Bright sunlight shown through the open window and shown in the face of the young woman sleeping soundly on the couch. Serenity rolled over to hide from the assault of the sun's rays, but her eyes opened when she smelled the smell of pancakes cooking. Lifting her head up she saw Artemis in the kitchen flipping pancakes and whistling.
Artemis smiled when he saw the silver head poking up and sniffing the air. He placed three pancakes the size of the plate on which he had placed them. Grabbed the syrup and glass of juice and placed them on a tray before bringing them to her.
Serenity stiffly pushed herself up into sitting position, she checked her wounds from the previous night glad to see they were mostly healed.
"Careful don't hurt yourself," Artemis said before handing her the tray. He sat back and smiled watching his sovereign dig into the pancakes with a ferocity he hadn't seen in years.
"Where's Luna?" she asked between bites. Hoping the cat wasn't still mad at her for her decision on not calling the Senshi back, and said cat wasn't going behind her back and doing it herself.
"Luna needed a few minutes to herself."
As if the feline knew she was the subject of their conversation she came down the staircase that lead to the roof. Unlike Artemis Luna was in cat form and Serenity could tell by the swish of her tail the feline was not in a good mood.
Luna leaped up on to the arm of the couch and looked at the young woman before her. She cleared her throat and talked to her young sovereign in the calmest voice she could muster. "Serenity after you went to bed last night Artemis and I were about to go to bed when we smelt an odd smell one that shouldn't have been in the penthouse. Why did we smell a dog?"
Serenity blushed with her fight and being injured she hadn't had the time to tell them about InuYasha. "Oh, I meant a new friend yesterday and he happens to be part dog demon."
Luna lost her self control. "A what? Serenity what are you thinking, has it occurred to you that this dog demon has you figured out?"
Serenity rolled her eyes and pushed the covers off to stand up. "Oh Luna you are over reacting." She walked to her bed room to grab a light pink sweater and a pair of jeans before heading to the bathroom to take a quick shower. "InuYasha has no idea who I truly am and besides it's nice to have a friend. Also his brother is the Lord of the Western Lands, Sesshomaru I thought maybe I could get some information that would help me with my studies."
Luna sighed she knew that her princess needed friends and someone besides her and Artemis to talk to. She let herself calm down while Serenity showered. It wasn't long before she was done and came out dressed in her clothes and putting her hair up in her buns. "I understand your needs for friends but please be careful until we find out for sure what these demons are up too."
Serenity smiled warmly at the cat, "Thanks Luna and I will be. And you know maybe I can get an idea as to why or who is behind these attacks." She bent over to pull on her brown boots and brown leather jacket, before heading out to meet up with Inuyasha.
In the elevator she pondered Luna's words, could the demons had figured out who she was and sent InuYasha to distract her? She used the Luna Pen to disguise her sent even when she was in school, but could the pen not disguise it all the way?
"I well have to wait and be on my guard." Serenity said to herself getting off the elevator.
/
"Wow this is where you live?" Serenity asked sliding out of InuYasha's black and red hummer to stare up at the the massive brick mansion covered in green ivy. It was surrounded by a brick wall with two wrought iron gates with sharp spicks on top. A guard house was posted at the front and back gates and had security guards who were demons with huge dogs patrolling the grounds. "Security is tight." Serenity said turning a raised eyebrow to InuYasha.
"Yeah it means the bastard is home early," InuYasha grimaced. "He does the security for show, the icy bastard can take care of himself." He took the bag out of the back of the hummer, before turning the keys over to another demon to be parked. He lead Serenity up to the door and it opened before he could even touch the knob.
"Do just you and your brother live here?"
Inuyasha stopped at the massive oak door and turned back to her. "No there is Jaken my brothers assistant, and Rin his human ward. Why he doesn't make her his heir is beyond me?"
"Well if she is human could she take his position as the leader of the Western Lands?" She was sure from her studies she had learned, not only did a demon heir had to be a direct relation but also at least part demon.
"I guess you're right, but it sure would make my life a lot easier," Inuyasha huffed. He turned around and went to open the door only to have it swing open.
The foyer was brightly lit and a tall demon bowed to InuYasha as he passed through. Serenity followed behind him, " May I take your jacket, miss," the demon asked.
"Oh, yes." She shrugged out of her jacket and handed it to him with a smile.
They made it into another room with a huge stairway lined with pictures of demons. A huge grandfather clock was in one corner ticking away. Double doors on the right opened up into a living room with a black leather sofa and chairs from where she stood books lined the wall from the floor to the celling.
"Lord InuYasha." Serenity turned from her checking out her surroundings to see a toad demon coming down the stairs. "Lord Sesshomaru has asked me to tell you that he wishes for the young woman who has talked you into school to stay for dinner tonight, in order to meet and thank her."
Serenity's heart started to beat fast at the thought of meeting on of the most famous demons and not to mention the fact he was a notable playboy. But then her hopes and excitement was dashed when Luna's words came back to her. She didn't think she was going to meet him this quickly, and with Luna's warning she wanted to feel Inuyasha out to see if this was in fact a ruse. Had she just fallen into a trap? "I am sorry but I have other arrangements."
The toad demon looked from InuYasha to Serenity, "I well let Lord Sesshomaru know that you are unable to attend."
"Where is the bastard anyways, Jaken?"
"Lord Inuyasha you shouldn't talk about your brother like that." Jaken eyed Inuyasha with disapproval before answering his question. "He is in his study having a meeting online. Also you should know Lady Rin will be home from Boarding School tomorrow."
"Well, we will be in my room have the cook send up some snacks and something to drink." Inuyasha grabbed Serenity's hand and lead her up the stairs before she could even say good bye to Jaken.
Inuyasha's bedroom was the size of her living room a huge four poster oak bed rested in the middle of the room with two oak bedside tables. A basketball hoop was in one corner and a tv a little smaller then Serenity's was in the opposite corner complete with two huge beanbags. They set about hooking up Inuyasha's new toy.
/
"So you really think this girl is a threat? From what I have heard and seen she only goes after demons who are either destroying stuff or hurting humans." Sesshomaru looked at the Demon Lord of the North.
"Did you not see the power she wielded against me?" whined the same dragon demon who attacked Sailor Cosmos last night. He was covered in bandages and Sesshomaru was sure it was more for show then actual injury
"Yes I did, but I still think the girl isn't a danger she is a protector of mankind." Sesshomaru knew there was more to this then he was being told. There has been talk and whispers that the demon Naraku had been awaken and along with him and several other demons wanted to return where demon were the ones in charge and superior to human. He was suspicious that even some of the lords too, craved this change.
He couldn't let that happen him, his father, and some of the previous lords had worked way to hard for the changes and relationships they had with humans. Sesshomaru knew of the human factions that was against the intermingling of humans and demons, but those were small groups that didn't hold any pull.
Sesshomaru toyed with the dagger on his desk clearly bored with conversation. Until a soft sent assaulted him, and one word flashed in his head, MATE. He dropped the dagger ignoring it when is clattered to the floor. Another demon had started talking but Sesshomaru didn't hear his words, to focused on the scent that assaulted him. "I am sorry but I must go." He interrupted the speaker and before anyone could respond he cut off the live chat.
He sniffed the air several times and found the scent was coming from Inuyasha's wing of the house. "Jaken!" he roared. And the toad demon appeared from no where. "Who is in the house?"
Jaken shook with fear wondering why his master was so upset. It took him several seconds before he could respond. "Just Lord Inuyasha and his friend Lady Serenity."
Sesshomaru grabbed the smaller demon by the scruff and drug him back to his study, where he poured a glass of wine to calm his feelings of excitement that he found his mate, anger that she took this long to reveal herself and that she was with his half breed brother. "Tell me about the girl."
"Well she has a regal air about her, silver hair and the strangest eyes of silver ringed with a bright blue. She doesn't smell human, nor does she smell demon, as a matter of fact I couldn't really catch her scent," Jaken rambled on.
"Is she staying for dinner?" Sesshomaru wanted nothing more then to get a look at this girl, and determine himself just who she was.
"No she said she had other plans."
Sesshomaru nodded and sat down in the leather chair. He tried to picture his what his mate looked like, and several times he had to stop himself from charging into Inuyasha's room. After about the third time he got up and paced the room.
Jaken watched him wondering why his master was so agitated. "Lady Rin will be arriving tomorrow." He thought to distract his Sesshomaru from whatever was bothering him.
But even the news of his beloved wards return could not get his mind off the fact his mate was so close and in his home.
/
After about three hours of playing video games and demolishing the snacks Serenity rose to go. She wanted to get her homework done so she could focus on the holidays. "Do you mind giving me a ride home?"
"Sure," Inuyasha said looking longingly at his new toy. He really enjoyed playing video games with Serenity she was really good, but he so couldn't wait to call Miroku to tell him about what he got
Serenity giggled. "Don't worry about it I well call a cab." Actually she was going to walk out the gate and summon a portal to take her home.
"I can have one of the drivers take u home," InuYasha offered.
"No that's fine. Will I see you tomorrow?"
"Sure meet you at Crown about noon," Inuyasha waved and turned back to his game.
Serenity made her way down the stairs to the front door the butler held her coat while she shrugged it on. "Thank you."
He went to open the door when a silky masculine voice asked "Is InuYasha not driving you home?"
Serenity looked behind her at the stairs to see a demon with long white hair and golden eyes dressed in a burgundy waistcoat with matching pants and white shirt. "Umm yes he is a little preoccupied and told him I would just call a cab."
The demon came down the stairs and was standing before her. "Forgive my brother he can be a little flaky. I am Sesshomaru." Sesshomaru pick up the girls hand and kissed the back of it. Up close now he could really study her and she was breathtaking, she was perfect for his mate. Her aura was one of purity and kindness but a hidden strength could also be detected. He sniffed the air again trying to get her scent, it smelled human but more, the moon on a dewy spring night was all he could think off. 'How odd,' he thought.
Serenity felt her cheeks heat, with a blush, not since the Silver Millennium had she been given this attention. "I am Serenity."
"Serenity, " he said. He thought her name was beautiful and fitted her perfectly. "I would like to thank you for finally talking the pup into going to school. I know you told Jaken you had plans but can I take you to dinner?" He didn't want to see her go but the fact that she was human he couldn't just tell her she was his mate. If she was a demon it would have been different all he had to say was she was his mate and they would be in bed in minutes. He had learned from his father's mate that human females had to be handled delicately.
Serenity felt giddy and wanted more then anything to let this man take her out for dinner, and surprised that he wanted to spend time alone with her. But she was also a little suspicious and "It's just dinner with my Guardians but I am sure they wouldn't mind. Let me just call them and let them know that I won't be home until later."
She stepped into the living room hoping she was out of ear shot and called the penthouse. Serenity was hoping that the cats were out and wouldn't pick up and she could just leave a message. After the third ring the answering machine picked up and she sighed with relief. " Hey Luna or Artemis just calling to let you know don't wait on me for dinner. I'm ok I'm just going out," she paused for a moment and looked at Sesshomaru, "with a friend. See you when I get home."
Serenity ended the call and joined Sesshomaru at the front door
"Alright then." Sesshomaru opened the door for her and out front was a black limousine with the door already opened and waiting for them. He held out his hand and helped her into the car before sliding in after her. "Take us to La Blanc's," he ordered the driver.
Serenity's mouth feel open, "La Blanc's seriously I heard you have to make a reservation three years in advance."
Sesshomaru chuckled over her excitement. "I gave the owner the loan to open it on condition that I have a private booth for life."
"Oh." They feel silent Sesshomaru was entranced with his mates innocents and he beauty. Serenity was bouncing between the thought he was just taking her to dinner to thank her, or was he interested in her.
Sesshomaru wanting to hear her beautiful voice again asked, "So the pup tells me that you are going to school, what are you studying?"
"Umm nothing really, mostly politics." She couldn't tell him that she was readying herself to become queen of the Moon and Earth and that she was already the Princess of the Moon.
The car pulled up to the restaurant and a door man rushed to open the door Sesshomaru got out and held his hand for Serenity. They were escorted to a private booth where Sesshomaru ordered a glass of red wine, while Serenity ordered water. He raised an eyebrow at her choice.
"Alcohol doesn't agree with me." She thought back to when her and the girls decided to celebrate their graduation from high school, and with only a few drinks they were running in their sailor fukus jumping from building to building.
"I see, well order whatever you want to eat."
"You shouldn't say that I have a extensive appetite," she warned. He chuckled at her statement and she set about to show him she meant what she said.
"I still can't believe you ate all that," Sesshomaru said with a laugh.
"I told you I had a large appetite." Being a Lunarian and host to the Silver Crystal Serenity burned through calories fast which is why she always ate the way she did.
Sesshomaru chuckled and sipped his wine. All through dinner he would secretly watch her, awed every time by her beauty. "Would u like dessert?" He didn't want their dinner to end, he wanted to spend as much time with her as possible.
Serenity considered his offer of dessert, their meal was one of the best that she ever had and she was sure the dessert would be as equally good. Plus she could always go for dessert, but she didn't want to show him how gluttonous she could be at times. "No, thank you for the offer but I'm stuffed."
Sesshomaru took another sip of his wine trying to figure out a way to keep their date, if you could call it that, going. "So tell me about your studies. What form of politics are you studying, do u want to work for the government?"
"No, not really. I guess you can just say it's something that I'm interested in. This last semester I'm mainly taking course in demon politics. This is a little embarrassing, but the course study was mainly on you and your family's legacy." Serenity's cheeks pinked a bit, and she suddenly found her napkin interesting.
Sesshomaru was a bit taken aback and surprised, but he was intrigued on what she thought. "And what do u think of my family's legacy?"
Serenity meant his gaze and the words just spilled from her. " I think it's brilliant. What your father did to strengthen human and demons relationships was very forward thinking. And the fact you continued it opening up better trade and understanding. I just can't put it into words. I have to admit after Inuyasha told me you were his brother, I was hoping I could possibly ask for help or get a little bit better insight."
Sesshomaru was a little disappointed with her words. While he knew that she didn't have the same instincts he did when it came to sensing they were mates, he was hoping for a little bit of an attraction on her part. Now he thought that maybe she was just using him to farther her studies. "So is that why you agreed to dinner with me?"
"Of, course not. To tell you the truth," again Serenity's cheeks pinked and she found her napkin interesting once again. "Its been a while since I been on a date and I was kind of pretending I was."
If Serenity really thought about it her and Mamour never truly dated. They both found out that they were star crossed lovers in their past lives, and they were just together after that. Yes they went to dinner together and outings, but they were committed right from the start they didn't really take time to really get to know one another.
Again Sesshomaru was surprised and taken aback, his mate was beautiful why didn't she have several suitors vying for her attention. "When was the last time you were with a man on a date?"
Serenity really had to think about that. The last time was right before Mamoru got the shard of glass in his eye from Nehelenia mirror. After defeating her, Mamoru was so caught up in getting ready for his transfer to study abroad that they didn't have time for anything romantic. Then there was the whole ordeal with Chaos and how strange Mamruo acted after.
"It's been a few years, I guess. The man I was with decided he didn't want to be with me, and wanted to go off and study to be a doctor. It was very sudden I had no warning he wanted to leave. I dedicated most of my time to studying myself and didn't have the time for any new relationships."
Sesshomaru felt a sudden pang of guilt for bringing up a sad subject. He could her the hurt in her voice and he wanted nothing more then to get his hands on the idiot who would dare brake his mate's heart.
"I'm sorry Serenity. I just thought with a woman of your beauty you would have a dozen suitors vying for your attention. If you would like to think of this as a date then please do."
"What about you? According to the gossip magazines you seem to have several lady suitors." Serenity wasn't jealous at all about what she had read about Sesshomaru's many affairs with the fairer sex.
Sesshomaru was just about to take another sip of his wine when he burst out laughing. "Please don't believe anything the media say about me it's been a little while for me as well." The last woman he was actively involved with was the youngest daughter of the Lady of the Southern Lands.
"Well since we are considering this a date can I ask if you will join me for a walk in the park?" asked Sesshomaru.
Sesshomaru paid their bill and escorted her the few blocks down to the moon lite park. There were a few other couples enjoying the chilly night Serenity wished she had brought a warm coat but when she shivered from the cold and Sesshomaru had wrapped his tail around without thinking. "Sorry."
"No it's fine," she said when he went to remove his tail. The fur was soft and silky, she wanted to stroke and pet it but wasn't sure if that was appropriate. They stopped by a railing over looking the cannel. The full moon seemed to dance in small waves. Serenity gazed up at it, "It's beautiful isn't it?"
He had been looking at her in the moon light and she was breathtaking. The moon seemed to make her pale skin glow, it's light in her silver hair sparkled. "The moon," he looked up at it, "yes it is beautiful." But to him the moon reflecting in her eyes were even more beautiful. "Do you know the legend of the Moon Princess? My father told me the story when I was a pup. Even claimed to have known the princess and her mother."
Serenity's breath caught momentarily, and she thought 'does he know who I really am.' She needed to know what he knew. "Yes, I have heard it. Some even claimed she was reborn."
"I have heard that too, but it's just legend. Even with my father's claim of knowing them, I think it was just a father entertaining his pup." He glanced back up at the moon momentarily mesmerized by it and the pull it had on him. It had always had a pull on him, when he was younger he would sneak out and bask in the moon's bright light.
Serenity watched the moon's reflection in the small waves of the canal and thought after the Christmas holiday she should visit the Moon Palace. It was the only place where she could talk to Queen Serenity and since her mother's death she had been visiting more often.
"What are your plans for the Christmas holiday?" asked Sesshomaru drawing her attention
Well my parents and brother are gone, my friends decided to not to come home, so will be celebrating with my two gaurdians, and probably get the demon high archy studied for my class. "Hearing it out loud that all she would have was Luna and Artemis, it made her sad to think that no one would be around. But she also knew she couldn't be selfish and ask the girls to come home just for her "Boring I know."
"Hmmm, why don't you be my date to the annual Christmas party the demons have. Maybe meeting them will help your studies." He had a date already but now that he had found his mate he couldn't just take anyone.
"Really!" Serenity had heard the parties and balls the Demons threw could rival that of the parties that were thrown on the Moon. "I would love too." Then another thought popped into her head, she could visit Setsuna in Paris for a dress, and she was filled with even more excitement.
Sesshomaru laughed at her eagerness. "I know it's last minute but if you need to I can make arrangements and have a car sent to you to bring to to the best dress designer in Tokyo tomorrow. Pick what you want I will make the payment arrangements."
"That's not necessary I have funds and can pay for it." The moon light once again caught in her eyes turning them to glittering pools of silver.
The brilliance of her eyes caught Sesshomaru's breath, when she tilted her head a little more his eyes focused on her full lips. A strong urge to feel her soft lips over took him and he started to lower his lips to hers.
Sesshomaru's lips gently caressed Serenity and she sucked in her breath. He drew her closer in order to deepen his kiss when the two were blasted with dark energy sending them flying. Sesshomaru managed to turn his body in order to take more of the impact when they collided with one of the near by trees.
"Are you alright?" Sesshomaru asked as he scanned for their attacker. His eyes were already becoming red and he was going to tear the attacker to pieces.
"Yeah I am good." She too was scanning their surroundings since the dark energy wasn't that of a demon but a Youma. She hadn't fought a Youma for almost five years now, but she knew their dark energy.
Finally both spotted it and Serenity was surprised to see it was a demon youma high breed.
Sesshomaru's markings on his face went jagged he was about to go full dog demon when he remembered Serenity was still there. "Get out of here," he spoke through clenched teeth. He wasn't ready for her to see him in his demon form.
Serenity was about to argue when it dawned on her it gave her the chance to transform. She nodded and ran until she was sure she was able to transform without someone seeing her.