Adulation

8:88:888:88:8

Taji gasped as her towel fell to the floor. Sora gave a slight groan as he stood up and walked over to her. Snatching her towel so that it covered her chest, but hardly her stomach and her legs, she watched as his eyes, which was darkened considerably, licked his lips as she backed up into the door. Reaching out and moving her wet bangs out of her face, he couldn't surpess the need and the desire that yearned for her to touch him, to be a part of him forever more. "S-Sora?"

A simple grunt was all her gave her as he stared at her neck. Taking his finger and placing it on her chin, he made her lean her neck to the side. Then he leaned down and cautiously licked her cream colored skin seductively. The gasp that come from deep in her throat, as well as her free hand that was now grabbing his shoulder, pleased him greatly as he began assaulting her senses. He heard her make a sound deep in her throat, a growl and a snarl, but it vibrated against his chest, and it caused havoc in his mind, so he continued torturing her. What the hell are you doing? Something shrieked inside him.

He lightly ran his teeth over the smooth skin, laying a hand on her slim and toned stomach, feeling the muscles of training that he didn't know she endured made him shudder, made the ache in his groin grow even more demanding, and with a slight groan, she allowed him to possess her as his ki overpowered hers, made her submit to his every demand. He was willing giving her his heart, his soul, and she gladly took it, massaged it, carressed it, and gave it back. Her breath was short and ragged, and she whispered his name one more time, trying to catch his attention, frustrated the more she begged him to listen to her, the more control the both of them lost.

She did know that whenever his soft lips touched her skin, a white hot burn flashed through her, her skin now scorched with his loving kisses, he trailed them across her shoulder, her collar bone, her chin, her eye lashes, on the corner of her lips, before he returned to the sweet taste of her perfect neck. He had never done this before, but it came so natural to him, and the little sound she was make had wicked effects on his thinking, his mind was blank as something that had never rose in him boomed into something new and rare, something he didn't think he would ever understand.

I don't think you understand that if her father finds out that you'll be one dead mothersucker!

I don't care . . . it's too nice . . . to perfect.

She placed her hands into his shirt as her towel fell to the floor, unleashing her whole body to his lustful eyes, but didn't falter. He continued stroking her stomach, going agonzingly slow and light to the point she reached down and pressed his hand so that his palm was on her abdomen. With a slight gasp as he pushed his hips onto hers, her back touched the wood that was her door, and with a zombielike cry, she allowed him to perfect her, complete her, even when he went as to so far so place his hands on her hips.

"Taji . . . touch me." He growled, the want and need thick in his voice to the point it made her knees buckle. He caught her and balanced her as she rubbed her hands up and down his chest, her heart hammering panfully against hers, causing her breathing to worsen, and her attempts to take off his shirt more restless. When it didn't work, she just continued slipping her hands under the fabric, pressing her palms into the ripples in his abs firmly, making him lean down and lightly nibble at her neck.

Deliberately ignored the voice, he reached down and ran his fingers through her hair. Sora! Kitohoshi! What the fuck are you doing?

Shuddup . . .

No! Do you realize that her father will kill you you dumb Son of a . . .

I thought I told you to shut up!

I thought I told you you didn't deserve her! I know I told you that she will never ever be with you! Get of f of her! You saw the damn picture! Get the fuck off of her!

He paused fora moment, and could clearly hear her pants, and the slight whine she gave as she tried to step back, only for him to lock her in between her and the wall. She shuddered lightly and whispered something that didn't make sense as she nuzzled her face in his neck, her breathing ragged and uneasy. What was he doing? He didn't even remember getting up, but he did remember what the sight she gave him caused within her. Shaking his head and stepping back, he could see the slight disappointment in her eyes as she stared at him."Sora?"

He didn't say anything, just walked over to the dresser and picked up the picture that sat in the mirror. Smiling sadly, he shook his head and bit back the tears that were rising within him, not knowing that she could smell them, missing when she grimaced and gave a puppy like whine. "How could I forget? You're already commited."

"Commited? Sora . . . I---"

"Taji . . . I'm sorry for what I just did. I can see here, that maybe you aren't supposed to return the feelings that I have for you."

"Sora? Wait . . . what did you---"

He sighed sadly and put the picture down, giving up the battle and allowing the tears to reach his eyelashes, frustrated when they wouldn't fall. "Taji . . . I think that maybe . . . " He glared at the picture with a sad expression, and also, with envy. What picture did he have? Why wouldn't he let her see the picture? Why could she say anything?

"Sora . . . I . . . what just happened . .. it . . . I . . . "

Sora shook his head as she placed the picture down, the image on the wood, away from his heartbroken gaze. "It's okay. You deserve better, and I could never give you what he could. He has money, and popularity . . . everything you want in life . . . everything I don't have."

Taji was speechless. She watched as he walked over to her, and kissing her on her forehead, he gently nudged her aside and walked out the door. A moment later, she heard the backdoor close. With a scowl placed on her face, she stomped over to her closet. Didn't he realize that what he was doing to her caused her to almost lost control? To almost sink her teeth into his perfect skin, making him hers forever? She put on a bra and some underwear.

Snatching out a long dress that was designed like a pink and white striped polo shirt, and tugged it over her shoulders and pulled her hair out of the collar. Looking out the window, she watched him walk away from her sight, not looking back. His hurt was a palpable thing, it was impossible to ignore the tears that stung her nose, and her heart.Wanting to hop out of that window and go after him, the shaking of the house and her brother's bellowing stopped her, as well as the growl that escalated at they neared her room.

Trying to hurry and lock the door, she succeeded,and yelped when they almost caved it in. She could smell their anger, their animosity as they searched for the boy that caused this change in their little sister's scent. She yelped when they finally burst inside, breaking her lock as well as cracking the door. Flexing their claws, they glanced around. Kuro sighed. "What the hell happened in here?"

Aka snorted. "Yeah sis. Where the hell is he?"

Taji chuckled nervously. "Where is who?"

Kuro sniffed the air, and scowled. "Oh hell Taji . . . tell me it's not who I think it is . . . "

Aka, who didn't catch it at first, went as to so far to go and sniff his sister's neck, right where he kissed her. Scoffing as his face twisted into a snarl, he raised a claw at her and pointed. "Taji! You were going to do that . . . . with him?"

Taji's eyes watered over as she looked away from her brothers, who gave a guiltstricken, "Oi!" And hurried to her. Walking away, she picked up the picture that he set down, and what she saw was more than she could bear.

He . . . he think's I'm commited to . . . to Kazuki?

Maybe it's better this way. Maybe it's better if you stay away from him. Let him believe what he wants. A voice answered. He doesn't know what you are . . . and maybe it's better if he doesn't know.

But . . . what happened . . . I could smell it . . . feel it . . .

You felt desire. You smelt lust. You never saw anything about love. Let him go Taji. Let him go.

Taji crumpled to the ground and started crying. It's for the best.

8:88:888:88:8

Kazuki whistled in the air as he slowly stalked to the Taisho's home. Running a claw over the delicate petal of the bouqet of roses he had for her, he sniffed it curiously. Wrinkling his nose, he stepped on the porch and stopped in midstride when he went to knock on the door. That smell . . . it set his insides aflame, and send his youkai blood into a boiling fit, until another stench drifted to him.

This one, not so feminine, and something that he should have never traced on the house, made him growl deep in his throat as he let himself in and stomped into her room. Her hurt made him grimace, the salty smell of her tears caused him to whine and pick up the pace as he walked into the room. Shuffeling past the two brothers as they stared down at her with confusion, he kneeled beside her, smoothes her hair, rubbed her back, and whispered soothing things in her ear. "Taji? What happened?"

She opened her mouth to say something, but the pain that rose within her was choking her, and with a cry, she threw herself into his arms and sobbed. It shot the two brother's a look, asking for an explanation, they shrugged and frowned as they gave him a dark look, telling him not to try anything. Rolling his eyes, he pulled her back by her shoulders and placed the roses in her hand. "It's okay. You don't have to talk about it. Just . . . let's get you out of this house."

She smiled sadly at the roses, and with a yelp of surprise as he lifted her up, she tossed the bouqet on the bed as he opened the window and hopped on the roof. Hopping towards the harbor, she sighed as she laid her head on his chest, feeling the warmth as a smile rose to her features, despite the aching void so deep in her heart. "Where are you taking me?"

His worry wasn't something easy to ignore. His youkai called out to hers, and his youki covered hers, massaging it, seeking to sooth it with a possessive feriocity that startled her. The young boy that she knew ever since she was young, the young man that always sought to make her happy, he was different, yet he was the same. But the feeling she had for him when she was young? Did they all go away? Or did she force herself to forget them? When did she do something like that?

When you met Sora. And now, you must force yourself to forget your feeling for him.

Feelings? I never had feelings . . . for Sora Kitohoshi.

The voice snorted. No matter how I warned you, you did. And now look what happened. He would have been better off if you had just let someone else volunteer to be his guide. But no-o-o-o. Youhad to be Robobitch.

Shuddup.

Taji looked up to find Kazuki looking down at her, a soft expression in his gaze. Even though it was about 2 in the afternoon, his amber eyes darkened and he gave a slight growl as he kissed her on the forehead.

She felt a shock go through her, and she felt her youkai become angry, growling, but she fought it back, and smiled sadly as he sat down and placed her on his lap. Laying her head back, she closed her eyes as they sat on the corner of a city building, letting the waves from the beach crashing against the shore give her an odd piece of calm, and letting the rumbling sound from his throat soothe her to the point she was practically sleepy. It was obvious he cared for her. But why didn't she return his affections anymore? She had never been kissed, never been touched in a way that she didn't allow, and yet, he was willing to allow himself to be whatever she wanted and needed, and she had the odasity not to return the affection?

Pushing back the absolute outrage that the human and youkai were throwing at her, she allowed him to wrap his arms around her, allowed him to whisper a simple phrase that would change her life forever. But before she could assess them in the deepest recesses of her mind, fatigue rolled over her weak body stronger than she anticipated, and she yawned and closed her eyes, mumbling something that strove to hurt his heart more than it hurt him himself.

Did she know how vulnerable she was when she was sleeping? Did she know how everything she did, even the dark look she often gave her brothers, seemed so perfect, so pure, that he wondered if she was a miko herself? He had known what no other could know, understand. He knew the family's secret, knew her limits, and treasured her, yet it was obvious that she cared for a pathetic human? Had she forgotten about him, the promise that she made to him when they were just pups?

Smoothing her hair so that it caught the sunlight, she moaned and pushed her head into his hands. Smiling sadly as he gazed down at the young girl that he knew and loved so well, he fought the desire to awake her so he could gaze into her beautiful face. Bringing her closer to him as she shivered slightly he pressed his nose into her hair, taking a deep breath, enveloping herself in her scent as his sense went haywire, and he allowed himself to go as to so far to graze his fangs over her neck, when he stopped short. Bringing his lips back into a snarl, he scooted back so that his rage didn't have him make a mistake a drop her, and he shook her gently, though a little gruffer than he wanted to.

Blinking her eyes in confusion, she looked at him, her amber orbs dark with sleep, and she yawned, showing her pearly white fangs. "K-Kazuki?"

"Him . .. "He growled as he placed her on the ground and paced back and forth. Cracking his knuckles, he sniffed the air, shot her a dark look, and then began pacing again. "I'll kill 'em."

"What? Who?"

"That . . . that human that dared to touch you . . . now you reek of his scent . . . of his arousal . . . I'll kill him . . . "

Taji gasped. "K-Kazuki? It's not like that! Really!"

"Really? Then why do you smell like him?" He stopped pacing and placed his hands on his hips as she broke the connection as their eyes connected.

"I . . . We . . . I don't want to talk about it." She said as tears rose to choke her. "It's for the better." She mumbled.

Kazuki sighed and looked off into the distance. He . . . he stole my woman's heart. If I have to kill him to get . . . to get Taji back . . . I will, by whatever means possible.

8:88:888:88:8

Stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!

I thought I told you to shut up?

Keh! If I didn't pipe up when I thought you'd take control, you'd be one sorry mother---

I get your point.

Sora sighed as he sank down onto the sleeping mat. Traces of his yearning for her touch was still evident in his clothing, and Sora really didn't care, as long as he was far away from her. He didn't know what just happened, and he was glad he stopped himself before he made a big mistake. He wondered why his father didn't look for him, didn't even care that he had been gone for so long.

Keh! Don't think about that! Just think about a complete ass you just were---

Shut the hell up! I made a mistake! But you saw what happened! You saw her body . . . her legs . . . her hips

Like hell I did! But I didn't go licking her like a damn lollipop, did I?

So what? Just why am I fighting with you?

Cause you're a damn shame Kitohoshi. You're a damn shame.

Sora winced and snorted as he refused to comment to the voice in his head. Having a headache that forced to knock him out cold, he lit the fire, and scooted as far as he could to it. He could see that she didn't have a problem with what he was doing, and also, it was evident that she was disappointed, and a little annoyed when he stopped, but she was commited, and her being led off that easy . . . he felt guilty because she belonged to another, and she could never be with him anyway.

Shaking his head as a rabbit whipped by, he reached over and picked up a bag of potato chips that she had brought to him before. Opening the bag, he popped one in his mouth as he wiggled his toes in the sheets that he was sitting down on. He was so bored, being separated from her was harder than he thought, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he hurt her, the look in her eyes when he left without looking back, he felt a part of him breaking, and he had a feeling a part of her did too. Not wanting her to suffer like she was now, he looked up into the sky.

It was only the 2 in the evening. The sun was was nerve-rackingly hot, and to make things even close, he had lit a fire. Standing up, he changed his clothes, threw dirt over the fire, and shuffled out of the Forest that he was encamped in.

Well . . . my first time in Tokyo after weeks of captivity. He smiled sadly. Let's see if anything changed.

Pitiful. A voice grumbled in his head.

Yup.

He walked the streets of Tokyo aimlessly, trying to hide from the world that his soul, his spirit felt as if it was being drained away from his body the farther he went from her house. Turning the corner, he fought the desire to turn around as she shoved his hands in his pocket and ignored the stares from different children that attended his school. Not understanding what they saw so different from him, he stopped at the corner as he waited for the light to change. To young girls, who skirts were especially little, stopped next to him, talking about an even that was to happen at the school.

"Yes, and I want to go with Hojou! Think about it. Nezumi and Hojou going to the prom together . . . it'll be perfect!" The brunette one shrieked, clapping her hands together.

The other one rolled her eyes. "Well . . . I want to go with one of the the Taisho twins. One of them are in all of my classes, so I get to see him everyday, even though he didn't come to school today. That's odd. I guess because his parents isn't home." The other one said, this one with dirty brown hair.

"How do you know?" The brunette asked.

"My parents work with the company that they work for. " She said with a shrug. "It's top secret. All I can tell you, is that it maintains the law that was around ever since 500 years ago."

The brunette, who looked completelt puzzled, crossed the street without commenting to her friend. Sora followed soon after, walking slower than the two because his interest in their conversation was now lost. Sighing as his shoulders slumped, a car beeped and he looked behind him into a limo. Groaning, he watched as the window in the back rolled down, and his father's exhausted face came into view. "Well, well, well . . . " He growled. "Look what the wind blew in."

8:88:888:88:8

Nyoko No Taisho drummed her fingertips on the coffee table as she frowned deeply. The visitor sitting in front of her was completely unusual. His scent held that of a great youkai, the tai-youkai of the United States. He held a firm look on his face, that of completely concentration, and she raised her eyebrow as she tried to understand the question. She wiped her face with a tired hand. "So let me get this straight."

"Okay."

"You want one of my, well, my father's hunters,"

"That's right."

"To kill a human?"

"Right."

"Why?"

"Isn't this confidential?"

"Another thing you may fail to realize, we slaughter youkai, who like you, prey on the humans and endanger the survival of the youkai. My father's job is to maintain order, and he will do just that."

"Well, can you make an exception?"

Nyoko felt her temper soar. Clearing her throat to fight down the desire to knock this man's head off, she kept her expression blank, hardly mirroring the comflict that she held inside. Shaking her head as she stared at him with a quiet curiousity, it was the best she could do instead of uttering the question he was dreading she'd ask. Shrugging since she didn't have the time of day to grate on his nerves, she waved off his request with a flick of her wrists.

"This is completely and utterly infuriating. How dare you mock my father's company?"

"Mock? I didn't mock it. I just asked that you change your law."

Nyoko growled menacingly. trying to warn the ignorant youkai that he was overstepping his boundaries. He didn't seem to catch on. Considering the look of confusion on his face at her blantant show of irritation, she guessed he wasn't cunning enough to even assume the role of tai-youkai in the near future. Yup . . . a dumb one alright.

"Well, I do not understand why you request that I slaughter someone that means much to a family member of mine."

"That's the reason. He means too much. We have a past together, and that bastard has been pressing his luck."

"So, I guess you do not realize that maybe her youkai calls for him?"

"It won't. It calls for me."

"Are you so sure?"

The youkai looked a little dazed for a moment. Nyoko, who apparently understood he had not the slightest understanding of half of her family, sighed as she cleared her throat. "The young girl whose heart you seek, she has three parts to her. The human part of her heart, is also mixed with the blood of a miko. Maybe, what you feel is her natural miko aura seeking for support."

"Support?"

"When her mother was 15, that is the age when she met her father. This is the age that triggers the mental change that she, and the next generations, will experience. She is going through a devastation, something her mother had to go through, named Chikara Nanda Ai Shiteiru. Apparently, the test differs between different mikos, and I guessed Midoriko has taken a liking to her. You may think it is her youkai calling for you, but it could very well be her miko blood."

"So, your telling me that she has chosen that human?"

Nyoko shrugged. "I know not, but what I do know is that her youkai blood calls for the affection of that human. With her human blood, she is also going through something they call 'adolesence.' The mixture of the two, I understand, is not a good thing. I, however, because I am the daughter of tai-youkai, will not experience this change. My mate will be determined by my father."

"Well, I don't care." The youkai snorted stubbornly. "I want him dead, even if I have to do it myself."

"If you ever so lay a finger on that human, I will have you executed by myself personally."

"I would rather she not be with him."

"Why would you harm the human so that you yourself get killed? Then, she would be hurt to know point of ever healing. Is that what you wish? Do you wish to hurt her so?"

The youkai stood up and shuffled to the door. Looking over his shoulder, his eyes darkened menacingly as he glared at her. Eyes connecting, their youki deliberately taunting the other's, he sighed. "Why does it seem . . . that you wish for her to be with the human? Don't you wish for the legacy of pure youkai to live on?"

"I wish for that legacy, but what matters is if she does. It is in her blood to have compassion for humans, her grandmother is the reason for that. I cannot stop what a part of her needs."

The youkai shook his head. "I don't understand what you mean."

"Well, until you understand, may I at least know what my clients name?"

"Kazuki. Kazuki Nishimura."

Nyoko frowned as she watched him close the door.

Nishimura? Why does that sound familiar? His burning desire to hold her, the want andevident restlessness in his eyes made her wonder just what caused these yearning for her heart. Gritting her teeth together, she bit back annoyance as she stood up and went to her father's office. Closing and locking the door behind her, she sank behind the desk and started up the computer's main data base. Clicking search and highlighting background, she nervously typed in his name. Nishimura . . . Ah! That's why he's so familiar . . . wait a minute . . .

She narrowed her eyes as she stared at the information in front of her. Oh no . . .

8:88:888:88:8

A/N

There will be a change of plans. I'll be able to update basically ever other day. I think that'll be better, or if each day I'll update a different story. I'll start that process next week. So on Monday, Genuine Desires: Unity Will be updated, then on Tuesday, Covetousness 2 : Discoveries with be updated, and I'll keep going in that order . Enjoy!