Okay, guys. Sorry that last chapter sucked ass, but I'm back and I think that this chapter is a lot better written than the last. I don't know what happened to me last week, but I was suffering from writer's block. I think I've gotten over that though, for now. This is what came of it, and I'm sorry if you think Sesshoumaru is a bit OOC in this one, but I don't really think that he is. I mean, his thoughts are basically typical of his character, and I think that his character changes are coming along just right.

Also, I'm not going to stop demanding reviews, b/c I really thrive on them and I want to receive as many as possible for this. Writing has been hard for me to do lately because my schedule has been conflicting so much recently. It's not as easy as I thought it would be, and I'm lucky that I've even got this day off. For once, I'm not working at either of my places of employment. So, I decided to spend it writing, while I should be writing a paper that is due Monday instead. So, you see I appreciate all of you enough to put off my essays and college obligations and write a new chapter. I know a lot of you do the same each week, and I'm sure you all want to receive encouragement and support just as much as I do. If I read a story, I always send a review. Although, I haven't had to time to read the stories on ff.net lately, which sux, b/c I'm behind on a lot of my favorite stories. Anyway, is it so wrong to want a damn review?? A few words of encouragement or critiques on something I not only love to do, but am thoroughly passionate about? Do you not want people to review your stories? Don't get offended by any of this ya'll, I'm just writing this b/c I want to justify my reasons for demanding reviews. So, here it is. This is why. I hope you all can relate and/or understand.

Hey, I forgot to tell you guys what soaku and Ryoku mean. I meant to, that's why they asterisks by them in the story, lol. My bad.

*Ryoku-Strength

*soaku-inferior

Chapter Fifteen: Appeasement

"No thanks," his answer was simple, "I've already eaten."

Sango let out a sigh as familiar silence filled the void between them. Both of them turned to their separate thoughts. Each had been doing a lot of thinking that day. Sango's thoughts had been between Ryoku and the 'dream' that had seemed so life like; so real. She wondered if the young demon warrior had really deserved to die. He was, after all, only doing what he thought best for his clan. Sango knew exactly where the oni had been coming from. Would it really have been so terrible to let Ryoku negotiate for his people?

However, Sesshoumaru had a point. However noble his intent, the wolf demon obviously wanted no part in negotiation. In fact, he seemed to be after Sesshoumaru's blood more than he was out for the land. Perhaps Ryoku was trying to make a name for himself by slaying the Lord of the Western Lands while at the same time retaining the land that was "cheated" from his people. Still, couldn't there have been another way.

Sango would be the first to admit, that she was no saint and she would have probably slain him as well. Yet, in the manner that Sesshoumaru had done it…it was just mean. He had given the young oni the belief that he would have a chance to get away, and then ten seconds later, the fool was lying dead on the cold grass, staining it's green blades with hot crimson. Sango would have been straight forward with the kill. She would not have given false hope, but only knowledge of his upcoming demise.

Furrowing her brow, Sango let it go. Ryoku was dead. His clan was without a strong lead warrior, and Sesshoumaru had only slain an intruder. Truth be told, when it came down to it, she knew that Sesshoumaru had been right to do what he did. Ryoku was an intruder, disrespectful, obviously vengeful-he would have come back with the rest of his tribal warriors, and out of line in requesting that Sesshoumaru compensate his clan for the sins of his father. If the elder demon had wronged Ryoku's ancestors, then it was their own fault for being foolish enough to deal with someone as well-known for his cunning as Sesshoumaru's father apparently was.

Sango sighed at having finally reached a decision about the matter. Her thoughts then moved to the other matter at hand: the dream. She was afraid that no matter how much she mulled it over in her mind, she would never recover from it. Of course, her dreams had seen much of Sesshoumaru for the last two years. Ever since she had first seen him. She could not deny to herself that she had thought of and contemplated him often.

She had always been curious about him. She had to admit that part of the reason she excepted this offer was so that she could possibly figure some of him out. She wondered why he was so aloof and unloving toward his brother. Why was he so caught up in the past? Why did he hold such grudges? Inu Yasha was his blood, no matter the fact that it was mixed with that of a human.

The blood of Sesshoumaru's father flowed through both of their veins. Why worry over such a folly concept? Sango would give anything if she could have held her brother one more time with happiness in their hearts. No, the way she had held Kohaku as he died was not with happiness, but with sorrow and despair.

She had cradled him with the knowledge that he would die and she would live. She would forever be alone in this world and her brother would be without her in the next. 'Naraku,' she thought bitterly in her mind, 'Even now, after your death, I despise with as much ferocity as I did when you were alive and torturing me. For you took what was dearest to me. You stole my life…my family. You've blackened my heart forever. Doomed me to a life alone. You bastard. I wish you would die a second death, and a third, and a fourth, each one more painful than the last-until the stains of your memories were forever wiped from this world.'

In all her rage, Sango forgot where she was and who she was with. The tears fell from her eyes and only when she felt Sesshoumaru's gaze on her face did she snap awake from her thoughts. She blinked to meet hard golden eyes. She sat there for a moment, then got up. She was unable to face him this way-in this weak, pathetic, weeping state. Sango cleared her throat, "I'm going to sleep now. Good night, Sesshoumaru."

He said nothing. He simply sat there and looked at her. She was almost five steps away when she heard him growl, "Your sorrow weakens you."

Sango turned, anger and pain etched on her face. She stared at him with defying incredulity, "My sorrow weakens me? So what. Your pride blinds you to your own kin. You have no right to pass judgment on me." Those words obviously struck a cord, as Sesshoumaru bolted from where he sat and bounded to a position directly in front of her. Before she could utter protest, his hand was wrapped firmly around her throat and he had her body pressed roughly against a tree.

They stood there in silence as their eyes exchanged a battle for the ages. Their thoughts were exchanged in their eye contact. Sesshoumaru's eyes depicted his demands for respect and acknowledgement from her-a lower being. Sango's eyes shone defiance and independence. A woman unafraid, yet uninviting of death. Neither would back down, and eventually, Sesshoumaru's grip lessened around her neck, but did not release.

Their eyes displayed different emotions suddenly. Except, these emotions were a far cry from the last. Both radiated confusion and curiosity; need and desire; loneliness and fire. Sango could feel her hands moving. She could feel them touch his face and pulling him closer. It was at that point, that she realized her dream had not been a dream at all, but a reality. Once again they moved toward one another, but not nearly as slowly and without any regard.

They attacked one another as their lips met in a desperate, animalistic kiss. Sango felt the same heat running through her veins that she had felt when she had slain that Satsubatsu with her bare hands. Sesshoumaru's hand was no longer around her neck, but behind her back as he pulled her to him and pushed them against the tree in one quick, savage movement.

Thousands of questions and reprimands were screaming at him from the back of his mind. 'What are you doing!?!' 'She's a human!-An Inferior!!' 'Stop this immediately.' 'Have you lost your mind? Do you wish to follow in your father's footsteps!?!' 'Why!?!' 'Why can't I stop!?!' Yet, nothing stung as painfully as the truth. It stung in his mind and his gut like a dagger. The simple truth; the fact that he didn't want to stop. He no longer cared and that fact that he had been controlling and denying this for far too long.

How many times today had he wanted to turn back and finish what he could have started before Ryoku had intervened? How many times during the battle with Sorikata had he thought her beautiful? Strong? Worthy?-Too many times to count. The kiss she had given him to save his life. It had piqued his curiosity, and his disgust had had to be forced that day. This…this was the pinnacle of his frustration; his need; his loathsome curiosity. He had been curious for far too long. He now wished to appease that curiosity and appeasing it was exactly what he was doing as he explored her mouth and body. This human…the first human.

Sango's body shook violently with every stroke, every exploration his tongue inflicted on her mouth. She was taken aback by her own harsh exploration of his mouth. She licked, tasted, and touched all that she had ever been curious about. His sharp, but painfully smooth fangs, the soft, firm roof of his mouth, and the muscle of his tongue. She explored every curve, every crevice, and every fold of his mouth and lips. Sango had never, ever, in her long life experienced this type of intimacy with anyone. No mortal or demon had ever kissed her or touched her this way.

With her hands she explored his strong, muscular upper-body, the deadly claws of his hand and every inch of his arm and shoulders. The deadliest of demons, the strongest and most fearsome of them all-the ones that took the form of humans. Her father had told her the dangers, but these dangers-these dangers had never been a part of his stories.

Yes, kissing him this way-touching and being with him this way felt more dangerous than anything Sango had ever experienced. More so even, than fighting Naraku. Yet, it felt so right. So invigorating. So good. So warm. So real. Sango felt alive. Her skin was on fire and she felt as though she were burning from the inside out.

His growls vibrated through her mouth and shook her to the core. She ran her fingers through his hair: soft and smooth silver, just as she had imagined. She gently felt his ears, tracing them from the tip to the lobe, then moved her fingers to trace the markings on his face. Down to his neck, her fingers skimmed everything in their path. His skin was soft, but tight and firm at the same time. The feel of him was everything she had imagined and more.

'What am I doing?' both of them suddenly thought in unison. Just as quickly as it started, it ended. Both of them pulled their lips away abruptly, but their bodies remained pressed together. Their breathing was ragged as they gasped for air. Sango's back collapsed against the tree. Sesshoumaru collapsed against her, as he was still holding on to her. It was as if both of them were afraid to move. Neither of them knowing what to do next or what had just overcome them. They had been about to argue not minutes before. Hell, Sesshoumaru had even had her by the throat. Where had it gone wrong?

Sesshoumaru, backed away a fraction and looked down at her face. Sango felt his gaze and hesitantly met his eyes. They studied each other before he backed away, allowing her to move from the now, very uncomfortable tree. She stood straight now and they continued to gaze at one another and make sense of what they had just done. Their breathing finally regulated, Sesshoumaru was the first to speak, "Goodnight," he spoke in soft, deep rumble.

She swallowed before nodding, "Goodnight," she whispered to his retreating form. She knew he heard her, but she didn't expect it when he stopped mid-stride and turned to face her.

"You misunderstood me earlier. What I said, it was not an insult. However, you would do well in this land not to let your anger and emotions get the best of you. The demons in these parts are, for the most part, just as ignorant as the ones you're accustomed to. However, some that wander and terrorize these parts are more cunning and deceitful than you may first realize. You can not allow your weaknesses to show when you face a demon of that nature. They will exploit it and use it against you. Kill you with it, if they are given half the chance," Sesshoumaru's expression was serious. Sango needed to know this if she were to be a guard.

Sango stood wide-eyed, embarrassed for what she had said earlier, "Sesshoumaru, I had no right to-"

"Just don't allow it to happen again," he cut her off then turned around, his pride in tact. He settled down against a tree about twenty feet away from where Sango stood, still speechless. She finally came to her senses, though, and decided to settle against the same tree that she had been pressed against only moments ago.

Sango leaned against the tree for a brief moment before sliding down it's smooth surface. Yes, the tree's bark was smooth. Come to think of it, all the trees Sango had seen on his land were smooth and tinted gray. She opened her eyes to take in the beauty of this place as she fought sleep.

The trees were tall and great. Their branched hung low. Some were sturdy, and others drooped, yet everyone of them were beautiful. White flowers covered them and circled around their branches, hanging loosely like lace scarves. The moon reflected in the soft flowing stream, making the water sparkle like a blanket of diamonds. The grass blew softly in the wind. The last thing Sango remembered as she closed her eyes and finally let sleep consume her was the soft chirp of the crickets.

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Okay, I'm going to hope that this didn't suck. *shrugs* Don't ask me, because I don't know where any of this came from, but I do like parts of it. Not all of it, but certain parts. Hope ya'll like it. Please tell me what you think in a REVIEW.

Pammi