Her Destiny

Chapter 20

A golden ball of light streaked across the sky as it went toward the sanctuary. It was a place that he knew would be safe for his mate. The ball of light went straight for the bedchambers as the last of the servants were scurrying to leave the room.

The servants received word that the young master has won the battles in order to mate with the young miko. They were all happy that they were finally together. For months now they have seen the longing in his eyes as he gazed upon the miko.

They all knew that he had an interest in her. When they heard that she was accepted to mate with the nobles, they were praying to Kami to make sure that Sesshoumaru won the battles to get her.

Now they were hurrying to get the room ready for his arrival with his intended mate. The female servants understood that he was going to have a hard time with the miko for she was strong and stubborn. But now that he was free to show his affection towards the girl they hoped that she would accept the young master and become his mate.

They were pulling down the covers on the bed, when they felt a powerful aura coming towards the house. They quickly finished what they were doing as they ran out the door and closed it as a bright golden ball of light entered the window of the chambers.

Sesshoumaru landed in the middle of his bedchambers as his golden ball of light faded away from view. He held his intended close to his chest as he sniffed the area. He caught the scent of the female servants in the room and looked around to see if they were still there.

Upon his inspection he found that he was finally alone with his mate as he walked toward the bed and sat upon it.

Kagome was still holding on to his haori with a death grip but she seemed to be asleep in his arms. He rested her body on his lap as he gently pulled her away so he could look at her injuries.

He could see the darkening of the skin on her face where he had hit her to knock her to the ground. He winched when he saw this. He never wanted to hurt her in anyway, as he leaned down and started to lick the offending mark away from her beautiful face. Within minutes the bruise started to go away and her beautiful pale skin was the only thing that was left for him to see.

He moved his hand gently across her face as he looked for more injuries. He caressed her cheeks gently as he saw her move her head toward his touch. This pleased him immensely because she was seeking comfort from him.

He saw her make a face, as the pain she was feeling was evident on her features. The poison was still in her body and she was fighting it. He had to watch her closely, he didn’t want to lose her because of his poison.

His mother relayed everything she experienced when she went through her mating ritual with his father. She told him because she knew that he would have to see to her needs during this time. His mother understood that she could not go to Kagome if she was to call for her and Sesshoumaru promised his mother that he would take care of her.

Sesshoumaru noticed that Kagome had a slight fever, it was not intense at the moment but it was enough to be concerned with.

He moved further back on the bed as he lay down with Kagome for a little while. He was exhausted from their battle and he was also hurting. Kagome had blasted him with her Reiyouku on his right shoulder and right now it was burning. He put his discomforts aside for the moment and continued to hold Kagome close to his chest, as he purred to soothe away her pain. It seemed to work because Kagome relaxed into his hold as they both fell asleep to recover from their ordeal.

---oOo---

The servants were also busy around the house. They had managed to get a low bathtub into the bathing chambers through the back door. The female servants were filling the tub with cool water. They knew that the young master would need it very soon. They have been warned of the high fever that Kagome will have by this evening.

They hurried in their duties as they put some healing herbs into the water that would heal many of Kagome’s wounds and help her body rejuvenate from the battle. It would not cure the poison but it would help her body recover some.

They placed a mat near the tub and then placed a soft blanket on it that Sesshoumaru could use to rest his mate upon while he took care of her. They got some large fluffy towels to dry her with. One of the servants put a soft white robe near the tub as they continued to get the room ready.

Some of the servants then went to the wash area and put several large pillows there, that when you sat upon them, it was like you were laying on a nice soft futon. They made sure to place some smaller pillows in the area to make it comfortable for Kagome, and then did the same thing near the spring. They knew the young lord will not bathe unless he has his mate with him and her comfort was the most important thing to him at the moment.

They have been told of the injuries that the young master received on his body. They put the necessary ointments he needed to heal the wounds on the white bench. All this they placed in the bathing chambers while the young master was sleeping with his mate to be.

They knew better than to go near him because his inner beast was in control at the moment, that could mean certain death if they were caught. Once they were done with the task they had to do they quickly left the room, they could tell that the young master was about to awaken.

They hurried to the kitchen to get the evening meal ready for them. Sesshoumaru will soon come looking for food to feed his mate. Normally he would go hunting to prove to his mate that he could provide for her, but he will not leave her side until she recovered from his poison. So their idea was to cook the meal for him, leave it on a table outside his door, and let him take it from there. That way he could feed his mate when the time came.

---oOo---

Sesshoumaru was waking up from his sleep. Kagome was moaning in pain and was trying to leave his arms. He heard her say in Inu youki language, ‘Mother, it hurts. Please mother, make it stop.’ He wondered how she could speak in the ancient language that only Inu’s could use. Then he remembered that she has the souls of the other youkai from the jewel in her body. His father said that she would act like an Inu but be unaware of it.

When his eyes finally came into focus he notices that Kagome is all wet. Upon closer inspection he saw that she was sweating and that her fever has gotten worse over the last few hours.

Kagome breathing was labored. Her skin was flushed and slightly red from the high fever. He heard her whining and calling for the only person that has shown her comfort when she was sick. He knew that his mother could hear her and if he didn’t comfort her soon, his mother will be there to tend to his mate.

He could not have this. His inner beast was not stable at the moment and anyone coming near his mate, now, will be attacked. He will perceive them as a threat to his mate and his bond with her.

Sesshoumaru looked down and noticed that his haori and juban were soaked in Kagome’s sweat. He slowly sat up as he released Kagome from his arms and laid her gently down on the bed. He took off his haori and juban leaving him with a bare chest.

Getting out of bed he picked Kagome up in his arms and walked into the bathing chambers. He needed to get her in cool water to bring her fever down. He hoped that there was a place for him to do this in the bathing chambers or he will have to leave the house in order to find what he needed.

When he entered the bathing chambers he noticed that there was a tub off to the left. Everything he needed to take care of his mate was already placed near the tub. Curious in seeing this he walked over to the tub and kneeled next to it, with Kagome still cradled in his arms.

The tub was long and at one end he noticed that there was a pallet that he could use to lay Kagome on and it would keep her head above the water. The tub has been filled three quarters of the way. He put his hand in the water and noticed that the water was not hot but it wasn’t cold either. It was just slightly warm and this is what he needed.

He inhaled the scent of the room and picked up the lingering aroma of herbs. It was coming from the tub as he raised his hand to his nose and sniffed. There were healing herbs in the water that will help Kagome’s body recover from the fever. It would not cure the poison but it would help her to rejuvenate.

He laid Kagome down on a mat next to the tub as he started to take off, what remained of her clothes. His eyes grew wide when he noticed the four deep claw marks going across her chest. He initially thought that he missed her with his claws because she never slowed down in her fighting. But he guessed wrong.

The four claws marks were covered in dry blood and the skin around it was red. Her wounds were a lot more serious than he thought. He couldn’t heal them the way he healed her face because she needed the poison he introduced into her body.

His saw the whip mark where he hit her in their aerial fight. It went down the length of her body starting at her right shoulder and almost reaching her right foot. It was red and infected. His fangs, claws, and whip held different types of poison, all of them had to be introduced into her body so she could develop immunity to them.

He hoped to introduce them one at a time but it looked like she got all of his poison at the same time. This was not good. It would take longer for her to recover from his poison and there was the possibility that she could die from so much being in her system.

He could see where she tried to heal her wounds while in the middle of their battle. She had managed to stop it from bleeding but nothing more. He quickly finished undressing her as he picked her up and put her into the slightly warm/cool water.

The slightly inclined pallet at the end of the tub allowed him to let go of Kagome without worrying that she will be submerged into the water. He pulled her hair free from its confinements and let it out behind her. Her blue/black hair floated regally behind her in the water, fanning out like a halo.

Sesshoumaru then reached for a washcloth as he got it wet and put it on her forehead to cool her down. He waited patiently as he continued to put water over the parts of Kagome’s body that were not under the water to keep her cool.

At first, when he placed Kagome in the water, she started to shiver from the cold. Then she slowly started to relax. Her breathing became easier, she was no longer gasping for a breath.

After an hour he started to notice a difference in Kagome. Her skin was no longer flushed from the fever. It was turning into a lighter pink almost to her normal skin tones. Her wounds healed almost all the way, leaving only a light pink scar showing where her injuries were.

Sesshoumaru noticed that her fever broke and that she seemed to be out of danger for the moment. He looked to his left and saw some white jars sitting there as he grabbed one and sniffed its contents. It was a white liquid and it smelled like jasmine. He smiled when he smelled it. It was almost like her scent but Kagome’s scent was much better.

He grabbed another washcloth and got it wet, and then he poured a good amount of the liquid soap on it. He took Kagome’s arm and proceeded to bathe her. Slowly and with care he washed her arms, legs, and body. His mind was fully focused on getting her wounds cleaned so she could heal and get better.

He made sure to rinse the soap off her as he took another container and poured some of that liquid on her hair. He gently washed it making sure he got it cleaned and looking like it usually did. It shined brightly for him and it held the deeper rich color of blue/black when he was done.

Sesshoumaru thought that it was about time he got her out of the tub. He didn’t want her to get all wrinkled from staying too long in the water. He lifted her body out and placed her on a very large fluffy towel as he wrapped it around her body to dry her. He spotted a white robe as he grabbed it and dressed Kagome in it to keep her warm.

When he was done with Kagome he looked around the room thinking that he too needed to bathe and take care of his wounds. But he didn’t want to leave Kagome alone on the bed, in their room. He needed her to be with him during this time so he could protect her. She was weak and could not protect herself at the moment.

He looked off to the right and noticed, what appeared to be, some rather large pillows sitting by the wash area. He picked Kagome up in his arms and walked across the room so he could get a better look. They were large pillows that could hold Kagome comfortably while he bathed. He laid her down as he turned to take care of his own body and wounds.

He took off his hakama as he went over to the hot tub and gathered some warm water to wash with. He sat on the white bench and bathed while he kept his eye on his mate. He took care of all of his wounds as best he could. The one that really hurt was the one on his right shoulder. This was the one where Kagome got him with her holy powers and it burned a good portion of his right shoulder and chest.

Sesshoumaru was in pain but it was slowly starting to heal by itself. It will take a while for the holy burns to heal but it was well worth the pain to see what he got for his efforts. He looked at the end of the bench he was sitting on, and noticed another white jar. He picked it up and opened it to see what was in it. This jar contained a healing ointment as he put some on his shoulder. The burning feeling he was experiencing immediately went away as it cooled the area. He felt better with this on his wounds as he got up and wrapped a towel around his waist.

Sesshoumaru walked over to his mate as his hand caressed her cheek in a loving way. He needed to soak for a while in the hot springs as he stood straight up and looked in that direction. He was planning on moving the pillows with Kagome when he spotted some more large pillows near the spring just like the one she was laying on.

He picked her up and moved toward the spring as he laid her down making sure that she was comfortable. Once his mate was taken care of he removed his towel, he let it fall to the ground, and then got into the hot springs.

The water felt good on his body. The aches and pains that he was experiencing were going away as he relaxed in the water. He never took his eyes off Kagome as he watched her sleep. You could hear Sesshoumaru’s growls of contentment for having his mate with him. He only wished that she had recovered from his poison so they could enjoy each other’s company.

Sesshoumaru finally felt relaxed enough as he got out of the water and dried himself off. He spotted another white robe along with a white pair of hakama for him to wear. He put on his clothes and once he was dressed he picked Kagome up and went back to their room.

When he walked back into his room he noticed that the bed has been changed and everything was clean in the room. A deep and feral growl escaped his lips. He didn’t like someone coming into their chambers while he was busy with his mate. He sniffed the area but he couldn’t find anyone in the room. His inner Inu calmed when he figured out that the servants came in and cleaned the room while he was bathing his mate.

They left the bed turned down for him as he placed Kagome back in bed. He stood as he looked out the window and noticed that the sun was going down. It has been a long day and now it was almost over. Then he started to think, ‘I need to get Kagome some food. I know that she has not eaten since this morning and she is weak. Without food she might not be able to fight off my poisons. But I can’t leave her unprotected to go hunting. She needs to be protected while she is weak and I can’t take her with me. I risk getting attacked with her in my arms. The cold night air could do her some harm and she might get sick from it.’

He continued to ponder what to do when he started to pick up the smell of food. He followed his nose and opened his chamber door to find a table sitting there. On the table there with a tray that was placed there for him. He lifted the cover and noticed the cooked and raw meats, plus the fruits that have been given to him. He picked up the tray and brought it back into the room as he placed it on the side table.

Sesshoumaru picked Kagome up as he sat down and placed her in his lap. Once he was comfortable he reached over and got some of the cooked meat in his hand as he tried to wake his mate so she could eat. He rubbed his cheek against hers to wake her as he licked her neck. He felt her stir in his arms as he looked down to see if she would wake up.

Kagome head was spinning. She felt that someone was trying to wake her when she felt a gentle rub on her cheek. She moaned, her body hurt and she didn’t know why. She slowly opened her eyes and noticed that she couldn’t see anything. She heard a gentle purr and a deep baritone voice say, “Kagome, you must eat to get stronger.”

Kagome recognized Sesshoumaru’s voice as she felt something near her mouth. The scent of food was there and it smelled wonderful. She slowly parted her lips and felt when he put some meat inside her mouth. She chewed her food slowly as it went down her throat. That first bite of food sparked her hunger as she took the next offering that Sesshoumaru made to her.

She tried to move her hands so she could feed herself but found that she couldn’t, they were being held down at her side as Sesshoumaru continued to feed her. She didn’t understand why he was doing this but she didn’t care at the moment. She eagerly ate the food she was offered until she was full. Once she had her fill she rejected the last bit of food that he offered by turning her head away from it.

Her eyes never came into focus as she felt sleep trying to take her back to the realm of dreams. She turned her head toward Sesshoumaru’s shoulder as she was looking for some comfort from him. She felt his neck near by as she lifted her head up slightly and licked the under part of his chin. Then she softly said, “Thank you Sesshoumaru.” Kagome fell asleep after that as his warmth sent her into a peaceful sleep.

When Kagome licked the under part of his chin, Sesshoumaru was shocked. It was a sign of her acceptance of him being her alpha and his dominance over her. His heart leaped with joy as his beast calmed for the first time since the challenge.

He turned his attention to the food that was left. Now that his mates hunger has been satisfied, he was now free to eat. He ate everything that was left and when he was done he placed Kagome back on the bed as he took the tray back out and placed it on the table once again.

Satisfied that he took care of his mates needs, all he has to do now is wait until she recovered from his poison. He took off his robe and lay down next to her as he brought her into his arms and held her. He buried his nose into her hair as her sweet scent sent him off into a peaceful sleep.

The servants came back and retrieved the tray from the table. They were happy to see that the food was gone, it meant that the young miko has eaten and so has the young master. If his mate did not eat any of the food, it would still be there, Sesshoumaru would not eat worrying about his mate.

They sent a messenger to the castle to report their progress. The lord wanted to be kept informed of what was happening with his son and mate. He was worried that the poison might prove too much for the young miko and they were ready with the antidote for Sesshoumaru’s poison in case she needed it.

The servants retired for the night as they all slept well. The young master has his mate and soon they would be mated. That only meant that there will be the sounds of little feet in the castle again as a new pup would be born from their union.

---oOo---

In the castle Lord Inutaisho was having his own problem with his mate. Ayashiko could feel the pain that her pups were in. Not only could she feel Sesshoumaru’s pain but she could also feel the pain of his little one.

He too could feel the distress that their pups were in but he could not let his mate go to them. To let her leave his side now, could mean her death, his son didn’t know what he was doing when he is involved protecting a weak mate.

Ayashiko escaped from him once, her maternal instincts kicking in when she heard the frightened call of her pup. He raced after her and caught her about half way to the house that they built for their son. He grabbed her from behind as she was struggling to get free.

He had to subdue her, he reached up and pressed the nerve on the back of her neck, while she fell limp against his chest. He whined his apologies to her as he picked her up and walked back into the castle.

Inutaisho went up to his room as he placed his mate in their bed. He had no choice, as he said his spell and put her into a deep sleep. He will have to keep her asleep until their pups recovered or else she would try to see them.

He could tell that they were both asleep now. There was no pain only a peaceful feeling of contentment coming from the both of them. ‘Kagome must have gotten over the fever from Sesshoumaru’s poison and is now resting. That’s why Sesshoumaru feels so content at the moment.’ Inutaisho thought as he lay down next to his mate.

If his pups were better in the morning then he would release his mate from his spell and stay with her until he was sure that she will not go after them. He knew that this will be hard on her and he wondered what she will do when their youngest finally took a mate. He was not looking forward to that day as he finally fell asleep with his mate held tightly in his arms.

---oOo---

Kagome slowly started to wake up from her sleep. She felt the cool night air bite at her skin that was still in the room. She was cold as she snuggled closer into the body that was lying next to her. She took a deep breath and caught the scent of the forest right after the rain with a hint of pine. She recognized it as Sesshoumaru's scent as she slowly opened her eyes.

Her eyes were blurred in the beginning. She remembered that last night her eyesight would not come into focus. When they finally did she saw a bare chest as she looked up. She saw Sesshoumaru asleep next to her and his arms were wrapped tightly around her waist.

Her head started to spin as she closed her eyes once more trying to get her body under control. Her stomach was acting up and she didn’t feel well. She tried to move away from Sesshoumaru in case she needed to go and relieve herself in a hurry. But when she moved away from him his arms tighten around her body moving her closer to his chest.

Any other time Kagome would be happy to be held like this, but at the moment whatever was wrong with her, was starting to protest very loudly, and she needed relief. She pushed as hard as she could against Sesshoumaru’s chest to get out of his hold, and that’s when Sesshoumaru woke up.

Sesshoumaru felt when his mate had awakened. She was moving as he held on to her even tighter. He didn’t want her to leave their shared bed. But when she pushed harder against his chest his beast came forth and growled at her for trying to leave.

Sesshoumaru’s eyes were blood red with anger because he thought that she was trying to get away from him. He growled even louder as he barred his fangs to her the more she struggled.

Kagome didn’t know what to do, she needed to go relieve herself and he wouldn’t let her go. “Please Sesshoumaru let me go. I have to go and…” Kagome never finished her sentence, because whatever she had in her stomach was starting to come up. She used her Reiyouku and blasted Sesshoumaru out of their bed. He was slammed against the wall as he slid to the floor from the impact.

Kagome, having been released, jumped out of bed and was out the window in a flash, as she raced into the forest. She stopped at the very first tree she saw as she doubled over and proceeded to relieve herself.

The strange part about this was that it was not the food that she had eaten the night before that made her sick. It was something black that was coming out of her mouth as she got rid of the offending thing from her stomach. She felt a strong arm come around her waist as she continued to empty the contents of her stomach.

---oOo---

Sesshoumaru was pissed that his mate has gotten away from him. He got up from the floor and shook his head to clear it. His eyes were blood red as he roared his anger into the sky and raced after his mate. He jumped out the window and followed her into the forest.

He spotted her not too far away as she was getting sick against a tree. ‘She was sick, that’s why she wanted to leave me this morning.’ Sesshoumaru thought as he approached his mate.

His beast whined for having thought that she had rejected them as a mate when all she wanted to do was go and relieve herself of what was making her sick.

Sesshoumaru notice that what was making her sick was something black coming out of her mouth. It looked like something had been burned to ashes and that’s what she was getting rid from her body.

If he had to guess what this stuff was he would guess that it was the poison he had injected into her body. Her body somehow had turned his poison to this black ash.

He wrapped his arm around her waist as he held her hair away from her face. Soon Kagome stopped and she was breathing hard. She sat back as she was cradled in Sesshoumaru’s arms and chest.

Kagome was feeling better now that she had gotten rid of that stuff from her stomach. She had no idea what it was but it was making her really sick. She closed her eyes once she was done and leaned back. She felt the tightening of arms around her as she leaned against a soft chest.

Once she felt that her stomach settled she opened her eyes and said, “I’m sorry Sesshoumaru. I tried to tell you that I was about to be sick but it was too late.” She turned in his arms as she looked at him. She spotted the burn mark on his right shoulder as her eyes widen in shock. Her eyes started to water, when she saw the extent of the damage done to his shoulder, then she remembered their battle, as she asked, “Oh Kami, Sesshoumaru, did I do this to you?”

Sesshoumaru looked down at the spot that she was looking at as he said, “It’s nothing, this happened yesterday during our battle.” He picked up the scent of salt water as he looked at his mate and noticed that she was crying. He became concerned as he asked, “Kagome do you still feel sick? Are you in pain?”

Tears were coming from Kagome’s eyes when she saw what she did to him. She never meant to hurt him like this. The skin on his shoulder was raw and it was blistered from where she channeled her Reiyouku through his right shoulder to blast him away from her.

She raised her hand up as she said, “I’m sorry Sesshoumaru. I didn’t mean to hurt you like this.” She then placed her hand on his wound as she called forth her healing powers and healed all of his injuries.

Sesshoumaru felt Kagome’s powers gently caressing his skin as it healed his body of all the wounds he possessed. His shoulder immediately felt better by the time she was done. He looked down to see that she had healed his shoulder. He looked at his mate and noticed that she was still crying as he pulled her into his arms and said, “Thank you for healing my wounds Koiishi. It’s not your fault in what happened yesterday. It was a battle that had to be fought and I would fight it again if I had to.”

Kagome looked up as she looked into his eyes. She saw the truth behind his words as she felt when he picked her up in his arms and went to the nearest spring.

Sesshoumaru put Kagome down on a rock and allowed her to rinse her mouth out. He knew that what ever came out of her stomach had to taste bad.

Kagome was happy to have the chance to rinse her mouth out. Her throat was dry and it felt like she had ash in her mouth. Once she finished rinsing her mouth out, to get rid of that taste, she felt herself being picked up as Sesshoumaru headed back to their bedchambers.

Sesshoumaru was making his way back to their room as he cradled Kagome against his chest. He leaped through the window as he laid her in bed and looked at her. She was still pale from yesterday but other than that she seemed to be recovering from his poison.

He put his hand on her forehead checking to see if she still had a fever. There was no sign of a fever and for this he was grateful. He moved her head to the side as he pulled back on her robe to look at her mark. It was no longer red or blistered from where his poison entered her body. He licked her neck and was rewarded with a sweet mewl from his mate.

Kagome was lost to the feelings that Sesshoumaru was invoking in her body when he licked her neck. The books she read didn’t mention this part at all and she was at a lost for what to do, so she just enjoyed the attention she was getting until he decided that he didn’t want her any more.

Sesshoumaru pulled away from his mate to be as he looked into her eyes. They were glazed over in a haze of passion that he ignited. He leaned down and rubbed his cheek against hers as he asked, “How do you feel, mate?”

Kagome looked into his eyes as she said, “I feel a little weak. My body is sore from yesterday’s battle but other than that I feel fine.”

Kagome looked down and noticed for the first time that she was not in her original clothes as she asked, “Um… Sesshoumaru… where did my clothes go?”

Sesshoumaru looked at his mate as he responded, “You were running a high fever last night. I took off your clothes and put you into a tub of cool water and that helped bring your fever down. Then I bathed and clothed you in the robe you now wear.”

Sesshoumaru was looking closely at his mate while he spoke. He noticed the bright red blush that over came her features when he said that he undressed her in order to place her in a cool bath.

Kagome didn’t know what to think. She was shocked, horrified, and embarrassed that he taken her clothes off in order to bathe her. But then she felt gratitude towards him for taking care of her when she was sick. Her embarrassment left as she said, “Though I’m not happy to find out that you took my clothes off, I am grateful that you took care of me when I was sick. Thank you.”

Sesshomaru couldn’t help himself, he has been wanting to taste those sweet lips for a long while now. He lowered his head and kissed his beautiful mate.

At first Kagome was shocked, she has never been kissed before and for the life of her she couldn’t remember what she needed to do. She finally relaxed into his arms as he deepened the kiss and licked the lower part of her lip asking for permission to be let in.

Kagome was still stunned when Sesshoumaru started to kiss her. It was soft and gentle at first. Then she felt his tongue going over her bottom lip and then across the split between them as she parted them.

Kagome thought that she had died and gone to heaven. Sesshoumaru deepened his kiss as his tongue was exploring her mouth. She has only read about these things as she started to remember some of it and started to respond back to him.

Shyly at first and then with more confidence, she rubbed her tongue against his. She heard a low growl come from Sesshoumaru as it vibrated through his chest. She got a little bolder as she slipped her tongue into his mouth and accidentally scraped it against his sharp fangs.

Sesshoumaru was enjoying his kiss with Kagome. She was responding back to him so beautifully. Then he tasted blood in his mouth, she had cut her tongue against his fang, and it tasted wonderful. He suckled on her tongue for a second until he healed her wound.

When they finally broke apart they were both panting from lack of air. He wanted her, oh how he wanted her but he knew he has to take it easy at first. She still has to accept his courting gift and he was not about to be rejected. He leaned down and said in her ear, “Mate, I have a gift for you.”

Kagome was surprised to hear this. She didn’t know what he got her. Her curiosity was peaked as she saw him reach over to a low table that was next to the futon. He grabbed a box that was sitting there as he helped her to sit before he opened it. She gasped when she saw the beautiful necklace that he had for her.

Sesshoumaru picked up the scent of excitement coming from his mate along with her curiosity. His mother told him that she has never been given nice things when she was growing up.

Ayashiko told him what happened the first night that Kagome joined them for dinner. That beautiful kimono, that Kagome was wearing, was the first set of really nice clothes she ever wore. His mother said that Kagome cried then, but he was hoping that she would just accept his gift.

He took a deep breath as he pulled out the necklace that he had commissioned for her. It was a black leather choker. It was adorned with white stones that mimicked the stars. There were blue stones going all along the length of the choker. The blue stones were the hardest to find. He had to go to the most northern part of the lands to find them. There was a youkai there that had the most exquisite stones around. There he found the blue stones that adorn her choker. They were made like the crescent moon he had on his forehead.

So when you looked at the choker you would see the clear white stones scattered around the necklace and the blue stones were the crescent moons that ran its length. In the middle of the choker was one of his fangs. He had given up his fang in order to have the choker done. It will protect her from harm and the choker once placed could not be removed by anyone except for himself.

His mother wore a choker similar to Kagome’s except hers had green stones in it. He presented his gift to his mate as he said, “Will you do me the honor of wearing this as a sign of my love and devotion to you. It will show all those who look upon you that you belong to me, my mate, my love, for all eternity.”

Kagome has never seen anything so beautiful in all her life. She noticed the stones that were in the necklace were, in actuality, diamonds and knew the value of what he held in his hands. The blue diamonds alone were priceless because you couldn’t find them anywhere.

Her hand came up to touch the necklace as she lowered it and put it back in her lap. She looked away from the gift as tears formed in her eyes. ‘How can I accept such a priceless gift? I’m not worthy enough to wear something like that.’

Sesshoumaru saw her reaction and became alarmed. He didn’t know why she pulled away from the necklace. He had seen the surprise look in her eyes when she saw it, she almost touched it.

Alarmed by her reaction, thinking she didn’t like his mating gift, he quickly asked, “Kagome, don’t you like the gift I got for you?”

Kagome shook her head as she replied, “No Sesshoumaru it’s not that. I think your gift is exquisite.”

Still confused about why she has rejected his gift he asked, “If you like it will you accept my gift and wear it?”

Kagome didn’t know how to tell him this. But he had to know how she felt about his gift. “Sesshoumaru your gift is the most exquisite necklace I have ever seen. But I cannot accept it. That necklace is very expensive the blue diamonds in it alone are worth a fortune. I’m not worthy enough to accept such a gift and wear it.”

Sesshoumaru now understood what her problem was. He took his clawed finger and hooked it under her chin as he raised her head so she could look at him. He stared into those beautiful blue eyes of hers as he said, “It is the necklace that is not worthy to adorn your lovely neck my mate. The necklace does not do you justice as your beauty out shines what I have given you. Please accept my gift. I do not know what diamonds are, but these were the bluest stones that I could find to match your lovely eyes.

The necklace is a tradition within my clan, that we adorn our females as such, once placed it can only be removed by none other than myself. It will protect you when I’m not there because my fang will always be with you.”

Tears started to come out of Kagome’s eyes as she looked into his eyes. She saw the love that he held for her as he pleaded with her to accept his gift. She has seen something like this on his mother’s neck and knew that what he was saying was true. If she accepted him as her mate then his gift will adorn her neck for all eternity to prove that she was his.

She took a deep breath as she said, “Very well Sesshoumaru I will wear your gift upon my neck. But if you fail to win my heart then the necklace will be removed and you have no claim on me.”

Sesshoumaru was not happy about what she said to him. He will still have her as his mate no matter what, but he knew that he wanted a true bond with her, so he had to win her heart. He agreed to her request knowing that he will never be removing the necklace.

He took the necklace as Kagome moved her hair out of the way so he could clasp it in place. When he was done, he pulled away and looked at the necklace. She was absolutely beautiful.

He was right the necklace did not do her any justice. But it sparkled beautifully around her neck. His fang was hanging right in the middle of the necklace as a red aura encircled the fang.

The moment he put the necklace around her neck it caused the spell that was in his fang to activate, protecting her against anyone who wanted to do her harm. “Beautiful,” was the word that he let escape his lips as he continued to stare at her.

The necklace was more than just protection for her. He will have to find a way to activate the other spell that was woven into the choker. It was part of the mating ritual where he would subdue her powers so they could get to know each other. It provided him with the opportunity to show her that he could protect her from everything, showing her that he was powerful enough to be her mate.

If she could break the spell that subdued her powers, then he knew that he will never be her mate. If he couldn’t subdue her powers then he couldn’t subdue her because she was more powerful than him. He will then remove the necklace and the mating would be called off, acknowledging that he could never have her as his mate.

His nose picked up the scent of food, the servants have left the morning meal by the door for them to eat. He walked over to the door as he opened it and picked up the tray that was sitting on the table and brought it into the room.

Kagome was curious to see what Sesshoumaru was doing. After hearing his declaration of her beauty she blushed a bright red. She never thought of herself as beautiful, she still couldn’t understand why he picked her to be his mate, since he hated ningens so much. But she promised both her mothers that she would give the male that subdued her a chance to prove his love.

Kagome knew that she loved Sesshoumaru. She came to that realization before the tournament started. But not being experienced with males made it hard for her to understand why he wanted her. She would have to see where all this will go and see if she could figure out what her heart wanted.

She had taken a chance and opened her heart to two people that she grew to love, since her arrival here at the castle. She thought that she was going to be taken away from them at first, only to find out that it was their son that won the battle to dominate her. She now knew that she will not be separated from them and this made her happy. But can Sesshoumaru love her the way she wanted to be loved and accepted? Now that was a question that she has to ponder for a while.

Kagome turned her head when she saw Sesshoumaru coming back into the room with a tray in his hands. She watched with curiosity as he placed it on the table next to the bed. She gave a small shriek when he picked her up in his arms and placed her in his lap.

She was surprised by his actions, and she was inquisitive about what he was doing, as she saw him reach over and bring food to her mouth. She tried to move her hands up to take the food from him, but found that her arms were pinned to the side of her body, just like last night, as she asked, “Sesshoumaru why are you holding my arms down? I can feed myself. Please release me.”

Sesshoumaru sighed when he heard his mate. Her anger was starting to grow because he would not release her arms while she was struggling to get free. He purred to calm her, her struggles lessened as she relaxed into his arms and he said, “Kagome, you still have not recovered from my poison. Your motor skills are not fully recovered and you will not be able to feed yourself. So please relax and allow me to take care of you until you have recovered from it.”

Of course that was not the only reason he was feeding her. Having her accept food only from him meant that he will be the only one to provide for her. It was instincts that led him to do this because he was showing his dominance over her. But she didn’t have to know that at the moment. His poison has left her weak and she really couldn’t feed herself as of yet.

Kagome, however, missed the look in Sesshoumaru’s eyes as she was thinking about something else that he said. ‘Poison! What poison is he talking about? Did he put poison into my body when he bit me?’ Kagome was shocked to hear that she was poisoned. But what really got her upset was that it was Sesshoumaru that poisoned her in the first place. “You mean to tell me that you poisoned me when you bit my shoulder yesterday! Why you! Let go of me right now! How dare you poison me wh…”

Sesshoumaru had enough of Kagome’s temper as he captured her lips in a heated kiss. She was struggling in his arms as he deepened it some more until she stilled in his arms. She responded back to him and when he was sure that she was calmed he released her lips as he said, “Kagome, my love, I had to give you a small amount of my poison in order for your body to establish an immunity against it. Because I come from a line of poison welding youkai you must become immune to my poison.

My poison is one of the most powerful poisons in the lands and once your body is immune to it you will become immune to most of the poisons known to be in existence. It is a protection for you. So please calm yourself my mate, your body has already accepted my poison and is building up immunity, it’s only a matter of time before your back to normal.”

Kagome guessed she couldn’t be mad at him for doing this to her but he could at least warned her about what he was going to do. “You should have at least told me, that way I would have known what you were doing and maybe I wouldn’t be so upset.”

Sesshoumaru chuckled as he said, “Koiishi, you wouldn’t listen to me yesterday when I told you to calm down. You still wanted to fight me even when you lost the battle and I had you pinned to the ground. I would have told you but you weren’t interested in listening.”

Kagome blushed, he did have a point, she didn’t want to listen to anything, all she wanted to do was get away from him so they wouldn’t be here right now. She sighed, her life just got a little more complicated and now she has to deal with something new.

Kagome huffed as she tried to sit up on her own. She found that when she tried to sit up that she couldn’t do it. She thought that Sesshoumaru was restraining her as she looked down and noticed that he was no longer holding on to her. She didn’t understand why she couldn’t move. She furrowed her eyebrows together as she asked, “Why can’t I move? I ran out the window this morning with no problem so why can’t I move now?”

Sesshoumaru smiled as he buried his nose in her hair and said, “You have used up what little strength you have recovered by running outside. Now you’re weak again, until your body gathers its energy. Please allow me to feed you so you can get stronger.”

Sesshoumaru offered her some food as he saw Kagome sigh in defeat. She opened her mouth as he put the food inside it, he watched her chew her food and then swallow. He continued to feed her when Kagome noticed that he was not eating. She swallowed as she asked, “Sesshoumaru, are you going to eat?”

Sesshoumaru looked at his mate as he said with a serious tone to his voice, “I will eat once you have your fill. You come first and it’s my responsibility to make sure that you are well provided for. As your alpha, your mate, I must provide for your well-being. I will always make sure that you have enough food, clothes, and shelter. I want you healthy and happy nothing else matters to me at the moment.”

Kagome was shocked to hear this. He was providing her with food and taking care of her when she was weak. She has never seen this side of Sesshoumaru before. He was never open with his emotions, and she found that she liked this side of him. It was weird to see this but in a way it felt so right. She has seen this with his parents.

Lord Inutaisho was very affectionate with his mate. She had seen them together when they thought that no one was around. He was always touching her or holding her in his arms, never wanting to let go. His tail would always be wrapped around her body to keep Ayashiko safe and warm.

‘Is this what is like to be taken care of by the person that you love? The feeling of contentment and safety in the arms of the man or youkai that will love you for all eternity, I feel so at peace being in Sesshoumaru’s arms. Like this is the place I am supposed to be in and that we are meant to be together. Could he be the reason why I was sent back here from the future? Are we meant to be together?’ Kagome continue to ponder this and many more questions that were in her mind, as she continued to eat the food that Sesshoumaru offered to her.

When she had her fill she laid her head on his shoulder and relaxed. She found that she liked being held by him. It gave her a strange feeling inside her body. But she had many questions that could not be answered by books.

Kagome started to feel her body gaining strength as she watched Sesshoumaru finish the last of their morning meal. Once he was done she looked up into his eyes and asked, “Sesshoumaru, do you think that we can go outside for a little while? I hate being confined indoors. I prefer to be outside in the sun.”

Sesshoumaru thought about her request as he turned to her and said, “Yes, we can go outside for a while but you must remain by my side at all times. You can not leave my side or my inner Inu will take it as a rejection on your part.”

Now Kagome was stumped she has no idea what he was talking about as he referred to his inner Inu. ‘Have I met this inner Inu before? Kami my mind must be going, I have no idea if I ever meet his inner Inu.’ Kagome thought with confusion. She knew she was going to sound stupid for asking, but she had to find out, “Inner Inu? Who is that Sesshoumaru? Have I met him before?”

Sesshoumaru looked at his mate in disbelief as he said, “Kagome do you not remember the beast that took you to get the black moon flower when father was ill?”

Kagome thought back as she remembered the giant Inu with the cute ears. ‘Kami how can I forget that beautiful creature, but it was during a time that was very traumatic for me and I tend to block out memories that are painful. But at least my Otou-san is safe.’ She smiled as she said, “Oh yes, I remember now, the giant Inu with the really cute ears.”

Sesshoumaru blushed as his beast growled with pride because she liked his ears. Sesshoumaru cleared his throat as he said, “Well that giant Inu is my inner beast. He is very much a part of this Sesshoumaru. He lives within and sometimes breaks free when he thinks that you are in danger or is angered. When we mate it will be a mating between the three of us, he has already accepted you as his mate as well as I.”

Kagome accepted his condition of staying by his side if they were to go outside for a little while. She just needed to get out of this place. She never liked being confined inside and never would. Sesshoumaru sat her on the bed as he went over to the closet and got some clothes for her to wear. When he turned around, he held in his arms, the most beautiful kimono she has ever seen.

It was a white and pink kimono. The kimono was pink and it had a picture of a beautiful white Inu on it that went around the bottom of the kimono as his head came to rest where her hip will be. It has a beautiful white inner juban that went underneath the kimono and a white obi. Unlike her other clothes this one did not have a hakama that she could wear with it. She noticed that the kimono was long and that it had two slits, one on each side of her leg. It appeared that the slits would go up to her knees.

Kagome was still very weak as she tried to move to get dress. She couldn’t do it on her own so Sesshoumaru decided to help her get dressed. He moved over to her side as he started to undo the sash that held her robe together.

When Kagome saw what he was doing she turned a bright red. Her blush started at her cheekbone and then went down her neck to the upper portions of her chest. She grabbed his hands as she asked, “Sesshoumaru what are you doing?”

Sesshoumaru looked at her with a raised eyebrow as he said, “I’m helping you get dressed. You are still too weak to do it on your own, so I will dress you before I get dressed.”

Kagome didn’t know what to do. She sighed as she released his hands to allow him to continue to help her. After all he has already seen her in all her glory and there was nothing to be modest about at this point in time.

Sesshoumaru smiled inwardly, he saw his mate give up her protest as he was allowed to remove her clothing. Once he got the sash undone he stood her up on her feet, he leaned her against his body as he removed the robe and let it fall to the floor. He sat her back down as he got her undergarments. With her help he was able to bind her chest with the material that was used by the females of this era. He had something similar to a loincloth that was for a female as he helped her into it.

By this time Sesshoumaru noticed how her skin was as red as her face. Her blush went all the way down her body. He could hear her heartbeat racing as he caught the slight hint of arousal coming from her. ‘So she does hold some feelings for me when I touch her. Now this is interesting. I wonder if she would be willing to bathe with me later tonight?’ Sesshoumaru pondered as he continued with his task.

He put on some soft white socks on her small and delicate little feet as he stood her up once again. He turned her around so that her back was against his chest as he picked up the juban and had her raise her arms up so that he could put it on her and wrap it securely around her waist. Then he put on the outer layer of the kimono and the obi. When he was done he turned her around as he looked at her clothes. The clothes were perfect and she looked beautiful dressed in them.

Kagome thought that her blush was going to be a permanent part of her features, as Sesshoumaru continued to dress her. He was so gentle with her and every time he touched her skin it set her on fire, if felt like an electric bolt full of desire would run down her back. She found that she was getting very wet down below and she was amazed that she was disappointed when he was finally done dressing her.

She looked at the kimono that Sesshoumaru dressed her in and she was amazed at its beauty. The white Inu on her kimono was sitting down on the ground. His tail started on the right side of her kimono as it went around to the other side where its body was located. He was looking up at her and the beautiful golden eyes that the Inu has reminded her of Sesshoumaru’s eyes. Her hand passed over the Inu’s head as she looked up at Sesshoumaru. He had sat her down on their futon as he went to get dressed.

Sesshoumaru smiled when he saw his mate passing her hand over the Inu on her kimono. He had the kimono made for her and the Inu on the kimono was him in his true form. He could tell that she was fascinated with the Inu as he sat her down on the futon, and then walked over to his closet to get some clothes.

Once Sesshoumaru found the clothes that he was looking for he pulled it out and laid them over the door. He untied his hakama as he let it fall to the ground. Sesshoumaru’s tail was fully relaxed and on the floor, as he stepped out of his hakama and bent down to pick up his clothes.

He quickly looked at Kagome from the corner of his eye as she was looking at him intently. He could see her eyes roaming all over his body as she looked at what he had to offer.

An evil gleam came to Sesshoumaru’s eyes as he had a thought. He turned just slightly to give her a better view. He heard her suck in air as he caught Kagome off guard. He slowly picked up his loincloth and made an exhibition of putting it on.

Sesshoumaru made sure to show her everything as he was getting hard just thinking about what he was doing. If he didn’t get his hakama on, and soon, he will not be able to until he went and relieved himself, as he quickly got dressed.

He was not dressed in his normal everyday clothes. These clothes represented that he was a male that was courting a beautiful female. He tied his favorite sash around his waist as he put his swords into the sash and he was done.

Sesshoumaru turned to find his mate even redder than before. He was wondering what she was thinking about that got her to blush so furiously and her arousal to peek as a smirk came to his lips.

---oOo---

Kagome watched as Sesshoumaru walked away from her. He moved with such grace that she wished she could be that graceful. She saw him reach into his closet and pull out his clothes. Then she saw him start to undress in front of her, as her blush became more powerful.

She couldn’t believe that he was undressing in front of her like that. But when she saw his lean and muscular body she couldn’t help but stare. His clothes did not do him justice. He had a god like body. His skin was pale but it looked so soft. She saw the length of his manhood and blushed even more. She had no idea that he was so well endowed. But what she couldn’t take her eyes off of was his markings.

They fascinated her as she traced each line with her eyes to see where they went to. The ones on his wrist went up to his elbows. There were two of them and they seemed to curl around his forearms once they got there.

The next set of markings that caught her eyes was the ones on his ankles. There were two sets of stripes that started at his ankles and curled around his muscular leg until they stopped just behind his knees.

But the ones she really wanted to touch were the ones on his hips. Those were the best in her opinion. They started on his hips but then they disappeared under his hair and she couldn’t really see where they went. Now she was curious. She would have to find out where they went to and if they felt as soft as they looked.

Kagome’s whole body blushed with what she was thinking about. She didn’t even know where that thought came from as she finally looked away so she could get herself under control. She could feel the dampness between her legs and wondered, ‘Why am I getting all hot and bothered over Sesshoumaru’s naked body? It’s not like I haven’t seen naked pictures of men before but he has the most perfect body I have ever seen.’

Kagome didn’t know what to do as she continued to sit there trying to get herself under control, so she could control her blush. She felt herself being picked up as she looked up to find that Sesshoumaru had her cradled against his chest as he wrapped his tail around her body to keep her warm. He took her through the bathing chambers as he walked out the door to the back gardens.

When Kagome saw the gardens she felt like she was in heaven. Even now in the fall the roses in the garden were blooming fully. The fragrance they gave off was wonderful as she looked at all of the different colors that filled the area. It was the most beautiful garden she has ever seen and she had to remember to come back here in the near future.

Sesshoumaru continued to walk as he came upon a sakura tree and sat down under it with Kagome securely in his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist as he leaned her body into his and started a low growl like purr to make her relax.

Kagome felt Sesshoumaru chest vibrated. It was a soothing feeling as she relaxed into his hold. They sat there in silence as Sesshoumaru was stroking her back in a soothing fashion.

Kagome was still deep in thought and she had to ask her questions before this went on any further. If she didn’t get the answers she wanted to hear then there will be no them in their future.

She took a deep breath as she asked, “Sesshoumaru I have some questions that need to be answered. Why do you want me as a mate? If I remember correctly you called me a worthless ningen, not worthy to be in your mother’s presence, and you also called me a wench and whore for protecting your brother. You obviously hate ningens and I’m ningen so why did you even fight for the right to be my mate?”

Sesshoumaru was not at all shocked by her question. He expected that he will have to answer for his past verbal abuse of her person. He took a deep breath as he tried to explain why he has chosen her as a mate. “Kagome, I know that I have given you the impression that I hate ningens but in actuality I don’t. I have a great dislike for some of them but not all of them. You have taught me over the months that not all ningens are the same.

“There are some ningens that pride themselves with their honor and take their duties as seriously as we youkai do. This fact came into play when we stayed at the slayer village. Sango’s village took it upon themselves to protect us during the night. I have never seen such dedication before in ningens; it almost mimics that of youkai society.

“Too many times I have watched as ningens hurt lower class youkais while they never hurt anyone. The youkai will come too close to the ningen village and they will attack for no other reason, than they were youkai.

“I have seen them hurt their own kind before and never cared that the ones they were hurting were mothers or pups.

“You have opened my eyes to the fact that I can’t judge a race by just the actions of a few. Yes, at first I thought that you were a weak ningen onna that came to the palace to beg my mother for assistance. It is not unusual that the ningens come here to beg, but some won’t even help themselves.

“You were the first one to ever come here and hide your powers. Most would have shown us just how powerful they were, to make themselves look important, but you hid yours. That’s why, at first, I thought that you were a weak ningen.

“Your scent is different from the rest of the ningens that I have dealings with. You don’t smell of sweat, death, and urine that are common to most ningens because they don’t bathe as often as they should. For us scent is everything and we judge based on it.”

Kagome listened to what he was saying but he was still avoiding the issue, he has yet to tell her why he wanted her as a mate. But as she thought about what he has said so far one thing was very clear to her. He wasn’t been interested in her until she showed him just how powerful she was.

“So what you are telling me is that because I let you see my powers and you saw how strong I was, that’s when you desired me for a mate?” Kagome strained to keep her voice even and devoid of her upset for what she was thinking. ‘He only wants me as a mate because I’m strong and will provide him with a strong heir. He doesn’t care about me?’

Sesshoumaru thought about her question as he said, “Yes, once I found out how strong you were I found that you would make a worthy mate.”

Kagome’s anger grew ten fold as she jumped out of his lap and stared at him right in the eyes. Her eyes were changing colors so fast that Sesshoumaru didn’t know what color they were going to be next. He felt her aura spike and he knew right then, that he said something wrong, as he quickly stood and faced his mate.

Kagome was angry about his response. It was exactly what she thought, he never wanted her for who she was, he wanted her because of the powers she holds. It was like her life was repeating itself again, where everyone would take advantage of her. Well no more, no longer will she be controlled. If he did not desire her then there will be no mating. She wanted someone that will love her for who she is, not for her powers.

She turned her heated eyes toward Sesshoumaru as she said in a deadly voice, “So you desire this ningen onna for her powers do you? If that is all you desire then you will never get your wish, because I will not submit to anyone who wants to use me as such. I’m tired of being used because of the gifts and powers I hold. Go find yourself another female that is willing to be your little play thing Sesshoumaru. I refuse to be used in that manner.”

She turned to leave, when she was blocked by none other than Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru moved with speed as he prevented Kagome from leaving the gardens. His own anger peaked as he heard her words. He remembered that he never got her submission and now he will have to fight her again. But he knew that she will not submit so easily. She was a fighter and wanted nothing more than someone to love her.

He growled as he said, “Bitch! You never let me finish what I was saying. You will submit to me here and now and become my mate for all eternity.”

Kagome had enough she didn’t want to hear anymore of his lies. He wanted only one thing and she was not willing to give it to him. Her aura flared around her body to protect herself as she tried to leave again. She felt that she has not recovered from her ordeal and she couldn’t fully fight him, but she was not going to submit to him either. She would rather die first.

She put a barrier around her body as she held Sesshoumaru off. She bent down and reached between her legs as she grabbed the back of her kimono and brought the loose cloth forward between her legs. She pulled the material up and then tucked it in her obi. Now she was free to move about on her own without being hindered by her clothes. This is why she liked to wear hakama. She could fight at a moments notice and move with ease.

Kagome felt Sesshoumaru’s anger grow ten fold as he was attacking her barrier. She couldn’t keep it up for long as she felt her powers draining away from her. She saw as Sesshoumaru removed his sword and attacked.

Kagome’s anger was fanned anew as she yelled, “Jenjou! Come to me!” Kagome’s right hand began to glow white as her sword materialized in her hand. She brought it forward as she took a defensive stance against him. Her eyes started to turn red from her anger as her barrier finally fell and Sesshoumaru attacked.

---oOo---

Sesshoumaru couldn’t believe this. They were getting along so well and now he was back to fighting her. She wouldn’t listen to what he has to say and believed that he wanted her only for her powers. But that was far from the truth, he has come to love her but she was too stubborn to listen. He will have to subdue her in order to show her his feelings.

He attacked her barrier with his claws. It was still strong even though she was weak from their battle. He needed to reach her as soon as possible so he took out his sword and attacked. It took only three strikes of his sword before he brought her barrier down as he moved in to attack.

His sword clashed with hers as they battled each other for dominance. He was careful in what he did. He didn’t want to hurt her in any way. She was still too weak but not as weak as he first thought. She was holding her own against him as they continued to battle.

Their swords continued to clash in the morning air. The servants, having heard the sound of clashing swords, went outside to see what was going on. They were surprised to see their young master and the miko going at it so soon. They thought that the young master would have waited until after the miko recovered from her ordeal, but they were wrong.

They watched from within the house, not wishing to be caught outside watching the battle, to see who would win the fight. They knew that the lord of the lands felt their pups battling again and soon will be over here to see what was going on.

Kagome was growing weaker by the minute. She needed to end this fight so she could leave this place. She attacked again when her sword was knocked out of her hand and it landed behind her. She turned to go retrieve it when she was hit from behind and pinned to the ground. She felt teeth on the back of her neck as she went still in Sesshoumaru’s grasp.

Sesshoumaru saw his chance, he tackled her from behind as he pinned her to the ground with his body. His teeth grew in size as he grabbed her by the back of her neck. He growled deep and menacing as he felt her go still under him. ‘Good I have her attention now.’ Sesshoumaru thought as he growled, “Submit to me bitch!”

Kagome struggled to get free, but when she moved, he bit down harder on her neck. Tears were now coming out of her eyes, as she said, “No!”

Sesshoumaru shifted his body more as he flared his aura around her. It covered her completely making her submit to his power. He was also feeding his youki into her necklace as he set up the spell to subdue her powers. He continued to feed his power into the necklace, as it was getting even stronger.

Kagome could hardly breathe. His aura was so powerful that she felt like she was being suffocated. His power surrounded her body and she couldn’t push him away from her. He was powerful, more powerful than she thought he would be. The pressure on her neck increased as she whimpered in pain.

Sesshoumaru knew that he would have to make her submit soon, it would come down to hurting her or risk losing her forever. He didn’t want to hurt her nor did he wish to lose her, as he growled, “My bitch, my mate, submit to me. Let me love you in the only way I know how. Let me into your heart and allow me to love you for who you are. I don’t care about your powers, I care about you as a person, my love, my mate.”

Kagome heard his words as she thought, ‘Could he really love me for who I am? He doesn’t really care about my powers?’ Kagome was struggling with her inner self as she heard the gentle voice of Midoriko say, “My Musume, believe in his words and you will have a happy life. Allow him to love you. Think about this Kagome, he could never show you his true desires because it was forbidden. Now he is free to show you how he really feels and you are fighting him. Submit to him and allow him to show you that he really does love you.’

Kagome closed her eyes as she relaxed completely in Sesshoumaru’s hold. The pressure on the back of her neck started to leave. She heard him growl as she softly said, “No more please, I…I sub…submit to you.”

Sesshoumaru was relieved that she has finally submitted to him. His aura flared even more as he wrapped it around her body to soothe her, thus sealing the spell to her necklace in order to subdue her powers. She was crying as he got off her and encircled his arm around her unresisting body. He pulled her form toward his chest as he sat up with her in his arms.

He placed her in his lap as he wrapped his arms around her body and his tail. He encircled her with his aura and his love as she finally stopped crying. He was growling in a special way that would sooth a distressed mate as she finally settled down. Kagome turned in his arms as she hugged his body closer to hers and whimpered. She nuzzled him against his chin seeking comfort from him.

Sesshoumaru responded in kind as he bit her ear in response. It was his way of saying that she was forgiven for challenging him. She settled down in his arms as she completely relaxed. She felt safe for the first time in her life and there was something else there too. From deep within Kagome’s heart a new feeling stirred that she has never felt before. It was a feeling that reached out to Sesshoumaru as it gently caressed his aura and accepted it.

Sesshoumaru felt her power rise again but it was different this time. It was not meant to harm him but to accept him as her mate. He felt her power encircle his body as his did the same to her. They came together as the white and gold auras mixed to form one.

During this time the fang around Kagome’s neck started to glow. His spell was now set to suppress her powers until the mating ritual was over. The fang gave him control over her. She will have to break his spell in order to have use of her powers. She will be defenseless until the end of the ritual when their powers would truly mix as one.

They stayed in the gardens for a long while basking in each other’s aura as they finally got to know one another.

---oOo---

Back at the house the servants looked on in awe. Never in their lives have they ever witnessed such a thing. They finally saw the miko submit to the young master. They were sitting on the ground as their aura’s flared around them.

They all thought that they were going to fight again but to their amazement they saw their aura mix together as one. The power that surrounded them was great as it put up a barrier that warned anyone not to go near them.

They all turned to each other and smiled. They now knew that the miko has accepted the young master as her mate. They sent word back to the castle to inform their Lord. He will be very interested in this little bit of information.

---oOo---

Off in the distance a large army was forming, it was getting ready to head out and attack the west. It has taken longer than Jakyoku planned to gather and train his army, but he had to do it right. He was not taking the chance that he will be defeated in his bid to take over the west.

His father made some mistakes in his life and he was not about to repeat those mistakes. He wanted everything to be perfect. He wanted a strong army to go up against the strongest army that the west has to offer.

He had a plan to get the miko. He has already sent an advance party to set up his plan. They were to gather information and when he arrived he will make the decisions on what to do. He will capture the miko and then the males of the west will have to bow down to him.

He will then take the miko as his mate, because the bond between her and her current mate will be dissolved. With Sesshoumaru’s death he will no longer be able to protect her so she will be left defenseless. She will submit to him fully and be by his side for all eternity.

He watched, as his army started moving toward the west. His generals convinced him to move the army in smaller groups. It was going to take some time to move a force this large without being seen. His army was heading out in different directions to confuse the enemy if they were spotted.

His forces were to gather just inside the western boarders at a secret location. Barriers have already been set up to keep his army hidden until the right moment to attack. His spies were already in place at the castle, keeping an eye on the ningen onna and gathering information for his use. All he had to do was call to them and get a briefing.

He stood on a cliff as he watched his army move. Soon, very soon, the west will be his new domain and he will have a powerful mate by his side. The final battle to claim what is his was at hand.


---oOo---

This is the end to another chapter. Kagome has finally submitted to Sesshoumaru and is willing to become his mate.

Sorry for the late update, but life gets in the way of me doing what I love to do. I had to deal with several major issues between my mother who is sick and my dog who had surgery. Both now are getting better so hopefully no more interruptions with me posting my chapters.

Also I almost pulled my story from the sites that I post because my story was posted on another site without my consent. Thanks to a loyal fan the story was taken down from Fanlib.com. It took Advi to talk me out of pulling my story so you all can enjoy it. But this is a warning to all those who want to steal someone else’s work, don’t, I worked hard to come up with the ideas to write this story. I would rather you contact me and ask me to post at a different site than steal what has taken me a year to write. Right now you all have Advi to thank for this story still being posted.

A Single Sparks is hosting its annual awards and is now open for nominations. This story has been nominated for best AU. I wanted to thank the person who did that. I feel honored that you thought my story was good enough to be nominated. Nominations will close on the 3rd of April. Then the voting will start for your favorite story. Please visit the site and nominate your favorite story for everyone enjoyment.

In the next chapter see how Ayashiko is dealing with her pups being gone. Sango has a plan to keep her busy while Inutaisho gets some rest. See what happens when things heat up between Sesshoumaru and Kagome after a game of tag as their passion is brought forth.

Until the next chapter!

Ja ne!