Tifa lay still as the creak of her bed announced Cloud's departure from the silken sheets. She listened carefully to his familiar movements around the dark room, lifting his earlier discarded clothes from the bare floor and quickly throwing them on.

Fully dressed, the man moved to Tifa's side and bent to place a light kiss on her temple. The gesture made the young woman's stomach clench.

The door closed silently behind him, his footsteps echoing down the wooden stairs as Tifa brushed at her skin, desperately trying to remove his mark from her. She loathed it. He would come to her, in pain and in need, pitifully expecting complete submission. And she would give it to him. Why? She couldn't possibly comprehend. Her days of adoration to the blond were long gone and yet she still gave in to his expectations. Maybe it was the knowledge that she could take away the man's suffering through a mere night in bed, after all, she may not love Cloud but he was still a close friend to her. Although his cocky attitude and midnight flings truly made her feel like a tattered dust rag, used when needed and disposed of when not. He must really believe she depended on him. Tifa felt nauseous at the thought of his skin against hers, his breath on her neck and a brief flashback of Cloud calling out a name, but it wasn't hers. 'Aerith.' He still felt deeply for her. Honestly he couldn't leave the past alone, not even for her. She had wanted to throw him from her at that moment, but then if she had, she would have lost the perfect cover for the true man she wanted by her side. The only one who would hold her heart.

Her bedroom was silent and black, apart from a small sliver of moonlight shining steadily onto the opposing wall. Tifa watched it with hopeful eyes, waiting for the light to become shadow, waiting for the well known click of the window lock to open, waiting for him.

Time seemed to crawl by, every second a minute, every minute an hour. Her eyelids drooped heavily and she soon began to doubt his coming.

A small tapping sound echoed in the silence and Tifa felt her heart leap. She recognized the turn of the latch, the rasp of the window as it turned on the windowsill. The cold, night air drifted in, brushing her bare arms with a welcomed caress. Heavy boots landed lightly onto the wooden floor, their possessor seeming to glide across the surface until they were in arm's distance of Tifa's slender form.

She could hear the strain of leather on leather as gentle fingers reached out, tracing a line down her pale skin. She shivered in response, the contact creating goosebumps along her flesh. Slowly she turned onto her back, her eyes glistening in the moonlight as her lover tenderly brushed her hair from her face and bent to take possession of her lips. Strong arms pulled her up into a sitting position, allowing the silken bed sheets to fall away from her bare skin, revealing her full breasts while his raven-black hair enveloped her slender shoulders. Crimson eyes roamed lustfully across her curvaceous form, deep and composed as her dainty fingers impatiently began to undo the clasps holding the heavy cape across his shoulders. It landed with a flurry of red as it hit the floor with a thud. Free of the burden, Vincent slid subtly onto the feathered mattress as Tifa gingerly pulled him closer. He undid the weighted boots at his ankles, permitting him to move fully onto the bed. His mouth was greeted with a feathered kiss as the young woman undid the many belts across his waist and chest, trailing her fingers lovingly across his muscular torso as he shrugged the leather garments away, completely exposing him to her. Last to go was the red head-band which Tifa pulled teasingly down across Vincent's eyes before allowing it to hang loosely entwined around her hand.

Vincent brought his fingers to her face, outlining her lips and cheeks now tinged with red. "You look beautiful tonight," he whispered, his husky voice filled with adoration. The young woman wrapped her legs gracefully around his waist, pulling as close as she could, needing the skin to skin contact with him. She giggled, "You say that every night."

Vincent's eyes shimmered. "You look more beautiful everytime I see you."

She could feel the need, the love emanating from his very being, she wanted to give it to him, fill his mind with nothing but her and him, alone and together, but Tifa knew there was a dark path inside of him, one he forbid her to walk on. Chaos. The demon inside him. More than once had she experienced an encounter with the beast but Vincent had always managed to fight it down. It would be then that he would stop their lovemaking, despite Tifa's incessant pleas, and he would leave. Why? Did he worry for her safety? She could look after herself, surely he knew that. But she knew it was something else as well, she could see it in his eyes. His pride was weighted with shame, the belief he was too weak to control Chaos a constant agony.

Tifa's hands stroked patterns across his skin, teasing, relaxing and inside her head she swore, if Chaos ever reared it's head again, she wouldn't let him escape!

"You seem…distracted." Tifa looked up to see Vincent staring intently at her face.

She smiled seductively. "I'm just feeling sorry for all the other women out there…and how lucky I am to have you!" She joined their lips as she lowered herself onto the bed, pulling Vincent down on top of her. He parted her mouth with a light nip of his teeth and she willingly allowed him to explore the moist interior.

She could feel his need, hard and throbbing along her inner thigh, fully restrained until she was ready for him. The man kissed her gently, moving slowly down her neck to her ample breasts which he took great pleasure in assaulting with his delicate tongue, sucking and nipping until they stood in firm peaks. Lower still he moved, butterfly kissing her satin belly until he hovered lightly between her legs, his hot breath tickling her flesh. Vincent caressed tenderly before allowing his mouth to delve deeply into her, causing her to writhe on intrusion. He stroked, enticed, made her whimper with need equal to what he was feeling. He knew she was ready for him when her hips began to tilt and buck in agitation. Removing himself, he traced his mouth in an aggravatingly slow motion back up to her lips. Tifa flushed a deep red, the excitement clear in her wine-red eyes. She shivered in anticipation as his member reached her opening, pushing very gently until her nails carved half-moons into his skin from the erotic torture. Without warning, he suddenly drove into her and the breath burst from her lungs in a moan of pleasure. She loved the build of anticipation it would give, the sensation of him finally giving in to her desires. He glided out again, returning with less force but just enough to make her keen with ecstasy. He moved with a rhythm that teased her, always leaving her wanting more. He knew she would eventually demand her need from him but until then, he was more than happy to watch her wriggle with pleasurable agitation.

"Faster!" Vincent obliged, delivering long, quick strokes that made Tifa's bed creak and rock as she lifted her hips to meet his thrusts.

Her legs wrapped tightly around his waist, giving him better access to go deeper.

Vincent's breath came in husky rasps, his hands grasping the mattress on either side of the young woman's head. His speed increased with every surge forward, the demand becoming more urgent.

Sweat was quickly beading on both of them as they built up to their climax. Tifa's eyes were clenched tightly as her arms wrapped tenderly around her lover's neck. It wasn't until they flickered open again that she knew something was wrong. Vincent's back was arched tensely, sweat gleaming in the moonlight. His voice was no longer the low, sensuous tone she had been listening to, but a deep, guttural growl that emanated from deep within his throat. She seemed to freeze as the dark mane of hair surrounding Vincent's face fell away and Chaos' golden eyes bore down on her, cold and terrifying. Panic seemed to overwhelm the young girl before a strong determination kicked in. She couldn't back out now, she swore she'd take control and she meant it. But before Tifa could even imagine her next move, the eye's above her shimmered and glazed, turning to a deep crimson. Vincent vaulted up and cleared the bed with a single move, landing heavily at the far end of the room. He stared; fear and panic creasing his handsome face, searching for any sign Chaos had injured the young woman. Seeing nothing but Tifa's worried face, his panic swiftly turned to embarrassment and he turned his own face away.

"Vincent?" He refused to meet her gaze. "Please, don't leave me again. You would never hurt me, you know that!"

She was so innocent, so forgiving. She had no idea of the true damage Chaos could inflict upon her.

"Forgive me Tifa. But I won't risk you to him." The woman rose from the bed, the silken sheets shimmering as they fell away, revealing her velvet skin to the moonlight.

"Don't leave me Vincent." Her voice was more resolute now. She moved forward, steady and determined. He wasn't going to get away from her.

Crimson eyes glinted with gold as they took in her beautiful curves, her flowing hair, the way she moved as she took hold of his hand. She lifted each finger and kissed the knuckle of each, a tear rolling freely down her cheek.

His thumb found the single trail and brushed it away, his flesh tingling as the very act seemed strong enough to pull a growl from his throat.

"Tifa…don't, please…I don't want to hurt you." He hated himself for this.

"You could never hurt me Vincent." She stepped closer making the hair on the back of his neck stand.

"You don't….understand." His breathing increased abruptly, his teeth clenched with strain.

"Has that ever stopped me?" Tifa pushed herself into him, hope and fear of what she was doing causing her entire body to shiver. But it was too late to turn back now.

She tightened her grip as she felt Vincent's whole body go rigid. A strangled scream shook his whole form as Chaos took over. Fangs exploded into his mouth, his eyes burning with a venomous gold. Tifa gritted her teeth as the nails on Vincent's hand lengthened to sharp claws which dug painfully into her flesh, drawing blood.

There was a moment of silence in which Tifa didn't dare breathe. But biting back the fear she lifted her head and stared up. It wasn't a full transformation, she was grateful for that, but even so there was still more Chaos than Vincent in the creature before her.

Chaos was surveying the room with mild interest, barely aware of the woman clutched to him. His chest heaved as he breathed in the scent of the room. An icy wind blew in from the window and Tifa shivered from the sensation. It was only now that Chaos seemed to realise she was there and his eyes flashed down upon her, blazing with a powerful lust. She stood stock still, not sure of what to expect, but certainly not imagining what happened next. Chaos released her quaking body and with one powerful blow to the chest, flung her across the room. Tifa's head hit the cold floor with a crack.

Dizzy and labouring to breathe, the girl didn't realize what had happened until Chaos' enormous form lunged forward and crouched menacingly above her. Terrified, Tifa kicked hard into the half-man, half-beast's chest, momentarily stunning him. In panic, she scrambled for the door, only to feel the ice-cold grasp of Chaos' clawed hand wrap around her lower leg and drag her mercilessly back to him.

She lay motionless beneath his quaking form, reality dawning upon her. Why hadn't she listened to him? If Vincent had gone any further in the transformation, completely changing his body into Chaos, she would have been dead by now. She was still so naïve.

Chaos' chest rose and fell with a worrying speed, his breath exceedingly hot across her skin. Fangs glistened dangerously above her as a long serpent-like tongue emerged and ran along her flesh in slow strokes, lapping the blood that she had only now noticed was trickling from her forehead.

Tifa was immediately regretting this decision. Her emotions had turned from nervous to terrified in a matter of seconds. In desperation, she called Vincent's name, suddenly hopeful as Chaos paused momentarily above her. But her hope was crushed as his fangs bared angrily and a threatening growl coursed through her. She watched helplessly as Chaos stood, grasping her roughly by the hair. He flung her brutally against the far wall then, with lightening speed, threw himself onto her. A knee pinned her painfully against the cold surface while a new dread knotted her stomach and Tifa realised what was about to happen. Chaos' claws sliced painfully into her as she was lifted defencelessly above his now throbbing appendage. There was no readiness for her this time, no moment to adjust, there was only a terrible burning agony as Chaos surged into her, driving a scream from her lungs. His chest pushed into her's as he lifted her hips for better access, never missing a beat as he drove mercilessly into his victim. With every stroke came more strength, causing the young woman's lower back to slam painfully again and again, over and over into the wall until she thought she would pass out with the pain. There was a loud crack but the pain was that unbearable, the girl wasn't sure whether it had come from the surface behind her or her own spine.

Tears streamed down her face as Chaos ravaged her, tearing her body with deep, bloody gauges as he satisfied his lust.

Tifa knew she would surely pass out soon and in a final attempt screamed for Vincent and, not knowing what she was doing, pressed her lips tightly to the beast's towering before her.

Time had stopped, blood seemed to swirl in her head and she cracked open an eye to see the floor inches from her face. She gazed around, too in pain to move. Chaos was standing metres from her body, his eyes glued to the blood smeared hands before him. Her blood. His frame shook violently and a horrified gasp caught in his throat as his eyes lifted to meet hers. Tifa's mouth turned up into a weak smile. "Vincent?"

Within seconds he was on the floor beside her, desperately yet tenderly lifting her into his arms and clutching her battered form. "..Tifa..forgive me..please forgive me Tifa...what have I done to you?" His voice shook as his tears fell onto her blood smeared hair. Delicate fingers rose to his face and stroked lovingly.

"I'm so glad….you've come back…to me." Tifa whispered, slightly breathless. She wrapped an arm around his waist as he rocked her gently.

"Oh god what have I done?" Vincent's voice was broken with short sobs as he held her. Tifa raised her head and placed a kiss to his jaw line, sick to her stomach at seeing him like this. "This is…my fault Vincent."

"No…I couldn't stop him…I wasn't…"

"Vincent." Her eyes searched for his in the darkness. "If you…couldn't stop him…why am I still alive?" Although barely, her words held some truth and they both knew it.

"Tifa." Gently, Vincent lifted her slender form and carried her to the bed were he lay her down beside him and wrapped the silken sheets across her shivering form. His arm rested around her waist, massaging the stinging wounds with relaxing fingers.

"I love you Vincent. All of you." Tifa reached down and took hold of his hand, feeling safe beneath his strong grasp.

The man stared down at his young love. How could someone with as black and sinful a soul as his, possibly deserve such a pure and forgiving soul as Tifa's?

Mentally shattered and emotionally torn, Vincent placed her body protectively into his own and vowed never to let a replay of tonight's events to occur again. If they did, he knew he would not be able to stop the beast within him before it was too late and if it came to that, he wouldn't let himself live long enough to regret it.