I do not own InuYasha or any of Rumiko Takahashi's characters used. I make no profit from this story, only feels.

-Silver

Hope After All

He was Sesshomaru Taisho; gorgeous, wealthy, assumed playboy, and lover of fine wine. He could have any woman in the world; however he only had his eyes set on one. The only problem was, this one girl had her heart on someone else; his brother.

The girl was foolishly in love with the half-wit, and Sesshomaru was left helplessly watching as someone born of his blood tore her heart out again and again. He was constantly forced to stand in the shadows while the girl cast her every shining glance on his brother.

Sesshomaru was always watching her; when she cried, laughed, grumbled and blushed, he was there. Yet, though he was there physically, the female paid no more attention to him then the fibres of a rug on the floor. Why was he condemned to watch her waste her life away on such a pathetic man? Why did the gods design his fate to bring him so close, yet so far to his destined woman?

Ah, but perhaps he could change this fate. Yes, he would wait until the worm broke her heart once more and instead of being her shadow, he would step forth to be her light. All he needed was patience and time; both of which Sesshomaru had plenty of.

So he watched and waited, following his prize closely, and when the time finally came he pounced without a thought.

The girl was walking home, the rain pouring over her frail body. Sesshomaru licked his lips in the shadows; he could see every drop rolling over her tanned skin. The girl was crying; the drops of salty water rolling down and mixing with the rain. He would soon kiss every one of those tears away, and he would love every minute of it.

While she was stumbling up the shrine steps one of her heels did not quite make it onto the ledge, and a scream left her lips as she started to fall back. Sesshomaru took a moment to savour the first of many screams he would be hearing from her, before using his speed to capture her in his arms, cradling her soaked body close to his own.

They stared at one another for quite some time; her huge blue eyes threatening to drown him like the ripping waves of the ocean, his molten gold ones threatening to melt her very core.

Sesshomaru let his eyes wander her face, from her dainty eyebrows to her little pixie nose, and finally resting on her perfectly plump lips. Her bottom lip was in a constant pout, begging to be bitten and sucked without mercy; and he would be giving none.

Suddenly, those beautiful lips moved, and her angelic voice rang into the center of his being.

"Sesshomaru, what-"

"Kagome, I have been waiting a long time for this moment."

Kagome looked up at him, confusion evident on her face. "I'm sorry?"

Sesshomaru gestured to her in his arms. "This. To have you so close, to finally have you within my grasp, it is something I have only been able to conjure dreams about."

Kagome sniffled, anger flashing in her eyes as she started to struggle. "Look Sesshomaru, I am not in the mood for your playboy antics. Go find another woman to pester, maybe a demoness instead of a lowly human."

There was bitterness to her voice and he inwardly sighed. Ah, yes. He hated most humans and she knew it, but she assumed that most humans applied to her. He would soon show her how very wrong she was in that thinking. He tightened his hold on her, careful not to bruise her beautiful skin.

"You are not giving me a chance to explain, little one. I know what my brother has done to you, yet again, and I am not planning on doing anything like it. I simply want you to give me a chance; to show you what your life could be like."

Kagome stared up at the demon, her broken heart begging to be left alone but her natural curiosity rising up.

"What do you mean?"

Sesshomaru smirked, one fang gleaming in the light of the rising moon. "Allow me to show you, love." With the hesitant 'ok' that left her lips, he swept the up into the sky towards his mansion in western Tokyo, the same mansion that had withstood centuries of change.

When they arrive he did not bother with the door, instead jumping up onto the balcony of his room. He stepped inside and casually set the girl down on her feet.

"I will draw you a hot bath, you are soaked and will catch a cold if you do not warm up soon." With that, he exited through a door on the left side of the room, leaving her to explore around the space, taking in the old antiques and paintings, and for a couple moments staring at the large bed that seemed to be the center-piece of the room. It was during this staring that Sesshomaru returned to the room. Seeing that she had not yet noticed him, he walked up to stand right behind her, his skin just centimetres away from her own. Leaning down into her ear, he blew into it gently before whispering.

"Kagome."

Said girl jumped and turned to face him, her heart pounding in her chest. Sesshomaru only smiled.

"Your bath is ready, love."

Kagome nodded then left the room through the same door he had, a blush on her cheeks the whole time.

Sesshomaru chuckled to himself. Soon, he would have her in his arms. She would scream his name and he would groan out hers. Looking to the door she had just fled through, he counted the minutes in his head before starting to undress himself.

When he was done, he wrapped his large fluffy boa around his hips and walked into the master bathroom, grinning at the image before him.

The girl was soaking in the bath he had drawn, the red rose petals that he had added to the water were clinging to her skin making her even more beautiful, if possible. Her head was tilted back against the porcelain, her eyes shut calmly. She did not even hear him enter the room, and he was glad for her current state of day-dreaming.

He walked up to the side of the bath, taking in what skin he could see that peaked out from the bubbles and petals. He kneeled down beside her and reached out a hand, touching her cheek gently. Her eyes immediately snapped open and her heart went into a panic.

"Kagome, it is only me. Calm yourself, little one."

The blush that had been on her cheeks from earlier had now spread to her entire body, her eyes wide and her arms coming up to cover herself.

"Sesshomaru, wh-what are you doing in here?!"

Sesshomaru smiled predatorily at her, his eyes flashing with what she thought had been lust.

"I have come to retrieve you, love."

Kagome visibly paled. "Uhm, retrieve me for what, uh, exactly?"

The demon let a 'tsk' escape his lips, and he shook his head slowly at her. "My dear, I told you that I would show you what your life could be like. Surely, you understood what I meant, in every aspect?"

Kagome began to stutter her words but before she could get any real sentences out, Sesshomaru had her up in his arms, bubbles trailing a path off her skin and dropping to the floor below. Sesshomaru ignored her yelp of surprise and continued on into the bedroom, setting her down on her feet and reaching for a large towel that he had taken out for her earlier.

The girl stared at him, a mortified expression on her face as she attempted to cover herself. He did not mind and instead simply moved her arms and fingers when they were in the way. He would have her tonight; he was not going to let her escape now.

When he was done drying her, he straightened up and tossed the towel over his shoulder, not caring where it fell behind him. "Kagome, I will have you tonight. I will show you what my brother can never give you."

Kagome stared at him, shrinking back into herself. "I…Sesshomaru, I don't think I can…"

He stepped forwards so that his boa around his hips was pressed up against the hand that covered her most secret place. "What, Kagome? You do not think you can what? Let me touch you? Let me love you? Why? I can give you more than he ever could with one simple night."

Kagome's eyes were staring down at a spot on the floor, her arms wrapping tighter around herself. "I can't betray him."

Sesshomaru chuckled, then. "He betrays you ever night, you know he does. Why do you return to him when you could have so much better?"

At her silence, he knew he had won. He lifted her up into his arms once more and set her on the large white comforter of his bed. Crawling over top of her, he straddled her hips and placed one hand on either side of her head. His silver hair pooled over and around them, creating a curtain of moonlit silk.

"Kagome, allow me to love you."

He could see the hesitation in her eyes, and then she nodded once; and it was the most beautiful gesture he had ever seen.

He treated her like glass, touches gentle and soft while kisses seemed barely there. He teased her body up tighter and tighter until she was panting, begging him to really touch her.

Looking up to meet her eyes with his, he allowed her to see the fire smoldering there in the molten depths. At the sight of her glazed eyes, looking at only him, and her inky black hair spread out over his pillows, he lost all control. His kisses and touches became rougher, low growls and grunts accompanying his gentle bites and licks across her skin.

He toyed with every part of her body, winding the fire in her belly higher and higher until she exploded for him, his name leaving her lips in a rush. It was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. He leaned down to nibble the tip of her ear, his hands continuing to run over her flushed skin.

"Again."

Kagome dazedly stared at him. "Wha-?"

"My name…Say it again, Kagome."

With a soft smile on her swollen lips, she whispered his name. He tried to hold himself together but when she continued to repeat it, whispering it into his ear while her hands fisted in his hair, he lost himself in his love for her.

He took her in every which way that night, worshipping her body like it was the finest delicacy in the world; and to him it was. He had brought her up only to ease her down again, driving her crazy and ten letting her do the same to him.

When the morning light crept in through the windows, Sesshomaru was laying back against the many pillows at the top of his bed. His precious lover was tucked up into his side, her head on his chest and her little hands fisted up beside her face. Her breathing was even in sleep and every now and then a soft sigh would leave her lips. He glanced down at the blankets tangled up around her legs and hip, and smiled despite himself.

If he could wake up to this every morning, he would be able to die a very happy demon. But alas, the sun was up and soon the girl laying so peacefully beside him would get up and realise what she had done. She would run to his filthy brother and he would treat her like she was worse than the dirt beneath is shoe, and Sesshomaru would not be able to do anything about it.

He was brought out of his musings by another sigh, this time louder, accompanied by a gentle squirming at his side and finally bright blue eyes opening and moving to gaze up at him.

Holding his breath and waiting for her to come into realisation, Sesshomaru was caught off guard when the girl simply laid her head into the crook of his neck, pressing a soft kiss there before moving back down too settle against his chest once more.

"Good morning, Sesshomaru."

The mighty demon was stunned for a few moments, before relaxing under her and wrapping his arm tighter around the tiny female.

"Good morning, Kagome." He felt her smile against his skin and felt one of his own tilting the corners of his mouth up. Well, perhaps there was hope for him after all.