Hey-oh, its that citrus I promised, wrapped in some fluff.

Don't like, don't read. The next chapter won't rely on this to function.

Thanks again for the revies guys =) I'm glad so many of you are enjoying the sequel!

YOURS

Still curled into her mate as she had fallen asleep three and a half hours prior, Amy woke warm and comfortable in his embrace, the serene moment only disturbed by stray chest fur ticking her nostrils on the inhale. She wrinkles her nose and shifts closer while angling her head down, away from the rebellious fluff.

"Amy?" Not entirely willing to accept wakefulness in her semi-conscious state, she initially ignores the gently spoken query, a soft uttering of dissent passing her lips as she focuses instead on getting back to sleep.

Much to her dismay, her fluffy cushion judders alongside the sound of a soft chuckle, and she raises her head just far enough to pivot her gaze to cast Shadow a flat, half-lidded expression of disapproval. His response still seems to be humour; the quirk of one side of his lips denotes a smile, his eyes so wide and alert she wonders how long he must have remained still whilst waiting for her to awaken.

Sympathy for his boredom is short lived. She emphasises her tiredness by letting her chin drop to rest on his chest and hopes her quills aren't in such disarray that they sap the seriousness from her expression, though she struggles to keep a straight face and her tone flat in the wake of his own entertainment. "Is something funny?"

Crimson orbs become half-lidded as they regard her, his gaze so intense it draws colour to her cheeks. The hand around her back pulls her closer still, the other coming to stroke blushing skin with a thumb. Leaning subconsciously into his touch, her eyes close with a content sigh as cool fingers skim across heated skin.

"You're real." Mildly confused by the statement, eyelids open to gaze at him once more to find his lips have flattened onto a line, features frowning in concentration. The quizzical look on her face seems to prompt him to continue, an uncertainty she doesn't expect echoing in his tone. "I'm not dreaming? You're actually here?"

Her smile returns alongside an expression she hopes is more sympathetic than piteous. "As real as you."

Shadow's frown deepens slightly, something that makes her wonder if his own sentience comes into question more often than not. A pang of concern for his mental and emotional health shoots through her and, unsure what else she can do to reassure him, she shifts herself onto an elbow and closes the gap between them.

Two pairs of lips connect. Ebony eyelids flutter closed a second before fuschia, and she angles her chest into his as the arm around Amy tightens possessively. Soft breasts press to lean muscle, their suppleness easily absorbing the slight indication of ribs beneath as she slips her fingers into that ticklish tuft of white fluff for purchase.

His free hand raises to her headquills and begins to sweep through them, short claws lightly scratching the skin beneath as he sucks her bottom lip, not an impatient request for entry but a sample of tan flesh. A groan escapes her lips and she grips his chest fur more tightly, feeling Shadow smirk slightly into the kiss as he teases her mouth.

The blush in her cheeks is starting to gain traction, building to a deep red that burns through her fur when they part. It's a relief to see he's getting just as flustered; while ebony fur keeps his own flush well hidden, his breaths are fast and deep, and he's reluctant to remove his hands, the one on her back migrating down to a buttock as they gather their bearings.

A gentle pressure on the back of her head is all that's needed to bring her back, capturing his lips with her own once more as she straddles his thighs, back arching to press as much of herself to him as possible. She tilts her head to deepen the contact and draws his upper lip between her teeth, teasing it with a little pressure and grinning herself at the poorly concealed moan that escapes his lips in turn.

Their scent is becoming intoxicating; his rich, deep musk of masculinity is mixing with her own lighter pheromones as only those of the same species can, the result a cocktail nature patented for mating season. Without conscious thought, their bodies react to one another, her slender stomach pressing to Shadow's swelling pouch as his leg bends to touch her slick feminine lips.

She breaks the kiss and presses back against that thigh, a shiver creeping up her spine from simple contact. His hand fists in her headquills as the other grips her buttock, forcing a surrender of control before he begins to rock her near-soaking lips firmly across his thigh, her vaginal juices slickening the fur with a couple of passes.

Unable to do much else, she braces herself on his chest and the mattress, gasps and whines punctuating their heavy breathing as his newly-slicked fur repeatedly stimulates her clitoris. She feels his member slip free of its sheath and leave a damp spot on her torso, the sticky precum saturating a slowly expanding warm line in her fur as she rolls back into it with each motion.

All of a sudden, she can barely focus. Her lower abdomen tightens into familiar knots as an orgasm builds within her, an euphoric heat beginning to seep into her extremities with anticipation of an imminent afterglow. Her mate is moaning beneath her, his hips arched as best he can to increase his own friction, and she desperately wants him inside her when she peaks.

She manages to catch his half-lidded, lust-addled gaze, and takes all of her willpower not to succumb right there.

In his own pleasure, it doesn't take much energy to pull herself from his sodden thigh and press her lips to his once more, tongues now immediately fighting for dominance despite her advantageous position. Permission isn't needed as both attempt to wrestle the other into submission, the fist in her quills taking a third wheel as they focus on one another's tastes.

One hand still keeping his white crest hostage, her other trails down his chest and abdomen, not bothering to toy with his hips to build more anticipation when they're both already so riled, heading straight for his exposed manhood.

He gasps as she takes a hold of his thick member and squeezes his width, the sudden stilling of his tongue an opening for headway she won't ignore. His feet brace on the mattress behind her, the male shuddering and moaning as she slowly pumps his length, his surrender easily as arousing as the sounds he's making beneath her menstrations.

Success seems so sure until he counters, drawing her head closer and tilting his head to deepen the kiss once more. Tongue revitalized, it wastes no time making up for lost ground, exploring every crevice of Amy's mouth whilst pressing her own into surrender against her lower jaw.

Not that she minds being defeated. There would always be tomorrow...

Their heated kiss rapidly cools down as she accepts his dominance, her hand still pumping his engorged member to draw groans and gasps from the ebony's muzzle. His hand withdraws from her quills and they both caress her buttocks before feverishly sliding up her back and shoulders, nipping at her lips and ears as the occasional, almost feral growl escaped his lips.

She might not be male, but she did have to suffer through an awkward afternoon of sex-ed with Vanilla when her first Heat came. For the same reason she knew any baby she carried would be Shadow's - given the timing, let alone the species match - she also had to learn how to feel the Heat building, ways to cope with urges, and typical male responses to both pheromones and pregnancy.

As soon as the growls start, Amy knows her mate's instincts are finally taking over, filling the void in knowledge she suspects he harbours. She knows she'll end up face-first in the mattress before he flips her and doesn't fight or question his motives, obediently pressing her breasts into the soft fabric and turning her head to the side for comfort.

His dripping penis wedges between her buttocks and a grunt of pleasure escapes his lips, both hands massaging her plump behind in his palms before they're drawn apart to reveal her soaking pussy and tight pucker. He seems to enjoy the sight immensely, rubbing his thick manhood between her lips a number of times before drawing back and pressing the pulsing tip to her vaginal lips.

A moment passes - just long enough to hope Shadow won't hate himself for this afterwards - before he pushes in.

They moan in unison as slick walls clamp down on his shaft. Seconds pass. The room remains silent except for heavy breathing, her internal walls begging for stimulation in the aftermath of penetration. But Amy refuses to speak, not wanting to break her mate's animalistic trance for fear he'll recoil in distaste of his aggressive behaviour.

For this is a part of the Mating as well: Submissiveness, as a female would have been in nature, allowing their mate to claim them and enjoy it rather than the modern trend to equality. A Mobian quirk of evolution Humans now lacked (and one they despised for the sexual inequality it promoted) that is accepted by Mobains themselves for the divide it placed between them and the strange eccentricity of Homo sapiens.

Shadow shifts above her. Calves pin her own beneath them as strong hands trap her wrists beside her head. Hot breath grazes her neck, sending a shudder through her body as it warms chill skin, suddenly reminding the rest of her she's naked.

He flexes his grip on her wrists, then thrusts hard and deep, the grunt he emits deep and guttural. Beneath him, Amy clutches at the sheets as he buries his member deep inside her, ramming into her sweet spot with unintended accuracy, and is unable to prevent a cry of passion leaving her throat that only encourages him to continue at a rapid pace.

The thrusts come hard and fast. Soon, she's pushed over the edge, mouth agape in a silent scream as her vaginal walls clench and squeeze Shadow's dick so hard he's forced to slow down. His breath is ragged in her ear as they shudder together, fuschia melting into bliss as ebony desperately scrabbles at the edge of his own cliff, both oblivious to anything beyond one another's moans

Only when her slick walls still again does he begin to move with fervour, gasping breaths in her ear an indication he's too close to his own orgasm to last much longer. His pace becomes erratic as he nears his climax, the snarl that passes his lips enough to raise the hairs on her neck as a second climax draws to a peak.

This orgasm crashes over her as fangs graze her delicate throat, and she cries out as they pierce her flesh, white hot pain mixes with red hot pleasure as he whines into her neck. Thick semen coats her inner walls as pulse after pulse of ejaculate shoots from her mate's member, the larger hedgehog unable and unwilling to release her fragile skin as he cums hard.

Ebony hands loosen their grip as his body relaxes upon her, Amy's hips slowly collapsing under the weight of the other as they sink to the bed united by sweat, blood and semen. As they comes down from the high of orgasm, Shadow stops biting into her soft pelt and begins to lick the wound clean, sending shudders of pleasure, pain and affection through her exhausted frame as she lay pinned to the silken sheets.

Satiated once more, she dozes beneath his warmth: the gentle licks are comforting but leave her neck exposed and cold, causing her to shiver and attempt to curl on instinct.

This seems to abruptly return Shadow to reality. He pauses mid-lick before recoiling from her, his breaths coming heavier again as he gently lifts the quills from her neck, fingers brushing the sensitive skin as the bite is exposed.

Amy takes a deep breath and rolls onto her back, half-lidded emeralds coupled with a soft smile her dark counterpart doesn't mimic. He's in an awkward crouch and looks worried, swallowing hard when their gazes meet. Confusion is evident in his halting tone and he looks to her neck. "I don't… I didn't mean to… I have... no idea why…"

She shushes him softly and sits up, brushing his muzzle with her hand in reassurance. Despite this, he doesn't tear his eyes away from the mark until she forces him to, turning his head gently so their eyes meet. "It's a natural occurrence between mates, Shadow. A compulsion, even. I would've asked you to stop if you'd hurt me"

When his expression doesn't change, she leans forwards to plant a chaste kiss on his lips, lingering long enough to make sure she has his attention before pulling away. "Let's get cleaned up, and we can talk about it over breakfast. Do you like pancakes?"

His gaze drifts back to the mark, and then he snorts, shaking his head slightly as a slight smirk finally returns to his lips. Though she has no idea what's tickled him, she struggles to prevent a grin spreading across her own lips as she gives him a half-lidded, deadpan stare. "Is something funny?"

A laugh she'd never heard before rocked Shadow's chest, and she found herself dissolving into giggles as well, the pair ending up breathless minutes later with their foreheads pressed together. The smile on his face was as genuine and surprising as his laughter, eyes vibrant and jovial as they held each other's gaze.

In that moment, there was no-one else she'd rather have as her mate than Shadow the Hedgehog