The Two's Bond:

Izayoi's Reflection

Three

Inu-no-Taishou smiled as he looked up, seeing his younger son step through the doorway.

"Something wrong, Son?" he asked, and Inuyasha smiled, closing the door softly behind him.

"No, it's just…well, yeah, I guess so." His father looked at him strangely, yet expectantly.

"So?" he said, in an at last sort of voice. "I expected this to happen." Inuyasha frowned with confusion. "You asked me to let you have that girl, and I agreed to it. But now I…Son, if you take a girl for that reason…if that is all you want her for, then feelings like this will-"

"Hey, what're you talking about? I didn't ask for you to let me have her for that!" Inu-no-Taishou's golden eyes widened with surprise. "I don't know if she is a revolutionary, I don't know why she killed those men. I don't know if she is innocent or not but…I couldn't let her rot away like that. I feel like I…"

"You love her, don't you?" Inuyasha's eyes widened as his father's had moments before. "I know, it seems unlikely, that feelings as strong as that could develop over such a short time. But sometimes, Inuyasha, feelings like that can develop in seconds, especially if it's the right person."

Inuyasha flushed, looking fixedly at the ground.

"I only came to…to ask if you could…ask Mother if she could find some clothes for her." Inu-no-Taishou frowned.

"Clothes? But doesn't she-"

"INUYASHA!!!" The half demon started at the familiarity to the scream. He threw open the door, dashing into the hallway. Suddenly he jumped, as he heard a load crash from down the hall. To his horror he knew where the noise was coming from. Speeding down the corridor he flung open the door to his own room, "INUYASHA!" The priestess screamed once more, trying to wrench herself out of the grip of her attackers.

Inuyasha saw that the window was open, and three masked figures struggled to drag Kagome through it. Holding Inuyasha's kimono round her tightly, tears poured down the girl's face as she screamed. Inuyasha leapt forwards, snatching a wrist one of the attackers and twisting it back until it snapped nastily.

"Fuck! You Bastard mongrel!" screamed the masked creature, and at his scream the others released the squirming girl. Landing with a hard smack on the floor, Kagome felt herself being pulled into Inuyasha's arms, and the half-demon stared down the warriors as they stood framed in the window, not knowing whether to give up or not. Daring them to try and take her, Inuyasha stroked the girl's hair softly, not breaking eye contact with them.

"Shhhh…" he said softly, "it's okay." With one final glance, the one attacker gestured to the others, and they turned swiftly, lunging out of the window.

Inuyasha eased as they disappeared from sight, knowing they weren't stupid enough to try a head on attack. He scooped the terrified girl into his arms, securing the shutters carefully, making sure they were locked, before setting her back down in the bed. As he set her down she hissed in pain. Just as Inuyasha looked at her with confusion, the door swung open and his father and brother stood in the doorway.

"Inuyasha? What happened?" Inuyasha looked at the girl for a moment, before looking back to his family.

"Revolutionaries broke in here, they tried to take Kagome." Sesshōmaru's face remained expressionless.

"But why would they?" asked his father.

"I don't know, but I think this proves not everything's as it seems, right?" after a moment's silence, the demon nodded resolutely.

"Just when I thought things would start to be easy around here," muttered the demon, and Sesshōmaru looked at him.

"I warned you that to move forwards with this law would case uproar…" Inuyasha and their father looked at him reproachfully.

"And you'd rather people like my mother, like me, were attacked and slaughtered without reason?" asked Inuyasha dangerously. Sesshōmaru looked at his brother strangely at his tone.

"No, I merely said this would not be as easy as it looked; many demons like being superior to mortals and part-demons. There are far more revolutionaries than it would seem, and some are a little too close to home, we know that." Inu-no-Taishou turned to his older son.

"Yes, but I can hardly go to everyone serving under us can I? It could be any one of them. We just have to be careful in these dark times."

Suddenly, as Kagome whimpered slightly, the three demons looked at her for a moment, before looking back to each other. "It isn't the time for talk. I'll put the guards on caution, so we can all get some rest; we'll talk properly when it's a more appropriate time, not the middle of the night." Inuyasha nodded, and he watched as his father and brother departed, closing the door behind them.

As he heard his father and Sesshōmaru's footsteps fade away down the corridor, Inuyasha looked back to Kagome, who wasn't crying, but was fiddling with the corner of his kimono absentmindedly while she gazed off into nothingness, the only source of light now from the fire now the shutters were closed.

"Are you okay?" he asked her quietly, she looked at him, but didn't reply. Inuyasha smiled weakly at her. "I understand that you don't want to talk…and I understand if you don't want to trust me, or us at all, but I…can promise you that I'm gonna look after you." Kagome bit her lower lip slightly.

"I'm not…" she hung her head slightly, her voice slightly ragged, and quiet. "I know I can trust you…somehow, I think I realised that when you…" she trailed off, and Inuyasha traced over her fingers with his own. "When I realised you weren't like those monsters that follow your father…" Inuyasha frowned slightly.

"How's it I'm different?" Kagome shook her head. Looking over her once more, he took in her appearance, every bruise and cut, before he looked at her with compassion. "Will you tell me, what happened to you down there?" she shook her head again, and he leant in closer. Noticing just how nasty the cut on her head was, dark bruising around the deep gash making it look even more painful, and he stroked away her hair so he could examine it closer. She flinched. "That looks nasty, how'd you get that?" she didn't meet his eyes.

"I fell…" she replied quietly, after a moment's silence, "I fell and hit my head…on the stone floor…"

"Of the dungeons by any chance?" she didn't reply, "please, tell me what happened to you down there." As the all too familiar silence fell, Inuyasha pulled the sheets up over her gently.

"It's okay; you don't have to feel like you have to answer, maybe you should just get some sleep." Kagome didn't speak. "They won't try again tonight." Seeing her looking doubtful, Inuyasha watched her hand glide over the sheets to the space behind her on the bed.

"Will you…stay with me?" Inuyasha smiled, walking round the bed to the other side and sitting next to her.

"Here," he said, leaning over and handing her the glass of water from the side table, and smiled at her as she downed it surprisingly fast, before placing it back on the table. "Get some sleep," he said, and she smiled weakly at his mothering tone, before closing her eyes slowly.

For a long time Inuyasha heard her breathing still light, and knew she was still awake, even though her eyes were closed. He didn't know what she had been through, but he felt sure that she wouldn't allow him any closer to her than he already was, lying next to her on the bed; he knew she would think he was forcing himself on her if he tried to hold her or touch her in any way. Turning over onto his side, he saw the punctures on her neck, and frowned slightly. "Kagome, where'd you get those?" he asked, running his fingertips loosely over the marks, her eyes opened, but she said nothing. "They look like – claw marks…did one of them do this to you?" she winced as his fingertips brushed over them.

"It hurts," she gasped quietly.

"Sorry."

"Can I…just…"

"Yeah, sorry I…just sleep, I didn't mean to disturb you." As she closed her eyes again, Inuyasha did the same, but not before distinctly hearing her breathing deepen, as she fell asleep beside him. She still doesn't trust me enough, to tell me what happened down there. Or maybe she just feels like she can't answer, because of them, not because of me, thought Inuyasha, slowly drifting off to sleep himself, but if I found out they hurt her, in any way…I'll kill them…

***

The half-demon's eyes drifted open slowly, only to find a smaller frame spooned up against him. Looking down he smiled slightly as he saw Kagome, fast asleep, resting her head against his chest, and he remembered the events of the night before. Brushing the stray hairs from her face and tucking them back behind her ear, Inuyasha took in her appearance as she laid peacefully in sleep next to him, her fingertips fiddling unconsciously with the material of his shirt. She's beautiful though I'll give her that, revolutionary or not…

The half-demon's puppy ears pricked up as he heard the door open. Throughout the dimness of the room, he saw his father step in and smile slightly at him. "You scared the crap outta me!" whispered Inuyasha at his father, making the smile broaden.

"Here's some clothes for Miss Kagome," he said setting the bundle on the end of the bed, "your mother will find some more for her when she gets up, I just found these for now." Inuyasha rested his head back against the pillow.

"Thanks." Inu-no-Taishou looked at his son for a moment, sitting on the side of the bed, then looking to Kagome nestled up close to Inuyasha.

"So this is the girl you've fallen for…" Inuyasha raised an eyebrow with suspicion. "She's is pretty though…revolutionary or not…has she told you anything?"

"About why she killed our guards? No Father," replied the half-demon, not liking the distrust in his father's eyes as he looked at Kagome. "And she hasn't told me what happened down in the dungeons, but whatever happened, it made her..."

"What?" asked Inu-no-Taishou.

"The guard, whoever he was, just threw her in here, like some dog, she didn't have any clothes, and she was covered in cuts and bruises – that weren't from the battle," he added, noticing his father's expression. "And…she was like…some wounded or abused animal or something, she just shrank away from me like I was gonna hit her." Inu-no-Taishou looked at Kagome once more.

"Well, she seems to trust you now."

"Yeah, but what made her like that?" asked Inuyasha quietly, trying not to wake Kagome. Inu-no-Taishou did not reply. "If I find out they've hurt her I'll fucking rip their throats out…" he mumbled, mostly to himself.

"Inuyasha-"

"No, Father! If it was Mom you'd tear out their insides and rub it in their faces," Inu-no-Taishou smiled slightly.

"Heh, I guess you know me too well, Son. It's a natural trait of a dog demon to be a little overprotective, and territorial." Inuyasha sneered slightly, trying not to smile.

"Don't say territorial, you make us seem like angry puppies that go around peeing up trees." Inu-no-Taishou smiled again.

"You'll learn some day Inuyasha, that the more you love something, the more the world tries to tear that thing away from you." A short silence fell.

"I thought your law was that humans, demons, half-demons, we're all supposed to be equal." Inu-no-Taishou watched him carefully, but Inuyasha avoided his eyes.

"Try not to be so-"

"They treated someone I placed under my protection like some felon!"

"Well, technically she-"

"Well maybe you should discipline your guards because last time I checked, prisoners were to be treated humanely! Not kicked and thrown about, and who knows what else!" he hissed. Inu-no-Taishou looked at Inuyasha with an expression very like Sesshōmaru's usual one.

"I know you're angry," he said calmly, "I've lived a long time Inuyasha, and I understand this world a little more than you think I do. I can outlaw prejudice towards humans or part-demons, I can order equality, but I can't change people, you'll understand when you have children of your own, and you're forced to watch them become estranged to the world because of what they are, you'll understand it's not as easy as you see it now." Inuyasha looked down to Kagome as she shifted slightly in her sleep, then looking back up to his father as he spoke again. "Your mother will be in, in the morning to help Miss Kagome bath and get into some clothes, when the young lady tells you what happened down there, then I will do something about it. We can't do this the wrong way, not now, especially not when the tension and hatred for humans is high enough among demons as it is." Inuyasha said nothing. "But for now, control your temper and don't let it out on us, I never raised you to be impolite, do you understand?"

"Yes, Father."

Inu-no-Taishou frowned at him slightly as he got up.

"What's with all this Father talk? You never call me that, I thought you left the 'formal crap' – to use your words, to Sesshōmaru." Inuyasha shrugged. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong I just…"

"You think that I suspect Kagome, don't you?" he said nothing in reply, "you think that if I find out she is a revolutionary, I'll have to deal with her." He didn't have to answer; Inu-no-Taishou knew this was the truth. "Don't think so negatively. We'll cross that bridge if we come to it." Inuyasha nodded, and sneered slightly as his father kissed his forehead softly, before leaving the room. Dammit, I'm not a kid anymore, why does he always do that? He treats me like some delicate little pansy!

***

Kagome awoke to find that Inuyasha was no longer in the bed beside her. The sheets were tucked neatly round her as she sat up in the bed, clasping them over her chest.

"You look pretty when you sleep." She jumped as she heard Inuyasha voice, and suddenly realised he was sitting on a chair beside the bed. "How'd you sleep? You seem a little less pale than last night." She nodded.

"Thank you…I feel a little better," Inuyasha smiled, getting to his feet.

"There are some clothes for you here, my Mom gave them to you," Kagome sat up and ran her fingers over the clothes.

"I can't take these…"

"You don't really have a lot of choice. Anyway, she told me not to take no for an answer." Kagome smiled slightly.

"But we figured you'd want to bath or something first, the bath's already drawn for you," he said, gesturing to the other door that she hadn't noticed before, which she assumed lead to a washroom or something. "My Mom will be in, in a moment to help you."

"Wait!" she called as he went to leave the room, "Where're you going?" He blushed slightly.

"Well I can't exactly stay; besides, I have something I have to do."

"You're not going to go to the dungeons are you," Inuyasha turned back to look at her once more, "I don't want anyone getting in trouble…and I don't want you to-"

"Why, is there something I need to talk to them about?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, it's just…please…don't…" Inuyasha nodded, leaving the room. Right, now I know something's up…and it's something to do with what happened down there.

"Father?" Inu-no-Taishou looked up as his sons entered the room.

"Inuyasha, I wanted to talk to you." The half-demon looked surprised, Sesshōmaru, who had followed him in however, did not. "There's been some disorder with everyone serving under us." Inuyasha looked at him expectantly, waiting for a point to this conversation as he sat down. "Is your friend feeling any better?"

"A little, Mom was helping her when I left. Why?"

"The disorder…it's down to her…" Sesshōmaru looked to his brother and their eyes met briefly, before Inuyasha shot up.

"About what? Those bastards are just pissed because she's mortal! They hated Mom when she came here and they hate anyone else mortal that get close to us!"
"Inuyasha-"

"What happened to your law?! You keep telling us we have to make sacrifices to achieve equality, but all I've seen so far is that the only one not making sacrifices is you!"

"INUYASHA!" shouted Inu-no-Taishou, and the half-demon stopped. "You talk about things you do not understand!" Something about the sound of his Father's voice raised to him, that hadn't happened ever before in his memory, made Inuyasha regret shouting before, and fall dead silent.

"I do not pretend that it has nothing to do with Miss Kagome being a mortal, but it is other information also that has caused this trouble…" he said, his tone lowered. "Kagome is a priestess, to a demon slayer's village…" Inuyasha's eyes widened, and even Sesshōmaru looked at his father with interest. "We don't know whether the village is reformed or not but…she is a priestess to them nonetheless…those that serve us are in uproar, because they think that you've taken her as your whore…after the demons of ours she killed, it would be an understatement to say they're angry."

"But why would they think that?" asked Sesshōmaru quietly.

"Apparently because they've found out she slept in Inuyasha's room last night, and they know somehow he didn't make her-"

"Excuse me a moment, for not caring," Inu-no-Taishou looked to his younger son as he spoke. "What am I supposed to do? There will always be scandal amongst those nosy bastards, how do they expect me to react to this?"

"You have a choice…"

"I'm not sending Kagome away…" muttered Inuyasha, not meeting his father's eyes.

"I wouldn't ask you to."

"What?" asked Inuyasha, looking up to him.

"I may be a demon, I may act as if I don't, but sometimes I do understand what you two are feeling…" Sesshōmaru and Inuyasha looked at him blankly. "I do realise where your affections lie, Inuyasha. And I may realise them before even you do…because I've seen the exact same thing in myself – more than once before," he added, looking to Sesshōmaru briefly. "I walked in that room last night-"

"I know, I was awake remember-"

"-afterwards, I came back in, and you were asleep…I saw you, when you were with that girl, and I've never seen you so carefree, so at ease since you were a boy…I would not ask you to send away someone I know you have come to love already…" Inuyasha's eyes widened.

"They want assurance from me, that Miss Kagome is not a revolutionary, and I could not give it to them…but if you can…"

"You want me to ask her, what happened?" asked Inuyasha, and Inu-no-Taishou nodded.

"From the reason she came here to when she was brought to you."

"But there's something else," his father and brother looked at him, "something happened to her, down in the dungeons, I know it. She had more wounds than she did at the end of the battle, and she was so…weird when she was brought to me…and…just now, she freaked out on me when I told her I had something to do…she begged me not to go down and start up trouble with the prison guards." Inu-no-Taishou looked to his older son for a moment, and then back to Inuyasha.

"Which brings me to another reason for the uproar, your temper Inuyasha," Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "I know you went down to the prison, but bashing about the guards will do you no good until you know exactly what happened."

"Yes, Father," mumbled Inuyasha, turning to leave.

"Oh, and Inuyasha?" the half-demon turned to face Inu-no-Taishou. "If she is a revolutionary…"

"I know…" said Inuyasha, leaving the room. If she is a revolutionary, he thought as he made his way up the halls, Dad will have to do something about it, and even my affections towards her, even my Dad's desire for my happiness will not be able to prevent it. If she is proven as a revolutionary, and he doesn't punish her, they're will be a mass uprising, and we'll be slaughtered… "Kagome," he said aloud to himself, pausing in the corridor, "I'm trusting you…if you're not who you seem to be, I can't ask my father to protect us anymore…" He jumped as a door opened next to him, and he turned to see who was framed in the doorway.

"Lord Inuyasha?" the half demon relaxed as he saw Katsura standing there, closing the door behind him.

"Katsura, you scared the heck out of me."

"I'm sorry sir, but the servants are becoming restless, as are the guards, has your father-"

"Yeah, I know…I'll get ya your damn answers, but I'll do it my way, whether she's guilty or not, she's a human being, and she's been through enough to deserve-"

"A murderer is a murderer; you cannot make excuses for her, Lord Inuyasha." Inuyasha sighed, looking to the floor for a moment, before meeting the demon's eyes once more.

"You are one of my father's most trusted fighters and friends, you have been here even before I was born – so I will be honest with you when I say, that I have feelings for her…" he was surprised to see the demon's eyes widen with what seemed to be anxiety. "What?"

"Forgive me Sir, but…as you say, I've known you since you were born, it doesn't do well to think that everything your father has done to give you a better life, will be thrown away over some murdering priestess."

"She could have killed me last night, she didn't."

"So it is true…she slept with you-"

"No with me, just in the same bed…"

"All the same, either way, she's an agent for the revolutionaries; she is wheedling her way in closer to you. Because she knows that there is no better way to get to Inu-no-Taishou than his family."

"It's okay…I've never had responsibility in this house, because I'm half-human, because I'm my father's youngest son, because I'm my mothers only son, I've never had a chance to prove myself…Give me this one chance, trust my instincts, I won't let anyone down…" Katsura nodded slowly, and Inuyasha smiled at him. "So, is there anything else I can-"

"Yes, I…I understand that during the incident last night, there was a window broken in your quarters?"

"Yeah, umm, I'm heading there now if-"

"Yes, I have other things to see to after so…"

***

Kagome winced as she climbed out of the bath, hissing in pain, causing Izayoi to turn to look at her.

"Are you okay?" Kagome nodded. The woman walked over to her as the girl straightened up, pulling her arms round herself. "Here," said the woman with a smile, wrapping the towel round her. Kagome avoided her eyes, feeling both awkward, talking to – well, someone superior to her, and embarrassed of how much Izayoi might know about everything that had happened. Does she think I'm a revolutionary? Or maybe she knows about what happened in the dungeons. I can't even look at her, she thought, trying not to flinch as the towel scraped over some of her nastier wounds. "Sorry, I forgot how injured you were," Kagome recoiled slightly, and Izayoi looked at her with pity that Kagome couldn't bear.

"It's fine, I'm not that injured, I just have delicate skin is all…" she said quietly, but if she had raised her eyes to look at the woman, she would have seen that she wasn't fooling anybody. "It's okay…you don't need to put yourself out for me…you don't need to go to so much trouble over-"

"I'll help you into your dress, and then I'll do your hair for you…if you want…" Kagome looked at her for a moment in confusion. Why is she helping me? "Inuyasha said not to push with you…if you need me to leave you alone a little, just ask…" Kagome said nothing. "My son just worries a lot," said the woman with a smile, "that's how he shows he cares."

It took them a while between them to get Kagome dressed, Izayoi being careful and halting every time Kagome winced or betrayed any signs of pain. "So many bruises and cuts, what happened to you…?" asked Izayoi, running her fingers over the nasty looking bruise at the base of her spine. Kagome flinched. "Sorry," she said. "There, see, wasn't all that effort worth it?" Kagome frowned slightly as she looked at herself in the mirror.

"I don't think it suits me very well…" she mumbled, Izayoi smiled.

"Don't be silly…"

"I don't think I'm pretty enough to wear it…"

"Nonsense, here," she pressured the girl's shoulders, and Kagome sat in the chair she stood in front of, the woman weaving her fingers between the girl's ebony tresses, pulling some of the front strands back and braiding them together. I don't understand, why is she being so nice to me? She should hate me, and yet it seems like she…trusts me? Kagome looked at the woman's reflection in the mirror as she braided the strands of hair behind her head. She had long dark hair not unlike her own, but hers was longer in length, and straighter, dark eyes so very unlike Inuyasha's, and yet Kagome could fully appreciate that this was his mother, so very like him were her mannerisms, he looked like his father but acted like his mother. Maybe that's why she trusts me…because she trusts Inuyasha.

"You know that Inuyasha is my only child, right?" asked Izayoi, her voice suddenly, sullen, and quiet.

"Yes…"

"He always says that Inu-no-Taishou treats him like a baby, but…the truth is, he treats him so because of me…" Kagome looked at her face in the reflection of the mirror, seeing her eyes turn glassy. "It's nice…I never had a little girl so…I love Inuyasha, and I wouldn't trade him for anything, but…it's nice to have someone to do this stuff with…" Kagome stared at Izayoi's reflection still, so that's it, she's treating me like this because she never got to have girl? But why me, she's only just met me. "I guess I see myself in you…a mortal, who is bound to a demon, and receives nothing but pain because of that bond…I know how it feels, Kagome…"

"What?"

"I know how much it hurts, and how much more it will hurt in days to come. You think it hurts today, it will hurt so much more tomorrow, and somehow, you already know that inside, don't you?" Kagome lowered her head. "But I know how it feels to feel that pain – but to know that you'd sooner die than give up the pain, the suffering; because that means you have to give up on the person you love more than anything…" Kagome felt tears build in her own eyes as she watched that same reflection. She always seems so happy, but…she must have been carrying this feeling inside for so long, and had no one to talk to it about…that must have felt so awful…

"I hated it here," she continued, and Kagome listened, "Inu-no-Taishou knew that…and so when I fell pregnant, he took me to a sanctuary of sorts, so I could have as less stress as possible during the pregnancy."

"I'm sorry, Lady Izayoi, but…why did you hate it?" asked Kagome, secretly knowing the answer.

"You think it is awful here for humans now…back then, it was worse, especially for Inuyasha and I…to think that their leader, had affection for something less than demon, it was a disgrace, and they exercised their feelings about that in every way they could on me and Inuyasha…"

"So…what happened?"

"The night Inuyasha was born…there was an attack on the village I was in; Inu-no-Taishou was away, I believe with Sesshōmaru, I was killed..."

"What?!"

"I was brought back - Inu-no-Taishou made sure of it, but…"

"Your baby was killed?"

"No, no, nothing like that…the baby was born, before I died…but…where the sword hit me…I couldn't have anymore children…" Kagome's eyes widened, oh my god, she must have felt so awful. "So naturally, I…the baby that I gave birth to, was Inuyasha…so you see; Inu-no-Taishou treats him like a baby, because he is my baby…if he allowed Inuyasha to take part in battles or – he knows it would kill me if something happened to Inuyasha. He isn't just my son…when I was brought back here, afterwards, Inuyasha was the only thing here that made me feel like I could bear it. We came here because it was too dangerous to stay anywhere else, but having Inuyasha there, I felt happier, he suffered, I suffered, because he was part human he didn't fit with demons, but because he was part demon he didn't fit with humans. He didn't fit anywhere because of his blood, and I didn't fit anywhere because I was Inu-no-Taishou's mate…so, we fit together, if you get my meaning." Kagome nodded. "I don't mean to push you…but I've never had anything resembling a daughter, and I've never had any woman who will talk to me – because everyone here are demons, and resent the fact that I'm here. I don't care who you are but, somehow, I know you're not a revolutionary, and I don't believe that you are a murderer either." Kagome nodded slightly. "Look at me, I think I went a little overboard there," she smiled down at the girl, "here what do you think then?" Kagome looked up, looking at her reflection, a slight smile playing at her lips.

***

Inuyasha knocked at his bedroom door before entering, but no reply came, he opened the door and stepped inside, looking about the room, finding Kagome and his mother standing there. His golden eyes widened.

"Ka…Kagome?" Izayoi smiled at her son's expression, he was dumbstruck. Kagome flushed, avoiding the half-demon's eyes.

"It doesn't suit me…I'm not used to wearing pretty things like this…" Inuyasha snapped out of the alternate reality that he seemed to have lost himself in.

"No way you look…" Kagome nearly jumped as he stepped suddenly towards her as he spoke, taking in her appearance. Her dark bangs hung elegantly down either side of her face as some hair was braided back out of her face, the rest flowing free, the pink yukata clinging to her figure making them both flush a dark crimson.

"You look really beautiful…" she smiled at him, not as sincere as he'd hoped for, but she smiled nonetheless.

"Thank you. Your Mother made a girl out of me." Inuyasha looked back to his mother, smiling at her.

"Inuyasha?" asked Izayoi, "can I speak with you a moment?" Inuyasha nodded, leaving Kagome's side. Suddenly Katsura shut the door behind him, and Kagome clung to Inuyasha's hand slightly as she froze with fear.

"Kagome? What is it?" the half-demon asked, looking at her with confusion.

"Please, just…don't leave me…" she muttered for his ears only, not wanting Katsura to hear her, fearing the threat he'd promised he'd go through with if she said a word…

"I'll be back in a second…"

"Please…" Inuyasha stopped and smiled reassuringly at her.

"I'll be in the next room, call me if you need me…" but that's the problem, he'll kill me if I do, she thought, as he left the room with Izayoi, leaving her with Katsura.

Katsura's mouth twisted into an evil smile.

"How are you priestess?" Kagome sneered at him.

"Stay away from me…"

"I couldn't get you away from Inuyasha that way," he said, gesturing with his hand to the broken window. "But never mind, at least this way I can have some more fun…" her eyes widened with horror as he stepped towards her. She winced as he seized her throat, pinning her noiselessly against the wall. "Now behave yourself," he said with a false kindness, "or I'll have to go through with my threat…" Kagome whimpered, holding back tears as he lifted her yukata up, pressuring her nub through her panties. She tossed her head to the side, biting into her lip to hold back any utterance. "I know I'm making you feel good, don't try to deny it…"

"You bastard…" she spat at him, and his grin widened, as he scraped his claw over the inside of the tops of her thighs, making her hiss with pain as they drew blood. "Keep your mouth shut…and come to the main washroom on the second floor, tonight, at midnight, understand?" he asked, pressing her nub harder, and she nodded, trying not to cry. "And you are to say nothing of anything to anyone…come to me when Inuyasha is asleep, got it?" she nodded again, and his smile boarded even further. "So obedient, I like this new you, Priestess," she whimpered as he ran his tongue over the claw marks in her neck, sucking softly, he looked behind him as he heard Izayoi and Inuyasha returning, "Remember what I said," he muttered, leaving her and going to the broken window.

"How's the window?" asked Inuyasha to Katsura as he and Izayoi returned. Katsura smiled at him.

"It'll be fixed in a moment." Inuyasha nodded, looking to Kagome, and his eyes widened, as he saw her looking very pale, and sliding down the wall to a crumpled heap on the ground.

"Kagome? Kagome!" he rushed over to her side, Katsura looking on with a satisfied expression, but to his fault, Izayoi caught him. "Kagome what's wrong?"

"Nothing I just…dizzy, I'm…"

"Do want to get some fresh air? I can-"

"Yes," she answered almost immediately, not wanting to be in a room with Katsura any longer. Inuyasha nodded, helping her to her feet, and walking her out of the room. For a moment, Izayoi lingered, meeting Katsura's eyes, and he looked back at her with suspicion in just how much she knew.

"My Lady?"

"Inu-no-Taishou may trust you, but I'm not so easily fooled…I'm watching you…" Katsura bowed his head slightly as she left the room. And what do you think will become of you if you pose a threat to me, Izayoi…it seems Kagome is not the only one who needs to be dealt with…