WARNING: This chapter contains LEMON and MALE-MALE SEX. If this disturbs you, PLEASE DON'T READ IT. Oh, and if you ignore this warning, don't flame me about it, OK?
If you want to follow the story but skip the lemon, just don't read between the dashed lines, OK?
I should admit this is my first attempt at writing lemon or slash, ever. A friend complained that I hadn't tried writing any, and one thing led to another . . . Now I have officially joined the slash lemon writers, I couldn't be more embarassed. I mean, I couldn't be more proud. Honest.
I'm planning on adding a new chapter or two every week or two, at least until I get swamped by homework again. I'm really having a lot of fun with this story.
I'd like to thank Kat Morning for the setting of my story, which is based on the alternate universe of her inu fanfic "Blood Ties."
Disclaimer: I do not own Miroku, Sesshomeru, or any other Inuyasha characters. They are owned by their author/creator, Rumiko Takahashi.
Chapter 25: Kouga's Discovery
Sesshomeru stared at the screen of his laptop, where he hadn't typed a single character for several minutes. His mind was focused on remembering Kagura's words: "I feared that you had become infatuated with her . . ."
Ridiculous. It was an amusing game, to make her blush and stutter, certainly. And her ability to surprise him had made him chuckle many times, but infatuation? With a human girl younger than Rin?
The Lord of the Western lands wondered for the twentieth time why he had bothered to save Kura. Not just once, but three times! He tried to push out of his mind the flush in her cheeks when she blushed, and the memory of falling asleep with her in his arms . . . Thank the spirits he had slipped away before she woke, both nights. How would he have explained such a situation to her? Although she was sleeping in Rin's room, her citrus scent continued to cling to the demon lord's bed.
From the door, Kouga called a question. Sesshomeru pulled himself out of his reverie to answer, "Hmm?"
"I stopped by to report on the activities of our non-allied demons. Is there a problem, boss?" When Sesshomeru still failed to respond, Kouga crossed to him. "Boss? Are you feeling OK?"
"Of course," the irritated demon lord snapped. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Ah, sure, it's just that . . . Boss, you're projecting an aura."
Sesshomeru was startled. He was usually aware of his powers at all times. The aura wasn't a full battle-aura, but it was much stronger than Sesshomeru usually allowed. How could he have failed to notice? The demon lord realized that he had allowed several seconds of silence, but tried to brush off his servant's concern. "There is an important battle approaching. Some tension is natural."
Kouga said hesitantly, "This isn't like you, to waste so much power . . ."
Sesshomeru thought dully that he should be annoyed, but Kouga's words were completely true. Not only did Sesshomeru never waste power or show the slightest sign of strain, the demon lord didn't ever become distracted from the problem at hand by his lovers. Sesshomeru corrected himself, "Not that Kura is, or ever will be, a lover. She's just a . . ." He searched for the right word, before concluding sourly, ". . . an infatuation. Dammit." Sesshomeru was definitely acting out of character.
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He wasn't the only one. Kouga gripped Sesshomeru's shoulder. The demon lord whipped around to look his subordinate in the eye, and was shocked by the naked emotions he saw there: fear, need and lust. Sesshomeru paid close attention to the wolf demon and noticed his elevated heart rate, rapid breathing and dilated pupils. He was trembling slightly, his skin was flushed and unusually warm, and his scent indicated arousal. "What on earth?" Sesshomeru thought, "Why is he . . . OH!"
Aloud, Sesshomeru said, "Kouga?"
As if breaking out of a trance, the wolf demon blanched and dropped to his knees. "Forgive me, Sesshomeru-dono, I . . ."
"There is nothing to forgive," Sesshomeru answered, and he lazily extended a hand to stroke the younger demon's hair. If he noticed that Kouga shivered in pleasure or that the crotch of the wolf-demon's jeans suddenly became tight, Sesshomeru didn't mention it. "Kouga, have you ever touched a demon lord's aura before? When it was as charged as mine is right now?" Kouga shook his head while leaning into the demon lord's caress. "Think carefully, now," Sesshomeru chided, and took his hand away.
Kouga moaned slightly at the loss of his touch, but his eyes refocused as he started to think. "I touched your aura, Boss, when we were fighting."
"When we first met? Just before you joined my service? I seem to remember you tried to woo my female companion . . . What was her name?" Sesshomeru was teasing him, testing the limits of the wolf-demon's self-control.
"Whose name?" Kouga was sorely distracted.
"The female demon who was with me. The one we fought over. What was her name?" Sesshomeru repeated, a little less patiently.
"I don't remember, Boss," Kouga admitted, hoping that was the end of the questions.
"You never do remember their names, do you?" Sesshomeru mused. "But that is beside the point. Do you remember how it felt when you touched my aura back then?"
Kouga jerked his eyes from Sesshomeru's crotch to his golden eyes. Was the demon lord making a threat? "Y-yes, my lord, I remember."
"How did it feel?" Sesshomeru asked. He could feel himself relaxing, now that he was fully in control of both the situation and his own thoughts.
Kouga was trembling again, this time from fear. "It was agony, my lord, like fire. And when I tried to push through, it forced me back like a strong kick in the stomach."
"And do you know why you aren't feeling pain now, even though you are touching my aura again?" Sesshomeru almost snickered; the sensations that were befuddling Kouga's brain were definitely not pain. Kouga muttered something unintelligible and rested his cheek on his lord's knee, lost in the sensations. Sesshomeru explained, "You have served me faithfully for 970 years, Kouga; in those years, I've become so accustomed to your presence that my aura treats you as an extension of myself. It boosts your powers, shields you, and has certain . . . side effects."
Sesshomeru lifted Kouga's chin until their noses were an inch apart. When he spoke, Sesshomeru's breath brushed the other's lips. "You understand that you are reacting to my aura, yes? Now tell me, Kouga, do you wish me to retract the aura, to free you from its effects?" Kouga shook his head vehemently, but never broke eye contact with his lord. "Very well," Sesshomeru purred, "then perhaps you wish me to do . . . this?" The demon lord slid off the chair so that he was kneeling in front of Kouga, pressing his legs, groin, torso and lips against the other demon's. Kouga reacted instantly, pressing back and forcing the demon lord over backwards. He moaned loudly. The wolf demon's amorous kisses and caresses were enthusiastic, but too hasty and careless to bring his partner much pleasure.
Kouga tore at Sesshomeru's clothing, exposing a smooth, slender, muscular chest. He licked, stroked, kissed, and nibbled on every inch of exposed skin, working his way down from the base of the throat to the level of his jutting hip bones. Kouga grabbed the other demon's crotch. It was only then that Kouga realized Sesshomeru was still unaroused. Confused and worried, he looked up into the demon lord's golden eyes, which glinted with an amused, predatory light.
With an abrupt twist of the hips and shoulders, Sesshomeru flipped both himself and his partner, so that the demon lord was now on top. Slowly, deliberately, Sesshomeru began to return the attentions that had been lavished on him. He started by undoing Kouga's fly, then used the friction between the two demons' thighs to push down his jeans. When the wolf demon, groaning, reached for himself to relieve his erection, Sesshomeru captured both his hands and pinned them above his head. The taiyoukai used his teeth to unbutton Kouga's shirt, tugging carefully until each button slipped through its hole. Sesshomeru could feel Kouga shuddering with pleasure with each shift of position as the skin of his bare chest brushed against the other's.
Growling, Kouga wrapped his legs around Sesshomeru's hips, crushing their groins together, and dug his nails into the demon lord's back, urging him to move faster, harder. Sesshomeru had enjoyed teasing the younger demon with his greater self-control, but he was ready to move on. He didn't need to worry about being gentle with Kouga; he was no vulnerable human girl. Their lips came together in a bruising kiss, and Sesshomeru forced his tongue between the other's fangs. Salty blood from the resulting cuts plunged both demons further into the depths of their most primitive minds. In a sign that his self-control was weakening, Sesshomeru broke off the kiss to bury his fangs into the sensitive place where Kouga's neck joined his shoulder. With a muffled cry of pleasure and pain, Kouga arched his back, pressing his groin against Sesshomeru's. The demon lord reveled in the taste of blood and the strong scent of wolf and sweat, with just a hint of citrus . . .
Although he would never admit it, the scent of the human girl distracted him almost completely. Swearing silently, he wished he had thought to change the sheets earlier, so he wouldn't have the omnipresent smell to remind him of her, of the way he imagined her lips might taste . . .
Looking down into Kouga's eyes, Sesshomeru knew this wasn't the partner he wanted. Dammit, but he was infatuated. He wanted to know how she felt, pressed against his body, he wanted to hear her cries of pleasure, he wanted to see her face flushed and shining with sweat. Squelching the frustration he felt, Sesshomeru pushed one of his hands down Kouga's jeans. Using his fingers and thumb to form a ring, he pumped up and down the shaft, allowing the wolf demon to thrust into his hand. Kouga snarled and panted, his rhythm picking up speed and then becoming erratic. Moments later, the wolf demon clenched his fingers and toes and flushed red across his cheeks and his chest as he climaxed. He went limp, looking up at his lord with a dopey grin.
He continued to lie there, spent, after Sesshomeru rose and went to the bathroom to clean his hand and straighten his clothing. Within minutes, Sesshomeru was once again immaculate and expressionless, with his aura firmly suppressed. Kouga had zipped his fly and was buttoning his shirt when the demon lord reentered the room. His throat closed in worry at his lord's sudden coolness. Had Kouga offended him? "Uh, Boss?"
"Yes?" Sesshomeru asked disinterestedly.
"Boss, I'm sorry . . ."
"Are you? Really?" Sesshomeru quirked an eyebrow suggestively, and Kouga felt his cheeks burning. "You regret participating in my little . . . demonstration . . . of my aura's effects?"
Kouga was sure that those golden eyes were mocking him, but he couldn't stop himself from protesting, "No! It was nice . . . I mean, it was great! But I should have . . . "
Sesshomeru brushed off the recriminations. "Stop babbling," he snapped, then continued, ". . . You have a question?"
"Um, Boss, will this happen every single time that . . ."
"No, you'll get used to the aura very quickly, I imagine, and will feel nothing more than a vague attachment to me." Sesshomeru grinned wickedly. "Of course, there are other ways of stirring lust, if you are interested . . ." Kouga blushed again.
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Sesshomeru added, "Oh, by the way, thank you for your concern earlier, but I am feeling just fine, as you can see."
"OK, Boss," Kouga answered and backed out the door.
Sesshomeru allowed himself a deep breath and a stretch, and his mind turned inevitably back to the human girl. Kura. His "infatuation."
What the hell was so special about her? She wasn't beautiful, or even that pretty. Her skin was lined with scars, and her nose was crooked. She didn't have the strength, flexibility or undying beauty of a demon female. Judging by her stuttering and blushing, she hadn't had many lovers, so she was probably unskilled as well. She was nothing more than a human girl who fought against vampires and was constantly in need of protection.
So what was special about her? The fact that she found him attractive was to be expected. He would have been insulted if she hadn't. Almost all of his vassals found him mesmerizing, male and female alike. Occasionally he indulged them, or even had a relationship with them, but for the most part he simply accepted their adoration as his due.
He closed his eyes and kneaded his furrowed forehead. He thought of the first time he saw her. Bleeding and bruised, limping and terrified, but unbroken. She had seen him with bloody claws, known that he would kill her, and she had smiled. A triumphant smile that showed her seeming fragility was false. In that instant, she had been breathtakingly beautiful, despite her crooked nose and swollen cheek. Or perhaps she was so beautiful because of those bruises and scars. Had that been the moment he had been caught?
He shook his head. Infatuated with a human girl who had no magical abilities, remarkable beauty or even an agreeable personality. She was just damnably stubborn. He hoped that he wouldn't choke on the number of his own words he was going to have to eat, all those insults about demons who fell for weakling humans. Still, that wasn't so bad, in comparison: even the insults couldn't taste as bad as that disgusting peanut-butter glop Kura had created. That woman couldn't be too fragile, since she evidently had a stomach made of iron.