Jackie: 5 chapters until the 'good part'
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Chapter 20;
Sesshomaru figured she would be at the party already, and headed out to the main courtyard. He blatantly ignored the heralders announcing his entrance, but got caught on the steps as a crowd of female demons swarmed him. He was the most eligible bachelor in the demon world it seemed. He ignored their crude innuendos and scanned the crowd. Miyoiki was not there yet.
Sesshomaru walked into the crowd. Anyone that didn't get out of the way would be trampled. He sat down at the head table and the celebration was called to order. A parade of lesser demons preformed, sang, and danced for him. But it was interrupted as a gasp of sock rang out from the left side of the courtyard. All at once the crowd was still.
Sesshomaru knew by the spinning sensation in his stomach that Miyoiki had arrived. His head turned to see her standing at the entrance to the left wing of the castle. An entranced crowd stared like hungry wolves eyeing a piece of bloody meat. Miyoiki looked quite taken aback, as though she might retreat back into the castle. There were too many bodies in the way to just trample over to get to her, so Sesshomaru took the short cut.
Sesshomaru leapt into the air, landing gracefully beside her. She smelled different but he couldn't place it. He couldn't concentrate on that anyway. She was positively mesmerizing. His eyes kept traveling over her, and finally came to rest on her eyes. Her wings twitched and she blushed up at him.
No sooner had she found herself surrounded by male demons than Sesshomaru had shown up by her side. His eyes looked over her many times, and for once his gaze did not analyze, it consumed. She couldn't help shivering. When his eyes settled on her she felt a rush of heat to her face, and her wings trembled.
Sesshomaru offered his arm and she took it sheepishly, blushing even brighter. Sesshomaru held up his other hand, showing that he would draw his whip and threatened, "Anyone that touches her answers to me."
Sesshomaru led her through the crowd, seating her beside him and commanded the celebrations to continue. Miyoiki, who previously had every intention to call him out on his 'gift' suddenly, lost her nerve. He was so handsome, and his eyes where boring holes into her heart. She couldn't stop blushing, so she decided to make small talk.
"Rin is doing well in her studies," Miyoiki started, "She can write…"
As Miyoiki rambled on, the world melted away for Sesshomaru. This whole celebration was a tremendous waste of time normally, and now it was keeping him from being able to talk to Miyoiki alone. Yet, he knew that if he were to transform, run the whole gathering off, and ravage her on the spot it would do little to prove the difference between him and his father.
Ravage her on the spot? He did have the inclination to take her up to his room all of a sudden. When had he shifted from wanting to speak with her, to wanting to submit her to his passion? Her wings fluttered and every male demon with a nose turned to her. Oh gods! She's in heat again!
Miyoiki could barely concentrate. No, no, no! Not here, not NOW! Hadn't this just happened a week ago? She sank into her chair and looked to Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru nodded. He knows… By the lecherous looks on the faces around her, the whole party knew. A hand tapped her on the shoulder and an elderly voice said, "Ah, you must be the girl Sesshomaru was talking about."
Miyoiki had the almost irresistible urge to tear off the arm attached to the hand that was touching her.
Sesshomaru watched Miyoiki's face turn from confusion and embarrassment to murderous rage. The metamorph… "Anyone else who tries to take advantage of her state suffers a graphic death." Sesshomaru placed a hand on her knee, and Miyoiki's eyes snapped back up to his. She flushed with color, and Sesshomaru could feel the heat of her soft skin beneath the fabric of her skirt. Oh gods! Remain calm, at least outlast the celebration!
Rootousi felt her shoulder tense beneath his touch. He had known she was a metamorph from a distance. However, that did not explain why she should suddenly be so tense. Then the smell of her hit him.
"Oh," Rootousi said, pulling his hand away quickly, "I am sorry. I didn't know."
Miyoiki turned around and looked at the demon. In spite of an elderly voice the demon before her looked as young as Sesshomaru. He was dark skinned, with cropped black hair and unnaturally green eyes. He wore a brown undershirt, whose sleeves were tucked neatly into two leather bracers. Over that he wore black armor and light grey pants. The pants were tucked into foot wraps that where wrapped all the way up to his knees. He didn't seem to have any weapons, and his dressing was quite plain, but his free smile made him strikingly handsome. To contrast this, his eyes had the aged look of an old, wise man. Miyoiki smiled. He looked like the head monk she had come to adore as a father. Though she had no inclination to mate with him, she found she had no inclination to kill him either.
"It's okay," Miyoiki said, "I didn't know you were one of lord Sesshomaru's friends."
"I guess you could call us that," Rootousi said with an even brighter smile, "I actually came to offer you an escape from the stifling atmosphere of the table. If you could allow me to touch you without the urge to kill me, would you be interested in a dance?"
Miyoiki looked to Sesshomaru, who nodded. Miyoiki stood and smiled, saying, "I think that would be lovely."
Rootousi led her out to the floor. He noticed one demon staring a little too hard and with a mock yawn, Rootousi's elbow lifted up into the drooling demon's chin. Miyoiki was no fool, and she laughed lightly as Rootousi said, "Oh my! Do pardon me!"
They started dancing. Occasionally Rootousi would twirl her out with one hand and use his free hand to clobber a demon that was getting too close. Miyoiki laughed every time. Rootousi blushed and said, "Heh, they don't know I'm doing them a favor. If they managed to get their mitts on you they'd have to answer to Sesshomaru, if anything was left of them once you were through."
"Yeah," Miyoiki said, "I don't know why, but when I'm in this 'condition' I have the urge to kill anything male that gets near me accept…"
Miyoiki looked up at the table where Sesshomaru sat staring at her. She didn't finish the sentence, but she didn't have to. Their eyes were locked. Rootousi cleared his throat to regain her attention. He smiled a fatherly smile and said, "You can't help it child. It's part of your nature. The beautiful thing here is that you're in love, and so is he."
Miyoiki blinked and looked at Rootousi. She sputtered and said, "I… Well, I love him, sure but…"
"But what?" Rootousi smiled, "What else is there to worry about? If you love him, and you know he…"
Rootousi's eyes fell to her necklace and he said, "Oh my… Forgive me, but you are so blindingly beautiful that I just now noticed your necklace."
"Yes," She said, "It's the only thing he ever gave me that wasn't brand new."
"That necklace," Rootousi sighed, "She loved that necklace."
"Who," Miyoiki asked.
"Sesshomaru's mother," Rootousi said.
Miyoiki blinked. Rootousi smiled and said, "He loved his mother so… Enough to warp his whole life around her death. This is a very special gift. He must truly… deeply… love you."
Miyoiki could only continue to dance numbly. Rootousi smiled and said, "What a fool. If he loves you that much why isn't HE down here, or better yet, why doesn't he just take you away from the celebration? There's no good reason for him to even indulge this ridiculous farce of a celebration. He's never enjoyed them, and he doesn't need them politically."
Rootousi glanced over his shoulder where a swarm of lower demon lords had grouped around Sesshomaru with their young daughters. Rootousi chuckled, "Look at those bottom feeders, trying to marry off their daughters to him. Poor sap."
"WHAT?" Miyoiki shrieked, and her eyes flung up to the crowd of old demons and their young giggling daughters.
The air around Miyoiki sparked and she flew off the dance floor. Rootousi smiled, "Nothing like a healthy dose of jealously to prompt a hormonal female into action."
Rootousi whistled happily as he walked off into the crowd. His work was done.
Miyoiki landed to the right side of Sesshomaru, practically in his lap. She bared her fangs in a predatory smile, and the whole lot of them backed a step away. Her hands crackled with spiritual energy as she said, "He's not a piece of meat you wretched scavengers! Is that what this so called 'celebration' is about? An excuse for you to dig your paws in, you greedy, despicable-"
"Miyoiki," Sesshomaru said, trying to interject.
"Don't you Miyoiki me!" Miyoiki fumed, hormones getting the best of her, "This is ridiculous! You're in love with me, I'm in love with you, and this whole mess stops NOW!"
Sesshomaru blinked a few times in earnest surprise. She was in heat big time. It takes a major dose of hormones to rattle the normally composed Miyoiki. After the shock wore off he smiled and stood up beside her. She's in heat because she loves me… He put his arm around her waist and pulled her to him as he said, "You're right. This has gone on, FAR too long."
He placed his leg in front of her knees and used the arm he had wrapped around her waist to force her over it. She eeped as he effectively tripped her over his extended leg into his arms. He held her there a moment, dipped back in his arms and, growled, "Far, FAR, too long."
He crushed his lips against hers, and felt her melt in his arms. She purred and the soft noise sang to his very soul. Why had they waited so long? Why had they been so foolish that…
His eyes flew open as a rank, awful smell entered his nose. He looked into Miyoiki's eyes, which were also open and wide with fright. All around him chaos broke out. He stood slowly and deliberately as he always did. He stood Miyoiki upright with him, and drew Tokijin.
"NARAKU!" A demon shrieked in horror.
The whole party flew in panic. Demons trampled fellow demons scrambling to get away from the notorious half-demon. It disgusted Sesshomaru. It was all so human to run like that, and from a half-breed no less. Miyoiki trembled beside him. Could she be afraid as well? His Miyoiki? His mind reeled back to her possession by the white stone. Of course she is afraid. What is more terrifying than loosing control? But at least she wasn't trampling demons to get away. She was standing there, facing her fear.
Rootousi was beside them in an instant. He let out a feral grow, while he smiled and winked at Sesshomaru. He laughed and said, "Now this is more like it. It's been ages since I got to fight beside my old western allies."
Miyoiki didn't speak and sweat beaded her forehead. Sesshomaru had never smelt such absolute fear from her before. Rootousi seemed baffled by it. He touched her shoulder and asked, "You okay, kid?"
"Fine," She forced out.
"You do not have to face him," Sesshomaru said without looking back at her, "I will take care of him alone."
You will never know fear again, my love. For I, Lord Sesshomaru of the Westlands, will protect you. Sesshomaru shot into the air as Naraku began to descend from the sky. Rootousi sighed and shrugged his shoulders as he said, "I should have known he wouldn't let me have any fun."
Miyoiki fell to her knees and trembled. Her chest hurt, it was throbbing. She clutched her sternum and made a small whimper of pain. She smelt like fear, but she was reacting is if in pain. Rootousi knelt beside her and asked, "What's happening to you? Describe it!"
She worked her mouth to speak but there was so much painful pressure in her chest that she couldn't force anything out. Rootousi's eyes deepened with worry. He looked took Miyoiki into his arms and started to run.
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I LOVE YOU GUYS!
(Aurora) WELCOME. I love your enthusiasm, and I'm glad to have converted you. You are ONE OF US now. Hehe…hehehe… MUHAHAHAHAHA. (Angelsnowtiger) As previously established anyone with 'tiger' in their nick is fine by me. I'm glad you find my story to be a cut above the rest. 'beeming with pride' you made my day. I think I've been getting better as a go along. If you want to get to all my stories just click on my name. That will bring up a little 'about me' page, and just below that gibberish is a "stories authored" link. "Silver Wings" was my first creation, followed by "In The End", and this is my third fanfic. Happy reading Kat. (Mizuki) Yes, this concept is right out of the recesses of my mind. I'm obsessed with tigers and butterflies so the butterfly obsession prolly has somethin' to do with it. What other fic BTW? (Shoujo) You continue to rock. I love reading your reviews. (Trixie) I have NO EARTHLY CLUE what the fluffy is. Since the episode where Inuyasha and Sesshomaru fight Naraku and he disappears into the sky I have been leaning toward the 'tail' argument. If you remember that episode it grew into two tails as he was transforming. Neat idea though, you should right a Sessy fic and do that. I'll even let you borrow Miyoiki's character if you promise to give me a little credit in the author's notes and aren't making any money off it. There is no such thing as over-thinking a plot, it's a sign of a brilliant and creative mind. (Shadowcat) 'smirk' how anime of you. Minor enthusiasm, followed by a lull and build up and finally… TRUE ANIME EXPLOSION. I seriously could have seen a little character of you with flashing colors behind it. (LADIE) I guess I just see him as a no-nonsense kind of guy. If he must talk, he would be straight to the heart of the matter. I've been trying to bring out the Sessy within. He's so quiet, you KNOW there's more beneath it, and I'm trying to slowly bring that out. I'm trying to make the transition slow enough that it's more like he's becoming who he always was on the inside instead of being OOC. (Oblivion) Only 19 chapters! 'smirk' I figured you guys would linch me soon. (Telekenitic) No problem, welcome back.