InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Paradox ❯ Be Careful What You Wish For...(Part 1) ( Chapter 6 )

Author Notes: Hello, fabulous readers!! I'm shocked by how well this story has been received and wish I could thank each and every one of you personally! Arigato gozaimasu!

RedHerring: Thanks yet again for your review! You make a girl blush from all this attention. I understand your concern about Inu's behavior and would like to provide a small explanation. Imagine you have a box of chocolates you have been saving for weeks for a special occasion. They are your absolute favorite and you think often about how delicious they are going to taste when you finally get to eat them. As the day gets closer, your anticipation builds and builds, you struggle to resist the temptation to give in and eat them right away. At last, the day arrives, you wretch open the refrigerator door, ready to dig in and bang! ~ your little brother devoured the entire box the day before! Your reaction is probably not going to be very mature. Now multiply this situation by say 500 years worth of waiting…if you still have the patience to act maturely, then I'll nominate you for sainthood! Hope that explains why he's behaving like this at the moment, but don't worry, Inu's not going to act like a petulant child the entire fic! Plus, Kagome's wish is going to be revealed soon! (hence the title *wink*)

GgBg: Wow, duo-review! That's really sweet of you and thank you so much for taking the time to comment on both chapters! As for your comment about Inu's inability to express himself, I've seen how tongue-tied someone can be when the moment of truth is upon them. You can rehearse what you're going to say for hours (or centuries in Inu's case), but nervousness and insecurity have marvelous ways of making you not only forget what you were going to say but can also make it come out all wrong. As for Sesshy not mellowing out after 500 years, yes, there is the OOCness factor, but let me just say I have a little something in mind for the gorgeous taiyoukai!

WARNING!!!! - This chapter contains LEMON content!!! If this offends you, please read at your discretion!

Paradox

Chapter 6: Be Careful What You Wish For…(Part 1)

Last Time:

Naraku simply leered at the wolf, his eyes reflecting his contempt as he coldly remarked, "I don't expect you to believe anything, but I assure you it is the truth."

Calmly crossing his arms over his chest, he elaborated, "The miko's and my destinies are inextricably linked. What happens to one, happens to the other." Amused by Kouga's incredulous expression, he laughed derisively as he challenged, "So, by all means, go ahead and kill me and you will finish this before it even has a chance to begin."

++++

She officially had a migraine. Rubbing lightly at her temples with the pads of her thumbs, Kagome tried to ease the band of tension which was encircling her head. It wouldn't be so bad if it was just the headache, but she was also feeling queasy and her left side was aching something fierce. She had excused herself from the discussions regarding Naraku, claiming that she was worn out and wanted to get a good night's rest, but in truth, she simply wanted some time alone to think.

Lying now in her bed, she stared up at the canopy above her, her mind whirling as she tried to recall anything from the past three years which might explain what was happening to her. Scenes played through her head; images of going to school, visiting with her friends over lunch, evading Hojo's courting, fighting with Souta. All events which had happened during the time she was traveling back and forth between the present and the Sengoku Jidai, but nothing after she had made the wish. She even remembered the last visit before they defeated Naraku when her mother had insisted that she take her jade pendant as a good luck charm.

At that, Kagome bolted upright, her headache and the pain in her side momentarily forgotten. She had completely forgotten about that and her hand instinctively reached for her neck to feel for the chain. Smooth skin met her questing fingers, but no necklace. Where was it? Her brow furrowed as she tried to recall the last time she remembered wearing it. Did she have it with her when she came back from the Sengoku Jidai? Could the clasp have broken during their battle with Naraku? She played out several possibilities as to where she might have lost it, but she hadn't reached any conclusion when a soft knock on the door interrupted her.

Bidding the person enter, she quickly replaced the frown on her face with a smile when she saw Sango walk in followed closely by a little black, two tailed cat. Patting the bed beside her, Kagome gestured for the other woman to join her. The cat leapt onto the bed as Sango sat down, curling itself up at the foot of the bed near Kagome's feet. Giving the feline an affectionate scratch behind its ear, she glanced up curiously at the taijiya's face and seeing the look of consternation, inquired, "What's up?"

"I came to see if you were feeling all right." Focusing on Kagome's face in the dim light, Sango again saw that dark shadow lingering in the depths of her eyes before it drifted away. Unbeknownst to their companions, she had been watching Kagome's eyes throughout the evening and how their color would shift between their normal bright blue-gray and a hazy, unnatural shade she couldn't quite describe. The change occurred more frequently when she seemed stressed, but Kagome didn't appear aware that anything strange was going on. While this puzzled her greatly, and Sango suspected that there was undoubtedly some unknown significance behind it, that wasn't actually the reason why she was here right now.

She would have to have been blind to not notice the tension between Kagome and Inuyasha or the way she would sneak peeks at him when she thought no one was looking, a sad expression flickering across her face each time. Sango had originally thought that their relationship was progressing quite well considering they had spent last night snuggled up against each other. However, she began to doubt that initial assessment after she found a red-eyed, sniffling Kagome curled up alone in bed this morning. Their stilted behavior in the living room served as further proof that something had indeed happened and whatever it was, she meant to get to the bottom of it.

As Kagome fixed a wide, fake smile on her face and assured her that, other than being a bit tired, she was fine; Sango had to fight the urge to respond with an unladylike snort of disbelief. Turning so that she could look her friend directly in the eye, she bluntly asked, "Did you and Inuyasha have a fight?"

Surprised by Sango's disparaging tone, Kagome stammered, "Huh, w-what? N-no!"

Leaving her no room to argue, Sango obstinately challenged, "Then explain to me why the two of you were perfectly content to sleep together last night, but this afternoon, neither of you wanted to be within ten feet of each other."

Unable to think of a speedy comeback to that startling accurate observation, Kagome stuttered for a moment before she gave up. There was no use trying to deny what was apparently so obvious to the taijiya. She had never been very good at hiding her emotions from the shrewd demon hunter's eyes and whatever excuses she tried to come up with, Sango rarely believed anyway. Moreover, Sango had faced her own trials concerning matters of the heart and in the end, had found the one man whom she could love for several life times.

To tell the truth, Kagome was a bit envious of her relationship with Miroku as they seemed to be so in synch with each other; unlike her and Inuyasha who always ended up fighting. It wasn't hard to see that she needed the voice of experience to tell her where she was going wrong in her own romantic entanglements. Figuring she had nothing to lose by confiding in the older woman, she plucked up her courage and said, "All right, we did have a fight, but there's nothing I can do about it now."

While not the best start, it was certainly better than nothing. Not about to let her off the hook so easily, Sango prodded, "What did you fight about?"

A faint blush crept into Kagome's cheeks and she ducked her head slightly, her eyes fixing on the bedspread over her knees. She seemed awfully shy about something and her blush darkened right before she lifted her head and blurted out, "W-we kissed and kind of got carried away. Then when I stopped him, he seemed mad that he had kissed me and he left."

Sango smiled a little when she heard that. So, she had been right in assuming that their relationship had picked up pretty much where it left off all those years ago. No surprise really, considering Inuyasha had done nothing but fret about how he was going to win Kagome over when they met again. Plus, if she remembered correctly, Kagome hadn't even kissed a boy before she came to the Sengoku Jidai. Then she had fallen head over heels for Inuyasha who at the time was so preoccupied with collecting the Shikon shards and dealing with Naraku, that he had set aside his own feelings for Kagome in favor of their mission. This meant that unless Kagome had started dating after she got back, and considering how deep her feelings for Inuyasha were Sango seriously doubted that she had, then that was most likely Kagome's first kiss which would explain her obvious embarrassment

So, they had kissed and as ever seemed to be the case between Kagome and Inuyasha, probably ended up getting their signals crossed. Neither party was known for being very rational when it came to openly discussing their feelings, Inuyasha, because he had never really tried, and Kagome would have instinctively closed herself off in an effort to keep from being hurt. Essentially, it all boiled down to a simple misunderstanding which could have easily been repaired if they had talked about it. Clearing her throat and feeling a perverse need to know the whole story, she ventured, "So, why did you stop him?"

Kagome thought her face might go up in flames, it became so hot. She had silently pleaded to any god who was listening that Sango wouldn't want any details, but apparently her prayers weren't going to be answered. As much as she wished to evade further humiliation, she knew from past experience that the taijiya could be very determined when she wanted to find something out.. She realized that Sango was only trying to help, but she would have preferred to deal with this in her own time. Toying with a fold of the blanket, she decided to just get this over with and began to speak.

"Um, well, it was really kind of nice at first, but then it got a little more involved…" Kagome trailed off, her voice squeaking with embarrassment.

Knowing the only way they were going to get anywhere was if Kagome kept talking, Sango urged, "What do you mean `a little more involved'?"

Keeping her blue-gray eyes averted from Sango's direct brown gaze, she mumbled, "He, um, had his hand under my shirt and um, well…"

She couldn't find the words to finish. Feeling sorry for herself all over again, Kagome hung her head shamefully, tears gathering in her eyes. Thus, her surprise was tremendous when she heard Sango chuckle before breaking into full blown laughter. Gasping for breath, tears of mirth sparkling in her eyes, Sango wheezed, "Oh, Kagome-chan, I'm…I'm so sorry, but…but this is just too funny!"

Self-pity quickly turned to irritation as Kagome grabbed one of the pillows and threw it at her friend, feeling a small measure of satisfaction when it hit her square in the face. However, the feeling was short lived when Sango doubled over and laughed even harder, leaving Kagome feeling mortified that her predicament amused her friend so much. Her lips puckering in a pout, she crossly grumbled, "It's not funny, Sango-chan." Then in barely a whisper, she tearfully confided, "I think he hates me now."

Sobering up a little when she heard the worry in Kagome's voice, Sango rolled over so that she could see Kagome's tear-filled eyes and immediately regretted laughing. She hadn't meant to laugh at her friend's dilemma, but the fact that Kagome was so obviously misreading the situation had struck her as funny. Despite how knowledgeable women were in this day and age, she had forgotten how naive Kagome could be about love and more to the point, sexual attraction.

Unlike Kagome, Sango had the advantage of knowing the hanyou's feelings whereas Kagome had no idea how much Inuyasha cared for her. It should have been pretty obvious when Inuyasha kissed her, but then again, love is a complicated dance and the steps are sometimes difficult. Occasionally, you get your toes stepped on or your feet tangled up which was constantly happening with Kagome and Inuyasha. What they needed right now she decided was a little help learning the right steps.

Giving Kagome a sympathetic look, Sango said, "I don't think he hates you, Kagome-chan. But, I do think you two need to sit down and talk." Her face then broke into a wide smile as she added, "And the sooner the better."

Jumping off of the bed and startling awake the little black cat who had been dozing peacefully in the process, Sango merrily danced across the room, calling out as she went, "I'll be right back."

Not entirely sure what exactly just happened, Kagome blankly stared as she watched first Sango and then the cat, twin tails held high, disappear through the door, leaving her once again alone with her thoughts.

++++

He couldn't believe he was doing this.

Looking over his shoulder to give the figure following him a dark scowl, Kouga eye's flashed dangerously when he noticed that the hanyou wasn't as close as he should have been. Naraku had fallen back several meters, slowing his pace enough so that the wolf demon was steadily increasing the distance between them. Sliding to a halt, Kouga waited for the half demon to catch up before giving him a piece of his mind.

"Look, I only agreed to take you with me because you know about what's happening with Kagome. So, either keep up, or I'll make sure that you have to be carried there." Cracking his knuckles in warning, he added, "In pieces."

Not the least bit threatened by the wolf's blustering, Naraku mused, "Oh, is that so. Surely you have not already forgotten that if you harm me, you run the risk of harming the miko." Seeing the wolf's irritated expression upon realizing how empty his threat had been, he quipped, "Ah, it seems that you have. Kukuku, I do so pity her if she has to rely on friends like you."

His lips curling in a snarl, Kouga sneered, "If I wasn't so worried about Kagome's safety, I'd rip your throat out right now and leave you to be picked up with the rest of the garbage."

Naraku favored him with a sly grin as he snidely remarked, "Then how fortunate for me that I have such a powerful bargaining chip that allows me to get everything that I want." Pausing thoughtfully, he maliciously added, "Of course, she really doesn't have any other useful purpose."

Leaping forward, one hand wrapping around the hanyou's throat, Kouga slammed Naraku back against the nearest building, a rumbling growl issuing from his throat while his other hand lifted threateningly, claws ready to strike. His eyes glowed red as adrenaline set his blood racing and raging fury fogged his mind, making everything else disappear except his prey laughing in front of him. His instincts told him that this humorous reaction was not what he should expect and the bloodlust slowly receded to be replaced by confusion. His common sense raged at him, asking him if he was stupid or something to risk hurting Kagome just because the half demon said something that pissed him off. Forcing himself to regain control of his emotions, Kouga immediately released the hanyou's throat and let him drop the few inches back to the ground.

Immensely enjoying himself at the wolf's expense, Naraku laughed heartily as the demon realized his mistake in attacking and loosened his grip on his neck. The moment his feet touched the ground, he flicked a bit of dust off his shoulder and lazily commented, "Either you are a fool or you care far too much for that human girl. How can you be certain that she is unharmed after your little display just now? For your sake, I hope that you've not damaged her too much."

Straightening his jacket, Naraku smirked when Kouga could only glare at him in reply, his uncertainty about what he had just done and its effect on Kagome robbing him of his voice. Much like that bastard hanyou, Inuyasha, this demon had a short fuse when it concerned the miko and Naraku mentally stored that information for future use. He had no doubt in his mind that the demon held a greater affection than just friendship for the miko and he would definitely find a way to use that to his advantage. Once the wolf had served his purpose, he would have no further use for him or the miko for that matter. When that time came, he would be sure to savor every moment.

Until then, he would take great pleasure in taunting him at every available opportunity.

++++

Drawing a hand across his sweat soaked brow, Inuyasha repositioned his feet as he took up a fighting stance, raising the Tetsuseiga in front of him. Moving quickly, he thrust the sword in a direct attack, feigning a slice to the left before whirling the sword around to strike from the right. His feet following each maneuver, he moved swiftly and silently across the dojo, performing a perfect back flip when he reached the opposite side, twisting in the air so that he came down facing the direction from which he had come. Retracing his steps, he practiced another series of movements, stopping when he came face to face with a frowning Sango who had just walked through the door.

Lowering his blade to rest its tip against the floor, he gave her an irritated look that clearly said he didn't want to be disturbed. However, the taijiya patently ignored his annoyed expression and out of the blue inquired, "When are you going to talk to Kagome?"

Irritation turned to shock, his mouth falling open slightly with his surprise before he snapped it shut, his teeth clicking audibly in the process. He should have known that Sango would speak to Kagome about what was bothering her. In the midst of wallowing in his own self-pity, he had forgotten that the taijiya would notice if something was amiss and set herself the task of fixing whatever was wrong as soon as possible. He knew her intentions were good, but he still wasn't very happy with her interfering in something he could handle just fine on his own and decided to make that very clear right now. Clenching his jaw in vexation, he disregarded her question and asked one of his own, "What business is it of yours?"

Met with that typical Inuyasha response, Sango felt her own temper rising at his stubbornness. If she hadn't previously witnessed some moments of amazing maturity in the hanyou, she might actually believe that he hadn't changed a bit in five hundred years. However, by behaving in such an asinine manner, she knew that he was merely trying to protect his wounded pride; still, she didn't like it when he pulled this attitude with her and figured he needed a reminder of just what he was doing by acting like such a jerk. Her tone sharp, she flatly explained, "Because if you don't talk to her soon, you're going to succeed in pushing her away like you tried to do all those years ago after Kikyo was resurrected."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Although his voice remained firm, Inuyasha felt his heartbeat quicken with fear. Sango's response was that he had royally screwed up to the point that Kagome believed he might hate her after what happened. She then went on to say that he needed to talk to her right away and fix this before it got any further out of hand.

Had he really done something that would make Kagome think like that? Apparently Sango's impression was that he had, enough so that she had decided to intervene before he stupidly threw away his last remaining chance to find happiness. Listening with a heavy heart as the taijiya explained she didn't think he would be afforded another opportunity, he felt some of his earlier resentment fade. The thought that he would lose Kagome forever didn't bode well, but his pride was still smarting from Kagome's rejection and he didn't think he could handle it if she rejected him again. Preferring a little more time to lick his wounds, he half-heartedly scoffed, "Keh, I know what I'm doing."

Bristling with indignation at Sango's disbelieving expression, his tone getting sharper, he retorted defensively, "Damn it, Sango, I'm not going to let her go this time. I've waited far too long to be with her to let a misunderstanding come between us."

Her brown eyes burning with impatience, she stiffly replied, "Then talk to her now, Inuyasha, before you end up breaking her heart and losing her for good." Leaving that statement hanging ominously in the air, she abruptly turned and walked out of the room.

++++

Unable to fall asleep despite the fact that she was exhausted, Kagome lay in her bed, her mind replaying the conversation she had with Sango an hour ago. She supposed that she could claim she was waiting for the taijiya to return as she had promised, but Kagome knew better than that. Rolling onto her side, she punched at her pillow as Sango's words came back to haunt her.

"I don't think he hates you, Kagome-chan. But, I think you two need to sit down and talk. And the sooner the better."

She had to agree that the longer she put off talking to Inuyasha, the harder it was going to be fix things between them. However, she didn't want to find out that, despite her fervent longing that it might be otherwise, Inuyasha still didn't love her. She honestly didn't know if she could handle being rejected a second time.

It had hurt so much when he didn't respond to her declaration that fateful day which now seemed a hundred lifetimes away. Plus, in five hundred years, it was certainly possible that he could have fallen in love with someone else. There hadn't been any promises made between them and it was unfair to expect he would wait all this time just to be with her.

Giving her pillow one last jab, she snuggled deeper under the covers, letting her eyes close as she tried to will herself to sleep. She had nearly succeeded when she heard a hesitant knock sound against her door before it slowly creaked open and a soft voice called, "Kagome, are you awake?"

Her heart began to beat wildly as Inuyasha's voice drifted across the room to her. Keeping her eyes tightly shut, she feigned sleep, wondering if he would go away if she didn't answer. Listening intently, she heard the soft thump of his feet against the carpet as he made his way across the room to stand beside the bed. Her back was to him, so she couldn't peek at him through her lashes and was forced to wait for him to say something.

Inuyasha gazed down at the small lump huddled beneath the covers, a slight smile curving his lips upwards as he listened to her racing heartbeat. He knew she was pretending to be asleep, especially since she was now holding her breath. His tone lightly teasing, he told her, "Kagome, I know you're not asleep."

Feeling the bed dip as he sat down, Kagome barely suppressed a squeak when he reached over and pulled the covers away from her shoulders. Giving her a little shake, he coaxed, "Please get up. I need to talk to you."

Harrumphing beneath her breath, she rolled over to give him a mild frown as she dryly quipped, "Can't it wait until morning? I'm trying to sleep."

He shook his head, "No, we need to talk now."

Her response was to stick her tongue out at him before she pushed herself up to lean against the headboard. Folding her arms over her chest, she raised her eyebrows expectantly as she waited for him to begin.

Smirking a little at her childish behavior, Inuyasha moved to sit beside her, their shoulders almost touching as he considered the best place to start. Figuring he should just get this over with as soon as possible, he quickly went over in his head the speech he had prepared while he took his shower. In fact, his hair was still slightly damp and when a strand fell against Kagome's arm, she yelped from how cool it felt against her skin. Her tone indignant, she complained, "Geez, is your hair wet?"

Distracted from his current train of thought by her startled `eep', Inuyasha muttered, "Um, I took a shower earlier."

Brushing the offending lock of wet hair aside, she grumbled, "Why don't you use a blow dryer or something? You'll get sick going to bed with wet hair."

He paid her suggestion little heed, his mind preoccupied with what he needed to do. Steeling himself for the moment of truth, he repeated his earlier comments to regain her attention, "Kagome, I want to talk to you about something."

Meanwhile, Kagome seemed intent on discussing his hair rather than letting him speak. "Do you want to borrow my blow dryer?"

Only half hearing the question, he absently replied, "Not right now, I need to talk to you about something else."

"Oh, well, when you want to borrow it, let me know." Kagome's voice held all the sincerity of someone promising to risk their life to save another. Baffled by the bizarre direction in which their conversation was heading, Inuyasha tried to get things back on course. "Kagome, about this morning…"

He felt her fidget next to him as she quickly broke in, "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that as well. I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression when we…well, you know…and I promise that it won't happen again, okay?"

Her words came out in a rush and it took him a moment to grasp what she had said. As their meaning sank in, his temper exploded at her presumption that she wasn't going to allow him to kiss her again. Then five hundred years of frustration clouded over his judgment and sent all his rational thoughts flying wildly out the window. Enraged, the primitive, demonic part of his psyche took control and firmly declared that it would be a cold day in hell before he'd let that happen. With a low, harsh growl, he swept her into a crushing embrace, the weight of his body tumbling them over, as his lips crashed down forcefully on hers.

Kagome barely had time to register Inuyasha moving before she was pinned beneath him on the bed; his mouth slanting firmly over hers as he kissed her. Frozen with shock that he was kissing her despite her pledge to not let something like that happen again, her mind whirled frantically even as her nerves sizzled in excitement. Desperately latching onto her last remaining fragment of rationality, she thought to turn her head to one side so that she could avoid his lips long enough to ask him what he was doing. As if reading her thoughts, his hand came up from where it had been clasping her shoulder and cupped the nape of her neck, preventing her from moving. His other arm was like a band of steel wrapped firmly about her waist pressing her tightly against his muscular form. His mouth moved hungrily over hers, his tongue licking along the seam of her lips, begging entrance until he grew impatient and gently bit her bottom lip, drawing a startled gasp from Kagome.

The moment her lips parted, he swept his tongue inside to drink deeply from her sweetness; a rumbling purr sounding in his chest as her incredible taste sent fire shooting through his veins. Coaxing her tongue to rub alongside his, he tangled them together, his excitement building when she tentatively pushed his back and passed hers between his lips to playfully lick his fangs. Hearing her soft moan, he released possession of her lips to trail hot, moist kisses along her jaw to the sensitive skin below her ear. Alternating teasing nips and soothing licks, he worked his way down the smooth column of her throat to where her pulse fluttered wildly at the juncture of her neck and shoulder. Sucking lightly, he left a tiny mark there as proof of his claim on her.

Overwhelmed by a maelstrom of sensation, Kagome could only hold on tight as Inuyasha's warm lips caused swirling heat to pool low in her belly. Her hands slid around his back to clutch at his shoulders, her nails scraping lightly through the fabric of his shirt. She vaguely registered his hand stroking along her side, molding and cupping the curve of her hip before caressing upwards towards her breast, lifting the hem of her pajama top in the process; his claws generating little pin-pricks of fire wherever they grazed her skin.

Panting, she regained enough presence of mind to breathlessly ask, "I-Inuyasha, w-what are you doing?"

Pausing from nibbling the curve of her shoulder, he lifted his head long enough to stare deep into her eyes and proclaimed in a passion roughened voice, "You're mine and no one is going to take you away from me." Lowering his lips to brush against hers, he huskily added, "Not even you."

As Inuyasha lips claimed hers in another mind-numbing kiss, Kagome felt a strange ache blossom deep within her. His words had a powerful affect on her control and she felt herself surrendering to his passionate demands, her body tingling with newly awakened sensations that she had never imagined possible. Returning his kisses with equal fervor, she raised her hands to clasp the back of his head as her fingers slipped through his silky hair. She could feel the evidence of his arousal pressing firmly against her thigh and for a brief moment, she lost herself in thinking that he needed her as much as she needed him.

A waft of cool air across her belly brought her out of her passion induced stupor and Kagome's eyes flew open as she felt Inuyasha's warm hands cupping her breasts. Very much aware now of what was happening, she nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt his mouth close over one firm peak. Fisting her hands in his thick hair, she pulled his head up with a firm tug and sucked in a sharp breath when she saw the raw desire burning in his amber eyes. Squirming, she managed to scoot back a little, jerking her shirt down in the process, and her voice sounding shaky in her ears, asked, "Why are you doing this?"

Immediately reaching for her, his eyes narrowed when she flinched away from his touch. Following her as she backed away across the bed, he trapped her against the headboard, his hands firmly planted on either side of her head as he stared predatorily into her eyes. Smelling the fear and uncertainty which was beginning to taint her sweet scent, he leaned forward and nuzzled the side of her neck, a soft purr rumbling in his chest as he tried to comfort her.

Kagome wasn't sure what was going on. Placing her hands on his shoulders she gently, but insistently pushed him back so that she could look into his eyes. He obliged her only long enough to move his head so that he could kiss her, his lips and tongue persuading her to respond. At first she was sorely tempted to just give in to his passionate demands, but then she reminded herself that she wanted to know his reason for doing this. Tearing her lips away from his, she softly pleaded, "Please, we shouldn't..."

Inuyasha was through with waiting. A growl erupted from his throat, startling Kagome and he gripped her shoulders tightly, his face a mere breath away as he ground out, "Damn it, Kagome, I need you. I don't think I can stand waiting another minute to be with you."

Leaning his forehead against hers, he whispered hoarsely, "I love you."

"W-what did you say?"

Her eyes rounding in stunned disbelief, Kagome could barely get the words past her suddenly constricted throat. She couldn't have heard what she thought she had. Could she? Did Inuyasha just say that he loved her? Wondering if this was all a dream and she was going to be woken up at any moment, she asked again, her voice trembling with emotion. "What did you say?"

The softly whispered question brought a tender smile to Inuyasha's lips as he gazed lovingly into Kagome's enormous blue-gray eyes. Reaching up with one hand, he carefully brushed his thumb across her cheek, wiping away the tears she probably didn't even realize she was shedding. Leaning forward he placed delicate kisses along her jaw until he reached her ear into which he quietly murmured, "I said, `I love you'."

Her heart swelling near to bursting, Kagome drew a hitching breath as her long suppressed emotions overwhelmed her. Her tears now falling in earnest, she flung her arms around his neck and cried, "I love you, too. Oh, Inuyasha, I love you so much."

It was all he needed to hear. Gathering her trembling form close, he rained kisses across her cheeks, eyes, nose and chin before claiming her sweet lips, putting every ounce of his feelings into the kiss. Kagome immediately responded, her lips opening to allow him access to her velvet warmth, their tongues entwining in a duel for dominance. Taking great care to not break their kiss, he lightly swept his hands down her arms before moving them to either side of her waist and gently drawing her down so that she lay partially beneath him, his weight supported on his elbows on either side of her.

Slipping his hands once again beneath her shirt, he drew the material up over the soft mounds of her breasts, his fingers tracing their outer curves before weighing them against his palms. Reluctantly leaving her lips, he dipped his head to lick one strawberry topped globe, before enclosing the tip in the warm confines of his mouth, his teeth delicately nipping the sensitive flesh and sending waves of heat outward through Kagome's body. Giving the other breast the same thorough attention, he then moved slowly down the quivering flesh of her stomach, pausing to lick a maddeningly slow circle around her navel, until he reached the waistband of her pajama pants.

Glancing up with passion darkened eyes; he silently inquired whether he should go any further. Kagome's cheeks were flushed a delightful pink and the pupils of her eyes were dilated to the point that they looked almost black in the dim light. Her lips were swollen and rosy, parted slightly as she panted softly. Sensing his intense regard, she hesitantly nodded, telling him without words that she wanted to continue.

Hooking his fingers in the waistband of her pants, he slowly peeled the material downwards revealing a pair of delicate, lacy white underwear and releasing the intoxicating scent of her arousal to tease his nose. Sliding the pants the rest of the way down her legs and finally over her feet, he threw them to one side, not really caring where they landed. Focusing his gaze on her face, he cupped one hand over her center, nearly groaning out loud when he felt her heat through the thin fabric covering her.

Sucking in a sharp breath, Kagome moaned as his fingers caressed her; her hips lifting slightly off the bed as he touched one particular area that sent lightning bolts of pleasure racing through her. Shuddering slightly, she reached down to draw his head up so that she could give him a hot, open-mouthed kiss that left both of them panting with need. Splaying her fingers over his chest, she slid them downwards, tugging at the fabric of his shirt until her palms finally met the smooth skin underneath. After pulling the shirt up and over his head, she returned her attention to his chest, reverently tracing the rigid muscles and marveling at how they jumped and twitched beneath her fingers.

When she brushed over his pebbled nipples, she curiously wondered if he would experience the same thrilling sensations she had and bending down, she swirled her tongue around the rigid nub before gently rolling it between her teeth, earning a hiss of pleasure from Inuyasha in the process. Encouraged and emboldened by his response, she repeated these ministrations on the other side and began to kiss a path down his stomach until she came to the edge of his pants. Suddenly feeling daring, she fitted her hand over the bulge at the front of his jeans, her fingers curving around to massage his length through the heavy cloth.

Without warning, Kagome all of a sudden found herself beneath a growling Inuyasha, his hips cradled between her thighs and the firm evidence of his arousal positioned directly over her core. With a sharp roll of his hips, he rubbed his throbbing erection against her, the friction causing a melting ache to sweep through her extremities. Moaning at the sensation, she instinctively raised her hips in an effort to replicate that delightful feeling.

His desire fueled by Kagome's uninhibited response, Inuyasha quickly shed his remaining clothing before he used his claws to slice through Kagome's underwear and shirt. Settling himself back between her spread thighs, he shuddered with need when the heat of her arousal warmed the tip of his manhood. Hoping to high heaven that she was ready enough, he gently pressed forward into her slick folds, gritting his teeth at the incredible feeling of her warmth pulsing around his length. Reaching the barrier of her maidenhood, he paused, withdrawing slightly before surging forward and burying himself to the hilt.

Crying out in pain and feeling as if she had been torn in two, Kagome pushed at his shoulders, tears forming in her eyes. Gasping at the blunt fullness stretching her, she whimpered accusingly, "Inuyasha, I want to stop. It hurts."

Feeling like a complete jerk for not making sure she was fully prepared for what was going to happen, he smoothed his hands over her hair, his voice sounding shaky as he reassured her, "Shhh, it's all right, the pain won't last very long."

Although the pain had been unbearable at first, Inuyasha seemed to be right since it was already beginning to fade to be replaced by a pulsing throb. In spite of that and uncertain whether it might hurt again later, Kagome hesitantly asked, "Are you sure?"

He smiled against her lips at her skeptical tone before kissing her in apology. "Yes, I'm sure."

Keeping absolutely still, he continued to kiss her face and neck in an effort to reawaken her earlier passion. She seemed reluctant to respond at first, but after a few minutes, she slowly began to return his kisses.

While still very cognizant of the intense throbbing in her lower extremities, Kagome slowly allowed herself to relax and enjoy Inuyasha's kissing. Some of the pleasant sensations from before were returning and with it a heated ache which seemed centered where their bodies were joined. Shifting slightly in an effort to alleviate that ache, Kagome gasped as a startling new sensation sizzled outwards, setting her nerves ablaze. Rolling her hips experimentally, she was rewarded with another jolt of pleasure which left her breathless. Thinking to test her theory further, she started to move again when Inuyasha groaned loudly above her. Immediately freezing, she wondered if she had somehow hurt him. Licking her lips, she fearfully asked, "Are you okay?"

Inuyasha almost laughed at the irony of the situation. Just a few moments ago, she was the one in pain and now she was asking him if he was. When she had started wriggling her hips, he had to use every ounce of his control to keep from repeatedly thrusting into her until he found his release. Unable to keep the quiet laughter out of his voice, he replied, "Um, I'm fine. How about you? Does it still hurt?"

Her cheeks burning hotly with embarrassment at such an intimate question, she could only shake her head `no', earning her a wide, slightly wicked smile from Inuyasha. When she felt him withdrawing, she thought that perhaps they were done and felt momentarily disappointed that it wasn't as exciting as she had thought it would be. Those thoughts quickly fled when he thrust back into her, eliciting a purr-like moan of pleasure from Kagome in the process.

At Kagome's delighted moan, Inuyasha captured her lips in another deep, passionate kiss as he began to follow a rhythm as old as time. When Kagome's hands eventually found his ears and absently began to stroke their base in time to his thrusts, he felt himself slipping over the edge. Growling impatiently he quickened his pace, urging her to join him in fulfillment.

Reveling in the intense friction their bodies were creating together, Kagome felt a knot building inside her, drawing her closer and closer towards some unknown height. Suddenly reaching that pinnacle, she threw her head back and raggedly moaned as waves of bliss washed over her. Distantly, she heard Inuyasha give a hoarse groan as he found his own release, his sweat slicked body collapsing onto hers as he breathed heavily in her ear.

Slowly moving his sated body to lay beside her, Inuyasha drew her limp form against him, burying his face in the crook of her neck as he sighed contentedly. Wrapping his arms about her waist, he inhaled her sweet scent which was now mixed with his own and savored the knowledge that she now belonged to him. Placing a gentle kiss against her temple, he whispered, "I love you, Kagome."

Turning her exhausted body so that she could rest her head against his chest and listen to the sound of his beating heart, Kagome snuggled against him, smiling sleepily as she said, "I love you, too."

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Coming Soon: Chapter 7: Be Careful What You Wish For…(Part 2)