Sorry it's taken me so long to update! I've had a serious case of writer's block x.x Anyways, I hope all of you enjoy this next chapter! As a warning to you all, this does contain LIME situations. Those offended, beware! Please review. I like feedback .
-Ryouko-Kitsune-
Kagome sighed deeply as Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her waist. Following her gaze, he grimaced. Miroku had locked himself up in the shrine ever since they had returned to Kaede's village, deep in spiritual meditation. Now, he was wandering aimlessly about the village, looking very grim. His eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, his skin had paled slightly, and he had thinned considerably as well. He really hadn't eaten much since that fateful day.
Inuyasha sighed and looked away, "He needs to move on. This is getting ridiculous. She's been gone almost two months and he still hasn't gotten over it."
Kagome placed a hand on his arm, "Inuyasha, he's very hurt. What Kotori did cut him deep."
He snorted, "I still can't believe she did that. I thought they loved each other."
"I don't think she did it on purpose. . ."
"What do you mean she didn't do it on purpose? How could she not do it on purpose!?"
Kagome pressed her lips tightly together and turned her eyes to him, "I think they were tricked. I'm not sure how, but I'm pretty sure it has to do with Naraku. . ."
A growl was emitted deep in his throat, "Naraku. . . Feh. . . That wouldn't surprise me one bit. But what could he be up to this time?"
She crossed her arms over her chest and shrugged, "I don't know. But it has to be Naraku. I just know it. . ."
Kotori slipped into the hot springs at Sesshomaru's manor and let out a content sigh. It had been a rough two months, and the pain in her heart was still a dull throb, but she had managed to survive. Miroku had cut her deep, but the time she had spent with Sesshomaru helped ease the ache in her heart. He had been very supportive ever since she had returned with him and they had spent many a night awake talking together. She had discovered that she had been more open with him than anyone she had ever met. That thought was comforting in itself.
Closing her eyes, she slid down until the water was neck high and let herself relax. Above her, the stars glittered like hundreds of diamonds in the blackness of the sky and a cool night air blew gently through the trees.
A gentle ripple in the water's surface caught her attention and she quickly opened her eyes. A few large boulders sat a few feet in front of her and she heard a bit of splashing on the other side. Arching a brow, she quietly swam over to them to investigate. To her surprise, there, on the other side of the boulders, was a very handsome, yet very naked Sesshomaru.
Blushing slightly at her predicament, she tried to quietly step away from something she knew she had absolutely no right looking at, but for some reason her eyes remained glued to the sight before her. His back, chest, and arms rippled with steel-hard muscles and his pale, creamy skin seemed to glow in the soft moonlight. His long, silver hair pooled about him and he slid farther into the water with a soft sigh and closed his eyes. Kotori's heart was pounding in her chest. She knew this wasn't right, but she couldn't seem to keep her eyes off him. Sure, she had noticed his good looks before, but they had never really registered in her mind. Was she really beginning to become attracted to her rescuer?
Sesshomaru's deep voice startled her from her thoughts, "I know you're there, Kotori. You have a pleasant scent that seems to follow you everywhere. Please, come join me. I won't bite."
Feeling quite foolish at having been caught, she her cheeks reddened as she peeked around the boulder, "No. . . I'm sorry. This is a total violation of your privacy. . ."
He chuckled and opened his eyes, "Don't be absurd. I don't mind it one bit. In fact, I believe it's much more interesting when one has a companion to converse with in the hot springs."
Hesitantly, she slid around the boulders and settled herself on a rock opposite him, keeping everything below her neck underneath the water. Seeing her discomfort, he couldn't help but grin slightly.
"Don't be ashamed of your body. You are, by far, the most beautiful woman I have ever set eyes on. There is nothing to be ashamed of." His own words surprised him, but what surprised him even more was the fact that they were true.
Kotori looked up at him, utterly astonished, "Wh-what are you saying?"
Moving over to her, he slid his hands around her slim waist and lifted her out of the water and into his arms as he stepped out of the springs. Retrieving a towel and wrapping her in it, he looked down at her, "I'm saying that, during these past few months, I've grown quite fond of you. And, despite the fact that it was against my will, I discovered that I've fallen in love with you, Kotori. . ."
Still being held gently in his arms, she gave him a look of utter shock and confusion. Then, her cheeks began to feel warm as the blood rushed to them and she looked away.
"Why is my heart pounding like this? And why do I feel so warm? I haven't felt like this since. . . since Miroku professed his love to me. . . But how do I really feel for Sesshomaru? He is handsome, strong, and caring. And now he just told me he loves me. . . But what should I say? Do I really love him back? Could I really say that if I did?" Mentally slapping herself, she straightened her thoughts out, "Of course I could. I'm no longer loyal to any man. That liar, Miroku betrayed me. I owe him nothing."
"Lie with me tonight, Kotori. Let me make you mine for eternity. I promise I'll take away all the pain that monk has caused you. Just let me love you. . ." Sesshomaru whispered softly to her. The ice was gone from his voice and now it was a warm, comforting voice. The voice of a guardian and lover.
Looking back up at him with tears in her eyes, she gave him a small smile. "Have me then. . . Love me. . ." she whispered as her lips met his in a passionate kiss.
He wrapped his arms tighter around her and walked out of the hot springs and into his sleeping chambers. Placing her down upon his futon, he smiled down at her and claimed her lips in another deep kiss.
And the moon shone down upon them through the slits in the paper windows as they made passionate love together.
-Ryouko-Kitsune-
Kagome sighed deeply as Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her waist. Following her gaze, he grimaced. Miroku had locked himself up in the shrine ever since they had returned to Kaede's village, deep in spiritual meditation. Now, he was wandering aimlessly about the village, looking very grim. His eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, his skin had paled slightly, and he had thinned considerably as well. He really hadn't eaten much since that fateful day.
Inuyasha sighed and looked away, "He needs to move on. This is getting ridiculous. She's been gone almost two months and he still hasn't gotten over it."
Kagome placed a hand on his arm, "Inuyasha, he's very hurt. What Kotori did cut him deep."
He snorted, "I still can't believe she did that. I thought they loved each other."
"I don't think she did it on purpose. . ."
"What do you mean she didn't do it on purpose? How could she not do it on purpose!?"
Kagome pressed her lips tightly together and turned her eyes to him, "I think they were tricked. I'm not sure how, but I'm pretty sure it has to do with Naraku. . ."
A growl was emitted deep in his throat, "Naraku. . . Feh. . . That wouldn't surprise me one bit. But what could he be up to this time?"
She crossed her arms over her chest and shrugged, "I don't know. But it has to be Naraku. I just know it. . ."
Kotori slipped into the hot springs at Sesshomaru's manor and let out a content sigh. It had been a rough two months, and the pain in her heart was still a dull throb, but she had managed to survive. Miroku had cut her deep, but the time she had spent with Sesshomaru helped ease the ache in her heart. He had been very supportive ever since she had returned with him and they had spent many a night awake talking together. She had discovered that she had been more open with him than anyone she had ever met. That thought was comforting in itself.
Closing her eyes, she slid down until the water was neck high and let herself relax. Above her, the stars glittered like hundreds of diamonds in the blackness of the sky and a cool night air blew gently through the trees.
A gentle ripple in the water's surface caught her attention and she quickly opened her eyes. A few large boulders sat a few feet in front of her and she heard a bit of splashing on the other side. Arching a brow, she quietly swam over to them to investigate. To her surprise, there, on the other side of the boulders, was a very handsome, yet very naked Sesshomaru.
Blushing slightly at her predicament, she tried to quietly step away from something she knew she had absolutely no right looking at, but for some reason her eyes remained glued to the sight before her. His back, chest, and arms rippled with steel-hard muscles and his pale, creamy skin seemed to glow in the soft moonlight. His long, silver hair pooled about him and he slid farther into the water with a soft sigh and closed his eyes. Kotori's heart was pounding in her chest. She knew this wasn't right, but she couldn't seem to keep her eyes off him. Sure, she had noticed his good looks before, but they had never really registered in her mind. Was she really beginning to become attracted to her rescuer?
Sesshomaru's deep voice startled her from her thoughts, "I know you're there, Kotori. You have a pleasant scent that seems to follow you everywhere. Please, come join me. I won't bite."
Feeling quite foolish at having been caught, she her cheeks reddened as she peeked around the boulder, "No. . . I'm sorry. This is a total violation of your privacy. . ."
He chuckled and opened his eyes, "Don't be absurd. I don't mind it one bit. In fact, I believe it's much more interesting when one has a companion to converse with in the hot springs."
Hesitantly, she slid around the boulders and settled herself on a rock opposite him, keeping everything below her neck underneath the water. Seeing her discomfort, he couldn't help but grin slightly.
"Don't be ashamed of your body. You are, by far, the most beautiful woman I have ever set eyes on. There is nothing to be ashamed of." His own words surprised him, but what surprised him even more was the fact that they were true.
Kotori looked up at him, utterly astonished, "Wh-what are you saying?"
Moving over to her, he slid his hands around her slim waist and lifted her out of the water and into his arms as he stepped out of the springs. Retrieving a towel and wrapping her in it, he looked down at her, "I'm saying that, during these past few months, I've grown quite fond of you. And, despite the fact that it was against my will, I discovered that I've fallen in love with you, Kotori. . ."
Still being held gently in his arms, she gave him a look of utter shock and confusion. Then, her cheeks began to feel warm as the blood rushed to them and she looked away.
"Why is my heart pounding like this? And why do I feel so warm? I haven't felt like this since. . . since Miroku professed his love to me. . . But how do I really feel for Sesshomaru? He is handsome, strong, and caring. And now he just told me he loves me. . . But what should I say? Do I really love him back? Could I really say that if I did?" Mentally slapping herself, she straightened her thoughts out, "Of course I could. I'm no longer loyal to any man. That liar, Miroku betrayed me. I owe him nothing."
"Lie with me tonight, Kotori. Let me make you mine for eternity. I promise I'll take away all the pain that monk has caused you. Just let me love you. . ." Sesshomaru whispered softly to her. The ice was gone from his voice and now it was a warm, comforting voice. The voice of a guardian and lover.
Looking back up at him with tears in her eyes, she gave him a small smile. "Have me then. . . Love me. . ." she whispered as her lips met his in a passionate kiss.
He wrapped his arms tighter around her and walked out of the hot springs and into his sleeping chambers. Placing her down upon his futon, he smiled down at her and claimed her lips in another deep kiss.
And the moon shone down upon them through the slits in the paper windows as they made passionate love together.