Yeah, this is another warning. Take the rating seriously. Seriously. BDSM elements are anticipated ahead. Duh.


Chapter 3:

He returned to his fortress quietly, slipping in unnoticed by any with his precious cargo slumbering in his arms. It had taken most of a day to return, giving him time to consider the situation.

He had not been expecting a human, but it changed little. When he was finished with her, she would be the match of any youkai, and she would be loyal and obedient. She would worship and respect him, and eventually become the mother to his children.

He wrapped her in a thin blanket, laying her down on a prepared futon to complete her rest. He did not want Jaken or some other to have the privilege of seeing his intended mate. She slept soundly, her body was clearly fatigued far beyond what it was used to handling. Inuyasha's forest was about a two day walk from his trap, an exhausting run for a human, if she had indeed come from there.

Last night she had been worn down and scraped up before he had even got there. He suspected that after she had rested she would not give in so easily again. She saw him as an enemy, flinched from his touch and tried to escape him, but that would change. He would be prepared when she woke up to show the girl her place.

~*~*~*~

Kagome groaned as the waking world invaded her mind. Everything hurt. Her memories seemed like a dream... the long run through the forest as she could see a trap closing around her... Sesshoumaru smirking at her as though she were candy, touching her, whispering frightening things in her ear... his hand covering her mouth before she blacked out.

The pain told her it had been real. Every muscle felt heavy and tight, she was having trouble moving at all. Her wrist throbbed and her head was still heavy. Her mouth was so dry she could hardly swallow. But that did not tell her where she was now.

She was still half-dazed when she heard the sound of a door sliding open. Her eyes snapped fully open in alarm, though it made her slightly dizzy. When she re-focused, she found herself looking into golden eyes as a the familiar youkai smiled at her slightly.

She gave a startled yell, trying to shove herself to her feet and away from him. Halfway up, she fell back to the ground again and scrambled backwards to try and get away from him. He leisurely reached out and snared her around an ankle, dragging her back across the floor towards him. She thrashed wildly, trying to get free of him while holding her bedding against her unclothed body. He manipulated her easily, taking hold of the sheet and maneuvering it around her carefully. Before she realized what he was doing, her arms were tangled in the sheet and it was deftly tied around her like an impromptu strait jacket. Satisfied with his work, he set her in his lap, letting her struggle in vain. When she tried to hurl herself away from him, he finally wrapped his arms around her and growled at her until she stilled.

His growl startled her. He sounded like a wild animal and the tips of his claws pressured her skin, and she froze on instinct. She was not happy about being in his lap, but at least the blanket covered everything important for now. She glared at him, a small growl of frustrated indignation escaping her flushed lips.

A tremor ran through him when those dark eyes fixed on him angrily. Her skin was hot to the touch, her heart pounding. It sent his blood rushing and he hungrily swooped down on her tempting lips, exploiting her heavy breath as he let his tongue into her sweet mouth. He steadied her body so she could not pull away. He let his desire have free reign, his mouth ravaging hers as he ran his hand along her bare thigh. Eventually she realized her struggles were getting her nowhere and she stiffened instead, straining away as best she could. Sesshoumaru finally pulled away, leaving her breathless and very angry. He smirked down at her in satisfaction.

"How dare you!" she hissed angrily.

He tauntingly tapped her on the nose, knowing the gesture would only annoy her further. "You forget, my Kagome. You belong to me now, and I will do as I like with you."

"I don't belong to you!" She immediately replied. "I won't play your stupid game, now let me go."

He stroked her hair to calm her, making her feel like some sort of favored pet. "Ah, Kagome, you do not understand fully your place yet, so I will let that slide. But you do belong to me, you see. You came when you were called-"

"That was a spell!" she interrupted. He gently placed his hand over her mouth.

"Never the less, you came and were chosen to be bound to me. It is a great honor; you should be grateful that I have accepted you. Your place is with me now, and you will not leave." He removed his hand and met her anger full on.

"Inuyasha is going to come after me," she insisted. "I'll escape somehow."

His smile was condescending. "Inuyasha... I wondered about your companion as well. Odd, isn't it, that he didn't stop you from coming to me?" She said nothing, but looked away from him.

"Surely, the hanyou would have stopped you when he saw you taken with the spell, yet he did not. Perhaps he was not with you at the time?" The look of discomfort on her face was enough to confirm his suspicions.

"He was not with you, and you ran without giving him any warning. He will have no idea where you are or what's become of you, and there will be no signs of myself to give him a clue. He may not even realize something has happened to you."

"He'll track me," she said uncertainly.

"And he'll fail. No one will take you from me, I will see to that. If he ever finds you, it will already be too late."

"Too late?" she accidentally squeaked.

"It will not be long before you yield to me completely and I make you my mate."

She paled as the realization set in. "I won't let you. I'd rather die. I hate you."

"That's all right," he said conversationally, "I will enjoy changing your mind."

She shivered at his words, very aware of her vulnerable position. "What are you going to do to me?"

"Don't worry, you'll be well taken care of. But if you are going to be my mate, I must teach you to obey me. I am your master, and I know what's best for you. I will discipline you if I must, for your own good. You will do nothing unless I give you permission."

"I won't ever obey you!"

He slapped her lightly across her cheek, just hard enough to make her eyes water. "You will not speak unless I give you leave, and you will never speak so disrespectfully." There was a noise behind them and Sesshoumaru turned, but she could not see past him.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," she heard a croaky voice she recognized as Jaken's. "The things you have asked for have been prepared."

Sesshoumaru dismissed the youkai with a tilt of his head and stood. He considered Kagome, still wrapped up on the floor. She looked at him with a mix of fear, anger and confusion. He easily hefted her up, throwing her body over one shoulder. She eeped as he adjusted her weight, and she felt unsteady without the use of her arms. Sesshoumaru would not let her fall, but she was frightened by how easily he could manipulate her. She flushed as he steadied her by firmly holding her by her bare legs. As much as she wanted down, she would not struggle for fear of falling.

She did not see another soul as he carried her confidently through the empty halls. The descended to the lowest part of the keep. To make matters worse, Sesshoumaru kept running the tips of his claws up and down the back of her legs until she couldn't help squirming under his touch.

He pushed open a door, though she could not see where they had arrived from her vantage. It was only when she was whipped off of his shoulder and submerged into warm water that she was able to guess where he had brought her.

A warm bath had been prepared, and Sesshoumaru had immersed her, blanket and all. He held her down for a moment before he allowed her to surface, still holding her shoulders tightly in place. She wanted to yell at him, but was busy coughing up the water she had mistakenly inhaled. He took advantage of her weakness, and with startling efficiency had washed her hair before she regained her grasp on the situation.

"I can bathe myself," she snapped, hoping he didn't go beyond her hair.

He growled slightly, immediately pushing her back under the water and holding her there until she got the idea. "That is my decision, not yours." He told her as he let her breathe again. "If I wish to bathe you, you will cooperate."

Still out of breath, Kagome didn't answer. He allowed the water to remove most of the dirt covering her before yanking her from the basin again. He stood her on her feet, still bound and dripping. She was still a far sight from clean, but it was a start. He hooked a claw under the sopping cloth and pulled her against him. "Now," he said in a no-nonsense voice, "You can either let me do as I like calmly, or I can make you." He gave her a moment to consider.

It was then that she took good notice of where she actually was. The bath had been set up in what looked like a dungeon. There were chains on the walls and sinister-looking devices spaced around the room. Whips and instruments of torture were carefully hung up, but what startled her most was the array of such devices that had been carefully set out in preparation on the low platform in front of them.

Sesshoumaru took her silence as acceptance and began to drag his claw through the cloth, freeing her and exposing her at the same time.

A panic rose up in her as Sesshoumaru watched her with hungry eyes. He may be a lot stronger than her, but she was not going to simply stand there while he did this to her. She began to fight back madly, knowing she was probably begging for punishment, but she was not going to make this easy for him.

He hid his satisfaction at her struggles as she freed her hands and began to dig in her nails. She hissed curses and empty demands and threats at him as he ungently deposited her on a platform, flipping her onto her stomach. It stunned her slightly, her vision darkened and for a brief moment, she feared she would pass out. He quickly lashed her wrists to the platform, spreading her arms uncomfortably so that she could not raise her body.

She growled at the vulnerable position, but could not find a way to free herself from the leather straps. "Let me up!" she demanded.

He traced her spine down her back, watching her hairs rise in response. "It was you who chose this position," he intoned. He could feel her fear rising. She knew she was helpless, and she had not yet learned that he was her protector. He would punish her if she was unruly, yes, but he would not set out to do her any real harm. She whimpered slightly and tried to readjust, but found the straps too tight.

He pushed her head down to rest against the smooth stone surface. "Calm yourself," he ordered her. She stayed as he put her, but started to shake. He reached into a basin of slightly-perfumed water, retrieving a wet cloth. He began to methodically wash her, cleaning all the scrapes and scratches she had procured from the last night. He pressed down on her trembling legs with one hand, keeping her still as he traveled down her body. Kagome remained in her fearful daze, still startled at the feel of his hands on her body. When he was satisfied with her backside, he released her hands to turn her over.

She immediately reacted, thrashing as soon as he released the straps. Angry tears ran down her face, but he caught every blow she swung at him, catching her wrists and flipping her over again onto her back. Without seeming to extend any effort, she was once again lashed to the platform. Her whole front was exposed to him, she realized with horror. She jerked and kicked, but the straps wouldn't let her cover herself or turn. "How dare you!" she hissed at him. "I hate you!"

His eyebrow raised slightly. "Haven't you learned yet? Perhaps you are just stubborn." He picked up a gag, forcing it into her mouth despite her attempts to stop him. He tightened it securely around her head. Her muted yell almost made him smile. "My Kagome, if you cannot speak to me respectfully, then I must keep you silent."

She tried to burn holes into him with her eyes. However, when his hands fell to her body again the outrage shining in her eyes turned instantly to fear. He lashed her legs apart as well this time to keep her from kicking. Mostly he did not want her hurting herself. She whimpered in denial, but he ignored her, concerned now only with her body. He cleaned her quickly, and she was relieved when he only seemed to pay attention to her wounds. Still, she could hardly relax with her whole body helpless and exposed to him. Her unbound breasts rose and fell with her erratic breaths, but she could do nothing to slow it.

She endured it as Sesshoumaru dried her, but after he had finished he showed no signs of letting her up. She could only whimper and beg with her eyes, enduring any shame if only he released her.

He smiled at her patiently. "Not yet, Kagome. First I must take care of you properly."

She paled and shook her head. She trembled violently, and he could tell she was truly terrified. He was sorry for that, but she had to learn to accept his touch.

He held her head in his hand, brushing aside tears with his thumb as he shushed her softly. He rested his hand on her hip, letting it move in soothing patterns. She relaxed only partially at his reassurances, but there was nothing she could do in any case.

He started on her arms, massaging the muscles firmly and looking over every inch. He felt the texture of her skin and the consistency of the flesh underneath. Aside from a couple of tiny scars and new scratches, they were flawless. He tipped her chin back, feeling as her young healthy pulse surged full-blast through her jugular. He flicked his tongue across her throat, reacquainting himself with her flavor. He let his hands soothe her tense shoulders as he allowed himself a few moments of distraction.

She was torn. What he was doing to her aching muscles felt absolutely wonderful, and she couldn't quite bring herself to try and struggle as long as his fingers were so skillfully easing her tension.

His hands cupped each of her breasts, making her jump. She peaked with little encouragement and he began to gently knead her young flesh, teasing her pink nipples with the tips of his claws. There was a muted moan and she squirmed in his hands, and he ached to continue the treatment, but he had a purpose to complete.

Seeing her settle a little, he moved downward. His hands slid down her sides, hoping she would relax a little more. He reached her abdomen, once again massaging her tight muscles as he examined her skin. The burn from her escape attempt was quickly fading, and would disappear entirely with his ministration. The largest scar on her was above her left hip, where it seemed her flesh had been torn. 'A bite?' he wondered. 'Anything that harmed her will pay dearly.' Kagome could not speak for the moment, so he tucked the knowledge away for later.

He went next to her legs, starting at her feet. He whispered sympathetically to her at the state of her soles, realizing for the first time they had been worn raw by her midnight run. At the very least they merited a full healing. His hands massaged their way up her toned calves, and he noticed she was no longer trying to jerk away from him.

He could smell the fatigue on her still, her muscles still repairing themselves from her over-exertion. He rested his hands on her thighs, amused when she jumped at his touch. She looked at him with pleading eyes, but he only smiled softly at her and squeezed lightly.

His strong hands began to firmly kneed her thighs, the sore muscles trembling in his hands. His thumbs and fingers pressed all the right places, easing her discomfort. Her head fell back on the table. She couldn't help it. She still didn't trust him, and was very nervous about where his hands were, but what he was doing was so soothing. Everything faded to a white haze as he worked the tension from her legs, and she relaxed slightly in spite of herself.

He knew she was soothed by what he was doing to her as she finally dropped her guard, if only slightly. He glanced at her face, seeing her eyes close and her breathing even out. He smiled at the sweet picture she made, still flushed with her eyes closed in innocence. He continued until she was relaxed to his satisfaction, before moving upward.

He held her by her hips, causing her eyes to drift back open inquisitively. One hand slid up her thigh, gently cupping between her legs. Her breath immediately quickened in panic. "I won't hurt you," he told her calmly, knowing it would do little to calm her. He had been satisfied with his investigation of her, but one thing remained. He rubbed her lightly, letting her grow more accustomed to his touch before he continued. Her lips were quivering, a slow tear traveling down her face. He kissed her tears, giving her a few words of comfort without removing his hands. She shook her head slightly in denial, but he paid it no heed.

A careful flick of Sesshoumaru's fingers made her stomach twist, her whole body seeming to warm. Her breathing quickened even more as he teased her entrance with sure fingers. She shook, no longer sure it was due to fear. If she had been free to move she would have tried to escape him, afraid at the intensity of her body's reaction.

Her sweet scent filled the room as he coaxed her into excitement. He had to force himself to stay focused on his task, his own arousal rising as hers did. He lowered his head, breathing her heavy scent deeply. He tasted her slightly, holding her hips as she tried to pull away from his tongue. The second her essence hit his tongue he almost lost control, only a frightened whimper holding him back. He found what he had been searching for. She was still untouched, and more importantly, she was healthy and fertile. He pulled back before he lost the power to do so, feeling her tingle on his tongue. He returned his hand to its place as he kissed her on the burn across her skin. His claws teased her sensitized skin, fueling the girl further. He could take her now... her body was ready. But she was not. It was one thing to fear him when she was disobedient, but his mate should not be taught to fear his bed.

This time when she whimpered and tried to catch his eye, he responded. "Do you wish to speak, Kagome?"

She nodded slightly, her eyes beseeching.

"Will you be respectful?"

Again, a hesitant nod.

Gently, he removed the gag from her mouth.

She exhaled sharply as soon as it was gone. "Please," the words came out in a rush, "Please let me up, Sesshoumaru-sama." Her voice was slightly hoarse, and she was more thirsty than she ever had in her life. Her head felt light, and she distantly thought that it had been a while since she had anything to drink.

"If I end this for now, will you behave yourself and do as I say?" he asked her seriously.

"I..." she hesitated. "I will behave." Anything to get free of these straps.

He loosened the bindings, and she immediately pulled her arms around herself protectively. She felt dizzy, but fought the urge to resist when he lifted her down from the table.

He lifted her arms for her, wrapping her up in a white silk robe brought for this purpose. She was shaky on her feet, and he could tell it wasn't simply because of the cuts. Still, she visibly relaxed when she realized she was clothed again.

His arms wrapped around her briefly from behind, giving her a gentle squeeze that was almost reassuring. Since she could not see his face, she did find it strangely comforting to be embraced as if she was someplace familiar with the people she loved. She almost forgot to be afraid of him.

Then, just as quickly, his arms vanished and she felt hopelessly lost.



Question Response:

Is Inuyasha going to appear in this story?-- Not much. This story's all about smut; I don't want to bog it down with unnecessary elements like plot.

Thanks again for all your great feedback, it is much appreciated.