- "So your madness-dreams have left a lingering pocket in Yume-do?" Mei said, stroking Sarevok's head gently. "She is truly evil to take you there, but that hardly comes as a surprise. They say she knows the spirit realms better than any mortal, and moves at the spheres much at will. Some also say that she is not exactly mortal, though... that she has used mahou to make herself immortal, or at least extremely long-lived."
- "What is mahou?" Sarevok asked, still shaking.
- "It is... blood sorcery, evil magic. Magic created in Jigoku. You remember the shadow samurai you saw? The ritual to capture a dying samurai's soul at the moment of death to create one is mahou. Some people think that ninja are mahou-tsukai, evil sorcerers. But it is not true. What I do, just is. It is a skill, not evil or good in itself."
Sarevok nodded to that, but his mind still wandered the dreamlands.
- "I am tired of madwomen luring me with their empty promises, thinking they can turn me away from the path that has given me a true purpose," he said. "This woman will never claim me, nor will her lackeys. If I am destroyed, I will do so for something better."
- "I know you will. You radiate honor and nobility like the sun radiates warmth, rishi," Mei said and smiled, brushing Sarevok's cheek with her finger.
Sarevok's eyes welled, and he stared Mei in the eye.
- "Truly?" His voice trembled just a little.
Mei nodded.
- "Like the most noble samurai, most dedicated of them. Remember, I am half a spirit, and I see things that are not quite of this realm."
One of the salty drops made its way over the rim of Sarevok's eye, and rolled down the cheek. Mei kissed it lightly away, licking gently with the tip of her tongue.
- "To hear someone describing me so, not sneering at me with a mix of hatred and fear... always the fiend, always the mass murderer..." Sarevok mused.
- "Always the man of passion, always the true born bushi. Everything else, gone with the wind," Mei murmured, lowering her head and continuing her gentle kissing at Sarevok's chest area now.
Sarevok's pulse was racing now, and he stroked Mei's head.
- "Mmm... I... haven't done this in... a long, long time. I fear I do not remember... or be a disappointment..." he murmured, fearing to let go with the giddy heatwave.
Mei looked up and smiled her sly, tilted smile.
- "I think you will do just fine. It has been a while for me as well," she said. "Think not, just let go."
When Mei's hot, gentle and comforting mouth worked its way even lower Sarevok was well beyond the worries of performance. The best thing about it was that it felt just right. Not a violation of Tamoko's memory, not something forbidden to him. It was as if this woman and he were meant to do this, to share this intimacy. Like coming home after a long journey.
Suddenly Mei stopped what she was doing and sat on Sarevok's chest, smiling an oblique, mischievous smile. Her hair was in a wonderful disarray, her cheeks flushed.
- "Please..." the man mouthed helplessly, but she laughed.
- "Not yet," Mei smiled, and bent forward so that her firm, small breasts hung close to Sarevok's face. "Play with them."
Despite his maddening plight Sarevok was happy to oblige. Like ripe fruit they were, making her react so wonderfully. Her moans of pleasure as Sarevok moved his tongue and hands along the breasts confirmed him that he was doing at least something right. Yes, perhaps this wasn't that difficult after all...
Finally Mei pulled off and slid backwards.
Yes, yes... just like that... soon they were rocking, and there was no more fear, tension, anger, hurt... just us as one, as it is supposed to be. Sarevok forgot himself and finally just let go.
Afterwards he sighed contently and pulled her even closer to his chest, seeking the pointed ear with his lips.
- "Aishiteru..." he whispered.
Mei glanced upwards, and now her eyes were welled.
- "You do? Sarevok?"
- "I do." Sarevok said it firmly, meaning it from the bottom of his heart, never wavering. His eyes were serious and intent upon Mei. "Now I can say it without guilt or fear. I love you."
Mei's eyes shone as she kissed him for a long time.
- "Did I chase your evil dream away?" she asked.
- "You certainly did..." Sarevok said. "And not only the one I had last night."
