This story was in my head before Courtship, but I spent so much time mulling it over that I lost the desire to write it. I'm ready now, and hopefully my dear readers will enjoy this every bit as much as Courtship.

This takes place approximately two years after the beginning of the series, making Kagome seventeen.

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and co. belong to Rumiko Takahashi. Just borrowing for a time. Blah, blah, blah…

Chapter One.

Damned if she wasn't trying to tease him.

Inuyasha growled silently from his position in the Goshinboku while watching Kagome's rear swing in the air as she bent down to pick up the small yellow blossoms Kaede asked of her. He knew he should look away, but for some reason his body wasn't cooperating. So he continued to stare.

And fume.

"Inuyasha, can you come down here please?"

"Feh. What for?"

Kagome stood up, sending him a long-suffering glare and holding out a basket brimming with herbs and flowers. "My basket's full and I need you to hold it while I grab the last few ingredients." Her glare softened to a smile and she batted her eyelashes for effect, "please?"

Grumbling, Inuyasha leapt down to land before her and grabbed the proffered basket from her arm roughly. "Aren't you done yet? We've been out here for hours."

Rolling her eyes, Kagome knelt to the ground and crawled under a nearby bush. "Got it!" She pulled up the tuberous weed and backed away. "Don't be such a pain, Inuyasha. It's only been half an hour." Stuffing the final ingredient into the already bursting basket, she wiped her hands on her skirt and smirked at him. "Unless you hate my company that much," she taunted him.

He glared at her. "Well?"

"Okay, okay. I'm done."

Tossing her hair casually over her shoulder against the breeze, Kagome took off toward the village, closing her eyes to the peaceful sound of birds chirping. Two long weeks had gone by with no word on unusual demon activities. Naraku was hiding out again, which definitely concerned her, but for the moment there was nothing they could do but sit and wait.

After a while, she began to hum a merry tune she'd picked up from the village children. Something about the coming of spring… she didn't really remember the words but the melody was quite beautiful.

The hanyou stalking behind her continued to growl. It wasn't enough that she had to walk like… like THAT. She was bouncing. Rhythmically. No, that wasn't enough. She had to keep tossing her hair over her shoulders, giving him frequent glimpses of her smooth neck. That soft, beautiful skin that he ached to –

No. He couldn't let his thoughts wander in that direction.

"Inuyasha?"

"What?" he grumbled.

"Do you ever go swimming?"

He stopped in his tracks. "Swimming? No, why?"

"It's hot out, I thought maybe we could grab Sango-chan, Miroku and Shippou and take a trip to the lake."

"Baka, the water will be warm, too. Better to stay indoors in the shade."

She shrugged, continuing toward the village. "Well I'm going to ask them anyway."

* * * * *

Of course, they ended up at the lake. Sango shared Kagome's obsession with bathing, so naturally she was all too eager for a cool dip. Miroku was just happy that he was being invited along.

Inuyasha sat on the edge of the water, Tetsusaiga resting on his shoulder, studiously NOT looking at the attractive young woman splashing in front of him in her immodest bathing suit.

"Come on, Inuyasha! The water's actually cool."

"Hai, join us," Miroku agreed, splashing a spray toward him playfully.

"Not interested."

He'd closed his eyes, hoping to avoid anymore begging when a shadow crossed his path. She was right in front of him, kneeling. Her breasts pressed together underneath the tight fabric of the bathing suit, giving him an ample view of delicious cleavage.

"What's your problem, Inuyasha? You've been grumpy all day!"

"You're imagining things, Wench. Just leave me alone."

"No."

"What do you mean, no?"

She tugged at his arm, eyes dancing with glee. "Come on, you never have any fun. There aren't any shard rumors, Naraku is dead to the world for now, and I know you're every bit as bored as we are."

He pulled back on the arm, sending Kagome stumbling forward into his lap and knocking Tetsusaiga onto the ground. She sat there for a moment, bewildered, before jumping up again. "C'mon, Inuyasha, just for a little? Can't you even PRETEND to have fun for one day?"

"I already said I'm not interested."

"Please?"

"No."

"I'll say it."

The half-demon's eyes widened. Was she serious? Would she really sit him just because he refused to play along with their stupid game?

"Os…u…wa..."

He shot up. "Fine!"

She grinned, grabbing his arm again and turning toward the lake with a self-satisfied smirk. She'd barely made it a step when he yanked his arm back again, and shot off into the woods. If he got far enough away, the damned enchantment wouldn't work. He'd left Tetsusaiga.

Feh, she'll go back into the water and then I can retrieve it.

Kagome took off in hot pursuit, the moisture from the lake cooling her enough to reach decent speeds. She leapt over bushes, suddenly laughing at her new source of entertainment. This was fun!

"You can't run from me, Inuyasha!"

He wasn't responding, but that didn't bother her. She saw his form off in the distance, and somewhere in the back of her mind wondered how it was that she was gaining on him. It was almost as though he wanted to be caught…

Inuyasha glanced behind him, groaning to himself when he saw the heaving of her chest. The feral arousal he'd been pushing away all day came raging back and he saw red swim into his eyes. Damned girl was acting like a bitch in heat!

He was so busy watching her that he didn't notice the tree in his path.

WHAM!

And he was down for the count. Not so down, though, that he didn't notice when she pounced on him, straddling his midsection and laughing maniacally at his situation.

"Gomen, Inuyasha, but that was priceless. See what you get for running away from me?"

So busy was Kagome with her teasing that she didn't notice the hanyou was growling in increased volume.

"Anyway, you really should join us," she went on. "Unless you're afraid of showing off those big, manly pecs of yours. I suppose Sango and I could share Miroku but that really doesn't seem fair…"

Suddenly, she found herself flipped over and roughly hoisted up into the air before being slung rather carelessly over Inuyasha's shoulder.

"Hey, what are you—"

He barked at her in a menacing tone and shot up into the trees at breakneck speeds, carrying them ever further from the lake where Miroku and Sango shook their heads in bemused wonder.

"Think she'll catch him?"

"Not a chance."

* * * * *

"INUYASHA! PUT… ME… DOWN… NOW!"

She shrieked as a branch came within inches of her face, red with fury. She had only been teasing, why was he acting like such a jerk?

She pounded on his back helplessly for a few moments more before he came to a stop, landing in what she could only guess was a cave. He pulled her down and plopped her unceremoniously in the back of the cavern.

When he turned to meet her eyes, Kagome gasped.

This wasn't Inuyasha the hanyou. This was Inuyasha – the demon.

"Inu…yasha?"

He stalked toward her, ripping at the front of his yukata and hakama. He dropped down before her, an evil gleam blazing in the red of his eyes.

Kagome backed away on her hands, never letting her eyes leave the predator before her. She felt her stomach lurch up into her throat. What was he doing? Her back quickly met the wall and there was nowhere to run. Inuyasha's hands shot out to grab her arms, and he pushed her down to the floor, the evil from his eyes seeping into the grin on his face.

"I know what you want, wench."

Oh, Kami! Even his voice has changed!

She struggled against his hold when a wash of relief swept over her suddenly. She'd completely forgotten! "Inuyasha – OSUWARI!"

He was now on top of her. And he was angry.

"Eager are we, bitch?"

Kagome's eyes widened. She could feel his arousal pressing up against her thigh. While still pinned down by the spell, Inuyasha moved a hand down to pull up at her bathing suit, growling when it resisted. With a claw, he tore at the seam, snapping the elastic fabric in two.

Tears started to well up in the young woman's eyes as she realized what was about to happen. He wouldn't do it, would he? Her Inuyasha protected her from pain; he wasn't supposed to inflict it upon her!

"Inuyasha, onegai, come back to me. You don't want to do this. This isn't you."

"I always want to do this," he growled back at her. "I know you do too."

"Not like this," she cried, the tears falling in little rivers down her cheeks. "Inuyasha, please…"

The spell started to fade and he lifted up slightly to reposition himself directly above her. Kagome tried to roll out from under him but was held fast by one arm, her legs forcefully separated with the other.

"No, Inuyasha. Please, no…"

"Hush, wench!"

"NO!!!!!!!"

* * * * * *

Note: Rape scenes bother me. A lot. But it was a necessary evil for the plot and I assure you this is the worst it will ever get in this story.

To be continued.