Chapter 4: Prisoner

It was still raining when he awoke. Naraku opened his eyes and watched the drops of water leak through the ceiling and drip down in a constant cycle of swelling and falling…swelling and falling… He heard a muffled sound and turned his head. It was Raposa. He was sitting--or rather lying--on the opposite end of the bed with his legs sprawled out across the floor, and he looked like he was fast asleep. Hesitantly, Naraku tried to prop himself up, and was relieved to find that the action didn't cause as much pain as he thought it would; the poison was just a burning ache now. Meanwhile, the kitsune turned his head then back, silent words forming upon his lips, but nothing came out. Naraku sat up and very carefully swung his legs over the side of the bed, glancing frequently at the kit as he did so. Just as he was about to get up, however, he heard the youkai call out in his sleep: "Maman!.."

The kumo paused. He had no memory of his parents, and this unusual sign of humanity coming from a demon such as DeVos was most interesting. Even under the circumstances, he couldn't control his desire to spy on the kit; he might even gain an advantage over him if he knew something about him. And so he peeked into the youkai's dream….

"No, maman!" The small fox kit said in an animalistic tongue only made clear by right of dreams. Emerald eyes grew wide as he witnessed the far larger hunting dog clamp its jaws around his mother's throat and thrash his head. Squeals of pain rang through the air. The tiny fox shook its head in disbelief and horror. The dog dropped the limp body of his mother and its brown eyes narrowed on the kit. The large hound growled ferally and lowered its body, about to spring.

The tiny fox had no choice but to run if he valued his life. He couldn't reveal his true form because of the humans on horses not too far behind. He was useless without his swift fox form to carry him to safety, and that didn't look to be helping too much either. He ran under a thicket of thorns, trying to hide from the jaws of death that were gnashing at him as he hid. As if matters couldn't get any worse, he heard it. The barking of dogs filled the air, surely becoming his swan song.

The ground seemed to thunder as the humans followed their hunting dogs towards his location. The dogs tried to get him with their jaws, but the thorns prevented that from happening. Then someone dismounted off of their horse and kicked the dogs away. The fox kit clamped his eyes shut in fear of what was to come.

"It's just a kit!" the human shouted. "We got the mother, so what does it matter if we get this one? It's useless; it wouldn't even make a good pet!"

"I suppose you're right. Besides, our dogs are getting torn up trying to get at it," another shouted.

The first human leaned in close to the thicket and chuckled, "We'll be back for you when you're bigger."

The fox kit's eyes went wide and then he made an attempt to growl as viciously as the dog had but fell incredibly short of the ferocity. The human laughed, "It's like he can understand us! Oh, well… let's go." The humans left along with their dogs, leaving the kit alone in more ways than one.

Lurking in the far corner of the kit's subconscious was Naraku, attentive as he watched the random images of the nightmare unfold, one after the other. Urgency tugged on his mind, however, and he slowly pulled back, and saw with his own eyes once more. Raposa was still asleep, but Naraku didn't want to take any chances as his eyes roamed around the room for something he could use. There, on the bedside table, was the same bottle of poison which the kit had made him drink. Leaning over, he picked it up and shook it; there was maybe a fourth of poison left inside. The cork was already off, so he carefully leaned across the bed and held the vile over the youkai's mouth, waiting for it to open again. After almost a minute of waiting, the kit finally opened his mouth just slightly to take in a breath and Naraku quickly and precisely poured the remainder of poison down the kit's throat. The youkai immediately started coughing, and Naraku hastily scrambled off the bed and staggered to the door, opening it forcefully despite the lock that was engaged.

The kit sat bolt upright, growling as he felt the bitter poison work down his throat. "Dammit…" he snarled, finding the empty vial of acid-green poison next to him. He threw it against a wall and leapt to his feet, scrambling after Naraku. Once he was close enough, he bent down and sprung into the air, tackling Naraku and bringing him down hard onto the ground in the clearing. He put his hand down hard on Naraku's throat, cutting off his air. "I treat your wounds… and you poison me!?" He glared fiercely and pressed down harder. "I won't let you leave me!" He said in a voice slightly less frightening. It wasn't that his resolve had weakened; the poison was starting to take effect. He grit his teeth and narrowed his eyes. His nerve endings went aflame and he tried to hide his wince. "You can't leave me…" he said in a hoarse whisper. He was starting to become afraid he'd lose the only thing he truly wanted. He closed his eyes in pain. "Don't…please…don't leave…"

Naraku looked up at the demon with mixed emotions. There was such desperation coming from DeVos, but if he stayed….No, he had to get away; had to get away from the kitsune and his illusions. Pulling the hands away from his throat, the kumo sat up and angrily pushed the demon away from him. He stood up and made to leave, but a hand caught his ankle and he looked down at the kit, who was hunched over in pain.

The kit smiled bitterly and said in a voice barely above a whisper, "You are so strong…." He shook his head slightly, "I can hardly take a quarter of what you did…" He barely managed to look up at Naraku. "Please don't leave me…" he managed to cough out as his throat began to constrict once more, "You'll--" he coughed and grimaced at a new wave of pain. "..regret it…" There was a sudden tone of warning in his voice as he regarded Naraku with a steely look in his eyes. The shimmer within them began to wane and waver with each passing second. The grip on Naraku's ankle began to weaken as the kit's body could no longer fight the venom without sleep.

The kumo furrowed his eyebrows, "Stop pretending that you care for me! And stop acting like you need me! You speak honeyed words in my ear, yet you hurt me, reveling in my pain." He glared down at the youkai at his feet. "I want nothing to do with you!!" and with that, he tore his ankle free and ran as fast as his recovering muscles would take him.

He was only a few miles away from Sesshoumaru's castle when finally he could not go any further, leaning his exhausted body against a tree. It was barely dawn, and the night was still very much around him. With his last bit of energy, he formed a ball of glowing violet light and threw it up in the sky high above him as a beacon for his mate. "..Hurry, my love…" he said before losing consciousness.

Sesshoumaru began to pace as worries ran unbridled through his mind. Naraku has been gone for far too long… Something didn't feel right, and he knew he shouldn't have left Naraku there in that fortress, especially after the peculiar nightmare. Grinding his teeth, he then clenched his jaw and tried to think up reasons why his mate hadn't returned.

Then, something happened; he felt something, but he didn't recognize it. It was a large collection of energy, but it wasn't a demon and it wasn't moving…. Rather, it felt as though it were hovering in one spot. Why would someone waste so much energy? Unless…. Naraku! The inu youkai would never forgive himself if something happened to his mate. With speed not even visible to a demon's eye, he made his way towards the area below the energy beacon.

His eyes searched the wooded area at the same time his nose smelled the air for a familiar scent. Coming over a patch of trees that looked as if a couple had been scorched recently, he caught the scent, 'He's there!' Sesshoumaru descended through the branches with deft precision and landed softly on the soft earth. His eyes immediately locked on to the figure before him.

"Naraku!" He rushed forward and knelt beside his fallen mate, gently lifting his head in order to look at his face. It, along with the rest of Naraku's body, was bruised and pale, seeming void of any warmth or life. "Naraku.." he whispered again. He got no answer, but the rhythmic motion of the kumo's chest was all the response he needed. Carefully scooping up Naraku into his arms, Sesshoumaru ascended and, with great speed, made his way back to the castle.

….Later….

He swore under his breath. The image of the youkai's sad smile as he helplessly clung to the kumo's ankle made guilt pile on top of the pain. "No…." he commanded himself, "I shouldn't feel sorry for that bastard…" He growled. What the hell is wrong with me?! Feeling guilty because I left him there on the ground... He closed his eyes and pressed himself into the soft bed. He hurt me… just like I had hurt…... Damn him! He grimaced at the uncanny resemblance of who he once was and the kit who held him hostage. Damn him for reminding me… His thoughts were disrupted by a shifting sound. He cracked one eye open to see Sesshoumaru beginning to wake up from his place by the bedside.

The inu rubbed tiredly at the sleep in his eyes and looked over at the man in the bed. "You've awakened. Forgive me; I must have fallen asleep." He sat up straight and leaned over the bed, putting a hand to the kumo's forehead. "Your fever seems to have dissipated--that is good. It has been two days since I found you in the woods. The poison I discovered inside you had been slowing your body's attempt to heal itself as well as gradually draining your power and numbing your senses," he paused, "I have never seen a toxin such as this before; it must have come from somewhere beyond the borders of Japan." Naraku seemed to not be listening to him. "This youkai…did he say where he was from?"

"I don't know…" He sighed. "I… I don't want to talk about him… not right now." he said in a whisper. (He reminds me too much of myself before…) "Sesshoumaru, I'm sorry, but the memory of it all is too fresh within my mind. I can still feel his nails; the wounds he made." He closed his eyes and chewed on his bottom lip. "I don't even know his name, much less where he comes from." he lied. Why am I protecting him!? he thought in a fury, He beat me! Cut me! Poisoned me! Held me against my will! He almost had his way with me! An eerie voice surfaced within his mind: A n d y o u l i k e d i t… He growled. Bastard conscience… he thought bitterly.

Sesshoumaru stared idly at his hands resting in his lap. "I see…" Looking back up at the kumo, he noticed that he was brutally chewing his lower lip. 'He's not telling me everything,' he thought regretfully. He got up off the bed, "Well…you had better rest and regain your strength. If you need anything, or wish to tell me something…" he trailed off, looking earnestly at Naraku.

"There's nothing to tell!" he snapped, instantly regretting having done so. "I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru…" he said in a whisper he doubted the inu could hear even with his acute ears.

Bowing slightly, he walked to the door. "Forgive my intrusion…" he said without emotion, "It wasn't my place." He turned and walked quietly out of the room.

His heart almost shattered at the sight of Sesshoumaru's actions, for they did, after all, speak louder than his words. The kumo growled at his own carelessness. "He was only trying to help! And I shoved him away." Naraku said to himself, looking over to the window at the sparrow perched there. He felt so petty for what he'd just done. "I'm falling back into old habits…. Hurting the ones I love…. All because of that damned demon!" He clenched his fists.

The bird chirped happily, almost as if it enjoyed his suffering. He glared at it and it just stared right back after falling silent. Something about the bird seemed off; he narrowed his eyes, examining it further. The bird chirped once more and took off into the air. 'Did that bird have…. green eyes?' He blinked and shook his head. "No." he said firmly. He wasn't going to give in to the paranoia edging away at his sanity. "It was just my imagination…"

The bird landed on a tree branch not too far out of sight of Naraku's window. So, I managed to create quite an impression… He inwardly chuckled, Now Beloved, I just have to find a way to get you back! He kept his eyes and ears tuned on the kumo's window, making sure he didn't leave without him knowing. He was glad his acute demon senses didn't leave him no matter what form he was in, or else he would've had to have remained on the windowsill. He heard Naraku murmur a name. Kikyou? He mentally growled, Who else do I have to take care of!? He couldn't detect anyone else in the castle besides that youkai Sesshoumaru; maybe Naraku was dreaming. In any case…. I'd best go find out more about this Kikyou. Perhaps there's something to be had if I can use her against him, he thought before flying off.

Naraku glared at the miko in front of him. "Why are you haunting me while I sleep?!" he shouted at her.

The dead priestess smirked, "You haven't begun to repay for everything you've done. Yes, you have suffered, and yes you know the pain you inflicted on each of your close enemies, but you are nowhere near reaching the end of your purgatory."

He growled. "So you are here to deal out the just punishment, is that it!?" He lunged forward, claws extended as he slashed at her, but it did no good--he went right through her.

"You fool. I am a ghost; a mere shadow of what I was. You cannot harm me any more than I can harm you….but that doesn't mean I can't find a way to make you suffer," she sneered and vanished.

Naraku woke with a start, sweating as he always did after a nightmare. "That foul wench needs to learn how to stay dead!" He growled, throwing the covers off of him. He felt lightheaded and slightly sick but he could ignore it; after all, he had suffered worse. He had to find Sesshoumaru and apologize for his harsh words earlier. He wasn't prepared to tell him the whole truth just yet though. The cold stone beneath his feet felt oddly comforting and he sighed heavily, glad he was home. Part of him wanted that feeling of being with someone as violent as he once was. "Sesshoumaru?" he called softly. Soon after, the door opened and Sesshoumaru entered solemnly.

He immediately smelt the mixture of fear, sweat, and anger as soon as he'd crossed the threshold, and looked the kumo over, assuming the cause to be another nightmare. He wanted to rush up to him and embrace him--and he started to--but stopped short, forcing himself to stand there silently as he waited for Naraku to act first.

Naraku needed that embrace that never came. Why was Sesshoumaru restraining himself? Then it hit him… His brash words were the cause of this. The kumo winced and averted his violet eyes. "Sesshoumaru….I didn't mean to snap at you…" He sighed, still not feeling worthy enough to look his love straight in the eye after he'd hurt him.

Sesshoumaru exhaled through his mouth and walked up to Naraku, placing his hands on the other man's shoulders apologetically, "Are you ready to tell me what happened then?" he said, eyes searching.

The concern in his love's eyes was too much to make him change his mind about divulging the story. He nodded softly and pulled him to the bed, beginning to tell the story--well most of it--to the man sitting next to him. Deep down, he felt repulsed at his weakened state, not only in a physical sense, but rather at his entire being. He heaved a sigh once most of the burden of his encounter was off of his shoulders. He searched the inu's face for a reaction.

The demon lord sat back on the bed soaking it all in before speaking. He cleared his throat, "This demon…he sounds formidable. I want you to be extra careful when you're by yourself, is that understood?" he wasn't really asking as he continued, "I'm going out to make sure he isn't stupid enough to still be in my land." He stood to leave then paused, "You told me everything, correct?"

Naraku looked at him incredulously and with mock indignance. "Of course I have," he said haughtily. For a moment, he felt an odd sense of elation lying bold-faced to someone; he hadn't done that for a while and it made him feel good…. Until he realized exactly who he was lying to…. And then the joy left and was replaced by a bitter self-loathing.

Sesshoumaru took the heated answer as a confirmation of the kumo's sincerity. "Very well, then," he walked to the door, "I take my leave of you." He bowed slightly and exited the room, making his way to the castle gates before launching himself skyward. As he soared through the air at a fast pace, he quickly scanned the land for anything that did not belong.

DeVos leaned against a tree, catching his breath just outside the palace walls. He was feeling a bit fatigued from having quickly traveled around so much gathering information on Kikyou. He grimaced at the thought of what Naraku had probably already told Sesshoumaru about their encounter. He hadn't had time to devise a plan for getting rid of the infernal dog demon yet. A soft growl escaped his throat at the mere thought of the damned other youkai. He forced himself on, turning himself into a bird to fly over the castle wall as he had done before. Once inside, he took shelter under a tree and found himself too tired to hold his false form any longer so he gave it up and wearily reverted to his own. The cover of the tree wouldn't be enough to hide him if the inu was out on the prowl and he knew it. Swiftly, he made his way into the castle through a back door he'd noticed during his previous visit.
Naraku began pacing the room. "I lied to him…. What's come over me!?" He growled and slammed a fist into the wall. The hard stone split his knuckles and he winced slightly, dropping the bloodied hand to his side as he went to the window. Then an apparition's voice he'd longed to forget hissed in his mind. You're becoming yourself again… His face blanched. "No…" he whispered. Oh yes… You loved to write me off as some monster the jewel created but how wrong you are… so very wrong. I AM you…. The old you… And you miss being cruel… you miss the sight of pain in another's face. You miss lying to everyone you met because they believed you fully and without doubt. You loved lying right into the face of that dog because it made you feel like yourself again. You may be able to deceive to everyone else, but you can't lie to me.

Naraku glared out the window in contempt and frustration. "You're wrong! You don't know a damned thing! I hate deceiving Sesshoumaru… I just… I did it for--" he growled, "Why am I trying to explain it to you!?" The cold, convicting voice in his head laughed cruelly. 'Oh this is much better than I thought… Not only did you lie to your so-called lover, you're trying to lie to yourself!' Naraku's fingernails dug into his palms as he clenched his fists. He ground his teeth and tried to ignore the voice as best he could but deep down, he knew the voice was right and he didn't want to acknowledge--much less--face the truth.

A small sound tore the kumo away from his thoughts. Another and another followed it and so on, each sound growing imperceptibly louder than the last. Naraku strained his ears to hear them because they were very slight sounds. The doorknob turned and the heavy door opened to reveal the last person he ever expected to see within his sanctuary.

"Surprise, surprise." the fox said, grinning his frightening wolfish grin as he advanced, "I've been through hell to get you, and now the mutt isn't here to stop me." He took another few steps towards Naraku, his emerald eyes glinting with malice and hunger.

His jaw dropped and he stood paralyzed in shock and amazement that DeVos had had the audacity to come after him here in his own mate's castle. His throat worked to form words, but nothing came out until finally he managed, "H-How the hell did you get in here?!"

The kitsune laughed mirthlessly, "You underestimated me." He closed the distance between them and grabbed the kumo by the shoulders. Their faces were so close; their noses were almost touching. "I am a fox after all…." He smirked and pressed his lips hard to Naraku's.

A sudden rush went through him as their lips met, and Naraku could feel himself start to give in before his conscious jerked the leash. He reached up to push DeVos away, but the fox grabbed his hands in his and proceeded to deepen the kiss. His body was plunged into a precarious bliss as that part of him who craved this awoke and began to take over his actions, and he soon found himself submitting to the kiss, his hands lax within the fox's grasp.

The kit relished in the willing kiss, for this was different than the kiss he had tricked Naraku into giving him. This time, Naraku was very aware of what he was doing. DeVos took a step backwards, towards the bed, pulling the entranced kumo with him.

Still at war with himself, Naraku allowed himself to be guided to the bed, and it was only when his body was pressed firmly against the mattress and he felt a knee slide between his legs that his mind snapped back to attention and he swiftly broke away from the kiss, panting. "You must stop this," he said, once again putting resistance back into his hands--which were now secured on either side of his head.

DeVos' face was flushed. "Why?" he breathed, leaning forward to place a kiss on Naraku's forehead. He nuzzled the kumo's neck, planting soft kisses, trying to distract him from whatever he was going to say to put an end to such bliss.

Naraku groaned, channeling more strength into his limbs as he pushed at the man on top of him, the adrenaline of excitement quickly turning into panic at the thought of what would happen if they continued. Thoughts of Sesshoumaru and the look on his face if he knew what was happening made him struggle even more so and he brought up his knee to ram in DeVos' groin, but he suddenly felt teeth sink into his neck and he gasped. His thoughts were obliterated and he moaned, his body tensing with another kind of need, as the kitsune's tongue slid over the skin that was still locked tightly between the demon's teeth. The kumo's body was definitely not obeying him, but he still tried--rather unsuccessfully--to make DeVos cease his advances, "N-No! Stop it!!"

DeVos inwardly smirked. Like hell... he thought, his hands trying to undo the kumo's kimono. He relinquished biting on Naraku's neck only to crush his lips to the Kumo's for a delightfully bruising kiss.

The pain of the forced kiss helped to bring Naraku's numb limbs back to life as he managed to twist his right hand free and push against DeVos' throat, slowly driving his mouth away from his lips. "Get off me! You're tricking my body against me!" He pushed harder and let out a groan. "Stop this at once and get the hell off of me!!" he practically screamed at the man on top of him.

"I don't think so, beloved." the kit said, smirking as he grabbed Naraku's wrists again and pinned them above his head with one hand. "Now...where was I..?" He grinned lecherously and kissed Naraku's jaw line, nipping occasionally as he made his way back to the kumo's throat.

He shut his eyes tightly and clenched his jaw, turning his head in an effort to bury his face in the sheets, but it did not hide his body's growing hunger as it continued to respond to the kit's hand that slid dangerously close to his groin. And as if the fox read his mind, the hand immediately took a turn south and began to rub up against him through his clothes. He bit his tongue until it bled as he could feel himself getting aroused, hating himself for it, but loving it at the same time.

He was so absorbed in mixed feelings and sensations, that it took him a moment to realize the man on top of him had been abruptly wrenched off and thrown-rather painfully-into the stone wall. He opened his eyes and looked about the room. Sesshoumaru stood in the room's center, rigid and ready to kill DeVos, no questions asked. The mentioned kit slowly rose from the floor and regained himself, wiping the blood from his lips. Naraku couldn't tell if it was the fox's or his own as the youkai licked it daintily from his finger, turning his attention from Sesshoumaru to Naraku, eyes glinting.

"Pity… you interrupted our fun…" he said to the demon lord without taking his eyes off of Naraku. He chuckled, "Isn't that right, beloved?" DeVos drawled out, emphasizing the word 'beloved', purposely trying to goad the normally stoic Sesshoumaru into a fight to see whose side Naraku would take in this battle.

Not letting any of his emotions show through his mask, Sesshoumaru turned his head slightly to look down at the kumo sprawled out across the bed, bruises on his lips and throat as well as his wrists. There was blood at the corners of his mouth. "Are you alright, Naraku?" he said flatly. The kumo sat up and nodded solemnly, rubbing his bruised wrists as they began to heal.

DeVos grinned wickedly. "Of course he's alright…" He licked off a bit more of the blood. "He was in good hands after all…" The fox took a step closer to Sesshoumaru, "But then, you'd know nothing about that." He smirked, "Heh. You could never give him what he truly wants…" He glanced back at Naraku and locked his emerald eyes back on Sesshoumaru's golden ones.

Enraged, the demon lord lunged forward, and in the blink of an eye, had a hand gripped tightly around the kit's throat in a vice, threatening to snap his neck if he even blinked in a way Sesshoumaru found worthy of a quick death. "How dare you come into my castle and attack my mate." He tightened his hold slightly, "And now, you have the audacity to assume my—"

"Oh, I don't assume anything, hun." His eyes narrowed maliciously, "I find it hard to believe that you haven't noticed the way he looks differently at you since our little 'encounter.'" Glancing over at Naraku to confirm his accusation, he brought his lip up in a smirk. "Heh, you might be able to fool your so-called-mate, but you can't hide—"

"That's enough!!!" Sesshoumaru glared at DeVos through slits. "It's time you were silenced," he said as he dug his poisoned claws into flesh.

A strangled cry tore free from the kitsune's throat and called out to the demons lurking within Naraku's blood.

"NO! Wait! Sesshoumaru, don't kill him!" When Sesshoumaru's rage-filled amber eyes rounded on Naraku, he did his best to smirk cruelly. "He deserves so much more than death…" he said as hated-filled as he could manage. "He questioned my love for you and that was a very unwise move on his part… you should make him starve to death in the dungeons where the only company he will find is in the rats, which are as lowly and foul as he is…" He set his violet eyes on the kit and for a second, his resolve faltered and his eyes begged for forgiveness.

The demon lord's brows furrowed in mild surprise and confusion, though he withdrew his venomous claws—marginally. Slowly and deliberately he turned and looked at Naraku, "Is this what you desire?"

Naraku set his jaw. "Yes. I don't want his disgusting blood on your hands, beloved… Lock him up and let me punish him for his trespasses…" Naraku took a few steps forward, feeling himself be repulsed, and yet enjoying every moment of this double-crossing. He placed his hand on Sesshoumaru's shoulder. "I'll make sure he pays…" He smiled wickedly as best he could, letting his eyes rest on the kit's emerald ones.

Sesshoumaru's golden eyes slid back to his victim and he glared icily, giving the youkai's neck one more squeeze before dropping him to the floor in a careless heap. "…Very well, Naraku. I will leave this wreck in your care." He eyed the fox warily before bending down and grabbing a fistful of the kit's clothing as he proceeded to drag him towards the dungeon. But before he left the room, he turned around, a pair of Oakley sunglasses gracing his face, and said, "I'll be back."

When he was sure Sesshoumaru was out of earshot, Naraku felt all the strength leave him as he dropped to his knees. "What am I doing!? That damned fox will be the death of me!"

The voice inside his head laughed bitterly, Or he'll bring you back to your senses.... he'll give you life anew; away from the damn house wench you've become!

Naraku growled. "SHUT UP!" he roared, clamping his hands over his ears so tightly, his nails dug into the sides of his head. "I'm sick of you telling me that I've gone soft! I HAVEN'T!!! I am still the Naraku that I was!"

There was a long pause and Naraku could feel the blood from his scalp trickling down his fingers. Then the voice spoke, Then prove it... Betray Sesshoumaru.... If you truly are the Naraku you once were...then you won't care.... Take the kit.... prove yourself.

Naraku grimaced and took in several deep breaths, grimacing. "Fine....I will." he said coldly.

hahahaha....sorry, i couldn't resist the terminator thing!!!! i originally just wrote that while writing it to be a joke, but we both agreed to leave it in there for the hell of it. lol. (hope you don't mind)