Disclaimer: Inu-Yasha and all related characters are property of Rumiko Takahashi.

Author's Note: A thank you to all who so kindly reviewed. You were of immense help- I never expected so much valuable feedback. Chapter One has been revised accordingly.

A thanks to:

FeathersInTheWind
Khepri
Shisuku
SITboyShippou
Rae
Me
AIKO
aninaig
Shizuka Kaze (Out of curiosity... what does Shizuka mean?)
SugarBee
MoonlitIcegodess
Fantasy Giver
Inu-Draken

::Start::

Kagura took a long drag on her cigarette, nervously flipping it between her fingers. She cracked her neck, wincing slightly as the vertebrae popped loudly. Turning her attention back to the tinted window of the limo she was in, the demoness stared beyond her scarlet-eyed reflection and into the black night. Blowing out the hot, ashy smoke that had gathered in her lungs, Kagura took another puff before squashing the red-tipped addiction into a nearby ashtray. She let out a small cough then flipped out a mirror to check her makeup. From across the car, the driver cocked an eyebrow.

"Nervous, Miss Kagura?" Kagura snapped her head up. Narrowing her eyes, she fought down the bile in her throat.

"I'm never nervous. I've never been nervous. I was born for this. This is my job. I'll never-"

"You're ranting," the driver stated calmly, chuckling to himself. Said person was a fit, good-looking young man of about 20-some years. He was quite obviously taken, however, by the looks of the solid silver band that was wrapped securely about a certain finger on his left hand. This had succeeded in driving off many women, indeed, if not the fact that he wasn't interested. His partner was the makeup artist of the group, and was currently fiddling with Kaguya's eye shadow.

"Don't know why you picked blue..." The man complained loudly, attempting to dab at the bright cerulean blue powder lining Kaguya's eyes. She protested loudly as well, trying to back away from him.

"Get off me, you freak! Stop it! Get off me now!" The driver growled.

"Stop it, you two. Don't make me pull over... Jakotsu, remove your hands from that poor girl. Hey! I mean it! Don't hit him, Kaguya! Jakotsu! Do not bruise that woman! You two, stop it now or I'll-"

Kagura began to block out the sounds after that. This happened on the way to every party. Kaguya would have some weird concoction on her face, Jakotsu would try to fix it, and all hell would break loose. Just like always. She would have sworn it bothered her, but in a strange way, the patterned arguments calmed her. They were stable, they always happened, and thus, they were a bit of firm ground in her ocean of a life. Somehow, though, Kagura always found herself more and more seasick every time she woke up.

Like how she'd never get out of this hellhole. No matter how defensive and convincing Kagura tried to be, even Bankotsu knew she hated herself as well as her life. Even so, if she ever got free of her contract and her reputation, Kagura knew she'd probably go back to prostitution. After all, it was quite literally the easiest thing she'd ever done. She'd worked other jobs before, back when she had the chance, and they'd all been much harder than her current job. For Chrissakes, she was making cash while she catnapped. If there was an easier job than that, Kagura wanted to know about it, not to mention have it. Her mind drifting, Kagura leaned her head against the frosty window. She didn't notice the chill, nor the pale smear discoloring the glass until Jakotsu and Bankotsu yelled in anguish.

"Kagura! You are ruining your makeup!"

"Kagura! You are ruining my window!"

::Next Scene::

The limo was eerily quiet as it pulled up to a decent mansion. Old and shaped just like an old castle, Kagura smiled after seeing it.

"Like it's straight out of Dracula or Beauty and the Beast or something..."

"It's beautiful..." Kagome whispered in awe, pressing up against a window as well. A stifled moan came from Bankotsu, but nothing too loud. Kikyou, never one for sight-seeing, cleared her throat.

"Ok, Kagome. You seem to be the most informed about this. Mind telling us what's going on here?" Kagome snapped back to the present, shrugged, and licked her already shining pink lips.

"Yeah. Apparently, some big-shot's having a Halloween party or something and wants us to entertain his guests. It's a costume party, and our costumes are waiting inside. They promised me that we'll being showing so much skin it's insane, but it's nothing we're not used to. We're early, and we've yet to change into our costumes, so we better hurry up and get inside before the guests start arriving. We're each being paid by the hour, and anything we pick up besides that is ours to keep. Of course," Kagome's perky face went sour, as though she had just tasted something extremely unpleasant. "Jaken already confiscated the cash paid to us by the owner. However, I... forgot to mention the picking-up thing to him. So whatever we earn tonight, girls, is ours." A grin spread around the limo, catching on everyone's face, and all of the women joined hands quickly. Kagura cleared her throat before muttering

"We're independent women, some mistake us for whores..." The rest followed up with a decisive and concluding

"I say, why spend mine? When I can spend yours." A laugh and a few more smokes were shared before they all got out, heels clicking in a professional and teasing manner on the cold stone steps.

::Next Scene::

"Koharu, could you get that zipper...?" Sango murmured in a strain voice as she attempted to twist to pull the zipper up on the back of her all-leather costume. "Ugh, I'm going to be so damn hot in this... if I die of heat stroke, sue for me, ok?" Koharu giggled and nodded, eyeing the dominatrix outfit Sango had on.

"But you look really good." Bobbing down in a makeshift curtsey, Koharu showed off her own tiny French maid skirt.

Kagome laughed and spun in her flashy bar maid outfit, giving a high five to Ayame who wore an identical piece. The only difference lay in the color; Kagome's highlighting her gray eyes with a sky blue fringe, Ayame's bringing out her startlingly green eyes with an emerald border. Kikyou herself had on an outfit that looked a bit like Sango's; strappy, leather, the like. When Kaguya came out in a similar outfit, minus a good deal of clothing, no one was surprised. Apparently, she was interested in getting off the floor and into a room as soon as possible. Kagura snorted. Psycho. Yura's wasn't much better, having slipped on a pirate wench's outfit that looked to be about a size -1. The skirt was hitched, and in all honesty, she would have been better off without the skirt in general.

After much congratulations on each other's brilliance, the group turned to Kagura.

"Uh, Kagura?" Ayame asked, cocking her shining red head. "You're supposed to get dressed. It is a costume party, you know." Kagura shrugged and looked away.

"Whatever."

"Does your outfit not fit?" Kaguya smirked. "Gotten a bit pudgy?" Kagura snarled, her eyes flashing.

"It does too fit! At least I don't look like you, you great big-"

"Ladies! Please! Now is not the time to fight! We go out in five minutes!" Kikyou said, her barking voice cutting to the quick. Kagura and Kaguya each looked away, refusing to admit defeat, but Kikyou seemingly took no notice as she dragged Kagura by the arm through the changing curtain. "C'mon, you... you're putting it on whether you like it or not."

"I don't want- mmph!" Kagura's next choice words were shoved down as Kikyou pushed her current clothes off and her costume for the party on. Smirking while making a few adjustments, she pushed the offended witch out into the open for the other girls to see. A bit of sarcastic applause, thanks to Kaguya, met Kagura's enraged ears.

"I cannot believe I'm doing this..." Kagura muttered, tugging angrily at the sides of the shortened kimono. "I cannot believe I'm doing this..." A few girls rolled their eyes.

"Y'know, for a girl who makes her money every night by spending a few hours without clothes on... you complain a lot," Yura snickered. Kagura bared her teeth.

"At least you don't look like a hick!" She snapped, tempted to cross her arms over her chest. She had just what the doctor ordered on- a kimono so short it put Yura's outfit to shame, the front opened to her belt, and no bra to be seen anywhere. Huffing slightly, she rolled her forever-tense shoulders and allowed Jakotsu to touch up her makeup. She looked at the door to the party with grim apprehension. "Let's do this. I need the cash."

::Next Scene::

A sensual, pulsing beat filled the room, shadows cast about by lanterns and the twisting forms of the dancers. Kagura sighed, catching her breath against the wall. She'd just had a brief encounter with a man in the hallway, and was still struggling to breathe properly. Maybe she was smoking too much lately. Kagome always said it would kill her, but Kagura said if the cigarettes didn't, then her stress would. Kagura breathed in deeply, catching the heavy, lacing scents of arousal and alcohol mixed as one. I live for this, she reminded herself forcefully, and moved her body away from the chilled stone walls.

The inside of the castle-like mansion was identical to the outside; a cold feeling lingered about the darkened corners and nearly drafty hallways. Kagura, far from intimidated, found it an excellent breath of fresh air. She got sick of the constantly crowded and almost choked feeling of the club. Once the people started filling in, there was no way to rest until the club was closed. Even lying in a bed in the upper floors didn't help; if the sound didn't prevent full, peaceful rest, then the smells and your partner would. Here, though, all you had to do was step into the hallway. And once you were there, you could make a few extra hundred yen.

Kagura looked about the room carefully, letting her training and mind sense those who would both pay the most and be the easiest to please. Her flashing red eyes lingered over the form of Kagome, who was currently in the lap of the owner of the house. His silver hair was almost glowing in the near-darkness, and his hanyou ears twitched slightly on top of his head every time Kagome shifted her hips. Kagura smirked. So much for the bar.

The she-demon's eyes struck more gold; or, rather, silver. A man, tall and unmoving, stood in the corner opposite of Kagura. His eyes were on the dancers, shifting from one to the other without a particular preference. Kagura mentally challenged herself. He would pay an excellent sum, she was willing to bet, but he'd be difficult. Otherwise, one of the other girls would have taken him. He was too good-looking.

Sauntering through the crowd, earning catcalls and pinches of appreciation from some of the men, Kagura kissed and caressed her way over to the man of her choice. Sliding up to him gracefully, she almost pouted when he didn't even acknowledge her presence. Her hands slowly wound their way up around his neck, pulling his head down to hers. Kagura's breath hitched a bit when she was met with a piercing gold gaze. Biting her lower lip and noticing in a satisfactory sort of way that his eyes flickered briefly downward, Kagura drew in closer to his mouth.

"Hey..." she mumbled as she drew herself up along his chest for a kiss. Surprisingly, he didn't draw away like Kagura had originally thought he would. He didn't lean down, however. When Kagura's tongue flickered out, he drew away.

"What do you want?" He asked, his voice soft but as freezing as the mansion walls. Kagura found it increasing hard to breathe due to the gathering smoke and heady scents, but smiled charmingly.

"Whatever you want, sir. My name is A-" She was cut off by him turning his head away. "Sir? Is something the matter?"

"I do not desire your services." He said just as frankly, his eyes once again traveling to the dancers. Kagura smirked, trying to hide her inner disappointment.

"Oh, really, sir? Because you seem awfully infatuated with those dancers over there. Would you like to dance?"

Dance? He wondered, his mind caught slightly off guard. He had used the dancers as a distraction, not as a reason. His eyes narrowed slightly. Dance... with this prostitute? He supposed it was possible. He was not paying for her nor her friends. They were free entertainment as long as they were in the room. Sighing quietly, the man had to thank his brother. Half-brother. Thank you, Inu-Yasha.

"Yes. I will dance with you." Kagura had to bite her cheeks to stop from smiling in glee. Sliding her hands smoothly down his lean body, she felt for a wallet along the way.

Bingo, she thought as she felt an altogether-too familiar lump in the pocket of his jacket. And he's loaded, too. Grasping his hand in hers, she pulled him along with her to the makeshift dance floor, where a combination of Tel Roujian girls and other female guests were entertaining the men. Twisting her body along to the music's time, Kagura felt her worries and fears drift away slowly to mix with the beat and the sweat of the other dancers. Pressing her back against a girl she didn't recognize and her front against her current customer, she felt a spark of pleasure when she realized he could dance. Very, very well. He stayed with her easily, pushing her steadily harder against himself and the people around them. She gasped with laughter when she discovered he was asking her for more. And more he would get.

One arm around his neck, Kagura led him to the center of the floor, which was packed with guests. Slipping back up to him and pressing her mouth against his ear, she mumbled

"What's your name..." His voice, suddenly rasping, met her own ear as he took her waist in his somewhat warm hands.

"Sesshoumaru."

::End Chapter::

Author's End Note: I am sorry for the delay. My roommate crashed our computer and then forgot to call the mechanic. When I explained I needed it fixed because of this story, they explained how I needed to go to hell. We don't always get along.

Review kindly, please. And another round of thank for everyone who already reviewed.