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He pulled her along the hallway, feeling the yank of her arm as she tripped onto the carpet. He abruptly turned to fetch her, picking her up and carrying her in the hold of his arm as he ran.
"Inuyasha-sama, how late are we?" She snapped in anger.
"A lot later than I thought!" He said through his teeth as he ran.
He suddenly backed up against a wall, seeing a crowd of people through his sliver of vision. He turned to look at her, "Ok listen, do not trip and fall. If you do I will make your night miserable when we get back to my room," He warned.
She laughed, "You're almost convincing."
"I'm serious, please Kagome," he took her hand and squeezed it, "You can't screw up tonight."
She smiled, "I wouldn't let myself disappoint you."
He nodded and gave a relieved smile. He reached out to touch her face, smoothing the back of his hand against her cheek, "I'm counting on you."
She gave a worried look, "Why me though? Wouldn't it just be easier to take a demon, they're more attractive anyway."
He shook his head, "I'll explain later why you're the only person I would dream of taking here tonight. But not until the night is over and done with."
She felt her heart flutter, and warmth spread through her veins. She felt unreasonably comfortable with him when she should feel nervous. Her world had changed in the month she had been here. Would mother really believe how far she had come from the slums of their ghetto? Here she was linking arms with one of the most powerful men on earth, ready to be chaperoned down those glamorous marble stairs.
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The couple linked arms, the girl no where near the beauty of the man, but still beautiful in her own right. The man looked amused, but not impressed. He wore the remnants of a smile, but had pressed it down to appear regal. His eyes were forced straight forward to avoid to image of the girl. She had on a small, embarrassed smile that gave an innocent glow to her face.
They were indeed not the most beautiful nor the most striking couple there that night. In fact, they probably weren't even the most original. But they were, in fact, the most gossiped.
The women had never seen the girl, and wondering in jealousy who she was. The men were eyeing her hungrily, seeing the essence of her aura as being virgin and untouched. One man's hungry eyes yearned after her like a vulture yarning after the smell of rotting flesh. His name was Naraku, a terribly defiled demon who worked very closely with the Inu no Taisho. Some saw him as twisted, other saw him as powerful, but most saw him as evil.
And all were true.
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Once they reached the bottom of the stairs, the couple of the night came down. Inuyasha paid no mind to them, and dragged Kagome along as he went over towards Sesshomaru. Kagome tried to sneak a glance at the famed Inu no Taisho, but her head was yanked away before her eyes could adjust.
"Sesshomaru, do you have the stuff?" Inuyasha asked.
Sesshomaru glared, "Of course not. Kikyo hasn't been able to bargain with the humans."
"Who?" he asked.
Sesshomaru rolled his eyes, "The woman who's getting Rin's papers."
Inuyasha bit his bottom lip, "Right."
He walked away, retreating to the corner of the room. Kagome followed, confused by his actions. Suddenly he turned around, kindness in his eyes, "You did great."
She shook her head, "What was that all about?"
He gave a quiet growl, "Just…Sesshomaru needed my help with something. But I can't help him until he gets some papers. It's no big deal, seriously."
He tried to give her a big smile, but it came out weak and underpowered. She pouted out her bottom lip, almost angry with him. He was hiding something from her; there was no doubt in her mind
"Kagome, stay here, I have to go get something." He said as he put his hands on her shoulders supportively. She nodded absentmindedly, and watched as he ran through a crown of bird demons. She groaned as she manuvered through a group of demon oni. She wanted to fall to the floor in disgust. What was up with him today?
She sighed as she walked over to a table with a bunch of food. She had no appetite, though, and just leaned angrily against it. She crossed her arms, scowling like a child.
"Why would such a lovely young bloom like you be in so terrible a mood," A man said as he gave a small bow to her. She could tell by his appearance that he was a demon, but it made no sense that he was flattering her.
"No reason, just a little perturbed," She answered, not looking him in the eye, she was afraid he would do some weird youkai thing and suck her soul out.
"Would it happen to be caused by the young Inuyasha?" He asked, making her snap to look at his face with an angry look.
"Of course not," She said with sarcasm dripping in her voice, "Inuyasha-sama is a wonderful master, how could I ever be angered by him."
"So you are his slave," he said with a smile, "Where is your kimono?"
She raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"
He took her arm, as if saying to follow. She wanted to hear more, so she agreed to his gesture. She couldn't help but notice how cold and clammy his hands were. Strange, she thought all demons were supposed to be perfect.
"Well, it is a general rule that slaves where kimono at celebrations like this," He pointed his hand to women serving drinks, all of them in kimono. Kagome got a bit scared when she saw that the obi's were tied in the front and not the back. She also began to notice his tightening grip on her arm.
"Where are my manners? I am Naraku, the Inu no Taisho's main advisor," He said with a disturbing smile.
"I'm Kagome, Inuyasha-sama's…personal corresp-"
"Wonderful! So you have no quarrel about chaperoning me to the toilet," he said like she was some kind of geisha.
"Um, sure," She said nervously.
What she didn't know about the bathroom was that it was backed away from the room down a narrow hallway. He pushed her through a little wooden door that cut the hallway off from the ballroom. When she realized what his intentions were all along, she mentally slapped herself for being so ridiculously naïve. She felt her heart begin to drop as she thinned the distance between her and the bathroom door. She could feel the heat coming off his body from behind her, and felt her body stiffen from conscious fear. She opened the door for him.
"Here you go, Naraku-sama," She gave a fearful,l nervous smile.
"Dearest Kagome, I need you to come in with me," He said, giving no real reason for her to be needed. But non-the-less she had to obey him.
The door shut quietly, but it echoed throughout the empty room. She found it to be no surprise when Naraku wrapped his fingers around her shoulders. Perhaps he was trying to tempt her, but it only sickened her. She could feel his breath on her neck as his lips came closer and closer. She tensed her body, and bit her bottom lip in disdain as she felt his cool lips touch her skin.
"You're a quiet girl, aren't you," He snickered.
She could feel his lips moving against her shoulder, and felt a prick of pain as his fang grazed her delicate skin.
"Sorry, I'm so used to demon women. A human is like cutting through butter, I'll have to be very careful."
It didn't bring her any comfort, especially as his hands reached up to the top of her dress. Her heart quickened at the fear that he would rip it down, but instead he just trailed down the sides. She could feel his need emitting from his aura, just as Inuyasha had described.
He rubbed her arms, going slowly up and down with his clammy hands.
She forced herself not to cry, she made herself be brave. The situation seemed dim, and she cursed Inuyasha in her mind for leaving her alone. She blinked back tears as Naraku continued in his molestation of her body.
"I can smell it in your aura; you're a virgin, aren't you? Don't worry, I'll take good care of you," He hissed in her ear.
She whimpered in fear as his finger slipped under her top to begin peeling away her dress.
But the door flew open, sending a startling shock through the room.
"Get the fuck off of her Naraku," his voice said.
She felt strong hands pull her into a familiar chest, looking up to see Inuyasha's face press in anger. His arm enveloped her protectively as he growled like the inu hanyou he was.
Naraku straightened his tie, as if trying to regain composure, "She would have been a wonderful addition to my list of women."
"Don't you ever come near her again, she's mine. Got it!"
He glared at him, "So possessive over a simple human, perhaps there is more to your relationship than just-"
"Don't even say it, just get the hell out of my sight," He said as he thusted his hand to open the door for him.
He directed a glare at her, a glare that messaged 'I'll be back for you'.
It chilled her to the core.
She heard the door swing to a close, and buried her face in Inuyasha's jacket.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't understand his intentions until it was too late," She cried.
She felt his hand smooth her back, "Its alright, I got here in time, right?"
She nodded weakly, not being able to manage a complete answer.
"I'm sorry I left you. I should have been much more careful. It's just that I never actually thought anyone would dare take you after your entrance, or even this soon after your arrival. Its not a demon's way," He explained.
"It doesn't matter," She mumbled.
His face became stern, "Of course it matters! You're very important to me. In fact you're probably my most precious possession."
The sentence hung in her mind like sheets drying in the wind. The thought occurred that she could never be anything more that a possession to him. She gently pushed herself away, "Of course I am."
She took in a deep breath, trying to calm the emotions running hog wild in her stomach. She sighed, finding it to be of no help, "Let's go back to the party, ok?"
"Kagome, I-"
"Please, don't say it. I know you're sorry. Everything fine now."
She gave a smile, but nothing like her normal ones. It was frail and brittle, making her face looks delicate enough to break with a single touch. He reluctantly followed her out of the bathroom, and back into the crowd of the ballroom.
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Miroku eyed him slyly as he returned, elbowing him as he neared, "What were you doing in the bathroom with Kagome?"
He brushed away his cousin's arm, "Nothing, absolutely nothing."
Miroku tipped his glass of wine toward Inuyasha, "I wouldn't blame you. She is quite extraordinarily beautiful tonight."
He grumbled something incoherent, and Miroku sighed.
"The man…is in love," he toasted, and then downed his drink.
Inuyasha punched his arm, getting an 'ow' from Miroku. Not exactly torture, but effective none-the-less.
Inuyasha leaned against the wall, watching as Kagome talked to another human slave….
Exactly, she was a slave. Not anything more, just another dirty, grubby, fucking slave. Who cares about her corky sense of humor, or her innocent persona, or her fiery temper?
She was so damn stubborn! Always butting heads with him over something stupid, like clothes or who got to use the bathroom first. She liked to keep clean, something he found infuriating sometimes. She would get up early, and beat him to the bathroom, then use up the last of the shampoo. So then he would…
"Looks like someone's in deep thought about something…or someone…" Miroku wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
"Oh shut up," he snapped. He held up a fist as warning.
There was an awkward silence between them until Miroku started popping his fingers. Then he stretched his back, which popped too. Then he turned his neck…
"Stop it!" Inuyasha barked as Miroku went to pop his nose. As if…
"Oh Inuyasha. You're so on edge lately. Maybe if you actually used your concubine, you-"
He was cut short from a punch to the head by Inuyasha's right fist, "You're an asshole."
After a moment of being dazed, he came back with, "But I'm the right asshole."
He snorted, "And I'm the left."
He took a moment to contemplate what Inuyasha had just said. After a moment he went, "Uh-huh…"
Inuyasha rolled his eyes in pity.
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Kagome was chatting with Sango, who was on relief from kitchen duty to serve drinks to the demons. She was wearing a simple kimono of pink sakura blossoms with green vines tangling their way down the hem. Her obi was tied to the front, a sign of prostitution in the older days, but now it merely meant she was a slave. It also said that she was there to relieve any needs of the demons…any needs. So in a way, it was like hanging a toad in a jar of hungry snakes, only to have other frogs around to hopefully distract the other snakes away from you.
"Sango-chan, do men usually touch slaves who are not wearing kimono," She asked curiously.
She looked at her funny, "Certainly. Especially you. No offense or anything, but you are technically a concubine. Your job is usually to pleasure men. The fact that you've lasted as a virgin so long in this household is rather remarkable."
She blushed, "Is it that obvious?"
Sango nodded, "Your posture, and your aura are too innocent."
"You're good at body language," Kagome commented.
Sango smiled, "Thank you, it's necessary to know when you're making treaties and truces. You have to know when someone's lying."
"So you know I never lie when I talk about your beautiful body," A voice said from behind Sango.
Her face grew angry, "Get your hands off me you pervert!"
She released one hand from her tray of drinks, and slapped him across the cheek, leaving a streak of angry red. Kagome gasped, but felt the normalcy between the action as Miroku smiled and went, "You slaps of pain will never break my love for you."
"Oh can it," She hissed.
Inuyasha suddenly popped up out of no where, shaking his head, "Miroku, keep it in your pants."
Kagome felt a hand gently nudge her wrist towards the left. She watched as Inuyasha exited through a door in that direction, and she wondered what he wanted.
She watched as Sango and Miroku argued, and decided it best to just slip away. She whisked herself away to follow Inuyasha-sama, hoping this wasn't gonna just be a big waste of time.
He was waiting for her by the door that lead out to the gardens. She looked up at him, confusion written in her eyes.
He spoke first, "I really need to talk with you."
She nodded, "Sure, what is it?"
He opened the doors, revealing the spectacle of beauty that was the midnight gardens. She watched the fountain shimmer beneath the moon's reflected light. The whole garden sparkled with spray from the fountain, leaving tiny diamonds on every petal and leaf. She took in a gasp of air, shock a bit by its surreal beauty.
He went on as if not noticing the garden's beauty, "I just…I don't know how to redeem myself from what I said before."
She looked up, "What do you mean?"
He took her arm, and began walking through the gardens, "I never meant to call you a possession."
"But that's what I am," She said as if the comment before hadn't bothered her.
"No, you're not. You're so much more than that," He said before they turned the corner to the fish ponds. The water had turned still, and reflected the night sky like a glistening sliver mirror.
"But I'm not. I'm just a slave. Nothing more, nothing less," She said as she knelt to look into the fish pond, watching orange and white koi swim around in the silver waters.
"But that's so far from the truth. I know it's wrong to feel like you're more than just my slave, but I can't help it. You've become so close to me, I can only hope you feel the same way."
She looked up at him, her eyes filled with surprise, "Inuyasha-sama…"
"I know it's wrong to feel but I-"
"It's not wrong…it can't be wrong to feel…" She stuttered. She felt like she was betraying someone by speaking the truth. But what could she do? She loved him after all.
They came upon a bench, and Inuyasha offered her a seat. She gracefully dropped onto the cold cement, feeling his warm hands envelop hers at they sat. She looked down to hide her embarrassed blush from their closeness. She felt one of his hands leave the cocoon his hand had around her, and reach up to her face. He followed the line along her collar bone, and up to behind her ear. Her heart quickened, but her face leaned into his touch.
"It's not wrong, is it," He admitted, "If it is, then I must be a twisted bastard for how I feel," He said as his hand trailed down to her neck.
She gulped, and felt his fingers follow down her tiny Adam's apple. His fingers left trails of heat along her throat, burning sensations down her spine.
"You're not a twisted bastard," She said quietly as she closed her eyes.
He chuckled, "That remains to be seen."
She protested, "But you're not. You're brave and strong, handsome even. You're stubborn and seductive, and you can be a bit of an airhead, but you're not a bastard."
His lips turned into a breath-taking smile, "So…I'm seductive," He said, liking the sound of it.
She smirked, "You know you are."
He laughed, "That I do."
The feeling around them was complete comfort in one another, like their bodies could melt together as one and be perfectly content. The girl leaned innocently against his hand, and his felt his head drop down to lean against her shoulder. They remained like that for a moment, before he raised his head. He stared into her pools of fiery brown, watching as a thousand different emotions played through them. Some he could identify, and some he couldn't. Either way, he knew what was going on in her head. She was confused, plain and simple as that.
"Inuyasha-sama, I don't know what to do about you," She joked.
A crazy thought drifted in his head, and he decided to verbalize it, "Seduce me."
Her eyes lost all the friendliness they had held a moment before, "What?"
His lips tightened into a smirk, "You heard me."
Her eyebrows kneaded together in worry as his hand snaked up her neck and into her hair, tangling itself in her raven locks. Her heart pounded against her rib cage, and she froze in place.
His eyes softened, "Don't worry; I would never actually expect you to seduce someone. You might be pretty, but you're far too innocent to have such dirty thoughts swimming around in your mind."
She felt her body being pushed closer to his by some invisible force, "I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or insult."
"Feh, I called you pretty, didn't I?" he gave as if it were the best possible compliment ever.
She giggled, "I bet you're using the word in the loosest sense possible. How could a human ever be…even plain in a demon's eyes. As long as a demon has a human form, they're breathtakingly gorgeous. I'll admit the ogres and oni aren't always so attractive, but demons like you and your brother are way more attractive than any human I've ever seen."
He shook his head, his eyes more serious than before, "I beg to differ. I've never met a demon who even compares to you right now."
Her heart stopped, and her lips parted slightly in surprise. His hand ran down her neck, but she caught it before it got down to her shoulder, "Inuyasha-sama…do you really mean that."
"Of course I do, have I ever done anything but speak the truth?" He asked as if he was some kind of Buddha.
She opened her lips to speak, but was cut short by a drop of rain falling from the sky. She looked up to see charcoal colored clouds flying above her head. She suddenly realized there was wind tangling through her hair, and watched as the trees began to blow to one side.
"Inuyasha-sama, I think it's going to-"
He grabbed her arm, and pulled her up out of her seat, "Come one, it's going to start pouring any minute."
He couldn't help but think to himself as they hurried back. He should have known the rain was coming; any idiot would be able to smell it in the air. It was pasted on each individual molecule of the air, screaming out at him. But he had been so completely involved with Kagome, that he hadn't even noticed the scent screaming at him. It was hard for him to comprehend what had just taken place in his world both inside and out. His body felt heavy and hollow, but his heart was light with joy. It was a strange combination, kind of like having a weight tied to you in the swimming pool and sinking even though your lungs are full of air.
The titles echoed under their feet, clicking and clacking at they jogged back to the mansion. He could hear her pants of breath as she struggled with her damn heels. He growled inwardly, but restrained himself from anger. There was nothing he could do about the heels 'hurting' Kagome, and it was stupid for him to feel bad about it.
It started raining a few seconds before they actually got inside, so luckily, they didn't get very wet. It took a few shakes of the skirt, and a few flips of the hair for Kagome to get dry. Inuyasha just dusted off his jacket, and gave it a good shake before deeming himself presentable.
She looked over at him with eyes so filled with emotion that he was surprised they weren't bursting out with tears. He smiled a thin, but real smile as he walked over to her. She tilted her head and smiled back, her black ribbons trailing with her hair.
"INUYASHA!" A deep voice cried out, echoing into the hall. His smile dropped down to the floor.
"Oh shit…" he whispered as he ran into the great ballroom.
Kagome ran after him as best she could, but was handicapped by the heels once more. She watched him as he ran off into the distance, noticing a tube of black shimmer against his clothes. Was that a sheath?
Inuyasha crashed through the doors, creating quite an entrance to his father's cries. He ran towards his father's scent, being able to pick it out instantly from the others in the crowd. Once he did find his father, Inuyasha reared back like a puppy from a newspaper.
"Inuyasha, where were you? You were supposed to open your gifts from the guests. What the hell were you doing?" he managed through the barks and growls.
He avoided eye contact, and glared in another direction, "I was out in the gardens. It's suffocating in here."
His father looked at him funny, and then his face became a concentration of pure rage, "Where is your hair!"
Inuyasha rolled his eyes nonchalant, "I was sick of using all that shampoo, so I cut it off."
His father reached out and slapped him across the face, sending Inuyasha flying back into a wall, "That hair was a family tradition, a trait passed down for generations. And you just cut it fucking off?"
Inuyasha wiped a bit of blood that had leaked from his cheek from where his father's claws had grazed him, "Yea, I did."
Kagome came in during the middle of this, and ran to Inuyasha after he had gotten smacked across the room. She knelt beside him, a worried look plaster on her face. She couldn't help but notice that Inuyasha had on a smirk, and she wondered what in the world was going on. Was this planned?
His father looked at Kagome, realizing that she was the concubine he had bought, "Where is her kimono?"
Inuyasha laughed, "I made her wear a dress. I found it more suitable."
His father growled, "Damn it Inuyasha, all whores are supposed to wear kimono. It's not polite to your guests to hog one all to yourself."
Kagome got angry at being called a whore, but paid it no mind once Inuyasha put a hand on her shoulder.
He whispered, "Don't worry, that isn't my father."
She gave him a perturbed look, but let him do what ever it was he was doing. If in fact…he was doing anything at all.
Suddenly his hand went to his belt, and he whipped a sword out of a sheath. Her eyes widened as it grew from a small little stick to a huge demon sword with a white felt coming off the handle. Inuyasha positioned the sword between him and his supposed father, baring his fangs from canine instinct.
His father smirked, "So you've figured it out."
Inuyasha snarled, "Hah, I've known for a while now. I was just waiting for the right time to test my theory."
The Inu no Taisho's body suddenly began to snap as bones were rearranged. His hair became a greasy black and his eyes narrowed. Veins popped out of his forehead as he shape-shifted into the demon Naraku, only it wasn't the Naraku from before. This was a different Naraku, almost…more realistic than before. Tentacles popped out of his deformed body, and his arms thinned and lengthened, reaching out like claws to sever his neck.
Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's waist, and jumped up into the air, flying high above the crowd. Some demons already had out weapons, and were already beginning the join in on the fight. They landed on a balcony a story above where Naraku was. Inuyasha balanced on the beams while he set Kagome down on the floor. She jolted back the second her feet touched the floor, clinging to his jacket in fear.
"What's going on?" She screamed at him.
He jumped down, and removed his jacket, handing it to her, "Naraku is a shape-shifter, and he can take whatever form he desires. He's been posing as my father for a while, and when he's not posing he possesses his body. Right now my real father is somewhere in China."
"Then who was that who took me into the bathroom?" She asked as if she didn't have proof enough about the whole situation.
"It was a demon puppet. It's like a voo-doo doll that he controls. It looks like him, smells like him, and even acts like him," he looked down to where the crowd was being mutilated, "I have to go, they need me."
She nodded, and watched as he leaped off the balcony, and down to the floor. Her heart reached out to her, trying to convey that she needed to be beside him. She shook her head, afraid of what the outcome of this batter would end up being, not just for herself, but for the man she loved.
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He loved the heat of battle. He loved the biting sting of pain as his hands gripped his sword, and cascaded it down upon and enemy. He loved the rushing winds through his hair as he evaded each blow. Somehow, through all his enjoyment, he found he was able to forget the pain of battle wounds. Adrenaline rushed through his system, creating a focus in his mind. He scanned his surroundings, wondering where to strike first.
His fangs bit down on his lip and he swung the sword into the flesh of the demon, plunging in through bones. A dozen sweeping tentacles came zipping towards him, but he jumped straight up into the air, and watched as they became tangled as they crashed into one another.
He raised his sword, feeing the power surge through his fingertips, "Wind Scar!"
A blaze of lightning and wind cut through the demon, putting a gaping hole right in his abdomen. He looked up to Naraku, whose eyes were strained from glaring at him. He smiled, not giving one bit of remorse to the bastard. He heard the cries of the other demons around him, some fighting against Naraku, some fighting for Naraku, and other running away. Apparently, Naraku had support from some demons, demons who wanted humans annihilated.
He knew some demons were fighting just for the heat of battle; he wasn't the only person here who loved a good spar. Of course, this was more than just a spar, it was a true battle. Whether or not they chose to view it as one was entirely of their own accord.
He eyed Sesshomaru across the field, whipping a rope of energy at several of Naraku's junkies. He watched as Sesshomaru reached to his own waist, and removed another sword, the Toukijin.
Suddenly Inuyasha felt a burst of air, and looked up to see Kagura flying on a feather above his head. She was sending blue crescent energy disks towards Naraku's torso, which was currently out of reach about 20 feet into the air.
Inuyasha jumped up straight into the air, and readied the Tetsusaiga to crash through Naraku's head. But a tentacle shot over at him, knocking him out of the way and into a nearby wall. His spine snapped unnaturally, and debris crumbled all around him, getting plaster in his hair, on his tux, and in his ears. He felt a flash of humiliation, and then jolted back into battle.
"Wind Scar!" He yelled.
The blaze of energy cut through the air, burning the tentacles that tried to stop it. He watched as Naraku winced in pain, and growled at him.
"This isn't over yet, boy," He hissed as a cloud of miasma concealed him and his minions. In a flash, they were gone, leaving no scent trail to follow them, with no way to hunt them down.
Inuyasha snarled, and untransformed the Tetsusaiga. He slipped it back in its sheath, feeling the hilt bounce up a few miniscule times before resting. He looked over through the fog to meet Sesshomaru's gaze. His face was set in anger.
The plan had failed…
"Shit…" He snapped out at no one.
He ran out to the middle of the room, and then jumped up to the balcony where he left Kagome.
"What the hell was that?" She screamed at him the second he landed.
He raised an eyebrow, "Why are you so angry."
Her face dropped, "Why am I angry? First off you used me to get back at your "father," She used quotations to emphasis her sarcasm, "Then you harass him for some reason I don't understand. Then he…morphs into a molester, who than morphs into a pile of tentacles. Then everyone fights like its freakin' planned. Then a cloud of smoke appears and they escape like it's a freakin' magic show!"
He sighed, "Jeez, you're so fucking perceptive."
She glared at him, "What the hell is going on here?"
He shrugged his shoulders, "What's there to tell."
"A lot!"
He sighed, "I really shouldn't tell you. You might jeopardize the entire gig."
"How do you know? I might actually help you."
He blew a raspberry through his lips, "It all started a few months back, before you came into the household. I was chilling with some demon girls in my room, having a grand ol' time. Suddenly I heard screams coming from Sesshomaru's room. I paid it no mind, since I've heard girls screaming in his room since I was still a kid. But the chicks in my room got worried, so I went over to check out what was going on…"
"Sesshomaru was hurting a little girl?" Kagome guessed.
"No, in fact, he's never even touched a little girl, sexually," He added, "Sesshomaru launders slave women and children."
"What do you mean?" She asked in confusion.
"He works in connection with some chick named Kikyo. What they basically do is find children who can be easily bought or accessed and find them freedom. Sesshomaru holds them while they search for a family or a safe house for them to be hidden away in. If one can't be found, then Sesshomaru sends them away to a safe house he's built some where in the Philippines."
"But that doesn't explain the whole Naraku situation," She mentioned.
"Well…Naraku has been controlling my father for a long while. Somehow he got my father when he had his guard down, and seeped into his mind. Little by little he gained control, and has been using my father like a puppet for months or even years. I don't really see my father too often, so I really don't know him well enough to say how long he's been under control. In any event, Sesshomaru figured out that something was wrong with dad during a banquet a couple months back, around the time when I discovered his slave trafficking deal. We've been waiting for the right opportunity to unveil him for months now."
"Wait, why did you need me to go with you then?" She wondered aloud.
"To make a statement and to taunt Naraku…I never dreamed he would actually have the nerve to touch you, and for that I am sorry. But to wave something so beautiful and feeble in front of him, and telling him it's off limits…well it struck a hard spot for him. That's why he blew up and lost his control long enough for me to expose him."
She nodded, as if she understood…
"But wait; are the slave trade and the Naraku thing actually connected?"
"Um, hello. Naraku wants to annihilate the human race, Sesshomaru wants to save it. Naraku's the one who's been trying to destroy the humans, not my father."
"But the wars started 15 years ago, and you father was still reigning then."
He shook his head, "Like I said…who knows how long Naraku has had an influence over my father. In any event, my father probably did it of his own accord. You humans were getting too big for your britches, and you needed to learn your place, according to him."
"Oh…"
She backed up against a wall, and slid down, feeling the relief of the floor on her feet. She hated standing in heels.
He crept off the balcony, and sat next to her. They sat silent for a while, both taking in the evening's events. The silence was almost serene, except for the voices rising up from below. They both ignored it, deciding to leave the hubbub to Sesshomaru. She felt his arm slip gently around her shoulders, and pull her closer to him. She snuggled closer to him, breathing in his scent as she neared.
No longer could the dangers be counted on one hand, not now after a frightful unveiling had occurred. Now, more than ever, Kagome was in constant danger. The mansion would become a battle ground, and soon it will crumble to the ground like every other fortress that had been erected to protect the innocent.
He held her close, to savor what little peace they could find as they hid away on the balcony. He wanted to convey his emotions for her, to get what ever it was between them out in the open. But he was so tired, and the night had turned long. He felt his mind slip away into a dreamland, drifting away on quiet lullabies sung by the wind.
She halved her eyes, feeling his tender breathing in a steady rhythm. She leaned her head against his, looking up to the glittering chandelier in the middle of the ceiling. It was a mass of tiny sparks, all formed together to create a great flame that burned away the scent of anger in the air. She reached a hand up to his ears, and began gently stroking a soft area behind his left ears absentmindedly.
She never noticed his eyes reopen, and glance up at her. It brought a smile to his lips to see her like she was. She was no longer the slave Kagome, or even the free Kagome; she was simply a girl mesmerized by the glittering glass gems of a chandelier. He would have laughed, but he didn't want to give himself away. He liked to stare at her when she didn't know it, because she didn't blush then. Not that he didn't enjoy her blushes…it was just nice to be able to look at her face clearly, without the pink or red covering up her lovely pale skin.
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There ya go. One…long…chapter…
Lol I just got some sunglasses at target the other day, and I think I have had them on my head constantly since I got them. I think they're my weird version of a muse, or at least they work at keeping the hair out of my face.
The people who voted me president of the united states of Africa (which is non existent, but I still accept the title):
Dark Hope Demon Priestess (if it's wrong you can have my title)
Lover's Angel
My Wings Are My Soul
MeiunTenshi
Jess
TrueBelle
Mara-the-Cat
Inuluvher151
Pinkpanterdmcf
Mikkey Hodge
Kittypaws182
Iota vixen
Enchantedmoon89
Sailor-saturn550
Ayjah
Inuyasha'sbabygurl
Tigerlily1022
Patche
Shahid Kappor no.1fangirl
Star Sapphirex
O-mega Lead
Animefreek4ever
XxXKimoko SakakiXxX
InuGoddess715
Autumnthereviewer
Kylexi
Whew! Long list of people. Thanks everyone fore reviewing.
I decided to make the chapter just one big chapter because I hate cliffhangers…plain and simple.
Toodles.