A/N: What's up, y'all? I'm so excited, I have so many reviews!.! I was all worried in the first couple of chapters, thinking that no one was reading the story... and now look! And you know, I think that two more chapters, and I might hit 500. crazy! Of course, I do have like, a ton of chapters. Ah well. Oh! I just saw the 4th Inu Yasha movie! I'm so super pleased! I can honestly say that I liked the art very much (usually they stylize it for the movie, but this time, it looked like the tv anime!). Not just that, but I'll bet all you Sesshoumaru crazies would like it, since he's got some pretty tight scenes. Anyway, let's go!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha-tachi! I like to write these, because it gives me something trivial to gripe about!

Previously:

"After some thought, I have decided to give you an offer."

"Wh.. what are you talking about?" she asked nervously. "What kind of an offer?" At this, Kagome turned in her chair. She had a feeling that whatever it was, she would want to be sitting when he told her.

"These cloaked figures- I do not desire to underestimate them. They have a powerful ability to cloak their presence and scent. While I am concerned for your safety, there will be moments during which I will not be able to stay close to you. Because their cloaks have barrier capabilities, your reiki may be ineffective against them." Sesshoumaru sighed before he continued, "You don't need to decide at this very moment, but- I would like you to think about receiving another temporary mark," he told her slowly.

"A-are you crazy!" Kagome practically shouted at him. She remembered the problems it caused between herself and Inu Yasha. Without having made a final decision concerning her choice between the brothers, she was understandably hesitant. Sesshoumaru's serious countenance did not falter.

"Just think about it. At the moment, this is the best option I am able to offer. I'll expect your decision at dinner." Sesshoumaru bowed gracefully and stepped backwards before he turned and exited Kagome's room.

chapter 24: temptation returns
Kagome decided to practice some archery before dinner. Grabbing a bow and a quiver of arrows, she made her way down to the range. It had been a few days since she was last there. As she drew the arrow back to shoot, she remembered how she was when she first arrived in Feudal Japan. She had no marksmanship, and no way to protect herself. Once released, the arrow found its target. "Bullseye," she said smoothly, blowing on her fingernails. Now, she was a master archer- and a strong miko to boot. 'But… that doesn't seem like it's enough, now,' she worried. Sesshoumaru had told her that her reiki abilities might not permeate the cloaks of these mysterious people who were after her.

It wasn't that she didn't realize the benefit of Sesshoumaru's proposed transfusion. Inu Yasha still hadn't come back for her- when would he? In any case, judging from the battle of almost a week ago, it was obvious that Sesshoumaru was still the stronger brother. He was her best bet for protection, and yet he admitted that he wouldn't be able to offer her complete protection. Besides, the mark would only be temporary, like the last time. 'The last time…' Kagome flashed back to the night after she had been marked.

flashback

"No way…"a single tear slid down her cheek. "N-no way!" She balled her hand up into a fist. "How… how could you do this to me, Sesshoumaru!" Now both of her fists were clenched, and she began to pound them on Sesshoumaru's chest in anger. He stood there, accepting each blow she delivered, fully aware that this predicament was, indeed, all his fault. However, seeing as her desperation was beginning to overwhelm her, Sesshoumaru reached around Kagome and drew her to him. She pulled her head away from his chest and stared into his eyes angrily. The youkai lord looked down into her eyes, shocking her into silence.

"Kagome," he said, his eyes showing nothing but softness for the girl in his embrace. She stared back at him in surprise and silence, not sure if she wanted to know what was going to happen next. Kagome, in fact, was surprised that she didn't feel out of place with his arm around her. She couldn't deny the strong pull she felt to the taiyoukai who stood in front of her, staring at her with such a gentle expression. Sesshoumaru felt no resistance from the young woman before him- she had completely changed from the scared young miko he had abducted from the onsen. She was… fearless, powerful, and.. beautiful… In thinking such thoughts of Kagome, he leaned in toward her, coming dangerously close to connecting his lips with hers. His eyelids were relaxed, and ready to close at any moment. Kagome had made no negative motion, nothing to snap him out of his thoughts, which was why he had carried them so far. Sesshoumaru recognized the aroma of arousal that had become evident in her scent. It was extraordinarily tantalizing.

"Sesshoumaru," she said softly, when she realized he had slowed his advance. "this-- scent--" Her hands, again relaxed, moved upwards on his chest, and rested on his shoulders. 'What.. in the world… what am I feeling-- why--' she puzzled over it in her mind, but her body was already winning the battle. She had caught the scent of Sesshoumaru's arousal as well, and her newfound youkai instincts had no problem setting aside her mental qualms when faced with the prospect of satisfying the desires of her new hanyou body.

He stopped his advance on her, and slowly began to pull out of the physical stupor that he had trapped himself in. Kagome, however, was not so lucky. The desire of Sesshoumaru's youkai blood flowed hot within her, overpowering her conscience, reminding her only of the good moments she had shared with Sesshoumaru. His gentle manner with her by the lakeside last night, his playfulness in the morning, the look in his eyes when he spoke to her… She recognized his power and authority, and his beauty and grace to complement it. Quickly, without any more hesitation, Kagome made a move. While one hand remained on his chest, the other moved up around his neck. She mingled her fingers in his soft hair while sliding her other hand up his muscular chest. The butterflies in her stomach took over when she felt his desire for her by the look in his eyes. Without further thought, only on instinct, she pulled his head toward her own.

Sesshoumaru's arm, which had been around her waist until they began the kiss, slowly moved up the middle of her back until his hand was pressed against her shoulder blades. Although he had been subconsciously leaning down toward her before she wrapped herself around him, he now found himself leaning into her even more. Kagome felt an explosion in her brain when her lips touched his. Kissing Sesshoumaru, she felt united to his strength as well as to his inner person- the one he never exposed to others. It was overwhelming. The tension that had been building up since her transformation was finally released. Everything else disappeared, but the feelings of security, warmth, and the experience of an amazing sensation of pleasure on their lips. Besides the contact that they felt between their bodies, everything else faded into nothing.

A few moments later, their kiss naturally came to an end. While their lips were no longer touching, their bodies were still knit together. Kagome had moved her hands from around Sesshoumaru's neck to around his torso. She enjoyed the sensation of feeling him without his armor, and her hands could feel the contour of his back under his clothes. Kagome's mouth was now near Sesshoumaru's left ear, and he could hear the alluring sound of her uneven breaths as well as feel the moisture of it against his neck. Their primal selves were enjoying each sensation every second delivered. The warm breath of Sesshoumaru against Kagome's neck gave her goosebumps, and she hugged herself even closer to the youkai lord. He gently brushed his lips against areas just under her ear and down the side of her neck. Slowly- very slowly- Sesshoumaru began turning Kagome's body. He was making his way back towards the nape of her neck.

"Sesshoumaru…" Kagome said softly. She was a little nervous; she had no idea what was going on. Why did she feel this way? The moment they had been sharing was phenomenal, and the feeling she had from his embrace -coupled with the look she had seen in his eyes- told her that Sesshoumaru felt the same way. She turned her head, trying to look up at his eyes now. He withdrew his lips from her neck, pulling his head back to return her gaze. Just one more moment, and he would have been in position to mark her thoroughly. Looking into Kagome's eyes, in a single second, millions of thoughts ran through the head of the taiyoukai.

"Kagome," he whispered her name, and hugged her body to his. They remained in each other's embrace for a few moments, until they both felt another pang of desire to continue their new experience together. In that moment, however, Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed, and his face showed resolve. Kagome didn't see this.. her head was cradled against his chest. A few seconds later, still holding her to him, he spoke again. His voice was cold, but noticeably shaking. It was quite an effort to restrain the feral impulses he felt. "I.. will not see you again until tomorrow evening." Kagome opened her mouth, about to protest. He held her tighter for just an instant before he flew off, leaving no trail behind him for her to follow. She looked up at the stars, and was just about to fly off to follow him, when she realized that she was still confined by the barrier of the castle. Somehow, she had forgotten all about it. With the dissipation of Sesshoumaru's scent, Kagome's mind was finally able to resurface. Falling to the ground, she placed a hand to her lips.

end flashback

Yes, that had been one amazing kiss. And yet- it was all because of the desire of the mark. Somehow, that mark had placed an attraction between the two of them, where there had been none before. Kagome sighed as she shot another arrow. This time might not be so easy. The draw she felt toward Sesshoumaru that night did not disappear completely. Was it because of the mark, even though it was supposed to have worn off? 'Was that what Inu Yasha meant by 'brainwashed'?' Kagome shook her head, and decided to up her par by firing off two arrows simultaneously. Regardless, if she let Sesshoumaru mark her again, it might be even harder for them to resist those primal urges. Kagome remembered what Sesshoumaru had told her the morning after the kiss.

flashback

"By the way, Sesshoumaru.. do you know why I changed back into a full human so quickly?" she asked. The taiyoukai blinked.

"My best guess is that my blood was waiting for something. There is no record of temporary markings that do not result in mating," he told her.

end flashback

'Well, it would definitely be safer if I was transfused with his blood, but… would we be able to stand it?' Regardless of the risk, however, Kagome couldn't deny the fact that she was becoming excited at the prospect of again receiving the unbridled affections of Sesshoumaru. 'When did this happen?' she asked, surprised at herself. Kagome ignored the urge her conscience gave her to probe her feelings, and tried another two-arrow shot. She decided to ask him about this risk at dinner tonight.

Meanwhile, Sesshoumaru watched Kagome from a distance. It wasn't his intention to force her into another mark; he honestly did believe that it was the best precaution they could possibly take to ensure her safety. If worse came to worst, she would at least have the 'tobu' spell to rely on for escape. Besides, what had she been studying all of those incantations for, if she had no one to whom she could teach them? 'Aside from that, what is Inu Yasha doing? Why hasn't he come back for Kagome?' At this thought, a small, involuntary growl erupted from his throat. He couldn't deny it: he didn't like the prospect of losing Kagome to his little brother. It wasn't about the fact that she was helping him get over Rin's death anymore. Somewhere along the way, Kagome herself had become important to him. Her presence had become desirable to him. Not only that, but the taiyoukai found himself, on several occasions, unnecessarily concerned for her safety, well-being, and yes, even happiness.

'What will she say about the mark?' he asked himself. 'More importantly, what will happen should she agree to do it?' Sesshoumaru remembered the difficulty of withholding his desires the last time he had marked her. But his self-control wasn't the only challenge. Inu Yasha was fully recovered- there was no doubt about it. At any moment, his little brother could come looking for her. If Inu Yasha saw Kagome had been marked yet again, there was no knowing what he would do. Sesshoumaru shook his head. His brother had the annoying tendency to make unpredictable actions. He might be heartbroken and withdraw, or he might snap and want to fight to the death over Kagome. Although, Sesshoumaru couldn't deny the desire he had to gloat at Inu Yasha by hanging Kagome over his head, so to speak. While he was willing to fight with his brother over possession of her, Kagome's choice would dictate the ultimate outcome. If somehow, Kagome would decide of her own free will to go with him, that would deal the biggest blow of all to Inu Yasha. Should she choose to receive the mark, it would be beneficial toward her possibly choosing to stay with him. And perhaps, in such a manner, he could deliver a hefty serving of retribution to Inu Yasha.

The taiyoukai sighed as he watched Kagome attempt to shoot two arrows simultaneously. He had initially wanted reconciliation between himself and Inu Yasha- hence the reason why he decided to go through with that bonding ritual. But there was no going back, now. He could never forgive his little brother for killing Rin, and he knew that Inu Yasha wouldn't be able to forgive him for marking Kagome. Any way he looked at it, things were over between himself and Inu Yasha. What a shame that it had to be over two human women.

Meanwhile, Inu Yasha was diligently training. He was almost finished with one-third of the pile of scrolls that Kohaku and Shippou had given him. Every time he believed that he mastered an idea in theory, he went outside into the forest to practice it. Keeping busy helped to ease his mind from the memory of the recent battle and senseless death of Rin. It was the upcoming fight he planned to have with Sesshoumaru that was his driving force.

At the moment, he was in the forest outside of his father's castle. "Here goes," he said, just before he began to strike at the trees around him. Within two seconds, Inu Yasha returned to his original position. He smirked- almost like Sesshoumaru. Suddenly, the trees heaved an ominous groan, and crashed to the ground simultaneously. After the smoke cleared, Inu Yasha looked at the wreckage. Yep. He had leveled all of the trees within a 20 meter radius in no more than two seconds. "I've definitely improved," he said, pleased with himself. By this time, he was proficient in his physical transformation, shouki usage, and poison claws. He was able to use the poison whip, but he was nowhere near as good as Sesshoumaru- nor did he plan to be when he faced him in battle again. "Just a few more techniques, and…" Inu Yasha looked toward the castle. "…and then maybe I'll take both Kohaku and Shippou on at the same time." Smiling eagerly, Inu Yasha rushed back to the castle to read up on some more fighting techniques. 'Sesshoumaru, you're finally gonna get what you deserve!'

"So," Sesshoumaru started, once he and Kagome began eating their dinner, "have you made a decision concerning my suggestion?" He didn't want to admit it, but he was nervous about hearing her answer. It felt almost as though there were something important on the line. She stopped chewing briefly, probably shocked at the bluntness of his question. Kagome gulped down the sashimi, but stared at the table.

"Well," she paused, "will there be the same issue that we had the last time?" she looked up at Sesshoumaru, hoping that he would know what she was talking about. She was too overwhelmed to realize that she was blushing furiously. Sesshoumaru fought back a smile; he had never seen Kagome so red before.

"I have no wish to be false with you. We will have to fight the desires imposed on us by the mark. Extra precautions must be taken that will ensure the prevention of anything…unnecessary." Sesshoumaru looked away from Kagome as soon as he finished this sentence. He was also trying to fight off the uncomfortable sensation he felt in his stomach. "While I will be near you for protection, I must also be far enough away to ensure that we will not end with the same result as last time.

'It's not just that,' Sesshoumaru said to himself. He felt almost like he was playing with fire. 'This time… the desires we face will most likely be even more difficult to resist.'

"But- will having you at a further distance really be better than having you close to me?" Kagome asked just before she fed herself some rice. Sesshoumaru nodded.

"The benefits far outweigh the risks. Nothing is known about these cloaked intruders, and I am unwilling to leave you unprotected while I search for answers."

"You can just take me with you, can't you?" she asked. Sesshoumaru drank some of his tea.

"I have already promised to deliver you to your pregnant friend tomorrow," he stated plainly.

"Oh. Right." Kagome said nothing more about coming with Sesshoumaru- she would much rather spend time with her friend than be forced to sit for two hours without moving. "Then, what are you going to do?"

"If you accept the mark, you should be capable enough to at least escape from the cloaked figures, should they attack. I should be able to sense whether or not you are in danger. Should you need to escape, fly around until you can trace my scent, and then come to me." Kagome nodded. "While you are with your friend, I will search for information on these intruders. If you are with them, you are at least safer than if you remain here with Jaken." His calm exterior and reassuring words were something of a comfort to Kagome. His demeanor, however, was the exact opposite of his thoughts. 'Although, that houshi certainly was bested easily. Who could these cloaked people be?'

"Ne, Sesshoumaru? Do you know why Inu Yasha hasn't come back yet?" Sesshoumaru's face remained emotionless- hiding his annoyance at the mention of his little brother.

"Most likely, he is working on fighting techniques for when we meet again." By the tone of his voice, Kagome could tell that while he was getting over the absence of Rin, he had still not forgiven his brother for her death. They finished their meal in silence. After a few more moments, Sesshoumaru stood up from the table. "Come," he told her, and turned around to exit the gazebo. He waited at the foot of the stairs for her to meet him. Without hesitation, Kagome rose and joined him. They began to walk around the lake.

"Again, what is your answer on receiving the mark once more?" he asked Kagome. There was something different about his tone of voice. Kagome looked up at his face. His expression was always softer when they were walking side by side. Why was that?

"I realize that you're right that the mark will give me added protection, but I'm still concerned about…" Kagome looked up at him, and then back toward the path they were taking, "…the whole 'marking for mating' thing." Sesshoumaru nodded at her comment.

"The sooner that I can gather information on these criminals, the better. I shouldn't be close enough to you for that to be a problem. It will be difficult to control ourselves, but- not impossible." Kagome nodded slowly.

"Then… maybe… that is the best thing to do." 'I'm sorry, Inu Yasha,' her heart cried. "If this is the best way…"

"This is the best way," he told her. Kagome nodded.

"Then- let's do it." Kagome was too focused on the ground to notice the change in Sesshoumaru's expression. His eyes seemed to relax around the corners, and soften- discarding all of their fierce coolness. His body also relaxed, although one would have to be analyzing it to realize the slight slump in his posture. Sesshoumaru… was relieved.

"It would be best to do it tomorrow morning," he told her gently. Kagome furrowed her eyebrows for a second. His tone of voice- was softer than it had ever been before.

"Maybe…" Kagome looked up at him, and he met her eyes with his. "Maybe we should do it now." Sesshoumaru stopped dead in his tracks, and stared at the miko before him.

"Your reasoning?"

"I… might lose my nerve," she rubbed the back of her neck, embarrassed. "Besides, we know that it will last for at least a full day after the initial marking. At the end of the day tomorrow, I can return to the castle, and then the next morning I should be back to normal. Right?" Sesshoumaru looked at her for a moment, obviously deciding on which plan of action would be the best to take. He had wanted to keep her marked for as long as possible while he looked for information, but Kagome was only focused on tomorrow. Still, her decision's prime argument was the fact that she may change her mind overnight, and that was one risk that Sesshoumaru did not want to take. After all, if she changed her mind, and wasn't marked by tomorrow when she went back to the village, he would be much more wary of leaving her there alone. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and sighed. Reopening them, he stared straight at Kagome. Her heart jumped, and she involuntarily put a hand to her chest. All thoughts of Inu Yasha aside, Kagome had to admit that she felt excitement about receiving the mark- a second time.

"Then, are you ready, Kagome?" She nodded. Yes, she felt differently about this than she did the first time. Was it because she was going into it willingly? She never would have done so before, but now- she felt closer to Sesshoumaru, somehow. She had seen his heart, and even now he was showing her a side that was more gentle than she could have ever imagined.

He stepped forward, and drew his wrist toward his mouth. Within a brief second, he had torn at it, and approached her. Sesshoumaru held his hand out to her. Kagome stepped in front of Sesshoumaru and placed one hand underneath his, and the other on his forearm. She looked up at him, her eyes locked with his as she placed her mouth over his wound and began to taste his blood. 'Sweet corn and a hint of garlic,' she said to herself as she remembered the taste. She closed her eyes as her head began to feel warm. Just as she began to feel dizzy, she felt Sesshoumaru's body behind her. He had wrapped his arm around her, and was standing behind her in a supportive fashion. This was different from the first time. He hadn't held her to him in this way before. Only moments later, she was in the 'zone'- her senses were consumed with only two things- the wonderful, strong, sweet taste of Sesshoumaru's blood, and the warmth that it gave her. Her entire body was numb and her head spinning, but she continued to drink. And again, like the first time, she blacked out from the sheer pleasure of tasting the power of Sesshoumaru.

The youkai lord watched her as she began to taste his blood. She looked up at him with such innocent, curious eyes. But when she tasted his blood, she was forced to close them. Feeling her body begin to tremble, he shifted himself so that he was directly behind her, and pressed her closer to him for support. He wondered what it tasted like to her, what it was that made her thirst so desperately for more. It had been the same way the night he first marked her. The sensation was different for him, he supposed. Having her soft lips pressed against his arm, and enclosing her in his embrace, he began to sense the mark beginning to take effect. Even though it wasn't yet completed, he already knew that it was going to be harder to constrain himself around her. His sense became sharper toward her. He could smell her hair- she had used herbal extracts to perfume it. Her body began to tone itself, and take on his scent. Her transformation was completing itself, yet she was still drinking. Finally, she passed out.

Sesshoumaru eased her to the ground, and watched as her hair developed the silver streaks he had seen on her before. He sat down by her side and watched her for what, to him, seemed like only a few minutes. In reality, it was about half an hour before Kagome reopened her amber eyes. Already, all thoughts of Rin had vanished from his mind. The woman-hanyou before him was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes upon. "Did it work?" she asked. Sesshoumaru struggled to regain his composure.

"Ah." Kagome inhaled deeply. Yes, she smelled like Sesshoumaru. And Sesshoumaru was sitting next to her while she laid on the grass, his elbow propping his upper body up. His upper body was leaning slightly over her, and he stared into her eyes. Kagome again, felt the butterflies rage. Somehow, though, she wasn't as disturbed by this as she was the first time she was marked. This time, she was more… prepared for it.

Meanwhile, with every second that passed, Sesshoumaru found himself becoming more and more possessive of the hanyou miko beneath him. Fighting every urge he had, he withdrew from Kagome and stood up. "It's time to go inside," he said shakily, although Kagome didn't notice the waver in his voice. He held his hand out to her as an offer to help her up, and she took it.

"Thanks," she said, looking up at Sesshoumaru. She had no idea how beautiful she was. Sesshoumaru peeled his eyes off of her, and focused them on the castle in front of him, fighting to ignore her alluring scent. Yes, this was definitely harder than last time. When they reached the castle, they parted ways. "Oyasumi," Kagome told him as she let out a yawn. Sesshoumaru nodded his head slightly.

"Oyasumi," he replied, and turned around. Forcing every step, he walked back toward his quarters. It was going to be a difficult task to keep from indulging his desires- but he was determined to not allow this mark to dictate his actions. He was the master of his own will, and he would prove it.

A/N: hehe! I'm such a cheater! Using that flashback really made this chapter longer. But I guess it helps kinda get you back into the swing of how the temporary mark really affected them, right?

Reviewer Responses:

toxiclollipop: Hehe! Thanks for the encouragement! I just hate it when authors take so long to post a new chapter- because it's like, they don't realize that the readers actually start losing track of what's been going on. So I try to update quickly in order to keep everyone in the loop. Anyway, so you really agreed with Kagome's mom on the whole 'competition' thing, hm? I'm not sure that makes Inu Yasha a jerk, though- he's just shy.

duckgirl566: Hahaha! I like your take on Kagome. I'm not sure that was really the image I was trying to convey, but if that's what it takes to make her close to Sesshoumaru, then... I guess it works.

Hoshiko Shinomori: Good observation. It will definitely be a task for S-dono to not give into the mark, ne? I guess you could say that it's his ego that's holding him back this time around. It's not like Sesshoumaru to be willing to be controlled by something so small as a mark.

destinyheart15: heh, thanks for your support! Yeah... I don't even know about those cloaked people...

sheenachi: haha! Glad I could invoke a physical reaction from you!

Beulah Page: Heh, it's a letter! Yeah- Kagome now knows why Inu-chan hasn't come for her yet. I think she's probably a little bothered that he's putting the battle with S-dono before her, though. Glad you liked the subtlety in the last chapter. The cloaked ppl are a mystery- even to me. And that's kinda scary. Hehe! "More Karen...to look forward to," huh? Cool!

Also, thanks go out to C.J., Nilee (good to see your name again), Golden-Eyed-Girl, tefi2007, hermonine, kandy42, Lady Lenn (haha), zookie78, sesshomaru's-hot-date, Inuyasha Gal (heh, thanks! I'm glad to be causing you that kind of confusion!), Amber Eyed, Lt. Riza Hawkeye (heh, glad I'm not the only one!), Emo Chicka, Chanel39 (thank you! I'm happy that I can actually inspire someone! Good luck in the future!)and whimsy. I hope to hear from you all again soon!

Please look forward to the next chapter! Aba yo!