Chapter 12: Aftermath

Kagome awoke when Sesshomaru had began removing the ties on her wrist. Her whole body felt heavy. Her mind was hazy and delirious. Had she been drugged? No... the memories began to slowly return. She closed her eyes, trying hard to erase the images, but the feelings, the feelings remained. Once her hand was free she pushed herself up to look at the man who had made her feel so hazy. He was shirtless, wearing a pair of sweatpants that hung low on his hips. He stared down at her with his usual cool gaze, placing a clean towel on the bed beside her. He sat down, seeing the inner turmoil their joining had caused her begin to show on her face. He knew she'd react this way, but had encouraged her to act on her impulses rather selfishly. Just as tears began to well in her eyes she choked out her fears. "He will... never... want me now..." Sesshomaru smoothed a thumb over her cheek, wiping away the first of her tears. That was very possible.

"He will never know, Kagome." He said softly. She calmed a bit at that, thinking it over and seeing that it was true. If she never told him, If the scent was gone before she went back... but that was only half of the problem.

"I... will know..." Her voice shook, just on the verge of breaking down.

"Kagome, I could feel how badly you needed this. Just once. Nothing more will come of it." He lied, hoping it would stop her from crying. In truth, he fully intended for it to happen again, as often as possible until she was gone, but she didn't need to know that now. Without these little lies, he didn't know what to say. Most of all he just wanted to sleep. He inwardly chided himself for being selfish again. Even so, she did seem to agree, calming herself down and looking to the towel he had placed beside her. "Go wash up. You will stay here tonight." She looked up at him, a bit confused.

"But... school?" She asked innocently.

"Don't go." He said dismissively, standing to find her something to sleep in. "Or do, if you feel like wearing dirty clothes, but you're staying here tonight. Thats final." She bit her lip, understanding his command was non negotiable, but wondering where the concern for her education had gone. He tossed her a long sleeved shirt like the ones he usually wore along with a pair of black lace underwear. She stared from them to him in confusion. The question must have been pretty clear on her face as he smirked. "An old girlfriend. They've been washed, now go." He nodded towards the bathroom door. She blushed but did as she was told, taking her things with her. As the door clicked shut behind her Sesshomaru laid on the bed and stretched out, taking in the heavy scent of sex and fear that still lingered in the room. Kami, he loved it. She was incredible. He'd searched for years for someone who could obey and satisfy him that well, and he usually had to train girls for weeks before they could learn to control themselves like that. Of course, she did have his little brother before. Maybe she was just better equipped to handle a demon in bed than most. Whatever it was, he hoped that she was as hooked as he was.

He stood to collect her jacket and underwear, tossing the jacket over the arm of a chair and tossing the underwear in an empty drawer next to the bed. He liked to keep a souvenir from most of his conquests, and this one was no different. The new pair she would wear tonight had come from a pretty western blond he'd met on a business trip maybe a year before. The shower shut off in the next room. He picked up the little bowtie from the bed and placed it on top of her jacket as she emerged from the bathroom, wearing his borrowed shirt and filling out the new lace beautifully. She held her clothes, neatly folded, unsure of what happens next. He walked up to her, taking the clothes to place on the chair as he motioned for her to go back to the bed. She fidgeted nervously a moment before doing what he wanted, sitting lightly on the bed.

Sesshomaru?" She asked softly, looking at her hands, one still wrapped in the bandage, "I... have a question... about something you did earlier..." His interest was peaked. He sat on the bed beside her, watching her with subtle fascination.

"Which 'thing'?" he asked flatly, needing clarification. He couldn't think of anything particularly odd.

"It was the... licking thing... what was that about?" He smiled, loving that out of all the twisted things he did to her, she was worried about licking his thumb.

"You didn't notice?" He said, very amused by her sudden discomfort as she shook her head. "I pricked it, with my claw." He answered. She only looked more confused, but realized that she had been tasting blood, too distracted to notice at the time. He pulled her closer to him, making her fall back a bit in the process so he could lay above her again, putting his face close to hers as he continued. "I wanted to smell your blood as you panted, Kagome. I wanted to taste it." He said darkly, feeling her pulse rise. She tried to turn her face away, only to have him turn it back to kiss her deeply once more. She didn't try to stop him, though it felt wrong... breaking the promise he'd made to her of 'just once.' He stopped, licking his lips softly, feeling his own need rise again, but knowing he couldn't have her again tonight. He'd most definitely hurt her if she didn't have time to rest.

"Sesshomaru..." she whimpered. "You said-"

"Only once." He finished for her, letting his eyes wander down to her lips. "Until you ask." He said softly, watching her expression return to shock. He knew as well as she did that she would ask. He would make her do more than that. She would beg. But for now, he was content to let her dwell in this fantasy of 'only once.'

"I-I wont!" She said, unsure of her own words as even now her body betrayed her, pressed against his hard chest.

"Hn." He said, rolling away from her to shut off the lights. The room fell into darkness as he pulled her into the bed where he wanted her, tossing the dark sheets over her form. He held her close, laying on his back with her head resting on his chest where he could continue to smell her soft scent and feel her pulse. She was amazed that one syllable could drip with sarcasm, scepticism... Whatever he was implying, he was wrong! 'Hn!' she repeated mockingly in her head. She was exhausted, but his smug attitude kept her awake for a few moments more, repeating the mantra. I won't. I won't. Just this once. Just... this...