Disclaimer:I do not own Inuyasha, the Inuyasha universe, or the characters in said universe. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi - and I do not in any way make any form for profit on these stories. The story plot is mine though...

A.N.:So! Continuation of "It's Not Normal"- as promised! Rating's gone up to M just to be on the safe side of the fence. If you are under the age of 18 I will suggest you turn back around and go the other way. Suggestive themes, language, lemon, and whatnot else not suitable for children (I might overexaggerate, but no one shall say I haven't warned them!) Might not be in THIS chapter, but hey, who know what the future brings, eh?

As per usual I try to keep it light and humoristic for the most part. It might be a little (or very) OOC at some points, but bear with me. Story is sprung from my mind and might not follow the series or movies completely, but I'll try to keep it 'in line'. As I said, humoristic and insane. Go.

PS! Twenty Years will be updated soon, next chapter is written, but is now being edited for posting ^^

So Kagome's runaway mouth and temper gets her in trouble again...

~NoctusLegacy~

~~~O~~~

Oh, for the love of...

"SIT!"

*THUD*

"WHAT THE HELL!?"

"How DARE you insinuate I've been sneaking off with your brother to do...THAT!?" The ravenhaired Miko shrieked at her hanyou friend.

"Do you ever THINK before you SPEAK!?"

Kagome stomped on the subdued Inu hanyou's back with one foot, letting her irritation be well known, and felt. Take that, and that...and THAT...AND THAT!

"Ow, OW! Kagome! Stop it! I just said..."

"I heard you just fine! But you're wrong!"

The seething girl felt Sango and Miroku hook their arms under her own and carefully pull her away from Inuyasha before she actually broke his back. Kagome was frighteningly strong when angered...

"SIT!" she yelled once more as she was dragged away from their hanyou companion while the crater, in which Inuyasha lay, grew a few inches deeper. Sango tried to calm the younger woman by cooing gently to her and stroking her hair.

"Breathe, Kagome...there you go, you know how he gets..."

Kagome sniffed then, today's traumatizing events and recent upset with Inuyasha got to her, and she brought a hand to her face to wipe the salty tears from her eyes. She hadn't even been back at camp more than five seconds before Inuyasha started throwing accusations at her.

"He's such a jerk..." Her voice trembled as she was seated on a fallen log, her friends standing by her sides, their hands now resting on her shoulders, mostly to make sure she remained seated - and to show her their support.

"What did I do!?" Inuyasha muttered, most of it muffled thanks to the dirt in his face, but spending enough time around him and Kagome, you eventually learned to interpret soil-muffled speech...

Kagome grimaced and put her hands on her bruised knees, clenching and opening them into tight fists repeatedly.

How would she explain her ruined clothes to her mother? These had been fairly new as well! Birthday-presents for her eighteenth birthday! Good-bye new light blue T-shirt. Good-bye black khaki shorts. Good-bye Nike running-shoes (seriously, NOT made for the type of running she had done not many hours ago...)!

The future-born miko then groaned, shifting so her elbows rested on her knees while she put her head in her hands. And slowly her hands slid around to the sides of her head so her fingers could clench into her long matted hair. She wanted nothing more than a long hot shower right now!

"I did run into Sesshoumaru, alright?" She whispered after a few minutes of heavy, tense silence. Everyone looked at her. Her ocean blue gaze was locked firmly on the ground in front of her feet.

"I saw him on my way back after getting water and I...thought I'd draw him away from our camp. But I misjudged his reaction - and by doing so I had to run for my life! I ended up being tackled off a cliff..."

Her expression was hard to read, but she was clearly reliving the moments from earlier in the day - and as Inuyasha sat up and really scented the air, a small embarrassed blush crept onto his cheeks. Damn, he'd been brash again...

"Keh! Ya still stink of HIM though! His scent is all over ya!" he grumbled. She REEKED of Sesshoumaru! It was unsettling!

"Of course I do! He tackled me off a cliff's edge, you jerk! Did you listen at all?" Kagome all but snarled in return.

"How'd you survive that, Kagome?" Shippou jumped onto her lap and stared up at her with his big eyes, easily subduing Kagome's irritation with the hanyou. Unable to help herself, Kagome gave a small smile to the kitsune and petted his hair with her right hand.

"I cast a protective barrier around us, Shippou. It broke our fall. I cheated death by an inch." Her voice a soft tone, a startling difference from her earlier irate yelling. Her voice held a small, almost undetectable undertone of pride. She'd saved not only her own life, but that ice-blooded Inu Lord as well! She'd one-upped him!

"Ya cast a protective barrier? Around Sesshoumaru too!? Wench, are you insane? You shoulda let him drop!"

Of course Inuyasha managed to ruin that small moment.

"Inuyasha, I was caught in a deathgrip! We BOTH fell! What SHOULD I have done? Accepted my fate - fall - and hope to the Kamis that Sesshoumaru died with me!?"

"Y..."

"I swear, if you say yes to that, I WILL find a way to turn you into a mouse and feed you to Buyo!"

Agh! No matter how much he infuriated her, she couldn't even threaten to purify him!

Kagome's blazing blue gaze locked with Inuyasha's golden - silently daring him to finish speaking, but strangely enough he kept very quiet.

Inuyasha then, after a glaring-battle, sighed and rubbed the back of his head. She spoke the truth. He couldn't detect lies in her scent, and the pain and hurt he saw in those eyes of her told it's tale, plus the remnants of fear still flickered across her features. She'd had one hell of an afternoon...

"Keh, alright!" The hanyou pushed himself to his feet and slowly walked over, positioning himself on the log next to her. Sango and Miroku relaxed once the tension in the air let up, and they started preparing their evening meal.

They ate without talking, simply enjoying the taste of the food. And for a while after they were silent - it was an awkward, but strangely nice silence...

Inuyasha kept sniffing the air, however. And everyone just waited for the truly inevitable...

"So you're absolutely sure nothing else happened?"

"Sit..."

*THUD*

"Idiot..." Shippou sighed, shaking his head before carrying twigs over to the fire for later while Miroku and Sango just exchanged looks and threw some more logs on the fire to keep them warm.

Kagome sighed heavily.

"I think I'm gonna head home for a few days...I need new clothes..."

~~~O~~~

On a day almost one week later Kagome returned back to the Feudal Era after a visit to her own time.

She wheezed while hoisting her big yellow backpack over the rim of the old well before following suit, landing on the grass with a small 'oomph'.

She was quick to rearrange herself, sitting with her back against the well, pulling her knees up to her chest. Her head leaned back so she could look up at the clear blue sky and she simply took a moment to revel in the beauty of the fresh air and the serene landscape.

She loved coming here!

Her clothing had changed. For convenience, and for her own peace of mind.

Jeans, with stretch. Wonders of the modern world (at least in her own head). Black, because it was a convenient colour. The fabric was sturdy enough and allowed for some protection of her legs, but at the same time it didn't restrict her movement thanks to the elastan - meaning they weren't prone to tear when she had to run, jump, kick, roll, crouch down or otherwise dodge attacks from the various youkai they were bound to encounter as they travelled.

She'd gone for simple and plain 3/4 sleeve tunics instead of t-shirts, the one she currently wore was of a light blue colour, the back of it reached just below her ass while it was a few inches shorter in the front. A simple black elastic belt marked her waist and kept the tunic from flaring around her if the wind picked up. And to finish it all off; her feet had been spoiled with a new pair of sneakers - this time she'd infused them with some reiki to make sure the damned footwear didn't leave its soles behind if she had to go through rough terrain!

With several pairs of shifts now secured in her bag, along with treats for all her friends, she finally headed down towards the village on her own.

She felt no stabbing pain anymore when Inuyasha wasn't there to meet her. She knew where he was... Kagome mentally rolled her eyes. She could just see how it'd go down if she ever pulled an 'Inuyasha' on her hanyou friend; complaining about how he reeked when he got back later... Good Lord, she'd never hear the end of it...

Not allowing the thought of Inuyasha and his whereabouts to sour her mood, she skipped merrily into the village and smiled brightly as she spotted her friends. She waved at them and her grin widened at the surprised glances they were giving her - they were not used to see her so...covered up. Once more she mentally rolled her eyes.

"Hey, guys!" She greeted brightly, dumping her backpack off on Kaede's porch. Her hands came to casually rest on her hips while she studied her friends.

"Kagome! Wow, you look...almost decent!" Sango grinned.

"Almost?" Kagome gaped at her friend while Sango tried her best innocent look on the futuristic girl.

"Aw, come ON!" The younger of the females threw her hands out to her sides, an exasperated expression crossing her features as she did a twirl on the spot, letting her hands gesture to herself and her clothes.

"Almost, Sango? Compared to a year ago I'm so decently dressed right now I could join a monastery!" The miko then giggled, crumbling completely as the Slayer barely could contain her own giggles.

The Monk and kitsune both exchanged looks. Had to be a female thing...right? They didn't get it...

The mirth of the group stilled abruptly when a pebble bounced off the back of Kagome's head. The 'assaulted' female instantly froze in her movements.

A small gust of wind brought a chill to their bones and Kagome, despite her 'frozen' state, instantly bristled - and her head turned comically slow to her left.

"Oh, ffffff...ffffudgecakes!" Her eyes landed on a whiteclad figure on the hilltop, as did everyone elses.

"What..?" Shippou whispered shakily, but Kagome waved her hand absently.

"Nothing, Shippou...!" Her eyes didn't leave the regal figure.

"Did you bring cake...?"

"Uh...noooo~!" Kagome elongated the reply to her kit, waving her hand discretely at her friends, signalling for them to move to the hut.

"I...gotta go. Run, actually. I gotta run!"

Kagome thought; to heck with it! and pushed her friends into the hut before she took off running, away from the village, away from Sesshoumaru. Her friends stared after her, their eyes barely able to catch the flash of white following the young Miko.

"RUN, KAGOME! RUN!" Shippou yelled, his big eyes even bigger in his childlike face as Kagome drew Sesshoumaru away from the village.

~~~O~~~

She didn't need a degree in psychology to deduct whose head Sesshoumaru was after, or why.

The rise of his overwhelming and powerful aura behind her had her hair standing on end, goose-flesh crept up her arms and down her spine, she could sense his murderous intent!

He was after blood!

Aw man, why me? She whined in her head. She boosted her speed to reach the treeline before the Western Lord could reach her. Come on, come on! Leg it!

She was praying to any high force that would listen for her head to not roll too far from her body - she'd appreciate it if her mother received all parts of her to bury.

Fast, fast, fast, faster! Zig-zagging between trees she tried to draw her aura into herself and mask her scent - to make herself harder to track. But doing something like that while running for your life and panicking for the second time in a week was a very difficult task.

The youkai aura behind her was constantly pushing against her own, making her stumble every now and again by it's sheer force. Damnit, not fair! His aura felt like a physical shove!

The growl rumbling behind her caused her breath to hitch - and THAT, on top of everything, didn't help much on her already ragged breathing. And this day had started SO well!

A clearing! Whoop! She could push faster through open terrain instead of constantly dodging trees and other obstacles! Maybe there was hope!

Kagome burst out of the treeline, leaves and grass whisking around her due to the speed at which she was running. She was sprinting across the flat field, speeding up as planned, her reiki-enhanced limbs carrying her perfectly across the ground.

She couldn't slow down now, not even when a familiar red clothed hanyou appeared in her line of sight. He was obviously heading back to the village after his rendezvous with Kikyou. Idiot.

"Out of the way!"

"Kagome!? What the heck?!" Inuyasha's golden eyes widened a fraction as he realized who was hot on the young woman's heels. A vicious glare replaced his surprised look and his mouth opened to should profanities, but...

"No time, Inuyasha! About to be murdered! SIT!"

*THUD*

She did an elegant leap over his fallen form and continued on her way. Blast it, now she had to run further! She would be facing her death very soon, and she'd be damned if she allowed any member of her group of friends to see her innards! Especially Inuyasha!

Why not plan your entire funeral while you're at it, Kagome? Sheesh! Focus! Run!

She was well aware that he was toying with her. Carnivore youkai and their thrill of the hunt instincts...

It had become quite obvious after the first few seconds, really. She'd been running for ten minutes already and he still hadn't caught her. He was truly cruel! Perverse dog, enjoying her fear and torment! She'd have been furious had she not been scared out of her wits!

Already her breath came in heavy heaves, her legs felt so heavy they barely managed to keep pushing her forwards. One week was hardly enough to get her stamina and endurance levels up. The world hated her, she was sure! Exhaustion was thrown upon her like a bucket of cold water, and no amount of adrenaline or reiki could change that. But still she pushed forwards, stubbornly.

Good lord, her legs were gonna fall off! She would die without legs attached to her torso, and it wouldn't be Sesshoumaru's doing!

It had now come to the point where she no longer sustained the energy-levels required to direct her reiki to her legs, and she knew she was going to meet her fate. Yup, goodbye world! The aura behind her grew closer, more intense, enveloping her own completely.

"You're done, Miko!"

The velvety voice ghosted against the shell of her ear and the shock it sent through her exhausted body caused her to misjudge her next step. Eep! A root! She awkwardly stumbled forwards, arms flailing...

*SPLASH*

~~~O~~~

His inner beast had purred once the human woman took off running. Clever, yet so very stupid! He loved a good chase, his beast rattled it's cage, and it was so much more exhilarating since he thirsted for blood and vengeance!

He had not caught whiff of her whereabouts for seven days and it had annoyed him. It had meant that his revenge would have to be delayed... He had gathered that she had returned back through the magic well, hence why her presence was completely gone from the face of the Earth. But he'd decided to wait her out. Sesshoumaru was a patient predator.

He watched her return, observed her interaction with her friends, and then he'd let his presence be known. His beast demanded her blood to be spilled! NOW! He could almost taste the sting of her purified blood coating his tongue...it was a taste even one such as himself could not resist or forget!

And that Miko wench... she knew why he was there.

He took off after her, deciding to allow her to remain ahead of him - the anxiousness in her aura smelled delicious! And she knew he was toying with her! Her aura spoke clearer than words as with her dawning realisation a brief flicker of irritation and rage merged into her fearful scent.

He growled deeply, and the fear overpowered her other emotions again.

He drove her further into the forest, chasing and herding her, pushing her to her physical and spiritual limit - catching on to her rapidly decreasing energy. Soon.

His sensitive nose caught his half-brother's scent before they came to the clearing and he involuntarily grimaced. His half-brother never smelled overly pleasant, but now it was merged with that of death and grave-soil. It was an insult to anyone with a working nose! How could his human companions continue to stand his presence?

"No time, Inuyasha, about to be murdered! SIT!"

*THUD*

She didn't even beg for his help. Interesting woman... How amusing her power over the hanyou was! He made sure he trod onto the redclad back as he dashed across the clearing, shoving Inuyasha further into the ground before the chase continued.

She was tiring faster now. The burn of her reiki dimmed down, and her speed slowed. She was short of breath, close to hyperventilating. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest, pumping her blood around her body with conviction! The sound delighted him beyond measure!

There were so many emotions rolling off her, and he relished in every single one. Fear. Anxiousness. Despair. Panic. Pain.

"You're done, Miko!" he purred into her ear, he'd had no trouble at all catching up to her completely. The silly little creature hadn't even sensed his close proximity!

*SPLASH*

He halted gracefully, his silver hair swirling around him thanks to the sudden cease of movement, accompanied with the soft rustle from the silk of his clothes. His golden eyes lingered on the female, taking in the hilarious image of her sputtering and thrashing in the small creek. He watched how her chest heaved as she finally managed to sit up, her black hair clinging to her face, neck, shoulders and back.

He flexed his claws, summoning his poison and letting it drip to the ground. Now would be as good a time as any to dispose of her! The worthless human Miko would suffer for her actions a week ago!

He raised his hand...

"These clothes were new!" Kagome yelled indignantly after she had sat up in the small stream. Her chest heaved still as her oxygen-deprived body fought to regain it normal lung-function.

She dared a wide-eyed glance up at the Taiyoukai. Oh Kami, not the poison!

"Wait!" Her hands shot up infront of her, a slight tremble showing in her arms.

"Can't you just cut my head off and be done with it?!"

He hesitated and she took the split second to scramble to her feet, standing on shaking legs in the cold water, her hair clinging to her soaked clothes and wet face as she struggled to find her balance properly. She snorted and wiped the ink black tresses from her eyes, staring up at him.

Had he not known better, he'd have thought her to be a water nymph - she'd fit that description right now. Quite a vexing image when he thought about it. Her futuristic and strange clothes held no layers to them like this time's garments did. Her torso was perfectly displayed to him through that strange blue kimono she wore. Every dent and curve of it. She had been blessed with perfect proportions, for a human, he had to admit...

"This Sesshoumaru will dispose of you as he sees fit!" He growled menacingly, remembering her bold request for him to just take her head off, and saw her cringe at his response. Wonderful reaction!

"Well...uh...can you PLEASE not use the poison? I'd rather it be quick..."

The Inu Youkai actually took a moment to attempt to evaluate her state of mind after THAT request. Was she even aware of her own words? His poison could wipe her out of existence faster than a sword anyway!

Kagome was taking a moment, too. Mental evaluation! She needed one! Her mother should send her to see a shrink!

She shifted her feet slightly, uncomfortably, and yelped when the slippery stones in the water gave way under her, causing her to topple over in a very unelegant fashion. She hit the water again with her back, her entire torso submerging while her legs flew up and over her head. Kagome had never been so close to a perfect backwards roll...

Sesshoumaru tilted his head as the Miko once again created a rather impressive splash in the shallow water. Clumsy wench! He gave a soft snort. Ending her would prove to be no challenge at the moment...

The Western Lord found it almost amusing to watch her sit back up; the woman was coughing and hissing, cursing her bad luck - cursing the water, the rocks, the forest, the Kamis. Like it was their fault she was in this predicament to begin with!

"FINE! Fuck this! If you wanna kill me, you're gonna have to get into this damn cold water too! I'm not moving!" She crossed her arms stubbornly over her chest, her blue eyes sparkling indignantly. She knew perfectly well that he could just take her head off with an attack from his swords, or with his whip - she was in no way in a favourable spot. Death knocked on every door here! At least she could go down fighting, right?!

Fascinating how she tried to give him orders in regards to how and where he should take her life. Such a feisty little thing, this Miko.

"It amuses This One to watch your struggles."

"Sadistic dog!"

"Filthy human!"

"I showered before coming back to Edo, I'll have you know! My clothes were fresh and clean, too! And to top it off, I'm now having a bath in a small river! How can you call me filthy!"

The Lord cringed at her increase in volume.

"This Sesshoumaru spoke nothing of your personal hygiene, Miko! Human blood is filthy, weak, disgusting and repulsive!"

He narrowed his eyes when her own seemed to blaze with rage, her impressive aura flared dangerously again, feeding off hidden reserves apparently.

"Are you related to hyena-youkai, Lord Sesshoumaru? Because last time I spilled my filthy blood around you I recall very clearly that YOU enjoyed the taste of it!"

She spat at him as he stood on the dry riverbank. Arrogant ass! She must have bitten her tongue when toppling over last time. The red colour of her spit told the tale. She rolled her tongue around inside her mouth, deducting that she had bitten the inside of her cheek, not her tongue. Hurt like a bitch though! She spat more blood, glaring at the cold and ruthless Inu Youkai, realizing her mistake too late.

His eyes were rimmed with red, and before either he or she noticed, he'd gotten into the water and was holding her up by her neck.

"Human! If you speak disrespectfully to This One one more time, there will be no traces of your remains anywhere in these lands!"

His hands clenched around her soft throat, and he smirked as she gagged and locked her tiny hands around his wrist in a futile attempt to make him release her. He was fully prepared to release his poison when the sting of reiki burned the flesh on his arm. He had no other option but to drop her... and a third splash was heard that day.

He hissed quietly and looked down at the searing red skin on his arm. This vile creature, though exhausted, still held enough power to harm his pristine self!

Kagome lay on her back in the water, not bothering to try getting up a third time. Not yet anyway. She just stared defiantly up at the whiteclad youkai above her, for now that was more than enough for her. In a futile attempt to appear dignified she crossed her arms over her chest and forced her face into what she hoped was a scowl. She was growing confused now. If he wanted to kill her so badly, why'd he let her distract and delay him?

She heaved a sigh when he just stared at her. No poison claws, no whip, not even a hand on his sword. She didn't get it! The Kamis had it out for her. What had she done to deserve this? Was it all because of that stupid little pebble? Had it been a cursed pebble, perhaps?!

"You know, he didn't even ask about my injuries when I returned to camp a week ago..." She didn't know why she was talking.

His eyes returned to her semi-submerged shape. What in the world was she on about now? The Taiyoukai merely arched an elegant eyebrow at her.

"What are you speaking of?" He snarled, he really was not interested in engaging in further conversation with her than he already had, but something drove him to ask anyway despite his inner protest.

"Your brother..."

"Half-brother!" he had to correct her.

"WHATEVER!"

They glared daggers at eachother. One could probably reach out a hand and feel the electric tension in the air between their locked gazes.

"He threw a fit because your scent was all over me...that's the first thing he pointed out...he didn't even see my injuries or ask me if I was alright..."

"He's an ignorant whelp, what did you expect!?" Sesshoumaru scoffed, then frowned slightly as her words sunk in.

"So it bothered the hanyou that This One had transferred his scent onto you? More than it bothered him that you were bleeding?"

"Well yeah..." Kagome snorted and pushed herself up to a sitting position, wiping water from her face and removing black strands of hair so she could see him properly.

"Hn."

"Hn?"

"Hn."

"So, gonna kill me, or what?" The woman sighed and moved her arms out to the sides in an exasperated manner.

Sesshoumaru pondered this.

He was actually beginning to find her infuriating antics and runaway mouth to be quite entertaining. Enticing. It was a disturbing realisation, but it was true none the less.

"Not yet."

"Can you perhaps help me out of the water, then?"

"Hn."

He held out his hand, and she stared at him as though he'd sprouted a second head all of a sudden. She hadn't really expected him to.

"This Sesshoumaru will not kill you - yet." He assured her, but the suspiciousness in her aura intensified.

Never the less, she carefully reached out her own hand and grabbed his, pulling herself to her feet with his arm as leverage and with one elegant leap Sesshoumaru had placed them both back up on dry land.

"I want my remains dropped down the Bone-Eater's Well..." she muttered darkly, giving him a sideways glance.

"Hn." He narrowed his eyes, gaze drawn to a drop of ruby red, and he brought his hand to her face. She flinched as his finger made contact with her skin, his fingertip catching a lingering drop of blood from the corner of her mouth.

"Don't tell me you're gonna..." she scrunched up her nose slightly when he brought his finger to his mouth and licked the blood off. She could only stare, mesmerised.

The enticing sizzle of magic once again tickled the roof of his mouth and his inner beast rolled it's eyes in absolute pleasure. The beast demanded more of it! The beast wanted it all to itself! His! Wait...what?

"Ok, you know what, I now know where all the myths about vampires originate from!"

The woman huffed, having come out of her stupor, and wrung water from her long hair before combing her fingers through the raven tresses in a futile attempt at sorting it out. She'd need her brush to get the knots out, she realized...which meant...she had to get back to the village...

Sesshoumaru watched with narrowed eyes, fighting himself internally over the new direction his thoughts had taken. The woman kept talking, interrupting him every time he thought he was regaining control...

"So you give me a lecture about filthy human blood, then proceed to willingly ingest it right after? You know, Sesshoumaru, that's called hypocrisy!"

Her hair was flung over her shoulder and onto her back, and her hands came to rest on her hips while she gave him a less than amused look. His eyebrow rose slightly. Still such fire! He let his eyes travel down her figure. Her completely soaked figure. In some ways, maybe she could be considered pretty, or even beautiful. The way she was now: soaked from head to toe, wild, fierce, recklessly unafraid to speak her mind to him, yes - she was beautiful!

"Your blood has been purified by your powers, little one...it's not filthy at all." He heard himself say, and it was the truth. This human woman did not reek of death, and her blood not the foul taste of slowly ageing towards decay.

Kagome blinked and stilled completely; like a deer caught in headlights (though only she would get that reference) - her eyes big and staring at the impressive male not more than a few feet from her. Say what now? Her blood was purified? Little one!?

"So, my half-brother doesn't like that my scent mingles with yours..." a ghost of a smirk crossed the ethereal features of the Inu Taiyoukai and her face paled considerably. What an abrupt change of subject!

"...nooo?" She discretely took a step away from him, but he followed - a much different predatory gleam now shining in his golden eyes. The way he looked at her made a new kind of shudder run through the entire length of her body. Oh, Kami - the male's bodylanguage screamed sensual, sinful pleasure long way! A new sense of dread and fear entered her mind.

"Tell me, Miko. Why did it upset the halfbreed so?"

Kagome blinked several times and felt behind her with one arm for a convenient tree or something to leap behind. She'd need something between herself and the Youkai Lord. Where was that convenient tree!? Honestly! She was in a forest!

"Well he thought you and I had met behind his back to..." I'm dying now! "...uh...mate...?"

She flinched when his large, clawed hand grasped her chin in a firm grip and her eyes shut tightly. Please, please, be quick about it!

"Is that so..." his cold voice ghosted over her lips right before she felt the warm tip of his tongue trace the corner of her mouth - catching the last stain of blood from her lower lip, causing heat to return to her skin. Blazing fire was left in the wake of his tongue and she bit her tongue to stifle the soft moan that almost slipped out through her lips. This was not happening!

Sesshoumaru had meant what he'd said about HER blood. It wasn't filthy at all. It had been purified by her magic, and the taste was absolutely mouthwatering! A single drop was not enough, he decided.

Kagome whimpered under her breath. This was more terrifying than the idea of imminent death! Yet she couldn't control the electric chill that ran down her spine from that intimate gesture. Her insides fluttered, contrasting with the alarms going off in her mind. No, no! Don't like this! be scared, be ANGRY!

Inuyasha would be absolutely livid if he caught Sesshoumaru's scent on her again!

"It would benefit me more if you'd just...y'know...slay me?"

She could barely get the words out, her throat had dried up completely - quite a feat considering the amount of water she'd inhaled and choked on not many minutes ago...

A warm puff of breath against her cheek made her knees buckle for a moment. Had he just chuckled?! Oh, Kami...how sexy was that sound!?

"Of course it would, Miko. If you were to return to the village right now you'd get in trouble with the hanyou you so covet..."

"Hey, I don't covet Inuyasha! He's chosen to be with an undead woman! That's kinda grim, and a huge turn-off! He just...doesn't like that I..."

How perfect it seemed - the hanyou didn't like that this infuriating, impossible, disrespectful, indecent, hardheaded, stubborn, free-willed, at times insane, clumsy, rebellious, fiery, warm-blooded, passionate and highly amusing woman smelled of him! This woman, who was so very much alive and breathing...and so responsive to his close proximity.

"He doesn't like the thought of you being with someone else than him...even if he does not wish to be with you." He mused this out loud, his sensitive hearing catching how her heart skipped several beats and the sound of her breath hitching.

Her big blue eyes shot up to meet his burning gaze, her sharp words evaporated and her mind blanked for a moment. How did she retaliate? He was right...

His hot breath was felt against her lips again, and she let her teeth graze over her bottom lip - new ideas of possible ways this day might end up began appearing in the back of her mind. He smelled heavenly! She had to admit that much. She'd never fully caught the intensity of his scent before... Pine, the forest, clean air after a thunderstorm...

"Your blood calls to This Sesshoumaru, Miko..." His voice reached her ears.

"This One finds he desires it all to himself..."

"...uh..." she blinked, the haze of seduction cleared from her mind and she literally leapt several feet backwards - FINALLY finding that TREE! She moved behind it faster than humanly possible, and poked her head around to glare at the Taiyoukai!

"Yeah right! You hate humans, and you hate ME more! That's a story you've gotta take with you further up the mountain, Sesshoumaru!"

Hn, she'd refused to give in. How refreshening! Sesshoumaru calmly leaned to the side as a small pebble was thrown at him by the human Miko. He leaned again as another small stone followed, then another. He turned his body slightly when twigs replaced the stones, elegantly avoiding every object. Patches of moss and grass replaced the twigs, and he found himself to be mildly amused again - even though he should be highly offended that this human woman dared throw objects at him.

"Stay back! I'm fucking serious!" the female hissed when he began moving towards her.

Sesshoumaru smirked ever so slightly, his beast was close to the surface and utterly enjoying the small female's display. She didn't throw herself at his feet. She didn't openly desire him or flaunt herself to try and gain his attention. She would not submit, not even to one as superior as himself. She was a challenge. She dared attempt to discipline him when she disapproved of his actions. She was not afraid to voice her opinion to him. She was a perfect alpha bitch! He already knew she would be a perfect mother. She was loyal and she was a fierce protector of those she considered hers.

How had he not seen these traits in her before? Had he been so locked on the idea that she was his half-brother's wench that he had failed to see what he now saw so clearly?

His youkai speed brought him to her current hiding-spot behind the tree. He growled deep in his chest and let one of his hands curl around her raised arm, forcing her to drop the next item she'd meant to throw at him and the lump of wet moss dropped to the ground.

The air seemed to still as Kagome was caught between the tree which she'd used as a shield and the very youkai lord she'd tried to hide from behind said tree.

Kagome felt that electric chill run down her spine again. Sesshoumaru's eyes were bleeding red and she could not escape. He kept her caged with his arms, and with the tree at her back and his body pressed against hers she had no escape-route. His aura bore down on hers, and she couldn't even will her reiki to the surface to fend him off. Did she even want to?

He growled deeply, the sound rumbling through his strong chest, making the vibrations felt throughout her entire being. Again he knees threatened to buckle, so her hands grasped at the fabric covering his chest out of desperation and a stubborn need to keep herself standing up straight and show him no weakness - a difficult task right now as he leaned down towards her.

But perhaps the Kami did take pity on her, after all - because right then two voices pierced the air.

"KAGOME!"

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH MY WOMAN!?"

~~~O~~~

With a shaky breath Kagome found herself alone. The Youkai Lord was nowhere to be seen. Her legs finally gave way and she slid down to the base of the tree, her mind struggling to comprehend just what the heck had happened...

Inuyasha and Kouga found her sitting under the tree, completely unaware of their presence, deaf to their voices as they called her name, trying to get an answer from her.

Were the Kami finally taking pity on her, or just adding to her torment by sending those two to find her?

"What was that all about, huh!? Oi, wench! I'm talking to ya!"

"Don't call my woman a wench, dogbreath!"

"Don't call her your woman!"

"She's more my woman than your wench!"

"That ain't the case, ya mangy wolf! Didn't ya see her with Sesshoumaru right how?!"

...Torment, definitely torment. Kagome sighed and got to her feet, starting to make her way back to the village.

"Well i'm sure she'd got a perfectly good explanation, don't ya, Kagome?" Kouga glanced at the foot of the tree, and blinked when the woman in question was nowhere to be seen.

"Oi, Kagome!" Inuyasha darted after her, closely followed by Kouga.

The ravenhaired young woman groaned quietly.

"He could've at least taken me back to the village instead of leaving me here in the forest..."

She'd not uttered the words before she was swept off her feet and cradled against a strong chest clad in white silk fabric. She groaned again, out of pure frustration this time. Could the Kami please make up their minds!?

"Village...please..." she murmured, receiving only a short, but clearly amused 'hn' in reply. And with the shouts of two infuriated male voices fading in the distance, Sesshoumaru brought Kagome back to her village by the Bone Eater's Well, and left as soon as he had set her down.

As he left her to her friends he already planned his next hunt. He had meant what he'd said. Her blood called to him, he had acknowledged it, and he would heed it's call - he'd tasted only a few drops today, but he already knew he'd not allow any other to taste her.

The woman had become a different kind of prey and he was on a different kind of hunt - she just didn't know it yet.

~~~O~~~

~~~O~~~

A.N.:DON'T KILL THE AUTHOR! ...lol... I'm sorry, I've no idea what happened at the end there. I can't do oneshots. I might have to write yet another chapter...maybe. Perhaps. We'll see...XD