AUTHOR'S NOTES:
A. Inuyasha and its original characters were the creation of Rumiko Takahashi. I do not claim them as mine.
B. The characters and names featured in this story were my original creations. Please do not copy their characters! The people and names in this story were fictitious. Any similarity was just a coincidence (like Maksim).
C. This is a parallel story to link the Feudal Era and the Modern Time until Kagome's disappearance and return from the well.
CHAPTER 26-A
MODERN TIME-PRIOR TO DISAPPEARANCE
ADVERSARY
The Last Time~~
Francesco grabbed the struggling woman and tossed her on the four-poster bed; velvet drape and all. He followed her immediately and straddled her wriggling body. His suit jacket fell on the bed followed by his tie and shirt. His hand flicked the stud on his belt and his pants loosed. He had a wicked smile on his face, his hands shaking in excitement. He ran his hands at her velvet-covered form. He could feel himself tightening every time she squirms under him. He willed his power to elongate his nails into sharp claws as he grabbed the top end of the drape and with one yank he tore the fabric open from top to waist area.
Francesco's eyes bulged when Kagome surged from her prison grasping the useless pistols. With a growl she swung one of the guns at his face.
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Measured footsteps of the shadowy figures of Spencer's invasion team scour the seemingly endless halls of Francesco Conti's palatial mansion. Weapons cocked, eyes, ears and other senses alert for any sign of ambush. Weapons trained in front ready for any action.
In the middle of the group Col. Harris was frowning, intent on his gadget. He's hoping that the tracing device is still with Kagome at this point or else it's hopeless. They were able to pick up the signal when the lieutenant was taken.
"What now?" Ivan hissed when the human cursed under his breath and began tapping the device. Both men had frowns on their foreheads.
"There's a jamming signal messing the readout. Dammit!" Harris tried different frequencies but he got the same result.
"You lost her?" Spencer pressed.
"Yes. Nada." The colonel cursed again, swinging the device left and right, eyes a little panicky.
"One fucking big place and we can't go mucking around forever!" Spencer was almost steaming from the nose like a bull. Even though he pulled other operatives in the area for this mission they still do not have enough people to cover the ground. There were about sixty rooms. Sixty! Who the fuck needs sixty rooms?
"We need to change locations where the jamming is weaker." Harris shook his head in utter frustration.
Ivan and Spencer traded knowing looks and the big man nodded and shrugged, also clearly frustrated as well at their slow progress. They could have done this way faster if only…but they have a human with them...complications upon complications!
Ivan sighed. "Just do your best, Allen." He hefted the assault rifle and took up his post as point man, flattening himself on the wall. He inched closer to the edge and peeked at the next corridor.
In his physically restricted capacity Ivan tried to tune out all the life signatures swarming around the house and focus only on one. It's worse than having one hand tied behind your back but they couldn't stay behind this pillar forever lamenting about their futile situation.
Spencer and Ivan flared their youki and were surprised to discover some of the people here were a mix of human and youkai. Spencer wonders if the humans knew that some of their coworkers were the not the stuff of legends but for real. The Corporation has the same mix and it's not perfect but quite a harmonious one owing to the work of Ivan. It makes one wonder if in this place the status quo might be the servant-master type.
Spencer signaled his findings to the team on top of Harris' head. At his signal they moved forward.
"Hey, on your toes, guys." Spencer whispered on the radio, being careful of his words for Harris. "Its way too quiet." Everyone acknowledged as they continued to move on.
Harris didn't see Ivan suddenly freeze at the next corner and raise his hand; so intent was he on his device. It was merciful that Harris didn't feel his death as his blood erupted in a violent spray felled by a wicked scythe. The corporal was already dead even before he fell on the hard marble floor as the place erupted in chaos. Spencer cursed out loud at their first casualty and twisted his ring. Spencer's team transformed in a flash; a blue glow shimmering upon their bodies. There's no one to stop them from showing their true form and fighting on equal terms.
Had Harris been alive he would have seen the monstrous creatures that came upon Spencer's team as if they materialized in thin air. They burst upon all sides, even through walls. Harris's dead unseeing eyes didn't witness the eerie scene of eyes glowing with fire and sharpened claws and the inhuman growls coming from humanoid throats or the speed the battle was fought.
The officer would have been aghast at the surreal tableau at the kaleidoscope of violence, a dance of death, a meeting of the good and the bad and of adversaries who have been fighting for centuries aimed at one goal…power.
Spencer leaped to the wall and swung like a monkey at the ornate chandelier. He snagged his opponent around the neck, breaking it until Spencer released him with a toss on the second floor hall. As the big man landed he buried his golden claws on the backs of the Italian's men bent on hamstringing Ivan. His godson was busy tackling two other minions but quickly nodded his gratitude to his second father. The younger one dived at an incoming battalion of human guards; they got into a confused tangle of arms and feet.
A flare of youki and a challenging snarl made Spencer turn around. His blue eyes narrowed when he recognized from whom it came from. "You …" What the fuck is he doing here?
"Lord Kouga…" The newcomer nodded at being recognized. For a moment Spencer was struck at the uncanny resemblance to Ivan. The newcomer's green eyes and twin fire markings identifying him as one of the Northern clan.
"Ryuu-Orochi…" Spencer/Kouga growled, his brows creasing the wolf claw sigil on his forehead.
"You seemed to be wondering why you have found me here…" the man gestured at the magnificent place now on the verge of being torn apart by the battle going all over its floor. "of all places, am I correct?"
"The thought had entered my mind, yes." Spencer kept moving. His mind also kept moving…turning…sifting….
"And you are thinking that I have something to do at what's been happening…" he gestured airily again while ambling in a circle. "with Francesco and the lieutenant…"
"Now that I've seen you here. Yes." His jaw clenched. "I thought you were already dead."
"Ah…the rumors about my death had been greatly exaggerated." Ryuu-Orochi smiled lopsidedly. "I had been…how do you say it?" He clicked his fingers. "Ah, yes…bidding my time."
"For this." Kouga's nod indicated the whole scenario happening around them.
"Perhaps." Orochi smiled. Kouga couldn't believe how two people could look so alike be so different.
The man was moving as well, priming for an attack but first sizing an opponent…looking for an opportunity….a weakness. "And it had never entered your mind that I might be a hostage here as well and I have been freed by a good Samaritan…?" The redhead stopped at Spencer's cackle.
"A hostage? You? Nope. I don't think so, buddy." Spencer saw the man look at his claws nestled inside his weapon seemingly at rest on his sides.
"Hm…" Ryuu-Orochi frowned. " and no amount of explanation would make you change your mind, is that it?"
"What do you think?" Spencer crossed his arms in front, the muscles rippling with power and strength.
"I am quite disappointed to hear you say that but you are correct…" Ryuu-Orochi sighed dramatically. "And so I would not have to resort to dramatics, it saps my energy so." The popinjay stopped his pacing and faced Spencer seriously. "It is best devoted to important things."
"And what important things would those be?" One brow lifted as he braced himself.
Ryuu-Orochi shrugged nonchalantly. "Of killing you all, what else?"
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"Hooo!" Francesco hooted. "Feisty! And fast! You have drawn first blood, mia bella!" He caught and forced Kagome's flailing hands up her head.
"You'll lose more than blood, coward!" Kagome continued to wiggle even though it sickened her to know that it was arousing the man the more. Passivity was never one of her strong points.
"No, I like you this way, my love!" He was almost unseated as Kagome reared but he tightened his leg to hold the struggling woman. "On your back…" Francesco licked his lips, his greedy eyes feasting on Kagome's bouncing breasts. His sharp nail snagged the fabric of her tank top ripping it cleanly down to the middle exposing black t-shirt bra. His mouth began to salivate in anticipation.
"You like what you see?"
"Oh yes…very much…" Francesco didn't notice her change of tone, one of his hands were busy caressing the cleavage bared to his touch.
"Good." She purred. "Because that's all you're gonna get!" Kagome's hand snapped up with the flat of her palm smacking under Francesco's chin. The Italian was successfully unseated and off Kagome. "On my back but not exactly defenseless, moron!" He feet connected the Italian's face with a sideswipe kick. But the man didn't seem to be affected. He caught her leg and scrambled back on the bed with her; his legs forcing her thighs apart, she struggled the more.
"Yes!" Francesco laughed with delight even as Kagome punched him. "Fight me, my love! Show me what a tigress you can be!"
"I'll have your other…hmf!" Kagome's words muffled as Francesco's lips covered hers. She tried to twist her head away to unlock from his lips. She wanted to gag as the man forced his tongue deep to her mouth. Gah! She cringed as blood from his bleeding eye warmly trickled to her cheek….and ewww! into her mouth!
"Ah!" Francesco reared back, his face hemorrhaging from another wound.
"That was vile!" She got one of her knees freed from under him. Her eyes narrowed in satisfaction when that knee connected. She spit out the blood and saliva he drooled into her mouth; it fell on the Italian's chest. She'd need a big bottle of Listerine to get the taste out.
"I will love taking you, bitch!" It was Kagome's own eyes that bulged out this time when Francesco's head came down. Thoughts of escape fled her mind. She froze from scrambling out from under him; her heart began thudding in terror.
"What…are you?" She asked breathless into feral face and red-rimmed eyes…
A loud 'boom!' swiveled their heads to the door, the portal flying off its hinges at the force. It toppled the baby grand piano on its trip on the floor. You wouldn't believe the noise the piano made as it spilled its guts on the carpet.
"Maksim!" What the…? Is she still in Kansas? "Ma…Maksim?" She gasped in breathless disbelief and dismay as the one she was hoping to rescue her was also in the same feral condition as her jailer. Prince Charming became the Beast. Great.
Francesco and Maksim traded challenging snarls and growls. She saw the Italian's nails became claws, jaws elongated into fanged monstrosities. If its an early version of Halloween then these guys would win for best prosthetics. But deep inside she knew this ain't no prosthetics…
"Get off of her!" Maksim snarled roughly, eyes ablaze. He took in the compromising scene: Kagome's tousled condition, the torn clothes, the smell of blood. Thankfully he ascertained with satisfaction the blood was Francesco's. His anger almost boiled over with worry that the Italian might have ravished Kagome. Ah, but not without a fight from the woman.
Kagome cringed when Francesco lowered his head to hers, sure that he'd bite her head off. "Don't worry, my love. I'll finish this quickly and return to you." He purred and gave her cheek a wet swipe; lapping up the blood he dripped there. Maksim growled louder threateningly. "Do not be impatient old friend," Francesco drawled, his voice deeper and rougher. "She'd be ready for you after I'm done." Spittle flew out as he laughed at the other's snarl.
"Get…off…me!" Her snarl came along with a burst of strength. Francesco fell off her again. He got up with chest smoking, the air smelling like singed flesh. "What the…?" Her jaw fell.
The Italian bared his fangs at her, advancing. Kagome began to backpedal from the bed but her movements were hampered by the drapes and the silky coverlet feeling like mud under her hands, sliding under her.
"Francesco!" A great snarl echoed and another 'boom,' louder this time. There was a flash of movement that shook the room and tilted the bed up, spilling her over the other side. The bed and everything on it topped over her, trapping her under its weight, darkening everything around her.
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"I am so glad that you are as good a fighter as before, Lord Kouga." Orochi touched the gash on his left side and licked the blood with a smirk. They had circled each other once more after a trading attacks and counter attacks.
"If you live long enough this time you might learn a thing or two." Kouga smirked with satisfaction at the damage he had inflicted.
"I might say the same to you…"
"Who the hell are you?" Kouga and Orochi turned at Ivan's incredulous voice. Behind him stood Hart.
Orochi smiled at Ivan. "Ah!" he clapped once. "Hello there, shatei…." Hart hissed. "Do you not kneel before your lord?" He addressed Hart.
"You are no lord of mine! My Lord Herensuge had disowned and banished you a long time ago!" Hart retorted.
"He is not here but I am and by rights I am the lord of the Northern lands."
Ivan found his voice. "What did you call me?" he whispered with narrowed eyes and stopped beside Kouga.
Orochi looked at Kouga and Hart with the same sardonic expression. "All this time no one has ever told him?"
"It wasn't that important." Orochi snorted at Kouga. "And like I said, everyone thought you were dead all this time."
"Who are you?" Ivan was shocked to see his features, but in an older cast, on this stranger.
Orochi bowed mockingly. "Since no one has ever bothered to tell you….I'm your brother."
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