Rise and Fall of the False God
CHAPTER 8
She slipped into her tent, her lip between her teeth, her heart pounding in her own ears as she stripped out of his mother's Kimono and changed back into her Miko robes, the green and white ones that were created in the well. Safe. It smelled of nothing but him and her, and while that could be bad in this situation, it was better than wearing something that smelled of Sango and then the Fire Rat which smelled like his brother. She carefully folded the Kimono and then moved over to her table, opening the draw she withdrew the prayer beads and looked at them, trying not to get choked up again.
"I am sorry InuYasha, but they are going to be destroyed." She said softly. She knew that Sesshomaru was too powerful to be controlled by a spell like this for long. If she knew how to make them stronger, she could most likely keep them on him, but she didn't. What are you doing? He is going to kill you. She thought to herself. But then again, he has done it right? He used to attack us, beat InuYasha into the ground and then walk away, teaching him lessons without killing him, even though he could have. She nodded and started towards the door, tucking the beads into her sleeve. But he never broke InuYasha. She stopped dead in her tracks. That was something she hadn't thought of when the brilliance struck. What if this breaks him? She scowled and shuddered, the thought was almost unbearable. Come on girl! This is Sesshomaru! He doesn't break he just gets pissed! Another shudder. "Oh you're not helping!" She scolded that voice that reminded her of the Inu's temper out loud and she resolved herself and walked out of the hut and over to where Sesshomaru stood under the steady gaze of many of the exterminators there. He seemed together, as if their killing glares were not penetrating his hide.
"What are you all staring at?" Kagome found herself saying before she had a chance to think about what she was saying. Everyone snapped to look at her, but Sesshomaru's eyes moved as slowly as ever. "Didn't he help us defeat Rimiku? Didn't he put his life on the line on the front lines with us! Didn't Miroku sacrifice himself for him! And are you all taking that sacrifice for granted standing here staring at him as if you were going to kill him for being what he had the 'audacity' of being born!" People were starting to step back as she felt Sesshomaru's gaze drift off her. "Do not! Do not make Miroku's sacrifice in vain by treating him like vermin!" She broke down in sobs feeling herself falling, she knew it was not only because of what they were doing and what she was feeling, it was also because of what she was about to do. Made even harder on her, and causing her sobs to come even more earth shattering when she heard him growl at someone who tried to catch her and his one strong arm caught her around the waist as the man who moved toward her stammered away scared.
"You bring your Miko to tears." He growled. "You are the epitome of filthy humans. This one's feelings on this matter are unimportant, but to do this to what is supposed to what is supposed to be the most loved of your race…" And with that she was lifted and moving, still sobbing, she needed to regain control over herself or none of this would ever work.
He is going to feel so betrayed. She thought to herself as she swallowed her sobs; think like normal Kagome, what would you do normally.
"Arigato Sesshomaru." She whispered softly. What was she doing? She wasn't him, she wasn't Naraku, she was just Kagome. But this stupid human girl needed to save this stupid demon lord before he ended up like everyone else she knew here. Dead. She wanted suddenly to apologize before it happened, but she knew that she could not that would seem suspicious and would put him on his guard. She was touched for a moment with how relaxed he was at the moment. No! Don't think of him as a friend! Her mind scolded her. This is not your friend! This is the same man that tried to kill you more times than you can count, the same man that wanted to kill InuYasha, the love of your life! He is only getting what he has coming to him! She started to slowly calm. Cool, calculated revenge right? He had it coming.
"Is This Kagome going to be alright?" He asked gently. Oh gods! Oh Kami he used my name! Why now? Why did he have to use my name now! He never called me Kagome, let alone This Kagome! She fell against him again, sobbing, her conscious hating her mind as she slipped her hands up and over the Inu's head, he didn't even notice as the beads came around his neck.
Now, now she needed to ice herself. Think like him, remember what Grandfather had taught her about meditation. Let the emotions, the fear, hate and stress just slip out of your feet, allow the earth to take them and deposit them far from where you stood. She did, taking three deep breaths and stepped back sharply out of his grip.
"Kagome?" Sesshomaru asked.
"This Kagome is fine." She said coldly, fighting back her emotions as Sesshomaru's eyes widened marginally and he snapped his jaw shut, he could feel chill from her, she knew it. His one hand then came up and took hold of the beads at his neck, his eyes again widening, flickering for a moment.
"What is the meaning of this Wench!" That struck her hard, only a moment ago he had called her by her name, but at the same time, she hated being called a wench, she always had.
"Kagome." She answered. He narrowed his eyes at her, pulling on the beads, the purple light dancing over his clawed fingers as he pulled, for a moment she thought he might break them, but instead his hand, smoking and burned finally withdrew from them. "Say it with me. Ka-Go-Me." She snarled.
"What is the meaning of this whore." He snarled.
"Sit!" The words slipped past her lips like a long lost friend, she watched, trying not to let her horror show on her face as the beads lit up and Sesshomaru was dragged toward the ground, strong enough to resist the first order she let it fly again. "SIT!"
"I am not a wench"
Ba-bmp that was it… she was waking his youkai
"SIT!"
Slam
"I am not a whore!"
Ba-bmp, she hated this, every minute of it
"SIT!"
Slam
"I not a filthy human!"
Ba-bmp. Another pulse, the look of hate that raged through those flickering eyes tore her apart and egged her on at the same time.
"SIT!"
Slam
"What are you doing?" He snarled.
"Giving you what you deserve!" She snapped.
Ba-bmp What was she saying? He did not deserve this.
"SIT!"
Slam
"You are mine."
Ba-bmp
I am so dead
"SIT!"
Slam
"Cower before me."
Ba-bmp
Maybe dead is an understatement
"SIT!"
Slam
"Kowtow before me dog!"
Ba-bmp
Maybe understatement… is an understatement
"SIT!"
Slam
"How dare you!" He growled.
Ba-bmp The wind was picking up, his energy crackling around her like lightning. She saw the beads stressing to keep hold
He is going to kill me.
"SIT!"
Slam
"Haven't you always wanted me to cower before you?" She growled. Her own resolve shocking her.
Ba-bmp
He is going to feed me to that bird of his…
"SIT!"
Slam
"Haven't you always wanted to hear me screaming beneath you, screaming your name?" She growled.
Ba-bmp The power was full, there was no way she was going to get another jab in at him, and no way she would have been able to, she resolved herself and let it go:
"SIT!"
But this time he never hit the ground, instead she heard the scattering of the beads, hitting off of ever tree, she felt some of them strike her as he rose to his feet and those red eyes focused on her. Her heart stopped, she turned away from him, moving her hair off her neck, letting the untied robe fall around her elbows.
Can you feel that? She thought, faint memories of an American song called Down with the Sickness washed over her mind. It seems what's left of my 'human' side is slowly changing in me, looking at my own reflection, when suddenly it changes, violently it changes, there is no turning back now, you've woken up the demon in me.
No sooner had that thought came than did she get planted into the ground, the pain was unreal, tearing through every fiber of her body as those teeth came in against the back of her neck, her bodied pinned below him. Flight. Freeze. Or Flee? Her mind gave her the option. Freezing would equal sure death, because when he regained himself he would be no more in control than he was now.
Like the pulses she had been feeling from him her own body now arched as it tore at her. Her eyes getting wide, she remembered it vaguely from when Kouga had bit her, but never like this. Never filled with hate, and never from someone as strong as Sesshomaru! The plan baka! Don't forget the plan! The voice, sounding amazingly like InuYasha scolded her from her mind. That's right, the plan.
"Rimiku is coming." Her eyes came open, that clawed hand extending to her. He was looking at Sesshomaru, his ears back, eyes narrowed. He seemed to understand, but hated it nonetheless. She knew she couldn't say anything to him, the tears falling as she reached back, grabbing Tenseiga and Tokijin from his hip, he moved to reposition himself, his teeth pulling out to get a better grip and she took InuYasha's hand, she felt him pull her out, giving her the strength to run. "Run girl! Run like you've never run before! And for god's sake Kagome! Don't trip! You reckless klutz, even dead I have to save your ass!" Tears streamed as she ran, she knew he was gone, she might never see him again, but she couldn't look back, she had to run. Rimiku was coming, she knew he could come over the lake this time; she had to get to the cliffs. She had to get to where he could see it.
"SHIT!" She screamed as she felt his claws graze her ankle, he had leapt for her, but by some grace of Kami, though she was not sure what one, he had missed! She panicked, barely remembering what InuYasha had said. 'Don't trip'. Her eyes watched the ground as she ran, she could feel him coming, but she remembered that he was fumbling with instinct, and she was as clear headed as anyone here could be.
She reached the cliff only feet ahead of Sesshomaru. When she turned back to him she saw that staff come down, the gold ring on the top jingling as it fell infront of Sesshoamru's feet. Miroku just winked at her and she drew the arrow hidden in her hakama, it glowed in her hands with so much power it made her hands shake. Or maybe she was just afraid. Well no, terrified was a better word. She heard Rimiku's battle horns as she raised the arrow, without a bow, Sessshomaru came forward again, and with a prayer to whatever gods would have it she begged she didn't miss, but she didn't have to do anything, he came forward, tripping on the staff and running himself through the arrow.
Her eyes went wide as he coughed up blood, it spattered over the front of her outfit, her hands, chest, neck. She was shaking as his eyes slowly faded from red to gold again, the look there was not physical pain, it was emotional pain. She had betrayed him, tricked him into reacting like an animal and then killed him for doing what animals do.
"Wh… why… Ka…go…me…" He managed to sputter out. She couldn't answer him. She couldn't, instead she put all her energy into that arrow, her power rising to her need and the sound was deafening as it ripped through his youki and he fell to the ground before her.
"A few more minutes Kagome, just keep it together a few more minutes, the over grown chicken is coming." InuYasha's voice came from beside her, but no one was there.
"Noooooooooooooooo" The screech started as a word and ended as a eagle's cry, the black monster of an eagle youkai landed hard next to his fallen master, his orange eyes glaring hard at the girl on the ground.
"Take your honorless cur of a master and get him out of my sight!" She snarled, as the icy cold that was not her own started to come over her features. "Take him to the god's cave, it is cold enough to keep his body until such a time that you can bury him!"
"I do not take orders from you Wench!" He squawked, his wings flexing, she stifled her fear and turned around, pulling up her hair.
"I am now the Lady of the West, thanks to that cur, you take orders from me or you die. Simple." She said, her tones iced like that of Sesshomaru.
"Really." The bird said. "Very well, so long as you bare those marks I shall, but in one weeks time, you die Wench." He hissed, his clawed hands picking up the tattered remains of Sesshomaru and took to the air.
Rimiku stared in dumbfounded horror as his birdie took away his dead puppy. Blinking a few times, the men standing behind him wondering what to do now.
"That's not fair!" He exclaimed. "I wanted to kill my puppy!"
"Rimiku sama?" One of the men asked. "What do we do now?"
"Go home." He growled, pushing the man out of his way. "Go home and regroup. I need a new plan." He sniffled slightly and the men looked at each other. He stormed off to his steed and mounted up. "What are you waiting for, we ride now!" He called and started back towards the House of the Moon, the others followed.
"Kagome?" Sango stuttered. She moved over to Kagome's side and knelt next to her. She was a wreck, her hair and back covered in her own blood, her chest and throat and face covered in his, she just kept trying to claw it off of her hands. Sango bit her lip and reached in, taking hold of Kagome's hands and prying them off of each other. "Kagome, stop it. What happened, talk to me."
"I…I killed… I killed him…" She stammered throwing herself forward into Sango's embrace. "I… killed Ses… Sesshomaru!" She sobbed. "He's d… dead… and his blood… his blood…"
"Kagome…" She tried, but Kagome wasn't listening, she coiled her fingers in her hair now sobbing so hard Sango could barely make out what she was saying.
"He… He trusted me… he called… he called me this… Kagome… he trusted me…" She sobbed, her feelings spiked with adreniline bringing her near to the breaking point, almost as bad as Sango had been hours before when Miroku had died. "He trusted me… he… he wanted to… to find out… what was… was wrong and I… I killed him…"
"Kagome stop…" Sango said taking her hand again.
"No! NO! NO! I killed him! I… I… I…" Then suddenly she felt it, like a sheet of ice had come over her, the emotions pushing themselves back into the back of her mind. Don't show them the rational part of her mind said. If you don't show them, they won't get close, they won't get hurt, don't show them your pain.
"Kagome!" Her voice was scared now, the icy look that had washed over Kagome's face was so unlike her, Sango was sure that she had broken now. Whatever was left of Kagome in there was gone for sure this time. "Kagome snap out of it! What happened? Why did you kill Sesshomaru?"
"He bit me." It was cold as hell, Sango gasped and came forward. She ignored the pain, almost as if it were not her own pain but someone else's pain as Sango pulled her hair aside to check on the oozing wounds on the back of her neck. That's right. The plan, remember the plan, stick with the plan she thought as she was examined.
"Oh my god Kagome!" Sango gasped. "Did he… did he…?"
She said nothing. She didn't even look at Sango. Let her make her own mind up. She thought as she stood. She started to move towards the cave that she had ordered Kyo to go to with Sesshomaru, but Sango grabbed her arm.
"You're a mess Kagome, come on, lets get you cleaned up." She said. Kagome sent one glance to the cave, it could wait for now, she turned and walked back to the village with Sango, she really didn't want to face Kyo right now anyway, avoiding him seemed the best plan right now.
None of this is real Kagome thought, the idea, while fabricated was nice. None of this is real, I am going to wake up back at home with Buyo clawing at my leg for food and none of this was going to have happened. It was a nice thought, she even managed to convince herself for half a minute that it was true, until she got jabbed with a hairpin that was being put into her hair and the pain reminded her it was real.
Sango lurched back when Kagome snarled at her. She had never heard anything like that from Kagome before, it wasn't a hiss of pain because the hairpin had hurt her, it was an honest to god snarl. She closed her eyes, she knew what was going on, but that hadn't changed the initial shock any.
"Pull it together Kagome, you are not going to turn into that bastard." Sango said sternly.
"He is not a bastard!" Kagome growled.
"That is his venom talking Kagome. Look what he did to you!" Sango retorted. She had seen it too many times, her own men getting marked by a vengeful youkai just to watched the torment as they decided to kill or keep the marked man or woman.
"NO! I deserved it! I deserved it Sango!" She said breaking down into sobs again.
"Kagome, no. You would never deserve something like this. Forced mating is never earned." Sango said softly pulling Kagome against her.
"You're right, it is never deserved, he didn't deserve to be forced into it." She said, her demeanor icing again.
"What?" Sango asked pulled her back and looking at her.
"I know I can trust you Sango, even though his venom is telling me not to." Kagome said softly, she didn't look at Sango as she spoke. "I forced him." She pulled one of the fangs from the rosary from in the front of her Kimono and handed it to her. "I broke him, like one would a spirited horse. I sat him until he submitted. I knew that when he gained his strength he could destroy the Rosery, but I didn't care. I wanted him to. I knew that when he did, he would bite me, and then he would rape me if I didn't just give into him. I ran. I forced him to hunt me. I forced his hand and then… then I…" The tears came again. "I killed him in front of Rimiku so that Rimiku wouldn't target him anymore!"
"Kagome…" She said. "You knew what the mark would do?"
"Yes." Kagome answered
"You knew that he would come after you?"
"Yes."
"You did it anyway?" She gasped.
"Y… yes…" She sobbed.
"Oh Kagome…" She said clutching her against her again. "Kagome… but why kill him, why go so far…"
The ice sheet came back over her features and she cocked her head at Sango for a moment. The venom was strong in her system. She snickered. "Because he isn't dead."
"Oh Kags, he is going to freak out. Or does he…"
"Of course not. He would never have done it, or he would have held back." She sobbed. "Rimiku is being guided by the gods, if he were not removed from the gods grasp, he would have known. He would have seen through the act."
"Then we need to get you to that cave girl. Start making the charm, I will get you something to wear." She said coming to her feet. Kagome felt strangely comfortable when the other left the room, not because she had voiced it all, but because she was alone, and while she had broken emotionally and told Sango everything, she still felt as if she were weak for that break down. Was this the torment that Sesshomaru went through everyday? Was this the inner battle? Stop this girl, you have work to do… With that she slipped out of the bath and got to work.
The horns sounded as Sango finished getting her dressed. She jumped as the closer warning horns for the town tore across the quiet air.
"So fast?" Sango said, three attacks in one day?
"He came for me." Kagome said like ice. She pulled her fan out and took her bows and arrows, though why she took the fan she didn't know she hated the stupid thing. "And I'll be damned if I am going to let him have me."
"What are you doing?" Sango asked as she pushed Tokijin and Tenseiga into her obi and started toward the doors.
"I am going to kill that rotten brat." Kagome growled. Sango couldn't help but thinking she was possessed by Sesshomaru now. "That worthless hanyou dies tonight." With that she turned and walked out of the room. Worthless hanyou? Did that just come out of Kagome's mouth? No, she needed to remind herself, Kagome isn't herself right now. And with that Sango grabbed hokaitsu and followed her out of the hut.
"Miko Kagome?" One of the men said.
"Lady Kagome." Kagome growled looking at him. "Lady Kagome of the Western Lands." And with that she brushed by him.
"Leave her!" Sango called to the people that were watching her confused as she walked the long walk toward the fields.
Kagome wasn't herself. The things that were spilling out of her mouth were never things that she would say. The things swimming around in her head were not thing that would ever come from her own mind. Kagome wasn't ready for this, but she had no choice but to be ready, it was as if she was a puppet and someone else was holding her strings.
Call him out her mind told her, she did as it said and continued. Erecting an barrier between herself and the oncoming swarms of youkai she kept walking, allowing the exterminators to deal with the demons, she had eyes for only one goal, the reason that she had done all of this, that brat that lead them up. She stopped when she saw him, standing among his men, giving orders, far away from the combat.
"You!" She cried out, pointing a hand at him, she only realized then that the tips of her fingers were bloody from where long claws had pushed through the skin. It did not phase her. "You coward, if you want me, then come and get me yourself!"
"You are still full of venom, are you?" He asked with a chuckle. His voice annoyed her, it made her want to kill him, to rend him limb from limb, but then the pulse came, tearing through her system and instantly it felt as if the rage were melting away. Her hand came to rest on Tenseiga. Thank you friend she thought to it softly.
"Are you going to take me or are you too afraid." She asked.
"Afraid of you." The boy giggled. "Is that a joke?"
"A joke?" She asked, again that annoyance starting to peek, how did Sesshomaru do it, she didn't believe it was the sword alone that kept him calm. She took a breath. "This is no joke Rimiku, you die this eve."
Again, the boy fell into peals of laughter.
"Do you honestly believe that you can kill me?" He laughed. "You a demon infested Miko?"
"Infested?" She asked calmly. "Infested, should you like to see what infested is?" She asked.
"You cannot defeat a god." Rimiku asked.
"Really?" She quarried, her eyes lighting up a dangerous amber glow and the air around her picked up. "This Kagome would gladly see!"
The air around her was disrupted; she felt nauseas as the vibrations shifted the air, her hand coming out holding Tenseiga in front of her as if it were a shield. The vibrations stopped by the sword's guard and Rimiku hissed slightly at her.
"That is inconvenient." The boy growled softly.
"Inconvenient? Is that all it is?" She mused softly. She would place the blade against the ground and spin with a graceful circle, drawing the point of no return. "If it is merely an inconvenience why don't you come for me."
"Gladly." He said and came forward. The earth blew up as he crossed the barrier, sending him flying back with poisoned burns all over his arms and chest. "OUCH!" The boy growled, but even Kagome was shocked to see him rise again, the wounds oozing, but that should have killed even a strong youkai, maybe Sesshomaru had been right about this boy's strength. "This isn't fun anymore." He growled. His hands came up in front of him and then down to either side as if he were bowing to her. "Sariyu!" he cried out, but instead of the massive blue dragon the golden red phoenix rose into the air. "What are you doing Suzaku?" He asked shocked.
"The girl cannot die yet." The phoenix called. "Sariyu would kill her."
Cannot die yet? Why couldn't she die yet? No time for thought, again she let her anger go and again the whirlwind formed around her. She felt as if something were tearing from inside her, as if the ice were melting and for a moment she could think clearly, and the first clear thought that came to her eighteen year old mind was: WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING!
Then those large white feet landed centered before her, and the two back feet landed behind her, spread apart as if ready to lunge, the large head lowered from the whirlwind and he barked, a menacing snarling sound. The spit that fell from his jowls landing on the ground around her, causing it to hiss and spit and smoke.
"Oh…. Shit!" Sango gasped backing up a step. "How did she do that?"
"She is his mate." A voice came as they watched the white dog and the phoenix face off. It was Kyo.
"But he is dead!" She gasped.
"He is." Kyo answered. "But that is the power of a Miko and a Youkai… there is a reason this is forbidden."
Rimiku simply bounced on his toes clapping his hands like a happy child.
"You brought back my puppy!" He said, for a moment he looked like the child he should be.
"No!" She growled. "My puppy!"
"NO!" Rimiku screamed. "SESSHOMARU IS MINE!"
"Really. Sesshomaru, kill that bird." She hissed pointing at Suzaku. The phoenix let out a soft trill and jutted into the air and Sesshomaru gathered his muscles, jumping almost like a cat, catching the bird between his front feet and dragging it back to the ground.
"STOP THAT!" The boy yelled. "Suzaku! No! Suzaku!"
"There is something you worry about?" She questioned.
"He can't kill Suzaku you whore." He snarled.
"You kiss your mother with that mouth?" She growled stepping forward, the whip burned horribly as it tore out of her hand, but it hit it's mark on the side of his face, leaving blood dripping from him.
"Amazing" The boy growled dodging the second and third blow with ease. "Even Sesshomaru never hit me with that thing."
"I am not Sesshomaru." She growled at him. The phoenix crossed their view for a moment only to be caught in the dog's massive jaws, the poison obviously causing it great pain.
"No, you are not." He answered looking away from the screaming phoenix.
"Don't you even care that he is in pain?" She asked him.
"Of course I care." Rimiku said. "They are my blood, but Suzaku isn't finished yet."
"What?" Kagome covered her eyes as the explosion rang hard through the air, the phoenix had combusted itself. "God!"
"That is right, a god." Rimiku said. "Did you think my puppy could defeat a god? Even I am not that foolish!"
"So you are not a god?" She asked.
"I don't have to be one. I have all four of them inside of me." He answered.
Kagome. Sesshomaru's voice rang as she felt the icy power return to her, his presence, his power. Take out your fan and call to her, call to Saiuri.
She didn't know who Saiuri was, but she did as she was told, pulling out the fan she opened it, Rimiku looked at her as if confused.
"You're going to fight me with a fan?" He asked like a befuddled child. "I think the venom has reached your mind."
Maybe he was right, but what other choice did she have. She would toss the fan up into the air, all eyes on the field watching it, the men of both sides, her and Rimiku as well.
"Saiuri! Come to This Kagome!" She cried out, something caught it before it hit the ground, but it was not the same. It had gone from a small black fan to a large one, nearly two feet across, red with the cherry blossom design on it just like Sesshomaru's haori, and large prongs on the tips of the pilons. The hand that grabbed it was a slender one with a black glove on it, the fan was drawn down to the woman's hip, red hair flaring as she spun with grace that made Sesshomaru look like InuYasha in comparison. She planted herself facing Rimiku, the fan rising to cover half of her face. The colors of her kimono made Kagome's head spin, not because they were offensive but because she had seen it only hours ago when she was wearing it! It was Saiuri, Sesshomaru's mother!
"You child have destroyed the one thing I hold dear, the one thing I never wanted to see again for it meant his death." Her voice was as soft as velvet but held and edge that made it as dangerous as a shard of glass. "And for that you will pay."
"I didn't kill him." Rimiku chuckled. "She did."
The woman did not even move, as if he had not spoken at all.
"Pay with your life, your livelihood, your blood." She brought the fan so that it was upright before her lower face, only those intense blue eyes looking over it.
"What? Aren't you listening, she killed Sesshomaru!" He growled as if annoyed.
"Listening?" The woman said, her velvet glass voice chuckling some. "Why would I listen to you, you are a worthless hanyou. You. Are. Beneath. Me." And with that the fan was whipped forward, Kagome's eyes wide as four wounds opened across Rimiku's chest and face, his eyes wide as he clutched his face and stumbled back.
"Ouch! That hurt." He whined. The woman showed no caring as she tossed the fan up in the air her hand coming forward, a stream of venom shooting at him, covering him in green acid, he screamed. "Suzaku, take me!" He cried out and the phoenix again appeared, and the boy climbed onto his back, they took to wing and the vanished.
The woman turned and looked at Kagome. Bringing her hand down with liquid grace to her side again.
"Kagome Higurashi." She said. Kagome was shocked. "Go now, I will bring my son back to you, you need to take Tenseiga to him."
"Yes Lady Sairui." She stammered.
"And Kagome." She said, Kagome watched her in awe as she spoke. "Don't ever hurt him like that again."
The inflection was clear. She nodded, muttering that she had never wanted to hurt him to begin with. The woman showed no signs of emotion as she walked over and placed a hand against the fan.
"Any time you need to defend him." Her velvet glass voice came. "You may call on me." And with that, she was gone. She took the fan, closing it and ran, she couldn't hesitate, or the dead might come for her, and she needed to bring Sesshomaru back before that could happen.