Chapter 7

Kagome's heart race, her stomach did summer salts, her throat closed, her mouth became dry, and she forgot how to breath. But those things didn't matter anymore! Nothing matter now that the blue eyes of this man looked down at her; those very alive, cruel blue eyes of a killer. They watched her every move.

Without thinking, one word fought past her stiff pale lips. "B-Bankotsu," the recognition of the mercenary before her was like the lock on a deadbolt, sealing her to her fate at the hands him.

At his name Bankotsu's smug smirk took on a twisted character. "Ah so you do remember me." His baritone voice sent shivers down her back. Seeing his effect on the girl, Bankotsu's smirk turned into a grin. "Are you afraid of me little priestess?" he asked mockingly.

When he got no answer he lowered his Companion from his shoulder and placed it on the ground. Bankotsu chuckled when the girl flinched at the sound of metal hitting the ground, but her brown eyes never leaving his blue ones.

"Come on now girl, you obviously know me from somewhere," he urged taking a step towards her, still no answer. He knelt in front of her and caught her chin in between his thumb and finger. He frowned slightly but his eyes were drowning in amusement. "Now is that anyway to treat old friends?" he asked.

Kagome didn't know where it came from, but a spark of her old defiance lit itself. She wrenched her jaw out of his grasp. She was not going to be his plaything if she could help it. And if she couldn't she sure as hell wouldn't make it easy for him.

Bankotsu was surprised at her action but it excited him to no end. So this will be a fun trip he thought. He smirked and stood up. "So I did get the right girl…good." The way he stood and his smirk made the little spark Kagome had go out in a blink of an eye.

How is it that he was still alive? I didn't sense any jewel shards. Why…Kagome's head was spinning with all the questions she had but didn't dare ask.

Bankotsu look at the curious miko. When she was glaring at him her dull brow eye sparkled with something…something she was missing but he could tell it wasn't always like that. Now they were back to the dull brown broken orbs he first saw. He tried to read into those eyes for the spark, but all he saw now was fear and curiosity. Strange…

Although his smirk was still in place, Kagome saw the uncertainty on his face. Why is he so…so calm? Something is wrong. This feels wrong…really wrong…

The two just stayed there looking at each other, trying to uncover some unsaid secret that they were sure the other knew.

Kagome was the first to notice the length of time and intensity of their stares were. She quickly broke the eye contact and looked at her hands. Bankotsu shook himself out of his mindless state and began to look over the girl in front of him.

Yes, it was a shame that the half demon didn't see what he had. She certainly was a pretty thing. She had matured quite well by human standards. Bankotsu also thought that she was prettier then most female demons that he had seen. And being the priestess she was she would bear strong babies or possibly pups. By the way her muscles were built he could tell she could hold her own in a fight or if worst came to worst could run for periods at a time. All in all, he would have jump at the chance to bed her.

But she was Naraku's and the key to his memory. He wasn't going to lose his chance to get it back because of a nice rutting. But then again…she does know who he is and her reaction gave away that she knew something else. Did he really need Naraku?

"What do you want?" the soft voice startled Bankotsu out of his spiraling thoughts. His attention immediately focused back at the girls face. She still refused to look at him but addressed him just the same.

Bankotsu saw his opportunity to maybe get some information out of the girl. "Why priestess, what would I want with you? I'm sure you know," he said still in his friendly manner that greatly confused her so. When she continued to draw a blank he mocked her even more. "No? Well I'm sure you'll remember soon," because I can't.

"B-but Inuyasha… you lost at Mt. Hakurei…I thought… N-Naraku…you were d-d-dead," she whispered to herself but Bankotsu caught everything. So Mt. Hakurei is where she knows me from. Why can't I remember who killed my brothers and tried to kill me? Then the name that he must have come up about a hundred times trying to find this girl awoke a sense of hatred and jealousy within him. Inuyasha! His thoughts turned to the image of the half dog demon and his rage flared. Why am I so angry? Thought the rational side of him as it was being suppressed.

Kagome felt the air around him turned tense and she glanced at the former leader of the Band of Seven. He was tense and his eyes had grown dark and sinister. But after the initial flood of emotion, she had sensed she felt him become uncertain. What happened to him? The question ran through her mind endlessly.