Sooooo sorry for this super late update. I really planned to have this baby up at Christmas day, but well, conflicts arose. And I was out of time too.

And just a reminder, this fic is still RATED T. So I cannot be too graphic. :)) But then please tell me if I should change it. Don't want to get in trouble. xD

So this is my belated Christmas gift to you guys! Please enjoy!

Kurama's POV

Revenge? No, I'd rather think of it as execution of punishment. The consequence of plotting against the master. What an utter misfortune for him though; I am still alive, and apparently holds the upper hand.

The two guests were sent to a room to wait. I arrived to find one leaning against a wall, while the other sat comfortably near him in one of the chairs around a small table.

The latter rose from his seat upon my entrance. "Youko-san," he bowed. "I came alone as you have ordered."

"Excellent, Shin," I nodded in acknowledgment as I approached the rectangular table separating the two from me. "I must commend you for successfully tracking this place down. How are things back in the castle?"

He looked up at me. "Fortunately, those of us loyal to you remain unfazed by last night's incident. But we opt to stay quiet for now, as you have requested. Those Yomi fanatics, meanwhile, have made themselves known. Yet there are still those who are struggling on which side they'll take. Yomi is the only remaining superior back there, and they are afraid of being punished or thrown out."

I shook my head in disgust at what has become of the supposedly organized group, "This has gone out of hand." I then turned to my other guest. "I hope you understand how urgent this is, Genwaku."

The green-clad demon, who had stood upright when I arrived, nodded slowly. "Give me the instructions, and I'll execute it well, Youko-san," he bowed. "It is an honor to be at your service."

Genwaku Kyoushu is an A-class demon who generated a quite impressive record of successful assassinations, enough to classify him as a professional in his field. He's worked for me twice before, so contacting him last night was easy.

"Let us proceed then," I laid a small map on the table. "The old castle illustrated in here was built way before I was born." I cleared my throat and continued slowly, "And since I am older than any of my men, Yomi most likely has no idea that this castle has long been abandoned. This would make it easier to lure him in here. He'd just have to be convinced that it's rich enough to be looted. But then again, just at the mere mention of money, he won't hesitate a bit." I looked up and spoke directly to Shin, "Now young man, I want you to bring this map to Kon, who would then have to talk Yomi into 'raiding' this supposedly rich castle."

"Kon will… talk to him?" Shin repeated, obviously hurt.

I sighed. "Everyone knows you are my most enthusiastic follower. It is too obvious, even if you do stay silent for now. Suddenly coercing Yomi to raid this castle would look suspicious if you did it, don't you think so?"

He lowered his head and sighed. "I understand. It will be as you say then," he mumbled.

"Also," I added, "make sure his avid followers would come with him."

Shin looked up, his eyes wide in disbelief. "B-but Youko-san—"

"This is their punishment, Shin," I raised my voice, my hands balling up into fists as I glared back at him. "Eliminating as much traitors as we can is necessary. No matter how many they are."

Shin fell silent then, looking away as he nodded.

I turned to Genwaku. "Lie in wait in this abandoned castle, until your targets arrive. Your main target is Yomi, yet you must also slay all who would come along with him. No one should get away alive."

He almost grinned mischievously. "Consider it done, Sir."

"Genwaku," I glared down at him, "as reckless as this idiot could be, Yomi is a great fighter, hence he was considered superior among my men."

"I'll take note of that, Youko-san," Genwaku replied.

"You know my rules. I will reward you according to the outcome of your job," I fished through my pocket until my fingers finally took hold of the heavy cloth. I then threw Genwaku his payment—a number of gold coins that jingled inside the small brown bag he caught in his hand. "But that doesn't mean you are allowed to fail."

He gulped. "Understood, Sir."

"Shin," I called the brooding dog's attention back, "continue with convincing as many as you can to side with me. But those who would be stubborn enough should go in the raid. And until then, wait for further orders. You both are dismissed."

He was a comrade, but not necessarily a friend of Youko. A brash and impulsive subordinate of the latter. Yomi often got into trouble, and Youko, as his leader, always had to save him. Yomi is an ambitious and aggressive demon, and was said to had aimed to overthrow Youko.

One day, he brought his fellow comrades along with him to raid a castle, despite Youko's disapproval. The castle was heavily guarded, and so the men perished. Yomi could've died as well, if Youko had not come to the rescue.

But alas, it had finally pushed Youko to the edge. As punishment, Youko hired an assassin to get rid of Yomi. Yomi himself organized yet another heist, aimed to raid a castle 'brimming with treasure.' Turns out, that information was just a rumor, and they were surprised to see an old abandoned castle in its place. And there, the assassin leapt out from the shadows and attacked them. His comrades fell easily, and it came down to a fierce one-on-one fight between Yomi and the assassin. In the end, the assassin fled, because of the deep wound he acquired, but not before delivering serious damage to his foe.

A wounded, bloody mess, Yomi crawled on the ground, calling out Youko's name in a desperate hope that his former leader would still come to his aid. He cried out, the poor thing now forever subjected to a world of darkness. The assassin had left him blind, never to see light again for the rest of his life.

Yana's POV

My eyes suddenly flew open. An unusual dream that was. There were no pictures, just pure narration. My heart was pounding. It was bewildering, frightening, unlike any other dream I've had before—but then again, I'm prone to having weird dreams.

But I guess what unsettled me was that it was my own voice talking in the dream. And it was like I was reading some kind of storybook. And those words… they were all too oddly familiar. Like I've heard them already before… or have really read them before.

My eyes grew wider by the second as realization slowly dawned on me. It was a memory. It was part of one of those books about Youko Kurama that I saw in a bookstore. Those super rare books that always had anonymous authors. Why dream of it now?

The first part of the story was true, but Kurama hiring an assassin for that purpose? Could he really…?

I froze. Just the other day, two guests have arrived. Shin, Kurama's subordinate who proved to be true to his loyal dog nature, came with an unfamiliar guy. A brown-skinned man with dragonfly-like wings, his face slightly hidden from me by his two-toned long hair, went to talk to Shin and Kurama.

Could he be… the assassin?

My thoughts were disrupted by strong arms that wrapped around me, squeezing me tightly as a response to my surprised shudder.

"Seriously, Yana," the fox spoke into my ear, "when will you be aware that I'm already sneaking up on you?"

I tilted slightly to look up at him, "You're just so good at hiding your presence. And, well, you always manage to sneak up on me whenever I'm kind of distracted."

Kurama stared at me for a moment, "I can see that." He turned me to face him. "So what's troubling my little vixen this time?"

"It was just a dream."

"Which is about…?" he prompted. He really wasn't about to let this go.

I looked away, "Yomi."

"Yomi?" he repeated, frowning.

Instead of continuing, I asked, "That guy with Shin the other day… what is his business with you?" I just had to know this first.

Kurama continued staring, giving nothing away.

So I pressed on, "Does he work for you?"

He closed his eyes and sighed, "You deserve to know." His hazel eyes were glazed with anger as he opened them. "He is an assassin I hired, Yana."

I didn't have to ask to know who Kurama wanted dead. I dipped my head low and stared at my hands in my lap. So that story was true?

"Are you sad?" he titled my chin up to see my face.

"I just… can't believe it," I shook my head to emphasize my point. "Yes, I know you kill without mercy and regret, but killing your comrade?"

He sighed, "All my actions and decisions have a purpose. I am his leader, yet he plotted against me, opposed me. And remember, he once tried to have me killed. This is his deserved punishment. I am just being fair."

I had closed my eyes as I listened, until I was pulled into his embrace.

"And besides," he continued, his voice softer, "I only wanted to protect you." He hugged me tighter. "I know that as long as he lives, he will never stop pursuing us. This way, we will be able to live peacefully."

There's something about his tone now. It has conviction, but mixed with desperation. Determined yet remorseful. This man… he grew up in a cruel environment, which influenced his dark and ruthless way of seeing things. Yet he still cares, deep inside. He just doesn't want to show it to anyone else.

"Say something please, Yana," he suddenly said. His tone is void of emotion now.

"Kurama," I started, still pressed close to him, "I really do not approve of taking someone's life as punishment. But," I pulled back to look at him, "considering your position, and the responsibility that comes with it, I think I can understand where you're coming from. It's just that you have this twisted point of view of things." I paused to touch his cheek and smile, "And that's all the more reason for me to stay by your side, hoping that someday you will change for the better."

Kurama's eyes had closed at my touch. "Change," he repeated with a wry smile. He took hold of my hand on his cheek and kissed my knuckles. He opened his eyes then, "Come to think of it, a lot has changed in me since you came."

I tried withdrawing my hand, but he only gripped it tighter. I was giggling like a five-year-old when he ran his lips at the back of my hand. "Like?" I prompted, smiling at the tickling sensation.

He stopped, lowering my hand to his chest level. "Settling down. And caring for someone," he grinned, pressing my hand to his well-toned chest, "romantically.

I smiled as I rose up to kneel in front of him, so that my face is in level with his. My now free hand snaked up to the back of his head, the other mirroring the action. I pressed my forehead against his as his arms encircled my waist.

"I must admit," he breathed, "these changes were overwhelming, intimidating." He reached up to touch my cheek this time, "But as long as it's you changing me, I don't mind at all. So help me, Yana. I want to be the best for you," he flashed a toothy grin, "and for our future kits."

I giggled, hugging him as I nodded.

Kurama hugged me back, slowly rocking us back and forth for a while. He kissed the top of my head moments later. "Come, I have a surprise for you."

"A surprise?" I reluctantly pulled away as he released me.

He smirked, pulling me onto my feet and wordlessly leading me out of the room, my hand in his. It was only when we were nearing the mansion's back door when he finally spoke, "I told you we'd have a grand wedding, didn't I?"

"Yes," I answered meakly, "though I don't think that's possible now, considering the situation."

We stopped in front of the door. He cupped my chin. "I never break my word, Yana."

I blinked twice. "Are you kid—"

I was halted by his index finger on my lips. "We will have a grand wedding because I said so."

"But your men..." I trailed off.

Kurama gently turned me towards the door, "What's a grand wedding without people to attend it?"

I looked up at him in confusion. "What?"

He only smirked down at me as he effortlessly pushed the double doors open. And there in the huge garden, amidst the foggy early morning atmosphere, stood a number of Kurama's men. Shin was among them, smiling warmly at me.

"What's … the meaning of this?" I mumbled.

All of a sudden, the men all knelt in front of us at the same time. Well, except for Shin, his cousin Kon, and the twin wolf demons I recall are named Jin and Kira, who were positioned behind them. The four stood upright with straight faces.

"Youko-san," one of the kneeling men spoke, "we have realized how much of an incompetent leader our late comrade Yomi was."

I stared at my feet. So the assassin succeeded, unlike what my dream said?

"So we come here before you," another continued, "to apologize for being fools for turning our backs against you."

Kurama's face had turned stoic once again, "So now that you little brats learned your lesson, you think you could just easily come back to me?"

Right then and there, I had to stifle a smile. He sounded like a father scolding his naughty children. And just moments ago, he was hinting at inviting them. He's such a great actor.

"We've realized our huge mistake," the guy in the middle replied, "and how much better off we were under your wing."

"Please, Master, take us back in!" another pleaded. "We beg you!"

They then bent to bow deeply, their faces almost touching the ground.

Kurama briefly closed his eyes and exhaled loudly. "This would be the very last time I will give a second chance to anyone," he glared at them, "but on one condition."

Oh of course, here comes the catch.

"If you would be able to bring me the treasures I'd individually assign you to steal, I'd be willing to consider your apology," he continued.

"Yes, sir!" they replied in unison.

Which reminds me. "I… I also owe you guys an apology," I said. All heads turned to me at once. I cleared my throat. "I must've hurt you guys with those water spouts the other night. I'm so sorry, I was just desperate to escape."

"No Yana-sama," one of them answered, "we all deserved it."

"And that is why you are to win my trust back," Kurama added. "You have one week to bring in the treasures."

"And before I get too bored and find them first!" Kuronue, appearing from out of nowhere, spoke up from behind Kurama and me, slinging his arms around our shoulders and squeezing in between us. What an entrance as always.

I smiled then. Yes, this little assignment is a test, but I can't help but think it's also to contribute to the funds for the wedding.

"I told you… this is so revealing," I pointed to the chest part of my dress. The see-through chest part of my wedding dress. "And I am to wear it with no chest wrappings?"

"Don't be silly, Yana-sama." This is sweet little Shirosagi talking. "That just won't look good as innerwear for this dress! Besides," the petite bunny held up a strapless black brassiere, "we've got this one."

"Well yes, I'd greatly appreciate that," I put my hands on my hips, "if only it has the same color as the dress."

"Hmm," she frowned, "this one's delivered along with the dress. And since you have no red brassieres too, you've got no choice but to wear this. It's better than wearing none, Yana-sama."

I groaned as I grabbed the accursed innerwear and marched to the bathroom to put it on. A genius dressmaker that little seamstress was.

As soon as I got out wearing a silk bathrobe over the black brassiere, a new pair of small hands all but dragged me to sit in front of the vanity. Without a word, Shirosagi's twin started working on my makeup.

And you'd think the boyish Kurosagi could not do a great job like what I'm seeing through the mirror right now. I could barely recognize my own reflection, and she's only been halfway through.

It's a rare occasion for me to don makeup—as I honestly don't know how to—so I have no qualms with having all sorts of brushes and whatnot paint colors on my face. Except for that one. Certain. Thing.

"No!" I jerked my face away. "Anything but that, please!"

"Don't worry. It's liquid, Yana-sama, not a pencil—"

"No eyeliners!" I put my hands in front of my face. "I won't let you!"

Kurosagi sighed. "You're being strange, Yana-sama. What's wrong with eyeliners? They make your eyes look—"

"I tear up whenever I apply it," I mumbled, peeking form behind my fingers. "Do you want me to smudge my makeup? Surely not."

"I'll make it quick," Kurosagi spoke with all seriousness. "Shiro-chan," she motioned for her sister, who took hold of my hands and pinned it to my sides as Kurosagi firmly held my jaw. "Look upwards. Don't close your eyes."

I could only whimper as the liquid pencil lined my eyes, causing budding tears at the sides of my hazel peepers.

With my makeup done and my hair held up by rollers, I was asked to wait as the twins went off to get dressed themselves. I was left alone in my bedroom, anxious and excited for the huge event to be held two hours from now.

Never once before did I think of getting married at an early age, with a man way, way older than me, whom I met just months ago. And up until today, I still wonder how in the world I got here. But whether this is all just a long dream or a complicated reality, I guess I should just go along with whatever fate has in store for me. I do not have a choice anyway.

I sighed. Yes, I do miss my mother and the simple life I had back then, but whenever I think of the experiences I've had in here, a huge part of me just want to stay. Because this is the world he belongs. I've found happiness in here, and quite strangely, I feel that I am more at home here.

I shook my head. I shouldn't be thinking of these things right now. I walked up to the bed, where the twins had laid out my wedding dress. (1)

I pursed my lips again at the sight of the see-through chest. Like being a scoopneck dress isn't enough yet. Plus, the huge roses at the necklinewould just draw more attention.

Kurama, how come you approved of this design? I rolled my eyes.

Or maybe I just worry too much. Insecurity, I guess? I sighed.

But actually, except for the chest part, I love the dress. Simple yet elegant, in my opinion. A ribbon adorns each of the see-through bell sleeves. It was tight around the torso down to the hips, and from there flows a lovely ruffle-patterned skirt, which was just long enough to cover my feet. A white floral belt is to be worn as a finishing touch.

And, the dress is red, as red as his most precious flower, which my wedding bouquet would consist of.

I smiled. Ooh, I just can't wait. I wonder what he'd be wearing.

Time flew by fast. Kurosagi and Shirosagi soon came back to help me dress up as the other necessary wedding preparations were taken care of. We were temporarily staying at one of the first few castles Kurama and Kuronue had raided. It has been empty years since that heist of theirs, and Kurama found the wonderful place suitable for the occasion.

And now I stand before the huge golden doors of one of the castle's biggest rooms. The twins have both entered with their partners already, Kurosagi with Shin and Shirosagi with Kuronue. I was the only one left in the hall.

I was giddy, nervous, agitated, and thrilled all at the same time. Suddenly the doors looked larger than they already are, and my heels felt too high for me to walk in. I took a deep, shaky breath. I need to relax. This is supposed to be a happy day, our special day.

Hearing the creak of the opening doors, I fixed my eyes ahead, straightening my posture and firmly holding my bouquet of fresh red roses, as I prepared to take the first step.

Inside are Kurama's comrades—who all had apparently passed his little 'test'—who Shin and his fellow Youko Kurama fanatics have talked some sense into, and all the maids from Mizu Castle, were waiting. They watched me as they stood by their white cloth-covered chairs with large gold-colored bows.

Smiling, I stepped onto the white carpeted aisle, which was covered in pink and red rose petals. A long white plant box full of (you guessed it) roses were on each side of the aisle, separating it from the chairs.

The light of the full moon seeped into the room through the five French windows on three out of four maple-colored walls. Two windows were on either side of the room, while the biggest one was in front. At the end of the aisle was a wide platform, where an intricately carved white arch was propped up.

And there, underneath it, was the forever young fox, dressed in a red tuxedo. It suited him well, and brought out the color of his eyes that gazed warmly at me. His long silver hair flowed down his back. He stood in a calm and confident posture, looking composed and in control as usual.

Then he flashed his dazzling smile. I almost melted. No one should be this beautiful. It's so unfair.

Reluctantly, I tore my gaze away from him to focus on my walk, which, as I was instructed, should be in time with the sweet music Kon is playing on the piano. From my peripheral vision, I can see the men and maids staring—hopefully not at the see-through chest part of my dress. I had tried to cover it up with some strands of my curled hair, but Shirosagi had them clipped back with my red translucent veil.

Surprisingly, the itchy sleeves didn't bother me now. The black bunny's partly right when she said all worries and insecurities would be forgotten as I start walking, for all I'd be able to focus on is him.

I look over at the front seats where the twins are. Shirosagi has her hands clasped in front of her chest, and… is she crying? Kurosagi, meanwhile, waved once and winked at me as she leaned into Shin, who was firmly holding her other hand. I wonder when this little romance between them had started.

Alas, I reached the end of the aisle, stopping right in front of the arch, where my groom waited with his bestfriend Kuronue. He had playfully whispered something to the fox, who grinned widely afterwards.

My heart was pounding so hard it almost hurt when Kurama finally offered his arm, which I gladly linked with mine as I stepped onto the platform. Thanks to these heels, my head reached just above his chin now.

"That dress looks so beautiful on you," he whispered, staring down at me as we walked towards the end of the room.

"Thank you," I smiled then raised my eyebrow. "Although I suspect you deliberately chose the see-through design."

"Of course," he smirked. "Be thankful it's only the chest."

I gasped, but apparently I wasn't given the chance to talk as we stopped right under the huge window perched high on the wall. We've reached a small table where the red cushion with our rings rested. I finally let go of Kurama's arm, and we then turned to face each other. As Kon stopped playing the last note, the fox spoke his vow—he had insisted on making a traditional one—loud and clear.

"Today, I, Kurama, take this lovely vixen as my wife, fully allowing her influence into my life and sharing all my joys and sorrows, hopes and dreams. I vow to listen to her, to cherish her, to take care of her, to protect and provide for her, to fill the rest of her days with joy and love to the best of my ability, and to create lots and lots of kits," he grinned, to which my mouth gaped open, and to which laughter and a few hoots erupted from the men before he continued, "from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, 'til death do us part." And he slipped the ring on my finger.

Flushed from that last part of his vow, I waited for my giggles to subside before I spoke, "I, Yana, take this handsome fox as my husband, henceforth committing the rest of my life to him and sharing everything I have with him: laughter, tears, wishes, and dreams. I vow to listen to him, to fully bring out the best in him, to provide him with all the guidance, protection, trust, care, and love he needs and wants," I paused to smile, "and yes, to create lots of kits," cue giggles from our female guests, "from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, 'til death do us part." I finished with a wink. I then put on his ring on his long finger.

Then there was a moment of silence as we just stared at each other.

"So," he broke in after a while, "I'll kiss the bride now?" He playfully raised an eyebrow.

I nodded all too eagerly, grinning from ear to ear.

With one final chuckle, he leaned down and scooped me in an embrace, his lips crashing into mine. The applause was drowned out by my overwhelming emotions as I kissed him back with as much enthusiasm.

"Now all that's left is that mark," he whispered in between kisses, "and you'll be entirely mine."

The wedding festivities where what made this event grand. Tablecloths, silverware, plates, and all other designs were all personally hand-picked by the fox from the trusted underground shops he's been in. He himself chose what to put on the menu too, and boy, he really has a taste for good and expensive food. I could just imagine how much one ingredient costs.

We danced, ate, and reveled in each other's company until Kurama had to call it a night. Leaving the maids to take care of the cleanup - and the drunk men - Kurama brought me to another huge cave, where apparently we would be spending the night in.

Well, it is a cave, but once inside, I found that it had been converted into living quarters, complete with bedrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, and the like. The only thing that was retained in its structure is the pool at the end of the cave, where he had sent me to wait for him as he… well, prepared our bedroom.

And now I had been underwater since I waded in the pool.

I hugged myself tightly. What an unusual feeling. It's like my whole body is burning. Surely it's not from a fever though.

The clothes I had quickly shed out from lay atop a nearby rock. I was in a hurry to get into the water, for my body had started warming up the moment Kurama kissed me before he went off to our bedroom. I had stayed down since, curled up as I floated underwater, waiting for the heat to subside.

After a while, the heat finally went away, and hopefully for good. I lifted my head to the surface, just as Kurama wrapped his arms around me from behind.

"Starting without me?" he whispered into my ear, grasping my torso quite tightly. I could feel his bare chest… oh my, he's naked.

"I was just trying to cool down," I replied, tilting so that I am looking up at him.

"Cool down?"

I nodded. "I suddenly felt so hot. Literally. But I'm fine now, no need to worry."

His eyes softened with concern. "Are you sure you're okay?" Acknowledging my nod, he smiled. Kurama then leaned over, his soft hair dipping into the water, and kissed me tenderly, keeping my back pressed into his chest. One hand had reached up to cup my face, and it remained there, lightly brushing his fingers on my cheek, as he broke away. I felt something hard press against the side of my thigh. "I remember the last time we were in the same bath."

I chuckled. "That was the first time you proposed."

"Ah, yes," he smiled fondly at the memory. "And remember I told you that I wanted to scrub you clean back then? You had declined, but now, surely I have all the freedom to do that, don't I?" he smirked.

I flushed as I agreed, not knowing how… good it would feel.

Kurama was now leaning by the side of the pool as I lathered on soap against his neck and shoulders, slowly rubbing my hands towards his chest. I was deliberately slowed down, actually, for I was distracted by Kurama's soapy hands on my own body. They were mirroring my own hands' actions, and apparently I'm getting more affected than him.

Then I gasped as it started again. That intolerable heat inside me. It now escalated to the point of being painful down there in my belly. I immediately stopped what I'm doing, my hands hovering over his lean stomach.

"Yana?" he sounded alarmed.

I could only gasp and whimper before I crashed into his chest, unable to bear the pain.

"Are you… oh," he said, seeming to comprehend something I don't as he pulled me close, running a hand up and down my back in an attempt to comfort me. But actually it doesn't. It only made the heat worse. Is this because of his touch?

"Kurama…" I hang onto his neck, my head on his chest.

"You're in heat, my little vixen," he replied, once again regaining his calm. "I am so lucky," I could hear him smirk.

I looked up at him in confusion. And then it hit me. Animals go into heat, so that's why they mate. And I am a fox, an animal. I mentally facepalmed. I'm so slow. But then again, this heat has been messing up my brain.

All I could think of now is his touch, which I have started to crave as the seconds tick by. More, I want more. This is what desire felt like. It was getting really painful down there.

"This is your first time, am I correct?" he whispered, and leaned down to plant a chaste kiss on my lips. "Let's rinse you up then."

As soon as the soap from our bodies were completely washed away, I was out of the pool. I sat by the bank as he covered his lower half in a towel. My limbs felt like jelly, not able to find the strength to stand. Probably from the loss of physical contact.

Kurama knelt before me as he wrapped a fluffy towel around me. His hands gently cupped my face, "I'll relieve you of the pain. But I need to know—do you want to be my mate, Yana?"

I glared back at him. "That's the stupidest question I ever heard," I snapped.

He only chuckled as he took me in his arms and carried me to somewhere deep in the cave. We reached a bedroom, where he walked straight to the huge bed in the corner and gently laid me down.

Kurama hovered over me, and I wrapped my arms around his neck to pull him down. "I. Want. You," I voiced the only coherent thought in my mind right now. "Please."

"Oh Yana, are you so sure?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes…" I grunted in impatience.

He smirked. "Very well."

Within the next few moments, Kurama started on his work—kissing and nipping at my lips at the same time—eventually, and finally, relieving me of the pain, the aching down there.

Seeing that I've calmed down, he lied down beside me. "I'm not done yet," he smirked, "but you look like you need a break."

"Oh." I blushed. "So there's… more?"

Kurama chuckled. "Yes, but I think it's time we get down to the important part of this night." He propped his elbow on the pillows, his head supported by his hand, "I will mark you now, Yana. And you'd have to mark me in return. And then you'll be mine, and I'll be yours." He drew close to my left shoulder. "So," he prompted, bringing me back into focus, "would you like me to mark you at the same time you mark me?"

I could only nod as I felt his weight press against me again.

Kurama gently lifted my head to his left shoulder. "Do you trust me?" he whispered, looking sideways at me.

I smiled. "Yes, I do."

With one last smile from him, both of us positioned our mouths on each other's shoulder, and on cue, my teeth dug onto his flesh, at the same time his did.

And boy, it really was painful.

Muffled groans came from both of us as blood oozed down from our shoulders. I held onto his arms, my fingernails on his skin. He, meanwhile, clutched the sheets so tight I could start to hear it rip.

Alas, we both pulled away. I panted as my head fell back on my pillow. Kurama brushed my hair away from my face and turned me to face him. Fresh blood was all over his mouth. And yet he still looked hot.

"You're mine now," he mumbled to my bloody lips. "All mine."

I giggled softly. "And the infamous Youko Kurama of Makai," I whispered quite hoarsely with a smirk, "is all mine too. The one desired by all women. Too bad for them now, huh?"

I was entirely spent. I could only hear him laugh and mutter something I could not understand anymore.

And then everything went black as I felt his mouth on mine.

(1) There's a picture of the dress in my profile, under MEDIA. Again, let's just imagine those fox ears and tail were there.

Belated Merry Christmas! Haha, I know it's late, gomen ne~ So what do you guys think? Did I do well on the descriptions? Is this still suited as a Rated T fic? Please let me know. And what better way to do so than to put them in reviews! :))

Also, did you know DECEMBER 29 is our favorite redhead's birthday? Haha, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHUICHI MINAMINO! Hihi, so this chapter's like a birthday dedication for him too.

Oh, and this chapter also serves as an early (?) New Year's present for you! Wow, time sure is fast. And speaking of time, it's almost 5 AM here, so I gotta cut this short. xD

Don't know when to update again, because school will resume again. So um, please bear with me guys.

Again, please read and review! Happy holidays everybody! And happy birthday Shuichi! ;)))

P.S. Special thanks to my beloved friends who helped me out with the dress. I'm so hopeless with colors, so thanks a lot! Ooh, and also for my mom. Haha, I know she's not reading this, but I just want to let the whole world know how lucky I am to have a mom who answers my questions about wedding stuff without asking me why. xDDDD