Author's note - Be advised that the rating goes up to M for this, the penultimate chapter of this story. Just a heads up! We are almost at the end. Please leave a review on your way out. :)

To PinkDragonStrike: Your reviews have literally made my MONTH. Now I want to stay in Sesshōmaru's head and write another story lol. You are too kind!

For the first time in her life, Rin felt powerful and self-assured. Sesshōmaru looked upon her with such hunger that her shyness all but evaporated. For a moment she had been confused by his growing agitation, but she quickly saw it for what it was: he feared for her. He felt dread for the future when he had to watch helplessly while she aged and eventually died.

She was again reminded of the injustice of fate, that they should fall in love but that her life was so brief in comparison to his. But her love for him would stand against any foe, whether material, or time itself. She would not allow dread of future separation to keep them from finding joy in the present.

Her demand that he make love to her seemed to snap him out of his darkness. He lifted her easily around her backside, guiding her legs to wrap around his waist as he eased them to the ground. Though she had spread out the blanket, his fur had spread itself beneath her and her over sensitized skin reveled in the feel of it.

His hands on her body caused her secret place to swell and ache, and moisture to pool at the tops of her thighs. She felt the brush of his arousal on her belly and she felt a surge of anticipation, for what, she was not quite sure. All she knew was that she wanted more, right now.

Sesshōmaru loomed over her and simply gazed at her. She writhed against his hips, cradled against the warmth of her center. Her movements prompted an answering thrust from him and he hissed, but he made no further move to possess her. Rin tried to relax, to stop trying to rush this, their first time.

The afternoon sun cast a rainbow as it shafted through the mist of the waterfall, and his hair fell around them like a curtain. She could stare at him forever. Truly he was a god, for no earthly being could possibly be this beautiful.

Sesshōmaru traced her cheek bone to her jaw with his fingertips, all the way to her throat. "By all of heaven and hell, Rin, you are perfect."

She smiled, biting her lip. "Mmm…I was thinking the exact same thing about you," She stretched her arms luxuriantly above her head and arched her body. His scorching gaze made her feel incredibly desirable. His hand hovered over one breast for a moment, almost as if he were unsure of his welcome.

"Touch me," she pleaded.

He palmed her flesh experimentally, and she moaned. He began to gently massage and squeeze, his breathing becoming more labored in response to her enjoyment. He leaned down and closed his lips around her nipple. She let out a breathy shriek and buried her hands in his hair, pressing him closer.

He growled as he sucked and licked her flesh; he squeezed the other breast, rolling that nipple between his fingers as his clever tongue flicked the other. The sensations went straight to her core and she felt a pressure begin to build there. His movements were unhurried as he explored her with his mouth and hands.

"You…you are so…skilled at this…my lord," she gasped.

His eyes met hers briefly. "My craving for you only makes it seem so."

Rin huffed a laugh that turned into a squeak at his ministrations. She was more aroused than she had ever been in her life. She covered her mouth with her fist, trying to quiet her wanton gasps.

"No," he pulled her hand away from her mouth, "I want to hear your voice," he murmured against her skin.

Sesshōmaru began to kiss a path to the underside of each breast, where he lavished worshipful attention, then made his way to her ribcage and she whimpered at the loss of his weight atop her. He was especially fascinated by her belly and navel, leaving her nearly insane with need.

Sesshōmaru was methodical and took his time. He touched every inch of her skin with his mouth, slowly, agonizingly. She felt his warm breath as he took in her scent and he whispered words she could not understand as he kissed and licked her body. It was the sweetest of tortures.

"The scent of you, Rin. I am lost…"

She lifted her head, surprised by his words and her eyes widened when she saw his intent. He yanked his hadagi and kimono from where they had been tucked haphazardly into to waistband of his hakama, tossed the garments aside, and stretched prone between her legs.

"Sesshōmaru, what are you doing?!" She felt a pang of self-consciousness to have her secret parts so exposed, but when she saw his expression as he examined her, all inhibition fell away. Sesshōmaru looked feral, breathing deeply and licking his lips.

"She opens for me like a flower to the sun," he murmured. Before she knew what was happening, his mouth was on her and she shrieked, grabbing the fur beneath her, twisting it in her hands as she writhed. He took hold of her thighs, spreading her legs further. He alternated between drinking deeply of her sex to nipping her thigh, almost playful. His low pitched growl was ever present, adding an extra dimension to the sensations he wrought upon her untried flesh.

"Oh, ohhhh that feels so good!" She tangled her hands in his hair and pulled.

The pressure quickly began to build again and she panted, needing more and pushing herself into his face. He lapped at her with single minded purpose and when he closed his mouth around the most sensitive part of her, she shattered with a wail. Sesshōmaru moved to his knees, and lifted her hips, still holding her thighs, his mouth eagerly devouring her pleasure.

Rin tensed as ecstasy rocked her entire body. She instinctively closed her legs around his head as her core pulsed over and over. Sesshōmaru groaned again, eagerly lapping at her center as she finally came down from her release. When her body went limp, he lowered her legs from his shoulders and crawled forward to hover over her.

She struggled to catch her breath as her eyes refocused on him. He looked wild and dangerous. His arresting golden eyes were rimmed in scarlet as he ran his tongue over his bottom lip still glistening with her release.

"Are you alright?" His brow knit slightly and his eyes moved rapidly over her face.

She couldn't find words and merely nodded, wrapping her arms around his neck. She lifted her head to reach for a kiss and he grunted in agreement. The taste of her own essence on his lips made her moan. He deepened the kiss with a growl. His hakama was the only barrier between them as he thrust his erection over her sex. He was so hard and she wondered why he still held back from taking her. Though she had just climaxed, she ached to join with him. She reached between them and grasped his tented length. He grunted as if in pain, his hand closed around her wrist.

"Rin…not yet."

"Please. I am ready. More than ready…"

He searched her face for a moment, his expression pained. "I do not want to hurt you, Rin."

She smiled tenderly at him and stroked his face. This was why he hesitated. This was why he denied himself. He was afraid he would lose control during the act and cause harm to her. Even in this, a most beautiful and sacred joining, he was first and always her protector. How she loved him!

"I trust you, Sesshōmaru, more than anyone in the world. You will not hurt me." Rin stroked his face lovingly.

"If you are certain, I will trust your words."

Still looking into her eyes, he reached down to untie his hakama with one hand. She gasped when his hard length sprang free. He held extremely still to allow her to examine his manhood. She was intrigued by the way it twitched and the steady stream of fluid that leaked from the tip. She longed to stroke it, and even to take it in her mouth to test her new knowledge given by Kagome.

But she resisted the urge when she noticed the tension radiating from him. His breathing was shallow and his eyes were closed as if he were concentrating very hard. He was having a battle within himself, even though he trusted her. Something told her that she should save that particular boldness for another time.

She finally tore her eyes away from his sex and met his gaze. His eyes were a bright tempest of emotion, searching her face. Her heart swelled with tenderness to see how truly vulnerable he was allowing himself to be with her. He was letting her see how desperately he desired her while at the same time wanting to protect her.

He had lived for centuries and would have likely bedded countless demonesses over the course of his life, but it dawned on her that he might be unsure of how things would go with her, a mere fragile human. She had not spared even a thought to his dilemma when she had so brazenly taunted him and stripped her clothes off like a wanton!

"Please forgive me for my carelessness, Sesshōmaru!"

He frowned and cocked his head slightly. "Rin? Where did this come from?"

She stroked his face and he kissed her palm, but his look of confusion remained. "I have been rather demanding of you, haven't I? I wanted to excite you. But I have forgotten how very different we are."

"Your assertiveness is very arousing."

She blushed and bit her lip. "Just…I am sure I am the first human woman you have ever done this with, and I should have been more aware of…of the…what's wrong?" His gold eyes turned molten amber and he rested his forehead to hers.

"Rin. You are the first, human or otherwise."

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "You mean…you have never done this…um, not even with—"

He languidly nosed around her neck, her throat. "No, not even with my own kind." He lifted his head to look at her, his eyes hazy with want and his lips kiss swollen. He touched her face with his fingers and he rumbled a soft growl as he resumed kissing her neck.

Rin was astonished. It explained so much about him, and particularly about his eager but hesitant reactions and explorations of her body. Here she thought he would be her teacher and guide in the art of love, and confidently do whatever he willed with her body…but it was not like that at all.

She had simply assumed he would have centuries of experience to draw upon. She had assumed he would take charge and ravish her, because he was Lord Sesshōmaru, and he would know what to do.

Always, Lord Sesshōmaru had been confident, knowledgeable and was able to anticipate her wants or needs ever since she had been a child. She could not ever remember him being surprised by anything.

But here, naked in each others arms, it seemed they were on equal footing. Equally new at this. They were the same. They could teach each other. Rin was exhilarated and overcome.

"I still ask for your forgiveness, husband. For making assumptions."

"There is nothing to forgive. We will trust one another, and all will be well."

"We will teach and guide each other," she agreed breathlessly as he adjusted himself atop her.

"Are you ready?"

She nodded and smiled encouragingly at him.

Positioning himself at her entrance, he slowly thrust forward. Rin cried out as he stretched her. There was only slight discomfort as he breached her completely, but that brief pain was immediately replaced by overwhelming pleasure.

Sesshōmaru bared his teeth, grinding out a growl, trembling with the effort to remain still once he had seated himself as deep as he could go. Rin felt she would die of happiness. The feeling of him inside of her was incredible. Tears pooled in her eyes and streamed into her hair and his brow furrowed in concern.

"Shall I stop?"

"If you stop, I really will cry, and you will be very sorry, my lord," she growled. She couldn't hold back a giggle when his eyes widened.

Sesshōmaru huffed a soft laugh and she giggled harder when he licked away her tears.

"They are happy tears, Sesshōmaru. I still wonder if this is all a dream," she whispered, touching his face.

"I wonder the same…" he whispered back, staring at her in wonder.

"Ohh, gods, but you feel so good," she whined, squirming beneath him. She squeezed her muscles experimentally.

His mouth dropped open and he moaned, "So…tight."

He withdrew almost all the way and then thrust to the hilt, causing them both to cry out in unison. He did this several times, slowly and deliberately. Suddenly his eyes bled completely scarlet.

His body seemed to uncoil from the restraints he had placed on himself where she was concerned, and he began to move to the rhythm of ancient instinct. Where he had been hesitant and unsure just moments ago, he now moved sinuously, fluidly, his back arching and serpentine as he began to plunder her body in earnest.

"Ahhhh….Riiiinn…I cannot…go slow," he ground out.

"Thank the gods, please take me…,"she sobbed in relief.

Sesshōmaru leaned back on his heels and pulled her hips toward him, never stopping his powerful thrusts. She loved the sight of him straining over her and rutting hard into her body. The way his lean battle hardened muscles moved beneath pale skin. She watched him look down to where their bodies joined and he wore an expression of transported bliss. Rin moaned and cried with the pleasure he inflicted upon her. She arched her back, taking all that he gave her with lustful abandon.

Rin thrashed beneath him, and leaned up to sink her teeth into his arm. He snarled, enflamed by her ferocity, and dove down to latch onto her shoulder, sucking hard, his aggressive growl growing louder with his relentless pace. She let out little rhythmic screams as he struck something deep inside that triggered an ongoing cascade of rapture . She clawed his back and tightened her legs around him, digging her heels into his hips. She began to see stars from the force of his possession. He laced their hands tightly together on either side of her head. Their eyes locked.

His thrusts were hard, fast and struck a spot inside of her that kept her on the very precipice. All she could do was gasp for breath and hold on for dear life. Sesshōmaru's movements became erratic and he growled as if in pain.

"Rin!"

The urgency of his voice when he called out her name sent her over the edge, wrenching a scream from her as her body was wracked with a cresting wave of shuddering ecstasy. Her vision went white for a moment with her completion and when she could see again, her breath caught at the dazzling sight of this normally reserved demon lord coming completely undone with an inarticulate roar, muffled by her shoulder.

His body jerked as he gasped with the aftershocks. She moaned hoarsely when she felt his seed pulsing within her. When his body relaxed from the grip of his completion, he collapsed atop her and let out a long groan of the well satisfied.

Rin felt boneless and spent, and from how heavy and sweaty he was atop her, she suspected he was too. Her arms were tangled in his hair, which was absolutely everywhere. Sesshōmaru lifted his head and peered at her, his brow furrowed. She absently blew his hair out of her mouth and giggled.

"I am perfectly fine, husband."

He grunted and his head dropped back to the crook of her neck.

Rin was more than fine. She was finally where she always wanted to be.

Her eyelids grew heavy and she released a massive yawn and the unavoidable sleep of the well-shagged began to overtake her.

She mumbled incoherently when she felt him move himself off of her. She vaguely perceived being lifted and carried in his powerful embrace. He sat down and held her close, his chest rumbling a soothing sound that she felt through her whole body. The last thing she remembered before oblivion claimed her were his lips against her ear.

"My cherished beloved. Sleep."

One more to go and this will be wrapped up. Thanks for reading and please leave a review!