I woke up slowly, to the now-familiar sensation of clawed fingers slipping down my chest. As I inched my eyes open past the sleep that threatened to clutch at me yet again, the thought occurred to me... I was really making a habit of waking up in strange men's arms.

Well, not so strange. A startled scream threatened to work it's way out of my suddenly tight throat as I groggily looked up into Naraku's eyes.

Oh holy fucking hell.

I sat up so fast, I got dizzy. Of course, there was no need to... what had appeared to be Naraku staring down at me was just my imagination and a couple strangely formed tree branches.

Suddenly I realized that I was very naked and very cold. I cast a glance around, searching for my clothes, a slight shiver going through me that had nothing to do with being cold and everything to do with being inexplicably naked and alone with no reasonable explanations springing to mind.

I froze in my search when I saw him. Apparently, this was the second time in about as many days that Sesshomaru was the only witness to my groggy awakening. This time, however, I didn't wake up in his arms. He stood halfway across the small clearing, back turned to me, and so still that I half expected him to disappear too.

What was he here for? Was it he who had set this trap, lured me away from the others? He had taken me away once before. It was entirely possible he had done it again.

I think I must have whispered his name, but he gave no sign that he heard me. Clumsily, weak from cramped muscles that protested my choice of napping arrangements, I stood up. Painfully self-aware, I made my way to him, laid a hand on his arm, right below his armor. He stiffened slightly, but made no other move.

I said his name again, louder this time. Again, no response. Trembling from the cold, I wrapped my arms around what I could of my body and moved to face him. His whole expression was tense, angered, and his eyes, focused on mine, were so intense they frightened me. My instincts were screaming at me to run. One night with the youkai, a brief bout of physical intimacy... it couldn't prepare me to face him in the daylight, without passion between us, alone and practically defenseless.

We were still enemies, no matter what had happened between us and how much I had enjoyed being with him that night.

I wanted him to do something, say something. I was tensed and waiting for some kind of attack. It had suddenly occurred to me how stupid I had been not to run away or attack while I was still out of his reach. I jumped as he suddenly reached out to cup the side of my face in a strong hand.

"What is your name?"

The question threw me. I stood there, my mouth hanging open slightly, lost for words. Eventually, as the silence grew between us, I managed to stammer it out, my face flushing half in embarrassment, half in anger.

His eyes drifted shut, the hand on my face drifting down to my neck, stroking my skin lightly. He seemed to be contemplating something. I held as still as possible, my breath light and rapid. Finally his eyes opened.

His hand reached up to my chin, tipped my face as he leaned in for one of the gentlest and most chaste kisses I've ever experienced, his eyes uncomfortably intent on my face the entire time. I stood in this loose embrace, which was deliberately loose to avoid injuring me on his armor, shivering. I was afraid to move, to think, to even breathe. My heart was beating so hard, I began to feel faint.

I let my eyes slide shut, anxious to avoid his gaze, regulating my breathing to try to collect myself somehow. What was this all about? Did he just want a repeat performance of the night before?

I heard the soft clink of his armor sliding to the ground, and then I was pulled flush against him. I had to repress the urge to melt into his warmth as his tail came around me, to hold me close to him as his hands began to stroke my chilled flesh.

He was still kissing me, lips ghosting over mine. Hesitantly, I opened my mouth to his, feeling myself relax just a bit.

Finally, he ended the kiss. I opened my eyes, watching him silently, anticipating his next action.