{.x.o.} | Beauty & the Blood | {.o.x.}
{x| C
hapter 2: Alternative |x}

I remember the first time she called me that ridiculous nickname. I hate it. I detest how she's the only one that calls me it, but then again, I'd loath it more if others found out about it… I still don't get it, she's never really explained it to me. She just started calling me it, over and over and over again… it makes the blood I steal night after night boil at the very thought of that annoying alias.

She wanted to gain some sort of control of the situation, that's the reason for it, right? That was why she started to call me that… heresy. She couldn't get out of the trouble she had been casted into but she wouldn't show fear, she had to try and gain whatever small fragment of power that fate would allow her. By calling me that alternative nonsense she could manipulate my emotions, just anger and sizzling hatred yet that was more than she had before she came up with the crude plan… but with that she was able to wiggle her way in to my falsely beating chamber. I don't think she really meant to…

Damn. I wish… I hadn't met her. I wonder… if, as I stare up at the moon—Tsuki, remember, that's what you told me your name was at first?—do you think of me, like I do you? I want to stop thinking about you… I want to let go.

Let me let go, Tsuki.

—{.x.o.x.}—

"Un…" a murmured moan left her dry dainty lips, there was a terrible throb that thrashed around in her head but at least that reminded her she was alive, that her heart was still beating, that she was still human… it took quite a bit of effort to roll over from her back to rest on her shoulder, letting her cheek touch the cool, uneven, gravel… concrete… rock? What was it? "Hn…" she muttered once more before she forced her lids open and slowly began to focus on what was around her. First, she had to blink her eyes until the blur faded only to see nothing but the floor that her face was painfully pressed against but with more time for her eyes adjusted to the darkness to see the room she was in.

This time her arms were tightly wrapped behind her, hog tied to her ankles. Where… was she? What had happened to her clan? To her friend's clan? To her family? To her brother, father, grandpa? Those damn werewolves… they should have known that attacking a lair would lead a pack of wolves to them! They had been far too… too cocky after they burned down the castle and dragged away the few they spared to their temporary hold in the forest. They had covered their tracks but they hadn't thought to do the same with their scent, the few werewolves that were at the castle they had invaded were killed…

And that's exactly why they should have bothered to do just that! Of course the pack that those members had belonged to would come after them for revenge, how could they be so blind? So stupid!? It was their own fault and that's what irked her the most, they had just been too… too prepared that once their plan worked far better than they had thought—they only lost three of their own—they couldn't think past what had already been plotted… those werewolves that were within the castle were unexpected.

She wiggled and jerked her way up so she could kneel awkwardly when she heard a door open and footsteps upon the wooden stairs that she couldn't see because of the brick wall that was built around it. Her bronze beauties narrowed upon the figure that slowly came out from behind it.

"You," she awed breathlessly.

"Me," he relished as he slowly made his way across the room to kneel down just out of reach for her, not that it mattered but it was better to be safe than sorry. "How are you feeling?" He inquired with a smirk as he raised his hand out to hover above her discolored cheek.

"Where am I? Where's my clan?" She spat out, trying her best not to stutter but… but how was this possible? Before he really even had a chance to process her questions she splurged, "I saw you get tied to a stake. The sun… should have… how are you alive?"

The way her breath bucked with each of her mesmerized words only widened his grin, his fangs brushed on top of his bottom lip as his star gaze moved about her face, "you don't seem too happy to see that I didn't burn at the stake."

She meant to breathe but the air just clotted in her throat instead, never… never in all her years had she ever come across a vampire that could survive sunlight… "what magic is this?" She choked. Had they found a way? What hell would break lose if vampires were no longer hindered by the day? How many countless lives would be lost if they could feast whenever they pleased?

He just lifted his brows to her mockingly as he finally touched the bruised cheek and tilted his head to watch as she didn't even flinch as he dragged his finger down across the sensitive spot, "wouldn't you like to know."

"What happened to my clan?" she hissed.

"Wouldn't you like to know," he ridiculed once more as his eyes snapped to hers, they were ablaze like he had never seen before in a human… well, not in a few decades at least.

"If you hurt my family," she threatened as she jerked forward, she had spunk, he had to give him that.

"Like you did mine?" He replied ever so steadily, his splendid smirk never faulted.

"You are all murderous monsters," she jeered.

"I'm not going to get into that argument with you, it tends to fall on deaf ears," he shrugged before he stood up.

"You work with the werewolves? What happened to the war you two were at?" She inquired steadily as her eyes followed every one of his steps about the room. It was so bland, the walls were a mix of the same plain stone that the floor was made of and wood, where were they? Would her family find her? Would… no, are they alright?

"You know what they say," Seishirou mused as his bright gaze moved up the wall to the wooden ceiling and back down to her, the slim amount of moonlight that flowed in from the single slab cutout in the wall found its way to his fang to gleam off of it, reminding her of the way the night would surely end… spear her once, shame on her, spear her twice and shame on him and she could easily tell he wasn't about to allow that.

After all… she had thrown him in to the sun.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend," he took a few lazy steps towards her before he squatted down to be at eye-level with her, "you fucking hunters are becoming a bigger problem. We decided to put our differences aside and look how well that has worked for us. You marred my home, you killed my friends, my family, and now the werewolves have gotten revenge on your clan."

Her heart stopped and he savored the silence before she jerked forward enough to smack her forehead ever so swiftly against his. It bounced him back a bit as he raised his hand to his wounded area before he was fine again, he hadn't even lost his stance or balance but the smirk was gone for a bit before a smile took its place, "that hurt you far more than it did me. You should be thanking me, I saved you. The wolves could smell how divine your flesh would taste but I told them you were mine to deal with. You see, werewolves are good henchman but stupid which makes them easy to manipulate."

"Thanking you?" She growled between clenched teeth, "thank you!? Where is my family!? What did you do to them!?"

"See," he grinned as he lifted his hand to float above the trail of blood that began to drip from her forehead, "you hurt yourself far more than you did me," after all he was a 'monster' so only for a split-second did he even feel a sting.

That's when… the drip of blood upon the floor made such a loud echo, he took a deep breath in through his nostril and closed his eyes all at once. It was… he didn't even know what he was doing until it was done; he grasped her shoulder and let his tongue clean the single, slight, mark upon her head. She jerked about and cursed but he didn't hear or notice any of it, the world stilled for that moment.

Then it started up faster than ever before as he spun away from her, on to his feet, and sped across the room to get as far away from the temptation as possible. He pressed his hands against the cool wall and let his head rest against the mild wood. He stopped breathing… he stopped everything as he meditated—well, something close to it at least. He didn't even hear her scuffing around or whatever words she may or may not have said until he was sure his eyes had returned to the proper color and he could keep his cool.

"Where's my family?" She kept up as soon as he returned to stand above her, her eyes shooting flames at him. All she had to do was make it until dawn… then she was sure she'd be able to have the upper hand—somehow—and be able to break out.

"If it makes you feel any better, I only killed a few from the Taijiya clan," and just as he thought she thrashed about but all she did was deepen her rope burns. "We got off on the wrong start," he began, "my name is Toashi Seishirou."

"Go to hell," she snarled, "you bloodsucking bastard!"

"You are Higurashi Kagome," she froze but that hot hatred didn't leave her features, "I knew the man that was talking to you yesterday was the leader of the Higurashi clan… I heard that boy that called you 'sis' call him father so I put two and two together, are you surprised a 'bloodsucking bastard' can figure that much out? I was surprised to hear you are an actual Higurashi, a member of the founding family." He taunted as she narrowed her eyes upon him as he squatted before her again, "I also heard your daddy call you Kagome."

"You should have burned like that dead corpse you are."

He couldn't help but smile at her furious jest, "so, Kagome…"

"What do you want from me?" She inquired with furrowed brows, "what? To kill me slowly to get back at my clan for taking out your little nest."

"I hate that term," he sighed, "are we birds?"

"Rats nest," she retorted.

"Ow, witty, are we?" He grinned again, that sight always made her soul lit up, every bit of her wanted to somehow break out and rip his lips right off of his face. "I don't know what I want to do with you yet…" savor her, keep her and that bliss filled scent and her… he closed his eyes, no, no, his thoughts can't go there or else he'd hear the beating of her heart as it pounded her blood… blood, he licked his lips at the thought. There went his attempt at not remembering…

"You repulsive monster!" She shrieked, "you and the rest of that nest deserved to burn! You kill human after human, do you not think that we will retaliate?! You are a disgusting heresy against the nature of things! You—!"

"Monster?" He finished her sentence as he cupped her face harshly in his hands, "I think I've been treating you fairly well all things considered," he growled, "I could be ripping out an organ, from least vital to most slowly, painfully, and licking up all the blood that is shed in the process. I could be killing you slowly right now. I could be doing so much more to you…"

And that was it, she committed the worst act as she spat in his face before she started on a rant, "you are a monster. You are the walking dead you should go back to hell." She pronounced each and every one of her words with earnest force as he retracted a hand and whipped his face clean before he tore at the rope, breaking the bound that linked her wrists to her ankles but that did not free them, it only allowed him to slam her upon the ground and get on top of her so her feet could be sprawled to one side and her hands tightly tucked behind her back.

"If I'm such a monster why don't I rip away these seductive seams of yours?" He inquired as he kept her pinned down with one hand and the other caressed its way down her thigh, "hm? If I am such a monster why don't I rip away all your clothes and fuck you as I take all your blood? Isn't that what we so called monsters do?"

She simply stared up at him unwavering for a bit before she declared with complete candor, "I'd want to die if I ever let something like you defile me."

A smirk lifted his lips, "I can grant you that wish, bitch."

"Inuyasha," she mocked, "what is it that can make someone want to give up their humanity and become one of you?"

"It's Seishirou, idiot," he snarled back.

"Inuyasha," she nodded.

"No," he dragged out, "Seishirou, Toashi if you must… ah, how about this Toashi-sama, yes I like the way that sounds."

"Right," she nodded once more with a smile, "I-nu-ya-sha."

He grinded his teeth together as she sung out that… that profanity! Inu… dog? Yasha... demon? Dog demon? What? The insult… the flaming slap in the face! To call him a demon, he inhaled sharply, he was better than a demon he was a vampire. A demon… a demon, he closed his eyes to keep his anger at bay.

"Don't call me that," he ordered.

"Why?" She pouted, "Inu-Yash?"

His lips moved a few times before he was able to form the question, "why? Why that name? Are you dense? Did you not hear that it is Sei-shi-rou?"

"Yes, I understand, Inuyasha."

"Call me that one more time," he threatened as he slammed his hand against the floor, his face was almost touching hers but she didn't back down, it was her turn to wear the smile.

"What'll you do, Inuyasha?" She questioned, twirling her tongue so flawlessly that it made his borrowed blood curdle. He snapped his hand from the floor to grasp her array of ebony loose curls and yanked on her head to expose her neck.

"I dare you to call me that one more time," he huskily whispered, allowing his hot breath that came out with each word to brush against her neck. For a moment he was sure he had won but then she shattered that illusion.

"Inuyasha."

Fine, if she wanted to play it that way then fine she was done. He had planned to fuck with her some more, to torment her, but if she wanted to be a little bitch he'd sink his teeth deep in her neck and rip her skin painfully before he began to suck at the sweet nectar that was hidden beneath it.

She opened her mouth to let out a silent scream as she shut her eyes, never… in all her years had she been bitten by a vampire. Many of her friends had, her father and even her brother had been grazed by the fangs of the bloodsuckers and had the scars to prove it… her vision slowly faded as she felt him pull more and more of her blood out.

Was this how she was to die? At the hands of such a monster…?

Like her mother?

"No…" she barely managed before she blacked out. She didn't want to be like her mother.

—{.x.o.x.}—

A flood of air gushed into her lungs as she shot up in the bed. Bed? She glanced about the room that she was stuck in… but was she stuck? Where was she?

"Ah," she winced when she tried to move again, her hand shot up to her neck and it all came back. That bastard bit her! She'd show him… and she could? Her hands were free, her ankles, too. There was a starch red circle around her wrist and ankles… wait. Wait. Wait.

She grinded her teeth as she grasped at the white Victorian nightgown she now wore which was certainly not what she had on earlier. That pervert, he didn't… did he? Or had she been saved somehow? Wouldn't that be the only way to explain how she could roll out of the luscious and ever so comfortable bed and walk out of the gorgeous slightly girlish room and head down the hallway? All the while her feet glided upon the finely polished wooden floor soundlessly and hands dragged upon the railing that she constantly glanced over to see if anyone was downstairs. Slowly she went down the stairs and cautiously crept about until she was in the living room.

No. She had not been saved; if she had been then that monster wouldn't be lying at ease on the couch. How… how could he be sleeping while the sun's warm rays waltzed about upon his pale skin? How was he not ashes in the wind? That was what fascinated her the most, that was what enchanted her to walk over and kneel down beside him. She couldn't help but touch his skin; it was just like the rest of them, cold yet with a hint of warmth… so what was so different about him?

She should have known better, she shouldn't have allowed herself to be so close to him. He snatched her hand and yanked her on to the couch upon him, his hands firmly placed on her hips so she couldn't move no matter how hard she tried, "you are a touchy one, eh?"

"Let me go! Monster!" She demanded as she slammed her fists upon his chest over and over again.

"You are delicious," he stated swiftly, only fueling her fire, "I couldn't bring myself to kill you. Why drink you only once when I can have you always?"

"I'll never let you!" She shouted but before she knew it they had flipped positions and he was on top of her, "get away!"

"No," he whispered back as he brushed his lips upon her still bruised cheek then down to her neck that had begun to heal slowly.

"You disgust me," she scowled as she pushed on his shoulders but it didn't budge him.

"Fine by me."

"You are a pervert," now that stopped him enough to get him to look up at her dully.

"Now where did that come from?" All he got in reply was a very narrow pair of bronze beauties before they slowly moved from him to the nightgown, "oh, yes, that," a wicked grin cascaded across his lips, "would you rather have stayed in the messy, dirty, blood covered corset and ripped pants?"

"What?" She gasped as she began to bash at him once more, ripped pants? Why… why? What did he do to her? What…? Her breath became erratic as all the scenarios played through her head as she shut her eyes ever so tightly, no!

"Sh," he hushed as he grasped her hands and pressed them down to her gut, "I'd want to die if I ever let something like you defile me."

That got her eyes to snap open; she remembered her words and only felt her stomach turn to see the smirk he had as he repeated them to her.

"You aren't… my type," he assured, "I don't bother with human wenches. You are good for blood; my kind is good for a fuck."

"How is that the sun does not kill you?" She inquired once more as she tried to free her hands, "how?"

"That's for me to know and you never to find out," he retorted smugly. Even now as she lingered below a 'monster' she seemed to be a slayer first, why else would she constantly ask the same question?

"Where are we?"

"Junsei mountains," he replied as he slipped off of her, she wasted no time in popping up and ran towards the front door. It wasn't… locked? She didn't stop to ponder as she flung it open and ran out of the lone cottage. As soon as her feet left the porch they were met with the pure, white, frigid snow, she paused. Junsei… that was so far from where they had been. Junsei… that was out of the zone her clan usually clashed in. Junsei… it was the start of winter; the snow would only keep coming…

She was trapped up in the mountains with a monster… now her only choice was whether she should stay or if she should go. She watched as a puff of mist left her mouth before she turned around to see her capture leaning against the doorway she had left open, his arms folded and head resting upon the wood. He didn't look like he'd stop her…

"Why?" She whispered, knowing full well that even those she was so far from him that his superior hearing could catch it.

"Why what?" he retorted.

"Why didn't you kill me that night?" She turned to look right at him, her bronze melted in his suns.

For a moment nothing more than the sound of the wind as it danced about and drifted loose flakes about mixed with the sound of heavy snow falling off the pine trees about them could be heard as their stares sizzled together.

"Why let me go like this?" She questioned after it appeared he would not answer her.

"You won't get far," he assured as he stood up straight, "barefoot and in that outfit? I'll give you… until halfway down the mountain until the cold gets you and that's only because of your spunk and the fact that you are a slayer, otherwise... you'd be dead in an hour."

He had her there, "so I'm… your prisoner?" The very idea repulsed her, tarnished her pride, she refused.

"I'll give you your clothes back, including your shoes, and I'll even throw in a blanket or two for your trek," he countered as he walked back into the cottage.

It was a trap… if she returned in there she'd never come out… right? Why would he let her go?

What was the meaning of all of this?

Still, she took one more thick breath of the crisp air before she headed back into the warmth of the cottage and closed the door. If only she had known that would seal her fate… that it would become her wooden cage for all of winter.


A/N: Thank you so much for all the reviews for the first chapter! It was really amazing. Next, I really can't understand why Inuyasha would be named that if he wasn't a dog-demon in a story, it has always plagued me and--clearly--he's not one of those in this AU-tale so why on earth would his parents decided to name him that? So I gave him another name and let it be a nickname, and that's how I took care of that. I decided it was alright to do after I read this wonderful facfic Kimi Wo Mamoritai by eine.hexe (go read it, hint-hint), so thank you for that one :)

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and continue to review.