Chapter 7

Taisho

I held the little miko for a second longer before finally releasing her. I loved the feel of my arms wrapped around her tiny body, and I never wanted to let go. Sadly, I had no choice but to do so. My unruly son had to be taught, and I was the only one who could do it.

"Come, Little One, I will take you to the gardens." I said as I held out my arm for her to take. Like always, she wrapped her hand around it and I placed my hand over hers.

"Can I go to the dojo to watch? If I go anywhere else, I'll be too worried." She whispered. I looked down at her for a second before we began walking.

"You cannot interfere. This must be done." I reminded her, letting her know that she could not stop this.

"As long as neither one of you tries to kill the other, I won't do anything." She replied. I stopped right outside the dojo and looked down at her.

"I will not kill him and he cannot kill me. Stay out of this, Kagome. I do not want to see you getting hurt." I ordered before placing a hand on the side of her face. I was still surprised at how quickly my feelings for this little woman were growing. In truth, I didn't want her in the dojo at all, but I knew her stubbornness would win.

"Okay. I will." She finally agreed.

"He is ready, as am I." Sesshomaru interrupted, sticking his head out of the doorway. I could see a hint of excitement and amusement in his eyes at the thought of the upcoming fight. He really was going to enjoy watching the battle go down. I sighed before releasing the miko.

We made our way into the room, and I watched as Kagome sat down beside Sango and Rin. Sesshomaru and Miroku sat behind the women while Kirara was perched on Sango's shoulder. I looked towards the middle of the floor where InuYasha stood.

He had his arms crossed with a cocky look on his face. He truly did believe that he was going to win. In this fight, I would have to knock him down a few pegs. I made my way over and stood across from him. I slowly pulled Sounga out of its sheath and watched as his eyes went wide.

"We sent that thing to hell." InuYasha stated, glaring at the evil sword.

"It has been returned so that it can be properly controlled." I informed him, holding it out in front of me and getting into a battle stance.

"So you're really going to try and fight your own son, eh, Pops?" He asked, stalling slightly.

"If you will not submit of your own will, I will force you to do so. I am alpha of this pack, and you will acknowledge this." I replied, not moving from my stance.

"Keh, whatever, Old Man. Don't get mad when I beat you." He scoffed, drawing Tessaiga. I noticed immediately that the fang was no longer just mine. It now held a piece of InuYasha, and I knew I would have to be wary of its attacks. He may not be able to beat me, but he could still do some damage.

"Let's make a deal. When I win, I'll not only prove my alpha status, but I'll get Kagome, and you can't stop me from taking her back." InuYasha stated, causing an almost feral snarl to escape my lips.

"Half-breed, do you have a death wish?" Sesshomaru asked while Rin held on to his arm.

"She is mine. He has no fucking right to try and keep her from me." InuYasha yelled.

"She is not yours, nor will she ever be." I growled. "There has been enough talk, defend yourself."

Before he even had a chance to reply, I charged. I raised Sounga over my head and brought it down. Just before I hit him, he was able to bring Tessaiga up, blocking my attack. Even with his block, he was sent back a few feet. His eyes grew wide before they narrowed.

In a matter of moments, the fight had truly started. Other than the first attack, I never once tried to hit him. Instead, I spent my time letting him attack me. I blocked every swing he sent me, watching as he grew more and more aggravated.

On his next attack, he raised his sword as if he was going to hit me. I raised Sounga to defend myself when I was caught off guard. InuYasha swiped his foot out, connecting with my legs and sending me to the ground. I looked up to see him holding Tessaiga over his head, about to attack.

I summoned my youki and watched as my blue whip quickly formed. Just as he swung his sword down, I flicked my wrist, sending the whip to his ankle. With one sharp pull, he was sent flying into the wall. As he thudded against the wall, I jumped to my feet, my eyes bleeding red.

"If you wish to not fight fair then that is how we shall do this." I growled out. I raised my hand over my head and twirled my whip before sending it towards my stumbling son. It wrapped around his waist, and once again, I sent him flying into another wall.

"Your swordsmanship is atrocious. You have much work to do to improve your skills." I continued, repeating my last action and watching as he slid down another wall. I could feel Sesshomaru's excitement, as well as Kagome's worry. The others just seemed to be in awe of the battle.

I flicked my eyes to Kagome for a moment, gauging her reaction to me beginning to truly fight. I could see her fear, and I knew she was worried about the injuries that we would both sustain. While I might be beating InuYasha now, I was also toying with him to make him mad. I wanted to see the extent of his power, and that would only happen if he was angry.

"Keh. You ain't got a hit on me yet, Pops. I guess I'm not too bad, huh?" He laughed as he stood to his feet.

"I was testing you, Boy, but I will hold back no longer." I replied, watching as his hands tightened on the hilt of his sword. He let out a loud yell before charging. I used my demonic speed to dodge him, then used my foot to kick him to the ground.

"Submit to me." I ordered, watching as he pushed himself off the floor.

"Never. I grew up living my own life. You're not going to come in and act like a father all of a sudden. You're the one who left, not me." He yelled, charging at me again. This time, I let his sword meet with mine. We held our blades together, pushing each other to see who would fall away first. Of course, I wasn't even really trying.

"I died!" I yelled back. "I gave my life to keep you and your mother safe. I never even got to hold you. How do you think I feel, knowing I missed out on watching my son grow?" I growled before pushing my blade against his and sending him to the ground. "Do you only think of yourself? You blame me, yet my death was caused by your wench of a mother."

"Don't talk about Mom like that." He yelled, charging me again. I moved aside slightly, but reached out with my clawed hand. He didn't have time to react, and as he ran past me, I let my claws dig into his skin.

"You are angry with me when she planned my death?" I asked as he spun around and attacked, only to miss.

"She wouldn't do anything like that. She fucking loved you!" He screamed, spinning around and attacking again. I quickly dodged before punching him in the back, sending him to the floor once more.

"I loved her. She loved Takemaru." I growled out before picking him up by the front of his haori. I threw him against the wall with such force that his grip on Tessaiga weakened and it clattered to the ground.

"You're wrong. She was sad all of the time because you were gone." He yelled, forgetting about his sword and attacking me with his bare hands. I put Sounga back in its sheath, keeping it an even fight.

"She was sad because I took down Takemaru before my death. She told me herself what they had planned." I replied, slowly walking towards his almost-beaten form.

"Do you really expect me to believe this? She was the only thing I had, and now you're trying to turn me against her." He asked, his shoulders slumping slightly.

"I would never turn you against your mother. No matter what she did to me, I know she loved you. I only tell you this so you will stop blaming me for my absence in your life. If I had a choice, I would have been there. You are my son." I answered, noticing his eyes traveling to his sword. I sighed before motioning for him to get it. It appeared talking to him was not going to do any good.

He jumped away from me and grabbed the Tessaiga before turning back towards me. I slowly pulled Sounga back out and waited for his attack. I was expecting him to charge, but what I wasn't expecting was for him to use his Wind Scar. I immediately jumped in front of the others and put up a barrier as the attack just about took up the entire dojo. If I had not moved in front of the others, they would have been hurt.

"You will not use those attacks inside of my home. You could have killed them." I snarled, making my way towards my son.

"Are you scared you will lose?" He scoffed, placing his sword on his shoulder.

"Outside. Now." I growled, pointing to the door. This battle would soon be coming to an end, and I wanted to make sure I still had a home to live in.

Once we were outside and far enough away, we positioned ourselves back into our battle stances. The wind blew around us, causing our hair to dance while we looked at each other. We each believed that we were going to win, yet I knew that I would be the victor. Tessaiga was powerful, even more so than when I had it, but it still wasn't strong enough.

"It is time to finish this." I stated, holding Sounga out in front of me. Without saying a word, InuYasha lifted his sword and sent his Wind Scar towards me again. I jumped over it, landing on the now-ruined ground. I glanced at Kagome again before lifting Sounga.

"Dragon Twister!" I yelled as I swung my sword. I didn't even use my full power, but I knew it would be enough to get the job done. Just before my attack hit him, InuYasha did something that shocked me.

"Backlash Wave!" He screamed, somehow sending my attack back towards me. I heard a more feminine scream and saw Kagome running towards me. At the last second, Sesshomaru managed to grab her and turn her away from the scene. I knew the attack wouldn't kill me, but it would definitely do some damage.

The moment Sesshomaru turned her away, InuYasha's attack surrounded me. I couldn't help but let out a snarl as my eyes bled red once again. I could feel every cut on my body as the twister tore into my skin. My hair and pelt were being blown back from the sheer force of the attack. The smell of my own blood, and the sound of Kagome's tears, angered me more than I thought possible. Then a thought struck me that sent me over the edge. If Sesshomaru had not grabbed Kagome, she would have been struck. She knew what this attack was and thought I would die from it. She had tried to save me.

When the attack faded, I saw InuYasha's smugness fall to shock. I still stood as regal as ever, my pain not even slowing me down the slightest. I could feel my blood running down my arms before dripping to the ground. I had been wounded, but I would heal. Without another thought, I charged.

It was time to end this. Using my demonic speed, and most of my strength, I swung Sounga once again. InuYasha jumped out of the way just in time but not before the tip of my blade sliced through his stomach. His blood now flowed just as strongly as mine. Before he had a chance to attack, I grabbed Tessaiga and threw it to the ground behind me.

I then reached out, grabbed him by his throat, and threw him into a nearby tree. The impact was so hard, he broke through it before skidding to a halt on the other side. I ran towards him, my sword above my head, about to completely finish the battle.

I froze when his eyes met mine, and he lifted his head to show me his neck. He was submitting to me which meant I no longer needed to fight. I lowered my sword and watched as his eyes closed before he passed out. I yelled for a few servants to take him to the healers so his wounds could be looked over.

I placed Sounga back into its sheath before turning to my eldest. He still held Kagome in his arms, but the moment he saw my eyes trained on her, he let her go. He motioned for the others to leave, and I didn't move an inch until they were gone.

"What were you thinking?" I asked, my voice low with my anger. I was trying not to yell at her, but the knowledge that she could have died was taking its toll on my control.

"I was thinking that you were going to be killed. That is his strongest attack, and you didn't even try to move." She yelled, her own anger in her voice.

"Did it ever occur to you that I knew it wouldn't kill me? That may have been his strongest attack, but I never once used my full strength." I growled, tightening my hands into fists. I could still feel the blood running down my arms, and I knew she saw it. As much as she wanted to yell at me, her eyes couldn't leave the red liquid dripping to the ground. She ran to a door and yelled for some servants to bring a few items to her.

"That is not needed." I interrupted, only to receive a glare that very much resembled Sesshomaru's. I sighed before sitting on the ground and leaning my back against the broken tree. This damn woman was going to get what she wanted, no matter what. A small smile formed on my lips and I chuckled. It's not like I could deny her anyway, especially when she was worried for me.

"Why are you smiling? I'm still mad at you." She said, walking over to me with things to clean my wounds.

"I should be mad at you. You could have gotten yourself killed." I replied, my eyes narrowing. She didn't say anything as her hands reached out and untied my obi. I narrowed my eyes, watching as her small hands moved up to my haori. Just as she was about to push it away from my shoulders, I used my pelt to grab her hands.

"What are you doing?" I asked, not letting go of her hands.

"Your wounds need to be cleaned. How do you expect me to do that if you keep your haori on?" She replied calmly.

"If you wanted to see me unclothed, you only had to ask." I teased, watching as her face turned bright red. I smirked as I removed my haori and underclothing from my chest. I wasn't sure if I could handle her removing my clothing for me. It was already hard enough to control myself around her as it was. When I finished, I released her hands from my pelt and let it fall to the ground beside me.

"Your worst one is on your shoulder." She said, looking over my skin.

"Indeed, but it will heal on its own." I replied, watching as she scooted closer to me so she could look me over. She reached out and hesitantly placed her hand under the wound. It was hard for her to find a spot that wasn't bleeding. My chest was covered in many small cuts and three deep gashes.

"Just let me clean it, will you." She mumbled in annoyance. "You're just as bad as InuYasha. He always pitched a fit when I tried to take care of his wounds."

"You have seen InuYasha in such a state?" I asked, my jealousy beginning to flare.

"Well, yea. I actually saw him completely naked once, but that was by accident. I ended up throwing my trashcan at him to get him out of my room." Kagome stated, a small smile on her lips. I was quiet while she spoke. I didn't like the idea of her eyes being on anyone other than me. It surprised me just how possessive I was becoming of this female.

"I guess it makes us even since he saw me naked…a few times." She added. My head snapped towards her as she cleaned my wounds. She didn't even notice my red gaze on her, nor how much her words angered me. No one should see what is mine.

"Kagome." I said, watching as her eyes met mine. I could see the shock on her face as she realized I was angry. "You will not allow him, or anyone else, to see you in such a way again."

"Don't worry." She giggled. "Every time was an accident, and I sat him immediately."

"Good, keep it like that." I replied, turning to look away from her as she moved to cleaning a different wound. It was very distracting to have her hands running all over my chest. I was fighting a war with myself, and I wasn't sure I would win. The last thing I needed was to get hard while she was so close. There was no way I would be able to hide it.

"Mattaki, can I ask you a question?" She asked, making me smirk.

"That was a question, but yes, you may." I replied. I could feel her glaring at me, and I had to fight not to laugh.

"Very funny…jerk." She started, making me chuckle. "Why do you care if anyone sees me naked?"

I turned to look at her, my face serious. "I have already told you my plans for you, Little One."

"You want to court me?" She asked, letting her hands fall to her lap. I noticed that her small fingers were twisting the bloody cloth around, and I worried that she was going to rip it.

"Indeed. Does that bother you?" I asked, unsure of why she was acting this way.

"It doesn't necessarily bother me. More like, it confuses me. I don't understand why you would want…me." She whispered, not taking her eyes off of the ground. I looked down at my chest and noticed that all of the bleeding had stopped. She had cleaned me fairly well, and I was pleased.

I gently took the rag from her and threw it into the bucket full of bloody water. When that was done, I quickly, but gently, grabbed her and pulled her into my lap. She stiffened at first, but soon relaxed as I wrapped my pelt around her. I ran a clawed hand through her hair and waited a few minutes before I spoke.

"The first thing I noticed about you was your smell. Your scent is addicting. It calls to me in a way that no woman, yokai or human, has ever before. I then noticed your eyes, and I knew I would find myself gazing into them quite often." I started, before looking down and getting lost in her ocean blue eyes. I smiled softly, never removing my gaze. "Then we began to get to know each other. You are so guarded that it took everything I had to break through your walls, and I'm not even sure I have completely succeeded in that. But what I have noticed so far is that you are the most caring woman I have ever met. No matter what, you put others before yourself."

"That's just the right thing to do." She argued as one of my hands wrapped around her waist.

"Yet how many of us do the right thing without ever thinking about it? Your heart is pure and beautiful. It was quite easy to fall in love with you." I replied, noticing how she blushed at my last statement.

"But you could always find someone much more appealing to look at than me. I'm just average, and I'm sure there is someone better." She whispered, looking away from me. I removed my hand from her hair and gently grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at me.

"Kagome, you do not see your beauty. I have never thought so highly of a woman, not even for the mothers of my sons. You are beautiful, in every way possible." I stated softly. I pushed my lips to her forehead gently. As much as I wanted to kiss her, I didn't want to push anything with her. I wasn't sure just how far her healing had gone, and I didn't want to ruin anything.

"You say you want to court me, but you haven't asked me yet. Why?" She asked. I placed my chin on the top of her head and wrapped my arms around her.

"I know you are still hurt by InuYasha's actions. I did not want to push myself on you when you were not ready for it." I answered, a little surprised by her question.

"Oh." She replied. I got the feeling that she wanted to say more but was too scared to. I pulled away from her so I could look down at her.

"What is it, Kagome?" I asked, worried about her. She has always been a little shy, but this was completely different.

"I just…watching the Backlash Wave hit you…I thought you were going to die." She started nervously. "I hadn't realized how much…never mind."

"Tell me." I ordered softly. There was no way I was going to let her not finish that sentence.

"I know it's too soon, but…thinking you were going to die…it made me realize that I care for you more than I thought." She whispered, making my eyes widen slightly. She was telling me that she cared for me more than just as her protector.

I was suddenly fighting a war within myself. I wanted to ask her right then and there to court me, but I still wasn't completely sure she was ready. What would I do if she wasn't, and it ruined everything I had been trying to do? Just by asking one simple question, I could cause her to pull away from me. But if she is ready, I could treat her the way I truly wanted to. I could taste her lips and skin. I could hold her to me and not have to worry about the others seeing. She would be mine.

"I knew it was too soon. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything." She said, beginning to get out of my lap. I could smell her tears, and I realized I hadn't said anything to her confession. In fact, I had just stared at her. I tightened my arms around her, refusing to let her leave. At this point, I knew I would risk everything just for the chance to claim her as mine.

"I'm sorry, Kagome. You just surprised me, though it was a pleasant surprise for I thought I would have to wait longer." I started, before grabbing her chin and turning her to look at me. "Kagome, will you give me the honor of accepting my offer for a courtship?"

"Is this what you really want?" She asked, making me nod. I realized I was holding my breath, waiting for her answer, and the suspense was killing me.

"It is indeed what I want, and I can only hope that you want it as well." I replied, my anxiety rising through the roof.

"I do want it, and I accept." she admitted, making me let out a sigh of relief. I looked into her blue eyes and could see the happiness there.

"I am going to kiss you." I whispered, before slowly pushing my lips to hers. I had given her plenty of time to stop me if she wanted, and I just about jumped for joy when my skin touched hers. She responded to my kiss and our lips molded to one another as if they were created for each other.

Her arms wrapped around my neck as my hands traveled down to her waist. I was a tad bit surprised when her mouth opened slightly, but I didn't waste the opportunity. I slid my tongue into her waiting cavern and just about died. Her taste was magnificent! Just from this little bit, I knew I would never get enough.

I ravished her mouth, taking in everything. My tongue rubbed against hers, her teeth, and everywhere else it could reach. I wanted to taste as much of her as I could. I wanted to make sure that, even when we finally pulled apart, I would taste her for the rest of the day.

Sadly, pulling apart happened before I wanted it to. She needed to breathe, and I reluctantly pulled away, leaving her panting. I placed soft caressing kisses over her face before moving down to her jawline. It was time. I couldn't wait another second before I marked her.

"This will not hurt." I informed her, my lips against her skin. She gave a small nod before turning her head to the side, exposing her neck to me. I let out a pleased growl before nuzzling my nose against the crook of her neck. I took in a deep breath, taking in her intoxicating scent.

When I had my fill of her scent, I opened my mouth and licked her skin. I knew my healing saliva would numb her slightly, and I wanted to make sure I didn't hurt her. I let my fangs elongate to their normal length as I continued licking her sweet skin. When I was sure she wouldn't feel anything, I quickly bit into her flesh.

The taste of her blood flowed into my mouth, and I couldn't help but let out a groan. I had thought her mouth was addicting, but this was something else entirely. It almost seemed that everything about this woman drove me insane. When I was sure my youki had fully claimed her, I pulled my fangs from her skin and began to lick the blood away. I didn't stop cleaning her until I was sure she was healed.

When I pulled away, I watched as a blue jagged line formed on the crook of her neck. I smiled, looking down at my mark. This was the first time I had marked someone in such a way, and I found myself full of happiness at seeing it on her.

"How does it look?" She asked, causing me to look up at her.

"Like it was always meant to be there. It's perfect." I replied, before pushing my lips gently against hers. Just as I was about to push my tongue into her mouth again, the noise of shuffling, and a loud 'oof,' could be heard. I pulled away from Kagome to see the monk laying on the ground, hiding partway behind a tree. I realized, then, that we had never been alone.

"Miroku!" Kagome yelled, her face going very red.

"It's not just me!" Miroku defended, grabbing his wife and pulling her out from behind the tree.

"Sango!" Kagome yelled again, staring at her friends in shock.

"Come out, Sesshomaru. You are the only one strong enough to block all of their auras." I called, making Kagome's eyes go wide. I watched as Sesshomaru walked out from behind the tree, his head held high as if he hadn't just been caught spying. Rin clung to his arm, and I could tell she was trying not to laugh.

I stood up and placed Kagome gently on the ground so she could go to her friends. I could tell she was completely embarrassed, and even though I was annoyed that our moment was ruined, I found her reaction amusing. I grabbed my underclothing from the ground and quickly pulled it on.

"Congratulations, Father, Miko." Sesshomaru said, not looking towards us.

"Thank-you. Care to explain why you were snooping?" I asked, noticing how he cringed.

"This one does not snoop." He argued, making me raise an eyebrow.

"Were you not just hiding behind a tree, watching as I marked my female?" I asked.

"I was forced." He stated, still trying to prove his innocence.

"Who has the power to force you to do something you do not wish to do?" I replied, already knowing, but wanting to make him squirm. And squirm he did. It went against every fiber of his being to admit that anyone had the power to make him do anything. His eyes cut to Rin, who just shrugged her shoulders.

"It's about time. What is it with inu yokai taking forever to claim what they want?" She teased, making Sesshomaru glare at her.

"Woman, you will silence yourself." Sesshomaru ordered, receiving his own glare from her.

"Or you'll do what?" She asked, making him growl. She just waved her hand and dismissed him as she walked towards Kagome. I couldn't help but laugh at just how much control she had over my son. Even now, his anger was evident, but he would do nothing to hurt her, or even anger her.

"You laugh now, Father, but it will be your turn soon." He grumbled before turning and leaving. I laughed again before turning to look at Kagome who was now surrounded by her friends. She looked at me and gave a large smile that, for once, reached her eyes. I could never be mad at how this had turned out. Kagome was now mine, and would be, for the rest of my long life.

-sSs-

Chapter 7 has arrived. I hope you all enjoy. I was going to have the gang head out during this chapter but I decided to wait until the next chapter. I hope you don't mind. Please review and let me know what you think. I really enjoy your thoughts.

Shout-outs:

Miskee: Thank-you for favoriting this story. I'm sorry about the cliffhangers. You know I don't normally do them, so at least you can be thankful for that. Lol. I'm glad you liked it though.

Lunasheart: I'm glad you think of my story as one of the good ones. Thank-you for your review.

LADY SILVERFOX: I hope you don't mind if I don't put your full name. Yes, poor InuYasha got his ass kicked. I love your enthusiasm.

RedDrake323: I hope you liked the fight scene. I tried my best, but I've never been good at writing stuff like that. Lol.

Guest: I agree with you on the Sesshomaru thing. He is actually my favorite character so I hate it when people make him seem weak. And you didn't disrespect me. I will always answer questions no matter what, and I'm sorry if I seemed angry. I'm just happy that you reviewed. I haven't actually thought about making a Rin and Sesshomaru story, but I will think about it.

Teaser: Chapter 8: The gang finally leaves the safety of the estate. How does InuYasha react to Kagome and Mattaki courting? What happens when they battle their first set of demons? Continue reading to find out.

I do not own InuYasha.