Chapter 8: Tactics and a beginning mark?

Last time: "Hn. I was trying to make something a fact but you're not even dressed yet. I cannot have a slow mate…." He said trying to make her angry. Which worked. She raised her hand, about to slap him when he caught her arm, pushing it away and then before she knew what happened he pulled down the collar of her inner kimono, kissed her neck and then bared his fangs….

-Sango-

She walked out of her room which was located in the guest wing. She smiled wryly. Well of course Sesshomaru wasn't about to put them in the royal wing and Kagome was there wasn't she? She smirked and then shook her head. Damn fine time to have such thoughts right now! She was becoming the perverted monk! She sighed as she waited for the said monk to make his appearance. He was sure taking his time wasn't he? She bit her lip as she glanced at the Kimono her 'designated' personal maid had given her. Deep purple/indigo silk, with blue designs and scattered sakura petals from the right shoulder to the bottom with a red obi. The maid had offered to do her hair but she declined. She wasn't a royal to be waited upon. It just felt too weird. She shifted on her feet uncomfortably as she stared down at her silk slippers. She wasn't used to be wearing such finery and she oddly felt overdressed. No doubt someone would come along down the hall and laugh at her.

And what would she do if the monk was one of them? It bothered her…it really did. Why had he never asked HER to bear a child of his? Stupid lecher. She didn't even know why she thought that! She shook her head.

Still, the silk felt cool to the touch and she secretly envied the high ladies and the royals…to always be adorned in such fabric without having to face any worries…. She stroked the fabric absentmindedly and then looked up when a door opened. 'Miroku…' she thought as she saw him gape at her like he'd never seen her before. "Sango?" he said stuttering on his words. She looked so…different? No that wasn't the right word. Beautiful. She was embarrassed and thought she looked ugly in his eyes?

"I know…It's not me right?" she said staring at the ground with avid interest. It was obvious that he'd be struck speechless but in a different way than she'd thought. She just wanted to go back to her room and change back into her original kimono that she always wore but a hand wrapped around her wrist and stopped her from running away. He held her hand, brought it to his lips and kissed it. Her face whipped up to look into his eyes, a serious look from him and a nervous laugh from her followed. What was he doing?! Had he finally lost his marbles? Hentai monks like Miroku do not go around kissing demon-slayers like Sango.

She tried pulling her hand away but he held hers tight. "Miroku…what in the?" she started as he held her close to him, forgetting that he was a hentai at the moment. As the pair gazed into each other's eyes they heard a very loud shriek… "TOMA-AHHH!!!!!"

"What do you think that was?" Sango said and Miroku gave her a thoughtful look and then grinned at her lecherously. Hmm…spoke too soon. Miroku was every bit the lovable hentai monk that every fan-girl adores and loves.

"Hmm..Sounded like an angry Kagome-sama." He said. Sango wondered whether Sesshomaru had succeeded in putting Inuyasha in the dungeons. His brash and rude attitude wouldn't get him anywhere, at least while here in Sesshomaru's castle.

-Kagome and Sesshomaru-

Augh! The audacity of that youkai! You just don't go around kissing people like that! And on their necks too! Wait till she gave him a piece of her… huh? GAH! he was going to kill her! He was about to bite her neck! "Don't you dare Count Dracula! Didn't anyone teach you about vampires?" Kagome said trying to get out of his possessive grasp.

"Who is this Male 'Count Draa-cula' you speak of? Will he challenge me for your hand?" Sesshomaru said eyes flashing a shade of red at the thought of another male even thinking about taking his mate-to-be away from him! Kagome blinked and shook her head. Oh honestly….

"Are you going to let go of me now?" Kagome said. She didn't like this current position she was in with him at the moment. What if someone walked in on them? According to feudal times she was only half-dressed, not even. But it wasn't like she was complaining that she was up against a wall with Sesshomaru pressing close to her body. He sure smelled nice. No! this was bad. How to let him release her? Damn he was just about to give her a claiming mark too. 'Nice save Kagome. Confusing him about vampires and Count Dracula.'

"No." he said. He knew what she was up to. He sniffed her causing her to stiffen and back up even if she could do so. "Hn. It appears that you're heat is ending little one."

"Why you…" Kagome said blushing, her temper rising. How dare he even….well at least he wouldn't have to push her into a waterbed this time and she chuckled nervously. But he hadn't pushed her! He just kinda lured her into doing it herself!

"I wonder how far down that blush goes." He said observing the reddish tint to her face. He played with the collar and was about to pull it down when she glared at him. She couldn't move and Sesshomaru was taking advantage of her! She could've yelled for Inuyasha but a look in Sesshomaru's eyes told her that he knew she would do just that and she kept her silence for the time being.

"Don't you dare even think about pulling off my inner kimono!" Kagome hissed.

"You're not wearing much." He pointed out as his gaze went down to her bare legs. Kagome sighed. He did have a point there. She didn't say anything knowing right about now he'd launch into his 'This is my home and I go where I please. I can do whatever I want.'

"Now where was this Sesshomaru?" he said smirking at her startled look. She bit her lower lip which caught him off guard and she gave him an evil smile. He was going down then she'd just have to go down with him.

"Oh yes. I was just going to tell you to SIT!" Kagome said.

And then there was a very faraway (BOOM!)

"#$^%$&#%#$$#%#%!!!!!!"

"KAGOME!!!!"

"Very interesting. You sat my half-breed brother and all the way down from the dungeons…" he said looking at her thoughtfully. "My mate shall be very formidable foe indeed."

"You put Inuyasha in the dungeons?! Why?!" Kagome said ignoring the fact that he had youkai hearing and the fact that he had just labeled her as his mate. "How dare you! He didn't do anything to warrant…I didn't think that you were so heartless as to…"

"He was misbehaving. It was necessary to lock him in the dungeons for a day. This Sesshomaru is not so cruel as to harm or use corporal punishment to teach his remaining family member a lesson in manners." He said huffing as to how Kagome could even think that he'd be so callous as to kill unnecessarily. Did she not trust him? Did she not have faith in him?

"I trust you." Kagome said like she read his mind and then leaned forward to press a kiss on his forehead, a sign of deep respect in youkai society and she didn't even know it. His inner beast growled happily now wanting to be let out.

'No. now is not the time.' Sesshomaru said to his beast.

"It is time for dinner. You should get dressed." He said pulling away from Kagome.

"Yeah now why didn't I think of that?" Kagome said cheekily looking down at her state of undress. He smirked at her cheek and gave her rear a squeeze earning a yelp from her and he gave her an innocent look like he didn't do anything offensive to 'her person.'

She gave a human growl and was about to walk away when Sesshomaru grabbed her from behind and whispered in her ear, "There's just one thing I forgot to do…." She turned to look at him and he pulled her collar down and bit her neck which elicted a soft scream from Kagome.

"What?! What did you just do? Damn you!" Kagome said frantically pulling down her shirt collar. Sesshomaru just enjoyed the show as he watched her work herself into a frantic frenzy, giving him a full view of her exposed chest. 'Hnn…..'

He just gave her a hickey! "Sesshomaru get rid of this thing!" Kagome said pointing at her mark.

"It's just a claiming mark." He said innocently trying to calm his boiling blood. Good thing his father taught him self-control. Now only if Kagome would cover herself up it would make things easier. Kagome saw his eyes turning a shade of red and eeped and jumped behind a changing screen before he got any ideas. She had a pretty good idea what was going through his head. Damn demons and their over-possessiveness! Especially the royal and rich ones!

Sesshomaru calmed down and shook his head. A claiming mark. It just meant that Kagome was his and to warn other demons that she belonged to him, added a bit of his scent on her as well. Nothing more. It wasn't a big deal like a mating mark. Now that was a permanent mark. Why would the Miko panic of carrying around his mark on her? Was it because of his little brother? Maybe he should change his mind and use that corporal punishment on Inuyasha after all. To make his brain understand that Kagome was his.

Claming mark. So it'd fade with time right? Had she rejected Sesshomaru? Kagome thought as she dressed. She remembered the conversation she had with Sango about demons and their ways. But…did she want to reject Sesshomaru? He was so nice to her and behaved but he was a little too possessive. Okay a lot.

"Kagome if you don't come out from behind that screen in a minute, I'm coming in and seeing what the holdup is." Sesshomaru said in an irritated voice. It was probably the obi. She wasn't used to wearing something like that. She walked around the feudal era in that short green skirt of hers. He growled at his thoughts and shook his head. He would personally see to burning the offensive skirt that had her legs exposed for all males to see. Like that wolf, Kouga. Who claimed Kagome as his woman. He now had no claim on Kagome and he'd see that Kouga never did. Empty vows did not work in royal youkai society. And if Kouga was an honorable demon he'd follow the rules of the court.

"No. I'm almost done here!" Kagome said embarrassed that Sesshomaru would actually come in and try to help her. Sesshomaru not known for being patient growled causing Kagome to jump thinking she'd angered him and then gawked as she watched him walking towards her. "Sesshomaru!" she squeaked.

"Hn." He said as he held her obi and started to arrange it and tie it around her. She didn't dare ask him where he learned how. He smirked when he was done and then said, "Don't be so jealous koi...my mother thought it was necessary to teach me had I ever decide to take a mate and needed to dress her…or undress..." he said as an afterthought. Secretly he was pleased that Kagome would be severely jealous about the fact that he had been with another woman.

"Come. It is time for dinner." He said holding out his hand.

She took it cautiously and then said, "Fine. Just as long as you promise not to play footsie with me underneath the dinner table. He looked mildly fascinated and she mentally slapped herself. Great. She should've just kept her silence.

"There are certain games we can play while eating dinner? What is this 'footsie' you speak of?" he said.

'……..'

Lady Nefertiti: Please read and review!