"Where is she, kit?"

Shippo knew he was pushing his luck and that Rin might find herself without a mate in the morning instead of Sesshoumaru.

"She's at the Chinese diner down the street-"

The phone went silent before the busy dial tone filled the silence of the night.

"And I'm supposed to be the young, inexperienced youkai." Shippo headed back to his room and curled up behind his mate. He kissed her on the back of the head and wrapped his strong arms around her, taking in her scent, the scent of home. "I don't know how we ever got mated with Sesshoumaru in the picture." He was asleep in seconds with the scent of his mate settling him into rest but not before sending a silent prayer to whichever gods would listen.

S ~ K ~ S ~ K ~ S ~ K ~ S ~ K

CHAPTER 16: Logic & Instincts

Sesshoumaru was desperate to reach Kagome and attempted to not show it by the speed of his steps. Old habits died hard and it was going to be difficult changing aspects of his personality that were so deeply ingrained in him that he didn't realize they existed.

Like how he should never have to explain himself. But that was the lord talking. The demon walking down the street was a nearly-mated demon who had sent all the wrong signals to his human mate - if she would still have him. Guilt ate away at his stomach, a sensation he had felt so few times in his life that it took him a while to classify it as something other than indigestion.

For all his declarations of needing her, he could see from her insecure point of view exactly what his actions may have looked like. He needed her to understand, which was why he was walking through the Chinese diner doors looking for her. Kagome was still blocking her scent from him, which continued to eat at him when he didn't see her in the diner. He cornered one of the waiters.

"I am looking for a young woman who may have been a bit...distraught."

The aged woman narrowed her eyes at him accusingly. "She just left. Ordered a tea. I hope you weren't the reason she was crying."

Sesshoumaru ignored the woman's last comment. "Do you know which direction she left in?"

"She went toward the park."

Without another word, the demon lord left the diner and headed toward the park, still straining to pick up her scent. No luck, no scent.

Sesshoumaru's phone chimed with a text. Was it Kagome?

'Did you find her yet?'

It was Shippo. He relayed the words of the waitress to Shippo and complained that Kagome's stealth was a problem. Sesshoumaru looked up from his phone. The park was quite far. If Kagome had just barely left, should he not be able to see her still walking?

'Blocking her scent? Where are you?'

Sesshoumaru texted back, 'I don't need help finding my mate.'

'You won't find her. I'm coming.'

Embarrassment flooded his system, pissing him off and that, mixed with frustration, anger at himself, guilt, and self-loathing was not a good combination for a daiyoukai. His aura thrashed around, causing the air pressure around him to rise.

He was so concentrated on finding Kagome by her aura that he nearly missed Shippo's arrival.

"She is not here." Sesshoumaru felt the shift of youki and Shippo appeared at his side, no higher than his knees. "Why are you in that form?"

Without hesitation, Shippo answered, "Because, humbling yourself is the only way you can truly find her." Shippo's steps were slow going but every step was a confident one. He did not run ahead to chase her scent but instead hid, with his slow pace, the true reason he was this size.

Back in the jewel hunting days, Shippo had cursed being so young. His size and lack of power was a great hindrance in the many battles they fought as they tried to regain the lost pieces of the jewel of four souls. But being small did have its advantages and finding Kagome was one of them.

Many times, Kagome would go for a walk in the woods to cry alone. Sometimes she admitted that the combination of her dual responsibilities, her dual lives weighed heavily on her. Other times, when she plastered that fake smile on her face, peppered his faces with kisses, and told him nothing was wrong, those were the times he hated Inuyasha the most. With Miroku's lessons on barriers and Kaede's lessons on blocking her aura, it was impossible for Inuyasha to find Kagome. That dumb mutt always had his nose raised high trying to catch Kagome's scents in the passing winds.

Unbeknownst to all except Miroku and Kagome, Shippo had suffered a lot of abandonment and separation issues. Inuyasha suffered the most from his acting out when Kagome had to return to her time and Shippo could no longer burrow himself in her warmth and scent. After learning how to block her scent and aura, Kagome had taken to the forest to cry alone and Shippo had flipped out, afraid that she had died. Kaede was the one who had enlightened him on how to find her.

'Ye must use yer nose, young kit.'

'But I can't smell her anywhere!'

'Kagome is merely purifying her scent so it does not exist. If ye follow her trail of tears, ye will find her.'

'But Kaede! There is no scent to follow!'

The old woman smiled gently. 'Precisely, Shippo. Everything has a scent. The dirt we walk on has a scent, the leaves we brush up against have a scent. Ye must look for the spots of dirt that have no scent, the leaves that do not smell like leaves. That is how ye will find her.'

And the rest was history. Shippo was always the one to find her and offer her first comfort until his scent gave them away. He hadn't done it in over five hundred years, but it would be no different.

Dirt and forests of his memory faded away to cement and city scapes and Shippo remembered where he was and who Kagome was hiding from. His fur rippled in agitation.

"I don't really like the way you dogs take care of my humans."

Shippo's voice had changed along with his body, probably a strategic move so he could say what he wanted and bank on the pup-lover in Sesshoumaru to keep him safe from too much damage. Sesshoumaru supposed he deserved that. And since his brother wasn't alive anymore, he was not around to defend himself, regardless that his sins against Kagome were much worse in Sesshoumaru's eyes.

"It is my fault."

Shippo's silence told Sesshoumaru that the little kit agreed wholeheartedly. Silence reigned as Shippo led the taller youkai into largest park in the city that spanned acres.

"She is human."

Shippo stopped in his tracks, the hair on his nape on end in anger. They were getting closer to Kagome, he could tell because the smell of the missing scents was growing stronger. But this was as far as Sesshoumaru was going if he still worried about that after all these years.

"If that's a problem, you better turn around. I won't take you any further-"

"I fear my beast will rip her apart with passion." The admission cost Sesshoumaru a great deal of pride. When Shippo stayed still and said nothing, Sesshoumaru continued so that at least someone could help explain if he failed to do so again. "I have waited so long for her, ached for her for so many centuries, that when I finally will take her as mine, I fear she will not survive should my beastial side take completely over. Humans are...delicate."

Shippo's shoulders sagged at hearing the daiyoukai's confession. He wasn't prejudiced after all. He was just...being stupid, for lack of a better word. He pivoted and faced Sesshoumaru.

"Kagome has seen the animalistic sides of all of us, human and demon alike-"

"Then she is aware of the danger-"

"No, you're not listening. Just listen," he said with a little too much heat for the daiyoukai's liking. "Please, Sesshoumaru-sama," he added with a bow. "Kagome has seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. Not once had she ever turned her back on Inuyasha when he turned. Not once did she fear for her life because she trusted him to pull back before it got too...dangerous. Inuyasha was mindless, bloodthirsty killing machine when he lost control and not once did he ever seriously put Kagome in danger. She trusted him with her life and he trusted her to bring him back or subdue him before it got too bad.

"You, on the other hand, have never had to worry about that."

"I was trained to control it."

"You were. I know you don't want to hear this but that was one of my fears when I first wanted to make Rin my mate. I was afraid of becoming Inuyasha and that was scary because I didn't have the protection Kagome did. But when the time came, I didn't have to worry. My instinctual side knew Rin, recognized her and what she was. I had nothing to worry about and neither will you."

"Passions run high and deep in daiyoukai."

"Tch." Shippo sounded so much like Inuyasha right then. "Don't I know it. Stalked her for near five hundred years. Listen, Kagome knows what she's getting herself into. She's not afraid and if she's not, you shouldn't be either."

Shippo took a few more steps before walking off the marked trail and into thicker bush. "You need to start talking to Kagome about your...concerns." Shippo was about to say fear but thought Sesshoumaru might take it the wrong way and get all huffy. "She will understand and it makes her feel like she's important to you. You may have not picked up on this but Kagome feels like she doesn't belong anywhere. When you keep things to yourself, you are only alienating her. You have to anchor her down into this time with you, the present. Do you get what I'm saying?"

Sesshoumaru's slow exhale was all the answer Shippo needed to hear but he needled him for more just because he could. "Do you?"

Sesshoumaru was about to answer when he suddenly felt a heaviness and an unnatural chill that permeated the grounds. As they crept silently through the foliage, another scent assaulted his nose. It was a young demon, one who smelled like the streets. Young demons loitering in dark places never ended well. He swallowed the growl that threatened to escape his throat and stalked his prey as quietly as ever, hoping that the young demon had not found Kagome first.

He stretched his senses out, hoping to find evidence of anything that would lead him to his lost human. Something was strange about this section of wood. Everything was quiet, a forced stillness sat over the greenery. He was so far into the large park that wind should rarely touch the tall trees that loomed above but they seemed to be leaning the same direction he was heading. The closer he got to the voices in the distance, the more the shrubbery and tree branches leaned forward, as though they were attempting to listen to the conversation as well.

"Well, my little morsel. What brings you out this far into my wood?"

"Get lost, you creep."

Sesshoumaru heard the other demon chuckle. "Not likely. Don't you know it's dangerous for young women to be alone in the dark. You look sad. Why don't you tell me what happened. You can even cry on my shoulder if you want." The demon's voice was slimy, attempting to be smooth but failing to hide the depravity coloring it.

"I'm warning you. Stay away from me. I don't want to hurt you."

He chuckled again. "Oh don't worry, my pet. You won't be able to hurt me. But I can make you feel better if you let me."

This time Kagome chuckled and the darkness in her voice froze Sesshoumaru in his tracks. "You can't hurt me. You don't even who you're speaking to. You must be young, what...one or two hundred years, maybe?"

Gold and green eyes watched the events unfold from behind a tree. If things got too heated, he would step forward and show that young imbecile exactly who he was messing with.

The young male demon stopped a hand that was reaching out for Kagome and took a hesitant step backwards. "What - who are you?"

"And by the feel of your youki, I'm going to assume that you're a wolf. Only young wolves, young city wolves would be stupid enough to even try to pose a threat to me."

A low growl came from the wolf demon. "Who are you? You don't know me." Sesshoumaru could smell the beginnings of fear and uncertainty in the young male and his predatory instincts came to the forefront. Gold eyes tinted red, his fangs and claws lengthened when the demon's fear grew.

"It won't matter who I am in a minute. I'll give you a choice - three actually. You can either walk away from here alive or…"

"Or what? You'll shoot me?" The wolf laughed, faking courage but still wary enough to keep an eye on Kagome.

"No, I've never used a gun before." Kagome sat straight on the tree stump she occupied. Her eyes hardened, crusted over with tints of sorrow and what looked like battle exhaustion. "I thought that my days of purifying demons was over, but I will purify you out of existence."

Then, mockingly, the demon said, "And option three?"

"My mate will kill you in whichever way he likes. And judging by his attitude this last week, he might be especially vicious and string your innards all over this forest unless he would rather skip the interrogations. He might just want it over quick and easy and melt you in a pile of bubbling acid."

The demon's eyes widened in fear before settling back behind his anger at being rejected. "You don't have a mate. If you did I'd smell him on you-"

"You're right," Kagome said in a quiet voice, more to herself than her attacker. "I don't have a mate, not a complete one. But it doesn't matter. He's possessive and what's his stays his."

"Who'd want you? You're a nobody."

Kagome was weakening. Blocking her scent and aura had taken its toll on her and the demon's words chipped away at her last bid for emotional strength.

"If you did have a mate, you wouldn't be out here by yourself, would you? Although, I don't know what demon or even a lesser demon would want with you, you sorry excuse for a human-"

Kagome's eyes dimmed even more. Her shoulders shrank and Sesshoumaru blinked his eyes in disbelief as he watched the trees shrink around her as well as though they were trying to reach out and comfort her. With every word that oozed from the demon's mouth, Kagome shrank more and more inside herself. The forest grew darker as the trees closed ranks around her, all sunlight was blocked from reaching them. Though he was not susceptible to varying temperatures, the forest grew cold to the point that Sesshoumaru could see the warmth of the wolf demon's breath as he spoke.

"-because you're a worthless piece of trash that nobody would ever want."

Silence reigned supreme. Time stopped. Sesshoumaru was on the verge of losing control of his instincts when suddenly Kagome's eyes flashed and the low husky sound of her chuckle set everything back into motion. It was an angry chuckle, one Sesshoumaru had heard in the voices of his generals on various battlefields centuries ago. The wolf was about to die.

Said wolf's eyes grew large and the scent of his fear permeated the forest. "Who are you? What are you doing to me?" His head thrashed back and forth but his body was frozen, trapped by Kagome's cold gaze.

"I may not be wanted anymore but I have survived more disasters and youkai attacks than you could ever dream of and I'm not about to let some stupid, upstart wolf...pup...try to finish me off now."

"Let me go, you witch! Show yourself. What are you hiding from?"

"I hide from no one."

Though the wolf was scared, his mouth kept rambling on. "You're hiding from something!"

An unnatural smile lifted Kagome's lips. "Not something. Someone, but it's too late. He's already found us." Then her features shifted to one of false concern. "I tried to save you. I tried to give you a chance to run away like a good little pup but it's too late. His youki is the most powerful in the world and it's running through my veins. And you have brought out his natural hunting instincts in me or did he when he tracked us here. I can't tell for sure, but the feel of it is so interesting. And mixed with my reiki…" She closed her eyes in euphoria as the opposing energies mixed within her. "Mmm...is this what power tastes like?"

Kagome's voice was deeper and had a more sensual tone to it now. "And this craving...this must be his craving because I want to rip the flesh from your body and fly it throughout this park for daring to attack me."

"Wh...what are you?" His fear was evident now that Kagome saw no point in hiding her aura any more. It washed through the thick forest and pulsed stronger with every heartbeat that passed.

She kept her eyes on him but didn't answer. Instead, she spoke to someone he couldn't see. "You may as well come out, Sesshoumaru. I know you're there."

Sesshoumaru growled but saw no reason to continue watching from afar. He stepped into the light created by her glowing aura and let the pup see his great displeasure. He unleashed the darkness of his aura and the wolfling buckled under the weight of it. His sensitive nose picked up the high levels of fear, which fed the rage of the beast inside and Sesshoumaru's lips curled into a feral grin.

"S-S-Sessh..oumaru-sama."

"Hn." Sesshoumaru stalked closer to Kagome until he stood behind her. She'd been sitting the entire time, looking like royalty as she stared down her opponent. When he slid his long fingers over her shoulders, Sesshoumaru watched the wolf fall down with great amusement and satisfaction.

Fear was apparent in the wide eyes of the wolf. Sweat poured down his face, he was pale and shook from his seat on the forest floor. Sesshoumaru knew he should not take such pleasure in the fear of a...child, but it had been a while and right now, he would take whatever pleasure he could.

To build the suspense and because it had been so long since he had soaked in the essence that was Kagome, Sesshoumaru closed his red-rimmed eyes and pressed his nose to her hair. With a deep, slow inhale, Sesshoumaru's beast calmed down at the scent of its mate and the knot that had been growing in his chest had finally started to loosen. After denying himself contact with Kagome, he found that he could not help sliding his nose behind her ear and then down to where her neck met her collar bone.

A low growl escaped him when his tongue slipped out to taste the soft flesh at Kagome's throat. Sesshoumaru had no idea how he had been able to keep away from her for so long. Clearly, it had been some higher power looking out for him, helping him to control the beast. To Kagome's credit, she didn't move, didn't even flinch at his touch. He felt her energy swirl about her, balancing from the overpowering frigid bite of her reiki to the heavier weight of his molten youki.

Kagome leaned her head to the side to allow Sesshoumaru more room. She was so confused and it made her already sore heart sink a little more. How could he be so openly affectionate here, in front of this total stranger, when he'd been so standoffish and cold the past week. She forced her body's reaction to him away and called her reiki to her to surround her heart a little more to protect her.

The wolf hadn't been smart enough to make his escape while Lord Sesshoumaru was reconnecting with his woman. Instead, he remained on the ground, dumbfounded by what he saw. He had heard about the daiyoukai from the older members of his pack. He'd heard that the Lord of the West was powerful enough to take over all of Japan single-handedly if he had wished it. But it was the love of a woman that stilled his hand. The only thing he had wanted to conquer was the heart of a woman, a woman who had been rumored to be the most powerful miko in existence but who had disappeared with the threat of Japan's most powerful enemy over five-hundred years ago.

So, it couldn't be that this woman that Lord Sesshoumaru was draping himself over could be that same priestess. But his pack members did say that he was waiting for her. Perhaps, this woman was her reincarnation? If she was, he'd better apologize.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, please forgive-" A growl ripped through the wooded area followed by the sound of a snap. The wolfling looked around but saw nothing that would have made that snapping sound.

"I did not know that she belonged to you, milord-" The wolf stopped, confused at the sudden pain in his shoulder. He turned his head to look at his left shoulder where the pain originated from but it looked the same. He took a closer look and noticed a small rip in his shirt that wasn't there before. And then before his eyes, the rip in his shirt grew until the entire sleeve split from the shirt followed by a line of blood on his shoulder, under the new cut of his sleeve.

His gaze shot to the couple across from him and then back to his arm. The wolf didn't even see either of them move. To his great shock, the flesh on his shoulder opened up and then his arm completely fell away from his body. He screamed in agony and shock at the pain that rippled through his body.

"Since you were smart enough to not lay a finger on my mate, I will spare your life." Sesshoumaru's normal baritone was thicker and rough like sandpaper. "Since you dared to threaten her, I have removed your arm so you remember your transgression against me and mine."

The wolf stuttered an apology to Sesshoumaru and then one to Kagome before running away like the true coward he was. When his youki was a good distance away, Sesshoumaru felt Kagome relax even more.

He took another deep breath, reveling in the feel of every cell in his body tingling in response to her power. He also felt her stiffen under his touch and turned her head to look at her. She faced him now but her eyes were still downcast.

"Why do you stiffen at this Sesshoumaru's touch? Why do you not make eye contact?" His voice was still gravelly and still held an otherworldly touch to it. She was still upset with him and the tightness in his chest returned.

Kagome rolled her eyes up until they met with the blood-red eyes of her demon lord. She gasped. It had truly been years since she had seen those eyes so dark and so focused on her.

"You-"

"You turned away from this Sesshoumaru."

Two arms wrapped around his neck and a small body clung to his. Kagome buried her face in his neck and cried all the tears she'd been holding back. The Sesshoumaru that had been with her all this time had been fighting against something, fighting against his instincts. But this red-eyed Sesshoumaru - Kagome was assured of his feelings for her. She knew this creature who had wrapped himself around her heart and had been there for a while now. This instinctual creature - Kagome knew he could not hold himself back from her and craved his love and attention.

"He doesn't want me." Her cries were ugly, her tears slid down his neck and soaked into his suit jacket.

"You belong to this one, miko. Make no mistake about that." One hand slid into her hair to hold her to him. The other wrapped around her back and pressed her close.

"Then why?" Kagome's voice was hoarse with tears. "Why wouldn't you talk to me, wouldn't let me touch you-"

The demon that held Kagome chuckled and Kagome felt her hackles rise in anger. She was about to yell at him for daring to laugh at her but her red-eyed Sesshoumaru pressed kisses to the top of her head.

"The fool has been attempting to protect you from this one."

Kagome pulled her head out of his embrace and looked at him directly. "But why? I have nothing to fear from you." She was truly confused at his admission. Kagome knew that there was no way their bond could be so powerful if she had any doubts at all.

"No, little one. You have nothing to fear from me. It is the fool's fear that holds him back."

He referred to the golden-eyed Sesshoumaru. The part of him that ruled with logic. "But what could he possibly be afraid of?"

Sesshoumaru laughed again. He took Kagome's seat on the hidden bench and pulled her into his lap, nuzzling her all the while. "He is afraid of our passion for you, miko."

Kagome's flesh heated at his words. "But why? That's what I love the most about you."

"He fears that when we consummate our mating, we will not be capable of...restraint."

At hearing that, Kagome's anger grew a little hotter. He'd been holding back because he thought she couldn't handle the rougher side of his nature? "What! Of all the stupid, idiotic-"

His laughter interrupted her rant. "This we told him but he would not listen. We told him that you were made for us, that you would be able to handle our passion for you. That because you were created for us, we were not capable of bringing harm to you."

"I'm not made of China, Sesshoumaru. There are plenty of demons who've mated with humans."

Sesshoumaru's strong arms wrapped tighter around her. "No, miko. Not China. You are made of much softer and more delicate things. You do not need to convince us. This, we are aware of, though none have the spiritual bond that we have with our little miko."

"And does that make a difference as far as youkai instincts go?"

Sesshoumaru had great difficulty thinking with his miko finally in his arms. He thought of all the delicious things he'd like to show her when they finally completed their bond and he shivered in hunger and anticipation. When he was young, Sesshoumaru's mother told him of mates who had a complete bond and they knew happiness all their days. It also made a difference in the pleasure they found in each other's arms with such a strong emotional tie. "It makes all the difference in the world, my little Ka-go-me." Sesshoumaru lightly scratched his claws down Kagome's back, over her rear and down her thigh to her knee. The delicious scent that poured from her body told the demon lord she still craved him. "Though that is not the only reason the we held back."

Kagome's sadness grew stronger. "There were more reasons?"

Sesshoumaru was no doubt thinking of a diplomatic way to say the thoughts in his mind. "Mating practices between humans and demons differ greatly. When demons mate, it is often violent. If the male of the pair is dramatically greater in strength than the female, it may result in grave injury to her. This is also dependent on the species and breed. The process is also immediate. Once the agreement is made, consummation is immediate. Humans require more time-"

"Time? Time!" Kagome pushed her way out of his arms in a rage. "That's what this is about? Time?" Her arms were in the air, waving about. "Where is he? Bring him back. He wants time? I'll give him another five hundred years when I blast him back to the Sengoku Jidai where I left him. I'm human, for crying out loud! Just how much time does he think I have?"

Sesshoumaru chuckled and reached out for her but she held her hands in front of her. "Oh, no. I'm angry. No, beyond angry!" Tears welled up in her eyes all over again. If he had even bothered to talk to her about this, they would have probably been mated already and none of this would have happened.

She had taken a few steps away from him, something that he did not like at all. Low growls filled the area, soothing her, lulling her away from her anger and back into his arms.

"This one apologizes. It will not be left to Logic. This one will be in charge of your care until you are ready to finish the bond. He ignores instinct too often where you are concerned. We will show him that you appreciate our demonic instincts."

Kagome was quiet as she mulled his words over. Would it be okay to trust this Sesshoumaru? Would they be okay with his instinctual side in charge of her care? "Okay," she whispered into his chest. "I'd like that."

That ever familiar rough chuckle slipped over her head. "This one is assured of his desire for you, desire which will not be hidden." The luscious scent of her arousal hit him hard. It appeared that the miko agreed with his words. "Since this is also your desire, this one will not be as careful as before."

"I understand, Sesshoumaru. If I do something wrong?"

"This Sesshoumaru doubts there is anything you could do that would not be accepted or appreciated. Though if something does come up, it will be discussed." The confidence and arrogance in his tone brought comfort to Kagome, strangely enough.

The tension slid right out of Kagome. How could it not? The affectionate nature of the dog demon was what Kagome craved and the lack of it over the last couple of weeks was the reason she had walked away from him earlier. That, and the lack of communication. Kagome had been around demons long enough to know that the daiyoukai-level demons often chose logic over instincts. But when pushed enough, their instincts would take over, resulting in many of them with red eyes, red eyes which she trusted with her life and her heart.

His words also brought a great level of comfort to her because there was no hesitance. That dominance in his tone removed all traces of worry and doubt from her. She trusted in his confidence and in the fact that when Sesshoumaru said something, it came true. Kagome burrowed her way into his chest, trying to get as close as she possibly could to him, wanting to soak in his essence.

She pressed a kiss to his chest where her lips were at the same level and then turned her head to rest her ear above his heart. The steady beat calmed her heart and the sounds of the forest eased her soul.

"Sesshoumaru?"

"Hm?"

"I won't make you wait too long."

Sesshoumaru's lips curled upward. He didn't even bother to try and hide the smirk in his voice.

"Such was not my concern, miko. This one will convince you of the error of your ways should you try."

Kagome smiled into his chest. This she knew. And she looked forward to every second of it.

S ~ K ~ S ~ K ~ S ~ K ~ S ~ K

Author's Note:

Alright, everyone! As promised, this chapter is out! And before Christmas too! I hope you all enjoyed it. Thank you to those readers who were kind enough to send me reviews. You were obviously amazing because I got this chapter out so fast!

I apologize for any errors you may come across. I was too tired to read over it before posting.

Happy holidays everyone! I'll be doing some traveling next week so I'm not sure how much time I'll be able to dedicate with that and the upcoming holidays. Take care and please send reviews to help convince me to pump the next chapter out in a timely fashion ;)

Echo.