Chapter Twenty-Five

The Forbidden Scent

Something was ruffling her bangs.

Kagome focused on the sensation, realising it was someone's breath.

She breathed in slowly, smiling as she detected that woody scent she loved so much. It was like walking through the forest after a rainy day.

She wanted to open her eyes and see who was beside her, but her eyelids were too heavy.

Was it a dream?

Kagome tensed as she felt sharp nails brush the skin of her forearm.

"Wake up, Kagome."

Inuyasha?

She opened her eyes at the sound of his rough voice, her heartbeat thundering in her ears.

It had not been a dream. Inuyasha really was back and he was there, in her room.

Kagome still had her head resting on his chest, just as she had when she had fallen asleep, and he was tracing circles on the back of the hand she had placed on his body.

She blushed at the position she was in, with one arm around his chest and her hand over his heart.

Her eyes lingered there, watching how careful he was with his claws when he touched her. Inuyasha cleared his throat as he saw what she was looking at.

"I like it when you do it to me," he confessed softly, averting his gaze to the ceiling and shrugging.

He continued to trace shapes on her knuckles with his fingertips. Kagome had done the same thing a few hours earlier when they were sitting on the sofa talking.

"I like it too," she admitted with a shy smile, looking up into his eyes. "How long have I been asleep?"

His golden eyes fell on the clock on her bedside table.

"Almost two hours. Your brother has gone up to his room, and it's getting late. I think I should leave before the rest of your family returns."

Kagome couldn't help but pout.

"But... but I don't want you to leave," she replied in a whisper.

His soft chuckle made his chest rumble and she lifted her chin, blinking several times to clear her mind.

She couldn't remember the last time she had slept so soundly, and she felt a little disoriented.

Inuyasha moved, sitting up on the mattress and looking at her from the corner of his eye.

"Do you want me to come back?"

She nodded, dragging her lip into her mouth as she watched him stretch and comb through his long silver-white hair with his fingers.

Did he not realise how attractive he was?

Her face began to burn at the thought of him sleeping next to her. It seemed unbelievable, but it had really happened.

The half-demon had stayed in her bedroom, patiently waiting for her to rest for a while. Kagome suspected he hadn't slept a minute.

A shiver ran down her spine when she saw him get to his feet, walking calmly to where his red kimono hung. He took it in his hands and turned to look at her, arching an eyebrow.

Kagome reddened, turning her back to him and fixing her gaze on the wall. The sound of clothes falling to the floor startled her.

She laced the fingers of her hands together on her lap, trying to control her nerves.

"You can take those pyjamas with you, Inuyasha. My brother won't miss them."

"Keh."

Kagome grinned at his snort. She turned her head as Inuyasha was adjusting the sword to his cloth belt.

"I still have a lot of questions."

He nodded, crossing his arms as he scanned the bedroom walls with his gaze.

"I'll come to visit you tomorrow, then."

The thought of seeing him again made her heart pound harder. Kagome knew she was smiling again, but she couldn't help it.

"I work in the morning. I'll be home by three."

He averted his gaze, but she saw a small blush on his cheeks.

"Okay."

Inuyasha moved toward the window, squinting to scan the temple courtyard. Satisfied, he relaxed his posture and opened it.

Kagome was thankful she lived on the outskirts of the city and had air conditioning as the warm June air blew into the room.

She knew he had none of that at his home, though she doubted it would be as hot in the Demon Forest as it was in Tokyo.

"Sleep well."

Kagome gasped as she heard his voice and saw him place a foot on the window sill.

"Wait! Why were you coming into my room at night?"

The demon's shoulders tensed and he straightened again, but he didn't turn to face her. Kagome swallowed and insisted. She needed to know.

"Did you do it so I wouldn't have nightmares?"

Inuyasha glanced at her and sighed, returning his eyes to the trees surrounding the shrine.

"Yeah."

Kagome watched the twitch of his furry ears and a new smile spread across her face.

They were adorable. She had to make fists to hold back the urge to stand up, reach over and touch them again.

"Thank you. See you tomorrow, Inuyasha. And be careful."

He nodded in her direction and bent his knees, disappearing in less than a second.

Kagome got up and ran to the window.

A blur of red was jumping from tree to tree and, after she blinked, she didn't see it again.

That half-demon was very fast. Much faster than any human.

Kagome sighed, closing the window and pacing around her room as she tidied her things and made her bed.

She picked up one of her medical books, walked down to the living room and set it on the kitchen counter.

Inuyasha's towel was still lying close to the radiator, next to hers.

Fear paralysed her.

If Sota had seen the two towels...

She shook her head, picking them both up and stuffing them into the washing machine.

Her brother was too clueless to have noticed them and, if he asked her, she could tell him she'd used one of them to dry her hair.

Kagome snorted and picked up the book again, laying down on the sofa and resting her back on her favourite cushion.

She wanted to reread some more before dinner, though she knew it was going to be very hard to stop thinking about Inuyasha and everything that had happened in the last few hours.

Inuyasha landed a few metres from the large wooden gates, shaking himself until the leaves that had gotten tangled in his hair fell to the ground.

He walked through the wall surrounding the Taisho palace and the two guards bowed their heads in greeting, as they always did, but he noticed that one of them was wrinkling his nose.

He knew those yōkai despised him even if they never said anything, like almost all the demons that inhabited the forest, but this was the first time they had made unpleasant gestures in his presence.

Inuyasha furrowed his brow, clicking his tongue in disgust. He decided to ignore them and walked on, crossing the gardens and climbing up the giant staircase that led up to the main entrance of the palace.

He was surprised to see his half-brother walking towards him. Sesshomaru was running one of his claws through his long furry stole absently and stopped once he saw him.

The demon scowled, sniffing the air and grimacing.

Inuyasha growled, baring his fangs at him. Another one doing that?

"You stink of human," Sesshomaru muttered, slurring his words in contempt.

Inuyasha clenched his fists, trying to contain his reaction.

'Shit. I smell like Kagome.'

He narrowed his eyes, shooting a hateful glare at his brother.

That was why the demons guarding the gates of the wall had acted the way they did. Despite having changed his clothes and having his pyjamas hidden in the folds of his kimono, they could all detect the scent of his mate.

Surely even his hair smelled like her.

"Keh," Inuyasha lifted his chin, meeting the hard gaze of the powerful yōkai in front of him. "So what if I smell like a human?"

Sesshomaru took several steps until there were only inches of distance between them. He fixed his golden eyes on his brother's face, mumbling so that the rest of the demons would not hear his words.

"I know you are not capable of killing them, and you do not smell of blood. This scent is of a human female," he said, raising an eyebrow as he saw Inuyasha tense. "Have you been with her?"

Inuyasha clenched his jaw hard. His brother's sense of smell was as good as his own and there was no fooling him.

He folded his arms, jamming his hands into the sleeves of his red jacket, and stepped forward in a gesture of defiance.

"Why do you care?"

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes, stepping out of his way.

"I don't care what you do with your life, Inuyasha. But see to it that no one else finds out about this."

With that said, the yōkai continued on his way out of the palace and levitated off into the distance.

Inuyasha snorted, shaking his head.

"Stupid Sesshomaru," he growled through his teeth as he walked.

Once he reached his old bedroom and opened the door he heard a shriek, and instantly a small demon jumped at him.

"Inuyasha! You're back!"

"I told you I'd be back," he grinned, patting his head gently.

Shippo jumped back down, staring at him with his expressive eyes.

"You smell funny."

After closing the door, Inuyasha cursed under his breath and sat down on the bed. The fox yōkai advanced towards him, hopping onto his lap and sniffing at his clothes.

Shippo had a big grin on his face as he looked back up at him.

"It's her, isn't it?"

Inuyasha slumped back, snorting loudly.

"Yes."

"So you've been with Kagome?" Shippo asked, settling down next to his head.

He ignored him, closing his eyes and concentrating on his breathing. He was still a little shaken by all the emotions he had experienced that day.

Hope. Fear. Curiosity. Shame. Reassurance.

Inuyasha swallowed as he remembered Kagome's kisses and the weight of her head resting on his chest.

Fire.

It was the only word that could describe what it felt like to be so close to her. It was as if his whole body was burning, begging him to kiss her again, to hold her tighter.

He knew he would also feel an unbearable desire to mark her if he hadn't done it months before. At least he didn't have to control the urge to sink his fangs into her skin.

"Tell me!" Shippo demanded, punching his arm.

Inuyasha opened his eyes, shooting him a dark look that made the fox squeal and crawl backwards to put distance between them.

"You're a scaredy-cat, brat," Inuyasha protested, using his elbows to prop himself up. "I went over to her house this morning. I just wanted to make sure she was okay, but she sensed my presence and called me. We've been talking, and... I think she forgave me."

Shippo hesitated, though he decided it was safe and moved closer again, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"That's great, Inuyasha!"

He twisted his lips down.

"It's best not to claim victory so soon. There are still many things the human doesn't know about me."

"And you're going to tell her everything?"

"Only if she wants me to," Inuyasha admitted with a nod.

Shippo bit the inside of his cheek, sitting cross-legged on the mattress.

"I want to meet her."

The fox never tired of asking, no matter how much he told him it wasn't an option.

Inuyasha hid a smile, watching his friend's reaction as he gave him a different answer for the first time.

"Maybe someday."

His green eyes widened.

"Really?"

It might help Kagome get over her terror of the yōkai.

Inuyasha ran his tongue along one of his fangs, understanding for the first time what had driven his father to build a hut in the deepest part of the forest so he could live with his human mother.

If he wanted a future with Kagome, she would have to accept the demon forest as her new home. There was no other solution.

"Maybe that way she'll realise that not all demons are bloodthirsty evil beings," he commented quietly.

It was going to be very difficult. He couldn't imagine Kagome abandoning her world and her family willingly.

Shippo's face darkened at his words.

"There are many who are evil."

He was probably thinking of his parents' murderers. Inuyasha ruffled his hair, letting out a long sigh.

"Some go about their business and don't bother you if you ignore them," he said, thinking of himself and the life he had led in the forest for so many years. He looked down at the little fox, giving him a small smile. "And others are pleasant enough, though too nosy for their own good."

Shippo snorted, offended.

"I'm not nosy!"

"Yes, you are."

"No!"

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, grinning even wider when he saw the yōkai's angry face. He stood up, moving slowly towards the door.

"Friends tell each other things, Inuyasha!"

That stopped him in his tracks. Inuyasha turned, glancing back at the fox.

"Okay, you're right."

Shippo's face relaxed and he sat back down on the bed.

"Aren't you staying here tonight?"

He shook his head.

"I have an adult room now."

"But you like this one better," the fox said without looking away.

It was silly to deny it so Inuyasha nodded.

"It's more... cosy, but it's yours now," he replied, shrugging as he opened the door. "See you tomorrow, Shippo."

"I'll be waiting for you at eight for training!"

Inuyasha chuckled as he walked down the hallway, heading for the stairs.

Shippo's enthusiasm was infectious.

He had spent several hours at his mate's house, and Kagome wanted to see him again. The emptiness he felt inside his chest was almost completely gone and he felt better than ever.

Inuyasha entered his room with a smile on his face.

Everything was just as he had left it. The white sheets were as soft as a cloud and the moonlight was streaming through the windows.

He put on the pyjamas Kagome had given him that had her scent all over them, leaving his kimono in the wardrobe.

After that he threw himself onto the huge mattress, hugging the pillow and sinking his nose into it.

He didn't understand why, but Kagome's bed was much more comfortable.

Inuyasha sighed heavily. He had seen her sleep many times, but being able to watch her so closely and lay next to him was an entirely different experience.

This had been one of the happiest days of his life, and the mean faces of the other demons weren't going to spoil it for him.

Kagome sighed for the fifth time.

The McDonald's two blocks from the hospital was usually full, but the three of them were the last ones inside.

Sango had been patrolling the area that morning and had called Sara to join them for lunch, so they decided to skip the cafeteria downstairs and change directly their clothes so they could eat outside.

And her two friends hadn't reacted too well to the news that Inuyasha had reappeared.

Sara had been surprised, but by the time Kagome had finished telling the story she was smiling as she stirred the ice in her drink with her straw.

In contrast, Sango's brow had creased more with each of her words.

"I'm worried about you, Kagome. I don't think that's a good idea," her friend repeated for the third time, her brown eyes piercing her mercilessly.

"You don't understand, Sango."

"Then explain it to me."

"I can't talk about it here," Kagome whispered, looking around nervously. "Besides, I should go now. I told Inuyasha I'd be home by now and he'll be waiting for me."

Sango stood up abruptly.

"We'll go with you."

'No way.'

"No," Kagome frowned, shaking her head. "I want to talk to him first and ask him if it's all right to meet you two."

"Of course he's going to meet us," Sango hissed, slamming her fist on the table and making her and Sara jump. "I won't let that monster near you until I'm sure he's not dangerous."

Kagome's heart shrank. She still remembered the pained expression that crossed his face when she said that very word to him after discovering his true identity.

"Please, Sango. Don't call him that," she asked softly with pleading eyes.

Sango wrinkled her nose, leaning back in her chair.

"You used to say it yourself not so long ago."

"I know, but I was wrong," Kagome admitted quietly.

Sango sighed, shrugging one of her shoulders.

"Do you trust him, Kagome?" Sara asked.

She glanced sideways at her, taking a sip of her drink.

"Yes."

"Wow," Sango gasped, her eyes widening. "I didn't see that coming. What's changed?"

The image of Inuyasha carefully tracing her knuckles crossed her mind and Kagome smiled.

"Everything." She replied with a sigh. "I'll tell you more details on Saturday when you both come home and, if Inuyasha agrees, I'll introduce you to him that day."

Sango nodded, looking at her thoughtfully.

"You must be very careful, Kagome. If the government finds out that you're in contact with one of those creatures..."

"I know," she cut her off, taking one of her hands in hers and squeezing it lovingly. "He's very careful and never lets himself be seen. No one will find out."

Knowing that Sango was on her side despite having sworn to tell on people like her made her feel very special.

Kagome would never find friends as good as the two sitting next to her at that moment.

"I hope so," Sango muttered as the three of them stood up.

They walked out of the restaurant together and both accompanied her to where she had parked her police motorbike.

Kagome cleared her throat as Sango put on her helmet.

"Eri texted me this morning. She wants to go out again, and I thought my two best friends might like to come, too."

"Yes! I'm in," Sara replied enthusiastically.

Sango opened the visor of her helmet, peering at Kagome through her lashes.

"Can I... can I invite Miroku?"

Kagome smirked. She knew her friend was blushing inside that white helmet.

"Of course. It isn't very easy to choose a day that works for all of us, but it'll probably be next week. I'll let you both know as soon as we agree on the date."

Sango nodded, starting the bike with her right foot. She and Sara stood on the pavement, waving their hands as her friend sped off down the avenue.

They walked together to the corner where their paths diverged and Sara hugged her goodbye.

"Tell your demon I'd like to talk to him someday," she whispered in her ear before releasing her.

Kagome nodded and waved goodbye, crossing the street and glancing away towards the large metal fence in the distance.

In eleven days there would be a new moon, and it coincided with a Friday.

Maybe...

Kagome bit her lower lip, remembering the first night she had seen Inuyasha in that nightclub.

Would he be willing to repeat the experience?