Chapter 9

I walked down the hall and heard loud chants and screams of excitement coming from one of the room. The sliding door was halfway open and I peeked my head around the corner to see what was going on. Inside was a group of men and women having a feudal era version of a party, which apparently was just drinking and watching drunk women dance.

"Ah, we appear to have a little mouse wanting to join in on the fun." One of the younger demon men said. "Come join us."

He smiled at me revealing sharp fangs. He had blueish hair, so dark it was almost black and dark red eyes. He was attractive looking, but in a rugged type of way, with broad shoulders and big arms.

"Don't make the girl uncomfortable." An older man said, smiling at me as well. "Besides, she's with Lord Sesshomaru."

The blue haired demons smile faded.

"I'm not with anyone."

"Don't go gettin' yourself into trouble girl." The older man said, raising an eyebrow and taking a drink of his sake.

"I'm not going to be getting into trouble, Sesshomaru and I aren't anything, I'm not even sure if we're friends." I said, as I finally sat down at the lowered table and started to drink with the group of people.

"Why would he bring you home then?" A woman asked, she was just as beautiful as the woman in Sesshomaru's study, but with softer features and lighter hair.

I hesitated before answering almost positive that she'd relay any information I shared with the woman with Sesshomaru. "Um, well, uh, he tried to kill me and I survived." I said, unsure if I should share any extra information.

"Where is Lord Sesshomaru anyway? I was supposed to go over some things with him, but a servant told me not to interrupt him as he was having tea with you."

"Oh we were having tea," I took a drink. "We were interrupted by some woman, and I thought I should let them catch up."

"Who?" The blue haired man said, scooting closer to me.

"Um, I didn't catch her name."

"Ichika," the woman said with a smirk, and then took a drink as if to try to hide it.

I shrugged my shoulders, trying to appear uninterested. "Probably."

"They're engaged." She added.

"Bullshit, who told you that nonsense?" The older man said almost laughing.

"She did." She tried to defend herself.

"I've been around a long time," the older man continued. "Lord Sesshomaru ain't engaged to anyone especially not some whore."

I choked on my drink, and started to cough.

The girl shut up, not wanting to discuss anything further.

I took it as the man being right, and felt somewhat relived but that means that he could be sleeping with her right now. I tried to push the thoughts out my mind, reminding myself I had no right to be upset or jealous.

"You're the first human I've met," the blue haired demon said. "You're pretty for a human."

"How would you know I'm pretty if you haven't met a human before," I said, not interested in this demons advances.

"Leave the girl alone," the older man laughed.

"So are you both noble men too?" I asked the two men.

They nearly burst out laughing.

"No, he's the cook," the blue haired demon said, "I'm his nephew."

I turned to the older demon, who's chest seemed to be filled with pride as I looked at him with a smile on my face. His food was delicious, and the more I expressed how good I thought it was, the more prideful his face turned.

We talked for a long while and the women in the room seemed to warm up to me, and discussed wanting to dress me in proper clothing since they felt I should look like a lady if I were to stay here as Sesshomaru's guest.

We shared jokes and interesting stories. Stories of war and lost loves. I shared how my father was missing and I needed to find him, leaving out parts of the future.

I felt myself getting drunker as time went by and knew I should probably excuse myself soon.

A few moments later Ichika walked in.

She saw me, and her eyes instantly went into sharp daggers.

If looks could kill I'd be dead, I thought to myself.

"How'd it go?" Himari, the girl with the lighter hair, asked.

I thought that now was the perfect time to excuse myself. I didn't want to hear anything Ichika had to say.

"I honestly should be heading to bed," I said, as I got up from the lowered table and bowed respectfully to the group of demons, thanking them for letting me join them.

"We'll be here tomorrow night if you'd like to join us," the older demon said, smiling at me.

"I just might," I smiled at them and left the room.

I walked down the hallway to my room, and standing outside were two guards who let me past to get into the bedroom.

I was definitely a little drunk, but thought it would be nice to take a bath before bed. I grabbed my bag that was placed into the room, probably by a servant, and grabbed my shampoo and conditioner. I also grabbed one of the water bottles I carried on me, knowing I'd get dehydrated from the alcohol and the hot spring.

I made sure to check if any guards were in the area the hot spring was in before undressing, and once I saw the coast was clear I undressed and got inside the warm calming water.

I dunked my head under, and came back up to the top. It took me a minute to open my eyes since I was just enjoying the warmth of the water and I when I finally did, I let out a scream.

Sesshomaru was standing before me, staring down at my naked body that wasn't hidden through the clear water.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked, still panicked and embarrassed. I tried my best to use my hands and arms to cover my body.

"You're drunk," he said, as if he didn't just spy on me during a time that should be private.

"Maybe," I replied boldly.

Why was he here? Go back to what's her face.

He continued to just stare at me, and I felt myself growing an odd confidence. Maybe it was the alcohol.

"What?" I said, unsure of why he was standing there without saying anything.

I swam over to the other side of the hot spring, closer to where he was standing. I pushed myself up out of the water, letting this courageousness take over me. He wasn't the type to ever falter, but he did for a second as I pushed myself up to him, pushed myself up on my toes and kissed him.

He didn't kiss back at first, but then did for quick second. He placed his hands on my hips, before pulling away and removing them.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I opened my eyes, and he was gone.

I blinked a few times. Unsure if he was even standing there in the first place.

What was in that alcohol?

I stood there for a few moments, and decided to head inside to get warm.

I turned around to head inside and suddenly I was on the ground.

"I got her!" A mans voice yelled.

I panicked, my mind trying to figure out how to get out of the mans hold but my brain was moving slow thanks to being buzzed.

"Bring her here," another mans voice called from beyond the gates.

I felt his hands get tighter on my body, preparing to pull me up.

"Let me go!" I screamed and tried to flail around, but had no luck.

"Stop squirming!" He hollered back, and then slammed my face down onto the hard ground.

"Fuck!" I yelled from the pain. Blood beginning to trickle out of my nose.

"Shut up!" He yelled, and moved his hand to cover my mouth.

I took the opportunity to bite him, extra hard since he hurt my face.

He screamed out, and his grip loosened just enough for me to wiggle away somewhat.

He realized his mistake and swung at me, hitting me in the face and causing me to stumble slightly.

The other man hearing a commotion hopped over the gate with ease.

"Aw cmon can't handle one human girl," he laughed looking at his partner.

I was fucked.

I started screaming. Screaming for help. Screaming for Sesshomaru. Just screaming as loud as I could.

"It's no use," the man who I bit chuckled. "There's a barrier, you can't be heard."

They both lunged at me, and I shielded my body expecting to be knocked out.

Except I began to float.

I felt myself getting high enough to avoid their grasps and I stared down at them, my body glowing a light blue hue. They stared at me frozen with fear and interest. I didn't know what was going on, but my body seemed to take over for me. Causing the barrier to break and the ground to shake.

"W-what is going on?" One of the men said, just as confused as me.

"I don't know…" the other one trailed off. He took his spear and lunged it at me.

It went straight through my stomach, but I couldn't feel it. I looked down at it and took it out of my body. Not caring that I was now bleeding all over the place.

I felt myself let out a laugh that echoed all around me.

With a wave of my hand one man went flying up and when I moved it down he slammed back down onto the ground, causing his nose to break.

I turned my direction toward the other man who was frozen in fear.

"Tell whoever sent you," I began to say, although I felt I had no control of the words coming out of my mouth. "That if I see them, I won't hesitate to kill them."

He simply nodded his head and him and his partner began to run away, terrified.

I felt a hand grab me, and begin to pull me back down. The blue hue fading away. The pain in my face and my stomach finally affecting my body.

I looked at the hand, saw claws and didn't even have to look to know it was Sesshomaru.

Maybe they ran because of him.

He held me tight and I began to feel movement. I assumed it was him carrying me inside, but I couldn't be too sure since I was somewhat out of it. He placed me down on a soft surface and covered my naked body. I felt the pain on my stomach finally begin to fade away, although my face was still in pain.

"Athena," he spoke clearly. "What happened?"

"I don't know," I said trying to piece together everything. "You left and then they appeared and I am—was buzzed as fuck and I don't know. I don't know who they were or what they wanted." I let out a sob.

I hated this. Sure healing myself is handy, but all these extra things—like these developing powers, people hunting me down, being forced to hunt for my father, was overwhelming and I didn't want any of this to be happening to me.

I opened my eyes to see him give me a puzzled look, the one time I've seen him fully express emotion on his face.

I shivered from the cold. "You kissed me," I whispered, hating myself for letting my thoughts run wild and my mouth expressing them.

"I did not." He said, his voice soft. "It was an illusion. Those demons have probably seen us together, and assumed we were courting each other."

I wished it had been him. The thought that an illusion was what had touched me and kissed me made me shiver, it was like an invasion of my private thoughts and feelings.

"Who gave you alcohol?"

"I found it myself," I whispered, unsure if I should share that I drank with the cook, his nephew, and their friends.

"I see," he said and then excused himself to leave.

Once I was sure he was gone, I burrowed myself under the blankets. "I'm never drinking again."