InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sleeping with the Enemy ❯ Proposition ( Chapter 8 )

Chapter Eight

Proposition

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Kagome stood staring at Kagura, wishing she had let InuYasha walk her to the well after all. "What's the matter?" Kagura said with a smirk, not making any movements, merely standing there in front of the well.

"What are you doing here?" Kagome asked, trying to sound brave. It wasn't so much that she was afraid of Kagura, as much as the look that the demoness was giving her.

"I am simply here to do my job. Naraku requests your presence." Again a smirk crossed Kagura's face as she watched Kagome's reaction. She was surprised that fear was not the immediate emotion that appeared, rather a brief flash of what appeared to be nervous excitement at the sound of Naraku's name, followed by a look that told the demoness that she was actually contemplating her words.

Her conversation with Naraku quickly played through her mind again. He had summoned her to his study earlier that morning. At first he just looked at her without saying a word, as though he were trying to decide something. He then stood and walked towards her.

"Kagura, the priestess intends to go back to her own era today. InuYasha is otherwise occupied and it would appear that she will be traveling alone. You are to meet her at the well and tell her that I wish for her to come to me." Naraku stood watching Kagura's reaction to his words, but she didn't allow herself to reveal any emotion.

"And if she refuses to come with me, my lord?" Kagura asked. Naraku turned his back to her and walked towards to the window where he remained for nearly a full minute before he spoke again.

"If she does not wish to come, you will leave here there unharmed." He said simply, not turning to look at her again. She realized that was his way of ending the conversation so she merely gave a slight bow and left. "Very well."

Now staring at InuYasha's female companion, Kagura found herself questioning why Naraku was even interested in having her around. "Are you coming with me?" She asked, growing somewhat annoyed with her task.

Kagome stood staring at Kagura. `Go back to Naraku?' The very thought sent a shiver up her spine.

"What does he want?" She managed to ask weakly. Kagura nearly laughed at the question. "He did not tell me why I was to retrieve you, though after your last visit I am sure you have at least some idea."

Kagome felt herself blush at Kagura's words then fell into her own thoughts. `I can't go back to Naraku! He's my enemy! He hurt all of my friends and...' She was interrupted when a less than patient demoness began speaking again.

"I do not have all day. Will you be coming with me?" Kagome looked up nearly startled. Kagura was asking her, not trying to kidnap her. Part of Kagome was tingling at the thought of him. The woman in her was practically begging to go back. But her sensible side was still winning.

"What makes you think I would come with you, Kagura?" She asked trying to sound defiant. The demoness merely gave her a bored look.

"It does not matter to me either way. If you do not wish to come, say so. So that I may go." Kagome stepped a little closer to the demoness.

"If I say no, you will just leave?"

Kagura fought off a sigh and nodded slightly. "Naraku sent me; with orders to leave you unharmed if you did not wish to come."

Oddly, Kagome did not find herself terribly surprised to hear that. She didn't believe that Naraku wanted to harm her. Now her curiosity was peaked. She trusted that he would not hurt her or attempt to force himself upon her and she believed, perhaps foolishly, that there was a chance that she could earn his trust and maybe end all of the fighting over the Shikon Jewel.

Kagome glanced at the well once more then back to the wind demoness. "I have to go home soon. I have things I need to do there." Kagura merely stood motionless, still awaiting an answer. After giving it more thought, Kagome stepped closer to Kagura and nodded. The demoness was slightly surprised by the priestess's decision but quickly reached for her feather and took them away to Naraku's castle.

Once there Kagura led her back to the room that she had used before, and then left her alone. Kagome looked around the room and glanced at the bed briefly. She then gave a sigh and went to the closet. Her uniform needed washed terribly, something she intended to do when she got home. She pulled out a yukata that was a beautiful soft pink color and quickly put it on. She then walked around the room slowly, not sure if Naraku intended to come for her.

After nearly five minutes she decided to go out to the gardens. She knew that Naraku would be able to find her when he decided to look and didn't think he would care that she went outside. After spending some time strolling through the beautiful grounds she heard a voice behind her.

"I see you decided to come back." She turned to see Naraku standing there, not far from her. She wondered how he had managed to sneak up on her. Normally, she could sense him and his jewel shards. She stood motionless watching him, slightly confused about why she had even chosen to go with Kagura in the first place.

"Come," Naraku motioned for Kagome to follow him; she slowly walked behind him to a set of benches that were placed in an open part of the garden.

"Sit," Naraku said as he gestured towards one of the benches. Kagome sat down and he slowly walked to the other and seated himself.

"Would you like something? Tea perhaps?" He asked, not taking his eyes off of her the whole time.

Kagome shook her head, growing nervous under his intense scrutiny. He then sat back slightly still watching her as though he were contemplating her. Finally, he gave her a smile.

"Tell me about yourself, Priestess." Kagome was surprised by his request and wasn't sure what she could, or rather, should tell him.

"I am aware that you are from another era and that you travel through a well in InuYasha's forest."

She stared at him for a minute then realized that it wasn't really that surprising that he would know that. He no doubt knew many things about her and her friends. She took a deep breath and slowly began to tell him about her family, keeping her descriptions as vague as possible. She then smiled lightly and began telling him about a joke that she and her friends had played on her grandfather when they were younger. Without even realizing what she was doing, Kagome began talking about her home, friends, even her troubles with her school work before regaling him with stories of modern day technology.

Nearly twenty minutes later she suddenly stopped short and looked at him. She had almost forgotten that she was talking to him. She blushed realizing that she had barely taken a breath the whole time. He had sat there so quietly that she gotten lost in her own thoughts.

"I'm sorry..." She said feeling embarrassed. The somewhat amused look on his face made her blush more.

"Don't be." He said shifting slightly, not taking his eyes off of her. Never had she spoken to him so freely. He wondered briefly why she had, but decided not to pursue it.

"I am sure you are wondering why you are here." He said in a near purr. Kagome gave a slight nod, now sitting quietly across from him.

"I desire you, priestess," He said with a smirk, "and I know that you desire me." Kagome's eyes never left his as he stared intently. He watched her closely and could tell that she wanted to speak of something.

"You have something to say?" He asked.

Kagome sat forward a little and nodded again. "Why did Kagura tell InuYasha that you raped me?"

Naraku kept his composed demeanor in check while trying to come up with an explanation himself. He shifted again and then looked at her seriously.

"My intentions were to take you into my bed and make InuYasha suffer that knowledge. However, I saw no gain from him knowing. I have told you before, priestess, I am not a monster. Had he been told the truth, you would have been the one to suffer, not InuYasha. Your companions would not understand and InuYasha would have sent you back to your own era."

Kagome thought about his words. As evil as Naraku was, she understood that in his own way he had protected her. It was InuYasha that he had wanted to hurt, not her. She then recalled the shards.

"You didn't take the jewel shards..." Naraku again held his demeanor.

"I had my reasons for allowing you to keep them." He said while allowing his gaze to drift to where the jewel shards lie just beneath her shirt.

"Tell me, priestess, why did you come back to me?" He asked in a deep voice, looking at her almost curiously. He had truly expected Kagura to come back and inform him that the priestess had no desire to return.

Kagome bit her lip softly, thinking about it herself. "I...I'm not sure." She said nervously. "But I do need to go back home soon." He nodded.

"Kagura will return you to the well tomorrow, unless, of course you want to return today."

Kagome stared at him, knowing exactly what he meant. If she stayed, she would be staying in his bed tonight. She was torn between her own longing and the feeling of guilt she had been suffering when around her friends. It was wrong being here, let alone to spend the night with him.

"InuYasha would smell you if we..." She blushed lightly, not finishing her thought. Naraku simply watched her for a moment.

"After bathing and spending time in your own era, the scent would be weak enough that a half-breed such as InuYasha would be unable to detect it." He said, finally deciding to get to his point.

"The same will be true each time you intend to travel through your well." Kagome's eyes widened. Was he implying that she come to him every time she wanted to go home? Naraku leaned back again, watching her face closely to see her reaction to his next words.

"I will continue my search for shards of the Shikon Jewel but perhaps, for now, I could search....elsewhere."

Kagome took in his words, thinking them through carefully. What was he suggesting? That she come to him, in essence become his mistress, and in return he would stop trying to take their shards of the jewel, at least for the time being?

How could she agree to such a thing? She would be horribly betraying her friends, and yet, by doing this she would be helping them just as much. Without Naraku sending demons to interfere, their own shard hunts would be much more successful. She then glanced at him. She knew that eventually both sides would have collected as many shards as possible. Then what? Would Naraku then attack and take their shards? And what of her friends? Could she begin such a relationship with him and keep it from them?

Naraku stood suddenly and offered her his hand. "I will give you time to think about it." She looked up and slowly took his hand standing in front of him. She gazed up at him very confused about the proposition that had been presented to her.

"Whatever your decision, you will be returned safely." He released her hand and touched her back lightly, leading her back to the castle. He led her to the room that she had been in before.

"You may rest or ready yourself. You will join me for dinner and tell me of your decision." He said and turned leaving her alone to think things over.