CHAPTER SEVEN: ONIGUMO

Kikyo was extremely drowsy later that night. Her schoolmates always exhausted her, no matter the amount of time she spent with them. She had barely enough strength to visit Inutaisho in his chambers to say goodnight, and after a brief conversation about her day, Kikyo left him to go to bed. She now dragged her feet, snug in slippers, along the darkened corridors of the castle towards her room. She had already brushed her teeth, washed her face, climbed into a pair of small pajama shorts and a thin camisol, and she had only to climb into bed. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can... Kikyo chanted foolishly, coaching herself to reach her bedroom.

As she neared Sesshomaru's room, the door opened, startling her a bit, and Sesshomaru appeared in the hallway. He was also dressed for bed, or undressed, in flannel pants and as always, no shirt. He gestured her over silently, retreating into his room again. Kikyo entered his bedroom silently, closed the door behind her, and locked it, hesitating.

"Come in, Kikyo," Sesshomaru urged her stoically. His tone wasn't particularly inviting.

"I am in," Kikyo protested innocently, glancing down at her feet. Sesshomaru settled on his bed and watched her from across the room patiently. Many minutes passed in complete silence, and Sesshomaru remained in bed as if did not care whether Kikyo was there or not.

After a few more minutes, Kikyo finally asked, "Do you want something?"

"I want you," Sesshomaru said calmly. Kikyo backed up against the door nervously.

"What?"

"You may take that in any connotation you like," Sesshomaru told her. "I'll take whatever you give me."

"Sesshomaru!" Kikyo scolded, suddenly growing uncomfortable. "How could you-"

"I had only planned for your company, Kikyo," Sesshomaru continued.

"Couldn't you simply say that then?" Kikyo hissed, exasperated. "I'm really tired, Sesshomaru. All I want to do is go to bed."

"Sleep in here."

"That was an accident before," Kikyo insisted.

"This time it would not be," Sesshomaru said, just as insistently.

"I...I don't know if I feel comfortable-"

"You're exaggerating the situation," Sesshomaru interrupted. "Just lie down. Do you hate me all of a sudden?" Kikyo shook her head insistently. Drawing in a deep breath, Kikyo slowly walked over to Sesshomaru's bed and climbed in. She pulled the covers up over her legs but remained in a seated position, glancing over at the great dog-lord nervously.

In the dim glow of candlelight, Sesshomaru had assumed an almost seductive look. His silver hair and golden eyes glistened, his relaxed position gently beckoning. And Kikyo, in the same soft light, was like a precious, angelic offering. There she sat, innocent and trembling, her brown eyes still calculating, even overanalyzing the situation she was in. Her long hair was no longer pulled back into a bow, but instead fell freely to her waist. Sesshomaru slowly, without exerting too much effort, trailed his fingers gently through a lock of hair, admiring her. Though his eyes didn't show it, the feelings he then felt for Kikyo almost resembled adoration.

"Relax," he urged her, taking her arm. Giving it a quick tug, Kikyo fell gently into his arms with her head against his chest, and Sesshomaru began to trace his claws along the small of her back.

"I know that we're engaged," Kikyo began, biting her lip. "But emotionally, what are we? Is there a definition?"

"We're engaged Kikyo," Sesshomaru said. "And emotions don't require definition. They aren't words, they're feelings."

"Well yes, but-"

"You usually have all of the answers, priestess." Kikyo sighed and decided to forget analyzing for the night. She was too tired. And feeling the rise and fall of Sesshomaru's warm, chiseled chest and his claws along her back had a truly calming feeling. It wasn't long before both Kikyo and Sesshomaru fell into deep sleep.


"My lord, please wake up!" a voice wailed. It was Jaken. Sesshomaru opened one eye in irritation and pointed to Kikyo, who shivered a bit but did not budge. In truth, she too had awoken, but she didn't jump to gather her defenses as quickly as before, not with the all-powerful Sesshomaru holding onto her.

"Imp, why isn't he up yet?" another voice shouted from the hall. This was Inuyasha. He entered the room as quickly and loudly as Jaken had, and froze in the doorway in the same shocked manner. "What in hell have we here?"

Sesshomaru hadn't released Kikyo all night. He found simple pleasure and satisfaction with his arms around her slender body. He also found and came to like that Kikyo wasn't a tossing sleeper; she would fall asleep in one position and stay there. She would whimper and shiver periodically, but these small actions hadn't bothered him in the least. And so, as they had both fallen asleep so content, they had remained in the same position: Sesshomaru on his back with Kikyo's head on his chest, lulled to sleep by the sound of the other one breathing softly. Though blissful for the two, the scene was purely astonishing to Sesshomaru's younger brother and foolish servant.

"Is it important, Jaken?" Sesshomaru asked at last, not the least bit interested. He only wanted them both to leave his bedroom.

"Is she wearing clothes?" Inuyasha asked before Jaken could explain himself. He approached the bed slowly trying to peak.

Kikyo sat up quickly and snarled, "Darling, hit the floor!" Inuyasha fell face first into the carpet and growled before sitting up.

"She's not wearing a bra," Inuyasha observed crudely under his breath. "It amounts to the same thing." Kikyo crossed her arms over her chest, embarrassed.

"Are you going to speak?" she asked Jaken, controlling her temper. Her voice was now calm and demonstrated clear signs of exhaustion. "What time is it?"

"6:30AM, my lady," Jaken replied quickly, bowing.

"Ugh," Kikyo grumbled, falling back down in bed. She pulled the blankets up over her shoulders and turned her back to the door.

"Enchanted beads," Sesshomaru mused, now sitting up. He motioned for Jaken to come closer. "You've both certainly wasted enough time. You've upset Lady Kikyo as well."

"My most humble apologies, my lady!" Jaken shrieked eagerly, hoping to appease the fatigued priestess.

"Good," Sesshomaru said. "Now, explain this commotion to me."

"A human is at the gates requesting permission to visit the castle!"

"It isn't Bakuto?"

"No, a foul little creature," Jaken said.

"Like you," Inuyasha suggested sarcastically.

"His name is Onigumo," Jaken continued, ignoring Inuyasha. "I informed Lord Inutaisho first, but he told me he predicted it had something to do with Lady Kikyo. I'm just not sure. He is a hideous man with burns covering his body and-"

"I was under the impression this boy with through with you!" Sesshomaru suddenly snarled at Kikyo, forcing her upright by her arm. Kikyo snatched her arm away angrily and climbed out of bed.

"Then I'll just kill him!" she said coldly, glaring at him. "Is that what you want? I can't control him. He isn't my respon-"

"Lady Kikyo." It was Asuka and Kochou. They traveled through the glass window, materializing in the room with a celestial, golden light like the rays of a full moon.

"Back so soon?" Kikyo mused. Then she stiffened. "Kagome."

"Who's Kagome?" Inuyasha asked. Kikyo held up her hand to silence him. "Why is everyone bossing me around?"

"Kagome told Onigumo of your engagement," Kochou explained.

"You must know that he waits for you at the gates," Asuka continued. "What should we do?"

"You've done enough," Kikyo told them, smiling softly. She silently disenchanted them and walked out of the room. Sesshomaru grabbed his haori and put it on, quickly exchanging his flannel pajama bottoms for hakamas. He then cracked his knuckles and started down the hall. Kikyo appeared behind him only seconds later in leggings and a cardigan.

"What do you intend to do?" Kikyo demanded.

"Inusan has given me the permission to do as I please," Sesshomaru reminded her. "Therefore, since you will not, I intend to kill Onigumo and end this teenage foolishness. You are my fiancee, and I will accept no competition, especially not from a crippled human."

"You are overreacting," Kikyo insisted. "He may be moved with reason."

"Why are you carrying your bow then?" Sesshomaru challenged. Kikyo silenced herself. "He has some nerve, attempting to storm a demon castle by himself."

At the gate, Onigumo stood patiently, eyeing the guards with crazed, lustful eyes. The guards were rather relieved when Sesshomaru and Kikyo approached, Kikyo on Sesshomaru's back. Sesshomaru set Kikyo down on her feet and they approached Onigumo together, skeptical.

Much of Onigumo's body was in bandages except his face, which was glossy, shriveled, and purpled from the horrendous burns on his body. His eyes were wide, a striking, deep blue, and his hair was wispy and slightly discolored, though it was mostly black. In the cooler, early morning weather he wore jeans and a T-shirt, his bandages protecting the rest of his body. He gulped heavily and licked his dry lips as Kikyo approached, pressing his body against he gate eagerly. Sesshomaru snarled, but he was curious to see how Kikyo would handle the situation, so he controlled himself.

"Dearest Kikyo," Onigumo said, his baritone voice shivering with pleasure. His gaze traveled up and down Kikyo's body, taking in her disheveled hair, and her long, slender legs emphasized in her thin leggings. He gulped and shivered again, and forced his eyes to meet Kikyo's soft, pale face. "I have missed you deeply."

"Onigumo," Kikyo acknowledged softly, avoiding his dancing eyes.

"It was Kagome, not you, who informed me of this development," Onigumo continued. "I thought you had been ill, and I was devastated to know that you had left without word."

"Many of my classmates knew where I was," Kikyo told him. "And I didn't exactly have time to say-"

"But here you are," Onigumo interrupted. "Lovely." He shivered once more, his breathing heavy as though he were being suffocated.

"Thank you."

"I would have done anything for you, Kikyo," Onigumo hissed. "Of course, I should have known that no ordinary mortal would be worthy of you. But I long to be worthy. Make me worthy."

"It is too late," Sesshomaru said firmly as Kikyo opened her mouth to speak. "Kikyo belongs to me." Sesshomaru's arrogance, this idea that Kikyo was private property of his, always ruined Kikyo's fantasy of the relationship they could have. As soon as she came to favor him, he declared himself her possessor, not her fiance, not her lover, and she found cause to dislike him again. Kikyo couldn't help but wonder if she meant anything to the great dog-lord sentimentally.

"Belongs to you?" Onigumo said, seemingly enlightened. It was as if he had never considered such a thing possible, but rather than be upset, he saw an opportunity to possess her as well. "How is such a thing possible?"

"She was given to me," Sesshomaru explained, his gaze unchanging, his body hardly moving.

"Inconceivable."

"Onigumo, I-" Sesshomaru held a clawed finger to Kikyo's lips.

"Such control," Onigumo marveled once more. "She fears you, doesn't she?"

"Absolutely not!" Kikyo said firmly, more to Sesshomaru than to the fiend that had suggested it.

"I see." Onigumo appeared slightly disappointed. "Do you love him?"

"I'm through with you, human," Sesshomaru said, pushing Kikyo back. He cracked his knuckles, brandishing his claws.

"He is outside the gates, Sesshomaru," Kikyo said, grabbing his arm. "Leave him be. Killing him will not benefit you."

"Perhaps I just want to," Sesshomaru snarled, but he relented in her grasp.

"I shall see you soon, dearest Kikyo?" Onigumo asked. Kikyo did not respond, and continued dragging Sesshomaru back up the pathway to the castle.

"One day!" Onigumo called after her, trembling with excitement. "One day you will give me what I desire of you!" Kikyo held her head up high, ignoring him.

Once inside the castle, Sesshomaru asked, "And just what is it that he desires of you?"

"Fear," Kikyo replied, stopping outside Sesshomaru's bedroom door. "He wants to see me frightened; he claims it will bring him true pleasure." The sun's rays were at last shining through the window panes and illuminating the previously darkened corridor. Soon an attendant would come around to turn off the electric lights and put out the select torches.

"Does that ever frighten you, Kikyo?" Sesshomaru asked, his voice just short of sympathetic.

"No, not exactly," Kikyo said. "But this act, coming to Demons' Nook, is the most daring thing he has ever done. Many of his fantasies he has detailed to me in letters. He's only approached me once before this time, and I wonder..."

"If he is plotting something?"

"Yes."

"So what's with the lunatic, huh?" Inuyasha asked, approaching the engaged couple. "Scarier than Jaken, wouldn't you say, Kikyo?"

"He's a perverse thing," Sesshomaru explained. "He claims to believe he will find pleasure in terrifying Kikyo."

"I knew he was a lunatic," Inuyasha said smartly, crossing his arms over his chest. "You know we'll protect you, right, Kikyo?" Sesshomaru scoffed at "we", planning to protect her alone. Kikyo suppressed the smile she felt building up in her cheeks and tossed her nose into the air.

"I don't need any protection from you," she teased. Inuyasha smiled and tousled her hair a bit. Kikyo frowned.

"What's next then?" Inuyasha asked her.

"I'm going to do a little terrorizing of my own," Kikyo replied, gripping her bow tightly.