DISCLAIMER: All Inuyasha goodness belongs to the amazing Takahashi-san!

Empty Threats

By MissKatt

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"Ohh, Kagome, yah best be hurryin'! I can't believe how late yah were! Mr. Myouga was angrier than horse bein' spurred! I never done seen such a shade of red!" Sango exclaimed, frantically tossing her friend the remaining garments for her deep purple saloon outfit.

"Imma tryin'!" She cried, sitting down on the bed as she pulled on her pantyhose before slipping on her black heeled boots and tying them shut. "Was he that mad?"

"Yes!" She replied, ushering her friend to stand up so she could tighten the corset on her as she tugged on her black gloves. "He dun promised everyone yah were gonna get a lashin' today! Said yah were gonna get it tonight."

Kagome stiffened a little as she smoothed out the dark purple fabric of her short skirts. She had already assumed she was going to receive the punishment for being so late, but hearing that it was really going to happen made her nervous with the impending oh-so familiar pain. "When is he gonna do it?" She whispered, biting down nervously in her lip.

Sango twisted her friend's hair up into a loose bun and pinned it before placing the purple feather in it. "He didn't say when exactly, only that it would be tonight. Oh, Kagome, I'm sorry yer gonna have to go through with this."

She tightened her hands into fists and clenched her jaw. "Well, I won't be makin' him happy by screamin'. I don't regret bein' late. I had a lovely conversation with a mystery." She sighed happily, smiling as she remembered Sesshoumaru.

Chocolate brown eyes blinked before she pressed her hand to her friend's forehead. "Yah feelin' a'right? Did yah bump yer head or somethin'?"

Kagome shook her head with a small smile. "No. I'll explain later. We better get down there before he starts rantin' and throwin' mugs." She suggested before grabbing the bag of Myouga's money. Sango agreed and together they made their way downstairs to the busy bar area.

"Kagome!" Came the familiar, angry wheezing shout.

Kagome flinched when Myouga yelled at her and made her way over to the bar, keeping her head down. She hesitantly held out the bag to him and avoided his eyes. "I'm sorry, Boss, but the bank dun closed early tonight."

He snatched the bag from her hand and quickly opened it up, his beady eyes looking over the contents. He looked back up at her and grabbed the front of her dress, pulling her down to his level. "If there be but one coin missin', it'll be double the lashin' for yah tonight," He growled and shoved her away from him by her dress. "Now, get to work! The customers be a waitin' for yah girls!"

"Yessir!" She said as she scampered away, grabbing her tray to go and take orders from their impatient patrons.

As the night progressed, she and Sango had gone up on stage twice, dancing along with the other saloon girls as Miroku played on the piano. Kagome smiled knowingly when she saw Sango put her hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze as she praised his musical talents. She loved the two together, but she knew Sango feared coupling with him. She wanted her debt to be clear before he courted her. So she kept him at a distance until it was done, despite his relentless pursuit of her.

"Yah still turnin' down his invitations to go upstairs?" Kagome asked gently.

No one was a fool at the saloon, everyone knew that customers could pay enough money to go upstairs and have sex with the saloon girls. She herself had been 'bought' several times, but she was clever enough to make them drink before they went upstairs. Most of the time, as to her plan, they would drink so much, that by the time they went up there, they were too drunk to do anything and usually ended up passing out.

And then, of course, there were the times that she wasn't so lucky.

She shuddered and goose bumps rose on her skin from the memories of her being taken against her will. The sight of her ceiling was permanently sketched into her mind as she was forced to just lay there and take it from some drunken customer. And she would always hate whiskey. The scent was forever stuck in her nostrils from the when the customers panted above her and the taste would always be poison from when they forced their mouths on her.

She clenched her hands in anger and self-pity before trying to make herself push down the unpleasant scars in her mind.

Sango nodded as she pushed back her bangs. "After I dun clear my debt, then I will allow him to court me. I want to make sure he wants me for me, not because I'm a saloon girl."

She nodded in understanding. "I see where yer comin' from, Sango, but I think Mr. Miroku really likes yah."

"Then let's hope I can clear this debt as fast as I can." She replied and then the two looked up when the bar doors swiveled and swung open.

"Welcome to Shikon!" They both chimed automatically.

Kagome's smile slipped off her face when she saw it was Mr. Hakudoushi, his black eyes staring at her intently. What was he doing there at the saloon? And why was he looking at her like that? She blinked and looked to her side when Sango nudged her forward. "Sango?"

"I got the last ones, it's yer turn." She informed before walking to a table to check on her customers.

Sighing and cursing her luck, she made her way over to the bank teller and gave him a forced smile. "Good evenin', Mr. Hakudoushi. What can I get fer yah?"

The man leaned back in his chair a little, carefully studying the woman in front of him. "Tell me, Miss. Kagome, what were you doin' this fine night?"

"M-me? I was workin', Mr. Hakudoushi. Why do yah ask?" She stammered, her hands tightening on her tray subconsciously as she squirmed under his gaze.

"Were yah?" He asked again and hummed thoughtfully. "Yah didn't meet up with a male near the bank tonight?"

She paled. So, he did recognize her. Did he stay afterwards and see her and Sesshoumaru talking? "O-of course not! Meetin' up with males outside of the saloon is strictly forbidden. Boss would kill me."

"Is that so?" He asked, his eyes falling on her gloved wrist for a moment. "Well, then, I suppose I'll have to take yer word. I'll take a mug of ale."

She nodded and gave a little curtsey. "Comin' right up!" She said quickly before making her way to the bar. After telling Myouga her order, she raised a gloved hand to her racing heart and tried to steady her breathing. Why was she so nervous? Why did she feel so uncomfortable around him now?

'Do not be so quick to trust people, Harlot…There are things in the world you cannot even begin to comprehend.'

She frowned as she remembered Sesshoumaru's words. Was that why he was hurting Hakudoushi when she found them? Was he evil like he said? Why was he trying to kill him? What had he done? What was he planning to do?

When Myouga placed her mug on her tray. She swallowed her nerves before lifting her tray and turning around to head back to his table. She froze in step though when the bar doors swung open and she saw Sesshoumaru walk in with his father and brother. Her mouth fell open unintelligently and she quickly shifted her gaze from Hakudoushi to the Moon Bandits.

Sesshoumaru's eyes instantly fell on Kagome and her shocked expression. He followed her sapphire gaze to Hakudoushi and narrowed his eyes at him. He then sat down at an empty table with the other Taisho men across the saloon and continued to watch the demon. The three had tracked the male to the saloon and intended on getting answers from him when he left. They would not cause a scene at the saloon and bring unwanted attention to them, but they would not let him escape either.

Kagome bit her lip and steeled her nerves as she walked over to Hakudoushi's table. She set his cup down in front of him and gave him another forced smile. "Is there anythin' else I can get yah, Mr. Hakudoushi?"

The man picked up his mug and then looked up at him. "Do yah know the three men that just walked in, Miss. Kagome?"

She swallowed. "I'm 'fraid I don't, Mr. Hakudoushi. But, if yah will excuse me, I have to go serve 'em." With that she gave another curtsy and tried not to hurry over to their table.

When she arrived, she met Sesshoumaru's emerald eyes with a panicked gaze. "Mr.-"

"Speak low, Harlot. His hearing is better than you think. Do not turn to look at him." He commanded, looking at her, but studying Hakudoushi from his peripheral vision.

She mentally imagined the distance between their table and his. How could he hear what they were saying from where he was across the saloon? Not to mention with all the noise in the saloon? Most of the time, she could barely hear the customers in front of her. Still, she heeded his warning and lowered her voice to slightly above a whisper. "He keeps askin' me questions about tonight."

"What has he said to you?" Touga asked.

"He dun asked me what I was doin' tonight before this, if I had met up with any male. Then just now he dun asked me if I knew y'all." She replied, looking at him.

"So he was watching." Sesshoumaru mused and then looked at his brother and father. "He knows who we are since I attacked him."

"But why involve Miss. Kagome?" Touga asked, looking at the pretty saloon girl once again.

"Because he saw me with her tonight." He answered and glared at his father's grin. "It was not like that."

Kagome blushed at the insinuating grin. "I-I haven't said anythin' to him about y'all. I dun told him I didn't know y'all."

"He knows you are lyin'." Inuyasha replied. "If he saw you two together, then he knows you are up to somethin'."

She frowned and tightened her grip on her tray. "I'm sorry. I didn't know what to say…"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Do not blame yourself for anything. You are a saloon girl and I should have never spoken to you in the first place, let alone approach you so familiarly in the alleyway."

Kagome's shoulders tensed at his words and her face fell in disappointment. "I-I see. Well, I will bring y'all the same thing yah ordered last time." She murmured before walking away from the table to get their order.

Touga watched the girl sink into unhappiness at his son's words. "You hurt her feelings." He pointed out, looking at his son.

The eldest son lifted a brow. "For speaking the truth?"

"For the poor word choice you used. She thinks you regret talking to her at all."

"How do you know?"

His father snorted. "It is obvious, Sesshoumaru."

"Perhaps it is for the better."

"You do not mean that; you like her."

Sesshoumaru remained silent for a moment. "She is just a saloon girl."

"Sounds like you are making an excuse to not like her."

"Can we switch the topic?" He finally snapped, glaring at his father.

"As you wish," He replied with a sigh before taking off his hat and dropping it onto the table. He leaned back in his chair before putting his hands behind his head. "However, if you did not mean those words, I would tell her as such before you let your opportunity slip. Who knows how many men she has chasing after her?"

The older Taisho son frowned, but remained silent. He did not look at Kagome as she delivered their drinks, nor gave her thanks as she walked away. He lifted his cup to his lips with a scowl and took a sip without really tasting the bitter ale.

Why did it irritate him that she thought he regretted talking to her?