"That's ridiculous, InuYasha," Kagome cried.

"I've never been mistaken! She smells like a corpse!"

I looked frantically from the many accusative faces that were now glaring back at me. Did they think, perchance, that I had hurt someone? That I had there scent on me? How could I tell them that I had recently been dead?

"I-I..." but I couldn't find the words to explain myself. All that would pass my lips was his name. "...Naraku."

"Hmm?" InuYasha swiftly towered over me, looking down on me with his luminous eyes. "What of Naraku?"

"He...he," I stuttered, suddenly fearing InuYasha's drastic change in mood. "He... took my life."

I widened my eyes, awaiting the inevitable shock. The scolding looks of horror or disapproval that I would even be up and moving around. They didn't say a word, though, yet their faces said enough. InuYasha, for the first time, was speechless, looking as if he were frightened of me. Kagome, thought subconsciously done, stepped back behind InuYasha while Sango and Miroku stared dumbfounded.

"Lin?" Sango spoke from Miroku's side. "How are you...Well, what I mean is, how...if Naraku killed you...how are you alive?"

"Well...the funny thing is..." I rubbed the back of my head, panicking a bit at the thought of retelling something I wished would remain in the back of my mind. I didn't even know exactly why I was sent to a priest or if Naraku had officially brought me there. "...he didn't mean to kill me."

"And he just brought you back! Just because you got in his way or whatever?" InuYasha bellowed, clearly more infuriated that he again didn't understand Naraku's motives. He clutched at his hair, pulling it down until his knuckles turned white and looked at Kagome for reassurance. "Could she possibly be a trick of Naraku's? A manipulated corpse we are bringing back into our group?"

"Oh, InuYasha! I would have been the first to tell you if I sensed a Jewel Shard in her!" Kagome's shrill scream could have been heard from across the universe as she hounded InuYasha for being 'inconsiderate to a friend'. "How dare you insult Lin in front of her face!"

The odd and peculiar occurrence was that they both turned their attention away from me at that moment, engrossed in a bickering fight. InuYasha threw his weight forward, shrouding Kagome in his roar of aggravation, but he was no match for her impatience. She opened her mouth wide, gulping in a lungful of air before:

"SIT!"

Yes, as I'm sure we all know by now. InuYasha plummeted to the ground, sprawled out in a hilarious display of limbs. He looked like a squashed spider. But, no matter how entertaining or relieved I felt that InuYasha was off my back and on Kagome's case, I had to get help to find Sesshomaru. Wherever he was so was Rin and my son, Ji.

"Kagome! WHATCHA DO THAT FOR?!"

Before Kagome could retort, I stepped in, fully anxious about telling them my predicament, but there help was crucial.

"Stop!" I bellowed, taking notice of the many strange looks my way. "I have to return to my child! Before Naraku can get hold of him or me!"

"That means we must find Sesshomaru, correct?" Miroku asked, eyes closed as he inched towards me. Sango followed, eyeing the monk as to intercept any funny business that he could partake in. I nodded my head urgently, growing more edgy as I thought of Ji, defenseless as he was. Would Kumiko and Kiyoshi be enough to protect Rin AND Ji if Sesshomaru were to leave?

"I will have nothing to do with that arrogant ass!" InuYasha interrupted.

"Come now, InuYasha. What Lin asks is more than reasonable. She merely wants to be reunited with her child. Tell me, you truly could not be so cruel as to deny a mother her child?" Miroku folded his arms around his staff, awaiting InuYasha's answer.

InuYasha's mouth twisted in fury, but he would not utter a sound to condemn himself to the wrath of Kagome, who would no doubt side with me on the matter. Sango urged InuYasha's final say with quiet lines of encouragement as Miroku stared him down in my defense.

"Please. Will you help me find him?" I whispered to him and that was all it took. He broke and sighed roughly.

"Fine!" he threw his arms above his head, giving an overly elaborate display to illustrate that he was going along with the plan. "But if more people die due to that strange noise I heard then don't go crying to me to help!"

"You heard it too?" It came out without a single thought to stop me. I had wanted to get on with the journey to Sesshomaru as soon as possible, but I blurted out the first thought to come to mind after InuYasha mentioned the strange noise.

There they were again. Those eyes of confusion and bafflement. Wondering why I always understood what was being said. Questioning why I was always prepared to answer their questions. Yet, I attributed that to ALWAYS being in the wrong place at the wrong time. InuYasha crossed over to me, frowning down, and his fangs barely peeked from under his lip.

"Explain," he said firmly, letting no emotion through. "Before I find Sesshomaru, explain where the noise was coming from. Why are you connected?"

"If it will get me to my child faster, then I will tell you," I stated, heaving in a large amount of air before recalling all I knew about the mysterious woman, known only to me by the name of a Siren. The same presence resurrected within my body.

Naraku's P.O.V

I resolved that evening that hunting for Lin would be tiresome, yielding little results if she were to cross paths with Sesshomaru. If the multiple deaths across the countryside didn't hint to her that I was involved, then I had something else for her.

Unbeknownst to Lin, she would soon be set against another that she couldn't possibly say no to. So, let her run to Sesshomaru. Let her meet with him and rejoice in her life with her young one. The life I had produced for her. Let these small accoutrements fill her with pleasure until she once again must decide what is best for her. Death, as she so wrongly concluded, was not an escape. Let her choose the next course, all would lead her back to me in the end.

I was back amid my home again, awaiting a very important guest when the young woman walked through my door, escorted by the Kagura. She was exceedingly taller than my detachment and her grace was ineffably uncanny. She had the high browed appearance of nobility, eyes a piercing viridian that locked with mine with no fear. She certainly had arrogance this one. To the slight curve of her nose to the full, yet lined lips, she would not easily be won over. But I, Naraku, was not just another nobody and could enchant the enchanted any day.

"Lady Acantha, I am quite obliged that you have graced me with your presence."

"Hmm? Lady, you say? Well, Lord Naraku, I have come via your request. What use of me is needed?" she recited in a crooning tone.

"Do you recall long ago, my Lady, when you brought a child to the world? But not merely a normal infant was she?" I said as her eyebrow twitched from underneath her chestnut hair. "Yes, Siren? You do know of whom I speak?"

Her eyes narrowed, throwing me a gaze of razors as I satisfied her hate with a simple smile. She picked at the hem of her skirt, nothing close to that of a kimono Lin would wear. Truly, nymphs could not be bound by such inconveniences that a properly worn kimono would entail. Yet, she gave a low sigh, tossing her tousled curls over her shoulder before addressing me as a proper host.

"Lord Naraku, it has been, as you've stated, long ago and I do not know where my child has gone off to. She knows nothing of me and I know very little about her. I hope you understand."

"I'm aware that you have neither nurtured nor raised your daughter, but I do understand. She is a measly half-siren, but I have come to know her quite well. This is the reason I have asked for your presence."

"You know my daughter?! Is she well? Do tell me where she is!"

"Ah, but she has been abducted," I said, lowering my head so she wouldn't see the smile spread wider across my lips. She seemed so fretful about the daughter she had abandoned to the humans, yet perhaps she gave her away with a different purpose. Either way, it wasn't much of my concern. Certainly a Siren would be enough to persuade Lin to pay me a little visit. Not to mention, her own mother.

"By whom?"

"A Lord that goes by the name of Sesshomaru. He has taken both Lin and her new child. He is a powerful demon, full of spite for me and would be a threat to the health of Lin if she remains amid his influence for too long. I beseech you for this reason. I've been struggling for months to find her, but, alas, I am simply no match for him. I haven't the senses to find him, I'm afraid." There's a laugh.

"This, Sesshomaru, has kidnapped my Ligeia!"

"Ligeia?"

"That is her name. I believe you referred to her as 'Lin'?"

"Yes, I suppose that is what the humans named her. This does not matter, though. The question still remains. Will you assist me in rescuing Lin and my child? Will you bring them both back to me? So that she may know you, as I can see you still hold affection for her."

Acantha took this all in and moved slowly towards me, swaying in her steps as she crouched next to my sitting form. She moved her face close to my ear, breathing lightly against my skin, but I could not be brought down by her feeble fancy. Her almond eyes widened, letting in my appearance as she swooped lower to my side.

"My daughter has wonderful taste," she whispered, pressing her lips below my ear.

"I'm afraid that Siren tricks won't work, Acantha. As your wickedness has no effect on a mind as sullied as my own. If your answer be yes, then please request anything from me in return, but Lin and the child must be produced first. Does this suit you?"

She stood up, studying me for a moment before answering with a shrug of her shoulders. "Of course. Anything for my darling Ligeia and her seemingly very generous husband."

5