Thank you to those that read and review. Also thank you for pointing out my errors. Although I would like to say I know I miss spelled demons. I just like the way it looks as Deamons better. Look at that! It's so much more sexy. Lets convince webster to change it!
Part 4
Kagome didn't want to wake up. She was comfortable where she was. Beneath her was something soft but firm that felt like silk when she rubbed her fingers against it. Where ever she was she was so warm, she didn't want to ruin it by waking up. Yet the sun was persistent, beating down on her, telling her it was time to open her eyes.
Screw the sun.
With a groan she buried her face deep against something supple and inhaled. She mewed when a spicy woodsy scent hit her nose. It was a comforting fragrance, but where had she smelled it before? Kagome nuzzled the aroma's source to take another breath and remembered it was the same scent she had smelled on Sesshoumaru's pelt. Recalling the events of last night Kagome's head shot up from under Sesshoumaru's chin.
Wide awake now she stared back into the gold flecked eye's of Sesshoumaru, so close the tips of their noses touched.
"You do take a lot of personal liberties." Sesshoumaru tried to remain calm and sound disinterested however her sudden panic and hurried heart beat gave him a sense of elation. This was the most nervous she had been around him. Sesshoumaru had feared he was becoming to kind.
"Ah!" She screamed and threw herself off him, stumbling back into a seated position. Quickly she scrambled to cover up haphazardly throwing the pelt around her shoulders.
"I-I'm so sorry." Kagome's words were rushed trying to think of a way to explain her actions. "You had a fever. I must have fallen asleep. I didn't mean too."
"Calm your self. I understand you where trying to help."
Stunned Kagome sat there making sure she hadn't miss understood him. She had expected him to yell at her, go for her throat in response to her crude behavior. Instead that was the nicest thing he had said to her. Kagome found it a bit unsettling.
The fever must have fried his brain.
Warily she moved a little closer to examine him. She still half expected him to suddenly spring up and attack her. Closer Kagome saw Sesshoumaru was exactly like she had left him; except for one thing. Now he looked at her instead of the wall.
"How do you feel?" She jumped not knowing if it was him or the concern in his words that startled her. "I'm afraid I was debilitated for part of the night. I don't remember much of what happened." Kagome saw his mouth move but couldn't believe he was speaking.
"Most of them got away." She managed to whisper. She hung her head in shame that so many had evaded her.
"Don't be so modest. I thought surely you'd die."
"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence." Kagome remembered his insults and took a cross tone with him. "You big jerk."
Sesshoumaru wondered where the hostility suddenly came from. Sure he hadn't been kind to her in the past but he was trying to be pleasant. Why would his compliment offend her? He decided to just let her cool off and waited for her to start the conversation.
"Your arm looks better." Kagome motioned with her head to angry to look at him still.
"Thanks to you." Sesshoumaru didn't bother to look down since he had already examined it. Instead he watched her brush the fur. The miko was a mess underneath so much animal skin. Dirt clung to her cheeks while her hair looked like birds where nesting in it. Only her rough appearance made her that much more endearing and Sesshoumaru found he wasn't as appalled as he normally was by her.
"No you were right. You would have healed on your own." He must think I'm a total idiot.
"Yes, but you bought me the time." That made her smile to know she was of some help.
Sesshoumaru continued to stare as Kagome shifted timidly against his gaze. She wondered if Sesshoumaru had finally decided he was hungry. His expression hadn't changed, it was still the same rigid exterior Kagome had known, but his eye's passed rapidly over her body. Kagome decided this was what a pork chop felt like in the butchers case.
"I bet you're happy. The storms stopped and you should be up and about soon. You'll finally be rid of me."
Sesshoumaru dismissed the sinking feeling he felt when she talked about leaving. He was keeping the miko with him to teach his brother a lesson about protecting his property. No doubt he would be panicked when he figured out she was missing.
Kagome suddenly felt a pluck on the edge of her senses like a string being cut. Before she could turn around a new voice filled the room.
"My, my, when I came up here I didn't know what to expect, but this never crossed my mind." The voice was friendly with a hint of a country lilt.
"Who the hell are you?" Sesshoumaru cursed the newcomer who had dared disturbed them.
"I mean a self proclaimed human hating demon and a naked priestess."
Kagome turned around to confront a familiar face.
"You- You're the farmer!" She shot up to her feet.
At first she didn't know what to make of him showing up here but she knew it wasn't because he had been worried about her. The farmer, which she now doubted he was, knew about Sesshoumaru and herself. It was too much of a coincidence.
Sesshoumaru didn't care who he was or what he was there for. Sesshoumaru knew what ever happened next his plan was ruined.
When the farmer stepped further into the cave Kagome sensed a shift in his aura that indicated he was a demon. She hadn't noticed on the road because the demon had been hiding in the shell of a man. Although it now made sense why she had been sent to a demon infested mountain.
"You tricked me."
The farmer rolled his eyes in a no duh kind of way. "I would have never sent you this way if I had known you'd be so much trouble. You almost spoiled everything." His voice was starting to change. It held traces of the barks and clicks Kagome had heard from the other demons last night. "It's not every day The Lord of the West comes to these mountains." As he spoke he moved forward towards Kagome. Normally the demon was too much of a coward to have considered entering a cave with such stronger adversaries but the knowledge that one was to scared to move and the other incapable made him risk it.
"You were supposed to be just snack food." Like when the light during a lightning storm suddenly flares so did his face. He had silver teeth filed down to points, slits for eye's and skin blue as a dead mans. For a moment Kagome saw what he looked like beneath his human disguise causing her to take a step back. The farmer gave a queasy smile thrilled by her reactions.
"You sent all those demons after him?" Instinctively Kagome stood between the farmer and Sesshoumaru.
Great, Sesshoumaru thought, she's still trying to save me. Now if she gets killed it will be my fault.
He wished she'd move so he could see well. Sesshoumaru could swiftly attack but with Kagome so close she might get in the way letting the other escape. He decided the best course of action was to wait until the demon moved in closer. No one expected him to budge so they would be surprised and caught off guard.
"If you're going to keep restating the obvious I suggest you don't speak at all." He was only a few feet away from Kagome.
"I have to admit I'm surprised to see you. Those few that returned told a fantastic tale about some beautiful spirit protecting The Lord of the West." The farmer leered at Kagome making her skin crawl. Even with the pelt pulled tightly around she felt that he could see all of her.
"Tell me priestess, how'd you get this human hater to disrobe for you."
"You don't know Sesshoumaru." Her voice cracked a little with fear but she held her head up high. "He'd never take advantage like that." Sesshoumaru winced at her defense of him when images of last night came to mind.
"Maybe you'll just have to show me." A taloned hand extended to touch Kagome's hair. "And the incapacitated Lord will just have to watch until I'm ready for him."
With a speed to rival a devil Sesshoumaru was up in that moment snatching Kagome away. At first he held her against his chest but had to push her away since he could not fight with no arm.
"Tricky, you overcame my poison."
"Wretched creature, to think I could fall from that."
Kagome came and stood behind Sesshoumaru which seemed to be the safest place at the moment.
With out any effort Sesshoumaru struck the farmer with his poison claws. He felt Kagome burry her head against his back when the demon began to simmer and melt away.
Slowly Sesshoumaru twisted so she was clutching the collar of his robes her forehead pressed firmly against his chest.
"You must think I'm the biggest idiot."
Sesshoumaru sighed and patted her shoulder. He did not fault her for being troubled. In the last day she had exhibited more courage than he thought a human capable of. She deserved to have her break down. So he waited for her to stop crying, then for her to stop shaking before he let her walk away.
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Kagome was as good as her word. No sooner then she found out Sesshoumaru could walk again she had put back on her cloths and made ready to head out.
"I'm glad you're feeling better. I guess I'm lucky you healed so fast." Kagome hadn't expected the goodbye to be so awkward. However he was making her nervous; except for when she had changed Sesshoumaru had spent the rest of the morning only a few paces behind her.
"Yes, it's amazing."
They stood awhile unsure of what to do.
"I should be going." Kagome turned, waving her hand and started off down the path. "Who knows where the others are."
"Wait." Sesshoumaru glanced away when she looked over her shoulder. It was hard for him to continue. "To repay you I'd like to accompany you on your journey to find your friends." At first Kagome was going to decline his offer, the last thing she needed was some snooty noble following her around. Then she saw that Sesshoumaru seemed insecure as he asked the question. Also he hadn't referred to himself in the first person. Kagome thought that she liked him better when he wasn't putting on airs and would enjoy his company.
"Kagome!" Another person came to interrupt the moment. "Where the hell have you been?" Inuyasha leapt through the air until he landed by her side. He had been ready to scold the girl until he noticed Sesshoumaru standing near by.
"What's he doing here?" His hackles stood on end. Inuyasha took a protective step in front of Kagome.
"If you hurt her."
"You really should be more careful mutt. You almost lost your woman." Sesshoumaru's customary aristocratic tone had come back.
"What the hell are you talking about? That's it right now you and me!"
"This Sesshoumaru is ready for you." Although he did not move to attack.
Kagome rolled her eye's. Guys could be such idiots sometimes.
Inuyasha moved to draw his sword but the firm hand of Kagome on his chest stopped him when she placed her self between the two.
"Inuyasha calm down. I got lost during a snowstorm. Sesshoumaru stumbled upon me just a few minutes ago." She lied knowing Sesshoumaru would be embarrassed if anyone found out he had been stuck with her. Kagome turned her back on Inuyasha so he wouldn't see her face in case he could tell she was lying.
Inuyasha discreetly smelled the air behind her while watching his brother. His nostrils flared when he caught her scent but held back his anger. Kagome would have a good reason to lie and was to stubborn to be forced to tell him what happened. Sesshoumaru thought at least he had the decency to not point out she was deceitful.
"You must be freezing, here take my jacket." Inuyasha nonchalantly held it out for Kagome to catch. For a moment he locked eyes with his brother daring him to say something, move, anything to give him a reason to fight. When he didn't Inuyasha turned his attention back to Kagome.
"God what an idiot. You should have never been up here. Don't you know it snows in the mountains?"
"Well I do now!"
"Come on. Hop on my back and I'll take you some place warm." Quickly he threw her against him and leapt away before she had a chance to say goodbye.
Sesshoumaru sighed as he watched the two leave. The miko was once again tainted by the half-breed.
In the distance he heard them still squabble.
He didn't appreciate his half brothers tone towards her but what right did he have to complain. Sesshoumaru mocked his brother's ability to protect his women but he had to wonder how much better he could do. Inuyasha had been the one to offer his jacket. It had never even occurred to Sesshoumaru she might be cold. He felt something but pushed it aside.
If Sesshoumaru could recognize he had feelings he might have understood the burning hallow sensation against his chest was jealousy and envy.
He was jealous that Inuyasha had people who loved him. Envied him because he could take care of them.
But he couldn't recognize his own feelings, at least not yet.
"Hmmm, I wonder where those demons went to. They have some things to answer for."
To Be Continued...
Well I don't know about you but I did not see that coming. No really, I had no idea how I was going to end this. So to make me happy I plan on making a second part to the story.
Also thank you to everyone who reviewed. Your kind words are what kept me going.
I would like to ask a favor though. To help me in my research for the second part if you all could email me and tell me how the show ended, or give me a good link as to where I can find that information, I would really appreciate that. I have yet to see the ending and some of the things I've read or heard are conflicting.