Traveling from ward to ward on her property, Kagome worked to strengthen them.
She used a great deal more reiki than she'd ever used before. Likely more than was necessary, even.
She hoped it'd be enough.
Strolling up to the final ward near the Goshinboku, she began the process of empowering the charm there.
Focusing entirely on the ward, she placed her hands upon it and called to her ki. It answered readily, and she felt as the charm absorbed her power. Now that she'd seen it, she could imagine the ward glowing brightly with her reiki and she smiled softly.
If anything good came from Sesshomaru's presence that day, it was only that she'd been able to see her power where previously she'd only been able to feel it.
"As much reiki as you are putting into those charms, they should not need upkeep for quite some time."
Kagome nearly jumped out of her skin, turning around so quickly she'd lost her balance where she kneeled. She landed gracelessly in the snow, her shin-length skirt soaking through. She growled in frustration. "You!"
She almost couldn't believe it. She thought for sure her plan would work and the wards would keep him out.
"How are you here?!" She demanded, rising and glaring at Sesshomaru. She aggressively brushed the snow from her skirt.
His lips curled into a barely discernible smirk, his eyes glittering.
"So, the extra reiki was for me then. Did you not listen before? You cannot keep me from this land. It is mine." He strolled casually toward her and she once again felt like prey as she stepped back, bumping into the tree. He reached out a clawed hand, running his finger through the ends of her hair. He lowered his voice to a near-whisper. "And all that dwell upon it are mine."
She stuck her chin up, blue eyes flashing with anger. "By that logic, I am yours."
He smiled deviously, his eyes glowing in the light of the waning sun. Dipping toward her, he brought his lips to her ear. "It is precisely as you say."
Unable, and quite frankly unwilling, to back away, she gritted her teeth. "You can't just claim ownership of someone. This isn't the Sengoku era. Or whatever era it was that you died in."
Sesshomaru drew back, watching her curiously. He hummed softly. "How is it, exactly, that you are able to see me, little miko?"
Kagome shoved past him, her right leg having gone numb from the chill of her wet skirt. "Stop calling me that," she grunted, making her way toward the house so she could change. "And it's none of your business."
Sesshomaru withheld a chuckle. She was quite the feisty one. He followed after her silently. Had he been of the living, his predatory gait would have been just as silent. He was a master of his skills, after all.
To that point, had he been of the living, he'd admit, it was unlikely he'd be chasing a human miko around.
But…Sesshomaru had spent centuries without companionship since his death, the last person to be able to see his spirit being a Buddhist monk by the name of Miroku.
That had been over five hundred years ago.
Sesshomaru was starved.
For many things, not the least of which being the ability to have a conversation with another.
As desperate and pathetic as it sounded, he was lonely.
He'd be a gods-damned fool to allow Kagome to slip from his grasp. Not that she could, per se. But she didn't have to acknowledge his presence, either. And if she, say, moved away to somewhere beyond his reach…well, then he'd truly be at a loss.
He watched her stomp up the stairs to the second floor, her shoulders tense and grumbling all the way.
Perhaps he'd come on a little too strong.
It'd been a long time since he'd been able to assert his dominance upon anyone – upon a female. He couldn't quite help himself when it was revealed she could see him, could speak to him, could feel him.
With an inaudible sigh he entered her room behind her.
"I owe you an apology."
Stopping suddenly, she stiffened and turned to look at him over her shoulder.
"Get out of my room. I need to change."
He supposed he deserved that. With a nod, he obliged, dissipating through the door like smoke.