The Demon Known As Love
By: Kagura-hime

Summery: Dark oneshot. Love can break through the coldest of hearts, or just break them all together...will Sesshoumaru fall victim to this tragic lesson? Will he realize that Cupids arrows are just that; weapons meant to maim and destroy? Sess/Kag

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, but I do own this story, a case of blank CD's, and…Sesshoumaru?! :gasp: Not really. But I had you fooled for a second though, didn't I?

Ok, I actually looked over this crappy story and edited the parts that needed to be edited, added a bit at the end, and changed the clique title. Yes I am amazing, you don't have to tell me :rolls eyes:

: The Demon Known As Love :

Would someone please tell me, for I am dying to know, how a person can be deceptive and cruel yet still have the charm to force you to love them at the same time? How is it that one person-one girl-could dangle your heart just out of reach to torment you, treat it some sort of macabre prize, and feel no remorse? I don't understand how that happened to someone such as myself, who swore off love so many eons ago. This girl pretended to love me, used me, all to get back at my foolish brother for not being able to choose between her and the rotting sack of ashes and dust. Who would have thought that her mind and heart could become so warped by the grief and distress the hanyou she loved caused her, and overpower her pure soul. It makes no sense. This girl, who didn't have a wicked bone in her body, and possessed a knack for honesty was able to fool the king of lies and ruthlessness. How…odd.

I had eventually started to weaken under this illusory façade of gentleness and caring the girl held around me. I knew I should have killed her the moment she set foot upon my land, seeking to wreak havoc and chaos upon so many people.

Maybe she was possessed. Possessed by the demon masquerading as a marvelous godsend that called itself love. But the love she harbored in her small frame was not for me, or my weakening heart. It was reserved only for that damnable mutt known as Inuyasha. And he never realized a bloody thing. His naïve and thoughtless actions left most people he came in contact with demolished- he needn't be a reckless full demon to completely annihilate those he cared for. He picked his long dead lover, who was bent on seeking revenge for an erroneous notion on her demise, over the epitome of faithfulness and integrity that longed only to be loved and cherished. But, alas, he was blind to her attempts to make him happy, and deaf to her pleas to him.

So, she baked a plan of revenge. Though, when she started mixing it, she wasn't sure if all the indefinite ingredients would fit together as she hoped. She crossed each bridge as she got there, and realized after a few of them that the aforementioned ingredients fit together as perfectly as pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Her plan came out fully cooked as a delicious cake- one that she intended to feed to Inuyasha so that he would realize his mistake and come crawling back to her like the silly little puppy he was. Except, that he wasn't hungry, and never would be. You would think that trying to keep on top of he wench's attempts at dragging him to hell would leave the mutt starving for something sweet. But no, the sugary icing that would've complete the bare cake was never smoothed on, and her plan failed miserably; in that respect anyway.

I don't know if she wished she could undo the damage or not, but it wouldn't really matter now, would it? Was it not was her wish-her desire-that began the snowball which turned into a full out avalanche to begin with?

Her surreal beauty led more than one man into the pit I had fallen prey to I know. That wolf twit Kouga had also loved her, and made damn sure that she was aware that she was "his." The fool has even challenged me to a fight over her, which I had easily won. He may have been fast, but only because of the borrowed power from the jewels I made sure to rip from his legs and present to my little miko. He was nothing more than a crippled little pest to me afterward, declaring his never-ending love to her time and time again, telling her to go to him if I ever hurt her. It would never happen-I couldn't hurt her. Obviously, the sentiments were not reciprocal.

Since the time I had first tried to kill her in my fathers tomb, I realized the strength she possessed, and the awesome power of her will to live and thrive, no matter the circumstances. That is why she was able to draw Tetsusaiga when even my brother, and I, couldn't. It wasn't because she was mortal-though it did help; it was because she was pure. Had it been someone selfish, such as a bandit or thief, or someone who was truly evil, such as the hanyou Naraku, then the fang wouldn't have budged a bloody inch, and shown a magnificent impersonation of the Sword in the Stone. She was destined to yank the sword out by accident, and hand it eagerly to the half-wit hanyou.

The next time I saw her, she had managed to disintegrate the power of that very same sword which had been resting in my mortal gift of a hand. It was then I realized that she could actually pose more of a threat than my dear imbecile of a brother, had she been more versed in the ways of her powers. Ironically though, I was the very person to teach her to use them after she had come to me a sobbing and quivering mess so different than the girl who had attempted to purify the hide right off me with the burning loyalty to her hanyou shining brightly in her blue-gray eyes. It was at that moment I came to grant her more respect than my brother ever has been, or ever will be, graced with.

After time and time again of seeing the unwavering loyalty and determination she demonstrated, my stereotypical image of humans was altered. I realized that there were exceptions to the mass of ignorant and pompous kind that called themselves mortals. I guess, now that I think about it, I had started to fall in love with her before she had even come pleading to me to help her. That must be-is- the only reason I denied my base instinct to kill her on site and not become caught in whatever tangled web she planned to weave. But like a dog to a milk-white bone, I was drawn to her innocence and the promise of happiness and contentment she held.

Soon after I had begun to acknowledge that I possessed some form of feeling for the girl, I realized something vital which haunted my mind day and night. I only continued seeking out my vile brother, continued to fight and torment him (which I cannot deny I did enjoy immensely) for no other purpose than to see her eyes glint in defiance of my authority, and rage with a fire I never wanted to see put out. I no longer obsessed over the fang of my father. I obsessed over raven tresses, rose-petal lips, dainty hands, and flowing curves. I knew I had found the one person whom I might actually be able to call my mate one day, and it angered me to no end that of all people she belonged to my sibling.

So when she came to me, and asked for admittance of my lands and the protection that would follow, I granted it, considering it a blessing from whatever God had favored me. I knew that something was wrong on some level, that she would not abandon the mutt without reason, but that was the one trait I was lacking at the time. I took her to my citadel, and presented her as a caretaker to Rin. It was through the child that I learned in detail of her traits and habits, likes and dislikes, and she mine. As we grew closer, I continued to sense something wrong, but regarded it as only my own fears that she would not accept me. I was foolish. I should have broken ties when I had the chance. I suppose now that it had been not a God that had favored me, but the devil himself, laughing his red arse right off at my ignorance. If there is one thing I have learned from all of this, it is that I should never ignore my instincts, since they have never led me astray yet.

After some carefully concealed research, I found that human males gave their intended mate-to-be a ring to symbolize their never-ending love. I also found out that humans conducted a ceremony pledging themselves to each other before the actual act of mating. Though, being a youkai, I found these acts trivial and unnecessary, my intended was human, and so I decided to follow these procedures to honor her. I proposed to begin courting her on the night of the full moon, under a tree pregnant with sakura blossoms. I knew that this would please her, and therefore suffered through kneeling on the dirt-infested ground, soiling my best clothes for no other reason. She accepted with tears in her eyes, and so the true disaster began.

Though no one with brains of any substantial size would outright protest the match to my face, I knew that the more powerful demons detested the pairing and believed I was becoming weak. They saw this as an opportunity to promote their status with my enemies and told them of my intended. I was attacked swiftly, and with no warning. I managed to squelch most of my opponents, and they backed off quickly, realizing that I had in fact not become weaker, but stronger with the positive influence in my life. They saved me the bother of killing the traitors- after some well-deserved torture to compensate for the loss of many good fighters. The more persistent (and downright stupid) ones continued with the ridiculous vendetta against me-with Naraku being the number one supporter of the uprising.

I am guessing that he was so gun-ho about it because if I were defeated, he would claim my little reincarnate that looked so much like his fallen love. I have no doubt that he would torture her-kill her after prolonged suffering (and after he had expelled Onigumo from his body)- for sins against him she did not commit. Even thinking about him laying a hand on her made the blood rush to my eyes and my youki swirl about me, desperately trying to break free to slaughter him. The miko herself was the only reason I did not completely lose control, for even her very presence next to me was enough to smooth my very ruffled fur and have me purring in content.

I eventually had to leave her to face the despicable hanyou head-on and replace the lid on the Pandora's box he opened on me. I must admit, her act was convincing when I left, telling me how she loved me, and that she would be waiting for me when I returned home safe and sound. She had even wanted to come with me, trying to sneak out with my men and I because of her absolute hatred for the being before me now.

And so, that is how I ended up on this battlefield now, listening to what the power-hungry hanyou was saying. Somehow, he knew the truth of the frail creature back at my keep. Probably because he had killed the wench doll-puppet Kikyo and severely wounded Inuyasha, realizing that my love was nowhere to be seen.

Something is setting off the warning bells in my head, except that I can't put my finger on it. All I know is that it has to do with her and her safety. Naraku confirmed what my gut had been trying to tell me when he walked over to a dying soldier and tossed off the helmet, revealing flowing black hair and creamy white skin. How I did not notice her-smell her- sooner, I will never know.

But I don't think I ever moved faster in my life when he began strangling her to get her to squeak out a yes that she had done everything he had explained. He looked mildly surprised when I ripped him to shreds with my claws, before drawing Tenseiga, bringing his body back together, and ripping his throat out, then a few of his organs, before finally plunging my hand through his ribs to yank out his still beating heart. I made damn sure he was dead by ripping off his head as an afterthought. He was most likely surprised because even though she had betrayed me, I had protected her and slaughtered him so easily. 'This hanyou though he was strong? Strong my ass. If my weakling brother could not even defeat this minor pain-in-the-ass, after having every opportunity in the world to do so, he deserved whatever he got. And what he will get from me for not killing him while he had the chance, and giving this beast the chance to harm my mate.' Naraku was not versed in the ways of love, and the effects Eros' arrows held once they had hit their mark. No, only obsession and greed had poisoned his heart (though the organ still resting in my hand was the only proof he had one) and mind.

I picked up the dying figure in my arms, and looked upon her face for the last time. It was then I saw her true self, and the love shining in her eyes. Love that I now know doesn't lie with me. Probably love for her friends, now that he was dead and they didn't have to suffer anymore. Though the hanyou used lies and trickery to bring about his twisted dreams, something about what he had truth printed on it, it big bold letters. I just hadn't wanted to see it before, but, shocking the hell out of me, he opened my love struck eyes and showed me the ugly picture surrounding the surreal image I had only wanted to see.

"Kagome."

"S-sess-chan," she choked out, blood filling her mouth.

Heh, isn't it so funny how one frail creature that ripped your heart out more times than Naraku ripped out his own, can tear even the strongest man down to his knees in defeat, and make him forget all the pain they caused in a heartbeat?

"I told you to stay home. Why did you come here? Why would you want to condemn yourself?" I was almost hysterical when I saw her crying crimson tears, though I didn't show it.

"T-to tell you…the truth. Naraku," she spit the name like filth, which brought a half-smile to my face, "w-was…right. I had l-lied to you, to get back at I-inuyasha. I d-deserve death. I'm s-so sorry." The blood was spilling freely out of her mouth and nose now.

"I know," I looked upon her sadly, the hurt shining clearly in my eyes I knew.

"I d-didn't expect it to really happen, b-but it did."

"What?" I looked at her attempt to smile at me in confusion.

"I didn't expect t-to really f-fall in l-love with you Sesshou-chan…"

She was dead. Her limp form sagged in my arms. My name was the last word on her frozen lips. I saw water dropping onto her still form, and looked up at the sky, wondering when it had started raining. It hadn't. A few more drops landed on her face before I realized that the salty drops were coming from me.

I touched a hand to my cheek, and found water making tracks in the blood down my face.

"I'm…crying?"

I had never cried before in my life. Not even as I watched my mother be slaughtered by Ryokotsei, which started the war between him and my father. But sobs now began racking me and I clutched her dead body to me desperately, not ready to let go of the only woman who had ever loved me. I knew that in the last instant of her life, she was not lying to me. Hell, she wasn't lying to me before that moment even; only in the beginning when her plan was still raw.

"Damn…DAMMIT KAGOME DON'T LEAVE ME!" I howled to a bloodstained wind, the stench of death and decay nearly overpowering her rapidly disappearing scent.

I drew Tenseiga and waited to see the creatures that would harvest her soul and bring it to the Underworld. But they never appeared.

"Why the hell isn't this working? I just used it!" I swung the blade over her prone body over and over, tears pouring down my face the whole time, but she never came back to me. I must have done it a thousand times, but the sword would not work.

"Is this the punishment I get for all my crimes? You bring back that filth Naraku, yet you cannot bring back my mate...my love? Worthless birthright..." I directed at my sword, half-tempted to break it since it could not bring back the one important person I wanted it to. Something stopped me though, and I listened to my instincts and sheathed it.

I kneeled down on the ground beside her. "I love you too," I cried too late to her sleeping face, caressing the cheek covered in blood and entrails. I wiped it clean with my hand, picked her up, and began carrying her through the mess of cadavers, not another living soul in sight, to bury her properly where she belongs.

Home.

-Fin

Translations
Miko-priestess
Hanyou- half demon
Youkai-demon
Sakura-cherry blossom
Youki-demonic energy
Tenseiga-Sword given to Sesshoumaru by his father. Has the power to revive a hundred in one stroke
-chanHonorific suffix usually used between close friends, elders to people younger than them, and couples

If I missed anything, let me know. Questions, comments, and constructive critisism are welcomed and appreciated.