TITLE: Cursed Twins

AUTHOR: InuYoukaiAki

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and Co.

Author's Note: This is the edited chapters. Thank you to my wonderful beta who never tire of giving me advices, criticisms and encouragement. Thank you!

Chapter 14: The Power of a Smile

A frustrated growl echoed the dark forest beyond the borders of the Western Lands. Naraku had moved here when he had found that the miko had been staying at the Palace of the Moon. It had been frustrating on his part that he could not get to the group as easily as before. There were four powerful taiyoukai that are with them now plus a hanyou that wields a very powerful sword. Plus, the young miko seemed to have been growing more powerful.

His attempt the night before had ended in a failure. He had commissioned the help of a dark miko to make him the silver orb to reach into Kagome's soul and taint the Shikon fragments in her possession. He had been waiting for the right moment to spring when the overwhelming amount of miko powers came in waves. He barely had enough time to erect a barrier to protect him. And now he was back and he was sporting some burns from the miko's purifying energy.

"What happened, Kagura?" Naraku said, turning a suspicious glance at the wind witch who could not suppress the amusing glint in her eyes. "What have you done?"

The wind witch rolled her eyes. "I did nothing," she replied haughtily. "All I did was call her outside like you told me."

"Then what went wrong?" he demanded.

"How am I supposed to know?" Kagura said. She was secretly pleased that Naraku's plan had failed. She could not afford to let him get his hands on the other fragments. It would make him more powerful and she would definitely have no chance to be free from him. "It was your plan, not mine."

Another growl escaped from Naraku before he stalked off.

- - -

Kagome huffed in annoyance as Inuyasha stalked after her. She had come down to breakfast and he told her that they would resume their shard hunt today. She had told him that she had plans for today and that she does not plan to resume the hunt until the spirit problem in her is resolved.

"What are these plans you are talking about?" he demanded as they walked outside.

She sighed in resignation and whirled around to face Inuyasha. She was wearing dark jean shorts that only reached mid-thigh and a light blue sleeveless blouse over her swimsuit and her flip-flops. She wore her hair on a high ponytail and she had a small backpack where her sketchbook and stuff were. She was not aware how much the sight of her exposed skin was affecting the men around her.

"If you must know, I am going with Sesshoumaru today," she said haughtily. "And I would not appreciate any derogatory remarks on his person."

"You're going with him wearing that?" Inuyasha asked incredulously. "I won't let you go alone with him wearing that!"

Kagome's chin lifted in challenge. "You are not in the position to stop me," she replied. "I will go with anyone I please. Besides, what is wrong with my clothes?"

"Clothes?" Inuyasha said with a snort. "You call those things clothes? It is barely covering you!"

"And what is it to you?" Kagome asked, her irritation rising. "It's not like you care!"

"Of course I care!" Inuyasha burst out. His eyes widened as the implication of what he said hit him full force. He stared at Kagome's surprised wide eyes and blushed. "I-I mean you look like a willing woman with those clothes on! I would not want to be associated with women like that," he amended when he regained his composure.

Kagome's wide eyes narrowed at those words. "Fine!" she said angrily. "Then don't get associated with me, you arrogant jerk! Go find someone who would not embarrass you!" Tears threatened to fall from her eyes but Kagome willed it away. She was not going to let Inuyasha ruin her day. She took deep breaths as she walked to the entrance of the castle where she knew Sesshoumaru was waiting for her. She was going to enjoy her time on the beach, Inuyasha be damned! With that thought in mind, she plastered a smile on her face and strolled outside. Her eyes sparkled as she saw Sesshoumaru waiting for her.

"I'm ready," she said cheerfully as she stood a few feet away from him.

Kagome felt a blush rise in her cheeks as Sesshoumaru's gaze traveled her body. He was looking at her as if assessing her and she was aware that she was exposing too much of her assets. And it did not help that she saw a naughty gleam in his eyes. Or was it just the sun playing tricks on her?

She saw Sesshoumaru nod and gestured for her to come closer. "Come," he said. "We will depart."

"Okay," Kagome said, forgetting her embarrassment. She reached his side as Kenji and Yoji came running out.

"Hey, Sesshoumaru!" Kenji said irritably. "You are not playing fair! You should at least let us spend time with her."

Yoji nodded his agreement.

Kagome's brows furrowed in confusion. What are these demons talking about? "Um… I was just accompanying him on a business trip," she replied hesitatingly.

"Then would you accompany me tomorrow?" Kenji asked with a hopeful look in his eyes. He looked like a lost puppy that Kagome could not say no to.

She smiled. "Of course," she said.

Yoji glared at his twin. "And the day after that, would you go with me?" he asked with the same puppy look his brother used.

"I guess," Kagome agreed.

Both demons seemed pacified after that and the two were able to go on their way to the beach.

- - -

"When we get there, I will leave you alone in a private alcove," Sesshoumaru stated as they were flying towards the border to the Northern Lands. The miko had been humming happily since they departed.

The miko stopped her humming and looked questioningly up at him. "Where will you be?" she asked with a slight inclination of her head.

Normally, Sesshoumaru would not answer to anyone who would ask of his activities. But he wanted to make her at ease. "I will be having a conference with the leader of the village," he replied. "The alcove is hidden by an enchantment. You will be safe." Sesshoumaru observed the miko who nodded.

"Will you take long?" Kagome asked meekly. She averted her eyes from him and looked at her fidgeting hand.

Sesshoumaru was speechless at the question. It appears the miko wanted him to accompany her. The rush of feeling in him kept him unable to speak. It appeared that his presence was not unwanted by the miko. "I will return shortly after," he replied. "My conference will not take long."

A radiant smile blossomed from Kagome's lips, lighting up her face and making her blue eyes sparkle. "Okay!" she said happily. By now, Sesshoumaru had gotten a little used to the foreign expression which seemed to be an affirmation of some sort. He nodded and directed his gaze back to the looming village.

- - -

Sesshoumaru could not shake off the awed image of Kagome from his mind. He headed straight to the enchanted alcove where he would leave her. She had jumped off his youki cloud as soon as they were a mere foot from the ground. She looked in wonder at the small enchanted alcove. There was a rock formation on the right and a short expanse of white sand. A few feet away from the water's edge coconut trees swayed gently with the wind. To the right was a small cottage.

She immediately kicked off the thing she called flip-flops and went to the edge where the water was able to reach her dainty feet. She giggled and began to remove her clothes as if she did not care if he was there or not. His eyes widened briefly but he could not take his eyes off her.

She had only stopped when tiny contraptions that hid her most sensitive areas remained. But it still left too little to the imagination. He would not have left her in that state if he were not sure that no one else would see her. As it were, he knew no one could get to her. She turned a wide smile at him before running a little farther away. "Thank you for bringing me here, Sesshoumaru," she said happily as she waded in the water.

He nodded before he took to the sky towards the village. And now, here he was. Sesshoumaru had gone here for the weekly visits he made to some random village near the borders to ensure that there were no attempts of taking his lands away from him. But his mind remained at the little alcove where an alluring miko awaited his return.

His attention went back to the head of the village. "There are no concerns I should know of?" he asked.

The village head shook his head. "There is none, Sesshoumaru-sama," he said humbly. "I would have informed you if there was."

"Good," he nodded once. "I shall be leaving now. Bring me the food I asked you to prepare."

The old man snapped his fingers and a slave handed the basket to Sesshoumaru. He then departed to go back to the miko.

- - -

Kagome had never felt as peaceful and relaxed as she felt now. She had draped a blanket she had brought in the shade and took out her sketchbook. She looked at the drawing she made and frowned. It was mostly of Sesshoumaru. Lately, he had become her favorite subject. She opened it to the portion that was half finished. It was the one she made of him sitting on the boulder outside of the cave where she had found InuTaisho. She took out her coloring materials and began to color the picture to make it more alive.

After a few moments, she looked at the finished drawing and smiled to herself. This was one of her best-colored works. She flipped the page to the one before it. It was a sketch of Sesshoumaru under the rain. There was uncertainty in those eyes. It was merely a sketch but she could distinctly remember how she felt then as he gazed at her. The way he looked had made an impression on her and she had sketched it.

She sighed. There was no denying it. She was falling in love with the demon lord! Kagome gazed at the sketch and sighed. He looked so mysterious and cold. He looked so aloof. And she felt a tug at her heart. He was always so near and yet unattainable. Well, he is, after all, a demon lord who ruled the largest part of Feudal Japan. And he was a powerful taiyoukai to boot! Oh, the unfairness of the world.

"He is even more unattainable than Josh Hartnet!" she exclaimed to herself, thinking of one of her favorite actors. "Such a heart throb." She was so absorbed with the woes of her heart that she did not feel the presence that was standing behind her.

"Josh Hartnet?" a questioning voice broke her daydreaming.

Kagome jumped up with an "eep" and scrambled away with the sketchbook clutched to her chest. She was wearing a turquoise two-piece bikini. Her eyes looked at the demon lord as if she had conjured him from her imagination. He looked so cute with the way he was looking at her curiously. Maybe she would sketch that look, too. Great! Something to add up to her collection of Sesshoumaru sketches. She's turning into an obsessed fan.

"Uh, he's a popular personality in my time," she explained.

He nodded. "And you like him?" he asked.

Kagome nodded. "Until I met someone much hotter," she mumbled under her breath as she remembered a few of her intense encounters with Sesshoumaru. "And a damn good kisser, too," she added to herself. She had forgotten that Sesshoumaru had more keen hearing than any normal person.

"Who is this good kisser?" Sesshoumaru asked with amusement dancing in his eyes.

Kagome whipped her head when she realized Sesshoumaru had heard her. Stupid Kagome! She berated herself. She felt her cheeks flare in embarrassment. "Uh, no one," she said, averting her eyes.

Sesshoumaru did not press and walked over to her. "I've brought food," he said and placed the basket beside her.

Her eyes lit up and she rushed towards him. Come to think of it, she was hungry. She dropped to her knees and patted the space beside her. "Come on, let's eat," she said as she rummaged the contents of the basket. She had placed the sketchbook on her other side, momentarily forgetting who she had drawn.

She found bread and cooked meat. She happily made two sandwiches for the both of them when she realized that he was not sitting down. "Hey, sit down," she said distractedly. She looked up at him and noticed that he was looking at something beside her. Her gaze fell to the sketch she had made of him under the rain and her eyes widened. She immediately snatched it away. "Uhm… Well…" she tried to say something, anything. But her mind was blank. What could she possibly say?

- - -

Sesshoumaru gazed at the blushing girl in front of him. He was surprised to see yet another image of him. He stared at it and it was a bit unnerving that the image of him seemed to be gazing back at him.

The miko was very embarrassed. He decided to take pity on her and sat down on the blanket as if nothing happened. He took the forgotten sandwich and took a bite. "You should eat," he said. He watched the miko tentatively sit down next to him. The blush was still present as she took a small bite of the sandwich. After a few bites, she seemed more relaxed.

"You have talent," he started. "I am honored to have captured your eye."

She stiffened when he started to speak but she relaxed at his next statement. "Thank you," she said meekly. "I'm glad you liked it."

"May I look at your other works?" he asked tentatively.

He saw her hesitate for a while before she handed him her sketchbook.

Sesshoumaru flipped on the pages and saw about five of his portraits she had made. The last was the one he had seen at the cave but it now looked more real because she had applied color to it. There were other landscape scenes that he saw before he handed her the scrolls.

"You are very good," he said as he handed it back to her.

"Thanks," she said. "I have never drawn a portrait before. You were my first attempt," she informed him shyly.

He was curious. Come to think of it, her first works were mostly landscapes and houses. "May I know why you chose me?" he asked.

Kagome shrugged. "Your facial features are very classic and symmetrical," she said, finally at ease with the subject. "It was almost perfect. And you have a very mysterious air to you."

"Hn," he replied because he did not know what to say to that. Her compliments made him feel warm inside. He knew he was beautiful as so many people told him. He was not a vain man. And he had not paid attention to these people. But coming from Kagome, it felt different.

They stayed in companionable silence for a while. The embarrassment that had been radiating off her had disappeared and she relaxed. She was wearing a serene smile that had made a way toward his cold heart. He had been alone too long that he had not recognized the warmth spreading inside him.

His eyes drifted close and he relaxed completely in the miko's presence.

End chapter