Warning: This chapter contains violence and sexual situations. Please take the rating seriously.

Chapter: Six

Kagome's admission to the harm she unintentionally inflicted upon their daughter, sent burning rage through his soul. She was not physically harming their child, but wounding her in a way that was perhaps far worse. Mitsukai was slowly, but surely having her spirit squelched.

That was perhaps why she showed such fervor when she drew and why she flung herself so passionately into her reading. It was the reason for the girl's silence, her tears. Mitsukai, tired of forever fighting, had simply begun to retreat into a world that would at least afford her some small comfort.

He was here now and no further harm would come to Mitsukai, or her mother that she clung to so desperately. Sesshoumaru kissed Kagome gently, on her crown before turning her to face him. Using just the barest tip of his fingers he brushed the tears from Kagome's ebon lashes, then without a word gathered her into his arms.

He ignored her startled gasp as he allowed his youki to seep from his body and transform them both into a small ball of opalescent light. It was his fastest and least recognizable form of flight. Not that he particularly worried about being seen, but it would not do to have the lord of the west and well respected author, to be featured in the tabloids.

As they flew he secretly inhaled her scent and took comfort in her nearness as she pressed herself into his chest as they traveled across the spring sky. Within minutes the two of them were in the front yard of his spacious home. The house was large without being pretentious and crafted out of a pale gray slate like stone. Climbing rose bushes mixed with fragrant honey suckle blanketed the north wall almost entirely. When the wind blew from a northerly direction, the entire house was permeated with their sweet subtle, perfume.

The home was currently empty save for himself and it was his hope that it would not be for long. He was optimistic that he would be able to convince Kagome and their daughter to relocate here. If not Kagome, then at least Mitsukai, though he was leery about separating mother and daughter. He understood Kagome enough to realize that she would resent and rebel should he attempt to force her to bend to his will. It was Mitsukai that made him the most uncertain; he feared her reaction to him. It was for that reason he wished to set up a meeting between the three of them as soon as possible.

He gave Kagome, a small enough squeeze that it appeared almost accidental, and sat her down as if she were the most fragile creature in existence. Today they would discuss their daughter and the part he planned to play in her future. He also wanted to ascertain, the reason behind Mitsukai's lack of human heritage.

Her heritage and bloodline bothered him little, though he was not unpleased that she was youkai instead of hanyou. He was more concerned with who daughter was rather that what she was. The realization both troubled and startled him. Kagome had asked him if he would want Mitsukai if she was hanyou and much to his own amazement he found that the answer was overwhelmingly yes.

"Geez, Sesshoumaru warn me next time," Kagome mumbled still slightly disoriented from the flight.

Her knees buckled and he caught her effortlessly by the shoulders. He looked at her with concern eyes wondering at her sudden weakness and grew grave when he realized that seventeen years was not such a short time for a human. She was no longer the fifteen-year-old girl fought beside all those years ago but a woman nearing middle age.

She blushed and smiled weakly at him before reaching up and running her hand lightly over his face. She marveled at the fact that the injury she had accidentally inflicted had already healed so not even the barest pinkness remained. It was impressive and more than a little frightening. She shivered as he pressed a kiss into the hand that stroked his face tenderly.

A frown graced his elegant features as he pushed her away gently and bent to retrieve her bags, which had amazingly managed to be transported with them. Idly she wondered if it was indeed something he intended. Not that he would actually admit to something happening as an accident. She followed him up the short flight of stairs, as he walked in an elegant gait up, to the front door of what she assumed was his home.

He lived in a rather wealthy neighborhood, filled with doctors, lawyers and other professional people. It was oddly residential and not a place that she would ever expect Sesshoumaru to reside. The laughter of children could be heard from the neighboring yard. If any of them had noticed their unusual mode of travel they gave no indication.

"They are the children of my servants," he answered to her unspoken question.

Kagome gazed at him with wide eyes then flicked her eyes to the children playing merrily nearby.

"They're youkai?" she asked in amazement

Sesshoumaru looked at her for a moment then back at the children. There were six in total two of them youkai, a hanyou and the rest fully human. The human boys were descendents of his old ward as was the small hanyou girl. Their parents served him as Rin had, offering unquestioning loyalty and devotion.

In return he protected and cared for them as if their were his blood kin. He was especially fond of the hanyou, Tsuki, for her fearless spirit reminded him the most of his little Rin. He showed her no favoritism over her fully human brothers. Favoritism only bred resentment, a lesson he learned long ago.

"A few of them," he answered flatly as he turned to unlock his door.

The smell of salt, drifted to his nose followed quickly by Kagome's quiet sobs. He frowned, uncertain as to what had upset her.

"All this time I…,"she murmured as sobs wracked her body.

Kagome covered her face with her hands in effort to hide her tears. The last person she wanted to cry in front of again was Sesshoumaru. She mumbled incoherently, due to the sobs that bubbled out of her throat. The sobs turned into wails and Sesshoumaru pulled her hands from her face and pulled her into a tight embrace.

Her tears both confused and concerned him. What did she care that his servants had children? She looked up at him, her vision blurry from her tears. He wore his bored slightly amused mask and extracted her from his embrace or rather tried too.

Without warning their bodies crashed into each other. Her lips burned against his as they stumbled into the small foyer. She pulled his shirt violently, causing the buttons to snap off and strike the walls with a responding clatter. Suddenly, her long legs were wrapped around his waist as if they simply materialized there as her mouth fed upon his. He slammed her against the front door closing it with a thud.

He growled lowly in his throat and she pressed her body against his as if she were trying to crawl through him. Sesshoumaru moved his head to the side, to say something but she caught his face between her hands and pressed another searing kiss to his lips. In one fluid motion he pulled her knit top over her head. Keep her eyes locked with his, she looped one arm around his neck to steady herself and with the other she fumbled desperately, with the button of his jeans.

He set her down abruptly, intent on stopping this before it went any further. Insistently she tugged at the fastening of his pants and when the button proved too difficult, she caressed him through the thick denim. He exhaled sharply, but managed to capture her hands in his. Her touch increased his aching for her tremendously, but he would not allow this to continue.

His vision had reddened and he knew that his eyes were likely filled with pinpricks of scarlet. The change had not come due to anger, though he was starting to feel the burning edge of rage, but from ardor. It frightened him, just how much he wanted this woman.

Kagome's breasts heaved as she panted and her eyes were alight with passion. His eyes fell upon the scars that marred her skin. The scars that crisscrossed her chest and shoulders were horrid injuries, but did nothing to diminish her beauty in his eyes. She must have noticed where his eyes had wandered, for she suddenly became self-conscious and averted her eyes to the floor.

He had intended to allay her fears when he tipped his head down to kiss the worst of the scars and then he ran his tongue over the jagged tissue. The marks despite, their jagged appearance, were slick and smooth beneath the gentle strokes of his tongue. She uttered a passion filled moan and arched her back as his tongue trailed lower to her breast. Sesshoumaru's fingertips traced were his tongue had and she responded by trailing her slender hands up his smooth stomach and splayed her fingers along his ribcage.

She dipped her head down to drag her tongue across a taut stomach muscle up to his left nipple. It was her next action that caused the remainder of his tenuous control to falter. Kagome flicked her tongue over his nipple and suckled at it lightly before, biting down hard enough to draw a fine trickle of blood.

She smiled a secret; seductive smile as she careful licked the blood from her full lips. Hearing his hiss of pleasure she tipped her head to place a light kiss, on the wounded piece of flesh. With a possessive growl he lifted her up once more and set her roughly on the small love seat. He kissed her deeply as she managed to finally unbutton his pants and he fumbled with the ties of her wrap around skirt. He locked his eyes with hers, giving her one last chance to back down. She answered him by pulling him down to meet her parted lips.

**

Hours later Kagome awoke surrounded by dark hued silk sheets and strong arms. Silken strands of silver-white hair clung to her nude form, tickling her like thousands of tiny fingertips. It was as if his hair was caressing her body, as his hands had done hours earlier.

Kagome blinked at the moonlight that streamed through the bedrooms sheer curtains to highlight their nude forms. The last several hours were a blur in her mind. She could not remember exactly when they finally managed to make it too his bedroom. Shame filled tears prick her eyes and a strangled sob escaped her lips.

"What have I done?" she whispered tearfully.

Sesshoumaru's golden eyes open slightly and as if sensing her distress, tightened his arms about her fragile form. He mumbled something soothing but, incoherent as he urged her to lay her head on his shoulder.

Kagome went completely still in his embrace, praying he would drift back to sleep. She did not want to face him at the moment. Did not want to explain the awful truth. She had used him tonight as she had seventeen years prior. Hot tears streaked down her face and the youkai beside her instinctually began to stroke her hair.

"Shh…I love you," he murmured tenderly, his voice thick with sleep.

His eyes glowed dimly in the darkness as he opened them once more. The taiyoukai yawned as he struggled to awaken. Kagome wiped her tears away with the heel of her hand and pressed a kiss to his temple. She stroked his face lovingly and nuzzled into his neck. His eyes drifted shut once more and he signed in contentment. As she thought he was not fully awake, merely alerted by her distress.

Almost of their own accord, her fingertips traced one of the dark magenta stripes that graced his cheek. They, like the crescent moon on his forehead had appeared during their lovemaking and she had been too distracted to ask why. If he could conceal his markings then perhaps he could teach their daughter to do so, as well. Then Mitsukai could lead some semblance of a normal life. As normal a life as one could have being the daughter of a powerful taiyoukai.

Sesshoumaru stirred again. Kagome froze, frighten that he may have fully awoke. She sighed in relief when his arms loosened and he rolled into a more comfortable position. Kagome released the breath that she had not realized she had been holding and sat up slowly. She gathered the silk sheets around her as she slid carefully out of bed.

As she stood in the faint moonlight she could not help but gaze at Sesshoumaru's sleeping form. Once again his beauty awed her. His hair and cheeks shone with a near ethereal luminescence that had nothing to do with the glimmering moonlight. There was no denying her body's attraction for him, but she did not love him. She could not love him, not when she owed her heart to Inuyasha. That he was in love, with her, made it all the more painful.

She walked quietly to the bed and pulled the blanket over him. She kissed him once lightly on the lips, then on the forehead as she whispered, "I'm sorry."

She glided silently to door and spared him once last look before closing the heavy oak door quietly behind her. She tip toed through the darken hallways to the small foyer where their clothing still lay scattered about the small room. Dropping the sheet, she dressed quickly. She noted with a sigh, that she could not find her bra in the darkness but did not dare turn on a light.

Quickly she gathered the remainder of her belongings including her heavy purchases from the grocery store. Hefted one the heavy bags, she considered leaving them. It was after all several blocks to the bus station. Much to her annoyance one of the plastic bags split, spilling it contents to the teak wood floor with a loud clatter.

Kagome hissed as she began picking up the small cans. She considered leaving them where they lay, and fleeing, for no doubt the noise awoke Sesshoumaru. Seconds crawled by and no one came to investigate. She sighed in relief as she began shoving the spilt cans into one of the remaining bags.

She had dozens of small narrow cans that she barely remembered purchasing, absentmindedly she glanced at one of the labels. It was the pineapple her daughter had requested. Her hand went to the bridge of her nose as she felt the pangs of guilt. She had been gone all-day and part of the night and never called home. Her mother and daughter were undoubtedly worried; they had probably even called Souta to help look for her.

Yet, that was nearly insignificant to the realization that for the first time in many years, she and Mitsukai had not done their yearly birthday ritual. It was something they did together, every year since Mitsukai could walk. On the day before her daughter's birthday they would close the shrine to visitors and allow Mitsukai to go outdoors. When she was very little she would run and play until she was utterly exhausted.

Sometimes much to their dismay, she would play in the koi pond. Hours upon hours she would sit, perched on the small bridge that crossed the diameter of the small pond. There she sat poised, with the patient stillness of a predator as the fish swam beneath the crystalline water. It was never certain how she selected her prey, but after several moments her claws would lash out at her intended victim, catching and often killing it instantly.

"Mommy! Jii-chan!" she would cry happily as she clapped her little hands. "I made the fishies sleepy."

It was never in cruelty, just childhood innocence. Mitsukai never understood her capacity for destruction. Until recently at least.

She would take Mitsukai indoors to get her changed, into dry clothes, while jii-chan removed the 'sleeping' fish. Thankfully, she soon lost interest in the koi. They were simply too easy for her to catch. She moved on to lizards and fast moving rodents. Mitsukai was better at catching mice than any cat. It was ironic considering she was of the canine persuasion of youkai.

Kagome gazed once more down the long hallway that led to Sesshoumaru's bedroom. She should at least leave him a note. Although she was uncertain what one would write as a parting note to a second one-night stand, that was also the father of her child. It was not as if she had much experience in these types of situations.

Sesshoumaru was the first and only man to ever touch her. Kagome sighed and shook her head. She could not face him right now, her shame was simply too great. She would worry about it later, at the moment she was more worried about alleviating stress she hard carelessly inflicted upon her child. She opened the door as quietly as possible and slipped out doors. The moon lit her way as she began walking down the walk that led to the street.

Sesshoumaru watched her from his bedroom window as she walked down the long cobblestone walk that led to his home to the street. He had awoken in time to hear her apology. Her words both sickened and stabbed at his soul. It was all too apparent that she had used him this evening, though his pride would scarcely admit it. He had used her as well, but that realization brought him small comfort. He closed his eyes as he leaned his forehead against the cool glass of the window. Again, as he had time and time before he wished he could exorcize these feelings he held for her.

Logic and reason abandoned him once again with her. Never had he been so tempted by the powers of the flesh. He had proven too weak to fight the power she held over him. He wondered if she knew of his weakness and used it against him. It was time such as these he was reminded that he was indeed his father's son. He was living proof that youkai do indeed love, strongly, though not necessarily wisely.

A/N

Well, that's chapter 6. As usual it's not betaed and rather poorly written. I don't think the content in this chapter is above a rating of 'R' but if it is please do the considerate thing and tell me rather than reporting me. The sexual content is not completely pointless, and does have some bearing on the plot. Trust me.=) I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.