The Hot Springs

---Inuyasha's Home---
Karran stood in the middle of Kouryoku's bedroom, her heart racing, and watched as he lit the indoor lanterns hanging on the walls. His room was just as lushly furnished as the rest of the house: a futon with thick blankets and almost a dozen pillows; cabinets and tables with a jet-black polish; delicate paper lanterns that hung from wall posts jutting out of the corner between the wall and ceiling. The lanterns projected a soft light that amplified the dark highlights in his hair. When he turned to her, Karran's heart went to her throat, and it took an immense amount of willpower not to throw herself to the futon and beg him to take her.

She saw his mouth open slightly and wondered if he was going to say something. He seemed to think better of it, though, and his lips closed again. His powerful gaze bored into her, and she felt the core of her body pulsate in response. The tendons in her body tightened just looking at him. He slowly raised one hand, lifting it to the back of his head, and tuggedthe the tie that bound his hair into a high ponytail. The tie easily released his hair, and it fell in waves down his back like a bolt of silk. She thought it to be a hint that she was supposed to undo her hair as well, and lifted her hands to begin taking out the jeweled pins.

"No," he said, his whisper emphatic. She paused, now confused, and lowered her hands. "I'll unbind your hair, Karran," he said, making his voice a caress as he said her name. That's right...he said he would do the rest.

She had never had a lover who wished to be completely in control. It often came down to her to be the creative one, the aggressive one. Seeing that she would not have to take that role made her skin flushed and her aching center soaked with need. She saw him take a deep breath through his nostrils, and then saw his reaction to the scent of her body's passion. His golden eyes darkened to the color of honey, and his fists clenched. He took a step forward, now standing at the foot of the futon, and Karran could no longer help herself. She walked forward, stopping a foot away from him.

They studied each other for a short minute, prolonging the inevitable and savoring the moment. She heard the soft rustle of his sleeves as his arms slowly moved forward, his hands sliding around her wrists and bringing them up between their bodies. He positioned her hands palms-up.

Then reaching up to the silky hair trapped close to her head, he began removing the pins one by one, setting them in her hands and watching as tendrils of hair fell down and bobbed around her shoulders. When all of the pins were out, he gently pulled free the knot in the expensive white ribbon that held the bulk of her hair in place. It was like watching a waterfall at night. Shimmering hair that looked almost liquid spilled down her back. He couldn't help himself and combed his fingers through it, marveling at how soft it was. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of his hands running through her hair--it was like being petted.

When he brought his hands away, he took the pins sitting in her hands and laid them in a neat pile next to the futon. He then turned back to her, still sitting on his hindquarters in front of her. He looked up and watched her cheeks rise in color again. Her arms were close to her body, and a bit of her hair fell forward over her shoulder. He rose slowly, holding her gaze as he stood. His body was graceful but moved powerfully, like an animal rising from its haunches.

She shifted restlessly, and her heart pounded uncomfortably. He finally leaned down, as if to kiss her, and she lifted her mouth in acceptance, her eyelids falling shut of their own accord. However, his kisses landed on her jaw line, moving down to the bend in her neck. She felt his hands behind her, pulling on the ties that held her obi together.

She tasted sweet and exotic--like vanilla with a hint of cinnamon. He wasn't sure if it was her skin or some sort of soap, but he would bet a body part that her skin naturally secreted the intoxicating taste. He licked and sucked at the skin of her neck, feeling each of her shivers and hurriedly untying the obi that held her kimono together. When the piece of cloth finally fell away, he tossed it behind her, not caring where it landed. His mouth wandered lower, his tongue outlining the slight protrusion of her collarbone, and his hands gently pushed the kimono off of her shoulders. He could feel the quick beats of her heart beneath her supple skin and eased the kimono past her arms, grateful when it finally fell to a heap at their feet.

Karran had never been this sexually excited in her life--not even her first time. She could barely stand even now. His mouth was expert, hot and slick against her heated skin. She still wore her yukata, but only a simple belt kept it on.

He lifted his head, looking down into the dilated eyes that had changed to a burnt amber color. He watched her breasts lift with every breath, and his groin ached to hasten the pace. He could sense her impatience, and admitted to himself that he, too, wished to go much faster. Normally, his first time with a female was fast and dirty, but with Karran he wanted to take it slow. He was nothing if not an attentive lover.

Before he could think of how he wished to begin, she threw her arms around his neck, pulling his mouth down to hers. She made a small cry right before she plunged her tongue between his lips, drawing his tongue into her mouth with the suction of her own lips. He eagerly returned the kiss, holding her tightly against him with his arms around her back.

The sound of a gentle breeze and the ambient noise of a quiet night were drowned out by the deep breaths they took through their nostrils, and by the wet sounds of their lips meeting very intimately. His neck strained to press harder against her soft, succulent mouth, and his body blasted into full arousal. He wanted to go slower...and it was painful to rip his mouth away.

"Mmm...Ryo. Ryo, kiss me," she said, clinging to his shoulders. "Kiss me until I can't stand!" she urged, her voice a bare whisper. Their gazes met, and he couldn't deny the plea in her eyes. "Oh, yes," he sighed, his voice a low rumble. Their mouths came together again, attacking and responding in perfect sync. He slanted his lips over hers again and again, and she moaned against his mouth as his left hand rubbed over her hip. He squeezed the back of her upper thigh, just beneath the soft flesh of her posterior. His other hand rubbed tiny circles into the small of her back.

The room had felt a bit cool earlier, but now the air felt blazingly hot, and she poured the heat from her body into the kiss. She wished she could simply jump up, wrap her legs around his waist, and have him take her there, standing up in the middle of his room. Or he could prop her against the wall, or he could set her on the edge of a cabinet. Anything was better than where they were at the moment. The kiss was divine but her body was incredibly frustrated.

When he took his mouth away, gasping for air, she drew her lips along the strong line of his neck. His face turned upwards for a few breaths, and she took the opportunity to lick the little dip between his collarbones.

"Your skin tastes like some sinful dessert. The flavor burns my tongue, but I only want more, as if I would consume you," he effused, pressing his lips to her temple. His racing breaths gave his softly uttered words a raspy quality. She brought her head back, looking up at him, and his eyes never left her mouth. Karran could almost agree, having tasted something indefinable--like the kind of confidence that few beings (human or not) could lay claim to. She watched his eyes, wondering what he would do next.

He steered her to stand upon the foot of the futon with her back to the pillows at the other end. When his eyes finally rose to return her gaze, her knees weakened at the brazen lust in his incendiary gaze. She felt a slight pressure against her stomach and looked down to find his hands deftly loosening the knot in the belt of her yukata. She couldn't help the low moan that escaped her throat, and looked back up to find a small smirk sitting on the corner of his mouth. His hands came up to spread open the yukata, his fingers brushing along the tops of her breasts as the material was pushed aside.

The smirk fell away as his lips parted in awe. The yukata slipped from her shoulders like water, landing silently on the futon. Her skin was without blemish, and her shape was full yet willowy. His eyes drank in the beauty of her body, and it was suddenly much too warm in the room to be wearing clothes. He licked his lips, looking at the breasts before him, and when his eyes traveled further down past her smooth abdomen, his primal instinct to take her was roaring inside his head.

"Beautiful," he breathed, reaching forward to slide his hands over her gently flaring hips. She took in a deeper breath, closing her eyes.

The tension in the room was palpable. Beneath her outer appearance, her body was trembling with excitement. His hands moved slowly, testing the texture and pliancy of the skin on her waist, stomach, and back. She made a small noise when he gripped her posterior, but her cry of surprise at the feel of a bulge pressed against her was smothered by another kiss.

She clung to him as he bore her down to the floor. The futon was thick and the pillows were soft beneath her upper back. Her legs automatically parted to make room for him. However, the kiss grew lighter, and he began to pull away.

"No! Please..." she softly begged, watching him stand back up. She didn't bother to close her legs, hoping the sight would give him more incentive to speed up the pace. He swallowed visibly, his eyes drawn to the one place where his body wanted to go the most. When she saw that he was beginning to remove this own clothing, an aching, animal-like sound burst from her mouth as she leaned up on her elbows.

"Ohhh...just looking at you makes me dripping wet," she rasped, choking in embarrassment once the words were out. "Ah! I-I mean--uhm!" she said, falling back to the pillows again with her hands over her mouth. He laughed lightly, starting to understand.

"You can talk any way you want around me, Karran. Especially if the things you say refer to how wet you are," he gruffly answered, a hungry smile in his eyes. His hakama dropped to the floor, and he kicked them aside, throwing open his haori and tossing that away, too. The cloth over his pelvis came away easily, and was thrown aside just as easily. Karran stared at him hungrily, knowing that he would fit her exactly the way she liked it.

"It's perfect," she sighed, sitting up to reach forward and touch him. He hastily backed away out of her reach. The hurt that passed over her eyes elicited a prompt explanation.

"If you touch me, I have no doubt that I would spend myself right then...you have me too excited, Karran. Like a young pup with his first female," Kouryoku explained. He saw her relax a bit, and she lied back once again, her eyes never leaving his body.

"Then come to me, Ryo. Spend yourself inside me," she begged. Her arms lifted above her head to lie on the pillows, which thrust her breasts forwar ful full body shiver ran thh hih him. He fell to his knees and then braced himself over her, letting his mane of dark hair fall onto her pale skin. Though he wanted to spend more time sampling the different tastes on her body, waiting any longer would kill him.

He hooked his hands under her knees, pushing them towards her shoulders, and then brought one hand down to socket the head of his arousal in the well of her body. He could hear her panting harshly, and realized that he was also breathing heavily.

She looked so sexy, lying there with her knees back, her feet up, and her eyes hungry for him. Her hands were restless over the pillows near her head, and she licked her lips, squirming a bit beneath him. "Karran," he whispered, driving forward swiftly. She cried out, her leg muscles clenching and her hands gripping the pillows. Seated deeply, he fell forward over her, his forehead touching her own, and gasped for air as if he had been injured. "Kami-sama, I could come right now!" he moaned, pushing deeper. She knew that he was near the edge, but couldn't fault him for it...because she was near the edge, too.

They both wanted it too much.

She felt his hands groping around for hers, and met them halfway. His face finally lifted, and his honey-colored eyes watched her as he began to move. Her head rolled back a bit, keeping eye contact. "This is impossibly good," she gasped out, gripping his hands tighter. Pumping her legs in the air, she bucked against him. He groaned in reaction, jaw clenched.

He began to swell inside of her, and she bucked even harder, crying out with every breath. It had never felt like this. She had never been as wet, as hot, or as aroused as she was at that moment. His speed increased, his hips slamming down against hers.

"Ah! AH!" he grunted, his voice hoarse with strain.

"Now, Ryo!" she cried out, feeling her body rapidly rising to its peak. "Now!" she screamed. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, moaning into his ear as she drenched his phallus. He growled in response, gnashing his teeth and letting out a muted roar as he burst inside of her. His hips jerked and made small thrusts, frothing up their sexual liquids.

"Karran...Karran," he moaned, sliding his arms under her and holding tightly. She gasped for air, wincing from the pace of her heartbeat. The air sawed in and out of her lungs, and the only sound in her ears was the pounding of her heart and the harsh gasps of her lover.

After a minute's rest, she came to realize that he hadn't softened inside of her. She had halfway expected him to since he was mostly human and since one of her previous lovers did not have much sexual stamina, but Ryo truly was descended from the same grandfather as she if he was able to go a second round.

"You're...wonderful," she sighed, brushing a few hairs away from his temple. His lips tickled as he kissed her shoulder.

"I was worrior aor a moment that I would not be able to wait for you. You're certainly humbling me," he answered, licking her neck.

"But you're still hard, anyway...it would not have mattered."

"I was raised to be a gentleman, and to me, a gentleman brings his lover to climax first." "Mmm, we are lovers now, ne?" she asked, though it was more of a rhetorical question. He brought his head up, looking directly at her.

"But I am still ashamed that I could not give you more foreplay for our first time. All I could do was take you," he uttered, regret on his face. Karran lightly laughed, a bit amused.

"Ryo, if that's how hard I come when you're not able to try your fullest, then I think you might kill me next time," she said, trying to console him. His face lost its harshness then, and she smiled up at him. "You can make it up to me now, if you want," she whispered. He nodded, licking his lips, and began to move again.

---Inuyasha's Home, the Master Bedroom, Morning---
Kagome took in a deep breath, smelling the familiar scents of breakfast. She might have been happy to lie there a bit longer, too, if it weren't for the incredible migraine shooting through her brain. She became aware of a weight on her back and side, the weight of someone lying behind her with his arm over her body.

"Inuyasha..." she whispered, opening her eyes. The half-demon behind her began to shift, coming awake in response to the sound of her voice.

"Ohayou, Kagome," he said into her hair. She bolted upright, startling him, and backed away quickly from the futon. "It's okay, Kagome. You're safe here," he tried to explain.

"Safe? Then why am I sleeping in your bed?" she challenged, pouting angrily at him.

"Because you're my wife," he calmly replied, lying back on his side. She looked down at his body, only half-covered by the blanket. He still wore all of his clothes except for his outer coat, but his inner coat had fallen open in sleep, revealing some nicely toned flesh; the same flesh she used to touch while they made love...

Made love?! What am I saying? I may have been his lover in a past life, but I am no one's lover now.

"I am not your wife," she said, despite the pangs of hurt she felt by denying it. The memories that she had re-lived last night were good and bad, but the bad memories were simply too much to bear. She had lost a child, had fought against the worst of demons for a long time while barely an adult herself, and had alienated the one person that she had loved the most. She did not want to return to that life.

"How can you say that?" he asked, now sitting up as well.

"That other life was horrible...I don't want to pick it up again!" she exclaimed, sweeping one hand to the side in a negating motion.

"It was the happiest time of my life. You made me happy, and you call it a horrible life?" he said, much too calmly. She could remember when his temper was quite terrible, not this calm persona that he now displayed.

"But..." she said, her shoulders drooping. "Yuuki..."

"Yes, what happened to him was devastating, but Kouryoku still lives. And he said to me that even in your time, children still die."

"They aren't slain and ripped to shreds by demons!"

"No, in your time, it's done by other humans instead..." Kagome swallowed a sob, having no answer to this, and fell silent. "Didn't you ever think that I was devastated as well?"

"It's not the same for you as it is for a mother!"

"I was his parent, too!" he asserted, his voice angry for the first time. Kagome looked away from him, tears in her eyes. "You were so caught up in Yuuki's death that you often forgot about your other son, too," he accused, his voice back to normal.

"That's not true!"

"It is true...and you know it." She looked back at him, the guilty truth in her eyes.

"I...I wish he hadn't died," she said. The tears in her eyes began to slide down, leaving wet trails of sadness to line her cheeks.

"So do I," he quietly agreed.

They were silent for a minute after that, simply looking at each other. Then she asked,

"I was a horrible wife to you after Yuuki passed away. Why would you want me back?"

His answer was immediate.

"Because I love you.

Kagome broke down then, sobbing into her arm, which she raised to hide her face. He crawled to her, pulled her up to her knees and wrapped his arms around her shaking form.

"I'm so sorry, Inuyasha!" she cried, sliding her arms around his neck. He shushed her as best as he could, rubbing her back, but she only cried harder. He lifted her up, keeping one arm around her back, and lowered his other arm to wrap around the backs of her thighs before standing. Turning back to the futon, he laid her down and made to draw away to give her time alone.

"No, don't leave! P-please stay with me," she blubbered, her eyes red-rimmed and her eyelashes spiky with tears. He nodded and lied down in front of her. She immediately snuggled into his arms.

"It's okay, Kagome...I'll stay with you forever."

---Inuyasha's Home, the Front Bedroom---
"Ne, Sesshoumaru?" Rin asked sleepily. She lied mostly beneath him, but had enough space to get air into her lungs. He turned his head towards her, his eyes very alert for so early in the morning.

"What is it, love?" he asked. She made a small smile, taking a deeper breath. He realized too late that her fingers were poised above the base of his neck. She swept them down, and the warmth that shot to his groin was enough to make him hiss at her.

"How do you want me?" she asked, working her teeth over her lower lip to stifle another smile. He gave her his telltale smirk.

"Turn on your side...I'll have you from behind."

---Sesshoumaru's Mansion, the Same Morning---
Toku woke up, unusually happy, and felt the bed in front of him for a bit of soft flesh...but found none. Opening his eyes, he looked around for Ikkatsu, but she wasn't in front of him anymore. Turning towards the window, he breathed a sigh of relief, seeing her at the window. She was gazing out at the trees colored red by the rising sun.

"Ohayou," he said, startling her somewhat. She looked at him only for the briefest second before turning back to the window. He saw that her mood was melancholy once again, either thinking of her sister, or of this ‘obstacle' she had mentioned.

"Aren't you going to wish me a good morning as well?" he asked, coming to a stand despite his nudity. Her eyes closed, as if annoyed, as she turned with her mouth open to say shinghing.

"Why do you have to be so ch--" she began, and her eyes opened. Her mouth immediately stopped, seeing him walking towards her with absolutely no clothes on. "W-w-wait a minute! Why aren't you wearing c-clothing?" she rambled, shutting her eyes and covering them with her hands at the same time.

"It's what happens when you spend the night making love to a beautiful demon," he supplied, having reached her side. She turned away, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"Well, I-I managed to put on some clothes!" she said angrily, bringing her hands down again now that it was safe.

"I wish you hadn't...but it'll still be fun, I suppose, to take them off of you again," he teased, setting his hands on her shoulders.

"A...again?" she asked, incredulous. "I thought...I tht hht husbands wanted that from their wives only once in a while..." she said, her voice trailing off.

"Where would you get an idea like that?" he asked, now confused.

"It's what my mother said," she explained, reluctantly enjoying the feel of his hands on her shoulders.

"I feel bad for her, then...your father must not have had the sex drive that I thought infamous for all fire demons."

"I think he simply...uhm, spread himself around more, if you understand my meaning," she hinted. He made a sound of agreement, kneading her shoulders.

"Well, my parents raised me to be monogamous. So have no fears that I will stray from you, Ikkatsu," he promised. She stifled a surprised noise. Monogamous?

They stayed silent for quite a while, each contemplating the strange colors cascading through the canopy of leaves. She found it to be rather pleasant here, with someone kind and gentle massaging her shoulders. It was quiet, content...peaceful.

She hated to ruin such a morning.

"I need to tell you several things today," she began. "So if you would...please put some clothes on." She felt him stiffen a bit behind her, but he moved away, and she heard the rustle of clothing as he slid into it.

"Alright," he said softly, and she turned to find him seated on the futon, looking nonchalant and relaxed...but she knew he was tense inside. Do I know him so well already? I must be fooling myself.
ou tou threw me into this relationship so quickly...but I'm telling you now that I'm going to have a say in it."

"Of course...I didn't plan to dictate everything. My mother has more sway in her marriage than even my father will admit to," he joked. Ikkatsu frowned, as if upset that he interrupted her.

"Your offer is very...flattering, but I'm not going to be the gushing wife you expect. I'll bear children, raise them, and support you, but do not expect me to love you. I cannot love so easily," she asserted, coming to a stand. His eyebrows came together, and he made to stand up as well.

"When did I command your love? I expected you to come to it slowly, to try. Am I unlovable?" he asked, his hands fisting as he stood to his full height.

"I didn't mean it that way...I'm trying to hold onto myself here!"

"Did I ask you to be something else? I don't want something different!"

"But your father killed my brother!" she screamed.

"Then don't fall in love with my father! Fall in love with me..." he said, his voice losing its harshness. "Your strength, your perseverance, your determination...I fell in love with you because you are a survivor. It's so rare to find that these days."

She stood there, mouth open, and blinked at him.

"You...love me? ...Already?" she asked, dumbfounded.

"I would not offer marriage to someone that I couldn't love, even if she made a good mate."

Ikkatsu flopped back down to the window seat, staring off to the side with her mouth still agape. She swallowed and pressed her hand to her chest, checking the beat of her heart.

"Are you alright?" he asked, walking to her again. He knelt next to her, placing his hand on her arm.

"You're strong, aren't you? Strong enough to beat anyone?" She looked at him, tears in her eyes.

"Is that it? Is there someone after you?" he asked, leaning forward.

"He's not exactly after my head...but he was the one my father promised me to when he was still alive. My mother objected to the match, but my father slapped her for her insolence. Za...Zannin is his name."

"Heh...nice name," he lightly joked.

"He was always trying to force himself on me when he was in residence at our home. He never did much more than steal kisses, slobbering on me like a..." she paused, smiling to herself. "Like a frog?" she supplied, looking at him.

"Nice recovery."

"About a year ago, when my mother passed away, he wanted me to stop ‘dodging the marriage.'"

"How did your parents die? I thought fire demons to be immortal to age and disease, like dog demons."

"We are immortal in the same sense...mother was killed by an ice demon from the far north who was settling what he called an old debt. He lus bus before we could work up the courage to ask him about it. And four years ago, my father was killed by a group of demon slayers who were protecting a village. He never could resist pillage, even though that tradition fell out of favor in our clan more than 100 years ago.

"Anyway, Zannin caught me behind the house, demanding that I complete the Marking ceremony with him, but I said that I was not finished mourning for my mother. So he put this on me," she said, turning and lifting her hair out of the way. A small symbol was burned into the back of her neck, as if drawn by the tip of a hot knife.

Toku recognized it, and was only grateful that it was reversible. However, now he knew why she was wary of taking on a mate: the spell etched into her skin was like an alarm. If the Marking ceremony were performed, the burn would fade but Zannin would know exactly where she was, and would know that she had performed the Marking ceremony...but not with him.

"How long do you think we would have until he finds us?" he asked, plans swirling in his head.

"If we performed the ceremony now...maybe until evening." He nodded and stood up.

"I'll be back in a moment."

He left the room, and she sat there pensively, looking around at the place. It was sparingly furnished, but the mansion was truly glorious. Though the normal architectural extras were gone, it made sense...after all, the Demon Lord of the Western Lands was not rumored to be inclined towards frivolity.

When Toku returned, his face held much thought as he softly muttered to himself. She wondered if he had spoken to the other person she could hear moving around the house.

"Someone else is here, right?"

"Uh, yes, my elder brother, Inutaisho. I'll introduce you to him shortly. He will be bringing his beloved here soon, an owl demon by the name of Yokiri," he said, closing the door again.

"Y-Yokiri? The only daughter of Fukurou-sama?!" she asked, shocked.

"Yes, actually. It seems that I and my siblings have a penchant for being attracted to the strange and sometimes unattainable," he said, smiling. She blushed a bit at that, and turned to the window again.

"Inutaisho? Is...is that his title?" she asked, confused.

"No, it is his name. My mother thought it was appropriate at the time...but my father is still the leader of the dogs."

"I see...so what is the plan?"

"Concerning Zannin?" he asked.

"Well, yes, concerning him."

"At the moment, you and I will perform the Marking ceremony, so take off your clothes."

"N-now?" she stuttered.

"I was never a demon who liked to put off the inevitable. And besides, I've been aroused from just looking at you for the past twenty minutes," he said, giving her his knowing smile again. He began to shuck his clothing, and she shifted restlessly on the windowsill, feeling the same itch between her thighs that he had invoked in her so many times last night.

So she stood as well, and began to untie her clothing. It's strange, being sexually excited and scared for one's life at the same time...

---Inuyasha's Home, the Master Bedroom---
Kagome had been quiet for a good five minutes, having spent the past twenty crying her eyes out on him. Inuyasha actually was almost asleep when she said his name.

"Hmm? What is it?"

"I...can I stay here with you?" she asked mutedly.

"Of course...I built this house for you," he confirmed, patting her back comfortingly.

"You did?" she asked, a bit surprised. "You built it?"

"With Kouryoku's help. He had to exchange money for all the goods used, and he helped out when I didn't understand something. Modern construction is...very complicated."

"It's a lovely house. A house in which to...raise children," she hesitantly said, and immediately felt his arms tighten around her.

"Do you mean it?" he said, his voice rough.

"Yes. After Yuuki died, I was too afraid to have more children, but...I think it's time to have another, ne?"

"Want to start now?" he asked, pulling her closer. She looked up at him, and though her face was already flushed from crying, it was obvious that she was embarrassed.

"Y-you mean, have...have sex, right now?" she said, whispering the word ‘sex.'

"Was I that bad at it?" he laughed, his voice husky.

"I don't mean that...as far as I can remember, you were rather good at it. It's just...aren't there other people in the house?" she said, looking over her shoulder at the door.

"I don't really care about making noise, but if you want, I promise to be quiet," he swore, trying to push his knee between hers. She let out a frustrated noise.

"I know this sounds cliché, but...I'm not really ‘in the mood' right now. I just cried all over you, my head hurts, and I'm overwhelmed...oh, no! M-my parents are probably worried sick!"

"If you wish, we can go to your time today to let them know that you're safe," he reassured her. She breathed a sigh of relief, her body relaxing somewhat. She wondered what time it was. Probably mid-morning.

"I'm still so tired...what did you do to me?"

"I haven't done anything yet," he said defensively.

"I mean, last night. When you first saw me and touched my face...what did you do?"

"It's called the Reminding. Didn't I tell you about it before?" he asked, looking at her quizzically. She seemed to think for a minute, and then her eyes widened a bit.

"Oh, yeah...a way to store my past memories in a corner of my soul. I-isn't that what you had said?"

"Something like that..." They were quiet again for a few seconds before he said, "I missed you. In...a lot of ways."
Did.Did..." she began, but fell silent.

"Did what?"

"...Did you ‘see' other people?" she asked.

"Well, yeah, all the time...Kouryoku hung around mostly, and I got to see Shippou a few times--"

"No, I mean...did you h-have sex with other women?"

"No! Why would I have sex with anyone else?"

"I-I don't know! You were alone for sixteen years, not including all the years I turned you away from my bed and all the years I was old and sick...I thought that, well..."

"You're the only woman I'll ever make love to, Kagome. No one else makes my blood run hot the way you do," he whispered, looking down at her averted eyes and her blushing cheeks.

"O-oh...I see," she answered, her hand playing with a few strands of his hair behind his back.

"How about this then..." he suggested, his voice turning nervous. "Give me five minutes to get you ‘in the mood,' but if you're still not interested after five minutes, we'll get you some breakfast and then go to your time to see your parents."

Kagome looked up at him. His eyes were pointed to the side at the ceiling, and he wore the same blush on his cheeks as she.

"Will you be mad at me if I'm not?" she asked with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"No...like you said, you're tired. I'll understand. It's just...there's a lot going on right now and being with you like this makes it seem like it'll all be okay," he explained, hoping it made sense.

"I'm a virgin...you know that, don't you?" she asked, curling a bit into herself. He looked down at her againto hto her deep brown eyes.

"I know," he whispered. Her lips parted on the intake of another breath, and he lowered his head, catching her unprepared.

"Mm!" His hand found the side of her face and curved around her jaw, encouraging her to open it as he reminded himself of the taste of her lips.

To be kissing her again after so long was heaven. His heart pounded, and he was sure that she could feel his rapid heartbeat since she was pressed so tightly to his body.

Kagome was overwhelmed almost immediately. His taste in her mouth, his heartbeat against her hand, a familiar hardness against her pelvis. She felt his knee nudging against her again, and let it slip between her thighs. He immediately pushed her onto her back, and she sucked in a needed breath of air when he lifted his head to begin undressing her.

"Kami," he whispered as he jerked on the ties to her leather corset and tugged it out from under her. He then pulled up on the hem of her shirt. "Lift your arms," he gruffly commanded. She did so, though a bit hesitantly, and her shirt was flung a few feet away. His mouth practically salivated at the sight of her bra, for it was as sheer as if it didn't exist.

"I remember these things actually being hard to see through," he commented, finding the familiar clasp in the back through touch.

"M-many still are...I just...I just liked this one because it made me feel sexy," she clarified, closing her eyes as her cheeks burned bright red. The bra was pulled away, and anything the filmy material distorted was clear for the eye to see.

He immediately leaned down, on a deadline, and fitted his lips to one of her delicate aureoles. Her chest moved as she panted out of nervousness, but the tip of her breast emerged quickly, as if it were a flower bud waiting for the first spring rain. He was gentle but firm, using techniques on her sensitive breasts that had worked before, and which he knew would work again. His other hand's thumb and forefinger teased a response from her other breast, earning a satisfied sigh from his mate that only encouraged him more.

Deciding to move on, he lifted his head, looking down at her lush skin and slowly moving his hands over it one more time. She looked at him, her eyes already misty with a shy longing that he had not seen in many years.

"Help me take off the rest," he said, his voice low and rough. She gulped and nodded, lifting her hips up when he grasped the waistband of her black, cotton shorts. He pulled them off swiftly, tossing them in another direction without heed to where they fell. The last bit of cloth was a flimsy pair of black boyshorts, but he didn't delay in pulling them off, either, and Kagome half-squeaked in surprise and embarrant. nt.

"N-no one is going to come in, right?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"I don't think anyone in this house is that stupid," he answered, trying to nudge her knees apart. Her hands immediately went to the base of her pelvis to hide her womanhood as he spread her thighs, and he looked at her with a bit of exasperation.

"I have a time limit here, Kagome...no need to be bashful when I've seen you like this many times before," he said, trying to console her fears.

"I...I have memories, but it doesn't feel yet like they're my own memories. I'm still shy, okay?" she complained, trying to reason with him.

"No need to worry then...in two minutes, you'll be wide open and begging me to make love to you," he predicted, a half-smile on his face as he settled between her thighs.

"Y-you're g-going to do that?" she squeaked, knowing from her varied and vivid memories that this was one of his favorite ways of getting her aroused. He always did like my scent.

He tried to push her hands away, itching to taste her young, fragrant flesut sut she was still very timid, and wouldn't move them. Taking one of her wrists, he forced her to lift her hand and guided it to one of his ears.

"Play with this instead if you have to touch something...you always liked my ears, right?" he said. She took the bait, gently cupping her hand around the soft dog-ear. Her fingers stroked the back slowly, calming her nerves, and he almost tilted his head into her touch. Her other hand finally followed, leaving her open to his eyes and mouth.

Not wasting any time, he parted her lips, mindful of his claws, and tasted what he had wanted to taste for more than two decades. Her gasp, followed by the tightening of her hands around his ears, was the perfect reaction. His tongue traced the tiny button that fed her desire, upping the level with each flick.

"Hnn! I-Inuyasha," she sighed, rubbing his ears just the way he liked it. She tasted the same, reacted the same, and sounded the same. His chest was tight with emotion just as his loins were tight with arousal. He was antsy to complete their reunion.

When her hips began to jerk involuntarily, he tried to feel along their connection, something he sometimes hadn't been good at during the rocky part of their marriage since her end was trying to shut him out, but found that it was easy to sense her mood today. The arousal was obvious, and the lingering worries were there, too, but on top of all of that was a mutual desire to reconnect.

She had missed the intimacy, too, in her previous life. And now, the same feelings are coming at her from all sides.

One of her feet lifted up, and the wetness between her thighs was no longer just his contribution. He had the feeling, too, that his time was up, and lifted his head.

"H-huh? Why did you stop?" she asked, breathless. She looked down at his head between her legs, and his self-satisfied grin.

"Do you want me to continue?"

"Okay, okay, so I'm in the mood! Hurry up!" she demanded, dropping her head back down to the pillows. He rose to his knees, continually massaging her flowering lips as he came forward to settle once more between her thighs. He efficiently tugged at his hakama, freeing the warm limb that throbbed for her, and his expression was as serious as the day they fought Naraku for the last time. Placing his hand over the top of her pubic bone, he positioned his body and then looked to Kagome for her permission.

"Don't keep me waiting, Inuyasha," she said, ironically. He growled with need, and slowly pushed forward, taking his time now that he had won her passion. She pressed her lips together in preparation, expecting the pain that she remembered from her first time in her previous life.

However, when he plunged forward, almost barking in exultation, there was no pain. She did feel a pop, but the pain didn't come. She even felt the trickle of a virgin's blood, but still there was no pain.

"Inuyasha! Did you...?" she asked, unable to finish the question when she saw the grimace on his face.

"I...thought it was only fair. You had pain the last time, so I thought I should take it this time. It's...only fair, right?" he grunted, his cheeks a bit pink. She didn't know what to say, and then forgot to say anything as he moved over her. Her breath came out shakily, and her eyes slowly closed.

"I-inu...mm," she croaked out, pressing her lips together again. She heard a hitch in his breathing and opened her eyes to find him with his head drooping down so far that his hair hid his face. "Are you alright?" she asked, sweeping his hair aside even as he thrust into her.

"N-never better," he answered, his voice the deepest she had ever heard it. Deciding not to ask anymore, she gripped the sheets beneath her and held on. That's when she heard some footsteps going past their room. She gasped with instant embarrant, nt, but Inuyasha continued as if he hadn't heard them. Stifling a moan, she pressed her hand to her chest, willing her heart to calwn bwn before it punched a hole in her ribcage.

She turned her head away from the door as if that would close off the outside world, and saw her leather corset lying in a heap at the edge of the futon. Her breathing quickened, even as her womanhood pulsated wonderfully.

"Kami..." he growled, and her attention returned to him. Her fingeoundound his shoulder, and, wanting to find bare skin, she slipped her hand beneath his inner coat. Tears gathered over her eyes, and itmed med as if everything she touched was damp: his skin, her skin, and the sheets beneath her. The room was blazing hot.

He sped up again, and she let out a low groan, thinking it was safe again to make a little noise. Her heartbeat was in her ears, clashing with her own shallow breathing and the harsh gasps of her lover.

Inuyasha, despite the pain grinding through his loins, hadn't felt so happy in a long time. He had his wife back, in every sense of the word, and this time, she would never get die again--at least, not while he lived. He wanted to howl with joy, but was attempting to be quiet for her sake since she was embarrassed about being noisy.

"Hnn! Inuyasha!" she whispered loudly, now lifting her hips in time to his thrusts and making it harder for him to keep his hand over her pelvis. He growled in reaction, though, gnashing his teeth against the sweet friction. He didn't have to wait long, though. Her body began to stiffen, and she held her hips aloft, her breath freezing inside her lungs.

Suddenly, his end of their metaphysical connection was flooded with sensations and feelings so strong, so extreme, that it almost forced his climax from his body.

"Ka-Kagome," he wheezed. He plunged to the deepest point of her body and let go, unwillingly convulsing and shaking as he lived through his first orgasm in too many years to count. The wonderful burning, the feeling of release, and knowing that he had brought pleasure to his mate brought tears to his eyes, but he blinked them away quickly before Kagome could see them.

She started to relax, and he followed her down, sinking onto her soft body as the world slowed to its normal pace again. He nuzzled her neck, breathing in the unique and delicate scent she produced, which was flavored by the trace of sexuality in the room.

"You can let go of it now, Inuyasha," she whispered, her hands roaming over his back and through his hair. He made a small noise of acknowledgement, and took his hand away. She stiffened a bit beneath him, but otherwise didn't make any noise.

"Thank you," he mumbled. She held him closer, wondering exactly what he was thanking her for.

"Me, too," she answered.