Captive Inu

Chapter 9

Kagome was still avoiding him. The last two days since the minor incident in the hall, as well as what had happened in the dojo, she'd made herself scarce around him. Whenever Sesshomaru would walk in her direction, she'd switch courses to avoid moving past him. She'd even go completely out of her way to get somewhere if she knew she might run into him on the way. At dinner she continued to sit at the very far end, finishing her food and rushing to leave right when he began to stand.

Now, however, she was trapped. She cursed herself for being so stupid. She'd taken a wrong turn and ended up in a narrow hall that had no doors or windows. No means of escape. She was an Inu, dammit! Inus have perhaps the greatest senses ever, yet she'd managed to go the wrong way because she wasn't paying attention.

She came to a dead end, a wall that held a painting of a great white inuyoukai in demon form. She couldn't take the time to admire the picture for a great aura washed over her, making her heart squeeze tightly in her chest.

Slowly, she turned around and stood face to face with an angry Inu. Kagome gulped, knowing she was well and truly caught.

Sesshomaru stalked towards her, slowly, a predatory gleam in his glaring eyes. Kagome backed up into the wall, suddenly feeling like a small animal about to become a tasty meal for a much bigger predator. He came closer and closer until he was fully pressed against her, making her become trapped between the wall and his body.

"You have nowhere to hide now, wench," he said in a low voice.

Now her heart was racing. Her eyes darted from side to side, searching for somewhere to escape, but there was none. She reluctantly met his burning gaze.

"Who says I was hiding?" She said, her voice sounding embarrassingly small.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

Sesshomaru made a low noise in the back of his throat. "Do not fool with me. Why are you hiding from me?"

Kagome sighed deeply. She couldn't very well lie to him, obviously since he'd scent it. And she doubted he would leave her be lest she told him.

"I..." Kagome mumbled her response, too low from him to hear despite his close proximity.

"What was that?"

"I am upset with you." Just as she said it her face went up in flames. It was beyond embarrassing to admit to anyone, especially him. Her face heated even more so when she chanced a look up at him and caught his expression. It was one full of angry disbelief.

"You, an objectionable servant in my home, are upset with me, a great Dai-inuyoukai who rules the entire western lands of Japan?"

"Objectionable servant?" Kagome demanded, outraged. She may have been under the pretense of such here, but she and he both knew better. Not only was she of noble Inu blood, but she was heir to the northern throne, for kamis sake! Even if she had been gone for so long that no one would have remembered her, or if, worse, she had been disowned by her family- which Kagome did not like to think about- that still had to count for something.

"For what, might I ask," he continued, ignoring her blatant anger.

Kagome glared at him, embarrassment no longer warming her cheeks. "It's because I dislike you. You are cold and calloused and I understand you must be so in order to rule with a strict hand, truly I do. But it is annoying, not only to me, I'm sure. You command me about as if I am some lost pup, and you say things to hurt...people, and you do not even realize it. Or perhaps you don't care. I don't know, but whichever the case may be, it is detestable. And then you have been acting beyond strange as of late. Two days ago after dinner you found me in the hall and...you remember. You were acting..."