Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

Chapter 3

Kagome hummed cheerfully to herself as she strolled through the castle. The past few days have simply been wonderful. She never thought it could turn out like this…meeting Inuyasha…getting to know him. She had grown to care for him very much…maybe even love…

Her humming stopped and she froze, eyes widening, grasping her hand over her heart…shocked by her realization. 'I…love Inuyasha? But…how could I be in love with him after only 6 days?'

She recalled what happened this afternoon…how he kept casting soft glances in her direction when he thought she wasn't looking, causing her heart to speed…the way he wrapped his strong arms protectively around her…the heated look in his eyes when he was on top of her, almost causing her to swoon…and when he had almost kissed her.

'We were so close…I wanted him to kiss me so bad," she frowned slightly for a moment. Though she was known for being naïve, she couldn't have mistaken the look of desire in his eyes. For some unknown reason, he was holding back. After they returned, Inuyasha had left abruptly, telling her he had some business to take care of. He looked so on edge, almost like he was angry about something. 'Is it because of Kikyo?'

According to everyone, she looked almost exactly like her. Inuyasha had briefly told her about their relationship, or perhaps "lack" of relationship. She learned that Kikyo had deceived, and tried to kill him…he ended up having to kill her…

Deep in thoughts, she found herself at a dead end, coming face to face with a painting of her favorite hanyou. 'Inuyasha.' He was in his armor, holding the Tetsusaiga. Though it was beautifully painted, it did not do him justice. It failed to capture the blazing fire in his eyes, or his spirit. Her hand came in contact with his painted self, wishing it were the real him instead.

"Human wench, have you forgotten our deal?"

She gasped. So enchanted by Inuyasha's image that she had failed to realize his older brother was right behind her. "Sesshomaru," she said, turning around.

"Well?" he asked with a bored expression.

Kagome looked at her feet and shook her head, the deal had slipped her mind completely.

"Remember, you have a little more than a week before I drag you back to where you belong," he reminded her.

"What if…I want to stay here and not go back?"

He gave her a chilling look, "then you'll still have to sleep with him, won't you? If he decides to keep you as his "toy" a while longer…I won't object."

'What am I going to do?…Can I sleep with a guy after knowing him for a little less than a week?' she pondered as she walks back to her room after her encounter with Sesshomaru. 'I haven't even had my first kiss yet, now I'll have to skip all the way to something so intimate. But, if I don't do it soon, I'll have to leave Inuyasha and go back to the harem. I don't even want to imagine who or what I might end up with…'

Rough hands circled her arms, and began to drag her into one of the abandoned rooms. She started to scream, but the assailant quickly covered her mouth. "Shut up wench or I'll kill you," he snared. Kagome recognized him as one of the guards who have been ogling at her, his eyes constantly burning into her body whenever she pass by. He's never done anything until now.

He threw her against the wall, and kissed her hard on the mouth, almost drawing blood. His hands tried to take off her clothing as he licked the side of her face…down to her neck. Growing impatient, he ripped the front of her kimono. She closed her eyes. 'He's going to rape me.'

Before he could venture further, he was thrown off her. Kagome sank down to the floor, and hugged her knees to her chest, trembling with fear.

"SHE IS MINE…YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO HER!" Inuyasha roared in rage.

The guard got up and sneered. "Go away boy, since you're not using your gift properly…can't you tell she has an itch she can't scratch."

Inuyasha punched him in the face, sending him flying towards the wall. Clenching his fists in anger, he walked over to the guard and picked him up by his hair. "Normally, I would slowly tear apart anyone who dared to touch what's mine…but I have no time for this." He drew out his Tetsusaiga. "Kagome has gone through enough already, I don't want to further upset her," he said to him calmly before slicing off his head as a warning to others.

His face soften, and walked over to her. She was still in a daze. "Kagome," he spoke her name soothingly. Kagome looked up at him, as though she had just noticed him, and burst into tears. He leaned down on the floor and wrapped his arms around protectively. "Don't worry, you're mine. I'll protect you…always," he whispered.

They sat on the floor for a while, with her sitting on his lap, head nestled on his shoulder and his hands rubbing her back to comfort. Realizing she has cried herself to sleep, he carefully carried her towards their room, stepping over the body of the guard along the way.

He laid her on the bed, and removed the torn kimono. His eyes narrowed into slits at the sight of her bruised wrists. 'I shouldn't have left her alone…especially when she's in heat.' Eyes avoiding her body, he quickly put her in her nightgown, and covered her with a blanket.

"I'll be back soon," he promised the sleeping girl before leaving the room. He then went to threaten practically every male on the perimeter.

He held a terrified servant up by his throat. "Kagome is mine. If I found out you touched her, you're dead…if you look at her; I'll tear your eyes out…and don't even think about her, cause it'll be the last thought you'll ever have. I'll make sure that'll you'll wish for your own death by the time I through with you."

Coming back to the room a while later, he found Kagome thrashing and moaning madly on the bed. Concerned that she was going to hurt herself, he held her by the shoulders and shook her. "Kagome, wake up!"

Gasping, she came to, her eyes slowly focusing on his face. She instantly reached out to him, wrapping her slender arms around his neck, pulling him on top of her in the process. "Inuyasha," she began to sob. "Don't leave me alone…please…I'm so scared."

He gulped at the feel of her soft body pressed against his. It was then that he noticed what the moving around has done to her nightgown; her creamy breasts were almost entirely exposed. 'Fuck!' he felt himself hardened. 'How could I be thinking of sex when she's in pain…I need to get out of here!' "Shh…Kagome, don't cry…it's going to be okay…he's not going to be able to touch you ever again," he assured her and kissed the top of her head.

"I feel so dirty…I can still feel his hands on me…stay with me tonight, please…I need you," she pleaded tearfully, all the while pulling him even closer. He sighed and dropped his head in defeat. 'I can't leave her…She needs me. Besides, how hard can this be…I'm just going to be sleeping next to her…even if she's incredibly beautiful.'

At first, Inuyasha thought he could handle having her arms wrapped tightly around him, her breasts brushing against him with each breath. He even tried to relax and sleep on his bed for the first time in days.

He was wrong…her lovely scent was too strong. 'O god…no wonder the guard was stupid enough to touch her…she's in heat!' Her scent surrounded him, begged him to mate with her. Inuyasha tried to inch away from her, but she whimpered at the lost of contact, and scooted in even closer. 'How the fuck am I supposed to sleep?'

He couldn't.

Trapped in the arms of a nymph, he stayed awake the entire night, painfully aroused, aching…longing. He had battled many youkai in his life, and suffered from many injuries, no one, not even Kikyo could bring him to his knees until now…the feeling of wanting someone so desperately, and with her so close…so near…only to deny himself because he cares for her too much.

When morning finally came, he raced out of the castle in a streak of red, and deep into the forest. He dropped his pants and pumped his shaft immediately to relieve himself, imagining it was her body he was pumping into, her body that he was loving.