Hi all. I have recently been into the series by Rumiko Takahashi
called "Inu Yasha", and decided to try my luck at writing a piece
of fanfiction based on these characters. I've never written anything
other then Sailormoon, so this will be a new experiance for me. Have
no fear, I AM going to continue to write SM fics too. ^_^ Comments,
as always, are directed to:

angels_melody19@hotmail.com

*********************************************
"Mine Forever"

PG-13 (nothing graphic)

By Bunny-chan
*********************************************

"Ne, Mayuga? Where's Inu Yasha this morning? He's usually around
heggling me to get up and get moving so that we can find more of that
stupid jewel." Kagome said as she stretched and sat up.

*ziiiiiiip* *plop*

Mayuga fell from his place on Kagome's shoulder, and landed in
her lap.

"Hey, wha't the big idea!" He protested from her skirt. "I was
still trying to sleep!"

"Oh, sorry Mayuga." Kagome aplogized, "I was just wondering where
Inu Yasha was. I mean, he's usually sitting in a tree yelling at me to hurry
up. He's like my alarm clock back home."

Mayuga had no idea what she was talking about but didn't answer.

Kagome was rumaging through her pack, and when she produced a package
of dried noddles, she sat back against a tree and began to prepare them. First
she crushed them, then she opened the powdered spice and dumped it into the bag.
Then she closed the top tightly and shook it. Normally she would cook the noddles
first, but eating them dry was more like a snack and she could transport it easier.
As she ate, Myuga eyed her legs. Kagome shifted her kneeling position so that she
was sitting on the ground with her legs currled to the side.

"Don't even think about it flea." Kagome said, without looking at him.

She knew his intent was to get his own breakfast from her leg. She glanced
at the time piece, on her left wrist, that Mayuga didn't understand why she wore.
She seemed to think that it told her when to eat and when to sleep and so on. He
didn't see the point. Why not just eat when you're hungry and sleep when you're
tired? But Kagome followed whatever instructions it told her about these things
religiously.

"Where is he?" She wondered alound.

Mayuga hopped off, dissapearing into the grass. Kagome noticed his
disappearence and called out for him agian.

"Mayuga! Get back here! I know there's something that you're not
telling me!" He only left when there was danger, and Kagome needed him to tell
her what it was.

"Mayuga!"

Still no answer. She thought for a moment, then leaned back against the
tree and pretened to be asleep, leaving her legs unattened, and free for 'feeding'
for a hungry flea. Sure enough, in less then 5 minutes she felt a prick on her
right thigh as Mayuga started to eat.

**SMACK**

A dazed flea looked up at Kagome from her hand. "Talk flea." Kagome
ordered. Mayuga avoided her gaze.

"B-but...My Lady...please...Lord Inu Yasha left strict instructions
that I tell no one!" he protested.

Kagome gave him a Look.

"Ok ok! But my death's on your head!" he grouched, casting a nervous
look around the glade in which they were resting. "Lord Inu Yasha had to go
away for a while. He'll be back in a few days."

"I'm not buying that Mayuga. Why did he have to leave?"

"Uh...it's his....uh...time of the month...." Mayuga said finally.

"Is that all?" Kagome said with a raised eye brow. "I know about that
already! Why's he being so shy? Besides, I like him better that way....he can't
go and fly off when he wants to pout."

She looked at Mayuga again, and again he avoided looking at her. This
wasn't about Inu yasha's human time of the month.

"What else, Mayuga?"

"It's not exactly what you think, My Lady." he allowed.

"What do you mean?" Kagome asked innocently.

"Demons, uh...have a time every month when they...uh...need to release
certain energies...."

Blank stare from Kagome.

"Oh...oh....Kagome....don't you understand? He...." Finally he just
blurted it out.

"He's in heat!"

Blank stare...then...laughter!

Mayuga's jaw dropped. She found this funny??? He stared at her. Didn't
she understand what a demon in heat was capable of?

"So what?" Kagome gasped between giggles, "What's to be shy about that?
We all go through it! Let him go off and find a nice female demon to...uh...bond
with." Finally she got herself under control and mused to herself some more,
"Hmmm....I didn't know that there were any females of his kind though. Does she
have to be a half demon too, or can she be a full demon? I wonder how long he'll
be gone?"

Mayuga sighed as she rambled to herself. She still didn't get it. That
wasn't the reason that Inu Yasha had left.

"Kagome....just the same...I think it's better if you try and avoid him
during this time. He's...not really himself...ok?"

Kagome released Mayuga, and turned back to her pack...looking for something
else.

"So? Why should that concern me? I'm not a demon, it's not like he's
going to want to mate with me!" With another carefree laugh she finished putting
her things away, and stood to leave.

Mayuga stared after her helplessly....why wouldn't she listen???

*************************************

*snap* *crackle* *flicker*

Kagome sighed deeply as she stared at the fire late that night.
Inu Yasha was still gone, and Myuga still wasn't talking. That whole day
she had been feeling restless until, finally, she couldn't take the sitting
and waiting any longer. Standing, and stretching, Kagome decided to go for
a walk in the woods. After about 10 minutes of walking, she suddenly stopped.

'Did a twig just snap behind me?' she wondered, turning around, but
finding no one. She continued to walk, but hadn't gone more then 5 steps before
she heard a swish and thump as something landed behind her. With a gasp she
started to turn around, but found that she could not.

Two strong hands, with sharp finernails, were wrapped around her forearms,
and she was pulled roughly back against a chest hard with muscle. Without turning,
she knew instantly who it was.

Inu Yasha.

"Let me go, you jerk!" Kagome demanded, irritated that he had scared her,
but his hands only tightened. Then she felt his warm breath tickling her neck as
Inu Yasha leaned down and put his mouth next to her ear.

"Hello Kagome." He whispered huskily.

Something wasn't right. His voice sounded strage. What was it Myuga
had said?

"He's not himself....." "It's better if you stay away from him...."

Suddenly she was very scared.

"What's going on Inu Yasha? Don't you think it's time you we stopped
playing games and got back to camp? You've been gone all day and--" Kagome
paused, trying to think of a reason that they had to get out of the dark words
and back to the warm, safe, fire, "And Myuga said that he heard about a new
jewel shard near by!!" She added triuphantly, trying to keep her voice steady.
Not that it made a difference. Inu Yasha was a demon, and a dog demon at that.
He could smell her fear no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

He didn't answer, imstead Kagome felt his hand as he pulled her hair back,
exposing her neck. She shivered as a cool breeze blew through the trees. She heard
Inu Yasha laugh under his breath, and then shuddered as she heard him speak, in a
voice dripping with sarcasim,

"Are you afraid of me, little one?"

Before she could reply though, he cut her off.

"Ahhhgh!" Kagome gasped out as she felt 2 sharp pricks on the right side
of her neck. She desperately tried to pull away, but he only tightened his grip
on her, and sank his fangs in deeper. Fighting tears of pain, Kagome stopped
struggling. After about 10 seconds, although it felt like an eternity, she felt
his mouth leave her neck, and his hands relax on her shoulders.

Turning Kagome around to face him, Inu Yasha grinned down at her. Kagome
felt fear stab the innermost being of her heart. His golden eyes were glowing with
an inhuman light, and his smile was anything but ment to make her feel at ease.

Hyperventallating, her breaths coming so quickly that she was in danger
of passing out, Kagome slowly reached up to touch her neck. She felt 2 small
welts, but no blood. It wasn't a deadly wound, but it would leave a mark.

"W-why?" She managed to force the word out, though her heart was pounding
so hard she could barely think, and her body was shaking so badly she could barely
stand. She held her hands in fists at chest height, as if to create a wall between
her and the demon man in front of her.

"You're mine now." He said, and his voice was different. It sounded like
someone elses, not the voice that she was used to hearing. "You have the mark."

With that, he jumped up and dissapeared into the sky. Kagome stood for a
moment, with tears running down her face, and then her wavering legs gave out and
she callapsed in a dead faint.

****************************************

The next morning, Kagome awoke with a start. Her head was pounding, and
she felt exausted. The events of the night before came flooding back to her, as
she reached up and felt her neck, praying that it had all just been a dream.
However, her hopes were shattered when she felt the slight swelling on throat.
Walking in a daze, Kagome managed to find her way back to the place where mayuga
and herself had made camp the night before. Mayuga was sleeping on a rock near the
fire, and she hoped that he hadn't noticed her leave earlier.

She was torn between waking him, and begging him to tell her what Inu Yasha
had ment by 'you're mine now.' and 'you have the mark', and demand that he tell her
why he was acting this way toward her or just hoping that he would stay asleep,
and that Inu Yasha would go jump off a cliff or something.

Her debate was solved when she felt something brush against her arm, a
moment later, and looked down to see Mayuga staring up at her sadly.

"Kagome...he found you, didn't he?"

She looked down at Mayuga, confused as to why he seemed so upset. He did
know something after all! She remained silent.

"Show me your neck, Kagome." He instructed, hopping to her shoulder.

Kagome drew her hair back, her eyes blank, and allowed the flea to veiw
her throat. Mayuga sucked in his breath quickly, and hopped down to the ground
in a flash.

"Mayuga, he said that I had 'the mark' and that I was his now. What did
he mean? He was so different, he wasn't acting like himself at all. He scared me,
Mayuga, and he's never done that before." she whispered softly, a tear slipping
down her cheek.

"Kagome, let me explain something to you. Do you remember what I was
talking about earlier today? Lord Inu Yasha is in heat. He has chosen you.
You can't hide from him now. Lord Inu Yasha isn't aware of what he's doing now,
but he will continue to do it. He has marked you as his mate."

Kagome stared silently ahead, in a shocked silence, as the words echoed
in her mind....

"His mate...."

"Kagome, when he comes for you, don't fight back, it will be better that
way. If you try to run, he will only be rougher...."

"Don't fight back....it's better that way...you can't hide from him...."
the words pounded in her head, and Kagome pressed her hands to her temples in a
vain effort to make them stop. "Don't fight back...he isn't aware of what he's
doing....."

"Kagome, do you understand what I'm saying?" Mayuga asked urgently.

Her breaths came quickly and Mayuga's words were fading in and out of her
conciousness. She stood abruptly and Mayuga fell to the ground again.

"KAGOME! Listen to me!" Mayuga shouted at the top of his lungs.
He was actually rather loud for someone his size. "Don't you dare run off
now-- Kagome!!!!!" He cried bouncing around on the grass and trying to get her
attention, but Kagome wasn't listening to him.

Kagome found herself scanning the clearing , her eyes blank, and ignored
the flea's urgent words as he jumped around on the ground. She turned and started
to run. She had to get away. She just knew that he had to be making it up. Inu
Yasha wasn't like that. Just the same, she figured that she could hide in a cave
or something until he cooled off. A small part of her mind insisted that what she
was doing was futile, but she ignored it and ran on, leaving Mayuga in her dust.

*************************************

Inu Yasha grinned down at the two, from his perch in a near by tree. So
the little vixen thought that she could out run him, did she? This game just got
a lot more interesting....

*************************************

Kagome ran until her lungs buned, and she had to stop and rest. Looking
around, she found a small cropping of rocks leaning out from the side of a steep
hill. She crawled under them and curled up to rest.

*************************************

Suddenly she jerked awake, and looked around frantically! Kagome blinked
up at the evening sky. The sun was just setting.

"I must have fallen asleep..." she murmered to herself as she sat up to
stretch.

*wack*

"OW!" she hollered, as she hit her head on the rocks above her. "Oh yeah..."
she muttered under her breath, as she remembered why she was here.

She crawled out into the clearing and stretched her legs.

"Hello Kagome." a voice said from behind her.

She spun around quickly, moving her body into the defensive position that
she had learned in karate class. Inu Yasha was sitting on his heels, just above her
little cave, and smirking at her.

"What do you want?!" Kagome cried, "I never did anything to you, just leave
me alone already!"

Inu Yasha smuthered a laugh, at the girls pathetic attempt to sound brave.
He hopped down to land a few feet in front of her.

"Kagome, really, what do you think you're doing? Are you planning to fight
me?" he paused, and watched, satisfied, as her fighting stance faultered a tiny bit,
and then continued, "Have you forgoten? I'm stronger then you...we're in the middle of nowhere....if I should choose to use force....." He took a step toward her and narrowed
his eyes, the ever darkening shadows playing up his features and shaking Kagome's
determination bit by bit.

Kagome kept her eyes on the demon-man's movements. She refused to back down.

Inu Yasha now stood right in front of her. He reached out a large hand to
touch her face, and Kagome's arm flew up to hit it away. Inu Yasha smirked and
stepped closer. Kagome backed up a step, and a second later he grabbed her arm.

"Let go!!" Kagome yelled frantically, then, without thinking, she slapped him!
Right in the face! Her hand left a delicate red handprint on Inu Yasha's cheek.

Inu Yasha glared down at Kagome, how dare she strike out at him? He would
show her! He would make her regret ever trying to hide from him!

Kagome immediatly regreted 'attacking' him, and Myuga's advice about not
fighting back suddenly flashed before her eyes. She knew that he would be angry with
her. Seconds later Kagome felt white-hot pain sear through her as Inu Yasha's claws
dug into her other arm. Then he threw her roughly to the ground. Tears sprung to her
eyes as she tried to sit up, but he was on top of her moments later, pinning her ams
to the ground.

"You little witch! I'm going to make you sorry you ever set foot in this
world...." Inu Yasha growled into Kagome's terrified face. Kagomen flinched, and
Inu Yasha struck her across the face. Something sparked at the back of his mind as
he watched the girls head snap to the side with enough force to have broken her neck.

Kagome let out a cry of terror as when she saw Inu Yasha's hand coming at her.
Her head snapped to the side, and pain shot through her neck. She cried harder.

He releashed her tears. Pulling off his top coat, and kneeling over Kagome in
only his red kimono pants, Inu Yasha moved his hands down her body, leaving long rips
in the sleaves, and body, of her bloose. Kagome stared silently into his face, feeling
as if it wasn't her that this was happening to, as if it were someone else.... then she
felt Inu Yasha shift positions as he moved on to....

Kagome flinched when she felt Inu Yasha's hand on her thigh.

"Oh God, NO....!" she thought, paniced, "Please, don't let him do this!"
Shivering in her torn bloose and mini skit, Kagome prayed, to whoever might be
listening, to stop the man on top of her from completing his act.

Inu Yasha ran his hand up and down Kagome's leg, enjoying her fear. Yet, as
he did it, there was an annoying voice nagging him, in the back of his mind, that he
was giong to regret this later.

Kagome looked up at the man who, at one time, she had almost considered a
friend, and whispered the words,

"Please.....if you have to....please be gentle....."

Inu Yasha's head jerked up with a low growl.

"What did you say?" He demanded, leaning his face in close to hers.

Kagome tried to get her sobs under control, and couldn't answer for a moment.
Inu Yasha grabbed her shoulders and started shaking her.

"What did you say?" He demanded, his voice getting louder, and more dangerous
as he raised a hand as if to strike her again.

"I...I..." Kagome gasped out, as her head flopped back and forth, "P-please be gentle....ah!" At these words Inu Yasha released her, and Kagome fell, with a startled
cry, back to the ground.

Kagome continued, her eyes shining with unshed tears, "Inu Yasha, I can fogive you......just....p-please......be gentle....I know that you don't know what you're
doing...." and she had to stop then, as sobs again wracked her body, and she had to gasp
for breath.

Inu Yasha 's eyes flashed wildly, and he stared at her, then he laughed,

"Don't know what I'm doing? HA! I know exactly what I'm doing....." and with
that Kagome again felt his hands burning against her cool skin.

Closing her eyes, and trembling, Kagome tried to think of other things.

"Breath in, breath out....don't think about it...." She instructed herself.

***********************************
What seemed like ages later, she felt the weight on her body lift, as Inu
Yasha suddenly jumped up. Kagome cracked an eye open and saw Inu Yasha fly off.
Breathing a sigh of momentary relief, she curled her aching body into a ball, and
cried again. She cried for herself and her lost innocence.......and for a man......
whom she had thought she was falling in love with....

***********************************

After a fitful few hours of tossing and turning, Kagome awoke, and looked
around frantically, but Inu Yasha was no where to be found. She dragged herself to
the river, and stripped down. After scrubbing for what seemed forever, she dried
herself and dressed. Returning, in a daze, to her former campsite, Kagome climbed
up onto a low tree branch, and stared listlessly out at the lake, waiting for Inu
Yasha to reappear.

She waited a long time. Mayuga had joined her hours ago, and sat silently
beside her on the brach. He could tell instantly what had happened, and knew that
Inu Yasha had hurt Kagome deeply. He also knew that, now that Inu Yasha's phase was
over, he wouldn't remember anything about the events of the past night.

Inu Yasha strutted up to them then, and called in an annoyed voice to Kagome,

"Common girl! We haven't got all day. We need to move now! Who knows how many
of those shards have gotten into the wrong hands while you've been sitting there!"

Kagome ignored him.

Inu Yasha walked around the tree, and stood in front of her, his arms folded
across his chest.

"Hey, what happened to you? Get in a fight with a bear?" He asked sarcastically,
as he smirked at her. However, Kagome didn't respond to his 'good-natured' jabs that
morning. She seemed to be looking past him. Something sparked in the back of his mind, a
tiny piece of a memory that he couldn't quite grasp.

Kagome took a shuddering breath, as a single tear slid down her cheek.

Inu Yasha reached his hand toward her, confused, and Kagome finally reacted.
She gasped, and hit his hand away violently, as she jumped down from the tree branch.

"Get away from me! What do you want now? Wasn't last night enough?" she cried.

Inu Yasha stared at her blankly. He knew that Kagome had some strange girly
habits that were implanted in her head from her own world, but she had never reacted
like that to his quips before.

"You took Kagome." a voice said in his ear.

Inu Yasha watched, as a trembling Kagome colapsed and rocked herself, with her
arms crossed over her chest, her hands curled up under her chin, as she stared at the
ground blankly though silent tears.

"What?" Inu Yasha demaned, looking over at the flea pearched on his shoulder.

"You were in heat, remember?" Mayuga said pointedly, anger evident in his voice.

The half demon blinked. That's right...he had left because he hadn't wanted to
subject Kagome to the rough ways of a demon at that particular time of month. He was
very confused as to why he had cared about a simple human that time and not at any of
the other times.

His gaze flickered back to the sobbing girl sitting several feet in front of
him. Something she had said.....

***********************************

"Please be gentle......"

***********************************

Suddenly his stomach turned to ice, and he felt sick. He had 'taken' Kagome....
as his mate....but.... she hadn't wanted to be his mate....he had forced her.....

Bit by bit the last night came back to him. Kagome had left the safety of the
fire, and gone into the woods. He had surprised her.....marked her.....claimed her
as his own....in the way of his kind.

***********************************

"I forgive you........"

***********************************

Then she had tried to run again.....he had hunted her like a dog.....he
shuddered, suddenly discusted with that half of his self.......Kagome.....

He had raped her.

He felt like spitting.....the simple thought making him sick. After all
he had done, and then in the middle of the worst part....she had forgiven him.....

***********************************

"I know that you don't know what you're doing......."

***********************************

Was it true though? He knew that demons didn't think about much when they
were pleasuring themselves......but demons didn't have feelings....they didn't care
about petty mortal problems....did they? He had enough evidence to prove what had
happened between Kagome and himself, but he couldn't remember the rest......

Suddenly, images flashed before his eyes in seemingly slow motion.

***********************************

Screams echoing in the forest.....Kagome running with a terrified
look in her eyes as she glanced behind her.......

***********************************

Now the images came faster, swirling around in his minds eye....

***********************************

He saw himself as he snuck up behind Kagome the first time....then
his month on her neck as he marked her.......then a close up of Kagomes face, tears
streaming down her pale cheeks.....

***********************************

Inu Yasha was finding it hard to breath....he shut his eyes tight, but it
didn't help....the images still came....he sank to his knees, clutching his head in
his hands. He had a splitting headach now....he bared his teeth as he tried to get
his breathing under control.

***********************************

Kagome now looked as if she was going to fight someone....she was
in what might have been a mortal "Master's Stance"....then he saw himself walking
toward her.....they were speaking to each other, but he couldn't hear anything.....
then as he reached toward Kagome she shouted something and slapped him!!

Then he watched as he grabbed her arm, shouted something in return and flung
her slight body to the ground......Kagome tried to get up....but he had jumped on her
....more shouting....now Kagome was quiet....

***********************************

He let out a small moan of pain at the next things that he saw.....

***********************************

He tore Kagomes clothes.....Kagome said something, but her mouth barely moved,
so he wasn't sure what it was....then he saw himself as he grabbed her and shook her
......more shouting....then he watched as he forced her to mate with him.....

***********************************

He let out a howl of rage and frustration at this last revalation......raising
his body as high as he could go on his knees, and pressed his hands against his head.
His breaths came quickly, and pain stabbed his heart.

Kagome jerked her head up at the horrid sound. It sounded like someone's soul
being torn from them. The sound of a broken heart....Her eyes fell on Inu Yasha, on
his knees, about 20 feet from her. His eyes were shut tightly and his hands were
clenched against his head. He was roaring at the sky....... She watched in silent fear
and facination.

***********************************

Inu Yasha cried out for several minutes....then his upper body gave out, and he
folded over onto his lap, with his hands over his head. When he finally came back to
reality, he felt strange....something was on his face.

With his long white hair shielding his face from view, he reached up and
carefully felt his cheek. When he pulled his hand away and looked at it closely, he
saw that it was wet...

Another tear slid down his face......

He stared at his hand. Tears?? Demons didn't cry!! They couldn't cry!! Demons
didn't feel emotions like humans....that made them weak.....but....he was half human....
wasn't he? He sat with his thoughts for a few moments. His human side was feeling
imense regret about what his demon side had done.

Kagome.

Looking up, Inu Yasha found himself looking Kagome's scared and confused eyes,
from her own position no the ground, several feet from him.

"Kagome...." He said horsely, his voice strained. He started to crawl toward her
and when she shrank back from his advance, his heart twisted in remorse.

"Please Kagome......" He tried again.

*************************************

Kagome watched Inu Yasha's stange display for about 10 minutes. First he was
his usual sacastic self, but as soon as he came toward he again, her brave front fell,
and she couldn't sit still. She had to get away. As soon as she had jumped off the tree
branch, he had quit speaking. She had stumbled a few feet away, and then colapsed on the
ground, mentally and physically exausted.

Vaguely, she could hear Mayuga speaking to Inu Yasha, and then the agonizing
cries that came from deep inside the demon man moments later. He had fallen to the
ground himself, and first sat there in daze for several minutes, his eyes blank, and
un-seeing, and then he had grabbed his his head and started yelling at the sky!

Startled, Kagome had jerked her head up to see what the matter was. She now
found herself in a staring contest with the very man that had hurt her most.

He was calling her...coming toward her now....she backed away, terrified.

*************************************

"N-no.....!" she said desperatly, her voice shaking, and tears welling up in
her eyes again. She hadn't thought that she had any left to cry...

Inu Yasha watched the young girl, who was really only 3 years younger them
himself, cower in front of him. His heart was breaking. He hadn't met to do this to her.
Using his demon-born agility, he was soon in front of Kagome, and had a hold of her arm.

Kagome gasped in fright, and then pain, as Inu Yasha moved quickly to her side,
and then took hold of her arm. He wasn't rough though, not like the last time, he held
her arm carefully. She watched him with wide eyes.

Inu Yasha grimanced at Kagome's sharp intake of breath, and losened his hold on
her arm. He then seemed to notice the long angry tears in her bloose sleave. He pulled
her arm closer to his face, and inspected it further.

He could see painful looking scratches on her delicate human flesh. A demoness
would have healed hours after such treatment, as it was their way of doing the mating
ritual. The male was always dominent of the female, but he would never kill her.

However, Kagome was different, she was a human, and wounds like these could
take weeks to heal! He was surprised that he hadn't killed her when he....he broke
his thought off as quickly as it had begun.

"Kagome, I-..." He started, and paused, not sure how to convince her of the
sincerity of his words. He licked his lips and took a deep breath before continuing,

"Kagome, please...I never ment to hurt you...." She doesn't believe me....he
thought sadly, pain twisting like a knife in his heart.

Kagome trembled as Inu Yasha took hold of her arm, and then leaned closer to
inspect the long cuts on it. His eys held such pain and regret, as he gently touched
her arm. Her heart beat fast at his nearness, but she also knew that he was trying to
make things better.

Mayuga had warned her that Inu Yasha, and all demons of his kind, lost control
durning their mating rituals. His kind didn't have any recollection of what they did
during that time, and that when they didn't get their way, they were angry and irritable creatures.

But, then, Kagome's thoughts turned back to Inu Yasha in particular. He was half
human, he may not have known what he had done to her at that time, but his heart could
still feel regret. She wondered as to his real feelings for her....

Inu Yasha watched tensely as Kagome stared at him, her eyes going distant and
soft, and her body slowly relaxing. He reached out a shaking hand to gently caress her
cheek.

"Kagome, please believe me....I didn't know....I couldn't stop myself....I--"
He lowered his head as he spoke the next words, "The reason that I left was to protect
you."

Kagome's head lifted at these words....protect you.....Mayuga had been trying
not to let her know about the reason that Inu Yasha had left....for more reasons then
one. He knew why. She felt her heart warm toward the demon boy in front of her. Suddenly
he didn't seem as frightening as he had the other night. He didn't seem like the great
powerful demon man that she had come to fear. He seemed more like a lost boy.

She raised her hand slowly, and placed it over the one that Inu Yasha had on
her cheek, as she stared down at the top of his head. His bangs had fallen into his
face and she couldn't see his eyes. He was talking again.

Inu Yasha felt a spark shoot through his body at Kagome's touch, but forced
himself to remain still. Lifting his head to look in her eyes, he continued,

"Kagome, I left because I didn't want to subject you to this. When demons mate,
they mate for life. But demonesses aren't like humans. They don't have the same feelings
that your kind does." He paused again, looking into Kagome's eyes to see if she believed
him. They were gentle, she was at least going to hear him out.

"Kagome I know that demons aren't supposed to remember what happens during
mating, but...I remember." Her eyes grew painful again, and he hurried on, "Just now,
I saw it....all of it....it was like a--"

He paused, what was it that Kagome called those things from her world, the
pictures that people went to see together? Movies!

"It was like a movie in my mind. Oh Kagome..." He pulled his hands back from
her face and arm and gathered her small hands in his lap, covering them with his
large ones.

"Inu Yasha..." Kagome breathed softly, tears pooling in her eyes.

She fought them back.

"Kagome, I wouldn't hurt you. Ever. I-- I always wanted you as ... my mate.
But not like this, never like this!!" He lowered his head again.

There. He had told her how he really felt about her. He knew that once word got
out that he had fallen for a human just like his father, he would be scorned by the rest
of the demon race, but right now he didn't care. All that mattered now was how Kagome
would react to his words.

Kagome's heart beat wildly in her chest. He what?! But then....h-he....she
shook her head, trying to sort out her thoughts. He couldn't love her, she reasoned
with herself. That wasn't how demons were. They couldn't feel love!! It just couldn't
be-- she cut herself off in the middle of that thought as another pushed it's way to
the surface.

Inu Yasha was half human. It was possible for him to feel this way. She opened
her mouth and repeated the words that she had said earlier, she had know in her heart
all along....

"I forgive you Inu Yasha."

His head jerked up. "W-what?" He must have heard wrong!

"I said 'I forgive you'. I couldn't hate you Inu Yasha. God knows I tried
to...After last night, I tried with all my heart to hate you, but I couldn't.....I
just couldn't..." The tears finally won out, and spilled down her cheeks.

She had forgiven him. Inu Yasha just stared at Kagome for a moment, and then
hesitently pulled her foward into his embrace.

They sat there for a long time, until Kagome had cried herself out. She
slumped, exausted, in Inu Yasha's strong, well muscled arms, and sighed softly.

"Inu Yasha?" Kagome said quietly, her voice sounding like a child's.

"Yes?" He asked, turning his face to look down at her.

"Say it again? Please?" She said, her voice fearful.

"I'm sorry." He said, his face still troubled.

"No, not that....the part about me being your mate."

Now he was confused, but he did as she requested, "I always wanted you as my
mate Kagome. Since I first saw you. It was instinct. I tried to fight it, as hard as
I could, but the more I tried to push you away, the more I couldn't bare not to have
you around."

Kagome grew thoghtful, now it was all making sense. The way he had treated her:
not ever wanting her to go back to her world, always making up lame excuses for her to
stay, yet always putting her down, his words cutting her deeper then he would ever know.
And how he always grew twice as ferocious, and angry, at an enemy, if she was in danger
or if it had hurt her.

"Kagome, I love you."

He said the words with such deep feeling that Kagome's heart nearly jumped out of
her chest. She was only 16, and this young demon man 19. She had known that she was in
love with him for long time now, and she was so happy that he had finally admitted it to
her too.

What would her mother think??

The last thought brought a giggle to her lips, which she quickly smoothered,
although she was unable to repress the thoughts of her parents reactions.

"Hi mom, dad, grampa. This is my new boyfriend. He's a half demon, from the
fudal era of Japan. I met him when I chased bato into the old well shrine, which, by
the way, is a the time portal between our two worlds."

Inu yasha cringed. She had laughed at him. He hardened his eys, and steeled his
heart. It had been against his better judgement to get involved with a human, but Kagome
had stolen his heart. He shifted his body, and gently set her on the ground, then stood
and turned away.

Kagome jerked out of her daydream when she felt Inu Yasha's warmth receed and
saw him turn away.

"Inu Yasha?" She called, frightened. Had he just been toying with her? He was
silent. She got to her feet slowly, and walked up behind him. Gently she placed a hand
on his shoulder.

"What's wrong?"

He pulled away from her touch, and crossed his arms. He was a good foot taller
then her, but Kagome forced herself not to be intimidated, and stepped around in front
of him.

"Inu Yasha?" she questioned again.

"You laughed." He said stiffly.

Kagome's mouth dropped open. Had she done that out loud? No wonder he was
insulted. He had just poured out his heart to her, a considerablely hard thing to do,
when one thought about a demon's pride and how pathetic and worthless humans where to
most of them. He had said that he loved her for pete's sake!!

"I didn't mean to. It wasn't at you, Inu Yasha, I was just thinking about what
I would say to my parents about us!"

Silence still.

"Please Inu Yasha! Don't turn me away! Not now! Not after all that's happened!"

Kagome was torn. She was still trying to get over his treatment of her the
previous night, and his new revelation of his feelings for her. He had apologized,
and she had fogiven, but now he was turning cold and distant again, just like he used
to be. A tear slipped down her cheek, and she angrily brushed it away.

"I--I love you too." she stammered, trying to stop crying, and feeling extreamly
immature for not being able to do so. She turned away. Why was it that she was always
crying around him?

Inu Yasha's ears had perked up at her words. He turned quickly, and found himself
face to face with Kagome's back and shaking shoulders. He had hurt her again. Wanting to
hit himself, he stepped up behind her and placed his arms around her, hugging her from
behind. He felt her body relax at his touch. She didn't shy away anymore.

"I do, Inu Yasha....don't you believe me?" She cried. "I always have....."

He believed her. Turning Kagome around gently, Inu Yasha looked deep into her
eyes.

"I do believe you, Kagome." He said, his voice deep; his words caressing her
mind. Then, before she could blink, he had lowered his head and caught her mouth in a
tender kiss.

With a small sound of surprise, Kagome found herself with Inu Yasha's lips
locked against her own. His kiss was gentle yet demanding at the same time. He held
her body close to his own, and tightened his arms around her when he felt her trembling
against him.

When he pulled back, she was shaking, but it wasn't for fear of him. She smiled
up at him, then leaned against his strong frame, pressing her hands against his chest
and placing her head in the crock of his shoulder. She closed her eyes and sighed, content.

"Mate...." Inu Yasha whispered softly, as he felt Kagome relax against him. He
placed his head down on top of her own, and smiled into her hair.

***************************************

The End

***************************************

Well, what do you think? This was my first attempt at an Inu Yasha fic. I think
I'll do another one, because I'm pretty happy with the way this one turned out. E-mail is
always welcome. Loves Ya!