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Michelle girl: I dunno if you know, Single Spark is back on line! I've posted this story there too.

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"Kagome-sama, okiru (wake up), we arrive at the ookami's palace momentarily."

She opened one eye and yawned lazily, stretching her arms wide suddenly smacking the unsuspecting taiyoukai in the cheek. "Oh kami! I'm soooo sorry!...(she bowed several times in succession).. please don't eat me.." she pleaded innocently.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes then turned towards the nearing palace grounds.

'Chikusoooo, Iesudono is here too?' Kagome feels her stomach lurch suddenly. 'Maybe Sesshoumaru won't mind him being here, after all we're already stuck with each other.' Sesshoumaru tensed considerably. She noticed that as they made their descent in the courtyard, he had held his head higher than normal. She swallowed a large lump that settled itself on her throat. Crossing her fingers she graciously stepped down, her left hand being held firmly by Sesshoumaru.

'Please stay where you are.' she prayed. Much to her disappointment and Sesshoumaru's chagrin, the other inu taiyoukai walked up to them.

He tilted his Sesshoumaru as a form of a greeting, and then he bowed respectfully to Kagome. Sesshoumaru's face remained stoic, his eyes however, glinted hard like molten steel. He growled audibly when he realized that his cousin had taken Kagome's hand and kissed it. His eyes widened in disbelief and surpressed anger.

'What audacity! How dare he openly declare his desire for my intended!' raged Sesshoumaru inside. It took all his self control to not tear the southern taiyoukai in bits.

Iesu looked at his cousin who is standing impassively to Kagome's right. He saw the indifference in the handsome face but knew better. Sesshoumaru's eyes were set hard on him. Though his jaki is held in tight control. He saw clearly how Sesshoumaru's clenched hand shook with restrained anger, undoubtedly fighting to qualm the tides of jaki now feeding off the western lord's anger.

He smirked, his cousin was jealous!

"Ano, Iesu-dono, can I please get my hand back?" asked Kagome nervously. She saw the way Sesshoumaru had again enclosed himself in his cold exterior, like an impenetrable armor. But before the said lord could release her hand, a whirlwind cut through the tense situation.

"Iesu! How dare you touch my woman's hand!" fumed Kouga.

'Oh for the love of..!' cried Kagome inside, inan exasperated tone.

Sesshoumaru glared at both his rivals and did 180 degree turn and casually walked away.

"Hey where are you going?" huffed the red faced Kagome. "You can't just leave my damsel-in -distress ass just like that!"

"You do not dictate my actions female, it would be wise to remember that. Moreover, remember who your 'Lord' is and refrain from any unnecessary interaction with other males." he declared coldly without turning around.

Kagome gaped then recovered her senses. "UNNECESSARY INTERACTION? It's your frigid ass that's leaving me alone with those two knuckleheads!" screamed the miko-demoness. "Sesshoumaru? Are listening to me?... Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru halted. He sighed and fought the strong urge to go to her side.

"Don't you dare take a step past that bonsai tree!.. Do you hear me!"

Sesshoumaru angered by her domineering tone, took two steps past the mentioned bonsai tree. Then turned to face her with a cool smirk on his face.

A look of blissful triumph.

GASP!

Kagome reeled back twitching in anger at the obvious provocation. She balled a fist. 'Oh no, ice lord did not just do that...'she spluttered inside unbelievably, she watched as his proud form tited his head upwardexudingan air of superiority and authority.'I'll give him unnecessary interaction!' she fumed. Turning swiftly and heading back towards the still bickering suitors, she pushed them apart then pecked quickly on Kouga's lips. As the shocked ookami stood gawking at her brash action, she put her arms around Iesu-dono's neck and pulled down using her weight to leverage his mighty frame forward and towards her slender form. Their lips met. It was meant to be a quick peck much like Kouga's had been. Unfortunately, she didn't count on Iesu opening his mouth and returning her kiss full force.

A sinister growl reverberated in the courtyard.

The wind picked up, viciously whipping around the three. Thunderous paw-stomps echoed eerily.

Iesu quickly put the whimpering Kagome behind his back. As the massive canine looms loom above them, dwarfing the thirty foot walls encasing the palace grounds. All around shouts of alarm reverberate louder and louder. The majestic figure of a gigantic inu with a crescent moon adorning his proud forehead, growled angrily at the southern taiyoukai.

Anger clouded his judgments.

Jealously blinded his reason.

The only thought he had running through his confused mind was to obtain the chosen female and claim her. But the fool of a inu dared cross his path. His lethal paws took a swipe at the one that dared touch his female. Iesu was no fool, he knew full well he could not hope to stand up to the might of Sesshoumaru. But he could not allow him to hurt Kagome. Though she clearly belonged to his cousin, the mating was not yet consumated and therefore there remained a slim chance that Kagome will leave the western lord and accept him as mate in Sesshoumaru's stead.

"Sesshoumaru! No! Don't do this.." Pleaded the distraught miko-demoness, as Kouga took the place of the injured southern inu lord.

"It's no good Kagome, in his inu state of mind, Sesshoumaru will not listen to even you. Go back to the castle and stay there. When it's safe I'll come for you."

"Kougakun.."cried Kagome. "This is all my fault! I instigated this whole thing. Gomen."

Kouga held her right hand, then smiled assuringly. "No-one could have foreseen this happening, to Sesshoumaru's cold ass none the less! Take comfort Kagome, I won't let anything happen to him- I'll return to you fluff and all." he pledged solemnly.

"Arigatoo gozaimasu, Kougakun." said Kagome squeezing his hand in gratitude.

Before she can let his hand go, she found herself lifted up and deposited on Sesshoumaru's fluffy back.

"Sesshoumaru, you bastard! Give Kagome back!" bellowed Kouga, as the enormous dog took one giant leap out the palace walls and into the surrounding forest.

They traveled silently for a while, Kagome having been lulled to a peaceful slumber on Sesshoumaru's soft fur was blissfully unaware of the western lord gently putting her down and retransforming back to his human form.

He looked down at her then sighed, as he sat down on the ground and pulled the sleeping female into his lap. His fingers letting loose her bound hair. As it cascaded to the ground, he turned her face toward his and kissed her closed eyes lingeringly. He shifted her so that now they were both laying down on the grass under a japanese willow tree, facing each other. He held her close not wanting to be parted from her warmth.

'Kagome, your numerous ways to annoy me make me question my own sanity. Yet that in itself makes you endear yourself to this Sesshoumaru more and more.'

He touched his forehead to hers then he smiled.

A rare,genuine smile of contentment, before sleep too claimed him.