A/N: The beginning of this chapter is where it begins to get... saucy. If it isn't your thing, feel free to skip until after the horizontal line.

Chapter 4 - Their Awakening

It was a good job that everyone in the bath house had fallen asleep by the end of the meeting. Both Haku and Maya were intoxicated: Haku from the potion on the fruits, Maya simply from too much Sake.

They were holding each other up as they walked down the corridors back to Haku's room. Maya made a move to go back to her chambers, but Haku stopped her.

"Where do you think you're going?" he said, a slightly drunken lopsided smirk on his face.

"Back to my chambers."

"It would be best if you stayed in mine," he said, "You know, incase Mr Hedoro comes to find us,"

Maya nodded, but had a strange feeling he wanted her for an entirely different reason.

They stumbled through the front door. In an effort to relax, Maya started trying to undo the sash from the middle of her kimono, but her drunken fingers were useless.

"Help me, Haku." She giggled.

"Anytime." He crossed the room in a couple of large strides, almost eager. His long delicate fingers began their work on the tie.

"I was only trying to loosen it." Maya said, her voice weak with something like desire. The thin material of the dress did nothing to disguise the movement of Haku's nimble fingers across her back. They left a little train of sparks as they moved.

Haku paid her no heed, and the sash dropped to the floor. The silken material of the kimono slipped open at the front, and an entire shoulder was bared. Haku held her from behind, and his lips touched the sensitive skin on her neck.

Maya gasped.

He made no effort to move or kiss her, just breathed gently on her skin. Each time the cold air hit her neck, a long shiver crept down her spine.

Haku took her by the wrist and led her to his four-poster bed. She sat nervously on the edge. She was a paid geisha, a professional, but something about this powerful man made her lose her breath, and her mind. And it had been so long...

He removed her hand from her kimono which had been clasping it shut. Then, gently, he slipped the kimono off her shoulders. It fell in a pool of silk on the bed.

Maya felt horrifically nervous. Never had she wanted so much to impress someone, and yet she couldn't bring herself to move.

Haku surveyed her, his breaths short and ragged. She was perfect, and he was... horny, to say the very least. He got on his knees in front of her and buried his face in her soft, fragrant skin. First her neck, long kisses which left her shuddering in his arms. Then soft, fluttering kisses on the collarbone while she begged for more. And finally her breasts. Haku could feel the dragon rising within himself. It was another reason why he couldn't be intimate with Maya. Whenever he felt strong emotion, anger, despair, desire, the dragon would emerge. Not always in a shift in shape, but his mind would change, become animalistic. This was the reason he had never truly loved a women - he couldn't promise himself that he wouldn't rip her to pieces.

But he couldn't help himself, especially while she was whimpering so softly against his embrace. So he pushed her back against the bed and lowered himself onto her. She lifted her hips up and used her legs to bring his still clothed body as close as she could.

Jade eyes met violet in recognition of what they were about to do. There would be no going back from this point.

Maya whispered, "Please, don't stop-"

The door flew open.

"On second thoughts, why wait? Let's go-" Mr Hedoro saw the two bodies glued together on the bed, staring horrified back at him. "Interrupting, am I?"

Maya flew out from underneath Haku and drew her robe back on, clenching it tightly shut.

"Don't stop on my account," drawled Mr Hedoro, "I never knew you had it in you Haku. Carry on, by all means. Maybe I can join in?"

Haku laughed, but drew a protective arm around Maya. "No, you're right. Let's get started. Just give us a moment to get decent."

"Don't worry. It's nothing I haven't seen before, is it Maya? How about a peek, for old times sakes?"

"She's mine now." Haku replied, the fake laugh barely concealing the threat in his voice.

"I'll wait outside." Mr Hedoro smiled maliciously, closing the door behind him.

Maya saw Haku's face fall into a scowl.

"I hate him. " whispered Maya, "I hate him, I hate him, I hate him."

"How many times?" Haku asked, his voice level.

"What?" Maya spluttered.

"How many times were you paid by Mr Hedoro for your... services?"

Maya's jaw fell open, "I try not to remember. Once a month, probably. I hated him then almost more than I do now. The things he would ask of me... You do not truly wish to know my lord."

But Haku was suddenly reminded that Maya was simply his concubine. She was paid to be with him. Below her false exterior, she probably hated him just as much as she hated the Slug Lord. Any emotion he felt for her a moment ago dissipated in an instant.

"Get ready." He said sternly, " I will keep our guest company. Be swift."

And, just like that, he left.