InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Sacred Treasure and a Hanyou ❯ A Demon in London ( Chapter 14 )

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

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews on this... It's nice to see new people finding it and old fans dropping a line to let me know that they still like it ^_^
I do have to add one little disclaimer...kind of... the band name in this chapter used to the name of a real band from my hometown, but they grew up changed it a few times and are now just known as Emanuel. Also, Anna Karenina is an excellent book by Leo Tolstoy and is also a really good ballet if done by the right company ^_^
Enjoy.

Chapter 13
A Demon in London

Kagome draped herself bonelessly across the plush, white couch, silently bemoaning the fact that the remote for the television was just out of reach. She wasn't sure if she could move the two inches to grab it. The apartment building could catch on fire, could get caught on the edge of an earthquake and fall into the river, alien brain suckers could come down and attach themselves to her head and she would have just let it all happen.

She didn't remember ever hurting so bad.

Kagome had been in London for two weeks and, for those past two weeks, had spent almost all of her time dancing. Three days after she had arrived -barely enough time to allow her to get over her jet-lag- she was in the studio watching others audition. They were split into four or five groups of ten. She hadn't figured out if there had been any reason for the groups they were placed in, but she thought it may have something to do with how well they danced. Kagome had talked to a German girl that was in her group and had found out that she had been invited to audition as well.

“Those others,” the girl had said with a thick accent, flicking her hand, almost disdainfully, at another group, “they are just hopefuls. We are the crème de la crème.”

After talking to the girl a little longer, Kagome was under the impression that the woman thought that she, herself, was the crème de la crème, but Kagome kept her mouth shut.

And the unusual abuse on her body wasn't helped any by the fact that not only was the Director of the Ballet there, but, as the candidates were slowly weeded out, so was one of the Governors and a tall, dark haired man who was clearly one of the principal dancers.

Kagome had found herself instantly nervous when he had walked in. She wasn't sure what it was at first. Impossibly dark hair flowed over his shoulders like the ocean on a moonless night. He was tall and lithe with features that could have been feminine but were too chiseled. But it was his eyes that had given him away when Kagome had worked up the nerve to look directly at him. A maroon, so deep she would have thought they were black, pierced into her. And he stared at her. Kagome had repressed a shiver and looked away quickly. He had that same blurriness around him that she associated with youkai. But it wasn't quite the same. It was more subtle, as if he wasn't really trying to hide anything but had done so because it amused him.

Today she had seen him dance. He had picked the German girl, who had arrogantly inclined her head to him. But she wasn't as good as he was. Kagome had seen the woman dance on her own and had been envious of her. But next to this man, the girl was a stumbling, ungraceful child. He flowed across the floor, feet barely making noise as he moved. He was the epitome of graceful movement and Kagome hadn't been able to take her eyes away from him.

Not even five minutes into their dance, the man had stopped, scowling at the German woman.

“I could not even imagine having to be cursed to dance with you on stage,” he had said, his voice harsh, turning away from the girl. His expression turned into a pleading look when he turned to face the Director and the Governor. “I thought that this last group was supposed to be the best,” he said. “I hope she is not the best of them,” and he had jabbed a finger toward the German, “because I'm not sure I can stand being in this room another instant if she is.”

The director assured him that the others were better. Sighing, the maroon-eyed man conceded to dance with another; a tiny girl who had told Kagome that she was from the mid-west. Her attitude, when Kagome had spoken to her, had reminded Kagome of a deer; wide eyed and a little skittish. She looked the same when the tall, arrogant man took her hand and started to dance with her.

“You must be kidding,” he instantly said. “You are as inelegant as a duck.”

The girl was instantly reduced to tears, fleeing back toward the group. Empathy tugged at Kagome and she wrapped her arms around the crying girl, shooting a glare at the dark-haired man. He looked calmly back at her, a small smile -which looked more like a sneer- playing at the corners of his mouth. He had walked out of the room, flicking his hair behind his shoulder.

“I will return when you have someone who knows what she is doing,” he said, over his shoulder.

The director and the Governor had given each other pained looks, as if they were used to the man's attitude.

The events today were what led Kagome to her current position on the couch. She had been informed that the last of her group would dance with this man in two days. Kagome seriously considered skipping the whole thing entirely and catching the next flight home. The reason she stayed, though, was the look the maroon-eyed man had given her before he had walked out. It was like a challenge. If he was indeed a youkai, then he could not fail to notice what she was.

The theme music from the Pink Panther began to play and Kagome winced as she reached down into her bag that she had dropped on the floor beside the couch. Reading the name, she grinned and opened the phone, pressing the speaker button and laying the phone next to her head.

“Hey, Beautiful. How are things in London?”

“They could be better,” Kagome said. “Madame Tatienne never worked us this hard.”

A deep chuckle came from the other end. “Sounds like you could use one of Kouga's 'famous' massages.”

“You have no idea.”

“So, have you been out to see the sights yet?”

“No. They've kept us locked away in the studio for the past two weeks.” Kagome sighed. “Some of the girl's and I are going out tonight, though. They've given us the weekend off.”

“Sounds good. Don't do anything I wouldn't do.”

“Which includes what?”

Another chuckled. “I'm wounded, Beautiful,” Kouga said. “Well, I won't keep you any longer. I just wanted to check up on you. By the way, Sango has been completely out of sorts since you left. If you decide to stay there, I'm shipping her to you so you can have her.”

Kagome laughed. “Deal,” she said. “Give everyone my love. I'll be back, if today's auditions are any indication of my chances here.”

“You are the best, Kagome,” Kouga said, for a rare instant completely serious. “I was hard pressed to keep up with you most days. Keep your chin up, kid. Besides, not only are you the best ballet dancer out there, you're the best stripper as well.”

Kagome would have punched him had he been near her. She settled for growling at him. “I thought you were getting off the phone,” she said.

Kouga laughed. “Fine, fine. Take care, Beautiful. Go soak and I'll talk to you again when you get back.”

“Bye, Kouga.”

Kagome took his advice and soaked in a scalding hot bath before rummaging through her clothes to find something to wear. The other girls were staying in the same building and, when the mirrored doors opened on the elevator, she found them waiting for her in the lobby.

“Gods, Kagome, I thought you weren't coming,” said Leena, the tiny mid-westerner.

Kagome smiled and linked her arm through Leena's as they walked out of the building. “And miss a chance to see the sights of London? Never.”

They sat around a table at The End, talking over strong drinks and the strong chords and vocals of a band called E Nice.

“I've heard about him,” Leena said, having enough drinks in her to suddenly speak her mind. The conversation had, of course, made its way around toward the day's events. “His name is Naraku Onigumo.”

The German girl, Alina, nodded her head. “He's bad news,” she said. “It's why they're looking to take on two or three women dancers. They hope that one of us will stay.”

“This is the first I've ever heard of him,” Kagome said.

Alina snorted. “He's an arrogant jerk who thinks he's the gods gift to the fucking stage,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “I know that I have a high opinion of myself,” she added, giving the girl's around the table a smile as they laughed. “But he's worse than me. And, the thing about it is, he has every right to be that way. I saw him last year. He danced as Rubies and Vronsky in Anna Karenina and he dominated the stage.”

Kagome stared into her drink. “And I'm one of the luck ones that gets to dance with him on Monday,” she said, only a part of her truly frightened by the fact since the other half had succumbed fully to the alcohol in her system. “Well, here's to the dream of becoming a leading lady in the Royal Ballet,” she said, and quickly downed the rest of her drink.


Maroon eyes fixed themselves on Kagome as she was called to dance. That small sneer appeared on his face and she found herself instantly remembering Kouga's advice. She lifted her chin slightly -a clear, though subtle, challenge to his look- and gracefully extended her hand to him. Cold fingers wrapped around hers, making her suppress the shudder that threatened to run trough her.

And when the music started playing, Kagome almost sighed in relief. It was the music from the pas de duex from Swan Lake. She knew this, could have performed the steps in her sleep -and it showed. Naraku's hands went around her waist, assisting her across the floor, and Kagome found that Alina was right; he was an excellent dancer. She found herself closing her eyes as she moved with the music, found that some part of her instantly recognized and trusted that he would be just there when she paused with the music in an arabesque on Pointe.

And he never stopped until the music did. Wide maroon eyes stared at her, and Kagome found that she suddenly felt like a rare bug under a microscope.

The sighs of relief broke her gaze away from Naraku's. She glanced toward the director and the Governor to find that they were both wearing similar expressions of contentment.

“What is your name?” Naraku said, his voice low.

“Kagome. Kagome Higurashi,” she told him, unwillingly looking back into those intense maroon eyes.

“She may just do,” Naraku said, the haute look returning to his face. He took a step closer to her, raising his hand to trace a cold finger down her face. “You and I, we could do great things together,” he said to Kagome, softly. “You are staying at the Odyssey?” Kagome could do nothing but nod in response to his question. “Good. Be ready by eight. You'll see what London is really about.”


Inuyasha nervously ran his hands through his hair. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door, shifting impatiently as he waited for it to open. When there was no reply, he knocked again, harder this time, ignoring the looks from the two tiny girls walking toward him.

“Are you looking for Kagome?” one of them asked, her accent branding her as someone from the mid-west.

Inuyasha looked them over, taking in their forms and noticing the way they moved. “Yes. These are her rooms, aren't they?” he asked.

“Yeah,” the little mid-westerner said. “But she's out.” She glanced at the taller blonde next to her. “She may not be back until late. I'm sure you can leave a message for her at the front desk.”

Inuyasha eyed the women before him, looked at the closed door and sighed. Thanking the girl, he made his way back toward the elevator, pressing the down button with so much force that he cracked the plastic covering. It was his own fault, he knew -he was a day early. He knew she was busy with auditions. He should have called and told her.

She should have been there, Inuyasha thought, feeling an irritated growl start to work its way out of him as the doors slid open. He stepped inside as the other elevator chimed and a familiar giggle reached his sensitive ears.

Inuyasha had taken one step forward before he heard an unfamiliar, masculine voice.

“I never knew a ballerina could do such things,” the voice said.

The familiar giggle again. “Flexibility is the key,” came the slightly slurred response.

Inuyasha slammed his hand against the doors that threatened to close and leaned forward to glance out the elevator. Kagome stood facing away from him in front of her door, digging through her purse for, Inuyasha assumed, her keys. A tall, finely muscled, man with flowing black hair stood next to her, facing the elevators. He glanced up and saw Inuyasha and a small smile appeared at the edges of his mouth.

“I think I should help you to bed,” the dark haired man said, taking Kagome's keys away from her.

Inuyasha clenched his teeth. He felt his control slip and clawed fingers dug into the metal of the elevator door.

“No, no,” she instantly said, grabbing for the object in the man's hand. “I'm fine. Thank you for the evening.” She tugged the keys from his hand and turned her back on him. “Good night, Naraku.”

An enraged look made finely carved features into an ugly mask for an instant. Inuyasha saw the man's aura flare briefly before he contained it. “Good night, little dancer.”

Inuyasha saw Kagome stiffen at the same instant his vision went red.


Everything was still tinged with pink as Inuyasha looked around. He was lying in a soft bed, whose comforter was a silky blue, what was surrounded by thick, white drapes. Through the material, he could hear muffled voices and Inuyasha pushed the heavy curtains aside as he climbed out of the bed.

“I'm not sure I should leave you with him. He seems dangerous.” Inuyasha frowned when he heard the voice of the dark haired man from the hall.

“Just leave, Naraku,” came Kagome's voice, no longer holding any traces of inebriation. “Thank you for the lovely evening and for your concern. I will be fine.”

“Are you sure?” Inuyasha heard a resigned sigh. “All right, then. Perhaps we can continue this tomorrow night?”

“I don't think so,” cam the reply. “I told you already that I was meeting someone tomorrow.”

“Is that who you were talking about?”

Kagome sighed. “It's not really any of your business, Naraku. Now, please, would you leave? He's probably awake and I don't want to have to go through the ordeal of having to calm him again.” Inuyasha heard only one set of feet moving across the floor, heard the front door open. “Naraku! Let go!”

The door to the bedroom was nearly torn off its hinges as Inuyasha yanked it open. He felt the claws extend from his fingers, saw the edges of his vision grow dark as he looked at the two across the room from him.

Naraku had pulled Kagome against him and, even as she struggled in his grasp, he crushed her mouth against his. His eyes remained open and looked up at Inuyasha. When he finally pulled away, a snide smile crossed his face.

“I'm not sure he's going to want you anymore,” he whispered in Kagome's ear, just loud enough for Inuyasha to hear. “You've spent so much time with me that there are no traces of his scent on you anymore.” He smiled down at her, a little cruelly. “That's the thing about inu-youkai, even the filthy half-breeds. They rely so much on their sense of small that they forget to stop and use their brains.” He took a step away from her. “Goodnight, Kagome. I will see you tomorrow.”

The sound of the door slamming in his face resounded through the apartment. Kagome turned and leaned against it, her shoulders suddenly slumping, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. She crossed the room in a dozen steps, throwing herself against Inuyasha.

“I'm so sorry,” she said. “It's not what it looked like.”

“It never is, is it?”

Kagome went still against him. His hands remained at his sides and he didn't move to wrap his arms around her. Instead, he pushed her away, not violently, but none too gently.

“You reek of him,” he said, maintaining just enough control to not snarl at her.

Kagome looked like she was fighting her own urge to snarl. “Do not presume, Inuyasha Takahashi, that you know what is going on here,” she snapped.

“I don't need to assume,” he snapped back. “I just witnessed it.”

Stormy grey eyes narrowed and a dangerous look came over her face, making desire suddenly rush through him. “You saw nothing. Do you think I don't know what he is? Have you forgotten what I am?”

She stepped away from him, running her hands through her hair, tugging at the raven locks in frustration. She looked more tired than he ever remembered seeing her. But, even as his heart constricted slightly when she turned a look of utter exhaustion on him, the possessive demon inside would not be denied.

“Then why are you hanging around him? Why do you smell so strongly like him?” he asked, following her movements around the room. He wondered when she had picked up the habit of pacing.

Kagome stopped and looked at him. The weariness and sorrow in her eyes made Inuyasha catch his breath, made him want nothing more than to cross the room and gather her in his arms. But he could still smell him on her, even from where he stood.

“I don't know,” she said, softly. “He insists on dancing with me everyday, insists on taking me out every night. He just...” she trailed off, and a far away look crossed her face. “There's something about him. He wants something from me.” She sighed and looked out of the glass doors that led to a balcony. “He asks questions about my training at the shrine, about my ancestors. There's something...something about him that is not quite right.”

“He's youkai,” Inuyasha said, as if that explained everything.

Kagome gave him a disdainful look. “I know he's youkai,” she said, as though she were talking to a child. “It's something else, something I can't quite put my finger on.” She looked away from him again. “He asked about Kikyo,” she whispered. “Asked if I knew about the great miko and the Shikon no Tama.” Kagome shook her head, as if it would help put her thoughts in order. “He wants something from me,” she said, again.

Inuyasha tried to soften his glare. “Go take a shower,” he said. Kagome looked at him askance. “I'll be here when you get done,” he assured her. “Just go. I can't stand you smelling like him any longer,” and his nostrils flared to emphasize his words.

He watched as she retreated to the bathroom, waited until he heard the water running before letting out a sigh. He crossed to the balcony doors, opened them wide and then proceeded to open all the windows in the apartment. The whole place stunk of the bastard, with the exception of the bedroom -much to Inuyasha's relief. He waited for Kagome there, leaning against the window sill and watching the lights from the boats sparkle off the dark water as they navigated the River Thames.

After what seemed like hours, he heard her emerge. He hesitated before turning to face her. When he did, he couldn't help the amused look from crossing his face. She was wrapped in a large, fluffy white towel that hid most of her from him. But the exposed skin along the tops of her shoulder and her arms and legs was an angry red. To know that she had scrubbed so hard made a smile touch Inuyasha's lips. He caught the scent of her soap and shampoo as she moved toward him. He nearly closed his eyes in relief as he gathered her fiercely in his arms. Not caring about her still wet hair, he buried his nose in the side of her neck and heard her sigh.

And it was as though, with that quiet expulsion of breath, all the tension in her body suddenly disappeared. Kagome went limp against him, leaned into him, her hands releasing their hold on the towel and grasping at the front of his shirt.

“I'm sorry,” she mumbled into his chest.

“For what, little dancer?” he asked, not pulling away, unwilling to let the intoxicating smell of her lessen by any amount.

“For making you doubt me,” she said. “For making you doubt you could trust me.”

“I do trust you,” he said, and it was a revelation even to himself. It had taken him decades to trust his own family and here this tiny miko with the spirit of a dragon had managed to find herself a secure, warm place in his heart. “It's just hard, sometimes, to figure out what exactly is running around in that lovely head of yours.”

Inuyasha finally pulled away, claws brushing against her skin as he took the towel with him, letting it pool around her feet. The sight of her, the smell of her, was too much for him and he found himself leaning forward to catch a drop of water as it ran between her breasts. His tongue travelled the path of the water, running along her collarbone and up her neck. A cool breeze found its way through the window, touching wet skin and causing her to shiver slightly.

“Cold?” he asked, his voice suddenly husky with desire.

She shivered again, even as she shook her head, and he knew the reason why she trembled. He chuckled softly, letting his breath touch her skin, letting his mouth wander along the top of her shoulder, seeking the place he had last left a mark on her. One hand found her breast as the other trailed claws gently down the soft flesh of her stomach, the curve of her hip. It found the soft, short curls between her legs and a finger slipped between the joined flesh, finding her already wet, feeling her clit pulsing slowly against his fingers.

Kagome's head fell back and soft moan escaped her. The sound made him pull away suddenly and she snapped her head up to look at him, glaring at him.

“Don't you dare do this to me again,” she said.

Inuyasha laughed. His hands went around her waist and he threw her over his shoulder. Moving the curtains around the bed aside with a sweep of his hand, he tossed her onto it. He stood at the end of the bed, watching as Kagome raised herself up onto her elbows, watching him warily. A smirk appeared on his face as he started to unbutton his shirt. He watched her lick her lips as he slid out of it, letting it join her towel on the floor.

When he started to undo the buckle of his belt, she was instantly on her hands and knees, crawling toward him. Inuyasha's breath stopped, his heart stopped, as he watched her move toward him, watched the way her shoulders shifted, the way her hips dipped seductively. She came to a stop in front of him, batting his hands away from his buckle and undoing it herself. She yanked it through the loops and gathered it in her hands, putting the ends together and then making it snap. She leaned forward, running her tongue along his stomach, along his chest, and her teeth bit sharply down on his nipple. His eyes nearly rolled back into his head when they scraped along the skin above the top of his pants, as she managed to use them to undo the button.

And it was only when he heard the scrape of his zipper that Inuyasha realized it was all a diversionary tactic. His hands were now bound behind him, held securely in place with, of all damn things, his own belt. He had thought, for a brief instant, that he would have the upper hand this time. He growled in frustration.

Kagome, her hands busy at slipping his boxers gently over his straining length, smiled innocently up at him through her lashes. His boxers followed his slacks and her smile widened when a soft whimper escaped him as her fingers firmly grasped him at the base of his shaft, running up to the head and then back down again.

The only warning he had was seeing her tongue dart out across her lips before she wrapped her mouth around him. He groaned, his eyes closed and his knees buckled slightly, hitting the edge of the bed. He struggled against his restraints, wanting nothing more than to bury his fingers in her dark hair and force himself farther into her hot, wet mouth. He settled for bucking his hips, a little harder than he had intended, causing Kagome to instantly pull away and glare up at him.

“Bad puppy,” she said, and hit him, hard, on the leg with the flat of her hand.

The words and the return of her mouth made him groan again. He stayed as still as possible as her mouth worked up and down his shaft, as her tongue swirled over the sensitive tip, the motion becoming faster every time.

When the low hum started in the back of her throat, vibrating against his overly sensitive flesh, his hands clenched and he felt the bite of his claws into his palms and the leather belt. The only warning he could manage to give her was an inarticulate grunt.

But she didn't pull away, didn't stop. She slowed, and he reveled in feeling himself pulse inside her mouth. He felt her swallow, once, twice, and when she finally did pull away, she looked up at him through her lashes, smiling coyly as she licked her lips. She sat back on her heels, looking at him as he tugged his wrists against the belt.

“Are you going to unbuckle me?” he asked.

She rose to her knees, running her hands up his stomach and chest. She pulled him down toward her, pressing her lips against his. The kiss was sweet and gentle until she violently shoved her tongue between his lips. His mouth was flooded with the taste of himself and the faint minty taste of her toothpaste. When she pulled away, his eyes were still closed. He opened them to find that she was on her hands and knees again, crawling away from him.

“You are perfectly capable of freeing yourself,” she said to him.

He licked dry lips with an equally dry tongue. “I really like this belt,” he said, unable to take his eyes away from the way her back arched.

“That sounds familiar,” she said, raising an eyebrow. “I seem to remember saying the same thing about a favorite bra of mine.”

His mind tried to function again. “You never said it was your favorite,” he told her.

She frowned at him over her shoulder and then shrugged. “Regardless, it seems like it's your turn to have an article of clothing ruined.”

Inuyasha opened his mouth to protest again when she wiggled her ass slightly. Fuck it, he thought, clawing his way through the expensive leather. He heard her laugh when he came up behind her, when he grabbed her hips.

His moan echoed hers as he sheathed himself fully in her. His eyes rolled up and he stayed perfectly still for a moment, savoring the feel of her tight wetness around him.

Kagome arched her back further, rocking her ass back against his hips, and the slight movement urged him to pull out and push in. Inuyasha leaned forward, bracing one hand beside hers, the other gripping her hip. As he moved at a torturously slow pace in and out of her, he lowered his head and ran his tongue up her spine, between her shoulder blades. She pushed harder against him, another moan escaping her.

“Inuyasha,” she breathed.

He was sure she did it on purpose, was sure that she knew the effect his name from her lips had on him and said it to make him quicken his pace. And, even though he knew he was being manipulated, he couldn't stop himself from thrusting into her harder, faster.

He reached around her, his fingers parting the flesh between her legs and finding her clit. She cried out and pushed violently against him as they traced slow circles, her hands clutching the blanket beneath her. Her head dropped down, her hips tilted up, allowing him to go even deeper into her. Inuyasha straightened, both hands grasping her hips, crimson starting to creep into his vision as he began to purr as her ass smacked harder into his hips. The warmth around his shaft started to pulse, became wetter and the lessening of the friction drove him to lengthen his strokes into her.

Inuyasha pulled her up onto her hands again, brushed her hair away from her shoulder as he felt the heat pool in his loins. He knew she was close, could feel it in the way she pushed harder against him, could hear it in her erratic breathing. He ran his tongue along her shoulders, up the back of her neck.

And sank his teeth into the flesh there, not hard enough to break the skin, but enough to make it slightly painful.

Her walls suddenly clenched around him in an orgasm so violent that it caused him to release in the next instant. When he felt himself throb one last time within her, he pulled his mouth away from the back of her neck, running his tongue over the depressions his teeth had made. He pulled out of her, slowly, pushed back in again, the startled moan that escaped Kagome's throat making him smile.

Inuyasha fell down beside her, pulling her to himself, scooting down to lay his head against her chest. He heard her heart rate slow, heard her contented sigh. Her fingers ran idly through his hair, one hand finding an ear and lightly stroking it. His eyes closed to slits and his own content sigh came out in a purr.

“This was a nice surprise,” she said, around a yawn.

Inuyasha trailed his claws gently up her thigh and the curve of her hip. When she didn't say anything more, he looked up at her. Her breathing started to deepen and he moved up to gather her in his arms.

Kagome snuggled closer to him, put a hand up to grab his hair and pull his face gently down to her. She pressed her lips slightly against his before burying her head back in his chest, her breath evening out again.

“I love you, little dancer,” he said, rubbing his cheek against her soft hair. The words had passed his lips before his brain could warn him. He went still as stone, wondering if she had heard.

He felt her suddenly stiffen in his arms. She pulled away slightly, her eyes wide when she looked up at him.

“You do?” she breathed.

He stared at her for an instant, looking at the way her hair fell against the sheets in a dark tumble of locks, at the way her cheeks were slightly flushed with her recent excursion. He felt the way their bodies fit together, how it felt just right, and realized that he did indeed love her. Had loved her, not since he had first seen her, but since that night she had first had dinner with him, had told him, in so many words, how stupid he was for wanting to see her outside of the gentleman's club.

Now, he smiled down at her expression.

“Yes, little dancer, I do,” he said, shifting so that his could kiss her as tenderly as she had just kissed him.

When he pulled away, she was smiling. She nuzzled her head against his chest, wrapping her leg around his.

“I love you too, Inuyasha,” she sighed out.

He felt her relax again, waited until he was sure she was asleep.

“I hope so, love,” he sighed. “I hope so.”