Slave of Love

Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha. It belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. Nor the book “Enslaved” by V. Henley.

A/N: Hey people I’m back, sorry it took so long. Well I hope you like this chapter, and please don’t doubt to e-mail me if there’s something you don’t understand.

Chapter 5: “The Mask Ball”

When Kagome returned home, there were dozens of visit cards on the lobby table. She gave a quick glance going through them, looking for an specific name. She blushed faintly when she found what she was looking for, and when Kikyo handed her a bouquet of roses her light blush turned into a fully red one.

“Koga Shinda, how nice of him.” Kagome commented nonchalantly, to dissimulate her delight.

“A little bit presumptuous if you ask me.” Kikyo said intentionally waiting for Kagome to jump on his defense.

“Yes, he is.” She answered as she bent her head to smell the flowers.

*********

Later on that same afternoon, miss Jurei went to visit Kikyo. She had her “Dragon” disguise back on, all respectable and serious. Kagome kept serious also while she listened to the conversation.

“Lady Melbourne and lady Sommers requested me to give their respective daughters extra classes, hoping that they will outstand from my other students that are about to debut. However my principles oblige me to be fair with all my girls. With that purpose I ask for you to let Kagome go to my study tomorrow night.”

“I should consult this with my father... But I guess it wont be a problem, after all is for her best. You are a very ethical woman miss Jurei, it’s really remarkable.”

Kagome coughed to hide her laughter. ‘God, she is such a flatterer. I think I’m going to be sick.’

“Very well then, I shall expect Kagome tomorrow night.” Yura said as she ready herself to leave.

“Yes, and I will go also, Kagome, you can’t go on your own so late at night.”

“That won’t be necessary, I will take the carriage.” Kagome hurried to answer.

“Lady Kagome is right, all the other girls will go in their carriages.” Yura backed Kagome up.

“Mmm, well I guess.” Kikyo began but was interrupted by Kagome.

“Besides, I wouldn’t want for you to get bored waiting hours for me.”

“All right, but at least take a maid with you.” Kikyo said.

“I will.”

“Well if all is concluded I will be leaving now. I will see you tomorrow night lady Kagome.” She turned to Kikyo and with a nod she said: “Miss Kikyo.”

“Good afternoon miss Jurei.” Kagome answered, barely restraining herself from jumping of happiness.

With that said miss Jurei left the Higurashi house.

*********

When Kagome arrived at the study the next night, she left the maid, Beedy, with the coachman, James. She knew they liked each other and had something going on, even though they had to hide it in front the vigilant eyes of Kikyo.

Yura was radiant in her violet dress. Kagome was glad that miss Jurei was away tonight, along with the grey wig and corset.

“Come on in, dear.” Yura invited her. “I was just finishing my make up.”

When Kagome came out of the dressing room wearing her costume, she watch in awe as Yura outlined her eyes with kohl.

“Can I try on some make up for my lips?”

“Of course. Also put some on your cheeks. I know that your mask will hide all of your face except your lips, but I believe that a little bit of make up, make’s the woman more confident about her charms.”

Kagome was pleased with the results of her make up; as last touch she wore on a silver-blue eyes shadow.

“Voila! A goddess from head to toes.” Yura exclaimed while she put a long black cape over her ward’s shoulders. “If your servants are discreet we can take your carriage.”

“We have a mutual understanding.” The girl assured her teacher.

She had to admit that Yura looked amazing in that dress with that big matching violet feather fan.

“To Oxford Street.” Kagome ordered James while Beedy run to open the door of the carriage.

When they arrived to Oxford Street they saw the traffic jam all the way to Bow Street. The Pantheon gates were crowded as well. Yura nock the carriage’s roof and told James:

“We will go by foot from now on. Let’s go Kagome.”

“Stay in the carriage Beedy. Be at miss Jurei’s study at ten thirty and wait for me there.” With that said Kagome put on her mask and joined the crowd with Yura. Everybody that was considered someone in London society would be there tonight.

Kagome and Yura made their way to a group of men carrying a cape covered chair and torches in their hands. Yura touched one of the men’s arm. The gentleman turned when he felt a hand on his arm, and smiled at Yura with familiarity.

“Hello Yura. You came to see the fireworks?”

“What are you up to, Sir Charles?”

“Well, we heard a rumor that they weren’t admitting actresses tonight, so we are offering miss Baddeley our escort.”

“Anything for a little fun, right Charley?” Yura replied. When she saw Kagome’s confused face she began explaining. “Kagura Baddeley, a singer at the Ranelagh, is the actual mistress of the Viscount of Melbourne, and his friends here, are assuring that she has a triumphal entrance.” By the time Yura ended her explanation Kagome’s jaw was hanging, living her mouth wide open.

‘This is amazing! Who would have thought that Eri and Hojo’s father is having an affair?!’

“Well lady Melbourne does look like an older version of Kikyo, so...” Kagome whispered to Yura.

Yura winked at the young girl.

“There you have your answer. To keep your man happy you have to be at least pleasant in bed, the rest is just easy.”

‘I wonder if uncle Naraku had a mistress while aunt Kyo was still alive, I don’t know but I can’t imagine my aunt allowing that... Even though if you think about it, it could be true. I mean, look at Kikyo, she has to be similar to someone of the family. Maybe she is adopted. *sigh* God I have to stop talking to myself.’

While they were walking towards the gate Kagome spotted lord March and lord Bute, to of the most respectable and serious men in society. ‘Well, they turned out to be not so respectable after all.’ Kagome thought.

Yura elbowed Bankotsu Hangar on the ribs. He was an intimate friend of the Prince of Wales.

“Kagura’s debut in society... Or is it the other way round?”

The men around them began laughing at Yura’s obscene joke.

‘How suffocating and formal the life of a debutant is.’ Kagome thought as they stopped in front of the gates.

They had posted doorkeepers to forbid the entrance of unwanted people. When the men escorting Kagura unsheathed their swords at unison the doorkeepers move out of their way. And so, with an arc formed of swords Kagura made her triumphal entrance to the Pantheon and society.

The place was full; there were as many people inside as outside. When a servant helped Kagome remove her cape, she felt wicked. All this made her have a sublime felling running through her. She was receiving more looks than the countess of Cork, who had chosen an Arabic sultana costume, including her black painted face and the turban with diamonds on her head.

Kagome noticed that everybody was trying to outstand from the others, and she wasn’t any different. There were costumes of all the time periods you would choose, from the Restoration period to the Elizabethan and even the ancient Greece. You could see Cupid accompanied by a lady from the Camelot court. Everything was color and laughter and Kagome was having the time of her life.

*********

At that moment the earl of Bath, who had arrived London on business, was going through the tedious transition of finding a new mistress. He knew that he was not easy to please nor the nicest person, he was the first one to recognize his cynicism and satiation towards life and women. He thought of his step brother for a second: ‘Thank god there’s Koga to continue the Shinda name.’ The earl had no intentions of allowing society to trap him in the obligation of marriage and forming a family. He was wild and had reputation of libertine, but women didn’t care; better said they only cared about his title and if you add a fortune to go with it, women chased after him like a pack of bitches in heat.

Some could consider him handsome, in a very animalistic way. His shoulder length jet black hair that he denied to powder, his dark, almost black, purple eyes, and his dark complexion along with a tall hard body, well toned by muscles born from the exercise made him look like a warrior.

Looking for some amusement he examined the room for some worthy catch, his dark eyes ignoring the inviting looks of the women. He was a man who liked to take the initiative and choose, no matter what. He was proud of his self-control; he never allowed lust to take over him or his decisions... That is until now.

He almost lost his composure when he saw the gorgeous creature dress, without any doubt, as Diana the Huntress. That unknown woman, accompanied by the notorious Yura, had captured all of his attention. He contemplated her as she threw her head backwards and gave a tingling laugh.

Kagome not noticing the dark eyes that explored her up and down, laughed of the malicious comment that Yura was making about one of the most peculiar guests of the night, the countess of Cork, wearing a costume of a sultana. Kagome said with innocence:

“She may be eccentric, but she surely is harmless, right?”

“Actually, she is mortal.” Yura answered. “She doesn’t care if she insults the very king, she just talk...even though sometimes you just feel like shut her the hell up. Move aside so you can listen.”

Kagome perked her ears and listen to what the countess was saying to the prince of wale’s uncle:

“It’s time for the Regency law to be approved. The king is even crazier than a hat salesman!”

Kagome quickly step back and Yura rolled her eyes.

“See? She has said that at least twenty times in the last ten minutes.”

Kagome started laughing. “What advice would miss Jurei give to her students?”

Yura’s face became miss Jurei’s and replied:

“You must never be rude and always appear as if you were listening to the person you are talking to, even though you are not...because god knows that some people can be such a drag.”

Kagome had to take her mask to dry the tears of her eyes, so hard she was laughing. When she did, the earl of Bath got to see a pair of stormy blue eyes that almost left him breathless. He had been stalking his prize with the confidence of a wild feline. When he was near enough he circled her waist with his hands and lifted her up to a platform that was behind Kagome.

“A goddess deserves to be in a pedestal.” He said in a low voice.
She stared at the tall and tanned stranger in shock when he put his hands on her waist. She looked at his dark purple eyes that were looking her up and down not missing one spot of her body, easily revealed by the costume.

“Introduce us Yura.” The earl commanded.

“Don’t even think about it, you black devil. She is no bite for your insatiable appetite.”

“I promise to savor her. Like a fine wine, I will drink her sip by sip, delay her in my tongue, and taste her over and over. I will invest all the night in to satiate my thirst.”

Yura was speechless. ‘What to do? I can’t expose to the earl of Bath the identity of lady Kagome Higurashi.’

Kagome, however, was far from speechless. Her temper flamed, and let go of her tongue.

“You lustful pig!! Go satiate your thirst somewhere else!” She kicked him on the calf, but unfortunately it was her foot the one that got hurt against the hard muscled leg instead. “Ouch!” She screamed.

The earl took her foot with skill, amused that she ended up hurt instead of him. His eyes go all the way up of Kagome’s long leg.

Indignant Kagome got an arrow from her quiver and pinch the hand that was holding her leg. When she saw that he wasn’t letting go, she pinched him again, this time more violently. This time he did let go, but not before he slid his hand up her thigh.
Kagome blushed red under her mask. She suddenly felt fear of that man who produce such strange feelings in her body and touch it as if it was for his personal pleasure. Desperate she looked for Yura, but couldn’t find her anywhere. The platform was full of women with masks and costumes.

‘God! I think I’m having a panic attack! All of the sudden, I don’t think it was such a good idea to come here in the first place’ she thought as she saw the men around the platform laughing and looking lustful to the women standing there. ‘Maybe this place is to mundane for a debutant girl like me’.

********

The earl of Bath couldn’t get his eyes of the raven-haired beauty. It was obvious that she was young, so she surely was new in the business. Generally he was attracted to elder women who had experience, but that beautiful vision possessed such a freshness and vitality that it was a strong temptation that night. Just that instant he decided he would have her. He lifted his hand towards the man dressed as Cupid a couple of times, like the other men around him where doing.

********
The angel that was standing next to Kagome stretched her hand and took Kagome’s mask.

“This goes wonderful with my costume. Would you mind...?”

“Yes I would!” Kagome yelled at her fearing someone would recognize her. “Go play your stupid harp to another cloud, bitch!” She added as she took her mask back to cover her identity. Then she saw those dark purple eyes as she felt she was lifted from the platform.
“What the hell do you think you are doing?!” She asked when her feet touched ground.

He smiled. “I just bought you, Diana.”

“What the devils are you talking about?” The girl inquired. ‘And, why is he calling me that? ... Of course, the damn costume.’

“The auction... Cupid is selling all the young nymphs that are up on the platform, and I just paid the highest price for you.”

“That’s impossible!” She protested, horrified.

“It’s a benefit auction, sweetheart. Is for a good cause, I assure you.” He grabbed two cups of Champaign that a servant had in a platter and put one of them in Kagome’s hand. “Let’s satiate our thirst.”

His deep voice was so dangerously sexy that affected her in a strange way. The suggestions this man was doing summed to the silky tone of his voice, made the most intimate parts of her body tingle. Near panic, Kagome acted on instinct. She threw her Champaign to the man’s face and run away.

*********

At the door she saw that Yura was there with her cape in her hands, anticipating a quick escape. She quickly put her cape to hide her costume.

“I should’ve never come” She commented.

“Oh, don’t go getting all respectable with me now, dear. There will be plenty of time for that tomorrow, at day light!”

On their way to Grosvenor Square, Kagome started laughing.

“I’m sorry. The truth is that I was having a wonderful time, until that disgusting man made me the object of his attentions!”

“That disgusting man, as you so kindly call him, was the earl of Bath.” Cleared Yura.

“OH MY GOD! And I just threw Champaign to his face!”

“I dare to say, that it must have cool down his heat a little bit.”

“Thank god I was in disguise.” Kagome said relieved.

Turning on North Street towards Grosvenor square, a black carriage cross in their way, stopping next to them. The door open and a strong hand graved Kagome and pulled her into the carriage. The carriage was in the darks and Kagome screamed.

“Don’t alarmed. We already know each other and I dare say that before this night is over we will know each other much more intimately.”

Kagome recognized the voice, but that didn’t calm her fears very much. Better said she was more scared now.

“How dare you kidnap me? What the hell do you want?”

“Simply to enjoyed what I paid for, Cherie.” He paused and continued slowly. “And perhaps an apology for the Champaign incident.”

“You want for me to apologize?” Kagome replied, scandalized. “It is you who has to apologize to me, for touching my leg!”

“I’m sorry for touching your leg. I would’ve preferred much better to touch your breasts.”

Kagome gasped. She wasn’t afraid of him only; she was beginning to be afraid of herself and her body’s reaction towards this dangerous man. She felt a magnetic attraction towards him, even though she knew she had to reject him at all coast. Only then she realized that the carriage was moving.

“Where are you taking me?”

“To my house, in town. It’s not to far.”

“Sir, you cannot! You are confusing me with a.... A prostitute. In truth, I am a lady in disguise.” Kagome confessed.

He laughed. It was a deep, intense, dark sound.

“I don’t believe you.”

“Why do you say that?”

He grabbed a match and lit one of the lamps of the carriage. Half of his face was left in the dark, but Kagome’s face was full at view.

“For certain your face is as adorable as that of a lady, and your manner of speaking is very cult, but you betrayed your self by being accompanied by Yura. She directs one of London’s most fine riding schools. She provides of ridings to half of the aristocracy.”

‘What is this man talking about?’ Kagome thought for a moment, but just then she realized what he was saying. ‘She is a Madame!’. She blushed to the roots of her hair.

The earl noticed the color raising up her cheeks, and felt the need to see the beauty he had glanced for a moment under the mask back in the ball. However his carriage was approaching his house at Jermyn Street so he decided to let her keep the mask until she was safe inside the house.

When he offered his hand to help her descend the carriage, she told him upset:

“I cannot enter your house!”

“Aah, finally everything starts clearing up. You know who I am and that I’m willing to get the highest price for you.”

“NO! I mean, yes... I mean... I know who you are.” ‘Great Kagome keep it up!’

A cynic smile curved his lips.

“Then come in so we can negotiate.”

That had Kagome infuriate ‘He is so... So… Grrrr... Arrogant! He needs to be put in his place, and I am the one with the luck, I’m going to teach him a lesson.’ She thought as she came up with a plan.

As a goddess, Kagome took the offered hand and climbed down. He opened the house door and sent the butler away with a gesture of his hand. The noble man pointed the stairs to Kagome and she climbed to the first floor, allowing his kidnaper, who was behind her, a good view of her long legs. While the earl was lighting the lamps Kagome looked around evaluating the decoration critically. She glanced at the leather couches, the tapestries on the wall, and the Van Dyke pictures and declared:

“Very masculine.”

“I hope so.” He answered in an amused tone. He went to the wine table and filled two glasses.

“You are very bold-she said, looking at the wine.”

“I wage that you don’t throw it to my face again.” He could no longer hide his amusement nor his expectation.

“You can loose that wage.” Kagome warned him. She sipped her wine as she looked at the earl and said. “So this is how it’s done.” She looked down “Well, you can begin with the negotiation.”

He lifted one dark eyebrow. “Are you sure this is your first time?”

“The first time a man declares to me, or the first time I consider the idea of having a lover?” Kagome was amazed by her own boldness, but some inner devil was guiding her.

The earl saw under the mask how her eyes sparkled with delight, and knew that the girl was enjoying with the situation. He went hard imagining the pleasure that she would bring him in bed. He could almost feel those long legs, sliding up and down around his back.

“I will pay you the dressmaker bills and a maid.” He offered

Kagome put the wine down on the table.

“You are wasting your time as well as mine.”

He took the cup and gave it back to her.

“I will rent you a floor and you will have your own carriage.” He added trying to tempt her.

Kagome wet her lips with her tong. Shinda felt his member start pounding.

“Your offer...” She made a dramatically pause. “Is offensive.”

The count’s eyes were no longer amused, but full of intense lust.

“You play really well, little goddess. I’m willing to buy you a house...if you please me in every aspect that there is.”

Kagome began playing with her cup, fingering it.

“Did you just say carte blanche, sir?” She asked, almost carried away by the feeling of power.

“Damn it! You are really making this hard for me!” He stared at her with a frown for a couple of minutes while his mind argued with his body.

The body won.

“Let it be carte blanche.” He agreed with a triumphal look.

Kagome threw the wine in the flower vase. “I’m afraid there won’t be any carte blanche.”

“What the hell do you mean?”

“I mean ‘No’. My answer is no.”

“Why?” He inquired.

Kagome looked at him from head to toes.

“Because you are too arrogant, too self conceited, and very very old for me, lord Bath.”

Inuyasha Shinda, earl of Bath, was thunderstruck for the first time in a very long time.

“Don’t bother showing me the exit. I know my way out.”

With out realizing it, Shinda had shattered the cup he had in his hand.

********

Kagome found her carriage waiting for her in Grosvenor Square, jus a few blocks from the count’s house. She knocked on the door and after a few minutes, James came out looking like a mess. Once inside the carriage, Kagome took her cape. She was breathless after the encounter with the manly earl. When he showed that he wanted her more than anything, she felt a wicked pleasure.

“Quick! Help me take the costume off.” She told Beedy. “How will I do to put on the damn corset in this small space?”

“It is a little bit complicated, but it can be done. Trust me miss.” Beedy answer kindly.

********

The next morning, early, she bath and wash her hair, making sure that al rests of make up were gone. At the breakfast table Kikyo, with a chocolate cup on the hand, looked at her with a frown.

“You washed your hair! What a bother. Hurry and dry it, I’ve accepted an invitation for a walk this afternoon in the Hide Park.”

“With whom?” Asked Kagome upset for the way Kikyo thought she could take decisions for her.

“With Koga Shinda, of course. He has been very punctual with his visits. His manners ser impeccable, I must say. As it should be.”

‘Well, I don’t mind Koga, but who does she think she is deciding for me? Mm, I think I’ll go to the library and sit next to the fire to dry my hair.’

When she was there she chose one of the many books she love so much. She decided for “The Legend of King Arthur” and curled on the couch in front of the fire. As always her imagination took her completely away and didn’t noticed that someone had entered the library. When she did she spied over the book to see who was, and quickly hide behind it again trying to pass unadvertised. ‘OH MYGOD, OH MYGOD, OH MYGOD...’her head kept repeating those words over and over. The silence in the room was absolute. Kagome lifted her head again to see if she had imagined all, but her eyes crash with a pair of black purple ones. ‘HOLY SHIT!’ She thought.

The purple eyes went slightly wide with surprise and shone when recognition came.

“Well, well, well, Diana hunted.” He said with mockery.

A/N: Well? What did you think? Please Review!! Ja!.