Hello readers. As always it has been too long. Not surprisingly, this is a hard story to write, but I promised to finish this. Thank you for all your reviews and for taking this story in stride. This thing can take you to a dark place so thank you for sticking it out as it comes to an end.
Bound Ch. 25
Sesshoumaru sat at the dining room kitchen. It was early, barely 5 am. He poured himself a cup of coffee as Naraku walked into the kitchen. The dog demon willed himself to not grimace at the burning sensation that ran up and down his back. Naraku smirked at him, but didn't speak, sitting next to the man. Sesshoumaru drank his coffee, averting his gaze from his partner.
"Sara told you that I released Rin, correct?" Naraku cooed.
Sesshoumaru nodded.
"Well?" Naraku dolled.
"Thank you, Naraku," Sesshoumaru grunted, cutting his eyes to Naraku.
Naraku grinned, grabbing his own cup of coffee, "Of course, Sesshoumaru."
"Is she awake? Kago-?"
"Don't say her name. That girl is no longer your concern," Naraku snapped.
Sesshoumaru's face was stone with a practiced look of impassiveness. Naraku eyed him with a smirk appearing again.
"You'll find that you have access to your funds again as well. If I were you, I would take some time off and take a LONG vacation with your daughter. Collect yourself; you've had a lot to process the last few days."
Sesshoumaru nodded again, "Thank you, Naraku."
Naraku waved away the appreciation, "Just don't do anything stupid. Remember the power I have over you."
Naraku left. Sesshoumaru walked back to his room, seething silently. He paused outside Naraku's door. He couldn't hear anything. There was no crying or screaming from Kagome. Perhaps that was a good sign. If it was, it wasn't bound to last. Sesshoumaru made a beeline for his own room. He scanned the room, clasping his phone, wallet and keys. He wouldn't need anything else; he wouldn't be back. Without so much of a lingering look, Sesshoumaru took off toward his home.
"Rin, gather your things!" Sesshoumaru bellowed from the front door.
"I'm coming, I'm coming," Rin called back, pulling along a suitcase.
Sesshoumaru lifted the suitcase up and placed it in the trunk of his car. He turned back to his daughter, lowering to her eye level.
"You'll be going away for a while so don't forget to take your most special things, something you would never want to lose."
Rin's puppy ears flattened. She scuffed the ground lightly with the ball of her feet.
"Why do I have to go away?" the young girl pouted.
Sesshoumaru pulled her into a hug, scratching her ears, "I love you and I want to make sure you're safe. Daddy's work is going to keep him away for a long time. You need to be around someone other than Jaken."
"I like Jaken!" Rin exclaimed.
"Get your stuff Rin," Sesshoumaru stated with a note of finality.
He stood. He motioned for Jaken to approach him as Rin gathered a few of her favorite toys.
"Master Sesshoumaru, I am sorry! Please forgive this lowly cretin!" Jaken squawked.
"Hush, Jaken," Sesshoumaru admonished, "I'm taking her to him. Erase any evidence of us being here. I don't care how. Your money is already in your account; speak nothing of this ever."
Jaken nodded, "It was a pleasure to serve you, Master Sesshoumaru."
Sesshoumaru bared the hint of a smile and packed up the SUV.
The door bell rang incessantly.
"Who could this be? They're acting like a madman!" Kikyo commented.
She flung the door open, "What? What is it?"
"Is Inuyasha home?" Sesshoumaru asked.
Kikyo folded her hands, "May I ask who's asking?"
"His brother."
Kikyo's eyebrows furrowed. She peered past Sesshoumaru at a young girl sitting in the seat of the SUV.
"Um, sorry. Sorry, I'm Kikyo. Inuyasha never mentioned he had a brother," Kikyo apologized.
"Not surprising; is he in?" the demon asked.
Kikyo closed the door slightly and went inside to speak to Inuyasha. Even without super hearing, Sesshoumaru could have heard his younger brother cursing and a pair of footsteps neared the door.
"What the fuck, Sesshoumaru! Leave!" Inuyasha fumed.
"I need your help, Inuyasha. Just listen-"
"No, I don't give a shit what's going on, we had an agreement. You were never going to contact me again."
"Just give me fifteen minutes and you never have to hear from me again," Sesshoumaru urged, stepping aside to put Rin in view, " I want you to meet someone."
"Wow, Uncle Inuyasha your house is big! You could fit a lot of dollhouses in here," the young Rin said in awe, wandering from room to room.
Kikyo smiled and ushered the girl into the kitchen with the promise of cookies. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru took a seat opposite sides from one another in the living room. Kikyo appeared with lemonade for both.
"I'll watch Rin while you two talk."
"Thank you," Sesshoumaru said, sipping his lemonade.
Inuyasha grunted, setting his drink to the side.
"I noticed Kikyo had a ring on her finger. How long have you been married?"
"A year now," Inuyasha grumbled.
"Congratulations," Sesshoumaru began.
Inuyasha cut him off, "Cut the bullshit. You didn't come to hear about my marriage and you didn't come to introduce Rin to me. Why are you here? I haven't seen you in six years and I wanted to keep it that way."
Sesshoumaru sighed, "I want to get out. I mean I wanted to, but I messed up. Everything Father built, I want to destroy it, but you know as well as I how hard that task will be. I want to know Rin is safe if something happens."
Inuyasha scoffed, leaning back in his chair, "Why the change now? Father gave you the same opportunity to get out that he gave me. The difference is I took him up on his offer while you chose to fuck and sell slaves!"
"Why don't we watch TV upstairs, Rin?" Kikyo said loudly.
She led the girl upstairs. Rin looked at her dad with a mix of fright and confusion. He offered a smile that Rin returned. Kikyo crept back down the stairs.
"Inuyasha, let me remind you, Rin is a half demon like you with very good hearing so please lower your voice."
Inuyasha's cheeks puffed up and reddened, but he agreed, "Listen, you and I were never the same, even as kids. I never knew how you could treat women the way Father did. I can't even imagine what sick shit you must have done since I left, but I don't care. Do you know what I am now? A cop; I put sickos like you in jail. We couldn't be any different."
"I don't disagree with you, Inuyasha. You've done well for yourself and I'm proud of you. You've made a great life. I didn't come to disrupt that-"
"But you are!" Inuyasha fired back, "I don't know who you've gotten involved with and you've put my family in jeopardy."
"I'm going to take down Naraku. I know you remember him. I'm bad, but you know he's worse. If my plan works, I can save some innocent girls."
Inuyasha watched him cynically, his frown never faltering, "Why do you care now? You never cared before."
"Naraku has a woman captive that shouldn't be there."
"None of them should be there," Inuyasha interjected.
Sesshoumaru sighed, "You're right. You're right, but this girl is special. I-I think I-"
Despite the gravity of the situation, Sesshoumaru's cheeks colored a pale pink, "I think I may love her."
"Oh so you care now that you actually like some girl? Now all these girls are innocent when they were whores before?" Inuyasha barked back.
"I know how it sounds. I know I was wrong, I am wrong, but please. Please help me."
Something about the look in his eyes gave Inuyasha pause. He'd never known his brother to plead, to beg for anything.
"What are you planning to do?"
"It's better if you didn't know. I just need you to watch Rin. I can compensate you in cash. It's enough to care for Rin and then some."
Sesshoumaru left the room and returned with a duffle bag filled with cash.
"How long will we be watching her?"
Sesshoumaru paused, "I don't know."
"Well, when will you be back?"
"...I don't know, but you know I would never come here unless it was important. I don't want you involved in what has to happen."
Inuyasha didn't speak for a moment and he didn't ask Sesshoumaru to elaborate. Kikyo came back down the steps and Inuyasha waved her over.
"Could you give us a moment?"
Sesshoumaru nodded. He picked up his lemonade and waited in the kitchen. After 15 minutes passed, Inuyasha walked into the kitchen with a frown.
"Ok, listen. Rin can stay here. We aren't going to tell her anything and we aren't kicking my niece out in the cold, but let me be clear. Once you come back and get Rin, you will never see or contact me again. You made your bed, Sesshoumaru and you will not drag my family down."
"Thank you, Inuyasha. I promise I'll make things right."
"For your sake, you better or I'll arrest you myself."
Even with all the mistakes Sesshoumaru has made, I felt he would at least do all he could to secure a safe place for Rin, next chapter Kagome awakens to see she is in Naraku's clutches and Sesshoumaru visits Callia. Stay tuned!