She didn't know how long the boat ride would take so it was best that she boarded the boat as soon as possible. Walking in heels through the sand wasn't the easiest of things to do so she decided to take them off and walk barefoot. Luckily a boat was ready to depart the shore. The werewolfess boarded the boat and took a seat, placing her heels beside her. "To Astridax please. The Lighthouse side. I have to be there for five so please make it quick." The man assured her that she would make it and joked with her before setting off. The ocean breeze gently cooled Serenity's warm skin as she travelled the mysterious blue waters. The warrior inspected her precisely decorated nails and was pleased with how they looked. The small outline of the Lighthouse grew bigger and bigger as time passed. Red and white stripes became visible. It was almost five o'clock and the boat had just been docked. She grabbed her shoes and hopped off the boat, the refreshing water greeting her feet. The soothing sound of waves crashing against the shore was all she could hear. All her worries floated away into the distance. All that was left was to meet Darius. A sharp smell of burning wood entered her nostrils. Most likely Darius had started a fire, she thought. A cute touch to any occasion. She slowly made her way up the beach towards the Lighthouse. She looked like a beauty queen in her delicate dress and diamond necklace with her big hairdo. The smell of the fire became stronger, Darius' scent clear amongst the fierce flames. There he was; back faced to Serenity, unaware of her arrival. "Darius!", she exclaimed as her pace quickened, heels in hand, excited to see him in the unfamiliar surroundings. The deep blue-purple sky covered their world. The heat of the fire was felt on Serenity's exposed body and it was lovely. Soon, if the sky was clear, the stars would break through the darkening sky and twinkle gracefully above the couple.

Almost done. The mussels smelt crisp and fresh, tangy and sweet. With the wine having soaked in, it would add some flavour balancing everything out. Setting the pan down on the ground he started to scoop up the mussels one by one with his hand to put them on the plate quickly. It was best to eat them warm. They were hot right now but they would cool down soon and by the time Ren came they’d have gotten down to the right temperature to taste the best. He glanced up, scanning the shoreline and borders of the beach for any sign of her. Seeing none, he returned back to the mussels, prodding them and shuffling them around with a stick so that he could see if they were cooked properly on the inside. As he was checking the last one he heard the sound of shoes bumping against one another from behind him. From his experience, they were most likely heels. Instinctively, his guard went up. As far as he knew, vampires owned this island and though it was open to everyone, he was still always watchful for any dangers or threats lurking around. Especially vampires. Though the werewolves and vampires weren’t fighting it wouldn’t take much for a rogue vampire to attack a werewolf and claim it as an accident. And in the neutral grounds, it was a free-for-all. Anything went. He had tensed unconsciously. Then when he heard her voice his expression, lit up by the flames, grew even brighter and he relaxed. It made his eyes seem intense, alight. He turned around, throwing the stick away and broke out into a massive grin as he saw her standing there. In the near-darkness, she appeared like a midnight goddess, a combination of Artemis and Aphrodite. One, the patron deity of the moon and the other, of beauty and life and love.

She looked breath-taking. Flowing blue dress that fanned out behind her gracefully as she moved. And the dress accentuated her body well. Her dark hair seemed more luscious, shinier. It seemed wavier. He guessed she’d styled it differently. And he found himself liking it. It suited her well and when it coupled with the dress and her make-up, made her seem sensual and sexy. She had her heels in her hands so that it’d be easier to walk, he guessed. He could not help but drink her in, eyes roving up and down her svelte form. She was stunning tonight, radiant. When she exclaimed his name he moved across the path in quick, confident strides, closing the distance between them easily.“Hey glad you made it. Did you like my surprise?” He grinned at her, referring to the rose. Taking the heels from her, he said, “You probably won’t need these. It’ll be easier without them.” He knelt down, picking up one of the glasses of wine and handed it to her the grin still on his face. “Hope you like mussels. I promise, they’re going to taste as good as they look.” He gestured towards the ocean and light-house, declaring with a playful spark in his eyes, “And this is our own little kingdom until the morning comes.” Inter-twining his fingers into hers, he started to walk towards the boulder that was jutting out. “Come and sit down, my Queen.” He was messing around, joking with her but he wanted to make her feel at ease. If this was too formal it’d feel strange. He’d found that things this usually turned out better when they were just being themselves. That, and the atmosphere. It’d been months now but they’d had yet to really get to know each other. At first, Darius hadn’t been sure if he loved her for her body or her personality. Both, he’d thought but he’d felt that before. Whatever happened tonight would probably solidify his feelings but he knew they were more than friends and that was exciting.

There he was, the man she had longed to see. His usual massive grin welcomed the werewolfess before he let go from what he was doing and approached his just arrived date like a true gentleman. As the distance between the two closed, her excited smile phased into a wide grin. Being around the brute caused previously unfelt feelings to rise to the surface. He looked extra dashing tonight. In response to his question, Serenity replied, "Oh yes, that was really sweet of you." He took her heels from her which was gladly appreciated as she had started to become sick of carrying them around. As he raised back up from his knees, he kindly handed her a glass of wine and she took a sip to try it out. It was exactly the kind she liked. "Thank you. I love seafood, mussels are great and I'm sure yours will be delicious", she said with a warm smile as she smelled the rich, tangy flavour escaping from their meal. She wanted to try them so badly. His next remark warmed her heart. Their own kingdom for the evening consisting of the lighthouse, beach and wavering waters would surely give them plenty to do. The deep pain inside seemed to disappear completely, for now anyway. He placed his hand in hers, fingers intertwining, fitting together perfectly. He lead her to a boulder that pierced through the earth and offered his 'Queen' a seat. A soft chuckle lifted her lips and her cheeks shone a darker shade.

Serenity had seemed to develop an infatuation with the charming rogue. She gracefully took a seat on her thrown, her pale blue dress draping over the deep grey stone. The atmosphere was light, calm and passionate but not overly so. Her gaze immediately flickered to the fire, flames dancing in the chilly sky, escaping from an eagle figure which looked like it was going to fly away at any moment. Serenity's eyes widened slightly at the creation and she quickly pointed towards it. "Did you make the eagle? It is impressive", she said as she looked to him, astonished that he had put so much effort into every little detail. Just for her. She shuffled over, so that he could take a seat beside her, if he wished, and took another sip of her beverage. "So, what do you have planned for me? Or is that a surprise?", she teased, hoping he wasn't going to reveal all just yet. Surprises excited the woman and kept things interesting. She couldn't help but watch the much appreciated fire; the effortless movements of the flames, the intense orange-red glow. All this could be seen in her golden orbs which now appeared like two planets of Venus. The werewolfess could happily sit there all night long and chat but Darius likely had plans for the remainder of the day. "You seem very knowledgeable on how to plan the perfect date from what I've gathered so far. You must have had a good few throughout your time. A man like you is fairly hard to resist", she added, eager to hear his response.

Beaming with pride at her comments, the warrior could not help but puff out his chest and laugh,“I’m glad to hear that.” He glanced down at the fire, a kaleidoscope of colours that swirled and writhed and crackled with raw power and fury. There was an eagle shape in there. The flames hadn’t been intentionally made to be an eagle but he’d take that. And he was glad she thought that his food would be great. He was proud he could make them great. He took a seat on the craggy, cobblestone wall lining the side of the lighthouse so that he could face her properly, his feet planted firmly on the ground. The wall wasn’t high at all to him. Leaning forwards he casually put his arms half on his knees his fingers almost threaded within one another. He drank her in with his eyes, unabashedly and unashamedly. Sitting behind the flames, her face illuminated by them it highlighted her features and somehow made them appear sultry and alluring, mysterious in a way. He liked everything about her so far. Unable to keep the pride out of his voice, he ran his hand through his hair and said boasting,“Yeah. That was all me.” He knew he wasn’t telling the whole truth but he wanted to impress her.

He reached out, pouring a glass of wine for himself into a glass and set her shoes down away from the fire so it wouldn’t burn. Out here, in front of the crackling fire and the sound of the tide cradling the shorelines in sweeping gusts was where he wanted to be. And with her and the rich, sweet smell of the mussel doused in wine it just made things better. He gave her a half-smile, half-smirk at her question and chuckled, deep and husky with a hint of a growl,“It’s a surprise. I’ll show you a whole new world." He was going to reveal nothing yet. There was still plenty of time and by the end, he’d make the night come alive for her. He reached out, taking a mussel and tore out the inside. Pleased and ego fed with what she said about him, he said,“I’ve lived a while so I’ve done this many times. The perfect date is never the same because each woman is unique. I’ve courted a Countess, a princess and even had some romantic escapades with socialites and noblewomen without their husbands finding out. Painters, dancers and musicians as well. And in Feudal Japan, I dallied with more than a few women. None of them were the same.”

He paused, past memories flashing through his mercurial eyes. For a few seconds, the fire in his eyes seemed to fade as if he was relieving painful memories then he looked at her, smiling warmly. “So…I can’t get you out of my mind. Why don’t you tell me what kind of things you like and a little bit more about yourself? I’ll go first, as a gentleman. I started my life in Ancient Rome. Never knew my mother but my father was a heartless, money-hungry bastard. He shoved my hand into the fireplace when I was a kid because I dropped a coin into it by accident which is where I got this scar from.” He raised his free hand, showing her his palm with the flame-shaped scar on it.“I found a werewolf friend who helped me kill him and never looked back. Went out and explored the world. I’ve been a pirate, a bodyguard, a samurai soldier and a gladiator as well as con artist and subject to experimentation to a mad scientist. I eventually ended up here where I’m now a humble stunt-man. I like tech and cars. Your turn.”

Occ: Sorry this is so late. I’ve been busy with rl.

The brute seemed to have seduced a variety of women in the past. Even having encounters with royalty. Serenity didn't know how to respond appropriately to what the rogue had said so she kept quiet and placed her glass on the ground before nodding slightly whilst looking over his features. The fact that he had got with married women angered the warrior to some degree for she knew the feeling of being cheated on whilst being seriously in love. However, none of this concerned the woman so she let it go. Darius was opening up to her and she was glad that he felt comfortable in doing so. Possibly just being another to add to his collection was somewhat saddening. Something about what he had said evidently brought back some kind of feelings. Not wanting to make him feel any worse, Ren briefly smiled reassuringly to which he smiled back. The man behind the flames wished to know more about Serenity. Sharing her personal story with others was something which she disliked. Not knowing how others would react made her wary. Her eyes focused on the crackling flames as old memories came back which she usually tried to fight. One memory which she had never previously resurfaced in her hundreds of years of life was brought to mind. Being pinned to the wall by her throat, teary eyed, after her drunk husband arrived home from some other city. She became lost within the flames. Hearing Darius' voice again, she looked to him, her features emotionless. The warrior had unintentionally balled her fists whilst in deep thought. Relaxing them again, she picked up her glass and took a sip of the alcohol. After hearing that Darius' father had purposely hurt his son for a small mistake, her brows furrowed in disgust. "What an asshole", she added. Learning that he had got revenge by killing his own family member made her history seem not so bad. What he said was understandable, and relatable even to the female.

Now it was her turn. She glanced up to the darkening sky and took a deep breath. The least she could do was return the favour and spill some of her past to the rogue. She decided to spare him some details and deal him the basics. Looking at him, she began. "I was born in a small city in the middle of nowhere with no job opportunities or anything that I desired. My parents were old-fashioned and control freaks so I couldn't wait to leave and seek my own freedom. When I was a fairly young, I ended up falling in love with a man named Ray and we eventually got married. He turned out to be a lying scumbag and I killed him during my first shift. Since then I've been travelling around and living my life, trying to be happy. I like the finer things that life has to offer." There. She wasn't really thinking of what she was saying but it was the truth. She grew silent and began to tap her nails against the half-empty glass that was held tightly within her hands. Sniffing the air once, her eyes flickered over to the mussels which were just waiting there. She had forgotten to help herself to them earlier as the couple had begun conversing. The woman placed the glass down once again and pushed her luscious dark brown hair behind her shoulders before proceeding to take a mussel. After ripping the soft flesh from its shell, she placed it in her mouth and began to chew. Rich, exquisite flavours escaped the mere morsel, exciting the warrior's tastebuds. "Mmmm. They're really good, Darius." Serenity looked into the other's eyes and smiled.

Darius had genuinely loved each woman he'd pursued. Genuinely. But at times the egotistical, selfish part of him craved something that wasn't his even if he knew that the girl was taken for. But that was back then. And it had been harmless flirting. When he loved someone, he meant it. And he meant it with her. He knew this could go somewhere, come to something. He was attracted to her. He knew that much. And knew that these feelings between them could blossom into something that was real. Darius didn't think of women as prizes to be won. He was the type to be straight-forward with his feelings and never really gave up once he found something or someone he liked. He was also a man who wanted to taste and savour every sight, sensation and sound that life had to offer him. To live without reservations. Love to him was an adventure just like everything else. So throwing himself to passion and lust were things he did without a care in the world. Making a woman shake and scream, to tremble and moan and writhe in throes of utter ecstasy underneath him were things he prided himself in. Unashamedly and unabashedly. And right now he was here with Serenity who had caught his eye with her smile and her laugh. Just her and no one else. He hoped he could make her feel alive in more ways than one. She was looking at the fire, thinking about memories of her own. Her fists were balled. Darius realized that she too could have had some painful memories too. He made a mental note to ask her further down the track. It was something that was personal to her so she didn't have to reveal it unless she wanted to. But he was glad to find someone who could understand him. He laughed at her comment. A big, booming laugh that reverberated through the air, filling it with his presence and when it finished he broke out into a wide grin, “Yeah he was.”

He reached out, taking a mussel and cracked open the shell to get to tear out the inside. The edible part. As he did, she started to tell him her story. He listened, leaning forwards slightly his eyes peering through the flames at her intently. It was always interesting to hear other people’s stories. For Darius anyway. His natural inquisitiveness was one of the things that had only grew as time had passed, carried over from his child-hood. It was why he was always taking things apart just to see how they ticked. And maybe it was also part of the reason why he liked a challenge. Unfortunately, it seemed like Serenity hadn’t had the chance to really explore and stretch her wings so to speak due to her being born in circumstances that didn’t allow it. Darius had an inkling of what it was like to be under the control of a parent who wanted nothing more than to control every aspect of your life. It was restricting like someone was holding a chain around your neck and yanking it constantly. It was all about power. And in extreme cases, treating another person like they were your property without any will of their own. Then she spoke about meeting what was supposedly the love of her life. Darius frowned, his eyebrows coming together in a harsh crease as she continued. “Sounds like he really hurt you,”Darius murmured darkly. He wanted to ask why she had killed him, to delve further but it wouldn’t be a good idea. Besides, he could put together the missing pieces without knowing the details. It didn’t matter because he would make her happy. He picked up another mussel, breaking it in two pieces cleanly and tore out the inside. No more words were spoken between them and the only noise was the sound of the crackling flames. Darius started to reach out for another mussel, faltering when he saw her push her hair behind her shoulders. Something twitched in his heart. His mind went blank for a moment. There was something about that move which made him stop and stare. He didn’t know if it’d been unintentional or not but it worked. He swelled with pride as she commented him on his work. It felt good knowing that he was doing a good job so far. “Thanks. I learned the recipe from a crew-mate. Once that was all we had to eat for a week and the cook had disappeared. Captain ordered me to cook and it was the only thing we had,” He said. He stood up picking up the plate with the remaining mussels left, grinning at her devilishly.“Let’s go for a walk. I want to show you something before it gets too dark.”

The male laughed unexpectedly loud after hearing the woman's remark about his father, his powerful voice filling the quiet surroundings. She didn't intend to make a humorous comment but his reaction was pleasant to witness. Serenity wasn't really paying much attention to the brute as she was preparing what to say about her complicated and painful past. Sharing it with Darius felt natural. Like telling secrets to a close friend. His past sounded much more interesting than hers. He had been able to experience much more in life than Serenity. He had also been deeply hurt during his existence. Unlike her, he had been hurt physically as well as emotionally. That was one thing that hadn't happened to the female warrior, she had been through an emotional roller-coaster but as far as getting injured it was only minor things that had occurred and she had no scars to prove any battles won. Still, the pair had both loved and lost. Darius' outlook on life didn't seem influenced by his past whereas Serenity's was in a way. From an early age it seemed as if the world was a dark and cruel place, full of despair. Not a lot had gone well for her in her younger years, or once she had grown older either come to think of it. It began with an unfulfilled childhood and just when she thought she had been rescued from that sort of lifestyle when she had met Ray, it turned out that he was a cheater and what she thought was a great new reality was just a series of lies to keep her happy whilst he was playing around with what could have been a long string of other women. For Serenity, she was slightly scared of being happy because just as she achieved happiness it seemed to slip straight through her fingers and out of reach once again. But she was a determined woman, and each time such disappointment happened she would brush off her hands and start again. Starting again in this instance meant bringing herself out on a first date with the charming man she had befriended, and with every hope and chance it would become something much more than friendship. As she looked at him she just knew she could trust him, with her training, with the story of her past, even with her life. Darius had those honest eyes that were trustworthy and respectful.

So she told him the key parts that he would probably want to know about events in her past, the bits which were the most interesting. But she was sure to leave out enough details so that he had to guess at some things that had happened. Like a good crime thriller story, some things were best unsaid. His reaction to her tale was difficult to read, as he was mostly quiet afterward. To the one sentence he did mumble she just nodded her head and sucked in her bottom lip slightly, giving a slight shrug as if to say that there wasn't much else to say about that. It was true, he had deeply hurt her. In the end though, in the moments where he was dying, he would have been in extreme pain, gurgling on his own blood. Revenge was sweet for a while, but guilt soon settled in and made the taste sour. Knowing he was dead didn't change what he had done and how she felt about it. The silence didn't seem awkward to her, it was more reflective like the two were thinking over everything they had just recently learnt about each other. She watched him for a moment with her golden gaze. It wasn't really his character to be quiet, so to her it felt like he did really care for her and what had happened, so it had silenced him for a moment. It was nice that he cared, at least somebody did. Serenity didn't notice him stop and stare as she focused briefly on the crackling fire and the quietly crashing waves. After a moment she refocused and mirrored his actions, taking a mussel for herself and then complimenting his work with the cooking with a small smile. It was interesting where he had learned the recipe. The brute seemed to have an adventure and story behind everything he knew, it was fascinating. "I would consider that a good thing", the woman said strongly in response to Darius. A man that could cook was very attractive to her. Serenity wasn't one to cook. Partly because she simply couldn't. Just as she was about to reach out and grab another one of the tender morsels, he stood suddenly and lifted the plate out of her reach. The female glanced up at him curiously and caught his devilish look just as he requested her to go somewhere with him. Intriguing. She stood eagerly, her curls bouncing around her shoulder with her quick action of standing. There was no clue for what he could possibly want to introduce her to. "Okay, you lead the way." A small excited grin raised her pink lips while she put out her hand and quickly grabbed a mussel for herself to chew whilst she waited to be shown whatever he wished to reveal to her.

Darius had lived for a long time now. It was inevitable that he would end up suffering. Just as everyone who walked the earth did once they were on it long enough. No one made it through life without getting some scars, whether they be physical or emotional. But scars were what made people stronger. It was what made boys into men. And he supposed, girls into women. It was a part of life. All the hurt and pain. And fighting through it all was the only way to survive. Life hadn’t dealt him a good hand but life was what you made it. There were things that you couldn’t control, of course. There would always be things like that but they weren’t gods. They couldn’t control everything. As much as he wouldn’t mind. But that didn’t mean they couldn’t try to achieve their goals. Never stop trying. He thought Serenity was the same way as him. A fighter. Headstrong and determined. He guessed she would have to be to go through what she had gone through. Darius held no sympathy towards the man that she had left for dead. He understood it was hard to get up when life gave so many disappointments time and time again but that was where courage came in. If no one ever had the courage to try, to explore and live despite how hard it was then this world wouldn’t spin and turn. A life was meant to be for living and with it, came both happiness and hurt. But life was just like that. Being brave, being strong and determined in the face of overwhelming odds was the only thing you could do. Just soldier on. There was no other way. In matters relating to love, well Darius hadn’t always received a warm welcome by women. But that hadn’t stopped him from persisting. Until they told him to stop. He did respect a lady’s wishes after all.

“Glad you think so,”Darius laughed. He was happy that she thought so on the inside. He knew that cooking wasn’t traditionally viewed as manly but if there was one thing he had learned over time, it was that knowing how to cook was a survival skill. Along with hunting for food. For example if you caught a fish it was no use raw and probably wasn’t good for the body either.“Hang on, gotta to put the fire out,” Darius said. He let go of her hand and reached behind the wall, picking up a bucket of water he’d filled earlier and threw it over the flames so that they’d die out. When they were gone completely he set the bucket down and held his hand out for her. Bending down, he picked up the bottle, pouring it until her glass filled to the brim and the rest into his glass. He took her hand, fingers inter-twining with hers firmly, affectionately and set the bottle down with the other hand. Picking up both glasses by wrapping his hand around the stems he handed hers to her. The grin still on his face, he led her further down the beach on the shore-line, waves curdling up against the sand inching closer and closer to wash over their bare feet. The evening was getting darker with the first spattering of stars coming to life in the bluish-black skies. He couldn’t wait until later. That was when the night would really come alive. For now, he wanted to show her something he’d found when he’d first come here. As they came closer to the trees he said, pushing aside the leaves, revealing a round rock pool that was surrounded by lush green leaves. It was so bright. He knelt down in front of it,“It’s a rock pool I found when I first came here. The cool thing are the fish and how it looks.” He scooped water with both hands, catching a dozen so that she could see them reflect light. They were the size of gold coins but they were glowing bright green and blue.“See how it’s glowing? When the moonlight hits it just right and it’s as dark as it is now, it glows with neon green and vivid blue. And there’s tiny fish that shine with the colour of the water because their scales were silver-white. It makes them look transparent and luminescent.”With his back turned towards her, Darius decided to have some fun. He had perfected his con-game throughout time and with it, his acting skills which was only natural. He didn’t really expect it to work but he wondered how much Ren could distinguish from truth and lies. And he wanted to have some fun.

He said gazing down into it,“When I first encountered these islands I was captain of a pirate ship. But we’d been attacked by a ship full of vampires and werewolves. They surprised me with weapons that I hadn’t seen before at the time, destroying my ship and almost all of the crew. I lost everything. I was stranded here along with the first mate and the cook.”He put the fish back down into the pool, seemingly lost in thought as he stared down at it. He looked back up at her, his face absolutely serious in the shadows,“I had to eat the corpses of my own crew-mates to survive because I was so weak from the shipwreck that I couldn’t even hunt and it took too much energy to transform. It was the werewolf in me. I craved meat. There was nothing else to eat but humans.”He started to smile evilly,“Then I ate their hearts.”

Serenity watched patiently as Darius topped up her drink, making sure her glass was full before serving himself. A small smile formed as the simple gesture warmed her inside and added an extra sparkle to her eye. He may have put out the fire that they had shared to keep them warm, but the flames in her heart were only just beginning. Taking the man's hand and the beverage in the other, the couple made their way down the soft beach and along the shoreline. The night sky was particularly beautiful tonight. The stars had begun to appear, shining brightly above the couple like diamonds. The surrounding darkness intensified their beauty. The moonlight caught the soothing waves surface and glimmered as they swayed back and forth effortlessly, sweeping over their feet whilst the slight ocean breeze played with the woman's hair. All that was heard was the calming sound of the waves breaking on the shore as Darius led her further away from the lighthouse.

Before long, they neared some trees which concealed a rock pool that was encircled with flourishing vegetation. Serenity walked closer to the emerald water and watched as Darius knelt down, removing small fish that shone in vibrant hues of blue and green. The woman observed the area before focusing on the small, fascinating creatures as their fragile bodies wiggled around in the man's hand. Everything here was so stunning, even her company looked more handsome and quite celestial being partly shaded by shadows and otherwise illuminated by the reflections of the pool dancing wiggly patterns of light over his face. "Oh wow... they're so pretty. It's amazing what you can find out here. Nature is extraordinary when you think about it." The warrior's vision became hazy as her mind wandered off into empty thought, the corner of her lips twitching, almost lifting into a faint smile. Still knelt down with his back to her, Darius proceeded to tell the woman a tale of him supposedly visiting the islands at one time in his past. It seemed very odd that he mentioned werewolves and vampires working together as a team to attack his ship. Serenity registered his words but there was a slight delay after he had actually spoken them. She broke free from her daydream and gradually made her way closer to the man, noticing him stare down into the pool of water with something on his mind. She paused behind him. He looked back at her with a dead serious expression. She knelt down and looked straight into his brown eyes, her golden gaze undisturbed by even a blink. She was pretty sure that he was bluffing. The woman grinned as a devilish smile appeared on the other's face. She placed her hands on his shoulders and leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "Yeah, right..."

Out here, it was a paradise. Surrounded by nature with nothing but the ocean and forest, with the sand and the breeze and the vast sky above. The sky which was times was so infinite in all its majesty and glory. And these little treasures that nature usually hid were things of wonder and intrigue. Nature was full of surprises and the best ones were usually the ones that you had to search for. And by the time they were found, all the effort and sweat put to get there would’ve been worth it just to see the rock pool. Darius had to agree. There were things in life that were precious and worthwhile. Things that were worth more than money or prestige and it was this. These special moments where he could just savour the feeling and experience of what was right in front of him. It was even better that he had someone to share it with. As he waited to see what she would say to his gambit he broke his gaze for a brief moment to put the fish down back into the rock pool, letting it slip back inside the water with a loud splash. He turned back towards her and found her looking straight into his eyes. He stared back at her, feeling as he’d been caught in a tidal wave. He didn’t really know how to describe it except that he suddenly felt exposed. No one had made him feel that way before. He’d been able to fool and talk crap about a lot of things to women and they believed him or he was able to cover himself when they got suspicious and not reveal the truth but Serenity wasn’t the same. He couldn’t look away from her and he felt like telling her everything. And she was so close to him. He could smell her perfume. And he really wanted to take her to the ground, kiss those plump lips and slide his hands underneath her dress and get to what was underneath. He grinned wider as she put her hands on his shoulders, starting to stand until she leaned forwards and whispered in his ear.

Shivers ran down his spine. He hadn’t realized it but she looked more alluring, more mysterious and divine with the shadows and reflections of the rock pool playing over her body. His eyes glazed over blankly as his thoughts turned to her, without clothes on with her long, luscious hair spilled out behind her head on satin sheets in a windswept, careless mess. Her heart-faced face perspiring with sweat. Her entire body splayed out so that he could see all her curves and toned form. Her lips were almost brushing his ear. Two words which had never sounded so tantalising. He could feel the wolf inside gnawing at his skin, itching to get out. It wanted her. He wanted her. He spun around completely, lunging for her and grabbed her waist, moving swiftly and pushed her against a nearby tree so that her back was against the trunk and he was up against her. It was a sudden motion, one that hadn’t intended to hurt her. His muscled arms cradled her, wrapped around the small of her back to cushion her from the bark. The dress she was wearing was thin so he could feel her skin underneath it, warm and soft. Not battle-worn like his. He wanted it to stay that way forever even though he knew that was kind of impossible. She was a warrior and by nature, warriors were built for the rough life or they grew accustomed to it. A part of him didn’t want that for her. But another part was drawn to it. The excitement of fighting, the thrill of the game and in a way, the violence. It was an insatiable urge. He gripped her tightly, pressing against her and placed his lips against her neck at the pulse point, growling,“I’m serious. I’m a bad, bad boy.” He was at breaking point. The mating season was still in full peak. And he wanted so badly to ravage her. To have her squeeze her legs around him and have her all over him. But he had wanted to show her something so he stayed like this, just to treasure the moment. The feeling of her heart-beat against his and the scent of her hair and skin. Then he said in a low voice, "I've got one more surprise for you."

The gazes of the warriors were held on one another but neither of them muttered a single word. Nothing needed to be said. Serenity could almost hear the brute's heart beating through his chest as his devilish glare admired her clothed form, tracing her figure and craving her, she could just as well hear the thoughts that he would be thinking at this moment. The intensity grew, feelings fluttering around and ricocheting between them, until the moment took an unexpected turn as Darius grabbed the woman's waist and lifted her to pin her up against a lofty tree trunk all in one smooth action. She hadn't expected his reaction to be like this but it certainly got the blood pumping through her veins as her heart began to beat uncontrollably from surprise and with the closeness and touch between their bodies. A faint moan was released as she was forced against the trunk, yet she wasn't hurt as Darius had cushioned the blow with his arm, more so she felt a light feeling in her stomach and a release of the passionate tension between them. His body was up against hers, chest-to-chest, no empty space between the beautiful creatures. The brute's lips met the woman's tender skin upon her neck, naturally making her tilt her head back as her eyelids flickered shut and her pouty lips parted marginally. It appeared as if the male had feelings for her and, with any hope, wanted to make her his own. Being alone only brought the female pain as she was left to dwell on her haunting past. The werewolfess wanted him to be there for her through thick and thin, to have someone to share the rest of her life with and create precious memories that they would both treasure in the far future.

The woman's lustful thoughts ran wild as the man's low voice growled against her neck. The possibility of having someone to love and cherish her, emotionally as well as physically, gave her hope of finding happiness. And she wanted to provide the same for someone, for him, as it would give her some fulfilment to her life and a reason to keep going every day. Centuries of life could make living rather dull, but to share a relationship and passion with another, made it that much more exciting and worth it. The woman at least deserved to be happy after centuries of being dissatisfied in relationships. She positioned her shapely legs around his and wrapped her arms around his neck to embrace the roguish male, sharing one another's warmth in the cool night. The mention of one last surprise furthered the feelings that the warrior was experiencing, making her skin tingle. What could it possibly be? "You are full of surprises, Mister", the woman said with a slight laugh.

Darius was a creature who sought out what he desired and indulged in his interests and passions. He knew what he liked, what he felt passionate about, what made him feel alive. And when it came to love it was no different. He was not the type to feign interest, not usually. Save for the times he had to engage in the art of deception and deceit. Pretending to be lame or blind for example to let people lower their guard so that he could steal food or pick pockets (that had been when he had no means of getting money or food and he couldn’t go around eating humans all the time as that would’ve raised suspicion and a hunt). Pretending to be sick with some disease and approaching rich noblewomen and latching onto them, moaning for help but using sleight of hand to take their purses while they tried to move away in disgust. Or pretending to be useless or clueless so the proud ones would reveal their true colours or intentions. And just how much they didn’t know. Or did know. Or inquiring about things but in reality, fishing for something else when he already knew the answer. But with women, Darius had more or less always been upfront with his intentions. He pursued those that stirred something in him without a care in the world. Serenity was no different. From the moment he had laid eyes on her he had been drawn to her vivacious smile. Her lips. Her eyes and the way she laughed. She was still so mysterious to him though. All he knew of her was that she worked in fashion so she was at the very least, creative. She was fun and brightened up his day with her presence and he just wanted her in all her essence. To be around her. To wake up with her every night with her beside him in bed. Or even in the wild. Darius was a werewolf at heart who felt as home in the wild as he did in a civilization with rooms and houses and concrete walls. He knew how to appreciate the finer things in life and he loved life itself. Living and learning. It may not have been typical of a werewolf but Darius had always followed the beat of his own drum. He was a rogue renegade. A rascal and vagabond. And he didn’t give a flying damn. He smirked as he drew a moan from her, pleased. Skin against skin. He could feel her skin through the fabric of her dress, warm and smooth. Hot. Her heart. Touching her felt good. So good. He could feel the bare skin on her back, the curve of her waist and her breasts against his chest. And he could smell the shampoo in her hair and the perfume even more, infiltrating his senses. Her special scent that she had. Darius was not one to show weakness as it were. Pride was a thing that he struggled with even though he had learned to temper it over time. There were many things he prided himself such as his fighting skills, his spirit which he considered practically unbreakable and his thirst for adventure. But of all those things he prided himself on being able to protect those that he loved because he couldn’t do that before. It was a simple thing he prided himself on and maybe, to others it was too simple but he had seen an entire civilization crumble because it had been too weak to defend itself. He had seen the people he had cherished and treasured hurt or die because he couldn’t save them. Darius wasn’t so sure he could protect her heart. He would’ve if he could, protecting her heart from hurting but he knew he could protect her body and he would die trying. His first love had laughed at him, saying he was a fool for love but without love, this world would be incredibly boring. Love made men and women do great things. Impossible things. And sometimes very horrible things.

But they were werewolves. They virtually had a centuries upon centuries of life and what a waste it would be to have no company during that time to share it with. Or to sit idly by and not go and enjoy it. Excitement and danger made life more interesting. People were interesting. And women were the most fascinating of all. Darius had learned that no two women were the same. Serenity was not the same. She had everything he wanted and seemed to share his views. Living life to the fullest and having someone to live it with, for better or worse. And he couldn’t wait to find out what else was hiding underneath those luscious pink lips and wide, sultry eyes. To find out more about her. He buried his face into the crook of her neck, biting the skin with another growl. He could have taken her then and there but he couldn’t so he made do with what he could do. His heart thudded far faster than it had been before, his skin tingling as he felt the sensation of her legs go around his and he let out a brief sigh, broad shoulders heaving up and down satisfied. He lifted his head, gazing into her eyes as her arms slid around his neck in an embrace. His were brimming with desire, unashamed and entirely primal. Bestial and seeming to burn intensely in the near darkness. He blinked once, shaking his head slightly and grinned at her, lowering her back onto the ground,“It keeps things interesting.”He started to head back out into the open area of the beach, holding her hand to pull her towards the beach-front. The skies were darker now but soon there would be something very, very special in the air and the sea. Darius said,“Have you ever heard of the Northern Lights?”

As the brute's eyes met her own, the she-wolf stared into them, grinning for a brief moment. Never could she forget them. Not only the rich brown shade but the way they watched her, almost like a predator watching its prey. She caught his attention, drawing him to herself without going out of her way to try. It was evident that he wanted to devour her right there and then but the proud man seemed to hold back and make the most of their closeness. He probably knew that there was a likely chance of him having the opportunity to express his strong feelings at another point, but right now wasn't the time. It was only their first date after all, however it had so far made Serenity confirm her feelings towards Darius. Everything that she wanted from a man seemed to be found in Darius in some way or another. He wanted to make the most of his life, living on the wild side and the woman wanted to experience it with him. She hadn't had the opportunity to experience the greatness that life had to offer but she was sure that was soon going to change. There were a couple things that Serenity wished to have more than anything. A mate and a child, if the circumstances were right. The rogue coming into her own little world brought her hope as well as happiness. The Warrior's back gradually lowered to the ground as the male released her body before guiding her towards the beach with a tug of his hand. For some reason the werewolfess felt excited like a child to return to the sanded land with the mysterious waves sweeping back and forth, removing material from the beach then building it back up again. They were alone, only accompanied by the vast darkness above which covered as far as the eye could see. As the night became deeper, more could be seen amongst the black and blue hues. Something precious may have been waiting to appear for the couple. Glancing at Darius, she said, "Yes, I have. I've always wanted to witness the Northern Lights for myself. I'm sure pictures don't even capture its beauty." Perhaps she would get the opportunity to experience the vibrant spectacle in the brute's company.

Of course, he wanted to consume her then and there. Never had something so beautiful been so close yet so far, just barely out of reach for him to grasp and caress. It was a frustrating feeling, stifling and cloistered. He had just wanted to hang out, to see where things were headed and he was glad that she had only confirmed his feelings. The warrior was always confident in his flirtations and romantic endeavours. And he was always confident in who he liked. He never doubted his feelings in that regard. He had lived a life that was by all accounts, dangerous and brutal. He had been as wild as a werewolf could be. Those little moments of happiness that he had been blessed with were rarities and they never lasted but he always hoped they would. Ren would be different. He knew it. He had known what it was like having nothing and coming from nothing. Coming from the very bottom of society where others viewed him as less than human, even when they didn't know he wasn't a human. They thought he was worth nothing. His own father thought he was worth nothing and treated him as a money-making machine and when he didn't need him anyway, he disposed of him like he was garbage. That was when he learned he had to find a way to make it on his own. That was what he wanted in a mate. Someone who wasn't afraid to challenge the world and live life as it was meant to be lived just like him and he thought he found that in Ren. Darius glanced at her, admiring her svelte form in the moonlit rays silently before turning back to the waves in front of him. His gaze scanned the ocean's dark surface, searching for something.

"Come on..." Darius murmured. They had to be here. They were here last time he came. There! He saw it. At first there was one, then another and soon half a dozen as they bobbed around the water. Jellyfish. They wouldn't have been anything special in the day-time but at night time when it dark like this they were. They were glowing dark blue against the darkness of the water and as the seconds ticked by, more and more came decorating the surface in an impromptu light show. They would move at random as well, hovering at the surface and then going at every direction and then stopping again. It looked like luminescent blue blobs and streaks racing all over the water. Darius let go of her hand, winking at her. Clearing his throat, he stood up and announced gesturing to his left towards the jellyfish with an arm, "Then now is your lucky chance. To your left, you can see a swarm of jellyfish making a wonderful show for us." He paused, lowering his voice to a husky growl, "Though not as beautiful as the lovely lady standing right in front of me." He continued, making his voice even grander, "And now for the main event, if you could turn your eyes towards the skies for the show of a life-time in one...two...THREE!" As he said three, Darius swung up his arm up to the sea-line his head turning at the same time to look. There was nothing at first. Then a wide arc of whitish- neon green appeared in the distance directly where the sea met the sky, spanning across the bluish-black skies slowly and slowly and rising in height. It expanded, undulating and coiling left and right, swaying like veils of green. It changed colours, turning all different shades and even pink. And after a moment, it thinned out one elastic streak that stretched out across the sky dwarfing them. The best part? It shone directly down on the waters and jellyfish, lighting it up in brilliant turquoise and shining, luminescent hues of light blue from the jellyfish that shimmered and blinkered like crystals lighting up the area as if it were daytime. Darius stepped to the side, flourishing his hand and placed it on his chest, extending his arm out while bowing his head towards Ren. Smiling at her warmly, he said, "As always, a gentleman should always let a lady go first. Hope you liked my surprise, my lady."