Warm-Ice: I can't do this! I can't do this!

Sess: yes, you can, wench.

Warm-Ice: I told you not to call me a wench, didn't I? And no, I can't! I'm too nervous! This is my first time!

Sess: worry not; this Sesshoumaru will guide you along the way.

Warm-Ice: b-but what if I don't do a good job?

Sess: I suppose I can forgive you.

Warm-Ice: but what about everyone else?

Sess:…………………………………………………………………….

Warm-Ice: Mou! Why aren't you answering me!

Sess: It is time to answer your reviewers' inquiries.

Warm-Ice: oh…okay…

destinyheart15: gomen if I confused you. Actually, she was waiting for Sess and Shippou was the one she danced with. Shippou was also the one who took her to bed.

Shippou: (snickering snidely at Kouga)

Kouga: (glaring daggers at Shippou)

sesshy's 4 ever: enticing? (blush) thank you! Hahaha! Thank you so much for the encouragement!

Sess: (sweatdrops)

Kag: (pouts) so you have other women other than Omoi! I can't believe you! Playboy! Womanizer!

Sess: women…

Anime Lady PIMP: you're very welcome!

Kag: (blushes) the scary thing is that I do know what you mean.

Sess: (smirk)

Kag: don't smile at me like that!

Kat57: oh, you are so sweet! Thank you so much!

Miroku: I agree, Warm-Ice-sama.

Warm-Ice: oh, thank you, Mirok—Hentai!

Slap!

Miroku: it was worth a try.

sesshomaru4ever: whatever you wish!

Sess: This Sesshoumaru is pleased that you appreciate my greatness. Thank you.

Riyo Sohma: (Blush) really? Thank you, it's an honor! And cool site, by the way. I checked it out.

Haruko: and for the record, Warm-Ice celebrates Christmas.

Warm-Ice: thanks for asking!

Sess: shall we continue with the chapter?

Warm-Ice: (blush) I don't think I can.

Sess: (smiles seductively) Oh, yes, you can.

Warm-Ice: (gulp) here goes nothing. To everyone who supported me up until now, thank you so very much! Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all get to keep your resolutions and each make the world a more bearable place to live in! Geez, I sound like a contestant for the Miss U.N. or something. But really, I do believe that everyone can, in their own little way, make the world a better place. So, I hope that this year will be better than the last.

Haruko: please stop being so cheesy and simply go on with the story.

Warm-Ice: alright, alright!

Chapter 27: Hungry

Kouga looked up at the beautiful night sky, the crescent moon shining high above their hidden village. The wind was cool and singing could be heard. His family members were having a drinking party again and strangely enough he wasn't with them. He wasn't in the mood to drink tonight. It wasn't as if he could do anything productive through drinking anyway. Sure, he'd have a few laughs but…it just wasn't what he needed at the moment.

What he needed was to think of the future, of his next move. What should he do next? When did he plan on giving her back to her family? What did he plan to do after giving her back?

Arashi was right. Him and her; they weren't meant for each other. Hell, for all he knew, she probably felt nothing for him at all. It was all his selfish feelings. He didn't know how she felt about him. And he'd bet that the answer to that was a big 'NOTHING'. She didn't show any signs that told him she liked him. Nor did she give any signals of malice. She was always polite which simply confused him even more.

Was her staying with him, being kind to him simply because she was being polite? Or are his feelings for her silently returned? She was too confusing.

She was playing him. Hot and Cold, that was her game. First she'll be all nice and friendly, and then when he finally dares to make a move, she'll move away. Yeah, that's probably what she was doing with him. She was toying with him. Because she's an inu and inus hate wolves!

No, how could he think such things! No, Haruko wouldn't do that. Her intentions were always pure, always sincere. That was what he loved about her. But she was still so young. Perhaps not older than nineteen. Perhaps she was too naïve, or maybe she just doesn't want to think of romantic relationships yet. Yes, maybe that was it. Yeah, that was plausible.

He sighed and smiled a small bitter smile, banishing his troubling thoughts. He shouldn't love her. Tomorrow night he will take her back and forget about her forever. No coming back, no hesitations, no…no hard feelings…that was his decision. He wasn't good for her and she was too good for him. They didn't belong together and that was that.

He sensed someone's presence and looked down from his lying position on the roof of his hut. It was Haruko staring up at him with such a neutral expression, an unreadable poker face. He got up and supported his weight with his arm, looking down at her with a weary smile. "Yes, inu-hime?"

"It's getting cold outside. You should…come inside. I'll start a fire to warm the hut." she said softly.

He grinned down at her and said, "Hai! Coming!" he jumped from the roof and landed on his feet by her side. She gave him a small smile before walking in the hut gracefully. Kouga followed with playful big steps, feeling his old cheery self coming back.

Sesshoumaru looked around, watching the people's merrymaking around the bonfire. Mila was at the corner, shyly talking to a human girl of his age. It seems that he found a new friend. She was fair looking, perhaps pleasing to the humans' eyes. He seemed not to mind her company at all.

He looked away, searching for someone in particular. She didn't seem t be anywhere. Shippou and Miroku came forward. Miroku had a sheepish smile despite the many red handprints on his face. Sesshoumaru raised his brow at them.

Shippou shook his head and said, "He was peeking at the girls in the dressing room. Sango-chan caught him and gave him a beating."

Sesshoumaru watched Miroku sheepishly laugh. "Hehehe. I was simply collecting information."

"Information my butt." Shippou said, looking flatly up at the monk before sitting down besides the standing Sesshoumaru who decided that he didn't care so he looked away, looking for her again.

Miroku sat down beside him, saying, "But I am speaking the truth, Shippou-chan. I have gathered some information about tonight's celebration."

"Uhuh, sure." Shippou said, not believing the pervert one bit.

"The fact that you don't believe me hurts me, Shippou-chan. I have nothing but pure intentions." Miroku said, pretending to be emotionally damaged.

Shippou bonked him on the head, "Yeah, right."

Sesshoumaru hid a smirk; the two seemed to be quite amusing.

"Hohohohoho!" came a jolly laugh. They all turned to the sound and found the village chief, Zabu, coming towards them with his jolly smile. Sesshoumaru cringed visibly. He hated jolly people. They were simply too…jolly. "Well if it isn't our dear guests!" he said, coming closer and standing beside Sesshoumaru.

"Kobanwa, Zabu-san!" Shippou greeted cheerfully.

Sesshoumaru cringed. Too cheerfully.

"Hello, Zabu-san." Miroku smiled like always.

Sesshoumaru was thankful. Despite his perversity, Miroku was the only level headed one in the group, Sesshoumaru noticed. Not to cheery, not to sulky. He was at balance, always calm. That was perhaps why Sesshoumaru could sometimes bear the perverted monk's presence.

"How was your stay? Very Well, I hope." Zabu said.

"Hai. We feel very welcomed in your hospitable village. Thank you very much." Miroku said politely. Sesshoumaru raised his brow. Perhaps, if Miroku hadn't been human, Sesshoumaru would have chosen him instead of Jaken as an assistant. It seems that the monk had a knack for social relations; keeping it formal yet light and friendly. He could be a good politician.

"Good! Good! But you haven't seen anything yet! The best part is just about to come. The story of the Kingdom of the Crescent Moon!" he enthusiastically said.

Sesshoumaru cringed. Too enthusiastic.

"The Kingdom of the Crescent Moon?" Shippou asked curiously.

"Hai." The old man nodded. "It is the most awaited event in the celebration of the crescent moon."

"Wah! Really?" Shippou asked in wonder.

Suddenly, everyone was silent and only drums could be heard, beating at a steady slow rhythm. The fire blazed in all its glory, drawing everyone's attention.

"I will tell you the story. Shhh, it's starting." He said. A few people entered the circled around the bon fire, dancing to the beat of the drums. The men were dressed in brown, the women in green. They were dancing wildly, covering something from the eyes of the spectator using their intricately designed robes.

"It all starts with a princess." The people sharply dispersed and revealed a beautiful woman in beautiful pink robes. Sesshoumaru's eyebrows lifted. What was the taijiya doing there?

"Look! It's Sango-chan!" Shippou said, pointing to the princess.

"Indeed, it is Sango-sama." Miroku said in amazement.

She came forward with graceful steps, grace Sesshoumaru didn't know she possessed. She bowed low to the people she passed by and they, in turn, bowed low to her.

"She was a beautiful princess and everyone in the kingdom loved her. Her life was perfect, she was perfect. That night, the Great King, her father, told her that she was to be married to someone in a few months." There came a throne where a regal looking man in golden robes sat. The princess bowed to him.

The King opened his mouth but no sound came. The princess looked up at him with disbelief in her eyes. She seemed to protest. The King stood with fury and the princess looked down in shame.

"The princess had no choice but to accept the fate given to her. She cried that night in her room." Sango fell to the ground and covered her face with her hands, pretending to cry, as the throne left the circle and she was the only one left.

"But a few days later, there was a shock to the village and everyone was rejoicing." Everyone came forward, covering Sango from the audience, and looked as if celebrating. "It seemed that the enemy of their country, the prince of the New Moon, surrendered himself as a captive."

Then came a young man, topless and chained, being dragged to the throne were the King sat with his princess standing by his side.

"The princess was surprised to see such a man." The guards forced the prince of the New Moon to his knees and the King looked very pleased. But the princess looked at him with wonder. "She'd never met someone with such beauty."

The King pointed at him and mouthed an order. They were about to take him away when the Prince started pushing the guard from him and coming back to the steps of the throne where he was once forced to kneel. Sesshoumaru's eyebrows knitted together. What did the Prince mean by doing such a thing?

"The King was just about to sentence the Prince to death but the Prince didn't let him do such a thing. He proclaimed that he didn't surrender to the King. He surrendered to the Princess."

Everyone was whispering and the King looked appalled. The Princess was shocked and couldn't understand.

Sesshoumaru's eyebrows knitted together even more, that would mean that the Prince of the New Moon was in love with the Princess. But why would he surrender himself? He was a Prince in his country. Yet now he comes to her…a prisoner?

"So that must mean that the Prince of the New Moon was in love with the Princess, right?" Shippou asked.

"Yes, that's right, Shippou-chan." Miroku said. "And I don't blame him." He muttered to himself.

"So they understood that the Princess was the one who should give him a sentence. But the princess, being a kind-hearted soul, couldn't send him to his death. So she sentenced him to be her slave. That was the worst thing the princess could think of at the moment. The King didn't agree, in fact, he protested against it violently."

The King showed just that. But Sango put her hands up and shook her head. "But that was her decision and it will not be changed."

"As the months went on, the Prince of the New Moon spent every minute of his day with her, smiling with her and laughing with her. Unconsciously, the Princess fell in love with him as well. But when the month passed, the prince was surprised when the guards took him to the dungeon and started beating him mercilessly."

They depicted that part at a corner while the King watched proudly at the opposite corner.

"When they were finished, the King came closer and told him to stay away from the princess from then on. She was to be married to the Prince of the Full Moon. The Prince of the New Moon was heart broken and his hopes shattered."

The scene ended and then came a new scene where there was another man. A handsome man was he in his green robes, walking proudly along the bon fire.

"And here is the Prince of the Full Moon, who had long admired the beauty of the princess. But it seemed that their kingdoms were starting a feud so the King had his daughter marry the prince of the Full Moon to create an unbreakable bond. The princess herself was also captivated by him; he was a very enticing man."

The prince of the Full Moon danced with the Princess for a long while, depicting passion and love. But then she moved away and seemed crestfallen.

"But…" Zabu said. "It seemed that the Princess could not bring herself to love him back. Her heart was already captivated by her slave, the Prince of the New Moon. The Prince of the Full Moon couldn't accept it and forced her to love him back."

The prince pulled her closer but the princess pushed him away. He became more aggressive and forced himself upon her. The princess fought for freedom but was too weak. With that, she screamed.

"Upon hearing her scream, the Prince of the New Moon awoke." Then the prince of the New moon sat up and looked angry. He pulled at the chains that bound him. He struggled out of them and finally broke free. "He escaped the prison and came to her rescue.

There was a fight scene where the Prince of the New Moon beat up the guards and came to the scene where the Prince of the Full Moon was forcing the princess to love him. The princes fought dramatically and the drums became faster with ever hit. Finally, with one fatal blow, the Prince of the New Moon defeated the Prince of the Full Moon. Sango ran into the arms of the Prince of the New Moon.

"After rescuing her, they ran away to his kingdom where they were to be married and live happily ever after." The prince took Sango by the wrist and they ran out of the circle with smiles on their faces. The drums stopped.

"The End." Everyone clapped loudly, yelling and making wolf whistles.

"Wow! Sango-chan was great!" Shippou yelled, clapping.

"Hai. Whoever thought Sango-sama was such a great actress." Miroku praised.

"When did she rehearse for this?" Sesshoumaru asked Zabu. Zabu smiled at him.

"When we gave them a tour, we told them the story. They were captivated by it and offered to help. So I chose Sango-sama for the play and Kagome-sama for the special event."

"Special event?" Shippou asked. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at him. What special event?

There was a soft tune that followed. Everyone was silent again. Now women were in the circle, they were all wearing red and very sexy kimonos. They were circling someone who was kneeling so everyone only received a glimpse of her black kimono with a blood red obi. The drums joined, giving a tribal beat. Their paces quickened. Suddenly it stopped and suddenly they all knelt. The soft tune returned and the woman in the middle rose slowly to her feet.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened at the sight of her. Kagome. It was disorienting to see her with that expression in those alluring robes with those enticing moves.

"This, my dear friends, is the special event. The dance of the Celestials. This is when the Goddesses of the Crescent Moon came down upon this land and blessed us all. Kagome-sama's role is the queen of the Celestials. The beautiful, seductive, Queen of Heaven."

Seductive indeed, Sesshoumaru thought. Very seductive indeed. His golden eyes followed her every move, every step, every sway of the hips. Suddenly when she stroke a pose, her hands revealed and opened a red fan in each of them. The other Celestials took out their own fans and danced with their Queen.

When Kagome realized Sesshoumaru was staring intently at her, she blushed lightly and struggled to remember the next step. This was quite embarrassing. She didn't know anything about being seductive but she would try her best.

Swaying the hips here and there, stepping to the side and back, the slit of her kimono showing off her smooth skin; everything she did consumed the Great Lord of the Western Lands. His eyes seemed glued to her as if she would vanish if he would dare blink. The intensity of his gaze only strengthened when she used the fans to cover most of her face and reveal only her eyes.

Those beautiful, enticing eyes…

The Celestials surrounding her danced around her, seemingly praising her for her beauty. Sesshoumaru couldn't blame them. The drum beats became faster and Kagome bent back as the Celestials did amazing feats with their fans, throwing them in the air and what not.

Everyone was amazed by them but Sesshoumaru was too focused on Kagome to pay attention to anything else.

Flexible. She is very flexible indeed.

He could think of many ways to discern just how flexible she could be. She returned to her striking pose and the circle broke. Soon the Celestials gracefully went to the audience, pulling a few handsome men with them towards the bon fire and encouraging them to dance as well. Soon everyone joined the dance.

But in Sesshoumaru's eyes, it was only Kagome now. She was looking back at him with that playful smirk and those gleaming blue eyes as she went on dancing. Extending her hand to him, she beckoned him closer.

Curious as to what she was intending to do, Sesshoumaru gracefully went closer, coming into the crowd which parted for him to enter the circle. He came to her just as the drum beats went tribal and wild, giving everyone a new reason to dance.

She smiled to him, "Dance with me." She said to him, her voice slightly escalated due to the loud music.

"This Sesshoumaru does not dance." He answered with a smirk, playing with her.

"Oh no, you're gonna dance with me." Kagome said, not accepting no for an answer. "Or I'll just have to find someone else to dance with. Maybe Miroku?" she asked raising a brow. She turned to leave but before she could, Sesshoumaru had already pulled her close. Gotcha.

She gasped at the sudden contact, his hands resting at the flat of her stomach and at her hip. Soon they started dancing but not like everyone else. Their dance was slow, smooth, and seductive; always keeping physical contact. It could be described as sensual, or as passionate. Whichever you prefer, their dance was as if they were clinging to one another as if they would perish if they ever let go.

"I knew you could dance." She whispered to his ear, her breath on his skin made many thoughts come to mind. And none of them could ever be accepted as 'innocent'. "I just didn't know you were this good."

Sesshoumaru gave a smirk. "That isn't the only thing this Sesshoumaru is 'good' at."

Kagome blushed and her eyes widened, actually knowing what he was talking about. Suddenly, Sesshoumaru stepped away from her, pulling her along as he started making his way out of the circle.

"Ah—S-Sesshoumaru, where are we going?"

Soon she found herself pressed down against the bed in the hut she was once found kissing Sesshoumaru in. And lo! The man hovering over her was he whom she had kissed.

She blushed, realizing her predicament. "S-Sesshoumaru—what are you—" but she was silenced by his hungry lips, kissing her for all that he was worth. Kagome moaned and Sesshoumaru took advantage of the situation, deepening the kiss. Predicament forgotten completely, Kagome returned the kiss shyly, her arms wrapping around him to pull him down to her. The colors of their entities contrasted; Black and White clashing.

She moaned again, shuddering as his soft lips trailed kissed down her neck and his hands gripped tightly on her skirt, crinkling them into his fists and causing them to shift, exposing her creamy legs. "Se-Sesshoumaru…" she whispered heatedly, her grip tightening on his back.

Sesshoumaru went to lick her ear, earning another shudder from the petite form beneath him. "Kagome, do you love me?" He huskily said.

"Now and Forever…" Kagome panted as she shut her eyes tight, feeling his one hand untying her obi and the other hiking under her thigh and holstering it up, placing it against his hip.

Sesshoumaru kissed her neck again before saying, "And do you want me?"

The obi was discarded to the floor and her robes became loose, falling from her shoulders and giving Sesshoumaru more places to venture upon. Kagome moaned as his hands went somewhere inside her kimono she was too embarrassed to think of. "Oh, Kami, yes…" she whispered, feeling his hardened member press upon her.

He kissed her passionately as she arched forward. She felt so good, and she was all his now. "Are you ready?" he said after pulling away ever so slightly, their lips merely centimeters away. She looked up at him, their eyes meeting and their breaths mingling.

Her heart warmed, knowing that he was still upholding his promise to her.

"I will wait for the moment when you are…ready."

And in her mind she knew that he will not go through with this, no matter how much he wanted her, if she said no. And she loved him even more for that. She smiled warmly at him kissing him again and pulling away, saying…

"Hai."

Smirking evilly, Sesshoumaru said, "There is much for you to learn, my little virgin." Kagome gasped as his hand went somewhere she thought it couldn't possibly go to.

Zabu looked strangely at the hut where he saw Sesshoumaru roughly drag Kagome inside. "Is this normal?" he asked Miroku who was smiling at him.

"Zabu-sama, my dear fellow, It's all fine." Miroku said, putting a friendly arm around the jolly man's shoulder, maneuvering him to walk the other way. "They are husband and wife, anyway."

"Oh, I see." Zabu said, winking at Miroku who winked back knowingly. "Well then, let's leave the happy couple and join the party, shall we?" he said, laughing and walking towards the bon fire.

"A fine idea!" Miroku said, catching a glimpse of Sango who was dancing happily with a few of her new female friends. Despite the beauty that surrounded her, she was still the apple of the monk's eyes. She would always be. And she would never know.

They both silently lay on their separate beds, her eyes were closed, trying to fall asleep while his was open, staring up at the ceiling. "Haruko…"

"Hai?" she answered, not moving from her position, lying on her side.

"Do you hate me?"

She opened her eyes at that. "Of course not, Kouga-san." She shifted, turning to face him. "Why would you ask that of all things?"

He smiled, not taking his eyes away from the ceiling. "Out of curiosity."

"You seem to be a very curious person, aren't you Kouga-san?"

He chuckled and turned to her then, "Hehe, yeah maybe. You can't sleep?"

"Iie."

"Neither can I."

"I wonder why."

"I feel… like something bad is going to happen."

Her eyebrows knitted together. "Something…bad?" they looked at each other then. The confusion was evident in her eyes and a calm sorrow was in his. "Like what?"

He simply smiled, "You should really go to sleep, Inu-hime. A beautiful girl needs her beauty sleep, ne?"

She blushed furiously at the compliment and turned around, not wanting him to see her this way. "Ch. Flattery won't work on me."

Kouga chuckled again. She was so cute. When he calmed he looked at her again, the loneliness becoming evident once again when he had to remind himself that… She isn't mine to love.

Shippou looked up as the door opened to reveal Aki, the only survivor of the Shape shifter clan. Aki smirked at Shippou and his body transformed into its original form; a beautiful, sultry woman. "You called for me, Shippou-sama?"

"Hai, I'm glad you could come." Shippou said, turning to face her. Only Shippou knew of Aki's secret and he took advantage of it.

"Tell me, what did our beloved Princess do to arouse your desires this time, Shippou-sama?" Aki said, coming closer seductively. Unknown to everyone else, Aki was one of the many women who had silently fallen in love with the handsome General in his prime. But no one dared make a move to catch his eye. For everyone also silently knew that Shippou-sama only had eyes for their Lady Haruko.

"She touched my arm." he admitted with a charming smile.

"Really? Oh, I envy you, Shippou-sama." She said, stopping in front of him. It was not often for Haruko-sama to have physical contact with anyone. She hardly needed it to arouse a man. Shippou-sama knew that very well. But to be touched by her was a rare experience and the feel of her skin was enough to send his imagination wild. "Tell me who you want me to be." She whispered huskily.

Shippou stared back down at Aki with a cold gleam in his eyes. "Haruko, Princess of the Western Lands."

With that said; Aki closed her eyes and started transforming. Her hair turned from green to white and lengthened, her features became more delicate, her body becoming more petite. Shippou smiled darkly as Aki turned into a perfect replica of Haruko. She opened her eyes, revealing sapphire eyes. She smirked seductively.

"Sing for me." Shippou commanded softly, a hungry gleam in his emerald eyes.

Aki started singing. But Shippou stopped her. "No. Sing the song she always sings."

"Canta per me ne, adio…" Shippou smiled of satisfaction, taking hold of her forearms, bringing her closer to him. He started kissing her neck and Aki soon found it hard to keep a note. "Quel dolce suono…"his hands went everywhere around her body, imagining it to be Haruko herself.

"Ah—Shippou-sama!" she moaned out loud.

"Keep singing." He hissed angrily.

Aki complied, "de' passati giorni—ah!" his grip on her tightened, telling her not to stop. "mi sempre rammenta…"

The whole time he thought of her as Haruko. It was Haruko whom he was kissing; it was Haruko whom he was touching. Haruko, Haruko, Haruko. Yes, this was his dark little secret. Beneath his mask of smiles and perfection was this dark side. Who could blame him? He grew up admiring her from afar, never allowed to touch her. Of course the desire to do so would grow into something such as this. Settling for a mere copy instead of the real thing. He was a man after all, and all men have needs. It was pathetic but he couldn't stop himself. He needed to feel Haruko, even if just as an illusion.

If he couldn't have this, he didn't know what he would do to release the tension. To him this was the healthiest way to do so. No one would get hurt and everyone would be satisfied.

"Haruko…"