At What Price

SUMMARY: Kagome was so livid that it looked like she could have spit nails.

Author’s Note: Hello peoples. Hahaha! Here is the next chp of the continuing saga. If you want a disclaimer read chp 1. Enjoy.

CHAPTER 33: INSINUATIONS
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“NO!” He stalked toward her, his eyes flashing red.

“I’m warning you Sesshoumaru!” Kagome said, closing her eyes, fighting off the urge to cry. “I will not marry someone who is sleeping around on me! Even, if our agreement is a business deal, I have been,” Kagome stopped talking, only to correct herself. “Or, I should say that I would have been faithful to you!!!” Her eyes snapped open, pining Sesshoumaru with a disappointed glare. “But you, on the other hand, can not even manage to be faithful from what I’ve seen!” Her voice was rough as sand paper.

Sesshoumaru’s eyes faded back into their liquid honey color, as he watched Kagome carefully. He noted that her rigid frame started to tremble, as well as her voice which was full of raw emotion. ‘Kagome, are you jealous?’ his brain functioned. Sesshoumaru fingered the ring in his hand thoughtfully. Kagome was so livid with emotional turmoil that it looked like she could have spit nails, from his observation. “Kagome, a deal is a deal. You can not walk out of this!” Sesshoumaru replied in a frigid tone. “Unless, you wait me to pull my backing and have Inuyasha’s company fail…..”

Those words stuck a nerve. She remembered what Inuyasha had said to her earlier that day, and that all to small voice whispered, ‘all the way Kags.’ Kagome felt like her heart was being stomped on. ‘How? Better yet, why? Why am I feeling betrayed by Sesshoumaru? Am I jealous?’ Kagome psychoanalyzed herself. ‘Nope, definitely not. Well, maybe…’ Kagome's insinuations were plaguing her.

Sesshoumaru could see she was struggling within her thoughts, but earlier he could have sworn she had given him a look of heart felt pain. ‘But, why?’ His cold façade slipped, a little. Sesshoumaru almost felt sorry for his choice of words. Key word, ‘almost.’

“Is she…um…your… well…lov..er?” Kagome stumbled, as she was now fiddling with the rim of her sleeves. A gruesome thought came to Kagome. One she never thought of before. ‘Did Sesshoumaru give up marrying for love, so that he could have his birth right? Did he give up on love to marry someone he doesn’t even like just so he could have his empire? Wait! Does he want her, even when we are married?’ Kagome felt sick at the last question. Those were the most depressing thoughts Kagome had mulled through, but they were questions that would soon rectified.

“No, Kagura isn’t my lover.” Sesshoumaru spat that statement out like he had just swallowed something vile. “I can’t stand the woman. I don’t even know why I dated her.” His emotionless calm was taking over again.

“Oh! Well, then I’m sorry I jumped to the wrong conclusions. I didn’t mean…” Kagome muttered in embarrassment, as the red in her cheek rose up. “But, if you had seen…it looked like…oh, you know what I mean!” Kagome gave a dainty shrug. Right then, she decided being blunt might be a better approach for the next question. “Do you plan on having any lover while we are married?” Her voice rose a little in irritation more than she had planned. “Because I won’t allow it! For if you do, Sesshoumaru, then so am I!” ‘Good going Kags! You just accomplished sounding like a spoiled demanding child. Come on! If he gets one then I do too. Real mature!’

Sesshoumaru closed the distance between them, and took Kagome’s left hand, squeezing it gentle. “First off my dear,” an elegant brow rose at her childish demand. “I will not allow you to make such a command.” Sesshoumaru rubbed his fingers over her hand, toying with each of her slim fingers. “Second, I don’t plan on having a mistress, as you so blatantly put it.” His smooth fingers found Kagome’s fourth finger on her left hand, and began to massage the digit. Sesshoumaru began to slide the ring back on into its rightful place, where it belonged. “Third, I will not stand for you to have any other lover other than me while we are married.” His other hand slipped behind her, so that he could pull her against his hard body to emphasize his next point. “I will be enough!”

’Boy, that sounded a tad conceded you think?’ she thought. However, Kagome felt somewhat relieved at Sesshoumaru’s edict he had just gave her. Kagome laced her hand into Sesshoumaru’s hand and held it up to her eye level. She didn’t know what came over her, but when he felt him pull her against him she lost herself. Kagome leaned up on her toes and kissed Sesshoumaru on the cheek.

“To what, do I owe the pleasure of your unexpected visit?” Sesshoumaru smiled slightly at her. Kagome hadn’t put up to much of a fight when he put the ring back on, and rather surprise him by kissing him on the cheek. Sesshoumaru found that he relatively liked it.

“Inuyasha wanted me to deliver some documents to you.” She responded shyly now. ‘Documents! Uh-oh, the documents.’ It hit Kagome that the papers were still in a pile at the floor. “Oi, I’m sorry. It seems that I let them slip.” Muttering, Kagome disengaged hands with Sesshoumaru and walked over, knelt down to pick up the papers.

When she finished piling the papers together, her eyes fell upon the envelope which she had somehow missed. Kagome reached over and picked it up. Next, she then stood to hand them over to Sesshoumaru. Her eyes softened then she realized how striking Sesshoumaru was looking in his gray business suite. It actual accentuated his long flowing silver hair, and made his magenta marking stand out against his pale flawless skin. Kagome froze in place just observing him move.

“Sir?” Came the voice of Hojo from the door, breaking the spell Kagome’s mind had woven.

“Yes, Hojo. What is it?”

“Would you like me to escort this other woman out also, Sir?”

“No, my fiancée is staying with me for the moment.”

“Fiancée?” It was a cross between a gasp and choking sound.

Kagome shot Hojo a look and mouthed ‘I told you he would want to see me!’

Sesshoumaru thought Hojo lingered a little longer then he liked and growled at him to get back to work. “Leave.”

Kagome noticed that her purple suite jacket was ripped at the upper arm and at the shoulder, she absently minded said, “Well, at least I’m off for the rest of the day. I’d hate to try and explain this back at work.” She took of her jacket and began to examine it.

“Hm?” Sesshoumaru questioned with sparse interest as he flipped through the remaining papers. “Off the rest of the day?” He repeated as he walked over to his desk and laid the papers down. “Is Inuyasha always this gracious with his employees? Or, are you different? Sesshoumaru covered up the contempt in his voice, when he asked Kagome that.

Kagome didn’t miss that underlying insinuation Sesshoumaru just made. “Yes, Inuyasha treat his employees graciously, but he demands there best.” She frowned at him before continuing. “And no, I’m no different from anyone there. As you so bluntly put it.” Kagome crossed her arms over her chest. “But, there is going to be a celebration party later in the evening and you’re invited. Anyways, that’s what the envelope is on the top of the papers is, a formal invitation to go tonight. So now I will take my leave of absence now, I have to go home and get another outfit this one is just a tad ruined. Or, haven’t notice honey?” She smiled when she made that comment. Then suddenly Kagome’s overly compliant attitude changed in a blink of an eye. “Sesshoumaru,” the name came jumbling out, “uh, we are not together. To the party I mean… Okay? What I mean is that Friday is when Inuyasha is going to find out… About us… So we can’t be seen, well.” Kagome started to ramble on nervously.

“What difference does it make? He will find out sooner or later.” Sesshoumaru was getting irritated again at Kagome’s die hard ways to protect his bastard brother.

That last phrase made Kagome blanch. It was similar to the one on the note card on the roses. ‘How could I forget?’

Sesshoumaru smelled the fear coming off her. She looked like she stiffened at his last comment, almost like he had slapped her in the face. “Kagome?” he drawled her
name out slowly.

“Roses.” It came out in a hushed tone. “Did you send them?

“I didn’t send you flower.” Sesshoumaru could hear the fear in her voice. ‘Who would dare?’ But, he already knew the answer to his question. It was that bastard hanyou who dared the unthinkable. ‘He touched what is mine.’ His demonic beast howled.

“He did then.” She whispered. Fear and panic permeated the air, and it came from only one person.

Kagome wasn’t looked at Sesshoumaru, but could feel the aura of his energy bristling with a thin line of control. She turned partially and saw his eyes glowing a faint red. Kagome moved with caution as she came to stand beside him.

Sesshoumaru knew if he looked down at Kagome he would lose all the control that he was struggling to maintain. A small hand clad with his engagement stroked his cheek. “I’m fine,” she reassured. “It’s just that…”

“You are going to stay by my side. You will not leave my sight for one second, Kagome. Do I make myself clear?”

‘Perfectly!’ She wasn’t scared at his harshness with her. No, Kagome wasn’t going to argue, however; she hated the idea of submission, as it popped into her head. It did not settle well with her. Kagome began to rationalize in her mind. ‘OK, truthfully Sesshoumaru is one of the most beautiful youkai there is, but that holier than thou attitude, coupled with his overwhelming conceited and possessiveness behavior is starting to wear on me.’ Kagome tried to switch gears. “What about the party, then?” She dropped her hand from his face.

He caught Kagome’s hand in his own when she moved it away from him. Sesshoumaru painstakingly turned her hand over and began tracing a single finger over the lines on her palm. “What about it?”

“Please, I don’t know if I could handle….”

Sesshoumaru interrupted her plea. “Do you still love him?” He asked with bitter distance growing in his voice.

Kagome honestly had to think about it. Her silent hesitation was damning her. ‘I don’t know. Not like I use to… It has changed… It all of it has changed.’

Sesshoumaru could read it in her eyes, the questioning look. Hope sprang to life in the corner of that stone heart of his. “You will accompany me.”

She nodded. But, it wasn’t a question.