The Hot Springs

Author Notes:

genkan: area in traditional Japanese home to exchange outdoor shoes for indoor shoes
karasu: crow
hontouni: really; truly
haori: Japanese male formal coat
hakama: Japanese male formal divided skirt
tatami mats: Japanese straw floor coverings
okaasan: mother
otousan: father
kimono: Japanese female formal dress
obi: keeps a kimono closed; a belt
aniki: older brother (or one’s senior)
sugoi: expression for ‘wow’
gomen: informal expression for ‘sorry’
niku-jaga: Japanese beef and potato stew
Kurokuma: literally means ‘black hawk’
Fukurou: literally means ‘owl’
oyasumi: informal expression for ‘good night’
fushichou: phoenix bird


Chapter Twelve of The Hot Springs

~~~~~~Later~~~~~~

After Sesshoumaru had finally let her up, Rin lamented that the kitchen was even messier now, and told him she’d be back after she bathed and changed into a new kimono. The vegetables that had been on the table had mostly fallen off due to the vibrations she and Sesshoumaru had created, the water in the pot was boiling off since there were ngetagetables to cook, and Rin was certain that the room a paa particular scent that didn’t belong in the kitchen. Mostly worried that she would embarrass her dear Tai-chan rather than herself, Rin rushed to the master bedroom, hoping to find at least a new under-robe to wear.

Kicking off her house slippers, Rin padded over to the cabinets in the back of the room, clutching the material of her shredded kimono together. Sliding open the drawers, Rin’s eyes widened considerably upon seeing what looked like brand new kimonos, all silken and ready for her use. Rin let out the breath she had been holding and mouthed a few words of fascination, delighted that Sesshoumaru had thought of her. Picking out what caught her eye first, Rin withdrew a dark blue kimono with gold trimming along the bust and arms. Letting the shredded kimono fall off of her shoulders, Rin pulled a light blue under-robe out of the drawer and wrapped it around herself before picking up the dark blue outer-robe and shutting the drawer. Leaving the old kimono where it lay, Rin hurried back to the hallway, slid on her house slippers, and jogged to the back entrance of the house. Barely noticing that shoes were in the back genkan for her use, Rin put them on and walked quickly along the south path towards the bathhouse.

A little unnerved by how sore she felt now that she was hiking to the bathhouse, Rin wondered just how rough Sesshoumaru had been. She knew that their intense interlude in the kitchen had been a little too soon for Rin after the rending of her innocence, but the soreness was even more noticeable now.

She passed around a bend in the path, and felt a shiver slink up her spine. Put off balance, Rin came to a stumbling halt. A vivid memory flashed in front of her eyes, startling her almost enough to make her drop the kimono in her arms.

“Of all the days to change your routine!”

“He killed him! My dear husband, who was so powerful and strong!”

Blinking, the memory ended, and the landscape from that awful autumn day melted into reality again. Rin pressed her hand to her chest, feeling the rapid beat of her heart. Now realizing the origin of the memory she had seen on the path with Kagatsu, Rin wondered how many times she might have experienced similar parallels between lives. Walking on, Rin tried not to give in and run to the bathhouse now that her fears had been pricked, but it was extremely difficult, and Rin ashamedly ran the last ten feet to the bathhouse, slamming the door once she was inside. Breathing a sigh of relief, Rin remembered her lack of time and rushed through her bath, splashing water onto the wooden bathhouse floor in her hurry. Afterwards, combing her hair was a difficult task since her heavy tresses had become tangled, but five minutes of tugging and wincing got her hair free of knots. Deciding to braid her hair later, Rin pulled on inn inner-robe and then her kimono, smoothing the fabric lovingly.

The belt was easier to get on this last time because it was a little stiffer. Folding the towel she had used and setting it on the edge of the empty tub, Rin carefully slid open the door, a little wary now that something would jump out at her. She walked back quickly along the south path towards the house, hands fisted to steel her nerves. Sesshoumaru-sama and Tai-chan would never let anything bato tto the complex. They’ll protect me! Nearing the site of the confrontation again, Rin walked even faster, determined not to let the memory faze her. Why am I so scared?! I’m being a complete coward. A twig snapped in the forest area to her left, and Rin squeaked and broke into a run, headed back to the house. Bursting in through the back door, she kicked off her shoes, slipped into her house slippers and half-ran, half-skidded back to the kitchen.

Arriving a little out of breath, Rin was once again shocked…since the kitchen was clean…completely clean. Even the vegetables were diced and sitting in a bowl next to the pot of water, which had been refilled and heated up again. The counter and table had been washed and dried, the dishes were all clean and put away…taking a sniff, Rin was surprised to find that at least she couldn’t smell their amorous activities anymore. Looking to where Sesshoumaru sat, as if he had been sitting there the whole time, Rin slowly walked into the kitchen, confused.

“S…Sesshoumaru-sama? Did you…?” Rin began to ask, pointing at him with uncertainty. Did he clean everything?

“Is there anyone else here?” he replied calmly, keeping his eyes closed as if resting. Rin’s mouth fell open. He never cleaned…not even in my past life did I see him clean anything besides…his body or mine. Walking over to the pot, the water was still cool, meaning it had been placed there only a few minutes ago. Knowing she had a couple of minutes before she had to add oil and beef cutlets, Rin ran over to where Sesshoumaru sat and landed his lap, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

“Arigatou-gozaimasu, Sesshoumaru-sama! The kimonos are beautiful!” Jolted, Sesshoumaru braced one hand behind him to keep himself from falling over. Rin practically rained kisses on him, touching her warm lips to his forehead, his cheeks, the tip of his nose, often returning for a quick kiss on the lips. Once she had covered his face with little love pecks, Rin pressed her lips against his, adjusting herself in his lap a bit to sit more comfortably. Hearing Sesshoumaru’s intake of breath and feeling him pull her against his chest, Rin dipped her tongue between his lips, staying shallow and playing with the tip of his tongue. His lips are so soft…

The houas sas silent except for the occasional breeze and the pot’s odd noises. Rin spent a nice long minute kissing him, hearing his breaths squeeze in and out of his lungs, petting the soft skin along the hard line of his jaw, which moved with every new slant of their kiss, and enjoying the feel of his muscled arms holding her close. Concentrating, Rin could feel the happiness spreading inside her beloved mate. Gently ending the kiss, Rin was glad to hear that he was a little out of breath now. She set her forehead against his, closing her eyes.

“Arigatou, Sesshoumaru. I won’t tell anyone that you helped me clean the kitchen,” she whispered, joking. Hearing a little growl of annoyance, Rin felt his arms tighten a bit more.

“I would never live it down,” he responded, using a softer tone of voice. “I’m glad you like the clothes.” He nuzzled her, lightly rubbing his lips over hers. Rin felt a painful twinge between her legs as she adjusted in his lap again and grimaced a little. “Are you all right?” Sesshoumaru asked, smoothing his hand down her silky side.

“Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama. But I’m still a little sore from…from the past couple of days.” Rin kept her voice nonchalant and smiled as she said that she was okay, but Sesshoumaru almost imperceptibly frowned.

“I was too rough,” he stated, rather than asked. Rin shook her head, making a negating noise.

“Iie, Sesshoumaru-sama. I liked it…very much,” she whispered, leaning her forehead against his once again. She felt him take a deeper breath and saw him close his eyes. Following suit, Rin pulled herself close and laid her head on his shoulder, tucking her legs back against his thighs. These moments…when it’s quiet and we’re alone…these are memorable.

Rin became aware that the pot of water was starting to bubble, meaning it was warm enough for the oil and beef strips. She began to pull away, about to say that she had to go prepare dinner, but Sesshoumaru tightehis his arms and kept her close.

“What is it, Sesshoumaru-sama? I have to start dinner.” Sesshoumaru held her against him with one arm and gently rubbed up and down her side, looking at her mouth. Rin felt a blush rising to her cheeks, but was also aware that her body was starting to protest the position in which she had been sitting.

“Tell me another one,” he said, leaning close to her. Though Sesshoumaru had been vague, Rin knew exactly what he was talking about. She felt the tips of her ears turn red. His smoldering golden gaze drifted up to her eyes, but Rin knew she couldn’t tell him her fantasies while looking right at him. Dropping her eyes down to his shoulder, Rin opened her mouth to say something. “Look at me, Rin,” Sesshoumaru said, his tone almost demanding.

“I can’t, Sesshoumaru-sama,” Rin fiercely whispered, clutching him a little tighter.

“Why not?” he asked, brushing his lips over her cheekbone. Rin squeezed her eyes shut, and grimaced a little.

“I feel embarrassed, Sesshoumaru-sama.” Sesshoumaru seemed to think for a bit, nuzzling the soft spot below Rin’s ear. Then whispering into her ear, he said,

“Don’t think of it as embarrassing. Learning about your fantasies allows me to be closer to you, Rin…a wan want to be closer.” Sesshoumaru gently turned Rin’s face towards him, and Rin hesitantly raised her dark brown eyes to his golden gaze. Her lips parted just a bit, and his hand smoothed around her waist to the small of her back, supporting her as she sat there in his lap.

“Well, it’s similar in nature to the first one. I’ve dreamt that...that…I bound your wrists behind you—s…s…sat you up against a wall, and had my way with you. I—I… wanted to…to touch all of you…for as long as I wanted…” The last came out in a rush, spoken with a noticeable quaver. Rin’s blush was intense, but she never dropped her eyes from his very attentive stare. His roguish smirk put a childish pout on Rin’s face, but all he did was pull her upper body against him for a quick kiss before releasing her so that she could finish dinner. Rin walked over to the pot, finding a large cup into which she could pour some of the hot water. Dumping the rest outside, Rin set the pot back over the fire and poured in a small amount of oil, which sizzled softly inside. Pulling over the p she she had earlier filled with thin beef slices, she picked up the strips with a pair of chopsticks, setting them inside the pot one at a time.

As they simmered and sautéed for a couple of minutes with the excess water moisture and vegetable oil, Rin looked behind her at Sesshoumaru. He sat cross-legged on the other side of the tabl cou couple of feet back from it, and was calmly looking at her with no visible expression on his face. Rin’s knees felt a little sore so she rolled onto her hip, turning slightly towards her mate. Remembering in her previous life how she once asked him if he ever slept or ate, Rin recalled that he said he was capable of doing those human tasks, but he never needed to, and so preferred not to. She wished he would eat dinner with them, though.

“Do you dislike Yokiri and her father that much, Sesshoumaru-sama, that you would deny Inutaisho what he wants?” Rin asked with a crease of concern between her eyebrows.

“I do not dislike weaker beings. I only wish they knew their place. But if Yokiri proves herself, Inutaisho can do as he pleases,” Sesshoumaru said, tucking his arms into his sleeves and shutting his eyes again as if resting. Rin smiled a little, suddenly realizing what his body language indicated. She had never picked up on it before, not even in her past life, but whenever he looked like he was bored and resting, or tried to, it meant that something felt a little awkward or embarrassing to him. He rarely did it, since Rin knew that not much made him feel out of place, but now that she had learned something new about him, Rin felt like she was closer to him than ever. So that’s what he meant.

“You did well with him while I was gone. He’s much stronger than I remember. I wish I could see the other children…” Rin sighed, turning back towards the pot. She didn’t see Sesshoumaru’s eyes open to watch her back, a little concerned for her. Eyeing the curves that he could easily dis und underneath the gorgeous dark blue kimono, he watched the cloth fold around her body as she moved her arms above the counter.

Rin dropped in the onion slices that Sesshoumaru had prepared, noticing that the chunks were extremely well cut, as were the diced potatoes she added afterwards. She continued to watch the concoction she had started, making sure nothing burned and that everything was thoroughly sautéed with the meat’s juices.

“Do you know when Jaken-sama will return, Sesshoumaru-sama?” Rin asked, twisting around a bit to look at him.

“I expect him to return this evening. If he does not, then Toku and Genbu might not be fighting as well as I had taught them. I highly doubt that Jaken will be late then.” Rin smiled broadly, glad that Jaken was returning so that she could hear about her other two sons. Sesshoumaru sniffed the air a bit, and then easily rose to his feet. “Inutaisho has returned.” Walking outside through the kitchen door, Sesshoumaru stood on the porch as Inutaisho dropped down to the ground, holding two dead karasu youkai.

“These are the guys I’ve been smelling around the complex lately,” he said, lifting the dead crows. Behind his father, he saw his mother peek through the kitchen door. Sesshoumaru turned slightly to look at her. Inutaisho bowed his head a bit at his mother, and continued talking with Sesshoumaru.

“Otousan, do you think they just migrated this way or…?” Inutaisho let his question trail off. Sesshoumaru’s eyes squinted a bit, and he looked to the sky.

“Let’s assume so…for now.” Looking down again at Rin, who looked concerned, Sesshoumaru smoothed any anger from his face and set his hand on her shoulder. Turning to look at Inutaisho again, he said, “Get rid of those and clean up. I believe your dinner will be ready soon.” Inutaisho nodded and bowed his head at Rin again, turning abruptly to leave.

Rin stood back as Sesshoumaru walked inside again and sat down. Going back to the pot, she poured the hot water back in, still fairly warm. Stirring the contents for a little while, she then reached for a large bottle of soy sauce and poured in enough to give the dish some flavor. She was dying to ask Sesshoumaru what he really thought about the karasu youkai, but knew not to ask since he pondered things for a while before saying anything.

“When will we be leaving again, Sesshoumaru-sama?” Rin asked, wondering how much time she had left with her oldest son. Adding some brown sugar, Rin continued to stir the stew, knowing that she should stoke the fire underneath to keep the pot well heated until the potatoes were done.

“Tomorrow morning, as soon as you wake up.” Rin smiled a bit, appreciating that Sesshoumaru always let her sleep. When she was a little younger, waking up to make breakfast for thsterster and his family was only accomplished because the housekeeper shook her awake. Motivating Rin to cook at such an early hour, especially when it meant that Kagatsu had ample opportunity to molest her in some way, was a monumental task. Rin wondered how the housekeeper managed it every day. Looking at the diced daikon radish off to the side, Rin realized she wouldn’t have enough time to make the second dish before it was time for them to eat. Inutaisho loves oden, too.

“Is Inuyasha-sama’s home far from here?” Rin wondered, setting a lid on the stew while it simmered. She scooted back a bit, sliding open the iron door to the fire below the pot and adding a piece of wood to keep it going.

“On Ah-Un, we could be there in a day and a half, but Jaken will use Ah-Un to report the news of your return to Karran, in the south. We may need her help with the Shikon no Tama.” Rin turned towards Sesshoumaru, mouth slightly open.

“Hontouni?” Rin squeaked, dying to see her only daughter, her perfect little Karran. Sesshoumaru nodded, almost smiling. Rin blushed with excitement and covered her happy grin with her hands. Looking as if she realized something, Rin leaned forward onto her hands towards Sesshoumaru. He couldn’t help but notice that her young breasts bounced a little under the dark blue kimono, inviting his touch. “But…how long will it take us to reach Inuyasha-sama if Jaken-sama must use Ah-Un?” Sesshoumaru regretted that Rin weren’t closer to him, or he would have gladly reached forward to fondle her. A breeze from the forest decided to find its way through the open kitchen door right at that moment, and it lifted a few tendrils of her silken black hair as it passed.

“Come closer, Rin,” Sesshoumaru ordered, keeping his voice devoid of expression. Rin obediently began to crawl towards him, careful of her kimono so that it didn’t get dusty. As she approached, Sesshoumaru said, “On horseback, we can reach Inuyasha’s home by nightfall on the third day. It may given Karran and Jaken time to reach my brother as well so that we arrive at the same time.” Rin sat back a little once she reached him, still braced forward on her hands. The stew had fifteen minutes left to simmer, and Inutaisho had a considerable amount of the crow youkai’s blood on his clothing and armor, so Sesshoumaru felt it opportune…

He lifted his right hand, tilting forward a little over his right hip. Curling his fingers towards his palm, he brushed the backs against Rin’s glossy cheek. As soft as the silk on her body… Rin’s eyes fluttered shut, and she took in a deeper breath, leaning into his touch. Opening his hand, Sesshoumaru gently fitted his hand against bac back of her neck and pulled her forward, tilting closer to her. Rin lifted herself over her knees, walking on her hands towards him as he pulled on the back of her neck. She thought to herself that the tatami mats felt so much rougher beneath her hands versus the smooth kimono.

Hearing his intake of breath as she neared him, Rin took a breath as well, opening her lips. His lips met hers at a slant, and his tongue thrust between her lips assuredly, withdng fng for another thrust after his lips changed angle. Rin’s hands wanted to touch him, some part of him, so Rin braced her weight on one arm and brought up her left hand to explore the texture of his ear, which jutted out from his mane of long, white hair. The skin was soft and smooth, molded perfectly to the cartilage of the pointed tip. The kiss deepened a bit, and Rin felt his warm lips pull over hers with more pressure and insistence. Hearing the slide of his skin over the fabric, Rin felt the hand behind her neck move down over her collarbone and turn to cup her left breast through the cloth of the kimono. Making a soft high noise, Rin let her fingers comb through his hair as they came to rest on his shoulder.

The tip of Rin’s breast gladly distended, pressing through the silk to prod against his palm as he tested the weight and feel of her breast. Sesshoumaru gently trapped her nipple between two fingers, rolling it sy. y. Rin was vaguely aware that her bruised knees were dully throbbing, but the sensations shooting through her body every time Sesshoumaru plied her mouth or squeezed her breast were mostly distracting her.

Sesshoumaru slackened his jaw some more, listening to the sounds of the room—the subtle bubbling noises of the beef stew, the rustling of fabric as he massaged her breast, their softly releasing breaths, and the liquid sounds of his mouth as it explored hers, tasting the sweet surfaces on her tongue. Beyond those common noises, though, he could hear Inutaisho approaching the kitchen from within the house, stepping rather heavily as if to give him ample warning. Sesshoumaru took the hint and gently pulled away, holding the side of Rin’s face again as she sat back and opened her eyes. Her cheeks were a little pinker, and she looked a bit restless and dazed.

“Sesshoumaru-sama…promise to kiss me like that again,” Rin whispered, sliding her left hand down from his shoulder to his wrist.

“Aa, as many as you want,” he said in a low tone, lowering his hand from her face. Rin smiled gently, sitting back into an upright position on her shins. Sesshoumaru folded his arms into his sleeves, blanking his face before Inutaisho walked in, which he did only seconds later.

“Konbanwa, Tai-chan,” Rin chirped, coming to a stand. She walked around the table, not noticing the knowing look that Inutaisho gave his father. Inutaisho was forced to pay attention to his mother, though, when she hugged him—because it was probably as tight as a human possibly could squeeze another object.

“Ugh—okaasan, konbanwa,” Inutaisho wheezed out, patting her back. Inutaisho knew of his parents’ affectionate ways even in his mother’s previous life. In his early childhood when he was left home alone for a few hours with Jaken or his siblings, those times were a constant joke between the four kids. His parents always came back a little flushed and smelling different. It wasn’t until Inutaisho was much older that he realized what was different. Now that he was in the kitchen, his mother held that smell again, and Inutaisho wanted to throttle his father for the smug half-smirk on his face. It’s not fair that he can have a human mate and deny me Yokiri, who is “supposedly” weak.

Rin finally let go of her son, though she was tempted to hug him again. He had just bathed and put on fresothiothing: black hakama and a dark blue haori, which severely contrasted with his pale skin and white hair. He was so handsome, and Rin felt so proud.

“I made niku-jaga tonight, Tai-chan. Gomen, but I didn’t have enough time to make oden for you,” Rin said, backing up to check the progress of her stew. Inutaisho knew exactly why she didn’t have time, and his jaw tightened. But he decided to drop it for tonight and looked at the size of the pot she had prepared, wondering why she had made so much.

aasaaasan…can we eat all of that?” he asked, pointing at the pot as Rin sank to her knees in front of it. Rin paused for a second, thinking, and then her mouth fell open.

“Oh, no!” Covering her cheeks in surprise, Rin turned to Inutaisho, looking sad and embarrassed. “I’m so used to making food for a family of five that I forgot it was just you and me! What a waste of food…” Rin sighed, turning back to the pot and holding her arms close to her chest. She leaned over the pot, checking on the potatoes.

“I’ll try to eat my fill then, okaasan,” Inutaisho said, sitting down at the table. Hearing a sigh, Rin looked over at Sesshoumaru, who was rubbing his sinuses.

“You may not have to,” Sesshoumaru commented. Inutaisho looked a bit confused, but then lifted his nose and took a good sniff. Rolling his eyes, he leaned forward, setting his elbows on the table.

“What is it, Sesshoumaru-sama?” Rin asked, holding the lid of the pot in her hand. Sesshoumaru looked up, lowering his hand from his face.

“The boys are home,” he said. Rin set the lid down noisily, half-hearing the loud clatter as she scrambled to her feet. Barely containing her excited squeaks, Rin hopped from foot to foot. There was some commotion outside, accented by the sound of boisterous yelling, a few thumps as bags and people landed, and the annoyed squawks of her husband’s retainer, Jaken. Rin daintily jogged to the kitchen door and stepped out onto the wrap-around porch.

Standing in the light of the setting sun, Rin’s two younger boys were pulling off their dirty armor, letting it fall in a heap on the grass. Two weary-looking fushichou youkai tiredly stretched their wings, having flown a long way. Toku, lean and graceful with a narrower face and his father’s horizontal stripes, had been wearing silver-colored metal armor that matched his black hakama and white haori. His smiles were softer, easier, but his intellect rivaled Inutaisho’s or even Sesshoumaru’s. Genbu, almost as lean but just as graceful, still had his boyish grin, accented by the stripes that he had also inherited. His black armor, covered with grime, dropped to the ground with a thud, revealing a relatively clean red haori over black hakama. Genbu was by far the best fighter of the three brothers, but just barely. Thougs brs brothers had the same speed and strength, Genbu had the best sword technique. Jaken, sliding off of Ah-Un, was looking the worse for wear. His hat was way off and his clothing was splashed with mud and dust. He didn’t look happy.

Toku’s head tilted back a bit as if he caught a scent, and he turned quickly to look in Rin’s direction. Rin smiled at him, once again choking up and wondering huch uch she could cry in one day. They look healthy and strong. Genbu noticed Toku’s divergence of attention and looked in Rin’s direction as well. Both had the most priceless looks on their faces: jaws slack, eyes wide. Without needing to say anything, the two boys were suddenly running, leaving their things on the ground. Rin stood there, waiting for them, and spread her arms once they scrambled onto the porch, not caring that their shoes were still on.

“Okaasan!” they yelled, coming at her at the same time. Rin just braced herself, letting them scoop her up into a shared hug. Rin felt her feet leave the floor, and two hanyou buried their noses into her shoulders, hugging her tight. Rin held onto their necks, letting herself cry as much as her eyes would allow. They smelled a little sweaty and dusty, and Rin noticed that they ran much faster than she remembered. Shet tht them tighten their holds even more, sniffing a bit against her shoulders.

“I missed you two,” Rin sighed, landing a motherly kiss on their heads.

Toku was close to crying. He fought it, knowing his father could probably see him. His mother had been the source of comfort when he was young, showing nothing but love for him. She was constantly encouraging him and his siblings, praising them when they did well, and giving advice when they failed. The day sied ied was the worst day of his life. He never got the chance to prove himself to her and father, to introduce her to a lifelong mate that he still hadn’t found. Having her back made that chance possible again, and he was determined to make her proud.

Genbu was in a similar state as his brother. His parents had made him strong—his father’s blood and teachings made him a strong youkai, and his mother’s blood and teachings gave him a strong heart. His mother’s smiles as he and his father sparred were a driving force in his life. Like his other siblings, he had felt like he had all the time in the world—he did, to tell the truth. He and Toku had just begun plotting for control of the Northern kingdom, which was rumored to have gone sallow under the northern youkai’s reign. They were starting to gather respectful, well-trained followers, preparing for what could be an all-out war. And then suddenly Jaken appeared at their campsite, saying that his mother was on her deathbed. Humility and a sense of mortality were finally made known to him when she died. He and his siblings waited for the day that she would return to the family, hoping to show her the fruits of their labor while she was gone. And now they could.

“Oi…”

Rin heard Inutaisho’s annoyed voice from the kitchen, and smiled to herself over his impatience. Hearing Genbu’s growl of anger, Rin hugged him tighter to quiet him down.

“I’ll eat all of your share of the food if you two don’t come in and sit down,” Inutaisho flippantly announced, lightly banging his fist on the table. Rin felt their arms loosen, and stretched her feet down to find the floor. On the ground again, Rin pulled back and looked at her younger sons up close. Their eyes shined a bit, but Rin didn’t plan on saying anything.

“Have you been taking care of yourselves?” she asked, clasping her hands together. Toku and Genbu nodded in unison. Both were in awe of how young she was. They had memories of her when they were children, but even then she wasn’t this young. This was how she looked when father first fell in love with her. Rin beamed at them, beckoning them to come inside once they removed their shoes. Jogging to get four bowls, four sets of chopsticks, and four glasses, Rin brought the pitcher of water to the table just as Toku and Genbu sat down. Then leaning over the pot of stew, Rin checked the potatoes, and found that they had just finished. Glad for the break, she dished out four servings. Behind her, the boys were all talking.

“Eh? Karasu youkai?” Toku asked, looking at his eldest brother. Inutaisho poured water into his glass, nodding.

“I found the two that had been nesting in the trees of our complex. They were both male, and obviously not there to build a home, or else I might have just kicked them out.”

“Mm…you know better than that, Inutaisho,” Sesshoumaru said, his low voice shushing his three sons. “Anything found in the complex uninvited is killed.” Inutaisho’s jaw clenched a bit, but he was silent, his ears flattening.

“But otousan, what do you think this means?” Genbu asked, pulling the water pitcher over to his end of the table. Toku gestured towards his cup, silently asking Genbu to pour him some water as well, which got Genbu’s eyes down to slits.

“Spies,” was all Sesshoumaru said, making Rin pause for a bit, which all four noticed. The boys knew about what had happened to her when she was pregnant with Inutaisho—the woman Sesshoumaru had referred to as Sayo attempted to murder her while Sesshoumaru was away. Ever since, Rin had felt unsafe inside the complex. Nothing at all had happened since then, but they knew it was there in the back of her mind. “What do you plan to do?” Toku asked. Sesshoumaru looked to Toku, imperceptibly smiling.

“Nothing.” The three boys’ mouths were suddenly open, confounded by their father’s response.

“Nothing, otousan?” Genbu asked, leaning forward a bit over the table. Sesshoumaru folded his arms in his sleeves, looking at Rin’s back.

“Inutaisho will be the one to do something about it. I have much more important things to deal with,” he said in an implying tone. The boys looked at Rin, and only Inutaisho knew what Sesshoumaru meant.

Rin, having filled all four bowls to the brim, brought one over, setting it in front of Inutaisho first. She patted his head, startling Inutaisho since she hadn’t done that since he was perhaps ten years old. Padding back over to the counter, she picked up two more bowls and brought them over to Toku and Genbu, who looked at the niku-jaga with hungry eyes and fairly slobbering mouths. Rin patted their heads, noticing that their attention was fixed on the food. All three boys manly called out ‘itadakimasu’ and began to dig in, halting all conversation. Rin then brought over her own bowl, sitting down next to Sesshoumaru, and elegantly picked up her chopsticks.

“Uuahhhh, sugoi, okaasan!” Genbu praised, mouth full. Rin gave him a halfway-angry glare for talking with his mouth open, and Genbu coughed out a ‘gomen’ from behind his hand. Smiling at him for the compliment, she began to eat, glad for the food since her stomach was very empty. Jaken finally padded in, looking a little cleaner, but not much. Rin was about to get up to fill him a bowl of stew, but he waved at her to sit down, grunting grumpily.

“What of the north?” Sesshoumaru asked once the boys had eaten at least a few bites. Toku swallowed and lowered his arms a bit, setting the bowl back on the table.

“Kurokuma was slain a few days ago. It took years to gain support, but once the opposing hawk clan became our allies, we finally took the castle last week. Our troops are routing out the last of Kurokuma’s loyal subordinates,” Toku explained, looking to Genbu, who also lowered his bowl. Rin paused with her chopsticks in her mouth to listen as they spoke.

“It…would not be proper to discuss the details of the fight with Kurokuma at the table,” Genbu said, kly kly glancing at his mother, “but once we got past the last of his guards, he was defeated easily, otousan.” Rin sead hed her memory for the name of ‘Kurokuma,’ and realized that they had just slain the northern lord. It had been rumored that Kurokuma’s family’s strength had drastically declined, meaning stronger parties coulvaeevade and conquer the northern lands, but no one had dared yet—rumors were only rumors. Sesshoumaru, thought to be the strongest of the four lords, had confidence in his sons to successfully overthrow Kurokuma. Then a thought popped into Rin’s head,

“Sesshoumaru-sama…” Rin waited until Sesshoumaru had nodded to let her speak, and went on, “If Tai-chan marries Kiri-chan, and inherits the eastern lands, then our family will control three-fourths of the entire country.” Genbu and Toku both coughed hard, looking over at their brother, who was blushing furiously behind his bowl of niku-jaga.

“Naaaaniii? What’s this, aniki?” Genbu said, wiping the coughed-up stew from his chin. Toku was simply staring dumbfounded at Inutaisho.

“Tai-chan wants to marry Fukurou-sama’s daughter,” Rin supplied, smiling as she held her bowl. Feeling her knees get sore again, most definitely bruised, Rin rolled onto her hip, letting her legs jut out to the side.

“Okaasan! I haven’t even seen Yokiri for a month,” Inutaisho said. He put down his bowl and brushed off his sleeves self-consciously. Toku started eating again, even more interested in the conversation now.

“A month?! What kind of son did I raise?” Rin asked, setting down her half-empty bowl. She didn’t notice Genbu eyeing it as he set down his empty bowl. Jaken was sitting off to the side, eating his stew. Inutaisho was bright red by now, embarrassed to be like this in front of his father and both of his younger brothers. Rin, realizing that she was mortifying him, picked up her bowl again, disappointing Genbu. He stood up to get another helping.

“Well, perhaps when you’re near there again, you should attempt to be social, Tai-chan,” Rin said, giving him a pointed stare. Sensing that the conversation was turning again, Toku looked to his mother, having polished off his helping. He asked her about where she had been before now, and from there the conversation lasted another hour or so, with each he bhe boys getting a second helping, leaving enough for Jaken to have a bit more if he wanted, but he had already fallen asleep from exhaustion near the door. Sesshoumaru sat there the whole time, paying quiet attention to the conversation. It was obvious to him that the boys were glad to have their mother back. They listened avidly to everything she had to say, asking a billion questions, which Rin made sure to return by asking them about what they had done for the missing years.

She won’t have to miss any more…

Glancing askance at the light outside, Sesshoumaru saw that the sun had set long ago, and said Jaken’s name. Rin and her boys stopped their conversation. Jaken’s eyes shot open, and he jumped to his feet, a little disoriented.

“H-hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!”

“Leave on Ah-Un and visit Karran in the south. Tell her that her mother and I will be in her uncle’s village, waiting for her, and that it concerns the Shikon no Tama.” Jaken, looking bleary-eyed but halfway awake, spit out a ‘hai’ before running off to do as his master bid. Rin pouted.

“Mouuu, Sesshoumaru-sama. You could have at least let him sleep a little longer,” Rin said, feeling sorry for Jaken. She stood up, picking up all the bowls and stacking them together. Sesshoumaru looked to the door, expressionless, and didn’t respond. Rin placed the dishes in the wooden bucket near the door, covered up the last of the stew, and set it off to the side. Pouring some water onto the smoldering fire beneath, she waved away the smoke that rose up, listening to Toku and Genbu pestering Inutaisho about Yokiri. After the smoke mostly cleared, Rin yawned into her hand, hiding her tiredness from her sons. She wanted to stay up all night talking to them, but she once again felt exhausted. It’s too much at once.

“Dammit! Leave me alone, you jerks!” Inutaisho shouted, startling Rin out of her half-sleepy state. He abruptly stood up, ready to jump over at them, which got Genbu and Toku guffawing. Rin turned, ready to scold them, but Sesshoumaru stood up as well.

“Your mother is tired. I’m taking her to bed,” he declared, walking over to Rin. Rin opened her mouth to protest since she literally had not seen her sons for sixteen years and wished to talk to them more, but the hard look Sesshoumaru displayed indicated that no amount of complaining was going to get her anywhere. Toku and Genbu only laughed harder, continuing the inside joke. Within the blink of an eye, they were firmly whapped on the head, and Sesshoumaru walked towards Rin, who was still on her shins next to the dead fire. Toku and Genbu rubbed their heads, pouting at their father. Sesshoumaru pulled Rin to her feet, galvanizing Toku and Genbu to get up as well.

“Oyasumi, okaasan,” Toku and Genbu said in unison, each giving her a hug in turn. Rin was sure that the boys would stay up late talking, but since they lacked much of a need for sleep, they could survive much better than she. Inutaisho came over for a goodnight hug as well, thanking her for the meal. Sesshoumaru then placed his hand on her shoulder, gently pushing her out the door.

“But shouldn’t I finish the dishes, Sesshoumaru-sama?” Rin said, fighting his prodding a little as they walked down the hall.

“One of the boys will do it…I know you want to keep talking to them, but we have a long trial ahead of us. You need sleep.” Sesshoumaru pushed a little harder, getting Rin around the corner of the hall, halfway to their bedroom. Rin relented, letting him guide her.

Arriving at the bedroom door, Rin took off her indoor slippers and slid open the door. A calm, fresh breeze was swirling about the room from the open window, making the room only slightly cold. Pale moonlight was riding on the breeze, barely lighting up anything except the edges of furniture and a pile of rumpled, shredded kimono material near the back of the room. Rin felt Sesshoumaru’s presence behind her due to the amount of heat his body gave off and stepped forward, out of his way. She heard him shut the door behind them, and very faintly heard a loud laugh from the kitchen. The boys are going to tease Inutaisho until he gives one or both a bloody lip.

Meandering over to the window, Rin gazed outside. The trees were very close to the house, so Rin had come to know their exact shape and color over the years. She wasn’t surprised to see that they looked almost the same as she remembered. Sesshoumaru was disrobing behind her, but Rin leaned forward, bracing her hands on the sides of the window frame. She heard a breeze push its way through the trees, making the leavub tub together. The breeze arrived at the window, flowing past her and lifting her unbound hair. The cold air stung her eyes, making them water. Today was a good day. Shivering a bit, Rin distinctly felt her breasts react to the cold breeze, and remembered the brief, tender kiss she had received just before dinner. Despite the cold, her cheeks reddened. The water in her eyes pooled at the corners, squeezing out when she blinked her eyes.

The night was quiet and peaceful. Rin wished they didn’t have to leave.

Sesshoumaru silently wrapped his arms around her ribs and pressed a kiss to her temple, pulling her back against his chest. Rin dropped her hands from the window frame, setting them on his bare forearms.

“Are you upset, love?” he asked, bringing up a hand to brush at the moisture on her cheeks.

“Iie, the cold breeze merely stung my eyes, master,” Rin said, leaning back into him. She realized that her shoulders felt stiff and tried to force herself to relax them.

“We’ll come hom soo soon as this is over. You won’t have to leave again, not if you don’t want to.”

“I know, Sesshoumaru-sama. But I think that as long as you’re with me, I’ll be happy. Just keep holding me,” she sighed.

“Aa, all night, love.” They stood there at the window for a more few minutes, watching the branches sway ever so subtly and feeling the cool breezes waft in. Rin felt her eyelids sagging, and leaned her head back against Sesshoumaru’s chest. “Mm, Rin, you should sleep,” Sesshoumaru whispered, pulling on the ties to her obi. Her kimono began to sag away from her body, sliding down her chest and revealing more skin. Sesshoumaru had a good view, and slowly undressed her as she leaned back against him. He saw her skin get goose bumps, and wanted to smooth his palm over her chest to warm it. Dropping the obi to the floor, Sesshoumaru reached forward to slide the window shutters closed, hoping to cut off the flow of air that was making her shiver.

Rin dropped her arms, reached back to touch him, and found that his hips were naked, meaning the rest of him was naked. Her eyes popped open and jaw dropped down. Stretching her arms further back, Rin cupped his backside, making him jump when her colder hands touched his warm skin. She pulled him into her body, not caring that her kimono and under-robe were now wide open. Something was quickly growing and poking against her rear end. Sesshoumaru’s breathing was much faster and deeper, and his hot breath warmed her neck as he nuzzled and lick the skin on her shoulder.

Rin felt like her heart was beating in her throat, meaning sleep was now the furthest thing from her mind. Feeling her face heat up, Rin pushed off of his chest and turned around, finding his waist. Her hands were still cold, but he didn’t react this time. She then pushed him towards the opposite wall until his back touched the wall’s surface, surprised that he moved so willingly. Walking to the cabinet in the back, she searched for one of her hair ribbons by touch. The longest one was also her softest, a ribbon she had worn even in her previous life. Holding it again, feeling the cloth fold and roll in her palms, was a nostalgic experience. Now that her eyes had adjusted to the darkness of the room, which held a scent of the outdoors and a bit of its chill, Rin slowly padded back towards Sesshoumaru’s faint outline, which hadn’t moved. She stepped close enough to brush her midsection against the incredibly hot member protruding from her mate’s pelvis, and reached for his elbows. She found them a little awkwardly, but then she slid her fingers down to his wrists, wrapping her hands around the strong tendons.

Pushing his wrists together behind his back, Rin leaned forward with her arms, pressing her body against his manhood and resting her lips on his chest.

“I know—as well as you—that this ribbon would never be able to restrain you, Sesshoumaru,” Rin said, dropping the honorific suffix she normally used. “But…but can you pretend tonight that it does?” Securing a firm knot to bind his wrists, Rin almost reverently smoothed her hands over his sides, thoroughly examining the texture of his smooth, toned skin. Her only answer was a shaky sigh from her mate, who let his head loll forward until his chin touched his chest. Rin, free to do what she wanted, felt exultant and powerful, having the country’s most-feared demon lord under her control, if only for a single night. She satisfied her curiosity and touched every inch of skin she could find: the bumps of his muscled abdomen, his sinewy arms and thighs, his broad, strong shoulders, his manly rear end, and even the soft skin below his chin. The whole time, she listened to his heavy breaths, and the tiny choking noises he made when she touched something sensitive—attempting to noiselessly live through the pleasure she brought him.

“Sit down,” Rin ordered, pulling down on his shoulders. With slightly less grace than she had expected, Rin heard him obey her command, sitting down and leaning against the inner wall. Though he sat cross-legged, Rin quickly remedied that, placing his feet on the floor and then pushing his knees apart. Neither removing nor closing her gaping inner-robe, Rin walked forward on her hands, ignoring the pain in her knees. Planting her hands on either side of his hips, Rin was braced dominantly between his open legs. She listened intently for a few seconds, and was glad to hear that he was taking in quick, deep breaths. Nuzzling his chest, Rin pressed a small, light kiss to his right male nipple, and felt his entire body stiffen. She felt her own body heat up and moisten in reaction to their erotic situation. The dampness between her thighs was pleasantly distracting, but Rin tried to think of all the things she wanted to do to him, hoping she could at least perform a couple tonight, saving the rest for another day.

Sesshoumaru’s heart was about to choke him. He was spending most of his energy suppressing the intense desire to rip his hands apart, pin Rin to the floor, and have her as roughly as he wanted, but he forced himself to relax his muscles, to enjoy her scent and the attention she was paying to him. He wished he could at least touch her, though. He hadn’t had nearly enough time to explore and remind himself of the different textures on her body.

Rin let her under-robe slip down her shoulders, but it still hung from her elbows. The cooler air in thom som settled upon her now-exposed shoulders and chest, causing a full body shiver and a pert reaction. To warm herself, she pressed her chest against Sesshoumaru, who radiated heat no matter what the outside temperature was. Sesshoumaru attempted to push back in order to feel like he was somehow participating rather than being submissive, but he lacked the leverage to do much besides move his head and possibly his legs. The awkwardness he felt, though, was completely gone once Rin opened her lips over his mouth, pushing her tongue inside. He was able to kiss her back at least. Rin was obviously dominant, however, confidently thrusting her tongue. Sesshoumaru’s fingers clenched into fists, and he jerked a little when her left hand landed on his pelvis, very close to his most sensitive limb.

Rin’s heart pounded, and she felt alive, powerful, bur still feminine. Sesshoumaru was gasping for breath every time she let up from his lips for the briefest of seconds. While plundering his steamy mouth, Rin could hear air hiss in and out through his nose—he was excited, and it only made Rin more aroused to know it. She was vaguely aware that the wind outside was picking up a little more, blowing against the house hard enough to make the house groan ever so softly. Sesshoumaru could smell so many things. Since his eyes were closed, his other senses were stronger, and he could tell that a storm was a few hours away—that the boys were still moving around near the kitchen—that Rin was aroused… Realizing something important, Sesshoumaru’s arms flexed to grab Rin, but the slight confinement of her ribbon was the only thing that kept him from not caring and rending the cloth anyway.

Making a choking noise, Sesshoumaru’s stomach muscles clenched tightly as Rin wrapped her hand around his manhood, having warmed her palm against his hip. His arms flexed again, but he restrained himself, growling lightly into Rin’s mouth. Rin began pumping her hand, pulling tightly but slowly. Her tongue matched the rhythm, dipping into his mouth in unison with the movements of her hand. She could feel that his body was tense. He kept making small, low noises as if he were unable to keep the sensations silent, and his muscles were strained. Rin increased the pace, using her contact against his chest to sense how close he was to his peak. She deepened the kiss, trying to overwhelm him. Shifting closer on her knees until the tops of her thighs touched the backs of his and until she was practically sprawled over his chest, Rin tightened her hand and pumped her hand faster. Though the movement was small, she could feel him attempting to buck into her hand, and his breathing was getting ragged. He’s close… Rin brought her face away only a centimeter or two, licking Sesshoumaru’s lips and purposefully moaning erotically to arouse him even more.

“Master…uhh…so warm and big, Sesshoumaru…do you like it?” Rin asked, not needing to act seductive—the correct tone of voice came naturally now. Sesshoumaru ‘ha’-ed out a moan, almost choking on his groans. Lowering her voice to a tiny whisper, she continued, “Can you smell me, master? How wet am I for you?” Rin’s pelvis was already flush against his manhood. She simply pressed forward a few times, suggestively timed with her hand as it pumped. Sesshoumaru cried out, trying even harder to buck into her hand despite his disadvantage. So close… Pulling away, Rin let go of the rampant arousal in her hand, and sat back until she no longer touched him at all, but only barely.

“Kami…Rin, don’t stop,” Sesshoumaru roughly and loudly growled, sounding half-demonic and wondering why she backed off when he was about to climax. He was panting by now, squirming slightly against the bonds around his wrists. “You know that you’ll pay for this,” he threatened, feeling extremely frustrated. Rin grinned in the darkness of the room, struck funny by his response.

“But Sesshoumaru…I’ll soon make you feel so good,” Rin acquiesced, setting her hands on his knees. “And I hope, actually, that I pay dearly.” Smoothing her hands down his corded thighs, she felt him tighten up again. Rather than touching him, though, she rose to her feet and dropped the under-robe from her arms, letting is fall heavily to the floor. She stepped over his thighs and gingerly lowered herself, careful of her knees. Her mate’s arousal prodded her as she hovered over it, setting her hands on Sesshoumaru’s shoulders.

“Rin…hurry,” Sesshoumaru said, leaning forward to press an open-mouthed kiss to her chest. He dragged his lips over her right breast, seeking out the crest, but Rin’s hands pushed him back, pressing his shoulders to the wall. Gritting his teeth, Sesshoumaru promised himself that he would have his revenge—and that she would love every minute of it.

Rin knew that she would only feel more sore and raw in the morning—that part of the sensation even now would be painful, but she didn’t care. By the way Sesshoumaru acted about their quest for his half-brother and the Shikon no Tama, Rin knew that it was extremely dangerous despite her mate’s best intentions to hide his anxieties. Before they left, before they went straight at the danger, Rin wanted to make love in their bedroom. She wanted it to be as scalding wet as the hot springs where Sesshoumaru first mated with her so many years ago.

Sesshoumaru was too far gone to be pondering such emotional thoughts. He needed Rin to push him inside that tight body of hers before the tension killed him. However, Rin would only pet his shoulders and land little kisses on his forehead, still suspended above the engorged length behind her.

She wanted him to calm down a bit, to fall away from that peak far enough to increase the climax once he reached it again. He was still panting like a dog, though, so Rin slowed down the pace to almost a halt.

“Rin,” Sesshoumaru gasped out, turning his head up to look at the dark outline of her face.

“Only for a minute, Sesshoumaru…but…when I start again, don’t hesitate to make any noise, love. I want to hear how much you like it…groan, yell, I don’t care, but don’t keep it inside,” Rin whispered against his lips, kissing him at every pause. Sesshoumaru’s arm flexed again, but not as strongly this time. The pounding in his head was receding somewhat, taking away a little of the pressure. An odd, restless feeling was clawing around inside his stomach. Sesshoumaru didn’t like it, but he knew it would go away once Rin began to distract him.

Rin placed her right hand back on his shoulder, and set her left one on her own hip. Sesshoumaru’s d eye eyes followed that hand as it slid down her thigh and then moved to the inside, rubbing back up to the warm, moist place between her thighs. Feeling his own arousal react to seeing her touch herself, Sesshoumaru sighed as he watched Rin’s hand spread herself open. Rin dropped her right hand to find Sesshoumaru and held him in place while she lowered herself over him. Grimacing as her skin grated from the invasion, Rin set both hands back on Sesshoumaru’s shoulders, sinking slowly as her body adjusted to the size of her mate. Sesshoumaru, once Rin had completely seated herself, softly groaned. His heart was speeding up again, and Sesshoumaru wondered if he actually had the stamina for this.

It burned, but Rin ignored the pain, certain that it wasn’t enough to keep her from orgasm. Instead she concentrated on what Sesshoumaru was doing, hoping it would distract her as she began to move, sliding up as she clenched her inner muscles and then thrusting him back inside. She moved slowly, wanting to build it up as much as she could. Sesshoumaru growled several times, and Rin felt his shoulders moving beneath her hands as if he wanted to move.

“Faster…Rin,” Sesshoumaru groaned, much louder this time. He was trying to buck up into her, but he lacked any leverage. Rin could hear the telltale liquid sounds as she made love to him, and the slide of skin over skin as her thighs brushed his hips. She quickened her pace, feeling her chest bounce a little, and the wet sounds of their bodies meeting increased in tempo as well. The pleasure was starting for Rin, overriding the raw feeling. She felt her face warm up and her body start to glisten. Bouncing over Sesshoumaru at a moderate pace, Rin gripped his shoulders harder, letting her mouth fall open to breathe. Her thighs began to feel a little sore since her muscles weren’t used to doing this type of act, but the heat of muscle pain only added to Rin’s sensations. Sesshoumaru’s eyes clamped shut, and his face turned to the ceiling as Rin made love to him. The erotic circumstances only made him harder and longer.

“S—Sesshoumaru…uuhhh, you feel so good,” Rin sighed, finding a better grip on his shoulders and rolling her hips just a tad as she sank for the next few thrusts. Sesshoumaru grunted through his teeth, barely able to stop himself now from breaking free of his restraints. The soft sounds that her womanhood made as it squeezed over him seemed to be the only sounds he could hear, as if his brain were shutting down and focusing on where he connected with her.

“Rin,” Sesshoumaru cried, his groans sobbing out of his chest. The blood pumping through his veins was unholy, and he knew that if Rin could see, she would find that his eyes had turned red. Rin wanted to make it last longer, though, and slowed down a bit, which earned her a very frustrated growl from her mate.

“It feels so tight, master…I love how deep you go…uhhh,” Rin sighed, letting her left hand explore his chest. Sesshoumaru’s heart was palpitating as if he were running, making his blood flow fast through his body and flooding his brain with oxygen.

“Rin…I need to come now! I…I feel like I could explode inside of you, Rin,” Sesshoumaru gasped out in a deep voice.

“Not yet…longer…I want to mate with you a little longer, love,” Rin sighed, pausing for a brief couple of seconds to roll her hips. She began to buck against him again, pressing him far inside. “Mmm, Sesshoumaru…I know you like it…you love rubbing inside me, master.” Sesshoumaru grimaced, feeling his loins throb in the best of ways. “I love it, too…I love the friction. The heat…ohhh, master, it’s so warm and it feels so good…”

“Kami…kami…” Sesshoumaru gasped. Rin’s face contorted with strain…she could tell she was close, but she still wanted to stretch it out. She slowed down even more, moaning sexily every time she sunk down, squeezing him tightly.

“You fit me so well, Sesshoumaru…it stretches me and presses against the walls of my body,” Rin sighed, sinking down again to prove her point. “And it reaches so deep… it’s so tight and wet, master.” Rin picked up the pace again then, sighing as the friction rubbed against the swollen pearl above her entrance. “Mmm…faster…harder. So good, Sesshoumaru… Uhhh! Uhhh! You feel so good!”

Rin shakily cried out to him, bucking down against him as fast as she could, which made a thudding noise with each thrust. The liquid seeping from her was thoroughly coating her mate’s hard length, making loud, sucking noises that only made Rin’s heart beat faster. Her skin, as well as Sesshoumaru’s, was covered with a fine sheen of perspiration, and the room was no longer cold in the slightest. Rin’s breasts bounced heavily in front of Sesshoumaru, but he no longer had the mental capacity nor the physical capability to react. Rin could feel it start in her head, the swimming sensation that almost felt like a headache coming on. Unable to stop the halfway-desperate noise that squeaked out, Rin clenched her inner muscles, keeping them incredibly tight as she and Sesshoumaru plunged headfirst into orgasm.

“Rin! Uuhhhh!” Sesshoumaru groaned, his back stiffening as he almost painfully spilled himself inside Rin’s body. He gasped for air, wincing every time he throbbed out more seed. Rin dug her nails into his skin, throwing her head back and shoving him as far inside her body as she could. Her voice had left her so all that came out was a short, high sob. Something hit her body, like a hand that reached inside and violently squeezed her most sensitive muscles, milking her of the climactic liquid that dripped down her mate’s still pulsing arousal. For Sesshoumaru, it really was an explosion. He couldn’t remember coming that much inside her before. The things she had said…they were so sensual and intimate that Sesshoumaru had found himself reacting to them fully.

He felt Rin pull him forward after about a minute. He was still throbbing a little, emptying inside her even now. Rin gathered his hair and pulled it to the side, letting him lean on her chest as she supported his upper body.

He wasn’t prepared when she pulled all ten of her fingers down the spine of his back.

He yelled out, every muscle and tendon standing at attention as a powerful orgasm ripped through his loins. The heat was intense, and he once again burst into her tight muscles, flooding her with his demonic seed. Rin gasped, finding pleasure in the amount that filled her body, almost burning. Sesshoumaru was aware of his vision blacking out and his thigh muscles flexing as he instinctively attempted to pump into Rin while climaxing a second time. He was unaware of anything but the searing, mind-blowing pleasure throbbing in his pelvis—unaware that Rin held him to her chest with an arm around his shoulders; unaware that she tugged at the end of the ribbon, releasing his wrists.

Smiling to herself, Rin kissed his temple, listening to his agonized moans. I love you…Sesshoumaru…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Whew!!! Man, that took forever! But…this is the longest chapter I’ve written for anything! 17 pages! Wow! It also seems that my writing is slowing down, which could be a bad thing because you guys might get bored, so let me know if you want me to hurry a little more. Anyway, thanks for your patience! I really appreciate the reviews I received through email. Kuro Neko-sama sends big kisses to her reviewers!

~~Sincerely,
The Black Cat