Captive Inu

Chapter 11

"My lord has been in a rather foul mood as of late," Kazu commented.

Kagome slid her eyes over to him. Overhead the stars twinkled brightly in the blue velvet sky, the nearly full moon a giant circle surrounded by the sparkling diamonds. She and Kazu were in the garden they'd agreed to meet in every few nights, sitting on the stone bench. The air was chilly as Fall came to an end, Winter just around the corner. Even still, Kagome simply wore her sleeping yukata with the over robe.

"Is he not always in a foul mood?" She asked quietly. Earlier today when she was with Rin before her lessons, she'd thought she'd sensed Sesshomaru nearby, but hadn't seen him. At dinner he'd seemed even angrier than before, yet Kagome could only imagine why. Perhaps he'd gotten some bad or complicated news from the other lands, or maybe it was just another mood swing coming from his reaction. With a blush, Kagome wondered if maybe he'd been angry with what had happened to them earlier today. Did he feel disgusted to have touched her, a mere lowlife in his almighty eyes? Whichever the case was, his angry aura had made dinner disturbingly quiet, making everyone else even more on edge than the upcoming heat.

After dinner she'd laid Rin down to sleep, telling the girl the same story she'd declared was her new favorite. She had expected to see Sesshomaru, and to her slight disappointment, she hadn't. He'd gone to his own bedroom and stayed.

"Hai, he is, but not like he was today," Kazu responded thoughtfully. "I wonder what could have happened to cause such."

"Hmm," was all Kagome said. In the time she'd been here, she'd grown quite an attachment to Kazu. He was kind, and charming, and open about everything. He often teased her and made her laugh, which was surprising considering all she'd been through. And though Kagome wasn't very fond of compliments, she rather liked some of the things he said to her. And -she reluctantly admitted- while he didn't exactly arouse her as much as Sesshomaru did, there were moments more often than not when she'd considered taking him to bed.

But she knew those thoughts were simply based on the sexual tensions she and every other animal youkai had been feeling the past few days. At least, she hoped that was why. She didn't want to come off as a wanton shofu, even if constant matings were the nature of inus.

"What do you think of all this commotion?" He asked.

Kagome blinked in confusion. "Commotion?"

"You know, going into heat?"

"Oh." Another thing Kagome liked about Kazu was how easily she could talk to him. When just a week earlier she hadn't wanted anything to do with anyone, save for little Rin, she now found herself almost as open with Kazu as he was with her. They'd talked about nearly everything every chance they got.

More women had come into the Western Palace, making themselves scarce in the southern wing, where the monthly brothel was held. Many roamed about, flirting with the soldier's when they were on break or off duty. Some had even given a few of them a taste of what was to come this upcoming week. Kagome had wondered if they were that wanton before going into heat, what would they be like during it?

'Like a bunch of wild animals, no doubt,' her beast murmured inside her head.

Kagome mentally rolled her eyes. 'They are animals.'

She'd thought over what Sesshomaru said, about after him having the first pick, the rest were left to fend for themselves. Kagome rather hoped she and Kazu would end up together during at least the first night, since she trusted him above all others. Not that she told him she wanted to be with him.

"I suppose I should get use to it," she murmured, looking down at the koi fish swimming around. She irrelevantly wondered if they went into heat. How did they even have sex? "Though honestly I am ready for it to be over with. This...tension leaves an ache I cannot wait to have fulfilled. I have always rather detested going into heat, but for once I anticipate it. Do no ask me why, for I do not know the answer."