The Hot Springs

Chapter Five

Rin's head felt groggy and heavy when she became aware again of her surroundings. Taking a deeper breath, she shifted a bit to ease the pressure she was placing on her shoulder, making a small noise of discomfort as the abused joint rolled painfully inside its socket. Her body could tell that it was not time to get up yet, but three things told her that she had to get up before falling asleep again: first, she was thirsty; second, she had to use the bathroom; and third, she felt nauseous. Hoping that she'd be able to find the vial that Sesshoumaru had obtained for her in the dark, she popped an eye open. Lying on top of Sesshoumaru's chest and using his shoulder as a pillow, she could feel a breeze from the window on her right side and realized the window had blown ajar some time during the night. She didn't feel cold, though, because it was a summery night, and Sesshoumaru's body gave off a large amount of heat. Rin swallowed, feeling her stomach roll sickeningly.

"Go back to sleep, love," Sesshoumaru quietly said, sensing she was awake. She wondered sleepily how he could tolerate lying there for hours while she slept on him. She lifted her head slowly, taking a deep breath to attempt to calm her stomach. Swallowing again, then clearing her throat, she answered,

"I feel sick, Sesshoumaru-sama. Is the medicine you brought close by?" She felt him shift underneath her, and he pressed his hand to her forehead. He then held her closer with one arm, pressing a kiss to the top of her forehead.

"Your body temperature has risen, most likely because of the nausea. I will find the medicine. Go drink some water," he instructed. She wanted to say that she felt warm because she was lying on top of him, but decided to hold her tongue. Sitting up slowly and sliding from underneath her, Sesshoumaru came to a stand and assisted her to her feet. She could barely see the outline of the window, but the light was strong enough for her to see where she was going. Feeling her under-robe placed into her hands, she shrugged into it, tying the belt loosely. The candle in the room has long ago burned out, so she looked for a replacement in the cabinets near the back of the room. Finding one after a quick search, she picked up the candleholder that had been sitting on the ledge of the window and jammed the end of the new candle into the base. Sesshoumaru approached her again as she was about to walk to the outside hallway and light the candle on a torchlight. He held out his hand, which gripped the bottle of medicine she needed.

"Remember, one swallow only." He had donned his under-robe, but it was very loosely tied, and she noted to herself that he looked handsome like that. Taking the bottle from him, she took a single drink, sighing as the medicine coated her insides and calmed the nausea. She handed it back to him, and he corked the bottle, placing it on top of the bag that Sayo had brought in earlier. "Will you be all right by yourself?" he asked quietly.

"Yes," she whispered, padding over to the door. Sliding it open, she slid her feet into the slippers still sitting out in the hallway and found the nearest torchlight. Lighting the wick her candle, she was able to take care of her personal business, before slowly walking to the kitchen in an effort to keep quiet. Inside, she tiptoed past Sayo, who was snoring softly on her futon in the corner. Opening the side door of the kitchen, she exchanged her shoes once again to walk along the outside path to the well. The crickets were loud tonight, indicative of the tepid, humid night air. She set the candle on the planks around the well, bringing the bucket off of the well sill. She then lowered the bucket to the water below, slowly letting the rope slide through her fingers. After a small splash, she only let the bucket fill for a second or two and pulled up on the rope again. Heavier now, it took she a bit more effort than she had meant to give to bring the bucket up. She set it back on the sill next to the candle, catching her breath, and picked up the ladle hanging from the well's pavilion, which clicked against the wood as she unhooked it from the notch holding it up. Taking a ladle-full of water, she slowly sipped. A moderately strong breeze made its way into the complex, tugging at the edge of her under-robe, and she was about to drink a second ladle's worth of water when she noticed how quiet it suddenly became. That's strange...

Holding the ladle in her hand, she realized that the crickets' sound was gone...completely. Her hand began to shake. Why would they suddenly stop chirping? Sesshoumaru-sama... Hearing a slight rumble in the distance, she dropped the ladle and stood up, turning to face the protective wall. Th-thunder? Or... The mansion had an all-encompassing, fifteen-foot wall with rarely used, small, secret entrance since coming and going was done through the use of flight. The undergrowth might have already taken that passage, anyway. A hundred feet of densely packed forest separated Rin and the wall. Trees still grew within the wall to keep the mansion hidden, but before now, Rin had never felt unsafe here. No human or demon, however rarely they found this place by pure accident, had dared to attempt invasion of such a formidable area, especially if they figured out who lived here. Picking up the candle, she made a hasty retreat back to the kitchen. Inside, she slid the door closed, and turned to find Sayo sitting up, rubbing her eyes.

"S-sorry for waking you. I was getting a d-drink of water," she softly stuttered. "Please, go back to sleep. I d-don't need anything." She cupped her hand around the candle's light to block it from a draft wafting in through the kitchen's open window. Sayo, too tired to hear the fright in Rin's voice, merely nodded and eased herself back down to the cot. "G'nite," she called quietly before leaving the kitchen. She more quickly made her way to the bedroom, heart pounding with anxiety. Once she was finally in Sesshoumaru's room, she found him looking out the window again. Not turning towards her, he said,

"Did you hear the change, Rin?" This made Rin pause, and she wondered if Sesshoumaru knew that something was coming, too. She slid her feet out of the slippers and stepped into the room, sliding the door closed behind her.

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama. The crickets stopped." She blew out the candle, suddenly worried that someone might see the light, and set the candle-holder on a low table set against the wall. Hoping that the change in environment was not due to invading humans or demons, she stood next to her Sesshoumaru-sama, looking at his face in the half-light of the waning moon.

"A storm is approaching. The crickets have hidden away in shelter," he commented, raising his hands to close the shutters. Suddenly feeling stupid for being afraid, she let out a relieved sigh, the tension leaving her shoulders. She saw Sesshoumaru take off his under-robe in the darkness of the room, and felt it safe to blush without him noticing. He'll always make me blush. He folded the under-robe and placed it to the side of the futon, where he lied down, seemingly ready to end the conversation and go back to bed. Rin padded over to him, shrugging out of her under-robe and placing it on top of Sesshoumaru's. Setting her hip on the futon and stretching out over his side, she set her cheek on his shoulder as he pulled the silk sheet over their bodies.

"It's silly, Sesshoumaru-sama, but when the crickets were suddenly quiet while I was at the well, I thought that..." she paused, wondering if such a comment was really all that important. She felt Sesshoumaru nudge her, and realized that he wanted her to continue. "I thought that more demons were after us," she softly said before lightly laughing. It does seem silly, doesn't it? She felt his arm tighten around her shoulders.

"You are safe here, Rin. I'll keep you safe," Sesshoumaru firmly said, smoothing a hand down her side over the sheet. Setting his hand possessively on her buttock, he landed a kiss to the top of her head. "Now go back to sleep." Making an agreeing noise, Rin closed her eyes and settled against Sesshoumaru's body. As she fell asleep, Sesshoumaru couldn't help but softly stroke the flesh under his hand, and in the distance, he could hear thunder from the imminent storm.

There was a single clap of thunder, loud enough to vibrate the walls of the mansion. Rin jerked awake, her heart fluttering inside her ribs. She looked to the window and saw the faint light of day from the slits in the window's shutters, intermittently interrupted by flashes of lightning. The sound of thunder and pounding rain indicated a heavy downpour. Looking up at Sesshoumaru, she saw him calmly contemplating her and inched up his body to press a kiss to his lips.

"Good morning, Sesshoumaru-sama. I hear that the storm has arrived," she said as her mind slowly cleared. It probably wasn't yet time for breakfast. Feeling his hand on her hip, she brushed her hand over his chest to his shoulder.

"So it has. Did you sleep well?" she nodded, having propped her head up on an elbow pressed to the futon.

"I feel safe with you, Sesshoumaru-sama. Sleep comes easier when I'm with you." Rin lightly bit down on her lower lip, contemplating a question she wanted to ask. Clearing her throat, she looked at her hand on his shoulder as it played with a few strands of his silvery hair. "Do...do you remember...that night...about a year ago? I had been having a dream, and when I woke up...you were sitting nearby, but then...then left after a minute? I just...I wanted to know..." Her heart was beating so fast that she decided to just stop. Hopefully he understands what I'm trying to say...it's obvious that I don't.

"I know of what you speak. I could easily pick up your arousal. By then, I was already attracted to you, and it was difficult not to react to your body's needs," he boldly said, which got her looking at him again. "After that night until the day of the hot springs, I often had to find privacy in order to act out the things I wanted to do to you." Her face blushed brightly at this, but she was inwardly delighted to know that he had desired her body for as long a time as she had desired his. Sliding her hand away from his shoulder, down his warm chest and smooth stomach, she found his manhood, already half-erect, and wrapped her hand around it.

"What sorts of things, Sesshoumaru-sama?" she said quietly, feeling his breathing grow deeper underneath her bare chest. Squeezing his length gently, she was proud to feel it rapidly increasing in size and length. Sesshoumaru tugged on the band holding her hair in a braid, and filled his hands with the silky mass, fanning it out until it curled slightly and bounced around her face. She brought her lips close to his, looking into his eyes as he answered,

"I often dreamed of slipping underneath your blankets at the campsite while you were asleep and delving between your thighs while I watched your shocked reaction in the firelight." She swallowed, moving her hand a bit faster over his arousal, which was close to being fully erect. Her heartbeat was close to choking her. She brushed her lips against his before drawing away a couple of inches. That certainly would have shocked me.

"What else, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin wanted to know his fantasies, to know what he craved...so that she could surprise him with their fulfillment someday.

"Ambushing you on one of your trips to the flower fields and pulling you down into the grass. I would hold your thighs apart and find my pleasure between them. Or intercepting you returning from a bath...I wanted to hold you down over the root of a tree while I mounted you from behind," he ground out, finding it hard to speak while she was manipulating him with her hand. Rin pulled herself over Sesshoumaru's body, releasing the warm member from her hand to brace her forearms against the futon. Feeling his hands smooth up her sides and cup her breasts, she closed her eyes, focusing on how his fingers brought her nipples to rosy little peaks. She dropped light kisses onto his lips, feeling him bring his knees up behind her. Gasping against his mouth upon feeling his arousal gently prodding the inlet of her body, she brought her lips away, opening her eyes to see his covetous gaze.

"I hope that someday, master, you'll carry out those dreams with me," she whispered. "I...I didn't know the exact details of mating before now, but I had seen my cousin kissing a girl once when I was very young. After the night of the dream, I wanted to kiss you very badly." She would have said a few words more, but Sesshoumaru brought his hand to the back of her head and pushed her mouth against his. Slanting the kiss across her lips, making them swell and blush under the assault, he brought his hand away to cup her breast again, thumbing the tight peaks. Rin gladly pulled his tongue into her mouth, sliding her own tongue along his and moaning into the kiss. Skimming his hands back down her sides, Sesshoumaru held her left hip in one hand while the other angled his straining length towards her damp and slowly pulsing entrance. She pulled away from the kiss, and rose up a tad higher on her knees so that only her chest still touched Sesshoumaru.

"Was this one of your dreams, Sesshoumaru-sama? To have me lying over you, ready for you?" she huskily said as she gripped one of his shoulders. The hand that had been holding her hip slid underneath her now-raised pelvis, sliding down her lips and spreading her open. She closed her eyes, softly moaning.

"One of my favorites, Rin," he purred, pushing into her body. Her mouth fell open in a silent cry as he penetrated her, pressed snugly against her body's walls. She felt him push her hips back to meet his pelvis, seating her fully on his arousal. Holding the silk sheet in her hands on either side of Sesshoumaru's head, she slid her lips down his jawline, squeezing her inner muscles over the thick length buried inside her body. Hearing and feeling the growl he made, she pulled her body forward and then pushed it back down, setting a pace fast enough to stimulate but not fast enough to satisfy. Noticing quite well how the peaks of her breasts brushed against his chest, she felt them distend again into tight buds.

"Tell me more of them, Sesshoumaru-sama," she gasped out, her hair brushing over his shoulders as she moved over him. Squeezing him at the right moments, she watched his face as his body took over his mind. He bucked his hips into she as she sank down upon him again, grunting underneath her. She pressed open-mouthed kisses to his collarbone and neck, savoring the feel of his hands riding her hips. Sesshoumaru was so close to climax that even speaking out loud more of his fantasies might have been enough to pitch him over the edge. For a few long, drawn-out minutes, he fought to keep his body from climaxing too quickly. Rin had been paying attention to all of his tricks and was surely trying them all out.

She would stop after a dozen thrusts and swivel her hips in a small circle, biting her lip and issuing small noises from the back of her throat. Then adjusting where her knees pressed into the futon, she would resume her body's frenzied movements and experiment with her inner muscles. At one point, she was too enthusiastic and pulled right off of him. She gasped in surprise and disappointment, and her hand quickly squirmed down between their bodies. Locating what she sought, she held him still as she sank onto his length again, sighing,

"That's better..." Sesshoumaru gritted his teeth, searching for any store of strength or control he could muster. Her way of making love was quickly becoming too much for him. She began again, a little more conservatively, but she also started to experiment with the angle of her pelvis, searching for the one that brought him deepest. On the fourth try, she pushed him inside again and, finding that more force was necessary, bucked her hips down, which butted the head of his phallus against the deepest spot in her body. She loudly gasped, a little astounded, and then shuddered, moaning with a high voice. She finally began a steady pace, which was fast and caused the most lewd noises.

"Yeah...this is good, right? Sesshoumaru-sama," she moaned out, gripping the silk sheet in her fists. She could hear the sheet rustling over her back, and the liquid smack of her body as it collided repeatedly against him. She went as fast as she could, and her voice held a long, even note, which shook due to the vibrations. "T-tell me more of them, please," she breathlessly said. Finding his last ounce of control as he pushed up into her tight muscles, Sesshoumaru gruffly responded,

"In the middle of the night...when we were alone in the forest...I wanted to push up the skirt of your kimono and pin you against a tree with your legs around my hips." Growling as the heated sensation of orgasm clawed up his length, Sesshoumaru held his mate's pelvis down where he needed it the most, glad to hear her gasp, followed by a groan. Feeling her body fluttering and pulsating around his arousal, he quite gratefully emptied his seed into her safekeeping, taking in huge amounts of air as ropes of pleasure held him and his voice still. Her knuckles were white from gripping the silk sheet, but she felt languorous from the tingly, throbbing sensation that had just gripped her body. Sprawled over Sesshoumaru, she couldn't suppress a satisfied smile.

Rin sat on the side porch of the mansion, watching the trees sway in the day's strong winds. Her belly was only slightly rounder, barely noticeable at all, but she liked to run her hand over it once in a while, as if she were touching her child. Sayo had been good enough to take Ah-Un on a day trip to the nearest village, which took half a day's ride to reach, so that Rin could have more of the medicine for quelling a pregnant mother's morning sickness. She would also pick up more cloth for Rin to sew as she rounded with child, some spices for their meals, and more candles. Rin had wanted to go along, but Sesshoumaru firmly forbade it. Instead, he had sent Jaken with the old servant. Jaken didn't mind Sayo, though; she was as silent and expressionless as Sesshoumaru usually was.

Rin could feel Sesshoumaru looking at her from the sliding door behind her, and called back to him,

"It's a beautiful day, Sesshoumaru-sama." She smiled as she felt him sit down, sidling up behind her with his legs outside her own. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back to lean against his chest, sharing a quiet, affectionate moment with her. Rin, in that moment, recalled the many times they had made love for the past weeks: at least twice a day, although usually it was four times. She actually had to ask for a couple of days to let her muscles have a break from all the extra work.

Once her back had fully healed, she would wake up in the mornings to a demon paying her special attention between her thighs. Whenever she tried to return the favor, he usually stopped her before his release and push his way inside her body before he let loose his seed. Though they spent most of the day quietly talking or simply being in each other's company, usually with Sesshoumaru watching her as she sewed something or gazed out the window, every few hours would bring another delightful confrontation in their bedroom. It was as if he couldn't get his fill of her.

"Yes, it is a beautiful day." With it being close to noon, her stomach was ready for a snack to tide her over until dinnertime, but she stayed in Sesshoumaru's arms for another few minutes. Feeling his hands brush over her stomach lovingly, she closed her eyes as she sat there, imagining him holding their child for the first time, and the look he might have on his face.

Turning her head slightly to tuck her nose into the crook of his neck, Rin nuzzled the flesh there, which prompted one of his hands to skim its way up to cup her breast, massaging it gently until he could feel the crest distend under his touch through the fabric of the kimono. Tilting her head back to meet him, she held the side of his face as he tenderly kissed her, rubbing her other hand over the forearm wrapped around her waist. My husband is as lustful as ever. Gently disengaging from him once she felt his body reacting against her back, she came to a stand on the ground next to the side porch. Looking at him, she saw the longing in his eyes, but nonchalantly explained her interruption of their play.

"I'm going to get something to eat. Does Sesshoumaru-sama wish to keep me company?" He made no obvious answer, but he brought himself to a stand and helped Rin step up onto the porch. Inside the kitchen, she found the covered bowl of rice balls that Sayo had made before she left. Taking one, she brought it to the low table with a cup of water, and sat across from Sesshoumaru, who was sitting quite regally on the other side.

"I have come to the conclusion that the attack a month ago was not a fluke. I need to find the perpetrators and dispose of them," he resolutely said, his voice flat. She paused, having just swallowed her first bite, and put the rice ball down, glad that she was able to keep her hand from shaking. He's going to make me stay here. I won't be able to come along like every time before and he might be gone for months like he always is. She didn't understand why, but she felt like crying. What's wrong with me? It's not like he won't come back, and why am I suddenly so emotional?

"Are...you saying that you're leaving?" she shakily said, her voice wavering a bit. She wanted to punch herself in the thigh for being so weak. His icy resolution seemed to melt a bit and his posture relaxed somewhat.

"Yes, I'm leaving. If anything were to happen to you--"

"But I've always been with you! There's nothing different about the situation now!" she yelled, slapping her hands onto the table and rising to her knees. Her mood had swung from weepy to angry.

"Everything's different, Rin," he responded, his voice very low. "You're now my lover, my mate...the mother of my child. Before, you were very precious to me, but now, you're..." He trailed off, breaking eye contact.

"I'm what?" she asked with an ache in her voice. She pushed the rice ball to the end of the table, leaning over it to draw his gaze. Seeing his eyes glance into hers, she asked her question again. Sesshoumaru leaned forward, his silvery hair falling forward to graze the tabletop.

"If I lost you, I would be broken," he said very quietly, barely above a whisper. Her moods swung once more, and she felt weepy again. I've never heard him say anything like that. He rarely admits a vulnerability to anyone, even me. Holding back her tears, she leaned forward to meet him across the table, holding his jaw in her hand and pressing an open-mouthed kiss to his lips. Sensing he wanted to go further, she broke off the kiss and leaned back again. He no longer looked icy or impassive. Rather he looked very heated, and most likely had his mind on one thing only. She was hungry, though, and simply sat down, picking up her rice ball again.

If Sesshoumaru was disappointed, he didn't say so. He simply sat down again, watching her eat the food. After swallowing the last of her snack and washing it down with water, she stood up to wash the cup and place it back in its cupboard. His eyes followed her, wanting to have her again. Why can't I get enough of her? I want her more now than I did when I found her in the hot springs. Seeing her finish drying her hands, he was quite ready to pull her onto the table, but she began to walk towards the kitchen door into the mansion.

"Rin..." he said, telling her with a single, lustful tone what he wanted. She stop to coyly smile at him over her shoulder.

"I had been thinking of a trip to the bathhouse today, Sesshoumaru-sama. I expect I'll be returning along the south path in about half an hour." With that, she had to suppress a giggle by biting down on her lower lip due to the subtle way in which his face changed from lustful to carnal. Turning back towards the door, she walked to their bedroom, finding a clean under-robe (although it wouldn't be clean for long) and her soap on a string. Putting her kimono away to be washed, she began her walk to the bathhouse, unable to keep the smile off of her face.

Hearing the crunch of the twigs and old leaves from last fall under her sandaled feet as she took a leisurely stroll to the bathhouse under the shady canopy of the trees, she felt more easily the strong, warm breeze that was infiltrating the complex that day since she was wearing only her under-robe. Half-expecting Sesshoumaru to grab her off of the path before she even got to the bathhouse, Rin was a bit disappointed when she arrived within a minute without her very-much-wanted assault. The bathhouse was a solid, wooden structure with an easily lit stove, a pile of dry wood to feed it, and covered tubs full of water ready for whomever. She had always wondered how Sayo could manage to fill the tubs again every time one was used: it took five trips from the well to fill up a tub.

Sliding open the door, she stepped inside the bathhouse, which was humid and a little stuffy from being closed on such a hot day. Only the shade of the trees over its roof kept it from becoming stifling. The inside smelled like hot coals and wood. Not needing to heat up the water that day, she was able to take a bath without preparing a fire first. She bathed quickly, wanting to be done with it, and spent a few minutes toweling her hair so that she could braid it. Drying off her body and dumping the water, she threw on her under-robe again, carrying the soap and towel back with her as she opened the door of the bathhouse again. Looking out, she saw a few birds flit away into the air, and stepped out, glad for the breeze that came rushing around the corner of the building. Returning along the south path, her heart was thumping with excitement since she was expecting Sesshoumaru to jump out to get her at any second, but as she came within sight of the mansion, her hopes were falling fast. Was I too subtle?

Bowing her head as she trudged towards the mansion, she thought she heard what sounded like footsteps, and looked up. Huh? The mansion, still in front of her, looked clear as day and nothing was out of the ordinary. I could have that swore he understood what I meant, though. She had been hoping it was her master, but he obviously wasn't there in front of her. When two arms suddenly reached around from behind to tightly wrap themselves underneath her breasts, she giggled, dropping her soap and towel. She let Sesshoumaru drag her off the south path and into the forest. With her knees hooked over his forearm and her hands linked behind his neck, she watched as they went further into the woods surrounding the mansion, but still within the complex wall.

"Did you have a spot already picked out?" she asked quietly, joking. Her smile didn't seem to penetrate, though, and he looked down at her with heavy-lidded eyes, still as carnal as when she left.

"As a matter of fact," he purred, looking up again, "I did." She looked in front of her again, and saw a tall, ancient tree, gnarled and twisted, but very much alive. Its branches seemed to have grown in random directions, and the roots of the tree... Although the majority were probably deep underground, a few dozen were poking out of the ground, warping into odd shapes like fingers from a hand--most definitely the perfect spot for what Sesshoumaru had in mind. In her younger days when she would explore the small area of forest within Sesshoumaru's complex, she had only seen this tree a couple of times, not wandering too close to it since it seemed a bit out of place. Now, feeling her womanhood grow heavy and heated, she felt a small measure of the exhilaration that Sesshoumaru was feeling and could only see the image in her mind of what they would soon be doing on the roots of such a tree. A strong, warm breeze found its way through the forest, making the leaves above rustle loudly as the wind tossed about his silky hair.

Walking halfway around the tree and stepping between two overgrown roots, he set her on her feet and let his hands glide from her hips to her breasts. Cupping them and brushing the pads of his thumbs over their sensitive tips, Sesshoumaru watched, fascinated, as her nipples distended beneath the cloth and dented outward towards him. She slid her hands over his wrists, looking up at him with her mouth open as she tried to breathe past the lump in her throat. He seemed to have more control over his excitement now, which disappointed her, but she knew it wouldn't stay that way for long. Reaching down to untie her under-robe, her hands at with his words,

"Not yet." She watched as he dropped to one knee and slid his hand to her back. Pulling her forward so that she would lean down, Sesshoumaru tilted his head up and used his other hand to reveal the peak of one breast. Molding his lips around it, he pulled gently on the crest, earning a sigh from his mate. She watched as her vision blurred and filmed over. A soft but heady warmth spread through her body from the exact point where he suckled, and she wrapped one arm around his shoulder as he sapped the strength from her legs, flicking the nipple a few times for good measure. Pulling the cloth off of her other breast, he laved his tongue over it, blowing air on the moisture left by his tongue to chill the tip until it budded for him. She slid her hand into his hair, holding the back of his head while he played with the rosebud in front of him. Letting her eyes drift shut, she bit back a moan, feeling restless as her master took his time. She listened to the birds, the breeze, and the sounds of his mouth, all the while making a few indistinct noises herself.

"Mmhhh...S-...Sesshoumaru-sama." Feeling her cheeks blush from the day's heat and from the warmth of his mouth, she gasped upon feeling his hand at the back of her thigh. He landed a final kiss to her left breast, having made them blush with abuse, and his other hand drifted to her other thigh. He stood, both hands sliding up to possessively hold her back end. Now that the skirt of her clothing was near her waist, he pulled his hands up to hold her hips and he leaned down for an open-mouthed kiss, letting her hand untie the belt of his under-robe.

His arousal was tight with excitement, and he wanted nothing more at that moment than to be inside her. Looping her other arm around his neck, she brought herself up on her toes to lean into the kiss. Her left fingers finally broke the knot in his belt, and his clothing loosened, which allowed her to slide her hand inside as his tongue slid into her mouth. With the backs of her fingers, she explored the bumps of his trim stomach muscles, warm to the touch and smooth. Then fanning out her fingers and turning her hand, she gripped his side, finding only firm skin and muscle, all toned and lean.

I need to go faster.

Rin straightened her arm as she shoved it farther down into her mate's clothing, seeking the flesh that she wanted to have within her own body very soon. Finding it hard and erect, pointed straight out from his hips, she hesitantly wrapped her fingers around it, not sure if he wanted this at the moment. Sesshoumaru turned his head slightly, deepening their kiss as his hair cascaded down his shoulder onto her. Please, Rin...

She felt him widen his stance and push into her hand. Feeling as if the tables had turned from the last time they were in this particular setting in this particular situation, she conceded and began moving her left hand, meeting his small thrusts. Needing air, she pulled away from his kiss, and instead watched his face. Rarely did anything get him as worked up enough to tint his cheeks a lovely shade of pink than what she was doing now. It was one act that he couldn't stand for long.

She felt his heavy breaths against her cheek, avidly listening for every time the air caught in his throat. In the background was the noise of her hand, moving at a moderate pace and smacking into his pelvis. She felt a welcome breeze against her right wrist, hitting Sesshoumaru from behind, and it carried the scent of the forest trees surrounding them. His hands tightened on her hips.

"Rin." Sesshoumaru pulled one hand away from her hips, reaching between their bodies as he forced his own to stop moving, and grabbed hold of her wrist, silently telling her that he wanted to move on. Rin, whole-heartedly agreeing since she was aching for him, reached down to hold her clothing up as she turned away from him. She was more than ready, feeling wet and warm between her legs. She spread her stance and leaned over the tree root that had been behind her, taking a deep breath upon feeling his hands on her hips once again. His pelvis came close to her backside, and she could feel his length teasing her entrance.

"Please, Sesshoumaru-sama," she groaned, her voice raspy with need. He rolled his hips slowly, brushing himself against her. He squeezed an inch into her body, but then pulled out, rubbing the tip over and between her lips. He did this several times, each wresting out a dissatisfied moan from his mate. Feeling his tip push inside her again, she called his name when the tip slipped out again.

"Do you want me inside of you, Rin? Tell me," he purred, his deep voice tinged with a bit of huskiness. She bit down on her lower lip, feeling his length rubbing against the ache between her legs.

"Y-yes, Sesshoumaru-sama. Please!" she gasped out, unable to take a full breath when her stomach was pressed over the root. Finally feeling Sesshoumaru push himself into her body, she gave a high, short moan and propelled her hips back as best as she could from her position. He entered her slowly, squeezing into her body and bearing down on her until the tops of her thighs butted against the tree root. He rubbed her posterior with both hands, pulling himself back out just as agonizingly slow as when he came into her body. He kept up that pace, slow and full, until Rin was so frustrated that she bucked back against him, groaning.

"Not so fast," he said. He held her hips against the tree root to keep them from moving and increased the pace only slightly. Sweat was dripping down his back from the strain of holding back, and he leaned down over her as he pumped himself in and out of her body. Nuzzling aside the braid to reveal the nape of her neck, he saw the beginnings of the scars where he had marked her as his mate, and licked the revealed skin. Knowing he couldn't keep this up for more than another minute, he sped up. Her hands, already tense as they rested against the root, fisted with tension. Master...

Pulling out of her, he smirked when he heard her gasp.

"S-Sesshoumaru-sama! Why?" she huskily said, looking back at him with a pained expression on her face. Looking ahead again, she restlessly moved her rear, inviting him to continue as she begged him to take her. When she felt his hands on her hips, she sighed in relief, but he reached forward to take her arm. Pulling her towards him away from the tree root, he ignored her protests, very much aware of her need and his own. He then pushed her back against the tree trunk between its two overgrown roots.

Her breasts, rosy from his mouth, bounced in plain view, still exposed despite the under-robe that Rin still had on her shoulders, and she raised her hands in uncertainty. Sesshoumaru reached down and gripped the backs of her thighs, lifting her, and she quickly grabbed onto his shoulders, not wanting to lose her balance as he propped her against the tree trunk. Finally seeing that he was just changing positions, she eagerly wrapped her legs around his waist, clamping her thighs together. She reached down between them since he was supporting her weight with his hands underneath her backside, and placed his throbbing, slick member into position.

He immediately drove into her and kept up a fast pace, leaning forward to taste the skin over her collarbone. Rin clutched his shoulders, breathing fast as her body jerked upwards in his arms from the force of his thrusts. She could feel the rough bark of the tree through the back of her under-robe as it grated against her.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," she sighed, her voice breaking with every jolt to her body. The long, thick arousal pumping in and out of her body felt unquestionably sinful, and she couldn't help but imagine how they must look from afar. A demon lord mating with a human female against a tree, her legs wrapped around his waist as he shoved his way into her body. She held on for dear life because her climax was definitely at the edge of her mind and body, ready to leap at her. Sesshoumaru pulled her hips a little ways out from the trunk, finding a new slant and driving towards it. His haori had fallen down his shoulders, and the added sensation of his own hair brushing against his shoulders only stacked on top of the feelings in his body, rather than distracting him.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" she cried out, not even thinking of the bruises she would have later. Sesshoumaru only went faster, loving the way her calves bounced behind him despite her efforts to stay still.

"Don't stop...ohhhh...don't stop!" she screamed. She heard him give a long rough groan, and his legs must have straightened themselves as his body tensed up because she felt her back ride higher on the trunk. Just as predicted, her climax rushed at her from nowhere, and she felt a high, violent orgasm ripping down her body to the place between her legs where Sesshoumaru was jammed. She heard him moan against her throat, and his warm seed filled her body. She sighed, high and breathy, almost like an outward gasp, and her lower body jerked involuntarily. They stayed there, frozen, for perhaps only ten seconds, and then Sesshoumaru thrust into her a few more times, working the last of his essence out.

Rin could feel her leg muscles failing her, and was in danger of losing the moment, but Sesshoumaru pulled her away from the tree trunk to sink to his knees, setting Rin's behind on his thighs and wrapping his arms around her as he attempted to catch his breath. Her feet dropped to the ground. She vaguely noticed that one of her sandals was no longer on her foot. Feeling his hand slip underneath the back of her under-robe, she laid her head on his shoulder, very tired but very satisfied. She felt Sesshoumaru pressing kisses to her shoulder, and he reached up to set the pads of his fingers over the scars on her back. Sliding them down, e smiled against her neck when he heard her gasp. She stiffened in his arms, feeling a second, smaller orgasm travel through her inner muscles. Her thighs tightened for a few seconds, and she gripped the cloth still stretched across his back, shakily sighing through the pleasure.

"The connection is getting strong enough for this. I can now give this to you after we make love. Someday, it will strengthen the pleasure for both of us during the actual mating," he said into her ear. Her muscles eventually quieted down, and she tried to pull herself closer to his body, encircling his shoulders with her arms. Clearing her throat, she asked,

"When...when I pass on, how will you find me again?" She was a little frightened to be talking of the time when she died, but her curiosity was intense. When Rin was very young, still with her parents, she thought her parents would never die and that she wouldn't die, either, but her parents did die, gasping as the disease filled their lungs and clogged their throats. She always wondered why she had not become infected as well. Only she and another had survived, but the other had long ago left the village, having no family left. Rin eventually found a new village, but no one accepted her, thinking she had some sort of mental illness since she didn't speak, and she was lived in an abandoned shack down by the edge of town. Then...one day...she found something special...

Sesshoumaru held her tighter, wondering what this sad and lonely feeling was spreading in his mind.

"Your reincarnation will have the same markings on her back, and she will feel an irresistible pull towards wherever I am, as I will feel the same pull towards her. She should return to me within 15 years or so of your passing, unless something hinders her, in which case, I will find her," he explained calmly.

"But...will she remember anything?" she asked, voicing her greatest fear.

"Once I find her, if you and I have made a connection strong enough, I can simply touch her, and your memories will return to her, having been stored within your soul for the duration of your absence." He dropped more kisses onto her shoulder, but she had more questions for him.

"When she is born, won't her parents see the markings? Will they know what they are for? Will they try to stop her?"

"I doubt that knowledge of this practice is known among humans. They will think it is a birth mark." Rin closed her eyes, her heart finally at ease, and she relaxed against her master.

After a few moments of silence, the two finally left the forest, returning to their home. Rin took a nap while Sesshoumaru spooned up behind her, sponging up these last few moments with his mate before his departure the next morning. They still had a few hours before sunset and the return of his servants, so he spent the time while she was asleep thinking of what to do once she woke up.