One month Earlier
Rin looked at the horizon. It was painted in golds, pinks and hues of violet and blue. The sun was kissing the world good night, the moon hung high in the sky, just beginning its evening journey. Rin took a moment to take in the home that they now shared compared to the tiny hut she had lived in as a child, and in Kaede's village. She could fit the entire hut into their bedroom alone and then some. The stone walls were high and white. The entry way consisted of a long walkway, regal and fit for a king. That is what he had become, a king in this castle that she lived in. The entrance lead to a greeting area for guests, and then a large dining hall. She hated that hall most of all, where she was expected to wine and dine visitors. She was grateful most of them were demons who did not enjoy drinking, but she was not excited about what they did drink either, or the food that the kitchen staff prepared. Behind the guest bedrooms, large kitchen, and dining hall was the family quarters. There was a large foyer connected their private garden, their bedroom, two bedrooms for their children. Yuki and Harutoga were supposed to be in their own rooms, but they insisted on snuggling in Yuki's room on her soft bedding. Then there were the public and private bath houses. The private one was mostly used by Yuki, Harutoga and Jaken whom Rin insisted live in the same corridor as he had always been part of Rin's tiny family. There were days Rin felt like the home was too big, but she understood its purpose. "It will exact fear and awe into those that would betray me, it will keep you safe," Sesshomaru had told her, on more than one occasion.
Sesshomaru would be returning to her soon. Rin was almost giddy with excitement, the last few trips he had been on were dragging out in time. He kept his promise to never leave her for more than three days, but the last six months, it seemed he needed to be gone more and more frequently than he once had. Some of the borders were rife new demons from other territories, and some of his allies were attempting to betray him, they needed little reminders that Bakusaiga could wipe out a thousand with one stroke. Instead of three-day trips he was gone for days on end. She came to accept it however begrudgingly. The more he was away the less often the barrier was attacked.
Yuki came running up behind Rin and grabbed her hand, "I can smell Chi-chiue." Yuki was dressed for summer in a short kimono that fell just above her knees. Her feet were bare, and she wore silk and golden bracelets on both of her wrists. They were accented by the stripes on her wrists just above them. The only thing she inherited from Rin was darker skin. She came up to Rin's chest now, her golden eyes were up in the clouds looking for signs of her father. Haru ran up next to Yuki, the two were often inseparable. The only time Rin could pry Harutoga away from his sister was if his father was home, or when Yuki was in the study with one of her tutors learning to read and write.
Rin squeezed Yuki's hand, "I only let you stay up because he was returning, so remember as soon as he comes it's dinner and then bed."
"No fair," Harutoga complained, "can we sleep in your bed again tonight?"
"No," Rin gave her son a sharp look, "I told you when Chichiue is home, you sleep in your own bed."
"No, I sleep in Yuki's bed." Harutoga replied softly.
Rin rolled her eyes, "fine." At least that means he won't come into our room tonight. Rin's mind flashed back to the last time that Sesshomaru had returned. The children were both asleep in their own beds for once. Yuki and Haru had gotten into a fight before bed, the little boy decided he didn't want to sleep with his sister, but that also meant he didn't sleep the entire night. Instead Harutoga found his way into his parents' room while Sesshomaru was in a very precarious position in between Rin's legs and then proceeded to tell his sister and Jaken, and Hisato, and every other person that he saw that Ka-san and Chichiue wrestled naked at night. Rin flushed, she knew she was blushing just remembering that. She covered her eyes as the memory hit her and tried not to laugh, they needed to put a lock on the door that connected to the children's room to avoid that again or move their bedding to garden like they did almost every summer. The children couldn't get close enough to the garden before Sesshomaru's keen eyes and ears caught them.
Finally, Rin saw it, the flash of white that streaked across the sky then formed as a white sphere of light in front of her. The children immediately released Rin's hand and ran full force into their father. His eyes were weary, and his clothing was blood stained once again. He had long since abandoned the white Haori and Hikama for the constant staining of blood. He held several packages in his hands the kids jumping on his arms asking if he brought them more presents.
"Sesshomaru-sama! Welcome home!" Jaken yelled running up with Nintojo.
Sesshomaru walked passed Jaken, nearly smashing him in the process, his eyes were on Rin. He took her by the waist and pulled her to him lowering his neck and brushing his lips against hers.
Rin blushed, nine years together, she knew him for eighteen years and he could still make her cheeks burn like a teenager, "welcome, my love." She held onto the side of his haori as their lips met once again.
"My heart," he murmured so quietly it was almost inaudible. He lay his forehead against Rin's taking in her scent.
"Ewww," Yuki's face paled, "why do you two always have to do that, it's gross. My love, my heart, I'll never do that with a boy." Her arms were folded over her little chest, she tapped her bare foot impatiently on the path.
"Yuki," Rin reprimanded her, "welcome your father home, I only heard little children begging for gifts."
"Welcome home Chichiue," they both said together.
"Can we have our presents now?" Harutoga asked. Harutoga was dressed similar to his sister only in a short sleeved blue haori with fish on it and tied low on his waist with a yellow obi. His feet were bare as always, the children did not enjoy wearing shoes, only in the winter when it was too cold not to.
Sesshomaru suppressed the need to smile with a blank face, "Jaken?"
"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama?" Jaken was the same little wretch as he always bowing to please Sesshomaru, it was only that one outburst when he first returned to Rin that he showed any backbone, after that Jaken was back to groveling.
"Is the delegation of Fox demons here?" Sesshomaru barked.
"Yes, they are set up in the guest bedrooms." Jaken responded.
Standing off to the side also watching Rin and the children was Hisato. He rocked back and forth on his heels, waiting for Rin to return into the house.
Sesshomaru growled, squeezed Rin's hand and then walked into their estate through the public entrance. Rin considered that she should begin lining the servants up to greet him upon his return, but she was still getting the hang of being lady of the manor. She knew that she would have to dress in one of her fancier kimono's tonight, and that Akari her maidservant would come into her room and do something awful to her hair that would take an hour in the hot springs to get out and she was supposed to demur to whatever Sesshomaru said in public that she would later make him pay for in private. The children were expected to be in bed, but occasionally they were also washed and dressed to show off his progeny.
Rin's eyes followed Sesshomaru's back, gone were the days where they were able to go immediately to their room and reconnect, there was always something that needed to be done, some negotiation, a treaty, meetings. Rin missed those moments they once had. She knew tonight she would put the children to bed and most likely fall asleep in their room to be awoken in the middle of the night with the hands that she knew and loved so well. "Come on, Yuki, Haru, it's time for bed."
"But he didn't give us our presents," Yuki stomped her foot on the ground and held out one of her hands.
Rin caught her wrist and went on her knees to meet her daughter's cold golden eyes, "if you spray one more thing with that, you will be in so much trouble."
Yuki raised an eyebrow, and damned if that look wasn't inherited from her father, "human," Yuki snarled at her mother.
"Hanyou," Rin barked back and grabbed her daughter by the arm, "I've slayed ogres bigger than you," Rin removed her katana from her belt and snapped the whip against the wind right in front of Yuki's nose, stopping just before it would have hit her delicate and tender face, "you would do well to remember that."
Yuki gulped in air, and those eyes that mimicked her father's harshness now resembled dilated golden suns much more appropriate for an eight-year-old. "This Yuki doesn't care." The jangling of the metal bracelets on her shaking wrists betrayed the child's confidence.
Harutoga was giggling wildly at his mother's display of power. "Ka-san look, I can do that too," he waved one hand in the air, and a whip only a few feet long came flying out.
"Jaken, go get Akari and Atsuko to help me put these two in bed, tell Akari if Yuki doesn't behave herself she has my permission to turn her into a ball of fire and dump her in the river. And I'm not even joking," Rin grabbed Yuki by the arm, took Harutoga's hand and walked with them to the public entrance and down the winding hallway to the family rooms.
Rin spent the evening helping to dole out food to the hungry fox delegation that came. Secretly she hoped that Shippo would have come but he was still a child by fox-demon standards, and an orphan, which meant he held little standing. These were the leaders of the tribes that were near Kaede's village and spent time tricking humans and demon alike. None of them dare to trick Sesshomaru or Rin, and the children. They were warned against trying their tricks on Sesshomaru's while in Sesshomaru's house. Their leader Hinatamaru-sama was nearly as old as Sesshomaru, small in stature, round around the waist with a jolly face.
Rin went through the ritual of having a bath, and after she put the children to bed in their white yukatas, tucked them in and then went to get man handled by her maidservants.
It was not popular or accepted what she and Sesshomaru had done, their relationship, their children and the village they created, which necessitated the barrier that would allow those that agreed to peace to enter and exit. Therefore, Rin wore her katana was instructed to show her power if necessary, which she did almost every time there was a delegation she was cornered somewhere, by some stupid demon who thought she was the whore of the great Sesshomaru and would end up with a green whip wrapped around their neck and seething in pain on the floor. It happened once with a delegation of bear demons they were trying to make a treaty with. One of them cornered her and as soon as she had it around the neck on the floor Sesshomaru came walked around the corner. He sat back against the wall and Rin couldn't help but notice the entertainment in his eyes as he watched his mate torment the wayward bear.
The evening dragged on. Rin was only able to share glances with Sesshomaru as he spoke in hushed tones with the foxes about their borders, their problems, protection and eventually the conversation turned to Rin as it always did. She sat at the other end of the table with the women, legs folded, hands in her lap as she had been instructed. She wore a blood red kimono, that had golden fire dragons embroidered in snake like patterns along her waist and sleeves. Her obi was golden and tied intricately at her back making it uncomfortable to sit in the high-backed chairs of the dining hall.
"You took a human?" Hinatamaru asked Sesshomaru, "as a mate? Life mate? Not just a play toy?"
Sesshomaru's icy glare came to the green eyes of the lead fox demon, "my personal relationships are not your concern."
"It does if it makes us look weak for dealing with you," the leader retorted. He seemed a jolly demon overall, with a fat belly, and orange hair flying off his back. He was squat in size, Rin wondered if that was all the taller fox demons ever got and Shippo was cursed to be tiny for the rest of his life. Idiot, wrong yokai to call weak. Rin thought covering her mouth.
"Weak?" Jaken grumbled from behind Sesshomaru.
Sesshomaru stood up and removed Bakusaiga from its sheath. His eyes were iced over, Rin didn't envy what was going to happen next, it was most likely to include the all the candles lit to get blown out in an energy waive or furs being singed by near misses. "Would you like a demonstration?" Sesshomaru's voice boomed and echoed off the halls.
Rin had to bite her bottom lip, she still enjoyed watching him unleash his full power. She tried to focus instead on her fingernails or else she would ruin the moment. Intimidation for them meant sexual arousal for her, as soon as he stood up, her brain began imaging him without such formal attire, and the creamy white skin that was beneath those clothes and how it tasted. Rin started squirming in her chair with the thought of him unrobed ignited that pesky fire between her legs. She wanted to childishly run up to him, grab him by the hand and drag him back to their bedroom. For a moment she caught him staring at her. Kami, him and his sense of smell.
The fox demons were quick to back down. Sesshomaru returned Bakusaiga to its sheath and sat down. "My relationship with humans is of no consequence to the benefit of the treaty. If you agree to peace, then I will provide protection and support, in return you will inform me of spies in my lands and on occasion other services that I find fitting."
Rin grinned like a school girl, "my Lord," she stood up and straightened her Kimono with fiddling fingers.
His cheeks were twitching, the icy glaze on his eyes immediately melted when his golden eyes took her in. Sesshomaru's eyes followed Rin throughout the night, he allowed his ears to drown out the babble around him and listened to her for the sole purpose of drinking in her voice. Her seducing scent was wafting through to his nostrils, dancing into his mind and clouding his thoughts. She made all of these ridiculous formalities worth it. "Yes," again he was repressing a smile. He still needed to look hard for his allies and his enemies should they forget their place.
"May I be excused?" Rin wanted to choke on those words, but she had to show the same respect towards Sesshomaru in public as any of his servants, not to would make him look weak.
"Yes," he placed his hand on his heart. Rin knew what that meant, unless someone was close to them they would not know that he had just reminded her again, that she was his heart.
She gave him a red-faced smile she couldn't resist and then left the dining hall towards the corridor that lead to the family rooms as quickly as she could. Two more inu-Yokai guarded that entry. One had a brown mokomoko the other a white one. Sesshomaru told Rin that they were both distant cousins. He trusted only his own kind with keeping his home safe. The village was guarded by older allies, one of them being Royakan. Rin nodded to them and made her way to her room. When she came to their quarters she stripped off her kimono and threw it in the hallway and then began plucking out all the ties, and metals that Akari had placed in her hair. She put her yukata on and ran as fast as she could towards the hot springs.
There was sticky stuff in her hair and paint on her face, she felt like a doll. Rin dunked her head all the way in the hot water that was almost too hot and scrubbed her hair until it was clean and smooth again hanging down to just above the small of her back. Damn this fire, I wish my katana still connected us so he would come.
As if in an answer to her prayers, she heard footsteps in her bedroom. She heard armor and swords hitting the floor. The door opened to the garden and Rin's eyes lit up. He walked towards Rin's eyes hungry and predatory, "out of the water, now."
Rin stood up trying to grab her Yukata and put it on, Sesshomaru grabbed it threw it on the ground and slammed his body into Rin's. His Haori was already untucked, he picked Rin up around the waist, wrapped her legs around his midsection and carried her back into their bedroom, "I'm hungry," he lapped at her neck. Chills went down her spine. He felt her hips rocking against his, he purred against her throat.
Rin moaned, feeling the blaze inside of her intensify, "won't your guests wonder where you are?" She buried her mouth into his neck.
"This won't take long," he plopped Rin onto the bed, stripped his remaining clothes off and found his way between Rin's legs. "I thought you would never ask to be excused," he pressed his lips against Rin's and immediately shot one clawed hand down between her legs. She tensed momentarily.
Rin laughed and stroked his hair, she returned his kiss and celebrated the feeling of his fingers exploring her outer lips, stroking her clit, "you're lucky," she panted, "oh…uh…I am in the mood right now," she was gasping for air, "or I would be offended you intend to eat and run." It was happening so fast she could barely keep up with the sensations.
"Run yes, but I will come back for desert," his mouth found her breasts. Rin arched her back and would have yelped in pleasure if she didn't want to wake the two children in the other room and have them again asking why their parents were wrestling without their clothes on.
"I'll be asleep by then."
"I'll wake you up," Sesshomaru laughed, he rolled his mouth down Rin's stomach until his face could breathe in the scent of her soft curls, the heat was calling him, he stopped short of tasting her and cursed, "they'll be able to smell it." He was panting and his cream-colored chest was heaving. He pulled from Rin's grasp.
"No you don't," Rin jumped on him knocking him over until she was straddling his lap. Her breasts were pointed and taught. They taunted him with their fullness, and the way flitted up and down his bare chest. She thrust her hips against, feeling the tip of his erection brush her sensitive opening. She grabbed his member and firmly stroked it in her hand," who cares if they do, like none of them have ever left a meeting to go be with their wives. I'm burning, don't make me beg."
He tried to untangle himself from Rin's hands but all he could do was fall into them and groan in ecstasy, Rin fell onto her back, her legs splayed open she motioned him foreword.
"Have you missed me so much my heart? Your scent is intoxicating," Sesshomaru crawled, stalked like the dog-demon he was up her body, "especially here," he tilted his head down and licked her sweet core. When he felt hands in his hair he did it again. He nuzzled his nose against her curls, and followed it with long slow kisses beneath her navel, on her stomach, flitting his tongue across one nipple and then the other until he was face to face with Rin. Her eyes said it all. They were big, brown, dilated and begging him to take her. He knew she had not reached her peak yet, but he couldn't resist the strong urge to be within her. He glanced at her legs, strong and tender then entered her velvet core, sweating and straining with each thrust. She wrapped her legs around his waist pulling him in deeper, driving him mad. With each slow thrust, she groaned into his ear, "oh, oh, uh." He knew just how to torment her, neither fast or slow, deep and firm, his hips pumped into her thighs. Her hands ran along his roughcast chest, taking in the form of hundreds of years of perfection. He gripped the blankets in his hands and kissed Rin's mouth, taking in her lips, meeting her tongue with his own. "More," she whimpered in his ear.
"Yes," he reached between her legs, found her growing bud and rolled his thumb against it.
"Oh," she rasped into his ear.
"Shhh," he reminded her increasing the intensity of his hips against hers, "quietly."
He moved his hand to move himself deeper within her and slowly, carefully lapped at her nipple. He rolled himself onto his back. Rin rocked hard against his hips. She leaned over his face dangling herself in front his starving face. He lapped at her breasts again, pressing her the smaller of her back down against himself. She arched her back once again and in gasping euphoria, they both moaned once more and then collapsed.
Rin laughed and hugged Sesshomaru's chest. "Stay for a few more minutes."
He nuzzled her nose, "I have to return, my presence will be missed."
"Your presence is missed here," Rin kissed his lips in a seductive way, "are you sure you don't want another go?"
Sesshomaru flashed a rare grin. He chuckled as he pulled Rin into his lap, "mmm, I missed you, my heart" he took in her face. She was aging. She no longer held the glow of a teenager, she was twenty-six now. Her body was strong and defined. He could see lines around her eyes that weren't there before. He tried not to think that one day she would leave him long before he left her. The thought caused him pain. He rose from their bed morose to leave Rin. He bent over to reclaim his clothes that had been cast onto the floor. Rin followed and aided him in putting on his haori and armor. She tied his obi as he leaned down to drink her lips once more. "I'll be back later tonight." He took her hands in his, "I'll be home for two weeks this time."
"Really?" Rin hugged him once again with such force she nearly scraped her head on his armor.
"Yes, my heart," he continued to hold her hand not ready to let it go.
"Good you can help Yuki get control of her yoki before I kill her." Rin rolled her eyes, suddenly realizing while she had dressed Sesshomaru, she was still completely bare. He bent over and pulled a soft pink yukata from a nearby chest and held out for her to put on. While she was turned away from him, he closed it, and reached around to tie the obi himself. "She's so angry all the time, I swear she inherited your wonderful temper."
He raised an eyebrow at Rin and let a chuckle pass his lips, "I must leave now." He stole one more deep and steaming kiss before releasing Rin and leaving the room. Rin fell backwards onto their bedding, giggling, mmm…that's better.
Sesshomaru left the room annoyed to find himself smoothing the front of his haori. That woman, as soon as he stood to dominate the fox demons her smell spiked he was sure his guests would have caught her scent as well. It was all he could do not to run after her, the way it wafted from her body and up his nose. He finished his demonstration of power and immediately got up and stormed down the hallway, the only thought in his mind to find Rin and release the tense feelings in his lower back and groin. He took a deep cleansing breath, and let her scent drift over him once again before he sauntered backdown the corridor to go entertain the fox demons. He forbid them to even consider playing any pranks while in his home. He found diplomacy a bore, he would rather have either spent more time with Rin and his children or go out in the forest and find things to kill. He shook his head, no wonder his father abandoned the Western Lands, managing a manor, managing borders was stress inducing and boring. It was all bloodshed, threats, and fear.
When the night finally wound down, the fox demons returned to their guest bedrooms. Sesshomaru stopped to speak to Jaken for a few moments about how to see the guests off in the afternoon with all the pomp and circumstance expected. He had no intention of being part of it. What he wanted in the two weeks that he would spend at home would be to re-bond with Rin and find out why Rin's scent hinted of worry and fear when she mentioned Yuki's temper. When he finished Sesshomaru made his way back towards his bedroom. He also hoped to spend a decent amount of time without his clothes on in Rin's arms. He was looking forward to a cleansing soak in the hot springs, and perhaps enticing Rin to wake up and share the evening with him.
The hallway to the family quarters was meant to be long on purpose, it was meant to keep those that had no place there out. The entrances were guarded by several of his younger distant cousins. Even Hisato was somehow related to Sesshomaru or so his mother claimed when she recommended him.
He followed Rin's scent, letting it wash over him and ignite the fire in his stomach once again. He turned the corner into their bedroom hoping to find her wrapped in the covers. The moon was high and bright, providing the only light into their bedroom. The red and gold blankets on the floor, with the soft mat he had placed underneath to cradle her body were empty. In fact besides the smell of their sex, he could tell that the mat had not been slept in since he left. He went through the door that connected Yuki's room to theirs, and found Rin on the floor next to the children, sleeping soundly. Harutoga had one armed wrapped around Yuki's stomach, and Rin's arm was draped over Harutoga. With no one watching, Sesshomaru squatted down, and allowed himself to smile. Isn't this what every father wanted to come home to?
He stroked Rin's shoulder softly, grazing her skin with the tips of his claws, giving her goosebumps, "my heart," he stroked her cheek.
Her eyes fluttered. Then she rubbed them and when her gaze found Sesshomaru, she smiled. She reached her hand out to him using his strength to pull herself groggily out of bed. "You know I still have to wake up with them in the morning?" She hugged Sesshomaru, "mmm, my love," she rest her head against his chest, purposely parting the top of his haori for easier access to his skin.
"You spoil them sleeping in their bed," he lead her out of the children's room, back into their own. He threw his haori off onto the floor until he was just in his hakama and then led Rin towards the foyer that led to their garden. When they came to their garden Sesshomaru breathed in the night air. He continued to hold her hand. "Come," he said and took Rin near the hot springs. He took his Hakama off and as he was about to step into the water, he felt two hands behind him give him a good shove and then he was face planting not so gracefully against the water. He heard cackling behind him from Rin. Instead of climbing out of the water, he flew out and landed next to Rin, grabbed her around the waist and then hovered with her over the hot spring.
"Go ahead," she dared him, "nine years I finally caught you off guard. I told you I would someday, now you owe me my prize."
His eyes were cold for one moment glaring at her.
"Oh don't be so sour, we agreed nine years ago that if I could ever catch you off guard, I would get the prize of my choosing, I'll make it up to you. You just have to put me down first, preferably next to the hot spring, I already took a bath." Rin laughed, he had her in a death grip, one hand over around her stomach and the other holding both her wrists so she couldn't escape.
He hovered for a few moments before soaking wet and completely naked, he floated back to the grass around the rim of the hot springs and let Rin down but did not let her go. "How?"
"Mmh…well," Rin grinned, "if you let go of my hands, I'll show you. You still owe me the prize of my choosing."
"That was an underhanded trick," he shot back at her while releasing her wrists from his grasp. He took her shoulders in his hands and ran his nose from the nape of her neck up to her ears. "You know I let my guard down here, I refuse to admit defeat." I could drink her scent in the rest of my life and still not be satisfied.
"I still won," she bent her neck into his nose. "Now," she turned around to face Sesshomaru. She touched his cheek softly her countenance changed to concern, "was it really so hard this time? Your eyes are darker than I have seen in a long time."
"The borders are restless," he replied, "and word has gotten out about our village. It is not popular what we have done, creating a safe haven for human-yokai couples. There will be consequences that will most likely end in bloodshed. We may have to make use of the hidden exits in the back of the garden. I will train Yuki and Harutoga in the morning how to find them and avoid detection."
"Are you sure you can stay for two weeks then?" Rin lay her cheek against his chest that was glistening in the moonlight, accenting his very perfectly sculpted body. Rin beamed, but not where he could see, she lowered her hand and grasped him and began to slowly stroke him in smooth motions.
Sesshomaru lowered his mouth to Rin's neck, a guttural noise coming from his throat, "oh…is this your peace offering?" Entertainment flitted across his eyes.
"It's also part of my prize," she laughed, enjoying the feeling of his heat in her hand.
Sesshomaru ran his hands down Rin's arms, over her stomach until he found the tie to her obi, he opened it and slid it off her shoulders, gasping when the silky material flitted across his naked body. He kissed her right shoulder firmly, scraping his teeth lightly over her warm skin before resting his lips against the pulse in her neck, "what prize do you claim, uh," He had to hold on to her to maintain his posture, his body was full of electricity at her touch.
Rin turned around to face him, let go of his most sensitive area, and wrapped both arms around his neck. She timidly kissed his mouth, holding him close for several minutes, enjoying the taste of his mouth, the dampness of his skin. "Another child."
Instantly he pushed Rin back and his eyes broadened. He held her shoulders almost too tightly, "do not ask me for that." He needed to get away, if he could find a cold body of water he would, but he settled for the hot springs and plunked himself in. His shoulders rose several inches just above the rim.
Rin walked over to sit behind his back and laid her hands timidly on his tense shoulders. "Are you going to tell me why?" She rubbed his shoulders until she saw his head lower, "lean forward so I can move your hair." He complied, and Rin lifted his long silver hair over his shoulder until she could see the back of his neck. She kissed it firmly in the center, then used her knuckles to rub the sides in firm circles.
He glared at the flowers on the other side of the spring, desperately wanting to pluck them, slash them, maybe melt them with his claws. Spring would be ending soon, the nights were already becoming warmer. He remained quiet until he felt her hands tangle in the hair above his ears and pull his head back, her lips found his, he raised one hand to hold her chin and tickled her cheek with his claws. "Don't ask me for this," he repeated.
Rin released his head and then rest her chin on top of Sesshomaru's head, "why not?"
"Let it go Rin," his voice was too quiet.
"You didn't hurt me last time," that was not quite true, she still had scars on her back from that.
"You're lying," he snarled. He took her right hand in his, turned it over and revealed the scar on her wrist, he ran his finger over it, "you wouldn't let me use my blood to heal it."
"You were gone all the time, I couldn't take the fever, Sesshomaru," Rin nipped at his ear and nibbled on his neck scraping her teeth on his skin, "is it just that? Or something else?"
He took a deep breath as he did he felt a sponge on his chest. "Ask me for something else," he ordered her massaging her hand with his.
"Nothing else," Rin told him, "please? Just one more, it would be fun, Yuki and Harutoga are older now, I miss having a baby in the house."
"Have you noticed that Yuki doesn't look older than she did than last year?" Sesshomaru spoke softly. He lifted himself out of the water and sat on the stone edge of the hot springs. The rocks were no longer as rough as they were when they first found this place. The builders smoothed them in order to make them comfortable to sit on. He and Rin had spent many nights together, soaking, loving and just being one in their private garden.
"I noticed." Rin reached for a cloth and splashed it into the hot springs, adding soap.
"The aging will slow down, her yoki will begin to assert itself more and more, Inuyasha was nearly a hundred before my oath to protect him throughout his childhood ended." He felt soap and warm water on his back, he took Rin's hand, "how is it you know this is what I need?" She covered his shoulders in the warm water, his back and his hips.
"Nine years together and you are a creature of habit in some ways. I like that I can do this for you," she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Turn around so I can wash your chest." She ran the cloth over his pecs, over his shoulders once again and down his stomach stopping just below his navel, the entire time grinning like a school girl. Rin took more soap and ran it through his silky strands, she took extra care to massage the soap into the hair on top of his head, imagining that she was removing the tension from his body with each circle, "it's not fair that a man should have such beautiful hair."
"I'm not a man." He let his head fall back into her hands.
"No you are my demon lover. Why are you so worried about their aging," Rin rubbed the sides of head, slow circles over his temples, "I will never see them as adults will I?"
He shook his head, "no. Unless you live longer than the average human," his voice was harsh. "When that time comes, I will be grateful that you left me children to remember you by but it will sadden me to continue on alone."
Rin wrapped her arms beneath his, around his chest and rest her mouth against his shoulder, "I didn't think about that. You don't want to raise another child alone after I die?"
"I don't like seeing you in pain," he pulled Rin's hands back when he felt her releasing him.
"I need to rinse your back," Rin bit his ear lobe, "unless you want to go back to bathing yourself. Sesshomaru promise me, that when the time comes, and I am gone, you'll allow yourself to love someone else. Let someone else be your heart." She took a nearing cup and rinsed the suds off his back. She filled it again and rinsed his chest, "get back in the water, I'll rinse your hair."
He complied enjoying how relaxed she made him feel, he no longer wanted to decimate the flowers on the other side of the hot springs. Her hands held his neck and slowly poured water over the back of his head. "If it took 900 years for me to find you, you think it's possible I will find someone else in less time? My father was 1,500 years old when he died. There will always be someone stronger and more cunning."
"I'll wait for you when I go," she closed her eyes against his forehead, "I don't like talking about this," Rin admitted ruefully, "but I also don't like the idea of you not having someone…"
He touched her cheek softly, "someone like you? It also pains me to think about," he closed his eyes again trying to push the image of allowing Rin her final death out of his mind. Rin sat up.
"Can I change your mind?" She nudged him with her shoulder after he sat up once more.
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Sesshomaru why don't I get a say in this? Just because I'm not going to live forever, it's not like it works for us like it does for humans, you have to want to give me a child, or else no matter how many times we're together nothing happens." She put her hands on her chin and rest her elbows on her knees. And now I'm naked, hot and wet with nowhere to go.
He didn't answer her, his eyes were looking at the stars. It was one of his favorite places in the house to sit. The night the sky was full of stars like someone had gingerly sprinkled silver dust across a midnight blue blanket. Rin knew that he could stay that way for hours and it was already late. She was sure it was long past the middle of the night. "You know I've been reading more about Inu-Yokai since you've been getting the scrolls from your father's old estate for the library that's being built."
"What did you read?" He was glad to change the subject.
"Let's see," she bit down softly on his neck feeling pride when she felt him lean into her teeth, "you prideful, possessive," she nipped at his shoulder again pleased that she was able to leave a red mark, his skin gave the illusion that it was soft and supple, but it was like biting down on rocks. "Loyal, but I think I knew that one already. Easy to jealousy, hot headed."
"I don't remember the scrolls saying anything about our heads being hot," he shot back.
"Kagome-sama said it means you are quick to anger, which you are and so is your daughter."
"What else?" He was enjoying her nipping at his shoulders until he figured out what she was doing, in that scroll was also how Inu-yokai found their life mates and the bonding and reproduction process in detail, "you're trying to get me to change," he pushed Rin off his shoulder.
Rin folded her arms over her breasts and huffed, "fine, if you won't, I'm not bound by that pesky bond, I wonder if one of those young strapping fox demon's in the guest quarters would be willing to impregnate me. I saw one that looked to be of a proper age. We could still be lovers of course," Rin got up and strode quickly towards their bedroom forgetting her yukata in the process. She made it two steps into the grass before she heard the splash of his body flying out of the water and an livid growl. His arms not only grabbed her but his claws sunk into the skin in her stomach drawing blood that dripped down her hips. "Ow," Rin whined quietly.
"You are mine, and I will not share you," his voice was trembling with rage, "lay down, I will give you what you want." His eyes were blood red, his teeth were sharper. Rin lay down on the grass only for him to paw her over onto her stomach and pick up her backside so she was on all fours. She felt his teeth in her shoulder, his hands raked down her front grazing her nipples and causing her skin to sting, she stroked his ear softly, which calmed him only enough for him to speak, "you should not have said what you just did." He dug his claws into her shoulder and harshly entered her wet folds from behind, his mind was a blur of red fury. He felt her fingers on the tip of his ear again, stroking it softly, something in the back of his head was trying to remind him to calm himself.
"Slow down," she begged him, she touched his face and held it to her cheek, "I wouldn't have really done it," she felt him rocking into her hips, she took one of his hands and guided it between her legs, "what we did last time with Haru, it didn't hurt as much that way."
He felt the fog lifting just slightly and he complied, giving her the pleasure she wanted while his teeth tore into her back. He heard her whisper, "slow down, oh that feels good," and then he settled with her setting the pace, she pushed back against his hips and then slowly moved them forward, then slowly back. "Like that, mmm, remember?"
Rin had to keep herself from shrieking, it was never pleasant when he was like this. The first time she had already been too scared to know what to expect, it was her first time with a man in the first place, the second time with Harutoga, Sesshomaru changed at the last minute so when his yoki took over he wasn't feral for very long and he only managed to scratch her back once. This time she felt his resistance, it would take longer and when he had satisfied his need to reproduce Rin could already tell that she would have new scars to show for it. She read that often there is a fight for dominance which leads to cuts and bruises, instead she learned from trying to conceive Haru that all he needed was gentle guidance, behind the crazed yoki, her gentle Sesshomaru was still there.
"MMM," Rin moaned, his hand was still gliding over the front of her lower lips and dancing along her sensitive areas, her back burned from his claws, but she felt the heat shooting through her legs and the intensity of her muscles. She lowered herself onto her elbows, and used one hand to keep his where she wanted it. When she felt his breath hot on her back, Rin turned took that moment to kiss him, fangs and all, and she saw the red slowly drain from his eyes until all that was left were two sullen golden orbs.
"You should not have made me do that," he collapsed on the grass next to Rin. He touched her back, he had raked into her skin twice, leaving ten jagged bleeding gashes down her back. Blood dripped from the side of her stomach, he saw teeth marks on her shoulders. He touched the cuts and his heart jerked in sync with Rin's wincing. "You should not have goaded me on. I could have been more gentle."
Rin rolled over trying to suppress the need to cry, "I'm sorry, you'll thank me, when there is one more person who loves you as much as I do, to be with you when I am long gone."
"My heart," he muttered, "I will not take no for an answer this time, you will take my blood, I will take the children in the morning, and you will sleep off the fever."
"Okay," Rin complied, "but leave this scratch," she pointed to one on her left shoulder.
"Why?" It seemed odd to him, heal the rest, but leave one behind.
"Yuki," Rin pointed at three claw marks on her right shoulder where he had dug his nails directly into her skin, "Haru," she moved her hand to one jagged claw mark near the back of her neck, "and this baby I hope," she pointed at the blood soaked incision he made. "I also like having reminders of you."
He picked her up and strode into their bedroom. "Ow," Rin leaned into his shoulders, her back was aflame. Sesshomaru kneeled down and helped her laydown on their bedding. Her body was stiff, "ow, maybe that was a bad idea." Sesshomaru leaned over Rin and slowly licked the long jagged cut she asked him to leave, concentrating a smaller portion of his yoki into the saliva on his tongue.
"More than a bad idea," Sesshomaru agreed with her and let his tongue glide over the last portion of the slash he made in her back.
"That feels better already," Rin smiled. She heard him grunt, and then she felt the familiar heat of his blood dropping into her wounds. "You're gone so often in the last year Sesshomaru. It's like living with a dream, you never know when it will come."
"That is why I am staying longer this time," he moved to the bite marks on her shoulders, allowing his arm to drip like red wine over shoulders, "I miss you and my allies need to learn to rely on their own strength now and again, not this Sesshomaru's."
"I missed you too, uh…I already feel hot," Rin touched her forehead and tried to curl into a ball.
"Stay still," he demanded, "Do not goad me like that again, playing on my jealousy, I was needlessly rough with you, I could have done worse." He continued to spread the blood over her back and shoulders. I wanted to do worse. I wanted to kill you.
"You wouldn't," Rin insisted, "you love me too much."
He turned her over and growled, "not again! Do not, Rin! I wanted to shred you to pieces until you were broken for even mentioning bedding someone else, do not take something you have read and use it as a weapon against me! I warned you when I bonded you my jealousy would increase, it's instinctive to protect what is yours, even if it means protecting them from themselves. You are not a yokai, I am gentle with you because I know how easily I could kill you." The last drops of blood were dropped onto the scratch mark on her front. He shook his head woefully, "I should remember not to scratch those," he touched the tip of one of her nipples.
Rin turned her face to him, she was already beginning to sweat and felt her face flush, "would you be happier if I was youkai? I mean, would it make this all easier? More enjoyable for you."
"No," he lay down next to Rin, the cut in his wrist had already healed, "there is no challenge in ripping someone to pieces, there is a challenge in being with the one you love, and making them as happy as they make you. You are my challenge, my instinct tells me one thing, but the struggle to suppress it, and show my love to you in the ways I know you like, it's an internal battle, and I win it every time," he pulled Rin against him and took a deep breath, "the fever is taking over."
Rin shivered against Sesshomaru, her limbs refusing to listen to her. She couldn't even speak for the chattering of her teeth. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on the hand that ran softly over her shoulders. She had to admit, she was a little sore between her legs as well. She wanted to touch her stomach, she hoped that it was already busy making their child. "Are y…y…you…m…mm…mad at…mm…me?" She could barely get the words out.
In typical fashion he didn't answer, he rested his head against her burning cheek sighed and held her tightly to him. Still young and reckless. He thought wryly. His hand hit his forehead, and now possibly pregnant.
In the calm shadows of the night, as the sun was just beginning to rise, Sesshomaru was startled out of his own thoughts by the high pitched shriek of Yuki from her bedroom. It was nearly incapacitating to his ears, instantly he was on his feet, flew to their door and found Yuki standing up with her claws extended. He could smell nothing, nor see anything in the dark room that looked like an intruder. Yuki was shaking and hissing at the long stone carved window.
"There was something in here with me, "Yuki jumped when she felt a hand on her wrist. Before she registered who it was she dug her claws into the white hand and released her poison.
Sesshomaru hissed and moved his arm, "your poison is getting stronger," he went on one knee and lifted up Yuki's face to his, "there is nothing in your room. It was just a dream, return to bed." He nudged her towards her bedding.
Yuki shook her head, which made her little silver mane wave against the morning sunlight, "no, Chi-chiue there was something in here, I saw it. It was dark as a shadow."
"Did you smell it?" Sesshomaru sniffed the air again, and let his eyes flit over their room.
"No," she was rubbing her arms nervously, "I could feel it."
"If you couldn't smell it, it was probably a shadow, now back into bed, you train with me when the sun comes up," he helped Yuki lay back down slightly annoyed that he had abandoned Rin to her fever for a murderous shadow without a smell.
"There was something in here Chi-chiue," Yuki insisted.
"I would have smelled it," he reassured her.
Yuki bit her claw nervously. Her father's hand covered hers and removed the claw from her mouth, "you just released poison from that claw, don't put it in your
mouth."
Rin slept the remainder of the morning into the afternoon. She was vaguely aware of Sesshomaru waking in the morning and at some point her maid Atsuko coming into the room with a bowl of cold water. Atsuko was a plain woman in her late-twenties, a few years older than Rin. She had two children with a horse demon that reminded Rin fondly of Jinenji. Atsuko lived in the haven village with her family and walked or rode in on a cart like many of their servants each morning to serve the family. In the afternoon she was replaced by Akari, a hanyou fire-cat demon. Atsuko had long black hair she kept tied back in a bun, and she wore the colors of the house. Sesshomaru insisted that the servants be distinguishable to avoid someone coming into the house that didn't belong there. Her kimono was yellow with a red obi. She sat down next to Rin and muttered, "this is why I took a horse-Yokai, inu-yokai and their claws and need to bite."
Rin could feel the cold water washing the blood off her back and reveal fresh pink healthy skin. "I have a head-ache." Rin rubbed her head, "what time is it?"
"Well into the afternoon, I'm almost finished. Akari will be here soon with your lunch. The wounds have healed completely."
"His blood does that," Rin rubbed her eyes and pushed herself off the bedding. Atsuko helped Rin into her clothes. "Is he in meetings now?"
"Yes, as always," Atsuko replied, "but he did spend the morning with the children. Yuki was in tears within five minutes." Atsuko chuckled, "like father like daughter."
Rin giggled gleefully, finally had to deal with someone more stubborn than she is, "only he can teach her to control her yoki, lately she has been so difficult. Thank you Atsuko." Rin stood up and walked down the hallway. Hisato was standing guard outside the door. He stalked behind Rin as she walked towards the family dining area. "I suppose it was too much to hope that we would share a meal together alone," she complained to Atsuko. "Where are the children?"
"I'm not sure, would you like me to find them?" Atsuko said.
"Yes," Rin answered, "please have them brought to the family dining area and I will make sure they eat." Rin glowered at Hisato, she knew he was necessary but having a guard dog was not what she wanted. As soon as Akari brought her lunch Rin ate quietly picking at her food. These days there was no rush to eat and then go somewhere. She looked at the small room, it was easily an eighth of the size of the large dining hall and the marble table was only big enough for their small family. It was one of the first rooms finished and had a gorgeous window that looked out towards the other side of the field of daisies, painted in whites and yellows. I'm bored, Rin thought to herself. She stroked the hilt of her sword, I miss the forest, the leaves and trees, and battle.
After twenty minutes Atsuko returned with Harutoga and sent him to his mother. The little one climbed into Rin's lap and happily finished off Rin's leftovers. Rin ruffled his growing mane and asked, "she did it again?"
Atsuko nodded, "I can't find Yuki, I'm sorry."
"Should I even bother with you Hisato?" She asked sarcastically, "or am I to assume you lost her scent a while ago."
Hisato lifted his head up and sniffed the air, he huffed towards the window, opened it to let the warm summer air in and smelled deeply again, then shook his head.
"Dammit," Rin slammed her hand down on the table, "come Haru, we must go get Chichiue, unless she told you her hiding place?"
"No Ka-san, she didn't," Haru laughed and jumped off Rin's lap.
Rin took an annoyed and short deep breath as she left the dining area. "Now the question is where is Sesshomaru?" Rin's feet were still bare as they padded towards the public area of the house.
"I can find him Ka-san!" Harutoga wrinkled his little nose into the air and sniffed it, "he played hide and seek with me today, he hid in the garden and I had to find him using my nose. He said all the great Inu-yokais are good trackers, I found him four times. Except when he hid high in a tree and I couldn't see him."
"Do you have his scent my Haru?" She shook his hand impatiently.
"Hai," Harutoga ran on his short stubby five year legs down the corridor towards the public area of their manor. Rin had to jog to keep up with him, which meant that Hisato who refused to run, was floating in the air quickly behind them with his arms folded across his chest and annoyed look on his face. When Harutoga skidded to a stop in front of the meeting area with the door shut tight, and raised voices on the other side Jaken came running towards Rin.
"You can't bother him right now," Jaken scolded her, "he's still negotiating with the fox demons."
Rin rolled her eyes and attempted to boot Jaken who jumped out of the way. Well, he's learning to move. "Tell him to come out now Jaken." Rin demanded.
"No, he's in a meeting, he said he wasn't to be disturbed by anyone." Jaken waved Nintojo threateningly. "That includes you."
"Listen, urchin!" Rin put her hands on her hips feeling a fire in her stomach and the need to use Nintojo to cook Jaken for dinner, "go in there, now. Tell his royal highness that his daughter is missing and masking her scent…again! And he's the only one that can find her!"
"I will not, Sesshomaru-sama will have my head." Jaken backed away from Rin towards the wine red door gripping Nintojo.
"And I'll eat your heart for dinner, open the damn door now!" Rin grabbed Nintojo from Jaken and aimed it at his head, "now!"
Jaken shook nervously, between Rin's anger and the wrath he would face for disturbing a meeting about treaties, he was sure his life was in short supply. "Sesshomaru-sama, should not be disturbed."
"One," Rin counted.
"He said no one was to enter until the meeting was finished. Once it's done this is over and he will free all evening, he can look then!" Jaken jumped missing a quick burst from Nintojo that was aimed for his lizard-like feet.
"Two," Rin flared her nostrils at him. "Tell him, it's his own fault for teaching her that trick, now no one can find her when she runs off!" She blasted Jaken with a ball of fire.
The door slammed open making Rin jump and nearly drop the staff on top of Harutoga's head. Sesshomaru's icy glare went straight to Jaken. As his gaze tracked to Rin, his eyes eased vaguely, only to go ice cold when he saw Hisato.
Rin threw Nintojo at Jaken and folded her arms beneath her breasts, "your daughter is missing again."
Sesshomaru tried not to let his cheeks twitch into a smile, "I see," he acknowledged as he shut the door behind him. "I will find her when the meeting concludes if she doesn't get hungry and come home before then."
Rin huffed and rolled her eyes.
Sesshomaru strode close to her and took her by the arm leading her roughly to another nearing room that was empty. "Harutoga, stay with Jaken for a moment," he said before he pulled Rin into the room, his grip was tight enough to make Rin yelp in pain. He slammed the door behind them. "I have told you before not to disturb me when I am in a meeting and not to dishonor me in front of guests or Hisato." Sesshomaru's voice was coarse and indignant.
Rin attempted to pull her arm free only to wince in pain again, "I was worried about our daughter, and I told you I would not play the part of your lady in waiting! Sesshomaru let go of my arm!"
"This is not a game Rin, my actions ensure your safety, ensure that our children are safe, that we don't have to face another Touma with a vendetta. When you disrespect me in public, particularly to yokai with hearing as acute as my own, you make me look weak."
"Just find Yuki, now please? How long will it take you? Thank you," Rin held her arm above the elbow where he had gripped her so fiercely and rubbed the sore skin. "You hurt my arm."
Sesshomaru clinched his hands into a fist, his temper was on edge, "first you goad me into impregnating you and now you refuse to acknowledge the lack of respect you just showed me! Is there something more upsetting you that is making you behave like you are eight years old again." He paused for a moment, "no, I wish you were eight years old again, because eight year old Rin would never have been as dishonorable as you are being now!"
"Yeah well eight year old Rin worshipped the ground you walked on and didn't have a brain of her own. Twenty-six year old Rin is getting tired of playing matron of the house and wants to know where her eight year old, temper flaring hanyou daughter is before she kills someone or something with her claws! Kami, you are ridiculous! You know what, forget about it, I'll just assume, she's safe wondering around out there by herself and so is everyone else. It's not like you've been home enough to see what has been happening here." Rin stormed past him intentionally attempting to push him out of the way as she reached the door.
His hand slammed the door shut and held it closed, his claws dug twisted lines into the frame of the wood, "we are not done, Rin," Sesshomaru's voice was agitated and gruff.
"Yes we are, Sesshomaru, now move before I hurt you." Rin's hand shot to her katana.
"I tell you I am coming home for two weeks, when the timing is amiss, and this is what you do with my time and honor?" Sesshomaru's eyes were numbing.
Rin let out an exasperated shriek and lowered her eyes, "perhaps you are right I'm sorry."
"You're lying, you are just trying to end this conversation." No I can't kill her, but if she were anyone else she would be dead on the floor. His lips trembled in anger at the insult Rin had doled to his pride.
"Then stop smelling me, and let me leave the room." Rin tried to pry the door open, it refused to give against his arm.
"Not until you tell me what is really wrong," Sesshomaru used his other hand to hold Rin's chin, "what have I done to you to make you so angry that you would humiliate me so in public?"
"Nothing," she mumbled, her stomach tightened. She blinked her profusely striving to stop the inevitable waterfall that was about to pour from them.
He felt a hot tear trace a path down his fingers, and then more followed like a river of raging water. "Nothing and yet you cry?" He released the door and pulled Rin to his chest, "Rin?" Sesshomaru took one of her hands and looped it around his chest and then the other, he brushed her hair from her eyes and tasted her salty lips, "and yet you cry?"
"Nothing, that's the problem. You haven't seen what she has been like, she has hurt children in the village, attacked Hisato, Jaken was nearly clawed to death. I'm scared, Sesshomaru. Why did you teach her this trick? It means no one can find her but you!" She held on to him and breathed in his smell. He always smelt like trees, and fresh morning air to her, but mostly he was her home. The walls around her meant nothing without him.
"To save her life if our home is ever attacked. She knows to take Harutoga and mask both of their scents using her yoki and either hide and return when she smells my scent or escape down the river until I find her. It's for their protection. I will not lie complacent under the belief that all are among us are trustworthy. A time may come where the escape routes we made will be necessary. She will be fine, like the human female, Yuki's experiencing changes in her body and her yoki, yoki from this Sesshomaru is overwhelming her. All will be well, I will take care of Yuki and her lack of self-control and after this meeting, I will be free the rest of the evening and I want to spend my evening with you and the children." He kept his arms tightly wound around her small figure.
"I'm sorry," Rin breathed into his ear, "I will try to remember your honor next time. I won't use your jealously like I did last night again."
"My heart," he nuzzled her nose, "I once promised you to speak mine, you must also remember to speak yours."
"I missed you so much, I hate being away from you and I hate that being away from you makes me feel like this." She kept her face buried between his shoulder and chin, her lips touching the hot skin of his neck.
"Feel like what?"
"Empty." She wiped her nose. "I'm so empty."
"Then I will spend the next two weeks, filling you," he slid his lips across hers one more time and spent another minute holding her, "And you want another child? When Yuki can reduce you to tears."
"Shut up," Rin tried to laugh and slap the tears from her face, "there is nothing rational about wanting children."
Sesshomaru kissed Rin's tear stained cheeks. He took a moment to slowly, and firmly touch his lips to Rin's, using his thumb to tease open her mouth and meet her tongue with his. It ended too soon and he simply lay his forehead against hers, "I must return."
"I know," Rin's tears had not stopped.
"Come out when your face is clean, you can't appear weak either," he wiped her eyes. "To answer if I was mad at you last night, I was angrier with myself for hurting you so, if my father were alive I would ask him how to control myself better, it's beneath this Sesshomaru to behave so." He kissed her one last time on the forehead before walking out of the room and leaving Rin to collect herself.
After he left Rin crumpled to her knees and continued her tears. I'm so miserable here.
Please Read And Review
Tefuya61 thanks for pointing out my mistake :)