Kagome’s jumpy nerves calmed a little. Normally she would’ve been irked at Sesshoumaru being so brisk with her, but under the present circumstances, she was relieved. With an inward sigh, she laid out her hand. 

The moment he took it, she realized what a terrible mistake she had made.

Not because of how he was touching her—there was nothing wrong with that. He was just holding her hand lightly clasped in his claws. On the surface, it was perfectly innocent. It should have been perfectly innocent.

But it was what that touch was doing to her inside that was making Kagome start to sweat. Because she couldn’t feel his skin on hers without her sex-crazed mind going straight to the gutter. Conjuring up images of them soldered together, striving together. His clawed hands bleeding their demonic heat over every inch of her naked skin, scraping against her where she ached the most, biting into her just as he began to boil over inside her—

With a gasp, Kagome tried to snatch her hand away. But Sesshoumaru held to her. At the prick of his tightening claws, she shuddered. She thought she saw something dark surface in his eyes, but in a flash it was gone.

“What’s the matter with you?”

“N-nothing,” Kagome spluttered, caught in an awkward sort of limbo as she leaned away from him as far as she could.

“Nothing,” he said, surveying her where she lay half-toppled on her side. “You seem extremely”—his gaze seemed to linger for a beat on her hard-nippled chest—”agitated.”

Kagome shook her head so vehemently she almost gave herself whiplash. “Didn’t sleep well last night,” she grit out. “Just a little jittery; it’s making me tense. Just need to—need to rest.”

“I see.” 

Pressing a knee to the bed, his free hand to the bed, Sesshoumaru leaned over her where she lay. As the dark heat of his youki washed over her, Kagome shrank deeper into the mattress, biting her lip against the desire and fear simmering in her belly. A tendril of his silver hair brushed her splayed fingers, soft as sin. Her breathing quickened, her pulse raced. Head swimming, she felt like she might pass out.

“I had better lance you then,” he said to her, “without delay.” 

His voice was low, almost a murmur. Wide-eyed, she stared up at him, her heart racing off the rails. L-lance me? she thought wildly. Her lips parted, but no sound came out. In that same instant, his youki-edged claws pierced into her palm, making her yelp like she’d been stabbed with a red-hot poker.

She jerked upright as Sesshoumaru let her go. With a glimmer, he healed his smoking hand. Panting, burning, Kagome watched as he started to draw back from her altogether. 

Before she even realized what she was doing, she had reached for him.

Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi

On a personal note, it’s a real shame not to tag the 69th installment as ‘explicit’ – but I just don’t think it quite crossed the line enough lol. Have a great weekend, y’all <3