Taste My Blood

Chapter Two

Tia(pouting): don’t make me say it.

Rin: Now, now, you may not own us but we still love you.

Kikyo: No we don’t

Tia (in evil, gonna-write-a-fic-where-you-die voice): Who asked you?

In the rising light of dawn, Kagura made her way back to the castle. Wind whipped at her face, numbing her cheeks, and raising goose bumps on her arms. She wondered at Sesshomaru’s change of mind. It had clearly not been the threat to Jaken’s life that had driven Sesshomaru to agree to help her. It had been her that had swayed Sesshomaru’s choice. Kagura closed her eyes, letting the feather carry her along, ridding the waves of air like a boat does the sea. How had the girl been able to hold such influence over him? Perhaps she had softened the great inuyoukie’s heart. The thought amused Kagura; she only hoped Sesshomaru’s new-found compassion would not affect his abilities in a fight.

Kagura felt the feather give out beneath her, and she pushed herself off away from it. Landing in a graceful crouch, she marched her way up to the castle. The stairs creaked under her weight, and she pulled the sliding door open. She paused for a moment, composing herself before entering. Muso was away, thankfully, off finding himself another face. She wouldn’t have to deal with his snide remarks and general air of a stuffed frog. But Kanna…Kanna would be here, she never left the safety of her home, wrapping herself in her sorrow. Kagura was sure she could have loved her sister, if she wasn’t so damn faithful to their creator. Kagura walked inside, her stomach tying itself in knots. How she hated this place. It was dark, the shuttered windows obstinately forcing out all sunlight. An eerie sense of foreboding hung in the rooms. Once in the corridor, Kagura pulled of the first layer of her kimono, and took the chopsticks out of her hair, letting it fall loosely around her shoulders and down her back.

“Kagura.”

Kagura’s skin tingled in shock. Standing before her was a white figure. She hadn’t even seen her coming, and for this Kagura cursed herself.

“Kanna.” Kagura nodded her acknowledgment, the walked past, heading further down the black hallway. With her back to Kagura, Kanna whispered in barley audible tones, “I know where you went. And with whom you spoke.

Kagura’s breath caught in her throat. With stiff back she swiveled on her heels, forcing a smile onto her face. The smile never reached her eyes.

“Kanna, it is no secret where I went. I merely needed to catch up on some…business with our dear Sesshomaru.” Kagura’s mind was reeling. How could Kanna have known? Kagura had worked for days, finding and forging spells to hide herself from Kanna’s mirror. For a brief moment Kanna’s eyes flashed dangerously.

“You assume I do not know what it is you spoke of? I know what you are planning.” She raised a ghostly thin finger accusingly. “The great eye misses nothing.”

Slowly, Kanna walked toward Kagura.

“You will not betray our master!” Kanna’s eyes narrowed as she faced her younger sister. Kagura huffed indignatly, but held her tongue. Kanna backed off slightly, slipping out of her anger and back into her usual emotionless deminor.

“Did you tell Naraku?” Kagura’s throat felt swollen as she voiced her one fear. Kanna watched her, eyes void of any hint to the answer.

“No. I did not.”

Kagura let out of breath she didn’t know she had been holding. Kanna looked down at the ground, white hair falling across her pale face.

“You are my sister. And I know what he would do to you if I told him of your tretchery.”

Kagura stared at Kanna’s bowed head, touched that her sister cared about her fate. The moment didn’t last long, for Kanna had snapped her head back up again and was now looking strait into Kagura’s red orbs, a mixture of distrust and anger lying in her own white eyes.

“But cross us again and I will tell Naraku. And assist him in dispensing with you.”

Kagura hung her head in mock shame. She tried with all her might to plaster a sutably lagobrious expression onto her face. If the plan was to go on (and Kagura would see that it did) she would need Kanna to be oblivious of it.

“I understand sister. He is our father and our loyalties should be to him. I don’t know what came over me.”

Kanna eyed her suspiciously, and Kagura thanked the winds that Kanna’s mirror could only see events, and not emotions or thoughts. Kanna gave a single nod, then sharply turned away. Kagura listened to the soft tap of Kanna’s bare feet on the wooden planks, watching her fade away into the dark, until she could neither see, nor hear her sister anymore.

Rin was growing frustrated. After repeated attempts to put her hair in it’s trade mark ponytail, she was still unsuccessful. Jaken watched her from a little ways off, counting the ways he hated her. You would think the fact that she saved his life would created some small sliver of friendship between the two, but in the normal Jaken way, he only felt more resentlful. He had to admit though, as he continued to watch Rin’s struggle, that she was adorable. Her petite face flushed with anger, and her bottom lip jutted foward in a pout. Both Rin and Jaken lifted their heads as they heard the sound of feet on the frosted ground. Sesshomaru walked into the large wooded area in which they had set camp, as regal as ever. Rin gave up the fight with her hair, hastening to stand. Sesshomaru contemplated her, thinking of things that needed to be done in the morning. The sun was setting behind the rolling hills of green, and the lingering light cast a golden hue on the faces of all present. It was then Sesshomaru noticed the little girls bare feet.

“Where are your shoes, Rin?”

Rin raised her head to look at him in the eyes. It had been four days since she had dumped her shoes at the side of the road. Had he only noticed now? The fact that he had hurt her a little, but she would not let it show. She owed to mush to this man to complain about such minor things. Rin found herself thinking over that thought in her head, which led to thinkingn about the fact that he wasn’t really a man, but a demon. She thought such thoughts, oblivious to the fact that Sesshomaru was still looming over her, waiting for an answer. Eventually Sesshomaru grew tired of waiting, and moved away from the tiny girl. At the feeling of him moving away, Rin jarred out of her comma like state, and ran to catch up to her lord. She stood beside him as he lowed himself imperiously onto the ground.

“I left them at the last village.” She whispered hesitantly. When he said nothing to stop her from explaining, she continued, “They were to small.”

Sesshomaru gave what could have been a nod, and closed his eyes. Rin observed him. His smooth skin and black lashes; the peaceful expression he wore only in slumber. She felt a surge of pride and warmth for this being. Even if she was not always comfortable with him in the day, when his cold eyes looked at her the same way they did when looking at victims of his might, she always felt so happy watching him sleep. In the day she had to remind herself that he was dangerous, a demon always. But in the red glow of falling night, she felt so content, so… at home. Rin leaned her back against the tree and slid down it, ever so slowly inching her way south. Once on the ground she leaned over, resting her head on Sesshomaru’s shoulder. She closed her eyes and smiled softly.

Sesshomaru felt pressure on his upper arm, and new without having to look that it was Rin. Her scent filled him as food does the beggar; intoxicating him as wine never could. He felt himself drifting away, falling into dreams. His last conscious feeling was hearing the soft hum of a young girl singing.

Kagura slammed her door shut with ferocity that could not be matched, not even by Naraku Himself. How could her sister do this to her? Her own flesh and blood! Kagura kicked at her bed, flying into a terrifying rage. In a matter of minutes, her lovely room had been trashed. The curtains had been pulled of their hanger, the bed capsized, the silver bordered mirror in pieces. And still her anger was unquenched. She bend over, howling out a scream of protest and passion. Breathing hard, she forced herself to calm. She knew she could trust Kanna not to tell Naraku, IF Kagura behaved herself. But she couldn’t do that. If she wanted the plan to succed, she would need to see Sesshomaru again. But with Kanna constantly watching her…

Kagura walked over to her porclein sink (A/N did they have porclein in feudal Japan?), and tuned the cold water tab forward. Splashing her ruddy face with chilling water, she tried to collect her thoughts.

“Yes master. If you wish it.”

“I do. Send for Kanna.”

Kagura ceased her movements, straining to hear the soft voices that were coming from down the hall. It was Naraku, she was sure. The other party was most likely one of the servents. And he was sending for Kanna?

Kagura opened her door slowly, wincing as the old hinges creaked. She slipped out of her sandals, pattering her way to Naraku’s room. Kanna was already there.

“I can’t risk sending Muso on this mission, he is to young. You must go.” Naraku gave his orders and Kanna bowed her head in adheriance. Kanna was leaving? Kagura’s mind raced at this new information. She heard Kanna’s soft footsteps, and slipped away from the door, running back to her room. She closed the door and leaned against it. Kanna was leaving, Muso was gone, and Naraku was leaving in search od Kikyo tomorrow. She would make her first move then.

What do you all think? A little short, I know, next chapie will be longer, Promise!