Alliance

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha characters. I do not make any profit from this.

A/N: Wrote this one shot for my Ishi-chan, who loves Seshiko from Daimyo Inutaisho. Ishi wanted to know what Inu and Seshiko's first time was like...hentai that she is...this will probably appear somewhere in Daimyo's Lover eventually. Enjoy da lemon! I know I did. *wink*

I'll be the first to admit that I was already in a bad mood. Normally, I would try to keep my temper but today was just one of those days when I felt frustration burning in my blood. I smiled when a few of my least favorite advisors approached me. They saw the smile and backed off a few feet, I couldn't blame them. I smile like my father used to smile. It doesn't make me happy to admit that, even after I killed him I found that my hatred of him did not dim. Somehow, even the satisfaction of running his corrupt body through with Tetsusaiga's blade hadn't released me from my feelings of anger and loathing.

That was some time ago, but I still found myself thinking of him every day. I wondered if Inoki had the same problem. I had never asked.

So, after terrifying a few advisors and intimidating a few courtiers, I decided to change out of my court robes and into some sparring clothes. I felt like working off a little of my restless energy. It seemed like these days there was always something setting me off, something leaving me on edge. I didn't like that feeling, I liked taking action. Pity there wasn't an invasion or rebellion to squash, nothing would have suited me better than going off into battle. That being denied, I was going to see if any of the guard were up for a good beating.

Oh I wouldn't have seriously injured anyone in a sparring match, not unless they were being clumsy or worse, deferring to me out of respect for their Daimyo. Then they could count on getting a good set of scratches for their stupidity. I hoped I'd find Ari, actually. Or his brother, Izitaki. My two favorite bodyguards wouldn't hold back, in fact, I think they liked the idea of kicking the living hell out of me. Sometimes it happened too, a lapse of attention on my part and they'd be all over me and after my blood.

That was what I liked about them.

I knew what was really bothering me and I didn't want to admit it. Seshiko. Gods above, she was starting to drive me crazy with her imperious demands and nasty, vicious dealings with the staff. Finally, I had to actually forbid any of the household staff from entering her apartments for any reason. There was no reason that ordinary maids and servants should be subjected to her cruelty. It usually started with a few light verbal barbs, a cold and nasty comments. When these weren't answered, or worse if they were, Seshiko could be counted on for disciplining my people, yes MY people, to her own standards of barbaric cruelty. The first time I found out about it, I nearly went up there and ripped her heart out. To hell with treaty, to hell with any alliances. That young woman might never walk again.

And Seshiko's own staff did nothing to prevent it, just stood there and watched as she tortured a helpless serving girl to the point where she almost bled to death on the apartment floor. It sickened me that she would take such extreme measures with a servant who had no formal training, couldn't even defend herself. My bride had unusual tastes and a few members of the guard had whispered that Seshiko had calmly sent for healers to retrieve her battered victim and licked the blood off her claws while laughing at them.

Now, if she wanted something brought to her, she sent her own people to do it. No servant was to enter those rooms without the presence of at least two members of the household guard. Fully armed and ready to dispatch everyone in the apartment with the exception of Seshiko herself. I wasn't being merciful or sentimental when I said that. If she did anything to cause my guard to take action like that, I wanted her for myself. I would have peeled that perfect skin off her bones while she screamed and thought it not enough. Seshiko's people seemed to take my warnings to heart, at least, and did their best after that to keep their sadistic mistress away from the staff.

And, I was embarrassed to admit, I hadn't fulfilled the terms of the treaty yet. It specified that Seshiko must bear my child before I could banish her from my sight. Damn, I could hardly stand to be in the same room with the woman, let alone bed her. But I knew my duty and I had made several attempts to move our agreement to a more intimate level. I had invited her to have dinner with me privately. She stood me up three times. When she finally did show it was like having a meal with a sullen, spoiled child. She did everything but throw food at me. Instead I had to sit silently while she listed her grievances with the staff, their lack of respect, their insolence. The way no one in the fortress seemed to have an idea of what real discipline meant.

I'd give you discipline, I thought, my claws tapping on the lacquered tabletop. Finally, when she at last ran out of things to bitch about, Seshiko stood up and tossed that incredible hair over her shoulder. "I will leave you now, my lord," she said, not waiting for me, her husband and sovereign, to dismiss her.

"Not yet," I said quietly. "As much as I would be pleased to be rid of your presence, we have not discussed the matter of the treaty."

Her icy eyes followed me as I moved around the table. She hadn't missed the significance of my inviting her to dinner in my own private apartments, or that I'd actually had the dinner arranged in my own sleeping room. A bit unorthodox but I wanted to send her a message about why she was really there.

Seshiko turned away from me, her face coloring slightly. I was surprised when her voice sounded hesitant. "Yes, my lord. I understand."

Well, that was easier than I had thought it would be. I went to stand behind her and kept my voice gentle. "There's nothing to be afraid of, Seshiko. No shame in it for either of us. We both have our duty to perform in the interest of our people. "

"Yes, my lord. I understand."

She still didn't look at me, standing there with a fixed look at the fire and tension in her back. I moved closer, put my hands on her shoulders. I felt her tremble and wondered if she was untouched. I hadn't considered the possibility, knowing Azaryu customs, and still doubted it for all that she was acting shy and frightened. There was no other way, I decided firmly. It didn't have to be an unpleasant experience for either of us, if nothing else I had confidence in my skills and if she would just relax, I'd make sure that she had every bit as much pleasure as myself.

Her hair was unbelievably soft, almost glowing with its own radiance. I'd never seen hair that shade on a youkai before and wondered about her heritage. I knew next to nothing about Kashikoto's personal life. I knew nothing of his wife, if she was still alive, although I had been informed that Seshiko had a younger sister. Pushing aside the beautiful hair, I exposed the nape of her neck and leaned down to inhale her scent. My blood reacted to the spicy musky smell of her, I found myself getting aroused in spite of her contrary nature. Seshiko stood perfectly still, like she was afraid to move and I felt a passing sympathy for her. She was forced to be here, forced to submit to me. She was a violent brat of demon, used to having her own way and I reflected that the circumstances must be bitter to her. Made to come here, made to bed with the man that she had probably grown up thinking of as her enemy. Again, I could probably thank my father's brutality for her hatred of me. He had been particularly vicious when dealing with the Azaryu clan, committing atrocities against their holdings and sadistically torturing to death any wounded that fell. That was just his way, but it was not mine.

So now I had an Azaryu daughter on my hands, no doubt expecting to be savagely raped. If she knew my father's reputation for entertainment, she was expecting it anyway. I was not my father. Gently, I caressed her arms, wanting to move slowly, and leaned close, my breath whispering over her neck, and pressed my lips against her hair.

Seshiko turned around so fast she was a blur, I felt her claws rip into my throat, tearing all the way down my chest. I staggered back, surprised by her vicious assault. Seshiko didn't hesitate but came at me with a snarl of rage and plunged her claws into my belly. Her hand went into my abdomen, tearing at my flesh and her mouth was wide open as she made a leap to tear out my throat with her fangs.

I had been surprised, but I was far too well trained to fall like that. With a snarl of fury, I threw her off of me, sent her reeling into the wall. The blood rage was upon me then and I had no way of controlling myself. I knew I was going to kill her. Seshiko scrambled away from me, overturning furniture in her desperate attempt to flee from me. The darkness was awake and howling, I couldn't see anything but red and I tracked her like a predator as she tried to evade my claws. She wasn't fast enough, she might be formidable in her own right, but she had no idea what kind of beast she had just awoken. I finally caught a fistful of her hair in my hand and yanked her off her feet.

Seshiko screamed as I dragged her, I smelled her terror and it gave me a thrill. Little bitch had fucked herself, little bitch was about to find out what kind of demon I really was. I had only shown her tolerance so far, only my calm and gentle side. She was about to see the man her father had faced in battle.

My hand was fisted in her hair and I didn't care how much it hurt her when I dragged her up to face me. My eyes were glowing red, I could see their reflection in her pale blue ones. "This is your own fault," I hissed angrily. "I tried to be gentle with you."

She screamed at me and flailed with her claws but I just batted them away and crushed against me, devouring her mouth with my own. She bit down hard on my tongue and I tasted my own blood. Nothing could have enraged the darkness more than that and I threw Seshiko down so that she lay flat on the floor. She tried to crawl away from me, but I was still faster than her. Savagely, I grabbed her by her hips and shredded her clothes. "This what you've been waiting for?" I asked in an awful, horrifying voice. "It must be, I gave you every chance to avoid it."

She squirmed when she felt me hard and angry, about to use her. Seshiko pushed her hands against the floor and whipped her hair out of her face and looked over her shoulder. My blood was all over her face, smearing her hands and clothing. It excited me. The girl snarled suddenly, baring her teeth in defiance.

"Go ahead, my lord. Do your worst. I am Azaryu and I will not submit. This is your true nature, I have been waiting for you to stop pretending to be such a civilized creature. I have been prepared for it and I am not afraid."

In spite of my rage, and my angry lust, I stopped for a moment. "Prepared?" I asked in a dangerous voice. "What do you mean?"

Her lips curled in a sneer. "You are your father's son, my lord."

Time stopped for me, the moment became encased in glass. I raised my head and looked over my shoulder at the bed behind us, then down at the panting woman prone before me. For a heart wrenching second, I wondered how the hell she had known. Then I realized it was just coincidence but the significance of it couldn't be lost to me. The anger and rage drained out of me and left me weak. If she'd attacked me then, I might have fallen from it. I would have let her kill me. I couldn't get the memory out of my head, I couldn't stop replaying the vision of my parents in my mind. If I looked over my shoulder again, I might see my own ghost crouching as a frightened child on that bed. I might completely lose my mind.

I pushed her away, got to my feet and stumbled out the door. Not like that, Seshiko. Not like that.

*****

Now I was angry at myself for ever letting it get that far, for letting her drive me to the point where I lost control. Damned woman, I didn't want this so called marriage any more than she did. It was her father that had insisted, it was her own father that had demanded that his daughter bear my child. I never would have put such a qualification on an alliance. I knew the old dog was up to something, something that had to do with his daughter's presence in my household, but I wasn't sure exactly what his plan was.

I needed to spar, I needed to work off some of this angry energy. More and more I found myself thinking about Seshiko. When I took women to my bed at night it was Seshiko's face I was seeing. That was frustrating beyond belief but I couldn't get her scent out of my mind. I wanted her. I wanted her very badly in spite of her vicious behavior. I wanted to hold her down, feel her struggle against me as I pounded myself into her. I wanted to hear her scream my name and submit to me when I made her come so hard that she forgot she wanted to be my enemy.

No, I wasn't proud of myself for the way I was feeling. I told myself I just wanted to get it over with, have Seshiko bear the damned child we needed and I'd never have to see her again. Never have to deal with the way she was making me feel. I wasn't sure if it was her astonishing beauty or her vicious nature that was attracting me so. On the one hand, she was a desirable woman, she belonged to me and I should be the one having the pleasure of being married to such a lovely creature.

Of course, that was way too simple of an answer.

She was Azaryu, having her would would symbolize the completeness of my victory over Kashikoto. He hadn't wanted the treaty, I didn't blame him. His people had nothing material to gain from it other than an end to the warring. I, however, gained control over his territories, at least in a nominal sense. I could call upon his warriors to join with mine in battle, I could now demand tribute from him as his Daimyo. No wonder he hated it. But the option had been to accept the treaty or escalate to a full scale war that his people would not win. I just wanted an end the raiding along the borders, the useless, stupid waste of resources and lives that the constant conflict had cost both our clans.

And in return, he stuck me with his daughter. How's that for vengeful?

When I reached the practice room, I was surprised to see a crowd had gathered. Members of the guard were shoulder to shoulder with servants, all craning to get a look at whatever was going on inside. I felt a scowl start to form on my face and moved right into angry sovereign mode.

"What the hell is going on here?" I boomed. It was gratifying to see everyone scatter and get out of my way. Servants ran openly, ducking away from my wrath and guards shuffled away, not wanting to show cowardice but at the same time not wanting to be caught in my temper. Only one remained, lounging insolently against the wall. It was Izitaki and he gave me a grin when I approached.

"My lord," he said genially. "Your lovely bride is demonstrating her prowess in battle."

"Oh, not again," I growled and shoved his way past my bodyguard. To my surprise, I found her opponent this time was none other than Ari. Well, at least she'd found someone she couldn't kill outright. Seshiko danced in for a quick strike of her claws and Ari countered by kicking her hard in the midsection. I winced and was suddenly very glad that that I absolutely knew she wasn't pregnant.

Ari knew it as well, I caught the bodyguard's wry smile even as he avoided Seshiko's furious retaliation. He easily held off the snarling hellcat that was supposed to be my wife and gave me a polite nod. "My lord Daimyo, so nice to see you."

How I kept from laughing, I'll never know. "Ari," I said pleasantly. "I've been looking for you. I wondered if you finished your evaluation regarding the army's latest drills. You did promise to have it to me by today."

"I apologize, my lord," Ari said, gamely avoiding another clawed strike at his face. Seshiko was working herself up to a full blown rage, a murderous one. The strikes she was leveling at my bodyguard were intended to injure and maim, there was nothing about a practice sparring session in her moves. I scratched at my ear as Ari shoved her back, nearly sent her sprawling and dusted off his hands. My bodyguard gave me quick bow. "I do promise to finish my evaluations immediately."

Izitaki snickered and when I glanced over, he was wiping tears from his eyes. Seshiko stood panting in the middle of the room, her hair sticking to her face. Angrily, she pulled a long and lethal looking dagger from her clothes and with a bloodcurdling cry, made a run at Ari's back.

I didn't have to step in, the day Ari couldn't disarm anyone he liked was the day he'd resign as my bodyguard. But the escalation from an unarmed sparring match to an armed one was something I couldn't ignore. In a flash, I was between them, Ari's expression one of mild confusion, Seshiko's was hatred verging on madness.

I caught her wrist. "Is this how Azaryu settle unarmed combat?" I asked coldly. She struggled against me until I squeezed her wrist hard enough that she dropped the knife. I let her go as soon as that happened and even I was surprised by the viciousness of her next attack.

"Bastard!" she snarled and flung herself at me. Her claws found my face and I felt four long scratches raked down from my cheek to my neck. This was getting annoying. The last ones had only just healed. I could feel Ari and Izitaki standing silently behind me and lazily looked over my shoulder at them.

"Please clear the room. My wife and I have things to discuss."

I turned back to Seshiko when the door slid quietly shut behind me. I knew Izitaki at least would be listening, probably Ari too just in case they were needed but I was finished playing games. Seshiko flexed her claws, a manic look in her eyes. "You really don't have any control over yourself, do you?" I asked softly.

She spat at me, backing away. "I have control, my lord," she hissed, her pale eyes glittering. "You are the one who does not control me!"

"Never said that I did," I answered, pleased with the calm tone of my voice. "If you feel the need to attack something, you may attack me. I will defend myself, but I will not attack you in return."

She stared at me, actually dropping her hands in confusion for a moment. Then the claws came up again. "Coward?" she asked, her teeth bared in a feral smile. "Don't hold back because I'm a female, remember I've seen your true nature."

I wasn't going to let her goad me into losing control. "No, Seshiko," I said quietly. "You have not seen my true nature, you know nothing about me."

She smiled and tossed her hair back in a calculating measure. "What is there to know? You are a worthless and weak coward, you fear Azaryu strength so you forced my father into this treaty. A treaty that you have no intention of keeping!"

I wasn't going to let her get at me that easily. "For a spoiled child, you certainly seem to know a lot about your father's politics. Perhaps I should interrogate you, there might be secret plans that would come to light. I do not believe your father sent you here out of any honorable intentions."

Seshiko drew herself up proudly, sneering. "I will not be intimidated. You will get nothing from me, my lord!"

"I will have one thing," I said, moving closer to her. She backed away, confused by my calm demeanor and the lack of threat in my stance.

"I will have a child from you, Seshiko. I am tired of waiting for you to fulfill your part in your father's treaty. If you are not willing, say so now. And I'll send you back to your father like the child you are."

I saw hesitation on her face, then sheer calculation. She smiled almost sweetly and reached to slip her clothing off her shoulder. "That's what this is about, my lord. You want me."

I did. I had no problem admitting it. "Yes. For all your foul tongue and barbaric behavior, you are an attractive female. I believe I can stomach your presence long enough to get you with child."

Oh she was furious now. I saw her eyes flash and she paced over to me. "How dare you..." she began.

I was ready for her, as soon as she was close enough I dropped my relaxed stance and pounced. She saw me coming and reacted, but her reflexes were always a fraction behind mine. She twisted desperately in my grip and raked her heel down my leg in an attempt to get me to relent. I had her arms pinned to her sides, my forearms in a crushing grip around her ribcage and her back to me. She tried to claw me and struggled so hard I thought she might be losing her mind. I'd never felt anything like it, the power and anger that seethed inside the woman. I just braced my legs and held her, letting her wear herself out. I decided I'd have to thank Ari for taking the extra fire out of her with that practice match.

Finally, she grew quiet, sagging almost in my arms. As if I'd fall for that trick again. "Are you done acting like a spoiled brat?"

"Are you done acting like a bastard from hell?" she returned sullenly.

"Yes." I let her go so suddenly that she nearly fell to the ground. Seshiko scrambled away from me as if I was about to cut her throat. I made no move to pursue her, no threat in my stance and let her back up against the wall until she felt secure again.

"What do you want from me, Seshiko?" It was time we got down to talking about it. I already knew she wasn't much of a talker. No, this was a woman of action, bred and trained probably from birth for battle. In that regard we were strangely alike. We both had fathers that were intense in shaping our personalities. I wondered if Kashikoto knew about that, he had, after all, known my father. And had trained his daughter to fight for her very soul against a man like that, against his son. How could she know that there was nothing about my father that I claimed? He had been a poisonous snake in my mind and a source of nothing but agony to me as a child. However, as only the hottest fire can temper the strongest steel, the will I had learned in surviving that son of bitch made me what I was.

"Answer me!" I barked at her. Seshiko jumped, reacting automatically to the authority in my tone. Being Tai-Youkai was good for that. No matter how much she hated me, her biological impulse would make her want to obey. It had to be hard for her, but I was running short on sympathy.

"I want nothing from you," she said bitterly, folding her arms around her body. I stared at her. She was not vulnerable, I told myself. As a man, I wanted to go to her and comfort her. And she'd claw my eyes out if she could. It was good that we were both coming to understand each other.

Moving quickly, I went to the door and slammed it open. I heard a yelp and knew that I'd probably just bashed in Izitaki's nose but like I gave a damn. My attention was all for my wife. "Then get the fuck out of my fortress and go home to your father," I ordered her coldly. "I don't have time to play your stupid games and they won't work on me. I don't know what the fuck Kashikoto thought in forcing you to be here, but I'm done with trying to figure it out. You go home. I'll honor the treaty and so will he, or by the gods, I'll burn every last holding of the Azaryu clan."

"I despise you," she hissed at me, heading for the door.

"You don't know what hatred really is," I snarled. She stopped and faced me, her head slightly lowered as if she was going to attack. So help the gods, if she came at me now I was seriously going to hurt her. "You are a stupid, vengeful child," I said, advancing on her.

"Conceited, arrogant swine," she returned, her eyes glittering. By the gods, she was gorgeous when she was angry. I was hard as a rock just looking at her. Somehow her insults and her anger were setting me on fire.

"Arrogant?" I asked, my voice deadly with calm. Slowly, I went to her. "You call me arrogant when you come into my home, threaten and maim my people, destroy whatever takes your fancy? I think I've been more than tolerant of you, Seshiko. I've tried to consider the fact that you not only hate being my wife, you loathe me personally. Remember I'm not the one who insisted on this union, it was your father. Loose your hatred on him for sending you here. If you were so against the idea you should have made it plain to him."

"I did!" she cried, looking absolutely ravishing in her fury. "I only agreed to this because I know my duty. I am an Azaryu warrior, I do not question my clanlord's decisions. But yes, I did tell my father that I hated the idea of being touched by a man like you, of being forced to use my body for his negotiations. He knows what he's asking of me."

"The treaty would have stood without you being forced to spread your legs," I said acidly. I didn't care how badly I wanted her, more and more I was becoming disgusted by her father's ruthless manipulations.

Seshiko stared at him. "You really don't understand Azaryu. You don't care to. This isn't about your stupid treaty. My father wants your heir to have Azaryu blood, that's what is important to him. He can't beat you in battle, but he'll have his grandson become Daimyo of the West."

So that was it. I should have known. I drew myself up and glared at her. "Very well. Your feelings are clear, so are your father's. You may leave here whenever you wish. I understand that you have a younger sister and when she's old enough to bear children, tell your father to send her here and he will have his heir. I only hope that she isn't such a conniving, uncontrollable bitch like you. At this moment I can only pity the man for having produced such a vile tempered..."

She attacked me, screaming. I caught her easily and spun away and pinned her against the wall. She was breathing hard, her pupils were wide and dilated in her anger. "You will not touch my sister," Seshiko panted. "This my duty, not hers."

"As you wish," I whispered. Her lips were so close, red as cherries and drawing me in. Her smell was so strong, the musk of her body. I forgot myself for a moment, forgot that she didn't want this. I couldn't help it, I had to try to kiss her. Because it was Seshiko, I knew better than to be gentle. Instead I crushed her mouth with my own, so hungry for her taste I thought I might be losing my mind. She snarled and bit down hard on my lip. I felt her fangs pierce my skin, my warm blood suddenly flooded both of our mouths. And the darkness inside me leaped up and wouldn't be put off. I would send her home, I wouldn't make her stay.

Seshiko shoved hard against me and I bit her back, sinking a fang right into her tongue. Our blood mingled in my mouth. I pulled back and growled at her. My gods, she growled back at me. Amazing. Any other female would have backed down by now, but not Seshiko.

I grabbed her hard by her arms and forced her body against mine. “What's it going to be, Seshiko?” I whispered in her ear. “I'm done with playing your game and I will not force you. Are you going to give me a son or do you want to go home?”

Her face was buried against my chest, her hands fisted in my sleeves. Seshiko was still breathing hard, I could feel her breasts heave against me and I knew she was trying to force herself to come to terms with this. I pressed my face against her hair and inhaled deeply, savoring the taste of her.

And why did this make me feel like a snake? I wasn't the one who'd forced her into this, I hadn't forced her to do anything. Her own goddamned father had done this to her, done this to me by making the conditions of our treaty non negotiable. I hadn't asked for his blasted daughter!

"Look," I said at last, pushing her away. "Go back to your rooms, Seshiko. We'll discuss this another day."

She straightened as I took my hands off her and moved away. I'd had enough of this, the fighting and the cruelty that was as much a part of her as her beauty. As much as I wanted to be rid of her, it just wasn't worth it anymore.

"No." Her voice was soft and low, almost expressionless. I raised an eyebrow at her.

"What you mean, no?

"I mean no, my lord. I am your wife. It is my father's intention that our clans be joined, that Azaryu blood is your heir. I am an Azaryu warrior, not just my father's daughter. No matter how much we hate each other, we can fulfill our duty."

Seshiko making rational sense? I have to admit that I was intrigued. "If you agree, then we will," I said at last. "I will be as gentle as I possibly..."

"I am no virgin," she snapped, looking annoyed.

I blinked at her, wondering if she realized the scope of the insult she just gave me in divulging that fact. Not that it mattered to me on a personal level, I had no taste for untouched females. It was better to have a woman who knew what she was doing, knew what she wanted. I had never forgiven myself for Anuki and our first time together. It had been violent and desperate and even though we loved each other dearly, it hadn't been a pleasant experience for either of us.

We had gotten better with practice, but in hindsight, that flavor of violence had forever tainted our friendship. It was no wonder that she chose to marry my brother instead of me. In so many ways, Inoki was everything I was not. Patient where I was temperamental, gentle and forgiving where I was known as the bastard that held grudges. As children, he had been the innocent where I was the one who kept the dark secrets. And when I had executed our father, he was the one who had comforted me.

I reached out and caressed her cheek with the back of my hand. She didn't flinch away or resist me, just fixed me with those eyes of ice and dared me. Slowly, I trailed my fingers down her throat, exploring, sensing this was the one time I wasn't going to have to watch out for her. Oh, in the future, I'd be on my guard for Seshiko's tricks and attacks. But I could tell that she agreed this was the time. We had to consummate this marriage or give up the pretense of being able to ever do so.

As I continued to touch her skin, Seshiko surprised me once again. She suddenly pulled away from me and started to work at the bindings of her clothing. She was wearing a light practice yukata, some unusual cut of Azaryu design. Hells, I wouldn't have known how to take it off of her, it was wrapped and bound around her body in layers. I just folded my arms and watched her disrobe, memorizing the way she did it in case I ever had opportunity to undress her for myself.

Seshiko dropped the clothing from her body and raised her chin, her eyes sparkling with that inner fire that was much a part of her as her contrary nature. I swear I forgot my name at that moment. I had never seen anyone so beautiful. She was perfection from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. Hungrily, I mapped every inch of that golden, dusky skin, from her long, muscled thighs to the surprisingly feminine curve of her hips. I swallowed hard at the sight of her breasts, the dark nipples erect with either excitement or nervousness. The tip of my tongue longed to touch them and I had bite back the urge to attack her like a starving creature that had found his first hint of sustenance in years.

"You're beautiful," I whispered, almost in awe.

Rose colored her cheeks and she looked away with more than a hint of irritation. "I know," she said as if the fact was bitter to her. I caught more than irritation in that statement, more than just the bitterness. Leaning forward, I rested my palm against the wall as she leaned her shoulders into it, scarily intimate for us both.

"You hate being beautiful, don't you?" I asked, holding her eyes with my own. I expected her to deny it, or scorch me with one of her caustic remarks. I was, again, surprised.

"As much as you hate being powerful," she whispered, that direct look that tore through me. I forgot to watch for that, her bluntness, her almost analytical assessment of my character. Seshiko wasn't an easy woman to hold a conversation with, but I never assumed she was stupid either. If she wasn't trying to go for your throat with her claws, her observations would shred as easily.

"What makes you say that?" I asked, my voice almost as hard as my cock. The smell coming off her was unbelievable. I wanted growl and purr like an animal, let my true nature take its form and to hell with all this conversation.

"I can tell," she said. "I see how easily you command others, how it isn't even something you work at. And you hate that. You hate anyone who bows and scrapes to you and you hate the fact that you need to be in control of everyone around you. I have observed you, my lord."

"Better to make your report to your father?" I sneered, not liking one damn bit that this woman had learned things about me and I had learned nothing about her that she didn't offer plainly. Casually, as if we were only discussing the weather, I reached out and started to play with one of her nipples, rolling the rigid flesh between my thumb and forefinger in a way that I knew pleased most women.

"Y..yes," she answered and I smiled that I'd had an effect on her at all. I leaned closer still, inhaling the scent of her, warm and musky, feminine with a hint of steel and smoke from battle. Intoxicating. I wished we weren't who we were, lord and unwilling ally. I wished I was just a simple warrior, meeting her on the field of battle. Then, with blood lust running high, we might have taken each other just for the pleasure of it, just because we were dog demons and that's how we are made.

"Seshiko," I whispered, pressing my face into her hair. I tasted her now, my tongue flicking out over her throat and I heard the tiniest of growls from my contrary bride. My nose is good, better than the average inuyoukai, and when I caught the first hint of her arousal, I wanted to shout with victory. Then I glanced up into her face and saw the rigid way she held her jaw, her head tipped back against the wall as if she was bracing herself for the worst.

I resolved that as long as I had her willing in spite of herself, I was at least going to try to make her want me. That would be my victory, that would be my gift to myself. She can hate me all she wants, I thought. But tonight, she won't be able to keep me out.

I kissed her between her breasts, deliberately avoiding the sensitive places. Seshiko stirred restlessly as she wanted to grab me and make me do it right. My hands stroked down her shoulders, her arms, until they found her wrists and there I held her tightly. I say again, I'm not stupid and tonight, I didn't want to feel those claws. At least, not yet.

I deliberately nuzzled around her breasts, licking and tasting over her belly, taut with muscles that quivered at the touch of my breath. Without warning, I dove for a breast, swirling my tongue over the stiffened bud and sucking it hard between my teeth. Seshiko cried out, twisting against me. Her body arched forward and tried to push me away in spite of the pleasure I was giving her, but I was prepared. I had already dropped to one knee, using my chest and shoulders to hold her in place.

"Easy, girl," I said in the voice I'd use to quiet a frightened animal. "I'm not done yet and neither are you."

She didn't answer and when I looked up again, her eyes were closed and I felt her hips starting to tremble. Taking that as a good sign, I eased down her body, letting my other knee drop to the floor. I kept hold of her wrists, of course, in this position I was more vulnerable to her attacks. If I wasn't paying attention, she might take my neck again and I still had a few scars from the last time.

I found myself looking at a nest of dark golden curls, several shades darker than her remarkable hair. I had to grin at that, wondering about the little variations in the tone and texture of her body. My hair was all the same color, except for my eyebrows and eyelashes, which were inexplicably dark. I knew I'd gotten my unusual coloring from my mother and almost everything else from my bastard father. But not his taste in amusement, unlike my father, I didn't enjoy hearing women, or anyone else, cry out in pain.

I pressed my nose into her, almost drunk on her musk by now. I wanted her so badly I thought I was going die from the desire. It wasn't just that she was beautiful, or a female that I hadn't had before. I wanted Seshiko, I wanted to dive into her core and come up with answers, understand her from the inside out. I didn't give a fuck anymore about what that sly father of hers was planning, not right now.

Seshiko hissed when my tongue found her, parting those curls. Her hands suddenly twisted in mine, her sharp claws digging into my forearms. She was scratching me but I was long past caring. How could I care about anything else as I finally was able to devour her as I'd been dreaming? She made a helpless sound, writhing against me, into me, asking for more and spreading her legs apart so I could have access to what she needed.

I was rough, then gentle, surprising her with feather kisses that made her snarl with frustration then hard thrusts of my tongue that made her cry out. Strangely, I found my mind drifting like I was being called from my body, conscious of the stickiness of my own blood as it trickled down my wrists.

"Damn you, " she breathed, cursing me again. I glanced up, saw her face had flushed with blood, almost glowing as the sweat dripped from her temples. Her eyes were tightly closed, her mouth was quivering. I almost started laughing because I had never in my life seen a woman fight orgasm before. I didn't know if she was holding out to increase her pleasure or she was just too damn stubborn to let me give her this. Maybe she felt vulnerable, my mouth on her most private treasures. Giving in wasn't what Seshiko was all about.

"Damn you too," I whispered. I got to my feet and kissed her hard, thrusting my tongue past her teeth so fast that she never even thought of biting me again. I was focused on her, overwhelming her I knew and when I let go of her wrists, she grabbed for the back of my head and kissed me back as she damn near yanked the hair from my scalp. I used her momentary distraction to get rid of the clothes that were making my erection almost an unbearable torture. Then I pulled back from her aching mouth and lifted her.

Oh gods. I shoved hard into her, too desperate myself to be tender about it. Seshiko screamed and for a long, lost moment I was terrified that she had lied about not being a virgin. But no, it wasn't that kind of scream, suddenly I was joined to a wild creature, one that tried to crush my hips between her thighs as she pushed back against me. I was gone, I was falling away from myself, becoming nothing more than light and speed and the purest, hard desire I had ever felt.

I pounded her into the wall and she snarled like a wildcat and clawed my back until I thought she'd leave no skin at all. My claws dug deep into her hips, supporting her as I continued to try and slake the fire before it consumed us both. Grinding into her, our sweat slicking us together, her hair was plastered to her face in a spiderweb of abandon, her eyes becoming more glazed as I pushed her to the limit. She made small whimpering sounds, then hoarse cries and I just concentrated on not letting us fall to the floor.

Then she grabbed my shoulders, holding on with her arms and tightened around me, throwing back her head and shrieking like a lost soul. I lost it at that point, I couldn't have held back another second or I think I would have died from it. My body was shaking against hers, convulsing almost as I rode out the intensity of her climax as it brought about my own. I bit down hard on her shoulder, I honestly didn't mean to. Inuyoukai don't mark each like animals. But she tasted sweet, her blood like rice wine and honey and I lapped at the wound I'd made in tender intoxication.

At that moment, I decided I couldn't support us another second and dropped heavily to my knees, then fell backward and held her on top of me as I groaned in honest exhaustion. I felt dizzy and lightheaded, still twitching inside of her. Seshiko's hair covered my face, I sucked it in with each breath. Her legs were still shaking on either side of me and I could hear the fast pulse of her heartbeat matching mine.

"That was...intense," I finally said, my palm lazily stroking over her hips. I wanted to stay like this forever, the lassitude following sex was sweet.

Seshiko didn't answer me, but buried her face in my chest, still breathing hard. I didn't want to push her to say anything, or admit to anything. I wanted to make the moment last as long as possible, freeze it in time, in my memory. Sooner or later, she'd turn back into Seshiko and I'd become myself again too.

"Pay up, Ari. I told you she'd be a screamer."

My eyes grew wide and I twisted around to look at the door. It was wide open and we had a rather impressive audience. Izitaki and Ari were standing there, with about half the guard and a few shocked servants all jostling each other for a view. I realized I had just fucked my wife in full view of them all.

"You bastards have any idea of what privacy means?" I snarled, fury filling me.

Izitaki bowed formally to me. "An impressive performance, my lord Daimyo. The guard sends its compliments to you and the lady."

He wants me to kill him, I thought, my teeth grinding together. Seshiko was quicker though, and hissed in fury as she yanked herself off of me. Not caring who saw, her thighs sticky with my seed, she grabbed up her clothes and stalked away from me without a word. The spectators had enough sense to dash out of her way, a couple of guards running ahead of my sweet wife so as to warn anyone unlucky enough to meet her in the passage. She'd probably kill the first person that spoke to her, humiliation pouring off her in waves. Rather sadly, I watched her go, regretting that now this too was going to stand between us.

But there was things to do, I had business to attend to and got to me feet with a tired moan and started to dress. As I left the practice hall, I couldn't resist giving Izitaki a disgusted look.

"You sure know how to spoil a good time."