Chapter Twenty-Four

Never Again

All the blood drained from her face as she heard his words.

Had he really said what she was thinking?

"S-show me?" Kagome repeated with wide eyes.

Inuyasha looked straight ahead again, frowning as he stared at the television.

"Yeah."

"Are you talking about going back to the forest?" she insisted quietly.

That couldn't be what he meant. All the air left her lungs when he nodded and Kagome jumped to her feet.

"How can you say that, Inuyasha? You expect me to go back to the place where I almost lost my life when you...?"

Inuyasha grabbed one of her wrists, shaking his head, and Kagome paused.

"This time you wouldn't be alone," he said in a deep voice, tugging until he got her to sit back down beside him. "I'd be with you."

Kagome snorted, crossing her arms. The intensity with which Inuyasha was looking at her made her forget what she was going to say.

He held her left hand carefully, squeezing it.

"I swear on my life that I will protect you, Kagome. No yōkai will lay a hand on you as long as you are by my side."

Kagome felt as if her heart would burst. His golden eyes continued to stare at her, unblinking.

The sense of calm and security she felt when he was close didn't help her think clearly.

"I-I'm," she sighed, averting her gaze. "I'm not ready to go back there, Inuyasha. And I don't know if I'll ever be."

"Okay," he agreed, still not letting go of her hand. "But you mustn't be afraid. No one will ever touch you again as long as I'm alive."

Kagome swallowed, looking back up at him.

"Can I ask you a question?"

He gave her a curt nod.

"Go ahead."

"What happens to the humans who enter the forest?"

Inuyasha pursed his lips and took a few seconds to reply. He hadn't liked that question.

"They die."

Just as Kagome had suspected ever since she dared to walk through those gloomy trees.

She thought about the figure of Inuyasha jumping down to stand between her and the demon that dragged her into the deepest part of the forest. She didn't recognise him at the time, but now she knew it was him.

Had he tried to save her?

His face had changed as he looked at her, transforming into the creature that had bitten her and haunted her nightly in her nightmares for weeks.

Kagome blinked a few times, pushing the image of his red eyes away from her mind.

"How many humans have made it out of the demon forest alive?"

His eyes twinkled.

"Two, as far as I know."

Sara and herself. No one else had lived to tell the tale because never before had a demon intervened to defend a human.

It had been him. Kagome was growing more and more certain.

"And you were going to kill me that day, but you changed your mind."

His face hardened as he nodded.

"Why did you bite me?"

Another question he didn't like. She saw his jaw clench as he tried to control his feelings.

His hand was still wrapped around her, firmly but not too tightly. Just enough to let Kagome know that he was there and that he didn't intend to leave, no matter how many questions she asked.

"I couldn't help it. Your scent..." Inuyasha shook his head, closing his eyes as he sighed. "I had never been that close to you in this form before and I lost control. My yōkai side took control and marked you."

Kagome blanched.

"Your yōkai side?" she repeated, suppressing a shiver.

So that was what he had turned into. A full demon.

"I'm half human and half demon, remember?" His eyes flickered between hers anxiously. "Sometimes the demon part of me takes over my body. It tends to happen when I get angry."

He seemed to be waiting for it all to be too much. For Kagome to decide that she didn't want to know anymore and that she never wanted to see him again.

That was far from the truth. He couldn't scare her anymore, even if he didn't realise it. Everything had changed.

"And would you hurt me if you transformed?"

Inuyasha answered instantly.

"No."

Her brow furrowed.

"Why are you so sure?"

"I just know," he added, shrugging one of his shoulders. "I can't hurt you, I've tried to and I couldn't. I don't want you to suffer because of me."

"Not even if you lose control?"

"Not even if that happens. I will never cause you pain again, Kagome."

She looked into his eyes, her heartbeat thundering in her ears.

It was all starting to come together. She had no more doubts.

"You took Sara out of the forest, didn't you?"

Inuyasha winced and tried to let go of her hand. Kagome held his hand in hers, preventing him from pulling away.

"She doesn't remember how she got out of there, only that she passed out. Was it you?" she insisted, searching his gaze.

He let out a very long snort.

"Yes."

Her lips curved into a small smile.

"That scarlet blur she saw was you."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes.

"You just said she didn't remember anything."

"And she doesn't, but she saw something red and knows someone carried her," Kagome murmured, tracing his knuckles with her thumb.

He was as warm as a ray of sunshine, though he tried to hide his good heart under an armour of indifference and roughness.

Inuyasha could no longer hide from her. She could see who he really was.

A half-demon protecting another orphaned demon. Saving two humans from certain death.

He had been wandering the forest for centuries, repressing his human side, but he hadn't quite succeeded. He cared for others, even if he tried not to.

"Keh. I knew she was your friend and I couldn't just leave her there to die," he said, twisting his lips and wrinkling his nose.

Kagome felt tears well up in her eyes. His face changed, losing some of its colour, and his eyes grew wider.

"Fuck. I didn't want to make you cry again, Kagome."

She shook her head, running her hands up his chest and into his white hair. It was still damp and, under the sunlight, it appeared to be silver.

Someone like that couldn't be real, but Inuyasha was.

"Inuyasha..." she murmured, looking into his eyes and trying to swallow the lump in her throat.

That demon had saved the life of one of her best friends. If she needed any more proof that he wasn't actually evil, this one was enough.

Kagome smiled as he closed his eyes to enjoy her touch. He liked having his hair touched as much as she did.

"Thank you," she whispered, lifting her chin.

Their lips met and she sighed. His arms were soon around her and he kissed her slowly, tracing her lower lip with the tip of his tongue before nibbling on it gently.

He was experimenting, just as she was. And she liked everything he was doing.

His sharp fangs grazed her lips again, pressing just a little and not piercing her skin.

Kagome lost herself in his kisses, enjoying the vanilla taste the tea had left on his tongue.

The flames that shot through her body each time she kissed him raced across her skin, filling her with warmth.

It was as if the sun was rising after a long night of darkness. She had never felt so happy, so complete.

She didn't know how long they had been kissing when Inuyasha suddenly pulled away.

Kagome opened her eyes, surprised at his abruptness, and saw that his eyes were narrowed in the direction of the window. A faint blush covered his cheeks and his white ears kept twitching on top of his head.

"Someone is coming up the stone steps."

Kagome felt her blood run cold. She glanced at the clock hanging on the wall and gasped.

"Sota!" she shouted, getting to her feet. "He can't see you here."

Inuyasha rose as well, pressing his lips together until they formed a thin line. He took a few steps into the kitchen and opened the dryer, pulling out his red kimono. Kagome held up a hand when he opened one of the windows.

"No! I don't want you to leave."

Inuyasha glanced at her with a surprised look on his face. He froze, one knee raised.

Kagome advanced towards him and took his hand, leading him to the foot of the stairs.

"Stay in my room. I'll go up as soon as I can."

Inuyasha smiled at her.

"I'll be there."

He disappeared at full speed and she sighed, turning around at the sound of the keys.

She had to be more careful next time or she would have a heart attack.

Kagome tugged at her bottom lip with her teeth at her thoughts.

'Next time.'

Would Inuyasha still want to visit her?

Kagome snorted and set the chopsticks down on the plate. Sota looked up from his, still chewing.

"I'm going to take a nap."

"Aren't you going to wait for mum and grandpa to arrive?" he asked with his brow raised.

She shook her head and yawned.

"I'm tired, Sota. I'll see you in a little while when I wake up."

Her brother popped the last of the meat into his mouth.

"Okay, I'll clean this up. Being a doctor must be exhausting."

Kagome tried to smile. She hated lying, and she was terrible at it.

"It is."

Sota grinned, picking up the dishes as he stood up. Kagome waited until his back was turned and pulled out the ration of food she had hidden on a shelf while she cooked.

She left the room walking backwards, the plate hidden behind her in case her brother turned around.

"See you later, Sota."

"Sleep well, sister."

Kagome let out a sigh of relief as she stood in the hallway and walked up the stairs at a brisk pace.

Inuyasha had been alone in her room for almost an hour.

Would he have left?

Inuyasha had to hold his breath as he opened the door to Kagome's room.

It had only been six days since he had last been there, but the scent of his mate was so strong that it almost blurred his vision.

He closed the door, leaning his back against it and sighing.

He needed to focus on something to help him concentrate.

It was the first time Inuyasha had entered that room with permission. He could relax and look, something he had not had the chance to do before.

The purple carpet was still in the same place under the window. A wooden desk was right next to it.

Inuyasha walked over to the table, looking at the books on it curiously. They were all medical, with very complicated terms on their covers that he hadn't read before.

He opened one and wrinkled his nose as he read the inside, closing it again. Kagome's profession had to be something very difficult.

Inuyasha glanced sideways at the corkboard hanging on the wall where there were pictures of her and other humans.

He recognised two of her friends, the ones he had seen leaving her house, but the rest of the faces were unfamiliar.

He frowned when he saw a picture of Kagome hugging another human, all smiles.

Who the hell was that? Inuyasha hoped it was her brother and not one of those stupid guys who were interested in her.

He stopped in front of a piece of furniture with a mirror and a small seat in front of it. Inuyasha opened one of the drawers, clicking his tongue as he saw objects of different colours.

He didn't know what they were, but those things didn't smell good.

He walked past the wardrobe, suppressing the urge to open it to see what was inside.

Inuyasha approached the door again, pressing one of his ears to the wood. Kagome was talking to her brother and there was the sound of something sizzling as if they were cooking.

He sighed again and his gaze landed on the bed.

It looked comfortable enough.

He decided to sit on it and wait, leaning his back against the wall.

The human clothes Kagome had given him were also very nice and soft.

After so much stress over the past few days, he finally felt calm. His eyelids began to feel heavy and Inuyasha grunted, forcing himself to keep his eyes open.

He couldn't fall asleep in Kagome's room again.

'She said she would come. It wouldn't hurt if I closed my eyes while I waited.'

Inuyasha curled his lips and looked at the pillow out of the corner of his eye.

'Keh. Why not?'

He lay back on the mattress, hugging the sword he still hadn't let go of since entering the human house.

Inuyasha breathed in deeply, closing his eyes. Her scent was much more intense there.

Nothing bad could happen to him in that room.

All of his muscles slowly relaxed and he fell asleep without realising it, enveloped in the sweet scent of his mate.

Kagome opened the door, holding the plate full of food in her right hand.

Her eyes scanned the room, searching for Inuyasha, and she couldn't help but smile when she saw him on her bed.

He was asleep, breathing deeply and with his head resting on the pillow.

Kagome closed the door very slowly, trying not to wake him. One of his ears twitched but his eyes remained closed.

She walked to her desk in slow steps, leaving the plate on the table. As she turned to the bed, her heart leapt into her throat at the sight of his golden eyes fixed on her.

Kagome gasped, a hand on her chest.

"Inuyasha, you startled me. Did I wake you?" she asked in a whisper.

He shook his head, sitting up on the mattress.

"Not you. The smell," he rasped, clearing his throat.

"The smell of this?" she said, touching the edge of the plate.

Inuyasha looked down at the food for a second, then back up at her.

"Are you hungry?" she insisted with a smile.

"Is that for me?" he asked, surprised.

"Of course."

Kagome sat down next to him, offering him the plate. Her heart fluttered as Inuyasha smiled again, holding it in one hand and popping a piece into his mouth.

"Did you make it?"

She nodded, her cheeks blushing.

"It tastes really good, Kagome."

"Thank you."

Inuyasha continued to eat slowly, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye from time to time.

"Is that your brother?" he asked, pointing to one of the pictures on the wall behind her desk.

Kagome nodded and watched him relax his posture.

"Is he still here?"

"He's downstairs. He'll probably spend the afternoon playing the console."

"Console?"

"Video games. He loves them."

Inuyasha frowned at her.

"I don't know what that is."

"I'll show you some other time. You might like them too," Kagome commented, remembering the way he'd looked at the television when he sat across from it on the sofa.

He probably didn't know what it was either.

Inuyasha was still picking up the chopsticks carefully as if he wasn't used to doing it that way.

"Do you eat like this when you're alone?"

He shrugged as he chewed.

"You can eat at your own pace, Inuyasha. No one's watching."

Kagome smiled as he swallowed before talking. Even a demon had better manners than Sota.

"You are."

"I don't mind at all," she added with a shrug.

Inuyasha stared at her for a moment before lifting his plate. He began to wolf down the last of his food at full speed, just as he had done at the beginning of their first date.

Kagome chuckled, throwing up her hands as he glared at her. Inuyasha didn't speak again until he had finished all the food.

"I can't waste time eating in the forest. I have to be alert at all times."

Her smile faded.

"Living there must be very hard."

He set the empty plate on her nightstand and licked his lips.

"Everything's easier since I've had this," he muttered, patting the scabbard of the sword that lay beside him on the bed. "I am more powerful now."

Kagome walked over to her table, picked up her water bottle and offered it to him. He opened it and drank the contents in one gulp.

She sat back down beside him, tracing the knuckles of his hand with a finger. His fingernails no longer looked as dangerous as they had the first time she had seen them.

"Do you think we could be friends?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Friends?" Inuyasha repeated, clenching his jaw. "Is that what you want us to be?"

Kagome looked down at his hand again, entwining her fingers in his.

"I want you to trust me, Inuyasha. And to always tell me the truth."

He held her hand firmly.

"I will never lie to you again, Kagome. You have my word."

"I believe you," she said, nodding. "Will you stay with me this afternoon?"

"What if your brother comes and sees that there is a yōkai in your room?"

Kagome shook her head.

"My family never comes into my room without knocking."

He crossed his legs over the bed, leaning back until his back was against the wall, and scanned her face with his gaze.

"You look tired."

And she was. Kagome felt the weight of all the emotions she'd felt that day fall on her shoulders.

"I was studying before I... Before I felt you approaching."

That captured his attention. Inuyasha folded his arms, staring at her again.

"Since when can you sense my presence?"

Didn't he know that people were intimidated when someone looked at them like that?

No, probably not.

"There's always been something drawing me to the forest, but a few months ago I started to feel it a lot more strongly. I think it was you, Inuyasha."

Kagome smiled as he confirmed her suspicions with a nod.

"Ever since I first saw you, I've been going to the edge of the forest every day to watch you. Maybe that's why."

Her eyes widened further.

"When did you first see me?"

"A month before the night we met," he said, raising one of his dark eyebrows. "I had just returned from my first dark night in this city."

A shiver ran down her spine as she remembered the moment she caught the eyes of that striking guy fixed on her.

It seemed so long ago... though it had only been a few months since that night.

"Dark night?" Kagome repeated in confusion.

One of the corners of his mouth curled upward.

"The nights of the new moon."

"That's when you turn into a human, right?"

"Normally I would hide deep in the forest and wait for the sun to rise again so I could regain my powers," Inuyasha explained, cocking his head. "But now I spend them in Tokyo."

Kagome dropped back onto the pillow, sighing and closing her eyes.

"So... I'm your mate?"

She hadn't been able to stop thinking about everything he'd told her when they'd spoken at the border between the city and the demon forest.

"Yes."

"Will you tell me what that means when I wake up?"

She heard Inuyasha's soft chuckle.

"Sure."

Kagome patted the right side of the pillow with her hand.

"You can lie down with me if you want."

Her eyes fluttered open and she saw Inuyasha place the sword at the foot of the bed. Once he laid down she rested her chin on his shoulder, watching his face with interest.

His eyelashes were as black as his eyebrows.

Inuyasha let out a long sigh.

"Do I look very different?" he asked in a whisper with his eyes closed.

The answer came to her mind immediately.

'No.'

His scent was the same and his closeness still gave her the same butterflies in her stomach as it had on the first day. Plus now that she'd been able to really see them, his golden eyes were incredible. The most beautiful she'd ever seen in her life.

His long silver-white hair was just as soft as when it had a dark colour. And his triangular ears were really cute.

Kagome couldn't tell which version of Inuyasha she liked better, the human one or the one she now had next to her giving her warmth.

She sighed, lifting her head until she brushed the curve of his neck with her nose.

"You're still you, just a bit more..." Kagome smiled at the thought of how he seemed to be more sensitive when he was human. "A bit ruder."

"Keh."

"And more dangerous," she added in a whisper.

His right arm curled around her, resting against her lower back.

"Not to you, Kagome."

She placed her hand on his chest, right where his heart was beating, and smiled.

"I know."