I do not own anything Inuyasha (Though I wouldn't mind owning Sesshoumaru for a while! LOL

Warning: Lemon here! (giggle)

Chapter Fourteen

Forbidden Ground

The silence in the garden encompasses them, isolating them from the world outside. Kagome remains unmoving under the now barren cherry tree, her heart skipping as she watches Sesshoumaru approach her. He walks silently through the snow, his long graceful stride swiftly carrying him to her. His long silver hair glints in the pale light coming from the castle behind him, making the snow seem dull in comparison. His gold eyes watch her, not the sharp, cold look he usually carries, the hard shell he shows the world. His eyes melt her heart with the emotion there, the evident concern and caring for her shaking her down to her very soul.

Sesshoumaru watches her watch him, his will to fight completely gone now as he watches the sadness and pain that had been in her eyes disappear as he nears, replaced now with a tender look that he had often seen her use when she is around Rin. He remembers how he used to yearn for her to look at him like that, just once. Now, as she watches him, he sees that tenderness but also more. A deep, soul wrenching emotion, one he had not seen in another's eyes in hundreds of years.

He stops near her and for a moment the silence is complete. They stare at each other, each wanting to cross that line but afraid to. The urge to reach out to her, to touch her, to take that sadness away sends him forward a step, Sesshoumaru hearing his own voice without realizing he is speaking.

"Kagome." He reaches his hand out to her, almost pleading, and for a moment he fears she will not take it but slowly her hand rises, her warm fingers sliding into his slowly. He guides her up to him, Sesshoumaru resting her hand against his chest before sliding his arm around her waist, pulling her against his body. Dipping his head down he buries his nose in her hair, inhaling her scent.

Kagome relaxes into his warmth, only realizing now how cold she was. Being so close to him sends her heart beating wildly in her chest and she rests her cheek against his chest, relishing the feel of his arm around her. His warmth, his touch, chases away the sadness and darkness in her heart and soul.

She is not sure how long they stand like that before Sesshoumaru draws back slightly, his hand leaving her back to rise enough to push the hood of her cloak back, letting her raven hair cascade freely over the stark white back. He threads his fingers through her hair slowly, starting at her temple and following the flow of her hair down. She closes her eyes, enjoying the gentle caress of his touch.

"Kagome?" She opens her eyes as he whispers her name to find his face just inches from hers. His gold eyes are staring into hers, as if searching her soul. "Why won't you talk to me?" The memory of her conversation suddenly comes back like a flood.

Sesshoumaru sees the wall coming up between them in her eyes and he feels his heart sink. I'm losing her again. "Kagome, please. Let me in. Talk to me." He pleads quietly. "Have I done something wrong? Have I upset you somehow?" He asks. She shakes her head and he can see the tears welling up in her eyes.

"It's not you." She says quietly. He continues to run his fingers through her hair slowly.

"What has upset you?" Kagome's lip trembles slightly and she hurried brushes away tears that are about ready to spill over.

"Why can't they know you like I know you?" She whispers, her voice trembling.

"Who?" He whispers to her, stepping forward to draw her closer. She looks up at him, not even trying to hide the tears now.

"Everyone." He stares down at her a moment, his hand leaving her hair to rest again on her back.

"What do you mean?"

"I was talking with Miroku and Sango tonight. They still see you as I saw you before..." Her voice dies away a moment before she continues. "They don't know you. They still see you only as his half brother. They only see all the things you have done that they believe is wrong. They think..." Her voice dies again and she looks away. He leans his head down, nudging her forehead lightly with his nose. As she looks up at him he smiles slightly.

"You can tell me." She inhales slowly.

"They think that you are only keeping me here to try and get the jewel from me without a fight. They believe that you are only using me. They think I should go home." She says, sounding somewhat rushed toward the end.

Sesshoumaru stares at her a moment, his eyes changing the emotions shifting. Kagome holds her breath, ready to stop him from going after her friends in anger after what they had said. To her surprise, he merely holds her tighter.

"Do you wish to go home?" He whispers. "Do not feel like you must remain here. You are not a prisoner here. If you ever wish to go home, you have to merely say the word." Kagome shakes her head, clinging to the cloth of his hayori.

"I don't want to go home. I want to stay here with you. That is what they can't understand. I am happy here. Happier than I ever was with the others or in my own time." She dips her head, nuzzling against his chest gently. "All I could ever ask for is to remain here with you." She says quietly. "As long as you want me here, I'll be here."

Sesshoumaru rubs her back slowly, lowering his head down to her up turned face. He rests his forehead against hers, the crescent moon on his forehead pressed against her skin as he smiles to her.

"I want you. Here, beside me, with me. I want you to boss Jaken around, I want you as a mother to Rin. I want you for myself. In every way for the rest of your days."

A wind suddenly blows through the garden, bringing them back to their senses and he steps back slightly, his hand still on her back. She shivers, the cold wind blowing her hair to one side. She steps forward, cuddling into his heat again and he chuckles slightly.

"Let's get you inside before you freeze."

In her rooms he makes sure the doors are shut and locked, Kagome disappearing around the barrier to her futon as Sesshoumaru checks and locks the front doors to her apartment.

When Kagome comes back around the barrier she has discarded the white cloak, clad now in her red kimono. She stops near him and he reaches out, fingering the cloth at her neck slowly.

"It took three days to find this cloth." He says quietly, a tinge of humor in his voice. "I never knew there was so much fabric down in the seamstresses shop." Kagome laughs slightly, putting her hand over his.

"I love it." He nods, stepping closer.

"May I stay tonight?" Kagome stares up at him a moment before nodding slowly.

"Tonight and every night after." She whispers, her hands drifting down to untie the belt around her obi. As the fabric comes away she lets it drop to the floor, her hands falling to her sides as she lets the outer kimono fall open. Sesshoumaru hesitates, watching her a moment and Kagome takes his hand, resting his hand on her shoulder near the edge of her kimono. She lets her hands fall, letting him make the decision.

Slowly Sesshoumaru slides the kimono fabric off one shoulder, than the other. Clad only in her inner kimono now she goes to untie the sash but he stops her.

"Don't do this unless you want to." He says quietly. "There will be no going back for both of us if we do this." He says gently. Kagome stares up at him, untying the sash to her inner kimono and letting it fall. Her kimono falls open slowly and she steps forward, her body against his.

"I have wanted this for months. I want you." She whispers. He nods, reaching out to her. Instead of touching her he pulls her inner kimono closed.

"Come with me." He says gently before taking her hand, her other hand holding her kimono closed as he guides her toward the baths.

In the baths Sesshoumaru turns to her, sliding his hand around her neck gently. Her eyes close and he slides his hand down her shoulder and arm, removing her inner kimono slowly. As he hangs it behind him he studies her.

The steam of the hot baths condenses on her skin, water droplets trailing down her exposed skin. She had not worn the undergarments from her era and stands before him now naked. Her long black hair glistens in the humid air, trailing down to her waist.

Kagome looks up at him, all her vulnerability and trust in her eyes. He steps forward and reaches out to her. She watches him as he slides his hand down her arm and takes her hand. He turns her slowly, steadying her as she steps into the bath. She lowers herself into the hot water and sighs, her eyes watching him as he easily sheds his hayori. She averts her eyes as he sheds his pants, not meeting his gaze again until he is in the bath with her.

He stands in the middle of the bath for a time, watching her. She stares back at him and smiles slightly. He stares at her, thoughts racing through his mind. Only one he can hear clearly though, and it rings through his mind as he slowly lifts his hand, palm up toward her.

Kagome rises slowly, hesitantly at first, before walking slowly toward him, sliding her hand into his. He guides her closer, until her body is just inches from his. He keeps his hand in hers as he leans his head down slowly, his entire body screaming for the feel of her lips on his. A jolt surges through him as his lips touch hers and he feels her relax slightly, allowing him entry into her mouth with a sigh.

His hand rises just enough to slide down her back as his head dips down, kissing her jawbone before moving to her neck. She gasps as he nuzzles her neck gently, his lips kissing her neck lightly. Her free hand touches his chest a moment before sliding down and to the side, tracing the curve of his narrow waist to rest just above his hip, her hand tracing the double purple stripes there. He has to pause a second to gather his thoughts, her touch nearly undoing him. After a second he releases her hand and it joins its companion, Kagome resting her hand on the other side of his hip. Sesshoumaru grips the back of her neck through her hair, guiding her head back slightly, supporting her head.

Kagome shivers, moving closer to him as she feels his tongue slide across her skin slowly, tracing the curve of her neck. Her hands tighten on his waist as a rush of passion sweeps through her body and it takes all her self restraint not to press her body against his lustfully.

Finished on one side he begins on the other, placing a kiss against her throat before moving. As he licks her neck slowly she can feel how tense he is beneath her hands. Letting passion guide her actions she slowly pulls his hips closer.

Kagome gasps and Sesshoumaru stills as their hips touch, the feel of their skin sliding against the others driving both of them breathless. Her breasts press against his chest and she can feel it vibrating as he growls, not a growl of anger but of passion. It makes Kagome's blood heat and she arches her back slightly.

"Kagome..." He growls, his hand tightening in her hair.

She looks up at him, seeing the passion in her eyes mirrored in his. She stretches up to kiss him but he draws back slightly. "Only if you truly want this. Think of what you are asking." He says quietly. She leans forward, whispering to him.

"I want this." She whispers. "I want you." He nods, his head dipping down to kiss her.

After breaking the kiss he guides her from the bath and wraps her inner kimono around her before guiding her into the outer room.

The air in her room is cold compared to the heat of the baths and she shivers slightly. He guides her toward the futon and sits her down. He kneels before her and Kagome unties the sash of her inner kimono, leaving it closed for him to decide when. He leans forward, Kagome whimpering as he passes her mouth and goes for her neck again, her whimper turns to a moan as his tongue traces her throat slowly.

"Have you ever...?" He asks quietly against her neck.

"No." He pauses, his gold eyes studying her.

She nods to his unspoken question, threading her hands into his hair and guiding his head back down to her neck.

Kagome leans back and he guides her down, both of them shifting until they are laying fully on the bed. Kagome rests her head on one of the pillows, Sesshoumaru settling his weight atop hers slowly. Her kimono falls open as Sesshoumaru slides down her body, tracing her collarbone with kisses.

Kagome's breath catches as his fingers brush the side of her breast and she nearly cries out as his mouth finds her breast, teasing her nipple slowly with his fangs. Her hands tangle into his hair as he lavishes her nipple, pausing just a moment before moving to the other. Kagome arches her back, her hips bumping his and her heart beats double time when she feels the sheer size of him against her leg.

Sesshoumaru's hand slides down, cupping her side gently and staying there a moment before venturing further south. His hips lift enough to allow his hand access and she gasps as his hand finds her center. His talons trail across her core and she trembles beneath him, gasping as wave after wave of pleasure washes over her.

He stops when he sees tears brimming her eyes.

"Have I hurt you?" He whispers. Kagome shakes her head, guiding him back up and kissing him passionately. Kagome spreads her legs wider as he settles himself between her legs.

He stares at her a moment, brushing the damp hair from her face. The question is there, she can easily read it in his eyes. Behind that question is a fire, just as intense as the one burning in her now, and for the first time she can see a kind of love in those eyes. She smiles up at him, brushing his hair from his eyes.

"I accept you into my body and heart." She whispers. He lifts his head enough to kiss her as he aligns himself to her, beginning to enter her slowly.

Kagome whimpers as he enters her, her body feeling slightly strained from his sheer size but her passion quickly makes her forget as she shivers. Unaccustomed to such raging emotions and the feel of him she lets him take control, following his unspoken commands. His hand traces her skin, his talons trailing down her skin making her shiver as he continues to sink deeper into her.

The tip of him touches her barrier and he pauses, tightening his grip on her hip and he thrusts forward, seating himself completely in her in one hard thrust. Kagome grunts and would have cried out if he hadn't been kissing her. Tears well up in her eyes and he waits for her, holding himself still above and inside her until she nods, lifting her head enough to press her lips to his.

He begins moving his hips slowly, giving her time to adjust and soon she is meet him in the slow tempo, Sesshoumaru letting her set the pace at first. Kagome's hands gliding over his skin, gripping his hips and urging him faster.

He moves his hips faster, driving himself deeper and deeper into her with each thrust, his speed increasing as the passion in them both rises. He slides his hand down, fitting his arm beneath her hips and lifting her hips up while he increases his tempo. Kagome grips the blankets beneath her, her passion filled eyes locked on him, watching him as he does her.

Kagome's eyes close as she climaxes, releasing a low moan as her body spasms around his, shivering from her head to her toes. Her legs shake as she wraps her legs around his hips and pulling him even deeper into her as he thrusts one last time before he climaxes.

Catching their breaths he slowly lowers her body to the futon, resting his body atop hers. He rests his head against her chest, his hand finding its way to her hair again. Kagome strokes his temple slowly, and he listens to the sound of the slowing beat of her heart.

"Will you be here in the morning?" She whispers, her fingers stroking his temple slowly.

Only death itself could take me from your arms. He thinks as he twines a curl of her hair around his finger.

"Yes, my mate..." He says quietly, the one solitary emotion that had hidden itself deep inside him for so long finally making itself known. "...my love."

Okay...you have GOT to tell me what you think. (That's not a demand, more like an urgent request. Lol) Hope you enjoyed!