The girl blinked sleepily as her eyes opened.

Though not much of an early riser, her last few years had ingrained in her the ability to function while only half conscious. Sometimes, that was a very good thing, when taking into account a certain loud mouthed hanyou.

At other times…

Strange colors and sensations were slowly filtering into her fogged brain.

She never remembered her sleeping bag looking like a huge fur throw...or the ground being so warm.

'Although just a bit lumpy', she thought with a frown.

She reached out and touched the fur.

Hmm… Felt real enough. Though she'd never felt anything so soft. She couldn't help running her fingers through it again with a small shiver of appreciation as it tickled her palm and wrist.

She debated simply letting the strange dream continue its course, but something was nagging at her. She wasn't altogether comfortable, her legs stiff. Something else was hurting and she blinked.

Then her eyes went wide and she abruptly joined the land of the living.

'That's not right.' THAT had never hurt before…Why was it now?

Kagome carefully reached out and curled her fingers into the fur, giving it a small tug. Frigid air gushed into the tiny gap, her breath a thick vapor, before she hurriedly pushed the fur back into place. The swift movement, however, jarred her and she gasped in pain.

The ground suddenly shifted under her…

Kagome went stone still…and so did the arms looped about her waist.

ARMS!!

Her heart thudded painfully in fear.

Other facts now began reporting in to her spinning mind.

She was naked.

Her bed, lumpy though it was, was as soft as velvet to the touch.

It shifted again, and she bit back a gasp. It was most definitely alive. And quite distinctly male, judging by the alien contours. One of which…

She whimpered as she became aware of just what was causing her discomfort. She couldn't help the quiver of fear that ran down her spine, and she bit her lip to stifle any other sound that felt the need to escape.

A small hand reached up and slowly pulled down the fur.

She had no idea what she had expected but it certainly wasn't this!

In all her time roving the feudal era, she had met many attractive male beings. The high youkai being amongst the most stunning.

One tiny secret she had always kept was the fact that she found Inuyasha's older brother to be the most handsome male she'd ever seen.

This male looked as if he'd been beaten near to death with the 'gorgeous-stick'.

The Killing Perfection had just been topped.

Now, Kagome hadn't forgotten her current position. No. But when one is placed into such an alien position, one observes all facts before jumping to hasty conclusions. 'Especially when in the clutches of a demon!'

1. Yes, she was naked. But she well remembered the night before and being from a modern time, was well aware of the best method of coping with hypothermia when out on the road.

2. And yes…he was inside her, but…she could feel no bruising on her body, nor the sting of claw gashes. So, apparently, violent sex wasn't his thing.

3. It was abundantly clear that he'd saved her life. And despite her fear (and the loss of her virginity, which she would mourn later) Kagome was a highly rational person. Her time spent around a highly irrational hanyou had honed her logic and judgment to a fine…patient…degree.

4. He would not have laid her atop his own person, dismissing his own comfort, if he intended to simply rape her and then walk away. It was not logical and therefore not likely of a high demon.

But oh, boy…was she in it this time.

She looked up at her apparent savior and could not help but give a sigh of delight at the sight of him.

He was quite obviously a predator. The powerful slope of muscle and fluid shift of tendon under velvety flesh the color of fresh snowfall proclaimed his nature rather distinctly.

Strangely, he reminded her just a bit of the Western Lord.

'Must have been the hair…'

Though this youkai's was even more beautiful. A pale shimmering silver, it flowed in a satin drift across the fur and over the cave floor. 'No bangs', she noted absently.

He shifted under her, yet again, and Kagome watched his face for signs of awareness.

She wasn't quite ready to deal with this yet.

Arced brows drew up as his lower lip tightened fractionally. That mouth was a work of art, Kagome thought absently. Wide, firm, and generous, the upper curved like a bow, the lower fuller and unabashedly sensuous.

He wasn't Japanese, she realized suddenly. The arrogant thrust of his jaw and high curve to his cheekbones were European, as were the shape of his eyes and the classically proportioned nose.

And his height…

Even connected as they were, her head barely brushed his shoulder. Great Kami, he was a giant! His arms were easily the diameter of her thighs!

She suddenly felt like she was being watched and found unblinking golden eyes scrutinizing her from under thick lashes.

She had shifted backwards as if to escape, when he hissed and tightened his arms to hold her still. His body gave a shudder, flexing gently inside her, before he once again went still with a low groan.

"Kyrr! Please...do not do that again," he murmured, eyes closing as his teeth clenched. Kagome gasped as the tone rippled over her skin like warm, thick honey. His voice was low and husky, with a faint purring lilt. His voice was sex.

He'd said please, she suddenly realized in awe a second later. High demons never said 'please'!

He lay for a few more moments, as if to calm himself, before his eyes opened once again to lock with her own.

"I'm guessing you would like an explanation," he finally said. "I didn't-"

"Rape me. I know."

One brow slid up in surprise, before his mouth quirked. "Thank the gods for that," he said quietly.

He sat up carefully, one arm wrapped under her backside to keep her from shifting and reached for his haori, helping her into the warm garment.

Kagome hugged the thick fabric to her small form, flinching as he slowly lifted her from his body. He seemed to wince in sympathy, gently closing her legs and lifting her to sit sideways in his lap after he'd donned his hakama.

"I'm sorry about that," he said. "I didn't have much of a choice."

She looked at him in question.

He eyed her. "How much do you know about Demons" He questioned.

"Some. My adopted sister is a taijiya, and she wanted to make certain I was not ignorant of your ways."

"Ahh…" a faint smile curved that beautiful mouth and Kagome felt her heart flutter a bit. "And did she inform you about ki sharing"

"Well, she said it was done to aid others but she didn't know how it was accomplished."

"Well….now you do."

For some reason, his tone made her blush and she heard his soft rumble of laughter in response, reminding her of his still heavy arousal as she shifted in his lap.

He felt her stiffen. "Ignore it," he said.

She looked at him in shock. "But-"

"It is nothing you need worry about."

Now Kagome was questioning whether or not she really was awake. She knew she wasn't much to look at, but his body was definitely responding to her. And he wasn't demanding she let him finish.

Her eyes caught on his striking markings as she pondered the situation. They were dark as sin over his pale skin, almost tribal looking as they flowed over heavy shoulders and around his collar bones like a torc, before coiling about his upper arms like tiger stripes. A pair of deep crimson stripes curved about his powerful wrists, another set licking over muscled hips, before dipping below the low-slung hakama.

He was truly exotic. But who was he?

"You mentioned explanations?"

"Quite. Ask away. I'll elaborate when needed."

The cold air once again gave her chills and he pulled her closer, wrapping them in the fur.

"First of all, who are you?"

He gave a hint of a smile. "I will answer. But two conditions."

She looked at him a bit oddly, but agreed.

"One, you remember that I haven't hurt you. Two, that explanations about me will have to come another day."

"I guess I can live with that."

"You know me."

Kagome looked him over in confusion. She was quite sure she'd never seen him before.

Then, before her astonished eyes, more markings seemed to bleed to the surface of his face.

That of two deep crimson slashes over his cheeks…And a blue, crescent moon on his brow.

Kagome felt her heart drop in an attempt to hide under her stomach.

Sesshomaru.