TITLE: Cursed Twins

AUTHOR: InuYoukaiAki

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and Co.

Author's Notes: I'm so sorry this took so long but I am really really busy right now. I am not even sure if I'd be able to post the next chapter soon. But I promise to update as soon as I can.

Chapter 21: Sooner than Later

The banquet lacked the excitement of the previous moments but Kagome preferred it that way. She quietly ate her food beside Sesshoumaru at the raised platform while the guests situated themselves in front of them. She felt uncomfortable being the center of attention but that can't be helped since this is their pre-mating ritual.

Her eyes strayed to her mate-to-be. He was, as usual, gracefully eating his food. He, Sesshoumaru, appeared unaffected by the events. He knew the guests were observing them and yet he did not look like he was even a bit nervous with the situation. She sighed. No surprise there, he always looked so cool and composed. She briefly wondered what could ruffle his feathers. Kagome took a bite of a morsel of meat. She chewed on it thoughtfully; oblivious to the fact that Kimiko was trying to catch her attention.

She felt a slight nudge on her ankle and glanced at Kikyou who sat on her other side. She blinked as she finally noticed everyone looking at her curiously.

"I've been calling your name for the past minute," Kimiko said in a deadpan voice.

"Oh," Kagome said, embarrassed. "I was just thinking."

Kimiko smiled. "So, I've noticed," she said cheerfully. "Anyway, would you walk with me to the gardens after the banquet?"

Kagome looked at the demoness and shrugged. "Sure," she said and smiled.

"No," Sesshoumaru said.

Her head swiveled to Sesshoumaru. He was looking at Kimiko. "Why not?" Kagome could not help but ask. "We'll just be at the gardens. It's not that anything would happen to us with so many taiyoukai around. Not even Naraku would dare try anything."

"Naraku is of no concern," Sesshoumaru said, almost as if he was exasperated with her. He looked at her and his gaze caused her knees to go weak. It was a good thing that they were not standing up.

"Then what's bothering you?" she asked curiously.

"The wench tried to kill you a while ago," Inuyasha answered gruffly before Sesshoumaru could. "Or have you forgotten that little incident?"

Kagome looked at Kimiko who was trying hard not to cry. She had forgotten about that little incident. True, Kimiko was quite a spoiled demoness but there was a loneliness about her that tugged at her. She honestly believed that she was just a little misunderstood by the youkai around her. Her heart softened. She placed her hand on Sesshoumaru's arm. "Look, nothing is going to happen," she said. "I'll be all right. Kimiko won't hurt me." She looked at the stunned expression on Kimiko's face and smiled.

Sesshoumaru looked from Kimiko to Kagome. He hesitated a moment before he nodded his approval.

"Thank you," Kagome said. She was not aware that all the love she felt for Sesshoumaru was reflected in her eyes at that moment. It was clear for all to see, although Sesshoumaru was not able to identify that emotion. She smiled radiantly at him before she continued to eat.

- - -

The night air was cool as Kagome and Kimiko strolled through the gardens. They were quiet as they listened to the faint rustle of leaves as the breeze blew.

"I did not think you would trust me enough to walk with me alone," Kimiko said sadly, finally breaking the silence.

Kagome looked at the taller demoness and smiled. "I believe I'm a good judge of character," she said smiling. "And my gut was telling me that I could trust you not to hurt me."

Kimiko looked at her curiously. "Even if I tried to kill you?" she asked.

"Maybe it has something to do with me being a miko," Kagome said. "But something tells me you're not bad. I don't feel the malice that I usually feel whenever I'm around an evil being."

The demoness smiled sadly. "I've never really had a friend before," she confessed. "Most female demons hate me while the men wanted me in other ways. Sesshoumaru seemed to be the only one who is not interested in me like that. And you're the only one who treated me as a… friend."

"Well, I could use another friend," Kagome said cheerfully.

"You mean it?" Kimiko asked excitedly.

She nodded. "But no more hounding after my mate," Kagome joked.

"Sure," Kimiko said. "I always knew that he wasn't interested. I'm just too stubborn. Anyway, there are a lot of others to choose from. I'll find someone passionate, someone who will sweep me off my feet."

Kagome blushed as she remembered a few of her "passionate" encounters with Sesshoumaru. Kimiko saw the blush. The eyes of the demoness rounded and she giggled. "I knew it!" she cried out happily. "Sesshoumaru is not cold at all!"

"You could say that again," Kagome mumbled, blushing furiously.

Soon, their slight giggling turned to laughter; their musical laughs reached the other occupants of the castle who could not help but smile at the obvious joy the two women were sharing.

- - -

Sesshoumaru had watched from his chambers as Kagome strolled with Kimiko in the gardens. He had remembered how she had looked at him when he allowed her to go with the demoness. He could not understand why it was so easy for her to trust a demon who had tried to kill her not too long ago. And it baffled him even more that she appeared to get along very well with Kimiko.

He could not help but admire the way she had captured even Kimiko's heart in a span of a few minutes.

Sesshoumaru was about to turn away from the window when he felt the familiar flare of hostile aura. He turned to see Kagome clutching at herself as Kimiko watched with eyes round with fear.

Without another thought, Sesshoumaru jumped from the window. He was beside Kagome in an instant. She was crackling with the black power, her pink aura flickering as she tried to stop the power from within her. "Sess…" she whispered hoarsely as blood dripped from her lips which she had bitten.

"Kagome," he called, his hands reaching for her. "Go, Kimiko. Get Kikyou."

Kimiko nodded and ran back inside the castle. Sesshoumaru cradled Kagome in his arms as she continued to fight back the spirit consuming her. Her body was so tense and pain wracked every part of her.

Kagome lifted her pain-filled eyes. She tried to smile. "It's there," she whispered hoarsely before biting back a scream that caused fresh blood to flow. "Just below the surface. Just end it now," she pleaded.

His eyes narrowed at what she was implying. "I won't let you get away from me that easily," he said firmly.

Blood dripped from the side of her mouth as she smiled sadly. "I never really wanted to get away from you," she said sincerely. "But I don't want to endanger all of you. At least this way, it will only be me."

"The decision is mine to make," he replied.

He almost sighed in relief as he felt the hostile energy slowly weakening. A few more moments and the foreign aura disappeared. Kagome lay in his arms, panting from her exertion.

She looked up at him with tears threatening to fall from her eyes. "Why are you being so stubborn about this?" she asked.

Sesshoumaru stood up and did not answer. He turned to InuTaisho, Kikyou and the other guests who were now running towards them. "Prepare my chambers," he said with authority. "The mating ritual will begin when the moon is directly above the Palace of the Moon." When he saw his father and the other lords' nod, he walked back to the castle with Kagome cradled in his arms.

"Why are you doing this?" she whispered quietly as he walked back to her chamber.

"Some things are not worth sacrificing," he answered simply. He looked into her eyes that shone with unshed tears. She was smiling gratefully at him.

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru," she said.

He merely nodded and gently laid her down on the futon. "You must rest," he said. "Hitomi will help prepare you for the mating ritual."

Sesshoumaru walked out of the room and went straight to his old chambers. Youkai traditions are strict. But in this case, Kagome and the lives of the descendants of the moon are more important.

- - -

Kagome looked up at the ceiling as she felt her fast recovery. She turned her head as she heard the shoji door open. Kikyou, Sango, Hitomi and Kimiko entered. They were wreathed with smiles. She looked away as the tears threatened to fall. "Why won't he just kill me?" she whispered. "I felt it gaining power. It would have been better if he just ended it there."

"Do not say that!" Kimiko said angrily. "Kikyou and Sango told me everything. And by mating you, Sesshoumaru would be able to get rid of the spirit. He does not have to kill you."

Her tears fell. "That's just it," she said miserably. "He could have any demoness in the land and yet he would sacrifice his life in order to save mine. It's not fair to him."

Kimiko shook Kagome angrily. "Damn you!" she said angrily. "Can't you see that he cares for you? Are you that blind? He is mating you because he wants to, not just because of some stupid honor. I saw the way he looked at you, the way he held you and the way he almost panicked a while ago. So don't go saying that it would be better to end your life!"

Kagome looked at Kimiko, stunned. "I'm sorry," she said finally. "I just didn't want him to suffer because of me. And I was so afraid that I would hurt him."

The demoness caressed Kagome's hair. "You just did," she whispered. "When you asked him to kill you, he was hurt. You're just too blind to see how you affect him."

"What do I have to do?" Kagome finally asked with determination.

- - -

Kagome stood at the audience chamber where everyone gathered. They were all murmuring to each other as she waited on a raised platform for Sesshoumaru to arrive. She felt all eyes were on her as she stood there, facing them all.

Kikyou, Sango and Kimiko had helped her out of her previous kimono. They had brushed her hair until it fell in soft waves against her back. Hitomi had prepared the plain white translucent kimono that she wore. It was made of plain white lace similar to the material of negligees in the future. She had blushed as she looked at it. She knew it would not cover her.

Kimiko laughed at her flushed face and assured her that it would at least cover her private parts. She had then told Hitomi to stop teasing and bring out the other part of the attire. Sure enough, Hitomi took out a white silk under kimono that dipped way low and stopped barely mid-thigh. All in all, it did cover her most private parts and revealed everything else. She was barefoot and she wore the pendant Sesshoumaru gave her. They had tried to remove it since the ritual stated that the couple should only wear white kimono. However, the pendant had resisted all her efforts. And when the other three tried to remove it, an invisible force repelled them.

She looked at the faces around her and saw a suspicious red tint on the cheeks of Inuyasha, Yoji and Kenji. She blushed harder and decided to look at her friends who stood to the side. They smiled encouragingly up at her.

Kagome almost jumped as the door opened. The platform was placed directly opposite the door. The crowd parted to reveal Sesshoumaru who wore a plain white silk kimono which revealed his smooth muscled chest. She swallowed as butterflies began to flutter in her stomach. He was also barefoot. Her eyes strayed to the ring she gave him. It was also there.

Sesshoumaru walked gracefully towards her. She watched him, mesmerized by the sheer beauty of his features and movement. Every step he took radiated of power and grace. Kagome almost swooned.

Soon enough, Sesshoumaru was standing opposite her on the raised platform with barely a foot separating them. She did not notice that she was holding her breath until she felt the lack of air. Her eyes met his and she once again forgot to breathe. She did not know how long they stood there facing each other but she was forced to take her eyes away from him when somebody cleared his throat.

Kagome looked at the three lords and InuTaisho who stood around the raised platform. InuTaisho raised his hand and signaled. Kikyou, Inuyasha, Yoji and Kenji joined the circle.

"Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands has chosen his mate," Lord Shitare began in a deep baritone voice that carried around the room. "Lady Kagome, the priestess of the Shikon no Tama, Daughter of the Moon."

Lord Kigami turned to Sesshoumaru. "Lord Sesshoumaru, do you swear to protect your mate?" he asked.

"With my life," Sesshoumaru said solemnly.

"And you, Lady Kagome," Kigami turned to her. "Do you swear to be loyal to your mate?"

Kagome nodded. "I swear," she said breathlessly.

Lord Onoshi cleared his throat. "Let everyone in attendance be witness to the joining of these two individuals in a ceremony as old as time," he said clearly. "The three lords of the lands give our blessings and protection to this joining. Whoever attempts to break the mates joined by the Taiyoukai of the North, East and South will forfeit his or her life."

InuTaisho, Inuyasha, Yoji and Kenji knelt. "As members of the Palace of the Moon, we swear to protect and honor Lady Kagome," InuTaisho said.

Kikyou followed. "As Kagome's twin sister, I swear to protect and honor Lord Sesshoumaru and the Palace of the Moon," she said.

Lord Shitare stepped forward. He looked at the audience and gestured towards Sesshoumaru and Kagome. "At the break of dawn, Lady Kagome would be the Lady of the Western Lands," he said. He nodded towards Sesshoumaru who swept Kagome in his arms and walked out of the chambers.

Kagome felt the stares but ignored them. She shivered in anticipation.

- - -

He had been waiting for this moment. Sesshoumaru entered his chambers and closed the door with his foot. His futon was on a raised platform. Petals of different colors littered the floor and the soft glow of candles lighted the chambers. There was a subtle scent of jasmine.

Gently, he laid Kagome on the futon. He knew she was nervous. Sesshoumaru had known it immediately the moment he entered the audience chamber. She was beautiful as she stood there, awaiting his arrival. She looked like a defiant goddess who was ready to face anything. The way she had watched him approach her made him want to forego the short ceremony and just carry her away.

He heard the music from the audience chambers. The party would commence until dawn, when he and Kagome enter it again. By then, she would have his mark. And she would really be his mate.

End chapter

Author's End Note: I was wondering if I'm going to write a lemon. I'm not very good at it and I'm worried that my story might get deleted if I posted a lemon. Anyway, tell me what you think! Comments and suggestions are very much welcome! Thanks!