Author's Notes: Yeah, chapter 6!! Thank you to everyone who has read this far and is reviewing me! FREE HUGS!!!

Disclaimer: I'm a multi-billionare. I own Sega. I own Sailor Moon. I own Mars (the candy company). I OWN THE WHOLE WORLD!!!!!

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Heaven's Flames

Chapter 6

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Rule #1: Find yourself a place to hide and stay there.

Rule #2: Don't piss off the vampire.

Rule #3: Keep your mouth shut (you'll look more intelligent anyway).

Rule #4: Stay away from anything with black eyes.

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Usagi groaned and slowly sat up. Blinking sleepily, the blonde ran the back of her hand over her blurry eyes. She stifled a small yawn and stretched her arms over her head. She still had Mamoru's jacket.
"How was your sleep, my little nocturnal stalker?"
Usagi blinked, spinning her head to the voice. Mamoru was sitting a few feet away, leaning his back against a tree trunk, legs splayed out in front of him. He flashed her a cocky grin.
"I'm not a stalker," Usagi bit back defensively. "How long have I been asleep?" she asked groggily, folding the jacket and placing it next to her.
"Well, I left to go grab some food yesterday," Mamoru paused, realizing how literal that statement was, "and when I came back just before sunrise you were already asleep. I was gonna hide ya, since you seem to have some kind of death wish, sleeping out in the open and all..." He shrugged. "But I left ya alone."
"It's the next day already?" The blonde swung her head around, annoyed that he just left her like that. She mentally noted that the moon was already hanging in the sky.
"Yep."
Usagi gasped a bit in suprise as Mamoru tossed something in her direction. With a squeal the girl held up her hands to block it, causing it to bounce off her palm to the grass beneath her.
The blonde glared at Mamoru, then at the small object. It was two leaves, tied together at the top by something akin to rawhide. Usagi picked it up warily, realizing that there was something inside the leaf-pouch. She hesitantly pulled the string loose, the two leaves falling free from eachother. Out rolled a dozen or so berries.
"There not posionous."
"That's what you said about the last batch." Usagi poked at one of the fruits.
"And I was right, wasn't I?" the vampire retorted.
"And what if you weren't?" Usagi cocked an eyebrow at him.
"I know they weren't posionous." Mamoru adverted his gaze. "I had one before I gave 'em to ya..." A small flush made it's way over his pale cheeks. "To make sure."
"Really...?" Usagi was beaming. "Awww! Mamoru, you actually cared enough to do that for me?!"
The vampire's eye twitched once. He shrugged uneasily. "Eh... I'm a vampire, it's not the like the posion would have kiled me anyway," he managed out, trying to write off the topic.
"Oh, come on," Usagi cooed. "Admit, you just did it because you like me!"
"Rule #2," Mamoru stated flatly. Usagi remember the rule and shut her mouth in dissapointment.
"Poopy-head."
"*That's* mature," Mamoru scoffed. "Are you REALLY seventeen?"
Usagi gasped. Seventeen?! That's right! Today was her birthday!!"
"Mamoru!" the blonde squealed. "Yes!! Yes, today's my seventeenth birthday!!"
Before Mamoru could blink he was pulled up from his sitting position under the tree. Usagi was holding his hands, jumping around like crazy. She was giggling and throwing her arms around him every few seconds to capture him in such a tight hug he wondered where she got all that strength from.
Suddenly, all cheeriness faded from the girl's face.
"Oh no..." Usagi's grip on Mamoru loosened. "I... I'm sleeping through my birthday..."
"Sleeping?" Mamoru's expression grew blank. "You still think this is just some dream?"
"Well, yeah!" Usagi slapped his shoulder playfully, though not back to her usual hyper-self. "When I went to sleep yesterday, I had this wierd..." She paused, unsure of how to word it.
"Out-of-body experience?"
"You've had 'em, too?!" Usagi grinned. "I was in a hospital room, but nobody could see me! I looked over at the bed, and it was me! The doctors were all huddled around. And, my mom and dad, too." Her voice grew softer. "The nurse said something about a coma... So, that's what this is." Usagi gripped Mamoru's hands again. "I'm just dreaming up this whole freaky world, while the real me is in a coma!"
Mamoru pulled away, to the blonde's dismay. A flash of pain shot over his features.
"No," he replied as smoothly as possible. "This isn't just your imagination. Your body is laying in the hospital bed, true... But, only your body. Your actually standning right here, in Heaven's Flames. It's no dream."
Usagi's face fell. No, that wasn't possible! You can't just get sucked into a video game! It was... crazy!! She HAD to be making this all up!
"Look," the vampire sighed. "You can believe what you want. Let's just get off this topic, OK? It's your birthday, so..." He shrugged. "I dunno, I guess I'll bit nice to you for today, or something."
"For a change," Usagi muttered sarcastically.
He's right, she was allowed to believe what she wanted. If she wanted to think this was a dream, then so be it! And she tried, too, but the fact that she was *forceing* herself into thinking it was all her imagination left her feeling unsure.
Usagi realized Mamoru was sniffing the air again. "What do you smell...?" she asked nervously.
"Breakfast." Mamoru spun on his heel in the direction of the scent, waveing over his shoulder. "I'll meet ya back here in a bit. Enjoy the berries, Odango."
Usagi grumbled something under her breath. She sat back down, dejectedly, next to his jacket.
Usagi felt like a squirrel, living off small fruits. Meanwhile, the object of her affection, was wandering around, snapping necks.
"How do I get myself into these things?!"

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(AN: I'm very tempted to end the chapter right there because I'm sleepy... -_-;; But I'll be a nice little author and keep going...)


Usagi made a little "eep" noise as she felt a tug on one of her blonde pigtails. She whipped around to nearly crash into a certain vampire. Loosing her balance from spinning around so fast, Usagi stumbled foward and fell onto the raven-haired teen's chest. He laughed, she groaned.
"You're such a clutz," he teased, voice softer than usual.
Usagi pushed herself away hastily and opened her mouth to reprimand him when something soft tickled against her cheek. She blinked in surprise, realizing that Mamoru was brushing a flower across her jawline. A deep blush stained the blonde's cheeks.
"For you." Mamoru tapped the tip of Usagi's nose with the flower. "Happy Birthday."
Usagi felt herself get dizzy. She numbly nodded her thanks and took the tiger-lily typed-flower into her shaking hands. Why was Mamoru being so incredibly nice...? Because it was her birthday...? Well, whatever the case may be, Usagi was sure enjoying it!
Mamoru's: "How was your breakfast?" snapped Usagi out of her dreamstate.
"Fine, thanks," she mumbled. Usagi gulped and inhaled the sweet scent of Mamoru's gift to her. "I'd ask you how your's was, but I really don't want the details." This caused a grin to grace his blood-red lips.
Usagi soon realized that she was sitting down now, Mamoru next to her. Her heart was pounding so fast all of a sudden! How was he doing this to her? She shuddered lightly as the bareskin that wasn't covered by his teeshirt brushed against her own. He seemed warmer than usual...
Usagi cleared her throat, trying to find sometype of conversation. She reached for the sports jacket that he had still left in her possesion. She unfolded it and splayed it across her lap. She gently laid the flower down ontop of the coat.
"Are you OK?"
Usagi gasped. She turned to Mamoru with crimson cheeks and wide blue-eyes. She nodded the smallest bit and smiled shakily. Mamoru chuckled.
The blonde stiffened as Mamoru leaned in to brush his lips against her own. Her whole body went completely ridgid as his blood-red lips softly teased hers. It felt as though her heart was about to burst. Her vision blurred the smallest bit and her lids grew heavy. She trembled slightly as the vampire brought his hand up to caress her cheek, slowly pulling away.
"What...?" Usagi sighed breathlessly. "What was that for...?"
"No reason..." Mamoru's breath was hot against her face. Their noses were still brushing. "Just a spur of the moment type thing..."
Since when did Mamoru just do things in the "spur of the moment"?
Usagi inhaled sharply and Mamoru pressed his cheek against her own. He blew softly on her ear. Waves up goosebumps shot up Usagi's spine. She soon found Mamoru leaving a hot trail of kisses down her jaw and throat. The blonde stifled a moan.
"Why... are you acting like this...?" Usagi whispered dizzily. "All of a sudden...?"
"I don't know," the vampire murmered against the crook of her neck. "I just can't keep it in any longer..."
Usagi trembled as Mamoru kissed her neck. He wouldn't bite her, would he?
"Mamoru... I..."
"Shhh." He lips were pressed against her own again. "Don't say anything..."
Usagi had to sum up all her energy just to keep her eyes open. He was driving her crazy! The way she could still feel the kisses he left on her throat and neck... The way his body was cold, but his breath so hot... The way his lips were teasing her... The way he was staring at her with those black eyes...
Usagi gagged.
She tried to scream, but couldn't find her voice. Trembling with horror, the blonde jumped up, legs nearly giving way. The jacket and flower flew off her lap. She stared at the man before her, eyes impossibly wide.
"You...!" Usagi could hardly breathe. "You're not Mamoru...!"
The raven-haired teen eyed her with confusion. He slowly stood, smiling sadly in an almost pitiful way.
"What are you talking about?" Mamoru let out a hoarse laugh. "Usagi, what's wrong with you?"
"NO!" the blonde screeched, backing away frantically. "No, Mamoru NEVER calls me Usagi!" The tears were welling up in her eyes, now. "He always calls me "dumb", or "kid", or "Odango Atama"!" She could hardly stand. "And his eyes... they're blue!!"
Thank God for Rule #4.
The man in front of Usagi grinned. He cocked a curious eyebrow, face going sinister. He slowly began to advance on the fumbling girl.
"You're smarter than you look," he hissed.
Usagi took a shaky step back, trying to keep as much distance as possible between "Mamoru" and she. She soon found herself running, as fast her numb legs could carry her, tumbling over every branch and rock on the way.
Usagi screamed, crying out for the real Mamoru's help. How could she have been so blind?! She should have known from the start that this romantic wasn't indeed *her* Chiba Mamoru. But, there was always that fleeting hope...
Before Usagi could even scream for help she was pinned to the rocky earth beneath her. The shape-shifter in Mamoru's form was stradling her, holding down her arms with an unbelievable strength. His face was turning impatient.
"Now, now," he spat. "Just hold still, and it won't hurt as much." How reassuring.
Usagi opened her mouth to cry out, but could find no voice. She realized her cheeks were wet with tears and that there was a cut on her forehead. She knew her legs were most likely scratched up too, but if they were, they were too numb for her to tell. And soon the rest of her body with them.
Usagi tried to squirm desperately away, but the creature on top of her was much to strong. She could feel her chest tightening. The shape-shifter's lips were on her neck again. She squeezed her eyes shut.
Mamoru! she cried mentally. Help me!!
Usagi choked, felling the teeth begin to pierce her flesh.
Suddenly, the sensation was gone. The weight of the creature's body on her still remained, however.
Usagi's mind screamed with the possibility that she was dead, but a strangled cry broke through her thoughts. There was a sharp cracking noise, and then only heavy breathing.
Usagi opened her eyes in terror of what she would see.
There, still stradling her lap, but not pinning down her arms, was the shape-shifter. His head was snapped to the side so far that his spine had jutted sideways out of his throat. His mouth hung agape, eyes wide, but unseeing.
Dead.
The blonde's heart nearly stopped.
Behind the shape-shifter was the answer to her cries for help.
The real Mamoru stood, a hand gripping onto the fake one's hair. He threw the body aside, letting it roll off Usagi. His chest was heaving. Usagi noticed that he was slightly hunched over, a look of pain unmistakeably covering his face. There were small bite marks on his neck.
"You OK...?" the vampire wheezed out. He fell to his knees by the dumbstruck Usagi.
The blonde just lied there, staring at him with wet, unblinking eyes. Her chest was rising in falling with the great gasps for air she was taking in, but slowly. All she could hear was the thudding of her heart.
Mamoru reached out a shaky hand to brush sweat-drenched bangs off the girl's forehead. He slowly helped pull her up into a sitting position. He slapped her cheek lightly, trying to break her out of her stupor.
"It's all right, Odango." Mamoru smiled softly. "It's really me."
"Mamoru..." Usagi croaked out, expression still the same. "You...?"
Mamoru sighed a bit with relief, glad she was finally snapping out of her comatose form. He absent-mindedly scratched at the puncture wounds on his neck.
Usagi blinked for the first time in two minutes. Her teary blue-eyes flew to where Mamoru was scratching.
"He... bit you..." Usagi felt her throat closing up. "That shape-shifter bit you... to get to me..."
Mamoru shrugged. He pulled the neck of his teeshirt over the bites. "It's nothing..." His chest was still heaving slightly. "It hurts a bit, but I'll live. I'm immortal, remember? I figured something was wrong, though... They normally don't other with me... I was just gonna lie there for a bit, waiting for my strength to come back... But then I heard you scream..."
The impact of the last ten minutes sunk in so fast Usagi thought her brain might explode. Tears immediately began rushing out of her eyes. She began sobbing uncontrolably.
Mamoru swallowed nervously. He slowly leaned closer to the crying blonde. Hesitantly, he brought his arms around her and pulled her trembling form to his chest. "It's OK," he whispered softly in her ear. "You're OK, now." An overwhemling sensation of protection for this girl swelled up inside Mamoru. "I'm here, everything's all right..."
And Usagi knew he was right.

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Author's Notes: That took me SOOOOO long to write!! I've been sitting here for THREE and a half hours!! o_O;; I'm gonna try to get chapter 7 out today... But no promises ^_^; Bai!