With Jakotsu's speed, it wasn't long until he and Kagome arrived at the hot spring. Upon arrival, Jakotsu took a deep breath. He was relieved to be as far away from Bankotsu as possible. Whenever the leader lost his temper, he'd hate to be on the receiving end of his wrath. The very thought of him sent chills down his spine.

It took a moment for Jakotsu to come back to reality and he gagged at the knowledge that this disgusting creature known as a female was touching him. He was quick to drop her from his shoulder and a sound of displeasure escaped his lips. He knelt to unbind her and tossed her a piece of cloth.

"It's a wash cloth." Jakotsu stated judging by her confused expression. "Clean yourself up and make it quick. I'd like to get back before Big Brother does."

Kagome stood, her legs wobbled beneath her. She began to undress, doing her best to be modest and cover her intimate spots even though it was obvious Jakotsu was the least bit interested. Maybe it was for her own comfort, since this was her first time undressing in front of a man.

The warm sensation of the hot spring immediately started to soothe her sore muscles and battered limbs. She released a breath and felt herself relax. She knew moments of pleasure such as this wouldn't come regularly, so she took advantage of the short moments she had of this.

It wasn't until Jakotsu cleared his throat that Kagome snapped out of her dazed state and hurried to clean herself. Thankfully, the blood came off without much trouble. Once she was finished, Jakotsu held out the kimono he grabbed to her. Seeing she was cleaned and dressed as Big Brother ordered, her hands were bound once again and the two of them headed back towards the castle.

The expression Kagome wore could easily be mistaken as one of sorrow, but in her heart, there was nothing. When Bankotsu told her that he was going to keep her alive, she had already accepted her pending death. She wasn't giving herself false hope to come out of this situation alive, she knew better than that. She wasn't hoping to be rescued. She wasn't waiting for him. Kagome had made up her mind. Even if Inuyasha was looking for her or if he came to take her away, she didn't want him to. If she was going to die by the hands of Bankotsu and the Band of Seven, she was going to die with dignity. The one thing Inuyasha could never take from her.

The entire walk from the hot spring to base, Kagome let her mind wander to pleasant times. Her mother, her brother, her grandfather, her friends, her life before she came to the Feudal Era.

I wish I could see you all … one last time.

Silence was a drastic change from the deafening screams he had caused earlier that night. It made his thoughts even louder, that alone aggravated him. Bankotsu continued to wander through the trees until he could find the next village pub to score some sake. He promised a celebration and he wasn't one to break his word. But the walk gave him time alone with his thoughts. His mind was raging. He tried to focus on a strategy to be rid of Naraku but his train of thought continued to steer off-course. No matter what he tried to focus on, his subconscious kept returning to the raven-haired beauty he took captive.

He shook his head vigorously and tried to reason with himself.

Why did I keep her alive? I guess I could use her to detect jewel shards. But … why didn't I kill her?

As he tried to come up with every logical answer possible, his mind made logic seem like a myth. He was reminded of the look he saw in her eyes, telling him that she had every right be afraid of him, but she held her composure and didn't cower under his presence. That look made him curious of her. The thoughts of the miko turned more intimate and he couldn't help but groan at the sight of her luscious legs exposed from that indecent, strange kimono she wore and the perfect view it provided whenever she bent over or the fabric riding up her thighs torturously slow. Mukotsu was right. She was definitely a sight for sore eyes. He thought mischievously of the young girl's body connecting with his. He wondered how soft her skin was, if she tasted as good as she looked, what sweet sounds she could make, how his name sounds leaving her lips. A part of his anatomy awoke and his hakamas felt constricting in an uncomfortable manner. Bankotsu growled in frustration, wanting his brain to be rid of these absurd, annoying thoughts.

She's Inuyasha's wench. She's the enemy. Don't be stupid, Bankotsu. You kept her alive because she's no use to you dead. Nothing more.

He argued with himself, but his manhood refused to obey. What irritated Bankotsu the most was what lied beneath his lust for the innocent priestess. The questions he couldn't answer; why did Bankotsu want to claim this woman for himself? Was it because she was a benefit to him? Was it because he liked a pretty girl to keep his bed warm? Or was it something else?

He emerged from the trees and found lanterns lighting some town he didn't recognize. Spotting a tavern on that road, he went to grab the sake he promised. A drink was most needed after mental battle he'd dealt with from the moment he saw the wench.

Kagome sat obediently, a short distance away from the mercenaries. To the members of the Band of Seven currently guarding her, she was easy prey. An easy, vulnerable target. The thought of her screams as they commit inhuman acts on her was thrilling and tempting. However, each of them knew better than to disobey their leader's orders. He obviously had motive behind his actions, and even though they didn't know what they were, they decided it was best to not doubt him. They've witnessed first hand the capabilities of their leader, more than once. Whether he was furious or simply bored, the aftermath of his power was petrifying. After all, Bankotsu wasn't the leader of the Band of Seven for nothing. He may have been the youngest, but his strength overpowered each of them. Even as a whole, they couldn't hold a candle to Bankotsu. Disobeying or betraying him would earn them a fate even worse than death, and they all knew it well.

She sat in the corner with her hands bound. Her presence to the men was that of a mere insect. They ignored her while keeping a close eye on her and continued their conversations. While Kagome tried her hardest to focus on happier times, her ears betrayed her by bringing her focus to the things they spoke of.

I love it when they beg for mercy.

Did you see that pest who had the balls to stand up to me? It was so amusing when he screamed as I burned him alive.

It's too bad that we didn't keep more women alive. We would've had more to entertain us and pour our drinks aside from this wench.

Don't you love it when the grown ups throw themselves in front of the children to save them? Such a pathetic effort.

This village didn't put up much of a fight. I can't wait 'til we find some worthy opponents.

She shivered at their words. She couldn't understand how these men found such pleasure in taking the lives of innocents. She thought that maybe they weren't always like this, but it wasn't necessarily her place to find the answers. She was their captive, their servant. And any moment alive she had should be cherished.

Sounds of footsteps that could only be noticed by highly trained ears erupted from the trees and a moment later, Bankotsu appeared. He hadn't cleaned himself up from the earlier raid but the blood covering his face, clothes and halberd was clearly fresh. He wore a proud smirk on his face as he handed a large sack to Jakotsu. He opened it and happily unloaded the many sake bottles that were held in it. When Big Brother said they were celebrating tonight, he wasn't kidding.

Jakotsu eagerly pulled out the sake bottles as Bankotsu walked towards the captive miko who was, surprisingly, remaining quiet and still. He looked at her expecting her to flinch at his presence or tremor in anticipation, but she didn't move. Her blatant lack of fear annoyed him. It wasn't until he spoke that Kagome bothered to look at him.

"Tonight, you will be pouring our drinks for us. Any disobedience will cost you your life."

Bankotsu's voice showed Kagome that her life was worthless. However, just like earlier, the indescribable look in his eyes didn't match his words. In fact, his glare told her that for some unknown reason, he didn't want to kill her. It was baffling to think so. But though his words were harsh, his tone was soft. She didn't spend much time dwelling on it. Instead, she nodded and awaited orders.

The night carried on full of laughter and cheers of victory. The Band of Seven drank to their heart's desire. With the pile of empty sake bottles growing by the minute, the men retreated to bed one by one until the only ones left were the leader and the miko.

Kagome sat quietly beside a drunken Bankotsu. An uncomfortable silence fell upon them until Bankotsu started to mumble incoherently. Kagome glanced up at him and was shocked at the sorrowful expression he wore. No matter his tone or actions, she'd noticed by now that his eyes deceived him by unlocking emotions or secrets that he refused his tongue to expose. But this time, everything about him from his composure to the softness of his cheeks and even the slight frown he had told her that whatever was on his mind wasn't pleasant. She wanted to know what the mercenary was thinking about and understand what made him feel any less than joyful after a fulfilling night of celebration, but she pushed the urge away after deciding it was none of her business. The very thought of trying to understand her captor was absurd. She reminded herself that she wasn't a friend or guest. She was a prisoner and this man who sparked her curiosity was the same one who held her fate in his hands. Knowing that she was concerned for the man did nothing but puzzle her even more. Why did she care if Bankotsu was upset? They didn't have a relationship of any kind. They haven't even had a decent conversation between them.

Kagome put a halt to her thoughts when Bankotsu suddenly stood and turned to face her.

"We're turning in for the night. Let's go." He nodded his head in the direction of the castle and she stood, failing at hiding the blush the crept across her cheeks once she realized they were going to sleep in the same room. She swallowed loudly before nodding and standing to follow him.

As they walked through the halls, Kagome could spot dried blood in every direction she looked. If anyone else had seen the stains covering the walls, floors and even the ceiling, they would've thought an army had caused this massacre. But she knew the power of these seven men matched that of an army, if not exceeded it.

Bankotsu opened a door to a room Kagome figured he claimed as his since he stood to the side and motioned her to enter. He set his halberd, Banryu, against the door and began to undress. Kagome retreated to the furthest corner from him and stared down at her feet, not allowing her eyes to wander. Bankotsu noticed how uncomfortable the girl was and chuckled out of amusement at her innocence. After his haori was removed he snatched a wash cloth from the water bucket kept in the corner. His lips curved into a wicked smirk at the devious idea he suddenly had.

He turned to face the priestess and ordered her to come closer. She took note of his bare chest and could feel the blush spreading her cheeks. Snapping her eyes back to the floor she shyly walked towards him. When she was within reach, he grasped her chin and forced her innocent chocolate orbs to meet his intense cobalt gaze. His smirk only widened at her blush.

This is going to be amusing.

"This blood will be harder to wash off by tomorrow. You're going to clean me."

Her eyes widened at this and she swallowed at the idea of touching him. She couldn't hide her blush just by the sight of his bare body, now she was going to do more than look. Just when she thought her face couldn't get any redder, she could feel her face hot with all the blood rushing to her cheeks. She shook her head hoping to clear it and grabbed the cloth from his hand after it released her chin.

He stared at her intently as she did as she was told. His tan skin glistened from the water, wiping away evidence of his lust for blood. Her mouth went dry when she moved the damp cloth over his chest that felt like it was chiseled out of stone. Her eyes wandered over his physique and couldn't help but imagine her hands mapping out each hard muscle in his body. He knew she was practically drooling over his perfect body and felt his chest swell with pride.

So the miko likes how I look, eh?

She snapped back to reality and continued her task. After inspecting and finding no more blood, she moved her focus to the blood covering his face. She gently began to rid his face of the blood of his victims, soon realizing her eyes were glued to his. The time it took for her to finish felt much longer than mere moments. She stepped back and told him that she was finished.

"Thanks wench." His tone was soft but that damned word still made her flinch.

"My name is not wench. It's Kagome. Ka-go-me. I hate that damn word."

Had she been any other woman, she probably would've received a harsh backhand as punishment for telling him what he can and cannot call her. But coming from the priestess, he found it slightly amusing. But he couldn't help himself as he stepped towards her, looking like a predator ready to pounce on his prey. For each step he took forward, she took one back. This pattern continued until her back was pressed against the wall and his arms caging her in. Her heartbeat was rapid.

Shit, I'm in trouble now. She thought nervously to herself.

His eyes narrowed at the intimidated miko and brought his face closer to hers. His glare didn't falter as the space between the two closed until his lips grazed her ear. His hot breath against her made her shiver as did the whisper that followed.

"It'd be wise to watch what you say, Ka-go-me." He mocked her as he called her by her name for the first time, "One wrong move may get you punished, maybe even killed. But lucky for you … I like a woman with a little fire." She made a soft sound that almost sounded like a squeak when Bankotsu bit her ear lightly to emphasize his point. His words stir something inside her that she couldn't wrap her head around, and the feeling didn't settle when he pulled back to stare into her eyes. He showed his signature smirk taking the girl's uneasy state as a victory. "Don't worry, I won't do anything to you tonight." She could still smell the sake on his lips before he stepped back. She didn't have time to fully register everything that just happened before he grasped her wrist and pulled her to bed with him. She fell with a cry of surprise, earning a chuckle from Bankotsu.

She knew that she was going to sleep in the same room as him, but she didn't expect to be in the same bed as him. Her mind was going frantic.

"It's better to have you as close to me as possible. Can't have anything happening to my prisoner." He answered her silent question. It wasn't long after that Bankotsu drifted off into slumber.

Kagome stared at the man she laid next to. She couldn't understand what was so alluring about the man that she should be terrified of. She was curious of him and of the effect he had on her. She brought a hand to her ear, the skin tingling where his mouth touched her.

Bankotsu… why didn't you just kill me when you had the chance?

The exhaustion she felt earlier in the night had returned to her tenfold. She took a final glance at the man next to her before succumbing to the darkness.