InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Little Faith ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu and Moriko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

 

A/N: HentaiVixen, Entropy9 and Tana-san… thanks for reviewing the previous chapter. I hope you'll enjoy this one.

 

 

A Little Faith by elle6778 - Chapter 5

 

 

The shoji screen rushed past Kagome as she hurried down the hallway, intent on finding Katsuo. If anyone could tell her what was going on with all the whispers and the evasive looks she had been receiving, it would be him. After all, he was practically her best friend in this place.

 

Katsuo was not there, she realized with disappointment when she completed the circuit of the castle, ending up at the entrance. Maybe he was in the dojo next to the servants' quarters. With that thought, she pushed the door open and let herself out. The two guards at the door immediately turned to face her, wearing identical expressions of amused curiosity. Kagome's face reddened. No doubt they were recalling her escape attempt when they had to drag her back to the castle.

 

She forced out an uncomfortable laugh. “Don't worry, I'm not running away.”

 

Lips twitching, one of them said, “We did not imply such a thing, Miko.”

 

Rolling her eyes, she retorted, “But you're thinking of it.”

 

“Perhaps.”

 

“Well. I'm not planning on running today.”

 

“That would be wise, Miko,” one of them said, his eyes twinkling.

 

Grinning, she continued to walk past them. Yes, she was not running away, but it was only because of the threat to Katsuo and Natsumi. She grumbled under her breath. Sesshoumaru was far too clever for his own good. She had to find a way to protect them from Sesshoumaru's punishments if she wanted to attempt escape again.

 

Wistfully, she flicked a glance to the main gates.

 

Her steps faltered when she noticed two figures standing there, their gazes already turned towards her. Then her eyes widened in recognition of the blue-haired demon beside Sesshoumaru. Without further thought, she ran towards them.

 

“It's you!” she exclaimed, skidding to a halt in front of the two demons. She frowned, trying to remember his name. “Akiyama, right?”

 

The blue-haired demon nodded, apparently unconcerned about the way she addressed him. Instead, his lips tilted as he remarked, “I see that you are well.”

 

Kagome snorted. “Yeah, no thanks to you. Look, this thing about me being a gift to the Western lands had gone on long enough. Don't you think it is time to get Sesshoumaru to let me go?”

 

“Your fate is no longer his to decide upon,” Sesshoumaru interjected curtly.

 

Annoyed, she swung around to face the stoic lord. “Stop talking about me like I'm some property.”

 

He simply quirked a brow

 

Beside him, the blue-haired demon laughed. “It seems that I have chosen the appropriate gift, Lord Sesshoumaru. She is certainly spirited enough to entertain you.”

 

Kagome frowned while Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed dangerously.

 

Unconcerned by the looks he was being given, Akiyama continued thoughtfully, “Perhaps during this visit, I may have the pleasure of her company?”

 

Jaw dropping, Kagome gaped at the demon. He could not be suggesting what she thought he was suggesting, right? She was not exactly familiar with the customs here but it sounded like he wanted her in his bed.

 

“You wish to taint yourself with the touch of a human?” Sesshoumaru asked, his lips curling slightly in distaste.

 

“HEY!” Kagome protested indignantly although she understood that Sesshoumaru's words would probably save her from the fate of having to serve the blue-haired demon lord in his bed. But the way the Western Lord had said it made her sound like she has some sort of disease and it irritated her.

 

“Silence, wench!” Sesshoumaru ordered coldly.

 

She glared at him. “Don't order-”

 

“You misunderstand, Lord Sesshoumaru,” Akiyama interjected smoothly. “I simply wish for my sake to be poured and some lively company. Nothing more. It is my understanding that this custom is common amongst allies.”

 

Expression growing darker, Sesshoumaru finally bit out tightly, “Do as you wish, Lord Akiyama. However, you may not harm her.”

 

“She will be unharmed.”

 

“Hn.”

 

Kagome fidgeted nervously. This was not good. She needed to talk Sesshoumaru into changing his mind. How did he expect her to keep Akiyama company when Akiyama was the one who had kidnapped her in the first place? Granted, Kouga was the one who had brought her here. But still, Akiyama was involved in it.

 

“By the way, Lord Sesshoumaru. I've heard…interesting things recently,” Akiyama remarked evenly.

 

She saw the almost imperceptible narrowing of Sesshoumaru's eyes before the demon replied blandly, “Is that so?”

 

“I did not expect you to be the kind to do such a thing.”

 

Sesshoumaru wore a bored expression when he replied, “This Sesshoumaru cares not about the expectation of others.”

 

“Oh? You are not concerned that your concubine do not wish for your touch?”

 

Kagome frowned in confusion. What was Akiyama talking about? Did Sesshoumaru have a concubine hidden somewhere in the place? Surely she would have known if he had, right? Then her lips twitched as the rest of Akiyama's words registered. Sesshoumaru's concubine did not want him to touch her? Considering his attitude, she was not sure that she blamed her, whoever she was.

 

Kagome watched with interest as Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed into slits. However, he did not bother to reply to the other demon. Instead, he turned and called out to the toad demon standing not far away. When Jaken stepped up to them, Sesshoumaru instructed, “Show Lord Akiyama to his chambers.”

 

“Yes, my lord,” Jaken assented with a vigorous nod.

 

Akiyama smirked knowingly as he began to walk away, following the small demon. “We will confer later,” he said over his shoulders.

 

Sesshoumaru's lips tightened visibly. “Hn.”

 

Kagome released a breath of relief. It appeared that they had forgotten about her. Recalling her plan to find Katsuo, Kagome turned around only to be halted by Sesshoumaru's words.

 

“Miko. You will come with this Sesshoumaru,” he intoned as he spun away from her.

 

Kagome's brow shot up. “What for?” she asked.

 

He stilled. Kagome watched as he turned slowly to face her, forcing herself not to flinch at his icy expression. “It is not your place to question this Sesshoumaru, Miko,” he bit out.

 

She bristled. “I wouldn't be questioning you so much if you'd just explain things to me,” she retorted irritably.

 

A muscle in his jaw ticked, but he simply stared at her for a moment longer before he turned to walk away, obviously expecting her to follow him. Kagome glowered at his retreating back, feeling the urge to throw something at him. How could someone be such a pain in the ass? And she bet that he was not even trying.

 

Grudgingly, she trudged after him until they reached his study. Once she stepped in, the guard at the door slid the shoji screen shut, leaving the two of them alone in the sparsely furnished space.

 

Sesshoumaru spun around to face her, his expression betraying nothing. “You will tell him nothing of your training, or anything you've learnt with regards to the Western Lands.”

 

Kagome blinked, trying to comprehend what Sesshoumaru was saying. Then it sank in. “Does that mean you really want me to…um…keep him company?” she ventured nervously.

 

He gave her an odd look before he nodded curtly. “Hn.”

 

She bit her lips as she frowned, trying to think of a way to get out of her latest predicament. She really did not want to be left alone with the other demon. And although she and Sesshoumaru did not get along all that well, he was the only one who could get her out of this. She just had to swallow her pride and beg him.

 

Taking a deep breath, she pled, “Sesshoumaru…Please don't make me go to Akiyama.”

 

His eyes flickered for a moment before it turned blank again. “It is part of our customs, Miko,” he told her in a level voice.

 

She groaned. “But I don't know if I can trust him. I mean, he captured me after all.”

 

“You fear him?” Sesshoumaru sounded irritated.

 

Throwing her hands up in the air, she exclaimed in exasperation, “No! I just don't want to be left alone with him, alright?”

 

He responded to her outburst with silence. Brows slightly furrowed, he simply stared at her thoughtfully. Just when she thought that her patience would run out, he said evenly, “This Sesshoumaru will instruct Shin to accompany you. He will remain outside the chamber while you entertain the Northern Lord.”

 

Kagome's lips parted in shock. Although she realized that it was unlikely, she had hoped that he would rescind the instruction for her to keep Akiyama company. But instead, he wanted to assign his guard to see to her safety? It proved to her that he understood her concerns. That, in itself, was a strange thing. And she did not know what to make of it. It was almost as if he…cared.

 

“Also, you will not let him know of your miko abilities.”

 

Still stunned at his decision, Kagome did not bother to ask for the reasons before she nodded her agreement.

 

“Shin,” Sesshoumaru called out.

 

The shoji screen slid open to reveal the guard in question. “Lord Sesshoumaru?” he queried.

 

“You will escort the miko to the Northern Lord's chamber and remain outside while she accompanies him. Make sure that she does not come to any harm.”

 

His expression betraying nothing, Shin simply nodded. Turning around, the guard bowed slightly to her and said, “Follow me, Miko.”

 

“It's Kagome,” she muttered absently as she trailed after him.

 

Stepping past the shoji screen, she glanced over her shoulders back into Sesshoumaru's chamber. To her astonishment, he gave her an encouraging nod. Allowing a small smile to cross her lips, she took a deep, calming breath and walked out. Slowly, she was led to where Akiyama was staying. It appeared that Jaken had placed him only a few rooms down from her.

 

Shin tapped on the shoji screen and waited until he received permission to enter. Gesturing to the screen, he said in a low voice, “I will be here if you require any assistance.”

 

Kagome nodded and then let herself into Akiyama's chamber. The blue-haired demon looked up from the table when she entered.

 

“Sit down,” he instructed, gesturing at the opposite side of the table.

 

Kagome gulped as the shoji screen slid shut behind her. Akiyama's words sounded somewhat ominous. “I…um…” she stuttered. How was she supposed to get out of this one?

 

“Do not worry. I mean you no harm,” Akiyama told her with a small smile. “I did not catch your name the last time we met.”

 

Her nervousness instantly fled as she recalled how she had been treated back then. “Of course. You were too busy drugging me, remember?” she pointed out dryly as she knelt down in front of him, her gaze landing on the tray which contained bottle of sake and matching cups.

 

His eyebrows rose, and then a contemplative look crossed his face. “Yes. It was not the most amiable of circumstance. However, things appear to have turned out well?”

 

Kagome pursed her lips. “You've got to be joking,” she muttered.

 

His eyes flashed with amusement. “Before I forget…” He paused as he retrieved something from the folds of his clothes. Then, giving her an encouraging smile, he held out a familiar bundle to her.

 

Her jaw dropped when she recognized the familiar colors. “My school uniform!” she exclaimed, snatching the bundle from him. Then, glancing at him in confusion, she remarked in a hushed voice, “I can't believe you kept it.”

 

“It is only right that I return it to you. It is yours after all.” Then, gesturing to the tray, he continued, “Perhaps you would like to pour the sake now?”

 

Clutching the only thing which really belonged to her in this place tightly against her chest, she flicked a nervous glance at the demon before her. It was weird that she felt so uncomfortable in his presence. She did not feel nearly as uncomfortable around Sesshoumaru, even though they had clashed more than once. Come to think of it, it might be because she knew what to expect from Sesshoumaru, but this demon in front of her was another matter. However, aside from kidnapping her and drugging her, which was bad enough, Akiyama had not treated her too badly, she reasoned. Maybe she should just relax a little. And after all, if he tried something, she could just yell for Shin.

 

With sigh of resignation, she knelt down before him. Her hands paused over the tray, suddenly wondering if there was some sort of ritual to this. Then she shrugged inwardly, deciding that she would just pour it. After all, she did not claim to be familiar with their customs.

 

Accepting the cup of sake, Akiyama nodded his thanks and swallowed the beverage. Returning the cup to the table, he gestured at the other empty one. “You do not wish for some refreshment?”

 

Kagome shook her head quickly. “No. I'm fine.”

 

“So, how do you like the Western Lands?” Akiyama asked conversationally.

 

“It's alright, I suppose,” she replied carefully, remembering what Sesshoumaru had told her earlier.

 

“Lord Sesshoumaru protects it well. Many fear his wrath.”

 

Kagome resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “I suppose he can be quite cold at times.”

 

“At times?” Akiyama let out a smirk. “One could certainly say that you are generous with your assessment. Many would say much worse about him.”

 

Was Akiyama trying to insult Sesshoumaru in his own home? Kagome's lips tightened disapprovingly at the demon's lack of manners. “What are you trying to say, Akiyama?” she bit out.

 

Akiyama quirked a brow. “Simply that Lord Sesshoumaru's reputation precedes him.”

 

“What reputation?” she ventured hesitantly. She was not sure she wanted to know.

 

“Are you telling me that you're unaware that you're under the protection of the most ruthless and efficient killer present in these days?”

 

Kagome paled. No, she did not know that. She knew that Sesshoumaru was powerful, but she had not seen him kill anything so far. And from what she could tell, his servants and guards served him not so much out of fear, but respect. It did not fit into the pattern Akiyama was suggesting.

 

Akiyama raised a brow and continued, “I see that you don't know. You have seen his daily routine and the training of his warriors, I presume. Surely that would give you an inkling.”

 

Frowning, Kagome just stared at the demon seated across her. Although his questions had been worded innocently, she felt herself growing wary. She had this feeling that he was trying to pry some information from her. So Sesshoumaru had been right to warn her after all. She had to be more careful now that she realized what Akiyama was trying to do. The thought of leaking information to this demon did not sit well with her, even if she did not get on that well with Sesshoumaru.

 

“I spend my time indoors, so I don't see much of what's happening outside,” she said, staring the demon in the eyes.

 

She saw his lips twitch. He obviously did not believe her. Her eyes narrowed in determination. If he wanted to play verbal tag with her, then so be it. She had no intention of breaking her word to Sesshoumaru.

 

 

…***…***…***…

 

 

Kagome frowned as she recalled how the dream had continued. The next two days had been challenging, as her dream self continued to dodge Akiyama's sneaky questions. Strangely enough, she had enjoyed the battle of wits. Still, she had been glad when Akiyama left to return to his lands, allowing her to finally corner Katsuo. The hanyou had been reluctant to tell her dream self what she wanted to know and it had taken a lot of persuasion before he finally caved.

 

Kagome immediately felt the rise of her temper at the information Katsuo had imparted to her dream self. Even now, the thought of it made her feel like strangling one particular imaginary character in her dream. The one with the long silver hair and infuriatingly disdainful expressions.

 

“We're here!” Sachimaru exclaimed, jerking her out of her thoughts.

 

Pushing the unpleasant memories of her dreams to the back of her mind, Kagome smiled at her son. Her steps were light as she walked to the entrance of the gated park. Beside her, Sachimaru was bubbling with barely contained excitement as she handed over their tickets to the man at the entrance booth.

 

“Name?”

 

“Higurashi Kagome and guest.”

 

The man scanned the screen in front of him before looking at Sachimaru curiously. Then he nodded and stamped her tickets, allowing them entrance.

 

Organized chaos was the only thing which came to Kagome's mind as her eyes wandered. The Demon Carnival had taken over the entire park and transformed the usually quiet place into a colorful fairground. Stalls lined the gravel pathway, selling everything from food to what looked like fake demonic charms and weapons. Further along, a wide raised platform was set up, illuminated by large spotlights overhead. Benches were arranged in concentric circles around the platform, rapidly filling up with excited spectators. That was obviously where they were supposed to go for the show.

 

“Okaa-san! Hurry, or we'll miss the show!” Sachimaru gushed, pulling her along.

 

Kagome stumbled at the force, but she was no longer surprised by Sachimaru's almost inhuman strength. The boy was simply excited, she thought indulgently. Giving in, she jogged behind her son as Sachimaru dashed madly towards the benches surrounding the platform. They found two vacant seats somewhere near the middle and sat down thankfully. She glanced around curiously, noting that the audience ranged from children up to full-grown adults dressed in various traditional and modern outfits.

 

A hushed sound suddenly floated through the space, directing Kagome's attention to the stage. Then the spotlight landed on a lone figure. The commentator was a red-headed man with mischievous green eyes. Kagome found her eyes drawn to his bushy red tail. That could not be real, she told herself. But how on earth did he make it move like that?

 

“Welcome to the new season of our Demon Show. I'm Shippou, your host for the premiere of this season.”

 

 

 

“Okaa-san, look. His tail is twitching,” Sachimaru exclaimed in an awed whisper. “Can I have one too? Where can we buy one?”

 

Kagome grinned. “Are you sure you want one? Just think of what Souta will do to it.”

 

Sachimaru made a face.

 

Her attention was drawn away from the boy when Shippou, the host announced proudly, “Before we begin, I would like to thank Taishou Holdings, our founder, for sponsoring this event today. Demon Carnival would not exist without the support of this company.”

 

The crowd cheered raucously. As Kagome clapped along, it occurred to her that IY Media and Entertainment was probably part of Taishou Holdings.

 

When the noise died down, Shippou continued, “Now, for the moment you all are waiting for.” His grin widened. “Let us present you with our first act. Please give a round of applause to Touran, our lovely resident cat demon!”

 

The crowd cheered and hooted as a beautiful woman with long blue hair and blue-grey kimono jumped up onto the platform and bowed gracefully.

 

“And her opponent, Shuuran! Yes, although he may not look like it, he also a cat demon.”

 

A hulking man stepped out onto the large stage, beating his chest exaggeratedly, letting out a vicious snarl as he did so. A smattering of laughter trickled through the crowd cheered. Kagome instantly felt goosebumps rising on her arms.

 

The lights dimmed and a spotlight focused on the host. The redhead grinned before he whispered into the microphone, “Let the show begin.”

 

The backdrop instantly changed, displaying a view of a cliff top. With a sudden snarl, the performer called Shuuran charged his opponent. Kagome's eyes widened in fascination as he threw his hands forward, releasing what appeared to be lightning bolts at the smirking woman.

 

This was some good special effect, Kagome thought. No wonder the tickets were so expensive. Good thing she got them for free.

 

The crowd yelled and hollered as the woman called Touran leapt out of the way just a fraction of a second before the lightning bolts connected with her. As she descended from the air, she released a stream of mist which wrapped around Shuuran. Instantly, a sheet of ice formed around the man.

 

Kagome gaped. Everything looked so real, she thought as Sachimaru bounced with excitement beside her. It was definitely entertaining. But what she found odd was that each time they attacked, she felt her hackles rise. Her reaction was unnerving. It was as if she was practically twitching to stop them from fighting. Glancing down briefly, she found that she had clenched her hands into tight fists.

 

When the fight ended, she immediately felt the release of tension from her body. Strange. Perhaps she was simply tired.

 

“Now, for our next performance, I present you with Ayame…and Kouga!”

 

Kagome watched curiously as the next pair came in. Then she immediately blinked in disbelief. The guy on the stage was called Kouga. But what surprised her most was the fact that he looked almost identical to the Kouga in her dreams. She frowned. What was she thinking? That this Kouga was really a demon?

 

No. It was not possible. Maybe she had seen him on a Demon Carnival poster or something and his image had gotten stuck in her mind. And that was probably why he had popped up in her dreams. The alternative was just too…unbelievable.

 

Again, this performance was another fight which seemed to be centered on some story Kagome was not familiar with. But still, looking at their furry costumes and the way their fangs gleamed in the spotlights was enough of a treat.

 

Kagome watched intently as the fight progressed. The redhead leapt high up in the air before she shot down, her bared fangs looking as if they were aiming for the man's neck. Kouga's eyes widened in alarm before he darted sideways to a distance he considered safe. Then he spun around to say something to her under his breath.

 

Kagome glanced around in confusion when the majority of the crowd began hooting and whistling, while the performer called Kouga glared at his opponent angrily for a moment. Then, to everyone's surprise, he stalked off the stage, leaving Ayame glaring at his back.

 

Shippou stepped on the stage, laughing a little. “Why, it seems that there is a little technical glitch over there. Not to worry, we-” he broke off a large furry animal entered the stage. Shippou's eyebrows rose. “It looks like Ayame has a new opponent,” he announced cheerfully. Waving his hand at the newcomer, Shippou added, “Let's give a big round of applause for Kirara!”

 

Kagome blinked at the size of the animal. If what she had seen before was unbelievable, then this was even more so. The white animal looked like a cat, but MUCH bigger. How did they do it? Then realizing what she was thinking, a small smile appeared on her lips before it grew into a full-blown grin. She was overanalyzing things. After all, this was the entertainment industry, right?

 

She should just let herself be entertained, she thought as she sat back comfortably to watch the rest of the show.

 

 

…***…***…***…

 

 

The performance had just ended by the time Sesshoumaru arrived. He did not bother to watch it. After all, he was familiar with the format by now. Instead, he remained backstage, away from the crowd of spectators who were now exiting the performance area. Glancing around, he noted that the faces around him were familiar.

 

As he walked past a trailer, Sesshoumaru raised a brow at the sight which greeted him. So, the wolf pack was the new addition to the Demon Carnival troops. Kouga's odd request more than a year ago suddenly made sense.

 

The wolf prince had appeared one day to ask him to take over the Eastern Territories while he and his wolf pack took an extended vacation. Knowing that he could not allow anyone else to take control of the lands so close to the west, Sesshoumaru had agreed, on the understanding that it would only be temporary.

 

It had been one year since that day and Sesshoumaru was still overseeing the east. He was beginning to wonder if Kouga had decided to extend his vacation indefinitely. The fact that he was part of the demon troops here told Sesshoumaru that Kouga was obviously still `vacationing'. Perhaps it was time for them to have a discussion.

 

Kouga was snarling at the other wolf, Ayame. “You didn't have to come so near my neck. You almost marked me,” the ex-wolf prince spat.

 

The female's eyes flashed. “And so what if I marked you?” she challenged. “You promised to mate me anyway.”

 

“Damn it, Ayame! That was more than five hundred years ago. Get over it!”

 

“A promise is a promise!” she retorted angrily.

 

“Gah! I made that promise to make you feel better. For Kami's sakes, you were only a cub then!” Kouga shot back. “How many times must I tell you to forget it?”

 

Bored by the display, Sesshoumaru turned away from the couple. They had been arguing about the same thing for centuries and he wondered why they bothered to do so. Kouga should simply mate the female.

 

Conscious that he was meant to meet Rin at the stalls, Sesshoumaru moved away from the performance platform and made his way down the gravel path. The colorful stalls stood out sorely against the natural backdrop of trees and plants scattered around the park. He scanned the crowd slowly, trying to detect Rin's familiar form.

 

Then Sesshoumaru froze as his eyes landed on a small boy.

 

The boy was wearing a traditional yukata, coupled oddly with a pair of Nike trainers which pounded the ground as he pulled his mother to an ice-cream stall.

 

“Okaa-san, you promised!” he whined.

 

“Oh, alright,” the mother said indulgently.

 

Sesshoumaru could not take his eyes off the boy. In all outward appearances, the boy appeared human, even though his hair was silver in color. But that was not the reason for Sesshoumaru's astonishment.

 

Was surprised him was the crescent moon on the boy's forehead, half covered by silvery bangs. In addition to that, Sesshoumaru could clearly see those silver bangs brushing against the tip of a pair of pointed ears.

 

As if sensing his perusal, the boy turned around curiously.

 

Sesshoumaru's breath lodged in his throat.

 

His eyes were golden. Like his. Like Inuyasha's.

 

Somehow, Sesshoumaru was able to sense that the boy was growing agitated at his perusal. Quickly, he raised a finger to his lips, and the boy instantly stilled. Two pairs of golden eyes continued to stare at each other. Finally, Sesshoumaru broke his gaze to look up at the boy's mother. She was buying an ice-cream from the stall, her attention fixed on the choices in front of her.

 

His eyes widened in recognition and his breath instantly suspended in his throat. She appeared to be a little older, her figure more womanly than he had remembered. But there was no mistaking the light in her twinkling brown eyes or the long legs which peeked out from the short dress.

 

It was the miko from his dreams.

 

At that very instant, the disturbing dream he had last night flooded his mind.

 

 

…***…***…***…

 

 

Sesshoumaru awoke at dawn. However, unlike the past two days, this morning seemed brighter. His lips instantly lifted, pleased at the knowledge that the Northern Lord had finally removed himself from the Western Lands. The fact that Sesshoumaru could not sense Shin's presence within the castle grounds meant that his guard was escorting the Northern Lord out of the Western Lands.

 

Fortunately, whilst he and Akiyama had spent most afternoons on discussing territorial issues, Akiyama had chosen to spend the rest of his time with the miko. Despite her initial misgivings, it appeared that she had grown to tolerate the elemental's presence, Sesshoumaru thought with a grimace. According to Shin's reports, the elemental and the miko's conversations had touched upon many subjects. However, the miko had heeded his warnings. Surprisingly, she had possessed enough intelligence to evade all of the Northern Lord's veiled questions regarding the Western Lands. What astonished him more was the fact that she had even defended him on several occasions.

 

Her loyalty was unexpected.

 

And now that he thought over it, his action two days ago was just as unexpected. At that time, she had been distressed enough such that he had felt it necessary to assign Shin to her, though he did not understand her concerns. After all, she had been alone in his and Katsuo's presence countless times. And the very fact that he had felt the need to reassure her with Shin's presence unsettled him.

 

It would not happen again, he decided firmly as he rose from the futon to dress for the day.

 

He was in the middle of donning his clothes when the door to his room slammed open. Annoyed at the unannounced intrusion, Sesshoumaru spun around only to find an angry miko glaring at him.

 

“Sesshoumaru!”

 

Not wanting to face her completely unclothed, Sesshoumaru returned to secure his hakama before he turned to face her with a look of disapproval.

 

“Is there a reason for this insolence, Miko?” he ground out.

 

The miko's chin lifted by a fraction, apparently oblivious to his state of undress. “As a matter of fact, yes.”

 

Sesshoumaru's brow quirked. “Perhaps you would like to enlighten this Sesshoumaru.”

 

Her eyes flashed. “What is this thing going around the place about your sick intentions towards me?”

 

Sick? Instantly understanding the miko's accusations, Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed in irritation. Did she think that he, Sesshoumaru, had anything to do with such a petty rumor? That he had nothing better to do than to encourage the servants to talk about something which was so obviously untrue? Could they not see the disgust in his countenance when he even looked at the miko?

 

“And you don't even have anything to say about it?” she snapped.

 

It appeared that she would not relent until he replied to her. Did she not realize that her current position in his chambers would only fuel the ridiculous rumors? “Miko. The rumors are just that. Rumors,” he bit out.

 

Her eyes twitching, she exclaimed, “Well, stop them! It's demeaning.”

 

“It is certainly more demeaning to this Sesshoumaru,” he remarked dryly.

 

“So you're just going to let it continue like this?” she asked, incredulous.

 

“They will soon find something else to talk about.”

 

She gave him an unconvinced look. “You're sure?”

 

“Hn.” Perhaps she would leave him to finish dressing now. It was odd how the miko did not care about being in the presence of a half-naked male alone, considering that she had been so distraught over the notion of keeping Akiyama entertained two days ago.

 

She released a heavy sigh. “Fine. I suppose I can live with it for a short while,” she said in a long-suffering voice. “Though the idea of them thinking that you forced yourself on me is pretty sickening.”

 

Sesshoumaru suppressed the urge to snort. The miko made it sound as if she was the one being wronged. The notion that he, Sesshoumaru, would desire to ravage a human miko was nothing short of ludicrous.

 

Not able to keep his thoughts to himself, he intoned flatly, “Miko. You flatter yourself.”

 

Her aura expanded in her anger. “What are you trying to say?” she gritted out.

 

“Do you think that this Sesshoumaru would lower himself to rut with a human female?” he asked tightly. At that thought, the images of her naked skin immediately presented themselves to his mind. Before he could brush it away, those long limbs began to make their way to him. His mind then enhanced the image with water-slicked skin and lustful brown eyes. Annoyed, Sesshoumaru clenched his hands into fists. What was wrong with his mind?

 

“Rut? RUT?” she yelled. “I wouldn't rut with you even if you're the last living being on earth.”

 

Desperately attempting to push away the images conjured by his wayward mind, Sesshoumaru gritted out, “That is very fortunate for this Sesshoumaru. The mere touch of your skin would have caused unbearable distress.” But not for the reason she thought, he added silently.

 

She advanced on him, glaring all the while until she was only a hand's width apart from him. Filled with morbid curiosity, he wondered what she intended to do.

 

As a response, she prodded his bare chest with one small human finger. “There. I touched you,” she declared smugly. “I hope you're now unbearably distressed!”

 

Sesshoumaru glared at her, growling at her insolence even as he tried to ignore the tingling on his chest. He wanted to walk away or perhaps toss her across the room. But to his dismay, he seemed frozen to the spot. Her brown eyes were shining up at him in a strange light, her cheeks flushed with her heightened emotions. A warm glow surrounded her, making her seem ethereal. Her scent, a mix of peach and something powerful, invaded his nostril, making him feel almost lightheaded.

 

To his consternation, he felt his body heating up to the stimulation. Clenching his fists, he willed the unwanted arousal to leave him. It would not do to respond to this human female in such an inappropriate manner. She was not his concubine and he had no intention of assigning such a role to her.

 

She prodded at him again. And this time, he caught the infuriating finger in his hand.

 

“Do not tempt this Sesshoumaru to end your life,” he snarled threateningly.

 

She shrank back a little, and then determination flashed across her features. “Just try it!” she shot back fearlessly. “Not only have you kept me here against my will. Now you want to threaten me?”

 

The urge to subdue her overwhelmed him. She would concede to him. He would not allow such an insolent female to challenge him.

 

In a flash, he swung his arm and flung her to the other end of his newly repaired chambers. The bamboo wall creaked in protest at the impact, but it remained intact. Surprisingly enough, so did the miko. Picking herself up, she tossed him a furious look as she wiped her blood off her lips.

 

“Why you…”

 

He felt an odd pang of remorse at the sight of her split lips. She must have landed on something sharp, he thought with a quick glance at the wall.

 

Then she lifted a palm out towards him. “Take this!” she yelled.

 

Recalling the previous destruction of his sleeping chambers, Sesshoumaru quickly streaked to the side just as a beam of pure pearlescent light sped towards him. Her control had obviously improved, but not enough. The moment he escaped her attack, he flung his whips right at her. He saw her eyes widen momentarily before she held out her glowing palms between them.

 

His attack was instantly repelled, much to his annoyance. Her reflexes had increased greatly ever since their last confrontation. Katsuo had been pushing her hard, it seemed. Even if she still could not aim perfectly.

 

“Cease your foolishness now, Miko!” he snarled as he propelled himself to her side.

 

She let out a gasp as he forcefully grabbed her wrist, pinning them up against the wall behind them. Without the use of her hands, she could hardly do anymore damage to his property.

 

She began to struggle, trying to kick out at him. He simply pressed his body closer to limit the movements of her legs. Unfortunately, his body insisted on reacting to her soft curves without his consent. Once again, he attempted to ignore it, but her frantic movements were making it an impossible task.

 

“Let me go, Sesshoumaru!” she yelled, squirming in his hold.

 

Glaring at her and attempting not to notice how his body was reacting, Sesshoumaru snarled into her face, “You will control yourself and cease to anger this Sesshoumaru.”

 

“You brought in on to yourself,” she retorted heatedly, pushing against him. “Now let me go or you'll regret it!”

 

Another flash of heat jolted through his person. Certain that he had never felt so agitated or so frustrated in his entire life, Sesshoumaru bit back a groan. His body was betraying him and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Already, he could feel the uncontrollable swirl of aroused energy pulsing around him.

 

Forcing down the temptation to subdue her in the manner his flesh demanded, Sesshoumaru hissed, “Cease your empty threats, Wench!”

 

Her eyes rounded in disbelief. “Wench? WENCH? It's not enough that you don't even call me by my name. And now, you've reduced it to WENCH?” she yelled, trying to kick at him, but only succeeded in bucking her hips against his.

 

His ears rang at the loudness of her words, but the only thing he could feel was the warmth from her body. He would remove his person from her once he got his point across. Gritting his teeth, Sesshoumaru brought his eyes close to hers. “You will obey this Sesshoumaru's orders.”

 

The look she gave him was nothing short of defiant. “No!” she yelled as she attempted to lunge out of his hold.

 

Sesshoumaru pulled back a little, but not enough to avoid the brush of her lips to brush against the corner of his. Both of them immediately froze, staring at each other dumbly. His lips tingled, and without thinking, he licked the spot. The taste of her blood exploded on his tongue, making him realize his mistake as the heat coursing through his body intensified.

 

Her eyes darkening, she gasped. “Y-You licked my blood.” Then she renewed her struggles with increased vigor.

 

Foolish wench, he thought as he shook her roughly. “You will cease!” This female would submit to him.

 

“LET ME GO!” she snarled just as she lunged forward again in his hold.

 

Her teeth bared, Sesshoumaru's eyes widened just a second before he realized what she intended. But before he could move back, her teeth sank into the curve where his neck joined his shoulders. A brief flare of pain followed.

 

Then a strange hazy feeling enveloped his senses, blinding him to everything apart from the puncture in his neck. He could feel his youki rising towards that one point in his body but he was helpless to prevent it. His heartbeat sounded loud in his ears and he felt hers pounding frenetically in unison with his. Molten heat flowed through his frozen body, mingled with something completely unfamiliar.

 

Then it was gone.

 

Sesshoumaru broke out of the trance and immediately took a step back, his eyes widening in horror as the implication of what had just happened sank in.

 

The miko was lying unconscious on the floor, her lips stained with a mix of his blood and her blood. She was completely oblivious to what she had done. Sesshoumaru groaned and let his fist fly into through the bamboo wall in an uncharacteristic show of frustration.

 

There was no mistaking her scent now.

 

She smelled like him.

 

And he smelled like her.

 

She had made him her mate.

 

Such a thing should not be…possible. How did a simple bite turn into a mating mark? Could it be because of his reactions, his arousal when it had happened? Or was it because of something within the miko? Or was it because of her bleeding lips, allowing their blood to mingle?

 

His thoughts were cut short when his blood roared with the biting edginess of the incomplete mating. However, Sesshoumaru suppressed his instinct to return the mark. He would not be so weak as to give in to the calls of his flesh.

 

His fists clenched. He needed to set things right.

 

Being mated to a human miko was simply unacceptable.

 

 

…***…***…***…

 

 

Sesshoumaru blinked rapidly, trying to clear the preposterous notion of being marked by a human miko from his mind. Not far from him, the boy continued to stare at him wordlessly as his mother, the image of miko from his dreams, paid the vendor for the ice-cream.

 

Images of the miko from the past and the boy's mother intermingled in his mind, confusing him. This could not be a mere coincidence, he thought to himself. So what was it?

 

“Lord Sesshoumaru?”

 

At the sound of his name, he turned around to find Rin smiling at him. Her kits were standing not far away at a stall, inspecting the goods for sale.

 

“Rin,” he greeted with a nod.

 

Peering beyond him, Rin asked curiously, “What are you looking at?”

 

Sesshoumaru swung around. To his consternation, the woman and the boy were gone. His eyes narrowed in irritation.

 

Why would he be dreaming of a human miko who looked exactly like a woman with a boy who was obviously related to him? For there could be no other explanation. With the silver hair, pointed ears, golden eyes and most importantly, the crescent moon on his forehead, there was no mistaking that the boy was a blood relative. The crescent moon was not prevalent on his father's side. Therefore, the boy must be a descendant on his mother's side.

 

In that case, the boy must be a demon. Sesshoumaru could only surmise that his true nature had been concealed since he detected no youki from the boy. Demonic or not, nothing explained why the boy's mother was identical to the miko in his dreams.

 

Unless of course, those were not just dreams. The `dream' miko had marked him as her mate after all. His hand immediately went to his neck, feeling the smooth skin beneath the collar of his grey shirt. There had never been a mating mark there and therefore, the event must have been simply a dream and nothing else.

 

Sesshoumaru felt an onset of a rare headache. He was thinking in useless circles. Forcing his discomfort away, he attempted to focus on the possible scenarios which might explain the odd situation. He would approach this systematically.

 

Firstly, the boy…the pup…could be his mother's son. But if that was the case, why would the pup address the miko look-alike as his mother? Demonesses were possessive and would not allow their own pup to recognize another as their mother.

 

Second, there was a possibility that there were male relatives on his mother's side which he was unaware of. Assuming that the miko look-alike was really the pup's mother, then the pup's father must be a male on Sesshoumaru's mother's side. However, that was highly unlikely considering the golden eyes, since that feature came from Inu-no-Taishou's side.

 

The most baffling possibility was that the pup was his. But how could that even be possible? Unless the dreams were not dreams after all. Since events in the dreams had occurred five hundred years ago, it implied that the human miko had lived for more than five centuries. Which was a completely ridiculous notion.

 

Unless, of course, she was mated to a demon. The thought made him strangely uneasy. Considering the absence of a mating mark on his neck, it must mean that she was mated to another demon. But which demon resembled him so much that the pup looked the way he did? Sesshoumaru's brows furrowed. Her scent would certainly tell him what he needed to know.

 

“Lord Sesshoumaru, what's wrong?” Rin asked.

 

Without answering, he strode towards the ice-cream stall. When he reached the stall, he paused and sniffed delicately, trying to detect their scent amidst all the other scents. He frowned at what his senses were telling him.

 

Their scents were not detectable. That, in itself, was odd.

 

However, what concerned him most was the unmistakable sign of their scent-masking.

 

Due to the inferior senses of the humans, the demons had not bothered to conceal their scents. They only needed to mask their scents if they wished to avoid detection and recognition by other demons. The fact that the woman and the boy had their scents masked was curious indeed.

 

He gritted his teeth in annoyance. They had escaped this time. However, with his vast resources, he was certain that he would be able to find them. The female would have the answers and he would hunt her down for the information.

 

“Lord Sesshoumaru, you're worrying me,” Rin exclaimed anxiously.

 

He looked down at her. “Do not concern yourself, Rin. I'm fine.”

 

Rin frowned, and then her eyes traveled down his person until they reached his briefcase. “You went to work on a weekend?”

 

“Hn.”

 

Rin looked as if she was about to say something else, but her attention was drawn away by the approach of an irate hanyou. Inuyasha appeared to be rather annoyed. Sesshoumaru wondered idly what his brother had gotten himself into this time.

 

“Damn it! I can't believe that idiot!” Inuyasha exclaimed, running his hand through his long hair in agitation.

 

“What is wrong, Inuyasha?” Rin asked.

 

Inuyasha made a face. “Hiten. I decided to let him have a go at the paperwork side of things this time, but that idiot managed to mess up the orders. This is the fifth time he messed something up.”

 

Sesshoumaru raised a brow. As far as he knew, Inuyasha was never that good with paperwork either.

 

Oblivious to his thoughts, Inuyasha continued to rant, “And now, we don't have any dancers and it is Saturday today! People turn up at the clubs because there are dancers.”

 

“Maybe they enjoy the music?” Rin piped up innocently.

 

Inuyasha gave her a baleful look.

 

“I doubt it.” Sesshoumaru's tone was dry.

 

“I guess I'll have to go back to pushing paper again,” Inuyasha grumbled. “Damn! I hate paperwork. This means I'll be back behind the stupid desk, while Hiten enjoys himself in the clubs.”

 

“You are not meant to entertain yourself while you're at work,” Sesshoumaru pointed out with a frown.

 

“Keh! What's the harm in it? And anyway, not everyone is as stuffy as you are,” Inuyasha shot back.

 

Sesshoumaru's lips tightened in irritation. Stuffy? “You will cease from describing me in such a manner,” he growled.

 

Inuyasha raised a brow. “Yeah? And how are you going to stop me?”

 

Rin groaned. “Please don't start fighting. At least wait until you get home. Then you can beat each other up as much as you like.”

 

Sesshoumaru locked his eyes onto Inuyasha, both of them glaring at each other wordlessly. The hanyou was asking for a fight, he could tell. And he would gladly oblige once they returned home. Besides, he could do with a way to vent his frustrations.

 

At the tug of Rin's hand on his arm, Sesshoumaru broke their eye contact and turned to the dark-haired woman.

 

“Let's go. Shippou wants to talk to you.”

 

“Hn.”

 

“Keh!”

 

 

…***…***…***…

 

 

“That was fun, Okaa-san,” Sachimaru said sleepily as he snuggled into his bed.

 

Kagome smiled. “I'm glad you had fun. Now sleep, you've had a long day today.” They had spent most of the afternoon browsing the stalls and playing games. It was only when dusk approached that Sachimaru had finally shown signs of exhaustion and Kagome had insisted that they returned home.

 

“Okaa-san?”

 

Noting the serious look on his face, Kagome sat down at the edge of his bed. “Yes?”

 

“Do you think that my father is somewhere out there?” he asked quietly.

 

Kagome stilled. Sachimaru knew that he was adopted, but this was the first time in years that he had actually asked something like this. Not knowing what to say, she settled for a vague, “Maybe.”

 

“Do you think that I look like him?”

 

The image of her dream Sesshoumaru flashed across her mind before she could stop it. “Probably.”

 

Sachimaru's brows furrowed thoughtfully. “Hmm…” When he glanced back up at her, his eyes were filled with anxiety. “Okaa-san, if my father finds me, do you think he'll take me away from you?”

 

Kagome's breath lodged in her throat as a feeling of panic rose at that thought. Forcing herself to breathe, she leaned down and gathered Sachimaru into her arms. “I hope not,” she whispered into his silver hair. She would do her best to prevent such a thing from happening.

 

“Promise?” Sachimaru mumbled into her shoulders.

 

Kagome blinked back the prickling feeling in her eyes. “Promise.”

 

It seemed to satisfy Sachimaru, for he immediately relaxed and fell asleep. He was obviously tired, since he did not even ask for a story. Smiling at the sleeping boy, Kagome tucked the covers up to his chin and left the room.

 

It was only when she reached her own bed that she allowed her doubts to resurface.

 

No one had come forward the one year Sachimaru's face had been displayed on magazines and newspapers. So there was no reason to think that his parents would suddenly do such a thing now, right?

 

Sachimaru's question about his father brought Sesshoumaru's face to mind and Kagome gave herself a mental shake. Of all things to think about, she scolded herself. Sesshoumaru was just a figment of her imagination, one that she conjured up based on Sachimaru looks. He was not real.

 

As she prepared herself for bed, Kagome wondered idly if she would dream of him again. Turning off the light, she sank down in her bed and closed her eyes.

 

 

…***…***…***…

 

A/N: So, I hope you've enjoyed this long chapter. As always, I would appreciate it greatly if you could drop me a review. Thanks!