Hello all. Yes I'm alive, surprise! yes, this is technically the same chapter but I lengthed it and made quite a few changes. I do hope you like it. Also, there is a steamy scene in this version. Its my first attempt at anything remotely steamy and my aim was to be sensual but not overly sexual. Feedback on this point would be greatly appreciated.

Enjoy!

My Mate

Kirika lay on her bed, it was noon but she had not stirred since that morning. Rin's laughter could be heard down the hallway, followed closely by Jaken's squeaking. Still Kirika found that she could not hear them, all she could hear, or see or smell for that matter, was Sesshoumaru.

The events of the previous night flooded her mind to the brink, overflowing into every part of her body. He seemed to be there with her, pulsing through her blood. Kirika shook her head for the tenth time that morning, trying in vain to rid herself of the night's events.

After Sesshoumaru had kissed her, he held her pressed against him until the sun's first rays began to light the sky. Without a word he had stood up, put back on his armor and then wrapped her in his mokomoko-sama and carried her back to the palace. The whole way there he said nothing, only occasionally leaning over to breath deeply of her scent. As he deposited her onto the bed, he had leaned over and gently whispered in her ears.

"Until tonight, mate of mine."

After that, Kirika had not been able to so much as close her eyes without seeing his face there, waiting for her.

'This cannot be!' She thought again. 'He cannot be serious, is he?' Frustrated Kirika tossed the sheets off the bed, only to bend down and scoop them up again.

'It just doesn't make sense.' Nothing did anymore.

'Why me?' She kept wondering. 'Even if I did have feelings for him, this could not be, no one would accept us. How would we live? Where would we live?'

'It doesn't really matter does it?' Kirika's youkai prompted, a sly edge to its voice.

'You do not have feelings for him, do you?' Kirika remained silent. How do you fight with someone who knows all your thoughts and emotions? You could not. Kirika's youkai already knew her deepest hidden feelings, and now was more or less shoving them in her face.

'Of course not.' Kirika bravely lied. Her youkai laughed. 'Sacred little liar. He is your half, stop pretending.'

Kirika sighed, she could not deny herself but fear still edged around her mind.

'Then speak to him about your fears tonight little coward.' Her youkai answered to the silent question running wild in Kirika's mind. 'Yes, I suppose I must.'

'Glad you are not entirely witless.' Kirika's youkai was silent after that, leaving her alone to ponder over what she would say that night.

8:8:8:8:8:8:8:8:8:8:8:8

Sesshoumaru was sitting amidst his generals, his eyes closed while a small smirk played at the corner of his lips. He had barely heard any of the meeting that morning, his mind far away and entranced by a certain youkai that was laying not four doors down from him. How simple a thing it would be for him be at her side within seconds. Feeling her pressed against him, to drink in her wonderful intoxicating scent, to hear her angelic like voice whisper his name. Yes, she would moan out his name for him, breathless and needy. A smile took form on Sesshoumaru's mouth as the thought of Kirika gasping his name, over took his mind, causing his youkai to growl and rise to the surface.

'How much longer are you going to wait?' Sesshoumaru's irate youkai shouted at him,

'You understand now that she is your mate, you have accepted it and still you do not claim her.' His youkai was mentally glaring him. Sesshoumaru almost sighed, who would have guessed that he could be so impatient.

'She is not ready, I may have accepted it, but she has not. Not yet anyway.' Another smile passed over his lips briefly. His youkai growled.

'Always waiting, we should have taken her last night and showed her she was ours. We still could.' Sesshoumaru's youkai trailed off, there was no need for him to say what was already racing through his mind.

'It would be so simple.' Sesshoumaru shook his head slightly, as tempting as that thought was to him, he had resolved not to take her until she was ready. Another growl came from his youkai.

'At the very least, you should mark her.' Sesshoumaru quirked an eyebrow.

'She is covered in my scent, only a fool would dare to touch her.'

'True,' His youkai allowed.

'But, you have been traveling together for some time, it is only natural she would carry your scent, even Rin does. The wisest of men are turned fools when lust enters their mind. Mark her. Then no one will dare touch her.' This was not a bad idea Sesshoumaru allowed, after all his blood boiled with the thought of another man glancing at her, let alone touching her. How would Kirika react to him marking her as his mate? The possibilities were delightful to conjure.

"Sesshoumaru-sama." Sesshoumaru opened his eyes to see his adviser rising from the chair, apparently the meeting had ended.

"We have finished my lord." Sesshoumaru nodded once before rising and swiftly exiting the room. His mind was busy stirring up thoughts about the night, which was sure to be interesting.

8:8:8:8:8:8:8:8:8:8:

Kirika was running her hands restlessly through her hair, trying in vain to gather together what she wanted to say to Sesshoumaru that night.

'Maybe I should start with the impossibility of me becoming his mate.' Kirika's hands stilled for a moment, her heart seemed to ache at the thought.

'It makes no difference!' Her youkai growled. Kirika stood up, her mind racing.

'I barely know him! He barely knows me! This is all ridicules!' Kirika could hear her youkai laughing.

'Honestly, are you scared because you feel so strongly for him, or of losing him?' Her youkai let the question hang.

'Both, I've never felt this way before and I barely know the man.' Kirika glanced out the window, the sun was almost set. Sesshoumaru would be there soon.

'He will be here soon.' Her youkai whispered, a sliver of anticipation running through its voice.

'Yes he is always where he says he will be when he says it. With that smug gleam in his calm golden eyes. The same eyes that become so warm whenever he looks at Rin, and so cold when he is facing an enemy. The way he looked at me last night, so focused.' Kirika could not stop the smile growing on her lips, or the blush spreading across her face as she gave into the memory of his molten gaze as it roamed over her, shining with intent devotion.

'I thought you know so little of him?' Kirika growled.

"I do not know enough!" She shouted, her frustration overwhelming her.

"Know enough of what?" Kirika jumped at Sesshoumaru's voice.

"About you." She answered boldly, trying to feign some indifference but unable to stop her eyes from roaming over him. Sesshoumaru was leaning causally against the window frame. His eyes catching the light of the lit candles, making them shine like twin pools of flame. Kirika could feel herself being slowly dragged deeper and farther inside of them. Sesshoumaru smirked at her reaction, pleased to have such an affect on her. Kirika turned away, her stomach jumping as if she had just been fighting.

"Well what about this Sesshoumaru do you not understand?" As he talked Sesshoumaru had walked over to her, and pressed himself close into her back, while leaning to whisper into her ear.

"My mate." Kirika couldn't stop the shudder that passed through her spine as his breath tickled her throat. Taking a deep gulp of air, Kirika closed her eyes trying to will her body's reaction to still.

Sesshoumaru watched Kirika's reaction to him with no small amount of delight, quite pleased that his mate had no control of her body at the moment. He intended to keep her that way.

"I do not know many things about you," She turned to face him, the words almost catching in her throat at the look in his eyes. The way they roamed over her, as if he meant to devour her where she stood.

"Not who your parents are, or even what color you like." Her words stammered a bit, his eyes caught this, and drifted down to rest on her lips, which seemed to be trembling. Nervously she licked them, his eyes seemed to smolder at the action. Kirika suddenly found that he was much closer than before, she could feel his breath fanning at her lips, her eyes could only see his as they beckoned her closer, consuming her in flame.

His lips pressed against her softly at first, coxing her to respond, soon though the press of his lips on hers became insistent, his arm snaked around her waist while his hair fell across her shoulders, caressing it as his other hand would have. Tentatively, Kirika's hands traced their way up to the base of his skull, her fingers threading through his hair, making him press into the contours of her body.

Before she could comprehend the movement, Sesshoumaru had moved her across the room and pressed her into the bed. He was everywhere at once, his breath seemed to be her own, his body and hers felt to be melting until she could no longer tell where he ended and she began. The feel of his mouth was intoxicating as it trailed its way across her face, making its way down her throat. She moaned when his lips came to rest on her pulse point.

Sesshoumaru growled low in his throat at her reaction, causing the most delightful vibrations to spring through her body and pool in her belly. Sesshoumaru nipped at her flesh, liquid heat running through him as the smell of her arousal flooded over him.

"Kirika," Her name was a growl on his lips.

"I want nothing more than to claim you at this moment," Kirika whimpered at his words, all thought of protest dead from his assault.

"But for now, I shall rid you of any doubt that you belong to me."

Kirika only had thought left enough to moan as Sesshoumaru's teeth sunk into her neck, his mouth messaging her throat as she whimpered helplessly. He pulled away seconds later, his tongue flicking at the wound to seal it. Smugly he looked down at Kirika, taking in her flushed lips and desire ruled eyes. His eyes roamed over her open kimono, lingering at the swell of her breasts peeking out. Kirika squirmed under his heat filled gaze, her senses beginning to return away from his touch.

"Stop it," she whispered, her mind screaming the last vestiges of defiance she had left. Sesshoumaru smiled, his gaze turning to meet her. A truly devious and triumphant look upon his face. Kirika swallowed hard, she knew that look meant trouble for her.

"Why should I not look upon that which is mine to see?" Leaning over Sesshoumaru placed a chaste kiss on the spot of her neck he had just bitten. Instantly Kirika felt powerful pangs of lust pound through her body. She could not stop herself from moaning.

"My mate." Sesshoumaru whispered, his eyes glinting at the sight of a silver crescent moon beginning to form on Kirika's neck. The mark showing that she was his mate.

There you have it, such as it is. I hope it was worth the rewrite and wait. Oh on a side note I have recently made the horrible mistake of rereading this fic from the start. I now have it in my mind to begin rewriting. This is a bit of a daunting task but I'm quite stubburn when I get an idea in my head so sonner or later I will do it. Just a head's up for everyone that in the future I may just be reposting instead of updating for a bit. Never fear my dears, I will finish this fic. One day. . . .

Again feedback is apreciated! Particulary the steamy parts, I'm at a bit of loss what to do with them...