Hey guyyyyys, did you expect a new, LONG chapter so soon? ;) This is how much a I love ya'll!
Warning: Violent Lemon***
Chapter 30: Still Here
"You dare…?" The dog demon growled, considering his restraint.
Between sobs, Rin bristled, "No, you dare insult our late Izayoi-sama in our own house upon the realization of her death. Dog demon, or not, I will not allow it."
The maiden behind the podium looked up at Rin in utter awe, like a dog to its master, as she stood her ground on behalf of the entire Geisha house.
The demon snarled as he raised his right set of claws and howled, "You will regret ever being born, you filthy bitch."
"Stop!" A raspy voice cried out from the hallway. The demon's attention shifted from Rin's uncertain form to that of a limping old woman beyond.
Kaede-obaa-sama.
Cesaria, who was following her housemother, had obviously been the one to alert her to the scene. Rin was grateful for the extra time to think about her next move, which should be—for the sake of business—a sincere bow for striking an arrogant asshole while on Kodachi property. Whatever would happen next could only be less than ideal for her, Rin assumed, but she would take it.
Just like she's taken everything else.
However, with pleasant surprise, Kaede declared, "You will do well to think twice before ye strike the maiden that ye honorable ruler fancies."
Rin's heated cheeks grew a deeper crimson naturally, despite her ever-wavering belief that such was ever even true.
At least, from his side.
The dog demon, finally processing the fact that Rin actually did smell of his new supreme ruler, reluctantly lowered his claws as Kaede spoke again, "I implore you to leave Kodachi at once. We should be allowed to process such grave news without being judged by a creature born of sin."
With a growl, the demon leapt for the door.
Kaede faced Rin proudly, and it caught her off guard, "Come, child. We should discuss the tidings of such news. Both with the new dog demon court, and with the death of our beloved and talented Izayoi."
"Yes, Kaede-obaa-sama," Rin muttered sadly as she kept her peripherals locked on the entrance door that had just shut. Something didn't feel right. Would Kodachi be disgraced for treating a dog demon in such a way?
But something else swayed her thoughts.
After all this time, Sesshoumaru-sama had been coping with the death of his father, and with the responsibilities of an entire kingdom and its state of affairs. All the while she had been plucking flower petals on whether or not she had meant a scrap more than a pawn to him.
How impossibly selfish could she be?
Did she even care anymore?
She cursed herself as she made her way down the dim hallway—Geisha and servants alike showing their appreciation for Rin's brash courage. Rin bowed in idle thanks, but gave the glory no more than a passing nod. She did what she did out of anger and a carelessness for the repercussions. It was something she had been doing a lot more as of late. If that was considered courage, then it was a more devious trait than what any spineless child could imagine.
When at the door to the stairwell, before Kaede could even grab the handle leading to the housemothers' quarters, a resounding
BAAAANG! CRAAAAASH!
came from the entranceway. Rin whipped her head immediately to see the nobly-carved, deep-ruby red entrance door fly and splinter into the far wall, followed by a thrown demon that actually crashed through the dividing—shattering the paneling and, inevitably rolling into the next room. Rin's eyes widened when she recognized the demon—in that split second when he flew by—as the dog demon who had just exited.
But who had thrown him?
"Get out of my way," a voice stated before quickly demanding, "Where is Rin?"
Rin's heart skipped a beat as her hands shot to her mouth in sudden horror.
It's him, Sesshoumaru-sama! But—
"Tell me. Now," he nearly roared as no one answered, causing Rin's heart to sink. He was angry! But why? Why now?
Kaede beckoned Cesaria and Kagome to pull Rin into the storage closet nearby. It seemed even their housemother took notice of his odd, violent state.
"Don't make a sound," the old woman whispered, "Stay here."
The gatekeeper maiden had backed up and shot a look down the hall at Kaede-obaa-sama who just shook her head slightly—a message to not give Rin away—and mosied to the front while Rin was guided into the closet.
"What's going on?" Cesaria whispered to anyone willing to elaborate.
Rin just shook her head, clenching her eyebrows and trying to avoid stress-crying as emotions swept over her. There was no rhyme or reason for why he should be here… like this. Why would he be?
"Where is she?!" They all heard from the lobby down the hall, causing Rin to gasp.
"Sh," Kagome muttered as she leaned against the far wall to try and hear better, although everyone could already hear everything.
"Honorable Ruler Sesshoumaru-sama," Kaede addressed, "I am so very sorry to hear about your late father, I am sure that you will—"
"Don't play games with me," he stated calmly, in an almost worrying whisper, "It will do you well to remember that I am the only one keeping this establishment standing. Bring her to me."
There was a long silence, almost immeasurable.
"I cannot do that, Sesshoumaru-sama. Rin is, I'm afraid… very ill at the moment," Kaede fibbed.
Rin shook her head. There's no way he would believe her. Rin knew him better than that. He could probably hear her breathing; probably smell the drying blood beneath the cloth of her cut finger. She heard him scoff.
"Well, how unfortunate. I guess this one will do, then."
The scream of the gatekeeper handmaiden pierced through the walls and Rin's mind whirled. Without thinking, she pushed past Kagome and opened the door to peer out.
Sesshoumaru, in the same stature and glory as she had seen him every other time before, held the maiden by the base of her hair and commanded, apparently amused, "Point me to your nearest pleasuring room. I have business to handle with this wretch."
Rin's eyes glazed over; her heart nearly stopped.
What is he doing?
A smirk overcame the demon's lips as everyone stood, shell-shocked, and at a loss for how to deny the lord of their lands, the demon who was renowned for his cruelty to humans, that which he had a right to partake.
Rin couldn't take the guilt. She was the only one he was after. And what did she really have to lose, anymore? Nothing worth remaining hidden while an innocent was dragged through the middle his rampage.
Rin slammed open the door.
"Rin, No!" Cesaria grabbed at her clothes but couldn't manage a tight enough hold. The poised Geisha walked out. Hands in front of her, head bowed, Rin shuffled across the wooden paneling of the floor. Every step was a chore, every breath, constrictive. And when she finally looked up, every bone in her body threatened to collapse.
Sesshoumaru's piercing, golden eyes captured hers and he smiled wickedly, hastily dropping the handmaiden in the process.
"I knew her screams wouldn't keep you in hiding for long," he said as Rin slowed her approach.
"My lord," Rin bowed, managing to keep her body under control, but not her heart nor scent. Sesshoumaru seemed completely unpredictable, and that was the most frightening concept. But she persisted, "How may I be of service to you tonight?"
"Pleasure," he forwardly stated.
Her chest tightened.
"Y-yes, my lord. Right this way," and without a second thought to lend her fear, Rin led the way down the opposite side of the house, towards the pleasure quarters.
"Rin!" Kaede-obaa-sama rasped, "You mustn't—!"
But they both knew that she must. She was the only one that stood a chance. If she didn't try, the fate of Kodachi could be left in ruins by Sesshoumaru's drunken rage. Because it was obvious that he was no stranger to absinthe on this night. Rin could smell the potent substance emanating from his skin alone.
The pearly white moon mixed with the darkened blue of night, illuminating the quieting hallway with purple splendor. A sight unbecoming for the treacherous situations that were undoubtedly meant to unfold.
Rin desperately tried to ignore the pervasive stare drilling into her back until she reached the fifteenth room on the third floor. She bowed to the ground and slid open the shoji doors for him. He strode in without so much a passing glance.
It was when Rin stood up to shut the doors, confining the two of them to the dimly lit room, that her hands began to shake. And nothing she thought of could stop them.
Rin dared turn to look up at Sesshoumaru, who was standing not four feet away, eyeing her like prey. He took one step closer, and she took one step back.
Another step, but she was already against the door. And his eyes lit up like fire.
When he was inches from her, she did all she thought she could and stepped towards him, pressing herself into his armor-less chest, hoping his clawed hands would not curl into her back like the last time she had met him this way. The powerful demon remained silent, making no move to retaliate against her touch, so she did the only thing that came to her mind.
"Sesshoumaru-sama," she breathed seductively into the taut skin of his pecs—channeling the years of moans she had heard through the thin walls of the pleasure side of Kodachi—through these very walls. She knew she needed act out this part she was forced to play, for any misstep could cause a drunken outburst. Hesitantly, and with innocent hands she opened his yukata to place gentle and unpracticed kisses down his chest, "Please… Sesshoumaru-sama, will you tell me… Is everything alright?"
"Be quiet," he hissed while placing a menacing hand on the back of her head. Although reluctant, Rin continued her trail voicelessly. After her hands and lips began to uneasily linger around his clavicles without knowledge of how to proceed, Sesshoumaru took hold of her shoulders crudely, eliciting a sharp exhale from Rin. He slid off the top half of the yukata he had given her just months before and, brazenly drinking her in, he asked forebodingly,
"Do you remember what you said to me that day?"
Rin's cheeks caught fire as she stood bare-chested, meek, and vulnerable before a powerful, uninhibited daiyoukai. She knew what he meant and it caused her drumming heart to betray her. And, to her dismay, his lips curled at the innate reaction.
"How I told you that I…," she swallowed hard, "…that I loved you?"
The slits of his eyes narrowed with amusement. Trailing a clawed hand up her abdomen and over her chest, analyzing the dips of her skin, her every reaction any time a claw found traction, he muttered, "How human of you to hold onto such meaningless things. No."
Rin's heart caught in her throat as he trampled over the confession that had caused her so much strife over the last two months. But before she could dwell on such hollow emotions, the memory struck her as hard as she had struck that demon. She remembered. She had said something so daring—
Sesshoumaru leaned over, his lips skimming her ear as his fingers swept the stray, radiant strands out of his path, mulling over her neck in the process.
"You said, 'you can't kill me,'" he whispered into her ear. The scent of absinthe was as noticeable as the anger in his eyes. Rin jolted when his hand lowered to the small of her neck, lightly molding around it.
"Do you remember that?" His voice deepened as he tightened his grip, sending adrenaline up and down Rin's body.
Rin nodded, gasping, grabbing his hand with both of hers—panicked.
"Do you still believe that?" He hissed, squeezing harder.
Rin couldn't even open her throat to make a noise, let alone speak. It was all she could do to shake her head, in hopes it would be enough to spare her an explanation for everything.
In one swift movement he threw her to the ground where she slid, coughing horribly and trying to regain her breath. But before she could, he pinned her down.
"You are nothing," he snarled lowly, fangs elongated, "You will never be a liability to me. I'd sooner rip you apart, myself." Rin turned her head away, avoiding eye contact, all the while maintaining her composure. A part of her expected him to do this. Had he even been given the time over the last few months to mourn his father's passing?
Was this because of his father's passing?
Was this because of Izayoi?
Before she could think of anything else to say, she stammered, "I-I refuse to be Izayoi to you."
He was silent. His elbows were on either side of her head and his body was pressed firmly to hers. She continued despite herself, "Even if I wanted to, I never could… because Sesshoumaru-sama is too disciplined to ever be brought down to such depths. But I would never even try, because I would never want him to suffer the same fate as the late Lord of the West… and…,"
Rin breathed the deepest breath she could have ever sworn,
"…because I could never love Sesshoumaru-sama in such a way that Izayoi loved his father."
"Oh?" Sesshoumaru smirked, thoroughly intrigued, "And why not?"
Rin, numbing herself as best she could, wrapped her legs around his hips as she whispered hotly, "Because this love is selfish. All I want is this, and so do you."
Sesshoumaru's eyes closed slowly and he tilted his head, allowing silver tresses to fall down onto Rin's heaving breasts. Sneering, he replied,
"My father was right. You are a liar."
Rin's face fell as he pushed his pelvis closer to hers, explaining, "Our history betrays you, Rin. All you have ever desired was selfless love. From Kohaku. From me."
Rin's eyes frosted over as he reached down to pull on the sash of his own yukata.
Ominously and gently, he spoke, "You are as transparent as the first time you ever looked me in the eye... Trying to keep me satiated with your body until I am sober enough to not bring any rash harm to you or your little Geisha friends."
"Stop…," Rin begged, stray tears falling, as he positioned himself at her entrance, "Please, I just…,"
"Just…?" Sesshoumaru growled.
"I-I'll tell you the truth. I promise," she squeaked.
Sesshoumaru waited a moment, relishing the pitiful plea in Rin's eyes before pushing his hips forward, forcing her to accommodate his length for the second time. She yelped as drying tears fell from the recoil. He pushed her body back to the floor.
"Interesting," he smirked, licking the salty tears from her cheeks while sliding in and out of her gently, "Indulge me."
Rin could barely think now as her body shifted from the movement of his hips, from the waves of accommodating pain and accommodated pleasure. Why is he doing this? Is this all a game? His movements were calculated, full of jesting restraint. Not at all like that night.
"I, ah!" She tried at first but the sensations of his body joining hers broke her concentration, "I… know that I…I feel something… between us."
His forehead lowered to hers as he sped up his movements, causing Rin to cry out once more.
"And what is it?" He demanded.
She latched onto his shoulders and said, "I… I refuse to define it… because… I'm ashamed… and scared to…,"
She paused a moment, "…to love someone like you."
Sweat laced the length of her body as the flooring creaked and the dim candlelight flickered obscenely.
"As you should be," he growled with a contented smirk, now burying himself into her harder, rougher. Now, every single time his cock met the innermost depths of her core, she would cry out.
"…but so are you," she managed to utter in between.
And he stopped. His silver, sweat-drenched bangs melded with her black as he met her gaze from centimeters away.
"Is that what you think?" He growled, threatening her audacity, "You think a great demon such as myself has the capacity to love a creature so weak and unbecoming as you?"
"It's what I know," Rin spoke softly, yet firmly, withholding tears, "After all, our history is ours. It betrays you, too."
Sesshoumaru's eyes sparked with crimson surprise.
Rin ran a hand up to the jagged markings of his face and, wrapping her legs tightly around his hips, forcing him deeper, she asked, "Why else would you choose this method? To scare me? Is that what you told yourself when you flew to my side, tonight?"
His breathing hitched and his eyes widened. But her eyes burned with too many nights filled with too many blameless tears. The courage was back. The courage that was careless, the courage that was selfish. She couldn't stop the words even as they flew to her tongue.
"Your father is dead, Sesshoumaru-sama. So why are you here?!" She yelled, "Why are you still fucking me?! Why are you still messing around with something so weak and unbecoming as me?!"
The tether snapped and Sesshoumaru roared. He laid all of his wrath, all of his confusion, all of his malice, into her. Covering her mouth, he slammed so deep she thought she would break. He craned her neck, choking her to the near point of lost consciousness. He bit and he sucked, drawing blood and bringing himself muffled, throaty screams from the deepest corners of Rin's lungs. She could feel it, she was going to break. Something was going to break.
Rin thought he would kill her this way. She had crossed the line farther than even she could have foreseen. She deserved it.
But yet, so did he.
Maybe something inside him finally acknowledged that, because he didn't kill her.
Whenever he had finished, he immediately stood, refusing to look her in the eye as he dressed.
Rin refused him her eyes as well. Every part of her felt close to snapping. Everything was sore. Everything was in pain.
Whenever he moved into her vision to take his leave through the window, Rin saw him hesitate. It was those small details that she didn't need to question anymore.
After tonight, she knew.
She knew that anything regarding Sesshoumaru-sama would never be predictable… ever again.
Well guys, I am truly humbled. Thank you so much for all of the reviews on my last chapter.
Thank you for all of your support and all of your excited reviews for what's to come.
I love reading your reviews, let me tell ya.
I definitely needed a break from this story, but know that it was the continued, trickling reviews that finally made me say, "Ya know what? I want to start this up again. I'M READY."
So yes, to every single one of you. I remember you, and I love you, and I'm grateful for you reading my work.
