Oh I am so sorry! I thought for the longest time that you were all waiting for chapter 28 and I had been working on it for a while now but I've had to do so many other things and for some reason I decided to check and as it turns out I only posted to chapter 23 I'm so sorry!

Thank you to everyone who added me to alerts and favorites and I'm sorry I haven't updated.

A special thank you to my reviewers"

Animefollower 1o1- sorry for the long wait and thanks
Myziera- thank you very much I'm very sorry I made all of you wait
Vera- here is the next chapter
Sakemori- thank you anad that sucks about the account thing I'm so sorry but i am continuing it.
Ninja Star Light- thanks for reviewing and I'm sorry for such a long wait

I am so sorry!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha I am far to irresponsible and forgetful for such a lovely creation.

Once again I am so sorry please enjoy the next chapter.

Chapter 24:

"What a grand feast Lord Sesshomaru!" Kouga exclaimed slamming his glass down to the table sending a large grin to everyone present at the table, and there was a lot of them.

Sesshomaru sat at the head of the table with Kagome at his right and Shippo to his left. Next to Kagome was Rin who was quietly staring at her food. Next to Shippo was Miroku and next to him was Sango. On the other side of Rin was Susuki and next to her was Kohaku. Kouga was in the center of the table and seated directly across from him was Lord Youshimaru. Beside the two heirless Lords was the large number of females brought by the northern and southern lords. At the other end of the table was Lord Sagio with his mate on his right side and Prince Ozu on his left.*

"Welcome," Sesshomaru said raising his glass while glaring at Kouga who had jumped ahead of himself and started drinking before the head of the house hold.

That was Sesshomaru's best blessing at such a gathering he found no point in rambling on about a peaceful and comfortable dinner because there has never been one since the first four lords gathered together. He also found no point in going on about respecting the home and pack, that doesn't happen anymore not since Rin. He didn't even think about commenting on the lasting peace between the Lords since he was sure he was not going to have his title any longer after this month. He liked it simple and a simple welcome meant the destructive dinner and torturous month would be over that much sooner.

As he picked at his food he thought about what exactly he was going to do once he was no longer a Lord. It was only a title since he would still be the strongest demon throughout the lands. Kagome had a plan and as unwilling as he was to do it he had to put his faith in the human woman, a weakness he would never forget if it turned out to be the cause of his death.

"Lord Yoshimaru," Sesshomaru surprised at glare that was directed at the woman who had just spoken, he was not going to mate that one. Her voice was far too loud and grating, "I thought you were big into the 'Lords having mates'? Why don't you have one?"

If he had been able to Yoshimaru would have growled, "I did have one," he said coldly, "She died during one of the great wars in the south."

Sesshomaru tuned out the rest of the conversation. He remembered the day when the Lady of the south had died, it had convinced him all the more that he'd never mate. He'd only mate if he fell in love and he refused to do that because he would only lose his love and even though there has never been someone he thought he'd love he didn't want to chance finding a woman and having her die. No man has dealt with such a loss like that well.

"Let us move to a more comfortable environment," Lord Sagio suggested and Sesshomaru consented with a nod of his head, "Lord Kouga come, we haven't talked in a while now."

Sesshomaru followed slowly after the rest of the dinner party occasionally sparing a glance down at the miko who was walking beside him as the rest of the pack walked closely in front. She had knowledge right down to the two forms in which packs walk. In the home environment during a family gathering the pups would walk a head with the other members while the two Alphas stayed in the back watching them. While traveling the Alphas would be at the front with the betas in the back guarding the weaker members, and if it was a royal family not wanting to fight guards would be stationed around the party.

The only thing that was off in this pack was that the Alpha female is not the males mate and the pups belonged to them separately. As normal as the pack acted with instincts it was far from a normal family and most likely shunned by the other Lords, and hopefully Kouga mentions the oddity of the family.

In a way the miko acted as a obstacle for any woman wanting to mate him. The 'candidate' would have to surpass the miko in every way, and none of the females here are close to the miko's power level. He'd still refuse the woman if she was stronger, the woman would have probably not have a single redeemable trait. The miko is not a demon there for she is unqualified to be his mate but every other female is lacking what she has. Even if Sesshomaru never met the miko the females in front of him would be lacking.

"Sesshomaru-sama?" Kagome asked noticing everyone's attention shift to her even though she was whispering, "The children are getting tired I shall take them to bed," Kagome paused and looked up at him, "Do not worry I doubt I will be looked down upon I am just doing my job."

Sesshomaru nodded his head and shook away the feeling that he was relieved. He wasn't sure how she knew but she had known he was worried what was coming and she was asking him to trust her.

Kagome left as the 'adults' sat down to talk. Sesshomaru was in a chair cushioned by so many pillows it looked uncomfortable. Around him there was about seven females attempting to gain his favour in one way or another while the rest of the girls glared in envy about them getting so close. Lord Yoshimaru sat on another chair across from Sesshomaru amused by what was taking place. Off to the side Lord Sagio was talking with Kouga.

Yoshimaru joined Kouga and Lord Sagio after a few short minutes.

"What do you think Kouga, of our little plan?" he was hoping the wolf would be against it. Then it would just be him and the cat, and cats were easy enough to deal with.

"I think that this plan is. . .perfect," Kouga said and his one tooth poked out from beneath his upper lip, "He has made a mockery of being related to the canine family. Look at his so called 'pack' there are more awkward humans then there are demons!"

Yoshimaru twitched slightly, not that anyone noticed, "How right you are. Humans have no place in the demon world."

"How can we be sure though that Sesshomaru won't find a mate among these women?" Lord Sagio asked he had not picked ones he thought would annoy Sesshomaru.

"He doesn't want a mate and he doesn't want love," Kouga said confidently, "He wants nothing of what you had, Lord Yoshimaru. No sudden mysterious love, no private sudden mating, and no man would want to go through such a sudden and great loss as you did. He doesn't want a mate that is talked about throughout the land as the most beautiful and kind woman."

"She was actually called that?" Yoshimaru asked surprised.

"Yes, or that's why people thought you'd never let anyone see her. Not even your mother." Kouga said grinning fully, "Sesshomaru will pick no one so we must focus on the next part of the plan."

I l'

Susuki snuck into Kagome's room glancing about quickly. Rin and Shippo were sharing a bed but Kagome had moved away from them. With two steps Susuki was almost right next to the unconscious miko, and then she pounced.

Kagome woke instantly and rolled herself on to the floor knocking Susuki's legs out from under her, she quickly stood and faced her attacker with hands glowing a bright pink.

"I thought you were asleep!" Susuki whispered viciously while standing up, "I was told to come wake you up!"

"You call that waking someone up! My children are in here with me I'm not going to lose complete consciousness encase someone tries to hurt Rin! Next time you want to wake me up tap me on the shoulder! I'll purify you next time!"

"Sure, sure," Susuki said waving her off, "Sesshomaru wants to speak with you before the mating madness begins."

"That's a good title for it!" Kagom said happily walking out of her room before Susuki. She placed a barrier over the room and walked quietly to Sesshomaru's study, "What can I do for you Sesshomaru?"

"Are you trained in every aspect of demon society?" Sesshomaru asked shuffling papers on the desk.

"Yes, uh, there was nothing left out."

"Are you prepared to fight soon?"

"She is always ready to fight," Susuki chimed in, "I went to wake her up and she almost purified me!"

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at the miko who was glaring, "You attacked me! All I felt was a demon presence lunging towards the bed, which had two little kids in it! How do you expect me to react?"

"I made sure I wasn't going to hit them!" Susuki exclaimed, more to the look Sesshomaru was giving her.

"Are you two done?" Sesshomaru asked calmly and the two women nodded, "Kagome are you prepared to fight when it comes down to it?" Kagome nodded, "Now you said you knew about my future mate?"

"Sesshomaru takes a mate!"

"Susuki!" barked both Kagome and Sesshomaru and the riled up fox lowered her head.

"Only that she has long black hair and is very powerful."

"My father said she died how can you know this?"

"When I met you your aura had far more power in it then what you should have gained in five hundred years. It was also a different kind of power."

"Alright so out of the women here only the ones with black hair and a great deal of power count," Sesshomaru said and raised an eyebrow at Susuki who was impatient to speak.

"More powerful then Kagome?" Sesshomaru nodded, "There is no girl like that here. The strongest is a black haired woman who has enough power to match only Kagome's half concealed power."

"How do you know I'm concealing my power?"

"When you were unconscious I learned your little secret."

"Point her out and I will 'take an interest' and that is the woman you'll have to fight," Sesshomaru said waiting for a response.

"Do I have to kill?"

"No."

"Then it will be easy."

"Good now go prepare for the morning."

End.

There you go I will make this up to all of you I will post more chapter directly after this one.