Author's Notes: Here's the chappie. As promised. ^_^V

Disclaimer: Do you think I'd be sitting here writing crappy fanfics if I owned Sailor Moon??

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Heaven's Flames

Chapter 21

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Mamoru looked up the ladder and through the mud hole with tear-filled eyes. There she was, crouched on the ground above, staring down at him through the hole. Her eyes were glistening from the fiery specks of the quickly rising sun. The vampire could feel his skin tingling from just that small sparkle of light alone, but he didn't make to mind it. He was too busy staring into her weeping eyes, silently begging for her forgiveness.

            "Usako…" His voice felt harsh and loud compared to the stillness of dawn, despite how he tried to whisper.

He gulped and hung his head, no longer able to crane his neck back to meet her gaze. They were only one ladder away. If only she would just walk down the ladder into his abode – then he could hold her. He could hold her until Seiya came in a few hours and took her away… forever. Mamoru bit his lip.

            He could say it so easily. 'I'm sorry. Please, don't spend tonight - our last night – alone'. But Mamoru didn't speak. He couldn't. Not after all that was said a mere hour ago. Not after he walked away from her to hide himself in his underground home like the coward he was.

            "Can I come down?"   

            The vampire sucked in a quick breath. He swung his head up to see her about to brace herself to step down the ladder. She was eyeing him expectantly. Mamoru tried to speak, but found that no sounds could be formed. He mouthed the word 'yes' and she obliged.

            The young man had decided that the second she was down off the ladder he would sweep her into his arms and tell her just how much she meant to him – that he didn't want her to go. But then, as he watched her descend, he realized he was much too impatient to wait for her to go down the last three rungs.

            The golden-haired Usagi squeaked in surprise as she felt two cold arms encircle her waist and pull her from the ladder. After the initial shock, she soon found herself twisted around in her lover's arms, a smile on her lips. They both felt guilty for smiling at a desperate time like this, but Usagi just couldn't help it and Mamoru didn't want to.

            "I love you," Mamoru whispered hopelessly in her blonde tresses, holding her close. "God, Usako, I love you so much."

            When Usagi had decided to make herself known at the foot of Mamoru's dwelling, she promised herself that should would not cry – no matter what that meeting entailed. She could tell already from the tightening in her chest and burning of her eyes that the promise would go unheeded.

            "Mamo-chan…" The girl's arms, currently wrapped about Mamoru's neck, clung tightly to the shirt about his shoulders. She paused, unsure of what to say, but positive that something must indeed be said.

            "Hold that thought."

            Usagi blinked as she felt Mamoru withdraw from her and make his way to the ladder. The tingling on his skin had increased to a burning. He pulled himself up the ladder and winced as he advanced closer to the sunlight. He would have to close the mud-covering of his home, and fast, before all his skin burned away. He wanted their last night together to be romantic, not full of pus and gore.

            Mamoru's movements were swift from years of practice as he quickly covered the opening. When finished he grinned down at the girl below him and made his way back down. He noticed that she was apparently suppressing a large grin.

            "What?" he queried defensively.

            Usagi leaned over, once they were on level ground, and poked his cheeks. Mamoru winced just the slightest, and pulled back.

            "You have a sunburn," she giggled out. The vampire frowned.

            "It's your fault for coming here as the sun was rising," he countered, slamming his hands on his hips.

            "You're perfectly childish."

            Mamoru blinked. "What's that supposed to mean?" he demanded, a small, accidental pout twisting his lips.

            "Nothing," Usagi cooed, stepping closer. Her stomach jolted slightly as she felt her warm body brush up against Mamoru's own cold one. "Just that I love you." She leaned up and swept her lips across his. Mamoru could have sworn he was melting.

            "I love you, too," he sighed against her mouth. He felt her lips spread into a smile.

            Mamoru curled his arms about her lithe waist and pulled her gently close. Usagi's hands danced themselves to rest on the nape of her lover's neck. Their bodies were grazing each other's enticingly and both shuddered softly. The vampire leaned his head further down and pressed his lips against the blonde's, no longer able to take being so close and yet not quite intimate. Usagi responded happily as her lips tugged playfully with his.

            Mamoru's tongue had soon coaxed the younger girl's mouth opened and she slowed her pace. If there was one thing she learned from kissing Mamoru, it was that she had to be careful about his fangs. However, soon the sharp canines were masterfully avoided and both continued in their fervent dance of tongues.

            Usagi whimpered slightly as Mamoru pulled her closer and his hands roamed up and down her sides and back. His thumbs were brushing right under her breasts. Goosebumps plagued her skin. The soft mewls of delight that emanated from his lover had Mamoru's mind reeling. She was crushed up against him wonderfully. He could feel every curve of her body, and, he noticed with embarrassment, that she could probably feel a growing part of his own, too.

            Mamoru reluctantly pulled back, leaving Usagi flushed and open mouthed. Their labored breaths mingled flirtatiously in the air. She opened her heavy-lidded eyes and frowned as best she could.

            "What?" she breathed, trying to regain her composure.

            Mamoru sighed and shook his head, their bodies now an inch or so apart, but their arms never leaving the other. When he had been sucked into the game he was a virgin. Now, all these years later, Mamoru was still a virgin. It was only natural for a twenty-one year old virgin to have these kinds of feelings… But when you add into the mix that he had the hormones of a restless teenager and a hopeless adult combined… well, that was a much more complicated situation.

"I didn't want to…" he began unsurely, eyes hesitantly meeting Usagi's, "…go too far."

The blonde blinked. "Go too far?" She shook her head through a giggle. "You weren't going too far."

"Well, my actions might not seem like it…" Mamoru looked down and glowered at a certain appendage that was sticking out annoyingly. "But other parts of me were…" he paused, "are."

Usagi followed his gaze and couldn't help but giggle again. "I noticed." She grinned up at the blushing vampire. "I could feel it against my leg."

"Don't make fun of me!" Mamoru cried, completely appalled.

"I'm not making fun of you." The blonde leaned up and pressed her lips against his reassuringly.

"I can't help it…" he grumbled, looking away. "But you better let me calm down for second, otherwise I'm going to have to go wank off in a corner."

Usagi's hand flew to her mouth to help suppress her mirth. After a second of Mamoru grumbling under his breath, she finally recovered her poise. "Why would you have to do that?"

Mamoru glared at her flatly. "Well, if I don't and you keep getting me excited," he stated matter-of-factly, "I'm not going to be able to restrain myself from jumping you."

The young girl leaned up and felt her nose brush against his. "Who said I didn't want you to?" she whispered alluringly.

Mamoru gulped. He glared as harshly as he could, despite the way his body felt like it was on fire. "Don't tease me," he choked out.

Usagi slipped her hands down Mamoru's chest with feather-light fingers. She tugged his tee-shirt out of it's tucked-in position in his pants. Mamoru sucked in a sharp breath as her fingers slipped under his shirt and trailed along the waist of his jeans.

"I won't be held responsible," Mamoru managed through the lump in his throat, "for my actions." His stomach jerked as her hands slipped to his chest. Her warmth burned wonderfully against his vulnerable skin. "I said," he began again in a strangled voice, "don't tease me."

Usagi's nimble fingers slid down his chest and rested on his jean-clad hips. She nipped softly at his bottom lip. "I'm not."

Mamoru blinked in shock, not only from her statement, but from her actions that followed. She leaned up and pressed her lips against his ear. Her body was soon against his, pressure in all the right spots. Mamoru bit back a groan.

"This is our last night together, right…?"

            The quiet seriousness of her words had the jaw-clenching stimulation momentarily forgotten. Mamoru's tensed shoulders sagged and he hung his head. With all the coy words and playful actions the said vampire nearly forgot that she was to go home in only a few hours. He let out a quick breath and clamped his eyes tight in shame.

"Make love to me."

            Mamoru jerked back and stared into Usagi's clouded eyes with his own shocked ones. He opened his mouth to speak, but it took him two tries before his voice came.

            "You can't be serious!" Mamoru cried, unsure of whether he was overly appalled, or overly hopeful.

            "I'm very serious, Mamo-chan." Usagi began nearing him again, the same look in her eyes. Mamoru was sure he'd be swallowed whole.

            "I-" he stuttered, "I can't!!"

            The blonde arched a meticulous eyebrow. "You can't?"

            The older flushed. "I mean… I can! But… I… We shouldn't." He was stumbling over his words and his hands were flying about nervously.

            "What do you mean, 'we shouldn't'?" Usagi's appealing gaze hardened into a glare. "You don't want it?" Her eyes traveled down to Mamoru's dwindling 'problem'. "You seemed fine about it before."

            "It's not that I don't want it…!" he offered, trying to plead his case. "But—"

            "I know it's more then just a physical situation, right?" The blonde eyed him warily. "But, I'm ready – both physically and mentally." Her glare softened dramatically. "Aren't you?"

            Mamoru made a quiet sound of protest. He quickly shook his head and reached out for his lover's shoulders. "It's not that, Usako!" He sighed and hung his head. His voice hushed. "I'd want nothing more… Well, maybe something more… But…" He made a sound of distaste at his fumbling speech. "I want to," he stated plainly, knowing no other way to put it. He lifted his head to meet her eyes with a concerned gaze. "I just don't… Don't want you to regret it."

            "Regret it?" Usagi cried, stepping forward. "Why would I ever regret it?!"

            Mamoru adverted his gaze sadly. "When you go back…" He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. "When you go back, I'm sure you'll find someone new…" Usagi made to speak, but Mamoru opened his eyes and shushed her with a finger on her lips. "I don't want you to fall in love with that man," he whispered hoarsely, inwardly wincing at the mental image of his love in the arms of Seiya, "and regret spending tonight with me." His heart was throbbing painfully.

            "I could never love anyone but you." The girl's actions were slow and deliberate as she stepped towards him and wrapped her arms about his torso. She closed her eyes and rested her head against his chest. Mamoru took a shaky breath. "You're the only one for me… I mean that."

            "Usako," the vampire began hesitantly, "you don't know that." His fists clenched at his sides. He was using everything in his power not to hold onto the girl in his arms for dear life. "You could very easily return and forget all about me."

            "Forget about you?!" Usagi snapped her head back. "I would never be able to forget about you!! I'll always love you!!"

            Mamoru smiled sadly. He brought one trembling hand up to brush across her cheek. "I don't want you to have any regrets should you fall in love elsewhere…"

            "The only thing I'd regret," the blonde countered, "is leaving here without spending tonight with you." Her gaze was determined but miserable. The vampire's heart ached.

            "Are you really sure about this…?" he asked breathily, leaning his forehead against her own.

            Usagi let her eyes flutter closed. "More then anything."

            Within a few minutes they were down on the makeshift cot. All apprehensions were pushed aside, and there were no regrets.

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Author's Notes: Well, this would have been out sooner, but I was suspended from fanfiction.net for a bit because I neglected to notice that you're not allowed to put up just Author's Notes for a chapter (of my story "Christmas is a Time…"). But I'm back, and you got your chappie!! ^_^ yey!!