His eyes slowly shut once again to relish in the moment, both physically and mentally. It was difficult to contain his desires, especially when such a beautiful woman was touching him so pleasingly. But he had to keep reminding himself that she still had no given her consent, and aside from her playfulness, she wasn’t even showing any signs that she wanted more from him. Well, until she spoke again.

It was just enough to peak his curiosity and leave him wondering, hoping. Then her entire palm pressed against his flesh, moving down his chest and leaving a wonderful tingle in their wake. A soft moan of satisfaction escaped his now parted lips, eyes remaining closed for the time being to savor the feeling. It was a brief reminder of a feeling he had almost forgotten, and it was just enough to make him crave for more. Kohaku’s thoughts were becoming hazy with his ever growing desire. He could feel her soft breasts pressing up against his back, his hand twitching to feel them more fully, her lips on his jaw adding more heat to his body.

He barely heard what she said when she spoke again, ears pricking at the sound. Finally he managed to open his eyes as her hands moved back to his shoulders, brow raising questioningly. Suddenly he took in a sharp breath much like a gasp when his ear was touched, her hot breath along with the physical contact sending a shiver of pleasure down his spine. Though his ears were tall and furry, they were still just as sensitive as human ears, if not more. Canine ears give a natural high when touched correctly, making them the perfect pleasure receptors, aside from other obvious areas. Kohaku hummed at her question, his head turning against her fingers as they softly caressed his cheek, down to his jaw, until her thumb found his lips.

What was this hold she had on him? He was powerless against her as if she had trapped him in some kind of spell. Was it because she is the Champion of desire? Did she have this effect on every man? Or had his attraction and desire to be with a woman after so long do this?

Whatever the reason was, Kohaku was majorly enjoying the attention he was getting. He didn’t want her to stop anytime soon. As she tilted his head back his amber eyes locked with hers, heart racing when she started to close in on him. Kohaku let his eyes close, warmly welcoming the kiss and allowing himself to be taken over by it. How long had it been since he had last kissed a woman? He had kissed Nelanna to create their bond, but that could hardly be qualified as a real kiss, so it didn’t count. All of his senses were focused on her lips, their softness, their warmth, their flavor. Every little thing about the kiss was addictive.

He lifted his hand and placed it on her nape, pulling her closer and deepening the kiss, turning it into a more passionate one. Unfortunately he had to break the kiss eventually, gasping for air. Keeping his eyes closed he laid his head back further, allowing his parted lips to drag down to her chin, his hot breath on her soft flesh as he made his way to her neck, placing a light kiss there. “Personally,” he whispered, adding another kiss slightly lower. “I like a little naughtiness.”

Mirannda gave the softest of moans as he kissed her back. His hand held her in place, turning the kiss into deeper meaning than playfulness. The phoenix was fighting against a rolling fog across her mind when Kohaku broke the kiss, her own breathing ragged. His lips left a trail of fire, his breath spreading it as he moved to her neck. "Mmm…" she moaned to his words. "I was hoping you'd say that."

She pulled away until she was standing. Tantalizingly slow, Mirannda untied her wrap skirt, held it out to the side and dropped it on Kohaku's pile of clothing. While she kept her seductive pace, the phoenix dipped her feet into the water one at a time and lurked toward the fox. Mirannda straddled him on the shelf, arms clasped around his neck. His wait, as torturous as she made it, was rewarded with the return of her lips on his.

To kiss someone in such a loving manner, regardless of how passionate and full of selfish intentions it was, was a sweet feeling. The phoenix forgot what it felt like. She could taste the salt of the ocean on him. The sweetness of his kindness flowed through her like a gentle breeze. By his burning passion, Mirannda could tell it had been some time since he indulged in such actions. The briefest pang of sympathy shot through her mind. It served as a reminder of there always being more after carnal acts of pleasure.

"'Haku…" Miranda breathlessly moaned, the first syllable of his name lost somewhere in the kiss she broke. She trailed her lips along his jaw, placing a teasing nip at the base of the bone. "What do… you want… from me?" Her words were broken by planted kisses. While she waited for his answer, Mirannda contented herself with paying attention to his neck, beginning the process of leaving a lustful mark in her wake.

Kohaku smirked against her flesh when she replied, placing more kisses along her dainty neck. A groan of slight disappointment left him when Mirannda moved, ruining his plans to do more than just kiss her neck. That moan of hers had set his body aflame, giving him shivers of sheer delight. But he watched her wordlessly, his smirk growing as he took in her every curve, burning the image of her body in his mind. Her movements were slow, teasing him by showing him all that he could touch but not getting within range for him to reach her. It was sweet torture, making him want so much, giving him that itch by showing him so much, but making him wait for it.

Finally, she slowly worked her way into the water with him, his eyes looking her over as she did so. Now that her wrap skirt was gone Kohaku could see her hips better, so fine and luscious as they swayed with each step she took until they were completely submerged in the water. His amber pools moved up to her small waist, then up to her perky bosom, unknowingly licking his lips at their slight bounce when she took yet another step towards him. Kohaku finally forced his gaze away and up at her eyes, his own revealing his hunger for her.

He did not wait. The second Mirannda came within reach his hands reached out and found themselves on her hips as she straddled him. She locked her lips with his after making him wait for so long, a low growl-like moan rumbling deep within his throat. He breathed in her sweet scent right before deepening the kiss. No longer could he think clearly. All of his thoughts were replaced by his bodily urges, longing for more as his beastly side took over. And as quickly as it came, all of the heat in his body turned cold. Mirannda had spoken a name that she shouldn’t even know, and just like that, his urges were replaced with horror.

Kohaku’s eyes shot open, his body now numb to everything she did to it, regretfully. There was no way she knew his real name. She couldn’t! Perhaps it was a slip of the tongue. Yeah, that had to be it. He knew nothing of her, so there was no way of knowing if she was even around back then, but he did know that he had never seen her before he came to this land. Unless, she knew his name from someone else, a person who does know him by that name. That thought only added to his terror. The only people who would know, aside from Kimiko, are people that want him dead for the horrible things he had done. Mirannda is the Champion of death, so was it possible that she was hired by someone seeking revenge to kill him? No, she wouldn’t do that, would she? She may betray him, but surely she wouldn’t betray Nelanna by killing her familiar, right? No, he had no proof of any of that, he shouldn’t be so quick to assume. As decided before, she deserved to be given a chance. Still, he needed to know that he was wrong.

Kohaku took in a shaky breath, furrowing his brow with regret for not paying attention to her touches. Reluctantly he lifted his hands to her shoulders, and instead of answering, he gently pushed her away just enough to look her dead in the eye. “You just called me Haku,” he said with a serious expression. “How do you know my real name?”

Something had gone wrong. Kohaku froze, his entire body stiffened beneath her touch. Before the phoenix could pull back to question anything, he was already moving her himself. Mirannda studied his face, the seriousness had chased all passion away. There was something deeper in his eyes, though, and it was something she recognized all too well. Fear, confusion, and pleading for something to not be so.

Then came his question, and everything clicked. As she hid from her past, so did he. Kohaku was afraid of why the pheonix would know something she shouldn’t, a secret that had been closely guarded. There were so many ways to react to the misunderstanding, but she knew she had to be careful. This was not a time to laugh something this serious away. No, I said Kohaku. It is likely the first syllable got muffled by a kiss or moan. But, until this moment, I did not even know you had any other name than the one I knew.”

Mirannda explained calmly, matching his serious expression. Slowly, she lifted her hands to cup his face soothingly. ”Your secrets are yours, Kohaku. And I promise that Haku will not be revealed to anyone.” Then she leaned in for a reassuring kiss. It was short and sweet, followed by gently pressing her forehead against his. Her eyes were closed as she contemplated her next words. ”My name is Jaliza Rose. Do you remember Kiba, champion of Lokir?”

Suddenly, her heart beat hard and fast against its bony cage. Mirannda had gone too far with this question to back out. She brought him up, now to confess why. While she shared this information with only one other out of necessity, Mirannda opened her eyes to see Kohaku react. ”Where we came from, Kiba ran a guild of good, honest people. They had a beautiful white tree in their courtyard, a precious symbol to them. I struck it with lightning, causing it to burn. Something I find I quite regret.”

He waited, patiently, internally pleading that his suspensions, or paranoia, was wrong. His amber eyes swept over her face in search for anything to prove himself wrong. But there was nothing in those beautiful eyes that supported his fears, nothing but confusion and… understanding? She seemed to be contemplating something, and his heart squeezed, brow knitting together anxiously. Was she just trying to think of how to respond? Or was she thinking of some lie to tell?

She finally began to speak, his ears pricking, eyes blinking. Her explanation made sense. Kohaku could certainly see how the first part of his name was drowned out in a kiss or moan. Again, she is the Champion of Death. He doubted she would have made the rookie mistake of letting a secret slip that could compromise her intentions, if she really was hired to kill him. A professional like her wouldn’t even put herself in such a situation in the first place. Mirannda then cupped his cheeks, offering him reassurance that his secret was safe with her. He held her gaze, still searching for any hints of lie. But there were none. Nothing but honesty and understanding.

Kohaku let a sigh escape his lips, body automatically releasing tension. He let her kiss him, then allowed her to press her forehead against his. Though his eyes remained open, staring down at her bosom. Normally he would be pleased and take advantage of the view, but his mind was focused on a more serious matter.

It wasn’t her he feared would know his true name now that he was convinced she had no intention of killing him. He was actually quite relieved she knows. Keeping that secret was difficult to do, but it was for his own protection. Not even Nelanna knew his own name, despite how much he wanted to open up to her. It wasn’t that he doesn’t trust her, he just couldn’t take any chances. But now Mirannda knew, finally, someone knew, and it was like a heavy weight had been lifted.

She broke his thoughts once she spoke again. This time it wasn’t about him. He was quite surprised to hear her make a confession of her own. Mirannda was not her name, but a front to hide her real one. Jaliza Rose. It was odd to picture that name with her face. At first he wondered why she changed her name, but then he remembered her explaining that her current appearance was also an illusion. Why change the face but not the name?

He pulled back slightly to look at her questioningly, curious as to why she was bringing up Kiba. But he kept quiet and nodded. Mirannda opened her eyes and continued. As she went on he recalled the way she had spoken to Lokir’s Champion at the Champion meeting. Back then it was clear they shared history. Now he knew part of it. But he still wondered. “Why did you burn it?” And what are you trying to tell me? He added to himself.

”Because I was told to.” Her voice came out small, regret clearly lacing every syllable. Mirannda closed her eyes and images of that beautiful white tree burn danced behind her lids. ”I was an apostate, none I knew understood. Changed myself for someone I wanted… Or thought I did. Ever since I have done many things I regret today, falling into an even worse situation each time I stumbled. A pawn, a tool, that was all I was to anyone.” Sometimes, she feared if that was all she would ever be.

The phoenix smiled sadly at him. ”Revaliir is a fresh start for me. It gives me a chance to start over and atone for my sins. This is why I became her champion. I can channel dark urges to kill towards deserving targets, and Dalanesca lets me know who is more deserving than others. But you… You are a target for something far more… pleasurable.” The sad smile turned wicked as she spoke before she planted a passionate kiss on his lips.

While her lips were distracted, Mirannda began to wonder if he would realize what she was trying to say. The past holds many mistakes and harbors painful remembrances, spawn fear of it coming back with a vengeance. All they could do is move on and take any precaution necessary to protect those they love. No one said it could not be pleasurable at the same time.

’I want to him say it…’ She thought suddenly.

Kohaku blinked at her reply. He was having a hard time understanding what was so wrong with burning down a guild tree. It wasn’t as if she killed anyone. However, the pain in her small voice suggested that it was a big deal to her, so who was he to judge how bad the crime was. Perhaps the tree was magical and held great importance. Either way, he felt he understood how she was feeling. All the lives he’s taken, failing to save the Faversham Empire, and failing to protect Mai, the Emperor’s beloved only child, and Kohaku’s lover. There were so many things he regrets…

She smiled up at him, the sadness on her face twisting his heart. A fresh start, the chance to have a new, better life, a chance to gain atonement… He never really atoned for his own sins. In order to do so he needed to protect Mai until she died of old age. He failed to do so, and thus his mission was never fulfilled. He supposed that was why he wished to protect Nelanna, to attempt in succeeding with her where he failed with Mai. Kohaku was so obsessed with it that he gave up on living a life of his own until he atoned for his sins. Admittedly, he felt that was his only reason to continue living, because until that day comes he would never be able to Rest In Peace. However, recently something has changed. Love, attention, pleasure, a family… these are things he greatly desires all of a sudden. He feared living alone far more than anything else at this point. He wondered why…

Mirannda once again assured him that she was not targeting his life, but something else entirely, something far more intimate and pleasurable. She kissed him, quickly turning it into a very passionate one. Kohaku drifted his eyes closed as he deepened the kiss. And just like that, all previous thoughts were lost in a fog in his mind. His bodily urges took over once again. His hands left her shoulders and slid down to the small of her back and pulled her closer against him. He smirked against her lips playfully when an idea suddenly came to him. As he lifted his hands ever so slowly up her back, keeping light contact, he bit her bottom lips and tugged on it lightly with a low predatory growl rumbling in his throat. Reaching her upper back, he fiddled with the knot of her bikini top, then slowly, painfully slow, he started pulling it apart.

But then he suddenly paused. He wanted to see her, to touch her and smother her with all of the passionate attention he could give. But a lingering curiosity -more like desire- wanted to do everything with Mirannda, and Jaliza, the real her. He pulled away from her luscious lips, dragging his own across her jawline, lips parted to allow his hot breath to tingle her skin. Then he made his way to her ear, breathing hotly and quietly as he spoke, “Jaliza, show me your true face.” He began tugging at her bikini knot again. “I want to know the real you.” The knot came undone. “Every last bit of Jaliza.”

Space disappeared between them as she inhaled his scent between kisses. Mirannda moaned into the kiss, enjoying the feel of his touch sliding across her skin. While the phoenix wanted to drown into his passion, a different fear began to crop up about them. She did not want to lead him on, hurting him with miscommunication. The way he caught her lip, however, with that rumbling growl in his throat sent shivers down her back and sent the fear along with it. The fact that he was beginning to untie her top was not lost on her as she hummed with contentment.

Kohaku paused and began to trail across her jaw. His hot breath tingled more than just her skin, it reached into the very depths of her mind, stoking the kindled flames of lust. Momentarily, she froze at the sound of her name on his lips. But it sounded heavenly coming from him, with that husky lilt to his voice. With a shake of her head and a releasing of her spell, Mirannda’s more human features turned elvish. Her hair shortened, and this time it was neatly trimmed in an introverted bob compared to the terrible hack and slash job the last time he saw her like this.

Blood red muddied until her hair was nearly black. Green eyes shifted until they were clear as the purest river. Even though her bikini top was untied, Mirannda pulled back until she can look him in the eye, warm amber meeting pale skies. ”Haku? Before we go too far, let’s be honest with each other. We both know I am the champion of desire, but I don’t want to… If you’re not comfortable…” Her words faltered, failing her as she tried to express herself.

She paused when he spoke her real name. And then her false appearance dropped. He flashed her a sly grin as she put a little space between them. Hungry amber eyes looked over Jaliza, his desire to know this side of her growing within. Her black hair had been trimmed since he last saw it, as if she was prepared for her magic that kept this side hidden to falter at any given moment, just as it had before. He liked it. She had been beautiful before, her weakness could not change that. But he had to be honest, she cleaned up nicely.

Her words lifted his eyes to her blue gaze. She did not need to finish speaking to get her point across. He already understood, for his mind had been concerned about the same thing. Kohaku inhaled and exhaled slowly. A hand was lifted, and he gingerly traced the knuckles of his fingers down along the side of her face, like a loving lover. No misunderstandings, no heartache. “I don’t care about your role as Champion. I…I need this,” he admitted, eyes meeting hers once more. They were desperate, pleading, and…pain stricken. He shook his head lightly, “I’ve done something— fallen for a woman I should have. Before we met her heart already belonged to another man. I never should have…but I did, and I need to fix it before it progresses, before anyone finds out.” His eyes averted for a moment, gazing off at nothing in particular. When they turned back on her they were soft. “I could really use the distraction. I need to get her out of my mind until I can find a better solution.”

Ever so softly, he leaned in for a tender kiss, hands cupping her cheeks. There was nothing passionate nor lustful about it. It was sincere and caring, as if he were kissing the person most precious to him. When finally it broke, his breathing was ragged. His eyes dropped and he was reminded that her bikini top was loose. It hung over her ample breasts, barely covering them and teasing him. He took a hand from her cheek and moved it to her nape. It untied the last knot holding her top on, and it dropped into the water. His eyes beheld their plumpness and beauty, his body burning.

Like a pouncing predator he locked his teeth around her throat with a growl. His canines pressed around her soft flesh as he fought against breaking the skin. He released and sucked instead, making sure it would leave a mark. He let his hands explore every inch of her skin. Her flesh was soft and warm against his, flawless in every way aside from her scars. He paid special attention to the one over her heart, his thumb caressing along it with the lightness of a feather. A deadly wound it had to have been, one that had surely taken her life at some point. The world had not been kind to her. It made him want to fix it, to show her the kindness and love she so deserves. He had every chance to now, and he had the whole night to melt into her loving embrace.