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: *sigh* Even I am getting tired with my excuses, so let’s just assume that I begged all of you personally a hundred times for forgiveness and try to enjoy the long overdue chapter, okay? And I am sorry.


Growls could be heard intermittently between rough, pacing steps. The boulders surrounding the spring seemed to echo the frustration that had not yet left the usually stoic demon lord. Although one could not say his mind was racing, as only humans were the only ones who became confused and unable to function, one could probably say that he was uneasy with the situation concerning the miko.

A loud crack resounded across the spring as Sesshomaru’s claw split one of the boulders in two. For a moment things were silent and the Taiyoukai calmed enough to stand by the spring and organize his thoughts.

It was a fact that there was something in or about the miko that held the demon inside him at bay, despite her “unintentional” acts of defiance. Though Sesshomaru could not yet think of a cause to this, he acknowledged that particular trait to take what he had and move on from there.

It was also a fact that he was able to penetrate the miko’s defenses, seemingly effortlessly. There seemed to be no cause to this as well, but that particular situation eased the demon lord’s blood rather than irritate it. His mind even found the matter curious and was the cause of his visits with the woman.

It was a fact that despite all of his rearing and all of his experience, Sesshomaru, Taiyoukai of the West was beginning to reach a split in his decisions and actions. The irrefutable cause of this upset was the miko and the calling of her blood.

It was these facts that left Sesshomaru with his mind, not racing, but uneasy still. To begin with, the demon lord decided, he must consider the situation of the miko’s defenses, as it was the topic least likely to spur him into his demon form.

He was not the only one able to pass the miko’s barrier, the kitsune could also disregard her power, yet that same power held Inuyasha at bay. That was a feat that even Sesshomaru had to admit would be difficult, with the hanyou’s pigheadedness and irrational force to achieve what he desired. The barrier was also weaker when it came to the women, Sesshomaru recalled. It was possible that the barrier was based on a close connection between the person and the miko. But unlikely, Sesshomaru mused, for if it were so, surely the hanyou would be the one to access the woman and not himself. Had the women not been able to reach the miko, he might have considered that only a full youkai could reach her, like himself and the kitsune cub. He might have considered that the barrier would allow women and children if he, himself, had not been able to bypass it. The connections seemed random, but the demon lord knew that there had to be some reason for the exceptions. His mind lingered on the connection between the miko and the other person… perhaps it was not a matter of closeness or trust, but a matter of worth? There was certainly no demon more worthy to have anything he wanted than Sesshomaru. One who she had adopted as her child could also be considered worthy of access and it was possible that the taijiya was the woman’s confidant, second in command. The old woman, possibly, could be a type of mentor or tutor in the miko’s abilities, thereby being worthy of access.

Though the reasoning was sound and capable of truth, Sesshomaru’s senses plucked at his thoughts, like a parasite nibbling at it’s prey. Having forced his mind to settle on the matter, however, the demon lord projected assurance and confidence that he had understood that portion of the situation.

This reminded him, however, of the split in his decisions and actions. Though he was aware that this could only be due to the miko, Sesshomaru was frustrated with why it was so. The woman, after all, was only human, even if she was a miko… but perhaps that was his answer. Sesshomaru had, in the past, avoided contact with humans in affairs of his domain as well as any social situations. Even when his father had his human mistress Sesshomaru had never acknowledged the woman, though his father had reprimanded him for it. This could just be the way interaction with humans worked, when in a situation beyond exterminating the weak creatures.

Slowly, Sesshomaru began to realize that his stoic features had come back to him and he no longer felt the fire behind his eyes. This assured him that his reasoning was accurate, that he would not be so calm had he been wrong. The nibbling at his thoughts tried to edge their way into the Taiyoukai’s consciousness, but the demon lord quickly and stubbornly shook them off.

He began to contemplate whether he should leave back to his territory when he heard soft footsteps coming up the path towards the spring. Looking ahead, Sesshomaru realized that dusk was approaching. It had taken the whole of the day to work out the agitation of his inner demon, but the Taiyoukai had felt barely a moment of it. A tantalizing lavender aroma began to surround the demon lord and Sesshomaru carefully suppressed any reaction without even pausing to note what exactly he was reacting to. He was in control again and this woman would know it without having to dirty his claws with her blood.

The Taiyoukai turned regally and faced the approaching miko. Cold, amber eyes watched the woman’s steps with as much attention as he would a passing snake, attentive but relaxed. She was nothing.

The woman stopped at the edge of the boulders surrounding the spring, blue eyes watching the demon lord carefully with some apprehension. She had changed from the tan kimono into a skirt and sailor shirt that Sesshomaru could vaguely recall seeing pieces of when he first found her on the battle field. The miko said nothing, but slowly, gracefully bent down onto her knees and bowed to the Taiyoukai, hair falling into disarray around her face.

Sesshomaru said nothing and merely waited to hear what this human had to say to the Taiyoukai of the West. He felt his muscles poised to move to the woman but he held his senses strictly in check, despite the flare of heat that tried to rip it’s way through his icy exterior.

“Sesshomaru-sama,” the miko murmured low, but loud enough that the demon lord could hear a small waver in her soft voice. “I would like to apologize for any disrespect I showed you this morning. My laughter was unintentional and I regret giving you cause to be angry,” not once did the miko lift her head towards Sesshomaru, but here he could almost feel her cerulean orbs flicker towards him as she waited for his response.

The Taiyoukai found himself moving towards the still woman, stopping just before her. Looking down, he focused on the raven locks as he dispassionately said, “You should learn your place, miko.”

He watched as the woman bristled with anger, but remained motionless. “I have come to request your help, Sesshomaru-sama,” the miko said stiffly, and the demon lord could nearly feel her jaw tighten against her words, almost wanting to clutch those words and hold them in her throat rather than speak them. Slowly, Kagome’s back arched as she moved into an upright kneeling position and she held her arms and shoulders low, almost demurely, though Sesshomaru could see the tension just beneath her skin. “Never before have I seen you in anger and I had wondered whether or not you could become angry,” she admitted quietly, “But I can see now that your anger does exist and I want to know… no, I need to know how to control mine as completely as you do yours.”

The demon lord merely looked at the woman, watching as her eyes rose to meet his in an outpouring of sincerity, determination, and tightly repressed anger that had not faded since he had reprimanded her. He might have been surprised at her actions had he cared about what this woman did, but he had no concern with mikos, of course. The demon lord might even had been inclined to simply kill the woman where she kneeled, but as soon as he tightened a muscle to do just that, Sesshomaru felt his blood freeze inside him to a point where his skin nearly burned from the motion that would not carry out. Coldly, the Taiyoukai spoke, “How do you expect this Sesshomaru to help you, miko?”

Her voice flowed softly over his ears, “I know that you can, Sesshomaru-sama. I only hope that you will.”

Sesshomaru was frozen, but this time it was by the heat that coursed through his blood, not the cold. Those words echoed in him, drawing his blood to rush through him and strain itself towards the woman before him. Were these words from his memory to cause such a reaction? But the demon lord could not recall hearing such a thing uttered to him before. Something in the words, and the miko, spurred him to accept her plea. His mind stretched for a reason to deny the woman before him but came up dry. Sesshomaru found himself saying, “Training is not easy with this Sesshomaru.”

Eyes of the sea sparkled as sun on the water and the miko clasped her hands together, pressing them to her chest, “You will help me, Sesshomaru-sama?!”

Sesshomaru found himself nodding before his mind actually acknowledged the question and the woman before him leapt up in her excitement. A moment of chatter and some utter nonsense from the miko and she was rushing towards Kaede’s hut only to rush back and gesture for the Taiyoukai to follow her before running towards the hut again only to double back towards the demon lord. Had Sesshomaru known the word, he would have realized that the woman was making him dizzy.

***

Considering it seriously, it would be doubtful whether or not the woman could actually learn to control her anger, Sesshomaru thought as he watched the miko practically skip ahead of him in her glee. She was too much like his young charge, whom he could teach to be obedient but never in control of herself. Rin’s own smile was reflected on the miko’s face and Sesshomaru could tell that any attempts at power and control would be beyond her, just as it was the child. But he did not take back his acceptance.

It would be an opportunity to put the miko to use and see if the hanyou will barter with the Tetsusaiga, Sesshomaru realized dully. He passed over the thought casually until the image of the furious half-breed caught his attention.

“Where is the half-breed, miko?” Sesshomaru demanded, curious as to what the hanyou would do once he found out her request from him.

“Oh,” the woman’s cheer seemed to slip away from her and she looked regretful. “He’s sulking by the God Tree.” She quieted, but maintained her pace down the path towards Kaede’s hut. Kagome glanced back at the silent Taiyoukai, who arched an eyebrow minutely in query. The miko sighed and faced forward as she answered, “Inuyasha wasn’t very happy when I decided to ask for your help. Neither were the others, really, but Inuyasha…” she paused, expression drooping sadly, “he was furious with me. We fought and he stormed away for the whole afternoon.”

The demon lord said nothing and the woman merely kept her pace until they reached the edge of the forest. The village lay out before them, with several people still moving between the huts and the last farmers coming back from the fields. Kagome gazed at the sight for a moment and then turned to Sesshomaru, “I know that you don’t like humans, so if you’d like to stay out here, or return to your land for the evening, I understand.” She peeked at him from beneath her eyelashes, seemingly shy, despite her boldness earlier.

Sesshomaru gruffly answered, “No.” He watched her eyes widen and some emotion of surprise and something else passed through her.

“Will you come in the village then?” the miko asked. Hesitating, she inquired, “Surely you don’t wish to begin training now, Sesshomaru-sama? It is already night.”

His amber eyes bore into her so that he could almost feel the pressure that he was directing at the woman. “This Sesshomaru will not train you in the village, miko,” he informed her, impassively but firmly. “You will come to the Western Lands if you wish to learn to control your power.”

Startled, the miko flashed her eyes back towards the village, then towards the God Tree. Lingering there for a moment, Kagome dragged her eyes back to the demon lord before her. She considered him seriously for a moment and seemed to make her decision as a new weight fell into her gaze. The miko spoke softly, “Please, I will have to say goodbye to them.”

The Taiyoukai nodded and they continued on towards the old woman’s hut, the air somehow heavier around them.

The miko entered the hut and Sesshomaru only paused for a fraction of a moment before following her into the familiar place. It was nearly the same as it was before, with the taijiya, the houshi, the old woman, and the kitsune cub gathered around the fire. The only thing lacking was the hanyou, and much quieter for it too, the demon lord noted absently. The group started as Kagome passed by them and began to gather her things into a large, yellow pack.

“Kagome,” the taijiya spoke, “Are you leaving for home now?” The miko turned towards the other woman and something passed between their gazes that the taijiya knew that she wasn’t leaving to home, wherever her home might be, Sesshomaru vaguely wondered.

“I’m leaving to train with Sesshomaru-sama,” the miko said softly, watching sadly as the group shifted in apprehension and fear, fear for the woman.

The monk spread his hands out in front of him in a gesture of pleading to the miko, “Are you sure that’s the best idea, Kagome? Won’t you reconsider this training? We could try to train you ourselves if you wish.”

“Miroku,” the miko spoke, “you know why that won’t work. I don’t want someone who will go easy on me and you all care too much to push me to work. I don’t…” A pause and she looked down at her pack once more, “I don’t want to be a burden to you anymore. I need to learn to protect myself now, do you understand?” The miko looked towards the taijiya, whose eyes were downcast but who nodded her understanding. The miko gave the woman a thin smile, gratefully, and hefted the pack onto her shoulders.

The young kit stood up and moved over to the miko, “No, Kagome! Don’t leave us. I can protect you, I don’t mind at all!” The kitsune was beginning to cry and the miko leaned down and picked him up in a tight embrace.

“You’re my hero, Shippo-chan,” the miko whispered, “Won’t you stay here and help protect the others? I’ll be back for you, I promise.”

The cub was holding back tears and he keened, “Please don’t leave me, okaa-san.”

Sesshomaru could see the miko melting into the kitsune’s sadness and she turned her own pleading eyes towards his. Before she could speak, the demon lord shook his head briefly, “Do you really want the child to see you while you train, miko?” His tone held the hint of warning in it and he watched as she heard it and acknowledged it.

The miko stiffly put the kitsune down even as his hands clutched at her, begging his adopted mother to stay with him. She whispered to the kit, “I’ll come back for you, Shippo-chan, don’t you worry.” With a nod at the others, she began to move towards the door, stiffly and still dry-eyed, but on the edge of breaking.

Kaede raised a hand in farewell, “Be safe, child. Good luck.”

“Thank you, Kaede-san,” the miko whispered and followed the Taiyoukai out the door. The kitsune’s keening could be heard within the hut but he did not follow the pair out the door.

They moved silently a little ways from the hut and the demon lord moved closer to wrap his arm around her. The cloud beneath their feet had just begun to form when they turned and saw Inuyasha approaching from the field. He rushed toward the miko with his hand on his sword, but slowed as he came nearer and saw the expression on the woman’s face. Sesshomaru could not tell what the hanyou saw in her expression, but she seemed both sad and calm as she watched the half-breed draw near.

“Inuyasha,” she murmured and the hanyou stopped just a few paces beside them. His muscles were taught and his fists were clenching around his sword. Their eyes were locked for nearly an eternity when the miko looked down from his gaze. “I’m going to train with Sesshomaru-sama,” she told him faintly.

“You’re leaving with him?” the hanyou growled angrily, glancing at the arm around her waist but avoiding the Taiyoukai’s stare. “You don’t need training, all you need to do is find those shards and I can tear whoever has them apart,” his voice was gruff and he wouldn’t look at the miko’s face now either.

“And if we fight Naraku again?” the miko asked quietly, watching as the half-breed flinched visibly. “You won’t be there to protect me all the time when you’re busy fighting Naraku, Inuyasha. I need to do this…”

“But not with him you don’t!” Inuyasha shouted furiously. “Who’s going to find the shards when you go off with HIM?!”

The woman stiffened in the demon lord’s arm and he looked down to see her eyes flash in anger, bitterness, and even fear. But fear of what, the demon lord wondered. He was tiring of this drawn-out parting, however, and he began to rise with the woman in hand.

The miko looked at him and back at the hanyou frantically, anger forgotten, and she spoke quickly, “I’ll be back when I’m ready to fight with you, Inuyasha. I’ll be back!” A single tear made its way from her brilliant storm eye and slid over her cheek, marking her regret and her foolishness. The ground moved further away from them and she shouted back at the unmoving half-breed, “When I come back, I’ll be more than a shard detector!” Then the wind was whipping at her face and hair, and she turned away into the Taiyoukai’s shoulder.

Foolish woman, was all the demon lord could think of her. Wasting her sorrow on a half-breed.

***