You must know that I love you. Kagome sighed, staring off into the distance. A gust of cool breeze fanned over her cheeks.  The snows were finally melting, sloughing off the eaves of roofs and the branches of trees like old dead skins. The ground was patchy, dark where the drifts had frayed and shrunk

When Sesshoumaru held out his hand to her, Kagome took it. As he helped her to her feet, he pulled her to him. His lips pressed to her brow. Into her tousled bangs he spoke. “You must know that I love you.” Kagome’s eyes flared wide as she gripped his arms. Her heart constricted, as

Kagome stirred awake. She blinked out at the gloom surrounding her, bewildered for a moment until the memories came rushing back in—the snowstorm, the cave, Sesshoumaru… Against her side, she felt the heady warmth of him ebbing through her still. Flushing, she pulled away from his chest and pushed herself to her feet. His fur

Kagome stared after him, still reeling. Still throbbing. Around her, the natural darkness of the cave seemed almost light in comparison to the shadow of his presence. Collecting herself, she crawled over to her pack, dug out her old camp blanket. With it draped over her, she huddled to the cave wall, whispering reassurances to

Kagome turned her face away. Warm breath fanned down the side of her neck. Sesshoumaru spoke her name, dark and furtive, as if it were a secret word known only to them. Her chest drew tight. She shook her head, closed her eyes. “Please, Sesshoumaru. Don’t do this.” “Look at me,” he said. Kagome turned.

“Sesshoumaru,” Kagome whispered, her voice hoarse with relief.  She wrapped her arms around his neck, buried her face in his silken collar. Tears squeezed from the seams of her shut eyes. When she opened them again, she thought that the blizzard had stopped and night had fallen. But as she adjusted to the dimness and