I do not own the Rights to Inuyasha.

The early morning sun burst through the leaves in an intricate dance of gold and green. As the wind rustled the leaves, it added flashes of silver to nature's show. Kagome felt warmth surrounding her as the relentless light picked at her heavy eyelids.

"Kagome." The warmth around her vibrated with the deep timbre of the demon lord's voice. She stretched and sighed happily as she became aware of Sesshomaru's arms wrapped around her.

"Mhmm?" She managed to mumble out sleepily — simultaneously happy and sad to be awake. She was convinced that there was almost no feeling in the world as wonderful as waking up in the strong demon's arms, protected and warm. Yet, she also knew that once she woke, he would get up and disentangle his limbs from her own leaving her body yearning for his touch.

"How are you feeling?" Sesshomaru asked as he began moving away from the delicate miko.

Understanding that his movements meant it was time for her to get up as well, she unwillingly forced her eyes open only to have them meet his smoldering golden orbs mere inches away. She smiled shyly as she answered, "Even better today than yesterday! Thank you."

He moved his face away and stood, extending a hand to her. "Come. You're strong enough now. Today we travel."

The surprise on her easily read face was not lost on the beautiful demon in front of her. As he helped her up, he answered the question that her raised brows and slightly parted lips were asking. "We have been in the glen for five days now. You're strong enough for us to travel from here," he paused as he inspected her, "and you are in need of new clothing and a bath."

Kagome looked down at her state of dress and flushed. She couldn't believe that in five whole days she'd hardly noticed just how filthy she was and how tattered her clothes were. She'd been so concentrated on basking in Sesshomaru's presence that she'd really hardly paid attention to her overall appearance. "Oh! I'm so sorry. I've just been so...I didn't even notice...I'm so gross!" She managed to spit the words out in disgust at just how nasty she was. "And to think...he even LICKED me like this! And he slept by me. He must be filthy, and I'm sure he thinks I stink." As she thought, she peeked a glance at him, but couldn't identify a single speck of dirt on him despite his continual proximity to her and sleeping on the ground. "Impeccable," she said under her breath.

He turned to face her. "What was that, Kagome?" She blushed when she realized she'd spoken out loud, and simply shook her head at her own forgetfulness. "His hearing is impeccable as well...how could I forget?" Looking up to meet his gaze, she smiled and said, "I was just saying that your clothes are impeccable...that you're not dirty at all while I'm…" she toyed with what was left of the edge of her skirt, and threw her hands up in the air in defeat, "filthy!" He stepped towards her and smiled. His smile never ceased to take her breath away. Never showing his teeth, his smile playfully and gently tugged at the corners of his perfect lips. His eyebrows shifted ever so slightly, opening his eyes up. The over all effect was one of serenity and comfort. Two words that Kagome was almost certain no one had ever used to describe the powerful demon before.

She picked up her bow and arrows and turned to the demon in front of her. "Um...Sesshomaru?" She asked hesitantly. He lowered his head ever so slightly to let her know he was listening, though she was beginning to feel that he listened to every breath she took with great care. Why he did this, she was still uncertain, but what she was not uncertain about was that there was a definite bond between the two. It was a deep bond, and a quiet bond. But a bond full of promise. "Well, I need more clothes, but I left my bag back at camp with…my group. Only, I don't know where camp is. I sort of headed off into the woods without paying attention to where I was going." She looked down at her feet, sheepishly tapping her toes on the ground.

"We are not going back to your camp. We will go to my castle." She looked up with a start. "Your castle? But what about my things? And my friends will be worried. I'm sure they think I'm dead already." He took what seemed like a single step, but was gracefully in front of her in a moment. His hand delicately lifting her chin, forcing her gaze up to meet his. "My castle is much closer than wherever your camp may be. Once you are there, you will be able to bathe properly, rest in an actual bed, eat food that is not mere twigs, and you may wear any of the clothing you find suitable while under my care. I will send out a messenger to find and retrieve your items, and if you would so wish, you may of course send them a letter." Almost hypnotized by his unblinking stare and touched by his generous offer, Kagome nodded her head slightly — dreading the moment when his hand would leave her skin.

But he did not break contact as she thought he would. Instead, he leaned in closer, lips lingering over hers. His gaze did not waver, but he did not lower his lips all the way to hers. She had no idea if it was acceptable or not, but she didn't think. Instead, she reacted on what felt like the most basic of instincts she had ever had. She closed the distance. Her lips meeting his for only the second time. In the days that had passed, Sesshomaru had continued to clean her wounds, he had slept by her side as he cradled her body within the curvature of his own. But he had not kissed her again.

The touch of his lips sent shivers down her spine. All at once her body was on fire and pricked with icy goosebumps. She felt his lips focus on her bottom lip, and she smiled into the kiss. Suddenly, he nibbled slightly on the lip he had moments before been so very delicate with. She moaned into him and it was his turn to smile. Their lips swapped, and now Kagome had the great Sesshomaru's bottom lip resting lightly between her own. She started out with feather light kisses on it before she pulled his lip between hers, sealing the kiss with a little nip of her own on his bottom lip. A low approving growl vibrated her body and sent a hot flush through her — pooling in her stomach. His hands snaked their way up her back, one staying there to pull her body closer to his and another tangled itself in her raven locks. She reached up to cradle his face with one hand and allowed the other to trace circles against his chest.

Breaking the kiss, she nibbled along his jaw line. She stood on her tip-toes as she delicately ran her tongue along the markings on his cheek. His grip in her hair tightened as he forced her head back further. His lips met hers again, and their tongues danced — each fighting for dominance. He slipped his tongue in her warm, moist, and welcoming mouth and as he withdrew, he sensually traced his tongue along the roof of her mouth. Her eyes flew open in a mixture of surprise and pleasure only to be met with another surprise. Sesshomaru's eyes were a mixture of his controlled gold and bestial ruby. She should have been frightened, at least she thought she should have been, but she didn't care what she should have been. All she knew was that she was turned on by the lust filled gaze in his jewel toned eyes.

After what seemed like an eternity and no time at all, Sesshomaru pulled away. His breathing was labored as he struggled to control his beast. He had never had a problem keeping that side of himself in check, but something about the passion and depth of this kiss, about the way her body fit against his, about the deep connection he felt to her — a connection he had never felt with another — made his beast almost uncontrollable. He looked into her eyes, dark with passion and allowed his glance to drift down to her rosy and kiss-swollen lips. As his gaze traveled back up to her eyes, he smiled.

"Come. It's time we go," was all he said before summoning his cloud beneath the two of them and starting towards the west, Kagome still pressed tightly, and happily, against his body.

A/N: Thank y'all for sticking with me despite my long hiatus. I can't promise frequent chapters, but I will try to have much more frequent chapters. Thank you for all your support and reviews.