A Dog's Nose Knows

By: Sandreline

Hello everyone! I cannot believe it, but welcome to chapter 21! Do you know what else I cannot believe? That I am almost at 400 reviews for this story! Un dia mia, you are all so wonderful! Thank you so much – this story would not be ANYWHERE as entertaining if your words of praise were not feeding my muse! So a very large thank you to all of you!

Chapter 21: Double, Double, Toil and Trouble

"You're officially out of your mind."

"InuYasha," Serenity pleaded as they approached the front door to the Western home.

"You have a death wish." The half demon continued without fail.

"InuYasha," Serenity pleaded again. Her hands were shaking as if she was having a seizure, for crying out loud! This was not helping her nerves!

"I have a death wish for allowing this!" He continued as his arms crossed over his chest.

"InuYasha!" Serenity turned teary blue eyes to her friend, her voice cracking. It was only then that the half-demon's anger deflated, and his amber hued eyes filled with concern.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" He asked for the hundredth time. "This could change everything; for all you know, that bastard will revert right back to the ice prick, and take over the world because he has you in his claws!"

The Lunarian's hung her head, and her silver bangs covered his view of her eyes. "I know." Her words were so softly spoken that even he had a hard time hearing her. "But I cannot keep lying to him." There was a small pause. "I love him."

InuYasha's ears pressed down to his white hair, and his chest felt surprisingly hollow. This woman was so important to him that her pain caused a pain inside of the half demon that he never knew before. Clawed hands settled on each of her shoulders, causing her to look up at him. "Hey," InuYasha spoke, his voice surprisingly gentle. "I'll always be here for you, especially if that jackass fucks up. I won't let him hurt you."

Serenity gave a small smile to her friend. "Thanks, Yasha." She whispered.

Just like that, brash InuYasha snapped back into existence. "Alright, cut the mushy crap and let's get this over with." He said, crossing his arms over his chest one more time. "I'm almost hoping that I get to kick my half-brother's ass!"

Serenity gave a strangled chuckle, and InuYasha opened the front door. She held her head high, but her hands were still shaking uncontrollably. The white haired half demon closed the large door behind him, and they were able to make it two steps into the foyer when a squeal met their ears. "Oka-san!"

Blue and amber eyes opened wide in surprise as Rin came running over and collided with Serenity's legs, giving her a tight squeeze. What had Rin just called her?

"Are we going to go out again?" Rin asked eagerly, her face lit up with a bright smile and sparkling eyes. It took the small girl a moment to realize that her female idol was not the usual chipper woman with a smile on her face. If anything, she looked sad, like she had been crying. "Are you ok?" Rin's voice asked softly with concern as she refused to the older woman from her hug.

"You should get out of here, brat," InuYasha warned his niece.

"Why?" Rin asked.

It was Serenity that answered her as the goddess knelt down to Rin's level. "I am going to tell Sesshomaru today, Rin." She told the small girl. "I am not sure how he will react…"

Rin smiled innocently as Serenity choked on her words. "That's what you are worried about?" She asked. "Silly Oka-san! Lord Sesshomaru loves you!"

So the Lunarian and the half demon did not hear things earlier; Rin really had called her that. It pulled at the maternal strings of Serenity's heart. "That may be, but this is a very big thing that I have kept from him. It's complicated."

Rin shook her head. "Don't worry, everything will be alright!" Rin gave her another bright smile. "But Rin understands that you need privacy to talk to Lord Sesshomaru. Rin will go find Jaken to play with me in the garden!"

Serenity gave her a soft smile. "Good girl," she told the ebony haired child before giving Rin a kiss on her forehead. Rin's reply was a bright, beaming smile before she turned around and skipped down another hallway and out of their sight.

"Feh, she's a smart kid," InuYasha commented. "But she's got a bad judge of character." He continued.

Serenity stood back up, her hands still shaking though not as badly now that she had Rin's confidence. Before she could change her mind, she forced herself up the grand staircase to the second story, taking a left to go towards Sesshomaru's suite. She did her best to ignore the drum roll that played dramatically in her head.

InuYasha followed her until they reached Sesshomaru's rooms. "I know you're being stupid and want to do this on your own, but just call if ya need me." He told her, having already had an argument on being in there with her when she told him… that he would never admit he lost, by the way.

Serenity nodded, and with a deep breath, she knocked.

"Hn."

A chill went down Serenity's back at the response from the other side of the door, but she held her head high. Taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out, she opened the door to enter, and closed it behind her.

The silver haired demon was standing a few feet from the door, waiting for her. "Serenity." His voice was strangely monotone, something that he had not used in her presence. Ever.

"Sesshomaru," her reply was soft, and out of a nervous habit from her teens, she locked her hands behind her back and fidgeted slightly from foot to foot. She had to force herself to stop and correct her posture. She bit her lower lip; she needed to stop being such a baby. She just had to talk to him, it's not like she was fighting Chaos all over again!

Golden eyes landed on the plump lip between her teeth, and the demon Lord lost his resolve in favor of a treat and gave a small growl. Serenity instantly found herself in his hungry embrace, his mouth devouring hers. Silver y blues eyes closed in bliss as her body molded against his, and she let out a moan. Her slender fingers made their way up his chest, gliding over the points of his ears before burying themselves in his silky hair.

Sesshomaru finally released her lips and she let out a gasp, his mouth moving down her throat to her collarbone. Serenity arched into his form, her head tilted back and exposing the column of her neck. Sesshomaru's eyes bled red at the sign of complete and utter submission, his inner beast going wild. Slowly lowering her to the floor, he completely asserted himself over her small frame, giving another growl as his lips assaulted her flesh between her neck and her shoulder. His rather hard member was pressed against her pelvis; and like a wonton bitch in heat, Serenity could not help as her heated blood caused her to let out a moan and grind against him.

So lost to his inner demon, neither noticed that Sesshomaru's energy had risen to such a high level that his hair was slightly billowing upwards in an unseen wind. There was no mistake- his chosen Mate was Sailor Cosmos. Constant deliberation over the course of action he was to pursue had left him starved, sleep deprived, and crazed. Logic and political agenda aside, as a demon he was to claim and protect his Mate. It was the logical side of Sesshomaru that wanted to hurt the silver-haired woman that was moaning beneath him for her treachery, but instincts were currently in charge.

Canine fangs elongated as they brushed over her pale skin. He could see the pulsing vein of her artery in the spot that he was about the Mark, tying her to him for the rest of their life span. Forever.

As Serenity fought to come out of her hormonal haze, whispering his name while trying to get his attention, Sesshomaru opened his mouth. His fangs glistened with promise as he gave a feral snarl before he dived to her waiting flesh.

Just before fangs could sink into her delicious flesh, a blast of dark energy struck the two occupants of the previously private chambers, sending both of them rolling. They were separated, Sesshomaru managing to catch himself at the last moment while Serenity was sent against the wall. With a cry of pain, she rolled onto her stomach to glance at the one who was stupid enough to attack Sesshomaru in his own home, and her blood froze.

A red-eyed Sesshomaru focused on the floating blonde male that let out a cackle. In the unknown male's arms was a struggling Rin with a gag over her mouth. The Demon Lord gave off a deadly growl as he flexed his claws.

"Jadeite!" A frosty tone filled the air, and the enraged dog demon was surprised to find that tone came from his Intended. "Release her!"

"I don't think so, your highness," green eyes leered at her. "You see, she is going to play a significant part in my victory, and your death."

Silver eyes landed on the crying chocolate orbs filled with fear. "This is your last chance to let her go, Jadeite." Serenity warned him.

The former general gave a wide smirk as he slowly floated the few feet down to the floor. "I hold all of the cards, so you should really consider a more amiable tone." Rin continued to struggle, and he took great pleasure in giving her a shock of dark energy. Her muffled scream caused the feral Western Lord leapt into action, bent on taking Jadeite's life. He was met with a barrier of dark energy that blasted him backwards; Serenity stood unwavering, her eyes once more on Rin's as she did her best to convey to the small girl that everything would be alright.

Jadeite's tone barrel through the room. "I am here to fulfill my promise to you, Serenity," he began his threat. "I am going to first take everything that you love from you, and destroy your happiness. I will revel in your pain, and then finally take your life and the Silver Crystal, and rule the entire universe." Green eyes landed on red. "You see, Lord Sesshomaru, your Mate has been keeping a deep dark secret from you." With a smirk, he continued on. "You have been using all of your resources to search for Sailor Cosmos to use as a weapon against the Negaverse; how does it feel to learn that all along she has been by your side and warming your bed?"

A dark laugh bounced off the walls as Serenity tensed, watching her demon from the corner of her eye while her chest constricted painfully with fear. It took a moment, but it occurred to Serenity that Sesshomaru was not giving the reaction she had assumed he would.

He was not surprised at all.

In fact, he appeared to be completely unaffected by the news. Jadeite seemed to realize this as well, and his laughter ceased. Blue eyes turned completely to the silver-haired male. "Sesshomaru?" She whispered.

The only response she received was a growl; he did not acknowledge her or turn to look at her.

"Well, that's a twist," Jadeite was clearly amused. "It seems, dear Serenity, that your lover boy already knows exactly who you are!" He let out a laugh. "Tell me, demon, what was your plan? Seduce her so that she would be your willing weapon? Perhaps you were going to lure her into a false sense of security before taking her Crystal for yourself? After all, you have already obtained the Golden Crystal from Endymion."

"What?" Serenity's breathy response rang out. He took the Golden Crystal from Mamoru?

The former general turned his attention to the stricken look on Serenity's face, reveling in the chaos he was creating. "I have a proposition for your, Goddess." He sneered. "Hand over your Crystal and your staff, and give me your life in exchange for the life of this pitiful human and the world that you cherish."

"You think I am gullible enough to take you at your word?"

"Hm," he teased. "I see you are not as pitiful as you were over ten years ago." He gave a shrug. "If you would rather have a dramatic battle, than very well. Be that as it may, I already informed you that I hold all of the cards."

"You're forgetting something, Jadeite." Serenity warned him, her voice icy.

"What?" He snapped.

With a smirk, she jerked her thumb to the silver haired demon. "The captive you are holding is his pup."

Sesshomaru lunged at the blonde once more, faster than Jadeite could predict. With a snarl, his claws ripped through the shoulder of the arm that was holding Rin captive, wrapping the small girl in his protective embrace as he moved to the far side of the room as his eyes slowly returned to their golden hue.

The former general gave a cry of outrage, black energy swirling around the wound. Serenity watched with narrow eyes as the severed limb flew from the bloodied mess on Sesshomaru's carpet to reattach itself to Jadeite's body as the black energy melded it together again. With a snarl, Jadeite raised his good hand in the air, blue lightening swirling in his palm as he fully intended to hurl it at the demon and the small girl with death in his eyes.

Sesshomaru and Rin watched as Serenity darted forward, a silver light engulfing her form as she transformed. Just as Jadeite was about the release his attack, Sailor Cosmos collided with his body, sending both them into a black tear and to an unknown location.

Silence filled the room as the abandoned occupants attempted to process what had occurred.

Well, it was silent, until InuYasha came crashing into the room. "What the fuck is going on?!" The half demon demanded as he looked around the room. "Where's Serenity?"

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DUN DUN DUH!

Please don't hate me, but this felt like as good a place as ever to stop! Hehe. I am already working on another chapter as we speak. Never fear! It should be posted Saturday; I have a whole day to write. Maybe I'll even do a few one-shots as well! Send me any requests you have.

I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter! Thank you so much for all of the wonderful praise and reviews that you have all sent me, and for your unwavering loyalty! I hope this scene is met with your approval.

Ps – for those of you writing your own stories that you know I am waiting on updates for (cough Sesshy and Megakat cough), I hope this inspires your own updates! (Insert cheesy grin.) Love you all!

~Sandreline