Title: Kagome and Sesshoumaru staring in...
Author: Tsubasa Kya
Disclaimer: Sorry, I do not own Inuyasha people. I'm just a fan.

Chapter 13: What is the Twilight Moon?

Walking through the chilly corridors of Sesshoumaru's giant mansion was actually creepier than she would've given it credit for. There she was, just a nineteen-year-old girl who traipsed through time and couldn't tell anyone about it without looking insane, walking only the devil knew where with a man who probably didn't know what a hairbrush was.

Not that Sesshoumaru really needed a hairbrush, she amended mentally. She would probably kill for his hair… at least until she got a mental image of the feedback she'd get from having white hair (it wasn't white, really).

Speaking of the devil, she was walking a few paces behind and to the right of him, watching him closely. Hell yes, she was afraid of him. She did her best not to show it, but this guy here was not an incarnation no matter how human he might look without his markings or claws or elf-y ears…

She wasn't sure how he got rid of them, or how he had two arms now, but how strange it was to be walking next to the Aristocratic Assassin, in his home, at the time of day when she ought to be asleep in her bed…

They walked down several corridors before he even said a word to her. When he did speak, he said, "I won't eat you…" He even chuckled, and it seemed so out of character for him that she just didn't know how to react. That chuckle was… evil… Well, probably not as evil as it was one that could make a girl faint, head-under-heels in love. Not her, of course, but any other—normal—girl.

"What, I'm just supposed to take your word for it?" Kagome couldn't resist retorting before biting her tongue. Seriously, she had a death wish didn't she? But Sesshoumaru didn't even blink for it, and he stopped at a door, opening it to allow her entrance.

She looked into the cold, dark room, shuddering at the thought of entering. On second thought, maybe she ought to forget the whole twilight moon thing. Her hand went to her wrist where the magical object once again resided. She should've left it at the bottom of the lake. Who would've found it anyway? It wasn't like they could've done any harm with it, surely.

xXx

Standing there next to her, Sesshoumaru felt his heart racing in his chest and he was glad she was only human. He wanted to reach out to her, to touch her, to smell her, to crush her body against his own if only to know she was really there.

How many nights had he spent standing in the rain on his balcony, trying to remember her while simultaneously trying to forget? How unfair it was, then, that she was here and yet he knew that it was only temporary. He hoped, prayed to any god that would listen, that she didn't give up the movie so he could have a little more time with her.

He sounded like a lovesick fool, and he knew it, but he… missed her. Even just the brief moment watching her look into his bedroom apprehensively was causing memories to flood back—memories of emotions he'd had nearly five centuries ago while in her presence. Frustration, confusion, amusement…

His nights spent trying to forget-yet-remember her left him with just barely a ghost of the memories he'd made in that single week alone with her, inside the same building they were in now, though it was now fixed up properly. The memories had always haunted him.

Now, with her there, he wanted to shove her away, never to see her again and yet pull her close and not let her go back to the past… Never let her leave his side… If only she knew, if only he could tell her, that she would die back then… That she would kill herself. That her body would never be found.

And yet, Sesshoumaru said nothing about it, and she met his eyes with her own filled with determination and stalked into his bedroom. He followed and flipped the lights on, leading her to a standing display in the corner of the room. He said nothing about what had happened—or what she would come to do—because he was far from a lovesick fool. As far from it as any man could be. He valued his life, and if she didn't kill herself, he wouldn't be alive.

In another hundred years, Sesshoumaru might have been like Inuyasha, who could only remember Kagome's name these days, or Kouga who remembered nothing at all. But she had returned, and with her came the excess baggage he didn't necessarily want. The memories were slow at returning it seemed, but as he stood there telling Kagome about the jewelry set (not fully aware of his own words) he recalled why he hadn't killed her.

She had been wearing that bracelet, and she had smelled so strongly of him. Even soaking wet, she still smelled like him. The scent of him had clung to her flesh, not just her clothes. He'd been curious about it but her only response was, "Stranger things have happened…"

Sesshoumaru had stopped talking. He was caught up, his eyes searching her soft features for any indication that perhaps Shippou was wrong, that she wasn't really her. But even still, he could not deny his gut instinct. It really was her. The girl who would die for everything.

Time traveling, Sesshoumaru thought, his mind awed at the very idea. This girl was incredibly powerful to wield such an ability. It was nothing like Tenseiga, nothing like Tetsusaiga… Not even Sesshoumaru's father, when wielding his three swords of conquest could have ever dreamed of attaining such a gift.

Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru, her expression curious and a bit fearful though the fear was very well hidden. He, however, was Sesshoumaru. These things could not be fully hidden from him. It was egotistical to presume no one could hide from him what they felt, but he truly felt he was that good.

"Sesshoumaru?" she asked, and then rather belatedly added, "Uh, I meant to say… -sama, too…" When he said nothing, and just continued to stare at her (which, given his personality back then would not have been out of character except for the fact that he wasn't trying to murder her with his eyes), a faint blush stained her cheeks and she rambled, "Hey, if you could just give a little here, I mean, I don't have a death wish or anything, but just really, staring at me? It's kind of unnerving, you know? I know you know who I am, and I know who you are, but let's just cut to the chase here. Five hundred years has to be a long time. Things've had to have changed. You said you knew me, that I was kind to you or something, but let's face it. I can't picture it, as the last thing I said to you was something about how you were a…"

He couldn't help but grin as she rambled on and then trailed off, looking at him with wide eyes and pinked cheeks. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights. He had once been renowned for his insolence, and some old habits died hard. He couldn't help but play with fire and toy with the miko.

xXx

Kagome swore internally as Sesshoumaru smirked at her. She really had to have a death wish after that. How could she not? After five hundred years, if he wanted to think she was nice to him, why the heck would she remind him of all the times she'd been rude and called him a pig-headed ass? Or any of the innumerable other names she'd called him?

If a picture spoke a thousand words, then she was sure a still-frame of his expression would inform her to high-tail it out of there before she was devoured. Whole.

"What was I?" he asked, his voice as smooth as silk. His tall frame, garbed in a blue tee-shirt and jeans, was no less intimidating than it used to be in his battle gear. Hell, he seemed more intimidating in that, because she could see how powerful he just had to be. That was not mentioning that she had no idea when he'd changed from his dress clothes. But those arms were nothing but muscles. Sure, for some reason he didn't have fangs or claws, and his tell-tale markings weren't there. His eyes were that same impossible gold, his hair was so gorgeous women would kill to have it, and his skin absolutely flawless…

What she wouldn't give to know how he managed to change his appearance… Damn, it was bothering her… Where did those markings go?

She found herself nervously taking a step back from him, feeling as though there weren't enough space between herself and this demon lord. This demon lord who was most certainly not an incarnation of a man who existed centuries ago…

"Um," she scrambled for words to make amends. If Sesshoumaru wanted her dead for an insult, she had no doubt he could get rid of the body with no one the wiser. Her mind feebly tried to suggest she wouldn't be harmed. He had said as long as she was in the dress she wouldn't be harmed, but could she trust him?

Like a sick dance, his eyes lit up in the light of the gray dawn, full of amusement she didn't know if she liked to see. Good girls like her should be in bed at such a late hour. Instead, she was in a demon's bed quarters, and that demon took a step closer to her, as though mocking her to try to escape.

"Do tell," he told her. "What was I?"

Gulping slightly, she realized too late her words were going to be the death of her. He was humored by this, but then again, hadn't Inuyasha once said Sesshoumaru was known as the Aristocratic Assassin? He probably got his jollies off this sort of thing: tormenting young women. Taking another step back from him, she tried to speak but all she managed was a pitiful squeak.

He stepped closer to her again, his smile seeming even more sinister than before as he came close enough that she could feel his body heat. She hastily backed away, half tripping in the killer shoes she was wearing, but escape seemed no immediate option because the humored demon simply moved with her.

Eyes wide as they could go, Kagome found herself trapped against the wall of his room. She tried to move left, to escape toward the bedroom door. He blocked her path with his left arm—the arm that she had watched Inuyasha chop off, yet he was using now. Eyes scrambling for an exit, she saw the balcony door. Trying to slip around his right, he did the same, blocking her path with his right arm.

She was trapped, and she didn't even know if screaming would make a difference. Would anyone hear? Would anyone even come to help? Shippou wouldn't have left her with Sesshoumaru if she would be harmed because of it, would he? Oh, she hoped not.

Slowly lifting her eyes from Sesshoumaru's chest, she was met with a face shrouded in darkness. Eerily, his eyes had a glow in the darkness and they were dancing. "What was I?" he asked again, his face coming so close she could feel his breath on her lips. It smelled of mint chocolate, the smell of it so tasty she couldn't help but lick her lips.

"You gave me your word… You wouldn't hurt me," she said, finding that bit of her that was always so defiant once more. It seemed to have been slowly disappearing over the past few months, when she'd started to think more and more about the inevitable prophecy she had to fulfill. The split image of the prophecy flashed in her mind's eye, and she clenched her fist, feeling rebellious.

Looking up into those eyes that weren't far from her own, she glared at him. "So—back off, Sesshouma—" His lips were on hers before she could protest, and one gasp later, she could feel his tongue mingling in her mouth. Definitely not one to let any creature, man or demon, have their way with her especially when it was unwanted, Kagome bit down on his tongue satisfied to know she'd drawn blood.

He pulled away from her, swearing and chuckling simultaneously. "Damn, you didn't have to bite."

"You didn't have to attack me!" she hissed back at the man who still had her trapped against the wall. It shocked her when he brushed her bottom lip with his thumb. Showing it to her, she saw blood.

"You're a feral little kitten, aren't you?" he sneered… or was he actually teasing her? No, it was so much easier to think he was insulting her than to think of the implications that this futuristic Sesshoumaru was teasing her.

Her mouth ran before her brain processed the words. "You're a horny mutt who'll go after whatever piece of tail you can find, aren't you?" Her tone was mimicking his, albeit more harshly. If she'd let her brain do its job and evaluate those words before letting them off the leash, she wouldn't have said them.

He smirked, his hands gripping her slim waist firmly. A squeak escaped her as he pulled her flush against his body, her hands immediately raising to his chest to try pushing herself away from him. Her mind noticed how amazingly firm his chest was. Damn, she couldn't help it… her fingers absently ran along his chest. When she realized what she was doing, she stopped it and tried to escape his tight grip, hating how easily he manhandled her.

"We'll be closer together by far on set." He whispered in her ear, his voice sending a shiver down her spine that was completely unrelated to fear. It was strange; she didn't feel fear at that moment. His words physically reminded her how this was not the feudal era. Sure, there were signs everywhere that told her it was the modern world she grew up in: a phone just six feet away on a bed table, their clothes, the western style bed… him.

"I'm not kidding," she hissed again. "Let me go."

"What will you do if I don't, kitten?" he taunted her again, using that disgusting pet name. "What if I… did this…?" She felt his hand sliding along her spine keeping her pressed tight to him with no leeway for free movement. She gasped when he pulled on one of the bow ties that kept the expensive gown fastened in the back.

"Sesshoumaru, don't you dare!" God, he wasn't doing that, honestly. What a pervert! Miroku never tried to undress anyone! The man—or rather, demon—chuckled lowly in her ear. Okay, obviously he would dare. She felt the two tie strings fall away. With that gone, she could feel his fingers pulling and working at loosening the strings. "Stop it, or so help me I will—"

Her mind went blank as the devil himself swooped to lay claim on her neck. Enemy or not, dangerous or not, it felt so good as those lips pressed on her neck, as his tongue ran along her flesh, as he suckled and nipped and teased her… Damn did it feel so good… It was sinful. Against her will, her body stopped protesting.

"Or what, kitten?" he said, forcing a noise from her as he hit a spot in the crook of her neck that caused a foreign warmth to pool in her gut. She refused to admit the noise wasn't a sound of protest. It simply was not possible that she'd moaned. Absolutely not.

"—I, I will… I will…" she wasn't a quitter, but why the hell was she fighting this again? Her senses were brought to the fact that the dress was loose on her torso, barely kept up now by the thin straps.

"Not much of a fighter, yet, are you kitten?" he asked her, chuckling as his hands slid up her sides, going for the straps undoubtedly. She wasn't fighting now, and she knew that was a bad idea but how could she when his tongue was doing such a terrible number on her senses? "At this rate, the nuisance Gojyoumaru will surely kill you…"

The name was enough to set Kagome's body on edge, and kill whatever mood had settled upon the dark room. She pushed him back, startling him enough that he actually fell back a step and allowed her the mercy of enough room to slip out of reach. Well… if he wanted, he'd have her in a heartbeat she was sure, but her hand scooped up the phone threateningly.

"One step and I'll call the police!" she said, waving the cordless phone. He stood back, smirking but not approaching her. "How do you know that name?" she demanded of him. She'd never told anyone about any of her prophetic visions or dreams; Gojyoumaru had been in enough of her dreams lately to be quite memorable.

His light green hair was spiked straight up in the air, defying not only gravity, but the rain that pelted and soaked them both straight through. Two antennae-looking clumps of hair stuck out and curved over his yellow-green eyes.

In this darkness, his eyes glowed and each flicker of the lightning illuminated him like strobe lights in a club. His clothes were blue, and incredibly well made, and from the sides of that short, but unnaturally spiky hair emerged two ears as adorable as Inuyasha's…

Kagome shook away the vision as it wanted to surface. No one could know she was struggling with these visions and dreams. Not even Kikyou.

"Relax, kitten," his smile told her he wasn't threatened in the least by that phone. It told her he would have that phone out of her grip, and her pinned to the bed that was now just a foot behind her, before she could even press the call button. It told her even if she managed to make the call, the police wouldn't ever make it in time.

"Relax? You want me to relax? I'm in a bedroom with a damn demon assassin who just molested me! And you say to relax? I think we're beyond relaxation!" She hissed, noticing that she was hissing a lot. It was probably what invoked the nickname. She felt the gown slipping off her shoulders due to the undone ties, and hastily pulled the straps back up, feeling the anger boiling. Fear be damned at that point, she was pissed. Royally. At royalty. "So don't you tell me to relax!" she yelled.

"Would you have me tell you to be tense? Because I'm pretty sure the point would be moot; you've already got that covered." Sesshoumaru drawled.

"How did you know that name, Sesshoumaru. Answer me!" Kagome let her finger hover over the call button, despite knowing it would do her no good.

In seconds, he had her down against the firm mattress, the phone in his hand as she had very well known he could do. His gold eyes bore down into hers as he straddled her, one large hand pinning both hers above her head, the other holding the phone—which was still off, she hadn't even managed to push the call button—tauntingly in front of her.

"I find it interesting… you don't threaten me with purification. We both know the police would be a useless effort. The best it would do would be to cause a media scandal if it got out that the police were called from here." He tossed the phone toward the pillows and leaned his free hand on the bed.

Kagome was not done being angry, and still thankfully lacked that fear that she'd felt earlier. Her brain was too clouded with anger anyway, there was no room for fear. "Answer me! Or maybe I will purify your ass!" she said, struggling to get away. She bucked her hips in an effort to get him off her, but his eyes just danced merrily as he ground down against her, effectively stilling her and causing a wild stain to grace her cheeks. He wasn't doing that, she told herself. It was not happening, because she was a good girl. Bad things didn't happen to good girls.

"You know the movie is to be quite intimate. You'll be exposed all but completely, on screen, in front of millions of viewers by the time the film is released in theaters. There will be pictures of you circling the web. And by the end of it, this demon assassin will have done a world more than just give you these." One finger trailed her neck, indicating the marks he'd put there.

Kagome shuddered. "Who says I'm even going to? I didn't want this! I didn't sign up!"

"Where did you learn to quit? It certainly wasn't from my dim-wit brother."

"Half-brother," she corrected him, surprised he would forget such a detail when it was the brothers who were always angry to be associated with each other to begin with. "And I'm not a quitter!"

"You sure?" he chuckled, his free hand going to toy with the thin strap of fabric on her shoulder. "Does this mean you'll play the part, kitten?"

"I never said that," she began, but she bit her lip. His finger hooked under the strap and pulled it down. "Stop it." She told him. "You can't just go around kissing and having your twisted way with people. Especially not me."

He laughed as if irony had just slapped him, and leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers in a chaste kiss. He pulled back just as her teeth snapped together, ready to bite his lips. "Why not? You didn't seem to mind," he said cryptically.

"Of course I mind," she said, trying to yank her hands free. This version of Sesshoumaru was more annoying than the one that tried to kill her for Tetsusaiga! "Why wouldn't I mind? How the hell do I explain to my mother how I got fucking hickies on my neck? She's a pretty calm woman in regards to the fact that I could be disemboweled on a daily basis, but give me a hicky and she'll do murder!"

Sesshoumaru appeared to take that as a challenge, because he leaned forward and ran his tongue teasingly along the other side of her neck, biting lightly to bruise her tender flesh. It was then that she noticed his grip on her hands had loosened. She reached out, twining her fingers in his hair and yanking his head away from her neck. He cautiously peeled her hands out of his hair and held them together. Molten gold eyes met midnight blue in a clash of icy humor and fiery rage.

"I meant you didn't mind doing it to me."

The words stunned Kagome. "I-I never!" she said.

"Past tense for you is accurate; in my case, perhaps not so." He said simply.

"S-so, what are you s-saying?" she stammered nervously. "We were… or are going to be… l-lovers, or something?" She hoped not. That would be far too weird. Had he been waiting for her or something? Was that why he was doing this now?

Sesshoumaru laughed. "You're funny. No, we weren't," he assured her and she felt a wash of relief. That is, until he said, "Friends with benefits. That fits better."

Kagome felt as though she'd been dunked in ice water. She shivered involuntarily. "But Inuyasha…"

"—Was no where near, when we met up. Here, in fact." He told her, his eyes laughing. "We slept here, in this room."

"Together?" she half-shrieked at the indecency of it. It wasn't really that big of a deal. She stayed in rooms with Inuyasha and Miroku before. But what he implied was beyond reasonable. Sesshoumaru's response was a nod. She felt her heart beating wildly out of control until everything seemed to stop all at once. Her eyes narrowed at Sesshoumaru in realization. "You're toying with me." She hissed.

"Congratulations. Want a medal?" he taunted her, eyes overflowing with hidden mirth.

"Tell me how you know Gojyoumaru's name."

"You will meet him," he told her, "and then you will meet me." He paused, as if to let her absorb that information. After a moment, he continued in a soft tone, all play set aside. "I shouldn't have told you anything. Not one word… but I can't stop myself from saying it. I want to meet you back then, and I want you to do the movie now, kitten…"

Sighing, Kagome let all tension fall from her body. He wasn't going to hurt her, perhaps, but he also wasn't letting her go at the moment so being tense and struggling was pointless. But oddly enough, he sounded wistful about wanting to meet her in the past. What sort of chance encounter did they have anyway?

"I have enough responsibilities stacked on my plate, Sesshoumaru. I don't think I have the energy to do this too."

"Please, find the energy. If you don't do this, there's a great chance that…" he stopped and she watched in surprise as he nervously chewed his lip. "Okay, plain and simple, here's the thing. If you don't do this, there's a great chance that some untalented bimbo will take your place. I can't bear the thought. The character you play deserves so much more."

"Explain it," Kagome urged him, although it was more demanding than anything.

"The story is based on true events, although the writers… altered it…"

"What true events? God, you're heavy, would you just let me up?" she asked.

"If you agree not to attempt to kill me or run off, I will," he said with an eyebrow raised.

Her eyebrows narrowed. "I'm going to do both if you don't get up right now. And if you've got a damn erection," she tried to sound as threatening as possible as she said that, but he'd been pressing against her for several minutes to pin her, and she wasn't sure she wanted to think about what she was feeling her own self, much less what she felt from him.

He somewhat reluctantly shifted off her, helping her up. To her embarrassment, the gown nearly fell off but she caught it in time. "Would you like something more comfortable to wear?" he offered, waving to his bureau.

She thought that over momentarily before realizing it was probably a good idea. For whatever reason, for the history he had with her that she hadn't lived yet perhaps, he wasn't going to harm her. Maybe toy with her, but nothing more harmful. Nodding, she asked, "Why are you so… different? Inuyasha is too. And, well, Shippou isn't as much, but…"

"It's been a long time," he told her, getting up and walking over to his dresser. He pulled out a pair of draw string pants and a tee-shirt that would dwarf her. "We've all changed. We had to, as governments rose and fell and then rose again, and the demons slowly faded away. These days, most demons are in the movie business or the mafia." He brought her the clothes and indicated a dressing panel in one of the corners of the room.

Kagome made her way to the panel, hiding behind it and slipping out of the killer dress and heels. The pants were obviously too big for her, but she was able to tie them tight using the draw string. The shirt really did dwarf her, going down well past her thighs. Seeing a few hangers on a hook on the wall behind the panel, she said, "I'm stealing a hanger; you owe me anyway."

She imagined he merely waved a hand in dismissal. She used the hanger to put the dress on so it wouldn't get any more wrinkles than it already had due to Sesshoumaru's folly and pulled the long gloves off her hands, folding them on the chair behind the panel. She hung the hanger back on the hook with her dress and set her awful shoes on the floor beneath it. As she left the small area behind the panel, she began pulling out bobby pin after bobby pin, being very careful not to lose a single one as each one had a diamond embedded in it and was worth more than her grandfather's shrine.

Sesshoumaru was back on his bed, watching her as she crossed the room and set the many bobby pins on the closest bedside table. It was hard to believe she'd been so angry at him only a few minutes before.

"So why are you in the movie business?" she inquired. "I'd picture you more as Yakuza than an actor."

"I was a mob boss about fifty years ago," he said casually and shrugged. "It got boring so I staged my death and took a job as a shoe store clerk."

If she had been drinking, it would've come straight out her nose. "What?" she couldn't believe her ears. "You? A measly clerk at a shoe store? I can't even picture it!"

Sesshoumaru's expression was humored. "It was rather insufferable. If I didn't already have money, I would've lost this place and my apartment."

"So, wait, you've got this huge mansion, and an apartment?" He nodded. "Why?"

"Shoe store clerks don't make enough to live in this sort of place. The 'movie star Sesshoumaru Matenkashi' is the first to live here in a century, as I didn't want this place associated with the mafia. Demons these days have to stage their death and generally have to purchase new appearance charms from the kitsunes if they want to stay in public, otherwise dead men walking usually raises questions."

Kagome shifted onto the bed, grateful to learn a bit about how demons had survived. It was unsettling to learn he'd been a mob boss, but not entirely unexpected. "Then what about this movie?" she asked, hugging her knees to her chest. It was odd how comfortable things seemed to have become. He'd brought her there to show her the jewelry, but very little was said before the unsettling dance began. Her eyes strayed to the bracelet on her wrist, but then made their unbidden way back to Sesshoumaru's golden orbs.

"It's the story of my father and Izayoi, Inuyasha's mother. I took the story to some movie writers with the intent of it being Inuyasha's birthday present a few years down the road, but the writers changed things, and it isn't true to history anymore. I haven't the faintest idea how to get it back to truth, without bloodshed."

"You're not trying hard enough then," Kagome told him firmly. He looked at her curiously and she couldn't help but smile at him. "Typical man, thinking violence solves everything."

"It does, kitten" he smirked, his eyes telling her quite clearly what he was thinking of.

"Don't even," she said, but he ignored her and pounced, pinning her down against the pillows. "Ow, phone!" she complained, arching her back which turned out to be a mistake. He lifted her up easily, grabbing the phone and whipping it roughly off the bed where it clattered on the floor. He lowered her again, this time being more gentle as he pinned her down with her arms over her head. Once more he started kissing her lips, but this time she didn't try to bite him. She was starting to like this Sesshoumaru; the one that had a stick up his ass in the feudal era was really not as fun.

Besides, the conclusion of the prophecy was her death. She already resigned herself to this, knowing she couldn't possibly escape it if she wanted to. If she didn't do it, who would have to take her place? Kikyou? Maybe Souta? Most likely Kikyou, but Kagome couldn't possibly ask the other girl to take her place. Kikyou had died for the jewel already; this was Kagome's burden to bear. But…who said she couldn't have a little fun before then?

Sesshoumaru's hand slipped under the borrowed shirt. She wasn't sure when he'd let go of her hands, but quickly found it didn't matter as the hand that had killed thousands ran along her bare stomach causing shivers to course through her.

Her mind tried to warn her that this was probably more wrong than she'd ever get, but she didn't care. Someone was alive other than her family who knew she wasn't crazy. Who knew she wasn't some medical miracle. That someone was currently kissing her senseless, and it felt good. Could she be blamed for the shudder that ran through her when he cupped her breast firmly? Could she be blamed for moaning—which was completely and totally a moan of protest, and she would forever testify to that—when he began to knead her flesh?

His other hand grasped her chin, turning her head to the side almost eagerly (although anyone else would've called it rough) and he once more proceeded to attack her sensitive neck. Sensibility seized her once more, curse the trait. "Kami, Sessh-o-oooh," she hissed as he suckled on that sensitive spot he'd found earlier. Her mind went fuzzy and it took her a moment to re-gather her wits. "Fuck," Inuyasha's foul mouth had proven to have rubbed off on her that night… "We, this is, we shouldn't…"

He ignored her, blatantly. Part of her was glad, the other part frustrated beyond words. Her heart was hammering wildly in her chest. Now it was really going to bother her; what sort of chance encounter did they really have? From what she recalled, and she had a pretty good memory, he hated humans.

Her fingers found purchase on his shoulders. Despite being on her back on the bed, she felt as if she would fall if she didn't hold onto something, but at the same time, if death came early she knew she would gladly welcome it, especially if this was heaven.

She was just starting to get into it when a loud blaring noise interrupted and killed the playful mood. Both of them groaned and Sesshoumaru rolled off her, slamming his fist down on the clock that told him it was eight AM and time to get up. "Kill joy," he muttered darkly. "In the next five hundred years, remind me not to remain abstinent."

Kagome leaned up on her elbow to look at him, feeling humored by his behavior. "So you are a horny mutt. I'm not sure I should feel offended or flattered that you'd pick me of all people to go after at this point."

"Obviously flattered. Hell, even I would want me, if self-gratification weren't degrading," he told her with a smirk.

"You're just a dirty old man," she said. "I should find Shippou and get going home."

"Good luck with that. He's long gone. Left me with instructions to take you home. And you have my word I'm not taking you home until you agree to do the movie."

Kagome growled and launched herself at him, her hand raised to whack him. "You jerk! I need to go home!" she said. She hadn't planned on being able to do anything to him, and he didn't let her. He moved and let her sprawl out indignantly on the bed, and then got up and walked to the door.

"Well, go ahead and get some rest. I have a few things to do, but I'll come back. And try not to break anything."

Kagome glared at the conceited twit. "I could rob you blind and leave."

His lip twitched upward. "I could trail your scent and melt you with my poison flower claws."

"You're such a fruitcake. Seriously, flower claws? Sounds like some manicure gone horribly wrong."

All he said to that was, "Sleep, kitten." He shut the door behind him, frustrating her more as the suggestion of sleep caused her to yawn. If the well had miraculously dried up, though she still was unsure how it got full in the first place, she was sure Inuyasha had come for her and was having a royal fit. If the well wasn't dried up, well, then it would be Kagome's mother having a fit.

Deciding she better check in with her mother, Kagome moved across the room and picked up the discarded phone. It was—thankfully—not broken. Kagome quickly dialed the number and her mother picked up after the first ring. "Kagome, is that you darling?" the worried woman asked.

"Yes, mama. First off, I'm okay. Second, I might be a while getting home again. One of the actors is bringing me home; I had to go to his house for a celebratory party and all." She told her mother immediately.

Her mother let out a sigh of relief. "Well, that's good. I'm glad you're alright. I have been worried sick. You should have called."

"I know, I'm sorry. I lost track of the time."

"Well then, where are you now? Which actor's house? Is it big and fancy?"

"I'm at that Matenkashi actor's house," it took an unbelievable amount of energy to say that casually, "and it's huge. Three stories, at least, and very fancy. He has dozens of rooms here, and a gay, cross-dressing maid who is…" she trailed off, not sure how to label Myron the maid. Seriously, a man in a French maid's outfit was more scary than any demon she'd ever encountered.

"Oh, really? I think Kikyou's at some Matenkashi home right now. She went yesterday to get a special book from that jewelry store gentleman, but it got late and she and her friends had to stay the night. Strange how the names are similar. I wonder if there's any relation."

Kagome grinned. Of course there had to be; why hadn't she thought of that sooner? There was a great chance that Kikyou would be there right now. "Oh, I have to go, mama. I'll talk to you later, love you, bye." Kagome hung up quickly and left the room, but not before hurriedly running her hands through her hair and attempting to arrange it so it hid her neck as best possible. Her mussed curly hair wasn't keen to obey her.

She thought about getting dressed in her gown once more, but changed her mind on the grounds that it was extremely uncomfortable and there was no way in hell she'd manage to properly tie the strings in the back anyway.

When she started wandering around, she began to realize how far Sesshoumaru must have taken her the night before. Without her noticing it, he'd taken her up to the second floor, and she couldn't find a staircase down.

xXx

It took Sesshoumaru several long minutes just to clear his head after leaving his room. Finding sense in anything he did was beyond him. He couldn't believe himself. He was just going to scare her a bit, push her buttons, but that hadn't worked quite as he planned.

Finding one of the main bathrooms in the west wing, he decided a shower wouldn't hurt to help clear his mind. Unfortunately, the hot spray did nothing for him. He kept envisioning the defiant look on her face that had amused him so many years ago. No one—no one—stood up to him, defied him, and lived to speak of it. But she had.

He had kissed her, momentarily forgetting that she had obviously not yet met up with him in the past. Would it have made a difference if she had? He supposed he could explain his actions logically enough. He knew death threats were useless on her. She'd proven countless times in her travels with Inuyasha that she wasn't afraid of death threats. Instead of threatening her, he saw her blushing and discomfort at their close proximity and took advantage of it to throw her off balance.

Sesshoumaru had to admit, he'd enjoyed it far more than he ought to have, but that could be explained from five centuries of unspent energy. Abstinence had killed his control, and once he started kissing her he didn't want to stop. He supposed he was crazy for it, but her hostility toward him only made him want to keep going. He'd never been so excited as when she bit his tongue.

Swearing and running his hands through his hair, he knew he was forgetting something. She was like a forbidden fruit, delicious but not without consequences. There was something about that week they spent together that he still wasn't remembering. What was it? Hell, there was a lot he wasn't remembering. He still hadn't the faintest idea what they talked about for the most part. He remembered little bits, but nothing more.

His mind replayed the moment he mentioned Gojyoumaru. She had gotten particularly aggressive, but her reaction wasn't that of a strong priestess. Instead of threatening immediate purification, she'd assumed to call the police. His little kitten was unlike any priestess he'd ever met. Five hundred years ago, she had been defiant and skilled. At the moment, she was as defiant, but he could tell she hadn't honed her abilities yet.

Her aura alone had been intoxicating. Wild and unpredictable, lacking the stability that so many priestesses claimed as mere children… He could feel it coating his flesh even then from afar. Touching her was like touching fire. He could feel his skin burning from the raw purity that seeped from her, but for every bit she unconsciously burned, his body healed just as quickly. It was fascinating. No one could hurt him, and yet she didn't even try.

He wanted to feel that extremely pleasurable burning again.

Holding back a groan, Sesshoumaru leaned under the shower spray again to rinse the cleanser out of his hair. "I am a freak," he muttered to himself, unable to believe himself. He was feeling aroused by the idea of being burned—purified. The very idea that he was playing with something that could eliminate him into nothing more than dust and ash on the wind was stimulating.

He couldn't help but wonder if that was why Inuyasha had hung around not just one priestess, but two. Had the boy realized this?

Turning off the shower, Sesshoumaru got out and dried off. Knowing he couldn't go back to his room for different clothes, he dressed in the ones he'd changed into upon arriving home the night before. Well, he could go back to his room, a part of him said wickedly, with just a towel wrapped around his waist. If she was still awake, he could start something again. The more he touched her bare flesh, the more his own would burn.

What if there were no cloth between them, he wondered. Kami only knew how great the sex had to be…

Instead, he smacked himself mentally. How had the great Sesshoumaru come to be so absolutely disgusting? Leaving his soaking wet hair to air dry, he threw the towel on the rack and double checked to make sure nothing was out of place in the bathroom. Having a child in the house was going to be hell. He'd never wanted kids, but for Inuyasha's sake he decided he would endure.

The mutt deserved a break from his wife, even if he was stupid enough to think to go back to her. It had taken the better part of a day to convince Inuyasha to stay at his home until his wife at least calmed down, and even then Inuyasha only agreed because Sesshoumaru literally made it an order.

After his shower, Sesshoumaru made his way to the kitchen. He could smell Inuyasha in there, along with a few others. Recalling that he had guests who wanted to meet 'Su Jin', the author (a penname he'd written under years ago), he quickened his steps.

Entering, all eyes turned to him except those of the adopted half-breed child. Sesshoumaru couldn't remember the brat's name, but it was something like Tofu… or something…

"Mornin', Sess." Inuyasha said. Sesshoumaru noticed his half-brother's bruises were fading at last. Under ordinary circumstances, they should've been gone but after years of the abuse Inuyasha had endured, his ability to heal had taken as much of a beating. It was a normal occurrence for all demons. After a while, the ability to heal becomes slower and slower until eventually it simply dies out, which was often when demons died because of their wounds. The more injuries that have to be healed, the faster the healing system will burn out.

Not sparing his brother a greeting, Sesshoumaru moved to the cupboards. He took out a mug and began fixing his morning tea, half choking on the pungent aroma of coffee. Inuyasha had once explained that coffee was the only holy thing left in the world, but Sesshoumaru disagreed. It was agony to his nasal senses.

"Tch, fine, don't say hi." Inuyasha grumbled at Sesshoumaru's back.

'I won't,' Sesshoumaru thought, smirking mentally but otherwise keeping his features impassive. Just because he'd allowed himself to let go with his delicious little kitten didn't mean he'd suddenly become Mr. Chatterbox.

"Sess, these are the kids I told you about. The ones who want to know about the book and the jewelry." Inuyasha said.

Sesshoumaru turned to face the table, pausing momentarily when he saw Kagome was sitting at it, and then realized this girl here was different. Her eyes were brown, which was the most noticeable difference. The subtle differences were in her hair which was straighter and appeared longer, and in her aura which was tightly controlled. Her eyes, staring straight at Sesshoumaru with an unwavering gaze, contained an ice that even Sesshoumaru couldn't match.

An ice that chilled even him to the core.

He could feel a tendril of her power snake out and wrap around him, likely a precautionary measure, but she knew he wasn't human. If it weren't for the fact that he knew Kagome was the woman who had haunted him for five centuries, he might even worry he had kissed the wrong woman. But there was no mistaking it; there were two totally different, albeit similar, people.

He tore himself out of his thoughts when he realized he was being addressed by one of the boys.

"We really do appreciate you taking the time to see us. It's been really hard to find anything on the jewelry, and our teacher won't give us any more extensions on the assignment. We have to turn it in on Monday."

Not taking his eyes off the girl—Inuyasha probably said their names, but Sesshoumaru hadn't deigned to pay attention—Sesshoumaru leaned against the counter with his tea cup in hand, breathing in the sweet scent it gave off.

"The jewelry revolves around the tale of a princess sacrificed to the demon king of the west," Sesshoumaru explained. One of the boys opened their mouth to ask a question, but Sesshoumaru simply lifted one eyebrow. "Do you want to hear it or not?"

Blushing, the boy mumbled a brief yes before falling silent.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes at Sesshoumaru before offering more coffee. The girl who looked like Kagome shook her head at the offer, her cup still filled completely. She must have disliked the drink. The two boys accepted the offer gratefully, both of them looking tired.

"In centuries past, the demon king of the west ruled over all. Whenever a rival clan began to rise to power, he would crush it. One such rising clan of humans proposed to sacrifice its princess to the king's will. The king accepted the princess, despite that he had no interest in her at the time, and ordered his son to guard the princess. Knowing of his son's hate for humans, the king ordered that the Twilight Moon be made, to protect her from the prince."

Sesshoumaru left the story at that, and the girl's eyes were suspicious when he stopped. There was definitely more to the story, and he knew the girl realized that, but she also didn't push for more.

One of the boys began hesitantly, "Why would the king seek to protect her if he had no interest in her?"

Wondering what class these three were taking, but not truly interested enough to find out, Sesshoumaru said, "The king found out the princess had the ability to weave cloth that no fire could burn, using thread spun from the hairs of a fire rat which were said to have been extinct. The cloth would suffer no injury, as it would grow to replace missing or cut off pieces. He did not desire this power in the hands of any other, so he kept her."

"It makes sense," Kagome said. Wait, Kagome? Sesshoumaru had to do a double take for a moment, and it was immediately grating on his nerves how she managed to sneak into the kitchen without him noticing. She wasn't in the kitchen, really, since she was just standing in the doorway. But how did she get there? He should've noticed her arrival! "After all, demons go after power all the time. Seems to be all they want."

Feeling a bit offended by the insinuation, despite the truth of it, Sesshoumaru lifted one eyebrow at the girl. "There is no way you slept."

"Kagome?" both boys said in surprise as Kagome hugged her look-alike from behind the girl's chair, and received a squeeze to her wrist in response.

"Hey, Hojou," she said to the brown eyed boy. "Hey, Sasuke," she said to the one with hazel eyes. "Thought you guys might be here." She beamed at them before looking at Sesshoumaru. Irritation bloomed within her eyes, aura, and voice in just seconds. "And no, I didn't sleep. How could I? Do you know how many tests I have to take on Monday? And that's not including the homework assignments I haven't finished while I'm stuck here."

"I'm terribly upset to have kept you," Sesshoumaru couldn't help but drawl out. He knew full well he did not sound upset. She glared at him in impatience. "You know my day revolves around pleasing you," his sarcastic tone turned her expression to one of anger.

"And well it should!" she snapped. "If you want me to do you any favors, or be nice to you, you should be making me happy!"

Sasuke-boy looked confused. "What are you doing here, Kagome-san? Do you know him?"

Inuyasha looked equally confused. "I'd like to know, too, Sess. You seem more familiar with her than if she was just a girl picked for the movie… and she's wearing your clothes."

Kagome blushed and it made him gloat internally that she was embarrassed again. Hojou-boy, however, looked like he'd made a revelation. "Oh, that's right! You were picked to do the movie, weren't you, Kagome-san? I bet you'll do a wonderful job!"

Wanting to embarrass Kagome more, and watch that enchanting pink tint spread farther, Sesshoumaru asked, "Yes, Kagome," his tone pure silk, "you'll do wonderful."

"Or I won't do it at all," the kitten hissed. She obviously didn't understand how attractive she was when she did that.

Again, Sasuke-boy asked, "How do you know Matenkashi-sama?"

He had to hold in a chuckle at how he could see the gears switching in her brain. She was scrambling for an answer and coming up blank, her lips were flapping but no excuses were coming out, and everyone was waiting for her reply.

"Um," she began, her pink little tongue darting out to wet lips that were still plump from the abuse they suffered that morning. "Well… you see…"

Her look alike said firmly, "They met in the hospital."

Inuyasha's jaw dropped because he knew it was untrue. "But Sess hasn't been to the hospital in over three hundred ye…uh, days…" he finished lamely, blushing at his near fatal error.

Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome immediately pounced on the excuse. "Yes! Yes, in the hospital. It's been a while, hasn't it? Since we met, I mean!"

Shaking his head at her incredibly fake sounding excuse—which was bought only by the child in the room—Sesshoumaru said nothing. Taro (or was it Tora?) spoke up finally over his breakfast cereal, his eyes darting between Kagome and Sesshoumaru quite intelligently. "Does this mean I'm gonna have pretty lady's sister for an aunt? 'Cause she has love bites on her neck."

Kagome went bright red, and Sesshoumaru managed to swallow his tea wrong which caused him to start coughing. "No," she said to the boy as all eyes turned to her and looked at her bruised neck. Her hands went up in an attempt to hide the marks. Kami, it was going to suck having a kid in the house.

The look alike stood up immediately, grasping a book in her fingers firmly. A frown marred her features and she said, "I believe it is time we take our leave. Kagome, you will come home with us." He was disappointed to note how happy Kagome was to get a ride. "I thank you both for your time. It has been greatly appreciated."

Sasuke-boy and Hojou-boy clearly wanted to object, but were stopped by a glare from the girl. Sesshoumaru almost felt like pouting. She was leaving and he wasn't going to get the chance to convince her to play the part of Izayoi. He really meant it when he told her he couldn't stand the idea of some random twit playing the part.

Both boys rambled a thank-you and as Kagome was dragged away by her apparent sister, she stuck her tongue out at him as if to say, 'And you thought you could keep me here…' The sight of her pink little tongue made him think of all the things he would love her to be doing with it.

He heard a brief dispute being whispered in low tones between Kagome and her twin about Kagome getting her clothes, but she insisted she had no problem leaving the 'abomination' right where it was. He personally thought she'd looked stunning in it (although it was better when he was taking it off…) but apparently she didn't like the dress.

Damn it, he really needed to stop those thoughts. It couldn't be healthy.

Now that they were gone, Toshu (Tamaki?) turned to Sesshoumaru.

"Uncle Sesshoumaru?" he asked, his beady little black eyes as wide and innocent as a rat's eye could be. Turning his own eyes on the brat, Sesshoumaru's only response was a raised eyebrow. "What do I do with my bowl and spoon? I'm all done."

Blinking at the boy a few times, surprised the brat even cared, Sesshoumaru waved a hand at the counter. "Set it up here."

The boy slid off his chair and carried his dirty dishes to the sink, but he was a good foot too short to reach it. Deciding it was too much trouble watching, Sesshoumaru took the bowl and just set it on the counter as Inuyasha came in.

"Would it kill you to be decent for once in your life?" Inuyasha demanded. "They just wanted to talk about the Twilight Moon."

"If they want the story that bad, it isn't hard to look up." Sesshoumaru scoffed.

"Just because you know where to look, doesn't mean they will. Hell, I don't even know the whole story!" Inuyasha growled, "And I don't know where you think people can look."

"You're pouting because you want more, aren't you, pup?" Sesshoumaru grinned as his younger brother threw himself into a chair and slouched with his head on the table. Tormenting Inuyasha was so much fun.

"A bit," Inuyasha admitted.

"Well, you'll just have to wait until the movie comes out."

"What movie?" Inuyasha asked, raising his head up. Then he said, "Oh, this new one? I didn't know it was that story." Changing the subject (probably because Inuyasha had grown uncomfortable with the small silence that fell as the rat half-breed quietly played in the corner of the room with a toy car) Inuyasha asked, "Why didn't you tell me you have a girlfriend?"

"I didn't tell you because I don't." Sesshoumaru said simply.

"Her scent is all over you, Sess. I may be an idiot sometimes, but I'm not stupid. Couple that with the hickies, and even Taku knows it. There's something between you and that girl. Who is she anyway?"

Unsurprisingly, Inuyasha hadn't yet made the connection between Kagome's name, and the name of his priestess in the past. It was to be expected, though, as the boy had so little recollection of Kagome at all. Sesshoumaru wasn't going to point things out to his brother though, so he merely stayed quiet and let Inuyasha come to his own conclusions.

"Fine, whatever. Don't talk to me. Why don't you go call your little girlfriend then, 'cause I'm pretty damn sure she's the only one in the world who can get you to say more than insults."

Rolling his eyes at Inuyasha's dramatics, Sesshoumaru did set his tea mug on the counter and leave the room. Figuring he would do well with a nice, long nap, he made his way to his bedroom, pouting openly when he got there. He wished his kitten was still there.

Kami, how far he'd fallen...

Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! Sesshoumaru acidized the chapter, that's why it isn't like the preview from the last chapter! So, I'll have to beat him with the ugly stick. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Hopefully the length made up for the long wait!