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nocturne-inuyasha-ff · 5 years ago

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Chapter Twenty Three: The Human Condition

~ * ! * ! * ! * ! ~ = Flash back

o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o = Scene/POV change

Nocturne - Chapter Twenty Three: The Human Condition

Rated - M (for suggestive adult themes, references to some violence, and coarse language)

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

Kagome jumped at the sound of the deep, familiar voice and slowly turned to see Sesshomaru standing in the doorway. She melted and felt fury all at once. It had not even been an entire day, and he'd come, but not when he was needed.

Setsuna battled with an urge to run up to and hug her father, instead, wearing an ear-splitting grin upon her young face and exclaiming, "Father!"

All had turned to witness his arrival, though none had noticed him, nor sensed his yoki.

Sesshomaru gave his daughter a nod of greeting but did not display any semblance of emotion outside of that. He was not one for public displays of affection. Even to greet her first was a significant indicator of her status in his eyes.

Kagome more than made up for any of Sesshomaru's shortcomings in that area. But while he lacked in that area - at least in Kagome's opinion - he more than made up for his affections through doting on his child through different means.

He had initially disapproved of Kagome kissing every cut and bruise, stating that would spoil and entitle her.

It was Sesshomaru's thought that by coddling Setsuna, she would be weak. To that effect, Kagome cleverly asked if he also thought her to be weak. It only took a couple of days for him to relax his view of "coddling."

Sesshomaru's eyes then glided over Kagome in an appraising manner that held a deeper meaning. She quickly turned her head to subtly inform him that she was still angry.

Inuyasha wore a confused grimace at the appearance of his elder brother, looking none too pleased. "You learn some new tricks? Hiding your scent so I can't smell you sneaking up on us?"

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at his brother's idiocy. He looked pointedly at Shizuka and sneered, his lip rising up in slight disdain.

"To think you have not noticed after these years," he chided coldly. "Yet, you are ignorant, preferring to allow the fox roam freely in the hen house."

Inuyasha stood up with a jump, placing a hand on the hilt of Tessaiga. He had made sure to retrieve the weapon after the recent episode of events. "The fuck is that supposed to mean?!"

Sesshomaru ignored his brother's barely veiled act of insolent aggression. He looked around the room, resting his gaze on Kohaku longer than any. "You have all exposed yourselves and your number when you have laid unnaturally hidden from our enemy for years, thanks to your foundling."

Inuyasha would have none of it. "This is all your fucking fault, you goddamn hypocrite! You led them here through all your damn schemes and tangled us all in your mess."

"You still trust it, even knowing where it comes from and the risk you place on all here. It is to her they were drawn," Sesshomaru explained. "The fact that you place its life above that of your own brethren speaks volumes about your character. Though, it is unsurprising to this one."

Shizuka withered under the scrutinizing gaze of Sesshomaru, which caused Inuyasha to become even more incensed. "She never hurt anyone, you fucker! I dare you to say another word!"

Kagome had seen and heard enough of their brotherly squabbles. It was becoming ridiculous and not something she wanted her daughter to witness. "Enough! Both of you! Take it outside, so Setsuna does not have to watch her father," she looked to Sesshomaru, "and her uncle," she looked to Inuyasha, "prattle on like enemies."

Both aggressors looked over at Setsuna, who sat on the ground with her legs crossed and an amused smile on her face. Kagome noticed the girl's grin as well and groaned in disgust before stomping out of the house. The girl had too much of her father's blood running through her veins, always looking for her father's approval and a good fight. Even at nearly six years old, Sesshomaru had exposed their child to pride and prowess. Of course, she'd done nothing to stop it either. As if it were a bad thing to learn in the Feudal Era when the world would only go through strife before settling into the future she knew.

Kagome rushed out and walked away from Miroku and Sango's house, knowing her presence would not be missed with all that was happening. She felt frustrated with everything and herself. She had come to escape the lies and recent revelation that still weighed heavily upon her, yet she'd brought nothing but pain to her friends and family in the moments she'd arrived.

She felt bitter and downtrodden, her grief only spurred on by the discovery that Sesshomaru had not disclosed to her all he knew. And now here he was again, likely come to take her and Setsuna away for their own protection. As if she was not capable of protecting herself, she fumed. Her use of spiritual powers may have diminished, but she was more than proficient as a marksman, something she did not tire of practicing.

There was now a fairly decent distance between Kagome and the others. She would not stray beyond the village's perimeter just yet, but she was far enough away from Shizuka's strange ability to hamper the sense of demonic auras and would sense if any came upon her.

Kagome sat on a bridge that spanned over the gently flowing stream where women of the village came to wash laundry. No one was out right now, as the village reeled from the news of the recent attack. Despite the circumstances, it was to Kagome's liking as she rarely was afforded time to herself anymore.

She swung her legs back and forth, pointing her toes so that they barely touched the water below and kicked the cold droplets to spray in front of her. Kagome could feel his aura approaching at a slow and steady pace. She knew he'd come after her eventually. He was like his brother in ways he would be offended to know, stalking after their women like puppies with tails between their legs. It was a cute notion if she bothered to think about it, but her sullen anger was too great to allow such a thing.

His steps echoed on the wood of the bridge, announcing his presence. Kagome ignored him. She'd come here to get away from him after all, and it had not even been an entire day!

"Beloved," he began with an uncharacteristic tentative tone.

Kagome whipped around with a glare, daring him to call her another endearing name when she could not find one for him for the life of her. "No!" she hissed. "You don't get to follow after me and apologize. I am not ready to forgive you yet."

His gaze was cool as he regarded her, and Kagome seethed that he was still, after these years, so challenging to read. "This one has done nothing wrong in protecting what is his."

Wrong! Kagome's eyes widened. "So I am a possession now to do with as you please?!"

"You know this not to be true, miko," he said, resorting to calling her by her title. "You are mine, that is true, but only in so much that I am yours."

His gruff but tender words caused her to waver for a moment. "Yet, you treat me as a fragile piece of glass, ready to break with the slightest touch. Am I not enough as I am? You changed me, without my knowledge nor my permission."

"Had you the choice, would you have refused?" he questioned.

"That is not the point! I didn't have a choice! You took that from me."

"I fail to see why this upsets you so. You have been given the gift of countless years, beyond what any mortal should ever be inclined to live. You spit so carelessly on what others would kill for."

"It seems so unnatural," she said with a shiver and crossed her arms. "At what cost? All things come with a cost," she asked. It was a valid question. Nothing as profound as the gift of immortality came without a hefty price.

"I shall not see you die," he told her simply and unmoving.

"Death is natural. Humans aren't meant to live beyond their years. Am I something unnatural now?" she asked aloud, beginning to question what she now was. She hadn't given it much thought since arriving in the village. But now faced with the reality of what had been done, Kagome was gripped with a new insurmountable reality.

"Dying is only part of the human condition. Something you no longer have a claim to, miko. To think death is natural is merely a coping strategy for something inevitable to humans. Take joy in what you have been given."

Kagome was still too angry to feel joy, not when Sesshomaru had so carefully tiptoed around the fact that there was a price involved with her' gift'. "But there is a price, is there not?"

He sighed with resignation. "Not one that you will bear."

"What does that mean?" she demanded.

"Simply that you do not need to concern yourself with it."

She fumed. "Am I incapable of comprehending the price? Just like I am incapable of understanding the severity of the situation we are in now?"

His calm features did nothing to belie his innermost thoughts, an infuriating trait for Kagome, who wore hers on her sleeve. "You seem to already be aware of the fact that there were Fan Tsenpo's scouts probing the area. Otherwise, you would not have known to come so quickly."

"I was apprised of the fact after you left abruptly," he accused.

"But that doesn't explain why you're here," she retorted.

Sesshomaru made a resigned sound 'hnn' but did not offer an answer.

Kagome crossed her arms beneath her breasts and narrowed her eyes. "Just as I figured. You already knew it was bad, but you didn't tell me."

"This one would not have you fear for nothing," he defended. He felt no wrong-doing for his actions whatsoever, feeling wholly justified. There would be no apology from him.

She glared at him as she stood up and brushed past him making her way back towards Setsuna and her friends, shirking away from his touch as he reached out to her. If he would not explain, she had no time for him. By the rate of his actions, he would step over anything and anyone in his attempt to 'protect her' from whatever he deemed a risk, suffocating her with his protection until she was a compliant, good little woman, or so she imagined.

Sesshomaru did not follow her right away as she had expected he would. Good, she thought. She still was not ready to forgive him, though she ultimately knew she would and even without an apology. Kagome groaned inwardly at her inability to stay mad at those she loved. It was better if she stayed away for just a little longer so that words spoken in anger did not sully what they had.

~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~

They spent the night in the village. Kagome and Setsuna bunked with Sango and her boys. Their residence was the only one large enough to host guests anyway, but with Miroku and the twins still away, there was plenty of room.

Kagome knew Sesshomaru would not leave his woman and child, but he was astute in staying out of sight. Kagome was not sure where he would spend the night, though she knew it would not be far from her. She felt some ease knowing that.

After retiring for the night, Kagome grew restless. She could not sleep, tossing and turning on her borrowed pallet. Her mind would not shut off for anger and worry. Really she felt conflicted, a strange desire to seek him out and give him another piece of her

Mind only to be waylaid by the fear of the inevitable retribution, they were to be paid by their enemies. Kagome kicked her foot out and sighed.

Sango whispered over the gentle crackle of the hearth, "Why do you punish yourself? Just go out to him."

Kagome responded in silence, not bothering to acknowledge her friend's sage words. She laid on her back, staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours, though probably only minutes crept by.

Setsuna breathed gently beside her, a subtle reminder of why Kagome was angry in the first place. Her conception had started all of this, and Kagome thought back to those years ago in a dark cave, lit only by moonlight.

As stealthily as she could muster, she rose and made out of the house. If Sango had heard her, which was likely, she did not utter a word, and Kagome walked out into the warm, humid night.

The village was quiet and eerily so. Many of the villagers had bunkered down for the night, fearful of an attack from a powerful enemy. They were right to do so, but Kagome held little worry that Fan's army would attack tonight. The daiyokai was across the sea, and it would take more than an evening for him to receive word and rally his forces to move on them if he were inclined to do so.

Kagome had no idea where Sesshomaru would be, so ultimately her plan was to let him come to her once she'd gotten far enough from the village. She scoffed at the thought, knowing he would make her work for it, like always.

It was darker in the dense forest surrounding the village, but she held no fear. Even though she had no weapon, Kagome knew that a deadly being lurked nearby, ready to pounce on any who so much as looked at her threateningly.

She came to the stream that cut through the village and followed it west. It was this course that she had returned six years ago and, despite not knowing exactly where she was going, she knew it was the way.

She continued walking and continued to do so, counting as she paced along the stream's bank. All to keep her pace and track of the time in the dead of the night. Sesshomaru was very likely watching her but gave her no notion of his hidden presence.

After Kagome had trekked a couple of miles into the woods, she stopped and looked around. There was a fleeting feeling in the air around here that barely struck the peripherals of her memory. It hung heavy in the air, and as if forming a discernible trail, Kagome followed the path away from the stream. She had not gotten far when she saw it, the barely visible outcropping of rock that jutted up from between trees giving it a natural hiding spot.

Vines covered the mouth of the cave-like tendrils of mossy-green hair waiting to be parted. Kagome bit the inside of her cheek, reminiscing over an act committed long ago, not from love, but lust. She reached up to grasp one of the vines, but a voice startled her arm back to be clutched against her body.

"It is an unnecessary risk to bring yourself so far from the protection of the village."

Kagome swiveled on her heel, finding Sesshomaru leaning against a tree facing the mouth of the cave. "What worry do I have when you're near?" she responded with a weak smile.

"I am honored for the great faith you have placed in me unquestioningly. Yet it astounds this one that you do so now, but cannot find it within yourself to do so on other occasions."

She felt her heart drop a little, and in her hesitation, he took a step forward. "I trust in your ability to protect us, but I cannot help but feel inadequate if you cannot trust me."

o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o

This woman, the miko, his woman, was infuriating and intoxicating all at once. Her words said one thing while her body said another, and Sesshomaru, who was forever in charge of any situation, felt at a loss.

Sesshomaru had gone through great lengths to obtain the ningyo that the miko had consumed. The miko was correct when she had guessed at the price being insurmountable. To kill a ningyo would place a curse upon the murderer should they consume its flesh, which is why humans could never obtain ever-lasting life as they desired. If a mortal successfully slew a ningyo, which was an incredible feat seeing as how the ningyo were rare and crafty, they would gain eternal life at the cost of their own sanity. The ningyo flesh would corrupt and twist any who consumed them without mercy. That was the legacy of the ningyo and why they were not preyed upon.

However, Sesshomaru had learned a secret about the ningyo. The secret had been kept by his most honored father's last living retainer for centuries. Had Sesshomaru known this secret but 50 years ago, he would have exterminated the ningyo without mercy. The secret his father's retainer kept was that of true immortality without the price to the mortal. Sesshomaru had felt perplexed at first, wondering why his father, InuTaisho, would need such information before it dawned upon him. InuTaisho had planned to use the secret on his mortal woman. Fate, though, would not allow that to come to pass, and both his father and the hime had perished long ago.

Of course, immortality was still reliant on the consumption of ningyo flesh, but the trick lay in the way the flesh was obtained. Sesshomaru learned that if a ningyo gave its flesh willingly, the consumer would be granted longevity. But there was still a price, though not one so horrible as what was promised should he slay the creature outright.

FInding the yokai proved to be a feat all on its own, but nothing Sesshomaru could not accomplish succinctly. He had no need for immortality, so once he came upon the ningyo, the creature was unprepared to face him. The beast had implored him, pleading and promising him unimaginable power for sparing its life, but Sesshomaru was not one to be led astray by things he already possessed. He tactfully bartered with the ningyo for a pound of its flesh.

~ * ! * ! * ! * ! ~

"Whats ye gots to trade?" the creature had asked through needle-like teeth.

"This one has much, name your price, yokai." Sesshomaru had little respect for those beneath him, but he must treat the ningyo with as much courtesy as he could muster; otherwise, the trade may be void.

The ningyo grinned widely if it could be called a grin for one whose mouth was unable to close around its angler-like maw. "Youse has nothing I want, nothing worth even one of me golden scales."

Sesshomaru had to be tactful with the creature, lest it return and hide away in the sea for a century. His chance of finding another ningyo within the miko's lifetime was slim. "I offer up a part of myself intangible."

The ningyo's large yellow eyes narrowed in skepticism. "The price to be paid must be equal to what is given, lord daiyokai. I canst tells ye what to give, but like me flesh, it must be given freely. Tell me what ye will part with."

The great lord Sesshomaru had already assumed there would be such a price. He knew that his father was willing to pay the price, and he would as well without question. "A year from this one's own life for each year given."

Now those yellow eyes burned with an unknown hunger, bulging within the deep-set sockets. "Lord Daiyokai! A steep price ye shall pay, indeed. Be it the lass worth it, me hopes."

The creature had accepted the trade, though Sesshomaru did have uncertainty about what the small yokai gained from it. The ningyo used its razor-sharp claws to carve out a pound of flesh and surreptitiously handed it over to Sesshomaru. It nodded it's bulbous head and looked about before swimming off into the murky depths from which Sesshomaru had retrieved it, likely off to hide until the flesh grew back.

~ * ! * ! * ! * ! ~

Sesshomaru would never admit, even to himself, his fear. He had gone through great lengths to make certain those worries were never realized. That was why he had not explicitly informed the miko of his intentions. Those fears would make him weak, and weakness was not an option. Especially now that the circumstances were precarious. He knew that if she had known of the ningyo, she would have inquired on the price behind it, and if he were honest, she would refuse the gift; deny him. The miko would state that the price was too high and not something she would willingly accept. He knew this to be true for his woman was as selfless as they come, which was one of her intriguing qualities.

When the miko learned of the ningyo flesh through his treacherous mother, he inwardly knew that she would react in anger. He had prepared for that, too. He had not prepared for the army of Fan Tsenpo breaching the perimeter he had so precariously set so quickly. The man, Fan Tsenpo, was a tenacious one, indeed.

He closed his eyes in a rare display of acquiesce. "Truly, you must know that I am not as perfect as I would aspire."

The miko smirked at his admission. "There are some things about you that measure up to perfection, lord."

The miko's scent was a mixture of sensuous fury. She stepped closer, her arms still crossed but with a sultry look upon her face. Sesshomaru looked her up and down, attempting to understand whether this woman was angry or not. It was difficult to tell at times, even for one as astute as himself. It was enough to drive anyone mad.

A gentle breeze blew through the area, buffeting her scent into him. The fury, the joy, were palpable, but something else was there as well. His eyes turned ravenous, and an inner voice spoke to him, egging him to become something else entirely.

o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o

The way he looked at her, hungry eyes roving up and down her body, spoke volumes. Kagome felt her insides do somersaults from anticipation and wetted her lips. She could feel her heart begin to pound heavily in her chest, and she wondered vaguely how someone could make her feel so giddy and desirable after so many years.

She glanced behind, over her shoulder with her sultry smile, and felt another wave anticipation course through her veins. It was very ironic to end up where it had all begun years ago. She scoffed to herself once she figured that Sesshomaru had led her here intentionally, somehow.

He stepped closer and leaned forward, inhaling her sweet scent from the crook of her neck while running his deft fingers through her hair and along the side of her neck.

He hesitated for a moment, pulling back and looking into her eyes. Kagome felt her breath catch and her traitorous heart skip a beat. "Is something wrong?" she asked softly, hoping like hell he had not finally grown tired of her.

His jaw clenched, and he seemed to be at war with himself rather than anything else. "It is your fertile time," he told her in a whisper.

His words were meant to be a caution, but his words tickled her ear and made her feel reckless. They had been careful, or rather Sesshomaru had been careful. Always calculating the time to be away when she was likely to beget a child. Kagome had not once questioned his frequent trips, sometimes seeming spontaneous, even for him, but her own monthly cycles had always been sporadic and unreliable.

Maybe Sesshomaru was afraid, if that were even possible, of a repeat. Kagome knew that he had revived her with Tensaiga and she also knew that the feat could only be done once. Could he be worried that she may find an untimely demise at attempting to bring a new life into the world? She pushed it from her mind, other more scintillating thoughts taking precedence.

It seemed that a similar thought process had taken place with him as well once he ultimately ground his teeth and placed his forehead on her shoulder, his silver hair falling over her in argent waves. His left hand gripped her shoulder tightly, holding on to maintain control, but the rest of him worked autonomously.

Kagome groaned once his hand found its way under her shirt and began to fondle her breast, caressing her nipple. His head still rested near her neck, where he waited for her consent. His tongue worked expertly upon her ear becoming more encouraged by the breathy exhale. She could barely make out his golden gaze appraising her from her peripheral vision and looking at her lustily.

Her fertile time was delicate in terms of lovemaking. Sesshomaru could smell it on her, and the demon within him wanted to take her by any means necessary. Her scent drove him wild with barely contained lust, and it took every ounce of control to contain himself, which is why he usually took great pains to be absent during that time.

Kagome secretly enjoyed it. The idea of being ravaged was intriguing and frightening, especially when it came to her daiyokai lover. Now, knowing that he could be a little rougher was an aphrodisiac all on its own.

He was growing impatient and pulled her kosode down, exposing her breasts. She gasped, feeling the cold air on her bare skin and then gasped again once the cold sensation was replaced by the warm ministration of Sesshomaru's tongue. It seemed he would not be waiting for a response, but she had never denied him, so perhaps it would even out. Besides, if he stopped, she would only beg him to continue.

His left hand released her shoulder and made its way down her skirts, delicately touching her legs, stroking closer and closer towards the cleft in between. Sesshomaru was always careful of his claws, but that made it difficult to live in the moment. He snarled softly in frustration, removing himself from her momentarily.

Kagome pouted from the lack of contact but watched him curiously. He looked at her from lowered lids and carefully and meticulously bit off his long claws. They would grow back, and he needed them blunt for what he planned to do.

While she watched, he crushed against her, crushing his lips to hers in a quick, almost desperate motion. His hand shot back down her skirts, and he gave a soft gasp of his own when she reciprocated with a firm grasp on his hardened member through the heavy folds of his outer layers. His brow clenched, and his hardened gaze now softening like butter under her grip. With a moan that was more like a growl, Sesshomaru turned her body and pinned her against the tree where he had waited outside of the cave. His own clothes had become a nuisance and barrier between them, so he deftly removed them in a matter of seconds.

Kagome stood against the tree, portions of her body exposed to him and her breasts heavily swaying up and down with each panting breath. Sesshomaru took a moment to compose himself, knowing if he continued, he would not be able to stop without possibly hurting her. "You are no longer angry, miko," he asked, despite the words coming out more as a statement than anything.

She crossed her arms in front of her breasts and gave him a level look. "Keep it up, and I will leave you here, high and dry," she warned.

Her scent was too potent for her words to hold any truth, and Sesshomaru felt his control slip at the slightest notion he would be denied at this point. A guttural sound erupted from his throat, and he all but pinned Kagome to the tree, snatching her hands up and away from her chest. Once he'd removed the barrier there, his hand plummeted back down to continue touching her cleft. A glorious smell was emanating from that region, soft and lustrous that begged to be lapped up.

He brought his hand, dripping with wet fluids up to his lips, and licked his finger with a lapping tongue. "Exquisite," he purred with a smirk.

Kagome felt her cheeks burn, and she turned her head to break the sensual contact that was nearly overpowering. Sesshomaru grabbed her chin and brought her back to face him and then licked her bottom lip to entice her to open her own. She relinquished, opening to his kiss that beckoned for more.

She felt him push up her right leg, grabbing behind the knee to place her in an easily accessible position. She continued following his kiss with a fervor of her own and used her hand to find the soft, hard length that brushed up against her hip. She wrapped her fingers around it, barely able to encapsulate the girth with her fist and relished in the moaning sounds he breathed into her from his barely parted lips so close to her own.

Kagome's enclosed hand stopped running up and down his shaft once his blunt fingers entered her, gently at first, then with a pumping frenzy. It was a rare, exquisite feeling she was often not granted, so she enjoyed his handy work. She stopped moving all together once she felt the build in her core, the thought of doing the same to him forgotten with this new sensation. Her head lulled back a little to rest against the tree's bark behind her, and she could see through passion-slit eyes that Sesshomaru's own began to bleed red into the sclera of his eyes.

She snapped rigid, hyper-aware, and nearly forgetting herself. She was not afraid, but concern made her pull her leg down slightly from Sesshomaru's grasp. This action elicited another low growl from him. She placed her hands upon his chest and looked up into his crimson gaze. The gold iris still held a very carnal look to them, beckoning yet frightening at the same time.

He allowed her leg to fall and pushed down her skirts and used the other hand to free her from the remainder of clothing to leave her just as exposed as he. Sesshomaru fell to his knees before her, grabbing her around the middle to pull her closer to him. Kagome gasped and put a hand behind her against the tree to brace herself, but it was not necessary. The grip he had on her was vice-like, and she could not move had she wanted to. She let out a tiny gasp once his tongue brushed against the most sensitive part of herself. He continued to weave his tongue in deft motions back and forth, taking the time to part her tender folds with his fingers, pushing her leg back up and out of the way with a firm hand.

Kagome drug in a ragged breath and twisted her hands into his silver locks. The build was rising up, and she could not stop the moans that escaped her lips. She began to call out his name between her panting breaths, "Sess...sho…ugh…"

"Please!" she yelled, despite herself, once she was nearly at the apex of a climax. All sensation ceased, and Kagome felt herself fill up with a different torment. "No!" she cried, almost pathetically.

"No?" he grunted with mirth from his knees. Sesshomaru rose to his full height, looking down on her with the red, gold eyes.

Kagome was desperate, and repaying the favor seemed an optimal idea to continue, so she now dropped to her knees and grabbed his member before placing the tip in her mouth. She'd barely touched it with her tongue in a sweeping motion before his jaw went slack and his hands gripping her shoulders. She had not given him this pleasure often due to her own inexperience and embarrassment, but his reaction encouraged and emboldened her to continue.

With hollowed cheeks, she lowered her mouth as far as she could and sucked as she moved back. The motion became repetitive, and she had to assume she was doing well judging by how he bit his bottom lip and pierced the flesh of her shoulder with his one clawed hand. She cried out in pain with him still in her mouth, but it wasn't all bad, and she did not want him to stop making those dirty faces.

His grip became tighter, and she knew that he must be close to the same precipice she had been on before. She began to suck harder and more vigorously, but Sesshomaru barked aloud, "Stop." His voice was low and commanding, authoritatively clear.

Kagome looked up at him and released his member, pausing to moisten her lips with her tongue. She saw his eyes widen, and the sanguine color nearly envelop his gold irises. He released his grip on her and fell back, her buttocks resting against the ground with her legs splayed out beside her. She was sure she looked very sultry in this position, but her own jaw went slack when she saw Sesshomaru lift his blood-soaked claws to his face for further scrutinization. He let out a mirthless chuckle and brought his fingers to his mouth to sample the taste of her. "Invigorating. Your blood is just as enticing as the fluids that now drench the sides of your thighs."

She looked down for a moment with a new wave of embarrassment, seeing that she was dripping wet. In a moment of self-consciousness, she squeezed her legs shut, but her modest thoughts were cut through once Sesshomaru enveloped her with his warmth and placed his mouth on her shoulder where she was openly bleeding from the wounds he had inflicted upon her with his razor-sharp claws. His tongue lapped at the blood, and the feeling was strange and exhilarating all at once. She moaned beneath him and absently wondered if daiyokai drank blood like vampires of lore.

His knees pushed hers open, breaking her from ridiculous thoughts and bringing her back to the present. Her legs were splayed open before him now, and he was poised over her like a predator poised to strike. "You are mine," he growled, his eyes glowing.

Kagome said nothing but trembled beneath him. Her silence seemed to infuriate him, and he barked, changing from sensuous to dangerous in a second. "Say it!" he commanded. His voice was loud and imposing, daring anyone to state otherwise. Those who dared would meet a swift demise.

Her breath hitched in her throat, and her body betrayed her, opening like a flower to be ruined. "I am yours," she whispered, not in fright, but in agreement. She was his and had been since that day, not ten feet from where they lay six years ago. A spell may have brought them together, but it had only uninhibited them both to their own subconscious desires.

He seemed appeased, and a lopsided grin replaced his dangerous gaze. His lips moved down to hers, and he thrust into her with a hard, splitting force. Kagome moaned into his mouth, and he plunged in and out with needy thrusts. The man was frenzied and assaulting with his need that was nearly overpowering to her frail body in comparison. She was pushed back against the base of the large tree, between two of its overgrown roots jutting out to hide their bodies from view from the rest of the forest.

She grit her teeth and moaned into his broad, muscled shoulder. Her arms were holding onto him to steady her body for his encroaching thrusts. Sesshomaru seemed to be pushing her into the tree to achieve deeper thrusts. His hands gripped her buttocks and guided her up and down on him, constantly hitting the spot deep within that made her groan.

He was incensed by her groans but was unsatisfied by their position. His desire to fill her overcame him and ran him with primal purpose. Sesshomaru pushed her towards the opposite direction and flipped her over in a quick, smooth motion. She was like putty in his claws anyway, so soft, subtle, and delicate yet yielding to his predacious needs.

Kagome let out a tiny yelp when he pushed her to her knees and thrust into her from behind. Her arms gave out on her, but her rump remained in the air, caught in Sesshomaru's grip. His clawed hand held her hip firmly, but he leaned over her back, planted his hand on the ground beside her, took his still blunted hand, and held her from a different angle. From this angle, he rubbed at her most sensitive spot. She bucked from the touch, but he held her in place with his swift finger motions, and she began to sway back and force with his thrusts and gliding over his tantalizing fingers.

How could he be everywhere? She vaguely wondered as her thoughts became clouded with erotic pleasure. Even as he had given in to his primal need to claim her, he was still able to give her the most excellent feeling. It began to blossom between her legs and radiate through her entire body as a wave of orgasm coursed through her due to the simultaneous thrusts and constant teasing to her tender pearl. Kagome screamed out a breathless cry to the forest and spasmed slightly beneath his touch.

A triumphant grunt could be heard above her and Sesshomaru grabbed her hips once again to reach a climax of his own. Kagome was still riding out the ebbs of her own pleasure, moaning loudly with each thrust, and her eyes widened once she felt one great final thrust that released everything inside of her. He gave a few more lazy thrusts as if to ensure his seed had been sown within her, but there was no need.

Kagome sighed once Sesshomaru pulled himself from her, leaving her momentarily cold. She relaxed once he laid next to her, resting on an elbow and looking down on her sweat-sheened face. She dared to peek at him with a tiny smile and found he wore one of his own. His hand trailed down her arm, causing her to shiver, and she scooted closer to his warm body.

They both lay quietly, basking in the post-coital sensation, and neither wanted to break the silence. Kagome gave a contented smile and rolled to her back so she could look up into his eyes properly. The red she had seen before was now gone, his usual serene look taking the place of the former feral one. "Your eyes had gone red," she commented absently.

"Hnn," was all he responded while staring at her different features, toying with her hair and running lazy circles on her skin.

"I've never seen it before," she added, hoping he would elaborate.

"Your scent is tantalizing," he told her. "I cannot control myself, especially now that I can smell my own seed within you. It is making...this one...see through red gauze." He leaned down and kissed her gently, and she gasped when she felt his fingers entering her swollen cleft.

She tried to push him away, "Have you always been this needy?" She smiled and let out a small laugh despite herself.

"This one is not 'needy' as you so basely put it. If that were even remotely true, you - miko - would find difficulty walking for months, if not longer."

Kagome sat up a little, rising on her elbows. "Oh, so what your telling me is that Lord Sesshomaru is a relentless sex hound." She smiled and laughed, "If that were the case, I'm surprised you've been so gentle with me these past few years."

He rolled on top of her, enclosing her between his two arms. "I have adopted a method of moderation, but since you have called my virility into question, perhaps that fallacy should be rectified."

She tensed a little once he slid into her wet folds, her body readjusting to the full feeling that could be nearly registered as a feeling of completeness.

This time, he was more sensual and gentle, enjoying every bit of her for as long as possible and marking her with his scent along as much as he could. Kagome relished, in his keen appreciation of her body, and, at some point in the night, fell asleep from sheer exhaustion.

She awoke the next morning, a slightly chilly breeze rousing her from her contented slumber. Kagome moved her arm to rub her eyes and felt the soft, velvet fibers of Sesshomaru's pelt. It was warm and comforting, indicating that he had spent the night next to her. It also meant that he was relaxed enough to allow himself to slumber, which was something he seldom did. He claimed that yokai needed next to no sleep, but Kagome figured otherwise. Every creature sleeps, she rationed. But Sesshomaru chose not to sleep often, only sharing their bed to share in lovemaking.

Kagome moved her legs, but they were sticky, and she groaned, knowing she would have an uncomfortable walk back to the village.

Sesshomaru pulled a stray hair from her face but laid back with an arm behind his head. "It would fill this one with content to awake next to you every morning, seeing you refreshed and smelling of me." His golden eyes flickered as he regarded her.

She smiled lovingly and moved to kiss his lips. As she did, he gripped her bottom and squeezed, causing her eyes to bulge. "You lecher! Have you no shame! It is daylight, and anyone could see us!"

"You only have yourself to blame, beloved. Your fertile time drives me to take you to your wit's end," he said huskily.

Kagome could feel him harden beneath her, and she gave a little squeal before jumping up and snatching up her clothes to shield her body. "No more! We must get back before everyone starts to worry."

"Why should they worry?" Sesshomaru asked innocently.

"Because we've been gone all night, and it's nearly late morning now."

"Your cries last night were loud enough to alert them to your….plight," he teased with a straight face. Kagome hoped he teased and blushed before turning away.

o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o

He regarded himself in the tarnished mirror, sneering at his reflection. The tarnished half, inflicted in his rage, hide the part of his face, which was permanently marred into a smirk. Fan touched at the puckered skin that would never heal and allowed a strange sense of calm to wash over him. The mangled reflection usually drove him to fits of angry outbursts leveled at any unsuspecting person that may cross his path, which meant that everyone avoided him as much as possible. However, it was difficult to avoid one as powerful as Fan Tsenpo, who commanded respect and unwavering loyalty of so many, despite his violent tendencies.

They had increased as of late, those eruptions, and there was one person in particular whom Fan enjoyed tormenting the most. Fan swiveled away from the mirror in his private rooms and made his way towards the gardens.

Rebuilding the palace had not taken much time, anyone new to the grounds would never know that half of the area had been nearly destroyed. All looked fresh and new. It was there he found her, his twin, his other half.

"Dear sister," he called out.

Despite knowing he approached, she shrank when he called out. Tsering turned and acknowledged her brother with a false smile. It angered him that she would pretend all was well, but he needed her. He needed her to fear him and appease him in whatever fashion befitted him.

"Brother," she said in a dull yet cheerful voice. Tsering stood from her perch on a bench where she had been looking out over the flowering grounds, passing the time contemplating over womanly things. "You seek me out?" she asked tentatively.

Her cheeks had hollowed, and her skin turned pallid. The woman was confined in a gilded cage, no longer free to roam alone after the travesty that had befallen Fan at the hands of his Nippon enemy. Fan blamed her, but could not bring it upon himself to kill her just yet. Now that he knew her demise would not harm him, he often mulled the idea over, but that would leave him alone. The woman could still prove useful.

Fan eyed her up and down, slightly annoyed that she would allow herself to become a shell of her former vibrant self. No matter, he thought. "I only wanted to see my beautiful sister." His hand went out and clutched her by the throat, and his unscathed lip pulled up into a nefarious smile.

Her eyes bulged, and tears threatened to spill. To cry in his presence would have only sent him over the edge. Fan loosened his grip only slightly and caressed her chin with his thumb. "You startle too easily, sweet sister."

"I am sorry," she whispered from beneath his grasp.

He released her and turned his back, locking his arms behind him. "You are so much more than sorry," he told her. "I have plans for you, my dear. Plans that will rectify what you have unleashed upon our family and the DaiOzuko."

"The DaiOzuko have charged you for your callous behavior. You know what they threaten." Tsering challenged. Her switch to a defensive position was amusing, and Fan only allowed it because it played into his plan.

Fan turned around to see a fire in her eyes. How quaint. "You know I am unfazed by those old fools. They've grown complacent, and the only reason they've continued to thrive is that I have no desire to usurp their supposed power. They are nothing but a pair of haggard figureheads, withered, and ingrown. We shall see what they think of my next move."

His sister knew the truth of his words. She probably had hoped that he would heed their words of warning, but the DaiOzuko was nothing more than a name. Fan relished in her trembling figure. "Of course, brother," she whispered.

A loud screech was heard overhead, announcing the arrival of Fan's messenger, the Zhenniao. The large bird circled lazily, making its way down to land before his master. Its talons scratched at the earth, and its wings spread out in a broad span as it bowed low in reverence.

It eyed Tsering suspiciously upon rising. Fan usually received his messages alone, always dismissing his sister to her own devices. Fan gestured for the bird to continue.

"Masssster, I bring newsssss of your army," the Zhen bird clacked.

Fan subtly eyed Tsering, basking in her pronounced shock. She had no inkling of any such thing. It was almost insulting how little attention the woman paid to him, he determined.

"Feng hassss ssssent word that all isss ready. He warnssss of the child and her unique prowesssss."

He chuckled at the news. "I would expect no less from such an extraordinary specimen. I'm inclined to do the same." Fan deliberately glanced at Tsering with an innocent look upon his face. She must be piecing together where her brother had raised an army, and it was a sight to see when it clicked for her.

The Zhen bird turned its head to look upon its master with one of its eyes, waiting for instructions.

"Advise him to proceed. We shall strike while the anvil is hot. I cannot imagine that Feng would be able to contain his excitement enough to stay concealed," he sighed in feigned annoyance. "No matter, they will not expect us to rally so quickly. I've sown seeds throughout that land long enough, it is time to reap the harvest."

The zhennaio nodded and pushed its large body off into the sky, flying away to spread the message. Fan placed a hand over his eyes to see the messenger off, feeling his sister's consternation behind him. "It looks as though the time for your usefulness has come, sister."

o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o

Fanfiction.net - Chapter Twenty Three

#Chapter Twenty Three #Nocturne #Sesskag #Fanfic #Sesshome #Sesshomaru #Kagome

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