~ The Pain of Rejection~
Sesshomaru stood up quickly from the bed and turned to look down at the woman now lying on her side propped with one hand against her head and for the first time in his life he'd been rendered speechless because of her words.
To say that he was a little shocked would be putting it mildly though it didn't show on his face. Sesshomaru never thought he'd see the day when his accountant, the human woman he respected above anyone else, would actually offer her body to him.
His eyes glanced over Rin's curves through her silky night gown and oh how he wanted to grant her request. He wanted to feel her long voluptuous body pressed against his.
He imagined her silky thighs wrapped around his waist locking his manhood inside of her as he brought them both to blissful heights unknown. He imagined sinking his sharp fangs into the soft flesh of her neck and bringing her to climax as he claimed her for his and his only.
Ultimately it was that thought that brought him back to reality as he ciphered through her words in his mind's eye.
"Rin, you can't be serious", he said nonchalantly as he looked down on her.
"Why wouldn't I be? Just one night Sesshomaru and tomorrow we can both pretend it never happened. I won't let it affect my job performance either", she tried to convince her boss.
"Rin, listen to what you are saying? I can't do what you're asking of me", he said calmly though he really wanted desperately to fulfill her request.
"You can't or you won't", she demanded firmly.
"I can't", he replied coldly piercing her with his golden eyes daring her to make another demand of him.
Suddenly Rin felt foolish for offering herself so easily to her demon boss. She sat up on the enormous bed and slowly stood to her feet as the reality of her boss's rejection hit her dead in the face.
God, I'm so stupid…..to think he'd actually want me in such a manner! I just made a complete ass of myself! This is so embarrassing! She thought as she wrapped her arms around her body in insecurity.
"I see. I'm so sorry that I-. I….I'll just….return to my room", she stammered over her words and made a quick escape to retreat to her room all the while avoiding eye contact with her boss.
Sesshomaru stood silently as Rin ran from his room. If only she knew how close he was to snatching her up into his arms and satisfying himself and his inner beast, she wouldn't have just run from his room, she would have spouted wings and flew from it.
He took a long look at the closed door in which Rin had made her departure. Why did she make him react to her the way she did? Uncontrollable urges were foreign to him. His inner demon had never responded to a female like it did with Rin and there seemed to be nothing he could do about it.
Rin was human and humans were always such fickle and unintelligent creatures in his eyes. They lacked strength and strength was what kept demons like himself on top of the food chain.
In Sesshomaru's eyes humans were on the very bottom of that chain. He only tolerated few of them in his life only because they were a part of his father's pack but there was no doubt they knew how he felt about them which was why he choose not to visit his father when he'd invite him to his gatherings, instead he'd send gifts in his absence.
He despised how the few times he had chosen to visit, his father and brother behaved like spineless puppies in front of their mates and he found the whole ordeal ridiculous and uncalled for. They behaved like love struck fools with their public displays of affections and there was only so much a demon like himself could take.
He never understood why such displays were necessary but now with his accountant he felt an urgency to have her like never before and maybe now he could perhaps understand his father's and brother's foolish behaviors with their mates.
Was it Rin's innocence or was it that she'd always been the one person who was honest with him? There was no doubt he trusted her beyond measure but here lately he'd executed less than professional behavior with her and now she'd offered herself so willingly to him and he'd flat out rejected her even though he truly wanted her.
Rin couldn't understand that it was for her own good that he did what he did. She needed someone to hold her, to be gentle with her and he was not the one for that….oh but he wanted be. He just didn't know how to be.
Sure he'd slept with females, human and demon alike, but it was only to satisfy his own urges and it had nothing to do with feelings or emotions. It was sex, simple as that.
Even with Kagura, he didn't feel the need to be gentle but with Rin, he couldn't fathom being ruff or causing her body the pain he was sure she would experience if he'd actually slept with her. She was the one person that deserved so much more than a roll between sheets. She deserved, needed gentleness more than she knew.
After staring down his bedroom door as if he'd reduce it to ashes with a mere glare, he finally slipped into bed and lay on his back looking up at the night sky through his skylight.
He could still smell Rin's scent as if she were still there lying right next to him and it was the sweetest most alluring smell he'd ever come in contact with. Sesshomaru then closed his eyes and imagined himself making love to the very woman he'd just rejected, being careful and tender with the human woman for the first time in his entire life.
0o0o0o0
A few hours later…..
Rin left the note she'd written for her boss lying neatly on the bed pillows of the bed she'd neatly made. She gathered a sweater and her purse leaving all of her other belongings behind and tip toed from her room praying that the demon would not catch her leaving his home.
When she was outside at the front door of her boss's lavish home, she quickly called for a cab. There was no way she could still stay under Sesshomaru's roof knowing she'd just made a complete idiot of herself.
If luck was on her side, the cab would come and she'd be long gone before he became wise to her abrupt departure.
She could never face him after what she'd done and she couldn't sit by and wait for him to fire and humiliate her even further. She needed to cut her losses and quick.
Rin jogged down the long paved driveway of Sesshomaru's home and maneuvered her way through the wrought iron gate at the entrance. As she stood waiting for the cab, the sky suddenly opened up and it began to rain hard as she waited for the cab to show up.
Her hair, jeans, and t-shirt became soaked as she stood praying the cab would come before Sesshomaru realized she was gone.
After about fifteen minutes of waiting, a yellow cab finally pulled up in front of the driveway and Rin wasted no time getting inside.
"Where to miss", the cabbie asked as he turned the meter on inside the cab.
"The Four Seasons Resort and Spa please", she replied and tears began to roll down her face as the cab drove away from her boss's home because it would be the last time she'd ever see him…Sesshomaru ever again.
0o0o0o0
Sesshomaru lay awake in bed thinking about his accountant and the look in her eyes when he'd turned down the offering of her body to him.
How was he to explain to her that he truly wanted her? How could she understand that he couldn't just make love to her given her emotional state?
Sure he'd been with his share of women but he'd never taken a woman to bed under such sensitive circumstances and no matter how badly he wanted to sleep with Rin, he wouldn't do it like that.
Sesshomru then reached over and grabbed the remote control to close his skylight. The smell of rain not yet fallen tickled his sensitive nose and its fresh aroma filled every crevice of his home.
He looked down at his manhood which had been erect ever since Rin had spoken those unexpected words and he sat up on the bed.
His demon blood was still haywire from what she requested of him earlier and he found it to be a mental challenge to get his beast to calm down.
No one had ever made him feel this way. No woman had ever stirred up his demon like that. Was it lust that he felt for Rin or was it something more? Could it be that she was his one true mate that had eluded him for centuries or was it lack of sexual contact with a female for the past eight months?
Sesshomaru was at a loss when it came to Rin but what he did know, was that he would not have a simple roll in the hay with her and then pretend it didn't happen the next day like she wanted.
He then got out of his bed and calmly crossed the room to his bedroom door. He could feel his demon blood finally subside as he twisted the door knob. Now he could explain to his accountant why he'd rejected her offer.
As he walked over to her closed bedroom door, he could smell faint traces of her scent being diluted by the smell of rain throughout the hallway. His instincts told him that something was not right, so instead of knocking on the door, he simply opened it and found the room empty except for a note lying neatly on her bed.
Sesshomaru walked over to her bed and picked up the note she'd left on the pillows and immediately began reading it.
Mr. Takahashi,
First of all let me thank you for allowing me the honor of being a guest in your lovely home. Your hospitality has been so wonderful and I appreciate all that you have done for me this past week. However, I know that I have crossed the line and behaved in a most unprofessional manner. I sincerely apologize for my behavior and it is because of this, that I can no longer remain under your employment. I also apologize for making you uncomfortable as that was not my intention. Please accept this letter as my formal letter of resignation and I wish you all the best.
Sincerely,
Ms. Rin Mori
Sesshomaru balled the note up in his hands and in a flash, walked back into his bedroom. He quickly shed his silk pajamas and then redressed in a pair of blue jeans, a black t-shirt, and black Nike tennis shoes.
He grabbed the keys to his Jag, exited his home locking the door behind him, and headed towards the expensive sports car. His eyes began to turn red because of the anger that was slowly building inside of him.
Rin had left his home. She'd left him and the demon was not about to simply allow her to depart from his life so easily.
I'll make sure you never leave me again Rin. That's a promise! He thought as he started the engine to his car and took off at lightning speed heading in an unknown direction ready to spend the entire night looking for her if need be.
0o0o0o0
Rin took off her soaking wet clothes and laid them across the rim of the garden tub in her hotel room. The rain had completely drenched her as she'd waited for the cab to pick her up from Sesshomaru's home and she shivered from the rainwater now clinging to her nude form.
She walked over to the shower and turned on the hot water letting it run so that she could set the temperature. As she stepped inside of the shower's glass enclosure, she began to let her mind take her back to a few hours earlier.
She thought about her boss and the way she'd practically thrown herself at him and she could feel embarrassment creeping up into her cheeks even now from her brazen act.
She began lathering her body with the soap provided by the hotel. As the water ran down the length of her, she tilted her head back and soaked her long dark tresses as she tried in vain to put Sesshomaru out of her mind….the very man whom she'd thought held no appeal to her.
0o0o0o0
On a hunch, Sesshomaru pulled his Jag into the front entrance of the Four Season's Resort and Spa Hotel remembering that Rin had once divulged this was her favorite resort.
He got out of the car and handed his keys to the valet then immediately walked up to the check in desk where a slender male in his mid-thirties was diligently working.
The man looked up and made eye contact with the demon and then painted a fake smile as a greeting on his face.
"Hello sir and welcome to the Four Seasons. May I have the name for your reservations or are you interested in booking a one or two night stay at our lovely resort", the clerk asked the demon.
"No, I need some information. Do you have a Rin Mori checked in as a guest here", Sesshomaru asked coldly, unable to catch Rin's scent due to the heavy rain.
"I'm sorry sir but I am not allowed to give out personal information on our guests", the man replied with a worried look etched on his face.
"Then get me your manager or someone who can give me the answers I seek", Sesshomaru frowned at the man.
"I'm sorry sir but my manager would not be able to give you that information either. We are under strict policy to never give out personal information on our guests sir", the man reiterated as he slightly loosened the bow tie around his neck feeling uneasy in the demon's presence.
Sesshomaru grabbed the clerk by his shirt collar and nearly pulled him over the countertop in the blink of an eye. His eyes glowed ember red as he pulled the man face to face with him.
"I could care less about your policy or your life. If you don't get your manager in here now, I won't hesitate to slice your neck from ear to ear", Sesshomaru growled showing the man his sharp claws and he immediately yelled for the night manager.
Upon seeing his employee hoisted up by the collar of his shirt, the night manager quickly rushed over to the counter.
"What in the world? Mr. Takahashi. Mr. Sesshomaru Takahashi", the night manager questioned having recognized the wealthy business tycoon.
Sesshomaru turned his attention from the clerk to the aging gray haired heavy set stocky night manager and simply nodded.
"Is there something I can help you with", the manager asked as he swallowed hard not wanting to end up in the same predicament as his clerk.
"Rin Mori, is she here", Sesshomaru asked calmly without releasing the clerk.
"Give me just a moment to check the registration roster for tonight", the man said nervously as he began typing on the computer behind the desk.
"But sir that's against our privacy policy", the clerk interrupted.
"Considering your situation Randy, I'd keep my mouth closed…..besides that's Sesshomaru Takahashi. He's Japan's wealthiest businessman and our country's most formidable demon. Plus Ms. Mori is his accountant", he responded as he scrolled through the names on the computer.
"Ahhh, here she is. She checked in about an hour ago. She's on the fourteenth floor in room fourteen ten. Shall I ring her room and have her meet you down here in our lobby", the night manager asked wanting to help any way he could.
Sesshomaru then released the clerk who immediately stepped back and smoothed his shirt and collar back into place.
"No. Give me a key to her room", he demanded coolly.
"Now that's going overboard", Randy said in irritation as he glared at the demon.
"Be quiet Randy unless you want to be demoted to janitor", the manager warned as he stepped away from counter to a back room to activate another card to Rin's room.
When he returned to the counter, he handed Sesshomaru the card and bowed aristocratically.
"Will there be anything else sir", the manager asked.
"No, thank you", Sesshomaru said casually as he walked away heading towards the elevators with the key card in hand and the night manager breathed a sigh of relief when the demon was out of sight.
0o0o0o0
Rin began to rinse the soap from her body as the hot water cascaded over her. She then rinsed the shampoo from her hair and the warm steam from the shower enveloped her like a cocoon as she turned the water off and stepped out of the shower.
She wrapped herself in the hotel bath towel tucking it in near one breast to secure it as she walked over to bathroom mirror to catch a glimpse of her appearance.
She wiped one hand across the mirror to clear away the steam as she eyeballed her reflection. She immediately began thinking of her boss and how he'd rejected her and tears started to stream yet again down her lovely face.
"You were so stupid Rin…..to think that he could have ever wanted you. He couldn't even pretend to want you for one night. No one wants you! No one will ever want you", she cried to her reflection in the mirror and once the tears started, she couldn't turn them off.
"Is that why you left", Sesshomaru's deep voice cut through the room coldly and Rin's head snapped up to see her boss standing with his arms folded across his chest in the threshold of the bathroom door.
She was too hurt to be surprised to see him. The only thing she could think of was how he'd rejected her and how foolish she must have looked to him in that moment.
"Why does it even matter…..and how did you find me", she asked brokenly, finally feeling defeat settle over her being from all of the pain she'd experienced throughout the past week.
"Because it does", he growled angrily ignoring the latter part of her question.
Sesshomaru could feel the anger radiate throughout his body and he wanted, needed answers from her.
"You just left without a word, only leaving a pitiful excuse for a note", he said as he dug into his pocket and tossed the waded note at her feet.
"You're….you're angry with me", she asked as she glanced down at the wad of paper on the floor in shock.
"Anger can't even begin to describe me right now", he stated and in a flash he was gripping her by her shoulders causing her to look up into his now fiery red eyes.
"You left this Sesshomaru Rin, but tonight I will ensure that you'll never run away from me ever again", he vowed as he glared down at her.
"Sess, I had no choice! I….I just couldn't…..I just couldn't look you in the eyes after what I'd done", Rin whispered casting her eyes to the floor as tears streamed down her face.
Sesshomaru let her words seep into his ears but the anger he felt at her leaving would not diminish. She'd left his home in the middle of the night, in the pouring rain because she thought that he didn't want her, when wanting her was causing him to die a slow death because of the need he felt for her. Now he was beyond angry because the one woman who knew him better than anyone was placing him in the same category as those vile humans who'd hurt her.
This anger was all so new to him and Sesshomaru prided himself on his ability to control his emotions but for some reason, here lately where Rin was concerned, he was anything but in control of his emotions.
There was the anger he'd felt when Kenji and Yura had been caught sleeping together behind Rin's back and how they totally disregarded her feelings.
Then there was the anger he felt in the office that morning when she'd taken the public elevators and that human had put his repulsive lips to her delicate soft skin and not to mention Suki Mori.
The woman who'd birthed his Rin had degraded and disowned her right in front of him! But the anger he felt at her leaving was far greater than anything he'd ever felt in his entire life.
Sesshomaru's red eyes pierced Rin as he glared down at her and in that moment all he saw was an innocent woman who only wanted someone to love her.
Well he wasn't an expert on love but he knew he hated seeing her like this….torn and broken was not something he was used to seeing in his accountant. She deserved happiness and anything else her heart desired.
"Why did you run away from me of all people Rin", he asked calmly which caused her to look up into his face.
"Because contrary to what you may think of me Sess…I'm a coward. It's just that simple. I always have been and I probably always will be. I didn't have the courage to face Yura and Kenji after what they did to me. I may never have the courage to face my mother again and I didn't have the courage to face you after you rejected me. I….I'm sorry Sesshomaru", she cried uncontrollably and it was the first time Sesshomaru had ever witnessed her out pouring of emotions.
"This Sesshomaru is nothing like those wretched humans you called friends and family Rin. Have I not explained to you your importance in my life", he asked seemingly unfazed by her streaming tears.
"Yes but I -".
"No buts Rin. If you can't understand what my lips say, perhaps you'll understand my actions", he said coldly and before Rin could react he tilted her face to the side and sank his sharp fangs into her soft flesh at the juncture of her shoulder and the base of her neck.
Rin felt like the wind had been knocked violently from her lungs and she began to half fight, half cling to her demon boss. She could feel what energy she had left slowly leaving her as his powerful teeth clamped down on her sensitive flesh. It felt like someone had stolen her very breath, leaving her gasping for air.
As her blood rushed into his awaiting mouth, Sesshomaru let out a deep growl which shook him all the way to his very core. He could feel her nails clawing, pulling, and digging into his back through his t-shirt until finally her nails met with his flesh drawing out some of his demonic blood.
She scratched and clawed at Sesshomaru's back as if she were in the fight of her life but her fighting was in vain, for the powerful diayokai's grip was like a vice as he held her and he would not let go until she was fully claimed as his.
"Sess…Sesshomaru", Rin managed to choke out as she struggled against the demon.
She tried to speak, tried to get her boss to stop the pain that he was causing her but it was all to no avail. As the reality sank in that there was no stopping Sesshomaru, Rin gave herself over to him and lay limp in his arms.
The lights in the bathroom and in the hotel room began to slowly dim in her vision until there was nothing left but darkness, darkness that not only clouded her vision, but engulfed her entire body as well….until she fell into a state of unconsciousness.
When the claiming bite was complete, Sesshomaru lifted Rin into his arms bridle style and gently placed her on the bed. He then wiped the remaining traces of her blood from his mouth and chin with the back of one of his hands. He licked that blood away also not willing to waste any of her precious blood.
He then swept dark tendrils of hair that had fallen into her face away with tender hands as he looked down upon her.
Sesshomaru's golden eyes soften as he gazed down on the human woman would become his mate. He leaned slightly over her and brushed a delicate kiss over the smooth skin of her forehead.
You are mine now Rin and you shall never be able to run from this Sesshomaru ever again. He thought as he then began to gather her belongings preparing to take his future mate back to the home they now shared…..back to where she belonged.
0o0o0o0
It was eleven o'clock in the morning when Rin finally woke up. She was groggy and lethargic and she felt like she'd been hit by a train.
She slowly sat up on the bed and tried to open her eyes but the light streaming in through the windows made it nearly impossible for her to focus her vision. So instead she kept her eyes closed as she crawled out of bed to close the blackout curtains causing a visible darkness to settle in the bedroom.
What in the world happened last night? She thought to herself as she tried to focus her vision in the darkened room.
She took a few steps and then touched the temples of her head as what seemed to be a migraine headache took full effect. She swayed slightly as the feeling of dizziness suddenly settled over her. It was then when she made her way back to the bed that she discovered she was not occupying her room but her demon boss's room instead and wearing his silk robe as well.
She rubbed her eyes in an attempt to bring herself to full alertness and she then tried hard to remember the previous night and how she'd gotten into Sesshomaru's room, more importantly how she'd gotten into his bed.
Her mind seemed to be in a cloudy haze because the last thing she remembered was lying on her bed in her night gown thinking about the fact that Kenji and Yura had gotten married and how her mother had rejected her.
When she could see a little clearly and the dizziness dissipated, she made her way over to Sesshomaru's dresser where she could get a look at her reflection in the mirror. It was then that she spotted the bite mark on her neck and the huge bruise around it.
What the hell? Just what did happen to me last night? She questioned herself for the second time as she carefully touched the bruise and winced, not from pain but from the mere sight of it.
Rin pushed the pain of the headache from her mind and stormed out the bedroom heading for the kitchen where she was certain she'd find her boss and hoped that he would shed some light on the matter of how she ended up in his bed wearing his robe and where that bite mark had come from on her neck.
0o0o0o0
Sesshomaru sat quietly at his kitchen table reading the Saturday newspaper while drinking a hot cup of coffee.
He'd already completed his routine two hundred mile run, taken a shower, and had gotten quite a bit of office work done already and it wasn't even noon yet.
As he glared down at the business section of the newspaper he thought about Rin and a smirk crossed his lips. Who'd have thought that he, of all demons, would ever be mated….to a human, more importantly to Rin his accountant/assistant.
When he thought more in-depth on the matter, it made a lot of sense. They'd known each other for nearly six years and had worked very closely together since he'd hired her. He was always impressed with how she could read him like a book and her scent was always pleasant and soothing to him.
She had never gone out of her way to gain his attention or affection and maybe that was what he liked most about her. After dealing with women trying to snag him on a daily basis, it was refreshing to work so closely with one who didn't see him in that light.
Rin only cared about pleasing him when it came to her job and because she was so good at her job his company had reached heights unknown to others in the same corporate league as himself.
She was highly regarded by Sesshomaru and he prided himself on having the best accountant in the corporate world in all of Japan. Many wanted her on their team but she was his and now she was to be his mate…his in every way and that thought made him even more swollen with pride because Rin was a rare find.
Sesshomaru began to think of how he'd tell Rin that she was now going to be his mate when the very woman at the center of his thoughts suddenly stormed into kitchen out of breath with her hair disheveled but to Sesshomaru though, he'd never seen anyone more beautiful in that very moment.
"Good morning Rin, is something wrong", Sesshomaru asked indifferently with a frown as he noted the clear panic in her wide brown eyes.
"Good morning Sesshomaru, and yes something is wrong. Please tell me how I woke up in your bed wearing your robe when the last thing I remember is wearing my own pajamas and lying on my bed in my room. Did I get drunk? Did we….Oh God, did we sleep together", she asked as she stood running her hands through her wild hair clearly confused as to what had transpired between her and her boss.
Sesshomaru sat silently for a few moments and just stared at Rin as if she'd grown two heads but the silence was because suddenly he found her to be irresistible in her state of panic.
Her skin had a glow to it. Her lips were a bit fuller. Her eyes were the most brilliant brown he'd ever seen on anyone and her hair…..though it looked like a bird had built a nest in it at the crown; it was shiny and cascaded down her back like an enchanting waterfall of satiny dark waves. She was even more beautiful than he'd ever imagined and he was positive that it was all a side-effect of the claiming bite.
It was meant to stir feelings in the one who placed it there and until he'd actually mated with Rin those feelings were not going to go away anytime soon. Rin was in for a rude awakening as well. Soon enough she'd experience the same effect as he himself.
She'd find him irresistible and it would be hard for them both to keep their hands off of each other. She'd see him in a way no one else ever could or would, but he didn't regret his decision. He wanted….no needed Rin with him and her running away…..especially from him was unacceptable and not up for discussion.
With the claiming bite in place he'd be able to sense her feelings. No matter where she went he would be able to find her, and the same would be for Rin as well. They were now tied to each other and they would remain that way for an eternity…even in death.
Rin paced the floor and bit her nails as she waited for an answer from Sesshomaru. What if she'd done something to make him angry with her? What if she'd ruined their working relationship? What if she came onto him and made him feel uncomfortable?
She had never been this terrified of anything before in her life and deep down she felt that she'd done something inappropriate that she couldn't remember or couldn't explain.
Sesshomaru rose from his seat at the kitchen table and calmly walked over to her sensing her uneasiness and the pain from her headache. He leaned down and placed his forehead against hers. He looked deeply into her eyes and began to smooth her disheveled hair into place.
Rin immediately began to relax and her headache suddenly disappeared with the simple act of him caressing her hair. She couldn't quite put her finger on it but in that moment she felt like in his arms was where she was meant to be.
She'd always felt a sense of safety and security whenever she was near him but today was something different. It seemed as if their working relationship had turned into something…deeper overnight. Whatever had happened between them, Rin could sense it was life changing and she was both a little frightened and fascinated at the same time.
With him so close to her, she felt wanted, needed for the first time in her life yet she was even more curious as to what had transpired between them to make her feel these sudden changes. She always had the ability to read the enigmatic demon but now, in his arms she could sense his quiet calm and his enormous strength.
Rin could also sense a gentleness that lay inside of her boss that she never knew existed, and a possessiveness that she couldn't quite understand. Was this for her or was she just grasping at straws in light of her heart wrenching week?
"We did not sleep together Rin", he said softly as his sweet breath bathed over lips causing her to shutter slightly against him.
"We…..didn't", she said more as a question as she looked up into his captivating golden eyes.
"We did not", he whispered back and he could feel his demon slowly awakening because she was so close to him.
Rin looked up into eyes that didn't hold the same coldness they held only moments earlier. These eyes, Sesshomaru's eyes, were more compassionate than she remembered them being and there was something else about the demon she couldn't quite put her finger on…..until she inhaled deeply taking in his scent.
"God you smell….amazing! I mean, you always smell good but there's something different about your scent today. It's stronger than I remembered and your hair….there's a shimmer to it and where did that mark come from on your neck? It looks as if you've been bitten and why do I have the exact same mark", she asked as she reached out to touch the bite mark that adorned her boss's neck.
Before her fingers could make contact however, Sesshomaru quickly grasped them in his own, intertwining her fingers with his. He then moved his face to the side of her neck and lightly caressed his lips over her bite mark.
In an instant, the memories came flooding back to Rin and she slowly relived what he'd done to her in her hotel room up to the point where she'd passed out.
Her eyes grew wide in confusion and shock and she began to pull away from him. He'd bitten her. He'd done something to her and now she was feeling things she'd never experienced feeling for him before.
"What did you do to me Sesshomaru", she asked angrily as she put as much distance as she could between the two of them.
"I did something that I should have done a long time ago. You ran away from me Rin and I couldn't allow that to ever happen again", he said coldly as he narrowed his sun colored eyes at her.
"What. Did. You. Do to me Sesshomaru", she demanded and for some strange reason she was not as intimidated by his lethal glare as she would have been in times past.
"I have claimed you for my mate Rin", he responded casually without breaking eye contact with her.
"What do you mean", she asked seeking clarification in his words.
"I performed the claiming bite on you", he replied coolly as if that was explanation enough.
"And what, pray tell, does that mean", she asked still confused as to what he'd done to her.
"It means you are now mine Rin. It means you are technically my wife in human terms", he explained casually but at the same time watched her every movement.
"So let me get this straight, you bit me and now I'm your…..wife", she asked with a confused expression because of the little knowledge she had about demon mateship and courtship.
"Something like that yes. We dog demons refer to it as mate. The bit is given to bond you to me and when we actually mate it will be official", he said calmly as he took slow steps towards her.
"What the hell? You made me your mate! I can't be your mate Sesshomaru! How do we undo this….this claiming bite thing", she asked looking for a way out of the mess she was slowly comprehending she was in.
"Yes, I made you my mate and there is no undoing the claiming bite Rin. Once it has been performed there is no taking it back", he explained coldly.
"But I can't be married…..I mean…I can't be mated to you! There has to be a way to undo it! Maybe there is and you just don't know how", she said hoping that was the case.
"No Rin, there is no way of undoing it and why can't you be this Sesshomaru's mate", he asked feeling anger rise up within him at what he thought was her attempt to reject him.
"I….I'm not good enough for you Sess. I don't know how to be a mate to you and I can't…I don't know how to….to love you", she said as she refocused her gaze to the floor of the kitchen.
"You are more than good enough for me Rin and who said anything about love? We have a mutual respect for each other and that's all we need, besides I've always felt that love was a useless emotion anyway", he explained and Rin felt a small ache in her heart because of his words.
"I suppose….you're right. Who needs love? It only brings heartache", she said giving a fake smile towards her boss.
"I do have one question though. Did I actually….bite you", she asked as she looked up at him innocently because he was sporting a deep puncture wound with a huge bruise on his neck as well.
"No you did not bite me. My mark appeared when I bit and claimed you. It is the mirror image of what your mark looks like", he replied nonchalantly.
"So you mean to tell me that I have to walk around looking like Jack-The-Ripper got ahold of my neck? How long will it take for the mark to disappear", she asked out of concern because she knew whoever saw her mark would swear she'd been attacked by some wild animal.
"The bruise around our puncture marks will heal but the mark or bite itself will be there until we have mated each other and then the mating mark will appear in its place. The bruise appeared because you are human. Had you been a demon your neck would not have bruised at all and that's because few humans are able to survive the claiming bite", he explained nonchalantly.
Rin blinked her eyes a few times to let the last part of his words gather into her brain to be processed. Did he actually just tell her that she could have died?
"Are you actually standing there telling me that I could have died…..that I'm lucky to be alive", she asked now angry at her boss once again.
"Well yes, but it was a calculated risk. Had I thought you weren't strong enough to survive it, I would have never claimed you Rin and don't look at me as if your life means nothing to me because if it didn't, this conversation wouldn't even be a factor right now", he said coldly as he walked towards her closing the distance between them.
Rin only stared up at him in disbelief. Maybe she was in shock of the whole thing but it hurt for him to casually throw her feelings and her life to the wind so easily and before she knew it she slapped the demon hard across his cheek.
The silence in the room became deafening as they stared at one another and Rin began to hear her own heartbeat echo through her ears as she braced herself for what she knew would be Sesshomaru's wrath but she stood her ground and faced him all the same. She would not back down regardless of his strength or how menacing he appeared as he stood over her.
"Rin", he said her name softly all the while gazing down into her chocolate colored eyes and she pressed herself firmly into the wall finding no escape from the predator who was now her mate.
"I will tolerate a lot of things from you because you are my mate and because you are my mate only you can get away with what you just did but do not raise your hand in violence against me ever again because if you do, I promise the consequences will be dire on your part. Is that understood", he asked calmly keeping his golden eyes focused on her.
What Rin didn't know was that Sesshomaru was just blowing smoke. He'd never lay a hand on her to harm her and nor would he let anyone else. His words were a mere scare tactic. In fact the look of anger in her beautiful eyes seemed to arouse him because it was rare that he ever saw her show any emotion of any type.
"I'm sorry Sesshomaru. I shouldn't have struck you and it won't happen again but you should have been more considerate of me and my feelings. How could you put my life in danger and not have a second thought about it", she asked and Sesshomaru slowly began to see the hurt that lay inside of her brown eyes as she looked up at him.
"I did what I did because I didn't want you to be able to run away from me ever again. When you left without saying a word to me I became angry. Now you can't run away from me anymore", he nearly yelled.
"That doesn't make it right Sesshomaru", she raised her voice to her boss.
"In my eyes it does", he responded coldly and Rin began to run her fingers through her hair in frustration.
After a few minutes of silence, she thought about what he'd told her and she decided to take a different approach.
"Okay, let's not argue about this Sess. It doesn't seem like we're getting anywhere from it. What's done is done and according to you it can't be undone so….I guess we just have to sort this out like two rational adults. I suppose the next question is what happens next", she asked almost afraid to know the answer.
"We mate", he said simply.
"I thought that was what the claiming bite thing did", she questioned in confusion.
"No Rin, that was just the bond. The mating is different", he responded coolly.
"Okay well, how does this…..mating thing work", Rin looked dumbfounded at her boss because she had no clue as to what mating really meant in demon terms.
"We have sex. It would be like when a husband and wife marry and they consummate the marriage through sexual intercourse", Sesshomaru stated indifferently.
It was now Rin's turn to look at Sesshomaru like he'd grown two heads. She clutched her heart in disbelief and then she ran her fingers through her hair in panic for the second time.
"You're kidding right! You and I….we have to….to sleep together", she asked in shock.
"No I'm not and yes we do. Why are you looking so surprised? You wanted me to sleep with you last night", he announced factually.
"That was different Sesshomaru! I was…..I was hurting last night. Today I'm totally thankful that we didn't go through with it. It would have probably put a strain in our working relationship", she stated still in utter shock from his words.
"Here's a news flash for you Rin. There is already a strain in our working relationship because I have claimed you. If we don't mate today, it will happen eventually and sooner than you may think because that is the power of the claiming bite. You can't help but be attracted to me and the same goes for me to you", he spouted coldly.
"But I'm….I'm not attracted to you Sesshomaru. You're my…..my boss", Rin hesitated in her words because deep down she knew they were untrue.
"You are not being truthful Rin because if you were, there would have been no way that I could have ever claimed you as mine if that were so", he stated confidently.
"Well none of that matters because I can't…..I can't be intimate with you Sesshomaru! Yesterday you were my employer and today you my….my mate. Do you have any idea what will happen if word got out that we are-", she couldn't bring herself to say the last part out loud so Sesshomaru finished her sentence for her.
"Mated. Just what do you think people will say Rin", he asked curious to know what was on her mind.
"No doubt by Monday everyone will know about Kenji and Yura. Everyone will know that they are now married and everyone will be thinking poor Rin. They'll say I was desperate to be with someone and you felt sorry for me. They'll say you pitied me. They'll say, 'how could he actually mate her, she's not even beautiful or charming', and it will all be the truth Sesshomaru. I have nothing to offer you. The only thing I'm good at is my job and how much longer until someone else better than me comes along and you have no more use for me", she said on the verge of tears.
Sesshomaru gently cupped her face in his hands and once again placed his forehead against hers. He breathed in her natural scent and lightly caressed her nose with his.
Rin let out a shaky breath as Sesshomaru began to purr softly soothing away her fears and in an instant all of her worries seemed to melt away at the simple act.
Her hands found his lean hips and she braced herself against him as he held her and for the first time she felt comforted and accepted.
His scent was strong and intoxicating and the solidness of his form made her feel safe and Rin knew that as long as he was with her nothing and no one would ever harm her.
He caressed away the tears that fell from her eyes and lightly kissed her cheeks in repeated tender succession, familiarizing his tongue palate with her taste, a taste he knew he'd never get enough of.
Rin looked up into his eyes and a feeling of completeness suddenly washed over her as Sesshomaru held her. It was hard for her to believe that he'd claimed her and now she was going to be his mate.
What was he expecting of her? How could they move forward in their working relationship? Was she supposed to play the role of wife and mother now?
The last question in her thoughts brought on a whole new fear for her. Did Sesshomaru expect her to give him children? She had no clue how to be a mother and part of her was certain that she didn't want children after how her mother had raised and treated her.
She didn't know how to love herself much less a husband and a child but how was she going to tell Sesshomaru this? She was sure he'd think she was a monster if she told him she didn't want children because wasn't it every man's desire to have heirs, a legacy to leave behind when their gone?
Her mother had certainly affected this part of her life. In fact she never really saw herself as mother material any way. How could she love a child when she was never taught how to love anyone or anything herself? What kind of person would she be to bring some poor innocent child into the world with her kind of baggage?
No, she certainly couldn't tell Sesshomaru about not wanting children now. Maybe when the time was right she'd sit down with him and explain her position and the possible future of their relationship without offspring….maybe he'd understand.
"Sesshomaru, if it's okay with you, I'd like this claiming bite thing to remain strictly between you and I until after….you know", Rin said nervously still thinking on her future life with her boss.
"You mean until after we've mated", he asked coldly as he absentmindedly ran his claws through the silkiness that was her wavy hair.
"Yes, that is what I mean", she whispered softly in reply and began to moan because of his ministrations.
"If that is the way my mate wants it, then that is the way it shall be", he replied as he enjoyed the sounds of her moans filling his demon ears.
"Sesshomaru", she called his name softly as she laid her head against his firm chest.
"Yes Rin", he replied coolly as he continued to gently stroke her silky mane.
"I….I never thought that I would be…..you know….mated", she confessed quietly.
"Hn, well I suppose life doesn't go as we plan it sometimes. Were you expecting to be alone forever", he asked nonchalantly.
"No. I just thought of marriage in human terms….you know….with a traditional human wedding with the white dress and walking down the aisle towards my intended husband", she stated without much thought to her response.
"We can have a traditional human wedding if you desire that", Sesshomaru responded indifferently and Rin pushed slightly away from him to look into his eyes because she was taken aback at his words.
"Are you….serious Sesshomaru? You would have a marriage ceremony with me", Rin asked in shock.
"I'm not opposed to the idea contrary to what you may think of me", he replied mimicking her words from earlier.
"In fact I propose that this Sunday, which is tomorrow, we should definitely have a wedding ceremony here if that is okay with you. You are human and I'm not the cold blooded monster people tend to think of me as. It would be the respectable thing to do to honor my mate's human traditions as well", Sesshomaru stated factually.
"I don't know what to say", Rin said in apparent disbelief.
"Say you'll elope with me…..tomorrow", he replied as he gazed down into her soft brown eyes and Rin's heart begin to flutter slightly because of his words.
~PLEASE REVIEW~
A/N: Thank you to all who reviewed the previous chapter and I hope you enjoyed this one as well. Let me know what you all thought, it gives me inspiration for future chapters. Oh and the reason this was posted so fast is because it was already written. I just had to edit it. Happy New Year's FanFiction World! I love you all.