Author Note. Sorry for the delay on this one. My baby hasn't been sleeping and any time I had for writing went out the window. The story is nearing its end and, unless it de ides to throw me another curve, I plan to have it wrapped up in one, maybe two more chapters.

I also plan to change the title and description for the story. It was born as a one-shot, but now that it has grown, the title I chose doesn't quite fit anymore. I may wait until I finish it before I change the title, I haven't fully decided yet.

But for now, on with the story!


The wave of youki spread throughout the palace and even into the lands beyond. Many who felt it cowered in fear at what it could mean. Some, who had known that pain themselves, bowed their heads in a moment of sympathy. But a select few took joy in it. They believed the lord's pain to be a portent of their inevitable success, and they began to enact the next phase of their plans.


Kimi was not happy. She had felt her son's pain, and the subsequent pull of her instincts to go and comfort her child and the rest of his pack was nearly overwhelming.

She didn't know exactly what had caused his pain, but the miko had been so weakened by the ordeal that her aura couldn't be sensed beyond the room she was in. Kimi feared that Kagome had not survived whatever attempt the fox had made. In such a situation Kimi's place was with her family, her pack, supporting and caring for them.

Instead, she was forced to repress and subdue her instincts so that she could deal with this pathetic little slimeball. Seething with ire she let another drop of her poison drip from a claw, smirking as he shrieked at the pain. They had been at this for the better part of a day and her patience was wearing thin. The imp's refusal to give in was surprising, but frustrating.

"PLEASE!" His voice was hoarse from begging, but still he had refused to reveal any information."Please show mercy! I never sought to harm my lord! I only wanted to free him from that human's weakening influence. To break the enchantment she has put over him!"

"You think your lord so weak that he would fall prey to a human spell?! You claim to act out of loyalty in the same breath with which you profess this weakness?! Which is it, toad?!"

Kimi sucked in a hissing breath, calming herself before trying another tactic.

"You know the truly ironic part of all of this? If that little Miko were here, she would never have allowed me to do this." A few drops of poison landed on his cheek to emphasize her point. "She would have encouraged your Lord to grant you mercy, to allow you to live in exchange for the information we seek."

Jaken's eyes widened at her mentiom of mercy, but Kimi continued on, driving the point deeper. "But, thanks to you, she's not. And so I am free to use whatever means I see fit." Another few drops fell, hissing as they met flesh.

"Then, of course, there is the matter of your compatriots. I know you didn't do this alone. No, you're nothing more than the sniveling little informant who betrayed his own lord.

I'm honestly surprised they let you live long enough to be caught once you had outlived your usefulness to them. They know you're here you know. Everyone does. And not a single soul has come to speak up for you. Not like the Miko would have."

He knew it was true. Kagome never held any great love for him, he'd made sure of that, but she had still often prevented his lord from abusing him, and she never would have allowed the torment that Kimi had visited upon him.

At last, something in the imp broke, and he began to weep for real. "I'll tell you." He whispered hoarsely. "I'll tell you everything."


Upstart nobles, blinded by greed and a hunger for power, thought to exploit what they perceived as a weakness in order to overthrow the Western Lord. They had enlisted the help of a dark miko and a rogue kitsune to weave the curse. Jaken had supplied the information regarding the Miko's habits and a time when she would be alone so they could enact the curse.

It was the usual tawdry tale and Kimi shook her head in disgust as she carried the info to her son, leaving Jaken on the floor of his cell. Whatever happened to him next was for Sesshoumaru to decide.