Bonded

What existed between them transcended love. . .

There was a heaviness in the air that signified that everything was not okay. She felt her Lord's piercing gaze on her as she poked at the coals of the dying fire and she wondered if she had done something since the setting of the sun to upset him.

"My Lord, have I done something to displease you?"

Perhaps it was from the heated colours the coals cast, but Rin could have sworn that her Lord's eyes had become the red that appeared whenever he was outrageously angry or dangerously desperate.

"No," he answered with little tone.

His response served to confuse her. Her Lord did not lie and furthermore had no need to lie to a young human woman and yet there was nothing and no one else around that could set him at ill ease. She had to be the cause; therefore, she had to rectify her mistake.

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Anything you can do?" he repeated. At last his eyes left her to stare off into the distance. It surprised her that he actually seemed to contemplate her words. He was so heavily reliant on his self that she doubted there was anything she could do for him.

Out of her line of sight, he closed his eyes tightly and growled at himself. "Stay here," he stood and disappeared into the shadows the surrounding forest offered. He walked until he reached a small clearing where he was exposed to the brilliance of the glowing moon. He made sure not to distance himself too far from her but he knew that if he hadn't left then he probably would have taken her even if it was against her own will. Such acts were generally beneath him but he didn't fully trust his ability to control himself-not when he was in heat. His blood was boiling, craving carnal pleasure.

It was worse than when she'd started showing signs of puberty. He remembered when at eleven, she'd complained of chest pains and how he'd inspected her, not trusting Jaken to be able to discern the problem nor wanting the imp demon to bear witness to her bare form. It was different when she was a child, before he'd come to terms with his need-his desire to protect her. He remembered feeling the tender flesh and how he'd massaged it to alleviate the pain she felt and he remembered how, he knew then that he wanted to bury himself in her and have her for his mate-at a more appropriate age of course. She was too young then. He would wait until she was a woman before he approached her with such a proposal, when she understood what it would all mean. Her consent and approval had suddenly become so important to him.

At thirteen when her cycle came and her body slowly began to mature in other ways he'd again felt and continued to feel to this day a wicked temptation, that horrible and wonderful urge take her to bed but he was able, for the most part, to repress such desires. He wanted to wait.

Now she was nearly of age but, with him in heat, he worried that he would not be able to exercise restrain, he might hurt her-terribly hurt her and if he did, he would not be able to forgive his weakness.

He let loose another deep growl and cursed himself for sending Jaken with Ah Un on errand far to the north of his lands. If he'd kept them here he could have left them to watch over Rin while he went into seclusion until the days of heat passed. He could feel his features attempting to shift into his true form and he fought for control. He unsheathed Tokijin and stabbed his outer thigh. He grunted. He focused on the pain and it allowed him to calm somewhat. A moment later he pulled the blade out, flicked off the blood and sheathed the sword again.

His anger and lust didn't completely dissipate but perhaps it was enough to keep his demon instincts at bay.

His head jerked around when he heard the patter of hasty feet approaching, a moment later he heard her call for him and saw the silhouette of her body emerging from the trees. He could smell her over the scent of his blood and again, that blood of his began to boil.

"Did I not say for you to stay at camp?"

"But I heard your growls and you sounded-Lord Sesshomaru, your leg! You're wounded!"

Damn that care filled voice of hers.

Rin motioned towards her Lord when his whip appeared from the tips of his index and middle finger and struck at the ground before her. At the same time he leapt back a step.

"My Lord?" She asked taken a back, was there danger still?

"Do not come any further." He growled deeply. His eyes were crimson again; his markings stretching out of place, jaggedly.

"What's wrong?" It was now that she noticed that there were no indications of battle other than the patch of blood staining his clothing.

"Obey me and keep your distance," he warned.

She did as he told-for a moment and then with a set jaw, her back straight, looking much like how he did when he was proud and determined she started to cover the distance between them. She did not know where her reasoning for doing this came from and it surprised her that she would ignore her Lord's command.

With clenched teeth he hissed at her, his hair standing a little higher on him than it usually did. Part of him wanted to slap her away for ignoring his words and for the sake of her safety while the lustful and seemingly more dominant aspect of himself wanted her to reach him so that he could at last claim what was his. While another aspect of him, his more prideful self raged against his weakness and his inability to remain collected and in control.

He savagely bit at his hand but the pain wouldn't overpower his need this time.

At the sight of this self abuse Rin broke into a run. "Lord Sesshomaru, stop!" She grasped for his hand to pull it away, fearing for his well being. Scared for him because in all her years with him, she'd never seen her beloved Lord so seemingly unbalanced.

Before she could touch him, he released his gnarled hand. He grabbed hold of her left shoulder, unintentionally piercing her skin with his claws.

She continued to be unafraid, though winced in pain and wanted to fall to her knees but his firm grasp held her up.

"I warned you," he breathed. He could smell her blood on his claws. It furthered his desire but he forced himself to remember that she was human and that if he wasn't careful he would harm her further.

He released her shoulder and she began to fall. He moved with her and went into a crouch his hand and arm went to brace her neck and back while he supported the rest of her with his knee and shin. Her hands sought to cling to the armor over his torso.

"It's too late for you now." He pulled against her kimono and revealed the puncture marks his claws made and without thinking he lowered himself to lick them. Her hands crept beyond his armor to the back of his neck.

She understood now what was wrong, what her Lord needed of her and she would giver herself to him without protest. Truth be told, she'd wanted to be with him since before she knew of the union between man and woman.

She'd heard the rumors of how violent demons could become when mating was involved but she had, as she had always had, an unwavering faith in her Lord. She wasn't foolish enough for her to think that he would be gentle with her and she imagined that she would feel some level of pain, but she didn't try to discourage him. He had warned her to stay away and she ignored him. She would live with the consequences, she would not now, nor had she ever, deny her Lord anything. She would not start now-to reject her Lord would be too cruel, for the both of them. What was her pain compared to his joy? He, Sesshomaru who had resurrected and protected her for so long. She could not; she would not abandon him, when he at last needed her. It was an honor.

He pulled back when the bleeding seemed to stop and brought her the short distance to the ground. He growled as he tore at her kimono, revealing her body to him. He licked and nipped at her flesh as he awkwardly attempted to loosen and claw at his clothing.

She spoke gently to him in an attempt to calm him while she sat up to help him undress. His swords fell beside them.

He looked at her exposed flesh, his eyes falling particularly on her hardening nipples. Her arousal was becoming apparent and before he realized what was happening she chanced a kiss. He responded harsher than he ever would have meant, his tongue desperately seeking hers, his teeth leaving marks on her lips and then his hand, his claws digging into her left hip as he pulled her towards him, pushing his length into her.

She did not scream, although she could not repress a small gasp.

She held him close, her hands clutching his shoulder blades and he pushed her back to the ground.

His last courtesy to her that night was to dig his hand deep into the dirt, keeping his claws away from her flesh while also affording him leverage. His movements were fast and harsh and if he had been able to contain his lust and retain his sanity he might have been gentler for her sake.

Her fingernails unconsciously bit into the flesh of his back as she gasped his name.

His howl pierced through the night sky when he found his release.

Rin awoke with her Lord's fur accessory around her. As she motioned to sit up, she discovered that both Tenseiga and Tokijin were standing upright from the ground a small distance away from where her feet were, for her protection likely. She then realized that she was very sore. She found herself with more cuts and bruises than she'd expected. What bothered her most was the absence of her Lord, but before she could panic he landed at her feet.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" She said with relief then winced in discomfort.

He looked at her with eyes that uncharacteristically revealed all of his inner workings. "Rin."

Several moments passed before he moved and when he at last did he crouched beside her. He revealed a small gourd from his clothing. "Stay still." With his one hand he overturned the gourd and poured some to the thick liquid onto his palm. He then set the gourd down and with his thumb began to spread the substance into her cuts.

She sucked in a hiss.

"Does it sting?" his eyes stayed on the cut he was tending to.

"It's cold."

Silence fell between them as he continued to administer the medication. When he finished he did not remove his hand from her body. He fingers trailed lightly over her skin. She flinched when he encountered a bruise over her side and removed his hand. He looked away.

"My Lord?"

His hand slid between her legs searching for further injury. She bucked. "Does it hurt?"

"No. Quite the contrary." Her cheeks were slightly rosy as she pushed up against his fingers.

Her scent came strongly to his nostrils and he was still in heat. He was compelled to do more than stroke her with his fingers, but somehow the control that he'd fought so hard for the night before came easily to him now.

He continued his ministrations and listened to her quiet responses. He went to speak but found his throat dry and tight. He cleared it and she looked to his face expectantly. For a moment he thought to abandon the words he intended to say; he looked back at her scratches and bruises.

"This Sesshomaru is unused to making apologies," he said at last.

She wasn't prepared for such words. "My Lord you needn't-there's no reason for you too-"

"Our mating was not to transpire as it did. You were not to be harmed as such-You were to be asked for and with consent become this one's mate. Forgive this Sesshomaru. The next time will be different." She was his equal-it nearly brought Rin to tears. Her Lord bestowed far too much honor unto her. As if that weren't enough, there was a breakdown in her Lord's speech pattern as well. "I will control myself."

"My Lord, Rin. . ." and he quirked an eyebrow as she rarely referred to herself in the third person anymore, "Rin is for Lord Sesshomaru to do with as he pleases. My Lord you needn't concern yourself with my well being-"

"You are a fool."

She fell silent. His hand had removed itself from her inner walls. He sniffed them. Tasted them and then caressed the side of her face.

"Just as on the day you approached this Sesshomaru injured and dangerous, you foolishly approached-" he had to stop himself. He was aware of how much he was unlike his usual self. Was it do to the heat? No, not entirely.

He drew her into his lap.

"My precious fool," he uttered.

She studied him and smiled. Again she dared to kiss him and he returned it. He was fond of kissing. Licking more so; most canine demons did. They were one of the more affectionate of his kind at least when it came to mates.

Love could not begin to describe their bond.

He felt himself becoming more aggressive, more desiring. His eyes reddened before her. "I will never let you go."

Her fingers ran through his hair. "I will never leave."

Author's Notes: Is it too cliché? There was a big spiel I wanted to go on about in regards to this story and their personalities but-ah never mind. I wanted to keep Sesshomaru in character but I also wanted to shake him up a little. Did it work out? Hmmm…well I hope you all enjoyed this fic.