A/N: I'm sorry. I changed the rating to M. No lemons though! But the innuendos are scattered all around, and I just wanted to follow guidelines.

Lured

Sesshomaru was drowning.

The terrible pain that shot through his bones, right through his spine with every movement was debilitating. When he fell, the right side of his body hit the hull of the ship, breaking his right hand, rendering it useless. He could have managed, though, he was a good swimmer.

But when he plunged into the deep waters he was pulled by a strong downward current. The thick ropes that snagged on his left foot- and knotted his left hand - caught on an old Elkhorn coral.

He was tied down to the ocean floor. He had no means of escape, and he could not untie himself, let alone rip the ropes apart.

His oxygen-deprived brain was already impairing his sense of equilibrium.

This was it, he realized. He would have never thought he would die underwater in this beautiful graveyard of coral and marine life. They seemed so alive, their slightest movements and bright colors hurting his eyes, triggering physical pain in his very blood vessels.

The sun's rays broke through the waters like small pillars of light, swaying with the current. His vision shook, and he suddenly felt light-headed. Just when his lungs would have triggered a reflexive breath that would ultimately seal his fate, a glimmer of blue glittered through the clear waters of the Keys, and he realized with his confused state,

Impossible.

When Kagome reached the baby dolphin, she trod closer to comfort its obvious distress, "What's wrong, baby? Are you hurt?" she cooed, stroking its rostrum. The juvenile let out a series of clicks and whistles, and the other dolphins behind Kagome started whistling in response. Kagome turned to them, her brows meeting in confusion. "I can't speak dolphin," she turned back to the juvenile, "So you guys have to show me," she said in haste, and the juvenile trilled and dove down into the depths. Kagome took a deep breath herself and followed the distressed animal.

The dolphin darted through the patches of giant seaweed, past the sunken ship, not worried about their caretaker being able to catch up- Kagome maneuvered through the waters as quickly, her mermaid tail not impeding her ability to perform smooth breaststrokes and powerful dolphin kicks underwater. They reached a coral garden teeming with marine life.

She paused when she saw where the juvenile stopped. Her eyes flew wide, and she quickly swam up, breaking to the surface of the water and gasped for air.

Steeling herself for the feat she was about to perform, Kagome took another intensive breath, and she dove back down into the deep, transparent waters of the Keys.

In between his teetering consciousness and the bursts of bright, nauseating colors around him, Sesshomaru realized in bewilderment, the figure that was zooming towards him was something he could never have imagined he would encounter- never in his wildest dreams.

It was a mermaid-

A fucking half-woman, half-fish, maneuvering towards his helpless form, as fluid as the water around him. Her powerful blue tail slithered sensually through the corals and kelp. A tiny dolphin was winding itself around her and eventually darted off when she neared him. The mermaid reached out to him, and she settled her delicate hands to cup his face.

She swam intimately closer, and much to Sesshomaru's shock, she pressed her lips against his.

His eyes grew as wide as saucers. The mermaid prodded his mouth open with her tongue, and when he complied, she pushed his tongue down, and she pulled him to her. She crammed her divine mouth harder against his as she created an effective seal between them.

She blew hard, and it was then that he realized she was giving him an emergency rescue breath.

With a temporary supply of meager oxygen to his deprived lungs, he was able to comprehend what was right in front of him. The mermaid had the bluest eyes he had ever seen, the upper part of her body as naked as a jaybird, the only defense covering her ample breasts was her abundant black hair that cascaded to her tiny waist. She released him immediately when his eyes had instantly gained focus.

She pulled away and turned nimbly as if she was expecting someone behind her, and it was then that Sesshomaru realized someone else had indeed arrived.

Five freaking dolphins, swimming around the mermaid- and she raised her hand to give a short burst of gestures, the first one she cupped her nose, and she pointed ahead of her. The moment she gave the signal, two of the dolphins darted away. She turned to the other two larger dolphins, and she made an unfamiliar sign language, and again she pointed ahead of her. The two torpedoed off. The little dolphin that was left behind bobbed its head up and down as if prodding her, and she nodded. The small dolphin started circling Sesshomaru, and he watched in confusion and awe as the mermaid swam to the surface.

Not even a minute had passed by when the mermaid came back- she resurfaced to take in another deep breath of air, and she reached out and pulled him towards her. His white hair being dragged by the flow of a slow current, it engulfed her inky black as she swam inches closer.

Their mouths made sweet contact again as she delivered another rescue breath. She instantly pulled away.

In between this life and death situation, Sesshomaru felt so ridiculous for wanting to capture her pillow lips and ravish her on the spot for another type of exchange.

Before any other thought could formulate on his mind, two figures- the dolphins, came charging like a strong current, dragging something bulky with it- they dropped it before the mermaid, and she caught it.

She turned towards him and arranged a familiar contraption right across his face. It was a SCUBA regulator, and once it was in his mouth, she pressed the purge button, clearing the water out. Sesshomaru finally breathed, albeit his mouth but he breathed, and the mermaid strapped the tank across his shoulder. She spun around as the two other dolphins came back and dropped something shiny above her and she swam up to retrieve it.

She disappeared for a few seconds again, to probably resurface and breathe, when she reappeared, the shiny object on her hand. It was a knife, and she snaked below him and began sawing through the thick rope that bound him to the ocean floor. She was almost on the last bundle of fibers,

When something gray sped towards the mermaid and pummeled her-

hard.

She felt as if she were hit by a train. Kagome drifted away, the air she had been holding knocked out of her and escaping from her mouth in bubbles that floated to the surface. Snapping herself back together she raised her knife in defense. She very well knew what hit her.

She had spent too much time in the oceans of the world to recognize the attack with her eyes closed.

A shark was speeding towards her shaken self, its jaws open and ready for the bite. Immediately the dolphins rushed to her side and team-tackled the shark, mauling it away from her. Kagome lifted her gaze up towards the man and mentally cursed. Another shark was circling him, it was probably in a feeding frenzy, and she hastily darted towards them. She swam before him and immediately raised her arm before her, as dagger-like teeth sank into her flesh.

She had just saved his face from being bitten off, at the expense of a gash on her arm. Her blood immediately spread on the water, and he cursed himself for being this helpless.

He could see she had remained collected the entire time, but Sesshomaru knew his mermaid had also been holding her breath for too long. But his left hand was bound, and his right hand was useless. Then it dawned on him, as his beast sprung to the surface of his consciousness.

Our mermaid is in serious trouble,

why don't you morph into your full Inu form, YOU BIG IDIOT.

Earlier his brain had been too oxygen-deprived that his common sense flew out of the window. As it fluttered back, Sesshomaru gathered his youki. Even before he could collect a sliver of energy in him, something huge sped past him, and he could only stare in disbelief.

A killer whale, a large one at that, smacked the shark away from his mermaid and attacked the smaller predator in her defense. The shark knew better as it swam away-

A hand tapped his shoulder. The mermaid was right in front of him again, signaling she was out of air. She took the yellow alternative regulator that was hanging by the side and breathed.

She then swam down as the large whale was protectively looming around the perimeter. With one slash the rope finally tore off, and he was free-

Two of the dolphins rushed to him and snuck themselves under his arm, bringing him towards the surface, and they swam fast towards that small catamaran he saw earlier. Sesshomaru hauled himself up and threw himself on the flat of the deck, laying on his back. He took the scuba gear off his person and tossed it aside.

He tried to catch his breath when his mermaid suddenly broke through the surface of the crystal clear waters, and he watched, spellbound, as she gasped for precious air. She hauled herself to the catamaran, the little beads of water running down her creamy skin and inky black hair. She sparkled under the sun as if she were bejeweled with a thousand crystals.

The mermaid hauled herself on top of him, and he had the strongest feeling she had no clue at all. He could feel her heart racing as she was trying to catch her breath, and her head rested on his chest, exhausted.

She suddenly gasped. She lifted her head, "Shit, are you okay?" she exclaimed, pushing herself up, and their eyes met.

The swell of her soft breasts pressing on his bare chest, the feel of her slick body on top of his, her naked, slippery skin rubbing on him- the inevitable happened. His member rose up to greet her, and Sesshomaru was not at all ashamed.

Immediately a blush started filling her pretty cheeks, as she had noticed the massive erection underneath his tight swim trunks that was drilling for her attention. She pulled away as if she were burned, rolling off to his side. His body immediately protested as her warmth left him.

She is unattached, and still untouched.

We get to claim her entirely.

His inner beast purred in delight. He propped himself up on his left arm, and he continued to observe his little mermaid as she laid beside him, gathering her thoughts.

Kagome recognized him, now that they were at the surface and her head was not drowning in adrenaline. How could she not?

He was all over the TV. He dominated social media-

He was that Taisho magnate, and she didn't even bat an eyelash at any article concerning him. He was one of those spoiled, wealthy billionaires who spent money as if it were the mere air. He was also notorious for his uber-expensive parties and escapades.

It was only when she saw his full name yesterday, in the list of possible benefactors for their funding, when the realization struck her.

A bet, from so many years ago.

Damn her impeccable memory.

She lay quietly beside him, practically frozen as the events sank in. Would he remember? If he did, he wouldn't be that stupid to take the words of an angry six-year-old seriously. Crossing her fingers she shot up from her position, her stomach already cringing.

His mermaid fucking stood up on her tail. He tried to shake the shock off, as his eyes followed her fingers as it started fumbling on the right side of her hip. He realized she was trying to unhook something, and then he saw the almost invisible zipper on the side, so masterfully integrated he wouldn't have seen it if his eyes were not of a youkai's.

She zipped it down, revealing an expanse of creamy skin from her thigh.

"I thought you were a mermaid," he said, from which she raised a haughty nose up the air and vainly looked away, purposefully avoiding eye contact. She was struggling to take her tail off. It stuck to her like a second skin.

"What are you talking about?" she answered, "Mermaids don't exist."

His pupils immediately dilated. The memory of an annoying, blue-eyed girl rushed into his thoughts,

"When I grow up, I'm going to become a mermaid."

The second skin finally gave in, and she pushed down, revealing her tempting legs. She was wearing a bikini underneath her tail. She shot him a sidelong glare, when she half-turned around, her hair barely covering her breasts that bounced beautifully at the sudden motion. "Excuse me? Can you at least spare me some dignity?"

Sesshomaru cleared his suddenly dry throat. "My apologies," he managed huskily and looked away.

"Pervert," she shot, and when she turned away to finish taking off her tail, Sesshomaru dared to sweep his eyes on her near- naked form once again.

He cursed, at her hair that had been covering her upper womanhood, and the bikini that covered the lower.

She chucked the tail away, reaching out for a wetsuit jacket which was nearby.

"And I will have my hair grow to waist-length, I'll have a shiny blue tail that matches my eyes-"

She zipped the jacket up, finally covering her teasing peaks.

It only worsened the ache between Sesshomaru's groins.

A pigeon suddenly flew towards her. She reached out, and it landed on her uninjured arm, and with the little animal in tow, she strode towards a small box in a hidden compartment, took out a pen and a sticky note. She quickly scribbled something down and handed it to the pigeon. It took it from its beak and flew away.

She turned to him. "Homing pigeons of the NOAA. One of our early projects. I'm just notifying the Coast Guards in case your friends report you missing, at least they know you're alive and safe."

A splash of water on her side and she turned and smiled. It was the baby dolphin and her family from earlier, frolicking in the water. She approached them and reached out to touch. They responded eagerly. "Thank you so much for your help today. You guys were amazing."

"I'll have dolphins of the sea and pigeons in the sky as my best friends-"

Another splash of water and the large killer whale emerged. Kagome reached out and petted it, and the whale squeaked happily.

"And whales," she continued,

"And whales," he shook his head, "I'll swear my loyalty to you. In fact, I'll even marry you!"

"This is Dakota, he was one of the rehab animals, along with the dolphins who were successfully integrated back into the wild. We were lucky, he was probably on his migrating route with his family when he saw us..." the whale squeaked once more, and Kagome waved goodbye as the Orca swam away into the deep of the Atlantic ocean. He watched the soft smile playing on her face, the slow burn of determination and courage in her eyes as it met the vast ocean before them.

His hand suddenly reached out to her, and he grabbed her wrist. She immediately paled, why was she avoiding eye contact with him so desperately? "What's your name?" he asked, and she bit her lip, hesitating.

"K-Kagome."

She immediately pulled away, busying herself with the levers that rolled up the sails of the catamaran. With an abnormal amount of preoccupation, she strode towards the stern and pulled on the motor, the engine roaring to life. She pressed the anchor lever and it started reeling, and the boat started running towards the shore. Swiftly she took a roll of bandage on her compartment and tied it to her arm.

She strode forward and took his broken hand, expertly splinting it as she cut the co-band with her teeth.

Despite all that, she still refused to look at him.

She remembers.

Sesshomaru stared at her quietly as they were shore-bound.

She was selfless and kind,

passionate with her dreams,

She was beautiful.

Hell, she was fucking gorgeous.

Yes! His beast exclaimed, What are you waiting for?!

He and his beast finally agreed on one thing- and he was not having any second thoughts.

He trusted his decisions- why else would the conglomerate expand to what it was now?

His beast was restless. The thought of her photos seen by men who were not him stirred his jealousy. He would have to double the bid tomorrow to win the contract; then he would have every right to cancel the distribution and publication of her photo spread.

No one else was allowed to see his woman in such an... alluring state.

"Can I borrow your phone?" Sesshomaru suddenly said, and Kagome hesitantly nodded. The gust of ocean wind was air-drying her mermaid hair, as she stood on the bow and maneuvered the boat.

He took the phone from the small compartment and dialed a familiar number. It picked up immediately after the first ring.

"Onii-san," Inuyasha paused, "Where the hell are you? In a wind farm or something?" The catamaran was running at high speed, and the bursts of wind were affecting the audio in the other end. But Sesshomaru knew his brother could still hear,

"Inuyasha. Call Jaken and tell him to cancel whatever plans I made relating to women and leisure starting today."

"You mean for the month, or the year, or until the next year..?" Inuyasha balked.

"Indefinitely. Anything and everything that does not pertain to business and family outings, wipe it off completely. "

"Uh...okay," Inuyasha hesitated, their secretary had a long night ahead of him.

"Did father come with you here? Are you both at the hotel?" Sesshomaru continued.

Inuyasha paused. "Yes. You're in speaker mode now. Father's right beside me sipping some daiquiri, he can hear you. Why?"

"I need you to book us a table of four for dinner tonight,"

"For four? Onii-san-"

"I found her." He simply announced, and there was dead silence. "I have a woman I'd like to introduce to the family." Sesshomaru clarified, and he heard his father make a choking sound at the other line. He clicked the end button and turned to his pretty little mermaid. She was gaping at him.

"We were children!" she exclaimed in disbelief.

"The decision is final," he said as he strode forward, hooking her pinky with his. "No backing out," he repeated her words from so long ago.

"B-but I barely know you!" she countered.

"Didn't you see I dropped everything else just to be with you?" Sesshomaru smirked, yanking her to him. "Trust me, we have all the time in the world to get to know each other." His hand slid down to her small waist and pulled her intimately closer. "We have the whole afternoon to start to...

get to know each other, just the two of us,

in our hotel room." he purred,

"Then we could have a nice family dinner afterward."

Kagome stared at him slack-jawed, too dumbfounded to form any reaction.

Sesshomaru bent down and nuzzled his cheek on hers. "I'll call my mom to fly in tomorrow so you can meet her. And we'll call your parents- my family and I also need to meet them. How does a beach wedding for early this week sound?"

Kagome almost choked. "Are you serious?!"

Sesshomaru hovered his lips closer to hers, the memory of their... exchange, tingling on his lips in burning anticipation for another round. "Oh yes," he said.

"In case you haven't realized,

I'm quite serious about this, darling."

End