Author's note: Here we are, the third chapter! How is it? HOW IS IT? Tell me something!! ^_^ I understand that no-one could understand how will grow this story from the previous two chapter, but I have the habit to write long stories..^^;;; Have faith, it will be a nice story and I promise many Inu/Kagome and Miroku/Sango paragraphs.but Sesshoumaru is always the first character!!!! CHAPTER 3: CURIOSITY UNDER THE MOONLIGHT "Rin, I've search you everywhere." Sesshoumaru said, cutting away every trace of worry from his voice. When he was returned to take Jaken and Rin, after the battle against Naraku, he had found that cursed little toad, but not the child. Sesshoumaru didn't waist time punishing Jaken, for that there would be time; he had to follow Rin while her scent was still in the air. A low-power inu-youkai obstructed him with a battle, making him wasting time, but finally he had found the child. But Rin wasn't alone. A human female was with her. The nice face of Sesshoumaru was upset, while Rin run to hug him with a little cry of joy. That woman.she emanated a surprising energy. It wasn't the miko's spiritual power, but something that approached her to the source of youkai's powers. Could she be an hanyou? "Look, nee-chan! Sesshoumaru-sama has found Rin!" As always, the acute accent of Rin's voice hurt his sensitive ears, but Sesshoumaru didn't remove his eyes from the woman, that was turning. She wasn't similar to the other human woman he had ever seen. Her skin was of alabaster, her body frail as every human body. Her long heir, holding by a white ribbon, was more light than other human's in that land and shone of gold. Her eyes was grey -blue. In those eyes, for one moment, he could see a wild soul full of primordial power and a flash of knowing at his sight that full him with curiosity. "I see, Rin." the woman said, with delicate voice and a cold smile. She bowed her head to the inexpressive face of Sesshoumaru. "I'm happy that you have found Rin." Sesshoumaru didn't reply. The woman's smell was human for sure. It was strange that she held that great latent power, and much more strange the absence of the strong smell of fear. That woman could restrain very well her feelings, for being a mere human. "Who are you, wench?" he asked, with cold voice. "I'm." started Anna, but Rin said: "Oh, she's Anna-nee-chan! She was helping Rin to find her way!" She smiled brightly. Sesshoumaru looked at the child, then moved his eyes over the woman. "It's true, wench?" asked. Anna nodded. "Next time, don't leave her with your subordinate. - she said, coldly- As facts show, he's not a qualified baby-sitter." Sesshoumaru corrugated his forehead, annoyed. That woman was too much cheeky. How did she know Jaken? Without look at Rin, he understood that also the child was very surprising by the girl's phrase. "Who are you really?" he asked, more and more coldly. "Anna, Sesshoumaru-sama, like Rin has already tell.- she answered, showing a little nervousness- Now, if there's no more, I take leave. The night fall down quickly." "Farewell, nee-chan." Rin murmured, running to hug her. Anna caressed her head, trying to forgive the glacial amber eyes of the inu-youkai, focused on her. "Farewell, nee-chan. Stay near Sesshoumaru-sama and Jaken, and don't lost your way anymore." Rin nodded, restraining her tears. Anna kissed her lightly, then bowed to Sesshoumaru and turned to go away. Sesshoumaru was upset: that woman was going away without give him any satisfaction about his curiosity. "You have guts, wench, to turn your back to the great Sesshoumaru-sama. I can kill you, you know." he said, sarcastic. He saw her stop and then half turn to him. "If you want to kill me, you can do it with me in front of you or giving you my back.- she said, rivaling with his coldness- I know that I'm only a weakly human. I prefer to die in dignity instead to die shivering, full of terror." There was silence after this phrase, while the two challenge theirself with the eyes. Then, Anna decided to no more provoke the youkai, she knew very well his capacity of kill people like her. She turned again, walking to the village. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" The croaky voice of Jaken arrived just a second before the owner, that crush against Anna with violence. The two fell on the ground, while Rin made a small cry. "But.what." said Anna, puzzled, trying to sit up. "Oh, I've find you, Sesshoumaru-sama!- Jaken exclaimed, raising on his feet and glaring to the human near him- How do you dare obstruct me, girl?" He raised Ninto's staff, ready to hit that fool mortal, but a hand stopped the staff. "Are you trying to hit me, toad?" growled Anna, wringing the staff from Jaken's hands. Whit it, she let fly a violent heavy blow to the toad, that flight away through the clearing. Anna, annoyed, run away, before Sesshoumaru could think to make her pay for that. The youkai, in reality, had watch with lightly surprising face the fly of his subordinate for no more of a second. He couldn't stop to look at the strange girl, who run away fast to the village. Few hours later, the strange trio laid over a grassy hill, under the moonlight, a bright crescent. Sesshoumaru looked the sky, caught by thoughts that involved without fault the woman who was with Rin, that evening. Much of her aroused his curiosity, and there weren't very much things that could boast about it. She had a very strong personality, but more of all an energy that Sesshoumaru couldn't restrain himself to desire for him. More power.He moved his eyes over Rin, that slept near him. While they were going away from the clearing, Rind had said with a strange, serious voice, that she was in pain for the girl. She was thinking that village's inhabitants hated Anna, as Rin was hated herself in her village. She seems so sad, like her before the inu-youkai carried her away. Sesshoumaru hadn't spoke, but Jaken had talked badly about that human wench, so Sesshoumaru had had to remember to the toad that his punition by the girl was been pitiful compared by an eventual punition by the great Sesshoumaru. Jaken shut up immediately. Now, he had an idea. He raised on his feet with a fast and graceful movement. "Where do you go, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Jaken asked, nervous at the thought of baby-sit another time the child. "I've something to do.- he answered, without a single look- If Rin will be not here when I'll return, you'll die." Shivering with fear, Jaken nodded, while the youkai flight away, going along again by the street of that evening. The toad gave a disgusted look to the sleeping child. "What a life." Sesshoumaru came in the village, hiding himself in the shadows. He didn't want to waste time meeting terrified humans. He sniffed the air, catching that woman's smell. It brought to a house with a candle still light. In one moment, he was under the window. Inside, someone talked. "That cursed girl is in the forest, another time!- he heard- I'm sure, she works hand in glove with some youkai!" "Don't be fool." one man told. "Oh, I'm fool? And how can you explain to me why that crazy gaijin goes to look at the moon every night, near the lake? She's not normal, I tell you so and I'll always do!" "Don't worry, Haneko, she'll not carry youkais in our home." snorted the man. "I only hope that one night they'll carry her away." murmured with hartred the woman, turning out the light. Sesshoumaru left the village, running fast to the lake. The woman's smell grew strong. Rin was right, that woman was no loved by those humans, maybe because she was a gaijin, but with more probability because her strange life power. The weakly humans could not understand the power, but they were surely disturbed by it. He made an ironic smile. To carry out his idea seemed more easy than he had thought. He spent some instants to realize that his sensible ears were full of a song, tiny and melodious. He slackened his run, puzzled. The song came from the lake. The woman might be the singer. "I don't understand if this is courage or madness.- he thought, shaking his head in disbelief- All youkais in miles could hear her." He came near the clearing around the lake, while the music caught him slightly, and all his rational thoughts (NoA Do you know Aika theme? ^_^). And then he saw her. The girl was sit on the lake's shore, giving her back to him. Her untied hair fluttered in the wind, while she sang, looking at the moon. Her face was partially visible, showing a deep sadness. Sesshoumaru, for the first time in his entire life, stood without knowing what to do or say. That song without words, that sadness, had melt his typical cold certainty. He tried to walk to her and stop her quickly, he didn't have time to waste with that stuff, but he couldn't. He stood there, half hide by the trees, looking at the girl and listening her voice. Anna song to the moon, crying out her sadness and her pain, things that she hid in her soul every day. She knew very well how dangerous was to stay in the forest by night, ma she didn't care either of the death. She had lost everything, her life was already finished. Besides these thoughts, she couldn't restrain herself by starting when she felt that someone was hide in the shadow, behind her. She had gooseflesh. He's not human- he was a youkai for sure. She stopped her sing, smiling mischievously for her fate, then raised on her feet. She turned. Fear flowed away like fresh water, replaced by surprise and a grip to the stomach. In front of her there were Sesshoumaru, his white hear glowing at the moonlight. The youkai fixed her with the same freezing eyes, silently. "Sesshoumaru-sama.- she greeted, with uncertain voice- I'm surprising to see you again." Sesshoumaru didn't answer, registering with satisfaction the woman's nervousness at his sight. He smirked. He made some step on but she didn't step back. "You show few prudence, wench, challenging with your presence and your sing all youkais in this forest." he said, stopped his steps near her. "I know it." she answered, corrugating her forehead. They stood in silence. "Are you here to tell me this, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Anna asked, finally, angry. The amber eyes of the inu-youkai made her feeling uneasy. Thinking that he was one of her favorite characters.only a character.Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. "I don't care for your life, wench, but you have reach the point: I'm here because you." The inu-youkai was satisfied. Finally he had cause a shiver of fear in that cheeky girl. Anna's face darkened, realizing her weakly appearance. She looked at him right in the eyes. "Do you want to kill me?" she asked, point-blank. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. Was it challenge what shone in that weakly woman's eyes? Impossible, but he could feel her latent power growing, hugging him, trying to borrow his power for being able to fight him. "If she'd been a youkai, surely she'd been able to absorb everybody's life and spiritual energies, either humans or youkais." he told to himself, almost admiring. He chose to stop all jokes with the woman. "I'm here to carry you away." he said. Anna's anger left place to surprise. "Wh.what?" she asked. "You have understand very well. Don't waste my precious time." Sesshoumaru said, caressing his fluffy tail with his long claws. "And why do you want to do such a thing?" Anna asked, annoyed. "I have two reasons.- Sesshoumaru answered in an irritant cold tone- First, I understand that Rin need a mother figure. She's only a human child and entrust her to you besides Jaken will be a good thing." "To look after Rin?" Anna asked. Thinking about the child, she smiled, then returned serious. Sesshoumaru didn't care so much about humans. There was something other. "And the second reason?" she asked. "Nothing of your business, wench." was the youkai's cold answer. Anna held back an anger deed. She stepped back when she saw him came to her. "What.what are you doing?" she asked, really afraid now. Those icy eyes. "Carry you away." Sesshoumaru told, raising an hand over her. With his enormous surprise, the woman slapped it hard. "I've not answer, yet!" Anna exclaimed, making other steps back. Sesshoumaru darkened. "You'll learn, wench, that Great Sesshoumaru hasn't need to ask." he said, icy. In that moment, something fell through them. Sesshoumaru jumped away, far from the girl. From the grass raised a smoke cloud, and with it a cry. When the smoke disappeared, Anna was vanished. Sesshoumaru sniffed the girl's smell. It run fast to east. With it, there was another smell, one smell that could ruin his plans. "How haven't I notice it?" he asked to himself, murmuring annoyed, while he put himself in pursuit of the girl. It's not his habit being distract in this way. It was the smell of the inu-youkai that he had defeated that afternoon. Sesshoumaru corrugated his forehead. That inu-youkai was near to death, his blood was flowed away almost all and only his stubbornness took him still in life. What could he want to do with that wench, why waste so his last energies? Then, he understood. The inu-youkai had feel the woman's latent power, like him. He had intention to make a fusion's spell. Devouring the girl's body and soul, he'd had her power and a new life, a heal body. "That power is mine. The woman must to live." he said, running in the night. When Anna woke up, she couldn't restrain a scream. The first thing she saw was a monstrous face. The creature made a ugly smile. "What." Anna said, with broken voice. Her heart beat madly while the youkai carried her inside a cavern. The youkai laughed mischievously. "It's not important.- he said- We'll be better soon, my dear." He deposited her on the ground without grace. Anna hit hard against the floor of the cavern. Her body didn't answer at her commands, maybe because the smoke cloud. She raised her horrified eyes over the creature. Whit surprise, she understood why he appeared so ugly. That was an inu-youkai like Sesshoumaru, but someone or something had hit him so hard to provoke a slow and painful agony in the youkai. His body was covered with blood and the near death had made his power weak, so his human form was mixed with his dog form. He sniffed the air. "That jerk is near.- growled- But he'll pay for this." He turned to the girl with a killer light in the eyes. "And you'll help me." "What do you want from me?" Anna asked. She was VERY afraid. "That bastard Sesshoumaru reduced me so, but thanks to your power I'll be able to survive. And kill him, finally." the youkai said with a vulgar laugh. Anna made a wry face. "I'm only a human.- she cried, angry- Don't be ridiculous!" "Really? We'll see." laughed the youkai, before throwing himself against Anna and biting with violence a shoulder, making her bleed. Anna screamed, arching her neck in pain. That demon.that demon wanted to devour her! He was drinking her blood! Anna's sight darkened, sinking her into oblivion. "No!- she said in her mind- I can't.I don't want to die! Not in this way.NOT HERE!" "Good, we are melting together." murmured the youkai, seeing the power aura coming to him from the girl's body. She was pale and still, but he was rebirth, his power increased.Anna opened wide her eyes, surprising the youkai. "You'd been already died." growled, looking at the lost blood on the ground. Anna raised her still utilizable arm, clutching the youkai's face. "I.- she said, with broken and low voice- I'M NOT THE ONE WHO'LL DIE HERE!!" Whit all her remained strength, she threw herself against the youkai, biting hard his neck. The inu-youkai cried. An enormous power exploded, making many rock crash over them. Anna fainted with taste of blood in her mouth. All became dark.