Author's Note: Fuck, noticed a typo. Anyway, sorry about any grammar mistakes and such. Need a beta reader. Anyone offering? Also extremely sorry about the late late late update. I am filth and such

Chapter Seven

Kagura eyed the giant boulders with distaste. So there was the entrance to Sasame Village? How ridiculous. And that bastard still hadn't answered why they were there in the first place. She briefly thought of his old entourage. The little girl (she must have grown up by now right?) and that kappa. Water demon or something. Whatever it was, it was annoying as hell.

"So beyond this is your little village hm?" She asked him not really expecting him to answer.

He ignored her. Predictable.

"I hate you." She muttered, watching him go up to the boulders. He lifted a palm and placed it firmly on the stone. Some sort of barrier? Surprise filled her as the image of the boulders rippled in the air and were replaced by two guards, tall and wielding giant weapons. Kagura tensed but they did nothing but bow low to Sesshoumaru. He swept past them elegantly.

"Hurry."

Annoyed she followed him as he led her into—just what was this place anyway? Village? More like castle. She glared at Sesshoumaru's back as people from every vicinity bowed low and murmured their greetings. Sesshoumaru didn't spare any of them a glance.

Kagura frowned. They were all casting her sidelong glances, curious and a little hostile. She tried to ignore them, but she'd never been good at ignoring things that bothered her. She huffed in annoyance and caught up with Sesshoumaru, determined never to walk behind him again. Well, nowhere that people could see anyway. She didn't want them thinking she was less than him or something…

Though she was. Kagura smiled. But the gods help them if they pointed it out. Momo hissed at her feet, conveying her emotions to the much affronted viewers.

Sesshoumaru glanced at her as she walked primly beside him, covering her face with her fan. She gave him a look.

"What is it?" He asked softly, turning to look forward as the sun glinted off of him making him seem ethereal to her sight.

"This isn't a village." She snapped. "This is your castle isn't it?" She nodded her head to the great structure in front of them. "Why on earth have you brought me here?"

"Does the court life not suit you, Kagura?" He smirked but kept walking.

"As a matter of fact, it doesn't!" She retorted. "I'm tired of this." She turned her face away from him and looked at the people bowing around her. She hated these sorts of places. Where everyone had a role to fulfill, a place they belonged and could never leave. She had always felt stifled in these places, trapped. Caged.

"Get used to it." He responded and motioned to a badger woman close to them. "Take her to her rooms."

Kagura stiffened. "My rooms?" She took a step towards him, and noticed belatedly the shock on everyone's faces around her. A few servants gasped.

Sesshoumaru looked at her, and it was hard to meet those eyes in this uncomfortable prickly place.

"I'll see you tonight." He said finally. "Don't be a hassle."

Kagura caught his arm before she thought about it and winced as a few servants let out more muffled gasps. To think they'd never seen their lord touched was a strangely pleasing thought to Kagura. Imagining him with other woman filled her with a sort of bitterness that…She glared and shook her head, staring at her demon in the eye.

"Idiot woman." Sesshoumaru murmured, amused. His golden eyes shone brightly in the sun and she could feel her resolve to confront him weakening.

"Shut up." Kagura whispered angrily, gathering her bearings. "Just where the hell are you sending me anyway?"

"Are you frightened?" His eyes roved over her face, trying to detect something. Something happened to the blood in her veins as he looked at her and she stiffened, indignant.

"No!"

"Then I'll see you tonight." He turned swiftly and departed for another entrance. From the corner of her eye she saw the badger girl scowl and then bow. "My lady…"

"Kagura." She intoned darkly, still glaring at where Sesshoumaru had left.

"Please follow me to your rooms. The lord will be most displeased if you don't follow his directions." The badger demon stated tonelessly. Kagura finally took a good look at the girl and smirked. The girl's eyes were narrowed on her with great dislike. She was probably in love with Sesshoumaru or something.

"For such an uptight ass, he's a remarkably good kisser."

The shock and outrage on the girls face put Kagura in so great mood, that she complacently followed the servant to her rooms.

Quite tipsy from the wine that she had badgered—Kagura paused to giggle at the pun—the badger girl into bringing her she lay down on the bed, tracing the room with hooded eyes. Momo had wandered off a few hours ago, and perhaps that was for the best. The cat had an abnormal affinity for wine. She blinked. It was really a lovely room, decorated in a mix between the culture of the continent and the culture of the Island. A lovely half-breed. She giggled again. Much Like Sesshoumaru's unwanted little brother. What was his name again? Inuyaki? Inuoko?

"Inuyasha."

She gasped and sat up immediately, trying to focus her eyes on Sesshoumaru's pale form. He was so pale. Did the man never go out in the sun? He stared at her with an expression she couldn't describe.

"You were talking out loud." Sesshoumaru explained tonelessly. "You're drunk."

"What else are guests supposed to do, when their host is a rude b-bastard?" She hiccupped, stumbling on the last word. "Sesshoumaru it's been hours!" She pointed to the shaded window on her right. "Dark!"

"And you've amused yourself quite nicely." He responded chillingly, taking a seat on the ornately decorated cushions.

"Well. Yes." She replied sliding off the futon to join him. The table between them shuddered slightly as she placed her elbow on it, rudely, to peer at him. The oil lamp flickered on the wall and she felt daring under the shadows of the room.

"Ne, why don't you have a drink with me?" She questioned smiling at him innocently. She wondered if he could read the invitation in her eyes. Actually she wondered if the invitation was even there. It was hard to concentrate on being seductive when her head felt so light.

"You've had enough drinks." Sesshoumaru replied dismissively, staring at her disarrayed hair and rouged cheeks pointedly.

"Ah. I see." Kagura smirked, turning her sake cup in hand. It was very pretty she observed absently. A shining black and gold decoration with kanji spelling that warded off disease. Noble youkai were so very odd sometimes.

"See what?" Sesshoumaru questioned, and she dragged herself away from her musings.

"That the great Sesshoumaru-sama can't hold his wine."

He scoffed at that, glaring at her with alluring golden eyes. How unfair was it for him to have such eyes. His mother should have done the female population a favour and strangled him at birth. Oh wait, that would be depressing. Her eyes misted over at such a thought and she had to grope around for her fan so she could cover her face for a second.

"Are you---" Sesshoumaru began, alarm suddenly in his eyes.

"Shut up wine-baby!" She snapped instinctively, wiping away sudden tears. "I'm just drunk, like a proper adult." She emphasized the word 'adult' and was pleased to see that he was outraged and had quite forgotten about her idiocy a second ago. She congratulated her brain silently.

He reached for the bottle and tipped back his head, throat moving imperceptibly as he drank. She had a sudden urge to kiss that throat. Perhaps bite it. Kagura stopped her thoughts immediately, horrified at her own want for him. Why, she was no man's whore and so long as Sesshoumaru retained his noble blood that was all she would ever amount to him as. A means to an end. She felt sickened by the way she had so wantonly kissed him the other day, and plotted his physical downfall. What on earth was she drinking? Ah—thinking!

Blasted wine and the notions it gave her! Knowledge truly was misery. Kagura would have gladly given herself to Sesshoumaru yesterday, when thoughts of how he viewed her didn't matter. Yet with this abhorrent liquid rushing through her dirty blood, all she could think of was his viewpoints.

Oh, what she would do to kill somebody right now! All that tension, gone! In a second or less. Sighing gustily, she looked over at the busily drinking demon lord.

"Baka." She chastised, glancing at his pinked cheeks. Finally some colour in that pale face. The pink contrasted quite nicely with those vivid purple stripes and she tried to ignore the heated pull she felt in her belly. "That was too much, and too fast. You need to know your limitations."

"And what would a wind witch know about limitations?" Sesshoumaru asked softly, eyes smoldering as they caught hers. "Wind youkai are known for their disregard for limitations of any kind."

"You certainly know a lot about wind youkai." She purred, now gazing at him with both hands under her chin. "Met a lot of them have you?"

"Enough to know their reputable nature."

"Oh? Because your nature is so very admirable?" She retorted, dripping her words with sarcasm.

Sesshoumaru tilted his head and studied her for a second. "What do you find lacking about my nature, Kagura?" He inquired mock-curiously. "You seemed to have a certain regard for it a while ago."

She blushed, though he couldn't tell, as her cheeks were quite red anyway. "Don't mix my regard for your physical form with your oh so lovely nature, Sesshoumaru."

He blinked at that and she was pleased once more.

"You find me handsome?"

The question threw her off guard and she cursed in her mind. She could feel his smirk as she stared at her cup, ignoring him for a second. Looking into the bastard's triumphant face was not was she needed at the present.

"Well?"

Blasted man! He wouldn't just let things be, would he! Damnit! If only she could find something witty to say in this brain of hers. Gah.

"That's what I said isn't it?" Kagura finally replied, coolly looking up at him. His grin made her want to throw the cup at him. Oh but what he would do to her. Perhaps grasp her and…she shivered suddenly, banishing away mental images.

He didn't reply but continued to smirk at her, lifting his bottle to drink again.

"I hate you." She murmured, resting her arms on the table and settling her head on her arms, indifferent to whether it followed etiquette or not at this point. Stupid Sesshoumaru, with his pretty face and cold words.

Her stomach tightened as she felt fingers at her hair, smoothing it from her it's tangled nature. She didn't move, and held her breath as he continued with the soft administrations of light fingers, dancing in her hair. Confusion wracked her body and she couldn't take it anymore.

"Sesshou—" She began, after a few seconds, raising her head from its position on her arms.

"There is a word for you." He commented softly, finally removing his fingers and resting them on her chin. He slowly lifted up her face to meet his face. She felt desire unwind in her stomach as he brought his face closer to his. He stopped short of kissing her and she opened her pre-maturely closed eyes to find him studying her quite closely. She felt oddly triumphant at his sudden odd ways. Perhaps he would actually initiate something this time

"What?" Kagura asked softly. "What word?"

"Bewitching." He replied after a moment's hesitance, and then finally brought her to meet his awaiting lips. The kiss was slow and sweet and Kagura murmured something against silken lips. She felt heat ravish her body as he gently kissed her mouth, repeatedly, slanting his head slightly. There was no desperation this time, no clutching of garments. In fact, he was kissing her so slowly and so warmly that she couldn't help but feel that kissing her was the only thing on his agenda for the day. She moaned softly as he tilted his mouth at another angle. Was it supposed to feel this good? Sesshoumaru made a sound of approval at the back of his throat as she began to return his advances belatedly. His fingers traveled from her chin to cup her cheek as he tilted her mouth to his liking. She felt herself losing control, as his tongue parted her lips. She could taste the wine on his tongue.

The depth of the kiss made her gasp as emotions suddenly started distressing her on the inside. She returned a few more kisses before pulled away slowly and stood up, remembering her earlier resolve with despair. To let him have her now would be her own downfall. It was not stupid to assume that Sesshoumaru would cease his interest in her after sleeping with her after all. He was a daiyoukai, and they were entitled to do whatever they wished. Fuck whomever they wanted, and leave them be after they were done. They had not a care in the world, and most female youkai like Kagura were supposed to know better than to start things with daiyoukais.

If she had him, she wasn't at all sure she could give him up to another.

Throat pulsing with words she couldn't---didn't know how to say—she glanced up and noticed he had risen to his feet as well. He glanced at her with inquisitive eyes but ultimately read her dismissal from her body language. Arms crossed and turning away from him, it was obviously clear.

"'Until tomorrow then." He remarked opening her door.

Kagura hated him in that moment, hated his kiss-reddened mouth and pretty eyes. His softened gaze and his lovely hair. Why did he have to be so…agh!

She kept her face on the wall so he couldn't see her still yearning desire.

"Aa." She replied despondently.

He left with a swish of clothing and she looked up finally when the shoji screen and slid shut, and she heard him walk away. The wine on the table beckoned too her, begging her to drown her worries. She ignored it, walking to bedding and flopping onto the futon with a groan. She could still feel his lips on hers and the subtle scent on of him on her clothing. It was sorely unfair, this life. The stone in her sleeves felt heavy, and she pulled it out after rolling onto her back so as to examine it.

Even all the power in this stone could not provide her with purity of birth that Sesshoumaru surely demanded. Nothing could do that. Not even the revered Talisman of the Wind Youkai. She took a deep breath and hid the talisman once again in the folds of her clothing

Clothing she had, in the beginning of the evening wished to have ripped off her.

How she hated this place already.

Um. Review?