InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Moving Pictures ❯ Confrontations ( Chapter 21 )

A/N: Lemon alert! This is the unedited version of this chapter. For the clean version, visit Fanfiction(dot)net, same handle, same story title.

 

Thanks for all of your wonderful support! It's nice to know that people are reading and enjoying.

 

FFnet: forgotten angel, Tora Delerium, Yami, gothic-ember, agent-doo, Neisha

 

Disclaimer: I do not own any character created by Rumiko Takahashi.

 

Chapter 21 - Confrontations

 

Kagome nodded over her book again, her head drifting forward, then snapping back as the girl stammered an apology.

 

“It's okay, you just got back tonight. No wonder you're tired.” Charlotte closed the book and helped the teen stow her pencils in their box. Closing her backpack and pushing it against the wall of Kaede's hut, Kagome was overcome by a huge yawn.

 

“I'm glad to be back, though. We searched for three weeks and didn't find a single shard nor a sign of Naraku.” Charlotte nodded sympathetically, then winced as the baby kicked something tender. Kagome's eyes lit up. “He's moving? Can I feel?”

 

“Yeah, but it might be a girl, you know.” She leaned back a little, giving Kagome full access to her distended stomach.

 

Kagome put a hesitant hand on her belly, her face transfixed with wonder. “He's getting so big, so quickly!” her voice was hushed as she concentrated on the life under her hand. She was absolutely right; in the weeks that the group had been gone, Charlotte's girth had almost tripled.

 

Charlotte snorted indelicately, “It'll be twins, if luck and genetics have anything to say about it.”

 

“How much longer?”

 

“I don't really know. Normal lions have their cubs in about three months and it's almost been that. I suppose it'll come when it's ready.”

 

“And how have the villagers been treating you?”

 

She shrugged. “I leave them alone, they leave me alone. It's fine. And Kaede let me move into an empty hut near the southern edge of the village.”

 

Inuyasha dropped into a sit next to Kagome, hands planted between his feet. Kagome rolled her eyes, “Inuyasha, not now…”

 

He ignored her, only the flick of one white ear acknowledging that she spoke at all. “I found you a mate.”

 

“Oh yeah?” Charlotte asked, a little afraid of whom the hanyou could have found so quickly.

 

“Yeah, a panther from the East, and an heir to the chieftainship of his tribe. He's willing to adopt this one,” he pointed a claw at her belly, “but it won't be his heir. He said a female with your abilities would be an asset to his tribe.”

 

“Gee, thanks. And when will I get to meet this Romeo?” she asked sarcastically as she wondered which abilities the panther valued more: channeling or having babies.

 

Inuyasha stared at her blankly. “His name ain't Romeo. It's Senichi. He'll meet you in the morning. What? It's the best thing for you, especially after that attack by the boar.” He scowled at her mulish expression and she relented. He was only trying to help, after all.

 

“Okay, Inuyasha. Thank you. I'll meet him in the morning.” He snorted and stood, stomping back out of the hut and into the night. Kagome watched him go and sighed heavily.

 

Charlotte winked at her and laced her fingers under her chin, singing, “Matchmaker, matchmaker make me a match, find me a mate, catch me a catch!” Kagome broke into giggles and Charlotte soon followed. A faint “Oi!” drifted through the window and they laughed harder, Charlotte clutching her tummy and Kagome mopping at her streaming eyes.

 

Sobering as tomorrow's interview came to the forefront of her mind, Charlotte propped an elbow on her knee and rested her chin in her hand. Kagome gave her round stomach a reassuring pat.

 

“He's an okay guy, I guess. A bit arrogant and pig-headed, if you ask me, but I think Inuyasha chose him for his station," her face clouded for a moment as she recalled the panther's haughty attitude. “At least he'll be able to protect you.”

 

“If I don't like him, I don't have to mate him, right?” It was Charlotte's turn to be reassuring. “And if I do like him, well, maybe I could love him.”

 

Kagome nodded brightly, but they both knew that she had better like this guy. Charlotte hadn't seen any more of Sesshomaru's vassals (she'd left out a lot of the story when recounting to the others her meeting with Kato), and Inuyasha had said that the only demon within several leagues was Senichi, but they were all very nervous.

 

XxxxxxxxX

 

The beauty of the morning was lost on the little group of humans and youkai. Chirping birds, glistening dew, quiet creeping of mist over the fields were crowded out by the sense of urgency and sorrow that had fallen over them.

 

Clasping her hands under her belly to help support it's weight, Charlotte stood apart from her friends, trying to endure Senichi's inspection with as much good grace as she could muster. She was dressed simply but beautifully, in soft greens that matched her eyes and with purple mums twined into the two small braids that kept her hair out of her face. Kagome had insisted that she look her best and had done the braids herself, but Charlotte couldn't help but think the effort was pointless, since “looking her best” would not have included a bun in the oven.

 

Senichi stalked around her, black tail slashing the air as he sniffed her hair and eyed her body. He made several circles but never once bothered to look her in the eye.

 

“You want to check my teeth while you're at it?” she snapped, unable to hold in her annoyance any more.

 

Stepping in front of her, he looked down at her with his slitted yellow eyes. He was handsome, she had to admit, but so far, that was the only thing going for him. Blue-black hair hung to his waist, fixed into a long tail with a series of golden rings. Gracefully pointed ears were pierced several times and adorned with more golden rings. He was tawny, lean and well muscled, shown off by an open vest and slim-fitting hakama.

 

“Inuyasha warned me that you were mouthy.”

 

She shot the offending hanyou a speaking glare and he smirked at her, gesturing at the panther in front of her.

 

Turing the glare onto the cat, she met his eyes with pride and resolve, no longer bothering to hide her ire. “And what else did he say?”

 

He blinked under the force of her stare, then grinned suddenly, his posture relaxing. “A spirited one. You'll do.”

 

“I'll do what?”

 

He leaned forward until their noses were almost touching and purred, “You'll bear me many fine sons.” He finished the statement by gliding his cheek along hers. She resisted the urge to slap him.

 

“You don't want to know who the father of this one is?” she asked quietly.

 

He exhaled into her ear, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine, “It's mine, now.”

 

Pulling away, but still remaining far too close for her comfort, he leered at her. “You don't have a dowry, but the hanyou mentioned that you could channel energy…” he trailed off and looked at her expectantly.

 

A trill of fear shot through her and his grin widened imperceptibly. “Is that a good thing?”

 

“It is if it's true. The dogs of the West were supposed to have destroyed them all, but power like that would give my tribe a definite advantage.”

 

In response, Charlotte opened a channel and tugged on his youki, deriving satisfaction from his startled jump and wide eyes. She let go and closed the channel, and this time it was her turn to grin, showing sharp fangs between her lips.

 

Senichi took a shaky breath and quickly regained his composure, measuring her in a new light. “Oh, yes. You'll do, and I'll enjoy it.”

 

XxxxxxxxxX

 

“Are you sure you want to go through with this?” Kagome asked after she surfaced the water, rubbing her eyes to clear them.

 

Sango squeezed a small amount of the precious shampoo into her hand and set aside the bottle, working lather into her hair. “What choice does she have?”

 

“None at all,” Charlotte remarked. The warm mineral water gently worked at her muscles, relaxing the tension out of them and giving sweet relief to her heavy body. She let herself float, her eyes half-closed as she resigned herself to her fate.

 

“Yeah, but-“

 

“It's okay, Kagome. I've always been a pragmatist. Following my heart got me into this; a good dose of reality will get me out.”

 

“Senichi seems like a pervert, if you ask me,” Sango muttered, rinsing the lather from her hair and reaching for the bottle of conditioner.

 

Charlotte giggled, “That's not necessarily a bad thing.” Both Sango and Kagome flushed. “And men are surprisingly easy to handle when you've got their nookie held hostage.”

 

Sango cleared her throat, and then ventured hesitantly, “I've heard that…” she waved her hand vaguely, “… is only pleasurable for the man.”

 

Aghast, Charlotte snorted. “Then someone wasn't doing it right.”

 

“Oh,” Sango looked thoughtful and ducked under the water.

 

Kagome and Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku, would they ever take the steps she and Sesshomaru had? Charlotte hoped so; there was real love between the pairs and they had a chance at happiness.

 

“You'll come visit me, right?” Charlotte asked as she floated over to the hair care products and righted herself, applying a small amount of shampoo directly to her hair. Demon hair didn't really need to be washed like this, she'd discovered, but she indulged this one last time.

 

“Of course we will,” Kagome assured her, happy to leave the uncomfortable topic of sex behind her. She was almost eighteen and her fantasies of Inuyasha had gotten progressively steamier over the years. Recently, she could swear that the hanyou had given her looks. Looks that made her insides tingle.

 

“It will be interesting to see what a half dog, half lion youkai will look like,” Sango stated as she rinsed the remaining conditioner from her hair.

 

“And one-sixteenth human,” Charlotte added.

 

Kagome smiled sadly. “I'm sure he'll be beautiful.”

 

They finished bathing quietly, each woman occupied with her own thoughts, and wrapped in their robes, twisting fluffy towels around their wet hair. Charlotte took her time, not letting her nervousness get the better of her. Tonight, she'd meet Senichi as his mate, let him mark her and claim her. Tomorrow, they'd start the journey to his lands in the East, though he sure as hell better not expect her to walk.

 

Following the little path back to the village, the women maintained a companionable silence. Though it was dark, the humans knew the way well enough to not need a light, and Charlotte could see just fine. Charlotte let the younger women take the lead, staring fondly at the backs of their heads.

 

Kagome stopped suddenly and glanced around the dark forest with worried eyes. “Did you guys feel that?”

 

XxxxxxxxX

 

Ah-Un was panting flame as he flew across the night sky, his legs churning beneath him, but Sesshomaru pushed him on with a squeeze of his legs. Jaken, wisely silent for once, sat behind him, clutching the Staff of Two Heads in his arms and the back of the saddle with his tiny green hands. Musashi sped below then in a dark blur, but the inuyoukai's keen nose took in each scent that rode the wind, searching for her distinctive sagebrush scent.

 

His initial fury had receded; leaving a cold burn that warred with elation that she was still here and anguish that she had betrayed him. He knew that he could not kill her but he would personally see to the tormented demises of any who had dared touch her.

 

Finally, he caught her scent mixed with floral chemicals and the two human females that traveled with his brother. The anger flared again at this confirmation of her infidelity, radiating off of him in waves that sent his servant into a fit of terror. His face set in grim determination; he guided Ah-Un's head down toward the forest and drew Tokijin.

 

XxxxxxxX

 

Sango nodded and tried to pierce the darkness with her mortal eyes. “Yeah, I felt it, a strong demonic aura. Could it be Senichi?”

 

Charlotte shivered; the aura crackling against her own was alarmingly familiar. Glancing up, a speck of white winking in the sky arrested her attention. “Oh no,” she breathed, her worst fears confirmed.

 

“What is it?” Kagome asked, just before Charlotte shoved her forward with a hand in her back.

 

“Run! He's coming!” Charlotte cried, herding the other women in front of her. Needing no other prompting, they bolted along the path, easily outdistancing her as she struggled with her heavy stomach and ungainly body.

 

Kagome notice her falling behind first and skidded to a halt. “Charlotte!”

 

“Keep moving! Get Inuyasha!” she shouted at her, almost losing her footing as she lost her balance and steadied herself against a tree.

 

“We can't leave you-“

 

Sango grabbed her arm and dragged her onward. “She's right. We don't have our weapons, so we can't fight him. She's strong, but she doesn't need to be distracted by trying to protect us. Come on, finding Inuyasha is our best hope!”

 

With a last glance over her shoulder, Kagome stopped resisting and ran on, screaming Inuyasha's name at the top of her lungs.

 

Charlotte lumbered after them, disgusted by her own clumsiness but glad to hear their shouts fading into the forest. Sneaking a look up and over her shoulder, she realized with dread that he was gaining on her very, very fast. He might not be able to see her through the screen of trees, but she knew he could find her by scent alone.

 

A low branch yanked the towel out of her hair and she staggered into the trunk of a tree, crying out as the rough bark scraped her skin. `This is pointless, save your energy for protecting yourself,' she thought frantically as she panted, leaning against the tree for support. There was a thump behind her and a rustle of silk, then silence.

 

She straightened, shaking wet hair out of her face and crossing her arms between her belly and breasts, steeling herself against the effect he still had on her. Just as beautiful as when she'd last seen him: silver hair shining brightly in the moonlight, eyes molten pools of gold. Her body ached with yearning; her beast clamored for her to bare her neck and submit to whatever he saw fit to give her, anything to erase the baleful look on his face and get her back into his good graces. She tried to shush it; she hadn't done anything wrong to deserve punishment, but her beast fought her, almost wrenching a whimper from her chest.

 

He was staring at her rounded stomach, his face emotionless but his eyes seething with anger. Finally, he spoke. “Whore. You think you can replace this Sesshomaru so easily?”

 

His words pierced her heart but she blanked her face, matching his cold expression. How had he found out about Senichi so quickly? She tried to ready a channel for when he attacked, but her beast was still yowling and wouldn't cooperate. At least he wasn't trying to kill her right away.

 

“And what if I have?” she shot back with more confidence than she actually felt. She couldn't tap into a channel; she'd have to stall him.

 

Sesshomaru tilted his head forward, glowering at her from under his bangs and growling viciously as his hand tightened on the hilt of his sword. She was challenging his authority, as she often had, but he would put a stop to that. Before the night was over, she would know her place and her consort would be dead.

 

Inuyasha barreled headlong through the trees with Senichi close behind, Charlotte and Sesshomaru already in sight. Skidding to a stop next to Ah-Un, he staggered forward a step as Senichi slammed into his back. “Sesshomaru! Get away from her!”

 

“Silence, half-breed. I will kill you and your pup.”

 

Inuyasha's mouth dropped open in shock. His brother was a bastard and an imbecile. “My pup? It's your fucking pup!”

 

Jaken exclaimed scandalously from Ah-Un's saddle, “My Lord!”

 

“My pup?” Sesshomaru rounded on Charlotte, his eyes narrow and nostrils flaring. “You said-“

 

“It's my cub, as Charlotte will be my mate,” Senichi said imperiously and pointed a disdainful claw at Sesshomaru. “And who is this guy?”

 

Inuyasha cut in again, drawing the enraged inuyoukai's attention to back to him and away from the lioness. “We're going to mate her to Senichi so that you can't take him!”

 

Sesshomaru's eyes began to bleed red as his youkai rose to fight for what was his. “She's mine, and you cannot keep me from my pup!”

 

Shaking with rage and frustration, Charlotte roared, “Hey! Possession is nine-tenths of the law, which makes it my fucking pup! Cub! Damn it!” She scooped a clod of earth from the ground and lobbed it at Sesshomaru, which exploded on his shoulder with a wet smack and showered him with bits of dirt and rotting leaves.

 

“Bitch!” he growled, turning back toward her.

 

“You can't talk to my mate like that!” Senichi leapt forward and grabbed Sesshomaru's shoulder, only to be launched backward into a tree. Momentarily stunned, he lay slumped under the tree.

 

“Leave me alone!” Charlotte shouted at Sesshomaru, her voice raw with hurt. All of those nights she had dreamed of seeing him again, holding and touching him. And here he was, finally, but calling her a whore and threatening to take her baby. She screamed, the pain that she had kept bottled inside erupting with a burst of sound that shook the eardrums of the youkai and hanyou, forcing them to cover their ears with their hands. She screamed until her throat burned and there was no more air in her lungs. Gasping in a breath, her body shaking from the torrent of emotion that she hadn't allowed herself to fully feel, she collapsed on the ground, great wracking sobs tearing through her chest. Heedless of her audience, she buried her head in her folded arms and cried, for herself, for her baby.

 

“Charlotte?” Inuyasha asked hesitantly, his ears still plastered to his head. He hated it when women cried; it made him feel helpless and weak. Sesshomaru took a step toward her and he lunged forward, planting himself between his brother and the crying woman. The cat demon had become his sister, and hell if he would let the bastard hurt her.

 

Sesshomaru leveled a cool stare at his brother. “Take that wretched excuse for a panther and leave us.”

 

Inuyasha snarled back, “Not fucking likely.”

 

Sesshomaru flexed his claws but resisted the urge to strike down the barrier between him and the female huddled on the ground. The only thing that stayed his hand was the knowledge that the hanyou wanted to protect her.

 

“I won't let you hurt her or take her pup.”

 

“I'm taking them both and this Sesshomaru would not hurt his own,” he stated, a hint of a growl creeping back into his voice.

 

Inuyasha glared at his brother, trying to discern the truth in his eyes. The redness was gone, and with it, the youkai rage. Though his face was impassive, those golden eyes, so much like his own, glittered with emotion that Inuyasha had never seen in them before and couldn't hope to name. He relaxed his posture and stepped aside slowly. “If you so much as try to hurt her, I'll tear you apart,” the hanyou warned, meaning every word he said.

 

They both glanced down as Charlotte groaned, curling around herself. Adding to the pain in her heart, it felt like there were band around her belly, squeezing cruelly. After several excruciating moments that seemed to stretch for hours, it let up and she took a deep breath in relief. Opening her eyes, she found two anxious pairs of golden eyes staring down at her. “Leave me alone,” she protested as the hovered nearer. She tried to scoot away but was seized by another squeeze, forcing a groan from her throat.

 

“Charlotte, what's wrong?” Inuyasha reached out to touch her but snatched his hand back at a growl from his brother, who crouched over her protectively. The cat curled up again, crying out as if someone had hit her. “Oh, shit…”

 

Inuyasha backed away and frantically sniffed at the air, trying to ignore the heavy scent of her fear. His brother was rapidly going more feral; the more pain and fear that Charlotte emitted, the lower he hunkered down over her. From the sound of his growl, he would transform soon, which wouldn't help anyone.

 

“Kagome! KAGOME!” Where was she? She was supposed to have picked up her arrows and followed him. Detecting her scent, he bounded into the trees.

 

“I'm coming! Oof-” she puffed as Inuyasha landed in front of her and unceremoniously yanked her onto his back, soaring into the trees. She didn't even have time to ask questions before they landed again.

 

Sesshomaru was crouched low over Charlotte's curled form, his skin paling and his face elongating. Hiding her with his body, he was snarling at Senichi, who looked ready to pounce. “Inuyasha, what's-“ she was cut off by Charlotte's harsh cry of pain.

 

She hopped off of Inuyasha's back and ran toward the couple, ignoring Sesshomaru's bared teeth. “Get off! We have to take her to Kaede!” The inuyoukai didn't look like he was willing to move and Kagome wondered if she'd have to purify him when Charlotte raised her head.

 

“Kagome?” her eyes were bright with pain and confusion, but to Kagome's relief, she seemed to be okay. The sound of her voice had a calming effect on the dog demon, his face settling into a more human appearance.

 

“Yes, I'm here. Sesshomaru, you idiot, get off. She's going into labor.” She swatted at him and to her surprise, he eased his crouch, but only enough to gather her into his arms. Striding purposefully toward Ah-Un, he ignored the girl as she tailed him, demanding to know what he was doing.

 

She grabbed onto his Mokomoko-sama, jerking hard. “I'll purify you!”

 

He spared her a glance before climbing onto Ah-Un in front of Jaken. “I'm taking her to your healer, as you suggested, miko.”

 

Kagome deliberated, but since it looked like the dog demon wanted to help more than hinder, she let go of the boa. “Fine. Inuyasha will lead the way.”

 

Sesshomaru nodded, not bothering to wait for her to climb onto his brother's back before guiding the dragon into the air. Charlotte had stopped spasming, for which he was thankful, and was lying quietly in his arms, head resting against his chest with her eyes closed. He nuzzled her cheek with his nose, rumbling deep in his chest, nuzzling her again when she relaxed against him.

 

“My lord,” Jaken spoke reverently from behind him. “Since the cat has human blood, will your pup be able to wield Tetsusaiga?” Sesshomaru quietly considered that possibility. He hadn't tried to steal the sword since he'd discovered that it sealed his brother's demon blood, did not want him to further tarnish the family name by turning into a mindless beast. It was an interesting question, nonetheless.

 

XxxxxxxxX

 

Kaede pursed her lips as she surveyed the motley collection of youkai and humans surrounding her hut. All of them were glaring at Lord Sesshomaru, a demon she'd heard much about but had never met, who was once again trying to gain access to the cat demon within.

 

“I've told ye to stay out. It was a false labor and she needs her rest.”

 

“And it's all your fault,” Inuyasha spat at his back with his usual tact.

 

“Osuwari!” Kagome called out the door of the hut, keeping her voice down so as not to disturb the sleeping, and still very pregnant, nekoyoukai.

 

Inuyasha hit the ground with a muffled curse, but didn't look at all repentant when he picked himself up off the ground.

 

“I will take her to the Western Lands. You cannot stop this Sesshomaru, miko.”

 

“You aren't taking her anywhere, dog. She was promised to me!” Senichi growled, his tail twitching irritably.

 

On their ride over, Sesshomaru had thoroughly sniffed the cat and determined that she had not betrayed him with another male, which meant that he didn't need to kill the panther outright. However, he might do it on principle if he didn't shut up.

 

“Fighting over her is not going to help her,” Kaede broke in, showing no sign of quailing under Sesshomaru's withering stare. “Inuyasha, ye will help me move her to her own hut where she'll be more comfortable.”

 

Gloating as he passed his brother, Inuyasha followed Kaede into the hut. Several minutes later, he re-emerged with Charlotte asleep in his arms and Kagome at his heel, nagging him about jostling her. Kaede led the small procession to Charlotte's hut, noting as they approached that the woman had transplanted several types of herbs under the windows. She had Inuyasha lay her on the futon, and then covered her with an extra kimono, despite the warmth of the morning air.

 

Charlotte dozed off and on late into the afternoon, once waking to Kaede's quiet humming. She sat up, pushing the smothering kimono off of her so she could cool down a little.

 

Kaede clicked her tongue in disapproval but neatly folded the discarded kimonos and set them aside. “Ye must stay on your back, child, lest ye invite more trouble.”

 

Charlotte snorted but lay back down, muttering, “Stay on my back? That's how I got in trouble in the first place.”

 

Kaede chuckled throatily and Charlotte eventually joined in, then winced, placing a hand on her belly. “So that's what I've got to look forward to?”

 

“That, and more besides, but when ye hold your babe in your arms, it will all be worth it.” Kaede patted her hand and pushed to her feet, quietly leaving the hut. Charlotte smiled after her and dropped off again, glad that she wasn't quite there yet.

 

She woke again in the evening with a warm body pressed against her back. She didn't need a dog's nose to tell her who it was; his chest rumbled as she shifted and a delicate nose nuzzled her hair.

 

Kagome poke her face around the hanging mat at the door, whispering, “Charlotte, I don't mean to wake you, but we can't find Sessh- Oh.” Her face disappeared as his rumble turned into a growl.

 

She stretched in his arms and rolled onto her other side so that she could see him. Her breath caught in her throat to see that moon crest so close and she couldn't help but brush it with her fingertips, then caress each maroon stripe on his cheek. He leaned into her touch ever so slightly.

 

“I thought you went back,” he said softly but accusingly.

 

“I thought you wanted to kill me,” she replied, defensiveness creeping into her voice.

 

A hint of a frown touched his lips. “You lied to me.”

 

Her exploring fingers stilled on his face, “You mated Yukio's daughter.”

 

“I killed her before we mated. She was an assassin.”

 

“Oh,” she relaxed again, smoothing his eyebrows into neat lines. “I once read: A heartless man is a loveless man and a loveless man is a beast(1). What are you, Sesshomaru?”

 

“This Sesshomaru is not a beast.”

 

Charlotte gazed at him and he met her eyes steadily. His statement could mean many things, but the fact the he was there, beside her, spoke volumes. She wanted to be with him more than anything, however she couldn't quite let go of the worry and fear she'd been harboring these last few months. He blinked, long lashes brushing against her skin. “What do you want from me?”

 

Her fingers left heated paths as they whispered over his skin, tickling and tingling as they once again traced his crests. Opening his mouth to answer with his usual denial of emotion, he was surprised when his youkai spoke through him, the simple truth: “I want you.”

 

He recovered quickly, moving to a safer topic, though his voice was gruff. “I will accept the Southern Lands as your dowry.”

 

“I… I don't have Yukio's land,” she stammered slightly, taken aback by his admission. Her heart beat rapidly, swelling as she processed what he was telling her.

 

“No, but you deposed him, leaving it without a leader. It is now under my power.”

 

She hesitated, and then asked the last question that really worried her. “What about the channeling thing?”

 

He slipped his left hand into the gap of her robe, gliding over the swelling of her breasts with his new hand, and then traveling lower to stroke the taut skin of her belly. The belt that kept her robe closed loosened and coiled next to her and she shivered as a breeze stirred the fine hairs on her body. His hand left a trail of gooseflesh that elicited a growl from his throat. “It may be useful.”

 

“Oh yeah?” she murmured and traced his lips with her fingertips, smiling when he caught her fingers in his mouth, warmth radiating from her fingers into her body to settle in her core. Tightening reflexively, she hissed in a breath as his claws grazed the crests on her back. “I missed you.”

 

He chewed gently on those slender digits, savoring the scent of desire that unfolded from her and his own response stiffening in his clothes. Scraping teeth along the sides of her fingers as he pulled them out of his mouth, he rubbed his throbbing length against her and stole her lips in a deep kiss, showing her just how much he had missed her.

 

She melted into him, letting him lead as he tasted every corner of her mouth. Devoured by that kiss, she knew with every fiber of her body that he was all there was, and all there would be. Mate, husband, or lover, as long as he was close, she would be happy. He broke the kiss, panting against her face as his body tensed.

 

She rolled onto her knees and let the robe puddle on the floor, bracing herself against the wall. Moving her hair aside and baring her throat, she yowled gutturally, a call to him to claim her as his own.

 

His balled into fists as he struggled against his instincts, his reply just as throaty, “You are-“

 

“I've noticed. Just take it easy.” She repeated the call and tilted her hips toward him, her glistening flower seeming to quiver with nectar.

 

It was more than he could resist, and he was out of his clothes in seconds, pressing his already engorged member against the inside of her thigh. Shifting her hips, she positioned herself over him, her slick entrance just touching his head, but waiting for him to take her.

 

He slid into her, slowly, gently, careful not to jar her. She moaned as he stretched her, tremors shaking her body at the feeling of him moving within her. Buried to the hilt, he growled, relishing her heat, her wetness, the curve of her hip, the sound of his name on her lips, everything that he had wanted and more. She arched her back against his chest, grinding her butt against his hips and encouraging him to continue. She needed him as much as she needed oxygen, and as he pushed into her again, she gasped in a deep breath as if she'd been drowning.

 

Shaking as she surrounded him, her walls perfectly sheathing him, he steadied himself with his hands on his hips. As he pulled out, he was suddenly overcome by a memory he had thought was a dream: claiming her with a feral desperation that ripped a growl from his throat and left him struggling not to slam into her and bury his teeth into her shoulder.

 

She clenched around him, laughing a little as she whispered, “Remembering conceiving your pup?” Another growl was her answer as he pressed further into her, silencing her as each nerve ending ignited under his fingers that stroked and pulled at her bud. Again, she bared her neck, her head lolling against his shoulder as he delved her body, each stroke measured, strong, and sensitive to her condition.

 

He nipped at her throat but did not bite, instead tracing a path with his tongue to her ear. She cried out as he took her earlobe into his mouth, worrying it with his teeth. His other hand cupped a tender breast, chaffing the nipple between clawed fingers. Ah yes, two hands were very useful.

 

He huffed into her ear the youkai term for possession and joining, punctuating it with a flick of his tongue and another deliberate thrust. She nodded, the word piercing through the haze in her brain and sending her beast into fits of elation.

 

He growled, moving his fingers over her so that she gasped and jerked against him. A nod wasn't good enough. He wanted to hear her say it.

 

She mewled breathlessly, affirming his claim as a quaking began to take hold of her that sent explosions of color behind her eyes. Leaning his head over her shoulder, he captured her lips in a kiss that held all of the fierceness that their lovemaking could not contain, swallowing the scream of her release even as he sent his mark and his seed into her.

 

She reared back, pushing against the wall with her hands as his power scorched down her spine to root into her lower back. Reflexively, she gathered her own power into the pit of her stomach and discharged back into him, gasping in ecstasy as his arms tightened around her and his length pulsed within her.

 

His arms wrapped around her middle, supporting the life that kicked in seeming protest to all of the activity, pulling her away from the wall and back down to the futon. She panted heavily, skin slick with sweat, and nuzzled against his chest, curling under his arm. Exhausted, fulfilled, and happier than she had been in a long time, she dropped into a dreamless slumber.

 

He listened to her breathing slow into the steady rhythm of sleep, burying his nose in her hair and inhaling their mingled scents. So, she was not pureblood or from a royal bloodline. She was indisputably his and that was all that mattered.

 

 

(1) The Drawing of the Three, Stephen King