Blood Beauty

*~ Disclaimer ~* I do not own any of the characters, plots, or locations from Inuyasha. Some company holds all rights to Inuyasha and this story is only created for pleasure, not profit.

A/N: Wow, onto the third chapter and I still don’t know what I’m doing with this fanfic. @_@ That’s either sad or impressive that I’m still writing it, I don’t know. It feels like I’m dragging this thing out of me that doesn’t really want to leave, but I don’t want to just leave it hanging after beginning this thing. So I’ll do my best to finish this, …at some point, anyway. It looks like it’s turning out to be a several chapter fanfic. ^_^’’ What have I got myself into?


Night had fallen upon the feudal era, and Sesshomaru calmly waited by the edge of the forest. The crisp air had cleansed the foul stench that had assaulted his nose and the demon lord was merely waiting until the morning to check on this… Kagome. The woman was very strange, Sesshomaru acknowledged. Though he had smelled her apprehension while he was near, she had not tried to run or ask her friends present for assistance. The miko had the gall to accuse Sesshomaru of not knowing where his lands ended, and the Taiyouki had not had any ningen accuse him of anything as far as his memory served. There was a fire to the woman that puzzled and intrigued Sesshomaru.

There was also the resemblance to the woman in his dream. It was uncanny and Sesshomaru tried to remember any circumstance with Kagome that would initiate such a dream. But the demon lord could not recall any moment where the miko had inspired such particular attention. The only time she had held his immediate attention was when she first grasped Tetsusaiga and given it to the half-breed. Beyond that, she was merely a drifting memory of the background in the skirmishes between himself and his half-brother. He supposed that his dreams merely applied such features to the woman because he had little interaction with any other female for quite some time. Satisfied on that point, Sesshomaru’s thoughts moved on.

Her scent was another surprise to the Taiyouki. It did not overwhelm his senses like that of other humans. The sweet blood scent covered much of her natural odor, but Sesshomaru could tell that it was a cleaner, more refreshing scent than the grime that clung to other humans. Perhaps the miko washed more than other humans did. Sesshomaru didn’t inquire into the habits of human mikos but he had heard that such women were meant to be more pure than others, so it may, perhaps, be a requirement to the position. Human customs certainly were strange and the demon lord could not be troubled to investigate further into the matter.

It was still some time before the sun would rise, but Sesshomaru’s musings were interrupted by an approaching presence. It was moving slowly towards him and the demon lord turned toward it. He could soon hear quiet footsteps and he could feel the wind softly blow past him, allowing him no trace of the person’s scent. This did not alarm him, as he could tell that it was the miko approaching. Her presence was small, but there was a small pulse in her that beat with her power; power that he was almost certain she knew nothing about or could not control.

Finally the miko came into his view and Sesshomaru could see her moving awkwardly in his direction, peering about in the dim light. The moon was nearly full, but was partially obscured by thin clouds, casting the area in a dim shadow. Spotting the demon lord, Kagome carefully made her way over towards him. Sesshomaru could see that she was favoring one side, though she kept her posture straight. Apparently the ankle that had the infection was affecting her movements. He waited until Kagome was directly before him until he spoke.

“You are not allowing your infection an opportunity to heal by walking,” Sesshomaru calmly informed her, watching her cautious expression change into the irritation that he had encountered previously.

Letting out an exasperated breath, the miko swiftly turned her gaze away towards the forest. “And you are still giving orders, Sesshomaru-sama,” the woman replied, with somewhat less sarcasm than before. Shaking her head slightly, the miko turned towards the demon lord but did not meet his eyes, hiding her own gaze beneath her lashes. “I came out here to thank you once again, Sesshomaru-sama, as well as…” she hesitated, “to ask why?”

Sesshomaru looked upon Kagome steadily, “Are you inquiring as to my intentions, miko?” He watched her hesitate once more and then nod, seeming to know that he would pick it up in the dark light. Sesshomaru wondered how he should respond. He had not been inclined before to let the miko and her group know the cause behind his actions, but something about the woman’s character was urging him to respond somehow. “Would you have preferred that this Sesshomaru left you for dead?” he asked, curious as to how she would react.

She appeared startled for a moment, then quickly became aggravated at the lack of response. “Of course not,” Kagome stressed, “but you are not known for your kindness, Sesshomaru-sama, especially towards humans. Not to mention we’ve been to battle before. Why would you save my life?” Her eyes caught his golden gaze and sparked with her need to understand his actions.

It was the spark in those midnight blue eyes that urged Sesshomaru to respond once again. This was probably the most that any human had coaxed out of him. “The barrier that formed about your body was curious," Sesshomaru informed her briefly.

Kagome cocked her head incredulously, “You saved me because you found the barrier curious?” The demon lord stood motionless, aware that the miko was merely restating the obvious. He thought for a moment that Kagome would become angry over his stoic expression, but she calmed and looked towards the forest in apparent thought. They were silent for several moments before Kagome spoke once more. “I’m sorry, Sesshomaru-sama, but I don’t know any more about the barrier than you do. I have never made a barrier like that before. I was surprised when the others told me what had happened.”

Sesshomaru was mildly surprised that the woman was apologizing to him for something that had apparently been beyond her control. He was reminded on the strange customs of humans then. Having nothing to say, however, he merely acknowledged her statement with a brief nod and turned to look up at the sky. A glimpse of the moon became clear for an instant and Sesshomaru could see the area bathed in light. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Kagome’s upturned face. Her skin looked pale in the white light and her features appeared sharper and more pronounced. The effect made the miko look very… elegant, though Sesshomaru had never suspected that a human could appear that way. Apparently, this woman was determined to be the exception to his expectations.

Noticing that Sesshomaru’s eyes were on her, Kagome turned to meet his gaze and started up the conversation again. “Are you going to be staying here, Sesshomaru-sama?” she inquired softly, “shouldn’t you be going back to your lands?”

The miko certainly asked a lot of questions. But rather than answer her this time, the demon lord turned and picked up the woman. Before she could protest, Sesshomaru laid her back on the ground and turned to her ankle. Kagome had sat up as soon as she had touched the ground, but stopped when she saw where Sesshomaru was looking. Sesshomaru grasped her heel and lifted her injured foot up into the air. He was displeased to see that she only wore a pair of sandals, with little to protect the injury other than some sort of balm that he could smell over the swollen cut. It apparently had little affect on the infection, as none of the swelling had gone down. Making his decision, Sesshomaru placed Kagome’s ankle down, injury face-up.

Sesshomaru felt Kagome’s hand touch his back tentatively. “Sesshomaru…-sama?” she whispered nervously.

Sparing the miko a quick glance, Sesshomaru carefully cut along next to the infected area, making sure that his claws weren’t leaking any poison. Hearing a sharp intake from Kagome, he quickly spat on the wound and dragged a fang across his lip once more. The combination should drive away the infection and the remaining balm should prevent anything else from entering the wound. Holding his palm over the wound, Sesshomaru waited for the remedy to take effect. Satisfied with his handiwork, Sesshomaru shifted back and stood over the miko, who was staring at the wound with a dazed look on her face.

The demon lord waited a moment, but when the woman didn’t move, he inquired, “Does it still pain you?”

Blue depths made their way to the Taiyouki’s gaze. The question “why” lay enveloped in that look, but the miko turned back towards her ankle and experimentally shifted her weight onto the foot. A small relief made it’s way across her face and she gave the demon lord a small smile, “It is not as bad as before. Thank you.”

Seeing Kagome smile at him, the demon lord became uncomfortable. The warmth in that smile was unsettling, as Sesshomaru could not remember seeing such a look directed at him for many years. Looking away, he restrained himself from fidgeting in her gaze. A long silence fell over them and Kagome shifted into a sitting position, curling her knees up into her chest and wrapping her arms loosely around them. She sighed and turned her gaze towards the sky, speckled with a scattering of stars in clear sections between the clouds and a hazy glow around the covered moon.

Sesshomaru calmed his senses quickly, telling himself that it was irrational for a simple human miko to unnerve him as such. She was simply a strange miko, which held no reason to make him so uncomfortable. When he was certain that the sudden reaction had not changed his stoic expression, he followed her gaze to the sky.

The woman repeated her sigh, this time murmuring to the Taiyouki, “It is a beautiful night.” This was followed by a slight shiver, which the demon noticed immediately.

“Is that what brings you out here despite the cold?” Sesshomaru asked.

He watched as the raven hair gently shook side to side. “I came to see you,” Kagome said quietly, “and to find out what you were going to do now.” She paused and ducked her head briefly. “I also wanted to know… if you are still our enemy?”

The Taiyouki tried to discern what kind of answer she was looking for, but the woman had hid her expression behind her arms. He could only see a tension in her shoulders that did not explain anything. After a short pause, Sesshomaru spoke, “Nothing has changed. I still desire to have the Tetsusaiga.”

Her body stiffened and she turned a glare towards him. “You save my life and then you say that nothing has changed?” she spat angrily. “How can you just… how can you be so uncaring about it?”

Sesshomaru didn’t answer, but stood motionless next to the incensed miko. He had no need to explain himself to a human. His entire stance told her that the demon lord was above caring. She quietly seethed and tried to take several deep breaths. Calming down some, the miko took up a blade of grass and twiddled it with her fingers. A look of sadness moved over her face in place of the anger, and Sesshomaru wondered at it. This woman certainly moved through several moods in such a short period of time.

Speaking to the grass, the miko addressed him, “Things may not have changed for you, Sesshomaru-sama, but they have changed for me. Without you I would have died and I cannot simply forget that and move on.” A short smirk grew on her lips then, “And I find it hard to believe that Inuyasha got in such a tizzy over nothing.”

Though the Taiyouki wasn’t sure what the miko meant by “tizzy” he was certain that it had something to do with the hanyou’s reaction to his presence. Speaking of his half-brother…

“Where is the half-breed?” Sesshomaru questioned.

Kagome’s smirk twitched, “In Kaede’s hut. After I “Sat” him several times, he kept complaining until Kaede made him rest from the battle.” She shook her head slightly, “I was worried that you two would try to fight the whole time that you were here, so I didn’t have a choice, really.”

Sesshomaru felt a reflected inner smirk. It was amusing how the human controlled the hanyou with a collar of prayer beads. Most of the time, it kept his half-brother from acting so rashly and it was obvious that the woman often enjoyed that particular punishment. Perhaps this miko would be able to tame his brother; he stopped that thought immediately. The hanyou’s behavior showed that he was protective of the human and considered himself her future mate. There was no mating mark yet on the woman, but the thought of her mating with the half-breed turned his stomach. ‘The hanyou is truly repulsive,’ Sesshomaru agreed with this feeling, though his blood felt unsettled as well.

The Taiyouki looked at the miko once more. She was apparently not expecting an answer, but merely shifted through her own thoughts, with a grin on her face, possibly recalling the image of the half-breed eating the dirt. With that absent, pleased expression, Sesshomaru was strongly reminded of his young charge, Rin. Both females seemed to have the same ability to be happy with some small thing. Perhaps it was this similarity that prompted him to speak again.

“This Sesshomaru will not leave the barrier without knowledge of how it works,” he coolly stated, watching her turn towards him with wide eyes, clearly startled. The miko opened her mouth as though to speak, but promptly shut it and looked curiously at the demon lord.

“Well,” she mused softly, “it is very strange, but some of the barrier is still in effect.” Kagome paused, but seeing no reaction from Sesshomaru, she continued, “It no longer blocks the others from touching me all the time, but Miroku says that he can still feel its energy around me. He says that the force is also different for each person. It will not repel Sango or Kaede very strongly, but it is tenser around Inuyasha and Miroku…” she trailed off, a small blush spreading across her face and averted her eyes.

Having listened closely, Sesshomaru thought aloud, “Perhaps it is your miko abilities coming into effect.”

A thoughtful nod from Kagome showed her agreement. “It’s possible, of course,” she said, “but it’s odd that it would come up so suddenly and that it would have certain, …exceptions.” Kagome gave Sesshomaru a brief glance and her blush deepened.

Without warning, the Taiyouki grasped Tokijin and swung it towards Kagome’s throat, halting mere centimeters from her delicate skin. The air crackled with flashes of pink electricity, but there was no force to accompany the light around the blade. The miko let out a gasp as it happened and scooted backwards clumsily once the sword’s path had stopped. The woman glared at the demon lord furiously, midnight blue eyes flashing in their fury, “What on earth was that for?!”

With precise movements, the demon lord once again sheathed Tokijin and turned his gaze to the sky. “The barrier does not respond to possible threat,” Sesshomaru catalogued the lack of reaction out loud. “It may not respond to the intentions of others.” Moments slipped by where the Taiyouki could feel the anger emanating from the still woman and he addressed her again, “Perhaps there is a connection with the kit…”

“How dare you?!” the miko interrupted. “You could have warned me you were going to nearly slice my throat off!” She stood up, faltering a bit in her haste and swiftly turned. “Goodbye, Sesshomaru-sama,” the name was nearly spat out from her lips and no sooner had she spoken then Sesshomaru stood in front of her.

Fighting to control his blood from the anger of seeing this ningen try to walk away from him, Sesshomaru leveled the woman with a hard gaze, perversely pleased and perturbed to see her stiffen and a flash of fear go through her eyes. “No human walks away from this Sesshomaru,” he growled dangerously. He watched the fury dance across her features but, surprisingly, she said nothing. The miko only stiffened and looked back at him with a firm control that the demon lord nearly admired. A long silence spanned between them, until Kagome’s aura seemed to glow dimly, with fuchsia streaks glinting through the morning air.

They were interrupted by a flash of red dashing through the clearing and yanking Kagome further from Sesshomaru with a loud growl. Golden eyes clashed as Inuyasha stared defiantly at his half-brother.

“Hands off, Sesshomaru,” Inuyasha threatened, claws clutching at the cloth of Kagome’s kimono in anger.

Sesshomaru nearly scoffed at the hanyou’s abrupt appearance, but the cool façade didn’t slip. “The human is unharmed, half-breed,” he stated. Though his expression did not change, Sesshomaru didn’t miss the chance to infuriate his half-brother as usual, “It is surprising that it took so long to come find your mate.”

As soon as he spoke the word “mate,” Inuyasha looked a mix between embarrassed, angered, and in denial while Kagome merely stiffened and looked intently at the demon lord, as though searching for something. Sesshomaru couldn’t begin to guess what was going through the miko’s mind, but he was fairly certain of what the foolish half-breed was about to do.

Ever predictable, Inuyasha swung out Tetsusaiga and spoke fiercely, “We are not mates!” Sesshomaru’s only response was to tilt his head in a manner that indicated the close grip that Inuyasha held Kagome with in his firm embrace. With a faint blush, Inuyasha pushed Kagome behind him and took on a fighting stance. The miko looked decidedly ruffled at the abrupt movement, but regained her anger and shouted out, “Sit!”

“Dammit wench!” Inuyasha shouted back. “What the hell was that for?” He struggled on the ground, attention off of his brother for the moment.

The woman moved around to face the prone hanyou, glaring at him, “You are acting like I was in danger here. I didn’t need to be rescued, baka.” She huffed and crossed her arms, never glancing at the still Taiyouki, who was watching their interaction with boredom.

“It’s Sesshomaru!” Inuyasha spat out, “You can’t just trust him!” His eyes flashed and his claws dug into the dirt around him.

The miko rolled her eyes sarcastically, “And I don’t suppose the fact that he saved my life has anything to do with this?”

The half-breed grumbled, “He could have saved you to kidnap you and barter for Tetsusaiga.”

Kagome sighed, exasperated, “If he wanted to do that, don’t you think he would have done it by now?” Sesshomaru looked at the woman in mild interest. He had considered using the woman before, but now his interests lay in her abilities more than her use as a hostage. The Taiyouki was surprised that the miko had picked up on this fact.

Inuyasha growled low and looked intently at the miko, “He could have hurt you, Kagome. I just…” The hanyou’s gaze softened for a moment. “I just wanted to keep you safe.”

Sesshomaru watched as the human’s features softened considerably at these words and the woman knelt down before his half-brother. ‘How foolish,’ he thought. She was forgiving the hanyou without any hesitation. The half-breed would never learn to respect her as a mate if she allowed him to use her emotions in such a way. But perhaps he was giving the hanyou too much credit; he watched the look that Inuyasha was casting on the miko and saw that perhaps there was some feeling in the half-breed as well. They were both foolish.

“Inuyasha,” the woman murmured, “you don’t have to worry, okay? I’m safe.”

“You were nearly dead, Kagome,” Inuyasha spoke harshly. “You shouldn’t just take chances with Sesshomaru after that.”

Something flashed behind her eyes and the miko took on a calculating gaze, “Is all of this because Sesshomaru was the one to rescue me and not you?”

“Keh,” the hanyou flattened his ears against his head and turned to the side. Inwardly, the demon lord was smirking. His foolish brother was obscenely jealous and possessive over this female to act this way.

“Baka,” Kagome spat out, standing up again. “Can’t you just be satisfied that I’m alive?” With that, she turned and moved to walk away, pausing in front of the demon lord. Looking in his gaze, she almost thought that she saw a flicker of amusement, but it vanished before she could believe that it was really there.

Considering the miko for a moment, Sesshomaru glanced towards the sky and saw that it had lighted considerably and the first rays of the sun were beginning to show. He would have to check on his lands before he investigated further into this matter with the woman. His cloud formed beneath his feet and he began his ascent into the air. The Taiyouki looked down on the miko, who was looking up at him in a mix of surprise and searching again for something that the demon lord could not guess at. Caught in this gaze, the demon lord surprised himself by stating, “I will return.” Leaving behind a shocked miko and a fuming hanyou, Sesshomaru turned to go patrol his lands.

***