*** Hey guys here is a chapter that is going to be a bridge to the more exciting things that will be happening. Sorry for the delay in posting but I had a final exam to study for and a new job to train for. I hope you guys enjoy!
Chapter 15
Hana sat in the kitchen of the castle and ate her morning bread. Most of the castle was still abed after the festivities of the day before. But Hana knew she needed to be up and ready to serve her mistress whenever she arose for the day.
Not that she expected Lady Akemi to be up any time soon. It was expected for a newly mated couple to spend most of the next day in bed with one another.
Sighing, she rested her head on her hand and toyed with the fresh bread on her plate. Her biggest wish was to eventually be one of those women. Hana wanted to settle down with a mate and have a half dozen pups that she would love with all of her heart.
Unfortunately when your father was the one in charge of weapons it took a particular type of male to court her. She needed a mate who would not be intimidated by her over protective father or be scared away by her crazy sisters.
Though perhaps crazy was a bit harsh. Niina could be sweet when she wanted too. Raina on the other hand had a temper that rivaled her fathers. As the youngest of the three her sisters took to guarding her a little too well. Hana shuddered to think how much worse it could be if they had been brothers instead of sisters.
"Please tell me that is your mothers fresh baked honey bread in front of you?"
Hana jumped, pulled out of her thoughts so quickly, and looked up at who had entered the kitchen. Of course it would be Yukio. Blushing at being caught day dreaming she put on a smile and moved to make him a plate.
"Morning Yukio. Have a seat and eat some breakfast. What has you up and about so early this morning?" To be completely honest the man looked exhausted. And wasn't it unfair that even tired he was incredibly handsome? His eyes always seemed to be twinkling like he held some private joke that no one else knew.
"I was assigned as one of the guards to look over the happy couple last night. Kyo was worried that Lord Tomo or Lord Shigeo might try to cause problems. Last night was went off splendidly though. I certainly would not be surprised if our Lord and Lady presented an heir to the Western Lands in six months' time." Yukio blushed after he said the last part, realizing just who he had said it to.
Hana laughed and smiled. He was adorable when he blushed. "Well I am very happy for them. Neither of them has had an easy life and they are both due for some happiness I think. Now milk or juice to drink?"
"Milk, please."
Could he get any cuter?
Hana poured him a glass and let the poor man eat. She could only imagine what he had been forced to listen to all night long. And that sparked another train of thought. Would he be that attentive of a lover? If he were her mate would he keep her up all night and not care who heard?
Shaking her head to clear it, she fought back a blush. She knew she should not think such things. At the rate their flirting was going she would be an old maid before she ever found out. But a girl could dream couldn't she?
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Lord Tomo stood in his study pondering his options. He really did not have as many as he would have liked. His spies had alerted him to the fact that Sesshomaru had mated Lady Akemi. And the bitch would pay dearly for that.
Now that the happy couple was mated they would soon be traveling north. No doubt Sesshomaru would want to take stock of what his lovely mate brought to the table. Akemi had lands and servants aplenty and both castles were splendid.
Shigeo though had hoarded a lot of the nicer things he could get his hands on. Lucky for Akemi her uncle had not been able to touch the girls money. That was probably the only thing keeping everything from falling into complete ruin. Tomo really had looked forward to using that money to bringing their lands together and forming a vast estate with unlimited power and resources.
With her name and money coupled with his knowledge and power they could have ruled the Northern Lands together. And his pups would have been bluest bloodline. But no, all she left him with was embarrassment and her putrid uncle locked in his dungeons. Had Shigeo kept a better eye on the girl none of this would have happened! The beatings were the least of what he deserved.
Moving his considerable bulk to the fireplace, he sat in a heavy leather chair. Sesshomaru would come for him as soon as he set his lady's home to rights. Tomo was not stupid he would have done the same if someone had tried to steal his own woman from him. So the question begged was what was going to be the best course of action to deal with the pup?
That question had been plaguing him for days and he needed an answer to it soon. Time was steadily running out. He was too old to take the pup out in a straight out fight. Tomo also knew that Sesshomaru would bring his own troops to the north with him. That coupled with the ones Akemi held here were substantial enough to have him worried.
His castle he could protect and hold so long as he had food and water. But he did not like the thought of being trapped inside with no way out. So that left him with the options he did not care for. He could take the high road and offer a formal apology with the promise of never interfering in their lives again, that one he hated and he doubted would work, or he could take out Sesshomaru in a more underhanded way.
Tomo stared into the flames in front of him and smiled. He rather liked that last one if it wasn't for a couple of factors. He wanted his face to be the last thing Sesshomaru saw before he died. It would rip the man apart to see his darling mate weeping and know that Tomo was the one that would have her now.
The other drawback to the plan was he would have to be in hiding until Sesshomaru's death. The man would be hunting for him and be on full alert once he left his own lands. He would be expecting Tomo to be sitting in his castle plotting a war or something as dastardly.
Tomo planned to be anywhere but where the pup expected. He would implement his spies and do his best to kill Sesshomaru through any foul means necessary. If Sesshomaru lived Tomo knew he would not be and that was unacceptable. He also knew he would only get one shot at it. As much as Tomo hated to admit it the man was no fool.
So sitting by his fire and relaxing he began to plot the best way to kill the proud lord who thought he could take what was Tomo's.
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Akemi stretched sore and aching muscles. Last night had most definitely been the best night of her life. Sesshomaru had loved her until the dawn had broken, and each time had been better than the last.
The man was insatiable. She had had to beg him at dawn to leave her alone and let her rest. Even now she felt his warm lips trailing over her mating mark causing her to shiver.
Whimpering she tried to wiggle away. "Feed me and I swear I will let you have your wicked way with me again. But I need food before I can even contemplate doing anything else."
Sesshomaru let out a deep chuckle and nuzzled her neck. "That's why I am waking you up my little wolf. You slept through breakfast so I told Hana to bring us a large lunch and a fresh bath."
Akemi groaned out, "Thank heavens! You sweet, sweet man, bless you!"
Sesshomaru let out another chuckle and scooped her up, ignoring her protests at being moved, and deposited her in a warm bath. Her body wept with joy as the water surrounded her. It felt amazing.
"Did I tell you I love you? Because if you bring me some of that meat I smell and something to drink I promise to love you forever." And she meant it too. Her stomach was growling but her muscles had turned to mush the moment that he had slipped her into the bathwater.
Sesshomaru surprised her though by bringing the platter over next to the tub and hand feeding her bites of food. Every so often he would set it down and give her a few sips of wine before kissing her and picking the platter back up. Now this was the life. If she had known she would get this kind of treatment as his mate she would have mated him sooner!
When she was full she sighed and relaxed back into the tub and smiled seductively at her mate. "Don't you want to take a bath with me?"
Sesshomaru groaned. "Little wolf if I climb in there with you we will not leave this room today."
Akemi quirked up an eyebrow. "And that would be a bad thing?"
Chuckling at his mate, Sesshomaru shook his head. "I had assumed that you would want to help me with preparations for traveling to your lands. Was I wrong? The sooner we figure out what needs to be done the sooner we can leave."
Akemi let out a squeal and jumped out of her bath. Diving into her mates embrace she began to thank him with kisses. And neither one seemed to notice or care she was soaking his impeccable clothes.
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Two hours later they exited their quarters and Sesshomaru sent for his advisors.
As everyone assembled his brother strolled in and took a seat at the table. Sesshomaru arched a brow at him but said nothing. He had inadvertently grown closer to his brother over the last few years and he supposed it was more productive than their fighting. No doubt his father would have gloated over them acting like brothers for the first time in their lives.
Tapping the table he looked at Jaken, Myoga, and Kyo. They were the only ones he truly trusted to help him plan out what needed to be done. And make no mistake there was much that needed to be taken care of.
Once everyone was settled and paying attention he started. "As you all know that with my mating Lady Akemi I have received control of her lands and have promised to restore them and protect them so that they may be given to our future pups. In order to do this I will need to know what your people will need most little wolf."
Akemi thought of all the necessities her people longed for and tried to pick the ones most needed. "I believe that we will need rice, flour, blankets and things of that nature. I know that the steward has kept a large portion of the funds from being swindled from my uncle so money to replace anything else should not be a problem. My father's castle may need some repairs and tending to, but the castle and lands that I inherited from my mother have been kept up. There is a trusted steward that runs them and kept my uncle away from them. All in all it should not take much to set things to right. What will take time is building back my people trust."
Sesshomaru nodded to Jaken. "Jaken see what we have in our stores and how much we can spare." Shifting gears back to his mate, he looked at her and continued. "Once we get to the main castle and see how much money we have to work with and what repairs need to be done to return the castle to its original state. I will make sure seed is bought and your tenants are taken care of. I will leave you in charge of overseeing to your household staffs needs and setting the inside to rights. We will make sure they know that they will never be mistreated again."
Her eyes teared up at his words so he gently took her hand and squeezed. "I promised I would help you little wolf. Soon we will have your home restored back to its former glory and your people flourishing. This Sesshomaru would not let it be any other way."
Akemi whispered a thank you and knew he would always keep his promises to her. The Great Lord Sesshomaru was not the emotionless block of ice people thought he was.
Once Sesshomaru was reassured his mate was ok he went back to business. "Kyo I need you to come with me. Lord Tomo is a problem that will have to be dealt with. No doubt he is even now plotting. I want you to pick a contingency of men to accompany us and help make sure that Akemi's men are prepared for ever Tomo may throw at us."
"My Lord I already know which men we need, but who do we leave to run and protect the castle?"
Jaken sputtered and began to say that he of course could run the castle and oversee the men, but Sesshomaru cut him off. "Inuyasha, if he agrees, can run things while I am gone. Jaken and Myoga, you will advise him as you do me."
Jaken wanted to argue with him but he knew that once Sesshomaru made up his mind there would be no changing it. And who honestly wanted to contradict the all-powerful Lord Sesshomaru? He was the Lord of the Western lands and here his word was law.
"Uh Sesshomaru are you sure you want to leave me in charge?" Inuyasha was shocked to say the least.
Sesshomaru looked his brother dead in the eye. "Do you think that you cannot do it? Or that I would leave someone in charge who was incapable of doing so? I have watched you handle more threatening situations. At this time I feel that you need learn more about the lands that are in your blood. For far too long you have gotten out of learning your duties to the Western Lands. I have called upon an old guard captain Tamaki to step in and keep an eye on the remaining guards here. He will see that training and schedules are followed."
All Inuyasha could do was nod. "Like that was my choice but I am honored and will see that there is nothing for you to be worried about here. Though I cannot be held accountable for the damage my daughter does to the breakables around here." The last he said with a laugh. The castle was not mini Inuyasha proof.
Sesshomaru arched a brow. He had no idea his adorable little niece could be quite the little hellion. But seeing who her father was it should not surprise him. "Good. Now I would like to leave in a week. That should give everyone enough time to get everything together and ready to go. Inuyasha I will expect you to shadow me and Jaken in that time to learn what needs to be done. I should not be gone more than a couple months. Now if no one has any questions I would like to take my mate back to our quarters to rest before dinner."
Inuyasha and Kyo looked at one another and promptly proceeded to snorted at that. "Yeah rest, riiiiiggghhhtttt," they both said in unison.
"Perhaps we should just have dinner sent up to you guys. I know when I mated Kagome we did not leave our home for two days."
Sesshomaru arched a brow. "I assume that is how you conceived my niece."
Inuyasha grinned unrepentantly at his brother. "Yep."
Akemi blushed at their antics but Sesshomaru just grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room with him. She just smelled to damn tempting for her own good. And that blush. That certainly did things to him. And if they happened to make a pup well all the better.
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Laying relaxed and sated in bed Akemi rolled toward her mate and rested her head on his shoulder. She still could not believe that he was all hers.
Gently she ran a hand down his abdomen and felt the strong muscles shift under her palm. When his low growl echoed in his chest she hid her giggle in his shoulder. He loved when she touched him but it never failed to instigate another round of love making when she did.
"Your brother is going to rub it in tomorrow that we missed dinner after all." Not that Akemi minded. She had thoroughly enjoyed herself and had not minded missing the meal at all.
"It was worth it"
Akemi could not hide her laughter this time. It came tumbling out as she hugged him close. "I am glad you think so. I worried that I would not be very good at this."
Sesshomaru rolled over and pinned his mate under him, looking directly into her eyes. "If you had been awful I would have taught you how to be good. But nothing you could do would displease me."
His words pleased her and stirred something deep down within her. Bringing her inner beast to the surface she flipped her mate over. Straddling his waist she grinned at his look of utter shock and began to grind against him.
"You know Sesshomaru, you are not the only one who happens to be incredibly strong. These last two weeks my beast has really come to the surface and she pushes for me to assert myself more."
Sesshomaru arched one regal brow at her. "I would not have mated a week demoness. But due tell this Sesshomaru about what your beast wants."
Akemi smiled devilishly. Her beast wanted her to show her mate that she could dominate him and make him like it. So far Sesshomaru had been in control of most of their love play. Not that she had minded, but now she had an urge to drive the all-powerful Lord Sesshomaru insane with lust.
Still straddling her mate she grabbed his hands and pulled them over his head and bound them there with her ice powers. Leaning in close to his ear, so her lips could brush against it, she whispered sexily, "How about I show you?"
Lemon******************
Sesshomaru's body shivered in anticipation under, making her feel powerful. She gently licked and nipped at his ear and slowly worked her way down to his chest placing random warm wet kisses here and there. Loving the feel of his strong body under her own.
Moving her hand away from his body, Akemi formed a small piece of ice in her hand. Holding the ice with her fingertips she drew it gently down his ripped stomach muscles.
At first he jumped and tried to move away but she drew her strength out and pinned his shoulders down with one arm while the other continued to torture her mate. She knew if he really wanted he could get free but hoped that he would let her have this.
Watching the ice leave a cool wet trail down his muscles did things to her she didn't know was possible. When the slip of ice trailed down to the v of his hips he let out a moan of pain and pleasure that sent a bolt of pleasure through her. She knew they were both caught in her game then.
Spurred on with his reaction she blew on his skin causing it to shiver. She then blew on the slip of ice causing it to grow cooler and slipped it into her mouth. Releasing her mate's shoulders she slid down his lean body and took his hard member into her mouth with the ice.
She wanted to smile when she heard him suck in a quick breath at the opposing temperature of the ice and her hot mouth. But she was too busy moving that little piece of ice with her tongue. First she pinned it under the mushroom tip before slowly pushing it down the vein.
Sesshomaru must have lost himself because for the first time he was not controlling the noises coming from his mouth. Nor was he able to stop the thrust of his hips into her hot little delectable mouth.
Akemi flicked her eyes up to his face as she continued to torture him with her lips and tongue. Thoroughly enjoying seeing what she could do to her fierce lord. Being in control certainly had its advantages.
Heady with the feeling of power she began to massage his sac as she sucked him down deeper into her throat. Knowing that with every sweep of her tongue and movement of her hand she was pulling him farther into the realm of bliss.
She could practically feel him getting close as he clutched at the sheets. Wanting things to last longer she tugged on his sac to stave off his orgasm and pulled her mouth from him. Her eyes glowing a vibrant blue she moved back up his body leaving love bits on his abs. Wanting and needing to leave her marks on him.
She slowly crawled into position and straddled his hips. She stared deeply into his eyes making sure he knew just who was making him feel this pleasure and impaled herself on him. Loving the feel of him hot and hard inside her. Filling her to capacity.
His shout of pleasure made her loose her own self in the moment causing her to pick up her pace. Riding him hard and fast, taking just as much pleasure as she was giving. And when his eyes went blind with pleasure and his hips thrust up hard into her own she knew she had never seen anything sexier.
Tapping the ice at his wrists she watched it break and finally let herself shatter. Throwing her head back she clenched tight around his member and howled out her triumph. Sesshomaru was hers and would always be hers.