Seshomaru watched, highly amused by the fact that the half breed had not yet recognized his sire. He had tossed the girl behind him and was facing down his own father. Maybe Father would rid the world of this abomination's presence himself.
Though he highly doubted their father would kill Inuyasha. He always had a soft spot for the unnatural. He snorted with disgust. His eyes fell on the girl cowering behind Inuyasha. Well, she wasn't cowering. But she was seeking the meager protection that the half breed was offering her.
She looked highly unsettled.
He wondered if Father had already pressed his suit. Had the girl declined? He had not seen his father get so worked up over a female. His eyes narrowed. Something else was at play here.
"Jaken."
"Yes, M'Lord."
"Find out everything about Inuyasha's woman."
Jaken spluttered, "But why, M'Lord? She is just a filthy human whore."
Seshomaru ignored him and before moving a bit closer to the clearing, threw a cutting glance towards his retainer, "If you fail, you die."
Jaken stared at his form, sweating. His Master could be really cruel at times. Just how was he supposed to find out about this human? He didn't even know where she had come from!
Meanwhile at the clearing, Kagome held onto Inuyasha's arm, restraining him. Urgently, she whispered, "He says he's your father, Inuyasha!"
"Keh, my old man's dead! Who the hell are you?"
Touga could not restrain himself enough to answer. All he could see was that his woman, his mate, had sought protection from this male. All he could sense was a rival for his mate's affections. He had yet not marked her. He should have marked her!
"It would be wise to hand over the woman to Father, halfbreed. He seems to be quite taken with her."
Seshomaru's snide voice made Inuyasha whirl around, pointing his sword at him, "What the fuck did you just call him?"
"Father. The Inu no Taisho. "
The rest of his sentence finally registered on Inuyasha's brain and he snarled now, "Why the fuck should I hand Kagome over? I'm her protector!"
Touga's youki went out of control at the male's words and Kagome noticed. Her eyes wide , she looked between the two and realized that if she didn't do something to diffuse the situation, Touga might very well kill Inuyasha.
Swallowing, she mustered her courage and took a step to the side, removing herself from Inuyasha's back.
"Stupid wench! What the fuck are you doing?! Get back here."
However, Kagome took a few steps forward, noting that the texture of Touga's growl had changed. It had become more soothing, almost inviting. She took another stepped forward and noticed Seshomaru's stunned expression, and felt a sort of triumphant satisfaction. He was such an arrogant ass!
A few steps further had her directly in front of Touga. One muscled arm shot out to grab her by her waist and pull her into him, his nose buried in her neck. Kagome whimpered, her eyes closing as she felt his rough tongue on her neck. What was he doing?!
Red eyes watched Inuyasha, not wavering.
His mate had come to him.
She had chosen him!
Her whimper was delicious and he cloaked her scent, no wanting the other makes to scent her arousal. That scent was his alone. Assured when Kagome did not make the slightest attempt to struggle, he reigned his youki back in. Breathing in her scent, he released her. Pushing her behind him, he allowed his eyes to regain their human coloring.
His eyes went to his fuming youngest son and he stated, "The girl is under my protection from now on."
Inuyasha bared his teeth, "Kagome stays with me! I need the bitch to hunt the shards of the jewel she fucking scattered."
Kagome froze and then her eye twitched in irritation. Is that why he was so eager to protect me?
"Sit, boy."
As gravity reversed for Inuyasha and he collapsed onto the ground, two stunned sets of eyes turned her way. However, Kagome was too angry too care. Pushing past the startled inuyoukai who had been standing in front of her, she made her way towards Inuyasha and stomped her foot on the ground, inches from his ear, which flattened immediately.
"What did you call me, over grown mutt?"
"Keh, you heard me, bit-"
"SIT BOY!"
A muffled groan sounded to her ears and she leaned down and pulled at his right ear, making him whimper, "This whole thing is your fault, not mine! If you hadn't been so adamant on getting your hands on the Shikon, I wouldn't have been in the woods, the bird wouldn't have stolen it, and I wouldn't have had to shoot at it!"
"Oi, it ain't my -"
"Shut up, InuBaka! At this point, I'll gladly let Touga protect me. I am a person, not your personal shard detector!"
As Inuyasha called her a particularly nasty word, Kagome opened her mouth to sit him again, only to find a firm hand clamped on her mouth.
"I do not wish for my son to die so soon, little one. Let me deal with him."
Kagome became stiff at the contact, something that Touga noted and then she just nodded, not meeting his eyes and backed away.
The Inu no Taisho stood at his younger son's head and looked down at his groaning figure, "You will treat Kagome with respect, Inuyasha. I will not tolerate any form of disrespect towards my intended any longer."
"Y-Your intended? What?"
Kagome's stuttered words were ignored as Inuyasha snarled, "Fuck no! She ain't yours!"
He struggled to get to his feet and clenched his hand on the sword. His father eyed the blade and then asked, "Tell me, son. What does Kagome mean to you?"
"I just said so didn't I?! I need her to look for the shards! You hard of hearing, old man?"
His father shifted so that he was blocking his son's view of the miko, "If that is the case, then why is Tetsusaiga still transformed?"
Inuyasha glared at the sword, and then back up at the youkai who was claiming to be his father, "How the fuck should I know?"
Touga looked between both his sons and shook his head, disappointed, "Both of you are fools. You attempt to use a weapon and do not even know its purpose."
Seshomaru frowned, insulted, "It slays a hundred youkai with one swing. Its purpose is quite clear."
His father spared him a cool glance, "Nay. You are wrong, pup." Turning to his other son, he raised a brow, awaiting his answer.
Inuyasha bristled, "How the fuck should I know? I wasn't even looking for the damn sword. I'm just keeping it so that that bastard can't have it." He sneered at Seshomaru who gave him an impassive look, "The sword will be mine, you ignorant half breed."
They both hissed with pain as their father's lightening whip slashed them across the chest, neither of them fast enough to avoid it.
Kagome covered her mouth. The Inu no Taisho was disciplining both his sons. Maybe, she glanced at him, he was the best protection she could have. After all, one son wanted to use her, the other wanted to kill her. He was the only one who did not want anything from her.
He just wants you, a small voice whispered in her head.
Most of the things he said made her want to run and hide somewhere, her innocent mind not able to wrap itself around the intensity his words offered. But, he seemed different from both his sons. He was kinder and more gentle. And, she frowned, he seemed intent on her.
The dagger was still in her hand. She flexed her fingers around it. Not even her mother knew about this. She couldn't recall how she had come across it, but it seemed like it had always been with her, wherever she went. She would surely have remembered meeting Touga. Wouldn't she?
She watched Inuyasha run his mouth at his father again and sighed. He should really just learn to hold his tongue.
"This sword was meant to protect your mother, Inuyasha. When you wish to protect a human, truly protect them, then Tetsusaiga will show you it's true form."
Inuyasha blinked and glanced at the sword, uneasily, "It was for Mother?"
Touga crossed his arms, "I meant for you to use it to protect your mother and other humans. And since it has transformed, it tells me you truly wish to protect Kagome."
Inuyasha's face turned red, "That's crap! The wench is -"
The 'wench' scowled and muttered, 'Sit', under her breath, her nose in the air, "You're such a jerk, Inuyasha!"
They fought like children, Touga noted. Like siblings, more like it. It didn't seem like his son held an interest in his woman beyond the shards.
Turning his attention towards his eldest son, Touga told him in no uncertain terms, "The sword was meant for Inuyasha, Seshomaru. I will not have you stealing it just because you want it."
Seshomaru snarled, "You would give him the sword which has power and leave me with one which cannot even cut?"
"Insolent boy!" The Inu no Taisho's roar startled everyone, "Your sword holds more power than you know. It is up to you to figure out its strengths, or have you learnt nothing in the years I have been gone!?"
Seshomaru bared his fangs at his father, but he knew he could not win against him and he may be many things but he was not a fool. Turning on his heel, he threw over his shoulder, curtly, "This is not over, Father."
With that he departed, taking into the sky.
His father watched him leave and then turned his attention back to his younger son, barking, "Put that sword away, boy, before you hurt yourself."
Inuyasha opened his mouth to argue but Kagome gave him a death glare and his ears plastered against his skull and he made a sound of disgust, putting it to the side.
"Bokuseno will provide you with a sheath for that."
"Who?" Inuyasha asked, suspiciously.
Touga turned his back on him, turning his attention on the one person who was trying her best to stay off his radar, "An ancient tree youkai. Now, Kagome, I would like to hear of this jewel that you shattered."
"He scattered it!" She scowled, pointing at Inuyasha.
"Oi, what the fuck, you did it!"
"Well you made me!"
Touga flared his youki, displeased, "Cease this noise. I asked you a question, little one. It is best you answer."
Kagome clenched her fist. She hated being ordered around. Angry at how high handed this inuyoukai was being, she bit out the story, in a terse manner, leaving Touga to wonder what he had done now to anger his intended in such a way.
A.N: Kagome will slowly show her true personality once she becomes more accepting of the Inu no Taisho. Also, I know that there are some twists and turns. Just deal with it, please. I'm so glad that you guys like this story so much. I'm writing at least two chapters per day. and uploading one chapter every 3-4 days.
Also, to one of my very confused reader, it was Inu no Taisho in the first chapter.
