WARNING, SEXUAL CONTENT AHEAD.

Unliving

Chapter thirteen - Closer

She was so tired, and so brought down, that all she wanted was to take a shower before falling on her huge bed. She only took a few minutes to clean herself and threw on an oversized T-shirt to sleep in. Those wounds on her shoulder weren't that deep, after all. More like pins had been stuck in her skin. Thankfully, the fire burned in the fireplace and her room was warm, although outside the rain still poured and it was getting even colder. She didn't know what time it was, and she didn't rightly care. She just wanted to sleep.

So she pulled the heavy blanket and sheets over her chest and closed her violet eyes, hoping to God it wouldn't cross his mind to wake her in the middle of the night for who knows what purpose? She'd left the room just after his eyes stung her, and she saw he got her point. She'd left him there all alone to think over what she'd said. She wasn't planning to leave, she still toyed with the idea that she could save him.

After all, that was what she'd intended, in the first place, ever since she'd found out about him being a vampire. He just needed to understand a few things, that was all. All that hate, stuck in his heart for such a long time… It was no wonder he was so cold! If that was the way he saw the world, then it was a miracle he didn't go mad by now. But who knew?

'Maybe we're all a little mad, every now and then.'

She smiled sadly and tuned on one side, immediately falling asleep.

:---:

He looked at her for almost ten minutes, in complete silence, without knowing even why he was staring like that. It wasn't like him to be in the dark regarding… anything. Her shallow breath told him she was deeply asleep. Her soft features, although human, were certainly beautiful. A beautiful human… rare indeed. He tilted his head and took a more intrusive look at her face, bending over to see her better. The fire was still burning quietly, although it had been consuming itself for the past few hours or so. He took a quick look at the clock on the wall. It claimed that the hour was 2:34 am.

Luckily, nobody was around to catch him in the act. He reached for her and slowly pulled the sheets, leaving her body half uncovered. Kagome wore nothing but that cotton T-shirt and her panties, but she didn't feel the cool air reach her skin. He looked at her wondering what was so alluring at this human, what could a vampire find worthy of his desire, in her. Especially one of his rank.

He had to admit he didn't know. His eyes followed the line of her jaw, to her parted lips, her slender neck and the curves of her breasts, which rose and fell rhythmically. The cotton clothing she wore made it easy for him to guess what laid underneath, he could practically see the outline of her breasts, in detail, even the one of her ribs.

'Skinny human…' he thought, but then remembered she wasn't fully human. He grinned, and bent further more over Kagome's sleeping form, taking in her scent. She smelled like wine… and some sort of perfume. Flowers… he couldn't make out what kind, though. It had been long since he'd seen flowers in plain sunlight. He wondered why he was remembering that, at this time.

'This mortal made me think of it. Even asleep…' she turned her head slowly towards him, and he widened his eyes a little, wondering if she was awake, and just taunting him.

She certainly seemed the type to toy with men like that. But he was no ordinary man… and she knew it. He wondered how much of the kiss she saw, and what she thought of it. He smiled and took a seat on the bed, next to her, passing his fingers through a strand of her hair, and then over her lips. She mumbled some nonsense words in her sleep, and his smile widened.

His eyes glittered strangely in the fire light, and he closed in on her face, trailing the tip of his tongue over her soft mouth. Kagome didn't react at all.

'So she is asleep.' He reached down and pulled up the edge of her T-shirt, leaving her stomach bare, then he lightly touched her skin, not moving his eyes from her face. She felt so good, and so warm… Her mortality was his mermaid song. He wanted her… but didn't really know what for, or why. Maybe for all she could give him. He kissed her bellybutton, and trailed his tongue over her stomach, up to the base of her breasts. He wanted to touch her, but something in her air stopped her. What was it? He sniffed her like a wild beast, to find the scent that drove him crazy… Something about her wasn't right… He moved above her and nuzzled her neck. His green eyes turned dark as he clenched his teeth.

'Sesshoumaru.' Alexis barely resisted the urge to sink his teeth in her neck. She deserved it, after all. She'd been flirting with him all evening, she wanted it, he could tell. He could always tell. These mortal women were either cold and distant, or throwing themselves at him. In any case, they all ended up wanting it. And he didn't mind indulging them. But this wasn't about her. It was about Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru, who had rejected him, and accepted her. They were close, but exactly how close?

Alexis felt like he could slash her throat right then and there. He felt the rage taking over him, and jealousy sprung forward to ask for revenge. Why was Sesshoumaru this cruel to him? He was the one who had given him life, who had taken care of him… This was his payment? He looked at the woman asleep in her bed, thinking she was safe, thinking he could care for her. 'Idiot.' He thought, and caressed her cheek. Still, he wouldn't mind having a taste of her, she seemed the sweet type. He wondered if Sesshoumaru had used her yet.

'Most probable.' The answer came, out of his experience. One last time, he took in her scent, and slid his hand under her clothes, pressing lightly on her chest, just between her breasts. She was as soft as he'd imagined, and he could feel part of her breasts rising to each side of her chest. He decided not to be that rude. After all, he was of high rank, and rape (in any form) was below him. He pulled her shirt down and then covered her body with the sheets, smiling over her mouth. He loved how mortals breathed. So shallow, in their sleep, so hastily when he drew their blood… Up and down, in and out, ever the same. They never grew tired of it, until the day of their death.

Kagome shot her eyes open and instinctively put a hand over her chest. She felt like something cold had been placed there. She looked across the room, but nobody was there. Still, the feeling of another presence was so powerful, that she could swear somebody had been beside her, just a moment ago. But… The window was closed, and so was the door. Could it have been Kikyo? She looked at the clock. 2:55 am. She shook her head and went back to sleep, but as soon as her eyes closed, a pair of glittering green lights flashed before her sight, and she woke.

"Alexis…" she whispered, wondering why was she thinking about him at a time like this.

Her fingers brushed her lips, and she swallowed, a little worried.

'But it couldn't have been him. Why would he…' she began thinking, but then decided she wasn't gonna spend her night pondering over some vampire's reasons. Sesshoumaru was here, he couldn't allow any harm to come to her. Or, so she hoped.

:---:

Sesshoumaru was coming back from the village, on Saidan. His pace was not hasty, as he was still pondering over Kagome's words. She could have been right… but if it were so, what would that mean for him? What kind of creature was he, if she was right? The answer was painful, but true: terrible. A terrible creature. He had been blind for centuries, and now a mortal woman had opened his eyes. Was it really so? Or had he simply ignored the facts all this time? Was he more receptive now than he'd been before? Why? Questions rose inside his head, and he couldn't put them in order. That was indeed annoying.

His eyes fell on the approaching silhouette of a man wearing a long black cape. Sesshoumaru stopped Saidan with a soft command, and waited. He had a hunch. And it wasn't a good one, either.

The moment Alexis' green eyes sparked at him, Sesshoumaru felt like a dagger had been plunged into his chest. His first thought had been about Kagome. She was all alone in the castle, with nobody that could have protected her. He immediately felt rage rising in his chest.

Alexis stopped just a few feet from Saidan and looked up grinning, at Sesshoumaru.

"That's one fine mortal you've chosen." His sick smile made Sesshoumaru want to hit him right in the face. But he knew it wouldn't make any difference. Alexis was more powerful than he was, due to his age.

"What did you do to her, Alexis?"

The other vampire tilted his head, and licked his lips.

"Oh, stop being so possessive, Sesshoumaru. She is beautiful, but not that uncommon, after all! Why won't you share? You are trying to punish me, I see." He raised his index finger and waved it in front of his eyes.

"Bad, bad Sesshoumaru…" he laughed nervously, and the taiyoukai frowned.

"I haven't time for your games, Alexis. If you've done something to her…"

"Please! Stop acting like you care for that pathetic piece of existence, Sesshoumaru. I know you better than that! Well, I'll be seeing you later. Don't miss me too much." with that, he passed by Sesshoumaru and left him in the dark. Immediately, Sesshoumaru urged his horse back to the castle, the feeling of Alexis not having told the truth beginning to make its way to his nerves. What if she laid dead in her bed, or worse?

What if he'd Embraced her and just left her there in that excruciating pain and confusion? Than pain, he could remember how the pain made its way through your every muscle, every nerve and piece of flesh… it drove you mad, it made you do horrible things. One would feed on whomever crossed paths with him to escape that pain, that hunger. The hunger that would never leave you alone, afterwards, not until you satisfied its twisted pleasures, not until you fed upon a mortal's blood. And it never stopped, it was always asking for more, and more, until you would give in and succumb to it, and destroy any piece of compassion you had left within you.

No. She would not go through it. He would kill her with his own hands, rather than see her tormenting herself like that. Nobody should live through what he did. Nobody. Saidan stopped at the front gates, and Sesshoumaru dismounted in half a second. That was about the time it took him to jump up on her balcony and forcefully pull the windows open. He ruined the locks and the beautifully carved wood, but he didn't really care. He pushed the widow closed, even if he couldn't lock it anymore.

"Kagome!" he thundered, and the rain outside made his appearance seem even stranger to the woman waking from her sleep. Kagome shot her eyes open and turned to see him. Her heart was beating like mad in her chest, and she was confused still, even if she could tell it was Sesshoumaru who had entered the room.

"Sess…" she couldn't even finish her word that he rushed towards her, violently pulling the sheets from her body, and frantically searching for something with his eyes. She couldn't move, his actions didn't even seem his own anymore, he looked frightened, scared, but… by what? What could possibly drive him to be this nervous?

Sesshoumaru completely uncovered Kagome, and began checking her body with his hands, feeling her legs, then her stomach with no trace of shame whatsoever, pulling her T-shirt up to her breasts, and simply turning her body around to look for wounds or marks.

"Hey…" Kagome managed to say, just before he pushed her head to either side, to see if she's been bitten by the neck. Even with her wounds closed, he could tell, but this wasn't the case, she didn't even smell like blood, aside from the thin trace from her shoulder, which he was responsible for.

He then pulled her head down and inspected the back of her neck, then her wrists, with maximum attention. His eyes were wide open and he was frowning. Kagome had tried to make some sense out of his odd behavior in the first instance, but then decided to let him do… whatever he was doing and then ask questions. So, as he turned her body around and fingered her ribs, she held back the desire of leaning against him. That touch was way too intimate…

Sesshoumaru finally finished, and although it only took a few seconds, it seemed like forever to both of them. He eyed her attentively.

"Are you alright?"

Kagome swallowed and pulled her T-shirt back down to cover herself, although it was really no use… He'd already seen just about everything… well… except for some parts. That thought made her blush.

'Damn it…'

"Yeah… why wouldn't I be?"

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes for a second, and then resumed his awkward stare. Awkward, because Kagome felt like he wanted something from her, although she couldn't rightly tell what that was. And something stopped her from asking, too.

"Sesshoumaru? What happened?" she mumbled, and he lightly shook his head, realizing how much she really meant for him. He'd been really scared that she could end up dead… or worse, because he knew Alexis would have had no problem with doing that to her. He only saw her as mortal, thus a toy.

'Imbecile!' Sesshoumaru thought, and passed his fingers through her hair.

"Alexis happened. He was here."

Kagome widened her eyes.

"Here… as in here-here? In my room?"

As she saw him nodding, she felt her throat sting. She rapidly placed a hand over her mouth.

"It is alright now, I see he has done nothing to harm you… although…" Kagome saw the look in his gold eyes and understood what he felt. She couldn't believe he was feeling it, but it was as clear as daylight. He had been worried about her… and worried like hell. It was written all over his beautiful face. She smiled in the corner of her mouth, taking a quick look at his wet clothes.

"You got my sheets all wet, Sesshoumaru." Her simple words made him lose a smile. Kagome was surprised. He looked nice when he smiled, she thought. And she wanted him to know it too.

"You should smile more often. It looks good on you." Her voice was a little caught, and he noticed how nervous it made her feel being there with him, especially in that particular manner. She swallowed, and he narrowed his eyes a little.

Kagome's thoughts melted into a blur when she felt his warm hand on her neck. She loved it when he did that… change temperature. It was weird, but she liked it. She wanted to feel his heartbeat, so she stretched her arm and slid it under his coat, over his black shirt, to feel that soothing pace on her palm. And sure enough, there it was. She smiled up at him, and he caught the back of her neck, pulling her to him.

His lips were burning by the time they kissed, and Kagome being so lightly dressed was feeling a little cold. So, the difference in temperature made her think he was burning up. She moved her body, kneeling on the bed, and pushing down his heavy, wet coat. It fell on the floor, and neither cared about it anymore. She put her arms around his neck, and Sesshoumaru caught her waist hungrily, urging her towards him.

He had no idea he wanted her so much, until he felt her warm body under his hands, until he felt her curves against his body, until she breathed over his face and burnt him with those surreal violet eyes of hers. She was perfect, he couldn't believe it, but she was indeed perfect. And he did want her more than anything, at that moment. He was only being held back by the fact that he could end up wanting her for more that that moment.

He dismissed the thought, and decided to concentrate on the now, for a change. After 700 years, he was living in the present, rather than for the future. And as her fingers passed over his body, he didn't regret the now. He would have been crazy to regret that feeling.

Kagome passed one leg over his and sat on his lap, trying to hold back the intensity of her feelings. She began to shiver a little, although she couldn't really tell if it was because of the cool air on her skin, or because of his hands on her. Her chest was just in front of his eyes, and he couldn't help pulling her closer. She only arched her back, leaning her head a little backwards and closing her eyes as he nuzzled her collarbone, then the gap between her breasts. His breath was hot, and she thought she must have been burning as well, but couldn't really tell.

She stuck her fingers in his hair and pulled, but didn't pull him away; she just put some pressure on him. She wanted to take her clothes off, but he didn't seem to be in a hurry. That only made her tense further more. Her muscles were twitching uncontrollably at random intervals, and she smiled every time she saw she couldn't get a hold of her body anymore. His hand was pressing against the small of her back, while he slid the other under her T-shirt, scraping her skin upwards with his claws. Kagome whimpered, letting out air. She really didn't expect him to be too gentle, and she had been right. He just couldn't be, it wasn't in his nature… But as he clenched his claws on her form, she found that she didn't want him to go easy on her, either.

She'd never been much of a masochist, and she refused to think she was one even now, but all that tension gathered up inside her had to be released somehow, and pain was the best way, as it seemed. She stuck her nails in his shoulders, and heard him growl deeply from his throat. It wasn't a sound one could hear from a human. It was feral, and caused her to flinch. She felt like she was about to make love with a wild creature. One that had reason, but powerful instincts as well.

She smiled in the corner of her mouth, and he caught it. He needed to be patient with her, not scare her… After all, she was mostly human, and his ways weren't that… human. So to say…

He caught her waist and rapidly turned her around and immobilized her between his body and the bed. Her hands were clutched on his shoulders, but he took them off and led her to hold on to the iron carving of the bed, behind her. Kagome obeyed, not saying a word. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, and she could se his eyes as the hungrily went about her body, taking in her every motion, and every show of excitement.

Sesshoumaru bent over her, allowing some amount of his weight to press against her, and trailed her arms with his claws. He sunk his face in the gap between her neck and shoulder, and took in her scent, pushing against her at the same time. Kagome let out the air she didn't know she was holding in, and opened her mouth in an astounded, unworded "Ah!" She reached out for his neck, but he caught her wrist and pushed it against the bed, his claws pricking at her skin. She thought he would draw blood, but she couldn't feel the pain anymore. Or at least, not as hard as she used to.

"Sit still, Kagome." He said, into her hair, and all she could do was comply as she clenched onto the bed. Her eyes were piercing him, though, and he thought he couldn't do this right if she was to tease him like that every step of the way. He didn't want to hurt her, and he knew that if he was to lose his self control, he would. But she didn't seem to notice how difficult it was for him to hold back his nature.

"Where were you, Sesshoumaru?" her thick voice made him stab her with his eyes. He knew what she meant, but didn't want to answer. Instead, he drew a hole at the top of her T-shirt with his claw, and tilted his head as he rose from her body a little, just enough to give himself some space… Kagome didn't quit, though. He didn't expect her too, either.

"I said… Where were you tonight, when Alexis came for me?" he narrowed his eyes, knowing that the answer will prove exactly what she'd done to him. He refused to answer, although she already knew the truth: he'd been out to feed. She smiled in content, and he wrinkled his nose for a second, his upper lip flinching into a snarl. He pressed on her upper chest, holding down the top of her shirt, and the other ripped through the cotton all the way down to her thighs, parting her T-shirt in two. Kagome merely huffed, and widened her eyes, then she licked her lips and gave him an intrusive look that Sesshoumaru thought he couldn't take without covering her eyes. But he did take it… he had no choice but to take it. She knew… he could tell. That content smile on her face couldn't have come from any other knowledge that this.

"I could not do it." He said, and her smile widened in pleasure. So she'd been right. He couldn't feed because of her.

"Can you do it now?" she said and raised an eyebrow at him, practically inviting him to take her. Sesshoumaru felt a shiver shake his entire body, and Kagome seemed to feel it too, because she narrowed her eyes.

"Right now, there is something else that I want from you." He bent and pushed her jaw up, then bit on her bottom lip, a little harder than he'd intended. As she parted her lips to mouth an "Ouch." he slid his tongue inside her mouth, catching her completely off guard.

She felt like she had no air, but she wanted him deeper, and in more than one place. Her entire body tensed and arched towards him, and her hands couldn't hold on to the bed anymore. She caught his shoulders from the back and pulled him onto her. He was still up on his elbows, and his white hair fell on each side of his face, like a curtain. He moved and parted her torn shirt, revealing her chest, and Kagome held her breath for a few seconds, looking at him as he was simply devouring her with his eyes. He parted from her and traced his claws over her breasts and stomach, then he returned and pressed on her torso with his palm, as he placed small burning kisses at the base of her breasts.

He could feel her body shivering under him, and as he breathed over the soft skin, he saw her instinctive reaction. His teeth left small red marks on the frail skin of her breasts as he bit her, and she let out a quick whimper as he caught her nipple. It wasn't like anything she'd felt before. He wasn't doing anything new to her, but the way he was doing it… His fangs constantly pricked against her skin, letting her know he could bite her and bleed her at anytime, constantly menacing her with his power, his strength. He was the one holding all the cards, and he was making sure she knew it. But there was something else in his dominant stance.

'He's holding back.' She realized and she understood just what he could do to her, if he was to lose him self control. After all, she was so fragile compared to him… and with youkai females he'd had before her.

His mouth on her breasts sent shivers through her body, making her tense and moan every time he would increase the pressure on her, making her arch her back to catch him closer. She clutched onto the sides of his shirt and pulled as hard as she could. His buttons flew from their places to God knew where, because they didn't care. In a few moments, his shirt was ruined, and she pushed it off his shoulders. Sesshoumaru allowed her to throw it on the floor, just as she did with his coat.

She passed her fingers and nails over his scared skin, breathing heavily. She knew he was beautiful, perfect, but never allowed herself to react like this. As she sunk her nails into his body, Sesshoumaru growled and flipped her on her belly, positioning his hips just over her butt. He stripped the remainder of her T-shirt off her and pushed her hair to one side. He leaned over her, and Kagome could feel his arousal pressing against her. That made her moan, and Sesshoumaru grinned at her reaction.

He pushed a little harder and she immediately arched her back raising her hips to meet him. He leaned down over her, the contact with her skin making him close his eyes for a second, in a desperate attempt to control his impulses. But as she moved under him, he found that to be fairly impossible. He shoved a hand in her hair and pushed her head to one side, growling again. Kagome could only feel his weight on her, and his teeth as he bit the back of her neck, then down to her shoulder, and she thought he would simply rip those thin panties and take her right then, even if that particular position wasn't one of her favorites.

She didn't really care though, as long as he would soothe the pain she felt in her lower stomach and between her thighs. She was burning up, even as she felt his body lose warmth and turn back into the cold lifeless being he really was. She flinched, and found that she didn't mind his coldness. She couldn't ask of him to pretend he was something else.

In an instant, he flipped her back and his eyes almost scared her. He was… wild. She couldn't find another description for him, at that moment. His look said all she needed to know. He wanted her, and he would have her.

His hand followed her curves down her body and he sat by her side as he slid a finger under the edge of her panties and trailed his claw over her soft skin. He pulled down and the fabric glided down her legs. In a second, she was completely naked, and breathing rapidly under his gold eyes. Her knees were bent and he put his hands on each of them, pulling her legs apart, not letting her eyes escape his, though. That simple gesture, of parting her legs so possessively, like it was his God given right to do it, made Kagome moan.

He caught her thighs and pulled her to him, as he lowered his head. She knew what was next, but didn't now how much she wanted it, until she felt his breath over her skin. His tongue traced over that intimate, burning place, and she instinctively moved forward to meet him. But Sesshoumaru pushed her hips back down, and he continued his agonizingly slow motion over her core. With every new movement, he slid his tongue more and more in between, made her tense and flinch until she whined and stuck her hand in his hair.

"Please…" she whispered, out of breath, and felt his smile against her skin. He kissed her as if he would kiss her on the mouth, his tongue playing with her core and drawing from her sounds she didn't know she could let out. She was shivering uncontrollably, and her inside seemed to explode as he forced his tongue inside her. This time, he held up her hips as she came to meet him. It helped him go even deeper.

She clenched onto the sheets and tensed her entire body, as he thrusted his tongue inside her. She randomly let out small cries, which he found quite pleasurable. Kagome was burning, and he was so cold, and the impact with his body was breathtaking. He shoved her hands in his hair and pulled him up on top of her, God knows with what strength.

Sesshoumaru allowed his weight to fall on her, and she caught his waist with her legs as she kissed him. She wanted him so much… Her hands reached down and undid the zipper of his pants. He didn't wait for her to do it, but did it himself, all the way through, until his clothes were completely off, and she smiled widely in expectance. Sesshoumaru simply raised an eyebrow, which had the effect of making her want him even more. He knew it, that's why he'd done it after all.

He felt his muscles tense, and it was only then that he realized he's forgotten to keep his temperature up. He forced blood through his veins, but Kagome frowned and shook her head.

"No. Don't." He looked at her with curiosity. No woman had asked him that, before. Mortals wanted to pretend like he was one of them, the few he'd bedded since he was turned, anyway. Kagome wanted him to be… himself. He nodded and leaned over her pressing against her breasts, and making her shiver again.

He licked her parted lips, the base of her law and her neck, turning her head to one side. Kagome felt his arousal between her legs, as tension was gradually building up inside her. His fangs slowly scraped her neck, and she moaned, wanting to move. He didn't allow her to, though, but caught her hair and forced her head in that position, so that he could have free access to her neck.

She felt him shift position and lift her legs a little higher up his waist, holding her down with his other hand. But his mouth was so carefully kissing her skin, it was almost hypnotic, and she closed her eyes, allowing the heat to pass through her. By the time she realized what he wanted to do, it was too late. She only felt his smile against her neck and his grip tightening on her thigh.

He simultaneously thrusted inside her neck and between her legs, making her open her mouth for air and whimper, widening her violet eyes, now darkened by desire.

He'd entered her so swiftly, that she didn't have time to prepare, to get accustomed to the feeling. She didn't even know what to focus her body on. The bite on her neck or the ache between her thighs. That wonderful pain spread inside her and exploded with her scream. She moved up her hips and he went deeper, as she breathed in and out rapidly, almost as if her lungs could have never been enough for the amount of air she asked for now.

That release feeling that came with their union was like nothing she'd felt before, it filled her and it drained her, it pulled by her every source of strength, and she wanted more. Sesshoumaru let go of her hair and caught the back of her neck. He realized he'd let her blood spill out without him drinking it. Trails of hot crimson liquid stained her skin, but that could only mean one thing. His desire for her was greater than his Hunger. Which was surprising, to say the least. It had never happened before.

He sunk his fangs in her neck, and she got that dizzy feeling again, like she was on drugs. As he began to drink, she tensed and felt him move inside her as well, in and out in a powerful thrust, almost hitting her as he entered, and making her whimper every time he did it. It didn't hurt, at least not in the way most humans defined pain.

It was a soreness that came with the act, that spread inside her lower stomach as she felt him deeper and deeper, faster and faster. Her throat stung a little, but she didn't mind. His mouth was moving wonderfully over her neck, and his body fit her perfectly. Their movement together came naturally, first slowly, then getting more and more intense, until he finally pulled his fangs out of her neck and concentrated on the other entrance inside her.

He parted from her a little, just enough to have some space, and moved his body to suit hers better. As he went inside her again, Kagome was sure she'd never felt like that before, in her entire life. It was like he'd touched her very nerve, at the same time. Her body began to shiver, and he only pushed in and out faster, until she felt like screaming to release her tension. But screaming wouldn't have helped her with anything.

He clenched his claws on her thighs and neither saw the blood spilling from her soft flesh. They both moved together in their own rhythm, until her body tensed in spasms, and he bit on his teeth not to howl. He felt like he would fall apart at any second, but that didn't stop him. She was drenched in sweat, and his cold hands only made it worse. Or better, she couldn't tell the difference.

Sesshoumaru grinned at her, and she pulled by the silk sheets, widening her eyes as they both gave in to the shakes and shivers taking over their bodies, that wild feeling that made him let out an inhuman growl, and her scream as her body felt torn to shreds. She tensed under his weight, and he followed her lead, both submitting to the climax. The world was spinning, and she couldn't find a steady spot to hang on.

Kagome closed her eyes tightly as breathed rapidly, and he felt her shiver while he was being pulled down by her arms. In a few minutes, she regained part of her self control and settled her breath, although her muscles were still twitching at times. She pressed down his back and le let his body push against hers. His weight seemed like a blessing to Kagome, although he was certainly heavy.

Than perfect body was made of a lot of weight… He sunk his face in her hair, and it was only then that he saw the blood trailing down her slender neck. He'd forgotten to close her wounds, and the thin trace of blood crept silently to stain the sheets. Neither said a word for a long time, they just sat there, and Sesshoumaru licked her neck to close the wounds from his vampire kiss. Her blood flowed inside him and it filled him like a new life. It was more than simply feeding, with her. He needed her on so many levels… it almost scared him.

At some time, he pulled out from her, and Kagome regretfully let go of him. He rolled to her side and sat up on his elbow, looking at her body.

"My God…" he said slowly, as he saw how she looked like. Kagome frowned and took a glimpse over her own body. Strange… she didn't feel as bad as she looked. He traced his fingers over her skin. Beginning with her neck, to her thighs, her body was covered either in small red marks, bruises or pin-like wounds, which had bled or were still bleeding. She looked like she'd been in a fight. He frowned at the sight of her body, and looked into her violet eyes. But no trace of pain or reproach could be seen there. She was calm, and soothed by his touch.

Sesshoumaru put his head on her stomach, and she placed a hand on his hair, staring up at the ceiling.

"I'm sorry." He said, and she smiled kindly, but he didn't see it.

"It doesn't hurt." She said, but it wasn't entirely true, and they both knew it. Her body was sore, and the damage he'd done with his claws stung. But she didn't want to upset him; she was sure he felt pretty bad about it as it was.

So they just laid there in silence, her breath being the only sound in the room, aside from the clock ticking. The fire had died, and Kagome felt tired. The sky was beginning to show signs of dawn breaking, but she didn't want to see it. She passed her fingers through his hair, and Sesshoumaru realized how gentle she was, how frail and wonderfully sweet this mortal could be, how she could soothe him and hold back his anger and pain. It seemed unreal. Her eyes fell closed, and she wanted to sleep, to rest… her breaths became further and further apart, and Sesshoumaru began to trail off as well, as the usual numbness came over him, with the dawn.

A few rays of light crept inside the room, bathing a few small objects on the table. Her eyes shot open, and her heart raced like mad inside her chest, realizing that dawn could kill him. Him. She didn't even need to think of his name anymore. It was simply him. She took a quick look towards his face, and saw his eyes were half open.

"I have to pull the curtains." She said softly, and he could barely part from her for as long as it took her to do so. She returned to the ravaged bed, and slid under the sheets with him, falling asleep within minutes.

The light of dawn washed over Muncaster, but Sesshoumaru was safe behind her curtains, and he didn't care about the world anymore, because he was holding everything he wanted in his arms. Even if she was a handful.

:---: