Chapter Two:

Disclaimer: For MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY. I do not own Inuyasha.

Thanks everyone for reading. I hope you're enjoying this re-write. I know I am!

If you hadn't noticed, I've been putting two chapters from the old story and converting it to one. This may or may not continue, depending on the lengths of each chapter. Thanks for being here! Enjoy this slightly steamy lemon.


Kagome stood, rooted to the spot, and watched as he walked away. His hair swayed with each step he took and shimmered in the sun's rays. Her mouth hung partially open, broadcasting her complete and utter shock. She knew that Sesshomaru had changed and matured over time, she'd seen it with her own eyes. He'd been instrumental in their defeat of Naraku, and he'd even protected Kagome after Inuyasha had lost control and attacked her. However, this felt completely random. He'd changed enough to invite her to stay in his estate due to an oncoming, perilous snowstorm? It was nearly inconceivable. He seemed entirely serious about his unbidden invitation. She wanted to ask him questions and find out why he was being so generous and if he had some odd alternative motivation behind letting her stay with him. She nearly snorted at herself at the thought. Sesshomaru didn't really do alternative motivations and subtlety. He was more of a do what I say because I say so or I'll slit your throat and melt you with my poison type of man.

Her feet began to follow him of their own accord, and she kept her face carefully blank. She greeted Rin kindly as she passed, and ignored Jaken's muttering entirely, though it wasn't hard to see that he, too, was dumbfounded at Sesshomaru's request. Kagome followed him through a wrought iron gate and up a path until a magnificent mansion came into view. The building was huge and could be qualified as a castle in this era. She took it all in, its tasteful color, beautiful windows, and finishings. He stayed silent as she followed him up the stairs, through the entrance, and into a large room that she would be tempted to call a foyer. The interior was even more beautiful than the exterior. There were paintings and gorgeous statues that seemed as if they didn't belong this far in the past. She passed them one by one as she followed him up a large set of stairs that led to the second floor and down a corridor. They passed door after door, and she assumed they were all bedchambers. Coming to a stop, Sesshomaru turned to look at her. His beautiful golden eyes were intense, and she could see some unknown and fervent emotion in them before his face went blank and his eyes conveyed only boredom again.

He motioned to the door on her right, "This room is yours until you choose to leave. If its not to your liking, let me or a servant know, and we can change whatever necessary."

He motioned to the room across from hers, "This chamber is mine. If someone should attack, I'd like you to be close enough to protect, since you're my guest."

He added the last part as if it were meant to explain to her exactly why he was being so thoughtful. He was protecting her out of some instinct to prove that those under his roof were untouchable. There was an odd, wonderful masculinity beneath that thought and she blushed slightly. His eyes widened and then narrowed at her before turning on his heel and continuing forward.

"If you have concerns just knock. This room", he stated as he moved down the hall further, "is my office. If I'm not in my chambers I will usually be in there or with Rin."

He kept walking to the large double doors at the very end of the hallway. He opened the doors and motioned for her to enter. As she did, her eyes nearly popped out of her head.

"Bathing room.", he said as if the room wasn't single handedly the most wonderful sight she'd seen in the last six months.

The room before her had three large pools all with waterfalls pouring into them from what looked to be massive bamboo shoots. The pool in the center had a large waterfall flowing from the wall behind it and two smaller waterfalls filled the two pools on either side. The air was steamy, and she knew the water would be warm, lovely, and welcoming. The one amenity she missed the most from her own time was hot running water for baths and showers. Seeing the serenity of the pools brought tears to her eyes.

"How", she asked, her voice was raw, and her emotion seemed to seep out through her every pore. She was certain Sesshomaru could smell it but in that moment she didn't care.

He eyed her curiously, his face softening for a few moments before he turned away and motioned at the waterfalls.

"Fire and water demons. You only need one or two, and they can manipulate the falls with barely any thought. They pull water from an underground spring and heat it before pushing it in here. To keep them running like this all the time is hardly difficult for them."

"I can use this?"

He blinked at her, "Of course. You're my guest", he said in bored tones as if it should be obvious.

She turned to him with tears in her eyes, and the biggest smile she'd had in months on her lips, "Thank you, truly. This is the most wonderful bath I have ever seen."

She fought off the preposterous urge to hug him in thanks. His posture stiffened and his face looked confused and also tender. He looked like her statement made him very uncomfortable.

"I would do the same for any guest", he said and turned on his heel, looking mildly alarmed.

"Do as you wish. Rin's chamber is on the first floor as well as the dining room, another bathing room, and a library." He said it as he retreated down the hallway and into his office. She returned to her room and set her basket down and removed her bow from its vigil on her shoulder. She'd taken to wearing the current style of kimono when she'd left, so that she could fit in more easily. In that vein, she'd had to get rid off her trusty backpack as well, so she had started wearing the traditional basket that can be carried on your back. She moved her belongings to a chaise in the corner of the room and went to look through the chest near the foot of the very large bed that occupied the room. The chest had a few beautiful kimonos and a handful of bathing robes. She stripped out of her clothing and folded them all so she could wear them again. Just as she was tying the robe, a knock sounded at the door.

"Enter", she replied warily as she moved to stand next to her bow and quiver.

Always be cautious. Just because he invited me to stay doesn't necessarily mean that I'm safe here. Better to be on my toes.

A medium sized, blue demoness entered and bowed deeply, "My lady, I am Miku. I will be your servant until your departure. May I take your clothing, and have it cleaned? There are fresh garments in the chest that I would be pleased to dress you in, My Lady."

Kagome wanted to chuckle. Sesshomaru had practically reprogrammed his staff to address everyone as if they were royalty.

"You may call me Kagome or Priestess. No need for formality, and yes, you may take my clothing. I would like to bathe now."

Kagome took her in once more as Miku gathered her clothing. Miku had ears that looked to be scaled and her fingers were slightly webbed. Shimmering scales covered her forearms and face. She was beautiful, if a little odd.

"No, My Lady. Lord Sesshomaru would be very cross with me if he heard me being disrespectful."

As she gathered Kagome's clothing and went to leave, she pointed at a burgundy rope hanging near the bed. "That is the bed pull my lady. If you need absolutely anything just ring and I will be here to serve you. There is another bell pull in the bathing chamber." She bowed deeply again and exited, closing the door as she went.

Kagome began rifling through her basket for her vial of rose and raspberry oil. She tried to bathe with it as often as possible. She poked her head out into the hallway and, judging it empty and safe, made her way toward the bathing room.

The three interconnected pools were calling to her. She dropped her robe and entered the largest pool. She waded in until her breasts were nearly covered and began to swim to the largest waterfall. She surfaced underneath the pounding spray and began to comb through her hair with her fingers. There was a ledge she could sit on underneath the fall and she sat on it gratefully. The water was so wonderful that her eyes fell closed and a moan slipped from her lips. Pure pleasure ran through her as she stood under the water and let her worries from the past few months melt away.

After some time spent just enjoying the feel of the water, she poured some of the scented oil into her hands and began massage it into her hair and body. As she reached her breasts she began to massage them, as they were sore from being pinned to her during a long day's walk. A low growl ripped through the air and her eyes popped open to see a pair of pure golden eyes staring straight at her from under the waterfall to her left. Sesshomaru had been watching her.. the entire time and she hadn't even noticed him.


After Sesshomaru left her he nearly sprinted to his office and slammed the door behind him. He leaned against it and tried to ponder his physical reaction to her nearness. She was without a doubt the most intoxicating female he had ever encountered, and he was shocked to realize that Inuyasha had been masking Kagome's scent as well as he had been.

Why hadn't I noticed it before. The hanyou must have been constantly overshadowing her and drowning out her natural scent with his own to mask her intoxicating aroma. He must have been marking his territory to keep others from smelling her unique scent. Well, it had WORKED. Now that his scent is gone, hers is practically mesmerizing.

He scolded himself internally and decided to think of the Miko no more. She was just another weak human.

She's not weak, his beast interjected. He had to give his beast the point for that. She was the strongest priestess in this era to have lived as long as she had. Most mikos were weeded out and killed young in this era, as they were threats to many of the demons and greater demons. She'd survived far past the average age and her powers continued to grow and mature.

He shook his head, trying to clear her from his thoughts. A bath would set him right, he was certain of it. He grabbed his robe and stripped out of his clothing. While exiting he rang the bell, knowing that the servants would see his clothes and retrieve them. He made his way to the bathing room and stripped out of his robe, tossing it toward a bench to the right. He waded into the smaller pool on the right and sat behind the waterfall letting the water pound down on his head and neck.

This miko is going to be nothing but trouble for me if I don't get myself under control.

He sat under the running water for a few minutes, pondering the last few hours and his choices while enjoying the pounding of the water. After a moment he sensed Kagome at the door. He sat, immobile, still, and totally silent as he watched her enter. She gazed longingly at the pools of water, wonderment in her eyes. He saw her love for the water written plainly on her face.

She reached for the tie of her robe and his breathing became harsh. She untied it and dropped it to the floor. His eyes widened and his gaze grew hungry as he took in her breasts which were perfectly rounded tear drops. Her nipples were a beautiful dusky rosebud pink and had hardened due to the steamy air. Her skin was a fine, smooth porcelain and her ebony hair was wavy across her back and breasts. She was the single most erotic creature he'd ever encountered, and she wasn't even trying. He'd gone through heat, the rutting season countless times during the spring and not once had a female made him feel the need to take a mate at all, let alone as acutely as he was feeling in that moment. His cock grew unbearably hard in the water.

She waded in and swam to the large waterfall, a mere 15 feet from him. She hadn't noticed his presence yet, and he wasn't inclined to give his position away by alerting her. As she sat on the ledge under the water she began to comb through her hair with her hands and a small moan of pleasure fell from her plump lips. He stiffened further and the urge to pull her up against him and plunge into her nearly overtook him. He sat unmoving, certain that she would be repulsed by and deny his advances. He was still unclear how he truly felt about her and his visceral reaction to her was all consuming and more than a little concerning to him.

He knew one thing for certain: She is the most beautiful and erotic being I've ever seen in my life.

She had a small class bottle in her hand, and he watched as she popped the top off it. He realized that it was filled with scented oil as the smell of roses and berries filled his sensitive nose. It was her unique smell and his arousal doubled, his cock stiffening painfully in the water.

She rubbed the oil into her hair and over her body. As her hands began to trace up from her hips to her breasts, he slowly moved his hand to his massive erection and began to stroke it lightly as he watched her. Her hands began kneading her breasts and her lithe fingers stroked her nipples. A growl of ecstasy escaped his lips without permission and her hands froze, eyes sprung open, and her head snapped in his direction. A flush bloomed in her cheeks and covered her chest and shoulders. Her nipples perked and hardened into tiny diamonds. Sesshomaru saw a flash of embarrassment in her eyes before they turned curious. Her azure gaze traveled down his body and caught on the image on him with his cock in his hand. His eyes roved over her body shamelessly and took in her luscious curves.

His mind was moving at incredible speeds taking in her form while wondering how Inuyasha had resisted mating her. He knew for certain that if she'd been alone in his care for as long as she'd been in Inuyasha's that she'd already be mated to him.

The thought struck a chord and sent palpable unease through him. He hadn't thought of mating anyone anytime soon, let alone a human miko. However, he couldn't tear his eyes from her.

She didn't move to cover her breasts, and Sesshomaru could smell her arousal in the air. Her arousal surprised him, and he scented it, letting it drown out all other smells. It was a sweet, musky scent that mingled perfectly with her natural smell. She was a confident little tease, not covering her body when she knew he was gazing at it.

He watched as her gaze roved over his body as she took him in. Her eyes filled with obvious need as they took in his muscled abdomen, striped hips, and his obvious erection that rested in his hand.

"Sesshomaru?" Her voice was husky, shaky, and filled with need and curiosity. The sound of it made his beast and his instincts thrash around and scream for release, wanting nothing but to take her and make her his own. Her proximity, scent, and voice were sending him into overdrive.

"Sesshomaru, have you been here all this time?" Her voice was thick with lust and the sound made his cock twitch in his hand.

"Yes", he stated plainly, his voice deep and filled with his own need.

She began to step down into the water toward him and the movement broke the thin control that he'd been maintaining. In the next moment he was standing a few inches from her, afraid to touch her. He knew if he made physical contact with her that his control would break again. He mutely considered how and why she was affecting him so deeply. Her soft gasp reached his ears. She stood rooted to the spot, stunned by his proximity.

"Wha-what are you doing here?" She realized the stupidity of her question; it was his bathing chamber. Her blush was deep and covered her chest and face and it was a maddeningly arousing sight. He wanted to lick every inch of here and bare er blushed neck to his fangs and mark her as his.

"Bathing", was his casual response while trying to keep his control. He took deep breaths, but they only made it worse by allowing her scent to surround him, fill his lungs and his head, adding fuel to his lust.

Kagome inched closer to him and trailed a finger down a large scar on the side of his abdomen, probably wondering how he'd gotten it. Her touch sent a shiver down his spine and the dam finally broke. He snatched her into his arms, and she immediately wrapped her legs around his waist in response. He groaned at her eagerness. Her core and the fine curls there pressed against him, and his cock pulsed between them, begging entry into her soft depths. He cupped her ass with one hand and shoved the other deep into the black tresses of her hair. He pulled her head to the side an ran his tongue down the soft slope of her neck, causing her to tremble. He grazed her flesh with one of his fangs and she jumped a bit in his arms, a moan tore from her throat and it shot pleasure straight to his groin. She trembled in his grasp and moaned incoherently as he moved to grasp her perfect, tear drop shaped breast. It was perfectly soft and firm, and he saw pleasure flicker in her eyes as he kneaded it and rubbed his thumb over her nipple. She gasped at the sensation and ground her core into him. He relished the noise and made it his mission to hear it again. He lowered his head and began to feast on her breast, licking, nipping, and tugging on it. Her moans grew ragged, and her breath came faster each moment, sending a thrill through him. It had been so long since he'd even wanted to touch a woman, let alone thoroughly enjoyed it and he'd never had a woman who was as responsive to his every action as she was.

His hand abandoned her other breast and he trailed it down her soft abdomen and down to the thatch of curls that were pressed against him. He slid one of his fingers along the tiny bud and she convulsed against him and let out gasp which was shortly followed by a low groan.

He was about to take her mouth with his own for the very first time when the door was thrown open. Rin rushed into the room wearing her own robe, ripped it off at the last moment then leapt into the pool. Her entrance sent a cascading wave over them and the two jumped apart like they were on fire.

"Lord Sesshomaru are you playing with Lady Kagome?"

Her happiness was apparent, but due to their collective panic neither noticed the look of mischief that flitted across her face. Rin was nearly thirteen. She knew what she'd walked in on, and she played dumb so as not to upset her Lord. Many had assumed that she didn't notice these things, but Rin knew what it looked like when a man liked a woman.

Rin watched with internal glee as Sesshomaru ignored her question and as Kagome breathed in raggedly, attempting to compose herself.

Finally, Kagome cleared her throat, "Yes Rin, we were playing but I think I'm ready to get out now. Have a good bath."

Her voice was shaky as she left and Sesshomaru saw that her legs were quivering as she exited the pool, put her robe on, and fled the room. He could still smell her arousal and his wasn't backing down either.

He dunked his head under the water, mind spinning: what have I done?


Thanks everyone for reading! I hope you've enjoyed! I'll be posting the next couple of chapters soon.