The Importance of Being Kept

"Kagome...you want to tell me where all this stuff came from?" Inuyasha asked in a patient voice as the last delivery guy sat down the last package and left.

Kagome laughed hesitantly. "Well, I kind of went on a spur of the moment shopping spree with the credit card you gave me."

"How much did you spend?" Inuyasha wanted to know.

"Oh what does that matter? Money is no object to you right?"

"Kagome," Inuyasha warned.

"I sort of spent all it."

"All of it!"

"Well you said it was mine to get what I wanted," Kagome said.

"All of it! You spent $5,000 in one day?"

"Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time," Kagome was beginning to feel bad. Perhaps, she had went too far.

Inuyasha started to rip open the packages. There were clothes, jewelry, shoes, all girlie stuff. He turned to Kagome. "Maybe I misjudged you, you're no different from the other girls here. Maybe you were after my money all along!"

"How dare you say that to me? You know it's not true!" Kagome yelled hurt and offended.

"Well your mother's attitude changed as soon as she found out who I was, don't think I didn't notice!"

"I swear I didn't know who you were Inuyasha. I don't care how much money you have, that doesn't matter to me!"

"If you're not a gold digger then why would you spend $5000 in one day? I just gave you that credit card. I wanted you to spend it on something you needed, but not in one day!"

"Did you just call me a gold digger?" Kagome asked her bottom lip trembling.

"Yeah, I did!" Inuyasha said. "What else would you call this?"

Kagome held her head high. "I'll tell you the real reason I did it. I was angry at you for hurting me that morning. I wanted to get revenge, so I spent your credit card on as many things as I could find. I know it was wrong, but I was angry. I'll return everything and you can get your money back. I don't care! I maybe a lot of other things, but I'm not a gold digger!" Kagome ran into her room crying.

Inuyasha followed her and closed the door. He watched her for a moment as she laid face down on the bed crying softly in the pillows. He sat down beside her and rubbed her back. She snatched away from his touch. Inuyasha growled and hauled her into his lap. She was never going to deny him touching her. She was his! If he wanted to comfort her, she was going to damn well be comforted. He held her in his lap and pushed her face in his chest. "I'm sorry. It seems the only thing I've done lately is hurt you. I don't want to hurt you, Kagome. I can't stand to see you cry and know I'm the cause of it."

"I'm not a gold digger," Kagome sniffed in his chest.

"I know, I spoke out of anger. Kikyo did that to me once, but she didn't do it because she was mad at me, she did it because she could. Guess I had a flash back."

"I'm not Kikyo!"

"I know you're not."

"I don't usually act like this, really! It's just that every since I've met you my life has been turned upside down. Nothing has been normal!" Kagome said.

"I know," Inuyasha said. "You're not use to youkai."

"It's not just that. I'm not use to all these feelings you're making me have for you. I just met you!"

Inuyasha pulled back and raised her chin to look at him. "You have feelings for me?"

"What are you saying? You made me your girlfriend without even knowing how I felt?"

"Well I knew you liked me, but I didn't know how much. Youkai take what they want. Before you get angry at me for saying that, understand that I wanted you more than anything in the world."

"That doesn't make it right!" Kagome slapped him upside the head.

"OW! Why are you always beating me up?" Inuyasha asked rubbing his head.

"Cause you deserve it!"

Inuyasha gave her a lopsided grin. "Maybe I do," he agreed to her surprise. "You can beat me up all you want if I make you angry," he suddenly turned serious, "but just don't cry, please. I hate to see you cry." He wiped away the stray tears on her cheek and stared deeply into her eyes. His fingers gently traced over his initials on the side of her neck. "Does it hurt?"

"No," Kagome whispered. Being so close to Inuyasha always affected her, especially when he was being so gentle and sweet.

"Good," he whispered before he kissed her.

The kiss wasn't demanding and passionate like the one last night. This one was different. It was tender and loving. Kagome's heart began to melt every time his lips brushed again hers, caressing, sampling her softness.

Someone knocked on the bedroom door from the living room. Kagome had forgotten her roommates were still the apartment. She wondered if they'd heard everything.

Inuyasha growled at being interrupted. "Go away!" he yelled.

"Inuyasha," she said giving him a look to behave. She slid out of his lap to his dismay.

"It better be important!" Inuyasha grumbled.

Kagome opened the door. "Are these your packages or mine?" Sango asked. She'd put on a black leather skirt and a black strapless top. Her long black hair was swept high in a ponytail. Kagome stared down at the six inch heel boots she was wearing. "Whoa, you look great, where you going?"

"Nowhere, just to The HangOut, you want to come with me?" Sango asked. She was feeling very different every since she left Miroku's room. The confusion of what happened in Miroku's room had left her and been replaced with a new confidence. She felt sexy, good, and hungry for something she couldn't explain.

"Later," Inuyasha answered for Kagome. He looked at Sango, his eyes narrowed. "You smell different."

One minute he was sitting on the bed and the next he was sniffing Sango and staring at her forehead. "Miroku made you his mate! That sly incubus!"

Sango blushed under Inuyasha's scrutiny. "Well, I guess I better be going," Sango said suddenly in a hurry to leave."

"Wait a minute!" Inuyasha told her. He stepped closer and inhaled. "You're not Sango anymore..."

"Leave me alone, Inuyasha!" She frowned up at him. He watched her walk out the room.

"What was that about?" Kagome looked highly confused.

"She's like Miroku now."

"An incubus?"

"Yes, but a female one, a succubus."

"Is that bad?" Kagome wanted to know.

"I don't know, I've never seen a human turn into one."

Rin came out her room wearing a pretty pink dress and pink sandals and ran to the packages thinking they were hers. "Oh, wait, I had them sent to Sesshoumaru's room." She saw Inuyasha and Kagome staring at her and waved. "Hi there, did you two make up?"

"We were in the process until we were interrupted," Inuyasha said grouchily. He looked at Rin, Kagome and the packages suspiciously. "All of you did this to us?" He finally said. "Women!"

Rin giggled. Inuyasha saw the marks on her neck. "Sesshoumaru finally made you his woman...interesting."

"We can go on double dates," Rin said and laughed at the startled look on Inuyasha's face.

"When hell freezes over," he said and marched back in the room.

"I'm going for a walk, Kagome."

Kagome laughed. "Sure, Rin. You mean you going to flaunt Sesshoumaru's mark around campus."

Rin smiled her eyes sparkling with brightly. "That too."

Kagome shook her head as she watched Rin put on a pretty white hat to keep the sun out of her face. 'All she needs are gloves and she'd be quite the little lady,' Kagome thought with a smile.

Inuyasha's arms suddenly circled her waist and yanked her back into the bedroom. He grinned down at her. Kagome didn't trust the look on his face. He was up to something. "Stay right here!" He ordered. He left the room and came back with all her packages and threw them around her feet. "You can keep everything you want, as long as you do one thing for me," he said still grinning with anticipation.

"What?" Kagome asked carefully.

"Model for me."

"What?"

"You're going to put on everything you bought and model for me."

"You've got to be kidding," Kagome looked at him as if he was crazy.

"Nope," Inuyasha slide the couch in front of him so it was facing her bedroom door. "Sango and Rin are gone. We got the place to ourselves. I'm going to sit right here and you're going to go in the bedroom and change into each piece you bought and come out here so I can see."

Kagome laughed. "You're crazy! And so am I," she said when she realized she actually thought it would be fun.

Inuyasha grinned. He locked the living room door and sat down on the couch with his hands behind his head. "I'm waiting!"

Kagome closed the bedroom door. She didn't see any harm in spending the evening modeling beautiful clothes in front of her boyfriend who'd unknowingly bought them for her. It was the least she could do to make up for her impulsive behavior.

Rin had a certain spot she sat on the quadrangle along with the other students when she didn't want to be cooped up inside the dorm. It was usually under a big oak tree that Sesshoumaru had reserved only for her once he found out she liked it so much and it was easy to watch her from where ever he was at during his patrol. She decided to go to the library and pick up a good book and spend the rest of the evening reading until Sesshoumaru finished for the day.

People began to stare at her as she walked down the steps. The wind blew back her long black hair exposing Sesshomaru's mark to anyone that was close enough to see it. Most of the youkai didn't have to see it, they felt Sesshoumaru's presence on her. If they were afraid of her before, they were terrified of her now.

Jinko and Galieo floated appeared on each side of her as soon as she stepped off the last step. They had a habit of appearing before her foot could hit the ground after she'd walked down the steps of the dormitory.

"You look especially lovely today, Rin," Galieo said giving her a warm smile. He was quite fond of Rin. She had grown on him over the years. "Where might you be going today?"

"Don't you guys ever get tired of babysitting me?" Rin asked looking at the two youkai who towered over her like handsome statues.

"Tired of you, Rin? Never," Jinko said. "I always enjoy following a cute girl around."

Rin giggled. "I bet you do. I'm going to the library to find a good book and then to my favorite tree."

"Ah the tree, Rin's tree," Jinko said with a wink. "I get to hang out in the limbs and scare away the guys that try to come up to talk to you. Fun!"

"That's not fun, Jinko. You pounce on those guys and nearly crush them with your weight. I'm not going to be responsible for anymore broken bones."

"Awww come on, you're going to ruin my fun..." Jinko said.

"You should show Rin more respect now that's she's Sesshoumaru's woman," Galieo scolded Jinko.

Jinko grinned. "I knew he had the hots for you a lot more than that Kagura chick," Jinko said.

Rin froze. She'd forgotten about Kagura. The wind demon could be anywhere on campus. She was not going to be happy when she found out.

"Where is Sesshoumaru?" She asked suddenly wanting him to see him.

"He's working," Galieo said.

"Bring him to me," Rin said.

"You know he does not like to be disturbed Rin unless it's an emergency." Galieo reminded her gently.

"It is an emergency. I want to see him."

Jinko snickered. "He just marked her and already she's beginning to act like a girlfriend," he teased.

"Rin..." Galieo said not sure what to do. He was under strict orders to not disturb Sesshoumaru unless it was a life and death situation when he worked.

"Oh never mind, I'll do it myself," Rin said impatiently. She took in a deep breath and yelled out his name. "SESSHOUMAURUUUUUU!"

A huge sweat drop appeared on the side of Galieo's head. Jinko lost his balance and fell over, his legs twitching in the air.

Sesshoumaru turned at the sound of Rin's voice. He looked down from his perch on top of a building. He couldn't believe it. There was Rin's small frame standing in the middle of campus bellowing out his name. He should have been angry, her display was far from ladylike. And yet...he found it quite amusing.

Rin watched her silver angel float down to her gracefully from the sky. She smiled.

Sesshoumaru's felt a fluttering feeling in his chest as if he'd swallowed butterflies. The feeling went all the way down to his stomach when she smiled at him. She looked so utterly adorable staring up at him with those beautiful innocent eyes.

Butterflies...

This Sesshoumaru did not get butterflies! His mood darkened at such a weak emotion and he imagined each butterfly dying a slow painful death from his poison claw. The butterflies vanished. Still, he couldn't help feeling rather proud at seeing his mark on Rin. It had healed perfectly.

"What is it, Rin?" He asked once his feet touched the ground in front of her.

"Now why would you mark me and go running off to let me wake up alone. I expected a kiss or something!"

Sesshoumaru tried hard not to smile. He caressed her cheek gently with his long fingers and bent down to kiss her lips. "You wear my mark very well, little one." He whispered in her ear.

Galieo and Jinko stared at Sesshoumaru with their mouths opened. Sesshoumaru had never ever showed affection to Rin in public, not even in front of them. Plus, he'd done exactly what she'd asked him to do. Rin had the most dangerous youkai on campus wrapped around her little finger. Was it because she now wore his mark on her body?

The wind began to pick up. Everyone knew who was coming except Rin. Galieo and Jinko tensed. Sesshoumaru continued to stare down at Rin admiring his mark on her delicate skin. Kagura landed behind him.

"Sesshoumaru, is it true? I could hear the rumors floating on the wind and scorching my ears. Please tell me you did not make this weak human your girlfriend."

Rin tried to peep at Kagura, but Sesshoumaru turned around blocking her view. "Leave Kagura, this doesn't concern you."

"It does concern me! I don't even have to see her to feel your presence on her. Why Sesshoumaru? Did you do this to spite me in some way?"

"You should be so arrogant to assume I would sink so low to play games with you," Sesshoumaru told her sounding like a cold-hearted snob.

"How dare you use that tone with me when you were just in my bed the other day!"

"You have no use for me anymore, Kagura. We will not see each other again."

"I won't be used like this Sesshoumaru! I've given everything to you, my heart, my body, and my soul if you let me and this is how you treat me?"

"Kagura do not pretend as if you did not know we would never be together. You entered the agreement knowing that I would never love you and still you chose to give yourself to me even after I told you there could never be anything more than sex between us."

He heard Rin's soft gasp. The idea of Sesshoumaru and Kagura together made her ill. She knew of it, but to hear him say it...hurt. It made it real.

Kagura heard her gasp and looked around Sesshoumaru to stare at Rin. "You will never be enough for Sesshoumaru little girl. He may have marked you, but he has needs that only I can satisfy. As a human you will never survive being with him. He will always have to hold back. Even now, you are still a virgin, I can smell it. Poor delusional creature, Sesshoumaru will get bored with you and return to me to satisfy himself. No one knows him as well as I do. You maybe his girlfriend, but I will always be his lover."

"Galieo take Rin to my room," Sesshoumaru said with deadly calm.

"Sesshoumaru!" Rin called out to him as Galieo picked her up and took off. She watched helplessly wondering if Sesshoumaru would actually go to Kagura again.

"Oh man, it's about to get ugly," Jinko said in anticipation.

"Kagura," Sesshoumaru said her name in a voice that promised death. "Our agreement is over. From now, you will not come near this Sesshoumaru again or you will die. If I see you within ten feet of Rin, you will die. Do you understand?"

"Agreement! This was not an agreement, this was a fucking relationship, you bastard!" Kagura screamed at him in outrage.

"You are right," Sesshoumaru said and walked away.

Kagura didn't understand what he meant at first, then boiled over with anger, to him it really was just a "fucking" relationship.

"I hate you Sesshoumaru, you won't get away with this, I swear you won't. No one shames me, no one!"

"Hey, " Jinko said.

She turned to him angrily.

"Shut the hell up. You're lucky he only walked away."

"Who are you to tell me what to do?"

"I'm trying to save your life, you dumb broad. You think you know Sesshoumaru just because he fucked you. You got no idea how dangerous that guy is."

"Why do you care?"

"Because you are damn sexy and I hate to see such a gorgeous woman go to waste," Jin said looking her up and down.

"Leave me alone," Kagura said. She started to go after Sesshoumaru. Jinko caught her wrist and jerked her back.

"Listen to me, Sesshoumaru loves Rin, not you. Yeah, I said it. He's in love with Rin even if he doesn't know it yet. You'd better leave them alone or that sexy little body of yours is going to be scattered along campus grounds if you know what I mean."

Kagura stared into Jinko's eyes for the first time feeling a rush of terror go through her. The guy was serious, plus she didn't want to get on Jinko's bad side either. Next to Sesshoumaru, Jinko was very powerful and very dangerous. He was a lion youkai. She had seen him fight. She shivered and pulled away from him.

"That's better, now you're being smart," Jinko gave her his flirtatious wink.

Kagura eyed the golden haired youkai and flew away. Jinko watched her leave. If Sesshoumaru didn't want her, he sure did, although it probably wouldn't be a good idea since she hated Rin so much. She'd probably use him to sabotage Rin and Sesshoumaru's relationship. Jinko sighed, why were all the fine ones unavailable to him?

Miroku had just returned from retrieving Sango's car like he promised. The sun was setting when he returned. He parked it into the campus parking lot grateful no one had stolen it at the club downtown.

"Miroku, I'm so glad to see you!" A girl who was just getting out of her car threw herself on him and hugged him tightly.

"Sandy, how are you?" Miroku said giving her a smile, but pushing her away. For some reason he did not want her to touch him.

"Great! Now that I've run into you. How you been? It's been awhile since we last hooked up," she winked at him and twirled a lock of brown hair around her finger.

"Yeah," Miroku said uncomfortably. He stared at the brunette. He was hungry again, but it was a different type of hunger. He didn't crave her body or even wanted to be sexual with her. Strange!

"So, what do you say, tonight? I was going to hang out with some friends, but I can ditch them to spend a night with you. You're such a sex god!" She ran her finger down his chest and plastered her body against his.

Miroku could hear her heart beating loudly in his ears. That was new...

"I'm actually with someone now, Sandy," he said." I have a mate now."

Sandy looked surprise. "I never thought you'd settle down or even find a mate. You're the horniest youkai on campus. Oh Miroku, you're such a playboy. Are you trying to make me jealous? Cause it's only making me want you more." She ran her hands down his chest and grabbed his crotch.

Miroku pushed her away hard and slammed her against her car.

"Umm, I love it when you play rough," she licked her lips.

"Come and get me you sexy beast!" She held her arms out to him.

Miroku couldn't stop himself. He grabbed her and pulled her against him, then sunk his fangs deep into her neck.

Sandy screamed and then moaned as he began to drink her blood. Miroku could smell her sexual arousal mixed with her blood. It made it taste so much sweeter. Her body began to glow her energy flowing into him. He sunk his teeth in deeper losing himself in the moment. The more he drank the more aroused she became until she began to convulse in his arms and gasp loudly. Her heart began to slow down. Reality hit him! He pulled his fangs from her flesh and sealed the wounds with his tongue. Sandy fell to the ground weakly.

"Miroku," she called out to him weakly. "What did you do? I just had the best orgasm in my life. Oh you naughty youkai, you've been holding out on me."

Miroku stared at her feeling confused and slightly scared. She seemed to be okay, so he left her there. What had happened to him? He had changed. He needed to find Sango and he needed to find her fast. An image of her appeared in his head. The connection that merged their spirits together was beginning to work. Miroku watched his beautiful mate once again dancing in a club, this time at The Hangout, their club. She was causing a huge distraction with all the guys surrounding her. They each wanted to dance with her to the point where they got into a fist fight. Soon all the guys in the club was fighting to get near his mate. One lucky guy made it to her. Sango smiled at him as he put his arms around her. Miroku could feel the guy's lust for her. Sango let him lead her into a dark corner of the club. Miroku could feel her hunger. She was starving even after taking most of his energy. He realized she was a newborn succubus she would always be hungry until she learned to control her powers. The guy was human he clearly didn't know she was a youkai's mate. He probably couldn't see the symbol on her forehead in the dark club. Miroku began to run to the club. He could not let this happen! The image continue to play in his head.

The guy began to run his hands over Sango's body. She pressed hers body into his trapping him between her and the wall. Miroku growled as she began to place soft kisses down the man's jaw making her way to his neck. The guy moaned just as Sandy had. "I want you so badly," Miroku heard him whisper. Miroku wanted to kill him. Sango's small tongue came out and licked a spot on the guy's neck. Two fangs suddenly appeared in her mouth. Miroku winced as she sunk them deeply into the guy's flesh. So, she was like him...The guy didn't seem to care what she was doing to him, all he cared about was the intense pleasure he was getting from it. He lifted her legs and wrapped them around his waist as she fed. His body began to glow. Miroku ran faster, his body blurring through the campus with inhuman speed. He knew what was about to happen and he was not about to let it. The guy slipped his hands between them and began to unbutton his jeans. Miroku burst through the club knocking over a few bystanders and pulled Sango off the guy. He held her in his arms and glared down at the guy trying to stuff his erection back in his pants.

"You keep your damn dick in your pants before I rip it off!" Miroku told him, his dark eyes had a dangerous fire glowing in them. Miroku knew it was Sango who had caused the guy to behave this way. He was under her influence because she was a succubus. He couldn't kill a guy who didn't know what he was doing, unlike the ones at the club who knew exactly what they were doing when she was a human, still his rage was real. Succubus or not, feeding or not, he was still a very possessive youkai and he'd kill anyone before he purposely let them have sexual intercourse with Sango.

"I suggest you find something to stop that bleeding or else you won't need me to kill you," Miroku warned him. There was no way he was going to let Sango touch the guy again even if it was to heal the wound she created.

The guy must have just noticed the wound when he felt the blood flowing down his neck. He put his hand over it and began to scream in pain and terror. He ran out of the club. Miroku glance down at Sango and looked at the mess she had created. The guys in the club were still fighting. They would have a lot of explaining to do to the women they were with once he left with Sango.

"I should have never let you go. It was too soon to leave you on your own," Miroku said to her as he carried her to the studio behind the club. He sat her on the bed and closed and locked the door. She wiped her mouth and stared down at the blood on her hand.

"What's happening to me?"

"We've both changed," Miroku said.

"I'm so hungry," she whispered.

"I know you are," Miroku said taking off his shirt.

He grabbed her arms and pulled her against his chest. "Listen to me," he shook her slightly wanting her to pay attention. She stared up at him through half closed lids, her full lips slightly parted. 'Gods, she's beautiful,' Miroku thought becoming lost in her spell. He could feel himself hardening. "You will never feed off another male again. I will be the only one to feed you. Do you understand? No one will ever touch you again. Your body will only know mine and mine alone."

She nodded. "Miroku, I never meant to..."

"I know you didn't," Miroku said. "Feed, as much as you want," he whispered and pushed her face to his broad chest. He winced at the sharp pain of her fangs sinking in his flesh and then moaned in ecstasy and staggered back against the wall as she began to suck. His body began to glow as his life force began to absorb into hers. He made love to her as she fed and knew she wouldn't be able to hurt him or drain him because he was her mate and her master. He was stronger than she would ever be.