-The Beautiful Liar-

Uryen holds the Meido Stone at arms length admiring its design, he smiles.

"A stone with the power to bring people back to life…I wonder…."

He looks about the ballroom frowning when he does not find Mio's red eyes peering back at him; she usually frequented this room.

"What could she be up to?" He mutters putting the Meido Stone in his pocket, he moves to leave the room but pauses when he feels a heavy vibration in his pocket.

The Hikari No Ishi was reacting to his presence and it was beginning to wear on him, he removes the cloth wrapped bangles his eyes turning fierce as he glares down at them.

"Take them away." He whispers holding them above his head, the shadows of the hall swell around him before rushing forward and covering his hand, he sighs when they disappear taking the bangles with them.

"The other's must be prepared." He mutters looking about.

Uryen walks into the main hall before ascending the stairs, the group of dog's were put into different parts of the castle. Sesshomaru the basement, Kiyoza the Dungeon and Aya the third floor.

In the basement Sesshomaru would be finding fun with the shadow demons there and Kiyoza with the Toad demon and the child.

He'd left Aya on her own to think about her future, she needed an attitude adjustment and roaming the empty halls alone for a while would probably do just that.

"Enough pain and torture…and she'll fall into my arms with no fights…especially after I finish with this." Uryen whispers looking at the Meido Stone again.

~With Mio~

"Mr. Kiyoza are you ok?" Mio whispers from her place against the wall opposite to his, he picks up his head nodding to her.

Kiyoza smiles lightly at her, "feeling a bit better?"

Mio nods looking down at her stomach, something had broken perhaps her ribs but now the pain had dulled into a shallow throb.

"Yeah but if I don't get some sort of help soon…" she mutters closing her eyes, she grunts when she feels a small hand gently patting her on her cheek. She opens her eyes frowning at Jaken who glares at her.

"Now is not the time to sleep child." Jaken gripes at her.

Mio sighs looking at the heavy door before them, "do you think that Aya is ok?"

Kiyoza nods, "she's fine…her scent is strong here though…was she here with you."

Mio nods looking down when tears fill her eyes, "did she…hurt Lord Sesshomaru?"

Kiyoza shakes his head, "she's herself again."

"In fact…her main worry now is getting back to you," Kiyoza mutters standing to his feet, " and getting you out of here safe…which is something that I will make sure happens.

Mio gasps when he walks over to her a smile building on his face.

"I can get us out of this room and out of the castle…it would require us leaving Aya and Sesshomaru here to fend for themselves for a while…but…at least they can worry about just them."

Mio moans shaking her head, she couldn't leave Aya alone, Aya wouldn't do it to her.

"Mio!" She jumps when he barks her name.

She looks up at him with wide eyes, "b-but what if they–"

"They are not worried for themselves at this moment…Aya came for you…and if you get out of here safe I know she will be happy with whatever the outcome is of this situation."

Mio shakes her head but he bends down gently lifting her into his arms, Jaken gasps.

"But what about the Lord!?"

"The same goes for him, he is here for Aya…to be honest they don't need either of you here to make this harder…and Mio was right when she said that she needs medical attention…Aya would never forgive me if I let her die."

Jaken shakes his head in disbelief with Kiyoza walks over to the barred windows of the dungeon, he raises his hand and his nails glow bright red, Mio buries her face in his shirt trying to hide her tears when he swipes at the bars breaking them away from the window.

"B-But–"

Kiyoza turns jerking his head toward the window and Jaken backs away.

"But I can't jump that far!"

Kiyoza sighs walking over to the window ready to leave Jaken but just as he climbs into the sill he feels Jaken clamp onto the back of his shirt.

"Keep your eyes closed Mio." He mutters to her, she nods tearfully moving closer to him when he jumps.

~With Aya~

Aya stumbles down the long empty dark hall before her trying to ignore the shadows darting here and there in the corners of her vision, she didn't know where she was going but she didn't care if she kept walking she could say that she was trying.

Maybe if I had tried harder I wouldn't be here, Mio wouldn't be here…none of this would have happened.

She wipes away a fresh wave of tears with the long silk sleeves of her kimono.

If I had been strong enough then…I could save everyone now.

"Too late for regrets." Someone whispers to her.

Aya nods coming to a halt in the middle of the hall, it seemed to go on forever the door at its end taunting her.

"For curses are like arrows shot upright, Which falling down light on the suters head." She whispers nodding.

"You deserve it all." Someone whispers.

"I know." She moans holding her head.

If I had paid attention to Father…listened to Mother…and been there for Mio…none of this would have happened.

"But their gone now…and nothing can bring them back." Aya whispers looking up at the ceiling.

"This is true."

Aya begins walking again.

"But I have a new family…new people to love and protect…I may have messed up then but I can't give up now." She whispers beginning to run down the hall.

"You still hold tight to your false hope?"

Aya tries to shake the mystery speaker away as she begins clawing down the hall trying to make it to the door that moved further and further out of her reach.

"Death is the only out for you Aya…no amount of love…hope…or fighting can save you.'

"At this point…only I can save me." Aya mutters.

Silence follows her words but the hall continues to stretch on before her but suddenly it shortens and Aya skids to a halt before she crashes into the door.

Aya takes a deep breath before pulling the door open stepping into a darkened room, the only source of light were two purple paper lanterns and the moonlight from a windowed ceiling.

"You Aya…you're so alive."

Aya jumps when the door shuts behind her, a chill moves through the room pushing her hair out of her face.

"But…Uryen has had his way with you already…."

What does that mean?

"Doesn't he know…that his presence hurts you the most, too long you've lived in his hold…you may be the most helpless of them all."

"Who–"

Aya's words are interrupted by the lighting of a third golden lantern, Mio sets the lantern aside before turning to look at Aya.

"You're so…wasted." Mio whispers closing her eyes.

"What are you doing…what do you want with me?" Aya mutters looking down.

"The days we spent…were the best days of my young life…I was important…I was alive to you." Mio whispers looking at the ceiling.

Aya looks at her in time to catch a tear slipping from the corner of the girls eye, Mio looks at her.

"Even pain for me is different I assume…I feel it…it hurts…but its so-so different."

Mio suddenly rushes toward Aya sending Aya into the door again, "for some time now I've wondered what it was that made you so special to so many…what made those girls so special to you…you love…they love…love.

She brings her hands to Aya's, "I cannot feel love…the only thing that brings me to life…is the inflicting pain and death on other's."

She growls and more tears fill her eyes.

"I want to feel what you are feeling…right now!"

"I'm…sorry." Aya mutters looking down.

She'd never wondered what the shadow felt about all of this, why would she?

"I want to be you." Mio whispers looking up at her, Aya gasps when Mio's face is covered in shadows and she brings to dig her nails into Aya's wrists, Aya tries to pull away but Mio held her in place.

"Just let it happen," Mio whispers, "you've nothing left to fight for…Uryen has won already."

Mio closes her eyes when she feels a heavy thumping in her chest, she cries out in jubilance.

"I can feel you!"

Aya moans when Mio presses into her, her body sinking into her own, she pushes away from the door crashing into one of the lanterns knocking it over its flame catches the rug underneath them.

Stay still!

Aya shakes her head trying to push Mio out and away from her, it hurt to have Mio within her; there was a heavy painful pressure that took her breath away.

"Get away from me!" Aya shouts and suddenly Mio flies away from her and out of her body, Mio lets out a small grunt when she hit's the floor the shadows around her slowly reaching for the sky, Aya crawls over to her to see if she was awake.

"Ay?" Mio whispers reaching her hand for her, Aya shakes her head.

Mio begins to cry again, "hold me like you did before…please?"

Aya looks up at the shadows and smoke that now covered the ceiling, was she dying?

Aya moves closer taking Mio into her arms, Mio smiles, "I felt you…I felt your sadness and you pain…and now…I feel your love…that's what truly separated us…this…I wouldn't have done this for you not after what just happened."

Mio closes her eyes, "Aya…there is no escape…and I say that not to scare you…but…you're too far gone now."

"What do you mean!?" Aya whispers trying to shake Mio awake but she slowly drifts into death with a smile at her lips, Aya groans shaking her again but the smoke around her brings her back into the present situation.

Fire had begun to consume the room and surround them, Aya drops Mio onto the floor before running through the flames to the door and through it, she falls to the floor in the hallway coughing into her hands.

Aya sighs leaning against the hot door, she brings her hand to her chest trying to calm her heart.

"There you are."

Aya looks up to see a tall figure moving toward her, she gasps standing to her feet but she falls down again when a wave of nausea runs through her body, she coughs again closing her eyes when a long curtain of black hair covers her face as the man lifts her into his arms.

Aya looks at the side of his face and he turns to her his silver eyes glowing, he smirks when she frowns.

"Uryen?" She whispers trying to pull away but he holds her closer.

"That Meido Stone…it had more power than I expected."

It was strange seeing him this way, his was a tall muscular man and wore clothes similar to most high ranking demon's.

"What happened to K–"

"That body had gotten old…and he was weak even in life…."

Aya grimaces trying to pull away again but to no avail.

"Really, he was a fool coming to mountain on his own…without Hiro…but he had something to prove as do all half breeds." Uryen mutters looking ahead.

Aya shakes her head, she didn't want to hear anymore of this.

"Where are you taking me?" She whispers looking down, he smiles.

"Our bedroom."

Aya gasps looking at him and he nods, "I thought that it would be strange for you making love to your brother's corpse…so…I give you me…all of me."

He laughs when she begins to struggle against him again., he kicks his way through the doors of the castle until they make it to his dark room, he uses the back of his foot to kick the door shut behind him before carrying her over to the bed.

"Get away from me." She growls kicking at him but he grabs her by the ankle pulling her to the edge of the bed toward him.

He chuckles leaning his forehead against her own, just as she goes to pull away he grabs her by the back of her head pulling her into a kiss, Aya groans pushing at him but he wraps his arms around her holding her.

He drags his lips from hers to her neck as his arm travels from her waist to her thigh, Aya growls punching him in the head, he growls back at her pushing her onto her back on the bed, he straddles her holding her wrists to the bed.

"Just…allow it." He whispers kissing her neck again.

Suddenly shadows build at her wrists holding her hands in place, Uryen chuckles kissing down the middle of her neck to her collarbone.

He runs his hand on her bare stomach a shadow band appears there as well, he gets off the bed pushing her white skirt to her waist.

"Let's not pretend you don't want this." He whispers kissing her thighs.

"You brought me here just to have sex with me!?" She shouts down at him, he looks up at her with a smile.

"No, to make you mine…you belong with me…and this is a part of that." He whispers parting her legs.

Aya kicks her legs trying to push him away, Uryen looks at her with a frown, he stands crawling onto the bed again.

"You're a difficult one Aya." He whispers kissing her on the cheek, she looks away and he sighs.

"You can fight it all you want but I am growing tired of waiting…I'll be back." He gets off the bed walking out of the room.

The bands suddenly leave her body allowing her to sit up and fix her clothes, Aya runs over to the door peeking her head out, he was gone. She closes the door leaning against it.

"I have to find the other's…but without a weapon…huh?"

She frowns when she notices shattered glass on the floor, she walks over to it bending down to pick up a shard of it.

"The Meido Stone," She whispers looking back at the door, "he broke it?"

Aya reaches across the floor scooping up the rest of the shards, Aya sighs lowering her head. All of the work they'd done in the last few days had been swept aside just like that, they thought they had an out only to find that all was lost anyway.

"I'm so tired of this." Aya whispers feeling tears burn at her eyes, she opens her eyes when she feels the shards heating up in her hands.

"Aya…."

Aya gasps, the voice was so familiar.

"Aya…don't cry." Aya hears someone say, Aya looks around before looking down at the shards again.

"All is not lost."

"Mother." Aya whispers bringing the shards closer to her.

"You have to leave there now Aya…or you will die there…tainted by Uryen."

"B-but he's too strong…I don't know…if I can leave now." Aya whispers frantically.

"Come on Ay, you let him get this far!"

"Mio…Mio I–"

"Nope-nope-nope…too many excuses you've made Ay…time to take your life back."

"Kill him Aya…anyway you can." A deep male voice now takes over.

"Father…how…without the Hikari No Ishi I'm…too weak." Aya whispers.

"Take him now, before he can gain his strength back, I know you can do it bring him to a place where there is light."

"A place where there is light…." Aya mutters looking ahead.

"The sun rises." She hears Kize say.

"Kize." She breathes with a smile.

"Get ready to fight kiddo, just know if you lose…you get to be here…oh…not funny."

Aya laughs nodding,

"Ok…I plan to win though." She says standing.

"That'a girl."

Aya nods looking ahead, through the bright red curtains in the windows a pink light shows through pouring over the room.

Aya closes her eyes placing the shards on the bed.

"We love you Ay."

She smiles to herself, "I love you too."

Aya walks over to the door and leaves the room in search of Uryen.

"Uryen…I'm ready!" She calls walking down the hall toward the staircase. She slowly moves down the stairs her eyes moving over the dark hall for any signs of life.

"Don't you want me anymore!" She calls laughing gently.

Where could he be?

"Aya!"

She turns abruptly to find Sesshomaru ascending a set of stairs that led deeper in the castle, his clothes wore ripped and there were scrapes on his face but otherwise he looked fine, she rushes over to him when he reaches the top, he presses against her and they lean against the wall.

"You're ok…I should have known." She whispers stroking his face.

Sesshomaru winces when she runs her thumb over one of the scrapes, "I was prepared to become a lonely widower."

Sesshomaru grunts making her smile.

"You smell of him." Sesshomaru mutters glaring at now, Aya's eyes widen in surprise.

"We're reunited and that's what you worry about!" She says in outrage.

She tries to turn away in mock annoyance but he holds her in place, she looks up at him with a smile.

"Look…that sort of thing doesn't matter right now…you can punish me when we get home…you know the usual." She whispers winking at him.

"You're ok?" He's asks looking her over, she nods.

She frowns when he looks at her with disbelief, "Sesshomaru we've went through this…I'm a woman not a flower."

He shakes his head looking aside, "I worried about you too." she whispers leaning her head against his chest.

"Aya!" Uryen calls from the top of the stairs.

She pushes Sesshomaru back, "go back down…wait until we go into the ballroom…ok?"

Sesshomaru growls and she sighs, "please!"

Aya gently pushes him away before rushing over to the end of the stairs to meet Uryen, he glares at her.

"What were you doing?"

She shakes her head, "nothing…waiting for you."

Uryen quirks a brow and she smiles taking his hand.

"We need to talk." She whispers pulling him toward the ballroom.

"Why the sudden change of heart." Uryen mutters glancing back at the stairs as she pulls him into the now beautiful bright ballroom, he glares at the ceiling making Aya quirk a brow.

"If you don't like the light so much…why is your castle built so…openly." She asks pulling him closer.

"It belonged to my father…he…was strangely partial to the light." Uryen mutters looking aside when she moves close to him.

"Ah…a father…where is he now?" She asks looking at the ceiling.

"Dead."

Aya looks at him to find him smirking, she grimaces.

What's so funny about that?

"What did you want to talk about?" He asks shocking her back into the present.

"Um…uh…about us." She says nodding.

"Us…why now…your mate is probably dead…and the other's prisoners have escaped…I would think you would hate me even more now." He says with a smirk.

They got away…no…you don't know how silly you look right now.

How could I hate you even more when everything seems to be coming together now.

"Of course not, I've come to realize that…what's the point of fighting…you know…we've been connected for so long…I wouldn't know how to live if I lost you today."

Uryen quirks a brow when she gets to her toes hugging him, she opens her eyes just in time to find smoldering amber eyes peering back at her.

Yeah when I get home I'm in for it.

"Let her go."

Next Chapter: Inescapable Fate