Burned In My Vision by Inkasha Taisho
Burned In My Vision
Kirai's Neverending Title Challenge
Required Word Count: 1000
Actual Word Count: 6589
Small A/N: this just kind of snowballed from something simple into the complex, but I did manage to get it out in the time limit!! Yay!! *passes out*
Story Begins:
The building was falling and no one knew what it held inside. No one knew it held a mother and her pup. No one could sense the kekai the priestess held up to prevent the rubble and flame from her pup. But he was not a foolish ningen, he was a superior youkai that could sense their presence and quickly sped toward the power. The building was crumbling and flames licked at his fire-retardant gear greedily trying to consume more. He reached the dilapidated little corner were a support beam had fallen. He could now hear the whimpering of the pup over the roar of the flames and saw the pink kekai surrounding the pup as he fought to get to the fallen body outside the barrier.
"MA..MAMA...MAMA WAKE UP, LET ME OUT, I WANT TO DIE WITH YOU, DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE AGAIN, MAMA PLEASE!!!" the little kitsune pup cried as he pawed and scratched at the kekai. Tears coursing down his face as he fought to reach the fallen female. The recognition was the last thing he expected, but he quickly gathered himself and broke through the kekai and snatched the pup and then grabbed the burning body. He quickly extinguished the flames on the body and used his superior speed to escape the collapsing building. The media and other firefighters swarmed him, but he knew he had to keep the pup from being seen. The frightened child had completely dropped his concealment and looked much too distraught to keep it anyway.
Sesshomaru used his own power on the pup and made him appear like a normal ningen as the paramedic approached. The pup continued to cry out as the medic took the miko away and he fought to go with her, but he kept the pup with him. The medic checked the pup over and deemed him well enough to avoid a trip to the hospital. Which was fortunate, the concealment wouldn't hold at great distances from his person and the pup was too caught up in distress to listen to logic. He told the others that he'd take the child to his mother at hospital. He walked away from the chaos and hailed a taxi. The pup continued to babble and sniffle next to him the taxi. He had many questions, but he held most to himself. But he did have two he wanted answered immediately and he would have them answered before he arrived at the hospital.
"How is that you and your mother are alive, pup? And I will not have any lies from you." Sesshomaru stated.
"I..I...We..we...don't..know, -sniffle-, We... we..re just sitting with the others..-hiccup- after the last battle and... then a crash noise...-hiccup- and we started to fade. We never got..a chance..-sniffle- to say goodbye." The pup looked down at his small hands in his lap.
"Hn." Sesshomaru nodded. The well must have stopped working and sent the two back the miko's original time. He did not understand why the pup was sent with her, but it mattered little.
"How did the fire start?" Sesshomaru looked down at the boy.
"I..started it. It..-sniffle- was an accident..Mama told..me to be careful, but..but..I didn't see how close ...hiccup...I was to the curtains...and ...I was practicing my ...fox..fire..and it..just got out control so fast....I..I.." The pup broke down and the sentence was never finished as he buried his face in his hands.
Sesshomaru was not one for sentiment, but he could understand the pup distress. No one wanted to hurt his mother, even unintentionally. Youkai children were even more so. They formed special bonds with their parents that are tied to their very soul. It was obvious this pup had formed one with the miko. He'd rather die than live without her. Sesshomaru was fortunate. He was old enough to survive his father's death and his mother was still living. It also helped that he was neither close nor shared a special affection for those who sired him. This pup obviously never formed such a bond to his real parents, but the miko was close and overly affectionate. The bond between them would be tremendously strong if she was willing to die so her pup may live. It would also explain why the well sent the pup back with her. The bond was strong enough that the pup was tied to miko's essence and the well mistook the pup as some sort of extention of the miko herself and bringing him with her.
They arrived at the hospital and Sesshomaru paid the tab. He picked up the pup and walked toward the emergency entrance. The hospital was flurry of movement and the scent of despair and disinfectant hung heavily in the air, making it impossible for him to scent out the miko. He approached the desk and a busy receptionist was typing away.
"Excuse me, ma'am. I'm looking for my ma..wife. Our home just burnt down and she and our son was trapped inside. They rescued them both, but my wife was taken away in the paramedic. Could you possibly direct us to her?" Sesshomaru adjusted the pup in his arms.
"I'm sorry sir, but I must see some ID." The woman barely glanced away from the computer. Sesshomaru ground his molars as he put the pup down and reached into his wallet and produced his ID. The receptionist looked at the wallet and typed his last name into the database.
"I'm sorry sir, you must have the wrong hospital, there is no one here with the last name Taisho." The receptionist glanced up at the man and then did a double take. The male was absolutely gorgeous. Too bad he's married...the woman glanced at his left hand only to sigh in despair at the wedding band.
Sesshomaru glared at the receptionist as her disinterest turned to lust. He was disgusted at how fickle ningens were with their affection as he scented a male upon the receptionist. He made sure to glamour his concealment charm as a wedding ring to encourage the belief that the miko was his wife.
"Try Higurashi. She may have been registered under her maiden name." Sesshomaru tucked the ID back into his wallet and placed it back into his uniform. The receptionist made a little noise in the back of her throat as she typed in the name.
"Burn ward, room 227." The receptionist smiled seductively at the man. Sesshomaru sneered and picked up the pup and left in the direction of the ward. He walked down the hallways with an urgency that suprised him. He was generally concerned about the ningen's wellfare. He almost stopped dead at that realization until he scoffed. Of course he didn't want the ningen to die then who would take care of bothersome pup? He couldn't be placed in an orphanage because he was a youkai. The responsibility would fall to him and he did not want another pup. His own pups were finally grown and mated, he didn't want to have to deal with it all over again. Rin, his only female pup, had been the first to go. Then all his other pups from bitches he'd bred with had all grown into powerful males and had packs of their own. He was enjoying his grandfather years and had no intention of starting all over again.
He walked at rapid clip as they entered the burn ward of the hospital. The smell of medication and burnt flesh made him nauseas and the pup gagged openly. He hurried to the room that the receptionist gave them. He could hear the medical professionals behind the door run around hecticly and heard someone yell to restrain her. Sesshomaru threw the door open to a scene that would stay burned in his vision for centuries to come.
The miko was wrapped in her own aura. Her eyes were completely pink. An unnatural wind swept through the room caused by her massive aura. Her body floated above the bed as her energy healed her and kept the medical professionals away. Her aura did not recognize them and kept trying to zap them. Some of the youkai doctors concealment were burnt away in the heat of the purification and Sesshomaru could feel his own concealment weakening and the pup's was already gone. His own aura began to rise and fight for dominance. His pups auras reached out for his in inquiry but was quickly purified. His pups could feel his own power release and had tried to answer the call of their Alpha, but the alternate power source was too powerful. He knew his pups would try to find him immediately thinking he was in danger. Sesshomaru knew he was in no danger. The female was powerful and no one could subdue her aura. No one but him that is. Sesshomaru knew that there was an huge risk here. He could subdue her, but he'd be tied to her forever. The dominance of auras was only done between mates and unruly pups.
Sesshomaru had never had a mate. He had bitches that whelped his pups for him and little else. They shared his bed during their heat and his home while they carried. As soon as the pups were weaned he showed them the door. After so many centuries, he was not so opposed to being tied to a ningen, especially this one. He'd known her for centuries, even though they were little more than allies, he could adjust to her presence given time.
Sesshomaru knew her to be loyal, intelligent, and not so hard on the eyes. He could deal with her, besides he was the only one strong enough to own such a powerful bitch. Nodding in agreement to his assessment, Sesshomaru released his full aura and wove it around the miko. The ningens in the room blacked out long ago and the youkai were on their knees from the miko's powerful aura. His own features became more demonic as his eyes bled red and his marking became jagged, he was on the borderline of changing his form when he finally overcame the miko's aura. As he began to suppress the miko's aura, their powers began to fuse and become one as the pressure became stronger. Little flickery wisp of holy power whispered over his flesh causing it shudder and having him to suppress the arousal that came with the odd sensation.
Her powers were heady addiction he would have to become adjusted to. As her own aura was suppressed her body began to lower to the bed and the pink glow of her eyes began to leak away until opaque blue eyes stared blankly at the ceiling. Sesshomaru was still panting lightly as he withdrew his own power. It was even more difficult now that it was fused with even more power he aquired from the miko. Sesshomaru called on his iron will and suppressed the powers within. The red drained from his eyes and his marking returned to normal. Sesshomaru contemplated sitting as it taken a lot more energy than he previously assumed to control the priestess. The idea was quickly put to rest as his youngest pup entered the room.
Garu was tall male with his mother's odd orange colorings, but his markings. He was not the most powerful male, but he dominated his home. He had taken neko for a mate, much to his father disappointment. Garu was successful small business owner, and his shop was a few blocks from the hospital allowing him to feel the aura the most and enabling him to get there the fastest.
"What the fuck happened here?" Garu glanced around the room. Although his pup, Garu had taken after his detested half-breed uncle in mannerisms and language.
He was about to answer when his eldest pup of all the males stumbled into the room. Looking exactly like him down to his marking, Daisuke was his pride and joy. He was not only the eldest, but almost as fast and very closely matched him in strength. Daisuke had married very kind and almost frail inuyoukai that came from a humble background. She did not put with his pup's arrogance and was quick to knock him down a peg or two. His son took over his corporation as CEO so he could go out on his own personal whim and become firefighter. Although, the money was not needed, he greatly enjoyed the thrill and excitement of the job.
"Father, who is this female?" Daisuke eyes glued to miko in the bed. She was lovely specimen of her breeding. A lovely curvaceous figure with full pouty lips and breathtaking blue eyes.
"Your new stepmother." Sesshomaru snarled at his pup as he cuffed him on his ear. Daisuke whimpered at the hit and quickly lowered his gaze from female. Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. Although much like him in many aspects, Daisuke was cursed with grandfather's libido and was constantly looking at what was not his to touch. His mate had punished him many times for his wandering eyes, but no matter how many his eyes wandered, he stayed faithful to his mate.
He waited patiently for the rest of his pack to show up. His three middle pups, triplets from one bitch, came next. Although each mated to different females, they still stayed close together. Saisuke, Toga, and Kenji all looked similar yet different. They all shared his build and height, but Toga looked like him including markings, Kenji was a perfect mix of him and his mother with his silver coloring, but her single markings and no crescent, and Kenji looked like his mother with similar markings and dark coloring. The pups were each very reliant on each other and no matter how hard he tried, he could not seem to stop the co-dependency on each other even after they had mated. Saisuke had mated a shrine maiden who's power was strong, but not nearly as powerful as his miko. Toga had mated a kitsune youkai. Kenji had tied himself to a wolf hanyou. He approved all the mating much to the surprise of his peers. He was quite well known for his distaste of hanyou and ningens, but he trusted his pups not mate just any riff raff and they had always proven themselves to him. His daughter-in-laws were good females and they paid proud homage their mates bloodline.
Their attention was diverted as a whimper went off in a far corner of the room. The whimpering triggered a reaction in the miko. The miko's body moved on auto pilot as the pink aura filled her eyes. She surrounded the whimpering kitsune in a kekai and drew the orb to her. The kekai released the pup with a pop and he landed softly in his mother's arms. The kitsune buried his nose in his mother's hair as the pink receded and she once again stared at the ceiling.
Everyone stared in shock at the control display of power. Miko's this powerful had been believed to be killed off centuries ago. The miko in the bed could wipe the floor with most of the youkai in the world. How had his father discovered her? All his pups turned to him with questions in their eyes.
"She is an old acquaintance of mine from many centuries ago. Her name is..KAGOME!!!" Sesshomaru was cut off mid sentence as Rin, his only female pup to date, entered quickly followed by her mate Neniji, a male eagle youkai guard from his shiro. The two had met by chance, and before he knew it, the youkai was asking for her hand. Who was he to keep his lovely Rin from happiness, plus with her lifespan tied to her mate and her mate in his employment, he could keep her for centuries and she would be close.
"RIN!!" All her brother glomped her. As the eldest of all Sesshomaru's pup, many of her brothers came to her for advice and council especially when things went sour when they were courting. She loved all her brothers very much and got along with all their mates as well. Although sometime her mate and her brothers butted heads. Male inuyoukai treated their mates like treasures of the highest caliber and often did not approve of her mate's attitude or high handedness. She understood Neniji's need to be in control and stand guard over her. Birds were guardian species and preferred to cloister their love ones away from others. Neniji did not understand the need of her brother to join together in packs and stay close together and discouraged her contact with them, but neither they nor she could stay away. A compromise was struck. On nationally recognized holidays, she was allowed to visit and stay with her brothers and their packs, but any other time she was needed at home in their own nest.
Rin's outburst was met with even more shock. Their sister was centuries old yet she knew this female. This female should not have been able to live long enough for their sister to recognize her. They turned their eyes back to their father.
Sesshomaru nodded toward Rin and her mate. "Yes Rin, it is Kagome and her pup Shippo. I saved them earlier tonight from a burning building. She was unconscious when I found them and Shippo was trapped in a barrier of her own making. Apparently, she had made to barrier for them both, but was knock out by falling debris before she could join him in safety. She had extensive burns and lacerations, but the release of her aura must have healed her completely so I do not understand why she hasn't awoken. Although, simple exhaustion could be the case." Sesshomaru walked over to the pair. Although Kagome's eyes were open, they saw nothing and her breathing indicated she was resting. The pup had cried himself to sleep shortly after being picked up.
Sesshomaru, with a gentleness that shocked everyone in the room, lowered her lids so they were closed. As her lids lowered, Kagome seemed to recognize his touch and turned her face into his hand and gently nuzzled it before sighing and falling to a deeper rest. Sesshomaru removed his hand and turned to face his pack.
"She is now my responsibility and my bitch. She is now your alpha female and you all will show her proper respect, are we clear?" Each of his pups nodded and went back to staring at the female with a slightly awed expression. They were proud to have such a powerful alpha female. Although none of them knew their mothers intimately, they did know that they were well known to be conniving bitches who'd tried to contact them to use them against their father. Each male was disgusted at their mothers behavior and quickly lost all connections with the bitches that gave birth to them. There was only their father who taught them to hunt and fight and provide for their own packs. For this female to belong to their father, she must truly be of great worth.
The pack got comfortable around the ward as the youkai physicians began to recover and carried their human counterparts out of the room. They recognized the inuyoukai family and knew no one was entering anytime soon. Inuyoukai were extremely protective when pack or mates were injured so it would be prudent to keep nosy ningens out and only allow youkai with experience with temperamental inus in.
Sesshomaru laid down on the bed next to his newly acquired mate. He had to supress the urge to cover her body with his own protecting her from everyone even his own pups. The urge was odd and foreign. He assumed because his pups came from different females than his own, he feared they may turn on her during her time of weakness.
Sesshomaru shook away the primitive urgings. His pups were civilized and well trained. They'd never turn on their alpha and if they decide such an idiot scheme, he'd be happy to show them why he was their alpha. He pulled his exhausted mate to him and laid to rest. The physicians would return as soon as they placed their fallen comrades somewhere safe. He was going to enjoy the few minutes of peace while surrounded by his pack and with his new mate.
---
After much chaos and calamity, they finally released Shippo and Kagome into Sesshomaru's care. Although aware of her newly mated status, Kagome was not acting at all like a mate should be. During the first couple of weeks, she was cold and distant from Sesshomaru, thanking him for his kindness and showing gratitude for all he had done, but not letting him in. After a few months, she shied away from his affection and deliberately kept away from him as much as possible, even though they shared his home now. After the first year together, she still refused his offer to stay home and not work. She refused everything he had to offer and frankly Sesshomaru was getting a bit peeved.
Finally, after refusing to come home for dinner for the past couple of days, Sesshomaru had had enough. She was his bitch, and she belonged at home with him taking care of pups and living in quiet comfort, not galavanting around in some godforsaken dirt hole chasing bones. He grabbed his jacket and instructed Shippo to finish his dinner then go to bed. His mother would not be reading a story to him this evening. He left the room and went out to garage and grabbed the keys to his Mercedes and stepped inside.
He knew exactly where the dig was and drove out to the location just over the speed limit. Wielding the vehicicle with great precision even when the terrain was not suitable for the car, he pulled up next to the one of the few vehicles at the site. He got out the car and scented the air for his MIA mate. He quickly found her scent and the fact that he scented a male near her nearly rose his already irritated emotions to new levels. He was practically livid.
Walking at a rapid clip, not wanting to look hurried, he approached the companions just as Kagome released a joyful laugh followed by a deep chuckle. He could practically feel the comradery between the two and it made him even more furious. What could this useless male provide that he could not? What did he give her that made her want to return home late and avoid his attentions? The implications of adultery were there, but Sesshomaru knew better. He could still scent Kagome's innocent. It sang to him and called to the dark, primal core of him that wanted to tempt and corrupt the purity in her. Kagome was his bitch, and she needed to remember that, desperately.
The growl that arose from his throat was loud and deep, startling the two and quickly forcing them to turn toward the enraged inu. Kagome saw her mate approach her, and she shook with trepidation and repressed awe. Sesshomaru's aura swirled with his rage and possessiveness and everything in her wanted to submit to the alpha male. Instead she moved in front of Hojo and bowed her head to the approaching male, tilting her head slightly to the side and exposing her neck. She was acknowledging his alpha status and protecting the rival male all in one body movement and it forced Sesshomaru to pause in his advancement.
Sesshomaru looked at the pair in confusion. He knew she was protecting this male, but at the same time, she was acknowledging his ownership of her body, mind, and soul. He was conflicted on how to go about this. One part of him wanted to ignore her foresight and annhilate the vermin that kept his mate away from him and the other wanted to show his dominion over the female by taking note of her submission. Deciding the latter was the less volatile solution, he switched his focus from the male to his female. He grabbed by the upper arms and pulled her to him. He never took his eyes off the other male as he lowered his mouth to her neck, and nipped at it. Opening wider, he placed his sharp fangs around her neck and growled into her neck in greeting. Kagome's response was to rub her nose just under his chin to appease him. He released her quickly after the acknowledgment, but the look of shock and slight revulsion on the rival males face was not lost on him. Ningens did not understand the complexities of Inu society and few youkai of other species understood either, but his mate knew what was expected of her and that made things less difficult. Knowing her well enough though, the easy compliance from her was disturbing and he wanted an explanation for her actions as he looked on at wayward mate.
Kagome let out a sigh that her plan had worked. She really didn't want Sesshomaru to kill her friend. Hojo was just a good friend and her ex- next door neighbor before their building burned. Although she was aware of his crush on her, she usually ignored it and striven for his friendship instead. When the building had collasped and burned, he was away visiting family and was devastated by the news and immediately sought her out to ensure himself that she was fine. The conversation had ran later than she had expected and now she was dealing with the consequences. Having to deal with her temperamental hanyou friend's irrational jealous tendencies, she had studied inu culture and customs and knew how to proceed with care to keep her friend from becoming a pile of goo.
"Hello, Sesshomaru-sama. What brings you to my dig site?" Kagome said conversationally, trying to ease the tension.
"Well, mate, I came to assess what has delayed your return to our home. You see, I was concerned that you had fallen ill once more or worse in some sort of work related incident, but I see my worry was for not. With all the modern technology, it never accorded to you to pick a phone to contact me to tell me of your whereabouts?" Sesshomaru quipped.
Kagome looked down and took a deep breath for strength. She had been living on her own for so very long. She was not use to reporting to anyone, let alone this male who had decided to take over her life."Well, Sesshomaru-sama, Hojo-kun here was just checking on Shippo and I out of concern. He was our neighbor in the apartment building you saved us from. I had not realized it had gotten so late, or I would have contacted you to tell Shippo I was going to be coming home a little late." Kagome answered. She was at the end of her patience with him. He just believed he could waltz right into their lives and just take over and it was not happening.
Sesshomaru gave derivative sniff and turned away from his AWOL mate to study his enemy. The fool was quivering in his presence and the desire that was rolling off him before he arrived had died a quick death in the wake of his fear. Look down at the pitiful ningen, he allowed himself a moment of politeness.
"Thank you for inquiring after my mate, you're concern is noted and as you can see she is in good health, but now she needs to come home where she belongs." Sesshomaru promptly dismissed Hojo and grabbed Kagome by the arm and all but dragged her out of the lot.
Kagome babbled and protested, but it fell on deaf ears and soon she fell into line as he opened the door of his mercedes. He grabbed the keys to the Jeep Wrangler she came to work in and locked the doors and left it there for the night. He sat down in the drivers side and whipped the car out and sped down the highway leaving Hojo stunned there for a long moment after their departure to come to his senses and hurried to his own truck and head home, making a decision to cut all his ties to Kagome. She was dangerous company to keep if she was married to an inuyoukai because he liked all his limbs and appendages where they were.
---
The ride home was filled with silence and when they arrived home, Kagome got out the car and went to her own room only to find all her stuff was gone. Filled with shock and outrage, she rushed to find Sesshomaru and demand an explanation.
Sesshomaru was sitting in his study waiting for Kagome to come find him. He had tried to be patient with her and coax her into life with him, but now she was just being obstinate and refusing him outright. He could not change the fact that they were tied together nor did he want to. He enjoyed having Kagome's soothing presence in his life, and the strange joy the having a pup around brings. In fact, he was already contemplating having another if he could only get his mate to allow him to touch her. Such an strange mate, to deny them both the physical pleasure of joining. He knew their past was going to take time to get over, but after a year of sharing a home and life together, and still no progress? This had to end now before he lost all patience with his female and forced her submission something neither would like, but would be necessary if they did not overcome whatever hang up she had.
Kagome burst into his study in wave tousled black hair and feminine fury. "What the hell have you done with my stuff? You didn't throw us out did you? Look, I'm sorry about not coming home for the last couple days, but it's been so busy at the site with the discovery and I just lost track..."Kagome was interrupted in her explanation as Sesshomaru held up his hand.
"You're excuses are not needed nor do I care. The agreement was that you be home in time for dinner and you have not. No more. You will either be home at the the assigned time or not leave the house at all." Sesshomaru looked on bored at Kagome.
"Not at all, are you suggesting that I quit because I can't come home for curfew? That's ridiculous, Sesshomaru. I'm a grown woman and can take care of myse..EEK!!" Kagome shrieked as Sesshomaru stood suddenly and his chair slammed against the way with enough force to crack the hard oak wall behind it.
"Frankly, Kagome, I don't give a damn. I don't care if you find a unicorn in that hole in the ground if it's dinnertime, you are to report home then. I have been patient with you and all your quirks and your rejection, but I have had enough. Your things have been moved to my room and we will sharing a bed like mates should. You will stop this foolishness and allow our mating to go as it should." Sesshomaru walked around his desk and began to stalk his mate.
Kagome head hung as she listened to his complaints and demands. Then she whispered, "Ne..ver..." Then louder,"Never will I be your mate!! My heart will always belong to Inuyasha. You stole me from my fate. I never asked you to save me, you conceded bastard. I would have like to die and be with him again, but you couldn't leave me in peace. I had saved Shippo and I was ready to die and join him." Kagome whispered brokenly.
Sesshomaru snarled at his mate and grabbed her by throat and threw her against a wall. "You are my mate, bitch. No matter what you do or how you try, you tied to me forever, in this life and the next. No matter where you run, I will be with you. He never wanted you, it was always the golem he longed for and her soul within you that drew him to you, little else. I care for you for your strength and character, but he only kept you around to see the shards. Do you know what he did when you left? He found the golem and went to hell with her. He did not even look for you after you dissappeared, did not question your absence or whether you lived or died. He went quietly into hell. It was years later that I had discovered your disappearance because I had ran into some of your previous pack after they had started their lives. They told me of his decision and gave me Tetsusaiga. He cared for you naught. I did. I searched for you through the centuries, but now that I have found you, I am sorely tempted to kill you myself. You disgust me. You would end your life, leave your pup behind, for that filth that degraded you and used you most of your adolescent life. I will not kill you, but you will wake up face this reality, you are my mate and destined for me. Or you will wither away on nothing but make believe hero worship you had for that worthless pup." Sesshomaru dropped Kagome as she slid down the wall and curled into a ball. The scent of saltwater and anguish filled the room and brought down his anger significantly.
Sesshomaru rubbed his face trying to calm himself and sat down next to the broken girl. He pulled her into his arms and rocked her as shudders went through her as she sobbed for the death of her fantasy.
Kagome was too broken to turn away from the affection and leaned into his strength. He did not even look for her? She put her entire life on hold and he did not even bother to look for her after she disappeared and had went to hell with that undead thing. She had wanted to die for her love and now only to discover another being had cared for her much more that Inuyasha ever did. He had searched for her and then cared for her in her time of need. He had taken them and gave them a home and all she did was snub him. She sobbed and wrapped her arms around Sesshomaru and sobbed out her apologies to him for rudeness and promised to do better.
Sesshomaru just stroked his distraught mate's hair and gently held her as the shudders slowed and her heart rate leveled out to the point of rest. He did not mean to fly off the handle and cause her so much distress at once. It just caused him such outrage that this beautiful creature was willing to die for that idiot. She deserved so much more, and now she could have it if only she would embrace it. Sesshomaru sighed at his predicament as he shifted her body in his arms and carried her to their bedroom. He removed her shoes and shorts, but left the shirt and her underwear on. They were very fragile right now and he did not need to put himself in the line of temptation like that. He undressed and changed into his silk black pj bottoms and slipped into bed with his exhausted mate and pulled her close and held her. This was how it should be.
---
Kagome was very timid in the beginning of the courtship, but grew bolder as they grew closer. She was alway at home on time and had started taking less hours at work and trying to stay home more often now. After the big fight, she continue to apologize and make it up to him. Although he appreciated the effort, he just wanted to lay the past to rest and start anew. She agreed. They had made great strides in their relationship since then. The holidays were approaching and with them came the rest of his pack. A few of his pups had dropped by on occasion and visited briefly, but this was going to be first time Kagome was going to have to deal with them all and she was positive giving herself a complex with all the worrying.
Sesshomaru had did everything to try to soothe his mate, but nothing worked. He thought best that just getting it over with would be the only way to get her out of her tither. He opened the door to their bedroom to see her smoothing out her satin ivory gown and turning this way and that trying to get out imaginary wrinkles. He shook his head at his mate's silliness and laid his gift on the bed and approached her from behind. He rested his hands gently on her arms and ran his hands up and down her sleeves admiring the smooth satin texture and leaned down and kissed her gently on the neck nipping lightly.
"So what do you think? Too formal or not formal enough? Is the split too high? I know I should have had it sown up when I had the chance!!" Kagome fiddled with the split that went just below mid thigh. The bodice of the dress showed a tasteful about of cleavage and the dress had long bell sleeves giving it a very flow-y appearance.
Sesshomaru knew his mate was vision in white and thought she was breathtaking in the color. The image of her in that white teddy she wore on the night she had finally allowed him christen their bed with her virginal blood would forever be burned in his memory. He lightly kissed her exposed shoulder and grabbed the gift off the bed and opened the box to show her in the mirror. Her gasp of pleasure pleased him more than any words of praise as he placed the diamond snowflake necklace around her delicate neck. He then pulled her close and placed his hand on her slightly rounded belly.
"You are my mate. You're beauty is burned in vision and no force in heaven or hell will ever take that from me or change my opinion of you, Kagome. Come now and meet my pack and show the world the female that I love is just as lovely as they imagine." Sesshomaru tugged his mate away from the mirror and guided her downstairs.
As Kagome mixed and mingled with her new family, she smiled at the sight of Sesshomaru smiling as one of his grandpups gently bounced his knee. The vision of him ensconced in flames and smoke as he pulled Shippo and her from the burning building was forever burned into her memories as well as the flames he stroked in her when he set her body aflame. His passion and drive was essential for her to continue live as his aura danced playfully with hers. He was her life and her world and as a vision of a future full of puppy eared youths running amuck filled her head, she knew everything would finally be ok as long as she was trapped in the flames with him.
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Le Fin