(((shut up. All of you. I've been busy. Damn this busy busy business. Damn it all to goats. Anyway, as I had promised, there shall be some lemony sexiness in this chappy. Detailed, I might add. Even though my reviewers don't deserve it, maybe this will up my popularity. And I also must announce- please stop giving me private messages in my reviews. If you wish to speak to me, please ask kindly for my email and I shall send it you. It's a wee bit embarrassing... (ahem) youknowwhoyouare. :looks side to side uneasily: (this was before FFNET messaging, disregard)anywhelps, I have that song "Across the Universe" by John Lennon stuck somewhere in the recesses of the wrinkles of my brain right around where creative thought emulates, so you'll probably be hearing some of it in the fic. Don't ask me where or how, but I did foreshadow it. Damn me and my damned foreshadowing...)))
Shadow: damnit, I KNOW someone said my name... I just KNOW it...
Knuckles:-sighs- grapes.
Tarsa: yes, grapes.
K: oh, and YOU -clings to Tarsa who coughs for air-
Sonic: waitaminute... doesn't he only randomly say things he likes to... eat?
T: hmmm... -suggestive glance to Knux-
K: what? Ohhh -wide grin-
Tails: something about an airport bathroom...
A: ahemness. Like I was saying, much perversion follows. Stop scrolling to the good parts, you idiot.
: what? Yes! Sonic, do I own you?
Sn:-chained to a wall- of course, mistress!
A: ah... heh heh... He means no. -whispered harshly- what do you think you're doing? I could get sued:
Sn: ha, I knew she wanted me...
Chapter 10- So Long, Chum.
Rouge waited anxiously on her phone, listening to the ringing tone.
"Missing person's department, how may I direct your call?"
"Yes, hi... this is Rouge the Bat. I was wondering if anyone reported a missing child around the Mystic Ruins area."
"Yes, miss. Please describe the child."
"She's a light blue ferret about three feet...eh, maybe one inch tall, turquoise hair in pigtails, little star-covered bellbottoms, and a pink shirt with a yellow vest... her name's Nicole."
"Nikki! Li'l Nikki!" the girl persisted, tugging at Rouge's shirt.
"Shh, I'm on the phone! Sorry. Anyway, anything come up?"
The woman on the other end was silent for a moment. The rapid click of a keyboard could be heard.
"I'm sorry, there haven't been any reports for a ferret... How long would you say she's been missing?"
"I... don't really know... she's been with me for at least five hours... what do I do?"
"Well, Ma'am, do you have somewhere she can sleep?"
"Y-...yes..."
"Are you able to feed her?"
"Of course..."
"Maybe you should wait it out for a day or two. It takes at least forty-eight hours for a missing person report to be valid."
Rouge sighed heavily. "Thank you."
"No problem ma'am. Have a nice day."
She clicked the phone off, looking to the child who had made herself comfortable on the sofa.
"Well, looks like you can stay for a while. Just until your... uh... guardians file a report."
Nikki squealed with glee, bounding over and hugging the bat's legs.
"Just one thing... you know how to use the bathroom, right?"
"Of course, silly!"
Rouge sighed with relief. "Good, 'cause I am NOT changing diapers."
-o-
A few days later in Tuskanon...
Karpa removed her shirt casually as Shadow dug around in his suitcase irritably.
"Damnit, if we're out I'm gonna be pissed..."
"We have been using them quite frequently, dear..." Karpa said calmly, sliding out of her short skirt.
He turned his head to look at her, drawing a slow breath through his teeth, a mischievous smirk taking over his face.
"God... damnit, you look good..."
She chuckled, unhooking her bra. "Not for lack of trying."
When the aforementioned undergarment hit the floor, that was about all he could take. He tackled her in a homing attack, causing both to hit the ample bed with force. Unfortunately, the bed was an antique, and this sudden assault was more than two of the legs could take.
The sickening creak and splintering of wood was heard, and the whole front half of the bed fell to the ground with a dull thud. Both were silent, staring widely into each other's eyes, then were both reduced to guilty snickering.
"Shadow, you broke my two-hundred year-old bed! You tubby little klutz!"
"Little? Just who are you calling little? And tubby?" he bit her nose to let her know she was being uncouth. She bit back at his lip.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" she asked, somewhat anxiously.
He held up the small package between ungloved fingers.
"Last one, lucky us."
"Yes, lucky indeed..." She squirmed beneath his weight, sliding off her slight panties.
(AN- for some reason the word "panties" just never sounds right... not coming from my mouth anyway... I would have said thong, but I've used that already. Anywelp, onward...)
He took the liberty of tearing open the package and removing its contents (which happened to be made of latex, if that wasn't obvious enough.) and proceeded to don it slowly, teasingly...
She growled, nibbling at his neck, breath quickening with anticipation.
(AN- just to let you know, I've had about two beers... this might get raunchy...)
He panted a little himself, dragging his tongue along the sensitive skin that was her areola, massaging the other with forefinger and thumb. She moaned lightly, back arching.
"You want me?" he asked breathlessly in her ear.
"Yeah..."
"How bad do you want me?" he pinched her nipple harder, sinking his teeth into her chest.
"Oh, God... I want you..."
"You want me..." he lightly smoothed the tip of his rigidity at her slick entrance, teasing a little more. "...inside you..?"
"Yes..."
She gasped as she felt the soft head enter, tightened anxiously...
"I can't hear you..."
"Yes! Oh... fuck... Don't taunt me so..."
He grinned demoniacally, thrusting suddenly, filling her to the hilt. She cried out in delicious pleasure mingled with a hint of pain, digging her nails into the black sheets...
(AN- wait... yes, I do believe I'm blushing. I wonder why? It's the mental image. Yes, sorry, I'm interrupting. Carry on. -holds beer bottle to red face- )
He began, no doubt, with the end in mind. It took him awhile to reach climax anyway, and he didn't care if he was rushing it tonight. So, he continued said task with his favorite skill: speed.
She smothered herself with a down pillow, muffling her loud cries of extreme ecstasy so as not to alarm any random servants passing by in the halls. But gawdamn... he was doing exceptionally well tonight...
Her soft insides hugged his hard form tightly; he gasped a little as he felt her juices gush slightly from the rapid assault. He continued with more force than necessary, relishing her screams as he hit her in all the right places...
"OH SWEET GOD!" she shrieked, wrapping her legs around his waist. He moved his grasp from the sides of the bed to her hips and positioned her just right, digging in completely with each heavy thrust. She whimpered into the pillow, loud cries now beyond her.
Shadow groaned, burying his face in her neck, feeling that overwhelming tingling sensation wash over him...
"Gawdamnit, I'm gonna cum..."
She groaned helplessly in reply, now lost in orgasm. The bodies moved together, the pace slowing as he gradually began to lose it...
He grunted, quivering slightly under the intensity of the orgasm, eyes clenched, sweat causing his fur to cling to his sinuous form, then sighed and slumped in exhaustion.
"That... had to be our best session yet..." Karpa gasped, removing the pillow.
"Oh yeah... remind me to pick up more tomorrow..."
"Will do."
They lay there like that for a moment, panting in each other's arms, enjoying the heat and the feel of the other's body. He finally pulled out after a long pause, rolling onto his back and staring at the ceiling sightlessly.
He sat up to remove his only garment (ahem) and froze, eyes widening.
"Sh...Shadow? What's wrong?"
"It... it..." he looked to her fearfully. "It broke."
-o-
It's easier for me to kill a nameless random stranger than it probably should be. As long as I don't know their name, think about the fact they might have a family waiting at home for them, a job, a life... then it's easy.
I knew his name all to well... had even dreamt about it a few times in the past weeks. A name... a face... A body... I've never had such dreams as that. Not in my life. The subconscious can be a very backward thing, mind you. That kiss... that kiss, though, had haunted my lips for days.
I looked to him as he drove us in complete icy silence, then to my effects in the back seat. Then back to him.
"Just so you know... I wish we didn't have to do this."
"We don't." he said abruptly.
"You mean YOU don't. My life depends on your death. For your information..."
He either ignored that statement or refused to respond to it. Either way, he continued quietly, switching gears from time to time.
"Where are we going anyway?" I had noticed we were now speeding down a country road, through a lush green forest of aspens and oaks.
Espio remained silent. Gah, fine, be that way. I can be quiet too... So I was.
About half an hour had passed, and I thought it more than enough distance to be out of the way...
He turned onto a dirt road, jostling us around quite a bit as he continued down it. I see... A place to bury the body. Secluded, secretive and far from prying eyes.
He stopped, clanking the car into park and sat for a moment, sighing.
"I have a proposition for you, Kai." He looked at me seriously.
"Ok."
"You have to be open-minded for me." he added.
I shrugged in reply.
"I can get you into the witness protection program. He'll never be able to find you... you won't have to do this..." He then crooked a finger under my chin and looked me square in the eyes. He had yellow-golden eyes...interesting. I rarely ever look into my victim's eyes... It saves me from guilt most of the time... this is why I knew then that I couldn't kill him...
Anyway, there I was, locked in this... strange... eye contact... waiting for him to say something. And yet, he didn't. It was awkward after awhile. I thought it best to pull away... but for some odd reason beyond me, I stayed put. It's like he was speaking to me through those deep golden irises... whispering from the dark recesses of his pupils... my God, what's happening?
My gaze shifted from those eyes to his lips... and back again... then back to his mouth, now opened partially. My own dry lips parted slightly, and with the close proximity... I could taste his breath... what... what am I doing?
It was as if in a dream when everything goes in slow motion... where the inevitable occurs so painfully unhurried... all you can do is savor it.
His hand slipped from my chin to my cheek as our faces met, foreheads touching. And then...
I received my first real kiss.
Taste flooded my senses, and it was as if I were being invaded... gladly though... I welcomed it. I rather enjoyed it, actually. The warm, melting sensation, the tingling creeping up my spine... the heat at my cheeks which may have been a blush. I didn't care. I leaned in, deepening the kiss, in turn raising a hand to his cheek as well. I was lost to all else but the sensation for that moment, could have cared less what happened afterwards. The boss can go to bleedin' 'ell for all I care. I don't want to leave...
Oh, shit. The boss.
I broke away, now feeling the blush spread to my neck.
"I... I can't. He'll find me. He's everywhere..."
Espio hushed me as one would a child, drawing me into a hug... which was difficult because of the damned stick shift, so I evaded the problem and just crawled onto his lap.
We sat like that for a moment as newfound... Whatever you'd want to call us. I 'aint about to say "lovers" because that's a long stride for me... sleeping with a man... But he sure as 'ell wasn't my gentleman friend. Fuck that. He was just... there. And I was on his lap. So much for the "stick" shift issue... But still, I felt safe with my cheek against his chest, his strong arms wrapped around me. I didn't want to leave. I knew there had to be alternatives. He tightened the embrace, kissing my head lightly. I don't know why, but that put me instantly at ease... as a child needs a kiss to go to sleep.
"Thank you." my words were a little muffled by his shirt, but he heard me. And so, there we sat as the sun set behind the trees...
-o-
Knuckles sat alone on the balcony outside the room he and Tarsa shared. It was midday, and the sun beat down in unforgiving rays. He loved sunbathing, though, one of his leisurely pastimes on his island when he wasn't training. He thought absently about the emerald as he lay back in the reclining wicker chair, adjusting his dark violet shades.
"Hun? You out here?" Tarsa called, opening the large glass doors and stepping out in her small white bikini. Knuckles perked up to the sound of her voice, then glanced at her over his sunglasses. A smirk crept at the sides of his mouth.
"Not bad... not bad at all..." He stood, walking to her on bare feet.
"You wouldn't happen to be up to a quick one, would you...?" he asked into her ear as he slipped his hands around her waist.
"Are you crazy? What if one of the servant/butler/people come in and-"
She was cut off by a sudden rough kiss, and instantly agreed. She let herself be backed slowly into the bed, pushed against one of the four wide poles with force. He pulled away for a moment to admire her slender form, reaching around to pull the string of her bikini top.
She gasped, followed by a stifled moan when he took the liberty of teasing the skin of her neck with his teeth and tongue.
Both jerked as culprits caught in the act when a heavy knocking resounded from the door.
"Fuck...not fair..." he kissed her once more before waving her off to answer it, retreating to the bathroom. She sighed angrily, tying her modesty back into place and storming to the door.
"What?" she yelled into her sister's face.
"We need to talk." She stuck her head in and glanced around. "Where's Knuckles?"
"In the bathroom. Why?"
"Get him out."
"wa... bu... what's wrong?"
"KNUCKES!" she shouted.
"WHAT?"
"OUT!"
He poked his head through the bathroom door angrily.
"WHY?"
"Girl talk. Beat it."
"Fuck you." he slammed the door again. "Tarsa, tell her to come back later."
Karpa shoved past Tarsa angrily, yanking open the door and grasping the red echidna by a couple tendrils. She then proceeded to pull him, sputtering curses and flailing, out the bedroom door and slamming it behind him.
"Fine, fine. I'm gone. Bitch." The pat of his feet could be heard walking away.
Karpa seized her sister by the shoulders, looking urgently into her green eyes.
"What I'm about to tell you must remain completely confidential. You cannot tell anyone, especially mum and daddy."
The blue one blinked and nodded in reply.
"Tarsa... I... I might be pregnant. Now, it's not official, but... I was ovulating this week... there's an overwhelmingly great possibility..." She released her hold on her shoulders, stepping back and holding a hand to her forehead.
"What am I going to do?"
"Hey, it's not like you're a teenager, right? I mean, you're more than financially stable, you and the baby should be fine..." Tarsa gave her sister a warm hug. "I'm so happy for you, Karpie!"
"Hold up! I don't want a baby! Not without a father, I don't!" she pushed her away, turning her back to her.
"W... what about Shadow? I thought you guys were-"
"Yeah, well, we're not. Alright? He already said he doesn't want to get married. And I can tell, he's already planning to leave me. He wants this thing about as much as I do!"
Tarsa watched sadly as Karpa's shoulders shivered, heard a soft sob escape her throat.
"I'll talk to him if you'd like... I could try to reason with him..."
"Do what you will, he won't change his mind. He doesn't know how to be a father. He never had one. That's what scares him the most... having to... love..."
"He loves you, doesn't he?"
"That's different." She shook her head, tendrils flying. "No, I have to get an abortion."
Tarsa took her into a tight embrace from behind, kissing her back lovingly. "Don't say that. Never. Abortion is murder. You wouldn't kill an innocent little baby, would you?"
"I will if I have to."
"No... please..."
"I love him too much to lose him over this. I'll do what I have to." with that, she broke away from her, wiping angrily at her dampened face.
"It'll take at least two weeks before I can get tested. Pray for me that I'm not..."
"I will." She gave her sister a final kiss on the forehead, opening the door for her.
-o-
Tonight's the night. My plan was laid out before me, and soon could be set into motion. Kuro Batosai, my kitana, thirsted for blood. Soon, my love... very soon...
I watched the sun sink below the dark tempestuous sea, the sky on fire with an array of oranges, yellows and deep reds. Slowly, I dragged the rough stone along the smooth length of my blade. One of my favorite pastimes was sharpening my knives and sword, and remains a sacred ritual that I perform in complete solitude. I was perched on the terra cotta rooftop, waiting for the pall of night to drape the sun-heated earth in much-awaited cool...
The elder didn't deserve my sword. He'd taste my knife. A quick slice across the throat and that would be that. The wife... a few stabs in the back would be sufficient. Still not worthy of Batosai. After her, the child. I'll just break her neck- no need for bloodshed on her account. Then... ahh, someone worthy of a fight... I hoped. If not, he would receive two nice long slashes across the belly, allowing him to see his own entrails before he died. Needless to say, I didn't care for him. Don't ask me why. But hewould deserve jumongi giri for his weakness should he prove a non-threat...
And the twins, as I'd heard, would be less of a task being that all I had to do was render them unconscious. A little chloroform on a rag would do the trick. He did say "unharmed."
The sun had just disappeared, and my time was near. I pulled out one of my tantos, sharpening it with practiced care. Soon... Soon...
(((and I think this is about enough. More about the "Across the Universe" reference in the next one maybe. Who knows? Ah, well, do download it if'n you get the chance. It's a nice song. Do it for John! Ok, have a nice day and WE LOVE YOU!)))
Sonic: we do?
Knuckles: YES WE DO -instigates a group hug-
Espio: wow... okaaay... Anyway, Aeyvi, I'm gonna get laid in the next chappy, right?
A: one can only dream, my dear scaly firend.
E: oh, damn you. damn you very un-nicely!