Opium Dreams

A mysterious woman arrives in Tokyo . She has the face of an innocent, but behind her peaceful amber eyes lie dark secrets she alone knew...

\"Kiss me,\" Megumi said again, her voice a plea. She watched Sano\'s eyes grow hooded as his warm, strong hands rose to cup her face. She saw his mouth descend towards her and she was powerless to stop it. Hard. Unyielding. And ultimately male. With a sound that was almost a sob, Megumi rose on her toes, locking her hands behind his nape and opening her mouth slightly in a gesture of offering.

The action touched Sano beyond words and with a groan, he crushed his mouth againsts hers. The first warm touch of her honeyed lips almost drove him to his knees. He realized that after everything that happened between them, they never shared the bond that only a kiss could achieve. He was giving her that bond now as he moved his lips over hers, touching her, tasting her, and drinking in the soft sweetness that she offered.

Desire coursed through Megumi\'s veins like hot lava and she was returning his kiss with as much fervor. Gone was her outer shell of cool reserve. In its place was a woman hesitant and bold at the same time. She ran her tongue shyly over his soft bottom lip, delighting in the strange texture.

Enchanted, Sano captured it with his own and deepened the kiss even further. He buried his hands in the silk of her raven locks, loving it...loving her. The realization hit him like a punch in the stomach and he moaned, driving his tongue inside, then softly withdrawing, mimicking the intimate act they shared only last night.

Megumi couldn\'t think anymore. All she could do was feel. His hands moved to her nape, massaging the taut muscles there, then they continued downwards, lighting up her senses everywhere they touched. She felt his warm, supple hands travel over the silk that covered her buttocks, cupping them and then grabbing, pulling her against him to come into burning contact with his rigid masculinity. She gasped when she felt the hardness of his desire sear her stomach and at the same time, she felt something hot gush inside her.

It was Sano who broke the lock of their lips and Megumi almost cried in protest. The gesture was so sudden and it took some time for her thoughts to reassemble themselves. Sano was holding her tightly to his chest as though he couldn\'t stand to be apart from her, his body heaving in shallow gasps. She could hear the rapid beating of his heart and smiled a little, knowing that it was not only she who was experiencing this strange, clawing feeling.

Is this what is called desire? She had heard the word spoken before but she never thought of it in this context. The Oniwabanshuu ring leader, Takada Kanryu had told her that he desired her. Is this what he meant? She shuddered at the thought. Despite her ties with the syndicate, Megumi was sheltered as a child so she knew almost nothing about the carnal desires of man and was content with that. But Sano...he was different. When her parents were massacred, a part of herself was lost. In Sano, she found something akin to what she felt was missing. This man...this person made her feel like she never did before. He made her feel alive.

Sano cupped her chin and brought her face up, watching her with eyes filled with wonder and amazement as though he couldn\'t believe she was real. He said as much. \"You are a dream.\" Then he lowered his mouth again and captured her lips, softly this time, allowing only his lips to brush against hers over and over until Megumi shuddered, her senses reeling. Her hands roved restlessly over his chest, caressing the bared flesh underneath his kimono, feeling his warmth engulf her.

\"Megumi,\" Sano whispered against her mouth, his warm breath heating her flesh.

\"Yes,\" Megumi said quietly, her eyes still closed and her face flushed.

** TO BE CONTINUED **