Chapter 11: Naraku and The Ice prince

The dark creature glided out from behind the trees he hid himself behind, taking careful note of the demoness' rage. He had to be careful with this one, for she could easily over power him if he didn't play his cards right.

He carefully adjusted his baboon pelt and knelt before the giant black dog. He cleared his throat and the giant beast whirled on him in a snarling fit. She was on him then, ready to rip him to pieces, but he dodged out of the way of her snapping jaws. He flew toward a high rock nestled in the grotto and held out his hands toward her, beckoning her to come. She didn't move. Her red eyes held onto the figure and watched him remove his pelt to reveal his face.

She growled at him, her black bushy tail hanging straight in the air as a warning. He bowed before her, then tilted his head to the side, exposing his throat. For dogs and wolves alike, this was a clear sign of submission and Saiyuri's tail faltered downward, to show her sign of acceptance. She looked upon the being, his dark black hair falling in waves down his back and bare chest. He had red eyes but they were barely visible under the cloud of thick lashes.

Slowly, he brought his head to face her once more and avoided her eyes. "Excuse me for intruding onto you. I was not spying. My name is Naraku."

Her fur bristled. The way he talked was silky and reminded her of a snake…and Fujiko. She didn't trust this being before her and she roared at him again. Anyone with a name like that- a name that meant hell- shouldn't be trusted.

"Please. I implore you to reconsider your dislike for me. I simply stumbled upon you. Do not take your rage out on me."

Her temper simmered down. He is using the 'why' factor with me. 'Why attack me when I did nothing wrong.'

"Do you like the beach?" He asked melodically.

She perked her ears up and cocked her head cutely and wagged her tail. Naraku took that as a yes. When he had spotted her he noticed her beauty had been unmatched to anyone he had ever seen. Even now, while she was in her Dog form he could see her beautiful markings-

Those markings! Could it be? This woman…this woman!

He tried to hide his surprise and act as if he didn't know who in the world she was, but deep inside his mind he was already conjuring the perfect plan. Her bangs may have hidden those markings well before, but in this form they could be seen clear as day.

He smirked, "You know…this is my favorite place in the world. I come here at night to relax my nerves. Something tells me you were doing the same." He pointed toward her armor that was laid neatly in the sand.

She turned away from him then. Maybe he hit a nerve? "I didn't mean to pry Miss…?"

Saiyuri. She projected her thoughts to him and he smiled.

"Beautiful name."

She dismissed his remark with a mere growl.

So she's not the type that likes to be swooned over ay?

Silence. He was treading on dangerous ground. He had his confirmation of who she was and he didn't want to ever be on the end of her anger. He dared to glide over her and stand just a few feet from her. She toward over him like a mountain and looked down at him from her nose.

What is it you want Naraku?

"I want nothing more than your company Saiyuri." He rolled her name of his tongue.

She bared her fangs at him and he held up his hand at her. "No. You misread my intentions."

So what are they Naraku?

"I merely wanted to…talk."

Her giant belly bounced as she chuckled.

To talk about what?

"Just things that you like. If you will?" He held a hand out to her, inviting her to sit with him. She sniffed his hand.

You mask your scent. Why? She stepped away from him and reared on her hind legs, ready to smash him with a massive paw.

"I have enemies that are after me all the time. I'm very powerful and they want to absorb me into their body." He lied, praying that she couldn't sense it.

She didn't and she laid down on her belly.

I'm hiding as well.

"Oh? From what?"

From…people I know.

"If you need a place to stay…you are more than welcome to stay with me."

So I can warm your bed at night? She laughed.

"If you allow it." He said as she growled her displeasure. "I was only playing."

Well you don't want me to play with you Naraku. I can snap your neck with ease.

" I wouldn't dream of it."

Something deep inside her was screaming at her to get out of there, that he was a dangerous man. She got up from her seated position and scooped her armor in her mouth.

I will leave now. Naraku.

He chuckled. "Alright…if you must…but first-"

A long, green whip snapped out at him and lashed at his skin, cutting his flesh away from him. He turned to see Sesshomaru standing near the grotto.

Saiyuri snapped her head to look at what had happened and her jaw dropped.

The flesh that Sesshomaru had cut away was crawling back to Naraku. There was something wrong with that. Granted there were demons with regenerative powers but the flesh...it didn't belong to him? It looked as if pieces of demon had been mashed together to form this body.

He doesn't have a true body of his own. She roared as Naraku transformed himself into a giant spider, His head remaining human. Giant tendrils lashed out at Sesshomaru and she launched herself in front of him, biting and slashing at the tendrils before they met their target.

Sesshomaru jumped on top of her back, despite her disapproval and glared at Naraku.

"Lord Sesshomaru,' He sneered, raising himself on eight legs. 'Should you not be in the West taking care of your lands?"

"Do not tell this Sesshomaru where he should be!" Sesshomaru unsheathed Tokijin and weilding it above his head, sliced through the air, sending a spiraling wave of electricity straight at Naraku. It hit half of his body and he manage to crawl away on four legs, grimacing.

"You won't get away this time Naraku." And Sesshomaru leapt from Saiyuri's back and brought his sword above his head one more time before Naraku locked himself in a barrier.

"I beg to differ." Naraku laughed. A flash of black and purple light exploded from the barrier and Naraku disappeared.

Sesshomaru halted as the miasma shot out him. He dodged it, but the unaware Saiyuri got hit with a full blast and fainted. Miasma wasn't strong enough to kill her, but it was enough to make her sick and as she fell to the ground she transformed back into her female body.

Sesshomaru caught her mid-air and landed gracefully on the ground. She was unconscious, but alive.

He looked down at her face carefully. Since his arm had regenerated her held carefully in one arm and brought his hand to her forehead. Gently he pushed back the dark tresses and he gazed upon her markings in awe.

There were only certain people with these markings on their head, and he knew very well that no one could mimic these markings. They were royal. And they were the marks of the Heaven. For the first time, he was afraid.

What will be wrought on this world?

He never saw them, but he knew his father had, many centuries ago, when there was a great war in the sky and his father had been summoned. It was one of the many honors he held proudly on his shoulders. That his family had been a part of a great victory. And now another honor was bestowed; He would take care of Saiyuri.

He couldn't help but wonder what she was doing on Earth, she should have remained in the Heaven. Her marking indicated that she was the daughter of Segnuya, his very creator. Creator of all InuYoukai. Without Segnuya, there would be nothing. The very power that flowed through his veins belonged to one source, and once that source died, the next heir would replace them. Saiyuri was an heir.

I have to guard her well.

He stood, holding her bridal style, and he conjured his magic cloud below him and took to the air, heading back to his Western lands. He looked down at the woman in his arms, and noticed something on her neck. His eyes doubled in size as he gazed upon the mark that meant she was mated. The shock of who-what-she was mated to churned his stomach.

A dragon that had its wings flared, burning in flames was marked into her neck as a family crest- the mark of the Divine.

This is the one that is mated to the son of Nenujii?

His father had told him that the daughter of Heaven had been mated to the son of the Divine ruler, in hopes of creating a treaty after Segnuya plunged the dragon children to the Earth. He didn't know what happened after, for his father had died.

And the fact that the mark was still fresh and clear, instead of faded and disappearing, meant that the man she was mated to was still alive.

So why on Earth is she here?