Sesshoumaru leaned back against the pillow. A warm breeze was floating in through the window. He could still taste Rin upon his lips. The girl was submissive, sweet as a cherry; but for all her sweetness she could not erase the taste of another, the one that got away.

Kagome was pure intoxication, a forbidden drug he found hard to resist. He had waited to claim her till they were married, because he couldn't risk a controversy. On hindsight, he knew that he had made the right decision. It was due to the lack of proof of their intimacy that Ryuukossei had not been able to fully exploit their affair. Still, he had his regrets.

That night when she had come to him – her beauty, her aura had stirred a slumbering beast in his heart. Kagura and the others were passing fancies, good enough only to take care of his immediate needs. Kagome was the one he hungered for from the depth of his soul. She also knew she had broken through his resistance, and yet she had rejected him. He had never felt more slighted.

When he and Rin came together, he took her with a vengeance that even surprised him. Their lovemaking had been wild, ferocious. Unwittingly, he had poured all his anger and frustration into the uncomplaining girl. He felt bad for her and hated his weakness, yet he could not wipe out Kagome's face, her alluring scent, every time their bodies touched.

With a resigned sigh, he switched on his phone. There were calls from home. I'll call them back later. He lazily switched on the television.

There was a report on the Taishous. Some aborigines had been killed by members of their party. There were rallies condemning the attack. Inuyasha's effigy had been burnt. The Taishou name was being smeared. Sesshoumaru sat up in bed.

"Rin!"

The girl looked up at him inquisitively.

"Pack your bags, we are going home."

The couple was greeted at the door by a worried looking Myouga. Sesshoumaru marched inside where Lady Taishou, Inuyasha and a few other leaders of their party had assembled. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kagome welcome Rin and usher her inside the house. Something about her demeanour struck him as odd, but he turned his mind into more urgent matters.

"The work has Naraku's signature all over it," Myouga was saying.

"We need to apprehend the men behind the attack as soon as possible, and then extort a full confession out of them," Sesshoumaru opined.

"Already on it," Inuyasha said, "there is a middle order leader in Ryuukossei's party. Name's Mukotsu. He's reported to be in on the whole conspiracy."

"We can't possibly kidnap a leader. Ryuukossei likely has him under his protection already. Any attempt to abduct him will get reported in the media faster than you can Keh."

"Obviously," Inuyasha replied, "but his lover doesn't enjoy a similar protection. Jakotsu works in the docks. Right now our men have him under surveillance. As soon as we showed the footage, Mukotsu himself promised to haul his sorry ass into this house," he looked at his watch, "any time now."

Sesshoumaru cast an appreciative glance at his brother. Meanwhile, Kagome was engaged in making Rin comfortable in the absence of Lady taishou. Her eyes took in the various mating marks on the girl's neck and exposed arms. Sesshoumaru doesn't seem to have gone easy on her, Kagome thought. But she was surprised to realize she was no longer jealous of Rin.

"I'm sorry; I hardly got a chance to be introduced to you properly at your wedding. How was the trip?"

"It was perfect – the sea was so relaxing and the sun was like warm honey! I used to sing all day and weave garlands out of flowers. Oh, I have something for you!" Rin fished a shell necklace out of her purse: "Rin wove this for you."

Kagome smiled as she put the necklace around her neck. There was something so fresh and endearing about the girl that she immediately warmed towards her.

"I hope you won't find this mansion too dreary to live in after all that time in the sun."

Rin laughed merrily: "Oh I could live anywhere with Sesshoumaru-sama. He's so kind and great and wonderful and strong…" she blushed, suddenly conscious.

She's still so much in awe of him, Kagome thought amusedly, wonder what will happen when she comes back to her senses. Yet, something was telling her that she never would. In time he, too, would grow to love her. I guess she is perfect for him.

A short man was nervously walking past the room. Rin looked at him.

"Who's he?" she asked.

Kagome shrugged: "Never seen him before."

Mukotsu shuffled along the corridor behind the butler, looking around nervously. This is how it feels like to enter the lion's den, he thought. The butler showed him into a large room decorated like an office, and excused himself. Mukotsu stumbled onward, his heart trying to burst through its cage. He shuddered inwardly as Inuyasha came forward to greet him.

"Please take a seat, Mukotsu-sama," he ushered him in cheerfully, "We have something important to talk about."

"I-I don't know anything about anything," Mukotsu pleaded, "I'm just a low level worker, I'm not privy to confidential information."

"Oh come on," Inuyasha was smiling at him – a smile that sent chills down Mukotsu's spine – "don't insult my intelligence. I know perfectly well what you have or have not been privy to. Sit."

Mukotsu plopped down on a chair and tried to smile. His eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

"I'm telling you, you are making a mistake here."

"I think not. Have a glass of water."

Mukotsu grabbed the glass like he was grabbing on a lifeline. Gulping down the water, he looked around, nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

"Now if you'll be so kind as to tell us, it was Naraku who was after the aborigine killings, wasn't he?"

Mukotsu nervously licked his lips as he looked for an exit. But there was none. Lady Taishou was smiling kindly from her chair. Sesshoumaru was standing near the door, impassive as ever. Inuyasha was inches away from his face.

"I really have no clue. Why are you t-torturing me like this?"

"The truth will out, Mukotsu-sama, the truth will out. Why not be the vessel for it and buy our allegiance forever?"

Inuyasha had casually put a hand on Mukotsu's shoulder. The latter flinched at the touch, and then sagged in resignation.

"Only if you promise to protect me and Jakotsu from Ryuukossei."

"We promise."

Mukotsu took a calming breath: "N-Naraku is planning to use Kouga against you-"

"Not like this."

Inuyasha hauled Mukotsu across the room and seated him behind a table. At Sesshoumaru's signal, someone brought a journalist with a microphone and a camera into the room. Mukotsu blanched at the sight of them.

"Not on camera, no," he whispered hoarsely.

"There is nothing to be afraid of. Just make a clean breast of things and off you go. You see, we are a very truth-loving family."

"Inuyasha-sama, please…"

"Now."

The cameras were switched on.

A short while and a fully videotaped confession later, Mukotsu was toddling his way out of the mansion. Sesshoumaru accosted him.

"I cannot thank you enough for your cooperation today, Mukotsu-sama."

"I just did my part, Lord Taishou," suddenly Mukotsu was sounding more confident, "I was against these nefarious tactics from the beginning. I told Ryuukossei so many times to stop but he wouldn't listen."

"I'm sure you did your part," Sesshoumaru shoved a cell phone into Mukotsu's hand, "this phone has my direct number saved in it. Whenever you need my assistance, do not hesitate to make a call. Like my brother promised, you will always have our allegiance."

Smiling smugly, Mukotsu made his way out of the Taishou mansion.