InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Live and Let Die (Part 3): Learning To Deal ❯ Encounters ( Chapter 16 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimers: I do not own InuYasha or any of the manga/anime characters. They belong to the wonderful genius Rumiko Takahashi. Any original characters do belong to me.
 
AN: Thanks much for the reviews left so far. I read each and every one of them, and greatly appreciate the time you took to leave one.
 
 
Live and Let Die: Learning to Deal
 
 
Chapter 16: Encounters (Warning: Lemons)
 
Kagome had taken InuYasha's hand as they exited the well house and walked towards her home. When they entered, Kagome called out to let her mother know that they had returned.
 
“Well, hello, dear. I was wondering when you two would be back. Dinner won't be ready for a while yet. Jii-chan went to the hospital to visit a friend, and Souta went home with one of his friends from school. You two look like you could stand a hot shower, so run upstairs and be done with it before they come home,” Mama said with a smile.
 
“Okay, Mama. Thanks,” Kagome replied as she led InuYasha towards the stairs. He was shaking his head with a goofy grin on his face.
 
“What is it, InuYasha?” the miko asked.
 
“I just can't get used to the fact that your mother is happy about this. She even encourages us to… well, you know,” InuYasha answered.
 
“I think she's happy because I'm happy. She always told me you cared more for me than you were able to admit, but I wasn't willing to believe it. I was too afraid to get my hopes up…” Kagome's voice trailed away.
 
InuYasha pulled her into her room and closed the door before he wrapped his arms around her. “It's still hard for me to say, so I don't say it as often as I should. I do love you - never forget it.”
 
“I know, InuYasha. I know you do. And I love you, too,” Kagome responded as she pulled just far enough away from his body to look up into his eyes. She reached up to softly kiss him before he let her go. “Now, should we get some clean clothes to take with us to the bathroom? I'm ready for that shower.”
 
“Keh,” he answered as she rummaged around in her drawers and pulled out some boxers. “Huh, it looks like Mama has been shopping for you. These look new. I wonder what else she bought?”
 
Kagome threw the boxers along with sweats and a t-shirt for him on the bed, and then pulled out a fresh pair of panties and a smaller sized set of sweats for herself. “Let's hurry, before the others get back.”
 
She thrust InuYasha's change of clothes into his hands and then headed for the bathroom. “Wait a second,” she said, as she closed the door in his face. When he heard the toilet flush the door reopened. “Sorry, I'm still not ready for you to watch me pee.”
 
InuYasha just blushed. It was just a necessary bodily function, but still…
 
However, that was all forgotten as she stripped out of her clothing and he did the same. Adjusting the shower so it was not too hot, she stepped in, pulling the hanyou in with her. She sighed in the contentment as the warm water cascaded over her head before she reached down to firmly wrap her hand around InuYasha's cock and gently squeezed.
 
The hanyou caught his breath. He thought maybe she'd had enough after their encounter in the well, but apparently not. As she stroked his erection, he leaned over and pulled her nipple between his teeth and into his mouth, causing her to gasp loud enough to hear over the running water. Cupping her breast in his hand, he caught her lips in his and sucked her tongue into his mouth, his other hand behind her head to hold her to him as he assaulted her.
 
They both came up sputtering for air when their position changed enough for the spray from the shower to catch them both in the face. Kagome used the opportunity to turn away from her mate, and plant her hands against the wall with her feet spread. InuYasha needed no further instruction to know what she wanted.
 
He bent his knees enough to come up into her from behind, and then surprised her as she felt her hands sliding up the tile wall as her feet left the ground. He backed away from the wall so that her arms slid back down, though her hands still helped to brace her upper body. “Bend your elbows,” he whispered as he started to grind against her.
 
The miko did as he asked, and found that her arms were now bracing her, but not jarring her, as they bent in time with his thrusts. In and out he pounded, again rotating his hips with each thrust as he had done in the well. He started out with a slow, smooth, and even rhythm that made her beg for more.
 
He sped up and hit inside of her harder, making her gasp each time he pushed into her. It seemed all too soon when she felt his heat fill her up from within. She could feel him throbbing as he emptied himself into her body.
 
She was only disappointed for a moment when she realized she had not come, but apparently he wasn't finished with her yet. Careful not to lose his position inside of her, he surprised her when he wrapped his arms around her, dropping to the shower floor and leaning back against the wall.
 
Kagome was completely overwhelmed by the sensations of her own body as she felt one clawed hand cup a breast, one reach down to find her hardened nub, and his mouth found her marks on her shoulder. She couldn't help but to cry out as she came, the massive orgasm rocketing through her body as the warm water continued to pour over them. He didn't relent until she collapsed back against him, unable to take any more.
 
InuYasha wrapped both of his arms around his mate and held her, until she finally started to stir against him. Finally coming back to her senses and remembering where they were, she started to climb to her feet. The hanyou stood effortlessly and pulled her up and then lowered his face to hers and kissed her thoroughly before pulling her body back to his. No other words were needed when Kagome finally picked up the soap to go about the business of cleaning themselves up.
 
 
~ ^~^ ~
 
 
Kouga arrived back at the well and finally came to a halt as Ginta and Hakkaku ran to catch up. He was puzzled because the scent of the others was still fresh, but no one was here.
 
“Ginta, Hakkaku,” the ookami prince called.
 
The two wolf youkai were huffing and puffing when they reached Kouga. Leaning over, resting their hands on their thighs as they panted, they both answered, “Yes, Kouga?”
 
“Take the pack wolves and go back near the river. Stay away from the humans, and you'd better stay away from the imp and the two-headed dragon, too. I'm going on to the old miko's hut to see if I can find out what's been happening while we've been gone. I'll be out to join you later,” Kouga told them.
 
“All right, Kouga. We'll be waiting for you,” Ginta replied before the two of them took off at a jog back towards the river.
 
 
Kouga ran along the path to the Kaede's hut, but the sight that met him made him change his mind about approaching the old miko. Apparently, there was a reunion of sorts going on. The mutt's full-demon brother gave him a glare that clearly said `stay away' when Kouga started to approach, and it appeared that neither the mutt nor Kagome were there, anyway. Deciding that his questions could wait, Kouga did an about-face and headed back towards the river to remain with his pack mates until later.
 
 
 
Kohaku looked like a deer caught in the headlights as he entered the clearing that surrounded Kaede's hut and saw his sister. He thought he was prepared for this, but now he wasn't so sure. It was a strange sight that met his eyes: Kirara was standing at Sango's feet and twitching her two tails; Miroku had a grip on his sister's shoulder, keeping her from bolting from where she stood, with the other wrapped around the kitsune's mouth in order to keep him from saying anything; Rin was standing next to Lord Sesshomaru, having stepped out from behind him when she recognized Kohaku; and the old miko was watching the reactions of everyone involved, including Kikyou and himself.
 
“Sister,” Kohaku whispered as he looked at Sango, who had started to cry.
 
“Kohaku!” the demon slayer exclaimed as she broke away from the monk and ran towards her sibling. Expecting the worst for all of his transgressions, the boy closed his eyes and awaited his fate.
 
Kohaku was startled when he felt his sister's arms wrap around him as she hugged him fiercely. He finally broke down and cried with her as the two held on to each other and sank to the ground.
 
All of the others stayed back and waited quietly to see what would happen. Even Shippou had enough sense to keep his mouth shut as the siblings cried and tried to comfort and console one another. They could hear a mantra of, “I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry,” from Kohaku, as Sango cried back, “It was not your fault.”
 
 
~ ^~^ ~
 
 
InuYasha and Kagome were sitting at the kitchen table and drinking tea when Souta came in, followed by Jii-chan. In an instant, the peace and quiet they had been enjoying while chatting with Mama was gone.
 
Souta surprised them all when he ran and threw his arms around InuYasha when he jumped in his lap. He had leaped with such exuberance that InuYasha had to catch him to keep him from overshooting him. The hanyou looked at the young boy and raised his eyebrows. Kagome just giggled.
 
“Jii-chan said you're going to marry Kagome and I get to wear a formal kimono and everything!” Souta exclaimed happily.
 
“Keh?” InuYasha sputtered. “Kagome hasn't said when, and we don't have the bands yet.”
 
“That doesn't matter, you're going to marry her, right?” the young boy persisted.
 
InuYasha didn't know what to say, and looked to Kagome for help. He didn't want to put his foot in his mouth by saying the wrong thing.
 
This time, Kagome recognized that look for what it was, rather than jumping to the conclusion that InuYasha didn't want to marry her. Considering everything he was going through to do so, she knew that wasn't the problem.
 
“Souta,” the miko started. “We are going to get married. We just haven't decided the date yet. InuYasha did ask Jii-chan to perform the ceremony and he agreed, but we still have a lot to do, and I have a lot to do. You know they don't approve of girls in school getting married,” she said gently. “I had wanted to wait until this year was over, but Grandfather and InuYasha would like to do it sooner. I have to get my engagement ring first, and then the wedding bands. I told InuYasha we'd see how things worked out. All right?”
 
Kagome couldn't help but to laugh, as she looked at her little brother, who was still clinging to her mate. “You mean you really want to wear the traditional robes?”
 
“Yeah! I can be more like InuYasha then!” Souta answered enthusiastically.
 
Jii-chan let out a heavy sigh. It figured the boy would rather be like the hanyou than his revered, priestly, grandfather.
 
 
~ ^~^ ~
 
 
Byakuya circled the deserted slayers' village looking for any sign of life. From outward appearances, no one was there. He flew a little lower and noticed the vegetation that was slowly creeping up the sides of buildings, over downed parts of the fortress fence, growing wild almost everywhere. The only exceptions were a few places that a poison youkai had gone down and killed everything where the body had landed as its fluids seeped into the ground. The only other place that was not totally grown over appeared to be a line of graves.
 
The incarnation of Naraku landed and walked along the graves. Though they appeared to have been tended to, no one seemed to have been here recently. Any flowers or sprigs left to mark the sites had long dried up and blown away. No one had visited here in weeks, if not months.
 
Wanting to be thorough, Byakuya continued his walk throughout the village. Covers to doorways were hanging off, and roofs were in disrepair. His methodical search turned up no sign of the demon slayer or her brother. As far as he could tell, they had not been here at all.
 
There was only one building that was an exception. It was still in good repair and had a ward on it so that he could not enter. However, it appeared to be locked from the outside with a door that was a sturdy as the fortress fence surrounding the village once was. Byakuya concluded that the boy and girl probably would not lock themselves in from the outside, and therefore must not be in the village. There simply was no evidence that anyone had been here in a very long time.
 
Not relishing the thought of returning to Naraku empty-handed, Byakuya took out his paper crane and took to the air. He flew through the village again to make absolutely certain that no one was there. Finding no evidence to the contrary, he acknowledged that it had been completely abandoned and headed back towards his master to make his report.
 
 
~ ^~^ ~
 
 
Sango sobbed almost silently as she watched Kohaku's back disappear down the path, along with Kikyou. She had so much she wanted to ask him and to tell him, but neither was ready for that, at least not yet. She found some consolation in that he had been able to make the first crucial step to finally face her. And while they had done little more than cry and comfort each other, at least it was a beginning.
 
 
Miroku had stayed back, yet near enough to come to the slayer when she needed him. Sensing the time might be now, he walked up behind her and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. Sango abruptly turned into him and wrapped her arms around his body and allowed herself to cry. The monk gently rubbed her back as her body heaved with her sobs.
 
When her tears finally started to slow, Miroku asked, “Are you all right, Sango?”
 
She did not answer, but he felt her nod into his chest.
 
When Sango finally opened her eyes, she was surprised to see the shining, yet gentle and concerned eyes of Rin staring into hers.
 
“Kohaku is your brother?” the young girl asked.
 
Sango nodded her head in reply.
 
“Will he be back?” Rin questioned.
 
“I hope so,” Sango answered.
 
“He may not have been ready to speak with you yet, but he was finally able to face you. I believe the hardest part is past,” Kaede offered. “It took a great deal of courage on his part for him to come here to see you.”
 
“Yes, Sango. And I think that he came sooner than he might have if you had tried to find him. Instead of running, he came to you,” Miroku added.
 
The demon slayer squeezed Miroku tighter in response.
 
“Will Kohaku be all right?” Rin asked.
 
“I do not know,” Sango responded honestly. “I want to go for a walk, to clear my head. I will be back in a little while.”
 
The others nodded their understanding of her desire to be alone and stepped back. Miroku was surprised when he felt her reach out and gently take his hand and give it a slight tug. He remained silent as he wrapped his fingers around hers, and fell into step alongside her with Kirara following at their heels.
 
 
~ ^~^ ~
 
 
The rest of dinner was more peaceful after Souta had climbed out of InuYasha's lap and resumed his place in his usual chair. Once the dishes had been cleared away, Jii-chan disappeared for a moment and returned with an expensive looking invitation with Kagome and InuYasha's names on it. He had a look on his face that basically said, “humph” as he handed it to Kagome. “This came for you while you were away.”
 
Kagome looked puzzled as she took the envelope from him and turned it over. “This looks like it is from T- Mr. Furuguchi,” Kagome said, catching herself mid-statement as she tore open the flap. While they had told her mother about the demon sword smith, they had not let her grandfather in on the secret.
 
InuYasha looked over Kagome's shoulder as she read the invitation that had been hand-written in beautiful calligraphy. “We're invited, all of us, to a reception for Mr. Furuguchi's clients,” Kagome said, handing the invitation to her grandfather so that he could see for himself, while her eyes fell on the additional piece of paper that had been tucked into the card. “He also says he will have my ring ready for me by then, and I can pick it up that night if I'd like to.” She didn't mention that in addition, he would have her mother's piece ready and had found a buyer for the other diamond shards.
 
InuYasha could tell that Kagome was excited, but still… “I… I don't know, Kagome,” he said, twitching his ears to make a point.
 
Mama had pulled out her calendar and flipped the page over to the night of the date in question. “Well, would you look at this? What luck!” she said as she pointed to the symbol that indicated the lunar phase.
 
“The night of the new moon,” Kagome said softly as she looked at InuYasha. Totosai knew InuYasha's secret. “I think you should go, InuYasha. I think we all should.”
 
“We'll have to go shopping, then,” Mama offered. “We'll need something to wear for your engagement party once you have the ring, so we can kill two birds with one stone. What did you two have planned for tomorrow?” she asked Kagome.
 
Kagome looked at InuYasha before she answered, “One of the things I needed to do was to contact Mr. Furuguchi to ask about my ring. Since that's taken care of, I don't have anything else, other than to check in on my schoolwork to make sure I'm not missing anything.”
 
“Well, why don't I take you in tomorrow, then? I can take Souta on the weekend when he's out of school, and Jii-chan, if he'll go. We'll definitely each need something new to wear to the Hotel Okura,” Mama offered.
 
They heard her grandfather mumble something to the effect that his robes were just fine.
 
Kagome reached over and squeezed his hand. “Jii-chan, you haven't bought yourself a set of new robes in probably ten years. Why don't you splurge a little and buy some new ones for this and then you'll have them for my engagement party and wedding?”
 
Mama chimed in, “She's right, you know. Your old ones are getting a bit worn. You're due a new set.”
 
“You mean you do not expect me to wear something more modern to this fancy reception?” he asked, rather surprised.
 
Kagome shook her head. “Mr. Furuguchi knows that you are a priest. And if you wouldn't be comfortable in a suit, then I don't think you should have to wear one. Your good robes should be just fine.”
 
Souta was looking a bit excited so she added, “Souta, InuYasha is going to have to get a suit for this, okay? They won't be surprised if Jii-chan shows up in formal robes, but they would for two guys your ages. You'll need a suit for the engagement party, too, so don't give Mama a hard time about it, okay?”
 
“InuYasha has to wear a suit?” Souta clarified, noticing the puzzled look on the hanyou's face.
 
“Yes, Souta, he will,” Kagome answered.
 
“Okay then. I will, too,” the boy responded.
 
“Thanks, Souta. Now, I've had a really long day, and I'm beat. I'm going up to my room. I want to be well rested when we go shopping tomorrow. Ready, InuYasha?” Kagome yawned.
 
“Keh.”
 
~ ^~^ ~
 
 
Kouga was startled to look up and realize that Lord Sesshomaru had suddenly appeared near him. “Where did you come from?” he asked.
 
Sesshomaru just stared at him in silence for a few moments before asking, “Were you able to learn anything new?”
 
The wolf prince shook his head. “We went all the way up to the border of the Northern Lands, but couldn't find out anything. Well, not about Naraku, anyhow. We did make a lot of humans and youkai happy when we told them that Keikaiyari was dead. I don't think anyone is going to miss that fucker. But no one knew anything about Naraku, or had even heard of him. That's why we finally came back here. It seemed pointless, but we know that sooner or later he's bound to come after Kagome and the mutt.” When Kouga heard a low growl, he hurriedly added, “I mean InuYasha.”
 
“Very well,” Sesshomaru said before he disappeared again.
 
 
 
 
Sango and Miroku walked in silence, headed towards the well almost out of habit. When they finally reached the clearing, Sango stopped and looked up at the sky.
 
“Are you really all right, Sango?” Miroku asked quietly.
 
“It was a start,” she answered, still staring upwards. “Do you think we will be able to save him?”
 
“I do not know,” Miroku answered truthfully. “As far as we know, his life is tied to that jewel shard in his back. As long as he has it, he will be a target, but we don't know if he can survive without it.”
 
Sango sighed. “I know.” She turned and wrapped her arms around Miroku. “Do you think it will be much longer before this is all over?”
 
Miroku pulled her tightly to him. “Everything we think Naraku wants is here. Kohaku is here with his shard, Kouga showed up just afterwards and he still has his two, and then Kagome has the few we have collected. As far as we know, Naraku already has all of the others. Sooner or later, he is bound to come after these so that he can complete the jewel. However, he has been patient in all of his devious plots. We will just have to be prepared when he finally makes an appearance. Two things in our favor are that he believes that Kagome has no power, and he has no idea that we have united against him. He is probably deep in hiding, thinking we are killing each other off. I think Naraku will be in for a surprise.”
 
“I hope so,” Sango said, her voice muffled as she pressed into his robes. Accompanying it was a loud rumble from her stomach.
 
“You are hungry, Sango. You really need to eat something,” Miroku said with concern.
 
“Thanks, Houshi,” she said softly. “Thank you for being here for me.”
 
“I could do no less,” he answered, as he kissed the top of her head.
 
 
 
 
Kikyou turned to wait for Kohaku to catch up with her. She had neither encouraged him nor discouraged him to see his sister. Unfortunately, his fate was tied to that jewel shard in his back and could come to meet him at any moment. And while the boy was usually somewhat quiet, his silence was almost deafening as they returned to where they were camped.
 
Kohaku looked up and realized that Kikyou was waiting and hurried his pace. He was so lost in thought that he had slowed down, almost to a halt. When he drew alongside of her, he said, “It was not what I expected.”
 
“What was not, Kohaku?”
 
“I thought she would be angry with me, but instead she was sad,” he answered. “She said she understood. How can she understand the things I have done?”
 
Kikyou was silent for a moment before she responded, “I believe she recognizes that you were not in control. Naraku forced you to do the evil things that you did. She knows that while it was your body, it was Naraku's actions. She wishes to seek her revenge upon the one responsible, as do I.”
 
“She still loves me? After everything?” he questioned.
 
“Yes, Kohaku. She is your sister, and it is clear that she loves you.”
 
“Should I go back again?”
 
“It is your decision, Kohaku. You must do what is in your heart,” Kikyou advised.
 
Kikyou did not say that he had been given an opportunity he might have missed under other circumstances, the opportunity to make things right with Sango before Naraku came to reclaim his shard and his life. The undead miko remained silent as they continued their way along the trail.
 
 
~ ^~^ ~
 
 
InuYasha sat on the bed next to Kagome. She leaned against him and he wrapped his arm around her. Kissing the top of her head, he asked, “Are you going to explain any of that to me now?”
 
“Totosai knows you are human the night of the new moon, and I don't think he would plan anything that would put you in any danger. Besides, anyone who might even think of trying something would get a big surprise when they realize I have more power that night than any other. Can we get a little more comfortable and I'll try to explain the rest to you?”
 
“What'd you have in mind?” the hanyou asked his mate.
 
Kagome had InuYasha scoot back to the wall at the head of the bed. Lying lengthwise along it, she had stretched out and put her head in his lap. “That's better. My back was starting to knot up.”
 
InuYasha stroked her hair with one hand as his other traced up under her shirt and found the curve of her breast as she explained about the engagement party, shopping for clothes for both of them to wear, and the fact he was going to have to at least tolerate shoes to go to a function like this.
 
The hanyou's response to that was a heavy sigh, and then he commented, “At least maybe they won't bother me as much when I'm human since I won't have any claws to pinch. I can't wear the sandals? They aren't so bad.”
 
“Sorry, InuYasha. A function like this and like the engagement party means real shoes, socks, and a suit. It'll just be for the night. You know, I wonder what Totosai is up to?” Kagome pondered as she shifted her head in his lap.
 
“Oi, wench, keep that up, and he's not the only one that'll be up to something,” InuYasha commented as he pushed her bra up out of the way and tweaked a nipple.
 
The miko rolled on her side and grabbed the waistbands of his sweats and boxers and pulled them down far enough to free him. She heard him suck in air and lean back heavily against the wall as she pulled the velvety head into her mouth as she wrapped her other hand around his rapidly hardening erection. She was shifting her position to get a better grip on him when she felt something pull.
 
“Ow,” she said softly as she turned loose. “I'm sorry, InuYasha, but I think I just pulled something. My back's been bothering me with everything I've done the last few days. Would you mind? Rubbing it for me, I mean?”
 
“I don't mind, tell me what to do.”
 
Kagome stiffly got up and stripped out of her clothes. She made sure her door was locked and grabbed a bottle of mildly scented lotion off of her dresser. She giggled when she turned around, since her hanyou was now naked, too.
 
“Lie down, and I'll show you,” the miko told him, and tried not to laugh when he lay face up, and waggled his eyebrows at her. “I need to rub your back, silly. We'll get to the other later.”
 
InuYasha grinned and rolled over. Kagome straddled him, and sitting on his butt, put some of the lotion in her hands and rubbed them together. She then started at his lower back, kneading the hard muscles and working her way up.
 
InuYasha had to admit it felt pretty damn good. “Okay, I think I get the idea,” he told her.
 
They changed places, and InuYasha took some of the lotion before setting the bottle aside out of the way. He started at her lower back, just as she did, and gently rubbed.
 
“Harder, you need to dig in to get the knots,” Kagome said with a voice muffled by her pillow.
 
The hanyou kneaded harder, and started to feel some of the hard spots in the muscle. Assuming that these were the `knots' she spoke of, he dug in harder. She groaned in approval, so he continued.
 
He moved up her back and started along her shoulder blades. There were more knots there as well, and so he continued to massage them out, working up and down her back. As her back started to relax, he could no longer resist and reached around to caress her breasts. Instead of resisting, or complaining, he felt her spread her legs so that her thighs met the calves of his legs. In response, InuYasha scooted back some, so that he was back over her thighs. Reaching down with one hand, he rubbed himself between her folds, to find her once again dripping with her desire for him. She shifted again to make it easier for him to enter her, and his head slipped into her hot slit, and he slid into her.
 
As he started to thrust, he took the palms of his hands and continued to knead her lower back with them. He could hear her grunts into her pillow as he began to drive into her harder. He lay over her back and reached to cup her breasts, his pelvis thrusting faster as he held their upper bodies together, the side of his face pressed into her back. His thighs were burning, as were his balls and his groin, but the pleasure far outweighed any discomfort.
 
His mate seemed comfortable as he continued to slap against her, his grunts and her moans blending together as he sought his release. When he was almost there, he suddenly rose to his knees, his hands sliding down to hold her hips as he pulled her up with him. The change in position was all Kagome needed for him to send her body into spasms as her orgasm rocketed through her, setting her body on fire. As her walls clamped down, the hanyou slammed into her hard, one more time, and erupted with force unlike anything he had ever felt before. He was panting as he collapsed over her back, and pushed her down into the bed, once again her breasts in his hands, as they lay joined together.
 
InuYasha felt a hand reach back to find an ear, and softly scratch behind it before Kagome shifted to get a little more comfortable. She seemed content as her hands now found his and encouraged his gentle rubbing of her breasts as he teased her nipples. They fell asleep, still joined, legs tangled together.
 
 
Kagome woke sometime during the night to find that InuYasha had rolled off of her, and was lying on his back next to her. She leaned over and latched onto a nipple as her hand reached down to tease him, to wake him up.
 
InuYasha woke at the feeling that his nipple was being suckled, and the gentle touch of fingers down below.
 
“You haven't had enough, yet, wench?” he asked very quietly.
 
She turned loose and responded, “It was ten long days, and I never have enough of you. Love me?”
 
InuYasha responded by guiding her over his face. His breath tickled her curls before he reached out with his tongue to taste her. Kagome spread her legs a little further to get closer to him as she cupped her breasts in her hands and arched her back.
 
The hanyou used his thumbs to pry her apart as he delved his tongue into her as deeply as he could reach. When he pulled it out, he flicked it up her center and landed on her hardened nub. He felt her start to rise and fall in rhythm with his motions - down when his tongue went in, up a little when he ran it up between her folds that he currently had under his thumbs. She threw her head back and rubbed her nipples as she rode his unrelenting mouth. When she started to pick up speed, so did he, until she started to jerk against his face. He then thrust his tongue up in to her and proceeded to try and drink her dry. He didn't stop for as long as her motion continued, until she finally started to slide back down his body, away from his face.
 
He wasn't disappointed because she slid back and lifted herself just enough to guide him into her. He was already rock-hard again from his attentions to her, and knew he probably wouldn't last long this time. She held her hands out, and he took them to help brace her. He watched her breasts bounce up and down as she rode him, this time bringing him to ecstasy. She didn't stop until she felt his heat fill her from within once again, and he let go of her hands to grasp her thighs and hold her against him. His thumbs gently brushed across the top of her dark curls as he continued to fill her, all the while looking into each other's eyes. Kagome finally shifted so that she could lie prone on top of him, though she was careful to keep him inside of her for as long as she could. She snuggled against his chest as his strong arms wrapped around her, one gently rubbing up and down her back.
 
As their breathing evened out, and their heartbeats finally started to return to normal, InuYasha asked, “Kagome, are you all right?”
 
He felt her nod against his chest, though she did not say anything.
 
“What is it, Kagome? What's wrong?” He had reached up to stroke her hair with his other hand.
 
This time he felt her body shake as she tried not to sob, though he felt a few hot tears trickle against his chest.
 
“Nothing's wrong,” he finally heard, her voice muffled as she spoke.
 
“Kagome, something must be wrong. You've never been like this, and now you're crying. Please, just tell me. Did I do something wrong?” InuYasha was practically pleading now. While Kagome had been practically insatiable before, she had been so intense since his return. Something was different this time.
 
She had not answered yet, but he felt her arms wrap around his body and squeeze him even tighter. Wanting to get to the bottom of whatever was going on, he carefully sat up, adjusting her legs so she was straddling him. He continued to rub her back with one hand as the other helped to support her. Finally, she loosened her grip around him enough that he could look down and see her face.
 
“Now, will you please tell me what's going on?”
 
He was surprised when his mate smiled at him, even with the tears still clinging to her lashes. She reached up to brush his bangs out of his eyes so that she could see them better before she finally spoke, “I knew that you loved me, I really did. I just didn't realize how much until you came back.”
 
“What do you mean, of course I love you. I told you that, even if I don't say it nearly enough,” he answered softly.
 
“Do you realize when you came back, what you did? You didn't even notice that the others were there. You weren't ashamed to kiss me in front of them. You swept me off my feet and gave me a kiss that would have had them talking for a month if they could have seen it,” she answered.
 
“Keh?”
 
“You really had eyes only for me,” Kagome said.
 
“There's got to be more to it than that, wench,” he prodded.
 
“You didn't… you didn't even…”
 
“Didn't what?” he prompted gently, trying to pry out what had affected her so.
 
“You didn't even ask where she was, like you didn't even care…” Kagome finally answered.
 
“Who?”
 
“You know…”
 
“Kikyou?”
 
“Yeah, Kikyou. I was surprised when you said she could help me,” she said frankly.
 
InuYasha reached up to brush her tears away. “I wouldn't have if I didn't think she would be able to help. I didn't think I should decide for you, and I knew both Kaede and the monk would be there, too. She was - is - a powerful priestess, the only one close to what you are. I only want you to be able to protect yourself, and I thought she could help, if you let her.”
 
“You trusted her not to hurt me, in spite of everything?” Kagome whispered.
 
InuYasha was silent for a moment before he said in a deadly serious tone, “I told her that you were my mate, and nothing would change that. And I said that I would hunt her down myself if any harm came to you.”
 
Kagome was silent as his words sank in, before she pulled herself tightly against his body and sobbed. InuYasha wrapped his arms around her and rocked her until she finally fell back asleep.
 
 
To be continued…