Author's Note: Looks like this has turned into an update every two weeks. I can keep up with that schedule. Hopefully… Anyway, this chapter is a little shorter than usual, mostly because there weren't as many reviews as I would have liked. Oh well, do better next time. If you don't, well… You know the saying, if you stop reviewing; I stop writing. Hope you enjoy this chapter. We have a new villain of my own creation to make an appearance. Enter Juro!
Disclaimer: Sing to the song "Stuck" by Stacy Oricco I… Don't own InuYasha today, or anyone from the show. But if you let me have them, I'd be glad to use them for my twisted fun. I am trippin, I'm never gonna have them. You know what, I don't own the song either. So no suing!
Way Worn
Chapter 6: Youkai Markings
His eyes were gray. They showed a cold and unforgiving creature, a creature that despises kindness, and relishes in murder, a creature that thrives on death and destruction.
Nikomi gasped and backed up a few steps, her courage temporarily leaving her. But she found that moving soon became impossible. Those eyes… She could not tear her gaze away, yet she was so frightened.
After a few moments, the female hanyou managed to gather her wits, and spoke in a trembling voice, "Wh…Who are you?"
He smiled. The effect from this new motion was not what Nikomi had been expecting. His face almost glowed with a hidden joy, causing the girl to relax slightly. She took in a deep breath, but let it out quickly in another low gasp when she saw his eyes again. They had changed. No longer the cold and stormy gray, but a warm and lovely violet. They sparkled at her.
It seemed as if a weight had been lifted from her body. With renewed strength and courage, she asked again, "Who are you?"
His hair, which was a deep crimson color much like blood, swept about his face. It was only ear length, and was a tousle about his head. The clothes he wore were stranger than any that Nikomi had ever seen before. He wore a dark green kimono, with a cloak made of rainbow colored feathers about his shoulders.
"Juro is my name, love. And may I ask yours?" His voice was smooth and calm. It seemed to flow from his lips like silk through waving fingers.
She faltered for a moment, caught in his gaze again. This time her body didn't go numb, as it had before. She felt a strange new tingling sensation that began at her fingertips and her toes, and shot up pleasantly throughout the rest of her body.
"I'm Nikomi. What do you want with me?" She ignored the strange feeling, and forced her words to sound as normal as possible.
He smiled again, and the female hanyou's knees went weak. His teeth were normal, much like a human's, and she noticed the demon marks on his cheeks, three blue stripes on each side. Her gaze continued to travel upward as she stared. His eyebrows arched up amusedly, and his violet eyes sparkled. That red hair was so strange… it was not like Shippo's, which was bright and cheerful, but a mysterious and almost alluring color.
"You. I've come for you."
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A growl formed deep in Dayu's throat as he watched the scene before him. He hadn't imagined finding Nikomi like this, hiding in the bushes as he watched another male hold her hands. Who was that creature?
The male hanyou's eyes narrowed as he watched the hands of the demon move along the length of Nikomi's arm. How dare that creature touch his female! With an amazingly loud snarl, Dayu leapt out, and ran to the two.
The strange demon with the red hair stood up, slowly and calmly. Nikomi remained silent, with a look beyond surprise set on her lovely face. The male hanyou watched as a soft blush crept its way along her cheeks as she let go of the demon's hand.
Dayu stopped his rush, his sanity returning for a moment as he looked upon the Nikomi's face. What had happened? The rage that he had felt had driven him into an insane fury. What was going on?
With an angry growl, the male hanyou crouched for a leap. His body seemed to be working of its own accord. His mind and all logic screamed at him to stop, but it was useless. His female had been violated, and that was all the youkai side of him knew.
Desperately, Dayu could think of only one thing to save the life of this demon before him. Forcing all of his will into his right arm, Dayu slashed his left arm deeply with his claws.
Now the youkai surfacing in the male hanyou could comprehend something else: pain.
With a cry of anguish, Nikomi ran towards her best friend. "Dayu! What happened?" Working quickly, she tore off a strip of cloth from the bottom of her skirt, and began to wrap it around the profusely bleeding arm.
Dayu looked up into her eyes, and saw tears of worry and fear in them. She glanced up, and they met eyes. Dayu's body gave an involuntary shudder.
Nikomi broke eye contact for a moment, and reached up one clawed hand towards the male hanyou's face. He did not flinch, nor did he growl or snarl. His youkai half was quickly retreating back inside.
She brushed his cheek gently, barely touching it, "Stripes…" She whispered, "Youkai markings."
Dayu reached up to take her hand, but found himself flying through the air. His body hit the trunk of a large tree with such force, that he could taste the blood coming up his throat. With a groan, he slid down to the base of the tree.
"Dayu!" Nikomi screamed. Tears fell freely from her eyes as she started to run towards him, but the strange, red haired demon grabbed her before she could take more than two steps.
"Leave him, love. Such a pretty creature, like yourself, needs more from a mate than a bloody hanyou could ever give." His silken voice changed with the last word, to a rough and fearful tone.
"No…" Dayu tried to protest, but all that he could manage was a choking sound, and blood dribbling from his mouth. Summoning his youkai side again took only a moment, and he was half way up before the gray eyes hit him.
His body went still, even though rage and demon blood burned within him, he could not will himself to move. His gaze was fixed on those strange gray eyes. 'Nikomi!" He mouthed the word, unable to get it out. She looked so frightened… She was crying.
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Nikomi struggled with all her might in the grasp of the demon, but it was futile. Why wasn't Dayu moving? His eyes… Her best friend's eyes were blood red, and his face had the youkai stripes. It startled her to see him like that, but did not scare her. Inside, she knew it was still Dayu, and he would protect her.
Suddenly, the strange cloak of feathers on the demon's back moved and shook. It formed into two wings, which began to flap up and down, creating a strong wind, and stirring up loose dirt and leaves.
Nikomi cried out as she felt the ground leave her feet. Dayu… He still wasn't moving, and there was blood coming from his mouth. She screamed again, yet there was nothing but the darkness to answer her cry.
Extra Author's Note: Hope you liked it. Hope you like the new bad guy, Juro, too. What does he want Nikomi for? Why is Dayu's youkai blood suddenly surfacing?? Review if you want to find out!
