9

The street had fallen asleep when Endymion reached Usagi's house. All lights were off, windows closed, at every house - all, but Usagi's window. Within it, he could see her dancing shadow. Very faintly, he heard music. "Look at her." Endymion said as he rubbed his chin. He looked at Jadiete, who stared at him curiously while he stood beside him.

"What exactly are you going to do?" Jadiete asked.

Endymion shrugged, "Not sure. I should have brought my own music."

"Music?" Jadiete questioned as he scratched his blond hair. Endymion, who sported a wide grin, held his hands above his head as though he were holding a radio. When Jadiete simply blinked at him, he rolled his eyes and turned around. "Nevermind." he said as he stood underneath Usagi's window.

Jadiete, still scratching his head, shrugged and rolled his eyes in return. "You watch too many movies." He muttered as he stood beside the price. He didn't expect the grin that followed, as Endymion gave him a gentle push and and laugh. "At least I attempt to blend in." He said.

"Right." Jadiete laughed, "Now, why am I here, exactly?"

"To protect me." Endymion said as he pressed his hands against the walls outside Usagi's house. He could feel the music from her room within those walls. Something pop, modern; Something a teenage girl would love. "Beryl has her eyes on me. I can't be out here alone."

"Ah."

The two vampires stared up at the windows, eyes glowing bright. Endymion sent thoughts to Luna, but he was never the best at communicating with her. That was why he kept Artemis with him. But now, without his feline friend, he hoped she would catch some spark of his silent call. "Luna." He whispered after some time.

He saw the start of black ears, followed by the golden crescent that lead to big eyes. Endymion couldn't help but grin when he saw Luna, who observed him curiously. She couldn't talk to him, not openly. Not with Usagi close by. So she meowed. A loud meow. One that caught the blonde haired girl's attention, and her buns and face quickly followed. Like a switch turned off, the vampires eyes returned to normal.

"Endymion?" Usagi question with pink cheeks as she leaned against the windowsill. Luna looked up at her with bright eyes and then down at Endymion.

"Usagi." A large smile graced his face. He inched his body closer to her wall.

"What are you doing here?" Usagi bit down on her bottom lip, her fingers absentmindedly brushing through one of her ponytails. "It's late."

His heart jumped. "I couldn't stay away." He said.

Usagi wasn't sure what to say. She looked behind her and listened out into the hall outside her room. She knew her parents were asleep, but her brother, she wasn't so sure. Last thing she needed was her snoopy brother telling her parents her business.

"I was about to go to sleep." Usagi lied through her nervousness.

Endymion laughed, low and quiet. He looked at Jadiete, who raised his eyebrows high on his head and shook his head, but that didn't rid Endymion of his grin. 'Don't.' Jadiete thought to his prince, and sighed at the response he received in return - 'She already knows.' "Were you really going to sleep?" He asked as he looked up at Usagi once again, "I think I hear music, don't I?"

Usagi laughed, face red and heart beating. She fanned her face as she twirled her hair in her finger over and over. "Oh, I just play music all the time. All day really!" She turned around, away from her window, "I mean, music is good for the soul-"

With her distracted, Endymion took his chance. He used the pressure of his finger tips to gently push himself up the wall until he hovered outside of her window. He caught the look on Luna's face as she shook her head; If he could hear her thoughts, she screamed the word 'No!' over and over, but to no avail.

"I listen to music while doing homework. Watching tv. Oh, and video games, because sometimes the soundtracks are a little-" Usagi spun around and shrieked quietly into her palm. She didn't anticipate Endymion sitting on her windowsill, his hand scratching the back of her very nervous cat. She stared at his diamond-like skin and dark eyes; She stared at his feet and at his legs. "How did you-"

"May I have this dance?" He asked as he shifted away from the window and further into the room. He could hear her heart about to burst.

"How did you get up here?" Usagi rushed past him and stuck her head outside of her window. Down below in her yard stood the blond haired teen from the dessert parlor. He smiled nervously at her as he waved his hand. "Hi." he said to her.

"Hi." She breathed back, and turned to look at Endymion, who fiddled with her radio for at quieter, softer song. He eventually found a ballad, perfect for a slow dance. When he stood and met her eyes, he extended his hand to her. "May I have this dance?" he asked again.

Usagi stared at his fingers and at the sleeve of his shirt. Her mind thought back to the image of the boy from her dream. The one who called her a princess. The one who addressed himself as a vampire. "You came into my room to dance with me?" She whispered.

"If you would allow me to, yes." He said.

Usagi pointed down outside her window, "You left your friend, or brother, or…. He's just outside, you know."

"I'm aware. He can wait."

Usagi's breath left her in shaky gasps. She looked at Endymion's hand once more before taking it into her own. Her fingers were close, like ice; Cold like the crystal he had given her. But when his hand pulled her close to his body, and wrapped low around her waist, she felt them warm against her skin. The warmth caused her cheeks to burn. She looked up into his eyes, lost in the dark that made them whole. Lost in him. Together, bodies pressed close, they swayed to the slow music.

"I had a dream." She breathed as her fingers wrapped around his neck. The words escaped her without her meaning to. Though, he expected it, in a way. He was sure the crystal caused a dream so vivid, seeing him would only strengthen those thoughts. "Did you?" he pretended to be oblivious.

"Mhm." Usagi looked at his shoulders and down at his chest to avert her eyes. "You were some vampire. And I was a princess, I think."

He grinned. "Sounds interesting."

"It's kinda freaky." Usagi giggled as she shook her head. But then she thought of how he was suddenly on her window. There was nothing climbable on the side of her house. So how… "I mean, vampires aren't real."

Endymion cocked one eyebrow as he spun her around so her back was against his chest. "I believe in in the unbelievable." He whispered against her neck. He could feel the heat from her veins against his lips. It made his heart quicken.

"Oh." The word left Usagi as a puff of air. She closed her eyes, her hands finding his. The music played in her ears and echoed to the rhythm of her heart that slammed against her chest. They swayed, hip to hip, to the ballad of her radio. Before she could attempt to say another word, she felt him kiss the side of her neck, gentle and soft. She shuttered.

"Hm." A noise escaped him. He took in her scent. She smiled like Serenity. She felt like her. He opened his eyes, slowly, and reminded himself one last time - She wasn't her. But he loved her still. His eternal soul was attracted to her like a fly drawn to a flame. Kunzite could yell at him for the rest of his immortal life, it didn't matter. With her, next to her, he was complete. Whole. He had been empty for so long. And the others, they didn't love her servant girls the way he loved Serenity. They couldn't know the emptiness he felt. He had lost his family, his life, his right to the moon; What hurt the most, was her.

"Endymion." Her voice was like silk on his ears. He pulled her closer, tighter.

"Endymion." Jadiete's voice quickly followed inside his head. Mentally, he grumbled inaudible thoughts before clearly replying, "Not now."

"Now is a better time than any." Jadiete responded.

"Not now." He hissed mentally. Slowly, he turned Usagi to face him. Her eyes locked into his instantly. He cupped her face in his eyes, pressed his nose to hers, and said, "You're beautiful."

She smiled, biting down on her lip.

"There's something about you, something I can't ignore." He whispered as she closed her eyes and sighed. She inched closer, as did he.

"Endymion." Jadiete's voice shouted deep in his head. The prince, annoyed, shouted his response rather than whispered it, "What is it?!"

Usagi jumped. She looked up at Endymion, surprise in her eyes. She wondered of he spoke to the teen he left outside. When he walked to the window, he only confirmed it. "Endymion?" She whispered.

He heard her, but didn't look at her. He looked outside, at Jadeite. The blonde haired vampire was backed against Usagi's house, the glow in his eyes lighting up the space around him. In front of him were two vampires, their red eyes burning into the white light of the moon guardian. "Stay here." Endymion told Usagi before jumping down from her window. Usagi gasped, rushing to the opening. She feared the worst, but he landed on the grass with ease and grace. Like the vampire in her dream. She covered her mouth.

"Who are you?" Jadiete asked in a stern voice. When Endymion landed at his side, he extended a hand in protection.

"Oh, he does have his guardians, huh?" It was a portly vampire who spoke, shooting them a toothy smile. Endymion returned the smile, and looked at Jadiete. "I'll assume they're here for me, aren't they?"

The second vampire laughed. He was tall and broad, with long, red hair. His dark eyes peered at Endymion before he grinned. "Partly."

Endymion's brows furrowed as he stretched his fingers, prepared and ready. Partly? "I suggest you leave." He hissed.

"I'm not sure if Beryl would want us to just leave." The portly vampire said.

A wind surrounded them, scooping up the leaves off the grass and into the air. Within seconds, the two lowly vampires were surrounded by Endymion's remaining guardians. Kunzite, with his eyes glowing bright, stared at the larger vampire and then at the smaller one. His fangs were bared, his lips twisted up and angry.

"Give Beryl a message." Endymion said in a threatening voice. Having been originally two on two, the vampire henchman thought their plan was perfect - whatever plan that was. They didn't anticipate his every protector to come to his aid. They were foolish to think otherwise. "It will take more than just you two lowly beasts to catch me."

The larger vampire snarled, his face changing into something and cruel. His eyebrows curved inward into his nose, and his fangs sprang to life, surrounded in saliva. His eyes were bright red, and his hands curled up into a claw. Jadiete couldn't hide his disgust. Never had they seen an impure vampire transform up close. Truly demons, they were. "We could take down tonight if we wanted to." The vampire hissed, saliva dripping down his chin.

"Try." Endymion lifted his chin, his eyes glowing fierce. He prepared himself for an attack, but none happened. Instead, the two vampires were transfixed on the window to Usagi's bedroom. The portly one grinned, shaking his head as he locked eyes with the blonde haired teen. "Ah, Lou is looking for you." He said.

The Prince looked up at her window, seeing her frightened face. He yelled as tried to lunge forward, but Jadiete stopped him. The moment he lifted his feet, the vampires were gone, leaving a cloud of dust and dirt where they once stood. Endymion, his heart pounding in his chest, looked at his guardians with his glowing eyes and extended fangs. "Find them!" He yelled his order, "Find Beryl!"

"Your Grace." Jadiete nodded his head as he looked at the others. Everyone looked at him, but Kunzite, who stared at the Prince with urgency. "We," Endymion took in a deep breath, but was unable to calm himself, "We will find this Lou."

"Your Grace." Kunzite nodded, and bowed, his hand to his heart. While the others darted into the night, Endymion turned back to Usagi's window. She stood there, white as a ghost, too frightened to move. "Luna!" He called to the window.

Having been summoned, Luna jumped onto the windowsill, and looked down at her Prince. Usagi sucked in a breath - how did he know her cat's name?

"Do not leave her side!" He ordered as he pointed up at the window. Luna nodded, but it wasn't enough for him. "Answer me." His voice was stern.

Usagi froze as she watched her cat sit straight, her ears back against her head. She expected her to meow, but instead, she heard a feminine voice leave her mouth. "Yes Your Grace." Luna said.

Usagi lost all sense of time and reality. She opened her mouth to say 'You talk?' But instead, the world went black and silent.