Previously:

The wind demon suddenly took flight. "I'm sure you'd love to know," she called out mockingly as she disappeared past the forest and hills. This would give her plenty of entertainment for the time being.

Inuyasha sat rigidly on the branch, his mind swirling. What did this mean? Who could Kagura have been talking about? Was it… her?

Chapter Eleven

Lust or Love

Sesshomaru studied her body from the seeming safety of the surrounding forest. Her sword hung tensely by her side as she searched for him, the black blindfold she'd become accustomed to in place. In a matter of seconds she swung at the trees that shaded him from her view. He easily moved until he was behind her. She repeated the process, picking his presence out in seconds.

He grinned as his apprentice continued to display her skills. He'd forced her to rely on every sense but sight for the past eight weeks. She struggled at first, disliking the fear that came with the lack of sight. After the first week, however, she got used to it, relying on touch, smell, hearing, and instinct to guide her though training as well as her daily life in his castle. Her swordsmanship was good, although not without faults. He'd been teaching her the flaws in her stance, making sure she knew when she was vulnerable to attack and when she wasn't. Her improvement over the two months impressed him, although he expected no less from this young woman who held so much potential.

The demon gazed down at her from the treetops, noticing her careful breathing and the stillness of her body. Her head turned up in his direction. She couldn't see him, but he was confident she knew exactly where he was. Sesshomaru felt as if she were piercing him with her eyes through the black cloth covering them.

She'd grown quiet since it had first started, not necessarily out of choice, but because she was forced to rely on her hearing more which was interrupted by her own talking. He'd begun to wonder what her voice sounded like again.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes as her singing voice wafted through his mind as a memory. The first time he'd heard it, it was accompanied by the smell of her tears. He'd almost forgotten his reason for being there. He had been drawn closer with the desire to eliminate the salty tears, feeling they didn't belong in the presence of her sweet aura.

The second time he'd heard her voice, he couldn't help but look to see if it was really her that was producing such a sound. Her graceful swimming coupled with her soothing voice captivated his mind. Although she was considerably thin, water glistened on the milky complexion of every curve on her lean body. Her ebony hair had flowed beyond the border of her back, curling slightly at the ends. He'd had to look away, the beast inside him getting agitated. Never before had he allowed himself to realize how beautiful she was.

Coming back to the present, the demon shook the images from his mind and calmed his beast, cursing himself for daydreaming, and about a mortal no less. His eyes stared back at her position below, only to see that she was no longer there. His body instantly tensed with a spike of adrenaline as he tried to pick out her presence.

"You seem distracted, Master," her voice sounded not two yards away balancing on a thin branch.

He turned around to face her, angry that she was right. He'd allowed her to sneak up on him. That was exactly why distractions in battle could be deadly.

"It would seem so," he said calmly, keeping his frustration out of his voice. She had a soft smile playing on her lips as her hair swirled in the breeze. Her sword was already sheathed, which made sense since normally, when he didn't make an effort to challenge her, she assumed it meant that training was over. It was odd that she assumed he was distracted this time though…

As if she read his thoughts, she said, "I've gotten better at analyzing a person's aura. I can get a good idea of a person's mood now. Like just now, your aura was awfully relaxed for the situation at hand."

"Do not attempt to analyze me, woman," he growled, despite the fact that she was right.

"Now it's bristling, like you're agitated," Kagome grinned, ignoring the hostility in his tone. "It would seem like I analyzed correctly."

Sesshomaru growled. "Skilled demons can learn to control their auras, so they could just be leading you into a trap," he said as he forced his aura to relax.

"Maybe so," she replied with a shrug. She jumped from the trees and landed perfectly despite the height and the extra weight of her armor and weapons. She headed off towards the castle, knowing the direction despite her lack of sight.

The demon stared after her, observing her hair swing back and forth. He sighed wearily. He was almost making this easy on her. He'd have to change that.

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Kagome's breathing was heavy and labored as she climbed up the stairs to her tower after her morning run. Why the hell did her room have to be at the top of the tower? Normally, she'd be bathed and eating breakfast right now. However, Sesshomaru had decided to make her training even harder. She now had to wear black weights on every part of her body, including her torso, arms, and legs. The material was like spandex, wrapped around what she believed to be sand. Her body now had to get used to about sixty pounds of extra weight, not including her armor or weapons. She wasn't allowed to ever take them off, just like her blindfold. The demon had already taken her sight; now he was taking her speed and grace.

Still, she refused to complain. She could see the benefit in it all, and instead, focused her efforts even more.

After finishing her daily routine, the girl made her way to the training grounds. Sesshomaru often took her outside the castle walls like he did the day before, but they always met in the North Wing. She couldn't sense his presence anywhere, so she made her way towards the weapon rack by touch and memory to get her bow and arrows.

As she stood in the center, she aimed her bow at the straw dummy. Despite her lack of eye sight, she could tell clearly where it was. It didn't have an aura like living things did, but she'd learned not to rely only on that to determine an object's position. The ambient noises of birds' songs and the morning breeze created a hazy picture in her mind's eye. She'd already calculated by touch the angle and speed she'd need to conquer the wind.

Her arrow soared, piercing its target in the head. The sound made her mind's picture clearer for a moment. After a few more shots, Kagome lowered her bow and returned it to the rack as she felt Sesshomaru's presence come closer. She turned towards the training grounds doors just as he stepped inside. She could tell where he stood because the stronger his aura got, the closer to his body it was. She only had her memory to imagine what he looked like though. Her mind's sight didn't include those kinds of details.

As he made his way towards her, he drew his sword. The cling of its metal against its sheath created a clearer image for her again. Realizing he intended for a duel, Kagome drew her own sword. Even she could feel her aura get uneasy. They had never really fought while she had the blindfold on. He had always hid in the shadows, just testing her senses. He'd never drawn his own sword though. Despite her heightened senses, she was unsure if they were enough to detect the swift and powerful strikes of a daiyokai. Not to mention her newly acquired weights. Still, the surprise of the test gave her sparks of adrenaline.

Relying only on instincts and sound, Kagome parried her master's attacks. Slowly, her confidence built as it got easier to predict her target's next move. Knowing it was Sesshomaru she was fighting, however, she remained wary with every move.

The girl rolled out of the path of his sword and swung at him. She felt the tip of her sword connect with something soft, probably clothing. Immediately after, she turned the blade perpendicular to the ground and to her side to defend against his next swing. She back flipped away, wincing mentally as she remembered the weights that slowed her down. A line of pain shot through her as blood appeared on her thigh, right above the weight on her calf. It was just a small price for her mistake.

Cursing under her breath, Kagome focused on Sesshomaru's aura again. Realizing he was behind her, she somersaulted away and brought her sword around. The harsh sound of metal clanging filled her ears, making her mind's sight blank for a moment. Forced to rely on instincts, she jumped as his sword sliced towards her vulnerable legs. She was weighted down, but managed to clear the blow, swinging at him at the same time. He was jumped away, giving her enough time to heal the irritating pain in her leg that almost made the leap impossible.

Irritated that he'd given her the opportunity, he charged at her at full speed. Instead of jumping, knowing she wouldn't clear the blade in time, the girl ducked down so low, she was practically laying on the floor. As his sword cut through the air above her head, hers sliced through the flesh of his calf. He skid to a stop as she stood in a defensive stance facing him.

"Enough," he said in his deep voice. She'd drawn blood, and as he had with their very first duel, allowed her to pass the test. Her body relaxed as blood dripped from her blade. His wound was slightly deeper than he'd wanted to allow.

Kagome heard him walk towards her. Despite that he sheathed his sword as he did so, she felt her body tense up. Her heart beat a thousand times a minute as she wondered what he was doing. His aura easily pushed hers back as he stood inches from her.

Suddenly, the blindfold was gone. It was suddenly too bright to see as her eyes attempted to adjust to the morning sun. Reflexes told her hand to shield her eyes until she could see again. She looked up at Sesshomaru, the first time she'd seen his face in two long months. His orbs were like balls of flame in the intense sunlight. She couldn't help but stare in awe.

"Your senses had no choice but to improved from living two years on your own in the wild," her master said. "These last two months I have tuned them so they are as sensitive as a demon's. Your archery and swordsmanship were excellent before, but are even better now because of it."

Kagome grinned at her accomplishments. She imagined that that was next to impossible for a normal human being. Being a miko had benefits beyond purifying powers apparently.

The demon took a few steps away, his back facing her. "You haven't reached your limits yet, however," he said. Excitement bubbled through her body as she realized that she could get even stronger. "You are a miko, and yet, you hardly ever use your ability to purify. You have not even begun to tap into that hidden potential."

Kagome frowned. "But you're a demon. How can you help me strengthen my miko powers if I could kill you with them?"

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. "Purification is deadly to any demon, but at my rank, I can handle it." He paused as he looked into the clear blue sky. "Combining your miko powers with the skills you already have could have deadly results."

Kagome grinned, anticipating the next couple months of training. She called on her miko energy, causing her hand to glow a brilliant pink.

Sesshomaru stared at her palm for a moment before he spoke. "Priestesses summon their powers from within and channel it through some type of conductor. So far, your conductors have been your palm, like you're doing now, your fingertips, and the point of an arrow. You are by no means limited to only those, however." The girl raised her eyebrow in curiosity. "Draw your sword," he instructed.

Kagome obeyed, and taking his hint, attempted to channel her miko powers through the blade. Pink energy swirled up the length of the blade and collected at the tip into a round ball. She curiously pointed the blade at a tree and released the energy. A trail of pink shot out and dissipated against the tree's bark. Her eyes wide in wonder, she repeated the process, but this time let the energy swirl around the blade until the entire length of it was engulfed in the pink flames. She stared at it for a moment before she called the energy back within, returning the sword back to its original state.

Sesshomaru watched her play with her newly found ability. The sword lit up again, but this time, it was much more intense. He took a step back involuntarily. The energy erratically sparked in the surrounding air. The demon's eyes left the weapon and traveled to hers. Alarm spread through his body like a forest fire as he saw her orbs glow white. He immediately found cover behind a tree just as daggers of pink energy shot from the sword in every direction. One grazed his shoulder and another cut through his pants. The smell of his burning flesh filled his nostrils as the energy ate away at his shoulder. Using his aura, he suppressed and neutralized the purity.

The demon stepped from the cover of the tree to look at her. She was leaning on her sword for support, breathing heavily. He appeared by her side in an instant, helping her balance herself.

"Wow," she breathed. Her eyes, now their regular cocoa color, held wonder and excitement but intense exhaustion.

"You'll have to strengthen your powers before you can use an ability like that with ease," he said softly as her hand grabbed his arm for support. "Your miko powers and physical strength are connected. When one is weak, the other is also weakened. When one is strong, the other can build off that strength."

He was secretly amazed at her display just now. He'd had suspicions that what she'd done was possible. But he never would have guessed that she could do it, at least not so soon after she'd practically neglected her miko powers.

Hearing her continued labored breathing, he said, "Just like you can overexert yourself physically, you can use too much of your power at a time. That's why you're exhausted now." She only nodded her understanding.

Sesshomaru stood by her side as she continued to grip his arm for support. After a few moments, her hand lost its tenseness. He hadn't realized he had been staring at her until she looked up at him from behind a curtain of ebony hair. His claws itched with the desire to push her hair away from her soft eyes, which he instantly lost himself in. Her sweet smell dulled all his senses as he fought to keep his inner beast at bay. She smiled, drawing his attention. Her pink lips looked as soft as rose petals. He involuntarily smiled back at her. A spike in her scent nearly sent him over the edge as he recognized it as virgin arousal.

Sesshomaru cleared his throat and took a step back. "I think that's enough for today. You should recover your strength before we train again." His words seemed rushed.

"Yeah," Kagome said distractedly.

She watched Sesshomaru all the way to the training ground doors. She sighed, her heart still racing. As much as she hated to admit it, she'd really wanted the Ice Prince to kiss her just then. She waited until she was sure she was steady enough to walk to make her way towards her room.

She'd come to rely on and trust Sesshomaru as her master over the past two months. Their conversations never went past the casual greeting or those during training, but she felt more comfortable with him than she ever had with Inuyasha. She'd always been on edge around him, fearing her next step would be seen as a mistake and that would send him into a turret of hurtful words. Although she hated showing weakness to anyone, she was confident Sesshomaru would guide and train her through it rather than degrade and belittle her. She could be herself, flaws and all, around him.

His words got harsh sometimes, and he hadn't lost his chilly attitude towards the outside world, wearing his mask of indifference as often as before. However, any words he said were to encourage correction of a flaw, never to just instigate an argument. His deep voice was no longer monotone to her ears. She could pick up emotions she never would have guessed the Ice Prince could have. He'd smiled at her. She hadn't even known his muscles knew how to accomplish such a thing.

But what caught her attention the most was his eyes. She finally saw past his defensive barrier and the emotions that were behind it. Now she only wondered if what she saw was lust… or love.

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The daiyokai hastily made his way to the West Wing, his safe haven. Once the doors were closed, he breathed a sigh of relief as he tried to hush his whimpering beast.

That was close. Too close. Sesshomaru made his way to his favorite window and gazed out at his lands.

This was ridiculous. How could he have allowed himself to lust after a mere human? Sure, the woman was beautiful. But he'd met many beautiful demons in the past. None of them had had the same effect over him as her though. He had nearly lost control over his inner beast, which had never happened before.

So what made her so different? The demon furrowed his brows at the world outside his window. Her display of skill today had him intensely intrigued. He hadn't even wanted to stop training for the day; it was only just reaching lunchtime.

Perhaps that was the reason this woman fascinated him. Her strength, potential, and perseverance drew him in. The focus of her mind, the grace of her swordsmanship, her carefree independence, and the beauty of her body were traits that had captivated him before he even realized it. Her confidence and determination pushed away her fears. She invited the unknown into her life and took the challenge head on. If today was an example of days to come, he had a lot to look forward to.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes into the sun that hung in the sky. Was he falling into the same path his father had? The great demon had allowed himself to love a human, and the cost had been his own life and his son's trust in humans. Sesshomaru had always viewed humans as weak and insignificant. But he couldn't deny the strength of his apprentice. Nor could he deny the importance she held in his life now. Not to mention young Rin.

He sighed. Whatever was happening to him was new to him. He didn't like change, but he already knew it wasn't within his power to stop what he was feeling. Now he only had to wonder if it was lust, or love.

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Hey all! This update came quicker than I thought. I should actually be doing a project right now, but I had too many ideas to not write the next chapter. That like, never happens. So I figured I'd take advantage of it.

I didn't get everything I wanted to get done. I'd meant to add a scene on Inuyasha, but the chapter was getting kinda long. Sesshy and Kagome finally got some one-on-one action though. I mean, it's ONLY the ELEVENTH chapter! Lol... Not too sure if I like how I did it. It's so hard to keep Sesshomaru in character since no one's really seen him get intimate. But I figured I'd just make him act like any sane person would when confronted with lust or love. He's gotta show emotion eventually, dammit.

So, you've got another time skip to look forward to in the next chapter. Inuyasha will definitely be in there somewhere. Sesshy and Kags might get a little more heated... By the way, I've been trying to figure out if I should include a lemon in this story. I've never done one before though, and this story's only rated T. Gimme some input: Do you think a lemon would ruin the story, or make it better?

Anyway, I suppose that's enough babbling for now. Thank you all so much for sticking with me this far, since I'm sure patience can run thin with my uberly long update times. Until next chapter!

Hiko