Kagome looked up at him in surprise. "Pardon me?" Sesshomaru didn't repeat it self and Kagome shook her head. "What do you mean?"

Sesshomaru looked away dismissingly. "I don't have to explain myself to you human."

Kagome flinched away violently then looked down. Is this what she'd been reduced to? The weeping, cringing little human. She was a priestess. She rose to her feet slowly then lifted her chin and glared at him.

"You most certainly do have to explain yourself to me! I'm a pawn in your little plot so I have a right to know why you're plotting!" She softened her voice. "Sesshomaru I know it's hard loosing fam-"

He snarled. "You don't know anything."

And for just an instant Kagome was scared when she saw his eyes burn red with anger as the icy control, the control he never lost, broke for a moment. Kagome backed away then stopped and stepped forward instead to slide her arms around his waist and lay her head against his chest. When he didn't resist or push her away Kagome relaxed.

"Sesshomaru. How did your mother die?"

He was silent for a long moment and Kagome thought he would ignore her till he started speaking quietly. "My mother was the head of a small village of demons. My mother took my father as a mate in return for his protection. Besides me she gave him two daughters. My twin, Setsuko, and Mai who was 5 years younger. The head of another village wanted to take Mai as his mate but my mother refused. And out of anger and injured pride he attacked the village. And my father did not come. Would you like to know why Kagome?"

"Sesshomaru..."

"Because he was with a human whore and her son, my half brother Inuyasha. And so my mother and my sisters and my village were slaughtered then burned to the ground."

"And only you escaped."

"Yes. Only I escaped."

"Sesshomaru. You can't blame Inuyasha for something he had no control over."

"It is his fault! Him and his half breed blood."

"He can not be faulted because your father loved a human Sesshomaru. It was wrong of your father to ignore your mother in her time of need and that was his sin. But loving a mortal is not his crime and living is not Inuyasha's."

"Love." She felt Sesshomaru's hands curl around her arms and push her away from him gently. "What use is love?" Then he turned and strode out of the garden briskly.

Kagome watched him go, eyes brimming with tears. "None apparently." She murmured to herself. "Because I love you and it doesn't make the slightest difference does it. I love you Sesshomaru. And I hate it." And she turned and quit the garden as well.

"Very well done Akuai. I'm sure Naraku will be pleased."

Kagura said from where she stood behind the demon girl in the cloaking shadows of the garden, fan spread and extended, a soft breeze blowing around and away from them to keep their scent from the nose of the demon lord. Akuai watched the girl walk away before replying to Kagura.

"Pardon?" Voice soft as ever the word's tone more that of a statement then a question.

"The spell. You found a stronger one."

"There is no spell."

"What do you mean!? I saw you weave one." Kagura said impatiently. The child's slow, liquid poise and voice, softer even then Kana's, was beginning to grate on the wind sorceress' nerves.

"I did not weave any spell. I took the original one of her."

"You broke the love spell!"

"The was no love spell."

Kagura's eye narrowed in annoyance. "You're going around in circles child. You broke the spell and thus betrayed Naraku. I'm sure he wouldn't be adverse if I took your head so it would be better you not irritate men. What do you mean there was no love spell?"

Akuai's lips turned up the slightest bit in the softest of smiles. "It was a lust spell." Kagura blushed to hear the word 'lust' on a child's tongue but Akuai didn't seem to notice. "You can not make a person love."

"Oh. And why is that?"

"Because everyone views love in a different way. For some love is standing by the person when it matters. For others it is standing away to let the person fall and stand on their own power. And even for the cruel sometimes love is giving pain. After all...did not Naraku become evil just for the love of that tragic priestess?" She tipped her head to the side slightly. "To make one person love another you would have to understand their soul and while you can steal or capture a soul no one can understand it without the consent of the soul's true owner."

"So you broke the lust spell on the girl?" Kagura said uncaringly as if she had heard nothing else the demon child had said.

Akuai nodded. "Yes. I broke it."

"Hmm. Naraku will not be happy."

"He'll never be. Because he burns."

Kagura's eyes narrowed. "Do you not care at all then that he will kill you."

"My soul will go on." Her eyes turned in the direction Kagome had gone. "I'll be happier for it. Goodbye Kagura."

The demon child turned and started to walk away deeper into the darkness.

Kagura turned slightly to watch Akuai leave. "But the girl spoke of love. Did she lie then?"

"No she did not lie."

And then the demon child was gone.