AN: As the story continues to unravel...

*Lowers eyes*

*Rubs hands together*

*Smiles mischievously*

All that could be heard was the rapid pounding of her heart in her ears, her breath strained with lungs close to wheezing, and the swift pattering of her bare feet against the solid ground.

Realization suddenly set in.

This was a dreadful nightmare.

Nothing but a nightmare.

None of it could be real.

'Then why am I running?'

Rin slowed in her steps, thankful for the chance to catch her breath. She bent forward, placing her hands over her knees. Her long dark brown hair forming a curtain around her face.

And then she felt it.

The earth beneath her rumbled in a sequence. As if someone or something, perhaps very large, was quickly approaching.

An unfamiliar, unnaturally sounding growl resounded behind her within the trees.

Rin quickly straighten her back, turning completely around. "Who's there?"

She narrowed her eyes closer, scanning the nearby area without much success.

A forest? She was in a forest.

As she had noticed, besides whatever appeared to be chasing her, the forest itself was otherwise completely silent.

Silent of any creeping insects.

Silent of any singing birds.

Silent of any living thing.

Unbearably and totally silent.

Rin took one step back, hearing yet another growl from the creature. She looked around again, attempting to make sense of it all.

'It's just another dream. A nightmare! I can wake up from this.'

Rin squeezed her eyes shut, reaching two of her fingers toward her arm for a good pinch. She paused midway, quickly opening her eyes toward a rather large furry beast that was now quickly heading her way.

Her eyelids extended apart as far as they could possibly go as she watched in total disbelief as the creature leap towards her.

Finally it registered to her that she, in fact, might actually be in real danger.

"Ahh!" She screamed and quickly turned, sprinting forward through the trees.

She had no time to figure out where to run.

No time to contemplate.

The beast was quickly gaining up on her!

The time it took for her to look behind, her foot then abruptly caught in between two fallen tree branches.

"Oof." in her fight or flight state, she quickly turned around too see what had become of the beast. But there was presently no sign of it.

She looked around frantically, before feeling a growing sharp pain emanate from her right knee.

"Ow!" She lifted her knee to inspect it, seeing that there was a large open gash there that slowly started to bleed.

Dark Matter- Pearl Jam*

Suddenly, what seemed to be flying over her, far above the trees, was the furry dark creature.

Her heart had never stopped pounding. Her vision more focused now as it sharpened over where the beast landed.

Yards away, it stood in an open area around the forest. She sat up and positioned herself to stand by behind a thick tree.

It landed behind a tall figure who appeared to be facing the opposite direction. The figure looked to have that of long white-silver hair that passed it's knees. Something that looked like a large white fluffy pillow draped over his shoulder.

It felt like her heart had suddenly stopped beating in her chest once she heard it speak. It's voice too, was unearthly and chilling.

"Sesshomaru, we meet again."

'Sesshomaru?' She thought, feeling her heart restart again.

Sesshomaru turned slowly to face it.

Rin placed her right hand over her chest, seeing this Sesshomaru as she had once in her dream weeks ago.

There he stood in a white and red kimono, one that looked of very fine silk. He was even more reserved in his place.

His eyes, however, were cold and hallow. The purple moon was visible at the center of his forehead. The two magenta stripes painted his cheeks.

He was different, visibly, dangerously terrifying.

"What of it?" She heard him say.

"Give us Bakusaiga, or face the primary league of the Bear Clan!"

She saw half of his lips turn upward in a smirk. She watched as he closed his eyes, allowing his lungs to fill as if he was silently, eagerly provoked.

'Sesshomaru, no!' She wanted to run to him. Help him escape perhaps. She couldn't just stand by while this beast tore him apart.

"I will take your silence for what it is. Too bad we were not able to come to a compromise."

Suddenly multiple creatures similar to the one facing Sesshomaru leaped out from the trees, landing and encircling him.

"Take the sword. If he resist, kill him!"

The creatures stepped forward, quickly engulfing him whole. There was so much movement that Rin could not make out what was actually happening.

"Sesshomaru!" She screamed.

Pockets of bright neon green light flashed through the large heap. Before she could blink her eyes, a force rippled through the air, roughly pushing her backwards onto the ground.

Her ears were muffled from the roaring sound and great power of whatever that was.

It was extraordinary!

She rubbed fallen debris from her face and hair before opening her eyes, resettling herself as her doubled vision cleared.

"Sess-...," she uttered through coughs. "oumaru?" She paused after sitting up to make of what actually just happened.

There he stood. In the middle of dozens of slashed pieces of the creatures. The smell of blood filled the surrounding area and Rin was overcome by everything she was seeing.

But he, he was... untouched?

She saw of what looked like a sharp sword in his hand. Dripping blood leaked from the tip of it, down toward the ground.

His expression showed nothing.

Absolutely no ounce of fear, regret, or even sympathy.

More of the creatures leaped from all over. Sesshomaru quickly reacted this time.

She continued to watch as he used that sword to literally slice and stab. Removing parts of the creatures bodies without a second thought as they fell to the ground, one by one.

It was like a personalized dance of his.

As he swung about, his long hair swayed perfectly with each movement. Each strike, every thrust, was done with such precision. He fought elusively and it was difficult to predict his next move.

He went about with great alacrity. As if he had been waiting for this opportunity. As if it was laughable that anyone would even dare to challenge him.

She saw him strike his sword as waves and waves of unimaginable power poured out of him.

How unbelievable!

This Sesshomaru.

He was fast.

He was relentless.

He was indefatigable.

He was easily unmatched.

His strength, something she had never in her whole life seen or heard of before.

He came out of it all completely unscathed. Never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined what just took place.

He stood there triumphantly, impinging upon all her senses.

In an instant, he had destroyed every single creature.

And though she was terrified by everything she had just witnessed. She was equally aroused by this Sesshomaru.

He was fearfully dazzling.

She never wanted him more than she did now.

"Sesshomaru?" She whispered.

He then quickly turned to face her, his eyes narrowing, peering at her questionably.

There was blood, corpses, and darkness all around.

But suddenly she noticed the light of the sparkling crescent moon and sparkling stars up above.

How they reflected on his undeniable strength.

All of that light somehow made him glow brighter as his long silver hair blew softly in the zephyr.

He was indeed light, and the mysterious strength of the moon itself.

Him, standing there, eyeing her down. He was completely unblemished.

Completely clear of any blood or debris.

What did this all mean?

"Sesshomaru?" She whispered again.

He still stood there, studying her with his eyes, as if he did not recognize her somehow.

He gazed down at her bleeding knee and then turn in the opposite direction, huffing lightly, "Woman." And then turned to leave, never looking back as his long hair trailed behind.

"Sesshomaru?"

"Sesshomaru."

"SESSHOMARU!"

"Sesshomaru!" Rin opened her eyes to see the familiar surroundings that she had previously known. Her bedroom.

She straightened up in bed and rubbed her eyes clear.

"Am I so imbedded in your thoughts that you must think of me even when you are dreaming?"

Rin turned right and immediately blushed, seeing Sesshomaru seated at her bedroom desk. He was leaning back in the chair with his head turned up, facing the ceiling. His arms were crossed over his chest and he was calm and quiet. The morning sun looked to have just began its rise for the day, shining its radiant light through her nearby opened window.

She thought, perhaps he had been waiting for her to wake. "H-Have you been waiting long?"

"I have not." He replied.

Rin nodded and looked over at her alarm clock, presently it was well past the time for her and Kagome to be attending their first class. "Oh no," she scrambled, throwing her sheets off of her. "I must have overslept!"

"Are you well Rin?" She heard him say, eyes still fixed toward the ceiling.

"Yes," she contemplated briefly, "yes I am. Why did you ask that?"

"Because," he answered, finally turning to face her. "Today is Saturday."

Rin facepalmed and let out an exhausted chuckle. "Wow, I feel like I may be a bit disoriented, Oh!" She quickly recovered herself, realizing that all of her legs and thighs were exposed to him, remembering that she had only slept in a small t-shirt and panties.

"I cannot see it possible that you are receiving the adequate rest you require." He spoke nonchalantly, his eyes back toward the ceiling. "Not in the way you toss and turn."

She sighed and brushed parts of her bangs out of her eyes, her elbows now on her knees as she was better able to visualize him. She was thankful that her nightmare had finally ended, as real as it felt, but she was incredibly curious as to why she was experiencing this alternate version of him. Even more of what he meant to her, completely drenched in an ocean of mysteries.

After hearing no response from her, he spoke again. "Your dream, tell me."

Rin stiffened and straighten her back again. She then tucked both the sides of her hair behind her ears. "Well um...," she exhaled deeply. "I can't even imagine how to describe it."

He turned to face her again.

"You... you were there again. And honestly, you were like this incredible fighter!" She continued enthusiastically. "It was all just... a very scary, very realistic dream. I really don't understand it."

Sesshomaru sat up straight in the chair, looking forward at Rin's bookshelf full of novels, medical articles and journals, textbooks, and various literature. He stood up and walked over to the bookshelf, reaching for a thick but rather small book. "I know of someone who may be of assistance."

Rin watched him walk across her room. Across her. He walked so beautifully, gracefully. Almost like he had been raised to be a prince. "And who might that be?"

He gazed up at her from the book in his hand, flashing a small bit of annoyance in his eyes. "My mother."

Rin stared at him blankly, gaping shock written all over her face. "Your... your mother?

"She has an unusual ability of the interpretation of dreams." His focus now back at the book.

She lowered her brows disbelievingly. "She does?"

He nodded and as she looked at him for more of an explanation she noticed a linear shaped laceration on the right side of his cheek that looked to be nearly healed. She tilted her head a bit as she was sure that mark was not there before he left last night. "What's that?"

Sesshomaru darted his eyes at her, seeing her little finger pointed at his face. "It's nothing Rin."

She stood up from her bed and walked over to him. She looked up, inspecting the site a bit more closely. He saw her reach her thumb towards his cheek and she lightly caressed it, eyeing it questionably. "But it's just about healed. Was this here before?"

He closed the book in his hands and placed it on her nightstand, gazing back down at her. "There is much that you do not understand about me Rin."

She furrowed her brows again, searching through his eyes for again more of an explanation.

"But understand this. I will protect you," he placed his hand over the back of her head, drawing her closer to him. "Come. I am inviting you over for dinner with my family. There, you can meet them and we will call her."

"Okay," Rin thought nervously over it all. Hopefully everyone else was as pleasant as his father Toga, for that she could only hope. She watched him then lower his gaze to her obvious partially naked body.

She abruptly took a step back, pink discoloration pigmenting her upper cheeks. "Oh, sorry. Let me go put on some more clothes."

His eyes still fixed on her, her little toes covered in pink paint. Her petite thighs and the small light pink undergarment she chose to wear adorning her hips. She was wearing a small all-white shirt that barely covered the lower half of her waist and as he continued up, he could visualize the outline of her perked breast underneath the shirt. He felt within the center of his entire body warm. That warmth involuntary radiated throughout all his limbs, flowing in whichever direction it chose. He knew that sensation, albeit one that he was not necessarily accustomed to. It was similar to the rush he would inwardly feel upon triumphantly ending the life of a lesser demon, which to him was just about anyone other than his father.

It was euphoric.

A sensation that had the power to potentially make him vulnerable.

But he would be the predator. It was his rightful place. But just like a starving man he would have to catch his prey all in the right circumstances. But why he physically responded to her this way without a second thought made him even more curious of her. Of all the women and demonesses he had ever seen, even in such a delicate state, had not peaked his curiosity like she did.

"You wore less at the beach," He said, meeting her eyes again. He walked over to her and placed his hand over the dip of her back, drawing her closer to him again. He had, needed to touch her. Desiring to understand the burning hunger for her within him. "You do not have to hide from me Rin. Be as comfortable as you wish."

Her eyes never left his. She watched out of the peripheral of her eye as his other hand went to cup her cheek. There was a mutual understanding here. One that had her heart racing so much so that her mind was not able to keep up with it, making her slightly dizzy. In an instant he had his lips over hers, gentle at first. But then quickly he pulled her chest to chest with him, devouring her in passionate kisses, in a way he had yet to do. She wanted everything he would be willing to give her.

Everything.

She hungrily matched his energy, placing her fingers within the hair on his scalp and down his back. He flicked his tongue over her lips and she obliged, opening her mouth for him. He tasted her, circling around inside her with his tongue. She was as sweet and ravishing as she looked and smelled. It was like their tongues had a mind of their own, tasting each other. Bathing in the mess they'd made. Desperate for more.

Rin nibbled at his lower lip and he unexpectedly picked her up, hands carrying her by her bottom over his hips. He went over to her neck and she instinctively tilted her head to give him more access.

She felt his chest expand, inhaling her deeply there. Almost like a wild animal. And that was exactly like how he was behaving.

She then felt something sharp puncture at her skin. Well really two things. "Uhh," she moaned loudly, gripping the back of his head in pain. Somehow it was pleasing and she had to bite down on her lower lip in efforts to stifle another sound that was begging to come out of her. He had not released her yet, as if he was not aware of what he was actually doing. "Sess... Sesshomaru?"

He squeezed her tighter, sinking his teeth further within the junction of her neck. She felt her lips part as sounds of agony and pleasure escaped her. He then finally released her and licked at the area where he had bitten her. It did not hurt her, in fact all of the sensation there began to fade.

He lifted his head to face her, seeing an obvious reddened flush all over her face and neck. He licked the blood from his lips, eying her through lowered lids. Across his face, as she could see, was pure satisfaction. But why did he do that? "You bit me."

"The pain is only temporary."

She looked at him puzzled, "But why?"

"Do you trust me?" He said seriously.

"Y-yes, I do." She replied, searching his eyes.

He kissed her on her forehead and let her down. "We should prepare to leave."

She nodded slowly and proceeded towards her closet to get dressed.

He like how she obeyed, taking his commands at face value.

He was more sure of this than anything in his long life. He would protect her, no matter the cost. She was his and soon they would all put a stop to any threats against his kind and anyone that would be against the union of human and yokai.

AN: Sooooooo...

Poor Rin. She's juggling so much right now. So much is coming at her and all she can do is lean on Sesshomaru for some sort of guidance.

Next chapter should be quite the read :)