On the evening that was supposed to be their mating night, Sesshōmaru pointed at the snow-covered sakura tree in the courtyard of his mansion and told her: "Our mating will be consummated only when the sakura blooms."
Kagome did not know the significance of the sakura blooming for inuyōkai mating, but during the two months that followed, she suspected it was nothing but a delaying tactic. By the time the cherry blossom bloomed, Sesshōmaru would already have another excuse at the tip of his tongue: an extended patrol or a trip to visit one of the neighbouring lands. A war on the horizon, perhaps?
All for the sake of keeping her at bay.
If she hadn't known better, the indifference in his voice and expression would have made her crumble inside. But, there were moments when his eyes shone a bright gold, betraying his intense longing for her. She could feel the heat of his gaze as he studied her from afar whenever he thought she was not paying attention.
A male of admirable restraint and discipline, Sesshōmaru had controlled his instincts to claim her as his own until the right moment, and that moment was supposedly spring, or when the cherry blossoms bloomed. However, Kagome had waited long enough. She had been patient, but she had never been one to shy away from a challenge, and she would not start now.
Determined to push his limits, she decided to take matters into her own hands.
Kagome squinted at the ancient cherry tree. She’d overheard her handmaidens saying Sesshōmaru's grandfather planted that tree, and it had stood firm and sturdy for over a thousand years. Its drooping branches were bare at this time of year, and only a few brown buds appeared, although they remained tucked safely away and refused to open before their appointed time.
Taking a deep breath, Kagome approached the tree and placed her hands on the trunk, willing it to blossom.
Which, of course, it didn't.
Kagome scowled at the tree, cursing its uncooperative nature as she raked her brain.
How could she coax an ancient sakura tree to bloom ahead of its time?
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Long before Sesshōmaru stepped into the courtyard, the scent of the cherry blossoms reached his nose. Panic rose inside his chest, and he hastened his steps. It was impossible — winter had barely left their doorsteps, and the temperature was still too low for any blossoms to bloom.
And yet, his eyes and nose proved him wrong. The cherry blossom tree, a thousand-year-old and knotted with creaking branches, was radiant against the deep blue sky. Petals of delicate pink and white cascaded around him like snowflakes in a slow-motion wave.
His mate stood beyond it, evidently waiting for him. Kagome was an image of grace, her porcelain skin luminescent under layers of vibrant fuchsia silk embroidered with delicate pink sakura blossoms.
"It bloomed," she said.
The shock of the situation had rendered Sesshōmaru speechless. He looked on in disbelief as soft pink petals fluttered around them. "So I can see."
She cast him a pointed glance. "Then, as we agreed, I will see you later tonight," she told him in a tone that brooked no argument. "In our room."
Sesshōmaru growled and shook his head harshly. He was not someone who’d break his word, but in this matter, he must. She tugged at his hand when he was about to walk away, stopping him.
"Perhaps you are unaware, I am much more resilient than that sakura tree, and it has been here for a thousand years," she bluntly said, pointing at the tree that continued to shed its delicate pink petals. "I certainly don't crumble as easily, and my passion will damn sure last for more than one season."
Sesshōmaru's eyes narrowed as he studied her intently. "Passion?"
He had not anticipated the depth of his feelings for her: a longing to be close to her, to breathe in her scent and bask in the warmth of her smile. He tried with rigorous self-discipline to keep his desire in check, but every passing day only made him want her more. When he proposed to her, he was convinced that his passion for her would remain dormant, under control — if he kept a safe distance from her.
He thought he still had a month to temper his ever-growing emotions for her. But time did not temper his passion. On the contrary, the wait only strengthened it, and the self-discipline he imposed on himself only fanned his desire to a feverish pitch.
"Passion," Kagome repeated, stepping closer to him until her chest nearly brushed against him. "The kind that doesn't need cherry blossoms as an excuse to consummate our union."
Sesshōmaru's breath hitched as Kagome traced her fingers down his chest, her touch leaving a trail of heat in its wake. She leaned in closer, her breath hot against his ear.
"Passion," she whispered. "The kind that burns inside me whenever I see you, makes my heart race and my body tremble with anticipation. I want you, mate, and I won't be made to wait any longer."
He clenched his teeth. He wanted to resist, but his body had other ideas. His hands gripped her waist, pulling her flush against him.
"Do you even know what you do to me?" he breathed as he pressed his forehead against hers.
Her fingertips trailed a heated path from his chest down to his abdomen. "Show me," she whispered.
"Showing you would mean I have failed," he growled.
"Failed in what?"
"In exerting self-control. In protecting you from my basest nature."
She leaned back to stare into his eyes. "I don't want self-control. I want you." The blue of her gaze deepened. "And I don't want to be protected — not right now. I want to be ravished."
He was taken aback, his mouth agape as a jagged bolt of arousal coursed through him. He shook her head, trying to clear the desire fogging his mind. "You do not know what you ask for."
"I certainly do." She met his gaze with a newfound determination, her words both a challenge and an invitation. He felt the heat radiating from her body as she arched up to meet his, her belly brushing against his rigid length. Her movements lacked finesse, but they were honest and full of passion.
His eyes fell to a close at the feel of her body, the sound of her gasps, while hers widened with surprise and pleasure. Unable to resist any longer, he cupped his hands along her back and crushed his lips to hers. She was soft and pliant, and he groaned into her mouth as he traced the seam of her lips with his tongue. She opened for him, and he plunged inside, tangling his tongue with hers.
He lifted her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, her hands clutching his hair. He carried her to their room, not daring to break the kiss.
Tonight, she would learn what it meant to be taken so thoroughly, and he would show her well.
Their room was bathed in a soft, golden light from the setting sun, casting warm shadows on the walls. He placed her on the futon, his hands deftly pulling off her clothes, leaving her naked before him. His eyes roved over her body, taking in every curve and dip, before he stripped himself of his clothing.
He crawled over her, his body hovering above hers. His lips found hers again, and their tongues met in a heated dance. His hands roamed over her body, savouring the feel of her skin against his fingertips. Her hands were not idle either; they hungrily traced the contours of his muscles, igniting a fire deep within his belly.
Their kisses grew more urgent, their bodies pressing closer together. He could feel her warmth, her desire, and it only fueled his own. He moved his mouth from hers, trailing kisses down her jawline and neck. She arched her head back, giving him better access. He nibbled on her throat, eliciting a moan from her parted lips.
He worked his way down to her breasts, pausing to take one of her nipples into his mouth. He suckled on it, teasing it with his tongue, making her writhe beneath him. Moving to the other breast, he gave it equal attention before trailing kisses down her stomach. He settled between her legs, breathing in her scent, and his mouth watered to taste her.
He parted her folds with his tongue, and she gasped, her fingers tangling in his hair. He licked and sucked, revelling in the sounds of her pleasure. Her hips bucked against his mouth, but he held her down with his hands as he suckled at the swollen bud at the top of her cleft.
“Take me,” she whispered, her glittering eyes meeting his as his mouth continued to latch onto her clit.
Sesshōmaru released the swollen nub and moved up her body, taking his time to position her on all fours and raising her hips high. He gripped her elbows, and with one long, smooth thrust, he entered her, going deep until his pelvis met the soft flesh of her rear. The sound she made when he breached her was unrestrained. Immediately, she clenched around him, fluttering along his length. He took a deep breath and kept still, relishing the tight clasp of her body around him. He pulled his hips back and plunged into her one more time. Her pleasured cries were unmistakable, as was the scent of her desire.
As he began to move, plumbing into her repeatedly, the broken gasps of his name and her plea for more escaped her parted lips. He tried to be careful, mindful of her delicate frame, but his control quickly evaporated. It was a pleasure unlike anything he had ever known, and he marvelled at how well her body fit around his. The way her inner walls contracted and clutched at him unravelled his iron will.
He thrust one more time, then slid out of her. Kagome looked back, tearful eyes widening at seeing him moving away.
"No! Don't you dare stop, I—"
"Shhh." He kissed the side of her neck, nipping gently at the tender flesh. "It is only to change position. I want to see you when you take flight."
He coaxed her to shift onto her back. Her eyes widened at the change, but he thrust back into her before she could voice any misgivings. She welcomed him with a soft, keening cry, her eyelids sliding shut. She murmured his name repeatedly while her hands roamed his back and shoulders, digging in with enough force to leave marks.
He covered her lips with his, drinking in her cries muffled by his insistent mouth. Soon, she moved her arms, linking her fingers behind his neck and pulling him down for a deeper, hungrier kiss.
"I will not stop until you are sated," he promised as he rocked against her core, relentless in his pursuit of her pleasure. Her thighs fell open, bracketing his hips. She met each thrust with desperate intensity, writhing beneath him, unfulfilled.
"Do not move," he commanded. "Let me take you there."
She struggled against him, trying to move forward, but he held her in place, thrusting into her in slow, measured strokes. His thrusts grew stronger and more insistent as her cries filled the chamber, her body quivering beneath his touch.
"Please." She tightened her hold on him, fearing he would leave her.
"I will not leave you unsatisfied," he whispered in her ear. "You will want for nothing." With that assurance, he took her mouth again, kissing her until she whimpered, her body undulating underneath his. Then, his pace changed and began to quicken as he pumped into her, seeking the rhythm to take her over the edge.
He lifted her hips, placing them at an angle that drove him deeper inside her. He had been deep before, but in this position, he had no trouble kissing the mouth of her womb with every thrust as she moaned and clung tightly to his shoulders. His hard muscles flexed with every movement, and as he slipped his hand between their bodies to strum her clit, she arched her back, eyes shut tight.
"Look at me." His voice was raspy, his breathing erratic.
Her lashes fluttered, and her gaze met his. He saw the fire in the depth of her sparkling blue eyes. He wasn't sure what he saw, but he knew it was something he could spend a lifetime discovering. He wanted to see her like this for the rest of his life. He wanted to see her at the peak of rapture, and he wanted to be the one to bring it to her.
His pelvis slammed against her core as he leaned forward, holding her hips in place for his taking.
"Sesshōmaru— I need—"
Instinctively, he knew what his mate needed. He thrust again, burying himself to the hilt, the rough pad of his thumb still kneading her clit. She moaned, a harsh sound that was torn from her throat. He did it again, his hips snapping harshly against her.
"Oh... I'm going to— please, please don't stop... don't stop—" Her last word was a long, low cry as her body shook and she came apart. He felt her orgasm as it raced through her, coursing through her body. Her inner muscles pulsed around him, and her nails cut into his skin as she gripped his shoulders. Then, he heard it — her broken scream of his name, like the wail of an animal, the most beautiful cry he had ever heard.
Sesshōmaru was lost. She was all he saw, all he felt, dominating his senses. He gave her all that he had, all that he was, and he knew with utmost certainty that he was hers. Then, with a strangled roar, he clamped his jaw on the side of her neck, thrusting into her one last time. As his fangs pierced her flesh, he felt her body shudder, her slick walls clamping around him until he followed her into oblivion — and to the bliss beyond.
Hips still rocking with small bursts of climax, he swiped his tongue firmly to seal the puncture wounds. Then, breathlessly, as he buried his head in the crook of her neck, he admitted: "We should have done this sooner."
Kagome's huffed laughter filled his ears.
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"How did you make the cherry tree bloom?" Sesshōmaru asked her as they lay together, basking in the aftermath of their lovemaking. Her back was to his chest; his arms were tight around her waist. His nose nuzzled her hair, the tip of her ear as she snuggled tight against him.
"I remember my mother brought home some sakura branches from the flower shop. To coax them to open up, she crushed the end of the stem with a knife and soaked them in warm water."
Kagome shifted to meet his gaze. "Warmth," she said. "Warmth gets them to bloom. Day and night, I applied reiki to the tree's roots, tricking it into thinking that spring has truly come."
He leaned down, his breath warm against her temple as a soft chuckle escaped his lips. Her heart raced, and she held her breath as he murmured, "Confounding woman."
She hesitated before looking into his eyes, and the teasing she saw there gave her courage. "Stubborn yōkai," she piped back, playfully swatting his striped forearm.
Their gazes locked, and their bodies leaned closer, drawn to each other's warmth and nearness. The air around them thrummed with a sweet current, charged with anticipation. Suddenly, a smile bloomed on both their lips.
And, as Sesshōmaru lowered his head to kiss her, Kagome knew: something extraordinary had just begun.