Love.

The word was as foreign to Sesshoumaru as the feeling itself.

Growing up, his mother had ensured he was well-versed in history, culture, and the politics of his kind. Court intrigue and power plays dominated his education within the magical walls of the sky palace.

But on land, his father's lessons were far more primitive—teaching him how to hunt, fight, and survive in a world that showed no mercy. There was no time, no space, for affection or the burden of unnecessary emotions.

It wasn't until that fateful day—when Tōga left to save his mortal mate—that the idea was even spoken of aloud.

"Do you have someone to protect?"

At the time, the question had seemed absurd, laughable even. What need had he for such a weakness? His focus was singular—defending his birthright, securing his power. Anything else was irrelevant.

But now, as those words resurfaced in his mind, they carried a strength he had never understood before. It felt as though he had only just spoken them with his father, the memory so vivid and sharp. And now he wished for the first time in his life that his father could see him.

Because he did have someone to protect.

As his hands untied the sash securing Kagome's yukata, the soft cotton fabric fell away revealing her delicate form. His breath caught as the smooth curve of her shoulders and the swell of her breasts came into view, her skin glowing like starlight. Her nipples peaked under the cool air and his heated gaze, their response stirring something within him.

Sesshoumaru leaned forward, his thumb tracing gentle circles around one peak, the contrast between his rough, calloused hands and her soft skin leaving her squirming. Lowering his head he claimed the other with his mouth, the warmth of his tongue coaxing a quiet moan from Kagome.

He had someone to care for.

The thought consumed him as his free hand trailed down her side, exploring the contours of her body. He was not just a warrior in this moment—he was a man learning, discovering, and cherishing.

He had someone to love.

The realization struck him again as his lips left her skin to meet her gaze. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, her expression a perfect blend of affection and trust. Her hands, small yet steady, reached for him, pulling him closer as though she couldn't bear any distance between them.

Sesshoumaru had intended to take things slow, but Kagome's urgency was unraveling every ounce of restraint he possessed. The way her small hands tugged at his haori, pushing it from his shoulders, her nails dragging down the planes of his chest—it was enough to make his beast snarl with impatience.

He pulled back just long enough to rid himself of his clothing. His haori and pants were gone in the blink of an eye, his movements so swift that Kagome barely had a chance to take in the sight of him before he was over her again. Her own robe, already loose, was torn from her body with a sharp tug, leaving her bare beneath his heated gaze.

Sesshoumaru's hands were everywhere, gripping her thighs and spreading her legs wider as his mouth captured hers in a searing kiss. There was no hesitation, no second-guessing—only the all-consuming need to claim her in every possible way. His lips left hers, trailing a blazing path down her neck, over her collarbone, and across the soft swell of her breasts. He lingered just long enough to tease her peaked nipples with his tongue, eliciting a choked gasp before continuing downward.

Kagome's breaths came in short, shallow bursts as Sesshoumaru worshiped her body with his lips and tongue. When he reached her navel her hands clutched the silk sheets. But when his descent didn't stop there, her eyes widened in realization. "Wait! Not ther—"

Her words caught in her throat as Sesshoumaru's nose pressed against the small patch of hair above her core. He inhaled deeply, his nostrils flaring as he took in her mouthwatering scent. Whatever protests she might have had dissolved the moment his tongue dragged over her slick folds, as though savoring the taste of her.

Kagome's cheeks burned with mortification. This—this wasn't something she'd expected. Sure, she understood how sex worked, but she hadn't anticipated this.

But then Sesshoumaru's tongue moved again, all coherent thought scattered like leaves in the wind.

His hands gripped her thighs to keep her firmly in place as his mouth worked her with unrelenting focus. Every lap of his tongue over her sensitive flesh sent jolts of pleasure coursing through her, and when he found the swollen bundle of nerves Kagome cried out making her back arch off the bed.

"S-Sesshoumaru!" she gasped, her hands instinctively finding their way to his silken hair. Her fingers tangled in the silver strands as she pulled him closer, her earlier embarrassment forgotten in the face of the mounting pleasure.

Sesshoumaru growled low, the vibration against her core making her toes curl. He lavished attention on her clit, alternating between firm strokes of his tongue and gentle suction, learning what made her gasp, moan, and tremble. Each sound she made was a victory.

When he finally pulled back to glance up at her, he found Kagome utterly undone. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips parted as she struggled to catch her breath, her half-lidded gaze heavy with need.

Unable to resist any longer, Sesshoumaru bit off three claws and pressed his fingers along her sex. Slowly, his middle finger slid inside and her tightness clenched him in a way that had him squeezing his eyes shut.

Kagome's reaction was immediate—her back arched slightly, her lips parting in a gasp at the unfamiliar intrusion. She clutched his biceps as her body worked to adjust to the new sensation.

This was unlike anything he had experienced before. Demonesses, for all their beauty and strength, were built differently—made to endure and accommodate a variety of sizes. Kagome was uncharted territory, a human unbelievably tight and untouched by another. The knowledge that she was his and his alone, that no male had ever claimed her in this way, sent a primal haze through his mind.

"You're so wet," he murmured, his voice rough, filled with awe and possession. Slowly, he added a second finger, his movements careful as he eased her into the stretch. He watched every flicker of emotion across her face—the initial shock, the uncertainty, and finally, the way her features softened as her body began to accept him.

Kagome whimpered softly, her grip on his arms tightening just so. "Sesshoumaru," she breathed, his name trembling on her lips.

"Breathe, Kagome," he said softly, though his own breaths were ragged. His thumb brushed soothing circles against her hip as his fingers worked in and out of her, coaxing her body to relax around him.

Just as her breathing began to steady, his free hand found its way to her breast, cupping the soft mound and teasing the dusty peak between his fingers. Kagome moaned, the dual sensations making her head spin.

"You're perfect," he said, his voice a deep rumble. "Your body, your sounds… everything about you was made for me."

His words were heady and Kagome couldn't help but believe them. Her body reacted instinctively to his touch, her hips rising slightly as his fingers curled inside her, brushing a spot that sent sparks of pleasure shooting through her. She cried out, her nails dragging down his arms, leaving faint red marks in their wake.

Sesshoumaru's lips curled into a satisfied smirk. "There," he murmured, focusing his movements on that spot, his fingers pressing and rubbing in just the right way to draw out more of those sweet, breathless sounds.

Kagome's head fell back against the bed, her eyes squeezing shut as her body trembled beneath him. "It's too much," she gasped, though her hips betrayed her, tilting up to meet his hand.

His free hand slid down from her breast, tracing the curve of her waist before settling back on her hip to steady her as he quickened the pace of his fingers.

The room was filled with the wet sounds of his movements and Kagome's soft cries, the air thick with the scent of her heat. Sesshoumaru's beast roared and paced in its cage, but he held it at bay, determined to draw her pleasure out.

When he finally leaned down to capture her lips in a searing kiss, thrusting his tongue inside her mouth in time with his fingers as he added a third. Sesshoumaru broke the kiss just long enough to whisper against her lips, "Let go, Kagome. I'll catch you."

And with one final, precise stroke of his fingers, she climaxed.

This orgasm was unlike anything Kagome had ever experienced. It left her trembling, her body thrumming with sensations that felt almost otherworldly. It was nothing like the fleeting highs she had achieved on her own, nor the desperate friction they'd shared in the wolf's den. This was something entirely different—a descent into euphoria so profound it felt like touching the stars. Her chest heaved as waves of pleasure coursed through her, carrying her higher with each pump of Sesshoumaru's fingers.

Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, was fighting a losing battle with himself. The sight of Kagome, her body flushed and glistening with sweat from the force of her release, was almost too much to bear. His claws flexed as red bled into his golden eyes, the feral instincts of his beast clamoring for dominance. Watching the tears of pleasure slip from her lashes only stoked the fire in his blood. She was ravishing—soft, delicious, and entirely his.

Kagome barely had time to catch her breath before strong hands gripped her waist and flipped her onto her stomach. A startled gasp escaped her as she felt herself pulled to her knees, her hips lifted high while her chest remained pressed to the cool sheets. She glanced over her shoulder at the sight of the demon behind her. Sesshoumaru's gaze glowing crimson as he stared hungrily at her glistening sex.

Her wide-eyes dropped lower, and that's when she saw it—his arousal, thick and heavy, gripped in his clawed hand as he stroked himself. It was the first time she'd seen one in person, and it was frightening. Kagome had felt him before, had known he was big, but seeing it now made her breath hitch.

Her moment of dazed observation ended when Sesshoumaru leaned over her pressing the hot, rigid length of himself against her folds. The motion sent panic bubbling to the surface as she realized his intentions. He was planning to take her like this—in a way she wasn't ready for.

Her fight or flight kicked in, and she began to squirm, trying to crawl away. "Stop," she groaned, her voice shaky as she felt the tip of him nudge her entrance. Sesshoumaru growled low and dangerous in response, his lips brushing her ear as he followed her movements, his body crowding hers.

"Sesshou… not like this," she gasped, her voice trembling but firm.

The growl tapered off, replaced by a strained silence as her words seemed to pierce through his clouded mind. For a moment, Kagome feared he wouldn't stop—that the beast had taken over completely. But then he froze, his body going rigid above her. Slowly, Sesshoumaru pulled back.

Relief washed over her, but she didn't let him retreat too far. She turned onto her back, reaching for him before the fragile connection between them could snap. Her hands cupped his face, her thumbs brushing against the jagged stripes on his cheeks. His eyes, returning to gold, locked onto hers.

"I want to see you," she whispered. Her fingers tightened slightly. "Can we do it like this?"

Sesshoumaru's chest heaved as he processed her words. The rejection his beast had felt only moments ago melted away under the warmth of her gaze. She wasn't pushing him away—she was pulling him closer. Her shy, open expression stirred something far more powerful than lust.

Without a word he leaned down, bracing himself on his forearms as he hovered over her. Kagome's heart fluttered as his face came close, his features softening just enough to show that he was listening, that he was present.

"If that is your wish…" he murmured against her lips, his voice still rough but steady.

Her legs parted instinctively welcoming him as he settled between them and the heat of his body pressed against hers. Sesshoumaru moved slowly, his hand sliding to the back of her thigh to hook it around his hip bringing them closer.

When he began to press forward, easing into her warmth with infinite care, Kagome winced. Her nails dug into his shoulders as a rush of heat and pain raced through her. Her body tensed at the new sensation causing a quiet hiss to slip past her lips.

Sesshoumaru froze instantly, his entire frame shuddered as he battled the primal instincts roaring within him. His forehead lowering to rest against hers in a gesture of reassurance. His breath came in ragged, uneven bursts, mingling with hers as he whispered hoarsely, "Breathe, Kagome. I need you to let me in."

The deep yearning in his voice made her heart ache. She nodded, exhaling heavily as she willed her body to relax. His lips brushed over her brow, her cheek, and finally her dry lips. Each kiss was a silent promise, a reassurance that he was with her every step of the way.

As her grip on his shoulders loosened and her breathing steadied, Sesshoumaru moved again, easing out with infinite patience before slowly pressing forward once more. Every movement was calculated, his touch feather-light as he adjusted to her responses. His gaze never left Kagome's as his hand came up to entwine with hers and held it next to her head.

As he began to move in a slow, languid rhythm, the tautness in her body ebbed away and was replaced by a new warmth that sent soft moans tumbling from her lips. Her reactions spurred him on and encouraged him to continue.

"You're exquisite," he murmured while watching her. He adjusted his angle slightly and when her breath caught a faint smirk ghosted across his lips. He committed every nuance of her expression to memory—the way her lips parted, the way her lashes fluttered when he moved just right.

When her hips began to meet his in perfect rhythm, Sesshoumaru shifted their position, sitting upright and pulling her up onto his lap. His strong hands gripped her waist guiding her movements as his thighs tensed beneath her. Kagome's cries grew louder as he met her with stronger upward thrusts, each one igniting sparks that raced through her veins.

"So tight… so perfect," he breathed, awe lacing his words as he drank in the sight of her. Her flushed skin, the way her body moved with his—it was a vision he would treasure forever.

Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, fingers threading through his silken hair as she clung to him as her moans grew louder. Sesshoumaru's lips found hers in a heated kiss swallowing her cries.

"That's it," he groaned against her mouth as her sheath spasmed around him. "Let go for me, Kagome. I want to feel all of you."

His words unraveled her and with a broken cry of his name, she shattered. Her body shook violently in his grasp as waves of pleasure consumed her, her nails digging into his back as she rode out the intensity of her release.

Sesshoumaru held her through it all, his forehead pressed against hers, his own breath shuddering as he followed her over the edge moments later. The orgasm triggered his instincts and his fangs were suddenly embedded in Kagome's neck over the courting mark. Completing their bond.

As her aftershocks subsided and she collapsed against his chest, body spent and her breathing uneven, Sesshoumaru wrapped his arms around her, cradling her close.

Kagome pressed her cheek against his shoulder, her fingers trailing softly along his back as her breathing steadied. "Promise me you will stay… That you won't leave me behind," she pleaded.

Sesshoumaru tightened his hold on her as his lips brushed against her temple. "I promise," he rumbled.

In that moment, they weren't just demon and human, lord and priestess—they were two souls intertwined, finding solace and love in one another's arms.