A/N: Sooo... I have decided that this fic is going to take a turn for the angsty side. No more OOC Naraku being loving and caring and no more Kagome easily accepting Naraku's advances. I'm also thinking about editing the previous chapters to give Naraku the evil demeanor he deserves! I'm tired of fics that turn Naraku into something he isn't... a good guy.

Also! I now definitely have a beta! Thank you Zenala-Ryu! I know we will make a great team!

Tainted Affections

Chapter 9

Mated?

Kagome had been passed out for a couple days fighting off fever and the internal torture that came with the mating ritual. This had given Naraku time to think, has he had been uncharacteristically concerned about the priestess that lay on the futon beside him. The initial panic of what had transpired and a plan almost completely ruined due to his lack of foresight had ebbed, leaving his cool and collected thoughts to reign supreme. He had allowed himself to get caught up in the moment a flaw due to his still-intact-heart, and now that he was able to see this clearly he wouldn't let such a mistake happen again.

He stood from his position next to Kagome and went inside a room that was shrouded in darkness; a place he often went to when he needed time to think. He would now have to think of a new plan now that he marked the priestess as his own. He sat and pondered, coming up with scenarios and refining his thoughts, trying to rid them of any flaws that would lead to failure. Too many things were uncertain at this point in time. He would have to observe Kagome for the time being... and keep her at bay. He could afford no distractions and his heart would only lead him to his failure. The human heart was such a weak thing as he had no room for such a thing in his existence. His mind had its resolve; no longer would he let Onigumo's heart ruin everything he's worked for.

Naraku summoned Kagura, to which she unusually responded quickly to. When she had entered the room, she immediately knelt to the ground and bowed her head before her master.

"Naraku, what do you need of me?"

This pleased him for a split second. When he spoke, his tone was cold and hardened.

"Kagura, I need for you to look after the girl. Notify me once she has awakened."

The wind sorceress looked at him startled before collecting herself and bowing her head once more. "Yes, master," she spoke quietly. She stood from her position on the floor and left the room. As she walked, she scowled. She already knew what was going on. Naraku had marked the girl that travelled with Inuyasha. What she didn't understand was why, after a couple days, he decided that he no longer was going to see to it that she was well? At the same time it confused her why he spent that much time looking after her regardless? Naraku's intentions were always a mystery to her. She arrived at the room that was given to Kagome.

The girl was asleep on the futon in the middle of the room. It was evident that whatever had been given to her was doing its job. Kagura leaned against the wall nearest the shoji door and remained there.

Kikyo gave Inuyasha a level stare. "Don't be an imbecile, Inuyasha. I merely speak the truth. You do not realize what has happened. Indeed, why should you? My reincarnation has told you nothing, has she?"

Inuyasha was taken aback. What did Kikyo know that she wasn't telling him? He asked her as much.

Kikyo's voice lilted in a soft tinkle as she laughed. She turned away from the group, making to leave. As she did so she threw over her shoulder a small remark, "Your little miko isn't as innocent as she seems to be." and left.

This left Inuyasha standing in confusion. What had Kikyo meant by that? He shook the thought from his head and headed back on the path they had been traveling on prior to the dead priestess's short visit.

"Let's get goin'. We don't have time to idle around."

Sango and Miroku looked at their friend. They could tell that Kikyo's words bothered him greatly. Shippo, noticing Inuyasha's distress jumped down from his place in Sango's arms and bound for Inuyasha hopping onto his shoulder. He hugged the hanyou's head, nuzzling into it. Inuyasha's gaze softened minutely, appreciating the little kitsune's attempt to comfort him.

"It'll be okay Inuyasha. We'll find Kagome. You'll save her for sure! You're the strongest person I've ever met!"

Inuyasha smirked, his mood lighting up considerably at Shippo's certainty. Shippo was right. There was no way he was going to fail! He was Inuyasha, and Inuyasha never failed! He was just going to have to find the damned evil bastard called Naraku and kick his ass. Then he'd get Kagome back and everything would be as it should. The only problem was... finding the evil bastard...

Removing Shippo from his shoulder, he handed the small boy to Miroku and Sango before he began running. He didn't want to waste any time. The sooner they got Kagome back, the better.

The pain that ran throughout Kagome's body was by no means gone. Instead, it had become more manageable. Where pain coursed through her body like liquid fire, a dull aching sensation centered itself on her neck, pulsing with the unpleasant sensation that spread down to her shoulders and chest; hence, why she was able to sleep so soundly. When she awoke, she noticed she felt impossibly weak as she was unable to lift her head.

As she opened her eyes, she expected to find Naraku by her side, as Kagome had recalled that he had been there at some point. When she moved her head to see if perhaps he was closer to the wall, the only being that was in sight was the wind demoness, Kagura.

"Heh, figures..." she muttered to herself. Her voice sounded like gravel, it felt like it too. She wanted water desperately to remedy her dried-up throat but unfortunately, none was in sight. When it seemed Kagura finally noticed that she was awake, she spoke.

"Do you doubt my words now, girl?" Her tone was as even and cold as it usually was. Kagome groaned at the thought of having to speak when she was in her particular state.

When she replied, she said only one word: "Water."

Kagura sighed at having to help the little human... after all they were enemies. Nonetheless, she still moved from her spot and poured some water from a bucket into a small clay cup, offering it to Kagome. When Kagome failed to move to pick it up Kagura became impatient.

"Well? Here's the water. Take it!"

Kagome tried to move her arms to receive the liquid, but failed when she could barely move them. Kagura saw this and huffed in annoyance. She helped Kagome sit up so she could drink and placed the earthenware to the girls' lips. Kagome drank, and it felt wonderful going down her throat. It felt like it was washing the dirt away.

Kagome relished in the refreshed state of her poor throat. "Thanks." Her words came out in a relieved sigh.

Kagura then asked again: "Do you doubt my words now, after going through what you are now?"

Kagome groaned. "I don't think my pain is because of Naraku... It's not like he really did anything."

The wind sorceress looked at Kagome as if she'd grown another head. Did the girl not realize what was going on? Had she known, the girl would not have said such a statement. Naraku had everything to do with her predicament. She shifted slightly to turn more fully to the young miko so that she could address her.

"Do you have no idea what has happened to you? Naraku has defiled you in every way. What you are feeling is no ordinary ailment. Your body isn't stiffened, weak, and sore with sickness. Naraku has laid his claim on your very soul. You can never escape him now. I don't know what you were planning, though I know you must have been planning something to be rutting with the scum, but you forget about it now."

Kagome stared blankly at the woman, not understanding anything she had been saying to her. Her confusion was plainly visible to the sorceress.

"What do you remember last? Before all of this?" Kagura questioned Kagome.

The young girl thought back to what had transpired before the blinding pain. All she could think about was her and Naraku in the bath. He had come from behind her and began touching her. She had gotten caught up in it all and reacted to him. Then they had sex. The last thing she remembered was passing out when they finished... but why? What had caused her to pass out? Had the sex just been that amazing? That couldn't have been the reason. Though Naraku did make an amazing lover, that wasn't what made her collapse. Then she remembered another detail.

"I remember him biting me on my neck..." She pressed her fingertips to the spot he had bitten her, feeling puckered scars where teeth had broken the delicate flesh. When she performed the simple action, she realized she was gaining back a little of her strength, though it was very minute. The movement was still labored and sucked much of the energy out.

"Indeed, miko. Have you no idea what that meant?"

Kagome thought about it for a minute. What did it mean? What significance did it have? Though she did find it strange that Naraku had bitten her hard enough to draw blood, she had just though it was because he was the evil bastard he... well was! Who knew if that kind of thing got the hanyou off?

When Kagome failed to answer her question, Kagura decided to fill her in. "He claimed you. Made you his in every way possible. You have been mated."

"Mated? I still don't see why that made my body fill up with pain... Isn't that just like when animals do it? Like mating season?"

Kagura looked at the girl in disgust. Was she really so daft? Youkai mating was nothing new. Even humans knew what it meant for youkai to mate. Did she have to spell it out?

"He marked you, girl. You are bound to him for life. Even humans know what it means. How is it that you don't know that?"

Kagome let the words sink into her. Her eyes were wide in shock. This couldn't be true! This should not- no, could not happen! What was she going to do? Everything was ruined. How could she return to Inuyasha, knowing that their enemy was bound to her? She had barely gotten over the fact that the hanyou had taken her virginity! She felt dirty as she felt her flesh crawl at the knowledge. Tears filled up her large eyes, threatening to spill over.

"No... This can't be happening... This wasn't supposed to happen..." Try as she might, she couldn't keep the renegade droplets from running trails down her cheeks.

Kagura sneered. "What did you think would happen when you decided to test fate by playing around with Naraku, girl? I warned you. There is nothing good in that creature."

Kagome couldn't stay still. She couldn't stay here. Not where the creature that tore her world upside-down lurked. She needed to get away. Anywhere but here would do. She mustered all of the energy she had left in her body and attempted to move away. When she did, she managed to get on one knee, while her other leg pulled her up before she clumsily fell. She tried pushing her arms out to catch her fall, but they would not hold her. Her arms collapsed underneath her weight and she was greeted by the solidarity of the tatami mat. She made a startled and pained yelp when her chin knocked on the floor. In her misery, Kagome let her tears fall as she wallowed in place, not bothering to try and move.

Kagura had watched this all happen in amusement. Where did she plan on going in the state she was in? It was evident that she didn't have the strength to even stand let alone escape the estate. The girl had been passed out for days at this point! Of course her legs were not going to cooperate.

Kagome cried for all she was worth. She was ruined and she was hurting terribly at this point. All of the energy she had exerted in her movement left her body drained and useless. Her jaw ached terribly from the fall. She knew she was being pitiful at this point, but she couldn't help it. She had no idea what to do next and the thought scared her. She moved her arms to try and push herself up once more; determined to do at least that much. Her arms shook with the small effort.

Kagura almost felt sorry for the girl, seeing her in this condition. However, if she was going to survive Naraku's cruelty, she was going to have to toughen up. She knew how the girl must feel, being chained to the man she hated most, but honestly, the girl had brought this on herself. She couldn't find any pity on that part. Though, the two were in the same boat now, bound to a vile hanyou with no way to escape. If she looked at it that way, she could feel pity for the young girl. No one deserved this.

She went to the girl who struggled to bring herself up and helped her. "There is no use in acting like a child, girl. You're not going to survive if this is the extent of your resolve."

Kagura's words struck true to Kagome. The sorceress was right. What was she doing crying by herself? Where had her determination gone? She looked at the youkai and thanked her for the help. Once she was back on the futon, she succeeded in calming herself. Things still looked hopeless, but she was going to have to think of something. Crying on the floor was not going to help her get out of this place. She first would have to concentrate on getting her strength back. She couldn't do anything if she couldn't even lift herself from the floor.

After making sure the miko was stable, she decided that she would have to let Naraku know that the girl had awoken. If she stalled too long, she was going to be punished. She stood from her kneeling position and slid open the shoji door. Taking one last look at the door, she informed her what she was doing before leaving the girl in silence.

Was Naraku going to come? She didn't want that. She didn't want to see him. How could she possibly keep up the act now? Perhaps she didn't need to. Then again, she could guarantee her safety if she acted out against the hanyou. However, how was she going to hide her contempt? Naraku was no fool; that much she was aware of. He was obviously intelligent and calculative. She wouldn't be surprised if he knew what she had been up to from the very beginning.

The seconds felt like hours as she waited for any sign of Naraku. Then she realized something. She couldn't sense anything at all. Perhaps her fatigue had something to do with it. She severely hoped that this was the case. Forever passed before she heard light footsteps falling onto the wooden floor outside her room. Trepidation filled her as she thought about seeing Naraku so soon after the gravity of what had transpired had fallen onto her.

So, she waited as the footsteps grew nearer. Anticipation growing as she found they stopped in from of her shoji door as a dark figure was outlined in the thin rice paper while she desperately tried to calm her overacting nerves. Slowly, the screen door slid open to reveal the visitor.

And there you have it! Another speedy chaptered delivered by yours truly! Please review and tell me what you think of the changes that are taking place in the plot! Also, let me know in a review if you feel that I should edit the beginning to get rid of any OOC issues!

As always, I adore all of you, my faithful readers!