Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any of it's characters.
Sesshomaru chased after the butterfly demon flying in the air just in the perimeter of his vision. If her speed had been even slightly faster he would have had to rely on his sense of smell to find her. She suddenly veered off landing near a place the scent of water was coming from and he stopped just behind the tree line to watch her. Her wings folded themselves together behind her back drooping down against her dark blue kimono as she stared up at the sky. Gracefully, she slipped her feet out of her sandals one by one before resting them in the lush grass, letting out a heavy sigh at the softness.
A strong wind blew past ruffling her long blonde hair around her and sending the smell of her salty tears back to him. Her body remained still as she stared up at the full moon setting in the distant horizon, almost hidden behind the tall trees of the forest. She continued like that for some time before her head lowered and she cautiously took a step on to the water's glossy surface. Her body visibly tensed for a brief instant before she took a few more small steps. Ripples vibrated out from beneath her feet and new ones formed with each step she took. She didn't come to a stop until she reached the reflection of the bright, white moon, standing in it's spotlight before it would vanish from sight.
A few minutes went by before the butterfly demon acknowledged his presence. She tilted her head back, turning it just enough so she could see behind her out of the corner of her left eye towards him, "You are there, aren't' you, Lord Sesshomaru?"
Slowly, he made his way silently out of the trees, his cold golden eyes trained on her as she looked back at the lowering moon. She really did look beautiful to the demon lord, although he would never admit it out loud. Her blonde tresses billowed behind her in the cool breeze and the lake continued to ripple around her small feet where she stood on it's surface.
"I really do enjoy watching the moon." Her soft voice reached his sensitive ears, "Back in the village, when the moon was shining so brightly in the sky, I would watch it rise to be accompanied by the stars. To see it set like this almost makes me sad, you know?" Her blue eyes turned to him and she moved to face him, the moon barely visible behind the treetops now, "To see it disappear like this makes me wonder how lonely it must be to be the moon."
He stared at her, the wind continuing to dance her golden locks around her slender frame. Her tears had dried on her cheeks, and although her eyes smiled at him there was some hidden torment behind them. She couldn't mask the exhaustion that clouded her pretty features, not even behind that shy smile of hers. What was she trying to accomplish anyway telling the demon lord about her empathies towards the glowing rock in the sky? He began to question his father's judgement once again.
Sahara exhaled softly allowing a crestfallen look to overcome her face, breaking his train of thought, before slowly making her way back to land where she slid her sandals back on her feet and began walking in the direction the pair had come from, "I guess we should head back." However, this suggestion reminded the demon lord of the young girl's current situation. Just as she went to move past him, his clawed hand reached out, encircling her wrist, causing her to whip around to face him. Automatically her body took on a defensive position, her wings erect and ready to fly off, if she felt she needed to run.
"You would have faired well to remain in my chambers instead of seeking out the half demon." His voice was low, his tone cold as ice and he noted the shivers that coursed through her body.
"I didn't mean to seek out Touya." She replied clarifying which half demon she were to have sought out if she had, keeping her voice calm and then she paused to shift her eyes to the right, "Not at first anyway."
His grip tightened around her wrist and her blue eyes snapped back to meet his golden hues, his face closer to hers, "No? What changed your mind?"
"I-I wanted to..." She lowered her eyes again, this time to his dangerous clawed fingers that held her wrist staring at the two magenta strips that adorned the white skin at his wrist.
His eyes narrowed at her as he suddenly pulled her into him bringing her body against the armor at his chest causing more shivers to course through her body at the cold uncomfortable steel plate that touched her skin. His opposite hand that didn't hold her wrist entangled itself in her hair at the hollow at the back of her head forcing her to stare up into his eyes.
"You will answer this Sesshomaru." He took notice of the blood that rushed to her cheeks as she stared at him through heavy eyelids. Another gust of wind blew from behind her bringing the scent of her arousal to his nose and he growled impatiently, "Did I not warn you what would happen if you left me under unsavory circumstances?"
She blinked up at him suddenly snapped out of her trance. Sesshomaru could sense her demonic power begin to swell inside her, "I didn't leave to run away, Lord Sesshomaru, if that is what you are so concerned about." He narrowed his eyes at the statement. Why would he be concerned? She was the one who would ultimately die, if not by him than by the effects of their bond, if she chose to run. Then again, he wasn't so keen on the idea of either circumstance at the moment, "I left because you were gone, obviously you had no use for me, and so I went to seek out answers. I sought out my brother when my father told me he was seeking me out and heading towards your palace."
Sesshomaru growled again lowering his head closer to hers' so she wouldn't miss a word watching the fear flash briefly behind blue pools, "I would prefer it if you would refrain from calling that half-cat demon your brother."
She glared daggers at him in response, "I would prefer it, if you would stop telling me what to do."
Sahara made to pull away from him, but his hand that still contained her wrist dug its sharp claws into her delicate porcelain skin and she cried out in pain. His other hand that had a hold of her blonde hair released it's position to grab a hold of her other hand that was pushing against him and he brought it to his chest trapping her against him. Had her anger been pure and untainted by the feelings coursing through her at his touch he knew she could have attempted to throw him across the clearing.
"You will remember that I am your superior and you will do as I say."
Her body froze, blue eyes wide in horror like she was just realizing his status and who he actually was. He could only imagine the terribly horrifying stories she would have heard, and in this moment remembered, about the infamous demon lord of the west: the merciless killer. Her jaw clenched tight, but she bowed her head and relaxed her arms, "Yes, My Lord."
He suddenly released her, taking a step back, his gold eyes staring at the lake behind her. She watched him briefly before feeling the ground rumble beneath her feet. She whirled around just in time to see a large black worm-like demon surface the lake. The creature had to have been the size of two thick tree trunks in diameter and at least half of it towered over them by a good twenty feet. It screeched out a howl at the dimly lit, morning sky causing Sahara to cover her ears at the piercing sound. Something dark flowed from the demon, reaching her senses, and she almost felt like she would instantly be sick. Her blue eyes focused back on it seeing the blackness coming off the demon as if it oozed from it's pores.
"A demonic aura?" She had felt them before, never thinking they were something that could have been seen. But this aura felt different to her, darker even, than the demonic auras of the castle servants or even Sesshomaru.
The creature stilled and suddenly ceased it's long loud cries before rearing what would've appeared to be a head, only there wasn't exactly one. A large hole made up the end of it's body and as it turned on the two, Sahara could make out sharp spikes leading inside what she assumed to be a mouth. The thing didn't even appear to have eyes!
Sahara's body was trembling now, whatever demonic power she felt possessed when she was facing Sesshomaru had instantly vanished from her as she looked upon the monster in horror. The sound of cracking caught her attention and she glanced back at the demon lord, her eyes growing larger as she studied him. Golden eyes glared at the demon before them in annoyance as he lifted his right hand in front of him, the source of the cracking sound being his knuckles. The claws that had just pierced her skin moments before were now elongated and glowing a bright green color and she sensed the poison.
"Vermin." His voice was menacing as the beast lunged towards them. Sahara barely had time to cover her face with her arms in an attempt to protect herself before Sesshomaru had raced towards the demon worm, jumping into the air and slicing the thing in half with his claws.
A loud crash causing the ground to shake notified the young woman that the beast had fallen and she slowly lowered her arms to look over at the demon lord who flicked the blood from his fingers. He stood between her and the fallen demon starring at an object he held in his calloused hand. She was unable to remove her eyes from his broad figure. The sun slowly began to rise behind her, it's powerful rays dancing off his long silver hair. She took a step towards him a strong desire to observe him up closer filling her body and soul. His masculine features continued to observe the object in his hand seemingly unaware that his intended mate was watching him. Her eyes traced the stripped markings on his cheekbones several times before she realized she was standing next to him, but a small empty space remained between them. His beautiful golden eyes glanced over at her and she became entranced in his gaze.
"Lord Sesshomaru." Her eyes lifted to the crescent moon mark on his forehead between his brows. She longed to trace it with her finger. She began to slowly reach up to it when his hand grabbed her wrist again and he stared at her the emotionless mask on his face once again.
"You are tired." He stated when she made no move to escape his grip. Her bright blue eyes still trained on his forehead in a daze. He released her and turned on his heel clutching the tiny object in his opposite hand.
Sahara blinked when the crescent moon vanished from her sight and she stared after the demon lord suddenly realizing what he had said before leaving her with the torn corpse. "Hey! Wait a minute!" She was a bit surprised when he stopped mid-step and turned his head towards her. She took a deep breath, "That shard, what is it?"
The demon lord narrowed his golden eyes at her, "It's nothing for you to be concerned about."
"But..." Her voice grew quieter as her nerves started to kick in, "It's tainted. The demonic aura around it is... sickening."
He turned to fully face her re-observing the small pink shard again. There was indeed a darkness deep within the fragment of the sacred jewel, but he didn't find it to be too threatening, not like some of the others he had come across before. He lifted his gaze to the butterfly demon in front of him. Her blue eyes watched him cautiously, Her hands hung loosely at her sides.
"Does it weaken you?"
Sahara's blue eyes blinked in confusion at him, her wings twitching behind her back, "Weaken me? I don't have any powers."
"You are a demon. Of course you have abilities."
"Yeah, flying." She grumbled averting her eyes down to the worm demon, "I would have been this thing's breakfast had it not been for you."
"Hm." He turned on his heel making to leave again when her voice reached his ears once more and he gave an irritable mental sigh.
"Shouldn't we get that purified? You aren't going to take it back to your castle, are you?"
"Are you that concerned about it?"
There was a moment's pause before she answered him in a low tone, "Yes, it bothers me. I don't want to be around it."
He didn't answer, instead he continued back into the woods in the direction they came from. "I'm not taking it to the castle."
"Where then-?" She stopped herself noticing his dark figure disappearing into the forest. Barely able to see the long white fluff that towed behind him from his right shoulder. She let out an annoyed sigh before hurrying to catch up to him before she completely lost sight of him.