Two notes before we get going.

1: Thanks to Bloodrayne666 for her input and help with this chapter. Really appreciate it, my dear friend.

2: After the first linebreak, this chapter is upgraded to M rating, so if you read past that, you do so out of your own will, wanting to be exposed to such material. What takes place there is what created you one way or another.

Chapter 7

Lost Hearts

"Jake… I… am in love with you."

Jake stared at Amber in disbelief, he blinked a few times and shook his head.

"Wait…what?" he asked "Amber?"

Amber looked at Jake and took another breath.

"I said I'm in love with you Jake!" she spluttered as she stood up from the bed and stepped in front of him "I… I can't deny it…"

Jake gaped as he looked upon Amber, seeing her shiny brown eyes, and in them he could see no lie, it was genuine and he knew Amber, she was not one who would mess around, given how close they were.

"Amber…I.. I…I.." he stuttered "You're serious?"

Amber nodded.

"I love you, Jake. That's the long and short of it."

"I… see…"

"Now, I'm sorry for putting you on the spot like this, Jake, but I have to know… Do you feel the same about me?"

"Me?"

Jake thought back on his time in Mutopia, on how he and Amber had bonded and grown closer over the years. They were indeed very good friends, and had been for years now, but could they become something more? Amber certainly thought so, that much was clear.

His mind found itself among the memories and thoughts of the last few days, especially those that he had tried to push away, to ignore, to brush off as something entirely else. Anything else.

But now the answer was clear as day and staring him right in the face.

"I… I do…" he said.

"You do?" Amber's eyes went wide with hope.

"Yes… I do love you too, Amber…" He stood up, taking her hands. "I wasn't sure at first… there have been so many things running around in my head these last few days… but now I know, it was because I was falling in love with you…"

"Oh, Jake…" Tears formed in Amber's eyes again, tears of joy. "You… you have no idea how happy I am to hear that… my heart… it's making somersaults right now…"

Amber's smile was as wide and genuine as it could be, overjoyed at having her feelings, her love, for Jake was returned in kind.

Jake smiled too, but a sinking feeling in his mind and stomach soon caused it to fade.

He had to face reality.

"Amber… I can't do this…" he said letting go of her hands. Her scaly hands.

"What? What do you mean Jake?"

"I'm sorry Amber…" Jake lowered his head. "It could never work… I am human, you are mutant…"

"I used to be human, just like your sister, and you've accepted her back into your life."

"Yes… I have…" he looked back at Amber.

"Would it really be that much different with me?"

"I...Amber…" He placed his hand on her scaly cheek, and she placed her hand on his hand, leaning into it a bit.

"Look, I understand that this is difficult for you, and I don't want that, but I also can't deny what I feel about you."

"And I about you… but it won't work…"

"Don't say that! We won't know if we don't try."

"You don't understand!" Jake pulled away, turning his back to her. "Back when I learned that Mona was not only alive, but had also had a child with Raph… I broke… I went completely ballistic!"

"Jake…"

"I shouted obscenities at them! I accused them of bestiality! I even punched my own sister! I couldn't handle it, I just couldn't handle that my sister was together with a turtle! Even if she was a mutant as well!"

"You were under a lot of stress that day…" Amber said, reaching out for his shoulder, but he pulled away.

"It doesn't matter! Don't you see, Amber?! I can't handle human mutant relationships like that! It has be either all mutants or all humans! I know I sound like some racist, but I can't help it! It just feels wrong!" Jake squeezed his eyes shut, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"But it's not! It's me! I am the one who's wrong! And you deserve someone that's better than me! Someone that can love you without their own disgusting thoughts ruining everything!"

"Jake! Stop!" she grabbed him by the shoulders and turned him around so they faced each other again. "I don't want someone else! I want you! Human or mutant, it doesn't matter! You're the one I love!"

"Amber, please! Don't make this any harder than it has to be! You can't possibly be happy with me! I'm not worthy of your love! I'm-"

But Jake's words were muffled, as Amber pulled him closer and kissed him on the lips. His eyes went wide, but he soon relaxed, as even though the kiss began forced, he nearly instantly found himself following along on the path that Amber had set out.

And it was a path that his heart desperately wanted to walk, together with hers.

The two wrapped their arms around each other, each holding the other close, feeling their bodies, their hearts, connect in a way neither had thought possible.

All of Jake's doubt and self hate, all his negative thoughts, they all melted away, as he nearly melted in the embrace of this incredible mutant.

This incredible woman.

His love.

Finally breaking the kiss, Amber pulled back a bit, looking into Jake's blue eyes. She felt his arms tremble around her.

Then he pulled her into another kiss, this one more passionate than the first, and she wasn't late to give as good as she got, responding in kind.

Their lips locked, their hearts racing, what had been was of no consequence, how different they were did not matter. Only the here and now mattered.

In unison, hands moving over each other's bodies, they lowered themselves into the bed, their soft passion never fading, only growing stronger.

No words were spoken, as none were needed. They both knew what they wanted, and they gave into it with all that they were.

One by one, their clothes were removed, until they were left naked.

Pulling back, Jake looked at Amber, taking in all of her features, and she was beautiful, more beautiful than he had ever realised.

How could he not have seen it before?

Those brown eyes, her golden blonde hair, even her non-human features such as her scales were a thing a beauty now that Jake's eyes had been opened.

The scales, one of the most eye catching features. Most were greyish green, harder than human skin, but also smooth and softer than expected, but an even softer kind, yellow in colour, covered her stomach, breasts, and crotch.

It was a strange sensation, feeling the scales against his skin, their texture carrying with them a sense of coolness, yet they were warm to the touch.

They both placed one hand on each other's cheek, leaning and kissing again, holding each other tightly as they explored their bodies.

With a slightly trembling hand, Jake grabbed Amber's breast, the very same that he had before by accident, and began to slowly squeeze and massage it, feeling the nipple get hard underneath his palm.

Amber moaned ever so softly at the treatment, taking Jake's other hand from her cheek and guided it towards her opening. Jake tensed up a bit upon feeling where his hand was placed, but after some silent encouragement, he started stroking his hand over the wet hole and button, causing Amber to squirm under his gentle touch.

Her hand lingered on his for a while, following along with its movements for a while, before pressing his fingers inside of her opening, making herself gasp at the sensation.

As Jake moved his fingers in and out of the tight, wet hole, Amber let her hand grasp his hard shaft, slowly jerking it.

For minutes, their hands pleased each other as their lips danced, then Amber lead Jake's rod towards her opening, making him break their kiss.

"Amber…?"

"Please… I want you, Jake…"

"And I you…"

Pressing their lips against each other's again, Jake realigned himself, shifting his weight around to make it as comfortable as possible for both of them. With Amber's hand guiding him, he soon felt his organ part her lower lips and slide inside of her waiting hole, the wet walls holding him snugly.

Both gasped, but Jake more so. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before.

The warmth, the moistness, the tight pressure all around him. It was as if it was pulling him in, never wanting to let go, and he didn't want it to.

Their bodies were a perfect match, like lock and key.

He was in his own personal paradise.

As by instinct, his hips began to slowly move back and forth, his shaft moving like a piston in Amber's most sacred parts.

The humanoid marine iguana wrapped her arms, legs, and even tail around her lover, urging him to go even deeper.

Even though their constant kissing muffled them, their moans grew louder and louder as Jake went deeper and faster.

A familiar tingling sensation soon started to build up within their respective organs, their breaths growing shorter and sharper by the second. They were both getting close, and they could feel the other nearing their limit as well.

Amber held Jake in an iron grip. She wouldn't let him pull out. She couldn't. She needed this so badly. And she heard no arguments from him.

As if perfectly synchronised, the two both broke their kiss and threw their heads back as they cried out in their climax. Jake pushed his organ as deep as he could, while Amber held him as close as possible, ensuring that his seed was planted in her deepest parts, her cramping walls milking his pulsating rod of every last drop. It took a massive amount of willpower for Amber to not dig her claws into Jake's back.

Jake collapsed on top of Amber, both of them breathing rapidly and sharply. For several minutes, they just lay there, letting the wave wash over them as they caught their breaths.

With a wide smile on her lips, Amber pulled a blanket over them, kissing Jake again.

"I love you…" she whispered.

"I love you too…" Jake whispered back.