Chapter 7: The Siren comes out to play

As Darien drove Serena home, he couldn't help but glance at her out of the corner of his eye. An awkward silence filled the car neither person knowing what to say or if they should even say anything. It was Darien who made the first move.

"So, Serena why did you move away from home?" a valid question thought Darien

"My mother believed it was time I went out into the world and saw as much as I could before I got married." Serena lied through her teeth

"So, you're not staying?" Darien felt surprisingly disappointed when he heard that Serena might not be staying.

"No, I will stay just because my mother thinks I'm ready to marry doesn't mean I think I'm ready."

"Oh, well I guess that makes sense."

"What about you Mr. Shields-"

"Serena it's after work hours, call me Darien."

"Alright, anyway what about you Darien how did you get into the business you're in now?"

"Family business, I inherited it from my father after he died." Darien's voice sounded bored and vacant.

"Do you not like it?" Serena figured that since he was doing his job that naturally he liked what he was doing.

"It's ok there are some perks like going to big parties, but then there's all the pressure of being the CEO of a large company."

"I see" Serena knew exactly what he was talking about. Being the heiress to the underwater throne can be a burden sometimes.

"Well I think we're here." Darien said he pulled up to a small apartment complex.

Serena got out of the car and looked at the apartment complex. It was four stories made out brick with white shutters on every window and the door was a dark green. In front of the door were four steps that led up to the door. Serena was so engrossed in looking at the house that she didn't notice Darien come up behind her, so she jumped when she felt a hand on the small of her back.

"Whoa sorry Serena didn't mean to startle you." Darien said with his hands in the air.

"It's not you're fault it's just after the incident with Seiya, I'm a little jumpy."

"Naturally, shall we go in?"

"Yes, let's."

The two people walked into the apartment complex and walked into the elevator; when they got in the elevator, Serena moved into the nearest corner and sunk into it. Darien starred at her with curiosity; he had never seen someone do this before. He moved closer to Serena.

"Serena are you alright?"

"Ye-yes I'm fine I just don't care for tight spaces very much."

"Oh I understand when I was a kid I was afraid of high cliffs."

Serena looked up at him; tears were starting to form at the edge of her eyes, "Why were you afraid of high cliffs?"

"Because I almost fell off of one when I was seven."

Serena wiped away the forming tears, "How did you over come your fear?"

Darien smiled, "I just kept telling myself that if I were to almost fall off a cliff again that someone would always be there to catch me."

"Really?"

"Well that and I stood near the edge of a cliff everyday for hours until I got over it, but that little pep talk helped." Serena giggled

Darien began pulling Serena out of the corner as they neared their floor, but she seemed too reluctant to leave the safety of her corner, so Darien took it very slowly.

"So why are you afraid of tight spaces?" he asked trying to keep her mind occupied.

"When I was six one of the neighborhood boys locked me in a box for a 'magic trick', but unfortunately for me he was not good at the magic trick so I stayed locked in the box for an hour before my father finally got it open." Serena shivered remembering how she felt.

"Wow that is a dozy, what happened to the boy?"

"He and his family were ban-" Serena stopped if she told Darien that he was banished he would begin to wonder where she was from.

"He and his family what?" Darien asked trying to get answer out of her.

"Oh um he and his family moved away after that. I never saw him again." Her voice filled with sorrow

"I'm sorry Serena" Darien put a hand on her shoulder as a means of comfort.

"It's ok I don't even remember his name."

Just before Darien could say something, the elevator dinged and the doors opened; the duo stepped out of the elevator and walked towards Mina's apartment. Serena opened the door with her key and walked into her new home and gasped; Mina's house was beautiful. The walls were painted an ocean blue with pictures of various sceneries everywhere. The floors were half wood and half carpet. The carpet was a sort of "off white" and the wood floors were dark mahogany. The furniture in the living room consisted of an armchair, love seat, and a couch all the same light orange color and there was a big plasma screen TV right across from the couch. The kitchen was done in what looked like marble and it was a big kitchen which was good because between the two girls, they would be needing a lot of cooking space. The dinning room was very simple just a dark cherry wood table with six matching chairs. Serena was in awe as she looked around Mina's apartment, she couldn't believe that Mina could afford all of this.

"Oh my Goddess." Serena whispered under her breath

"What was that Serena?" Darien said coming in behind her

"Oh I was just marveling at how beautiful Mina's home is. How can she afford all of this?"

Darien chuckled, "Andrew pays his staff well plus Drew likes to spoil his girlfriends."

"Oh" Serena continued to look around the apartment. As she traveled further in, Serena saw that there was a small spiral staircase leading to an upstairs. Serena looked at it curiously. She turned to Darien and asked.

"Where is my room?" it was a good question because Mina didn't tell them which room was her's.

"My guess is the one upstairs, Mina hates having to go up and down stairs even ones as small as those."

Serena giggled, "Yep, that's our Mina."

Serena then ventured upstairs to see her room; as she walked up the metal staircase, she could hear Darien's footsteps behind her signaling that he was following her. When Serena reached the top, she saw three doors. She turned around just in time to see Darien reach the top.

"I don't know which door to open." Serena's voice was slightly panicked

Darien laughed quietly to himself, "I don't think Mina will mind if you open all of them Serena. Let's try this one first." He pointed to the one right in front of her which ended up being the middle door.

Serena opened the door and found a bathroom; it was almost as if it was meant to be her's. The colors were variations of purple and blue; Serena's two favorite colors. Everything was soft and fuzzy and was definitely a girl's bathroom. Serena could feel that Darien was getting a little uncomfortable being in this room, so she asked if they could try the door to the right of this one. Darien happily agreed and they left closing the door behind him. The next door they opened was an actual room, but it was so bland looking as if no one had ever used it before. There were no colors just grays and whites everywhere.

"Must be one of the guest rooms." Darien said

"How do you know?" Serena asked looking up at Darien

"Mina only decorates one guest room unless she knows that she's going to have a lot of people over." Serena looked at him almost as if saying 'how do you know this?'

"Mina told us one day at lunch." Serena gave a knowing look and moved on to the next room on the other side of the bathroom door.

Serena and Darien walked down the hall to the other room and once they opened the door, Serena knew this would be her room. It was perfect. The colors were blue, black, and silver. The walls were blue with swirls of silver and black paint, the bed was a queen size with a blue comforter, black sheets, and silver pillows. The carpet was an off white and very soft. There was a vanity to Serena's left that was oak painted black giving it a sophisticated look and the iron work on it was bright silver. Serena walked over to what she assumed was a closet and boy was she happy; Serena's closet was a rather large walk in closet that was white on the inside with black doors. Serena turned around and looked at her room.

"I absolutely love this room." Serena said excitedly

"Well that good." Darien said, Serena turned to look at him and saw him sexily leaning against hr doorframe.

'Oh my Goddess'

'Tell me about it. He looks hot. Let's jump him'

'We will do no such thing! He is our boss!'

'So, Mina's sleeping her boss. Why can't we?'

'Because unlike Mina I am a princess and princesses do not just 'jump' any guy they want.'

'You're no fun'

'Too bad'

After finishing her talk with her inner Siren, Serena walked towards Darien and asked if he was hungry. At first he said that he wasn't, but that was when his stomach took the chance to speak up. It growled and Serena giggled, she grabbed Darien's hand and led him downstairs to the kitchen.

"Now how about some…" Serena didn't know anything about human foods only mermaid.

"Mina's got some cook books if you want to look at those for ideas." Darien suggested

"An excellent idea." Serena grabbed a random cook book and picked the easiest thing to fix; spaghetti.

As Serena made the spaghetti, Darien couldn't take his eyes off of her; he could see why Seiya wanted her so much not only was she beautiful and intelligent, but she could cook too. Darien loved a woman that could cook, but he noticed that she was vey careful when cooking. After she made them dinner Serena invited him to stay and watch TV while she cleaned up. However, Darien insisted that he do the cleaning because she cooked, but then Serena remembered that in order to wash the dishes she would have to get wet, so she agreed and sat down on the couch. As Darien washed the dishes, Serena had another conversation with her inner Siren.

'Come one Serena we could seduce him very easily all it would take is one little tune.'

'No he is my boss and a friend and I refuse to do that to him.'

'Do you have any idea how easy it would be to seduce him! I mean come on he's already attracted to us, so just even the simplest of tune would make him crumple and we could have him eating out of the palm of our hands.'

'I said no!' Serena was getting quite annoyed with her inner Siren.

'Very well then you leave me with no choice.'

'What are you talking-' before Serena could finish her question, her inner siren began trying to take over and take control of her body. Serena fought against her trying to remember all the lessons her mother taught her about this.

Flashback

An eighteen year old Serena sat at a desk listening to her mother babble on about something having to do with her inner Siren. Serena, being the stubborn student that she was, wasn't paying attention and missed everything her mother told her. At this point, Queen Selene was getting very frustrated with her daughter.

"Serenity are you listening to me?" Selene asked angrily

"Yes, mother I am." Serena said sounding very bored

"Then repeat what I just said about the technique to stop your inner siren from taking control."

"…"

"That's what I thought."

"I'm sorry Mother, but it's such a beautiful day out and everyone else is outside enjoying it while I'm stuck in here learning." Serena huffed

"I'm sorry my dear, but you have to learn to control you inner Siren or else she may get you into trouble. Do you understand?"

"Yes Mother I understand."

"Very good, now to keep your siren under control, you have to sing to it."

"…excuse me?"

"You have to almost sedate your inner siren, but you can't just sing any song you have to find a particular song that will stop her from taking control."

"What's my song Mother?"

"I don't know dear you'll have to get to know your inner siren and find out."

End Flashback

Serena tried desperately to remember the song that would sedate her siren, but it was too late she had already taken control of Serena and was now getting ready to make a move on Darien. Darien finished doing the dishes and walked into the living room only to find Serena in a very sexy position. She was lying down with a pillow behind her back propping her up slightly and her shirt was unbuttoned to where it was showing cleavage, but not too much. Her feet were bare and one foot was moving up and down her other leg almost massaging it. Her hair was slightly messed up and the look in her eyes just screamed lust and sex. Darien found himself majorly turned on.

"Umm Serena are you ok?" Darien was finding it hard to make complete sentences.

Serena giggled, got up and walked towards Darien's frozen body; he watched as her hips swayed from side to side. She almost looked like she was hunting and her gaze was set on him. She walked up to him and walked two fingers up his chest until they reached his shoulders where she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I'm quite fine Darien, but you look a little hot yourself. Why don't you take off that heavy jacket?" At this point Darien was willing to do anything she said.

Darien took off his jacket to reveal a white shirt with the first few buttons undone showing off some of his chest. Serena licked her lips and led him back to the couch where they sat down. Serena leaned in close to Darien's ear and whispered deeply.

"Come play with me Darien." Her voice practically dripping sex

Darien just starred at Serena not really sure he had heard her right, but he hoped he had. When Serena saw him hesitate, she began humming a simple tune that every siren is taught at child birth. Darien's eyes began to glaze over and fill with passion and lust; it was then that Serena's siren knew she almost had him, she just had to keep humming. Darien began leaning in closer to Serena closer and closer until-

'Wait now I remember!' Serena then started singing her inner siren's song which stopped her humming and her assault on Darien.

'NO I don't want to go back I just got out!' But it was too late Serena had already sang the entire song subduing her inner siren and pulling her back into the recesses of her mind and giving Serena back control.

When Serena regained control, the humming ceased and Darien returned to reality only to find himself dangerously close to Serena's lips. Darien was very tempted to finish what he started, they heard the door opened and they practically jumped away from each other. The door opened to reveal Mina who had finally come home after a "hard" day at work; Mina closed the door and walked over to the two watching TV.

"Hi guys"

"Hey Mina" they said simultaneously

"Thanks for driving her home Darien." Mina said as she walked into the kitchen

"Anytime. How was work I hope you didn't strain yourself too hard." Darien said with a hint of sarcasm

"Of course not silly. So did you guys get something to eat?"

"Yeah Serena made us some spaghetti. It was really good." Darien said as he looked at Serena just in time to see her blush at the compliment

"It was nothing really just a recipe I picked out of one of your cook books."

"Well I'm glad you guys already ate because I really didn't feel like cooking for two. Hell I barely feel like cooking for myself, but I'm really hungry."

"There's some leftover spaghetti in the refrigerator if you want." Serena said pointing to the fridge.

"Sweet!" Mina immediately went for it. As Mina ate, Darien got up from the couch.

"Well it's late and I should really get going. Thanks for the food Serena it was really delicious."

Serena got up as well and walked him to the door, "I'm glad you liked it actually it was my first time making it or even having it."

"Really? I never would have guessed. So, you've really never made spaghetti or even ate some?"

"No, Mina and I come from a very different culture than yours." Serena said as she leaned against the door.

"You'll have to tell me about it sometime." Darien flashed Serena a very charming smile.

"Maybe someday" Serena said even though she knew that day would never come

"Well good night ladies I'll see you tomorrow and Serena please try to stay out of trouble this time."

Serena giggled, "I'll try good night Darien."

Serena closed the door and walked back over to the couch and sat down only to have Mina plumb down next to her with a Cheshire cat grin on her face. Serena looked at her like she was crazy.

"What?"

"You like him don't you?"

"Who Darien? Absolutely not I mean come on he's my boss for Goddess' sake."

"I fell for Andrew who is my boss."

"Well that's different."

"How?"

"You've known him longer and…"

"And what?"

"You like a lot of guys there I said it."

Mina put her hands on her hips, "I do not like a lot of guys!"

"Mina can you count all your boyfriends on both hands?"

"…"

"Exactly my point."

"Well so at least I've had boyfriends. "

"Hey I'm a princess we're not allowed to have boyfriends let alone be in the same room alone with them."

"True"

"But something weird happened before you got here."

"Ooo what happened? Tell me" Mina bounced up and down until Serena put a hand on her head stopping her bouncing.

"My siren came out to play."