A/N: Ohh! Me likey this chapter! I don't know why, though…

Kentucky Fly Chick: Glad I got the message across. Let's hope Sess is really capable of love! We don't want Kags to get hurt, now do we?

Satan Junior: Hey! It's you again! Well, glad you like my fic so much…do your homework!

Wretched-Cursed: Aw, don't scold Sesshy. He didn't know any better, well maybe he did, but he can get away with it because he's so frikin' cool!

Moonscout11: I would've done a SessxInu pairing, but I didn't want to get too ahead of myself for my first Inuyasha fic.

Thelunarstorm: LOL. Poor Kagome. Expect the unexpected…or something like that.

Kouga's true lover: Oh, I won't quit this anytime soon. Trust me.

KousukeAsazuki: Yeah, Shippy-kun is nothing new. But Fluffy making Kagome cry is! (I think) I haven't watched enough of the show to notice. And actually, yes…she is a slut! (cheers) She and Inu could be a couple if the halfbreed could just make up his damn mind!

Zackire: My precious fic is exasperating? No! Why! Don't hurt Sesshy!

Twilight Elf-Maiden: That's easy! Kagome is looking for Inuyasha and the gang! Sesshomaru just happened to find Inu first. But she'll show up. Don't worry.

Katie: Hm…maybe. Maybe he can stop being a bitch long enough to tell her.

Sesshomaru's soulmate: Ok, I'll try to make longer chapters! I'm swamped with fics, so I'll do my best!

Emotionalanime: Like I said with Sesshomaru's soulmate…I'll do my very best.

Chapter 8: A demon's mate

Kagome soon ran across Sango and Miroku in her search for Inu-yasha. "Hey, Kagome!" Sango waved to her to get her attention.

"Sango! Miroku!" the girl smiled as she ran to the two.

"Where were you? And…why do you reek of demon?" Sango held her nose and took a few steps back. Miroku did the same.

"What? Are you saying that I stink?" Kagome yelled. "That is so rude! I would've expected this from Inu-yasha, but never from you two!" she griped at them with both hands planted firmly on her hips.

"No, we don't…I mean, you just…" Miroku's eye twitched and he backed away a few more feet. "You don't smell like a bed of roses."

"Miroku's right. You just…" Sango hesitated. The last thing they needed was a hot-headed Kagome on their tails. "You just…smell like a demon took you for its territory." She sugarcoated the words as much as she possibly could to prevent any unwanted anger issues.

"I what!" Kagome shrieked.

"Maybe that wasn't the best choice of words, Sango." Miroku whispered.

Meanwhile, Inu-yasha had been itching to finish his fight with Sesshomaru, and had picked up his scent, bounding off and leaving Shippo behind. The half demon clawed his way through a maze of thorny thickets and soon found himself in front of Kagome, Sango, and Miroku. "Where is he?" The frustrated hanyou growled.

"Uh, who?" Kagome looked to him with a worried look.

"Sesshomaru, you idiot! I picked up his scent, and…" Inu-yasha paused, sniffing the air and staring at Kagome. "Kagome…just why the hell do you reek of Sesshomaru!"

"Sesshomaru!" Sango and Miroku cried in unison. "We knew she reeked of demon, but…Sesshomaru!" Sango yelled out.

Kagome blushed. "I…I can explain! You see, Sesshomaru…"

The girl was interrupted by the soft footsteps behind her.

Inuyasha let out a growl. "Sesshomaru!" his claws moved, resting lightly at the hilt of his Tetsusaiga. "Why do you show up wherever we go?"

The elegant demon lord stood, staring at the wretched half-breed with a perfectly calculated stoic expression. Jaken and Rin peeked out from behind him.

Kagome's blush worsened. "Sesshomaru, I, uh…"

"You wish to know why the human contains my scent, Inu-yasha?" golden eyes scanned his brother's face as he ran those clawed digits in the silky raven tresses. Kagome shuddered.

"No one asked you, so just shut the hell up! You still owe me a battle, Sesshoma…"

The lord interrupted his brother's rantings. "It is because I have made her my mate." He stated.

"M…My lord! Is that true, Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken yelped as he waved the staff of two heads wildly.

"It is, Jaken." Sess spoke, nodding slightly. "Inu-yasha…as much as I detest you, I must ask that you watch over her for the time being. It is this girl…who, in time, will bear my pups."

Miroku's jaw dropped, and Sango fainted. "Hold on!" Inu-yasha yelled. "Why should I believe a word you say!"

Sesshomaru sighed and moved aside Kagome's hair to reveal the puncture marks on her collarbone. "This marks her as mine. If you need further reassurance, half-breed, just ask her yourself. But if I see that you've endangered her…or my unborn pups in any way, I will see to it that your death will be carried out and your wretched blood will serve as a meal to the lesser demons." He threatened. With that, he turned and walked away, followed closely by Rin, A-un, and Jaken.

A bewildered Inu-yasha stared at a blushing Kagome. "Feh. What do I care? You're always getting yourself into trouble." He crossed his arms and put on that arrogant façade as usual. "You hear that, Sesshomaru! I ain't doing you any favors, so you can just forget about Kagome!"

"We shall see, Inu-yasha…" Sess muttered as he continued walking without looking back. "We shall see…"

A/N: Ok, I know why I like this chapter! Maybe it's because Sesshomaru has some form of parental instinct! Me thinks it's cutes how the widdle demon wants to protect what's his! Poor Kagome, she just got dragged into all of this, and now she's going to become a mom? Uncle Inu needs to lighten up! Or maybe he just doesn't like kids! Well, whatever the reason, I'm sure we'll get his view of things later on! Until then, Ciao!