So, I can't stay away from this story although I promised to do so after I'm back but I do love all the reviews and nice words that were said so far, so here is a short piece before I go!
Warning: I have already changed the rating to M and there will be sexual content in this chapter, so please do not go any further if you are not comfortable. Tell me if it's too much and I will edit it again.
/
Blood was at the forefront of his mind when he stormed into the castle grounds; eyes glowing red; his jaws lengthening to bare his sharp fangs. Bakusaiga glowed at his hands; its edge demanding a sacrifice.
No one dared to stop his path, his servants running away to hide at the sight of their master.
"Marcela!" he roared, the sound echoing within the castle walls. "You've come to be my mate? Then come and fight your way to the position."
"Sesshoumaru!" An exasperated shriek from his mother, as she looked down at him from one of the towers.
"If you live… we will wed tomorrow." His snarl was pure animal as he stared his mother in the eyes. She had pushed him to this. Now she'd pay the price.
"My Lord..." a meek voice behind him. "I do not wish to fight you." Marcela was on her knees, sword upright in the ground in front of her.
"Pick up your sword or I will kill you." For daring to hurt his Rin… for daring to think she had a right to replace her. Looking up at where his mother still stood, he growled. "Then I'll come for you."
"Pick up your goddamn sword Marcela!" she shouted from the towers. "Your duty is to protect your Queen!"
Sesshoumaru smirked. It was so like his mother, sacrificing a pawn to save herself.
Bound by her blood bond to his mother, Marcela had no choice but to fight. Her allegiance made it impossible to deny her mistress, especially when Sesshoumaru had specifically threatened her life.
A Daiyoukai warrior, Marcela wasted no time on testing stunts – she went straight for his jugular; her own wings spreading out to reach his height. He still towered over her but size alone was not going to save her life. He slashed out at her – Bakusaiga sending golden streaks across the courtyard, aimed at dismembering her into pieces.
One managed a deep gash at her thigh but Marcela kept her momentum, jumping again and again at him; her sword thrown like a javelin to launch for his chest.
Sesshoumaru barely missed it, the blade cutting into his shoulders instead. It was barely a scratch.
"Stupid move Marcela." Weaponless, her only defence was to fly high in an attempt to avoid his blade of fury.
Sesshoumaru didn't think so. Pushing himself off the ground, he feigned a kick aimed for her stomach. As expected, she ducked – right into the killing blow of his sword going right across her body, splitting the demoness into two.
"Marcela!" The screams of his mother echoed through the air, a second before she leaped off the tower to the fallen warrior's side. Elisa's eyes were pure red as she looked up at him, scowling and baring her fangs.
"Are you satisfied now?" His mother spat in disgust.
"I could kill you too… but I won't." he said, slowly feeling the blood lust leaving his body, returning him to his normal self.
While he sheathed his Bakusaiga, he drew Tessaiga in his right hand, approaching the two female Daiyoukais before him. As always, he could see the keepers of the underworld slowly moving towards the dying body before him; fear in their eyes at the sight of Tessaiga glowing in their presence.
"What… what are you –" his mother stammered, her eyes fixated on the blade.
The white flash of his sword sliced through the women –harming nothing except the underworld keepers; halting the imminent death of his adversary.
"Put yourself together Marcela and never return." Sesshoumaru had his back to them, satisfied that the lesson had been taught and understood by every single Youkai in the castle: Lord Sesshoumaru chooses who will live and who will die.
"As for you mother, you are no longer welcomed here. I suggest you leave as well if you value your life. Tessaiga agrees that yours is a waste to save."
He could still hear her cursing and screaming at him even as he walked away; his anger sated, but another much stronger need raged within him.
This time, he wasn't planning on letting her go.
/
Rin shivered as the cold storm blew a gush of raindrops at her face when she woke up to close the windows. The howling wind was so strong that the wooden cabin shook at its base, sending Rin in a state of panic.
Kaede's hut had once been damaged from a falling branch and she remembered crying as she tried to escape from her room. Rin only hoped that she wouldn't be trapped underneath the rubble should the cabin collapse.
Curling her knees to her chest, Rin huddled on the floor beside her bed, rocking herself silently for comfort. She had her eyes shut tight and head burrowed between her knees when a loud banging sound came knocking on her door.
Her fingers trembled as the reached for the sword under her bed. Just who would be knocking at her door at this hour and in this weather?
Tiptoeing towards the door, she tried to peep in the cracks, hoping to get a glimpse of the stranger but all she could see was a looming shadow.
"Open the door Rin."
That voice – it could only belong to one person.
When she unlocked the door, the wood flung open, threatening to break at its hinges from the force of the wind. But the sight of her dangerous visitor, dark and drenched was a more frightening sight.
"My Lord! You're bleeding!" Rin pushed against the door with all her might, locking it against the brutal storm.
The Daiyoukai turned to his shoulder and snorted. "It will heal."
But Rin was already rushing to her medicine cabinet. "Take off your kimono. You're crazy coming here in this weather!"
The handsome, chiselled face had his chin up arrogantly. Sometimes, Rin didn't know why she bothered with him. He was the most frustrating male species she had ever met!
He simply stood in the middle of the room, glowering at her.
Seeing that he refused to remove his kimono, she picked up a pair of shears from her kit and looked up at him.
She waited three heartbeats before slicing through the sleeves of his red and white kimono. As the wet silk peeled away, Rin couldn't help but stare at his exposed arm; the well-defined muscle lean and taut – a sight she had never been given privy to until now. Rin understood the concession he was giving her.
Reaching out, she placed a tentative finger on the double streaks of purple stopping mid arm. True enough, the gaping hole on his shoulder had already started to clot, forming a healing membrane around itself. But with the rain, she didn't want to risk it. An infection could happen at any time and from her experience at Kaede's, she knew that many wounded died from those more often than the wounds itself.
"You need to get dried," she fussed, tugging the spiked pauldron still hanging from his shoulder. When he remained motionless, Rin gave a long sigh and started to work her way around his cuirass, fumbling slightly with the heavy metal of the armour.
"Rin." A hand grabbed her by the wrist, pushing it away from him. "Do you wish this Sesshoumaru to undress?"
Rin felt her face blooming in a flush of red. There was no intonation in his voice and yet it was how he said it that sent shivers down her body. Not trusting herself to speak, Rin nodded.
Turning away, she did her best not to associate the sounds of the armour and cloth falling on the floor with the visual image of him undressing. It wasn't as if she hadn't touched him through his kimono before…
"Rin." Her name an order. Turning around, Rin tried to ignore the lean, defined upper body muscles exposed to her for the first time. "Do as you please."
It took every ounce of resistance in her to avoid touching him unnecessarily as she patted a dry towel on his skin to whisk away as much moisture as she could. With a small cloth, she then wiped the wounded area gently with a disinfecting medicine.
"You were fighting." She concluded, noting the familiar marks made by a sword.
"You disapprove." Not a question.
Rin didn't need to ask who he was fighting with for she knew that was the reason why he came back for her. She only hoped that Marcela was not injured too badly. Mean as she was, the Daiyoukai was not cruel.
"I've placed a protective gauze over it, so don't get it wet with your hair. Meanwhile, you should take off the rest of your clothes and dry off." She had to leave. "I'll see if I can find something for you to wear."
His laboured breathing stilled suddenly; golden eyes fixed on hers. "You have male clothes in this house? Why?"
Rin didn't bother to reply, planning to barricade herself behind the bedroom door. She could already hear him coming for her, the streak of possessiveness evident in every step.
She had barely locked the door when he banged against it.
"Rin. Open the door before I break it down." Such a calm voice that no doubt belonged to a very dangerous Youkai.
"Not until you stop and return to the living room. You're in my house now so play by my rules."
"Don't push me," he growled but Rin could hear retreating steps from her door. Glancing at her cupboards, she decided it was probably better to have a naked Youkai in her cabin than a featherless Drake in the morning.
A blanket would have to do.
Lord Sesshoumaru was pacing around her living room with only a towel wrapped around his waist; his long hair draped in front of his chest.
"I promise I won't kill him," he said when she threw the blanket at him.
"I am staying here out of a favour to a friend so you will not lay a hand on him."
Golden eyes narrowed suspiciously at her. "Then why won't you come home with me?" When she didn't answer, he stopped prowling and stared at her. "Of course, if you'd rather I throw you over my shoulder and carry you out."
He'd do it. She knew that for certain.
"Why did you come here my Lord? You could have come in the morning."
He covered the distance between them in one stride. The heat was gone from his eyes; only a gentleness when he caressed her cheeks lightly with his knuckles. "Because I need you tonight."
She didn't expect that.
"My bed is not big enough for us," she whispered.
"Then I will sit by your bed and watch you."
For Lord Sesshoumaru, that would probably be his way of saying he missed her. Rin felt her own resolve fading. Wrapping her hands around him, she allowed the contact, feeling his body sagging against hers. Rin knew that he would continue to seek her, to find solace to the nightmares that plagued him even if he would someday be mated to someone else.
/
Sometime in the middle of the night, Rin had rolled down from her bed, curling up into a cocoon as she always did as a child. Nesting her against his chest, he kept still, drawing the blanket over both of them to keep her warm.
It was only when she started to stir awake did he move to look down at her.
"You fell off your bed," he whispered, nuzzling his face in her hair. "I didn't want to wake you up."
"Are you comfortable my Lord?" she mumbled; eyes still closed with a sleepy drawl in her voice. "I have more blankets if you're cold."
He felt her body relaxing into sleep again.
"Rin?"
"Hmm?" One sleepy eye opened to look at him.
"When we are alone like this…" A warm hand stroking back her hair. "I want you to call me by my name."
She nodded against his chest, a soft purr in her throat. "I love you Sesshoumaru…"
And then nothing, not even the booming thunder could wake her up.
/
"Sesshoumaru is becoming a problem," said Inu no Jiro, having arrived from his chateaux down south.
Her fine china tea cup broke when she crushed it between her fingers at the mention of his name.
Elisa had always thought that marrying Inu no Taisho was her ticket to power and wealth but the bastard had turned her away, choosing instead to love a human. It served him right to die a human death!
If not for his carbon copy standing before her, Elisa had no desire to remember that arrogant face, stubborn nose and chiselled jawline – traits he had also passed on to their one heir.
"I don't even know if I should send him another candidate – not after he sliced the last one in half right in front of my very eyes!"
Inu no Jiro took no notice of her outburst, choosing to sit next to her at the dining table.
"Perhaps we should consider an alternative," he replied instead, covering her hands with his. "I have a preposition that may benefit us both tremendously."
Elisa turned to him; perceptive eyes trying to seek out any deception in his words. Where Inu no Taisho was kind, his brother had the soul of a snake. The twins were perhaps initially intended to be a whole balanced person but fate decided a split would serve the world better.
"With less than thirty days and at the rate he's killing off his candidates, I'd say it's best to be prepared for the worst."
Elisa didn't trust the dramatic show of sadness one bit. But, she was willing to listen.
"It's that human child he lets follow him around like a pet. She has to be removed from the equation." Elisa seethed, recalling the murderous look on her son's face when he realised she was gone.
Inu no Jiro let out a cold, full-bodied laugh. "That is not an issue. Dead or alive, that human has no effect on my plan."
Now she was intrigued. A plan that didn't include Rin? How interesting.
"Pray tell," she said.
"Well, Lady Elisa, would you like to be the Queen again?"
Her eyes widened with shock at his suggestion. The nerve to suggest an alliance!
"Should Sesshoumaru fail to mate before the end of the sixty days, the throne naturally falls to me. I have no desire to chase human women nor do I plan to sustain their continued existence on my lands. So my Lady, it is only natural that I seek the best mate for the throne."
A very promising offer –but…
"If you can bring me back the head of that pretty little human pet, I will consider it an engagement gift."
Silvery eyes twinkled with excitement. "Of course my Lady. Nothing stands between me and your acceptance." He bowed, kissing her hand once before exiting the room.
Elisa smirked at the arrogance in his voice. Inu no Jiro had no idea the length of which her son would go to protect that child.
Good luck with that.
/
When the storm finally calmed, Sesshoumaru allowed himself a gentle caress on her cheeks; feeling her breath upon his fingers. The words she had whispered to him would probably be forgotten when she woke up but for him, it meant the world.
Rin had always loved him, as a child with her innocent ways and now as a woman. His only regret was not knowing how to reciprocate that love – his words and actions always misconstrued as indifference.
Perhaps marking her would have been the best solution. After all, Youkai women thrived on that; the desire to be paraded around. But hadn't he already said that she belonged to him? Scent marking wouldn't have mattered to a human nose after all, so why was she still pushing him away?
This human female was infuriating! Just look at her – soft and pliant in his arms, her innocence trusting that he would behave while she slept. So many times during the night, she had ground her lush bottom on his naked groin and he did nothing. How could she demand such obedience from him without even having to ask?
The truth was crippling. Sesshoumaru was turning into his father.
"Mmm…" Rin was stirring; stretching as she yawned her sleep away.
"Good morning Rin."
She peeped open an eye at the window. "It's still dark. I'm going back to sleep."
"You can sleep after," he said, finally shifting his position so she would be sitting upright on his lap.
"After what?"
"This." His lips crushed over hers, claiming the kiss that belonged to him; hands cradling her head to angle her body to fit in his. There was no denying it anymore – she was made for him; every sigh music to his ears, his blood humming in rhythm to her heartbeat.
She purred against his kiss when his hands moved lower to the bunching material around her hips.
"No, wait…" she pulled away, slapping at his claws. Sesshoumaru growled when she stood up, cutting off their skin contact.
But then, Rin undid her obi and parted her simple yukata to stand naked and beautiful in front of him. She might have thought the darkness was ample cover for her but he saw everything as clear as day –the lush mounds of her breasts to the flat petite waist and the generous flair of her hips. Despite having bared everything to him before, she still blushed, attempting to cover herself with her hands.
Adorable.
Getting to his feet, he dropped the blanket and stood finally, skin to skin in front of her. Rin instinctively wrapped her hands around his neck; resting her head on his chest as they swayed to soundless music. She fitted perfectly into him.
So when she made no move to pull away, he bent his head to capture her lips once more; his hands roaming down her back to pull her closer to him. His kiss was demanding, a male knowing what he wanted; his tongue exploring and coaxing hers in a sensual dance. Pulling away from the kiss, he used his teeth to gently bite at her lower lip, pulling the plump flesh into a gentle suckle before moving down to the side of her throat.
There would be no more holding back tonight. Kissing the throbbing vein, he felt his incisors lengthening; the need to mark her so strong within him. So when Rin turned her head to offer more of her neck, he claimed her – piercing into her delicate flesh and tasting the sweet pureness of her essence.
Rin whimpered against him, her pleasure from the bite coursing through his body simultaneously. In mated Youkai couples, this pleasure was usually shared; each experiencing what the other felt. But for now, he would be satisfied even if it was just one way.
Scooping her into his arms, he walked over to the bed, climbing on top of her once she had lain down comfortably on the mattress; arms holding on to the wooden bar of the bed, her body arched in offering.
Sesshoumaru brought his lips down to her breasts, biting gently on the sensitive nub. He lavished it with a full suckle before turning his attention to its twin.
"Sesshoumaru…"An impatient moan; her thighs moving upwards to grind against him.
"Be patient." He slapped her gently on the hips. For her first time, he only wanted her to feel pleasure and nothing of the pain. "Come here Rin."
Big brown eyes lowerd down at him, her face bearing a look of fear for what was to come next.
"I promise I will be gentle." He would rather cut his own arm than hurting her. Pooling her into his arms, he then laid her down gently beneath him, stroking her face as he stared down at her. "Beautiful, beautiful Rin… what magic have you used on me?"
His lips met hers in a soft kiss as his hands coaxed her thighs gently apart; his knees at each side of her bottom.
"Stop me at any time," he murmured. Rin nodded, spreading her legs wider to accommodate him as he made the first push inside of her. Moving slowly, he thrusted further until he met the resistance he was looking for.
"Sesshoumaru…" His name a silken whisper; her eyes searching for his in the dark.
"I promise this will be quick." He didn't wait for her to speak, giving one quick thrust past the thin layer of tissue, hearing her scream at the sudden tearing pain.
Stilling himself, he trailed comforting kisses down her jaw, to the side of her throat. He didn't know if it would work but he elongated his fangs, puncturing her skin once more in an effort to try and channel her pain towards him.
As the initial pain subsided, he felt her hips move lightly against his, a shy demand for more.
"Sesshoumaru!" Her body arched towards him; head tilting back as she screamed his name.
"Rin, my beautiful Rin," he murmured into the crook of her neck. "More?"
A shy nod. "You're so big…"
Youkais were naturally bigger and while women of his kind loved it, Sesshoumaru never had any human lovers to know their preference. And this human in particular – he wanted to never hurt and always please.
"Hurts?" Relief when she shook her head. Wrapping his hands underneath her body, he carefully flipped them so that she was on top of him. A concession seeing how much he really preferred to be in control. "Move as you please Rin."
With her hair flowing down her body and her face flushed with heat, Sesshoumaru thought she looked perfect. As her palms pressed down on his chest, he felt her move her hips slowly, throwing her head backwards as the pleasure rocked her body.
Collapsing on his chest, she looked up and smiled at him.
"Rin… " he growled; the sound inhuman as he gave a final thrust, letting himself go in an explosion of pleasure. Holding her down until he had released every last drop, Sesshoumaru finally allowed himself to snap off into unconsciousness; Rin lying on top of him, her body equally sated.
/
Rin felt sore when she finally woke up; her limbs tangled with the sleek muscular legs of the Daiyoukai sleeping peacefully next to her. Rin had never really seen him sleeping but she was certain that the Youkai was indeed in a deep state of unconsciousness. He looked so serene with the silver-white of his hair toppling down his body like a curtain.
Sometime during the night, they had surrendered to each other and now that she had given herself completely to him, Rin wondered how she could ever go back. Just looking at him gave her the shivers; a throbbing deep inside her at the thought of claiming him again.
"Stop it Rin…" came the sleepy murmur.
"I'm not doing anything."
His silvery eyes peeked at her from underneath white lashes. "You're thinking about having me inside you again. Don't worry, I'm getting to that… in a while…"
Rin blushed. How did he know that! Surely she didn't say it out loud?
Extracting herself from under his heavy body, Rin staggered as her feet regained some semblance of control. Moving to the window, she opened it carefully, letting in the fresh morning breeze and the welcoming sunlight.
She only hoped that Drake would not make an unannounced visit this morning. At that thought, she closed the windows and made sure the backdoor was locked. He'd have to perch and peck at her door until she let him in.
Meanwhile, Rin decided to take a soak in a hot bath to ease the soreness she felt between her legs. While Sesshoumaru had been gentle, it was still her first time and nothing prepared her for the wildness that had consumed them.
When the warm water lapped against her naked skin, Rin let out a sigh of relief; feeling the heat drain away some of her physical ache – but the one in her heart; Rin didn't think it would ever be healed. Today marked the start of a fortnight where a new candidate would be sent to the castle for Sesshoumaru's consideration. With less than a month left, Rin really didn't want him to be irrational and fussy.
Even if it meant personally seeing that he would take this next candidate seriously –As long as she didn't try to kill her, Rin would try and push them to know each other.
"I don't like that look on your face."
So lost in her thoughts, she did not notice the Daiyoukai leaning against her bathroom entrance, staring at her. Her first instinct was to turn away from his nakedness –although he had no qualms flaunting it about – but then she forced herself to look at him. He made no move when her eyes trailed down his torso to gaze upon the stripes that adorned his waist and thighs; two parallel gashes on each side, mirroring the markings on his cheekbones.
"What's wrong with my face?" she asked.
"You're thinking of something and I know I'm not going to like it."
Rin scooped some water in her palm and splashed it at him. That of course was an invitation for retaliation.
He came for her in one stride, lifting her out of the tub and into his arms; his grip tight around her body.
"Let me go! You're dripping water everywhere!" she laughed.
"Confess first and I will consider."
Rin cupped his cheeks in her palms and pressed a teasing kiss on his lips. "Only if you promise to say yes."
Narrowed eyes looked down at her. His body was already starting to react, being skin to skin –Rin only needed to push a little more. She walked her fingers down his jaw and to the sensuous spot down his neck, rubbing the vein gently. He had bitten her on this same spot and it drove him mad so…
One lick was all it took.
"Rin…" a warning growl.
"Not the right answer." Her lips closed over the tender spot, bringing the flesh to a gentle suck. She could feel his claws lengthening; the sharp ends pricking her slightly but she wasn't planning on stopping. She may not have fangs, but she could still bite.
The instant her teeth pressed down on his flesh, Rin felt herself falling to the ground; her bottom hitting the floor with a thud.
"What would you like me to do?" Eyes turning red looked down at her; his voice cracking slightly as he growled at her.
Had she displeased him by daring to wish that she could mark him too?
"Promise you'll say yes regardless?"
"When have I denied you anything?"
Rin fell silent. Even when she had been at Kaede's, she knew deep in her heart that all it took was one cry of his name and he would have come for her. Instead she had waited for him and it cost her seven years and possibly a future lifetime of heartbreak.
"Promise me you will marry the next candidate… if I find her suitable."
"No."
"You promised!"
The red disappeared from his eyes and he knelt down beside her. "Is that what Rin wants?"
Against her aching heart, she nodded.
"Then get dressed. We are leaving right now. I sense a very annoying bird at the door for breakfast."
Then he disappeared. Rin had no idea where he went for his clothes too were gone from the room when she entered, wrapped in a towel.
Worried that he had gone outside to defeather her friend, she raced to the front door; hand over the knot of her towel as she pulled the door open.
"Drake!"
"Oh hey baby!" A male whistle. "Is this for me?"
The Youkai was in one piece and by the look on his face, he was pleased to see her showing so much skin.
She slammed the door back at his face.
Marching to the room, she emptied the cupboard of the few belongings she had before putting on her last clean yukata.
"I assume that is the friend I am not supposed to kill."
"My Lord!" Rin needed to have a talk with him someday about sneaking behind her like that!
"Now that you're dressed and packed, we'll greet him together."
Despite the shabby conditions of the cabin, Sesshoumaru walked out of the room with an air of regality and elegance befitting of his stature. By the time she reached the living room, he was already at the dining table with Drake seated on the other side.
"I see you've introduced yourselves," said Rin bravely. She didn't need to be a Youkai to sense the tension in the room.
"I was just thanking Drake for letting you use his cabin for the past weeks. Your kindness is duly noted. The Lord of the West will send his gratitude."
Rin shot him a suspicious look. Thank you was not an easy vocabulary in his dictionary. Whatever was not said between those two were the words she needed to hear.
"Lord Sesshoumaru, would you help me carry my things outside please? I would like to thank Drake personally."
The Daiyoukai looked at her from the corner of his eyes and for a minute, she was worried he would create an unnecessary scene. But instead, he got up quietly, took her bag and stepped outside, closing the door behind him.
"You allowed him to mark you." The accusation was instantaneous.
Rin had no idea what he was talking about. Yes, Sesshoumaru had bitten her but –oh…
"I belong to him. I always have." She bent forward in a small bow. "Thank you for letting me stay here Drake. I will return for sure at the end of the next full moon. So till then…"
"I will await your return then."
Rin smiled. "Send Anzer my love."