Thursday, February 3, 2005

   Chapter 47: I Think You Do...
Inuyasha dropped lightly into the small grove that had been so hastily vacated not two days ago, his ears twitching to search out any threats as he looked at the slight mess some curious wildlife had made with their supplies. For the most part it seemed to be intact, but he gave that only a passing thought, much more concerned with his precious cargo than the replaceable goods.

He made his way to her rumpled bedding, nudging it into some semblance of order with one foot before he knelt down and eased her off him to lay her on her back. His brows drew together when his left hand came away from her hip slick with blood. 'Human blood,' his nose twitched as he lifted his hand to his face and tested it with his tongue.

Kagome was still losing only her human blood.

Inuyasha's hands worked the ties of Kagome's hakama and kimono easily, the fastenings so similar to his own clothing that he could have removed them blindfolded. The muscle in his cheek jumped from how hard his jaw clenched as he slid her out of the hakama and got a good look at the red soaking through the white kimono and the bandage beneath it. Although the growl that tore from his throat when he saw the large hand-shaped burn visible on her side above and below the bandage would have likely made her heart stop had she been awake to hear it.

He yanked open the kimono carelessly, slicing through the bandage and throwing it aside carelessly as he tilted her hip towards him to get a clear look at the tattoo. His fingers tightened reflexively when he saw the way the lines of the tattoo had change to a violet dark enough to nearly be black, blood oozing sluggishly from the darkened lettering.

Had his blood still failed to recognize him?

He frowned sharply at that thought, stroking a hand lightly over her stomach as he tried to think of the fastest way to snap her back to normal without hurting her. Over and over again his eyes were drawn up to her face, lingering on her lips before they traveled down over her exposed breasts and even farther down to the juncture of her legs.

There was nothing like nearly losing someone to make the most primal urge to reaffirm their health impossible to ignore. He could feel his heart beginning to race, the heat in his blood having nothing to do with anger and everything to do with the desire to lean down and loose himself in her heat.

He was berating himself for what had to have been the ninth time for leaning over her and "innocently" rubbing against her when he went still. Physical contact, the voice had said. Kagome would need physical contact to soothe his instincts in her and restore their balance. He nearly smacked himself in the head for his stupidity; mating her would be about as physical as it could get after all.

Inuyasha's gaze heated significantly as he let it travel back over her face, reaching up to untie his haori and toss it aside. His breathing started coming in light pants as he fought against the urge to rip off what was left of his clothes and bury himself in her right there, but he wanted her awake so he could see the way she responded to his touch.

First things first though, he reminded himself sharply, eyes glowing as they moved over the blood staining her pale skin from the tattoo down the outside of her leg. He slid down her body slowly, bracing his forearms on either side of her hips as he dipped his head and dragged his tongue over the tattoo.

His chest vibrated with an approving growl when Kagome sucked in a deep breath, her body shuddering in a gentle ripple from head to toe. The confusion and pain he could feel echoing mildly in her mind eased and her body relaxed under his leisurely attentions. The strain of alternately absorbing and shielding washed away as with every beat of his heart against her core, the youkai blood inside her calmed, recognizing its mate and wrapping itself around his aura.

Inuyasha felt the odd shift in his blood, Kagome’s heart finally settling into an identical pace as her aura readjusted to balance against him. He smiled arrogantly when Kagome sighed his name, shifting restlessly as her exhausted lethargy began to fade. Even unconscious though, she reached around awkwardly until her fingers found his ears and began to stroke gently from base to tip while he lapped the blood off her skin.

Rising arousal slowly and steadily filtered into the feel and scent of her, and Inuyasha deliberately ground his chest against her, making her squirm beneath him in frustration. He continued that careful lapping at her hip, down her thigh, and even around her ribs until the sight and taste of her blood was completely gone. Only then did he pull back to watch the tattoo leech from that lurid purple to the healthier crimson.

He let out a heavy sigh, willing the tension to leave his body in the same way, however… His gaze went up to her face, noting the way the strain that he had felt in her and the pain was long gone, replaced by much more acceptable emotions. She was still disoriented, hopelessly confused and trying to wake, but most important of all, she wanted him.

Not just what was stimulating her body, Kagome’s mind very clearly reached out for his, the soft keening plea, whisper-quiet in the back of his mind, but unmistakably crying out for him.

Growling, he slid himself down lower, his hands closing over her hips to hold her still as he nuzzled the inside of her thigh. He felt her heartbeat accelerate, a quiet, frustrated grunt rising from her throat as she struggled upwards through the layers of weary fog. Inuyasha turned his head, and in the same slow motions he’d used on her hip, ran his tongue lightly up her already slick folds.

In reaction to the contact, Kagome’s hips twisted almost violently, but Inuyasha’s hands simply tightened, holding her in place with ease. He couldn’t prevent the smug smile that tugged at his lips even as he shifted himself closer to tease the little hidden nub with his teeth. A moan worked its way from deep her throat as she instinctively moved against him, her fingers alternately rubbing his ears and clenching in his thick hair.

He dipped his tongue into her small passage for a deeper taste, reveling in her responses and the unique flavor that was not only Kagome, but traces of himself as well. ‘Only mine,’ Inuyasha growled possessively, eyes sliding closed as he was nearly overwhelmed by his feelings in his altered form. The instinct to dominate, to consume her urging him to press his mouth harder against her, bringing her almost to the point of climax as she inhaled sharply and opened her eyes.

“I-Inuy…asha…” Kagome’s breathy whisper was part shocked question and part hopeful plea as she arched into him, blinking rapidly to focus her blurred vision on his face.

Inuyasha opened his eyes, pausing to let glowing youkai scarlet and blue to capture her own gleaming azure gaze. He waited for her response with a calm expression that was far removed from the chaos in his mind. He may have bragged to Naraku that she knew her mate, but would she really reject him as a youkai?

He felt a shiver go through her again, her eyes turning liquid and warm as her scent intensified, but there was no hint of rejection. The only feel and smell coming from her was that intoxicating excitement. All for him, he thought as a wave of heat tightened low in his stomach, bringing his own desire almost to the point of pain.

He continued to hold her transfixed with his gaze, his eyes intent and fierce as he dipped his head and purposefully raked one elongated fang directly across the bud he’d exposed with his probing fingers.

Kagome’s body snapped taut, arching hard against his restraining hands as she gave voice to an incoherent shriek. The knot of desire inside her had tightened and splintered apart so abruptly at the sensation that she hadn’t had time to do more than register and identify its presence inside her before she was spiraling out of control with the powerful orgasm.

With her body shaking and spots dancing behind her closed eyelids, she panted and struggled to bring herself back under control. Her mind numbly tripped backwards over itself in an odd replay as she recalled the first impression she’d been aware of.

She remembered being trapped somewhere dark and silent, oppressive as it seemed to pull her in so many directions that she thought she’d go mad. Then a familiar warmth had flooded into her, dulling the screaming voices in her head and carefully collecting the scattered pieces of her thoughts. It had been so soothing and strong, so “right” in her mind that she’d reached for it immediately and wrapped herself in its presence as tightly as possible.

The feeling of strong arms coming around her soul and pulling her close had started to push the exhausted pain away, bringing her a return of her energy as a low voice murmured nonsense in her ear. The sound had relaxed her instantly even as it violently forced the other voices out of her head and she turned to bury her face against the man’s chest and inhale deeply. The scent was immediately distinguishable even with her jumbled mind.

Inuyasha.

Recognizing him had only urged her to press herself closer, lifting to rub against him in a silent plea for him to hold her and make the nightmare images chasing around in her head go away. When she rubbed her breasts against his chest, she was completely taken by surprise by the jolt of desire that went through her. It had lasted a moment before she rubbed against him again, leaning close to try and bring herself as close as possible. She was aching for him to kiss her, wanting so badly to feel them come together in that frenzied head and blinding pleasure he’d shown her so many times before.

Kagome had closed her eyes, feeling the now familiar pressure building in her center, letting herself drift with the heated, velvet rasp of sensation pulling strongly over and over at the juncture of her legs. Her entire body felt heavy, sluggish as she fought to respond to the coaxing motions from her dreamed Inuyasha. She wanted to show him how she felt, HAD to show him.

She’d become aware of little things in slow degrees. First, she could feel the cool, silky texture of Inuyasha’s hair against her legs and the soft warmth of his ears beneath her searching fingers. Then the contrasting feel of his kimono against the inside of her bare legs and the faint breeze trailing over her over-heated flesh and making her nipples tighten.

Her eyes opened on a particularly strong pulse, ‘Is…is it real?’

Kagome had looked down her body, her eyes finding Inuyasha lying between her legs with his mouth moving against her in time with that delicious throbbing in her blood. She’d called his name and found herself staring into the face of his youkai form, but the waves of his aura held no discernable threats. And behind those burning eyes was the same Inuyasha she had come to care so very deeply for.

The sight had only served to push her body that much closer to the edge, and then he’d just HAD to run his fang over her while keeping her captivated with his gaze.

She hadn’t stood a chance.

Kagome had been so caught up in the aftershocks of her climax and her mental replay that she hadn’t realized Inuyasha had even moved until she felt the clawed hands catch her beneath her breasts from behind. Kneeling behind her, Inuyasha dragged her up to pin her forcefully against the wall of his chest, rubbing his cheek against her temple.

She gasped in surprise, fighting to shake off her thoughts and clutching at his arms when one wrapped tightly around her torso to hold her still while he hooked the other beneath her knee and lifted it over his. She could feel his erection resting along the slick folds of her core as he slowly spread his knees apart to pull her own legs wide open.

Kagome’s breath hitched in her throat when he pulled her other leg over his as well, leaving her straddling his hips, completely exposed and feeling unbelievably vulnerable. She leaned back against his chest, her brows drawing together and up as she waited for him to enter her, but Inuyasha seemed perfectly content to sit just like that. He was teasing her aching flesh with a slow, continuous glide back and forth between her legs, but never deeper.

She shifted impatiently, trying to free her arms and slip his shaft inside her body herself, but the arm holding her against him tightened to keep her still. He dipped down, nipping her shoulder in a scolding warning that he wouldn’t be budged. His other hand trailed a clawed path up the inside of her thigh, over her stomach and down into the nest of curls as he used his index and middle fingers to toy with the little nub again.

Kagome whimpered, her neck arching to press her head hard against his shoulder as she tried again press herself down onto him, but he still held her still against him, refusing to give her the joining as he continued to wind her nerves tighter with teasing fingers and teeth. “Inuyasha, please!” she whispered in a near sob, wondering irrationally if it would kill her on the spot if denied her.

He ran his tongue over the edge of her ear, grinning hugely when it flattened back and she let out a loud gasp, “No.”

Kagome began to squirm in earnest, trying to escape his tormenting ministrations as his claws began to draw circles in her flesh, never right where she wanted it, but close enough to make her desperate for more. “Inuyasha!! I… I need you… Onegai?”

Inuyasha smiled against her hair at the admission, but still slowly shook his head, this time nipping at her ear just to hear her gasp again, “Not yet, Kagome. You’re going to have to promise me something first.”

Kagome was shaking with her frustration, the intensity of the feelings making it nearly impossible for her to keep her eyes open, “Inu-“

“First, you’re going to promise me that from now one, no matter what happens, you won’t leave me,” his voice was a harsh growl by the end of his demand, his youkai blood violently rejecting the idea of her being away from him. His blood would accept nothing less than her submission, and although his voice was strained with the force of his own restraint it easily conveyed that he would wait all night if he had too, “Promise me, Kagome!”

“I promise,” she twisted her head, pressing her mouth to his throat and catching the tendon with her own fangs.

Inuyasha sucked in a sharp breath, setting his jaw and pulling away before he could lose control. His eyes bored deep into hers, “Say it.”

“I won’t leave you,” she closed her hand around the arm holding her still and tugged, but Inuyasha would not be moved.

“No matter what.”

“No matter what,” she repeated obediently, her voice pitching higher on the last word when his claw drew close enough to send a fresh jolt through her already feverish blood. “Please, Inuyasha!!”

He let out a low rumble of approval, his arm lifting her slightly to fit the tip of his shaft into her tight opening. Kagome let out a low moan, arching her back as Inuyasha’s voice joined hers and he shuddered beneath her. Rather than thrusting into her, however, he paused again and held her immobile, “One more thing…”

“Damn you, Inuyasha, don’t fucking do this to me!” Kagome snarled, her eyes sparking red as she attempted to wrench free of his hold and take him inside herself.

Inuyasha simply held her tightly, a low chuckle of pure male arrogance escaping him at her unsuccessful attempts to take control. Kagome made a strong youkai, but he was far stronger, and he wasn’t letting go any time soon. She was panting with arousal, sweat rolling down her gleaming flesh and her eyes flashing fire when she managed to crane her neck to look at him.

She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

“This is the last one, koibito, I swear it,” his slid his claws away from their joined flesh and up to cup her left breast, rubbing the pad of his thumb over her swollen nipple. “After you do this for me, I’ll do whatever you want,” he promised thickly, aware that he was panting just as badly as Kagome, his own blood screaming at him to take his mate.

Kagome was still trying to have some control, attempting to arch into his hand, but he retained the careful, yet unbreakable hold around her with his other arm. Her chest heaving and the unfulfilled ache throbbing fiercely through her, she whined in defeat and nodded in agreement.

Inuyasha’s hands tightened, all but crushing her to him as he dropped a searing open-mouthed kiss to the side of her mouth, his teeth sinking into flesh and making her melt back into him. She closed her eyes, those quiet, keening noises he love so much rising from her throat when the hand toying with her breast moved back over her belly and down between her legs.

Kagome had just voiced a deep-throated growl, clamping her inner muscles tightly around the head of his shaft in an effort to pull him deeper inside her when he gritted out the hard command in her ear.

“Tell me you love me.”

Kagome hadn’t thought the heat churning low in her body couldn’t burn any hotter, but the sound of his voice and the demand sent a shock through her system that would have likely doubled her up had he not been holding her still. She turned passion- glazed eyes up to him, but when her mouth fell open, it took her two attempts before she could manage her question, “Why?”

Inuyasha let out one of the most violent growls she’d ever heard. His hand caught her chin to force her to hold his gaze as he stared down at her through heavy-lidded eyes, “The truth, Kagome. I want to hear you say the words.”

Kagome gaped up at him, her entire body quivering and demanding she stop being idiot and tell him so he would give her what she needed so badly. Her own mind was insisting she do whatever it took to bring an end to her own painful desire, “Inuyasha-“

Inuyasha’s mouth closed over hers, cutting off whatever she’d been about to say with almost bruising force. He still held her motionless as he tormented her, making her even more sharply aware of what was missing as he slid his tongue deep into her mouth, rubbing it against hers in a heated imitation of the mating they both craved.

He broke the kiss just as quickly as he’d starting it, never releasing her chin as he lifted his lips to her ear and nibbled lightly as he whispered, “I think you already do, and I want the words. I can tell if you lie to me.”

Inuyasha moved back enough to catch her gaze again, his expression as mild as he could manage with his body wound tight with hopeful anticipation and the feeling of her heat pulsing around him. Knowing that one hard thrust could sink him deep into her body wasn’t making it any easier to hold back, but he was determined to hear her confession, “Tell me you love me, Kagome.”

Kagome let out a shaking breath, opening pale eyes that had almost totally glazed with the strength of the feelings throbbing through her. She had known for a long while, denying it even to herself, but she had hoped she wouldn’t have to admit it to herself or Inuyasha… At least not until she knew for certain what his own feelings were.

His eyes were burning with silent demand when she met his tense stare, biting on her lip nervously as she lifted one hand to cup his cheek in a feather-light touch. Her voice, when it came, was quiet, shy and uncertain as she admitted, “I…I love you, Inuyasha…”

They both sat perfectly still for a moment after the soft confession, but then Inuyasha’s thighs tensed as both hands dropped to clench at her hips and he slammed into Kagome with a single, hard thrust. The force behind that added to the feel of his shaft stretching her tormented flesh to the limit send Kagome plummeting over the edge a second time. Her body free to arch against him this time as she cried out, clamping down hard around him as his mouth closed over hers to swallow the remaining sounds hungrily.

“Stay with me, koi,” Inuyasha growled low against her lips, panting from the effort of holding back his own climax as he slid his hands down her arms and took her wrists.

He leaned her forward slowly, taking great care to keep himself buried deep inside her as he brought her to her knees. When she had braced herself, albeit a bit unsteadily on her hands, he dragged his claws back up her arms and across her shoulders to move her hair to one side of her neck.

Inuyasha kept his knees spread wide in between her own as he took hold of her hips again and very slowly slid himself almost completely out of her, “Do you have any idea, Kagome, of how fucking long I’ve wanted to hear you say that to me?”

Kagome took a shuddering breath, her body over-sensitized from the sheer dominance radiating from him and the exquisite pull and drag of him deep inside of her. She made an effort to speak, her body still quivering from her last climax, but she’d barely formed the beginnings of a response when his hands tightened on her hips again and he was buried inside her somehow even deeper than before.

Inuyasha wrapped his arm around her waist, pressing his hand flat to her stomach to feel her quivering muscles as he pushed her back into another climax. Her internal muscles were clamping fiercely around his throbbing erection and he groaned, gritting his teeth against the urge to slam into her and find his own. Instead, he leaned forward and fit his chest to her back as he lightly rubbed her stomach.

His other hand moved down to cover one of her fisted hands, coaxing her hand open enough for him to lace his fingers through hers before she fisted it again. Sweat rolled down his face as he alternately kissed, licked, and nibbled at the curve of her neck, murmuring encouragement as he waited for her to ride out the crest.

“Like this, Kagome,” he urged once her heartbeat had slowed to his satisfaction. He pulled her back into him with the hand on her stomach, thrusting hard with his hips at the same moment. A low groan escaped him when he heard the mewling sounds and soft growling start in her throat again as she pressed back against him.

Abruptly, he felt the echo of an intense pulse send a shiver racing down his spine and his lips pulled back in a smile. She was balancing again, “This is what you needed, wasn’t it, koi?”

Kagome was experimentally grinding her pelvis back against him, turning her head to lightly nip at his neck as her hand squeezed his with the force of the shared sensation. How could she have forgotten it was like this with him?

In answer to her motions, Inuyasha bit down on her shoulder, shuddering before he lifted his head to slowly lick over the spot as he groaned out, “Aa, that’s it. Move with me.”

Kagome followed the directions of his hands, nearly mindless to everything but the need to reach that peak again. Her eyes slid closed as her heart began to pound and she concentrated on the myriad of sensations tingling through her and echoing to her from him. Inuyasha’s claws were digging into the flesh over her hip as he thrust into her hard and fast, his mouth teasing her neck and moving up to her ear as he moaned and whispered to her all at once.

How did he do this to her? She barely managed to wonder as she let out a keening moan, arching her neck to press her face to his throat. She was getting closer, her breathing choppy as she urged him on with her response. Each time it seemed to get more intense, each one better than the last… This time, she was feeling his emotions so clearly rushing through her that it was almost as though he was consciously giving them to her.

“Say it again, Kagome,” he whispered harshly, moving his fingers back down to massage the slick nub, adding that sensation to the primal thrusts.

Kagome cried out sharply, her hand nearly breaking his fingers when she clenched, but she still managed to answer, “I…love you… Inuyasha…. I love…”

That was as far as she got before she was thrown almost violently over her peak, her body snapping taut as she let out a wordless, high pitched scream that set her own ears ringing and light seemed to explode behind her closed eyes. She felt Inuyasha let out a feral growl, the sound vibrating through her chest as he clamped her down hard, grinding himself into her as deep as he could.

Kagome felt the rising blackness as a flood of warmth filled her, but no sooner had the weakness gone through her, then Inuyasha yanked her up. Ignoring the urge to slump to the ground, he rocked back on his haunches and wrapped his arms around her tightly while they both shook, panting hard as their hearts thundered in the same rhythm.

He could feel Kagome slumping back into him, her hand lifting, to touch his face beside hers briefly, tenderly before falling lax at her side. She took a deep breath in, and when she let it out again, she went completely limp in his arms.

Inuyasha smiled slightly, craning his head around to look at her slumbering face. He carefully lifted his hand to stroke over the curve of her cheek, trailing a claw over the scar. A pang of guilt when through him and he eased out of her, turning to flop down on his back, cushioning her fall against his chest. Although, he glanced at her in amusement, it would probably take a lot more than just that to rouse her this time.

He rolled to his side, easing her down on her back next to him as he propped his chin on his fist and stared at her face. He lifted his other hand, stroking it over her hair and then down her throat to press his palm to her heart. The heart that she’d just given to him.

Kagome loved him.

Inuyasha leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, reaching out lift her on top of him, her face hidden against his throat as he kept an arm wrapped around her back. He smiled down at her, full of possessive arrogance and warmth as he reached up to rub her ear, the smile widening when she mumbled sleepily and snuggled closer to him, “I love you too, Kagome.”


Comments (0)