InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ One Life ❯ The Power of a Kiss ( Chapter 3 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

By: Mmoirai

Chapter Three: The Power of a Kiss

The rest of their journey was a quiet one. Lord Sesshoumaru said next to nothing and pushed them extra hard to get home. Rin was still not sure if she had actually seen Lord Sesshoumaru that night and she certainly wasn't about to ask him, and he, for his part, wasn't volunteering any information or giving off any tell tale signs at all. So she trailed behind his tall elegant form not wanting to even look at him. She couldn't wait to be home so that she could leave him to his solitude and work out her own embarrassing new feelings.

Sesshoumaru spent the rest of that confusing night and all of the rest of the journey in silence, brooding over what should be done, and preferring not to even look at his young ward. He kept them moving at a steady pace, eager to be home and alone again. His thoughts turned to her sweet scent for what seemed to be the hundredth time that day. Thankfully it held no traces of the intoxicating scent she had given off in her sleep, but her usual cherry blossom scent was still distracting him much more than usual. He could not, no, would not be distracted by a human. Not now, when the treaty between the Northern lands and his own was about to be signed and sealed. It was an important alliance that he, and his father before him, had worked very hard to achieve and he couldn't afford to have any distractions. It was quickly becoming quite clear to him that they would have to find a new way of existing together, or that she would soon have to be made to leave. Indeed, he had allowed her to follow him since the day he revived her for no other reason than that her life belonged to him now. She belonged to him. But he had always allowed her to do as she pleased. He had never forced her to follow and she had been given many opportunities to leave on her own and take up a normal human existence, but she had always chosen life with him. But now she was becoming a distraction that he never would have considered being on guard for. Perhaps it was time to find her a suitable mate to settle her with. He turned his head lightly to look at her from the corner of his eye. Although she seemed rather pensive today, she was usually very cheerful and talkative. She expressed every emotion she felt openly and she was quick witted and loved a good game. She had always entertained him greatly and he found her presence calming most of the time, though he would never admit it out loud. Whoever he chose would have to appreciate her happy, playful disposition. They would have to also appreciate how quick minded she was. Yes, she was far more intelligent than just an ordinary human. The thought of some disgusting, foul, smelly, stupid human male touching Rin made him suddenly growl involuntarily. No! No ordinary human was good enough for her. Perhaps a decent male demon would consider her. As much as he disliked the thought of mating with a human himself, there were plenty out there who did not object to the practice. Yes, a demon. Who ever he chose would have to be gentle and considerate as well. That might be an issue with a demon. He would start making inquires as soon as they got home.

Dusk was on them when they finally emerged from the dense forest and looked down at their home. Rin walked up and stood beside Sesshoumaru to look down the hill towards the sea. He looked down at her noting that her height had reached his shoulder now, and she stood very tall and proud beside him. The sky was already glowing with warm lazy pinks and oranges as the sun began to set and her eyes danced with pleasure at the sight. He found that he was unable to look away from her, pride swelling in his heart as he looked at her. Whoever he chose for her would de a very lucky demon.

“M'lord, may I be excused?” Jaken's giddy voice asked.

Sesshoumaru blinked, and turned his head slightly and gave the imp a single nod. With that, the toad demon giggled singing his usual “Home, Home, Home, at last” song. Ah-Un nudged Rin indicating he was ready to be taken to the stable to be unsaddled. Sesshoumaru looked at Rin one more time as he drew his power into himself and evaporated.

“Let's go Ah-Un.” Rin spoke to the two headed dragon as she crawled into the saddle and they headed to the stables.

******

Sesshoumaru re-materialized in his extensive library and study. He wasted no time in drafting several letters of inquiry to be sent out to various territories.

Lord/Lady xxxxxx,

I am in search of a suitable demon match for my ward, the young mistress Rin. As she is a mortal, she is in need of someone strong and of suitable power. I offer a full chest of demon gold pieces every year for the rest of her life, a ten acre plot of land in my territory, water rights, and my protection for the rest of her life. Prospective suitors must set up an audience with my steward no later than a full month's time from now.

Sesshoumaru,

Lord of the Western Lands

He quickly sealed each letter with his crest and headed for Jaken's hut to have the imp send them off. For some reason his hands were shaking and he had an empty feeling in the pit of his stomach. Images of Rin laying by the campfire, the irresistible scent of her arousal strong and intoxicating in the air flashed through his mind and he willed them away angrily.

******

After Rin had finished with Ah-Un she made her way, not to the palace, but towards the beach. There was a little of the sunset yet to catch and she needed to feel the calm of the sea breeze on her face. She suddenly felt the urge to run, to release some pent up energy that suddenly bubbled to the surface. She took off down the path to the beach relishing the feel of the wind and the release of all of this restless energy. She slowed to a walk and took a few deep cleansing breaths and just as she turned the corner she stopped in her tracks finding the path before her blocked by an obstacle she had forgotten about.

“Master Kane!” Rin smiled and greeted the Tiger Demon standing in her path trying to swallow her surprise and annoyance at the unexpected intrusion. Her breath still caught at the sight of her Swords Master though. He had always been beautiful to look at. He stood tall with his legs slightly spread and muscular arms crossed over his broad chest. His vivid burnt orange hair fell in a long ponytail down his back and swirled slightly in the wind. His skin glowed a rich bronze in the fading sunlight and he had two black stripes down each cheek bone, a black diamond on his forehead, a black triangle above and below each eye, and two more stripes across his throat on each side. He was tall and well toned and he positively radiated masculinity. He stood before her now with a slight frown on his face, vibrant green eyes starring down at her.

“Well?” He asked raising a bushy red eyebrow at her.

“Well what?” She asked avoiding his gaze. She tried to push past him.

Please don't ask me! She whimpered in her mind.

“Rin! You have had three weeks to consider my proposal! Why have you not come back with an answer?”

Because I was hoping you would forget or give up! Her mind responded.

“Kane, please, can't we just remain as friends? She pleaded aloud.

A flash of anger flared across his features and just as quickly was gone.

“Why do you continue to refuse me? I am the cousin of the Mistress of the Northern lands and am a very powerful demon. I am prepared to make you my life mate! Do you not wish for a powerful match?” He stepped aside lowering his arms to allow her to continue down the path and walked beside her.

“Kane, I'm not in love with you!” Rin tried to reason with the young demon lord. They had had this discussion before.

“That will not matter when I have marked you as my mate. You will love me! You'll be happy!” He blew off her reasoning with the same response he gave every time she brought the subject of love up.

She frowned in puzzlement. How could he ask her to consider marrying when he knew she didn't love him? Why would he want to spend his life, or rather her life since she would die long before him, with someone who didn't love him. And to assume that she would feel differently after marriage was just absurd!

“He will never want you as I do. Give up your foolish hope.” Kane said in a low, quiet voice filled with frustration.

She blinked in surprise and felt the blush rising in her cheeks. “I don't know what you are talking about!”

He stopped suddenly, grabbing her arm and pulling her to him. His lips were dangerously close to hers as their eyes locked.

“I know what you feel for him. I can sense it whenever he is near you. He senses it too, you know. You can't hide your feelings or lie to a demon.”

She lowered her eyes at this, her blush growing more intense.

Great Gods! Does Lord Sesshoumaru really know how I feel about him! I'm going to die of embarrassment next time I see him! But still, if Kane is right! Lord Sesshoumaru never let on that he knew. Why not? It must not even matter to him.

“Give up your insane hope and let me have a chance.” Kane growled, lowering his face to hers and softly brushed his lips across hers. Power rippled over her at the feathery touch and she jerked back. He was beginning to frighten her.

Did he just…kiss me…!? Was that my first kiss!? No…it couldn't have been! It felt so...so...wrong!

“Kane, please don't…” She tried to break away from him but his grip on her tightened and he roughly pulled her back to him and locked his arms around her.

“No! You will at least give me this much satisfaction! I will show you that I have more to offer you than he does!”

He lowered his face to hers and pressed his lips to hers fiercely. Struggling only seemed to arouse him more, so she froze, squeezing her eyes shut and hoping that he would soon get bored with her. Power hummed in the air and she felt it swirling around them. Her thoughts became hazy and she found herself rather liking the feel of his kiss. She tilted her head back just a little. What was it she had been thinking? She couldn't remember. A wave of desire washed over her as another ripple of power caressed her. He flicked his tongue across her lips.

Stop! This isn't right! You don't love him! STOP! She could faintly hear someone in the recesses of her mind shrieking at her.

Kane probed her lips with his tongue seeking entrance, and her skin began to tingle with the intensity of the power flowing around them.

What's happening to me? She wondered, but just as the question formed in her mind he let out a warm tantalizing breath across her lips that sent a shiver through her body, her question forgotten. Just as she was about to part her lips giving in to his kiss, another force ripped them apart. This force was a solid, powerful, purely physical, and very angry Lord Sesshoumaru!