To Bargain with a Demon by Chiaztolite

To Bargain with a Demon

The brisk December wind whipped at Kagome’s hair as she stood on the crowded sidewalk that afternoon, staring at the skyscraper in front of her — an architectural marvel constructed of glass and steel. It was situated on one of the busiest, and not to mention most expensive, streets in Tokyo, filled with pedestrians — all of whom were rushing to do their holiday shopping during their lunch hour. She lost count of how many times someone bumped into her, almost knocking her over and burying her under a mountain of shopping bags.

Kagome knew she was most likely in everyone’s way, but even knowing so, she could not make herself enter the building. Not just yet. 

The soft melody of classic Christmas music wafted to her ears from a nearby store. Silver and gold, and tinsel lights, were everywhere. The whole city had been transformed into a winter wonderland. Though Kagome did not necessarily celebrate Christmas, the holiday feels and gift-giving spirits never failed to warm her from the inside out.

But not today.

Today, she felt a jolt of nervousness coursing through her spine and making her quiver.

However, she knew her shiver had nothing to do with the chilly December weather but with the man – or male – with whom she had an appointment.

Sesshōmaru.

Or, Inuzuka Sesshōmaru, as he was nowadays called. Since the Assimilation Acts that heralded the age of peace between yōkai and humans over two centuries ago, the demonkind were required to adopt a surname, and he, along with the rest of his kin, had called themselves ‘Inuzuka.’

Kagome might have known him as Inuyasha’s rather haughty older half-brother, the former Lord of the Western Lands. But, these days, the world knew him as a successful entrepreneur and the leader and head of an empire of corporations. In the political world, he was also known as a progressively pivotal figure in promoting human-yōkai relations.

And he might be the only one who could help her.

He was also a difficult male to pin down. Kagome had needled Inuyasha for weeks to get her this appointment. Then, she had spent hours preparing for her meeting: practicing a monologue, listed points, and raked her brain to figure out bulletproof ways to get Sesshōmaru to agree to her request.

It felt strange, almost intrusive, to storm into his office and demand a favour when they had not seen each other for five hundred years, give or take.

But, there was too much at stake, and she knew she could not afford to leave his office before he promised aid.

---------

The interior of his office building had the understated elegance Kagome always appreciated. But, as she waited, seated on a cream-upholstered settee in a reception with a soaring ceiling, plush carpet, blonde wood, and warm white marble nearly on every surface, she could not enjoy her environment.

The receptionist had politely offered a beverage, which Kagome declined. She was too nervous to consume anything anyway.

When a young man — Sesshōmaru’s assistant, she presumed — came to fetch her, Kagome’s knees nearly buckled. She tightened her fingers around the handle of her purse, adjusted the fitted blazer she had selected especially for this occasion, and followed the man to Sesshōmaru’s private office.

His office was as impressive as the male himself. He sat behind a massive desk with the backdrop of the entire city of Tokyo behind it. Kagome nearly staggered when she laid eyes on him after five hundred years. In the flesh, not in the blurry photographs of the newspaper or printed on the glossy pages of the magazine.

His ethereal beauty and commanding presence still struck her even after all these years. Though he no longer wore his daiyōkai regalia of hankimono and spiked armour, his three-piece suit looked no less formidable on him, meticulously tailored to wrap around his toned, lean physique to perfection.

As he sat behind his desk, his golden eyes perused her from head to toe. For a split second, she thought she caught a flicker of something in their depths, though it disappeared like the smoke of her imagination.  

“Kagome.”

The way he said her name replaced the nervousness coursing through her veins with something altogether more dangerous. Something thick and sticky and sweet, like nectar, or syrup, poured over fluffy and luscious pancakes. When she could not speak, he looked at her oddly, that ghost of a smile still playing about his lips.

“Welcome,” he said. “Have a seat.”

Kagome mumbled her thanks and forced her legs to move towards one of the armchairs positioned directly in front of his desk.

She had expected there to be a preamble of some sort. A chit-chat, or small talks, reminiscents of the olden days, perhaps? However, she had forgotten: he was not the type to entertain such mundanity.

“Now, how much should I write?” the daiyōkai asked, reaching for his pen and simultaneously opening something that looked suspiciously like a chequebook.

“Pardon me?” Kagome asked, finally finding the use for her vocal chord.

“I assume it is why you came,” he told her. “To ask for a donation of some sort.”

When she did not answer, he added, with a slight wintry smile: "I can write a cheque to help with whatever charity you are involved in, but I certainly will not perform menial labour, like cooking. Or lifting things.”

---------

His cavalier arrogance irked her, and Kagome resisted the urge to spit out a scathing remark. Instead, her fingers tightened around the handle of her purse as she pleaded to herself to be patient. Play nice, Kagome. Think of the children.

And she reminded herself: she did come for a donation, of some sort, so he was not entirely off the mark.

“Inuzuka-san,” she said, assuming the coldest tone she could possibly achieve. “I came to discuss the future of Hanazakura Orphanage with you. Though a monetary donation is greatly appreciated, it would mean nothing if there were no orphanage to keep afloat.”

Sesshōmaru leaned over and planted his elbows on the glass surface of his desk, fingers coming together to form a steeple against his lips.

“No orphanage to keep afloat?” he repeated. “Is someone trying to take it away from you?”

She nodded. “The building is leased from a landlord,” she explained. “He recently received an offer from a famous developer – your direct competition, actually, who wants to purchase the land and demolish the building to make room for a high-rise condominium.”

“A direct competition?” His voice lilted up with a question.

“The Hitomi Group,” she clarified. “I believe the name should sound familiar?”

He made a strange sound low in his throat: a mix between a snort and a laughter. “There is no competition there, Miko,” he said drolly. “They are an inferior company with a much smaller portfolio.”

Kagome shrugged. In that case, things might work out better for her. She paused to clench her fingers into fists. “Well, anyway. Two days ago, the landlord… He accepted that offer. He told us to move everything and everyone out by the end of January next year.”

Sesshōmaru sat quietly, pursing his lips as the sharp tip of his forefinger tapped rhythmically on the edge of his desk. 

“If I recall correctly, Hanazakura Orphanage sits on a prime spot in a very expensive, very desirable location in the entire Tokyo, Kagome,” he finally said. “As much as I despise siding with a direct competition –“ He paused to shoot her a meaningful look. “- it simply does not make sense to sacrifice the valuable real estate for a rickety old orphanage that is not producing any profit.”

Inside, Kagome fumed. “Is it all about profit?” she asked, her voice rising despite her resolution to remain calm. “Is it all about money? I thought a yōkai lord of your calibre would have a loftier ambition than that.”

He arched his eyebrows at that. Any prior preparations or monologue vanished into a puff of smoke under that look. Kagome found herself shrinking back into her chair, but she bucked up her courage and continued, keeping her voice steady.

“Hanazakura Orphanage is home to fifty-seven children, ranging from newborn to twelve years old, and seven staff members, all of whom have dedicated many years to care for the children in this institution,” Kagome insisted. “You own a large portion of Tokyo real estate, don’t you?”

“Indeed, I do,” he concurred with a slight incline of his proud silver head.

“Can’t you—“ she hesitated. “— convince them to find another site for their project? You have a stellar reputation in this industry and considerable sway. A word from you will have much more weight than a thousand from me. You can probably wrap this thing up in just one phone call.”

---------

“Hmm, I see,” Sesshomaru purred. “And, what will you do for me in exchange for my… assistance?”

Kagome pursed her lips. “You want a reward for doing the right thing?” she asked, lifting her chin in a challenge.

He lifted a shoulder into a casual shrug. “Assuming the role of a selfless white knight has never been one of my loftier ambitions, unfortunately,” he replied. 

Once again, Kagome found herself biting back a scathing remark. Meanwhile, Sesshōmaru leaned back, keeping his cool as he regarded her calmly.

“I am not asking for a reward,” he said, the corners of his lips tipped up into another smirk. “A gift, perhaps? A present, if you will, for my good behaviour and cooperation.”

‘How is that different from a reward?’ Kagome wanted to ask, but instead, she wrapped her fingers tightly around the arms of the chair.

“I have nothing you could possibly want,” she said, cheeks flushing. “I doubt I could afford it anyway.”

He rose from his chair to come around to her side. She sensed his approach like a wild animal sensing danger or an impending storm. Still, just because she knew lightning could practically strike her dead, it did not mean she was immune to its beauty, its power. Her womb tightened despite the tiny beep of alarm in her brain.

He stopped when he was less than an arm’s length away. Should she reach out a hand, she would be able to touch him. The smells of crushed pine needles and a hint of smoke wafted to her nose, and she could swear it was not cologne, but his own natural scent that called out to her, inviting her to lean over and inhale deep.

“Ah, I disagree, Miko,” he purred again, his voice like a silken caress across her skin. “You do have something I desire. Very much.”

Kagome swallowed. The knot in her womb tightened further. She was suddenly relieved that she was sitting down. The intense way he looked at her made her feel weak in the knees. An utterly ridiculous reaction when she knew he was only toying with her, the way a cat did with his prey.

“If this is a scandalous proposal, Inuzuka-san, I swear—“

His spontaneous laugh surprised her. She had never seen or heard him make such noise before. The sound returned some of the warmth she had lost the moment she walked into this building.

Be careful, Kagome. This is just business.

“It is nothing scandalous, Kagome. It requires nothing but your time and presence by my side, for one evening only,” Sesshōmaru said. He scooted to sit in front of her, perched at the edge of his desk, so close to her that their knees almost touched. What he said next, however, nearly had her falling off her chair.

“Pretend to be my fiancée,” he told her. “And, accompany me to a party my mother is hosting this Saturday.”

“Excuse me?” she asked, unable to hide her astonishment. “Your fiancée?”

He nodded. “My mother has been egging me on to select a mate. In her usual meddlesome manner, every year for the past several years, she holds a soiree, disguised as a holiday party, where she will set some of the most eligible yōkai female nobles to parade themselves in front of me, hoping that I will find ‘the one.’”

He paused to rake his finely manicured fingers through his mass of silver hair, flicking the silken locks behind his shoulder. “I am getting quite fed up with this tiresome charade. This year, I would very much prefer some peace and quiet.”

She shook her head, frown deepening with confusion. “Why me? Don’t you have a slew of beautiful yōkai ladies waiting by the phone for you to call them? I’m sure any of them would jump at a chance to be at your arm for the night, even if it’s just a pretence.”

“I do not want anyone who has designs on me to pose as my fake fiancée,” he told her, rather impatiently. “It would be akin to adding fuel to the fire, and I have no desire to deal with the aftermath.”

She mulled over his words as her fingers involuntarily tightened around a handful of her skirt fabric. It was an unusual request, though it seemed… easy enough.

“But… what will happen after the party?” Kagome asked. “Wouldn’t your mother want to set the date for the wedding, have celebrations, and such…?”

He shrugged again. “Leave those things to me. I promise you will not be bothered after Saturday. At a later date, I will invent a story to explain why our engagement is terminated.” After a pause, he added: “And do not worry, it will not be your fault.”

She was not worried about that. It felt somewhat deceitful to pose as someone she was not. But, whenever she thought of the children, his request seemed doable in exchange for the happiness and security of Hanazakura Orphanage’s teachers and residents.

Kagome gulped. “Just a date to your mother’s party, and you’ll help me save Hanazakura Orphanage?” she asked.

He inclined his head. “Accompany me to her soirée, and I promise to make a phone call to aid your case.”

“Just… one phone call?” Kagome arched her brow. What if it’s not enough?!

As though he had heard the panicked questions she asked herself, he raised his brow as well. “I can be very convincing. Very few men could stop me from getting what I want.” 

She could not argue with that logic. In the past, he had his yōkai prowess and his indomitable swords to persuade others to do his bidding. These days, he must have cultivated other means to be just as persuasive. 

“Now, leave me your phone number,” Sesshōmaru told her as he returned to sit behind his desk. “I will make the phone call and inform you of the results.”

She had half-expected him to call his secretary to get her number, but when he looked at her expectantly, a pen still poised above a piece of paper, she realized he was waiting for her to recite the digits. After she gave him her phone number, their appointment was concluded, and she readied herself to leave her office.

As she rose to her feet, Kagome looked at him, at his indolent pose as he lounged in his chair; he might as well be inspecting his nails at this point. She sighed silently, said her farewell, and headed to the door. The moment her hand touched the door handle, she impulsively turned around.

“This cause is dear to me, Inuzuka-san,” she told him. “It is not a game.”

His response was immediate and blunt: “I do not play games.” Then, looking up just before she disappeared behind the door, he said: “And it’s Sesshōmaru, Kagome. You better get used to calling my name, if you were to pose as my fiancée.”

She blushed before she ducked her head and slipped away.

---------

It is not a game.

Long after Kagome had gone, her words still swirled inside Sesshōmaru’s mind. Her scent lingered too, perfuming his office with the fragrance of honey and green tea. He did not remember her smelling so enticing back in the feudal era. She had intrigued him back then with her strange outfits and forward, forthcoming manners, but after they defeated Naraku, she disappeared.

Not a game? He would not dare think it was a game. He never knew a pair of brown eyes could burn so bright. Evidently, the orphanage meant a lot to her, and he intended to find out why.

A call from Inuyasha distracted him, but since he intended to discover the connection between Kagome and Hanazakura Orphanage, he might as well start with his brother.

“Is Kagome still there?” Inuyasha asked as soon as Sesshōmaru answered.

“She just left.”

“You can help her, can’t you? I told her that if anyone could save that place, it’d be you.”

Inuyasha’s confidence touched him. They had undoubtedly come so far from the days of misplaced anger and jealousy, the days of arguing about swords and ownership over the inheritance. Inuyasha’s acknowledgement that Sesshōmaru might have been dealt with a shorthand over the business of Tenseiga and Meidō Zangetsuha had smoothed a lot of ruffled furs.

Then, Inuyasha’s mate gave birth to their first child. The moment Sesshōmaru held the newborn pup in his arms, the walls that had stood between him and his brother for centuries crumbled.

Within a few short years, four more children were born from that union. Those pups — his five nephews and nieces — softened his heart further. After Inuyasha and his family moved to Sapporo, they still maintained communications, and saw each other whenever they could.

“I will do my best,” Sesshōmaru told his brother. He knew that whenever he meant to do his best, he was bound to succeed.

“Why is the site of the orphanage so important to her?” Sesshōmaru asked. “I can easily build her a bigger orphanage on a larger plot of land, equipped with better facilities.”

Inuyasha sighed, as though this was an old issue that had been a thorn on his side for a long time.

“Hanazakura Orphanage is where Kagome’s late mother often volunteered before she passed away,” Inuyasha explained. “Fuck, Kagome goes there every day after work at the shrine. Weekends too. Before her mother died, she made Kagome promise to take care of the place.”

Sesshōmaru pressed a hand on his forehead. The miko could not be more different than him if she tried. She was his antithesis in every way. Working tirelessly at her family shrine, even after everyone left, was one thing. Volunteering at an orphanage daily to keep a deathbed promise to her dying mother?

Could she be more selfless, more devoted?

Usually, Sesshōmaru would delegate such charitable endeavours to a subordinate to execute, but oddly, for this one, he felt compelled to do it himself. So, he excused himself and ended the phone call with Inuyasha, only to find himself telling his assistant to put him through yet another call.

---------

The following day, Kagome took the afternoon off from working at the Higurashi Shrine and left the running of the place to the other young miko attendants she had hired to help her after her mother and grandfather passed away. However, Sōta had been offered a much better job in a neighbouring town, and Kagome urged him to accept it. He and his wife had just had their first baby, and the extra income would help him a great deal to better provide for his family.

Usually, she came to the orphanage after she finished her shift at the Higurashi Shrine. But today, the news that the orphanage was to be closed soon had somehow spread. The staff was emotional, and the children were terrified and worried, so Kagome felt it prudent to come and provide a sense of reassurance.

“Miko-sama, have something to eat,” Mizuno, one of the teachers working at the orphanage, told her. She pushed a bowl of rice soup toward Kagome, hoping to entice her to eat.

Kagome looked at the other woman. Mizuno-san reminded her so much of Sango, which made perfect sense, considering the woman was one of the descendants of Sango and Miroku. They had met almost immediately after Kagome returned to the modern era. Mizuno and her siblings had been scouring the entire Japan to find unwanted children, most of them mixed-blood, and sheltered them at Hanazakura Orphanage.

After learning about them, there was no way Kagome could turn a blind eye. Since then, she had supported their endeavours, doing whatever she could to help them care for those children.

“I’m not hungry,” Kagome told Mizuno, smiling queasily. “Thank you, though.”

Since yesterday, Kagome’s stomach was all knots. She could not eat, she could barely drink, or think about anything else other than her meeting with Sesshōmaru. It was a strange meeting. Easier than she had expected, but she had come out of it with the added agreement of attending his mother’s soirée as his fiancée.

Somehow, the daiyōkai had managed to extract that deal from her.

Kagome wanted to faceplant on the table. At first, it seemed like a simple task, but she had not thought about the logistics. What was she going to wear? The event he talked about sounded so posh. Did she even have anything in her closet suitable for the occasion? No, she had not been to a formal event in ages, she doubted she owned anything decent enough to wear. She needed to go out and get something. But… between her work at the shrine and the orphanage, when would she have time to sneak out to the department store?

“Miko-sama!” Kagome turned when another teacher rushed to see her. “Miko-sama, there is a very handsome man looking for you!”

Kagome straightened. Well. This was… different. She had not had any man looking for her in recent years, let alone a very handsome one. When she went to the foyer, she nearly tripped when she saw Sesshōmaru waiting for her.

He was so bright and… shiny, standing in the middle of the building’s foyer. His silver head shone like a beacon, glinting under the late afternoon sunlight. Dressed in another expensive three-piece suit, he looked out of place in this drab, shadowed environment.

“Sesshōmaru,” she said before she caught herself. The name just flew out of her mouth. She had hoped the daiyōkai did not notice, but from the ghost of a smile on his lips, she knew the slip did not escape his attention.

“What are you doing here?” she asked as she approached him. They had only met yesterday, but she could not help but wonder if there had been progress. Perhaps she could ask…?

“Since I’ve had to make a phone call about this place, I became curious,” Sesshōmaru explained. “I want to see the orphanage you are fighting so fiercely to keep.”

“Well, this is us,” Kagome said, opening her arms to gesture at her surroundings. Sesshōmaru scanned the foyer without comments, and he kept his mien impassive. He was always so opaque, it was difficult for her to ascertain his thoughts.

He had not mentioned his call to the Hitomi Group. Did he make the call? Is he successful?

Kagome fidgeted as she stared at him. “Would you… perhaps like a tour?”

“Yes,” he said and placed a hand on her elbow just before she moved away. “But, I can see you are practically vibrating with curiosity. So, let’s have it out, shall we?”

Her cheeks grew hot, knowing he knew precisely what she had been waiting to hear. “I’m sorry. I’ve been so stressed about the eviction notice,” she explained. “If there are any updates, I’d love to know.”

Sesshōmaru began to walk, and she followed. “It is done,” he told her as she led him through the corridor.

“Done?”

He nodded. “Your orphanage is safe.”

Later, she would be embarrassed about the squeal she let out in the middle of the hallway. The cold wash of relief coursing through her spine was enough to prompt her to leap and wrap her arms around him, and hug him.

His scent enveloped her, and when she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, she saw herself in the middle of a snow-covered pine forest. He smelled… amazing. Like Christmas morning. Or a winter cabin getaway. His scent evoked mental images of waking up in a fur-covered bed while the world outside slept beneath a blanket of snow and ice.

Then, she felt him stiffening against her, muscles drawing tight while he stood as still and unmoving as a statue. Slowly, she untangled herself from him, taking a step back.

“I’m— I’m sorry,” Kagome stammered, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Suddenly, the tip of Sesshōmaru’s shoes looked extremely interesting. “I didn’t mean to overstep. Please excuse me.”

When she looked up again, she saw him staring at her with an indecipherable expression. She cleared her throat.

“What did you do to convince the Hitomi Group to let it go?” she asked.

Sesshōmaru shrugged. “It is very simple. I offered them a better alternative.”

“A better alternative?”

“I own many of the most desirable real estate properties in Japan, including vacant lots. It was not difficult to find something they desired more than the land this orphanage sits on. I offered it in exchange for the orphanage, at a slightly reduced rate.”

Kagome stopped and stared at him. Warmth suffused her chest at the knowledge that the orphanage was safe. For now, at least.

“So… Inuyasha was right after all,” she finally said.

Sesshōmaru’s eyebrows quirked with interest. “Oh? How so?”

“He said you would get it done.”

The stunned look on his face surprised her, even though she was privy to it only for a few seconds before he turned away.

“Hnn. Inuyasha does say some ridiculous things,” he murmured. Although she could only see his back, somehow she had the inkling that he was pleased, and that notion somehow teased a smile out of her.

Kagome continued the tour, showing her unexpected guests the different parts of the building where the children studied, ate, played, and slept. The daiyōkai followed her, hands clasped behind his back as he nodded solemnly, then asked the appropriate questions that made her believe he truly listened to her. He looked exceptionally thoughtful when they stopped to watch the children playing in the courtyard for a moment.

She bit her lower lip, silently wondering if it was because the daiyōkai sensed some of their yōki. Most of the children they cared for at the orphanage were mixed blood. Stuck between two vastly different worlds, frequently they had no place to go, with smaller chances compared to full human or full-blooded yōkai to be adopted.

Soon, they were back in the foyer. He stopped and turned to look at her.

“Now that we have completed the tour, will you come with me?” Sesshōmaru asked.

A thin crease appeared between her brows. “Come with you? Where?”

“You will see.” He cocked his head towards the door. “Consider this a favour.”

Kagome could not suppress her huff of laughter. “I haven’t done my part for the original bargain, yet you want to heap another favour on me?”

“This is related to the party. Come, we have an appointment.”

“An appointment? What for?“

He stopped and turned to look at her patiently. “Though I adore your red and white uniform,” he said. “My mother — and her guests — will never believe you are my fiancée if you show up like this at her doorstep.”

As she was once again reduced to a red, stammering tomato, the corners of his lips twitched again into that ghost of a smile. “Come now, Kagome, do not dawdle.”

---------

Kagome could hear the gossip swirling even before they left the building. Sesshōmaru, with his superior yōkai hearing even while wearing glamour, must have heard them too. Nevertheless, as they exited and headed to his car, the daiyōkai did not comment or criticize the orphanage staff for gossiping.

“I’m sorry,” she told Sesshōmaru as she entered the vehicle. “They didn’t mean to be rude. They were just… curious.”

“They were concerned about you,” he said, looking straight ahead as he turned on the car with the push of a button. “Their shield-maiden has just been whisked away by a profligate yōkai. Naturally, they worry.”

Kagome reddened. “They are not like that. No one who works at the shrine or the orphanage endorses bigotry. We have many yōkai and mixed-blood children under our custody, and I will not tolerate any discrimination toward the yōkai-kind.”

“So I gathered.” He flicked a glance at her. “I did sense their yōki as I went on the tour.”

He had heard from Inuyasha that Hanazakura Orphanage housed quite a few children with yōkai blood. However, he was unaware of how the building was crumbling and in great need of repair, despite the care and love its custodians poured into it. The facility was outdated, and the infrastructure inferior to other institutions he had funded and adopted to be under his protection.

Funding was supposed to be divided evenly between human and yōkai orphanages, which only meant the institutions caring for mixed blood fell somewhere in the grey area. In most circumstances, they ended up getting the scraps, or nothing at all.

Nothing at all, if not for the miko and her bevy of teachers and custodians who cared a great deal about the institution and cared for it to the best of their abilities.

Sesshōmaru clenched his jaw. It was an eye-opener, at the very least. It was also profoundly humbling, knowing a group of humans had been staunchly protecting and caring for children of yōkai blood.

He would see what else he could do for them.

“Umm, Sesshōmaru,” the miko said. “Where are we going, exactly?”

His fingers twitched around the steering wheel. The pleasure he felt in hearing his name upon her lips, instead of his surname, was… interesting. Earlier, at the orphanage, he had felt it like a physical touch. Like a caress on his face or a kiss on his cheek. At this moment, the effect was no less potent.

It made him think about how she would call out his name when she was on the brink of pleasure. Or afterwards, when limp and sated…

“I have made a private appointment with a modiste at an atelier,” he replied, shaking himself off mentally. “She has selected some gowns for you to try on.”

When she nodded without a word of protest, Sesshōmaru was surprised. He had expected rejection. He had expected to have to convince her to try on some dresses. On the contrary, she seemed to understand what she would face, and thus had decided to go along with his plan.

Surreptitiously, he glanced at her. She was certainly not the type of female his mother expected him to court. But, she had a clean, natural beauty that he felt strangely drawn to. And, when he saw her in his office, stoutly demanding help to allow the orphanage to survive, he felt an intense need to keep her in his life just a little longer, and the proposal simply spilled out of his mouth.

Evidently, he did not think about the logistics when he proposed the agreement, though it was his responsibility to ensure she was ready for what he would put her through. The yōkai community was a superficial bunch, and the exceedingly small pool of yōkai nobility that filled up his mother’s guest list for the soirée was even more so. The fact she would stroll into the event in his arm was bound to make her more of a target, but he would not give those yōkai bitches any reason to poke fun and make the evening unpleasant for her.

At the very least, he could arm her with a beautiful dress that would be her armour. And beautiful, glittering things that would be her ammunition.

---------

Kagome stood in front of the dressing room mirror wearing a gown that was perhaps more expensive than everything she had ever owned – combined. It was made from several layers of sheer silver fabrics, with countless pearls and clear-coloured crystals hand-sewn throughout, as though someone had emptied a jar of candies all over it.

“It is perfect,” Sesshōmaru said as he came up behind her and placed his chin atop her bare shoulder as they stared at her reflection in the mirror.

“It seems... expensive,” Kagome gulped. Her eyes shifted to meet his in the mirror. “It is just a loan, right? I could never take anything as extravagant—“

“Miko, do not worry about such things,” Sesshōmaru said. “You are doing me a big favour by agreeing to this. With your help, I might be able to stave my mother off for a year. Consider this… a gift.”

A crease formed between her brows. “I thought I was doing this in exchange for you helping me with the orphanage.”

The corners of his lips tipped up into a slight smile. “It was much easier than I ever thought it could be. Practically nothing.”

Kagome lowered her head and chewed her lip as she played with the crystals that crusted her décolletage, stealing glances at the daiyōkai’s reflection in the mirror.

Sesshōmaru seemed… softer. Talking together like this, he seemed so approachable, as though the five hundred years that passed had shaved off the hard layers of apathy and stoic detachment. His eyes seemed kinder too, the colour morphing from its harsh shade of brass into buttery golden. Had so many things happened to him during the five centuries when they were apart, things that smoothed the sharp, jagged edges of his personality?

“This reminds me,” Sesshōmaru murmured, drawing her eyes to meet his in the mirror. “I need to give you something that marks you as my intended.”

“Oh? Like an engagement ring?”

His eyes flickered at the mention of a ring. Just then, the attendant came around to see if they needed assistance. The swishing noise of the curtain sliding open filled the silence between them.

“Leave us,” Sesshōmaru said without turning around. Then, when the heavy velvet curtain fell into place and gave them their privacy back, he dropped his head to her shoulder, his lips barely grazing her skin.

But she sensed his warm breath like a physical touch, and she shivered with the desire she did not even know she could feel. A tangled knot formed inside her belly, and it tightened and tightened further with every silent second that passed between them.

“Male yōkai have no use for engagement rings,” he breathed against her skin. “They are mere objects. Meaningless. We mark our future mate, right on this tender spot between her shoulder and neck. When nurtured properly, it becomes the mating bond that unites the couple for life.”

“You… need to mark me as proof to your mother that we are engaged?” Kagome murmured breathlessly.

He nodded, his silky hair sliding against her skin. “It needs to be done today so that it has a chance to heal. Otherwise, it would be too fresh to be believed as real.”

Sesshōmaru’s lips touched her, though he made no move to bite her. Kagome’s heart galloped inside her chest, pounding as loud as a drum. She knew he was waiting for her permission, his fangs probably elongating in the interim. When her head jerked into a nod, the tip of his teeth grazed her, sinking just a touch into her flesh, enough to make a pair of twin bite marks.

Kagome shivered with the unexpected pleasure she felt from his bite. It was not deep, but she experienced the jolt all the way to her core. As she stretched her neck, her hand shifted to press his head down. He moved before she managed to do so, straightening to his full height, and her fingers only managed to comb through his silken tresses.

The pleasure was acute; the disappointment even more so. She was still striving to hide it when she caught him looking down with satisfaction at the crescent moon at the juncture of her neck and shoulder.

“Now, you bear my mark,” Sesshōmaru said, smiling slightly.

“It’s not permanent, is it?” Kagome asked, gingerly touching the minor twin wounds.

“It only becomes permanent when the bite is repeated regularly,” he told her. “Worry not, Kagome. It will disappear in a few days if not renewed.”

It did not occur to Kagome until much later that Sesshōmaru had said ‘if,’ not ‘when.’

---------

As Kagome expected, the soirée was ultra-posh. It was at Sesshōmaru’s mother’s residence, which was technically an apartment, but it was the penthouse that spanned the entire floor of the building and was two-storied to boot.

A giant coniferous tree took center stage in the middle of the foyer. A Christmas tree more magnificent than anything Kagome had ever seen at malls or even upscale office buildings, dripping with crystal icicles and teardrop-shaped silver and golden ornaments. The woodsy, slightly spicy fragrance of balsam and fir filled the air, mixing with some smoky cinnamon scents she could not quite place yet found incredibly comforting.

Everywhere she looked, there were oversized arrangements of crimson and white poinsettias, roses, and lilies in tall crystal vases. The candlelights cast a warm glow, glinting off the edges of the gold fittings of the chandelier above them. A string quartet in the corner played the classical version of a popular Christmas jingle.

Whenever Kagome scanned her opulent surroundings, she felt her jaws dropping with amazement, and she had to clench her teeth together lest she made a fool of herself. She was playing the part of Sesshōmaru’s fiancée, a well-born, well-bred lady, not a simple priestess so easily awed by the glam and glitters.  

Everywhere she looked, there were female yōkai staring daggers at her. They eyed her hair, her make up, her gown, her… everything. Kagome was relieved she had put in extra efforts to get ready for this evening. The other females were all dressed in their best gowns too, their necks and hair draped with gems and jewels, so much that Kagome thought she might go blind from too much sparkle. Their glittering eyes were sharp, as thought to say: ‘How dare you walk in here in Sesshōmaru-sama’s arms?’

A little part of her enjoyed the poorly veiled indignation. As she strolled with Sesshōmaru across the black and white checkered marble floor of the elegant foyer, there was a buzz around them, like the swarm of bees ready to sting. The females’ anger and jealousy were so apparent that it was difficult not to play along. Kagome smiled benevolently at them as she held on tighter to Sesshōmaru’s arm while they nodded nonchalantly at various guests.

“They are practically green with envy,” Sesshōmaru observed, whispering in her ear. “Keep it up. You are doing so well.”

Kagome lifted a shoulder into a casual shrug. “I am tougher than I look,” she replied, tilting her head slightly toward his direction.

Even though she was not looking at him, she heard the smile in his voice. “You are enjoying this immensely, aren’t you?”

Kagome nearly chortled, but she covered her mouth demurely and simpered instead. “I’m sorry,” she whispered back. “It’s bad of me, but I cannot resist.”

“Don’t be sorry. Come closer. Let me up the ante.”

Her breath sputtered and died in her throat when he bent his head to lick at her bite marks. Bright sparks exploded inside her, like fireworks bursting in myriads of colours within the tight confines of her veins. He smelled like the Christmas tree: like the pine forest in the snow, with that hint of smoke that evoked images of waking up inside a cabin in the woods on a brisk winter morning. Just like at the dress fitting, the pleasure she felt at his touch was unexpected. It made her feel slightly off-kilter like her world was tipped off balance. When he straightened, he looked at her. His lips twitched into a small smile as though he did not realize the effect he had on her.

And she prayed he never would.

A server with a tray of champagne came by, and Sesshōmaru picked up two flutes and handed one over to her.

“Relax,” he told her, voice soft. “Remember, these people are yōkai, Kagome. They can sense your fear and doubt.”

Sesshōmaru had mistaken her silence and awkwardness for fear and doubt. Good, just as well. Then, Kagome placed a hand on his chest, taking a small sip of her champagne, savouring the smooth burn as the ice-cold liquid slid down her throat. When he lowered his head to pretend he was whispering in her ear, she tossed her head back and laughed as though he had said something incredibly witty.

Sputters of anger and gasps of outrage resounded in the room. Kagome lowered her head and secretly smiled against the rim of her champagne flute. Oh yes, it might be very naughty of her to enjoy the scathing looks coming from all directions.

But, she stood a little taller. Since she was here, she might as well enjoy this charade and play her role to the nines.

---------

When Kagome saw the host – Sesshōmaru’s mother – coming down the curved grand staircase in the middle of the expansive space, her jaw did drop. The female inu looked so magnificent and regal that it was all she could do not to fall upon her knees in supplication. The daiyōkai looked young, certainly too young to be Sesshōmaru’s mother, though Kagome reminded herself that the demonkind aged differently than humans.

“Mother,” Sesshōmaru greeted as they both approached the female. “May I present Higurashi Kagome?” Then, after Kagome rose from her bow, he continued: “My Heart, allow me to introduce my mother, Lady Tsukuyomi.”

Kagome nearly burst out in laughter when he called her ‘my Heart,’ though she bit her inner cheek hard enough to bruise to stop herself from laughing.

“Kagome had done me a great honour,” Sesshōmaru added smoothly, placing his hand on top of hers in a gesture of affection. When Kagome caught his eyes, the devotion she saw in those golden depths erased all the humour in the situation. It stunned her, and warmed her all the way to the soles of her feet. “By agreeing to become my mate. I am happy to announce: we are engaged.”

The slight arch of Lady Tsukuyomi’s beautifully-shaped eyebrow was the extent of her change in expression. She appeared neither surprised nor elated at her son’s pronouncement.

“Hnn. Are you?” Her astute golden eyes observed them from head to toe, lingering on their interlacing fingers. “A rather suspicious coincidence, isn’t it, that you announced yourself engaged on the same evening I hold this event, which purpose is to find you a proper match.”

“Suspicious?” Sesshōmaru repeated, his mild tone matching his mother’s. “I believe you meant auspicious. You must have had a slip of the tongue, Mother. I know it is a joyful evening, but perhaps it is time to lay off the champagne.”

Lady Tsukuyomi pursed her lips and bristled. “Hnn. As if a little — or a lot — of alcohol could affect my faculties. Watch your words, Pup. I am your mother, after all.” She looked at them again, elegantly tapered fingers adjusting the white fur shawl she wore around her bare shoulders.

“So,” she said. “When we spoke last night, you did mention there is someone you’d like me to meet. Is this the one?”

“Yes, she is.”

Once again, Kagome found herself under the scrutiny of those sharp, imperceptible golden eyes.

“And— what are her credentials, hmm?” his mother asked.

“Credentials?” Sesshōmaru repeated. “Why does she need credentials when I have her in my arms and introduced her as my fiancée, Mother?”

Lady Tsukuyomi’s eyes turned chiding. “My son. You are a daiyōkai. Not just any daiyōkai, but the Lord of the Western Lands, the heir to vast fortunes. Leader of your kind. Why, you need a suitable female by your side. Not just anyone—“

Sesshōmaru’s eyes narrowed. His yōki flared, rattling the windowpanes. The strains of the music turned sour for a short moment as the musicians’ hands faltered on their instruments. Couples on the dance floor missed their steps, causing small collisions among the dancers.

“Kagome is not just anyone.” His voice turned hard and brittle. “I have chosen her above all others. She needs no other credentials than that, Mother. But, if you must know, she is the Shikon Miko, and a formidable warrior in her own right.”

Kagome looked up at Sesshōmaru, her eyes widening with surprise at his staunch defence of her reputation and credentials. His slight squeeze around her fingers bucked her up, and she stood a little taller beside him.

“A formidable warrior, is she?” the mother repeated, the disbelief evident in her tone as she raised her eyebrows once more. “That is yet to be determined.”

“If my skill as a warrior is in question,” Kagome said, straightening her spine as she arched her own eyebrow. “I would be more than happy to demonstrate to Tsukuyomi-sama and put those doubts to rest.”

Tsukuyomi’s eyes flickered with an emotion Kagome could not quite decipher. It was difficult to tell if Sesshōmaru’s mother was amused, impressed, or offended. Her expression remained as flat as an undisturbed lake. A few beats of tense silence passed between them. Then, to her surprise, the female daiyōkai smiled, and even chuckled.

“My, my.” She shook her head gently, seemingly amused. “Well, Higurashi Kagome. Welcome, and enjoy yourself. I would’ve loved to stay and chat, but unfortunately, I am hosting tonight. However —“ Her eyes sharpened as she fastened them on Kagome again. “— I do look forward to furthering our acquaintances, and learning what it is about you that my son finds so compelling.”

Kagome kept her expression calm and composed as she gracefully inclined her head, but inwardly, she gulped. Her palms begin to dampen. 

“Do excuse me,” the female daiyōkai sighed. “I need to check on the catering, especially since I believe many of my guests are going to eat their hearts out tonight. Heartbreak does make one… terribly famished.”

---------

The way the miko stood up for herself in front of his mother, no less, was a pleasant surprise. Sesshōmaru had seen many male yōkai — Generals included — lose their courage and quake in their boots before the indomitable Lady Tsukuyomi, Guardian of the Moon Palace. Yet, this human woman was undeterred.

But, as soon as his mother disappeared into the kitchen, he could smell panic wafting from her.

“Your mother hates me,” she whispered, her eyes rounding with trepidation. “She doesn’t believe we are a real couple.”

He had to smother his laughter. Though brave, the miko was not immune to his mother’s intimidation after all. “The night is young, my Treasured One,” he told her. “There is plenty of opportunities to convince her we are truly engaged.”

She rolled her eyes at the moniker before she scanned the room. He could almost feel her brain churning to concoct a plan. And when she pulled at his hand and inched her lips closer to his ear, he was proven right.

“Hurry,” she whispered urgently. “Come with me.”

“Oh? Where to?”

She cocked her head towards the library, from where they both saw a couple emerge. A row of books was visible between the gap at the door just before the heavy wood panel swung to a close.

“And… what will we do in the library, precisely?” he asked her.

“We’ll stay there until we hear someone coming,” she explained in a hushed voice. “Then, just before someone walks into the room, you’ll do something inappropriate — like… hug me, or something, so that they think we’re a real couple having a clandestine moment. That ought to create a ripple, won’t it, and no one would doubt we’re a real couple!”

Again, Sesshōmaru wanted to laugh, but he suppressed it. Her plan did not quite make sense. They were supposed to be engaged. If he wanted to hug her, or kiss her, to prove to this crowd she was his chosen female, he would do so in plain sight, not sequestered away in the dark.

But, despite logic, he found himself nodding and going along with her plan.

Because the thought of stealing away for a clandestine moment with her was so irresistible, he could not find an ounce of will to refuse. When she grabbed his hand and pulled him to sneak into the dim library, he eagerly followed.

---------

The library was dark, with only one corner of the room lit by a fire crackling in the hearth. Its dancing light flickered across the walls lined with shelves full of stiffly bound books. The musty, smoky air smelled of leather and age. The library reminded Sesshōmaru of a large, warm living thing. It was a place to rest and think, and the thought had always given him comfort.

He watched Kagome perusing the shelves, slim fingers idly gliding along the neat rows of leather-bound tomes, her head tilted slightly as she inspected their titles.

“So— what do you propose we do?” he asked as he followed,, keeping only a few steps behind her.

“Errr… now that we’re here, I’m not quite sure,” she admitted, looking at him over her shoulders, cheeks glowing under the light of the fireplace.

He took a few steps closer. “Did you come here to get a few minutes of solitude?”

“It’s my first time attending a posh event like this,” she confessed, reddening further. “My neck is sore from holding my head up high.”

His lips parted to address her admittance but stopped short as he sensed the unwelcome presence outside of the library. A few seconds later, two yōkai stumbled through the door, lips locked as they began to undress each other as soon as they stepped into the shadowed interior of the library. Without thinking, Sesshōmaru curled his arm around Kagome's waist and dragged her behind a nearby settee, shielding their presence from the couple.

He paused, wondering what had caused him to make such a rash decision. He knew that if he hadn't hidden them away, the couple would have seen them, then found elsewhere to satiate their urges.

But, as his embrace tightened around Kagome's warm and lush body, he couldn’t help but feel a tiny spark of joy for their unintentionally clandestine affair. He pulled her close; their bodies entwined together in an intimate embrace, and he couldn’t help but be overcome with a strange sense of contentment, and… a thrill of excitement.

“Did you see Lord Sesshōmaru’s new fiancée?” the female gasped as the male hoisted her up the wall and pushed her skirt out of the way.

“The pretty human?” he asked back. The unmistakable sounds of a belt being unbuckled were loud in the room.

The female growled at the male, claws lengthening to nip at his skin warningly. “Pretty? You think she’s pretty?”

He was quick to appease her nagging. “No, no. You’re prettier.”

Seconds later, the slapping noises, interspersed with their groans and grunts and the female’s high-pitched whines, filled the stillness of the library. The musk of sex soiled the very air he breathed. Sesshōmaru could hardly believe this. A yōkai mutt in his mother’s library — and his female — so lost in lust they could not even sense others within the vicinity. How embarrassing.

When Kagome snorted, Sesshōmaru gave her a warning look. She clamped her hands over her mouth, eyes glittering with suppressed tears. She looked like she could implode with laughter at any moment. When she began to bite the back of her hand to stop herself from laughing aloud, Sesshōmaru decided to put a stop to this gross misconduct.

He stood, yōki blazing, which immediately alerted the lusty yōkai couple to disentangle. The female shrieked when she noticed her audience and flew out of the library directly. The male was not so fortunate. The daiyōkai’s sharp, unflinching glare pinned him to his spot, flaccid member dropping between his quivering legs.

“Apologies, my Lord,” the male stammered, face red and sweaty, as he quickly tucked himself back into his pants. “We didn’t know the library was taken. We were just hoping for a… um… quiet spot to… uh… you know…”

Sesshōmaru had half a mind to launch a bolt of yōki at him for their ill-advised liaison, but he doubted it would stop such hanky-panky. Once tidied up, somewhat, the male had the audacity to look at Kagome now, curious expressions on his face.

"Leave at once," the daiyōkai growled. “Do not let me catch you in such a contemptible state again." His eyes flashed dangerously, and his lips curled into a menacing sneer.

The male quickly bowed and scurried away, pulling the door closed quickly behind him. As soon as they were alone, Kagome toppled onto the settee and released the chortle she had been holding, her arms crossed over her belly as she bent into two, shaking with laughter.

“I did not envision that when you invited me into the library,” he said, his tone dry.  

“Me neither,” she grinned. “I imagined something a little more… private.”

He stared at her, knowing she was oblivious to the effect her words had on him. Her husky voice evoked erotic images of her splayed beneath him, a banquet for his eyes, hands and mouth to savour. Even now, she was spread upon the settee like a frothy, delectable confection, the gossamer layers of her full skirt billowing around her. Her updo had loosened, a few locks of hair streaming down her bare shoulders, framing her heart-shaped face.

Sesshōmaru hovered above her, bracing his body with his palms planted beside her head. Her bright, smiling face looked up at him with an open, joyous expression. She appeared less polished than when they had arrived, but somehow, she looked much more enchanting, more beguiling than before.

It seemed a shame to hide her in this isolated library when she would outshine any female — yōkai or human — out there in the crowd.

When the sounds of the musicians tuning their instruments slipped into the library, a sign that another round of dancing was about to begin, Sesshōmaru cocked his head towards the grand hall.

“What about a turn on the dance floor?” he said. “Come.”

---------

“What?!” Kagome‘s heart skipped a beat when Sesshōmaru took her hand and pulled her up from the settee. Her left ankle buckled and she nearly buckled, but Sesshōmaru’s arms readily caught her. Then, he gently captured her chin between his thumb and forefinger; warm golden eyes bore into hers as they stood with their noses nearly touching.

“A dance, Miko,” he repeated as he simultaneously led her out of the dim library and into the light of the grand hall. “This is a party, after all.”

“But… but—“

He took a position in the middle of the dance floor, center stage. Her weak protest drew soft laughter from him, the sound touching her like a silken caress, strangely warm and… affectionate. She lowered her head and reddened, but he only took advantage by inching his lips to her ear.

“Ah, I see my mother looking at us. I fear she'd discover our ruse if we did not kiss or, at least, dance.”

“Ki— kiss…?!” she whispered back. Why did a kiss suddenly sound like an excellent idea? She could not even turn around, as he had his arms around her, securing her in an embrace that felt too good to be legal.

“Quick, she’s about to come here. Place your hand on my shoulder,” he whispered.

Dazedly, she complied, pressing her hand onto Sesshōmaru’s sculpted shoulder. Before she could utter another word, she was swept up in his arms. He spun her around, and Kagome found herself in the middle of the graceful yet elegant dance. She was hardly the agile type, but Sesshōmaru’s expert lead seemed to flow naturally from his body.

It felt like a dream. The heat and humidity inside her dress made her sweat. Her slippers did not seem to fit her feet properly; her toes ached from the pressure of being squashed in the too-tight shoe. Still, this dance was what she had always dreamed of — the moment she would be swept off her feet by a handsome prince and spun across the floor in his arms, around and around in a whirl.

Kagome laughed and gasped as Sesshōmaru twirled her, leaving her breathless. “You’re a good dancer!"

His gentle smile as he gazed upon her seemed to hold more than just a ruse. “As are you, Kagome.”

She beamed up at him, her eyes bright with joy, her face flushed with excitement.

Behind them, the musicians continued to play, the joyous melodies of the orchestral rendition of a popular Christmas tune wereinvigorating and rousing. The dancers moved with grace and precision. Kagome almost forgot they were the centre of attention until she caught the looks of surprise and envy from the ladies present. The ladies of the yōkai court, who had been poised to pounce upon Sesshōmaru, looked utterly crestfallen that he had chosen a human female with whom to dance — and presumably to mate.

The orchestra swelled, filling Kagome’s ears with the beautiful strains of another Christmas melody. Other couples swirled around her, but she no longer noticed, as if those other dancers were ghosts, untouchable and leaving no trace of their passing. She hardly noticed anything and anyone aside from this enigmatic yōkai lord whom she had inadvertently invited into her life.

Yet, as the night wore on, she could not imagine her life without him.

As the dance drew to a close and the final chords of the music slowed and vanished, they too, stopped, though they remained in each other’s embrace to stare into each other’s eyes.

Kagome did not know who moved closer to whom, but suddenly, she was pressed against Sesshōmaru, her breasts plastered onto his chest. Their lips touched. His was supple and surprisingly soft, and hers parted impulsively beneath him. His hand cupped her jaw as he took complete control of the kiss, as he slipped his ichor tongue into her mouth, conquering and exploring. She wrapped her arms around his neck, completely lost in his kiss and embrace, so much that she forgot where she was.

Sesshōmaru deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue into her mouth, soft and slow. It felt so good, so right. Like a drug, his kiss made her heart race, her body burn and her womb tighten in anticipation. His grip on her jaw tightened as if he himself was feeling the same effect of the kiss, causing her thighs to clench as an ache of pure desire pooled between her legs. He slipped his hand from her chin and buried it in her hair, fisting the thick, glossy coils of hair that spilled down her back. He tugged at her hair before he abruptly released her. She wanted to cry out. He stepped back, distancing himself from her, and she whimpered at the loss of his touch.

As she fleetingly grazed her swollen lips, she thought: now she knew, for one night only, what it felt like to be in love.

A gentle flare of yōki had them both turning, only to find his mother strolling towards them.

“Well, well,” Lady Tsukuyomi said when she was at arm’s length, a meaningful smile curling on her expertly painted lips. “It seems that you two are truly engaged.”

“I don’t know why you’d think otherwise, Mother,” Sesshōmaru said, slipping his hand into hers and keeping her close to his side. There was a chill in his eyes as he stared at his mother, as though intending to squash any doubt she might have of their engagement.

Which was… actually false.

“My son, you have been resistant to the idea of taking a mate for the past century, at least. To see you taking this matter seriously… well, I suppose—“ Sesshōmaru’s mother inserted a dramatic pause, studying Kagome with a pair of inquisitive eyes that seemed to know more than she let on. “It seems too good to be true. Isn’t that so, my dear?”

Kagome’s heart dropped to the bottom of her stomach when Lady Tsukuyomi gave her a meaningful look before she turned in a swirl of fur and silk, and sashayed away from them.

“Thank goodness that was done,” Sesshōmaru said as soon as his mother was out of earshot, his tone scathing. He released her and took a step away, clamping his hands together behind his back.

Kagome felt the heat rise to her cheeks as she watched Sesshōmaru's expression grow more and more distant. It prompted her to bite the inside of her cheek. Evidently, their experience differed. While she was having one of the most beautiful times of her life, for Sesshōmaru, this was nothing but a chore. Her joy was in stark contrast to his visible annoyance as he fidgeted with his hands, impatient for the night to end. Yet, at the same time, Kagome could not deny the tingle of excitement still lingering in her veins.

The sight of his ticked jaw, as though impatient to leave the party and get it over with, had her embarrassed for being so foolish. 

Kagome had never felt more like an impostor than she was at that moment. 

---------

They made their move to depart as soon as they left the dance floor. Sesshōmaru whisked her away at the earliest opportunity; his hand felt firm on her back as he ushered her to approach his mother so they could say goodnight.

Kagome’s lips felt stiff as they made their excuses to Lady Tsukuyomi and bid their farewell. She must be smiling, though she could not feel her face. She could not tell if Tsukuyomi-sama truly believed they were engaged or if she went along just to avoid a scene at an event she hosted. The kiss at the end of their dance must have helped.

Regardless, the female daiyōkai had been civil when Kagome thanked her for the hospitality, going so far as to insinuate that they might see each other again soon.

Kagome swallowed a lump of disappointment in her throat and bit her tongue, stopping herself from commenting that since her agreement with Sesshōmaru was coming to an end, it was unlikely that Lady Tsukuyomi would clap eyes on her again.

The car ride back to her apartment was, understandably, filled with uncomfortable silence. The atmosphere inside the small confine was filled with a taut tension that she could not quite place. He had been as quiet as she, and Kagome could only attribute his silence to his impatience to get this over with. She was surprised that he decided to drive her instead of merely ordering his chauffeur to take her home.

When he opened the car door to let her disembark and followed her to the building where she lived, she was even more surprised.

“You didn’t have to accompany me to my apartment, Inuzuka-san,” Kagome said as they strolled side by side toward the doors.

“Oh. I see we are back to surnames now,” Sesshōmaru commented. His teasing tone chafed her, and she huffed in silence.

“Well, the soirée is over, and so is our agreement,” she reminded him. Stiffly, even as she felt his eyes seeking her gaze, she turned away. “There is no use in pretending we are more than what we are: strangers.”

They entered the building. Kagome did not understand the turmoil she felt weighing on her chest. What was wrong with her? She was acting like a petulant child. Her voice sounded surly and… bitter, even to her ears. Even if he wanted to end their agreement, he was within his right to do so. Hanazakura Orphanage was safe. He had fulfilled his end of the bargain, and the moment they left his mother’s residence, she had fulfilled hers.

She half-expected him to leave her once she was safe inside the lobby of her building, but he did not. The silence continued as they waited for the elevator to arrive on the first floor. Then, he waited until they were alone inside the elevator before he cornered her, leaning over her with one forearm braced against the wall above her.

“Strangers?” he repeated, his tone acquiring a sharp edge it did not have before. “Is that what you think we are, Kagome?”

She lifted her chin to stare into his eyes, trying her hardest to be defiant. But the warmth — and desire — she saw in those golden depths struck her mute. When he reached out to caress her face, following the gentle slope of her cheek, she trembled with the force of her wanting.

“You still believe we are merely strangers,” he murmured, inching closer to her ear. “Even though all night long, all I could think of was to hold you in my arms, to kiss you again, to have you writhing with pleasure underneath me?”

Should she tell him she had similar thoughts: holding him in her arms, kissing him, and having him on top of her and between her thighs? But her tongue felt limp inside her mouth, and she felt lost in the vividness of his gaze alone.

“A stranger does not imagine how another stranger’s pleasure tastes upon his tongue,” he whispered as he bent his head to muzzle her ear, then kissed a trail from her lobe to her chin and down to her clavicle. “Or maybe he does. I do not know. All I know is that… I almost cornered you — in my mother’s home —so that I could get to know you better.”

Then, he lowered himself to his knees. When his beautiful silver head disappeared beneath her full skirt, she could not stop a low moan from emanating from her throat. His fingers found her damp sex, dextrously slicing through her panties, turning the delicate silk and lace into ribbons.  

“This is what you’ve reduced me to, Kagome,” Sesshōmaru groaned against her mound. “A raving beast on his knees, hungry for just a taste of you. Just a taste—“

She threw her head back and cried out when the tip of his tongue traced the seam of her sex, not caring that she ruined her hairdo. Her palms were splayed against the wall of the elevator cab; fingers flexed as he repeated his ministrations, lavishing attention on the swollen nub at the juncture of her thighs.

“You are the only female for whom I would go down on my knees,” he rasped before he lapped at her needy bud and suckled it into his mouth. “Mmn. And now I know—“ His deviant tongue swirled around the base of her clit, and shivered, as though her taste drove him to madness. “— there’d be no other.”

Scorching heat seared her belly, burning a path all the way down to her toes. He hiked her leg to open her up, resting the sole of her foot upon his shoulder.

As Kagome stared at the harsh, bright, unflattering fluorescent lighting above her, she wondered how wicked and indecent this was. Yet, the maelstrom of arousal growing inside her was undeniable, the knot in her belly alternated between loosening and tightening with every pull, every lick, every ministration of his mouth.

“This is what I wanted to do to you on that dance floor,” he said, pausing every few words to lick her folds. “This is what I wanted to do to you. Hold you open and ravish you — while the entire yōkai court watched, so that they know you are mine.”

He nuzzled closer. “Come for me, my Kagome,” he murmured against her mound, fingers pinching the nub.

Kagome orgasmed just as Sesshōmaru slipped his tongue inside her, flicking, teasing her inner walls as she writhed and grappled at the elevator’s smooth surface behind her.

They reached her floor. As she gradually came down from her high, the ding that was usually so loud sounded dim in her ears. The elevator door opened while Sesshōmaru was still on his knees, his head still hidden underneath Kagome’s full skirt, and she was still panting against the wall like a mad woman.

While another couple – her neighbours – stood in front of the elevator, jaws dropping as they took in the scene before them, stunned.

---------

Calmly, after a few beats of awkward silence passed, Sesshōmaru rose to his feet.

“Ah, I apologize,” he said to their flabbergasted audience, wiping his wet mouth with the back of his elegant hand, not sounding even remotely remorseful. On the contrary, he looked very, very satisfied. “I was helping my fiancée find something she thought she lost.”

Kagome could not move or speak. She did not know if it was because of mortification or the earth-shattering climax he had just given her — while she was standing up inside the elevator in her apartment building. Gently, he took her hand and pulled her out of the elevator cab and onto the corridor.

The woman stopped them as they were striding away. “Oh my. Wait — did… did she find it?”

“I do not know,” Sesshōmaru obligingly replied, smiling devilishly. “Though, I believe I am about to find out.”

Kagome swore the woman’s face reddened to a shade similar to an overripe strawberry as she simpered and stammered.

“Oh… oh, okay.”

“Merry Christmas,” Sesshōmaru said, that devilish smile still curling on his full, winsome lips. Kagome grabbed his hand and dragged him along the hallway toward her apartment. She had never unlocked her door so fast, nor had she ever slammed it shut — until just now.

“I can’t believe you just did that!” Kagome growled at him, vexed, even as her hands busied themselves with tearing his shirt off his body. “In front of my neighbours!”

He only chuckled before he sealed his mouth over hers, kissing her deeply, slipping his tongue between her parted lips to tangle with hers. She felt the warmth she had felt after the dance in her belly, and this time, still under the influence of the orgasm he had given her in the elevator, the effect made her dizzy. Her legs were shaking, her body quivering, she wanted more pleasure she instinctively knew only he could give. He let her rip his clothes as much as she could and helped her when her fingers stumbled with the fastenings of his belt. She gasped when he sliced through the boned corset of her gown, her breasts spilling out from their confinement and into his waiting hands.

Now, there was definitely no hope of returning the dress.

“Come on, Miko,” he murmured against the expanse of her breasts before he took a nipple into his hot mouth, suckling, pulling firmly at the sensitive tip before biting gently. “Can you blame me after the torment you put me through throughout the evening?”

She tormented him? He put her through the inferno, and suddenly — she’s the fiend?

The moment her palm touched the bare skin of his chest, she let out a groan. He had made her as desperate as he was, and she could not wait to feel him on her, in her, everywhere and every way.

And when she found his hard, thick, velvety striped cock, she nearly swooned. She bent at the waist to take him into her mouth, swirling her tongue around the swollen head. When his desperate, guttural groan reached her ears, revenge had never tasted so sweet.  

“Later,” he gritted through clenched teeth, gently pushing her head away before he coaxed her to step back and lay down on her bed.

His entry was not a soft, tentative exploration but the passionate plunder of a male yōkai on the cusp of transforming. A male who had been waiting to join with her all night, or… did she dare hope… even longer? Kagome’s head fell back, mouth wide open in a silent scream when he bottomed out inside her. She saw stars right away. The way he stretched her and filled her was perfection. And when he pumped into her — unfettered, unapologetic, and… hard, she climbed even higher. Each brutal thrust was filled with hunger and need, and she answered that need with a few thrusts of her own.

“Tell me there will only be me from now on,” Sesshōmaru growled in her ear as he screwed his hips into her, grinding deep, pinning her bottom to the mattress below her. “Tell me I am the only one.”

“No… no one else,” she gasped, trying to lift her pelvis to undulate against him, only to be pounded back down onto the bed. “There won’t be another.”

The perfect feel of him ruined her for others. The way he filled her, the way he moved against her… His hunger for her was palpable with every plunge, every stroke. No one could compare to him.

He tilted his hips, changing his angle slightly, finding a secret pocket deep inside her that sent bolts of pleasure to rush through her veins. Kagome cried out, sobbing when he pushed relentlessly against the soft, ripe wall of her womb. She came around him as her thighs shook, drenching his pelvis. And still, he kept himself deep inside her, his rubbing her deepest parts, relishing the way her walls fluttered and clenched around him.

“You like this,” he said, more a statement than a question. There was no smugness in his tone, only bone-deep wonderment that their bodies fit so well, and that he could give her such pleasure that made her scream.

He kept himself there, grinding against the exceedingly sensitive spot beside her cervix. He only needed to snap his hips to push her over the edge — over and over and over. Toes curled, fingers clawing at his back, she repeatedly came beneath him, around him. The bed sheets were wet with her continuous release as he pushed her into a state of delirium, all the while whispering wickedly in her ear.

Like this? You like this? What about this? Let me give you more, my beauty. And when he changed the angle of his thrust yet again, infinitestimally, he hit another spot that made her cry out with abandon. She clung to him, desperately, as waves of a full-body orgasm wrecked her, and she let herself melt into the sensations, riding the tsunami of bliss until it engulfed her whole.

“Everything, everything,” Kagome sobbed against his shoulder as she railed underneath him, lost in the throes of her orgasm. “Please… ah, gods… ah, gods… I’m coming again—“

When finally her tremors subsided, he pulled out, her slick dripping from his still rigid cock, and flipped her onto hands and knees. For a moment, she was lost in a heap of silks and crinolines. Her come gushed out of her, dribbling down her inner thighs as her desires climbed up again. He kicked her legs apart and entered her in one smooth, long thrust, coring her open again, drawing a long, needy whine from her throat.

Something about this position unhinged him. He fucked her like he owned her, but his hips stuttered when she clenched her tunnel around him and massaged his length. Then, when his head drooped to her slick back like he could not even keep himself upright, Kagome knew she owned him too.

“Gods, Kagome,” he groaned before his tongue licked a path along her spine. His hips slowed for a moment as he savoured the tight clasp of her heated body. “You feel so perfect around me.”

And he felt so sublime inside her, and she loathed it when he pulled out, so much that she tightened around him, trying to keep him where he belonged. He indulged her, going in so deep she felt him just below her navel.

He pulled her upright by the arms, so her back was rested against his chest. Kagome turned her head to meet Sesshōmaru’s lips, gasping into his mouth when she realized this position had the head of his cock rubbing those previously untouched spots along her front wall. She trembled, and her hips began to move on their own, gyrating against him. His hands encircled her waist as he slammed into her in punctuated strokes until she was sobbing openly, a broken rendition of his name on her lips.

His hands roamed as though he could not quite decide where they should be. He alternated between kneading her breasts, pinching her clit, or simply holding her thighs open to better take his punishing thrusts. Her own hands joined his, sluicing through her wetness as together they pushed her higher.  

The sharp, staccato rhythm of his thrusts faltered as she bore down on him. She could feel the thickening at the base of his cock and, listening to her body's desires, she pressed down, taking as much of him as she could without breaking.

He adjusted himself, lowering until he was firmly planted on the bed. She parted her thighs more to accommodate his swelling girth. Legs open, knees bent and hiked up until they formed a widespread M. It was obscene, the way he split her. The yōkai lord behind her pushed her lower body down while he rolled his hips up, shoving the thickest part of him to plug her tight.

She sobbed uncontrollably now, arching back against him as he sinuously moved against her, their slick bodies gliding perfectly as though they had practiced this dance together for years. The depth of his penetration meant he could only rock against her in deep-seated nudges, but the effect was no less devastating. The veins that ran along his cock pulsed strongly inside her. She reached down to cradle his stones within her quivering fingers. Gently, she massaged them, feeling how they were so tight and swollen with seed, and her ministrations drew a rabid growl from him.

He literally had her impaled on his strong, powerful body, and yet his whisper in her ear was a broken plea. “Kagome. Only you drive me to the point of insanity.”

She felt like she could orgasm with his words alone. Every syllable slithered along her spine. The barrage of pleasure made her skin prickle.

“Kagome,” Sesshōmaru panted, fangs grazing the mark on her neck. “Be mine. Let me renew the mark. Let me make this real.”  

Her heart jolted with joy at his proposal. She was so close, and somehow she knew he would hurtle her over the precipice and into a sea of bliss the moment he renewed the mark. Her arm hooked itself behind his neck,  fingers tightening around a handful of his hair as she sobbed.

“Sesshōmaru. I’m yours. Do it, do it…”

His fangs sank into her flesh at the same time his hips pulled back, only to drive his cock so deep into her that he hit the back of her channel, his hands pressing her lower body to seat her fully on him. Her vision darkened before bright stars exploded behind her eyelids. His seed was a few degrees warmer than her body, and she felt every spray, every frisson of heat as he spilled inside her, hips jerking against her rear.

They fell onto the bed, still in each other’s embrace. He was still embedded deep inside her, and they were both still in the remains of their clothing of tattered silks and crinolines. The corseted bodice was torn to shreds, and the scattered gems on her dress were hanging by mere threads.

“I had the feeling that day you walked into my office, you would change my life forever,” Sesshōmaru said after they both regained their breaths, giving her a gentle kiss on the nose.

“Is that right?” Kagome’s lips formed a slow, languid grin. “Meanwhile, I had the feeling that day I walked into your office, you’d be trouble.”

His lips made their way to her forehead, giving her another lingering kiss. “I am glad I managed to step up to the mark.”

“What was it that you thought I lost?” she asked as her fingers idly rubbed his sternum.

He pressed his lips against her temple before he replied: “Your self-confidence. You thought I had no feelings for you because I made us leave the soirée early. You thought I wanted to get rid of you as quickly as possible.”

Her heart warmed, cinching with tenderness. “When in fact… you just wanted us to have some private moments?”

“When in fact, it was because I could no longer wait to kiss you again,  touch every inch of you, and make love to you.” He smiled, claw-tipped fingers brushing her hair away from her face and tucked the errant strands behind her ear. “I feared what I might do if I did not whisk you away from that dance floor.”

Their pent-up passion satiated, their kiss took on the languidness it did not have before. Their mouths glided together in a slow, lazy, unhurried dance, as their palms and fingers explored, basking in each other’s presence.

“What about your mother’s approval?” Kagome asked when they finally came up for air. “She was not precisely leaping with joy when you introduced me earlier.”

“She kept her claws sheathed tonight, which is a good sign,” he said. “You challenged her, and she liked that. If she did not, she would have thrown you out, but she made no such move.”

“Alright, that’s… promising,” Kagome slowly relented.

He pulled her closer and pressed her head against his chest, his arm around her shoulder. “And the children will soften her up further,” he added.

She looked up at him, eyes widening. “By children, you mean… pups? Our pups?”

They had just made love, and only once, but she would not be surprised if a daiyōkai of his calibre possessed a super-fertile seed of some sort, capable of sending the female’s body into a breeding overdrive. But, before her wild thoughts ran with her, Sesshōmaru dropped his head and chuckled against her bare shoulder.

“As heartened as I am by your elated response, my betrothed, I meant the children at the orphanage,” he clarified. “You should invite her there. To visit, or better yet, to volunteer. Of course, she will pretend to be doing it out of boredom, but I know she’d relish being a matron of such an organization that cared so much about the well-being of children. Mixed-blood children too.”

“But…” Kagome hesitated. The glamorous image of Sesshōmaru’s mother, looking like she had never done even a single menial work in her life, came to mind. “The orphanage needs a lot of work. Physical work. You’ve seen how it is. Would your mother be up for taking on such a ramshackle place?”

“Even better,” he replied. “She will spearhead your fundraising campaign. My mother has connections with the wealthiest individuals in the country, both humans and yōkai. She’d enjoy fleecing them of their money for the good of the orphanage. Once she is involved, she’ll raise money in no time to buy off the land and the building from your landlord.”

Her heart inflated with so much hope that Kagome could hardly stop herself from squealing with delight. The largest portion of what little donations and subsidies they received went to rent. If they owned the property, that money could finally be used for those who needed it most: the orphans.

“I can’t deny that I may need the help,” Kagome admitted.

“Good,” Sesshōmaru said as he moved to hover above her. “It will also give us more time to work on more children,” he said, pulling his length  out of her core just slightly before he snapped his hips, plunging into her with a loud smack.

The sound she made was somewhere between a laugh and a moan. She did not deny him, gasping with delight as he took her to see the stars once more.

Granted, there were many things they needed to discuss. But, as Sesshōmaru’s lips trailed over her damp skin, intent on finding new spots that would drive her to madness, she could not begin to think about them.

Nevertheless, as she buried her face in the crook of his neck, lips curling into a soft smile against his skin, she knew for certainty: the mark on her neck was no longer false. The relationship that had started as a bargain, a favour, and a fake engagement had become a genuine one.

Sesshōmaru would remain in her life.