InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Blessed Curse ❯ The Preparations ( Chapter 15 )

[A/N]

Yume: Agh, this is getting too routine. I come in every time a new chapter starts, apologize for it being so late, and then make up excuses. So by now, I'm just going to assume you know that I'm sorry, and that my excuse remains the same as it always does: busy, schoolwork, or just plain procrastination. One of the above.

CF: OKAY! Enough of that, Yume. Recap time! In the last chapter, Kagome went down with a fever due the their "romp" in the snow. So it's Sesshy who has to take care of her, and in the meanwhile, he gets a suggestion from trusty Aki to plan a nice, romantic dinner to win her over with!

Yume: Oh yeah! For all of you clever readers, Yes, the last scene in the previous chapter was from "Demon Diary!" I'm very proud of all that recognize it. Lol.

CF: Ahem, there will some indications of….Yume, am I allowed to say the word?

Yume: What? Sex?

CF: (BLUSH) Tension….

Yume: Sexual tension? Lol. Yeah, so remember, this fic IS rated R.

[Dislaimer]: And of course, by NOW I'm going to assume that you all know that Inuyasha does not belong to me.

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Blessed Curse

By: Youkai Yume

Act 15: The Preparations

The room was still dark when he roused from his sleep; the silk sheets and girl that slept beneath them dimly lit under the misty moon that shone outside. Her breathing was calm, her expression peaceful in her deep slumber. The demon lord, however, was anything but. His breathing was heavy, a slight sweat on his brow and his golden eyes wide. Eventually, they settled upon the miko-the reason for his sudden distress, the object of his dark dreams as she came unbidden into his sleep, unaware of what she did to him.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes, sighing as he tried to calm himself, but it seemed an almost difficult task as visions of his dream plagued his mind once again. Dreams of Kagome's naked flesh pressed against his own, his lips caressing her skin, her eyes drowning him into a drunken bliss as he found himself surrounded in her warmth…in Kagome. Her nonexistent cries had ushered his name in passion as her scent wrapped his senses…they bodies slick with sweat, clinging to each other in desperation and hunger…

It was enough to make his blood boil, and his body had yet to cool from the intensity from the dream. A shuddering breath escaped his lips. Sesshomaru opened his eyes once more, staring at Kagome with mixed emotion and confusion. Staying near her wasn't helping his situation either. Her scent only reminded him of the desire that seemed to course through his veins in sleep; it was a wonder he didn't ravish her then and there.

Damn. Was he always this hormonal? Couldn't be…this was the first time he ever had a dream like that, and it was deeply disturbed him-and yet guiltily he wanted it, knew he wanted it…wanted her. 'My human blood, remember the curse,' He reminded himself. Sesshomaru resisted the urge to growl, averting his eyes from her still form to the window.

It was almost morning. She will wake soon, and the Taiyoukai highly doubted that she would like seeing him in her room. Even though Kagome might not mind his presence any longer, he didn't want her to get suspicious of him and thinking that he was coming onto her in her sleep…though upon recalling the arousing dream, he had to admit that she wouldn't be far off...

But still, it was dishonorable. 'I would never do such a thing,' he scoffed to himself. In his mind however, he hoped she also didn't think he was some obsessed admirer that liked sneak into her room late at night and watch her as she slept either. Okay, so he did precisely that, but he didn't sneak into her room. For god's sakes, he was about to leave, but the damn wench had a death grip on his precious silver locks (unintentionally, not to mention, unconsciously of course), and he was forced to spend the night there.

Which brought him to his next dilemma. Golden eyes trailed down to Kagome's fingers, still clutched around his lock of hair. The demon lord furrowed his eyebrows, contemplating trying a second time to pry her hand loose. If he was unsuccessful, then he wouldn't be better off than last night, and would end up having Kagome see him when she awakened anyway. Explaining things might be awkward…

Sesshomaru tentatively brought his clawed fingers to wrap around her own, and to his relief, they had loosened as the night wore on. With much more ease than the night prior, the demon lord managed to free his silver hair from her grasp, attempting to straighten the crease that she had created in her strong grip.

He glanced back at her when she shifted in her sleep, letting out a soft moan and curled into a tighter ball for warmth. Against his will, a small smile graced his lips, couldn't help thinking how cute she looked. The demon lord took the now dry cloth from her forehead, brushing the back of his hand against her skin as he did so. Sesshomaru was quite pleased that her fever was gone now. He pulled back his hand from her, though, somewhat hesitantly.

His smile was replaced with a stern look. 'I shouldn't linger here any longer,' He thought with a firm voice. 'I mustn't let myself grow attached to her…' Sesshoamru stood to leave, stopping only once in the doorway to glance backwards at her, and something akin to longing bubbled in his chest. It wasn't as if he didn't enjoy being with her. By all means…this was the first time he had slept so deeply in a long time. However…it was also the first time he felt complete and raw lust in a dream.

The shoji door slid shut, leaving the demon lord to his thoughts. By the time he reached his own bedchambers, his body had become hot with desire once more for the miko. He silently growled to himself…not letting himself relieve his growing need. Falling onto his futon, he groaned in frustration, letting almost glazed, golden orbs to settle on the shrouded silver moon that hung in the sky.

A large surface of its' face was shadowed; a crescent moon… 'It won't be long now…'

^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Kagome awoke that day to the fresh scent of flowers, and as soon as she opened her eyes, she saw a small vase with select flowers right beside her futon. A small smile graced her lips; she sat up in bed, letting the warm covers fall from her body. A delicate hand went up to touch one of the petals, and a feeling of joy filled her when she saw a piece of parchment with messy scribbles that said "To Kagome-neechan" next to it.

"Aw, how sweet!" She giggled to herself. She would have to thank Rin later. Kagome stretched in bed, and though not all of her strength returned, she was feeling a great deal better. A tiny blush tinted her cheeks when she remembered a certain silver-haired demon lord who cared for her the entire time. 'I'll have to thank Sesshomaru later too…'

The sun was well up by now, Kagome noted, looking out the window. 'I suppose I should get up,' She thought. After all, after spending the whole day in bed, she wanted to stretch her legs. But before she could stand, the shoji door slid open and an ecstatic young girl bounded in with a huge grin plastered on her face.

"Kagome-neesan!" Rin cried, practically throwing herself at the miko. The impact of her small body on Kagome's sent them falling backwards onto the futon. She managed to laugh, despite having the air knocked out of her, and held the child sweetly.

Kirara, however, who had been sleeping at the foot of Kagome's futon, hissed angrily at the sudden disturbance and stalked out of the room briskly. The older girl giggled.

"Morning, Rin-chan," She greeted, smiling warmly. Rin gave an equally toothy smile back.

"Did Kagome-neesan like the flowers that Rin picked for you?" A hopeful look gleamed in her brown eyes.

"Hai, I loved them."

"Glad to hear it," A soft voice said, and both girls turned to the door to see the old lynx youkai standing there, holding a tray with what Kagome could only describe as gratifying food. She felt her mouth water instantly, and her stomach growled loudly, causing her to blush a deep crimson.

"Hahaha, looks like I came just in time," Nira chuckled, kneeling beside the miko and child and placing the food next to them. "Feeling better, dear?"

"Yup. I feel just a little weak though, but loads better than yesterday, thanks so much Nira!"

"Oh, don't thank me, thank Rin here," The elder youkai nodded to the little girl, who smiled shyly. Kagome looked at Rin in surprise, who blushed a pretty red.

"Nira-san said that flowers would make Kagome-neesan better, so Rin picked all the pretty ones for Kagome-neesan…" she said in a hurried rush.

"We put them in this morning while you were asleep."

Kagome smiled at them both. Completely touched by their hospitality and concern. Rin found herself enveloped in a warm hug, Nira as well.

"Arigato. It means a lot," Kagome replied sincerely. Then a look of thoughtfulness crossed her sapphire orbs before settling on Nira's gray ones. "Nira-san, where is Sesshomaru-sama?"

"He is out making preparations," Was her response. She quirked an eyebrow curiously.

"Preparations?" She questioned. "What kind of preparations?"

Nira frowned at this, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry, but I am not allowed to say."

"Gee, hush, hush, huh?" Kagome shrugged, looking thoughtful over her breakfast. 'What is he doing? Killing people or something? Like that's something new…" she said as if disinterested. Then, as if just realizing what she said, her eyes widened considerably, looking at Nira. "He…ISN'T killing people…is he?"

"That's silly! Sesshomaru-sama is the nicest person ever!" Rin piped. "He would never kill anyone, right? Nira-san?"

The aged cat youkai gave her a weak grin, then looked over to Kagome, who had the similar expression on her face. Clearly, the child didn't know what the demon lord was capable of…but then again, Kagome never recalled seeing the little girl there when Sesshomaru was in battle. He always left her behind. Oh well, let the child dwell on her innocence.

"Kagome-san, won't you eat?" Nira decided to change the subject quickly, so Kagome decided to play along. "You shall need to regain your strength. Lord Sesshomaru hopes to see you well again soon."

"He told you that?" She responded rather sarcastically, raising an eyebrow while picking up the bowl of rice that lay by her side. The elder demoness only smiled softly, a twinkle in her gray eyes.

"No, but I have been with Sesshomaru-sama, and have cared for him ever since he was a pup. I can just tell."

Kagome knew not to argue, for she knew that Nira was telling the truth. She stared down thoughtfully at her bowl, and a fluttery feeling invaded her stomach. And no, it wasn't her stomach growling. Before she knew it a slight blush stained her cheeks.

"Is Kagome-neesan catching a fever again?" Rin asked, a little worried. The older girl seemed startled and blushed even harder.

'Geez, why am I blushing?! So he cares about me, so what? No big deal…'

"Uh…Nothing Rin. Boy, I'm really hungry! Time to dig in!" Kagome replied in a more cheery voice than usual. 'But then again…it's SESSHOMARU, so…it…IS a big deal?'

Nira only smiled knowingly, and with much grace she proceeded to pour her guest some tea.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^

It had been an extremely busy morning, and now that it was noon, it was still extremely busy. Sesshomaru walked down the hallways, with Jaken and Aki trailing behind, both jogging to keep up with his long strides.

"The servants are already hard at work preparing the menu for the big dinner. Including some of the dishes Lady Kagome taught us the other day," Aki said importantly. "There are some painters and artists coming in to redecorate as well."

"But why?" Jaken whined. "I think the palace looks just fine! Everything is already perfect, right, Sesshomaru-sama?"

The demon lord said nothing, glancing around the walls instead.

"It lacks…" He began, but never finished. To be honest, he wasn't sure what his castle lacked. It was beautiful, yes, but it just didn't suit Kagome, who was so bright and cheery compared to his domain. She almost glowed when she walked down the hallways. Whenever she entered a room, it seemed to light up instantly.

Everything in the castle just seemed to completely empty and void of life…it just didn't suit her.

"Don't be silly, baka," Aki snapped. "We are planning a romantic atmosphere for Sesshoamru-sama and Lady Kagome. So in order to do that, we must make sure everything is right. No offense, but our castle is rather dreary. We need to brighten it up a bit. Kagome-sama told me so the other day," the badger said proudly. "Which means, we need flower decorations, a brighter color, oh! And the Shoji screen doors can have designs on them, so when the moon hits the door, it'll look…"

He began to gush with excitement, his eyes twinkling with energy as he pictured everything in his head. Jaken was grumbling angrily his his side.

"It's just LIKE a human. She comes into out castle and everything has to be changed. Why go through so much trouble for a ningen?" The toad huffed. "Doing all of this just for her, what will the other demon lords think?" A loud thwack could be heard, and the demon lord looked over his shoulder. Aki's scroll of parchment looked rather crumpled in his fisted hands, and Jaken had a small lump on his green head.

"BAKA! What will the other lords say when they see that Sesshomaru-sama is a hanyou?" Aki growled, "I think that's MUCH more important than a redecorated castle. Besides, it's only for tonight. Or until, milord wins over fair lady's heart…" He turned from the fuming toad to the impassive Taiyoukai with hopeful eyes.

Sesshomaru stopped in his tracks, peering at his servant with much intensity, and yet it was not a piercing look that usually sent his vassals scurrying. No, it was a gaze of mixed feelings. He carefully ran over Aki's words in his head. 'Wins over fair lady's heart.'

Did he really intend to do just that? Win Kagome's heart? Her love? It must be…for why would he even bother setting up a surprise dinner for her? Well, the other thing that Aki made a lot of sense too. And that was the comment about him being a hanyou. It made him wonder even more if he was doing this because he wanted to break the curse, or because he truly, wanted Kagome to love him.

But that couldn't be…after all, the terms of the spell were that both parties had to fall in love. So even if she did harbor feelings for him, it would be useless if he didn't feel the same way. The demon lord gave one last glance at Aki before wordlessly continuing on his way. Of course, both Jaken and Aki followed.

He narrowed his golden eyes. He, Lord Sesshomaru, was not a fool, and he did not pursue anything unless he knew he without a doubt that he could accomplish it. A minute was never wasted for him. So…the same thing had to apply to this, he supposed. There must be a chance that he…loved her if he was going through with this. And if that was indeed true, then he was already halfway there. He would just need Kagome to reciprocate.

The miko, however, was a rather unpredictable creature. Sesshomaru knew from experience, and even now, he was still greatly unsure of how she felt towards him. He knew that somewhere in her heart, she still knew him as the merciless demon lord that at one point in time had his sword pointed at her neck. But over the last couple of days, he could see no sign of animosity or resentment in her eyes against him. Quite the opposite, in fact, there was almost a sense of warmth, and dare he even say…affection?

It was perhaps, that small inkling of tenderness towards him that made him continue to pursue her. And if everything was absolutely perfect, by the end of the night, maybe finally he would know how Kagome Higurashi felt about him. And maybe…how he felt about her as well.

"Milord?" Squeaked Jaken, bringing the Taiyoukai out of his thoughts. "I believe we are here." Pushing Kagome from his mind, he returned back to the matter at hand. All three of them had stopped at the garden.

No longer was it covered in snow like it had just a couple of days ago. Actually, most of it had begun to melt under the sun, getting ready for the coming of spring. His brow furrowed in thought. Kagome loved the garden, whether it was covered in snow or blossomed in flowers. No doubt it was why she loved to sleep under the stars with her comrades so much.

This would serve as the perfect kind of…atmosphere.

"I want the garden to be devoid of snow and with new flowers by the night of the dinner," He said suddenly. Aki perked up at this.

"We can get rid of the remaining snow easily, milord, but flowers are a different matter. It would take well into spring for it to bloom fully, and winter has just barely ended…"

Jaken scoffed.

"Don't you know anything?" The toad said in a rather superior tone, taking the first chance he got to sound of more importance than the badger. "Making flowers bloom takes but a simple spell. All you need is a special powder that can be easily prepared. I could do it in my sleep!" He continued to brag, his chest puffing out further as the seconds wore on. "Just leave it to me, Lord Sesshomaru! I can have the garden in beautiful bloom by tonight if you wish it!"

The demon lord stared down at the toad for a while.

"Fine," He answered finally.

"R-Really, Sesshomaru-sama?" He croaked, his large yellow eyes actually tearing up in disbelief. "I shall not fail you!" He said proudly, forgetting momentarily that this was all, like he said before, for a human. He just wanted to please his master…Then he flashed a victorious looked over at Aki, who was glaring at him with contempt.

He stuck out a slimy tongue, as if to say, 'HA!' and Sesshomaru thought for a second that his usually amiable servant was going to punch Jaken into the still freezing lake. But then…

"That being said, Aki, I want you to assist him."

Jaken's haughty demeanor went away as his jaw dropped to the ground, his heart breaking. He swore he could hear it cracking…

"B-But, Sesshomaru-sama!"

"I really can't afford for anything to go wrong," Sesshomaru said with a tone of finality, and the poor vassal knew not to say more on the matter.

Aki, on the other hand, was the one with the triumphant look on his face, tongue stuck out and all. Sesshomaru turned from them to focus back on the garden. She would enjoy a nice walk after dinner, he thought, a small smile forming on his lips without his knowing it.

Soft footsteps were resounding throughout the hallways, approaching them. He would've quickly dismissed them as one of the servants if it had not been for the scent of sakura blossoms that followed. His suspicions were confirmed when Aki became quite disconcerted.

"Kagome-sama!" The badger exclaimed, "W-What are you doing out of bed?" he stuttered, clearly nervous about the girl being here. The demon lord turned slowly around, and sure enough, the miko was there, in her usual garb and looking a great deal healthier.

She tilted her head to the side.

"Why so nervous? I'm better, so why should I stay in bed?" Kagome questioned, smiling.

"W-Well, it's j-just…uh…we wouldn't want you up and about and catch cold so soon again…" Aki said lamely. He shot a worrisome look over at the demon lord, remembering what he had said about wanting everything ready before Kagome became well again. Sesshomaru, however, ignored the badger, focusing his attention on the girl.

"You are well. That is good," He responded, nodding to her. Kagome blushed a light pink, her eyes averting to the ground.

"Actually, I should thank you for that. You were with me practically the whole day…" She said softly. "So, thank you…"

She kept her eyes on the floor, and a good thing too, for when she finished, Sesshomaru had a small blush on his usually pale cheeks too (curse the curse!). It didn't go unnoticed by the two servants however, as Aki was smiling like a madman while Jaken was turning an interesting shade of orange from shock.

"It was nothing," The demon lord said calmly nonetheless. "After all, you are my guest, and thus, under my responsibility."

Kagome looked up at him to see that he had his gaze elsewhere. His voice was rather stiff, and she felt a painful lurch in her stomach. It sounded as if he did it out of pure obligation. For some reason, it saddened her, but of course, she wouldn't show it.

"Oh," She mumbled, then perked up a bit. "Hey, I just noticed that the castle has been a bit busier than usual."

All three of them stiffened.

"I know it's not just my imagination, but it looks like you're planning something…is there some special occasion? Or are you just getting started on spring cleaning?" Kagome inquired.

"What's spring cleaning?" Jaken asked offhandedly, unaware of the fact that he should be tense.

Aki was starting to shift, obviously worried that they were about to be found out. Their lord wanted this to be a surprise right? If things went wrong, there would be no telling what he would do. Especially since his temperament isn't as controlled as it was when he was a hanyou…

Sesshomaru however, furrowed his snowy brow in thought, his lips thinning. He hadn't planned her to be up so soon at all. Not that he wasn't glad to see her well. But a big part of him truly wanted to surprise her. 'And it will remain as such.'

"The other lords have scheduled a gathering soon," He lied smoothly, the cold demeanor coming back on. "I am preparing for their arrival."

Kagome narrowed her eyes at him, catching a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "Really? Anything I can help with?"

"No," Sesshomaru snapped rather quickly, "It is really none of your concern, and I would appreciate it if you kept out of the way and not pry more into the matter."

The miko was rather surprised at his sudden coldness, for she had been used for the past couple of days to seeing Sesshomaru's softer side. She supposed she forgot for an instant that he was still, well…Sesshomaru. Still, there was something suspicious about the way he was acting.

She refused to believe that he could be so cold after what she had witnessed the other day. The Sesshomaru she saw to be kind and caring, who caressed her heated skin when she was ill. Or the playful Sesshomaru who tumbled down the snow-covered hill that evening, laughing and smiling at her. No way was he going to hide from her, nope not now.

"Now, if you'll excuse me," He said curtly, before walking swiftly past her, not once did their eyes meet. "Jaken, Aki." He bit out.

"Coming milord!" They both piped, trailing after the demon lord. Aki gave Kagome a backwards glance, his eyes apologetic. Kagome stared off after them, rather confused and hurt at his sudden change in attitude.

"What was that all about?" She mumbled to herself, wondering if she had done something to offend him. Slowly, she turned her attention to where Sesshomaru was staring before she caught him, the garden. The girl tried her best to keep her mind off of the demon lord. After all, he did have duties and things that he wanted to keep to himself, so it would be wrong of her to pry, right? Still, she couldn't shake the feeling of suspicion from herself.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

The coast was clear. The room was empty. The girl was out. This was the time to do it, Kotori thought, a flash of determination in her eyes. Taking a deep breath, the lynx youkai slipped past the shoji screen doors, creeping into Kagome's room with the skill of a stealthy cat.

Of course she knew this was all really unnecessary, seeing as there was no one there, but the uneasy feeling wouldn't leave her, so Kotori found herself constantly looking over her shoulder. She let out a sigh, peering around the room for what she was looking for.

'Now where did Kagome-san leave that thing?' She pondered, going through the drawers and closets. Still it was nowhere to be found. Then her bright eyes rested upon Kagome's yellow backpack and she gave off a wide grin, nearly bounding to it and rustled through the contents.

'Mmmm, a lot her schoolbooks,' Kotori mused. 'Close, but not quite.' After plowing through many unusual items, she finally found what she was looking for. She held it in her hands triumphantly, flipping the glossy pages with nimble fingers. Her eyes grew wider with awe with each page that turned.

"Yes, this will do quite nicely," She nodded in satisfaction, smiling. Idly to herself, she recalled why she was even sneaking into Kagome's room in the first place to steal what she called a "fashion magazine."

Lord Sesshomaru had called her to his office earlier that day, along with all of the other servants to discuss preparations. He informed them all that he was planning to throw Kagome a surprise romantic dinner ('gasp, was this really OUR demon lord?') and assigned them all tasks to help prepare for the big night. She had been given the assignment of making Kagome a new kimono for the occasion.

Kotori knew she had to outdo herself. It simply had to be the most beautiful one she had ever sewn before, and she bubbled with excitement when she thought about it. Lord Sesshomaru himself had told her that he wished for it to be special.

"It must suit her," He said simply.

She nibbled on her lower lip. The lynx youkai knew not just any kimono design would do. Somehow, she wanted it to be unique. That was when she remembered seeing Kagome in the library one day, flipping over a strange book filled with pictures of people in strange garments.

Kotori specifically remembered her explaining that these were the clothes that people wore when she came from, and then she came to a page where young girls were in extravagant "kimonos" that Kotori herself found absolutely breathtaking.

"They're called dresses," Kagome explained. "They're really nice, huh? I'm saving my money to buy one for my prom. It's coming up soon," she had said. For the life of her, she couldn't figure out what a "prom" was, and Kagome wasted no time in gushing about it.

"Oh it's wonderful, Kotori-san," the girl said wistfully. "It's like a coming of age party! I can't wait to experience mine! That is, if I could ever collect the jewel shards in time to go to prom…" She said almost sadly, then sighed as a daydream began in her head. "I would be wearing a beautiful ballroom gown, and I would be on the arm of my totally hot date of course!" She had giggled then. Then for reasons that Kotori was most confused, Kagome muttered to herself with what sounded like, "Probably Hojo…"

"Well, whoever it is, he would lead me onto the dance floor…gaze deeply into my eyes…" She sighed dreamily, "Then he would hold me close, and we'd dance gracefully across the dance floor, almost gliding! The other couples would watch on in awe, and my dress would twirl around me like a wings on a swan when he spins me!" Kagome then went into a fit of giggles, blushing wildly.

The image had formed in Kotori's head, and she couldn't forget the happy expression on Kagome's face as she continued to fantasize about her prom. She knew then, as soon as Lord Sesshomaru told her to make her a kimono, that a dress would just have to do. She was determined to make the vision in Kagome's mind a reality.

Tucking the magazine into her kimono, she walked with a lighter step out of the room. She was about to congratulate herself on not getting caught and give herself a nice pat on the back when she bumped into something, causing her to stumble backwards. Something that…squeaked and stumbled backwards as well.

Kotori blinked up, a rush of panic running through herself that she ran into none other than Kagome.

"Kagome-sama!" She cried.

"H-Hey, Kotori," Kagome greeted, regaining her composure. "I just saw you coming out of my room, what were you doing in there?" She questioned.

"Uh…" The dressmaker quickly made up an excuse in her head, but couldn't find one. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she failed to notice Kagome kneel down and pick up something.

"Hey!" She started. "It's my fashion magazine…"

Kotori blanched, while Kagome looked at her suspiciously.

"What were you doing with it?"

"Uh…"

"Is that all you can say?"

"Uh…"

The miko huffed, scowling at her.

"Why did it look like you were all sneaky too?"

"…Forgive me, Lady Kagome, but I must go help out with the preparations," Kotori said quickly, excusing herself and all but jolted down the hallway. However, she didn't get very far, because a minute later, she was hauled back, Kagome's hand tight on her wrist. She gulped, looking back at the girl whose eyes were alight with fire.

"Okay, something shady is going around here! Everyone's 'preparing' for something, and when I ask them about it, they just run away! Considering I can even ask them in the first place. They all scatter before I can get to them! Even Rin!" Kagome said at once obviously frustrated. "And Sesshomaru keeps avoiding me and giving me the cold shoulder, what's up with that? I mean, he was so nice the day before, did I do something wrong?"

Kotori swallowed, trying to look calm.

"U-Um, I don't think milord is angry with you…but he is very busy," She tried her best to stay composed and not crack under Kagome's stare, who was quickly starting to catch on.

"Because of that whole gathering with the other lords, thing?"

"There's a meeting with the other lords?" Kotori blurted out before she realized her mistake. She quickly covered her mouth, glancing at the miko whose blue eyes narrowed at her words, inching closer to study her face with a sly grin on her face. She could see the words 'WARNING!' 'DANGER!' and 'BUSTED! WAHHHH!' popping into her head.

"So…there ISN'T a meeting with the other lords…IS there, Kotori?"

By now, the lynx youkai was sweating profusely, her eyes wide with what Kagome could only describe as guilt, like deer caught in the headlights. She fidgeted uncomfortably, her mouth gaping like a fish.

"Yes, I MEAN NO! I mean…" She stumbled over her words, not sure what to say. Kagome was VERY determined at this point; a mischievous look plagued her sapphire orbs.

"Kotori-san, don't forget, I'm a priestess…I can make sure they'll never find your body, because it'll probably be purified into dust!" She said unusually cheerfully. Kotori knew Kagome was kidding, right? But with that evil gleam in her eye, she was beginning to doubt it more and more.

She knew she lost, and there was no way she could escape Kagome now. It was futile to try. Kotori looked frantically to her left and right, then like a skittish squirrel, she took Kagome by the hand and dragged her into her room quickly, shutting the door with a loud CLACK.

"Kotori, what…?"

"Shhh! Kagome-san! You were right all along, there is no gathering with the other lords, it was just a cover-up," the dressmaker hissed frantically.

"Why are we whispering?"

"Because Sesshomaru-sama will have my head if he knew word got out and you knew of the special evening he planned for you!"

"…WHOA! Rewind! Special evening? Me? SESSHOMARU?"

"Shhhhhh!" Kotori ushered again, nodding ruefully. "Yes, everything that we are 'preparing' for is for you," She shook her head, pacing Kagome's room with her head in her hands, uttering "he's going to kill me," over and over again.

"I don't get it," Kagome said dumbly. The young demoness sighed.

"Milord was planning a special dinner for the both of you, and it was supposed to be a secret. Sesshomaru-sama was going to surprise you when the time came, but oh! Now it's not a secret anymore, and he'll surely kill me!" She moaned. "Please excuse me, milady, I have to go make out my will…"

"Hold up, Kotori-san," the girl stopped her just as she was about to leave, though her face was still in shock, digesting all of the information that was given to her. "Sesshomaru, THE Sesshomaru, is doing this all for me?"

She nodded. Kagome quickly plopped down onto her futon, not believing her ears. Sesshomaru wanted to surprise her with a special evening. That would explain all of the redecorating, the bustling in the kitchens, and why everyone was avoiding her, even Sesshomaru himself. The whole idea of him doing this all for her was terribly romantic, and Kagome got butterflies in her stomach at the thought of it, her cheeks glowing a furious red.

It's so NOT like the demon lord that Kagome found it hard to believe. The whole meeting with the lords was more plausible. She expected Kotori to burst out any second and say "HA! YOU GOT PUNK'D!" Of course, that was widely stupid, because there was no MTV here, so there is no way "punk'd" was even a term. She locked eyes with Kotori, and found that there were no lies hidden in her bright orbs.

Kagome suddenly felt very warm, and an unexplainable feeling engulfed her being. She didn't know what to say except…

"Wow…"

"Please, don't tell Sesshomaru-sama about…"

"Oh, don't worry about it Kotori-san," Kagome responded shakily. "As far as everyone is concerned, I found out on my own." She laughed weakly, while the lynx youkai sighed in relief. "But wow, I don't know what to say…"

"He…appreciates your company, milady," Kotori admitted. "You are the first friend that he has had in a long time. Possibly THE first." Kagome blushed harder at this, then shook her head.

"Hey! I want to help!" She said with new energy.

"What? But, then he'll know…"

"No he won't. It's not going to be much," Kagome smiled. "I just want to help out in some small way. He won't now about it." She pondered for a bit, then her face brightened with a sudden idea. Kotori watched as the miko strolled across her room, taking out a piece of paper and pen. She then proceeded to scribble something onto it, and nudged the fire neko, Kirara, awake, who had been sleeping soundly on the futon.

"What are you doing?" She questioned.

"You'll see," Kagome mysteriously said. She then turned to Kirara, petting her. "Now listen up, Kirara. I need you to do a favor for me." The cat mewled and nodded. She quickly tied a rope around the little youkai's neck, attached to it was t he piece of paper, and what Kotori recognized to be a jewel shard in a bottle. "Go back to the bone-eater's well, and jump into it. You should be able to pass through with the jewel shard. When you get there, go into my house, and show this note to someone in my family. They'll know what to get. Make sure you bring whatever they give you back here safe and sound, okay?"

Kirara gave a curt "meow" and jumped out of the window, transforming in a ball of flame into its' larger form and leaping off into the distance.

Kotori just stared after it in confusion.

"I'm afraid I still don't understand, Kagome-san."

The miko turned and grinned broadly at the royal dressmaker.

"I told Kirara to go get my boom box (battery-powered of course), and a song CD. It should help to set the atmosphere just right!"

Blink.

"I'm afraid I still don't understand, Kagome-san."

Kagome laughed.

"It's okay, Kotori. Oh, by the way…" She took the magazine that had been momentarily forgotten. "I don't suppose you can answer my earlier question about why you took this from me?"

She looked away.

"I…was just very curious about it was all. I liked the pretty clothes that your people wore," Kotori responded lamely. To her surprise, Kagome merely shrugged, and handed it to her, a laugh escaping her lips.

"Geez, if you wanted to look at it, all you had to do was ask."

A huge sigh of relief could be heard as the lynx youkai took the magazine from Kagome.

"Arigato. I shall keep that in mind, next time," all the while, Kotori couldn't help but think: 'That was close.' She smiled. 'At least she'll be surprised about one thing.'

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

It was the end of a rather long day, and it was beginning to take its' toll. The demon lord sipped his warm tea, deep in thought as he gazed at the crescent moon from his study. He found his mind wandering again to Kagome, whose hurt face had plagued him the entire day.

He had not meant to be so cold towards her earlier that day, but he couldn't risk her finding out. Still, he felt a something akin to guilt scratch at his chest when he saw her look at him with confused and hurt eyes pleading with him almost. It took all of his will to walk away as if nothing was wrong, and he only hoped that he hadn't pushed her away in the process.

Sesshomaru couldn't stand the thought of her hating him once more, not now, when he was so unbearably close to the forbidden fruit. Forbidden…The visions of his dream earlier once again came into his mind, and he quickly pushed them away. But the desire coursed through his body already, and he could do nothing to quell it. He sighed, letting the steam from the tea warm his features. He wanted her…he knew it now. Everything would be ready soon.

A vague smile adorned his features as he found himself thinking about the evening to come. The look on her face that would wipe the sad features that she wore earlier. The warm, happy smile, he imagined her to have…

He couldn't explain why Kagome's happiness in turn made him happy as well. But at the moment, he had learned that some things in life is just…well, just is. You shouldn't really question them, and so, he decided not to waste his breath.

Golden eyes continued to gaze at the moon, noticing with mild curiosity the small flicker of flame that seemed to dance across the horizon. He narrowed his gaze and his vision focused on the strange object…it looked familiar. A youkai…a fire-cat at that, running across the clouds, leaving a trail of fire behind.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

The wind blew through his silver hair restlessly, pulling at his red kimono as he walked in an almost depressed slump through the forest. He had to get away from it all. The questions, the pleading, the slowly growing resentment. It had been several days now, and all that was asked was,

"Why can't we go and get Kagome?"

He couldn't tell them, couldn't face them and tell them the truth, why exactly they couldn't do just that. His friends were beginning to think that he didn't care about Kagome anymore, that he had abandoned her and forgotten about the miko. And as each day passed, he could see the looks that they would give him, the lost of faith that began to flicker in their eyes.

Especially Shippo, who was the last to see Kagome. He hated Inuyasha the most for not doing anything about it, and several times contemplated going out and saving Kagome on his own.

Inuyasha knew, dammit. He knew that Kagome was in Sesshomaru's clutches, and it made his blood boil at the very thought of what his brother could be doing to HIS Kagome. He wanted so badly to go to her, to have Kagome back into his protective arms…but he couldn't…not yet…not until…

He pushed the thought of the dark hanyou out of his mind. He was beginning to disgust himself, agreeing to work with Nararku in the first place, making an alliance with your sworn enemy. And yet, he couldn't help it, Naraku had ensured that Kagome would be his in the end. No strings attached.

Inuyasha knew he shouldn't believe him, because for one, you just can't trust the bastard. But he knew he would need help in getting Kagome back, because if he went to Sesshomaru, he wouldn't win. Because of the mere fact that they would be fighting in Sesshomaru's field, his castle…He would have the advantage.

Naraku knew how to manipulate it so that Kagome would come back on her own, and in return…all he asked were for the jewel shards…Okay, so one string attached. But it wasn't like he would succeed Inuyasha rationalized. When the time came, he could just kill of Naraku too. 'And then, I'll go after my brother…'

His feet led him to the bone eater's well, and he supposed out of habit, he would sit here and wait for Kagome. He wondered…how much longer he had to wait until Kagome was back with him. He had told her he wanted her as his mate, and he had every intention of making her his.

But just as he was about to step out onto the clearing, he saw a flicker of movement. Quickly, he hid behind the trees, his eyes narrowing when he recognized it to be the fire cat, Kirara. It was then that he realized that the cat youkai had been missing as well…

His nose caught the scent of Kagome on the youkai, in fact, it was all over Kirara. He was further confused when it transformed back into its' smaller form, and then jumped through the well. Inuyasha found himself staring for several more moments at the spot, and after a good fifteen minutes, the neko jumped out of the well with something clamped in its' mouth.

It was a pink box, very strange looking, no doubt from Kagome's world. He watched as it turned once more back into it's true form and then glided off into the night...

Now he was REALLY confused. If Kirara had been with Kagome the whole time, and had somehow managed to escape, then wouldn't it make sense if she went straight to him and the others? Why in the world would she just get jump into the well, and then go back to Sesshomaru's domain without giving them any sign that Kagome was safe?

Inuyasha was beginning to get very angry, and was about to screw Naraku's plan and go to Kagome himself when the scent of blood and sulfur filled his nostrils.

He turned stiffly around…his amber eyes catching the outline of a white baboon pelt.

"Inuyasha…" The sultry voice cooed.

"Naraku," He growled.

"Curious, isn't it? That the cat would just take off without a word about your precious Kagome? It's almost as if she doesn't want to be rescued…ne?" Naraku said silkily, a dark grin on his face.

"What are you saying?"

"I've heard something very interesting indeed, Inuyasha. That Lord Sesshomaru has fallen victim to a curse. A curse to be hanyou…" Inuyasha's eyes widened, but Naraku was far from finished. "But that's not all he fell victim to. I heard he has fallen for a human, and not just any human…"

"Kagome…" He ushered, his blood boiling with each second.

"Very perceptive. That's not all I've heard," Naraku continued, clearly enjoying it all. "I heard he plans to claim her as his own, very soon…he plans to steal her from you…"

"He wouldn't!"

"Kukukuku, but he would…" He laughed. "But the REALLY interesting thing is…Kagome is falling for him too."

That was it, Inuyasha snapped. He wanted to tear Sesshomaru limb from limb, he wanted to let his brother's blood stain his fingers. He knew he shouldn't believe Naraku as easy as that…but all judgement was clouded from his mind. All he wanted was to vengeance. And he wanted Kagome back.

"What now?" He growled.

"Now? We make our move," Naraku purred, his crimson eyes glittering in the dark. 'Let the chess pieces fall into place.'

End Chapter

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[A/N]

Yume: Okay, just a little smidge late. But hey! NEXT SCENE FOR SURE! Ballroom scene!

CF: And the tension builds! Naraku and Inuyasha, make their move! What will happen? What's their devious plot? INUYASHA! NO! DON'T JOIN THE DARK SIDE!

Yume: Thank you for all of your reviews. Mind doing so again? READ AND REVIEW! No flames please. (bows)