Someone to Call My Own

Chapter 10 -
Tenth

Dawn arrived
and Kagome had lain awake all night afraid of going back to sleep and dreaming
again. She got up and dressed in her wrapper, it was going to be a very long
day. She wanted to go out for a ride and clear her head. She had come to a
decision that she still wasn’t sure about. She was attracted to her best
friend’s future husband and it had to stop. She was linked to another man in an
engagement she didn’t want. If she denied it she would be ruined socially. If
she agreed, she would be tied to a complete stranger for the rest of her life.

She couldn’t
wait until Sango woke up, so she raided her wardrobe and borrowed a riding
habit. Sango was an indifferent rider so she only had one austere riding habit,
all black with a very formal matching hat. They were about the same size,
except Sango was a little taller, but it would do. She couldn’t wait until
midmorning when she woke up.

She rang for
her maid and asked for her horse to be brought around and to have a groom
along. After 20 minutes she was dressed and ready. Her mare Lucy was brought
around and a very sleepy looking Sh was was riding a sad looking palfrey.
Kagome hoped he could keep up. This wouldn’t be like her usual morning rides.
She was helped onto her horse by another footman. Everyone looked tired she
felt a little guilty for waking them up at this early hour. But her guilt
vanished the minute she urged her horse into a canter. After a while she
reached the outskirts of town. She never rode this far but she wanted to do more
than just sedately canter around the park like usual. The minute she was on
open land her canter turned into a full fledged run. The wind whipped all
around her, some tendrils of hair came free from beneath the hat. This was when
she felt the most free. She lly lly rode sidesaddle but since it was so early
in the morning and she couldn’t possibly encounter anyone else, she was ridding
astride, not very lady like but much more comfortable. She kept picking up
speed and she turned to look and see where Shippo was. The fog made it hard for
her to find him; he was a speck in the distance. She thought she should stop
and wait for him but the wind and the speed just felt too glorious. She was
very far away now and stopped and waited for him. She heard the sound of hoof
beats and turned her mare in the direction of the sound.  Kagome expected
to see Shippo appear from the fog. She noticed that the sound was getting
closer at a great speed. To her, Shippo’s horse didn’t seem like it could stand
let alone travel at great speed. Out of the mist came a figure riding a horse
the color of night. A man dressed all in black. She wasn’t sure if she was
seeing things or what. The man’s black greatcoat flapped in the wind like a
great wing. He was getting closer and a sudden feeling of dread crawled up her
spine. She felt an incredible urge to bolt but when he was close enough to see
his features she noticed the great mass of white hair beneath the rider’s
beaver hat. She would have recognized that hair anywhere and then she did want
to run.

  He came
to a halt a few feet from her. His stallion made her mare skittish. She tried
to settle her down and at the same time settle her own heartbeat. It seemed
like eons before he spoke, he had an amused look on his face.

“Well, Miss
Higurashi” He said finally. “It seems you are in need of rescuing again.” He
said mockingly.

“Whatever do
you mean sir?”

“Well here you
are in the middle of nowhere, alone at this ungodly hour. I would say you are
in a very dangerous situation. Wouldn’t you?”

He was
scolding her again. “As a matter of fact I have a groom with me. He is just a
few feet away. So you see I don’t need any rescuing.”

She was being
rude and defensive but she couldn’t help herself. The combination of her dream
and his mocking tone were making her mad. It wasn’t his fault she had dreamt
about him, but she didn’t care.

“I came upon
your groom. His horse was lame and since you had ridden away I offered to
escort you back home. He should be on his way back. So you see I’m afraid I will
be rescuing you, again.” He couldn’t help himself, he knew he was being too
gruff, but she courted disaster. If he hadn’t decided to take a ride today she
would have been out here alone.

“There is no
need for that. I am very capable of riding back to the house alone. You should
go on about your business.” She had to get rid of him. The idea of being alone
with him made her very uneasy. “I’m afraid I can’t do that my lady. Sesshomaru
would be very angry with me if I let anything happen to his fiancée.”

“I am not his
fiancée.” She said between gritted teeth. This was the limit. He was telling
people they were engaged.

 “You
will be. One thing I know about Sesshomaru is that he always gets what he
wants, and he definitely wants you.”

She didn’t
know what to say to that. She turned her horse and began the ride back to town.
The faster she got there the sooner she’d be rid of him. He followed and she
thought the best remedy would be to ignore him. After a few minutes she
realized that would be practically impossible.   

“There is no
need to return to the house. I could accompany you for the rest of your ride. I
wouldn’t mind.” He said in a tone of voice that sent shivers up her spine. She
shouldn’t read anything into it.

“I am afraid
that wouldn’t be proper. Shippo would have arrived by now and alerted everyone
about what happened and I would be expected to return soon.”

He smiled, she
saw him out of the corner of her eye, boy what a smile. A combination of
arrogance and mischievousness.

“Why would he
inform anyone if I asked him not to?”

“What?! Why
would you do that?” She asked shock coloring her voice.

“There is a
debt you need to repay.” He said.  Her heart felt like it was about to
burst through her chest.

She brought
her horse to a halt. Big mistake. This brought him to a halt by her side. She
turned and looked at him. She couldn’t figure the man out. He scolded her for
her lack of escort. And yet he offered to take a ride with her, which is even
more improper than anything.

“You want
me…to repay you for rescuing me the other night?”

“No, but I did
spare the Count’s life for you. All I ask in return is for you to take a ride
with me.”

She was torn.
Half of her wanted to get away from him. The other half felt honor bound to
repay him even though it wasn’t much of a payment he was asking for. Deep down
she wanted to be in his company. The opportunity of being alone with him was
overwhelmingly tempting.

“Very well, I
will accompany you on a ride, but I will need to return soon.” She hoped she
could get through this.

They headed
away from town again. They rode at a moderate pace. Neither one spoke. They
came upon a stretch of road that was straight as an arrow, as if they read each
other’s mind they looked at one another and then they broke into a run. Kagome
forgot her anger and her misgivings and just gave in to the thrill of the
chase. Even though she wasn’t sure who was chasing who. They were neck and neck
sometimes, but most of the time she was in the lead. She had a strong suspicion
that he was letting her win. His horse looked like it could ride all the way to
hell. Kagome reached the end of the lane and she headed to a tree to wait for
the straggling earl. She didn’t wait long.

“Well, I see I
have much to learn from you. I’ve never seen a lady ride like that before.”
Inuyasha said as he dismounted.

“I’m sorry I
didn’t think I would run into anyone this early in the morning. I don’t much
care for a sidesaddle.” Kagome said embarrassed. It wasn’t proper for women to
ride astride.

“It doesn’t
really matter.” Inuyasha went over to the base of the tree and took his
greatcoat off and laid it on the grass. Kagome was confused. He then proceeded
to lean against the tree trunk. “What are you doing?”

“I find myself
quite tired all of the sudden.” He said.

She didn’t
believe him. “I really must be getting back.”

He patted the
spot next to him, “Come sit, it will only be for a few minutes.”

She hesitated,
things weren’t going well. It was one thing to be feet away from him on a horse
it was something else all together to sit next to him.

“Are you
afraid of me?” He asked when she just stood there.

 “Of
course not.” She then walked determined not to be bothered by his closeness and
sat next to him. They sat in silence for what seemed an eternity. She had kept
her eyes looking towards the lane, praying no one came by. She stole a glance
at him he had his eyes closed. “Do you always ride this early in the morning?”
He asked without opening his eyes. She was startled by the question, “Only when
I find myself awake at this time.”

He went silent
again. After a few minutes he said, “You should go.”

“I beg your
pardon?”

“You should
go, you are not safe here.” He commanded.

“Why?” 
‘Did I miss something?’ Kagome thought.

“I can only
restrain myself for so long. It was a mistake to ask you to come here.” He
sounded angry. “Have I offended you? I don’t understand.” She was getting
nervous.

He was talking
nonsense. His eyes were still closed. She reached to touch his shoulder. As if
he knew was she was going to do, he grabbed her wrist. She gasped. He opened
his eyes and came within inches of her face. “I’ve already warned you.” He
whispered. The lady had followed him willingly, Inuyasha mused.  She had
no sense of decorum. She deserved what she got. Inuyasha pulled her abruptly
into his arms and kissed her.

Kagome wanted
Inuyasha to kiss her.  She couldn’t deny it. She’d wanted it from the
moment he came into her room the other night. This is something she should not
want at all. But now as his lips caressed hers, she let out a guilty little
sigh. At last, that sigh said.

At last.

His mouth, so
firm against hers, was not tentative. There was no request in this kiss, but
rather a demand. Everything in Kagome that was sensible bade her answer that
demand with a proper and resounding no. But everything in her that was sensible
fled. And when one of his arms dragged her body flushed against his, and his
free hand cupped the back of her head and held her steady against the onslaught
of his very thorough kiss, what little sense she had of right and wrong, of
proper and improper, disappeared. Behind her mare whickered as if confused by
whether to stand and wait, or browse and nose around for the nearest grass. But
Kagome didn’t care what the mare did. Inuyasha nipped her lower lip and slid his
tongue along the seam of her mouth, and she opened to him. Their bodies moved
in a hot slithering shifting that despite the layers of garments between them,
roused every surface of her skin. Her nipples peaked, her stomach clutched, and
deeper in places she’d rather believe did not exist, heat welled up, damp and
quivering. She let out a helpless little moan and clutched his hair. As hard
and firm as he was, his chest and thighs and arms, she found his hair to be
soft as silk.  He took complete possession of her mouth, delving deep,
mimicking the thrust of his pelvis against hers, and she strained for more. One
of his hands cupped her derriere and through her bunched skirts he stroked the
cleft of her femininity. She was startled at this, her dream flashed before her
eyes and she couldn’t believe this was happening, just like her dream. She
gasped and whimpered, but it was a whimper of need. Somewhere beyond them the
heavens boomed approval, a long, rumbling accompaniment to his thunderous pulse
and throbbing body. He loosened the front buttons of her riding habit, and then
slid his hand in to cup her breasts. Against his lips she let out a strangled
cry, of protest? No. For between his finger and thumb her nipple hardened with
need. At once he laid her down on the grass, flinging the sides of her bodice
wide. Though her chemise hid her from view, the soft mounds of her breasts
enticed him all the same. He kissed her again and covered her body with his
own. His arousal had become painful; he raised her skirts, and slid his hand up
the side of her smooth thigh. She moved with restless longing. He thrust his
hips against her in response. He was about to burst, but she was an innocent,
he reminded himself. He must be certain she was ready. So he slid his hand between
them and found the moist center of her desire.

“Soon enough,”
he said, trailing kisses across her cheek to her jaw line, and then down to her
throat. All the while stroking that wet warm place. She moaned with his every
stroke, urging him on. She began to pant and quiver. Despite the demand of his
own arousal he watched her, entranced. He moved his finger back and forth a
little faster, a little harder. Then with a little shriek she bucked up, and
against his hand he felt the convulsions in her belly. Inuyasha watched
fascinated as she shuddered with her release. Color flooded up her chest and
neck, and sucked in huge breaths of air. For a moment her eyes opened and
fastened upon his. Then she blinked, the sensual haze began to clear, and at
the same moment, with a roar that shook them to the core, the heavens opened up
over them.

“Bloody hell!”
Inuyasha tried to shield Kagome with his body, but there was no way to avoid
the onslaught of the storm. She gasped and turned away from the blinding
assault of the raindrops. Inuyasha rolled her to the side, facing him, but she
shoved him back, trying at the same time to close her bodice, pull down her
skirts, and rise to her feet. She failed at all three. Her rashness and the
cold water brought him back to his senses. What was he doing? He was about to
be married. He was no better than that count Miroku. Except she wanted him as
well, he could tell. She had responded to him readily. He watched her pull her
clothes back in order even though now she was soaking wet. What had he
done?  She looked appalled at what had just happened. Sheltering his eyes
with his hand he collected his hat and the two horses. He gave her the reins to
her mare and he said, “Get on, ride fast and hard away from here. Go home.” He
said cruelly. He was angry, not at her but at himself. He had lost control. She
looked hurt but she did as he said. She mounted her horse, her heart was racing
and she kicked the animal’s flanks and sped away the rain stinging her face.
She cried. She didn’t know if he followed, but it seemed forever before she got
back to town and raced up the steps of the townhouse. Before she knocked on the
door she looked back, he was there watching her. He had followed at a moderate
distance just to make sure she got home alright. She knocked and a confused and
concerned housekeeper let her in. She was soaking wet and dripping in the hall
when Sango appeared, “What in heavens happened to you?”

“It rained
while I was out riding.” Kagome tried not to sob right then and there. Her
friend was concerned for her. All the while she was betraying her. Kagome just
wanted to die. “You better go change your clothes before you catch your death
of cold.” Sango said.

“ style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>Nanstyle='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>, please help Miss
Kagome with her clothes.” Sango instructed one of the maids.

“Kagome, are
you all right?”

“I’ll be
fine.” Kagome answered half heartedly as she began to climb the staircase to
her room. “Wait,” Sango said hurriedly. “You need to hurry and get dressed.
Lord Sesshomaru has been waiting for you for almost half aur. ur. He is in the
parlor.” Sango whispered.