Serene Lies

AN:/ Okay so first off, I was a little disappointed because there were ALOT of views but no reviews. I also discovered that I had anon reviews disabled and fixed it. Anyways, this is chapter 7. I would like to remind everyone that I will be changing the name of the story to Paradigm of Sacrifice. Also sorry about the mistake... Dunno why it did that

If you would like to learn more about Sesshomaru go here: http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Sesshomaru

I would also like to give a big thanks to my betas Tunes On A Tuesday and Nikkular. Thanks guys

Without further ado here it is and please leave a review :) Thanks

Chapter 7: The Hanyou Miko

Kagome sat quietly on the top rail of the fence that ran along Kaede’s expansive vegetable garden, trying to focus her wandering thoughts. So much was happening; there was so much to think about. Kaede’s solution to Kagome’s out of body nightmare, Sesshomaru’s confusing attitude and mixed signals, this strange power she seemed to hold over that boy, InuYasha. Kagome ran a hand through her hair, her frustration intensifying. Everything is a freaking problem, she thought in aggravation. The worst being that she couldn’t even get angry, or Naraku’s spell would posses her again.

A hand on her knee jerked Kagome from her annoyed distraction, sending her sprawling to the ground from her perch. She glared up at the culprit only to find a mirror image of herself seven years ago staring right back at her. The little girl stared at her curiously before giving Kagome a toothy grin.

“You’re Lord Sesshomaru’s girlfriend!” The child cried exuberantly. Kagome stared at the girl in shock, her usual “eh” of surprise lost in the revelation that the dark-eyed adolescent could see her. Moving closer towards the girl, whose cheerful face had faded into wariness, Kagome assessed her carefully. She seemed human enough, so how was it that when a half demon like InuYasha and a woman with as strong a spiritual power as the miko Kaede could not see her, this child could? Kagome reached out slowly to take the girl’s hand but she flinched back, causing Kagome to pause.

“You can see me?” Kagome sat back against the fence as she said this, keeping a comfortable distance between herself and the child. She reminded Kagome of an abused house cat, wary of contact with anything resembling that which inflicted pain. This young girl had seen a lot of misery in her short life. Sighing, Kagome relaxed her shoulders in an effort to convey that she meant the girl no harm. “What is your name?”

“I’m Rin.” Kagome gave the girl an encouraging smile.

“It’s nice to meet you, I am Kagome. Oh, and I am not Sesshomaru’s girlfriend,” she corrected the girl, flushing darkly. The lingering feeling of warmth that Rin’s words had invoked caused a small war to wage in Kagome’s mind. What was it about her exclamation that appealed to her so much? After all, Sesshomaru was a snobby, stuck up, prick. Yet somewhere in the back of her mind something taunted - You know that’s a lie. And if Kagome was honest with herself, she knew that her malice towards Sesshomaru right now was just because she was furious with him for what he did.

“I know who you are. We have met before Miss Kagome. Do you not remember?” Rin asked, confused. Gritting her teeth against her desire to scream in frustration, Kagome’s gaze left the child.

“As a matter of fact, I do not.” Kagome whispered bitterly. As she glanced at the girl from the corner of her eye, Kagome realized that Rin had taken her words the wrong way. Standing in front of Kagome, with her dark hair falling to cover her face, Rin’s childish sadness made Kagome feel guilty for being so blunt.

“I didn’t mean it that way. I lost my memories,” Kagome amended, those brown eyes lifting to meet hers.

“I don’t understand.”

“It’s okay, you don’t need to.” Kagome didn’t want to burden Rin with her problems; even though she hid it well behind her cheerful exterior, Kagome could see the darkness that lingered in the girl’s eyes. Moving forward to hug the child, to comfort Rin as well as herself, Kagome was stopped as a sharp command came from behind her.

“Rin, don’t touch her.” Sesshomaru stated coldly, gripping Kagome’s shoulder tightly in warning. Wincing at the pressure that he held on her, Kagome tried to pry his hand away from her shoulder. However as her hand made contact with his, Sesshomaru’s nails dug in, eliciting a cry from Kagome. Feeling the pressure lessen, she turned to glare at the man but found him staring at his hand as if horrified by it. Glancing at the shoulder he had been grabbing onto, Kagome noticed small spots of red were flowering on her shirt. Trying to control her anger, she stood up and glared at him.

“You are such a –” Kagome paused, looking for a word nasty enough to appease the anger she was starting to feel towards him again. “You’re a douche bag! That’s exactly what you are; a big, disgusting, dirty douche bag!”

Kagome marched away, somewhat satisfied until she heard his remark.

“What’s a douche bag?” Kagome’s aggravated shout startled both Rin and Sesshomaru, drawing their gazes toward the frustrated miko’s retreating back.

“Lord Sesshomaru, she is starting to fade. You know that she cannot be alone like this anymore,” Rin said wisely. He took a deep breath, calming his own agitated nerves. Damn woman is going to be a handful .

“I know”

* * *

Her silence was unnerving.

When Sesshomaru had found the miko once again, she had not wasted any time or breath with candy coated words; she merely offered that they should leave as soon as possible.

I wouldn’t want to be a burden to you any longer , she had said, staring at him with cold eyes. In that instance, Sesshomaru understood why his younger half-brother seemed wary of angering the fearsome girl. Her chilly deportment was nearly as frightening as the black miko he had fought the day before. Choosing silence as his response, Sesshomaru knelt down and picked her up much the same way he had carried her to the village. His arm was hooked beneath her knees, her fingers grasping uncomfortably at the spiked pauldron that arched over his left arm, her bare arms resting against the cold metal of the attached cuirass.

Kagome had been silent since then and, as much as Sesshomaru tried to ignore his rising agitation with her stubbornness, he couldn’t help the uncomfortable feeling that was crawling under his skin. How could he ignore her when she was cradled intimately into his chest, the warmth emanating from her soul paradoxically causing gooseflesh to break out along his skin? He had known that she would rather be walking as well but they were both intelligent enough to realize that moving that way would not be as fast – and time was definitely not on their side.

Now, pushing his way through the thick foliage of the treetops in the forest, Sesshomaru watched with increasing irritation as the light that pierced through the dark canopy of leaves began fading. As much as he hated to stop, he knew that with both of them not having slept for nearly two days, they needed rest. Dropping quickly from the upper branches of an ancient oak tree, Sesshomaru was rewarded with a squeak of surprise from the yawning girl who was losing her grip on him. He felt a slight amusement as her fingers went from relaxed to white knuckled on the two spikes in her grip. However, her cold glare quickly erased the smirk that had played about his lips.

“You really do get nasty once you realize that you aren’t obliged to be nice to someone, don’t you?” Sesshomaru grumbled as he put her down. Kagome stepped away from him, placing one hand on a tree for balance as she grabbed her ankle and pulled it slowly towards her buttocks. It took a lot of effort for Sesshomaru to focus on the cold eyes that gazed at him instead of her lithe, contorted form.

“I do not get nasty when I am no longer obliged to be pleasant,” Kagome said, throwing his words back at him. She let her foot fall back to the ground before pulling her other ankle up into a stretch. Allowing her foot to fall back, she stood legs shoulder width apart, hands on hips glaring at the intimidating demon. She hated to admit it, but she felt regret when he looked at her with such detachment as he was now, but she would not let his intimidating appearance deter her. The stupid man deserved the tongue-lashing she was about to give him.

“I get nasty when dim-wits like you take things for granted! I get nasty when someone’s stubborn dominance almost kills me, almost kills people around me who are supposed to be my friends! You know you felt something in that room when you were feeling me up and then you threw the whole damn experience back in my face. And you think you would have been smart enough to learn from that experience but no! You keep needling me! Always!” She took a deep breath, preparing to yell at him more, but released it in a surprised yelp as he stepped close to her, cradling her face in his hands. His body pressed dangerously close to hers and, unsure of his intent, she whispered, “Sesshomaru?”

Sesshomaru had seen her translucent aura begin to darken slowly. She was getting wound up and if she went black this time, she would not be able to come back from it. Sesshomaru looked at her eyes, so filled with uncertainty, and knew that his cold attitude towards anything and everything could end up getting them killed if he was not careful. Meeting her eyes with his own steady gaze, he felt his heart alternatively seize up at the thought of what he was to do.

“Kagome, I am sorry that I did what I did; I was angry with you and unaware what would happen with my blunt words,” he whispered kindly. Kagome’s whole body tensed beneath his as her eyes went impossibly wide. Sesshomaru thought perhaps she would be a little shocked, but this was a little much. It wasn’t such a rarity that he apologized – okay, well maybe that was a lie but his apology didn’t warrant this sort of reaction. Tentatively, she placed her hand over one of his that covered her cheek, keeping eye contact with him.

“That’s the first time you said my name,” she said quietly. Sesshomaru faltered as he realized just what he had done – something entirely different from what he had originally intended. He meant to keep himself detached, acting as he always had but at the same apologizing for his deplorable behaviour. Instead, he had invoked intimacy with the use of her name.

Kagome watched a small flicker of emotion cross his face and knew that the indecision of his next action was caused by her statement. She meant to ask him about what had happened that time at Kaede’s. What was that jolt was that electrified her nerves at his touch, as their gazes locked? She longed to delve into the feelings that had erupted in that small room and at the same time she was afraid. Afraid of his rejection, of him simply shoving it aside once more as if it meant nothing. She knew what he would say, that he would give her the “I felt nothing” or “I am a man, what do you expect?” speech. Kagome had a feeling it would take a great deal of effort on his part to actually admit to any sort of emotion.

Resigning herself from the effort of understanding her own emotions and his baffling behaviour, Kagome decided to change the subject to something else that was nagging at the back of her mind. Looking around at the small area of forest floor where they had stopped, she turned her questioning gaze on Sesshomaru.

“Why did we stop?” Kagome asked him. Sesshomaru stared at her for a moment, thrown off kilter by her sudden change of subject and attitude. Her chilly exterior had melted into an almost childlike curiosity as she stared right back at him, an eyebrow arched in question. Gathering his composure, he offered the young woman a hand, which she quickly took upon realizing that she had broken her connection with him again. She hadn’t said anything to Sesshomaru but she was beginning to feel weaker as they travelled on, and she knew it was because Naraku’s hold on her soul was starting to overpower her will.

“We are at a critical part of this process, or whatever you would like to call it, of returning you to your body.” Sesshomaru began, leading her to a particularly large tree, it’s overgrown roots jutting out of the ground as if trying to free themselves from the prison that the ground created for them. She felt much the same way, struggling to fight but always being pulled back down; Sesshomaru allowed Mokomoko to fall from his shoulder to form a comfortable pillow which he gingerly leaned against. Kagome hadn’t even thought of how tired he must have been and now, looking at him, she felt guilty.

“I need my rest, or I will not be able to protect you anymore. And after our incident yesterday, you, along with myself, are a lot weaker than before. You are fading a lot faster now.” Sesshomaru tugged gently on her hand, drawing her down beside him. Her warmth permeated his kimono, her spiritual power weakening his youki – that was why he hadn’t healed yet, because in her purest form, Kagome’s powers were almost limitless.

She would have been easier to handle if she were in her body because no matter how pure the soul, the human heart was still possessed by darkness. It is that which makes humans what they are. If they were simply composed of a soul, either pure or tainted, it would make them no different from angels or demons, Sesshomaru thought bitterly. However, greater demons like himself and his father were cursed with the same weakness that human heart offered humans. It gave them the ability to love and hate, feel compassion and anger. It was the one part of Sesshomaru that he had kept sealed for several hundred years.

Kagome couldn’t help but curl in closer to Sesshomaru, goose bumps erupting along her bare skin as it was kissed by the cool night air. Her anger with the daiyoukai dwindled further until she relapsed into complete exhaustion. All her fear and loss was forgotten in the shadow of fatigue, and Kagome fell asleep with her head on Sesshomaru’s chest, looking completely at peace.

Glancing at her serene face, Sesshomaru knew he would not need to worry about Naraku manipulating her through dreams. Knowing she was safe for another night, he relaxed, placing his arm around her waist as she slept. It had been such a long time since he had slept with anyone like this, and despite himself, he had to admit he enjoyed it. He leaned back against Mokomoko, his golden eyes closing and next thing he knew, it was morning.

* * *

Again with the flying.

Kagome had never exactly had an opposition to flying but Sesshomaru moved so fast, that trees were a blurred splash of green to her dizzied eyes. Turning her face in toward the metal chest plate, she closed her eyes, letting her thoughts drift. Curiously, they fell on that little girl who had reminded Kagome of herself. Rin, Sesshomaru’s companion. It had amazed her, the ferocity in which he intended to protect the young human girl. More yet, was the fact that the child could see her.

“Sesshomaru, why was it that Rin could see me when the other’s couldn’t,” Kagome asked curiously. He glanced down at her for the briefest moment before returning his attention to the leaves that obscured his unusual path. Kagome thought that he might not answer her after the silence that met her question dragged for ten minutes, but he formed the words slowly, as if debating if he should tell her.

“Rin has died twice, the second time I couldn’t save her and instead had the help from-” he paused, a flash of something akin to anger crossing his face. “I had help from an Inu bitch.”

“That’s awfully harsh,” Kagome complained as he cursed the woman who had apparently helped him. Seeing the confusion in his eyes, Kagome instantly realized her mistake, her face flushing darkly. “Never mind, don’t listen to me.”

Arching an eyebrow at her, he continued, ignoring her strange comment.

“Those who have died and are brought back have a connection with the dead. That is to say that they can see people who are either dead or they can see those like you – wandering souls. In Rin’s case, she has died twice and upon her second death, was thrown into the pits of hell by circumstances that are no longer important.” Sesshomaru paused for a breath, raising his voice a little more so that Kagome could hear him over the rushing wind. “In Rin’s case, she has become hypersensitive to the call of the dead and has developed powers similar to mine.”

“But I don’t get it.” Kagome frowned. “If she has the same ability as you, why not let me spend time with her as well. In fact, you seemed damn adamant about making sure I didn’t even touch her.”

Sesshomaru winced inwardly at her observation. It was true that he was very protective of the young girl and had not wanted the tainted miko anywhere near her, but looking back, Sesshomaru had been a lot harsher than necessary.

“You are correct. I didn’t want you anywhere near Rin because unlike me, she is human. If she were to touch you as you are now, the taint you carry would pass onto her as well. The only way I can allow you near her is if Naraku’s miasma and aura are purified from your body. Hence the reason we are off to see Michiko,” Sesshomaru finished.

“Ah yes, that’s the other thing that has been nagging at the back of my mind.” Kagome exclaimed. However, remembering the expression on his face when they had been talking of Midoriko’s descendant, Kagome chose to keep her thoughts to herself. Instead she waved off his curious gaze, returning to her silent ponderings.

* * *

“We are going down.”

That was the only warning Kagome had before they quickly dropped to the ground, her stomach turning. It reminded her of when her mother would drive quickly over small hills on the back roads, the fast drop making her stomach roll. Thoughts of her mother hardened Kagome’s resolve – she would return to her normal state. That way when she was “whole” again, she could go back to her time to make sure that her mother and brother were actually alive.

Placed gently on her feet, Kagome wiped off the invisible specks of dust on your uniform, before getting a good look at where they had ended up. There was another town about a half a mile away from the property they now stood on. The dilapidated hut that stood like proud veteran near the edge of the field was surrounded by flower boxes that were filled to the brim with the vibrant colour that was a mix of exotic flowers and what Kagome considered weeds. Puffs of light smoke were blowing from a makeshift chimney atop the house.

“Michi!” Sesshomaru called. A small crash was heard from behind the decrepit wooden door that was hanging precariously off its hinges. A small squeal followed the crash and Sesshomaru rolled his eyes, causing Kagome to giggle quietly. She had never seen the man so relaxed before, which brought her back to her earlier question. How does Sesshomaru know the miko?

The door swung open and upon hitting the side of the house, proceeded to fall off its hinges entirely. However it was not the door that had captivated Kagome’s attention. Instead it was the young woman who stood in the doorway, golden eyes sparkling excitedly.

“Fluffy!” the girl cried, running towards Sesshomaru with her arms spread wide. Kagome was about to step in to stop her, afraid that Sesshomaru may very well kill her for hugging him of all things, but halted as he stood with a small smile on his face. He was smiling. Kagome was not quite sure what shocked her more. The fact that he let the girl hug him or that he was smiling about it.

“Michi, you are a little old to be calling me that now,” Sesshomaru said quietly. Kagome fluttered about, temporarily ignored, assessing the girl closely. It was no secret that she was a hanyou like the InuYasha boy. Grey pointed ears twitched atop her head poking out through the mane of long grey waves that adorned the girl’s head. Pointed fangs hung slightly over her bottom lip and like the other two Inu-demons, her eyes were the colour of polished amber. As if sensing Kagome’s gaze – although more than likely picking up her scent – the assumed Michiko turned her gaze on Kagome. The girl looks no older than fourteen!

“Oh, I am sorry. I didn’t realize Fluffy had brought a friend.” Michiko smiled warmly at Kagome, and in her eyes, Kagome saw the wisdom that shone from her grandfather’s. It was a knowledge that only the elderly had and it radiated from the childlike woman in waves.

“F-Fluffy?” Kagome choked, caught between her feelings of amusement and horror – especially once she saw the look on Sesshomaru’s face. The daiyoukai had obviously just remembered her presence there, and an angry tinge of pink graced his cheeks. However the bubbly Michiko seemed to ignore that and just kept going.

“Yep, I nicknamed him that after he got Mokomoko from papa.” This time her words were met with a shocked silence. Kagome turned slowly towards Sesshomaru who met her gaze levelly. She had so many things to say, so many things to ask, but her mouth wouldn’t work so instead she stared at him in disbelief.

“My father was a good man,” Sesshomaru explained, “but he wasn’t a saint. He met Michi’s mother years before InuYasha’s and they spawned little Michi.”

“But she doesn’t even look older than InuYasha!” Kagome exclaimed. Her statement was a far cry from what was really boiling inside her mind, but that thought had been the first to reach her mouth. Sesshomaru simply shrugged.

“Her growth was stunted because the mix of miko spiritual powers and the demon blood have waged war within her. It is hard for her to control and often when she becomes weak due to illness or injury, she becomes violent. That’s why she is out here alone.” Sesshomaru explained as if it were a perfectly normal occurrence. Kagome appeased a little in her curiosity, ceased her interrogation so that Sesshomaru could broach the problem of her infection with the hanyou miko.

“Michi, this is not one of my normal visits,” Sesshomaru stated gravely, gesturing toward Kagome. Michiko’s face fell and she turned to assess Kagome thoroughly, walking a slow circle around the uncomfortable woman. As she came to Kagome’s front again, she stared into the younger woman’s eyes for a long time, the frown furrowing her eyebrow becoming deeper. She sighed tiredly, a sound that meant nothing good or easy would come of this visit.

“Come inside. You’re not going to like what I have to say,” Michiko said, running a hand through her hair.

* * *

The house was a lot larger on the inside than Kagome had initially thought it would be and, instead of being a complete wreck like the outside, it had a cosy feel to it. Seated next to Sesshomaru near the fireplace, the inside reminded Kagome of Kaede’s hut. Kneeling next to the fire, Michiko poured hot tea into two stone carved cups, handing one to Sesshomaru and keeping one for herself. She sent an apologetic look Kagome’s way but the younger woman simply waved it off.

“Stop hesitating Michi and tell us the problem.” Sesshomaru said bluntly. The young hanyou glared at her older half brother for a moment before returning her gaze to the fire.

“The problem is that yes, the mark has to be purified, but it is still a mating mark of a demon and though it is not consummated, it is still very strong.” Michiko shifted her gaze from the fire to her tea, hesitating to finish. Hearing the slightly annoyed sound that Sesshomaru made, she glared at him. “The problem is that the woman will not leave this unscathed. I can purify the miasma and aura of the mark, but a greater demon will need to leave his mark on her, to overpower this mark.”

Sesshomaru and Kagome sat in silence for minutes, simply staring at Michiko. The hanyou however, was not finished.

“This one will not fade however because both forms need to be marked. And the only daiyoukai I know who is strong enough, is you Sesshomaru. But you must not take this lightly. If you do go through with this, you will not simply be mates,” Michiko paused, worrying her lip in her sharp teeth. Kagome’s heart seemed to stop beating in her chest as her mind pleaded with the girl to stop.

“If you go through with this, you will be soul mates.”