Kagome locked her knees to keep herself standing and from knocking against each other. She was used to demons roaring at her—enjoyed roaring back at them, too—, but Sesshomaru wasn't just any ordinary demon. Not even he had made her want to kneel in fear and submission, just the opposite.
But she held firm. Didn't give in to the voice screaming in her head for her to run. A Daiyokai's wrath—Sesshomaru's wrath was something she did not want to take on.
"What the fuck did you do?" Inuyasha hissed, appearing next to her. Akinlana flanked him, and they both tossed the unconscious demons to the side.
"I didn't do anything," Kagome said under her breath, as if speaking above a whisper would set Sesshomaru off more than he already had.
Blazing red eyes glared at her, and a quick glance noted the acid dripping from the Dai's claws.
"Obviously you fucking did something."
"Shut up," Kagome hissed, her mind racing on how to get herself out of this mess. The decision was taken out of her hand, however, when the Daiyokai moved. And, boy, could Sesshomaru move.
She could barely trace him—didn't have time to move and dive out of striking distance before he caught her, ripping her away from the demon.
Kagome found herself locked in Sesshomaru's arms, her back flushed against his chest. Her blades lay a foot away from her, out of her reach. She could call them back to her—powered by a returning spell she'd learned in her travels. But, from the volcanic rumbling behind her, Kagome wisely left them where they were.
And then…they stood there. They just stood there. Kagome had half expected to be bleeding on the ground by now, but, nope. Sesshomaru held her tightly and continued to grumble in a very dog-like manner.
However, when she turned her head, because Inuyasha began bullying the demon she'd been forced to release, Sesshomaru's arms tightened around her. He growled warningly in her hair.
She quickly looked away, and Sesshomaru settled down. She found Shippo in front of her—fifteen feet away.
"Submit!" the kit hissed, tilting his head sideways repeatedly like an insane bobblehead.
Kagome knew what she needed to do, Shippo didn't have to tell her. She'd played this stupid little game with Inuyasha and other male demons more times than there were numbers to count. And she never submitted. Never.
But, again, the decision was taken from her when Sesshomaru forcefully shoved her head to the side, and painfully chomped down on her neck. Sesshomaru released her just as quickly, though, when Inuyasha and Akinlana's mating 'mark' lashed out in outrage at the Dai's violation.
Whatever spell Sesshomaru had been under broke, and he stood a foot away, eyes clear and pristine and composed as always. As if he hadn't just gone all ape-shit on her.
Kagome edged further away from him, touching her neck and breathing a sigh of relief when her hand came back wet, but not bloody.
Because her blood didn't taste…normal. When Sesshomaru got the full truth out of her or Inuyasha—and the Dai made it very clear he wanted to know—, she didn't know how he'd react. He'd gone nuts learning Inuyasha and Akinlana had included her in their mating. There was no telling just how pissed he'd become, once he learned just how connected she was to him. Best to keep it a secret for as long as she could.
"No need to get pissed, Sesshomaru," Inuyasha said. "Kagome wasn't gonna hurt him, and Aki and I didn't hurt those guys, either. We could smell they were your people."
"We were just playing," Akinlana said. "Just testing our skills against theirs."
Kagome flinched at the last part of Akinlana's apology. Not good—considering how fast the Dai's top blew—to announce how shitty Sesshomaru's men were at scanning their surroundings. They had taken them down in seconds.
"We were having a bit of fun," Kagome said. "We meant no harm to your men."
They'd known the moment they landed in the trees who those demons were. Sesshomaru's crescent moon crest were stitched into their leather armor.
Getting into an ambushing position was a kneejerk reaction. A hundred years of demons trying to kill you every day, reactions like theirs wouldn't disappear overnight. Kagome didn't think it would ever leave them, engraved as it was into their very bones already.
Kagome glanced at the demon she'd attacked. His yoki was greater than those of the other three, but his armor looked too new to make her believe he used it as it was meant to be used. A show piece, maybe? He had enough power to blast her away from him and get into a better position to attack or defend himself, but he had done neither.
So, why did Sesshomaru get so angry? She couldn't get a clue on what the Dai could be thinking. He was completely closed off. No swirls of his vibrant yoki whipping about. No expression—not that he ever gave any—to give her a hint. He'd even shielded his scent. Even when he gotten all growlly and bitey, not one of her senses detected the reason for his sudden outburst of rage.
What she didn't like the most, however, was how intently he was staring at her.