Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha, its characters, or 'Royal Dragon' which this plot is based on.
Summary: Why did life hate her? Kagome's day couldn't get any worse. First, she gets fired from her crappy job, then, she gets kicked out of her apartment and was homeless. But the cherry on top was getting kidnapped and taken to be hunted by demons so she can mate with one of them. Yea…she probably shouldn't have gotten out of bed that morning.
Kagome was taken aback as soon as they made it inside past the castle gates. The inside of the castle was simply breathtaking. From the inside it looked more modern than the exterior perceived it to be. She thought it would be styled like a Japanese castle should be. However, once she fully made it inside, the interior looked like it was made from marble, with how smooth everything and pristine it looked. Not to mention, it was tastefully decorated. There was no expense spared and the pieces of art and décor that she saw looked to be antiques. A crystal chandelier was in the center of the floor and looked like it stretched even higher, that she had to crane her neck to see how tall it was. Not to mention, there was a large staircase that spiraled all the way to the top of the tower and wrapped around the chandelier. There was also an elevator which surprised her. Demons probably didn't like to take the long staircase as well.
Once they were fully inside, the first thing Kagome wanted to do was see how one of the other women were doing. However, Inuyasha had to convince her to get her injuries looked at before they started anywhere. Luckily, this was the one time that she didn't argue with him. After taking her to the medical wing and having her looked over, and her wounds treated, they made their way to Atlas' quarters to see Aero.
Ten minutes later, Inuyasha was leaning up against the wall on the left side of the door to Atlas' quarters, with his arms folded. This was a total waste of time. Kagome had been knocking on the door and the other woman wasn't responding. He tried to get her to come back another time, but Kagome wouldn't let up. She wasn't leaving until she knew the other woman was safe and sound. Why wouldn't this stubborn woman just listen to him?
She knocked again, and there still wasn't an answer.
"See, she's sleeping... peacefully." Inuyasha said, his eyes on the opposite wall.
"She could be tied and gagged." Kagome narrowed her eyes at him.
After waiting half a minute, she knocked a fifth time.
"Can we go yet?" Inuyasha complained. "I'll bring you back later."
Kagome shook her head and prepared to knock again.
"Coming." She heard a croaky voice, from the other side of the door. It was definitely a woman's voice.
Kagome smirked at Inuyasha who huffed out a breath.
It still took another minute or two for the door to open. Aero was in a long blue kimono robe. Her hair was mussed and her eyes had that sleepy, just woken up look. She smiled and ran a hand through her hair. "Hi." She said, before stifling a yawn. "Sorry, come in." Aero gave Inuyasha the once over before turning and heading back inside.
"I'll be back in just a minute." Kagome said to him. It was her way of letting him know that he wasn't welcome. She needed to speak to Aero alone.
He nodded once. "I'll wait here. It's unsafe to walk around by yourself."
"Yeah, yeah… in case someone else tries to take me for themselves."
His frown deepened. "It's not a joke."
"I'm not laughing." Kagome closed the door behind her.
"Are you okay?" Aero asked, then smiled. "Was that the demon who won you? He's cute. Not nearly as cute as Atlas though." She smiled over her shoulder. "These demons are awesome, aren't they?" Her smile was about a mile wide and her cheeks were flushed. Then she frowned. She looked more closely at Kagome and must've picked up on her unease. "Oh no, did you get a bad one? Are you hurt?" She took a step closer and looked her up and down. "He seemed nice. You look okay except for your knee but surely he didn't do that." She narrowed her eyes.
"I'm fine." Kagome said, feeling like a bit of an idiot. Aero clearly had the look of a woman who had just gotten it all. Her lips were swollen, her eyes sleepy with a content look. "Sorry, it's just that I was worried about you and the others so I asked to check in. I can see that you're fine."
Aero smiled. "More than fine." She widened her eyes. "I can't believe I actually slept with him so quickly." She lowered her voice. "I've never been this forward with a guy before."
Kagome tried to smile. This was too much information but Aero was too excited to notice her discomfort it seemed.
"When we arrived back here, I was really tired but also really worked up. Atlas is just so sweet and so sexy. The sexiest guy I've ever met. He tucked me in and slid in next to me and I may have made a move on him." She was blushing wildly. "He actually tried to turn me down. How sweet is that? He said that I should get some rest. That took care of any reservations I may still have had. I had the best sex of my life." She giggled before turning serious. "Orrin was full of BS. He told us complete rubbish. The sex was off the charts and there was no forcing of anything. Atlas has been the perfect gentleman."
Kagome needed to get out of there. Now.
"I take it you haven't… you know?" Aero raised her brows.
"Um… no, I… w-well…" She sounded like an idiot. "We were stuck in the forest all night so…" Was she actually giving excuses as to why they hadn't slept together? Surely not.
"It was amazing for me!" Aero blurted. "I've never been with a guy with that much stamina. Atlas was a little rough around the edges but it was like his sole existence was to make me happy. To do what it took to ensure that—"
"Okay, I get the picture!" Kagome blurted. She couldn't take any more.
"I'm not so sure about actually living here and having his children. It's a bit soon for that but I've decided to get to know him and to see where this goes." Aero smiled.
"That's nice." Kagome remarked.
"You don't think I'm crazy, do you?"
Kagome thought back to her original assessment. If a group of these demons walked into a bar, they'd have a chorus of panties dropping in a matter of minutes. "Not at all." The crazy thing was, she meant every word. "Some of them are pretty hot." She added. It was the truth. They were damned attractive.
"I just figured that while I was here, I should make the most of it. Atlas is just so sweet. You never know, maybe he's the one." Aero looked sincere.
The one. Really? Now that was crazy talk. Humans and demons didn't belong together. They were just too different. She thought about Inuyasha. He was an attractive guy. Although he was bossy and arrogant, he showed that he could be also sweet. The man did have ulterior motives though, namely to get her to mate with him and have his children. Sex was one thing. She still wasn't sure about his man parts. Sex with him would probably be intense since he was so intense but she couldn't imagine staying in this realm. No way. There was a whole world out there. This couldn't be it for her. She wasn't ready for a relationship, and she'd probably never be ready for one. People in her life ended up leaving her. It was a given. She didn't want to end up heartbroken once again and left alone.
"I just don't know." Kagome finally said, noting that Aero had that faraway look again. "I hope that Atlas told you that if it doesn't work out that you can go back home."
She nodded. "Yes, he did." Her face clouded. "Not that there's much to go back to."
"Good, you should know your options." Kagome smiled. "I'm glad you're okay. We should chat in a few days. I'm going to check in with the others."
"I saw Ashley. She was really angry. She shouted about suing the demons for all they're worth. That poor guy she's with looked like shit. She had him cringing. A big, strong, demon was afraid of her." She choked out a laugh. "It was hilarious."
Kagome had to laugh as well. She actually felt sorry for the poor guy that landed the heiress. Ashley was something else.
"You didn't see any of the others, did you?"
Aero shook her head. "No, but Atlas assured me that everyone was okay, so I'm not worried. A few of them are within the castle. One of them is with a demon named Kyo, I think. And the others are in other regions ruled by their own leaders." She pulled a face like she didn't really know what she was talking about.
There was only one way Kagome was believing it and that was by seeing them for herself. "Okay. You go back to bed."
"Yeah." Aero yawned a second time, putting her hand in front of her mouth. "I'm bushed. I'll see you soon."
Kagome nodded. The door opened before she got to it. Inuyasha was waiting for her. "Jeez, you weren't lying when you said you had better hearing than us."
He turned down the hallway. "Ashley's just down the hall."
She nodded.
Inuyasha walked right next to her. He didn't try and touch her though. They passed one other demon, and he ogled her until Inuyasha growled. It was really low, almost inaudible but that just made it all the more intimidating. The guy averted his eyes and slunk away. It would've been laughable if it weren't for the deep frown on Inuyasha's forehead.
"It's this way." He turned a corner and they headed down yet another long, wide corridor.
The way he had growled just now reminded her of the big room they had entered when they first arrived. Inuyasha called it the great hall. It was filled with demons. Some were big and burly, while others were lean in physique. Some of them were wearing armor, while others were wearing kimonos and hakama pants. There were a few that were shirtless and seeing the shirtless men had Inuyasha's whole demeanor change. He went from hardcore to lethal. His eyes were narrowed, his jaw tight. He snarled at a guy that dared get too close and his fangs seemed bigger and sharper. His eyes… the whites almost looked like they were turning red and his irises blue.
Another guy dared get close and he snarled again, this time making her jump. He held her tighter. Inuyasha had death written in his eyes. His whole stance shouted to the rest of them to back the hell off.
Just before leaving the hall, he turned to the large crowd of men. "She's mine." He growled. Then, he turned back and ushered her from the hall. No one dared approach.
Once the big double doors closed behind them, she glanced up. "Was that really necessary?"
Inuyasha kept his eyes on the hallway ahead. "It was as much for you as it was for them."
What was there to say? No, forget it. Or maybe, sure thing, but just for the next few weeks.
He had been in this dark, brooding mood ever since. He was angry because she didn't trust him. Well, boo-fucking-hoo and sorry for him. She didn't trust anyone and wasn't about to start now. When you trusted someone, you opened yourself up to getting burned. He could be pissed off with her and giving her the silent treatment for as long as he wanted, she was enjoying the quiet.
Just as that thought entered her head, a loud moaning noise punctured the silence. Then a groan. Then a high-pitched whimper. There was a banging noise. It was rhythmic and insistent and growing louder by the second. Then again, so were the moans.
Um… no… surely not. Oh hell no!
"Are you going to knock, or should I?" He looked completely deadpan although that twinkle was back in his eyes.
The moans had turned to shrieks. "Yeah!" Ashley shouted. Really loudly because they could hear her quite clearly. "That's it big boy… right there… oh god… yes… I'm going to come… I'm going to…" The knocking grew so loud she was sure that the wall might crack.
Ashley screamed. It was loud. It was so laced with pleasure that Kagome felt her own body react.
"I guess I'll do it then." Inuyasha moved towards the door and lifted a hand, intent on knocking.
"No!" She yelled. "No." she said, much softer. She could feel her cheeks heating up. "I think she's okay."
The knocking started up again and so did the moaning.
"What about the others? I would be happy to take you to see them. There's one other woman in this castle, she's located in the second tower. The other six would take a bit longer, only because they're not in the castle. I think two of them are about forty-five minutes away, but it'll take a few hours to reach the rest of them. But I'm game if you are?" His brows were raised.
"No, it's okay. We can check in on them a little later... or tomorrow." The moaning grew louder and Kagome wanted to block her ears. "Let's just go."
Inuyasha nodded once. He walked back the same way they had come, going the opposite direction as they reached a glass elevator. Once inside, he pressed a button that read PH1 as the door closed. Going up the elevator, Kagome could see through the windows the passing floors of the tower. That crystal chandelier and spiral staircase seemed to extend the higher up they went. How tall were they exactly?
The elevator came to a stop and Inuyasha got out first and walked toward the right down another hallway. They walked for about two minutes when he stopped at a door. The door they stopped at was made of marble or white limestone, she wasn't sure. But it looked about three times the size of normal doorways.
"Is this it?" She asked.
"This is it." He opened the door and gestured for her to go inside.
"Well…" She felt a little awkward. "I guess I'll see you later or tomorrow or something."
Inuyasha gave her a confused expression. "What're going on about? Once you go in, I'm coming right behind you."
"What do you mean?"
"These are my quarters." He spoke slowly and carefully.
"I don't understand." She then had a look of realization on her face. "Wait, you expect me to share your place with you? As in, live with you?" She shook her head.
"It's not a negotiation. Either you stay with me or another demon will take you."
"Aero's alone."
"Just because she was alone at the time, she's staying in Atlas' quarters. Plus, he claimed her fully, so no other demon is going to try and take her."
"So you're saying that in order for you to leave me alone, I'd have to have sex with you?"
"Believe me when I say, if we have sex, you won't want me to leave you alone." He smirked. There goes that arrogance of his again.
"Oh really." She folded her arms. "I highly doubt that. I'll probably need medical help but I would be quite happy to be alone once the paramedics were done with me. I don't do living together, I don't do sleeping together, and I certainly don't do casual sex. I have to actually like the person I choose to sleep with. Though I guess I could put up with it as long as it's quick, good, and the person leaves afterwards."
"Causal? Believe me when I say Kagome, when we have sex, it won't be anything causal. And I certainly don't do quick. I do long and hard. Did you say good…?" He gave her a half smirk, lingering this time. "It'll be the fucking best you've ever had and you'll sleep with me afterwards. In my arms and fully satisfied."
"I d-don't think so." She stuttered.
"I don't just think so"—He took a step towards her— "I know so."
"You said you wouldn't force me." Kagome blurted. She needed for him to give her space. Needed this line of conversation to stop before she did something stupid like agree to having sex with him.
Just like that, she watched him shut down. His eyes clouded, his mouth pursed and a muscle ticked in his jaw. She almost apologized but pursed her lips instead. She didn't owe him anything, least of all an apology.
"Go inside." He worked hard to keep from growling.
What was he going to do with her? Why hadn't he just taken one of the others? One of the more agreeable ones. Kagome had decided that demons were without honor even though he had explained things to her. She seemed to understand, yet she had no clue. One minute it felt like she trusted him and then not at all the next. Hot and cold. She ran at both temperatures and it was giving him a headache.
One second, she looked at him like a woman who desired a man and the next it was down her nose. It was just like the others who looked at him when he was growing up. Because he was a half-demon, others turned their noses down upon him. Had it not been for who his father was and his power in strength, he would still be treated the same way. He didn't deserve this. If she didn't trust him and want to give him a chance, fine. He'll take her up on her offer and take her back to where ever the hell she came from. However, as much as he wanted to throw her out, he had been given an order by his brother and he was going to fulfil it. Plus, he told her that she should give him a chance and he was going to apply the same notion with her as well. Give her a chance, like he wanted her to.
The door behind them closed with a click. The space before her had Kagome frozen in place. It was just as gorgeous and vast as the grand hall. The living room had grey marble walls with modern white and grey furniture, the floor was marble as well with splashes of white and grey. But looking out the large fixed windows, she was able to see vast land of trees, mountains, and even a few rooftops, which must've been the other buildings of the castle Inuyasha had mentioned earlier or the surrounding residents. To the right of her she saw a vast kitchen that would make any culinary enthusiast feel like they died and gone to kitchen heaven. She saw a hallway and realized it must've been where the rest of his quarters resided.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" He allowed his eyes to trace the peaks and valleys, the greens, browns and whites of the countryside. The sky was a perfect blue with wisps of clouds, streaked across a small section of the vast skyline.
"Yes." She breathed out the word.
"You should see it during a storm. The stars at night are enough to bring tears to your eyes as well."
"I've never seen anything quite like it." Her eyes were wide. "It almost feels like we're on top of the world." Each word was soft spoken and filled with awe.
"Follow me." He said, walking down the hallway, with Kagome right behind him.
They entered a bedroom that had soothing gray and silver accents. There was a modern chandelier that dangled over the plush king-sized bed and laid out with a plush silvery grey carpet. It was like stepping on a cloud with how good her feet felt. There was a nightstand on the right side of the bed, and in the left corner there were two grey modern chairs and a vanity space near the one of the chairs. There was also a spacious closet and near the doorway was the bathroom. And believe me, she was ready to step foot in it, with its marble walk-in shower and oval shaped tub. What she wouldn't give to have a nice long soak after the days she had been through.
"You wanna take a bath? You must be ready to get all that mud and grime from the days events." He offered her.
Kagome nearly forgot he was still in the room. "That would be great." Kagome stepped further into the bathroom and was about to pull the dress over her head when she remembered. "Um…do you mind?"
"No, go ahead."
Ok, so obviously Kagome needed to explain the situation. "Could you leave the room so I could get some privacy?"
Inuyasha gave her a look until realization dawned on his face. Ah, he understood. But at the same time, it was unnecessary. Eventually he was going to see her naked, so he might as well get a peak of her now.
"You know eventually I'm going to see you naked. I might as well get a look at you now."
"No!" She shook her head. "Besides, you said you wouldn't rush anything and I'm asking you to leave. Please."
Why was she so scared? It shouldn't be a big deal. Was she scared? No, her voice and body language didn't radiate fear. It was almost as if she was nervous? But that was silly, what would she need to be nervous about? Was she ashamed of being naked in front of him?
"I wouldn't mind seeing you naked." He prompted.
"Umm…okay...that's good to know." She said, unsurely. "I would still prefer some privacy. Preferably with you out of the room."
There must be something wrong with her body. But what, he didn't know. Maybe she was afraid he would find her features lacking or unattractive. That or she was just a big prude. He'll go with the latter.
Inuyasha nodded. "No problem. I'll leave you to it. Just come into the living room when you're done." He started to walk away until he remembered. "And in case you were worried I might try and take a peek, you don't have to worry. The bedroom and bathroom both have locks on it and you can do it from the inside."
He saw her take a sigh of relieve and he frowned mentally. She clearly thought he was going to try and sneak a peek at her while she was bathing. She really thought the worst of him, and this showed.
"Do you have any more of these dresses?" She asked. "I also had a toiletry bag."
A toiletry what? "There are some things." He looked back towards the hall. "Hold on." He went down the hall towards the living area, and there on the coffee table was a bag. Someone must've placed it inside his quarters. He picked it up and came back into the room. "Everything you might need will be in here. Let me know what else you need and I'll make sure that you get it."
Kagome took the bag from him. "Thanks." She put it down and went to her haunches. She rummaged through the bag before taking out a pair of pants and a shirt. Then she rummaged some more. She looked up at him, a frown on her face. "I don't see any underwear. The sizes are all over the place and bigger than I would normally wear. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, clothes are clothes."
"I'm sorry about the underwear, that was an oversight. Most demons don't wear underwear. I'll get your sizes and anything else you might need as soon as possible."
Kagome nodded. "I'm not the smallest." She mumbled. "No bra… fun."
He wasn't sure what she was unhappy about. "Go ahead and take your bath. I'm going to clean up as well." He then left and headed toward his room.
-0-0-0-0-0-
Inuyasha made it to his room and headed straight to the adjustment bathroom attached to it. He usually only took showers, however after the few days he had, he was certainly going to soak in his tub. He turned the taps on and watched warm water fill the space. He threw in a scoopful of salt and herb, then stripped down and got in. He sprawled out in the tub, feeling the stress from the last few days leave his body.
He closed his eyes and let his worries wash away. However, his peace didn't last as his mind began to wander. He knew Sesshomaru would demand to see him tomorrow. What the hell was he going to say? That the woman he chose didn't trust him, that she didn't seem to like him? Tension crept back in and his neck muscles tightened up. He would worry about it tomorrow. One thing was for sure, he would earn Kagome's trust and then they would mate if it was the last thing he ever did. He'll ease her worries and concerns she had of him, allow her to settle and get used to him. Once he was sure she was comfortable with him and ready for the next step, he'll make his move. Shouldn't be too hard. He hoped.
Deciding that he was clean and spent enough time in the tub, he got out, grabbing a red towel and drying himself off. He then stepped into his room and went to his dresser and pulled out a pair of grey hakama pants and red shirt before putting them on. After getting dressed, he went out towards the hallway when nearly bumped into the other occupant currently residing in his quarters.
"Oh." He heard Kagome blurt when they almost bumped into each other.
Suddenly, her scent hit him right in the face. It was such a delectable smell it made his mouth water for a taste. When he smelled her earlier during the forage, he thought she smelled pretty nice. However, after her bath, it seemed her scent intensified. Made her even more desirable than before. When he finally got a good look at her, her long dark hair was wet, hanging in tendrils around her shoulders. She was wearing a pair of black leggings and a green shirt that hung off her left shoulder.
Damn…just damn. He felt his mouth gape. He could see her nipples dug into the thin material, easily making out the plump outline of her breasts. His mouth felt dry and his eyes overly large in his skull. Fuck! He made a soft growling noise. No pressure! No staring. He lifted his eyes to her face. It was smooth and fresh. Her cheeks flushed. Her eyes… smoldering. So dark and lovely. Who knew that beneath all of that dirt and grime was such a beautiful woman? Her clothing was loose, except for around her breasts. There was no hiding them. No hiding those lush beauties.
She crossed her arms and tilted her head upwards. "Don't look at me like that."
"Like how?" His voice was husky. It couldn't be helped. He thought she was pretty plan looking at first. However, once she managed to clean up, she really was a beautiful woman. More gorgeous than any human he's ever seen. He couldn't help but look at her.
"You know how. You're looking at me… well… like that." She wrapped her arms tighter, trying to cover up.
Why was she so skittish? She was beautiful. She should be naked…and underneath him…in front of him…on top of him. Any position would do as long as he was inside of her.
"I'm looking at you like a full-blooded man would look at a woman, one he finds highly attractive. There's no shame in that." He took a step toward her and reached out a hand, causing Kagome to tense up. However, when he only pushed her hair away from her shoulders, she relaxed a bit.
"I'm starving, and I'm sure you're hungry as well. You haven't had anything since last night." He went into the kitchen and over to an intercom that was located on the wall near the fridge. "I'll call the kitchen to send us up some food."
"You don't have any food in that giant fridge over there?" Kagome asked him.
"Yea, but I doubt it'll be anything you would want to eat."
"Hey, you cooked me that rabbit last night. So I'm sure anything you have in that fridge would be fine." She entered the kitchen and pulled the fridge open to see what was inside. Some filet steaks, potatoes, chicken that was already separated and ready to cook. "I don't know why you said there was nothing in here, there's plenty to choose from." She then started pulling out the chicken, potatoes, along with some leafy greens she assumed was kale. "I'll cook tonight, since you cooked for me yesterday."
"You're going to cook for me?"
"Yep. I'll make something that would certainly put your rabbit to shame." Kagome said, as she started going into the cabinets to pull out a pan, a pot and some spices.
"Feh, please that rabbit was nothing compared to what I can really throw together." Inuyasha smirked. "Just wait until tomorrow night when its my turn."
She gave a small laugh and started getting to work on dinner.
-0-0-0-0-0-
"I gotta admit, this is pretty damn good!" Inuyasha said, as he grabbed himself a third helping.
Kagome had made fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and sauteed kale. While she was setting everything up, Inuyasha had watched her for a good ten minutes when she decided to put him to work and got him into helping her cook their meal. If all he was going to do was watch her, she might as well put him to work. Though, Inuyasha didn't mind, and dare she say, he almost looked happy to help her. They had worked together in silence, unless it was Kagome instructing Inuyasha on how to do something and him asking her if he was doing something right.
"Glad you like it." Kagome gave a smile. It had been a while since she actually cooked, and she was happy that he was enjoying it.
"Not even the cooks here or any other of the regions of demon world cook like this. I think I remember humans frying their chicken like this?"
"So you've had this before?" She asked him.
"Not like this." Inuyasha said, taking another bite of his chicken. "This isn't greasy like the ones other humans have made." He then made a disgusted face. "Especially at this one place called Royals."
Kagome gave a small laugh. "Oh, no you actually ate from there when you went to the human world? The chicken there is horrible."
"No shit." He snorted. "The chicken there tasted like someone took their own shit and deep-fried it. I nearly tore the place apart after paying all that money for that piece of crap."
Kagome laughed again. "That place is known for their horrible food. I'm surprised that it has so many locations around the country. Besides, the way I made this chicken is actually how my mom―" She stopped, a way of sadness crossing her face.
Inuyasha saw the sudden look on Kagome's face and wondered what happened. A minute ago she was talkative and even laughed a bit when he mentioned where he ate fried chicken. Then when she was about to talk about her mom, she went quiet.
He knew this might push her, but hopefully it'll be in the right direction. "Were you going to say that your mom used to make chicken like this?" He asked her.
"Suddenly I don't feel hungry anymore." Kagome got up from her seat and gathered her plate and utensils, putting them in the kitchen sink.
"Kagome―"
"I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to bed." She turned to him, cutting him off from continuing what she feared he was going to say next. "Your more than welcome to finish the rest of the food." And with that, she walked out, heading down the hall and towards her room with a loud slam of the bedroom she was occupying.
Shit.
Just when he thought they were having a decent conversation, and she was beginning to warm up, he went and mentioned something that was clearly a touchy subject for her. Just when he thought he was going three steps forward with her, he ended up going five steps back.