A/N: Hello to everyone! Sorry it's taken so long to update, it's just I've been again busy with school and tomorrow I have a test, but I just HAD to post this chapter.

Anyway enjoy the story!

WP

Between Lust and Love

Chapter 22: Inuyasha plus Cooking equalsDisaster

Sango was practicing with her trusty Hiraikotsu in the woods, it had been four days since her friend, brother and lord had gone in search for the black miko, Kikyou.

She caught the gigantic boomerang with one hand and before she could hit the ground threw it again cutting through hundreds of trees.

"I sense a lot of frustration in you, my beloved Sango." came the soft voice of Miroku behind her. She turned around, she was sweating and trying to catch her breath, still she smiled warmly at the welcomed monk.

"May I accompany you?" he asked, knowing very well the taiji wouldn't mind to rest from her tough training. She flushed at his intense stare before nodding and without a word sitting on the wooden porch, the monk followed. They stayed silent for awhile, enjoying the comfort of each other's presence and also the cool sounds of nature. Although they seemed at peace the monk couldn't retrieve his mind from a certain thought.

'Me and Sango alone, in a palace… no lord, hanyou, lady to interfere… I must be an idiot not to make a move!' he sighed facing reality, he was afraid of making a move to her lovely Sango. Sango noticed the sigh and looked at him "Are you alright?" he straightened and shook his hands and head "No… I mean, yes I'm alright, thank you for your concern." this made the taiji blush and look away. 'Now it's your chance Miroku!' his mind screamed at him, he nodded in confidence to himself and asked "How have you been?" the taiji sigh not even looking at him "A little bored…" she whispered putting her hands back over the wooden floor and looking up at the sky. The monk smiled "I'm glad you are." he said, confused, the taiji looked at him but before she could say anything he had pulled something from under his robes. It was a small box with several wholes on it, he handed it to her, she looked at it for a moment before asking.

"What is it?" at the same time she opened the box and there laid a tiny white cat with black stripes and two tails, it's red eyes opened at the unwelcome light. It squealed noticing Sango's surprised stare.

"It's a neko-youkai (cat demon). It's name is Kirara." Miroku explained. At the mention of it's name, the little neko squealed again looking questionably at it's new master. Sango smiled widely taking her new pet on her hands and caressing it's soft fur.

"Miroku… this is too much! She's so cute!" she said stroking little Kirara's head gently.

"I'm happy you like it. The merchant that sold it to me told me she can transform at will."

Sango eyes brighten "KAKKOI! (cool) Can you Kirara? Please?" she asked the little cat for a display, the neko-youkai jumped from her masters hands and instantly transformed into a large tiger with enormous teeth and flames underneath her paws. Sango squealed "SUGOI!!" and then threw herself into Miroku's arms thanking him over and over again.

(WP grumbles I want a Kirara T.T…)

"Oi is anyone home?!" screamed the hanyou arriving at the gates of his brother's palace. A servant caught a glimpse at him and bowed "I welcome you back Lord Inuyasha." Inuyasha frowned at the "Lord" part but forgot about it asking "Where's my brother?" the servant explained "Lady Kagome, Lord Sesshoumaru and the young taiji have gone on a mission." 'A mission eh? Surely something diplomatic or something.' He thought ordering "We would like to use the kitchen for a little experiment."

The servant nodded "Ah yes, Lady Kagome informed me of your plans and everything is settled in the kitchen. Tomoe please escort Lord Inuyasha." The young maid nodded and Inuyasha followed her.

There they began with the preparation of the lotion Inuyasha was going to apply to Tetsusaiga to increased it's power. While Inuyasha did the mixture, Tomoe fetched the ingredients. Tomoe had carefully pulled out the leaf from the branches and put them into baskets. "Tomoe, hurry I need those leaves now!" she heard the hanyou cry from inside the kitchen, the young girl put as many leaves into her basket as faster as she could, she got up and ran towards the kitchen "Coming!" but she didn't noticed the slight elevation between the wooden kitchen floor and the ground outside. Needless to say she tripped and fell on the ground spilling all of the leaves she had collected. She started to frenetically pick them up muttering a sorry and feeling as her cheeks flush out of embarrassment for her clumsy behavior. Inuyasha started helping her to pick up the fallen plants.

While they were concentrating in this complex task, their hands suddenly stopped over the same leaf, skin against skin. And they stayed like that, both wandering if they had to pull away or not. After a few moments Tomoe was about to pull away but Inuyasha grasped her hand and suddenly pulled her to him, she fell into the hanyou's lap with a panic expression drawn all over her face, she felt as his arms circled her waist and back and as he gently put his chin over her head. Inuyasha started to stroke her hair smoothly, giving into the feeling Tomoe sighed content.

Inuyasha wanted to recall the same smoothness and warmth of Tomoe's embrace, he tried hard to recreate the same cozy sensation he had experienced on their journey. Since that day, he had wanted so badly to make her feel what he had felt in her arms. He took a deep breath in her sweet scent 'White plums…' he thought, memorizing her smell. Tomoe's head nested in Inuyasha's stomach, feeling as his chest rise and fell she was taken away by the nice feeling of comfort in the hanyou's hands.

"Thank you." he mumbled, she moved, waking up from her daydream, she didn't even turn to look at him.

"What for?" she whispered. He stayed silent before tightening his hold on her and answer.

"For caring for me even though I'm just a mere half-breed." Again silence took over, and Inuyasha broke it again.

"Tomoe?"

"Yes?" she looked up this time.

"Would… would you let me kiss you?" he blurted out with a shaky voice, Tomoe blushed but instead of hiding from his eyes she smiled and simply nod. Inuyasha leaned in and captured her lips softly with his. When they broke apart from each other he smiled happily at her while tangling his fingers with hers. Then her soft voice broke the special moment.

"Inuyasha I think something is burning." she stated looking across from him and to the casserole that was releasing a dark smoke. The hanyou jumped to his feet cursing.

"Shit!" he exclaimed, the young maid giggled. He looked desperately at her.

"Um…. Help?"

"Thank you!" waved Kohaku to the old man. He went running into the woods to regroup with his demonic companions. They had hide and asked the young taiji to get some information from the village nearby so as to find the whereabouts of the miko.

"I hate this." Kagome grumbled, again her bad temper gaining the best of her. She started to kick the rock where she was sitting not aware that the bolder was already braking from the continuous kicks of anger.

"Why can't we go to the village and eat a warm meal?" she whined. Sesshoumaru who was already very disturbed by her childish attitude respond.

"Our presence is disturbing to human's, as is your current attitude to me." he frowned when she threw daggers at him.

"It's just that I'm used to sleep on a futon and to eat the gourmet like meals of the palace…" she whispered finally stopping her leg from kicking the poor rock.

"Quit your whining woman or I'll leave you behind to go back to the palace." the taiyoukai warned, he also could get easily irritated. Kagome hopped off of the bolder and walked to her mate with a smile. She boldly sat on his lap "You wouldn't do that..." she whisperedher back against the lords chest. "Is that so?" he asked with an arrogant tone. She looked to her side noticing the small mating scar she had once made. 'And never used it…' she added in her mind, smiling cunningly, she pressed a fingertip over the scar. Immediately the lord reacted looking at her from the corner of the eye. "You know…" she whispered seductively, "We've never use these…" she finished pressing her finger on the scar, the taiyoukai skipped, she could feel his heart race, she smiled proudly. She knew she shouldn't play like this with him, but still temptation took the better of her. She leaned over his neck and kissed the mark, which made him growl with desire. She decided to stop knowing that if she pushed him too hard it'll be no turning back. She kissed his cheek saying "I won't whine anymore."

"Good." was his reply not caring of what she was talking about only caring for the sensation her touch had create. Finally she poked his temple to wake him up, this made him turn his head fully to her.

"When we get home… can we get married?" she asked apparently out of nowhere, this made the taiyoukai lift an eyebrow, the mood swings of this woman would kill him sooner or later.

"With a ceremony you mean." he said, she nodded putting her puppy-eyes mask.

"Very well." he kissed her forehead as she squealed and hugged him tightly. "He's coming." he informed, Kagome nodded and let go of her mate "I know." She stood up to greet the young boy.

"Inform us." ordered the taiyoukai.

"She was last seen not far away from here. They say she was heading to that mountain…" he pointed the mountain far away. Sesshoumaru intervened "Didn't she attack the villages nearby?" Kohaku shook his head "Apparently she didn't seem to be dangerous to the people of the town, surely she wants to have a cover for her crimes." Kagome frowned, she took her bow and arrows and pulled the katana on her waist.

"It'll only take a day to get there, let's go." she declared, her mate smiled at her determination. The men nodded in unison as they took their equipment and started walking into the woods and to the mountain.

Not far from them, a mysterious silhouette waited, it's face covered in the shadows, it's green eyes shining with intensity, a smile craved on it's lips "Good. Neither the Lord nor the woman could feel my presence… this barrier is very efficient…" It started to jump from branch to branch as fast as it's legs could. 'Pitiful… they won't find Kikyou-sama in that mountain.' ihe dark figure thought as it disappeared in the dark woods to inform the current situation to the black miko.

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A/N: Yey finally I could update!! Since was shot off for 48 hours I had to wait to update this chapter but I finally could! So yeah a little Miroku/Sango moment and finally the entrance of the oh so lovely Kirara, and of course a little Inuyasha/Tomoe moment yeah the Inuyasha in this story is kinda OCCness but hey Inu can have his little moments of romance right? Anyway next chapter some action and a little...hum... twist! lol hope you liked it!!

WP