Okies back once more. Here is the next chapter.

Review Corner

Dark Inu Fan: Lol well you'll see soon enough, see if you can guess by the end of the chapter what thing fire is.

Bluediamond-hime: yep, here it is for you, thanks again for all your reviews so far!

Duvet: lol here is the "uptade" for you now, hope you like it!

Angels Heart 1622: Well see how this stone is, but I'll tell you that this one is much different then the others have been so far, the only hint I'm giving you!

(Divider)

"Where are they?" Rin asked between breathes; she had been running around the whole village calling and still no sign of Sesshomaru or Otaku. Moving a stray strand that had fallen onto her face covering her eyes she sighed angrily before moving it out of the way.

"Rin," the soft command made her stand straight and a happy smile start to appear on her lips before she turned to see Sesshomaru standing there Otaku by his side hovering but seemed a little lop sided.

"Otaku, are you alright?" she asked but the sword merely grunted before Sesshomaru took a step forward obviously going to voice a command. "Rin, Otaku says there is a stone nearby, we must be on the move," he stated as Rin nodded but couldn't help feeling bad for leaving so soon after just arriving.

"Do you think that we could stay at least a day here so I can collect flowers for Lady Kaede as a gift of thanks?" she asked as the demon mentally sighed before feeling his head nod much to his annoyance.

A big grin appeared on her full cherry lips as she whirled on her heel intent on finding flowers that were the most dazzling for Kaede. The woman had done much for Rin and for Sesshomaru's brother Inuyasha and his friends.

"Rin," she turned at the call of her name to watch her lord as he took in a breath but it was so little that Rin had nearly missed it before he continued. "Don't go too far," he finished as Rin nodded before taking off in a small skip to her step.

"Hmm, I wonder if there are flowers nearby, maybe Kaede will like blue. Or maybe red? Hmm," she whispered before continuing her walk/skip. Passing trees she hadn't noticed before she kept to her merry way wondering if while she was at it she should get flowers for Sesshomaru and Otaku but giggled thinking that they would burn them rather then wear them.

She stopped when a shriek filled the area but it didn't sound like a human, rather like an animal in pain as she stopped to stare in the western direction. "What could that have been?" she asked out loud before her feet without her accord began running to the shriek when it sounded again.

She noted that the sound seemed to come from the old well but when she got to the well there was nothing and again the shriek called but from deeper in the forest. Passing trees upon trees Rin waited for a sign of anything hurt or in a trap. She stopped when the trees seemed to lessen and row out as if a clearing was nearby.

And as she suspected a field of open grass meet her eyes but the grass stopped growing about half way, not far from the beginning curve of a mountain she did not recognize. But right in the middle of the grass and wasteland there stood a female deer nuzzling her stomach before making another shriek.

Rin blinked; never had she heard a deer shriek before, but it hadn't stopped her as she continued down the hill to the field and to the deer. It didn't look at her until she was standing a mere foot from its hind legs but once their eyes met it pulled up its lips as if a wolf and bared strangely sharp teeth.

Rin pulled back with a slight gasp of fear before she hastily took a step backwards the deer made a low noise that Rin thought was between a groan and a growl as it began to stand, Rin watched its eyes and for the first time saw orange colored orbs staring back at her.

"Who are you?" she asked as the deer made the low noise again before baring its teeth more fully and she heard a voice but it was a hushed as if the person was containing all of its anger. "You know who I am, you sealed me away," it seethed before it shook its head making its large ears flap slightly before it pounded the ground with its right front hoof.

"No I don't, please, I want to help you I heard you crying-" the deer made a noise that she was sure was a shriek of outrage. "I was not crying! I was calling for help from someone who I was hoping wasn't you!" it yelled its voice loud and full of venom that Rin had to step back from the sheer volume of the blow.

"Who do you think I am?" Rin asked once she thought that she could face it once more as the deer shook its head again before sighing angrily. "Don't play games, you're Mizu, come to kill me eh?" it asked before it opened its fanged mouth.

"Well you'll have to do more then trick me again," it finished before a large amount of flames erupted from its mouth as Rin screamed before jumping out of the way in time to just feel a small burn on her leg.

But it was enough to cause her to gasp and stop movement for a few minutes as the deer took this to its advantage and stomped over and it reminded Rin of her lord when he knew that his enemy was powerless to stop him. "What is wrong now? Too weak to fight me? The villagers finally find you out?" it asked its voice still hot with poison that Rin was sure that she could feel the heat on her cheeks even though the deer was a few good feet from her.

"I'm not Mizu! I am Rin!" Rin called when the deer had seethed more about its hatred for Mizu. "Don't lie you, even though you're a demon you shouldn't have this annoying weakness act," the deer spat before Rin glared at it.

"I came to help you and you come and spit at me and try to burn me! Why? Why do you hate this Mizu person so much?" Rin asked getting annoyed at the deer's uncalled for anger.

"Stop playing these games, I might as well kill you now," the deer answered before its mouth widened again and fire began swirling as a small flame in her mouth before flying out as Rin covered her eyes but she didn't have to when she felt comforting arms wrap around her waist moving her out of the way.

When she looked up though her eyes widened in horror at the face staring back at her, the man from before! The one that Sesshomaru had killed! He was there holding her in a powerful embrace and had just saved her life!

"Why...?" Rin breathed but the demon merely set her down before jumping in front of the deer and sending out poisonous sharp knife-like glowing energy. The deer moved out the way as if not even challenged but the demon would have nothing of that.

With a strong ability he disappeared to reappear in back of the deer and have its ankles tied together in a poisonous whip much like Sesshomaru's but it came from his wrist rather then his fingertips. Then he pulled and the deer fell as if a trapped animal in a large net as it squirmed and twisted but Rin noted that there was steam coming from its ankles as her eyes widened.

"No! Stop take that off you're hurting it!" Rin screamed before the demon did as she wished and let the whip go as it disintegrated as if it weren't even there to begin with. The deer stood on shaky legs then as it stared back at Rin before its glare returned and it made a dash away from the couple before Rin fully relaxed.

For some reason when the deer had glared that second time it hadn't seemed to be has intense when she had first met it. "Rin..." she turned to look at the demon before her as he stood mere inches from her as she backed up with a gasp.

When had he walked over? "You're probably very confused right now," his voice was calm and soothing for some strange reason beyond understanding for her at that moment. "But I must do one thing before I depart, I must find out what it feels like...to..." he whispered before his right palm cupped her cheek bringing her face up to look at him as her brown eyes were met with gold tinted ones. But they were not golden as the ones she wished were staring back into her chocolate orbs.

"What are you...?" she breathed before she felt his breath on her face a strange feeling came in her chest when he was so close like that. But it wasn't pleasurable, it sent fear in her eyes and her breath, it came in faster gulps. "Just one, let me try one sip of your wine," the demon purred his nose slightly sliding against hers before she could feel the feel of his lips begin to press against hers before he pulled back and held her at arms length.

"I most find out another time, my master calls, and your lord is coming, he must smell me," the demon answered Rin's unsaid question before he took off into the trees and a few moments after Sesshomaru appeared in back of Rin sniffing the air slightly. "Are you injured?" Sesshomaru asked once he could smell the last of Neko's scent falling away.

"No, I-I am just fine," she stuttered but then grumbled mentally at her stupidity for the next moment she was on the ground getting scanned by Sesshomaru's eyes as he found the burn on her leg before he sat on his knees but not before looking back at Rin slightly.

"Next time, do not let Neko so close to you," he stated and the way it was in the matter-of-fact tone Rin knew that if something like just a few moments ago happened again she would be deeply punished.

"Yes milord—Lord Sesshomaru, what are you doing?" she asked when she felt a shiver go up her spine, her leg was tingling all over as she watched her lord do something foreign to her body that had never happened before.

He was letting his tongue gently slick over her burn wound but she felt like he was burning her more rather then helping her. She never felt the feel of a man's tongue on her before. "This will help," he whispered before seeing the wound fit he closed his mouth stopping his tongue in what felt like a kiss on her flesh. The butterfly kiss felt so good that Rin wondered how it would feel if it were placed all over her body. But the sudden optimistic thought had Rin blushing like a ripe apple.

"It shall heal faster now," her lord stated his voice and eyes the same as she blushed harder, you idiot! He is just worried about your welfare and after he just fixes your wound you're all crazy about it! Her mind scowled her as she looked away hoping that Sesshomaru hadn't seen the pleasure that had appeared in her eyes after he had let his tongue once again travel along her wound making sure that he hadn't missed a part that hadn't been lavished by his tongue that was wounded (wink).

Oblivious to her was that Sesshomaru had seen the pleasure and had felt a smug smile mentally appear in his mind that he had to make the excuse to make sure that he hadn't missed a part on her leg that was injured.

"Am I hurting you?" he asked softly before letting his tongue travel along as if outlining her burn as she shivered again. "N-no I'm just cold that's a-all," she stuttered keeping her chocolate orbs from traveling back up to meet golden orbs clouded by long silver lashes.

"Are you sure?" his voice made slight annoyance creep up her spine at how normal his voice sounded as if he wasn't just there holding her leg to his mouth licking it in a way that had her stomach flip flopping inside.

It was as if he weren't affected at all by the closeness of their bodies but she was fully aware, maybe too aware since she was feeling a tickling flush begin to appear on her cheeks as she tried her best not to move her hands up to cover them.

But once his tongue returned on her flesh the flush deepened until she was sure that she would turn purple if he didn't stop yet it felt so good that she didn't want him to stop. The way he let his tongue play a long her wound as if caressing her flesh she couldn't help but let a small sigh come from her lips hoping that he couldn't hear it. (Like that is going to happen, tee hehe).

What should have been a kind notion of healing had made Rin blushing and gasping as if he were doing much more then just healing her wound. But she kept her most intimate sighs to herself as she felt his tongue seem to travel along her flesh but it wasn't on the burn mark at all, now it was on naked flesh.

Her sharp gasp escaped without accord from her once her entire body felt his tongue on her that she had to close her eyes hoping that he wouldn't look up and see the foreign look in her usual innocent eyes.

Why is he having this affect on me? And why now? She asked herself when he had gone back to helping the wound that was at least easier to concentrate then it had been when his tongue had traveled in small circles on the naked flesh of her leg.

"Sesshomaru I think that I am f-fine now th-thank you," she stammered not noticing that she had dropped his respectful title. Sesshomaru couldn't help letting a cocky smirk tug slightly at his lips at her obvious flush and how uncomfortable she seemed. His large hands slowly let her leg rest on the ground but not before letting his hand caress its way down her lower leg feeling her soft flesh before letting his hands fall innocently next to his right leg.

Rin only let her mouth gap open at him but did not voice a comment before she flushed and closed her mouth and cleared her throat slightly. Sesshomaru made no move of giving her his attention at the moment but watched her out of the corner of his eye. "We should go after the stone of fire, I think that it is up that mountain," Rin stated after she was sure that her voice wouldn't squeak as Sesshomaru turned his silvery head to look up the mountain she was speaking of.

"Come along then love birds, we don't have all day now, find a cottage after we find that stones and beat the curse," Otaku teased floating over to them, Rin flushed harder at the tease while Sesshomaru glared in the sword's direction as the sword voiced a chuckle.

"Alright then, let's go Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Rin," Otaku answered giving both respect but that only seemed to make matters worse, Rin noted that he had made it sound like they were mates or at least married while to Sesshomaru sounded like Otaku had something up his sleeve. (A/N: well technically he doesn't have a sleeve but you people know what I mean.).

"But seriously we should get going we don't have much time," Otaku then stated seriously before Rin nodded along with Sesshomaru and both stood and surprisingly Rin's leg wound didn't sting at all when she began to walk with her lord.

"Is it just me or does this place seem really...dead," Otaku observed looking over a large tree but no leaves decorated the braches and it hardly had branches left. It just seemed that it lay there as reminder of what used to be there. "Something tells me this stone may not be as friendly," Rin whispered as she walked faster.

The mountain only rolled up getting steeper by the second as the ground seemed to get more and more hard the floor gaining heat as well as Rin felt her feet begin to tingle as the heat began to rise. "Rin, come to me," she blinked at the sudden command but turned and faced her lord just as he asked. He bent on one knee letting one arm wrap around the back of her knees and the other coil around her shoulders to caress her opposite forearm keeping her steady as he picked her up bridal style.

"Milord, I can walk," she stated in dismay at the trouble he had to go through to carry her all the way up but he was silent as he continued walking. "Your flesh is much more fragile Rin, and your feet are bare," Sesshomaru merely answered after a time of walking as Rin looked away upset that by days she just seemed to become more and more trouble.

"Don't worry about it Rin, I'm sure that your secretly helping him out by maximizing his ego since he gets to carry you like a proper gentleman should," Otaku soothed but let a little tease trickle in his voice meaning to catch Sesshomaru but it seemed that Rin noted as well.

"Otaku, it would be wise to keep that mouth of yours shut," he advised as the sword slowly inched away getting away from Sesshomaru's side. Rin giggled slightly at Otaku when the sword had shivered before she felt Sesshomaru's hand around her forearm tightened slightly as if he was finding it amusing as well.

"Otaku, we should hurry, this will take longer walking at such a slow pace," Sesshomaru observed as the sword grunted before Sesshomaru spend things up letting only the tips of his toes touch the increasingly hot ground. He pounced higher and higher up the mountain the trail now becoming almost vertically upward.

Rin looked over Sesshomaru's broad shoulder to see that the sun was setting already, and she spotted a star, it was almost night, how would they fight or find the stone in the darkness?

"Rin, keep from the sun set, there are things that might be scary to your human eyes as we travel higher," Sesshomaru warned his voice impassive but Rin could detect the emotion in his voice. "Yes," she nodded keeping her eyes level with his shoulders and chest.

"Lord Sesshomaru what will I do when-" she couldn't finish for when her eyes traveled upward to look at her lord's eyes he turned his head slowly down to look at her but red rimmed his sockets and fangs were draw into a hideous snarl.

She couldn't keep a gasp of fear inside as she watched his face change as well until he looked like a familiar face but she couldn't place the look. His eyes grew all the redder until it seemed like his very eyes were made of blood. His snarl curved upward slightly as he cocked his head to the side in an irregular angle as he seemed to let a soft erratic laugh escape his lips but the laugh sent shivers of familiarity through her.

The bandits that had killed her family had had that laugh, intriguing yet cold as ice his heart as black as coal. But the bandit hadn't had red eyes or fangs along with that smirk that looked like he was sizing her up for his next death victim.

"Lord Sesshomaru...?" she asked fear so strong that she was sure that even he could hear it beating as if a drum inside her chest. "Don't scream, don't scream when I rip you apart," he answered as a weird vine sprouted from his arm bringing her face up to look at his eyes as he watched her.

"Look at me," he ordered as Rin shook her head and moved it frantically clawing at the new threat. "Get away from me," she whispered in a plea but the monster above her only let the strange vine move so it covered her mouth along with her chin cutting off most of her breathing as her body began to shiver panic hitting her hard.

"Rin, Rin listen to me," the sudden voice of the lord she knew passed her ears as she took in a breath listening to it letting her eyes close. When she opened them again she saw Sesshomaru standing before her his eyes, head, and face back to normal.

His hand was covering her mouth along with her chin as the vine did in her hallucination as she looked up but felt water on her cheek. She had been crying, "You have returned," he observed removing his hand from her mouth to let her breath.

"The ghosts of demons haunt this mountain, it is said from many other travelers, they had tried to take your soul scaring it out of your body or to make you die of terror," Sesshomaru explained. "Answering the ghosts only helping them to grip your soul," he finished as he stepped away and Rin saw that he had stopped and they were balancing on a ledge probably so he could cover her mouth to stop her screams.

"I'm sorry, I tried not to listen to them, I tru-" she didn't finish for Sesshomaru placed a finger to her lips. "Do not fret, it is over now, and I will keep them at bay from you," he answered. Then he grabbed her as before and took off with her in his arms bridal style, and thankfully she could look up at his face and not see anything terrifying about him.

His feet kept their large wild jumps again with Otaku at his side hovering helping him keep the ghost demons off Rin as she began to relax in his hold. Sighing she listened to the softness of the night feeling safer then before.

As if all that had happened had been a bad dream, "Rin, we're here," his words made her blink out of her trace to see that they indeed where there.

(Divider)

Mwahaha! Lol okies everyone that's where I stop for this chapter, hope the ghosts weren't too sudden.