Blind Love

by Phiona

Seshomaru finds love in an unlikely place.....a blind woman found on his grounds.

Blind Love

By: Kira

A young woman ran through the forest, careful of where she was going. As she ran, she put her hand on each tree, as if to help guide her. She stopped and listened closely; she could no longer hear the wolves coming. With her hand against a nearby tree, she put her hand over her heart and sighed heavily. She'd accidentally wandered into a wolf demon's territory, and he bade his followers to chase her out of his domain. It seemed like they'd chased her for hours, snapping at her heels, scaring the poor woman to death. She had somehow outsmarted them and lost them across a stream, but she kept running to make sure they didn't catch her. As she rested and tried to catch her breath, she listened for sounds of the wolves. She was amazed at how far she'd made it without tripping over a fallen tree or something. She decided she had better keep moving, lest the wolves find her and tear her limb from limb. She began to run again, weaving in and out of trees, hoping her trail would confuse them. She then tripped over a rock protruding out of the ground. She fell to the ground with a heavy thud. The fall had knocked wind out of her, and she gasped for air. As soon as she could breath again, she rolled on to her back and sat up. She tried to stand, but a piercing pain tore through her left leg. She sat down again and pulled up the hem of her kimono to reveal nothing above her knee. She placed her hand on her knee and trailed it slowly down her leg, until she felt something sticky and oozing. She frowned as she realized what the substance was: her blood. She felt hopeless as she sat there in the forest floor, with no one to help her. Tears welled up in her eyes and threatened to fall. She couldn't believe she'd been so careless. She placed her hands over her face and began to cry softly.

Sesshomaru walked through the forest, gazing straight ahead of him. He'd told Jaken to stay with Rin while he found out what the disturbance in the forest was. One of his servants had told him there was mischief in the forest that day, and so he wanted go check it out for himself.

"It had better not be Inuyasha and his woman, or they will suffer immensely." Then cocked an eyebrow, "But why would he be so stupid as to put himself in danger like this?" He ventured further into the forest to find what it was. He was just about to give up when he heard soft crying. He sniffed at the air; whatever it was, it wasn't a demon, for there was no demon scent in the air at all. He smelled the faint scent of wolves, but he wasn't worried. He walked towards the crying, and found a young woman sitting on the forest floor, hugging herself. He frowned at the sight of the human, crying so ridiculously in his presence. He walked a little closer to her, and her head snapped up.

"Who's there?" she said, trembling. Sesshomaru expected her to scream at the sight of a demon in front of her, but it appeared as if she looked right through him. She was looking straight at him, and yet, she hadn't noticed he was there. He ventured closer and she cowered a little bit. He looked at her closely and saw her eyes. They were milky white with a little blue tint to them. Her face was stained with tears, dirt and blood, and her long, brown hair was hanging loosely at her shoulders. He then realized that the young woman was blind as she looked absently around, waiting for something to pounce on her. He then kneeled by her side and looked over her; he's never seen a human this bad off since he'd met Rin that one day. He then saw her exposed leg, and noticed that it had been badly broken. He looked around to see what had caused her such pain, and noticed a rock not to far off.

"If you want money, I'm sorry, but I have none. Just leave me be if that's your intention." He was surprised to hear her speak again. He almost felt sorry for her as she tried to back away from him, and cried out in pain.

"I'm not here to harm you, woman." Sesshomaru said, irritated. The woman seemed to take comfort in his voice; she breathed a sigh of relief, and put her hands over her heart. The woman was obviously terrified of something, but he couldn't tell what. He looked down at her leg then back up at her; he decided he might as well help the woman. Then a thought came to his head; what if he should help her, then told her to come and help take care of Rin? Rin would finally have a mother figure around to help her through her stages of life that he himself could not help her with. He smiled calmly at the idea.

"If I help you can I ask something of you in return?"

"I will do whatever you please, my lord." She bowed her head. He nodded and drew the Tensuisga from it sheath. She heard him unsheathe a sword. She gasped but then smiled. Sesshoumaru looked at her confused. Why did she not plea for her life when she heard him draw his sword? He pointed the tip of the sword at her broken leg, and the Tensuisga began to pulse. He watched as her leg began to heal. The gash on her leg closed and her bone popped back into place and healed. When it was complete he looked at the girl in anticipation, wondering what she would do. She ran her hand down her leg and gasped. All that was left from the wound was dried blood. She smiled tenderly. Sesshoumaru was about to pick her up when he thought of something. Would he be able to make her see too? Could her cure her blindness with the Tensuisga? He decided to try it. She was trying to get up when he looked back to her, "Stay there." The woman sat back down confused. Sesshomaru put the tip of the sword against her head as she closed her eyes. Again the sword started to pulse. When it stopped, he sheathed it again to see the results. The woman opened her eyes, and he saw them darkening to a deep sapphire blue. She blinked her eyes a few times, not believing what was happening. She looked around the forest, with her mouth half-open. She looked back at the man standing before her. He was very elegant and comely. She rose her hands to her face and cried.

"Why do you cry, woman?" Sesshomaru said, "Are you not happy that you are able to see?"

"I am happy." She said through sobs, then she looked up at him and smiled through her tears, "That is why I cry, because I'm happy." This was all new to Sesshomaru. He knew humans cried when they were sad, upset, and afraid, but never had he seen one cry from happiness. She stood up and dried her eyes, then bowed, "What was it you wanted me to do for you, my lord?"

"There is a young girl at my palace that is in need of a mother figure. I want you to come with me and stay at my palace to help take care of her." The woman thought for a moment then nodded, "I shall do as you please, my lord." Sesshomaru smiled and turned to head home, followed by the young woman.

The young woman trailed behind the man with the white hair, taking in the scenery. All of it was beautiful; the grass was green, the flowers were in full bloom, the trees loomed over her, shading her from the burning sun. She looked back at the man in front of her. She smiled as she thought about his kindness. Then she began to wonder, "Do I still have my sixth sense?" she pondered for a moment on the thought, then shook the thought out of her head, "I don't really care if I've lost it. I can see now, but…" she looked thoughtfully at him, "I must know." She closed her eyes and sent her mind out to him. His heart opened easily, and she began to sort through his emotions. She saw anger, sorrow, and what appeared to be torment. She gasped as she sifted his emotions, not feeling anything else but what she'd seen at first. She then came to a wall. She tried to go beyond it, but only got a little glance at what was behind it. She opened her eyes, closing her mind to him, then realized, "He's never felt any other feeling other than those that I saw." She began to feel sorry for him; had he never felt happiness? Had he never cried for a lose or a wound? Had he never felt love? She almost recognized those feelings as her own. She'd never been in love before, and she'd never known true happiness. Through her years, she was moved from village to village, because people had tried to kill her due to her ability. They were afraid she would look into their hearts and see their every sin. She looked back up at the man, wondering why he would let a woman he'd never met into his home. They didn't even know each other's name.

"Sesshomaru." The young woman looked up in surprise at hearing his voice.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"My name is Sesshomaru." He said plainly as he continued to walk. She looked at him strangely; the name sounded familiar. She smiled back and said, "My name is Rain."

"Rain…" Sesshomaru said, thoughtfully, "That will do." She smiled at him; "It will all be fine. I can feel it."

"There is my palace." He said, nodding in the direction of a tall manor. Rain gasped as she looked upon it, marveling at its beauty. As they reached the door, he held it open for her to come in.

Sesshomaru watched at she walked in slowly, taking it all in. He chuckled as he watched her look around the room. He noticed Jaken and Rin come out of a corridor, then the child noticed her guardian.

"Sesshomaru!" the child ran up to him and hugged him around the knees, smiling ear to ear. He placed a hand on the child's head, gently stroking her hair. He then looked up to see Rain staring at Jaken in fear. Jaken was staring back, only in doubt. Jaken looked back up at his master, "Who is this woman, my lord?"

"This woman will be staying with us to help take care of Rin." Sesshomaru said plainly, then kneeled to Rin, "Rin, this woman will be your new mother. Her name is Rain, and I expect you to obey her as you would me. Do you understand?" Rin looked up at him, then looked back at Rain in confusion, "You will be Rin's new mother?" Rain turned away from Jaken a moment to smile at her and nod. Rin smiled widely, then looked back up at Sesshomaru, "You are Rin's father?" Sesshomaru nodded at the child, not sure what he'd just stirred up.

"Then," the child said matter-of-factly, "You and her must be in love." Everyone, including Sesshomaru, fell over. Sesshomaru stood up, about to correct her, then realized Rin had skipped away, with Jaken following close behind. He looked over at Rain, who was blushing quiet deeply at the moment.

"I apologize for Rin. She's always coming to a conclusion way too quickly." He said rubbing the back of his head.

"I don't mind." Rain said, shyly, "I've never really been in love, and it's nice to think about sometimes." Sesshomaru looked at her thoughtfully; the word never crossed his mind much until recently. When he took in Rin, he began to feel different. The child had somehow changed him in a way that no one else had ever done. Not even his father could produce a change in his defiant superior son.

"How could a mere child produce such a change in me that I should feel this way?" he thought to himself, then remembered Rain, "Perhaps this woman may effect me as well." He looked around for one of his servants and stopped one, "Take this woman to the bath and see that she gets cleaned up. After that, show her to her room." The servant nodded and moved away.

Rain sat in her room, brushing her clean hair. It felt good to take a bath after being dirty for so long. Sesshomaru had been nice enough to let her bathe and have some clothes ready for her when she got to her room. She had to employ the help of a servant to help her pick from the many different kimonos he'd put in her closet. All of them were elegant and none seemed to be alike at all; every pattern was different, every symbol a different meaning. She chose a red kimono with black hems and a white under dress. She sighed as she brushed her hair; Sesshomaru seemed like a good person, but it kept bugging her at what she saw in his heart. She saw nothing but hatred and indifference, and it made her wonder, "How could he let a child into his sight and not feel at risk?" She continued to brush her hair as she thought, "Maybe he only shows emotion for the child." She gasped as she heard a soft knock at her door. She set the brush down on her vanity, then went to answer the door. When she opened the door, Rin was standing there with a sheepish grin on her face.

"May Rin come in, please?" She said, looking up at her with pleading eyes. Rain could only smile and step aside to let the child in. Rin entered the room cautiously and looked around before turning back to Rain. She smiled and held up some pink flowers, "Rin picked these just for you." Rain smiled and kneeled to the little girl. She took the flowers from the little girl's hands gently, and examined them. It was a simple little bouquet of flowers, fragrant with the smell of freesia.

"Pink is Rin's favorite color." The child said, joyously, "What is yours?" Rain giggled quietly; the child wasn't told that she had been blind. She looked at the flowers again, admiring the beauty and simplicity of the bouquet.

"Pink is my favorite color, too." Rain said, hoping this would please the child. Rin smiled widely, then looked down at the floor, "Can Rin ask you a question?"

"Sure." Rain said, smiling.

"Can Rin fix your hair?" She said, smiling up at her.

"Of course you can." Rain said, chuckling slightly. Rin giggled, then lead her back to the vanity.

"Close your eyes," Rin said, "and no peeking!" Rain smiled and closed her eyes as she sat down. She felt as the child started to brush her hair. Her hands were gentle as she started to play with her hair. Rain felt as Rin ran her fingers through her hair, braid it and twist it. Rain felt comforted by Rin's soft touch.

"Done!" Rain opened her eyes and looked into the mirror. Two pieces of her hair in the front were braided in little braids, and pulled back with the rest of her hair into a low ponytail by a red ribbon. She studied her hair in the mirror, surprised that such a simple style could look so becoming on her. She decided she would continue to let Rin fix her hair in this form.

"Do you like it?" Rin said, anxiously.

"Yes, very much, Rin. Thank you." Rain said, smiling at the child. Rin grinned back at her, "Rin's glad you like it." Rain chuckled at Rin, then heard a knock at the door. Rin ran to answer it before Rain could get up, then Jaken entered.

"My lordship requests your presence at dinner. Will you attend?" he said, curtly.

"Of course. Anything for my lord." Rain said, bowing her head.

"Dinner shall be ready presently." The toad said gruffly then left her room, mumbling down the hall.

"Rin doesn't think Jaken likes you very much." Rin uttered, sadly.

"Why is that?" Rain said, taking Rin in her lap.

"Cause," Rin began, "Jaken used to be the only one Sesshomaru had around, and ever since Rin's been around, he's been feeling left out." Rin sighed, "He doesn't want anything to do with Rin or any other person 'cept Sesshomaru. He doesn't like women either. He thinks they will turn him into a different person." Rain was shocked by the child's words; how could he be jealous of humans who aren't even trying to take his master away? She shook the thought from her mind, and smiled down at Rin, "Well, then he'll just have to learn to get used to us, won't he?" The statement made Rin giggle, then she nodded her head.

"But don't tell Jaken, okay?"

"Okay, Rin won't tell Jaken." Rin made a motion of zipping her lips and throwing away the key. Rain laughed at this gesture, then smiled, "Let's go have dinner, shall we?" Rin nodded her head in agreement, then took Rain's hand, "Rin can show you where it is!"

"Show me the way!" Rain said, as a spirited child led her out of her room. As Rin led her to the dinning room, she thought to herself, "Is this what it's like to be happy?" She smiled as she pondered the thought in her head.

Sesshomaru walked up the stairs slowly, thinking about how Rain looked at dinner. When she entered the room, he hardly recognized her. She looked radiant as she sat down next to Rin and ate. He watched her out of the corner of his eye, and often felt himself staring at her, then he would quickly turn away, trying to keep his focus on the plate laid before him. He found that the woman next to Rin was much more attractive than the food in front of him. He reached the end of the stairs and turned down a long hall. With out realizing it he walked past Rain's room, then stopped. He backed up and peered in the door. Rain had forgotten to close the door, and stood there with her back facing him. She began to remove her kimono, then her under dress. Sesshomaru saw her naked back then moved away from the door and put his back against the wall; what was this feeling growing inside him? His heart was fluttering about inside him, pounding against it's confine to be released. He put his hand to his chest and felt his heart pounding. He peeked back around the corner and saw her in her night clothes, brushing her hair leisurely. He leaned back against the wall and breathed deeply. What had this occurrence stirred in him? He began to walk back to his room, with his hand still over his heart, trying to calm it down. He reached his room and slowly changed into his night clothes. He couldn't stop thinking about what he had seen; the thought of her bare skin caused the sensation to grow. He laid down in his bed and fell into a restless sleep.

Sesshomaru sat up in bed, covered in a thick sheath of sweat. He breathed deeply, and looked beside him. When he saw that no one was beside him, he collapsed back on the bed and sighed. The sensation from the dream was still pulsing through his veins. He was with Rain in a rather intimate situation. He watched as she called his name over and over, increasing her pleasure and his. She arched her back and kissed his mouth countless times. He moved his hand down to his groin; it was hard and throbbing. He sat up and put his hands on his knees, and thought for a few moments.

"This is odd." He said out loud, "No other woman could ever please me in such a way that she has in just a dream." He sat there thinking with one hand on his head and the other on his knee.

"I should like to get to know her better." Sesshomaru said finally. He laid back down, hoping to fall asleep, but he couldn't. Rain's naked body kept running through his head, begging him to take her. He sighed heavily and closed his eyes, but again saw Rain, only this time she was fully clothed, and at her side was Rin, grinning widely. He smiled, and with it, was finally able to sleep.

A few weeks later, Rain was outside the palace with Rin, helping her pick flowers. She watched as the child skipped around, picking various types of flowers from her garden. Suddenly, Sesshomaru came to her mind. Ever since after dinner on the first night, she'd noticed some change in him. Before that night, he was cold and seemed uncaring, but since that night, he'd been keeping a close eye, not on Rin, but her. She didn't mind, but she couldn't help but think these actions deviated from their original form somehow. Rin said he'd never used to keep such a close watch on her before, and she didn't know why, but she was glad he was paying more attention to her. Rain even sent her mind to his heart again to see what changes had come about, and she noticed the wall that had once held back emotions, was slowly coming down. She looked up to find Rin, but she wasn't there. She stood up and started calling her name, "Rin, where are you?" She went into the forest and began to look for the missing child. Rin liked to hide from her and make her search for her, and Rain was never fearful that she couldn't find her. She never had to worry about demons coming after her, because if they did, they would have to face Sesshomaru. She looked behind trees, and in bushes, then she heard a giggle behind her. She looked behind her and saw Rin standing behind her in a clearing. Rin was standing there with a grin on her face. Rain turned to her and smiled. Suddenly, out of no where, a tiger demon jumped out into the clearing, and started growling at Rin. Rin backed slowly into Rain's waiting arms and began to whimper in fear. Rain started backing away slowly with a frightened Rin in her arms. The tiger demon roared and lunged at the terrified child. Rain threw the child to the ground and covered her with her own body and waited. All of a sudden, she felt claws plunge into her back. She cried out in pain as the claws broke her skin and ripped it open. After the claws withdrew, she sat there, trembling, but still covering the child. She waited for the death blow that would send her to heaven, but it never came. She released the child reluctantly and looked up to see Sesshomaru standing over a fallen corpse. He walked over to her, "Is Rin okay?" She released the child, who immediately ran into Sesshomaru's arms. He examined the child, then looked back up at Rain, "Are you okay?" Rain nodded, but then collapsed in pain. Sesshomaru looked over her, worried that she might have sustained a fatal wound, then saw the long gashes in her back. He gently picked her up and cradled her in his arms. She put her arms weakly around his neck.

"I'm sorry." Sesshomaru looked down at Rain was he began to walk home, confused by her words.

"What did you say?" He said, gazing into her face.

"I'm sorry. I should've been more careful…" then she lost consciousness. He looked down at her with sad eyes, wondering why she felt she was to blame for her misfortune.

"It's not your fault." He said, walking at a slow pace back to the palace.

Rain was laying face down on her stomach as she waited for the servant to start tending to her wounds. She felt as she dabbed a hot wash cloth on her gashes. She winced in pain as the hot water flowed into her wounds. She cradled her head in her arms to try and make herself more comfortable, but the servant was putting to much pressure in her touch. She was just about to say something to her as she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in." Rain called to the door. The door opened slowly and Sesshomaru walked in.

As he walked in, he saw Rain laying face down on her bed while the servant tended to her wounds. He saw that she was wincing quite noticeably when the servant dabbed at her wounds. The servant looked up when she felt Sesshomaru watching her. Sesshomaru motioned her to leave, and took her place beside Rain's bed. He dipped the wash cloth back in the water and rung it out. He looked back at Rain, then down to her back. Her perfect skin was marred by three long gashes down the middle of her back. He began to dab gently, and noticed her tension then saw her relax as he gentled his pressure against her skin.

"Rin wanted me to thank you for saving her today." Sesshomaru said, finally. Without moving, she replied, "It was no trouble really. I just didn't want her to get hurt or killed."

"Most women would've left her because they didn't know her, but you protected her like she was your own." Sesshomaru said, still dabbing lightly at her back.

"You asked me to be a mother to her, and so I am trying my best. I love her as though she is my own, even though she is not." She said, as if it were that simple.

"You would've sacrificed your own life to save that of a child whom you hardly know." Sesshomaru thought on this concept for a moment, "You a very bold, and I commend you for it." When he saw that the wound was clean, he said, "Sit up so I can put this bandage on you." She sat up slowly, careful not to injure herself further and pulled her hair out of the way. She put her hands on her shoulders and lifted her elbows so he could wrap her up. He began to wrap the bandage around her, starting at lower back and working his way up. As he wrapped it around her, he lightly touched her stomach, sending chills up her spine. Her skin was so soft and warm. When he finished, he placed a hand lightly on her shoulder. She sighed and relaxed under his touch. He looked over to a chair and saw her kimono draped over it. As he moved to get it, she pulled the top of the under dress back over her shoulders. He handed her the kimono, "Dinner should be ready soon. Will you feel good enough to join us?" Rain nodded and put the kimono on and watched him head towards the door. He opened the door, then stalled, "I should like that you learn to use a bow and arrow before you venture out doors again, if you don't mind." Rain nodded, "If it would make you feel better." Sesshomaru nodded and left the room.

A few months after, Sesshomaru was watching Rain practice her archery from a balcony. Her wounds had healed a month earlier, leaving only memories and very noticeable scars. Over the past months, they'd gotten to know each other really well. He'd found out that before they had met, she was a miko, and she once lived with her mother in a village. It amazed him how a blind miko could do so much good. She wouldn't tell him why she fled the village, but he didn't really care. Everyday, he would open up to her a little more, and she would do the same for him.

"Bull's eye!" he heard Rin shout from below. He watched as Rin ran up to Rain and hug her around the knees. With her bow still in her other hand, she tussled the child's hair and Rin giggled. She was clad in her archery clothes, which just happened to be the same as her miko clothes she wore back at her village. She wore a white long sleeved shirt that seemed to billow in the wind, and blue kimono pants. Suddenly she looked up and pushed the child behind her. She drew an arrow from her pouch and strung it. Sesshomaru perched on the ledge of the balcony, ready to assist her if need be. He watched as a bear demon came lumbering out of the woods and walked straight towards the woman with the child behind her. Rain released the arrow and it flew straight into the demons chest and it bellowed out a roar and frantically tried to pull the burning arrow out of it chest. She quickly strung two more arrows and pinned it to a nearby tree. The demon roared again in agony, then disintegrated. She had already had another arrow strung, ready to shoot it again. She relaxed the bow and looked back at the child, who was staring back in awe at the pile of ash that lay next to the tree. Rin smiled and looked up at her.

"Wow, that was neat! Can Rin learn how to do that too?" She said with pleading eyes. Rain smiled down at her and tussled her hair again, "Only if Sesshomaru will allow it." Rain looked up at the balcony to see Sesshomaru staring down at her. He watched as a gentle breeze sent her hair flowing about her as she smiled up at him. He smiled back at her in approval. She nodded just as Rin lightly nudged her, "Can Rin ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything." Rain said, looking down at her.

"Can Rin call you mother?" Rain sighed and smiled down at her and nodded, "Yes, you may." She looked back up to see Sesshomaru moving away from the balcony, but stopped to look back at her. The way he looked at her made her heart flutter. She realized she felt more for him than she need to.

"It's time for dinner, mother." Rin said tugging at her sleeve. Rain took Rin's hand, "Then lets go get ready." They both walked inside the castle, making their way towards their rooms.

A week later, Sesshomaru had left the palace with Jaken to do something, though he wouldn't tell her what. He told Rain to keep a watch on Rin while he was gone, and told her he would be back soon. Rain sighed as she thought about Sesshomaru. Ever since the he'd looked at her that day, she couldn't keep him out of her mind. She watched as Rin picked flowers from her garden. Rin had said that she wanted to pick some flowers for Rain's room and her own. She watched as the child carefully arranged the flowers in a neat little bouquet. Rain had been teaching her how to use the bow and arrow and she was doing a very good job of learning it. She looked back down at the bow in her hands. It was tattered and worn from its use in the past. When Sesshomaru had given it to her, he'd told her it was old and well worn, so it should've been easy to learn, and it was. In the time she'd learned how to use it, she'd also learned how to bless the arrows with white magic, so they would be more effective. Her thoughts soon traced back to Sesshomaru. She couldn't stop thinking about him; how he smiled at her, the way his warm touch instantly calmed her. She sighed as she thought about his touch. She thought about his well-kept silver hair and his amber eyes. He looked so handsome the way he smiled at her; it made her melt inside. She put her hand to her cheek and realized she was blushing. She looked up to see that Rin was gone. She looked around the garden and only saw the flowers she'd picked.

"Rin?" she said looking around. When she heard nothing, she strung an arrow and moved into the woods. She looked behind bushes and up in trees, not seeing the child anywhere. She'd moved pretty deep into the forest, when she saw the child peering out into a clearing. She was about to call out to her, when Rin turned around and put a finger to her mouth. Rain looked at her in confusion and moved beside her.

"What are you doing here?" Rain whispered.

"Look." Rin said pointing a tiny finger out into the clearing. She looked out into the clearing, and saw Sesshomaru standing there with Jaken at his side, holding a package. She also saw another silver haired man in a red kimono holding a long sword shaped like a huge fang, with a girl at his side dressed in some kind of short green and white kimono. She'd never seen those kind of clothes even in the short time she was able to see. She also saw some kind of monk and another woman with a big boomerang on her back, carrying what appeared to be a fox demon child and a cat demon. She watched as they began to talk.

"I know you want something, Sesshomaru. You might as well get it over with and tell us." Sesshomaru stared at his half brother, chuckling.

"It isn't me who wants anything. You were the one who approached me with your precious sword drawn." He said. Inuyasha growled in disbelief, knowing he was up to something.

"We all know you better than that, Sesshomaru." Kagome said, "You're after Tetsuiga again. I know it." Again Sesshomaru chuckled, and turned to leave. Inuyasha saw the opportunity to take a swing at him and took it. He jumped at Sesshomaru with the sword held high over his head, and just as it was about to connect, Sesshomaru moved with lighting fast speed. He looked up in the air to see Sesshomaru coming down at him with his claws glowing green. Inuyasha moved and looked back just in time to see Sesshomaru's fist run straight into the ground. Sesshomaru began to run at him just as Inuyasha started to focus on the wind scar. He hit it and sent Sesshomaru into a tree and watched as he slumped down. Inuyasha panted as he walked slowly over to the tree; it was a short fight but enough to leave him winded. Sesshomaru was laying on the ground trying to get up. Inuyasha held the sword over his head and prepared to deliver the final blow, then an arrow came out of no where and pierced the tree beside him. He looked up to see a woman dressed in a slightly familiar fashion.

"K-Kikyou?" Inuyasha stuttered, almost dropping the sword. The woman was dressed like her, except her kimono pants were blue and something else was different about her.

"I very rarely miss twice." The woman said sternly, stringing another arrow. After hearing her voice, he realized it wasn't Kikyou and felt overwhelmed by this woman's presence. She was just as strong as Kikyou had been, and she used the same miko magic as Kikyou had. He lowered the sword reluctantly. Suddenly, she turned and let another fly in Sango's direction. Sango narrowly avoided the arrow, and gawked at the woman. The woman strung another arrow, "Don't even think about it. Just move away from Sesshomaru and I won't have to hurt anyone." Kagome noticed movement behind her, then saw Rin step out from behind her. The woman acknowledged the child the whispered something to her. Rin reluctantly got out her own bow and strung an arrow. The woman then proceeded to put up her bow and arrow, and started moving towards Sesshomaru.

"Do you really think that pip-squeak can stop me from killing Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha said, raising Tetsuiga over his head.

"The child never misses, so I suggest you don't try anything." The smile faded from his face as he lowered the sword and began to back away. Rin smiled at Kagome, "Hi, Kagome!" Rain moved over to Sesshomaru, "Are you okay? Do you think you can walk?" Sesshomaru nodded his head slightly as she began helping him up. She put his arm around her neck and began backing away with Rin in front of her, still holding the bow and arrow, ready to release it if any one of them should try anything. They soon disappeared into the forest, followed by Jaken, who'd stayed behind a moment to taunt Inuyasha.

Rin opened the door to Sesshomaru's bed chamber as Rain carefully carried him in, followed by Jaken, who'd sustained a new set of bruises, courtesy of a very pissed off Inuyasha. Rain carefully set him down on the bed and told Rin to fetch a bowl of hot water, a towel, and some bandages. As Rin left to get the items, Rain grabbed a chair and sat beside Sesshomaru's bed.

"Take off your kimono." Rain instructed. Sesshomaru cocked an eye brow in a perverse way, wondering what she was trying to hint at.

"Just the top. It's not like I want to see you naked." She chuckled. Almost disappointed, he began removing his kimono robe. After he finished, she began to touch his chest, pressing on his ribs, making sure that no bones were broken. The wind scar hit him mostly in his chest area; if Inuyasha would've been more focused, the blast would've consumed his entire body. She gently ran her fingers across some scrapes he'd received on his chest. His muscles rippled under her hands. Her touch sent a chill down his back. She lingered over one place a moment, then pushed down on one rib. Sesshomaru groaned in pain as she looked up at him. Her eyes furrowed as she continued searching, keeping her one hand on that specific place. She soon found two other broken ribs on the other side. She then placed her hands palm down on the two specific places and closed her eyes. Her hands began to grow hot and he felt tingling where the his ribs were broken. He looked into her face and saw that she was sweating and trembling. He looked back down at her hands and they seemed to be glowing with a white aura. He looked back up into her face and she looked pained. She then fell forward into him and he caught her in an embrace. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. He helped her sit up, then noticed the pain from his ribs were gone.

"What did you do to me?" Sesshomaru said.

"I healed your broken ribs." She said, simply, then fell against him again.

"How does this affect you?" Sesshomaru said, embracing her.

"I had to absorb your pain before I could fix your ribs." She said, laying her head against his chest, "I now feel the pain you did, but it'll pass before too long. For some reason, when I do this, the pain leaves as fast as it comes." As he looked down at her, he thought, "She absorbed my pain into her body. Did she do this because…" he shook the thought out of his head; there was no way she'd come to this kind of thing so quickly, or could she? Suddenly she sat up and wiped the sweat out of her face, "See, I'm feeling better already." Just then, Rin walked into the room carrying a bowl and a towel while Jaken carried a pitcher of steaming water and the bandages. Rin set the towel and bowl on the night stand next to Rain and Jaken handed the pitcher and bandages to her. Rain looked down at Jaken, who stared back with spite laced in his eyes. She smiled and kissed him on the forehead. The toad demon back away in horror, then realized that his bruises no longer ached from Inuyasha's assault. He gawked at the miko then smiled. He then took Rin by the hand and left the room, leaving Rain to tend to Sesshomaru's wounds. Rain carefully poured the contents of the pitcher into the bowl. She dipped the towel into the water, rung it out, then began to carefully dab at his wounds. Sesshomaru was still mystified by Rain's actions. As she tended to his wounds, he sat deep in thought, trying to sort out his emotions. He definitely felt something for this woman, but he wasn't sure what. It was kind of like what he felt for Rin, but different somehow. Whatever it was, it was deeper and more heart rending. He looked back at Rain, who was concentrating on cleansing his wounds. She looked back up at him and smiled tenderly. She looked so beautiful when she smiled. Her smile made him want to grab her and kiss her ravenously. When she finished, she took the bandages off the night stand.

"You'll need to move your arms so I can put this bandage on you." Rain said calmly. He put his hands behind his head and laced his fingers together. As she began to wrap him, he watched her every hand movement. Sometimes, as if by accident, her hands would brush lightly against his skin, making him melt. When she finished, she tied it tightly in a knot. She sighed as he lowered his hands from his head down to his sides. Just as she began to lower her hands, he reached up with one of his and grasped hers. She gasped, surprised. He gazed into her eyes, searching for any kind of feelings for him. He took his other hand and cupped her face in it. He smiled gently and brought her face to his, and his lips found hers. Her lips were soft and warm with moisture. When he pulled away, she was panting softly. He ran his claws through her slightly disheveled hair, soothing it back into place. She gazed back at him, then turned away. He cupped her chin in his hand again and brought her face back into his gaze. She sighed and closed her eyes as he began to caress her cheek. He brought her face to his again and kissed her. He coaxed her mouth open with his tongue and found hers. As they kissed, she placed her hand on his chest. His heart started to pound as they went deeper into the kiss. He could feel his pulse quickening in anticipation. It took everything he had to keep from ripping her clothes off and ravaging her. He decided he needed to end it quickly before his instinct to rut took over. He pulled away gently and pulled her to his chest. He could feel her warm breath against his chest. Then he heard a knock on the door. He heard her sigh as she pulled away from him. She smiled at him lightly as she got up and went to answer the door. She opened the door and Rin skipped in with Jaken trailing behind her. She hopped into Sesshomaru's lap and presented a bouquet of pink flowers to him.

"Jaken said you were hurt, and that's why we had to leave." Rin said, beaming, "Rin decided to pick some flowers to help make you feel better." Sesshomaru took the bouquet out of her hands and examined them. He then looked back up to Rain who was still by the door. Rain nodded then closed the door quietly as she left the room. He looked back down at the child, who was still smiling happily, then looked back to the bouquet. It was Rin's usual style of arrangement; an array of pink blossoms bound together by a white ribbon. He smiled at the child.

"Why don't you go pick some for Rain? I'm sure she would like some too." Sesshomaru said finally after laying them gently on the night stand. The child nodded and ran out of the room. Sesshomaru looked back to Jaken, "Do you still think of Rain as a nuisance, Jaken?" Jaken huffed and turned his nose up in the air, "I still detest the creature." Sesshomaru cocked an eyebrow at him, not believing him. Jaken chuckled quietly, "Not all humans are bad I guess. I think she's nice." Sesshomaru nodded, "That woman seems to have caused a change in all of us, even me."

"What do you mean, my lord?" Jaken said, looking rather confused.

"Maybe one day you will find out, but not today." Sesshomaru said, "I've still got things I need to sort out before I tell you." Jaken smiled and nodded, "Then shall I go have dinner prepared?" Sesshomaru nodded and without another thought, Jaken left the room and headed down to the kitchen.

After dinner, as Rain headed up to her room, her heart pounded. She had shared an intimate moment with Sesshomaru, and it kept playing over and over in her head. She touched her lips lightly, remembering his kiss. She held her hand to her heart, trying to calm her self.

"Is this love? Could I finally found love after all these years?" She thought silently. She breathed deeply and exhaled, and continued down the hall. She opened the door to her room, then closed it behind her. She sat down on her bed, trying to sort out her feeling.

"Could I possibly love someone I just met only months ago?" She remembered how he'd helped her in the forest, and saved her from almost certain death due to a demon in the same forest. He gave her sight and the will to go on. That day in the forest, she was ready to give up and go without a fight, but then a stranger had healed her, given her sight, and a home. Even if it was at a cost, she loved Rin dearly enough that she didn't mind watching over her. She smiled as she thought about Rin. Suddenly, she heard a soft knock at the door, then thought, "Speaking of the devil!" She rose and opened the door to see Rin with a bouquet of flowers, and Jaken with a package in his hands. She stepped aside and let them enter. Rin skipped in and twirled around, presenting her a pink bouquet.

"Sesshomaru said Rin should pick you some flowers too." The child smiled mischievously, "Rin made yours look prettier, but don't tell Sesshomaru!" She handed her the flowers and Rain studied them. It was much like her earlier arrangement, except it had a little sprig of baby's breath, arranged neatly in the center. She smiled, "Thank you, Rin. Oh, and I won't tell Sesshomaru." Rain smiled and looked up at the door way to see Sesshomaru standing there leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed, smirking. She chuckled slightly then looked back to Rin, "Why don't you and Jaken go find a vase for these?" Rin nodded and skipped happily out of the room past Sesshomaru. Before leaving, Jaken set the package down beside her, bowed, then quickly walked out of the room in pursuit of Rin. Sesshomaru walked in the room slowly and sat down beside her on the bed. He picked up the package and handed it to her, "I would've given this to you sooner, but as you already noticed, we ran into some problems on the way home." She examined the package carefully. It was covered in a plain brown wrapping and shifted easily when she moved.

"Who was that man in the red kimono?" Rain said, looking up at him.

"That was my retched half-brother, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru said.

"What did he want with you? You did nothing to him that I saw. Why did he attack you?" Rain said, confused. Sesshomaru was about to say something, then thought to himself, "What if I scare her away by telling her the truth? I can't afford to lose her now, not when I'm so close." He thought for a moment, "He doesn't like the fact that I'm the lord of the Western Lands." He said simply. Rain's eyes widened in shock. She remembered now; she'd heard stories of a dog demon that was lord of the Western Lands. She was told that he was to be feared and revered. "But how can it be? He isn't like the stories." She stared into his eyes, not wanting to believe it. Her mother told her to stay away from all demons, including him. She'd promised her mother she wouldn't go near him, even though she wouldn't know it if she ever met him. A sparkling curtain of tears covered her eyes and threatened to fall. This man before her couldn't be Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, that she'd heard about. She put her hands over her face and began to cry.

"What's wrong?" Sesshomaru said, worrying that he said something that upset her.

"Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands." She said through sobs, "I remember now. I've heard so many stories about you." She lowered her hands down to her knees, and let her head sag, "You killed off so many villages single-handedly. I had to heal so many outsiders because of you." She started to cry harder, "Please, tell me it's not true." Sesshomaru looked down at the blankets; he wanted to tell her it wasn't true, but something in his heart told him he couldn't.

"It's true. I'm sorry." Her hands balled up into fist and she started to pound on his chest, "How could you! You killed all those innocent people. How could you!" He looked down at her sadly; he wanted to tell her he was sorry, but he knew words wouldn't do any good now. He put his arms around her and stroked her hair. She stopped struggling and cried into his chest. She wanted to hate him for all that he's put her through, but something wouldn't let her. She searched inside herself and found the answer; she was in love with him. As he clutched her to him, she thought about it. The claws that he'd used to kill some many innocent people were being used to soothe her. His arms that he used rip life from others were embracing her.

"I'm sorry that I've caused you so much pain." He said finally, holding her tighter. He released her and used his hand to cup her face. As she looked into his eyes, she saw hurt and hopes of mercy floating there. She sighed and smiled gently up at him.

"Will you forgive me?" Sesshomaru said, sadly. She felt a single tear fall from her eye, and he reached up to brush it away.

"Yes, I will." She said, then reached up and kissed him.

As she kissed him, thoughts rushed through his head; did she feel the same way he did? When she pulled away, he gazed into her eyes.

"What are you thinking?" she said, breathing deeply.

"I'm thinking…" he began, "I don't know what this feeling is." Rain looked at him awkwardly, then closed her eyes. She seemed to be concentrating on something, but he couldn't tell. She opened her eyes and looked back up at him.

"What do you think the feeling is?" She said. He thought a moment, "I don't want to tell you what I think it is."

"Why?" She said, confused.

"I don't want to scare you away by telling you." Sesshomaru said dejectedly. She gently smiled then brushed a piece of hair out of his face.

"What if I told you…" She began, taking in a deep breath and gathering her courage, "What if I told you I felt the same way?" Sesshomaru looked up at her, not believing his ears. Did that mean she loved him? He sighed and ran his claws through her hair. She stared up at him, hope in her waiting eyes. He wanted to tell her, but he wasn't sure he could form the words in his mouth. He wasn't sure if this feeling was love. He opened his mouth to say something, but she put a finger to his lips, hushing him.

"You don't have to say anything." She said almost in a whisper, "Just know that I feel the same as you." Sesshomaru sighed, then realized he couldn't hold himself back any more. He wanted her badly, and he could tell from the look on her face she wanted the same. He leaned to her and kissed her. She yielded slightly to him, but soon let him fully explore her mouth. He carefully slid his arms around her waist as she put her hands on his chest. As they went deeper into the kiss, the urge inside of him grew. The taste of her on his tongue made him want more. He began to undo the ties on her kimono and slid the shirt off her shoulders revealing her chest. He stroked her once before undoing her pants. As he was doing this, she began to undo the ties on his pants. When he finished, she stood up and allowed him to remove her pants. He put his hands lightly on her hips and carefully forced the pants off of her, letting her curves guide his hands. Then he pulled her onto him, with her straddling him as he removed his pants. He then rolled her on her back so he could be in a better position, then kissed her feverishly. His mouth trailed from hers down to her breasts. He lightly kissed them, then began teasing her nipple. She arched up to him and moaned as he trailed down to her stomach. He kissed the inside of her thighs, teasing her, the moved to the cleft between her legs. Her juices tasted sweet on his tongue as he delved deep inside her. She moaned and ran her fingers through his hair, urging him on. He loved the flavor of her core on his tongue. He rose up and licked his lips, savoring her, then kissed a trail back up to her lips, letting her taste her own sweetness. He ran his hand up and down her leg, then moved in between her legs. He gently rubbed the opening that would lead to total ecstasy, then thrust a finger inside. He came to the realization that she was way too small for him. He also discovered that she was a virgin. He removed his finger and sighed.

"What's wrong?" Rain said, seductively. He smiled and kissed her forehead, "You do know if I do this, it will hurt like nothing you've ever felt before?" She chuckled and nodded, "Yes, I know."

"I don't want to hurt you." He said, grabbing her hand and kissing it.

"What do you mean?" She said.

"You are so small. I'm worried about being too much for you." She cocked an eyebrow, still not completely getting what he was hinting at. He took her hand and placed it on his groin area. Her hand met with something firm, big, and cylindrical.

"Now do you know why I'm worried?" he said at last. She nodded her head and sighed, "Pain is all part of it. If there is no pain, then there is no real affection." When he still looked worried, she pulled his head down to her and whispered in his ear, "Don't worry about me. I can take a little pain." He gasped quietly; she was willing to accept his pain and even go as far as to take pain caused by him. He smiled and kissed her. She pushed down on his lower back and guided him to her entrance. He pushed in a little and heard her moan. He reacted by thrusting himself almost the rest of the way in. She cried out in pain, and he got worried. He rested a moment to soothe her as she gripped him. Tears stung her eyes and threatened to fall, which caused want to draw out. When he began to draw out, she grabbed his waist, "No, please, not yet." He looked down at her and smiled, "Are you sure you can handle me?" She breathed in deeply, letting the pain pass, and nodded. She put her hand on his shoulder and drew him to her. She kissed him as she pushed down on his back, urging him to go deeper. He settled back down on her, encasing himself in her body. He began to move to a slow rhythm, gently rocking back and forth. He held onto one of her legs to give himself better leverage, while his other hand caressed her body. She moaned and pushed herself against him. He felt himself beginning to peak as he quickened his pace. Rain dug her fingernails into his back as his gentle motion turned into a smooth thrust. His muscles brushed lightly against her skin, sending him down a spiral of sexual bliss. Her muscles began to tighten around him, pushing his peak further and further. He knew that if he pushed farther into her, he would reach his climax. He started to thrust harder, pushing to reach his goal. She grabbed his ass and pulled down hard, pushing him further into her. He threw his head back and kept thrusting, reaching his limit. He heard her moan loudly and that pushed him to his peak. His seed spilled into her and he collapsed on top of her. She put her arms around him and stroked his hair, breathing heavily.

"Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" Sesshomaru said, panting.

"No. I'm fine, a little sore, but I'll be fine." She said. They rested there for a moment catching their breath. Sesshomaru though about the almost instant pleasure she gave him; no other demoness could arouse him like she did.

"Was I, I mean, did I displease you?" Rain said, looking down at him.

"No, not at all. You were remarkable." Sesshomaru said, looking up at her, "I just wish it was less painful for you, love." Rain smiled and kissed his forehead, "I'm fine, don't worry about me." He smiled, then noticed she was trembling, "Are you cold?"

"Kinda hard to believe but yes, just a little." She said, looking down at him, smiling. As he rolled off her, she winced in pain as he withdrew. He reached behind him and pulled the covers out from under them. He pulled the covers on top of them and snuggled Rain's body against him. She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. He began to stroke her hair; she seemed to be tired.

"Are you tired?" Sesshomaru said, taking her sweet scent in.

"Yes, just a little." Rain said , snuggling closer to him. He sighed, then began to get up, but she quickly grabbed his hand, "No, don't leave me, please." He looked back at her, confused; Why did he see fear in her eyes, and what was making her fear his leaving, "Is something wrong?"

"No, it's just that…" the sentence trailed off and she never finished it. He caressed her cheek, knowing something was wrong. She sighed heavily and smiled up at him, "Just bad memories of my past. That's all, nothing more."

"It might help if you talk about it." Sesshomaru said, sitting down on the bed beside her, "But I won't force you to tell me, either way." Rain smiled at this and decided it was time to tell him.

"A long time ago, I was in love. He was my first love, and we made a promise to each other." She began, "He said, 'Promise me you will always love me, and that you'll never leave me alone. Promise me that as long as the sun rises and sets, your heart will always be mine.'" She chuckled sadly as she sat up in the bed, still covered in the blankets, "And of course, I promised. Ever since that day, we'd been inseparable, but there was a secret I was hiding." She drew in a deep breath, trying to put into words what she wanted to say, "One day I decided to tell him. I didn't want to tell him because I didn't want him to get hurt for trying to protect me but I knew that one day either I would have to tell him or he would find out and leave me."

"What was your secret?" Sesshomaru said, confused that such a wonderful woman would have such a horrid secret.

"Have you ever read a prophecy of a blind priestess who could see into the souls of the wicked and turn them good?" She asked fearing his reaction.

"Yes, I think I remember. The prophecy called her the blind angel." He said staring into her eyes, "What of it?"

"Well," She drew in a deep breath, "I am that priestess." She looked away, not wanting to see the fear and horror in his eyes. He looked at her strangely, "Your not kidding are you?" She shook her head and tears came to her eyes, "I told him while we were sitting on my bed in my room. After I told him, he got up and left." She began to cry, "He left me alone and never came back, just because of a stupid prophecy."

"Is it true you can see into peoples hearts?" Sesshomaru said, intrigued.

"Yes," Rain said, still sobbing, "So many people feared me and stayed their distance, fearful that I would see their every sin, and condemn them to hell for them." She balled up her fist, "I was so lonely because they didn't understand me or my ability. I never had a real friend or another love after that. All the village saw me as was their means of healing the sick or injured." She brought her hands to her face and started to cry harder. Sesshomaru stared at her, suddenly feeling guilty. She had been put through a lot already even before he started destroying the villages around her own. She was being used by the village who would be nothing if it had not been for her healing abilities. She was so powerful, and yet, all it took to make her cry was remind her of her horrible past. Sesshomaru took her in his arms and held her fast. She cried into his chest as he soothed her.

"I'm so sorry that you've had to go through such an ordeal." He said, trying to comfort her, "I will be here for you if you ever need me," she looked up at him with a blanket of tears still covering her eyes, "And I won't run away." She smiled through her tears and rested her head on his chest. He carefully released her and cupped her face in his hands, "I promise." He leaned down and softly kissed her lips. She responded by kissing him back more passionately. He put his hand lightly on her back with the other cradling her head and eased her down on the bed. They then shared the same bliss that had bound them not long before.

Sesshomaru woke up the next morning, well rested and in a good mood. He looked next to him to see that Rain had already gotten up. He didn't know how she could've done so without waking him, because he was usually a light sleeper, but after last nights events, he wouldn't have been surprised if he slept in longer. He looked towards the end of the bed and saw the wrapping for the package he'd given her. He then looked over at a table and saw that she had arranged it neatly on the table. The new bow he'd bought for her was laying next to her pouch, which contained the new arrows. He smiled as he got up and began to dress. After he was finished, began to search the palace for Rain. As he was walking down one of the corridors, he saw Rin come running for him with tears in her eyes with Jaken following close behind. He chuckled silently to himself, knowing that this was going to be the first of the many complaints that she would come to him about Jaken. She wrapped her arms around his knees and looked up at him pleadingly.

"What is it, Rin?" Sesshomaru said, sighing.

"Jaken won't play dress up with Rin." She said, forcing her lip out in a pout. Sesshomaru looked at Jaken, cocking an eyebrow. Jaken sighed and took Rin's hand, "Come on, Rin. Lets go play dress up." Sesshomaru smiled as he watched them start down the hall, but then remembered Rain.

"Before you go, do either of know where Rain is?" Jaken shook his head, but Rin nodded her head fiercely, "She's in the bath." Then she started dragging Jaken down the hall. He smiled as he watched Jaken being drug down the hall by the eager child. He chuckled then made his way to the bath. When he got to the door, he opened it as quietly as he could and peered inside. Rain was in there, leaning against a wall with her back to him. As he quietly closed the door, she began to hum. He sat down quietly and listened as the hum turned into her voice.

"Hontou ni taisetsu na mono igai subete sutete"

"Shimeaetara ii no ni ne"

"Genjitsu wa tada zankoku de"

"Sonna toki itsu datte"

"Me o tojireba"

"Waratteru kimi ga iru"

"Itsuka eien no nemuri ni tsuku hi made"

"Dou ka sono egao ga"

"Taema naku aru you ni"

His ears were fixated on her voice. It was so pure and beautiful that it put him in a trance. The lyrics were almost a beautiful as her voice and she sang with the perfect dynamics. He stood up and walked towards her, listening closer to her. She had begun to hum again then stopped. He sighed silently, wanting to hear the song again. The song put him in a peaceful mood, though he didn't know why. He wondered what song it was and where she'd learned how to sing with such a beautiful voice.

"My mother sang that song to me every night before she put me to bed. It always put me to sleep before she could finish it." She said, without looking at him.

"You heard me!" He said, surprised.

"While I was blind, I learned how to sense even the quietest people." She said, "No one could sneak up on me, even if they could move without a sound."

"Oh," he said, feeling really stupid, "I'm sorry for intruding. I'll go." Then he moved towards to door.

"You don't have to go." She said, turning slightly. He looked back at her and saw her pleading eyes.

"Please?" she said, clasping her hands together and pouting heavily. He laughed then kneeled beside her, "You're hopeless." She smiled and giggled, "Why don't you come join me?" He chuckled and shook his head.

"Aww, come on, please?" she said, pleading with him.

"No, that's where I draw the line." Sesshomaru said, smirking. She cocked an eyebrow mischievously.

"What are you up to?" Sesshomaru said. She smiled and splashed water at him. He moved just before it hit him and looked back at her, frowning, "Careful, woman, these are silk."

"What do you plan to do about it?" she said playfully. He laughed again, then shook his head. She splashed water at him again.

"Wait until you get out of there woman!" He said, smirking.

"Oh, is the puppy demon afraid of water?" she said, taunting him. He laughed, "Not hardly."

"Then prove it to me." She said with a smile. He chuckled as he disrobed quickly then got in the water. The temperature of the water made his muscles jump but he adjusted to the water quickly.

"Now you're in for it!" He said, moving towards her with a predatory look in his eyes. She backed away slowly, giggling. Then she turned around and tried to swim away from him, but he quickly caught up to her. He grabbed her around the waist and held her tight.

"Hey, let me go!" She cried out laughing. He laughed as she began to struggle. As she struggled, he began to loose his balance in the water and with Rain in his arms, he stumbled and fell backwards. They both went under water and he released Rain. He came up out of the water and looked around for Rain. He tried to look in the water but couldn't see with all the steam surrounding him. Suddenly he felt someone poke his sides. He jumped and turned around to see Rain standing there, looking quite sheepish. He chuckled then started tickling her.

"No, stop, ah!" She cried out while laughing.

"Don't feel so brave now, do you?" She couldn't talk through her giggles, so she shook her head.

"Do you surrender?" He said, holding her by the waist.

"Not ever!" she cried rebelliously.

"Not ever?" He said quietly. She shook her head slightly then smiled tenderly. He took her hand and kissed it, then started to trail up her arm. He kissed her shoulder twice, then made his way up to her neck. He kissed it gently then began sucking on it. She sighed and trembled under his touch, which was pushing her towards wanting him now more then ever. He ran his tongue up and down her neck then kissed it lightly. She put her hands on his shoulders, urging him on. He then kissed her cheek, then her forehead, her nose, and then her other cheek. She wanted him to kiss her, he knew that, but he only brushed his lips lightly against hers. She tried to pull herself to him to kiss him but he only moved away, teasing her.

"Love." He said, his voice thick with passion.

"Yes?" Rain said breathlessly, ready to give in to desire. He reached up and flicked her nose.

"Hey!" She said, mortified. He laughed then kissed her lightly on the lips.

"I'll get you back for that one." Rain said with a frown on her face. He smiled and leaned down to kiss her. She turned her head and his lips caught her cheek. When he came back up, she look back at him playfully. He leaned in to kiss her again, but again she turned her head and his lips caught her other cheek. He cocked an eyebrow at her as she smiled at him sheepishly.

"Your aim seems to be off today." Rain said, "I'm waiting." He chuckled then took her chin in his hand. When ever she tried to move he would hold her head there.

"Not fair!" She said sadly. He laughed then leaned down to kiss her again. At the last moment, she bent her head down and he ended up kissing her forehead. She looked up at him and sighed, "Here, I'll show you how to do it right." She grabbed his head and kissed him hungrily. He breathed sharply in surprise, but then let himself get lost in the kiss. She pushed him up against the wall and forced his arms behind him. She began to kiss down his neck and lingered at his collar bone for a moment then continued on to his chest. She began gently kissing his nipple then bit it hard. He cried out in surprise then laughed, which caused her to start giggling uncontrollably, which in turn made him laugh harder. After they finished laughing, Sesshomaru wiped a tear from his eye, "I haven't laughed like this in a long time." Rain smiled up at him still giggling, "I'm glad that I can make you laugh. It's been a long time since I've ever really been able to laugh like that." Suddenly, Sesshomaru felt sad. He had never seen her smile from true happiness. What her smiles had shown was nothing more than pain and anguish.

"Rain?" Sesshomaru said.

"Hmm?" She said, smiling up at him.

"Are you happy here with me?" Sesshomaru said, taking her hand.

"Of course I am." Rain said, "Why do you ask?"

"It's just that…" Sesshomaru sighed and looked away from her, "Before last night, you never really seemed happy."

"Before last night, I thought I didn't have anyone." She said sadly, "I thought that I had no one to care about or no one to care for me." She smiled and looked up to him, "Last night I found out I was wrong." She took his face gently in her hand and turned him to face her, "Thank you for proving me wrong." He smiled gently and wrapped his arms around her. He could feel her wet naked flesh against his, but it made him feel something different. It was like the feeling he felt while they were making love, only it was stronger, and it didn't involve the intimacy. He cared for her so much, and the feeling in his heart wouldn't go away, but he didn't want it to. He didn't want to let go of her, he wanted to stay like this forever, even though he knew it to be impossible.

"Could this be love?" he thought to himself, "Is this what it is to be in love?" He looked down at Rain; her head was resting on his chest and she was smiling. As he watched her, she closed her eyes and sighed. He could feel her warm breath against his skin. When she smiled, he saw something different. There was no pain or suffering there, but happiness and another he couldn't describe. There was some emotion there that made her look more beautiful than ever. He was looking at her in a different way. He realized that the feeling he felt inside had to be love. It made him want to go running through the forest, yelling it all over the world. It made him want to hold her every second of every day. He knew then he wanted to be with her until he was laid to his eternal rest. He wanted to tell her, but he didn't want to scare her away. He wasn't sure he could put himself through that much pain, to tell Rain how he truly felt, then lose her because he was foolish. He could not, nor would not want to go on without her, but it was only fair that she know, so that she knew he would always be there for her. He wanted to tell her that he loved her, that she was his mate, but he wasn't sure he could form the words. No matter how he told her, he wanted it to be here, while he was holding her in this embrace, filling all of his being with her scent.

"Rain?" Sesshomaru said, still phrasing the words in his head.

"Yes?" Rain mumbled into his chest. He had to do it now, while he had the courage, "I…I love you." He heard her gasp; maybe he'd done it to soon, or not soon enough, or maybe those words were what she hadn't wanted to hear. As long as she didn't run from him he would be okay. She looked up at him with her mouth ajar, "What?" There was no turning back now; he'd already said it once, he might as well say it again for good measure.

"Rain…" He said, looking into her beautiful sapphire eyes, "I love you." She breathed in sharply, as if the words had surprised her. Tears lingered in her eyes for a brief moment, then fell slowly. She put her head against his chest and began to cry. She didn't run away, but seeing her cry was worse. He felt guilty, as if he felt like he made her cry, just by telling her the truth. He didn't know whether to just hold her and calm her, or release her and ask forgiveness. Suddenly, Rain looked up at him, smiling through her tears, "I love you, too, Sesshomaru." He couldn't believe his ears; Rain felt the same way he did? He had almost been sure up to this point that she hadn't felt that strong of an emotion for him, but now he was uncertain. Did this mortal woman feel love for him, even though he was a cause of great despair when she never knew him? He decided that he didn't care; he held her love in his heart, and this alone gave him pure joy. He felt the sudden urge to take her, there and now. With one arm still around her waist, he cupped her face with his hand and turned her towards him. He caressed her cheek and looked lovingly into her eyes. She placed her hand on top of his and grasped it tightly. He leaned forward and kissed her passionately. She gave in to desire and let him whisk her away. He pushed her against the side of the pool and put his hands on her waist. They kissed feverishly as he picked her up and put her on the edge of the pool. He felt as she wrapped her legs around him, her body screaming a silent plea to fulfill her desire to make love. His cock probed her opening, pressing in fully. This alone caused his peak to build almost near ejaculation. He reacted by thrusting himself, in and out. Her hands explored his chest and squeezed his shoulders, driving him on. He began to nibble on her neck and moved down to her breast. He lightly kissed it, the began to suck on it as he massaged the other one. She moaned in ecstasy and grabbed his hair with one hand and grasped his hand on her breast with the other. He used his other hand to press her hips to his, pressing him deeper and deeper into her. She threw her head back and moaned loudly. That sent him into a rutting rage, pushing him beyond the point of no return. He was already far beyond the peak he'd had with her before, but for some reason he couldn't finish. He wanted to badly, but he didn't know what would put him there. He tried pressing deeper, but that only heightened his pleasure, which made him want to finish now more that ever. He was thrusting harder than he'd ever done before, but the pressure just kept building. He wanted some kind of release, something to make him experience the fullness of making love. Rain arched her back, pressing her breasts against his chest. He could feel her peak coming in quick as her muscles tightened. He was almost there, he could feel it rise within him. Rain put one of her hands on his shoulder and the other on the floor just behind her and threw her he d back. She moaned then said his name, "Oh, Sesshomaru!" Suddenly, he reached his peak and he felt the pressure release. She took advantage of it and drained him of every ounce. When he finished, he laid his head on her chest and breathed heavily. Rain put her arms around him and ran her fingers through his hair. They sat in that embrace until they regained their strength to move and they left together, hand in hand.

Seven months later, Sesshomaru was in the library, reading through a book. After he finished the last page, he closed the book and sat it gently on the table. For the past several months, he'd been studying up on the blind angel. He'd learned that the blind angel was in fact a blind miko who had the ability to see into others hearts and try to change them. He'd also learned that she would bare only full blood humans or demons. No half breeds, even though he really wouldn't have cared one way or another; he loved her all the same. It had also been written in the prophecy that she would live longer than any human to ever walk the earth. He didn't know if that meant she was immortal or just plain stubborn, but it made him happy to know she would be with him until she died. There was one part of the prophecy that made him uneasy; it read that there would be one who would challenge her called the demon of hatred. It would be in the form of a resurrected being who died with nothing but hatred in their heart. It didn't say whether she would win or lose, but it did give consequences. If she lost, it would then assume her form and spread hate to all those she'd helped in the past, turning friends against each other, and making soul mates fight for freedom of the other. The world would be filled with hate, and everyone would destroy one another. If she won, the demon's soul would be purified and sent to rest. She would then bare a female child, demon or human, who would carry on her legacy after she died and the cycle would begin again. As Sesshomaru thought about it, he began to wonder if it was even worth it to fight. If she lost, everything would change and the world would supposedly end, and if she won, everything would stay the same, and her child would be put through the same pain. He shook the thought from his head then started to wonder about Rain. He got up from the table and headed out of the room in search of his mate. As he walked towards her room, he began to think about her. She had gone through some major changes during the past few months. She'd started feeling more comfortable around him ever since the first night they'd been together. She wasn't as quiet or shy any more, and had even begun to make the palace look more beautiful. Every room was never without an arrangement of flowers, and she always found some creative way to put them together. Not only had she changed in attitude, but physically as well. She used to be a head shorter than him, but had grown up to his nose and she hadn't quit growing yet. Her hair was a darker shade of brown, but her eyes always stayed the same deep sapphire blue. He'd just found out that she was twenty-one years old when she'd had her birthday in the middle of January. He laughed at the thought of Rin crying because she couldn't pick any flowers for her because of the snow on the ground.

"She was so upset about that." He thought to him self chuckling. Her stomach had grown as well, harboring new life within her. Everyday, he pondered on the thought of his un-born child; whether it would be demon or human, if it would look more like him or Rain. He was broke from thought by the sound of faint giggling coming from down the hall. He looked up to see Rin walking down the hall, holding hands with Rain, Jaken following close behind her.

"Be careful, Rin!" Jaken said, trying to get her to slow down.

"But Rain and Rin want to go pick the first flowers." Rin said with a pout on her face.

"Slow down, Rain isn't exactly in the condition to be drug down the hall you know!" Jaken said. Sesshomaru cleared his throat loudly to get the child's attention. Rin saw Sesshomaru and ran squealing down the hall and wrapped her arms around his waist. He placed a hand on top of her head and examined her. She no longer had to hug him around the knees since she'd grown. Her hair grew out longer and smoothed out, and she'd begun leaving it down. Her voice was beginning to deepen, though not much, but she was still the same Rin, always anxious to do everything quickly. He looked up to see Rain with her hand on her stomach breathing heavily. When Rin saw the panicked look on his face she ran back to Rain.

"Are you okay, mommy?" Rin said, looking Rain over and holding her breath.

"I'm fine, just out of breath, nothing to worry about." Rain said smiling. Rin sighed and put her hand over her heart. Then Rin smiled and with her arms crossed, she said in a deep voice, imitating Sesshomaru as she had heard him many times before, "Don't ever make Rin worry like that again." Rain laughed, "Okay, I'll try to be more careful." She looked up at Sesshomaru, who was shaking his head and chuckling. Rain tussled Rin's hair, "Why don't you go on with out me? I'll catch up." Rin nodded and skipped off happily. Sesshomaru watched her skip off then turned back to Rain. She had her hands behind her back and she was smiling sheepishly at him. He sighed and walked up to her. One hand stroked her hair as the other laid gently on her waist, "I thought I told you to take it easy."

"I can't just take it easy all the time," she said quietly, "I have to get some exercise sometime."

"I can't help worrying about you. You are my mate and you are carrying my child." Sesshomaru said, placing his hand gently on her stomach. She placed her hand on top of his and moved it to a certain spot on her stomach. He looked up at her confused. She put a finger to her lips and smiled. He waited, not knowing what to expect. Suddenly, he felt a soft thump against the palm of his hand. He looked up at Rain, "Was that the pup?" She nodded and smiled, "Strong, isn't it? Does that mean it'll take after you?"

"It takes after both of us." He said, lightly kissing her forehead, "You are as strong as I." Rain's cheeks turned a bright pink as she smiled at him. He chuckled, then offered her his arm. She took it then they began to walk down the hall.

Sesshomaru watched as Rain ate. She carefully picked up each piece of pork and placed it gently in her mouth. He loved watching her eat. She did it with such finesse and kindness; as if she were apologizing to each piece of meat at she ate. She looked up at him and smiled. He felt as if he could melt. After seven months, he still couldn't believe that he loved her so much. Jaken had also warmed up to her. He went out of his way everyday to help her. He still pretended that he hated her, but they all knew deep down inside that he cared for her as much as the next person. Then his mind went back to his studies. It really scared him to think that she may die when she ended up facing the demon. Then he thought of something. She was already with child, and she only had two more months to go. Maybe she wasn't the blind angel. Since she was already pregnant and there was no sign of any strange demons popping up, she was safe from the prophecy. He could only hope that he was right.

"Is something wrong?" He looked up to see Rain looking at him, seemingly worried.

"Oh, it's nothing. Don't worry." He said, looking away.