InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ In a Different Light ❯ The Game ( Chapter 19 )

In a Different Light

Chapter 18: The Game

"Stop looking at me like that, Jakken."

The little toad continued to give her a knowing grin as she gathered up her bath supplies and a change of clothes. "And where are you off to now, Lady Rin?"

"I'm going to take a bath." She was more angry with herself than at the toad. If she'd simply brought her bath supplies with her, she wouldn't have had to run back to the campsite and endure Jakken's taunting gaze and teasing innuendos . . . and Sesshomaru wouldn't even come with her . . .

But this was the way she'd always done things. She'd rise before dawn, get in her practice, catch some breakfast, come back to camp to get her supplies, and then she'd bathe. All before Jakken was up and about.

She grabbed two towels and shoved them beneath her arm. But today she was five hours off schedule. And she knew exactly who to blame.

"And where is our honorable Lord Sesshomaru?"

Laughing at me. "I wouldn't know, Jakken. I've been practicing my lessons."

"Oh?" he asked. "But you two seemed quite cozy this morning when we left, eh, Ah-Un?"

Even the dragon was getting in on the act.

Rin rolled her eyes. "I know you two think this is really funny."

Jakken feigned innocence, chuckling slightly. "Why, whatever do you mean, Lady Rin? What's really funny?"

That was it. All she wanted was a little time alone with her lord, and instead she had to listen to the irksome insinuations of an insipid little imp. Somebody was going to pay for this. She dropped her bath supplies and plucked her sword from the ground she'd stuck it in.

"R-rin?" The toad hopped to his feet and retreated as Rin advanced.

"Contrary to popular belief, Jakken, I do know how to use this thing."

Jakken swallowed hard as they continued to back around the campsite. Ah-Un stayed carefully out of the way, curled up by the remains of last night's fire. "Now, Rin . . ." he raised the Staff of Heads defensively in front of him.

"Simply because Sesshomaru isn't here, doesn't mean that you can taunt me and tease me about our personal affairs."

He chuckled uncomfortably, starting to stumble as he continued to back away from her. "Now, R-rin, this Jakken was only t-teasing. W-why don't you j-just put down the sword and..."

"Oh, I'll put down the sword," she said, "right down the center of your skull!"

He screamed and fell over backwards. She stepped on the Staff as he was about to raise it and put the tip of her sword to his throat, standing over him. "Now, don't get me wrong, Jakken. Fun and games is fun and games, but what I do with our lord and master is none of your concern."

He stared up at her with bulbous yellow eyes, a tremor running through the length of his tiny body.

"Are we clear, Jakken? Do we understand one another?"

He squeaked out a "yes" as she edged her sword tip an inch closer to his throat.

"Good." She returned to her previous position and stuck her sword back in the ground, gathering up her supplies. "I'll be back when I'm done." She tucked the two towels under her arm, tossed her clean kimonos over her shoulder, clutched her supplies to her chest and retrieved her sword with her free hand. "I do hope we won't have to have this discussion again, Jakken."

He shook his head vigorously. "N-no, Lady Rin."

"Good." She smiled sweetly then left the clearing.

"So much like our lord . . ."

Rin returned to where she'd left him, sitting on a boulder 50 yards from their campsite. "Are you quite happy, now?" She nodded to the bath supplies cradled in her arms.

He inclined his head slightly, then rose to his feet.

Rin sighed and fell into step behind him.

Eventually, they found a cave to suit their purposes. It was far off the forest trail, and because of its disuse, several vines and a thick patch of shrubs and barren saplings had grown up to conceal its entrance. Rin stood patiently by as Sesshomaru made quick work of the minor obstacle, breaking through the barrier with a sweep of his poisonous claws. The fast-dissolving flora combined with the sickly sweet smell of his corrosive acid perfumed their surroundings with the scents of freshly cut grass and newly chopped wood. Rin found the fragrance to be both calming and invigorating like a brisk walk through the woods after a sudden summer rain shower.

She laughed softly to herself. You'd think after four hours of sword practice she'd be too tired and too sore to think of anything but a hot bath and a nice, noon-time nap. But knowing that she'd once again have Sesshomaru all to herself put any thoughts of sleep far from her head as memories from their early morning "lesson" casually crept into her consciousness.

"Will I . . . have to do the same to you?" she asked. "The . . . taste part?"

"Only if that is your desire."

"And if I don't desire?"

The way was finally clear. Sesshomaru led the way inside, she following closely behind.

"Are you sure there's a hot spring in here?" she asked. The cave's interior was musty, damp and slightly cold. It seemed a very unlikely place to get a hot bath.

He didn't acknowledge her question, which meant, of course, there was a spring. When had he ever been wrong?

The nose knows, as she used to say in her youth.

As they left the entrance farther behind and progressed deeper inside the cavern, the outdoor light faded, and they were left in complete darkness. She couldn't even catch a glimpse of white in the thick, black shadows. "Sesshomaru?" She reached out blindly before her with her sword hand. "I can't see a thing. Sesshomaru?"

She swore she heard him laugh. "Sesshomaru!" She stopped in her tracks, trying not to lose her temper. First, he got her all worked up this morning, throwing her off schedule. Next, he put her through four hours of sword practice, during which she didn't utter a single complaint. Then, he promised her another "lesson," sending her back to camp alone to endure Jakken's snickers and sneers while she retrieved the bath supplies. And, now, he was playing Hide and Seek in a dark, damp, musty cave!

"If you don't answer me right now, Sesshomaru, I swear by the gods I'm gonna turn around and go back the way I came."

That time she knew she heard him laugh.

"So, the lady seeks to command the lord, now." His voice came from somewhere in front of her. Ten feet, perhaps twenty.

"Don't you think you're little old to be playing games like this?" She took a few tentative steps forward, waving her sword hand in front of her.

"Fun and games is fun and games. Is that not what you said?"

She growled low in her throat. "You do realize I could trip and fall on my sword, don't you? And how much fun would that be!"

No reply.

"Sesshomaru!"

Again . . . nothing.

That was it. She was leaving. Lesson or no lesson. She was tired of the men in her life making a fool of her. She turned on her heels and stomped off towards the exit.

"And where might you be going, Lady Rin?"

She gasped as she suddenly felt herself yanked backwards against something solid but furry. "I'm leaving," she said sourly.

"Oh?" the voice said.

"Yes," she nodded tersely.

The hand around her waist loosened its grip and slid to her lower back.

Rin scoffed. "It's not going to work this time. I know your tricks."

"Oh?" The hand slipped lower, right above her tail bone, and began to rub up and down, following the upper curve of her behind.

Rin swallowed hard.

The fur shifted against her left cheek and a warm breath blew across her ear as the hand continued its vertical motions. "Still not working?"

She drew in a shaky breath as a shiver shot down her spine. "You tell me," she said to the blackness beside her.

A nose nuzzled against her neck, then she heard him draw in a deep breath. "I can do better." He placed a wet kiss at the base of her neck, then worked his way up, stopping at her earlobe to tease it with the tip of his tongue as he sucked it into the warm, wet cavern of his mouth.

Rin sighed, but successfully fought the urge to lean into the source of the wonderful sensations. She was still angry, after all. After Jakken catching them this morning and four hours of sword practice and . . . wanting him so badly after practice and . . . having to deal with Jakken again and . . . and . . . and it certainly couldn't hurt to lean a little to the right, so he could get to that spot right behind her ear.

As if he read her mind, he swept down and brushed his lips against that exact spot.

"By the gods . . ." A low moan escaped between her lips, and all thoughts of anger were quickly washed away as he slowly rained kisses down the side of her face and across her jawline.

He tugged on the back of her training pants and slipped his hand down inside.

She sighed heavily and leaned into him as he caressed her bare backside with the lightly calloused palm of his hand.

He spoke lowly into her ear. "You are a long, long way, my lady, from knowing all the tricks of this Sesshomaru."

"You don't play fair," she half whined, half moaned.

"Perhaps. Or perhaps you are unaware of the rules of the game." He captured her mouth in a searing kiss, moving his hand from her bare bottom to massage the back of her neck.

"Sessh . . ."

He deepened the kiss with a slant of his mouth and the flick of his tongue.

Rin sighed and gratefully accepted the warm, wet muscle as it slid over and around the moist cavern of her mouth. She wanted more than anything to wrap her arms around him and press her body flush against his . . . but with her arms burdened with bathing supplies, and the spikes of his armor still in the way . . .

He ended the oral adventure with a gentle peck on the lips, his hand still at the nape of her neck. "It is time for your bath, my lady." He brushed his lips against her pulse point then eased her around in the opposite direction, gently urging her to walk the unseen path before them.

Rin opted to keep quiet as they journeyed down the black passageway, his hand resting between her shoulder blades. She hated knowing that Jakken was right.

"We'll see how smug you are once the master has his way with you."

It wasn't fair that he had such . . . control over her body. It wasn't fair that he knew just where to touch her, just how to kiss her, just how to caress her . . . But, then again, she'd given him that control, hadn't she?

He said "come here," and she went. He said "undress," and she let him undress her. He said "lay down, roll over," and she did it . . . He even had her practically begging for him.

"You'll make the ache go away, won't you?"

She sighed inwardly in disgust. It simply wasn't fair. He knew she wouldn't ask him to do any of those things; she'd told him as much . . . But, then again, if he didn't, they'd never, and that would be very disappointing . . . And he did ask her to touch him . . . But he still wasn't playing fair-especially in this cave. She was completely blind, while he could see in the dark. If he wasn't here, she'd probably be reduced to crawling around on all fours just to avoid bumping into anything or wandering somewhere she shouldn't.

Completely unfair.

"Perhaps. Or perhaps you are unaware of the rules of the game."

That was true. She didn't know anything about this "game" he seemed to be playing. But, still, it was a game. She liked to play games; she was good at playing games. And she hated losing.

So far, the object of this game seemed to be to piss Rin off, and get her to do what you want, anyway.

She chuckled softly to herself. But if the object of the game was to piss Sesshomaru off, and get him to do what you want, anyway . . .

But, what did she want him to do? What did he want her to do? She was sure they were both intrinsically the same thing. After all, he knew she was aroused, so he was taking her someplace secluded to . . . relieve her. He wanted her, and she wanted him . . . So, what was the real object of this game?

Maybe . . . maybe it wasn't to piss the other person off. She wasn't originally pissed off when she had to go back to the campsite; she was embarrassed because she knew Jakken was going to be there, and she knew what he was going to say. Before that, she was excited, and then Jakken made her angry. Then she got excited again . . . Then Sesshomaru pissed her off and got her excited again . . .

It was as if . . . he wanted to get her worked up in other ways, and then . . .

She smiled smugly to herself. I may be a long, long way from knowing all your tricks, my Lord Sesshomaru, but I do believe I've figured this one out. And if you think for one second that you can tease me better than I can tease you . . .

"What's that smile for?" he asked.

"What do you think it's for?" she asked.

"I dislike it when people answer questions with questions."

She repressed a laugh, beginning to play this game of his. "Don't you do that, though?"

He fell silent.

Rin knew if there was one thing he hated, it was being questioned. If there was another thing he hated, it was complaining. "Are you sure there's a hot spring in here?" she asked. "I asked you before, and you didn't answer me. I always thought it was rather rude not to answer a question when posed with one."

He was slow to reply. "I can smell the sulphur and minerals from the spring."

"Oh?" This was too much fun. "How do you know it's not just the natural smell of the cave? Or maybe it's animal shit."

She couldn't see him, but she was almost certain he glared at her.

"Don't you think shit and sulphur smell a lot alike?" she asked.

"No."

"Oh. Well, I guess your nose is more sensitive than mine."

They continued to walk in darkness.

"Are we there, yet?" she asked. "It seems we're going an awfully long way just to get a bath. We could've just jumped in the river and been done by now."

He gave no reply.

"And I haven't had breakfast, yet. I feel as if I'm starving. This isn't going to take long, is it?"

Again, no reply.

"Because as much as I enjoyed our little 'lesson' this morning, if I had to choose between that and eating, I'd rather have breakfast. Or lunch, as the case may be."

He stopped walking. She stopped with him.

She repressed a triumphant chuckle. She'd won! No one was better at teasing than she was.

A low growl emanated from her immediate left.

She turned her head in the direction of the noise, intent on teasing him just a little bit more. "Is there something wrong, my--"

The bath supplies got knocked to the ground, her sword got tossed to the side with a loud clatter, and she suddenly found her back pressed against what could only be the hard, moss-covered surface of the cave wall.

She gasped in surprise, her heart slamming against her ribcage. All she could see was blackness, but she could feel his hand pressed firmly across her chest and his hot breath blowing across the front of her face. "S-Sesshomaru?"

The heat of his breath intensified, meaning he must have leaned in closer. "Hungry, are we, my Lady Rin?"

Rin swallowed hard. This is still just the game, she reminded herself. He is a demon, after all, and demons do play a bit rough. Remember that little duel he put you through. "Yes," she replied smoothly.

A low, dark chuckle worked its way into the air around her. "I seem to have developed quite an . . . appetite myself."

"Oh?" she asked. "And what's on your menu?" She couldn't see him, but she imagined him to be smirking.

"Don't you know?" His voice caressed her like the finest, softest silk.

"Well," she cleared her throat, "that's all fine and good for you, but what about me? I'm hungry, too."

His cheek brushed against the side of her face as she felt his nose dip its way into the crook of her cloth-covered neck. He then spoke lowly, slowly, gently into her ear. "I have quite the thing for you to wrap those rosy-colored lips around."

Her breath caught in her throat, and she felt a sudden rush of warm wetness form between her thighs.

Sesshomaru inhaled, doubtlessly steeping himself in his ill-gotten gain.

"Not fair," Rin whispered.

He chuckled again, more light-heartedly, and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. He then released her from his hold, allowing her to step away from the cave wall. "You played well, but not well enough."

Rin grumbled and stooped over, feeling around blindly on the cave floor for her "lost" possessions.

"You are a sore loser, aren't you?"

She ignored him as she continued to search for the towels, bath supplies and, most importantly, her sword. She heard him chuckle again and then his footsteps faded into the darkness. "Sesshomaru! Don't you dare leave me."

The footsteps returned and a towel was tossed over her head. "I was not leaving; I was retrieving your supplies."

Rin rolled her eyes, pulling the towel from her head, then pushed herself upright.

"Are you injured?" he asked. "I wasn't too rough, was I?"

"No," she replied shortly.

He again placed his hand between her shoulder blades to guide her along. "Come along, then. I shall let you have the upper hand in the bath."

Rin scoffed. "What kind of game was that, anyway?"

"Predator and prey."

She chuckled lightly to herself. "I should've known. But I thought only cats played with their food before they ate it."

"It is a trait of all predatory animals. It increases the thrill of the hunt." His hand crept up her upper back to gently cup the back of her neck. "Would you not agree?"

Rin repressed a laugh. "I hate you."

He pulled her slightly towards him and nuzzled his nose against her neck. "Now, we both know that is not true."

She reluctantly melted beneath his touch. "I'll get you back for this, you know."

He sent his tongue out to sweep around her outer ear. "Oh, my Rin, I'm counting on it."

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Author's Notes: Yay! Fanfiction.net reviewers! You guys rock! I'm this close to 400 reviews. You guys REALLY keep me motivated to write. I enjoy your reviews as much as you seem to be enjoying my fic.

*sigh* I know a lot of you are clamoring for Sess to just lay claim to Rin, now, but there are specific reasons he's holding off till he gets back to the castle. Those reasons will be touched upon next chapter. Hehe . . . there'll be LOTS of touching next chapter.

Kudos to Manon LeChat for being as depraved as I am. Yes, I was hinting at something with Sesshomaru's three comments-"harder, faster, deeper." I'm such a bad girl . . . hehe.

So, keep the reviews coming in, people. I really appreciate them ^ ^

Thanks for reading and reviewing, and I hope I didn't disappoint,

theMaven :)