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

Empty Threats

By MissKatt

Say it Again

Kagome stared at him silently as he looked at her with a torn expression. What was he thinking? Was he surprised at what she said? Was he mad? Or was he going to deny it? She shifted a little to try and turned fully towards him, but let out a hiss as her back protested.

Tearing himself from his shock at her gasp, he grabbed her bare shoulder and gently forced her to lay flat on her stomach once again. "Do not move, Kagome; your wound is still fresh." He informed her before rinsing out his bandana of her blood and placing it back on her flesh to continue cleaning it.

She gaped at him. "Y-yah called me by my name," She whispered, her lips pulling into a weak smile. "Say it again?"

Sesshoumaru blinked down at the curious creature before him. Did something as mundane as calling her by her given name really give her such joy? "Kagome," He repeated softly and gave a slight smile when she sighed contently and closed her eyes. He watched her for a moment before turning back to his task, gently dabbing the black cloth along her abused flesh. Finally, he decided to ask her, "How did you know?"

She parted her eyes, but stared down at her pillow. "Mr. Hakudoushi dun told me." She replied. "Well, he accused me of already knowin' 'bout it."

"I see." He responded and kept his gaze on the lash across her back.

"Yah don't deny it." It was a statement rather than an accusation.

"I do not deny my heritage," He replied, finally looking at her face. He inhaled silently when those bright azure eyes stared back at him. "You are not frightened?"

She held his gaze. "No, I ain't scared of yah," She answered. "But, the fact that demons be livin' among us be troublin'."

Sesshoumaru frowned a little, pulling back his bandana and wringing it out in the water. "We have been around just as long as humans have." He informed her.

"Oh," She carefully watched his graceful fingers as they finished their task. "Then why have y'all stayed in hidin'?"

"Because humans cannot accept our presence without a war of the races breaking out," He explained, leaving his bandana hanging on the side of the pail as he stood up and leaned over her body, inspecting the wound now that it was clean. "It would lead to the extermination of both races. We do not wish to see so much bloodshed simply over the fact that humans cannot accept that we are not the devil."

She remained silent for a moment. She could see how people would react poorly to the idea of demons in this world and she would undoubtedly be just as concerned if she hadn't already met one. But still, for the demons… "That must'a been hard for y'all; and lonely." She breathed.

He tensed a little. How was she so perceptive? "It was," He admitted. "Forever hiding who you are, always pretending to be something you are not, all for the sake of other people who would hate you without a second thought." His eyes stared down at the smooth expanse of her back, his fingers twitching to touch it.

She frowned as her heart throbbed in pain for him. She turned a little onto her side and looked up at him, her eyes shining with emotion for him. "Mr. Sesshoumaru…"

Those blue eyes and the tone of her voice made him furrow his brows. "Just Sesshoumaru," He corrected and then looked back down at her back. "And do not pity me, Kagome."

The saloon girl turned her gaze away when he broke their eye contact and bit down on her lip. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to go and pity yah. Its jus' that I can relate," She sighed softly. "This ain't who I am. I have to put on a sort of front until my debt dun be paid off. Sango is the only friend I dun have. Everyone in town looks at me like I've gone and slept with the entire town. I act strong to their disgusted looks, but it still stings every time. It dun makes me feel as if I am nothin' more than manure stuck to the heel of a boot."

He rested his knee on the bed to sturdy himself as he leaned further over her. He lowered his head and gently rubbed the tip of his nose against the soft skin of her shoulder, trying to comfort her in his own way. He did not think of her predicament. She, like him, was hated by everyone, well at least by females and pastors. No one tried to truly understand who she really was or why she was doing what she did. Did he not do the same thing when he first met her?

"You are so much more." He breathed against her skin. He lifted his hand and pushed her dark locks further from her neck, his nose then running along the expanse of her skin from her ear to her shoulder.

She tried to swallow her rising emotions when she felt him touch her so intimately. Never had she had such a gentle caress on her person. It was always crass with drunken need and most definitely unwanted. With him though, this dangerous being who was full of raw strength, she wanted more of his touches. How odd that she feared the touch of a drunken man rather than this sober demon.

Before she could ask for him to touch her again, he pulled away from her and asked, "Do you have any bandages and ointment?"

Kagome frowned as their moment ended. "Yea, in the drawer of my vanity." She watched him go and fetch the items, her eyes taking in his masculine form now that she could see more of it from his lack of coat.

"Do you think you can manage to sit up?" Sesshoumaru asked her as he approached the bed once again. He set the items down on the edge of it and assisted her in sitting up with her back to him.

Even with her back to him, she shyly covered her breasts with her arms and blushed when he sat down behind her on the bed. "Yah don't have to do this, Sesshoumaru."

"I am aware," He replied and gently applied some ointment to the large cut, frowning when she stiffened and winced. "My apologies."

She shook her head, smiling as she felt his large, worn hands on her back. "It's a'right." She answered softly. "Thank yah." She blushed and lifted her arms away from her breasts and moved them from her sides as he began to wrap the cloth around her torso.

Sesshoumaru tried with every fiber in his body to not growl in need when his hand accidently brushed against one of her full mounds when he transferred the rolled cloth from one hand to another. "Sorry," He apologized again, his voice tight with control. "It was unintended."

She blushed, her face hot from the contact. "I-it's fine," She breathed and they sat in an awkward silence until he finished his task. She closed her eyes and let out a content sigh when she felt his nose run along her shoulder once again. "Sesshoumaru…"

He hadn't been able to stop himself. Her skin called to him, begging him to touch it. Plus, his nose was not naïve to the familiar tangy, sweet scent of an aroused female. "Does it displease you?"

Kagome grabbed the top of her dress and clutched it to her bandaged chest before she leaned back slightly, the top of her back touching his chest. "Not at all," She replied and tilted her head back to look up at him. "Don't hide yer true looks from me."

Staring down into her eyes, he let his concealment drop. "Does it bother you?"

"When yah hide it, yea," She responded, reaching up a hand to gently run her finger tips over the stripes on his cheeks. "Yer so much more beautiful like this."

Her awe for him finally made a growl rumble in his chest. Golden pools watched as she met his eyes after hearing the sound and once again he found that she had no fear for him. He hunched his shoulders towards her as he bent forward and captured her lips with his in an upside down kiss.

Her gut twisted in hot-need as their lips met. She felt him begin to pull back, but she wouldn't have that; not when she finally had a taste of him. She twisted in his lap so they were facing each other and quickly moved forward to kiss him again.

At first he had feared she was denying him when she began to twist away from him, but was so pleasantly surprised when she turned to face him and kiss him back. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him, her chest pressing against his. He ran his tongue along her bottom lip and was pleased when she parted them for him. His tongue wasted no time in slipping into her mouth, exploring the inside and tasting what she had to offer him.

She moaned softly into his kiss, her hands going to into his hair. She mentally frowned at the resistance and moved her hand to remove the ribbon that bound his hair together. Happy that his long, silky tress was now free, she ran her hands through it, her blunt nails raking against his scalp in need. She had never felt such a fire in her before. What was he doing to her? Who was this man- no; who was this demon?

He pulled away from her mouth and ran kisses along her neck, a growl escaping his lips when she tilted her head back with a moan to allow him more access. Her moan did indescribable things to him. She responded so well to his touch and she touched him in just the right ways. She was every woman he had ever had and all he had ever wanted wrapped into a single being.

She released another moan when she felt his teeth gently scrape against the skin by her neck and shoulder. She ran her hands down to his shoulders and dug her fingers into his skin as she tightened her grip. "Ah, S-Sesshoumaru," She breathed when his hot mouth found her collar bone, his teeth nipping at the skin there. "Mmm…"

He lifted his head from her chest and looked down at her covered mounds. He wanted to suckle at the taught beads there, but her bandages prevented him and he would not be so selfish as to remove them and expose her wound. He settled for raising his hand and placing it over the full breast, his thumb and first finger rolling the bud between them. He watched as her eyes squeezed shut, her mouth opening as she inhaled a sharp gasp.

Kagome had been fondled before, yes, but this was so much different. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel those liquid suns staring at her intensely, taking in every expression and movement she made. He squeezed her peak once again and she went to release a needy moan, but found his other hand coming up to cover her mouth.

The surprise was evident in her eyes at his actions. "As much as I wish to hear your mewls of pleasure, Kagome, I do not think the Saloon owner would approve." He explained, removing his hand from one mound to switch to the other.

Her eyes widened in understanding and she frowned at the reminder. Slowly and reluctantly, she pulled back from him, somewhat disappointed that his hands obeyed her wishes and fell to her hips. "I-I dun forgot where we were." She whispered with disdain.

Sesshoumaru nodded once, trying to calm down the aching hardness in his pants. "I do not wish to get you in any further trouble." He commented.

"Further?" She questioned and then frowned. "Sesshoumaru, this here lashin' wasn't because of yah."

"Was it not? Because I kept you from returning on time?" He shot back.

She shook her head and leaned forward to wrap her arms around his neck in an embrace. "I wanted to stay with yah," She replied. "Even now, I don't want yah to leave."

He hugged her back, the action still a foreign concept to him, and took in her words. "I must be getting back to my family, unfortunately. We still need to make Hakudoushi talk."

She sighed and pulled back from him enough to rest her forehead against his. "I understand," She responded. "Speakin' of that. What do y'all need with Mr. Hakudoushi anyways?"

He closed his eyes. "He is working for a man who is trying to expose demons' existence. My father and I agree that it is not the right time in the world yet." Why was he telling her all this so freely? He found that talking to her was unusually easy.

"Ah, so y'all be tryin' to stop him. I think y'all may be right though. Is it his boss Mr. Naraku that y'all be after?" She asked.

He separated himself from her to stare down at her curious azure eyes. "Yes. You must stay away from him, Kagome. He is only a half demon, but he is dangerous. He kills without a second thought to get his way. If he finds out that you know of us, I am unsure of what he may do, but I do not want to find out the hard way."

She frowned at the possibilities. "I don't think yah have to worry, Boss won't let me out of here again; at least, not for a long while."

Sesshoumaru stared her, eyes bearing into hers. "Kagome, promise me you will try to stay away from him."

Not being able to say no to that look in his eyes, she nodded. "I'll try."

Taking what he could get, he nodded and pulled away from her completely before standing from the bed. "I will come visit you again." He promised and bent down to place another kiss on the pink petals she called lips.

She smiled at him. "I'll be a waitin' for yah, Sesshoumaru." She replied and watched him make his way to her vanity to pick up his hat and coat.

He placed his human disguise back in place and gave her a smirk before he tipped his hat at her. "Have a good night, my Harlot."

She flushed at what he said and then watched as he jumped out of her window. "Good night, my Bandit." She whispered, even though she knew he was already gone.

She sighed contently and fell back onto her stomach, nuzzling her pillow with a giddy smile. She let her eyes fall shut and felt herself begin to drift off. As she let sleep claim her, she thought about her bandit and those bright amber eyes that held such a look of hunger for her. She didn't care that her dreams would be full of him and the activities they would do if she hadn't been stuck at the saloon.

In fact, she welcomed it greatly.