Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of it's characters.
A/N: Sorry for the long wait, you guys! I hope you enjoy this extra long chapter! I hope to have the next chapter up in a couple of weeks! ^-^
Sahara blinked rapidly attempting to adjust to the dim light in the wooden room she shared with her siblings. Her lids felt heavier than normal and a congested sounding cough erupted from within her chest when she attempted to sit up. This room... she thought gazing about. Her head throbbed with a minor headache, But I was.. with Lord Sesshomaru...How'd I...? A sharp pained cough erupted from her chest and she caught the dark red, spotty mucus in the palm of her hands and gasped.
Blood.
Panicked and shaking she tried to get up to run into the other room, but her unusually small legs caused her to find herself back on the bamboo mat that served as her bed, "Papa!" Her little voice screamed hoarsely when she could finally find it, which surprised her as well. When was the last time I called father "papa"? Unfortunately, the question was immediately discarded when the effort to be loud enough caused a rapid wave of coughs to overcome her. She grabbed the blankets to try to suppress them, the pain making it impossible to think and she began to sob, "Papa!"
"Sahara?" Rima was the one to come to the doorway that had been left ajar and peered in, "What's wrong?" Her nine-year-old body rushed over when she saw the state her youngest sister was in.
"It hurts..." She replied between coughs of blood. She gazed up at Rima, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"I'll get Father, stay here and do not move." Rima ordered after checking the blonde child's temperature with the palm of her hand.
Sahara watched helplessly while the raven haired girl darted out the door as fast as her feet could carry her in her short orange kimono. Her eyes shifted down to the blanket that she began to cry into. Her throat was dry, her mouth completely devoid of moisture, but was replaced with the coppery taste of her blood. Pain still pulsed inside her chest. Why?
"...She woke up screaming, Father. And there's blood."
Okumo led Rima back into the room as the child explained the situation. His face glistened from the sweat of working in the rice fields to the east of their little home. He was heading back from the end of his shift when Rima called down from the house. "Her fever?"
"It hasn't gone down."
He knelt beside the small child who looked up at him with pleading bright blue eyes. Tiny flecks of gold still glistened within the iris of her right eye. Too small to be noticed by someone who didn't already know they were there. HIs arms encircled her and brought her wretched form against him, not caring that she was sputtering blood all over the collar of his gray hoari.
"Is Lady Sarylah not coming back?"
Okumo shook his head as he rubbed Sahara's back soothingly. "In the straw basket is a medicinal herb. Mash it with some water until it becomes a paste and bring it here."
"Yes, Father." Rima turned and left the room.
"Will I die?" Sahara's round face glanced up between coughs and her father smiled letting slip a small chuckle. She mentally smacked herself in the face for saying such a stupid thing. Although, it wasn't like she could control what she was saying at this point.
"No."
"What's wrong with me?"
He brushed her bangs back and away from her sticky face, "Do you remember the other night?" When she responded by shaking her head Okumo chuckled again, "You came out of bed in the middle of the night and walked outside. You said that the moon was singing a lonely song to you and you had to leave."
She peered up at her father in wonder. She tilted her head to the side, did she really? She couldn't remember doing such a thing, not that she could remember much about what had happened and why she was here in the first place, "I wasn't night walking?"
"I had thought so. But your mother gave you a present, do you remember that? She told you that it was very special and when you grow older it will be your duty to protect it." Sahara furrowed her thin blonde brow at this as Okumo continued, "You have to be strong in order to allow her gift to adjust to your body."
"My body?"
He opened his mouth to explain, but was cut off when her pupils suddenly dilated and her face became much more porcelain than it had been in some time. Her coughing and the blood had ceased it's ravaging of her body, but it still shook in his strong arms.
"Mama." Sahara's voice was a hoarse whisper as she peered up at the ceiling seeming to look through it, "She's-" Her vision began blurry with tears. Within moments they were overflowing and rolling down her face. Something bad was happening. It was filling her chest and squeezing her heart.
Despite his tight grip he had around her, Sahara managed to scramble out of his grasp and raced towards the door. In her blinded desire to get to her destination she pushed past Rima, who had been coming with the medicinal paste Okumo had instructed her to make, and out the front door where she was intercepted by Touya.
"Hey! Where'd you-" Her little legs were carrying her faster and faster, eyes focused on the tree line, when she found herself locked in her brother's grasp, "-think you're going?"
"Mama! Let go! MAMA!" Sahara thrashed about, kicking and flailing her arms in a futile attempt to get away. A feeling of desperation, pain, and now anger digging through her small form. She couldn't comprehend what was going on, except that she had to hurry and get to her mother at all costs.
"Hey! Calm down!" Touya was doing his best to pin her to the ground, "What's gotten into you?"
"NO!"
The eleven-year-old male released his sister to cover his ears of her deafening scream, but she no longer made a move to get up and run. She was wailing into the earth now. Her face becoming muddy as her tears soaked the dirt beneath her face.
Sahara blinked having been suddenly taken aback from the scene now playing before her. She hardly remembered this day, the day her mother died. Blue eyes darted about taking in the scenery. She now stood in her present, almost-sixteen-year-old form just outside the moderate sized hut she'd lived in for the majority of her life. Observing herself, the little girl now cradled in the arms of her father, sobbing uncontrollably, looked about five. Rima knelt beside Touya placing her hand on his shoulder and the siblings gave each other a concerned look. Gwen was probably galavanting in the village with some children and Kindra had not yet been orphaned. Sahara recalled the ache in her chest, the absolute need to be somewhere, but not knowing where.
Why am I seeing this?
"Forgive me. I was exploring your memories when I happened upon this. I hadn't realized her death affected you in such away that it would bring you here with me."
Sahara turned towards the female voice that came from behind her. The owner was a woman who looked to be at least twenty-years-old with violet colored eyes and light brown hair. The woman wore a simple deep green yukata that was held together by a pale pink obi.
"I mean, I was affected too. Not as strongly as you, but I knew as soon as she left this world. We're all connected, you know?" The stranger pulled a piece of white cloth from inside her sleeve and walked over with it outstretched to Sahara, "Here."
"What's this?"
"For your eyes," She smiled, a sweet apologetic expression, "You're crying."
Sahara reached up to touch her cheek and sure enough wet droplets were leaving streaks down her face and more were continuing to cascade towards her chin. She accepted the cloth and dried her tears with it, trying to get a hold of herself while the woman explained.
"This," She motioned back towards the vision of Sahara's family sitting frozen on the ground surrounding her child-self, "is the day I lost the sense of not only mother, but you too. I haven't been able to figure out how you managed to become cut off from me, it seems this is the furthest memory I can retrieve from you."
"I don't even remember this very well."
"People tend to subconsciously bury things that are traumatic." The woman sighed and did a wave motion with her hand. The vision before them faded into blackness and then suddenly Sahara found herself standing on the river bank. In front of her, a slightly older Rima was attempting to catch fish with her bare hands.
"Rima!" Gwen called from down the river. Her voice ringing with laughter at her older sister's clumsy attempts, "You can't do it like that! They'll slip through your hands. Smack them out of the water." Chestnut hair that was tied back behind her back, bounced as she imitated the movement.
The raven haired girl glowered at her sister, "Shut up! I know that!"
"Touya, I wanna try too!" Sahara heard a higher pitched version of her own voice come from behind her and turned to see a seven-year-old vision of herself tugging on the sleeve of Touya's hoari.
"You're still too young. The river would sweep you away."
Her bottom lip curled up in a pout, "It's not fair."
Sahara turned to her right side where the woman now stood. Her arms were crossed, hidden in the sleeves of her kimono as she studied the scene intently. "It's strange," She finally spoke after watching a few more failed attempts from Rima as Touya and the little Sahara continued to argue about why it was too dangerous for the latter to go into the deep water, "I've never seen humans take so kindly by anything different than them before."
"You don't have a family?"
She chuckled somberly, "I did, until I was about ten. Mother ran away for some reason, I guess to have you, and father was... well... let's just say the villagers I was raised around did not like him very much. He had been seduced by a demon and sired her half-bred child. They killed him as soon as they found the opportunity."
Sahara's eyes grew wide and she released the cloth she had had in her hand, "I'm so sorry."
"Don't worry about it."
"Um..." Sahara fidgeted before retrieving the item, "You're my half sister, right? I- I don't even know your name."
The woman forced a smile to crack across her thin lips fully turning to the younger woman and bowed politely, "Ah, yes, my name is Yukiji. Its' nice to meet you, Sahara." She turned back around and pointed towards the bright blue sky just over the treetops on the other side of the river from them, "Do you see that?"
Squinting to adjust to the sun's brightness as she followed her sister's finger, Sahara looked hard, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. A bird flew past, but that couldn't be what her sister was pointing to. "No."
Yukiji's violet orbs glanced over at the young woman beside her, "Look harder. There's a flickering of light."
"Oh!" Briefly, a jagged lime green and yellow colored light flashed in the distance and was gone in an instant.
"When you were young, you must have barely noticed these fleeting colors. It's Mother's barrier. It's what blocked me from ever coming into contact with you. Distorting time of course, so that way you'd age along with them." She shifted her body back around and a cold smile tugged at the corners of her thin lips, "I'm envious of you. She set you up with a nice family and an enclosed environment where you'd be safe."
Darkness overcame the pair's surroundings forcing Sahara to look around uneasily at their new empty and vast blackness. "What's going on?" Yukiji seemed rather unnerved by it too. Her stance became defensive as she eyed Sahara suspiciously.
"It seems we are not alone in your mind."
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
Akime was making her way back to the palace. The night air was warm against her face, it's gentle breezes caressed her hair causing it to tickle her nose, but she ignored it. Too lost in her thoughts as she cut through the meadow that separated the Western Lord's castle from the surrounding woods. She was biting her long thumb nail thinking back on her visit with her brother. What am I doing? A nagging guilt feeling was gnawing it's way through her stomach. She narrowed her vision on the castle that loomed before her. Had she ever done anything like this before? No. Not once. And Sesshomaru had many women throwing themselves at him before. Only on very rare occasions did these petty women actually pose a threat to the blue haired demoness. However, even as a threat, they never lasted very long.
Flings with Sesshomaru were usually just that, flings. Women he found slightly interesting, but never actually cared for. He'd always search for her. He'd always come back to her. She just had to be patient. So why did this one insignificant girl rub her the wrong way? Because he hadn't wanted much of anything to do with Akime for seventy-two years? Or... Her thoughts began to waiver as she laid eyes on familiar black boots planted a few feet in front of her. Was there more to his reasonings for bringing the butterfly demoness back with him?
She lowered her hand from her mouth as she allowed her eyes to quickly travel up the pale blue attire of the man before her. His style of dress and the fashion of his armor mimicked the lord whom had captured her affections, but his surprised hazel eyes could not compare to those gold irises she was so fond of. "I did not realize you left the palace. That's quite unusual for you, Akime." Takeshi recovered quickly forcing his expression into a friendly smile, "Do tell. What adventures have you trekked."
"It's none of your concern." She said in a dismissive tone as she began to walk around him, not hiding the fact she intended to brush him off.
He chuckled lightly, but the sound stopped her mid-step, her chest tightening in fear at his next words, "Ah, Kazuhiro resides in that direction, does he not? Did you have a sudden desire to see your brother? You know, Lord Sesshomaru would have probably allowed you one of his dragons to make the journey faster, if you'd only asked."
"I did not need it. The walk was good enough for me."
"Did you not want him to discover this secret of yours?"
She glared at him from the corner of her eye, though his back was turned to her so he could not see, "It's not important. I didn't see him."
"You're a horrible liar. Always have been." He turned towards her his face still smiling that dark smile of his, "Not that I have a problem with you visiting your brother, I mean, he is the only family you have. It's just..." He became thoughtful for a moment and then his tone became menacingly darker, "I recall how you despise him, as do I. I know what he deals in and I do not approve of it at all. It's a horrible trade. Which reminds me of your jealous rage in the hall this afternoon..."
"I was not jealous!" Akime whirled around to face him fully, her temper unable to hide the truth behind her eyes, "I'll be damned before I view myself as lower than that wench!"
His features became slightly angry, "You should not insult the Butterfly Princess, Akime."
A chill struck her core immediately at his words. Princess? "Why do you care so much for that girl? I thought you were only loyal to Lord Sesshomaru. You hardly know her!"
"Oh, indeed. Lord Sesshomaru is always my main priority." Before she could even utter a sound, Takeshi's dark smile lightened a bit, "Consider this a warning then, If harm shall befall Lady Sahara due to some scheme you may or may not have concocted with your brother, I will personally see to your death."
Akime simmered like a bowling pot, "What the hell does that mean?"
"It just means not to do anything irrational if you value your life." He lifted his hand towards the sky, summoning his demonic power. "I'll be watching, Akime. Remember my warning." With that he vanished into the clouds.
Princess...? If the woman was a princess then... could she... really be...? If so, then looping her up with Kazuhiro will be even more dangerous. Sesshomaru would kill me for sure. She brought her nail back in between her teeth nervously. What could she do? Perhaps talking to him directly would be her best option right now? Yes. She decided her brown eyes becoming determined. I will speak with him directly.
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
"Lord Sesshomaru?" Yukiji tested the name on her tongue as she examined the man standing before her. She twirled a lock of light brown hair around her index finger while circling the dog demon lord with analytical eyes, "He's handsome at least. He seems rather..urm... distant? Closed off?" She let out an exaggerated sigh when she completed her cycle and stood before the image, "I guess I'm just not seeing the appeal of the stoic, arrogant, stiff types."
Sahara heard her own voice 'tsk' in response and glanced away from the palms of her hands to the owner. Her doppelgänger, as Sahara liked to call the representation of her demonic power that had been sealed away from her for sixteen years (or seventy-two depending on who you ask), had her arms folded across her chest and was tapping her sandaled foot impatiently. Her golden eyes were fixated on the young woman across from her, practically steaming with irritation.
"No one asked for your opinion in the first place. Will you please quit invading our privacy and leave?"
"Oh, quit. This is interesting." She waved off the image of Sahara's bonded and turned to the original still sitting on the floor in shock, "Mother bonded you to him?"
Sahara could only nod in response. She still couldn't wrap her mind around this whole situation. They were in her head, in other words, she was dreaming, but it was all real. And the source of her power, her other self, was sealed here. Unable to fully connect with her as she should have when she was a child. What was mother thinking? The whole thing was completely insane and didn't make any sense. Why cut her off from her demonic powers when she was supposed to be sent off to live amongst demons in the first place?
"Well, she was probably thinking the best way to keep you secluded in a human village would be to disguise you as human also. Your... lover... on the other hand-"
"He's not-!" Sahara went to protest when her golden-eyed-double interjected.
"Bonded."
"Whatever," Yukiji dismissed the pair, "I just don't understand. Why? Is he powerful? I can't really tell from your memory. It gets all fuzzy and weird whenever he's involved."
"Because it's none of your business!"
Yukiji's amethyst gaze glowered at the slightly shorter girl standing a few feet away, "I'm trying to help you here."
"No body asked for your help!"
"I did." Sahara spoke up, "I want to know more. You said you lived with Mother for about ten years, right? Is this... something she'd do?"
She shrugged, "My situation was very different. I don't need to be disguised. The village I was raised in after my father's death, was close enough to the butterfly demon clan that it didn't matter I was half-demon." At her youngest sister's sigh of defeat she added, "I mean, Mother was always thinking about my future, regardless. She taught me to hone in my elemental magic over water."
"Water?"
"Yeah, she..." A fond, warm smile grew across her thin lips and she looked up reminiscing, "She would take me to the lake every morning and would teach me. I couldn't do it like she could. Pulling water out of thin air. I have to have a source."
"So... my fire magic?"
"Well, that in itself is unusual. Your father possessed it. Mother would tell stories of him to me. About how her pursued her when she was younger and how powerful he was. Regardless though, usually butterfly demons inherit the mother's power. It's how they keep it in the bloodline, despite mix-racial breeding."
"Mix-racial breeding?"
"Yeah, you know, when demons breed with humans or amongst different species of demons. It not common that way by any means, but it doesn't mean it isn't possible." She giggled at her younger sister's confused expression, "Did you think Mother would seriously bind you to a dog demon and expect you never to have children?"
Sahara's face heated. The very idea of having children or even just one child had never crossed her mind. She could barely wrap her head around the fact she was supposed to marry- or mate- with him, as he put it. The very idea made her shudder and she shook her head. "I haven't even-"
Yukiji's outburst of laughter cut her off, "But you've thought about the process, clearly." She winked a violet eye in the doppelgänger's direction who glowered in response.
"Lord Sesshomaru is powerful and attractive. It doesn't bother me that we are to be mates."
"Well it bothers me!" Sahara retorted standing to face her golden-eyed self, "This whole thing bothers me. You, you can't keep taking over like you did in the study! That's completely not me! I would never have kissed him. We've only just barely met!"
"If I wasn't in control you'd have done far more than just kiss him. I absorb a lot of the effects of our bond. That simple kiss you speak of was what had seeped out and into you because I could hardly contain it. You don't realize how strong this actually is."
"I see." Yukiji tapped her chin thoughtfully, "The reason everything I see pertaining to him is you blocking me out."
Golden eyes flashed briefly to Yukiji and nodded before returning to the frazzled Sahara, "Exactly. Not that I have much of a choice in the matter. We aren't' connected. Why do you think our eye color is different?"
Sahara took a deep breath, "Yours are are the shade as Lord Sesshomaru's. I can only gather that our bond has caused that as well."
"The more powerful the blood, the stronger the bond, and the more obvious it is on the person." Yukiji smiled, "It's impressive, really."
"But why?!" Sahara turned back to her sister practically pleading for answers, "Why leave me with father and the others if I was just going to be thrown into his life to begin with?! Why not keep me as a demon?"
Yukiji shook her head sadly. "I don't know. To protect you obviously. She kept you safe beneath a barrier with people who would love you. She did you a favor, really." She mumbled bitterly, "Perhaps, she knew her barrier couldn't last forever so sought out another means of protection for you. This Lord Sesshomaru, assuming he is actually powerful." A lightly humorous chuckle left her mouth, "I mean, slicing a giant worm demon in half doesn't really amount to much."
"How dare you!" Golden-eyed Sahara took a step forward, her fists clenched at her sides.
"I didn't mean any disrespect be it. Calm down. I only meant you can't exactly tell someone is super powerful unless you've witnessed it. That's all."
"But didn't you just say the stronger the blood..." Sahara furrowed her brow.
"Yes, but that could primarily come from you."
"Me?" Sahara tilted her head to the side, "I'm not powerful."
"Well, no, she is." Yukiji nodded towards the still fuming double, "But she is still you, in most respects. A little more hot-headed, but I think that's just the fire she's harbored for you for so long."
Sahara gazed at her double who really didn't seem at all much different than Sahara felt. How could she be more powerful than Sesshomaru. It seemed uncanny. Impossible even.
"I possess all four elemental powers."
"What?" Sahara's eyes widened and Yukiji cocked her head a bit intrigued.
"Fire is my primary. It comes very natural to me." The doppelgänger continued, "But I have been testing it out a bit while of been suspended here. I can kind of use wind magic and I can feel the earth rumble in memories. Water is a bit tricky, but since my affinity for fire is so strong it shouldn't be surprising I would struggle with the water element."
"That's true. However, I don't... no. That's impossible. Are you sure you haven't just been locked up here for too long?"
Sahara observed her sister, "What's impossible?"
Amethyst eyes gazed at the blue-eyed blonde fro a time before she spoke again, "There's never been a butterfly demon whose had capabilities to harness all four elements. Except for one. The original."
"Original?"
"Yes. The very first butterfly demoness. It's a long story, but our race was not-"
Yukiji was unable to finish when Sahara felt an intense sharp pain rip through her head and she screamed. Her body crumpled to the ground and she held her head in-between her hands trying to minimize the feeling, but it was no use. She felt like she was going to split into two. Her sister was at her side in an instant, but Sahara couldn't make out anything the woman was saying. Her own breathing and cries had been blocked out of her hearing as well and she couldn't think straight enough to figure it all out.
"You have to go back. You've been here for too long." The golden-eyed version of herself said, the only thing Sahara could hear clearly. She bit her lip through the pain to look up at her double only to see that she was beginning to disappear.
Yukiji was pushing through to Sahara though. She cupped her slightly calloused hands around Sahara's cheeks and turned her anguished face towards her. She too was beginning to fade, but Sahara could make out something in her head that her sister was saying.
"Find me, Sahara. I live near a mountain towards the North called Mount Hakurei."
"But I can't get away. Sesshomaru-"
"He can't hurt you. Noble Demons inflict bonds between their offspring in order to ensure the pair will mate. That's the whole purpose."
Sahara nodded and grimaced from the pain in her head.
"Remember. Mount Hakurei."
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
.
An orange glow flickered behind Sahara's eyelids when she finally began to wake. The smell of the burning fire mixed with a familiar masculine scent filled her nose pleasantly. A steady thumping against her right ear was surprisingly soothing to her. So she listened to the rhythmic sound for a moment. When she was content with fully becoming awake she allowed her eyelids to slowly open. Sesshomaru's strong jawline came into view first, followed by the magenta stripped markings on his cheeks, his gold eyes that stared forward, the color swirling like that of a flame, and the crescent moon that adorned his forehead between his silver bangs. She twisted her head a bit to see that she was cradled carefully in the softness of his mokomoko. The movement alerting the demon lord to her awakening.
"Were you overexerted from you brief visit to the village?"
Sahara flinched at his words before looking back up at him, "You're still upset about that?"
Gold eyes flickered in her direction before returning his attention to the fire, "This Sesshomaru does not get upset over trivial matters. I simply asked a question."
She forced herself not to grumble out a, "your tone says otherwise", remark she would have made to one of her siblings, knowing full well he hasn't used any other tone of voice with her before. Unless one counted the times he'd invade her personal space with a kiss, but she'd rather not remember those. Instead, she responded with a measly, "No." before turning to roll out of his hold.
She arched her back as she reached towards the ceiling in a stretch. Somehow, she felt more refreshed and alive than she had in the last few days. Her conversation with Yukiji and her other self made her feel a lot more confident. She turned from the fire to face her intended who watched her closely from his spot on the floor.
"I know you'll forbid it, but I have to find Yukiji."
Sesshomaru's brow furrowed, "Yukiji?"
"My sister. She lives towards the north near where a mountain had fallen not too long ago. Mount Hakurei," She tapped her finger to her chin trying to recall her dream, "I believe is what she said it was called." Her thoughtful position was broken at his low growl. Her eyes looked down at him a bit surprised, although she shouldn't have been.
"Mount Hakurei..." He stood so that his body towered over her, but she rooted herself to the ground. Her stubborn gaze now staring at him defiantly and this irritated him greatly, "You've awakened from a dream-"
"It was not a dream, Lord Seeshomaru, my sister made contact with me."
"Be silent." His clawed hand reached fro her arm, but she took a step back.
"I won't! You cannot control me, Sesshomaru. I will find my answers and I will meet my sister in person regardless of your-" Sahara was unable to finish because she had to duck away from his next attempt to grab her. He will not suppress me, I won't let him. She thought using her smallness to her advantage.
Unfortunately, the dog demon was too quick and the room too small. Sahara was backed into a wall within moments. His much larger hands held hers on either side of her head. Her heart beat raced in her chest and she knew he could feel it through his palms that leaned heavily into her wrists. There was no point in her struggling now. His hard body pressed into hers like a steel wall. Sesshomaru's mouth was slightly turned up in a triumphant smile, but his eyes still expressed his anger.
"You've seemed to have forgotten whose lands these belong to."
Blue eyes glared up at him with all the determination they could muster in such a position, "You cannot hurt me because of our bond."
As soon as the words left her plump lips, the demon lord snapped. Before she could even think to take her next breath she was thrown down on to the hard wooden floor with a loud thud. She attempted to sit upright fear gripping her throat when his clawed hand wrapped around her right ankle and dragged her towards him. She cried out from the searing pain that was caused by the small amount of green substance being leaked from the claw of his index finger into her skin. When her body finally ceased it's movement across the floor in his desired place, so that each of her legs resided on either side of his knees, Sesshomaru released his grip on her ankle and leaned over to grab her wrists. Her moistened blue eyes gazed up at him not even bothering to attempt to hide her fear. His hot breath was in her ear as her mind wrapped itself around the fact that his most recent action forced her kimono to ride up to her mid-thighs.
"Remember this the next time you stupidly get the idea in your head that this Sesshomaru does not have power over you. You are only correct in the fact that I cannot kill you myself. Causing pain is a different matter entirely."
She swallowed taking in a shaky breath, "You still intend to come and go as you please. Why can't-"
"I expect you to remain here and do your duty." He inhaled her scent just below her ear.
Sahara flinched from the pain that still pulsed in her ankle when she attempted to move it so she could roll him off of her. She was unable to tell if the poison was spreading or not, "Duty? What are you...?"
Sesshomaru exhaled as he lifted himself up just enough to look her in the eye. The closest sound to a sigh Sahara imagined she would probably ever hear from him. Unfortunately those fierce, molten orbs returned the fear into her own gaze, "You are tied to me though our bond. Practically 'married' in your human terms." His brow furrowed when she continued to stare up at him blankly, "You've essentially become the next Lady of the West."
"Eh...?" Was all the sound Sahara could make in response.
Her thoughts, on the other hand, were swimming. Why didn't I realize this earlier? Of course being betrothed to him would make me his lady. I'd have to... to... Rule people? Could I do that? And I'd be expected to... have his... No way! He's mad! The hell is he thinking?! She pushed her wrists against him with all the might she could muster and had managed, despite his half-hearted effort to keep her pinned, to sit up in front of him so that she faced him head on.
"I don't know the first thing about-"
"You will be taught by Rei-Lin."
"But its not just that! I'm supposed to... supposed to..."
The corners of his mouth twitched upwards when her blue eyes lowered to their knees, her mouth fumbling for words she obviously did not want to utter, and her cheeks were becoming flushed with whatever idea that had crossed her mind. He waited patiently for her to come out with whatever it was she was supposedly supposed to do when she suddenly got in his face again.
"Regardless, I still have to find Yukiji! She has powers too and she can-"
"You are not going."
"Why? Why is it such a horrible idea for me to go?"
He glared at her. For a woman who was fearful of him a minute ago she sure was being rather stubborn. "How long did you spend with the humans before your desires for this Sesshomaru overwhelmed you?"
She blinked at him confused before tilting her head to the side, "I don't know, about an hour or so." Realizing why he asked such a question she quickly deflected it, "But thats gonna be the same for you when you are away, isn't it?"
"This Sesshomaru has been bonded to you for seventy-two years. There's an immunity built up from that."
"Then I'll-"
"You're not strong enough."
"You can't know that if I haven't even tried!"
His right hand released her wrist and cupped her chin to hold her face in place causing her to gasp at his touch, "You're trying right now and you aren't succeeding." The dog demon leaned in towards her pointed ear again feeling her pulse quicken in the palm of his other hand. Her body shuddered when his breath reached her skin, "Quit playing these foolish games, Sahara."
The fire crackled and popped in her ear, but all she could focus on were his molten honey eyes and the feeling of his large hands. The one that still gripped her trembling wrist and the other that moved from her chin to plant itself at her left hip, guiding her body closer to his. Very much aware of how her pelvic bone resided against his knees. Her left hand had grabbed ahold of his sleeve at some point during this, holding on to it as if her life depended on it. His mouth descended from the lope of her ear to the column of her neck. Kissing and licking as he went. That irritating feeling was building at the pit of her stomach again and the peaks of her breasts felt funny against the silk material of her kimono. Her body wanted this, wanted him, and there wasn't anything she could do about it now. Except close her eyes and pray for it to end.
"Sesshomaru, you're not being fair."
The demon lord's tongue found a place on her throat that made her instantly moan. Her heart fluttered, her toes curled, and her hips squirmed a bit. He pulled away briefly to assess her. Her beautiful golden hair flowed behind her and framed her face in a simple elegant way. Her bangs framing the heart shaped mark on the center of her forehead in much the same way his own framed the crescent moon marking. Her eyes had reopened at his movement and watched him anxiously. Her cheeks were still a bright pink color and her lips...
Before he could even think to stop himself, Sesshomaru's hand had found itself tangled in his intended's long golden hair at the back of her head to keep it steady. The fire light flickered in the background, shadowing her face, and making her blue pools look deeper and darker to his gaze. Her perfect rosebud lips parted slightly in anticipation. This position was familiar to them both after all. With every second that passed her eyelids moved to close as his face grew closer to hers. At first, he lightly caressed his lips against her own and then captured them aggressively, pulling her up so that she straddled his waist. Her hands splayed across the exposed part of his smooth chest, as if to keep some distance between them. However, the action was sending electric signals though his body that he was determined to ignore.
His hands traveled to the back of her kimono, untying the knot, tossing the fabric to the side, and pulling the robes from her shoulders. Sahara's body tensed and her eyes flew open at his movements, but his fang digging into her bottom lip kept her from completely pulling away. He slowly opened his eyes to reveal golden, lust-filled pools that made her catch her breath at their intensity.
"Sahara,"
Sesshomaru would not have known he had spoken at all. His voice had been so quiet, but the huskiness of her name made her shudder above him. His eyes traveled over to the left side of her shoulder and he reached out, moving her hair around to her opposite side.
Craning his neck while using his clawed hand still trapped in her thick locks to guide her head to the side, Sesshomaru lightly brushed his lips against the base of her throat. He then trailed his tongue over her soft skin. A small moan escaped her mouth causing him to briefly glance over to her face from the corner of his eye to see she had closed hers from him in an attempt to mask her desires. Her body, on the other hand, reacted differently to him. Sahara's soft, long, and delicate fingers had moved from their position over his pectoral muscles to the folds of his hoari. She probably didn't realize that her tight grip on the cloth was causing the material to slightly move from his shoulders, exposing more of his skin to the warm air. Well, the left side of his chest at least. His mokomoko still resided over his right shoulder restricting much movement of his top from that side. The scent of her arousal was becoming more and more potent to his sensitive nose. Sesshomaru could just barely sense her demonic energy pulsing within her, calling out to him to complete their bond, but he forced his inner demon to ignore it.
Focusing on what he wanted to accomplish, his tongue slowly trailed over her right shoulder and up the column of her neck again. Her skin tasted slightly like the earthy scent of his private bath oils mixed with her delicious natural flowery smell that he adored so much and it almost sent him over the edge. If he didn't find what he was looking for soon, he would surely make quick work of their clothes with his claws and take her innocence over the table behind her.
It seemed that the fates were in her favor because not long after the thought crossed his mind did Sesshomaru come across the same spot halfway up her throat, where her vein pulsed quickly against his tongue and she moaned loudly in his pointed ear, tightening her grip on his shirt so that her knuckles turned white. A few more passes of his rough tongue over this sensitive treasure caused her arousal to come at his senses in powerful waves. Although he could have probably assessed as much since her hips were starting a slight grind against his lap. His name left her mouth when he retracted his wet tongue and replaced it with his lips, sucking and nipping her sensitive spot hungrily.
Something salty smelling assaulted his senses causing him to cease his teasing to look upon her face and was about to question why she was crying when she had opened her watery eyes and looked to him with pleading pools. Understanding sparked within his mind and immediately he pushed her down until she rested her upper back on the low wooden table. Sahara's eyes widened, surprise replacing her plea, as he hovered over her. Golden eyes locked on her blue ones watching her expression. Her cheeks were slightly red now, but her eyes expressed her uncertainty and nervousness. Sesshomaru would have to be quick in proceeding before her self-consciousness took over her need for relief.
In one quick motion, he inserted a single clawed finger in between the petals of her womanhood. Immediately she cried out his name in shock. Sahara clamped her hands over her mouth in an attempt to conceal her loud moans and gasps of pleasure while her intended mate pushed and pulled his finger from within her. But not even biting her tongue could keep her from expressing the foreign, yet wonderful sensations that sprouted from her core when he added his thumb to the mix. Rubbing the sensitive bud that resided just above the tunnel where his finger was still pumping. Something inside her was continuing to build at a much faster rate forcing her to close her eyes from him as she threw her head back. Her hips bucked forward of their own accord over the long digit burrowing inside her.
Sesshomaru continued to monitor her reaction to his movement carefully He wanted to bring her to her climax without causing her much discomfort. Although it was extremely difficult, even for him, not to replace his finger with his hard cock that was restrained against his hikama. He leaned over her and brushed his nose and lips over the skin of one of her exposed breasts. Taking care to watch his fangs, Sesshomaru took the hardened peak into his mouth and sucked on it tenderly. She cried out again at the pleasure. Her hands coming down from her mouth to clutch his shoulders tightly. His free hand reached for her other nipple and began teasing it relentlessly.
Her walls began pulsing harder around his finger now, her orgasm was nearing it's climax. Pausing in his attention to her breasts, he moved to enter in a second finger. Barely even succeeding in sliding the fingertip in when she suddenly hissed in between gasps. Her upper body jolted upright slightly and her right hand found his wrist holding it in place. Her opposite hand supporting her on the table.
His emotionless mask was still in play as he stared at her panting form. Her blue eyes were tinged with a gold color that stared at his chest for a moment before looking up into his face. Her pleading face once again tearing into him. "It hurts."
The demon lord retracted the second finger and she relaxed a bit, removing her hand from his wrist and bringing both of them around his neck. Lifting herself slightly she buried her face in his left shoulder taking in a shaky breath and his musky scent. He could sense her embarrassment through her aura and felt the build-up of her orgasm still strongly pulsing around his finger.
"Please, Lord Sesshomaru."
Complying with her desires immediately, he began his previous motions only faster this time. His mouth becoming occupied with the breast his hand was now holding. Not much time past before she was moaning into his neck while grinding her hips against his hand, keeping in time with his rhythm. Sesshomaru hadn't realized he'd closed his eyes while enjoying her sweet smelling scent and the sound of her calling his name in his ear, until a wooden floor board from somewhere down the hall alerted him to someone approaching.
He retracted his mouth from her skin to look over her shoulder at the slightly open door. His mind had already conjured up the only few people who would dare come near his study at this time of night, especially with the scent of sex heavily in the air, before his senses could pick up on the intruder. If it was exceptionally important, Rei-Lin would, making herself known by strengthening her demonic aura before coming within a few feet of the door. Takeshi came to mind for a brief moment, but was immediately discarded since he had left Sesshomaru's castle a few hours earlier. No, this tip-toeing presence could only be one person.
Sahara's cry of release distracted him for only a moment as she threw her head back and arched her body so that her breasts were rubbing harder against the muscles of his chest. He stilled his hand allowing her to pulse dully around the digit for a bit longer until her orgasm subsided while she panted against him. His gaze returned to the door, this time finding a shocked pair of familiar brown eyes peering at them from the gap between the door and it's frame.
The demon lord narrowed his eyes and sent a warning growl in Akime's direction, the sound catching Sahara's attention causing her to turn her still gold-infused eyes on him, before following his glare to the now empty doorway.
"What is it?"
Honey orbs softened considerably turning to look upon his bonded once again, "Nothing." He removed his finger that was now coated with her clear mucus, capturing her attention again once she recovered from the discomfort of her sudden emptiness. Sahara's cheeks, already flushed from her experience, reddened further watching him bring his clawed finger to his mouth. Her eyes widened as he cleaned off her substance slowly, seemingly savoring the taste, before his seductive eyes captured hers again.
"You should get some rest." Sesshomaru huskily told her, his voice barely above a whisper. His clawed hand found a favorite place on her chin and he ran his thumb over her slightly bleeding, bottom lip slowly while studying her questioning expression, "There is something I need to take care of."
A crestfallen look overcame her features, "What about you though?"
He revealed a handsome smile that Sahara couldn't read before closing the gap between their mouths, "You can just barely contain my single finger let alone much else."
Her expression became embarrassed once again and she turned out of his grasp. Her frown deepened and she began to chew at her bottom lip a motion that made the demon lord's inner demon want to forget everything he just said and take her on the floor where she sat. However, the words she spoke next ceased all that for the time being.
"You..." She faltered turning her head towards him, but landing her gaze on the cushion beside his foot, "You won't seek out someone else?"
"Sahara." She lifted her gaze slowly to him. The gold color that had been in her blue eyes had vanished without a trace, "You, and you alone, are only capable of satisfying this Sesshomaru in that way." Sahara blushed again, but nodded in understanding.
Sesshomaru picked up her green obi from the ground and assisted Sahara to her feet. Her legs were still shaky from her orgasm, but she seemed determined to keep them steady enough so that she could stand without any assistance from him. He glanced down at the inner side of her ankle where he had poisoned her. The wound had already healed of the green venom and was closing. Not that he was surprised. His poison claws could not do much damage to someone that was bonded to him. His blood was infused with hers, able to fight off his abilities. Sahara adjusted her robes back in their rightful place around her body, she turned away from the demon lord allowing him to secure them with the obi tying it behind her back.
"This Sesshomaru shall accompany you to our chambers." He told her before walking in front of her and opening the door further.
Sahara nodded following close behind. She hugged herself to try to ease her still trembling frame. She'd admit he won the argument by distracting her. Stupid! Why are you so stupid, Sahara? She chided herself. Letting him do that stuff... Stupid! Her mind was still a bit numb from her experience. She couldn't think clearly, exactly. Thoughts about leaving to find her half-sister were the furthest thing from her mind at the moment. Instead, uncertainty haunted her mind as she watched the demon lord in front of her. They rounded a corner and moved up the steep wooden stairs that led to his bed chamber.
"He can't hurt you." Yukiji had said, "Noble Demons inflict bonds between their offspring in order to ensure the pair will mate. Thats the whole purpose."
Mate... Produce heirs... But I don't... Tears threatened her eyes so she furrowed her brows and took a deep breath. A loveless union. She dug her nails into her shoulders. The thought making her stomach feel queasy.
The pair reached Sesshomaru's bedchambers and he slid open the door and allowed her to enter first, following close behind, and shutting the door. Sahara headed straight for the wardrobe on the side of the room and hurriedly removed her clothes in favor of the light sleeping yukata that hung there. She was tying the sash around her waist while she turned to observe her intended. He had walked past her while she dressed and stood on the balcony looking out into the gardens. His tall, broad frame was shadowed by the moon which hung in the starlit sky. Although, his silver hair seemed to shimmer in the light.
"Sesshomaru?" When he didn't respond to her Sahara stepped out on to the balcony next to him and peered up into his face.
His gaze slid over to her momentarily before examining the garden below. Sahara looked down from his face, taking note that he hadn't adjusted his clothing at all. His white hoari with the red sakura symbols on it remained slightly open. Still revealing his toned chest. The sleeves just barely holding on to his shoulders. Hesitantly, she reached out and stroked the mokomoko that rested on the shoulder closest to her. The white fur was soft and warm. So cozy feeling that it made her eyelids droop. Her vision engulfed his face once again. Her body was still coming down from her climax, however, no longer trembled. There was an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach. An uneasiness, she supposed, that she childishly wished he'd take away from her.
If I go along with it. If I allow myself to be overtaken by our bond... Would it all just go away? If all we are meant to do is produce heirs?
"What business is it that you must take care of, Lord Sesshomaru?"
But... I don't want...
He turned to face her, which caused her to take a step back at his sudden closeness, "It is nothing for you to worry about." He was about to turn to go back in to the room when he suddenly paused and took hold of her chin. "Why are you making that face?" Sahara blinked confused when she felt the wetness on her eyelashes and her throat suddenly became dry. Like it does when she is about to cry.
...A loveless union...
She swallowed hard before replying, hoping her emotions could hold out fro her long enough to not choke on her words, "Would it be alright if you..." She lowered her gaze to the side unable to move her face, "if you stayed with me until I fall asleep?"
Sahara was terrified of his response and it didn't make her feel much better when he didn't make a sound, nor a move. Say something. Anything. He removed his hand from her skin and continued back into the room. "Come." Her heart fluttered in her chest and she almost let her tears fall in spite of herself. But she blinked them away and followed him to the bed.
Sesshomaru had lain out his mokomoko around his shoulders and rested his head on top of it. Sahara crawled over to him, untucked the blankets, and easily slid into them. The air from outside danced in it's cool and refreshing way stirring her blonde hair about. She reached the white fluff closest to her and brought the end to her chest. Aware that his honey colored pools watched her, but ignored it. She was glad for his company and the comfort of this soft attachment of him. It eased her mind and put her body to rest.
"Goodnight, Sesshomaru."
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
Akime clutched the folds of her kimono at her chest trying to control her breathing. She leaned further against the wall beneath the stone balcony that led up to Lord Sesshomaru's rooms. She could hear their murmured conversation. Something about the way he spoke to the butterfly demoness made her stomach churn into knots. Akime could barely reign in her aura enough to not be noticed by him, although she wasn't very sure he could smell her scent or not, she was so angry.
She felt foolish eavesdropping, but the vision of the golden haired woman grinding on Sesshomaru would not leave her mind. She wanted to slash the female's throat out and stab her a good dozen times. How dare she?! How dare she take what was rightfully Akime's? Her spot next to Sesshomaru. She clenched her fists. Footsteps above her notified her they were returning to the room.
Tossing her objective of finding out whether or not the butterfly demoness was actually a princess or not out of her mind. Akime left her post and stormed back into the castle through a servant's passageway in the wall. She had to make her preparations to be ready to meet her brother the following night.