The morning came hotter than the night before, it seeped into the window and tried to bake me. With a groan I rolled away from the light, slowly reality dawned on me. I blinked back the sleep and stared at the stone wall, Sesshoumaru's castle. That's right, I was his slave, but last night, was I still his slave? What were we to each other? Last night, and actually after Kouga… those events had been so different from anything before, would it continue like this, and why? Why wouldn't he have actual sex with me for that much, was it cause I was human, perhaps he was trying to protect my virtue? I laughed, after all we've done there's no virtue left to save.
I sat up and rubbed my eyes, across the room there's was the sway of red, I focused to see Naomi straightening the room, cleaning up the discarded clothes. I smiled, perhaps I should view things like Naomi does, no one seeks to kill me like this, and Sesshoumaru is not a cruel lover, he offers me only pleasure, though sometimes a bit prolonged. Though even as I thought such things I could see InuYasha's face, this would be the fifth morning I'd spent in Sesshoumaru's castle, had he forgotten me? Was Kikyou with him now? Was she his new shard detector? As much as I hated the label I didn't want Kikyou to take it from me either.
"Oh, you're awake!" Naomi just now noticed me. I gave her the brightest smile I could, it wasn't so hard anymore, to be happy, in fact, it seemed to just come to me. Where had all my hatred for this place, for Sesshoumaru gone?
"Here," She all but threw a kimono at me; it was white with violet sakura blossoms drifting around the bottom of it and over one shoulder. "Get dressed, Lord Sesshoumaru wants you downstairs to meet guests." Since when was I a part of his personal life?
I didn't question her, she probably had orders to get me down there and I didn't want Sesshoumaru to punish her for not doing as she was told. I was dressed and Naomi was hollering at me to stop so she could brush my hair, but I just had to know who the guests were. This was the first time Sesshoumaru had graced me with real clothing, nothing skimpy or revealing, I was covered like a proper lady.
Naomi showed me downstairs, how she'd learned the place so quickly in only a day was beyond me but she never took a wrong turn and before long we stood in front of a closed door, a very grand door, not like the little paper doors used around the palace, this looked like a formal entrance for very important guests. Naomi stood on her tip toes and barely reached the dragon head knocker, but she managed and banged it three times, it was literally the next moment that the doors were swung open exposing a small foyer.
I was struck dumb, before the open doors stood InuYasha, Sango, Miroku, Shippo and even Kirara was perched on Sango's shoulder. Kirara seemed to be the only one at ease. InuYasha was screamed at the top of his lung, his sword drawn. Sango had her hand back to pull around that massive weapon of her's. Miroku's eyes could kill, one hand braced over the other, even Shippo seemed to be growling nonsense. None of them noticed me, but I noticed them and I noticed Sesshoumaru too, standing silently away from them, all their anger directed at him. I wanted to run to him, to protect him from them, but what kind of message would that tell? Why would I protect him anyway? He was my enemy… wasn't he?
I couldn't bring myself to think Sesshoumaru was my enemy, in fact as I stared at the group of people who were my friends, practically my family, it wasn't them that I feared for. I took a step into the room and I could see Rin clutching Sesshoumaru's pant leg. How strange that he would bring the child in here, I hadn't seen her for the whole four and a half days I'd been here. The only time I ever saw the child around was when Sesshoumaru had no intentions of fighting. I could have hugged him with that realization, kissed him if InuYasha wasn't staring daggers at him. Oh what would they think when they find out what went on here? Would they find out? Could InuYasha smell something like that? I blushed and bowed my head, slowly stepping into the room.
I counted, it was five steps before Sango's voice broke the tension "Kagome!" I'd barely raised my head when the woman was clutching me in her grasp, squeezing me for all her might. I hugged her back but I'm not sure the smile met my eyes.
"I'm alright, please, you're crushing me!" I groaned and Sango slowly released me. Miroku was next; it was one thing for Sango's hug to linger, but Miroku's… I wondered what Sesshoumaru's eyes were, but I didn't get a chance as Sango struck the lecherous monk. I chuckled and then my eyes met InuYasha's, I didn't know what the emotion in his eyes were, fear maybe? Affection even? Could it be? Love?
I looked away, too Sesshoumaru for answers I didn't have. Why would he look at me like this now? Of all times, why now! Why when I was no longer certain. InuYasha grabbed my forearms and I had to look back, could he see the fear that was eating away at me, the worry of what I knew and now realized? Would he react like Kouga and silently back away, leaving in his misery? Or would he do as I feared and violently attack anyone who he believed related to the situation. Oh, he would, and I knew he would, he was such a child, throwing tantrums when he didn't get away, but his brother was such a man, taking what he wanted and fighting for it if need be, though I suppose I'd never seen how he'd handle loss. How could I so cruelly compare the two when the younger looked at me with such affection?
The moment seemed to linger and then his hands moved behind my back, touching my shoulder blades. I couldn't relax, how long had I wanted this? His touch? His love? And now as he stood before me with all the love in his eyes I couldn't return it. What had happened in these few days that Sesshoumaru had completely confused me? He pulled me too him and I was grateful he didn't seek a kiss, Sesshoumaru would have, he wouldn't have chickened out at the audience, the thought almost made me giggle.
Just as it came it ended and InuYasha shoved me away with a snarl, "You stink of him," He didn't have to say who, he didn't even have to make the slight head gesture to his brother's direction. So he could smell it, would he leave me here? What would Sesshoumaru do with me if he did? I stood my ground though I felt weak and my knees were knocking.
"And what exactly did you expect, halfbreed?" All eyes moved to Sesshoumaru, his voice was cold and smooth, it wasn't the same voice that he'd used with just me. There were far too many sides to Sesshoumaru and I was ashamed it took this much to see that. "She's spent nearly five days in my castle, with my servants, bathing in my water, dining in my dining hall. Did you suppose she'd smell like you? Or perhaps the wild? I suppose the two are quite similar. You shouldn't be so sour InuYasha, isn't it pleasant to have a human who actually believes in cleanliness versus sulking in their own stench?" I couldn't believe my ears, he was defending me, and not telling what we'd done these past days, why though?
The look on her face made those daring words so worth it. The halfbreed wasn't a complete moron, he had smelt my scent on her, but perhaps he was still foolish enough to believe that delicious smell of sex wasn't from me, she did after all still have her virginity in tacked.
He did, his face contorting from raw anger to mild annoyance. I could have laughed at him, what a foolish pup, one day he'd figured out all I'd done to his precious priestess. No…. My priestess.
Still as entertaining as torturing the half breed was, there was something I wanted to do, though I'd intended to only take Kagome, perhaps the reminder of what's out there will keep InuYasha from committing suicide on a foolish battle. I had to usher Rin to go, Naomi took the child. Perhaps Naomi hadn't been such a loss after all; she'd taken to her servitude so well, willingly and obediently completing the most meager task to perfection.
I headed out, I'd already prepared everything before Kagome had awakened, and now they all stood around, I could feel their eyes on my back as I intentionally made a trail straight through the middle of the happy group, they parted for me like obedient subjects. I grinned as I reached the entrance and I could hear Kagome's soft footsteps pittering across the hard floor, running to catch up to me she caught my sleeve. InuYasha's reaction was priceless, the sharp intake of breath, the sudden spike in his aura and the alter in his smell from calm to raging angry. He was truly a child, with absolutely no control over his own emotions.
I turned to Kagome and her blue eyes stared at me with such passion I feared my façade would melt to nothing right there. What had this woman done to me?
"Lord Sesshoumaru… thank you…." Her eyes twisted into mischief, her lips slanted and I knew I'd corrupted her as much as she had me, "for everything," She whispered in that sultry voice, just for me. Did she realize the kind of reaction she'd get if her friends found out what I'd done to her. I stared at her hard, and I knew she knew, and she liked it, the danger of it excited her, I could smell it, being so close to her was intoxicating. I do hope InuYasha couldn't smell it, doubtful, but still an annoying thought if he could.
"Come…" Was all I gave them before I turned and left, as much as I wanted to pounce the priestess and dominate her body all over again, now was not the time.
They took a moment but as humans are, curiosity eventually won out and they followed me out of the palace. I was surprised when they'd lasted an hour without asking me where, even more so when another hour passed, but at the third hour I heard InuYasha groan and I knew it was coming.
"Oi, where the fuck we goin!" He hollered, did he have any idea how annoying his voice was? And why did he have to be so loud!
Still, I glanced back at him, glaring him into silence, "If you're too weak to keep up, you needn't follow, but let me assure you, you'll want to see this…." He shut up and so did his friends, the restlessness in the air seemed to fade and for that I was grateful.
Two more hours passed and Kagome came to me, that soft way that she did, the girl could make a wonderful assassin, with a little bit of training she could be perfect, never making a sound, it would be interesting to teach her. I looked down at her and her eyes had not changed, still soft, full of that honest affection, I couldn't figure out how she survived with her emotions on display, but the thought of hurting her made my bowls coil. I longed to touch her again but I managed to get away with barely grazing my hand against her's, I wonder if she even noticed the action, it seemed so nonchalant.
"Will it be much longer, Lord Sesshoumaru?" For some reason I didn't like her calling me that, I wanted her to purr my name to call me by that nickname she'd given me, but I'd never admit it and I hated that I wouldn't. Kagome was honest, pure, to everything in her life she was direct never hiding, and in my own way I seemed to be hiding. I wanted certain things but I wouldn't dare, why? Because I feared being weak? Would it make me weak to crave this little human girl?
I shook my head softly in answer to her question, just as I lead us into the shroud of the forest. The demon slayer's aura picked up her smell altered with the wave of nervousness, she suddenly knew where we were going, good, it meant she was a good slayer. Perhaps she would be interested in the reconstruction of the slayer's tribe.
The slayer may have known the danger I walked them into but she didn't speak, whether out of fear or stupidity I didn't know, but just as well either way. I could feel the demons lurking around us, but these demons were like nothing this band of misfits had ever seen and I could guarantee that. These demons believed themselves better than everyone, perhaps they were, so much so that when they were challenged they rarely killed their targets, they hoped they'd return stronger and better to seek revenge and give them a better challenged. These demons loved fighting and they loved to compete, their entire lives were based around bettering themselves. No, not like Naraku, few of them craved actual material power; they wanted to be physically the best. There was a theory that that was the nature of the original demons, that they craved not land or gold, but raw power.
I could smell her, a distance in front of us, showing off as usual, being that forsaken bitch I knew her to be. What a wretched creature. The trees themselves seemed to part for this demoness' power. Everyone could feel it, the raw blackness that radiated from the monster before them, but none of them dared speak, good, though they might be a bit surprised by the response they get from this bitch.
Before them lay a most curious demoness, that of which nightmares are told, her eyes were the color of blood and they reflected such violence. Her hair raven black with a hue to blue tangling itself all over her throne and around her muscled body. She was contorted in her odd position, leaning back over her throne of skulls. Her skin was creamy but it was marred several times, over her right breasts was a defined 'I,' in the middle of her stomach seemed to be a star shape, jagged with no real definition to tell what caused it. There were claw marks on either sides of her thighs, one guess what that was from, strange that any demon would create scars though, that would require quite a bit. Her ample chest was barely covered, there seemed to be bone claws that clutched her breasts, barely covering her nipples. Around her hips was a chain made of looped bones, it was hard to tell if it was the natural bone or carved into the shape to make the belt that held a black cloth over her woman parts. Leather boots came up to her thighs, the knees covered with bone knee pads that looked far too much like human skulls. Her right arm was heavily armored with more of the boning from various creatures, her left had only a small bracer, a strange set up, but I knew why. Under each of her red eyes was a single black stripe, matching black stripes were at her wrists, ankles, hips and one over each breast. If this was it she wouldn't be quite so intimidating, but she sat before us in her true form, from her back draconic wings rested, almost as big as she was, black and scaled. She had a matching tail that hung over the arm of her throne, the end of it seemed to have a blade on either side. From her forehead were two sets of horns, yes two, one curved and pointed up, the other set curled back around her elfish ears like ram's horns. From her shoulders and hips more spiked horns protruded, three at each shoulder, the armor on her left shoulder had cut outs to fit the strange horns protruding from her skin.
"Seyerna…." I whispered the devil's name and her eyes met mine, her lips raised into a smile to bare four sets of fangs, four on top and four on bottom they easily slid into each other.
"You've come to learn my story of Midoriko?" The demoness' voice was far too seductive, too soft and sexy, it didn't seem right, it never did.
I knew how she knew, but the curious horror on Kagome's face said she had no idea what I'd taken them too. She looked to me and her eyes begged to know why I'd lead them to their death, I knew I'd never do that to her.
"Do not fear, Seyerna is not your conventional demon, she is blind and deaf," Whatever else I'd planned to say was lost on deaf ears as all their attention turned to Seyerna as she laughed a most wicked laugh, showing us all those shark teeth of her's.
Her motion was too fast, and I was ashamed to admit it, before I'd even gotten a chance to react she was standing in front of Kagome her arm around her back, grazing her claws down my priestess' back. I swallowed, I'd lose if I confronted the demoness like this, I didn't want to admit it, but this was not the place to get into trivial fights. Most of these demons didn't care about humans, so I forced myself to relax, even as Seyerna leaned down so close I thought she'd kiss Kagome.
"I watched her die, you know…. I was there…. Sorry bitch…." Seyerna's voice was quiet but ever word seemed to be overly enunciated, it probably related to her being deaf.
"Why…? I mean… how?" Kagome whispered, she was definitely afraid, but she wouldn't back down, I couldn't be more proud of my priestess at that moment.
Seyerna tilted her head, funny that Kagome didn't ask how Seyerna knew what they wanted, of course Seyerna was always eager to explain, she liked how uncomfortable it made people, even I felt violated around this woman.
"Why, my little Priestess, I can hear your thoughts. Who needs to hear the words you speak, when you're practically giving yourself to me?" She cooed almost affectionately as those long black claws trailed over Kagome's forehead. How much more would Kagome take before she snapped at her, it wouldn't end well, even InuYasha knew well enough to be silent.
Luckily it seemed Seyerna was growing bored with the lack of response and she let Kagome go, backing up to sit at her throne again. "I didn't actually kill her, you know. Midoriko never liked me; of course I never liked her much. I was much younger when she was around, much more foolish, I don't know why I wasted my time teasing the priestess. She never could take a joke. One day it came, I knew it was just a matter of time before all those demons that escaped her would come back to finish her, and they did. I admit I was being a little childish, she'd hurt my ego days before when she'd actually beaten me in a fight, maybe I'd have saved her if she hadn't felt the need to rub it in my face." Curious that as she spoke of defeat there was no anger in her face, curious even more that a demon would admit to defeat, but then again I need remind myself these were not normal demons we were among. "I saw them come at her, saw them overwhelm her, I thought they'd take her, violate her and get rid of that precious innocence of her. I'd never prayed such a crime on a woman before, in fact I prevent it among many, but her, she all but ridiculed me for the crimes committed against me," Seyerna's hand moved to her thigh, the claw marks and I realized; why hadn't I put it together, the demoness had been raped. I wonder how long ago that had been if she carried the scars back in Midoriko's life time.
"They had no sexual interests in the priestess, they devoured her. I remember her voice screaming at me for help. I turned my back," Seyerna laughed wickedly as if thinking back on the occasion brought her joy. "Midoriko was the only priestess to ever learn how to rip a demons soul from them. I remember her screaming she'd take me to hell with her and then the pain. The bitch tried to rip my soul from me. Luckily it was too late, but let me tell you, having your soul torn is not a pleasant feeling, you've known no such pain until you've had your soul torn apart." Seyerna clenched her fists so tight her palms bleed from her claws and I was sure every demon could smell it, the power that those few drops of blood exposed her for. She may be hiding her power, but ripping open her skin showed how much was actually there.
"Would you like a piece of my soul, Priestess? Though it seems you already carry a piece," Seyerna tossed something to Kagoma, I couldn't make it out, just that the trail of dark power it left behind it made me cringe. Kagome caught it and flinched, holding it up to watch as the dark jewel fragments turned from pitch black, blacker than anything she'd ever seen before, to the pure white of her power.
"It's funny, ya know," All attention returned to Seyerna, "The theory is that the jewel can be dark or light because of Midoriko's soul and the demon's that devoured her constantly fighting, but that's not true. Those demons were pitiful, they used cowardly means to defeat her, attacking her after a draining battle when she couldn't fend them off." Seyerna's eyes grew dark, even I was curious what her true thoughts were about Midorkio, I'd always known the story of the demoness' soul being a part of the jewel, but I hadn't been certain how true it was. Now, standing before her and the jewel, I could feel her power inside the small crystal as well. How much power really existed in that small gem?