InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Taisho's Darling ❯ Fighting Back ( Chapter 19 )

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Disclaimer: I don't own these marvelous characters; they are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I merely torture them at will and put them in uncomfortable situations whenever possible.

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Chapter 19

Fighting Back

……

"Would ya just go ahead and yell at me?" Inu-Yasha growled at Sango as he threaded the car through the downtown traffic. "I can tell that you're pissed, so you might as well hand me my ass."

The former taijiya kept her face turned toward the window, refusing to look at the hanyou. She'd been giving him the silent treatment ever since they left Kikyo's office, even while eating the lunch Inu-Yasha had insisted on buying from a nearby ramen stand. Cursing, Inu-Yasha pulled the car over to a shaded park and stopped the engine. "It's a long walk back to the mansion," he told her, reaching across her body to unfasten her seat belt. "You'd better start talking or something, because this car isn't going any further until we settle this."

"There's nothing to say, Inu-Yasha," she bit out, hot anger dripping from every word as she turned in her seat to look at him. "You told me you'd find a doctor, and you've kept your word. I should be thanking you. After all," she continued, her voice steadily rising in pitch, "why should I be upset with you just because your former lover is going to deliver my babies? It's not like we have any kind of relationship!"

"Why in the hell do you say that?" he yelled, angry that she would assume such a thing. "What makes you think I don't care about you?"

"If you care so much, then why did you choose Kikyo to be my doctor?" Sango shouted.

"Because she's the only one I can trust!" Inu-Yasha exploded. "Believe me; I didn't want to ask Kikyo to do this, but I didn't have much of a choice!"

"You trust her?! She's married to Kagewaki, Inu-Yasha! That man has been equipping the Human Liberation Army for years, and to him, there's no such thing as a good youkai!"

"You think I'm not aware of that?" Inu-Yasha demanded. "I know what Kagewaki's all about, Sango! But it doesn't change the fact that Kikyo has given her word to help, and right now, she's the only doctor we've got," he reminded her. "Sango, you heard what the nurse said - it's hard to find anyone willing to risk taking care of a hanyou pregnancy."

Sango grew very quiet, and the look she gave him sent an involuntary shiver down the length of Inu-Yasha's spine. "Inu-Yasha," Sango said slowly, her voice carrying a dangerous tone. "Just how much did you have to tell Kikyo to get her to agree to do this? I have the right to know if my life is in danger."

"I told her everything," Inu-Yasha sighed. His ears drooped as Sango's scent took on the sour smell of fear. Didn't she understand he would protect her? "Look, I had to tell her you were a slave. She's risking her medical license to help you, and it's only fair that she knows the entire situation."

Her scent only intensified as he said this. "Inu-Yasha," Sango croaked in a harsh whisper, "what if she decides it isn't worth the risk? She could hand me over to the authorities and they'd probably reward her!"

She was clutching his shirt front, teetering on the edge of complete panic. "Sango," Inu-Yasha began, trying to calm her down. He couldn't stand this terrified aroma coming from the tough, strong woman. "You're worrying over nothing! You wanna know what Kikyo said to me when I told her you were a slave? She said she already knew about you and the others, because she'd once had to do an emergency delivery for one of Inu-sama's pregnant human girlfriends!"

"I…I'd forgotten about that," Sango blinked, relaxing slightly. "That was a few years ago, shortly before Inu-sama died…he'd taken some sweet little island girl as a mistress, and she surprised the hell out of everyone by conceiving. We'd all assumed Inu-sama was too old to be siring any more children," Sango babbled, frowning as she tried to remember the details. "She went into labor while Inu-sama was away on some trip, and Miroku started driving her to the hospital. But something went wrong, terribly wrong…they never even made it to the hospital. Miroku said a doctor had stopped to help them there by the side of the road, but it was too late. The baby and the mother didn't survive."

"Kikyo was the doctor who stopped. And during the chaos, Miroku's concealment spell probably dropped and Kikyo spotted it," Inu-Yasha finished. "Even if Miroku didn't say a word, Kikyo could have uncovered enough clues to figure out who else was enslaved in that household. She's kept your secret all this time, Sango, and you never even knew it."

Sango frowned. "I still don't trust her. She hates you, and I've heard how she treats her own sister like shit." She crossed her arms stubbornly.

"Yeah, well, she's got issues." Inu-Yasha scratched an ear absently. "Our break-up was spectacularly rotten, and she's mad at Kagome for being a 'demon's whore' and compounding the matter by adopting a youkai child. She thinks her sister could do better than that."

"What?" Sango exclaimed. "You mean she doesn't know her own sister's a slave? Why hasn't Taisho or Kagome explained things to her instead of letting her believe something like that?"

"Got me," Inu-Yasha shrugged. "And I'm not going to be the one to set her straight, either. That's Higurashi's job."

"I wonder what she must think of me, then," Sango sighed. "It's more than obvious that I'm a 'youkai-shark.' Sorry," she apologized when Inu-Yasha visibly winced at the racial slur. "I don't really think of it like that - I'm just quoting one of the names I've been called."

"Hell, Sango," the hanyou blew out in exasperation. He leaned his head back tiredly against the seat of the car and thumped the steering wheel. "I hate this. You should be receiving good wishes on your pregnancy and giggling with your girlfriends and enjoying whatever else women enjoy when their lives are normal. You shouldn't have to be sneaking into some doctor's office and hearing humans and youkai throw nasty names at you."

She surprised him by sliding over in her seat and leaning her head against his shoulder. "It's not all bad," Sango told him softly. "And I just realized I never even thanked you. I know you're doing this out of concern for my welfare." Her finger absently traced the muscles of his bare forearm. "It's got to be rotten, having to go to your former lover to ask her for a favor like this."

"Yeah, it sucks," Inu-Yasha agreed grumpily. "And you can show your appreciation by not calling her my former lover."

"Why? Is there a better word I can use?" Sango questioned with an arch of her lovely brow. "What did you say?" she asked when he mumbled something unintelligible. "Speak up. I don't have youkai hearing!"

"I said that word ain't exactly appropriate when the relationship never got that far, okay?" A red stain crept across the hanyou's cheeks. He continued in tones so quiet she could barely hear him. "We were never physical. She wanted to wait."

"She wanted to wait until you were married?" Sango seemed shocked by the revelation.

"She wanted to wait until I was human," Inu-Yasha answered bitterly.

……

"Toto-sai? Are you in here?" Yura's voice rang out from the entrance of the house.

"Hmph! Where else would I be, eh? I must say, it's nice of you to find the time in your busy schedule to pay your respects to your elders," Toto-sai said petulantly.

"Don't sulk. It doesn't become you," Yura giggled as she planted a kiss on her beloved friend's head. "Who's coming over?" she asked, indicating his 'old man' spell. Toto-sai only wore his disguise inside his home when he was expecting company.

"Never know who's going to drop by these days," Toto-sai grunted. "I just thought I'd be prepared for any visitors." He refused to meet Yura's eyes as he spoke.

Yura frowned with more than a little suspicion. "All right," she said sharply, "just what have you been doing? The only time you act like this is when you've been into mischief," she accused. Her eyes narrowed. "Toto-sai, you'd better not have had anything to do with the attack on Higurashi Kagome at the club last night. Sesshomaru is out for blood, and I don't want to get caught in the middle."

"Something happened to Higurashi and you think I'm involved? Don't be daft," Toto-sai said, his body tensing in annoyance. "I would never be stupid enough to mess with her; that white-haired devil Taisho would tear my throat out first and ask questions later."

"Yes, well I don't think everything is what it appears to be in that relationship," Yura continued talking as she settled herself on the couch next to him. "If I had to place any bets, I'd say Taisho is Kagome's surrogate father, not her lover. Taisho's eldest son, on the other hand, seems to be interested in a different kind of relationship with the girl."

"Wouldn't surprise me too much," Toto-sai mused. "Those inuyoukai come from a long line of human-lovers. Do you remember me telling you about Inu-sama, that cousin of Taisho's? Why, at one point, he had over forty human concubines in his court."

"Over forty?" Yura was amazed. "When did he ever find time to do anything besides rut? Or were they just for decorative purposes?" She leaned forward, not wanting to miss one single juicy detail. Years of living a supposedly 'quiet and reclusive' life had enabled Toto-sai to remain unnoticed by the population at large. Hence, the old demon was a veritable fountain of high-quality gossip.

"Decorative?" Toto-sai snorted derisively. "That horny bastard hardly ever left his futon unless the invaders were at the gates! But he had a soft spot in his heart for all humans, not just his concubines. The lowly human slaves of his household were treated better than most youkai nobility..."

"Ah-hah! So that's what you've been up to," Yura interrupted his reverie, pin-pointing Toto-sai's current state of distraction with her usual accuracy. "You've been out slave-hunting. You only talk about Inu-sama when you've been searching for those former slaves of his."

"Spying on me again, are you?" Toto-sai asked with a waggle of his shaggy brow. He'd been making 'improvements' on his disguise, Yura noticed. Not only had his brows thickened considerably, but he'd added tufts of hair growing from his ears for effect. She shuddered inwardly. To see her friend's handsome visage manipulated into this distorted image just seemed so wrong, somehow.

"Somebody has to keep an eye on you," she sighed, answering his question. As if the old rascal didn't know she was spying. He'd been the one who'd trained her in the first place! Everything Yura knew about espionage and sneaking around, she'd learned firsthand from the wily metal-smith before her.

Toto-sai snorted at this. "What fresh information have you brought me?" he asked, changing the subject. "It's not like you to stop by this early in the afternoon. Shouldn't you be at work?"

"I wanted to talk to you. I spotted Kagewaki at the club last night," Yura blurted out, frowning. "And yes, this was the same club where Higurashi was attacked."

"That walking remnant of a cesspool wouldn't be at the club unless he was up to something rotten. Do you think he's the one who attacked her?" Toto-sai asked sharply. "And where was his wife when this was happening?"

"Kikyo was nowhere around the place," Yura answered, clearly agitated. "Toto-sai, Kagewaki couldn't possibly have been the one to attack Higurashi. I had my eye on him the entire time, and that includes the time period when she was assaulted! Besides, if he wanted to get at Higurashi, he would just have his wife set it up. She's Higurashi's sister, after all."

The elder youkai was obviously as confused as she was. "Why would Naraku be at the club, if he didn't have anything to do with the Higurashi incident? He took over Kagewaki's identity years ago, so he's got to be after something he can only obtain while disguised as a human," Toto-sai spoke his thoughts as he scratched his head. "Unless we're wrong about that…"

"No, Kagewaki and Naraku are one and the same," Yura declared with conviction. "I don't think that's where we've been led astray. Is it possible that we're dealing with a new entity, someone with no connection to Naraku at all?"

"I suppose that could be the case, but it seems a little too much of a coincidence," Toto-sai said thoughtfully.

Whatever he next intended to say was unknown, for he was cut off by an exclamation from Yura, whose attention had suddenly become focused on the security system. The screen showed the approach of a visitor. "Toto-sai," she said casually, "you have company of the female persuasion. Would you like me to disappear?"

"Older human woman with an eye-patch?" the youkai asked eagerly, moving to where he could see the screen.

"Red-headed kitsune with bouncy breasts," Yura corrected. "Shame on you; she hardly looks old enough to be legal. I guess this is my cue to leave."

Toto-sai's skin had taken on an unhealthy pallor as he watched the screen. "She's never been here before," he told Yura, "but I'd recognize those eyes of hers, even with that marvelous disguise." He swore softly before continuing. "I stirred the pot in an attempt to get a response from Taisho, but I wasn't expecting this. If you value your hide, Yura, you'd better get out of here."

"No way," Yura refused his suggestion, placing her hands on her hips. "I'm staying here with you, Toto-sai. Besides," she licked her lips in anticipation, "I love having a front row seat to a good fight."

……

Kaede awakened around midday from her sake-induced sleep with the worst hangover of her very long life. Her head seemed to be filled past capacity with a stinging liquid that sloshed painfully against the walls of her skull as she slowly raised herself from the bed. Her tongue felt swollen and made of some rough substance; perhaps it had been replaced with sandpaper? And dear heavens, how old she felt! Every joint in her body screamed in protest as she crawled toward Miroku's private bath.

Wait, Miroku's bath? How had she wound up in here? Kaede leaned against the blessedly cool tiles of the large bath and tried to remember the events of the previous day and night. Let's see…heart broken to pieces by Taisho-sama, dinner with Toto-sai, opportunity to gain her freedom…she blearily ticked the items off on her shaking fingers. She remembered returning to the mansion, kissing Toto-sai on her doorstep, getting dressed for bed in her room, drinking that potion Toto-sai had given her, lying down in her bed next to Taisho-sama…the potion…

What in the seven hells had been in that flask? Toto-sai had claimed it was to keep her from suffering side-effects from the other potion she'd consumed that night, but Kaede now had her doubts. At any rate, could the side-effects be any worse than the hangover she had right now? A certain metal-smith had a lot of explaining to do - not that she minded the prospect of seeing him once again. Kaede was curious as to whether the youkai was as handsome in the light of day as he had appeared beneath the stars. And as soon as she figured out what mischief that demon was brewing, she was going to wring his good-looking neck.

With a groan, Kaede climbed into the bath and prayed for the removal of the sledge-hammers pounding inside of her aching head. Perhaps a long soak would wash away her misery. If that didn't work, then maybe she'd be lucky enough to fall asleep in the tub and drown. Either way, something had to give.

……

"Stand down, Bankotsu," Taisho ordered his guard. He could hear the other guard, Jakotsu, shifting uncomfortably beside him. When Bankotsu didn't move immediately, Taisho settled his face into a threatening expression both guards knew all too well. "Need I remind you that you ultimately take orders from me, and not from my son?"

Bankotsu reluctantly moved to the side in order to allow the youkai to enter Sesshomaru's room. "My apologies, Taisho-sama. My orders from Sesshomaru were to keep her from being disturbed. Kagome is not well," he said quietly.

"I am aware of this, Bankotsu," Taisho responded wearily as he entered the room, followed by both guards. The effort of moving about the mansion was making him feel every one of his many years. It was taking so much energy to stay upright, to walk instead of crawl!

He needed to see Kagome. She'd called out to him while he was sleeping, her latent miko powers flaring briefly to send out a message imbedded with pain and torment. It was the briefest touch of her aura, but it was enough to awaken the inuyoukai and send him staggering from his sickbed in search of his Favorite Darling. He'd not felt a spiritual slap like this since those early days when he'd pulled her from the streets. Cursing the slow movements of his injured body, Taisho had summoned Jakotsu and ordered the guard to take him to Kagome.

Finding her here in Sesshomaru's room was a bit of a surprise, however. It didn't matter that the room was covered in a scent-masking spell; it was obvious that Kagome had shared this space with his son for some time. Taisho noted that it was her own pillow upon which she was resting her head, and her personal effects were scattered haphazardly around the room. At the small dressing table in front of the mirror, Kagome's hair clips were jumbled into a pile next to Sesshomaru's own brushes. Her clothes hung next to his in the wardrobe. Perhaps the most damning evidence was the dusty futon folded and resting in the corner, barren of any sheets or coverings.

His son had apparently overcome his dislike of Western beds.

……

Kagome found herself wrapped in a familiar nightmare. She was back on the street, shivering in the cold night air as she stood in the flickering light of the broken streetlamp. Her thin body was wracked with the pains of constant hunger and repetitive beatings from her master. Trembling, she awaited Onigumo's wrath.

The leering Onigumo struck her across the face. Worthless whore, you'd better get me some jack! She fell to her knees from the force of the blow.

But this time, the dream was different. This time, instead of continued abuse at the hands of her former master, something different was happening. This time, she rose from her knees and gathered every bit of strength within her in order to direct a purifying ball of energy toward Onigumo.

This time, she was fighting back.

……

The air surrounding his sleeping Darling was suddenly charged with energy. Kagome, who had been lying so still when he entered the room, was now tossing around in the bedclothes and mumbling angrily. Instinctively, Taisho removed his hand from where he had placed it upon her forehead and stepped back from the bed.

He moved just in time to avoid being hit by a volley of miko energy. "Taisho-sama, take cover!" the startled Bankotsu yelled as another glowing pink ball shot out of Kagome's hands. The guard rushed toward Taisho, trying to protect his employer. A third pink ball sped toward him, clipping him on the shoulder. Bankotsu gave a startled yelp and fell to the ground, hitting his head on the bedpost as he fell. Taisho was barely able to erect a protective barrier around himself and Bankotsu before another blast followed.

There was no way Taisho would be able to maintain a barrier for very long, not in his injured state. Fortunately for him and the now-unconscious Bankotsu, Jakotsu's quick mental processes came up with a solution to the problem. Rather than trying to battle an uncontrollable miko on his own, Jakotsu ran to fetch Kaede.

……

"So what favorable wind blows you to my door, Kikyo?"

Toto-sai was trying to mask his fear. Kikyo's presence at his home, disguised as a demon no less, meant he was in deep shit. If a human miko was willing to conceal herself as a kitsune youkai, then he'd stumbled across something big. He continued with an air of false bravado. "Excellent disguise, but try to hide those distinctively cold eyes of yours next time. Although I must say you've improved upon your…attributes," he added with a leer at her bosom.

"You're one to talk," Kikyo replied, but she allowed her false kitsune traits to disappear. "Take your own natural form, Toto-sai, or are you too afraid to be seen as you really are?"

Toto-sai removed his own spell. "Just what have I unwittingly uncovered, Kikyo? I expected a threatening rebuke from one of Taisho's minions, not a visit from a miko who happens to be the wife of the human Kagewaki. Or should I say, the mate of the demon Naraku?"

"I may be Kagewaki's wife, Toto-sai, but I am not, nor will I ever be, Naraku's mate," Kikyo spat. "Now I really don't want to be here, so I'm going to be very direct," she continued, removing an empty flask from her purse with a look of disgust and thrusting it in his face. "Taisho sent this to me earlier today."

"Ah, that! Heh heh, I was only testing the waters," Toto-sai replied nervously, recognizing his flask. "I wanted to see what kind of claim the old bastard had on…on a certain woman in his household whom I wish to court. It's just a harmless potion, really."

"You were stirring up trouble," Kikyo countered smoothly. "Somehow, you came to the conclusion that Taisho cares for one of the women in that household, and you wished to tweak his nose." She slowly moved toward him, forcing him back against the wall as he tried to avoid the pink glow emanating from her body. "Such a juvenile action doesn't become you, Toto-sai."

"And keeping a houseful of slaves doesn't become Taisho," was Toto-sai's sharp retort. "He didn't send you here to talk to me about the damn potion, Kikyo. Get to the point."

Kikyo tossed the flask aside, ignoring Yura's scramble to catch it. "Taisho and I have been hearing rumors, Toto-sai, little tidbits of speculation that things are not as they seem in your quaint little home." She cast a look around the room. "A whispered conversation has come to our ears, a tale of a metal-smith who searches for the slaves who have been driven into hiding in order to escape death."

"Everyone needs a hobby," Toto-sai said with a smile. "So mine happens to be slave-hunting. What of it?"

"A perfectly harmless occupation, unless you are helping these slaves to avoid their lawful death," Kikyo replied. She traced her hand along the wall with an absent air, pink sparks popping from her contact with the various concealment wards placed around the house. "Seeing how you have time enough on your hands to get into mischief, perhaps you'd be willing to listen to a proposition Taisho and I would like to put before you?"

Toto-sai relaxed. The miko wasn't sent here to torture and kill him, which was a relief. Not that he'd thought that Taisho actually would take such drastic measures over a simple potion-prank, but one never knew with these dog demons…

Kikyo had helped herself to a seat in his most comfortable chair, forcing Toto-sai to take up a spot on the couch. "You may stay," she motioned to Yura, who was rising to leave. "It's obvious you're involved with Toto-sai's activities as well."

"Hey, I had nothing to do with any potion," Yura protested.

"No, you've settled for conducting corporate espionage under the guise of a bubble-brained slut," Kikyo countered. She lifted a condescending brow as Yura pulled her plunging neckline together. "Did you really believe that Taisho wasn't aware of your activities?"

Yura mumbled an answer, which Kikyo ignored. "Toto-sai," she continued as if Yura hadn't spoken, "Taisho has long wanted to enlist your aid, but I have always persuaded him not to do so. I felt it was too risky, given our lack of information about your activities."

"And yet you're here now, doing what Taisho wants. What's changed your mind?"

"That potion," Kikyo told him. "It takes a brave individual to purposely cross swords with Taisho - or an insane one; I haven't yet figured out which description fits you best. Perhaps both? Regardless, your meddling in this situation seems to indicate that at least some of the rumors about your slave-rescuing activities are true. And this has finally convinced me that you could be a useful ally in our cause."

"And that cause would be…?" Toto-sai prompted.

"You realize that anything I say from this point forward, I will hold you responsible for keeping secret? And I will warn you in advance, I have ways of ensuring such secrets are kept."

"Don't threaten me, miko," Toto-sai harrumphed. "I'm well aware that you're capable of purifying me out of existence."

"Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of purifying you just enough to turn you into a drooling, senile idiot. Think how well that would go with your disguise," Kikyo countered. Her lips curved into a faint smile, but her eyes showed she meant business.

"Continue," Toto-sai rasped, his throat suddenly going dry.

The miko shifted her position in the chair slightly, giving the appearance of someone settling in for a long visit. "Naraku seeks unlimited power in this world of fading magic," she began. "He wishes for a new world, one ruled by him alone, and he's willing to do anything to accomplish his goal. Taisho and I will do anything to stop him. We would appreciate your assistance," Kikyo said evenly. "Any questions so far?"

"Yes. What are you doing, fighting on the side of the youkai? What business is it of yours if some megalomaniac goes after world domination? From what I've seen, Naraku treats the humans around him better than most."

"Oh, Naraku would like the humans to believe that," Kikyo gave a bitter laugh. "That's why he killed Kagewaki and took over his identity. He's pitting the humans against the youkai in order to create a diversion, but he shows his true colors behind closed doors. Why, he even keeps a human miko as his slave, hoping she will do his bidding." Kikyo allowed the concealment spell across her arm to fall, revealing her slave bite.

"Naraku has enslaved you?" Yura exclaimed. Ever since the miko's earlier accusation, she'd been watching the entire scene in silence. "Why don't you ask Taisho to remove the spell?"

An unhappy look crossed the miko's face, and Toto-sai chose to answer for her. Several clues had finally been falling into place for him. "There are several good reasons for not removing a slave bond, Yura, but I suspect Kikyo keeps her slave bond in order to keep a close eye on Naraku."

"Yes," Kikyo answered with a shrug of her shoulders. "I allow him to believe he controls me. How else would we know his every movement?"

"And where does Taisho fit into this? You must admit, the two of you make a strange pair of allies," Toto-sai commented.

A faraway look entered Kikyo's eyes. "You've heard of the Shikon no Tama?" When the other two nodded their assent, she continued. "Many centuries ago, it wound up in Taisho's keeping. The jewel is supposed to be dormant now, faded of all magic."

"That's what Taisho would like everyone to believe," Yura snorted.

"Whether it is true or not, Taisho will not allow Naraku to get his hands on the jewel," Kikyo told them. "A few years ago, when Naraku was starting to show signs of rising in power, Taisho began to search for ways to circumvent him. He decided he needed the assistance of a miko, and so he approached me."

"Was this before you split up with Inu-Yasha?"

Kikyo's face tightened into a cold mask. "My past relationship with Inu-Yasha is none of your business. The choices I made were my own and no one else's."

"So in other words, you dumped the hanyou and allowed Naraku to enslave you," Yura translated. "That's pretty damn cold, if you ask me."

The miko chose to ignore her. "The only reason the Shikon still exists is because the miko who last protected it made a tainted wish. As her reincarnation, it is my duty to care for the jewel and set things right once again."

"Sounds like a rotten job, if it means being Naraku's slave," Toto-sai noted. "What was the tainted wish that kept the damn piece of rock in existence? Was it wealth or power?"

"The oldest taint of them all, Toto-sai. The priestess fell in love and did something foolish. Love leaves you open to all kinds of mistakes." Kikyo rose from the chair and shouldered her purse in preparation of leaving. "Based on this conversation we're having, may I assume that you will render aid if needed?"

"Do I really have a choice?" Toto-sai asked skeptically. "If I refuse to help, I have a feeling I'll never leave this house again."

"You'll find it difficult to move about in society when your entryways are sealed shut," Kikyo agreed with a frosty smile. "I will notify Taisho of your willingness to help."

After the door had closed behind her, Yura once more regained her ability to speak. "Time for a conference with Taisho?" she asked the metal-smith. "Or should we just pretend this whole incident never happened?"

Toto-sai blinked a few times before answering. "Yura dear, there is absolutely no way I'm going to let this one alone. Whatever that damn dog demon is doing, it's going to affect the slaves living in the mansion as well. No wonder Taisho's in such a hurry to get rid of them. He and Kikyo obviously aren't aware of our portal to the Free Lands, or he would have jumped at the opportunity to get the slaves out of the picture." He huffed, his frustration rising to the surface. "And to think we've been wondering as to the whereabouts of the Shikon Jewel, when Taisho's had the thing all along. What else is that devil hiding?"

"I thought Kikyo said she was the protector," Yura argued.

"She wouldn't be foolish enough to keep it in her possession, not if Naraku is in the picture. Kikyo's playing a deep game, Yura, and damn if I don't admire her for doing it." Toto-sai shook his head in wonder. "I guess there's no better way to keep tabs on your greatest enemy than to sleep with him, eh?"

"Ugh, I guess that's one method," Yura shuddered. She noticed a familiar look in Toto-sai's eyes. "What?" she asked. "Something just occurred to you that you didn't think of before; I can tell. Spill it."

"Oh, you wouldn't have picked up on this because you haven't met all of Taisho's Darlings," Toto-sai answered smugly. "I happened to get a pretty close look at Kaede last night."

"So? You told me about that when you talked to me on the phone this morning. In fact, you gave me more details than I really wanted to know." Yura frowned. "What about her?"

"Now that I've seen both women up close, I realize Kaede bears quite a resemblance to Kikyo," Toto-sai told Yura. "Don't you find that interesting? I wonder if Kaede is any relation to the priestess who tainted the jewel. It would be worth my time to go and ask her."

"You just want to go over there so you can flirt with the woman," Yura scolded. "Why are you so intent on annoying Taisho?"

"Because that damn youkai always gets the pretty girls," Toto-sai huffed. "But if he wants Kaede, he's going to have to fight for her. I'm not going to roll over and play dead."

……

This was so much better, Kaede thought with a blissful sigh as the water slowly cooled. There was nothing like a nice, relaxing hot bath to wash away one's troubles. She closed her eyes and sank further into the water. A few more minutes of this, and her headache would be gone for good.

The loud splintering sound of the door being smashed into pieces brought her upright, eyes wide open. "Jakotsu!" she screeched as the guard burst into the bathroom. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Sorry, Kaede, but we've got a bit of an emergency on our hands!" Jakotsu chirped, yanking her from the bathtub. Barely pausing long enough to grab a nearby towel for her dripping body, he threw her shouting form over his shoulder and tore down the hallway.

Kaede's protests stopped abruptly as Jakotsu rounded the corner of the passageway outside of Sesshomaru's room. "Incoming!" the guard screamed, throwing himself and Kaede to the floor in time to dodge the blast of miko energy flaring toward them. "Taisho-sama and Bankotsu are being attacked by Kagome; you've got to rescue them, Kaede!"

"Oh for the love of kami!" Kaede scolded the guard as she quickly repelled the attack with an incantation. "Cease acting like such a drama queen, Jakotsu! I swear, thou art better fit for a life on the stage!" She stomped barefooted into the room, stepping around Taisho's weak barrier and deflecting the younger miko's wild blasts as she did so.

"Kagome!" she called, shaking the sleeping young woman roughly. "Thou must awaken, or else risk purifying thy friends!" Kaede gave her a light slap on the cheek. "Kagome!"

The attacks suddenly ceased without as much as a whimper on Kagome's behalf. With a sigh of relief, Kaede turned her attention to the pair lying on the floor. "And just what is the meaning of this, Taisho-sama?" she yelled. "Thou art supposed to be abed! Dost thou wish to undo all of my work in healing thee? And Jakotsu," she rounded on the guard, "what hast happened here?"

"And a pleasant good day to you as well, Kaede," Taisho answered dryly, not allowing Jakotsu the chance to explain. The tall guard was hovering over the slowly-awakening Bankotsu, cradling his lover's head and making concerned noises. "Help Bankotsu to your room, Jakotsu; Kaede will attend to that bump on his head in a bit."

The inuyoukai pulled himself into a sitting position, his arms shaking with the effort of movement. "It appears my Darling's having a bit of a nightmare, Kaede. Do you suppose she'll be all right?" Taisho grunted. "Her miko powers are more unstable than ever."

"Aye, she'll be fine, Taisho-sama. I cannot say the same for thee, however," Kaede grumbled. "What canst thou be thinking, wandering about the mansion as if not a thing was wrong?"

"My Darling Kagome called to me in her distress, Kaede, and I will always come to her aid if she so requests," he gently rebuked her. He gazed appreciatively at the expanse of skin exposed by her falling towel. "Lovely outfit, by the way; that shade of purple compliments your coloring. You might want to adjust the fit, however."

The slave flushed brightly and tightened the purple towel around her still-dripping form before assisting her master to his feet. "Actually, 'tis most strange, Taisho-sama," she glared at the youkai as she spoke. "I believed myself to have gone to sleep in mine own bed, and yet, I awakened in Miroku's room. Canst thou explain this?"

"I awakened to find you next to me, stinking of sake and reeking of Toto-sai!" Taisho countered with a snarl.

"Whom I choose to spend time with is mine own concern!" Kaede argued. "Thou hast ordered me to find a mate, and I am following thine orders!"

"Then don't climb into bed with me after you're done!" Taisho yelled back.

A cough from the doorway interrupted their spat. "As entertaining as this conversation is," Sesshomaru said evenly, "I cannot help but wonder why it is taking place in my bedroom."

……

A/N: Sigh. Hurricane Ivan really took my groove for a while. This chapter is brought to you after many, many rewrites. Thanks to all of you for thoughts and concerns about my welfare in the aftermath of the storm. I really, really appreciated it, and it brought me out of my funk. And some of you gave me some very practical advice concerning living under the Blue Roof! Thanks again, from the bottom of my heart!

Someone asked if this meant I was going to give up on this fic. Let me state this now: I always finish my fics. Always. They're like my children; I couldn't possibly abandon them! The updates might not come as quickly as before, but they will be there.

Our favorite Ice Lord had a very brief appearance at the end of this chapter, but don't worry - he and Kagome will be taking front stage in the next one!

Thanks, as always, to my patient readers and my wonderful beta, TitianWren! - Lavender