InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Lemon Twist ❯ The Score ( Chapter 11 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or the denizens of the Kitsune Inn. Wish I did, but I don't.

 

A/N: This fic was inspired by a sexy and highly detailed gift!pic that PraxisTheory did for Butteryasha a while ago (I snooped over his shoulder with both of their permissions), and it is very loosely based on the recent manga chapters `Kitsune Inn' and `Examinee 77'. Both fics, as well as Praxi's detailed artwork, are available on LJ's adults-only InuErotica community.

 

Bouquets: Many, many thanks to Forthrightly, Nokomarie the Snake and Ranuel for their stellar work in improving this fic's final draft. Any remaining inconsistencies and general `WTF'-ness are my responsibility.

 

Warnings: Heavy lime and lemon content. Spoilers for the manga # 505 and # 506… sort of.

 

The Score

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

“An inn… out in the middle of nowhere?” Sango assessed the substantial mansion with a sceptical eye as she adjusted her grip on Hiraikotsu; Kirara mewed in agreement. The group had just charged through the darkness in response to poor Shippo being knocked flat by an attack-leaf, only to be confronted by an elegantly-proportioned wooden building set on a high, broad stone platform. The eaves jauntily curled upwards while the heavy support columns beneath were festively painted bright red. Walls of shoji screens filling the spaces between the columns glowed from the multiple lamps within, hinting at the burgeoning prosperity of the owners if they could afford to light the entire building at once. Silken banners snapped and bright lanterns bobbed in the night breeze overhead, as if the entire construct were situated in the centre of Kyoto, not on a remote mountainside.

 

Eyeing the twisting, twining balls of light circling over their heads, Miroku ventured, “That appears to be fox-fire. Am I correct, Shippo?” he asked, turning his head to look at the dazed kit perched on his shoulder and fingering the leaf stuck to his forehead.

 

“Keh. It fucking reeks of kitsune,” Inuyasha announced, wrinkling his nose in distaste. “Must be a hundred of `em sneaking around.”

 

“We don't all have your sense of smell,” muttered Kagome, as she looked over the handsome building, trying to ignore the insistent worry that had been roiling her stomach for the past couple of weeks since Kikyo's death. First there was Kaou who nearly revealed everything… Kanna and her mirror monster… I'm afraid of Miroku's decision while Hiraikotsu was repaired… Shishinki and Sesshomaru and the Black Tetsusaiga… and yet, Inuyasha acts like nothing happened. She watched the hanyou out of the corner of her eye. I wish he'd talk to me… but I'd have a better chance of a heartfelt conversation with a fence post.

 

Miroku stooped to inspect a sign fluttering from a wooden frame at the foot of the broad stone staircase leading up through the foundation platform to the main door. “We are invited to take our leisure and enjoy the amenities,” he read aloud before straightening and smiling hopefully at Sango. “The demonic aura certainly isn't dark or threatening. It might be nice to spend a night with a roof over our heads, especially since an inn of this size is sure to have a bathhouse.”

 

The slayer shot him a disbelieving look. “You don't find this the least bit suspicious? It has to be some kind of trap!” The sound of a shoji rattling open above their heads caused the group to look up while reaching for their weapons.

 

“Oh! Welcome! Quickly, girls! We have guests!” carolled out a high, sweet voice which was quickly joined by a cheerful chorus. A bevy of attractive women garbed in elaborate silken kimono and wearing bright smiles hung over the railing, eagerly beckoning to them. None of the travellers was terribly surprised when Miroku stepped smartly up the stairs, arms outspread.

 

“What a fine greeting! With such lovely ladies to gladden our hearts, we will certainly be delighted to taste your hospitality!” he proclaimed, offering his arm to a blushing young woman who bowed before leading him through the carved wooden entry door.

 

Sango growled under her breath until Kagome sympathetically patted her shoulder. “If he ever quit flirting, then I'd be worried. Come on, Sango; I wonder if we can persuade the `lovely ladies' to make us some tea?”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

“Step this way, please.” The young maiden's eyes were demurely downcast as she slid back the painted fusuma, revealing a handsome ten-tatami reception room graciously appointed with hanging scrolls and elegant flower arrangements on low tables. Inuyasha and Kagome hung back as Sango ignored all the wealthy trappings and stormed straight over to where Miroku was thoroughly enjoying himself surrounded by attentive women who were all cooing over how handsome he looked in his holy robes.

 

“Honestly, can't you even stop yourself once, for my sake?” she snarled, reaching over the head of the nearest girl to give Miroku's ear a painful tug. Before things progressed any further, a shower of paper slips wafted through the open fusuma and landed in the twittering girls' hands.

 

“All right! I'm a Lower Senior 8th rank!” one whooped in distinctly masculine tones, punching the air. The rest of the group were equally delighted, jabbering excitedly over the scraps of paper and quite forgetting the target of their previous attentions. The one who spoke first bowed deeply to a rather nonplussed Miroku. “Thank you so much, lord monk!” As one, all the `girls' turned into twists of smoke and disappeared into the hallway. Inuyasha was abruptly gone in a fluid leap, quickly followed by the sounds of a violent scuffle that shook the wall panels.

 

Unnoticed by anyone except Kirara, Shippo scampered across the room and opened the shoji, his nose sniffing after the distinctive scent of his own kind. He slipped outside, leaving the panel slightly ajar. The neko-youkai heaved a small sigh and set off after him, reasoning that her humans could take care of themselves for a little while.

 

“What on earth is going on?” Miroku wondered, cocking an eyebrow in the direction of some rather choice profanity emanating from the entry hall.

 

Sango rolled her eyes and sat down. “You were set up, houshi, and jumped in with both feet - or hands, as it were. Those were three-tailed kitsunes at the very least, since they could transform into women so convincingly.”

 

The monk smiled ruefully. “They were most… realistic.”

 

As a bemused Kagome seated herself next to Sango, Inuyasha made his way back into the room, dragging a struggling kitsune after him. In one motion, he threw the youkai heavily to the floor and had Tetsusaiga pointed at his throat. “Start talkin', fox. What the hell's goin' on?”

 

Emerald green eyes glittered angrily as the kitsune nursed his split lip. “Damn dog… urk!” The tip of the sword eased back slightly, leaving a lurid mark on the youkai's throat. There was a further moment of defiance before the kitsune lowered his eyes in a show of deference. “Our advanced youjutsu examination is being held at this inn tonight,” he muttered. A warning jab had him unwillingly adding, “We are graded on the quality of our illusions and thus our ability to fool others.”

 

“Your asshole friends seemed pretty excited that houshi here at least looks like a holy man,” Inuyasha growled. “Is that important for some reason?”

 

The kitsune smirked, ignoring the blade menacing his windpipe. “Fooling a monk, a taijiya and a youkai brings the greatest risk but also the greatest rewards… if successful.”

 

An exam? That's something I understand! Kagome laid aside her pack and bow, then scooted over beside the captive, much to Inuyasha's vocal displeasure. “Is it difficult to pass this test?” she asked with keen interest. The kitsune took note of the pretty young woman's soft eyes, gentle smile, unusual clothing… the hanyou's growling… and politely inclined his head.

 

“Very much so, my lady. It only occurs once a year.”

 

“Is the studying difficult?”

 

The youkai's eyes sharpened. “I have spent decades preparing for this night. However, if no guests arrive, we do not have any opportunity to advance. Your party is the first that we have hosted in fifty years.”

 

“That's a long time to wait for a chance to prove yourselves,” Kagome sympathized.

 

“For fuck's sake, wench… you gonna start swappin' gee-aw-meh-tree tips with the asshole?” Inuyasha snapped, his golden eyes hard.

 

“They're not hurting anyone,” she protested, but the hanyou curled his lip and curtly gestured with his sword to dismiss the youkai.

 

“Keep your distance, fox. We ain't helpin' you to become a bigger menace,” he hissed. The kitsune gave the hanyou a long, considering look before he made a show of bowing gracefully to Kagome and then vanishing into a smoky twist. The hanyou sheathed his weapon and shoved his hands into his sleeves, glowering darkly. “He and his buddies will be trouble for sure; keep your guards up.”

 

Kagome sighed and rubbed her hands on her jeans-clad thighs. “Not everyone we meet is an enemy, Inuyasha.”

 

“All kitsunes are trouble. Oi! Where the hell is Shippo?”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

“So, there's an advanced youjutsu examination held here once a year…” Shippo trailed off as he again touched the leaf emblazoned with the number `77' on his forehead.

 

A tall, skinny kit shook his head in disbelief. “You've never heard of the exam? Unbelievable!”

 

Shippo stuck out his lower lip. “My parents were killed before I was old enough to find out about it.”

 

“Tough break, kid,” sympathized a short, rotund kit who was busy consulting an elaborate scroll. “How old are you?”

 

“About one hundred… and ten?” came the uncertain answer.

 

“Let's see your best transformation,” sniffed the skinny kit. Shippo briefly concentrated, then popped into a huge floating pink ball. “Not bad, squirt. That's the type I pulled off when I was your age.”

 

Shippo popped back to normal and eagerly asked, “How do you score points on this exam?”

 

The short kit grinned. “No points for showing off in front of other kitsunes; you have to fool the inn's guests. Unfortunately, none of us have mastered the `inn hostess' stunt like those senior examinees have, so we need a different plan of attack.”

 

“S'gonna be tough,” agreed his compatriot. “The monk could purify us, the taijiya might slay us and that hanyou looks pretty short-tempered.”

 

“Yeah, but if we pull it off, we're talking some serious advancement here,” beamed the short kit. He cocked his head. “Hey… do you hear something?”

 

The skinny kit jumped up and peered through the foliage, his bushy tail quivering. “All right! It's that weirdly-dressed human girl! Let's scare her! It won't be a great score, but something's better than nothing, right?”

 

“No, wait!” Shippo scrambled after the older kitsunes as they gleefully tumbled into a convenient ambush. I have to save Kagome!

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

“Shippo? Shippo!” Kagome called, scanning the dark undergrowth of the gardens. Darn it! Where could he be? On the far side of a koi pond, she noticed a red-lacquered torii and a pair of elegant guardian fox statues protecting a softly-lit shrine of Inari. Worth a look…

 

As she started towards the shrine, a large bush in her path began to shake violently, and then erupted into brightly coloured, misshapen, one-eyed forms. A peacock-blue paper lantern with a long flapping red tongue floated overhead, along with a fuchsia-pink parasol sporting a single wooden geta on the end of its handle.

 

“Be afraaaiiid… screammm… there is nnnooo escaaape…”

 

Kagome stopped dead, her eyes very wide, and then began to giggle merrily. “Oh, Shippo! That looks like so much fun! Did you meet some new friends?” The illusions bobbled uncertainly, then rallied and moved forward menacingly, but that only had the effect of making the young woman chuckle harder.

 

“Dammit, Shippo! I'm gonna fucking skin you for this, you little bastard!” The transformed kitsunes dodged out of the way as a swearing tangle of red, silver and green crashed through the bushes to land hard on the paved path. Inuyasha roared a few more choice expletives as one of Shippo's magical tops drilled into his skull before shrinking back to normal size. He leapt to his feet, dove for the two hovering illusions and delivered a solid round of punches.

 

“Ow! Ow! Wrong kitsunes, you idiot!” wailed a chorus of protest.

 

“Like fucking hell! Who else would have such lame-ass transformations?” demanded the angry hanyou. As he growled, slips of paper whisked to the young kitsunes' hands and their faces fell.

 

“Grrr! We'll get you for this, cursed dog!” They disappeared before Inuyasha could retaliate, leaving the scraps of parchment behind. Kagome picked one up, scanned the characters and sighed.

 

“Poor kids; they failed.”

 

“Too fucking bad,” Inuyasha snarled, then startled Kagome by grabbing her arm and pulling her roughly along with him back towards the brightly-lit inn.

 

“Wait, Inuyasha! We should make sure Shippo's okay!” she protested, nearly tripping as he unceremoniously hustled her along the path.

 

“Keh. Don't worry about him. He's having too much fun being a little asshole to come inside,” the hanyou glowered, and there was a sharp glint in his eye that Kagome wasn't sure that she liked. “Besides, Kirara's out here, too; she'll make sure he's okay.”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

“What are you up to, Yoh? Aren't you going to join us in trying our luck with the monk again?” The kitsune previously on the receiving end of Tetsusaiga's pointed methods of persuasion, his lip now healed but still bruised, only glanced at his questioner.

 

“The monk knows you're male foxes; if he lets you within arm's length it's because he's hard up,” Yoh sniffed, then once again concentrated on his illusion. His fellows were plainly startled when the slender young kitsune suddenly turned into a silver-haired, red-robed inu-hanyou.

 

“That's really well-done, Yoh! Wow! Nice work!” The admiring audience quickly began to offer suggestions aimed at refining his illusion. “His ears were more cat-like and a little pinker on the inside.” “I think his hair was longer and it's definitely scruffier.” “Hmmm, I'm sure that his eyes were more golden than yellow.” “That sword hilt isn't shabby enough!” Yoh adjusted his appearance to suit the critiques until all were satisfied. “Who's your target?” they wanted to know.

 

“The only guest that's safe to approach is that oddly-dressed young woman,” he said slowly. “My score won't be outstanding, but it's worth something.”

 

“How can we help?”

 

“Distract her hanyou protector for as long as possible, and make sure the taijiya and the monk are also occupied elsewhere.”

 

“Here… you'll need this.” A necklace of carved white jade beads was dropped over his head and Yoh turned it into a reasonable facsimile of the hanyou's rosary. One of the other kitsunes plucked at it, his brow furrowed.

 

“Weird looking thing; wonder what it does?”

 

Yoh shrugged. “Dunno… now, did anyone happen to catch her name?”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

“Fucking kitsunes…” A highly disgruntled hanyou shook water off his clothes, the result of the junior examinees' final attempt to score major points before he and Kagome retreated indoors. Sniffing the air of the entryway to orient himself, he pulled the young woman past the empty reception room further down the corridor to an open set of fusuma and shoved her inside.

 

“Have some tea, Inuyasha. It has a most delicate bouquet,” Miroku offered, daintily sipping from an elegant porcelain cup. Sango was seated with him, giving the attending `women' a distinctly hairy eyeball over the rim of her own cup.

 

“Are ya sure that's tea and not piss they've put an illusion on?” Inuyasha sneered, wringing the water out of his trailing sleeves all over the clean tatami mats.

 

“Don't be disgusting,” Kagome chided wearily as she accepted a cup from a bowing kitsune that was as elaborately dressed as any apprentice geisha from her own time.

 

The hanyou glared around the comfortable lamp-lit room, already set up with four futons divided into pairs by an elaborately-embroidered privacy screen and warmed by glowing braziers. “Fuck this. I'm gonna patrol.” With that, he stormed outside, leaving an awkward silence in his wake.

 

Miroku set aside his cup and stretched deliberately. “I believe I will avail myself of the facilities… perhaps you ladies could prepare to retire in my absence?” After the monk withdrew, the kitsunes tidied up the refreshments and bowed out. Sango noticed that they were awarded slips, but they didn't seem ecstatic about their scores.

 

“I hope that it really was tea…” she commented, beginning to disrobe for sleep. “I suppose a taijiya makes them nervous.”

 

Kagome yawned, laying aside her bow and moving to seat herself on one of the futons before rummaging through her backpack for her pyjamas. “They might want better scores, but they're not going to risk their lives to become a Lower Upper Senior Junior or whatever.” The young women tucked themselves into the comfortable bedding and chatted quietly for a little while before lapsing into a drowsy silence, listening to the unfamiliar sounds of the inn.

 

There was a distant crash from outside, and some easily identifiable cursing filtered through the shoji. “I'm starting to feel sorry for Inuyasha,” Sango sleepily murmured as she rolled over and snuggled into the bedding.

 

“He can handle it. I just hope he keeps his temper, because being woken up by a `Wind Scar' would really suck.”

 

Sleep wrapped briefly around the pair of women, until Sango abruptly let out a scornful snort and sat up. “I'll just bet Miroku is `helping' those kitsunes earn more points,” she growled.

 

“Ehhh?” Kagome slurred, blinking slowly as she was roused by the sharp tone.

 

The taijiya slid from her bed, straightened her yukata and smiled grimly. “I'll be back as soon as I've tracked down a certain lecherous monk. Go back to sleep.”

 

“M'kay….”

 

When Sango opened the fusuma, an icy draft swept past her ankles and swirled rapidly through the room. Just before the panel closed behind her, the wind whirled out and stilled. As she stalked down the corridor, following the faint sounds of masculine laughter accompanied by much splashing and lilting feminine voices, she didn't notice two shapes coalescing in front of the door she had just exited.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Fuck it all to the fifth hell! These damn kitsunes are really pissing me off! Inuyasha wiped his wet bangs out of his eyes and glared off into the darkness. If I use Tetsusaiga I might injure enough of them to make `em think twice, but if I hurt Shippo by mistake… crap. Claws it is, then… He snapped around at the sensation of magic pinging against his youki, his eyes instantly locking on a dim glow several dozen feet away. Gotcha, ya obnoxious little…

 

He prowled towards the beckoning light, then sped up as it flickered, leading him deeper and deeper into the forest surrounding the manicured gardens and away from the inn.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

“Miroku! What do you think you're doing?” Sango yelped the moment she set foot inside the steamy bathing room of the substantial bathhouse set right beside to the main building of the inn.

 

The object of her ire looked as innocent as possible while surrounded by voluptuous young `ladies' garbed in very thin, very damp white yukata. “Bathing?” he supplied helpfully.

 

The taijiya's expression became positively thunderous and the kitsunes nervously edged away from the monk, who sighed heavily and ran his hands through his unbound hair. “Lovely Sango, we both know these exquisite young women are actually male kitsunes, so what, exactly, is the difficulty?” As she spluttered, he calmly continued, “I am merely assisting them with accumulating a few more points towards their youjutsu exams…”

 

“Isn't that cheating?” Sango spat.

 

“I prefer to think of it as `creative point accumulation',” he grinned before his smile became rather sly. “If you wish to defend my virtue, you could join me…”

 

Harrumphing loudly, Sango put her back to the group and plopped down facing the door. “In your dreams, houshi, but I'll stay here to keep things from getting out of hand, if you don't mind.”

 

Her cheeks flamed as Miroku snorted with laughter, “As it happens, it is my hand that is the main attraction, Sango!”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Outside the guest room door, two kitsunes intently examined the bundle of odd clothing belonging to the young woman slumbering within, then grinned at each other. They looked up quickly as a silver-haired hanyou emerged out of the shadows, golden eyes glittering with anticipation. “Give me as much time as possible, so keep him busy any way that you can.” The conspirators nodded and vanished, the clothing disappearing along with them.

 

Taking a deep breath while making final, minute adjustments to his elaborate illusion, Yoh slid open the fusuma and stepped inside the room, then closed the panel silently behind him. He took in the dim lighting and the privacy screen shielding his quarry from view. Perfect. She can't smell me and she won't be able to see me very well. Humans are so pathetically vulnerable…

 

Padding across the floor in bare feet, the disguised kitsune paused as he rounded the privacy screen and took in the sight of the sleeping young woman. She's beautiful… In the soft lamplight, her golden skin fairly glowed. Her lips were slightly parted as she dreamed, and her dark lashes fanned thickly over her cheekbones as waves of glossy black hair spilled over the pale bedding. Entranced, Yoh tiptoed closer and quietly seated himself next to the futon. Laying aside the stick purporting to be the hanyou's sword, he studied her sleeping countenance.

 

He puzzled over the odd garment visible above the edge of the quilt, then dismissed it with a mental shrug. Now, if I were a dog demon, how would I wake up a human woman? Bark at her? Lick her cheek? Nip her ear? Tipping his head, considering, he decided to go with the lick as the least likely to startle her. If I'm going to rack up any points, I have to do my best to `be him'… just not such an asshole…

 

However, when he leaned in and inhaled the woman's warm scent, he was so startled by what he didn't smell that he lost his balance and ended up hovering over her, his hands braced on either side of her shoulders. He hasn't claimed her? You have to be kidding me! Is he blind? While he considered a change in tactics that would either score him top points or lead to his death, he carefully lowered himself until his lips lightly brushed her cheek.

 

Sitting back, he watched keenly as her long eyelashes fluttered. Blinking slowly, Kagome passed the back of one hand over her eyes before giving him a melting smile that dropped his heart down into his toes. “Inuyasha? Is everything okay?” she whispered. Yoh nodded. She rubbed her eyes again before glancing over at the empty futon on the same side of the privacy screen. “Where's Sango?”

 

He cocked his head, listening carefully, and could just barely detect the distant sounds of a lively conversation accompanied by splashing. “They're at the bathhouse,” he replied.

 

Kagome's brows disappeared into her bangs. “Really?” she giggled. “More like Miroku went to the baths and Sango tagged along to keep him out of trouble!” Yoh chuckled along with her, relaxing slightly as she accepted his presence. “Have you seen Shippo?” she asked after a few moments.

 

“He's fooling around outside with the other kits.”

 

She sobered suddenly, studying his face, and he made sure his illusion was firmly in place. He certainly wasn't prepared with a quick answer when she bit her lip and quietly asked, “Inuyasha… are you feeling okay?”

 

“Why wouldn't I be?” he cautiously responded, trying to parse her scent and her demeanour for clues.

 

She hesitated before slowly replying, “After everything we've been through lately… everything that's happened to you, I just wondered… if you'd like to talk?”

 

Yoh shrugged dismissively, hoping to put her off. “I'm all right. Nothing that I can't handle,” he huffed.

 

“Oh,” she mumbled in a small voice, and her scent broadcast sadness and old pain.

 

The disguised kitsune mentally railed against the absent hanyou. Stupid dog! This lovely woman is hurting on his behalf and he obviously hasn't noticed or comforted her! He put aside his own selfish objectives for a moment and reached to delicately stroke her cheek with the backs of his claws. Kagome froze, her eyes going impossibly wide and her breath stalling in her throat as he repeated the gentle gesture. “Don't trouble yourself over me,” he whispered, watching the effect his touch had on the young woman. Her initial surprise quickly faded, and she shifted closer to him, her eyes never leaving his face. “Being with you brings peace to my heart.”

 

She smiled so brightly at his words that he was emboldened to go further, leaning over again to lightly nuzzle her cheek. Her heart rate picked up and she inhaled sharply, the sadness of her scent replaced by a spike of excitement. How to proceed? There was enough of his dog-stink on her before she changed her clothing to make it clear that she's his chosen one, but his scent is non-existent now; why is he waiting to claim her? She's obviously willing... On that thought, Yoh pressed a soft kiss to Kagome's cheek and then delicately nibbled along her jaw and down her throat before waiting for her reaction.

 

The young woman slowly exhaled as her heart sped up yet again. She's surprised but not fearful. Good. Laying a path of light kisses up her warm skin to her cheek and then across her forehead, he detected the faintest surge of desire. She wants him, but has never had him. It seems that the fool has starved her of his affection long enough that she truly wishes to believe what she sees… that I am him. Yoh dipped his head to drag his tongue-tip up the side of Kagome's throat and was rewarded by a near-silent moan. Smirking to himself, he swiftly lay down beside her on top of the quilts and cupped her face in one hand while propping his chin on the other to study her face.

 

Her cheeks were lightly dusted with pink, her eyes wide and dark. Yoh ran the pad of his thumb across her lips, smiling softly down at her. “Inuyasha?” she breathed, a wealth of information contained within that single trembling word. She wishes to be the fool's darling. Very well… I'll give her the illusion of his affection for as long as I can without completely compromising her honour.

 

He stroked her lips again, then leaned down to place his mouth a hairsbreadth away from hers as he murmured, “Koishii…” before rolling on top of her and sliding his hands under her shoulders as he began kissing her throat. Frustrated by the high neckline of her strange nightclothes, he contemplated the wisdom of extracting her from the fabric until he realized that her slender hands had slipped into his bangs and were searching for the non-existent ears on top of his head. Shit!

 

Yoh reared back and she dropped her hands to the futon, as if afraid she'd angered him. Thinking quickly, he sat up and straddled her hips as he tugged his `fire-rat' robes out of his hakama and tossed them aside. Catching hold of her hands, he pressed them to his bare chest. “Not the ears, koishii… but anywhere else…” As she tentatively caressed his skin, his eyes closed and he arched into her touch, becoming keenly aware of the slim body pinned beneath him.

 

Her hands left his skin, and he opened his eyes to see her turn quite pink as she rustled under the quilt, then pulled the strange shirt off over her head. As Kagome freed her hands from the sleeves, Yoh pulled down the layered blankets to bare her round, perfect breasts crowned by dusky tips hardening beneath his heated gaze. Her cheeks darkened even more and she moved to cover herself, but he trapped her hands and gently pressed them back to the mattress. “Don't hide yourself… you're beautiful…” he whispered just before he lowered his head and kissed a slow, tortuous path down her heaving chest until his lips closed over her nipple.

 

“I-Inuyasha!”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Son of a fucking bitch… I give up, dammit! Inuyasha punched the mansion's stone foundation, swearing luridly. Gotta hand it to those kitsune bastards… they're fucking good at what they do. Sighing wearily, he licked the blood off his knuckles and turned towards the broad staircase leading upwards to the main entrance.

 

As he opened the heavy wooden door, he bared his fangs at the lazily circling balls of light that he suspected concealed seven-tailed foxes who were overseeing the youjutsu exam. He'd barely stepped over the threshold when a familiar figure emerged out of the gloom of the entryway and threw herself at him.

 

“Inuyasha!”

 

He was taken aback when Kagome pressed herself snugly against the length of his body. His face flamed and he tried to create some space between them, but Kagome ignored his panicked movements to nestle her head under his chin. She finally let go of his ribcage, but only long enough to curl her fingers into his suikan and lean back to see his face. “I'm so glad you're here!” she chirped brightly.

 

“Silly wench… why aren't you in bed?” he gruffly demanded, looking everywhere but at her and keeping his arms slack at his sides.

 

“I couldn't sleep without you,” she murmured softly, smiling up at him with such gentleness that he flushed all over again at the implication they slept together. An erotic image immediately took over his imagination and made him redouble his efforts to distance himself.

 

Thank the gods she can't smell my response! “Keh. I'm here now, so you can go to sleep,” he growled, backing away and attempting to shove his hands into his sleeves to create a barrier. However, Kagome only released his clothing in order to grasp his wrists and run her slender hands into his sleeves all the way up to his elbows. As he gaped at her boldness, she slowly caressed his skin for several long moments, her expression full of yearning. Already wavering, he allowed her to clasp his hands and pull him into the darkened reception room where he promptly stumbled on the edge of the tatami mats and lost his balance.

 

“Shit, Kagome…! Ow!” Before he quite knew what had hit him, Inuyasha landed on his back, the young woman straddling his hips. She wasted no time in settling her weight over his crotch and stretching along his body to press fervent kisses to his throat. He was completely overwhelmed by the sensations and emotions careening through his body as she deliberately ground her sex against his. Instead of grabbing her hips and yanking her down hard to demonstrate the effect she was having on him, he drove his claws through the tatami and into the floorboards in a vain attempt to regain some semblance of control.

 

Kagome straightened, her gaze dark and intent as she searched Inuyasha's flushed face. Boldly, she yanked her top over her head and struggled out of her jeans, leaving the stunned hanyou with a naked woman astride him. His mouth went dry as his eyes hungrily followed her motions as she cupped her full breasts before skimming her slender waist to sweep over her hips.

 

He couldn't speak, could hardly breathe as she used surprising strength to pull his claws out of the floorboards and guide his hands to her finely muscled thighs. “Touch me, Inuyasha… please…”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

“Inuyasha… please…” Kagome moaned as a hot mouth traced erotic pathways over her skin. Yoh had to fight to keep both his focus and his illusion intact as her arousal intensified, beckoning him to taste the slick flesh beneath her short curls. Instead, he licked a trail over her hipbone and along her naked flank before switching to her other thigh and moving up to dip his tongue into her navel. He slid one knee between her thighs; Kagome inhaled sharply and bucked against his leg, dangerously fraying his control. Pressing his face into the warm valley between her breasts, he gritted his teeth and counted in an attempt to steady his breathing.

 

Nibbling and licking her nipples, he enjoyed her whimpering groans as her hips rocked desperately against his thigh, her nails flexing on the backs of his hands where their fingers interlaced. Kissing his way across the writhing woman's collarbone, Yoh tuned his hearing to search for any sign of immediate interruption. Keep them occupied just a little longer… my score is gonna set a new record!

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Kagome writhed on top of Inuyasha, her hands working at the ties of his clothing as she gasped and whimpered his name. He rocked his hips upwards, lost in a haze of lust. I can't believe this is happening! What made her decide to do this? Don't really fucking care, actually… Running his hands into her hair, he pulled her down for a kiss, but she twisted her head away at the last moment. Wha…? Puzzled, he tried again to kiss the woman he loved, but she again evaded his lips and sought to distract him by rubbing his ears, but it wasn't enough. His suspicious nature triggered, he took a deep sniff. Waitaminute… her scent… it's fading? She smells like a… “What the fucking hell?” he roared, throwing the naked woman off and rolling up to his feet, murder in his reddening eyes as he processed the scent that had replaced Kagome's familiar floral aroma.

 

`Kagome' twisted with inhuman agility and landed in a crouch, then slowly straightened. At that moment, another figure stepped into the room, momentarily distracting the furious hanyou. He was confronted by a second naked Kagome, an exact duplicate of the dark-haired woman from her grey eyes and soft lips to her sweetly curvaceous body.

 

“Drop it, Nobu. He's figured it out,” the first Kagome said in a tenor voice, and Inuyasha swung his attention back, only to stare in horror as the curvaceous illusion vanished, replaced by a buck-naked… and impressively masculine… kitsune, who had the recklessness to smirk while adding, “No offence, dog, but I really wasn't into swapping spit with another male. The grinding was pushing it already.”

 

“Aw, shit… I tried so hard, too. Transforming into a woman is one thing, but trying to turn into a specific woman is another thing altogether,” Nobu groused as he let his illusion drop. Both he and the first kitsune jumped when a surge of youki buffeted them from the hanyou's direction.

 

His eyes were hidden by his bangs, but there was no mistaking the fraying stripes that burned into his cheeks and the lengthening of his fangs over his lower lip. “How the fuck do you know what Kagome looks like naked?” he ground out.

 

Nobu smiled artlessly. “We snuck a quick peek once Yoh peeled her out of her clothes… hey! Watch where you swing that thing, asshole!”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

“Miroku, do you sense something?” Sango asked, spoiling the punch line of the monk's story. He blinked, and the chattering kitsunes fell silent as he concentrated.

 

“Er, no…? Uh-oh.” Miroku closed his mouth as a blast of youki accompanied by a thunderous shout made the building shake to the point that water slopped over the edge of the massive tub.

 

The taijiya sprang to her feet. “Inuyasha's furious about something… I've never felt his demonic aura explode like that!” As she raced out the door, the dripping wet monk noticed that all the foxes looked at each other with identically shifty expressions.

 

Moving quickly as the youkai began transforming into wisps of vapour, he caught hold of the nearest kitsune's arm. “Is there something we should know, my good fellow?” he inquired calmly enough, but his grip was like iron.

 

The kitsune had the grace to look abashed. “One of our compatriots decided to approach the young human woman…”

 

Miroku tightened his grip, although his tone remained deceptively mild. “And…?”

 

“Er… he took on the hanyou's form and set out to seduce her.”

 

“Buddha's teeth! If he was successful, then we are all dead!”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Yoh released Kagome's hands as he settled between her thighs, carefully keeping his erection away from her slick folds even as she squirmed beneath him in an attempt to bring him closer. Embracing her tightly, he mouthed her throat, revelling in the last few moments of this most enjoyable contact. Just as he felt her fingers again questing for the non-existent furry appendages on the top of his head, he both heard and felt the signs of distant conflict. Smirking against her throat, he gave a long, slow lick up the tender skin before propping himself up on his elbows. He waited until her passion-darkened gaze met his before brushing her damp bangs off her forehead with a gentle hand. “Thank you, my lady. I appreciate your assistance with my exam,” he murmured as he pressed a soft kiss to her cheek and stood up, flicking his hair over his shoulders.

 

Kagome blinked in confusion, her arousal fading until it disappeared completely when the fusuma was torn from its tracks and flung across the room, accompanied by a deep-throated roar of pure rage. She screamed and rolled onto her stomach, covering her head with her hands as the privacy screen tipped over onto Sango's unoccupied futon and her ears were filled with a terrifying feral snarl.

 

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw familiar red fire-rat plant itself right in her line of sight and the Tetsusaiga's equally familiar transformed blade slice the air with deadly intent. “Wh-what…?” she stuttered, completely and utterly lost. Peering around the hakama-clad leg, she yelped in surprise at the sight of the naked hanyou on the other side of the room crouched in a fighting stance, his lips curled back over his fangs. She blinked again, then twisted to look up at the bristling presence standing over her and fell back with a startled shriek. Inuyasha glanced down at her, his nightmarish eyes flaming, before turning back to his opponent.

 

Yoh waited until he saw Kagome's eyes return to him before slowly straightening and allowing his illusion to dissipate. Instead of a silver-haired, golden-eyed inu-hanyou, there stood a russet-haired, green-eyed kitsune wearing nothing but a necklace of pale carven beads. The young woman screamed shrilly and clapped her hand over her mouth, staring at him with wide, horrified eyes. He inclined his head to her, feeling a slight tinge of remorse, but that moment of regret was instantly swept away as soon as he read the impressive score on the slip of parchment that fluttered into his hand from the open doorway.

 

Bowing to her more formally, ignoring the enraged hanyou crouched over her huddled form, Yoh politely said, “Again, thank you for your unwitting assistance. I am in your debt.” Turning a considering look at her protector, he added, “Do not punish her, dog. She loves you dearly, and I was able to breach her defences only because she truly thought you were in her arms. You should be ashamed for denying her your touch.”

 

“Pray Inari saves your worthless hide, kitsune!” Inuyasha hissed, raising the Tetsusaiga, but Yoh only smirked and disappeared into a roiling bank of smoke. The hanyou roared and leapt across the room, driving the enchanted metal through the wood in a futile attempt to relieve his anger. He closed his burning eyes and leaned his forehead against the wall, searching for a point of calm within his turbulent soul before yanking the sword free and looking over his shoulder towards Kagome.

 

She was sobbing helplessly, her arms wrapped tightly around her drawn-up legs, her face hidden against her knees, her entire body shaking violently. He slammed his fist into the wall, cursing all kitsunes into the seventh hell, then strode over to her. “Dammit, Kagome! What the hell were you thinking?” he growled, his voice deepening as his youki clawed free even as his human side restrained it from doing more than lashing out verbally.

 

“I-I th-thought… h-he was you…” she managed to choke out between sobs.

 

“Like fucking hell I'd ever jump you like that!” he thundered, his facial markings fraying even more. Kagome flinched away from the harsh words, fresh tears streaking her face before she hid herself behind her hair. Inuyasha's claws flexed menacingly as he glared at her trembling form, his youki raging over the way she was coated in another's scent and insisting he cover her with his own. Instead of pouncing on the distraught girl, however, he stripped off his suikan and dropped it over her shoulders. “Find some water, wench, and quickly… you stink of horny kitsune,” he growled, then stormed towards the door with full intentions of sharpening the Tetsusaiga on a certain fox youkai's skull.

 

Sango met him in the doorway and recoiled slightly as the full strength of his elevated demonic aura struck her. “Inuyasha?” she asked, backing away.

 

He fixed her with a baleful eye. “Don't let anyone near her, not even Shippo,” he snarled. “Clean off that fucker's scent… I'll be back as soon as I've shown these kitsune bastards why they shouldn't mess with me or what's mine.” As he stomped past her, Miroku hurried up the corridor, his hair loose and half-dressed, his purple robe tossed over his shoulder. He took one look at Inuyasha's ferocious appearance and deferentially averted his eyes.

 

“What assistance may I offer?” he inquired.

 

“Slap an ofuda on anything that moves… I need to blow off some steam or I'm gonna do something I might regret.”

 

“As you wish,” the monk replied courteously and took up a position in front of the doorway, holding his shakujou horizontally. Inuyasha nodded curtly and headed for the entry, noting with satisfaction how the very shadows seemed to shiver at his passing.

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

“Come on, Kagome… let's sort you out,” Sango said determinedly, once she'd hugged the distraught girl and petted her hair until the sobs quieted to sniffles. She stood up and kicked aside the fallen privacy screen, then yanked the quilt off the futon underneath it. Pulling away Inuyasha's suikan, she wrapped Kagome in the bedding, threw the fire-rat jacket over her arm and bodily lifted the younger woman to her feet. “We have to wash the fox's scent off you before Inuyasha comes back,” she explained as she ushered the tearful woman through the doorway. As Miroku stepped aside and fell into place behind them, Sango glared at the two kneeling youkai who appeared in the hallway before them, their foreheads pressed to the planking in attitudes of complete abasement. “What do you want?” she snapped, shielding Kagome with her body.

 

“We wish to make amends for Yoh's transgressions, taijiya-sama,” the braver one answered.

 

Sango didn't miss a beat. “Very well. Repair the damage to this room and make it fit to be occupied. Replace all the bedding, including the futons.”

 

“At once, my lady.”

 

Miroku became aware of a familiar crackle of youki energy from outside and made a point of loudly tapping the metal end cap of his shakujou on the planking as he walked past the two kitsunes. Stooping slightly, he murmured, “Any illusions that may or may not be left behind when you leave will be treated as grounds for a full exorcism by `Wind Scar'.”

 

“W-wind Scar? I've never heard of that spell…” one of the pair quavered. At that moment, the shockwave of Tetsusaiga's signature attack rolled over the inn, shaking the building to its foundations.

 

Miroku smiled benevolently at the wide-eyed youkai. “Its results are unfailingly permanent, I can assure you,” he cheerfully assured as he followed Sango and Kagome up the corridor.

 

Once at the bathhouse, Miroku stepped inside and swept both the change room and the bathing chamber for any opportunistic kitsunes that might be lurking in the shadows. Finding none, he nodded to Sango and took up a position outside. Sango pulled Kagome into the change room and helped her out of the wrappings, then lead her to a seat on one of the low stools. The young woman hunched her shoulders, her dark hair falling forward. The taijiya scooped a bucket of warm water and dumped it over Kagome's head, then began soaping her from head to toe. She waited a few minutes before quietly asking, “What happened?”

 

There was a very long pause, and Kagome drew in a shuddering breath before answering, “A kitsune took on Inuyasha's form and… and…”

 

“And?” Sango prompted, her heart sinking as she anticipated the worst.

 

“I should have known it was too good to be true, but I wanted to be with Inuyasha so badly that I ignored all the warning signs,” Kagome whispered.

 

“Warning signs?”

 

The younger woman looked up, her expression so sorrowful that Sango dropped the soapy rag and tightly clasped her friend's limp hands. “He smiled at me… touched me so gently… called me his darling… told me I was beautiful…” She stopped and bowed her head before continuing, “Inuyasha would never say things like that to me, never mind look at me that way…”

 

Sango swallowed hard before asking the unpleasant question, “How far did you allow him to go?”

 

Kagome's smile was dark and humourless. “Not as far as I was willing, but that was only because Inuyasha arrived.” She picked up the cloth and finished soaping her legs, then held still for the rinse bucket before stepping into the tub. There was a tap on the sliding door; when the taijiya bustled to open it, Miroku passed in a folded pile of patterned cloth.

 

“Some fresh clothing, as her other things are unavailable,” he said, then lowered his voice to ask, “How is she?”

 

“Coping, I suppose, but much depends on Inuyasha and his notoriously quick mouth. He could crush her heart so easily.”

 

“Let us hope he has taken out his frustrations on the local vegetation before he returns.”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

The lamps had burned down by the time the hanyou returned, his white kosode soaked in sweat. He entered the inn and immediately followed the scent of water to the bathhouse where he stripped down and sluiced himself off, bypassing the tub altogether. It's quiet… good. Little bastards are keeping clear of the mad dog. Slinging the damp kosode over his shoulder, he shouldered Tetsusaiga and headed back to Kagome.

 

When he turned down the dimly-lit corridor to the room, the first thing he saw was Miroku seated outside the repaired fusuma, his back ramrod straight and his shakujou propped against his shoulder. The monk casually fanned a handful of ofuda as he glanced up at Inuyasha's approach, then snapped them shut when he recognized the bringer of so much youki energy. Nodding, he rose to his feet to greet the hanyou. “Everything is secure; activity has come to a complete standstill.”

 

“Good. If any of those assholes are around, have them set up futons for you and Sango across the hall.” When Miroku looked taken aback instead of eager at this change in sleeping arrangements, Inuyasha added, “Kagome and I need to talk privately. I want you to seal us in so that we're not disturbed by anyone… not even the runt.”

 

“Are you sure that's wise? She's very fragile,” the monk warned.

 

“Fuck! You think I don't know that? Give me some credit, houshi,” the hanyou snapped.

 

Miroku swallowed his objection and bowed slightly. “It shall be done,” he promised.

 

Inuyasha nodded briefly and slid open the wooden panel. His gaze was instantly drawn to Sango, kneeling at the foot of a futon on the far side of the privacy screen, Hiraikotsu at the ready. She snapped her head around to identify the intruder and frowned when he beckoned to her, but obeyed anyways. When she reached his side, he muttered, “I have to talk to her… alone.”

 

The taijiya looked him over, noting the markings still faintly visible on his cheeks and the red haloing his golden irises. “Don't you dare punish her, Inuyasha!” she hissed in a low, menacing voice. “She's loved you for years, and honestly thought you'd finally grown enough balls to show her how you feel…” Sango stopped instantly when a sub-sonic growl vibrated the air around her, raising the fine hairs on the back of her neck.

 

“Get the hell out, bitch. If you think I'd ever harm Kagome, then you don't know me at all.”

 

His furious snarl made her back up a couple of steps, but she collected herself and crisply retorted, “I know you'd never hurt her physically, but your mouth is just as dangerous as your claws. Be careful what you say, or else.” With a meaningful yank on Hiraikotsu's strap, she marched out the door and Miroku shut the fusuma behind her. Inuyasha closed his eyes and took several deep breaths while rolling his shoulders to release some of the tension as he waited. A faint crackle announced the successful application of the sealing ofuda, so he took that as his cue to stalk silently across the room to the other side of the privacy screen.

 

Kagome was curled up into a tight little ball beneath the quilts and his neatly-spread suikan, with only a few tumbled locks of dark hair visible. Seating himself next to the head of the futon, he laid aside both his kosode and the Tetsusaiga and simply watched her for a few minutes, breathing in her delicate scent. Finally he murmured, “I know you're awake, wench… I can smell your tears.” There was a muffled sob from beneath the covers, but no other movement. He sighed quietly and reached to lay his hand on her head. She went rigid, her heartbeat suddenly erratic, and remained so until he began gently stroking her hair, running his fingers through the cool strands. The action calmed him as much as it appeared to soothe her, because she slowly relaxed.

 

Trying not to frighten her, Inuyasha trailed his hand down through her hair and carefully pulled away the concealing quilt, revealing a gaily-patterned yukata. Glistening grey eyes fringed by spiky wet lashes blinked up at him as Kagome bit her lip to stop it from trembling. “Keh. Don't look so mournful, wench. I ain't gonna yell at ya,” he grumbled, resuming his gentle attentions to her hair.

 

“H-how do I know it's y-you?” she whispered fearfully.

 

He thought for a moment, then winced. “You could always use that fucking spell.”

 

Kagome twitched. “I'd rather not,” she muttered. “Your temper wouldn't improve.”

 

The hanyou suddenly inclined his head. “I'll let you touch my ears,” he offered, the fuzzy triangles perking in her direction. She stared, then nodded jerkily. As she slowly reached towards him, he caught hold of her hand and guided it to his cheek. “Start here; I've nothing to hide.” Kagome ran her fingers over his skin and up into his hair, watching his eyes flutter shut as he leaned into her touch, a deep-throated rumble emanating from his chest. Not sure what the sound meant, she quickly confirmed his identity to her own satisfaction by using her thumb and forefinger to rub around the thick, fleshy base of his madly-twitching canine ear before withdrawing her hand.

 

Inuyasha surprised her by following her touch down until his face was only inches above hers, his dark golden eyes opening to capture her with his heavy-lidded gaze. “Satisfied?” Kagome nodded and he sat back up, his hand returning to play with her hair, until Inuyasha recalled how he'd found her deeply involved with the disguised kitsune. His fingers tightened convulsively and he growled deeply until he realized Kagome had gone completely still, fear touching her scent.

 

Releasing her hair, he leaned down to nuzzle her cheek, an action that made her heartbeat again jump. He struggled to find the right words to phrase his request without spooking her again, but finally just plainly stated what he wanted. “Can I hold you for a little while?” His cheeks flamed hotly, but he boldly held her shocked gaze and admitted, “Your scent calms my youki.”

 

Kagome gaped at him, her fear replaced by astonishment, then nervously licked her lips. “Um… er… all right.”

 

“Thanks.” Before he lost his nerve, he folded the quilts down to her waist and arranged himself on top of the bedding beside her. Hesitating only a moment, he gathered her in his arms and brought her close to his bare chest. There was a bit of awkward readjustments before Kagome lay rigid and scarcely breathing in his embrace. Inuyasha buried his nose in her hair, and because it seemed like the right thing to do, he began running his hand up and down her back in long, gentle strokes.

 

It took a long time, but she finally relaxed enough to twine her fingers into the lock of silver hair spilling over his shoulder. The hanyou hummed contentedly deep in his throat, enjoying this long-desired contact, until he was startled by a soft, nervous giggle. “What're you laughing at, wench?”

 

She leaned back a little and smiled hesitantly before replying, “I like that sound.”

 

“Keh.” Silence briefly reigned, and then he asked quietly, “Where did he touch you, Kagome?”

 

The woman turned scarlet and hid again, so he continued to hum and rub slow circles on her back until she finally whispered, “Everywhere…”

 

Inuyasha nearly put his fang through his lip biting down to stifle his youki's angry growl; with an effort he kept his caresses gentle. Moving slowly, he brushed her hair away and pressed his nose to the juncture of her neck and shoulder. He inhaled deeply, but couldn't detect any other unwelcome scent. “Smart bastard,” he admitted grudgingly before returning to his previous position. A surprised noise from the girl tucked beneath his chin made him elaborate, “He didn't mount you because he knows that's a death wish so far as inu-youkai are concerned.”

 

“Um… `death wish'?” Kagome asked in a small voice.

 

“We're possessive assholes,” he answered. “Once we choose someone to protect, anyone else who touches what's ours is dead meat.”

 

She digested that startling revelation for a few moments before whispering, “Am I `yours', Inuyasha?”

 

“Oi… why did you think I'd go ballistic when that mangy wolf came around? Bastard used to do that just to taunt me,” he grunted and then added, “The asshole enjoyed every second of it, too.”

 

Kagome lay quietly in his arms, chewing over the knowledge that so far as Inuyasha was concerned, she belonged to him. Then, does that mean he's `mine'? Highly conscious of the warmth of his breath on her bangs, she relished the slide of his hand over her back. Every so often he'd twirl a lock of her hair around a forefinger as if enjoying the silky texture before resuming his gentle caresses. “The fox didn't kiss me,” she abruptly blurted out.

 

Inuyasha nodded thoughtfully. “Neither did the one that jumped me.” He was rather taken aback when Kagome used his hair to pull him down nose-to-nose with her.

 

“What do you mean, `the one that jumped you'?” she demanded.

 

The hanyou turned deep red as he realized what he'd let slip, spluttered a bit, then confessed sheepishly. “A kitsune took on your form and tried to ah, er… um… you know…”

 

Kagome frowned. “You go all hissy because someone else touched me, but I'm not supposed to care that the same thing happened to you? How's that work?”

 

“Er…” He desperately tried to figure out a response that didn't make it sound like he'd tripped over his own double standard, when the girl began to titter softly. “What?”

 

“You made out with another guy?” she snickered.

 

“He was wearing your clothes, so he smelled like you for a few minutes!” the hanyou said defensively, even as he hugged her tightly because she seemed in a forgiving mood. “Oi… keep it down, wench, or Sango'll be breaking down the door to see what's going on,” he grumbled good-naturedly.

 

Kagome buried her face in his chest, chortling gleefully, until she peeked up at him with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “Miroku will have a field day with this…” she taunted.

 

“He ain't gonna find out about it, wench,” Inuyasha growled.

 

“Oh? What's it worth to you for me to stay quiet?” she inquired archly.

 

Inuyasha's gaze turned dark and intense; Kagome licked her lips nervously at his sudden shift and realized he was staring intently at her mouth. She became highly aware of his arms around her, of the warmth radiating off his skin, of the restrained power of his embrace. A low rumble that vibrated through her everywhere they touched made her shiver and she licked her lips again, wondering what he was thinking.

 

His fingers wove into her hair, his thumb stroking along her jaw just before his lips brushed her temple. Her eyes fluttered closed as she tilted her face towards him in wordless appeal for another caress, and gave a soft sigh of pleasure when his mouth ghosted across her cheekbone. She became aware that his lips were hovering just barely out of reach, but instead of avoiding the contact like the kitsune had when she tried to close the gap, Inuyasha took her breath away with a hungry kiss.

 

When they broke apart for air, afraid that the one might be all he was willing to give, she quickly twisted her fingers into his hair and kissed him again. He smiled against her lips and pressed her more firmly into his chest; when she gasped a little, he lightly touched the tip of his tongue to hers, and exulted in the heat and wetness of her mouth when she allowed him entrance. However, that was nothing compared to the arousing sensations when she returned the favour, shyly investigating his fangs and sliding her tongue down the length of his.

 

They paused, panting lightly, resting their damp foreheads against each other, until Inuyasha whispered, “I chose you from the start, Kagome. You and I… we've been through so much together, especially the last little while that there's been no time to really talk,” he murmured. “Keh. I'm better at putting my foot in my mouth than saying what I really mean, anyways.” The hanyou hesitated; it was dark and private, but more importantly, no one could overhear him make a fool of himself, so he plunged ahead with his confession. “I want to keep you at my side… after everything is over, I mean, but I'm terrified that I'll lose you because the Jewel will fuck with us somehow and separate us by five hundred years…”

 

The young woman's heart clenched at the fear that had crept into his voice, and she slipped her arms around him, hugging as tightly as she could manage. Pressing a kiss to his chest, she whispered, “I want to stay with you, Inuyasha.”

 

“You'd choose to be a hanyou's bride?” he asked, scarcely believing his good fortune despite the obvious feelings she'd displayed towards him over the years.

 

Kagome pulled back slightly and looked into his eyes. “I love you and I want to be with you always,” she whispered.

 

Inuyasha briefly searched her sincere face, then crushed her against him as he murmured, “My Kagome…” into her hair. The girl closed her eyes, sure that she was about to burst from sheer happiness. Sighing softly, she moulded her body to his and held on tight for several long minutes as that distinctive thrum surrounded her… until an amusing thought popped up and she giggled quietly. “What's going through that head of yours?” the hanyou asked, his claws working out a tangle in her hair.

 

“Who are you, and what have you done with Inuyasha?” she gently teased, but her eyes were so full of tenderness that he didn't react to the jibe.

 

“Keh. Like I said, we haven't had any time to talk… seems all we do lately is go from one fucking crisis to another,” he replied, nuzzling her brow. “Besides, until she passed on, I wasn't truly free to speak… and now that I have, I'm afraid that Naraku will take you away from me, too.”

 

“I know you'll do everything in your power to keep me safe,” Kagome cupped his cheek, her expression serious as she added, “We will win, Inuyasha… we have to, for Miroku and Sango's sakes… in Kikyo's honour… in memory of all those he made to suffer.”

 

The hanyou grinned, showing the tips of his fangs. “I've always loved your spirit, koishii.” As she flushed with pleasure at the endearment, he kissed a path from her forehead down her nose to her lips and stayed there until she was making needy noises in the back of her throat that turned him on so completely, he could barely restrain himself from finding out what types of sounds she'd make if he kissed his way down her throat to other softer, more rounded areas.

 

Kagome could hardly believe that she was finally… finally… kissing Inuyasha, and that he was responding with equal passion. He asked me to marry him! I should really pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming… better yet, maybe I'll pinch him just to make sure I'm not being tricked again. On that thought, she trailed her hand up his back and into the mass of his hair until she reached the base of his ear. His tongue ceased toying with hers as he registered her fingertip tracing up the outside edge of the sensitive appendage, and then he practically attacked her mouth, that chest-deep rumble making her tingle in interesting places. Oh, I think he likes it… and that ear is definitely there!

 

She continued to gently stroke the warm, velvety fur, memorizing the spots that caused him to groan into her mouth. His hands roamed over her back until they suddenly slid beneath the covers, cupped her buttocks and pulled her firmly against his groin. Kagome slipped her fingers underneath the rosary and began to rub circles over the hard muscles of his bare chest. The hanyou groaned again and arched his back, putting his ear out of range but pressing himself harder against her.

 

There were too many layers between them, so Kagome began pushing at the quilts trapped at her waist. Once he caught onto her intent, Inuyasha reluctantly let go of her curves and rolled off the futon. However, when she blushingly held open the blankets, instead of immediately joining her he caught her chin in his fingertips, his gaze intent. “Things will never go back to the way they were,” he said quietly. “Can you handle Miroku and Sango, plus Kaede-baba and your mother, knowing that we've joined our lives?”

 

Kagome's cheeks instantly turned bright pink, but she answered him with equal seriousness, “This is between us, not them; my mom will be thrilled, quite frankly, and Sota will be positively ecstatic.”

 

A dark eyebrow arched. “What about your grandfather?”

 

“Mom took away his ofuda after the last time, so you're safe… um… who is going to tell everyone…?”

 

“Do you honestly think the runt will be able to keep his damn mouth shut as soon as he smells me all over you?” Inuyasha snorted, and she blushed even harder at the thought of exactly how his scent would end up `all over' her.

 

However, she damped down her maidenly panic to look him in the eye and smile bravely. “I don't care. I just want to be with you for as long as we're given. In fact… this has outlived its usefulness.” She reached for the rosary, but he pulled away even as he captured her hand.

 

Moved by the gesture, he kissed her fingertips and pressed her hand flat over his heart. “No. I'll keep it for old time's sake.” His smile lit up his face and gave her a glimpse of the young hanyou before life dealt him so many hard blows.

 

Using the hand clasped in his, she gently tugged him towards her; this time he accepted the invitation and tucked himself into the futon beside her. When he took her in his arms again, this time she cuddled close, all traces of nerves gone. The hanyou sighed happily for what felt like the first time in centuries, the woman he'd wanted for years snuggled in his embrace, her breath warm on his throat and her body sweetly pliant under his touch. “Putting up with those damn foxes was worth it for this…” he mumbled, slowly running his hands up and down her back while she murmured in agreement, her own fingers tracing patterns on his chest.

 

He might have been content to just lie there, stroking her curves through the thin yukata, but he was irritated by the way his caresses were interrupted by the tidy knot nestled in the small of her back, where Sango had secured the garment after her bath. Hooking his claws into the narrow sash, he tugged gently as he asked, “Koishii… can I take this off you?” She went still for a moment, then nodded, so he pulled it away from her body after a discreetly-placed slice, then relished the sensations of running his hand from her shoulder all the way down over the curve of her hip and back up for several minutes.

 

Kagome's hands also began to wander, tracing Inuyasha's collar bone along to his shoulder, over the planes of his chest and down the sculpted ridges of his abdomen. As her fingers outlined his hip and swept over his belly, he caught her hand and pressed it flat so that her fingers slipped beneath the waistband of his hakama. She exhaled slowly and cautiously slid her hand deeper inside his clothing, enjoying the way her touch made him shiver and moan in his throat.

 

Emboldened, she fumbled with the knot securing the garment, listening to how his breathing sped up as she achieved her goal and began to explore. He let out a deep groan when she first touched, then lightly cupped the length of his erection, his hips moving urgently. Biting back a growl, Inuyasha covered her hand with his, showing her how to squeeze and pump until he was thrusting helplessly into her grip. Through lust-glazed eyes, he realized that Kagome was also watching her hand work his hard length. Tilting up her chin, he slid his tongue into her mouth and kept time with the rocking of his hips.

 

She moaned, the heady scent of her need making him even harder, if that was possible, and he wanted to feel her skin beneath his hands. Pushing the loosened yukata off one shoulder and down her arm, he palmed her silky breast, feeling the velvety tip instantly harden against his fingers. Breaking away from her mouth, he hungrily kissed down her throat until he closed his lips over her nipple.

 

Kagome gasped, arching her back to press herself into his mouth, her hips moving in time with his tongue. The hanyou shoved the yukata away from her body to expose more of her to his touch; she let go of him long enough to shrug free of the material. Inuyasha toyed with each of her breasts in turn as his hand ventured lower, familiarizing himself with all the dips and swells of her ribs and belly until he tucked his claws safely into his fist and slid the back of his knuckle into her slick folds.

 

They both paused for a moment; he because the sensations of heat and wet caused his imagination to instantly replace one of his appendages with another, and she because the contact sent pure pleasure rippling through her entire body. Inuyasha groaned deeply as her arousal surged; he tugged her warm hand away from his erection and rolled onto his back, pulling her with him.

 

Kagome pushed up on her hands and admired him while she gathered her courage. The hanyou's silver hair tumbled and swirled in a pale halo; his golden skin was tinted pink over his high cheekbones and his amber eyes so dark they appeared bronze. She smiled a little shakily, aware of the warmth everywhere they touched and the hard length of flesh pressing into her belly. Inuyasha smiled back and cupped her flushed cheek. “You're beautiful, Kagome…” The girl blushed even harder, but he caught a tinge of apprehension and tried to reassure her by offering, “Koishii, we don't have to do this right now. If you'd rather wait…”

 

There was a quiet, somewhat nervous giggle, before she said, “I've been waiting for this moment for years, Inuyasha, but I'm just worried about how much it will hurt…”

 

“If it makes you feel any better, you're my first, too,” he gruffly admitted.

 

Kagome folded her hands together over the centre of his chest and propped her chin on them, regarding him with dark eyes. “How will we know if we're doing it right?”

 

“Oi… I don't think there really is a right or wrong way…” he muttered bravely, stroking his claws through her hair. She nodded and stretched up to reach his lips, her kisses soft and inviting. He loved the way her body moulded to his, how her curves felt under his hands, how her heart beat as rapidly as his as desire rose between them. Kagome began moving over him, grinding her hips against his erection until he gasped into her mouth and pinned her tightly in place, panting rapidly in an effort to regain control. Kagome waited until he released her before wriggling up his torso in a manner that nearly caused him to lose himself anyways, especially when his tip bumped, then snuggled just inside her entrance.

 

She gasped, then bit her lip as she pushed herself back up on her hands and began to slowly slide down his length. He gritted his teeth, barely resisting the overwhelming urge to take control as the sensations of tightly clinging wet heat nearly caused him to explode right then and there. Kagome jerked slightly just as he encountered a point of resistance and she pressed her forehead into his shoulder. Inuyasha rubbed her back soothingly, that powerful rumble again vibrating deeply in his chest.

 

“Ah, that sound means you like something,” she gasped out, strain-induced sweat trickling into her eyes. “I wasn't sure the first time, when I touched your ears… Oh!”

 

Inuyasha's eyes had snapped open, revealing a red-haloed molten bronze gaze, and she stared in fascination as jagged markings writhed faintly into existence along his cheeks. “Finish this, Kagome… quickly,” he ground out, his voice rough and needy.

 

“Help me,” she pleaded breathlessly. “I can't… uhhh!” In a swift motion, Inuyasha clamped his hands onto her hips and slammed upward, locking them together while her inner muscles protested his presence by clenching tightly around him. Her breath raised goose-bumps across his chest as she whimpered a little over the shock of his entry; he let go of her hips and cradled her gently, kissing her hair while keeping up a continuous thrum. “I think I'm ready,” she finally whispered, as the constricting pressure on his flesh relaxed slightly to an unbelievably arousing squeeze.

 

“Sit up,” the hanyou urged. “I want to watch you…” He steadied her as she drew up her legs, which had the pleasant side effect of spreading her body wider and taking him even deeper. Trembling a little from the sensations, he murmured, “Hang onto my shoulders,” before sitting up and bracing himself on his hands

 

Kagome obediently curled her hands over the lean muscle, watching as a mixture of expressions that included lust, love and pure want play over his features. As she leaned in for a long, wet kiss, he kept her within the intense contact as he began to move both beneath and inside her, rocking his hips in a hard, fast rhythm. Pulling back after long, sweet moments, he lazily admired her luminous eyes, her kiss-swollen lips, the way her hair clung damply to her flushed skin, how her full breasts jiggled and bounced as she tried to match his thrusts. His orgasm took him by surprise, blanking his senses before he could quite muffle his triumphant shout.

 

The young woman stared in surprise as her lover arched like a strung bow, his head falling back as every tendon and muscle in his body leapt out into high relief just before he shuddered violently. After a moment or ten, he slowly relaxed flat onto the futon, his hands coming up to caress her thighs and hips, a soft, satisfied smile curving his lips. “I-Inuyasha? Are you okay?” she stammered, wondering if she'd done something wrong until her entire body vibrated as he began to loudly rumble.

 

“Better than `okay', koishii. Now it's your turn…” he purred.

 

“M-my turn?” Her eyes mirrored her confusion as he pulled her down onto his chest, then rolled her onto her back and slowly slid out of her. Cradling her shoulders in one arm, he kissed her deeply while his free hand cupped her breast, his fingers teasing the tip into a hard peak. When she was squirming, he kissed slowly down her heaving chest to lick and nibble at the sensitized flesh while his hand caressed down her belly until his knuckle again made contact with her swollen nub. Her body shook as he began to rub in time with the arousing motions of his tongue, and it wasn't very long until her toes curled, just before she emitted a high-pitched keening wail and clamped her thighs shut.

 

Inuyasha placed several more loving licks on her breast, slowly withdrawing his hand as she trembled and moaned. He pulled her close, brushing her damp bangs away to place a tender kiss on her forehead while she caught her breath. “Good?” he inquired, stroking her hair off her shoulders.

 

“Better than I ever imagined…” she murmured, nestling against his shoulder. The chilly air of the room cooled both of them down rapidly, so Inuyasha rummaged for the quilts.

 

As he drew the blankets up, he yawned, “Keh. I figured that the houshi at least would be banging on the door to see what was up; we weren't exactly quiet.” To his amusement, he found that Kagome was already fast asleep. Thrumming contentedly deep in his throat, he wrapped himself quite possessively around her and followed her into unconsciousness.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

“What the…? You look like hell, houshi! What happened?” the hanyou demanded the next morning upon rejoining their companions a decent interval after the sealing ofuda were removed. Miroku and Sango sat slumped back to back on the reception room's tatami mats; both were pale from lack of sleep and sporting large bags under their eyes.

 

The monk adjusted his robes and wearily ran his hand through his rumpled hair. “Once you were out of reach, the younger examinees turned their attentions to Sango-sama and myself,” he explained. “Things were rather… lively.”

 

Kagome dropped her backpack and gave Sango, who looked near-dead on her feet, a sympathetic hug. “That's not very good… has anyone seen Shippo?”

 

“I'm right here,” came the sullen reply, and Kagome's mouth dropped open at the sight of the kit's blackened eye and truculent attitude as he shambled into the room, closely followed by a rather harassed-looking Kirara. The neko headed straight for Sango and took possession of her lap, not even bothering to turn around three times before tucking her head under her twin tails.

 

“Shippo lead the charge of his compatriots and I'm afraid I rather took exception to the tenth attempt to brain me in my sleep,” Miroku growled.

 

As Kagome's eyes narrowed with a clear promise of retribution, Shippo snarled, “It's all Inuyasha's fault! If he hadn't sealed himself away, I could've scored maximum points! Blame him, not me!” Instead of sympathy over the kit's somewhat skewed and self-serving logic, Kagome looked toward the glowering hanyou. Inuyasha moved nearly faster than the eye could follow, and Shippo loudly wailed as two large lumps rose on his head.

 

“Kagome! Aren't you gonna `sit' him? He hit me!”

 

“That's for disrespecting your elders, brat, and keep your nose to yourself… or else,” the hanyou threatened just as the kit's eyes grew wide and his mouth opened. Shippo clamped his jaws shut even as his expression grew more appalled when Inuyasha strode back over to Kagome and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Let's go… got demons to kill so we can end this damn quest already!” he proclaimed, barely giving her time to retrieve her pack and bow before pulling her into the entryway and thence out the main door.

 

“There's always next year, Shippo,” Sango sighed, rubbing her eyes as she transferred a boneless Kirara onto her shoulder, whereupon the fire-cat wrapped her tails around the taijiya's neck without cracking an eyelid. Using Hiraikotsu to shove herself to her feet, she then held out her hand to Miroku.

 

“My thanks, lovely Sango. The day has already improved,” he said gallantly as he took her hand and heaved himself upright. Rubbing the back of his neck, he prodded the grumbling kit with the end of his shakujou and said, “If you study, my obnoxiously ambitious little friend, you will undoubtedly achieve success next year… so long as the guests are particularly gullible.” He offered his arm to Sango; she was tired enough to accept and allowed him to lead her out the door.

 

The kit gingerly touched the lumps on his scalp and followed. “I nearly got you with the `guardian dog' illusion!” he claimed.

 

“Stone statues do not cackle, nor tremble for that matter, in sheer anticipation of their cleverness,” the monk stated flatly as they slowly descended the staircase to where the hanyou impatiently tapped his foot, a remarkably contented-looking Kagome tucked into his side. “As I said, more study is required before you can hope to gain top marks.”

 

“I don't think so; I'm not the academic type. Besides, if I turned into a girl, who'd I practice on? You two losers? Ow!” Shippo winced and rubbed yet another bump as Miroku returned his shakujou to his shoulder and continued regally on his way with Sango.

 

None of the departing guests noticed that one of the guardian fox statues from the shrine of Inari seemed to have migrated to a position at the foot of the staircase during the night, and was watching them with intense emerald green eyes. A second `statue' appeared beside the first, elegantly fanning its seven tails. “Feeling nostalgic already, Yoh?” it asked in a low voice. “Out of curiosity, why did you stop? Your score would have been even higher…”

 

The first shot a scorching glance at the second, who recoiled slightly. “I would never compromise a woman's honour under any circumstances; as a matter of fact, it was an equal exchange. She assisted me to attain top marks, and I returned the favour by inspiring the hanyou to claim her.”

 

The travellers were now out of sight; the second `stone' sculpture transformed into a tall, golden-haired kitsune, who clapped a friendly hand onto Yoh's back and chuckled, “There's also the fact that the hanyou would have hunted you down and gutted you like a fish if you'd claimed her for your own.”

 

Yoh transformed as well and sighed, “She's a lovely girl; I honestly don't know what she sees in him…”

 

“It's the ears,” the senior kitsune stated definitively. “They're just so… tweakable!”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

A/N: If the idea of a kitsune transforming into Inuyasha and attempting to take advantage of other characters intrigues you, I encourage you to read Blackberry's excellent action/adventure fanfic `Okaeri', available on FanFiction (dot) net.