Surprising Love

Disclaimer: Refer to Ch. 8

Open Challenge

Kagome slid through the crack she had made between the door and the wall. Refusing to turn towards Sesshomaru, she slammed the door shut. She held her breath as she heard Sesshomaru halt his attack on the practice dummy. With a practiced grace and emotionless, she turned to the panting lord.

His hair was tied back away from his face making him look almost every bit like his father. Sesshomaru had no shirt on and his abs and chest muscles glistened in sweat. His amber eyes were losing the red tinge of his demon side and his calm face was smoothing into place. Kagome saw the confusion flash in his eyes at seeing her. Taking a deep breath, she casually strolled forward.

Sesshomaru watched Kagome approach with a studying expression. He covered the confusion in him and forced his voice to be ice. “Why are you here?”

At the tone of his voice, Kagome switched her approach. As she bowed low, Kagome played meek. Addressing the floor, she spoke. “I wish for a place to stay, my lord. Myself and a young kitsune.” Kagome chanced a slight glance at his face. She lowered her gaze again when she saw his face was carefully unreadable. “I don’t ask to live here for free. I will work to earn our food and shelter.”

“What services are you offering, demoness,” Sesshomaru asked, arching an eyebrow.

Kagome gave a slight shudder at the last word; he made it sound like a curse. “I am offering to watch and teach Rin. She will be a teenager in less than a year and, yet, she knows nothing of manners or etiquette.” She stated this bluntly and had risen from her bow finally. Arching a black brow of her own in perfect imitation of Sesshomaru, she put a question forward, “Or would you have Jaken teach her?”

Sesshomaru gave her a careful stare and started to walk in circles around her as if scrutinizing her. “Fine, but you have to teach her everything she will need to be eligible to marry.”

“I can do that.”

“She has to have proper table and hostess manners.”

“I can do that.”

“You have to be able to watch her.”

“Yes, my lord.” She was getting bored and agitated now.

Sesshomaru noticed with amusement. “You have to give her some education.”

“Yes, my lord.” She made sure to keep her voice steadied and her face blank. “Anything else my lord?”

Sesshomaru stopped walking and stayed behind her. “You have to be able to protect her.”

Kagome glanced over her shoulder unable to keep the insulted looked from her face. “I am more than capable of that.”

Sesshomaru’s wicked smile was lost on the back of Kagome’s head. Leaning close to her ear, he whispered playfully, “Prove it.”

Kagome had no time to think. Reacting quickly, she ducked from Sesshomaru’s sudden punch. Both combatants took their fighting stances; Kagome’s easy, loose posture and Sesshomaru’s rock still pose. Without a flicker of muscle movement, Sesshomaru moved towards her. Kagome spun in the direction he moved and kicked out, but he dodged it easily. Wanting to test each other’s strengths, they refrained from using energy attacks.

Both of the warriors fought masterfully. Blows were traded easily, but most never even touched their targets. They were both able to easily block each other. Their demon blood mixed the red into their eyes and made their movements a continuous blur. Finally, Sesshomaru managed to land a jaw jarring punch. Kagome ignored the dull pain and initiated the energy fight as the battle turned more serious than playful.

Breathing heavily, she sprung on to the other side of the room. Her fingernails shined a dangerous black as she whipped a poisonous energy towards Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru jumped out of the way and gave her a squinted glare through his demon eyes. Flicking his own whips towards her, he rushed in right after them. Kagome blocked the wisps of energy and his fist attacks.

The energy whips cracked in the air every time they met. Sparks showered the room from the impact and they used the startling effects to rush at each other in physical attacks. Kagome had a cut over her right eye now, along with a bruised jaw. The blood trailed a smooth line down the side of her face. Her clothes had been reduced to shreds almost from barely missing Sesshomaru’s attacks.

Sesshomaru wasn’t without battle wounds. Of course, he only had one. He had a small scrape across his chest. He had grown rather confident and barely avoided one of Kagome’s black lashes. Now, he was full concentration again.

Both demons snapped their whips at each other again. When they met, the two energy attacks tangled and melded with each other. Sesshomaru and Kagome reacted on instinct and tried to absorb the energy back. Instead, they managed to pull each other close when the energy refused to release from the other. Kagome and Sesshomaru were stuck with only a mere inch between them.

Sesshomaru’s panting breaths soaked in Kagome’s heady scent mingled with her sweat. He watched as her eyes slowly lost their demon coloration and he forced his own back to normal. Her gasping breaths were hot and alluring on his neck as she stared into his eyes. Sesshomaru barely realized he was still breathing hard even though he had long regained his breath.

Kagome could smell Sesshomaru’s unique scent. It was much tangier than Inuyasha’s, but not unpleasantly so. His eyes may be harder than Inuyasha’s, but they held a mystical quality that made her want to stare in them for hours. She was just thinking how easy it would be to lose herself in those eyes when Sesshomaru closed the gap between them and captured her mouth in a passionate kiss.

Kagome involuntarily gasped when she felt the lust and power in the kiss. Her sudden gasped caused him to pull away and he turned towards the door. The taste of him mixed with his scent was exciting and addictive. She could still his flavor on her lips and his aroma still covered the front of her body. Turning to face him, she noticed him watching her, but he turned back to the door when she looked at him. She had barely had time to register the surprise and anger on his features, but what surprised her was the hurt he didn’t hide quickly enough in his eyes.

She opened her mouth to stop him, but Sesshomaru’s voice cut her short. “You and the kit may stay. Rin will be happy to have you take over caring and teaching her.” His tone was the coldest he had ever used with her and it made her heart cry in anguish. Without another word, she walked out the door, leaving it open.

Kagome swiftly left for her room to see if her clothes had been taken there yet. Luckily, they were there and all ready hung up. Grabbing a warm kimono of a dark red, Kagome changed out of her now ragged clothes. The kiss was replaying constantly in her head. Trying to distract herself, she left to go find Shippo.

Shippo was still sitting in Rin’s room where Kagome had left him. Rin was now awake and they were talking rapidly. Kagome stood in the doorway where she could watch them. As she let there child-like voices wash over her, she thought of when she had first met the kitsune.

Shippo had been a small kit then, but he had an amazing amount of courage and inventiveness. As he had grown, so had Shippo’s wonderful qualities. It was almost unbelievable that he was only two years older than Rin. As Kagome watched the children together, she could tell they were fast becoming friends. Clearing her throat, Kagome distracted their attention.

Shippo and Rin looked over at her in surprise before smiling. Motioning for them to follow her, Kagome led them to the springs to get cleaned up. She brought Rin a clean dress and sent the other one off with a servant to get it mended. When they were clean and dressed, Kagome led them to dinner. The two hadn’t stopped talking the whole way.

Kagome led both of them into the dining room. The four chairs were still there, but now a third one had a fat book on it. Jaken sat in one of the chairs all ready and motioned for them to sit down. Kagome took her normal seat next to Rin. Shippo paused for a second. Shippo gave the book a disgusted look before swiping it on to the floor and sitting down.

When all the food was set on the table and the children were deep in conversation, Kagome leaned towards Jaken. “Where is Sesshomaru,” she whispered. Her ears pivoted between the little demon and the children to make sure they weren’t listening.

“He is eating alone tonight, wench,” Jaken hissed. Kagome gave him a glare that straightened his attitude. “Lord Sesshomaru said he needed to think about an important matter, Miss Kagome.” His voice had turned hilariously sulky.

Kagome leaned away to finish her dinner. When Shippo and Rin were finished, she took them to bathe and dress for bed. Shippo slept in the room beside Rin in the children’s hall. Shippo bade Rin a fond goodnight before they finally separated. When Kagome was sure they had gone to sleep, she slipped away.

Heading quickly between rooms, Kagome tried to find Sesshomaru. She had checked every room in the wing they stayed in. His office was empty, but it smelled strongly of him. The training room still smelled of their battle; him, her, and their slight blood. The kiss flared in her memory as she shut the door. The library, gardens, and springs were deserted as well.

Knowing she was being foolhardy, Kagome headed towards Sesshomaru’s private bedroom.