Disclaimer: I don't own Rosario+Vampire, nor do I make any money from the writing of this story. Simple enough, ne? Just don't copy from this story and we're all good!

Warning: Yes, this chapter does have lemon. Just thought I'd let you all know. Enjoy! (LOL)

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V^^ To Love A Witch ^^V

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It's always nice to come back to Paradise, Ruby thought tranquilly.

Despite everything that could, would, and had gone wrong in the past, seeing nature thrive undaunted always brought peace to her heart. At that moment it was a rather funny prospect, since the way said muscle was pounding suggested anything other than peace. Some part of her couldn't believe she had actually done it. She had stolen away in the darkness of night as soon as her friends had all fallen asleep—which may or may not have been helped along by the sleeping potion she might have included in their nightly snacks. They were all tired anyway from the hard days of training, she had merely assured them all one of the most restful nights of their lives. The energizing concoction she had placed in her own had been a baffling mistake on her part.

There was that, or her patience had finally broken and she had taken every precaution necessary to ensure not only would she not get caught, but that Tsukune could properly ravage her just like she had always wished him to.

It was one of those. Which one might be hard to tell.

Of course, she wasn't going without real motive as well. If one thing lead to another though…she certainly wasn't going to stop anything. Ever since she had first seen his ability manifest she had had an inkling of what form his magic had taken, and more importantly, how she could help him understand it. She was more than happy to carry out her lesson plans. In the vastness of Paradise, looking for the sealed vampire would be like searching for the needle in the proverbial haystack. Luckily for her, his dragon companion on the other hand would be simple for her to find. The monster was tied to nature just as intricately, if not more so, than she was as a witch. All it took was one question to the humbling existence around her to point her in the right direction. Imagine her surprise when it pointed to a lesser power by that one as well, which could only mean one thing. She could sense Tsukune, and that meant his ties had grown even stronger over his time in the protected realm.

On the wings of a dark angel she took flight, soaring unimpeded through the syrupy night of Paradise. The realm welcomed her with open arms—and hidden fangs, as she had come to find out the first time she had stayed with Tsukune. Nocturnal creatures sang into oblivion, content to fill the quiet of the diverse landscape with the calm of knowing all was well. If that song were to be interrupted it meant the presence of a predator, something not well received by those singing. It was the purest form of warning there was in the world. Fearing that which went bump in the night was easier than that which didn't.

Safe among the clouds, the witch saw her destination as heard by the submission of nature to a creature worthy of its respect. The shadowy peaks of the mountain-range loomed over her even from her place in the air, yet there was no intimidation to be found. One tied to nature found solace in its embrace, glory in that so much larger than she. Bound to its energies and bearing will, a witch or wizard was allowed free reign to control what they could, restricted only by their own limits. When Tsukune awoke to his power he would be a force the likes of which would be hard to comprehend. She couldn't wait.

As she neared the large opening she could see flickering with the remnants of light from within, fear jumped up into her throat, a sudden uncertainty that almost dropped her right out of the sky. Oh god, what am I doing?! she screeched mentally. Calm, just keep calm. You're going to see Tsukune; nothing you haven't done before! Chewing her lower lips between her teeth, she knew that wasn't true. Okay, so maybe you've never snuck out to go see him while he's off…basically by himself…a whole two weeks before he's supposed to get back…in the middle of the night… Aw, this isn't good, this isn't good at all!

What possible explanation could she give him? Training might work, but then she would have to explain why she came when any sane person would be sleeping. Who even knew if he wasn't actually sleeping! She had to admit, that might not be so bad a possibility. She had watched him sleep once before; it certainly wouldn't be something she would be opposed to seeing again. Thinking of his reactions if he woke up sent tingles of another sort through her, but that was just her masochistic side acting up. Arousal and indecision battled inside her, warring for what was right in front of her. She had come so far, goals of both wicked and righteous intentions in mind, only to be stopped by something as petty as fear right outside his very doorstep.

Being older by the little she was didn't stop her from being human. She knew what she wanted, knew it could be hers, but could she get up the strength to make that final step?

She would never know.

From the darkness behind her firm and warm mysteries wrapped around her waist, just as sharp fangs teased the back of her neck.

V^^^V

Tsukune had been floating limply in he and his familiar's exclusive pool when the wind shifted outside, sending in mild traces of sunflowers and incense in its wake. Only one thing had ever smelled like that. He breathed the scent in longingly, momentarily sidetracked by the memories they evoked. His training had taken him over a good deal of Paradise, and never once had he found sunflowers. The thought came that his mind was playing tricks on him. The only other time he had spent so long away from his family, his new family, was when the school was being reconstructed. Now he could smell the aroma of his guardian witch in the bowels of a monster's paradise. He chuckled.

"I know I've lost all concept of time since we got here, but it hasn't been a month yet, has it, Rei-chan? I could swear I smelled a hint of Ruby just now…" he asked rhetorically, not really expecting an answer as he cracked an eye open to look at her.

She had gone still in the water, now sniffing the air purposefully. "You did indeed, Tsukki. The mage waits at the front of our home. 'Tis dangerous, even for one such as her."

Lifting himself from the water, Tsukune growled low in his throat. He'd be damned before he let any one of his family get hurt, her reason for being there temporarily set aside. Shaking off what he could and drying what he couldn't, the sealed vampire was close to the entrance of the cave when he identified an all too familiar musk. His blood boiled. Training nonstop for however long he had did nothing to quench his more carnal desires, and he could smell that particular desire roiling off the older woman outside in spades. There was no way he was letting that get the better of him; ever since his senses had expanded he had suffered through the days where his friends forgot there was little that could escape him if he actually tried—and understood what it was—especially as a vampire. Playing the part of the predator as he had been doing, a sly smirk wormed over his lips as an idea came to him.

He had long learned how to stay silent, forced to become skilled at how to move in the shadows that embraced him like a mother would her child. If Kurumu was a Nightwalker, he had become a Nightstalker. While disconcerting at first, he had grown to thrive in the cover offered by the darkness. The easiest way to catch prey was if they didn't know they were being watched, simple as that. There had been many painful experiences leading up to his newfound prowess in the dark, but in this case the ends did undeniably justify the means. The only problems he had in hunting anymore was wondering what he should drink that day, even during the day. He had become a predator laudable even in Paradise, all that remained was continuing to fine-tune his various and ever-expanding skills—which was to say he still had over ninety percent of his original problem left to tackle.

She didn't even see him when he crept out of the cave, though she had been staring at it the entire time. Her attention was divided between something unseen and nervously clutching the small satchel she carried with her wand, oblivious to anything else. It was not a bearing that would serve her well where she was, he had thought she would have known that by now. He was only thankful the kamaitachi slept like any other creature; he had no desire to face them again so soon after his last bout of 'tag.' Leniency wouldn't be something he would have given them either had they attacked her, but he didn't really want to hurt them too badly at the same time. They weren't exactly enemies as it were, and he didn't want to give them any thought to the contrary. It was a fortunate turn of events that could see their would-be prey placed under his and Rei's protection before day broke.

Slipping through the shades of obscurity all around them, he couldn't help but be pleased with himself when he was able to stealth right behind her with her none the wiser to his being there. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he reveled in her scent, tauntingly drawing his fangs across the oh-so-soft flesh of her neck.

"You shouldn't be standing outside in the middle of Paradise. Some monsters would see an easy meal," he whispered, his voice low and teasing.

Was it wrong for her to be more aroused than she had ever been around him? The spike of fear and threat of pain had had her readying a spell, but only for the first fraction of a second. It passed when a voice ingrained in her heart had flowed like dark velvet through her ears, instantly tuning her in to the identity of her 'attacker'…and sending her masochistic fantasies into hyperdrive. Pain by itself was not what any true masochist took pleasure in, it was the pain inflicted by someone else they thrived on. True, the most extreme could take delight in pain delivered upon them even if they were really being attacked, but for her, it had to be someone she loved and trusted. Having someone that fit both credentials currently threaten her—while obviously a joke—was still more than enough to send her heart-rate skyrocketing.

She leaned backwards into him, making him straighten from his bent position and pressing her firm backside into his—wet?—pants in a deliberately goading manner. "I'm not easy, but I definitely wouldn't object if certain vampire wanted to eat me," she replied graciously, masking the blatant lust inherent in the words.

Predictably, Tsukune reddened regardless. He couldn't be bothered to stop holding her though, it felt too nice to do something as stupid as stop. "What are you doing here, Ruby? I don't really have a good sense of time right about now but I do know that long hasn't passed yet."

She sighed deeply as she slackened further into him, into the strong hold around her body. His hands were cupped together under her breasts, her arms over his, and honestly she just didn't want that moment to end. "I have no idea why I'm here, Tsukune," she confessed in a small whisper. "I thought I did and I still froze right outside your door. To go with the planned truth: I want to help you with your magic while you still have time left here."

"And the real truth?" he croaked, though his dry mouth told of his suspicions.

"I just wanted to be with you."

He smiled, tightening his grip around her and placing his chin on her shoulder, where his hot breath crashed against the skin of her neck. "Abusing your power as aide now, are we?"

A shiver that she knew wouldn't go unnoticed rocked through her, and she strangled a moan in her throat. If any changes weren't noticeable before, when he had snuck up on her like it was nothing, his new confidence was even more palpable than that. He was actually teasing her back!

"There has to be some perks to the job," she responded in a low, intentional murmur. Her tone was one octave away from sin itself, and God help him his body couldn't resist reacting to her advances. Her lips called to him as she licked them, out of nervousness or because she knew he was looking he didn't know. The fleeting wonder of why they hadn't done this before came to him unexpectedly, but that was answered easily when he thought of how busy she always was. It had been hard enough to spend what little time they could with each other before he had transformed, after even more so. Now they were completely alone, and a new scent was being added to her already intoxicating mix of sunflowers and incense: lust.

"I'm going to kiss you now," said his breathless voice as he moved closer to do just that. Another shiver came over her as their lips met, his arms still held securely around her from behind. Maybe it was because he had spent so long immersing himself in his more predatory desires, or maybe it was knowing she had risked the headmaster's wrath—not to mention their friends'—by coming out to see him by herself, but he just needed to kiss her. The position didn't allow much force but that suited him just fine, softly nipping his lips over hers as she melted against him, pressing as much of herself as she could into his strong body. His groin was pressed mercilessly into the softness of her posterior as a result, inducing a heady groan from his chest as he pulled away. "Y-You…you said something about magic?"

A change of topic was needed, and desperately. There were no beds to speak of in the entire realm, and the only blanket—his—was currently in a cave housing the only other sentient creature he knew of besides them. It should have occurred to him that to the woman he was holding, absolutely none of that mattered. Her grin was not unlike those of the more feline carnivores he had faced during Rei's training, that of a gleeful huntress. Turning into him, she stared up into his eyes with her cheeks a rosy shade of red, suddenly aware of his lack of clothing when she got an eyeful of hardened muscle instead of a shirt when she spun around.

"I did," she answered coyly as she dropped what was in her hands and dragged her fingernails over the expanse of flesh before her, too tempting to resist. "This works just fine for what I had in mind."

Cursing under his breath, Tsukune hissed a growl as her fingers ignited the other part of the nature deep in his blood. "How…does this have to do with…magic…?"

Ruby was entranced as his muscles twitched under her touch, the silver rosary unblemished between his powerful pectorals. Her womanhood moistened, seeing his fangs in full view as he panted soft breaths, his eyes devouring her greedily just like the hunters he had warned her of. The way the bands of sinew were tightening under her care showed she was succeeding in arousing him, and she was now able to recognize the motions as that of one holding back from doing something. It was a trait she had seen Mizore and Kurumu use often to keep from instinctively responding to some of the blows set against them in sparring. She set her vampire with a sultry grin at the question and did the unanticipated, abruptly halting her trail over his chest to fling the ties from her ebony hair. Bereft of the ponytails, the inky locks fell like sheets of silk down the sides of her shapely face.

Tsukune Aono stopped breathing.

"I could be trite and say that this is magic," she began as her sensual grin widened ever so slightly. "But I'm talking about real magic." Pushing a finger against his chest, the former human offered no resistance in his shock, numbly stepping back under her direction until he was stopped by the nearest tree. She slid him down to sit, careful to avoid the coarse bark, and fearlessly dropped into his lap. From his position the moons shone behind her head, setting her profile into a glow of white starlight as she looked down on him and fitted her hands into his. Her coral eyes positively glowed as she lifted those hands to caress her face, never once leaving his as she held them there. "Real magic is a connection that only some things have to the energies in nature. This energy is a witch's power; our unique relationship between monsters and humans is our strength. With a magical focus we can harness this energy flowing through us, direct it however we want. We can coerce flora to bend to our will, speak with fauna and have them fight for us. We can imbue that energy in soulless objects and take control of them, or summon them from nothing by warping that energy. We can distort reality and do things humans and monsters would have trouble dreaming of, and cast spells that put mass destruction to shame. We can even take that energy directly and release it unfocused; that one sound familiar?"

He nodded silently.

"You're a vampire, Tsukune. You share a connection none of us have, one of blood. What is youki but an energy released by a monster's life? Vampires can sense that, it's one of their strengths. You have the human connection now too, the nature humanity came from. With your power you could influence storms, summon lightning from the heavens themselves! I'm a witch, Tsukune, I'm far from a weak human, but I will never have the strength of your body. I can augment my power with outside sources, use items filled with magic to prolong my casting time, and even train to channel more magic through me, but I will have limitations. There are certain transformations that can sidestep that…but they come at a terrible cost. My former mistress used one." Sadness filled his eyes at the reminder of his failure, yet she only smiled lovingly. "Imagine what a vampire could do, tapped into the well of nature. You have a body made for magic, Tsukune. Feel me, feel the connection we share."

It felt like an order of great intimacy, almost as if she had just asked him to make love to her. It also felt much like what Rei had asked him to do when looking for fissures in rock, to simply expand the song of nature he could feel in his very bones. Concentrating on that, his eyes went wide when he felt, literally felt Ruby under his hands. Her body sang with that ancient melody, a soloist amongst the choir of the forest surrounding them. He could feel her youki, the pulse of demonic energy that marked the tie she had to monsters everywhere, but stronger still he felt her sing with an energy he could see was all around them.

Looking into those fuchsia orbs, he knew he would never be able to look at her the same way again. Monsters shunned witches and wizards because of their heritage, but he knew if they ever gained the ability to see them like he was seeing her now, they would see beings of unparalleled beauty. In the supposed weakness of their blood they had gained something no monster would ever be able to touch, a link to something larger and more primeval than even the oldest vampires could comprehend. It was a link he would never have had, but one he shared now, bought through the blood of a witch and a dragon.

"Was I… I…I shouldn't be able to see this. I…feel like I've stolen this from you. This is your right, not mine…" he rasped raggedly. He knew beauty, he was graced with its company almost every day in the form of women he knew he would never deserve. This didn't feel like mere beauty, this was something beyond his, or any other's ability to describe. It was what he had felt four times previously, each one just as breathtaking as the last; the complete bareness that Inner and Outer Moka, as well as Kurumu and Mizore had presented him with as they offered their love to him, as he did his to them. Ruby sat on him fully clothed, yet he felt like he had just seen her soul.

And she just smiled. "You always gave me the choice whether or not to give you my blood, Tsukune. You stole nothing from me that I didn't freely give. This energy is what you can command now, just as I do. You have no idea how happy I am that I'm able to share this with you."

He had to kiss her. He had to. It wasn't light or tender, this was powerful and consuming, demanding and lustful. Ruby could only moan as Tsukune dominated her mouth, pressed her against him with hands trembling in need. She wasted no time in undoing the string of her choker, loosening her shirt as well as she could before Tsukune took over for her and pulled the garment over her head. Since the corset-like shirt also served as her bra, the sealed vampire was granted full view of her naked chest as she pulled the ripped nylons and belts from her arms.

God, she's simply beautiful… It made him want her all the more, and by this point he had to have her.

They fell into each other with a wild abandon that had Ruby inwardly screaming in delight, relishing the harsh movements that just barely walked the fence between force and violence. He clawed at her skirt unsuccessfully as he tried to divide his focus between kissing and disrobing her, and the goal was only accomplished when Ruby parted from him, much to his displeasure. He quickly came to the conclusion that it was worth the time apart. Staring down on him, flushed and aroused, the half-naked witch shimmied out of her tattered skirt, leaving her only in a pair of barely noticeable undergarments that were just as quickly discarded.

"Holy hell…" he muttered in awe, drinking in the sight before him like he would see no other. Radiant under the night sky, his witch struck a picture as ethereal, as sexual as anything he had ever seen. Eyes dark in lust there was no misinterpreting what she wanted, made all the more clear by the pungent scent in the air and the moisture running down her thighs. She gave him a come-hither motion he couldn't have responded to faster, and was soon pressed against another tree as she and her newfound lover returned to each other's arms. Her bare back was pressed painfully into the bark of the tree in doing so and she moaned deeply, more aroused by the pleasure of pain than pleasure alone.

"Please Tsukune, take me, make me yours! I've waited for so long, God please just give it to me!" she pleaded desperately, rubbing her achingly wet sex against the coarse material of his shredded, damp pants. All at once vines came from nowhere, wrapping her securely to the tree and halting those wonderfully gratifying motions in their tracks. She gasped brokenly as the shock rolled through her body in unspeakable satisfaction, her arousal mounting ever higher as her desires were played off of and brought to life in a reality better than any dream she had ever had. The rational part of her knew it had to be an illusion, but the masochistic side of her was too busy enjoying it to even consider rationality. "Take me, hurt me, do anything! I need you!"

Tsukune was panting, his arms held on either side of her head. He wanted to, oh Lord did he ever want to, but there was something in her voice, her demands, that had made him pause. Cupping her chin, he forced her still and kissed her. There was tenderness this time, apology, something deeper and more lasting than primal gratification. Confusion had replaced lust as the dominant emotion in her beautiful eyes, and with a gesture he had freed her from his mind magic. Taking hold of the naked flesh of her rear he lifted her against him, let her wrap her legs around his waist as he pressed her to the tree again and held her there, trapped by his body alone this time. Her eyes held the question on the tip of her tongue, but he cut her off.

"Ruby, I love you. I love you so much. I want you so bad I can hardly see straight…but I don't want to hurt you…" his voice cracked there, and she knew what his problem was. He had spent so long trying to keep them all from harm naturally he wouldn't want to be the one inflicting it; she just needed to make him see her side.

"You don't get it, lover," she answered, pleased she would finally be able to use the title for him. "I love everything you could do to me; pain and pleasure. You can't hurt me, because the only thing I'll feel is pleasure." She scraped her nails down his chest again, hard enough to leave little red lines on his skin, and he shuddered as he stifled a moan between his lips. "Tell me, did that hurt?" As much as it embarrassed him, he shook his head. Grinning like the cat that caught the canary, she leaned forward and dug her blunt teeth into the crook of his neck, just hard enough to form an angry splotch of crimson on his tanned skin and earning another harsh groan from her vampire. "You're more like me than you realize. You don't need to break my bones or cut me deep; that's not what I like. Just give it to me rough, lover. Bite me, grope me, tie me up! Dig your fingers into my ass and pound into me like the vampire you are! I wouldn't let anyone else do this to me; you don't need to be my master, but as my lover you should know that this is what I like. There's a time for the soft and sensual, but please, please I need you now!"

She watched his eyes change as a thought hit him, and before she could ask what it was her arms had been wrenched away from him and held firm above her head by vines she knew couldn't be real. It felt real enough, and try as she might to escape, she couldn't. Stepping away from her and leaving her tiptoeing against the tree, Tsukune smirked as he playfully replied, "No."

Her stomach tightened, and not in a bad way. "N-No?"

The smirk grew as he nodded. "No."

She had never known being denied something she wanted so badly could turn her on so much. Her legs trembled at the strain being put on them but under his gaze even that felt glorious. When he returned to her he nipped at her throat as he ran his hands down her taut abdomen, down so close to her dripping womanhood only to leave at the last second. A whimper escaped her as he alternated between kissing and biting down her chest, only using enough force that she could feel his fangs and leaving before they could puncture her skin and give her the pleasure that entailed. She squirmed, tried to fight the hold he had over her to no avail, and it was the single most erotic thing she had ever felt.

"I'm not going to give it to you like you want until I show you how much I love you. I'm going to kiss every part of your body; I'm going to touch you so softly you're going to wonder if I'm even touching you at all. I'm going to show you I love every little bit of you, Ruby Toujou, and there's nothing you can do about it."

The proclamation actually pushed her to a miniature climax.

Tsukune did everything he promised, worshipping inch after flawless inch of the mage's toned flesh. Fingers traced the contours of the muscles hidden under her skin with a reverent touch, where every so often his tongue followed. In the wake of his lips Ruby's whimpers intensified, yet the area she wanted attended was so purposefully ignored. With her hands restrained it was exactly as he said, she could do absolutely nothing about it. Minutes, hours, she couldn't tell how long he simply touched her, kissed her, drove her insane with wanton lust. She was all but sobbing as he trailed down one leg and up the next, his own arousal still disregarded and trapped inside his pants. She dared to hope when he straightened, once more looking her in the eye as his hand glided closer to her weeping sex. The touch that met her folds was ice cold, but not overly so, just enough to send a jolt through her inflamed petals and rip a scream of surprise from her mouth.

Her world was a spiral of paradoxes: knowing what she wanted and yet wanting to be denied more, feeling absolute need that was yet somehow fed by a near total lack of anything to her throbbing nethers. He wasn't torturing her in the conventional sense, but he was indeed torturing her. She couldn't get enough. She wanted it to end, she wanted it to continue; she didn't know what she wanted, she only knew she wanted.

When the touch resumed his temperature was normal again, and she almost cried in relief when it slipped into her. She didn't know how much more of that her legs could take, the stress of supporting a body that otherwise thought vines were holding it in place was taking its toll, but she was so close. "More, please, more…"

He obliged her…slowly. Testing her wetness with another finger, gently, carefully he slid it too inside her. She bucked her hips as much as she could, physically demanding the digit further, to scratch the itch deeper. Once more he denied her, halting their progress the minute she tried anything. He knew what she wanted now and like she asked, he was giving it to her, just in his own way. If she had been able to focus on anything but the terrible need he had kindled in her she would have been impressed, as it was his prowess was the farthest thing from her mind. Obeying the unspoken command, she bit her lip and stopped, holding herself unmoving except for the occasional shudder of pleasure that was constantly flowing through her during the act. His fingers returned, stroking decisively, forcefully, signaling a change in pace she had waited far too long for. Curling inside her, her whole body arched when they hit a spot within that made her toes lock, sent her to the tips of her feet like a dancer as relief crashed through her with the finesse of a wrecking ball. The illusion shattered at that moment, leaving her to fall into his arms like so much dead weight as the waves of blissful respite washed over her.

Words were incapable of describing what she had just experienced, of what he had just done to her. Nothing had ever been that intense. Struggling to breathe and find her footing at the same time, she pushed her sweaty hair out of her eyes as she looked at him. He was clearly struggling to control himself too, though for a completely different reason. His skin was nearly as flushed as hers and the bulge in his pants was indisputable, but it was his eyes that turned her insides to jelly. Molten gold burned brightly, his desires all made clear in those fierce irises. She would no longer need to coerce him to do anything to her, she could see that with certainty. With a sly grin she undid his pants and pulled them to the ground with his boxers in tow, revealing at last what she wanted to see.

She found out then it was possible for her to get more aroused. Humming her approval, she trailed back up, giving a lingering lick to the underside of his hard erection on the way. His breath hissed out of him, but she would show him he wasn't the only one that could tease. Leaving it at that she moved from him, setting herself back against the tree so she could lift one of her legs and show her excitement to him completely, held solidly in a pose that would make any male lose their sanity.

"Your turn, lover," the erotic witch purred seductively.

No more words were needed. He moved at her permission, meshing her stunning body against his in passion before embedding himself in her fully. She screamed in delight at the amazing mixture of pain and pleasure that assaulted her, the brilliant attack on her most sensitive nerves that lit her body in bliss and the singular pain of losing her virginity in the same stroke, which only heightened the pleasure to near unimaginable levels. It hurt, but it was so good. He hesitated there, knowing what he had done, but she wasn't about to let this one-time pain go to waste. Thrusting herself against him as hard as she could, she made his movements for him, pressing him ever deeper into her and milking the pain for all it was worth. Another hiss escaped him at the onslaught of her warm heat around him, and seeing that she clearly wasn't crying out in pain, Tsukune finally let himself go.

He had been holding back for so long. Watching her expression go through all manner of changes as he kissed and caressed her body was a test in patience, watching her orgasm so hard she collapsed against him was far more than even that. He wanted to put her needs before his, but it was so damn hard. The sounds she made were unbelievable; there was no pain in her voice, only mindless satisfaction bordering on the insane. Finally one with her, his needs were pushed to the forefront, not that she was demanding anything less. She was begging him for more, pleading for him to go faster, harder, and every time he did she tightened around him. If she wanted a predator, he would give her a predator.

Gripping tight to her amazingly sculpted backside, Tsukune pushed her hard into him, digging upwards as far as he could and elicited a scream that surely woke most of the forest. His need was frantic, demonic, and hers only seemed to grow under his increasingly violent strokes. Her back was being scraped ruthlessly into the tree bark now, but once again the pain had the opposite effect it would have on anyone else. Ruby Toujou was in heaven, pure heaven, plain and simple. Her body was on fire, her vision was fading in and out behind her eyelids as they squinted shut during particularly hard thrusts that made her scream and bite her nails into his back. Tsukune was focused only on her, on the pleasure their joining created, and he had never seen her so beautiful as when she was flushed and sweaty, wailing in sheer ecstasy and tightening her legs around him like she never wanted to let him go.

The urge to kiss her overpowered him, and she moaned readily into the embrace as they rocked together in carnal intimacy, her cries now muted by their locked lips. She honestly didn't know how many times she had lost it already, she had lost count after the third one almost made her black out. The combined stimuli of everything she loved was just too much for her to take, yet she still wanted more, and more importantly, she wanted him to reach that peak too. She urged him on in the breaks between their kisses, crying out for him to join her as she felt another massive wave approach. With a hoarse cry he did just that, but not before he had plunged his fangs deep into her neck as the line differentiating lust from bloodlust warped in the mindless euphoria of release.

They stood there, shuddering in each other's arms and gasping for air as everything blurred around them. Ruby was sure she had found a place past heaven and Tsukune was inclined to believe her, since he was there with her. As their heart-rates were finally allowed to slow, the vampire leaned heavily on his witch lover, their skin slick and wet. With calm souls and warm eyes they looked at each other, him petting back her lustrous raven hair and her winding her fingers into his dark chocolate strands, both still wonderfully ensnared in each other's bodies. It was like they had just made the most tender of love on the softest of beds, not practically assaulted each other against a tree in the middle of a forest.

"That was unbelievable," he muttered breathlessly, and she smiled as she rolled her hips into him again. His arousal hadn't waned in the least, and likewise she was practically drunk on all the wonderful feelings still running rampant through her body.

"And nothing you did hurt me, God, it made it so much better!" she crowed happily. "You won't be afraid to do that to me again next time, will you?" He stared at her incredulously, only causing her smile to widen as she shivered just from the memories of minutes before. "Wow though, you're right; that was amazing!" She was still kind of lightheaded, but his bite probably had something to do with that. If he had done that to the others…no wonder Moka had been so cranky at being denied before.

Then he was kissing her again, causing her to give the hints of a smile before she relinquished herself to it. Her eyes were almost closed when they caught a trace of white in the mouth of the otherwise colorless cave off to the side, and right then bright pink met polished steel. Tsukune gasped when her sex suddenly constricted around him harder than before, but Ruby paid it no mind, instead devouring his mouth fervently in newly-blazing desire. The thought that they had been watched sent a whole new kind of arousal through her, one stemmed directly from her masochistic mindset. Those draconic eyes disappeared soon after realizing they had been spotted, but the damage, as it were, was already done.

It wasn't hard for him to recognize the look she set on him, because he knew he was giving it right back. It was the gaze of one not nearly done. He had to admit he was surprised when she pushed him away, thus letting her return to her own two feet and separating their intimate connection, but that was answered all too quickly when she turned around and bent over, presenting her perfect backside to him as she set her hands on the tree to balance herself. Her back was riddled with superficial pink scrapes obviously caused by the bark, but the prurient smile thrown over her shoulder showed she didn't even feel them. If she did they were only serving to heighten her pleasure, and as long as they were doing that he was happy to allow their existence.

He nearly choked when her hand trailed back, idly stroking the soaked flesh of her nether-regions as if to taunt him. The main reason for that was she had turned her attention upwards after figuring her fingers were wet enough, and before his very eyes one of her feminine fingertips disappearing inside the forbidden gap located there. Her resulting moan made all moisture vanish from his mouth, and he gulped heavily when she deemed herself ready, sinfully spreading herself before him without the slightest bit of shame.

"I've waited so long for this night to come," she moaned breathily as she studied him from behind half-lidded eyes. "I've dreamed of what we would do, over and over and over again. Fulfill another of my fantasies, would you, lover?"

A hundred things came to mind at once, not one of them negative. Even as hormone-driven as it was right then, his brain still needed to reboot after being shown that image. Heart pounding up in his throat, he hesitantly walked towards her, positioned perfectly with little difficulty at her request. She cooed lustfully when his arousal scraped her reddened petals in the journey up, and whimpered when one of his hands closed over hers on the tree.

"When you put it that way I can't really say no, now can I?" he replied lowly as he leaned over her back, pressing forward just enough to hear her gasp when he hit resistance. She tried to move back in an effort to speed up the process, but his hands held her firm, which was exciting to her all the same.

"Tsukune…don't tease me…! Hard and fast, give me everything you've got!"

She was certainly prepared enough for it, and seeing as lust had taken over as the driving factor behind his actions again he felt no desire to deny her. Even with the lubrication in place it was still agonizingly slow going, but neither of them would allow themselves to be deprived of this experience. With a harsh jab forward he was sheathed in her completely, enveloped in a tightness so like and yet so alien from her sex. Wet and soft, the pressure was almost unbearable around him, not mentioning the gurgled cry of contentment that flew from his witch's mouth as he did so. Again he found he had no idea whether or not he was hurting her, but at that moment Tsukune had to admit he honestly didn't care. His brain had shut down, his body was in control, and hers only cried out louder because of it.

She was on fire, burning from the inside out in an inferno of sensation that gifted her with both opposites she longed for. Pleasure, pain, everything in-between, it was all there, all hitting her at once. It felt like the air in her lungs was torn from her every time they connected, forced through strained vocal chords into sounds drawn from the very depths of desire. She had wanted him for so long, having him agree to her fantasies was something she could have only dreamed about. He did what she wanted, but in his own way, never straying from the person she knew and loved. He bound her to a tree to force her patience, to let him love her and adhere to her wishes simultaneously. He made love to her passionately, with enough force to satisfy her more unusual demands yet hadn't lost sight of the intimacy the act entailed.

Now was no such time for contemplation, now they had utterly lost themselves in the carnality of lust. Taken from behind, full to bursting and spread wide in such beautiful agony, Ruby barely resisted being smashed into the tree with each strong stroke, relishing in the feel of him within her and his powerful hands gripped firmly to her hips. She knew she would be carrying more than one mark from the encounter and that only aroused her further. He was hitting places inside of her that she had never thought possible, exciting hypersensitive areas that made her flinch in pleasure and scream for more. She was being stretched and filled and simply just overwhelmed, and she loved every magnificent second of it.

It was getting the better of Tsukune too, whom she heard gasp and moan as he strove to drive them both to completion. His husky, masculine baritone complimented her sharp groans of satisfaction in a song as old as nature itself, one of primal togetherness sought by every living thing on the planet. There were no identities in those moments, there was only them and the being they made as one. Pain, pleasure; lust, love; everything they were going through was coursing through their veins with the solitary goal of that final, explosive release they both wanted so badly.

To describe his state of mind would be impossible. All he could focus on her and what she was doing to him. His body was tightening in preparation for the inevitable, commanding his speed and force increase at her continued entreaty and he didn't know how much longer he would be able to hold off. Her legs were shaking with each one of his thrusts before ultimately they collapsed and she sat against him fully, allowing him to push her solidly to the tree and let no space be between them. His name was the only thing on her lips, hers the only thing on his; so consumed were they with each other when that peak came it caught them completely unaware, sending them into shivering spasms that locked them in place as they choked out one last cry of their lover's names.

With muscles that might as well have been rubber they fell to the ground, each clasped in a desperate hold to their partner's body as they rode out the effects together.

"Sweet lord almighty…" Ruby coughed as she fought to regain use of…everything.

High on post-coital bliss, Tsukune laughed as he ran a hand over her sweaty stomach while she lay limply on top of him. "This coming from a woman who works for a priest. Getting kinda blasphemous now, aren't you?"

Despite herself she broke out laughing as well, which shook her and proceeded to remind them both they were still connected. Moaning again at the stimulation to her abused nerves, Ruby grinned while she entwined her fingers with the ones of his that were still traversing her trembling abdomen. "I'm a witch, not a nun. I could always dress up like one though, would you like that?"

The former human groaned lightly at that image as his sorceress squeezed him inside her, and he tightened his hold around her as he mocked a grimace. "I'll never be able to look at a nun the same way again."

Her laughter pealed like bells in the surrounding immensity of the forest. Separating herself from him, she rolled over so she could look into his eyes, meshing them chest to chest while she resumed running a hand through his wet hair. He was supporting her whole weight but he didn't make the slightest expression of discomfort, instead only returning the favor and caressing his hand down the side of her face lovingly. God how she loved this man. "A nun would take one look at you and regret that vow of celibacy, so I'm sure the feeling is mutual."

Even after what they had just done, she saw he could still blush under the starlight. His look softened the longer they stayed in their embrace, silence now dominant, and Ruby smiled as she turned her head to his chest, his heartbeat a comforting harmony to the sounds of Paradise around them. She didn't know how long they stayed like that, just basking in the presence the other offered, but she knew she would never forget a single second. Finally, a deeper intake signaled something new, and his soft whisper carried to her ears. "Thank you, Ruby. I don't know why you came when you did, but thank you. I've missed you all so much, knowing this is the best way for me to get the strength to protect you is the only thing keeping me here."

She stood by her earlier sentiment. God how she loved this man. "You could always come back with me you know," she replied hopefully, though she knew in her heart what his answer would be.

"I can't do that, you know that. I'm getting stronger and I'm learning how to use my powers in real situations; I can't do that back at school. Rei-chan and I are learning how to move together, we're learning about each other. We're far from perfect but the longer we have the better, and I'm trying to train her as best I can. She wasn't used to fighting in her human body and she's still learning, so we have a long way to go. We need this, Ruby; I can't leave now."

She sighed dramatically, not like she had expected anything different. "I know, Tsukune. Can't blame a girl for trying though, can you?"

He chuckled, and the witch shivered as the deep rumble in his chest vibrated into hers. "No, I don't suppose I can."

As much as she hated to leave his warmth, it was the perfect opportunity to present him with the other gift she had come to offer him. He let her go unquestioningly, more than content to watch her swaying backside as she sauntered over to where her wand stood stuck into the ground. Removing the small satchel hanging from the curve of its end, she returned, throwing her leg over his body smoothly before dropping to straddle him. Tsukune was already eyeing her with budding desire and his body was responding accordingly, much to her delight, but she still had to show him the contents. As he drank in her movements like the lover he was, she reached into the cloth bag and pulled out a small leather book, set with a gleaming crimson crystal in its center. Extending the object to her love, he took it hesitantly, marveling at the construction of the seemingly simply tome.

"What…is this?" he asked, almost afraid to know the answer. Expert, obviously hand-sewn stitches marked the edges of the dark brown leather, and strings of the same make held the book from opening randomly. It was hardly any bigger than a large wallet, the perfect size for something like his pocket, and it felt like it had been made for his hands. The dark jewel held in the middle thrummed with a familiar power, as if waiting for his command to unleash untold fury on the world, and it wasn't hard to figure out what it was. It was a magical focus.

"Your blood is filled with magic, Tsukune. I'm sure it would be an excellent conductor by itself, but I thought I'd give you a book of the basics to help you out. The focus crystal will be easier to use at first than trying to do what you've done before without one. It'll be good for you to learn your limits before Yukari and I start you on the more advanced stuff."

The vampire just looked at what he was holding, speechless. "But aren't focuses hard to find?"

Red tinged her cheeks. "That gem's a sister crystal to the one in my wand. Every once in a while the headmaster will reward me for my hard work, and I couldn't think of anything I'd rather do than give one to you. I made it myself, do you like it?"

He stared at her. "Ruby…this is incredible. I love it."

Her smile was positively breathtaking. "I thought it matched your real eyes really well, I guess the fact that it also matches my name was a stroke of luck."

Pushing himself up with his elbows, he was eventually able to hug her. "I'll treasure this, I promise."

She smirked smugly as she shifted herself on his lap, gaining a gasp from her lover and a tingle of her own. "Why don't you show me?"

The look he set on her made her gulp.

"It would be my pleasure."

.

V^^^V

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Far away, high atop the tallest peak of her mountain home, a bronze-skinned teenager stared up at the moons. Her heart was in turmoil, her conscience just as much. She had known what her partner was doing the instant the first feminine shriek had caught her sensitive ears. The smell only gave it more credence, the pheromones the witch was exuding in her excitement. She knew she shouldn't, knew it was supposed to be private, but some part of her couldn't resist the temptation to look.

Oddly enough, Rei didn't feel bad about doing so. That was what was weighing on her mind. The dragon ran her human hand through the shaggy spikes of hair atop her head as she sighed. This is…ludicrous! she decided at last. There is no reason for these feelings! Procreation is necessary, 'tis not something to be ashamed of!

The act had never been strange to her; deep in her blood she knew the process of male and female copulation to be an essential aspect of birth, with the possible exception of a few animals—her endangered species among them. She had noticed many times that after her partner had fed from his prey they were left twitchy and restless, oftentimes scampering off to engage in that very activity. It was something needed for the perpetuation of life.

Her human body on the other hand, disagreed with the cold hard logic.

Warmth not at all from the fire ever-present in her body clawed at her belly, assaulted her with feelings she would rather not know. It occurred to her then that because of her transformation ability, she was going through something most unpleasant. It wasn't that she felt bad for spying on them, or even that she was sure that Ruby had seen her, instead it was…

I-Impossible!

She was…jealous. She envied the closeness her treasure was able to have with her Tsukki.

Even now, the images she had seen wouldn't leave her mind. She had never guessed human intercourse could be so…pleasurable. The moans and screams of the raven-haired witch echoed in her ears, as did her vampire's equal sounds of satisfaction. She had seen him close to nude many times over the course of their time in her realm, and just as many times panting and sweaty from exertion in his endeavors. Never had she seen those traits together like that, and the woman accepting him into her body had nothing but good things to say, so it seemed.

I am not even capable of reproducing until my first year has passed, I know this! Why does my body burn so?! she raged internally. If indeed this form has aged appropriately, I should appear as one already through thirteen years, I have much left before I would be a suitable partner for… Deep crimson painted her dark face at the track her mind had taken, but with a snarl she shook herself free. These thoughts are inappropriate! I am his partner, his familiar! But a part of her longed to be what the witch had called him: his lover.

Lips formed in a hard line, the dragon scowled at the night sky. She had thought she would have more time until the desires started encroaching. It appeared as if she did not. Her heart was already bound to him in an inescapable relationship, it was only natural her body wish to follow. Watching him in the act did nothing to help quell the strength of those growing wishes. She would suffer through them, just as she knew the younger witch, Yukari, was doing. Fortunately for her, her body would grow sufficiently within the next year's time. If she chose to do something then, no one could stop her. Yukari had to wait through another five.

Rei resolved right then to make a better effort at befriending the girl when they returned.

Calmed by the new prospect, the dragon was able to smile.

If what she had to look forward to was anything like what she had seen, she would actually have to thank the headmaster for forcing her into a human form.

All she could do now was wait, and she was nothing if not patient.

Tsukune had no idea in just how many ways she had chosen him.

.

V^^^V

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After putting her clothes in the washer and taking a much needed shower, Ruby limped her way back to her room. Tired didn't even begin to describe her, she was absolutely exhausted.

In the best way possible, she thought impishly. Oh how she was sore however, regardless of how amazingly wonderful it had felt at the time. There would be no sitting for her tomorrow, or walking…or standing…or moving of any kind in general. She didn't even know how some of the muscles ailing her had been strained, but she was sure whatever it was had been for a worthy cause. It certainly was true what they said about the quiet ones.

Maneuvering around the comatose bodies littered across her room, she just barely managed to put on her pajamas before she slumped into bed. She would have much rather slept with Tsukune but if she did that she knew she wouldn't have made it back in time, which left returning the only viable option. He had given her a few ideas for projects to work on with Yukari before he came back as she had left too, so her trip couldn't have gone better in her mind.

Now all she needed was a peaceful forty-eight hours of sleep.

She was out before she had even closed her eyes.

.

V^^^V

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How much time had passed? Honestly, he couldn't be sure. Half of his time was spent in a drug-induced stupor, and the other half was spent in agonizing pain that had him wishing for the drug-induced stupor. The bones in his body were mending, slowly but surely, but he was sure those damn orderlies were taking entirely unneeded time to replace the blood packs that were emptied in his body's haste to replenish itself. It was adding time to the healing process that wasn't required!

He tried moving but even with the drugs, that sparked a degree of pain previously unknown to him to life. How had he allowed himself to be reduced to this? He was a vampire! It should have been child's play for him to dispatch the worthless man that stood up to his claim on her. She was his by right, he had been promised so! His time with her wasn't long admittedly, but she was still supposed to be his! He had heard of her separate personalities and yet he had met her elegant, vampiric self, and she had confirmed what the other had said! How had she been able to unseal her powers?

The boy!

An enormous headache burst through his mind as the realization came to him. Her so-called blood-mate could release her seal! Trying to think any further about the events leading to that caused him pain unlike anything even his body was telling him about, so he dropped the topic while he could. The pressure on his brain relieved immediately, and he let out a sigh of relief.

She was just as beautiful as he had heard, her power and grace more than he could have ever predicted or dreamed of. He wanted her badly, but he would need to redeem himself in her father's eyes first. She would get what was coming to her. He would make her regret what she did to him. Her father would be less than pleased to hear what had transpired, to put it lightly. They had known she had taken up company with a boy over her time at the academy, but to think for even one moment that she would consider him her blood-mate was something none of them had anticipated. He needed to be informed right away, yet as he was his body was practically soup. Feeling bones regenerate was not the most pleasant of experiences, and he knew his left arm had practically been ground to dust. He needed to drink, feast, not wait for the transfusion bags to be replaced!

He couldn't risk the wrath of another Dark Lord though, especially not when he wasn't at full health. The headmaster of Youkai Academy was renowned for his techniques, sealing among them, and that left him a very vulnerable target lying in a hospital bed as he was. All it would take was one visit and he could find himself with a seal harder to remove than hers, and that would lose him any respect he might have had in the higher courts. He cursed bitterly.

All he could do was wait until he could move. Her family would find out about this, he guaranteed it.

It wouldn't be long now.

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V^^^V

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Tsukune looked with satisfaction written all over him as he held the little book he had been given in his one hand, his other pointed towards the skid of destruction still simmering in front of him.

From his side, Rei smiled. "Abra kadabra indeed."

He laughed. Learning magic was going to be fun.

V^^^V

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Author's Notes: Thanks for reading! If you have any questions or just want to talk, send me a line. I wouldn't object to you filling in that review box either.

'Til next time!

Sabr