* * * * *

Tessa

* * * * *

I slid out of Daddy's arms and walked over to the kneeling figure of Mommy. She was in shock from what she had just done. Tears slid down her face, and she kept asking what she had become.

I knew. She had killed the head Samurai who had ordered the attack on me and Ayame. I knew, and suspected that she did, too. I didn't quite understand why she was so upset, thought. Then it hit me. She'd never killed in cold blood before. Actually, I didn't know if she'd ever even killed anybody a day in her life.

The Samurai had begun to inch away from us. Some on the outer ranks flat out ran away, not wanting to confront the family of demons.

"Mommy?" I whispered, my voice sounding pitiful. "Mommy, is that really you?"

"Tessa?" she asked, looking up at me.

"Yeah. It's me, mo-"

I never got to finish that statement. At that moment, a loud boom could be heard. Mommy and Aunt Jenny screamed, and in seconds, we were enveloped by smoke.

"SUSAN!!" Daddy roared, hacking on the stuff. "TESSA!!"

An arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me close. Mommy! She'd found me even in the dense smoke! I pushed myself into her, grabbing onto her clothes and burying my face into her shirt. Unlike most Wolf-Demons, Mommy wore strange clothes made out of strange material with a strange smell to the fabric. This felt like something she would wear. Another boom echoed around the forest, and I screamed. Tears rushed down my face, and I pulled myself closer to her. I couldn't hear anything, and I was finding it hard to breathe in the smoke.

Then it started to clear, and I was turned around so my back was to my mother. An arm was around my throat, and I saw my family staring at me in shock.

"NO!" a voice cried, filled with pain and tears. I jerked my head in the direction the woman had cried out in. Even though I already knew who it was. I'd been hearing that voice every day since I'd been born. The voice that greeted me every morning and used to sing me to sleep every night. Mommy.

* * * * *

Susan

* * * * *

It was my worst nightmare become a reality. My daughter, my only child, the girl who I loved with every fiber and atom of by being, was in Bankotsu's arms. He was holding her in a position that spoke for itself. Piss me off and I break her neck.

"NO!" I cried, unable to restrain myself. The tears started falling again, and it was all I could do not to run up to them and snatch my daughter from the mercenary's arms. Bankotsu! He was a murderer, for crying out loud!

Koga roared and glared at Bankotsu, coming up to me and grabbing my shoulder. His nails dug into my skin, and the pain helped me hold onto myself. I had to think.

"So this is you little brat, huh, Susan?" Bankotsu said to me, tightening his grip on Tessa a little more. He glared at me. "I'll be taking her now. Not because of you, either."

"Wha-" I gasped, confusing saturating my voice. "Not because of me. . . then let her go!"

"Nah. I don't think so. It's because of him." he said, gesturing to Koga.

Unconsciously, we all swiveled out heads to face Koga, who looked shocked at most.

"Confused, Demon? I'll explain." at this, his face changed from suppressed hatred to barely-contained rage. "You took the woman I loved away from me. So I'm returning the favor."

"M-Mommy?" Tessa said hesitantly. "D-Daddy? What's he taking about?"

"Shut it, you." Bankotsu said without any real malice. "You'll find out soon enough. Ginkotsu!"

The steal machine came rumbling along, and Bankotsu jumped up on him and they roared away, as the rest of the Band of Seven minus Jakotsu, I noted, came toward us, bearing their many weapons.

* * * * *

Tessa

* * * * *

Ayame had never gotten to tell me who the Band of Seven were. We'd been ambushed by the Samurai. But now I got the feeling that this was their leader. I was utterly confused, though.

"Let me go!" I moaned, trying to get his arm off my throat.

Surprisingly, he did, letting me drop to the floor of the machine. A man dressed in woman's clothes came over, a look of regret on his face.

"Jakotsu. Tie her hands up." the man ordered, his eyes daring the other to argue.

The man nodded and had me hold my hands behind my back. Almost gently, he took my wrists and tied them together, then tied the other end of the rope to the floor of the machine.

"Sorry." he breathed in my ear. "I can't disobey him this time."

My eyes darted to the other man, but he was deep in conversation with the taking machine and wasn't paying any attention to us.

"What do you mean? Who are you?" I asked, my voice more quiet than a whisper.

"I'm Jakotsu." he answered. "I helped your mother escape the other night. Bankotsu doesn't know it was me. But I think he suspects me. If I disobey him, I'm dead."

"You know my mommy?" I asked desperately.

"Sort of. We were on different sides last time we met, but I guess we're friends now. Look, just do what Bankotsu tells you, alright? He's not going to kill you. Yet. And I think I can protect you a bit. But probably not forever."

"Okay." I whispered as Bankotsu turned around. Jakotsu slapped me.

"Don't you mouth off to me!" he shouted, now glaring at me with false but very convincing anger.

"S-sorry." I said, hurt and confused. Then it hit me. He was trying to cover for us and make it so Bankotsu wouldn't be suspicious.

Good plan. I thought, looking away, playing my part of the innocent, terrified little girl.

Bankotsu "Hm"phed and looked away again, resuming his conversation with the machine.

"Sorry." Jakotsu hissed, his face filled with concern. "I couldn't think of anything else. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I told him.

Oh, Daddy. Mommy. Please get me away from these maniacs. I don't want to have be with them any longer than I have to be. I thought, tears filling up my eyes.

* * * * *

Ayame

* * * * *

"Tessa." Susan moaned, sinking down onto her knees, tears flooding her eyes and soaking her face. "Oh, God, Tessa. Oh, my baby. No. Oh, god, please, no!"

We'd had to run. Well, Jenny had ended up carrying me away, and in the end, Koga had scooped Susan up in his arms and carried her away. Now she was collapsed on the ground, crying herself hoarse and moaning about Tessa.

Tessa. The name repeated itself like an echo. Tessa Sara Wolfe. There was something addicting about the girl. Something that made you want to just pick her up and give her a giant hug. I didn't get it. I should have hated the girl, but I didn't. Actually, I didn't even hate Susan. At first I did, but now. . . seeing her on her knees, sobbing for her daughter. . . how could you hate a woman who only wanted her only child back?

"Suze." Koga said, kneeling down. "We'll get her back, I swear it."

Susan, still sobbing, fell onto Koga. He wrapped his arms around her trembling shoulders and pulled her close, pain etched on his face.

I couldn't stand it. It was just too emotional for me. I needed to do something, not watch their pain like some mortal.

I only knew one thing to do. The only thing that would work.

Sesshomaru and Ellie.

"Jenny." I whispered to my friend. "Jenny, we have to find Ellie and Sesshomaru. They're the only ones who can and will help."

"I'm not trusting that Dog-Demon with my niece!" Jenny hissed back. "he'd kill her in a heart-beat if Ellie's not there!"

"Bankotsu will kill her without hesitation! At least Sesshomaru would make it quick and painless! Bankotsu would draw it out and torture her just to get back at Koga!"

Jenny bit her lip.

"InuYasha and Kagome. . ."

"Are you insane? InuYasha could barely take on Bankotsu the last time, and now they're all back! Jenny, we have to find and ask them for help!"

"Never in a million. . ." Jenny began. "Koga and Susan would have a fit."

I glanced over at Susan, who was still sobbing against Koga's chest."

"I don't think Susan and Koga are going to care much who saves Tessa so long as somebody gets her back to them alive and in one piece."

Jenny looked torn, and I could understand why. On one hand, she wanted desperately to save Tessa. But on the other, she really didn't trust Sesshomaru that much and didn't want Tessa hurt by him. But Ellie loved kids, and she adored Tessa. So maybe, just maybe, Tessa would survive better with Sesshomaru instead of Bankotsu.

Taking one last painful glance at her sister and brother-in-law, Jenny sighed and looked at me.

"Ayame," she said. "As much as I hate to say it, you've got a point. So let's go now before I change my mind."

"I can't exactly walk." I pointed out dryly, gesturing at my bleeding legs.

"We'll take care of them on the way." Jenny promised, wrapping my arm around her shoulders. "Susan, Koga, sit tight. We're going for help." she added

I'm not even sure they heard us. But we took off anyways and didn't look back for quite some time.

* * * * *

Author's Note: OMG!! I am so very sorry it took this long! I was so busy with school and my family and friends and boyfriend *smiles innocently* that I completely forgot about writing anything for the longest time! I've put this and all of my other fanfics off for so long, and I'm so, so so so so sorry! I hope nobody's lost patience with me completely, even if it's been months since I've last updated!