Chapter 10
That night found Kagome lying content in her wolf's strong arms. They did not mate, however, since Kagome's youkai wouldn't allow it. Instead, they decided to wait until it could be persuaded or until they found a way to get around this problem. Besides, Kouga felt it was not quite the right time to mark his woman. He told her he would wait as long as necessary until she could be completely his.
The next day saw everyone in the household get ready for the party that night. Kagome and Sango left early to get their hair and nails done. Kouga and Shippo headed to the office downtown to get some work done. Miroku and Hiro went with the girls to make sure Sesshoumaru or Inuyasha didn't show their faces.
At six that evening, Kouga and Shippo came home to the sounds of laughter floating down the stairs from the second floor. They went up the stairs and and followed the laughter down the hall. It came from Miroku's room.
They went in and found Kagome and Sango lying on top of Miroku, tickling him. The poor houshi was horribly red in the face and appeared to not be breathing as he was laughing so hard. He could only writhe helplessly on the bed.
Kouga and Shippo began to laugh and Kagome turned suddenly. Seeing Kouga in the doorway, she got up from Miroku's prone form and made to get off the bed.
But as she did so, she released his arm, allowing his hand to rub her backside.
Kouga's black eyebrows snapped downwards. He made a move forward, but was stopped by the sound of ...well...a resounding slap.
"Hentai!" Kagome shrieked and pushed off the bed, using his stomach.
Miroku made an "Oof" sound and groaned.
Sango only rolled her eyes. "You just can't stop doing that, can you?" she asked with irritation.
Miroku sighed. "No, Sango of mine. I just can't help it. This hand is..."
"SAVE IT!" Sango and Kagome shouted at him in unison, both sweeping past Kouga and Shippo in a huff.
Miroku began to laugh, but that ceased the second he sat up and saw a furious-faced Kouga glaring down at him. "I...uh...suppose you saw that," Miroku gulped.
Kouga nodded, still to upset to speak.
Miroku nodded as well, and sat up, throwing his legs over the side of the bed. "Well, I'm really sorry, Kouga. Bad habit, you know."
Shippo couldn't hold back a snicker and Kouga softened. "I know. But know this, houshi, if anyone rubs Kagome's backside, it's gonna be me."
Miroku nodded and laughed nervously. "My hand really IS cursed, you know," he muttered.
Kouga snorted and left the room.
Two and a half hours later, the members of Kouga's household were standing in a grand marble foyer, handing their coats or wraps to some footmen.
Kagome moved forward a step and stopped. Her youkai could sense Sesshoumaru's presence nearby. When Kouga came forward to slip her arm through his, she clung tightly to him.
Kouga knew by the fright in her brown eyes that she could feel Sesshoumaru. He patted her hand gently and smiled down at her, silently reassuring her. He would not leave her alone this night.
He nodded off to the right of her, and Kagome turned to see Hiro and Yuki standing nearby. Hiro nodded at her, giving her a gentle smile.
Instantly she was reassured and the two of them followed Sango, Miroku and Shippo into the ballroom.
Sipping the expensive champagne offered to him by a liveried footman, Sesshoumaru stood in a darkened corner and watched as his mate entered the ballroom on Kouga's arm. He frowned delicately. From what he could see, Kouga was acting very territorial towards the miko. It was almost as if...as if the okami dared claim what was his.
He grasped the glass in his hand tightly. Sesshoumaru felt the rage pulse throughout his body. The miko will pay for not only her transgressions, but those of her lover's as well.
In his fevered mind, he knew they were lovers. One had only to look at them. Disgusting, that's what it was. Kouga should know better than to bed the mate of another youkai.
The champagne glass he held shattered with this last thought. The bubbly, pale pink liquid flew everywhere and in the back of his racing mind he was thankful he had worn all black.
From somewhere, a snowy white handkerchief was handed to him and he took it without a word of thanks. After cleaning up, he tried to hand it back, but was rebuffed. Angrily, Sesshoumaru looked up to demand that the fool take it back now that he was through with it.
The face he desired least of all to see stood before him.
"You!" he hissed furiously. It was that annoying elf, Yuki. "Why are you even here?" he asked. "This is an exclusive gathering."
Yuki rolled his eyes. "Oh, please, your royal highness. Must you be pretentious ALL the time? It was amusing the first time, but after that..."
Sesshoumaru's golden eyes drew into slits. "Leave this Sesshoumaru alone, elf. Do you not have someone else to torment?"
Yuki tapped his chin, appearing to be thinking hard. "Hmmm. Well, I do, as a matter of fact. Kouga won't like it, but, oh well." He flashed the enraged taiyoukai a brilliant grin. "Kagome really IS an exquisite angel tonight, isn't she? What do you think? Isn't she and Kouga just so perfect for one another?"
The growing fury of the youkai beside him almost made him start laughing out loud. Sesshoumaru was definitely losing his marbles, if he was letting a little, nobody elf piss him off.
Sesshoumaru clenched and unclenched his clawed hands before stalking away. Only then did Yuki laugh.
oooooooooooooooooooooo
Kagome was feeling overheated. The ballroom was stuff with people milling, dancing, laughing and talking. She was tired of all the noise and the crowd. Kouga, Shippo and a few middle-aged men were talking business.
Kagome looked over to where Hiro was standing guard over her. She decided to make a break for it the moment his back was turned.
When he turned the other way, she slipped away from Kouga's side and concealed herself in the crowd, making her way through them to the french doors that lead out to the gardens. She was unaware that a pair of narrowed golden eyes was tracking her movements.
ooooooooooooooooooooo
The night was warm and soft, the breeze flowing around her feeling like velvet.
She made her way across the veranda and out onto the grassy lawn. Her footsteps were muffled in the lush carpet of the thick grass.
Removing her slippers, she held them in one hand, her skirts up with the other.
Kagome reveled at the feeling of the wind embracing her bare legs. She walked quickly away from the house, heading down towards a lovely koi pond, a few stone benches and more stretches of lawn beyond that.
Reaching the benches and koi pond, Kagome put her shoes down on one of the stone structures and meandered towards the pond. Carefully, she knelt down beside the pond and stared down into its depths. By the light of the moon, she could just make out flashes of white swimming about in the depths of the pond.
Sitting back on her calves, Kagome lifted her gaze up to the moon. The pale rays caressed her face with the gentle touch of a lover.
Smiling to herself, she stared back down into the pond.
Something white appeared in the water just above her own reflection. Kagome started violently.
"Beautiful night," a horribly familiar voice said behind her.
Kagome felt her heart plummet. Slowly, she got to her feet and turned to face her worst nightmare. She began to back away.
It was indeed Sesshoumaru, bathed in moonlight. His white hair and skin were a sharp contrast to his black clothing. He advanced on her slowly and despite his cool, emotionless facade, she could sense his unbridled rage underneath.
"D-don't come near me," she whispered, taking longer steps backward.
This time when he saw her moving away from him, his brows snapped together and in a flash of white hair, he was on her, one clawed hand wrapped around her throat.
"You dare reject ME? The mark I gave you was far more than you deserved."
Kagome gasped, trying without success to pry his fingers from her neck. "Then you shouldn't have marked me."
He growled and squeezed her neck harder. Kagome struggled even more until she felt lightheaded and spots swam before her eyes. Her whole body went limp.
"Do not talk back to this Sesshoumaru, you pathetic ningen wench. You could have had wealth, luxury, a long existance. Yet you chose to be ningen once more."
His fingers loosened and Kagome gasped for breath. "I would have had none of what you speak. You wished to be rid of me and the child I carried. I never believed you to be a liar, Sesshoumaru."
With a roar, he flung her to the ground. Kagome shrank back from the look on his face. His perfect, handsome features were contorted with fury.
She scooted backwards, whimpering. She didn't move fast enough, for he surged forward and backhanded her.
Kagome cried out in pain and fell back on the soft, velvety grass. She rolled onto her side and cried. She could taste blood come from a cut on the inside of her mouth.
"I gave you...what you wanted. You are free... Why are you doing this?" she sobbed. What WAS he doing? Why was he so mad? Oh Kami! Could that be it?
Had the all-powerful Sesshoumaru gone insance?
He did not reply. Instead, he gave her another vicious backhand that nearly made her lose consciousness. Kagome lay on her back, stunned. Her breath came out in labored gasps. She could not move.
There was a loud growl and she covered her face. "Kouga..." she whispered brokenly.
The ground shook and the next thing Kagome knew was that a huge white inu stood in front of her, looking at her as though he would eat her.
He had bared his fangs, an earth-shaking growl erupting from him. He backed up a little and raised one massive paw.
Kagome knew what he was about to do, even as a set of deadly, poisoned claws made their appearance. She curled into a ball, bracing herself for the blow.
But the blow never came. There was a loud thud, as though two enormous bodies had collided together. One of the bodies was flung backwards, landing hard.
Kagome looked up and saw a massive animal stand near her, in a protective stance. Sesshoumaru's white body was up and pacing. He was watching and waiting... waiting for the chance to attack.
The creature standing near her threw back its head and let loose a long, ear-splitting howl.
Kagome was thunderstruck? Was her savior... a wolf?