Chapter 7

Miyako was hiding in a dark corner of the courtyard, as she waited for her lord to arrive. She could feel his youki as he was approaching the shiro. She was getting excited and giddy. She has never felt his powers so great and she was proud of herself for choosing such a powerful mate.

Finally she saw her new mate coming as he landed in the central courtyard. She smiled beautifully but when she saw the female in his arms her smile left her features and her anger started to take hold. She was seeing red as her inner Inu was not please that he was with another female.

Her eyes opened wide when she realized that the female was a ningen as a growl escaped her lips. 'How could he pick a filthy ningen to be his mate? She is not even powerful enough to be his mate.'

Miyako started to think that maybe her mate to be was put under a spell and that's why he was with that filth. Well he will not be with her for very long. When they started to head inside the shiro she saw her chance as she sent an attack towards the ningen.

She did not expect for Sesshoumaru to leap out of the way and take the ningen with him. She quickly put a barrier around her body to protect herself from his whip as it came towards her. She deflected his powerful attack as her red eyes looked at the ningen still in his arms.

Miyako heard Sesshoumaru's questions as she growled, "I was not attacking you milord. I was attacking that filthy ningen that must have you under a spell so you can mate her. I know for a fact that you would never mate a ningen as weak as she is. You were to pick a Youkai female that will produce strong pups as your heirs. You will never humiliate our race by soiling your linage with ningen blood."

Sesshoumaru viciously growled at the female standing in front of him. "You have no right to tell this Sesshoumaru who his mate should be. This female is the most powerful female in the lands and is a worthy mate."

Kagome continued to listen to what was being said when she heard the demoness say, "It doesn't matter. I will not back down. I invoke the ancient law of mating rights. Now your female has no choice but to fight me or risk losing you as a mate, if she denies my challenge. I will have you as my mate."

Kagome had no idea what was going on as she whispered to herself, "What is she talking about?"

Kaito, who was standing nearby tried to explain, "Milady, the ancient law of mating rights is a challenge issued to the female of a male that another female wants. It was established long ago to allow the females to fight for the strongest males. If you do not take her challenge then she has the right to mate with Lord Sesshoumaru, but if you take her challenge then it's a battle to the death and the winner will prove that they are a worthy mate for our Lord."

Kagome understood what Kaito was saying as she looked at Sesshoumaru. His eyes were blood red and his anger was growing by the minute. Then Kagome remembered what Midoriko said to her, "You have picked a worthy mate. Make him proud that he has chosen one as well."

Kagome understood what she had to do. She was not going to get any respect from the Youkai community if she did not stand up for herself and defeat this female. Her anger that was redirected while traveling to Sesshoumaru's home was now fanned anew as the demoness was degrading her.

Kagome was tired of everyone calling her weak and a good for nothing. She will prove to all here that she was worthy to be Sesshoumaru's mate.

Kagome kept her powers hidden, not wanting anyone to know that she was a miko. This was to her advantage, then she will be able to show everyone just who she was.

Kagome raised her hand up as she gently caressed Sesshoumaru's hand. It calmed him down as she turned to him and said, "Sesshoumaru, if this law actually exists then I have no choice. I will have to accept her challenge."

Kagome was scared out of her mind when Sesshoumaru turned on her and snarled, "I will not allow you to fight her. I have already chosen you as my mate and even if she does manage to defeat you, which I doubt, I will never mate with her because she is too weak for this Sesshoumaru."

Miyako snarled as she yelled, "I will show you just how powerful I am! When I'm finished with that little slut I will have you drooling at my feet." The demoness then stood straight as she cupped her breast and stated in a sensual voice, "Wouldn't you love to get your hands on these and squeeze them? I'm sure that I can be a better mate then that ningen, who has you under a spell of some kind. I will give you full blooded Youkai pups and they will be accepted by all in the lands. If you choose that ningen wench she will be dead by the end of the week!"

Sesshoumaru did not like what the demoness said to him as he lashed out with his golden whip.

Miyako leaped just in time to avoid his punishment. She could not take another hit from his whip. She has already expended a great amount of her energy to deflect his previous attack. She needed what little energy she still had to fight this ningen and then for the mating afterwards. She landed ready to do battle as she saw the ningen standing between her and the Youkai lord.

Kagome had to act fast. This was a battle that she alone has to fight. She got in between the demoness and Sesshoumaru as she yelled, "Sesshoumaru! You cannot interfere in this fight. I understand that you don't want me to get hurt but you chose me as your mate, and as your future mate I have to prove myself to all the Youkai of the lands that I'm worthy to be her."

At that moment Kagome felt danger as a barrier went around her body to protect herself. No one noticed the barrier that she placed around her body as they all turned heated eyes toward the demoness. She attacked Kagome while her back was turned, a dishonorable act, and frowned upon by the Youkai community.

Miyako could not wait until Kagome finished talking to Sesshoumaru, she attacked while the ningens back was turned hoping to end this fight as quickly as possible. She growled with anger when she noticed that her attack did not have any effect on the ningen. Miyako noticed as the ningen slowly turned around, anger was clearly marring her features, as her eyes were turning icy blue.

Kagome turned her heated eyes towards the demoness as she said, "You have no honor, attacking someone while their back is turned towards you. Yet you want to be Sesshoumaru's mate, tell me why do you want him?"

Miyako looked at the ningen as she said in a deadly voice, "Isn't that obvious? He is the strongest male here and he is also the Lord of the Lands. I will gain much respect from the rest of the Youkai. They will all have to bow down to me because I will be his mate."

Kagome's eyes opened wide as she heard her words. She could not believe this, "All you want is the title and power that comes from being his mate? You don't even love him for who he is? Sesshoumaru is a person with deep feelings and wants nothing more than to have that affection returned to him. How can you even mate a male just for power?"

"You know nothing of our ways. This is the way it has been for centuries and its tradition. Only the most powerful can mate a powerful male. You are just a filthy ningen and are not his equal. Your pups will never be accepted as heirs to the lands because they will be filthy hanyou's.

"Why do you think that the lord's brother was driven from this place? He is a filthy hanyou and doesn't deserve the right to be here, only pure blooded Youkai will ever live in this shiro. You are not welcomed here and it will be my pleasure to send you to your death." Miyako stated with distain.

Kagome had enough as she stepped away from a protesting Sesshoumaru, saying, "I accept your challenge. Name your weapon."

Miyako smiled as she said, "I choose swords." She noticed that Kagome did not have any weapons on her as she got an evil gleam in her eyes. This was going to be the death of the ningen.

Kagome understood what she wanted as she mentally called for her sword. She slowly turned as her sword appeared at her side. She moved forward as she took her sword out of its sheath and held it tightly in her hands. She had to plan this attack just right. If she could defeat her without her Reiryoku then she will be making a statement to these Youkai that she was worthy to be Sesshoumaru's mate being a ningen.

Miyako's eyes opened wide when she saw the ningen pull a sword from its sheath. She had no idea where it came from but it did not matter. She was still going to kill her and make Sesshoumaru see that she was the better mate. She pulled her own sword out as she faced off with the ningen.

Kagome came to a stop just a few feet away from her opponent as she stood there and observed her. She has been training all her life and Sango played a big part in her training. Sango always wanted her to learn how to protect herself. She taught her how to handle a sword and she felt that she was ready for this challenge.

Miyako was not one to stand around and wait as she attacked. She moved in fast, as she raised her sword. Bring her sword down, she thought that this was going to be a quick kill. She never expected that the ningen would move in and intercepted her attack.

Kagome was ready as she saw the attack coming. She moved into a fighting stance as she brought her sword up and blocked the attack. They fought for dominance as Kagome would not give in to the female that wanted her Sesshoumaru.

Kagome got her feet underneath her and pushed the demoness away. She brought her sword forward as another attack came in and Kagome blocked, but this time Kagome gave a powerful kick to the demoness chest, quickly recovering her balance to continue the fight.

Miyako was surprised to be flying backwards away from the ningen. She hit the ground hard as she quickly got up and attacked again. She slashed with her sword and missed as she used her claws next and missed as well. The ningen was proving to be fast and she was beginning to have her doubts on whether she could kill her.

Miyako continued to attack and each time the ningen would block or she would avoid the attack completely. She needed something to distract the ningen so she could kill her.

Again Miyako struck with her sword as Kagome countered, but this time Miyako did not give the ningen room to move as they staved off each other's attack. When Miyako was close enough she whispered, "Once I kill you Sesshoumaru will be my mate. I will give him powerful pups and they will be accepted in the Youkai world. If you should win this battle you will never have the respect of the Youkai and the first chance we get we will kill your pups."

That statement caused Kagome's anger to grow. If she ever had any children no one was going to ever harm them. It was time that they all were introduced to the real Kagome. She let her Reiryoku go as her powers increased.

Miyako jumped away from the ningen when she felt the bite of her powers. Her eyes went wide when she noticed how powerful this ningen was. She was hiding her aura and now she has unleashed her full potential.

Kagome looked up as her eyes were going white. Her powers grew as her hair started to move with the force of her Reiryoku. She stood tall as she trained her eyes on her opponent. "No one will ever harm my children. They will be respected in your world or your kind will suffer my wrath. So if you make a threat like that, make sure that you are willing to back it up, because I will kill the first one to ever lay their hands on my children."

Miyako calmed as she face off with the ningen. "So what! You're just a miko. Your kind could not kill us before and you never will. There was only one miko that was powerful enough to do so and she was killed centuries ago. She was also to be the mate of Sesshoumaru but we all thought that his father had gone mad to agree to such a union, to unite the Youkai and ningen worlds. We made sure that she never made it here to the Western Lands and even though plenty Youkai died that day, so did she. We didn't need someone like that to ruin our lives."

That statement made Kagome's anger grow even more. Knowing that she was killed because the Youkai did not want her to mate with Sesshoumaru the first time made her lose all her control as she let go.

Kagome's aura illuminated the area as her powers encircled her body. She held her sword off to the side as she channeled her powers into it. She called forth who she was as she stood tall and deadly. When she spoke there was power behind her voice and it carried around the shiro for all to hear.

"Listen and listen well for I will not repeat myself after this day. You are to tell the Youkai community just who Sesshoumaru's mate is. The first Youkai who even approaches my family and tries to do them harm will feel my wrath. I am Kagome, High Priestess of the Lands, and the Shikon No Tama." Kagome stated in a no nonsense voice.

Kagome could hear the gasps from the Youkai in the area as they all heard what she said. There was no way she could be the High Priestess let alone the Shikon miko. She died over 500 years ago.

Kagome never lost her composer as she continued. "I will not let anyone come between me and my mate, so this is your last warning. Leave here and live a fruitful life or stay and die a painful death." Kagome's eyes told of the pain she was going to inflict on the demoness if she continued to challenge her.

Miyako did not believe what the ningen was telling her. The Shikon miko died long ago and there is no way that she is here now. Her youki flared around her body as her beast came forth, no one was going to take away the male that she has chosen. She attacked as she moved with speed toward her target.

Kagome was ready. She never moved from her spot as she met the attack head on. Kagome brought her sword forward as she swung it up and met Miyako's sword, knocking it out of her hand. The sword was hit with such force that it went flying across the courtyard as it embedded itself in a tree, half way to the hilt.

Kagome then took the palm of her hand as she hit the demoness in the chest. She sent her flying backwards, hitting the ground hard. When Miyako opened her eyes she found herself flat on her back with a sword at her throat. She could not move because the ningen had her foot planted on her chest keeping her pinned to the ground.

Miyako was being held in place by a blind force and when she tried to move the tip of the sword dug into her neck. She howled in pain as she felt the sting of holy powers. She was at the ningens mercy as she stilled from being subdued.

Once Kagome knocked the sword out of the demoness hand she went after her with a vengeance. She placed her foot on her chest and then used her Reiryoku to hold her in place. She could not take the chance of the demoness getting back up once she had her in a submissive hold.

Kagome put her sword against the demoness neck. Then she saw the look in the demoness eyes as she noticed the position she was in. "Now submit! I have beaten you and there is no way you are going to get out of this hold. Submit to me now!"

Miyako had no idea how she got pinned to the ground. She was not happy when she heard the ningens statement. When she would not submit she howled in pain as the sword moved closer to the main artery. She felt when it cut her skin and blood started to seep down her neck.

Kagome did not want to hurt this demoness. She has already made her point to her but unless she got her submission she will be forced to kill her. She really hoped that it did not come down to that. She never liked taking a life if there was another way around it.

Miyako had no idea how to get out of the mess that she was in. She was bleeding heavily and if she did not submit soon she will die from her injuries. She decided that she wanted to live as she bared her throat to the ningen in submission.

Kagome seeing that the demoness finally submitted to her, removed the sword from her neck. She then stepped away from her as she said while putting away her sword, "I want you to leave. Your new job is to tell every Youkai in the lands that the Shikon miko is now Sesshoumaru's mate and my warning to them." Kagome then turned and left the demoness, thinking that the fight was over.

Miyako was finally free of the miko's grasp. She rolled over on her side as her hand went up to her neck to stem the flow of blood. She concentrated her youki on her wound to seal it as she was breathing hard. Once her wound was closed she turned her attention back to the miko who was still walking away from her.

She did not like what she was told to do as her anger was fanned anew. She waited until the ningen was far enough away as she got up from the ground and raced after her. She was about to attack when she noticed that the ningen stopped in her tracks and slowly turned around.

'This is good', Miyako thought, she was almost there and she will be able to see the miko's eyes when she died. But what she did not expect was that Kagome's eyes were now a pure white as she raised her hand up. Miyako slashed with her claws and was met with a powerful blast of Kagome's Reiryoku as she screamed in pain. It was the worst pain she has ever felt in her life as the miko purified her to oblivion.

Kagome was breathing hard as she killed the demoness who had no honor. The adrenalin was still going strong in Kagome's veins when she felt another powerful aura coming towards her. She turned and without thinking she sent another blast of her Reiryoku towards the person that was attacking her.

Kagome thought that she killed her attacker. Turning she started running away from this area, wanting to leave to go back home. She took off at a fast clip, moving faster than the average ningen as she fled in fear. She was setting her sights on the forest as she made a beeline straight there.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was watching as Kagome battled the demoness. He was not happy at the moment because his female disregarded his decision on her fighting with the female Youkai. He was about to go after her when he found himself surrounded by 20 of his Youkai soldiers.

Kaito watched the exchange between his lord and the young female. The female has a sense of honor and knew that she did not have a choice when the other female issued that challenge to her.

When Kaito observed Kagome walking off to do battle, he noticed, that his lord was about to go after her. He signaled to the soldiers around the area as they formed a circle around Sesshoumaru.

Kaito stepped forward as he said, "Lord Sesshoumaru you must let your female prove herself to all here. If she wants to be your mate she must battle Miyako. You cannot interfere with what must happen. It is the law and you are not above it."

Sesshoumaru snarled at his servant, saying in a deadly voice, "The female in question is my match and I will not have her getting hurt battling this weak female. She is mine and I will protect her."

Sesshoumaru made to move but the soldiers blocked his path as he barred his fangs and growled. It was a warning for them to get out of his way or they will suffer his wrath.

The soldiers were all shaking in their boots but could not back down from what they were doing. The little female has to prove herself or else no one will protect her as Sesshoumaru's mate.

Then all too soon they felt the bite of Reiryoku as they all turned to see what was going on. The little onna was glowing with power. She was a powerful miko as they heard her declaration. They could not believe that she was the High priestess of the Lands. They all knew that she died centuries ago and that there was no one that powerful.

Sesshoumaru noticed what was going on with his mate as he yipped, growled, and snarled to all around him, "If you all wish to live, I suggest you stand behind me. She is about to unleash her powers and if she does you will be purified."

No one needed to be told twice, they all moved behind Sesshoumaru. They knew that their Lord will protect them from his female.

Sesshoumaru flared his youki, forming a barrier around his body. It protected not only himself but those with him, whilst he continued to watch what his lovely mate was doing.

While Kagome was fighting, Sesshoumaru's desires for her grew. She was everything he wanted in a mate and more. He could not wait to get her alone so he can make her his for all eternity.

Sesshoumaru was relieved when the demoness finally submitted to his mate, he lowered his barrier and started walking towards Kagome. He noticed when the demoness went after his mate while her back was turned, he snarled and took off, trying to reach his mate in time.

He saw Kagome turn and attack the demoness, purifying her from the face of the earth. Then he saw her turn around and attack again, but this time it was aimed at him. She did not realize what she was doing, as her attack hit him full force.

The ring on Sesshoumaru's finger flared with power, protecting him from her wrath. He leaped from the middle of the blast as he went after his mate tackling her from behind.

Kagome screamed when she was caught. Powerful arms came around her chest, turning her just in time to avoid hitting the ground face first, when she fell forward.

Kagome saw her world going around in circles, rolling across the ground, struggling hard to get free from her attacker, when she landed face first in the snow.

They were both covered in snow, Sesshoumaru was having a hard time with his mate, who didn't want to be subdued. He was on top of her as he tried to get a better grip on her wiggling form.

Kagome got her legs under her, pushing her assailant off her back, she succeeded in throwing him off with a blast from her Reiryoku, and took off running again.

Sesshoumaru snarled as he got up off the ground, seeing that his mate was disoriented, he went after her. Seizing her from behind again, they fell to the ground face first. His fangs grew in size, while he grabbed her by the back of the neck. He caged her struggling form beneath his body and held on to her. He started to growl low and steady while he tried to calm her.

Kagome had no idea who was on top of her but she was not about to give up without a fight. She kept moving as she tried to throw her attacker off. She flared her Reiryoku around her body, attacking the person on her back.

She failed in removing the male, and then she felt the bite of his fangs. She stopped her movements when she felt the pressure on the back of her neck. Kagome started to whimper and cry from the pain she was feeling but she was not about to give up.

Kagome was acting just like a demoness right before a mating. They will fight against their chosen mate to see if they could subdue them. It was part of the mating ritual. The female wanted to know that the male was powerful enough to subdue and protect her. If the male subdued her then they were a perfect pair.

Kagome's powers were out of control as Sesshoumaru's tried to restrain her. His powers flared around them as he grabbed hold of her Reiryoku and contained it. His mate was a spitfire when pissed as she fought against him to get free, but he would not let go of her. It took some time but she finally calmed down, after he pulled her into his chest and continued to purr.

-oOo-

All of the servants were amazed at the way their lord handled the powerful miko. No one knew that he had such great powers to subdue a miko of her caliber. He was containing her powers, protecting all in the shiro. He was holding her by the back of the neck, his body was on top of hers, as she was face down in the snow.

They all heard his growls, trying to soothe his distressed mate. They finally noticed when the miko relax in their lord's arms as he finally released her. Sesshoumaru turned his mate around in his arms, looking at her. He brushed the hair away from her face gazing upon her beauty.

He was caressing her cheeks lovingly with his thumb, his eyes sparkling with the love that he felt for her. Emotions were clearly seen in his golden orbs when he gazed upon her features. No one has ever seen this side of him before and it looked like he did not care at the moment. His only concern was for the female that he was holding in his arms as he took in her scent. That heavenly scent seemed to calm his beast as he bent down and caressed his cheeks against hers. He held her closer to his chest as he continued to purr for her.

Sesshoumaru was happy that his mate was finally under control. Her Reiryoku receded back as she relaxed in his arms. She always relaxed in his arms whenever he purred for her. He didn't know why it soothed her but he was happy that it did.

Once Sesshoumaru felt that his mate was relaxed enough he slowly stood bringing Kagome with him. He cradled her in his arms as she rested her head against his chest. She was content for the moment as he continued with his growls.

Then Sesshoumaru sensed Youkai approaching him, his eyes turned red and he barred his fangs at the intruders. He noticed all of the servants and soldiers stopping a few feet away from him, bowing in unisons.

Kaito along with every servant in the shiro approach their lord as they stopped, "Lord Sesshoumaru, we pledge our protection and loyalty to you and your new mate for as long as we live. She is a worthy mate for you oh lord."

Sesshoumaru red eyes scanned the area as he saw everyone's agreement to Kaito statement. He looked up to the sky and noticed that the full moon was almost to its apex. The moon looked larger than usual and this was strange to him. He has not seen the moon this large in a very long time. As a matter of fact the last time he noticed the moon this large was when the High Priestess of the Lands was supposedly traveling to the west to be his mate. But all those thoughts aside, it was time that he took his female and made her his.

Sesshoumaru took off with such speed that it looked like he just disappeared from sight as he headed towards the mating chambers. The chambers were located in the lower portion of the shiro. It was in a secret place only known to a few in the shiro.

He stopped in front of a wall as he opened his senses. When he was satisfied that he was alone in this area he took his hand and placed it on the wall. His youki came forth as a door appeared right in front of him.

Sesshoumaru opened the door and stepped inside the room. He looked around and noticed, to his satisfaction, that the room was indeed prepared for him and his mate. It was cleaned and the bed has been made with soft and comfortable silks. He walked in, closing the door behind him, as he placed Kagome on the bed for just a moment.

He went to a stone pillar in the middle of the room as he placed his hand on it. He needed to invoke the room's barriers and seals before they mated. His youki flared with power, surrounding his body with a red aura, as he added his power to the ancient stone pillar. His red youki went around the room invoking the ancient barriers and seals.

The barriers were part of every ruler's power that he left behind when he mated. The room provided protection from being attacked and contained the power that was released during the mating. The Youkai lord's power was then distributed around the shiro to power the barriers that kept them concealed from the outside world and kept their enemies out.

When he was done he turned his attention towards Kagome who was struggling to sit up. She was weakened from her battle but that did not mean that she was helpless. She was far from being helpless.

Sesshoumaru walked back to his mate, as he quickly striped out of his garments. He sat behind her as his hand went around her waist to undo the tie that was holding her obi in place.

Kagome woke up disoriented as she struggled to sit up. She became alarmed when she felt a hand undoing her obi as she started to struggle once again. Sesshoumaru responded by pulling her closer to his body, holding her in his arms, while his chest was vibrating in response to her upset.

Sesshoumaru started to lick her neck. His soft growls relaxed her while he whispered, "Kagome" into her ear. Licking her favorite areas to be caressed, he was rewarded with a soft mewl from his mate. He continued with his goal, her obi fell away from her body, letting her outer coat fall open. Slowly he pulled the obi away from her beautiful waist.

Sesshoumaru then slipped his hand up, slowly opening her coat, pulling it down over her soft succulent shoulders. He nipped at the exposed skin while he was gently caressing her with his clawed fingers. His moves were slow and calculating, wanting her to relax into their mating as he continued to move over her body.

Kagome's mind was still out of it. She still thought that she was fighting against an enemy that captured her when she heard her name being whispered in her ear. It sent a shiver up her spine, the kind she only got when Sesshoumaru said her name sensually. She recognized the smooth baritone voice of her mate as she leaned back into his comforting heat. She felt his hands moving slowly over her body, igniting her passion.

-Lemon Begins-

Sesshoumaru slowly unzipped her dress, pulling it off the top part of her body. He really wanted to shred the garment to pieces but he knew that females cherished their mating clothes and he did not want to invoke her wrath.

To his surprise Kagome was not wearing a bra. He was happy because that was one less thing he will have to remove as he continued to undress her. With her breast now exposed to him he turned his mate just slightly, his hand cupping her breast, as he brought the nipple closer to his mouth. He lashed on and began to suckle at his favorite treat, leaning her body over his arm, ravishing her breast.

He became very aggressive when his mate moaned at what he was doing. He massaged her breast while he suckled hard on the nipple.

Sesshoumaru's tail was very busy as well, it was pulling off the dress that Kagome was wearing and now she was exposed to his hungry eyes. His tail went up her long delicious legs, caressing her. He made it to her feminine flower and gently started to rub her swollen clit, making her move with his touch.

Sesshoumaru decided to lay his mate down on their shared bed, never letting go of the nipple he was currently suckling on. They will provide his pups with much nourishment and he will also have a treat once they were done feeding. He looked forward to that day when his lovely mate will be swollen with his seed. But right now he was more interested in making her his as his hands started to caress her body.

His touch was light as he positioned himself over her body. He nudged her legs apart making sure that her hands were out of his way. He took her wrist and moved them over her head while kissing her passionately. His hands started to glow as he put bindings on her wrists to tie her to the bed. This will prevent her from moving her hands and kept her subdued.

This was the night that he will show her how much she meant to him. He was performing a dance, a dance so ancient that by the time he was finished with her he will have her tied to his life for as long as he lived.

He switched breast moving the other one towards his mouth. He suckled hard giving it as much attention as the other one while his hard member was slowly rubbing her lower region. His tail was doing a perfect job in getting her ready for their mating as it continued to rub her the right way.

Soon he grew tired of her breast as he moved lower down her body. He heard his mate protesting that she could not move as he growled, "Not this night mate. This is the night that I will finally complete the ritual and make you mine for the rest of my life. I will endure your wrath after we have mated. Just relax and enjoy our mating for there is more to come."

Kagome could not believe that Sesshoumaru was not going to let her touch him. It was very unfair to her, stating, "You lied to me Sesshoumaru! You said that I can have whatever I wanted once we were alone, and here you are restraining me from touching you."

Kagome then gave a throaty groan, arching her back, when he went down her body. He was driving her crazy with his touch and it was setting her body on fire. Her protest died on her lips as his hands caressed the side of her body. She has, so far, let him have his way and he was doing a wonderful job satisfying her.

Sesshoumaru realized that he did promise her anything she wanted, but not tonight. He was more than willing to give her the world after he was done mating her. He continued going down her body, approaching her feminine flower. He took his claws and ripped away her panties, quickly throwing them to the ground.

His eyes opened wide when he noticed that she has shaved her flower. He moved her legs apart and out of his way as his tail held them in place. She was almost ready to receive him but first he wanted a taste of her essence.

He lowered his head as his long tongue came out of his mouth. It finally made contact with those sweet lips as he growled his pleasure.

Kagome was struggling in Sesshoumaru's grasp. She wanted to desperately touch her mate as she felt his tongue starting to caress her. He was being aggressive and she moaned, wanting him to continue with his actions.

Sesshoumaru finally got to his goal, then he quickly pulled away from his mate as his eyes started to go a deeper red. 'That taste, that taste is so unique, there is a spiciness to it that I can't place. It's causing my beast to push forward as he wants to take over the mating.'

Sesshoumaru fought with his beast to prevent him from hurting their mate, when Sesshoumaru heard him say, "Our bitch is coming into heat! She can be pupped this night if we wait for her scent to peak!"

Sesshoumaru was shocked by this but it was even better than what he expected. To have her as his for all eternity and get a pup of his own was all he ever wished for. But he has not talked to his mate about having pups. He did not know if she wanted any pups yet. There was no way he was going to pass up this opportunity as he went back to his protesting mate.

He left her high and dry and she was in pain. He resumed his attention to her, opening her more than before. He became even more aggressive feasting on her wonderful juices, until she came.

Kagome's was quickly coming down from her high, it was now time that he took what was his. His arm went under her hips as he brought her closer to his body. He flipped her over and put her on all fours. His arm moved lower to bring her hips up to be even with his member.

Kagome was breathing hard, she has never had an orgasm that intense before, so she was trying to come down from her high. Sesshoumaru has set her body on fire. She noticed when he moved away from her lower region as he came up her body.

His arm was going underneath her as she was flipped over on her stomach and her hips were raised off the bed. She felt something very hot and large rubbing her as she started moving to his tempo. Then she felt hot lips on hers shoulder.

Sesshoumaru was kissing his mates neck and shoulder. He was getting the area ready for his mark plus distracting her from what he was doing, making his move to enter her. He immediately felt how tight she was. This was not going to be easy and he knew that she was going to struggle in his grasp once he was fully sheathed.

He held her firmly in his grasp while he continued to rock his hips moving deeper into her core. He came to her barrier as he braced himself. Holding Kagome firmly in his arms he held her hips up as he finally sheathed himself fully in one swift move.

Kagome screamed in pain, when Sesshoumaru slammed into her, she felt like she was being ripped in two. Her powers came forth to protect herself while she continued to struggle in Sesshoumaru's arms, trying to get away from the pain she was feeling.

Sesshoumaru felt the spike of Kagome's powers. He flared his youki, struggling to contain his crying mate. His youki was protecting him from his mate's wrath as his beast tried to sooth her with his purrs.

Kagome started to calm down, her pain was great, but it was slowly starting to go away. She never knew that it would hurt this much to join with Sesshoumaru. She couldn't help but moan her pleasure as her pain started to go away.

Sesshoumaru held still, letting his mate get used to the invasion of her body. He felt her starting to relax. He reached down underneath her body and started to stoke her. He felt her muscle clinch, and a ripple was felt all the way down his entire length. He groaned his pleasure, panting from the feeling he was receiving from his lovely mate.

He was holding on to her shoulder with his fangs as he slowly moved within his mate. He felt her relax and opened herself fully to him. This is what he wanted while he continued to move, building up the passion between them.

Sesshoumaru was moving slowly, he was trying to find a rhythm that his mate would enjoy. He moved her hips up to give him a better angle. When he succeeded he was hitting a place that his mate found most enjoyable.

Kagome did not know what Sesshoumaru was hitting but it was starting to make that knot come back to her stomach. It was getting tighter by the minute the more he stroked her. She was panting hard trying to control her powers. She could not let go of them for fear of purifying her mate.

Then she heard, "Mate, let go of your passion for me. You will not hurt me but I need to feel the passion and love that you have for me so we can finish our mating. Let your powers go mate." Kagome complied with his request, letting go of her passion. She released her powers as it lit up the room with her passion.

Kagome was panting hard as the knot got tighter and tighter. She has released her powers but she felt that something was very wrong. She did not feel complete as she looked down and saw her mate's hand. Her soul was still in the ring as Sesshoumaru never released that part of her.

She slowly moved her hand towards his as her palm made contact with the ring on his finger. The other part of her soul connected to her as her powers grew tenfold. Her Reiryoku spiked heavily when she felt that she was reaching her end.

Sesshoumaru felt when his mate let go of her passion. He could feel her love for him in her aura as he continued to pound into her heated core. He let his youki go as it surrounded his mate to tie her life to his.

Then he felt her hand on his as his mates powers grew in strength. He growled as his beast came forth to take over the mating. He needed to use the rest of his powers to subdue his mate's powers. He has never in his life, had to use this power and his beast was the only one that could release it.

His red aura grew in power as Sesshoumaru's beast came forth. His eyes turned white, as his body grew in size. He maintained his ningen form when his beast merged with his logical side.

Their power was so great that it was starting to percolate out of the room they were in. The pillar in the middle of the room came to life as it started to absorb their excess power. It was glowing brightly as it took in all of that power.

Sesshoumaru let loose of his full powers as he grabbed Kagome's aura and wrapped it in his. Their powers merged together as one, finally tying his mate's life span to his.

He felt when Kagome came to her end, screaming his name to the heavens. That's all it took for Sesshoumaru, to howl his conquest of his mate. His mouth came down, sinking his fangs into her shoulder marking her as his mate for life.

Their power finally reseeded back as Sesshoumaru was licking his mate's wounds making sure that he healed them. He was spent as his mate was already unconscious in his arms. He pulled her closer to his chest, laying their bodies down on their side, he curled his body around hers and pulled the covers over them. He passed out once he was settled as the barriers and seals in the mating chambers will protect them while they recovered from their mating.

-End of the Lemon-

The power that the pair released during their mating was causing havoc in the shiro. Everyone that lived there came running outside when they felt the shiro shake violently. They had no idea what was going on as they all fled their home.

They gathered around Kaito as one of the servants asked, "Kaito-sama what is going on? What is happening to the shiro?"

Kaito looked up as he saw the shiro glowing. His eyes opened wide as the power that their lord released was causing their home to glow brightly. They all watched as the pillar that was on top of the shiro came to life as five bright beams of light shot out and went to the five pillars around the grounds.

Everyone watched the five pillars that were starting to glow brightly with power around the area. They continued to gain in its intensity as it became almost too bright for them to see. Then the shiro did something that they never expected.

The five pillars around the shiro then shot a beam of light towards the sky. The center pillar on the top of the shiro also shot a beam of light into the sky, merging with the other five beams, while they went straight to the moon. It was a powerful beam as its power was felt throughout the lands.

-oOo-

Youkai all over Japan felt the power spike while they all looked into the sky. They noticed where this power was coming from and the beam of light that signaled its location. Many Youkai left their homes and headed west. They knew of only one thing that could cause this power spike, the lord of the lands has finally taken a mate. It meant that he was weak at this moment and it was their chance to get rid of him. So they headed west hoping to kill him before he recovered from his mating.

-oOo-

Back at the shiro Kaito was bombarded with questions as he tried to explain what has happened in the shiro.

"Everyone please calm down. Our lord has finally finished the mating ritual and that is what you have all been experiencing. The beam of lights is the excess power that he used to tie his mates life to his. The power gets distributed to the barrier that protects and conceals the shiro." Kaito stated in a calm voice to everyone in the area.

The servants started to calm down when he heard, "Then what was that beam of light that went into the sky towards the moon? We have never seen that before."

Kaito had to think but he could only remember a legend, then everyone started pointing up to the sky, as they all turned to see what was happening.

The moon reacted to the beam of light that was sent its way. It grew brighter as two beams of light illuminated an area on the ground. It was shining radiantly in the front courtyard as a crescent moon formed from the light. The snow started to melt where the light covered the ground. Flowers were starting to grow as very large white moon flowers stood there in all its glory.

Kaito eyes opened wide as he realized what they were witnessing. Moon flowers have not been seen in the shiro of the west since Sesshoumaru's Hiijiji ruled this land. 'But the moon flower signified that the miko of the earth has mated their lord. It was a sign of her rule here in the west as she cared for all in the lands. But if memory serves me correctly the western lands, during that time, flourished under their rule.'

Kaito was confused but he will have to wait until he could speak to their new lady to see if she was this type of miko.

Everyone in the area turned to him for answers. Kaito sighed, saying, "I have my theories. It was said that the miko of the earth was the only one that can call forth the moon flowers. It was a sign of the union between the moon and earth as she ruled here in the west. When our lady died the moon flowers died with her and have not been seen since. I won't know for sure until I speak with our new lady. But until then we should all get some rest. Our lord has finally mated and we need to get his bed chambers ready come morning."

The servants all agreed as they all went back into the shiro to get some much needed rest. The morning will prove difficult if their lord comes out of the mating chambers and they were caught anywhere near his location.

Kaito walked closer to the moon flowers as he looked at all of them. They were beautiful and the fragrance they gave off was heavenly to his senses. He did not understand how they could grow in the middle of winter and not be affected by the cold. The ground around the area was very warm and there was no snow on the ground where they were located. He shook his head as he turned and went back into the shiro. He had a feeling that their lord will be up and about in the morning, wishing to get a meal and a more comfortable bed for his mate.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was slowly coming out of his slumber. His heart rate started increasing, his breathing got deeper to fill his lungs, signaling that he was waking. His mind was slowly waking as the fog that was there started to clear up.

Sesshoumaru felt drained of power. He has never felt this weak in all his life. He did not know what he did to get himself into this state. He started to think back to the moment before he fell unconscious. Memories of his mating with his beautiful Kagome came to his mind as it started providing him with the details of his mating.

Slowly, he opened his eyes, taking in his surroundings. He was surprised that the shiro was still standing after his mating. He never needed to use his full powers before and in order to tie his mates life to his he was forced to call forth those powers. His beast came forth to help him in the mating when his lovely mate let go of her true powers.

Kagome was a very powerful being whether she knew it or not. He almost had to use all of his youki to tie her life to his, thus making him very weak. He was slowly recovering his strength, but he has not fully recovered yet. He was strong enough to protect his mate if he chose to leave the mating chamber and go upstairs to his own room.

He needed to get food for Kagome and he needed to tend to her needs. She was still very weak at the moment as he looked down into his arms. He saw nothing but black hair as he took his hand and moved her hair off to the side.

His mate was still asleep in his arms as he looked at her. He noticed her shoulder and looked at the area where he marked her. His mating mark has healed and when it healed it created a fairly large crescent moon with what looked like a moon flower in the middle of the crescent. It was a strange mark but the crescent was a clear sign that she was his mate. She also had a crescent moon on her forehead for all to see.

He leaned down and kissed her. Her beautiful sweet lips were nice and soft to the touch. He ran his tongue over them to get them wet and to see if he could wake her from her sleep, but his mate would not respond to his touch. This worried him as he looked at her with concern.

Sesshoumaru decided that he needed to leave the mating chambers so he could take care of his mate. He slowly released her from his grasp, pulling away from her warm body. He stood up slowly, stretching his tired body, while he listened to the pops that his bones gave, and then found his hakama. Once he had them on he took his haori and laid it on the bed. He picked his mate up and then laid her down on top of his haori, wrapping her up in its warmth, to prevent anyone from seeing what was his.

When he was satisfied that he covered everything that belonged to him he picked her up in his arms and rested her against his chest. His tail came up to keep her close, he was ready to leave the mating chambers.

Sesshoumaru took a deep breath, sending his youki out to ferret out any threats to his mate. His powerful aura quickly searched the area and when he found no threat he left the mating chamber.

Kaito was waiting patiently for his lord to come out of the mating chambers. It has been two days and they still have not seen their lord. The servants were all nervous. They knew that they had to stay out of their lord's way when he came out of his hiding place with his mate. He will be very protective of the female like any other Inu Youkai when freshly mated. Until the female recovered from the mating the male will be very aggressive.

Kaito left a guard at the entrance that lead down to the lower parts of the shiro. He was to signal the rest of the shiro inhabitants when he felt that their lord was coming up so everyone will be prepared.

The lone guard grew bored. Nothing has happened since they put him in this place to guard the entrance. He wished he could just leave and do something else. He was contemplating what he would be doing when he felt a powerful aura coming from below.

He recognized it immediately, he started to shake in fear of what his lord would do to him if he found him in this area. He did the only thing he could, he fled the area, giving the alarm that their lord was coming.

The servants fled the area as they all got out of the lords way. They did not want to invoke his wrath as they fled. Only one figure stood there waiting for him as he sent word to the kitchens to get a meal ready and sent to the lord's chambers. He will be looking for food to regain his strength and to feed his mate.

Sesshoumaru felt when all the Youkai in the area left in a hurry. They were giving him his space and he was happy with this. But he felt that there was a lone Youkai that was waiting for him as his anger grew. Whoever this Youkai was will die by his hand if he thought that he could take his mate away from him.

He reached the top of the stairs as a low growl came from his throat. It was a warning for the Youkai to leave the area.

Kaito saw his lord coming up from the lower portion of the shiro. He bowed deeply to him, stating, "Congratulations milord on your mating. Your chambers have been prepared and food has already been brought up for you and your mate. The bathing chambers have been prepared with healing herbs for the female so she can recover quickly from her mating. If you will please follow me, milord, I will take you there."

Kaito then got up and lead the way to Sesshoumaru's bed chambers.

Sesshoumaru's red eyes scanned the area and found that they were alone. He heard the Youkai words to him and followed him upstairs. He was an elderly Youkai so he was no threat to his mate. But he kept his senses opened to make sure that this was not a trap to get his female.

They were walking down the main hallway to get to Sesshoumaru's bed chambers. Kaito was walking ahead to open the doors to his chambers before he got there.

Sesshoumaru was making his way towards his chambers when a female Youkai came out of one of the rooms to the left carrying dirty linen. She froze when she saw her lord with his mate. She was scared out of her mind as she stood there like a deer caught in a bright beam of light.

Sesshoumaru snarled as he readied his poison whip. He was about to unleash his attack when Kagome started to move in his arms. She whimpered and brought Sesshoumaru's attention back to her.

Kaito quickly ran to the servant and got her out of harm's way as she fled down the hallway away from their lord.

Sesshoumaru heard his mate's whimpers and turned his attention from the female Youkai to her. He reached up with his hand, gently caressing her cheeks. Kagome settled down in his arms as he looked up only to find the female Youkai gone from the area. His youki spread throughout the area and when he was satisfied that it was safe he continued on his way.

He finally made it to his bed chambers, his senses were on full alert, searching for anyone trying to harm what was his. When he was satisfied that there was no one in his chambers he placed a barrier around his room, when he took in the scent of food.

He looked over to a table that was in the room, he noticed that his servants have brought food for him and his mate. He looked down in his arms and noticed that his mate was still asleep against his chest. He knew that she needed to eat but they both needed to get cleaned up from their mating. The healing herbs that reached his nose was enough to make up his mind on what he wanted to do.

He placed his mate on the bed while he took off his hakama, then he turned to his female as he opened up his haori and picked her up again in his arms. He headed straight for the hot springs to get her bathed and let her body recover from their mating.

He walked into the springs with his mate in his arms, slowly making his way to the stone bench that was there for him to rest upon. He sat down and placed his mate in his lap as he pulled her closer to his chest.

He gently moved his fingers over her skin, caressing every dip, every curve her body possessed. Slowly making sure that he got her cleaned and that the herbs in the water helped to soothe her aches. His fingers were caressing her back in small circles, he allowed himself to relax, emitting a low growl that was relaxing to his female.

After a little while Sesshoumaru noticed that his mate's heartbeat was increasing along with her breathing, she was finally waking up.

-oOo-

Kagome was slowly waking up from her deep sleep. Her mind was foggy and confusion covered her aura, she couldn't remember what happened to her. She was very tired, the energy was completely gone from her body, and she didn't know why she was feeling this way. She could not remember what she did to be exhausted. Her body did not want to move, just breathing took an effort on her part as she slowly opened her eyes.

The first thing she noticed was that she was leaning against a nice warm chest. It was soft on her cheek and she felt it vibrating, while rubbing her face against it. She found joy in that movement as she slowly moved her head up.

Her eyes came into focus as she saw the honey colored eyes of Sesshoumaru. She smiled beautifully for him as she whispered, "Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru saw his mate slowly opening her eyes. She was rubbing her cheek against his chest wanting affection from him. He purred as he brought her closer to his body.

She reacted immediately as she growled and purred her delight. When she lifted her head to look at him, he saw her eyes finally coming into focus. Her beautiful smile made his heart beat faster as he leaned down and captured her sweet lips with his.

His mate responded beautifully, her arms came up, wrapping them around his neck, and deepened the kiss. He responded by bringing her closer to him as he deepened it even more, his hands were roaming over her body as she was responding to his touch. But all too soon they had to pull apart for lack of air as they were both breathing hard from their shared moment.

His eyes showed his love for her as he looked deeply into her eyes. They were the bluest of blue and they were shinning with happiness.

Kagome could not believe the kiss she got from Sesshoumaru. It was so passionate and hungry that he took her breath away. She was panting hard as she looked around the area and noticed that they were in a spring of some kind. Curious about where she was, she turned to him and asked, "Sesshoumaru where are we?"

Sesshoumaru growled bringing his mate closer to him, "We are in the bathing chambers in my room. This hot spring has been treated with herbs that will help you get your energy back from our mating. You are still recovering from it, which is why you are feeling very tired right now."

Kagome was blown away by his response to her question, "How do you know that I'm still tired?"

Sesshoumaru grabbed his mate and then stood to get out of the spring. He heard her question, saying, "I can feel your weakness through our bond and I know that you are hungry. The servants have prepared us a meal and I want you to eat and then rest. It will help you to recover and get stronger."

Sesshoumaru stopped by a corner of the room as he got some towels to dry his mate. She was shivering from the cold, and not wanting her to get ill he quickly wrapped a warm robe around her body. Once he was done drying her, he then picked her up, and went back into his room.

The food was kept warm while they were in the bathing chambers by a spell. His servants never knew when he will sit down to eat so they always cast a spell on his meal that will keep it fresh until he was ready.

He placed his mate back on the bed as he went and got her food. He placed her food down on the table next to the bed, reaching over and picking her up, he placed her back in his lap, while he held her closer to his chest. He reached over and started to feed her as he heard his mate say, "Sesshoumaru, what are you doing? I can feed myself."

Sesshoumaru growled low in his throat as his eyes started to bleed red. Kagome seeing that her mate was getting angry with her, submitted to his desires. Kagome nuzzled him under his chin in apology, as she accepted the food that he gave her.

Kagome learned early on to submit to Sesshoumaru's beast. She knew that he will not hurt her but when he wanted to do something for her she learned to let him do it so he will be happy. She noticed that his eyes stayed red as he fed her. She was wondering whether he was going to eat as she asked, "Sesshoumaru, aren't you going to eat? You need to regain your strength too."

Sesshoumaru growled, stating, "I will eat once you have eaten. I want to make sure that you have enough food before I eat." Kagome took in his response as she continued to eat.

Kagome decided that she liked being fed by her mate. He was very attentive to her and once she was full she snuggled into his chest as she gave a big yawn. Her arms went around his chest, the vibration that she felt coming from his chest soothed her into a restful sleep.

Sesshoumaru continued to purr until his mate was lulled back to sleep. He then took off her robe as he placed her back into their bed. Now that she has eaten her fill he was now free to eat himself. He went and got the other plate that was on the table as he uncovered his food. His beast came forth to feed as he saw the fresh meat that was prepared for him.

There was liver and meat soaking in blood as his fangs grew longer and he feasted. Once he was done he cleaned himself by licking his hands and lips, when he was done he went to join his mate.

Sesshoumaru was tired and needed to rest to regain his strength. He crawled into bed as he brought his mate into his arms and held her. His body was curled around her slight form keeping her warm as he took in her delicious scent. Sleep finally came, he fully relaxed and fell asleep with Kagome in his arms.

-oOo-

The next morning Kagome was slowly waking up. She was warm and she was feeling movement underneath her. She slowly opened her eyes when she noticed that she was laying on her mate's chest while he slept. It was the usual position that she would find herself in since she has met the male that she was now married/mated to.

She could still feel her soul in his ring. It was her way to protect the male that she loved with all her heart. If he needed help she will be able to channel her powers thru the ring to help him fight against his enemies.

Her stomach rolled and she noticed that she was hungry. She thought that she would just get up, find the kitchen, and make breakfast for her new mate. But getting out of his arms without waking him was going to be hard.

His arm was wrapped around her back as he held her tight. She could feel his fingers on her waist while she tried to move off his chest. She huff as she thought about the best way to extract herself from her mate. It took time but she finally got his arm off her back, slowly pulling away from him.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she stood up and went to get cleaned up. She came out of the bathing chambers and looked for some clothes to wear. She saw a door off to the side, being curious she decided to open it and her eyes went wide.

There was all manner of kimono's, haori, and hakama that she could wear in every color imaginable. She found one that she liked, it was a dark blue with white flowers and green vines going around the edge of the haori. The hakama matched her top as she grabbed a brown obi that held the same kind of flowers on it.

Kagome wondered what kind of flowers they were because they looked very pretty. Once she was dressed, she went over to the dresser and grabbed a brush to comb her hair.

Kagome never noticed that she had a mark on her forehead for all to see. It was a mark that stated that she was the new Lady of the West. When she was done combing her hair she was ready to find the kitchen and get some food.

She walked out of the closet when she noticed that she forgot to put on some shoes. She looked around the area but she could not find any shoes or anything else that she could wear. 'Damn, now I have to walk around without any shoes and I'll probably get sick by having cold feet.'

Then Kagome noticed that her feet were not cold. The stone floor was actually warm under her feet. She was happy about this as she made her way to the door and slowly opened it. She made sure not to disturb the barrier that her mate put on the door as she slowly walked out and closed the door behind her.

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief as she looked to the left then the right. She noticed that she was at the end of a hallway as she turned left and headed down that way. She thought that if she could find some of the servants and asked where the kitchen was located, she could cook her breakfast and hurry back to Sesshoumaru before he woke.

Kagome was happy with this idea while she was making her way down the long hallway. Out of shear habit she kept her aura and scent hidden, along with her Reiryoku. She was walking silently down the hallway, taking in all of the wonderful paintings that adorned the walls.

They were beautiful paintings that depicted a different scene from a time long gone. She heard a noise up ahead, thinking that it was the servants she made her way there. They were female servants up ahead and this was perfect. She could ask her question and find the kitchen. But as she approached, Kagome was able to hear what they were saying. She came to a stop before she turned the corner and listened in on their conversation.

Tears came to her eyes as the reality of their words hit her hard.

-oOo-

The female servants were hurrying to get the western wing cleaned. They have no desire to be in this wing, with their lord being freshly mated. They knew he will kill the first one that got close to his mate and they feared for their lives.

The servant in charge was in a hurry as she yelled, "Hurry everyone, we must get out of this section of the shiro. We don't want to be caught in this wing should that ningen wake up from her slumber. I for one don't want to risk her wrath should she be disturbed."

One of the other servants agreed with her statement, replying, "Did you see how powerful she was when she purified Miyako. She scared me half to death when she did that. I didn't think that there were miko's still alive that can purify demons. I'm afraid that if I do something wrong around her that I could wind up like Miyako."

The demoness's finished what they were doing as they hurried out of the western wing. They pitied the servants that will have to serve them their meals. They risk losing their lives if their lord got angry with them for getting too close to his mate.

Kagome was listening to everything that the servants were saying. They were all scared of her, she never wanted to make Sesshoumaru's household scared of her. All she wanted was respect from them. She didn't mean for them to live in fear for their lives when they approached her. She would never harm any of them. She had to kill that demoness because she did not have a choice in the matter.

Tears were now flowing down her cheeks as she pondered what to do. Kagome leaned heavily on the wall next to her, trying to gather herself. She saw no way out of her situation, the only thing that she could do was to leave and go home, that way everyone in the shiro will go back to their normal lives. She did not want the servants to live in fear of her.

She took off running out of the western wing. She ran by many of the servants as they all fled from her. Tears were continuing to flow down her cheeks when she finally found the main doors and ran out of the shiro. She was determined to head back home. She will get in contact with her mate later and tell him where she was located.

-oOo-

Kaito was waiting by the main entrance to the western wing. He was waiting for the female servants to come back out from cleaning that area of the shiro. He was keeping his senses open to make sure that their lord did not wake up.

He knew what could happen if their lord caught them down there in his wing. He had his ears open when he heard the female's words, and then thought 'Stupid bitches, they should learn to keep their opinions to themselves and not speak so openly. If the lord heard what they are saying it will be their death.'

He noticed when the servants finally came out of the west wing and he was happy. He was about to close the door when a small figure dressed in dark clothes came running out of the wing heading toward the main entrance.

Kaito knew who it was and took off after her. He had no idea why she was leaving but since their lord was not with her it was not good for her to leave on her own. Sesshoumaru will destroy the shiro looking for his missing mate and he had to find out why his new lady was acting this way.

Kaito finally caught up to Kagome as she made it to the place where the moon flowers were growing. He leaped in front of her, making her stop, and quickly asked, "Please milady, why are you trying to leave?"

Kagome stopped in her tracks when she saw Kaito standing there in front of her. She tried to go around him but he blocked her path. She turned her glassy blue eyes to him as she pleaded, "Please, please let me leave. I don't want all of you to live in fear because I'm here. I would never hurt anyone on purpose but it seems that you all fear me. I don't want to disrupt the day to day life here in the shiro. I just want to go home."

Kaito finally understood what was going on. She must have heard those females talking and she took it the wrong way. He needed to soothe her fears and get her to stay or their lord will be upset that his mate was gone.

He stood tall, taking small steps towards her, so he would not frighten her, while he said in a gentle voice, "Milady, the servants here in the shiro don't fear you. They know that what happened last night was not your fault. They respect the power that you hold because it has been a long time since they have seen a miko with enough spiritual power to purify them."

He was going to continue when he heard, "No! That's not what I just heard! They fear me, ME! They don't want to be near me for fear of being purified."

Kaito continued to move forward as he caught the little miko in his arms, while she cried her heart out. He moved her to a stone bench that was in the middle of the moon flowers, sitting her down and giving her a handkerchief to clean her eyes. He sat down next to her as he took a more fatherly tone with her. "Milady, it is not you they fear, it's our lord."

Kagome looked up as she asked, "Why would they be scared of him?"

Kaito thought for a few minutes as he asked, "Milady, how much do you know about the Inu Youkai nature when they mate?"

Kagome thought for a few minutes, "I really don't know that much about Inu Youkai and their behavior. I have been learning from Sesshoumaru but I don't fully understand his nature. I have looked in books and on the internet but there isn't a lot of information out there for me to read."

Kaito listened to what Kagome was saying as he set about to educate her on the Inu Youkai nature. "When an Inu Youkai mates they become very aggressive and protective of their chosen female. They are more aggressive than when they are courting. It's a protective instinct that kicks in when they are with their female.

"A male only wants the attention of a female, when they finally select one for courting their beast comes forth to see if the female is right for them. If their beast decides that the female is too weak then there will be no mating, he rejects her. That's why most Inu Youkai will let their beast select the female that they think is their match. Then the male will see if she is suitable to mate. There must be an agreement between the Youkai and the inner Inu in order for them to mate.

"I was surprised that the lord's inner beast finally chose a mate after so long in looking for one. But the news was most welcomed by all here. He kept your presence a secret until you came here. But after he mated you is when his protective instincts kicked in because you were weak. His beast will be more in control during this time and you must be aware of this.

"His beast desires is all that matters to him when it comes to you. If you should fight him on anything, his inner Inu will force you into submission. It's his way of keeping you safe and making sure he provides for you.

"Milady, you are now his sole reason for living at this point in his life, for a long time he has been alone and now he has you to love and cherish. His hopes are for a family to call his own and to have you by his side. If he finds that you are gone when he wakes he will destroy these lands trying to find you. So you can't leave here my milady."

Kagome was shocked, she never knew all of this, but to learn that he will destroy the lands looking for her was unbelievable. If she left then everyone here will be in danger of being killed as he searched for her.

Kagome looked up, her eyes were red from her tears, "I guess… leaving here is out of the question." Kagome sighed deeply as she took a deep breath. She inhaled a wonderful aroma that she has never smelled before.

She opened her eyes again when she noticed for the first time that there was no snow beneath her feet. She was not cold, not by any sense of the word. She looked up as she looked at the surrounding area. She was sitting in the middle of a garden that was in full bloom, in winter?

Kagome was shocked to see this as she turned to Kaito and asked, "Why are there flowers growing here in this garden? They should be asleep during this time of year."

Kaito heard his ladies words, "This garden is the moon flower garden. Many centuries ago this garden flourished under Sesshoumaru's Hiijiji's rule. He was mated to an earth miko and this was the sign of her rule with him. The flowers always bloomed even in the winter. It was a blessing that was bestowed by the Kami's that the moon and earth were now joined together as one and the land will prosper under their rule.

"But an evil Youkai wanted the lady of the lands for his own evil gain. He wanted her power and the chance to rule supreme so he attacked the shiro. Sesshoumaru's Hiijiji fought hard to protect his mate but when they went after her pup she attacked to keep it safe. They finally destroyed the evil Youkai but at a heavy price. The lady of the lands was severely injured and died shortly after.

"When our lady died so did the moon flowers, the connection between the earth and the moon was broken as the land fell into despair. Food was hard to come by and the people were suffering because of it. Sesshoumaru's Hiijiji survived long enough for his son to grow into a great Daiyoukai. He died when he finally passed his rule over to him.

"It wasn't until the night of your mating milady that the moon flowers came back to the castle moon. It is a sign that the moon and earth are now joined again and the land will prosper under your and Sesshoumaru's rule.

"But my question to you milady, are you an earth miko?"

Kagome was listening intently to what Kaito was saying. She was shocked to learn that Sesshoumaru's Hiijiji was mated to an earth miko. Earth miko's have not existed for centuries. There is not much known about them only that they can use the elements of the earth. The earth was her power and she would feed that power back into the earth to help it when needed.

Kagome heard Kaito question as she responded, "I don't know Kaito. I have never been told that I am an earth miko. As a matter of fact I didn't learn that I was the Shikon miko until just recently. So it could be possible, how would I be able to tell?"

Kaito listened as he pondered her question. He had no idea how he could tell if she was the earth miko. He noticed when his lady stood and walked over to the flowers. She bent down as she took in the wonderful fragrance that the flowers gave.

Kagome felt the need to approach the flowers. She was drawn to them for some reason and their scent was heavenly. She reached the biggest flower in the garden, bending down to smell its wonderful fragrance. She was in heaven as she closed her eyes and stood looking into the sky, enjoying the warmth of the sun.

Kaito noticed that his mistress was glowing with an earthy green color. Her aura grew in power as she stood there with her face looking up towards the sky. The moon flowers all turned towards her as they surrounded his lady with their aura.

To Kaito it looked like the flowers were accepting her as their lady of the earth and they became one with her. There was a power transfer as the earthy green took on a more vibrant color.

He noticed her new markings as they were beginning to be tattooed on her wrist, the back of her hands, and around her neck. The tattoo around her neck looked like a necklace with a crescent moon right in the middle of her throat. He also noticed that a white flower was in the middle of the crescent. The moon on her throat was the same color as their lords and it matched perfectly to the one on her forehead.

Finally the power transfer was complete as she turned towards him and said, "Kaito, will you tell me about Inu Youkai nature and what I am to expect from my mate as far as his inner Inu. I want to make sure that I don't anger him. I want a peaceful life with my mate and if I know what to expect then I can act accordingly."

Kaito agreed to Kagome's request as she sat back down and he proceeded to tell her everything that she wanted to know. He would answer questions when she was unsure of what he was saying until he was done.

Kagome took everything that Kaito was saying to heart. She now had a better understanding about her mate and what to expect. Then her stomach growled as she turned red from embarrassment and said, "Please excuse me, the main reason I came out of Sesshoumaru's room was to find the kitchen, I wanted to fix some breakfast and take it back to our room."

Kaito could not believe what his lady was saying, "But milady, we have cooks that will cook anything you wish plus we can have the lord's meal prepared and taken to him."

Kagome smiled as she said, "That all right, I'm used to cooking for myself and to tell you the truth I'm not used to having servants. But why would you take Sesshoumaru's food up to him? I can do it."

Kaito looked at the ground, unwilling to look her in the eyes, "I'm afraid that you will not like the food we will prepare for our lord. It's how a newly mated male eats and it's not something that females like to see."

Kagome was confused as she asked, "What kind of food do you fix for him?"

Kaito did not know how to answer her question, as he got up and started to pace the area. It was something that was done because the male needed the energy to be replaced as fast as possible. He continued to hesitate when he heard a loud growl coming from the female and it was not a very pleased growl.

He looked up and took a step back when he saw the anger in Kagome's eyes. He swallowed hard as he relented and said, "Our lord requires fresh meat and blood in order to regain his strength. Your normal meal will not work for him. It's not a very well-known fact but it is our way."

Kagome paled when she heard what he said. She had no idea that Sesshoumaru consumed fresh meat and blood to regain his strength. She swallowed the bile that was starting to come up as she asked, "How often does he need to consume fresh meat?"

Kaito had to think about this as he said, "At least four times a year. It is part of his beast nature but it is not well known."

Kagome understood what Kaito was saying but before she could reply she felt a powerful aura coming her way. Kagome opened her senses and for the first time noticed all of the Youkai that were around the area. They were far enough away that she did not notice their presence in the area. She turned toward the aura that was coming towards her, she stood as she tried to identify who was coming, when she was swept off her feet and was being held tightly in a strong pair of arms.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was slowly waking up. His senses were telling him that something was missing from his side. The weight that he usually felt on his chest was gone as he slowly opened his eyes.

When his eyes finally came into focus he looked for his mate. When he did not see her in bed with him he quickly sat up and growled viciously. His female was gone from his protection and she was still weak from their mating, he was not happy.

He sniffed the air and noticed that her scent was stale. She has been gone from his side for a while now. His youki went out searching for his mate, while at the same time he was getting up and putting on his hakama.

He finally found his mate and she was outside. There were Youkai surrounding her but they were far away from her location. There was a male with her and this did not sit well with him.

Sesshoumaru took off, racing through the shiro going after his female. He was just a blur of white as all of his servants got out of his way when they felt him coming.

He finally made it outside and made a beeline straight for her. Sesshoumaru saw her standing there with another male as he raced in and scooped her up in his arms. He nuzzled his mate checking her for injuries. He was happy when he did not find any injuries but caught the slight scent of her tears. She has been crying and he turned his attention to the male that was with her, thinking that he was the one that caused her upset.

His eyes turned red with anger, his fangs exploded out of his mouth, growing longer. He was about to attack when he felt his female whimper at him. He looked down and noticed the tears coming from her eyes as he heard her say, "I'm sorry Sesshoumaru."

Kagome knew who grabbed her. She would know those arms anywhere and his growls of pleasure. She felt guilty for leaving him alone for so long in their bed chambers and started to cry.

Sesshoumaru's beast did not know what to do. His female was crying and he had no idea why, then he heard her apologizing and became confused, "Why are you apologizing Kagome? You have done nothing wrong."

Kagome was filled with guilt for all the trouble she has caused. She wrapped her arms around his chest as she continued to cry. They were heart felt sobs that shook her tiny body from its intensity.

Sesshoumaru sat down on the ground with his mate. All thoughts of killing the male with her were gone from his thoughts, as his first concern was for his female. He held her in his arms as he slowly rocked her back and forth. He has not seen her cry like this since the first day they met.

Sesshoumaru continued to hold his mate until she calmed, when he thought that she was calm enough he asked, "Kagome, what's wrong? Why are you crying? Has someone hurt you?"

Kagome snuggled closer to her mate's chest as she heard his questions. She gathered herself as she replied, "I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble. I know that I shouldn't have left your side but I wanted to cook breakfast for my new mate. On my way to the kitchen I overheard several of the servants talking. They are scared of me. They think that I will hurt them like I did that other demoness. I never meant to cause disruption in your household. All I want is to be accepted as your mate. I will never hurt anyone on purpose."

Sesshoumaru growled if he found out who said that about his mate he will personally see to their demise. He never wanted his mate to be upset like this. He looked down and what he saw made his heart ache.

His beautiful mate's eyes were red from all her crying. Kagome was still upset but she was taking comfort from his heat. His growls were soothing her as Sesshoumaru looked up from his mate. He looked at the Youkai that was still there kneeling before him.

He recognized his servant as he heard him say. "Milord, the morning meal is now ready. I know that your mate is hungry, you can either eat in the dining hall or we could bring your food to your bed chambers."

Sesshoumaru's eyes scanned the area as he looked at where he was located. His eyes opened wide when he noticed all the flowers growing in the area. It was in the middle of winter and there were flowers in his garden. 'I remember a story that my father told me from long ago when these types of flowers grew here in the west. My father stated that when my Hiijiji mated his mate, these flowers grew here in the shiro to signify her rule with him. She was said to be an earth miko but no one really knew. They say that she looked like a Youkai.'

Sesshoumaru looked down at his mate and did not notice any real change to her features. He did notice the crescent moon on her forehead but then he saw some markings on her hands.

He wanted a closer look at them as he grabbed one of her hands and brought it up to his lips. He kissed the back of her hand but at the same time he was inspecting her markings. The markings were vines, with a single white flower on the back of her hand. He has never seen markings like these before. He wondered where else she had them when he noticed something on her neck.

She had the same type of markings there too but in the middle of her throat she had a crescent moon just like the one she wore on her forehead. He had no idea why his mate had these markings but he was going to find out.

He was about to answer his servant when he went stiff. He raised his nose and sniffed the air. He growled as he quickly stood on his feet bringing his mate with him. There were Youkai in the area, and a lot of them. They were currently located near the barrier for the shiro as they were trying to get in.

The barriers were preventing them from entering. He could feel them getting purified as they attempted to bring the barriers down. This surprised him because his barriers never had purifying power before. He was in deep thought when he came to the conclusion that his mate's power was absorbed in the same manner his was to help protect the shiro.

He looked at his servant standing next to him as he growled, "Kaito, I want you to make sure my mate stays safe. We have intruders to the western shiro and I must meet them at the barrier." He went to release his mate but she would not let go of him.

Kagome felt when her mate went stiff and then quickly stood up. She was wondering what was going on. She had no idea what he was talking about but he was about to leave her behind. She tightened her grip on him as she looked up and said, "Sesshoumaru what's wrong? Why are you leaving me here?"

Sesshoumaru noticed the worry in his mates eyes as he stated, "There are intruders to the western shiro. No one may come here uninvited. I cannot let them attack the barriers, continually, or it will weaken them and everyone will be able to see the shiro. The barrier protects the shiro from the outside world and prevents anyone from seeing it. They must suspect that I have mated and they wish to challenge me for my rule. I want you to stay here. You will be well protected from the intruders."

"No! I want to go with you. Please don't leave me behind Sesshoumaru." Kagome exclaimed as she tried to hold on to her mate.

Sesshoumaru was having none of it as he gave her a vicious growl and barred his fangs at her. It had the desired affect as he saw the fear in her eyes. She understood now that she will do as she was told and stay here to be protected.

Kagome let go of Sesshoumaru when she saw the anger in his eyes. He wanted her to stay behind as she saw him turn and walk away from her. Then she saw him leap into the air as he transformed into his true form and took off after the intruders.

Kagome could tell that he was still weak from the mating. He has not fully recovered from it and she was scared of being left alone. She made up her mind as she ran after him. She had to be with him. She was getting this feeling that something was going to happen and she had to be there.

Kagome stopped in her tracks when she noticed a wall of Youkai standing in front of her. The guards around the shiro were taking their job very seriously. They were bound and determined to protect her from harm.

Kagome flared her Reiryoku around her body as she took off running again. She had no desire to hurt the guards but she was determined to go after her mate.

The guards saw their new lady running after her mate, they heard their lord's command and they were determined to protect her. They were blocking her way into the forest when they saw her Reiryoku flare around her body. They were scared, they did not know if she would hurt them for complying with their lord's order. They stood their ground as a powerful force pushed them out of the way and their lady was gone.

The soldiers didn't know what was going on as they took off after their lady. She was moving very fast, faster than most ningens could move.

Kagome was running through the forest. She could sense where her mate was going and she was picking up on the hordes of Youkai that have amassed at the barrier. There were too many for her mate to fight on his own and she had to reach him.

She continued running but the snow was thicker in the forest and it was slowing her down. Her feet were getting cold as she finally came to a stop in the middle of a clearing, collapsing on her knees.

Kagome was breathing hard as she closed her eyes and said, "There is no way that I can reach him in time. I wish I had something that could take me there so I can be with him."

Kagome never noticed but she started to glow an earthy green. Her aura went into the land searching for anything that will help her get to her mate.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. I do hoped that you enjoyed the abbreviated version of the mating. I had to tone it down for this site. If you want to read the full version then you will have to go to Dokuga to read the original lemon I wrote for this story.

The attacks still keep coming and Kagome has to learn how to be Sesshoumaru's mate. It is a learning process for her since she doesn't like killing anything or anyone.

Until the next time.

Jani!