Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. This amazing anime was created by Rumiko Takahashi.

Editor / Beta Reader: Waffle (Thank you)

Rated Mature for violence, blood, coarse language and sexually contents, readers have been advised.

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Tangled Web

By: Swanna

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Chapter 4: Worthiness

"Is he going to be okay, Kagome?" Rin asked worriedly.

The fox demon would have been killed in a horrible way if Kagome hadn't shown up when she did. However, she didn't want to worry Rin further so she omitted that little detail.

Kagome patted her head and said, "Some of his wounds are deep but they're not life threatening so don't worry."

Rin nodded but kept her gaze on the boy's sleeping form, patiently waiting for him to wake. Kagome decided to take the opportunity and find out Rin's relationship with Sesshoumaru.

"Rin, how did you meet Sesshoumaru? And why are you living with him?"

The girl's eyes grew wide with hesitation. "Lord Sesshoumaru saved me two years ago."

Of all the likely scenarios that Kagome had thought of, that response was not one she had expected. It left her very disconcerted.

"My parents died in a car accident when I was six," Rin continued, sadness making her voice gravelly. "Since then I've been living with foster parents, but my foster mother would beat me whenever she was angry over anything. It didn't even matter if I was the cause of the anger, she just liked to take it out on me. And if she thought I was misbehaving, she would do things like lock me in a dark closet and starve me for days."

Kagome's mind was full of many emotions in that instant. She was feeling guilt, confusion and most of all rage. Confused and livid by the idea of child abuse. It was mind-boggling to think anyone would hurt a child, and yet they seemed to think what they were doing made perfect sense in their minds. She also felt guilty for asking about Rin's past due to her curiosity, and for making her relive the painful memories.

"Rin, I'm so sorry that I asked," Kagome touched her face tenderly with a soft caress. "You don't have to continue anymore."

She shook her head and gave a bitter smile. "One day, I finally summoned enough courage to run away during a school camping trip. I got lost in the forest and was attacked by a demon, but Lord Sesshoumaru saved me."

"And then he took you in?"

Rin shook her head again. "No, he didn't take me in right away. Even though he told me to leave, I just kept following him until I lost sight of him. But since I had nowhere to go, I stayed at the exact area that I last saw him and hoped that I would see him again."

Kagome's heart went out to her. Rin must have been desperate to follow Sesshoumaru, and she understood why the girl had felt that way. No kindness was shown to her until she met him, not since her parents had passed away. She could imagine just how disappointed, lonely and frightened Rin must have been.

"How long did you wait for him there?"

"I waited for two days and nights."

Her anger surfaced knowing that he'd left a child alone in the dark forest by herself when she had nothing to eat. But she shouldn't be surprised at all. It was typical of an unfeeling demon like him to do that.

"Why did you wait for him without knowing that he would return?"

"But I knew he would come back."

"Why were you so sure?" Kagome was at a loss, not understanding the girl's unwavering faith in him.

"Because Lord Sesshoumaru sent A-un to watch over me when I refused to leave the forest those two days. He brought me food and protected me from danger. Even after he took me in, Lord Sesshoumaru forced me go to school with other kids my age, saying that I need to reconnect with the human world." Rin smiled brightly, exposing her pearly white teeth. "Lord Sesshoumaru is actually very kind, and in the end he did return for me."

Kagome was dumbfounded and had trouble believing the words she was hearing. But for the first time, she saw him under a different light; less arrogant, less impervious to another's suffering, less irritating and more human. Perhaps there was a gentle side of the Demon Lord which had seldom shown through. And Rin had successfully brought out this hidden side in his character that she knew was there from the very beginning.

Rin lifted her sleeve to show her the scars running up her arm. The sight made Kagome's blood boil. "To me, sometimes humans can be scarier than demons."

Considering what the girl had gone through, Kagome didn't blame her for thinking this way. She only hoped Rin would learn that life was short and love was worth sharing for the many years she had to come.

"Argh…" The boy suddenly stirred in bed and came to consciousness. "You guys are so loud, I can't even sleep."

"You're awake!" Rin gasped, then beamed excitedly. "How are you feeling?"

"My body is killing me," he said, wincing from the lancing pain as he forced himself to sit up. Rin looked like she wanted to protest but he waved her off.

"Thank you for saving Rin. What's your name?" asked Kagome.

"Shippo."

"Where are your parents, Shippo? Let me notify them for you so that they can come take you home."

There was a pause as a strange expression came over his face. His features seemed to harden, and his emerald eyes seemed to focus elsewhere.

"Both of my parents are dead. A demoness killed them a year ago and she also destroyed our house. I managed to escape but I don't have a home to go back to anymore."

"You're an orphan…like me…" Rin's eyes became watery and her voice choked with emotion.

"I'm sorry," Kagome said somberly, sympathetic to his background and struggle. If there was anything that she could do to help him, she would. "Where do you live now?"

"I live in the wilderness to hide from the demoness who murdered my family. But this is definitely my unlucky day since I ran into you."

"I'm sorry…" Rin lowered her head until she was facing the hardwood floor. "You got hurt all because of me."

"That's…" He cleared his throat. "Well, it's not like I could've pretended nothing was happening and just walked away either. I'm a man and I should be protecting others from danger."

"Since you're awake, let me clean and dress your wounds," Kagome offered as she reached out to wipe away the dried blood on his face with a damp cloth. "I will get you something to eat after."

He swatted her hand away and scowled. "I'm fine. I'm a demon and I'm not afraid of pain. My wounds will heal fast so there's no need for bandages."

Kagome pressed on his forehead laceration and he immediately yelped and squealed in pain. "What are you doing?!"

"I thought you're not afraid of pain."

His eyes teared up. "How can you be so cruel to a child?!"

"Didn't you calling yourself a man earlier?" She grinned at him. "Are you going to let me tend to your injuries now?"

"Are you going to hurt me more if I say no?" he asked, almost fearfully.

"Maybe."

"Fine." He lay back and shut his eyes, allowing them to do whatever they want. "Just make it quick and painless!"

Rin giggled at the boy's silliness. A small smile touched Kagome's lips as she attempted to get back to her train of thought. Maybe she had been too presumptuous and quick to judge Sesshoumaru. However frightening and unconcerned he was, he could also show kindness when he chose to. He could give comfort. If these were some of his true traits then Kagome found herself wanting to understand more about him; to be able to read him like Rin and know what the cold Great Demon was thinking.

X X X

It was already nightfall when Kagome waited patiently by the deep rich blue Lamborghini parked on the driveway. The moon was luminous behind the black tree-tops by the forest, and the mild coolness of the night air kissed her skin. She would have reveled in the night's tranquility, but what she truly felt deep inside was a sense of foreboding.

Kagome knew that she would be playing with fire, and that she might anger Sesshoumaru to the point where he would become as enraged as he was on the balcony. Thinking back she must have somehow gotten on his nerves since the moment they'd met. They'd managed to steer clear of each other for the most part, even though they lived under the same roof. He didn't bother to conceal the fact that he was unable to tolerate it whenever she came near him either. Perhaps he liked his distance because her presence was simply unbearable for him.

Truth be told, Sesshoumaru irritated her more than anyone she knew; and his insulting attitude towards her made her resentful. But it was undeniable that her impression of him had changed since she had learned the details of how he had met Rin. Considering the extent to which he was willing to go when he saved an orphaned human child, Kagome's half-human lineage shouldn't have warranted such a level of dislike from him. This made things worse in her eyes, and it meant that there must be deeper explanation for it. An underlying cause for his contempt towards her specifically that she didn't know about. But one thing was certain, Kagome intended to find out eventually.

She was willing to put an end to their differences once and for all, and it wasn't because she wanted to get along with Inuyasha's brother. She knew their unnecessary disputes would only hinder and delay her plans for vengeance. With the death of Inuyasha, Kagome had become completely irrational. Revenge was her only goal and now it was almost an uncontrollable obsession for her.

And she wouldn't stop until Naraku was dead.

After another fifteen minutes, Sesshoumaru finally came out of the mansion's doors and he spotted her right away. Kagome noticed that he was in his human form, lacking the iconic crescent moon on his forehead and the two magenta stripes on each side of his cheek and eyelids. His vivid, waist-length silver hair gleamed in the soft moonlight and it was the perfect match to his fair, silken-looking complexion. Although he didn't have pointy ears, his undiluted amber eyes made him less human. As he walked towards her, he moved with grace and confidence, which spoke well of his bloodline. His perfectly tailored black dress shirt hugged his athletic figure.

"What are you doing here?" He demanded, eyes narrowed. If he was surprised to see her waiting, he didn't show it.

Every time Sesshoumaru came near her, she became conscious of his height and strength. Kagome was not used to feeling small or weak. The fact that he could cause her to experience either sensation without any apparent effort made her angry enough to stand up to him.

"I overheard Jaken telling A-Un to prepare your car for you as you are heading to the city tonight," Kagome answered evenly, determined to rein in her temper. "I'm coming with you."

"I don't remember inviting you," he said with a hint of male satisfaction and of pure, lethal focus.

"It's not a question, and I'm not asking for your permission either. I'm coming with you." She took a step closer to him, never taking her eyes from his. "You can threaten my life all you want but you agreed to this alliance and I expect you to keep your word."

She saw a spark of surprise in those amber eyes. One corner of his mouth curved slightly as if she'd said something amusing. "What a grand speech."

When Kagome remained silent, Sesshoumaru took another step closer until there were only inches between them. Her whole body became rigid at his proximity but she was unwilling to step back. She inclined her head to look at him as his piercing eyes searched her face.

"You don't fear me," he stated with conviction.

"Why should I fear you?" He'd made her feel indignant and unconfident, but never fear. "I figure you didn't agree to this alliance and make me come all this way just so you can snap my neck."

When Sesshoumaru realized the direction of her thoughts, he let out a soft snort. "I have no plans to kill you." He then added, "Yet."

She believed his words, for she knew he'd do exactly that if she either said or did something that ultimately pushed him beyond his patience and limits. However as a half-demoness, she refused to take an insult to her pride and back down. She'd go as far as she could.

Sesshoumaru watched her intently while she stared back, unwilling to give in; a cold stand-off that turned her blood to ice.

"My destination will not have what you seek."

Kagome knew the place he was going to may not have Shikon shards, but she needed him to change his opinion of her and start taking her proposition seriously. Very seriously. To achieve that, she needed time with him alone.

"Even so, I'm still coming with you," she insisted adamantly.

"Suit yourself," he said as he moved past her to unlock his car with the key fob. "You will regret coming with me after tonight."

"I will take my chances," Kagome stated as she pulled the door open and slid into the soft black leather seat.

Sesshoumaru got into the driver's seat and assuredly pressed the ignition button. The engine gave a throaty roar when it burst into life. Without delay, he stepped on the gas pedal hard – a little too hard, sending the Lamborghini flying down the narrow road recklessly. Kagome gave him a glare, then decided to fasten her seatbelt.

"I could come up with a more efficient way to kill you than this," he seemingly stated humourously, though his mouth held no trace of a smile.

"I'm a half-demon. I don't heal as fast as you do." Which was true, as pureblooded demons healed thrice as fast as half-demons who sustained the same injury.

But soon, she was convinced that Sesshoumaru was actually a very skillful driver. He stared straight ahead out of the Lamborghini's windshield with marked concentration, and managed to glide the car through the winding paths, taking each curve smoothly. Dark fields and tall trees flashed by as their car sped through the seemingly tranquil forest. The desolate woodlands reminded her of Rin.

"Rin told me how you saved her," Kagome spoke, breaking the silence between them while her gaze was out the passenger-side window. "Guess you're not as cold-hearted as you choose to portray yourself to be."

"Your point? Do you want me to extend the same courtesy to you?" He asked, eyes focused on the road as though the answer didn't matter to him.

She considered the question and drew in a deep breath. "No, but I would like you to do that for Shippo. He's also an orphan and he has nowhere to go."

"He's a full-fledged demon. He doesn't need protection nor dependency on others," he replied with an air of extreme indifference.

"Yes, he's a demon but he's only a child," Kagome turned to him sharply as she felt her anger rise again, and this time she decided to unleash it. "Have you forgotten the fact that he got injured from saving Rin? The least you could do-"

"He shouldn't have intervened if his strength was no match for his opponent's," his voice was calm and collected when he spoke, unlike hers.

"If he hadn't intervened, Rin would've been killed."

"If you and I hadn't found them in time, they both would've been killed. He would have accomplished nothing except thrown his life away foolishly and to no purpose."

Kagome felt a sharp stab in her heart as Sesshoumaru explained to her what she'd already understood deep down. In fact, she should have understood this better than anyone else. In the last two years, she had come to realize that the battle she'd had with Naraku on that first night had been a struggle. It was all because she'd lacked the strength to protect the ones around her. If only she wasn't so weak, then Inuyasha wouldn't have died because of her. That was why she'd vowed to grow stronger at any cost to take revenge upon Naraku for what he had done.

"Playing hero when he didn't have the strength to do so would only serve to get him killed," he continued. His cold response left no room for conversation or compromise.

Those words were shards piercing through Kagome's flesh. It was almost like Sesshoumaru knew the details of her torment and the depth of her sorrow that she held deep inside her, and decided to bring it all to the surface. Time after time she blamed herself for being the reason that Inuyasha had sacrificed his life. If they hadn't met then maybe his life would have been different, and he wouldn't have met such an untimely end. He might have lived the normal life that his parents' had wished for him.

"What are you talking about? Meeting you was the best thing that has ever happened to me."

Inuyasha's words from that night suddenly sprang into her mind. It gradually healed her spirit to recall all the happy times she'd experienced and shared with Inuyasha. That's right…despite everything, he had accepted and loved her unconditionally even after he'd found out she was a half-demoness. He'd only wanted to protect her, just as she'd wanted to protect him even if it would have cost her own life.

"There is nothing wrong with laying down your own life to protect someone you care for. He was never someone who would love his own life so much that he would seek protection for himself over others," Kagome realized her private thoughts of Inuyasha were spoken out-loud before she could even stop herself. She quickly turned her attention back to the passenger-window again to hide the hurt in her face. She could feel Sesshoumaru's eyes on her now, but she refused to look his way. "You wouldn't understand because you've never loved anyone deeply enough to die for them."

For the first time, Sesshoumaru remained speechless and silence fell between them again during the remainder of the car ride. Neither spoke a word to each other, which suited Kagome just fine because she was no longer in the mindset to force another conversation out of him. And fortunately for her, being a conversationalist was not one of the Demon Lord's traits. Soon, they arrived at a classy and expensive looking three-storey lounge, with the neon purple sign that said 'Orchid' at the top of the building.

X X X

"We're here," Sesshoumaru stopped the car in front of the entrance, somehow feeling more than a little cross from their conversation. He had a feeling that their topic of discussion was no longer related to the fox demon, and instead she was referring to her lost lover.

She frowned at him, confused. "What are we doing here?"

He ignored her question and focused on the approaching valet, a young demon dressed in a black suit. "Good evening, Lord Sesshoumaru. Welcome back to Orchid, I will be your assigned valet for the evening."

Without a word, Sesshoumaru swiftly got out of the car and handed the key fob to the valet. He started walking, not caring whether she trailed after him. In due time, she would become appalled for insisting to come along. Orchid was not a typical venue that accepted the presence of humans or half-demons. It was a segregated lounge built for pureblooded demons only.

The automated glass doors opened for him and he walked through. Once inside, he was met by a woman wearing a sleeveless black cocktail dress. She smiled and bowed politely. "Welcome back, Lord Sesshoumaru. Your associates are waiting for you in the VIP room. Please allow me to escort you."

Her smile fell and instantly became on guard as the half-demoness finally caught up and stood behind him. "What are you doing here? Your kind is not welcomed at Orchid. Leave immediately or else-"

"Or else what?" she challenged with a small curve of her lips rather than her usual anger. Her eyes slightly narrowed at the corners.

She appeared to be on edge as if she was aching for a fight. Interesting. Perhaps their conversation in the car had rubbed her the wrong way too, and he could easily guess the reason for her fury if he truly wanted to. But right now he wasn't in the mood to delve deeper into her secret thoughts, so he disregarded her behavior.

"She's with me," his outrageous proclamation earned a shocked expression from the hostess.

"B-but Lord Sesshoumaru, humans and half-humans are strictly prohibited in our lounge," the hostess shifted around nervously. "Lady Kaguya will be very displeased if she finds out."

He stared at her very intently when he said his next words. "Then tell Kaguya to come and speak to me. I will wait for her in the VIP room."

They moved past the hostess before she had the opportunity to protest further. As he strolled through the heart of the lounge with the half-demoness following closely behind, her presence sent a ripple of whispers through the crowd.

"I thought Orchid doesn't accommodate humans and half-demons, so what is a low being like her doing here?"

"Why is she with Lord Sesshoumaru? What is her relationship with him?"

"Maybe she is his new plaything. To be toyed with and discarded."

"Hmph. I'd much rather have Lord Sesshoumaru play with me instead."

Being the topic of conversation amongst the demons in Orchid for the coming weeks wasn't something Sesshoumaru was looking forward to, but unfortunately he'd brought it on himself when he'd allowed her to come with him. So he couldn't complain about the consequences of his own actions. And he didn't regret it.

He cast a quick look over his shoulder at slim form and wondered what it was about her that fascinated him. She must have heard the repugnant rumors about her and knew that she was drawing unwanted attention to herself, yet she still held her head high and acted confident. This half-demoness absolutely infuriated him, but as much as he hated to admit it - her fearlessness enthralled him. Strength radiated from her like heat, both physically and emotionally. Sesshoumaru wanted to find out more about her lineage for she was like no one else he'd ever met. He wondered about this strange surreal moment he'd had, but the effects quickly wore off and he soon forgot about it as his attention was taken up by the situation at hand.

He entered the VIP room where his four guardians were waiting for his arrival patiently. Ryura and Hiten were engaged in a game of snooker; whereas Hoshiyomi was helping himself to a drink by the self-service bar built into the wall and Menomaru was sitting by the booth at the far end of the room.

"Sesshoumaru, you finally came. We've been waiting a long time," said Hoshiyomi as he walked over and handed him a glass of whiskey. But shortly his guardians' undivided attention was on the girl behind him.

"Oh, what do we have here?" Ryura grinned as he placed his snooker cue on the table, pretending to be surprised.

"She's a half-human," Menomaru spat as he leaned further back into his seat. "I can smell the stench on her."

"Is she your half-brother's woman?" Hiten's insolent question caused Sesshoumaru's expression to harden. He gave his guardian an intimidating glare that made him take a step back in fear. It wasn't so much the way he posed the question as it was his tone, but Sesshoumaru bristled at the very mention of the half-demon in his presence. "I'm sorry I touched a sensitive spot."

"Why did you bring her here? This place isn't for her," Hoshiyomi asked, becoming serious with concern.

Sesshoumaru walked into the room and sat down on the leather couch with his legs crossed. Leaning his elbow on the armrest and his head in his hand, he was growing nonchalantly bored by the occasion already. The group all turned to stare at him, however his eyes were on her when he spoke. "She insisted to come along."

"Does that mean we can play with her?" Ryura chuckled, eyes roaming with distinctive male appreciation over her slender curves.

Hiten grabbed her chin and forced her to look into his red eyes. "Half-human or not, your face is my type so I don't mind having some fun with you."

Sesshoumaru wasn't surprised to see anger flash in her face as she had been desiring to vent her rage. With quick deft motions she grabbed his hand and twisted it behind his back, slamming Hiten's face onto the snooker table. He groaned in pain while steadying himself on the side of the furniture with his right arm.

Menomaru snorted. "Did you just get overpowered by a girl? How humiliating."

"Seems like you picked the wrong girl to mess with," Ryura laughed, genuinely amused. He placed a hand on Hiten's shoulder as soon as the demon was back on his feet

Furious, Hiten shoved Ryura's hand away. A look of frustration was etched on his features. "She just caught me off-guard, that's all."

"Boys, play nice," Hoshiyomi instructed as he strode over to settle himself on the couch next to Sesshoumaru and asked in a low voice, "You're not planning to stop them?"

Sesshoumaru ignored his guardian's question and continued watching. Waiting to see how far it would go. He wanted to witness her true ability and unharnessed power.

Without giving any indication that he was going to move, Hiten charged at her and delivered a low kick to her abdomen that she parried with ease.

"I thought you were told to play nice," she said, regarding him long and levelly.

He darted a look at her. "That was nice."

"That was nice?" she raised an eyebrow at him slightly. "Fine. If that's how you want to play then so be it."

She rushed up to Hiten and threw a punch. He leaned back and avoided it but she followed up with another punch that struck him directly in the face. With a growl, Hiten dashed towards her as they exchanged blows. With a shift of his hips, Hiten kicked at her side and caused her to stumble back.

For a brief moment Sesshoumaru detected a sharp spike in her power as her fist suddenly glowed luminously a faint blue. She struck him again, releasing a burst of force that propelled him back. He smashed against the wall and tumbled to the floor.

Not giving Hiten a chance to recover, she flexed her palm as it surged with considerable electric energy. Her demonic aura instantly increased tenfold. Sesshoumaru had felt her power rise once before, at the forest when they'd encountered the tree demon. But it was so fleeting, he was convinced he'd made a mistake. Her demonic aura was so strong, it covered traces of her humanity.

"Do you intend to destroy the lounge?" Sesshoumaru questioned, eyeing her curiously.

She tossed him a look, annoyance furrowing her eyebrows. Hesitating, she slowly turned her focus back to Hiten as he managed to right himself slowly. The energy ball at her fingertips dissipated.

"Just give up already, Hiten," Ryura smirked crudely, enjoying every moment of his companion's agony.

"Shut up!" Hiten hissed at him.

With an enraged scowl, he dashed towards her again. She abruptly pulled out a sword that Sesshoumaru wasn't aware she'd been carrying on her this entire time. The weapon made a 'schwing' sound as the blade extended from the grip. It seemed to possess an extraordinary ethereal glow that vibrated with power from within the blade. She swung her blade in a well-practiced motion of her hand and engaged in a defensive stance.

"That sword…" Hoshiyomi's eyes wide with shock as a flash of recognition lit up his face.

Hiten laughed as he parried and dodged the swings of her blade. "Do you think you can defeat me with a sword? I've slain hundreds of men for sport! A half-demon like you will never defeat me."

"I will take the challenge then," she said as she continued slicing the air in front of her, forcing Hiten a few feet back. She blocked his high kick but he spun around speedily, knocking the blade out of her hand as it landed before Ryura.

"If only this could kill us," Ryura's arrogant grin vanished instantly when he received an electric shock to his right hand the moment he tried grabbing the sword's grip. There was no burn marks on his hand but judging from his expression, it was stiff and painful. He clicked his tongue in frustration. "A barrier…"

In a split second, she retrieved the sword just as Hiten charged at her again. She deftly went from defense to offense and the next thing Hiten knew, the blade was held against his neck. Hoshiyomi tried to intervene as he bolted towards them. Not wanting to yield in defeat, Hiten took another step closer but Hoshiyomi quickly shoved him back with one hand, hard enough to make him stumble.

"Enough," Hoshiyomi ordered in a low voice. He then turned to the girl when she withdrew her sword as she stood. "Why do you have the Silver Soul Blade in your possession? What is your relationship with the White Lotus Clan?"

Sesshoumaru recognized the name and it took a moment for him to recall why. His father had mentioned that the Silver Soul Blade was a powerful demon-slaying weapon which was passed down through the generations of priestesses within the White Lotus Clan.

It had a unique azure hue that seemed to radiate to the double cutting edges with an intrinsic glow. Special floral scrolling patterns were engraved at the center, interspersed with swallows in flight. The silver hilt was created with niello decoration in a pattern of lotuses as the pommel bore a single clear moonstone. A simple push on the connected stone would propel the blade from hilt, which made it extremely convenient to carry around without the use of a scabbard. Rumor had it that the blade was stolen from the clan eighteen years ago and it hadn't resurfaced since then.

Until today.

Sesshoumaru wasn't only intrigued in how an ancient weapon came to her possession, he also wanted to know why a half-human with demon blood coursing through her veins was able to wield the Silver Soul Blade without being repelled by the barrier.

Avoiding the question, she turned to Sesshoumaru. "I think we've wasted enough time here. When are you going to start taking our agreement seriously?"

"Who do you think you're talking to?" Ryura snarled, his face clouded with anger for the first time tonight. Sesshoumaru was fully aware that his guardians were all compelled to show allegiance and display loyalty. They did not tolerate any threat or show of disrespect to him, and in such situations they wouldn't hesitate to take direct actions towards the offenders. "You don't give orders here-"

Hoshiyomi raised his hand to interrupt his words. "If you want Sesshoumaru to take you seriously, then prove your worthiness and get validation from him."

"Worthiness?" It got her attention.

"In the past month, a centipede demon named Tomatsu has been terrorizing and murdering many humans and weaker demons in the city, draining them of their life force. If you can slay him then Sesshoumaru will aid you in your conquest."

She narrowed her eyes, looking skeptical. "Do you think I'll fall for your manipulation? You just want to use me to get rid of your enemies. Besides, The Council would have intervened."

"The Council?" Menomaru scoffed at her. His voice turned condescending. "They are only capable of taking on the weaker demons. They are completely useless."

"If they were able to intervene then this proposal would have been nonsensical," Hiten added, wiping away the blood from his lips with a thumb.

"Then why don't you take him out yourselves? You are all pureblood demons, what's stopping you?" Her obtuse query drew a deep laughter from all three guardians except Hoshiyomi.

"Why would we get ourselves involved in something that doesn't benefit us in any way?" asked Ryura.

"You're naïve if you think we actually care about other weaklings being slaughtered," stated Hiten.

In the demon world, it was all about the survival of the fittest and it had always been this way since the old days. No demons had an interest in becoming prey, nor did they have any interest in protecting others just to make everyone else around them feel safe. It wasn't in their nature to be selfless. Any sign of compassion was considered a weakness that would leave an opening for their opponents.

"How would I know what you're telling me is the truth?" She asked calmly, but Sesshoumaru thought he could see unease in her expression.

She was evidently concerned about hurting an innocent demon in exchange to prove her worthiness. She would live a very short life if she continued to have such unnecessary attachment to emotions like compassion.

"Then do your research. Look into the latest news regarding dried up corpses with faces stuck like parched paper to their skulls being found around the southern side of the city. But once you are convinced and are willing to go through this test, then you can locate Tomatsu here." Hoshiyomi held up a piece of paper with the directions to the centipede's newest hideout.

Kaguya suddenly barged into the room without knocking. Standing by the doorway, her expression was more than displeased. "Sesshoumaru, I've been told that you brought a half-demoness into my lounge. Care to explain the meaning of this?"

Not paying heed to the owner of Orchid, the half-demoness directed her next question at Sesshoumaru. "Is this what you want me to do to prove myself to you?"

His lips pursed marginally as he took a sip from his glass, savoring the smoky flavored vintage in his mouth for a moment. He continued to stare at her when he said, "You really think you are able to slay a full-fledged demon, do you? Despite your ability and special…weapon, you're the one who would lose. So if you want to waste your time, that's your choice."

His words of warning was disregarded when she snatched the paper from Hoshiyomi's hand and made her way to the door, not looking back. She was ridiculous if she thought she would be able to accomplish anything by putting herself in danger. This half-demoness was proving to be the most stubborn and foolish of all those under his command.

Of course, she'd argue that description, he thought to himself in amusement.

"Wait," Hoshiyomi called out to her. She stopped in her tracks without turning her head. "Tomatsu wears a jade ring as it is his family heirloom and he never parts with it. Bring it back to us so that we know you actually killed him."

Remaining wordless, she walked past Kaguya who gave her a long hard look.

"Menomaru, keep an eye on her from a distance," Sesshoumaru ordered shortly after she left. "Make sure she lives and doesn't do anything irrational to get herself killed."

Menomaru didn't hide his surprise, but he also knew better than to question Sesshoumaru. In fact, none of his guardians would dare to challenge his decisions and judgement. With a quiet nod, Menomaru followed after the half-demoness out the room.

"I assume you aren't in the mood to discuss Takehiko or the spider demon for the night. Do you want us to look into her background and report back to you?"

Considering Hoshiyomi's special connection with the White Lotus Clan and the sword, Sesshoumaru wasn't the least surprised by his offer.

"Are you curious about her because she has the Silver Soul Blade?"

Before Hoshiyomi had sworn loyalty to Sesshoumaru a century ago, he'd had a human lover and they fought his own kind to protect the mortals. But when the time had come for her to take over the title as the ninth chief Priestess of the White Lotus Clan, she'd chosen her race over Hoshiyomi. Feeling hurt, disappointed and betrayed, he had become the clan's worse nightmare as he overpowered them singlehandedly, forcing her to kill him. During their last battle, the Priestess had managed to wound Hoshiyomi severely and had him sealed away for fifty years. By the time he'd been released, she had already passed away. Since then, he'd stopped believing in such nonsense as love.

As for Sesshoumaru, he simply never believed in love because he knew that love didn't exist. It was only an illusion. An invention of religions just to manipulate the weaker minds, to have control over them and to make them believe in something that was not real.

Hoshiyomi shrugged casually, trying to mask his growing thirst for knowledge. "I figured you may be interested to know what you've gotten yourself into when you agreed to this arrangement."

In all honesty, besides the fact that she was the Shikon Jewel's guardian and the half-demon's lover, Miroku had disclosed nothing to him regarding her lineage. The sensible thing to do was to leave her alone, but he couldn't deny his curiosity about her. He was curious about her abilities, her immense demonic powers and her involvement with the White Lotus Clan. He couldn't help but wonder at the possibilities. His guardians sensed that. Something about this half-demoness didn't add up for him.

"Do as you please," Sesshoumaru said at last.

His guardians exchanged looks before dismissing themselves and closing the door behind the last of them, leaving the demoness Kaguya alone with him in the room.

She slowly strolled over to him in a familiar manner she believed to be either graceful or seductive. "You haven't answered my question, Sesshoumaru."

"I answered to no one but myself." And his own conscience. There was no one to tell him what he could or couldn't do. No one at all. He would never play by someone else's rules.

"Cold as usual, I see," she said with a smile. Instead of becoming angry by his apathetic response, her expression softened when she lifted her shapely body to sit on his lap, her fingers caressing his face. She brought her mouth to his ear and begun licking with the tip of her tongue. "You're lucky that I'm attracted to strong Great Demons like yourself. Otherwise I would've never taken you to my bed in the first place."

Sesshoumaru felt the flash of heat through his body but his voice remained calm. "It's your choice. There are plenty of other demonesses willing to take your place."

Kaguya let out a soft giggle. "You really know the way to a woman's heart, don't you?"

He never needed to please any demoness and they were still eager to bed him. It was an art that he didn't bother to acquire and never even considered it necessary. He saw though that it could have its uses. But even without it, females were still fascinated by his looks, his wealth and his power. He would be able to fully take pleasure in their bodies without any attachment to one another.

Instead of words, Sesshoumaru slid his hand down to her hip and pressed his lips against her neck just below her ear. She moaned and shuddered at the sensuality. He was more than ready for sexual enjoyment and to indulge in physical pleasure with the willing demoness in his arms. Except the moment he closed his eyes, thoughts of the half-demoness suddenly came to his mind again.

X X X

AUTHOR NOTE:

I really want say thank you to the readers who have reviewed/favorited/followed this story, I really appreciate the kind words and gesture. Although it took me a while to build up the story, you guys have been sticking by me patiently. But I'm happy to say that we are now proceeding forward with the plot!

Some fun facts regarding a few elements in this story:

Kagome's Eye Colour: For those of you who didn't know, Kagome's eyes were brown in the anime but in the manga, they were blue. That was why I have combined her two eye colours in this story to make her more unique as a half-demoness.

Silver Soul Blade: This weapon was completely invented by me. I really enjoyed the characters fighting with their swords in the anime and movies. But sometimes I wondered, why can't the girls get on with the fun too? Hence I decided to give Kagome a sword as her weapon in my story instead of a bow.

A-Un: A-Un was a dragon yokai in the anime and since I do love the beast, I decided to give him a human form so that he could be a side character in this story. But since A-Un didn't have big parts in the anime, his personality in this story was based on my feelings from portraying how he would have acted if he was in human form.

Sesshoumaru's Guardians: I understand that Sesshoumaru was strong enough and he didn't need any guardians / protectors. But from my POV, I think that as a Demon Lord, he should have loyal servants to do his bidding (besides Jaken and A-Un). Therefore I made it as a tradition for the Demon Lord of the West to have his four appointed guardians to aid in his conquest.

Well, that's it for now! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter as it was longer than the previous ones. Please let me know what you guys think so that I know I'm on the right track (because sometimes it's really hard for me to tell when I got no reaction from you guys lol).

See you next time!