InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Unforgettable ❯ Scruffed ( Chapter 8 )

He sat watching and listening, all his acute senses on high alert. Her heart had begun to pound frantically in her chest, and through the still forest, the sound echoed in his ears. He scented her fear, and his nose wrinkled almost imperceptibly at the smell. Although he enjoyed the scent of fear emanating from his enemies, coming from her, it was atrocious. Her breaths were coming in ragged pants, and he could see by the light of the dying fire that her body was glistening from a thin sheen of sweat. His golden eyes narrowed as he watched her dainty little hands latch onto his mokomoko-sama and clench so tightly that her fingers began to turn white. When her face scrunched up and she let out a soft and strangled whine, he could no longer stand it.

Standing, Sesshomaru walked with long and even strides to the sleeping miko. Crouching beside her, he stared down into her face. Her breathing was becoming more labored and shallower and she made a small strangling sound in the back of her throat. He reached one large hand out to push back the thick and heavy dark bangs that were plastered to her forehead. At the first slight touch of his claws to her pale flesh, she cringed away from him and muttered, “Inuyasha! No!” Sesshomaru's eyes widened for a moment, and his hand stilled in midair. Her voice had been forceful, yet laced with fear when she had spoken the half-breed's name. He had been certain from his prior observations of the group that the hanyou and the miko were fond of each other. The spectacles that the two created had disgusted him; two such lowly beings lusting after each other offended his higher morals. But now she spoke the whelp's name in terror. It was odd, and somehow disconcerting.

He momentarily lost his train of thought when Kagome moaned loudly in her sleep. Hearing a soft grunt from the other side of the fire, he raised his honeyed orbs to take in Rin's stirring form. The miko and her nightmares were going to wake his ward, and a sleep-deprived 7 year old was the last thing that the taiyoukai desired to deal with on top of the presence of the wench. Looking back down to the miko, he knew what he would have to do to solve the problem, and his eyes narrowed in disgust.

Lowering his body down beside hers, he reached out a hand and pushed her damp hair away from her neck. Once again, she cringed away from his touch, but he began a soft rumbling in his chest, and she stilled. He eyed the creamy expanse of pale flesh between her neck and her shoulder, hoping that it would not come to scruffing her. Perhaps the calming sound he was making would be enough to ease her. After all, she was human, and he was not certain that the action would have any real effect on her. She was also a grown woman, and scruffing was something that was only used on pups. He, Sesshomaru, had also never done it before.

Her breathing was still coming in gasps, and she began to make the terrible mewling sounds again, and he knew what he had to do. He shot the sleeping miko a dark look before he gracefully leaned his head forward and gently placed his sharp fangs upon her tender flesh. He latched on firmly at the place where her shoulder met her neck and her pulse beat the strongest, though he was careful not to wound her.

Kagome's body went rigid against his at the first press of his fangs to her skin, but as he bit her more firmly and continued to make a deep rumbling sound, she relaxed and became quiet. His eyes widened in shock when her little hands released the mokomoko-sama and latched onto the front of his undershirt instead. She whimpered lightly, and he snaked an arm around her waist to pull her tightly up against his chest. Feeling the vibrations coming from him and flowing over her body in waves, Kagome went limp in his hold and fell into a deep and silent sleep.

The taiyoukai breathed deeply in relief, never once letting his hold on the woman's neck falter, and vaguely noted that she now smelled lightly of sakura blossoms. The scent was familiar and comforting, and he closed his eyes as he continued to breathe in the light floral odor. Between the soft and deep breaths of the woman, and the warmth of her body pressed up against his own, Sesshomaru was quickly seduced into a rare and light slumber. When Kagome made a move to pull away from his hold upon her neck, he growled lightly in his sleep while pressing his fangs more harshly into her pale flesh. She immediately relented to him and voiced a soft sigh.

Yellow eyes watched the scene from the safe cover of the trees, and narrowed in undisguised hatred and disgust. The firelight danced in Jaken's eyes as he watched his Lord soothe the troublesome human wench, and he felt his loathing for the miko increase drastically. She meant nothing but trouble for his master, and it would be for the betterment of all if she were returned to her group as quickly as possible.

With that single thought in mind, Jaken set off alone into the dark depths of the forest.