InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Cinderella Stroy ❯ Shippou Made Safe ( Chapter 10 )

Sesshomaru stood in his garden trying to push Kagome from his mind. He had not been entirely truthful with her about the ring. It could summon him when she wanted it too, but most importantly, especially to mates, it augmented the mating bond. This meant that he felt what she felt, and right now he was consumed by her loneliness and her fear. She stepped outside and he felt her calm slightly though the feelings did not fade.

For the first time in his life, Sesshomaru was torn. He wanted to go to her, to comfort her, a feeling that was terrifyingly foreign to him. At the same time he did not want to admit that he had deceived her, even through omission, about the ring. He felt her touch it, and the longing returned. He closed his eyes, wanting so badly to be at her side. I am neither ningen, nor youkai, nor kami. Can you love me as I am? Can any creature love something that does not even understand herself?

The thoughts tripped him up slightly. How could she not be ningen? She smelled ningen, there was that soft scent of lavender, and the sweet spice that all females carried, but there was also the taste of great power and the underlying thread that screamed ningen to his instincts. Still, she was able to disguise who she was to him even as she stood before him. Perhaps she had laced the scent of ningen in with her own to fool anyone. Perhaps it was a defense method that she erected unconsciously.

He shook his head slightly. There was too much speculation in all of that. His need to go to her was still there, her loneliness no less diminished by thoughts of love and tenderness. He closed his eyes and tilted his head toward the sky, seeking divine guidance. He would go to her, and speak to her. He could not stay away. The more he denied her, the more he needed her.

 

Kagome sat carefully, leaning against the wall that surrounded the manor. On one side the road led into the town and the monastery and youkai exterminators beyond, but on this side, it backed up to the forest. Not a very sound defensive idea, but then no one had attacked this place in decades. The guards were relaxed, the notion of their own invincibility making them weak.

She shook her head to clear such thoughts and leaned back, closing her eyes. Silent tears slipped down her face and she was glad she'd put Shippou to bed, the scent would surely have awakened him. Swallowing her fear she opened her eyes and gazed into the dark gaping maw of the forest. She sensed the youkai and had just enough time to brace herself for an attack when he stepped from the woods. Slowly, each muscle uncoiled as she relaxed in Sesshomaru's presence.

Rising to her feet she surreptitiously wiped the tears from her cheeks, hoping he did not see them. He stepped closer and she saw his nostrils flare as he scented her. His hand came up, his claws tracing the place where the tears had cut tracks on her cheeks.

“I can scent his lust on you. Why did you not summon me?”

She shook her head. “He didn't try anything, he just thought about it. Are you going to kill him for his thoughts now?”

He cupped her chin, lifting it so that she was looking at him. “You are not ningen, nor youaki, nor kami, but that does not mean you are not worth protecting, even from his thoughts.”

She gasped softly. “How…”

“You directed the thoughts at the ring.”

She flushed and tried to look away though his hand prevented it. He could feel her stroking the ring with her thumb gently. “I didn't know…I'm sorry.”

“Who told you I minded? It is important, Kagome that you understand who you are and part of that is understanding what you are. You are not a servant, and you are not the whore he would make you. You are not a child anymore though there are those that treat you as such.”

“So what am I?”

He stepped closer, his body almost touching hers. “Beauty, power, grace. You are everything every man wants and every woman wants to be. You are tempered steel dressed in silk.”

She trembled as his breath caressed her face. “Sesshomaru-sama…what are you saying?”

“That I desire you.”

“I am ningen.”

“No, you are much more…and someday, if you will permit me,” he leaned closer his lips almost brushing hers, “you will be mine. My Kagome.”

His lips covered hers in a soft chaste kiss. The hand on her cheek slid to the back of her neck, pulling her closer. She felt warmth gather in her belly as she instinctively arched her back, giving silent permission for him to deepen the caress of his lips. Even as her body reacted her mind reeled. This was unreal, it wasn't happening. She fought a tiny bubble of fear and forcefully silenced the voice in the back of her mind that told her if he wanted her, she was not strong enough to stop him. He released her, his eyes whirling with want, though he restrained it. Gently he caressed her cheek, soothing her fears away.

“Sesshomaru, I cannot be yours. You are a Taiyoukai. You cannot mate someone as weak as I.”

“You are not weak.” His finger tips slid over her lips, caressing the soft skin. “I have seen many things in my life time. You remind me a great deal of Inuyasha's mother. She gave up everything, her life, even the man she loved to seal the treaty between my father and her father. There is something of her in you, something of her sadness and her love, but there is also fire behind it all.” A fire I would gladly let myself be consumed in. “You are pure, in every sense of the word. I will never allow anything to mare that purity.”

He stepped back slightly and she suddenly felt as though she could breathe. The air escaped her lungs in a soft whoosh as she looked at him. “What do you mean?”

He lifted her hand and touched the ring. “The longer you wear it, the more powerful the link. Next time he does this, next time he even thinks these thoughts, I will come, and there will be a reckoning. I will not kill him, but he will know pain, and fear.”

“But…”

His fingers touched her lips again, silencing her. “Let me protect you.”

She closed her eyes as he unconsciously echoed Midoriko's words. Silently she nodded and she felt him remove his fingers from her lips. She opened his eyes and watched him watching her. The wind stirred his silver hair and tugged at the red and white kimono. Moon light made him glow ethereal and she wondered if this was not some fantastic dream. She took a step and reached out, tracing the maroon stripes on his cheek.

“I will let you protect me, Sesshomaru, but only if you will take my pup from here. I fear for him.”

He reached up and touched her hand, his finger tracing the ring. “I know, I will take him.”

She turned and ran toward the manor. Confused he paused for a second before moving to follow. He slammed into a barrier and stepped back. Silently he slid his claws along it. This one was even stronger than the other. The first barrier he had passed through easily, it recognized him, but this one was tuned specifically to keep him out. He felt anger rise in his gut. She was shutting him out, preventing him from doing exactly what she had just given him permission to do. Before his temper could boil over though, he scented her returning and she was not alone. A small red bundle stirred in her arms as she approached and she smiled at him.

“Yumi-sama is in the manor tonight, you can come no closer than this or she will sense you. I do not want to have her questioning me in a place where Yoshi might overhear.”

“She would be so indiscrete?”

She shrugged. “She sees no reason for me to hide. She is a good person, but naive. She sees only the good in others and believes that Yoshi will embrace me as a daughter if given the opportunity.”

“She is a fool.”

Kagome ignored the response and gently shook the small bundle to life. A kitsune pup looked up at her, then his eyes focused on Sesshomaru and he yipped, leaping up to her shoulder.

“I'll protect you, Okaasan, you run for the manor and get the guard!”

She laughed softly as she caught him midair when he flung himself at Sesshomaru. “Enough of this, my darling. Sesshomaru-sama has come to take you away from here.”

“Away?” His eyes grew wide and filled with tears. “You don't want me anymore?”

Again she laughed. “Enough of those tears. I am your Okaasan. How could I not want you? But I am afraid for you. If you stay here, bad things might happen that I could not stop. If you go with Sesshomaru-sama you will be safe.”

“But you won't be there.”

“You will still see me, but for now this is best. Please, Shippou-chan, please go with him.” Both youkai scented tears from her. “I don't want to be afraid for you anymore.”

He wrapped his arms around her neck. “Please don't cry Okaasan. I'll go with him if it will make you happy.”

She returned the gentle embrace. “I will not be happy. I will be lonely, but you will be safe and that will make me feel better.”

He gave her one last squeeze before releasing her. Silently he held out his arms to Sesshomaru, who took the child and cradled him against his chest. Honey gold eyes met the blue of the deep ocean in unspoken understanding. He reached out and stroked her cheek, wiping away an errant tear.

“I will come, you cannot stop me, no barrier you erect, no guard you set will stop me. He will not hurt you again.”

He left so fast a slight breeze, heavy with his scent, stirred the air around her. She inhaled, trying to draw him into her, to gain strength from the knowledge that she was not alone.