A/N: Gah! I am so sorry it took so long to get this chapter out! I hope you enjoy this chapter and please leave a review if you have the time!

Recap:

"Well, Miss Higurashi," Sesshomaru began in a deep monotone, "welcome to the Takahashi Firm. For the next four years, you will be working here as the firm's intern in the hopes that you will be molded into a successful lawyer. In return for your hard work and loyalty, your place in University will be paid for in full."

Kagome couldn't think of what to say and looked up to Inuyasha, who nodded and smiled to her in encouragement. Her gaze fell back to Sesshomaru to find him watching the interaction between her and his brother. His eyes crinkled in the slightest display of emotion and he released a smirk that paled in comparison to Inuyasha's

"Congratulations, Miss Higurashi," the youkai chuckled, "On all of your achievements."

Why did she get the impression he wasn't talking solely about the internship?

End Recap.

Chapter 5: Office Mayhem

"An internship?"

"Yep…with a full scholarship to university. And a job offer on completion of my degree."

"Holy Shitcakes."

Kagome nodded as she sat in the corner table of a local coffee shop, in a booth across from Sango and Shia. Kagome was dressed in a worn University sweatshirt and a pair of yoga pants. Her dark hair was up in a messy bun. There were dark circles under her eyes—a sign that her body was getting tired from having to maintain the barrier hiding her newly-mated status from the world. Meanwhile, both Shia and Sango looked young and fresh—Shia in a royal blue maxi dress and Sango in white capris and a pink thick-strapped tank top.

"I'll say this again," Shia said in awe, "HOLY SHITCAKES!"

"Shhhh!" Sango hissed and Kagome couldn't help but let out an embarrassed laugh as a little old woman at a table near them looked over in disapproval.

"So," Sango turned back to Kagome after giving Shia a light smack across the back of the head, "Did you take the offer?" Kagome paused before answering. She still wasn't sure if she made the right decision and she knew that her friends' opinions would either boost her confidence or crush her.

"I…did." The silence at the table was broken by the sound of a duck quacking. Pulling her phone out of her purse, Shia sighed and hit ignore.

"Who was that?" Kagome asked as Shia tucked the phone back into her bag. Shia shrugged and mumbled in response. Sango focused on stirring her spoon around and around in her coffee, her gaze focused out the window.

"Shia?"

"Saiya's been calling to check in," Shia murmured loud enough for Kagome to hear that time, "it's not my place to tell him what's going on. It's your business."

Saiya was Shia's twin brother. He was older by two and a half minutes and it showed in his mature, care-taking personality. He was the fourth member of their little group of friends. He had graduated early a year ago and was finishing up a semester abroad in America.

"So you pick up the phone and talk about stupid stuff like the weather!" Kagome hissed. Sango nodded and lightly jabbed her elbow into Shia's side.

"See?" Sango said, "I said the same thing! Now he's going to be really suspicious and he'll know something's wrong!"

"I can't lie to him!" Shia defended, "You guys know that! All he'd have to say is 'what's up?' and I'd being spilling the beans!" Shia's purse gave off a high pitched ping.

"Play it," Sango said and Shia sighed as she pulled her phone back out. Putting it on speaker phone, she placed the phone in the middle of the table and the three girls all leaned forward.

"Hey, Sis," Saiya's voice seemed to be an instant balm for the three girls, making all of their tense shoulders relax. The young man had been their constant champion and protector and the semester without him had been rough.

"So I don't know why you've been ignoring my calls," his voice continued, "I can only imagine what you and the girls have gotten yourselves into without me there. I'm just walking out from my last final exam. I'm calling to let you know that I've booked a flight for later this evening and I should be home around this time tomorrow. That should be plenty of time to get a decent alibi together. Love ya, Sis. Bye."

"Holy Shitcakes," all three of the girls said at once, their eyes wide as they looked at the phone in fear.

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Inuyasha sat behind his desk in his office at Shikon, running his clawed fingers over a map of the city that was displayed across the dark wood desk. There were purple "X's" drawn over a handful of spots across the city, one freshly drawn last night.

"So what the hell happened exactly?" Inuyasha asked as he stared at that new X, his jaw clenching in anger.

"Naraku's gang overtook a couple of warehouses down by the harbor," Miroku said from where he stood looking out the window that overlooked the now empty bar below. He watched as a couple of the waitresses chatted animatedly. One of the girls, a new waitress named Nara leaned over the bar, her nicely rounded ass covered by tiny black shorts lifting in the air. Miroku looked on dispassionately, his once playboy-esque mind thinking only of the strong-willed woman he had met a few nights ago.

'Sango…' The tall, strong beauty he had met the same night Inuyasha had met his mate had taken over his brain and she was all he could seem to think about. Even now, his hands itched to reach out and stroke the body he had only been able to caress with his eyes.

"Fuck," Inuyasha growled, snapping Miroku out of his sensual reverie, "He's getting closer to having us completely surrounded." Miroku turned to look to his friend and leader, nodding in agreement. Naraku Onigumo, leader of the rival gang, the Spiders, had a personal vendetta against Inuyasha and was determined to see it end in one of them dead. Miroku wasn't exactly sure what it was all about, this animosity between these two hanyou's, but he did know it wasn't something to take lightly.

"He has access to the waterways," Miroku said as he walked over to sit down in one of the chairs across from Inuyasha's desk, "You know what that means don't you?"

"Your enemy is breaking into the world of arms dealing, little brother," Sesshomaru answered Miroku's question as he stepped into the office, looking very out of place in a dark pin-striped suit, crisp white shirt and silver-blue tie.

"You think I hadn't already realized that?!" Inuyasha slammed his fist down onto his desk, reinforced wood cracking under the pressure.

"I just wanted to ensure that you were aware of the severity of Naraku's latest move," Sesshomaru raised on perfectly shaped eyebrow at Inuyasha as he took the seat beside Miroku, "A final showdown is on the horizon, Inuyasha, and you need to be prepared for it."

Inuyasha nodded, running his hands through his long hair in frustration. His brother was right, the final battle with Naraku was looming ever closer and it could only be the true end if one of both of them were dead.

'That spider is going to be the one dead' he thought to himself as Sesshomaru and Miroku discussed strategies, 'I'll squish the little bastard beneath my boots.'

"So what brings you here at this time of the morning, Sesshomaru?" Miroku asked while Inuyasha was caught up in his own thoughts.

"I just wanted to remind Inuyasha that today is Miss Higurashi's first day as an intern at my firm," Sesshomaru responded as he straightened his tie. At the mention of his mate, Inuyasha returned to the conversation and frowned Miroku burst out laughing.

"What the hell is so funny, Houshi?"

"I just can't believe how presumptuous you are, Yash. Damn, man. Although," Miroku chuckled as he wiped at his watery eyes, "After being your friend for so long I guess I shouldn't be so surprised."

"Keh." Out of the corner of his eye, Inuyasha saw his brother's shoulders stiffen, putting him on high alert.

"Brace yourself, Pup," Sesshomaru warned as the door to the office suddenly burst open. Inuyasha's eyes widened as he watched his mother storm into the room, with his father trailing casually in behind her. The beautiful older woman's eyes were narrowed in anger, making the three young men in the room cower in fear and trepidation.

"How dare you?!" Izayoi shouted, pointing directly at her son. Inuyasha looked around his mother to make eye contact with his father, who only shrugged.

"Sorry son," Inutaisho offered a small smile in apology.

"Don't you apologize to him," Izayoi hissed as she turned to her husband, "You should be apologizing to me, not him!"

"Oh I will, koibito," Inutaisho flashed his wife his most charming smile, a trait he had passed along to his youngest son, in the hopes of appeasing her.

"Awkward," Miroku mumbled in response and Sesshomaru smacked him upside the head to get him to shut up.

"Mom, what the hell are you talking about?" Inuyasha asked, redirecting his mother's attention back to him.

"I'm talking about the fact that I had to find out from your father that your scent had changed and mingled with a woman's," Izayoi shouted, "and not just any woman's…but your mate's!"

"Shit," Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sesshomaru all whispered, but not quietly enough to escape from earning another disapproving look from the Takahashi matriarch.

"You have a whole lot of explaining to do, Inuyasha," She again pointed her finger directly at her son while her eyes began to well up with tears, "I can't for the life of me understand why you would hide something like this from me…"

Inuyasha's ears flattened against his skull and his eyes darkened. He hated seeing women cry and it being his mother made everything worse. Combine that with the fact that she was crying over something he did and he felt as if the world was ending.

"Mama," Inuyasha stood and moved to embrace his mother, "I'm sorry. It's a long story. I was going to tell you once I had everything figured out…I'm…damnitt…I'm really sorry…"

"I believe this is my cue to leave," Sesshomaru stood and straightened his suit, "Miroku? Why don't we continue our discussion on my way out…"

As the two men stood to slip out of the room, Izayoi pulled away from her son to glare at her stepson and Inuyasha's best friend. She considered both of them her sons and she had no problem reprimanding them like a mother would.

"I'll deal with you two later."

"Yes, ma'm," Miroku mumbled. Sesshomaru scoffed, but still managed to increase his pace out of the room.

"So," Inutaisho laughed as he moved to sit at Inuyasha's desk, "Why don't you tell us about this mate of yours and why you haven't thought to bring her home to meet us."

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"Good Morning, Miss Higurashi."

Kagome looked up from the coffee can that she was currently scooping grounds out of and placing in the machine to see Sesshomaru Takahashi leaning against the counter of the top floor breakroom of the top floor of the intimidating skyscraper.

"Oh, Mr. Takahashi," Kagome turned from the coffee machine to give her new boss and mentor a respectful bow before returning, "Good morning, Sir. I thought I'd get some coffee started. I came in earlier this morning and well, you weren't here and your…receptionist wasn't sure what to do with me. It seems you've never had an intern in the practice before. So I cleaned the breakroom and now I'm making coffee. I can't stand to just not do anything, you know?"

"Miss Higurashi…"

"Oh, Sorry," Kagome blushed when she realized she had been rambling, "I'm just…this is really awkward. I know you're only doing this because of…"

"Make no mistake, Miss Higurashi," Sesshomaru said sternly, "Inuyasha is my brother. He is pack. I look out for him, but I would in no way let his sexual preferences dictate the way my company is run. You are here because your academics merit you be here. Never forget that."

Kagome stood there in stunned silence as Sesshomaru turned to leave the room. Just before disappearing out of sight, looked back over his shoulder and gave her a smirk that was devastatingly handsome but had in no way the same effect his brother's had on her mind and body.

"I'll take a cup of coffee in my office when you have it ready. Black."

Before Kagome could even catch a breath and returning to get the pot of coffee going, Sesshomaru's receptionist came whirling into the room. The wind demon towered over Kagome in high black kitten heels. Her pink blouse was tighter than Kagome would consider appropriate or comfortable for a day at the office and her black pencil skirt was no better. All of it was accented with clunky jade jewelry and her earring clanked together as the woman's head shook with barely contained rage.

"What the fuck was he doing in here?" Kagura hissed and the profanity from a relative stranger made Kagome cringe.

"I…what?"

"Sesshomaru! He doesn't ever bother coming into the breakroom. He must have had a reason for coming in here this morning. I can only assume it's because of his new 'intern'." The way she said the word intern, with all of the nasty sexual implications packed into it, made Kagome clench her fist.

"Well you know what they say about assuming…" Kagome hissed before hitting start on the coffee machine and turning to watch the hot liquid drip slowly into the machine, giving Kagura a clear dismissal. The wind demon's heels began clacking on the wood floors as she retreated, making Kagome's shoulders sag in relief.

"Go ahead and spread your legs for him all you want, intern, but I'll always be his favorite."

'What have I gotten myself into?' Kagome thought as she continued to watch the coffee pot.

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"Well if it isn't my second favorite, Takahashi!"

"Hey, Kagura."

Kagome looked up from the letter Sesshomaru had asked her to type up thanking a client for the use of his house in the Caribbean the month before to see Inuyasha having stepped off of the elevator. For a moment while he chatted with the receptionist-from-hell, Kagome took the time to look at him and subconsciously admire the view.

He was dressed in a pair of dark wash jeans that clung to his body in all the right places that Kagome couldn't help but notice turned more than a few female heads. His shirt was a soft white button down that had a faded pattern that looked almost like a tattoo woven into the fabric in a light silver color. His long white hair was pulled back in a low ponytail and his dog ears flicked around as they picked up on all the sounds of the busy office.

"Are you here to see Sesshomaru?" Kagura asked sweetly, making Kagome want to vomit, preferably all over the catty woman, "He's with a client, so if you wanted to wait out here with me…"

"Actually," Inuyasha looked over to where Kagome sat and when his gaze caught hers, he gave her that smirk that managed to take her breath away and melt her insides all at once, "I'm here to see if I can steal Kagome away for a lunch date."

"YES!" Kagome stood and responded a little too loudly and eagerly for someone who was determined to break things off with the hanyou, but then again, she had to get away from Kagura for a while. Inuyasha chuckled and held out his hand for her, causing Kagura to frown. She grabbed her purse from under her desk and nearly tripped in her sensible heels as she rushed to his side. She was so excited to get out of the office, she even allowed Inuyasha to place one arm around her shoulders and didn't even flinch or shrug away when he kissed the top of her head. She let Inuyasha lead her to the elevator and as the doors closed, she stuck her tongue out at a glaring Kagura in defiance.

"Rough day?" Inuyasha chuckled as he pulled her body closer, one claw running rhythmically over the skin of her arm right below the sleeve of her white satin top.

"Kagura's a bitch," she mumbled, not really intending for Inuyasha to hear her. Inuyasha growled, causing Kagome's head to shoot up to look at him. She watched in trepidation as his eyes flashed red for a moment and his jaw ticked.

"Did she do something to hurt you, mate?" Kagome shivered at what he called her. She wanted to rebel against the title, but even from beneath her barrier, her mark warmed at the word. She had to pick her battles and this wasn't one of them.

"No, it's nothing," Kagome tried to laugh it off and supplied him with a false smile, "just office drama."

Before Kagome could even realize what was happening, her back was up against the back elevator wall. Her feet were dangling from the ground and her ass was resting on the hand railing, the cold metal burning her through her black dress pants. Inuyasha buried his face into her neck, where her mark was visible now only to him.

"Don't lie to me, bitch," Inuyasha's breath caressed the raised skin, causing her to shiver despite the fact that she now felt warm in many sundry places.

"I'm not lying, Inuyasha…" God was that her own voice that sounded so breathy and needy?

"Liar," he insisted and Kagome could hear the smile in his voice, "Lying is a punishable offense between mates, Kagome. Are you sure you don't want to change your answer?"

"No?" She clenched her thighs together to try and ease the throbbing ache that having his body so close was causing.

"Good," he whispered before clamping his fangs down on her neck, piercing her mate mark all over again. Kagome screamed out in pleasure as an orgasm took over her body and she was lost to the feel of Inuyasha's claim over her.

Just as Inuyasha reached for the buttons on Kagome's pants, his back pocket started vibrating. Withdrawing from her neck, he licked his lips and cursed under his breath at the interruption. Reaching for the phone without releasing his grip on the now panting Kagome, he hit speaker.

"Whoever this is better have a real fucking good excuse for calling me right now…" he threatened as he looked into Kagome's startled eyes.

"I just wanted to warn you that if you have any respect for Miss Higurashi that you will refrain from giving my security team any more of a show," Sesshomaru's voice reprimanded.

"OH MY GOD!" Kagome screeched and shoved at Inuyasha.

"Oi, Bitch, what have I said about the shouting!" He growled before glaring at the offensive phone in his hand, "You're dead, Fluffy."

"Just have her back here in an hour, Pup. She may be your mate, but she's my intern." The line went dead and Inuyasha shoved his phone back into his pocket, resisting the very powerful urge to rip the device to pieces. The only thing that distracted him from his murderous thoughts were the ridiculous ramblings he picked up on from his mate.

"I might as well be doing porn," she whispered, "that's pretty much what we were doing with those cameras around. Oh my god, what if they don't erase it? They could be rewinding it to watch it again as we speak…I'm going to have to see the security guys every day. I can't…"

"Kagome…"

"This is a nightmare. I should have never taken this job. I shouldn't have gone to that club. This never would have happened and I wouldn't have gotten mixed up in porn!"

"Oi, Kagome, calm down," Inuyasha reached out to touch her and she stepped away from him, causing him to growl.

"I want out, Inuyasha," she pleaded as her wide eyes locked onto his, "please. This isn't me. I'm not the worldly type. I'm not into PDA…even handholding in public makes me uncomfortable. Please, just let me go."

Inuyasha slowly moved towards her, as if she were a frightened animal. He gently wrapped his arms around her and she collapsed against his chest. He cringed as, for the second time that day, a woman cared about cried because of his actions.

"I'm not a good person, Kagome," he whispered into her hair, taking comfort in the dark silky strands brushing up against his lips, "I swear and party too much. I'm quick to anger and I usually use violence and force to solve my problems. I have a reputation that even the devil wouldn't want. I'm also an addict—I'm addicted to you. I have been since the moment you stepped into the VIP lounge. That first dance, that first kiss…it was like my first snuff. If I were a better person, I would let you go and get help to move on with my life. But I'm not. I'm selfish to the core and that means I can't let you go. I won't."

Kagome remained in his embrace as the words sank in. It hurt, to be cherished this much when the man who did the cherishing wasn't the one you knew you should want. As the elevator slowed to a halt as it neared the basement level of the parking garage, Kagome realized that the day would come when she would have to walk away and that not only would it destroy this imperfect stranger, but it very well could destroy her.

A/N: Dun, Dun, Dun! So as you can see, Kagome is slowly caving into Inuyasha. She still obviously has a long way to go, because other than attraction and mating instincts, the two know nothing about each other. There's also the issue of Koga. He'll be back in the next chapter to cause some mayhem!

I decided I LOVED Sesshomaru in this chapter. I am not a Fluffly fanatic and am most certainly Team Inu. However, I like Sesshomaru's character in this story and have decided that after this story is completed (which is not happening for another couple of months I think), I am going to write Sesshomaru's story based in the same storyline. I've already got some notes for it and I'm very excited!

Anyways, as always, please leave me reviews! I love hearing from you guys. In the meantime, I'm going to work on the next chapter of DTYP and also try and get some work done on my own book. Check in on my profile page for update information and I'll see you guys next time!

Blessed Be

Kameko