Chapter 24

I awoke slowly to the scent of my love: of woods and spice and the sensation of being held. There was an arm round me and a hand held mine from its place on the warm pillow on which I rested; I opened my eyes and saw it was no pillow, but the naked upper body of Sesshoumaru. His chest rose and fell with measured regularity so I supposed he was yet asleep. This was only the second male chest I had seen, though my first had been that of a bloody Hikaru and for which I had experienced much different feelings. I took this opportunity to appease my curiosity: silvery white hair graced what I could see of his chest that was not covered; he was hard with corded muscle and so very warm. He appeared as finely built of shoulder and collar and upper chest as the works of the great masters had shown as the ideal of man: a silver Adonis.

My thumb, which was free, stroked his fur and found it as silky as that which grew from his head. I felt the greatest urge to touch and rub myself against him; he was so large and hard and strong where I was small and soft and the draw I felt at this contrast was overwhelming. I started with my head and rubbed my cheek against his shoulder; my leg found his and I bent my knee and ran my leg up his.

"Easy, love," Sesshoumaru whispered. "You would not think to accost a sleeping man, would you?"

I jumped as if burned and pulled my limbs back to myself, though Sesshoumaru kept a firm grip on my hand, and buried my heated face in his shoulder.

"Come, now, Kagome; I was but teasing you. Much as I would love to have let you continue, feeling you so close to me in mine own bed with your sweet body touching me was too much for me to bear knowing I could not take you as my body now demands." He kissed my hair. "Soon, my love. But six days hence we will be wed and may explore each other at our leisure. Until then, I must dwell in exquisite torment of knowing you desire me as greatly as I desire you." He squeezed me tightly. "Now look up at me so you may be the first thing I see this morning."

I did as I was bid and lifted my head. He turned his toward me and opened his eyes, eyes that were now their former glorious golden color framed in his beautiful face where not a single imperfection could be seen. "Can you see me?" I asked.

He smiled broadly. "Yes. I see you as clearly as ever I have." His hand found my face and he urged me up to meet his lips. "Now that the goal for our sleeping thus has been met, best we dress for the day for we will be missed ere long and as we are now we only serve as terrible temptation to each other."

I smiled, still blushing, and he turned away so I might rise and dress. I left my hair loose for I had not my brush with me to tame it and grabbed my pins from his washstand before heading for the door.

In the hall, I met Michael, who smiled knowingly at me and cuffed me on the chin when I tried to hide my face. "It is not what you imagine!" I said in hushed tones.

"I do not imagine that color on your cheeks or that happiness in your step. Something momentous has occurred, pet."

"Oh, Michael, for sure it has!" I grabbed his arms in my excitement. "First, my love has asked me to marry him and, of course, I have agreed, but also, and perhaps more important, he is healed! It is a miracle!"

"Magic, more like. Since you told me of your origins, I admit I was stunned, but surely you have performed some spell to put him to rights again."

"And so I have, however unintentionally. I would tell you all, but I cannot long stand out here with my hair down and in yesterday's dress. Let me see to myself and I shall see you presently over breakfast." I broke from him then and stepped into my room to get ready for the day.

…..

Sesshoumaru rode immediately after breakfast for the bishop and sent John, at my behest, to collect Inuyasha from school. Michael stayed to keep me company in Sesshoumaru's absence and helped me make the manor house more hospitable; indeed, by the time my males arrived home, it was much more alike to a home and much less a damp, unaired hunting lodge. Inuyasha was beside himself with glee to see me home and finally to become one of his family.

Friday night, my friends arrived from London to witness our little ceremony and help us celebrate afterward. Father brought trunks and trunks of my new clothing and of gifts for us as well as the new plans for the rebuilding of Thornfield which we pored over at supper. Though I could see pain in Jarren's eyes and Sesshoumaru rather insistently refused to allow us time alone to talk, I could tell my friend was genuinely happy for my good fortune.

Father had thought to book us passage to Japan for our honeymoon so that I might finally see the land of my mother and my love to which Sesshoumaru was very grateful. There was a great energy of packing to prepare us for the journey as we would leave first thing Sunday morning.

Saturday, the day of our nuptials, arrived: the air was warm and the sky clear. Lady Whitley arrived in my room with my maid and the two of them fussed and flitted about like two little girls with a doll. Under their ministrations, I was made quite beautiful, I say with no vanity, in my dress I had worn previous, and when they had completed their task, Lady Whitley herself fastened the string of pearls my love had bestowed on me. My veil was a crown of orange blossoms which my father had provided; a faerie blessing, he said.

I hurried down the stairs to meet, in a style of déjà vu, my intended, pacing at the foot. His face lit into wonder as he watched my descent but this time he restrained himself from running with me to the carriage. It was a long drive to the church, made longer since we were kept separated on the journey, but I was in the company of my London friends so I was well entertained, even in my distraction.

His coach arrived first and he ran from it to the door of mine to throw it open and lift me down. We ran as children to the altar, and impatiently awaited our guests. Father joined me and stood at my side to provide his blessing. It was a very brief ceremony followed then by a kiss that made my skin tingle with awareness and my knees weaken so that I held tight to my love in desperation that I might not fall and break the kiss. Michael laughed at Sesshoumaru's enthusiasm and Lady Whitley pretended scandalization, her cries I could just barely hear through the haze of pleasure and happiness.

Sesshoumaru picked me up then and carried me as I laughed joyously to his waiting carriage whereupon our insightful driver took a slow route home. My hair was quite undone by the time we arrived from my love's ardent attentions while his own had nary a hair out of place in his usual frustrating way, so I elected to take it down and wore it in a simple braid down my back.

Of the celebrations afterward, I remember little, other than there was great merriment and felicity. In truth, all my thoughts were on my love and I was surely an ingracious hostess for I paid attention to our guests but little through the fog of my desire which ever sought the hand of my husband in mine own and ever looked to the sky to ascertain how much time remained before we might be joined in body as well.

At long last, the sun made to meet the earth and we wasted not a moment bidding our guests good night. My Sesshoumaru carried me up the stairs and to the end of the hall where lay his room, kicking the door shut behind him. He set me down and immediately I was beset by a nervous attack. I occurred to me that I had very little idea what was about to happen and only this all-consuming desire to be near and touch.

Sesshoumaru sensed my nervousness for he led me to sit on the bed with him and merely held me. "There, now. It is just me here with you. There is nothing to fear with me, is there?"

"It's just…for all the talk of wicked appetites and the carnal nature of man in school, I never did learn exactly what those entailed…and I was sure Lady Whitley meant this afternoon to warn me of some great pain you would do me, and Father of some matter about biting but I confess I little cared at the time." I rued my oversight.

"Why women seek to frighten each other generation upon generation, I will never understand," he grumbled. To me, he said, gently, "Kagome, my love, you will learn and I will be your teacher. There will be some small pain, but only the first time and once it is done, it is over and forever after will there be only pleasure."

"But it will hurt?"

He stroked my hair. "Kagome, do you trust me?"

There was only one answer. "Yes."

"Then kiss me."

So I did.

…

As I sit here writing this, reader, we have been married 10 years. Counted in my family are Inuyasha, who Sesshoumaru finally acknowledged as brother and who came to live with us at the manor house and then the new Thornfield before going off to Oxford to study, my father, who visits frequently and always brings something to spoil his two grandchildren, my Kenjin, our first-born and son, conceived in the land of his ancestors and my Lily, our daughter, who is yet a babe, but 2 months of age.

I cannot explain properly the bliss I feel each day spent in the constant company of my love. I know what it is to live for and with what I best love in the world. We are as one mind and one soul in two bodies and have never been subject to the lessening of feeling or occasional vexations I have seen evidenced elsewhere. I have seen him for his true face and his true form and he mine and though we are ever different physically and of our pasts, it only entreats our love more passionately. He is my one, my love, my mate for all time.

The End

…

A/N: Thank you everyone for reading this my second story. Hearing that you have enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing means the world to me and I thank especially those who have provided such feedback during this little exercise. I hope when I post my next story you will again join me on the journey.

~golden eyes hypnotize