Somewhere in Time

Drawing Back the Curtain (never-before-seen chapter)

"I have been what?!" Kagome exclaimed incredulously. Did she hear him right?

Sesshomaru stared at her patiently. "You have been unconsciously participating in the inu-youkai mating ritual."

She frowned, confused and thoroughly surprised. The cold seeping into her bones suddenly felt fiery. When did I ever...? She looked at him again, his expression slowly turning into beffudlement. In a fit of frustration, the miko stood up and raised her eyebrows. "Would you please elaborate?"

The snow was still falling all around them, the bleak surrounding a stark contrast to Sesshomaru's red and white kimono. His yellow-gold eyes watched her silently as she fumed. Then, he began to explain.

"Mating is an important rite of passage for the youkai. For the lowborns, mating secures an offspring to further their lineage. They do this by having an intimate encounter with a consenting female or..." Sesshomaru paused and looked at her grimly, "by forcing themselves on any female they chance upon."

Kagome covered her mouth and gasped. "But that's horrible!"

"A most barbaric act indeed. However, noble houses like mine follow a more profound mating ritual. There are three primary steps that must be done before the consummation."

"Consummation as in..." the miko trailed off, fiercely blushing.

Nodding, the daiyoukai continued. "The first stage is a display of the male inu-youkai's ability to provide food, shelter, and security. The first two, I can do quite easily. The last one, however, needed your part. During our first encounter in my father's tomb, you unknowingly chose Inuyasha as your protector. As part inu-youkai, he knew what it meant, so he took on that role and kept you safe. That is... until you yourself cast him aside and chose me."

Kagome's heart fluttered when Sesshomaru's expression softened as he uttered the last words. "I... chose you?"

"When you were poisoned, you called out to me instead of Inuyasha. In the inu-youkai tradition, such act shows recognition of a male's capability to provide security. It has been made official when you agreed to stay with me when we return to my time."

"So... from the moment I chose you as protector, we have been doing the mating ritual?"

Sesshomaru inclined his head. "Not quite. We have been in the ritual far longer."

A muscle under Kagome's left eye twitched. This dog demon was really testing her patience. "Since when then?"

The daiyoukai's confidence didn't even waver. "Since that rainy day on the clearing, when you were hurting because of Inuyasha in the cave. You reiki unconsciously submitted to my youki, an integral part of the mating ritual. Our auras are now bonded, which is why I am able to pass through your portal."

"What about Inuyasha? Are we connected like that too?"

"Your connection to him is of a spiritual spell, quite possibly through the Kotodama no Nenju. You use it to sit him, is it not? A form of command?"

She nodded, slowly processing what he said. So that was the only thing that connected them, huh? Not even a connection from the past... not even the possibility of Kikyo's soul in her?

A pang of loss surged inside her. What special connection she felt with Inuyasha proved to be nothing more than an enchanted necklace.

"You are upset," Sesshomaru remarked, studying her. He rose. The snow that had clung to his silver hair and kimono swirled all around him. "Kagome, forgive me. I only wanted to speak the truth."

The miko looked up at him and smiled reassuringly. "Well, I'm upset because you didn't say anything before. And what was your reason for being upset with Hojo? Were you... jealous?"

"It is more complicated than petty grievances. You accepted a gift from another male who also intends to take you as his mate. That is an indication of a challenge. Had I acted on my inu-youkai instincts, I would have fought him to the death."

"That's..." Kagome spluttered. "That's a little bit extreme."

"And then there is the matter of his scent on you."

"His what?!"

Sesshomaru sighed. "When you touched him, a fraction of his scent clung to you. It has... upset me. I left before I lost control and erased any trace of him on you."

The glint in his eyes caused the miko to swallow in fear. Now this was the Sesshomaru she knew—lethal, unforgiving.

However...

Kagome tugged at his empty sleeves. "Well, there's still some dangerous thing we need to do."

"What is it?"

The miko paused. "We have to tell my family."