Chapter 16 - The Second Half
Kelte had a secret reason for offering to ask the Demon Hawks for help.  He'd seen them flying overhead, sleek beautiful birds of prey, but he had never seen them in their human form until that day, when Kenshin ended the war by allying with Mukuro.
When the Fox Lord saw Taka, the Demon Hawk ruler, his heart skipped a beat.  She was beautiful!  Pale blue feather hair surrounding an oval face with deep blue eyes.  He wondered if she would be receptive to his advances. This was the opportunity to find out.

When he reached the White Tower, he found none of the Dragons were in residence.  All of them were helping with the search for the children. Tekken had gotten to them first.  Jaal looked at the crestfallen Fox and smiled.

"Don't worry.  There are other ways to travel!"  She took him to her mirrors.
With the help of Kelte's clear description, Jaal found the Demon Hawks' aerie high in the mountains.  It was spread out between the Northern Lands and the Eastern Lands.  Jaal opened the traveling mirror on a nearby plateau.  Kelte stepped through and turned back.  He thought that he might see the Tower, but there was only a faint shimmer in the air where the mirror was still opened.  He piled up a few rocks to mark the entrance and then he made his way to the aerie.

His arrival surprised the Hawks; they wondered how he was able to their home high in the mountains without being spotted once by their guards.  Kelte asked to see Taka and waited under guard while their queen was summoned.  

"The Fox Lord does not need a guard!" Taka admonished them upon her arrival. The guards bowed and left.  Taka turned to her visitor.  "Lord Kelte, I'm honored and surprised by your visit.  How did you get here?"

"Through a portal." Kelte lied.  He didn't want to mention Jaal's secret mirrors.  "I've came to ask for your help."

"How can the Hawks help you?"

"Perhaps you have heard about the missing children?"

"No, not really.  We heard that Otherworld's males were awake, but nothing about children." Taka admitted.

Kelte told her about the kidnapped children and how they might have been aged.  Taka immediately offered her help.  "What do the children look like?'

"Ah, actually, I don't know.  Perhaps we should take a trip to Otherworld and ask the Princess."

Taka agreed.  She put her lieutenants in charge during her absence, and then stood waiting for the portal.  Kelte realized that he just got caught in his lie.  "Taka, forgive me, but I actually arrived by a magic mirror, not a portal.  I didn't know if I should say anything about it."

"We know about the magic mirrors of the White Tower." Taka said with a laugh.  "And I knew you didn't arrive by a portal because I didn't feel its magic."

Together they stepped through the mirror.  Kelte introduced Taka to Jaal and informed her that the mirrors were not as secret from their former enemy as everyone thought.

"I guess there is not much Mukuro doesn't know."

"Her spies are everywhere." Taka admitted.  "She probably even knows about the children you spoke of but I haven't been in contact with her lately."

After taking leave of the sorceress, the pair went through the portal to the gates of the Castle.  

"I've never been to the Castle." Taka said, looking around.  "It is quite beautiful.  Very different from the fortress that Mukuro calls home."
Looking at the darkening sky, Kelte said, "It's getting pretty late.  Perhaps we should stay the night and get a fresh start in the morning."

Taka laughed.  "You Foxes are all alike!"

Kelte stammered, "What?  I just meant..."

"I'm not blind, Kelte.  I can see the way you look at me."

"Oh.  Sorry.  I didn't realize I was so obvious." Kelte said unhappily.  "Well, we can find out more about the children and what they look like instead."

"Wait!" Taka took hold of his arm.  "I didn't say I wasn't interested.  I've heard that Foxes are excellent lovers.  I wouldn't be opposed to a tryst.  After all, neither of our species mate for life.  An affair would be acceptable."

Kelte wasn't sure if he liked the sound of that.  It wasn't that he was looking for a mate -- Foxes didn't mate -- but she was so blasé about it!  

"Oh, does that offend you, Fox?  That I'm acting like a Fox?  Well, a female is also capable of enjoying sexual encounters without commitment."

Kelte shrugged.  "It doesn't offend me, just surprises me.  I didn't realize Hawks were so ... ah... free thinking."

Taka smiled. "Come, Fox, let's beg a room from the Princess of Otherworld.  I'm eager to show you exactly how free thinking I am!"  She laughed and headed for the door.  Kelte followed, his brow furrowed into a frown.  He had a terrible feeling he just bit off more than he could chew.

This night felt like a repeat of the night before. Vash watched his mate get ready for the second half of her males instead of him.  This time, she wore a black lace nightgown, which gave wonderful hints of the treasure underneath.  He was still admiring the view when she pulled her burgundy red robe on over it.  
He sighed in disappointment, and rolled onto his back on the bed.  This time he still had his clothes on.  He decided to wait until Aara left before preparing for bed.

"Promise me you'll wear that when you come to our bed,"  he pleaded.

"I will unless you join my bath again."

Vash laughed.  "I don't think the maids would forgive us if we left the bathroom in that condition again.  They've been giving me strange looks all day!"

Aara continued to brush her hair for a few minutes and then stopped, turning to her mate.  "Vash, on your other planet -- the desert one where you came from..."

"Yes?"

"There was no one?  I mean, you didn't have anyone?"

"I had a lot of friends."

"I'm talking about a girl.  A female." 

"Is tonight your turn to be jealous?"

"Not jealous, just curious.  I got the impression that you were very unhappy on that planet."

"There was always death and pain around me, mostly caused by my brother.  My best friend was a guy named Nicholas D. Wolfwood.  He was fun to be with -- but he died a few days before I was sucked into the portal that brought me here."

"So no girl?" 

"There was an insurance girl who was my friend, and her assistant who liked Nicholas, but no one else.  It just never felt right to be with anyone.  I used to flirt -- like I heard Miroku did before he met Sango -- but it meant nothing.  I never followed through.  You know I've never been with anyone but you."

"You don't have to have sex with someone to have feelings."

"Yes, I know.  I promise, Aara, until you, there was no one." Vash looked at her, then added, every word from his heart.  "You gave me the love and peace I had been looking for my entire life."

Aara smiled at him. "I'll wear the black lace to bed for you," she promised.

"I'll be waiting," he smiled back.

Bakura was first this time.

When Aara took off her robe the blue mage gave a gasp.  He walked up to her and ran his hands down her shoulders until they found her breasts.  He gently touched her nipples through the lace.  He couldn't believe how much her lace-covered body was exciting him.  He bent down and kissed her nipples, now standing hard.  The fair skin peeking through the black lace was intoxicating!  He knelt in front of her and began to trail kisses downward, until he reached red curls.  

Aara smiled as she stood there watching him kiss her body, feeling him tremble with need and excitement.  She would have to remember to use lace with Bakura more often.  She allowed him to kiss and touch her anyway he wanted to.  Even when he pressed her down on the bed, he kept the lace over her, kissing her through it.  When he was ready, he moved the lace only enough to allow his entry and then draped it over them both.  His climax was harder and longer than usual.  Aara clung to his shoulders as he moved deep within her -- oh yes!  Lace it was!!!
Aniki was next and he also liked the black lace but not as much as Bakura.  As a matter of fact, he couldn't wait to get Aara out of it.  His long blue-black hair, fell like a dark curtain around them as he covered her with his body.  

Every time she laid with Aniki, she silently thanked the gods for returning him to her without the nightmares and pain.  Aniki was always happy and full of life.  She looked up into his dark blue eyes and smiled.  "You're so special to me, Aniki," she whispered.

He looked down at her, a little smile on his lips.  "I have enough memories to know that when I was Bankotsu, I loved you.  I never blamed you for the pain.  I loved being with you.  I still feel the same.  Perhaps it's your power, but I don't think so.  I believe what I feel -- and what Bankotsu felt -- is real."

Aara's eyes misted with tears.  Aniki bent down and kissed them away.  She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight against her.  "That means so much!"  she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.

She stayed with him longer than she should have. She would either have to cut Shilo's time short or Vash's.  She took a quick bath and rushed to Shilo's room.  He was sitting in front of the fireplace.
She sat down next to him and he put his head in her lap, sighing in contentment.  She ran her fingers through his blond hair in slow strokes.  Shilo, didn't usually feel the need for sex,  He just desired to be with his Princess.  He needed the feeling of belonging and comfort that she gave him.  

After a long while, he raised his head and she bent forward to gently kiss him.  The light kiss turned deeper and hungrier as his passion woke.
She stood up and offered him her hand.  He took it and she lead him to the bed.  She took off her robe, revealing the black lace which had excited Bakura so and which Aniki appreciated for at least a few minutes.  But Shilo said nothing.  He didn't care what she wore as long as she was with him. 

As always, she handled him gently, slowly bringing him to his completion.  As he lay there drowsing, his head tucked into the crook of her neck, Aara mused how different all six -- no, all seven -- were.  

Kurama was like a comfortable set of clothes; they knew each other so well that they fitted together like pieces of a puzzle.  Hiei was always worried that he didn't measure up and tried harder than anyone to please her.  InuYasha was in tune with her feelings and his lovemaking always reflected that.  If she was happy, he was rambunctious; if she was worried or unhappy, he was quiet and steady.  Bakura was repressed passion; when they were with others, the mage showed nothing, repressing every emotion, but when they were alone -- the floodgates of passion and need opened wide.  Aniki was always fun to be with it, passionate and happy.  Shilo was gentle love.  And Vash!  Vash brought out the child in her and their lovemaking was usually playful. 

She loved them all, but more than any of them, she loved Vash.  As promised, she wore the black lace to their bed.  

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