Kagome had finally laid down for the night but it seemed that sleep was evading her. She tossed and turned so much that the sheets were a jumbled mess. Finally having enough she got up and set for the door. In the dead of night it seemed that the door was the loudest thing ever. She winced as she shut the door; making her way down the hallways that Sesshomaru showed her earlier that day after their meal. She smiled thinking of the way they acted around each other; seemed almost as they had known each other all their lives. He had even told her to drop his honorific; she contested because he was her lord and he needed respect. But he just smiled and said that it was not needed to some because the respect was already given and acknowledged. She let it be but she would continue to use his honorific because it was appropriate. She wondered the halls looking for anything that would spark her interest.

She finally found the huge doors that led to the ballroom. Sesshomaru said that it hadn't been used in over a hundred years. She frowned remembering. With some effort she finally got the doors opened. 'I guess only demons could open it because they are the only ones strong enough to!' The insult died on her lips however when she gazed at the room. It was massive! White marble floors with royal blue accents, marble columns expanding the height of it, a staircase that went up to a second floor and at the back, glass windows that… showed the garden! She squealed as the garden took on a new life at night. She turned to look back at the floor, in the middle was a blue crescent moon. She took her hand and dusted the layers of dust off the floor. Coughing a little she finally saw that the floor was speckled with gold and silver. It was something to behold but she had never seen anything like this before… Where on earth did someone get the idea for this?

"It seems that you wonder where this came from miko…"

She turned quickly to see his lordship at the second floor landing looking at her; clutching her chest to calm her heart.

"Sesshomaru-sama! You just about gave me a heart attack!"

He smirked. "Did I not tell you at dinner that honorifics are no longer needed?"

She watched as he descended the steps and stopped herself short. He was naked! Well half naked... He wore white silk hakamas and nothing else! And there was no way that his chest was that muscular! You could see every line and dip and it was driving her crazy. 'Dear Kami! Give me strength!' It seemed that she didn't hear him because when he got in front of her he snapped his fingers in front of her frozen face. She cleared the fog out of her head and turned around.

"I-It seems that I m-may need to be told again m-my lord…" She said fiddling with the sash that held her robe together. She began looking at the floor again.

Sesshomaru actually enjoying the little miko in front of him; she was very much an innocent but yet had seen so much in the past week. It was comical to watch the way she acted around him. He started to follow her but stopped short. He breathed in and his eye tinted somewhat. 'A new scent has entered… Vanilla… Hmmm… she is aroused…'

"Sesshomaru-sama, where did the idea of this room come from? I have never seen anything like this!" She called from around one of the pillars.

Sesshomaru shook his head to get the wonderful scent of his head and turned to see that she was somewhat dancing in between the columns of the ballroom. He smirked at her playfulness. "My father went to the mainland to a place called… England I believe it was. The king had one very similar to this and he was compelled to make one of his own. That was one of the first times I had reign over the sovereign…" He remembered coming up to one of the column and placing his hand on it; feeling the coolness of the stone.

Kagome came up beside him then a little out of breath. She was having so much fun! "And tell me again, when was the last time it was used?"

He frowned; turning from her and walking to the windows. "My coronation…"

She watched him leave and instantly felt horrible. It seemed that it was not a great topic to be on; walking to him placing her warm hand on his slightly cooler forearm. "I am sorry that I brought up painful memories Sesshomaru-sama…"

He felt the zap of power once again and heard her apology, but he couldn't think at the moment. His coronation was to be in the next three hundred years. He sighed. 'It was my duty to take over when he was…' His rule began when he was 1600 years old, much too young to rule according the council but he was the only one who could… He was supposed to be at least 2000 years old to inherit the crown from his father but it seemed that Kami had other things in mind.

Kagome looked up at her lord and saw the pain and angst his eyes held and wish that she could take it away… 'Wait! Where did that come from?! He is a demon! You are a m-miko! Such a union is forbidden! Wait! Why am I thinking about that! Oh Kami! I think I need more sleep to clear my head!'

He breathed in and smelled it again… It was getting addicting only after this amount of time. He looked down again and saw the conflicting feelings coming over her face and thought again, it was comical; so many emotions that could come and go. But he knew that if he was to protect her, she needed to get away from him…now! "Come miko, I will escort you back to your room…" He turned and walked away.

Kagome looked to where he was going and followed. He was going…back upstairs? 'But didn't I come through the big doors?' She continued until she had made her way through the door at the top of the stairs. Only to come out at… the family wing, three doors down from her own room… "Hey why didn't you show me this earlier?!"

He turned from going into his own room and smirked. "You didn't ask miko…"

She scowled and then she became peeved. Walking up to his closed door she screamed into it. "Hey didn't I tell you not to call me miko but my name! Say it with me now… KA-GO-ME!"

She heard footsteps coming from inside the room and she was about to barge in when they opened on their own. He was standing there and his pants were riding a little too low on his hips for Kagome's thinking. She blushed and looked up at his face. His eyes were red tinted and his strips were more ragged than usual… 'Uh oh!'

He smirked at her sudden fear. But once again her scent of arousal was getting too much for him… "Yes I know how to say your name Ka-go-me but I must wager that I must be told a few more times as well… Good night miko…" With that he closed the door in her face.

She couldn't believe it! He was mocking her! "AAAHHH!" She screamed in anger. "Well goodnight to you Sesshomaru-SAMA! Sweet dreams and all of that nonsense!" With that she stomped her way back to her room and slammed the door.

Sesshomaru heaved a huge breath. If she had stood there any longer he would've taken her right there in the middle of the hallway. He looked down and his ragging erection; grasping it, the thought of a raven head miko one door down from him as he relieved some much needed stress.


He woke up to a scream. Using his keen hearing, he waited for it to happen again. It did and it was next door in the miko's room. Without another thought, thinking that she was being attacked her ran to the partition door between the rooms and saw her flailing around in her bed; obviously a nightmare. Without thinking he ran and through himself on top of her form trying to hold her down; it seemed that she had already inflicted some harm to her person; seeing the blood line her arm. With her arms and legs held down he tried to wake her. "Miko! MIKO! Wake up!" She continued to flail as much as she could and she was still screaming. "Kagome! KAGOME! Wake up this instant!" She calmed down somewhat at the sound of her name. "Kagome… Wake up little one… It is alright; you are safe…"

She woke with a start and all she could think about was the dream she was having. It was horrible. The demons had come before sunrise and had killed everyone before she could help and then they found her and were raping her before they tortured her and they were getting ready to kill her until she woke up. She was coming into her surroundings and noticed that something or someone was holding her down. Thinking it was one of the rouge demons she tried to get away. "Leave me alone! Please don't hurt me anymore! Just kill me already!"

"Kagome!" She turned and saw Sesshomaru on top of her and she started to cry.

"Oh Sesshomaru it was horrible! The demons came and killed everyone and they found me and then they… they…" Then nothing else was heard but sobs.

He let her go and picked her up and placed her in his lap letting her sob. He never did like to see women cry but with Kagome, it seemed it was one hundred times worse. His beast was stirring to calm the little miko in his arms and he didn't know why. He started to give off a low rumble in his chest and combed his fingers through her hair.

What seemed like hours but it was only about twenty minutes she finally calmed down to where she could talk. "Kagome… tell me what happened…"

She sniffed. "My dream or what really happened?"

"Whichever… This is your first step in healing…" He said as he continued to run his fingers through her hair.

She sighed. She began with what really happened at the village then she continued to elaborate about her dream. She started crying again and Sesshomaru held her until she was finished.

"Kagome? Kagome look at me…"

She looked up to see his beautiful amber eyes boring into hers and she briefly wondered why he was angry at her…

"Kagome, this dream you had was horrible but you must remember, it wasn't real; you lived and they died by your hands. They did not do those dishonorable things to you. You are safe here with me in my citadel and I will protect you; whether it be from nightmares or any other foe. Is that clear?"

She nodded and sighed. "I am sorry for making all of this trouble Sesshomaru."

He chuckled. "It is not a problem Kagome…"

She looked back up to him. "Are you sure?"

He scowled. "I do not like to repeat myself miko…"

She chuckled. "So we're back to miko again huh?"

He smirked. "It would seem so…" She laughed then. They sat in a comfortable silence until she yawned. He chuckled. "Do you want me to stay for the night just in case the nightmares return?"

Kagome looked at him shocked. "Wouldn't that be inappropriate Sesshomaru-sama. I wouldn't want people to think ill towards you…"

He smirked. "I am the lord of this citadel and these lands as you keep reminding me. And if it is okay with me then they shouldn't have a problem with it; if they do I will simply put them in their place…"

Kagome giggled. "Is that a fact?"

He smirked again. "Indeed."

Kagome laughed. "Well in that case. If you feel you must stay to protect me against the nightmares then by all means, stay…" She said scooting off his lap to get under the covers.

He laughed and laid down beside her not touching her. He placed his arms above his head and relaxed. He was not tired in the least bit but being surrounded by her scent was starting to lull him into a deep sleep that he hadn't had in a very long time. He let sleep take him with a smile on his face. The last thing he thought before the land of dreams took him was, 'So this is what it feels like to have a mate beside you…'