Chapter 61

Over the next three and a half weeks, several things happened.

Kagome's tea was delivered and Sesshoumaru took care to make it for her himself every morning.

Kagome began practicing her music again and filled the walls and grounds of the shiro with song. She was deliriously happy to be given such a gift and offered thanks to the kami for returning it to her. Sesshoumaru's heart burst with pride when he heard in person just what his miko was capable of. He had heard her few recordings, but in person, there was no comparison. She seemed to know the entire repertoire of flute music by heart as well as vocal songs and arias of every kind as she rarely had to look at the written notes, merely looking at him or closing her eyes and letting the music flow from her.

They fell into a habit of visiting Rin at the orphanage. They came every weekday and stayed all afternoon. Rin had yet to speak, but they were not deterred. Kagome brought children's books and read to her hour after hour, making sure to do all the voices for her. They brought picnics for her for lunch and sweets and even took her for ice cream cones once. She finally let Kagome hold her and she would now eagerly crawl into her lap and Kagome would comb her curls and braid her long hair while singing sweet songs to her. She brought her flutes and played dancing songs from all over the world for the girl, teaching her the steps and watching as the somber girl blossomed with energy.

Rin was latching on to Sesshoumaru as well. She would run up to them when she saw them, but understood instinctively that Sesshoumaru was not a boisterous demon or demonstrative in public and so she would stop before reaching him and bow respectfully, smiling up at him as if he were a hero from one of her stories before launching into Kagome's arms. In fact, he was, as Kagome had told her the story of Sesshoumaru losing his arm many times. Kagome always knew when she wanted to hear that one because when she asked Rin what story she would like, instead of picking out a book, she would look at Sesshoumaru. He adored the girl and was happy to see she possessed good manners and was healing under their care. Seeing her in his mate's arms was seeing a vision of his mate with what could easily have been her daughter, and if he had his way, soon would be.

They loved their time with the girl and on the way home talked of how they could fit her into their lives, even knowing that she would live her entire life in a blink of their life spans. She was Kagome in miniature, a chance to correct a great wrong before it had time to fester and rot in the child's soul, irrevocably damaging her life and her chances of happiness and they would take it and do everything in their power to heal her past and see her happy. To make sure they did not worry or upset the child with their absence, they had introduced her to Toga and Izayoi, who would be keeping her company the week of the 5th if things went as they hoped.

Sesshoumaru and Kagome went on a pilgrimage just before her next possible fertile time to the Fushimi Inari shrine. Sesshoumaru had brought the customary offering of rice and Kagome had brought a small bag of toys including a top, a Shikon no Tama keychain from her shrine, a toy snake and sparklers. The priests had looked at her strangely for her offering, but it was none of their business anyway so Kagome had been unbothered. They had offered up prayers to the goddess and her son and had sat together in the shrine holding one another while people-watching. Before they had left, they had offered one more prayer and when they had looked down, they had seen that Kagome's offering was gone, though all the other offerings that had been there had remained. They had exchanged glances and hope had gleamed in their eyes.

…

Early on the morning of the 5th, Sesshoumaru woke in his usual peaceful manner. His mate was in his arms and as far as he could tell, all was right with the world. He took a deep inhale of Kagome's comforting scent and then his eyes grew in disbelief. Not bothering to wake her in his usual, sedate way, he instead shook her gently to rouse her, something she definitely objected to if the groaning coming from her was any indication. "Kagome, please wake up. It worked! You are blessed!"

His words penetrating her haze of sleepiness, her head shot up and she stared at him. "Truly?"

He merely raised a brow at her. 'Oh. Yeah. 'This Sesshoumaru does not jest, miko.'' She knew better but damned if she didn't need to hear it. She alighted from the covers and slipped on her pink yukata and sandals as he dressed hurriedly beside her.

They had both come to each other with the idea of returning to their mating cave if she proved fertile and that is precisely where they were headed now. Once they were outside, where it was still dark, he carried her down the gravel path, not trusting the safety of his clumsy miko or anything else to fate at this point, and walked so fast it was practically a run to the cave. Jaken had been informed of the possibility so he knew the cave would be well stocked and he would be available to attend to them for the duration.

Even though he could admit there was a bit of pressure on their coupling now, he was always eager to share his love for his mate physically and just the merest possibility that they might be able to conceive made him hard as stone. Since he had known she was for him, he had dreamed of seeing her grow with his pups, of seeing her nursing them and of hearing her sweet voice singing lullabies to them. It was the most beautiful thing he could think of, raising a family with someone he loved so dearly and who was so obviously born to be a good mother and so filling her, creating life with her, was deeply erotic to him.

Taking no risks, he walked her all the way to the bed before letting her down. They were both feverishly aroused and tore at each other's clothes, falling to the pallet in a heap of tangled limbs and questing lips. In mere moments, Kagome pushed at him and whispered fervently, "Now. Please, Sesshoumaru. Let me present for you, please. I want to do this right."'

He was up in an instant, on his knees awaiting his mate. He didn't have long to wait as she lifted and spun her body, almost slamming her shoulders into the furs in her eagerness as she bent at the waist. His fingers found her hot and ready and he inhaled the ambrosial scent of her arousal mixed with fertility. In a blink, he was on her, thrusting hard and fast as she pushed back with her wondrously strong legs against him, her ample breasts swaying wildly and her lovely cheeks bouncing with the impact as their bodies met.

She was rubbing her face in the furs like a love-starved animal, fisting the covers in passion, uncaring for the holes her claws caused. He was gripping her so hard his own claws were drawing pinpricks of blood, the scent of which drove him further towards madness. They needed this, needed each other. And they wanted so badly for this to be the right time, for them to be blessed as the signs pointed that they would be.

Over and over he pummeled her sweet flower. He was so close and could tell from her breathing she was there as well. He fisted her hair in his left hand, ready to take her neck, as his right reached under her body and grabbed her breast, squeezing and tormenting her sensitive flesh, focusing on her sweet bud. She screamed his name and attained her release, gripping him tightly in her body as he forced his knot into her and climaxed, pumping her full. His fangs found her neck and bit, releasing her sweet lifeblood into his mouth and he savored every coppery drop.

He held them like that for long moments until he felt her slipping into sleep once more. He had woken her rather earlier than she was used to and she did not function well without her usual 10 hours, even though now, as a demon, she should require less sleep. He did not object as he used this time to hold her, confident that she was safe and not getting into trouble, and focused on introspection free of distraction. He rolled them down on their sides and held her back tight against his chest, still fully sheathed in her, offering another prayer to the gods, not forgetting a certain tiny kitsune.

…

Kagome awoke with the sensation of being held. This was certainly not a new sensation, but it was different than usual. Her mate's face was not up by hers, but rather under the covers on her stomach. The thumb of his left hand was stroking her lower abdomen softly and he was purring. This was not his usual wake-up purring but something she had never heard before. Her hand found his head and she stroked his hair, which seemed to surprise him, before he purred louder. Whatever he was doing had obviously taken his full attention and she was charmed.

He kissed her belly before placing a trail of kisses up her body, finally making it to her face and kissing her lips deeply. When he pulled back, he explained, "It worked. We are blessed, my miko."

Breathlessly, with wonder in her voice, she asked, "How can you know that?"

"I will show you. Close your eyes." When she had done as she was told, he kissed her eyelids, enjoying once again the humor of the gods who had granted her as a demon marking permanent grey eyeliner in the bold, liquid-esque, contoured and winged out manner on her upper eyelid as she had been known for wearing prior to her mating. They had granted her the scent of fresh oranges from when they had first met and the eyeliner that he had so enjoyed on her as if it was a gift not only to her but to them and he didn't doubt that for a moment.

"Now concentrate on your aura. See the shining pink of it. See mine, green in the color of my poison. Now look to your abdomen and tell this Sesshoumaru what you see."

Her gasp of breath told it all. There, so tiny, about the size of a single snowflake, was a glowing ball of blue against her glittering pink. 'Life… A soul. We created a life…' Her eyes flew open to meet those of her mate's. "Sesshoumaru…gods…it's true!" she whispered excitedly. She closed her eyes and whispered a prayer of thanks to Inari-sama and Shippou-sama.

He covered his mate with his body and nuzzled her neck, nibbling on it until she moaned in pleasure before murmuring, "This Sesshoumaru suggests a celebration."

She smiled ecstatically and giggled as her legs moved up to capture his hips and her arms wrapped around him.

….