The Fires of My Heart

A.N.: I am SOOOOO sorry for talking so long guys! Please forgive me!!!

**Last Chapter**

Sesshomaru looked out into the city, an unreadable expression on his face as the buildings flew by. They would return to their hotels suites and plan the rest of the evening. Eight o' clock could not seem farther away that it did at that moment. His eyes drifted to Ellie and Kouga's silent forms. He secretly envied their happiness and growing family, but he never held it against them. His mind wandered back to Kagome as the limo glided on through the pulse of the city.

**On with the story**

Chapter 5
Pre-Club Hustle

The emerald grass swayed lazy against the warm breeze as children began to file out of the large school. Some called to parents while others laughed and talked amongst themselves. Kagome sat in her car, waiting for her own little darlings to emerge. She struggled to comprehend the surge of emotions she felt simply by thinking about the man she had met earlier.

"Sess..." Even his name sounded sinfully delicious on her lips. His warm eyes scanning her form and face in a dark hunger. He tried to hide it but for some reason she could sense it without even looking at him.

She couldn't deny it though...she had wanted him too. It went beyond carnal desire with Sess. The depths in his eyes, the softness in his voice when he addressed her, and even how he moved; it all seemed so familiar to her. When he had spoken of his wife, she could tell that he had loved her greatly. The emptiness that had started to take hold of her life, Kagome knew something was missing. Within the few hours they had spent in her office, she didn't feel that way. It was nice not feeling alone. Sure, she had dated Inuyasha for a short time but it wasn't meant to be. She had been hurt, but not heartbroken when he and Kikyo, her cousin, had hooked up. All Kagome wanted was someone who would love her the way Sess had loved his wife.

"Great..." Kagome sighed heavily. "I'm jealous of a dead woman." (A.N.: *snort* Oh, the irony!)

She touched the scar at her shoulder in thought. She knew it wasn't a mating mark...she hadn't mated anyone. But still...why did it react so violently? It had continued to pulse even as she carried out her meeting with Sess, Kouga, and Ellie. Kagome smiled slightly as she recalled the pair.

"They seem happy..." The chatter and chaos of children grew steadily. "If I'm so drawn to Sess, what am I going to do about H-..." Her self-therapy ended abruptly as the car doors flew open.

"Hi mama!" Rin chirped as she slid into the back seat, Shippo quickly joined her.

"Hey guys! How was school?" Kagome asked, her eyes darting between the busy street and the rearview mirror.

"I got picked to show some of my pictures, mama!" Shippo yelled in excitement, his eyes shinning in pride. Kagome had to admit; his art had become impressive as of late. "The teacher says I'm really advanced in my charcoal forms and pastel shading!" The boy bounced in the back in joy. Rin giggled as she watched.

"What about you, sweetie?"

"Aced the biology test; it was all about plants so it was a breeze!" Rin puffed out her chest as she spoke. Kagome laughed good-naturedly at her adopted daughter.

"That's great! How do you guys feel about staying at the Shrine tonight?" Kagome inquired as she steered the car.

"Yay! We can see Kohaku and grandma!" Rin squealed.

"Are Uncle Yasha and Uncle Miroku going to be there?" Shippo asked in earnest.

"Of course!" Kagome replied. Inuyasha and Miroku were more than happy to act as uncles to the kids due to the lack of a father figure in their lives. Kagome had been extremely grateful for the help.

The car traveled on to their house where Kagome packed overnight bags for the kids. Within half an hour the trio was back out on the road and wheeling towards the Shrine. Kikyo was sweeping the front steps as they pulled up. She brushed her bangs from her damp forehead and waved at them, a bright smile on her face.

"Hey there!" Kikyo said as they climbed the steps. Rin and Shippo rushed to meet her, crushing her legs in hugs. The demoness had to choke back the laugh in her throat at Kikyo's panicked look as they tittered on the stone steps. "Nice to see you, Rin and Shippo!" She patted them both on the head as they released her. "Your mother is in the well house, Kagome. It's good to see again!" Kagome nodded with a bright smile and led the children up the stairs.

"I'm seriously going to kick your ass, Miroku!" Sango stormed out of the house, her growing stomach becoming obvious under her loose, pink maternity dress. "I distinctly remember telling you NOT to eat my crunchy peanut butter! Now I don't have any to eat my pickles with!" The hormonal woman raged as she stomped up to Miroku's sitting form.

"I assure you, my love, I did not eat your peanut butter!" Miroku yelped as he dropped his playing cards to raise his hands in defense. Inuyasha snickered behind him as he drew two more cards.

"Great timing, Sango. Your man-slave here was just about to lose more of your money!" Inuyasha smirked as Miroku turned from his enraged wife to glare at him. The pair had finished with their chores early and decided to sit under the God tree to play a game of cards.

"I wouldn't if you didn't cheat!" Miroku snorted at his arrogant friend.

"You callin' me a cheater?!" Inuyasha growled out as he stood. Several cards fell from his red t-shirt as he did so. Miroku's eyes narrowed in a promise of death. "Wait! I can explain!" Inuyasha chuckled as Miroku pushed back the sleeves of his purple, long-sleeve shirt. "You want a piece of this, letcher?"

"It's on!" Miroku bellowed as he tackled Inuyasha to the ground. The guys fell in a knot of limbs and hair, curses and punching flying every direction.

"Inuyasha!" Kikyo ran to the pair and grabbed his braided hair, earning a painful yelp from him.

"Get off it, Miroku!" Kohaku yelled as he pulled his brother-in-law away in a choke-hold. Besides the dirt caked in their clothes and hair, both men were fine despite a few scrapes. The group turned as a hearty laugh filled their ears; all eyes fell on Kagome's hunched over form.

"Oh...my...gods!!!" Kagome choked out through her gasps for air and continued fits of laughter. "You two are freaks!" The children were laughing as well, clutching at their mother for support. They were finally able to get their mirth under control, wiping the tears away from their flushed faces.

"Good to see you too, Kags." Inuyasha grumbled as he sat on the well house steps, kicking a rock in mild interest. Miroku let Sango lead him to a lawn chair and winced as she cleaned the scrapes on his chin and neck. Kikyo was already attending to Inuyasha, picking twigs and rocks from his hair.

"Sorry, but I couldn't help it!" Kagome beamed at him.

"What's with the entire ruckus out here?" Taka yelled as she opened the door to the well house, wiping her hands clean with a towel.

"Inuyasha and Miroku were playing cards again, Ms. Taka." Kohaku murmured as he passed her on his way into the house. She laughed lightly as she approached the group.

"Cleaning the well house again, mama?" Kagome inquired.

"Of course! If I don't, your grandfather throws a fit. Something about revenge of dust spirits, or something in that general area." Taka sighed in defeat. "So, ready to stay the night, kids?" Rin and Shippo cheered and rushed into the house, yelling their goodbyes to Kagome as they sped away.

"Be good!" Kagome pleaded after them.

"I'll see you tomorrow, honey." Taka kissed her daughter's cheek and followed the energetic kids into the house. The group could distinctly hear Taka pleading with Kagome's grandfather. "Stop trying to exercise Shippo! He's not an EVIL demon!"

"So what are you doin' tonight that you needed your mom to watch the runts?" Inuyasha asked, hissing as Kikyo pulled a particularly stubborn twig from behind his right ear.

"Oops...sorry!" Kikyo whispered, offering a sympathetic smile as she tossed the offending object over shoulder.

"I'm having drinks with some new clients. It might get out late so I just figured the little ones would be happier staying here." Kagome answered simply. "But it's already getting late and I still have to get ready. Catch you guys later." Kagome waved as they shouted goodbyes until she was out of their sight. Once back home, Kagome raced to her mess of a closet and began the ever-testing task of finding the "˜perfect' outfit.

*Penthouse Suite across town*

Sesshomaru stood in front of the mirror lost in thought, toying with the silk, braided band on his wrist. It was made from the robe Kagome had been wearing the night she was taken from him. Garnet beads had been weaved into the band. They reminded him of her eyes. "˜My dark beauty...'

"Ready, Sess?" Kouga bellowed from the common room as Ellie adjusted his sapphire-blue, short sleeved, buttoned shirt. He smoothed out his black slacks and tapped the toe of his shoes to adjust them slightly. His dark hair hung loose around his shoulders, clinging to the silk of his shirt in waves.

Ellie had pulled her long hair into a high ponytail and donned a strapless, knee-length dress that held her curves in good taste. The copper hue of the dress varied shades depending on the lighting. Matching stiletto heels laced up her milky calves to complete the look. A simple copper ribbon tied at her throat served as a suitable choker.

"Beautiful as always! Come, my feisty kitten!" Kouga growled playfully as Sesshomaru emerged from his room.

He gazed at them in light sadness, his hands buried in the pockets of his black slacks. His black, long-sleeved dress shirt was left unbuttoned at the top, leaving the top of his firm chest open to view. The sleeves had been rolled back to the bottom of his elbows and Sesshomaru had taken care to tie back his hair in a low ponytail with a black, leather cord.

"Meet you at the club?" Ellie asked, trying her hardest to ignore her mate's hungry gaze. She elbowed him to help clear his head.

"Indeed." Sesshomaru answered as he grabbed his things and headed to the VIP parking of the hotel. Ellie and Kouga walked to the lobby to have a limo called for them.

Sesshomaru threw on his jacket and smoothly slid the silver helmet over his head. Climbing onto the bike, he leaned to the side and kicked the stand off. The engine roared before easing into a hearty purr as Sesshomaru shot out of the parking area and into the night, his hair flying about him in a veil of moonlight. The Southern Lord and Lady chatted and laughed amongst themselves as they climbed into the vehicle.

"Ellie, my love......I have this nagging feeling that this is going to be one of the most interesting nights of our long lives." Kouga said as he laughed lightly. His mate smiled brightly and giggled in response.

"How interesting that we'll be meeting at Sesshomaru's club, out of the hundreds possible." Ellie smirked slightly. "It wouldn't be exaggerating to say that he owns a third of this country; that man is quite the business shark."

"Apparently so is Kagome." Kouga added. "Two egos clashing against each other in a heated, dark club...interesting is one of the many words to describe the possibilities."

*Outside Kagome's place*

Sesshomaru quickly parked the bike and removed his helmet, smoothing his hair just incase. After tugging his leather jacket back into place, he placed the helmet on the bike and headed for the front door. He nodded approvingly at the tasteful size of the house; it was quite large, but not to an outrageous extent. The house was a light tan in color with pearl-like, marble steps leading to the front door. Large windows covered the house, the glass reflecting the green leaves of the great trees surrounding the house. Ivy wound its way up one side of the house, purple flowers swaying gently on the full vines. A tire swing twisted slightly, the rope groaning at the applied pressure.

"Interesting..." Sesshomaru whispered to himself as he observed clichéd, childhood toy. It was kind of sweet how the homestead was set up to be as warm as possible. Obviously Kagome had held the children in mind upon choosing this place. The thought of Rin and Shippo brought a sudden twinge of pain to his chest. He had missed them terribly, though he would never admit it to anyone other than them or himself.

The gravel of the rounded driveway crackled beneath Sesshomaru's feet as the light wind tousled his hair. The crunch of stone vanished to be replaced by the clicking of marble as he climbed the stairs. Checking himself over one last time, Sesshomaru rang the doorbell and shifted from one foot to the other. He growled in annoyance at his inability to remain still. Kagome was already affecting him and he hadn't even seen her yet.

"Door's open!" He heard her yell from within the building. Without hesitation, Sesshomaru opened the door and stepped onto the peach carpet of the white-walled hallway.

Pictures in their respective frames decorated the high walls; he eyed them with mixed emotions. Snap shots and professional pictures of birthdays, vacations, school events, and more reached out to him. The pain began to return to his cracked heart. Every image was a lie, but deep down Sesshomaru wished they had been true with one small change; he would have been in them too. One photo in particular caught his attention. It had obviously been taken on the beach behind the house, and showed Kagome sitting on a towel smiling with Rin on her lap while Shippo and Miroku continued to bury Inuyasha in the sand. Kikyo and Sango playfully splashed in the shallow water behind them. Sesshomaru fought the lump in his throat as his eyes fell on his smiling family and friends.

"That picture was taken last summer. My friend, Sango, had her little brother take the picture"

Sesshomaru refrained from jumping back from the picture, but swung around to meet the soft feminine voice. His breath caught in his throat as he drank in her appearance.

Kagome's long hair had been pulled into a high ponytail and styled into soft curls that would sway and frame her soft curves. Emerald stars hung from her earlobes, catching the light every other moment. The familiar pendant sparkled with a certain flame under the soft hallway lighting against her pale throat. The forest-green, spaghetti-strapped, silk dress dipped in front and fell low on her back. The dress ended mid-thigh and had a slight slit up one side of the garment. Sesshomaru checked his growl of approval at the view of her legs the dress presented. The heels that had fought Kagome off in her own closet now adorned her slim feet. The dark green ribbon of the heels raced up her calves to tie neatly on the back of her legs. Her obsidian finger- and toenails set off the contrasting dark colors against her glowing, snow-white skin.

"Are you ready?" Sesshomaru murmured, barely hiding the choking sound her appearance was provoking. She smiled brightly up at him and walked (more like sauntered in his eyes) and retrieved her coat from the hallway closet.

Holding the door for her, Sesshomaru openly admired her as Kagome glided past him and out into the cool night air. He didn't bother to hold back his laugh as she gasped, her eyes falling on the motorcycle in her driveway. Kagome's eyes widened further when she felt an arm slip around her waist.

"Scared?" Sesshomaru whispered darkly in her ear, his breath hot in contrast to the night air. She couldn't repress the shiver from rocking her spine. She spun around to glare at the smirking jerk.

"It will take more than your toys to scare me, Sess." Kagome murmured as she smirked. A new light seemed to grow in the gold eyes of the man before her and her heart seemed to lurch in her chest in response.

"I was hoping you would say that."

Before Kagome could question the playful tone in his husky voice, Sesshomaru scooped her up into her arms and gently placed her on the bike. She sat sidesaddle to avoid certain issues concerning her current state of dress. Sesshomaru handed her a helmet and she quickly slipped it on, careful of her hair. Her date gracefully climbed onto the bike and put on his own helmet. He flipped up the visor to wink at her before bringing the engine to life. Kagome gripped Sess's waist tighter, a small "˜eep' escaping her lips as the back tire fishtailed. The bike pivoted and sped off into the dark.

Sesshomaru smiled to himself as Kagome's grip on him tightened every time he entered into a sharp turn. She was as fierce as ever, but still too stubborn to admit her own fear. He loved that about her. Chuckling lightly to himself, Sesshomaru leaned into the bike. The bright lights danced around them as they made their way to the club.


TBC

Next Chapter....I PROMISE it will be the club scene. I didn't have enough time to put it in this time. SORRY!!!! Don't forget to review!!! Cheers! "“G.S.

Special thanks to:

Arryelle "“ *grin* I hope I haven't made you too mad by the wait. Sorry!!!

Heather "“ I wouldn't worry about me abandoning the story...I'm too stubborn to do that! ~_0 I'm so glad you like the story! Thanks for the review!

Melissa "“ I LOVE long reviews so no worries! Happy Birthday to you by the way!!! Thank you so much for your kind words. I'm glad my handling of clashing times stands out! Keep reading because I will keep writing!

TricksterGoddess "“ Patience...the answers will come, grasshopper! *laughs*

RixGrl - *blush* I'm happy you enjoy my writing so much. Hopefully the story will not disappoint!!

Angel "“ LMAO.....I loved the review!!! Thank you so much for your words.