A/N: Ah, the ninth chapter. My work has come so far already! I've decided to go with some of the things that I talked about at the end of chapter eight. The Suki and Souta thing will have to wait for later chapters.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any merchandise that has come from the mass production of the anime and/or manga. I am the maker of this story and the things that happen in it, so suing me will get you nothing.

Warnings: None.

Taisho, Hana: Yes, for now, Inuyasha is the only bad guy. I may bring out a new enemy in the epilouge. Then I will most likely develop a sequel fanfiction after this one. (That, of course, will be after I complete my other two fanfictions.)

Love and Deceit

Chapter Nine: A Plan in Motion

By: Kate the Inuyoukai01

Kagome followed Suki down to the dining room where she was to eat dinner with Sesshomaru and Souta. She was still deep in thought about her earlier conversation about her little sister. Rin, you must have been so happy here. She thought as they stopped in front of two large oak doors. Suki opened the doors and ushered her in, Kagome all the while thinking about Rin and exactly how much she missed her. During her walk down the winding hallways, Suki had told her that the room she was staying in now had belonged to Rin, as well as all of the clothes and jewels in the wardrobe. Kagome looked down at the baby blue kimono that she wore now. According to Suki, it had been one of Rin's favorite things to wear around the palace. Kagome fingered the pink obi affectionately as she seated herself to the right of Sesshomaru. The two males had been staring at her in awe as she approached the table, but she was too distracted to notice.

Sesshomaru was staring at her now. She could feel his intense, calculative gaze flowing over her hair, face, and the clothing that she wore. Kagome decided that now was not the time to be depressed, but a time she should spend with her little brother and host. She looked up at Sesshomaru, who had just noticed he was staring, and gave him a weak smile.

"I would appreciate it if you would stop staring," she looked then to her little brother, who jumped at the sight of Kagome's sad gaze. "Both of you. It is making me uncomfortable."

Souta promptly looked away, but Sesshomaru-being the arrogant demon that he was-continued to stare.

"I see you have taken it upon yourself to use my lady's attire," he spoke coldly as he finally turned his gaze away. "That was quite rude of you."

"Being rude has nothing to do with it," Kagome muttered as she looked down at herself. "I was told that I would be able to use these things."

But I didn't know that they would make you look so much like her, Sesshomaru mentally chastised himself. The girls looked alike regardless of what Kagome wore. The kimono she sported now, though, made her look so much like Rin that it seemed as if she had returned to him. He knew that it wasn't true. The girl's were far too different personality wise to be the same person. He looked up at Souta, who was blushing from embarrassment. The boy had seen a painting of Rin in the exact same kimono that Kagome now wore, and knew the resemblance was uncanny.

"Hey, sis," Souta smiled when Kagome looked up at him. "You look lovely, regardless of what that big oopmh says."

Kagome giggled when Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow as if Souta had spoken in another language.

The mood lightened just a little, and the servants entered the large dining hall with their meal. This silences everyone until the servants were well out of ear shot. Nothing was said far a moment as Kagome picked up her chopsticks and prayed over her food-Souta and Sesshomaru stared at her again for doing this-and began to pick out things that she wanted to try.

"I do not mind if you use her things," Sesshomaru spoke suddenly, "but from now on that kimono stays in the wardrobe untouched. Suki was supposed to have removed it before you even entered the room."

Kagome sampled some of her food, pretending to ignore what he had just said until he sent a low growl her way. She swallowed and waved her hand, "I heard you, Your Majesty. It is just impolite to talk with your mouth full."

"'Your Majesty?'" Sesshomaru raised an elegant eyebrow.

Kagome giggled, "Nevermind."

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After dinner, Kagome decided that she would take a walk out in the gardens. She sat down underneath a sakura tree, the setting sun comforting as she leaned up against the smooth bark. She looked down at herself, fingering the pink obi for the hundredth time that evening.

This used to be Rin's favorite kimono... I knew I shouldn't have worn it if it meant this much to her... Kagome sighed, not noticing the tall figure standing beside her.

"Sorry about earlier, Kagome."

She jumped and looked up to see Souta standing next to her. He chuckled, sitting down and pulling his knees up to his chest.

"Sesshomaru is really touchy when it comes to Rin's things."

Kagome nodded, "When did you find out that Rin was Sesshomaru's prospective mate?"

Souta tapped his chin, as if to contemplate, before he came up with an answer, "I realized it when I saw her painting. She had painted a self portrait a few months before she'd died. I went into Sesshomaru's room to wake him one morning for training and saw it hanging above his futon."

"It's still there, isn't it?"

Souta shrugged, "I don't know. After that incident he forbade me to ever enter his room again."

"What happened when you saw the painting?"

He laughed sullenly, "I exploded. I asked him how he knew my little sister, and why she looked so much older than she had when she'd first perished."

Kagome gasped, "Souta..."

"He beat me, kicked me out of the room and told me never to return there again," he shrugged. "I dealt with it well enough. Now, every time I require his assistance, I send a servant and do not go myself."

"Did he answer your questions?"

Souta picked up a dead leaf and twirled it in his calloused fingers, "About a year ago. We were sitting in his study, and he'd said, 'I loved her. She was my life.'" Souta dropped the leaf and shook his head. "I found out later that he'd used his Tenseiga to bring me, as well as Rin, back."

Kagome furrowed her brow, confused, "So, why didn't he just bring her back again instead of going after his brother?"

"You don't know Sesshomaru," Souta spoke with an air of sadness. "He would have gone after Inuyasha one way or the other."

"But why didn't he just bring her back again?"

Souta looked over at his sister, "If one is brought back with the Tenseiga, then killed again, they cannot be brought back a second time. It is the strange sword's rule, I suppose."

Kagome's eyes filled with tears, "That is so sad." She looked over at her brother, who nodded, "But Rin was just a human... she would have died long before Sesshomaru even started to age physically. He would have lost her soon anyway-"

"I would appreciate it if you did not speak of such matters in my presence, girl."

Kagome cringed and turned to see the stoic demon lord behind her. She didn't even feel his aura, she was so deep in thought. She looked up into his eyes, and saw a flicker of pain for only a second before it turned into calculative anger.

"My apologies... I did not know that you were close by-"

"That is of no consequence," he turned his narrow-eyed stare to Souta. "Do not speak of such conversations that we've had to someone who does not understand."

Souta made to comment, but averted his eyes and sighed, "Yes, milord."

This made Kagome angry. Sesshomaru was belittling her and controlling her little brother.

I don't care who he is, she though angrily as she glared up at him, he will not speak to me or my family like that!

She stood up and clenched her fists, "Rin was my little sister. I was just asking about her because I never got to know her," she narrowed her eyes and stared up at the seemingly apathetic demon. "If it weren't for you, Rin would-"

"Not have lived to see her next birthday," Sesshomaru growled. "You just left her there after you discovered her. She had just died when I came upon her on that wooded path. You didn't even try to find her, nor did you come to her aid when she needed you most.

"If anyone is heartless in this garden, it is you, miko," he continued as his eyes began to tint with red. "You let your youngest sibling die alone at such a young age, then, when you arrive at this Sesshomaru's home, you take her most precious possessions and wear them without permission-"

"I won't wear them if you think I shouldn't!" Kagome yelled as she took a step closer and poked her finger into his silk-covered shoulder, her crystal blue eyes clouded in anger, "I will again remind you that I was indeed given permission by your servant!"

"Unless she had direct orders from me to do so then she will be punished for her transgression," Sesshomaru muttered, trying his best not to kill the annoying little miko where she stood. No one, especially a woman, had ever spoken to him like she was now. Most out of fear or loyalty, others because they just didn't want to deal with the consequences of such acts.

"Leave Suki out of this," Kagome's voice sounded like she were ready to kill. "She did nothing wrong!"

"You will not tell this Sesshomaru what to do in his own home."

"Fine then, I'll just leave!"

"Fine. Do as you wish."

"Fine," Kagome growled as she turned to go into the castle to get her things, "and do us all a favor and stop referring to yourself in the third person. You are not Buddah!"

She slammed the shoji behind her after that.

Souta's eyes were full of fear and awe throughout the entire verbal quarrel. He'd never seen anyone stand up to Sesshomaru like his sister was doing now. Most were killed if they even tried.

"Gods, I've never seen her so angry before," Souta spoke softly as he stood. He looked over and his eyes widened. Sesshomaru was pissed... beyond pissed. His nails had elognated and were peircing his palms in a futile attempt to calm himself. His eyes were red at the corners, and his brow was furrowed in fury.

"Lord Sessh-"

"That woman infuriates me," he growled as he turned and headed for the dojo. He had to use his pent-up aggression on something or he was going to end up killing the girl and using her spine and ribs as a coat rack..

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Kagome clenched her fist around her bow as the guards opened the gate for her. She just needed to take a long walk away from the castle for a while and she would be fine. She would return before nightfall and apologize when she'd calmed down.

I can't believe I told him off... He's probably going to kill someone because of me. She had already warned Suki to hide in the servants' quarters underneath the kitchens lest Sesshomaru take out his anger on her.

That man infuriates me! Kagome thought as she stalked off into the forest. She took out her aggression on a few trees as she walked past, sending her purifying powers to her hands and obliterating the helpless wood with a swift punch. By the time the sun began to set, she had walked through the forest to the point were she couldn't see the western castle anymore. She paused for a moment when she saw a stream, and went to go wash her face and get a drink. Her brow furrowed at her familiar surroundings and she looked up to see a small cave on the other side of the stream.

Her eyes widened, Inuyasha is there...

She stood up and waded through the icy water, her sister's kimono bunched around her upper thighs as she went. When she was at the other side, she ran close to the cave entrance and peeked inside.

A small fire was at the foot of the cave, a pile of furs in the back next to a few bowls and the large tub that she had used when she first came here. Inuyasha was sitting in the tub, his back to her as he continued to bathe. He sighed and lifted his hand up to his lips.

"Kagome..."

She thought she had been found out, and hid where she could still see him. After a few moments she realized that he had just called her name in memory, not in calling. She decided to wait for him to get out of the tub before she made her approach, and stayed hidden while using her powers to mask her scent and aura. He's thinking about me. She thought as she shook her head, What is he planning?

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Inuyasha sighed as he leaned back against the wooden tub. He'd come back to the place that they'd met in hopes that she would want to come and see him again. He uttered her name, a sweet taste in his mouth as he did so. What if she never comes back? He thought as he stared at his clawed hand. What if I misinterpreted why she ran? Was it from disgust, or was it really because she was thinking about my brother?

He chuckled darkly, thinking himself a fool. He wasn't even following his own plans. He wanted the girl more than he wanted his brother's death. Just one kiss... Just one kiss had deterred him from what he truly wanted. He sighed and lifted himself out of the water, unaware of the eyes that watched him as he did so. He put on his normal red clothing and sat with a piece of terrycloth, drying his hair to the best of his ability. He then noticed a slight tickle in his senses and turned to see Kagome standing in the cave entrance.

He smiled, "Kagome..."

"Kibakichi." She feigned a smile as she sat down next to him, "I'm sorry about the other day... I had a lot on my mind."

"Don't worry about it," he said as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure your brother was worried."

"Yeah..."

"Why did you come back?" he asked as he ran a hand through her thick hair, inconspicuously taking in her scent as he did so.

"I wanted to see you and apologize," she smiled.

"Is that all?"

She blushed at the memory of their kiss and stuttered, "W-well, I guess I-I want to get to know you."

He smiled, a triumphant smirk that didn't go unnoticed by Kagome. "Would you like some more of my stew?"

She giggled, "I've already had dinner, but I can't pass up one of my favorite meals."

"Yeah..." he said as he made his way towards the fire and scooped some of the food into a small bowl.

She's mine! He thought with a kind smile her way, Tough luck, Sesshomaru.

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Kagome left the cave a little bit after nightfall, her stomach full and her anger gone. Inuyasha had given her a soft peck on the cheek before she had gone, and Kagome couldn't help but smile. Talking to Inuyasha had made her feel slightly better... which is why she felt horrible for what she was about to do. She had him fooled into thinking that she was interested in a relationship, friendly or otherwise, and now it was time to tell Sesshomaru... How she was going to do that, she did not know.

She called for the guards to open the gate, getting a happy welcome from Mika as she did so, and entered the castle with an air of determination.

She remembered where Suki had said Sesshomaru's study was, and headed there hastfully. She entered the room, against the wishes of the servants, and stood in front of the large mahogony desk. Sesshomaru looked up at her and narrowed his eyes.

"I thought you were going home-"

"Just shut up and listen," Kagome growled, causing him to raise an elegant brow. Both had calmed down, and what she just said made him curious. "I know where Inuyasha is-"

Sesshomaru sat at attention at the mention of Inuyasha's whereabouts and continued to listen.

"-and I have a plan that can get him to come to you with no problems."

Sesshomaru stared at her in awe. She had gone to see his brother... and that was why she'd been so late the night before. That was why she was asking all of those questions!

"Is he the reason why you were crying that night in the woods?"

"Yes, but it wasn't because he did me harm," Kagome explained. "He told me his name was Kibakichi, and invited me in after he slew a handful of demons that had ambushed me. I know now that he had sent them for some reason, but I do not know why."

"Stop babbling, girl, and tell me of this... 'plan' that you have." He indicated a seat in front of the desk.

She took the seat, ignoring the fact that he had just told her what to do after she had clearly stated earlier in the day that she didn't like it.

"Alright. What I have planned is I go and visit him, get to know him, make him feel secure. Then, I will ask him on a walk one day. At this time, you will be able to do whatever you wish after his capture."

Sesshomaru thought of what she'd just said. The plan would work if Kagome could do her part.

"Are you sure you can do this?"

Kagome averted her gaze, looking down at the floor. She steeled herself, then looked up with determination.

"Yes," She nodded, "I can do this."

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A/N: Yay! Ninth Chapter is complete. I'm sorry if it isn't what you expected, but the Souta-Suki thing isn't going to happen... at least not for a while. This story is made not only for the lemony goodness in later chapters, but for the story line that comes with it. LoL! See you guys next chapter! Please review!