Distinct Differences
Chapter 5
Kagome was pleasantly surprised when he'd crowded her back into a corner of the elevator. The action was overly possessive, and she had to admit to a hint of fear at his looming presence, but when his head dipped and nuzzled into her neck, Kagome melted against the youkai lord.
The strange thing was, she had never considered SesshouMaru. He'd always just been the silent, withdrawn older brother to her boyfriend. And once InuYasha was no longer with her, the older brother had seemed to slip even farther into the back of her mind. What did she really know about him?
He had a daughter, and that much she knew because she and InuYasha had once babysat the adorable girl. She remembered the child, Rin, saying that her father was not her first father, but certainly her favorite. Kagome found it wonderful, but had been sharply rebuffed when asking questions of InuYasha. The hanyou hadn't been the least interested in telling her about her brother.
No matter, she could probably ask all she wanted of the youkai himself, now at least that she was in a more personal and close relationship to him. Provided of course he wasn't just after a cheap thrill.
The thought had her drawing back slightly.
SesshouMaru, having been blissfully immersed in the sound, smell, and feel of her, barely registered her withdrawal until Kagome pushed against his chest, her head ducking to limit his access. Not sure, and certainly not about to force her, he loosened his hold, though did not move away at all.
"Everything alright," he asked in a voice lined in velvet.
Kagome's hands curled into lose fists on his chest. She drew a breath, regaining her bearings since SesshouMaru was so much male it was easy to lose control, before tilting her head back to look at him.
"Why are we doing this?" Her question, double inclusive, was something she felt both of them needed to answer before going any farther. She wasn't about to plunge in, both feet wet, to a relationship with a youkai male only interested in getting the one up on his sibling.
SesshouMaru did step back at her question, prepared but not fully to give an answer. To their side the control panel for the elevator beeped, signaling that another had tried to access it, and SesshouMaru didn't need to guess, he knew who wanted the lift to come back and open. InuYasha.
His hands tightened for a moment as he looked at the panel, then without warning he slung a fist at it, striking the Emergency Stop button and smashing the panel inward in the same instant. Kagome jumped and pushed herself farther into the corner as the elevator jerked to a halt.
He raged for a second, emotions overflowing into instincts, the need to keep the woman he now felt of as his own pulsing through his blood, SesshouMaru was brought back into his right mind by a soft touch to his cheek. Turning back to Kagome, he took note of how she'd squeezed herself back from him, and yet was reaching out, soothing him.
She understood the anger and the way a hanyou thought. InuYasha had always been overly gruff and possessive whenever she was around other men, and Kagome could only imagine that a full blooded youkai would experience an even stronger reaction. She wasn't stupid; this male would not have reacted to the elevator in such a way unless he felt she was being threatened. Knowing such didn't change the fact he still frightened her a bit, and being considered property was certainly not her thing, but Kagome knew a little of how to handle such situations.
"I apologize," he said, the sexy quality of his voice, though eternally present, seemingly held in check. He took her hand and drew her to him, holding her lithe body with his other arm. "I'm in love with you, Kagome, have been since the day we met, and as much as I hate it, I know InuYasha loves you still too."
The gasp that escaped her showed the extent of her shock. SesshouMaru was sure it was for the realization she could have his half-brother back, all she had to do was find him. He was thrown off when Kagome snuggled up to him, reaching to wrap her arms around him and draw them into a kiss.
His arms closed around her and SesshouMaru allowed his body to relax. "Why didn't you tell me sooner," Kagome asked, her near whispered words tickling against his neck.
"I had not meant to tell you tonight," he held her a fraction tighter, unsure how she would take his next few words. "I'm afraid."
Kagome drew back slightly, her gaze piercing straight through him when their eyes met. Shock was the initial reaction to his confession, if not a little joy, but for a youkai, one as powerful as SesshouMaru at that, to admit to fear was almost ridiculous. "Say it again," she demanded, barely keeping the anger she felt, at the thought he was playing with her emotions, in check.
The flash in her eyes was exciting. SesshouMaru dipped his head close, moving her back deep into the corner of the elevator, his voice a near growl when he finally spoke. "I'm afraid, Kagome. I fear being without you while you stand right before; I fear the sight of you carrying another's child; and I fear my future without you in it, with me."
He paused the dramatic effect on her being Kagome tensed. "I want you for my mate," SesshouMaru whispered.
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InuYasha raced out of the conference room and throngs of party-goers, his heart beating loudly in his ears. If any of what Miroku had just said to him was true then SesshouMaru was going to do it. He was going to ask Kagome to become his mate, then to marry him and share a life with him, and InuYasha was scared out of his mind because she didn't know. He'd never told her how much she meant to him in the past and still did.
Engagements could be broken and life itself would proceed in a normal capacity, but if he didn't get to her first, SesshouMaru was going to steal away his only chance at true happiness.
The attendants at the coat check tried to stop him for his jacket, they failed miserably, but the person at the elevators effectively halted his mad rush.
"Where do you think you're going," Kikyou asked of her fiancé, more than a little acid lacing the tone in her voice. She was leaning purposefully against the wall above the call panel. He'd have to deal with her before being able to reach the buttons for an elevator.
"I'm going downstairs to talk to Kagome," was his even though slightly breathy response.
Kikyou nodded marginally before looking down at her ring, and for a second he thought she was going to step aside. But when he approached Kikyou's furious gaze snapped back to him.
"And what about this, InuYasha? What about the baby?" She'd thrust her hand with the ring on it at him, asking what he meant in giving it to her if he had no intention of making good on the offer.
He ran a hand through the thick white hair both he and SesshouMaru had inherited from their father. "I don't love you, Kikyou. You know that and you know the only reason I proposed is because of the child. But it's been two weeks since you said the doctor pronounced you and I still haven't smelt a change in your scent."
"I can explain that, InuYasha," she drew breath to do such when he interrupted.
"It doesn't matter. I want Kagome, I have since the first time I met her, and even a bastard child isn't going to change that."
Kikyou scoffed and shook her head. Looking away from him she stood there, frozen and furious. He saw her resolve and began walking past her. He'd take the stairs down to the executive floor.
Just as InuYasha opened the door into the stairwell, Kikyou turned. "You're going to regret this, InuYasha," he turned to regard her and noticed she wasn't even looking at him; didn't appear to be at all concerned. "Be warned."