Rayjura stood looking out over the bleeding orange sky of the Nether Realm. Order was being restored after their master's defeat, but the sense of evil still pervaded the land. But today, Rayjura did not care about politics or justice.

Today, he was remembering.

A soft fall of red hair, the sparkle in his green eyes. The sarcastic twist of his lips when Rayjura was being an ass. The exact timbre of his voice was becoming more difficult to remember. He didn't want to forget. To forget would mean he failed him. His love. His Shuten.

Anubis didn't understand his penchant for dwelling in the past. Brooding over lost love. But how could he know if it was love? Towards the end, everything had seemed to blend together- Shuten's defection and betrayal, the capture of the Ronins, Shuten's death, the betrayal of their master. Maybe somewhere in there he had transformed the lust they had shared before the whole Ronin war into something pure, like love, so that he wouldn't feel guilty.

Shuten had been so innocent, so fragile, when he was recruited. Like a fine porcelain doll, not the hardened killer he had become. It wasn't right, to think that they had raped him of that innocence with their swords and their bodies. But he and Shuten had always had the connection. Cruelty and Illusion. Yes, illusion is cruel.

Lately he had begun to fear that the love he felt for him was just an illusion. He had nothing else to cling to, though. Without the spectre of Shuten there to remind him, what reason did he have to fight? Why bother to restore order if there is no good in this forsaken realm?

But Shuten had been here, had been corrupted, only he had been able to save himself. Even with such a noble sacrifice, Rayjura couldn't help but feel abandoned.

Was there hope of his own salvation? Could Shuten have shown him the path as well? But he had tried, an insidious voice whispered in his mind. He tried and you ignored him, condemned him, broke him.

"Enough." Rayjura turned away from the view full of self-loathing. The feeling of desolation crept through out his very soul.

In the midst of his despair, a warning klaxon went off in his mind. This utter melancholy was unnatural. It didn't feel like pure emotion.

He wasn't alone.

~I know your pain~

A wave of compassion spread through his limbs, meant to put him at ease and make him vulnerable.

"Who are you?" He demanded angrily, trying to push away the weakness stealing through him.

~I am your salvation~

He opened his mouth to speak, but only images of Shuten flooded his mind. Him lying there at peace with his head pillowed on Rayjura's chest; the shared look on the battle field as they both came out alive again; his despair at seeing the body floating in the water.

~I can show you the peace he found~

He tried to deny the voice, as a black fog formed before his eyes. He knew this was danger, this was an evil spirit, but the longing in his heart had allowed it to get in. And he couldn't break its hold.

~Yesss. Just let me in~

The fog came closer, covering his nostrils and his mouth. He couldn't find the other warlords telepathically, as panic threatened to engulf him. Frozen in place, he was trapped. This thing had some sort of hold over him, and now it was coming in.

For a moment it felt like every tissue in his body was starved for blood. Like he was suffocating and drying up and withering. Then sensation returned and he felt weak, so very weak.

He needed to go hunting. . .

Shin exhaled morosely as he wandered the city streets, breath shallow as the humid air clung to his skin like a misbegotten lover. The sweltering night made him want to strip down and plunge into the lake back at the mansion. But he didn't want to go back there for a while.

Just his luck to have fallen for the only strictly heterosexual Ronin. His cheeks burned as he remembered throwing himself at Kongo, out of desperation and love, needing to feel his touch. His need had been overwhelming, a mixture of lust and love, so great that he had broken the vow he made to himself and approached Shuu. Shin had never felt another body besides his own and he wanted Shuu to be his first, but the most indelicate of the team had rebuffed him with a surprisingly soft tone, reciting the usual spiel about wanting to preserve their friendship but not feeling the same kind of emotions as him, etc. The kind words did nothing to make the burning ache in his chest and his loins go away.

Despair washed over the bearer of Suiko. Seiji and Ryo had been dabbling with an affair, he knew for fact, and if Seiji was indeed called away to help deal with his sick grandfather, Ryo would probably follow. And Touma, well there was no question there. The brash archer had propositioned Shin himself a couple times, although he couldn't tell if it was just crude teasing or truly meant, but the lust was obvious in his eyes. But it seemed as though Seiji had drawn that one in too.

He paused outside a crowded coffee bar. It was almost midnight but the place was open until two. The thought of being surrounded by so many boisterous people repelled him for a moment, but then the air conditioning and friendly atmosphere drew him in. He never had been one for brooding.

Going for a coffee flavored frozen granite, he ensconced himself at a small table against the wall. College students, some high schooners, young business entrepreneurs, all so bright and full of energy. Shin found himself being comforted just by the warmth of the place's aura.

"Is this seat taken?" The smirking voice pulled him from his pleasant preoccupation. He looked up in shock at the Warlord of Illusion. Long glossy white hair pulled back in a loose ponytail, so that some wisps escaped the band, a tight black tank top exposing pale flesh, tight black jeans faithfully clinging to its wearer. Shin swallowed with difficulty and motioned helplessly towards the empty seat.

"Uh, no, mate. . ." He smiled nervously. The raw sexual energy the man exuded made him want to jump across the small table and devour him. Shin gave himself a mental shake - What was he thinking?!

"Thank you." Rayjura's voice sounded rougher than usual, the usually velvet tones deeper and a little scratchy. Shin didn't mind- just his voice tugged at some hidden place in his middle, stirring up longing and desire.

~I really need to get laid. . .~ Shin sighed despondently as he chalked his reaction up to loneliness and severe horniness.

"So, what are you doing around here?" He asked in a hopefully casual voice, looking to make small talk to hide his sexual desperation. For one paranoid moment, he thought Rayjura could see right into his mind.

"Looking for you, Suiko." Again the erotic smirk. Shin glanced quickly at his face and was trapped by his one bright, burning eye. ~I see your despair.~ All the pain he had been nursing this evening came rushing back, but underneath the understanding was lust, a purely carnal passion waiting for him.

Suddenly the coffee house seemed overcrowded and the feverish warmth of outside had made its way in. Shin gulped at his iced drink, averting his eyes from the heated gaze. Rayjura's leg seemed to casually caress his under the table.

"I think we can help each other, Shin. . ." The sound of his true name from those lips seemed to hold him spellbound. "You have needs and I have needs. They can be easily abated."

Shin's rational mind was screaming about Shuu and emotional commitment, but an awakened devil within drowned the noise out. He found himself following the tall Warlord out of the coffee house and back into the sweltering inferno of the streets. What was he think he was doing? His mind asked desperately, trying to assert some sense of reason. But one look at the rippling muscles underneath the faithfully clinging pants had his mind saying, ~Oh, I know exactly what I'm doing. . .~

Following Rayjura into a darkened alley, Shin focused on the glowing white hair to keep the right direction. When they were far enough back, Rayjura turned abruptly and pulled Suiko closer, pressing their bodies together as he linked his arms behind his back.

"Hold on tight," he whispered in his ear. Shin nodded mutely that he was ready and the utter blackness of teleportation enfolded him.

They were in Rayjura's room, but Shin had only a vague impression of stone walls and dark burgundy tapestries before his senses were invaded. The warlord started kissing him passionately, his smooth moist mouth gliding over Shin's with a ripple of sensation. There was such a feeling of intimacy in that one kiss, as Rayjura shared all his longing and loneliness with him, touching a cord within.

His hands tugged at Shin's jersey shirt, pulling it over his head. The chill of the castle gave Shin a shock, almost breaking the seduction. But then Rayjura's hands were inside his dockers, cupping his ass and squeezing gently. Shin gasped as the movement brought their hips closer together, the sensation of their arousals rubbing together filling him with a trembling need to be closer, but Rayjura only continued to plunder his mouth. Shin's arms snaked around the sweaty shoulders of the warlord, their sticky flesh adhering to each other.

Just the feel of someone else holding him made the heart ache fade to the background for a moment. Now it was just the feel of Rayjura against his body, the pressure building inside him.

"Undress me. Touch me." Rayjura softly whispered in his ear, the seductive voice making shivers of anticipation run through him.

Tentatively at first, then with more confidence, he pulled the tanktop from his jeans and over his head. The platinum strands clung damply to the sheen of sweat on his skin. Boldly, Shin pressed himself closer and sucked the beads of salty sweat from his neck. Rayjura stiffened slightly and gave a small moan. Working his way down with his tongue, Shin paused over a pale nipple and sucked harder, pleased when the warlord grasped the back of his neck to steady himself.

He fumbled with the button on the jeans, but finally managed to get his clammy fingers around it and then unzip the tight pants. The sweltering heat of the room was aided by candles placed all over it. By the wane light, Shin pulled down the narrow jeans, delighted to find that Rayjura wasn't wearing any underwear, as his hardened member now pulsated before him.

Here Shin paused. He had never actually touched another man and the sight was slightly intimidating. So instead, he went for the fragile blue veins apparent on the tender skin of his hips and lightly licked them. Rayjura gasped as his cheek rested against his hardened heat and he sucked at the flesh, giving it a playful nip.

After a few moments of the teasing, Rayjura gave a feral growl and bent to lift Shin into his arms as he kicked aside the faithful jeans. Laying his new lover on the bed, he hovered over him with a mischievious leer. With one hand he worked on the clasp of his dockers, while the other arm kept him propped above Shin's head so that he might easily explore his awaiting mouth.

Shin wriggled with pleasure as Rayjura's hand worked his pants free and stroked him through his underwear. He gasped as he was gently gripped through the cotton fabric. Eyes tightly shut as waves of sensation rode over him, he could feel the warlord forge a wet trail across his chest and down his stomach. Rayjura paused just at the elastic band, waiting for Shin to look down. When he did, Rayjura smiled and pulled the elastic down, swiftly taking Shin in his hot, moist mouth.

Suiko thought his heart would explode as he writhed and gasped for air, tingling sensations traveling through his body like an electric shock. His world narrowed down to that perfect mouth sucking on his length, pulling him in and in as if he would swallow him whole. Just the barest touch of his tip on the back of Rayjura's throat had his world exploding, his vision whiting out as he short circuited.

He lay there panting as the warlord climbed up beside him and stroked his face. He captured his mouth once more in a breath stealing kiss. As they kissed, his hands wandered over Shin once more, and the Ronin was astonished to find himself growing hard yet again.

"My turn," the seductive whisper conjured images illicit acts. Rayjura slowly rolled him over on his back, and though Shin was alarmed by what he knew was coming, he didn't want it to stop. He rose onto his knees before he could be commanded to, his heart rate accelerating, anus feeling stretched as the cool air swept across his buttocks.

Then one finger entered him, almost freezing cold with the gelled lubricant covering it. As another finger entered and stretched the muscles, causing some discomfort, Rayjura's other hand stroked his back, easing the tense muscles. Without warning, the warlord moved into position and entered him with a powerful thrust. Shin couldn't stop himself from crying out in pain, but after a moment it faded and was replaced with exquisite pleasure.

Rayjura didn't wait for him to adjust, though. He started pumping into him right away, working them both to a frenzied pace. Shin braced himself against the wall to keep his head from hitting it. This was like nothing he had ever felt before. Then Rayjura hooked a dominant arm around his chest, pulling him to a sitting position on his lap, still pounding inside him. The change brought a stab of pain, but even more pleasure than before. Their slick bodies gliding against one another, stroking and rubbing.

When Rayjura nipped at his neck, he was too far gone to care. When the warlord bit down deep and a warm trickle made its way down his bare chest, he felt only another wave of indescribable ecstasy. The thrusting rhythm seemed to match his heart beat, as the throbbing in his head matched the pulsing in his cock.

Using the blood trailing down his chest, Rayjura wrapped his slick hand around Shin's length and pumped to the rhythm. Part of his mind was screaming in horror, cursing this black fog that pierced his conscious, but the need was too great. He couldn't stop, not with the salty red fluid running down his chin and his dick buried to the hilt in this sweet boy.

Overcome with sensation, Rayjura came. But in his mind he felt a part of the black fog enter the innocent Ronin with his seed. He felt as though he had defiled a shrine to his ancestors.

Shin lay on his stomach, chest sticky with cum and something else, too drained to move. Rayjura's weight pressed down on him from behind, still firmly connected with his ass. As the warlord went to pull out, the jolt of sensation left him yearning to do it again. He whimpered his protest. Rayjura just chuckled and pulled out, rolling Suiko on his back and hungrily kissing him with bloody lips.

Shin kissed him just as fiercely in return as they started again.