Ladies and Gentlemen, it's TEN CHAPTERS!!! That's a RECORD!!!
…if you look at it logically, every chapter's been a record as it's the first story I've posted on fanfiction.net… but who cares. I think TEN is a kind of cool number anyway.
About the marks (people have asked): Sesshoumaru and Inu-yasha have both put marks on Kagome to "claim" her – but they have done it for two different reasons. Sesshoumaru marked her because he wishes to kill her. He could have done it before, but he wants the pleasure of killing her slowly, rather like a cat playing with a mouse. Therefore he put a mark on her to ensure that no other demon killed her first, spoiling his fun.
Inu-yasha, on the other hand, marked Kagome as a sign that she is his mate. It's like a human wedding ring. It says to other demons – like Koga – and to the humans who know about demon customs that she is "his", and no other man may take her as his wife/mate. (Kind of stupid when you think about it, she could just say it herself… But I think it's also a kind of promise, and a threat to other demons – mess with my girl and you mess with me. Or something.)
Thus none of the two different marks is more powerful than the other. Inu-yasha's mark can't override Sesshoumaru's mark, as they represent two different things – love versus hate. Both demons still have their own claim on her.
Did you understand anything of that? Ten points to you if you did, I hardly did myself. Just go on and read the story, don't mind me.
Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and the rest. I do own the shapeshifter and furry-opossum-demon-thingy who have appeared (however briefly) in earlier chapters though. à I'm rather fond of those two, so I just wanted to point that out.
Chapter Ten
"So, you dare challenge me on my own ground," said Sesshoumaru, standing in front of Inu-yasha. They had arrived at Sesshoumaru's castle in the late afternoon to find the demon lord waiting for them. The last rays of sunshine caught his face, throwing the features in sharp relief, beautiful and terrible.
The rest the group was huddled at the edge of the forest, waiting to see how the battle went. They had offered their help, but they sensed that it might be hard to injure one demon without hurting the other, too. This was Inu-yasha's fight.
"I was wondering how far you'd go for your little bitch," frowned Sesshoumaru. "It puzzles me… why do you protect her?"
"For reasons you'll never understand," growled Inu-yasha. "And she's not just some little bitch." Wasting no more time on words, he drew his sword and attacked.
"SCAR OF THE WIND!"
"You should know by now that it doesn't work on me," smirked Sesshoumaru after the dust from Inu-yasha's most powerful attack had disappeared again. He was standing quite calmly a bit further off from where he had been before. "You tried to kill me with it once, and it didn't work at all, tut tut. And besides, I know this attack, so I am prepared for it. If you don't have anything better to come with I am afraid that – "
He had no time to complete the sentence as the Tetsusaiga sliced through the air where he had been a second before. Sesshoumaru had leaped off to the side and towards the forest – towards Kagome – but before he could reach the girl Inu-yasha was in front of him again.
"Quite set on protecting her, aren't you? Just be careful that it doesn't distract you from guarding yourself!" As he said the last words Sesshoumaru's claws shot out, scratching Inu-yasha over the cheek.
"After all…" Sesshoumaru continued, "what use is a dead demon when it comes to protecting the girl? Oops, did I say demon? I meant half-demon, of course."
Inu-yasha leapt forward and struck quickly. His brother avoided him without too much trouble, but he could sense a little more unease in the other demon. The poison of Sesshoumaru's talons stung a little, but it wasn't as if it was a grave injury. Attacking once again he drew close to Sesshoumaru, so close that there was not much of a chance for the other to escape. This time…
Sesshoumaru grabbed the Tetsusaiga with his hand, wrenching it out of Inu-yasha's grasp while he was still too surprised to react. He flung it far away, so far that Inu-yasha could not retrieve it without leaving his friends unguarded, and then stuck his hand in his mouth. Despite her worry and her fear Kagome started to giggle when she saw what he did, earning herself a death glare.
…and as we're talking about Sesshoumaru here, "death glare" isn't just a figure of speech.
"What's he doing?" she whispered to her friends, to put the thought of death out of her head.
"The Tetsusaiga's shield repels him," Miroku answered. "It hurt him terribly to touch it."
"Not to mention he cut his hand," muttered Sango. "Stupid bastard."
"Yes, that too," Miroku acknowledged. "Putting his hand in his mouth probably heals it faster."
"He's a dog demon," Sango added. "His saliva has extraordinary healing powers."
"Licking his wounds…" Kagome smirked.
Inu-yasha, meanwhile, was dodging and jumping all over the place to avoid the strokes of Sesshoumaru's claws, once he got his hand out of his mouth. He was off balance, tottering dangerously with every new leap he had to take. Suddenly, however, he got steady ground under his feet again and stood up straight. He pulled his fist back and wham! punched Sesshoumaru smack in the face.
Never had any demon looked more surprised.
"Don't forget, brother," said Inu-yasha with a slight smile, breaking his silence for the first time since his first attack, "that I still have use of my hands too. Oops, did I say brother? I meant half-brother, of course."
"Vermin," spat Sesshoumaru.
"Sonofabitch," Inu-yasha retorted. "If anyone deserves the title, it's you."
It looked like he had hit a nerve. Sesshoumaru's eyes glowed suddenly red and he struck at Inu-yasha, who just smirked and stepped aside.
"Seems your blows go wild when you get angry…"
Every blow Sesshoumaru tried was blocked easily by his younger brother. Inu-yasha seemed to have found new strength…or was it confidence?
Sesshoumaru now tried to escape, to jump clear over him like he had done so many times before, but this time he was not successful. Inu-yasha was prepared, stretching out a hand faster than the eye could follow and grabbing the other demon's ankle, sending him smashing down into the ground again.
"Oh, so you've learnt," said Sesshoumaru calmly, not showing how disturbed he was.
'He is good,' he thought. 'This will be harder than I thought.'
Inu-yasha didn't waste more time talking, instead attacked again and again, punching and raking his claws down the other demon's chest. He was stronger than Sesshoumaru had ever seen him before.
'Is it because of the girl?'
Inu-yasha, meanwhile, was aware that Sesshoumaru was trying to lead him somewhere. They were moving slowly in circles, with him attacking and his brother jumping away, evading him but not attacking himself.
'Where does he want to get to?'
The answer presented itself to him suddenly, just as he saw Sesshoumaru land beside Kagome, who was standing a few steps from the rest of her friends. Cursing his stupidity he ran forward, his heart wringing with worry. But the older demon was far faster. Before Inu-yasha could blink Sesshoumaru's claws were against the side of her throat again.
"You have done well, I'll grant you, but not – of course – well enough," said Sesshoumaru, smiling with more than a hint of cruelty. Using one talon he then pulled the neck of Kagome's shirt down a little to regard the long stripes on her skin. "Oh... I see you finally made her your mate then, brother? I was wondering how long you could contain yourself, traveling with this lovely young specimen of the fairer sex."
"Let her go..."
"Or else you'll do what?" Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow slightly. "But why so anxious, Inu-yasha? I've told you before: there are many more where she came from. She's just a girl, isn't she? A remarkably pretty one, to be sure, but still only a human."
Inu-yasha didn't answer. His throat was so dry he could not get a word through.
'I promised her,' he thought helplessly, 'I promised her he'd never get close to her again and now he is. And I can't do anything about it!'
Sesshoumaru's eyes widened in surprise.
"Oh, but how amusing... you love her, don't you? I'd never have thought it, not even of you. But it is certainly fitting: spawned by humans and spending your life with them. Did you ever guess when you were younger, brother, that you'd one day love a human...and probably die with her, too?"
"Take my life instead, you've wanted it long enough," said Inu-yasha, hardly understanding how the words could leave his mouth at all when all he could think of was Kagome. Kagome, who could not even say a word, who couldn't move, who was frozen with terror.
"No thank you." Sesshoumaru smiled again, stroking the side of Kagome's throat with one finger, caressing the punctures in her skin that he had himself inflicted upon her. "Don't you know what this mark on her throat means? It is her life I want now. But she is strong, isn't she? Full of power. I've tried to break her, but she's just too defiant! She is a priestess, I hear. I almost expect her to do something fancy and finish me off right now. Can you do that? Hm?" He bent his mouth down to her ear, whispering something Inu-yasha could not pick up. She convulsed, trying to tear herself out of his grasp.
"Logically, I should not be able to kill her, right?" asked Sesshoumaru, looking up at Inu-yasha again. His eyes seemed to hold some challenge, but Inu-yasha didn't know how to respond. He didn't know anything anymore.
In a swift slashing motion, Sesshoumaru tore Kagome's chest open, watching as she fell, her mouth open in a surprised "oh".
"But I was, seemingly," he said, a disappointed frown creasing his face. "How boring."
*************
The time seemed to stand still. Between the first connection of Sesshoumaru's claws with Kagome's skin and the soft thud when she hit the ground, Inu-yasha felt that months passed. He saw himself and Kagome arguing, fighting both with each other and against demons, traveling, laughing, talking and during the most recent memories, kissing. He knew that humans saw their lives flash before their eyes just before their death, and wondered if this meant he was just about to die, too. He had just seen his own life – the part that mattered.
From the corner of his eye he saw Miroku, Sango and Shippou rush to Kagome's side. He himself could not. He felt empty, having no feelings left in his body except a sorrow so deep it had overtaken him, drowning out all other thoughts. He was dimly aware of his brother coming towards him, but did not know whether he ought to do something about it, and in that case, why.
Sesshoumaru's blow sent him flying into a tree. He registered pain that felt as though he had broken several ribs. The next blow tossed him into the air like a child. He landed on his side, feeling his left wrist snap in the impact. He did not bother to get up.
"What is the matter with you? Lost the will to live?"
Inu-yasha realized in an absentminded sort of way that Sesshoumaru had hit the spot. He was aware of everything around him, but none of it seemed to interest him. Everything presented itself to him quite clearly: his friends kneeling over Kagome's body, Miroku's face shining with perspiration as he tried to exorcise the venom in her body, Sango trying to stop the blood flow and Shippou crying, loud with despair. It seemed far off, unimportant. He turned his attention to his brother. All the awe and respect he once had for the older demon was gone. Instead Sesshoumaru reminded him of a spoilt child – what's the matter? Get up! I want to fight!
"I take it you're not set on avenging your poor dead wench?" Sesshoumaru was trying to goad him, he realized, but he wasn't successful. Why avenge Kagome, when it couldn't bring her back anyway?
"So wasn't she as good in bed with you as she was with me?"
Once more time slowed down for Inu-yasha, moving like treacle. Then he rose and with a howl of rage charged towards his brother. The comment had set something loose inside him, even though he would have known it was untrue if he had stopped to think. But he had just forgotten everything he had ever known. He had even forgotten that Kagome was dead, his sorrow and deep despair. All he knew was that before him stood someone he wanted dead. The demon inside him had risen and was devouring every sane thought, leaving place for only one desire: kill. Kill. KILL!!!
Sesshoumaru was for the first time truly scared. He had never seen his brother taken over by his demon side before, and he was glad for it.
'If he used the Shikon jewel to become full demon…he'd become the strongest demon ever to have walked this earth. And the most dangerous. He's like an animal… He'll get himself killed…'
He had to jump aside to avoid Inu-yasha's claws. The half-demon was striking wildly, not planning his moves but attacking at random. And although Sesshoumaru might be heartless and cold, he had never truly desired his younger half-brother's death. He liked to spar with him, seeing their fights as a kind of game, but kill him…
Oh well, if it was necessary then he'd have no scruples about murdering Inu-yasha. He didn't value the young idiot's life over his own! He faced the crazed half-demon, flexing the muscles of his hand and cracking the knuckles one by one. Inu-yasha gave an inhuman growl and leapt towards him, his left hand hanging useless and his shoulder looking disjointed. Sesshoumaru braced himself…
…and an arrow pierced his chest, glowing with the same power that had saved a girl from insanity. The power that had kept her safe from Sesshoumaru's mind games and helped her defy him.
"Don't forget the little bitch," said Kagome tightly, as he turned and looked at her, surprise evident in every feature. Thus Sesshoumaru was undone by the only person he had ever desired, although he couldn't realize it himself. He fell slowly and behind him Kagome became aware of Inu-yasha, his eyes returning to golden as he walked towards her, haltingly slow at first but gaining speed with every hobble. She smiled weakly, but before he could reach her she fell to the ground and moved no more.
*************