Chapter 3: the Demon's Wrath
He loomed above the water in front of the severed tree limbs. His spell was broken. Marina was gone. Someone had taken his property. He looked at the branches in disgust. Rage began to well up inside of him. "Who could have done this?" His voice was filled with rage, although on the exterior, he seemed very collected. "Who would dare take MY Marina? She belongs to ME!" He spread out his gargantuan white wings, and glided gracefully away from the tree. "I will find you again, little angel. No matter where you go you cannot escape me. You cannot be free of me. I will NOT let you forget me. Your mine..." As he said those last words, a reassured smirk floated across his face. He seemed to be an angel in appearance, though he had the mind of a demon. He had long blonde hair and cold golden eyes. They say the eyes are the window to the soul, but no soul could be seen in these eyes. He wore white clothing that was long and flowing. It rustled behind him as he flew. He was more concerned, however, with finding Marina. He smiled as a faint sound came into his hearing. "She hasn't gotten far," He said wryly, "I can still hear her heart beating." He flew faster and faster to follow the sound. "Marina, you must dream only of me, you must think only of me, even if your thoughts must be of how to escape me. You are mine. I will never let you be free of me." He smiled into the fading light of the sun for he knew she was not strong enough to fight him. That even now, wherever she was, she feared his arrival. Knowing full well he would find her. This thought made him laugh inside. He lowered his head as night fell and spoke quietly into the coming darkness. "Remember, little angel, you must think only of me, for I will kill any others you hold dear." And with that he disappeared into the night.
Marina slept very little that night. Her dreams were all nightmares of the demon who claimed her. Nightmares of the words he had spoken to her. Nightmares of the way he looked at her. Nightmares of the way he would hold her. Nightmares she could never escape. She awoke with a start from a particularly terrible nightmare of the night he first took her. She hated that nightmare more than anything else. It always reminded her of him, always reminded her that she would never be free of him, that he was always watching her. She sat up determined not to fall asleep anymore. She never wanted to see those dreams again. She looked over to see Sesshoumaru asleep sitting up. She smiled an innocent smile. He was so kind to her. She saw Jaken sleeping nearby in the grass. She smiled at him too. She wanted to stay this way; happy, safe, free. She was feeling a little uneasy, so she decided to go for a little walk. She got up and began walking toward a small pond in the woods a little ways from where they were sleeping. The moon reflected off the water and onto the grass. 'This is so beautiful.' She thought to her self. She stood over the water, and took a deep breath. She was surprised when another voice sounded in the darkness. "Your so beautiful... little angel." That voice! She would know that voice anywhere. She gasped, but did not dare to turn around as the voice continued. "So beautiful... though I may have to clip your wings." She could almost hear the smile on his face. She looked down into the water and in a very low whisper she spoke. "No..." She could feel her legs begin to give way from despair. She spoke a little louder this time, but it sounded more like she was weeping. "No..." She kept her gaze into the water hoping he wasn't there, that it was a dream, but that hope was shattered when she noticed in the water, a figure had appeared standing behind her. "...Krad..." He smiled as he began to speak into her ear. "Your heart races whenever I approach you. I love the way your heart races when I come close to you..." He began to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her closer to him. Marina tried to pull away but his arms were too strong for her to pull away from. "Don't you remember what I said? Don't fight me. You can't win." He moved one arm up so that it was wrapped lightly around her shoulders. The other he kept around her waist. He spoke again pulling Marina closer still, his cold breath going down her long, slender neck. "You can never escape me. You can never be free of me." He moved his hand down her slender neck, which sent shivers down her spine. His touch was so cold. Her heart began to race. Krad stopped for a moment and listened to the sound it made. He smiled and slipped his hand into her kimono so that his hand rested on the bare skin of her shoulder. She gasped and her heart beat faster. Krad let out a sigh. The sound of her racing heart pleased him so much. He adored the sound. He bit the tip of her ear hard. So hard that she let out a squeak of pain and pulled away. He loved having so much control over her. He bit her neck before he continued to speak again. "You're such a frail, breakable little thing." He pulled his nails along her bare shoulder cutting her along her collar bone. She flinched in pain but he only pressed harder against her. His embrace was so cold. He rested his hand now on her neck. She couldn't stand his touch. He brought the hand around her waist up to her shoulders so that both arms were wrapped around her chest. He held her so tightly she became short of breath.
Marina was startled as he nipped her ear again and spoke. "Who set you free?" Marina was silent. She couldn't mention Sesshoumaru that would endanger him. She was quiet. Krad, becoming impatient with her silence, gripped her harder. "You did not free yourself... you couldn't free yourself. You are too weak." She whimpered from the pain she was feeling but did not speak his name. Krad looked at her with anger in his eyes. 'She's thinking of someone else... no one must be in her mind but me!' Krad stood up straight and let go of Marina almost completely. She slowly turned her head to see why he had let go. Krad stood behind her with his hands on her shoulders and his head pointed to the ground. When Marina began to turn around, she could see Krad smile. Before she was fully facing him, Krad grabbed her neck and chin and forced her around. She gasped as he pulled her to him. He put his fingers through her hair and kissed her, gently. She was surprised by how gently he touched her, but he soon proved he had not changed his ways. He pulled her hair back so that she exposed her neck. She moaned as he kissed down her neck. When he reached her collar, he bit her, hard so that a small trickle of blood seeped from the wound. He liked at the wound and then raised his head to look at her. "Who freed you from my spell?" He said in a voice that sent shivers down Marina's spine. She began to cry. She couldn't handle going back with him. Her legs gave way under her and she began to slide through his arms to the ground. She couldn't take it any more. She couldn't fight him. She wept as she fell. She hoped he would just let her fall and leave her there, on the ground. She knew however that he would never leave her. He would not let her fall to the ground to escape him either. He picked her up in his arms and kissed her again, much harder this time. Marina still wept and in her mind a faint cry sounded out. 'Please...help me...'
Sesshoumaru woke with a terrible start. He had heard a voice in his dreams. It was Marina. He looked franticly around to find her, but saw no sign of her. "Marina! Where are you?!" He yelled out, but there was no response. He listened for a moment. A song started to play again in the wind. He knew if he followed it, it would lead him to her. So follow it he did. He ran as fast as the winds would allow him and in a short time he came to a pond. Standing in front of the pond was a figure in white holding...Marina! His blood boiled with rage. "Don't touch her!" The figure turned around when he heard the voice. Marina lay motionless in his arms; then he could see the tears rolling down her face. He looked at her and then at the one holding her. "Krad!" Krad's long, blonde hair fell on Marina's face and body as she lay unconscious in his arms. Krad looked at Sesshoumaru and, realizing who he was, he kissed Marina's neck where the blood still trickled down. His eyes never left Sesshouaru. Sesshoumaru's fist clenched. The more hatred Sesshoumaru felt, though, the happier it made Krad. Sesshoumaru wanted to tear him apart, but would not attack him as long as he held Marina. Krad bent down and lay Marina on the ground by the lake. As he stood, he began to speak. "So..." He began, brushing his hair behind him. "You're the one who broke my spell and took my Marina." Sesshoumaru's demeanour became more like himself now. He stood unaffected by Krad's words. He just stared coldly at him. He smirked a little which somewhat startled Krad. Sesshoumaru then ran his fingers through his hair and spoke in a monotone voice. "I am. But I don't see how that would concern a neo demon like yourself." Krad's face turned red in anger. 'How DARE he call ME a neo demon!' Krad looked him in the eye. Then he stood with a look of disgust on his face. "I am perfection. You are nothing to me." Krad was enraged by Sesshoumaru. The way he looked so unaffected by him. He couldn't stand it. Sesshoumaru spoke again, this time hitting a soft spot for Krad. "What's wrong? Are you still angry because I didn't let you kill me?" "Let me kill you?" This angered Krad even more so. "How dare you doubt my power?" With that he lunged at Sesshoumaru, holding nothing back. Sesshoumaru dodged it just in time. Krad's speed and power had increased. If this kept up, he may even get the better of Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru could not allow that to happen. He dodged his attacks as they came but he could not dodge forever. Quickly, he ran towards Marina and grabbed her. He cradled her in his arms, but he soon realized he would need at least one of his arms to fight his way out. He managed to cradle her in one arm, and with the other he made one final attempt at Krad. He swung his poison claws in one last effort. He stuck Krad across the chest. They both landed gracefully on the ground. Sesshoumaru turned to look at Krad. Krad slowly turned as he held his bleeding wound. The poison was seeping further into it. Sesshoumaru, half smiling with Marina in his arms, turned and disappeared into the forest. Krad looked on and, despite the fact he had not gotten what he came for, he also smiled. "Does he really think that will end me? Does he really think he can save Marina from me? Does he really think I will just give up on such a marvellous creature? What a fool..." He raised the hand he had covering his wound which was now covered in blood and licked a drop of blood from it. Then, he continued. "What a fool indeed. She is mine. No matter how far he takes her, she can never escape me." Krad put his hands by his side and spread his enormous wings. "And now, neither can he..." With that he flew off into the night.
Sesshoumaru ran quickly through the thick forest. He had to be sure he was far enough away from Krad for Marina to be safe. She still lay motionless in his arms. What had he done to her? Why hasn't she woken up? Sesshoumaru looked down at her and immediately noticed bruises on her neck. His eyes widened. 'How dare he touch Marina! How dare he harm her. He will pay for this!' Sesshoumaru looked forward again and slowed down when he had reached the clearing where they had slept before. It was still too close. Krad could still catch them if he wanted. He had to continue. He was just about to resume his pace again when Jaken woke up. He yawned and rubbed his eyes. He had no idea what was going on. He looked up at his master as he held Marina in his arms. He was absolutely puzzled. "Lord Sesshoumaru, what's going on?" Sesshoumaru looked down at the confused little toad. Then he looked ahead again. "Come, Jaken. It is no longer safe here. We must move on." Jaken looked at his master, knowing full well anything he said would make no differeance to what Sessoumaru did, so he only nodded in compliance. So he struggled to keep up with his master as the three of them journeyed on into the night.
He loomed above the water in front of the severed tree limbs. His spell was broken. Marina was gone. Someone had taken his property. He looked at the branches in disgust. Rage began to well up inside of him. "Who could have done this?" His voice was filled with rage, although on the exterior, he seemed very collected. "Who would dare take MY Marina? She belongs to ME!" He spread out his gargantuan white wings, and glided gracefully away from the tree. "I will find you again, little angel. No matter where you go you cannot escape me. You cannot be free of me. I will NOT let you forget me. Your mine..." As he said those last words, a reassured smirk floated across his face. He seemed to be an angel in appearance, though he had the mind of a demon. He had long blonde hair and cold golden eyes. They say the eyes are the window to the soul, but no soul could be seen in these eyes. He wore white clothing that was long and flowing. It rustled behind him as he flew. He was more concerned, however, with finding Marina. He smiled as a faint sound came into his hearing. "She hasn't gotten far," He said wryly, "I can still hear her heart beating." He flew faster and faster to follow the sound. "Marina, you must dream only of me, you must think only of me, even if your thoughts must be of how to escape me. You are mine. I will never let you be free of me." He smiled into the fading light of the sun for he knew she was not strong enough to fight him. That even now, wherever she was, she feared his arrival. Knowing full well he would find her. This thought made him laugh inside. He lowered his head as night fell and spoke quietly into the coming darkness. "Remember, little angel, you must think only of me, for I will kill any others you hold dear." And with that he disappeared into the night.
Marina slept very little that night. Her dreams were all nightmares of the demon who claimed her. Nightmares of the words he had spoken to her. Nightmares of the way he looked at her. Nightmares of the way he would hold her. Nightmares she could never escape. She awoke with a start from a particularly terrible nightmare of the night he first took her. She hated that nightmare more than anything else. It always reminded her of him, always reminded her that she would never be free of him, that he was always watching her. She sat up determined not to fall asleep anymore. She never wanted to see those dreams again. She looked over to see Sesshoumaru asleep sitting up. She smiled an innocent smile. He was so kind to her. She saw Jaken sleeping nearby in the grass. She smiled at him too. She wanted to stay this way; happy, safe, free. She was feeling a little uneasy, so she decided to go for a little walk. She got up and began walking toward a small pond in the woods a little ways from where they were sleeping. The moon reflected off the water and onto the grass. 'This is so beautiful.' She thought to her self. She stood over the water, and took a deep breath. She was surprised when another voice sounded in the darkness. "Your so beautiful... little angel." That voice! She would know that voice anywhere. She gasped, but did not dare to turn around as the voice continued. "So beautiful... though I may have to clip your wings." She could almost hear the smile on his face. She looked down into the water and in a very low whisper she spoke. "No..." She could feel her legs begin to give way from despair. She spoke a little louder this time, but it sounded more like she was weeping. "No..." She kept her gaze into the water hoping he wasn't there, that it was a dream, but that hope was shattered when she noticed in the water, a figure had appeared standing behind her. "...Krad..." He smiled as he began to speak into her ear. "Your heart races whenever I approach you. I love the way your heart races when I come close to you..." He began to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her closer to him. Marina tried to pull away but his arms were too strong for her to pull away from. "Don't you remember what I said? Don't fight me. You can't win." He moved one arm up so that it was wrapped lightly around her shoulders. The other he kept around her waist. He spoke again pulling Marina closer still, his cold breath going down her long, slender neck. "You can never escape me. You can never be free of me." He moved his hand down her slender neck, which sent shivers down her spine. His touch was so cold. Her heart began to race. Krad stopped for a moment and listened to the sound it made. He smiled and slipped his hand into her kimono so that his hand rested on the bare skin of her shoulder. She gasped and her heart beat faster. Krad let out a sigh. The sound of her racing heart pleased him so much. He adored the sound. He bit the tip of her ear hard. So hard that she let out a squeak of pain and pulled away. He loved having so much control over her. He bit her neck before he continued to speak again. "You're such a frail, breakable little thing." He pulled his nails along her bare shoulder cutting her along her collar bone. She flinched in pain but he only pressed harder against her. His embrace was so cold. He rested his hand now on her neck. She couldn't stand his touch. He brought the hand around her waist up to her shoulders so that both arms were wrapped around her chest. He held her so tightly she became short of breath.
Marina was startled as he nipped her ear again and spoke. "Who set you free?" Marina was silent. She couldn't mention Sesshoumaru that would endanger him. She was quiet. Krad, becoming impatient with her silence, gripped her harder. "You did not free yourself... you couldn't free yourself. You are too weak." She whimpered from the pain she was feeling but did not speak his name. Krad looked at her with anger in his eyes. 'She's thinking of someone else... no one must be in her mind but me!' Krad stood up straight and let go of Marina almost completely. She slowly turned her head to see why he had let go. Krad stood behind her with his hands on her shoulders and his head pointed to the ground. When Marina began to turn around, she could see Krad smile. Before she was fully facing him, Krad grabbed her neck and chin and forced her around. She gasped as he pulled her to him. He put his fingers through her hair and kissed her, gently. She was surprised by how gently he touched her, but he soon proved he had not changed his ways. He pulled her hair back so that she exposed her neck. She moaned as he kissed down her neck. When he reached her collar, he bit her, hard so that a small trickle of blood seeped from the wound. He liked at the wound and then raised his head to look at her. "Who freed you from my spell?" He said in a voice that sent shivers down Marina's spine. She began to cry. She couldn't handle going back with him. Her legs gave way under her and she began to slide through his arms to the ground. She couldn't take it any more. She couldn't fight him. She wept as she fell. She hoped he would just let her fall and leave her there, on the ground. She knew however that he would never leave her. He would not let her fall to the ground to escape him either. He picked her up in his arms and kissed her again, much harder this time. Marina still wept and in her mind a faint cry sounded out. 'Please...help me...'
Sesshoumaru woke with a terrible start. He had heard a voice in his dreams. It was Marina. He looked franticly around to find her, but saw no sign of her. "Marina! Where are you?!" He yelled out, but there was no response. He listened for a moment. A song started to play again in the wind. He knew if he followed it, it would lead him to her. So follow it he did. He ran as fast as the winds would allow him and in a short time he came to a pond. Standing in front of the pond was a figure in white holding...Marina! His blood boiled with rage. "Don't touch her!" The figure turned around when he heard the voice. Marina lay motionless in his arms; then he could see the tears rolling down her face. He looked at her and then at the one holding her. "Krad!" Krad's long, blonde hair fell on Marina's face and body as she lay unconscious in his arms. Krad looked at Sesshoumaru and, realizing who he was, he kissed Marina's neck where the blood still trickled down. His eyes never left Sesshouaru. Sesshoumaru's fist clenched. The more hatred Sesshoumaru felt, though, the happier it made Krad. Sesshoumaru wanted to tear him apart, but would not attack him as long as he held Marina. Krad bent down and lay Marina on the ground by the lake. As he stood, he began to speak. "So..." He began, brushing his hair behind him. "You're the one who broke my spell and took my Marina." Sesshoumaru's demeanour became more like himself now. He stood unaffected by Krad's words. He just stared coldly at him. He smirked a little which somewhat startled Krad. Sesshoumaru then ran his fingers through his hair and spoke in a monotone voice. "I am. But I don't see how that would concern a neo demon like yourself." Krad's face turned red in anger. 'How DARE he call ME a neo demon!' Krad looked him in the eye. Then he stood with a look of disgust on his face. "I am perfection. You are nothing to me." Krad was enraged by Sesshoumaru. The way he looked so unaffected by him. He couldn't stand it. Sesshoumaru spoke again, this time hitting a soft spot for Krad. "What's wrong? Are you still angry because I didn't let you kill me?" "Let me kill you?" This angered Krad even more so. "How dare you doubt my power?" With that he lunged at Sesshoumaru, holding nothing back. Sesshoumaru dodged it just in time. Krad's speed and power had increased. If this kept up, he may even get the better of Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru could not allow that to happen. He dodged his attacks as they came but he could not dodge forever. Quickly, he ran towards Marina and grabbed her. He cradled her in his arms, but he soon realized he would need at least one of his arms to fight his way out. He managed to cradle her in one arm, and with the other he made one final attempt at Krad. He swung his poison claws in one last effort. He stuck Krad across the chest. They both landed gracefully on the ground. Sesshoumaru turned to look at Krad. Krad slowly turned as he held his bleeding wound. The poison was seeping further into it. Sesshoumaru, half smiling with Marina in his arms, turned and disappeared into the forest. Krad looked on and, despite the fact he had not gotten what he came for, he also smiled. "Does he really think that will end me? Does he really think he can save Marina from me? Does he really think I will just give up on such a marvellous creature? What a fool..." He raised the hand he had covering his wound which was now covered in blood and licked a drop of blood from it. Then, he continued. "What a fool indeed. She is mine. No matter how far he takes her, she can never escape me." Krad put his hands by his side and spread his enormous wings. "And now, neither can he..." With that he flew off into the night.
Sesshoumaru ran quickly through the thick forest. He had to be sure he was far enough away from Krad for Marina to be safe. She still lay motionless in his arms. What had he done to her? Why hasn't she woken up? Sesshoumaru looked down at her and immediately noticed bruises on her neck. His eyes widened. 'How dare he touch Marina! How dare he harm her. He will pay for this!' Sesshoumaru looked forward again and slowed down when he had reached the clearing where they had slept before. It was still too close. Krad could still catch them if he wanted. He had to continue. He was just about to resume his pace again when Jaken woke up. He yawned and rubbed his eyes. He had no idea what was going on. He looked up at his master as he held Marina in his arms. He was absolutely puzzled. "Lord Sesshoumaru, what's going on?" Sesshoumaru looked down at the confused little toad. Then he looked ahead again. "Come, Jaken. It is no longer safe here. We must move on." Jaken looked at his master, knowing full well anything he said would make no differeance to what Sessoumaru did, so he only nodded in compliance. So he struggled to keep up with his master as the three of them journeyed on into the night.