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Rin could hardly breathe when she made it back to the porch. Her lungs hurt as she gasped in air while resting against the post for a few seconds. She wiped the sweat off her forehead and tried to collect herself before going in.

Unable to resist, she looked back to see if Kohaku was following her. Kohaku was within seeing distance, but didn't come any closer. She made a waving motion signaling him to leave, but he just stood there. If she could see him, Sesshomaru would have no trouble seeing him.

The sound of a few barks made her freeze in place; she knew he had to be up. Without delay she motioned faster to Kohaku and he finally got the hint and took off. By the time Sesshomaru's dog form came to the porch Kohaku was long gone and Rin had gotten a hold of her breathing.

He quickly transformed back to his human form as he approached her.

"Rin, what are you doing out here?" he asked. Rin gave him a big smile and looked out.

"Isn't it beautiful?" she asked but his eyes only narrowed in suspicion. His nostrils moved slightly as he sniffed the air and she involuntarily flinched. She had forgotten about his sense of smell being so good, he'd smell Kohaku's scent for sure. But he didn't say a word, just turned around and walked back into the house. Rin turned her head to the side in puzzlement; his senses had to have smelled Kohaku. She figured he had to be messing with her.

"Sesshomaru!" she called after him, the demon had disappeared somewhere in the house. It wasn't that big of a house but as Rin checked each room it felt much larger all of the sudden. Finally she spotted him in dog form in her room. He was sniffing around the bed side and the floor.

"What are you doing Sesshomaru?" she asked walking over to his side, and couldn't help it as she rested her hand on his back and gently stroked his fur. He turned his white head over to stare up at her, but didn't change back. He turned back to the floor and sniffed around some more.

"Is there something there?" Rin asked and moved to kneel down on the floor but Sesshomaru growled and his fur stood up on end. Moments later a figure appeared in the room, and landed on her bed. Rin gave out a shriek of surprise and took a few steps back.

The figure turned out to be a young girl. She had on a pink dress that reached her knees and blonde hair that was pulled back in a long braid. She looked down at Sesshomaru's dog form before turning to Rin. She had the biggest blue eyes she had ever seen and Rin let her mouth drop open at the beauty of the little girl. She smiled sweetly at her and cutely jumped off the bed and onto her feet.

"Hello Lord Sesshomaru," she said and curtsied for him, "it's been a while,"

Sesshomaru turned back to his human form but didn't say anything in return. It was the girl's turn to let her mouth drop open in awe.

"I've forgotten how beautiful you are my lord," she said but closed her mouth and gave him a smile.

"What have you come here for?" Sesshomaru asked and didn't return her smile. Rin wondered why he didn't return her kindness, Rin couldn't help but smile at her when she turned those dimples her way.

"My Sesshomaru," she cooed but cleared her throat when Sesshomaru's expression turned dark, "I mean Lord Sesshomaru. I've been sent to invite you to the Demon's Ball," she stated and bowed her head presenting him with a cream colored envelope.

"Why would the demon house invite me to that? I've been exiled from them," Sesshomaru said seeming mildly curious.

"Alaster said that you are still a powerful figure there, and he still wishes for you to become one of the elders. He also told me to tell you that you could bring your human," when she said human she gave Rin a quick glance.

Rin wondered what the Demon's Ball was all about. Sesshomaru had said that the demons were always in hiding, so where would they go to party? She had a quick thought of Sesshomaru dancing around and had to keep in her laughter. She didn't do too well because a snort escaped and the two others turned to look at her.

"I'm sorry," she said and held her sides while getting a hold of herself. Sesshomaru raised a brow at her and the little girl turned her head to the side in puzzlement.

"Will you go?" the little girl asked returning to business.

"Tell Alaster that I'll go, and Rin will accompany me. But she is under my protection if someone tries to harm her I won't hesitate to kill them," Sesshomaru warned and Rin felt oddly charmed by it. The little girl gave him a smile before turning it towards Rin.

"I'm so excited!" she squealed and pulled Rin into a hug. Rin let out a laugh before returning the hug. She was just too cute to ignore. Sesshomaru emitted a low growl from his throat and the girl let Rin go immediately but kept her smile.

"I'll see you in a few days," she waved goodbye to them before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"Why were you so cold with her? I could hardly control my emotions around her," Rin said.

"Exactly," Sesshomaru said and Rin raised her eyebrows.

"What do you mean 'exactly'?" she asked.

"That's her power, she can charm just about anyone. It may not seem like it but she's a demon. She's known for charming humans and then eating them. She's done it a couple of times with demons too," Sesshomaru explained and Rin's face went white. She had no idea the little girl could harm anything. She had looked so innocent and sweet.

A small smirk played across Sesshomaru's lips for a moment before he spoke, "Don't worry you seemed to make a good impression, she didn't look like she was going to eat you,"

"Oh wonderful she doesn't want to eat me," Rin answered sarcastically.

"She can be a bit overwhelming, that's why I made sure she didn't smother you," Sesshomaru stated.

"How old is she? She looks to be around thirteen," Rin said.

"She's close to three hundred; she's been preying on many humans over the centuries. That's why she isn't part of the demon house, she's too dangerous," Sesshomaru answered.

Rin pondered that for a moment. So how did she get the invitation from the Demon house and bring it to them? Obviously she wouldn't know about it since she wasn't part of the house.

"She likes to be part of anything big. She's known about the Demon's Ball because she used to be part of the House. When she started preying on humans she was exiled, but makes sure to come to the Ball every year. Sort of her practical joke to the house," Sesshomaru explained, probably seeing the confused look on her face.

"Oh, like to show off that she can do whatever she wants and demons remain a secret?" Rin asked and Sesshomaru nodded.

"Wait a minute," Rin gasped in surprise, "she said she'd see us in a couple of days right? I don't have anything to wear!"

"We'll go back to your place and you can pick something out, I'll keep in secret and make sure to tell no one where you're going or where you've been," Sesshomaru advised and went to pick up Rin but she placed a hand on his chest stopping him.

"Why the sudden change of heart? You've kept me here for a good four months," Rin said.

"I understood where you were coming from when you tied me to your bed post for three days and I couldn't walk any further than two feet," Sesshomaru stated, "I couldn't live with that any more than those three days, so I'm making up for it,"

"Well you did want to check out my dreams a couple of times, and that was the only way I'd let you in my mind," Rin answered with a wicked grin.

"To think I could travel into the master of the Demon House's mind without an issue, and couldn't get into a human's without her permission," Sesshomaru said and Rin laughed before wrapping her arms around his neck and letting him pick her up.

"Let's go to my place," Rin winked and grinned at the eye roll response she got in return.

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