LVI

Aquam Calidem

The snow is deep and clean and blinding white, and the smell of it is sharp enough even for Kagome's nostrils. Kouga stops his run for a while at midday and lets her down from his arms to stretch her legs. Not for the first time, Kagome thinks that it would be nice if she had the same speed and endurance as the wolves she has been living with.

When she is tired of stumbling around in the snow, she makes her way back to where Kouga is standing, arms crossed, watching her; his face is to the wind and his expression is troubled, but when he looks down at her there is nothing printed on his features but a smile.

"Ready, Kagome?"

"Oh no, you're not getting off that easy. What's the trouble?"

Kouga scrunches his face in irritation.

"Too sharp, woman, you're too sharp. Nothing, all right? Not – well, not real trouble, just irritation. I smell dog."

"You -"

Kagome blinks.

"You...what?"

"I smell dog. Inu. Can't be helped, I suppose, the old bastard's got the place open to everyone..."

Kouga shrugs, and then before Kagome has a chance to ask another question, he picks her up again and turns to the north.

"Hold on tight, Kagome!"

There is no conversation while he's running – not like this. Not in the whirlwind, where the air whips so sharply, so fast, that the cold is a knife of fire where it touches Kagome's cheeks. She tugs the edges of her hood forward further to protect her skin, and presses her cheek against Kouga's shoulder. She closes her eyes to the whirl of white and warm darkness creeps over her, envelopes her in the eye of the storm.

She dreams of snow and red, incongruous.

Red, beneath my cheek.

"Kagome...Kagome!"

Red...

Blue.

She opens her eyes, and is faced with brilliant blue. Kouga's smile is an inch from her face; he kisses her, warm pressure, and then leans backs and lets her down from his arms.

"We're here, Kagome."

"Here? Where's here?"

Kouga holds her until her legs steady, and then holds her because he can. She turns in his arms, looking around the landscape – white, everywhere the white of gleaming snow and nothing else.

"There's nothing here, Kouga!"

He laughs, and reaches out a hand to cover her eyes.

"What about now?"

For a moment Kagome struggles, but his questions makes her stop and laugh.

"Now it's dark and I can't see anything!"

"And now, Kagome?"

Kouga takes his hand away,. The moon is just coming up over the horizon, and the landscape revealed in the sheen of its light is – magic. Magic.

"Kouga! What – how -"

He grins, more than pleased with her reaction, and takes her hand to lead her forward across the snow. Dark buildings of gleaming wood stand as if they've always been there when Kagome knows they have not – that a moment ago, the hills were bare and empty. Steam spirals up in more than one place. A fog clings close to the ground, showing greenery where she knows there was a snow just a moment before.

A welcoming light shines from behind a red curtain printed with golden characters – welcome, relax, welcome, good fortune, happiness, relax, good fortune, welcome -

"Welcome, welcome! Kouga-sama, so long since we've had the pleasure of your company – and you've brought a guest, how lovely."

"Yes, she is. Kagome, meet Kouki. He owns this place. Kouki-san, this is Higurashi Kagome."

"Welcome, beautiful lady! And a miko – how precious, how rare."

Kagome stares into his dark eyes, black eyes – they gleam at her from behind the mask of a racoon'sfur, and she is disconcerted by the greed in them, the swift sharp growth of desire. Behind her Kouga tenses – does he see it too? His hands reach out and close around her, draw her back against his chest. She feels his claws against her waist and looks up at him. Through her bangs she sees blue fire in Kouga's gaze, even though he is still smiling.

"Kouki-san, be careful. I am courting the lady, and she has accepted only me."

"Ah...how sad for me!"

The pressure of Kouga's aura relaxes only a little, and the smiling, dark furred face of their host turns away from them. He pulls the red curtain to one side, and gestures with the other hand – no, other paw. Kagome stares as she walks by even though she knows she shouldn't. Paws, a raccoon's paws –

But then she is distracted by a sudden change in the atmosphere – by enveloping warmth.

"Kouga – Kouga this is an onsen, isn't it!"

She turns to look at him and surprises him in the middle of his smile.

"It is. Kouga you're wonderful."

She dances toward him on the tips of her toes, and because he is expecting it he catches her in the kiss she gives him and doesn't let her go. She is embarrassed, to be standing in a hallway in full view of anyone, while Kouga's tongue strokes her lips. Kouki is standing just a few steps away, and she can feel those gleaming black eyes on her, that inscrutable smile –

But Kouga is not embarrassed. Kouga is anything but. By the time he is done with her Kagome's breath is soft little pants that please him, her eyes bright and smoky with heat. Kouki sidles closer to them, looks up at Kagome and then turns to Kouga as if he has thought better of his words.

"Kouga-sama, will you and the lady be bathing together?"

Kouga cast his gaze at Kagome, hopeful and questioning. His hands are still around her waist and her flush is as dark as he has ever seen it.

"Well, Kagome? Will you come bathe with me?

She licks her lips, tastes his kiss and pauses – is there any reason to say no? Isn't this what she wanted? A way to make it easy on herself, a way to escalate her attention? And there was the heat of her body, and the thought of being alone in this youkai place...

"All right. Yes, I'll – I'll come with you."

Kouga's smile is wise and full of fangs, and Kouki turns and leads them down a long hall full of shoji. There are moving shadows behind the white paper, low voices and laughter, the sounds of water and an endless rustling.

She is so caught up in looking around her that she runs into Kouga's back when they stop. Kouki points, and she looks up at a pair of curtains, dark blue silk this time.

"My lady, on the left you'll find everything you need – and the same for you on the right, Kouga-sama. Please, enjoy your stay."

Kouki turns and leaves them. Kouga winks at her, and then vanishes behind the curtain on the right. Kagome flushes, more uncertain now than ever – what was she thinking? Can she even do this? But she clenches her fists and puts up her chin and stalks forward through the curtain anyway. She thinks of Kouga's kiss, and everything he does for her – she thinks about everything Hakkaku has told her, and takes a deep breath.

One garment at a time she disrobes, and then reaches for a towel and wraps it around her and marches out the other side of the changing room and into a whirling of mineral steam.

For all her posturing, she's glad to see that Kouga isn't there yet, and she moves fast to the side of the water, casts aside her towel and then slips in with a splash and a yelp.

"Hot!"

Once she is settled against the wall of the spring, she is quite pleased with herself. Right up until the moment Kouga comes striding out, she feels like she's dodged a bullet – but if she had been thinking she would have thought that maybe it was better for him to see her coming.

Instead she has to watch him, dry mouth and heart suddenly in her throat. There is nothing modest about him – he hasn't even put his towel around his waist, carries it casually in one hand and tosses it beside hers when he is close enough. She tries, but she can't keep herself from staring at his nakedness.

He is gorgeous, perfect and gorgeous, and she feels suddenly like she can never be good enough – like she should just run away.

A/N: Ah what a failure I am! I've been so involved with editing my debut novel and working on book two of its series that I haven't written any fanfiction at all for...well, too long. So my apologies to all of you and never fear – nothing is discontinued. I'm sending in a draft of edits tomorrow, so hopefully I'll have a week or two to work on chapters before I get sucked into the endless process of doom again! My thanks to all of you who have reviewed and sent me messages – fear not! The story shall go on! This chapter's title, "Aquam Calidem", translates to "Hot Water". More soon!

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