Kagome hummed happily to herself as she brushed out her raven colored hair. It had been a couple of days since she'd seen Inuyasha and she was eager to meet up with him. Her family had gone out of town to visit a sick relative so she had the house all to herself, which meant that she could spend some time with Inuyasha without any unwanted interruptions. She had gone out and bought a new outfit just for this occasion; it was a light blue tank top with a crescent moon on the front and she had also gotten a thigh length blue skirt to match. The outfit didn't reveal much aside from a small bit of her navel and most of her cream colored legs but it was enough to be enticing and that was what she wanted.

Ever since the other night in the cave she couldn't stop thinking about what had happened between herself and Inuyasha. She had been so sure about making love with him and it puzzled her as to why she suddenly wanted to stop when he touched her. She couldn't explain it but when he put his hands on her she felt as though she were betraying someone that it wasn't right to be with the doggy-eared man. Thinking back Kagome could recall seeing Sesshomaru above her instead of Inuyasha but she dismissed it as being fear from her dream that was intensified by being in the same cave it took place in.

As she styled her bangs her mind wandered to the few moments she'd had with Sesshomaru. When she first awoke she had been startled by him but as he got closer to her the fear vanished. What surprised her even more was how she had reacted to his touch, it was so much different than Inuyasha's, Sesshomaru's touch didn't make her feel nervous or wrong. When he had his hand on her face she felt like it was right, like he was meant to be there with her and she didn't feel like she was betraying someone as she had with the hanyou. Kagome had told him that she didn't like his touch but he had seen past that and knew she'd been lying but for some strange reason she couldn't admit to herself that she liked the way he touched her.

Kagome shook all those thoughts from her mind and spun around a couple of times in front of her full length mirror to make sure she looked perfect before she headed off to the well, trying to hold back her excitement as she went. When she reached the feudal era she took off into the woods, knowing that Inuyasha would be on the cliff where he usually was. He often went there to be by himself but Kagome knew he wouldn't mind her company. As she reached the top of the hill she spotted the hanyou standing near the edge of the cliff, his face void of any emotion as he became lost in his own little world. She giggled softly to herself and decided to sneak up on him, tiptoeing up behind a nearby tree so she wouldn't alert him to her presence. As she ducked behind the trunk she couldn't help but chuckle in her mind, "I can't wait to see the look on Inuyasha's face when he sees my new out…"

Kagome paused in her thoughts when she saw someone approaching the white-haired young man and she instantly recognized the individual. There was no mistaking that long black hair or the bow and arrow that she carried on her back, "What's Kikyo doing here?"

Kikyo stepped up to Inuyasha and they started talking softly to one another. Kagome strained her ears to hear them but she was too far away to pick up anything but murmurs. She looked on and felt dread begin to creep up inside of her stomach as Kikyo rested her hand on Inuyasha's cheek. Then the priestess leaned up and kissed the hanyou lightly on the lips, causing his eyes to widen with shock for a moment and Kagome's to water with tears, "Inuyasha will push her away… I know he will… he wouldn't betray me…"

Her hopes shattered in an instant as she watched the scene play out before her. Instead of doing what Kagome prayed he would do and push Kikyo away Inuyasha closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around the priestess, pulling her closer to him as his hair fell to conceal them from Kagome's view. Kagome felt hot tears start to stream down her face and she turned and ran back the way she came, running blindly through the forest as fast as she could go. She didn't care about the branches as they cut into her arms and legs, she didn't feel the pain when she tripped and fell on her knee the only thing she could feel was the pain in her heart.

"Why Inuyasha! Why would you do this! Why did you betray me!"

In her panic to get back home Kagome wasn't paying attention to where she was going and her shirt got caught on a branch and she jerked to get free from it, ripping the thin material. She turned to run again but smashed into something hard and she fell to the ground before she looked up with tear filled brown eyes to meet impassive golden ones.

Sesshomaru had managed to escape from Rin and Jaken and made his way to the creek to splash some water on his face to relax his nerves. He had wanted to go and see Kagome for several days now but Rin had fallen ill and Jaken was clueless about how to care for the little human. He realized he still loved the little girl but not in the way he thought he once had, where he once saw her as a potential lover he now saw her as more of a daughter. He was fine with that because he already had a mate so he didn't have to worry any more about hurting the little girl he'd grown so fond of. Now that he was alone, his thoughts wandered to Kagome and what he could do to get her to trust him.

No matter how hard he tried he couldn't understand as to why she kept trying to flee from him. Had he frightened her that much? Had he hurt her? Did she hate him now that it was over and in the past? Sesshomaru wanted Kagome to be fond of him but he didn't know how to sway her attention away from his half-breed brother. He couldn't understand why she cared for the mutt; he was irresponsible, obnoxious, ill tempered, and disloyal to her. Every time he turned around he was with that priestess and practically ignoring Kagome now he suddenly was with her and being faithful to her? He doubted that, he couldn't imagine Inuyasha being loyal especially not when it came between Kagome and Kikyo.

Sesshomaru never understood his younger sibling and he never tried to, the only thing that mattered to him right now was getting his mate to stop being fearful of him and come to him willingly. He stood to leave but paused when he heard footsteps coming his way. He sniffed the air and could smell faint traces of salt mixed with the person's unique scent, a scent he'd come to recognize very well. Sesshomaru looked to the side and saw Kagome come running out of the trees in a frantic manner as if she were fleeing from something.

As she came out from behind a tree her shirt got snagged on a branch and he heard the fabric rip as she jerked away. She staggered for a moment and began running again but she wasn't looking where she was going and slammed directly into him. Kagome fell to the ground then she slowly looked up at him, tears streaming down her face as he asked, "Why the hurry?"

"None of your business, Sesshomaru!"

Sesshomaru couldn't help but smile at the fire in her eyes, that was one of the things that attracted him to her, no matter how afraid or upset she was there always seemed to be some type of fire within those chocolate depths. He looked her over for a moment and saw numerous cuts and scrapes on her, most likely where she'd been running through the bushes. What bothered him were the silver streams that followed her delicate face down to her chin where they dripped off onto her now ripped and torn shirt, "I wonder what is bothering her…"

Sesshomaru's thoughts were interrupted when Kagome's soft voice reached his sensitive ears, "I'm sorry… for running into you, I wasn't paying attention."

He extended his hand to her and she took it before he helped her up, "Don't fret over it, now why are you running, is someone after you?"

"Like I said before, it's none of your business."

"It is my business when you run into me, now what is wrong?"

"Nothing…"

Kagome tried to leave but Sesshomaru caught her wrist and held her back, his voice soft but tinged with concern, "why are you weeping?"

"It's nothing!"

"Most individuals do not cry without a reason, Kagome."

"I don't want to talk about it especially not with you!"

Sesshomaru felt a slight bit of hurt at her last comment, so she still didn't trust him. Well he would have to change that now wouldn't he? He moved closer to her to where his mouth was just inches from her ear, making sure his chest brushed against her back as he whispered lightly to her, "You can tell this Sesshomaru what is bothering you, he will not pass judgment on you or mock you."

Kagome felt her tears stop briefly as his words registered in her mind and for a moment she actually considered confiding in the demon lord but she stopped herself at the last second, "no… I can't tell you… just please let me go, Sesshomaru… I just want to go home…"

Sesshomaru let her pull away from his grasp and he watched her leave, his eyes taking on a look of worry as the smell of fresh tears reached his nose. He sighed and looked back the way she came, sniffing the air briefly before following her scent up the trail. It didn't take long for him to reach the cliff and that's when he saw Inuyasha sitting by himself near the edge. Sesshomaru sniffed the air again and found that Kagome's scent stopped at the tree he was standing behind, "Inuyasha must have done something to her, but what?"

Sesshomaru looked on and saw Kikyo come up behind Inuyasha and hug him around the shoulders. The hanyou turned around and smiled at her before he pulled her down for a kiss. Sesshomaru's eyes tinted red as he watched the pair, his anger boiling to the surface, finally understanding what must have happened earlier with Kagome, "That bastard… he betrayed her! That's what must have happened… Kagome saw them…"

Sesshomaru snorted in disgust when Inuyasha playfully pushed Kikyo to the ground and loomed over her before he kissed her. The demon lord shook his head and had to turn away, sickened by the scene before him. He turned and headed back the way he came, his mind racing, "I can't believe he would give up Kagome for that dead priestess! Well it is his loss, I'll tear him to shreds later on but right now I have to find Kagome and make sure she is alright."

LATER THAT NIGHT

Kagome sighed and sat on the edge of her bed as she finished toweling her damp hair. It had been a horrible day; after she saw Inuyasha with Kikyo she ran straight home and had been crying since then. After awhile she figured that a nice bath might help and it had a little, the warm water temporarily relieved her of the images from earlier. She tossed the towel aside and changed into a loose nightgown before lying down and closing her eyes.

Kagome tried to just go to sleep and put the whole ordeal behind her but every time she closed her eyes she saw Inuyasha kissing Kikyo. After about two hours she gave up and just stared at the wall, trying to think of nothing in particular as she attempted to tire herself out. Then her mind began to wander to Sesshomaru and what had happened earlier with him. He seemed like he was concerned about her but it wasn't likely, Sesshomaru hated humans, aside from Rin of course.

But that night in the cave he had tried to kiss her so maybe he felt something for her. She thought back and could recall a strange look in his golden eyes, one she couldn't quite place. At first she thought he was just teasing her and mocking her fear of him but when she saw that look in his eyes all the fear she'd had for him vanished completely. He had kissed her for only a moment but she could still feel his breath against her face and feel his lips against hers.

Kagome fiddled with a string on her pillow and his words suddenly replayed in her mind, "We will continue this discussion later."

"Did Sesshomaru really mean that?" she thought almost dreamily.

Kagome couldn't help but wonder if Sesshomaru's words held any truth. Would he come to finish what he'd started in the cave and make her dream a reality? Deep down she hoped he would come for her then she wouldn't be alone and feel so empty inside. Her thoughts drifted once again to Inuyasha and fresh tears sprung to her eyes, "Darn you, Inuyasha! I'll never trust you again… I wish I'd never met you!"

Kagome buried her face into her pillow and wept, all of her pain and anguish leaving with her salty tears. She cried until she couldn't cry anymore then her body finally gave out and she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

About an hour or so later Kagome's window creaked open and a dark figure entered her room. He silently crept up to the bed and sat on the edge beside of the sleeping girl. The figure watched her sleep for several moments then he reached out and ran his fingers down her cheek. Kagome leaned into the touch and rolled over to get comfortable again, fully revealing her face to her visitor.

Resting his weight on one of his forearms he leaned down and kissed her firmly on the mouth. Kagome awoke just enough to notice the warm pair of lips dancing against her own and she kissed back, sighing against him when his hand came up to cradle her face. She felt the slight brush of his claws against her cheekbone and she knew it was Inuyasha. The image of him and Kikyo flashed in her mind once more and through her sleep induced haze she felt her anger towards the hanyou rise. Not only did he betray her but he actually had the nerve to come to her room in the middle of the night and kiss her!

Kagome moved her head from side to side until she managed to pull away from his questing lips, "No… get off…"

He didn't take the hint instead he leaned down and ran his tongue along her jaw, causing her to push on his chest to get him away, "Stop… I'm mad at you…"

He ignored her complaints and continued with what he was doing, making Kagome even more frustrated with him, "Stop it, just go away Inuyasha!"

There was a strange silence between them for a moment then Kagome heard a deep, calm, sensuous voice reach her ears, "I'm not Inuyasha."

That comment was enough to clear the sleep from Kagome's mind and make her fully awake and alert. She opened her eyes and looked up to see two golden orbs staring down at her. She reached over and turned on her lamp, gasping when she saw Sesshomaru kneeling above her, "S… Sesshomaru?"

"Yes."

Kagome rolled away from him until she made contact with the wall before she asked, "W… what're you doing here?"

"This Sesshomaru was concerned about you and he wanted to see if you were alright."

"I'm fine… but… how did you get here?"

"That well of yours. I discovered it the last time I followed you and Inuyasha."

"Oh…"

They were silent for what seemed like an eternity after that, neither saying a word as Kagome tried to make sense of what was going on. She suddenly felt uneasy and looked up at Sesshomaru to see his eyes wandering over her and she glanced down at herself, discovering that her nightgown was completely see-through. She gasped and quickly covered herself with her blanket, getting a chuckle from the silver-haired demon as he moved to sit in front of her, "Why are you crying?" he asked suddenly.

"What?"

"You've been crying and do not deny it because this Sesshomaru can smell the tears on you."

"It's nothing."

Sesshomaru reached out and moved some stray hair away from her face, causing her to flinch slightly at the touch. He sighed at this, "does this Sesshomaru's touch bother you that badly?"

"Y… yes."

"Really?" Sesshomaru chuckled softly and moved his hand to run up and down the length of her arm, "that's amusing."

Kagome gave him a curious yet challenging stare, "why is that?"

"Because you did not mind this Sesshomaru's hands the last time he was touching you."

Kagome's eyes widen slightly with shock, "what're you talking about? You've never touched me."

"Oh but I have my sweet little human, this Sesshomaru has touched every inch of you, don't you remember?"

His hand moved to push the blanket away from her body before he ran his clawed fingertips along her sides, provoking a shiver from her as she whispered, "no…"

Sesshomaru chuckled in his throat and brought his hand up to cup her breast, earning himself a gasp of surprise as he began to knead the soft flesh. He felt her nipple begin to harden underneath her thin nightgown and couldn't help but smile, "well, your body remembers my touch whether you do or not, Kagome."

Kagome felt her fear beginning to return as she saw the lust in his eyes, the same lust she'd seen in her dream and in the cave that night of the rainstorm. She gasped when his thumb and forefinger began to twist and pull gently on her sensitive breast and her mind once again began to flash with the images of her dream. She couldn't believe that it was really happening now, that it was becoming real. Part of her was terrified of the demon before her but the other part of her yearned for this, yearned for Sesshomaru and right now that side of her was winning out over her fear as his hands squeezed her lightly.

"It was a dream… it was a dream… it was a dream…"

"What was a dream, Kagome?"

Kagome's eyes shot open and she looked up at Sesshomaru, she didn't realize she'd spoken out loud but apparently she had. Sesshomaru gazed into her dark brown eyes for a moment until realization seemed to dong on him and he let go of her breast, "so that's it."

"W… what's it?"

"You believe our first time was a dream, don't you?"

"Our… first time…"

"Yes, that night in the cave, don't you remember?"

"No! It didn't really happen, you're just messing with me!"

"It did happen, what is so hard to believe about that? Is it because of your feelings that still linger for Inuyasha?"

"What?"

"Even though that mutt has betrayed you, you still have some feelings left for him, don't you?"

"That's none of your business, Sesshomaru!"

"It is when he hurts you."

Kagome growled softly, "Why would you care if he hurts me or not!"

"Because I care what happens to my mate, especially when it comes to my half-breed brother hurting her."

"Mate!"

Did she hear him right, did he just call her his mate! Sesshomaru cocked his head to one side and slightly arched one eyebrow at her, "Yes my mate, you seem surprised."

"I'm not your mate."

"Oh you're not? Tell me something, that night of the rainstorm you and Inuyasha were attempting to make love weren't you?"

Kagome flushed and that was all the answer Sesshomaru needed as he continued, "answer me this, did you feel uncomfortable with him? Did you feel as though you were betraying someone? Did you feel like you weren't meant to be there with him? Did you see this Sesshomaru instead of Inuyasha?"

With each question Kagome's eyes widened further, how could he possibly know all of that? Could he read her mind? She swallowed the lump in her throat and whispered, "How can you possibly understand how I would feel? You're not me!"

"No I am not you, but I am your mate and that is why you could not make love with Inuyasha."

"I'm not your mate! I don't understand much about your culture or traditions but I do know that you have to mark someone before they become your mate."

"That is true and I did mark you."

"No you didn't."

"Didn't I? Then explain the marking on your neck."

Sesshomaru reached out and moved her shirt to the side, revealing the flawless skin that lay underneath to look at the place where his mark should have been, "it's disappeared by now but it was there."

"I thought… it came from Inuyasha when we were wrestling around a few weeks ago."

Sesshomaru shook his head, "No, the mark came from me."

"When did you do this?"

"That night in the cave remember? I hadn't intended to mark you that night but you weren't reacting to me so I bite you to get your attention. It was accidental and more of a nip than anything else so your body treated it as any other wound and healed it. It wasn't an official marking but it was enough to bond us together as mates. That is why you couldn't touch him because you already belong to me, no one else but this Sesshomaru can touch you unless you are forced."

Kagome raised her knees to her chest, resting her chin on her kneecaps, her voice distant and unsure, "I'm your mate…"

Sesshomaru reached out and moved some hair away from her eyes and she ducked away from him, getting a soft growl from the demon lord, "you know that you are my mate yet you still pull away from me, why?"

Kagome didn't answer him so he continued, "Is it because you still love Inuyasha, even after all he's done to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know what he has done to you, he betrayed you by going to the priestess."

Kagome looked up at him with wide, surprised eyes her voice soft, "How do you… know about that?"

"After you left this afternoon this Sesshomaru followed your scent back to the cliff and he found Inuyasha with that woman Kikyo. That is why you've been crying isn't it, because you saw the same thing I did."

Kagome clenched her hands into tight fists and looked away from him, anger flashing in her eyes, "You don't know what you're talking about."

"I do, you entrusted your heart to that half-breed and he destroyed it. I know you loved him that was always apparent in battle the way you tried to protect him but he has betrayed you. How can you care for him even after he choose that dead priestess over you?"

Kagome felt tears of pain and rage start to fall down her cheeks at his words and she looked up at him with blurry eyes. She raised her hand and tried to slap him but he saw it coming and caught her wrist, holding it in his tight grasp as she tried to pull away, "You know I am right, Kagome, why can't you forget Inuyasha and entrust yourself to me, your mate?"

Kagome somehow managed to twist out of his grip and growled at him, "Don't touch me! Just leave Sesshomaru!"

"No, I'm not leaving."

Sesshomaru leaned in to kiss away a few of her tears but she pulled away and raised her hand to hit him again. This time her hand made contact with his cheek but he just stared at her as fresh tears fell from her eyes, "Why won't you just leave me alone!"

"Because this Sesshomaru is not like Inuyasha, he will not abandon his mate when she needs him."

"I don't need you… I don't need anyone…"

Kagome buried her face in her hands, too ashamed to look at him any longer and began to cry softly. Sesshomaru reached out and took her into his arms and pulled her to him, she struggled against him at first but he was persistent and she gave into him in the end. She rested her head on his shoulder and wept into his haori, her voice soft but filled with pain, "why was I so stupid…"

"You are not stupid Kagome, you just have a young, naïve human heart."

"Please leave now… I'm fine…"

"No you are not, this Sesshomaru will never leave your side for anything or anyone, I am here for you and always will be."

Kagome nuzzled further into the nape of his neck and wrapped her arms around his chest, curling into a ball on his lap as he ran a hand through her hair to try and soothe her. Soon after that her sobs quieted down and her body went limp as exhaustion took over her being. Sesshomaru gently laid her down and covered her up before he moved to lie down beside of her, running his hand up and down her sides as he watched her sleep. It hurt him to see her in pain like this. He was angry but not at Kagome, he was angry with Inuyasha for hurting her this way, how he could choose that dead priestess over Kagome was something that Sesshomaru couldn't understand. Kagome was beautiful in everyway and had always been loyal and caring towards the hanyou even when no one else cared for him or knew he existed.

Sesshomaru had planned on seducing her tonight but after her little breakdown he knew he would have to wait on that for a little while until she could regain herself. But he didn't mind, she was worth it and besides he wanted her to trust him before he took her again, he didn't want to forcibly take her as he had the first time.

Looking back he recalled the fear and pain in her eyes as he tore her clothes away from her fragile body, he could smell the blood on her from where he'd bitten her. Now that he thought about it their first time really couldn't be considered making love it was more of a rape than anything else. Sesshomaru felt a spark of guilt flare up within him and he leaned down to place a light kiss to Kagome's temple, "Next time will be different, Kagome. Next time I won't hurt you but I will make sure that you know how much you mean to me."

That's chapter 4. FINALLY! Sorry about the delay but I couldn't remember what I'd written and I had to start over. Any ways, hope you liked this chappie, chapter 5 is in the works and I'll have it up soon. Thanks for being patient everyone :).