Chapter 29

Pain

InuYasha sat watching in a tree, thinking over how his life had turned out. He hated it. Of all the outcomes he had thought of possibly happening, alone and hated wasn't one of them. He knew all of this was his fault. He had had someone perfect, but he had done the unthinkable, and now…he had to live with it.

How he just wanted to approach Kagome and apologize, beg even, for forgiveness. He knew the chances of getting her to accept an apology was slim to none, but he had to try. He almost had his chance to, but everything that could happen to interfere, happened, causing him to miss his chance to speak to the one who still held his heart.

He knew she had been captured by those traps. He had heard her whimpers and felt the earth shake as she had landed on the ground. It killed him, knowing that he had set the very things that may kill her. He had turned and started running in her direction when he literally ran into an old man.

He had very nearly torn the man's head off for getting in the way, but something had stopped him. After huffing, he had eventually helped the male to his feet. He had been about to leave when said male had begun thanking him and started a conversation.

Quite a few times, InuYasha had tried to get away, but the man just continued to talk. Just before InuYasha left rudely, the man had pulled out a sword. He called it the sword of destruction, Tessaiga. InuYasha's curious nature had gotten the best of him, and he had stayed to see it.

He had been surprised, however, when the elder had told him he could have it. The man said it needed to find its brother, and by giving it to InuYasha, that was what would happen. Greedily, InuYasha had taken the sword and pulled it from its sheath.

He had been surprised to see a rusted up hunk of metal, and was about to ask the man what the hell he was talking about, but when he had looked up, the man was gone, almost as if he had never been there. InuYasha had very nearly thrown the sword away. There was no way it would cut through anything.

However, something told InuYasha not to. So, he had placed it on his hip, under his obi, and returned to heading towards his destination. Of course, fate was not on his side, and he had been going too fast to notice his surroundings.

An oni had decided it needed to relieve itself right in the path InuYasha was on. InuYasha, being in such a hurry, had no chance of stopping in time. He had dive-bombed into a still warm pile of excrement.

He came up gagging and cursing up a storm. Knowing he had already wasted too much time, he had taken off, ignoring the warmth and smell of the shit that coated every part of him. He was so close that he could hear Kagome's tiny whimpers, and he knew she was bad off.

Just before he barged into the clearing she was in, he had noticed something out of the corner of his eye. A full-grown kitsune was slowly approaching the fallen miko, and InuYasha recognized him immediately.

Shippo.

He had been caught off guard because he could've sworn he had killed the male when he was just a kit. Not wanting to get caught, he had jumped high into a tree and watched as the kit approached his mother. It was apparent they hadn't seen each other in quite some time.

Unfortunately for InuYasha, Shippo had run for help, and any chance he had to speak to Kagome was shattered. So instead, he had watched. He would make sure she didn't die if it was the last thing he did. Soon, help would be there for her, and she would be freed.

One time, when she had passed out from the pain, he had jumped from his perch and walked towards her. He had run his hands through her fur, glad that he had been able to wipe off the shit that coated his hands beforehand. He would never want to taint her again, in any way.

While he was looking her over, he had noticed that she was breathing shallowly, how her throat almost seemed raspy, as if it was dry. He lifted his nose and sniffed the air. Growling at the scent of himself, he finally filtered through the scents and found what he was looking for.

Taking another look at Kagome, he had run in the direction needed, eventually coming across a stream. The tree beside him held large leaves, and InuYasha had plucked one, folding the leaf to look like a boat. He let it fill up with water, being sure that he didn't wash away anymore of the filth coating him. It would hide his scent from his brother.

When it was full, he had made his way back to Kagome, glad she was still unconscious. Gently, he had poured the water into her mouth, helping her to drink what she could. When he was sure she had gotten enough, he had patted her nose and looked her over again.

His eyes had caught sight of the white moon on her skin and he sighed. He knew from the conversation between Kagome and the kit that she was now mated to his brother. He also knew that he would never get Kagome back, but that didn't stop the devastating loss from coursing through his veins. She was forever out of his league now.

The sounds of the kit and his brother approaching caught his attention and he had grabbed the leaf and jumped back into the tree he was sitting in before. He noticed that the moment Sesshomaru came to her side, she had awoken.

Just more evidence that she had a stronger bond with Sesshomaru than she ever had with him. As InuYasha had watched his brother call his army, then comfort the miko with a gentleness never before seen out of his brother, InuYasha knew.

Sesshomaru gave Kagome what InuYasha never could. Even with all of the hurt and pain he had caused the woman he loved, his brother came along and healed her, then filled any holes left with his love for the tiny woman.

InuYasha damaged Kagome, ruining her light. Sesshomaru caused her light to shine brighter than it ever had before. If he had stayed with Kagome, even now, when he was changing the way he thought, eventually, she would have burned out.

Apologizing to her was pointless because, even if she forgave him, he could never associate with her, not without tainting everything she was. So, he would never attempt to approach her again. Instead, he would watch over her, making sure the East failed in whatever plans they created to harm her.

He would be her secret guardian.

Even now, a few days later, he still vowed to stick by that silent promise. Nothing except his death would stop him from protecting the one he loved, even from afar. The East would not succeed. Because Kagome was their lady, the West would win.

All of his thoughts were brought to a halt when a very large, and very recognizable, aura slammed into him, knocking him out of the tree he was perched in. He sat up from his fallen position and looked towards where he knew the palace was.

"Damn wench."

-sSs-

Kagome stood in the dojo, looking at her opponent. Sesshomaru had taken his best archer and swordfighter from his army and ordered them to retrain her. She couldn't thank him enough. Sure, she was still good at fighting, but she had been much better with her other arm.

The bow was easy enough. She just needed to perfect her aim again and it wouldn't take very long for that to happen. The sword, however, was a different story. No matter which way you looked at it, her shoulder was going to impair her fighting.

Already, her teacher had forced her to submit a few times, then immediately apologized for beating the Lady of the West. All of it was getting to Kagome. How weak she felt, how everyone acted as if she was fragile now.

The moment she got caught in the traps and injured, everything had changed. She wasn't respected because of her strength anymore. She was no longer the strong miko that had won the hearts of the West through her kindness and strength.

She was now the female that had mated the lord. Nothing more. There were even rumors and bets that Sesshomaru would soon be finding a new mate to replace her, all because she was no longer strong.

Just the thought of how quickly people turned on her told her that she had never really had their support. She had been the lord's concubine and, eventually, mate. She herself hadn't gained anyone's respect and that caused fury to course through her veins.

What did she have to do to gain her own respect? Hell, she had already given her life for the West and birthed the heir, even if no one knew. There wasn't anything left for her to do and it was infuriating.

The quick movement of Kagome's opponent brought her from her thoughts. Instantly, she lifted her sword and blocked the attack. Already, she could feel the strain of training, but she bit back the pain and pushed forward.

Using her sword, she pushed the male back and spun quickly, aiming for his legs. He jumped at the last second, landing a few feet back. Kagome wasted no time in charging and attacking again, this time raising her sword above her head.

Sesshomaru chose this time to walk into the dojo, his son and the kitsune following behind him. He could feel Kagome's anger through their bond and knew exactly what was causing it. What she didn't realize was that she did have the respect of his people, and she had won it all on her own.

Someone in his palace was creating those rumors and spreading them around in an attempt to get Kagome down, to make her feel that she wasn't worthy enough to be the Lady of the West. He only knew this because quite a few of his servants and guards had approached him to tell him what they had heard.

Sesshomaru had a very good idea who was acting like a pup but had no proof to accuse the demon. He would have to search for the first person who spread the rumor to find out where they had heard it from, and that would be hard with how many people he had in the West.

He could feel his son and Shippo behind him, both watching their mother just as much as he was. Seeing her fight would always leave Sesshomaru awestruck, even while she was injured. She was magnificent, her body moving fluidly with her expertise. It was almost as if she had been born to fight like this, and he was sure she very possibly had. After all, she needed to protect the Shikon Jewel.

He watched as she charged the male he had asked to train her and noticed the way her arm trembled. She had been training for a few hours, and she had to be in excruciating pain, but she continued to push forward.

Just when he thought she was going to force her opponent to submit, the male spun around her, grabbed her sword, and threw it to the ground, ending it all by holding his sword to her throat from behind her.

Sesshomaru took a step forward but stopped when he felt a pulse of power suddenly. The male holding Kagome jumped back immediately, dropping his sword as the power pulsed again.

"Oh shit…" Youta mumbled before running and jumping behind a wooden bench, his head popping over the top to watch. Shippo looked confused for a second before realizing what was happening and went to join his brother.

Sesshomaru also knew what was about to occur, but he knew he would survive a direct hit. Kagome had reached her limit. Her anger at once again loosing sent the fury she had been feeling over the top. She was letting it all out in the only way she knew how.

She was venting…her reiki and aura.

Another pulse and this time, Sesshomaru's skin began to tingle. He had to admit that he liked the feeling of the slight burn on his flesh. He may have to ask Kagome to tease him with it at a later time.

Normally, he would attempt to calm his mate, but he, himself, had once done something similar, and for a being of incredible power, releasing it like this could be good. So, he stood and watched, anxious to know the full extent of his mate's power.

She pulsed again, but this time, her back arched and her arms flew out to the side. Her hair, which had been dangling when she leaned back, was now beginning to float around her, the sheer power around her flowing from her body. Her feet slowly lifted from the ground as her pulsing began to pick up, going much further than it did the last time.

The tingling on his skin was growing, and he couldn't stop the arousal that coursed through his body if he wanted to. He was an inu daiyokai, a being attracted to power, and this was power. He had never felt something so tastefully erotic before in his life, and he was painfully hard in an instant.

"Leave!" Sesshomaru snarled to everyone currently in the room with him and his mate. There was no way he would be able to control himself the moment she released all of her pent-up energy. He knew she would be suffering just as much as he was, and he would help her, just as she would help him.

He waited until everyone had scurried away before approaching Kagome, his eyes never leaving her. Pulse after pulse flew over his skin, a few causing him to groan in pure pleasure. He noticed the way her eyes were no longer blue but, instead, a swirling pink.

Finally, the release he had been waiting on from her happened. All in one surge, her aura shot out, followed by her reiki. He knew the West was safe. Even in this state, she wouldn't harm anyone, but that didn't change the effects of her reiki. Most likely, the entire West would be overrun with arousal from it.

Honestly, they needed it. The war that had been hanging over their heads for months had tensions high, and Kagome would most likely help to relieve it. So, as her power caressed him in the most delicious way in that final surge, he savored it, memorized it, and worshiped it.

When it began to subside, he was left panting and harder than he had ever been before. It was when she began coming back to the ground that he removed his clothing and waited, his hand gripping his cock as his eyes bled red.

Slowly, her feet touched the dojo floor, her hair returned to rest on her back, her arms fell to her sides, and her eyes returned to blue. When she was finally back to normal, she was panting just as much as he had been.

It wasn't until he growled that her eyes met his. It took one second for her to register what was happening and then she removed her clothes. The moment her kimono hit the ground, she was pushed against the wall, her breasts smashed against it.

Knowing she was most likely dripping from what had happened, he quickly impaled her with his shaft, groaning as her tight, weeping walls gripped at his length. His chest brushed against her back as he slammed his hips into hers. His hands held her wrists against the wall, helping to hold her up, feeling that she was on her tippy toes from his height and his demanding thrusts.

His fangs ran across her skin, drawing blood so he could lap it up, loving the way it still tasted of the power she had just released. He was in no way gentle and she loved every minute of it. He ravished her body, drank her blood, nipped her skin, and forced her into submission in every possible way, all while pushing her against the wall.

Orgasm after orgasm wracked through her body, forcing her to call out repeatedly until her voice went hoarse. Sounds of the West mating swirled around them as the lord took his lady as roughly as he could manage. None would question her strength now, and some would even ask her to show it again.

Just as he was a demon that loved the taste of power, so did his subjects. Feeling such a thing heightened any experience between a male and female. Knowing that their lady could do such a thing for them, she would now be the favorite person of the West, even over their lord. Not that he could blame his people because he would definitely be asking her to repeat her actions again.

Finally, Sesshomaru reached his end. His hips slammed against hers one last time, locking in place as he roared his release for all to hear. His seed filled his little mate so hard, she was forced into another, and final, orgasm, drawing out even more of his essence and not stopping until their mixed juices fell from her cunt and to the floor between their feet.

More sated then he had ever been, Sesshomaru leaned his head against Kagome's good shoulder, panting heavily as he released her wrists and wrapped his arms around her waist. He gently picked her up and walked to a different spot, away from their mess, before collapsing to the ground, his back against the wall, his mate in his lap, and his member still buried deeply inside of her.

"That..." Kagome panted, still not completely able to make a coherent thought.

"That was incredible. I do believe the West will ask you to release your power quite often." Sesshomaru informed, nuzzling his face into her neck and licking her mating mark.

"If this is the reaction I get, I would happily oblige." Kagome chuckled, blushing slightly as multiple roars sounded out around them and she realized just what her power caused. I guess one way into people's hearts is sex…

-sSs-

Hehe. This just kind of took a life of its own with the lemon, but I still kind of like it. Sorry it has taken so long, I am trying to finish up my other stories. I only have one left, other than this one which is nowhere near being finished. I also posted up a one shot recently if you all want to check it out. It is a Sess/Kag pairing and called Approaching the Unapproachable. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and can forgive me for how long it has taken.

Shout Outs:

RedDrake323: I am glad you liked the last chapter. Thank you for reviewing as always.

Lilacbloomstar: The dynamic between the two brothers will remain the same. They accept each other, but there will always be sibling rivalry. Lol.

Slvrphoenx: Kagome is going to have to learn how to handle two full grown boys. Lol. No, I'm not going to put anything in about them explain Youta and Kagome's pregnancy to Shippo because it was already in the story earlier, and I didn't want to have to repeat it. It is assumed that she told him in the last chapter, and I'll just leave it at that.

Wren210: Don't worry, Yamato will still get put in his place. I am making him a petty character, as by the rumors stated in this chapter, plus more that he will attempt to do in the future. A lot of people write Shippo as the good little boy that Kagome raises, but as you said, Kagome wasn't there, plus he's a fox and I just wanted to add a little humor with Shippo's character. I hope this chapter was everything you had been hoping for when it came to InuYasha and Kagome while she was in the traps.

LazuriteSix: No, Kagome doesn't have any healing powers. At least not in my story. The only story I have written were she has any kind of healing ability is unwanted love and unexpected love and even then it's just speedier healing, not immediate. The only thing she did with the soldiers for healing was normal healer stuff, like herbs and bandages, not her reiki. I hope this answers your questions.

I do not own InuYasha.