"Lord Sesshomaru, are you okay? Where is Nazoki?"
Barely glancing down at Rin, Sesshomaru tried to conceal his scowl.
"Jaken, Rin, stay here." With that, the man took to the skies. He did not know where Naraku was hiding. Nor did he know why he would take the vixen. The most reasonable explanation was to use her as bait. Maybe he had done it out of spite, but Naraku always had a plan. Sesshomaru would rush to Zouo's hut, obtain the man's hand. Find the staff, and find one of Naraku's minions. If Naraku was truly after the staff, it would assure that their paths crossed. But then again, after Nazoki's actions towards him, did it really matter? She had refused Sesshomaru without a second thought. Barely ten minutes had passed before the vixen denied him. Her reasoning may have been justified, but the outcome remained the same.
A lone whimper parted dry lips, as Nazoki slowly turned her head to the side. Everything was hazed, and through her cracked eyelids she could make out the fact that she was not outside. Pain rippled through her body, some very familiar, and the rest unknown. As the woman came to, she glanced over the room, waiting for her eyes to adjust. From the way things felt, she had been asleep for an extended period of time. Her hands traced over what she assumed to be Tatami mats, and dry leaves cracked under the weight of her fingers. Even moving her hands was painful. An unavoidable question popped into her mind. Where was she?
Frowning, Nazoki pushed herself up, ignoring the fact that her body begged her to stop. To her surprise, Sesshomaru was standing in the corner of the room, gazing out of the window.
"M'lord?" Placing a hand to her head, Nazoki tried not to look at her arms, which she was sure were covered in water burns. The motion only succeeded in showing her that her palms were filled with blood. When she had tried to combust in the portal, it had the effect of water, now she was paying the price. Drastically drained, and injured. However, that did not explain the hole in her stomach, or the cuts around her ankles, and waist. Water definitely did not do that.
Sesshomaru turned to peer at her, before silently approaching. The man knelt down and blankly stared at Nazoki. He rested his wrist on his bent knee, seeming to fully examine the woman.
"So you have finally awoken."
Frowning in confusion, Nazoki rubbed her ear. The opposite ear bent back as she did, and the woman's eyes widened.
"W- What happened to my ear?" There was a small triangular gash, which felt larger then it looked, but was still alarming. Instead of responding, Sesshomaru smirked at her. Nazoki's expression did not change, she stared at the man, unsure of what to make of the look. It was unnerving, and though she felt herself try to combust, her flame had been drained.
"Lord Sesshomaru? What is it?"
When she received silence as an answer, nervousness crept over Nazoki. She wondered what was wrong with Sesshomaru, but her thoughts were sidetracked. His smell had changed. It was barely noticeable, but something was different. Vile. Only one thing could prove whether what she was seeing was right or not. His energy. She was injured, and needed to heal. Sesshomaru would indeed aid her in such a situation, and if the man before her refused it was not him. If he obliged, the taste of his strength would tell her.
Leaning towards the man, Nazoki slowly placed a hand to his jaw. He stared at her with amusement, his smirk growing sinister. The vixen raised herself to her knees, and cautiously inched closer. Sesshomaru allowed her to connect their lips, though he seemed different about the motion, not returning the kiss, or even moving. Simply smirking in dark amusement. His reaction was odd, but it was not until she started to drain him that her suspicions were confirmed. The second she initiated the contact, she was immediately choked. Apparently, her action was unanticipated, and the man shoved her to the side.
Landing on her hip, Nazoki placed a sore hand to her throat. She was reduced to a fit of violent coughs, and her eyes squinted as she stared up at the man. She had inhaled miasma. Nothing but miasma. Not the deliciously powerful life, which was the lord's. There was nothing remotely similar to Sesshomaru in this man. But why did he look like the lord? The man stood up, still seemingly amused.
"Save it for later." He smirked, as the vixen's coughing started to subside. Managing a slow nod, Nazoki wondered what the man meant. Later? What was happening later? Not fully wanting to make the wrong assumption the vixen peered at the man's hand. No ring. This was definitely not Sesshomaru.
Over a day had passed, and Nazoki had been confined to the bamboo room. There was nothing but a small desk by a window, which did not open. It also did not melt, or move. Shatter, or show anything but a single tree and the sky. As a result of breathing the miasma, Nazoki's throat had grown sore. She could still taste the vile energy she had drawn, and the thought of it repulsed her to no end. The lord's strength was cool blue. Whomever the man she had attempted to drain, his was black. The imposter Sesshomaru had mentioned mating to her, which proved to startle the vixen. Her flame was slowly starting to come back, yet was a strain to use. To her surprise, nothing was done for her injuries. She was simply supposed to sit, and wait for the man to return. To remain in her pained condition, and accept the fact that she could not clean herself, or wrap her wounds. In her spare time, she opted to try to contact somebody. Anybody. Her illusions could only help so much, but if she slept, and focused herself into it she could travel farther.
Her first attempt had resulted in nothing but roaming a forest. She did not recognize the area she was in. The only areas of the western land she could recognize were the places Sesshomaru had led the group. With no other hope, a dream dive seemed to be the most plausible method of finding help. A brilliant idea crossed her, and she willed herself to sleep. It was daytime. Most of the people in her eastern village would be deep in a dream now; foxes are nocturnal after all. Sesshomaru barely slept at all. He would be out of the question when it came to contacting. Plus, after their last interaction it seemed like a horrible idea. Why would he wish to speak with her. She had angered him, and only managed to get herself into more trouble.
Just as Nazoki started to dose off, the door to the room loudly unlocked. Immediately sitting up the vixen watched as the imposter walked into the room. Pulling her legs under herself in a bow, the woman kept her eyes on the tatami mats beneath her.
"Lord Sesshomaru. Are you well?"
"Quite." The man responded, closing the door behind himself. Nazoki did not move, but glanced in the direction of his footsteps. She could see the lord's slender black boots coming her way, and remained in place.
"Sit up."
Calmly obeying the man, Nazoki pushed herself up. When she sat before the man, he eyed her, and maintained a moderately blank expression. Being studied in such a way was slightly unnerving, yet Nazoki tried to act as natural as possible, even going so far as to smile.
"What is it my lord? May I be of assistance?"
Her question was met with an amused stare, accompanied with a slow nod. Ignoring the creepy air around the man, Nazoki grinned.
Naraku stared down at the woman, internally laughing at the fact that she could not tell him apart from her so-called lord. He had this all planned out. Since the day in the drained forest when Sesshomaru had jumped to go to the woman's aid. His jealousy was apparent when he found her talking to the wolf. Sesshomaru would agree to join Naraku's cause for this woman's life. If the lord refused, Naraku would pin the vixen against the man. In other words, Sesshomaru would be forced to kill her himself. It was amazing what a single shard of the Shikon no Tama could do.
While Naraku waited for the dog to arrive, he figured he should have fun. This vixen smelled of Sesshomaru, clearly, they had mated. Moreover, if they had, she would not be opposed to doing so again. On the unlikely chance that she was opposed, that did not really matter. During the entity of his position, he had slain all from demons to priests. Like one fox would matter. In addition, the look on Sesshomaru's face would be worth it. Ah, but he was getting ahead of himself, he had not even started to initiate the scene yet.
Kneeling in front of the woman, Naraku could not contain his smile. She was offering a warm grin, completely oblivious to his truth. Her yukata looked better, sullied in blood. The woman herself still managed to maintain a cheerful outlook on things, despite the speckled crimson on her face and arms. The apparent pain was pleasing to Naraku. What bothered him was the woman's calm nature. He had hoped she would at least cry, or voice her hurt. Maybe beg him for help. As he pushed her back, shock crossed her, and she caught herself on her elbows. Before the man could start to push her skirt up, she grabbed his hand with both of hers.
"My lord!" Her voice was a breathy chuckle, and Naraku peered at her.
Suppressing her nervousness, Nazoki tried to maintain an even voice, and smile.
"What are you doing? You know we must complete the... Mating ritual before we can have relations!" Giggling, Nazoki squeezed the man's hand. He pointed out the fact that they already had, and the vixen slowly nodded.
"Yes, but I am referring to true tradition. You know you always make me entertain you first..."
The words received a raise of the man's eyebrow, and he nodded. Golden eyed identical to Sesshomaru's stared back at Nazoki. She reminded herself that it was not him. There was no way in hell that it was. Smirking, Nazoki pushed herself up, and placed her hands on the lord's shoulders.
"We need four roses, one tall white candle, and the blood of one freshly killed dove." Saying the first thing that came to mind, Nazoki seductively grinned at the man.
"If you can bring me them again, I'll make sure to thoroughly tend to your needs." Pushing the man back, the vixen crawled over him. He was smirking up at her, as if boasting with his eyes. Resting her hands on the tatami mats on either side of the man, Nazoki lightly bit her lip, taking care to maintain the flirtatious facade.
"Why would I get those items, when they are not necessary?" The man asked, and Nazoki leaned towards him.
"Because, you know it makes me more sensitive... And enhances your pleasure..." Barely even an inch from the man's lips, Nazoki gazed into his eyes. Her captivating smile seemed to do more good then the fact that she was trying to hypnotize the man. It had no effect on him. Moving her lips to his ear, she lowered her voice to a mere whisper.
"And I'll show you that trick again, with the blood..."
That seemed to be enough to pique the man's curiosity.
"Really?" He asked, holding a slightly mocking tone. Nazoki slowly nodded, and pulled back. She gazed down at the man, and placed her hand to his jaw. Softly caressing him, she allowed pure lust to fill her eyes. Hey, it was Sesshomaru's look alike; attraction was an easy thing to replicate. Easing towards the man's lips, she slid her free hand into his hair.
"Please, make haste my lord, for I am just as eager as you..."
Sitting up, the Naraku peered at the woman. No resistance, and though he did not want to go through the trouble of whatever ritual she had mentioned, he wanted to know what she was doing with the blood. 'Alright, I'll play along.' the man mused to himself. Without a word, he moved from under the woman. She watched him as he exited the room, and locked the door once more.
Shit. That was close. Now to find an escape.