InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Hope for a Better Future ❯ Growing Passion ( Chapter 13 )

Thank you Dgirlie for your constant support for this story… sorry to keep u waiting again!!! I'll try to update the other fic Virgin Virtue as soon as I can… I have some complains saying there are some statement and grammatical mistakes which made the story difficult to read… so I am going to take more time to write the new chapter… hoping I don't cause too many mistakes again… it always happened when I rushed to write a story… :P

Disclaimer: Well, I don't think I need to keep repeating myself.

The story begins….

Chapter 13: Growing Passion

"Is she going be alright?" Sango asked worriedly looking down at Kagome's unconscious form.

"It must be a shock for her to have lost the only chance to meet her cousin again." Miroku said as his hands traveled up to Sango's butt again.

CRASH!!!!

The sound of her huge boomerang hit the top of Miroku's head.

"Can't you be a little more serious right now Miroku…" Inuyasha said impatiently.

"How did this Sesshoumaru got hold of Kagome's cousin anyway?" Kouga asked suddenly.

"It is a long story…" Sango replied in a tone that showed him; they didn't want to explain right now.

At that moment Kagome opened her eyes slowly and everyone bend over to see if she was alright.

"Are you alright Kagome?" Sango asked worriedly.

"What happened?" Kagome whispered sitting up touching her temple and then she remembered. "Sakura! Oh no, what am I to do? Will she be alright? Inuyasha, did you get any clues? Where did Sesshoumaru take her?"

"Whoa, calm down!" Sango said rubbing her back. "We will find her don't worry."

Inuyasha suddenly stood up sniffing the air.

"What is it?" Miroku asked following suit.

"Naraku," Inuyasha snarled. "I'm sure of it…"

"Well, no time to waste then," Kouga said and dashed off for a head start.

"What the…" Inuyasha coughed at the dust Kouga left behind. "That... b***** I will get him if…"

"Inuyasha, there is no time to get work up for this." Sango said helping Kagome up to her feet. "Kagome are you alright…"

"Yes, let's go look for Naraku for now, I'm sure Sakura can take of herself." Kagome said though doubting her own words.

They all took of to the direction where Naraku was.

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Sakura opened her eyes to find herself cuddled up with Sesshoumaru on his bed. She blinked not believing her eyes and tried to remember what happened the night before. She remembered she was very upset because she lost the only chance to meet her cousin and then explaining it Sesshoumaru, then the next thing she was in his arm. She pulled out of his embrace quickly and moved back from him her eyes wide.

Sakura, baka! You got your emotions get better of you again! She scolded herself as she looked at Sesshoumaru's golden eyes looking back at her curiously.

"You are awake…" Sesshoumaru said shortly in his emotionless voice and sat up.

"Sorry about last night…" Sakura said, heat creeping up her face remembering the way she cuddled close to him for warmth. "I…"

"Why are you sorry?" Sesshoumaru asked indifferently studying her intently.

"I…" Sakura turned her face away from him then. "Made problems…"

Sesshoumaru watched the red face girl in front of her curiously.

She is blushing because she created problems for me or she is blushing to wake up in my arms? He sighed inwardly; humans are so hard to understand.

"Go get dress; I'll meet you at the dojo." Sesshoumaru said getting of the bed his face still annulled from all emotions. "There is something I want to ask you."

Sakura nearly bolt out of the room and into her own. When she was behind the close door of her own room she let out a deep breath that she had been holding. Slowly going to the trunk she looked for her clothes. Today, she will be wearing back her school uniform. She couldn't bear to wear another hoari or kimono. Pulling out her cleaned and mended uniform Reisha had kept for her in the trunk she got dressed.

She slid opened the adjoining door to Rin's room to find it empty, with a shrugged she left and made her way to the dojo. On the way, she bump into Rukawa again but this time Rukawa reached out to prevent her from falling to the ground.

"Rukawa-kun?" Sakura looked up at the charming Youkai who gave her a weak smile.

"Are you alright?" He asked his arms still around her waist. He felt like not wanting to let her go but his cousin's voice rang in his mind, and reluctantly he released her. "Where are you going?"

"Sesshoumaru-sama wants to meet me at the dojo…" Sakura explained smiling up him. "I don't know why, but he said he had something to ask me."

"Oh," Rukawa said slightly crestfallen, but the outfit Sakura was wearing caught his attention as he studied her from her feet to her neck. "What is with this…?"

"Huh?" Sakura looked down at herself slightly surprised and smiled when she realized that Rukawa was talking about her uniform. "Oh, this is my clothes… er… well it is a long story. I'll tell you about it later. I have to meet Sesshoumaru-sama now…"

"What about this afternoon." Rukawa asked.

"Well, I may be in the garden this afternoon…" Sakura said thoughtfully, for she wanted to go there for some peace. "What to join me there?"

"Garden? Which one?" Rukawa asked.

"The only one I know of is the one with lots of Sakura Trees in it…"

Rukawa stared. "The Abandon Garden, Sesshoumaru had actually forbid…"

"He said it is alright for me to go in now." Sakura said smiling and started to walk away then. "I'll see you then. I better go; I don't want to let Sesshoumaru-sama wait for me."

Rukawa blinked, Sesshoumaru had allowed this girl to go inside? That is something interesting… he thought. My dear cousin is falling for this girl even without knowing he is… there goes my chance to claim her as mind… but if Sesshoumaru hadn't claim her, I may still have a chance…

Sakura burst into the dojo to see Sesshoumaru standing by the halberd she had been using before staring at it. She approached him slowly.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, you said you wanted to see me?" Sakura asked.

"Sakura, did you remember how you managed to pull this halberd out?" Sesshoumaru asked as he still kept his gaze at the halberd.

"I don't know, all I was thinking was this is a very beautiful halberd." Sakura said wondering why was it so odd to pull the halberd off its sheath. "You see I practice halberd at home and I had never come across anything like this before… well… it is sort of like I was drawn to it or something… like it was calling me…"

Sesshoumaru turned to look at her, his face void from any emotions though; he was surprised at what the girl had told him… the halberd was calling to her?

"I know I sound silly…" Sakura blushed. "Well, why did you ask anyway?"

"This is my mother's weapon…" Sesshoumaru said softly looking at the girl's blushing face. "Nobody had been able to pull it out from this sheath for almost three hundred years."

Sakura doubled over her mouth dropped opened.

"I'm sorry…" Sakura stammered. "I didn't know… I…"

"Don't be… I want you to take it out again…" Sesshoumaru said.

Sakura remained unmoving looking at Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru waited for Sakura to move, it took her sometime to walk over to the halberd and put both her hands on its wooden handle, and smoothly without any force she pulled the halberd off the sheath. Sesshoumaru could feel the spiritual aura, which was her aura and his mother's halberd aura moving within her. He frowned slightly; this girl can control this halberd's aura with her owned.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" Sakura looked up at his wonderingly. "Why can't anyone unsheathe this halberd?"

"My mother had actually cast a shield around her halberd long time ago," Sesshoumaru explained as he looked at her indifferently. "Even after she got killed in a battle, my father was the one who was able to bring the halberd back home and put it back on it's original place. Ever since then nobody, can even touch it because the shield my mother cast can never be broken… I am surprised you can…"

"I didn't mean too…" Sakura said softly.

"I'm glad you can," Sesshoumaru replied watching her intently. She looked really beautiful even though she was wearing her weird clothing. "This halberd now belongs to you."

"Why?"

"My mother did tell me once; the one who can unsheathe the halberd after her death will be the next owner."

"Even if I'm human?" Sakura inclined her head. "I had heard you hate humans…"

"I did but a particular one had thought me something different…"

His voice was not emotionless and Sakura blushed to hear him talking to her so intimately. She liked the sound of his voice. It had made her going weak all over. They stood there looking at each other as if time had stopped when an unspoken emotion sparked between them. Sesshoumaru was unable to tear his eyes of the captivating girl before him. An unknown emotion was stirred between them in silence as they looked into each others' eyes. However, Sesshoumaru quickly got hold of himself coming back to reality.

"You said that you practice halberd at home, do you want to practice with me?" Sesshoumaru asked then.

"Sure," Sakura smiled in her most appealing smile, trying to push away her emotions welling up inside her.

Sesshoumaru stared at her smile for a moment before he got his senses back. He took out his Toikijin as Sakura moved into a fighting stand. Sesshoumaru's eyebrows quirk slightly at her graceful position and smiled inwardly. He was going to have a little fun with her, even it was not his nature to do that but the exquisite girl standing before him with her uniform looked too appealing.

He waited for her to charge, and moved away from her attacks effortlessly, teasing her. Smiling inwardly at her attempts but not long later, Sakura sensed that Sesshoumaru was only teasing her, she felt herself boiling over.

Sesshoumaru watched her angelic face turning livid and raised his eyebrows slightly. Sakura nearly curse then as she took another fighting stand, this time she didn't charge as she watched him. Sesshoumaru tilt his head ever so lightly as he watched her, with a knowing smile he sped over to her.

Sakura got away with a somersault and landed one feet away from him.

"You are quite fast for a human being." Sesshoumaru said.

"And you are a little slow for a demon." Sakura teased.

By her mockery tone Sesshoumaru using his demon speed, flashed pass towards her. Sakura could only gasp when he grabbed her waist and pulled her towards him.

"So you think I'm slow?" Sesshoumaru asked his voice soft and low.

Sakura stared up into his beautiful golden eyes and shivered slightly. Those eyes weren't cold and unemotional anymore but shone with intense passion.

Great, Sakura told herself sarcastically. That is the last thing I need right now.

She quickly looked away and wanted to push away from his hold but he tightened his grip forcing pulling her towards him. Sakura then looked back up towards him again; he looked so beautiful that she couldn't help herself; on impulse she raised one free hand tracing his markings on his face.

Sesshoumaru shuddered slightly when he felt Sakura's gentle touches as she traced his markings on his cheeks with her fingers gently proceeding to the half blue crescent moon on his forehead. She leaned her face closer to him as she studied the moon and her eyes stopped on his.

Sesshoumaru couldn't hold back the feeling to claim her lips when she looked at him that way, bent his head forward to give her the most demanding kiss…

"Sesshoumaru-sama!!!!!" Someone interrupted then.

Pulling apart quickly, Sakura took a step back after Sesshoumaru released her. He turned around to the intruder. It was Jaken running to the dojo looking terrified.

"What, Jaken?" Sesshoumaru growled.

"Rukawa needs you at the front entrance now," Jaken said half frightened to be disturbed. "Some of the guards got into some fights…"

"He can handle it himself…" Sesshoumaru snapped obviously irritated to be disturbed on such petty event.

"He actually was one of them…" Jaken said timidly.

"He is fighting among the guards?" Sesshoumaru frowned and swept passed Jaken almost wanting to step on him as he walked out the dojo. He stopped by the door and turned to look at Sakura then. "We are not finish yet…"

With that he left, with Jaken trailing behind him timidly.

Rukawa got into a fight with the guards? Sesshoumaru thought slightly astounded. Not like him to loose his temper with his troop.

Sakura stared at the door even Sesshoumaru had long gone out. She blinked as she stood in the middle of the empty dojo trying to think what Sesshoumaru meant at the last sentence before he left. She had let him kiss her again without protesting. Did she really like to be kiss by him? She was supposed to stay away from him, but unable to for the emotion she had for Sesshoumaru. She shut her eyes tight.

"What have I done?" She whispered.

Slowly, she placed the halberd back to its stand and left the dojo. She had some serious thinking to ponder about and the best place to be now was the garden. It is quiet there; it will give her the peace to think about it.

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Sesshoumaru arrived at the front entrance to see Rukawa had beaten two guards to the ground and he was already hitting the third one. Frowning at his behaviour Sesshoumaru flashed across the pathway towards him and stopped him pushing him away from the guard towards the far wall.

"What are you doing Rukawa?" Sesshoumaru growled.

"Those hentai…" Rukawa snarled as he struggled in Sesshoumaru's hold. "Let go, Sesshoumaru… they deserve it, and they are lucky I had only given them a few blows on their face!"

"What are you talking about?" Sesshoumaru asked letting him go.

"I heard them talk about going to see Sakura take her bath…" Rukawa said his voice shaking with anger.

Sesshoumaru felt his blood boiled them; these guards had been near the `Garden of Hot Spring' when Sakura was there! An anger and feeling of very strong protectiveness surged through his body again as he turned towards the trembling guards.

"Stand in line!" Sesshoumaru roared.

Rukawa stared at them furiously, growling softly as all the guard quickly formed a neat row in front of them.

"Stand out in line, those that Rukawa had mentioned!" Sesshoumaru said in a deadly voice.

The guards began to tremble more. It took almost a whole minute before five guards stepped out of line. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes on them. Stretching his arm out his magical whip appeared in his fingers and slashed the guards before him. They dropped to the ground howling. Sesshoumaru didn't stopped even the guards was already on the ground. All he felt that time was to strike them into million pieces. Nobody, and he really meant nobody; not human or any youkai was allowed to look at Sakura not to mention touch what was his. His action eased when his eyes traveled to the front door and saw Sakura standing like a statue looking at him with utmost horror on her face.

Sakura was making her way to the other side of the palace when she heard, howling which make every single hair on her body stood on end. She blinked and went towards the sound to see who was making such agonize sound. As she passed the entrance door she was caught on the spot to see Sesshoumaru whipping the guards mercilessly. All she could do was stared at the scene before her not believing her eyes. The only thing in her mind was…

Oh my god, he is most heartless beast in the world I have ever met.

With that thought coming into her head, she felt like crying as she turned away from the scene and started to walk away. However, walking wasn't enough for all she wanted was to get away from him as fast possible. Soon she broke into a run, pushing in her tears that threatened to fall.

Sesshoumaru cursed inwardly and turned to Rukawa to see Rukawa staring at where Sakura stood before, his eyes softened with worry. He narrowed his eyes at him then.

"Take care of this Rukawa." Sesshoumaru snapped making Rukawa jumped slightly and he quickly turned his gaze away from the entrance door to look at Sesshoumaru. "Make sure these guards are punished."

Rukawa nodded, and Sesshoumaru left making his way swiftly towards where Sakura had gone.

Sakura lay on the arched branch of the Sakura Tree looking up the bright blue sky as she kept thinking why Sesshoumaru had whipped his men so mercilessly. Why? She couldn't understand and most of all why did she care if he was. He had nothing to do with her anyway or does he? Taking a deep breath on her confused thoughts she was then interrupted when she heard footsteps coming across the bridge.

Sakura's scent had led Sesshoumaru to the garden he hated so much. Why must she be here? He wondered angrily. Pushing the thought away he made his way across the bridge to see her laying on the same tree that night he had kissed her. That kiss still lingered in his mind like it had just happened. He walked over to her slowly. When he was near her, Sakura still stared up the sky not looking at him.

"What is it Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Her voice was emotionless which sting Sesshoumaru's heart though he didn't show it. He hated when she talked like that. When he didn't answer, Sakura finally turned her head to look at him wonderingly.

"Why did you do that?" Sakura asked softly.

Sesshoumaru watched her enchanting face so close to his; his expression guarded even though the urge to kiss her was overwhelming.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Still not answering her, he encircled his arm around her waist. She gasped slightly when he touched her suddenly. He had done it so gently Sakura didn't know what to do. To her surprised he lifted her up slightly as he moved stylishly to lie on the branch too and placed her on top of him.

Too stunned to say anything, Sakura only stared up at his beautiful golden eyes. He was looking up the sky his face void from all emotions.

"I didn't like the feeling of other males looking at you…" he finally said.

Sakura's eyes widened. So that was why he was whipping those men.

"But still, they were just looking…"

"When you were taking your bath." He interrupted with a voice so deadly, which made Sakura trembled slightly.

Sakura turned crimson then, those guards had sneaked up to her when she was bathing. That would mean they had seen her…

"WHAT!!!!!!" Sakura yelled.

Sesshoumaru winced inwardly at the piercing shout for his ears were so sensitive and with Sakura so near it became unbearable. Even though that, he tightened his hold around her holding her closed to him.

"I had told Rukawa to give them appropriate punishments, they won't never dare to do it again or it will be death sentence." He whispered in her ear.

Sakura turned up to look at him then blinking, he was looking at her with an expression she had never seen before. His eyes showed her the longing he had for her, wanting her to be always be with him.

"Sesshoumaru…" Sakura whispered back. "I…"

He silenced her then with the kiss that he wanted to give her in the dojo. He didn't care at the moment, she was human anymore, and all he wanted was that Sakura would never leave him. He wanted her to be here, make his palace as her home. Even though he didn't know what this feeling meant but that doesn't matter anymore as Sakura's scent overpowered him losing himself completely.

Sakura was immediately lost in his gentle kiss as she arched her head upwards closing her eyes. All her worries suddenly forgotten. Slowly, she encircled an arm around his neck kissing him back. She heard him growled softly as he deepened his kiss wanting her more.

The couple so engrossed in their kiss they didn't see someone stood by the bridge watching them. Rukawa stood there watching them, with a pain expression on his face. If only he had come here earlier. Sadly, he turned away from them walked away slowly. His legs feeling so heavy.

When finally they broke apart, they could only stare into each others eyes quietly. Sesshoumaru could feel Sakura's heart racing as she looked into his eyes her face flushed slightly. Those eyes, of hers were so exquisite; he could help himself but got lost in a trance and lowered his head to kiss her again but this time they were interrupted.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Sesshoumaru frowned when Sakura pulled away from his kiss and quickly move away from him. She did it so fast she fell off the branch to the ground with a thud but quickly got up to her feet again like nothing had happened as she turned to see who had come.

It was Reisha this time, looking flustered.

"I have something to tell you!" Reisha said panicky.

"Make it fast!" Sesshoumaru snapped getting off the branch.

"It's Rin," Reisha said worriedly. "I can't find her anywhere! Jaken also didn't know where she went!"

Sesshoumaru then stood on the spot rigid then. It was true that Rin's presence wasn't in the palace. Why couldn't he sense it earlier? He frowned then. He was so engulfed by Sakura's scent; he had lost all his sense around his palace.

"I'll go look for her…" Sesshoumaru said walking towards the bridge, sensing danger now.

Sakura started to follow him.

"You stay right here." Sesshoumaru turned around to face her when she started to follow.

"But I can help!" She protested.

"No, you stay here." Sesshoumaru raised his hand to caress her cheek lightly. "Wait for my return."

Sakura blinked and Reisha stood there with her mouth opened.

"Reisha take care of Sakura and make sure nothing happens to her." Sesshoumaru said.

"Hai," Reisha replied, trying to hide a smile.

Sesshoumaru left the garden then, with Sakura still staring.

What the hell happened just now? Her mind screamed.

Now that she was not enchanted by Sesshoumaru's presence anymore, she was shocked at her actions. So much for wanting to stay away from him. Now I am beginning to fall for him…

"Sakura, are you alright?" Reisha asked

"Never better." She replied wryly.

"So I think we better get inside the palace."

Sakura nodded. As they made their way closer to palace, a strong gust of wind came and Reisha quickly embrace Sakura to protect her from the dusk. When it stopped they looked up to see Kagura standing before them smirking.

"Kagura!" Sakura scowled then. "What do you want?"

"You," Kagura said simply raising her fan.

"Reisha be careful!" Sakura said pushing Reisha away.

Reisha watched in utmost horror when she saw Sakura slashed by the wind and collapsed to the ground. She turned to Kagura fiercely then.

"You will pay for that!" Reisha shouted.

Raising her hand slowly, a golden globe started to form around her palm. Kagura frowned; this servant is no ordinary servant. Hurling the fully grown globe almost as big as a basketball she hurled it at Kagura. Kagura jumped away swiftly. It hit the ground creating a big hole on the grass as smoke sizzling up the black hole.

"You are pretty good for a servant," Kagura sneered. "But not good enough!"

With another swing of her fan, the wind caught Reisha fully. She dropped to the ground wounded so intensely she couldn't rise again. She turned her head slowly to see Kagura taking Sakura with her and disappeared in a huge feather before she fell into darkness.

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For laugh

Ray: Goodie, everyone is busy now, no body to disturb me, and probably I can sit back and…

Sesshoumaru: You damn right you will.

Ray: (Jumped up almost hitting the ceiling.) Sesshoumaru, aren't you suppose to go look for Rin?"

Sesshoumaru: I will after I have a word with you!

Ray: What?

Sesshoumaru: You have to interrupt us whenever I'm alone with Sakura!

Ray: Hey, well it goes that way; then it goes that way…

Sesshoumaru: (Grabbed her collar pulling her off the chair) Make it right the next time!

Ray: OK OK (Sweat drop) Rin is waiting for you.

Sesshoumaru: (Drop her abruptly and she fell to the floor on her butt)

Ray: OWWWW! You don't have to do that.

Sesshoumaru: You are lucky I did just that (Move in lightning speed and disappeared)

Ray: What an impatient youkai. (Frowned and rubbed her butt) owww…

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Hey, another chapter done… I really hope you like this chapter, well finally Sesshoumaru and Sakura are showing feelings for each other… but looks like things aren't going that smoothly after all….

The next chapter, `The Plot'

I'll try to post it up soon…

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Reviews! Reviews! Reviews! Thank you so much!