The sun king knew Sesshomaru would never admit defeat, it went against the very grain of his character; however, he also knew he had made his point quite clear. He walked over to the man, stopping about a yard away. "You bound yourself to my daughter, using aura absorption...did you not?

Sesshomaru said nothing.

"I am sure you used that technique merely to secure her as your mate, but it may prove to be to your advantage."

Sesshomaru resisted the urge to recoil when Shizuka's father suddenly took a hold of his wrist.

"Produce your poison claw."

Sesshomaru did as was bid him, the smell of burning flesh reaching his nose, but the sun king did not pull away. The sun king's arm burst into flame, and then he withdrew his grip.

Sesshomaru was amazed to find his hand still burning, bright green in hue.

"Normally, no one else but your mate would be able to do this, and her fire would produce a better result, but as her father, my fire is similar enough for the sake of demonstration. Through your bond, you carry a part of her power with you, use it well."

Sesshomaru clenched his fist, effectively sniffing out the fire. "Why train me to fight Uirusu when you can do it yourself?"

"Time has a way of changing your point of view. I have grown weary of my station, and I wish to step down." He sighed, thousands of summers reflecting in the depths of his eyes, "But I have remained unable to do so because Uirusu remains my heir, honor or no, I cannot deny him. However, as my daughter's mate, you have the right to challenge him, and if you succeed, my estate, my wealth, my providence, will all belong to you." Goldenrod eyes darkened, nearly growling as he spoke. "But if you fail, Uirusu will force your mating bond apart, and she will lose the child."

Sesshomaru's hackles rose in defiance. "Why has he waited?"

"You cannot deliver vengeance upon those who are dead, Sesshomaru. He will beat you within an inch of your life, and once you recover he will return to do it again. Uirusu knows she is my daughter just as he knew Kou would bring her to me...poor child led him straight to my doorstep. He has every intention of ensuring we perish, but he wants us to suffer first. He is vicious and cruel in the worst possible sense, and it is for that reason I cannot allow him to take my place."

...

Shizuka sat submerged up to her neck, completely spaced out as the steam and the bath oils made her slightly dizzy…her skin tingling all over. Two dog maid-servants had been tittering to one another for the past half hour as they washed her hair.

It had been hours since Sesshomaru had left with her father, and her nerves had worn her out…not because she was worried for his safety, he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself, but she felt lost without him there with her.

She wondered when she had become such a dependent child, perhaps it was because she hadn't realized how lonely she had been. True she had had her friends from school, but Sesshomaru was more than that. Not only did he care for her well-being, he saw to it. He was her family now.

A small smile curved the corners of her mouth. To think in these few weeks she would go from being terrified of him, to feeling so much warmth and affection towards him. It was nice.

She allowed the two women to shepherd her out of the bath, both of them quickly seeing to the brushing and drying of her tail and hair, rubbing even more scented oils on her skin. She was almost amused at how comfortable she was standing there naked, but ever since she had experienced the touch of a man, a latent sexuality had awoken in her.

When the women suddenly jumped back from her as if they had been burned, cowering away. Shizuka slowly turned to look over her shoulder.

"Hello."

Uirusu stood in all his glory in the bath-chamber, towering over her small form.

For some reason, Shizuka couldn't find it in herself to be afraid, staring at him almost drowsily. Perhaps it was the oils? Even when Uirusu delivered a powerful shockwave of raw power towards the servants with a wave of his hand and both fell dead to the ground, her heart remained steady within its cage.

"Why my dear, you almost look good enough to eat." he purred, stalking towards her. He traced a lock of her golden hair with his spidery fingers, his eyes shimmering like rubies as they raked over her nude form, reaching out and pulling her to him. "Where is your precious mate, I wonder?"

Shizuka tilted her head at him, neither resisting nor acknowledging his embrace. "Uirusu, why are you doing this?"

The demon smirked. "I am claiming what is rightfully mine."

Shizuka's hand raised up and traced his jawline, earning a startled shiver. "Rightfully yours? What makes me fit into that equation?" she purred, leaning into him.

He chuckled darkly, grasping her chin in his forefingers. "Be careful of the games you play, pet. Seducing me will get you ravished, but it will not get you answers."

Cerulean eyes darkened in mirth. "Oh?" she placed her hand on his chest, fire from her fingertips licking his kimono.

Uirusu hissed in slight pain, but he did not recoil. "Do you expect to intimidate me?"

Shizuka felt her fangs throb within her mouth at his words, her instincts thrashing against her consciousness. This demon had taken too many liberties, and she had had enough.

Uirusu cried out as a set of razor sharp fangs sank into his neck, too caught off guard to thwart the attack.

Shizuka sank her fangs deeper, blood seeping around her mouth.

Uirusu whimpered in pleasure, his knees growing weak.

Shizuka looked on as his legs gave out beneath him, wiping the blood from her mouth as he trembled on the floor.

He laughed breathily, his breath coming out in labored pants. His hand rose to the mark on his neck, the skin around the puncture wounds bruising and spreading until a dark crest stood out against his skin, the emblem of the sun. "Clever little bitch. You truly are your mother's daughter"