Part of the "Enemies to lovers: someone is injured + dialogue" Tumblr prompts
Prompt: Kagome is Injured - "Perhaps I did not realize just how much until this moment."
Inspiration: "Your Entertainment" by Adam Lambert
Triggers/Warnings: Reference to sex/human trafficking
Your Entertainment
If she weren't hellbent on freeing all of the slaves, Kagome would've fried the entire hoard to a crisp.
She stood in a long line of scantily clad women, each of them being offered up as a prize to the highest bidder. They'd been arranged according to their age, the youngest being close to tears. A quick glance had told Kagome the girl was barely sixteen.
During a recent skirmish with a raging boar youkai, Kagome had come across various villages with missing women. Their families had begged her to look for them, for some sign they were still alive.
Or at least some closure.
It had taken a few days, but she'd finally found the answer within the confines of a youkai village. There had been rumours of humans being stolen away to marry royalty, but the truth had been much darker.
A small group of lizard youkai were parading as merchants, seeking their fortune by adding human slaves to their list of tradable goods.
The only reason the lizards still had all their limbs was because she hadn't figured out a way to free them without anyone getting hurt.
It was bad enough that she'd allowed them to manhandle her long enough to change her clothing, but her blue eyes somehow made her more valuable than the others. Kagome had been wrapped in sheer silk, the fabric barely concealing her form, and her captors had been murmuring about a giant payoff if they could convince some lord to buy her.
Over my dead body.
If she could just distract the reptiles long enough, she knew she could get the women to follow her. Reptilian instincts were for self-preservation, so if they could hide for long enough, the lizards would probably leave them be.
And then she could hunt them down one by one.
Her eyes narrowed as they were led through a courtyard; their wrists were bound behind their backs, forcing their chests out and allowing anyone to inspect the merchandise when needed. Kagome dug her nails into her palms. She could handle a little groping if it led to the freedom of the rest of the women, but if anyone went near the younger ones—
"What is the meaning of this?" A familiar screech pulled her out of her thoughts, and Kagome looked down in shock. Of all creatures she'd imagined coming across, Jaken was certainly not at the top of her list.
"You dare to bring these filthy humans into my lord's abode—"
Kagome jerked, suddenly looking around in earnest. The lizards had brought them to the Western Keep? They were even stupider than she thought.
She almost pitied them now.
The stoic Western Lord had only crossed her path a few times since she'd returned to the past, but it was obvious he wasn't on the side of abusing humans anymore. How were these morons going to sway Sesshoumaru's mind into letting them sell off human women right under his nose?
"We come with a gift for the mighty Sesshoumaru-sama," one of the lizards said, his tail twitching back and forth. "Please summon him so he may choose from our selection of merchandise."
Fuck.
Kagome looked down the line at the other women; Sesshoumaru's reputation preceded him, as they were all whimpering, fear etched clearly on their faces. Moving closer, Kagome whispered soft words of encouragement.
"It's alright. You're going to be free soon."
"How can you possibly know that?" one of them hissed, dark eyes darting around.
Kagome bit her lip, wondering how much she should reveal about their current host. "Because Sesshoumaru is—" Her words were cut off as a whip struck her back.
"Insolent wench! You have been warned not to speak out of turn!"
Her fingers clenched against her bonds, and she glared at the lizard over her shoulder. She would enjoy whatever punishment Sesshoumaru decided to bestow upon them. Giving the women a reassuring smile, she returned to her place in line, hoping that this would be over quickly.
"I have told you, my lord will not have dealings with your petty—"
"Jaken."
The lizards had the decency to bow their heads as Sesshoumaru stepped into the courtyard, silver hair shining against navy silk.
"My lord, I have tried to tell them—"
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" the first lizard gushed, "The tales of your magnificence do not do you justice! We have come bearing gifts, hoping that you will allow us to do business within the walls of your great Shiro."
A raised eyebrow was Sesshoumaru's only response, but Kagome could already feel his ire growing.
"And what kind of business do you mean to—" The rest of his words died on his lips as their gazes met, and Kagome gave him an awkward smile.
"Only the best, Sesshoumaru-sama!" the second one cut in. "We mean to bring pleasures from all over the land, depending on your current cravings." The women cried out as they were all shoved forward. One of the reptiles grabbed onto Kagome's hair and yanked her head back, whispers of what would happen to her if she misbehaved echoing in her ear.
Kagome had had enough.
Sesshoumaru would put an end to the charade, and she would put an end to them.
"You are offering these women as gifts to This One as a bribe?" His tone was indifferent, but Kagome knew better.
"Not a bribe, my lord!" The lizards bowed their heads again. "A gift! To prove our loyalty."
"And to show off the quality of the goods we would be offering to the Shiro," another cut in. One by one, the women were presented, their captors listing off forged backstories in order to entice the daiyoukai. They tried to play up each slave, becoming more and more desperate the closer to Kagome they came.
"And this one?" Sesshoumaru asked, grabbing her by the chin. His grip was firm but gentle, and Kagome almost relaxed against the touch. Despite the deadliness of his claws, she felt safe with him.
The farse would end here.
"Can we not tempt you with one of the others, my lord?"
"Yes, this one still has some fight left in her. She has much to learn about the ways of men before—"
Kagome bristled, reiki stirring her fingers, but Sesshoumaru tilted her head up further, silencing her with a glare.
"You said it was This One's choice, did you not?"
The lizards looked at each other, their tongues clicking.
So much for their master plan, she thought to herself. They'd been saving her for a high roller, but they could kiss their delusions of grandeur goodbye if they refused the Western Lord's request.
Kagome would've smirked if Sesshoumaru's thumb wasn't firmly pressed against her bottom lip.
"Perhaps a compromise, my lord?" the leader hissed, crossing his arms with feigned nonchalance. "We have promised this wench to a daimyo in the southern province, but you are welcome to use her for the evening. The daimyo wasn't specific about the condition of the goods, just as long as she is still functional."
A smirk tugged at Sesshoumaru's lips, and he nodded, then motioned for Jaken. "Give the merchants rooms for the night. And see to it that their goods are kept in pristine condition."
His vassal sputtered but did as his master bade, ushering the lizards towards the inner sanctum. The women sniffled, their eyes wide and wary as guards appeared and tugged them in the opposite direction. Kagome didn't have time to argue; Sesshoumaru cut her loose from the rest of the group, then wrapped an arm around her waist and took to the air. She would've yelped if she hadn't been used to Inuyasha tossing her around during their battle against Naraku.
"Was that necessary?" she grumbled once they'd touched down in his private quarters, sailing through an open balcony.
"You arrive as property of travelling slave traders, and you are questioning my motives?" he asked incredulously.
"It's all part of the plan." Kagome easily slipped out of her bonds, wincing at the rawness of her wrists. She could've escaped at any time but had wanted to take the lizards by surprise when she finally got the upper hand.
"And what were you planning on accomplishing?"
"Freeing all those women!" She moved further into the room. "Come on, we can ambush them if we—" A large hand on the door kept her from escaping. Ripples of apprehension slid down her spine, and she was glad she was facing away from him.
"You would leave before fulfilling your purpose?"
Kagome swallowed, then forced herself to chuckle, the sound breathier than she would've liked. "You can quit the act now. No one's around. I appreciate you playing along, but I didn't even need you to save me—"
"You were presented as a gift."
She scoffed but didn't turn around, not trusting herself. "Come on, Sesshoumaru. We both know you weren't serious about that."
"Was I not?"
All the air left her lungs, latent fantasies that she'd kept buried making her cheeks burn.
The hand on the door covered hers, holding it against the ornate wood as the other dragged up her thigh. "I can smell your arousal when you look at me." His breath wafted against the back of her neck, her heart stuttering in her chest.
"T-That's not—I was just grateful—"
"Lies do not become you, Kagome," he crooned, her knees almost buckling at how sinful her name sounded on his lips. "You have always been this way, even when we sought to banish the spider. When you thought the darkness of the camp would hide how your gaze lingered on This One's person."
Her blush darkened. She'd thought she'd hid it so well, keeping her distance, never saying more than a few words to him. But she had an overactive imagination, and the fact that Sesshoumaru was consistently covered in silk and fur and armour made her mind run wild with all the possibilities of what lay underneath.
She wanted nothing more than to press herself against him, to find out if his stamina on the battlefield was the same as his stamina in the bedroom, but she had to save the other women first.
This wasn't a time to be selfish.
"Sesshoumaru… The other women—" Kagome squeezed her eyes shut, ignoring how every cell of her body called out to his. "Where are they being held? They've been so frightened—"
"They are being taken care of," Sesshoumaru assured her, his hand splaying wide on her thigh. "Any injuries they have will be seen to. The creatures that captured you will not be allowed near them."
She sagged in relief, leaning against the door for support. "Thank you. I'd been planning on—well, something. Those obnoxious reptiles have been kidnapping women, abusing them while they decide which one of us is worth more." Her reiki coiled between her fingers, aura spiking.
A chuckle escaped Sesshoumaru's lips, the sound causing goosebumps to roughen her skin. She was painfully aware of his proximity; he wasn't wearing his armour, so the only thing separating them was their clothing.
And even that seemed like too much.
"And how much did they deem you to be worth?"
Kagome snorted, anger clearing her lust-filled fog. "Enough for them to raise the price but not enough to escape injury." She felt him tense, his hand finally releasing her thigh.
"They struck you?" His voice was a deadly whisper, and she wasn't sure his claws were the only part of him capable of venom.
"Right before you showed up," she said, shrugging a shoulder. "I was trying to convince the women that you weren't going to hurt them, and they—" A claw dragged along her neck, pushing her hair out the way.
The fabric they'd dressed her in had left her as naked as possible; it was more of a toga than a robe, wrapping around her neck to cover her chest and then flowing into a pathetic semblance of a skirt. Her arms and back were completely bare, along with most of her legs.
Even when someone had stumbled across her when she'd been bathing, Kagome had never felt as exposed as she did in that moment.
"It's not that bad," she said, trying to pull away. "I've had worse—"
His bangs tickled her skin first, followed by his tongue dragging across the cut on her back. Kagome arched, electricity shooting through her body. He was still holding her hand against the door, and her fingers clenched around his.
"What are you doing?" she gasped. Another drag of his tongue had her up on her toes.
"Some youkai have healing properties in their saliva."
His mouth moved against her skin, and Kagome bit down on her bottom lip, stifling a moan.
"Your scent gives you away, miko." His tone taunted and teased.
"If I was always so obvious, why didn't you say anything before?" she groused.
"You were young," he said, nose nudging the back of her neck a moment before his lips did. "And you belonged to my brother."
Kagome stiffened, his words washing over her like ice water. "That was duty. And he was more accessible."
Sesshoumaru wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her away from the door before bringing one of her wrists to his lips, tongue sliding along the burns from her bonds.
"And now?"
"Guess that depends on you," she bit out, hoping he hadn't felt her shiver. Or the hope in her voice.
"Then you should not have allowed yourself to get captured."
She tried to yank her hand away, but his grip held firm. "I told you, I was trying to help—" The rest of her argument was swallowed as his mouth covered hers, the hand on her waist sliding up to her neck.
He tasted exactly as she knew he would, like fresh air and mountain tops and temptation. Even if his hand hadn't been holding her head in place, Kagome wouldn't have pulled away; Sesshoumaru may be playing some sort of game with her being a 'gift', but she wasn't about to let this kind of opportunity pass her by.
Even if she knew she'd regret it in the morning.
Snaking an arm around his neck, she pulled him closer, tentatively meeting his tongue with a swirl of her own. The resulting growl vibrated through her entire body, and she moaned into his mouth. He released her chin, claws dragging down her body before delving under the hem of her skirt.
Kagome squirmed, thighs rubbing together as he teased her folds. The lizards had refused to give any of them undergarments, intent on using their fear and embarrassment as a bargaining tool. A single digit sank into her, and Kagome gasped, grabbing at his wrist as she broke the kiss. Sesshoumaru's mouth immediately latched onto the side of her neck.
"You cannot deny your attraction now, miko," he whispered, curling his finger inside her.
A blush tinted her cheeks, but she shook her head. "I wasn't about to."
"Good." He added a second finger, thrusting them into her until her thighs were slick with her arousal.
She dug her nails into the back of his neck, pushing down against the intrusion. "S-Sesshoumaru—please… It's not enough!" And it wasn't. She could feel the evidence of his own arousal pressing into her back—if this was just a game, he was really getting into it. Arching more, she reached between them, but he was too fast for her, locking her arm against her body
"Offerings such as yourself are not allowed to make demands." His tone was low and dangerous, but Kagome wasn't deterred.
"I'm not making demands!" She whimpered when his fingers resumed their movements. "I just—don't you want to feel good too?"
Soft lips smirked against her shoulder before his tongue slid up to her ear. "Are you implying that my actions are completely selfless?"
There was something he wasn't saying, something he was hiding, but Kagome's mind was so overcome with what he was doing to her that it was hard to concentrate.
"Aren't they?"
He responded by dragging her away from the door and throwing her onto his bed. Kagome barely had time to process the change in position before Sesshoumaru was pushing her thighs apart, tongue replacing his fingers.
Kagome cried out, grabbing onto his hair as her hips bucked off the bed. The coil inside her wound tighter with every swirl of his tongue, every drag of his claws, and she was helpless to stop it.
She let him bring her to the edge, legs clenching on either side of his head as she whimpered and begged for release, writhing under his touch. But her torment was short-lived, the coil snapping as he rolled her clit between his fingers.
Body shuddering, she let go of his hair, heart hammering in her chest. Sesshoumaru was smirking when he lifted his head, but she didn't care, arms reaching for him all the same. She grabbed the lapels of his kimono, moaning softly as his weight settled over hers. They were both still dressed, him more than her, and she set on rectifying the situation, pulling at his obi as she kissed him again.
"You were always an impatient one."
Kagome nipped at his bottom lip. "Are you complaining?"
Sesshoumaru chuckled, then pinned her wrists above her head with one hand, the folds of his kimono falling open to reveal alabaster skin and magenta stripes. Kagome's pupils dilated at the sight of him, squirming against his grip.
Making a mental note to explore each of his marks later, she wrapped her legs around his waist. Grinding their bodies together, she watched his eyes bleed crimson. They would have time to slow down and explore once the fever had dissipated; right now, she needed him inside her.
And he seemed willing to comply.
Claws dug into her skin, pain mixing with pleasure as the head of his erection pushed into her. Sucking in a ragged breath, Kagome forced herself to relax, toes curling when their hips finally touched.
"Please—" the word barely passed her lips before he was thrusting, the heat that had been pooling in her stomach spreading out to the rest of her body and scorching her from the inside. His name spilled out of her mouth, first as a gasp, then as a moan, compelling him to release her wrists.
He tore through her dress, silk laying around them in tatters as her breasts were fully revealed. Kagome's eyes were glued to his face, watching as fangs elongated and pupils turned turquoise. He'd already proven he wanted her, but the fact he was bordering on feral just from looking at her made her heart swell.
Biting her lip, Kagome arched her back, offering her chest up to him. Sesshoumaru was taken aback by the action, the crimson in his eyes receding slightly as he met her gaze before he leaned over her, latching onto a breast. Her hands were in his hair again, holding him close as she pushed more of the plump flesh into his mouth.
He sucked hard, pulling at the nipple with his fangs as he returned to his previous tempo. The fever started to build again, each stroke of his tongue and thrust of his hips pushing her closer and closer to the edge. Kagome clenched her inner muscles, unwilling to leave him behind.
Their movements became erratic, and Kagome was unable to keep up as the heat threatened to consume her. Tightening her grip on his hair, she pulled him away from her chest, claiming his lips in a desperate kiss before careening over the edge. She felt him swell within her, prolonging her release, the fire burning hotter than anything she'd ever felt before.
They were both shaking when he relaxed against her, and Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck, stopping him from pulling away. Sesshoumaru broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers, eyes still closed.
"Did your 'gift' live up to its expectations?" she asked, hoping her voice was steady. Her chest was still heaving, and she wasn't ready to get up yet, but maybe if she could convince him to continue this silly game, she could keep reality at bay for a little while longer.
"You speak as if I am finished with you."
Blue eyes blinked in confusion, staring up at him when he finally pulled back. "Aren't you?"
"Are your desires so quickly satiated?"
Kagome opened her mouth, but no words came out, heat creeping into her cheeks before she shook her head. The feral gleam returned to Sesshoumaru's eyes, and he smirked.
"Good," he said, rolling so she astride him. "Let us see if your stamina can match mine." A single thrust of his hips had Kagome gasping, and she leaned forward, nails digging into his chest before a sultry smile graced her lips.
"Oh, you're on."
..::**::..
"I trust your night was a pleasurable one, my lord?"
Kagome barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes. She'd gotten very little sleep, and her tolerance for bullshit was lower than usual.
Not that she was complaining, of course. After round two, Sesshoumaru had allowed her free exploration of his body, only stopping her when her touch to his hip stripes proved too much. He'd taken her from behind then, instincts clamouring at him for something more primal.
Catching her gaze, Sesshoumaru smirked, and Kagome cursed his heightened sense of smell under her breath. She was standing a little way away from him, though only because protocol dictated it to be so.
She'd rather be curled up in his lap, and they both knew it.
He sat at the head of a long table, sipping tea as the lizards stuffed their faces. Why he'd insisted on keeping up appearances even at this point was beyond her.
"The company was adequate."
Liar.
Body still humming, Kagome pulled at the sleeve of the kimono he'd given her. The silk was expensive, and expertly woven, but the material felt rough against her skin, rasping against the marks Sesshoumaru had left on her.
The lizards clapped their hands together, tongues flicking out as they moved towards her. "We'll be sure to pass your approval on to the daimyo. We're sure he'll want to—"
The shift in the air was so sudden that even Jaken jumped, immediately playing it off that he'd dropped his staff on purpose. The lizards cowered, bulbous eyes darting around in confusion as Sesshoumaru's youki bore down on them. He set down his teacup, then pinned them with an intense stare.
"You think to ensnare the Shikon Miko, my intended, as part of your paltry bartering scheme and hand her off to another?"
Kagome's mouth dropped open.
In all the time they'd spent connected the night before, there'd been no talk of a future together. There'd been almost no talk at all. But as she watched him, the sound of the lizards' sputters fell away as Sesshoumaru simply raised an eyebrow at her.
Kagome felt her cheeks grow warm, but she beamed at him, her body vibrating with need. She didn't care about tradition, about how she was supposed to act in public; Sesshoumaru had all but proposed to her, and she was supposed just stand there until it was appropriate to do otherwise?
I think not.
She moved to take a step towards him, but Sesshoumaru had already risen to his feet, his gaze not leaving hers.
"Consider this your only warning," he said over his shoulder. "You will be leaving without your bounty, and if you are ever found in the western lands again, I will not be so lenient." Sesshoumaru didn't wait for a response, his hand on the small of her back as he ushered her from the room.
"Aren't you going to liquify them?" she asked.
"Would you rather I did? I had thought you a creature of mercy."
Kagome pursed her lips. "They deserve a lot worse."
A chuckle escaped his lips, and he pulled her closer. "You will make a fine mate."
She stopped, her lip caught between her teeth as Sesshoumaru gave her a questioning look.
"You don't have to keep saying things like that. You got the point across. I doubt the lizards will hang around to—" He kissed her, and Kagome couldn't help but melt against him, her arms automatically wrapping around his neck. It was like last night had never happened; the thrill of his body against hers was fresh and tantalizing, leaving her breathless when he pulled back.
"I have waited long enough, Kagome. I would not lose you to semantics."
She knew she was grinning like an idiot, knew he could hear how quickly her heart was beating, but she could also see the truth in his eyes.
"You mean you actually enjoy my company?" she teased.
Sesshoumaru snagged a lock of her hair, rolling it between his fingers before bringing it to his mouth. "Perhaps I did not realize just how much until this moment."
Kagome went up on tiptoe, brushing her lips against the underside of his jaw. "Does this mean we can go back to your room now?" Her laughter echoed down the hallway as she was thrown over his shoulder, his hand already under her clothes when the door shut behind them.