Disclaimer- I don't own any of the Inuyasha characters.

Girl Talk

Listening at the door, he heard her slow deep breathing. She was asleep. She needed the rest and he would not disturb her even though he yearned to be with her. He slowly pushed open her door and very quietly walked to the side of her bed. With a moonbeam pale hand, he laid a satiny red rose beside her on her pillow. A red rose of love for the love of his soul. She would enjoy this small token of his love and the novelty of wondering who left it for her would enthrall the little miko. He slipped silently out of the room and closed the door with a soft click.

Kagome awoke to the late afternoon sun streaming orange and red fingers into her room onto her bed. Stretching her arms above her head, Kagome flinched. Something had scratched her arm. A small puddle of blood beaded on her arm and began to trickle to her wrist. Kagome turned to her pillow, to see what had scratched her arm. Kagome gasped when she was the perfect red rose resting on her pillow. She picked it up gently, careful of the thorns, and brought the rose to her nose to sniff the delicate scent. Her mind began to fill with pictures of Inuyasha sneaking into her room and leaving her the rose. She quickly dismissed that idea. Inuyasha would never do anything like leaving a rose for her. Her mind skipped to Miroku. No the monk would not leave her a rose His interest in her was not romantic. Her mind rushed on to the next candidate. Sesshomaru could have slipped in and gave her the rose. As soon as the thought formed it was tossed aside, Sesshomaru had no interest in a mere human such as her. It had to be Shippou. It was just like the little kit to do something small to make her smile. Kagome sniffed the rose one more time and waltzed from her room looking for the small kit to thank him for his gift.

Kagome found the others moving from a small lounge into the dining hall. She walked up to the kit and lifted him in her arms and hugged him. Shippou wrapped his small arms around Kagome's neck and nuzzled into her neck.

"Thank you for the rose, Shippou. It made my day!" The little fox heard the happiness in his surrogate mothers voice and wished he had been the one to make her happy.

"Kagome, I didn't give you a rose." Shippou was disappointed he did not think of giving her the rose.

"If you didn't leave it for me, then who did?" Kagome looked at all of her friends faces and found the same thing on each face. No one had given her the rose and they did not know who did give it to her. Kagome had a mystery on her hands and she had to solve it. She sat down to her meal so lost in her own thoughts; she did not realize where she had been placed at the table. Until Inuyasha began to yell about it that was. She raised her eyes to the commotion and found herself seated to Sesshomaru's left. Inuyasha was yelling at Seshomaru so Kagome began to listen to the debate.

"Sesshomaru! Kagome should be seated beside me! She is my responsibility and I need her near me to ensure her safety." With each word, Inuyasha's voice became louder and louder. Sesshomaru was not even listening he was watching Kagome. A servant approached Kagome with a bowl of dumplings; the girl offered the bowl to the miko. Kagome turned down the dumplings. Sesshomaru stopped the servant and motioned for her to serve some to Kagome. Kagome glanced at Sesshomaru and gave him a glare.

"I don't want any Sesshomaru." Kagome's voice was low and laced with venom. Sesshomaru merely indicated to the next servant to place rice on Kagome's plate. Kagome glared at Sesshomaru again. "I said I don't want any, SESSHOMARU!" Kagome was becoming enraged at the regal youkai; however, he did not seem to mind.

"You will eat everything on your plate. You need the proper food to remain healthy." Sesshomaru was used to getting his way and turned his attention from the miko to the small girl to his right. He made sure Rin had the correct foods and the correct amount and then informed her she would not leave the table until she cleaned her plate.

Unlike the miko, the small girl responded with a solemn "Yes, Sesshomaru-sama." Rin smiled at Kagome and began to eat her dinner. Rin knew Sesshomaru was serious about both of them eating all of their dinner. He had made Rin sit for two hours when she had first come to the castle before she had eaten all of her food. Kagome seemed to be about to revolt when she looked into the stone face of Sesshomaru and knew she had lost the battle before she had begun. Sighing with resignation, Kagome began to eat her own dinner slowly and with little enthusiasm. Inuyasha watched the two barely hiding a growl. Sango placed a hand on his and stopped the hanyou from pouncing on the inu youkai.

Sesshomaru was true to his word he did not let Kagome leave the table until she had eaten all of her dinner. By the time she had eaten the large amount of food Sesshomaru demanded she eat, Kagome felt like a nice long nap. Yawning, Kagome rose from her seat and began to make her way to her room. She was stopped by Sango.

"Hey Kagome. Let's go to the hot spring and relax for a while." Kagome looked at Sango and readily agreed to go to the hot springs with her. Sango and Kagome hurried to their rooms and gathered their bating supplies. The girls were met at the bottom of the steps by a female servant who bowed low to them. Sango and Kagome looked at each other with raised brows.

"Under Lord Sesshomaru's orders I am to show you to the hot springs and stay close to you to ensure your protection Lady Kagome." The female youkai had long bright golden hair, a gentle smile, and serene features.

Kagome merely looked from the youkai to Sango in confusion. This was defiantly odd. Sango merely took Kagome's hand "Come on Kagome. We need to talk."

The two girls settled into the hot springs located within the castle walls. Sango waited until the youkai was out of earshot before she began her girl talk with Kagome.

"So Kagome, have you noticed how Sesshomaru is acting around you lately?" Kagome looked at Sango with raised brows.

"Treating me differently? What do you mean?"

Sighing Sango realized she was going to have to explain everything to the little Miko. Sango had believed Inuyasha had told her something about the mating habits of youkai apparently she had been wrong and she would need to explain everything to Kagome. Sango settled into the warm water and braced herself for the explanation she had to give to Kagome.

"Kagome, Sesshomaru is being extremely gentle with you, watching out for your welfare, and growling at any male who comes within two feet of you, especially Inuyasha. He is claiming you, subconsciously, but he is claiming you."

"Sango, I don't understand. Claiming me for what?" Sango knew in her friend's time males did not claim females as they did now and Kagome was slightly naïve about such matters. So, she decided to just be blunt with the miko.

"He wants you for his mate, Kagome." Sango watched as bright red spread from Kagome's neck to her hairline. Kagome was shocked to say the least and had apparently lost the ability to make a coherent sentence. She went spluttering under the water and lay on the bottom of the hot spring until her lungs felt like they would burst and her heart pounded in her ears. Sango watched her friends' reaction with humor. Kagome was defiantly shocked.

"Sango have you forgotten that I am human and Sesshomaru hates humans?" Kagome was grasping at straws to keep the truth from rearing its head.

"Kagome when a youkai's soul chooses its mate the youkai has no choice only that female will do. Sesshomaru may hate humans but his soul has chosen you and he cannot deny his youkai soul. He will have you for his mate and I don't think there is anything anyone can do about it. Including you." Kagome was turning an even darker shade of red.

"Are you going to be okay Kagome?" Kagome looked at Sango and merely nodded.

"I think I'm ready to go back to my room, Sango. I'm really tired." Kagome got out of the hot spring without waiting for Sango's response. Sango watched as Kagome walked back towards the castle. The female youkai stepped out of the foliage and followed Kagome at a respectful distance.

As she walked back up the stairs to her room, Kagome rolled Sango's words around in her head. She was not paying attention and rounded the corner into the family wing of the castle without looking up. Sesshomaru stood near his door and watched the miko walk, head bent, down the corridor. Unknown to either the demon slayer or the miko, the female youkai had far better hearing then they suspected. She had heard and reported on everything the two females had said during their bat. Sesshomaru now knew the object of his desire knew he was courting her. He could now court her openly without him wondering if she knew what was going on.

Sesshomaru wondered how the miko had survived so long; she had not even noticed he was there. As she neared her door, Sesshomaru stepped between her and the door. Kagome walked straight into his chest and rocked backwards. Sesshomaru reached out his hand and wrapped it around her wrist to steady her. Kagome drew in a deep gasp of air and looked into his eyes like a frightened doe. Sesshomaru watched her eyes widen and sniffed the air delicately. She had a soothing scent even when it was covered with a thin layer of fear and confusion.

Sesshomaru decided to begin his seduction of Kagome now and not wait until the morning. Sesshomaru pulled Kagome towards him by her wrist. He spun her around and pressed her back into the door. Stepping into her body and placing his hand at the base of her throat, Sesshomaru effectively trapped Kagome. Kagome's heart began to thump in her chest, her scent spiked with fear and uncertainty, and her face became a dusky rose color. Sesshomaru looked into her eyes for a moment. He began to make soothing circles with his thumb on the pale skin at the junction of her neck and shoulder. Kagome made an attempt to break away from Sesshomaru but was stopped by the pressure on her neck.

Sesshomaru leaned into Kagome's neck and ran his tongue from the base of her throat to the edge of her jaw. Kagome shivered uncontrollably. Sesshomaru trailed his tongue along her jaw to the curve of her jaw. He slipped his tongue around the delicate shell of her ear and earned a slight moan from her. Stepping back from her, Sesshomaru allowed her to support herself. She looked at him in confusion.

"Goodnight Kagome." Sesshomaru reached around her and opened her door for her. He waited until she had disappeared inside and then closed the door softly. Kagome walked to her bed and sat down on the edge. She sat there for nearly fifteen minutes before she pulled back the blankets and slipped in between them. She settled into her bed and before she knew it her eyes slipped closed and she was dreaming about a white haired inu youkai and her future.

Author Note

Inunojichan- You were right! It was time to update my story.

To all my other reviewers thank you for your patience and I hope you continue to enjoy my story and review.