Kagome could barely keep herself from wrapping her hands around Naraku’s throat as he called in a servant. She stood at attention in the same spot she was before; if she moved there was no doubt she would be able to stop herself from attacking him. She realized that this was not a test to see if she was a spy; no, this was a test of loyalty. He had probably dangled an opportunity like this, she shuddered at the thought, to many men before her. The servant he had called came through a wall on his left side. She nodded mentally, knowing that there were probably multiple entry points to this room. She would have to figure out which went where. The servant stopped next to Naraku’s throne, her red eyes glaring at him and her body in a defiant posture. Her hair was tied up and decorated with feather ornaments and beads. Naraku looked at her with an amused expression.

“Kagura. Bring me my mate. Our guest would like to meet her.” Kagura’s red eyes flitted to Kagome and she smiled, bowing. Kagura scoffed and went off again, a gust of wind following her out. Kagura. Servant to Naraku. Possibly caretaker to Kik-Naraku’s mate. Defiant. Possible ally. Kagome’s calculating side came out again to assess the situation. Naraku was about ten yards away from her position. There was two known doors to this room; one behind her and one to the left of Naraku. The wall that the analytical Kagome was keeping up was about to burst. She was going to see Kikyo. After what, ten years, she was going to see her twin sister! Anger burned in her blood and she felt that she had little control left. Naraku smirked at her and sat forward in his throne chair.

“Thinking about my mate, Kuro? I can smell your arousal.” Kagome’s eyes got wide and looked up at Naraku, forgetting about her anger for the moment.

“Sir?” She asked, a little embarrassed. Oh god, Kurama, you switched the scent of my anger and my arousal? You sly fox! “I apologize.” Naraku chuckled and shook his head.

“No matter. Many men would like to bed my mate. She is, as you said, very beautiful.” Her anger was held at bay by her embarrassment, as Kurama had probably guessed it would be. Kagome’s eyes flickered to the door as it opened and her heart was pounding in her chest. Kikyo, Kikyo, Kikyo… But it was only Kagura who came through.

“Naraku-dono,” Kagura started, her tone sarcastic. “Kikyo-sama is not feeling well. She said that she wishes to meet her visitor another time.” Kagome noticed the anger on Naraku’s face as it flew in like lightning. “She also wished me to remind you that in the condition she is in, she is not fit for company. Her sickness makes her a bad companion.” Kagome looked at Kagura, worried when she talked about Kikyo being ill. The anger had disappeared from Naraku’s face as soon as it had come, but he still looked annoyed. Good for you, Kikyo…You won’t be manipulated by this vile, putrid bast-

“It seems, Kuro, that you will have to wait until my mate is recovered before you meet. This is a shame, but I will not put her through something so…Straining while she is sick. You are free to go…But I will call for you again.”

When Kagome got back to the barracks, the sun was already on its way down. Some of the new recruits from before were gone; she realized it was all the humans and narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Meris smiled at her when she walked in and she smiled back.

“So, you survived a meeting with Naraku-dono, huh, Kuro-san?” Meris chuckled as she flopped on the ground next to him.

“Yeah…” She replied, giving a laugh of her own.

“What is it he wanted?” Kagome felt her anger spike and bit back a groan. Meris smirked at her and patted her on the back. “Wow, Kuro-san, what happened?” Kagome shook her head and sighed.

“Naraku-dono called me to his throne room to introduce me to his mate…” Meris whistled and suddenly the other demons were interested as well.

“Lady Kikyo?”

“Was she as beautiful as they say?”

“Did Naraku say why he wanted you to meet her?” Meris raised his hands and shook his head.

“Please, please, do not bombard him. Kuro-san,” He said, looking over his shoulder at her. “Please, tell us all what happened.” Kagome nodded and sat crossed-legged.

“Nothing, actually.” All of the men groaned.

“What?” Meris questioned, his eyebrow raised. “What do you mean, nothing happened?” Kagome shrugged.

“A servant came in and told Naraku that his wife wasn’t well enough to visit.” Her anger spiked again as she thought of Kikyo’s health being in jeopardy. Meris grinned.

“Oh, that’ll have been Kagura. Not as good looking as Lady Kikyo, but still easy on the eyes.” One of the demons explained. It was the tiger demon from before, Kemuri. He seemed a lot calmer and more friendly while talking about the woman, and Kagome noticed a red tint coloring his face. Meris chuckled and thumped the cat demon’s back.

“Oh, we all know what you think of Kagura, Kemuri.” Growling, the tiger swiped at him, but Meris danced away and laughed again.

“Shut up Meris. Don’t get me started on your preferences.” The rest of the rooms occupants smirked and the normally docile demon as he froze and shot a glare at Kemuri. Kagome was confused and showed it. From what she had seen, Meris was calm and collected most of the time. She narrowed her eyes and stared at Kemuri.

“What do you mean?” She still had yet to get used to the boyish voice she had; she could handle the deeper voices of previous missions, but this one sounded so much like her own that she felt vulnerable. 

Meris looked over at her quickly, his lavender eyes now a dark blood red. However, despite the fact that it was obvious Meris was pissed, Kemuri continued to taunt him.

“Oh? Does your new friend not know about you, Meris?” He cackled and Meris clenched his fists, causing Kemuri’s demon friends to have worried expressions on their faces.

“I think that isss enough, Kemuri.” Hebi warned, eyeing the blood dripping onto the floor from Meris’s flaws penetrating his skin. Kemuri ignored the snake, showing all of his teeth as he grinned. Kagome knew that there was going to be a fight if the taunting continued, but said nothing. She did not want Meris’s wrath incurred on her as well.

“I guess from the confused look on his face, he doesn’t.” Kemuri shot a superior look at Kagome, folding his arms. “You see, Kuro, Meris here is a f-“ Kemuri did not get to finish his sentence, as Meris’s hand was through his throat. Violently wrenching it out and then grabbing a hold of the now dead Kemuri’s head, he squeezed until there was a loud crack and tiger demon brains started spilling out of his ears.

“Anyone else wish to explain my preferences to our dear Kuro?” Meris hissed, his voice demonic and maniacal as he dropped the carcass and wiped his hands on his pants, leaving a red and grey stain on them. No one said a word, though everyone except “Kuro” had been splattered with gore. Kagome eyed the dead body in the middle of the floor with disdain.

“It seems like we did have tiger blood stain the floor after all.”