I do not own Inuyasha or the songs used in this story.

Please refer to Chapter 1 for trigger warnings.

INUYASHA

It's been a week since I met Kagome.

And it has been seven days of pure fucking hell.

I even had to cash in a few of my vacation days at work because I can't fucking concentrate on a single thing. I haven't seen Miroku or Bank, I haven't even bothered to answer their texts or calls. I'm paralyzed, isolating myself in my apartment and scouring the town for her intoxicating scent.

I could ask Miroku to ask Sango about her, but that'd be fucking weird . I already insulted her, then forced her to obey my command within five minutes of knowing her. I didn't want to add my borderline stalking to the mix. Besides, I didn't want to listen to the lecher's… well, lechery.

All I can do is think about her. I fought so hard, too, even resorting to arguing aloud with myself in my empty apartment. My human logic wasn't being heard by my demon instincts. My brain is fried, my punching bag is torn to shreds, and I haven't slept more than 6 hours since that night.

My human blood lost the fight after day 3 when my shirt stopped smelling like her. I even stopped smoking just to make it last longer. The chain I keep on my demon went slack and what's concerning is I let it.

I don't know what's worse. Finding out I have a mate or realizing I'm completely okay with it.

Everywhere I go, I find myself seeking out Kagome's scent, a flash of her bright smile, a wave of her raven hair. I don't know what to expect when I do see her again. She'd want nothing to do with me, a lowly half-demon who works on broken motorcycles in a local mom and pop body shop. My name isn't even in my father's will, for fuck's sake. What can I offer her as a mate? I should stop while I'm ahead. It'll only lead to heartache and unbridled fury from my demon responding to our mate's rejection.

Still, I can't stop replaying the short, brief encounter in my head. No matter how I spin the same web of bullshit in my head, I know none of it is going to take root and grow into fruition. My entire world has taken an abrupt left turn. I shouldn't, but I want to see her again. I need to see her again.

My chest tightens at the memory of Kagome's skin brushing against mine. The desire in her eyes, the playfulness in her smile, the amusing tilt of her head. The blush that covered her cheeks and chest when she got nervous or angry.

The smell of her arousal when she walked away.

And, fuck me, her defiance was going to be the death of me.

My body instantly goes rigid at the thought of the things I want to do with that smart little mouth of hers. Every night, I've thought about how I could bend her over my kitchen counter and ravage her. I torture myself with the fantasies I've conjured of the different ways I'll get her to scream my name. As soon as she said my name that night, I knew I wanted to hear her say it again. And again and again. Moaning it, whimpering it, fucking bellowing it to the heavens. I imagined her face twisted in pleasure, seeing her come undone around my length-

I groan and shake my head, trying to get rid of the constant fantasy wheel my brain won't stop replaying in a loop.

I should know better by now.

It's taken me seven days to accept the undeniable, unavoidable, and inevitable.. Kagome is my mate.

And, apparently, I'm a goddamn masochist.

I am fucking cool with that.

I want to get to know Kagome.

I want her to give me that smile that warms my chest. I want her to look at me with those sparkling eyes that hold awe, interest, and desire. I want her challenging, infuriating banter. I want to protect her, hold her to my chest, and breathe in her scent. I want to spank her ass raw for her sharp tongue, then make her come so hard, that she blacks out. And afterward, I want to give her the fucking world. Wrap her up in my protective arms and never let go.

I want to memorize every line of her face, every curve of her body, every fucking word her sweet voice speaks. I want her good, bad, and ugly.

Fucked. I'm utterly fucking fucked.

It's pathetic.

Fucking one conversation with the wench and I'm a helpless lovesick puppy.

Focusing on the sound of my footsteps hitting the sidewalk, I try to clear my mind of all things Kagome. I've taken up walking around the city in my downtime because my apartment has become too small to pace in.

However, I've been so lost in thought that I took a few different turns from my usual path. Finding myself on Center St, I drag my feet, fists clenched in my pockets, claws digging into my palms. One foot in front of the other, trying to keep myself moving so I won't slip into my obsessive thoughts of a certain gorgeous miko-

"Mate!"

Kagome.

There she is.

Well, her scent that is. Suppressing the impulse to growl in pleasure, I stop dead in my tracks. I know that the corners of my eyes are a deep blood red hue. I need to calm down before my demon forces me to drop on all fours and sprint in the direction of my mate like a fucking savage.

Closing my eyes, I indulge myself. I breathe in deep, taking in the lavender and honey, letting it soothe my nerves. There's a faint trace of oil paint, a chemical scent sitting right beside hers. But everything else on the entire street pales in comparison to the sheer euphoria I feel finally finding her again.

All I can smell is Kagome. I finally allow my feet to unglue from the pavement. I follow her scent for another 50 feet. What I find at the end of the proverbial rainbow has my lips curl into a slow, genuine smile of awe. I probably look like a love sick creep looking in her studio's window, just watching her paint, but I can't bring myself to care.

She's wearing a baggy gray sweatshirt with paint on it and black shorts. Her legs are on full display and I have to hold back the purr my demon wants to release. Her long raven locks sit atop her head in a messy bun, pieces sticking out in an almost comical fashion. But it looks so fucking beautiful on her.

Kagome is beautiful.

I notice her nodding her head to an unknown beat. Her head turns slightly and I watch her lips moving to a song I can't hear. I force my eyes away from her and look around the room through the window. I see a large stereo on the ground in the corner of the room. The studio must be soundproofed.

My eyes find the painting she's working on. It's huge, and I spot a small ladder in the corner she no doubt has to use when painting the top half of the canvas. It's beautiful in a dreadful way. Wings of black and red, the skin of purples and blues. A dark, empty sky, a bowed head almost as if in prayer. It's the depiction of a fallen angel begging for penance. The fact that she created it is fascinating. Someone who seems so happy, and bright, the personification of eternal sunshine creating a disturbing and twisted piece of art.

I watch her sway and sing and paint. She's in a completely different world than me. Right in front of me, yet so far away.

I wonder if she would be angry if I tried to open the door. I shouldn't. I should walk away. Right now. Immediately. I'm practically a fucking stranger.

"Kagome."

Real fuckin' talkative all of sudden, eh, asshole?

Fuck it.

She is my fucking mate whether she knows it or not and I'll be in her presence if I damn well please.

I reach for the door of her studio, never taking my eyes from her. When it opens, my ears flatten to my head instinctively. The music is so loud, it takes me a second to unclench my hand from the door handle. Stepping through the threshold, I take a deep breath while closing the door behind me.

She hasn't noticed me yet. My muscles relax, my shoulders drop slightly. Taking the time to adjust to the volume of the music, my ears shoot straight up as I catch the tail end of the song branding this moment in Kagome's world.

(Miss Murder - AFI)

Kagome mouths the words and rocks her body to the hard beats. She stretches her arms above her head to reach the middle of the canvas, one arm supporting her pallet while the other makes deliberate, thoughtful strokes.

I'm in a trance watching her.

Her head tilts back as she immerses herself in the song.

When the empty sand just flowing through our empty skin

Ever searching for what we were promised

Reaching for the golden ring we'd never let go

They won't ever let us lay our filthy hands upon it

She focuses all of her attention on the painting in front of her while she allows the music to surround her on all fronts. It's loud, almost painfully vibrating through my sensitive ears. With her so distracted, my eyes drink in the vision before me. The song's end comes and I watch her rock out in her own world.

Hey, Miss Murder can I

Hey, Miss Murder can I

Make beauty stay if I

Take my life?

With a silence enveloping the room, I move to reach out and tap her shoulder, wanting to make my presence known without startling her. But just then, the next song starts playing.

(The Way Life Goes - Lil Uzi Vert)

The laughter bubbles up from my chest and escapes past my lips without permission. I can't hold it in. It's just so fucking ridiculous.

My reaction gets her attention, though, and she practically screams her head off. Kagome whips around so fast, so shocked by my intrusion that she drops her pallet and brush haphazardly. Our eyes connect, and the air in the room becomes thicker, the crackle of her reiki almost audible.

Kagome fists her hands and places them on her hips. Her cheeks are flushed with embarrassment and anger.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Her ire grows as I double over with cackles, hands on my knees, I am fucking wheezing. "What is so funny?" She moves to turn off the stereo and I try my best to sober up.

Wiping a tear from the corner of my eye as I choke back the uncontrollable laughter still trying to escape from my mouth, I take a few deep breaths before answering.

"You went from hard rock to rap in 5 seconds flat, that's what's funny."

"Oh." Kagome huffs, lifting her chin in clear irritation despite her cheeks reddening with embarrassment. "Well, I'm glad my music taste amuses you. What're you doing here?"

"I happened to be walking by and saw you in the window. Figured I'd stop in and say hi." I shrug cooly, trying my best to appear nonchalant. I can't take my eyes off of her. I swear, I've never smiled so much in my damn life. She rolls her eyes and looks back up at me, blue and gold clashing in an electric heat that makes my palms vibrate. I watch her throat work hard to swallow and tamp down the lecherous thoughts that the innocent action brings to mind.

"Hi." She turns on her heel and walks back over to her painting. She bends down to pick up her pallet and brush, then walks to the table in the corner to put the brush in a bucket full of liquid and the pallet on the tabletop.

A smirk finds its way to my lips as I run the tip of my tongue over a fang. "Cheeky."

Her back is to me, but I see her shoulders move in silent laughter.

"So, did you come in here just to make fun of my Spotify playlist and exchange half-assed greetings, or was there something else you wanted?" She says.

You. I want you.

"I haven't been able to stop thinking about you."

Why the FUCK did I say that?

A clattering sounds, like she dropped something abruptly with my confession. Her back goes rim rod straight, and I can see her neck muscles working double time as they tighten. Just as I'm about to bolt out the door using demonic speed, she turns around.

"You don't know me." Her eyes challenge me.

I shrug. "I'm working on that."

Her eyebrows reach her hairline in bewilderment. "Oh?"

I blew out a sigh, needing to change the topic. "Yup. So, let's go, I'm starving."

Kagome freezes. "Huh?" Her mouth hung agape in true confusion.

She's so fucking cute. I can't wait to see her mouth hang open like that when I pound into her tight little-

"Food. Dinner. Let's go."

With widened eyes, she drops her brows and looks at me like I just sprouted two heads. "Wh-what? I-I-I can't just drop everything and leave, I have to finish cleaning up and cover the painting and-"

"So, what can I do to help, baby girl?" I cut her off. The term of endearment just slips out, like it's the most natural thing in the world. She is, though. My baby girl.

She has no chance of arguing. I'm taking her to dinner, and having her for dessert if it is the last thing I do.

Kagome exhales loudly, causing her bangs to ruffle in front of her eyes. Running a hand over her face, I expect her to put up a fight. Instead, she lets her shoulders sag and points to the white sheet on the floor in front of the painting. "Cover the canvas, but don't touch the surface. Just hang it on the corners. I'll do the brushes since the cleaner will probably irritate your nose."

Now, that surprises me. Knitting my brows together, I begin to ask, "How do you-"

"You're half dog-demon, right? An inuhanyou?" At my bewildered nod, she smiles proudly. "All demons have an impressive sense of smell, but inuyoukai are known to have the best. You can smell a drop of blood from 5 miles away. Smell is more important than any other sense to inuyoukai." She turns her back and begins working on cleaning as she continues. "Your hearing is also known to be exceptional, being able to hear a pin drop in the middle of a warzone. You're fast, but not the fastest, and where you lack in speed, you make up for in brute strength."

After a pause, I finally find my voice again. "Well shit, there goes all of my best tricks."

"Oh, were you trying to impress me?" She taunts.

Kagome faces me, wiping her hands with a washrag. Her smile is blinding, full of pride and satisfaction like she just won a game I didn't know we were playing.

"Maybe." I smile, then realization dawns. "Why, exactly, do you know so much about my kind?"

"I may have done a bit of homework." She admits with a small shy smile.

Homework, huh?

A sly smirk crosses my face as I pick up the sheet and carefully cover the canvas. "Yeah? And why is that, baby girl?"

That petite, delicate shoulder lifts in a bashful half shrug, but her eyes avert mine. "Maybe I couldn't stop thinking about you either."

KAGOME

Why the FUCK did I say that?

I hear a small growl and lift my eyes to his. Inuyasha's eyes gleam with mischief. He takes a few steps toward me, slowly. So slowly I feel like a small rabbit being stalked by a lion. He's the predator and I'm so clearly his prey.

"So, does pizza sound good?" I squeak.

I should've known he wouldn't take the bait.

"Thinking about me, huh?" He rumbles, his voice taking on a husky low octave that makes my knees quake. His lips pull into an arrogant smirk. I can feel my cheeks heating up as he gets closer, stopping only when he is a foot away from me. He's so close I can smell the leather from his jacket and the pine and sandalwood scent that was purely masculine.

Purely Inuyasha.

I shrug, feigning nonchalance when we both can see my hands trembling, my breath shuttering.

"You don't know me." He throws my words back at him. "Tell me what accompanies these thoughts of me, baby girl. What do you feel when I'm in that pretty little head of yours?" His voice is so low, that it vibrates through my body, sending electricity straight to my core.

Baby girl.

I know he can tell if I lie, so I decide to give him a half-truth. I refuse to give him the satisfaction of knowing he's wormed his way under my skin.

I try to keep the tremor out of my voice as I look into his eyes.

"N-nervous." I curse myself for stuttering.

Inuyasha's nose twitches. His smirk grows wider, allowing a fang to peak over his bottom lip. I squeeze my thighs together as I watch the tip of his tongue trace it. My mind is reeling with the image of those fangs on my skin. He cocks his head to the side like I'm an equation he's trying to work out.

"But that's not all I make you feel. Is it, baby?" He purrs.

Baby.

Fuck.

Resist.

I'm too stubborn to let him win this easily. Crossing my arms and clearing my throat, I attempt to continue with a mask of indifference that we both know isn't real.

"Like you said, I don't even know you. Let's work on that before we start cracking into each other's heads, yeah?"

Before I know what's happening, Inuyasha is right in front of me, a clawed hand grabbing the side of my neck and his head bowing low on the other side. I can feel his nose graze my pulse point as my heartbeat quickens. Then I feel the air shift with his deep inhale. A faint whimper leaves me before I have a chance to swallow it and his hand smooths over the nape of my neck, tightening his hold as if to keep me in place. His head lifts to stare down at me, completely immobile and at his mercy.

I should be scared. Hell, I should be fucking terrified, angry, even a bit creeped out.

Instead, my blood is burning with something completely different. I can feel my rapid heartbeat throbbing between my legs and I just know he can smell it like a dirty little secret neither of us is willing to voice aloud.

"You smell so fucking good." He growls softly, more to himself than to me.

Inuyasha's once golden irises are darkening into molten pools of liquid lava as he stares down at me. He's a good foot taller than me, making me crane my neck to look up at him. When he speaks, it's a low growl that sounds strained, almost like he's holding back everything he so desperately wants to give.

I can't help but shiver, knowing he sees right through me.

"Let's get one thing straight, Ka-go-me." He continues more directly. "I don't need my nose to tell me what you're thinking; what you're feeling . I can read every emotion that passes through those pretty blue eyes before you have a chance to hide them. Your anger. Your hesitance. Your defiance. Your arousal. "

Busted.

He pauses long enough to watch my cheeks turn a deep shade of red and his fangs dig into his bottom lip while his eyes take in the change in my demeanor.

"I can read it all. So, don't think for a single. fucking. second. that you can hide from me, baby girl. Understand?"

I nod immediately. His face is now so close to mine, I can feel his breath fan over my inflamed cheeks. My eyelids are lowered and my breathing is shallow as I hang onto his every word. He's reading me like a book and chipping away at every bit of my resistance.

I want to resist him. I want to push him away.

I want him to kiss me.

Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me.

I don't realize my bottom lip is trapped between my teeth until I feel his clawed thumb rub it, gently pulling it from its nervous prison.

"Pizza sounds great, baby. Lead the way."

And just like that, he releases me from his hold and I have to mentally catch myself from groaning in frustration. I don't know what to say, so I remain silent. He went from teasing me, caressing me, dominating every fiber of my being, to closing the curtains on me.

Arrogant bastard.

I take a few shaky steps away from him and towards the door, grabbing my bag and keys off the table before opening the door and moving to the side for Inuyasha to follow. Once we're out, I close and lock the door to the studio.

I take Inuyasha to a local demon-friendly pizza joint roughly a block away from the studio and about three blocks away from Sango's. It's run by a nice couple who never bat their eyes toward demons, which is why I chose it. Our conversation on the brisk walk here and awaiting our order was light and easy, as if what happened back at the studio never happened at all.

He is the most fascinating person I've ever met, demon or otherwise. He's charming, dominating, sweet, and rough. This magnet pulling me to him only gets stronger and stronger the more I'm around him. It's almost like a string tied to each of us getting tauter and tauter the longer we're in each other's presence.

I decide if I'm going to indulge myself in the company of Inuyasha, I need to know much more about him.

"So, what do you do for a living, Inuyasha?" I ask.

"Fix bikes." He replies around a mouthful of pizza.

"What, like, fixing bike chains and pumping air in tires?"

Inuyasha cuts me an incredulous look. "No." He sneers. "I'm a mechanic. I fix motorcycles."

Now, that catches my attention. My excitement must show on my face because Inuyasha's ears twitch in my direction and his eyes narrow.

"I take it you like motorcycles." It's not a question.

"Been riding since I was 16." I beam, my cheeks aching from my pleased smile.

"Oh, really? And what do you ride, baby, a little Honda Rebel?" He teases.

My smile drops immediately as my cheeks flare with my temper as I cross my arms and lean back in my chair.

"More like a Ducati Panigale V2."

His eyebrows shoot up to his hairline, ears going pin straight. His reaction causes a smug smirk to grace my lips. His golden pools narrow once more in challenge.

He seems to be mulling over the newfound knowledge in his mind for a moment. It feels good to impress him in a field he works in. "What do you ride?"

"An MV Agusta F4CC, 200 horsepower at 12,200 rpm."

"Damn. Well, alright, I'm impressed." I say, then I take a leap of faith outside my comfort zone. "We should go for a ride sometime."

Despite talking about something we have in common, Inuyasha's expression looks almost…angry?

"I don't think that's a good idea." He mumbles under his breath.

Ouch.

Rejection is a bitch, but I'm not going to just roll over and take it like one. He's mad about something, but he's not mad at me. So, I decide to pry. "And why is that?"

"Honest answer?"

"Nothing less."

"I don't like the idea of you on a bike that goes that damn fast. Especially in a city full of asshole drivers and constant construction. Do you know how many people die in motorcycle accidents? In this city? You probably weigh maybe 120 pounds soaking wet, you'd be thrown a damn mile if someone hit you, or for fuck's sake, if you're riding at night and-"

"Well that's just too bad, isn't it." I cut him off.

I'm pissed now, my cheeks in flames with my ire. I'm sick and tired of people thinking I'm incapable of taking care of myself. Inuyasha is now the second person in my life to scold me like a child over my choice of transportation. I know it comes from a place of care, but I'm no one's damn princess that needs saving. Even if the knight comes in the form of a silver-haired Adonis with golden eyes and adorable puppy ears.

"Excuse me." Inuyasha's voice reverberates from his chest with concealed rage, maybe even a sprinkle of amusement. It's not a question to repeat myself. His yoki was reaching out to me, attempting to overpower my reiki and gain control of my anger, of my response. I won't let it.

"I said that's too bad. I don't care if you like it or not." I say. "You can take the self-righteous rant and shove it right up your ass. Sango gives me the same speech at least twice a week and I don't need to hear it for a third. I'm not some porcelain doll in need of protection. If I wanna ride my motorcycle, I will."

So many emotions flash across Inuyasha's face, that I feel like I might get whiplash. Nostrils flaring, eyes burning, claws digging into the table. After a few moments, his expression settles on the odd combination of amused fury.

"Wanna run that by me one more time, baby girl?" He was challenging me.

Taunting me.

My eyes roll so hard, I'm surprised they don't get stuck in my skull. "You heard me."

"That attitude is gonna get you in trouble one day." His voice has taken on a deeper, huskier note. He almost sounds like an entirely different person. Every word was accompanied by a growl and I had the sneaking suspicion that this was his inner demon.

My only response is a disbelieving chuckle. I like teasing him. Getting a rise out of him. He can probably slice me to pieces with those claws. Rip my throat out with his fangs. Use his demonic strength to overpower and ruin me. Inuyasha is the embodiment of dominance, control, and intimidation. He can kill me in the blink of an eye.

No matter how many times I tell myself these things, I have no fear of him.

He would never hurt me.

A few seconds pass, our eyes boring holes in one another. The corners of his mouth lift for a brief moment before they settle into a hard line. I have a feeling he's working extremely hard to control his demon.

"If you're challenging me, baby girl, you're not gonna like where it gets you."

"And where would that be?"

"Over my knee."

For a split second, his golden eyes flash a bloody red and I choke on the air in my throat.

He said I wasn't gonna like where it gets me, but that's exactly where I wanna be.

I'm stunned into silence, the apex of my thighs pulsing with need. How did he do that? Make my body react over mere words. Just his presence makes my panties unwearable.

I know I've been caught when his nose twitches. He leans over with his elbows on the table, getting closer.

Closer, closer, closer.

He makes a big show of taking a deep inhale of air through his nose. His eyelids flutter a moment before he gains control and pierces me with eyes bleeding red. Eyes of a predator.

"Did you know that's how inuyoukai tame their … intended?" He asks.

I can only shake my head. My throat is far too dry to carry on a conversation. He just threatened to spank me and instead of being distraught with anxiety or fear, my pussy is wetter than the fucking ocean.

"You like the sound of that, don't you, baby?"

I shift in my seat. I open my mouth to try and refute him, but he simply taps his nose. I capture my lip between my teeth and I lower my eyes in shame.

"Quit being a brat before I show you how I punish one."

My heartbeat is like a jackhammer in my chest, I'm sure he can hear it. I want to keep provoking him, but a big part of me is telling me to do as he says. To obey.

"I'll be good."

"Good girl." He purrs.

His praise does something to me and I sigh dreamily, noting how my eyelids grow heavier. Those two little words send fire to my center and I can feel my thighs slicken with the need seeping through my panties. It's like seeing those stupid fireworks people talk about in romance novels. I want whatever he is willing to give, and demand.

I want to be his good girl.

His.

After leaning back in his chair, the conversation returns to normal again. As if I'm not fucking soaking in my seat.

"Do you have to work at the club tonight?" Inuyasha asks.

Remembering it's Friday, I nod my head. "Yeah, I gotta be there by 8."

"Want me to take you?"

"No, that's okay," I reply, taking out my phone from my back purse and checking the time. "Actually, I should head to Sango's right now so I can get ready."

"You don't live close by?"

"No, I'm staying with Sango right now…" I trail off, unsure how to answer him. Part of me wants to keep this wall up between us, an unbreakable armor I've surrounded myself in for the last few months. But another part of me can't stomach lying to him. There's just something about Inuyasha that makes me feel… safe.

I have the urge to tell him everything, and that's terrifying.

Clearing my throat, I try to tell the truth without having to reveal too much. "My ex.. um, well, my ex, he-he got out of jail recently and I just feel safer staying with Sango."

Not waiting for a response and definitely not making eye contact, I gather my things and place a few bills on the counter to pay for my half of lunch. As I stand up from the table, I'm engulfed in a huge shadow. My eyes are glued to the floor and all I see is Inuyasha's boots.

I fully expect him to ask about Kouga, call out the fear and nervousness in my scent, interrogate me until I'm split open for his viewing pleasure and left reliving the trauma that's been haunting me for months.

He does none of that.

Instead, he drops a heavy, muscular arm over my shoulders and pulls me into his side. I feel his yoki wrap itself around me possessively, surrounding me in his aura. Inuyasha leads me towards the exit without a word until we're on the sidewalk.

"I'll walk you to Sango's." He says. His voice sounds like a strained growl. I'm grateful he doesn't press the issue, and I don't argue or pull away. I let his body warm mine as we walk the few blocks to Sango's apartment. My cheek rests against his leather jacket and I can't resist sniffing him, reveling in the masculine scent that's all Inuyasha. I lean in on an exhale and he tightens his arm around me, keeping me tucked into his side like I'm the most precious jewel in the world.

I've never felt safer in my life.

Protected.

I could get used to this.