Disclaimer: I do not own BB, just the OCs.

Warning: Lemon…

Summary: The war between two empires has gone on long enough. Now the Emperors pass down their grudge to their grandchildren. But what happens when they find themselves escaping their worlds, and finding love between one another? Pairings

Key:

"Talking"

"Thoughts"

:: Communicating with Sacred Animals ::

Chapter 10

Burn

Over the next few days, the groups had to stay on the low key. They had run into another village they day after Mika and Kai's "encounter" in the water. It was a rich village, and unlike the commonness of merchants running around Poseic, this one had scattered salesmen, not many were there.

But they had bigger problems. First of all there was word that the Houou Emperor's army was planning on moving into the Poseic territory. Rumors were that they were after a group of renegades that held great favor in the Houou Emperor's eyes. Rumors also reported a reward for the capture of anyone of Houou lineage. It was easy to find a true Houou through their eyes and tattoo. Crimson eyes marked nobility and Kai was cursed with his eyes and scarred with the tattoo of a phoenix across his upper back with the wing tips spreading over his shoulders.

They had to be very careful of Kai's appearance. Drowning him in a hooded cloak, they were able to pass him off as an ill traveler with Takao taking over the Imperial Prince's reins. Normally Kai would have beckoned to go around the village, but the quickest route was to go straight through this town.

Night had dawned upon them quicker than they would have liked, and the group was forced to take refuge in the cheapest inn with the money Takao had haggled for with the precious boar tusks and hide he retained. Upon arrival in the inn, the owner's son had taken a liking to Hiromi. Several times during the night both Mika and Hiromi could swear the door would open and shut.

When the morning arrived, they awoke to the sight of the son stroking Hiromi's hair. The brunette woke in a fright and choked on a scream. Mika rushed over and tackled the son away from her friend, very unlady-like. They had landed in a clutter and crashed on the ground. Both Kai and Takao, whose room was adjacent to the girls', were awaken by the clatter and rushed over to see a deathly frightened Hiromi clutching her blanket with white knuckles up to her chin. And there was Mika on the floor, wrestling with the son, who was stronger than her. Kai and Takao were furious and Dranzer came to the windowsill. Her eyes lit up in a red glare. Beo came up behind the boys and was ready to launch himself at the son of the owner of the inn, but Kai was quicker. He rushed over and threw the son into the wall off of Mika. The girl looked at him in shock, but Kai's rage only continued to grow.

"You! You're a Houou noble! Your eyes tell all!" cried the man, pointing at Kai, and staring into the crimson eyes.

"Yes, let your hatred consume you, Kai…Burn, let it burn…"

That voice in the back of Kai's head was louder than he ever was before; Kai could feel the fire inside of him burn, that flame he felt in the stables rise again. Mika could have sworn that she saw Kai's eyes illuminate a red glow. But her attention was quickly drawn away from Kai's eyes when the little candle on the dresser by the window suddenly flared up and was set ablaze. The window curtains resting just above quickly caught on fire and the wooden room was following in suit. The son ran out of the room, crying fire up and down the building. The staff started to bang on the closed doors of customers.

Kai quickly pulled Mika up and into his arms, cradling her bridal-style. Takao rushed over to the frozen Hiromi and grabbed her in the same fashion. They were able to savage one pair of the girls' cloth and rushed into their room, girls in arm, and got one set of clothing for them as well. Beo was on their heels and the place was a mad house with everyone left and right panicking. Kai and Mika got separated from Takao and Hiromi. But they continued down the stairs and out of the burning building. Luckily for them, the stable was set up across the road, away from the blazing building. Kai rushed Mika over there, with Beo and Dranzer appearing as well. Quickly saddling the three horses, they continued to hear the cries of the people calling for water. A few minutes later, Takao appeared with a clutching Hiromi. Settling her in the saddle, Takao, Mika, and Kai swung into their saddles and ran their horses out of the barn through the back entrance.

The entire village was trying to extinguish the fire, so it was rather easy for the four to escape unnoticed. They rode their horses hard for a few hours back into the woods, until they felt they were at a safe enough distance. And only then did Kai bring them all to a walk. Dranzer rested calmly on Kai's shoulder and Beo took his place aside of Mika.

:: Dranzer, what happened back there?:: asked Kai, looking over to his avian guardian. The phoenix looked down to her boy and nudged his cheek before glancing down to Beo. The wolf shook his head. The red fire bird looked back to Kai.

:: I don't know, child…:: Dranzer looked up to the sky for a second, unable to tell him face to face, when she knew she was lying.

:: So that wasn't your doing?::

:: No, Kai. It wasn't me…::

---

Every so often, over the next three days, the group had to hide deep in the brush and treetops of the woods. A few civilians passed by looking for that "red eyed Houou youkai". During those days, Mika avoided Kai as much as she possibly could, and Hiromi finally snapped out of that trance she had been in. No one spoke about what had happened. They had no explanation for the fire, but Beo and Dranzer did, but they remained silent upon agreement. Of they did not brood upon that reason, it would die off and Kai would not be consumed… or at least they hoped so.

It was about a week of eating fish and hare until they had one restful night. Dranzer had scouted the area and they did not detect the citizens anymore. The fire was crackling as they all sat around it, finishing up their meal. Kai kept glancing between the fire and also Mika. He was drawn to both. Both by amazement, both by love, both by guilt. Mika had not said a word to Kai since the incident in the river, which he still wasn't understanding of the reason for Mika's unexplained disappearance. Was he that revolting? Did she despise him that much?

Mika sat quietly, staring at her half-eaten fish in her hands. Lost in her own thoughts, she could feel Kai's eyes gazing upon her. Mika lost her appetite as she felt her stomach flipping inside of her. She tightened her stomach muscles hoping to control her gut. Mika fully knew why her stomach was doing this to her. It was because of Kai, she had fallen for him, for her mortal enemy, the one who was going to take the throne of the Empire whose goal was to destroy her lands. It made her feel even sicker inside.

"I can't do this. Live these lies anymore than I have. I am not 'Michi', I'm sick of leading him astray like this. This is going to devour me if I don't put a stop to it. I fear I might actually turn into this 'Michi' and forget whom my real identity is. I am Mika, the heir to the Ookamikei throne. As his is to the Enpaiahouou." Mika glanced over to Kai for a brief second, but quickly contracted back into herself, only to gain a troubled-some look from Beo.

::Something ailing you, Isshi?:: The ookami walked over next to his child and sat down next to her, resting his regal head on her lap, crimson eyes gazing over her protectively. Mika couldn't look down at him and continued to stare at her food.

:: I don't know how much more I can take lying to them.::

::The truth is best.:: Beo tried to reassure Mika. She had seemed so lost the passed few days, since the time Mika wanted to hunt. She would not reveal much to him, and it worried the sacred ookami that his child could not converse with him.

::But if he knew, I fear he would leave me—us. He might leave us…:: Beo knew immediately that it had to do with the Houou Prince. He moved his eyes over to the Prince, not letting his head move, and received a glare from Dranzer, before he looked back over to Mika.

:: Mika, the boy has his own monsters he has to deal with.:: It pained him he had to keep secret from her what he knew. He was not one to enjoy the lies and deceits he felt he was being forced into.

:: So then I should not add more to his platter.::

::I have no liking for the Houou heir, but you can't worry yourself over it. Tell him if it will ease you…::

:: I… I don't know, Beo. I think … I think I love him…::

"You OK, Michi?" asked Kai. Mika looked up and saw Kai looking at her dead in the eye. She felt her own eyes begin to well up with her own tears. Her hands started to tremble as her emotions continued to pour. "Michi.."

With that, Mika stood up, dropping her fish to the ground. She turned on her heels and ran deeper into the woods. Beo and Kai stood up, and both Takao and Hiromi looked over at the retreating figure. Kai took off after her before Beo got the chance to follow in behind his girl. Beo was ready to race after them, but Dranzer was quicker and blocked the white ookami with herself.

:: Let me through, Dranzer.:: The firebird settled on a fallen log just in front of the white ookami. Beo glared down at Dranzer, his crescent moon marking lighting a red glow as he felt his anger rising.

::Let them work this out on their own.:: Dranzer flapped her wings at him, encouraging to stay still, but the Sacred ookami was stirred, and he was not one to have a good temper once he was worked up. Dranzer knew this, and knew she would have to keep him still.

::I won't let her be hurt--:: Beo felt his protectiveness over the Ookamikei princess rise and grow within him. He knew Dranzer felt the same for her sadistic child. The old ookami wanted his girl far from him.

:: And she won't be. Haven't you noticed that every time Mika was in trouble, Kai's true nature started to protect her.:: Dranzer felt herself conversing with a brick wall. As knowledgeable as Beo was, the great ookami was not one to reason with when the safety of one of his people was jeopardized. And in Dranzer's case, she only felt that bond to Kai, as the rest of the Empire was being corrupted away from her, and into the power of Boris.

::And consume him. That last time was too dangerous, Dranzer. I won't risk her.:: Beo knew fully well of Kai's capabilities even if the Imperial prince did not know of them himself. Dranzer flew over and landed on Beo's back, careful with her talons and claws on his spinal cord. Sacred he was, but his form was mortal, and faced the same threat as did to any regular ookami.

:: Maybe the key to controlling his nature lies in your child. Maybe Kai could find an inner peace with her.:: She nudged him lightly with her head, hoping to reason with him some more.

::If I sense any trouble…:: Beo eyed her, his crescent moon lighting up once more, this time a light blue glow, and Dranzer knew that he was calming down. Good. The old ookami would only cause more confusion for the children, and Dranzer feeling like the motherly figure had to keep that fact in mind.

:: Have faith, Beo.::

::And you're sure he has no recognition of who he is?:: Beo knew not much of Kai's past or his upraising, unlike Dranzer who had been with the boy since birth, since the time when Kai's father courted his mother. She had been through all, knew all, was silenced from all by Boris.

::Thanks to Boris, Kai has not learned the truth about his father… but he is discovering it himself each and every new day…::

---

"Michi! Wait up!" Kai rushed after the running girl, watching her weave through the trees and brush. Mika glanced back at watched as Kai was actually following her, which only caused her tears to reign even harder than before. He was making this much harder on her.

"Go away, Kai." She couldn't love him, she couldn't be with him. Once he found out she was Ookamikei princess, who knew how he was going to react, and if they had a stronger bond, then the result could have been even worse.

"I'm not going to, something's wrong." A root had caught Mika by surprise as her foot caught onto it and sent her flying to the ground, tumbling a few feet before halting on her side. "You OK?" Kai reached out to help Mika up, but the girl pushed him aside, resisting the urge to take his hand. She stood on her own and felt defiant. She couldn't give into him, she couldn't give into her desires. "Listen, I don't understand what happened back at the river…"

"Kai…" Mika turned her back on him, clutching her hands tightly together, feeling the tears welling once more again in her swollen eyes.

"You disappeared. Tell me, how did I harm you?" Mika turned back to him, and shook her head. No, he had it all wrong. There was nothing wrong with Kai, he was wonderful, and he made her feel whole. But it was forbidden. They were forbidden to be together.

"It wasn't you. It's me…"

"I've never felt the same around anyone like you. I grew up without the knowledge of affection. My mother died in childbirth with me, and my father was murdered by the ookami Emperor before I was born. I did something to offend you, tell me. I'm… I'm not good at this." Mika closed her eyes and looked away from him, tears spilling out the sides.

"And so you think I know?"

"I did not say that, Michi-"

"SHUT UP!" she cried feeling herself break down a bit. "Don't… don't… Oh I don't know what to do." Her words filtered out of her mouth along with the stifled gasps of cries. She fell down onto her knees, clutching her head. Kai immediately followed her and held onto her shoulders.

"What's wrong?" Mika spun and started to cry heavily into his tunic, grasping the cloth in her hands as she was bawling.

"I…can't…do…this…I…can't…fall…" Kai wrapped his arms around her tightly, feeling the heat that her body was emitting and loving the absorption of it, but he had to deny those feelings.

"What can't you do?" Mika pulled her head out of his chest, her face bright red from the crying and her eyes filled with tears. Her lip shook as she tried to calm herself.

"I can't…I can't stop my self from falling for you," she replied. Kai's eyes widened at first at the thought, but then softened. So her feelings reciprocated with his own. Oh how he longed to hear those words from her. She felt the same as he had in the water, and now, he had her again in his arms. Kai leaned forward and captured her lips in his own. Mika closed her eyes and returned the same passion in the kiss back to him.

Her lips parted slightly under Kai's. Kai took advantage of this invitation and acceptance offered, sliding the fingers of one hand through her hair to cup the back of her head while Kai deepened their kiss by flicking his tongue over that full bottom lip and then plundering Mika's mouth when she let out a shuddering sigh of pleasure. Mika's fingers dug into the material of Kai's tunic and shirt, gripping and releasing rhythmically in time with the thrust and withdraw of Kai's tongue against her. Eventually they began to run out of breath and had to break apart, panting. Kai let his chin respite on Mika's head a moment. Mika panted hard and squeezed her eyes shut tightly.

"Do you feel the same?" asked Mika. Kai's eyes lowered down and he removed his head from hers, gently stroking the rouge pieces of hair that found their way onto her beautiful face.

"Do I what?" he asked her huskily. Mika cocked her one brow at him and pulled away slightly, but Kai had her in his grasp.

"Do you love me?" she asked. "For I don't want to go any farther if this is only going to be one-sided." Kai looked down at her and placed little kisses along her jaw line. She moaned lightly at his touch and as he blew little air on her sensitive skin. Kai pulled back and rested his forehead onto her.

"Does that answer you?" Mika smiled, but then it turned into a smirk. She pushed herself away from him a little bit and sat back away from him.

"Your hormones talked to me, Prince," she stated. Kai looked down at his hands and moved closer to her.

"It is hard for me to express myself," he said. "I told you. I prefer to let my actions speak for me…" Kai moved in for another breathless kiss, taking Mika with him. She was so intoxicating and Mika felt the same about Kai. She could feel her heat liven and her stomach rolling. She felt herself in bliss with him. Kai could feel his arousal start to ache as he started to push her onto her back. Mika felt herself lower herself under his pressure, feeling herself giving into him entirely. They stopped their kiss, and just looked at each other, their faces both mellow, both anticipating what was coming next.

Kai's breathing sounded loudly in Mika's delicate wolf-like ears as his mouth gently closed onto her neck. Goosebumps rose on Mika's milky skin in response to this. A moan of longing clawed up Mika's throat as Kai sunk his teeth into her shoulder. Her gray eyes glazed over as they gazed unseeingly into the dark sky. Her hands dug without a thought into his clothing, pulling him closer to her heat. Fire lit into them both, causing coalescent shivers to race down their spines—and a need that wouldn't be satisfied slowly, only with the racing of hearts and souls.

He could smell her fragrance, her beautiful arousal was so easy to depict from all the other scents that lay with them on the forest floor. She was so wet for him...his hands journeyed down her body to the very core of her body to test her readiness. His fingers dipped slowly into her hot pussy, and a gasp flew from her lips as her hips bucked up eager for the release only he could give her. She was mindless in all senses of the word, mindless except for the creature above her pleasuring. Mika slowly opened her dazed eyes only to gasp as she felt him removing her clothing along with his own. She couldn't help but gaze over each of his finely defined muscle on his chest and arms. He'd removed his tempered fingers from her entrance, and without a notice had cleared away not only her clothing but also his own.

Mika's hands unconsciously slide down their bodies to grasp the hard organ throbbing between their bodies. Kai felt himself grow even larger at her bold yet provocative touch.

"Oh Kami-sama, please, Kai…" She didn't really apprehend what she was begging for, but she felt like she was going to die without it. Kai understood completely, and his perfectly toned body was trembling to fulfill her needs and his own. Unable to deny either of their needs, he plunged into her. He broke through her virginal barrier causing her to cry out in pain, her eyes shut tight as tears escaped the corner of her eyes. The pain was unexpected. She felt invaded as he filled her up to the brim, hard and unwelcoming. Kai remained motionless, hovering between bliss at being swallowed inside, softness encircling hardness. The pain quickly fled away and Mika could feel the pleasure rise up and overpass the hurt from a moment before. Her long milky legs wrapped gingerly around his waist and her fingernails trailed to his tender lips, tracing them gently and then gliding down to his chest, urging him gently to continue.

Slowly with infinite tenderness Kai withdrew from her, his face contorted with pleasure and pain, his back shivering underneath the pads of her delicate fingers. Then he slowly he re-entered his big aching manhood, igniting Mika's passion. Soon they were both lost to the sensations of their bodies, as they continued. Kai could feel the heat from in her, it was erotic, burning inside him. He needed that fire, that flame, that heat. He could feel that creature inside him rise up, wanting more. After hours it seemed, Kai's speed increased his need to release building up in him –almost unbearable. Each thrust caused the lovers to moan in longing. Mika couldn't hold back any longer, and with a loud moan felt herself release and her body become languorous. Kai fell after her, feeling Mika's soft wetness clench around his hard dick, his essence flowing into her.

Silence fell over the forest. Kai's crimson eyes gazed dreamily down into Mika's, before pulling out of her. Lying himself down beside her, he rested one arm out for her to rest upon. Their sweat-glistened bodies touched, when Mika rolled up close to her. She tiredly rested her head over his muscular chest and felt the warmth of his chest, feeling the rising and falling of each breath. Mika felt so peaceful and content with her head cushioned on his finely toned chest. He continued with his other hand to stroke through her long hair, finding himself tired and also content with Mika finally beside him. He could hear the soft sounds of Mika's sleep, he closed his eyes in a grin and he lifted his head to kiss the back of her head. After a while sleep overcame him, low snores emitted from his deep in his chest.

---

Not much longer, Beo had enough waiting for them, and managed to escape Dranzer's watch to find his child and Dranzer's. The phoenix watched the ancient wolf go and Takao opened one of his sleeping eyes to see the blur of white rush out of the campsite. He looked over and saw the two blankets set out for Mika and Kai were still empty, only Hiromi was sleeping soundly next to him, really next to him. She had her head buried in the crook of her arm, still having nightmares about the man waking her up, stroking not only her hair, but also her body. He smiled at her and planted a light kiss on her forehead, before returning to watch for the ookami to return.

It took Beo some sniffing out to find his child. His nose had been clattered with strange aromas in the air, and he had to decipher what was what. But has he dawned upon Mika's scent; he noticed a lingering mixed in her scent. Rushing forward, he went through a bush, and looked out the other side to see his Isshi in the arms of Dranzer's child. Both were naked, and Beo could feel his temper rising inside of him, until he could hear Mika's dreams in his mind.

She must have mixed them in with her connection to him accidentally. And what he heard eased him. She had found her mate, and who was Beo to tear apart his girl. Instead, he turned and rushed back to the campsite and grabbed the two blankets in his mouth, awaking Dranzer. The phoenix looked down at the wolf, curiously. He rushed off once again to where he had found the two sleeping peacefully in each other's arms.

Gently placing the two blankets on them, he worked with ease as to not wake their slumber. Satisfied he had done what he could, he walked off a few paces and lowered himself to the ground, and settled into a light sleep, just in case and of his senses told him of any danger that might hurt his child and her mate…

And now things are really going to heat up!!! hahahaa -.- OK, so I guess only I get my pun... "heat up" the chapter was called "burn". yeah... o.O.... Um... yeah... Until next time...

lil phoenix