Chapter Seven gave us a glimpse into what the two main characters re feeling. Kagome is beginning to feel trapped more by her feelings than by him. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, feels that Kagome would make a nice addition to his entourage. Let's continue. By the way, sorry about this update taking so long. It was over 8 pages typed by the time I was done with it.

For the record (ahem): I do not own, in whole or in part, any part of the Inuyasha franchise. Nor do I own any of the characters from said franchise that is used forthwith. The following story is solely based on the ramblings of a college student at a boring job and is not to be taken or believed as part of the true Inuyasha saga. That being said, please enjoy my first attempt at fan fiction. Feel free to critique ad nauseum. (Whew!)

Chapter Eight – A New Twist on an Old Theme

It has been three days since I came here, and still no sign of Inuyasha. Kagome was supposed to be deep in concentration, sitting in the lotus position in the courtyard with Rin. But try as she might, Kagome could not keep her mind focused on anything for more than a few moments.

Rin, as young as she was, had no trouble learning the proper way to meditate. And Kagome had woken up this morning to find her already concentrating on focusing her powers for the day. At this rate, she will be better than me by the end of next week. It took me ages to learn to focus my energy every morning, and she takes to it like a duck to water. She sighed and closed her eyes tighter, this time forcing all the thoughts out of her head.

Kagome actually did manage the meditation ritual for about five minutes. Then she noticed the wind that blew past them gently, causing the little chimes that Rin hung in the trees to ring softly. This made her think of the jingling of Miroku's staff as they walked off to find adventure. I wonder if they are even coming after me. Surely they have started looking for me. Even if I had managed to go through the well, I would have been back two days ago. Damn that Sesshomaru.

Kagome mentally scolded herself for cursing again, and then for listening to Sesshomaru's advice. Three days. Just three days in his presence and he already has me customizing myself to his lifestyle. Who gives a tinker's damn if I cuss him out in my head? It is his fault that I am cussing. Damn him. Damn, damn, damn. There. Let's see him try and stop that.

Kagome opened her left eye to make sure that the demon lord wasn't standing beside her, reading her thoughts. But, all she saw was Rin, concentrating on honing her skills, her little tongue sticking out of one side of her mouth. Kagome couldn't help but smile at the little girl. If she only knew that her life depended on this, I wonder if she would try so hard. But, I'll never tell Rin that the demon she idolizes has threatened to kill her. I would never burst a baby's bubble like that.

Damn! Why can't I concentrate on anything other than him? Kagome sat up straighter in an effort to shake her thoughts loose of Sesshomaru's hold. But all she managed to do was change their course. Where is he anyway? Since the first day I started to tutor Rin he hasn't been anywhere in sight. He wouldn't leave our side that first day. Watching every move I made, as if I planned to blow her up or something. I almost got the impression he cares for her.

But he didn't come anywhere near me. Since that first morning here he hasn't been within arm's reach of me. Since he kissed me.

Rin peeked through half-closed lids at her tutor to see if she was doing this right. Kagome was smiling from ear to ear for a moment, and Rin took that as praise for her hard work. She also smiled and closed her eyes again.

What a lovely kiss. I mean, he was quite rude and all, scaring the wits out of me. But... I remember that it made me feel so... nice. And it was a little satisfying to know that he looked a little out of sorts, too. The high and mighty Lord of the Western Lands kissed a captive miko for no real reason. Well, there was a reason. I couldn't seem to stop egging him on. I just wanted to get a rise out of him. Some kind of damn emotion! But I never expected passion...

The thoughts that Kagome was having had absolutely no intention of leaving her head, so she stopped trying to focus her energy. She would have to do it later, when she wasn't constantly thinking about Sesshomaru. Or wondering where he is. Or worrying about him. Or wanting him to...

"Stop!" The words escaped her lips before she had a chance to stop them. Rin jumped a foot in the air, and looked at Kagome curiously. "Uh, I mean, I think we have done enough for today."

Rin jumped up and ran over to the far side of the courtyard, where a little bow and dull arrows sat. Kagome had made them out of the newest branches of the courtyard trees, and they were now Rin's most prized possessions. "Not those today, Rin. I think we need to give Jaken a break." Rin's face lowered as she gingerly placed the little bow back down. Kagome stood up and reached for Rin's hand. "I am going to show you another part of miko training that is just as interesting. We are going to learn healing properties of herbs. Let's find a good garden."

As she expected, Rin's face lit up at the prospect of spending the day among the greenery of a garden. This girl should grow up to be a farmer, Kagome mused to herself as she was led by Rin to another part of the castle. Then her mouth opened wide in shock.

There before her was the garden of Kaede's dreams. Se quickly went to the edge of the garden and dropped to her knees. She brought her hands to the first leafy thing she could find. Worms wort, she thought in wonder. Why did he have worms wort? Who would have thought that a demon would need to keep so many medicinal herbs on hand? Unless he has been planning for Rin's miko powers for some time. And Ginseng, and...OOH! Her mind reeled at all the herbs that she and Kaede had to search endlessly for, now in front of her in endless abundance. She was like a kid in a candy store!

She remembered Rin, who was standing beside her, watching her fascination with a growing glee of her own. Kagome rose up on her haunches and signaled Rin to bring the basket. "Come on, Rin. I'll teach you everything I can remember about these herbs. Everything I can think of is right here, and I see quite a few I have never seen before."

Kagome was bursting with the excitement of having everything so close at hand, and Rin was easily infected with it. Before long, the girls had become a giggling mess of leaves and dirt smudge; but neither of them cared. This was how Sesshomaru found them a short while later. He watched as Kagome's head bent toward Rin's, telling her of all the properties of whatever plant they were looking. And she remembers most of the properties, anyway. Better than she thought she would. Of course, she overlooks the obvious wolfs bane, and the... He straightened himself up, catching the way his thoughts had just started to ramble. It doesn't matter that she only knows maybe half the plants at her disposal. There are other things that she excels at that shadows the holes in her herbal training.

He let his mind wander for a moment to three days ago when he kissed her. Respect. That is what I was trying to teach her. Words don't seem to penetrate her hide. It was the only thing I could think of. He took a couple of steps closer to the garden, but not so close that Kagome would sense his presence. I thought it would scare her, make her listen for once. Never did I suspect that she would actually like that kiss... like I did...

Enough! She is here for one reason and one reason only. She will train Rin to use her miko powers, and then...He snorted softly at that thought. Before he thought any more about his predicament, he turned and left the two girls to their studying.

He followed the short hall to the left and entered his room. Sparse would be the word to describe it. It was large, so that he had plenty of room to move around, but to take his true form he had the courtyard, so there was no tatami in here. His room was mainly used as a study, because it was easier for him to strategize in his human form than as a giant white dog.

He crossed to his overlarge black-lacquered desk, which was slightly cluttered with maps. The lines on these maps had been frequently redrawn to show how his lands had increased of late. If there is one good thing that has come from Inuyasha's determination to find the jewel shards, it is the noticeable lack of opponents when I decide to add to my fortune. He let himself show a little smile at that. Sesshomaru lifted his head from the map as the girls' giggles rose slightly. Well, maybe there is more than one thing...Dammit!

Sesshomaru walked behind the desk to the impressive wall of books, running a clawed finger along the oldest volumes. His hand lighted on a particularly worn book, which looked as if it hadn't been moved in centuries. He took it off the shelf and sat down in a large black and jade chair. My father was ever-meticulous about everything he did. I remember reading in here his thoughts on having a bastard son. If anyone knew about what happens to Inuyasha during the new moon back then, he would have found them. This damn journal might make it easier for me to find a way to get rid of that pup for good.

As he read with growing interest, he didn't bother to hide the feelings welling up inside him at the thought of Inuyasha. In this room, where he was guaranteed privacy, he allowed his thoughts and feelings to see the light of day. He knew that there was more than one reason why he needed to gain the upper hand over his brother, and it went beyond the petty sibling rivalry that fueled many of their previous encounters. Sesshomaru never understood why his father had placed so much respect and attention on his half-brother. Father always deferred his respect to that damn hanyou, even after his mother died. Father made sure that Inuyasha was never in any real danger as a child, even if he was teased. The only times he feared for the hanyou's life was when I found him. If I could have killed him back then, I would have.

But, now what keeps me from killing him? Each time we cross paths, I always overpower him, but never finish. Why?

Sesshomaru decided not to dwell on these questions that frequently came to his mind in here. Even more so since his house had become more complicated. He dove deeper into the old journal looking for answers he was no longer sure he wanted to find.

Shippo was the first one to come upon the scorched ground this time. It was still steaming from Inuyasha's last encounter with Sesshomaru's vassals. He looked around. "He can't be too far ahead of us now. The ground is still warm from his wind scar." He surveyed the ashes and pieces of demons that were all that was left of the encounter. I wonder what these guys did to piss him off. This is the fifth incident we have come across in five days. And they don't even seem to be slowing him down.

Miroku looked around him as Sango stepped from Kirara's back. "Something doesn't feel right here, Sango. I don't sense Inuyasha's presence."

Sango shivered at the gory sight before them. She had seen many vicious battles in her lifetime as a demon slayer. But this seemed to be just so... "Unnecessary."

"What, Sango?" Shippo turned his head from a bloodless corpse, looking instead at his friends.

"This. All this. It seems so unnecessary. And violent. Not like the Inuyasha I remember."

Miroku, nodding but deep in thought. "I agree, Sango. I have seen this before. Sesshomaru told us once that when Inuyasha feels that his life is in severe danger, his demon half can take over. He will become a full demon, but will not recognize anybody or anything. I am sensing that this is what happened here." He closed his eyes for a moment to see if he could locate Inuyasha's direction before continuing. "He feels his world as he knows it was truly threatened when Sesshomaru stole Kagome. That fear transformed him."

Sango nodded in agreement, although she did not like what she was hearing. "And the only thing that changed him back that time was..."

"Kagome."

Shippo didn't feel like bouncing anymore and started walking slowly in the direction that Inuyasha went. "We need to find her fast."

The troupe started walking, but Miroku and Sango continued their analysis of their friend's psyche. "There is one thing working in our favor right now."

Sango turned to him, but kept their walking at a brisk pace. "What is that?" She was stroking Kirara in her arms, who had taken her smaller size to give Sango some comfort.

"With Inuyasha as a full demon, he cannot use the Tetsusaiga."

Shippo turned around. "That's right! The Tetsusaiga was meant by his father to only be used to help people. His brother, Sesshomaru, cannot even touch it because he is a full demon."

Sango actually smiled a little at this hopeful thought. "So he cannot use his deadliest weapon. That's a good thing. Especially if he isn't able to recognize us." She thought on it for a moment. "That only leaves his claws,"

"And his fangs," Shippo reported in.

Miroku's shoulders fell. "And his speed and agility."

Sango let Kirara down and picked up her pace. "We have got to find Kagome."

After about an hour of walking, with Miroku promising that he sensed they were close, something stopped him in his tracks. Sango looked at him anxiously. Before he could say what was bothering him, the sky darkened. Shippo jumped into Sango's arms. "This doesn't look good."

"No, it doesn't" Miroku agreed.

"Anything but that. Not now," Sango said with a defeating tone.

Above them, at least half a dozen iridescent silver soul catchers flew by, each holding the essence of a lost soul. "Not necessarily," said Miroku.

Shippo looked at him. "What do you mean? She is the last person we need to be battling right now."

"I don't think we will be battling her. It doesn't seem like she wants to put on a fight, anyways." They looked ahead of him to a willow tree, swaying in the chilled breeze.

Sure enough, in a high perch sat Kikyou. She was just staring at them as her soul catchers circled her high above. The silvery catchers swirled above her head, each dropping a soul as they reached the pinnacle of their vortex. The souls were immediately absorbed into Kikyou's clay body, giving her an eerie glow.

"Nice to see you have finally come looking for your... friend." She watched as Sango took a defensive posture in her direction, brandishing her weapon menacingly. "Put your weapon down. I am not going to fight you... today anyway."

"What do you want, Kikyou? Shouldn't you be rotting away somewhere?"

Kikyou winced at Miroku's harsh words, but remained calm. I need these buffoons if I am to get what I need. "I know that you have a problem. And I think I can help you."

Shippo hopped up on a rock before replying to her offer. "What do you know about it?"

She smiled at the squirmy little kitsune. "I know that Inuyasha is tearing through all the youkai in this area, looking for Kagome. I also know that he has reverted to a feral demon form."

Sango gasped. "How did you learn this?"

Kikyou laughed. "I saw it with my own eyes. He just passed here."

"And he didn't try to kill you? Not bloody likely."

"Believe what you want, demon slayer. I also know that the only one who can calm him down is his precious Kagome." She looked down at her now captive audience. "Who is also lost."

"How did you know that?" Shippo was a little impressed that the dead miko knew so much.

"She is me. Her soul always calls out to me. I can help you find her."

It was Miroku who spoke up this time. "Why do you want to help us? You are not overly fond of us, you hate Kagome, and the last time we saw you, you said that you wanted to take Inuyasha back to hell with you. I think we need another explanation."

She jumped silently down from her perch, and the only other things that moved were the wavy branches of the tree. "I do not hate Inuyasha. I love him. I love him still. When I said that, I merely wanted to be with him forever. But, I do not want to see him like this. He wanted to turn human to be with me. I still remember his words."

Kikyou stood in silence for a moment. "You need Kagome to calm him back to his hanyou self. I am still a part of Kagome. I will help you bring him back to earth."

Miroku thought about her words. She looks sincere. But, when have we ever been able to trust her? He looked at Sango, who stared back. Then she raised her shoulders in defeat. "What other choice do we have in this matter?"

Shippo was not convinced. "Prove to us that you are not just going to let us find him for you and then kill him."

Kikyou stepped around the tree and disappeared behind the enormous trunk. The trio walked around the tree and were again stopped in their tracks, speechless. Not 10 yards away from them stood Inuyasha. He was still panting with his exertions of the past few days, but otherwise was perfectly still.

"He passed me earlier, as I told you. It took him a while to recognize me, given his present condition. But his nose caught the same scent that reminds him of Kagome. We are pieces of the same soul. It will be harder for me to calm him, but I can do it..."

Miroku nodded in certain understanding. "If we let you come with us."

She smiled in agreement. "Yes. I can calm him now, but if I leave he will eventually revert back."

Sango walked a little closer to Kikyou, still unwilling to completely accept her. "I'll ask one more time. Why do you want to help us?"

Kikyou turned to Inuyasha, who was staring at her with deadly intensity. "That is between me and him."

The trio looked at each other. They all knew that right now, Kikyou was their only hope in recovering both Kagome and Inuyasha. As they silently decided to accept her generous offer of help, they didn't notice her half smile. Right where I need them.

Sesshomaru's peace was disturbed by a low thud. He looked up for a moment, but felt nothing out of the ordinary in the air and returned to his father's journal. This is intriguing. If this is to be believed, our father knew that Inuyasha turns mortal on every new moon. He was born under the new moon. So, he was born human. Perhaps that is why he is so attached to his human friends. And why he took a human lover. That... Kikyou. And why he wants Kagome.

I give up. I cannot seem to stop thinking about her. Perhaps if I knew that she would stay and train Rin, I would be able to stop worrying and get down to better things. Like breaking down my brother. He still looked at the journal, but was no longer even trying to read.

Another low thud, this time accompanied by a yelp from Jaken, finally brought him out of his brooding reverie. He went to his door and opened it to find Rin running around the herb garden, using her little bow and arrow to pop Jaken in the butt. In the head... in the arm... Sesshomaru was about to stop her, but noticed something very promising. Every willow branch arrow Rin loaded into her little bow glowed just a little at the dulled tip before she released. And these dull little arrows were having an effect on Jaken. He was slowing down, and less able to escape her than he used to be. Yes, he looks tired.

"Rin." The voice caused Rin to stop in her tracks, the little blue light on the end of the arrow instantly dying. She looked over at him, sure that she was in trouble. "Come here."

She dropped the arrow into the herbs and walked slowly to Sesshomaru, her head bowed. As she past Jaken, he let out a little laugh of triumph. But, Rin made sure she stepped on his foot as she passed, which shut him up immediately. That also did not pass Sesshomaru's notice. More like Kagome every day.

He waited until she finally looked up at him before he spoke to her. "I see that you have come a long way in a very short time. Soon, Jaken will have two people here to fear." She suddenly beamed from ear to ear. "But enough practice for tonight. Go and have your bath." She skipped of in the direction of her room, and a grateful Jaken bowed to the floor in front of him.

Sesshomaru walked past the prostrate toad and went to Kagome's room. As he entered the hallway, he stopped. He listened at the door, but the room was now silent. He could have sworn he heard her singing. He stood still for a moment, wondering if she will start to sing again, when suddenly the door was wrenched open. "Can I help you?"

Ah, I forgot she can sense when I am too near. "I wanted to tell you that I have seen what Rin is able to do with her arrow now."

Kagome smiled and stepped out into the hallway. "Ah. Was she shooting her arrows at Jaken again? I told her to stop that. I though she did..." That was all she could say before she broke out into giggles at the sight of Jaken cowering before the little girl.

"You are more acceptable as her trainer than I thought you would be."

She stopped her path to the courtyard at the unexpected compliment, and wondered why it would send butterflies to her stomach again. Keh! I can't be having feelings for him. She started up again at this thought, trying to separate herself from Sesshomaru. As if she thought he could read her thoughts. I am not falling in love with him! He is evil! He is Inuyasha's brother, who has tried to kill us both. He is...

Kagome turned to sit down on a bench underneath a tree in the courtyard, and immediately noticed that Sesshomaru was already there, sitting beside her, waiting to talk. He is so handsome. She shook her head. No! He hates humans. He has killed people just for being people. But what about Rin? He seems to care for her. Again she shook her head. If he truly cared for her, he would not hold her life over my head. "Keh!"

He turned to face her. "What, miko?"

She blushed for a moment, then angered at his refusal to use her name. "God! How many times do I have to tell you to use my name?"

He sighed. "And as I have already told you, you must learn to give respect to get it."

"So you still refuse to use my name?" Sesshomaru said nothing. She stood up and looked down at him, but not too far. "All this time I have done what you asked. I have stayed in this damn place and played nursemaid for Rin. And this is the thanks I get? You won't even call me by my name? Then to hell with you, Sesshomaru. To hell with you!"

She stormed back towards her room, but only made it to the hallway before he jumped on her, pinning her to a wooden column and almost knocking the breath out of her. "I told you not to use such language here." His breath fanned her face, as he was again only inches from her face. She was uncomfortable being pinned against the column, trying to stay as far away from him as possible. Kagome made an attempt to free herself from his grasp, but again felt helpless as his arm tightened around her waist, pulling her closer to the column.

"And I told you, I don't care what you think. This is ridiculous! I want to go..." Before she could say anything else, the breath caught in her throat as he sniffed her hair. His cheek brushed against her forehead, sending tingling messages down her spine throughout her entire body. Damn her, she smells so rich and warm. And her fear is intoxicating. He calmed down somewhat as he continued to move his cheek along her forehead.

Kagome tried to pull away out of instinct, even though it was futile. "Don't touch me! I can't stand for you to touch me." This brought Sesshomaru out of his reverie, and he brought his eyes back to hers. He simply stared at her, a smile that was not quite a smile twisting his lips. Then he let out a little laugh that should have warned her to be afraid. But Kagome was too angry at him to be afraid right now.

"I think you do not..." He said as he continued to study his flushed face. "I think if I just push you a little in the right direction, you will do whatever I want, just for a chance that I might touch you."

"What happened to your precious pride? I thought you hated humans like me." She insulted him before she realized she shouldn't have. Sesshomaru pressed closer to Kagome, until her entire body was pinned by his to the column. Kagome was having trouble breathing; although she was not sure if it were due to his close proximity, or his close proximity.

He decided not to let her off so lightly this time. Kagome could sense it, with a feeling of desperation, before his mouth came down on hers with deliberate, calculated slowness, cutting off whatever stupid thing she would have said next. He kissed her until Kagome thought her neck would snap from the force of it, until her knees weakened and her mouth opened greedily and her head was no longer capable of rational thinking.

When he felt her give in so easily again, his hand left its crushing hold to explore her spine, up to the nape of her neck, his claws caressing her with tenderness. Tenderness? A voice in the back of her head managed to say. But that was the distinct impression his hand on her back had on her senses. She sensed tenderness; warm and needy.

His hand continued to play with her, brushing lightly over her shoulder and down to the edge of the kimono that covered her breasts. Sesshomaru growled against her lips and became a little more demanding as his claws lightly raked down the fabric, sending trails of goosebumps over the curve of her breasts. His hand became possessive, holding her breast through the thin fabric, teasing lightly, and sending strange responses that felt like electric shocks straight to her brain.

How can a guy I hate this much do this to me? In a last ditch effort to remove herself, she twisted her head from his kiss and managed to turn a little to the side. This did nothing to stop Sesshomaru, who continued his attack on her senses by trailing kisses from the corner of her mouth to the side of her chin. He sampled every delicate area of her neck, inhaling her scent and making himself forget for a moment that she had ever hated him at all. The havoc he wreaked on her senses when he licked her neck from chin to chest, then blew air on it, gave him a feeling of pleasure he had never known before. He had never realized that it could feel just as good to give as to get. But he tucked that thought away for later. Not much later...

His mouth moved with mesmerizing slowness to the breast he had been playing with only moments ago, using his claws to drag the fabric out of the way. His tongue played with her nipple just as his claws had done before, making her start to shiver all over again. Kagome couldn't help but chide herself as she stood there without pretense and just let him do that to her. How can I actually enjoy the feel of his lips, his fingers, on me? What is wrong with me? But even the voice in her head stopped as his hand explored her belly, trapped between their bodies now as he touched her intimately, his fingers seeming to burn her through the layers of silk kimono that lay between them. Kagome's face felt as if it were on fire, and her body was in no better condition, giving her a dangerous feeling of wanting to take more than he was giving.

As soon as it had started, Sesshomaru stopped. Kagome nearly fell to the floor, because suddenly all the support his body had been giving her had been torn away. His arm caught her as her legs buckled under her, so at least she was spared that embarrassment. She was about to scream in frustration when she looked over at Sesshomaru, who was looking down and to the side.

"I can't find my hair brush," Rin explained, apparently heedless of what she had just interrupted. "Kagome, can you give me a bath?" Sesshomaru turned away from them and walked slowly to the courtyard, unable to look either girl in the eye. Kagome sighed and held out her hand to Rin. Before Rin took her hand, she pointed at the top of Kagome's kimono, which was about to fall off of her shoulder.

She blanched as she hauled it roughly back into place, her eyes never leaving the back of Sesshomaru's head. She grabbed Rin's hand a little more forcefully than she wanted to and fairly dragged the poor little girl towards the bathing area. "Come on, Rin. Lord Sesshomaru needs to be alone with his thoughts...again."

Sesshomaru looked over his shoulder as the two mikos walked away. What I need is to be alone, but not with my thoughts. He sighed in frustration as he realized that the long walk back to his room was going to be a little more painful than it should.

Coming Soon – Chapter Nine – Pieces of the Same Soul

Kikyou is drawn to the distress that Kagome's miko powers are projecting. Kagome is torn between growing feelings for her captor and her need for freedom. Sesshomaru decides to take matters into his own hands. The rest of the tattered gang fights Inuyasha in an effort to control him.