Disclaimer: No, don't own Inuyasha or Sesshomaru or any of the others. They're Rumiko Takahashi's.
Chapter 7
Dr. Moto tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for the elevator to descend to the emergency room. He smoothed his hair and adjusted his long white coat so that it hung more evenly over his lean frame. His reflection grinned back at him as he gave the vial of blood in his pocket a reassuring pat. The medical community would be foaming at the mouth once they heard of his discovery, eager to lavish awards and money on him. Journals would be fighting to publish his articles and countries around the world would want to interview him.
His smile stretched even further as he thought, And all because of you, my silver-haired friend. Whatever you are, you are going to make me a very wealthy and powerful man. Even if you don't know it yet.
Giddiness swept over him as he thought of the moment he tested that blood. It was incredible. Like an elixir of life. The healing capacity of it was astounding. Of course, he would need to conduct a few tests first, but he believed that that girl's "fiancé" could heal from a small cut within seconds and a major wound in a matter of hours.
Yet even more astounding was the high presence of a strange anti-body in the blood. At first, he had had no idea what its purpose was, or why there was so much of it in this stranger's blood, at least until the orderly had reported. Now he had a very good hunch that these antibodies functioned as some sort of antitoxin. All he needed to do was get to that poisoned body before it disappeared and make sure that the stranger did not get away.
When the elevator opened to the ER, Dr. Moto briskly made his way to a small examination room in the back. The orderly stood outside making sure no one tried to enter. He smiled. That kid was worth the hassle of paying because he was efficient.
Halting at the door, the doctor bent and whispered in his ear, "Good work. I'll double what I'm paying you if you'll go back to the room you found me in and make sure that the fellow with the white hair and odd clothes doesn't leave the hospital. Do anything short of killing him. I'll need him alive. Understood?"
The orderly smirked and answered, "Completely, Dr. Moto," before departing.
Dr. Moto brushed invisible dirt from his shoulder then slipped into the room, locking the door behind him. A moment later he had a small piece of the victim's dissolving flesh on a microscope slide. He carefully removed the vial of precious blood from his pocket and added a drop.
Before he could even get the slide under the microscope, he could tell the blood was taking effect. The flesh had stopped melting. So, the guy was responsible for this poison and, by association, the dismemberment of those other men. Dangerous. But any great reward had some risk involved.
Quickly adjusting the microscope he examined it on the cellular level. Not only had the poison been completely neutralized, but a few of the cells had actually begun to heal themselves.
Excitement was not the word to describe what Dr. Moto felt at that moment. Had he not been a respectable professional, he would have turned cartwheels right there. He had to make sure he got that man to work with him, though he feared that would be next to impossible. The guy carried himself as though he believed himself to be nobility or something, but Dr. Moto admitted that if he had access to these abilities he would probably be just as arrogant or even more so.
Voluntarily or by force, he would get that stranger's cooperation.
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Kagome sat in the middle of a large meadow. Fragrant flowers speckled the green with a rainbow of color. A brisk breeze teased her hair, chasing across her face until it caught on her eye lashes and between her lips. She tucked the mischievous strands safely behind an ear then turned to look at the lounging half-demon that lay on the grass beside her.
Kagome followed his gaze upward to the drifting white clouds that lazed overhead. They shifted with a languid grace into various images and scenes.
"That one looks like a cute little bunny in a field!" Kagome exclaimed pointing out the image to Inuyasha.
"Feh," he grunted to her. "No it doesn't. It looks like a giant bat demon destroying a village. And right next to it is an ogre demon being decapitated. See, there's the blood trailing from its head."
"No, that's a child flying a kite," Kagome insisted feeling both exasperation and amusement at her companion's gruesome interpretations. Did he ever see anything as sweet and innocent?
"Hey, Kagome, you're not mad are you?" Inuyasha asked suddenly, propping himself up on one elbow so he could look at her.
That was strange. Inuyasha concerned about her feelings, and asking about them? And what was he talking about? They hadn't had any fights recently, not that she could recall anyway.
"You mean about the shampoo?" she questioned trying to recall any time she might have appeared upset. "I wasn't really mad about that. Like you said, I can always buy some more."
Inuyasha sat up all the way and moved closer to her. He was so close she could feel his breath on her neck. A blush crept from her toes all the way to her cheeks as she thought about how many times she had wanted to sit with him like this.
"No, mad about my loving you but never admitting it," he told her with such brazen honesty she almost pulled away. "I'm just so immature and trying to deal with experiences that would crush a normal person while trying to untangle a mess of emotions as both a demon and a human. Guess I'm lucky that I'm not normal."
Kagome felt her heart flutter at hearing the words she always knew he needed to say. She snuggled against his warmth, loving the steady, and reassuring thump of his heart. "I could never stay mad at you, Inuyasha, even if you do hurt me sometimes. I love you, you know that. I know you've had a hard life and that it's next to impossible for you to tell me your feelings after what happened with Kikyo."
"I love you, Kagome," he whispered as he squeezed her tightly against his bare chest. He nuzzled her neck, his hot breath tickling her ear. His clawed hand suddenly cupped her breast, massaging it as he squeezed her tightly against his bare chest. His skin felt like molten steel even through the fabric of her shirt, but even that was nothing to the heat that began to course through the very female parts of her body.
Yet even in the midst of this sudden pleasure, Kagome found her suspicions raised. Bare chest? He had been wearing his fire rat when he first embraced her. And since when was Inuyasha so candid and, she thought of the grip he still had on her breast, so aggressive?
Kagome opened her eyes and found herself staring at the dull reflection of a dimly lit room in a large glass window. She allowed herself a sigh of relief as she thought, Just a dream.
This calmed her enough to take stock of her situation. This must be the hospital and she must have been heavily medicated to a) have such a strange dream, and b) have only a dull ache where her stomach and back had been sliced open.
Yes, back to normal, she thought until she began to extend her awareness beyond her visual sense. A hot, muscular chest pressed tightly against her back, humid breaths grazed the skin of her neck in erratic gasps, and she still felt a pleasurable pressure on her breast. Slowly, as though she hoped to give these sensations time to remember they were figments of her imagination and disappear, Kagome's eyes drifted down herself to the pale, clawed hand that held her in such an intimate way.
Shock forestalled any screams as her eyes moved up the slender appendage, over the red stripes on the wrists to the frighteningly familiar red and white sleeve. Struggling slightly against the arm's incredible strength, as well as the twinge of pain that her efforts caused, Kagome managed to roll over and put a little distance between herself and the demon lord who slept beside her.
What the heck happened? she thought to herself, afraid to speak and wake him. The last thing she remembered was pointing an arrow at his heart; and, last time she checked, that was not an offer to climb into bed with someone.
It was then that she noticed the blood. A large, nearly dry pool of it on the pillow by Sesshomaru's face and where the back of her head had been. Nothing had hit her on the head, so she looked instead to the demon. A trail of dry blood led from his mouth to the stain on the bed.
Scared, Kagome reached out and touched his face. It was so hot she instinctively jerked her hand back. Ignoring her own pain, which was surprisingly less than she thought it should be, Kagome got up and moved around the bed so she could make him more comfortable.
On the way she stubbed her toe on the armor he had left on the floor. Cursing silently and dancing around on the other foot for a moment eased her grudge against the offending armor and made her realize just how little her own wounds hurt. They really felt more like bruises.
"Enough about you, Kagome," she chided herself softly as she moved on and adjusted him so he could lie on his back. "Oi, he's heavy!"
As she pushed him, her hand contacted something hard and flat hidden inside a pocket of his kimono. Curious, she slid her hand inside, wincing when she came into contact with his heated flesh, and retrieved a small, square mirror.
Stunned, Kagome stared blankly at it for a few moments, then at Sesshomaru's deceptively peaceful face. That mirror! Why had he gone back for it? She felt her ire rising as she recalled his haughty dismissal of their aid:
Sesshomaru was about to leave when he turned and said, "Wench, what does that half-breed refer to? What is this mirror you purified?"
"What, curious now?" Inuyasha interjected, placing himself between herself and his brother as usual.
"I was speaking to the woman," Sesshomaru told him icily.
Kagome bristled again, her knuckles turning white on the mirror. Honestly, what was so difficult about her name? It wasn't abnormally long or uncommon like cough Sesshomaru cough.
"Great, now look what you did," Inuyasha complained to his brother as she stormed over to the mirror and picked it up.
Managing to maintain a brilliant control of her anger, she had politely explained what had happened. But they just liked to push her buttons.
"Hmph!" Sesshomaru scoffed. "Ridiculous."
"Why you ingrate!" she squealed and chunked the mirror at his smug, icy face. "You were so cute when you were little, maybe we shouldn't have restored you!"
He caught the mirror and studied it with his usual indifferent expression and calmly rejected their explanation yet again. Inuyasha began to taunt his brother until he had hit his own nerve and decided to drop it. Without another word, Sesshomaru dropped the mirror and vanished into the forest.
Kagome felt her anger weakening then looked down at the unconscious demon. She wasn't stupid. A peaceful face did not mean he didn't still scare her half to death, but she couldn't help the triumphant smirk that tugged at her lips. Judging from the fact that she woken up period, she had been right. Somewhere behind his absolute contempt for lesser things like say- bugs, trees, small animals, large animals, humans, half-demons, other demons- well- almost everything but himself, there was enough of a heart for him to feel guilty for his behavior. Why else would he have come all this way?
Stealthily, Kagome slipped the mirror back into its place. Before she could look away she caught sight of his extremely well-toned chest and three raw scars that looked alarmingly like they had been made by a bullet. Fear gripped her for a second while she frantically pawed at his kimono. Three matching holes in his garment confirmed her suspicions. That would explain the internal bleeding, but these were almost completely healed. Even the scars were fading. Why did he still burn with fever and appear to be in pain?
"Okay, he's been shot and managed not to drag all of Tokyo p.d. on top of himself. I'll ponder this miracle later," Kagome told herself. "Right now, I need to get him some help."
A knock on the door startled her from her monologue. She noticed that a set of drawers had been shoved against the door and found herself giving the demon an angry glare before she got up to see if she could move it.
"Mrs. Higurashi? Is everything okay in there? The door appears to be stuck. I was just coming to check on Kagome's condition like I promised," a very pleasant male voice called through the door.
Kagome felt her heart race slightly. This was perfect. Now she wouldn't have to go hunting down a doctor for Sesshomaru. Her back and stomach began to throb at her exertion, but she managed to move the furniture out of the way. It had not been heavy like she had first thought; Sesshomaru had simply positioned it so that the door would be wedged closed.
Kagome rolled her eyes when she noticed the button lock on the handle. Of course just locking the door would have been too simple for the great lord of the West. A broad smile fixed on her face, Kagome reached out and opened the door just as a tall, slender man in a long white coat and sleek black hair that was graying at the temples reached to knock again.
His eyes widened with surprise for a moment before his features resumed a more concerned stance. He flashed her a brilliant smile and said, "Why, Kagome, dear, shouldn't you still be in bed with your injuries."
She arched an eyebrow at his emphasis on that last word. He sounded as though he knew something about her situation.
As if guessing her thoughts he added, "I am Dr. Moto. I was the one who treated you in the emergency room. Your fiancé has been very concerned for your well-being." He glanced over the top of her head, then said, "I see your lovely mother has stepped out for the moment and your young beau has finally decided to rest. It won't disturb him if I come in and check on the stitches. I want to make sure the wound is knitting together properly."
It was all Kagome could do to keep her jaw from hitting the floor. Fiancé! What was mama thinking?
"Um, I take it you've met my fiancé?" she managed to squeak out, choking only a little on the last part. Oh, her mother would pay!
The doctor met her gaze with a knowing wink and said in a low voice, "Don't worry, I treat the confidentiality of my patients and their families seriously."
Kagome bit her lip. She hated to trust him, but Sesshomaru needed help. Badly. For whatever reason, the demon had helped her, so she needed to return the favor.
"Dr. Moto, please, come in," she finally told him and closed the door after he had done as she requested.
His eyes immediately scanned the room noting the blood on the floor and the discarded armor, but Kagome didn't notice. She had already returned to Sesshomaru's side and opened his kimono to the doctor's scrutiny.
"I know this may sound strange, but these are recent," Kagome told him quietly, watching to see his reaction. "I- I think he was shot. He, um, heals rather quickly, but for some reason he still seems to be in pain and he has a really high fever."
Almost ignoring her, the doctor lifted Sesshomaru so he could force the sleeve from his left stub and rolled him to his side.
"Only two." the doctor muttered to himself as he let the demon roll back onto the bed.
"Pardon?" Kagome asked as she redressed him. She really did not want him to have any more reason to decapitate her when he woke.
"There are three entry points, but only two exit," the doctor explained though it seemed more for his own benefit that hers. "One must have ricocheted inside the body cavity, tearing his insides to shreds judging by the amount of internal bleeding. Amazing!"
Kagome looked up in horror at the excitement in the doctor's voice. It only deepened to a sick dread as she saw the hungry smile on his face. At that moment he looked like a snake demon ready to pounce, and Kagome realized she had led him straight to his desired prey.
At least she thought that until he turned that hateful smile on her. With a nauseating kindness he forced her to lay back on the bed, lifted her shirt and removed the bandage to inspect the wound. His eyes lit with euphoria and he said two words that made her blood run cold:
"I'm rich."
Kagome looked down at her wrists mournfully. She had been handcuffed to the chair beside the bed when she had 'accidentally' kicked the doctor in the shin and slapped his face after his little revelation. How could she have been so stupid? At least her wounds were practically healed, something she did not quite understand, but suspected it had something to do with tall, pale and unconscious over there.
She had been rather surprised that Sesshomaru had not come to yet. Then again, having your guts torn to pieces had to be pretty serious even for a demon. Dr. Moto took advantage of it, although he took the precautions of cuffing the demon's wrist and ankle to the bed beforehand. Too bad it wouldn't do him any good if Sesshomaru did wake. The doctor inspected his claws, the markings on his arms and face and even noted his pointed ears. He lifted the demon's lip and smiled at the fangs.
The fur had puzzled the doctor and he grunted when he found that Sesshomaru was lying mostly on it preventing him from moving it. Turning to Kagome, he asked, "What is this thing?"
A little curious as to that herself, Kagome answered honestly, "You know, I've been wondering that ever since I met him."
He frowned at her with apparent disgust and snapped, "So when did you meet your fiancé?"
Kagome lifted her nose and turned away from him, but an unexpected backhand earned the vague reply, "A long time ago."
Returning to his examination of Sesshomaru, the doctor demanded, "What is he, then? As his little whore, I'm sure you know. How does he make his poison? How does he use it?" The man's intellectual curiosity had begun to rear its head.
Kagome felt a sudden surge of contempt for this man and an unexplainable urge to bite his throat. She let a sadistic smile mar her face and replied, "Keep prodding him like that and you'll find out first hand."
The doctor stood and slapped her again. She cowered from him and glanced at Sesshomaru. She couldn't be sure, but she thought she saw a glint of gold from one of his eyes, but he did not move.
"Do you think I would dare approach a wild animal without the proper precaution?" he told her smugly as he pulled a syringe from inside his pocket and removed the plastic casing. Kagome's eyes widened in recognition.
"And once he's been sedated, I'll have him brought to my private lab and run all the tests I need. Don't you realize what I could accomplish if given the time to study him properly?" A feverish light was in his eyes as he spoke. "You yourself are proof of what an astounding discovery he is."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small glass vial of a dark red liquid that looked to Kagome an awful lot like blood. He set it on the nightstand beside the bed and returned his full attention to her.
"You must be extremely talented in bed, because he doesn't strike me as stupid and that is the only other reason he would have just handed over his blood like that. Normally, you should have taken weeks to recover from cuts like yours. But with his blood in your system, I did not even use stitches and you barely have a scar!"
So that is why I've healed so well, Kagome thought. Unfortunately, this doctor had severely underestimated Sesshomaru's arrogance. The demon had probably not thought twice about handing his blood over to the human doctor because he didn't believe a lowly mortal to be capable of doing anything against him.
Dr. Moto rambled on, caught up in his own brilliance. "And aside from that, he is somehow able to not only produce the deadliest toxin I have ever seen, but be completely immune to it as well. I've only tested it on a few other known poisons, but so far his blood has been able to neutralize them all. With proper experiments I will be able to develop the ultimate anti-venom. I'll probably receive a Nobel prize even, not to mention a place in the history books."
Not wanting to be struck again for expressing how she truly felt about this doctor, Kagome feigned awe. The doctor mistakenly interpreted this as sincere, and eagerly addressed her again as though to fully convince her. "You see, don't you? We can't let the concern of one being interfere with research that could save millions."
He must have seen the revulsion and hesitation in her face, because he grew angry again and looked at her with blatant disgust. "I should have known you'd side with your love, you whore. You would rather see millions of people suffer to save this one. He's not worth your compassion. He's a ruthless murderer. I've seen enough of his work tonight. How do you think he was shot? He killed a number of men for no reason at all. Just for the pleasure."
Kagome sat silent for a moment. Sesshomaru was a killer; she knew that, heck it was in his name for goodness sake. He'd even tried to kill her on a number of occasions. But there was something wrong with his judgment. Something that someone who had never encountered Sesshomaru in battle would not know, and that was that Sesshomaru never, ever acted without reason.
Every one of the many creatures he had ever slain had died for a very pertinent reason, in Sesshomaru's mind at least. Even if you were simply in his way, he had a very important reason for needing to pass.
The doctor also did not know about Rin, the little girl he allowed to travel with him. The others may not have noticed, but she knew that Sesshomaru protected that girl like his own daughter. He may deny it with his dying breath, but he cared for the girl.
Stirring from her thoughts, Kagome laughed defiantly at the man and said, "It's not your place to turn someone into a guinea pig for your own personal profit, doctor. Oh, Sesshomaru may enjoy killing, he's damn good at it too, but he's honorable, and never kills without reason. So if I were you, I wouldn't give him one."
"Foolish girl, love blinds you," he spat as he returned to Sesshomaru and stuck the needle into the vein in his neck.
Kagome flinched at the sight, but snapped back fiercely, "Better love than greed. Better foolish than a fool." She had completely forgot to deny that she felt any love for the demon.
He ignored her remarks and tossed the empty syringe into a receptacle. "There. He'll be out for hours now. I hope you've both said your goodbyes because soon you won't even remember ever being in this hospital."
Kagome stared at Sesshomaru and prayed that Inuyasha would come bursting in at any minute promising to protect her and declaring that his brother would only die by his Tetsusaiga. At least she did this until she saw Sesshomaru open his eyes and smile softly. The doctor's drug had no effect on him! A tingle of fear started at the base of her neck and caused the hairs on her body to stand on end. If Sesshomaru smiled, that only meant one thing- something was going to die.
One look at the utter joy on the doctor's face told her that he had no idea of the danger he was in at that moment, but surprisingly enough, she felt no inclination whatsoever to warn him. Sesshomaru just lay there, his face as dispassionate as always, but his golden eyes burned into the man's back.
The doctor turned back to the demon and jumped almost a foot in the air when he noticed the eyes watching him with only the faintest flickers of amusement. Kagome couldn't help but giggle at this. Even though she knew she couldn't let Sesshomaru kill him, there wasn't any rule saying that she could enjoy watching the doctor squirm for a while.
He licked his lips and tried to regain his composure. A quick glance at the handcuffs still securing Sesshomaru apparently reassured him of his safety. Confidence restored, he sneered at the demon and said, "Well, you're awake, are you? I guess I'll just have to give you a stronger dose. But perhaps before I do you'll answer a few questions. What are you? Don't bother lying because I know you are not human."
"This Sesshomaru does not lie, human," Sesshomaru answered with his infamous even tone. "And I would eagerly educate you simply so that you may know your proper place before I kill you, mortal. Normally, I would not waste my time bothering to dignify you with a death at my claws; but since you seem to regard yourself worthy of that honor, I will make an exception."
Kagome smiled. It looked like the doctor would finally catch a glimpse of the infinite bounds of Sesshomaru's arrogance. Unfortunately, those golden eyes chose that moment to glance in her direction and saw the smile. The emotionless mask slipped and she saw a look of loathing that she had only seen him use towards Inuyasha. It seemed to warn her against thinking he had done any of this for her safety.
Her smile faltered and she silently ranted, What's his problem? It's not like I asked him to do all that or crawl in bed with me for that matter. It's not my fault he suddenly decided to be chivalric and a lecher.
Sesshomaru regained his icy facade then sat up as though he had simply been lying at ease, snapping the metal around his wrists and ankles as though they were paper. He lifted one of the handcuffs and pulled it from the bed with a flick of his wrist. The demon regarded it curiously for a moment then returned his gaze to the now astonished and terror-filled doctor.
Kagome glanced at her own wrists wistfully, wishing she could do the same.
Sesshomaru studied the doctor in silence while he meticulously amended his disheveled appearance. He tied his kimono shut over three almost non-existent scars with amazing swiftness for only having the one hand. Clawed fingers combed lightly through his long, silver hair then adjusted the fur over his shoulder.
The silence only seemed to heighten Dr. Moto's fear. He began to edge toward the door and his only means of escape. Sesshomaru simply followed him with his eyes as though he did not really care what the man did. Like a cornered animal, the doctor darted suddenly for the door only find himself crashing full-speed into the silk-clad wall of demon lord.
He stared at Sesshomaru and backed away asking in a hoarse whisper, "What are you?"
"I see humans really have forgotten about the existence of demons, but tonight you will be reminded of our superiority. Yet you wish to leave already? I thought you desired to know how I make my poison? Surely, your curiosity as to the nature of my power has not yet been sated?"
Kagome felt her mouth fall open and hurriedly closed it. She had never heard him speak so much at once, other than to mock Inuyasha, and were it not for his completely expressionless face, she would have thought he was being sarcastic, sadistically so, but showing a sense of humor none the less.
Sesshomaru lifted his hand and flexed his fingers making his claws seem to grow even longer. They began to glow a soft green color. Without looking at the doctor, Sesshomaru instructed, "Observe, mortal."
Before either human could blink, Sesshomaru slashed his arm through the air in the direction of the bed. His arm was nothing but a blur and the hissing green arcs of his poison claw sliced neatly through the bed, the nightstand where the vial of blood was, and edged towards the chair where Kagome sat.
Kagome fought back a scream and jerked her legs up into the chair as the attack neatly sliced the front legs and the curved armrests of her chair halting just a breath away from her tender flesh. The chair balanced for a moment then tipped forward depositing Kagome roughly on her backside. Shocked and breathing heavily, Kagome glared angrily at the demon and jumped up putting her hands on her hips to give him a very angry piece of her mind before it registered that she had been freed.
Swallowing back the words that probably would have gotten her killed, she simply backed over to a corner out of the demon's way. Had he intended to free her all along, or was she simply lucky the attack did not go any further? Knowing Sesshomaru, if it were the former, he would never admit to it anyway.
Even through his terror the doctor appeared to be impressed with that show. Sesshomaru looked at the man and flicked his whip at the man's thigh opening a long gash through both fabric and flesh. The doctor let out a scream and dropped to the ground clutching his leg.
"And that is a taste of how those mortals who attacked me met their end. I had always assumed that your short life spans made your desire to live that much stronger. I must have assumed wrongly," Sesshomaru said as he looked at what remained of the furniture. He locked eyes with doctor and asked, "So, are you now prepared to die, mortal?"
Kagome watched as the doctor began to shake. The realization had begun to sink in that he would die and he looked ready to do anything to save himself. Kagome knew she couldn't let him die seeing as how if she had not been injured he would not have been in this mess to begin with. No, she had to stop this before Sesshomaru did something she would regret (she knew there was no chance he would regret it).
Poison began to drip from Sesshomaru's claws as he calmly advanced on the doctor. Each drop that fell hissed as it began to eat away at the tile floor. The doctor backed away until the wall halted his progress.
"Sesshomaru, don't kill him," Kagome finally asked, not feeling near as bold as her words. This prompted her to add, "Please?" to the end.
He ignored her. Big surprise there, she spat silently. The poison began to drip onto the doctor's already wounded leg. His screams of pain filled the air followed by pleas for mercy.
"Sesshomaru, listen to me. Don't kill him. I know he has done despicable things, but he doesn't deserve to die. I- I won't let you hurt him," Kagome insisted, coming up beside the two of them.
This time he acknowledged her.
"You would still protect this worthless mortal though he has harmed you and threatened you?" Kagome couldn't tell if this really was a question or if the demon was merely thinking aloud. "I myself have attempted to kill you on numerous occasions, yet you spare my life the only chance you get to take it.
"I do not understand your foolish need to protect what is not yours to protect to the point of jeopardizing you own life. This man has forfeited his life with his attempt to deceive and use me. Do not attempt to come between him and my judgment again. I am not your beloved half-breed and will not withdraw my strike to spare you, debt or no."
He was trying to warn her as though he did not want to kill her. Kagome studied him, struck by the anger in his last two statements. He did not even seem angry at her, but at the possibility that she might make him kill her. Why? Why was he suddenly so reluctant to kill her? No matter the reason, she might be able to use his willingness to talk to convince him not to kill the doctor.
"You would kill your own woman to get revenge on me?" the doctor asked displaying a strange mixture of fear, disgust, regret and more fear on his once smug features.
You're not helping, Kagome wanted to scream at the man. Instead she said, "Lord Sesshomaru, I understand your reasons and I feel they are just, however, I do not think the punishment is just." She grinned inwardly at remembering to add his title for respect. His claws were still raised, but he did not strike, though he did not speak either.
"Forgive me," she fought hard to keep sarcasm out of her voice, "my lord, I do not mean to speak out of place, I just think that there are times when killing someone is too lenient."
His golden eyes flicked in her direction and he studied her for a moment before he said, "Explain yourself, wench."
Kagome gritted her teeth and squeezed her fists so tightly she knew she would draw blood. She had to remain calm and respectful to that egomaniac in order for this to work.
"This time is different, but people are the same. This man is greedy, devious and enjoys his own kind of power and prestige. Would it not be more fitting and humiliating to remove all that he has from him, rather than removing him from all that he has?"
She paused to see if he was keeping up with her. He had not yet killed the man, a promising sign. He gave a short nod as if granting her permission to continue.
You arrogant bastard, she thought, but continued in a very controlled voice, "We have a court system that can do this. If you hand him over to this system they will see to it that he loses everything, even his license to practice medicine and will be an outcast in his community. Death is not sufficient in his case."
The doctor did not react very well to this option either. "You can't do that! I'd be ruined. Probably even be put in jail. They'd take away everything from me."
Kagome fought the urge to smile. That outburst would only help make her argument more convincing.
"I find your suggestion acceptable. He will not die by my hand," Sesshomaru announced as he lowered his hand
Kagome wanted to dust her hands and give herself a pat on the back for that bit of quick thinking. She opted instead for a deep bow and a soft, "Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru."
Her relief vanished when the demon suddenly wrapped his fingers around the doctor's neck and lifted him above his head. The doctor's face turned read as his lungs fought for air through his constricted windpipe.
"What are you doing!" she cried out. "I thought you said you wouldn't kill him?"
"I never said I would not kill him..." Sesshomaru said matter-of-factly as he calmly snapped the man's neck. Kagome gasped in horror. He did not even release the man until the last spark of life faded from his eyes. The body hit the ground with a muffled thud.
But he promised. He gave his word, Kagome thought numbly as she watched the demon's actions.
Sesshomaru calmly walked over to his armor and extracted Tenseiga and Tokijin from where he had left them earlier that night. He placed them on the piece of furniture he had used to block the door, one of the few things that had not been complete destroyed by his poison claws.
Kagome felt a smile twitch her lips and relief that made her want to laugh. How could she have forgotten about his father's fang? "You only promised he wouldn't die. You were planning to use Tenseiga to revive him all along."