SESSHOMARU BOUND

By Lady JenDragon

Disclaimer: Don't own it…I'm okay with that.

Author's Notes: Wow, it's been a while since I updated this. I lost my original version of this story so I had to go back and check what I'd done already on FanFiction. This took me way longer than I initially though it would. Now I'm ready to get this done. I'm still tweaking the last few chapters. But in the meantime, here's a little more of the story.

CHAPTER TEN

Tetsusaiga Chooses

Kagome sensed the intense anger. The golden eyes narrowed in her direction, recognizing someone else. Clearly he only remembered the betrayal of Kikyo. Nothing of her present identity remained. However, if she wanted to take possession of the whole Shikon Jewel and return home, there was no way to get around this confrontation.

"You again!" Inuyasha growled from the trees above.

He was perched on a high tree limb like a cat this time.

"Inuyasha." Sesshomaru spoke evenly.

Kagome noticed Sesshomaru took no battle stance with Inuyasha this time. She understood that Sesshomaru had wanted to kill Inuyasha but would he do it now? Would Naraku's plan for erasing his younger brother's memory force Sesshomaru to spare Inuyasha?

"I can smell Sesshomaru all over you." Inuyasha glared at Kagome then shifted his gaze to Sesshomaru. "Lowering your standards, brother?"

Kagome felt her heart sink.

"Your place is not to question, half-breed." Sesshomaru placed his left hand on Tokijin. "Relinquish Tetsusaiga to me and this Sesshomaru will grant you a quick death."

"As opposed to a slow one?" Inuyasha countered preparing to battle with Tetsusaiga now in hand. "You keep saying that but you have yet to kill me, Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru remaing silent. However, Kagome knew better than to accept the elder brother's expressionless face. Sesshomaru was insulted by Inuyasha brash insistence that he wasn't as easy to kill.

'Once Inuyasha took ownership of Tetsusaiga, his physical weakness didn't matter any longer.' Kagome realized.

Suddenly, the forest exploded as the brothers exchanged a few attacks between them. No warning indicated the impending confrontation, each brother clearly wanted. Kagome narrowed her eyes as to the level of therapy this constant brother bantering was to each of them.

'I swear, they're both in denial.' She sighed heavily, checking to see if the Bounder put her in danger. 'Neither wants to accept the other. Sesshomaru because he's a full-demon and Inuyasha does it mainly out of spite.' She felt a pang at the heart. 'Just to get back at Sesshomaru.'

She didn't have to alter her spots due to the Bounder's limitations. It also appeared to her, as it had before, they seemed almost even in technique. Inuyasha had certainly improved on his fighting techniques since she took the arrow out of the tree. It was a shame he didn't remember that part of their history anymore.

"I never thought you'd turn out to be just like our father." Inuyasha threw at him.

That appeared to fuel Sesshomaru to take several swipes at the younger half-breed.

Kagome's eyes widen as Sesshomaru counter-attacked with a right swing of Tokijin. It nearly cut Inuyasha in half but he placed Tetsusaiga on the ground and let loose with the…

"BACKLASH WAVE!"

Sesshomaru easily evaded the attack, sensing it was not nearly as powerful as before.

'Does Tetsusaiga sense the Bounder?'

Kagome shook her head as the two brothers went back and forth destroying the meadow in the process.

'Honestly, things will never change between those two.'

It was clear to her that Sesshomaru wasn't interested in killing Inuyasha today. The goal was to claim Tetsusaiga in order to break the Bounder. Nothing more. But that didn't stop either brother from trying to get one up over the other.

"Sibling rivalry, I swear." Kagome commented placing her hands on her hips.

Both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru exchanged several more blows with their swords, ending in a draw. Inuyasha suddenly shifted backwards and was flung off into the far distance. In the ground was Tetsusaiga sticking up from where Inuyasha must have pushed it into the ground during the fight.

Sesshomaru took Tetsusaiga into his hand and pulled it from the ground easily. Strangely, it did not reject him. Kagome didn't see any evidence of smoke from burning skin. In fact, Tetsusaiga seemed to hum for him this time around. Sesshomaru sheathed the sword at his waist, adding to the two other swords he carried, Tenseiga and Tokijin.

"I don't…I don't understand." Kagome followed Sesshomaru from the forest of Inuyasha. "What just happened?"

Sesshomaru stood staring at Tetsusaiga's hilt at his waist.

Kagome wondered if he was waiting for the moment of rejection from Tetsusaiga.

'Why had Tetsusaiga not rejected Sesshomaru like before?' If she had one guess. 'Can it sense the Bounder?'

Sesshomaru had suspected that the sword would eventually turn on Inuyasha in the end. But she wanted more details as to what prompted this response. She looked up to find Sesshomaru approaching her.

"Father knew a Bounder was likely in this Sesshomaru's future. The family's reputation dictated a future protection he allowed to be included during Tetsusaiga's craftsmanship." Sesshomaru held Tetsusaiga in his hand without consequence. "In the presence of a Bounder, father allowed the power of Tetsusaiga to be overruled so that the curse could be broken."

"Inuyasha didn't know that, did he?" Kagome asked softly walking beside him.

Sesshomaru settled into silence after that.

"I'll take that as a 'no' then." Kagome answered the question herself. "So what's next?"

The explanation seemed simple enough. Kagome didn't give it much thought. Though she had to admit, the encounter with Inuyasha went a little better than she expected.

'Well enough despite the circumstances in any case.'

Sesshomaru turned towards the south and began walking with calculated steps. Perhaps he knew something about Naraku she didn't. She was positive she had no idea where Naraku was currently hiding.

"Unless he knows more than he's telling me."

Kagome noted Sesshomaru's common uninterest in sharing his thoughts. A little more information would prove useful.

'Honestly, a little communication wouldn't kill him.'

She folded her arms and followed since she had little recourse otherwise. Out of frustration, and needing something to preoccupy her mind, Kagome pulled out a book and began reading as she walked. Occasionally she glanced up to make sure she wouldn't trip on anything. It appeared they were keeping to the main trails for the time being. The roads were well maintained and devoid of obstacles presently, which was good for her reading schedule.

'There's much reading that needs to be done before I get home.' Kagome lamented. 'If I get home from this place at all that is.'

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The scent of her wafted in the air around him as they walked in silence towards the southern horizon. Inuyasha was correct, his scent was all over her and it lingered remarkably strong enough to lure other demons to the area. Sesshomaru pushed the miko from his mind concentrating on the task.

'Locating Naraku and the remaining Shikon shards are first priority.'

Before the Bounder, his sources had pointed Naraku's new castle to be located in the southern mountains hidden deep in the upper elevations. As part of the main defense was an army of lower demons, Naraku's usual demon of choice, patrolling the lower valleys and the trails leading up into the mountains. He would investigate his source's information to determine whether Naraku's hidden castle had been accurately reported.

'The inferior half-breed is notorious for moving his castle without warning.' Sesshomaru had been close to locating him in the past.

However, his arrogance and breeding, made him look the other way when the situation no longer required his attention. Now, Naraku was all he thought about. Possession of the Shikon Jewel brought him to confront the petulant halfling.

'Once thought to be of little interest to this Sesshomaru.' He understood where he had placed his initial disgust. 'Inuyasha.'

Meanwhile, Naraku was allowed to run amok unchecked.

'This Sesshomaru would not allow this oversight to occur again.'

The half-demon enjoyed playing games and often didn't stay in one place for long periods of time. Sesshomaru knew what to expect. Naraku's castle would be a refuge but he would also travel between other small castle locations long set up as a base of operations in other regions. Unless they were discovered by other threats and moved again.

'If news of the Bounding with the miko has reached Naraku, the vile half-breed would know this Sesshomaru would come looking for the Shikon Jewel in order to break it.'

Sesshomaru considered Naraku a coward initially. The lower demon often hid behind other demons when confrontations became violent. Sesshomaru wanted the lowly demon to make an attempt in offering a false deal, which would eliminate the need to go in search of him.

'No attempt has been made.' He reasoned the chance of an offer to be unlikely. 'Naraku is too much of a coward to face this Sesshomaru physically.'

A soft breeze blew past him from behind, bringing about more than the scents of flowers, trees, and local demons roaming the countryside. On the wind, the miko's scent was tantalizing. Even walking behind him had not diminish the need her body gave off. His initial touch had aroused emotions within the female human. Lesser demons would have ravaged the miko without a second thought.

'She fails to understand what her body gives off.' Sesshomaru looked up from the road. 'Other demons should find this location easily.'

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They had walked for quite a distance in silence after taking Tetsusaiga from Inuyasha. At one point, Sesshomaru took her into his arm and chose flight. His motivations weren't obvious to her as yet. Kagome presumed he wanted to prevent Inuyasha from following them. If that was indeed the reason, she understood why Sesshomaru had done it.

'Make the Shikon Jewel whole again then break the Bounder curse.' Kagome ticked off their to-do list in her mind.

They were more than a hundred miles south of where they left the road. Sesshomaru set her down and motioned towards the cabin she would find comfortable for the evening.

'So now it's camping time.' Kagome was grateful for the rest.

Entering the evening's accommodations, indeed, the small hut was comfortable enough. There was a fire ring placed in the center of the floor where she could easily make something descent for dinner. It appeared that a family of four used to live here. At some point, it had been deserted the place.

'Judging by the dust.' Kagome studied the interior. 'That was some time ago.'

Kagome set to work making the place livable for the night. Soon she had a fire burning brightly and dinner roasting in aluminum foil on the side of the fire ring. The dim glow of the fire bounced off the walls flickering with the breeze blowing in from the open door. Against the wall, Kagome sat stroking her hair absentmindedly. Soon, it would be bedtime.

She breathed loudly, trying to focus on other school subjects she'd brought with her. Studying wasn't on the schedule for tonight. Her mind wandered back to Sesshomaru and the memory of his touch. Her body never forgot his male dominance or her response. She dropped her face into shivering hands.

'This isn't going to break me.' She reasoned. 'It's another reason to get the hell out of here.'

She had been afraid at the time. At most, she allowed herself to think about how this would change her in the future. Her expectations were altered. Now it was all that filled her thoughts.

'It did earn us a much longer Bounder tether.' Kagome didn't want it to become more than just that, a means to an end. 'What if this goes on longer than we expect?'

The future of this mission seemed almost insurmountable. While she considered Sesshomaru entirely capable of defeating Naraku in conventional battle, after watching him fight against Inuyasha, he didn't appear to be as creative as the half-breeds had become.

'They were far more creative in order to survive a full demon.' She considered. 'The halfling status makes them take advantage of their other skills. Meanwhile Sesshomaru, a full dog demon, relies on his status and standardized combat tactics to defeat an enemy.'

Kagome wasn't about to write off Sesshomaru completely.

'Not that he's without skill.' Kagome wondered. 'Naraku will certainly have a back-up plan if Sesshomaru gains the upper hand. We just have to figure out how Naraku will plan his escape in order for us to capture him.'

She needed to forget this place.

She blinked, hearing the low growling from the outside. Instantly she sat straight up, continuing to listen intently to the world outside. The walls of the hut were no match for a demon. Quickly, she got to her feet, finding her bow and arrows next to her bag. However, she felt no demon auras nearby.

'Where's the noise coming from?'

Kagome got a quick glimpse out the nearest small window. She found nothing unusual moving around in the moonlight on her first sweep. Patiently, she waited in anticipation, sweeping left then right and back again. Her heart rate increased, the blood coursing through her veins, hearing her heartbeat in her ears at an impending confrontation. Still, she found nothing out of the ordinary.

'Unless they were just passing by?' She asked silently.

Something in the air changed, the aura was obvious. There was a demon coming close. The aura was still far enough away from the hut but it was circling.

'It's not moving away.' She frowned at the possible cause. 'It caught wind of the Bounder.'

Kagome sighed, happy with the fact that she could still feel demons. Initially she worried she had lost her ability after her encounter with Sesshomaru. The stories her grandfather often told her was that a miko lost her powers if she chose to lay with a man. Perhaps it was different with bounded demons?

'That's the only explanation.' She decided resolutely.

Seconds passed then the door to the hut opened, now behind her as she kept a vigil just out of view by the window. She'd been moving around the hut in order to look out, spinning around to face the door, her bow and arrow already pointed at the intruder. Sesshomaru bent forward to enter the hut. She backed away from the door and turned to set her bow and arrows down. With him here, she wouldn't need to worry about the threat of other demons. He closed the door and sat down near the entrance, his eyes on the fire.

Part of her felt relieved he was back. Whoever had been out there would have scurried off knowing a powerful demon was nearby.

'Just another part of his usefulness.' Kagome thought, yet curious. "Was anyone out there?" She inquired.

Sesshomaru remained silent.

"Fine then…" She turned and went to get her bed ready. "…stay silent on the matter."

Why bother trying to be cordial towards him? She was being petty but not having someone to talk to was beginning to grate on her nerves. Maybe it was just the company she kept? Then again, being a powerful demon, Sesshomaru could handle any demon or human.

'Why he decided to come inside is beyond me.' Kagome patted her bed down.

Nothing had snuck in while she wasn't looking. She changed out of clothes by slipping her pajamas over her head and slipping off her daywear from beneath. Annoyed, Kagome lay on her side away from Sesshomaru and pretended to sleep. It took some time but she eventually fell off.

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Sesshomaru watched the miko closely. The human appeared frustrated with his indifference. However, he knew that to show her any emotion or interest would put her life in jeopardy. He knew that other demons were looking for the Bounder. She was obviously missing her friends. There was a simple appeal about the miko.

'How could this Sesshomaru form a bond with such a strong-headed human female?'

The memory of her from the previous night had not left his thoughts. Touching her, the taste of her skin, the way she moved against him. She stirred at that moment, her dreams taking her some place haunting. He watched her legs open and her body curve rigid.

Sesshomaru moved immediately towards her realizing that a dream demon could be upon them. They only had access to a pair during Bounding, another side-affect from their tethered curse. Though typically untouchable to humans, they could influence the dreams of humans to make them more appealing and easily captured. Dream demons liked the easier prey when it became available. Instinctively, he knew how to check for such a demon.

'That requires touching the miko once more.'

Kneeling beside Kagome while she dreamt, he slipped his hand between her clothing around the hips. There was little to restrict him from proceeding further. He realized that his action had only aroused the barely unconscious miko even more. Reducing the length of his nails, he continued the search, finding her skin was smooth and soft.

'This Sesshomaru feels no dream demon feasting tonight.'

However, the female continued with physical arousal brought about by his search. Kagome woke at that moment, sitting straight up with Sesshomaru's hand now between her legs. She felt mildly groggy and fully aroused. Blinking, she became aware of his hand placement.

"What are you doing?"

"Dream demons." He replied evenly. "They attempted an attack during your sleep."

Kagome wasn't sure about trusting such an explanation. "Does that include your hand in my briefs?"

"Bounders can draw many demons to this Sesshomaru not previously considered worthy of prior attentions. Your safety is also at risk. The only method to determine the presence of a dream demon is through touch."

She wanted more but knew better than to ask. "How long is this going to take exactly? I'm having trouble sleeping enough as it is."

Her eyes widened as the orgasm ripped through her. Kagome fell back onto her sleeping bag, her back arched as she rode the peak. Once her breathing settled, Sesshomaru retracted his hand upon completion of 'taking' care of the miko's physical needs. She remained lying on her sleeping bag for a while before turning on her side to hide her face in her hands, eventually falling back to sleep.

Sesshomaru watched her for only a moment before returning to his place at the entrance to the hut. She would sleep deeper and longer tonight. The first order of business was to determine current Naraku's location.

'A task that will take all of this Sesshomaru's cunning.' He fisted his hand.