Madame Masseuse

by princesspvmpernickel

Kagome Higurashi is a recently single massage therapist at "Madame's", a luxury spa in downtown Tokyo where client anonymity is the number one priority. Needing a distraction, Kagome picks up a shift the same night the spa is hosting a bachelor party. Just when Kagome wants nothing to do with men, there's a certain client she can't get out of her mind or keep her hands off.

32. Fear Is Only A Choice

Madame Masseuse

"Fear Is Only A Choice"

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How many times had Kagome jokingly contemplated pushing a panic button—one of the ones that existed beneath the counter in each treatment room—just to see if they even worked? After all this time working at Madame's, Kagome had never heard of one being used, never heard any stories of coworkers actually using them. Maybe being the first to use the panic button system after the spa's many years in business would be Kagome's departing legacy. That's if she ever got around to actually pushing the damn button.

In that particular moment, Kagome's brain decided to consider whether it could be a fake button, something haphazardly installed to check off a box for governmental health and safety compliance. Just one more thing to make Kagome feel that much more helpless and stupid for putting herself in this situation, just like the rules that were sidestepped and incident reports avoided because it was Friday night and because Kagome was too willing to put herself second to Ayame's whims.

Who would even respond if the button did, in fact, call for help as it should? Ayame? Kagome internally snorted with ridicule thinking the petite female on the front desk could do anything against her so proclaimed "Future Husband". Would the call go to the authorities or to a security service who would then dispatch someone to come help? But how long would it take for help to arrive?

Longer than the time it would take Kouga to cross the room to reach me.

A shiver crawled down her spine with that thought, especially as their most recent confrontation flashed through her mind. Before becoming distracted by the recollection, she watched his movements pause; Kouga observed her like a fox studying what the sighted rabbit would do next.

"I know it's called a happy ending, but you think you and me can get started with this?"

Shock and disbelief were the first things to register as her gaze bounced between his face and the erection practically pointing at her. A titter of nervous laughter snuck out until her wrath fully loaded. "Are you fucking kidding me?" she loudly cried. "No! No! NO! Oh my god, Kouga, no! This is not that kind of establishment. Oh my god!" Kagome spun around, giving him her back while she covered her flushing cheeks and mortification with her tepid, clammy palms. That was probably the most unprofessionally she ever navigated this particular conversation. But at this point, she was far past giving a shit about professionalism. "You need to pack up your shit and go. I'm serious, Kouga. This is—This is not happening... This appointment? It's done. It's so done."

When the heat of his touch landed with a crash on her shoulder, Kagome turned so fast to face him she almost lost her balance. Retreating from him one step and then another, she'd never known such discomfort as watching him lower one hand to cup himself. "Yeah..." he croaked over a heavy-breathed sigh before he chuckled, "I don't think so, Kagome."

Kouga's expression changing into an inappropriate smile drew Kagome from her thoughts and she licked at her lips, her eyes flaring wide as she took another hesitant step away from him. Her heart hammered and rang out in her chest with growing alarm like her ribcage was an echoing stairwell.

If Kouga wanted his hands on her, he'd be able to do so before Ayame even realistically left the reception area.

Her gaze flicking to the point of Kouga's ears, Kagome was hyper-focused on the fact that Kouga was a demon. If human men were very capable of violence against women, Kagome felt barren with fear thinking about the sort of aggression a demon male could be capable of.

These were the not-so-helpful thoughts skittering through Kagome's mind as she tried to recall the exact location of the panic button beneath the counter. Tightly clenched fists shook at her sides as she took slow and measured steps, backing away from Kouga. She was yet to actually try and push the panic button, and Kagome wondered if her slowness to act would be her undoing. But she didn't dare look away from the wolf demon, as if the moment her gaze fell would be when he chose to pounce. Even if she took immediate action, spinning on her feet to seek out said button, Kagome doubted being fast enough to actually press it before Kouga cleared the pitiful distance between them.

Staring him down seemed like her only option right now.

Anxious. Afraid. Panicked.

A rapidly increasing sense of hopelessness.

Kagome felt so much emotionally it made her body hurt, her head spin, her fingers shake.

Kouga obviously sensed her distress, yet he still stalked towards her like he was curious what she'd do or how she'd react with every encroaching step towards her. His eyes dipped to scan her body, focusing on the rise and fall of her breasts with every strained breath. A frown marred his features when he observed how she clung to the Drop around her neck like a lifeline. Irritation tinged his vulpine rakishness.

Kagome had every reason to push the panic button. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to clear the distance to the counter and make her fingers do it. Frustration joined the already crowded emotional party. Why was she stalling? Why was she delaying the potential for help to arrive? Did she honestly think she'd be able to talk Kouga out of whatever the hell this intimidation was? That he'd actually listen to her after he already flat out laughed at her when she said a handjob wouldn't be happening? No, her delay wasn't because she thought she could de-escalate the situation.

In truth, Kagome had been compelled by this little voice in the back of her head saying, 'Not yet'. That barely-there voice turned into a feeling, a sensation in her gut that she needed to bide her time before she took action at the opportune moment—like intentionally waiting to hit the jackpot button on those spinning, blinking light midway games.

Just a little longer, that voice seemed to say. Just distract him for a few minutes longer and then press the button.

What the actual shit? No, no! Push the button. You need help. You need—

Hold, that voice—was it her intuition?—instructed in a wispy tone. Not yet...you can't afford to press the button too soon. Just wait. You'll know when.

Fuck me—fine! I hope I don't live to regret this...

This situation was just overall absurd. The arguing voices in her head, notwithstanding.

At first, Kagome wanted to laugh given Kouga's obvious misunderstanding that Madame's wasn't a 'happy ending' kind of salon—she honestly even did laugh a little out of nervousness, unable to stop herself from staring at the somewhat visible arousal that, from first impression, was less pretty than Inuyasha's. But then Kagome had spoken up, and the expression on Kouga's face shifted into something Kagome wasn't expecting.

That was when the fear and the dread plummeted through her, when adrenaline spiked and had her feet leading her backwards slowly, guardedly.

He went from being boyishly daft to tauntingly intimidating, blurring the line between playful and predatory. All with a crooked half-smirk that flashed his upper and lower canines. It was an expression that unsettled Kagome because it made his wintry eyes glint with something mean and mistrustful. Kouga's was not the kind of sexual intimidation that Kagome liked with Inuyasha. This Kouga scared her, making her heart flutter with panic in her hollowed-out stomach.

Kagome didn't have a history with Kouga to understand his behaviour, nor was she experienced in the ways of reading and understanding men's intentions when it came to dominating women. Whether it was dumb luck or her romantic inexperience she couldn't say, but Kagome had never experienced any form of sexual harassment or assault in her life—maybe that's why whatever the hell this was with Kouga felt so surreal.

She felt like an idiot for thinking there was some sort of chemistry or background between them she could appeal to; this stupid and ignorant part of her brain that tried to delude her into thinking, 'There's no way I could actually be in danger here.' To get her fear under control, Kagome wanted to convince herself this wasn't him, that Kouga wasn't acting like himself. That this was another misunderstanding, something a conversation could fix. But then Kouga started approaching her, sliding his hand up and down his barely-covered shaft with a hungry look on his face, and the sick reality crashed over her that Kagome didn't know Kouga at all. This overwhelming fear she felt was her body's adrenal response kicking in because she was in danger. Because she had said no, banking on that answer and trusting him to respect her decision. Instead, he laughed. Like her consent was the world's shortest joke.

Kagome had made a huge mistake thinking she could be safe with Kouga. And as he sauntered towards her, stroking his length with a smug expression on his face, daring to look amused that Kagome was slowly backing away from him with her palms held out in supplication, Kagome's mouth tasted sour to realize just how much of a naive fucking idiot she was.

A smart woman would have listened to her intuition about the appointment.

A smart woman would have left the room as soon as his robe came off.

A smart woman would have pushed the panic button at least three times by now.

A smart woman would not have make-believed the balls needed to think she could remedy this dangerously escalating situation on her own.

Kagome was clearly not a smart woman.

A panicked chuff of breath flew from her mouth when the small of her back hit the counter's rounded edge. Hands flying up to grip the counter behind her, her eyes widened, assessing Kouga's face to observe every minute shift of muscles and the focus of his gaze. He had requested a handjob. She said no. She had told him to leave. He said no. And now he had backed her up against the counter, the floor space between them dwindling.

What the hell was he planning to do? What the hell was she going to do?

For fuck's sake, Kagome, a squeaking voice in her mind sputtered, just push the goddamn panic button!

Not yet, came that silky hush in her ear once more, making the initial voice begin to wail with frustration.

Kagome had never felt like prey before. Not like this. The Grand Adviser had scared her. But not like this. This fear was debilitating, humbling, and humiliating. Kagome was so angry her stomach hurt. She felt sick realizing how easily the construct of safety could be demolished for a woman in the presence of a volatile male.

Kagome should have been thinking about her escape plan. She should be screaming for help, pushing the panic button. She should be running. She should be doing something other than just standing there watching Kouga slowly approach her like he was ravenous to get his hands on her. Every woman knows sexual assault and violence can happen; they know to be proactive and cautious just in case. But suddenly, Kagome realized the false sense of security she'd had by thinking assault, rape, were things that happened to other women and not legitimate violence that could happen to her.

Sweat beaded along her hairline, trickled between her shoulder blades.

She was putting all her faith in a little button that may or may not even work and questionable trust in a voice in her head and an instinctual feeling to delay seeking help.

The heat of Kouga approached before his feet stalled, his toes narrowly bumping hers. The wolf demon reached for Kagome's hand and brought her knuckles to his mouth. Blue-grey eyes sparkled with mischief. Saliva grew thick in her mouth as Kagome considered not using the panic button in case it did go to Ayame, which meant Kagome could be putting another female in danger too.

That thought made her want to laugh at herself. Where was her sense of self-preservation? Inuyasha was right; Kagome did intrinsically and moronically put other people's needs before her own.

"Why do you smell like that?" Kouga asked, his mouth and breath dusting the backs of her fingers. The unexpected heat of his words made her jump. A fierce urge to rip her hand from his grip bore over her, but she didn't know if it was smarter to let him hold her hand like this.

"S-smell like what?"

"Like you're afraid of me." He smirked as if the idea of her fear was silly or cute. "I'm not gonna hurt you, Kagome," he added, eyes falling to her lips before he tongued a canine. Orbs of slush and black ice snapped back to hers. "I just want you to do somethin' about the state you put me in. That seems fair, doesn't it?"

He manipulated her hand away from his face and her panic spiked as he forced control of her arm. Large fingers seized and wrenched hers painfully when she tried and failed to resist him. Horror clawed at her chest while her other hand pried at his fist, tugged on his forearm. She was helpless to stop him from moving her arm against her will. Kouga slowly lowered their joined hands over his sternum, down the rungs of his muscled abdomen; he was purposeful in the gauzy grazes of her fingertips against his tanned skin despite Kagome's combative attempts not to touch him. His eyes sneered a playful, cocky expression like he dared her to guess where he was leading her small hand.

Her nails scraped the V-shaped sinew of his sculpted hips before Kagome managed to tear her fingers from his grip. Kouga laughed brightly, the musicality of his amusement ringing out across the dim-lighted treatment room. Kagome arched her back over the embedded sink behind her until the blunt zap of pain dulled; she was desperate for space between them. It sickened her to know she was only able to steal her hands away and then clutch them together beneath her chin because Kouga let her. His masculine guffaw simmered into a de-escalating sigh before murmuring that he thought her shyness was cute.

A fiery heat swarmed from her stomach, her chest growing heavy with rage that this asshole had the audacity to take her refusal as being shy.

"I told you no, Kouga." She swallowed nervously, her eyes dipping to watch him pump himself slowly. Kouga's hand paused at his weeping, cotton-covered tip like he considered stopping. Saliva pooled over her tongue from nausea when he started working his length all over again.

"C'mon, Kagome, don't be like that," he whispered, his chin bowing towards her. When he met her eye, he smirked at her, knowing for a brief moment he caught her looking. "Don't feel bad watchin'; I know what I look like." Kagome broke away from his touch when he tried to stroke her cheek. "I know you're a sweet girl who wouldn't tease me and work me up like this just to say no. You're too much of a good girl to leave me blue-balled and swollen."

"Why won't you listen to me? No." Kagome almost choked on the word. "My answer is no. I don't want to touch you. I just want you to leave." She was too angry to cry. Too scared to do more than grip the Drop tightly beneath her chin with both hands. She could only stare at the demon before her.

When he cast the cloth covering aside to pump his bare shaft, Kagome's head snapped up and away. Eyes pinched and her bottom lip trembled, cranking her neck to avoid the sight like she could pretend it wasn't happening if she didn't look. His closed fist hit her stomach when he squeezed and jacked his tip, making Kagome try to recoil from him further to no avail, given the counter already digging into her spine painfully. The asshole rumbled a moan in his throat. Each of his breaths grew hoarse. His lazy smirk grew when he stole her chin between tight fingers, pinning her beneath a heavy-lidded stare. Kagome would never have thought nakedness could make her feel so vulnerably inferior and weak, could make her so angry. The power imbalance between them was laughable.

He grinned at her when he tugged on her chin, her simmering gaze connecting with his. "You want a go?" he brazenly offered. Kouga flexed his hips at her for emphasis, knuckles hitting her stomach when he worked his crown.

"Stop." Kagome spoke through a retch. With a jerk of her head, his fingers fell away from her chin. "I'm not going to touch you and you're not going to touch me." Then, hoarsely, she added, "Stop it. I mean it, Kouga."

Based on his expression, and the way he kept bumping his fist into her as he jerked himself off, Kagome could tell he was ignoring her. "See...I just think you're sayin' that, Kagome. I can smell the heat comin' off of your body." Yeah, she thought, heat from fury, from disgust; I'm not aroused, you asshole. He grinned at her lazily after a shiver raked goosebumps across his forearms, drawing her gaze to the pert nipples in front of her face.

Kagome grit her teeth with self-loathing over how easily distracted she was by the nearness and breadth of his nakedness. A sense of shame, hot and greasy, loitered heavily in her belly. Seeing a naked male other than her mate made her feel guilty even though none of this was her fault. She knew that. But logic had no authority here. She couldn't help it—she felt like there was some blame she owned for this happening. Her brain kept thinking about Inuyasha, her heart tremoring with the word betrayal. As if Kouga's jacking off in front of her, against her, was somehow Kagome's fault.

Kouga's heavy sac brushed her upper thigh as his thick leg parted hers and all Kagome wanted to do was retch, cry, and apologize to Inuyasha. And not specifically in that order.

But, as badly as she felt, she knew she needed to stay alert and present. She couldn't let herself get distracted by thinking about her mate or getting lost in her guilt, not when Kouga's next words accompanied a husky groan. "I think you've never been with a full-blooded demon before and you don't know what you want. I think you're such a sweet little thing that the sight of my cock intimidates you. Here, how about this—I'll do most of the work and only pass it over to you when I'm about to blow my load." Kagome struggled and failed to keep his palm from cupping her cheek. "And I promise I'll only touch you when you beg me to, sweet girl."

She forced his hand from her face with a rough brush of her shoulder. A heated scoff was out of her mouth before she could think to stop it. "That won't be happening."

"Why not?" Kouga stepped towards her until his thigh fully pressed between her legs. He collected a fistful of her hair from her shoulder, ebony strands gently winding around his fingers. The familiarity of a lover's caress made her feel sick to her stomach. Kagome held her breath as he brought her locks to his nose for a deep, noisy inhale. "Your scent drives me crazy, y'know that?" Another deep whiff. "But I don't like that I keep picking up the smell of dog. My blood is screamin' at me to fix that."

There it was again, that petulant, chuffing incredulity bursting from her mouth. She definitely had no sense of self-preservation. "Considering I've been claimed by a dog demon, that sounds like a you problem," she hissed. "Now, back off."

A soft huffing sound escaped his mouth, his grin creeping further up one side of his face. "See? There she is. I knew you liked to play feisty."

"I'm not playing anything," she corrected sharply, her eyes narrowing, her grip on the Drop tightening. "Please. Stop this."

Kouga dropped his erection, his fist curling at his side while his cock bobbed before standing at attention almost fully against his stomach. In her periphery, Kagome could make out the dusky tone of his swollen flesh and it made that dread in her stomach spike. She gasped when Kouga reached out suddenly to grab hold of her hands, which were clutching the pendent around her neck.

"Why'd you accept this?" He roughly peeled her fingers from the charm; essentially threw her hands to her sides. "You actually like that half-breed mutt?"

Would it even matter if she admitted she and Inuyasha were mates? Would a mating bite, if she had one, even deter Kouga?

"Not that it's any of your business, but yeah, I do," she snapped, wincing when Kouga tugged on the necklace, cranking her neck forward. Her eyes darted away from his as he led her face closer to his, the pressure he applied making the chain cut painfully into the back of her neck. "A lot, in fact," she added harshly, hoping it pissed him off even if that was a foolish thing to do.

Kouga scoffed. "You know what that tells me?" he mumbled softly, hooking a finger around the chain so he didn't have to hold the crystal container that housed another male's semen. "That you just haven't been with a demon who's worth your time."

"He's more than worth my time."

"You say that now, but—"

"So what's your plan exactly?" Kagome seethed, baring her teeth, her eyes snapping to his. "You hate that I smell like the male whose already claimed me? What're you going to do to me?"

"To you?" Kouga blinked at her, dropping the necklace as if her words surprised him. That shock lasted just a moment before his eyes crinkled beneath his smile. "I think you mean with you. I don't take females against their will, Kagome."

"What do you think is happening right now?" she spat. "You think I want this?"

"I think you're playing with me."

"Trust me, I'm not. I don't want this. I don't want you." His erection poked her just above the bellybutton when he leaned into her, a baleful rumble in his throat. Kagome flinched. "Please just leave me alone, Kouga." Fuck, she hated the way her voice gave out. Any semblance of bravery scattered.

"You seriously turnin' down this cock because of a half-breed? That's a fucking shocker. What is it about him you like so much?"

"That's none of your fucking business."

He snapped his teeth at her. "Oh yeah, I like that word on your tongue, Kagome," he teased, flicking the tip of her nose. "It's your own fault I'm this hard, y'know. You're sexy as fuck when your claws come out."

"Why won't you listen to me? Please just stop. I'm not—Don't touch me." She fought his attempt to cup her cheek again.

Kouga clasped tight fingers around her nape, disregarding her words as his dilated pupils harboured on her parted lips. He leaned in to sniff her cheek. "What's he got that I don't?" he questioned huskily as if she hadn't spoken. "Do half-breeds have somethin' special goin' on with their junk that I'm not aware of? Or is it his money or status you're after?"

"H-his money or—? So you know who he—?"

"I'm not a fucking idiot, Kagome. I don't think there's a single demon who isn't aware of who Dogface is or who he's related to."

Kagome's chest burned with anger. "So you're not just an idiot for disrespecting the fact I'm claimed by someone else, but you're fucking stupid for trying to stake a claim on his female."

Kouga actually chuckled at that. "It's cute," he sneered, "that you think I want a claim on you. Your half-blood asshole can keep you, Kagome; I have zero long-term interest in a human woman. You got a sweet face and a tight body that I wanna have some fun with. Once I get my sights hooked on somethin' I want, I see it through. I don't walk away from my cravings, you understand?"

Turning her face away and straining her neck, Kagome fought to keep his fingers from brushing through her bangs or touching her face but she failed. The sensation of his thick fingers on her skin made that sour feeling in her throat grow thick.

"I came here tonight wanting to play, and I'm fuckin' stoked that it's you I get to play with 'cause I've wanted you since I first rode that elevator with you. I'm not askin' for much, sweet girl. I just wanna know if your hands are as warm as they look." He forced one of her fists open and pressed her flat palm to his chest, keeping it there with a pathetic amount of effort needed on his part beneath his large palm. Her breath caught in her throat when he used his other hand to cup her chin, his thumb pulling her lower lip down, revealing her gums and blunt, little white teeth. "I'd like to know if your mouth is as soft and sweet as it looks."

"Please stop." His finger dipped into her mouth around her whispered words.

"That mangy mutt ever tell you that you got dick-sucking lips?" Kouga leaned in until the tip of his nose grazed beneath her chin. The counter bit into her skin as she bent away backwards from his nuzzling touch. She didn't get very far and her nose and eyes burned with tears of frustration and rage she refused to shed. "Some chicks just got this look about 'em that they'd be even prettier all mussed up, and you got a face that begs to be ruined, Elevator Girl. A sharp tongue, plump fucking lips, eyes that sparkle and burn. I bet you're pretty when you cry. The thought of you chokin' on my cock is fucking delicious."

"P-please just let me go." Panic fluttered in her chest to the point she thought she had heartburn. She'd never felt so restless in her own skin. Kouga tugged on the platinum chain, leading her flush against his chest so he could bury his nose in the crook of her neck. He inhaled so deeply Kagome felt his cock throb against the waistband of her scrubs. She squeezed her eyes, sliding her hand beneath the counter behind her, fingers desperate to locate the panic button. "Please don't do this. I-I'm with Inuyasha. If you let me go—"

Kouga groaned with irritation and pulled away to cast her down a discouraging sneer. "For fuck's sake," he scoffed with a bitter laugh. "I can't believe what I'm hearin'." He swiped a hand through his hair before taking a step back from her, like he needed the space between them to inject his incredulity. Kagome used that opportunity to take a deep breath that didn't carry the spicy cloves of Kouga's scent. Frantic fingers searched beneath the counter for the panic button. "Sure, yeah, I get he's the Right Hand or whatever, but a half-blood, Kagome? Like why the fuck would you get all bent outta shape for a worthless—?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Kagome spat, pausing her fingers. Using her torso, she blocked her hands from sight while shooting Kouga a look of pure hatred. "Your job is literally to protect half-demons on the new moon! You're supposed to be a Sympathizer but you're acting like a bigoted, racist asshole!" And a sexual fucking predator. As much as she wanted to say it, she kept that particular thought to herself.

Kouga snorted, replacing his semi within the confines of the previously cast aside cotton. Not that it really did much for his modesty. "Sympathizer? Me?" A sarcastic laugh flew through his teeth. "I'm not one of those pussies who stand around holdin' hands with half-breeds, singin' Kumbaya. I'm more a neutral party," he clarified. "I'm not gonna go outta my way to care about half-bloods in the same way it's not worth my time goin' outta my way to hurt 'em." He shrugged. "They're weaker than me, so therefore, they're lesser than me. That's not racism—" he added in response to the crude leer she shot his way— "that's just the truth, Kagome. Besides, the condo job is a side gig to my real job. You have any idea how much fuckin' money I get for standing around with my thumbs up my ass? I ride the elevator and I scope out stairwells for six hours and then I go home with a cheque over half a week's worth of pay. I couldn't give a shit that he's the High Lord and Right Hand or even my boss's boss; I'll protect anybody who pays me well. But the fact I gotta protect his sorry ass once a month means he's a weak-ass motherfucker who doesn't deserve my resp—"

"How fucking dare you! He's the brother of your Lord General. Shouldn't that at least mean he's owed some—?"

Kouga's scoffing, patronizing laugh cut her off. "Kagome, come on. He's a half-demon. Next thing I know, his mortal existence will be over and it'll be like the Lord General never had a brother in the first place."

Kagome saw red. With a heated fervour behind her motions she continued seeking out the panic button, swiping her hand across the bottom of the counter behind her. She tried to make it look like she was rubbing the soreness away from her tailbone.

"Why the hell are you getting so worked up about this?" Kouga questioned, crossing his arms. "You can't see where I'm coming from? Look, from your point of view, I'll practically live forever and a mortal existence is like a speck in comparison. That dumb dog to me is the equivalent of like...an ant to you. You recall all the ants you've seen lately, Kagome? Likely not, 'cause they're totally inconsequential. So small, they're not even worth noticing. You wouldn't consider befriending ants or goin' outta your way to squish 'em, right? But being indifferent to them doesn't mean you'd consider an ant your equal." He shrugged one shoulder. "You can't blame me or other demons for not really givin' a shit about the current Right Hand, especially when he's the definition of temporary."

Kagome clenched her teeth until her jaw ached. She burned with anger to the point her nausea spiked. Her one hand gripped the countertop so hard she could feel her fingers turning white. Rage overtook her ability to stream together words.

Kouga stepped towards her just as Kagome's sliding fingertips smacked a raised plastic frame with a small button in the middle. The panic button. Kagome's finger took on a life of its own. She probably pushed that button eight times in rapid fire before she removed her hand and returned it to the teardrop pendent. Raising her eyes from Kouga's feet, she was surprised to notice he was still talking.

"So, y'see, Kagome, demons are more just...humouring the Lord General by giving Dogface any sorta consideration." Kagome jumped when Kouga stepped forward to grab her hips. Her heart raced trying to step out of his hold, only to have his fingers squeeze into her flesh, stilling her. The heat of his touch felt wrong, triggering her panic all over again.

Please don't be a fake button. Please work. Please work. Please.

"Please," she muttered, her voice warbling. "Please don't do this."

"Fuck, you're stubborn," he laughed, grabbing her hands when she tried to pry his fingers off her hips. Kagome bucked, flailing her arms, fighting him. While his one hand cupped and massaged his groin back into a rigid length, the other dragged her palm in a path down his body, clenching her fingers to the point her joints mashed together painfully. "Kagome, c'mon! I promise you'll like it."

"Kouga, stop. P-please...no!" Kagome cried when he cupped the back of her jolting hand and pressed it against his arousal, replacing his hand with hers. Bitter tears pooled along her lashes and Kagome squeezed her eyes against the overt pulse of his hardening cock in her palm. He tried to wrap her fingers around him but Kagome jerked and twitched her arm and body, fighting against him until his other hand wrenched her bicep brutally in an attempt to still her. His claws caused pinpricks of red to bubble to the surface, making her cry out.

"Jesus, you got some fight to you," he grimaced through clenched teeth. For the first time, there was no trace of playfulness in his expression. "I paid for a service from this place today and I'm gonna get what I want, Elevator Girl. I expect—"

The sound of the pocket door slamming open with a woosh and a crashing thud frightened Kagome to the point it shocked her tears loose. As her vision blurred, Kagome's heart picked up speed at the sight of silver hair and broad shoulders.

Kouga's hair whipped her cheek from how brusquely he swung his head to lay eyes on the entrant. Where Kagome was once boiling hot from the combination of rage and Kouga's stifling body heat, coolness wafted over her skin when the wolf demon, with a frenzy to his motions, retracted his nails from her arm and backed away. Then, with a dull thump, he dropped to the floor on hip-width apart knees, facing the door; both palms extended wide and flat on the ground in front of him, his back bowing, the knobs in his spine defined as he curled over to press his forehead to the tile. Kagome had seen this stance during her last visit to Nocturne Tower—it was the expected bow and greeting for the Lord General.

"Rid yourself from my sight and these premises. Immediately."

"S-Sesshoumaru..." Kagome gasped breathlessly through her tears, her grip tightening around the Drop. She didn't know whether to be grateful for his interference or disappointed that it wasn't her silver-haired Taisho that showed up to save her. Either way, her face burned with embarrassment for being caught in this predicament. Having another presence seemed to accentuate her shame. "H-how—?"

"Lord General!" Kouga bellowed into the floor tiles. "I wasn't expecting to see you, my Lord. The human and I were just— What I mean to say is that I haven't—"

"Silence."

Sesshoumaru was a forceful presence in his midnight blue tailored suit and bone armour. Everything about his body language, his posture, his cold, detached expression, was violently calm and intimidating. He commandeered the energy of the space simply by standing within the open door, the warm hallway light giving a golden glow to his pearlescent, waist-length hair.

Kagome found herself paralyzed in his presence, gratefulness and relief tumbling head-over-feet as she trembled with the aftershocks of panic. Her emotional state threatened to crash at any moment. She bit her lip, inhaling deeply through her nose. She was desperately clinging to her last dregs of dignity. The last thing she needed right now was to absolutely lose her shit in front of Inuyasha's brother.

Kouga fidgeted in his held bow. "My Lord, I don't—"

"Stupidity and brazenness will be your only patrimony if you choose to speak again, wolf. Should you value your pitiful life, you will leave. Now. If I hear one further murmuring of your vocal chords, that will be the last sound you ever utter before your carcass hits the floor. Am I understood?"

Kouga opened his mouth to speak, to agree, but immediately shut it and scurried from the room, nodding his head in respect as he shoulder-stepped past Sesshoumaru in the doorway. The wolf demon didn't even gather the discarded robe before he fled.

An overwhelming surge of emotion devoured Kagome as she acknowledged the staggering presence of Sesshoumaru's demonic power in the small room. When that cold, indifferent stare finally landed on her, her breaths became chaotic and haggard. Panic and fear leeched from her every pore as she came to terms with the fact her attacker was gone. Her body processed the whirlwind of emotions by crumbling, by evicting more tears. Kagome fell to her haunches and sobbed, covering her face as she wept. Ugly crying in front of the ruler of demons and Inuyasha's half-brother only made her feel worse.

Not yet, her own voice seemed to taunt softly, you can't fall apart yet. Keep it together just a little bit longer.

"I-I'm sorry," she gasped, swiping at her cheeks, hiccoughing through a deep breath. She was too mortified to look up at Sesshoumaru as he further entered the room. The walls seemed to narrow from the sheer size of him and the potence of his power. A wall of heat towered over her those few feet away that he stood. "Th-thank you for—"

"Enough," he exhaled sternly, silencing her apologies and gratitude. "Are you injured?"

Kagome flushed and shook her head. The back of her hand caught tears that dangled from her jaw. "N-no. Well, maybe just my pride." She chanced a look up at him before her cheeks burned and her eyes snapped to the floor.

Sesshoumaru looked down at her over his nose before he pulled a phone from his inside jacket pocket. "On your feet," he bade, not acknowledging her past whatever he was doing on his phone. "I'll see to it you are escorted home safely."

"W-why?" Her head drifted up cautiously to look over the pronounced angles of his face. She flinched when crystallized amber flashed to pin her in a hard stare. Was she allowed to make eye contact with him? "You don't need to—" she mumbled. "I mean, why would you—? How are you even here right now?"

He rehoused the device in his pocket even as two, then three, more chimes rang out. Text messages? "I had business on the premises that was to occur after-hours. Upon my entry, I not only overheard that your appointment had run over time, but I learned you had used the panic button. I could smell your fear as soon as I entered the hallway."

But you don't like Inuyasha, her brain nudged her to say. Why would you help his mate? "Why would you come help me? Why take me home? That— I mean...I'm grateful to you. But you don't—"

"You are a Taisho mate," was his cutting answer, his tone hardening as if he quickly grew annoyed with the conversation. "If I permit you to be disrespected then my family name is besmirched in tandem, which my position cannot condone."

"O-oh." Kagome didn't know why she felt disappointed. Of course he wouldn't have willingly come to his sister-in-law's rescue knowing that her mate, his brother, was unavailable to do it himself. His coming to her aid was business and nothing more.

The silence between them was blaring and uncomfortable, occasionally interrupted by a hiccupping cough from Kagome's tears. Then, the Lord General didn't so much as sigh—because that would've been too emotive—as he just exhaled a fraction of a decibel louder than his last. His next words were hoarser, like he was reluctant to speak them and aggravated by what he chose to reveal to basically a stranger despite their new familial-ish relationship.

"You are," he began slowly, "also my mate's friend, and she would be displeased with me were I not to intervene and see to your...comfort."

When his phone chimed two more times, Kagome couldn't hold back a small smile, thinking it may have been Rin who was setting off those trills of his phone.

For a moment, Kagome relished the ability to read the demon, understanding his present stoicism to be discomfort. The inadvertent admission of his fondness for Rin was enough of a distraction for Kagome to take a deep breath and avoid thinking about what would have happened if Sesshoumaru hadn't arrived when he had.

The sparkling river soundtrack just exaggerated the awkward silence between them as Kagome's shuddering breaths slowed and she rose to her full height, which was still dwarfed next to the Lord General.

He was broadened bulk compared to Inuyasha's lean, athletic physique. Sesshoumaru's silver was closer to white, his molten stare more yellow gold than Inuyasha's amber ochre. The magenta stripes on his cheekbones were captivating, a shade matching the two bites on her shoulder and the one on Inuyasha's. It was perplexing, how simultaneously similar yet dissimilar the brothers were. Kagome was suddenly overwhelmed with the realization of just how handsome their father must have been.

Having caught herself staring at the Lord General, Kagome blanched and lowered her eyes to her feet.

"Come." Sesshoumaru didn't hesitate before he turned on his heel to leave the room. His eyes caught hers once he passed through the door and paused in the hallway. A muscle in his jaw ticked, clearly irritated that the ruler of demons was being forced to wait for some human woman.

Kagome didn't know what to say. 'Thank you' didn't seem like enough, but she also figured a statement of gratitude would annoy him. Saying anything else, however, seemed inappropriate. So, she simply nodded, not knowing if it was appropriate or not to meet his gaze while she wiped at her cheeks again; the blaze of her embarrassment made it easy enough to avoid eye contact.

Kagome trailed behind Sesshoumaru as he led her to the Staff Only area where she promptly collected her belongings and climbed into her oversized sweater before scuffling to keep up with his broad paces to leave the building. A handful of minutes later, she was sliding across expensive leather seats in the back of some kind of Rolls-Royce sedan, the door held open by a huge demon that looked part dog, part black bear. Non-humanoids weren't common in this part of the city; the novelty of the conspicuous demon earned their small grouping significant attention from passing humans.

As the car pulled into traffic, Kagome decided she'd deal with the fallout from the work incident on her next shift. In the meantime, she chewed the inside of her cheek uncomfortably, bathing in the awkwardness of Inuyasha's brother's presence. The car ride was silent and that silence was stifling.

Kagome gripped her phone in her sweater pocket, tempted and eager to reach out to Inuyasha. She wanted to hear his voice, to soak in the solace of how "darlin'" rolls off his tongue. She wanted his warmth, the comfort of his scent and his arms wrapped around her. She wanted his kisses to fix how broken and awful she felt. She wanted his touch to wipe away how wrong and dirty she felt. She wanted her mate home so badly that the desire alone had her tearing up again. Actually, more immediately, she wanted a shower. She wanted to change out of and burn these stupid scrubs.

What she honestly needed was a good, cathartic cry without Inuyasha's brother around to witness it.

Inuyasha had told her he would be unreachable in order to avoid detection while he was gone, but somehow that didn't prevent Kagome from thinking about texting him, from calling him. Even if her texts would likely bounce back and her calls wouldn't go through. Yet, spinning her phone over in her palm, Kagome couldn't bring herself to contact her mate.

Because what the hell would she say? How could she talk about what just happened? She didn't want to talk about it.

She knew Inuyasha would be angry, and not just angry, but royally mad, murderously pissed. The thought of Inuyasha's probable violence made her mouth twitch with the shadow of a smile. But in order for Inuyasha to demand blood in payment, he would need to know what happened, and Kagome didn't think she could stomach talking about it. As nice as it would be having her mate threaten to kill the wolf demon, Kagome decided she just wanted to sweep the whole thing under the rug and pretend it never happened. She was too ashamed to think about what almost happened, let alone to talk about what had happened. Nausea made her feel slimy with queasiness, mulling over how she'd have to openly explain and narrate how she had been touched, how she had been forced to touch. Her palm seemed to burn in memory and she fisted her hand in her lap.

Kagome collapsed her head against the headrest and squeezed her eyes to the point stars appeared behind her eyelids. She relished the sensation until her eyes and eyebrows ached from the tension. Just as Kagome brought hands up to cover her face, eager to hide the tears that steadily began to tumble once more, Sesshoumaru cleared his throat.

"My mate is of the impression you may not wish to be alone, given what happened. Should that be the case, you may return to the estate with me."

Given what happened.

Wiping the wetness from her cheeks, Kagome could have gagged a laugh over the implication of those three words, how much awfulness they housed in their vagueness.

Somehow the thought of being alone in Inuyasha's condo—nope, their condo—just made Kagome feel that much worse. Being alone would only make her miss Inuyasha more, and being alone would give her nothing to distract her brain from replaying The Encounter. While Kagome didn't think she'd make very good company right now, this wouldn't be the first time Rin had seen her in a bad way.

Sesshoumaru must have seen the appeasement in Kagome's features, because he continued by saying, "Rin has guests over this evening but has extended you an invitation to join them. Otherwise, you may occupy a guest suite until you are...recovered."

Recovered. As if shame or trauma was an affliction she could cure.

She must have used up all her fight during The Encounter, because even though Kagome wanted to huff a derisive snort at Sesshoumaru's diction, she merely nodded her head. "I'd like to have a shower, if possible."

A new directive over text message took flight. "I'll see to it a room is prepared for you upon our arrival. Myoga is on his way to collect some of your belongings."

Another nod was the best Kagome could offer the ruler of demons in thanks. Sighing and casting a tearful glance up at the ceiling, it felt almost impossible keeping at bay those ugly memories from her last service appointment.

The tick tick tick of phone keys drew her attention and her head fell to the side to observe the Lord General. Sesshoumaru had been practically glued to his device, his thumbs flying, since they occupied the sedan. Kagome wondered if he was texting Rin, in which case, for a moment, her tightening chest softened at the premise of Sesshoumaru being attentive to his mate. One part of her was happy for Rin, the other part of her envious because the sweetness just made Inuyasha's absence ache all the more.

Kagome sighed loudly and let her eyes fall closed again as the motions of the vehicle rocked the tension from her body. After a few minutes, Sesshoumaru hummed a deep, thoughtful sound that made Kagome hyperaware he was looking at her. She could basically feel his potent gaze on the other side of her eyelids. Her features twitched with a frown, wishing she had that childlike ability to pretend she couldn't be seen if she hid behind closed eyes. Keeping to herself, Kagome waited out the Lord General, not realizing she had restricted her breaths until the flurry of phone key ticks drifted from his side of the sedan once more. Then she caught her breath and her wincing expression softened.

Rin had mentioned several times that she was the only human living in demon territory, but it just occurred to Kagome that she was in for a lengthy car ride from downtown, especially considering the state of traffic on a Friday evening. She wished she could pass the time sleeping or distracted on her phone, but sleep felt impossible given her mortification, rage, and shame, and Kagome felt too mentally drained and dissociative to scroll the internet or interact with another and pretend she was fine, including Sango.

Before she even knew it was happening, her tongue exited her mouth to moisten her lips, allowing words to form and then sail through the silence of the sedan's plush, dark leather interior. Her words stalled Sesshoumaru's fingers mid-text. "Do you think humans are inconsequential?"

If Sesshoumaru was startled or perplexed by her question, he didn't show it as he tucked his phone away in his jacket pocket. Immediate silence answered her like he contemplated the question. Then, his stony baritone cut through the leaden quiet to say, "My mate is a human." A fist clenched over his knee as his eyes slowly slid to regard her.

Kagome wanted to laugh at his obvious deferral, but any form of merriment was difficult to muster, even if it was sarcastic. Fingers fiddled with the cuffs of her sleeves. "Fine. Do you think humans other than your mate are inconsequential?"

His expression barely shifted. "Is there a hidden motive behind this affronting question to your species?"

Kagome withheld a huff, forcing the words out. "In the span of one week, I've had two demons get off on belittling me, saying they find humans or mortal lifespans worthless or inconsequential. As the ruler of all demons, I wanted to know if the Lord General shared those sentiments or not."

"And if I happened to agree, what then?"

Kagome loudly breathed in before releasing it rapidly. Her stare hovered on the back of the headrest in front of her. Unlike the last time she was chauffeured, Kagome didn't feel as self-conscious that the driver could overhear her. Perhaps after the incident with Kouga, she was just too tired to care.

"So you do? You think humans are worthless, unworthy of respect or your time? That they're—I'm—beneath you?"

"My answering retort was not an agreement; I was—"

"Your answer wasn't a no either."

Sesshoumaru made a noise in his throat that could have been muted frustration. It made Kagome look up at him from picking her fingernails in her lap. Her feet perked up on her heels as she tapped the toes of her shoes together, trying to equate his plain expression with some kind of emotion. He was impassive and impossible to read; she didn't envy Rin's early days of getting to know him.

"My mate has a penchant for these kinds of philosophical, albeit leading, questions as well," he said. If there was a hint of amusement colouring his tone, Kagome couldn't say. "Is that a human inclination or specifically a female one?"

Kagome couldn't help the self-effacing laugh that snuck out. "Probably both," she sighed, forcing a weak smile. Her eyes lingered on him a few heartbeats longer before returning her gaze to her lap. "Why do you say it's a leading question?"

"Because you are obviously resolute on feeling badly for yourself in the present moment. If I agreed that humans are worthless, you would feel absolved of all guilt that perhaps being treated poorly by a demon was somehow instigated or deserved. Should I have disagreed, however, you would have thought me lying to you, as if humans are not deserving of the truth; therefore, validating your insecurity that humans are inconsequential to demons."

Kagome chewed on her bottom lip before scowling. "I'm not resolute on feeling badly for myself," was what she chose to say, given all he'd said. "But even if I was," she added sulkily, "I'm allowed to feel bad about what happened."

"I don't disagree that what happened was...unfortunate." She watched his shoulders rise with a silent inhalation as he turned to look out the window. "However, when one is blindsided by a moment of weakness, only a fool would ignore the opportunity to ameliorate vulnerability."

"Or," she replied haughtily, "a moment of weakness can just be a moment of weakness."

"If one is content to settle and remain weak."

With a snap of movement, she turned to face him, the seatbelt digging into her shoulder. "It's not weakness to be a victim."

"It is if one is content remaining a victim."

Kagome glowered at the Lord General beside her. "I can't help being a weak human woman any more than you can help what you are."

Sesshoumaru surprised her by returning her gaze with a narrowing stare. "If you are unhappy with your station, do something about it. You are angry that you've been taken advantage of; use that anger to forge something useful. Restrained or misplaced ire won't be of any benefit should you find yourself in a similar situation in the future."

"Oh yeah," Kagome scoffed crudely, "because being assaulted by a demon is definitely in my future itinerary."

Sesshoumaru hummed a noise in the back of his throat, almost like he was amused. "Sarcasm and obstinance. I wouldn't have assumed my brother's mate to be a spineless miser, just like him."

Kagome sucked her teeth. "And I would have liked to think my mate's brother could be something other than an insensitive asshole."

Sesshoumaru's lips twitched. "Not many dare to speak to the Lord General in such a fashion."

Kagome shrugged indifferently before crossing her arms under her breasts. "Well, I'm of the opinion that respect is earned and not just granted."

"That may be an acceptable premise for humans, but the Lord General requires absolute respect and submission. You could be punished for the looseness of your tongue."

"I don't think Inuyasha would be too happy hearing his brother talk about how I use my tongue," she sneered.

The arch of a slim brow almost caught Kagome off guard. "You are highly outspoken, female."

Kagome shrugged again, facing forward and crossing her ankles. "Tell me something I don't know," she mumbled.

Sesshoumaru made that thoughtful sound again, a deliberate, rumbling murmur in his throat. "I am aware the Demon Council has required you to submit yourself to me when I next hold court." He returned his focus out the window. "You will learn to control yourself before then; otherwise, you will be punished for speaking out of turn."

"Punished like the demons who are constantly badmouthing your family to Inuyasha?"

Unresponsive to her barbed words, Sesshoumaru crossed a leg over the other and brushed his hand over the wool of his suit pants as if there were wrinkles his demon eyes could see that Kagome could not. "You are acting out because you are angry."

"I'm not acting out," she spat. "Could you be any more condescending?"

"Your anger is misplaced with me, female. You—"

"It's Kagome," she interjected, glowering at him.

"I am aware of your name." She watched him clench a fist over his thigh. A sign of restraint if she'd ever seen one. "You dare speak over me again?"

"If you can't use my name, don't call me anything." She sighed to the point of a groan, her shoulders sagging. Suddenly, she felt small and powerless, like she was sitting across from the Grand Adviser again, or being forced to touch Kouga against her will. "I'm tired of demons calling me something other than my name because it gives them some kind of power-trip. I'm not human, or female—" or sweet girl or Elevator Girl— "I'm Kagome."

She turned to stare down the Lord General, somewhat surprised he was already looking at her. Following a huffing sigh, she forced her tone to lighten. "Inuyasha told me you don't typically use human's names, but given what we are to each other now that I'm with Inuyasha, I would appreciate if you could at least try to use my name."

Sesshoumaru seemed to chew that over in his mind before he nodded a slow, deep dip of his chin. "And, I can assume, this simple courtesy of using your name will mean—"

"That I show you more respect, yes."

"Shall I expect you to show me respect by continuing to speak over me?" That eyebrow arched again. It was such an Inuyasha-like gesture Kagome had to turn her face away from the Lord General, her heart heaving as she held back a grin.

"Sorry," she mumbled, her cheeks flaming. She chewed the inside of her lip before clasping her palms together, fingers sliding between fingers in a tight hold. "Can I ask...what does it mean to submit myself to you in court?"

"You commit yourself for all present to hear that you will be my humble servant. Doing what I wish, when I wish. Swearing fealty to my dominion and claim above all others for fear of death or corporeal punishment should you disobey."

She didn't like the sounds of that. "And what sort of disobedience would warrant punishment, exactly?"

"The most common reason my subjects are punished is for putting their significant other or family before the needs of the monarchy."

Her eyebrows creased. "You mean...I would get in trouble for putting Inuyasha's needs before yours?"

"Yes."

Her frown deepened. "But he's my mate."

"I am aware."

"So...Rin has to put the monarchy's needs before yours?"

Sesshoumaru's head cocked barely so, like he couldn't comprehend her question. "As Lady Mikado, Rin understands she is expected to behave in accordance with the greater good, yes. And as a member of the royal family, it will be your responsibility, as well, to behave in the best interests of the empire. The monarchy will always come first."

"But she loves you. You really think she wouldn't prioritize her emperor mate over the empire?"

"Do not presume to understand my mate's state of mind, emotions, or intentions."

Kagome snorted like his sharpened tone had no impact on her. "You seriously think Rin of all people wouldn't put you first?" Kagome harrumphed. "Puh-lease. If the Council told her she needed to pick the monarchy over you she'd tell them where they could stuff that request."

Sesshoumaru...frowned? Honestly, Kagome found this male impossible to read. "She swore herself to me in court."

"Yes, to you," Kagome scoffed. She clasped her hands into fists beside her thighs, angling herself until her knees jut into Sesshoumaru's half of the backseat. "It's outrageous that you and the Demon Council seem to think that I would ever put other demons' interests before Inuyasha's. I will never intentionally disobey you or try to make you look bad, Sesshoumaru," she uttered, a hand pressed over her heart while she stared him in the eye, "but Inuyasha will always be my priority; just like how you will always be Rin's."

A chuffing laugh shot from her mouth. "Is that why the Grand Adviser wanted me to swear fealty to you ASAP? So he can take advantage of my steep learning curve—in case I accidentally step out of line while I'm still figuring out what it means to be a royal mate?" She shook her head with indignation. "Who would punish me in that case? Inuyasha? You know he'd never lay a hand on me, right?"

Sesshoumaru sat silently for a few seconds before running a hand over his chin. "Whenever the Right Hand is inaccessible, the role of empirical defense and proxy falls to the Grand Adviser."

"Wh-what?" Kagome was stunned to the point she could only blink.

"I would presume," he continued nonchalantly, "that if the High Lord and Right Hand's mate needed to be punished, the responsibility to see it through would fall upon the Grand Adviser to avoid a conflict of interest."

"That bastard," she hissed, recalling Naraku's smarmy expression. The bigger picture was even clearer now. "He wants me docile and obedient or else he gets to punish me? Asshole," she added under her breath. Her lips puckered into a pout, her eyes snapping to Sesshoumaru. "What sort of things would you require me to do once I'm sworn to you?"

"You fret unnecessarily. It is ceremonially commonplace for a mate of the monarchy to swear themselves to the Lord General. I am also not the kind of ruler who enjoys the castigation of innocents. You will commit your will to my own so that when the time comes when I bid you do something, I have every assurance you will fulfill your oath."

Kagome made a noise of disapproval. "Yeah, well, it sure seems like Naraku feels confident I'll be fucking up sometime soon and he'll get to punish me for it. Dare I ask what punishing me even entails?"

"You use his name impetuously, hu—Kagome."

Her lips twitched with his quick correction. Then she shrugged. "He made it apparent that using his title is a sign of respect and I do not respect him."

"Careful," Sesshoumaru warned on the heels of her words. "Though his power is limited as my servant, the Grand Adviser should not be underestimated; he has been in his position long enough that he is adept at both indemnity and espionage. A craven and vindictive demon with deep, loyal ties across the empire. You will not wish to make an explicit enemy of him."

Kagome harrumphed. "If he's your humble servant, I don't see how you can't keep him on a shorter leash. When I met with him this week, he sure seemed to think he was untouchable and all-powerful."

"One doesn't have to enjoy their allies to appreciate their purpose and benefit from their usefulness."

"Is that why you let the Grand Adviser get away with so much? Because he's useful to you?" She flushed when Sesshoumaru's apprising stare honed in on her. Kagome fidgeted in her seat, covering her teeth with her lips. "I'm sorry," she said hastily, "I don't mean to be impertinent." A sheepish laugh coated her words. "It's probably highly inappropriate for me to talk to you like this, huh?"

Sesshoumaru exhaled a sound that could almost have been a chuckle. "It is, but I find the conversation a good reminder of the resilience of humans, an attribute that could be advantageous for this monarchy's legacy." Kagome smiled. That almost sounded like a compliment.

"Can I ask you probably an inappropriate question, I mean, since I'm already on a roll?" The Lord General gave her no answer, which she took to mean 'go for it'. "Does the Demon Council, the Grand Adviser, do they treat Rin well? I ask because my first meeting, well, it was super shitty. The Grand Adviser basically told me my only value as a royal human mate is a breeder for heirs. I can't imagine you'd be okay with him talking to Rin like that."

Sesshoumaru adjusted his crossed legs so his ankle rested over his knee. Kagome couldn't help staring at the fine point of his shiny, black loafer. "My brother's station should entitle him to the same courtesies shown me, yet his being what he is has denied him that entitlement. That would be extended to you as well, I'm sure, as his mate."

Kagome's lips pulled to the side as she thought about that. "So you're saying because Rin is your mate she gets treated better by the Council." She didn't like it, but she could understand it. "You seem pretty aware of how poorly Inuyasha gets treated by the Demon Council because he's a half-demon. You wouldn't consider saying anything?"

"To scold the Council, you mean?" Kagome nodded and Sesshoumaru's indifferent expression held a sliver of disapproval. "Power is a valued commodity because it is precarious and fleeting. Like trust, it can be easily damaged. To openly show care or concern for others is not the demon way and would expose a vulnerability the Lord General cannot permit. It would encourage demons to act against me, using those I appear to care about as a stepping stone to usurp my power. My speaking out on Inuyasha's behalf would also undermine any authority he could hope to hold with the Council."

Doesn't mean you couldn't also be a little bit nicer to your own brother...

"That must be hard for Rin," Kagome sighed, reading between the lines of his response. "She so clearly cares about you as her mate. I mean, she even told me she wished you were more openly affectionate with her. But I can appreciate how hard it must be on you, too: that your position doesn't allow you to return your mate's affection for fear someone takes advantage of that."

Stillness settled over the vehicle with nothing but the quiet hush of road noise cocooning them. Sesshoumaru shifting in his seat and adjusting the lapels of his suit jacket beneath his bone armour were the muted sounds to expunge the silence.

"You are...very outspoken."

"S-sorry."

"Is this how you speak to my brother, as well?"

She paused wringing her hands to look over at him, confusion marring her features. "How else would I speak to him?"

Even though his facial expression or posture didn't change, there was something in Sesshoumaru's air that made Kagome think her response amused him.

Kagome returned her attention to her fiddling fingers. Sometimes it was easy to forget who or what Inuyasha was to demonkind; it never once occurred to her to mind how she spoke to the emperor's second-in-command, particularly in public—not that she thought Inuyasha would ever want her to be anything but her true self. Cheeks flushing, she knew she definitely needed to mind her manners when it came to interacting with Sesshoumaru. Now was as good a time as any to practice that tried-and-true lesson of think before you speak.

Thinking she was lucky that Sesshoumaru let her off the hook for speaking so boldly, she admitted through a sigh, "I don't know if I have what it takes to do well in this kind of environment, as a royal mate or whatever."

"Perhaps," was his placid response a second or two later. "But repeatedly speaking to me with an impudent candor demonstrates some spark of daring, even if it is foolish of you, given my position. So, with time, perhaps you will learn how to fare in the realm of demons."

Despite her humbled blush, Kagome made a face, her nose wrinkling. "Will I learn how to handle the Demon Council too? So far, having to interact with the Grand Adviser seems like the worst part of being Inuyasha's mate."

Sesshoumaru's lips pressed into a thin line. "I have known him since I was but a child and am long familiar with his artifice and guile. I can appreciate the Grand Adviser is an...acquired taste. Power and the guise of it motivates him, and someone like Naraku is more useful to me when he believes himself unsupervised. I let him assume he is unrestrained because he has ties and sway with demon populations that have not yet pledged themselves to the new way. He can engage with many clans on my behalf where my Right Hand and I have had to resort to more violent methods of communication."

"The new way? You mean living alongside humans?" After Sesshoumaru nodded, Kagome slumped in her seat given the stiff, bruising ache in the middle of her lower back thanks to having been pressed up against the counter. "Sounds like you and Inuyasha still have your work cut out for you...trying to get all these demons to submit to the laws and lifestyle your dad imposed."

Sesshoumaru smoothed his palm over his pants, disposing of a fleck of lint. "Demons are a reckless, power-hungry species. It goes against our nature to submit; we inherently seek out power and subjugation. Retaliation is to be expected."

"Is that what made it so easy to ally with humans? Demons back in the day were too big of a threat so the humans just rolled over and played dead?"

Sesshoumaru exhaled through his nose more nosily than usual. "Your species is skilled in the art of assessment, knowing when it is worthwhile to hold, or play dead as you say, and when it is smart to act. Demons were the greatest threat to humanity's survival at one time. It was advantageous for humans to eradicate that threat by entering into a symbiotic relationship: humans would no longer be plagued or hunted by demons, and demons, for their restraint, would merit from the benefits of human industry."

"Sounds like demons got the better deal, honestly," Kagome muttered as a huff under her breath.

Naturally, Sesshoumaru's impeccable demon senses heard her and another chuff of air fluttered from his nostrils. "Humans are expert masochists, able to tolerate discomfort for greater long-term gain. Demons do not mirror this proclivity. Yes, humans have resisted cohabitation as well; however, not to the extent of violence as demons."

She bit her bottom lip before saying, "It sounds like your dad's ambition was to make humans and demons equal in society, but it definitely doesn't feel that way. My experience has been that demons resent humans and would rather not cohabitate. They definitely don't see us as equals."

"Humans are inherently ambitious creatures; perhaps it is due to your shorter lifespans that you are motivated to leave a mark on the world around you before your time comes to an end. That ambition has yielded large strides leading us into this technological age, something from which demonkind has greatly benefitted—a fact that many ignorant, short-sighted demons do not seem to remember," he added as an aside, almost like a rhetorical critique. "However," he continued, stiffening, "in all environments with cohabiting species, there exists an assumed hierarchy of power. Demons are inherently prone to conquer and have naturally asserted themselves as superior to humans, meaning humans have borne the brunt of demon indignation. Yet, most of demonkind has also grown dependent on human technology and resources, causing the nature of our symbiotic relationship to anger demons further."

Kagome shook her head and clicked her tongue. "Can't live with humans, can't kill 'em," she sighed in jest, which had Sesshoumaru's eyebrows twitching with, what she assumed, was appreciation of her levity.

The Lord General rubbed his chin thoughtfully before tapping a long, slender finger against his leg. "As aggravating as the Grand Adviser may be, utilizing his reputation for being demon-centric has proven useful in compelling subgroups within a naturally superior species to not mistreat the subordinate species."

Kagome decided she wasn't going to die on the hill of arguing that humanity wasn't subordinate. "You mean demons are taking out their frustrations on humans because they don't want to live with humans."

"Demons don't want to live like humans," the Lord General corrected. "However, as the previous Lord General, my father, discovered, demonkind must learn to live within certain parameters and restraints if there is to be any harmony cohabiting with humans. The nature of demonism is freedom to assert one's strength. Absolute, unchecked freedom to dominate others does not exist within the human realm—society has its bounds and expectations. To live with humans is to abide by the rule that a lack of restraint carries consequences."

"Some of the demons I've met couldn't care less about consequences," she muttered, thinking about the crocodile demon at Nocturne Tower, as well as the Grand Adviser threatening her and her family; not to mention Kouga's recent behaviour.

"Which is why my brother is traveling at present," Sesshoumaru answered vaguely. "He is providing a necessary reminder that consequences exist for those who step out of line and fail or refuse to adapt to the new way. When Inuyasha was sworn in as my High Lord and Right Hand, it became his responsibility to be the iron fist of the demon monarchy. There may be more malefactors today, which requires prioritizing our response to the worst of the offenses, but there have always been penalties for demons who stray too far out of bounds, and it is my brother's role to ensure fierce and severe judgment for those who violate my rule."

Not knowing how to respond to that—other than lamenting Inuyasha's departure—quiet settled between the two of them. For several moments, Kagome tried to recall how they got into this strange socio-political conversation. Eventually, the silence grew too daunting and she needed to rectify that.

Tucking her hands beneath her thighs, she said, "You know...you never did answer my question; if you think humans are inconsequential or not."

Sesshoumaru surprised her by turning his body so the bright coolness of his tapered gaze fixed on her. "You've engaged with demons enough to have an opinion. How would you answer your own question?"

"Seriously?" she choked, incredulously. "Of course humans are significant! All life matters. It pisses me off that demons like to think they're better than me simply because they have a lifespan and abilities that humans never will. It's merely a perk of your species, like humans having opposable thumbs. You don't see me walking around telling other creatures I'm better than them simply because I have better fine motor control."

"A peculiar analogy," was his somber reply a few moments later.

Kagome harrumphed. "But you get what I mean, right?"

Despite the delay of his response, the Lord General eventually bowed his head. "Tell me, why do some humans condone consumption of livestock while others condemn it?"

Kagome blinked up at the towering male who still seemed to glow even in the dimness of the darkened backseat. That was...not what she expected him to say. "I suppose some are concerned about animal welfare, whereas others refuse to eat meat for health or environmental reasons. It's a personal choice, I guess. Someone can choose not to eat meat simply because they don't want to, or maybe they don't like the flavour or texture."

"But meat, as you call it, is food."

"It is," she agreed, "but we live in a time where it's not the only food. There's a plethora of options accessible when it comes to what we eat."

"But animals have always been sustenance to a once apex predator," Sesshoumaru mused. "A rare steak isn't readily considered a once-living animal, whether that is due to your softened human sensitivities or perhaps a learned empathetic distancing in your mind. Many humans will consume steak while vehemently refusing to understand how cattle is slaughtered for that steak to appear on their plate."

Kagome wrinkled her nose. "What does this have to do with demons and humans?"

"In my world—the demon realm—humans occupy the same space that livestock does in your human world. Demons have developed a symbiotic relationship with humans, yes, but we don't give much thought to humans in the same way many humans don't actively consider the animal that has granted you your meal. Demons benefit from human resourcefulness, invention, and ambition in much the same way you benefit from livestock for sustenance. Both humans and demons consider the other species merely by their purpose or outcome rather than as a living thing."

Kagome frowned. "Some humans think about that, though," she countered. "The animal welfare side of things."

"And some demons care about human welfare," he returned. "Hence how my father was successful in unifying our two species. It also accounts for the existence of so-called Sympathizers for half-demons. Demons are a species with a wild upbringing only several centuries into domestication, Kagome. Backlash is to be expected."

"So, you're saying the Grand Adviser couldn't help being an asshole in the same way Kouga couldn't help being an abuser because they don't see me as a person but as a thing with a specific use? I'm not an animal to them, I'm just meat."

Sesshoumaru looked like he wanted to sigh but his stoicism prevented him from doing so. "The rules and context of our society exist, but how one chooses to behave within those constructs is independently owned. The Grand Adviser chooses to take advantage and misuse the power granted to him by his position and demons like that wolf choose to take advantage of those who allow them to act without challenge or consequence."

"I didn't allow him to do that to me." Ignominy joined hands with the heat of building anger in her chest.

"Demons value strength and power—you know this. You could not match the wolf's strength so, therefore, he saw an opportunity to do as he wished with zero barriers or repercussions."

Kagome clicked her tongue angrily, crossing her arms. "That's a sick way to look at it. That I allowed him to assault me because I was too weak to physically stand up to him."

"Which is why you should take this as a learning opportunity and not just accept what happened as a moment of weakness."

This again, her mind growled. "A learning opportunity to do what? Get stronger?"

"Yes. Weakness, whether real or perceived, will only ever be taken advantage of."

Kagome groaned. "I'll never be strong enough to take on demons the way you and Inuyasha do—no matter how many weights I lift or kilometres I run on a treadmill."

"Each individual possesses a type of strength unique to them; it is only a matter of exploration to discover and hone yours. I will ensure strength training is included in your education plan as a royal mate."

Kagome gnawed on the inside of her cheek, fighting back a pout. "Are you only saying this because you think I'm a weakling who will—what was it you said—besmirch your family name?"

"Yes. Your empathy, kindness, and inability to stand up for yourself is a weakness I cannot afford, one that endangers your mate and my only living heir."

Her pulse kicked up. Even though she wanted to be offended, Kagome was unable to act on any indignation she felt from his words. "Because demons can go through me to get to him...you."

"Correct."

Kagome sulked. "I don't know how to fix that though."

"That is not for you to worry about this night."

Kagome ran her nails across the seatbelt over her lap, feeling the scratch of the material reverberate up her fingers. "What's going to happen to Kouga?"

"What do you mean?"

"You let him leave tonight."

"I did." His answer sounded like a prompt for her to continue.

Her lips pursed. "I was under the impression that attacks on mates weren't tolerated."

"Until you complete the mating bond and ceremony, you are not a recognized mate."

Kagome grumbled with irritation, her eyes flicking upwards. "So you'll let him live on a technicality?"

"You wish to see him dead, do you?" Sesshoumaru asked her with a quirking eyebrow.

"I wish to see him punished." Kagome's gaze bore heavily on her lap. "If the roles were reversed and Inuyasha had found Rin with him—"

A piercing growl tore through the cabin, igniting Kagome's pulse, making her flinch away from the full demon. "Tread carefully in how you speak of my mate, Kagome. The Right Hand would know better than to take matters into his own hands; he would know to leave the wolf for me to deal with."

Despite the savagery of Sesshoumaru's grating tone and his warning, Kagome couldn't help chuffing a weak laugh. "Meaning, if he hurt her, you would've sought him out to kill him."

"As much as the absolute decimation of skin and bone can be classified as merely killing."

Kagome's upper lip curled as her nose wrinkled with disgust. When Sesshoumaru said nothing further, she licked her lips and ventured, "So...you're saving his punishment for Inuyasha, then?"

"You sound disappointed," the Lord General mused, "like you would have rathered I not allowed him to leave with his life."

Kagome thought about that. She wrapped her arms around herself. "I don't feel like it's appropriate for me to decide who lives or dies."

"Yet you want to see him hurt for hurting you."

"Yes," she breathed.

"An eye for an eye—isn't that the idiom you humans use to signify reciprocal justice?"

"Yes," she repeated with a nod of her head.

"Is that what you believe? That if he has killed another, that rightly permits his death?"

Kagome turned her expressionless face to meet Sesshoumaru's heated stare. "I'd rather leave it to those in higher positions of power to make that call. As long as I don't ever have to see that wolf demon again, I don't care what happens to him, as long as payback's a bitch."

Sesshoumaru leaned his elbow against the window ledge, his knuckles pressed to his temple. A calloused smirk seemed to play around the edges of his mouth. "You're the kind of human who eats meat and disassociates that it was once an animal because it makes you feel sad, aren't you, Kagome?"

Kagome blinked at him before a chortle burst from her. "I—Are you...teasing me, Lord General? And here I was thinking Inuyasha got all the humour genes in the family."

He hummed a sound that Kagome decided to take as a chuckle. However, her vibrating phone and Sesshoumaru's phone chiming distracted them both from the unexpected levity that surfaced in an otherwise crass conversation.

Rin: I sure hope it's a pleasant car ride, all things considered.

Kagome bit her lip to hold back a laugh at the three-way group chat Rin had created. Even though she had seen the Lord General's swiftness when it came to written communication, Kagome was still floored at how quickly Sesshoumaru responded.

Sesshoumaru: I should be offended you believe me to be anything other than pleasant company.

Rin: You're pleasant company to ME. Here's to hoping Kagome shows up with her emotional faculties still in one piece.

Kagome: All faculties accounted for so far.

Rin: KAGOME! Oh hun...are you okay!? God, I've been so worried about you!

Sesshoumaru: Rin...

Rin: What?

Rin: Oh right...I shouldn't be talking about what happened. Sorry, Kagome. *heart emoji*

Kagome: *shrug emoji* I promise I'll live. No long term damage.

Rin: I hope you're playing nice with the other kids, Sesshy...

Kagome couldn't help it. Her phone in her clutches, she lowered her hands to her lap while her gaze swung to the demon beside her. A restrained smile made her cheeks twitch. "Sesshy?"

"You will not utter those syllables again," he chewed out. "Am I clear?"

Kagome: Rin...he's threatening me.

Rin: WHAT? Why? Sesshoumaru, stop harassing your brother's mate!

Sesshoumaru: I cannot believe I am allowing this to continue. Rin, please demonstrate discretion. You shame me by behaving as if we do not have an audience.

Rin: An audience? KAGOME?! She's practically family at this point.

Kagome: Yeah, big brother. We're basically family.

Kagome snickered at the disdainful look Sesshoumaru cast her from the other side of the cabin.

Sesshoumaru: I do not condone this blatant two-on-one disrespect.

Rin: Apparently, you started it.

Kagome: Yeah, you started it.

Sesshoumaru exhaled an aggreived breath before his next text came through.

Sesshoumaru: Is there a purpose behind the creation of this offensive dialogue, Rin?

Rin: Boredom mostly. And I wanted to check in on Kagome without putting her on the spot.

Kagome smiled at that.

Sesshoumaru: Aren't you presently entertaining guests?

Rin: Maru can't hold her liquor and Phee is helping her relinquish the contents of her stomach lol.

Kagome: Phee?

Rin: Oh, Sophia. Maru's mate.

Sesshoumaru: I wouldn't suspect "tossing one's cookies" to be a group activity.

Rin: It never gets old hearing you say that LOL! Cheers to me not being the one to lose her cookies first tonight.

Sesshoumaru: It was too jarring and unfortunate a turn of phrase to forget. However, I am still of the opinion I'd be better off not knowing you humans utter such nonsense.

Sesshoumaru: Also, I'm proud of you for your evident restraint with alcohol this evening.

Kagome: You know...you two are kinda cute.

Sesshoumaru made a noise in the back of his throat. His focus snapped to Kagome. "Do not condescend me."

She shrugged her shoulders. "You're the one basically flirting with your mate in the group chat."

Sesshoumaru: Rin, you are forbidden from the creation of any future group chats. When we arrive, this forum will be prohibited from further use.

Rin: But...this is a FAMILY chat. How is that not allowed?

Kagome: Wouldn't Inuyasha need to be here for it to officially be a family chat?

*Rin has added Inuyasha to the chat*

Sesshoumaru: Rin...

Rin: What?! Kagome had a valid point!

Sesshoumaru exhaled and Kagome couldn't help the bright laugh that snuck out. Leave it to Rin to significantly lighten Kagome's mood.

Sesshoumaru: You know he is inaccessible at present. Inviting him to this temporary channel is pointless given it will not exist long enough for him to participate.

Rin: Spoil sport! *tongue sticking out emoji*

Kagome: You could leave you know, Sesshoumaru, if the chat offends you so much. You have an iPhone, yeah? It's the big red button. Top right of your screen.

*Sesshoumaru has left the chat*

Kagome: Holy shit! He actually went for it! LOL!

"Oh my god," Kagome cried, rocking side to side as she giggled victoriously despite the growl that curdled in Sesshoumaru's throat.

*Rin has added Sesshoumaru to the chat*

Sesshoumaru: I don't know whether to be appalled or flattered that you are intent on my being here.

Kagome: My vote is appalled.

Rin: Yeah right, if you didn't wanna be in the chat you would've declined my invite. You love me too much to stay away, even though we're annoying you lol. *happy face emoji*

Sesshoumaru: I suppose.

Rin: See? He's besotted.

Rin: Whereabouts are you two?

Sesshoumaru: I anticipate another fifteen minutes. I'll message you when we're at the gates.

Rin: Okay. Oh, the girls are back. Thanks for the company, you guys. Kagome, I'll meet you at the door when you get here, okay? Just ignore all the stiffs; it's what they do.

Kagome: Um...okay? Thanks.

Rin: Love you both.

Kagome: Aw! Love you too, Rin! Bye, big brother!

Sesshoumaru: Cease this irritating behaviour and abstain from it in the future.

Rin: LOL don't be too hard on him, Kagome. He's really just a big ol' softy at heart.

Sesshoumaru: Rin...desist. Or there will be consequences.

Rin: You promise? *wink emoji*

Kagome: *puking emoji* My eyes didn't need that additional trauma today. See you soon, Rin.

Kagome would have assumed the aura in the backseat to be uncomfortable once she and Sesshoumaru put away their phones; however, it was surprisingly not awkward. If anything, somehow that short three-way dialogue had Kagome feeling almost a sense of kinship with her mate's brother. Leave it to Rin to take playfulness to the next level and use it to foster a sense of affinity between them.

"You're not actually mad at me, right?" The question felt juvenile leaving Kagome's lips but she couldn't seem to help it.

Sesshoumaru's tone sounded like he could have sighed. "Puerile mockery is a trademark of Rin's character. I do not fault you for going along with her juvenescence; however, I hope I need not remind you that that sort of behaviour on display anywhere else is—"

"Oh gosh no!" she cut in, waving her hands. Then, she flushed, realizing she just cut him off again. "Also, sorry. But yeah, family group chat only. I promise." Sesshoumaru hummed a sound of disapproval that made Kagome's lips flutter into a smirk. "She's good for you, you know? Rin. I think you stabilize her and she breathes some life into you." Another curt, low murmur in his chest acknowledged her comment, but Sesshoumaru didn't otherwise reply.

As the Lord General turned back to his device, silence fell over the vehicle for the remainder of the drive. At least until they passed through the extravagant rod iron gates of Sesshoumaru's castle. Kagome's gasp of surprise at the sight punctured the quiet. Yes, Sesshoumaru may have referred to his home as an estate, but there was no way his house was anything other than a castle built in the middle of a forest, with its blatant curtain walls, towers, and turrets in warm sandstone.

Jaken was instantly at Sesshoumaru's side as soon as the sedan passed through a guardhouse and came to a stop. Stepping from the car, Kagome watched servants stream from the main entry beyond the bailey to welcome home their Lord General. Gawping around at the literal fortress, Kagome's stomach turned over, catching the scrutinizing stares of Sesshoumaru's mostly non-humanoid staff. Just as Kagome passed through the main entry, which was at least ten feet of solid wood, Rin came bounding from the echoing marble hallway. This late at night, the soft flicker of candlelight cast long shadows across hard stone surfaces and a plethora of trinkets on wooden tables. Upon closer inspection, Kagome realized they were flameless candles, lightbulbs meant to mimic the dance of real flames.

Rin didn't utter a word of why Kagome had shown up to the estate alongside Sesshoumaru. She simply looped arms with Kagome, fighting off the multiple attempts of staff to escort the guest in her stead, and led her up a grand staircase into the eastern wing of the estate. Stepping into Kagome's borrowed space, Rin provided a brief overview and verbal map of where Kagome could find Rin, Maru, and Phee once Kagome had had a chance to shower and get herself settled in her room. Then, Rin gave Kagome a strangling hug before clasping her shoulders tightly, offering her friend a soft yet sad smile, and then left so Kagome could proceed with her shower.

Looking around, Kagome felt overwhelmed.

The room was...decadent. The decoration reminded Kagome of Sesshoumaru's floor in Nocturne Tower: extravagant in a Victorian sort of way, given the thick beveled frames of fine art portraits; thick, plush rugs; spindly glass chandeliers; and drooping, pillowy curtains gracing the windows and accentuating the ornate headboard of the king-sized bed. Everything was rich in colour, deep burgundies and plums. It was a stark contrast to the almost blindingly-white ensuite bathroom that Kagome was surprised to find was full of steam from the already running glass-enclosed shower. Eucalyptus and spearmint tickled her nose and Kagome breathed in deeply, feeling an ache in her chest like the beginning of tears as tension slowly eased from her shoulders.

Dropping her backpack and purse on the bed, Kagome sat on the mattress's edge, her heels lost in the pooling bed skirts tracing the floor. Just as she brought her hands up to her face, thinking those tears were nearer the surface, a knock on the door startled her.

"Come in," Kagome called out before she gave herself a chance to change her mind.

A woman, and it was definitely a human woman, slowly poked her head around the opening door and offered Kagome a weary smile. She was stunning with auburn-chestnut hair and freckles that darkened her ovular and pronounced features, like black peppercorns over smooth mashed potatoes. The woman was petite, closer to Rin's size, with deep-set lines that creased her eyes and mouth. When the woman's smile grew as she stepped into the room and closed the door behind her, Kagome placed her in her mid-thirties. From her three-second assessment, Kagome decided this woman must be a significantly happy person to have such defined laugh and smile lines in her otherwise flawless face.

"Kagome, hi." God, even her voice was pretty. Soft, silky, breathy. "We've never met before, but you've met my mate, Maru. My name is Sophia, but you can call me Phee."

What are you doing in my room, Phee? A wretched, tired, and over-it voice in Kagome's head spoke. Thankfully, Kagome had lots of practice keeping her inside voices inside. Instead, she forced a weak smile and nodded a greeting.

"Hi, Phee."

"Hi," Phee said again with a smile, sliding her hands into the wide pockets of her flowy, emerald green pants that dusted her bare toes. "I'll cut to the chase of why I'm here. I'm a demon physician. Rin took me aside to share, very high level, that you were in an altercation with a demon male. You don't have to tell me anything and if you'd rather I leave, I will. However, I wanted to check in and see how you are managing; if there is anything I could do, from a health care perspective, to help you right now? I'm on call in the morning so I haven't been indulging like Rin and Maru," she added with a soft chuckle.

Kagome huffed a laugh, finding the brightness of Phee's chuckle contagious. "I...thank you, Phee. I appreciate you thinking of me like that even though we don't know each other." Kagome sighed and leaned into her hands on the bed. "Other than shaken up and a little freaked out still, I'm okay." Kagome flushed, thinking about how much to reveal to this woman. "I have a sore back from being pressed up against a counter and a few cuts in my arm from him grabbing me, but otherwise he...he didn't touch me." Shame was just like riding a bike; the muscle memory of it came back with a vengeance and a burning heat of mortification in her face.

Phee nodded in understanding. "You mentioned your back and arm; would you like me to look at either of those spots?"

Kagome blinked up at her, words temporarily failing her. "Um, yeah, sure."

"Please don't agree just because I asked." Phee's lips pressed into a tight line, and Kagome felt guilt spike with the clear admonishment. "You don't owe me anything, okay? If you'd rather just get on with your shower—"

"No. Seriously. Thank you for...for thinking of that." Kagome flushed again. "I don't mind. It's probably a good idea anyway for peace of mind."

The stern expression slowly lifted from the other woman's features, her smile lines on full display. Phee gestured to the ensuite restroom. "Do you mind if we go where the light is a little better?"

"Oh, yeah, sure," Kagome stuttered, rising to her feet.

When Kagome stopped in the bathroom, she turned to face Phee, feeling awkward as she wrung the hem of her sweater between her hands.

"I will need access to both wounds to fully inspect them. If your sweater can be pulled up over your back, great. However, if your sleeves won't roll up far enough, I will need you to remove the garment."

"It's fine." Kagome pulled the sweater off over her head, taking her scrub top with it, and held it in front of her chest. "I'm pretty sure I have more revealing bathing suits."

Phee was clearly in clinician mode because she gave no sign she even heard Kagome's remark. The doctor wasted no time moving behind Kagome and making eye contact with her in the vanity mirror. "You're going to feel my touch on your lower back. Please let me know if anything hurts or becomes uncomfortable."

Kagome swallowed and nodded.

Despite the warning, Kagome flinched when Phee's fingers made contact with her skin. Her hands were warm, fingers lithe with short, neat nails. Kagome winced when Phee pressed on the middle of what felt like a bruise just above her tailbone. "You have some early discolouration here," Phee began, "but I'm not seeing anything concerning." Her eyes flicked to Kagome's in the mirror, over Kagome's shoulder. "You'll have a hearty bruise; a big ol' purple boy likely. It's nothing ice and acetaminophen won't be able to handle though."

Kagome dipped her head in understanding before chomping on her bottom lip. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"How are you a demon physician?" Kagome's cheeks ignited when Phee's eyes flared. She clearly had been expecting Kagome's question to be about her own physical condition and not about Phee's occupation. "I don't mean to be offensive by asking, but...demons are actually willing to see a human doctor? I just—Given my recent experiences with demons, I'm struggling to understand how you're able to do what you do."

Phee's chortle was a musical chirp that instantly put Kagome at ease. "You are not the first, nor will you be the last, to ask me that, Kagome, and I get it. I guess it's no different than some men who choose to work in the field of women's health. There are definitely patients who decline my care, which is fully in their right, but many are fine with it once they understand I'm there to provide a specific service and I'm highly competent. Would I rather not have to showpony my abilities to prove I'm competent? Oh yes, very much. But, if I have to suck back my pride a couple times a week to do what I love then—" She shrugged— "C'est la vie, as they say, right?"

A humourless smile curled up one side of Kagome's mouth. "Must make Maru happy...having a demon health specialist in the house. My mom's a nurse," Kagome added with a smile. "It was always peace of mind when we got hurt growing up."

That cheery laugh echoed again. "I don't think happy is the word my mate would use. Getting used to my schedule has been a struggle for us, and I'm probably a lot more anal about healthy habits and risk-taking than she'd like. But otherwise, yes, I can appreciate the peace of mind it could bring my family. May I see your arm next, please?"

Kagome swung her elbow out and Phee wasted no time craning her neck to glance over the five red dots.

Phee's face gave nothing away. "Do you know what kind of demon he was?"

"A wolf demon."

"Do you know which clan?"

"No."

"Which specific pack he hails from?"

"No."

"If he's an alpha?"

"I think so?" Kagome answered. "My receptionist is also a wolf demon and she called him an alpha."

Phee nodded, manipulating Kagome's arm so she could better inspect the lone wound caused by Kouga's thumb. "A wolf demon be able to sense an alpha, so that's helpful. Did he look more human or wolf?"

"Human. I wouldn't've been able to tell he was a demon if not for his ears."

"Okay." She took a step away from Kagome and leaned her back against the vanity counter. "I asked you all that because some male wolf demons carry a type of venom that is made in glands connected to hollow spurs in their arms that is excreted via their claws. The effects of the venom are not life-threatening but nevertheless powerful enough to cause serious impairment. I'm not seeing any evidence of poisoning in your wounds; however, I want you to keep an eye on them for the next few days. Any signs of inflammation—redness, swelling, pus—go to the Emergency Department immediately in a demon hospital—I don't trust human hospitals to know how to properly treat demon poison. If you feel any numbness in your fingers or pain directly above the wounds in your bicep, again, go to ED. That could be a sign the poison is spreading."

Phee reached out and squeezed Kagome's fingers in a gesture of comfort when she saw Kagome's expression transform with panic and her face pale. "I don't mean to cause you alarm, Kagome. I just want you to be well-informed of symptoms to be aware of, okay?"

Kagome licked her lips before nodding slowly. "Th-thank you." She was about to crawl back into her sweater for modesty's sake before Phee stopped her with a gentle touch on her elbow.

"What is this puncture here?" Phee gestured to the small, round scab housed in greenish-yellow bruising in Kagome's abdomen from the birth control shot.

"Oh, that wasn't from him," Kagome said on a sigh, like this answer was easy compared to the others. "I got the demon birth control shot yesterday. I guess I just heal slowly and bruise easily in my old age." Kagome added a touch of whimsicality to her tone; however, stalled when she couldn't understand the somber expression on Phee's face.

"The demon birth control shot," the human doctor for demons began, "it's not applied to the abdo—"

A knock on the bedroom door startled Kagome and had her snapping the sweater on over her head. A few seconds later, Myoga opened the door and bowed his head when he caught Kagome's eye.

"Apologies for the interruption, Lady Kagome," he said with a softened smile. "My Lord Sesshoumaru requested I gather some things for you from your residence. I hope I've brought what you consider to be the essentials; however, if I have missed anything, please don't hesitate to let me know. I'll ensure their speedy retrival for you."

"Myoga," Kagome exhaled, stepping closer to the older male. It was...strange, that this client was also now sort of her...butler? Valet? Servant? Is it even politically correct to call people servants these days? "Thank you," she said finally to the steward, her eyes trailing the duffel bag on the bed. "I really appreciate this."

His chest seemed to puff with pride, like something as simple as genuine thankfulness wasn't something he encountered very often in his position. "Enjoy the rest of your evening, my lady."

"Oh, Myoga, before you go—" Kagome's arm rose like she would have considered grabbing him by the shoulder if he hadn't stilled in the middle of the doorway. "You haven't—I mean...has anyone heard from Inuyasha since he left?"

Whether the tears underlying the tenseness in her voice gave her away or the silvery sheen of her eyes, Kagome couldn't say, but sympathy radiated off the male in sheets and waves. "I am sorry, Kagome, but I have not. No one has. Which isn't cause for alarm since that is what's expected from his traveling. I wish I had more I could say to provide you comfort."

Kagome shook her head, feeling embarrassed that tears of frustration began to pool and cloud her vision. "No—" she cleared her throat— "No, it's okay. Thanks, Myoga. Again."

With that, the demon male exited the guest suite and shut the door behind him.

Silence descended on the room for barely a full heartbeat before Phee stepped up to Kagome and said she'd also take her leave. Tears tracked Kagome's heated face and she sat heavily on the edge of the bed, having heard Phee but not acknowledging her imminent departure.

"Listen," Phee sighed, kneeling before Kagome and resting a hand on Kagome's knee. "You have so much on your mind right now, and I don't want to add anything else on your plate. I want to talk to you about your birth control shot, but can we plan to do that in the morning?"

Kagome nodded dumbly, swiping at her cheeks with the back of her hand.

"Take it easy on yourself, okay?" Phee stood and opened the door. "I hope to see you downstairs in a little while, yeah? If Rin and Maru don't drink everything within sight first. Those two are rowdy drunks. Wish me luck out there." With a playful wink and a kind smile, Phee closed the door behind her.

Kagome had no idea how long she spent in the shower, arms wrapped around her knees as she sobbed to the point her eyes ached and her breaths hitched. When she emerged—forty minutes later, as per the time on her phone—she felt lighter. The ache in her chest was still there; she was still furious and she still missed Inuyasha so much that it hurt. But everything felt...maybe a little bit more bearable now.

Having checked the time on her phone, Kagome also saw she had a notification for a text message Rin sent just over ten minutes ago.

Things are slowing down for us for the night. Let me know if you want some company. *heart emoji*

Kagome quickly fired off a reply that company sounds nice and then dropped the phone on the bed. Rummaging through the duffel bag, the ivory towel snug around her body, Kagome's eyes prickled with tears of gratitude as she pulled from the bag a pair of her sweatpants and one of Inuyasha's t-shirts—one of the one's she'd been taking to wear so much that after it was laundered, Inuyasha told Kagome to keep it in her drawer.

Dressed in her comfy clothes that smelled of home, Kagome was in the process of brushing out her wet hair when the soft rap of knuckles rang out. After Kagome called out, Rin ducked her head into the room.

"Oh sweetie," Rin sighed, clearly noticing the swelling red glasses Kagome wore thanks to her furious bouts of crying.

"Shit sucks," was Kagome's groaning reply as Rin swept her up into a hug, which was a funny way of putting it since Kagome was at least a head taller than Rin.

"Shit so sucks," Rin commiserated. "You tell me as much or as little as you want about what happened, okay? I'm not going to ask you anything about it. But if you wanna get drunk and plan a murder, I'm definitely in."

Kagome heaved a wet, sobbing laugh. She finished brushing her hair and sat on the edge of the bed. When Rin sat next to her, it was so closely that their thighs melded, their weight dimpling the mattress so they were pressed together.

"You wanna stay here or do you want the grand tour?"

Kagome huffed another laugh. "Isn't after midnight a bit late for a tour?"

"Not at all," Rin cried, standing. "I am the lady of the house, after all."

"House? Rin...this place is a friggin' castle."

Rin tittered behind her hand. "Isn't it though? Yeah...it took a good couple of years for this place to start feeling like home. Especially since only parts of the estate—we call it the estate, since it sounds less bougie and pompous that way—are actually lived in. The rest of the place is for royal stuff."

"Royal stuff?"

Rin nodded. "Throne room, council rooms. Apparently there's a war room as well as an armoury, but I've never seen either."

"The Lord General's throne is here?"

Rin giggled again. "Where did you think Sesshoumaru held court? In Nocturne Tower?"

"I mean...yeah, kinda."

Rin smirked. "You wanna go see his unnecessarily large chair?"

"You mean his throne?"

"I mean...it's just a stone and metal chair, but yeah, sure. I guess it is in the throne room. I'll show you my chair, too, while we're at it."

Kagome swallowed nosily before getting to her feet, following Rin to exit the guest room. "Sometimes this just feels like a dream. Like I'm going to wake up and I'll have either dreamed up Inuyasha and all of this or I just made up this whole royal life of his."

Rin chuckled under her breath, leading the way down the carpeted hallway then down the grand, arching staircase. Kagome scanned each piece of wall art they passed, which were many. "I know the feeling," Rin stated. "I promise you, once you attend court a couple of times, the shock value of it wears off a little. At least it did for me. Wait, hold up—pit stop." Rin slammed on her heels and spun to lead the way down an entirely different hallway.

"Where are we going?" Kagome whispered. Given the size of the hallways—at least five people could walk side by side—Kagome knew her voice would echo. Besides, being out of bed and wandering a foreign house past midnight just seemed to necessitate whispering. "I thought you were taking us to the throne room?"

"I am," Rin countered, shouldering open a door and holding it for Kagome to pass. "But I kept one bottle of wine from Maru's sticky little fingers, thinking you might want to drown your sorrows a bit. Ah ha! It's still here! That thirsty wench didn't go raiding my cupboards after all!" Rin proffered the bottle to Kagome who skimmed the black label with a heavy and emotional heart. "You like Argentinians, right? Inuyasha may have mentioned that to me once."

Kagome was quick to tears, swiping beneath her eyelids with her thumbs. "Yeah, I do. You're...lovely, Rin."

Rin giggled, grabbed a wine opener from a drawer, then turned to leave the room. Unexpectedly, she paused, like something else just occurred to her. She tucked another bottle of wine beneath her arm and then nodded her head to the door to usher Kagome out of the room that Kagome realized was a bedroom-sized pantry.

"Come on, Kagome," Rin whispered, leaning so close to Kagome as they walked that their heads almost bumped. "Let's go sit on the throne and get wasted."

"What?" Kagome squawked, which was actually surprisingly difficult to do quietly. "I'm not sitting on Sesshoumaru's throne!"

"Pssh," Rin chastised with a wave of her one free hand, "don't worry about that. Yes, it's a punishable offense to sit on the Lord General's throne, but that's why I'll take that chair." She beamed at Kagome, mischievousness shimmering in her eyes in the candlelit glow of the hallway sconces. "You can take mine."