EDITED/REVISED: May 17, 2010

I do not own Inuyasha.

I own the plot (of this story, not the show plot).

"something" = talking

'something' = Sesshoumaru's dog demon half (note: he speaks in broken English)

Something = Sesshoumaru mentally talking to his dog half

Chapter 2

Rejection

Kagome stumbled through the halls in the middle of the night. She tried to hold the pieces of her shredded servant's attire together. Pain throbbed all over her body. She could feel the bruises forming from his tight grasps when he had held her in a submissive position. Her heart beat wildly as she ran away. She panicked when she heard his furious and pained cry throughout the halls.

"Please no," she whispered.

Desperate, she raced out of the castle, ignoring the night guards' concerned calls. They knew it was strange that she was up at this hour of the night, but let her pass regardless. She ran as fast as she could to the river, thankful that the shrubbery was light enough to pass through. It helped that there were wandering fireflies and the moon's rays to show her where she was going. Once she caught sight of the river, she dove in. She knew that this was one way to send a dog off a prey's trail. The water held many scents and covered all. No great demon, especially Lord Sesshoumaru, would find her.

She sunk deeper and swam toward a cluster of rocks just six meters away. She slowly rose, making sure that she was rising in the direction where the wind would not bring her scent to him.

Moments later a howl of calling emitted through the night. The side of her neck throbbed as did part of her heart.

Oh no, she thought. He marked me.

She tried to ignore the instinct to answer to her new mate's call, a call she knew many female demons could not ignore when their mates called for them. The howl emitted again, this time louder. The throbbing became worse. She let out a small gasp.

It was all he needed. The howl immediately stopped and the rustling bushes warned her of him coming her way. She ducked underwater, swimming to the next cluster of rocks. As she rose, her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him at the river's edge. He was dressed haphazardly in his robes, the wind caressing his ruffled long silver-white hair.

"Come," he called roughly through his elongated fangs. "Come, mate."

The blood he had shared with her quickly reacted to his command. Her body jerked slightly, a warning to go to him now. When she didn't respond, the spasm became noticeable.

Unfortunately, he heard the small splash. Bright ruby eyes shot toward her direction. His expression was like that of a relieved one. He stepped toward her, but stopped when he saw her move away. His relieved expression was replaced with shock, hurt. He whimpered as he stepped forward again. She swam backwards again.

"Mate," he murmured. "Why not come?"

She sank a little deeper into the waters, covering herself with her hands.

"Mate?" he called, gently this time.

Kagome looked away.

When she didn't answer, he inquired hesitantly, "Does…Kagome…not want her mate?"

She blinked when he used her name.

"Why does Kagome not come near?"

She stared at him, then sighed. This was not the master who did not let his "pride" usurp his conscience. This was his dog half. The half that lived by instinct. She could at least give his dog half a reason. She swam forward a little. A glimmer of hope flickered in his ruby eyes. She shook her head at that. The flame of hope dimmed. "My lord, I will be blunt with you. We do not belong together."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed, confused. "Mate is mate. No matter what mate is."

She shook her head. "You do not like humans. You favor my family's loyalty to your family, but you have never liked us."

"Don't matter."

"It does matter. You would be ashamed once you have passed your days in heat. You would ignore me, send me away, or…or even kill me."

Sesshoumaru grimaced. "Never happen!"

"Even so, I-" She took a breath, preparing herself. "I beseech you as your servant to denounce me as your mate and claim another." Her words came out rushed yet shaky.

At once, elongated fangs bared in anger. How dare she make such a statement! As if there would be any other female who could satisfy him!"No other!"

Kagome shrank back in the water.

Sesshoumaru immediately noticed and calmed himself. He had to remind himself that she was not a demon and that human mates needed to be treated with less…aggression. "I apologize, mate. Did not mean to hurt. Only want mate to accept what been done and love her mate."

Kagome shook her head, her eyes tearing. "We can never love, my lord. You are of high rank, a noble demon heir. I am only a low class human, daughter of two servants. There is no future for us."

"Mate does not want to love?" Sesshoumaru's hands clenched.

"We shouldn't."

He glanced to the side, biting his lip, unsure of the moment. "What can Kagome's mate do to…to win heart?"

Kagome, though warmed by his attempt to establish a relationship with her according to human standards, said, "My lord, we shall never exchange our hearts. It is wrong."

Sesshoumaru's fangs slowly shortened. "Mate reject?"

Kagome shifted in the water. "Yes," she murmured. Her neck throbbed, but she ignored it.

Sesshoumaru winced, feeling the strong impact of her soft word. Ruby withdrew to reveal amber. He shook his head and looked at her. In the back of his mind, his dog self cried silently in the darkness.

Once seeing that he was back to himself, Kagome continued as she swam forward, "If that is the case, my lord, I beg you to send me away."

At once, his dog self whimpered in the back of his mind.

Sesshoumaru only stared at her. "There will be demons who will use you to get me if they see the mating mark on you and smell my scent." He didn't know what he was doing. He should just grant her wish, so why was he trying to stall her?

Kagome racked through her brain for possible solutions. "I will…I will go to Priestess Kikyo, then. I have heard that she knows of an alternate dimension where there are no demons."

His dog self pleaded with him to not let her go.

"Will…" Sesshoumaru paused. "Will you be safe there?"

"I am not positive of the outcome, but I know that this dimension will not use me to get to you. It is dominated by humans, I hear. No demons."

"I can send you far away from here, where my enemies aren't aware of your existence," he offered.

"No." Kagome's voice remained firm. "I would like to leave as soon as possible. I am aware of the rituals of dog demons. And of my lord's morals and limitations."

His dog self growled at him.

Sesshoumaru only ignored it.

"I am not willing to break my lord's morals and disgrace him," she continued. "Besides, it is practically unheard of for a dog demon of your lineage to take a human as a mate."

A strange piercing in his heart alarmed him at Kagome's words.

"It would only ruin your family's pure-bred line." Her words grew soft as she looked down.

Sesshoumaru only stared at her. "We dog demons also have a saying, one that my other half has mentioned earlier, 'Mate is mate'."

"Yes. I know, but having a human mate would make you uncomfortable."

"You could already be holding my pup within your womb." He tried to take in her scent, silently hoping she was, but she was still in the water. His lips pursed when he wasn't able to smell anything at the moment.

Kagome's head shot up. She cleared her throat after a moment. "Even so, I had…forgive me for saying this, but…I had overhead a conversation you had with His Lordship Inutaisho some days ago. You told him you would kill any child of yours that is a half-breed and you would rather die than believe that fate had chosen a female human as your mate. You were quite adamant-"

"Enough." His gruff, angered tone silenced her.

'When was she listening?'

I don't know, he told his dog half.

'Your words upset mate.'

I know, he growled.

"Forgive me, my lord," she said. "I am only trying to assure your happiness as any servant would."

Sesshoumaru grunted with a grimace. "Woman," It was strange to not call her "mate."

"Your family has been loyal to mine for many years. It is time that I repay your loyalty. Allow me to send you where I know you will be safe and, if there is, the pup as well."

"I assure you, my lord, there is no child growing in my womb." Kagome's heart clenched. "Therefore, you do not have to force yourself to be obliged to the welfare of my being."

"I am not forcing myself, woman. I am merely trying to be a good noble to his servant."

Kagome looked down. "Even so, I would like for you to grant me permission to go to the priestess."

"Do you really want to cut our ties off so soon?" he asked. "Perhaps you would like to stay for a few days-"

"No," she interrupted. "I stand by my decision."

Sesshoumaru sighed. "Very well," he muttered. "I will have Ah-Un escort you to the priestess after we return to the palace and you have a set of decent clothes and food to fill your belly."

"Thank you, my lord. You won't regret it. I promise."

Then why is that my heart feel as if it's been ripped out? he thought.

SKSK

"You have acted rashly," Sesshoumaru murmured aloud to his dog self that evening.

'Only wanted mate.'

"You have driven her away from us."

'Mate would have chosen a human.'

Sesshoumaru looked out his window out of habit. His eyes strayed to a sitting figure on the stone bench in the garden with the pale moon's rays highlighting the beauty of a loved one he now will

never have. Preparations were being done for her travel to the priestess. He had made himself scarce as soon as they reached the palace. "We have hurt her."

'I apologize.'

He shook his head. "It is too late for that. She wants to be sent away, so she shall have her wish granted. It is the least we could do after taking advantage of her, forcing her to accept the mating ritual."

'We will feel pain.'

"I know."

'She will find another.'

"I know."

'She will not want to return.'

"I know."

His dog self slowly crept back into the dark corner of his mind as he walked to his bed and sat on it. He lay down and breathed in Kagome's sweet scent on his pillow. A crystalline tear fell from dulled amber eyes.