16º - Night Encounters

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Kagome couldn't believe it! She was absolutely and irrevocably lost. The hallways looked all the same to her, and there was no way to differentiate one from the other. 'What am I going to do?' After ten minutes of walking around, screaming was starting to look like a good idea.

Sesshomaru, on the other hand, smelled her scent in the air. And she was alone… This would be a good opportunity to study her and maybe have some "alone time" with her. Following his plan he covered his presence and followed her through the hallways. He wanted to see where she was going, and with a bit of luck and coincidence, he would just "bump" into her. After, they may be able to have a real talk for a change. But plans do not always go smoothly, and she was running in circles for ten minutes now. Was she lost? Deciding that they were losing time, Sesshomaru made his move. Silently, as a predator closing in on his prey, he walked towards Kagome and whispered in her ear, "Ka-go-me". He used his most sexy voice, and yet, her reaction was…

Yes, she was definitely lost. And yet, the emotion overpowering her body was fear. She could feel someone following her, watching from the shadows which, in turn, made her very jumpy. When a deep voice coming from nowhere whispered in her ear, she couldn't help the scream that left her throat, and involuntarily closed her eyes. Her knees fell to the ground, and memories of that night in the forest crossed her mind. She was still haunted with the fear of being raped, and the dark shadows on the hallway were not helping.

Sesshomaru was at a loss for words. He could smell her distress, and yet he was not expecting this reaction. Automatically, he fell to the grown with her and hugged her from behind. For the next few minutes no one said a word. Kagome was just too scared to make any sense, and Sesshomaru didn't know what to say. He limited himself to purring while hugging her in hopes to make her clam down. Eventually it worked, and when she was calm once more, he unrolled his arms from her person while saying, "I did not mean to scare you."

All his life, Sesshomaru had demoness' bowing to their feet to please him. They would make his every desires fulfilled with hopes of becoming his mate. With the exception of his mother, no other had ever raised their voice while talking to him. There for, Sesshomaru imagined her giving him a pleasant smile and maybe an apology for the excessive reaction. However, her reaction once again surprised him. When Kagome screamed, "If you didn't mean to scare me, than why were you following me?" he felt lost.

Kagome had many reasons behind her reactions. And yet, right now she was angry, not because he scared her, but because this was the second time he saw her in a week position as a skittish, worthless demoness. Kagome could fell the power within him, and her own blood was responding to that. Although she was still powerless, the world of demons was savage, and the only rule every demon would follow would be the law of the strongest. Naturally, and mostly by instinct, the weak would seek the strong in order to survive. Mates, however, were supposed to be strong and powerful, and the need to prove herself to this demon was getting to her. She couldn't explain why; they had never had a real talk. But her instincts were not so easily convinced.

He had to say that her reaction was unexpected and yet very refreshing. She would prove herself a challenge when the time came. With a small smile on the corner of his mouth, he raised himself from the ground and stretched his hand to help her getting up. Seeing how relaxed he looked, Kagome released a sigh, and accepted his help. Looking into his eyes, she said, "Thank you, Sesshomaru-sama, for your help. Now if you'll excuse me…" Making a small bow, she gave him her back, preparing an exit.

Sesshomaru was not happy with this encounter. He wanted to talk to her, to know what she liked, what she hated, what she loved. Making her scream and then run away from him was not his plan. Well, not right now anyway. Making a quick resolution, he decided he didn't wanted to say good bye just yet.

"Maybe it's just me, but you seemed a bit lost." Sesshomaru was smirking inside. He got her, and she knew it. Kagome didn't turn around not because she was mad, but because she was feeling embraced, which was clear all over her face.

"Please do not concern yourself over me, Lord Sesshomaru. I will find my way to the kitchen." Kagome started walking again, then she felt Sesshomaru's right arm encircle in her left. He didn't stop her; instead, he was walking side by side with her.

"It's your lucky day. That is my destination as well, and it shall be my pleasure to accompany you." She couldn't see his smile due to the darkness surrounding them at that point in time. His voice, however, sounded amused and happy. Kagome felt herself relax and decided to enjoy this moment. 'It could be a good opportunity to understand him better.'

Neither said another word until they reached the kitchen. Kagome was still lost in her own thoughts and on how different her life had become in a couple of days, while Sesshomaru was trying to find a common subject that would make them talk. It didn't matter the subject, anything would do to start a conversation. He could feel her inner turmoil, and although her presence was soothing and relaxing, he wanted to take advantage of their time together.

Once inside the kitchen, Sesshomaru untangled his arm from Kagome and quickly dismissed the few servants that were standing there. He wanted some privacy. What he didn't take into account was that now he would have to prepare their meal. Problem was, he was a war master, and cooking was not one of his talents.

Realizing his predicament, Kagome couldn't avoid a small laugh to escape her lips. "You know, if you don't know how to cook, you shouldn't have dismissed the cook. Luckily for you, I know how to move in the kitchen." With a cocky smile, Kagome started moving around the kitchen, grabbing different ingredients. "What do you feel like having?"

It didn't matter to him; his objective was not the food but to get her undivided attention. Yet, he was not about to refuse a dish made by her. "Anything will do."

"Ok, something simple then." Kagome started working while Sesshomaru took a seat near a bench and followed her every move, which was once again creeping her out. "You know, if you are just going to sit there, you could at least entertain me with some talk." She wanted something that made the inu youkai to stop staring at her like she was his next meal. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, was satisfied on how well this was going. He now had a real opportunity to talk to her, get to know her as a person, and maybe create some sort of relationship with her.

"I understand you are going to perform tests?"

'So he knows, hmm?' Without looking away from what she was doing, she answered, "That's right. And I had my first test today in combat skills." That took Sesshomaru off-guard. He wanted to be present when she took her testes, including the combat test.

"And how did it go?" It was hard to hide his curiosity.

"Good, I think. I mean, I'm alive!" Kagome said while smiling. She thought she was making the mood a bit lighter with a small joke. What she didn't see was the murderous look on Sesshomaru's face. Thinking about his future mate getting hurt was not helping his instincts. But he would have to keep it cool if he wanted this night to have a happy ending. Her next words took him once again by surprise. "I was also told that we would be working together?" Kagome couldn't avoid the small redness upon her face.

'Is that a small blush on her face? And why as she blushing in the first place?' "That is a correct assumption. Is there something wrong with that?"

Kagome raised her eyes and met his. She was, in fact, mortified. She wanted to prove herself as a powerful and reliable demoness. However, after her first class, she realized the sad truth; she was weak and powerless. She would feel humiliated if the perfection sitting across from her saw how weak and clumsy she was. "I don't see a point in training with someone as strong as you…"

Sesshomaru was speechless. He didn't know if he should feel happy for her recognition of his strength or angry for her refusal to work with him. In the end, his anger was stronger. "If you do not wish to work with this Sesshomaru then arrangements will be made." Sesshomaru raised himself to his feet and was preparing to leave the kitchen when her small voice stopped him in his tracks.

"I'm sorry but I'm afraid you misinterpreted my words. It's not that I don't want to train with you. It's just that my skills are equal to a pup since I never held a sword in my life, and yet I'm sure you are powerful and skilled with weaponry. So I don't see how you will be able to train with me…" While she was talking, her voice was getting lower and lower, until her last word was nothing but a whisper. However, Sesshomaru heard every single one. He had indeed misunderstood her words, which in turn, almost cost all this night's progress.

"Huh…" He didn't wanted to apologize and recognize his mistake. Instead, he decided to make amends by explaining to her why he would be training with her. "Answering your question, I am indeed one of the strongest around here. It is hard to find a true challenge. However, sometimes to win a battle, strength is not what you need. You see, if I fought you with my real powers, you would die in five seconds. Instead, I will use this training to increase control over my powers." This was not the entire truth; only it was part of it, and yet it would have to suffice.

"Makes sense." Kagome was trying to process this new detail about him. Apparently, he was not all about brute force. He would also use his brain, and… "Wait, doesn't that mean that, if you lose control over your powers, I'll die?"

"Well, lucky for you that I'm usually under control, hmm?" Her expression was priceless. He wanted to tell her that even if he went into rage, she as his future mate would never be harmed by his hands. The full extent of damage caused to her would be that he would deflower her sooner than expected, and rather passionately in fact. But if he said that, then he would have to explain the whole situation to her. And it was far too soon to explain such details.

And so, Sesshomaru graced her with a smirk and let her make her own conclusions.

(*)

Although Sesshomaru was not so interested in his food, the fact that she had cooked him a meal was a big deal for the inu. Not sure on what to expect when taking his first bite, Sesshomaru was delighted with the flavor. It was something he had never tried before and yet strangely captivating. It was clear that she was extremely talented in the kitchen.

"Where did you learn to cook this way?" Sesshomaru's curiosity was attacking once more. Kagome, however, was reluctant to answer. Although she felt secure, there was still a chance that they would send her away once they discovered the truth.

"Well, I…"

"You do not need to answer that." Sesshomaru saw her reluctance and fear. He did not want to put her on the spot, so he cut her words short. His interruption made Kagome take a deep breath before continuing with her meal. She was grateful for it.

The rest of the evening was calm and strangely satisfying. Both Sesshomaru and Kagome were enjoying each other's company. However, it was getting late and Kagome could feel her eyes getting heavy. Almost as if reading her thoughts, Sesshomaru decided to end the night, and knowing that she would most likely get lost, he wrapped his arm around hers and took her to her room.

Kagome was strangely calm. Even though this demon had a tendency to make her nervous, she now felt calm and… dare she say, complete? Almost as if a part of her soul was missing and had now returned to her. Once in front of her bedroom door, Sesshomaru kissed her forehead like he had before, gave her a small smile and walked away without another word.

Still a bit shaken by his kiss, Kagome sighed one last time, before entering her room. Tomorrow would be a big day for her; she was unaware on how big it would get.

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*This chapter had a beta reader BelovedStranger! Thank you so much! :3

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