Okay, so yeah...this is dedicated to me...eighteenth birthday today...partying at my friends...yeah...So this is set to "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls for no reason, except that this is what I'm listening to right now.

Kagome stared at Sesshomaru eerily. "What do you mean gone?"

"Will I always have to repeat myself with you?"

"Yes."

"Suikotsu has left."

"Just left...no word or nothin'?" Kagome asked, unwilling to let Sesshy know that she was upset.

"He left a note," Sesshy held out the note given to him by Suikotsu and had it snatched in a second.

"Go away," Kagome told him, already reading the letter.

Dearest Kagome,

You have chosen well in your mate. I can give you that. I cannot give you my time or my claws however. You know I cannot fight in this battle. I gave that up years ago. I will not shed blood again, not even for you. Go into battle with Sesshomaru, and fight well. He is good, in his heart. He will not steer you wrong.

Give Bankotsu my love and tell him that I will send for news from the inn in the small town where we grew up. I am going home for a while. Be careful, little sister, and be wary...sometimes small problems bring big solutions, and sometimes the other way. Watch out for baboon...he watches.

Love,

Suikotsu

Baboon watches? What did he...oh, so Naraku sent his spies after them? He was in for a surprise. Kagome would not tolerate spying, it was too much like cheating at a game, when one player is in the advantage and the other is not.

Kagome turned to go outside, to seek out the spies, but the second she turned she bumped into Sesshomaru. "Geez, back off will ya?"

"You ordered me."

"No, I asked you to back off."

"You told me to go away," Sesshomaru explained, an inexplicable light coming to his eyes.

"Oh, before the letter? Yeah, I'm bossy, get over it." Kagome started to go around him but her way was blocked. "Sesshomaru."

"We must be clear here...I am boss," Sesshomaru started, "of you. I am mate."

"And I am irate, so get out of my way."

Sesshomaru started to hunch over Kagome, seeking to intimidate her but she turned her head and gritted her teeth. "You don't scare me."

Sesshomaru moved quickly, seizing her neck and biting not-so-gently at the same time. She was released in seconds but she gaped at him for a good minute. "You bit me."

Sesshomaru felt himself calm as the welts of his teeth in her skin darkened and rose up. Her defying him was not a good thing, it made him do things he would normally never do. He didn't want to hurt her, but she damn well was going to have to learn. "We leave now."

"To your...home?" Kagome said, following with her head bowed a little, no idea that she was giving the perfect form of submission. It was instinctive for her, after living with demons for a while.

"Yes, but we have another place to go first."

"How long will our excursion be? We cannot let your father get that far ahead of us. There's no telling what he'll do," Kagome lectured. Sesshomaru lifted her and sat her on Nolla's back before joining her on the cat's back. He gestured to Ah-Un across the clearing around the hut and together they all took to the air. Ah-Un was heading to the West, to a small shelter some miles from Sesshomaru's childhood home. Rin would safe there until this was resolved. He and Kagome were headed West as well, but they would be stopping somewhere else for the rest of the day and night...they would be settling this thing a little early, if you get my drift?

They flew through the air for a while and soon Kagome became chilled. She was leaning back against Sesshomaru behind her and he felt her shudder. Wordlessly he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, allowing his demon temperature to warm her and at the same time wrapping his scent around her. He did not want any demons coming near and smelling her, that would draw attention which they definitely didn't want.

Soon after, Ah-Un veered away into a different area and Sesshomaru and Kagome were alone (for the most part). Naraku's poisonous insects followed below, camouflaging themselves in the wooded area.

"You're taking us to a priestess right?"

"How did you know?" Sesshomaru asked, surprised that she had surmised his intentions.

"You are being entirely too serious and we're not heading to your home."

"How do you know where my home is?"

"I can sense the left over youkai presence. It is often a sign of a long-time demon dwelling."

"Yes, we are heading to a priestess. We will get this done and defeat my father and then Naraku."

"Cocky, aren't you?" Kagome asked, amused.

"Not yet."

"Oh, that was bad," Kagome giggled. She was wary of the night ahead and wary of Sesshomaru, but he was right. They could not afford to wait another two weeks before mating. It was too long and their enemies too great. That was the reason for the priestess. Normally, the mating would happen on the full moon, when auras were most open and susceptible to joining. In order to gain the most power from a joining this was when it was done, and usually alone. Because they were not allowed the luxury of waiting, Kagome and Sesshomaru would use a priestess to open their auras in order to mate. It was the only way.

The priestess would perform the charm and then leave them to it...to do it that is. Sesshomaru pointed to a distant spot and Kagome mentally instructed Nolla to take them down. As the cat demon alit on the grassy spot, a small, raven haired woman stepped out.

"Can I help ye?" The woman asked, reminding Kagome of Kaede, who had much the same accent.

"We wish to mate," Sesshomaru proclaimed. Kagome had the grace to blush.

"Need help then?" The woman asked, coming off slightly slow before Kagome realized that the woman was looking at Sesshomaru's package with interest.

"Oh, no! We're good in that department," Kagome stammered as she maneuvered herself in front of Sesshomaru, blocking the avaricious woman from his sight.

"Oh! You wish a true mating?" The woman asked, then gestured for them to come in.

Kagome and Sesshomaru followed her in and sat where she told them. "Just give me a moment to get the ingredients ready...how will ye be paying?"

Sesshomaru removed a pouch from his waist and tossed it on the small, nearby table with a loud metallic clunk. "Gold."

"Good, good..." The woman was stirring something in her pestle and after ten minutes she came close. "Are ye sure about this? This is a permanent thing."

"Just do it," Kagome told the nosy woman.

The woman shrugged and instructed them of what she was going to do. They nodded and held out their right wrists (both being right handed). The priestess was first going to bleed them through small cuts on their prominent hand, then using herbs she would put on the cuts, their auras would open. Small wards would have to be placed on both of them to keep their openness from attracting other demons and that would take longest. This required the two to keep from touching each other and with the state of their auras it would be difficult she informed them happily.

The priestess drew her dagger and lashed out quickly. Small cuts appeared in the exact same place on both Sesshomaru's and Kagome's wrists. Working quickly the priestess chanted in a small voice as she pressed stinging herbs into the cuts. Kagome let out a small keening sound as the herbs began to take effect, causing her senses to amplify everything. She could sense everything, from Sesshomaru across from her, to the little bugs outside. Kagome heard pounding and realized it was her heart. Why was everything so big and loud?

Sesshomaru was feeling much of the same but on a physical level. He could feel the immense heat of Kagome next to him, the roughness of the floor beneath him, and the slight breeze coming through a crack in the wall. He could hear the slow beat of the priestess's heart, the slight pants of Kagome next to him, and the coo of a bird outside. Contrary to Kagome, this did not seek too overwhelm him. He reveled in the jolt to his system, enjoying the power flowing in the air.

The priestess stifled a laugh at the couple's reaction and spoke softly, knowing what they were going through. "I am placing the wards now..."

She rose and started to move her hands over Kagome but apparently this startled Kagome, who jumped and moved closer to Sesshomaru. She had her hands to her ears and was wincing horribly. Sesshomaru wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close.

"What is wrong with her?"

"I'm afraid it's affecting her more than usual...she's a more powerful miko than usual, yes?" The priestess asked as she continued the wards.

"So this is hurting her?" Sesshomaru asked concerned as he lightly placed his hands over Kagome's ears. She opened her eyes and looked at him as tears started to fall.

It hurts, Sesshomaru. Make it stop.

"She said stop priestess!" Sesshomaru said softly yet firmly as the woman continued the wards.

"I heard nothing," she replied, curious as to what he was talking about.

"She said clearly that she was hurting and wants to stop," Sesshomaru gritted through his teeth.

She can't hear me.

"Why?"

I am here...Sesshy, the noise! Kagome brushed her lips against Sesshomaru's forehead as she sobbed these words in his mind. Then sighing, as the pain was lessening, she snuggled into his lap.

"She can speak into my mind?"

The priestess finished the last ward and stepped away. "It's never happened before, but I've never worked with two such powerful beings."

"Will she be able to do this forever if we mate?"

"I do not know," the priestess replied, gathering her things. "It's time for you to mate; I suggest you go somewhere more private?"

Sesshomaru gathered the tired Kagome in his arms and nodded. He wordlessly carried Kagome to the small bedroom just off the main room as the priestess gathered a few things and decided to visit her male "friend" in the village. Something told her these two would need the whole night.

Okay, so yeah! MATING! FUN! I think we can guess what the next chapter is going to be like, so you are warned! The waiting is going up to "M" but not going to have a lemon so to say. I want the scene to be...gentle and soft and sweet. So yeah, there's your peek! Back to the fun reviewership here...

Destinyheart15: Not really, Inuyasha doesn't matter to the story so I wasn't planning on it...wasn't really planning for him to be in it much at all...but maybe...HAHA! You've given me an idea! And you'll know when it's in play because I'll dedicate that chapter to you!

royal blueKitsune: Gosh, it's late there...where the hell are you? It's like noon here and midnight where you are...wait, I should be able to figure this out...nope, too lazy. I'm not sick anymore, but I was when writing the last chapter. I had this horrible two day virus that is now stretching into the fifth day. So, it's cool!

Thanks to Hermonine, Kogasgirl142, and Kari Konoko for reviewing...and the rest of you who don't review SUCK! I'm not gonna update until I get like twenty reviews...okay, I am so not holding to that threat...but pretend I am...