POISON | Love Her

Chapter 9

Giving Up, Giving In

'Thoughts/Rin's writing'

Flashbacks

Original Publish Date: 3/4/2017

NEXT MORNING

Rin groaned slowly as she awoke, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She over-slept, she realized, glancing at the digital clock that told her it was one in the afternoon. Sesshomaru appeared to still be sleeping. She rolled out of bed, then gently covered most of the daiyoukai's body with the covers, mentally patting herself on the back when he didn't stir. She tip-toed out of the room, and shut the door softly. Making her way to the kitchen, she found that he had absolutely nothing.

Rin pouted as her stomach growled. 'I really should have eaten more last night...' She gasped when she heard the front door opening, a short man walked in with boxes towered high in his small arms. "Milord?!" She grabbed the man's beak-like mouth, using her other hand to tell the man to be quiet. The young woman let him go when he attempted to speak, "Who are you?! Where is Lord Sesshomaru?" He harshly whispered.

She helped him with the boxes, putting them down nearby then making a sleeping gesture to the man. "Lord Sesshomaru does not sleep, especially not here, especially not this late, and especially not in the presence of strange women! Now who are you and what have you done with-!?" A pillow perfectly sniped the short man in the head, dropping him to the floor. When she looked at its source down the hall, she smiled at the approaching daiyoukai.

"Jaken. Get up." The short man appeared to actually be a frog youkai of some sort, the pillow attack had knocked his disguise right off. "Have you brought everything?"

"Y-yes, milord." The kappa stood on unsteady legs, "Though there is some correspondence awaiting you back at the castle." 'Castle?' Rin thought, bewildered. 'He has a castle? How does one keep a castle a secret?'

"Very well. You are dismissed." The kappa appeared to want to question something, but a glare from the daiyoukai shot him down and he left the apartment. The daiyoukai grabbed only one box, "The rest are yours." He stated before sitting down at the breakfast bar.

'Mine?' Rin opened one box and found the ancient books she had borrowed from Kaede. 'They've gone through the rumble already? These survived?' The next box held fresh, new clothing for her in the soft, pastel colors she frequently wore. 'He noticed...? Probably just a coincidence.' Her heart stopped at the last box, a partly burnt binder, the one that held the last photos of her family.

Rin slipped out the binder, opened it with careful hands. Some soot spilled with each turn as she searched for a particular photo... 'There it is!' Rin pulled the photo of her and her mother, white lilies in their hair, smiling brightly at the camera with tears of relief flooding her eyes. The corner was burnt a bit, but aside from that, it was fine! She quickly put the photo back, and dashed into the bedroom with the box of clothing. She slipped into the simple racerback tank and jeans before checking the time.

'Ah, gotta go to work! But I don't have a car...' She sighed, walking back into the living room, 'The bus it is then.' But what then afterward? 'Maybe I can crash with one of the girls until I can get a place...?' Rin's gaze traveled up the back of the suited daiyoukai, now in his human disguise. As feeling her eyes on him, he met them over his shoulder,

"Do you work today?" She nodded, absently organizing the boxes in a way that would be easier to carry. "I cannot take you, but Jaken can. He is waiting for you in the front." Rin smiled up at the man and nodded her thanks. As she gathered everything in her hands, he spoke again, "... Do you have a place to stay?"

'Still need to work that out...' But she nodded all the same. That was for her to worry about. He had done enough for her. "If you need refuge, you are welcomed here." The woman blinked in surprise, before smiling wide again. She mouthed 'Thank you' before she made her way out the door.

-:-

"The club will be closed Friday night." Kuromaru started, standing in front of all of the 'higher-tier' women at SHIKON, including herself, Kagome, Sango, and Yura. The announcement brought a mumbling throughout the group. "Bankotsu has hired us as the female entertainment for one of his friend's birthday parties. You don't have to attend necessarily, but if you don't, you simply will not get a cut. I assure you that amount is significant. It takes a fortune to shut down for a day." He crossed his arms over his chest before continuing, "Guests are people you all are familiar with, I can trust you all know how to conduct yourselves. You will be working alongside the men of Hakurei-" Some women gave a curious look and a few mumbles of confusion "-It is Jankotsu's birthday party."

"Oh, that makes sense." Yura whispered to Rin beside her.

"Further details will be discussed with those who commit to going. Just stop by my office anytime between today and closing tomorrow. You are dismissed."

"Are you three gonna go?" Yura asked as they left the private room and headed towards their changing room.

"I don't see why not. Not working on one of our busiest nights is not an option either, regardless of where it is, the way I see it..." Sango replied.

"I'll go if you guys go! Don't think I'll have the nerves to do without any of you." Kagome said with a nervous chuckle.

"What about you, Rin?" Yura asked, linking her arm around hers. "We'll be incomplete without you!" Well, how could she turn them down? Rin nodded in agreement. After all, she kind of desperately needed the cash considering she had no place to stay. 'Ugh, the Slayers are going to want to talk to me...' She thought, 'There is no way the damage at the house is going to just be a police matter.'

"Hey, Rin..." Sango started, "Can I speak to you?" The other two girls glanced at each other but before Rin followed Sango to the lockers in the back, just out of ear shot from Kagome and Yura. "I've heard things... I don't want to get into too much detail but..." Her voice went into a hush. "I know about the house. Is everything all right?"

'How does she know?' Rin thought, before giving a slow nod-shrug combo. Things could be worse. She could be dead.

"Well, I just wanted to let you know... I don't live too far from the club and I have enough room for you if you need a place to sleep and eat while you get everything back together." She tried not to nod too eagerly but failed seeing Sango's wide smile. The younger woman realized she never saw her smile much. "We both get off at the same time tonight luckily so I'll take there."

"Psst!" Yura interrupted, "Kuromaru wants to see Rin."

-:-

Rin sat in the chair across from Kuromaru's desk, trying not too seem to nervous as she didn't have the slightest idea what he wanted. "I assume you will be attending the party." She agreed. "Then you must know that Ryukotsusei will likely be there. No doubt he was invited at least." The young woman frowned. 'Of course.'

"It still stands that he should not harass you in any matter, especially while working for me." He shifted a bit in his seat, crossing his arms over the table as he leaned forward. "And if he does, do not hesitate to come to me or Naraku, whomever is closer. He will be dealt with immediately." She gave him a slow nod, thinking that would be all... "Has he done anything else?"

'Crap.' Rin wasn't 100% if she should tell him or not. Would it be too premature to get Naraku riled further about the dragon? "Be honest with me, Rin. I'm sure a nice girl like you hates to lie." She pursed her lips, knowing he was referring to when she sided with the dragon. The human glanced at the pad and pen sitting on top of the desk, and Kuromaru slid them closer to her. 'Okay, maybe I can just...' She tapped the pen a few times, thinking. 'I'll have to change the story a bit...'

She wrote the dragon possibly sent two demons to her home to threaten and scare her, that maybe he did because he thought she was disrespectful or didn't like how Naraku protected her, or both. She mentioned her home being destroyed in the process, that she hadn't talked to the polive yet (knowing he would ask), and was possibly going to stay at Sango's.

Kuromaru narrowed his eyes as he read, "Hmm. Staying at Sango's is a good choice. She can hold her own. Do not worry about the authorities." He put the paper down, "I don't believe that's the dragon's reason. He mentioned he had a personal issue with you. Those he usually just kills. This show of strength makes no sense. You are a mute, mortal girl with no fighting experience. You are not a miko. You are not of a family of wealth and influence. In the same vein, you know no one of importance and I doubt you have any blackmail on him, not that it would stop him regardless. You have zero to offer him."

The man shrugged then shook his head, "Rin, I suggest you tread carefully. Do not let your troubles with the dragon outweigh your worth to this establishment. You are dismissed."

-:-

"And we are here." Sango announced, standing in front a short apartment complex that was only about a 5-minute drive from SHIKON. "My legs are killing me, let's hurry inside." They went up the outer stairs to the 2nd floor and entered the apartment. Rin heard a soft patter of a cat's feet run up to the doorway.

"Mew!" A small cat, whose breed she couldn't even guess, hopped onto Sango's shoulders and nuzzled her cheek.

"Hey there." Sango petted the animal before turning to Rin, "Rin, this is Kirara. Kirara, this is Rin." The cat stopped, turned its large red gaze to her. Definitely, not a normal, mortal cat. Somehow, the red eyes were more cute than terrifying. "She's going to be staying with us for a bit, so be nice." The cat seemed to meow in return. Sango proceeded to show her around the comfortably-sized one-bedroom home. "There is a pull-out bed in the sofa, you can crash there. And uhm..."

Rin's growling stomach interrupted Sango's sentence and the younger women blushed in embarrassment. She hadn't eaten yet and work did not help with that! "Ah, that's right. I need to buy groceries." Rin noticed there was another room with an open doorway, with a punching bag, dumbbells, a folded-up treadmill, and other fitness products. "I wake up pretty earlier to train. I'll try not to disturb you."

Rin pulled out her pad and paper, 'Train?'

"Yeah, a bit of everything, but mostly Aikido and Judo." She can hold her own. Rin remembered Kuromaru saying. She wished she could do the same, being utterly helpless is a terrible feeling. She doubted that she could do any damage in close-quarters with a daiyoukai, but the confidence of knowing some self-defense seemed worthwhile.

'Do you think you can show me a bit...?'

"Don't see why not." Sango replied, "It could be fun to have a partner and I'm sure you can put the lessons to good use."

-:-

THE NEXT AFTERNOON

"Aye, at least a bit of hope came from that night." Kaede said, sipping a bit of freshly brew tea. "We have fortified our barriers a bit more, but I fear they won't hold up against an onslaught of dragon claws for long." She set down her cup. "Kagome still has much to learn... but perhaps she, along with some of ye blood, can try to give a bit more life into the jewel's confines. It would buy us a bit more time until this Sesshomaru speaks with Naraku."

'Are there no other mikos that can help?' Rin typed. The elder woman sighed, her wrinkled expression darkened.

"No. The majority of mikos in this day and age are trained offensively, to fight unruly youkai. The art of barriers and healing are known by few and mastered by none. There was a time when this shrine was filled with young, promising students—eager to learn, to save others. But when another report of another rogue youkai gets played, and they see a miko take them down, and the glory afterward... Well, they just decide they rather fight."

"And that doesn't always end well." Kagome joined, sitting beside Rin. "When a miko fights too much, and forgets what they fight for..."

"They turn to the darkness. And they disappear." Kaede finished, then brought the conversation back on track, "There was one priestess... She lived here just months ago. Kikyo..."

'Kikyo...' Rin thought the name sounded familiar, but she could not place it.

"She saw the potential Kagome had and brought her here. She would have been tremendous help. Was training Kagome very well. Kikyo had immense power, and was well-versed in both defensive and offensive abilities. Alas, one day she did not return from the city... A hanyou she tried to befriend and steer away from the darkness killed her, I am sure of it."

"This is Rin. She's Kikyo's replacement." Kagura's voice hit her hard, back from when she first officially met Takahashi.

"Rin, everything alright? You look pale." Kagome asked, putting a hand against her forehead. She nodded softly, pushing her friend's hand away. She couldn't dwell on that now... but she had tons of questions for Sango and Yura later.

'You said with my blood we can do something. Let's do it. Now.' She typed before rising from her seat and walking towards the jewel case sitting innocently on the counter.

"Ah well..." Kagome started, rummaging through the kitchen drawer before pulling out a sharp knife. "First, we are going to have to cut your palms, sorry." Rin took the blade and sliced both clean across without so much as a wince and stared at Kagome for further instruction, whose mouth was slack-jawed. "Uhm, ah, right. Okay. Now place your hands right against the line where the top meets the bottom here."

The miko came behind her and put her hands over her's, adjusting their place just a bit. "Okay. Now just breathe. I need to stay like this, I'm going to be transferring some energy over to you, into your hands, your blood. Everything is going to sparkle, might hurt a bit, and then its over! Just remember to keep breathing. Focus on me, or the table, the wall, something."

Rin nodded, thinking it all didn't sound as big of a deal as she thought it would be. Though, Kaede did say it was just temporary, to buy a bit more time. She started to feel a tingling sensation in her hands coming from Kagome's. It abruptly turned hot, making her flinch and the sparkles Kagome mentioned began.

A light purple glow outlined the miko's fingers, and soon her own began to glow as well, a dark red. The temperature continued to escalate, and now she was biting her lip to stop the whimpers. 'How much more?!' She felt the box vibrate under her fingertips. Her breathing labored as the pain traveled up her shaking arms, sparks began to fly from their intertwined fingers. 'Finish, finish, finish...' Rin begged, trying to ignore the hot shocks that threatened to consume her body.

A loud SNAP was the only warning before both women were pushed back by an invisible force, slamming into the table behind them. "Owww..." Kagome moaned, rubbing the small of her back. "That was... different. You are alright, Rin?"

"Hmm..." Kaede observed the jewel's case, "It may have worked."

"May?" Kagome mumbled, checking Rin's hands. They were a smooth pink, as if she quickly touched a hot skillet. The miko frowned, worry in her eyes. "That shouldn't have actually hurt you."

"The girl has youkai blood in her, though old, diluted, with no benefits and no youki. The reaction is normal." Keade's explanation made her realize she really needed to get her butt in gear and read the book on her family history ASAP.

"Its getting late." The miko noted as orange light flooded from the open windows. "You are staying at Sango's right? I can drop you off."

The two packed themselves into Kagome's compact car and began heading back, "You know, you never explained how you were about to set up a private meeting with a youkai lord... Especially Sesshomaru."

'A friend of his.' The tablet voiced for her.

"You're friends with a dude that can get you a meeting with him so quickly?" Kagome asked, shaking her head in disbelief. "That's pretty crazy... Is it that guy you've hanging out with?"

Rin shifted in her seat, knowing if even said no, the miko would not believe her. 'Yes.'

The other woman sighed, giving her a worried glance, "Be careful, Rin..."

-:-

LATE NIGHT

It had been a few days since he last saw her and it bothered him far more than it should have. The daiyoukai suspected she was staying with one of the women at the club, as she had not stopped by his place. The place he rarely stayed at but found himself in for the past 4 nights. "Uhhh, should I take this finished paperwork back to the castle, master?" Jaken quietly shuffled over to the stack of papers beside him.

"Yes."

"Urmm... Will you be staying here again, master?"

"Leave." He curtly replied, his patience thin. He heard the short youkai stumbled around as he hurriedly gathered the rather large stack into his small arms and run out of the room. Jankotsu's party is tomorrow night, and Sesshomaru planned to attend if only to keep an eye on Rin and, perhaps, have a short chat with Naraku. The daiyoukai downed the last of the sake in his saucer-cup, the thought of having to now negotiate and compromise with the spider was revolting, almost enough to abandon the idea and talk with his mother.

Almost.

He poured himself some more of the liquor, finding himself drinking more than usual the past couple of months. Not that regular, human alcohol impaired him much in the first place, but it was just enough to have the quiet, sleepless nights pass rapidly while minimally diminishing his judgment or senses. It was around 10PM, perhaps he should try sleeping now as he had not in a few nights... In fact, he hadn't slept since the last night Rin was in his bed...

He heard the commotion in her home but Hiten continued getting in his way. "So, what's the almighty Sesshomaru doing around some frail human girl, huh?" An arc of lighting shot out of his trident, one he easily dodged. "We got no beef with you, we just want the girl." Two, three, four, the blinding shocks kept coming. None hit their target, but it was preventing him from getting any closer. That is when he heard the house crumbling below them and saw Rin running out the demolished building with Hiten's brother waddling behind.

He had to finish this before the girl got seriously injured, but Hiten's attacks didn't flatter. The daiyoukai felt Manten's weak youki flare, preparing another blast that landed far too close to her and totaling his vehicle. She was on the ground, panting, frightened, trying to stand, and the smell of her blood hit his senses. It infuriated him. 'I won't allow it.' His eyes red as he darted forward to Hiten, ignoring the lightning that landed on his shoulder and slicing his whip clean across his chest and throat.

The daiyoukai changed direction, the same whip slashing through Maten's large, ugly mouth before the energy blast had enough time to take form. When he landed in front of her, the fear in her eyes directed at him nearly made him wince. But it faded quickly as she accepted his hand, and he didn't dwell on the feeling of relief that washed over him.

When they reached his apartment, he had every intention of leaving her there. She would be safe. He told her to go shower, but she looked at him and stilled. She quickly made her way to him, the smell of salt tickled his senses as she gazed at his wound. Her glassy, worried eyes looked up at him. "It will heal." He decided to stay.

After all was settled, Sesshomaru went into his bedroom and found himself staring at the dark-haired woman on his bed. Something about the woman wrapped in his things stirred his baser instincts, as it had the last night she stayed, but this is time it was more difficult to push those thoughts away.

A soft knock interrupted his memories. It was far too late for visitors. The daiyoukai rose and opened to door to reveal the woman that always sneaked into his thoughts. She smiled brightly up at him, as if she was genuinely happy to see to him, before stepping inside. He couldn't help his gaze run over her body, searching for any injuries and he zero-ed in on her hands. Catching her wrist, his eye narrowed at the light burns and slash marring both palms. The cuts appeared to be irritated and ripped, likely due to gripping the pole as she worked. "What is this?"

He let the smaller limb slide out of his hold as she wrote, 'Miko magic stuff for the jewel's barrier.' Without thinking, he grabbed a wrist again, bringing the wound close and dragging his tongue across a few times. He ignored the woman's bewildered expression as he repeated the same treatment on the other hand. She stared at her palms for a moment after he let them go, before looking back at him, confused.

"Mild pain relief that should start immediately. It will also temporarily give a small boost for healing." He reasoned that it was completely necessary to do, and that it had nothing to do with him wanting to care for her. Nothing at all. The girl nodded, satisfied with the explanation. "Why have you come here?"

Rin seemed to look around in thought before she wrote, 'Going to Jankotsu's?'

"I am. I believe you are as well?" She nodded and the room grew silent again.

"... Is that all?" Sesshomaru asked. He watched the human get nervous, one hand fiddling with the straps of her small backpack still on her shoulders, her gaze to the floor, and her bottom lip between her teeth. While she wrote, her cheeks quickly reddened, the reaction made him raise a brow.

'I wanted to see you.' He ignored the fluttering feeling.

"Why?" 'And why at this time?'

'You're being difficult! Just because.' She pouted, 'Is that okay?'

No, no it was not. The young woman should not want to come and 'hang out' with him on a whim. Never mind that he technically opened his second home to her with his invitation, it was strictly only if she needed it. And she obviously had not, being somewhere else the past 4 nights, making him stay here for nothing. 'No, that's ridiculous.' The daiyoukai thought, trying to cool his head. It was better that she was not dependent on him for every little thing, wasn't it? But he wanted her here, with him, for some unfathomable reason.

He couldn't simply let her stay now, not wanting to give her the impression that he enjoyed her company or anything equally preposterous. Giving her that impression was no longer necessary, they were now bound by duty to either seal of the dragon's jewel or kill Ryūkotsusei, perhaps both. It was pointless to be friendly now... but it didn't change he already did enjoy her presence. He hadn't realize how long he was fighting with the contradictory thoughts in his head until he felt the soft pad of her fingertips brush against the stripes on his right cheek, the gentle touch hushing his thinking.

Rin wore the same worried expression when she saw the wound Hiten had caused—was his internal conflict that obvious to her?-and he simply didn't understand why the girl busied over him. She had more than enough to trouble herself over, and he frankly did not need her concern. As he had just made up his mind to reject her, the woman's brows raised as if she realized something, and then wrote 'Also, I need to place to study. Can't at Sango's. The questions...'

… That changed things a bit. 'It is of great importance that she learns all she can so she will be prepared when the time comes to re-make the barrier.' The daiyoukai thought, and a good enough reason to smooth his pride, but he would not acknowledge that. "Then you may stay."

There was something knowing in the smile she gave him and the small giggle he heard under her breathe as she removed the bag off her back and dropped herself on the modern white sofa. She pulled out an ancient book from the bag and seemed to have no issue getting comfortable before she started reading. Or tried to from the looks of it. Her exasperated expression as she frantically flipped through the pages was enough for him to walk beside her and peak at the text. It was not translated to modern language. The book may have been as old as him if that was the case.

Rin's eyes slowly made it up to meet his and she gave him a pleading look. He simply stared back. Was she expecting him to read to her? That was entirely out of the question. She titled her head to the side and pouted, that ludicrous expression that many other women have tried on him to no effect. He convinced himself she was no different. He may have let it slip once at her home, but never again. Realizing her silent pleas were not working, her pout turned into a frown. She bit the bottom of her lip as her gaze lowered, a gloomy look darkening her features-and he damned the day she was born. "Move." She quickly perked up like a puppy being asked to play, shifting a bit to the side to give him room to sit beside her.

The daiyoukai snatched the book, obviously irritated, but the girl paid no mind to it. The book was thankfully very short, likely a scroll that was rewritten, and the first few pages had been translated. He assumed she already read those, which meant only the last 3 pages or so were lost to her. He skimmed through, gathering that the text was about the jewel, how it is contained, how it is used, and the consequences of its power. His translation would be rough, not having read or spoken the old tongue in centuries, but also because her staring was as unnerving as always.

Sesshomaru willed himself to focus, beginning to slowly but surely read the worn pages. Unfortunately, it was not all that interesting. The text was too vague and cryptic, too much theory rather than hard fact, to be of much use—and his mind keep getting distracted by the way her large eyes seemed to be taking in every feature of his face and committing it to memory. He caught her gaze when it lingered on his lips, "Are you listening?"

Rin swallowed, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but nodded all the same. "Then what did I just say?" Her panicked look nearly drew a chuckle from him, her gaze then dropping to the floor. 'That won't do...' The daiyoukai reached out, bringing her chin up and watching the color on her face deepen. He heard her heart thumping rapidly in her chest when his thumb brushed past her bottom lip, his hand moving to trace the light scar left on her cheek from the angry dragon.

The reminder of it nearly drew a snarl from him. He had yet seen the dragon since then, but when he does—a hand on his stopped his murderous thoughts as she pulled it down, giving a curious look at the stripes on his wrist. She wore a small smile as her fingers traced the length of each one, and he resisted the urge to shiver underneath her appreciative touch. Either the girl had not dove into that book of inuyoukai culture yet, had no idea what she doing and what it meant, or she had and knew exactly what she was doing.

Rin moved to his next arm and Sesshomaru concluded it was most certainly the former by the innocent, wondering look on her face, which meant he should scowl and pull away from the oblivious human. But the more instinctual side of his male youkai mind fought against the notion, and simply wanted to throw her over his shoulder and ravish her in his bed. When she looked back into his eyes, it appeared something switched off in her mind and her entire face burned red as she covered her face and quickly put some distance between them.

The human stayed like that for a moment before clearing her throat, moving to write, 'I'm sorry. That was rude, wasn't it?' He didn't answer. Her expression afterward seemed to say 'well if you aren't going to say anything' before she reached for the behavioral book at the bottom of a small stack on the coffee table.

The daiyoukai slammed his hand on the books, making her jump. "It is late. Go to bed." He was not going to deal with her questions about that now, not when he did not know why he permitted her touch in the first place. The woman hurriedly rose from the sofa with her bag and left the room. His sharp hearing soon caught the ruffling of his bed covers and he let out a sigh as he sank his back into the couch.

The ghost of her fingertips still lingered on his stripes and all he wanted was her to discovery the rest of them, to feel her soft touch worship the markings that symbolized his powerful lineage. How would her lips feel against the markings on his wrists, ankles, the moon between his bangs or his hips? His mind recalled their first meeting at Shikon, her soft moaning when he nibbled her neck, how her body trembled in his arms and instinctively rubbed against him. He enjoyed watching her expressive face as her emotions ran through, how would she look under him-

The daiyoukai shook his head as he stood and nearly flipped the table out of frustration. He was practically panting like a bitch in heat over her and it drove him mad. It was pathetic. He clutched the bottle of sake and drank a few gulps straight, concluding that he could not stay here, he simply could not be around her. 'Running away from a human, Sesshomaru?' His youkai pride mocked, 'Just fuck her and be done with it.'

He would not lower himself to do such a thing. He was not some old, perverted youkai desperate for a virgin body. Torn between doing what he wanted because he is Lord Sesshomaru and doing what was expected of him because he is Lord Sesshomaru, he fled from the apartment building to clear his thoughts, wondering what the hell was wrong with him.

-:-

THE NEXT DAY, SHICHININTAI MANSION

'The mansion is more a fortress really...' Rin thought as she took in the sheer size of the land and the building that stood on it. "This place is obscenely large." Yura voiced her similar thoughts, "I can seriously see someone getting lost in here or, oh, I don't know, murdered! And no one finds out."

Sango elbowed the hair youkai, "Might want to keep it down."

"Oh, come on, everyone here knows what these guys do."

"And what is that we do, Yura?" The man Rin had seen briefly a week ago appeared, the tail end of his braid flickering in the wind as he approached them at the front gate.

"They leave their favorite girl high and dry for weeks at a time. No calls or nothing. Making her worry." Yura fake-cried, earning a grin for the tan, young man.

"That sounds about right."

Yura blinked in shock, then pouted angrily, "Hey!"

The male switched subjects, "It's good to see you still around, Sango." He gave her a quick nod, which she returned. "Are you going to introduce me to your new friends, Yura?"

"Oh, just look at these beautiful girls." Yura looped one arm each around Kagome and Rin, "The sweetest things. This is Kagome!"

"Its a pleasure to meet you, Mr-"

"Just call me Bankotsu."

"And this quiet one here is Rin." She took her cue of bringing up the best smile she could muster and the man smirked back at her.

"Aren't the quiet ones the wildest?"

"Now you listen here!" Yura started, letting them go and moving to stand right in front of Bankotsu, a hand on her hip. "These girls are far too green for that kind of nonsense. Your boys try anything and they're dead. Right, Sango!?"

"Ah... right..." Sango responded, chuckling softly. Rin and Kagome, on the other hand, were very confused. 'How she is behaving like this with a client?' Rin thought, 'Aren't they mercenaries or assassins?'

"Don't get your hair in a bunch, Yura." Bankotsu seemed amused, "We would never put our hands on an unwilling lady."

"Well, then, good." Yura finished, crossing her arms over her chest. "Just wanted to make sure."

Sango cleared her throat, "Were you leading us to our rooms?"

"Yes, of course. Follow me."

-:-

"So let's review." Yura began, helping Kagome with her hair as she quizzed her. "The braid guy is Bankotsu. Guest of honor is..."

"Jankotsu, the gay one."

"Correct. Renkotsu is..."

"The smart, boring one."

"Totally. And Suikotsu is..."

"... Depends on the day?"

"Ha! Right. Ginkotsu is..."

"A cyborg...? I'm not sure if really understood your description of him earlier..."

"Basically. Kyokotsu is..."

"Freakishly huge."

"Yup, and last but not least, Mukotsu..."

"Is a dead, old pervert. Why mention him again?"

"Eh, just in case. No one stays dead around here."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Ehh, its... complicated." Yura avoided the question, now looking at Rin. "Hey! Your cuts are gone." She pointed out, holding Rin's hands with palms up.

"That was quick, weren't they torn up yesterday?" Sango asked, the slight suspicion in her voice was not lost on Rin. The younger woman couldn't stop the flush on her cheeks when she remembered the large clawed hand gently cradling her's as his tongue cared for the wound, leaving a tingling sensation that was not at all bad.

"Ooohhh boooyy." Yura mumbled, dropping her hands. "Look at that blush! You are not keeping this guy a secret anymore, you know that right? I must know!" There was no way that the girls could ever know, or anyone else for that matter. She had a feeling Sesshomaru would not be all that happy with her if she just yapped around about him. Rin wondered where he had gone in the morning... Thankfully, a knock on the door and the signal to start the show saved her from further questioning.

-:-

Rin smoothed out the front of the white, mermaid-style dress she wore, the feeling of the embroidery and sequins against her skin calming her nerves. A small change of plans for her, the band had decided one of the girls should put up a burlesque-type show as Janksotsu preferred that when women were preforming as it looked more fun, according to the mercenary. She had zero problem with this, only that she wished she had more time to figure out a routine in her head.

Gods, when were the two shots of tequila they took before they started going to hit her?

"HEY!" Yura suddenly exclaimed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "None of that! You got nothing to worry about! They picked you because they heard your routine for Sesshomaru that night was great. And you're great, and you got this!" She also had a shot glass in her other hand, "But if you need another one, I totally get it. I think I had like five."

'You're a youkai.' Rin wished she could respond. Too many before a performance for her was definitely not a good idea, as it can make her sloppy.

"Oh, we found some gloves! Here you go, quick!" The human pulled on the long satin cloth until it reached mid-bicep. "She's almost done." Yura noted, hearing the music coming to a close before handing Rin a white fluffly boa, spotted with some silver feathers.

Sango soon appeared from the curtains of the portable, outdoor stage, "Knock'em dead, Rin!"

Rin took a deep breath before stepping out to the public, holding the boa high in one hand and wrapped around her other wrist. Once center-stage, the band began to play and she let her body sway to the music, making waves with the boa behind her. She brought her hands together then twirled around, letting the feathers roll down her back and stop just under her the curve of her bottom, giving two slow, deliberate rotations of her hips as she looked over her shoulder to the guests.

The whistles were encouraging and she continued on, boa now around her shoulders as she did one round around the stage, smiling at the front row guests. Jankotsu was front in center in the middle table, his feminine appearance surprised her but he seemed to be enjoying himself so far. To his right was Bankotsu, who appeared to be whispering something to Renkotsu on his other side. To Jankotsu's left was Suikotsu, his face seemed very different from the last time she saw him at the clinic, and the others. She did not recognize any of those in the left table, but could tell they were mostly youkai.

Rin threw out the boa to the side of the stage, before gracefully spinning back to center, right in front of the Shichinintai's table. She grabbed the fingertips of her right glove and slipped it off, dragging the exposed hand down her chest and over the curve of her hips. She stepped closer to the edge of the stage, dangling the shiny cloth close to the men. Suikotsu was the one who reacted out, but she tossed the glove behind her with a grin, causing the other men at the table to chuckle at their friend. She made quick work of the other glove, twirling it in the air a few times before letting it fly off the side of the stage.

Which made her glance to the right, that table had pairs of red, golden, and green eyes that couldn't met just yet. Oh, and Kouga, who had made quite a bit of noise during Kagome's show. She ran her hands down her sides as she bent forward, then moving to unzip the dress. She went half-way down, snapped back up with the music, before fully unzipping the back of the dress. Her hips swayed side to side, letting the dress slip down her frame until it was just barely hanging on, revealing the dangling rhinestones on the back of her thong and the criss-cross jewel straps of her bra.

Rin stopped to look back for just a moment, making the audience hoot and holler for more. She grabbed the front of the dress to let it slip down her knees before stepping out, dragging it behind her as she moved towards the right of the stage, in front of them. She then posed, the dress hanging behind her from one hand held high and her other hand on her hip. She dared to make eye contact with the dog youkai, who was sitting with a leg on one knee and wine glass in one hand, resting on the arm chair. His golden eyes appeared to be on fire, and she didn't mind when his gaze traveled down her mostly exposed body, but the feeling it roused in her was unexpected and she dropped the dress prematurely.

Fortunately, the band playing was on point and followed her lead, the fun part of the show began as she smiled and swung her hips to the beat of the drums and clarinet as she made her way around all sides of the stage, making sure each guest got a ample amount of her shaking bottom and swaying hips. The cheering made her honestly grin and laugh, thinking the liquor must finally be doing its job. Once the music slowed for just a moment, she took that time to unhook the jewel-studded bra, unveiling the rhinestone nipple tassels on her breasts.

And the beat picked up quickly, and she dropped to her knees, bouncing on the floor as she made the tassels shake. Lifting one leg while keeping the other knelt, she focused on spinning the tassels perfectly, before letting the front leg slid her down into a split. The thigh-high stockings made everything a bit slippery, so she fell on her side a bit sooner than intended, but she quickly recovered, bouncing back up to her feet and making one more round around the stage.

Feeling a bit bold, Rin walked to the edge of the right stage, her hands running down the length of her torso as she looked straight into the inuyoukai's eyes. She bit the bottom of her painted lip, one hand tangled in her dark hair as the other raised up and beckoned him towards her. She smirked at the spark in his heated gaze before she spun back over to the center, just in time for the song's end. The guests cheered and applauded, and she blew a kiss to the crowd before strutting off behind the curtains, only to be grabbed by Kagome right away.

"Whoa, what was that?" The woman asked, her lips seemed to be fighting a smile. Rin looked at her confused before Sango joined in.

"Yeah, that surprised even Naraku, I think." 'Oh, they mean that.' Rin thought, now mortified by her display. She didn't know what came over her, whether it was the hype of the crowd, the tequila, or how much she enjoyed the effect she seemed to have on him—maybe a combination of it all.

"I guess Bankotsu was right. You're a little minx under all that, aren't cha?" Yura teased, making one final adjustment to her skirt. The younger woman turned red at the accusation, planting her face in her hands. "You can't hide it now!" The hair youkai exclaimed before she made her way outside. 'Ugh, that was probably a really bad idea.' She groaned internally, 'Especially after how he acted last night.'

Rin flinched at the force of his hand coming down on the textbook, wide eyes turning to him. She saw a turmoil of emotions run through his eyes before they froze over, but his husky voice betrayed him. "It is late. Go to bed."

She doubted Sesshomaru would ever explain the more animalistic side of his behavior, and she was going to study every single page of that book later to understand him better. "Rin." She came out of her memories to Kagome waving in front of her. "We gotta change and work the floor!"

'Oh right!'

-:-

"Why do you gotta be such a pain in the ass?" Rin heard Kouga say as her with the rest of the girls came to the floor, passing by his table. She giggled at his outburst, though she didn't know to which man it was directed to. "I heard that!" She ignored the wolf youkai as they approached the band of seven, all four of them wearing halter tops and peek-a-boo boyshorts that then wrapped around their legs gartini-style.

"Ladies!" Jankotsu exclaimed, a man from Hakurei had his arm around him. "That was an excellent performance. The rest of you can pick whom you want." Bankotsu naturally took Yura, Sango was picked by Kyokotsu, Ginkotsu choose Kagome, Suikotsu already had the twins from the club and Renkotsu wasn't interested in anyone at all, which left Rin with... no one.

Bankotsu laughed, "Considering that show you put on, I'd say the rumors are true... And there isn't anyone in the right mind that's going to get between you and those dudes. Go ahead, I'm sure they miss you over there."

"Maybe you can get Sesshomaru to bring his yummy brother next time." Jankotsu added before she walked away.

Rin wasn't one to curse... 'Shit.' But the sight of the dragon's sick smirk, the spider's calculating eyes, and the dog's frosty aura was worthy of it. 'At least Kouga is with them?' She thought as she sat between him and Sesshomaru, hopeful that the wolf youkai was chill enough and be her saving grace.

"Careful, if you get too close to me, that one might rip my arm off."Or he would just throw her under the bus! The dog youkai gave the wolf a hard stare and he put his hands up, "I'm not touching her!"

He then scowled, "As if I care where your hands on a whore are." Rin visibly winced, confused by the sudden harshness coming from him.

Naraku clicked his tongue, "Now that wasn't nice. She gave us quite the show."

"I dare say that the great Lord Sesshomaru is embarrassed." Ryūkotsusei said, smirking in delight with his arms laying across the back of the padded bench. She didn't want to give the dragon credit or anything... but she hadn't considered how Sesshomaru, a private man, would react to the... very... public.. display she made.

"Don't be foolish." Was his reply, before finishing up his wine.

"Well if he insists on being so ill-mannered, perhaps Rin should sit over here with us. Surely you would not mind if she is just a 'whore'?" Ryūkotsusei asked, gesturing to a spot between Naraku and him. It was the spider who shot him a suspicious look, but the dragon lifted just hands up in defense. "Today is a celebration. I fully intend to relax and enjoy Jankotsu's lovely party. I would hate to have our girl sulking because of Sesshomaru's rudeness." 'OUR girl?' She wasn't anyone's girl. The hanyou exhaled loudly from his nose, before giving a subtle look to Rin for her to move.

The human glanced at Sesshomaru, but he would not look at her. Swallowing her worry, she moved to sit in-between the hanyou and the dragon instead. "Relax, Rin, as I said, let's all enjoy ourselves." The dragon cooed before moving forward and pouring a glass of wine for her and re-filling his. She accepted the glass with a careful hand, wondering what was Ryūkotsusei's game.

"You're making me sick." Kouga proclaimed, taking a swig of his whiskey. "What the hell happened to you while I was gone?"

"Whatever do you mean, Kouga?" Rin drank quietly as the two bickered back and forth.

"What do I mean? Your 'sweetness' is freaking me out, man."

The dragon shrugged, "As I said, I simply want to enjoy myself. Her sad face can be pitiful to look at all the time." A clawed finger hooked under her chin as he brought her gaze up to his face, his fangs in full view with his creepy grin. "Her smile can be much better. Reminds me so much of her mother." Furious, Rin slapped his hand away from her face without thinking, causing the hanyou to put an arm around her and pulled her away from the dragon before she did anything else.

"Easy..." Naraku whispered in her ear before addressing the dragon, "That was unnecessary. How about a change in topic, hm? Kouga, how was your trip?"

The evening carried on pretty uneventfully from there. The dragon did not say anything too out of the ordinary or disrespectful, Naraku kept her by her side but wasn't a total creep, Kouga seemed to avoid being too friendly to her which she understood but Sesshomaru... had refused to look at her the entire time. At one point, Sesshomaru discretely passed Naraku a note, she assumed it was plans to meet about the jewel. Not even a glance at her. Despite the drinks and the dancing, the laughs she shared with the other girls when they linked back together for a few moments—nothing got her mind off of him.

They were all in the mansion now, several guests spread across the vast living room and dining area. "Have you girls eaten yet?" Bankotsu asked, looking at Yura.

"No." The hair demon pouted, "You all have been holding out on us."

"Tsk, what are you doing!? Go, eat! We need to have a private chat anyway." The girls glanced at each other and nodded, all rising and making their way to the dining area. Bankotsu, Jakotsu, Renkotsu, Ryūkotsusei, Naraku, Kouga, Sesshomaru and two other youkai she did not recognize all left the main room and went to the east hall.

"Wonder what that's about." Sango mumbled.

"Who cares? I'm freaking starving!" Yura exclaimed, happily grabbing a plate. "Besides, they are probably just discussing their plans for world domination again."

"Again? You know, you seem close to Bankotsu, Yura..." Kagome asked, also nabbing some food.

"Oh, we go way back. I knew him and his friends when they used to be human." She explained nonchalantly. 'Used to be human?' "Hey, you!" Rin blinked at the outburst, "Yeah, you! Grab something." The young human shook her head, she wasn't really hungry... "Nah, nope, screw that. Grab something."

'I'm not hungry.' Rin thought, giving her a flat look.

"BS. Grab something or kami help me, I'm going to shove this delicious dango down your throat." The hair demon threatened, waving a skewer of dango in front of her menacingly.

"She'll do it." Sango warned, between bites as she searched for a place for them to sit. Rin let out a sigh, giving in to the youkai's demands. She grabbed a couple of different dangos, hoping that was enough to get Yura off her back.

Yura glanced at her plate, "That's fine... for now." The four of them sat in a semi-quiet, far off corner of the room, trying to not completely pig out, with the exception of Rin.

"Okay, so, what's up?" Yura asked first, looking straight at her. She really did not want to have this conversation.

"You've been acting a bit strange since we got off stage. Did anything happen with Ryūkotsusei?" Sango asked. Rin shook her head. 'Leave it alone, guys...' She wished she could say.

Kagome continued the interrogation, "...What about Sesshomaru?" Her food was mid-way to her mouth, the name causing her to drop it back on the plate as it was no longer appetizing. That was enough to give it away.

"Oh no... Oh honey..." Yura started, "No, no, that won't work." Rin looked at her friend with a questioning look, wondering just what she thought wouldn't work.

"I mean he's... Sesshomaru. Now I don't wanna give away my age or anything, but l can say with complete confidence that the dude hasn't cared for anyone but himself and his lands for centuries. He doesn't let anyone touch him unless, like, he wants to fuck. And I mean accidentally touch too alright? You don't escape whole from that. The man does not like anyone in his personal space unless they are going to bang. Period. He's arrogant as hell and I imagine that gets old fast. His family is a dysfunctional wreck of way too powerful, stuck-up youkai and one, very reckless hanyou. I can name many who are his enemies but that friend's list is non-existent, its more of a I-tolerate-him-because-he-can-fucking-kill-me list. I can't imagine having a normal conversation with the guy, is that even possible? And you can stop me at anytime you know..."

Rin shrugged. 'Yeah, the workholic part sounds right... and the family part... and the arrogant part... and the friends part... Okay, most of it...' She furrowed her brows, 'He lets me touch him though...'

"But if you insist, Rin, I'll help." The human mouthed the words 'What?' and Yura grinned, "I'll help!"

"I thought you were doing a pretty good job of convincing her otherwise." Sango seemed annoyed.

"Yeah, but... I mean, I don't know, maybe this is a modern fairy-tale and Rin will be the one to melt the heart of ice, you know?"

Kagome giggled, "That would be cute." Then frowned, "But... this is dangerous..."

"Agreed." Sango looked to her, "If you do have some feelings for that daiyoukai, you should drop it immediately."

"Hey now, you can't be breaking up this love story." Yura growled, throwing a balled napkin at Sango.

"What story?! Besides, it is for her own good." The woman grounded out, throwing back the napkin at the youkai.

"Well, I say that her being with him would be the greater good! And she gets to bang one of the hottest dudes here while she's at it, its a win-win!"

"Guys...?" Kagome tried to intervene but the two were deep in their arguing... over what was best for her. Usually the concern would be endearing, but the assumptions and decisions being made without so much a word from her made it aggravating instead. It reminded her far too much about how she was treated in the past soon after losing her voice. She snatched her drink off the table and walked away from the girls, ignoring their calls as she made her way to the backyard.

Her white heels clicked against the stone pathway, leading deep into the trees that surrounded the large property. She sipped a bit of wine, wondering where the path ended. She hoped it was to somewhere quiet and beautiful. Her skinny heel got caught in-between a more worn-out part of the path, causing her to nearly trip. Scowling, the girl removed her shoes, swinging them both in one hand as she continued on her way bare-foot.

Rin shivered when a cool breeze whipped around her hair and exposed skin, hugging herself as she carried on. 'This is taking awhile...' The human thought, thinking it may be time to turn back. "Now what do we have here...?" She froze at the sound of a familiar voice, one she did not want to hear now, or ever really. "What are you doing... so far from safety, my little Rin?" The dragon circled her, standing in her way, just inches away from her face.

The human glared up at him, causing him to smile. "Such a hard look doesn't suit you. Not very persuasive. Your mother was no good at it either." He was trying to piss her off. She shouldn't take the bait, she shouldn't take the bait... "No, she looked best on her knees, begging for my mercy."

'Screw it.' The woman dropped her shoes and made a move to slap the daiyoukai, but he caught her wrist before she made contact. "That's not a good idea, Rin. That's how it starts." She winced against his iron grip, trying to pull away but he just held on harder. "The helplessness... How weak you are..."

Her heart pounding in her chest, she tried to kick him away but he just pushed down her leg as if he was swatting a fly. "You could do nothing against your mortal father, what makes you think you can fight me?" The human whimpered at the increasing pressure around her wrist, almost hearing her bones creak under the daiyoukai's restrained strength. "You cannot hide it forever."

"What are you doing?" Relief crashed over her at the sound of Sesshomaru's voice and the dragon finally released her, annoyed.

"I'm having a pointless discussion with a whore. What do you care?"

"You were not to damage another of Naraku's girls."

The dragon scoffed, "Are you his inventory manager now?"

"Hardly, any opportunity to banish you is worth taking."

"I'm flattered, truly." The dragon waved them off as he walked away. "I'm done with her for tonight. Have fun."

Rin waited until she could no longer hear the dragon's steps before she backed into a nearby tree and slid to the ground. What was she doing? 'I can't do this...' She absently poured out the rest of the drink and placed the glass down. 'He is just... He's just going to keep coming...' The human tried to rub where the daiyoukai grabbed her, but cringed at the pain. It would bruise. Another mark. She tried to stifle her tears but it was useless. The woman her knees up to her chest and buried her head down, trying to control her shaking.

The human heard him coming, but she didn't want to deal with him now too. 'Just go away, Sesshomaru.' She thought, 'Go away...' She froze at the feeling of cloth surrounding her and raised her head enough to look, her shoulders covered the gray blazer he was wearing. "Your friends are worried." Rin shook her head, her crossed hands grabbing the hems of the jacket and bringing it closer to her. 'Not now...'

"Do you want to leave?" The woman nodded numbly, then yelped in surprise when the daiyoukai picked up her off the floor. "Hold on." Was the final warning before they shot across the sky.

-:-

He didn't take her to his place, but instead to Sango's. Rin wasn't sure how he knew where it was, and she didn't know what to do with the feeling of disappointment when the building came into view. "You are staying here, are you not?"

'Yes, but...' She didn't want to be here. She was afraid for Sango, for Yura, for Kagome, for anyone around her that didn't stand a fighting chance against the sadistic dragon. The woman wrapped her arms around his neck, shaking her head into his shoulder. She wanted to be with him. He was safe, he was strong, he was gentle, he was everything that she needed right now.

"Rin." No, she wasn't going to let go. She tightened her grasp on him, ignoring the sparks of pain from her injured wrist. "Let go." 'No.' "Rin." 'No.'

They stood silently for what seemed like eternity and she sincerely hoped his resolve was breaking, because the warmth of his body and his masculine smell was cozy enough to put her to sleep. Rin blinked hard when he cursed under his breath, having never had any profane word from his mouth and realized she won this battle as he took for the sky again, now landing in front of his place. Only once were they inside, did she finally loosen her firm grip around him as he lowered her bare-feet to the floor.

Rin didn't break away. Would he stay tonight? She nuzzled his cheek, before brushing the bridge of her nose against his. He didn't protest or pull away when her hands came up from behind his neck and cupped his face instead, her thumbs brushing past the top stripe of each cheek. 'He acted strange last time... should I stop?' But his eyes fluttered close and his arms wrapped themselves around her bare waist. He rested his forehead against her's, and the woman felt her cheeks burn from the closeness.

Yura had to be wrong about him. Was this not considered affection in youkai terms? If he was willing to accept it from a broken, human girl like her then surely he had from various other demonesses. His hands came up, brushing past her every curve on the way, and grabbed her wrists with a loose, gentle grip. "You are exhausted." His voice was nearly a whisper, not harsh nor cold. She shortly wondered how terrible she must have looked. "Get to bed." She let him push her away a bit, and she made her way to hall, stopped short just before the corner, looking back at him.

He stared at her for a moment before he said, "I'm not leaving." Rin smiled softly at him before she made her way to the bedroom, removing his blazer and the tight, constricting stripper outfit. She sighed in relief when her chest was free before slipping into one of Sesshomaru's white tees. She stole a silk boxer to replace the criss-cross boyshorts. She dove into the bed, curling up under the familiar comforter.

That's when he came in. Her gaze followed his hands as he undid his belt buckle, pulled the ends of his dress shirt from his pants-She should look away. She really should-before unbuttoning the shirt and discarding it carelessly in the same pile as her outfit. The small amount of moonlight slipping into the room seemed to perfectly accent his strong pecs and defined abs, and she was surprised to see the powerful quads his suits hid.

Then the woman looked back up to find gold staring directly at her and she knew she was busted. She squeaked as she threw the cover over her face, hoping they could just pretend she was not being a pervert just now. 'Now, wait a second, how many times has he seen you strip?' Her mind rationalized, and she accepted that as a reasonable argument, it was only fair she got to watch this once! She 'meeped' again when a strong arm around her midsection pulled her close against a very bare chest. Another arm slipped underneath her pillow and curled over the front of her body, his face buried in the crook of her neck.

Rin felt him take a deep breath through his nose and exhale as if he taking in her scent. He did that a few times before he settled his cheek against her shoulder. 'We... We're staying like this?' She wasn't sure if her heart could take it! But it seemed the daiyoukai had zero intention of moving. 'Well then...' The woman shifted just a bit closer to him and he responded with a quick squeeze. She had no complaints.

End of Chapter 9

A/N: Omg another chapter, yayyy! This was a bit of a filler that got a tiny bit too long (I like writing when everyone is chatting a bit too much if ya'll haven't noticed ^^;). It was also re-written, like, twice, and I kept tweaking things and I was like NO THATS ENOUGH. So yeah. Rin's routine is based on Missy Lisa's competition-winning performance.

BTW, the next chapter is super, super important. Super. Important. Stay tuned! :D

Leonhart9: I don't deserve your commitment to put up with my absurdly long updates. I also had to read back and figure out exactly where was I going. XD I'm glad you enjoyed it and I hope you like this one too!

Mirja: Good to see you are back and thank you so much for the compliments! I hope you enjoy this one too!

Shiinalover101: A week is a reasonable, right? Lol Hope you liked it!

Zaphikel13: Nah, I can't abandon this one. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well!