Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Inuyasha.

Author's Note: I know this is a strange triangle, but I've always felt that Kikyou's encounter with Bankotsu needed to be explored a bit more. Please review!

Kagome pulled the last arrow out of the tree. Kikyou must have been here, she thought ruefully. Inuyasha was seething.

"I'll kill him," he said darkly. "I'll kill that bastard."

"Who, Inuyasha?" The girl questioned.

"Bankotsu. He may have started battles with me and slaughtered some innocents, but he will die for this mistake," the silver-haired demon threatened.

"What did he do, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, wanting to know but at the same time dreading the answer.

"He kissed her," the half-demon growled.

What?? Kagome was surprised. "But he's a killer! Why would he want to kiss someone?"

"It doesn't matter!" Inuyasha shouted. "She's mine! He can't have her!"

Kagome shrank back, hurt. "Is that. . . Is that really how you feel, Inuyasha?" She lowered her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Kagome. I know you want to be with me, and I like you here, too. But I can't let that filthy killer hurt Kikyou."

"Maybe – maybe he really has feelings for her," Kagome said hesitantly, and a bit hopefully.

"Well, she doesn't like him!" Inuyasha screamed at her.

"Don't wait up for me!" He shouted as he ran towards the inner part of the mountain.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried out. Maybe she has feelings for him too.

Inuyasha raced up the mountain, sniffing for the scent of the undead Schichinintai.

Kikyou curled up next to a rock behind a waterfall. She brought her fingers up to meet her lips. Had a man really kissed her? A man other than Inuyasha?

The miko couldn't believe a reckless killer had stirred up such passion in her. A smile played on her lips as she thought about his taunts to her and promise to marry her. It was a lie, she knew, a ploy to hurt her and Inuyasha. Besides, Kikyou remembered what had happened the last time she pledged to spend her life with someone.

"Kikyou?" A voice called out.

"Oh!" The miko gasped and stood up quickly.

Bankotsu stood before her.

The mercenary had a troubled look upon his face.

"Tell me what you want or you die." Kikyou was not going to hesitate this time. Bankotsu lowered his voice.

"Just you, Kikyou." She lowered her bow. He came towards her.

Before she could think his lips crashed down upon hers. She responded to the kiss passionately, without worrying about the outcome. If he is to kill me, I would at least like to have this.

"I am so sorry, miko." Bankotsu held her face in his hands. "I don't mean to play with your emotions. I found myself thinking about you again, and decided to find you."

"How did you know I was here?" The young woman questioned.

He simply smiled. "I followed your Schin-dama-chu." His eyes met hers and there was a cruelty in them. "Tomorrow I will kill that hanyou."

Kikyou moved away from him. "You will not touch Inuyasha. I won't let that happen."

"Maybe you won't have a choice," Bankotsu said softly. "Or maybe, when all of this is over and done with, you will choose me over him."

"Choose?" Kikyou laughed coldly. "There is no choice to make. I am a clay body. There is no warmth, no passion in my heart."

"But you see, that is not so," Bankotsu said. He was inches away from her face. Kikyou felt her lower lip tremble. "Your spirit resonates beneath the surface. As one gets closer to you, one can feel that hidden warmth."

"And you think you can feel it?" She spat.

"I will," and with that, Bankotsu kissed her again, hard, searchingly.

Kikyou felt lost and confused, so she pressed up against the young leader. He wrapped his arms around her tightly.

What am I doing, she wanted to say, but it came out as, "Please."

She let him lower her to the hard ground, and his lips trailed kisses down neck. He opened her shirt and undid the strings of her pants. Kikyou felt vulnerable, but the feelings building up in her nether regions felt so wonderful to her that she could not stop the boy.

"Are you as innocent as you appear, miko?" breathed Bankotsu. He unraveled her bindings to reveal firm breasts. "You certainly are beautiful."

He then began to do things to her breasts and nipples that Kikyou didn't know could be done. Strong pangs of lust were curling in her belly and she felt a sense of urgency that she never had before. The miko started to arch her back and move towards him.

"Does this mean that the powerful miko is surrendering to me?" Bankotsu pulled on her hakama pants and they slithered off of her.

Kikyou reached for him, wanting to remove his armor. He let her, although her hands were trembling with each clasp. She thought she knew what was to come next, although she had no idea what it would be like.

The warrior parted her knees with one of his own.

"I'm a little scared," she admitted. I sound like a little fool. What am I doing?

"I will not hurt you," Bankotsu said, kissing her tears. "At least, I will try not to."

Kikyou squirmed against him. This should be Inuyasha.

In a moment's time, she felt him enter her, slowly but hard. She felt a tear somewhere deep inside of her, but it was blissfully replaced by a pleasant throbbing.

Bankotsu moved against her. Shortly, he discovered her secret areas. Areas that had in fact, been secrets to her as well.

In time, he revealed them all to her.

Kisses rained on her face and he finally released her hands so she could hold his hard body. They held each other tightly and started a climbing rhythm that they both rode until Kikyou felt lightheaded with pleasure. She clung hard to him as they climaxed together, and then lay for a moment, sweating and breathing hard.

And that was how Inuyasha found them.

Kikyou opened her eyes. She saw trees rushing past her. Rushing past her? No, she was rushing past them. Where was she? Where was Bankotsu. She realized that she was being carried. Locks of silver hair brushed against her face and she noticed that she was clutching to his red Fire Rat cloak.

"Inu. . .Yasha?" She whispered. "What happened?" Footsteps slowing down. Then the half-demon lowered her onto the ground, still in his arms.

"Don't worry, Kikyou," the hanyou said cockily. "It was a long fight, but you fainted and were not harmed.

"Where is Bankotsu?"

"I told you not to worry," the silver-haired demon replied. "I killed him. He's back in the world of the dead."

That can't be true. "What?" Where was I? Kikyou felt a flood of tears rush up to her eyes, and without hesitation spill over her cheeks.

"What's wrong?" Inuyasha rubbed at her tears. His touch now felt unfamiliar. "I'm just sorry I didn't get there in time," he felt his own tears building.

"In time for what?"

"Kikyou, do you remember what happened?"

Yes. The question is, do you?

She nodded.

"He took advantage of you, the bastard." Inuyasha was now holding her close to him. She let him, feeling numb. "Kikyou?" He came in close to her face. "Can I take care of you now?"

"Take. . .take care of me?" Kikyou looked uncertain.

"We could be together, right?" Inuyasha leaned down and he had a look of excitement on his face.

"Why now?" Kikyou questioned. Was it because you saw me with another man and became jealous?

"Kagome can still find the shards and stay with the others, but after what I just saw that asshole do to you, I know now that I need to protect you."

"Protect me?" Kikyou chuckled. "Is that all you want to be here for?"

Inuyasha kissed her lightly on the lips. She gasped in surprise. "I want you, Kikyou," he simply said. "Now more than ever."

"Now?" Kikyou said softly. "Even after. . ."

"Let me inside you, Kikyou" Inuyasha whispered.

Kikyou let her tears flow free, but she nodded, letting him gently lay her down in the now-familiar position.

"Don't cry, Kikyou," Inuyasha whispered. "It will be okay. We'll be together now. Kagome and everyone will have to understand. I should have protected you. It was my fault that that creep did this to you. Let me. . ." He trailed off.

Kikyou closed her eyes and the hanyou basked in her body. He delighted in exploring her curves with his tongue and hands, and within a short period of time, she was moaning in spite of herself.

When Inuyasha lowered himself between her legs and pushed into her, she welcomed him.

"You want me to mark you?" He moved against her, wide-eyed. Kikyou nodded.

Inuyasha bit her neck softly, restraining himself. His finger found her swollen secret area and he rubbed her until she came against him, her face resting in the curve of his neck and shoulder.

"Kikyou, you are mine," he moaned lustily as he climaxed with her. "Take all of me." Then Inuyasha gently wiped her tears away and kissed her bruised lips.