The Perfect Mate by BelovedStranger

Jealousy Whispers

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This chapter is dedicated to Stella Mira's Latin Challenge. 

Prompts: 

1) Barathrum—pit, abyss; the underworld

2) Caelo—to engrave or chase; to carve in bas-belief

3) Edax—greedy, gluttonous, rapacious, voracious

4) Fabre—skillfully, ingeniously

5) Gravidus—laden, swollen; heavy with child

6) Purpuratus—clad in purple, a man of high rank

7) Remora—delay, hindrance

8) Saevus—raging, fierce, furious, violent, savage, cruel

9) Tela—a spider’s web; a wrap; a loom; a design

Sesshomaru kept a secure hold on the small woman beside him, not only to keep her from tumbling from his youki cloud but also because he needed the physical closeness with her to make up for the disconcerting way he was feeling—as if with the return of her hanyou friend, the man she ‘loved’ had taken her farther away from him even though she was still in sight.

For the second time this day, another male dared touch what was his despite the obvious statement of Kagome’s scent that she was his intended mate. Though her betrothal scent was not in fact a true marking of intent as she had not obtained it through intercourse as was normal, his scent still covered her inside and out, a huge if silent proclamation to all that she was taken.

The first time with the ookami had nearly made him bare his fangs, especially after hearing that the fool had tried to claim her in name as his intended in the past. Sesshomaru had not known there was any other suitor other than his disgrace of a half-breed brother as an obstacle to claim the miko, but apparently, he had made a grievous error to think no one else would see her worth—worse, before he had. An even more horrendous mistake on his part he realized, but hopefully—despite the scene with Inuyasha—he was not too late.

Just thinking about that half-breed almost made him see red, a more violent emotion raging inside him than even the ookami’s presence had impacted on him, for this was the man—his half-brother—that Kagome claimed on too many occasions he wished to recall that she wanted. For every reason she denied him, she gave a second standard to that worthless mutt.

She desired shared love in a mating—Inuyasha loved her not.

She wanted to be seen only for herself, not some…thing, an object—Inuyasha saw her as not only a jewel shard finder but the reincarnation of the clay miko.

She craved respect and acknowledgement of her achievements—Inuyasha gave her neither.

Though she didn’t want to give him false hope, she clung to it herself, denying his suit. At times like these, Sesshomaru clearly saw her faults—her hypocrisy. But how could he not care for her more on the realization that perhaps he was not as unworthy as he had previously thought if one as benevolent and innocent as she could make mistakes, too? Was there even the slightest hope that she had meant what she said before and wanted to try and make things work between them? Or had everything been dashed upon Inuyasha’s arrival?

Such as his name sake, he felt a killing rage to kill all adversaries—the ookami and his half-brother. Then maybe just maybe she would look only at him again as she had this morning, cling only to him, need only him. The desire, no, it was far stronger than that. The need to imprint himself on her flesh, her very being, clamored at him like vicious claws digging at his gut. Obviously, his scent alone upon her was not enough to thwart foolish males from approaching her—worse, touching her person.

He was the Western Lord and yet two males in the same day defied his claim, causing his inner beast to rage with fury and jealousy. The only recourse he could see without killing her friends was to mate her and be done with it.

Having never before been in this situation or anything remotely close to feeling such vast, strong emotions, Sesshomaru’s insecurities were threatening to take control of his actions and cause him to commit an act that would surely end with losing that which he tried so hard to secure to his side forevermore—Kagome.

His calm close to shattering under the weight of his new found emotions he felt for one human woman, Sesshomaru took them no farther than the oasis he had taken Kagome to once before. Thoughts of how inappropriate it might be to take her there considering the huge mistake he had made the previous time did not enter his mind as Sesshomaru landed silently.

He was just about to break said silence and tell her in no uncertain terms that she was his when her words shocked the very breath from his lungs.

“I don’t love him anymore.”

He blinked once, then twice, still uncomprehendingly. So great his disorientation, he didn’t have the presence of mind to tighten his hold on her hip when Kagome moved a few steps away from him, before regarding him with an expression he was regretfully all too familiar with—sorrow. All he could think was, had he once again put that look upon her face? And felt a heavy heart at the likely answer.

Yes, for surely, he had, though he was not aware of how. At least not yet. There was no doubt in his mind that he was about to hear the miko’s every painful thought—like daggers to his heart, drawing blood.

Stiffening his spine, he did his utmost best to keep his expression impassive. However, he remained silent under her confusing, perhaps misleading statement. If he spoke now, it might shatter what little control he had remaining to him, and his pride would not allow him to show his agony to her—to a woman who possibly was just about to inform him that she was leaving him for good. To be with Inuyasha.

A small, sad smile curved her lips. It pained him to see it upon her lovely face.

“No, that’s wrong, I think. I still love him. I suppose that will never change, but I no longer think it’s the love I used to crave from him. We will never be together. I realize that now.”  

Had his heart stopped beating for a second? That last statement was all he heard. Who did she speak of? He had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that it was he.

In a voice gone hoarse, he asked, “Who do you speak of, miko?”

Not Kagome. He couldn’t call her by name, at least not right now.

She must have heard the strange quality to his voice, for she looked at him strangely. He silently willed her to speak, to answer, to put him out of his misery, for he had to know without a questionable doubt that it was all over for them even though it would be just the beginning of his despair, he was sure. And it was despair he felt. A pitiful, unappealing feeling. One he could not hope to escape from though he would try.

“Who? Inuyasha of course,” she said with some surprise as if the answer were obvious, and mayhap it was, but not to his clouded mind.

“Inuyasha,” he repeated stupidly.

Now it was her turn to appear desperate, her features filled with far more than sorrow as she took a hesitant step towards him.

“I meant it before when I said I wanted to be with you,” she cried out, a hand lifting to clench at her chest as if her heart were in pain—as his had been. Now hope blossomed, eroding the pain, lifting him away from his despondent thoughts.

“Please, you must believe me,” she begged, speaking fast as if she feared he would interrupt.

Kagome ran to him, colliding with his unarmored chest, black tresses flying. He reached for her, keeping her connected solidly with his chest though he still could not find his voice and speak. The relief he felt was overwhelming, but while he felt the pressure leave his breast, she seemed to absorb that emotion and take it upon herself. Or had she always felt this way, flying across the sky with him after the confrontation with Inuyasha, and he hadn’t noticed because he had been too wrapped up in his own despair? But what did she have to fear? He was soon to find out.

“Don’t misunderstand what you saw just now, I’m begging you. I didn’t mean for you to think I might be choosing Inuyasha over you again because I’m not!” She leaned back slightly to gaze up at him, and he felt her arms fold around his neck as she arched into him, dragged his head down closer to her.

“I choose you, Sesshomaru,” she said, tears in her eyes and dragged him that much farther down before kissing him with a desperation that shocked him almost as much as her words.

It was then that his mind clicked and made the connection with what she was saying, answering his questions from her actions and pained expression. She had thought he would misunderstand her impromptu embrace with his brother, thought with unknowing accuracy that he would view her actions as shunning him again for another. What was more? She thought she had ruined things between them, feared that he had finally had enough and was ready to give her the freedom she had wanted, demanded for since coming here. Until recently.

Her lips and tongue that sought entrance into his mouth was more desperate than skill. Her sexual assault—if one could call it that—surprised him. He knew he should draw back and reassure her that all was well between them now that he understood her feelings, that they were in accord with his own, but that was impossible to do with her mouth clinging to his. Though unskilled at present, the contact nevertheless had his body tightening with demands of its own.

Prolonging the moment if for just a little while longer, wanting to sip the sweet nectar of the inner recesses of her mouth, he cupped the back of her head, tilted his own for a better angle and pressed harder on her seeking lips, taking control. He opened his mouth and thrust his tongue deep inside her moist cavern, dueling with her tongue, fighting for dominance as her desperation made her just as aggressive as he. He mastered her with a skill that vastly surpassed her own, nipping and biting at her plump bottom lip, her tongue.

God, he’d needed this contact as much as Kagome seemed to, desperate to reconnect and prove to them both, to everyone, that she was his. Only his. Sesshomaru knew what she was doing, attempting to stamp her claim on him as he had done to her on numerous other occasions. It incited his lust, made it that much more difficult to draw back, but he did with much regret.

She tried to follow his retreat, attempted to draw him back to her with her new strength, with her hold around his neck, but he was still and always would be the stronger physically of the two of them as it should be.

“Please, Sesshomaru,” she implored huskily when he easily succeeded in drawing back a few inches, and met his eyes.

“Cease Kagome,” he murmured.

She froze, trepidation clear in her stare as she was still yet unaware of his thoughts. That she feared losing him to this extent—as fierce a fear as his own—humbled him as nothing else could have. Surely this proved that he meant more than a little to her?

“Fear not,” he told her in a low, intimate tone, sharing his breath with her, taking her own deep within his lungs. “This Sesshomaru has no intention of giving you to another. Ever.”

Kagome continued to look into his eyes, as if she feared deception. He did not let her doubt affect him negatively in anyway, merely returned her gaze with a straight forward, possessive and sincere expression. Her relief was instantaneous as she read his silent message, and the tension uncoiled from her body.

“Oh God,” she said with a hitch to her voice. “I was so worried that you thought I was rejecting you.”

If she intended to say more, he didn’t wait for her to continue but recaptured her mouth, and wrapped an arm tightly around her waist, keeping her plastered against his body. No space separated them. All save their clothes kept them from each other and at that moment, his garments became stifling. They were in the way to the contact he truly craved, but again, as he had done before, he tempered the lust rising within him, not wishing to take advantage of her distraught state and take more than she realized, before it was too late to stop and turn back.

However, the thought of her heavy with his child unceremoniously entered his mind. He wanted that in their future. Not just to create an heir as he had always viewed the need for pups, but to create a family—with her.

He’d give her his betrothal mark for sure if they continued. How he wanted to do just that, needed to make her his physically. It was difficult to pull back once more, to grasp her arms and force them from around his neck. He held her wrists between them like a shield, as if it were the only obstacle keeping him from ravishing her further.

He rested his forehead against hers. When her eyes closed, so did his.

“I will not take you at this moment, Kagome, even if you asked me to. Not like this.”

She nodded her head against his slightly, apparently understanding exactly what he meant. Both of their emotions were too high right now. Neither wanted to regret any more of what they did and felt for the other. With tender care, Sesshomaru kissed her forehead and kept his lips there for long seconds before drawing back.

“We must return to the castle,” he said with much regret. Despite his noble intentions, he still wished to linger here with her.

“I think I need a few minutes to myself, Sesshomaru.”

He drew back, not understanding her need for separation after what just happened between them. Surely she was not already regretting her actions? Again doubt assaulted his mind like a disease, and he despised its presence. He did not like being confused or uncertain under any circumstance, especially in this.

She must have seen something in his expression that gave away his thoughts.

Kagome shook her head, a small, beautiful smile on her face, and her tiny hand lifted to his face, and he felt her tracing his demonic markings over his cheekbones. He instinctively nuzzled into her gentle touch.

“It’s not what you’re thinking,” she murmured. “I just need a few minutes alone to collect myself before seeing my friend. Please?”

How could she read him so easily? Was he really losing his ability to mask his thoughts and emotions? Or was there a deeper meaning. Like she just…knew him?

Because she asked it of him and because she was in the relative safety of his fortress, he reluctantly nodded his head.

“I shall summon Ah-Uh. He’ll return you to me.” 

He hated the thought of their small separation, but he allowed it.

With a grateful smile she smiled at him once more and whispered her thanks. With one last look, staring deeply into her beloved eyes, he turned away and moved with all speed towards his dragon, a distance that took less than a minute with the speeds under his command. Another minute later, Ah-Uh was in the sky, flying towards his woman. And she was his.

Sesshomaru decided to wait for her in the courtyard, not wishing to enter his castle without her by his side. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Kagome knew what is was like to feel rejection, so she paniced when she feared that she had ruined things between her and Sesshomaru. Of course, lucky for her, Sesshomaru still has no intention of letting her go, and after this mess of Inuyasha's arrival, Sesshomaru and Kagome's feelings grow. :3 

If you all haven't realized it yet, I am trying to finish this fanfiction before updating any of my others. I have far too many incomplete fanfics, and this story has been ongoing the longest obviously as it is my very first fanfiction I've written. And before you despair and think this story is almost finished, I have many chapters yet to write, so onwards!