Author's Notes: Holy crap. O_o I haven't written in forever… Tis so sad. However, thanks to the gentle reminder from nekokitten, here is the new chapter!! ^_^;;; (I should be in school right now, but… eh)

Disclaimer: 'Cuz I said so.

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Heaven's Flames

Chapter 19

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The way Chiba Mamoru woke was nothing like in the movies. There was no sun filtering though the windows to warm his sleeping face (of course, in Mamoru's case, this was a good thing). There were no slowly fluttering open eyelids. There was no stretching, and there was certainly no happy, fuzzy feeling.

            The transaction between sleep and consciousness was so fast it nearly made his head spin. Mamoru sat up, eyes focused on the mud wall before him, his mind somewhere else completely. For instance, how on Earth, or wherever Heaven's Flames was, did he wind up back in his bed?

            It's not like this was something new to him, it happened quite often, actually. Still, it left Mamoru wondering. Every time he fed he would slip into a dreamlike, or even drunken, state. Despite knowing this, he could never remember what happened when he woke in the morning. He mentally prayed he hadn't said anything stupid to Usagi…

            Mamoru gasped. Usagi! She had gone to take a bath and then… And then what? What if…! The frantic vampire finally tore his gaze away from the wall.

            And was met with the sight of a blonde young woman lying next to him.

Mamoru stared for a second, blue eyes wide with worry and now surprise. Two laughing eyes of a much lighter shade of blue met his.

            "Hi there," she cooed in a mirth-filled tone.

            "Usako…" Mamoru blinked. He finally let his tense muscles relax themselves and sighed heavily. "Thank God…"

            The blonde sat up and made her way into her lover's lap. Usagi snuggled against his tee-shirt clad chest. She smiled contentedly as she felt Mamoru sigh again, breath wafting over her ear and neck.  His cold, strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist.

            "Um, say, Usako…?" the vampire mumbled unsurely, "did I do anything…. out-of-character last night?"

            Usagi giggled and snuggled deeper. She knew all about his feeding dilemma, but since he didn't drink all that often it was no bother.

            "No, no, you were normal." Usagi pushed herself away slightly so she could see her lover's pallid face. She ran light fingertips over the deep purple rings under his eyes. "Sometimes," Usagi began, "I forget you're a vampire, ya know…" Mamoru's eyes widened just the slightest. "It's strange… I guess it's because you used to be human." The said vampire adverted his eyes in shame. Usagi's voice pitched down softly. "I had completely forgotten, actually…"

            Mamoru's gaze remained on his fists that were currently clutching the sheet. "So," he paused and cleared his throat. Damn his voice box and it's squeakiness! "So, what made you remember?" he asked apprehensively, voice still hitched slightly.

            Usagi smiled softly, relishing in the feeling of his cold skin against her own flushed body. She leaned up, the blanket rustling softly, falling from Mamoru's grasp. She took his chin into her hands and gently turned his head so his eyes would meet her's again. Mamoru reluctantly pulled his gaze back up and met determined blue eyes. He blinked slowly.

            "I was reminded by someone," was all Usagi said, and all she needed to say.

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            Mamoru sighed heavily and scrubbed his hands against his jean-clad legs. After a few more attempts at getting the blood stains off of his palms he gave up. It would come off in good time.

            The vampire stared down at the soiled appendages. The blood from his meal a mere ten minutes ago glared at him dully.

            How could she forget I was a vampire…? he wondered, completely perplexed. For Mamoru, it was a constant reminder. Not just the blood sullied hands and lips, and not just the fangs that filled his mouth. It was the constant starvation… especially around Usagi. I'm an animal.

            "Hey."

            Mamoru jumped, sucking in a quick breath. He spun around quickly to the source of the satiny voice. An adoring blonde stared back at him.

            Usagi waved, smiling broadly. Mamoru visibly sagged with relief.

            "Hi," he croaked back, plastering on a shaky smile.

            The blonde leaned up and brushed her lips against the vampire's own. He flinched away.

            "What's wrong?" Usagi questioned, one eye brow arched.

            Mamoru looked away in shame, taking a step back. "I just fed." He absent-mindedly rubbed his hands against his jeans again.

            "Oh?" She shrugged and stepped around him. "So what?" Mamoru turned to face her again, and watched her begin walking around. He couldn't help but smile.

            She really doesn't care, does she? His smile grew wider.

            "Nothing," he replied, slipping behind her. "Nothing at all." The urge to kiss her neck wasn't fought. She giggled happily.

            A few moments of silence between the bliss couple passed. Usagi was leaning back against her lover's chest, head cocked to one side as he nuzzled against her hair and neck. She mewed softly at the hot kisses he traced along her ear, jaw, and throat. She could feel his smile across her skin and sunk into his cold embrace.

            "Say," Mamoru began softly, hesitant to break the silence. "Are you…" he paused, unsure of how to word it delicately, "mad at me?"

            Usagi giggled. "You're not one for tact, are you?" She turned in Mamoru's arms to face him. "No, I'm not mad," she responded warmly, reaching her hands up to clasp behind his neck. "I'm just confused as to why you didn't tell me."

            Isn't that just the question of the day? Mamoru groaned mentally, recalling the earlier conversation.

            "I just…" the vampire had tried at lying when they were still in his little underground home. "I just didn't want to get our hopes up."

            "Don't worry, sweetie," Usagi had responded. "It's real."

            Now, standing before her, confronted by the same question, Mamoru was feeling nauseous.

            "I was just thinking it wasn't real, is all," he answered. He desperately tried to bask in the warmth of his love clinging to him. After all, she might not be there for much longer…

            "Poor thing," the blonde crooned, toying her fingers in the black locks of hair at the nape of Mamoru's neck. "You've been here so long; you must have thought it was all just a dream."

            "Yeah," the vampire answered quickly. A nightmare.

            "Hey!"

            Mamoru jumped, taken by surprise for the second time within a ten minute interval. Usagi peeked over his shoulder, face brightening. He hazarded a glance behind him.

            I'm too distracted recently, he thought sourly as he turned. I didn't even smell anyone coming up. That anyone, Mamoru realized, but had figured, was Seiya.

            The older man stood, hands on his hips, gun hanging from his shoulder holster. His blazer was tied haphazardly about his waist. The blood stains were still prominent on his shirt. Mamoru noted with a questioning glance a bandage tied around his arm. It was the same material of Usagi's skirt, which was so conveniently missing a large piece.

A small smile greeted Seiya's lips. He was making direct eye contact with Usagi. She couldn't help but blush. Mamoru smelt the rush of blood in the girl still hanging softly on him and frowned.

            "Hi," the younger man rumbled. No, no, Mamoru, don't be a moody bitch; you do enough of that without Seiya's help. This isn't his fault. "Did you find the others?"

            Seiya's eyes never left Usagi's. "Yes," he answered bluntly, ignoring Mamoru completely. He took a step towards the blonde girl. "And how are you?"

            Nooooooo, it's not Seiya's fault at aaaaaaall. Mamoru clenched his fist.

            "I'm fine," Usagi giggled out. She pulled herself from Mamoru, no longer chilled. "And you?"

            "Perfect now that I'm staring into you're pretty eyes," was the rehearsed answer.

            "HELLO?!" Mamoru cried, throwing his arms out. "Am I not HERE?! Could you at least wait to hit on her till I LEAVE?! Jesus CHRIST!! Have some DECENCY!"

            Usagi turned to her lover, appalled. Here eyes were wide and mouth agape. Seiya turned to Mamoru for the first time, equally shocked at the sudden outburst.

            "M-mamo-chan!" Usagi sputtered, mouth still hanging open.

            Seiya blinked, face turning confused. "You…" He lifted a finger to point at the seething vampire. "You're voice squeaked." Mamoru blinked as well. "A lot."

            Now it was Mamoru's turn to be shocked and appalled. After a moment he shook his head madly and screamed from deep within his throat. "WHERE THE HELL DOES THAT CONTAIN ANY RELEVANCE TO WHAT I JUST SAID?!" he howled, head titled back the slightest, eyes clamped shut.

            "It was cute," Seiya pointed out nonchalantly, eyebrows raised curiously.

            Usagi sighed heavily, finally relieving herself of her horrified state. "Mamo-chan," she began lowly, a hint of a threat in her voice. "What the hell are you freaking out about?!"

            "Forget it!!" the frenzied vampire growled. He shot a death glare to Seiya. "I'm leaving. Do what ever the hell you want!"

            "Mamo-chan!!"

            Mamoru spun on his heel and stormed off in the opposite direction. Usagi called his name once more in the adoring nickname she gave him. And then once not. Mamoru continued to walk, ignoring the shooting pain the lack of endearment inflicted. Even once he was out of human ear-shot, his vampire senses picked up a small snort of amusement from the police officer.

            His fanatical stomps soon slowed into a weak trudge. After a few more paces, or, more accurately, drags, Mamoru fell to his knees. He took a shaky breath.

            "God…" he sighed, voice wavering. "Usako's probably so mad at me now…"

            He hung his head, bringing trembling fingers up to splay across his pallid face. The blood stains hadn't left his palms yet.

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the onslaught of tears that threatened to make way down his cheeks. His head was pounding terrifically.

            He's going to take her away from me… the raven-haired youth moaned mentally. However, the part that scared him the most was not Usagi returning home – it was the painfully obvious chance that she might fall for Seiya and completely forget about her former love.

            Mamoru couldn't bite back the dry sob that tore up through his lungs.

            He shook dangerously at the thought of loosing her to someone else. His body racked with another sob at the idea of her forgetting him.

            Mamoru almost welcomed the gush of the bloodied tears that streamed down his cheeks and mingled with the dried blood on his hands.

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Author's Notes: Well, you have to admit, it is longer then most chapters. ^_^ Doubly as long, surprisingly enough. Kind of pathetic, isn't it? Hehehe. Well, the plan is that I will have another chapter out but New Years. ^_^;; Ok?