"I can't help but wonder, what the hell am I to you Sesshomaru?" Kagome's chest was heaving as she spit the words at the Taiyouaki, eyes blazing with passion. The imperious taiyoukai was, for a brief moment, stunned. He had no idea she was so angry. It was an honor to even invited to his pack, and he did not owe the flushed woman a single explanation.
A twang shot through Sesshomaru's conscience as his lips parted to utter the indignant words. Truthfully, he did have ulterior motives in asking the Miko to join him. He wanted to train her, to use her power and defeat the spider Hanyou. However, there was no way in hell he would tell her that he, the great Taiyouaki, wanted anyone's power but his own. With that, his eyes narrowed dangerously as he growled at the woman.
"You are nothing but a disobedient woman to this Sesshomaru." Regret flooded through the taiyoukai as Kagome's eyes flared wide with pain, her blue depths flooding with tears as the crystal drops slipped down her cheeks.
"I mean nothing more to you?" Her voice was no more than a broken whisper, yet it seemed to tear something in Sesshomaru's chest. He held up a hand to uncharacteristically reach for her as the woman turned away from him.
"Kago-" his voice was cut off as a cry of terror rang out through the woods.
"Kagome!"
"Sesshomaru!"
Each scream was loud and high, making the adults swing around as they recognized the horrified voices of Shippo and Rin. Kagome wiped away her tears as she took off in the direction of the yells. Sesshomaru glowered in annoyance, but followed behind the woman swiftly. What ever was terrifying enough to make Rin scream like that would receive the full brunt of his annoyance, in the form of his sword.
~WLITS~
Tears were streaming down Rins face, and her hands were clenched in fists tightly. She wanted to yell, to scream and cry for her Sesshomaru to come save her. But she could barely get the air to breath with the monks hand wrapped around her neck.
He had dove towards Shippo, the small knife in his hand catching the light with a deceivingly bright gleam. Rin had ran towards them as she cried out in terror, her small fingers wrapping around the man wrist as she tried to deflect him away from the kitsune. The monk had snarled in displeasure, his face twisting into a cruel grimace. She'd gasped at the demon like expression in terror, when a hand shot out to grip tightly around her neck. A second scream had lodged itself in her throat, cut off abruptly.
The monk smiled sickeningly, his harsh grip lifting the little girl so high that Rin's feet barely touched the ground. Shippo whimpered softly, helpless against the cruel man as he brandished the knife close to the little girl.
"Scum like you deserve to die!" He spit. The monks once gentle brown eyes were now narrowed in malice and hatred.
Sango and Miroku were standing a few meters away from the children, but didn't dare to step any closer as the mans knife glinted by Rin's throat. The Taijiya let out a cry of frustration, stamping her food as she looked upon the little girl helplessly. She wanted so badly to save Rin, but she couldn't walk forward without fearing that the monk would slit her throat. Miroku looked equally on edge, his fingers curled so tight around his staff they turned white.
"RIN!" Kagome's horrified cry rang out as she ran into the clearing, panting softly from attempting to keep up with Sesshomaru. Her tears had dried quickly as she'd ran and she shoved her hurt feelings deep down inside, to cry over later. The children, her children, needed her now. Kagome wanted to run right up to Rin, to save the little girl who's face was deathly white, but she stopped abruptly as Sesshomaru thrust an arm out.
Her turbulent blue eyes looked up at him searchingly. All warmth had left the taiyoukais Amber eyes, they glittered with bloodlust as he sneered at the sight before him. His hand, while held out protectively to stop her from going forward, was clenched into a fist. His voice was as cold and cutting as a glacier.
"Human scum, release my ward this instant." The monk only sneered at the taiyoukai, heedless of the danger he was in.
"I will fulfill the great Tabanobo-sama's quest!" He spat. Kagome's eyes widened in recognition of the name, and then narrowed in horror. The great Taiyouaki stiffened, and leaned forward slightly.
"Sesshomaru, do you remember-"
"Silence!" He hissed at her, red tinged eyes glaring down at the woman briefly. Kagome recoiled in shock, her eyes flooding with hurt yet again. The Taiyouaki turned towards the monk, drawing his sword slowly.
"Very well. You, lowly human, shall die slowly." The monks face turned red indignantly, and he was about to shout a retort as sesshomaru disappeared from sight.
~WLITS~
He was furious. Not only did the fifthly scum interrupt his time with the miko, but now he was threatening his ward. A pup in his pack. His beast growled threateningly, demanding that the monks head be separated from his body.
He could feel his beast rumbling just under the surface. First the miko had challenged him, challenged her place within his pack, and then his ward was taken. His inner youkai was volatile with rage, demanding blood. The Taiyouaki drew his sword, reveling in the crack of power Tokijin gave off. Even his blade thirsted for carnage.
"Very well. You, lowly human, shall die slowly." He saw the monk face twist with anger, but it was too late. With a neat flick of his sword, the hand that had been holding Rin back was sliced off and sent flying through the air. The monk let out an ugly scream of pain and Rin inhaled a gulp of air.
Sesshomaru felt a flicker of joy run through him as the man dropped to the ground, clutching the stump of his arm to his chest and wailing with pain. Blood was puddling around the man, drenching his clothes and dying the ground a thick scarlet. The Taiyouaki smirked lightly, flicking the blood off of his sword as he stalked around the man.
"Die, like the scum you are," he sneered before running his sword through the mans chest, brutally slashing it to the side and cutting through his ribs with ease. With one last terrible screech of agony, the monk dropped to the ground, blood and guts pooling out of his body at an alarming rate. A smirk settled upon Sesshomarus lips as the disgusting creature drew his last wheezing breath. He carefully flicked the rest of the scum off of Tokijin, the sword humming satisfyingly as he sheathed it. It really had been too long since he had spilled any blood.
"Sesshomaru..." He turned in Kagome's direction as she whispered his name. The miko was clutching a softly crying Rin to her, while Shippo hugged her side. Both children seemed frightened, but not harmed. However, he barely took the time to notice that.
Kagome's blue eyes were huge, staring at him with shock and horror. There were a few specks of scarlet on her cheeks, standing out harshly against her porcelain skin. She looked paler than normal, causing the dark drops to appear black, a stain upon her pure skin. The smirk was quickly wiped off his face as he saw her scared look. Why would the woman still be frightened? He had disposed of the threat, and quickly too. Her blue eyes dropped down to the mans corpse, blood still puddling around it. She took a step back, and he could hear her breathing start to speed up as her sapphire eyes flicked between him and the mutilated body.
"Why...why did you kill him?" She asked, her trembling voice barely above a whisper. He felt his confusion only grow at her words.
"He threatened my pack," Wasn't that obvious?
"But he didn't need to die... We could have fought him off and told him to leave," she said softly, innocent eyes still wide with shock, but the terror was beginning to leave. In its place, only confusion shone.
"Why? No one deserves to live after threatening this Sesshomaru's ward. I see that inuyasha was a much weaker alpha than I, if he did not dispose of every threat you faced." Kagome frowned, her eyes flashing lightly at him. Why was she so angry today? First their fight about her place in his pack, and now he could see that she was about to question him.
"He wasn't weak! Showing mercy isn't wrong, it's called kindness! There was no need for him to die!" She yelled at him.
The Taiyouaki glared at her, inspiring the children to slowly back away from the sure to be loud confrontation between the two adults. Sesshomaru stalked forward, his hands clenched angrily into fists. He was tired of this. He was tired of her bleeding human heart always asking for mercy, always demanding he tame his demon side. Inuyasha might have let himself be trained like the whelp that he was, but he, Sesshomaru, Lord of the West, would not stand for it.
"Can you not see, woman, this is what I am. I am a Taiyouaki, and I will kill whoever I want to, for no reason at all. Who would dare to stop a lord, on his own lands?" He growled at her, feeling the red of his Youki stain his eyes. He was sure it made for a fearsome sight, and hoped it terrified the woman before him.
Kagome, however, did not cower in fear. She merely looked up at him solemnly, her large blue eyes cold, icier than he had ever seen. "You will never be able to justify indiscriminate killing to me, Sesshomaru. You have lost my respect."
His eyes widened just a fraction, before cruelly narrowing as he glared down at her. "Why would I care about a lowly humans opinion?"
Kagome gasped, before walking away from the Taiyouaki silently.
"K-kagome?" Shippo's whimper would have made her heart ache, if it hadn't already been shattered.
"Let her go, Shippo." Sango's whispered reached her ears, but she didn't see the concerned, and angry look in the woman's eyes. Kagome walked right past them all, into the woods. Sango was shocked. She hadn't expected the two to fight, to say such harsh things. Sango had thought that they were growing closer than ever, that Kagome had a bit of a shot at happiness. She had even supposed that they were in lo-
"Sesshomaru-sama? Are you going to go get Kagome-neechan?" Rin's wavering voice cut through the heavy silence, but Sesshomaru did not even look her way.
"She may do as she pleases."
The Taiyouaki, with his elegant stance and cold words seemed to be a statute of calm. His icy mask was in place, and he truly seemed as though the entire fight had not even ruffled his feathers. But Rin, who knew him almost as well as he knew himself, could see by the look in his eyes that he was falling apart.
"What a perfect sight, wouldn't you agree, Kagura?" A deep, darkly curious voice filled the empty throne room, an undertone of cruelty and authority that commanded attention. Then again, the impressive splatters of blood that stained the walls and floor were a constant testament to the spider youkai's power, and made the tone of voice quote unnecessary.
Naraku's smirk grew a bit wider as he remembered exactly how those pretty stains had gotten all over the walls. He'd had quite a fun time, playing with the inhabitants of the small palace that he had claimed for his own. The human lord had tried to bargain with the Youkai, even offering his own wife if his life could be spared. Naraku almost snorted at the thought. As if he would have left any alive in the first place. Still, the treachery and attempts to live had entertained him for an entire night, and what use were humans if one couldn't use them for some entertainment now and again?
"And what sight is that?" The wind witches scornful voice broke through his memories. While he sat on a raised dais in the middle of the dark throne room, she leaned against a wall near the corner. He noticed her proximity to his jars of flesh, from which he usually conjured her heart.
His smirk widened briefly as he looked into the mirror that Kagura's sister, Kanna, held. The white demoness was utterly emotionless, standing before her master as he watched the visions in her mirror. It showed the Inu-tachi, minus one hanyou. That fact alone almost caused him to chuckle with mirth. Little did the group know that Inuyasha's sudden absence wasn't quite as surprising to him as it was to them.
"Seems to me like the great Sesshomaru is falling for the miko," even though his tone was light, there was an undercurrent of coiled anger and sarcasm. Kagura's eyes widened, before narrowing suspiciously. Why would Naraku be so nonchalant? Wasn't the Taiyouaki an enemy?
"This can be used to my advantage...That dog has forgotten who the miko really belongs too." His eyes narrowed as he considered the mirror, flashing black for a moment. "Her power is mine to use. . . As it always has been," he said with a dark chuckle, and a flick of his fingers.
A shadowy figure stepped away from her position of leaning against the wall, walking distastefully towards the spider hanyou. Slow steps finally stopped before he raised dais, and the figure looked upon the demon with displeasure.
She was adorned in Red hakama, and a white haori, with a slender wooden bow gripped in one hand. Long straight back hair was gathered into a high ponytail and drifted down to her waist. Imperious brown eyes would have concealed all emotion, if not for the displeased twist of the mouth.
Kagura leaned back into the wall, hating that she wanted to conceal herself from the miko. She couldn't help it though, that woman had always given her the creeps. Her deadened eyes, and the pallor of her skin...She was just abnormal. Well, Kagura snorted, there wasn't much normal about any of this situation.
"You'll make sure of that, won't you Kikyou?" Naraku's voice was low and thrummed with dark humor.
"You've already taken care of that infuriating hanyou, and what a wonderful outcome that had. I had expected Kagome to return to her homeland, but this development is so much better. She seems to have ensnared the great Lord of West." His oily voice seemed to drip wth sarcasm soaked in venom when he spoke about the Daiyouaki.
"My spell has begun to weaken Inuyasha." Kikyou's voice was empty, her eyes merely glancing over Naraku before returning to a point on the wall behind him. Kagura wondered how she could be so callous. Didn't she love the dog-eared boy?
Naraku leaned toward slightly, his mouth twisted into a light frown. "You did not say he would be affected by it. I have plans for the dog." His tone, so casual before was now dark and held a hint of a threat in it.
Kikyou thrust her chin out slightly, an edge of disdain appearing in her eyes which contradicted the emotionless tone of her voice. "I said there may be side affects. I am only warning you so that his usefulness may be fully exploited." Kagura felt another shiver involuntarily run through her. Despite the deadness of Kikyou's voice, it was so utterly cold. Kagura let her eyes flit over to Naraku, and she almost recoiled from the look of joy she saw on his features. On anyone else, the smile would have been glorious, and the shine in the eyes could have been called beautiful. Could have. If the tilt of his head didn't promise violence, betrayal and trickery to the unsuspecting.
"Yes, the dog shall serve my purposes well. . ." Kagura waited with bated breath to here the rest of the plan. Naraku usually talked himself through all of his plots until they reached perfection. It was sure to contain gore, and be dastardly in the extreme. However, there was something even more unsettling to the fact that he only laughed. A slow, self assured chuckle that slid like oil over her ears.
Kikyou merely gave him one last look before stepping out of throne room, careful to avoid the puddles of blood.
Kaguras mind was spinning. The fact that her 'master' wasn't muttering to himself meant that he was already confident in his plan... That this particular ploy had been put into action already. Her heart sank as she understood why some people fear silence.
/ authores note! I am so, so sorry about how long it took me to upload this chapter! *dodges thrown tomatoes*
My left got much more hectic after Christmas, and it left little time for writing. However, I am NOT abandoning this story. It may take me a while to update, but I will complete this fic. Thank you for reading, and please please review!