Chapter 8

Taisho

I laid in bed with my hand on my forehead. An annoyed growl rumbled in my chest. My damn beast was making it impossible for any sleep. Ever since I marked Kagome as mine, he keeps sending me images of the little miko. Images that I wanted desperately to come true.

My beast had just finished showing me an image of the tiny woman squirming under me while I made her feel what no other has before. I could still remember her small hands running all along my back and chest. My beast was making me act like a pup again. I knew he wanted her just as bad as I did, which was a surprise in itself.

With my last two marriages, my beast had stayed silent. He was just in the background, letting me live the way I wished to. Now all of a sudden, he was back with a fucking vengeance. I was constantly aroused because, no matter what, he was making me think of my little Kagome in a way that I shouldn't. I knew she was nowhere near ready to be mated, yet my beast kept pushing the issue.

I groaned before reaching down and shifting my painfully hard cock into a better position. This time, I had woken up sweating, panting, and with my beast very nearly in control. It took everything I had to calm down, yet I still couldn't get my manhood to go down.

I swiftly stood from my bed and walked towards my private baths. Maybe if I relaxed in the warm water, the rest of me would follow. I undressed and walked into the spring slowly. The water splashed over me as I lowered myself into the warmth.

I couldn't help but let out a sigh as most of my muscles began to relax. All except for the one I really wanted. I had a feeling there was only one way to get it to go away, and I found I was a little disgusted with myself. I hadn't done anything like that since before I met Sesshomaru's mother.

Today was the day we were supposed to be leaving, and here I was, acting like a pup who had just gone into his first heat. This was very much getting ridiculous. With an annoyed and pathetic groan, I grabbed myself firmly in my hand.

I let my beast send all of the images of my sweet little Kagome it wanted to. I was surprised by how imaginative this creature could be. My hand moved slowly along my length, sending the teasing pleasure through my body. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes as I concentrated on the feel of what I was doing to myself.

I was thankful I was in the water or else all of the other yokai would be able to smell my arousal. This was something I did not want to explain. I flicked my thumb over the tip of my shaft before picking up my speed. My grip tightened and I couldn't help but moan once I felt my release approaching.

All it took was a few more images of Kagome before I was overcome with pleasure. I shot my seed into the water as my balls tightened. When I was completely emptied, I just sat there, unable to move. This woman was going to be the death of me and she didn't even know it.

When my cock finally softened, I finished bathing before getting out of the warm water. I quickly dried myself and dressed before making my way into the hallway. I looked around and noticed that it was empty. I pushed out my aura and saw that Kagome was still asleep in her room.

I couldn't help but smile as I pushed open her shoji door. She was sprawled out on her bed, lightly snoring. Her mouth was parted slightly and her hair was a mess. Her sheets were tangled within her legs and I chuckled slightly at the sight. Even while looking like this, she was beautiful.

I silently sat on her bed as I pushed her black locks out of her face. I bent down and nuzzled my cheek against hers, gently coaxing her out of her sleep. As cute as she looked, breakfast would be ready soon and then we would need to begin our journey.

"Mattaki?" She whispered, not opening her eyes.

"Yes, Little One. It is time to rise." I stated. I pulled my cheek away from hers and ran my knuckles over where my cheek had previously rested. Slowly, her eyes blinked open and deep blue met mine. She looked up at me and smiled before closing her eyes again.

"Wake up, Kagome. We must eat, then begin looking for Naraku." I ordered softly. She groaned before opening her eyes again. I watched as she sat up and stretched. I noticed her eyes trailing over my body, and I couldn't help but look down to see what she was looking at.

"Sorry. This is the first time I've seen you in your armor." She admitted, making me smile.

"I do hope that it is to your liking." I replied before grabbing her small hands in one of my own.

"Oh, very much so." She replied quickly, then blushed as she realized what she just said. I let out a loud laugh which made her blush even more. I stood from my spot on her bed and placed a hand on her chin. My hair fell over my shoulder as I leaned down and pressed my lips against hers. She immediately returned my kiss, and I was once again ecstatic that I was able to taste her. I pulled away before I lost any of my control and smiled down at her.

"Get dressed, Little One. I will be waiting in the dining hall with the others." I stated as I turned and left her room. I made my way down the halls, not stopping until I had reached the dining hall. Sesshomaru, Rin, and InuYasha were already present. I walked past all of them and sat in my chair, feeling the angry gaze of my youngest.

"Pup, is there something you wish to say?" I asked as I took a sip of wine from the goblet in front of me.

"You haven't won, Old Man." He replied, making me sigh.

"I do not wish to fight you, InuYasha. You are my son. I only ask that you respect me as your alpha." I said, silently hoping that we could have a civil relationship at the very least.

"I don't care about that. You want to be alpha, go for it. I want Kagome." He retorted. I instantly let out a growl, warning him to tread lightly.

"As much as I would enjoy seeing you kill the half-breed, he does not know of your status with the miko." Sesshomaru interrupted. It made me calm down a little, but I knew that, in the end, it wouldn't matter. Only something drastic will ever make him give up Kagome.

"Status? What does that mean?" InuYasha asked, looking at me angrily.

"It means we are courting." Kagome said, making all of us look at her. I instantly stood and made my way to her. She gave me a smile as I placed my hand on the small of her back, gently guiding her to her seat. I pulled out her chair for her and pushed it in as she sat down. The entire time, I could feel shocked and angered eyes on us. As I sat down, I looked towards InuYasha, whose mouth was open and eyes were huge.

"You're going to catch flies." Kagome stated, looking towards him. InuYasha's mouth snapped shut, and he glared towards her.

"Why?" He asked, not able to muster anything else.

"Because I want to." She replied as Sango, Miroku, and Kirara walked in. They took one look at the situation and shook their heads, knowing how this was going to end.

"What about me?" He asked, looking hurt.

"What about Kikyou?" She yelled, her loudness making me flinch. I grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze, trying to get her to calm down.

"You know I love you, just like I love her. I want you both, but you ran away before I could even tell you." He argued, making my anger rise.

"You are a fool, Half-breed!" Sesshomaru snapped, his eyes tinting pink. "We are inu yokai. We do not take multiple partners at once. You disgrace our name, as well as the miko's. Even this one knows she would never go for something so idiotic."

"Stay out of this, Bastard!" InuYasha yelled.

"I have been with her longer than any of you have, and I will not hesitate to defend her from the likes of you. Father may not kill you, but I will." Sesshomaru retorted. Nobody denied his words. While she had originally been with InuYasha's group, she had spent more time with Sesshomaru and Rin than any others. He took her in as pack, and now she was a dear friend to him.

"It's okay, Lord Sesshomaru." Kagome soothed, making my eldest look at her out of the corner of his eye. He leaned back slightly, letting Kagome take over. "Sesshomaru's right, InuYasha. I would never have agreed to that plan. I would never let the man I'm with be with another, and if I did, it would only be because I didn't care enough to stop it. You should also know that, with as many times Kikyou has tried to kill me, I never would have gotten along with her. In the end, we would have fought until one of us died, which most likely would have been me because you know how I am about killing."

"We could have made it work." InuYasha argued, still not understanding what Kagome was saying. She placed her head in her hands and let out an aggravated sigh.

"No, we couldn't have. I was always second best to you. I want someone to put me first. I want to feel like I am the best thing to ever happen to that someone. While I know that's a lot to ask for, and it may never happen, it's all I ask." She replied, making me look at her. I wanted to tell her everything she wanted to hear, but right now wasn't the time.

"Fine. I choose you Kagome. I want you, and only you." InuYasha retorted, making me growl. A small hand went on my shoulder, and I saw Kagome giving me a reassuring smile. She turned back to InuYasha with sadness in her eyes.

"You choose me because Kikyou left. You choose me because you couldn't mark someone who was already dead. If Kikyou were to walk through that door right now, you would go to her. And I'm okay with that. Just don't try dragging me with you." She said, looking straight into InuYasha's eyes.

"I'll make you fall in love with me again." InuYasha informed her.

"You have no say anymore, Mutt." Sesshomaru interrupted before reaching out and moving Kagome's kimono from her shoulder. My mark suddenly became very visible, and I could hear InuYasha gasp. There was no removing my mark unless it was done by me. This wasn't a normal courting mark. This was a mating mark. Anyone who saw it would know that she was my intended.

"I'll find a way to remove it. You will be mine again, Kagome." InuYasha yelled. I stood instantly and a feral growl escaped my throat. I could feel my youki beginning to stir as my anger skyrocketed.

"You will stay away from my intended, Son." I said, my voice rough from the growl in my throat.

"I won't let you go through with it. She was mine first." InuYasha yelled. Just before I launched myself into an attack, a dark grey barrier was suddenly surrounding the two of us.

"Oh, shit." Miroku said, shocking me. He grabbed Sango and Kirara and ran to the other side of the room. Sesshomaru grabbed Rin and did the same. I looked at InuYasha who had fear in his eyes. Everyone in this room knew what was happening except me.

"You will both cease this foolishness." Kagome stated, her voice sounding different. I looked to her and my mouth dropped. She was surrounded by her reiki, her hair swirling around from the power of it. Her blue eyes now swirled with a bright pink. Her arms were outstretched to her side and I found her mesmerizing. I knew she was powerful but this was extraordinary. Her aura alone was making mine spark out in defense. I knew then that she was keeping most of her power hidden, and right now, she was angry enough to unleash it.

I tried moving from the barrier but it only seemed to tighten around me. Kagome's eyes turned to me and I suddenly felt very small in her gaze. I had literally just met the one person who could kill me, and I was going to mate her. For a split second, I regretted my decision, but then I remembered that this was still Kagome. This was still the woman I was falling for.

"You regret your decision, Mattaki?" She asked, making my mouth drop.

"No." I replied as best I could. How did she do that? How did she read my mind?

"I am not Kagome. I am her reiki. I can sense every thought that passes through the two of you, just by a simple touch." Kagome replied before turning to InuYasha. "You have caused me much trouble. You have hurt me. Because of my taint, my master has sealed me away, refusing to use such an evil thing. Yet my hatred for others was caused by you. I could kill you now and feel nothing. I could kill all of you because in some way, you have all hurt my master."

"I have not hurt her." I growled out as the barrier constricted around me again.

"Did you not just regret your decision to mark her? Do you really think she doesn't know what's going on right now? She may be fighting for control, but she can still hear everything said. Even now, her pain of rejection is only growing." She stated, her eyes turning back to me.

"You didn't listen to the rest of my thoughts, did you? I would never give up my claim on her, no matter how powerful she is. Her power just makes it easier because she is my equal in strength. I will make her mine, in every way possible. I will never turn her away. Kagome, come back to me." I yelled, trying to get my Kagome back.

"Hn. It seems she has heard you loud and clear. It does not bother you to know that she holds this much evil in her? That she fights me daily and one day may lose?" She asked as she tightened her hold on me again.

"I will not let you win. I will heal you, just as I will heal her." I stated, wincing from the pain in my body.

"I am years of pain caused by your son. Do you think it will be easy for you?" She asked with a scoff.

"I never said it would be easy, but even I can see she has already begun to heal, just as I know you can. Now give me my Kagome back." I ground out through clenched teeth.

"As you wish, but I will be back." Kagome said before I was suddenly released from the barrier. Three thuds could be heard as we all fell to the ground roughly. I laid there for a moment, trying to catch my breath. I looked around when I heard a groan and saw Kagome pushing herself up. She held a hand to her forehead and looked at me.

"I'm so sorry. I tried to stop her but I couldn't." She cried, crawling over to me. She put her hands on my chest and I smiled before sitting up.

"Calm down, Little One." I said, pulling her to me. She clutched on to my haori as I rubbed her back. "I am glad to see that you also have something you fight."

"What do you mean?" She asked, looking at me.

"Your reiki is like my beast. They are there, constantly whispering into our heads. My beast has been especially noisy since I met you." I explained, standing up. I held out my hand for her and she took it. I turned to InuYasha to check on him and noticed that he was pushing himself up as well.

"Is that a bad thing?" She asked, grabbing my attention again.

"No. It means he likes you, but it can get annoying to hear him screaming about you in the way that he does." I admitted, making her blush.

"Father, my beast has been restless as well. I have been thinking of visiting Bokusenou to find out why. Maybe we should make a stop by our old friend." Sesshomaru interrupted, taking a few steps forward now that the danger had passed.

"Yes, we will head in that direction while we are looking for clues on Naraku." I looked towards everyone to see if they had any objections. When my eyes landed on InuYasha, my heart went out to him.

He just witnessed firsthand what his actions had caused. The pure-hearted miko was tainted by an evil because of him. I knew that he was finally going to be thinking hard about his actions. As much as I hated seeing him in pain like this, maybe now he would leave Kagome to live the life she wanted.

"Let's eat breakfast so we can leave. We have already spent too much time here." I ordered before holding out Kagome's chair for her again. She gave a small nod of thanks before sitting down. I watched as everyone else followed her lead. We ate in silence, all of us thinking on what just occurred.

About three hours later, we had made it about five miles from my estate. Kagome walked by my side while everyone else walked wherever they wanted. The tension from earlier was completely gone. In fact, Miroku's antics with the demon slayer's backside had been enough to even get a small chuckle from Kagome.

I enjoyed every happy sound she made, but I still had yet to hear a full laugh from her. I was very curious as to what her laugh sounded like, and I knew it would be just as beautiful as everything else she did. Another smack could be heard, taking my attention away from my miko.

"Hn. It is a shame, Sango, that you will not let your husband touch what he desires." I stated, receiving a glare from the woman.

"I let him touch what he wants…in private." She retorted.

"But it is no fun in private, my dear. I wish to tell the world that you are my lovely wife, and what better way than to show my affection to your glorious backside." Miroku countered with a mischievous grin.

"Sesshomaru!" Rin squealed before slapping him. I looked over to see his face covered in shock, his hand still outstretched.

"It appears all women act the same." He grumbled before returning his hand to his side.

"No, you just surprised me." Rin apologized before rubbing his reddened face gently. I let out a loud laugh, surprised that my son would act in such a way.

"Do not laugh, Father. I could easily tell of what you did earlier this morning." Sesshomaru stated, making my mouth snap shut.

"Boy, you will refrain from threatening me." I growled out.

"I believe your hands have been far too busy to carry out any order you give." Sesshomaru retorted, a smirk on his face.

"I don't get it." Kagome said, her finger to her chin, deep in thought.

"It means Pops played with himself." InuYasha grumbled from behind us. I turned and glared at him as Kagome's face suddenly caught on fire.

"I cannot help that I have such an attractive woman at my side." I admitted, knowing there was no way I was getting out of this. My sons betrayed me.

"I guess it's a compliment in a way." Rin said, making Sesshomaru's eyes snap towards her.

"How?" Kagome asked, her face still red.

"Well, inu yokai are prideful creatures. I imagine doing something like that is a blow to the ego because it means they lost some of their control. So in a way, you basically control Mattaki. He is so attracted to you, he can't stop himself." Rin informed her.

"She is insightful." I observed, giving Sesshomaru a shocked look, who was looking pleased.

"Is that true?" Kagome asked, looking up at me.

"Indeed, Little Miko." I answered, loving how her face reddened even more. "Once again, you have me curious about your blush. Just how far down does it go?"

"Hmm. Maybe one day I'll show you." Kagome smirked, making me freeze. I had expected her to yell or hit me but not to tease me back. Me freezing did not faze her in the slightest. She continued walking forward, giving her hips some extra sway, causing my eyes to lock on to her ass.

"Oh, Kami." I breathed, watching her. Sango, Miroku, and Rin busted out laughing as they looked at me. Even Sesshomaru held a smile as I imagine the expression I was making was very amusing.

"What's wrong, Mattaki? You look a little stiff." Kagome said, turning around and giving me an innocent smile before beginning to walk again.

"She's a fucking vixen." I exclaimed, causing Sesshomaru to flat out laugh.

"Watch your language, Pops." InuYasha said, walking past me. I just stood there staring as everyone began to walk again. What the hell just happened?

-sSs-

So I know I said there was going to be fighting in this one, but I decided not to. I wanted to end this chapter on a good note. Normally when I write, I have all of my stories planned out. But with this story, I don't because I had already typed the first two chapters. With this one, I am writing as I go. With that being said, sometimes my teasers may be off. I hope you don't mind.

Shout-outs:

LADY SILVERFOX: I actually kind of hate my name. It was mine and my husband's initials before we got married, but I wish I would have been more creative. And as for what will happen next, you will just have to wait and find out. HAHA!

RedDrake323: I'm glad you liked my fight scene. I always get a little worried about those. Lol.

Miskee: Thank-you for your review. Don't worry, InuYasha will only be a jerk for a few more chapters, then he will become a part of the pack. Lol. And thank-you for your offer. I will keep you in mind if I ever need any help.

Guest number 1: Don't worry, I haven't forgotten Shippo. I will bring him in soon. Thank-you for liking my story so far.

Guest number 2: I kind of feel like this may be my first flame. Lol. You can think my story is lousy if you want. In truth, it doesn't bother me. I will always accept constructive criticism, but nothing in your review is helpful. Because of your dislike of InuYasha, you have insulted my work. If you don't like my story, don't read it. It's that simple.

Teaser: Chapter 9: What happens when the gang is attacked for the first time? How does Mattaki plan on getting closer to Kagome? Continue reading to find out.

I do not own InuYasha.