We're hosting a kogkag Halloween event on tumblr and I set out to start writing the murky idea in my head. My intention was to have this finished and posted through the past week - but here we are on Friday and I'm now posting Chapter 1. This story has grown far larger than anything I was ever expecting. I have the first three chapters written and am hoping to post a chapter a week until it's done.

A huge thank you to Madison, misstiph, and beckawrites for their beta services on this fic. All mistakes are mine and they have been valuable in this endeavor.

Let me know what you think!

"What are you doing for Halloween?" Sango asked as they went through the seasonal aisles. Already, Sango had three lawn ornaments and half a dozen small decor items, all themed for the haunted house she threw every year. It may have only been the first week of October, but she was in high gear getting everything ready to open halfway through the month.

A Medusa head caught Kagome's eye, the plastic looking like stone.

"Oh, that's really cool." Sango joined her as they studied the piece. "It looks like the eyes light up when someone walks past."

Kagome smiled, checking the bottom for the price tag. $30 wasn't terrible considering how realistic it looked, but it was still a little more than she was comfortable spending.

"Are you going to get it?"

"Maybe later," Kagome answered as she put it back, already regretting the decision. But where would she put it? She was never one to decorate for Halloween considering she always went out to other parties. That wasn't happening this year and this was the first decor piece she really, really liked, but it still didn't justify the price.

Sango didn't say anything, but Kagome didn't have to see her friend to know which look she was currently receiving. Halloween was one of Kagome's favorite times of the year and she knew why she wasn't feeling much up to anything right now.

"You going to swing by the house at some point?"

Breathing out a sigh of relief that Sango avoided the topic Kagome wasn't talking about, she considered the question. "Of course. Is there a specific night I should go?"

"You mean other than Halloween?"

"Yeah, I mean other than Halloween."

Sango's silence was not promising to Kagome.

"You know why I can't do Halloween."

"But it's a full moon!" Sango insisted. "And a Saturday night and we're gaining an extra hour. It'll be the best one yet!"

Kagome was already shaking her head. "I know, it's a great year for Halloween, but I can't. Not this year. Maybe next year when…"

"When it doesn't hurt as much?"

It didn't hurt as much now. Well, not really. It still hurt, but the sharp stabbing pain she used to feel had dulled down to a longing ache. However, mixed with something they used to do together every year, Kagome didn't want to chance it. "Yeah, when it's not so fresh."

"I get it. I hate it, but I get it." Sango added more lights, these the little green ones they hid along he walking path that she usually had to replace every year after people walked over them. "What about the night before? We usually have a good turnout on Fridays so you won't be completely alone."

Kagome fished out her phone, looking over her calendar to make sure she could do that. "I think that might work," she answered, already adding in the event. "I'll ask around and see if anyone else wants to come."

They continued through the store, finally joining the line for checkout when Sango looked at her, really looked at her. Kagome knew what she was thinking and just hoped this wouldn't be another rehashing of the same conversation she'd been having since the breakup.

So what if it had already been three months? She was allowed to take her time getting over things, especially when it lasted for two and a half years.

"Are you doing anything on Halloween?"

The question surprised Kagome — it wasn't what she expected. A neat side-step, something she really appreciated. "I don't know," she answered honestly. "I considered dressing up and passing out candy to the trick-or-treaters, which I might still do just to have something, but I don't know if I want to do anything else."

Sango's eyes warmed at the idea. "You know, I could probably talk to Kohaku. See if he could work for me instead—"

"No." Kagome shook her head, killing that idea before Sango finished it. "You love your haunted house and that's the best night of the year. Don't stop it for me."

"Kagome."

"No, really, I'll be fine." At Sango's pointed look, she clarified. "Really. Not lie-to-my-friends-and-wallow-in-self-pity fine, but figure-out-something-new-and-fun-for-single-me fine. You've been doing these houses even before we started dating and I used to do all sorts of things. I can figure it out again and I'll have a lot of fun."

They moved up the line, three more customers still ahead of them before they could pay.

"The trick-or-treaters idea sounds really neat," Sango finally said. "I think there are more young families in your new neighborhood."

That was one upside of having to move out of the home she'd had for the last year and a half. She might actually get a healthy amount of kids coming up to her door.

"Do you have a costume picked out?"

"Not yet," she answered, mulling over the idea, "but I'm sure I can figure out something. And I could probably get a few little things to decorate around my door."

"Don't forget about carving a pumpkin."

She loved carving pumpkins. "I could make it a theme!"

The customer ahead of them turned and Kagome's cheeks heated at her outburst.

"Any ideas?" she asked in a lower voice. "It'll have to be cheap and easy, I'm starting from scratch here."

Sango's answering smile was downright mischievous. "I know just where to start."

…

There was nothing quite like fall. Walking home from the craft store with a few bags in hand was a much different experience in October than it was in July. The breeze was nice, the air was crisp, and the sun wasn't beating down on her neck. She could take her time and actually enjoy being outside instead of hurrying as fast as she could while also trying not to soak her clothes in sweat.

Her townhome was shaping up. As she turned on her street, she could see little bits of the decorations she'd been slowly piecing together over the last week and a half. Sango had almost gone overboard with all the DIY ideas she had that wouldn't break the bank and Kagome had enjoyed doing them. It definitely helped fill the free time she had after work now that she was living alone again. It was a little quiet at first, but she was surprised at how easily she adapted to working on her own schedule instead of catering to someone else's.

Her wreath became clearer the closer she got, the black leaves and vines a dark background to the purples and greens decorating around. She'd never had a wreath before, choosing her storage space for other things, but with the new space she wanted to have fun. Try new things she'd always wanted to try, but never had.

It wasn't the new start she knew some people did when their lives shifted and changed, but it was a second beginning she was starting to truly appreciate.

The church bells rang then, signaling the six o'clock hour. At first she had been weary of the chime, but they'd started to grow on her. The somber tone and lingering chime melded perfectly with the autumn air as the trees turned orange and helped keep her grounded when she was working. She was starting to see the charm of the more family-centered neighborhoods over the hustle and bustle closer to the inner areas of the city.

Pulling her keys from her bag, she let herself into her house just long enough to drop off her purchases before heading right back outside. Another walk through the streets was all she wanted — a newly added part of her routine that kept her active.

Kagome wasn't sure she needed the mental break after her impromptu shopping trip, but her feet were itching to follow their path and move. Maybe she could swing by the deli and pick up something easy for dinner before starting on her next step to complete her Halloween decorations.

People were returning from work as she walked past, nodding and waving hello at the ones who stopped to greet her. It was such a change to get that bit of familiarity with those that lived around her, but that was part of settling down. Kagome hadn't initially chosen this rental in an effort to settle down, more that she really wanted something she could afford that was different — and wouldn't have her crossing paths with her recent ex. This worked for that perfectly and if it was starting to have more charm of its own, well, that was a nice bonus.

The park was coming up on her left, something she always loved walking past. Right about now, there would be a pickup basketball game being played on the court and a few of the regulars would be in the dog park to let their pets run. Past that would be another stretch of houses and then she would be at her favorite site — the statues.

It was another park, smaller and less of a recreational area for people to play in. There a memorial was posted, a few statues celebrating historical people had who once lived in this quaint corner of the city, and along the edge of the area were sheets of concrete shooting ten feet up to make a wall. On the other side of the wall were the church grounds that sang her alarm every evening.

The wall didn't belong to the church and in fact predated both the church and the memorial park. She'd looked around for a plaque or stone that held the story, but never found anything and none of her neighbors had any answers either. She'd always intended to research it online when she got home from her walks, but her mind scurried elsewhere as soon as she walked through her front door.

Pulling out her phone, she tapped a reminder to ping in two hours when she knew she would be home and settling in for the night to look up the history on the memorial. No way she was going to be forgetting that.

As she neared the memorial, she couldn't help but gaze up in awe at the intricacy of the statues. One of the figures was a man on a rearing horse, the craftsmanship remarkable in the way tension lined the muscles in the horse's legs. It was an old general who fought in one of the wars, turning the tide to save the town villagers who hadn't had time to flee a brutal ambush. This wasn't the only statue for him in the city, but it was one of the oldest.

On the other side of the area stood a man standing over a fallen tree, furs around his shoulders and covering the ground at his feet. There was a shotgun propped on his shoulder and his face was hard and weathered. The plaque told the story of a man who faced a pack of rabid wolves, saving a group of schoolchildren from being torn to shreds.

Kagome always felt uneasy when reading this story, the narrative more sensationalized than the dry history of the previous statue. There was no further information about the wolves or how the children were left alone in the ravine the story took place, only a small addendum that referred her to one of the city's museum as owner of this particular piece.

Which was another thing that seemed odd. The museum owned the statue and not the city? Granted, there were bits of idiosyncrasies like this scattered throughout, but again, it added toward her lingering doubt of the true story.

Maybe when she looked up the story of the wall, she'd have the time to look into this wolf-hunter as well.

Moving past the space, she approached the wall and reached out, running her hand over the concrete as she continued through the park. There were weeds growing up from the bottom and vines carelessly perched along the top and absolutely nothing else in between. Almost like nothing could.

She didn't know why this wall fascinated her so much, but it had become such a part of her nightly walks that she couldn't imagine not thinking about it. Maybe it was because there was no story attached to it that kept the mystery alive.

Her hand fell back to her side as she came to the end of the wall and returned to the sidewalk. She'd continue around this curve in the street, then two more turns would lead her home. The deli would still be open and she wondered if the friendly employee would be working tonight. He hadn't done anything too much, but sometimes she wondered if his overly-friendly moments were intended to be something else.

Her mind glided along the rest of her walk, following her into eating her dinner and starting on her craft project of the night, not once noticing that the reminder in her phone never went off — or even still existed.

…

It wasn't until a few days later that Kagome remembered the reminder. She was on another walk, this one on a cool Saturday morning while the neighborhood was still sleepy, just barely beginning to stir. Few cars and fewer people on the sidewalks, the main park only held a scattering of people who enjoyed their early morning runs.

She liked this moment in her week, a quiet walk that let her decompress. She'd pulled on a coat, the air cooler in that dewy morning before the sun had completely risen and warmed up the asphalt. Soon, she'd be pulling on snow boots and mittens — and she couldn't wait. It would be beautiful. Just the thought of all the twinkling lights and Christmas cheer decorating the neighborhood put a smile on her face. She couldn't wait to start picking out her own.

As she neared the memorial and the wall, she stopped. Pulling out her phone, she opened her reminders and found nothing. Not a missed one, not a silenced one, not even one she input the wrong date for. Absolutely nothing related to the wall and its mysteries.

That was odd. She could have sworn she tapped it in.

Shuffling off the sidewalk and onto the grass around the general, she started tapping in a new reminder when she stopped. It was early, there was no one around, and she wasn't in a hurry. Why not look it up now?

Pulling up her browser, it was a few taps on the screen before she was looking up the wall that held all the stories. The first search held nothing, so she tried the memorial's name. That gave her a few results that explained the history of the memorial — who carved the statues, who picked out the land, when the plaques were added, all general information.

Finally, a footnote at the bottom of an article gave her a bit more to go on.

The Illethai Mobre, roughly translated to Great Dam, is older than the city itself. It used to be a barrier of trees and branches too thick to see through until a great storm tore through the foliage in 1849. The Albari people commissioned for the replacement with the monument you see today and it was erected in 1851. Ten feet high and thirty-two feet across, they say the presence of Illethai Mobre keeps the city safe from all misgivings.

Now that was interesting. This concrete was a replacement for a natural barrier? It must have been a sight in its original form.

Why was there no plaque? Where was the story? With the rest of the history around, surely someone must want that story to be told. It would be a neat addition to their little area.

Sliding her phone back in her pocket, she looked back at the wall. Thirty-two feet was an odd number. Why not an even thirty? Though as she looked at it, she could almost see why. It fit the land. Up north of the wall was the ravine the wolf-hunter supposedly found those children, to the south the river. Knowing it had once been made up of trees, she could see how it would have formed naturally to the earth.

Interesting that they called it a dam. She didn't know much about the Albari, having not grown up in this area, but she knew they were prevalent in the city's history. Miroku might know more — he always seemed to have a penchant for knowing things like that. Between him and Sango, Kagome was more than confident she could find out what she needed to know, or at least sent in the right direction.

She would have to wait a couple days, though. Tonight was the opening night for their haunted house. There was no way she was adding anything onto this weekend for them.

Moving closer, Kagome continued on her normal walk. The concrete was cold against her palm this morning, nothing surprising, and she slowly continued along the length. What would this look like made of trees? And why would this be necessary?

It had probably been a natural formation. Storms and wind bent the trees as they were growing, decades without any outside interference would add quite the shape. It only made sense that early settlers found a meaning for it. All sorts of things were left up to chance and a belief in magic was a good alternative when one didn't know the nature behind it.

Still, 'misgivings' was an interesting word choice. No talks of evils, just misgivings. She wondered why the people had chosen to give it that name.

At the end of the wall, Kagome turned and looked back to the long expanse. Up along the line, she wondered why it was only ten feet high. Surely the trees would have continued growing higher than that. Maybe she could find more information about the commission of the wall and the storm that tore down the natural barrier.

Either way, Kagome was certain there would be some story available for her to find.

…

"The house looks amazing." Kagome walked through Sango's home, taking in everything they'd created this year. Even after opening weekend, they were adjusting things, moving items, touching up the decor to enhance every effect they could.

"Thanks," Sango called from the kitchen. "We had a good opening, but I have to figure out where to move the dry ice bins. They didn't quite reach everywhere we wanted them to reach."

"What's wrong with where they were last year?"

"We used that last year," came the immediate answer. "You know I hate repeating things."

Kagome smiled, looking up at the werewolf fixture Miroku had discovered three years ago. It hung from the ceiling and could be programmed to swing out into the doorway. It was one of Sango's favorites to move around — people could never be certain which doorways were safe.

"How's your decorating going?"

Kagome turned into the kitchen to see Sango drying the last of the dishes. "It's going well. A few of my neighbors liked the wreath."

"I told you it was a good idea."

"And I went back for that Medusa head."

Sango's smile said everything Kagome expected it to say. "And?"

"I love it." Kagome smiled at the memory of its first day on her porch. "A lot of the kids love it, too. It looks like real stone, it's made a few of them jump already."

"Perfect. I can't wait to see it."

"Kagome!" Miroku walked in from their garage entrance, pulling her into a hug before she could respond. "So good to see you! I haven't seen you—"

"Since Monday," Kagome answered dryly, returning his hug easily.

"Exactly. And it's Friday. That's too long."

Kagome rolled her eyes as Miroku stepped back and greeted his girlfriend by way of a hand on her ass and a smooth kiss on her lips. "Good afternoon, beautiful."

Sango huffed, a smile peeking on her lips. "Hello, flirt. Wipe down the counters for me?"

Miroku was already grabbing a rag, cleaning off the countertops as Sango put the last pan in the cabinet. "So we're heading to your house tonight, right?" he asked Kagome. "Sango's been telling me about the projects you've been working on."

"They're nothing like what you guys put together here, but I've been enjoying them."

"And I've been putting this together for almost ten years," Sango responded as she washed her hands and dried them on the towel she'd been using. "That's not a fair comparison."

"Still," Kagome said looking around the creepy cave they turned their back den into, "I'm so used to seeing your decorations, it's hard not to overthink it."

"I can't wait to see what you've done," Miroku said. "It will be nice to remember what it's like to be a normal person on Halloween."

"Hey!" Sango's protest was paired with a snap of the towel at his butt.

He laughed as he danced away, out of towel reach from his peeved girlfriend, a teasing look on his face. "I'm not wrong, This," he waved his hand at the spiderwebs hanging from the ceiling, "is definitely not normal."

Sango's answer was to grumble as she hung the towel onto the oven's handle, though Kagome could see her eyes dancing.

"You guys ready?" she asked, a pang tugging at her heart at the affection they both held for each other. Not that she begrudged them having a healthy, successful relationship — she just missed it. Having someone to laugh and tease and smile with.

Sango grabbed her purse as Miroku flicked off the lights and before long, they were on their way out the front door and down the street. It wasn't a trek to Kagome's new home, but it was a decent walk. Over the summer when she'd first moved in it had been way too hot to consider walking the distance, but it was nice to be out now.

"Miroku," Kagome said as they turned on the first block, "have you heard the story about the Illethai Mobre?"

"The what?"

"You know that huge concrete wall in my neighborhood? Lining the land between the memorial and the church? That's apparently what it's called."

"Illethai Mobre is Albarian, isn't it? I know the Albari were early settlers in this area, but that seems odd that they would name a concrete wall."

"I tried looking it up the other day. Apparently there used to be a natural wall made from trees and branches that spanned the length of where the wall is now. They said a storm took out the trees, so the Albari commissioned a concrete wall to replace it 'to ward off misgivings'."

"That sounds a little ominous," Sango said, tucking her hands into the pockets of her coat.

"Hmm." Miroku studied Kagome, withdrawing deep in thought. "I've heard a few of their myths and legends, but they never mentioned any wall of any kind." One hand went up, his eyes brightening as he turned back. "Though I never knew it was called Illethai Mobre. That name might have shown up somewhere."

He pivoted on his heel, causing Kagome and Sango to stop mid-step.

"I'll be right back," he called over his shoulder as he ran back toward their house. "I have a book on those legends and it might be in there."

Sango laughed as he ran, sidestepping out of the middle of the path. "Now you've done it. We're going to be hearing about every myth all night."

Kagome smiled, knowing her friend wasn't at all complaining about the turn of events. While Miroku's interest in the Albari legends might not have been Sango's, she still enjoyed listening to his passion.

"What made you look up the wall's history?"

"I've always wondered," she said. "Both of the statues have plaques that give their history and names, but the wall doesn't. And everyone I've spoken to has confirmed that the wall was there first and belongs to neither the city or the church."

"That's really odd. I thought it was part of the memorial."

"I did, too." Kagome fell silent, the odd event with her unreliable phone coming to mind for some reason.

"I know that face. Did something happen?"

Kagome shook her head. "Not really? I don't know, I just get a strange feeling around it. I think my mind's been playing tricks on me."

"I mean, it's been a little stressful for you," Sango said in the 'careful' tone that came up whenever she broached Kagome's breakup. "Have you been getting enough sleep?"

"Yes, mother." Kagome nudged Sango's shoulder. "I've been doing good, I promise."

"I just worry."

"I know and I appreciate that," she shot her friend a smile, "but I'm doing good. I'm happy. I've settled. I started decorating for Halloween."

The concern creasing Sango's eyebrows faded as she grinned. "I'm so excited to see what you've done."

Pounding footsteps behind them had them turning, Miroku jogging up the sidewalk to meet them, book in hand.

"That didn't take long," Kagome said as he slowed to a stop.

"I knew it wouldn't." They started walking again, Miroku's runner stamina something Kagome envied. "I wanted to grab a few books, but figured this one would be a good start."

The Oral Teachings of the Albari: A Collection the title read, the cover a beautiful illustration of a dense forest opening up to the cliff of a mountain overlooking a large expanse of land. Almost just like looking out into a new world full of things you could only find in stories.

"There are a few in here that I want to check out," Miroku said as he opened the book and flipped through a few pages. "See if we can find something that could resemble what this could have been."

"Sounds like it might work. Thanks!"

"Anytime." He smiled and Kagome was once again grateful for having such good friends. "What do you two want to have for dinner?"

…

Sango was skimming through one of the stories in Miroku's book, Miroku was in the kitchen on the phone with one of his friends, and Kagome was sitting at her table on her laptop, all three of them trying to hunt down the same information.

While helpful and thorough, Miroku's book was a dead end and contained no mention of the Illethai Mobre. Sango had the idea to search for a barrier to prevent misgivings while Kagome was following the Google trail from the original article she'd found. After finishing his portion of the Chinese food they'd ordered, Miroku had the idea to call one of his college friends, another history buff who enjoyed the local history of the Albari.

So far, she was finding nothing.

It didn't make sense. All mentions and articles spoke as if knowledge of the wall was common and easily attainable, but nothing held the actual information she was looking for. News of the tree barrier also came up empty — Kagome couldn't even figure out what time of the year the storm that tore it down happened. She'd started looking up the trail behind the commission for the piece when Miroku pulled out his phone and began calling in old favors.

"Anything?" Kagome asked Sango quietly, hoping she would have been able to find something in the book they hadn't. Sango had always been great at piecing together bits of information, seeing through to the truth when reading old documents and journals.

"Maybe," came a murmured response. Sango's eyes narrowed and after a moment, she shifted to slide the book to where Kagome could see it. "This chapter talks about Albari superstitions and how they came to be. This one in particular talks about warding off misgivings, but I can't figure out what that's supposed to mean."

Kagome skimmed through the superstition, barely taking in what it was saying before reaching the sentence Sango was referring to. A heap of actions to 'ward off misgivings' and not much else was said. "It's just weird that it's using the same word," she said as she flipped to the next page. "Not evils or demons or anything else."

"Yeah, I don't know what to make of it." Sango raked her hand through her already disheveled hair. "There's nothing there to denote what the actual misgivings are, just everything you need to do to keep them away."

"I might have something," Miroku cut in, leaning out of the kitchen and sliding his phone into his pocket. "Shippo didn't know anything, but he knows an elder who knows more of how these stories came to be. They agreed to meet with me tomorrow over lunch."

"Oh, that's awesome," Sango said.

"I figured if I take what we have here, I can see if they'll be able to tell me what it all means."

"Where are you having lunch at?"

He scrubbed his eyes with his hands and Kagome could see the exhaustion she felt. "I don't know yet. Shippo said to meet them at the house and we'll go from there. Apparently, this elder is a little finicky and it's best to not make specific plans like that."

"Is this a 'just you' lunch?"

"I think so." He sank into a seat next to Sango. "I didn't ask, but I think it'd be best if we didn't ambush anyone."

"Are you okay with that?" Kagome asked. "I didn't mean to drag you into this and your second weekend starts tomorrow."

He was waving off her concern before she finished her sentence. "You didn't drag me into anything. There's an Albari monument in the city I've never heard about. Of course I want to figure out what's going on."

Her lips twitched, that was the Miroku she knew. He played the flirtatious idiot well enough, but the man's mind was a sharp trap always looking for new information. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Miroku offered with a smile. "This is right up my alley."

"Well, hate to eat and run," Sango joked, causing Kagome to laugh, "but it's almost eleven and we have an early morning tomorrow getting ready before Miroku has to leave for his lunch date."

"You mind if I borrow this book?" she asked, gesturing to the pages sitting in front of her. "I want to read through it this weekend and see if I find anything."

"Yeah, keep it for as long as you need. It's one less thing to worry about with people walking through the haunted house."

She smiled, getting up to walk them out. It was a quick goodbye, the house feeling starkly quiet in their wake. Flicking the lock and the deadbolt, she cleaned up the takeout boxes and leftover rice. She left the book and her laptop where they were, planning to get back to it the next morning.

Lights were turned off as she made her way upstairs, brushed her teeth, stripped out of her clothes, and finally fell into bed. She barely remembered to plug in her phone before she drifted off to sleep.

…

Rough skin caressed down her body under the sheets, following the curved line from her shoulder to hip. It was warm, the rasp of skin the perfect friction. Spreading her thighs, she felt the weight of him settle on top of her. Warmth speared from him, his hips adjusting until she felt his length press against her slit.

There was no hurry, her hands tracing over the muscles in his back as his lips skimmed over her neck, the pricks of his sharp teeth adding a heightened sensation. His fingers stroked back up her waist, playing along the side of her breast while his other hand slid into her hair. Sharp nails scraped over her scalp as he caught the strands in a fist, gently tugging her head to give him better access to her neck.

One of her legs moved over his hip, her heel sliding along the strong length of his thigh. The movement tucked him that much closer and when he rocked his hips, her breath left in a stuttering moan.

A husky chuckle vibrated through him and wafted over her neck, his hands holding her still as he rocked his hips again and again. His thick cock nudged her clit with each move, teasing her with what was to come. "I like those sounds you make," he said, his voice low and deep and rasping over her senses. "Will you make more for me?"

Kagome bit her lip, not wanting to give away too much at once. They'd only just gotten started — his naked body hard and warm against hers, skin sliding as she traced down his tapered waist to the lines in his hips. She wanted to lick down his torso, explore those dips with her tongue, but he refused to give an inch. Though she couldn't complain about the feel of his weight pressing her into the mattress.

"Don't stop now."

Heat rushed through her at the depth of his tone. Good lord, when had she ever met a man with such a sexy voice that knew how to use it?

"There are a few more sounds in you." His hips shifted, pulling back to let the tip of his cock slide down her slit until it nudged against her slick entrance. "Don't be greedy."

Her breath caught in her throat, her body tense with anticipation. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been this wet, this aroused, this ready to feel her muscles stretch as she took a man. The leg over his hip tightened, her other one bending at the knee to give him the angle to sink in.

"Oh no," he teased, his breath fanning over her jaw, "not yet. You're not getting what you want until I get what I want."

"Please," she panted, her nails digging into his hips. "You're right there."

His hips pulsed and she almost screamed when he stopped before the flared head pierced her. "Give me more of those beautiful sounds." The growl under those words was potent. "Just a bit more."

A whine sounded from the back of her throat and his body tensed, his hips stuttering again.

"More," he goaded. "More."

A high keen as she rocked against him, loving the feel of his muscles jumping under her hands. "Hurry."

Teeth pricked her shoulder again, a sharp, harsh bite pinning her in place as his hips moved, parting her folds further than she expected, an impossibly thick girth pressing through her muscles until—

Kagome jerked up in bed, sweat coating her skin. There was a draft, but even that cold blast didn't distract her from the heat pounding through her veins.

What kind of dream was that?

She'd never had dreams like that before. Never. Not even when she'd been dating could she remember having such vivid, erotic dreams. Sliding out of bed, she ignored the cool floor as she made her way to the bathroom. She didn't bother with a light, simply turned on the tap and splashed water on her face. It was a shock to her system, pulling her out of the last real caress of her dream and firmly into reality — wearing a tank top, shorts, and standing barefoot in front of her sink. She dried her face with the hand towel and made her way back to her bed.

Another draft caught her attention. Her eyes adjusted enough to see her window cracked open and from the feel of the window sill, it was going to get colder before morning. She slid the window shut, flicked the lock, and quickly slid back into bed.

Even after splashing water on her face, it didn't take long for Kagome to drift back to sleep. Not once, even after waking the next morning, did she realize she'd never opened the window.