^^* I am SO SORRY!  School caught up with me and I haven't been able to write in ages!  I was so upset, but now I FINALLY got the next chapter up.  I'm letting you guys vote on this one—Inuyasha or Sesshy?  It's up to you.  Enjoy! ^^

The Bomb Is Dropped

The kiss was broken immediately, but she stood rooted to the spot, pressed against him with her head pulled back and eyes still closed in hopes that her assumption was wrong.  Onegai, kami, iie, she prayed.  Onegai.   Her eyes slowly opened, revealing a stone cold face void of emotion, two streaks of violet gracing each cheek, and intense gold eyes.  Her thoughts screamed out—Kami, help me.  Her eyes were widened in fear and bewilderment, but she couldn't move for his arm had slid up to hold her neck in a, although light, firm grip.  His thumb began to move in small, what would have been soothing, circles on her esophagus.

From the corner of her eye, Kagome could just barely see a blur of red that could only be one person; the one to break her from her kiss, maybe the first and last of her life.

"Interesting just how fragile humans are," he said staring down at her white throat as she swallowed convulsively.  He slightly turned his head in Inuyasha's direction, still keeping an eye on his captive in case he should need to do anything.  "Right, brother?"

Kagome heard the slide of metal against sheath as Inuyasha drew tetsusiaga and stood at the ready for an attack.  She wished she could see, but even though Sesshoumaru didn't have a choking hold or even hard grip, her head was immovable from its position in his hand.  She heard the crunch of gravel as he began to walk slowly forward, but Sesshoumaru spoke.

"Matte."  The crunch instantly settled.  "If you want her dead proceed, but if you wish to let her maintain her life-force, I, Sesshoumaru, suggest you keep your distance."  Just for emphasis, he tightened his grip on her neck, pressing on clawed finger into her skin, drawing a drop of blood and making her eyes water slightly.

Her eyes remained riveted on his figure all the while and once his hold slackened some she spoke.

"You…you lied to me."

He gave her the merest of glances before looking fully at Inuyasha, waiting for his next move, but replied, "I did not lie, wench.  I did what you bade me for some entertainment."

She stood trembling with anger, sorrow, regret, and fear.  "…Entertainment?"  Then why did you kiss me?  A mere human?

Although Inuyasha stood at the ready, his face was twisted in confusion at the interaction.  Obviously he had not come early enough.  The smell of Kagome and Sesshoumaru so close warned him, but he had been yelling at Kagome as he had gotten closer to her scent.  The question was clear in his face as he stared at the two.

Sesshoumaru glanced between the two and wanted to laugh; their faces amused him at the show of emotion readily displayed.  He turned his head to Inuyasha and asked, "You don't know, brother dear?"
            Kagome's limbs stiffened as Sesshoumaru forced her to turn and face Inuyasha with her back pressed against him and she knew what he was about to do.  In a pleading voice she whispered, "Onegai…don't… I-I'll… I'll do anything…… Onegai…"  Cold silence met her ears and her shoulders drooped a bit lower.  Her gaze was on the beautifully confused face of her first true love, the one that should have gotten her first kiss, but now had been given to the one he truly hated.  How could he ever forgive her?  Her eyes dropped from his in shame and looked at the ground.

"Fine."

She was barely able to get out a squeak as her feet left the ground and Inuyasha's frozen body began to shrink.  Only being held by her neck, she began to choke and gasp for air, trying to claw at the hand around her throat.  Something warm and fuzzy wrapped around her, trapping her arms in a tight embrace and her throat was released, giving her lungs much needed air.

Looking about her, it was Sesshoumaru's tail that held her and was only a few inches away from her.  The ground looked like it had toy trees and houses littering a large game-board from the height they were at.  Taking the time to review her captor, her face heated up and she closed her eyes in embarrassment.  Not naked…but in a LOINCLOTH!, she thought.

Sesshoumaru's gaze slid to the girl wrapped in his tail when he felt her heartbeat accelerate beneath his tail and saw that her cheeks had a reddish hue to them and her eyes were closed.  A smirk graced his mouth, but was gone as quickly as it had come.

They flew in silence for a while and Kagome hardly noticed when they were on the ground because Sesshoumaru landed so lightly.  He walked as lightly as he flew and she never knew where they went for she was afraid to open her eyes and look in a chance she might see Sesshoumaru in that loincloth again.

"Open your eyes, girl."  Immediately her eyes flew open and the sight she saw made her stomach churn in fear and made her eyes widen.

They were before a long hall lined with separate cells, closed with iron bars, but there were many hands and legs hanging out from between some of the spaces.  Some of the limbs moved, others were rotting, and even more were just old bones.  The place was barely lit with torches on stone pillars set between the cells as part of the walls, but out of reach of the prisoners.

"Get used to it.  I, Sesshoumaru, am in need of a servant for the moment.  Clean this from top to bottom.  Leave the men alone and they will not touch you."

His tail released her form from where it hung, and she fell to the grimy stone floor on her hands and knees facing him head down like a servant.  A pale of water and some rags appeared next to her.

"Get started."  With that, he left her there like a groveling servant on the floor.  As soon as the large oaken door closed behind him, she heard people moving behind her, grasping the iron bars and catcalls and crude comments rang out, echoing off the walls.  Some of the hands even tried to reach out to touch her.

Quickly, she scooted to a far corner, away from the grabbing hands and noise.  Her arms came about her knees, drawing them close to her curled body.  Shivering from cold and afraid of what was to come, her tears finally rolled freely from her cheeks to pour onto her knees.  Momma, Souta, Grandpa, Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku…… I'm sorry.  So, so sorry.

The calls and voices faded from her ears as she cried herself to sleep curled in a ball on the stone floor.

Translations:

Onegai—please

Kami—god

Matte—stop

And so ends our new chapter.  I tried to elongate it for you since I haven't written in a while.  My teachers keep hitting me over the head with their rulers and repeating over and over, "MAKE THEM REVIEW OR WE'LL GIVE YOU EXTRA HOMEWORK!" ^^* PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!  I don't want anymore than I already have!