Daniel

"What do you mean she can't remember anything?" I snapped when Matt walked into my office. He'd taken Serenity to her apartment, leaving her with Susan. I could feel her frustration and anxiety through the bond and wanted to run over to her apartment - quite literally.

"It was crazy, sir. This guy walks out holding her arm like he's guiding her and Ren has a blank look on her face that vanishes when he lets go."

"Vampire?" I growled.

"That's what the crazy part is, he was human. I didn't see a single vamp except myself, but something else was there. It made my skin crawl, I don't know who or what it was, vamp or otherwise. Then when she tried to talk to me about the meeting, she said she couldn't remember anything. I've already sent her water bottle to the lab to check for drugs, but nothing is coming up so far."

 I threw my coffee mug against the wall just as Garen came in. "Seriously, man, you've got to stop destroying all the cups in this place. Now, someone tell me what has you worked up, and why Serenity isn't at her desk." I watched his anger build as Matt explained the situation once again. My anger was raging as I felt my beast push forward slightly.

"I want Genevieve here immediately," I growled.

"Daniel, are you sure that's what you want? You know she's a wildcard," Garen questioned. "Not to mention, she'll probably scare the fuck out of Serenity."

"Fine, but if you can't figure out what happened, then she might be our only option," I relented. He nodded and started making some calls. Turning my attention back to Matt I asked, "Is she safe enough with Susan?"

He grinned. "She's very safe. Of course, I also have a team of my personal best in the area, including one undercover who moved into the building a floor above Ren." I shook my head, a smile crossing my face, and my shoulders relaxed.

"Thanks, Matt. Now, let's go talk to the lab while Garen tries to work his magic on my girl." He gave me an odd look and then agreed as we headed to the lower level of the office complex. Having your own research lab comes in very handy.

Garen

I stared at her apartment door remember the last time I was here and felt the ache in my chest. Get it the fuck together, I chastised myself, she needs you. Taking a deep breath, I knocked.

Susan opened the door a sliver. "Garen? Is everything okay?" she asked opening the door wider to allow me in.

"Well, that's what I'm here to figure out." My eyes were immediately drawn to Serenity sitting on the sofa. She was wearing a pair of booty shorts and a crop top with a blanket draped over her lap and a cup of something hot in her hands. I quickly averted my eyes out of respect, but what I wanted to do was run my tongue along the inside of her thighs and make her scream my name.

"Garen? Is Daniel okay?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

I cleared my throat. "Yes, but he's worried about what Matt reported to us. Well, we were hoping you might let me try something." I moved toward her, thankful she had pulled the blanket over her legs fully. I'm not sure how much self-control I have. I gave Susan a look, and she quietly moved to the small kitchenette to give us privacy.

Serenity sat forward, placing her cup down. "Try what exactly?"

Sitting across from her, I explained, "You are already aware of part of my powers. However, my talents are a bit different when it comes to humans. I can sense when they've been influenced or manipulated."

"You think they did that compulsion thing on me like you did, don't you?" The waver in her voice betrayed her fears as I nodded. "But why can't I remember? When yours faded, I knew or at least had an idea that my date wasn't entirely my idea."

Instinctively I reached for her hand, covering it with mine. The bond flared on my side and I instantly felt her fear trying to drown me, but also her sense of failure. She felt she had failed Daniel as well as the rest of us. She felt weak and it broke my soul. "Serenity, I need you to understand there are different types of compulsion. It is completely natural to forget if that is what the individual wants. When I pushed you, I didn't want to force you into anything. Instead, I pulled on your desire to be with Daniel and encouraged it. I would never make you do something against your will."

A tear rolled down her cheek, "Can you make me remember?"

"I'm going to try, I promise," I replied softly as I swiped away the tear. She nodded as her body relaxed slightly. "I need to warn you that this process is a bit, um, personal. It will require me to look into your mind. I apologize if I see something you'd rather I didn't, but I promise to keep what I see outside of the meeting in strict confidence. Are you willing to let me try?" She nodded again. "I need words, darling." I bit my tongue as I realized the pet name I'd spoken, but she didn't seem to notice with her current state.

"Yes, Garen, I permit you to see my thoughts. Please, just help me find some answers. I'm trying to be brave, but I'm terrified. I mean, what if they did something to me, like...." her cheeks flushed and she cringed at her thoughts. A growl escaped my lips as her eyes widened.

"I promise you, if they laid a hand on you, they will pay with their lives."

She flipped her hand to squeeze mine and whispered, "Thank you, Garen."

"I will always protect you, Serenity," I spoke plainly, then added, "You are my best friend's Eternal and my future Queen."

Serenity

Garen had me lie down on the couch as he spoke softly to me. He went to pull his hand out of mine, but the moment our skin lost contact, my fears raged again. He frowned for a moment, then intertwined our fingers as he placed his other hand on my forehead. The wave of calm was instantaneous just like when Daniel would touch me. I couldn't help but look into his grey eyes with wonder.

"Okay, first I'm going to try and see if I can find any magical residue from a spell or compulsion. It will feel a bit like a warm blanket covering your skin at first, but it might cause some discomfort if the magic tries to block me. I need you to let me know if you're hurting. Do you understand me, Serenity? Don't push yourself or I can't do this. I need to trust that you will be honest with me." The concern on his face had me quickly agreeing.

His eyes held me captive as he brushed his fingers across my forehead. My body felt warm and weightless as if I were floating on a gentle river in the summertime. Then a sharp pain filled my chest. An image of Garen being whipped filled my mind. His skin was ripped from his back as the figure of a man cursed him. It took me a moment to realize it wasn't Garen as an adult but as a young boy - a young human boy. I tried to cry out, demanding the man stop, but the words were stolen from my lips as a scream ripped through me. The vision stopped and I found myself in Garen's arms as he rocked me gently.

"Oh darling, I'm so sorry, so sorry," he kept muttering. I sobbed against his shoulder, wrapping my arms around his waist. "Susan, call Daniel! Get him here now!" he growled over my head.

My hands moved slightly, feeling the scars and I gasped. When I pulled back and met his gaze his eyes were sorrow-filled. "Garen," I whispered, "Oh my gods, what did he do to you?"

He shook his head, "How did you do that? How the hell did you get into my memories, Serenity?"

"I...I don't know. I've never done that before. I thought you were going to look in mine, then the next thing I know I'm watching some man beat you horribly," I sobbed, my fingers gripping his shirt.

He was staring at me in confusion when my apartment door slammed open and Daniel burst in, "What the fuck happened? Why is she crying?" He quickly grabbed me away from Garen, checking over every inch of me. "What. the. Fuck. happened?" he growled, baring his fangs.

"Daniel, stop," I pleaded. "Garen didn't do anything, I'm not hurt, just confused."

He instantly cupped my face, kissing me hard, then sighed, "I'm sorry, to both of you. Now will someone tell me why my Eternal is crying and my best friend looks like he's seen a ghost?"

"She saw my memories, well at least one of them from when I was still a human child." Garen looked a mix of sad and horrified as he spoke. "I was trying to sense any magic when suddenly it was like we were both sucked into a pocket of time. I don't think she even saw me - this version of me, as I watched her try to stop my father from whipping me."

Daniel's eyes flicked between the two of us, his mouth gaping. "Wait, she saw you before you were turned? How is that even possible? Serenity?"

I huffed in anger pulling away from him as I stood, the blanket pooling at my feet. "Will you two stop acting like I did something wrong? I don't even know what the fuck just happened, but it was horrible!" A soft growl emanated from both of them and I rolled my eyes, "Will you two cavemen get the fuck over my legs and focus?" Susan let out a snort of laughter from the kitchen, then quickly dipped her head, trying to hide her smile when they glared at her.

"I'm sorry," Garen said, his voice thick with emotion. "Please, sit down."

As if a jolt of electricity hit me, I backed up and cried out at his words, "No, please, I don't want to do this. Please, please don't ask me to hurt him." My knees hit the coffee table and I went crashing down as I still tried to scramble away.

 Daniel moved towards me as I fought back. "Shh, Serenity. It's okay. No one is making you do anything." He shared a confused look with Garen and said something else, but the darkness swallowed me before I could hear it.

Daniel

She lay on her bed as we sat on the edge of it. "What the hell just happened, Garen?" I noticed him watching her just as intently as I was.

"I don't know. I had just managed to pick up on a trace of magic when suddenly I'm back in Vienna with my father flogging my back." His eyes watered, "She watched it all, Daniel. Every strike he rained down on me then she began begging him to stop and we were sucked back to the present and she was screaming bloody murder. I was trying to calm her down while Susan called you when you burst in." His hand reached for his back, "She hugged me and felt the welts. I'm not sure if the vision or the realization that it happened to me shook her more."

"Do you think it was a spell that triggered when you began probing her mind?"

"I suppose it's possible, but how could anyone know about that moment and what purpose would it serve?" He reached out for her but quickly pulled back. "I fully believe she was compelled, but I wasn't able to dig enough to try and figure out by who or what happened to her." For the first time in my life, I saw my best friend cry as he continued. "She's afraid they touched her, and after her outburst, I'm not sure they didn't. One thing I am certain of is that they realize what she is to you, Daniel. They know she's your Eternal and they want to weaponize her against you."

Cold fear slithered around my heart while red-hot anger filled my soul. My beast called for blood. How dare they touch or threaten what is ours?