InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Between Heaven and Hell ❯ Lust Behind Golden Eyes ( Chapter 15 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: DestinysTears 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Hentai / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.14.2012 | Pages: 5 | Words: 7.6K | Visits: 281 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Hentai / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.14.2012 | Pages: 5 | Words: 7.6K | Visits: 281 | Status: Work In Progress
“Ah, the delicate aroma of jasmine,†the&nb sp;laidback youkai commented musingly as the shoji door slid
open, allowing a stream of sunlight to pour forth into the room. He continued to fan the&n bsp;fire as he
heated a dark auburn teakettle above its flames.&nbs p;Looking over at his nephew with a toothy grin, he
continued nonchalantly, “So, how are things with you and the human?&a circ;€
Shutting the door behind him, Sesshomaru gave a careless glance to the innocently smiling Kou,
indicati ng his unspoken displeasure. Then at that moment he found himself pausing, realizing he had
half-expected Myoga to make his appearance by now. But when the miniscule&nbs p;flea-demon delivered no
acknowledgement of his presence as he usually did, or any blood-sucking â& euro;œwelcome†bite, more
appropriate ly, Sesshomaru decided to simply drop the&nbs p;matter. After all, it was of no consequence to
him. The flea surely&n bsp;had things of his own to attend to, though he could&nb sp;hardly imagine what strange
affairs that might concern.
Sesshomaru sa untered towards the back of the small hut, distancing himself as far away from Kou’s little
fire&nbs p;as possible. Lying down on the smooth wooden&nbs p;planks of the floor, the jaded daiyoukai shaded his
eyes with a graceful, maroon-marked limb.
Not failing to ;notice his nephew’s apparent exhaustion, Kou glanced over at the resting dog demon
briefly before& nbsp;turning his eyes back to his beloved, crackling fire.&nbs p;
“Couldn’t slee p last night?†he asked, putting down the paper fan before adding another small&nbs p;log to the
flickering blaze.
“…Hardly,†Sessho maru responded shortly from beneath his palm as his uncle added in a couple more
twigs to the growing fire.
“Ah, or perhaps…†the carefree&nb sp;youkai suggested with a contemplative rub of his chin, “was it because
you didn’t want to sleep…?â€
Sesshomaru lifted his arm momentarily to stare at his grinning ;uncle in disdain.
“ Only kidding,†Kou chuckled.
With a short breath, Sesshomaru turned away, staring up at the ceiling with quiet attention. After a
short moment, he sat upright, blinking as a rush of blood shot through his head at the sudden
movement.
Watching&n bsp;Sesshomaru discreetly from the corner of his eye, Kou continued about his business. He
seemed more on edge than usual. Something was causing this restless behavior in his typically
composed nephew. Seeing Sesshomaru lean forward on his crossed legs as if in deep contemplation,
Kou released a winded breath.
“You know, Sesshomaru,†he began as he prod ded the smoldering fire with a long stick, “as demons, we&nb sp;
have three base desires.â€
&nbs p;
Looking up from his palm, the still restless youkai scarcely even wondered where this unexpected
speech was stemming from, much less the wish to know.
“For one, t here’s the urge to kill,†Kou continued, opening& nbsp;the lid to the teakettle and peeking&nbs p;inside at
its boiling contents. “Two, a strong lust for the pleasures of the flesh.â€
Watching the in uyoukai remove the teapot from its stand above t he waving limbs of the fire,
Sesshomaru wondered for a moment if his uncle was preparing to give him unnecessary&n bsp;and certainly
unwanted pointers on how to court a female. But to his unvoiced relief, Kou carried on.
“And then there’s the third –&nb sp;an unprecedented thirst for blood,†he concluded while pouring a&n bsp;portion
of the kettle’s hot liquid into a porcelain cup. However, he still noticed the slight jerk in Sesshomaru’s ;
cheek at the mention of said blood. “…Though I must admit, I believe that I have lost a conscious
appetite for the substance, personally. But even so, the need for it still resides somewhere within me.â€
“Then how do you resist its necessity?†;Sesshomaru inquired.
Swirling the ;cup’s liquid contents with a slight motion of his hand, Kou looked up in thought. “Perhaps
I’ve worded it wrong,†he said in correction of himself. Nodding, Kou took a different approach. “…All
demon s desire the taste of blood, more or less, due to our bestial instincts. I’m sure you ;are familiar
with those urges.â€
“&ac irc;€¦Hn.â€
Sesshomaru kne w them all too well… He s truggled to rebury the visions that abruptly forced themselves
upon his consciousness, back into the darker confines of his mind.
“And suffice&nb sp;to say, you’ve tasted it before,†Kou added. “Well, that surge of frenzied power you acquire
when doing so is quite the euphoric feeling, is it not?â€
This time, Sesshomaru did not respond verbally, or audibly, in his case. He only remained silent as if
darkness had clouded his mind just by the mere thought of that empowered sensation.
He went on without his nephew’s reply. “Most demons choose to survive off that feeling; it c ertainly is
the easier and more natural way to go about things. There are few&nb sp;others, such as myself, who choose
to live otherwise. I will admit the lifestyle is challenging at times, but not&nb sp;life-threatening,†Kou
explained thoroughly before taking a small sip of his tea. “So in conclusion, the lust for blood is our natural appetite, though some choose to survive off other things.â€
Blinking, Sesshomaru shook his head slightly. At times such as these, it was difficult to understand his
voluble uncle. For one, the reason for which he chose&n bsp;to avoid said “natural appetites†eluded him. And
two, he could make little sense of why Kou would speak of such things. It wasn’t as if he did not know
about the sore subject ;already.
“…Wha t is it you want to tell this Sesshomaru?†he asked, looking directly into his uncle’s&nb sp;golden eyes.
Sighing, Kou set down his tea-filled cup, returning Sesshomaru’s intent stare. “I believe you already
know what it is I’m trying to say,†he&n bsp;replied coolly.
After another tense moment, Sesshomaru averted his eyes, taking forced interest instead in&n bsp;the sand-
colored planks beneath him.
“I do not require your lectures,†he uttered in a low voice.
Closing his eyes, Kou picked up his cup again and took another sip of the soothing substance, choosing
to ignore&nb sp;his nephew’s blatant statement. Sesshomaru could be so stubborn, he thought wearily. “Then
you&n bsp;should know that those desires will only become more trying with time, and even more so if you
attempt to suppress them while leavi ng your body starved of fulfillment.â€
Still, Sesshomaru responded with silence. When he had come here to escape the duties of&nb sp;the Western
heir, Kou had quickly become accustomed to his nephew’s tacit ways. Needless to say, it wasn’t as if he
welcomed the silence, rather, expected it more often&n bsp;than not and had learned to work aro und it.
“If you care for the woman, even if only the slightest bit, leave her,†Kou told him firmly. “If you do not,
suffering, hers as well as yours, will be inevitable.â€
… Leave her? The thought of it left an unfamiliar yet vexing emptiness at the pit&nb sp;of his stomach. For the
first time, he felt&nbs p;as if he could forget his damned existence. It was as if her presence alone lifted the
curse of one condemned to burn in hell off his burdened shoulders. And now he was to return to&n bsp;the
dismal shadow of an aimless life?
Finally, Sesshomaru raised his amber-gold eyes to the ever-wise Kou.
&n bsp;
“It is not that simple,†he responded, his gaze unwavering.
Kou shrugged with a resigned sigh, realizing he would not be able to convin ce his nephew any time
soon. Deciding&nb sp;to drop the subject for now, he ended the conversation with a stern warning.
“This ;will not become any easier for you.â€
“I am aware of that,†Sesshomaru replied simply.
~ “*†~
“I guess it’s bittersweet, if you think about it…†she sa id with a sigh, picking up a small cluster of white
rice with her chopsticks.
“What is, Kagome?†her sister replied with the gentle lift of her brow as she took a sip of her steaming
tea.
“Well, ;I’m happy to hear that everyone’s finally healed,†she explained after p opping the bite of rice into
her mouth, “but next week, you already have to be on your way again.â€
Kikyo paused, her e yes finally softening in understanding. Placing the cup down on the low wooden
table, she looked ;at Kagome with a wistful smile. She was idly toying with the little grains of rice left in
her finished bowl, consciously avoiding her sister’s pensive stare.
“Yes, that’s true…†Kikyo replied with a quiet breath. “â€& brvbar;But once I return, I will have more time on my
hands, and then perhaps you and I could spend more time together.†Pursi ng her lips, she hoped her
sister would take the suggestion in& nbsp;encouragement.
It would be nice, Kagome thought to herself. For the past week or so, it felt as if she and her sister hardly
had the time to see each other. Gone from early morning and throughout the day; Kagome would be
lying if she said she didn’t miss her at times. But the strange thing was, she didn’t believe she missed < br> Kikyo as much as she would have expe cted herself to…
Of course, by now she’d become used to Kikyo’s busy schedule, but that didn’t mean she didn’t wish to
see her sister. But even Kagome could tell; the already subtle ache&nb sp;of their recent distance felt much
more subdued than normal.
Was it because of her meeting that mysterious, yet charming Sesshomaru? Kagome could automaticall y
support that theory; after all, she admitted, it was quite the distracting relationship. But as she willed
away the rise of a sudden and unfamiliar warmth beginning to&n bsp;envelope her body, a rush of unexpected
guilt took its place.
< br> “You must think me to be&nb sp;the worst sister,†Kikyo sighed as she finally lowered her gaze, having already
interpreted Kagome&a circ;€™s silence.
Another pang of guilt penetrated her heart sharply, like the blade of a dagger.
“No, Kikyo,&nbs p;that’s not it,†Kagome apologetically tried t o explain. “It’s… It&ac irc;€™s just that I’m wor ried about
you. About all the non-stop work you’ve been doing, that is…â€
Kikyo&n bsp;smiled again, grateful for her sister’s concern for her. “Kagome, you needn’t worry about me. I&n bsp;can
handle it,†she reassured her with a sma ll nod.
After feigning a moment of happy relief, Kagome stood up quickly to pick up the&n bsp;empty dishes. “Alright,
but ;you should get some rest. Just because you can handle it doesn’t mean it’s good for your health,â&eu ro;
she told her with a strained smile as she carried the dishes to the kitchen.
Now&nbs p;out of her sister’s sight, Kagome released& nbsp;a tense sigh, setting the dirty bowls on the countertop
beside the wooden wash bin, already full of clean water. Standing there&n bsp;for a while, Kagome placed a
hand on her head.
‘No, Kikyo, you’re not the worst sister,’ she guiltily thought back on her sibling’s painful words. ‘…I am&ac irc;€¦â€™
Kagome closed her eyes. How could she call Kikyo a bad sister when she herself couldn’t even be ho nest
with her? Keeping secrets, going against everything&nbs p;she, as well as Ichirou and the rest of the villagers ever stood for? Sneaking around their backs as if she hadn’t even thought once how it might affect
them,&n bsp;especially those she loved…
How could she do this nowâ&euro ;¦?
“Allow this Sesshomaru to remain by your side…â€
C overing her face, she shut her eyes even tighter at the echo of his deep voice.
‘I want to…’ Kagome whispered in her mind, but shook her head.
And what if in the end it cost her those dearest&nbs p;to her? Their trust? …Their love? Would they leave her
behind in their stinging disapproval?
“Reme mber…â€
Kagome&acir c;€™s crystalline sapphire eyes opened slowly at the memory.
‘“Rememberâ€&brvba r;â€â€™ she thought to herself. It was as if the word was haunting her. As if it told her that she
had made a&nbs p;promise to him that she had to keep. But the lines were becoming blurry; she couldnâ&euro ;™t think
straight.
Sighing, Kagome took the dishes and wash basin an d headed for the back door. Sliding it open with her
shoulder against its wooden frame, she laid the items in the grass. With&nb sp;swiftness she had gained over
time with much of t he routine practice, Kagome washed all the bowls and plates, placing them g ently on
the green blades of grass.
Looking up at the dark ening night sky, she picked up the dirty bucket of water and emptied its contents
at the nearby edge of the forest. Returning, she bent down, beginning to gather all the dishes into the
empty basin.
“Wh at ails you…?†a low&nb sp;voice spoke suddenly from behind her.
Kagome turned, her heart skipping a beat in surprise. Glad she hadn’t dropped the fragile dishware, she
placed them on the ground.
â€&ti lde;What perfect timing…’< /i> Kagome thought ironically to herself. But soon the joking feeling disappeared as
she remembered what indeed “ailedâ&euro ; her.
Holding her head briefly, Kagome looked into Sesshomaruâ €™s warm golden eyes. They only stared fixedly
at her, impossible to read.
“Sesshomaru… Will&n bsp;you sit with me for a moment?†Kagome asked, neither smiling nor frowning. She
lowered herself to the grass, Sesshomaru soon doing the same.
After a long, pregnant silence, Kagome finally spoke up.
“How long can we keep& nbsp;this a secret…?†she asked quietly, staring down at the grass. Her voice was one
filled with pain, and full of anxiety and worry. Sesshomaru&nbs p;picked up on it easily, but for the time b eing,
kept silent.
When there ;was no response, Kagome held her left hand with her right, tightening and loosening the
grip ;in a fluctuating pattern.
“How ;can I lie to them…? Iâ& euro;¦ I don’t know…†K agome said nervously, as if she could barely bring her
thoughts together.&nbs p;“…I can’t& nbsp;– I shouldn’tâ&e uro;¦â€
Then out of nowhere, Kagome felt her body bei ng pushed against the soft grass beneath her. Strong
hands pressed her arms firmly against the ground, keeping her from escaping. Then before she could
make sense of the situation, she felt Sesshomaru’s hot lips begin to roam hers roughly, almost as if
seeking for her reciprocation.
Kagome opened her&nb sp;eyes slowly, finding Sesshomaru watching her every move as he stole the kiss from
her soft, innocent lips. His amber-gold orbs locked onto hers intently, and at that moment, Kagome felt
her ;eyes begin to sting.
As if their intimacy allowed her a brief insight past Sesshomaru’s impenetrable barriers, Kagome finally
began to understand. The wanton passion she felt through this vigorous kiss…&nb sp;It was almost like… like pain.
His pain…&nbs p;
Whether it was revealed to her knowingly or indiscreetly, Kagome wasn’t certain, ;but either way, it
allowed her to realize something she could have very ;well failed to see.
Sesshomaruâ& euro;¦ He was someone she held dear as well. All the thoughts she had been&n bsp;thinking of Kikyo,
Ichirou, and all the rest out of fear of losing them…
†œYou don’t have to… to be alone.†< br>
…That was what she had told him, wasn’t it? And all this time, she had never even thought once ab out
what Sesshomaru would think if she were to go back on the words she had so believed in. Kagome
clenched her hands into tight fists.
She didn†™t want to lose him eitherâ€&brvb ar;
She was grateful to him, in awe of him, flustered by him, and above all else… she cared for him. Kagome
wished there was something s he could do to prove those feelings she had harbored for him. And
through that, she hoped that maybe then… Then the pain she had felt radiating from him through his
fiery touch would subsideâ€&b rvbar;
Anything… anything&nbs p;but to see or feel that pain coming from him ever againâ&e uro;¦ Kagome felt her heart
clench&nbs p;glaringly tight.
“I&ac irc;€¦â€ she whispered between his fervent kisses as a hot tear escaped her eye, “…Iâ€& trade;m sorry…â€
A fter hearing Kagome’s breathless apology, Sesshomaru did not ask her what exactly she was
apologizing for; the only indica tion that he had heard her words was a fleeting, yet present pause before
he continued the ardent seizure of her pliant mouth.
Releasing her arms, he moved one hand along the curve of her waist, allowing Kagome to reach up to
touch the smooth length of his neck. She shuddered as she felt his hand trail down to her hip. Their
bodies were pressed close together with only their clothes to separate them, and soon Kagome&nbs p;found
herself giving out a small whimper, feeling every small movement o f his body.
Sesshomaru’s hand tensed, hearing the quiet moan come ;from her plush lips. Then with a gruff noise,
the daiyoukai scooped the girl up in his arms, carrying her to the confines of the woods. With only a
brief sound of discomfort from her, he hastily laid her down in the grass and continued to kiss every inch
of Kagome’s porcelain skin visible, run ning his hands over her greedily in the process. His lips brushed
against her delicate throat, taking&n bsp;in the sweet aroma of jasmine. In return, her inexperienced hands
gripped his head loosely, tangling her fingers in his long, silver mane.
Panting, Sesshomaru opened his eyes, watching as Kagome’s eyelids&n bsp;fluttered with what he knew was
pleasure. But in the back of his mind, he could hear his uncle’s words ringing tauntingly at him with a
low din. Then shoving the thought away quickly, Sesshomaru leaned upward to her lips again. Kissing
her almost violently, he reached up with one hand to hold ;her chin steady, allowing him full access to
her hot ;mouth.
Kagome moaned again, feeling a strange fire ignite within her. Her hands dragged along his silver tresses
down to the hard planes of his chest before pulling up again to hold on to his broad shoulders.
The sound of her moan starting to drive the demon ove r the edge, Sesshomaru gripped his hand tighter
on Kagome’s small& nbsp;jaw.
Then with a sudden gasp, Kagome pulled away, finding her hands holding onto his in reflex. Slowly, she
let go of his wrist, only to begin to reach up toward her lip with a shaky hand. Drawing back himself,
Sesshomaru felt his breath hitch in his throat as he saw the source of her reaction.
Seeing Kagomeâ€&tra de;s finger near to touching the crimson substance upon her lower lip, Sesshomaru stopped
her, seizing her hand with a forceful hand. As he stared absorbedly at the bead of blood that had
appeared on her parted and panting lips, the demon’s breathing slowed. Feelin g his eyes starting to
burn with the transitioning shade of red, he shut his eyes tightly, willing the gold to return.
But&nb sp;he could still smell the sweet scent of the thick liquid permeate the air, throwing his body into
astonishing agony and desireâ €¦
Perplexed, Kagome could only lay there quietly as she looked int o Sesshomaru’s golden eyes. They were
the same eyes she had seen the day before;&n bsp;intense and focused… like he&nb sp;was–
“&aci rc;€“Kagome…!†a v oice shouted from the direction of Kagome’s home. “â& euro;¦Kagome, where are you?â€
Kagome’s ;eyes widened frantically, immediately struggling out from under Sesshomaru&a circ;€™s body. Wiping
her nicked lip hurriedly, she began to run in the direction of Kikyo’s voice.
&nb sp;
“Sesshomaru, I’m sorry – I hav e to go!†she said to him in a hushed voice over her shoulder. Gathering
up th e skirt of her yukata, Kagome ran a ;little faster.
Still having not moved far from the position Kagome had left hi m in, he listened as her sister asked her
in relief and frustration wher e she had been, for which Kagome replied that she had merely thought she
had ;“seen somethingâ€.
After a few more moments of explanation, the miko led the girl inside, but not&nb sp;before a suspicious
skimming of the forest’s darkened front.
At length, Sesshomaru sat up, leaning his suddenly aching head in his hand.
What had he been doing…? Had he&nbs p;completely forgotten his uncle’s words of warning? And even then,
didn’t he know better&nbs p;besides? He knew he was already on edg e from the tantalizing dream the night < br> before, and to only escalate his desires by fueling its passion…&nbs p;And the blatant consequence of such
reckless abandonment…
Her blood.
And what’s worse, the demon hadn’t even flinched at t he sight of it. Not in worry, nor surprise.
Remembering the scent of ;the metallic crimson, he recalled the way he had leaned forward instinctively,
stopping her hand from wasting the precious substanceâ&eu ro;¦
…Just what h ad he planned on doing…?
~ â&eur o;œ*†~
Wah, so many thoughts and memories… ;I’m having a sensory overload! ;
Next time! : “The Truthâ€
open, allowing a stream of sunlight to pour forth into the room. He continued to fan the&n bsp;fire as he
heated a dark auburn teakettle above its flames.&nbs p;Looking over at his nephew with a toothy grin, he
continued nonchalantly, “So, how are things with you and the human?&a circ;€
Shutting the door behind him, Sesshomaru gave a careless glance to the innocently smiling Kou,
indicati ng his unspoken displeasure. Then at that moment he found himself pausing, realizing he had
half-expected Myoga to make his appearance by now. But when the miniscule&nbs p;flea-demon delivered no
acknowledgement of his presence as he usually did, or any blood-sucking â& euro;œwelcome†bite, more
appropriate ly, Sesshomaru decided to simply drop the&nbs p;matter. After all, it was of no consequence to
him. The flea surely&n bsp;had things of his own to attend to, though he could&nb sp;hardly imagine what strange
affairs that might concern.
Sesshomaru sa untered towards the back of the small hut, distancing himself as far away from Kou’s little
fire&nbs p;as possible. Lying down on the smooth wooden&nbs p;planks of the floor, the jaded daiyoukai shaded his
eyes with a graceful, maroon-marked limb.
Not failing to ;notice his nephew’s apparent exhaustion, Kou glanced over at the resting dog demon
briefly before& nbsp;turning his eyes back to his beloved, crackling fire.&nbs p;
“Couldn’t slee p last night?†he asked, putting down the paper fan before adding another small&nbs p;log to the
flickering blaze.
“…Hardly,†Sessho maru responded shortly from beneath his palm as his uncle added in a couple more
twigs to the growing fire.
“Ah, or perhaps…†the carefree&nb sp;youkai suggested with a contemplative rub of his chin, “was it because
you didn’t want to sleep…?â€
Sesshomaru lifted his arm momentarily to stare at his grinning ;uncle in disdain.
“ Only kidding,†Kou chuckled.
With a short breath, Sesshomaru turned away, staring up at the ceiling with quiet attention. After a
short moment, he sat upright, blinking as a rush of blood shot through his head at the sudden
movement.
Watching&n bsp;Sesshomaru discreetly from the corner of his eye, Kou continued about his business. He
seemed more on edge than usual. Something was causing this restless behavior in his typically
composed nephew. Seeing Sesshomaru lean forward on his crossed legs as if in deep contemplation,
Kou released a winded breath.
“You know, Sesshomaru,†he began as he prod ded the smoldering fire with a long stick, “as demons, we&nb sp;
have three base desires.â€
&nbs p;
Looking up from his palm, the still restless youkai scarcely even wondered where this unexpected
speech was stemming from, much less the wish to know.
“For one, t here’s the urge to kill,†Kou continued, opening& nbsp;the lid to the teakettle and peeking&nbs p;inside at
its boiling contents. “Two, a strong lust for the pleasures of the flesh.â€
Watching the in uyoukai remove the teapot from its stand above t he waving limbs of the fire,
Sesshomaru wondered for a moment if his uncle was preparing to give him unnecessary&n bsp;and certainly
unwanted pointers on how to court a female. But to his unvoiced relief, Kou carried on.
“And then there’s the third –&nb sp;an unprecedented thirst for blood,†he concluded while pouring a&n bsp;portion
of the kettle’s hot liquid into a porcelain cup. However, he still noticed the slight jerk in Sesshomaru’s ;
cheek at the mention of said blood. “…Though I must admit, I believe that I have lost a conscious
appetite for the substance, personally. But even so, the need for it still resides somewhere within me.â€
“Then how do you resist its necessity?†;Sesshomaru inquired.
Swirling the ;cup’s liquid contents with a slight motion of his hand, Kou looked up in thought. “Perhaps
I’ve worded it wrong,†he said in correction of himself. Nodding, Kou took a different approach. “…All
demon s desire the taste of blood, more or less, due to our bestial instincts. I’m sure you ;are familiar
with those urges.â€
“&ac irc;€¦Hn.â€
Sesshomaru kne w them all too well… He s truggled to rebury the visions that abruptly forced themselves
upon his consciousness, back into the darker confines of his mind.
“And suffice&nb sp;to say, you’ve tasted it before,†Kou added. “Well, that surge of frenzied power you acquire
when doing so is quite the euphoric feeling, is it not?â€
This time, Sesshomaru did not respond verbally, or audibly, in his case. He only remained silent as if
darkness had clouded his mind just by the mere thought of that empowered sensation.
He went on without his nephew’s reply. “Most demons choose to survive off that feeling; it c ertainly is
the easier and more natural way to go about things. There are few&nb sp;others, such as myself, who choose
to live otherwise. I will admit the lifestyle is challenging at times, but not&nb sp;life-threatening,†Kou
explained thoroughly before taking a small sip of his tea. “So in conclusion, the lust for blood is our natural appetite, though some choose to survive off other things.â€
Blinking, Sesshomaru shook his head slightly. At times such as these, it was difficult to understand his
voluble uncle. For one, the reason for which he chose&n bsp;to avoid said “natural appetites†eluded him. And
two, he could make little sense of why Kou would speak of such things. It wasn’t as if he did not know
about the sore subject ;already.
“…Wha t is it you want to tell this Sesshomaru?†he asked, looking directly into his uncle’s&nb sp;golden eyes.
Sighing, Kou set down his tea-filled cup, returning Sesshomaru’s intent stare. “I believe you already
know what it is I’m trying to say,†he&n bsp;replied coolly.
After another tense moment, Sesshomaru averted his eyes, taking forced interest instead in&n bsp;the sand-
colored planks beneath him.
“I do not require your lectures,†he uttered in a low voice.
Closing his eyes, Kou picked up his cup again and took another sip of the soothing substance, choosing
to ignore&nb sp;his nephew’s blatant statement. Sesshomaru could be so stubborn, he thought wearily. “Then
you&n bsp;should know that those desires will only become more trying with time, and even more so if you
attempt to suppress them while leavi ng your body starved of fulfillment.â€
Still, Sesshomaru responded with silence. When he had come here to escape the duties of&nb sp;the Western
heir, Kou had quickly become accustomed to his nephew’s tacit ways. Needless to say, it wasn’t as if he
welcomed the silence, rather, expected it more often&n bsp;than not and had learned to work aro und it.
“If you care for the woman, even if only the slightest bit, leave her,†Kou told him firmly. “If you do not,
suffering, hers as well as yours, will be inevitable.â€
… Leave her? The thought of it left an unfamiliar yet vexing emptiness at the pit&nb sp;of his stomach. For the
first time, he felt&nbs p;as if he could forget his damned existence. It was as if her presence alone lifted the
curse of one condemned to burn in hell off his burdened shoulders. And now he was to return to&n bsp;the
dismal shadow of an aimless life?
Finally, Sesshomaru raised his amber-gold eyes to the ever-wise Kou.
&n bsp;
“It is not that simple,†he responded, his gaze unwavering.
Kou shrugged with a resigned sigh, realizing he would not be able to convin ce his nephew any time
soon. Deciding&nb sp;to drop the subject for now, he ended the conversation with a stern warning.
“This ;will not become any easier for you.â€
“I am aware of that,†Sesshomaru replied simply.
~ “*†~
“I guess it’s bittersweet, if you think about it…†she sa id with a sigh, picking up a small cluster of white
rice with her chopsticks.
“What is, Kagome?†her sister replied with the gentle lift of her brow as she took a sip of her steaming
tea.
“Well, ;I’m happy to hear that everyone’s finally healed,†she explained after p opping the bite of rice into
her mouth, “but next week, you already have to be on your way again.â€
Kikyo paused, her e yes finally softening in understanding. Placing the cup down on the low wooden
table, she looked ;at Kagome with a wistful smile. She was idly toying with the little grains of rice left in
her finished bowl, consciously avoiding her sister’s pensive stare.
“Yes, that’s true…†Kikyo replied with a quiet breath. “â€& brvbar;But once I return, I will have more time on my
hands, and then perhaps you and I could spend more time together.†Pursi ng her lips, she hoped her
sister would take the suggestion in& nbsp;encouragement.
It would be nice, Kagome thought to herself. For the past week or so, it felt as if she and her sister hardly
had the time to see each other. Gone from early morning and throughout the day; Kagome would be
lying if she said she didn’t miss her at times. But the strange thing was, she didn’t believe she missed < br> Kikyo as much as she would have expe cted herself to…
Of course, by now she’d become used to Kikyo’s busy schedule, but that didn’t mean she didn’t wish to
see her sister. But even Kagome could tell; the already subtle ache&nb sp;of their recent distance felt much
more subdued than normal.
Was it because of her meeting that mysterious, yet charming Sesshomaru? Kagome could automaticall y
support that theory; after all, she admitted, it was quite the distracting relationship. But as she willed
away the rise of a sudden and unfamiliar warmth beginning to&n bsp;envelope her body, a rush of unexpected
guilt took its place.
< br> “You must think me to be&nb sp;the worst sister,†Kikyo sighed as she finally lowered her gaze, having already
interpreted Kagome&a circ;€™s silence.
Another pang of guilt penetrated her heart sharply, like the blade of a dagger.
“No, Kikyo,&nbs p;that’s not it,†Kagome apologetically tried t o explain. “It’s… It&ac irc;€™s just that I’m wor ried about
you. About all the non-stop work you’ve been doing, that is…â€
Kikyo&n bsp;smiled again, grateful for her sister’s concern for her. “Kagome, you needn’t worry about me. I&n bsp;can
handle it,†she reassured her with a sma ll nod.
After feigning a moment of happy relief, Kagome stood up quickly to pick up the&n bsp;empty dishes. “Alright,
but ;you should get some rest. Just because you can handle it doesn’t mean it’s good for your health,â&eu ro;
she told her with a strained smile as she carried the dishes to the kitchen.
Now&nbs p;out of her sister’s sight, Kagome released& nbsp;a tense sigh, setting the dirty bowls on the countertop
beside the wooden wash bin, already full of clean water. Standing there&n bsp;for a while, Kagome placed a
hand on her head.
‘No, Kikyo, you’re not the worst sister,’ she guiltily thought back on her sibling’s painful words. ‘…I am&ac irc;€¦â€™
Kagome closed her eyes. How could she call Kikyo a bad sister when she herself couldn’t even be ho nest
with her? Keeping secrets, going against everything&nbs p;she, as well as Ichirou and the rest of the villagers ever stood for? Sneaking around their backs as if she hadn’t even thought once how it might affect
them,&n bsp;especially those she loved…
How could she do this nowâ&euro ;¦?
“Allow this Sesshomaru to remain by your side…â€
C overing her face, she shut her eyes even tighter at the echo of his deep voice.
‘I want to…’ Kagome whispered in her mind, but shook her head.
And what if in the end it cost her those dearest&nbs p;to her? Their trust? …Their love? Would they leave her
behind in their stinging disapproval?
“Reme mber…â€
Kagome&acir c;€™s crystalline sapphire eyes opened slowly at the memory.
‘“Rememberâ€&brvba r;â€â€™ she thought to herself. It was as if the word was haunting her. As if it told her that she
had made a&nbs p;promise to him that she had to keep. But the lines were becoming blurry; she couldnâ&euro ;™t think
straight.
Sighing, Kagome took the dishes and wash basin an d headed for the back door. Sliding it open with her
shoulder against its wooden frame, she laid the items in the grass. With&nb sp;swiftness she had gained over
time with much of t he routine practice, Kagome washed all the bowls and plates, placing them g ently on
the green blades of grass.
Looking up at the dark ening night sky, she picked up the dirty bucket of water and emptied its contents
at the nearby edge of the forest. Returning, she bent down, beginning to gather all the dishes into the
empty basin.
“Wh at ails you…?†a low&nb sp;voice spoke suddenly from behind her.
Kagome turned, her heart skipping a beat in surprise. Glad she hadn’t dropped the fragile dishware, she
placed them on the ground.
â€&ti lde;What perfect timing…’< /i> Kagome thought ironically to herself. But soon the joking feeling disappeared as
she remembered what indeed “ailedâ&euro ; her.
Holding her head briefly, Kagome looked into Sesshomaruâ €™s warm golden eyes. They only stared fixedly
at her, impossible to read.
“Sesshomaru… Will&n bsp;you sit with me for a moment?†Kagome asked, neither smiling nor frowning. She
lowered herself to the grass, Sesshomaru soon doing the same.
After a long, pregnant silence, Kagome finally spoke up.
“How long can we keep& nbsp;this a secret…?†she asked quietly, staring down at the grass. Her voice was one
filled with pain, and full of anxiety and worry. Sesshomaru&nbs p;picked up on it easily, but for the time b eing,
kept silent.
When there ;was no response, Kagome held her left hand with her right, tightening and loosening the
grip ;in a fluctuating pattern.
“How ;can I lie to them…? Iâ& euro;¦ I don’t know…†K agome said nervously, as if she could barely bring her
thoughts together.&nbs p;“…I can’t& nbsp;– I shouldn’tâ&e uro;¦â€
Then out of nowhere, Kagome felt her body bei ng pushed against the soft grass beneath her. Strong
hands pressed her arms firmly against the ground, keeping her from escaping. Then before she could
make sense of the situation, she felt Sesshomaru’s hot lips begin to roam hers roughly, almost as if
seeking for her reciprocation.
Kagome opened her&nb sp;eyes slowly, finding Sesshomaru watching her every move as he stole the kiss from
her soft, innocent lips. His amber-gold orbs locked onto hers intently, and at that moment, Kagome felt
her ;eyes begin to sting.
As if their intimacy allowed her a brief insight past Sesshomaru’s impenetrable barriers, Kagome finally
began to understand. The wanton passion she felt through this vigorous kiss…&nb sp;It was almost like… like pain.
His pain…&nbs p;
Whether it was revealed to her knowingly or indiscreetly, Kagome wasn’t certain, ;but either way, it
allowed her to realize something she could have very ;well failed to see.
Sesshomaruâ& euro;¦ He was someone she held dear as well. All the thoughts she had been&n bsp;thinking of Kikyo,
Ichirou, and all the rest out of fear of losing them…
†œYou don’t have to… to be alone.†< br>
…That was what she had told him, wasn’t it? And all this time, she had never even thought once ab out
what Sesshomaru would think if she were to go back on the words she had so believed in. Kagome
clenched her hands into tight fists.
She didn†™t want to lose him eitherâ€&brvb ar;
She was grateful to him, in awe of him, flustered by him, and above all else… she cared for him. Kagome
wished there was something s he could do to prove those feelings she had harbored for him. And
through that, she hoped that maybe then… Then the pain she had felt radiating from him through his
fiery touch would subsideâ€&b rvbar;
Anything… anything&nbs p;but to see or feel that pain coming from him ever againâ&e uro;¦ Kagome felt her heart
clench&nbs p;glaringly tight.
“I&ac irc;€¦â€ she whispered between his fervent kisses as a hot tear escaped her eye, “…Iâ€& trade;m sorry…â€
A fter hearing Kagome’s breathless apology, Sesshomaru did not ask her what exactly she was
apologizing for; the only indica tion that he had heard her words was a fleeting, yet present pause before
he continued the ardent seizure of her pliant mouth.
Releasing her arms, he moved one hand along the curve of her waist, allowing Kagome to reach up to
touch the smooth length of his neck. She shuddered as she felt his hand trail down to her hip. Their
bodies were pressed close together with only their clothes to separate them, and soon Kagome&nbs p;found
herself giving out a small whimper, feeling every small movement o f his body.
Sesshomaru’s hand tensed, hearing the quiet moan come ;from her plush lips. Then with a gruff noise,
the daiyoukai scooped the girl up in his arms, carrying her to the confines of the woods. With only a
brief sound of discomfort from her, he hastily laid her down in the grass and continued to kiss every inch
of Kagome’s porcelain skin visible, run ning his hands over her greedily in the process. His lips brushed
against her delicate throat, taking&n bsp;in the sweet aroma of jasmine. In return, her inexperienced hands
gripped his head loosely, tangling her fingers in his long, silver mane.
Panting, Sesshomaru opened his eyes, watching as Kagome’s eyelids&n bsp;fluttered with what he knew was
pleasure. But in the back of his mind, he could hear his uncle’s words ringing tauntingly at him with a
low din. Then shoving the thought away quickly, Sesshomaru leaned upward to her lips again. Kissing
her almost violently, he reached up with one hand to hold ;her chin steady, allowing him full access to
her hot ;mouth.
Kagome moaned again, feeling a strange fire ignite within her. Her hands dragged along his silver tresses
down to the hard planes of his chest before pulling up again to hold on to his broad shoulders.
The sound of her moan starting to drive the demon ove r the edge, Sesshomaru gripped his hand tighter
on Kagome’s small& nbsp;jaw.
Then with a sudden gasp, Kagome pulled away, finding her hands holding onto his in reflex. Slowly, she
let go of his wrist, only to begin to reach up toward her lip with a shaky hand. Drawing back himself,
Sesshomaru felt his breath hitch in his throat as he saw the source of her reaction.
Seeing Kagomeâ€&tra de;s finger near to touching the crimson substance upon her lower lip, Sesshomaru stopped
her, seizing her hand with a forceful hand. As he stared absorbedly at the bead of blood that had
appeared on her parted and panting lips, the demon’s breathing slowed. Feelin g his eyes starting to
burn with the transitioning shade of red, he shut his eyes tightly, willing the gold to return.
But&nb sp;he could still smell the sweet scent of the thick liquid permeate the air, throwing his body into
astonishing agony and desireâ €¦
Perplexed, Kagome could only lay there quietly as she looked int o Sesshomaru’s golden eyes. They were
the same eyes she had seen the day before;&n bsp;intense and focused… like he&nb sp;was–
“&aci rc;€“Kagome…!†a v oice shouted from the direction of Kagome’s home. “â& euro;¦Kagome, where are you?â€
Kagome’s ;eyes widened frantically, immediately struggling out from under Sesshomaru&a circ;€™s body. Wiping
her nicked lip hurriedly, she began to run in the direction of Kikyo’s voice.
&nb sp;
“Sesshomaru, I’m sorry – I hav e to go!†she said to him in a hushed voice over her shoulder. Gathering
up th e skirt of her yukata, Kagome ran a ;little faster.
Still having not moved far from the position Kagome had left hi m in, he listened as her sister asked her
in relief and frustration wher e she had been, for which Kagome replied that she had merely thought she
had ;“seen somethingâ€.
After a few more moments of explanation, the miko led the girl inside, but not&nb sp;before a suspicious
skimming of the forest’s darkened front.
At length, Sesshomaru sat up, leaning his suddenly aching head in his hand.
What had he been doing…? Had he&nbs p;completely forgotten his uncle’s words of warning? And even then,
didn’t he know better&nbs p;besides? He knew he was already on edg e from the tantalizing dream the night < br> before, and to only escalate his desires by fueling its passion…&nbs p;And the blatant consequence of such
reckless abandonment…
Her blood.
And what’s worse, the demon hadn’t even flinched at t he sight of it. Not in worry, nor surprise.
Remembering the scent of ;the metallic crimson, he recalled the way he had leaned forward instinctively,
stopping her hand from wasting the precious substanceâ&eu ro;¦
…Just what h ad he planned on doing…?
~ â&eur o;œ*†~
Wah, so many thoughts and memories… ;I’m having a sensory overload! ;
Next time! : “The Truthâ€