Battle of Wills (revised)

Kagome hadn't been ready. She wasn't prepared for the unconditional love that so easily flowed from this supposedly heartless demon.

He nuzzled soft kisses into her neck as he held her, causing Kagome to sigh.

"Sesshoumaru.....I..." She felt she owed him some sort of explanation.

"Shhhhh..." He mused as he inhaled deeply again. "I have missed you."

She sighed again. Relaxing in his embrace as she rested her head against his chest. "I couldn't find you this morning." She whispered, gasping as his kisses became more passionate.

A low growl of pleasure escaped his lips as he ran his toungue over her delicate skin. "It could not be helped."

She smirked. He was doing it again. She was sure at some point in her life if their relationship lasted, his tendency to avoid her unspoken questions would become annoying, but for now she found it endeering. She began to giggle as his pointed tongue began to lick at the old tears that still clung to her skin. The ache in her heart dulled to almost nothingness. "What detained you?" She asked again as his warm tongue against her face made her squrim and giggle in his arms.

"It seems," He began as he placed his mouth up against her ear and held her tighter again. "the spell only effects your friends. I have come across no others that could not detect me."

- - - - - - - - - - - The night before. - - - - - - - - - - - -

The manor of the western lands was dark as he approached. This was not unsual for the late hour. He had left Rin in Jaken's care, and Jaken often demanded prompt bed times. The lizard demon was still a little too rough with his young ward, but it was nothing Rin couldn't tollerate. His steps were neither rushed nor slowed, but calculated. In truth he held fear, but he would not let it effect his actions. If Rin could no longer see him, because of this new spell, he would find a way to let her know he was still with her, and could still protect her. After all, Kagome could see him. If the spell had reached that level of severity perhaps something could be arranged. But he was getting ahead of himself. First he must know, then he would plan. Yes, no need to worry about such things until they come to pass.

He entered his home through a back entrance. It was not obvious to those approaching and he often used it when he did not wish to wake up the entire manor. He eyed the dark yet familiar surroundings. He was quite pleased to be home. He removed his swords from around his waist and placed them on a table in the main room. 'It is time to remove this question from my mind.' He noted as he stared down the hall that led to Rin's room. He walked in even steps again. No need to rush, the answers would come. He reached for the door knob and opened the door to her chambers forcefully. She was asleep and dead to the world. Normally he would disapprove of waking her in the middle of the night like this, but he needed to know before he could take action.

"Rin." He bellowed in a steady authoritave tone.

The small girl shot up in her bed, clutching at the blankets, a very surprized look on her face.

"Can you see me?" He questioned in the same deep tone.

"Hai! Sesshoumaru-sama." Rin answered sounding like a soldier answering her commanding officer.

He could tell she was pleased to see him. He had after all been gone for days. However, this was not an appropriate time to catch up with one another. She needed sleep and he had made plans.

Sesshoumaru nodded back to her. "Go back to sleep." He ordered.

"Hai! Sesshoumaru-sama." She answered before falling back on the bed and pulling the covers over her face.

He smirked slightly. The strange expression now seemed to come to him more and more. How disaplined Rin was compared to other humans. Not once had she questioned him, he noted as he closed the door to her room.

Slowly he made his way to the table in the main room and retrieved his swords, slipping them easily into the sash around his waist. He had to know the complete severity of the spell. It made sense to him that Rin would see him, after all, how could Rin possibly effect Inu Yasha's happiness. He needed to know if this spell had effected any of the demons that he dealt with on a regular basis. He sighed inwardly, this could take longer then anticipated.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - Back at the Beach - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kagome and Sesshoumaru had postioned themselves around the fire. He had been reluctant to let her out of his embrace, but she insisted and he agreed, deciding instead to sit beside her while she began to prepare the fire for the fish that Inu Yasha would be delivering any moment. He stared at her affectionately as she did this, old memories working their way into his memory as he watched her familar motions.

"I wonder where Inu Yasha is..." She wispered softly as she looked over the beach.

"Perhaps he drowned." Sesshoumaru quipped in an annoyed tone recieveing an angry glance from Kagome.

"Thats not funny." She mumbled out as she continued to poke at the fire.

He did not answer her. Another awkward moment of silence began.

A short while later Inu Yasha returned with four fish. "I was affraid we scared them all off." He commented as he plopped down next to the fire, soaked from head to foot.

"I was getting worried." She grinned as she took the fish and began to prepare them for the sticks she intended to cook them on. Kagome's actions were deliberate and slow as her eyes darted between Sesshoumaru and Inu Yasha. Never had she ever seen them sit so close. Sesshoumaru sat directly in front of Inu Yasha on the opposite side of the fire. The family reunion would have almost been touching, if not for the stare of hatred Sesshoumaru was giving Inu Yasha.

Kagome took far longer then she ever had when making dinner. Keeping an eye on Sesshoumaru while listening to Inu Yasha, AND making dinner was a bit more complicated then she had realized.

"Hey Kagome!" Inu Yasha barked out a bit more agressively as it was the second time he had tried to get her attention.

"Yes Inu Yasha?" She replied as she continued to place the fish by the fire.

"When are you going to get out of those wet clothes? OW!" He barked.

Kagome looked over to Inu Yasha who was now rubbing his head. "What's wrong?" She questioned as concern filled her words.

"I think something hit me." He groaned as he continued to rub the side of his head.

Kagome looked over to the demon lord, noticing the slightest of smirks upon his lips. She met his eyes, with a pleading glance, and he sat up again in a stoic pose. She smiled back at Inu Yasha. "Probably just a bug." Kagome laughed out nervously.

"Big bug...." Inu Yasha mumbled as he continued to rub the sore spot of his head bringing the saddistic smirk back to his brothers face.

"Your right though," She commented as she finished placing the fish and grabbed at her soaking wet clothing, "I should change."

Sesshoumaru's eyes immediately fell upon her.

"Can you watch the fish until I get back?" She questioned as she spotted a large bolder by the shore line.

Inu Yasha huffed, "Keh! Don't sweat it. I think I can handle this."

"Great!" She beamed as she ran down the beach toward the bolder with her bag in her hand.

She peeked around the boulder as she placed her bag in the sand, making sure her body was concealed enough behind the rocky surface. Both brothers sat beside the fire. Sesshoumaru seemed to stare through Inu Yasha in the same way Inu Yasha now stared through him. Kagome began to dig through her bag until she found the object she had been searching for. Her swimsuit. She sighed contently. No longer did she wear the bright one piece that she occasionally bathed in when traveling with Inu Yasha. She had long out grown those days of modest innocence. Her swimsuit now was a black two piece that showed off her figure. It had pink stripes on the sides and looked more like a joggers outfit then a swimsuit, she noted, but it made her look sporty and showed off her midsection, which she liked.

She made sure once more that she was hidden behind the rock before pulling her top over her head and letting it hit the ground with a loud splat. She removed her skirt in a hurried motion that caused her to jump on one foot. She continued to rush through undressing, surprized at how much the wet clothes had weighed upon her skin. She picked up the bottom to her swimsuit and was bending over to put it on when Sesshoumaru's feet appeared in front of her. She looked up, hopping on one foot due to the awkward angle. "Can I help you?" She quipped as the obsurdity of her postion was reflected in Sesshoumaru's amused look.

With a primal growl he grabbed her shoulder and pushed her against the bolder she had been balancing on.

"Sesshoumaru..." She gasped out quietly as he pinned her arms above her head, the bottom of her swimsuit still hanging around her ankle.

He didn't answer her. Slowly, he began to move his clawed fingers over the exposed damp skin of her breasts. She shuddered as her nipples reacted to his cool touch. He buried his face in her hair again, taking in her scent, placing his lips against her ear.

"Sesshoumaru please.." She gasped out again as she tried to pull her arms free of his grasp. "Not with Inu Yasha right there..."

He ran his claws lightly over her stomach, causing her to writh and tense against him.

"Would you have let him take you while in my presence?" He questioned coolly as his middle finger trailed down her body until it pressed against her pleasure point.

"No...." She panted in a low voice as he tormented her with delicate touches, " I didn't.....he didn't......I didn't mean to..." Her words lost meaning as another soft moan escaped her lips.

"Hey Kagome!" Inu Yasha called from the campfire.

"Please.... stop." She pleaded as Sesshoumaru began to move his finger faster in short circular motions against the now throbbing bundle of nerves.

"Kagome are you all right?" Inu Yasha called in a more concerned tone.

"I'm fine!" Kagome bit back through breathless gasps. She was horrified. Images of Inu Yasha finding her pinned by an unseen force, in such an obscene postion, breathless and writhing like an animal in heat, began to plague her mind. Her body was reacting. There was no fighting it. If she tried it only became more intense. She could feel the pressure building inside her stomach. 'No...No...' Her inner voice begged. She wouldn't give in. She couldn't. Not with Inu Yasha so close. She bit her lip fighting against Sesshomaru's advances. "Gods..." She whispered softly as her control began to crumble.

"He's approaching." Sesshoumaru whispered into her ear hotly in a voice heavy with lust and perversion as he smirked again against the delicate shell of her ear.

Kagome was lost. Somewhere inside her the walls she had been building against this attack crumbled to the ground and exploded in a wave of pleasure. Her face strained as she tried to hold the screams of pleasure back. Her lungs burned, and her heart beat loudly in her chest. The blood in her veins ran in every direction and mixed with fire as she writhed helplessly against the boulder. She felt him release her wrists as she continued to fight against the pleasure plaguing her body. She buried her finger nails into his shoulders as she fought the urge to scream.

Slowly, her breath came back to her, and the world faded back to the comforting blues and greys of the ocean. He set her down as she collected her breath so that she sat with her back against the boulder. She lay, limply, with her head resting listlessly against the hard surface. He smirked down at her, a pleased expression on his face, as he reguarded her spent body.

"Kagome?" Inu Yasha yelled from his place next to the fire again.

'Yes Inu Yasha?" Kagome hollered back with exhaustion heavy in her voice as she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.

"I think they're done." He answered back.

Kagome opened her eyes. Sesshoumaru was gone. Vanished, litterally in the blink of an eye. She stood up on shaking legs as she attempted again to change into her swimsuit. Sesshoumaru was gone without any kind of explanation. She groaned softly as she pulled her swimsuit over her sore hips and reached for her top. Was he angry at her? Why had he left? Worry began to touch her thoughts. What did this mean? She had never been more confused. She peeked around the boulder as she adjusted her swimsuit. "Be right there." She smiled.

Inu Yasha turned and smiled back over his shoulder, seemingly unaware of what had just transpired.

'He lied to me.' She thought. 'Inu Yasha wasn't headed in this direction. But why?'

The thoughts left her more confused then ever. Quietly she scooped up her wet clothes in one arm, and her bag in the other and walked over to the fire, her legs still unsteady.