InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Animus ❯ Caught ( Chapter 3 )

Animus

 

Chapter Three-Caught

 

A/N: I'm glad my reviewers are finding this story interesting so far. Thank you for the kind words!

WARNING: Mild sexual situation. Chapter Four will be full blown lemony goodness…

 

 

 

That brief moment between sleep and waking was Kagome's heaven. She was certain in those spare seconds, that when she opened her eyes, all would be well.

 

But all was not well.

 

She groaned, eyes slowly opening. Her breath came out in a hiss as she propped herself up on her elbow. She peered in the scant light and saw that she was in a cave.

 

The pale gray of dawn filtered through the still falling rain and fell upon the standing figure of Sesshomaru. Kagome drew in a shaking breath, and then put a hand over her mouth to silence her gasping, but she knew he had already heard her, and she wondered what he was waiting for.

 

His back was to her, and she noticed that he was not wearing his armor. In some, strange way, it made him look more imposing. Was it his vulnerability she feared? The idea that she might be able to hurt him? Or was it rather the thought of hurting him pleased and excited her and it made her feel like a monster? Kagome pressed her fist into her mouth to smother a sob.

 

He half-turned then, one golden eye phosphorent in the dim light. Kagome noticed his swords were gone as well. Had the oil worked? She wondered. The idea that it might have made the air difficult to breathe suddenly and her chest grew tight.

 

In horror, she watched as he held up the vial of oil, his inscrutable gaze upon it, the corner of his lip twitching.

 

“Miko, what is the meaning of this?” There was no anger in his voice, in fact, Kagome rather thought he sounded weary, but she would not be fooled. She knew it was all a part of his act of feigned indifference.

 

He did not give her time to answer. “Did you think that this Sesshomaru was so base as to be seduced by something like this? Do you take me for a fool?”

 

Kagome winced, and pressed her back to the rough, cold wall of the cave. It had not worked, at least, not well enough, and now he would kill her.

 

“Are you going to kill me, Sesshomaru?” She asked him weakly, eyes on the ground, vision blurred by a sudden onslaught of hot tears.

 

With a graceful lift of his shoulders, he shrugged. “Perhaps…at least…not yet. You will explain why you have done this.”

 

Kagome swallowed hard. The truth…no, she could not tell him the truth, and the lie she had rehearsed was so bitter, she did not know if she could bear to let the words pass her lips.

 

She gathered the broken pieces of her resolve as she trembled. It was too late to stop this now.

 

“I…I need someone to protect me.” Her voice was soft, between a sigh and a whisper, but she knew he had heard her. “Naraku may be gone, but-“

 

Sesshomaru cut her off. “What made you think I would agree to such nonsense?”

 

Her chin to her chest, she squeezed her eyes shut to halt the flow of tears. “You owe it to me.”

 

She heard his sharp intake of breath over the gentle rain, heard him approach her with quick, agitated strides. Her body tensed, readying itself for pain.

 

His hand was on her arm, claws pricking her skin. He hauled her to her feet and gave her a shake so rough, her teeth rattled.

 

Now, she told herself, you have to be brave now. Stop being such a cry-baby, face him, look him in the eye. It is the only way this is going to work.

 

Kagome raised her chin, and opened her eyes, thinking herself prepared for the look of rage and hatred she would see, but knowing and seeing are two very different things, and what she saw in his eyes made her tremble all over again.

 

“I owe you nothing!” He growled, punctuating his words with another shake.

 

Whatever was holding her to her fear, snapped. Kagome's rage returned. You owe me your life, bastard! She thought. Her hands curled into tight fists, fingernails biting into the tender flesh of her palms. Oh, how she wanted to pummel him with those fists, smash his face until it was nothing but blood and broken bone, but instead, she reached up and cupped that face with her hands. His skin was warm. She had expected it to be cold.

 

His eyes widened, lip curling over his sharp teeth in a snarl. Kagome waited for him to jerk away, to hit her, something, but he did nothing.

 

The grip on her arm loosened, and he spoke, “How dare you touch me?”

 

“I'm not afraid of you, Sesshomaru.”

 

And still, he did not shy away from her touch. “You should be. Or have you forgotten how badly I injured your hanyou?” His voice was cruel, as cruel as his words, but Kagome was ready for them.

 

Kagome chuckled. “Injured? Is that all you think you did? You killed him, Sesshomaru.” Another lie, but this one was closer to the truth.

 

Under her hands, she felt his jaw tighten. “Did I?”

 

Kagome nodded, her thumbs brushing the soft skin under his eyes while her heart screamed for his blood.

 

“Then I should do you a favor and kill you as well,” he said, his body betraying the threat of his words. He leaned into her touch, just ever so slightly, but it was enough that Kagome felt it.

 

Squaring her jaw, Kagome leaned forward until she could feel his warm breath on her face. She fought the urge to shrink away, to shudder. “What are you waiting for? If you want to kill me so badly…do it.”

 

Kagome licked her lips, her gaze never faltering from his. She felt detached from herself, as if the whole thing was not real, or she was just watching, not participating. His fingers only just brushed her arm in the smallest of touches, his expression never changed, but she could feel the tension, feel his confusion.

 

This is for Inuyasha, this is the vengeance he can't seek for himself, Kagome thought as she pulled Sesshomaru's face closer to hers. He did not resist when she brushed her lips over his.

 

The kiss was brief. Sesshomaru shoved her away, and stumbled backwards, his hand going to his mouth. His golden eyes narrowed, and a thin line appeared between his slender brows. Though, she wanted to run, to hide, to be anywhere but where she was, Kagome stood firm, keeping her gaze level with his. She would not be afraid.

 

In awe, she saw Sesshomaru's hand tremble, but it was only for a moment so brief, she began to doubt she had seen it at all.

 

“You will pay for such trickery, bitch,” he snarled, hand balling into a tight fist. Blood trickled between his white-knuckled fingers as his claws dug into his palm.

 

Kagome gave him a thin-lipped smile. “I thought you said that the potion wouldn't work on you?”

 

He did not answer, nor did he make a move towards her. In grim satisfaction, she saw his nostrils flare. He can smell it, she thought. He can smell it and he's fighting it.

 

Kagome closed the space between them, her hand outstretched.

 

“Don't,” he whispered.

 

Putting her hand on his chest, she smiled coyly. The game was becoming easier. “Don't what?”

 

“Miko…” His whispered voice was either a warning or a plea, but Kagome did not listen. Somehow, some way, she could sense that his resolve was crumbling, the first battle won.

 

She slid her hand between the folds of his haori, pressing her fingers against the smooth flesh of his chest. His eyes fluttered shut, and he turned his face away from her.

 

Under the palm of her hand, his heart thundered, beating a mad rhythm, like a thing caged, throwing itself against the bars. She raked her nails over a nipple, and Sesshomaru shuddered.

 

“When I am free of this enchantment…I will kill you,” he bit out, his hand pressed between her breasts as if to push her away, but he made no move to do so.

 

Kagome pressed her face into the crook of his neck, lips on his flesh. “Then kill me tomorrow, but what will you do with me now?” She said the words against his skin, as his hand slid over her breast.

 

Her reply was a low moan, but she was not satisfied. Gently, she scraped her teeth along the length of his throat, resisting the temptation to bite down as hard as she could, to tear the skin, to make him bleed. His hand was in her hair now, at the base of her skull, drawing her closer.

 

His hand in her hair tightened until she cried out. He yanked her head back, head descending on her pale throat. She was then certain he would kill her, but instead of the sharp teeth she expected, there were lips and soft kisses, a hot tongue lapping at her pulse.

 

She had him now. Had him right where she wanted him. Kagome twisted out of his grip, smiling shyly. His eyes bled red at the corners, his pale cheeks flushed. Sesshomaru reached for her, but she wagged a finger at him.

 

Slowly, Kagome pulled the still sodden sweatshirt over her head, but Sesshomaru obviously was not in the mood for games, for he rushed her, tearing the shirt out of her hands, lips and teeth roaming over any exposed flesh he could find.

 

Kagome closed her eyes, squeezed them shut so hard it hurt, and hoped he could not smell her tears.