Chapter 4 – In for the Kill

Sesshoumaru watched his son carefully. What is it about this woman that draws hanyou and youkai alike? It had been obvious from the first moment that he started on the scent of the miko's trail that Kohaku considered the woman his. Sesshoumaru could have told his son that the miko had several prior claims on her, but it was…somewhat entertaining to watch Kohaku try to deal with his instincts. Instincts which were telling the boy that the young miko belonged to him—was his to protect and claim.

It couldn't last forever, not only would it grow tiresome, but Sesshoumaru doubted that either Inuyasha or Shippou would give up their prior claim; his son would not survive a battle for supremacy with either. Especially since Kohaku seemed to have inherited his mother's passive nature.

Sesshoumaru found however, that he may have underestimated his son's instincts towards the miko when Kohaku appeared at the door just as Sesshoumaru intended to leave. It was obvious that, while Kohaku had been exploring the miko's house, he had also been keeping a close ear on the conversation. Sesshoumaru growled. Such a thing suggested that his son did not fully trust him with the woman. Not only was it insulting but it was disrespectful. Sesshoumaru was Alpha and, as such, anyone claimed by a member of his pack belonged to him. Which meant that, even had Kohaku not claimed the miko, Sesshoumaru would have taken care of her because Inuyasha and Shippou were both members of his pack, and their claim on her had been around for hundreds of years. The miko seemed to breed bad manners in the hanyou of his family.

Sesshoumaru eyed his son and growled low enough that the miko wouldn't pick up on it, but loud enough that his son's hanyou hearing would. Kohaku blushed, eyes falling to the floor and shoulders slumping. The miko chose that moment to pipe up.

"No thank-you."

This time Sesshoumaru growled loud enough for the miko to pick-up on. Of all the aggravating—

"You will Miko. This…hovel you call a home is not protected."

He wasn't even sure it was structurally sound. The miko puffed up, her face going red while behind him, Kohaku shifted uncertainly. His instincts were probably warring—wanting to protect the miko from his father's anger while at the same time agreeing with his father's assessment.

"My home is not a hovel! It's just…old!" Sesshoumaru waited for a foot stomp but none was forthcoming. Hnn…perhaps she has matured. "You're older than my house; you don't see me calling you an old, decrepit demon, do you." Then again…

"Miko, you will accompany us. Inuyasha and Shippou will no doubt wish to see you with their own eyes." And they would hound Sesshoumaru if he didn't bring the miko. No doubt his son would also pout for days, or demand a return visit. Sesshoumaru sniffed delicately. He hated the smell of paint.

The woman slouched against the wall and ran a hand through her hair, dislodging flecks of green paint in the process. Sesshoumaru watched the dried paint settle on her over-sized shirt. He seemed to remember her being much…cleaner the last time he'd seen her. Perhaps Inuyasha's bathing habits had transferred after all?

"Don't get me wrong, it's nice to know that they're both alive, but I'd rather just…not…"

Kohaku stepped around him and Sesshoumaru noted with amusement that his son was trying to reproduce his mother's puppy-dog eyes. Apparently those eyes worked on humans just as well as they did on demons because the woman was leaning towards his son with a soft smile. Malleable.

"Don't you want to meet Uncle Inuyasha and Uncle Shippou?"

The woman gave a sudden, sharp smile. Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to pull his son back. Dangerous.

"I've met them, thanks."

Kohaku looked up at Sesshoumaru with a frown but directed his question to the woman. "You've met them? How…?"

The sharp smile stretched across her face before it disappeared entirely. "I had an adventure with them all…once."

Kohaku was still facing the woman but Sesshoumaru could imagine how big his eyes were getting. Kohaku might have loved hearing stories about his father, and even Inuyasha, but he'd loved nothing more than to hear stories about the girl who travelled through time. Especially if it was his Uncle Shippou telling the story. Sesshoumaru knew the kitsune youkai had a penchant to exaggerate everything he said, but even Sesshoumaru had to wonder if some of the wilder tales he told were true—even a kitsune youkai's mind couldn't be that creative.

"You're Kagome!"

Now we will never leave.

She gave a small smile and headed back to her kitchen. "Sometimes."

Kohaku followed after her, shouting out question after question. Sesshoumaru looked longingly towards the door. Perhaps he should have let Kohaku's warning note go. Nothing was going to be worth the aggravation that seemed to follow the woman wherever she went.

Leaving was not, however, and option; so Sesshoumaru chose to examine the options that were available to him. The woman obviously didn't want to leave, but she had to if Sesshoumaru wanted even some semblance of peace. Not that having her in my home will bring peace of any kind. Still, it would be easier. So he had to convince her to leave. The enticement of seeing her former companions should have been enough, everything he knew—from the bits he remembered of her and the tales she always seemed to feature in—told him that she should have easily agreed to come. That she hadn't was troubling but could be dealt with at a later time.

Sesshoumaru listened idly as Kohaku moved from asking her questions about her travels to asking her about the paintings in her kitchen. Smart boy. It was obvious that the young woman had become…not bitter perhaps, but something close, about her past. But Kohaku's question about her paintings brought vivaciousness to her voice that had been lacking and Sesshoumaru listened in amusement as she overtook the conversation. He was mildly surprised that Kohaku hadn't interrupted with a question—he was too curious to hold his tongue for long—but perhaps he was just basking in the presence of a woman he'd admired since he first understood speech.

Sesshoumaru decided to explore the house while Kohaku kept watch on the woman—perhaps his son could smooth her feelings out if she felt they were alone. Sesshoumaru had to admit that, while the house was certainly falling apart at the seams, it was well cared for, in a way. It looked like she had attempted to paint every available surface, and those she couldn't reach were littered with paintings. Some of them looked like a child had splattered paint along the walls—Sesshoumaru remembered with a grimace the time Kohaku had found Shippou's paints—but some of them were quite professional looking. Perhaps she is not unemployed after all.

But, he decided, after exploring the upstairs bathroom and her sparse bedroom, complete with ceiling cracks and loose light switches, she wasn't making nearly enough to keep her house in a useable condition. This will need to be rectified.

Sesshoumaru moved to go back to the kitchen but stopped when he saw the flash of magenta in the sunroom. It was a painting, a very detailed one. Not quite finished, but close enough that he could see how the finished product would look. Interesting.

In the kitchen Sesshoumaru found Kohaku and Kagome sitting at the table sipping tea. Obviously her attempt to make tea had gone smoothly this time. Sesshoumaru seemed to recall his brother grumbling once, after several bottles of sake, that the miko had been extremely clumsy.

"It is time to go now—you will be coming with us Miko."

Kagome's face closed off and her lips pressed together.

Kohaku jumped up from his seat and ran around to stand beside Kagome's chair. "Don't you want to see Uncle Shippou and Uncle Inuyasha again?"

She opened her mouth but Kohaku carried on blithely. "They really miss you. Uncle Shippou is always talking about you and Uncle Inuyasha has been really worried since you didn't come out of the well like you were supposed to."

"It's not that—"

"Plus, then you can see where I live!"

Sesshoumaru recognized a hunt when he saw one, and his son had already gone for the kill, the miko just didn't know it yet.

"You do want to come and see…don't you?"

Sesshoumaru watched as the woman floundered, her hands fluttering uselessly before one fell to her lap and the other rose to sit at the base of her neck. Where a necklace would sit…this is habit.

Then her confused eyes turned on him and Sesshoumaru was surprised to see a hint of wry humour on her face. Perhaps she knew she was prey before the hunt began?

"I suppose I could come for a quick visit. But I won't stay. I have work to do here and I'm sure I'd get in the way of whatever…demon things you do."

Aaand a drum-roll for the latest [late] chapter...please! Thanks to all who reviewed the previous chapter(s) and to any who review this one.