She awoke later, in a convalescent place. She was bundled securely on a sleeping mat in front of a roaring hearth. The flickering gold firelight immediately drew her flickering gold eyes.

Fire…

Then, all the memories came rushing back at her in a seemingly unending flow. Just as the temperature of that seemingly unending flow of water nearly took her life.

Saved. Again. Once more, I am rescued from the edge of death.

"Put it there, Kohaku," his silkily elegant tone instructed. "She's awake and she will start eating."

"Yes, master."

She turned just in time to catch a glimpse of Kohaku. With glazed yet soulful chocolate brown eyes, he placed the tray beside her cot. It bore a wide bowl of rust-colored soup and a simmering cup of tea.

"Now, begone, Kohaku," Naraku commanded.

The boy bowed: questions still lingering behind his eyes. Obediently, he rose from his knees and padded out of the chamber; shutting the rice paper screens behind him. Mizoshi's anxious gaze now on Naraku; she watched him slowly walk over to where she lay.

He was not amused. In fact, he seemed angered. Very much angered.

Nervously shifting under the piles of sheets, she discovered her voice. "Naraku, I—"

"Yes, explain yourself, Mizoshi," he broke in abruptly. "Explain how you almost managed to perish once again. Explain why trouble is so attracted to you. Explain!"

Inwardly, she flinched at his explosion. "Naraku…"

"Yes? Yes, Mizoshi?" he repeated. His ruby eyes flashed blood red. "I'm awaiting your side of the tale of how I had to rescue you for the third time in the row! Of how disaster follows you everywhere! Of how you are no better than a baby bird flapping in its nest!" With this last declaration, the dark hanyou knocked over a heavy vase that fortunately was caught by a plump sage-shaded pillow. Hadn't the overstuffed pillow been there, the ceramic surely would have shattered.

Struggling in the attempt of defending herself, she managed to sit up. "It wasn't my fault! The wolf demons…"

Naraku's face whiter than usual in his fury; his penetrating crimson glare latched on her dangerously at the sound of her voice.

"The wolf demons…" she feebly tried again.

All of a sudden, the phoenix took over. With one final burst, she remembered everything.

"The wolf demons!" she cried in her revelation. "I overhead the leader, Kouga, that I was in wolf demon territory! You left me in that dangerous place, and that's why I had to jump into the river for a chance of survival! They chased me…"

"And why did they chase you?" Naraku's tone was now considerably lower and calmer. "Please deign to tell me, Mizoshi. Don't lie either. You cannot be certain of what I know and what I do not, can you?" he literally purred.

There was to be no escaping from the issue.

Her phoenix blood was cooling. Unfortunately. "I…decided to use my time…away from the castle…to…" Mizoshi inhaled deeply. After another short pause, she managed to finish.

"…train." Her squeak would put a mouse to shame.

Naraku raised a jet eyebrow. "Train?"

"I practiced my fire powers on a rotten log, and the smell attracted the wolf demons," she replied in a rapid stream.

Noisily, he banged his fist on the garish violet-painted wall. Coldly, he turned, his red eyes scrutinizing her all the while.

"Was this decision wise, Mizoshi?" At her silence, the dark hanyou slammed his fist against the wall once more. "Have you any common sense?" Another blow aimed at the solid wall.

Does he even feel pain? Does he anything?

"Impertinent, spoiled brat," he muttered.

"Don't call me that!" she shouted.

Naraku's shoulders heaved under his lilac yukata. "And what if it's true?"

"Then—" Almost instantly, the word died on her tongue.

Did Naraku have a point? No! Still, this spat is distracting me. Distracting us. The real question needed to be explored.

"Naraku?" Her voice sounded weak even to her.

He grunted in reply.

"Naraku," she continued undaunted, "did you realize that you had put me in wolf demon territory?"

Silence.

"Did you know?"

That same deadly silence. At last, from the shadows, there came the heart wrenching response.

"Yes, Mizoshi."

So smoothly he said this. He could've been talking about snow or some other obscure subject for all the concern that was contained in his timbre.

The result was instant. Betrayal cracked her heart asunder. Well, at least she still owned one. Naraku's seemed to have fled from his entire body.

"What?" she gasped. "You—knew? And then you…" Too fast the tear slipped out of her eye. Her previously aggressive phoenix-demon temperament had dissolved completely, and now the wounded human girl that she resembled wept her sorrow.

"You wanted to kill me," Mizoshi accused, wiping her shining cheeks on the silken sheets. "You wanted to get rid of me."

Naraku was blissfully aware of her tears, but his next words made the last remnants of her present reality break entirely.

"I was…experimenting. I put you in probable danger deliberately."

She was awestruck. Hastily, she brushed aside more annoying tears.

"I…wanted to discover…if…I could ever stand losing you," he confessed, his impassive eyes examining the exceedingly boring floorboards. "I wanted…to see…"

It appeared the hell demon was having more difficult speaking the longer he rambled on with his meaningless speech. For whatever he uttered no longer mattered.

"I wanted to see," he resumed, "if…I was indeed…"

"Say what you want to say, Naraku!" Mizoshi shrieked, surprising herself more than him.

Blankly,his gaze focused on her. It was unfathomable, and stopped the flow of her tears—if only momentarily.

I've never seen that look before.

It's confusion.

Here, right in front of her saturated stare, Naraku appeared to be as lost as a child. A seven-year old Naraku.

Mizoshi?" he called to her carefully. "I…" Presumptuously, he glided over towards her. Kneeling down on the floor beside her, he continued his yammering. "Mizoshi, I l—"

The "l" alerted her. For lack of a better term, she stepped outside of her body. She was no longer connected to this world.

Is he going to say—

Continue! Wait, don't!

Never in her life had Mizoshi herself been more lost. Even whilst in the depths of the forest with a mob of villagers on her heels and with a homicidal dog youkai lord waiting around the bend.

And hadn't Naraku been there too?

With a pained expression, Naraku set his jaw. He was a determined man, and he was going to finish. Even if he did not mean it.

"Mizoshi…I love you," he finally ground out. He sucked in a breath of disbelief, as if even he had disbelieved his own declaration. "I love you," he repeated, a pleased smile spreading across his pallid features. "I do."

She was going to faint. For the first time in her life, she was going to faint. Her mother did once--when she glimpsed a snake in the grass. Luckily, the serpent had slithered away from her unconscious body instead of right over it. Yet, the terrifying memory remained.

Just like this moment would.

Immediately, her last tears drained. Her heart-ripping sadness had been replaced with…numbness.

"You…love me?" Horror of an unknown origin roughened her voice.

"Isn't that what I said?" With this sarcastic remark, the dark hanyou smirked. He was back to normal. However, Mizoshi would be forever changed.

"How?" she blurted out. "Are you sure?"

He says he loves me now. I should be exuberant. Why aren't I? Isn't this what I always hoped for? Finally, he returns my feelings.

Still, Naraku had waited long to tell her. More than long enough.

"Well?" He chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her. She jumped at the intrusion. "Aren't you going to say you love me too?" he whispered in her ear. "Forgive me, I'm no expert,but I think that's the way it goes."

"Did you practically have to slay me in the process?" she asked shakily.

"I never would've let you die in either case," he answered breezily. "Can't you just accept this new development?" He gripped her tighter in a crushing embrace.

Inquiringly, she gazed up into his face. Lightly, that smirk was still creased every so slightly upwards. Those magnetic eyes pulsed. His expression was easy. Relaxed.

If only he wasn't so manipulative beneath it all.

Indeed, behind his crimson eyes was a fully capable brain. Still so given to wicked designs. No, Mizoshi was not so much of a fool to think that everything would change.

However, I do believe he feels some sort of affection for me. But, is that truly a good thing?

Mizoshi was all too aware of the increasing contact between their bodies. Gently, the arachnid was pulling the twittering bird between its dripping jaws. Except it was not to be a poisonous, fatal bite. It was to be a toxic, incapacitating kiss. Either way, the bird would still be contained in the web.

It was ironic. Both creatures built their own homes. The spider and the bird. While the spider spun its out of paralyzing, sticky strands, the bird wove its out of twigs, straw, and even its own feathers. Now, the two spheres were to be merged.

And, either way, the spider wins, for it is the predator. Such an unwise, tenuous relationship. Between the spider and the bird.

"Kiss me," his gentle order echoed in her mind, making Mizoshi start. "Celebrate our new relationship."

Did he read my thoughts?

Vacantly, she looked up at his face as if seeing it for the first time. As if it were the very day they met in the forest where Naraku was temporarily stunned and lying in grass. Taken down by the great dog lord's sword.

This is Sesshoumaru's fault we even met at all.

I've never forgotten how beautiful Naraku looked. How elegant. How for the first time I met another hanyou outside my own family. I half-wanted him to open his eyes, even if I was frightened all the same when it inevitably occurred.

Was she lovestruck before his gaze even focused on her? Was this her destiny?

Helplessly, she met the dark hanyou's eyes in a merge of yellow and red. It wasn't long until she met her lips with his in a merge of acceptant love. In this passion, she could feel a distinct smirk growing across his occupied mouth. This did not shock her.

I'm so willing. So wanting. No wonder many despise me. And yet, Naraku does not.

In essence, that's all that mattered.

Eventually, he disengaged himself from her mouth and simply held Mizoshi in his arms, propping her up against his chest.

I dare not speak, or even breathe too loudly. He might change his mind.

The dark hanyou made no movement to be intimate. Instead, he reached for the bowl of soup and held the rim of the bowl to her lips.

He's going to feed me?

Obligingly, Mizoshi separated her lips and allowed the savory liquid passage down her throat. She was hungry, but he didn't have to do this. Chewing on the delicate noodles, she gazed up at her official "lover."

Or in demon terms, is that "mate?" Was mother my father's "mate?"

Before she could peruse the notion, the rice paper screen doors parted once moreas a familiar shape shuffled through. Hurriedly, Naraku nearly threw her off of him into a hasty sitting position. A familiar ache seeped through her heart.

He doesn't want to be seen in this fashion?

With nothing else to do, Mizoshi golden eyes rose and met the intruder's chocolate brown ones.

Kohaku.

This did not bode well.

"Where's Kagura?" the demon slayer boy asked bluntly.

The dark hanyou positively hissed. There was no other word to accurately describe it. "Are we forgetting something, slave?"

Slave?

Quietly, Mizoshi edged away from the rapidly heating red-eyed demon.

"Oh!" Kohaku landed hard on his knees. "Forgive me, master. Where is Kagura, master?"

Right in front of her, she was observing the cloudiness fogging Kohaku's eyes. Around Naraku, the demon slayer boy seemed to lose his will, his sense of decency, and his very pride.

What makes Kohaku obey without fail? Speaking of which, where is Kagura?

Naraku inadvertantly answered her wonderings. "Kagura is currently in the dungeon learning the price for disobedience. You too will learn it if you interrupt my sanctity again."

"Yes, master." The young boy spoke dreamily. Yet, after he said such, he appeared to be truly startled for responding in such a manner.

Is this what I will turn into? Another slave?

Maybe she was watching her own situation unravel should she enter this relationship.

And why exactly is Kagura in the dungeon?

Without sound, Kohaku made his leave. Both hanyou were shut in the lavish chamber surrounding them. Both hanyou were left looking at each other.

Determined, Mizoshi forced her voice to come out of hiding. "Naraku, why is Kagura down…there?"

I have not forgotten my own experience.

Smirking, the anger in his crimson orbs replaced by laziness; he literally dragged her back into his possessive embrace.

Already, he's so authoritative. What would happen to me if I did not comply?

"Kagura is down below for trying to turn this innocent little bird against me with promises of the Shikon jewel," he replied crisply. "But, I knew all along you would refuse. You would never use the jewel against me." Those ruby eyes blazed hotly.

It was more a threat than a statement…

Damn it! What is going on up there?

Angrily, Kagura's leveled a crackling stare up above her head. She knew what they were most likely doing. Right now. She could just feel it.

Has "master" forgotten?

The chains chafing her throat due to the inclination of her neck, Kagura grudgingly put her head down.

Why hasn't he killed her?

Kagura was not jealous. Oh, no. She was not envious in the least about the little sparrow that was cheeping in the castle. True, she was here first, but that hardly mattered. Who in their right mind would want to attain status as a mistress to that?

Mizoshi must be truly alone. I should be sorry for the wench.

At that moment, the wind youkai felt the sensation of warm liquid creeping down her neck. Already, she envisioned the scarlet, sticky substance in her mind's eye.

But I'm not. How dare she have a better existence than mine?

Oh, why can't I just be free?

Right now, as the blood slid down her throat, owls were taking flight. A cool night breeze would perfume the air, slide apart the blades of grass, and make the bare tree limbs tremble. Clouds would drift lazily over a moonlit sky, showing up glowing silver against the indigo atmosphere. The atmosphere many took for granted.

He had taken her fan away. Her weapon. Not that she could use it with her wrists bound tight.

I'll never disagree with him again about the wench. I'll let him do as he pleases. Just get me out of here! Please!

Exasperated, the sorceress slumped against the hard stone wall. There was nary a draft to rustle her equally bound hair. Not so much as to stir the feather that was perpetually attached to its binding. Her flying feather was useless now.

Naraku…

Curse Mizoshi!

Well, no more plots would be formed to turn her against Naraku. Mizoshi was useless. She'd willingly made her bed in his web. A web she would nap in forever. And when Kagura was free, then she would get her revenge on everyone that had caused her suffering and grief. Including her.

The promise was a dim prospect, but it lightened her spirits enough to close her eyes once more. Maybe sleep would come, even though her demonic body did not require it at the moment, or hardly ever.

No, I will allow Mizoshi to live, if that's what she calls it.

Naraku's affection is by far the most lingering and tortuous of all deaths…

Soon, Mizoshi would learn that for herself.

Author's Note: Well, he's finally said it! But, I tried to keep him in-character as much as possible. (Unless people would consider Naraku merely saying the l-word as OOC.) And no, Naraku will not fall completely head over heels, and Mizoshi will not try to redeem him or anything crazy. Also, I've caved to all those requests out there. I'm making the announcement that Inuyasha appear in the story!