A/N: I do not own any Inuyasha characters or plotlines, only the little OC in here and the storyline of this...uhm...story.

Sesshoumaru growled low, watching her. She stood still, and blank as always. He'd found her watching his hanyou brother and his gang; she'd attracted him immediately.

~*Flashback*~

"Who's there!" Snarled Inuyasha, as he caught the scent of the femme, who jumped silently from the tree branch, face blank, eyes like blue stones, almost grayish, watching the small band, moving oven Kagome, Sango, Miroku, and latching onto the furious Inuyasha. Her long raven locks, gleaming blue were blown slightly over her pale face, a light amused smile tugging for a moment of her soft lips. Inuyasha grasped his sword and growled.

"Good evening." She'd greeted in an empty cold voice. Inuyasha seemed thrown off but as she approached them, and their campfire, the hanyou tensed once more. "I am Kyre`." She had whispered. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes as he watched them from far away, hardly catching their words.

The Monk spoke first.

"Lady Kyre`, an interesting name, what do you seek from us?" He asked, aware of this half-wolf youkai, whose ice demon blood flowed strong, such a fitting element.

"Seek?" She echoed, he voice almost mocking, as though the ghost of teasing had fled in terror before gracing her words. "I was merely watching those who enter my lands, and carrying such things as Shikon shards, no less. I want no quarrels over such meager gems in my forest.

"So you likely seek them for yourself?" Inuyasha accused. She gave a light laugh, or rather the mockery of one. Her coldness had caught him, as had her beauty and her power.

~*~

Ah, yes. She had been o very cold, and yet wolves were the closest you usually found to social among youkai. She seemed so empty, a cold shell who was seemingly content to live alone in her small patch of forest, only fighting when attacked, and could she fight. He had seen her fight and yet, she had never fought him.

His eyes remained locked onto this mystery, in reality he had not been to her in a long time; he had changed after the defeat of Naraku. He was no longer the one who had done all he had before to her.

~*~

Past

~*~

"Kyre`..." The dog Youkai hissed, as he watched her, even after his half-brother and his cohorts had left. He watched her endlessly, whenever he found the chance. She was a mystery, seemingly without spirit, yet he could see in her eyes even from a distance, a deep intelligence, a spiked humor, and yet, only in her eyes.

Such eyes, too, deep and fathomless, somewhere between slate blue and wolf-gray, like crystal caverns controlled by ebony pearls that always gazed somewhere afar. He watched her fight with such power, never a speck of pain crossing her face, even when electricity wracked her body, or a wound bled her near to death, she would open those eyes again, the wounds, burns, injuries would all pass, and never had she changed. At last he approached her.

"You've been watching me a very long time, haven't you." She had said as he approached her, sitting beside a stream in a black gi she always wore, the same colour as her hair. She did not look up from the icy waters; she did not turn to him as his golden eyes burned into her back.

"Indeed I have, Kyre`. Such an odd name." He said in return, her reflection flicked the ghost of a smile, or perhaps it was only a trick of the water.

"We do not often choose by what we are called, but I chose an unusual name, as many find me unusual." She spoke in the low, cold tone. "You have questions, but you will not ask them." She purred. He raised a brow. She at last turned to face him, her beauty making his breath catch, the wind pressing to loose fabric of her gi against her body, and indeed it drove his instincts to rise, though his composure kept them down.

"I suppose."

~*~

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and shivered. He had become frustrated shortly after, and tried to fight her. She would not fight back, only feeding the flames of his rage and frustration. He had destroyed her forest; he had brought her here, exposing her to physical pain beyond comprehension of lesser beings.

Now she did not hold even the traces of her smiles, hid even her spiked humor, and said no words. He looked at her now, her hair was pulled back, he had done so himself, as before it had been knotted and ragged, he'd ordered it brushed out, and cleaned. She wore a black gi again, but she seemed to be missing, gone away. He approached her, his eyes hurt, his anger now directed at himself.

He dared not touch her, and for once, she looked at him. She was not hurt, or angered, but still, her gaze was like a white-hot iron shoved into his brain. He winced. She turned away again. He could not bring himself to speak to her. He almost wanted to hit her again in hopes she'd beat him for all he'd done to her, all because she was so beautiful, and so cold.

He had wanted something from her, something other than coldness. Perhaps anger; hate; anything but this cold, now he wanted punishment.

"All you wished for, Sesshoumaru, was my love." She whispered. The Prince jumped, startled. She had not moved all but her lips when she spoke, and indeed she had spoken, and he knew it was true. He lowered his eyes.

"You could have left at any time." He managed.

"Yes."

"Why didn't you?" He said in a tone he himself had never heard. He felt broken, but still attempted his pride, standing. She didn't answer. He looked up at her. He did want her to love him. He scorned himself, He, the lord of the Western Lands...how did she suddenly strip him of his power.

He approached her, and she looked at him evenly. Her gaze hid all emotions, as did his.

"How do you do this to me?" He asked.

She raised a hand, and he shut his eyes, hoping she'd hit him, send him flying, but instead, he felt a soft caress on his cheek. He turned his face down.

"Why don't you strike against me. Cause me all the pain I've caused you, it's the least you should do to me." He growled.

"You haven't figured it out, have you?" She whispered. His eyes raised to hers, which were closed, her face blank. His brow furrowed in confusion. What did she mean? He cautiously raised his own hand and placed it over hers, his eyes never leaving her face. What on earth could she mean?

With all the nervousness of a young boy, he took his free hand (having regenerated after Inuyasha removed it) and lifted her chin, her eyes opening again, to gaze into his. His first true eye contact, hers looking directly into his, not distant, not empty. He understood, and it made him hurt all the more.

She had not left....

She had not fought...

She had not hurt him...

She loved him?

"Kyre`..." He said...she gave a faint smile. He closed his mouth. He had never hurt her in the first place, she'd known. She pulled her lips to his, and he pulled her to him tightly. He hurt no more.