Jackie: sorry this chapter took so long. I'm swamped with schoolwork!

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Chapter 7; Miyoiki

two months later

"They are close enough now," Naraku smiled.

"If you wanted them closer, why you didn't just drop the barrier," Kagura said, "Then your scent would have brought them running."

"You have so little patience, Kagura," He said with a cruel chuckle, "They have been falling in love this whole time. When I pluck her from his arms, or arm, and use her to kill him and his half-brother, it will make the moment that much sweeter."

Kagura's eyes narrowed and she left. She could not stomach his presence any longer. Naraku pulled out a familiar white stone and began to chant. He watched Miyoiki through the eyes of his insects as he chanted and waited for her to come under his control.

But there was nothing. Absolutely nothing. He growled with frustration and glared down at the stone. He plucked a large, black leather bound book and furiously riffled through its pages. With a scowl he scanned the desired portion of the text. Then he shut the book slowly and put it back on the shelf.

"Hmm, how inconvenient," He growled, "I need to know how old the girl is."

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Miyoiki tucked the pelt around Rin tightly and sat down by Ah-Un. Ah purred happily at her while Un rested its head in her lap. Beasts had always taken to her, and it seemed two-headed dragons were no exception. She gently patted their heads, and they gurgled with contentment. Rin was sleeping peacefully, Ah-Un was certainly in good spirits, and even Jaken had started to show a certain kinship to her. The only one who never seemed to change or adjust was looking off into the distance, sitting a mere four feet away.

He would never adjust; he was so proud and pompous that he expected the situation to adjust to him. She remembered that night as if it were yesterday; the night he had meant to kill her while her guard was down. She had crumbled to the ground and wept with relief when he decided not to. When she returned to camp, things had continued in their normal rhythm as though nothing had happened. As Ah-Un began to fall asleep she gently moved Un's head down off her lap. Loud snores from across the campsite alerted her that Jaken had fallen asleep as well.

As much as she felt she should be afraid, she wasn't. He had chosen not to slay her, and she did not think he was a man who changed his mind easily. She had been nervous the first few days but, it had passed as she watched him. She noticed how his cold eyes would dart around and his ears would twitch if he didn't know exactly where Rin was. Was this as close as he came to expressing worry? Every now and then Rin would put on some little unorganized performance and sing words that she made up as she went. Sesshomaru would watch, and Miyoiki could almost feel that he wanted to smile, but he never did.

Miyoiki stared at him. Every time she got a piece to the puzzle of lord Sesshomaru she got hungry to know more. If he wanted to smile, why didn't he? Why had he wanted to kill her that night, and what had made him rethink it? Why does someone so perfectly manufactured for killing carry a sword that brings life? Why does someone who constantly expresses contempt for the human race have a human ward?

He had a hard, thick wall around him. He was a cold calculating killer, but beneath that surface was?... A father? Rin's father? Yes… She had a feeling she was starting to see beneath the surface. If she was right, there could be only one reason he would want her dead.

"You thought I was a threat," Miyoiki broke the silence, "Why?"

His eyes moved to her, no expression hit his face, but she had learned to become sensitive to even the slightest flicker in his eyes. For a split second she could see that she had surprised him. He turned his head mechanically toward her.

He was so disgusted with himself lately. He had almost smiled and laughed many times in the company of Rin and Miyoiki. So far, they had not caught these unguarded moments in which he lost control. So far…

Worse than that, he had taken to staring at Miyoiki when she wasn't looking. When he could not openly stare he found reason to look in any direction that would let his peripheral vision drown in the sight of her. Tonight she was wearing his favorite outfit. It was a white satin tunic with silver and blue embroidery that brought out her shimmering silver eyes. In the firelight her fine features seemed even finer, casting sharp shadows across her heart-shaped face. Her black hair reached out into the night and trapped the firelight in glowing red highlights.

Her bracer lay beside her, and she held her sheathed sword like a cane, leaning into it slightly where she sat. Her full lips were parted, and she licked them unconsciously in a way that made his uncivilized half howl. That half of him took particular notice of the smoothness of her skin, the fullness of her breasts and hips, and her long, long legs.

Lust… Not an unfamiliar feeling. He was a demon and had periods where he felt almost driven to insanity with the need to mate. However, he had long ago learned to control those urges. What troubled him was the fact that he was no where near such a cycle, and his growing lust for her was nearing unbearable. What would he feel when he came into cycle?

Troubles. He had so many troubles these days. He was trying to find Naraku, and simultaneously avoid his brother. He would not have that half-demon see him with his human charges. He had meant to do so by staying ahead, but Rin simply couldn't keep up. For that matter, it seemed that no one could keep up with him except for Miyoiki.

Aside from his lust for her, he had grown to admire her. She never complained, she was an eager subject who always did what she was told, and yet she never let go of her noble pride. He could see it in the way she held her shoulders back, and the lift of her chin. She did what she was told but her body language said, "I'm listening to you, like I should, but not because you are better than me."

Because it was her duty. Duty was important to her. Honor was important to her; the same way that it had always mattered above all things to him. Then there was Rin, who also seemed to matter greatly to the both of them.

And Miyoiki was so observant. Two days after their 'fight' she had confronted him with the suspicion that they were both chasing after someone and being chased by someone else. She had demanded the truth, and when he tried to answer simply, she demanded the details. She now knew intimately who Inuyasha was, and who Naraku was.

She had listened, absorbing it all. She could tell when, even in the details, he was leaving things out about his mother and exactly why he wanted to kill his half-brother. But she only pressed for details that she seemed to find important, or was she avoiding what she could tell caused him distress to tell? Could she see that deeply into him?

After hundreds of years of being the master of cold control was there someone he could not fool? He could feel her seeping through cracks in his resolve that he did not know existed. It was, in a word, disturbing. He didn't even know what she was.

He shouldn't be surprised that she now confronted him with this. Wasn't it only a matter of time before her keen sense deduced his reasoning? Before he met her, he would have said that it was impossible for anyone but him to know his true motives.

Miyoiki's silver-blue eyes regarded him. He loved those eyes. Wait… Loved?

"My lord?" Miyoiki asked.

He realized he hadn't responded to her. On the wind he caught the scent of Naraku and he stood. For once, Naraku couldn't have had better timing.

"It will have to wait," he said, "Stay here and guard Rin."

With that he was gone.

……………….

"Greetings, Lord Sesshomaru," Naraku laughed.

Sesshomaru sniffed at the air, and lashed his whip out, decapitating the puppet. Knowing that Naraku was still listening, Sesshomaru said, "If you want to talk to me, Naraku. Do it in person."

"Temper, temper," His voice chimed from another puppet, "I only want to talk about your beautiful companion, Miyoiki."

Sesshomaru's heart leapt to his throat. Miyoiki was alone, he had left her alone, and Naraku could be attacking her this very minute. He knew from the few disturbances they had met along the way that Miyoiki was capable of defending herself and Rin, but this was Naraku. In spite of himself, he growled.

"My, my," Naraku chided, "Aren't we becoming emotional? Don't worry, I'm not attacking her in your absence. I just came to give you a little information."

"And what is that?" Sesshomaru asked, trying not to look impatient.

"Thousands of years ago," Naraku started, "The balance of power was split between sorcerers and demons. For a while it seemed the demons would win. The enslaved priests and priestesses of the sorcerers were scant protection against demon lords such as yourself. And so they set out to make a new kind of servant. A servant who could protect and fight for them."

"Naturally, they tried to enslave demons first," Naraku explained, "But again, a demon weak enough to be enslaved made a miserable protector. One great black sorcerer surmised that they needed something with the immortality on a demon, and the purification powers of a priestess. Many expiraments went horribly wrong. Demon and spiritual powers don't mix well. The creature's soul had to be enormous, and its control had to be unparalleled. They had to be able to choose between either power at any given time. Wielding both at once was catastrophic. They found that no matter how powerful the beginning subject, immaturity was often their downfall."

"You wear on my patience," Sesshomaru growled, "Get to the point."

"I'm getting there," Naraku chuckle darkly, "The final result was a thing they called the metamorph. Since maturity was a problem, they simply bred in a means by which the power would not mature until the subject was ready. Until then, the subject would look almost completely human and wield impressive, but not undefeatable spiritual powers."

"You're saying she is one of these metamorphs?" Sesshomaru asked.

"She is, and she will ripen soon," Naraku said, now it was time to twist the truth a bit, "She will cocoon herself and be vulnerable for one month. When she emerges her demon traits will have manifested themselves, and she will be hungry. Without powerful enchantments she will be an uncontrolled beast. She will ravage whoever and whatever gets in her way without recognition of friend or foe."

"How is it," Sesshomaru asked, "That you know this? And how is it, if the 'experiment' was a success that the sorcerers were defeated."

"I studied sorcery, did you not know?" Naraku asked, "Their defeat lies in the fact that they were found out. Since it takes 30 years for a metamorph to ripen, they made easy targets for extermination."

"How is it then, that Miyoiki exists?" Sesshomaru asked, "This happened thousands of years ago by your account, and she is not yet ripe, as you put it. The timelines don't match."

"Your guess is as good as mine," Naraku answered.

Sesshomaru ripped through the second puppet and said, "You know what I think, Naraku? I think you're lying. Your story doesn't make sense, and you would never offer such information without motive. Such tactics may work on my fool of a brother, but I am not so easy to manipulate."

He left, and the real Naraku smiled. Kagura sneered with disgust as her master. They were safe, miles away. She sniffed, "What's so funny? He didn't take your bait."

"Didn't he?" Naraku asked, "We shall see."

Naraku watched Sesshomaru make his way back to the campsite where Miyoiki was tending the fire. Miyoiki looked up at him. She had that studious look on her face again as she asked, "What was it, my lord?"

Sesshomaru looked into Miyoiki's unnaturally blue eyes and took another mental vacation. This was so unlike him. Several moments later he asked, "How old are you, Miyoiki?"

"I am 29," She answered plainly, "I know I don't look it. Just lucky, I guess."

"Yes," Sesshomaru said softly, "When is your birthday."

Miyoiki laughed, "Don't tell me your thinking of getting me something. You aren't the type to be interested in such things, and besides-"

"Just answer the question," He growled.

"It's a week from today," Miyoiki said.

Her eyes pierced him and he could see that she was getting ready to verbally assault him with questions. She was a distraction, he found it hard to maintain control around her, and, even if Naraku lied, Naraku was showing way too much interest in her. She was a threat. The logical thing to do would be to send her away from him. That would have been the logical thing to do with Rin after Naraku abducted her. He was collecting far too many liabilities.

"What happened out there," She asked, "Something is troubling you."

"Nothing troubles this Sesshomaru," He said, remaining placid.

"You don't want to talk about it…" She said absently, "Fine, I'm going to take a bath."

He didn't like the sudden absence of "my lord" at the end of her sentences.

"Do you dare to disrespect me?" He growled.

"Who are you?"

The question hit him like a ton of bricks. She turned away from him with her bathing materials in hand. He was to her in an instant. He whirled her around and held her roughly by the wrist with his one arm, close to him so that she would be forced to look him in the eyes.

His gold eyes burned holes in her. Her heart was pounding in her chest, but she would not stand down. She looked right back at him just as fiercely.

"Do NOT turn your back on me when I am speaking to you," He growled, "I have already warned you that insolence will not be tolerated."

"Then strike me down," She challenged, "I know you will not. Yet, I do not know why I know. I don't understand you. Who are you?"

Her eyes softened, and he felt his anger melting away. Her hand reached up unconsciously and traced the marks on his cheek. She snapped back to reality and withdrew her hand as if it were burned.

His eyes faded from fierceness, to softness, and then to confusion. Seeing these things flutter beneath his frozen surface was intoxicating. Miyoiki was a mix of raw emotions. She was seeing into him. She knew it, and she liked what she saw? Dare she say she loved what she saw? She knew she lusted for him, but was she starting to love him? Rin's father, he won't hurt me.

Sesshomaru had his own battle to fight. His logic told him that if he did not punish her somehow, he would loose the upper hand. But she was right; the thought of hurting her was so repulsive that it stayed his hand. Sending her away was kin to ripping his own heart out. Then there was a burning sensation on his face. He could still feel the feather-light touch of her fingers on his skin.

Sesshomaru was so close to her. A mere step would press their bodies together. Her treacherous body revealed its desire in a rush of heat to her belly. She was suddenly afraid, afraid that he would see through her, and she tried to push away.

His gripped tightened, and his eyes grew dark. He could smell it. She was aroused by him. The thought that she returned his feelings of lust was giving his wall of control the thrashing of a lifetime. He just had to reach out and take her, and yet he felt she was not ready, he was not ready. He had to put distance between them. All at once he let her go, and she stumbled backwards. Seeing that she would fall, he lunged forward and grabbed her.

That had not worked as planned. Now she was even closer. She sat back against his thigh, her body pressed up against him, his arm around her small waist, and their faces so close that he could feel her breath whisper across his lips. Her eyes were wide with bewilderment, and her arousal spiked uncontrollably upward with every passing second of the embrace. He felt her tremble.

"My lord," it was a weak whisper to him, a plea.

She wasn't ready. It was sobering enough to allow him to set her upright and take a step back away from her. His eyes filled with disgust? How could he be loosing his control so thoroughly and so quickly? Hundreds of years of resolve melted in two months?

"Do not touch me again," he growled, "Or you will be dismissed from my service, permanently."

He went back to the fire and sat in his normal position. Miyoiki turned and walked to the river. He had seen it, she was sure he had seen her lust for him. The more aroused she became the tighter his grip had become. And he was disgusted by it… by me…Of course… He hates humans…

Now Miyoiki didn't consider herself the crying type, but for the second time since being in his company, she buried her face in her hands and sobbed.

Sesshomaru looked into the fire. Every nerve in his body was tingling. The scent of her arousal was embedded in his nose, and he found himself fighting the urge to find her and take what he knew was his. He felt certain she would let him. When she finally returned she was well-groomed and composed, but he could smell tears. Her body language was submissive, she kept her chin down and her eyes never looked in his direction.

He didn't like it, and he knew it was his fault.

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Jackie: Okay, I hope I made Sesshomaru soften slowly enough to keep it in character. Let me know what you think.