Incinerate

Chapter 2: Control

He watched her; he gazed at her the way a cat would stare at a mouse, intrigued, amused, cruelly...and hungry. It made her heart beat a little faster in her chest and she disliked him for it. After having gone through all that she had, Kagome knew that she wasn't weak or easily scared. He shouldn't intimidate her or make her feel small.

However it was very different when it came to him and she was certain he knew this. The briefest curve of his lips let her know that he could detect her uneasiness and he enjoyed it.

Bastard.

The young woman gripped her skirt tighter, fingers burying in the fabric as she felt that familiar sizzle of her powers rushing under the surface. Her emotions were like fuel feeding her miko gifts. Even now after so many years, it was still hard to control those impulses.

She was an emotional creature by nature. Powerful but still so very human and she often craved that freedom and the lack of restriction. The thought about the wildness and the rush send a shiver down her spine and for a moment she almost forgot of where she was and who she was with...but of course he brought her back.

Calm.

Amused.

Commanding.

"Careful miko. We wouldn't want you to pass out again or I might be forced to take better care of you. "

Having sensed the rise in her powers, his crimson eyes fell on the bands around her wrists and the unspoken threat hung in the air between them.

Kagome found herself clenching her jaw as she turned her face away from him, choosing to concentrate on the buildings outside the limousine. It's only been a short while since she's been in his presence but already she was aware of the beast that hid behind his calm facade.

That didn't mean she had all the answers but she knew one important thing.

Zelman Clock was no demon...he was something worse.

He could paint the world red.

She brought a hand behind her neck rubbing the skin as she tried to push away the memories of that hallway.

Kagome was not innocent when it came to bloodshed and battlefields. Still what she saw made an impression on her.

He was an effective killer.

She glanced briefly at him, noting the way his red bangs fells in his eyes.

He was a ruthless killer.

She wasn't about to just give in though. Her pride demanded that she stand her ground. Not even Sesshoumaru could arouse a feeling of complete obedience and submissiveness in her. The thought of the taiyoukai caused her to hurt but she quickly pushed aside the sentiment.

It had been long enough...

Instead she raised her chin the slightest bit, her stubbornness visible. "You should stop telling me what to do. What you should do instead is let me know for once where you are taking me," she replied as soon as she deemed her temper to be mostly under control again. Her eyes were still firmly focused on the world outside though watching buildings go by as she refused to look at him.

There was something about his gaze that made her lose her ground. Perhaps it was the ancient soul she could see reflected there. That part of him caused her to ache for the past and to wish for someone who could understand what it was like to watch years go by.

If there was anything that she had learned, it was that life could be merciless when you were someone like her.

Standing at a distance...

Always watching.

Always alone.

The dark haired woman quickly reminded herself though of how foolish it would be to seek such a connection and refuge with this man.

The redhead was a stranger to her.

He was a predator.

He was her captor.

He was suddenly pressing her against the seat of the car. His power washed over her like thousand of heated needles, piercing and leaving her breathless within only a few seconds. His presence darker than the youki that she was used to, was enough to suffocate and claim her all over again.

The surprised gasp that was torn from her lips was quickly followed by hasty arms coming to protect herself. Her first instinct was to push him away but he grasped her wrists and trapped them above her head as blue met red.

"Watch your tone, girl."

His voice didn't raise but the sharp edge could not be missed as he pressed himself closer to her, pushing her further into the leather seat.

"You'd better watch that pretty mouth of yours," he continued gaze dropping to her lips before meeting her eyes again.

"You're here because you could be useful." He paused and her eyes widened the slightest bit as he shifted his weight, body rubbing against hers in a far too intimate way. It made her suddenly aware of so many things that she had buried long ago.

Her heart beat faster, the sound thundering in her ears.

Too close.

Her world was slipping through her fingers while Zelman continued to hold her. Her vision darkened as his power blanketed her completely and pressed down on her.

A flash of amber eyes and dark hair in her mind made her inhale deeply.

Her body went limp. The more his power pressed against hers, the fainter everything else became. He wasn't done yet though.

He nudged a knee between her legs, she shuddered.

"Do not think for a moment that I won't hesitate and incinerate you on the spot if you cross the line with me." Almost as if to prove her point she could feel his fingers heat up, burning the flesh that was trapped in his grasp.

She hissed, the pain was enough to snap her somewhat out of it. Her eyes narrowed, almost as if breaking through the surface of water, her vision cleared and some of her strength returned.

"Let go!" The warning bells were going off in the back of her head but she didn't care at this point.

That familiar surge of her miko powers were pouring to the surface.

Just let go.

Save yourself!

The bands would not hold her any longer. Unknown to her, her own blue eyes glowed the slightest bit as the air around them suddenly became charged.

Zelman didn't seem afraid though and instead he

smirked. He could sense it, smell it and even taste it now.

This woman...

"How lovely..."

Kagome growled, the bands crackling against her miko energy even when she felt the magic lash out at her and through it all he was watching her so closely.

He smiled then.

"Lovely but foolish." His hands settled against the bands. Almost immediately her eyes widened.

"You're powerful but you're too young."

He was draining her.

The thought made her panic as her vision danced.

How?

He must have sensed her confusion for he chuckled softly.

"The magic is easy to manipulate, darling."

He was closer now.

Too close.

She froze on the spot as she felt his lips against her neck, moving closer to her ear.

She jerked slightly as the limo came to a sudden stop but that was not enough to take her attention from the male. All she could focus on was his mouth.

His heat...

"You're way over your head."

She shuddered as his mouth continued to tease her in ways that were foreign to her. Kagome realized then that she had fought on different battlegrounds before but she was utterly lost here. She gasped as his fangs grazed her neck.

No, no, no!

She had to do something.

The priestess internally screamed at herself but her body refused to obey.

"I wonder how you taste..."

She bit her lip as she told herself that she would not scream. He would not get that pleasure. Bracing herself, she prepared for the pain but it never came.

Instead the door of the limo was suddenly thrown open.

Cool air rushed in and with it an even colder voice that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

"I do not recall giving you such liberties with my miko."

Kagome's head snapped towards the door and for a moment she thought she was hallucinating.

It just couldn't be.

That same gilded stare.

That same familiar presence that at one moment in time had meant so much to her. The blue eyed woman could feel her throat tighten as her voice almost refused to work.

"Sesshoumaru..."

The past she missed had apparently found her again.

TBC...

A/N: Another chapter done! Thanks to everyone who reviewed or is following this story.