Memento Mori

The patrons at the fourth-level nightclub, Selket, stirred anxiously. They shifted their weight from side to side and eagerly stared at the empty stage. The main show room was all but silent; the clinking of fine crystal goblets and the occasional whisper were the only things audible. The lush inner atmosphere of club Selket was ripe with Gothic elegance, from the cast iron chandeliers to the red velvet curtains, the club oozed with mystical charm. A sweet smell of rosewood wafted through the room and found its way to Annika Nesicha.

"Isn't that smell divine?" she asked her companions for that night - Obi-Wan, Ciel, Xarae, and Chikako.

Chikako breathed deeply. "It is nice... even though this place is sort of spooky." She ran her fingertips over the gilded edges of the parchment paper menus, noticing that everything was vegetarian and the only beverages were water and wine. Chikako had never heard of most of the entrees, but she also noticed that no one was eating. Most of the people had only glasses of blood red wine. She exchanged looks with Ciel - at least she thought it was Ciel - the room was dimly lit, illuminated only by the light of many candles.

Ciel sat next to an unphased Xarae. She wished she felt comfortable like her, and for that matter, Annika. It was Annika's suggestion that they come to Selket. Ciel was unsure why she even agreed to join her friends; perhaps it was because of Annika's glowing review of the singer who had yet to grace the stage.

"Her name is Lamia. She sings jazz and blues... and some of the most bittersweet love songs you'll ever hear! Plus, she plays the piano!" Annika had gushed a few days before. She was a huge fan and had somehow talked Ciel, Xarae, Chikako, and Obi-Wan into attending a special one-night-only concert.

Now, as Ciel sat twirling a black satin napkin in her hands, she really wished she'd stayed back at the Room Behind the Waterfall. She had a bad feeling about all of this.

People began to applaud suddenly, and Xarae glanced around the stage but saw no one; she and Obi-Wan shrugged and started to clap.

A few moments later a tall, shadowy figure glided onto the stage. As it approached the centre, the candlelight illuminated the shape of a very voluptuous woman. She wore a slinky black velvet gown and long black gloves that stopped midway up her hand, allowing her long fingers and crimson fingernails to wrap themselves around her microphone. Leaning her full lips nearer to her bizarre, metal-winged mic, and smiled delicately. Her beautiful, angelic face was framed by a head of thick, black curls that draped down to the small of her back. Up to this point, her eyes had been closed, but she raised her eyelids to reveal clear, silver-coloured orbs. Her eyes sparkled like glass and moved slowly over her attentive audience. That's when she saw them - all four of them. They were sitting in the back of the room, but even from that distance, she could sense their heartbeats... feel their lifeforce flowing through their veins.

The soft strains of the first song she was to sing played, and Lamia took a deep breath.

"My funny Valentine... sweet comic Valentine... you make me smile with my heart..."

Her voice was so beautiful, deep, intoxicating. It seemed to enter every cell, every fibre of the listeners' body. It got into the deepest recesses of the mind, flowed under skin, and became one with the blood.

"Is your figure less than Greek... is your mouth a little weak... when you open it to speak... are you smart...?" Lamia smiled as the rhythmic whoosh of the crowd's hearts beating grew synchronised and beat together. "But don't change a thing for me... not if you care for me... stay little Valentine stay... each day is Valentine's Day..." The song ended to hushed silence, the crowd awed by her voice and stage presence.

She sauntered over to a full, black, ten-foot concert grand piano. A small pale blonde girl pulled the bench out her Lamia to sit. In the back of the room, Annika was marvelling at the red-velvet-covered bench and the overall beauty of the instrument. Then she watched as Lamia's graceful fingers positioned themselves in the key of A minor. The first chord caught Annika's breath, and the haunting melody captured her and the rest of the patrons, holding them hostage until the last note echoed from the piano. After only two more brief songs, the show drew to a close, and Lamia departed the stage to rigorous applause.

Ciel had completely changed her mind by the time she and her friends stood to leave. She was happy that she'd come and unhappy that the show was over. It was strange - she felt sad and lonely now that Lamia had stopped singing. She glanced at the faces of her friends and realised they shared the same empty feeling. Without warning, the small pale blonde girl who was on stage earlier walked toward Obi-Wan. She handed him a white piece of parchment, which he unfolded to reveal deep red script.

He read aloud: "You and your party are formally invited to join Lamia Valentine in her private suite."

"Her private suite? Let's go!" Annika cried. She grabbed Xarae's hand and began to walk after the pale blonde until Obi-Wan stopped them.

"This is a very bad idea. Let's just go home."

Chikako spoke up next to voice her opinion. "Honestly, I feel like the Force is pushing me away - telling me to go." Ciel and Xarae agreed.

"Well," Annika said, "I'm still going."

"I'll go with you, Annika," Xarae said. Even though she was feeling danger, her interest in meeting the captivating singer was almost overpowering.

Obi-Wan said something then that he instantly regretted. "Annika, you can't feel the Force, so you don't understand what the rest of us feel."

Xarae winced.

Tears filled Annika's eyes. "So you have to protect me? I can't make up my own mind, is that it? I'm so different from all of you..." she said, releasing Xarae's hand. "I'm the only one without Force abilities, so you all need to tell me what to do? I can make my own choices in life, and I choose to meet an idol of mine!" She stomped off in the backstage direction.

Obi-Wan bit his tongue to keep from swearing. He had never known anyone who could rile his emotions like Annika - a trait he loved and hated. "I suppose," he said, "I have no choice but to follow her. You three can go."

Ciel and Chikako quickly gathered their belongings. Now that the magic spell around Lamia had faded, the spookiness of their surroundings was remembered, and they wanted to leave. Xarae folded her arms and sighed.

"I'll stay too, just in case a senshi is needed." She walked Chikako and Ciel to the door; then she and Obi-Wan joined Annika next to the red velvet curtains.

The pale blonde wisp of a girl walked up to them and motioned for them to follow. Coming to an antique wooden door, she turned the crystal knob and it opened to a dark tunnel. Trailing it until reaching another door, Obi-Wan struggled hard to connect with the living Force so he could get a better control on the warnings he was feeling. He and Xarae looked at each other with knowing eyes.

With a low creak the door moved, and a beautiful red-haired woman stood and smiled. She wore a white dress and long white gloves.

"Aa, you've decided to stay, I see. Lamia will be pleased," she drawled with an exotic accent. She turned to address the pale blonde girl. "Lilith, please escort our guests to the sitting room."

The blonde girl, Lilith, led Annika, Obi-Wan and Xarae to a large, formal room. It was decorated in various shades of black and deep red with the occasional smattering of gold and silver. As before, there was no electric light, only candles. Hundreds of them glittered around the room. Annika saw a comfortable-looking settee in front of her. It was crimson velvet and had lion's claw feet. Judging from its appearance, it must have been seriously old. Everything in the room was antique - crystal wine decanters, atomizers, more iron chandeliers, and heavy wooden tables. The room was lush and befitting a musical diva.

Suddenly, the woman with red hair walked from behind another door. She carried a tray with four crystal goblets filled with red wine sitting in its centre.

"Good evening. My name is Cinnamon. Lamia will be with you momentarily," she said. "Please... sit." She gestured to the settee.

Annika, Xarae, and Obi-Wan sat silently as Cinnamon and Lilith left the room.

"We need to be careful and be on guard," Obi-Wan said mostly to Xarae. "And don't drink the wine - it might be laced with something."

Annika scoffed. "You can't be serious. Why would she lure us back here just to drug us?"

"My senses are telling me that we are in danger... I should never have allowed you to accept the invitation."

"Allow me?"

Xarae rolled her eyes. "Knock it off you two! You've bickered all night long!"

"Well, where is she anyway?" Obi-Wan fumed. He was upset at this whole situation. His relationship with Annika had been shaky from the moment they'd decided to see each other again, and he wished she'd just agree to leave now, before something bad happened.

As if on cue, yet another door opened, and Lamia confidently strode to the centre of the room. She had changed her gown and now wore a form-fitting red silk gown. The hem brushed the marble floor, and a slit wound from her feet to her upper thigh. Around her neck dangled a diamond and ruby heart, suspended from a diamond-encrusted chain.

"It is such a pleasure to meet you all. Welcome to my home," she spoke. Her speaking voice was just as beautiful as her singing one.

"Wow! You live here?" Annika gushed.

"Yes. I own Selket, and the back quarters are where I live along with my servants. My name is Lamia Valentine - wonderful to make your acquaintances."

"It is so great to meet you! My name is Annika. This is Xarae... and this is Obi-Wan."

Lamia gracefully lowered herself into a high-backed, black-velvet-lined chair. For a few moments, no one said anything; Lamia just looked them over. Then she smiled as if she had just figured out something.

"I hate to impose, but could you help me for a moment in another room, Annika?" Lamia asked.

Obi-Wan jumped up and held his hand protectively in front of his girlfriend. "Please allow me to help you, Miss Valentine," he said.

Before Annika could complain, Lamia had led Obi-Wan through a door. They were in a torch-lit stairwell. Starting their descent, Lamia said, "This should only take a moment - I can't express my gratitude to you enough."

"It's not a problem." He cleared his throat. "Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Not at all."

"Why did you invite us to meet you?"

Lamia stopped at the bottom of the stairs and chuckled. She quickly rounded on him and pinned his shoulders against the cold stone wall with ease. She placed two fingernails onto his lips and smiled. Her eyes bored holes into Obi-Wan's as she ran her other hand over his neck.

"You're so warm... so full of life..."

Obi-Wan said, quite calmly, "Miss Valentine, I'm flattered. But I have -"

"A girlfriend... I know... the one upstairs. Guess what? I don't care." She leaned into him and brushed her lips across his. He tried to push her away, but she was extraordinarily strong. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"I don't..." He stopped. "Annika?" The woman in front of him was no longer the black-haired woman, but his girlfriend.

"Oh Obi-Wan, I'm so scared. Hold me," she said. She placed her head onto his shoulder for the briefest of moments before trailing soft kisses down his neck.

"Annika... this is really... not the time..." he managed to say. He began to find it harder and harder to concentrate as one of Annika's hands ran through his hair and the other rested on his chest. His heart beat faster and his body flushed when Annika ran her tongue from the base of his neck up to his hairline. He then felt her teeth graze his neck, causing his skin to prickle. Suddenly, two of her teeth penetrated the skin on his neck, and he gasped.

"Annika! You bit me!" he yelled. Reaching up to his neck, he dabbed at the small drops of fresh blood. His angry eyes shot over to the woman still leaning against his chest. He quickly pushed her away in horror when he saw the woman was not Annika, but rather Lamia Valentine. Obi-Wan blinked a few times at her and placed a hand to his head. "I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over me... I thought you..." He backed up the stairs in a daze, then turned and ran the rest of the way.

"He got away," Lilith said, walking up behind Lamia. "I thought you used the Glamour spell on him."

"I did. And he didn't escape, I allowed him to leave. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to set the rest of my plan into motion." Lamia walked up the stairs just in time to see Obi-Wan physically pulling Annika out of the door.

"Just a moment," she said walking over to Annika. She reached under her hair and released the clasp on her necklace. Taking Annika's hand, she poured the expensive bauble into her hand. "I noticed you admiring this, and I'd like you to have it."

Obi-Wan snatched it from Annika's hand and gave it back. "She doesn't want your gift."

"Yes, it is. I do like the necklace... but it is far too expensive. I can't accept it."

"Yes, you can. I insist."

Annika smiled as Lamia handed her back the necklace. Obi-Wan sighed heavily, then forced Annika to leave with him without even saying goodbye to their host. Xarae was waiting outside of club Selket.

"I was beginning to worry," she said.

Annika mulled over the events of the previous night in her mind. She was furious at Obi-Wan for treating her like a child. Turning the necklace Lamia had given her around in her hands, she decided she needed to talk to someone. It was mid-afternoon, however, and most of the senshi were busy. Annika saw Chuoko walk past and she grabbed her arm.

"Chuoko, I know you're only thirteen, but I've got to talk to you."

The brunette shrugged her shoulders and smiled. "Okay. What's up?"

"It's about me and Obi-Wan."

Chuoko sighed. She was really tired of hearing about Annika's troubles with the Jedi. Unfortunately, there seemed to be no escape in sight. She sat down next to Annika on the purple couch in the common room and tucked her feet under her knees. Noticing the necklace in Annika's hands and the worried look on her face, Chuoko furrowed her brow. She could tell it had to have cost a small fortune, a fortune that Obi-Wan couldn't afford.

"You know, I think whatever it is, it'll work out. You two are destined... right?"

Annika lowered her head into her hands, "I don't know anymore. My feelings have changed. I'm so confused."

"Are you sure... I mean... it's so sudden."

"That's just the thing Chou-chan - it's not so sudden. I love Obi-Wan... but... it's a different feeling than before. What if I'm only staying with him because we're 'destined'? Who says we're destined, anyway? What if we're not?"

"I thought you worked all this stuff out... you and Obi-Wan," Chuoko said, laying a hand on her friend's arm.

"I don't know. I thought we had... but... ever since Ame appeared, he's been different around me. I wonder if the reality of our future together is too much for him? Sometimes, it's too much for me." Annika stood up and left the room, leaving Chuoko sad and concerned for her.

Annika walked aimlessly around the Room of a Thousand Waterfalls for the millionth time. She looked down at the necklace and decided to return it to Lamia; she couldn't keep something so expensive.

The nightclubs on Coruscant were never closed, so Annika was surprised to find Selket with its doors locked. At first, she thought maybe she should knock, but the door was so thick and heavy that no one would possibly hear her. Just when she was about to leave, a tall man with charcoal-black hair approached her. He was wearing a long black cloak with the hood covering most of his face, but Annika could see he was wearing sunglasses.

"Are you Annika?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

"We've been expecting you," he said casually. With a wave of his hand the large black door with the insignia of a scorpion swung open, and he escorted Annika into the empty club.

It was so dark and deserted that Annika could barely see until the man with her lit some candles. Suddenly the room was awash in a soft glow. The room was exactly the same as the night before, except it was empty. Each table had a single black rose in the middle, surrounded by two black candles. The man turned to Annika and removed his cloak and glasses. Annika couldn't help staring at him; he was gorgeous. He looked like a movie star. He waved his hand in the air, and a red rose appeared between his fingers.

"Roses. They are your favourite flowers, yes?"

Annika clapped and smiled. "Yes! How did you do that?"

"Simple magic," he said handing her the flower. "Follow me - Lamia has been waiting for you."

They traced the path from the night before and ended up in the same sitting room, only this time, the man walked over to a door. He stopped just before opening it and laughed a bit.

"I'm terribly sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. Sometimes I can be really forgetful. My name is Doll. It's nice to meet you."

Annika was surprised when he reached out and kissed her hand. She blushed, but was fascinated.

"I'm forgetful too... but you already know my name."

"That's right." He gazed into her eyes for a few moments longer before walking her back over to the door. "This way." He outstretched his hand. Annika walked through the door and found herself in a hallway. Directly a few feet away from her was another door. Doll smiled and whispered into her ear, "Through that door are several answers to your questions. You must be prepared to know the truth."

Annika turned to ask him, 'What questions?' but he had vanished. All she wanted to do was return a necklace, not 'know the truth'. The door swung open before she could think about it anymore, and against her judgment, she slowly walked into the dark room. Her heart was beating faster, and she started to panic as the door closed behind her. She was afraid. She was on the verge of mentally exploding when a small light appeared to Annika's right. As her eyes grew accustomed to the brightness, she saw the figure of a woman's hand holding the light. It was a match. The woman's hand brought the match to a waiting candlewick, and suddenly hundreds of candles sprang to life.

"Welcome once again, Annika," Lamia whispered.

"Oh! You startled me!"

"I know," she laughed. "I know a lot about you actually, Your Highness."

The room was now fully illuminated, and Annika saw that it was a bedroom... albeit a bizarre and beautiful one. In the centre of the room was a large wooden canopy bed with large red velvet drapes that hung down in giant swoops to the floor. The bedspread was black satin with four black satin pillows topping it off. The floor was hard wood, housing several large tables and strange statues. Annika recognised some of them as gargoyles, and some were angels. Even though the room had no windows, the walls had heavy velvet curtains lining them. The strangest thing in the room was located in the far right corner. To Annika, it looked like an extremely large birdcage. The bars were obviously black cast iron, and it sat suspended on four winged feet. Inside the cage were a large bed, table and an antique wooden swing. Flowered vines twisted their way up several of the iron bars, making it looks less sinister and downright pretty.

Lamia walked over to a chair that sat close to a dark mahogany armoire. She twirled a strand of her glorious black curls between her fingers and stared at Annika.

"I," Annika began, "I came to return this necklace. I really love it, but I just can't accept it."

"That's how you greet me?"

"I'm sorry! It is an honour to meet with you again, Miss Valentine."

"Call me Lamia."

"Okay. Well... like I said, the necklace..."

"Who cares about the necklace? Why can't you keep it? You're a Princess - you should be used to expensive gifts."

"Actually, I haven't received what I would consider an 'expensive gift' in a long time." Annika bit her lip. She didn't know why she said that; it just slipped out.

"Would you like a glass of wine, Annika?"

"No thank you. I should really just go.""You don't want to leave... do you?"

"No, but -" She paused. She didn't know why she was telling this woman things that she would rather have kept to herself. She also didn't know why she wanted to stay, other than there was something familiar about this whole situation, as if she'd lived it, or something like it, before. She saw Lamia watching her - a small grin on her lips - almost as if she knew Annika's thoughts.

"Do me a favour, Love, and sit. Standing makes me nervous," Lamia breathed. Taking to one of the nearby high-backed chairs, Annika sat and blushed. She felt very odd suddenly, as if she had seen this place before.

"Much better. That chair suits you; you look regal, like the Royalty you are. Now, how about that wine?"

"No thank you. Seriously, I just came to return the necklace."

"Why? I know you like it."

"I like it very much. But I don't have any place to wear this... it would be useless for me to have."

"Who told you that? Why can't you wear it whenever you please?" Lamia said nonchalantly. She walked over to an old record player. She wound it up, then placed the needle onto a black plastic disc. Music flowed from a copper-coloured horn that was attached to the music player. Annika had only seen one of the strange devices in an old movie Ippin had brought from earth.

"It's called a gramophone," Lamia said, once again sensing Annika's thoughts. "Put the necklace on."

"Excuse me?"

"Here, allow me to help you." She placed her hand over Annika's and took the necklace. Delicately she adorned Annika's graceful neck with the ruby and diamond heart. She ran her fingernails over Annika's jugular vein and whispered in her ear, "Look in the mirror."

A floor-length mirror hung from the wall, and Annika admired herself wearing the necklace. It sparkled and gleamed in the candlelight. She looked at her face and was somewhat surprised at her features. She didn't think of herself as ugly, but she also didn't think there was anything particularly attractive about herself either. Yet, this mirror told her something else altogether. For the first time ever, she thought she was beautiful. She had been told many lies, by many different foreign Princes over the years, but they seeked to gain her Kingdom's fortune. So she had come to disbelieve people when they said she was pretty.

"Mirrors never lie," Lamia answered Annika's inner thoughts. "It is only our perception that tells falsehoods."

She blinked a few times and looked down at the ground. She felt embarrassed for thinking about herself; she reached up and undid the clasp on the necklace. She placed it on a nearby table. "I just can't accept it."

"Oh Annika, quit being so bloody boring!" Lamia thrust a glass of wine into Annika's hand, but the glass broke.

She gasped as her hand was cut and dripped blood. Lamia quickly grabbed the wounded hand and brought the bloody area up to her lips. Focusing her eyes into Annika's, she brought her mouth down to the slice in her flesh. There was a slight tingle that ran through Annika's body that blossomed into wonder when Lamia returned her hand. The blood and the cut were gone.

"How... what?"

"It's a gift," Lamia explained. She took two fingernails and placed them on Annika's lips, tracing the lines of her heart-shaped mouth. Annika pulled back and blushed.

"I've got to go... now," she said, almost running to the door. Her hand was on the knob, but she didn't want to turn it. The crystal shone between her fingers, sparkling in her eyes. She was stalling.

"What are you running back to? The Jedi? The Senshi?"

Annika turned around slowly to face the beautiful black-haired woman. "What are you talking about?"

Lamia laughed. "I know things about you that you don't know. I know that I intrigue you, I know that you feel like you're betraying your heart, and I know that you're torn. You want to run away, you want to cower in a corner, but you also want to stay here... stay with me."

"That's not true."

"Isn't it? You're still here, aren't you? Admit it, I interest you."

"Fine. Yes, you are very interesting. You're a very talented musician, and I'm a big fan of yours."

"That's not what I mean and you know it. Perhaps you are unwilling to admit what you feel out of some misplaced loyalty to that man you're with. You don't love him, you know."

Annika's face turned bright red with anger. She stomped over to stand eye to eye with Lamia. "I do love him! You don't know anything about my feelings for him."

"So, you are capable of anger. I'm shocked. And you're right; you do love him. Just not in the way you think you should. Your heart is fickle, Love. One minute you are madly in love with him, the next you want to get as far away from him as possible."

"That's not true... besides it doesn't matter. We're..."

"Destined? Whatever." She yawned. "Who told you that you were destined? I thought you liked making your own choices, so why are you letting 'fate' make it for you?" Lamia sat back down in her chair and ran her fingernails along the red-cushioned armrest.

Annika thought for a moment. Lamia had confused her, and she didn't know how to answer. On one hand, Lamia had a point; on the other, who was she to question fate?

Lamia stood and walked back over to Annika. She cupped her chin in her hand and said, "I don't want to lie to you. I am selfish, and I want you to stay here. With me, forever."

Once more Annika pulled back from her. "Even if I didn't love Obi-Wan, which I do, I couldn't cheat on him. I have too much respect for him."

"How noble. Too bad he didn't share those sentiments, because he had no problems cheating on you."

"What? That's a lie!"

"I'll tell you what, I'll open the door for you, and I'll let you leave... on one condition. When you discover the truth, you must come back here, if only to tell me goodbye. I just want to know that you know the truth."

"I have no problem with that because I know he didn't cheat on me!"

"Check his neck. That's where you'll find my mark."

The door behind Annika opened silently, allowing her exit. Cinnamon entered Lamia's bedroom through the same door and shook her head disapprovingly. She folded her arms and questioned her boss.

"And you're certain that it's her?"

"Positive."

"I've put Doll on her trail. He'll make sure she's safe."

"Excellent. Nothing must happen to her."

Obi-Wan Kenobi was in the practise room watching Anakin try out his lightsaber techniques.

"Higher!" he yelled. "You'll never defeat a real enemy with that move." He was too busy concentrating on his Padawan to notice when Annika marched into the room. She promptly walked over to him and pulled the collar of his tunic.

"What are? Annika! What are you doing? Get off of me!"

"No. Not until I check something."

Obi-Wan seized her hands and frowned at her. "What is wrong with you?"

"Did you... have an affair with Lamia Valentine?"

"WHAT? Who told you that? Did you go see her?"

"Yes, I went to see her, and she told me the truth."

"The truth? I'll tell you the truth. I checked that place out when I got back here last night, and there is so much Dark Side energy there... but she's got it concealed. It's hard to pinpoint - that's why we all were uneasy that night. My connection with the Force was severed, and when she led me into that... dungeon, she attacked me... she bit me. An affair? I don't think so.

"I also did a background check on her. She uses old magic, very old. I read about it in a book that I borrowed from Ippin's library of Earth books. She used something on me called 'Glamour'. I do not under any circumstances want you to go back there."

"Stop talking to me like I'm a child! I'm not a child!"

"I know, but sometimes... you're too naïve."

Annika grinned half-heartedly. "You sound like Priire."

"It's true. You think with your heart and not your head."

"So I'm immature and dumb?"

"That's not what I said. You are taking this out of context."

She turned and ran from the room. She past Yuki and Ippin, who merely shrugged at the familiar sight of Annika running away from something.

Doll stood guard outside. He was supposed to wait until he saw the white-haired girl and then follow her. His job was as bodyguard, so he was surprised when his attentions were drawn away from his task. Drawn to a beautiful girl who sat on a bench, reading a book. She had luxurious black hair and smooth, delicate skin. Doll didn't even realise he was walking over to her; it was if his feet weren't touching the ground. The girl looked up at him and smiled.

"Hello," she said.

"She speaks! What a beautiful voice! May I sit with you for a moment my lady?"

She giggled, "Uh... I guess."

"My name is Doll."

"Doll? That's unique. My name is Ciel."

"Ciel," he repeated. "The name of an angel."

She blushed and tried to make conversation. "Are you a Padawan?"

He smiled at her, "What's a Padawan?"

Ciel laughed. "You don't know what a Padawan is? Where are you from that you don't know that?"

"I'm... not from here."

"Oh. Then why are you here?"

He looked at the ground. "To protect someone. To protect the Bride."

Ciel's heart faltered. The bride? That meant he was married. Why are all the cute ones married? she wondered. "Where is your bride?"

Doll looked shocked and he blushed. "Oh no, not my Bride. The Bride. The one who will bring about the Rebirth."

For a minute, Ciel was puzzled. Then the lightbulb went off. He's not married, he's crazy, she thought. Yet there was something seriously attractive about him. His eyes were like hot coal, and they seemed to burn into Ciel's mind. She looked away from him. Her senses told her that Doll wasn't a Sith, but he wasn't exactly a good guy either.

"What, um... what's the Rebirth?"

"I'm not supposed to say. I've said too much already. Unless," he said hurriedly, "unless I make you one of us!"

"Who are you?"

"I a member of a... very special club. No one knows about us, but once the Rebirth happens, the whole Universe will know who we are."

Ciel started to say something but didn't have the chance as Doll sprinted to his feet and ran in the opposite direction. Following his path with her eyes, she saw him running after Annika. Ciel stood up and ran after them. She watched as Annika got into a speeder and left. Doll followed her. Ciel alerted the other senshi, and several of them set off to find Annika.

Annika ran down the seedy streets of Fourth Level Coruscant. She believed Obi-Wan. But she had to see Lamia. It was as if she were being pulled to her side. The club doors were unlocked, and she ran the path to the sitting room. Lilith was dusting the crystal when Annika burst into the room.

"Back already?" the blonde Welsh girl asked.

Out of breath, Annika walked over to the door that earlier led to Lamia's room. She opened it and stepped inside. Lamia was singing a song and brushing her hair.

"You lied to me," Annika said.

Without even turning her head, Lamia answered, "And yet you return. Why?"

"I don't know!"

Lamia placed the silver-handled brush back on the vanity and pivoted in her seat. She now faced Annika and smiled. With shock, Annika saw that two of her top teeth were longer than the rest. Lamia ran her tongue over their sharp points. "You belong here. Don't you feel it? Don't you feel that hot current of passion in your soul? How long have you hidden it? How long have you lied to yourself about your own Dark Side?"

"I don't have a Dark Side!" Annika cried desperately. She blinked her eyes to hold back the tears, but that didn't stop her heart from pounding in her chest as Lamia crossed the floor and stroked her hair.

"It's all right, my pet. You should embrace your other half... don't deny it."

"No! I can't... my friends wouldn't approve."

"Who cares about them? Don't you ever get tired of the little box they put you in? Aren't you bored sick of having to play the part of Miss Goody-Two-Shoes? Think about it, Annika. They pull your strings as if you were a marionette. They tell you what to do; they control you. Aren't you tired of always having to be what they want you to be? Annika the good girl... never allowed to be anything else."

Annika turned her back to Lamia and lowered her head. Her mind was swimming with thoughts; it was hard to control her emotions, and she began to cry. Lamia ran her fingers along Annika's spine.

"My friends love me..." she whispered.

"Of course they do... as long as you don't step out of line. Do they ever give you credit for anything? Or are you always cast in the role of the ditzy Princess? Do they talk to you about politics or philosophy? They can't possibly value your time, not like I do."

"What do you want from me?"

"I want you to live free, to make your own choices, to bloom like the rose you are. I want to love you, and I want us to rule over the Clans together."

"Clans?"

Lamia walked around to face Annika. She took her hand and held it to her heart. Annika felt no beat.

"Will you stay with me, Love? Willingly?"

"...Yes."

Club Selket was closed for the night, but that didn't stop Sailor Centrali from beating and kicking the door. It had taken her, along with Sailors Asteroid, Iridonia, Chibi Dantooine, Chibi Serenity and Honoghr several hours to figure out to where Annika had probably disappeared. Obi-Wan insisted on joining the rest of the senshi when he was told Ame would be going; he had a terrible feeling of dread.

Sailor Asteroid was ready to blast the door to pieces when a tall black-haired man walked in front of it. Sailor Centrali looked at him and recognised him. It was Doll.

"We have to get in here. Please open the door," she told him.

He smiled at her but shook his head. "I can't do that, Angel Ciel."

"Does this have something to do with the Bride?"

He grinned and nodded his head. Tears shone in his eyes, "The Bride's transformation is complete; the Rebirth has begun. It can't be stopped."

"What does that mean? Who is the Bride? What Rebirth?"

Doll sighed. "The white-haired Princess... she is the Bride. And she will bring about the Rebirth."

"Oh Gods," Chibi Serenity moaned. "We're too late."

"Chibi Serenity, what do you know?" Asteroid asked, but the little girl just hung her head.

"Open this door now!!" Obi-Wan yelled, grabbing his lightsaber. When Doll refused, he used the hot blade of his lightsaber to burn a hole through the door. He and the senshi ran through the empty club. Sailor Iridonia used the Force to try and locate Annika, but couldn't.

"The Dark Side is too strong here. I can't find her."

"Then we'll search every room until we do find her," Sailor Asteroid said. Iridonia led them to the back room, to the sitting room where they found Lilith sitting.

"She's in there," the blonde girl motioned. "But you can't stop what is on its way."

Bursting through the door, they were in Lamia's bedroom.

"Welcome!" Lamia laughed from her bed. She was wearing a blood red wedding gown.

"Where is she?" Obi-Wan demanded. Lamia extended her hand in the direction of the cage. Annika was sleeping in the bed. Her hair hung loose and flowed over the edge of the bed. She was wearing a white wedding gown. Obi-Wan walked up to the cage and noticed the floor around it, and the steps leading into it were covered in red rose petals. He tried to open the door to the iron cage, but it was locked.

"Annika?" he whispered.

The woman stirred and raised herself up. She sat up and waved. "Hi," she breathed.

Obi-Wan reached his hands through the bars. "Annika... take my hand."

"No. I don't want to."

"Listen to me, she's done something to you, she's made you believe something that's not true. She's fooled you, sweetheart."

Lamia stood and walked over to the cage. "I've done nothing to her. She's happy here."

"In a cage?" Sailor Asteroid railed.

"It's for her protection," Lamia calmly explained. "She has to be safe until..." She smiled.

"Until what?" Sailor Centrali asked.

Sailor Chibi Serenity sighed and said, "Until my sister is born."

"You have another sister?" asked Sailor Iridonia.

"Sort of."

Lamia put her hands through the bars and beckoned Annika to come to her. Her delicate hand came to rest on Annika's abdomen.

"My child... our child... flourishes in this womb."

"The Rebirth," Centrali said.

"That's right. The birth of our daughter," Lamia said, looking at Annika, "will herald the unification of our Clans. The Vampires have been all but extinct for millennia, but our time resurfaces, and we shall be a powerful force once more."

Obi-Wan looked heartbroken. "She's... she's..."

Lamia laughed at him. "Yes, she is."

He shook his head. "Annika! Snap out of whatever trance you're in! Give me your hand!"

"It doesn't matter," Chibi Serenity said. "Nothing anyone can do will matter."

Sailor Asteroid raised her hands to attack Lamia but was stopped by Chibi Serenity.

"You can't kill her. She's already dead. Nothing you or anyone can do will hurt her." She slumped to the ground and began to cry.

"You've done something to her! She wouldn't stay here with you willingly."

"Here! Take her!" Lamia yelled. With a wave of her hand, the door to the cage opened. Obi-Wan ran inside and grabbed Annika. She pulled back from him and shook her head.

I don't want to go, Obi-Wan."

"Annika, you've given into your Dark Side. Fight it!"

Lamia laughed. "I told you she doesn't want to leave. Why can't you get that through your head?"

"It's because she's confused! She never would have married you if she were in her right mind!"

"We're not married. She is the Bride, the Eternal Bride. The gowns are a representation of that. And I couldn't confuse her into anything; she had to choose her destiny willingly. And she did."

Sailor Centrali frowned and tears came to her eyes. "What are we going to do? We can't let them unite. If they do..."

"How can we stop her?"

"You can't," Sailor Chibi Serenity answered them. "The only way would be to kill Annika's unborn child." She stood up and looked at Lamia. "You claim to know the future, right?"

"Yes."

"Then you know what happens! You know Oame never gets the chance to unify the Clans!"