Through The Mirror by Sidhe

Paths Crossing

When he first came upon the small bundle lying slumped on the forest floor, his first thought was to pass on by. It wasn't much, even smaller than the laundry sack a village woman would carry to the river to launder. The frost of winter's beginning lay thickly over it.

He was within feet of it when it suddenly gave a feeble tremor, the movement releasing the scent of-

Female?

Curiosity drew his eyes toward the shape that gave another small shiver. The scent was very young, not much more than a girl. Something sweet and faintly tart, and he found himself slowly kneeling at the girl's side.

A soft length of dark, sun-streaked hair pooled on the ground and trailed over her face. Careful fingers swept back the strands, and surprise flickered in the youkai's eyes.

He pursed his lips. Hmm...

It was the priestess. The girl that traveled with the hanyou, the one that had come to claim this time as home.

Oh yes, he knew where she'd come from.

A faint clicking sound called the youkai back to himself, as he realized it was the sound of her teeth chattering as she shook. This brought a whole new complication.

His beast sat up and took notice. He scowled, wishing it would shut up as it pawed at his curiosity.

His eyebrow lifted minutely, then he shrugged, yielding. So be it, then.

Overturning his original intent of walking on by, the demon carefully eased the girl into his arms and lifted her against his body as he stood.

She was so very small...weighing practically nothing at all. Something about that thought felt strangely wrong, as if her form should have mirrored the size of her spirit.

Her skin had a faintly blue cast to it, and he realized that she was closer to death than he'd originally thought. He shifted her into one arm, then quickly shrugged his fur from his shoulder, releasing the charm holding it to it's currant size, then wrapped the girl in it. Her face he left exposed so that she could breathe, but he lifted her high enough to hide her face against the warm curve of his throat and monitor her breathing against his skin.

He never questioned why he'd done this. And later he would wonder, but it seemed as if his beast had taken a sudden and intense interest to the girl. The annoying thing always did get him into trouble.

No matter.

He swiftly retraced his previous path, backtracking toward a small cave he'd remembered a ways back.

Moving silently over the now falling snow, he left no prints to mark his passage, wishing to keep himself free of trouble for the night. He lifted his nose, scenting the air and finding it free of predators. When he arrived at the cave a few minutes later, he ducked low and entered.

He carefully placed the girl on the ground then unsheathed a sword, one of a matched pair, and sank the blade deeply into the stone at the mouth of the cave. The blade crackled with energy for a moment, then spun a barrier over the opening.

Nodding to himself, the demon then turned back to his newly acquired charge. She wasn't looking any better and he felt an odd twinge of worry. The trembling had ceased, and he knew it wasn't because she was recovering. Her body temperature was dropping so low that she would soon freeze to death.

His brows drew together in a faint frown, before he removed his boots and wet kosode. The inner he left to help him warm her as he lifted the edge of the fur and climbed in with her, carefully wrapping himself around her small form. A youkai's normal temperature usually ran much higher than a human's, and he was hoping it would be enough.

He wrapped the girl into his clothing with him, the fur warming her back, himself pressed tightly to her front. Her cold lips brushed against the hollow of his throat, her faintly chilled breath wafting softly against his skin. His mouth tightened a bit in annoyance. Why wouldn't she warm up?

He raked the claws of a powerful hand through the stiff, frost covered strands of her hair. The other wrapped tightly around her body, and he noted with dismay that she was only wearing soft sleeping apparel.

What the hell was the half-breed thinking to allow her out like this? And in such weather? Even he should have been able to sense the chill on the air.

The girl began to shake a bit with renewed chills, unconsciously burrowing into him.

He felt a bit uneasy as she didn't lose the unhealthy pallor of her skin, nor did she regain consciousness. He cursed as he pulled her tighter.

The softness of her odd garments split under his claws as he gently stripped her of the damp fabric. Something he should have done first, he growled at himself, tugging damp strips of black cotton from under the fur.

Somehow, he suddenly became hyper-aware of the body pressed against his own as he tangled her up against him.

Do. Not. Dare...He snarled at his beast in warning.

But she's was so soft, it returned.

I do not take females while they are unconscious.

Well, apparently, the beast grumbled, we don't 'take' females at all.

Golden eyes narrowed. And you know very well why that is.

He had the impression of rolling eyes. If she doesn't warm soon, you may not have a choice, it pointed out.

DO NOT EVEN THINK TO-

Do not lie to yourself, you never have before. Yes, you would wish that this was a more ideal situation, but this would not be 'force'. His beast scoffed at him, mocking him for even attempting to fool himself into thinking that the concept didn't interest him. He rolled his eyes, and sent it a rude mental gesture.

So maybe it did, he just didn't want to have to do such. It might create new and most likely unwelcome changes to the girl's life. Especially because she was human. So many complications.

But it was soon becoming an inarguable point. He would have to. Despite the...uncomfortable...though necessary actions.

His highly practical mind swiftly sorted all possible outcomes and came to a conclusion. Considering the swiftness of the beast's claiming of her into his care, there truly was only one way to finish this.

He would have to 'steal' the female from his brother. Though not a common practice, it was acceptable in youkai society. Given her innocence...and she was...it could not be contested by the ruling courts.

Decision made, the demon pulled his inner haori free, then slowly untied his hakama. This would be painful, to the both of them. He very carefully pinched a nerve in her neck, not wanting her to wake while he did this and knowing her body would respond even while unconscious.

Youkai could extend their auras to a certain degree, but it required a significant connection between the two doing the sharing. It was mostly done between those of the opposite sex, though it could be done almost as easily between males, less so for females.

He bent and gently nipped at a slender shoulder. She tasted...lovely. This would be easier than he'd hoped. Another nip to the underside of her jaw caused the small body to shift.

When his tongue skimmed lightly down the curve of her throat, the faintest of sounds escaped her faintly purple mouth. He watched the movement of those puffed lips and bent to capture them with his own.

COLD!

His beast wanted to recoil in shock, but he carefully convinced it that the outcome would not be to it's liking. It pondered. Then accepted.

He kissed her again and now the beast understood, Sesshomaru needed to warm them to keep them from frostbite.

Heat pored through his system, and he used it to flood through her body. There was an instant response, and her arms slowly lifted to curl over his shoulders, holding him to her. Long, slender legs shifted to hug his hips, cradling his body as if made for him, and he suddenly purred. Yes, she was definitely soft.

And even unknowing, her actions were delightful. The arousal he'd suppressed when he'd first thought of this suddenly released full force. He savored the deep bowing curve of her lower lip as he went so hard so fast that it actually hurt.

Pushing it into the hallow of her hip helped a bit, and he indulged. This was...amazing. He scent teased his already heightened senses, drawing out his more animal impulses and he clamped his teeth over her shoulder, holding her still as the sensations had her shifting against him.

He managed to keep from breaking skin, but it was a close thing.

He let his hands slowly wander her body, following dips and sleek curves under silky flesh. Her slowly warming skin quivered under his stroking hands.

Not long, now.

Sharing the ki was accomplished one of two ways. The first, and more common, was to bond the other to the one in need, almost like a mate, though temporary. This solution was impossible for the Taiyoukai. The other was to physically link himself to the girl and keep it until she was safe. A female youkai would link to a male by accepting him into her body for the duration, while a male youkai would drive himself into the female.

His wide mouth curved. Such a hardship...

She squirmed again, and he shifted onto his back, the position he'd chosen for the night. It would allow her to sleep on a warm surface and keep her off the ground, while keeping her under the pelt. He curved his hands over her backside and pushed her down, rotating her hips against his. Another small moan came from the softly parted lips. Lifting her up his body placed him smoothly between her spread legs, and he slid against her heated slickness. The whimper that escaped her drove his beast on as he pressed himself against her clitoris, nudging against it slowly as her legs tensed. One hand drifted under her backside to spread the folds of her curiously bare mons and expose her more thoroughly to his touch. Her breathing hitched, one hand clutching his shoulder. Another firm push and he slowly sank two fingers deep inside her, stretching her, purring for her as she flinched at the intrusion that ended her virginity.

So tight...

He would have to be exceedingly cautious as he did this. He remembered his brother warning him once, when he was little more than a cub, that humans were not generally built to mate with demons and that if he ever did, that he'd have to keep himself tightly controlled. He wanted to worry, but he also could not help anticipating how she would feel.

Even if he couldn't finish this, this was something to savor.

She was slowly relaxing against him again, accepting the gentle thrust of his fingers into her body. Even more carefully, he added a third, just as he nudged against her yet again. Small hands kneaded his shoulders, and she sighed in pleasure.

He couldn't believe how responsive she was. His kind were born with an innate knowledge of pleasure. She reacted so perfectly to him that he found himself wishing she was awake, wanting to hear his name on her lips.

Suddenly she tensed, and then moaned as her inner muscles rippled over his fingers. It was time.

He spread her again as she came, easing himself into her. A soft cry came from her as he forced the thick head through the small entrance, stretching her tightly around his cock. He knew it hurt, but he hoped it was easier on her to have waited until she'd released. Muscles rippled against him, drawing him deeper, even as she squirmed in protest. He bit her just a bit harder, enforcing dominance. She stilled, but stayed tense as he drove himself deeper.

He hissed. She was so unbelievably tight.

Though he felt like a bastard as he caught the scent of her tears. But it was too late to stop, even if it hadn't been necessary. He would stay inside of her for the night, despite the fact that she was so small he could quite literally feel the shape of himself against the outer softness of her belly. She shivered against him, once again tightening on him, and he growled. She went still, and he ran his hands down her back to sooth her.

And when she finally relaxed to the point that he heard a delicate snore, he smiled softly, even as he desperately wanted to finish what his body clamored for. He knew he would remain inside her for the night, his demon nature would keep him hard until the next morning.

But it was against the rules. She was not his mate. And he couldn't force her, despite what his beast urged.

He'd never slept so badly, and his dreams taunted him.