Thank you to all of you who sent reviews! Wow! I didn't scare all of you off with that last chapter! I'm glad that most of you see the humor in Hotaru's new side. Okay I'll stop delaying, on with the chapter.

A Dragon's Heart – Chapter 12

Mikan felt the itch before she heard the call. She was squirming in her sleep when her skin started to itch. It was a key sign for knowing when it was time to return to the water. She wasn't anywhere near the critical stage yet but that didn't mean she was inclined to stay like this for much longer. At that moment, lying in bed she just felt like she had dry, itchy skin all over, if she waited she could end up feeling like she had chicken pox or a head to toe case of poison ivy.

She was still trying to get her eyes open when she heard, or rather felt, the water calling her. The mournful cry could be felt all the way to her core. It was the call of something that missed its children terribly and had been waiting patiently for them to return. It was so lonely and filled with longing it almost made her want to cry. Now that it had felt the touch of a sea dragon again it didn't want to let her go. The call was too powerful for Mikan to ignore. She had to get to the water now. But first she had to get rid of the dead weight that was pinning her down.

Mikan opened her eyes and looked around her. It was still well over two hours until dawn but her eyes adjusted quickly to the dark. She turned to look at the other occupant of the bed. The man slept like an octopus. She wasn't kidding when she said she liked her space. When they were younger, she and Sumire would be stuck sharing a bed when one came to visit the other. Her cousin was always complaining that she slept like a starfish, but this guy out did her hands down in the taking-up-space department. He had a king size bed and somehow took up almost all of it.

And gods of the sea and land, did he stink. What the hell, did he have some sort of glandular disorder? She must have been more exhausted than she thought to be able to sleep with that next to her. Yuck, now she had another reason to get to the water just to get his stink off of her. The water might spit her back out though with his manky smell all over her. She was tempted to jab him hard in the ribs to get his gross arms and legs off of her, but that would surely wake him and she needed to get to the water more than she needed to ruin his sleep. Quickly and quietly, she extracted herself one limb at a time. It was feat that would do a gymnast proud.

First she managed to slide one leg and the arm on the same side out and put them both on the floor to brace her if she fell. She then managed to slowly and carefully slide her other leg out, suffering through a moment of pins and needles as full circulation returned to her foot. Jeeze he was heavy when he slept. How can the people on TV always look like they are so happy cuddling in bed when it is so damn uncomfortable? The hardest part was the arm around her waist. It was reluctant to let her go and kept trying to hold on to her every time she got a bit free. She was stuck there for several minutes half on and half off the bed when she was able to wedge his arm off her and slide out fast before he had a chance to grab her again. He really was an octopus. Grabby creep.

Without bothering to change her clothes, she found her way back to the room they had dinner in and then was able to backtrack her way outside.

The closer she got to the ocean, the stronger she felt its call to her. It was getting impatient feel her touch and wanted her to hurry. When she reached the cliff, she didn't even pause; instead she dove right in and indulged in the water's exultation at having her close again. Transforming, she felt the spirits of the deep slide along her length singing a sweet song of loving welcome. The water happily danced along her skin while she spun and looped and raced through it. The water's excitement was infectious and she let out a sea dragon's equivalent of a giggle while she played in the surf. If she could have, she would have indulged all day in that celebration of her return but she knew she could not.

As dawn started to approach, she felt the building of its power and swam over to a rocky out cropping that was just down from the cliff plateau she had dived off of. Transforming to human and pulling her free of the water she pulled herself up on to a rather odd rock formation that was flat and large enough to handle her dragon form. Nestled against the rock wall was an old and forgotten shrine. It was high enough to avoid the tide, but time and the weather had not been kind to it. She idly wondered if this was where people used to pray to Natsume and Aoi's ancestors like she mentioned.

Putting the thought away, she faced the water as the power of dawn started to ripple across her skin. She was not as gifted in calling the dawn magic as most of her other relatives, but somehow she was certain this time it would answer her.

The power built higher and tighter, she called the words to invoke the sea. For some strange reason, she made a last minute decision to call in Japanese. Water did not understand the concept of language probably would not care but in this place she felt it would be appropriate.

"To my brothers of the deep, swirling currents and to my sisters of the quick, cresting waves please hear my call." The power swirled around her and flooded into her until she thought she might burst from it. The water was so eager to answer her; it was almost more than she could hold. "Please!" she yelled out to the water through clenched teeth. Her bones felt like they were rattling with the power. "Tell me what became of our brother and sister sea dragons that once swam here! Please show me what has happened to those beloved to these tides!"

Impressions and images flickered through her mind, images of several different sea dragon families. Each family was aware of the others and all swam in these waters, but all of them pretty much kept to themselves. Occasionally, they would intermingle and mate creating a new family group, but that was about it. For the water, that was the way of things for as long as it understood the concept of memory. Then the family groups started disappearing. One, by one, they just seemed to vanish from existence. The very last memory it had of a sea dragons before Mikan came was that of a heavily pregnant female rushing away to distant waters.

That was alarming. The concern of the spirits in the water over this female was still present and palpable. Open oceans were too dangerous pregnant females. They usually gave birth in the calmer waters of lakes or lagoons. The water had a vague understanding of her delicate condition and had tried to control its raging winter waves and currents to ease her passage, but it never saw her again. No sea dragons were seen after that.

As the power was waning, Mikan felt her disappointment grow. The water did not know why all the sea dragons left. Quickly, before the power left her completely, she asked "Please tell me, were there any humans or air dragons attacking or hunting them?" when she said 'humans' she used a visual impression in her mind of the scientists' boat that she attacked the other day. When she said the word 'dragon' instead of projecting an image of one of the many air dragons she knew better, she projected an image of Natsume. The dragon image was superimposed with his human one.

Either the water did not understand her question, or it was never witness to an attack, because it remained silent and unhelpful. As the last traces of the dawn's power left her, the water did something far sneakier than she would have guessed water would be. Somehow the water and the spirits in it were able to deduce that one lone female sea dragon could not make more sea dragons without a male. Although she had not intended to project any attraction to Natsume's image when she broadcast it, the water was still able to pick enough out of her head to work with.

She dived back into the water to play some more, but found herself constantly pelted with images of the red in both his dragon and his human form along with feelings of neediness and longing. How strong he is… lonely… how handsome… so very lonely…

At first, Mikan thought she was going crazy or delusional because her mind kept going back to him and thinking about him. It wasn't until the water started pointing out what fine alpha male he was that she realized the thoughts were probably not her own.

Powerful and healthy… so empty… an excellent male… need… so very strong and handsome… virile… such an incredible kisser… a superior mate… The litany went on and on. Water was obviously not capable of human speech, but she could feel the words almost as strongly as she heard its lonely call that morning.

For a while she allowed the water to do as it pleased because she kind of felt sorry for how lonely and abandoned it felt. Eventually though, the images started getting bolder and more personal. I wasn't that fixated on the sight of him in his underwear so stop going there! She ranted in her head. Honestly! It was the water was distorting her memories; she was not some kind of pervert! It wasn't like she was actually focusing her attention there he just happened to be in tight fitting underwear, and she just happened to notice that he was really… well… hard. Horny her mind annoyingly supplied. She was glad she was in dragon form or she would be blushing to the roots of her hair for thinking about him and that word in the same thought.

Mikan wasn't the only one getting her own customized erotic slide-show. Waves crashed along the rocks and cliffs forming huge, frothing sprays. The mists from those sprays traveled lightly along their cousin the wind, up the cliffs, across the ground and through the window of their other sleeping target.

Natsume was deep in dreamland. He was stranded in the middle of an open plain, hungry and very, very thirsty. He didn't know when he had ever felt this thirsty before. He would kill for a glass of water right now. His mouth felt like he had been eating sand. On instinct, he transformed into his dragon form and flew about looking for water. Eventually, he found a small stream and he dove after it like a mad man. He splashed into the water and dunked his snout in to start drinking. Something was wrong though. The water was cool and clean, but it was by no means refreshing. It did nothing to slake his intolerable thirst. No matter how much he drank, he would only end up thirstier. Frustrated, he let out a roar while thrashing his tail and ruffling his wings as if the water would somehow obey his commands and become refreshing.

All of a sudden, –as dreamscapes are prone to do- a tree appeared by the water. Was that there before? He wondered to himself but then decided he didn't care for on one of the branches was a lone fruit. Natsume quickly moved to the tree and changed back into his human form to study the fruit. It was a very large tangerine. The fruit was lush and ripe and juicy looking. He just knew by looking at it, it would finally quench his maddening thirst. A stray thought drifted across his mind I don't like tangerines though he thought, which was true, he would never pick a tangerine to eat if given a choice. In the blink of an eye the tangerine changed into a ripe juicy looking peach. Peaches are better, but strawberries are my favorite he thought idly to himself. For just the briefest moments, he was sure felt someone or something get irritated with him and he was certain heard someone tell him 'Willful male, just go with it.' But then he quickly forgot everything and the thirst was back on him tenfold.

Without bothering to question anymore, he climbed up the tree and plucked the fruit from it. His mouth started to water just holding it. It was so firm and lush and velvety and juicy 'Just get on with it!' He opened his mouth wide and bit his teeth into the soft flesh.

Instantly the whole dreamscape changed.

He was no longer in the middle of nowhere; he was in Mikan's arms. His mouth was no longer biting into a juicy peach, it was attached to hers and they were already deep in the act of lovemaking. The young red recovered quickly to the change in scenery and started touching everything and anything his hands could reach while quickening his pace with his lover. She was just as amazing as he knew she would be. He was close, ever so close to the end. Finally, with a grateful roar, he reached his climax.

The incredible flash of ecstasy brought him crashing back to reality where he was lying in his bed, soaked in sweat and other body fluids and reeking to high heaven. He lifted his head to look around. His bedcovers had been kicked off at sometime and he noticed that he was alone with Mikan's faint scent still lingering in the air.

"What the fuck?" he grumbled, feeling angry and out of sorts. Where the hell is she? Her bag is still here, he thought, spying the torn backpack by the door, but her scent says she has been gone a while. He was tempted to go find her but then he noticed his rather sodden and smelly state and gave and angry growl. Dammit! I can't go out like this.

Natsume reached over for his phone and hit one of his speed dials with a bit too much force. It answered on the third ring.

"Imai." The voice said flatly.

"Imai, where is she?" he demanded.

"You've lost her already? I suppose I can find her for the right price."

"Imai, don't even start with me today or I may see it as a challenge to my authority." He warned. He was not in the mood for her schemes today. Just because he tolerated her insubordination did not mean he had to. By the kings laws he was well within his rights to permanently disfigure her. He could blind her, scar her, or ground her by ruining one of her limbs so badly that her dragon wings would never properly form again. No one would be able to stop him.

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. Hotaru was no fool. She knew him well enough to know when she had reached her limits. "She is swimming in the ocean, heading towards the beach."

"Good. Keep an eye on her while I clean up and change. Or better yet, have someone go over to her and tell her we are leaving for the festival in an hour and to get ready. If anything unusual happens, tell me right away." He hung up on her and went straight into his shower.

Mikan was shocked at herself. She could not believe what had just happened. The water had fed her mind with images of her actually having sex with Natsume! As far as she knew, water spirits should not be able to do that. She had chided the water for interfering too much and it stopped, but the images were now burnt into her mind and would not go away. She stayed in the water a little longer than she expected in order to cool her and her wandering mind off.

She swam sluggishly towards the beach because she could not see any easier way to get to the estate where her things were that did not involve flying. She had to hand it to this clan's ancestors; it was a great spot for dragons. Surrounded mostly by water and high cliffs, limited points where a walking creature could approach, it was a good site.

When the water became shallow, she transformed and swam the rest of the way. It was a surprise to her to find the woman she saw last night and her mate waiting for her on the beach. What was her name again? She had met so many people yesterday; it was hard to keep track of them all.

As she trudged up the beach the woman handed her a towel. "Thank you. Erm, forgive me, but I seem to have forgotten your name." She told the woman with and awkward look.

The woman kept a cold neutral expression on her face that made Mikan feel like a total idiot for forgetting. What? It wasn't her fault she met so many people yesterday! They only had to remember her one name when she had, what, like thirty to remember? Anyone could forget a name or two or ten in that.

"Imai Hotaru, but you may call me Hotaru. This is my mate Matsudaira Hayate." She said, and her mate nodded in Mikan's direction but stayed back.

Mikan gave her a surprised look. Even though she was not of the custom to calling anyone but teachers and old people by their family name, she did understand enough to get that almost no one called this young woman by her first name. "Oh thank you. Good morning, please call me Mikan and thank you for the towel."

"You seem to have a habit of coming out of the ocean in see-through clothes. I may have to punish Hayate for looking at your chest." Instead of looking frightened, her mate had a strange hopeful look on his face.

Mikan quickly looked down at her chest and realized that it did look a bit transparent. "Sorry." She said embarrassed. "Normally I change into a bathing suit, but this morning I was in a bit of a rush."

Hotaru raised an eyebrow at her. "Were you out of the water too long?" she asked, and if Mikan was not seeing things, she looked a tiny bit concerned.

"It was starting to get uncomfortable, but it was not so bad." She was about to go on explaining that it was more the water's fault, but she did not want to even think about what the water did to her so she stayed silent.

"I see. You should be more careful and swim just before you sleep."

"Don't worry about me. I am more than capable of taking care of myself." Seems she was saying that a lot lately. Did she have a sign over her head saying helpless woman in blinking neon?

Seemingly out of nowhere Hotaru started talking. "My brother and I were not born in this clan." She began slowly. "Our clan was so small we thought we could escape the king's notice. We were wrong. When Kuonji took over our clan Natsume sheltered my brother and I. He did not have to protect us but he did. He allows us more freedom than the king ever would. My brother and I are very well aware of the debt we owe him but we have been unable to find anything he wants in order to repay him."

Mikan gazed at her speechless. "I'm sorry, but I don't understand why you are telling me this?" The woman didn't strike her as the sharing type.

"Because I just heard Hyuuga, truly exert his authority for the first time ever." Hotaru answered thoughtfully then her expression cleared to her normal bland one. "Hyuuga says we will be leaving for the festival in an hour and you should get ready."

Mikan still was not sure what it was the raven haired woman was trying to say. What does Hyuuga being a jerk have to do with her? It was probably better just to go with the flow and not say anything until she can get some more clues.

The three of them mounted a very unusual looking contraption that looked like something out of an amusement park ride. It looked like a cross between a banana, a five person bike and a scooter. It was hideous looking, but it got them back to the estate quickly without any trouble so she didn't complain.

Hotaru escorted her to her guest room and followed her inside. "I have something for you."

"Oh?" Mikan asked, turning to look at her.

The other woman held up what looked to be a cell phone. "This will be the next generation I-phone. It is a prototype that was not due to be released to the North American market for another four years. Currently I have only made six of them. My mate and I each have one, the Hyuugas, my brother, and now you."

Mikan gave her an uncomfortable look. "That is really nice of you, but I can't take that."

"I was not giving it to you for free." Hotaru told her in a slightly cross tone "Now then, before I was interrupted, I was saying I have modified the phone for your needs. Not knowing your maximum diving depth I made it capable of going underwater up to seven thousand meters before reaching crush depth. The casing is also reinforced to withstand sudden shocks such as a bullet impact." The woman paused in her monologue to drop the phone on the floor and shoot it with a strange looking gun. BAKA BAKA BAKA! The loud odd sounding discharge made Mikan jump like the poor phone did on impact, but Hotaru and the phone looked completely unaffected.

"The outer skin of the casing has a thin layer of photo reactive gel that can change colors and offer a few select patterns." She told Mikan while retrieving the phone and pushing a few buttons. Mikan was amazed to watch the outer shell of the phone change colors on its own.

"Wow, you made that?"

Hotaru gave her another one of those looks that made her feel stupid. "That is what I do. Now stop interrupting. I retrieved what was left of your old phone and was able to pull enough data from it to retain your old number, which I have programmed this phone to. I was also able to retrieve most of your contact numbers, text messages and music which have also been loaded. I have added a few applications that I thought would be helpful to you and because your family is so widespread I have programmed it for free long distance and international calls."

Mikan was feeling a little dazed. Who the heck was this woman that she could make a phone like that? "So, if you aren't giving it to me for free, then what do you want for it?"

"I want three things. First is that you forget that little scene you saw last night." She told her causing Mikan to start laughing. Hotaru of course interpreted this to mean that Mikan was laughing at her and a vein started to throb at her forehead. "Care to explain what is so funny?" she asked darkly.

"Is that what this is all about?" Mikan asked, still chuckling. "You could have saved yourself the trouble Hotaru I'm not that kind of person. All you had to do was ask and I would have kept quiet." Hotaru gave her a look like she was speaking a different language.

"That would be foolish. You are in a position of advantage over me. It would be stupid not to reap the benefits of that position."

"Your business is just that. Your business. If you don't want anyone to know what you do in the privacy of your own room, who am I to tell? Besides, the way I saw it, you were not doing anything that Hayate did not want." Mikan said with a cheeky smile.

"That makes absolutely no sense. You have a chance to profit but you choose not to? Stupid."

"Fine then, you can just call me stupid. I like you Hotaru. You are straight up front and honest. You are a strong woman and people take you seriously. I respect that. If you want me to keep your privacy all you have to do is say so."

Hotaru squinted at her "You are a very odd woman."

"I thought you said I was stupid." Mikan said teasingly.

"Well you are that too."

Mikan rolled her eyes at her "Thanks." She said sarcastically. "So what were the other things you wanted?"

"The second is to give Hyuuga a chance."

"A chance?" To what? Sexually assault her again? No I don't think so. She thought, but she did not want to be rude while she was in someone else's home, so she stayed silent. "What else?"

"Tell me how did you break the seal on my door?"

tbc

AN: I swear, I thought this chapter would be shorter than this. I wanted Mikan's talk with the sea, her and Natsume's water/dream thing and her talking to Hotaru. That shouldn't take too long right? I figured I might have even had room to spare and maybe put a bit of the trip to the festival in. Yeah right. 4000+ words later. I keep thinking I will trim these chapters down and all I do is make them bigger. What the heck is wrong with me?