Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Rumiko Takashi. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No copyright infringement is intended.

Bind a Human, a Demon for All Time

Chapter Two: A Week

"They're taking an awfully long time." Kagome said to no one in particular.

"Stop worrying. Sango can handle herself." Inuyasha replied in a gruff tone. "But since she's not here yet, can I have her share?"

Kagome slapped his hand as he was reaching for Sango's bowl of ramen. "No! I made that for her. You can be really insensitive sometimes, Inuyasha."

"Who are you calling insensitive. It's going to get cold and you can make more later. I just don't want you to waste good food."

"I said, no. I'll just heat it up when she and Kilala get back. You're such a pig." The girl sighed, taking the bowl of ramen from the hanyou's reach.

"Fine."

The sun was already high above them. It has been an hour or so since Kagome left the pair on top of that hill. She wasn't sure how long it would take to perform the incantation but she was getting really anxious. It's true that the demon slayer was more than capable of keeping herself out of trouble—battling demons is her job, after all, but the miko had a really bad feeling about her extended absence.

"Inuyasha is correct, Kagome." Miroku placed his hand on her shoulder. "Sango will be safe."

"Yeah, I know. Thanks, Miroku." The girl allowed him to soothe her. She knew she was being ridiculous.

A loud slap rang through the forest. "You pervert!" It always amazed Kagome how the monk's hand would always manage to find its way to her backside no matter how inappropriate the situation.

"I was merely trying to comfort you." He said with faked innocence while rubbing the handprint on his face.

"Really, Miroku?" the little kitsune chimed. "That's the best excuse you can come up with? You're really pathetic."

Something was licking her face. Then, there was some concerned meowing. Sango opened her eyes slowly to look into Kilala's. She looked relieved so see her master conscious and well. Sango managed a weak smile to reassure the demon that she is all right. Her mind was still slightly foggy as she tried to stand up. She winced as blunt pain appeared on her arm. It felt like a fresh bruise. But when did she get it? Sango didn't remember hitting her arm on anything. She shifted one more time only to be surprised to feel the same sensation on her chest.

Her eyes began to focus, the unconsciousness lifting. She looked directly in front of her face only to see black. 'What is this?' Sango's vision trailed up to the see a band of metal with menacing spikes on them. 'This…looks familiar…" she searched her memory for the person that wore this armour. She was clearly still disoriented from the ordeal that just occurred because it took her an unreasonably long time to figure out whose armour she was laying atop.

With a loud gasp, she cautiously lifted her head only to see the face of one of their greatest enemies. His eyes remained closed like they were when he appeared in the area. 'The spell!' Sango's mind replayed everything that happened before the spell forced her into unconsciousness.

'This is terrible!' mind screamed, 'I have to fix this somehow! Sesshomaru will not be in a forgiving mood once he regains consciousness.'

The demon slayer began to think of ways to reverse the effects of the incantation. Ironically, she couldn't come up with anything because of her lack of knowledge. She became increasingly frustrated.

"I should have asked the old man for more information!" she exclaimed, absent-mindedly hitting the ground beneath her in frustration. Only… this time, it wasn't the ground.

Sango felt the demon below her start. Her jaw dropped at the realization of what she just did. Her heart began to beat out her chest as Sesshomaru's lashes fluttered for half a second then flew open and focused on the shocked taiyja's face. They narrowed to slits and burnt with the furry of a thousand suns. The moment extended for all of eternity. Sango's head began to spin, either from the overwhelming events that occurred or the fact that she forgot how to breathe. He was absolutely beautiful. Even in this state of shock and fear, she couldn't help but marvel at the perfect features that made up Sesshomaru's entire being. She had never been this close to him. Only now did she notice how his eyes looked like warm, melting gold even as they look at her with utter hatred. Sango was lost—drowning in his splendour. She marvelled at the markings on his face.

A feral growl rumbled in the demon lord's chest. "You are to get off this Sesshomaru immediately, human." His voice came out like velvet. It was soft, smooth yet extremely foreboding.

It was only then did the female realize that she was still on top of him. She felt her face burn with embarrassment as she sat up and shifted a few feet away from him. If she blinked she would have missed the swift movement that took Sesshomaru from being on the ground to being upright, standing the majestic way he does. His glare remained fixed on the taiyja.

"I-I'm sorry…" was all Sango could say.

"Silence!" his tone remained calm but his rage was evident in his gaze. "You must be punished for being so bold as to incant the great Dog Demon of the West." He drew Tokijin from his hilt in one stroke and brought in down fluidly. Sango snapped her eyes shut, preparing for the impact, praying to the high holy heavens that this death be as painless as possible. She had left her hirakotsu with her friends, she didn't think she would need it—she was definitely wrong.

Heartbeats passed but no pain came. Sesshomaru's blade must be sharper than she thought. She didn't even feel it cutting through her, taking her life away. Defeated, she decided to open her eyes. Whatever lay before her, it doesn't matter. Her life was over. The things she has been fighting for, it was over with now. After the massacre of her friends and family, she had thought about following them to escape from the sorrow. But after she met with Inuyasha and the others, she had found a new reason to go on. That's all over now.

At first, she feared to look around; her eyes were fixed on the ground. It was covered in lush grass much like that she was sitting on in the field.

'Is this how the after-life looks like?' She thought as she allowed her eyes to slowly take in the rest of the place. For the umpteenth time that day, she was shocked beyond reason. She was looking up at a destroying angel with a mighty blade an inch from the side of her face. His rage spread from his eyes to his face. He was truly terrifying.

"Take down your barrier, wench. Accept you death with honour." He commanded coldly.

Sango only looked back, surprised. It took her a while to reply, "B-barrier? My lord, I'm not putting up a barrier."

"You dare to lie to this Sesshomaru? You will pay for this insolence!" He replaced Tokijin at his hip and produced his poison whip, aimed for the terrified female.

Before she could react, it had hit the said barrier that appeared out of thin air. The whip cracked against it, leaving the taiyja unharmed.

'The spell must be doing this.' Sango concluded. "Wait, Lord Sesshomaru! I believe I can explain."

Much to her shock, the taiyoukai listen to her plea. He paused his attack. "Do so quickly."

She took a fleeting second to collect her thoughts, "It's the incantation, my lord. It is making this barrier somehow. I do not know how this happening, but I know how to remedy the situation."

Sesshomaru remained silent, seeming to consider the truth behind her words. The silence drew on, each second becoming more uncomfortable than the last. Sango was almost certain that he was thinking of ways to get around the barrier to destroy her. Suddenly, a hand shot to her neck, breaking her from her thoughts. Its claws were digging into her skin, but not enough to draw blood. The arm lifted her from her seated position. With her feet dangling a foot from the ground, Sango traced down the arm to Sesshomaru's stoic face.

"You are to erase the effects of this magic, human. If you fail to do so in a week, I guarantee that you will be penalized for you incompetence." He said with the same icy tone that sent shivers down the girl's spine.

She managed to nod with great difficulty. He tightened his grip on her neck to convey the weight of his threat. Sango chocked out a cry of pain then she felt his hands leave her throat. She could see the barrier—it protected her. With a thud she fell back on her backside as Sesshomaru released her completely.

The rage that filled his eyes did not leave. He looked upon her with pure hatred and disgust. Humans are below him and he was unhappy that he had to rely upon her to free him from a spell that is strong enough to work on him. Sango swallowed the lump in her throat. Her heart was beating loudly in her ears, it felt as if it was about to give up pumping out of exhaustion. She looked back at him, unable to escape the intensity of his gaze.

"A week," were his final words to her before he turned around and walked away leaving a disoriented Sango looking at where he once stood.

"A week…" she repeated, her mind still desperately trying to process the events that had just occurred.

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