InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Simple Legacy (II) ❯ Chapter 13 ( Chapter 13 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A Simple Legacy II by elle6778 - Chapter 13

She was late.

The sun was now high in the sky and there was still no sign of the miko. It was unacceptable. Directing his narrowed eyes at the well again, Sesshoumaru gritted his teeth. He had returned to the Western Lands after she had disappeared down the well. After spending two days in the company of his pathetic half-brother, he had returned to the well and had since been reduced to waiting for that human wench ever since dawn. Furthermore, there was this increasingly edgy feeling growing within him for the past few days. He had not been able to understand what it was and it irked him.

Why was she late? Had she forgotten that she had a quest to complete here? Or had she decided to abandon it to remain in her own time?

No. The miko would no do such a thing. She would not dishonor her promise to him in such a cowardly manner. Something must have happened to delay her. Nevertheless, he expected her to fully explain herself the moment she stepped out of the well.

Sesshoumaru glowered at an indeterminate point in the distance. One morning was not a long time in comparison with the time he had in the world. Why did he feel that if she did not return soon, he would drag Inuyasha by the scuff of his neck and throw him down to well so that the miko could be retrieved?

Did he actually miss the miko?

A soft growl escaped his lips. It was unacceptable. This was far worse than his affliction with Rin. It made him wonder what would happen once their agreement was completed and the miko went her own way.

Perhaps that was all this was. He was simply anxious for her return because he wanted to continue their quest without delay. Once Naraku was destroyed, he would be able to return to his peaceful existence.

Exhaling, he leaned back against the tree trunk. He would wait until mid-afternoon.

Then he would attempt to enter the well. If that failed, he would fetch Inuyasha.

A suddenly flare of energy broke into his thoughts and he raised himself to his full height. His eyes immediately fell on the wooden well. The golden orbs never left the well until a dark head emerged, followed by a slight body clad in an odd blue kimono. Her soothing peach scent reached him, informing him that she was well and unharmed.

In a blink of an eye, he was beside her, startling her.

“You are late.”

The miko in front of his stared at him with wide brown eyes, a hand held over her chest. “You scared me, Sesshoumaru!” she exclaimed.

His lips tightened. “Explain your tardiness, Miko.”

She glanced uneasily at the ground. “Sesshoumaru…I know you're not going to like this, but I need to stay for another two days. It'll take longer than I'd expected because I had to wait for the results.” Then she looked up and flashed him a small smile. “And I also need to go shopping to buy Shippou and Rin some presents.”

“The hunt cannot be delayed further.” His tone was uncompromising.

The miko's eyes flickered, then her chin tilted up. “Listen, I was about to stay back there without even coming back to tell you. I knew that you wouldn't be happy about this and would probably stop me from staying home. But I finally decided to come back to tell you because it is unfair to let you wait here, not knowing where I am.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “It's only two days, Sesshoumaru.”

Sesshoumaru's brow furrowed as his displeasure dissipated. She had shown him the respect he deserved and she possessed enough honor to return even though she faced his refusal. The hopeful look on her face struck a chord in him. She obviously wanted badly to remain in her time to wait for her results. Suddenly he found himself reluctant to chastise her for her lateness. After all, she would require a certain amount of time to obtain gifts for his ward. Rin had always enjoyed receiving gifts.

Perhaps her tardiness would be forgiven.

“And I want to get you something as well,” she said almost shyly.

He hid his surprise. “That would not be necessary.”

She shook her head. “I want to,” she insisted.

Suppressing his odd discomfort at her words, he simply said, “We need to resume the hunt soon, Miko.”

She lifted two fingers up. “Two days, Sesshoumaru. After this, I'm all yours.”

He stiffened involuntarily.

She was his?

The miko's declaration unsettled him. He knew what she had meant, but something inside him insisted on misinterpreting her words. It was highly disturbing, for he did not wish to view the miko as a consort. The miko did not belong to him.

Or anyone else.

“Sesshoumaru?” Her voice was hopeful.

Straightening, he said stonily, “Two days, Miko. You will be here at dawn. Do not be late.”

Her eyes widened and a happy smile graced her face. “Thank you, Sesshoumaru!” she exclaimed enthusiastically.

Surreptitiously, he shifted further away from her, lest she decided to grace him with yet another hug. All the while, he did not fail to notice that the edgy feeling he had been feeling for the last few days was now gone.

…***…***…***…

Kagome had returned as soon as she had heard that she passed the test, but not before buying the books she required for her course and other supplies. She had also bought Shippou and Rin books, crayons and some toys which she had handed out to them the moment they reached the castle.

Shippou, of course, had been overjoyed at his new toys. Rin's reaction to her gifts had been heartwarming. Her eyes had lighted up with childish wonder as Shippou showed her how to use the crayons and coloring books. But what Rin had liked the most was the set of miniature dolls complete with various sets of clothes.

Kagome could have sworn that Sesshoumaru had smiled then. Warmly.

She had been a little uncertain of what she would get him and had finally settled on some books, both fictional and historical ones. There was small nagging thought that she might change history by doing so, but she figured that her own presence in the past was probably more damaging.

To her surprise, just when she had stepped out of the house, her mother stopped her and handed her an odd looking armband lightly studded with green stones, carefully wrapped in layers of tissue. Apparently, after her mother had heard about the sorceress' role in her legacy, she recalled finding the armband in the wellhouse a few days after her birth. Her mother had said then that the armband belonged in the past, not the future.

Kneeling on the tatami mat in the reception room, Kagome looked down at her palms, where the armband laid, still wrapped in the tissue. She had not detected any evil from it. Instead, there was something about it which gave her a safe feeling even though it was obviously demonic in nature. But just in case, she had infused some of her miko energy into it.

Placing the armband on top of the books, Kagome turned to look for Sesshoumaru to find that Rin and Shippou had left them alone. Keeping her eyes on his impassive face, she held out the stack at him a little nervously.

“This is for you.”

Wordlessly, he took a step closer and lowered himself next to her. He took the books with one hand and picked up the armband using another. The slight frown graced his face as he studied the band, his expression making her feel nervous. Perhaps she should not have given him the armband after all.

“Where did you find this?” he asked, flicking a questioning glance at her before turning back his attention to the armband.

“I think it used to belong to the sorceress. My mother said that she found it soon after I was born. She also said that it belongs to this era, not the future.”

Sesshoumaru remained silent and continued to stare at the armband in his hand.

Kagome began to feel uneasy. “What is it? If you don't want it, it's alright. I can give it to Inuyasha or something,” she quickly said.

He finally looked up. “That will not be necessary,” he replied. Then armband disappeared into the folds of his kimono. “Your gifts are appreciated,” he said stiffly, obviously unused to such an occasion.

Her eyes widened in surprise. Then she brightened when she realized that he had actually accepted the present.

Glancing at her as he thumbed open one of the books, Sesshoumaru continued, “The armband contains an ancient protection spell. It appears that its effectiveness had been reduced due to some damage.” He paused briefly before he continued, “However, this Sesshoumaru sense your powers from it.”

Kagome nodded. “I tried to purify it, just in case it is evil or something, but I'm not sure if I got it right.”

“Your attempt was successful to some extent. The protective element had been restored, perhaps even strengthened.”

“Great!” she enthused.

The sound of footsteps reached her just as the shoji screen slid open to reveal an unsmiling Inuyasha. Apprehension washed over her at the recollection of their last conversation. Was Inuyasha still mad at her?

“You're back,” Inuyasha said gruffly as he stepped closer to her, glancing curiously at her bag.

He was still talking to her. Releasing the breath that she did not know she was holding, Kagome pulled out a large pack of ramen. “Here. This is for you,” she said with a smile. Then she passed him a few more packets of dried fruits. “And these are for Moriko.”

Practically snatching it out of her hands, Inuyasha broke into a grin.

Kagome smiled brightly, glad that Inuyasha seemed to have gotten over her rejection.

…***…***…***…

They had rested for a day in the castle before he decided that they had wasted enough time. And now, soaring high above the treetops, Sesshoumaru tensed as he felt the excitement radiating from the miko beside him.

“Sesshoumaru!” she called out, yanking at the silk clutched in her hand.

His muscles stiffened at the contact as she pointed down in the distance. “I see a glow there. I think it might be a shard.”

Nodding, Sesshoumaru increased the speed of his cloud and sped in the direction she had indicated. It was not long before they landed near a lake. His keen eyes swept the area they had landed in. They were in a clearing surrounded by a dense forest and a large lake next to it. He sensed the usual presence of youkai around them but none of them appeared to be threatening.

“There!” the miko exclaimed, pointing at the glassy surface of the still water.

“In the lake?” he asked doubtfully. It might prove to be difficult to retrieve a shard from a body of water.

She gasped, her eyes fixed to a point at the centre of the lake. “It's moving.”

It meant that the shards were attached to something. Sesshoumaru reached out with his senses. Almost immediately, he felt a glimmer of youki. Then he saw a ripple in the water. Knowing that it would not take long for the youkai to present itself, Sesshoumaru said, “Prepare yourself, Miko.”

The ripple expanded and a scaly yellow head burst out of the water, throwing glittering droplets into the air. Black eyes peered at them as the rest of the body emerged, revealing a large lizard-like youkai covered with yellow scales and a red midsection.

“It has three shards!” the miko exclaimed with a mix of trepidation and excitement. “THREE!”

Sesshoumaru's eyes glinted. Good. It meant that they neared the end of their search. This youkai would be destroyed like the others. However, he needed to get the beast out of the water before he did so, otherwise the shards would be lost in the depth of the lake.

Walking calmly towards the water edge, Sesshoumaru unsheathed Toukijin and channeled his power into it. A pulse resonated outwards as the katana shot a blast forward, aimed not to kill but to force the lizard youkai out of the water.

With a roar of outrage, the yellow form flew out of the water and landed some distance away on the bank of the lake. Sesshoumaru's eyes glinted in anticipation as he streaked towards it, Toukijin held in front of him in preparation to deliver the killing blast.

“Hey! Wait!” he heard the miko yell. Ignoring her, he continued forward until he reached his intended target.

The large youkai thumped its tail once on the ground, its vibrations thundering through the forest. Eyes glittering with malice, it opened its mouth and expelled a stream of yellow substance.

Sesshoumaru dodged the attack and countered with a blast from Toukijin, hitting the youkai in its midsection. A roar ripped through the air as the youkai tore apart. To Sesshoumaru's displeasure, a blink of an eye was all it took for the body to regenerate itself. Obviously the he had to dismember the youkai into more pieces before it would go down.

With a flick of his wrist, strands of golden whips shot out of his claws. Comprehending his intentions, the youkai let out another roar before it turned and launched itself into the forest beyond.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed in annoyance. The youkai was trying to escape. Coward. Its unnatural speed and strength could only be the result of the three shards it possessed. Launching off the boulder, Sesshoumaru streaked forward, ignoring the miko's yells. A flash of yellow and red in the distance betrayed the position of the youkai and he focused his strength on reaching his target.

A sudden breeze beside him drew his attention.

He glanced briefly to the side and immediately blinked in astonishment.

The miko was right beside him, an expression of fierce determination set in her face. Her feet was glowing with the familiar pearlescent light as she skimmed the ground, barely touching the surface.

Her speed matched his.

That, in itself, was a remarkable feat.

Turning away, he recomposed himself and remarked evenly, “Miko, your skills have increased further.”

“What?” She sounded puzzled.

Even without looking at her, he could imagine the confused frown on her face. Then he heard her gasp. Obviously, the miko had not realized the speed at which she had been running. But at the shocking revelation, she had fallen back. It did not matter, Sesshoumaru thought as he closed the distance between him and the youkai. She would catch up as soon as she regained her composure.

Launching himself forward, Sesshoumaru landed in a clearing. The panting youkai stood not far from him, his black eyes glowing malevolently. Yellow spittle dripped from his fangs, the drops sizzling as it hit the ground.

“You possess something which does not belong to you,” Sesshoumaru intoned flatly.

…***…***…***…

It did not take her long to snap herself out of her stupefaction. When she did, she resumed her chase, following the path of flattened bushes and broken tree branches. This time, she glanced down at her feet as she ran, noticing how it glowed and sparked as she pushed forward. She could hardly believe that she could run as fast as Sesshoumaru. But she supposed it made sense considering her legacy.

Crashing into a clearing surrounded by large trees, her eyes immediately went to the heated battle between Sesshoumaru and the youkai. The larger form of the youkai dominated the scene, but Sesshoumaru did not seem fazed.

With a blast of his Toukijin, the youkai flew backwards, knocking down the trees in its path. Roaring its annoyance for the entire forest to hear, it bounced back up and spat a wide stream of yellow poison at Sesshoumaru.

Eyes widening, Kagome gasped as Sesshoumaru barely managed to avoid it. Not that it would really harm him, seeing that he was immune to poison after all. But she guessed no one would want the disgusting yellow stuff anywhere near them.

At he gasp, the youkai spun around to face her. Standing between her and Sesshoumaru, it bared its fangs bared threateningly. Its scaly tail slapped the ground once before it headed straight for her.

A squeal escaped her lips as a glob of yellow poison hit her hakama, burning a hole in it.

“Hey! This is new!” she snapped irritably.

The youkai simply roared again and charged wildly at her.

She managed to raise her barrier just a fraction of a second before it ran into it. The force threw the youkai back some distance away. Sesshoumaru immediately struck out with another blast from Toukijin, tearing its scaly body apart.

Once again, the youkai's body regenerated without pause.

This was getting really annoying, Kagome thought as the youkai charged at her again.

She felt the flare of her power as her anger boiled. Holding her hands out, she forced a bolt of purifying energy towards the youkai. Her power surged greater than she had ever known before and shot out straight towards the youkai. It immediately disintegrated into dust as three purplish shards fell to the ground.

To her dismay, instead of dying out, her power continued to flare.

The beam of energy was heading straight for Sesshoumaru.

Dropping her hands to her side, Kagome gasped in horror, but she did not know how to retract the pearlescent beam she had released. She saw Sesshoumaru's eye widen slightly before he extended his golden whips. He immediately flicked them in the direction of her beam, obviously attempting to deflect it.

To her surprise, instead of the explosion she had expected, her beam of purifying energy and his golden whips merged and blended. Kagome gasped as the pearlescent glow of her energy wrapped around Sesshoumaru's whips almost in a caress. The gold and purple strands swirled around each other, spreading wider and stronger as she watched with increasing trepidation. There was no more youkai for the force to attack, so what would happen to it?

The answer came in the form of a blinding flare and a loud explosion which rocked the forest.

Kagome instantly called forth a barrier. As the ground heaved, throwing soil and stones high up in the air, she noted that Sesshoumaru had done the same.

It took a while before the tremors died down, leaving the forest enveloped in an eerie silence.

Dissolving her barrier, she ran towards Sesshoumaru, hoping that she had not accidentally hurt him. He stood rooted to the same spot as he had been when the blast had begun, staring at the deep crater in front of him with an odd expression on his face.

“I'm sorry…” she whispered nervously. He was going to kill her for not being able to control that attack.

They stood there in silence. Kagome continued to stare at him as he studied the crater thoughtfully.

Finally, she could not stand it. Clearing her throat uncomfortably, she ventured, “What happened there?”

Sesshoumaru turned to her with an unreadable expression on his face. “It appears that you were attempting to dispose of this Sesshoumaru.” His tone was flat.

Kagome gawked. Was that really what he thought? “No!” she protested vehemently. “It was an accident. I said I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt you. Why would I do something like that anyway? You've done so much for-”

She suddenly paused, her eyes narrowing as she noted the amusement flickering in his eyes. He was teasing her. Sesshoumaru was teasing her. He made her think that he was mad at her for that stunt earlier. Irritated, she stomped her foot. “Why you…you…” she faltered.

Then, gritting her teeth, she stomped towards him and stabbed him in the chest with a finger. “It is not funny,” she bit out.

She watched as the corner of his lips lifted almost imperceptibly. “That depends on one's outlook.”

Was that a twinkle in his eyes? Slightly unnerved, Kagome simply stared at him disbelievingly. This side of Sesshoumaru was…unexpected. It was almost scary.

“Miko. Is there something you wish to say?” he asked dryly.

She blinked for a moment before she shook her head.

“How curious,” he remarked blandly. “This Sesshoumaru believes that this is the first time you have succeeded in maintaining silence.”

Sputtering, she protested indignantly, “Hey! What was that supposed to mean?”

Ignoring her, he proceeded to walk away.

“HEY!” she yelled, stomping her foot. “Are you listening to me?”

Obviously not, she thought as she glowered at his retreating back.

…***…***…***…

Few days had passed since they had found the three jewel shards. It was beginning to feel like they had collected all the shards since the miko had not detected any recently. It was time to retrieve the last two shards from the wolf prince before they returned to the Western Lands for the last search.

Although it had happened so many days ago, the strangely powerful attack had remained on Sesshoumaru's mind as he made directed his cloud towards Kouga's lair.

He had a feeling that the compatibility of their powers was due to the fact that the strange connection they shared. Somehow or other, it allowed their two energies to merge, creating an attack of a strength he had never seen before. It was probably powerful enough to destroy Naraku with a single blast.

His lips tilted in a smirk. The hanyou would never know what hit him.

All he had to do was to wait for the miko to launch an attack and then add his own to it. Or perhaps the other way round.

Sesshoumaru glanced at the sky. The sun was beginning to descend in the west but they were nearing their destination. No doubt the wolf would offer them the Eastern Territories' hospitality, but Sesshoumaru had no intention of spending the night surrounded by the scent of wolves.

The miko's presence would only complicate matters. Would Kouga seek to warn him off the miko again? Sesshoumaru's lips thinned. If the wolf had the audacity to question his honor again, he would make sure that the insolent whelp learnt a lesson he would not forget.

“I think Kouga is down there. I can see two shards,” she exclaimed excitedly.

Sesshoumaru glance in the direction she pointed. He could not detect anything in that distance. “This Sesshoumaru requires a more precise direction, Miko.”

“It's still quite far ahead. Um…next to that sharp rock. The one which looks like a blade,” she supplied.

Spotting the sharp rock she had described, Sesshoumaru made a beeline for it and swooped down some distance away. A strange sound reached him through the air as they were landing and he immediately sensed something which made him tense. Once they had landed, the miko held a finger to her lips, the expression in her eyes silently urging him to be cautious. She had obviously sensed the same thing as he had done. Sesshoumaru blinked back his annoyance. Did the miko think that he was simply going to charge ahead the way Inuyasha would do?

“Something feels weird there. Do you feel it?”

Not bothering to grace her with a reply, he stealthily made his way towards their target, the miko trailing behind him.

As they drew closer, a heady scent tickled his nose.

Then he froze as it hit him.

Even before his eyes registered the scene in the distance, Sesshoumaru already knew what to expect. The manner in which his entire body tautened was enough of an indication. His eyes merely confirmed it.

It was highly disconcerting to see the Prince of the Eastern Territories in such a state. Had Kouga completely lost his head with the scent of the female that he could not even try to make it to some sort of shelter?

A small thought nudged at him. Sesshoumaru's lips tilted slightly. It also meant that he no longer have to concern himself about the wolf's intention towards the miko or the potential threat that the union might bring him. The wolf's affection for the miko was obviously no match for his lust for a female in heat.

Abruptly, Sesshoumaru turned around to run right into an open-mouthed miko. Her eyes were large in disbelief as she stared at the wolf couple. He could feel the waves of embarrassment emanating from her, mixed with a little horror and strangely enough, a morbid curiosity. She had obviously dropped her emotional barrier in her astonishment.

“Um…They are…” she faltered, blinking rapidly.

“Do not look upon them,” he ordered, quickly turning her around and wrapped an arm around her waist. He immediately launched them into the air.

Stubborn as always, she turned back to look. “Uh… Kouga and Ayame are…” she stuttered, her face red.

“Indeed.” His tone was dry. It would certainly be preferable if she did not keep twisting around him to look back at the couple. He could feel each of her curves pressing against him, forcing a reaction from his traitorous body. The faint whiff of the female wolf's pheromones must be affecting him more than it should.

“But why? I thought Kouga didn't want to be with her.”

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. Perhaps he had misjudged the situation. With her line of questioning, it was possible that she returned some of the wolf's affections. “You sound concerned, Miko. Perhaps you prefer to be in the place of the female.”

She stiffened, unwittingly pushing against him as she did so. Sesshoumaru swallowed a groan, willing his body not to react. Perhaps he should land somewhere soon so that he could remove maintain a larger distance between them. At least until the effect of the female's pheromones had passed.

Wearing an affronted look, she said, “What are you talking about, Sesshoumaru? I don't like Kouga that way. He's just a friend that we bump into sometimes.”

The immediate easing of his tension at her words puzzled him.

“It's just that he had been pushing Ayame away for years. So to see them doing that…” she trailed off with a grimace.

“Kouga does not have a choice,” Sesshoumaru remarked in a tight voice as he landed some distance away. He made sure that they were far enough to prevent the scents and sounds of Kouga and his soon-to-be mate reaching them.

“What?” she exclaimed incredulously as she rounded on him as the cloud dissolved. “What do you mean he doesn't have a choice? There's always a choice. It's not like she can hold him down or anything like that. Kouga's strong.”

Sesshoumaru groaned inwardly. Unsurprisingly, it seemed that she would not let the subject go unless he fully explained what was going on. He knew from experience that he needed to satisfy her curiosity to stop her from continuing with this line of questioning.

“Kouga could not help himself from responding. The female is in heat and she calls to his baser instincts,” Sesshoumaru explained, uncomfortable at subject. This was certainly not something he had ever thought to explain to a female, human or not. He quickened his steps, hoping that the increased speed would distract her from further questions.

It was not to be.

Her eyes widened, but her steps did not falter. “Oh.” Then she frowned. “Can't he just walk away if he doesn't want to do it? Surely he has more self control.”

“His instincts will not let him,” Sesshoumaru replied flatly.

“So what happens to them after that? Do they just part? What if Ayame gets pregnant?”

“Miko. You ask too much.”

She shrugged, but the curiosity remained on her face. “Well, it's not like I know much about youkai when it comes to this. How else would I learn if I don't ask?”

Sesshoumaru stopped and turned to stare down at her with a stony expression. “It's not necessary for you to learn of such matters.”

Unless she had the intention of mating a youkai. The notion that she would be more than a worthy mate for any youkai prodded at him. In all likelihood, her strength probably exceeds any male's strength. It would be her youkai mate who would not be worthy of her. None of them would be strong enough.

Except him.

He froze in consternation at the unwanted conclusion.

Completely unaware of his troubled thoughts, Kagome stabbed a finger in his chest. “I hang around with youkai and a hanyou and yet, I know so little.” She frowned in thought, and then continued, “I suppose I could have asked Inuyasha but somehow, I don't think he would answer. And Shippou's too young for me to be asking these sorts of questions. And anyway, it never came up before.”

“Hn,” he expressed noncommittally as he increased the speed of his steps further, cursing the fact that she was fast enough to keep up with him.

She gave him an impatient sideways glance. “So? Are you going to tell me or what?”

Halting in his tracks, Sesshoumaru turned around to study her curious face. Perhaps if he explained fully, she would be satisfied enough to cease her queries. The faster he did so, the sooner they could depart from this disturbing subject.

“When a female's heat calls for a male, the male who responds normally end up mating the female. There are exceptions, but they are rare. Kouga and the female would not part after this, whether or not she conceives a pup. They would be mated for life.”

The miko frowned in thought. “This mating only happens when the female is in heat? What about other times? What if they…umm… get close without the entire heat thing? If they don't want to mate, could they..um…do it?”

Sesshoumaru expression became pinched. He could not believe he was having this conversation. And with a human wench, no less. “Do you really require an explanation of the carnal attraction between males and females from this Sesshoumaru?” he asked pointedly.

Her eyes widened. “Oh.” Then she flushed.

“Hn.” It seemed that her overwhelming curiosity had finally been thwarted by her embarrassment, he thought dryly.

“Say, Sesshoumaru…”

He closed his eyes in resignation. It seemed that his mind had spoken too soon.

“How old are you? How come you're not mated?”

His eyes shot open. Her question unsettled him, especially considering his earlier thoughts. As his discomfort and irritation grew, he willed himself to remain calm. At that moment, he had the overwhelming urge to silence her forcefully.

“Sesshoumaru?”

“This Sesshoumaru does not require the company of a female,” he replied in a clipped tone.

Her eyes widened, and then narrowed skeptically. “I see.”

It was clear that she did not believe him.

Unfortunately for him, she had more to say. “But Sesshoumaru, surely-”

That was it.

“ENOUGH!” he snarled.

She shrank back, looking bewildered.

Annoyed with himself for losing his calm, Sesshoumaru simply turned around and removed his person from the miko's infuriating presence.

…***…***…***…