InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Youkai and the Exterminator ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter Three

 

 

A stab of pain in her abdomen awakened Sango. She gasped and tried to sit up to defend herself, but was struck back by a hard blow to her face and the touch of cold steel grazing her exposed throat.

 

"I'm sorry it had to be like this."

 

Kohaku?

 

Her little brother crouched over her, his face expressionless, but his eyes burned with a terrible hatred. She suppressed a cry of pain as the sickle blade bit into the skin of her neck.

 

"I'm going to cut your head off, sister," the boy hissed.

 

"Why are you doing this?" Sango whispered, a tear slipping down her face. Her heart was tearing apart inside her, a horrifying wail of grief wanted to rip from her lips but she held herself calm with all her will. "Kohaku, the jewel shard is gone. Naraku can't control you anymore."

 

"Is that so?"

 

At the edge of her vision, a white baboon drifted into view. Naraku laughed unpleasantly. "Did you really think the jewel shard was my only hold over Kohaku? He has served me most willingly for some time now."

 

"No," she whispered. "I won't believe it."

 

Naraku chuckled. "Such loyalty, such devotion. What a waste. Look around you, Sango. See what your love of Kohaku has brought upon you."

 

Sango turned her head and gasped. Only inches from her, Kagome's bloody face stared at her from sightless eyes. The girl's throat had been torn apart, her bright blood staining the front of her clothing with crimson. A few yards from them, she could see Miroku's motionless body lying face down in the dirt, a dark pool spreading out from under his shredded robes. As for Inuyasha, she couldn't see his body, at least not all of it. Clumps of silver hair and mutilated flesh dotted their campsite along with shreds of red clothing.

 

"You did this," she whispered, unable to look away from Naraku's gloating smile.

 

The demon came closer until he could rest his hand on top of her brother's head. "No, Sango, I'm afraid this is all your doing. You so trustingly welcomed Kohaku back, never questioning his loyalty. Even that stupid hanyou had doubts, but not you."

 

"That fool Sesshomaru couldn't have known what he was setting loose. I allowed Kohaku to be taken from me, hoping for this opportunity. I just never believed you'd make it so easy. Kohaku asked that you be killed last, Sango. He wanted to say goodbye to his beloved sister. Maybe if you hadn't abandoned him to me, I never would have turned him against you after having the pleasure of raping his mind and spirit so thoroughly."

 

"You monster, you heartless, sick bastard," she ground out, no longer concerned with the sharp steel pinning her neck. Kohaku's eyes were alive with joy as he pressed the blade slowly deeper into her flesh. "I never abandoned Kohaku. I love him, he's my brother!"

 

Naraku laughed, a harsh sneering sound. "He's not your brother anymore. I'm the only family Kohaku needs. He's already beginning to call me father, isn't that sweet, dear Sango?"

 

The white baboon pelt began to shimmer in front of her, its outline changing, shifting into something more hauntingly familiar. Sango's heart twisted inside her as she looked into her dead father's eyes.

 

I'm so disappointed in you, daughter. You couldn't kill Naraku. You couldn't save your brother from or avenge my death. And you spread your legs for a filthy youkai prince who would betray you without a second thought. You shame us all with your weakness.

 

"Father, no," she sobbed, reaching desperately for him. "Please forgive me, please don't leave me again!" Kohaku laughed suddenly, madness clear in his voice. He raised his blade and shifted his grip, bringing the point of the sickle blade down to bury it like a hammer blow in her head.

 

Sango sat up, the scream that wanted to tear out of her throat frozen behind her lips. She choked, fighting back the hot bile that threatened to flood her mouth. Her heart was pounding frantically in her chest and she wanted to be sick on the ground. The dream was so real, by far the worst she'd ever had.

 

"Sango?" Kagome's voice called sleepily to her. The girl raised herself on her elbow, rubbing her eyes. "Are you okay? Did you have a bad dream?"

 

"I'm okay, Kagome," she managed to say. She didn't want to alarm her friend. Sango glanced around the quiet campsite, hoping she hadn't awakened anyone else who would press her for details about her nightmare.

 

Her eyes instinctively went to Kohaku's sleeping face. Her little brother lay on his side, one hand outstretched as if he'd been reaching to her from the other side of her dream. His face was still pale despite their outdoor lifestyle and his freckles stood out in stark contrast. His peaceful expression was almost more than she could stand.

 

Sango pulled her legs from the twisted knot of blankets. Even unconscious she'd continued fighting against Naraku's evil. Kagome yawned, snuggling Shippou tighter as she watched her friend stand up.

 

"Where are you going?"

 

The exterminator tried to smile reassuringly and knew she'd failed miserably. She was grateful the fire had burned so low that Kagome couldn't read her stricken expression. "I'm just going to relieve myself," she said, keeping her voice light. "You go back to sleep, I know how tired you are."

 

They were all tired. She could hear Miroku's soft snores from the other side of the campfire and even Inuyasha had succumbed to the need for rest. The hanyou sat up against a tree, his chin nodded to his chest and his hair falling softly over his face.

 

Quietly, she slipped off into the forest, but it wasn't the call of nature she meant to answer. Sango's body started to shake uncontrollably, the grief and anguish of her dream still raw inside her. Her breath was now coming out in labored sobs and she prayed that Kagome wouldn't follow her. She was far too tired inside to pretend to be strong. She couldn't keep up the façade another moment.

 

Sango was sick of being brave and tough, of keeping a cheery illusion in place. She was tired of being a demon exterminator who had a dead village's pride resting on her shoulders. She wanted to forget about Naraku, forget about protecting innocent people from that monster. She wanted to forget about the Shikon no Tama, the cursed jewel she'd grown up hearing legends about had cost her nearly everything she'd ever loved.

 

It was more than she could bear. Sango leaned her head against a tree and started to cry softly to herself. She missed her father, she missed his strength, the warm feeling that she had when he looked into her eyes and smiled at her. The comfort that she'd felt when he would hold her and soothe away her fears and doubts. It had been so very long since she'd been able to lean on anyone like that.

 

Even her friends had hardly seen that side of Sango, only once had she thrown herself into Kagome's arms and sobbed wildly while Miroku and Inuyasha stood by, awkward in the face of her grief and loss. Her control was slipping away, she had to let the pain out or it would consume her.

 

Sango was startled when a hand reached out the darkness to grab her shoulder roughly and spin her around. Sesshomaru stared down at her, the moonlight making his pale skin seem to glow from within. It streaked his hair with silver radiance, turning him into a sculpture of ice and pure starshine. She caught her breath and looked up into his unreadable eyes.

 

Am I still dreaming, she wondered. His finger reached out slowly to stroke her wet face. Crumbling, she flung her arms around the demon's neck and sobbed hysterically into his chest.

 

Sesshomaru stood quite still, looking down at the girl in confusion. He had come all this way to kill and now here she was, crying like her heart had shattered inside her and her tears wetting his neck. Strange how it didn't disgust him, strange how he didn't want to push her away. His hand came up to bury itself in the soft darkness of her hair, holding her gently against him.

 

"Don't cry," he murmured.

 

A memory, long since buried and discarded, surfaced in his mind. He remembered how once as a very young child he had woken from an unpleasant dream and started to cry. His father had entered the room then and instead of remonstrating his son for showing such weakness, had simply picked him up and tucked him firmly against his chest. He'd held him and comforted him until he fell asleep again.

 

The memory stirred strange and unused feelings inside him and he frowned thoughtfully. This girl. She was in need of someone and he found his heart could not deny her.

 

Gradually, Sango's shoulders stopped shaking and she grew quiet, relaxing against Sesshomaru's body. Embarrassed by her display of emotion, Sango put her hands on his chest to gently push herself away. She looked up and smiled shyly at him. "Sesshomaru, I..."

 

His hand cupped her cheek and stilled her voice. Sesshomaru leaned down to kiss her softly, a gentle brush of his lips against hers. Sango closed her eyes and sighed, peaceful sensations flooding her body, making her melt like snow in the spring sunshine.

Sesshomaru smiled down at her, savoring the scent of her hair, feeling her body relax against his. He kissed the girl again, slipping his tongue between her lips teasingly. Sango's hands tightened, twisting her fingers in the soft folds of his clothing. She pressed herself against him urgently; the hot strength of his mouth on hers was making her dizzy, the touch of his hand sliding around her waist made her knees quiver with desire.

 

And then in a sudden flash he disappeared and she was left holding nothing but air. Sango stumbled forward, barely catching herself against a tree in time to keep from falling. She was trembling, she was aching with frustration. Where did he go, she wondered nervously. Why did he come here and then vanish like that?

 

She bowed her head, her eyes stinging and raised her hand to her flushed face. What am I doing? Sango shuddered and felt hot shame cover her body. He didn't want her; she obviously repulsed him in some way. Humiliated by his rejection, she turned and started to go back to camp.

 

An arm snaked out of the darkness behind her to wrap firmly around her body. His breath was hot in her ear and Sango's heart turned over in her chest. "You are mine," the youkai lord's voice whispered softly. "I have claimed you as my own and you shall not deny it."

 

She was suddenly afraid of him, her hands reaching down to clutch at the arm that was holding her tight. The tip of his tongue burned against her neck and she gasped. He tasted her again, running his tongue slowly up the side of her throat to under her ear.

 

Sango sighed, her voice catching. "Yes."

 

"Mine," Sesshomaru whispered again. "When I want you, I will have you. You offered yourself to me and I have accepted. So it shall be between us." He would not destroy her, she belonged to him now and he burned to consume her with fierce, blazing passion. Possessive instincts had warred with his natural disdain of all things human and instinct had won. He could no more kill her now than he could give her up.

 

Sango gasped as his hand roamed over her body and a fiery wave of longing nearly made her cry out. His face was buried in the crook of her neck and his long, silky hair swept over her face. "Tell me you want me," he ordered, his voice muffled against her skin.

 

"I want you," she whispered. Sesshomaru ground his hips into her back, letting her feel him.

 

His mouth nuzzled her face, the tips of his fangs grazing her cheek. "Say you belong to me."

 

"I belong to you," Sango murmured, drowning in her need for him. He squeezed her tightly, his arm pressing hard against her ribcage.

 

"Say it louder," he hissed, his breath burning into the back of her neck.

 

"I belong to you!" Sango cried desperately.

 

Sesshomaru paused, intensely pleased with her eagerness, her capitulation, her passionate response to his demands. He let himself become lost in her desire for him. His hand stroked her skin, eliciting tremors from her body. He looked up at the sky, measuring his hunger for her against the sweet torment of not having her just yet.

 

Someday, he vowed, he would be able to take his time, he would have the leisure to coax ever last drop of response from her and show her the true meaning of youkai stamina. At this moment, however, the pressure inside him was building to a fevered pitch and he could smell his own dangerous loss of control looming ahead. He needed to feel her skin against his before he abandoned all reason and thought.

 

Sango woke from her desire-induced stupor to find that she was flying upwards through the tree branches. Her face was buried in Sesshomaru's chest, his hand pressed firmly against the small of her back. The youkai pulled her to a sturdy bough, soft leaves brushed against her hair as he set her down, the moon bathing them in a radiant pool of light. His mouth caught hers in a deep, possessive kiss and Sango surrendered herself to him again and lived between the waves of passion that crashed over her body, leaving her breathless in their wake.

 

oOo

 

Sango opened her eyes slowly, reluctantly. The brightness of the dawn sunlight caught her full in the face and for a moment the demon exterminator was blinded. She lazily raised her hand to shield her eyes and thought that if she had any choice, she wouldn't move from where she was for at least a day or more. Her entire body was deliciously relaxed, a light wind whispering over her bare shoulders and the gentle rustle of leaves and tree branches played in her ears.

 

Tree branches? Sango yawned, waking fully at last. A fingertip traced its way slowly down her back, the soft touch tickling slightly as it outlined the sensitive skin of the mark on her back.

 

"Where did you get this scar?"

 

She turned slightly so she could look up at him. The dawn had painted the youkai prince in shades of rose and gold, outlining his features in a pink-hued perfection. Sango found herself lying in his lap, her cheek pressed against the firm muscles of his stomach and her right arm wrapped around his waist. She wondered how long Sesshomaru had been watching her sleep. For the first time she realized that he probably had no idea what had happened, what had set her on the path she walked with his brother and their friends, bent on Naraku's destruction.

 

"Kohaku gave me the scar," she said softly. "Naraku took control of him, forced him to kill our father and the other demon exterminators. He almost killed me as well. I should have died that day; I couldn't bear the thought of Kohaku going to his death alone after what happened."

 

"Why did you survive?" His voice was cool, holding nothing more than a mild curiosity.

 

Sango considered the question. "When I woke and realized I still lived, I wanted revenge more than anything. I refused to let myself die without taking the bastard responsible with me."

 

His palm brushed her hair, his lips curved in a faint smile. She had a fighting spirit, his little human. It was that spark, that fire within her that had so attracted him. If he closed his eyes slightly, he could see the warm human energy radiating from her skin. As his fingers brushed her bare flank, the girl shivered and leaned trustingly against him. Her body was tawny golden in comparison to his glacial paleness and the scent of her reminded him of warm honey.

 

Sango put her hand up and touched his bare chest. Her fingers explored the impossibly smooth skin, taking in the velvety texture of youkai. There was so much that she didn't know about this demon with his unreadable golden eyes and motivations she couldn't guess at. He said he despised humans, calling them filth, animals barely worth killing. How he hated his brother for the blood that made him only half-demon, hanyou, imperfect and unworthy.

 

Thinking of Inuyasha brought a small frown to her forehead and her eyes were drawn to his silk covered left shoulder. He noticed the direction of her gaze and smiled inwardly. So she was curious, was she? Sesshomaru gracefully shrugged aside his sleeve. Sango stared hard at what remained of the demon lord's arm; she'd been intrigued since first hearing the story of that battle from Kagome. The amputated limb was not disfigured or scarred, simply ending just above where his left elbow should be and the bottom of the stump tapering slightly, smooth and pink.

 

Sango had seen enough battle wounds in her time to know what she was looking at was unusual. "It's...it's growing back?"

 

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow, amused by her surprise. "Of course. I am daiyoukai."

 

Her hand reached to touch it hesitantly. "It doesn't hurt?"

 

"No."

 

She removed her hand, feeling somewhat embarrassed. Nothing else could have brought the realization home to her more clearly that her lover was anything but human. A daiyoukai, capable of regenerating lost limbs, inhuman, perfect, utterly remorseless and deadly. It was a very strange position for a demon exterminator to find herself in.

 

Something rippled gently in the breeze and Sango looked up. Toukijin had been thrust into the tree above their heads and the cloth hanging like a flag from its hilt was none other than her own discarded yukata.

 

"I wondered where that had gotten to," she said, a silly grin fixing itself on her face.

 

"Hmm," Sesshomaru said noncommittally.

 

"Sango!" A voice was calling for her. She froze, that was Kagome's voice and Sango knew her friend had awakened and come in search of her.

 

Sesshomaru smiled lazily. "It seems you've been missed." He reached up to capture her discarded clothing and dropped it over her shoulders as she sat up. Sango managed to balance on the gently swaying tree branch while she dressed herself hurriedly.

 

The youkai merely stood up, stretching contentedly, and slipped his swords into his sash as he tied his robes securely. He retrieved his armor, moving easily over the treetops as if he were more at home on them than he was on the ground. Finally, he turned and gazed down at her for a moment, his face empty of expression and his eyes full of the sun. Sango opened her mouth, wondering what was appropriate to say at such a moment.

 

When will I see you again, Sesshomaru-sama, she wondered.

 

And then he was suddenly gone from her sight, she blinked a few times at the space where he'd been standing and heard her name called out again. Sango sighed to herself as she began to work her way down to the ground.

 

"He could have at least helped me get out of this damn tree."

 

oOo

 

"Sango, I was so worried! Where did you go?" Kagome flung herself into her friend's arms, relieved but still wanting to shake the exterminator for making her worry.

 

"I'm sorry," she said, embracing the younger girl. "I must have tripped over a tree root or something and hit my head. I didn't mean to scare you, Kagome."

 

Miroku frowned, concern in his eyes. "Are you injured? He reached out to her, a solicitous expression on his face. "Let me see, a blow to the head that rendered you unconscious could be dangerous."

 

Sango fended off the monk's well-meaning hands with a practiced ease. "No, thank you, houshi-sama."

 

Miroku pouted and shook his head. "You don't trust me? I assure you, my intentions were quite pure."

 

"Since when?" she asked, grinning to take the sting out of her rejection.

 

Kagome rolled her eyes and slipped her hand around Sango's arm. "Oh Miroku, of course we trust you. It's just your hands we don't trust."

 

The monk smirked. "Well, they do have a mind of their own, but you don't seriously think I'd take advantage of an injured woman, do you?"

 

"Wouldn't be the first time," Sango muttered under her breath.

 

"Sango, you wound me," he said, dramatically laying his reprobate hand on his chest.

 

Kagome snickered at his act. "There he goes again, playing the misunderstood monk. Honestly Miroku, as many times as we've seen and felt you in action, you can't think we'd fall for that."

 

He chuckled happily as he fell into step behind the girls. "My dear ladies, I believe in living life to its fullest. I can think of no sadder death than lying in bed and looking back on life with regrets for lost opportunities."

 

"Well, that won't be you," Sango said mischievously. "In the time we've known each other I can't think of once when you ever lost an opportunity."

 

Miroku bowed extravagantly to the exterminator. "I'll take that as a compliment."

 

They had reached the campsite and Sango smiled. Kohaku and Shippou were sitting together and looking at one of Kagome's picture books, the kitsune curled comfortably in the boy's lap as they turned the pages.

 

Kohaku looked up and smiled. "There you are, sister."

 

She went to ruffle his hair, still hungry to touch him whenever she could. "I'm sorry, Kohaku. You weren't worried about me, I hope."

 

He shook his head, a small frown crossing his forehead. "No, I wasn't worried. For some reason, I just knew you were all right. Where did you go anyway?"

 

She hated lying to him, she truly did. But there was no other answer for it, not right now. "I fell down and knocked myself out. Pretty stupid accident, huh?"

 

"Stupid is right," Inuyasha said, emerging from the forest with leaves in his hair. "If that's what happened, you're way clumsier than I ever took you for." The hanyou stopped suddenly and stared at her, his head thrown back and his eyes narrowed. Sango swallowed nervously, noticing the way he was sniffing at the air. His face went pale and then flushed dark red.

 

"I gotta go," he barked and turned right around and dashed back into the forest.

 

Kagome planted her hands on her hips and glared after the half-demon. "What is his problem these days?" she demanded, shooting Miroku and Sango a dark look. "He's even edgier than normal."

 

Miroku scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Now that you mention it, he has been acting a bit peculiar. More short tempered than usual, something I hadn't thought possible. Had you noticed it, Sango?"

 

The demon exterminator knelt over her pack, rolling her bedding into a neat package that she could carry easily. She'd been far too preoccupied with her own thoughts to notice much of anything around her. "I can't say, I didn't think he was behaving strangely."

 

She was quite glad that neither of them could see her face, she was blushing so hard.

 

oOo

 

Inuyasha stormed through the trees, occasionally slashing at the inoffensive shrubbery with his claws. For fuck's sake, didn't the stupid bitch have enough sense to take a fucking bath after doing something like that? What the hell was she thinking anyway, sneaking off in the middle of the night to whore for Sesshomaru?

 

He briefly contemplated putting his head into the nearest tree, but even knocking himself silly wouldn't help his situation now. Luckily, there was a brisk running stream somewhere ahead and it had exactly what he needed. Cold water.

 

Ice cold water as it turned out. Inuyasha ducked his head in the frigid stream, said screw it, and threw his whole body in. He came up sputtering and coughing, his lungs protesting the icy temperature of the water. The half-demon hauled himself out of the stream and flopped wetly onto the grass without even shaking himself dry. For a moment, he truly wished it was the night of the new moon and he could be just another nose-blind human. Not that even that would help him right now, as it was still full daylight. He groaned loudly and covered his face with his hands.

 

Inuyasha was starting to shiver, but he figured he had himself under control again. The scent had hit him so strong and sudden; he sure hadn't been prepared for that. The musk of sex and sweat had clung to Sango, radiating off her body like heavy perfume. It had gone like a spike to a primitive part of his brain, making him instantly, intensely aroused. Yeah, like he needed to worry about that now on top of everything else. He didn't need another distraction; Kagome was about all he could deal with.

 

It was just embarrassing to lose control like that. He hoped they hadn't realized why. He'd caught himself watching Kagome way too often, looking away when he realized the thoughts stewing around in that overactive hanyou brain of his were nothing like friendship or even tender protectiveness. Her body had, well, matured lately and even a blind fool could notice it. He was sure Miroku had, flushing a bit when he realized that the monk was probably having less than innocent thoughts as well.

 

If Miroku even had innocent thoughts, he wasn't sure. Inuyasha firmly told himself to just get over it, quit thinking like a hormone-crazed demon and just focus on the task of finding Naraku and ripping his evil head off and cramming it up his ass. After that, there'd be plenty of time to sort out the way he felt about Kagome.

 

It was just that sometimes when he carried her, feeling her thighs pressing tight against his hips, the sweet curve of her body riding the small of his back and the pressure of her breasts leaning into him, unconscious of the kind of wild ideas they stirred...shit yes, it was distracting!

 

Growling furiously, he jumped up. "That's not helping!" he shouted and threw himself back into the icy water. Life certainly did suck.

 

oOo

 

"Kirara?" Sango had looked everywhere and still she hadn't found the cat-youkai. She looked down at Shippou and Kohaku. "When is the last time you saw her?"

 

The kitsune shrugged his little shoulders, sitting placidly on top of Kohaku's head. "I dunno, I didn't see her when I woke up, but I wasn't looking for her either."

 

"Just great," Sango muttered. She was wondering if the cat had gone off sulking somewhere. Well, nothing she could do about it, Kirara could find her and Kohaku anywhere and she was sure the cat wouldn't abandon them. It hurt that her best friend was so disapproving, but she couldn't blame Kirara either. The cat demon had been raised by youkai exterminators, what Sango had been doing with a certain demon had to feel like treason.

 

Sometimes she agreed with the cat, wishing that her father were still alive so she could talk to him about what she was feeling. Then she realized that she would be far too ashamed to bring such a subject up to the man who had raised her hunt and slay demons, protecting innocent women and girls from falling victim to the obscene lusts of monsters.

 

She sighed and closed her eyes, dreaming of the warmth of his lips. Sango decided that she needed a quick bath before they got on the road. Kagome had noticed that she'd barely touched her breakfast and then mentioned for someone who spent a whole night lying unconscious in the woods, she sure didn't look rested. She was really letting herself get too wrapped up in what had happened. She was positive, absolutely positive, that it was just physical. After all, she was only human, wasn't it normal for an active, healthy woman of her age to have some kind of sexual desires?

 

Most girls her age were married with three or four children. Sango was deeply grateful that her father had chosen to break with tradition and train her in the arts of slaying. She had to be the first female from the village to have been trained so for generations. Now she was also the last. That's what really hurt; her and Kohaku were all that was left of what had been a thriving community. It was so unfair it made her sick.

 

Sango kicked a rock out of her way. Kagome had said that there was a stream not far from where they'd camped. No hot spring, but she thought a quick dip might just get her and Kirara on speaking terms again, if the temperamental twin-tailed kitten ever decided to show up.

 

A menacing growl broke her out of her reverie and Sango turned around slowly. It was Kirara, fully transformed and if a cat could scowl, that would be the expression on her face. She noticed not for the first time how very long and sharp the cat-youkai's fangs were. Surely no, she wouldn't attack her, not over this, not over just smelling like youkai. She took a deep breath, holding out her hands in a pacifying gesture.

 

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I know you don't understand, Kirara."

 

"Nah, she understands."

 

She jumped. Inuyasha had appeared out of the forest like judgment itself, arms folded and eyes narrowed in an angry glare. Sango tossed her head, refusing to be intimidated this time.

 

"I thought we talked about it and you weren't...why are you all wet?"

 

"None of your business," he snapped. "You could do with a bath yourself; you got any idea how bad you reek, bitch? You're lucky that me and Kirara are the only ones who can tell what kind of accident you really had last night."

 

She flushed, still keeping her distance from them both. "It's none of your business, Inuyasha. You're not my father; you don't tell me who to sleep with."

 

He snorted. "No shit. Your father would be crapping himself if he knew you were screwing someone like Sesshomaru. I bet he'd be really proud, Sango."

 

She caught her breath as that had stung her to the quick. "Maybe you're right about that," she husked. Her eyes burned and she furiously fought back tears, knowing Inuyasha had no sympathy for human emotions. Wasn't that why he hated turning human on the new moon? It made him into a weak, vulnerable human who could be swayed by feelings like loneliness and want.

 

Inuyasha looked away, instantly regretting his mouth getting the best of him. She didn't deserve to be attacked just because he couldn't control the demon side of him that had reacted to her scent. Not for the first time, he realized what a bastard he could be. He looked down at the still tense and transformed Kirara and his mouth quirked in a smile. He leaned over, putting his hand on the back of the cat's head while he whispered in her ear.

 

Sango frowned, hearing the strange hissing and purring sounds that the hanyou was making. Kirara shook herself suddenly and dropped back into her adorable kitten form, stalking away from them primly with her tails held high. "Don't tell you speak her language."

 

He grinned. "A little, just what I picked up here and there. I don't think you'll have any more problems with her."

 

Sango stared at him. "What did you say?"

 

"Don't worry about it."

 

She glared at him. "No, I want to know. What did you tell her about me?"

 

Inuyasha was openly smirking now. "I just put your situation in terms that Kirara could understand. Don't make a big deal out of it, Sango. She won't."

 

"What did you say?"

 

He sighed. "I just told her that you were in heat and couldn't be held responsible for what you were doing. Kirara is a youkai, you know. She understands how strong the mating urge can be, you'd probably rut with the first male you ran across. It just happened to be a youkai male that caught you."

 

Sango picked up a rock. "You jackass, you make me sound like some kind of, some kind of, I don't know what you made me sound like but it's not funny!"

 

He doubled over, laughing at her expression. It was priceless and he didn't even care if she bounced that rock off his head, because he deserved it. "Was I wrong?" he asked, snickering helplessly.

 

She thought about it, remembering how her legs had clenched around Sesshomaru's, her fingers clawing down his back and her voice calling out his name like some craven, shameless...

 

She dropped her rock, blushing. "No, I guess not."

 

He waved his hand. "Go take a bath. We've got to get back on the road if we're ever going to track down Naraku. It was your morning to cook breakfast too, bitch. Don't think I missed that. I expect something impressive for supper tonight."

 

“Is that so?” she replied archly.

 

Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder and gave her an evil smirk. “It had better be, I might talk in my sleep tonight if I'm too hungry.”

 

Sango's mouth dropped open at his implied threat and then couldn't hold back a laugh as the hanyou bounded away into the forest. Strangely, he seemed to be enjoying his chance to tease her, something he'd never done before. She wondered at that, just as she wondered about his agreement to keep quiet about her nighttime activities.

 

As much as he detested his older brother, it seemed he didn't disapprove. Sango smiled slightly to herself as she headed off to her bath. Maybe she'd misjudged him. If that was so, then maybe she'd misjudged herself.