Authors notes: Happy Halloween! It is with great hope that I post this on the second blue moon of this year on my favorite holiday that the next year will be a vast improvement from what this one has been. This year has treated me much better than I know it has others, but it still kicked my ass. I recently lost my hospice job (over my anniversary!) and am now doing 1:1 school nursing for a special education child. I don't make as much money but the hours are much better. Unfortunately, it hasn't helped the frequency of my updates. *sigh* Hopefully some of you are still following this!

All the Thanks and Love to Scarlet Rook for being my beta and for letting me bounce ideas off her. You're amazing for putting up with my whining about how to make the smut make sense and catching my awful typos!

Art of Love

Chapter 15

By Red Courage

Yui left after a long lunch, leaving Miaka alone again with her Seishi. She heaved a contented sigh as she shut the door. She hadn't realized how desperately she needed the time with her oldest and best friend. The creeping anxiety was finally quelled; At least for now. Miaka had a feeling this wouldn't be the last time they spoke on the subject of sex.

Hopefully, she would become a little more comfortable openly discussing the subject now that she'd done it twice. After all, if she couldn't even verbalize what she wanted, how was anyone supposed to know?

Miaka was immensely grateful to Chichiri and Hotohori. Both of them had taken charge of the situation while making sure she'd enjoyed heself as best they could—even though, according to Yui, Hotohori had rushed things on his end. Now that Miaka had some experience under her belt, she should have a better idea of what she liked, right?

Thinking over the last two nights, Miaka found it difficult to untangle the myriad of sensation and emotions. The amount of energy she'd absorbed was making her continuously on edge. Not quite anxious. Excited maybe? Energized? That, combined with the soreness from Hotohori's vigorous performance the night before, Miaka was caught between wanting to move constantly and regretting it when she did.

Miaka clasped her hands behind her back and raised them as she leaned forward, trying to work out the soreness that had settled in sometime mid-morning. Her muscles were tight, and the tension felt good. Turning, Miaka blanched when she realized all three of her Seishi were staring at her with expressions ranging from startled and wide eyed to something that could only be described as hungry.

"Miaka are you all right?" Hotohori spoke first, concern evident in his voice as he eyed her up and down.

Miaka resumed a more normal stance. "Yeah I'm fine! Just a little sore. No big deal." She smiled brightly, hoping she'd been convincing enough for them to drop it. She really didn't want to discuss exactly why she was sore and hurt Hotohori's feelings. Especially not in front of the others. He was normally so careful with her. She also didn't relish the idea of anyone getting upset because of it.

The former emperor didn't look convinced, but before Hotohori could move, Chichiri stepped slightly in front of him, casually blocking his path with his staff. A brief look flashed between them. Though Hotohori's eyebrow twitched, he made no further move towards Miaka.

Instead, Tasuki, who'd been leaning with his shoulder propped against the wall, straightened and took several quick strides in her direction. His confident demeanor was belied by the anxious look in his eyes as he peered down at her. "Are ya sure? I thought our chi was supposed to make ya heal faster?"

Miaka felt a rush of heat from his intense amber gaze. "I'm sure! It's nothing. My foot healed up already so I'm sure this won't last long either. I must've pulled something getting up from the table." She laughed, "You know me."

Even though her attention was on Tasuki, she could see Chichiri subtly herding Hotohori out of the room. This further cemented Miaka's thoughts that perhaps the Seishi were beginning to devise rules of sorts in regards to her and her time. Something that would eventually need to be hashed out in earnest.

Tasuki narrowed his eyes, but her reassurance seemed to appease her Seishi for the moment. He grasped her shoulders in his hands, giving her a friendly squeeze that maybe lasted an instant longer than necessary. "Just know, you can always tell us anything. All right?"

Flushing, Miaka nodded. Knowing that she could talk to her Seishi and actually doing it were two very different things! She had only just managed to have the conversation she'd had with Yui. Bringing things like that up with her Seishi was just a little more than she could handle right now.

Thankfully, her agreement seemed to please Tasuki and he refrained from pressing her any further for the moment. His chi pulsated steadily where his hands rested on her shoulders, making her weak in the knees. For her own sanity, and his, she gently disengaged from his grip. Even though Hotohori and Chichiri had left the room, they were still in the house.

Tasuki's expression fell just slightly and her heart constricted in response, her gaze darting in the direction the other two had gone. He relaxed as understanding dawned on his face, gracing her with a roguish wink. Miaka breathed a sigh of relief. Despite his, as Nuriko would say, 'cloddish' demeaner, Tasuki had always been one of the most aware of Miaka's moods. She was grateful she didn't have to try and explain herself at the moment. However, something told her that before the night was through she was going to have to overcome her fears and learn to voice her needs.

She was trying to kill him. Tasuki was sure of it.

"Miaka, what the fuck are you doin'?" Tasuki snapped, averting his eyes as Miaka raised both her arms above her head and arched her back. He'd grown up with five sisters and every single one of them had gotten on him about rude staring at one time or another.

Of course, Miaka wasn't his sister. And if he didn't know any better, he'd say she was doing this shit on purpose! He was glad Chichiri and Hotohori had finally made themselves scarce, because he was having a hell of a time keeping his hands to himself. After overhearing Yui and Miaka's conversation, he'd promised himself he would be a most attentive lover, and that meant taking things nice and slow.

Unfortunately, Tasuki wasn't known for being either. Especially in bed. And Miaka wasn't making the process any easier. As hard as he was trying to be a gentleman, she seemed to be trying her damnedest to make him lose what small amount of composure he had.

Miaka turned to look at him with innocent green eyes, her arms still tucked behind her head in a way that emphasized her lovely breasts. "Nothing." Tasuki gulped and politely averted his eyes for the umpteenth time that day. Every time he turned around she was in some new sort of suggestive position and Tasuki didn't know what to do about it.

If he didn't look away, he was liable to press her up against the nearest hard surface and try to have his way with her. Thereby ruining the ceremony and dooming them all!

"Just stretching." Ignoring, or simply not noticing his discomfiture, Miaka leaned from side to side before bending over to touch her toes. "Yui said it might help."

I fucking knew it! Yui was nothing but trouble and now she was taking Miaka down with her!

"Help with what?" Tasuki nearly shrieked. Help drive him to an early grave? The shorts she was wearing framed her curves perfectly when she did that. The image of him driving into her from behind as she bent over the kitchen counter flashed in his mind and he shook his head to clear it. He wasn't getting a nosebleed was he? That would put an end to romance faster than just about anything.

Straightening, Miaka frowned. "I'm sorry, Tasuki, does this bother you?"

Tasuki nearly choked. Bother? No. Give him a raging hard on? Yes.

Hold back. Hold back. Don't scare her.

A voice in the back of his head laughed. Scare her? Miaka had never been scareed of him. Memories of the night they'd first met flashed through his mind. Even after he'd snatched her up right out from under Eiken's (and Nuriko and Hotohori's) nose and carried her off to his secret hideout, Miaka hadn't been the slightest bit afraid of him.

To tell the truth it was a bit of a blow to his manly pride at the time—did she not find him attractive? Was he not manly enough? Looking back, he'd been a scrawny teenager. Barely even a man. Now, he was far more experienced and even considered himself a bit of a ladies man…but Miaka had the uncanny ability to make him feel like an awkward kid all over again.

"Are ya sore?" The words came out thick and raspy. He really didn't want to think about why exactly Miaka would be sore. That conjured up too many images for his brain to handle. And that thing he was supposed to avoid. Jealousy.

"Just a little," Miaka admitted meekly. "I wanted to make sure I was ready for later tonight." She bit her lip nervously and Tasuki felt his heart—and other parts of his anatomy—swell with longing.

"Ready? Fer me?" Tasuki's voice cracked.

When Miaka nodded, Tasuki cleared his throat with a low laugh, feeling his confidence return with her admission. "Making sure yer all limbered up for me, huh? I'm honored you think so highly of my skill."

Miaka flushed and Tasuki felt his face heat in return. For the last few weeks, he'd been perfectly comfortable with flirting unabashedly with his priestess. Their encounters up until now had been hot and heavy with no shortage of sexual attraction. Did she think he would be too rough? After all, he had made that joke about her needing to see a doctor after he was done with her.

But…this was going to be his first time with Miaka and he wanted it to be special. Romantic. He couldn't just…rut with Miaka the way he'd done with bar maids and prostitutes. She deserved better. His heart thumped erratically, his skin breaking out in a cold sweat.

Why couldn't he be better with words like…practically any of his brother Seishi? Even Mitsukake, who barely talked at all, seemed better at knowing what to say than Tasuki did. Words always felt clunky and inadequate when he would much rather express himself physically. However, he knew Miaka appreciated the words of affirmation and he wanted to make an effort to show her he cared about her.

Slow and steady it is then. Rubbing the back of his neck shyly, Tasuki offered, "How about I give ya a massage?"

"A massage?" Miaka blinked, rolling her shoulders a little. He could see the idea intrigued her. "Are you sure?" She cocked her head trustingly and Tasuki felt his insides melt.

"Of course!" Tasuki grinned. Giving her a massage would give him a reason to touch her. If he played his cards right, everything necessary for the next part of the ceremony would flow from there.

"What hurts the most?"

Miaka made a face, rolling her shoulders again and flexing. Sheepishly, she lifted a foot and winced. "My legs are probably the worst right now." She flushed at the memory of exactly how she'd gotten said cramps the night before. Best not mention that.

"Well here." Tasuki smoothly picked her feet up and sat down on the couch, settling her dainty feet in his lap. His hands practically enveloped her feet. The muscles all along her calves and thighs were tense, and became more so when he touched her. He squeezed her ankles, murmuring a low, "Let me help."

Miaka nodded and settled back against the couch, watching him work out the stiffness in her legs with great interest. Tasuki stole glances at her face, pleased to see his Priestess was enjoying his touch so much she had closed her eyes and nearly dozed off. His heart swelled at the amount of trust she had in him. Slowly, he followed the lines of tension by feel alone, working his way up her thighs.

When his hands reached the hem of her shorts, Miaka's eyes snapped open and her gaze darted to where his hands had frozen guiltily. "You know, you don't have to be afraid of me," his voice unusually soft.

"I'm not afraid of you." Miaka's breath hitched in her throat. "I'm afraid of the things you make me feel."

"And how do I make you feel?" Tasuki whispered, his hands still frozen on her thighs.

Miaka blushed. "I can't say."

Topaz eyes narrowed dangerously. "Whaddya mean, ya can't say?"

The blush deepened. "I…it's not… appropriate." She was embarrassed even having this thought. Much less giving voice to it.

Tasuki slid one hand beneath the hem of her shorts, just brushing the edge of her panties. "Since when have I ever cared about bein' appropriate? Hmm?" His calloused fingers teased along her sensitive skin.

Miaka gasped at his audacity and wiggled. He gave her an unapologetic fanged grin and drew back to set his hands on her thighs again, rubbing his thumbs over the skin idly and sending tingles up and down her body.

Miaka primly removed her feet from his lap, missing his warmth intensely the instant she did so, but needing the space to think clearly. "How did you get so good at that?"

"I am a man of many talents." Miaka eyed him dubiously and Tasuki relented, "It's a good thing to know how to do when you do as much traveling as Chichiri and I. We've had to help each other out a few times on the road."

Raising an eyebrow, Miaka repeated, "Help each other out?"

Tasuki whapped her lightly on the back of the head. "Not like that! Get yer mind outta the gutter!"

"Oh, let me have a little fun!" Miaka continued to laugh as Tasuki sputtered uproariously, enjoying the mental image of her two Seishi giving each other languorous rubdowns in between their many duties as warriors of Suzaku. Very quickly the image turned R-rated and Miaka had to tap the brakes on her imagination or risk Tasuki's eternal wrath.

Sputtering wildly at Miaka's unexpectedly dirty joke, Tasuki blurted, "Okay now get upstairs and undress."

"What?" Miaka's eyes had gone wide. Tasuki was blunt but she'd never imagined he'd be that forward!

"Well I sure as hell ain't givin' ya the rest of the massage with yer clothes on!" When Miaka made a stubborn face he sighed, "They get in the way." Tasuki added in a low voice, "Although I can't say I don't have ulterior motives."

"Tasuki!" Miaka admonished.

The former bandit raised an eyebrow and Miaka scowled at him as she stomped up the stairs, intent on letting him know he wasn't the boss of her. No way, no how!

Before long she was lying on Tasuki's un-made bed with the top sheet covering her to the shoulders. As she waited for Tasuki, Miaka admired his room. The room was more rustic than the others, with heavy rough-hewn wood furniture dressed with true blues and blacks. Small figurines and decorative pieces in jade and other semi-precious stones were placed around the room, including a lamp in the shape of a howling wolf.

Tasuki entered and immediately doffed his his jacket and shirt, leaving him only in his cotton pants when he kicked his boots off as well. His clothes landed in a haphazard pile next to her neatly folded items, quickly asserting their dominance in the space.

For the next few moments, Tasuki circled the room, lighting incense and performing what Miaka recognized as the prayers associated with the ceremony. Then, he disappeared into the bathroom, reemerging with a bottle of oil.

Miaka blushed and buried her face in the pillow, so she could only peek at him with one eye as he clambered onto the large bed next to her. She took a deep breath as the mattress dipped with his weight, inhaling a scent she recognized instantly as Tasuki. Something like woodsmoke and leather. Already she could feel her aura reacting to his, practically begging him to touch her. He made a sound of disapproval and Miaka tensed. "What's wrong?"

"Lift up," He directed, voice a little gruffer than usual.

"Lift where?" Miaka glanced back at him to see he was holding a small pillow.

"Yer hips."

Miaka did as he asked, pillowing her head on her arms. Tasuki lifted her hips to deftly slide a pillow beneath her before straddling her upper thighs, his weight pressing her down. Miaka eeped, peeking over her shoulder to see what he was doing.

"Don't worry. I'm a professional." Tasuki winked, running his calloused hands experimentally over her back. Likewise, his energy brushed over her and she shivered. He'd barely touched her when he exclaimed, "Shit, Miaka, your shoulders are really tense! And your back is a mess!"

Turning back around, Miaka laid her head in her arms. "How can you tell?"

"Yer a ball of knots is how I can tell!" Miaka giggled as Tasuki gripped the back of her neck in one hand as though she were a naughty kitten to give her a firm shake. "Now relax!"

Cracking open the massage oil, Tasuki was hit with the heavy scent of peaches. A hurried glance at the label revealed the damn thing was peach scented. Grumbling, Tasuki lathered up his hands again and smoothed them up her arms, down her shoulders and across her back, as he cursed Hotohori's evil sense of humor.

Tenderly, he applied pressure to any areas where he could feel the lingering tightness. Like magic, Miaka relaxed. In moments, she was completely relaxed beneath him and allowing him complete control. All thoughts of his brother Seishi fled his mind as he zeroed in on his Priestess and her needs.

Miaka hummed in pleasure, every so often wincing if he hit a particularly sore spot. Slowly, he worked his way down to her lower back, over her hips, and then to her lovely buttocks. Tasuki swallowed as he felt himself hardening at the sight of her stretched out before him, her ripe little bum raised up in just the right position beneath the sheet.

Applying more oil, he pressed his thumbs down, almost immediately encountering a large knot, causing her to yelp. "Sorry." He let out a breath, focusing on various pressure points and techniques he'd learned over the years from either Chichiri or ladies of the night. As the tightened muscles released, Miaka relaxed even more, occasionally emitting a sigh of relief. Intently, he attended to all the pained areas he could find, hoping the work would give him ample time to calm himself down to no avail. He shifted, his hands now kneading at Miaka's supple flesh in a way that was anything but professional.

The smell of peaches hung heavily in the air as Tasuki stared at Miaka's barely covered backside. The sheet was so thin it might as well have not been there at all. Her skin glistened with the body oil he'd slathered all over her. He cupped her rear with both hands, kneading her firmly and eliciting a muffled moan. "Feeling better, Mi-chan?"

Tasuki smirked when Miaka sighed, "You're way too good at this." and redoubled his efforts.

"The trick is to pay attention to what the other person's body is doing," He whispered, his touch becoming light, tracing along the curve between her rear and thigh. His fingers ventured just close enough to her nether regions for her to tense in anticipation before he backed away.

"If you pay close enough attention, sometimes you don't even need words." Leaning down, he breathed in the combination of peaches and Miaka's arousal, his mouth watering at the thought of tasting her.

And then he bit her.

Miaka gasped, turning to look at him in shock over her shoulder. Tasuki stared back at her unabashedly, giving her another firm bite to her left cheek, this time hard enough to redden the skin. Teasingly, he dragged his fangs over her skin, adding a nibble every so often as he traversed her backside, one hand soothing the abused skin. Miaka watched him in shock until his path took him closer to the juncture of her thighs where he didn't stop exploring with just his teeth.

"'Course, it's always nice to know you're doing a good job." Tasuki tilted her hips slightly, waggling his eyebrows suggestively as he lowered his head. When she did not protest, he parted her legs and laved his tongue heavily across her folds.

"Aiiiiiieee, Tasuki," Miaka wailed, pressing her face into the pillows.

He didn't respond, too intent on his prize as he spread her wide and delved deeper. Embarrassed, Miaka tried to keep her moaning to a minimum, hoping the pillows would muffle her cries. This didn't stop her hips from moving ever so slightly, matching his movements until he pulled away with a wet slurp.

"Turn over for me, Mi-chan." He panted. The words 'Go slow. Don't scare her,' continued on a loop in his mind.

Miaka did as he asked, her lethargic body moving slowly as she did so.

Impishly, he suckled the tender flesh of her inner thighs, nipping her with his fangs and earning a series of mewls and shrieks as Miaka tried to catch her breath. Miaka batted at him weakly until her fingers found and gripped his hair.

Fascinated at her reaction, Tasuki swirled against her lightly before sucking her nub entirely into his mouth until she shuddered against him in response. He paused, his lips swollen. "Tell me what you want. Do you want me to stop?" Tentatively venturing onward, he soothed the bites with kisses, delicately lapping up the nectar flowing freely from her center as his hands cupped her rear to lift her to him.

Faced flushed, Miaka took several steadying breaths and shook her head. Unexpectedly, her grip tightened and she brazenly pulled him closer. Tasuki growled in approval at the sharp pain, fighting for control as her scent threatened to overwhelm him. His nose brushed her mound so his lips could curl expertly around her engorged maidenhead. Miaka squeaked, her hips raising to meet him. Tasuki bore down, running the flat of his tongue along the same path his fingers had followed not long ago.

Tasuki smiled devilishly into her folds as the flesh beneath him began to twitch and shiver. Miaka gasped, suddenly trying to pull him away, her tiny fists deep in his hair. He obliged, switching to stroking her lightly with his fingers, just barely touching until she'd recovered enough to take his mouth against her again.

Tasuki repeated this several times, bringing Miaka right to the edge and then backing off when she indicated the feeling was too intense. Each time, he brought her closer and closer to completion. Miaka panted as his light caresses built her back up again, her hips swiveling against his skillful tongue in delightful abandon.

Tasuki laved greedily at Miaka's center, encouraging moans and entreaties until suddenly her thighs clamped down on either side of his head, rendering him temporarily deaf and drowning out Miaka's cries of ecstasy. Tasuki gripped her hips tightly, tongue undulating rhythmically against her as she spasmed. Only when Miaka went completely limp did he raise his head to see her flushed face and chest.

"Tasuki," She gasped, her aura vibrating with open and honest need. His own aura reached out automatically, merging immediately to thrum with the beat of their hearts.

"Mi-chan." Tasuki crawled up the bed to rest at Miaka's side, running a hand over her trembling thighs in wonder as she recovered. His own need throbbed heavily between his legs, settled against her thigh. Suzaku. He couldn't look at her like this. He was ready to bust.

Slow and steady.

Gently, he rolled her onto her side, sliding behind her to nestle her against his chest and press a long kiss to the space between her neck and shoulder. She shivered as his hand traversed a path from her hip to her knee. "I've never been good with words, but I want you to know that I'll always protect you." His length pressed against her folds with want, sliding against her center hotly. "And I'll never make you cry."

Miaka whimpered as Tasuki positioned himself carefully at her opening. Thankfully, through the combination of Miaka's excitement and the oil, he slid in easily with a moan. He stilled, waiting for Miaka to move first and allowing her to set the pace. Her hips rolled rhythmically and Tasuki lost himself to the sensation, embracing Miaka from behind and setting his teeth into her shoulder. His thrusts remained short and shallow until Miaka's movements became more urgent, seeking greater contact. Tasuki braced himself, easing himself atop Miaka as she unconsciously rolled onto her stomach.

He sighed as Miaka took him fully, her entire body going limp beneath him as he caressed her body with his own. His thrusts were slow and careful, moving as though she were made of glass.

"Don't," Miaka moaned and Tasuki froze, his frame rigid and shaking with the effort of stopping. Did she not want to? Had he pushed her too fast? Had he misunderstood? Did she not want him the way she wanted the others?

"Don't, what?" He ground out painfully through gritted teeth, struggling to keep control as her insides fluttered. Any true form of vocalization was beyond him at this point, and it was all he could do not to sound like he was snarling at her.

"Don't hold back." Miaka arched her back, licking her lips and sucking in a deep breath. She gripped the sheets, pressing against him meaningfully, trying to show him what she wanted with her body. "I want you."

Relief flooded him at her words. Tentatively, he maneuvered to kiss her. Immediately, Miaka responded by thrusting her tongue against his in a devouring kiss. She reached a hand back, fingers threading into his hair, nails biting at his skin. He moaned into her mouth, his own hands tangling in her hair as he urged her to her knees and began to move.

Miaka leaned forward onto her elbows for balance and Tasuki growled at the new angle. In this position, Tasuki was seated fully inside of his Priestess and he rejoiced at finally being one with her.

To his surprise, Miaka called out, "More. Harder!" in a breathy voice that nearly undid him.

Tasuki lost track of time as their hips met again and again, their moans and entreaties filling the air. The energy between them flared brightly as their bodies moved in harmony around and within one another. Miaka's cries began to shorten, rising in pitch with every thrust and ending with a tiny gasp—her arms giving out so she landed face first in the pillows. Tasuki followed suit, draping himself across her back to pant heavily in her ear, his face buried in the hair at her shoulder.

"Don't stop." Her hands fisted in the sheets by her head now and he covered them with his own, lacing his fingers with hers and continuing to rock gently. What had been desperate and rough was now slow and tender. Beneath him, Miaka began to tremble. Tasuki held back as long as he could; until the strong waves of Miaka's pleasure pushed him over the edge. He shuddered, spilling into Miaka as he came, the energy from their auras ebbing into a low hum that reverberated throughout them both.

He wasn't sure how long they lay like that, limbs intertwined as they recovered, but he enjoyed every minute of it. He'd never been this close to Miaka and he didn't know when he would get another opportunity.

To Be Continued…

As always, reviews are appreciated!