InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Second Chance At Love ❯ His For The Taking. ( Chapter 11 )

Disclaimer: Hasn't changed....

Review Responses: Andrea; Thank you for the compliment. I appreciate it and of course, your opinion matters... its an authors lot in life...*_*, Blue-Saiyan Angel; that was too funny!! (Sesshou didn't like it... He's lucky I didn't give it a name); Pisces6; Thank you. I'm glad you think so. Are you a beta-reader?; chibi-chan9; Oooh, you're very observant! Thats good!. Garfunklzsnugglebunny; Sesshou is frowning at you... Don't worry though, I'm sure I'll do something to piss him off before he even thinks of that `dead' comment of yours again...lol Too funny!!(see, there I go...) As for what Kagura, Kanna and the boss are up to... its nothing good! You'll find out soon!; DarkPyroPlanet; Thanks for the idea! I was wondering how I was going to bring his arm back! I used your idea, its in Ch.12 though...Orchidaceae; You're very observant too! And no, the two idiots have no idea what the other feels! They're so damn stubborn!! And Kagura doesn't want Kagome to die, because one, she needs her and two; she respects her... you'll find out why in this chapter; Cutiepie99; sure I don't mind if you link my story. All I ask is that you let me know where at. Thank you! And to everyone else, thank you for the kind words and I'm updating as fast as my comp will let me...it's having aneurisms.

Chapter 11: His For The Taking.

Kagura watched the group set camp for the night for the fifth night in a row. They were now two days away from their destination... a destination she was making sure they went to. Anytime they strayed from that direction she'd put something in their path to make sure they went the way she wanted them to. The way her boss wanted them to go. She figured they'd finally gotten the hint because for the last two days she hadn't had to do anything but follow and watch.

Kagura had watched them well too. She could tell that they were really good friends. She'd watched them fight, argue, laugh, cry and play together. At first, she'd wondered why the hanyou, Inuyasha, didn't just kill the houshi when he would knock the hanyou in the head with his staff. Soon, she'd understood that there was a relationship between the two where no matter what they said or did to each other neither took it serious. She did not understand this `friendship' of theirs, but saw that it was there all the same.

She watched the houshi with the female taijiya as well. She could see there was even more between them two. The houshi was never far from the exterminator. She wasn't sure in the beginning if that was because the houshi was a lecherous idiot who couldn't keep his hands to himself or for some other reason. Now, she knew it was because they were in love... and his lecherous side was just an added benefit...but, only to the houshi himself. She enjoyed watching the female knock him out with her huge weapon that she kept strapped to her back. It happened at least three times a day and the exterminator's face would get really red when the houshi's hands would grab the miko instead.

She also noticed the taijiya wasn't the only one who'd get upset at that time... no, the Taiyoukai's eyes would narrow into slits of anger and it would all be directed at the monk. That's when the monk would remove his hand with all haste. The Taiyoukai always allowed the taijiya and the miko to handle the houshi, though.

Kagura sat down on the branch high up in the tree she was watching the group from. She noticed that the Taiyoukai and the miko still hadn't told the rest of the group that she was following them. She wondered at that, but was grateful all the same. She had a feeling that as long as she kept her distance from the group she would not have to worry about getting purified or killed. It didn't matter though, she was only ordered to watch them and to make sure they arrived at the castle when they were supposed to.

Kagura sighed to herself. She didn't like having to do what he wanted her to do, but she had no choice. He still had control of her heart... a fact, that he didn't let her forget! All she wanted was for her and her sister to be free. Was that too much to ask for? Freedom. She wanted it so bad she could taste it! She'd had a feel of what it would be like, and now she wanted it more then ever.

Kagura leaned her head against the trunk of the tree as she remembered that one taste of freedom. It was right after that final battle with Naraku and the group she was watching. Naraku had joined this battle himself. He'd been so confident that since he had the completed Shikon-no-tama that he was guaranteed the victory. He'd had it all planned out. He would make himself a full youkai and kill the hanyou, the Taiyoukai and the miko, whom he feared more than anyone else.

It was only about a half hour into the battle when she realized that they were not going to win and that this time Naraku was not going to walk away alive.

While Naraku was distracted with fighting the inu-brothers she'd swiped the jewel from where'd it had been knocked to the ground and left...

~*~

It was two days after the battle when everything had gone wrong. Very wrong. Kagura had been free and doing what she wanted, but she'd realized that without her heart she would still be lacking so she'd decided to use the Shikon to get a heart... but, she had to find the miko first. She couldn't make a wish on the jewel because she didn't have a heart. A pure heart could wish on the jewel and even an evil heart could, but someone with no heart? Suffice to say, that wasn't possible.

Kagura only knew of two priestesses who could use the jewel; the clay miko known as Kikyou and the young one that had saved the Taiyoukai's life unknowingly two days ago in the battle. She had seen Naraku kill the clay miko so, that left her with the other one who was said to be her reincarnation.

Kagura had just had Kanna use the mirror to show her where the girl was at when she'd heard a voice. A voice she'd hoped and prayed she'd never hear again.

"Kagura..."

Kagura's garnet, colored eyes widened in horror as she starred at her sister's impassive face. She looked around her frantically for a familiar form in a baboon suit or for a face that was as handsome as it was deadly.

She had just started to relax when she heard the voice again.

"Kagura...."

She went still

"N-Naraku?"

"Yes..."

Kagura would have fainted then and there if she knew how. Instead she instinctively closed her hand around the jewel in her palm and hid it behind her back.

"Where are you?"

"Over here Kagura..."

Kagura looked around her once more but all she could see was trees and nothing more. She couldn't even sense his presence. Kanna and herself were the only ones in the clearing... so, where was he?

"Over here where?"

"Right in front of you Kagura. In the mirror."

Kagura's eyes looked down at her sister who stood motionless in front of her. Then she focused on the mirror in the child's hands in front of the little girls chest, where it always was, and sucked in a startled breath when she saw it.

The mirror was glowing, if you could call it that, since the light coming from it was black instead of its customary white. She could see a pair of glowing red eyes in the middle of the face of the mirror, but nothing else.

"How... How did you-" she began in shock only to be cut off by the sound of his steel voice.

"THAT is not important. I want out Kagura. Give me the jewel."

"What? No! It's mine!" she yelled as her shock gave way to anger.

"I will not ask you again!" he said quietly from the mirror.

Kagura saw the eyes in the mirror flash and took a step back; ready to flee in a moments notice.

"Uh, uh, uh. I don't think so Kagura. You WILL give me that jewel!"

"No!"

Kagura turned and pulled a feather out and just when she was about to toss it on the wind she dropped it and clutched her chest in pain. `What? This can't be. How can he still control...' `Ahh!" she cried out in pain, cutting her train of thought, when the feeling in her chest intensified ten fold.

Kagura dropped the jewel from her hand as she fell to her knees.

"Kanna..."

The little girl lifted the mirror to her face when she heard her name; her facial expression never changed from its regular look of uninterest.

"Kanna get the jewel for me."

Kanna gave a silent nod and walked over to pick up the jewel from the ground where it had fallen.

"Good girl. Now put the jewel in the mirror."

Kanna slowly lifted the jewel to the mirror.

"Kanna... no. Don't do it, Kanna." Whispered Kagura from the ground as she breathed heavily. The pain had just begun to lose its intensity when she'd seen Kanna lifting the jewel to the mirror. She'd panicked.

Kanna stopped her motions for a moment and looked at her sister kneeling on the ground. Her sister's eyes locked on to hers. For a moment Kagura thought she could see understanding and sadness in her little sister's eyes before the pain in her chest intensified again.

"AHHH!"

"Put the jewel in the mirror Kanna."

Kanna turned back to the mirror, the vacant look back in her eyes and face, and placed the jewel on the black surface of the mirror's face.

Both sisters watched as the jewel disappeared insided the mirror. Kagura grew quiet as she watched her last chance at having a heart die. The pain in her chest was forgotten as she kneeled on the ground.

Suddenly the jewel came shooting back out of the mirror and fell to the ground. It rolled a little ways and stopped half way between the two sisters.

Kagura starred down at the jewel. `Somethings wrong...' she said to herself. The jewel was still whole, but it didn't look the same. The jewel, when she'd had it, was a fuscia color and sparkled with a shine all of its own and every now and then the jewel would glow brightly showing its power. But, now the jewel was a dark purple color and had no shine at all. `He's done something to it'

Kagura didn't understand why Naraku didn't use the jewel to get out of the mirror, which she guessed he was stuck in, and be free.

"Kagura. Take the jewel and return to my castle. Stay there until I come back to you. I will get out of this mirror... and that jewel is going to ensure that I do!"

Reluctantly Kagura had picked up the jewel and done what he had told her to do. Taking her sister and returning to the castle they waited. When he'd showed up again, in the mirror, he'd told her what he wanted her to do. Thats when she'd set out to find the hanyou and his group. She was looking for the miko. Naraku said that the young priestess was the only one who could help him and he was certain she would do it.

~*~

Kagura sighed once more as she came out of her memory. `So here I am... doing as he instructs once more!' She hated `the boss' with a passion that she could taste. She could do nothing though... as long as he had control of her heart... he had control of her. He knew it and he would NOT let her forget it.

Kagura's eyes fell to the young priestess. She did not want the girl to die. She saw in the human girl everything that she wished she could be. The girl had the guts to stand up to a demon, an evil one that wanted her dead, whom she knew she could not beat and still she did not back down or run away. Kagura admired her for her bravery. She knew that the priestess had a strong power within her... stronger then any miko before her... and probably then any who would come after. She definitely knew that the young miko was stronger then the one who she was said to be a reincarnate of.

Kagura had seen that the other priestess, Kikyou, had not died after all. `How does one kill something that is already dead?' she wondered. Not for any reason though. She did not care about the clay miko. She'd found out the woman was `alive' when she'd followed the hanyou a couple of nights ago. She'd listened to there conversation for a moment and deduced that she was still walking among the living because Naraku did not have the power to kill her. He could not do this because he was the one who had taken the miko's life in the first place. Kagura did not linger there to learn just why that was... she didn't care. The clay miko could not help her anyway. She was not strong enough.

Kagura had gone back to watch the rest of the group. That was when she'd noticed the tension between the miko and the Taiyoukai. At first, she'd believed it had to do with the hanyou. Kagura had seen how the Taiyoukai's eyes would narrow anytime the miko spent anytime with the hanyou for any reason. She could feel his youki expanding, but he would always rein it in and then he'd leave taking his toad and the ningen child with him. That was when she'd figured the Taiyoukai was jealous of the hanyou.

Kagura couldn't understand why that was though; anyone could see that though the miko cared for the hanyou, her heart belonged to the Taiyoukai. You could see it in the way she looked at the Lord of the Western Lands. Kagura wasn't the only one who could tell either. She knew the rest of the group could see it too; including the hanyou.

Kagura looked down on the group and could still see the tension between the Taiyoukai and the miko. She was puzzled over it. She knew it wasn't about the hanyou since he was still off in the forest talking to the clay miko. The tension was making the rest of the group nervous and worried... those who were still awake anyway. The kitsune was asleep next to the little human girl child; who wasn't far from the Taiyoukai and his toad. While the taijiya and the houshi slept near each other; the fire niko not far from her mistress.

Kagura could tell the Lord cared about the child, though he did not admit to it. The child seemed to like the miko and the exterminator a lot. She had noticed that when they were traveling the child could always be found holding one of their hands and chattering happily about something or other. The Taiyoukai would watch this with a bored look on his face, but he never took his eyes from the miko or the child. Every now and then the child would run back and wrap her arms around her `Sesshoumaru-sama' and scream his name happily. He would stop and pat the top of the girl's head and wait patiently for the child to release him so he could continue walking. Kagura would watch this display with humor then she'd out right laugh when the toad would make some derogatory remark about the child, which won him a large foot planted squarely in his face; compliments of the Taiyoukai who didn't even raise an eyebrow while doing it.

Kagura watched as the Taiyoukai settled himself against the base of a tree one leg bent at the knee as he leaned back. This was the first night in the entire time that she'd been watching them-except for the night after they fought Noridomo-that the Taiyoukai camped with the rest of the group. He usually took his human charge and his retainer and camped somewhere else... not too far away that he could not hear if there were trouble, but not too close to them either.

Kagura leaned heavily against the tree as she watched them. Now, that they were only two days away, since they traveled at a human speed, she knew Naraku was going to have her do something to get the ball rolling.

"Kagura."

She tensed when she heard the familiar voice in her head.

"Yes?"

"How long `til they are here?"

"Two days. They are not traveling with the demon speed that is available to them."

"No matter. All is going according to plan." There was a moment's pause then, "Tomorrow I want you to grab the miko and bring her here. Understand?"

Kagura sighed out loud. She knew this was coming.

"Yes."

"Good," she heard him say before he continued, "And Kagura? Do not fail me."

Kagura felt a sharp pain lance through her chest and grabbed onto a branch above her head before she tumbled out of the tree.

"I will not be please. Remember who holds your heart in his hands. Now return to the castle. You need not stay there."

With that final warning the voice stopped and so did the pain.

Kagura narrowed her eyes in anger as she got to her feet and tossed a small feather onto the wind and watched he change into a larger form of its self. She hopped onto the feather and let it carry her to the castle.

"He will pay for his actions! This I promise. If its the last thing I do, he WILL pay," she whispered quietly to the night sky and let the wind carry her vow where it wished as she floated passed the group and threw the night sky.

***On the ground in the groups campsite***

Kagome watched Sesshoumaru as he leaned against the tree across from her. She knew he was upset with her, but for the life of her she didn't know why. She wanted so badly to ask, but she didn't think he'd tell her `til he was good and ready.

Kagome sighed and flipped over onto her back for the third time. She was having trouble sleeping, because she was too worried about what he was mad at her for. Kagome sighed again.

"Are you alright, Kagome-nee-chan?"

Sango could feel the tension between her friend and the Taiyoukai and knew it was bothering Kagome.

Kagome heard her friend's whispered voice come to her.

"Hai Sango. I'm fine. I just... can't sleep, that's all."

`Yea, right.' Sango sighed and looked at Mirouku, but saw he was already asleep. Well, she wasn't getting any help there she thought as she focused on her friend again.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Kagome shuck her head.

"No,' she said as she unzipped her sleeping bag and stood up. "I think I'll just go for a walk. Maybe the exercise will do me some good."

"ALONE!?" squealed Sango in disbelief.

"Yes." Kagome smiled at her friend's facial expression. "I'll be fine Sango."

"Don't you want me to go with you?"

"No."

Sango knew she was going to say that.

"Alright... be careful. Keep your senses open."

Kagome nodded and rolled her eyes with a smile. `This, coming from one who hasn't even sensed Kagura following us these last 5 days.'

Sesshoumaru had watched and listened to the conversation through half closed lids. He frowned at the taijiya when she agreed to let Kagome go off in the dark alone. His mind had been occupied with what the miko had said to him the night before Noridomo attacked.

`Baka! If I'd have known, I wouldn't have done it!'

He could still hear it in his head and every time he watched her with that stupid hanyou of brother of his the voice grew louder. He bet she would have never said that to Inuyasha.

He'd told her she'd pay for her words, but he'd yet to do anything. Maybe now was the time. Sesshoumaru remembered how her words had hurt. He didn't like the fact that she had the power to do that... he didn't understand why she had the power to hurt him, either.

`She apologized for that.'

Sesshoumaru sighed when he heard the voice in his head. `You're back.'

`I said I would be. I'm never far away.'

`Indeed.'

`She apologized... let it go.'

`When?'

`When what?'

Sesshoumaru sighed. `When did she apologize?

'

`Uh....'

`Do not bother. She didn't.'

`Well, you know she was sorry... you saw her tears!'

`Hmm.'

`You're just trying to twist this to your own sick pleasure!'

`Leave. Before I forget that you are me' he growled.

`But-'

Sesshoumaru ignored the voice when he saw Kagome start to walk away alone.

"You are not going alone miko. Go to sleep."

Kagome froze at the sound of his voice and turned to look at him.

Brown eyes locked onto gold and held.

Kagome narrowed her eyes at him then and gave him a dry smile.

"You, Sesshoumaru, are not the boss of me."

She watched his eyes flash with anger before turning and going in the opposite direction. Unknowingly she was walking in the direction Inuyasha and Kikyo were in, but when she spun around to walk away from Sesshoumaru she ended up going in the opposite direction.

Kagome walked off muttering to herself about arrogant demons who think they control the world as she trudged through the forest not paying attention to where she was going.

Sango watched the white streak of Sesshoumaru as he followed after Kagome. She sighed and prayed and hoped that it would end up all right. `All they need to do is talk to each other. Even Inuyasha can see that they're in love with each other...' she said to herself as she lay back down. At least, she was sure Kagome would be all right now. No matter what was going on between them, Sesshoumaru wouldn't let anyone harm Kagome.

Kagome was so engrossed in calling Sesshoumaru every name under the sun she could think of, that she didn't notice the figure in white blocking her path until she ran smack into it.

"Aah!' she shrieked as she ran into a body and felt herself falling backwards.

Kagome's arms flapped beside her as she desperately tried to keep her balance and failed. She sagged in relief when she felt an arm wrap around her waist preventing her from falling.

"You were not paying attention."

Just as quickly as she felt relief she tensed up again. Kagome tilted her head back to look at him in the face.

"Sesshoumaru..."

Sesshoumaru could feel her hair caress his hand where it rested against her lower back. Her hair was hanging loose down her back since she had took her ponytail down when she settled down to sleep. She was still wearing the dress she'd been wearing during the day though. It was a coral color with white daisies all over it. Sesshoumaru didn't like how short the clothing was on her.

Kagome starred at the Taiyoukai in wonder. She'd never even heard him follow her.

"What are you doing here?"

She tried to step back away from him, but his arm wouldn't release her. Instead he drew her closer to his body.

Sesshoumaru starred down at her upturned face as he ignored her question. He would not allow anyone to touch what is his... in anyway. He thought she had to be losing her mind if she thought he would let her roam around the woods by herself. `She really is beautiful' he thought in awe. Then he frowned when he realized where his thoughts were going.

Kagome watched him frown at her and remembered why she was out here walking in the first place. She immediately started to struggle against him. `If he so angry with me then why bother to follow me!?,' she said to herself with a huff.

"Let me go!"

His eyes flashed at her in anger, but she missed it because she was no longer looking at his face.

"Be still," he said to her quietly.

"I'll be still when you let me go!" Kagome reached around to her back with both her hands in an effort to remove his hand from her lower back. "And why are you here anyway? I know you're mad at me, so why follow me?"

Sesshoumaru felt her hands trying to pull his hand away and soon got tired of her struggling. In one swift move he caught eight of her fingers in his hand and wrapped his fingers around them. Then he pressed his closed fist against her back bringing her body into contact with his again. The position her arms were in caused her chest to poke out making her generous curves rub against his chest.

Sesshoumaru leaned forward to bring his face closer to hers causing her to bend slightly backwards.

"You will be still now. I will not ask you again."

"You haven't asked me yet!" she said through gritted teeth.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at her. He could not believe she was disobeying him. He would not tolerate disrespect. `Damn, if I don't admire her for it!'

"Do not presume to give me orders miko," he whispered in a deadly voice.

Kagome's eyes started to glow a fierce fuscia color as she narrowed them at him.

"I could send you to heaven instead," she whispered back. "What do you suppose would be the first thing Kami says to you? I know! SURPRISE!!"

Sesshoumaru stared down at her full lips as he tried to decide whether he should kiss her or strangle her. Both ideas were appealing at the moment.

"I don't think my thoughts are going to get me into Heaven."

*~~*

Duchess: Uhh, I don't think they will either...

Fang: Why did you just do that?

Duchess: Huh (blinking innocently) What?

*~~*

Kagome watched as his eyes stared at her mouth and felt an answering heat in the pit of her stomach. Her eyes began to lose their glow as she began to relax in his arm.

"Sesshoumaru?"

Kagome waited for his eyes to connect with hers again before she continued, "Why are you angry with me?"

Sesshoumaru went still at her unexpected question. He didn't think she'd ask him head on what was wrong. He immediately let her go and turned his back on her.

Kagome stumbled backwards from the quickness of his release. She watched him walk away from her in stunned silence for a moment. Then her anger grew. `He is not walking away this time!' she huffed to herself and followed after him. When he came to a stop a few feet away she looked around and realized they were at a river.

Kagome almost laughed at the irony of it all. Here they were at a riverbank; which wasn't planned, but was just like the places they use to meet at on purpose. She walked over to him and stood just behind his back.

"Sesshoumaru?"

Kagome waited a few seconds but when he didn't respond she moved to stand directly in front of him and threw her head back to look at his eyes.

"Are you going to answer me or not?"

Sesshoumaru stared down at the woman in front of him. He didn't understand what was so different about her. Why was he drawn to a human who had the power to purify demons? He was so angry with her yet he wanted to touch her too. He wanted to see if he could make her want him the way his body wanted her. The way he wanted her. Sesshoumaru watched her eyes begin to water before she lowered her head to look at the ground.

Kagome could see nothing in his eyes. She had no idea what he was thinking. `Its like he doesn't even see me...' she sighed to herself. It hurt that he couldn't even look at her when she was standing right in front of him. Kagome felt her eyes begin to water and lowered her gaze to the ground so he wouldn't see her tears.

She was trying to think what it was she must have done to make him be this way with her, but she couldn't think of anything. Kagome tensed when she felt his fingers on her chin.

Sesshoumaru put his hand to her chin and lifter her face back to his. He watched quietly as a tear streak down her face and frowned. `Why was she crying? I don't like it.'

"I told you, you would pay for your words. I have not decided how yet."

Kagome listened to what he said in confusion. She had no clue what he was talking about. `My words? What...' she wondered to herself. Then Kagome went still when she remembered when it was he'd said those words to her. It was the night they argued after he'd kissed her. Her eyes widened in shock. She knew she'd hurt him that night, but she'd thought he'd forgiven her for it. `Doesn't he know I didn't mean it?'

Sesshoumaru saw her confusion as well as the moment when understanding dawned. He watched her eyes widened in shock and he could smell her disbelief... and her regret. `What does she regret? Her words or that I remember?' He looked into her eyes and tried to read her mind.

If he could read her mind, he'd see that Kagome was regretting both. She regretted the words she'd said to him in attempt to make him hurt like she had been and she also regretted that he remembered that awful moment. While he was doing everything to remember it, she was doing everything to forget.

"Did you mean it?"

Kagome paled at that question given to her in such a quiet way. She had not expected him to ask her that... ever. She knew he deserved to know the truth, but she was a little worried how much he would get out of it. That he might see more then she wanted him to. She sighed and prayed that he didn't.

"No." Kagome tried to shake her head to emphasize her answer, but the hand at her chin held her firmly in place.

Sesshoumaru looked into her eyes and breathed in her scent to make sure she was telling him the truth before speaking again.

"Why?"

"Why what?" Kagome wasn't sure what he was asking her.

"Why did you say it?"

"Oh," she thought that's what he was asking. "I...uh... I..."

Sesshoumaru waited a moment when she fell silent. He watched as she brought her hand up to move his hand from her chin and lower her gaze to the ground again. He allowed her to move his hand, but wrapped his tail around her waist in attempt to make sure she did not move away from him.

"You what, Kagome?"

Kagome sighed at the velvet tone of his voice and answered his question as she kept her eyes on the ground.

"I said it because I..." she took a deep breath and plunged ahead. "Because I wanted to hurt you the way you'd hurt me."

`So, she was hurt by what I said.' Sesshoumaru had known he'd hurt her, but it had not been intentional. He'd only been telling her the truth.

`Yea, right! Truth my ass! You lied to her and you know it. That was not the onlyreason you were sticking around her.'

`I did not say it was the only reason.

`Yes you did. You told her, and I quote, `there can be no other reason'.'

`That is true. Whatever this `feeling' I have is, it has nothing to do with why I am here.'

`Yes, and pigs have wings. Lie to yourself if you want Fluffy, but you can not lie to me.'

`'You are me.'

`Yes, you would do well to remember that fact.'

"No. You would do well to remember whom you are speaking to. Insolent jackass.'

`I know you are but what am I?'

`You begin to bore me. Leave.'

`I'm going... But, Fluffy one last piece of advice: recognize the gift that is yours for the taking... before you lose it for good.' And with those last words of wisdom the voice faded once more into the background.

Sesshoumaru's eyes and mind once again focused on the woman in front of him. He did not deny that he wanted her... but that was all there was to it. He did not trust in love, so he did not believe he was susceptible to its claws... or so he kept telling himself.

"Kagome...."

Kagome heard the silent plea in his voice and raised her head up. She'd never heard such a sound come from him... and didn't have the power to resist its pull.

When their eyes locked Sesshoumaru saw sadness, joy, longing and something else that he wasn't sure he wanted to identify in her eyes. `Mine for the taking...'. Could she be? He wondered for a moment as his eyes lowered to her mouth once again. Her lips looked soft and were slightly parted giving him a peek at her pink tongue inside.

Sesshoumaru felt something tighten in his stomach as he slowly lowered his mouth to hers. He watched her eyelids flutter closed as his lips lightly grazed hers. Once, twice, three times before he settled his mouth against hers. Sesshoumaru licked his tongue along the flesh of her bottom lip and then slipped inside when she sighed in pleasure into his mouth.

Sesshoumaru wrapped his arm around as he pulled her hard against his body to deepen the kiss. He thought he would drown in the taste of her and was more then willing to go with her.

Kagome lifted her hands to his shoulders as her back arched to accommodate him. `I love him,' she said to herself and gave herself up to the feelings he was evoking within her as she slid her arms around his neck.

Sesshoumaru could feel her surrender and almost growled in triumph... if his mouth wasn't occupied. There would be no stopping this time. `Mine for the taking,' he said to himself as he nipped at her lips. `She is mine!'