Mated by Kristina

Temptations

Kagome was relaxing in the clearing. Inuyasha had retreated on his own tonight, not wanting her to see him become human...weak. He'd become more secretive this week, trying to avoid her at all costs. She wished she knew why. She had mentioned it to Sango and Miroku and they had noticed it to, but were clueless as to why. It had strangely been Shippou to shed some small light on it.

"Kagome-san smells funny." He said simply before dashing off to play. Kagome had been confused, and she still was. Something about her scent was driving Inu-Yasha away. She'd seen him do this before, usually every few months but never this extremely.

She'd decided to take advantage of his absence and spend some time on her own. The sun was sinking but the air was still pleasantly warm, she stretched out on the blanket of grass and flowers, drinking in the soft fragrance of the clearing. She lived for moments like this. A hint of what she would never find in her own time, this purity in nature....completely untainted, wild and alive. It made her feel so connected to everything, a true daughter of nature...not human, not youkai...just one of the children of the earth.

She closed her eyes, her bow and arrows within easy reach, and just lightly dozed in the late afternoon sun.

~*~*~*~

Sesshoumaru was patrolling his lands, as he always did. He was the youngest Youkai lord and as such he needed to be ever diligent and wary about new threats to his tenuous rule. Unless he convinced all the other that he was stronger and more ruthless than they were he would be overthrown.

He knew that Inuyasha and his human companions were in the vicinity, he could smell them clearly. He paused and sniffed the air, a strange scent from not far off. Female. He turned to Jakken and glowered at him. "Return to camp."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama." The little toad bowed low and scurried away.

For not the first time on this patroll he was thankful he had left Rin home in the care of a Youkai woman. The little girl would have been a liability in the small skirmishes he'd already had to engage in. And there were some things that she was too young to know of yet. He smiled slightly and began to track the scent.

His footsteps led him to a grassy clearing. It was blanketed in small, fragrant white flowers. Sprawled carelessly in the sea of white was a spill of ebony hair and milky skin. His features sharpened as he recognized Inuyasha's human bitch. He was stunned to find her alone, and smelling as she did. Was his brother a fool...or too human to understand what cues his mate was giving off?

She shifted slightly on the grass, head falling to the side, displaying an unmarked expanse of pale skin. A small smile lifted the corner of his lips. His brother truly was a fool. Parading an unmated female around the Western Lands in full heat, and leaving her completely unattended. There were a handful of young nobles that would take such a girl without a thought, use her and kill her. Or steal her away. Perhaps a small lesson was in order for his brother, about protecting ones interests. He began to move towards her.

Kagome heard the stirring of grass around her and was instantly awake, hand reaching for her bow, drawing it smoothly as she came to her feet. Her eyebrows raised slightly as she took in the intruder, "Sesshoumaru-san?"She sounded confused but didn't lower the bow, there was a strange look on his face.

"Miko-san...how interesting to find you all alone, especially in your condition." He stood arrogant before her, not showing any concern for the weapon. Truthfully he would be more comfortable if she put it down...he'd seen how acurate she'd become with that weapon of late. His respect increased as she held it steady at him.

"My condition?" She queried.

"Indeed. Most shameful for him to allow you to parade around so indecently...one might get the wrong idea. You smell good enough to almost make me forget you are nothing but a fragile human." He stalked a little closer. "Makes me question if you are really."

"I'm not fragile, I can take care of myself." Her eyes hardened.

"No girl...human. I wonder if you truly are a simple human. You don't smell like one." He moved in a blur, her bow was tossed across the clearing, ripped from her hands.

Kagome hit the ground hard on her back, trying to scramble away but before she could he was on her, pressing her back onto the grass, holding her there. She noticed suddenly that he had both arms. Her eyes widened.

"Yes...I've finally healed the damage my *dear* brother did." He squeezed her wrists hard as he put emphasis on one word. "In our culture it is acceptable to seek venegence through your enemy's mate...but lucky for you, you don't seem to have been claimed."

"Mate? I'm not Inuyasha's mate!" She struggled against his iron grip.

"I can smell that, his scent barely lingers on you. Careless of him...makes it so much easier to take you myself." He rubbed his cheek against hers, scenting her. For a human she smelled so very good. It couldn't hurt to take her once and then discard her, letting the shame destroy his brother. She was...physically pleasing as well...it would not be such a chore.

Kagome shivered at his words and his touch. She could smell him, the sharp scent of youkai blood lingered on his skin, he'd been in battle recently...but floating over that was the softness of herbs and the damp, earthy smell of the forest. She found herself preoccupied with his unique scent.

Sesshoumaru was amazed that this small mortal girl was doing exactly what he was, scenting him, inprinting on him. She was the softness of the ocean, breezy and fresh and underneath he could detect the sweetness of fruit and flowers. Pure femininity. He'd never met a woman so soft. All the women he'd dealt with were hardened youkai ladies and warriors...nothing like this.

He nuzzled her throat and felt her pulse under the skin, pounding hard like an animal caught in a snare, desperate to get free. It aroused his blood to think of her as a trapped animal, caught in his snare. He pressed a kiss to her skin. Taking her forcefully was quickly loosing its appeal...far more shameful for his brother for his wench to actually enjoy being with him. He'd show her pleasure and passion that would make anything else pale in comparison.

A brush of lips against her throat, his hands smoothing down her sides and underneath her...Kagome knew it was wrong but it felt so very good. She twisted under him and moaned slightly as he kissed the soft skin below her ear. He was whispering soft things to her, teasing tantalizing things.

He felt her begin to respond and a small smile curved over his lips, she was his.

~*~*~*~

Night had fallen over the clearing, the feeble light of the stars setting a glow around the two figures that lay entangled in the field of graying flowers. Sesshoumaru held the petite girl possessively, his tail wrapped around her to ward off the chill of the night. Their bodies were painted with sweat and he could clearly smell her blood and the tang of their coupling. His fingers brushed over the bloody bite on her shoulder. She was his...and he had to walk away. He didn't want to go...but if he tried to take her she would fight him, hate him...Inuyasha would come and she would be compromised and possibly injured. No...he had to leave.

He kissed her forehead, rousing her. His gold eyes met blue and he saw the understanding there. "There is a hot spring through those trees. Clean yourself thoroughly, use something scented....it will mask my scent. I must go." He pulled away and reached for his own clothing, dressing without a second look at her.

"Sesshoumaru..."

"Do not speak...go. This never happened, go back to my brother." He began to fasten his armor and was nearly done when he felt her standing behind him, dressed again. He turned, a question in his eyes. Kagome handed him a single, delicate white flower.

"It happened...even if it is never spoken of." She turned and headed for the spring, back straight and head high.

In that moment Sesshoumaru had never before felt such...admiration for a woman, never mind a human one at that. He looked down at the small white flower and tucked it into his sash. Small and delicate, sweetly scented and beautiful...he would not forget. He turned and headed for his own camp, heart strangely heavy.

The field of flowers fell to darkness as clouds rolled in to cover the stars.