InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ In a Different Light ❯ Lessons ( Chapter 17 )

Author's Note: This fic is rated NC-17 for a reason, and this chapter is one of them ^ ^. If you have a problem with, or you're not old enough to read about physical acts of a sexual nature, please, don't read any further. You have been warned.

In a Different Light

Chapter 16: Lessons

Rin awoke the next morning wrapped snugly in the arm of her intended, her arms wrapped equally as snug around his waist, her face buried in the fur of his pelt. When had she ever felt warmer, safer or more comfortable? When had she ever had a more pleasant night's sleep, free of murderous bandits, abusive villagers and ravenous wolves? When had she ever felt so reluctant to heed her body's internal alarm clock and rise to begin her morning routine?

She sighed heavily and forced her eyes to open. Every morning was going to be like this from now on. Yes, Sesshomaru was quite warm and comfortable and . . .

She let her eyes drift closed again as she gripped the smooth silk of his haori along his side and pressed her cheek more intently against the fur on his shoulder.

Warm and comfortable and soft and smooth. And strong and gentle and firm and . . .

She didn't want to get up. She didn't want to leave. But she had to. She would have to leave him every morning to go train with Master Sumida and Master Li in their respective dojos. She'd been doing it every morning for the past four years, and this morning was no different.

She glanced down at the rather large, pale hand that had assumed quite a possessive grip on her right hip and laughed softly to herself. No, nothing different at all.

"You are awake."

She released the hold she had on his waist and nodded.

"Good." He slid his hand from her hip, along her side to finally come to rest at her lower back. "Now is the perfect time to begin your lessons."

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "Lessons?" She focused in on the feel of his hand on her lower back. It instantly brought back memories of last night.

"Did I not say you required lessons in offense?"

She chuckled lightly to herself, a slight blush working its way into her cheeks. "Oh," she said, "those types of lessons."

He grinned mischievously to himself and brought his mouth down to her ear. His warm breath tickled her outer ear, causing her to shiver as he spoke. "If it is another type of instruction you seek, my Rin, I am prepared to school you in those ways as well."

The warmth in her cheeks quickly crept down to her nether region, settling in a pool between her thighs. With her left side pressed against his chest and side, and his right hand working slow circles into her lower back, she knew enough about her own body to know that if she didn't remove herself from his embrace that little itch she felt between her legs would soon blossom into a full-blown ache . . . And there was only one way to put an end to such intimate discomfort . . .

She moved to push herself away from him and rise to her feet. "I have to go practice," she said.

He clasped her around the waist and nuzzled his nose against her neck, sniffing deeply. "That is not what you truly wish."

Rin giggled. "You told me last night that if I wasn't quiet, I would wake up Jakken and Ah-Un. Now, you're the one causing a disturbance."

"I am being perfectly quiet," he said smoothly. "You are the one who feels the need to... giggle and squirm about."

"Well, if you'd just keep your hand to yourself . . ."

"Why should I do that?" he asked. "You are mine; I may do as I please."

"Is that so?" she laughed.

"You will wake them," he cooed in her ear.

"Well, stop then."

He slipped his hand from her lower back to the crevice beneath her bottom between her kimono-clad thighs.

"Sesshomaru!"

Jakken jumped to his feet, wildly glancing around the campsite, the Staff of Heads clutched tightly in his hands.

Rin cringed inwardly and sat stock still, hoping against hope that he'd pay them no mind and just go back to sleep. With Jakken's perverted little mind . . .

The grin became a smirk. "We'll see how smug you are once the master has his way with you."

By the gods, just go back to sleep, she prayed.

The little imp seemed to settle down when he saw there were no intruders in their encampment, and he soon sank to his previous seated position. "My lord. My lady."

Sesshomaru stared at his servant, nodding his acknowledgment, but made no motion to move his hand from its current location between Rin's thighs.

Rin gave her lord a silent, but deadly glare, then greeted Jakken as pleasantly as possible, her posture stiff, her smile forced.

The old toad threw an unsteady glance between his lord and future lady, quickly becoming uncomfortable at the obvious tension between them. His lord was glaring at him quite steadily, while Rin refused to look him at all. Jakken swallowed hard as a sudden thought occurred to him . . . He'd interrupted something.

He smirked inwardly as he recalled the reason he'd been roused from his morning's sleep. Rin had screamed, none too softly, calling out their lord's name. And by her reaction to his awakening, it had to be a scream born from . . . less than innocent activities.

Jakken yawned loudly and stretched the Staff over his head and then pushed himself back to his feet. "If it's all right with you, Lord Sesshomaru, this Jakken thinks he will go for an early morning walk and, perhaps, gather a little firewood and do a little hunting."

His lord nodded his approval. "And take Ah-Un with you," he commanded. "This Sesshomaru is certain he needs to graze."

Jakken nodded and scampered over to the two-headed beast, then prodded him with the tip of the Staff. "Come along, you."

The beast roared awake then plodded after the little, green toad, stretching his legs and necks as he went.

Sesshomaru watched as the two of them left the clearing, then listened as their steps faded into the distance. It would have been quite easy to command them both away the instant Jakken had woken up, but he rather enjoyed Rin's obvious discomfort at being "caught in the act," so to speak. He had warned her to be quiet, and this was the price she had to pay for disobeying.

"I can't believe you did that," Rin said.

"I did nothing more than you allowed."

"I told you to stop," she reminded him. "And when did you start touching me without my permission?"

Sesshomaru smirked, his hand still nestled quite snugly between her silk-covered thighs. "I touch you because you enjoy it," he said simply. "If you did not enjoy it, I would not touch you."

She gasped as his hand made itself more comfortable.

"And when you willingly entered Stage Three with me, you weren't only giving your permission to be touched by me then, but at any time I think we would find it mutually beneficial."

"Is that so?" she asked.

He lowered his head and nibbled at the space on her neck just below her right ear.

"Sessh . . ."

He snaked his tongue out, sucking her earlobe into his mouth, while sliding his hand down the back of her right thigh. "Undress for me."

Her breath caught in her throat. "Wh-what?"

"You know I dislike repeating myself."

She giggled uncontrollably, her cheeks burning a bright shade of red.

He nuzzled his nose against her neck, bringing his hand back up to her lower back. "You are nervous."

Her giggles quieted somewhat, but he could still feel the heat radiating off her face.

"Do you know why I wish you to undress?" he asked.

"More of the courtship ritual," she replied.

He continued to caress her lower back as he licked and sucked his way across her neck and throat. "Yes," he said. "A very important part."

"Oh?" she asked.

"Remember how I touched you last night?"

"I don't think I'll ever forget."

A slight smirk formed on his face. "Nor will I," he said simply. "I committed every inch of your clothed form to memory."

"I see," Rin nodded. "And now you wish to do the same with my unclothed form."

He smiled to himself at her cleverness. "Yes," he replied. "It is important to recognize your mate by sight, scent and sound, as well as by touch and taste."

"Taste?" she laughed.

"If you allow me, I will bathe you with my tongue, thus familiarizing myself with your unique taste."

A shiver shot down her spine, and, as she predicted, that itch grew to an undeniable ache. And despite the chill in the late autumn air, she felt quite feverish and flushed.

"Undress for me, Rin. Let us get to know one another a little better."

"By the gods, Sesshomaru . . ." She hid her face in his fur, her heart racing, her breath shallow and irregular, her hands clutching the cloth of his haori.

"Allow me to help you, then." He slid his hand to the front of her body and undid the tie around her obi, his forehead pressed against hers.

"Will I . . . have to do the same to you?" she asked. Her obi came loose, and after a few tugs, the front of her kimono came open, exposing her under robe. "The . . . taste part?"

"Only if that is your desire." He reached for the tie of her white under robe and unfastened it.

"And if I don't desire?" she asked, haltingly.

He moved his hand from the recently-made opening in her under robe to the left side of her face. Holding her gaze, he swept her bangs back and planted a kiss on her forehead. "This Sesshomaru knows that his Rin desires him in every way . . . However, if my Rin is . . . uncomfortable performing certain acts with her future mate, she may opt not to return the favors bestowed upon her by her mate."

"But you'd prefer that I did," she said softly.

"I cannot deny that I am . . . stimulated by the thought of you paying such attentions to my body . . . but if that's not what you wish, I will not press the matter with you."

"Oh?" she asked. "What happened to . . . 'You are mine; I may do as I please?'"

He breathed hotly into her ear. "If it does not please you, it does not please me."

She gasped as he sent his tongue out to travel around her outer ear.

"Not so ticklish this time, I see."

"No," she agreed.

He kissed down the side of her face, trailing wet kisses along her jawline, coming to a stop at her right ear as his hand made its way back to the opening in her under robe. "Is this what you wish, Rin?"

She drew in a shaky breath then nodded. "No one will . . . see us, will they?"

"No one knows we are here aside from my brother, who knows better than to drop in unannounced, and Jakken and Ah-Un, who will be quite awhile on their little expedition." He slipped his hand beneath her robe and caressed her bare flesh. "If anyone were to . . . stumble across us during this early hour, I would sense them well before they got within 100 yards of our campsite. We are in a deep part of the forest, and we are completely surrounded by trees. We are completely safe."

She swallowed hard then nodded again.

"Come here, Rin." He grasped her around the waist and pulled her into his lap, a slight smile forming on his lips as she gasped in surprise. He then slid her robes down her shoulders and onto his thighs.

She shivered slightly as the robes were removed and her bare body was exposed to the bitter wind. She folded her arms across her chest and rubbed her upper arms.

"Are you cold?" he asked as he nuzzled his nose in the crook of her neck.

"A little," she replied.

He wrapped his arm around her back, pulling her side against his chest. "Then allow me to warm you." He sucked her earlobe into his mouth, then trailed kisses down the side of her neck as his hand familiarized itself with the smooth, toned planes of her back and shoulders.

Rin sighed heavily, sinking herself down into his lap, the scent of her growing arousal hanging thickly in the air.

"Touch me," he said.

She shook herself free from the lust-induced fog in her brain. "Huh?"

He ran his hand down her left arm and directed her hand to his chest. "Touch me," he repeated.

While she was only a little unnerved to be sitting naked in Sesshomaru's lap, the idea of him being naked beneath her . . .

She swallowed hard. "Should I . . . undress you?" she asked sheepishly.

"Is that not what you wanted last night? To see me unclothed?"

"Well, yeah, but . . ."

He caressed the side of her face and turned her head so that their eyes met. "Does it shame you to be with me?"

"No," she said quickly. "I'm not ashamed."

"Then, what is it?"

She tried to turn away from him, but he held her face in place.

"Rin?"

"What if . . . What if I'm not any good?" she asked. "What if I do something wrong, or touch you in the wrong place? What if I accidentally hurt you, or . . ." she shrugged her shoulders up to her ears. "I dunno. What if I just do something that's just . . . plain wrong?"

A slight smile pulled at the corners of his lips. "Is that all?" he asked.

She bit her lower lip and shook her head.

"What else, then?"

She drew in a deep breath and pushed it out. "I . . . I want to . . . do . . . things . . . to you, for you, but . . ."

He urged her to continue with a gentle nod.

"Like I said . . . what if I do it wrong?" she asked. "I don't want you laughing at me," she said. "Or thinking I'm stupid. I know you must have had tons of women before me, and what if I just don't measure up?"

He brought his hand to her hair and caressed her scalp with his claws.

She refolded her arms and leaned into him.

"There is no other female I desire, or have desired as much as you, Rin. To attempt to compare yourself to them is to compare manure to a bed of roses."

"Am I the manure?" she asked with a laugh.

He gave her a gentle, reassuring smile. "You are my rose, Rin. My single, perfect, beautiful rose."

She blushed at his compliments. It was so odd to hear him say such things, but . . .

"As for your other concerns, did I not say if there was another type of instruction you sought, I would school you in those ways, as well?"

"You did, but . . ."

"But what?" he asked.

"It's embarrassing," she said. "It's embarrassing not knowing what to do. Last night I just kind of sat there and let you . . . have your way, I guess, and now I'd like to have my way . . . If I knew what 'my way' was, that is."

He smiled, then brought his head down to hers.

"What're you doing?" she asked breathily.

"I intend to kiss you."

She felt his warm breath blow sweetly across her slightly parted lips. "Oh?" she asked.

"It will help relax you and distract you from this . . . malicious self-doubt." His claws continued to lightly graze over her scalp.

"But I've never done that before, either," she said.

"Then it shall be my pleasure to be your first." He gave an appraising gaze to her mouth-its delicate shape and contours; their ripe, rosy color; their soft fullness and seductive pout. "Wet your lips, Rin."

She hesitated a moment, then swept her tongue across her upper and lower lip, quickly pulling it back it into her mouth after it completed its pass.

"Lovely." He pulled her the rest of the way to him and brushed his lips softly, slowly and gently against hers.

She gasped from the new sensation, slightly jumping as his mouth made contact with hers.

He continued to massage her mouth with his own till she gradually picked up on the cadence of his kiss and began to kiss him in return. "Very nice, Rin."

She giggled lightly as he gently increased the pressure applied to her lips, his fingers still working their way against her scalp. How could something so simple feel so nice?

Sesshomaru, sensing her fading tension, took the opportunity to slip his tongue out and taste her lower lip.

She immediately tensed at the added sensation, feeling the foreign presence of the slick, sinuous muscle lick its way across of her lower lip, but she soon grew comfortable with its odd caress and began to wonder what would happen if she opened her mouth, and sent her tongue out exploring as well.

Peaches, Sesshomaru thought. Her lips were as soft as peach fuzz, and her taste was just as sweet, just as pure. He felt her hands on his shoulders as she twisted herself in his lap, doubtless trying to make herself more comfortable. But the more she moved, the less comfortable he became. It was the most exquisite torture to feel her soft bottom pressed firmly against his growing erection, a mere three layers of fabric separating him from his true desire.

He slid his hand from the top of her head to the nape of her neck, cupping the narrow, but strong column in his palm, gently caressing it to the same rhythm he used manipulate her mouth.

Rin let out a breathless sigh and linked her hands behind his neck, threading her fingers through the silken strands of his hair.

"Good," he spoke softly against her lips. "But I know you are capable of much better."

"Oh?" she asked.

He pressed his lips against hers, then smiled. "Yes."

"And how would I do that?" she asked.

A devilish grin found its way to his face as he ran his thumb along her lower lip. "Allow me to demonstrate." He grasped the back of her neck and pulled her to him as his mouth descended upon hers once again.

A soft moan escaped her lips as he gradually coaxed her mouth to open, her lips and teeth giving way beneath the teasing tip of his tongue. "Sesshomaru . . ."

He let her have a moment to breathe, relishing that look of utter rapture he'd placed in the depths of her dark brown eyes, and then he slanted his mouth over her own and began the oral seduction anew.

Rin wasn't quite sure what he was doing to her, but she'd never felt so warm, wet and wanton in her life. The smooth fluidity of his tongue as it danced with hers, slipping over and around the deepest recesses of her mouth-tapping upon her teeth, teasing the tip of her tongue, tasting the roof of her mouth . . . even tickling that strange bit of flesh that dangled in the back of her throat.

"Touch me," her lord demanded agin.

She nodded, breathlessly, bringing her hands to the sides of his face, trailing her fingers gently along the magenta stripes on his cheeks. He seemed to like it the last time she did it that night at the foot of the waterfall, so . . . "Like that?" she asked.

"My ears," he said. "Stroke my ears, and then follow the stripes down to my face."

She extended two tremulous hands to either side of his face, then swept his hair back, exposing his two pointed ears. Had she ever touched his ears before?

"Continue," he said softly.

She gingerly grasped the tips of his ears between her thumbs and forefingers.

"Rub," he encouraged her.

Taking her hint from the way he caressed her lower back, she began to rub slow circles into the backs of his ears with her thumbs, while she hooked her forefingers and ran them down the outer edges.

Sesshomaru's amber eyes drooped closed and a low rumbling noise began to emanate from the center of his chest.

She giggled to herself, enjoying this new control she seemed to have over her future mate. "Are you . . . growling at me?" she asked.

He kept his eyes closed, a peaceful, warm expression spreading across his face. "It is a compliment," he said simply. "Your hands are currently giving me a great deal of pleasure."

She giggled self-consciously. "Really?"

He thrust his hips slightly forward, insinuating his arousal more firmly against her. "Can you not tell?" he asked, allowing his eyes to creep partially open.

She blushed beet red, then looked away from him, her hands still on his ears.

He hooked his index finger and, slipping it beneath her chin, turned her back towards him.

"What?" she asked.

"This." He again captured her lips in a kiss, as he ran his hand down the front of her body-around her neck and throat, the pads of his fingers passing across her clavicle, down her sternum and over each perfect breast.

She arched into his touch.

He then slid his palm down the flat plane of her stomach and over each of her slender sides.

Rin removed her left hand from his ear and slid it down his neck to the collar of his haori, the low rumbling noise continuing to radiate outwards from the center of his chest. "Sesshomaru . . ."

He moved from her mouth to her chin, down her throat to come to rest in the crook of her neck.

She placed her left hand between their two bodies, attempting to undo the ties of his jacket.

"Are we having problems?" he asked, taking notice of her struggles.

"How do you do this with one hand?" She continued to tug on the tie to no avail.

He brushed her hand aside and loosened the ornate knot. "Practice," he said simply. He then completely removed both of his upper layers and spread them on the ground beside them.

"What're you doing that for?"

"It's for you." He brought his hand back to her lower back and urged her to a standing position. He then removed her kimonos from his lap and added them to the neat pile on the ground.

She stood, hugging her shoulders as he adjusted the makeshift bed. The combination of his caresses with the chill autumn air had her nipples at full attention and goose bumps running up and down her arms.

This was so bad.

She was supposed to be practicing right now-moving through her postures, improving her technique, increasing her strength, flexibility and endurance. She wasn't supposed to be . . . doing this.

Not that this was wrong, it was simply a matter of bad timing. Sure, while they were still patrolling the borders, she could make or break her own schedule, but once they returned to the castle, neither Master Sumida nor Master Li would tolerate any tardiness or any excuses. She'd simply have to drag herself out of bed every morning before he woke up and could get any ideas in his head.

As if that's possible, she scoffed. His ears don't miss anything-the sound of her breathing, the beating of her heart, her footsteps moving around the campsite. The slightest sound could pull him out of the deepest slumber, so he was always the first one up. But that reminded her . . .

She glanced down to find him staring at her, his amber-colored eyes traveling up and down her body, taking in every inch of her unclothed form. The intensity of his heated gaze pierced her, transfixing her to the spot. Knowing that she'd caused him to stare at her in such a way, warmed her and excited her.

His normally stoic features had softened significantly, and he was actually smiling at her. Not sneering, not smirking . . . not even one of his devilish grins. He was smiling at her. Warmly. Welcoming. Genuinely. Gently.

Rin drew in a deep breath, and without a word from him, she slowly dropped her hands to her sides, allowing him to have a better look at her. She kept the majority of her attention focused on his face and the finely honed muscles of his chest and stomach. But occasionally, her eyes would slip a little lower, fascinated by the possibilities of what could be going on in his pants, and what it would be like when she actually found out. And once, just once, she let her eyes travel down his neck, across his collarbone to his shoulder where his left arm should have been . . .

It wasn't as . . . ugly as she thought it might have been. But then again, what part of her lord's body could be considered ugly? He was beautiful as a whole so, naturally, every part of him had to reflect that beauty. But, still, he seemed particularly guarded about that part of his anatomy, and she silently wondered how self-conscious he was about it.

It was the first time in eleven years she'd seen the true extent of his injury. It was really a little . . . odd. There you had his perfect face, his perfect chest, his perfect shoulder, and then nothing. There was no scarring, no discoloration-just a softly rounded, but still well-muscled stump where the rest of his arm should've been.

His eyes roved from her to his shoulder and back again. "Something doesn't seem . . . quite right, does it?"

There was no emotion in his tone, but the words alone were enough to make her heart clench. She spoke softly. "As I've said, how can I miss what's never been there for me? You've been this way the entire time I've known you, and I've never thought of you as 'lacking' before, so why should my opinion change now?"

Further proof of her perfection, he thought. How many females had made a departing comment about his missing arm when he'd told them he no longer required their company? And how many of them had he killed because of that comment?

"Can I sit back down?" Rin asked. "It's getting a little cold standing up here by myself."

He nodded his agreement and watched her as she assumed her seat beside him. His hand went immediately to her hair, easing her head back against his shoulder, as his claws caressed her scalp.

She sighed heavily. "That's nice." Her hands again found their way around his waist. "Can I ask a question?" Rin asked.

He nodded his assent.

"Where do you go in the mornings?"

"Go?" he repeated.

"The past few mornings-ten days or so-I've woken up, and you're nowhere in sight. Even after I come back to the campsite after my morning exercises and doing a little fishing, you're still not there. And then I come back from taking my bath, and suddenly, you just pop out of nowhere. Where do you go?"

He chuckled lightly to himself.

"Did I say something funny?"

"I go where you go," he said simply.

"And what does that mean?"

He glanced down at her, his gold eyes unblinking, one of his elegant eyebrows raised.

She repeated his words to herself. I go where you go. I go where you go . . . I go . . . where you go. "Sesshomaru!"

He met her with a questioning gaze.

"You've been spying on me."

He turned his nose up at her, scoffing slightly.

"Oh, wait. I forgot." She cleared her throat and did her best Sesshomaru impression. "I do not spy. I was observing."

He was unfazed by her poor imitation of him.

"So, you've been following me around every morning, watching me practice, watching me fish, watching me . . . bathe?" Her agitation grew as her list went on.

"I did not observe you as you bathed," Sesshomaru contended. "I respected your privacy and returned to camp at that time."

"Why?" she demanded.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "You wanted me to watch?"

"No! I want to know why you were following me in the first place?"

"Did I not explain the stages of courtship to you?"

"Basically," she nodded.

"Then why do you still have questions?"

"Okay, I'll just point blank ask. What does spying on me have to do with the stages of courtship?"

"What takes place during Stage One?" he asked.

"You announce your intention to court a specific female, and you visit her, talk with her, go on walks together."

"You watch over her," he corrected her. "You watch over her to ensure her safety and to make sure no other males try to stake a claim on her. Visiting, talking and walking is part of that vigil."

"Let me guess," Rin said. "You visit her to make sure no one else is visiting her. You talk to her to see if she mentions any other males. And you walk with her, so everyone can see that you're together, preventing anyone else from staking a claim on her."

"I realize that you are being sarcastic, but much of what you say is true. Demons are very territorial creatures."

Rin sighed, shaking her head against his shoulder, chuckling dryly to herself.

He continued to caress her scalp with his claws.

For a few moments, they enjoyed the simple act of being together. His hand in her hair, her arms clasped around his waist, her head resting on his chest. The relaxed sound of their breathing. The stillness of the forest around of them. The gradually increasing pace of their heartbeats.

Feeling a little adventurous, Rin unclasped her hands at his waist and splayed her right palm across his stomach. She felt his muscles twitch at her touch. "Now, who's ticklish?" she teased.

"It is not ticklish. It is erogenous."

"Even better," she grinned impishly.

He slid his hand from her scalp to the back of her neck. "You are learning."

She looked over at him and smiled as he brought his lips down on hers in a gentle embrace. "Mmmm, Sesshomaru."

He smirked against her mouth as he snaked his tongue to taste her once more-lip to lip, tongue to tongue, chest to chest.

She dragged her hand down his back as he nibbled at her neck, nuzzling his nose against the sensitive flesh just beneath her ear. She could feel her body heat rising as the itch returned between her thighs, her feminine flower lubricating itself in anticipation of his touch . . . His kisses and caresses made it so hard for her to sit still.

"Lay down for me," he said. "On your stomach." He sucked her earlobe into the wet, warm cavern of his mouth as his hand ran along her left hip.

She slowly slid herself free from their embrace, making herself comfortable on their combined pile of clothes. She folded her arms to make a pillow for her head, then turned her face so she rested on her right cheek. She took a moment to stretch out her legs as Sesshomaru shifted around behind her. "Now what?" she asked.

She received her answer when she felt a large, warm hand creep up the back of her right leg. And she got an even clearer answer when she felt two bare knees situate themselves on either side of her waist and a warm, solid weight settled itself directly above her.

"Sesshomaru?"

He swept the hair away from her face, neck and back, exposing her smooth, fair flesh for his perusal.

"What are you doing back there?" she asked.

He smiled inwardly, half in amusement, half in appreciation. "I am admiring your beauty."

"From back there?" she chuckled.

He extended his index finger and gently ran it along the outer edge of her ear, tracing the curves of the cartilage, committing every bump and dip to his memory. He then swept the back of his hand down her graceful neck, across her well-toned shoulders and lightly over her mid-back and spine.

"Sesshomaru?"

He bent over forward and brushed the tip of his tongue over her outer ear as his hand caressed her right side, running the pads of his fingers over and slightly under her ribcage.

Rin shuddered.

"This is similar to the position we will assume when I claim you." He planted wet kisses along her neck, shoulders and upper arms. "Of course, during the actual mating, you will be on your knees, and I will be positioned directly behind you . . . I simply want you to become accustomed to the idea of being intimate in such an . . . awkward position."

"I see."

He slid further down her body, caressing every inch with the palm of his hand. Her face and neck, her back and shoulders, her calves and thighs, each little toe attached to her narrow, delicate feet, and her perfectly-rounded, tightly-toned behind.

"By the gods, Sesshomaru . . ."

And everywhere his hand went, his tongue was sure to follow.

Rin drew in a quick, sharp breath as his tongue made a pass between her big and second toes. "Why . . . there?" she gasped.

"Did I not say I would familiarize myself with every inch of your body?"

She took in another shallow breath as he ran his teeth over her big toe, sucking it into his mouth, twirling his tongue over the normally neglected digit.

He climbed his way back up her body and kissed her temple. "Turn over for me."

The silky sound of his voice sent a particularly pleasant jolt down the center of her spine, and her body couldn't help but jerk in response.

Sesshomaru smirked as he heard her breathing hitch and her heart rate increase. "Rin," he said softly, "you know I dislike repeating myself."

She drew in a deep breath and nodded, making a move to flip herself over.

He took a seat by her side as she completed the transition. As soon as she was flat on her back, he resumed his previous position, straddling her waist.

Rin felt her face go bright red. Sesshomaru was quite . . . excited, and the proof of that excitement was pointed directly at her.

He placed his hand above her shoulder, then bent down to place a open-mouthed kiss at the crook of her neck. "This is where you shall wear my mark," he explained, as he grazed his fangs over her pulse point.

She shivered beneath him and drew in a ragged breath.

He sniffed the air around them and delighted in the sudden spike in her arousal. "I have never had a female react so strongly, so quickly to me."

Rin gave a throaty chuckle, half amused, half embarrassed. "I find that hard to believe."

He nuzzled his nose in the crook of her neck. "I have no reason to lie to you."

She brought her hands to the back of his head. "I didn't say that you were." She remembered one of her previous lessons and pushed the hair back from his face. She then sought out his left ear and caressed it between her thumb and forefinger.

"Rin . . ."

Taking further initiative, she craned her neck and pressed an open-mouthed kiss to his lips, one hand massaging his ear, the other combing through the fine strands of his hair.

The low rumbling sound returned to his chest.

"My Sesshomaru." She continued to kiss and caress him as he pressed his body flat against hers, the majority of his weight supported on his one hand.

Rin gasped. The feel of his naked, firm flesh resting snugly above her bare body was . . . otherworldly.

"Rin . . ." He moved his mouth down her jawline back to her ear, finally coming to rest in the crook of her neck. He could sense everything about her from that one little spot on her body. He could smell her excitement and her growing arousal. He could feel her warm, pliable flesh and the strong, rapid pulse beneath it. He could hear her quick, shallow breaths. He could see that desperate, hungry look in her eyes. And he could taste the salt of her sweat as it dissolved on the tip of his tongue. "Open your legs for me, Rin."

"But . . . but you said . . . not until we got back to the castle."

"And I meant that." He nibbled up and down her neck, stopping to suck at her sensitive, throbbing pulse point.

"Then why . . .?"

"To bring us closer," he replied. "I will not enter, but I would like to sit upon your porch."

"Porch?" she repeated.

"The part that itches, aches and throbs."

She swallowed hard, then gave a terse nod. "Oh. I see."

He pushed himself up from her, resuming his former "straddle" position. He then moved his hand down her face and neck, across the smooth corners of her collarbone, along her right shoulder and down the length of her arm. When he reached her elbow, he pulled her arm upward, allowing his palm to run over its delicate contours as it tapered down to her wrist and spread out into her hand.

"Sesshomaru?"

Her hands had done so much for him over the past years. They had fed him and cleaned him, braided his hair. They picked flowers, climbed trees, and caught fish. They set the table, cleaned rooms and tended to Ah-Un. They . . . patted him and stroked him, helped in giving him a hug.

Rin's hands were nothing short of miraculous.

"What are you doing?" she asked with a smile.

When he was certain that he had her attention, he brought her wrist to his lips and kissed it. He then proceeded to massage her palm, kissing it here, licking it there, and sucking each of her five fingers into his mouth in turn.

"By the gods, Sesshomaru."

After he released that hand, he did the same to the other.

She moaned and gasped and writhed beneath him, and the Western lord took great pride knowing that he could give his future mate such extreme pleasure with such a simple gesture. She looked up at him, slightly dazed, a bright gleam burning in the back of her eyes. "You'll make it go away, won't you?" she asked.

He nodded once. "If you'll let me."

She reached out and rubbed the back of his thigh. "I'll let you."

"Good." He caressed the side of her face with his thumb, then trailed his hand down her neck. He kissed his way down the rest of her body, stopping to pay homage to each of her dusky nipples and dip his tongue into the recess of her navel.

She reached down and gripped the hair at the back of his head.

He traveled lower, caressing the front and sides of her thighs as Rin spread her legs to accommodate his kneeling form. Her skin was warm and damp, and gave off the most intoxicating scent of roses and cinnamon. It was strongest near the source, and he was determined to find out if it tasted as good as it smelled.

"Ohhhhhh . . ." Rin let out a breathless sigh as he passed his hand between her slick folds, then dipped his head down to lap at the sweet nectar he found there. She gasped as a particularly pleasurable tremor shot through her body, making her heart flutter and hips thrust forward.

Pleased by her reaction, he continued to pay her such intimate attention with his teeth and tongue till her skin glistened with sweat, her breathing became irregular and shallow, and her heart pounded so loudly and so forcefully it was the only thing he could hear.

"Ah ahhh ohhhhhhh . . ." Rin squeezed her eyes shut and let herself be pulled under and buoyed up by the irresistible wave of sensation that washed over her as her limbs went rigid then relaxed. Her head felt dizzy and light, and no matter how many deep breaths she drew in, she still felt the need to gasp for air. "By the gods," she was finally able to utter.

But before she was able to form another coherent thought, she found herself covered by her mate's undeniable warmth, her body buried beneath his lithe, muscular form, his hard, thick length pressed against the front of her feminine flower, the bulk of his weight balanced on his one, good arm.

"Sesshomaru?"

He nuzzled his nose in the crook of her neck and pushed his pelvis forward. "This Sesshomaru has not finished with you yet, my Rin. You still have much to learn." He kissed the side of her face and ran his fangs lightly across the flesh of her neck.

She giggled playfully, threading her fingers through his hair, fully prepared to give herself over to the pleasures her lord and future husband offered her. She instinctively wrapped her legs tightly around him as his mouth made its way around her upper body, and his manhood massaged the sensitive nub nestled between her warm, wet folds.

"Always and forever," he growled lowly in her ear. "You and I are always and forever, Rin."

"Yesssss . . ." Already, she could feel the fire rekindling in her loins. The itch grew to an ache. The ache burgeoned into a dull, pulsing throb.

Sesshomaru groaned as the friction between their two bodies threatened to overtake him. The feel of Rin's soft, wet folds and the delicious heat from her still-virgin core. The ache of his throbbing erection, his boiling blood coursing through the rigid shaft.

"Ohhhhh, my love . . ."

A low growl worked its way up from deep within his chest. "Yessss . . ."

She pushed her hips against his.

"Rin . . ."

She chuckled. "Was that . . . a good thing . . . to do?"

He answered her by flicking his tongue along her outer ear.

Every morning, she thought. From now on, every morning will be like this.

She continued to push against him as his own pace increased, and soon, they were both swept away in a tide of passion. Rin gasped and cried out. Sesshomaru grunted and growled, fangs bared, head back, pushing down the primal urge to claim what he'd always thought of as his.

"By the gods," Rin sighed.

He rolled off to her left side, then pulled her tightly against him.

Rin brushed her hand down the front of her body, her face a mixture of amusement and mock disgust. "I'm all sticky."

"With my musk." He sniffed the side of her neck, exceeding pleased with the odor of their combined scents.

"I'm still sticky," she laughed.

"We shall bathe after your other lesson."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Again?"

"Again?" he repeated. "I've yet to begin your instruction in offense."

She giggled self-consciously, her already flushed face, tinting a deeper shade of red. "I think you purposely try to confuse me, Sesshomaru."

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Forget it." She snuggled closer to him and kissed his cheek. "I'm going to put on my training uniform." She pulled away from him and walked over to her bag.

He sat up indian-style and watched her as she pulled out the blue shirt and pants, and then pulled them on after wiping herself off with one of the linen washcloths. She braided her hair and tied it into place. She then picked up the parcel he'd purchased for her last night.

"No," he said.

She turned to face him. "What?"

"You will not be using that sword until it's acquired a proper sheath."

Rin shrugged, placing the package back among her things. "They have plenty of scabbards in the marketplace. I'll just pick one up there tonight."

"No."

"No?"

"I have a particular sheath in mind for that sword, and I don't want you wielding it without it."

She nodded and pulled out the sword Master Li had given her. "That's fine. I'm more use to this one, any way."

Sesshomaru dressed, complete with his swords and armor, then they headed out to Rin's usual training space-a wide, grassy plain surrounded by trees on all sides. This would be the second time they faced off against one another on this particular patch of land.

"Do what you need to do to prepare yourself," Sesshomaru commanded. He took a seat in the grass and watched Rin as she worked her way through her usual positions. He could tell that she was slightly agitated at being thrown off her normal schedule, her movements a little stiffer than before. The sun had been up for an hour already, and on any other day, she'd be wrapping up her exercises instead of just beginning them.

But soon, her agitation faded, and she seemed to enjoy his added company. As she moved through her postures, she told him the various names of the positions and explained the purpose for each of them. He was particularly amused by the names of two of the postures-Upward Facing Dog and Downward Facing Dog. He masked a mischievous grin and refrained from commenting that Downward Facing Dog was remarkably close to the position a female dog demon would assume during mating.

What was it about Rin that brought out this side of him?

He wasn't the type to sit around and . . . make dirty jokes. He was the demon lord of the Western Lands. His name was feared far and wide, and if he was known for anything more than his fierce battle skills, it was his "deadpan" demeanor.

But Rin did like to tease, and she did like to laugh . . . And he liked to see her laugh.

After half an hour, she announced that she was ready. She picked up her sword, and he stood to face off against her. "I'm not sure how you go about training people," she began, "so I'll just tell you what I'm used to."

He nodded his agreement.

"Master Li and I never talk during our lessons."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "If you do not speak, how do you know what he expects of you?"

"Tai Chi is an internal art," she explained. "The focus is on your body and your feelings. Talking and other outside noises are just distractions from that."

"You have not answered my question."

"Master Li and I stand facing each other. He demonstrates a series of movements, and I watch him. After I think I've figured out the rhythm and the postures, I start to mirror him. Once he thinks I have a good grasp on the technique, he stops moving and starts watching me. He walks around and observes me from all angles, and if I'm doing something wrong, he corrects me."

"How can he correct you without speaking?"

"If my hip is out of line, he pushes it back into place. If my knee is bent when it should be straight, he straightens it. If my legs are too close together, he eases them apart. If my feet are turned the wrong way, he picks them up and repositions them. If I'm holding my hand in the wrong position, he bends and manipulates each finger. If--"

"Enough." He fought back the growl wishing to rise up from the back of his throat.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I do not approve of this . . . Master Li touching you so familiarly."

She laughed softly to herself. "Of all the people to worry about, Sesshomaru, Master Li should be the least of your worries. He's ancient," she said. "He's well over sixty."

"As am I," he reminded her.

"You know good and well a man of sixty isn't the same thing as a demon of sixty."

He remained unmoved. "I do not want him touching you."

"By the gods, Sesshomaru. He's my instructor, not my . . ."

He cocked a quizzical eyebrow at her. "Not your what?"

She chuckled to herself and pushed her hair back from her face. "He's my instructor, not my . . . lover," she finally squeaked out.

"If I may be both--"

"How many times do I have to say I don't want anybody else!"

He glared at her.

Rin sighed. "I apologize for interrupting you, but you're really being ridiculous. Master Li keeps telling me I'm the granddaughter he's never had, and I already told you he's like the grandfather I never had. He's teaching me a martial art, not teaching me how to . . . make love," she mumbled the last two words. "He's an old man, Sesshomaru. And a monk, at that. He's gray-haired, wrinkled and balding. Completely unappealing like every other. . ." Her sentence suddenly trailed off, and she looked away from him.

Sesshomaru picked up the scent of sadness hanging in the air. "Rin?"

She sighed heavily, her eyes downcast, her shoulders slumped. "He's gray-haired, wrinkled and balding. Completely unappealing like every other person . . . or rather, human his age."

He watched as she drew in a deep breath and pushed it out, doubtlessly trying to soothe herself. "Rin."

"I know you told me not to worry about it, so I won't. I won't worry about the wrinkles. I won't worry about the gray hair. I won't worry that..." She looked up and caught his gaze. "I won't worry that when I get older, you won't . . . want me any more."

He let his anger and suspicion fade as he heard similar sentiments expressed in Rin's words. "This Sesshomaru gives you his word as the Lord of the Western Lands, Lady Rin."

She stared at him with her big, brown eyes.

"This Sesshomaru will always want you, and nothing anyone can say or do will change that." A small smile curled the edges of his lips. "Time has no effect on true beauty such as yours."

She sniffed back tears.

His brows knit in consternation. "You doubt me still?"

"No," she shook her head. "Not at all. It's just . . . That was a really nice thing for you to say. It really made me feel better."

"Then why do you weep?"

Rin laughed. "It's complicated."

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Sometimes humans cry when they're happy."

"Preposterous."

She laughed again. "Yeah, I guess it is kind of silly. It's just . . . I don't wanna say instinctive . . . I guess it's more like a reflex. Sometimes when certain people say certain things to you, it just hits a certain nerve, and you react completely without thinking. And, as babies, crying's one of the first things we learned to do so, I guess it's only natural that we burst into tears."

Sesshomaru considered this. "I suppose that is an acceptable explanation. But I prefer smiling happiness as opposed to crying happiness."

"Tears of joy," Rin said.

"Hmn?"

"I just remembered that that's what they're called-tears of joy."

"Only a human would make up such a ridiculous thing."

Rin nodded. "I guess you're right." She drew in a deep breath and pushed it out. "But let's get back to my lesson in offense. Since Master Li's method doesn't agree with you, you just tell me what to do, and I'll do it."

He nodded his agreement, drawing Tenseiga. "Today, we'll work on lunges. Draw your sword, Rin."

She tilted her head to the side, an impish grin playing across her lips. "Should I call you 'Master' during the course of these lessons?"

A slight smirk appeared on his face. "If you wish."

"Fine then. What should I do next, Master?" She raised her sword.

"Attack me."

Rin gave a slight nod, then lunged forward.