The door swung open to the large Victorian house that Sesshomaru had driven them to. The onld door creaked as it opened echoing through the dark void of emptiness in the house. The house was cold with emptiness but warm with a presence. Rin looked at Sesshomaru as he walked in casually placing the keys on the hook beside the door. Rin hesitated walking for a bit as she surveyed the surroundings.

The room was regal, old and beautifully elegant. Rin had never seen such polished and glamorous furniture. The floor was wooden and shined as though it was tile. "Beautiful" was the only thing she could muster in her mind to describe the place. Rin noticed the walls were plastered with portraits, Portraits of landscapes and flowers and elegant scenes. She had been captivated by the pictures she didn't even know where she was going, she just walked, and her eyes looked on in awe. Rin walked into one specific room, true elegance, with an unmistakable feeling f warmth and love. The furniture was old much like the ones in the entrance hall. It was then her eyes came up on the most beautiful picture she had ever seen. It was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Her hair parted down the middle; possess the colour of the whitest lilies, cascaded down the sides of her face, framing them so perfectly. Her eyes blue as the oceans that crashed on the shores of Japan, her nose as straight as the artist brush which only gave light to her beautifully plump lips, her grace radiated off canvas as she sat staring at Rin off the loveseat in which she was painted. Her attire was that of the night attire of 18th century royalty. She was a queen Rin concluded...she was perfect.

"She was my mother" Sesshomaru said as he interrupted her thoughts. She turned to see him with a tray of tea cups and a matching teapot. Rin then looked at him and then back to the painting.

"Her eyes are blue...yours are golden"

"Yes...i take very much after my father...unfortunately"

"You don't like that you take after your father?" she said to him as she walked over to large Victorian windows.

"I don't mind.. but i was closer to my mother"

"She died?..."

"Yea...the demon plague of 1872...she was vulnerable because of her lineage...and she was pregnant...with my sister"

"i'm sorry to hear"

"it was centuries ago...there's no need for condolences now" he said. Sesshomaru sighed and walked over to the window and sat on the sill beside her. He watched as the sun showered her with the rays of light, her soft tanned skin glowed in the light, she radiated with beauty and grace. Rin turned to look at him..and then turned her back to the window and looked at him.

"Who painted her"

"My father...in fact this was their house...but after she died...he couldn't live here anymore...so he built the main house a few miles away..."

"the one from which we just came"

"yes. He gave this to me because he knew how much i loved her. He said she'd want me to have it. It was her favourite place to be" he said with an air nostalgia in his voice.

"The place seems untouched Sesshomaru..."

"Even though i don't live here most days...i still have it cleaned as if i were here.." he said as she nodded in understanding. Rin looked about the room once more and then back into the eyes that glared into her soul. The feeling of insecurity crept into her body once more under his gaze, she turned her head away.

"Why did you bring me here"

"Because there was a place...i figured you may like..." he said as he got up taking her hand to place her in a standing position. Without another word Sesshomaru pulled her gently from the room and up the staircase where her vision was captivated once more by the paintings on the wall. The art was impeccable, beautifully crafted each stroke took careful precision to make the perfect painting. But before she knew it, Sesshomaru had stopped. She looked up at him in confusion as he opened the door to reveal the most beautiful library she had ever seen. The shelves must have been 20 ft high. All filled to capacity with books. Rin was once more in awe. The room was dimly lit and the decor had a soft elegant feeling within it. He ushered her in slowly as he noticed her hesitation. The grandeur of the place was too much to take in at one time and it made her a little cautious of what she did or touched.

Rin walked over the desk in the middle of the room. The desk held carvings of old century poems from Shakespeare, numbers, statements...of love, dates to remember. An old wooden desk had so much...history carved into it. Most would say the beauty of the desk was destroyed but rin saw the beauty of the desk..was the carvings. She traced her finger over one the dates 17th March, 1723 . It was then her thoughts were interrupted by the sultry sound of his voice.

"Are you pleased...Rin?" he said staring at her intently. She turned to face him her hnd still on the carving.

"Very much so..."

"I remember the night we met...you told me...

"Reading was my greatest joy..." she said. He walked towards her slowly, his long strides didn't take him long to cross the room for him to be towering above her small frame. Rin looked up at him into his golden soul and could help but blush. She looked away to avoid him searching hers. Sesshomaru looked down at her intrigued by her movements and took his clawed hands to her chin to lift her beautiful face to mirror his. Sesshomaru moved closer to her, his chest now touching hers...her breathing now elevated as he lowered his head slightly. Rin felt the hairs stand on the back of her neck as she felt him closer to her, her head now elevated, her eyes closed almost instantly, His lips barely touching hers. His free hand now on her hand which touched the carving and gripped it as they both intertwined. His other hand now traced the outline of her jaw then cupped her soft cheek so gently.

"Reading is your greatest joy...i'll give you the world of it." He whispered on her lips as he closed the gap between them.

Rin instantly felt the jolt of excitement as he held her kissing her gently. His lips were just she predicted...magical. Her mind was now clouded as he gripped her tiny hand on the table. Her only free hand traced his hand on her cheek pulling it away intertwining them both. Sesshomaru felt the jolt inside himself, more than her. He had kissed thousands of women but never had he felt so...alive when he did. He let go of her hands and slithered his hands around her waist, pulling him to her kissing her more feverishly. Rin in such awe and euphoria pressed against his chest like a ragdoll totally engulfed in the sensations he sent through her body.

Sesshomaru kissed her with such passion he was afraid of her breaking but he didn't care. It was then his ear perked to the sound of foot steps. Sesshomaru hesitantly pulled his lips away from her and looked down into her clouded eyes as they opened hesitantly. After a while Rin looked a him and came to the realization of what had taken place and bit her lip and pushed herself from his grasp to lean the desk and she then turned her back to him, blushing, embarrassed that she had allowed herself to become so vulnerable to him. Sesshomaru pressed against her gripping her hands before her burying his head in her neck inhaling her sweet scent.

Rin closed her eyes trying not to give in to him, fighting the temptations to let him have her there on the desk. She bit her lip and took in a breath.

"I want to go home." She managed to whisper

Sesshomaru kissed her neck gripping her small hands intertwining them once more. He ignored her and laid butterfly kisses on her neck and shoulders, slowly and torturously.

"Stay with me..." He whispered in her ear. Rin shook his hands from hers and turned to him and looked into his eyes. His arms pressed against the desk encasing her in his view. She cupped his cheeks and leaned her head against his.

"Please...let me go home" she pleaded

But before Sesshomaru could answer, the door swung open to the sound of once voice that he wishes he could get rid of permanently.

"Oh for the love of Kami Sesshomaru, the girl is practically begging to get away from you...let her go back...the brothel for her is waiting"

Sesshomaru nails dug into the desk and turned swiftly to see none other than Kanna Kagura's sister standing at the door smirking knowing she had just interrupted a moment between her brother-in-law and no doubt his mistress.

Sesshomaru glared at her and growled.

"What are you doing here Kanna?"

Kanna walked into the room with a devious grin on her face.

"I went to see how Kagura is doing, and found out she didn't come home from the office last night. But you wouldn't know anything about that...considering...you had your own...distractions.." she giggled deviously as she sat in one of the comfortable chairs in the corner.

Rin bit her lip as she hid behind Sesshomaru; Rin's mind now went in circles...Kanna. Rin gasped as she remembered who Kanna was. Fear had never gripped her so much not in such a long time. Rin gripped his shirt tightly from behind. IT was then he sensed Rin's heightened fear. Her fear was unmistakable it even overpowered her scent of strawberries and roses. Sesshomaru couldn't tell what Rin was afraid of; the only thing that came to mind was Kanna's presence. Sesshomaru's gaze never left Kanna's.

"You need to calm the little slut down...i can hear the slut's hearbeat from here"

"Well if the monster in the corner of the room would leave...maybe she would have that problem"

"What is the slut afraid of...being known...what is she hiding from..."

Rin bit her lip, gripping his shirt even more.

"Leave Kanna...now"

"You are in no position to boss me around...i know everything...i'd be a lot nicer to me if i were you"

"You don't know a damn thing...just leave"

Kanna smirked and looked at him and then at the feet behind his own and got up. She walked to the door and looked at him.

"You cant hide her forever Sesshomaru...all secrets must come out...one way or the other" she shrilled as she left closing the door behind her.

After the door closed Rin gripped the desk behind her trying to hold herself from collapsing. Sesshomaru turned to hold her in his arms but she turned and pushed him away. She ran passed him but he held onto her hand. She turned to him and struggled against him as he pulled her to him.

"Please..please..let me go...i need to get home" she begged.

He looked down into her eyes, concerned about what could have put so much fear in to this brave blunt woman. Her eyes welled with tears threatening to fall. As she turned her head away from him, the door swung open and to reveal Kanna once more. This time her smile dropped from its devious nature to that of a frown to a smirk.

"Well...well...well..." was all she said leaving Rin's eyes to look at her wildly her fear now more overwhelming than ever.