Hello again everyone. Wow and double wow, did I have some absolutely lovely reviews this last time. I'm glad to see that most liked Shippo as an adult. This chapter is going up early again this week because I had a review come in that requested it because they are leaving the country for a month and their plane leaves tomorrow at 3 pm. So, I'm posting this late Saturday evening/night in hopes that you get it in time. I can't always accommodate everyone, but this was very doable. This chapter is a little shorter (sorry) and I hope it doesn't disappoint anyone as most reviewers seem to be anxiously awaiting it (Oh, the pressure!).

Disclaimers are as before.

Not much else to say, so let's get on with chapter 16 . . .

Sesshomaru was . . . irritated. He'd hoped to end this issue with Tullic this afternoon, but the proof he'd been expecting hadn't come through. In fact, both the Wolf King and InuDaiYoukai had been left waiting throughout their council meeting, a meeting that was supposed to be used to both accuse and pass punishment on that conniving scorpion Youkai. Instead, the meeting had passed as usual, with their expected messenger never arriving. Throughout it all, both Sesshomaru and Kouga remained impassive, neither indicating the ulterior motive behind calling the head council members together. But, just as they had acted as if all were normal, Tullic had not. For the whole of the meeting, Tullic had arrogantly smirked - laughing as if he had not a care in the world, and apparently, he did not.

"How in the hell did he find out?" Kouga growled while jerking a clawed hand through his hair. "We missed somethin', had to of."

"Indeed," Sesshomaru answered, allowing the calm of the elevator to ease his nerves. "It appears as if Tullic's claws run deeper than we thought. Still, it is of no matter, soon enough we shall have him." The confidence lacing the DaiYoukai's voice was not false, for Sesshomaru was as sure of that as he was of his own power. Mostly, the Lord of all Asia found recent events an annoyance, for he had long ago tired of the conniving Youkai he ruled.

"Yeah, I know you're right, but I'd of been happy to have this over. I don't like that asshole. Tullic's overconfident and arrogant. The bastard's got delusions of grandeur. Why he can't be happy bein' the ruler of his own tribe, I got no idea." For Kouga, being the ruler of the Wolf Tribe was more than enough and he'd have been ecstatic to simply stay there with his own clan. Of course, having Ayame waiting in his bed every night was more than a perk to that line of thinking.

As the elevator inched ever closer to his Hanyou, Sesshomaru considered Kouga's words and realized that was one of the other reason's he'd chosen the Wolf King to assist him in more delicate matters of leadership. Kouga was both brash and crass, but he was also honest and relatively simple. The wolf was content in life, and contentment brewed loyalty.

Rolling his shoulders, Kouga released the stressful kinks lying there. They were almost to the residential quarters of Taisho Tower and he couldn't help but snicker. "Bet ya can't wait to see what Shippo's done with that piece of ass you've claimed."

Eyes instantly bleeding red, Sesshomaru's Youkai exploded throughout the small elevator, rocking it on its cables. "Have you lost what little sense you have, Wolf?"

"Shit, calm the fuck down before you send the whole elevator plummetin'."

"Only you would be injured in such an event which only tempts this Sesshomaru further."

Swallowing hard, Kouga cursed his own idiocy. Damn, but his mouth was always getting him into trouble. "I was just kiddin', I – "

"One day, Inuyasha shall be my mate. He is not some simple piece of ass as you so crudely put it. In the future, you will be more respectful of the Hanyou."

As Sesshomaru's Youkai eased from the small space, Kouga took a cleansing breath but evidently still hadn't learned his lesson. "Just because he's gonna be your mate doesn't mean he still doesn't have a nice ass. I mean, Ayame's my mate and she's still got a smokin' ass and pussy – "

"Are you trying to die today?" Sesshomaru asked, his voice barely above a whisper, sending even more chills down the wolf's spine.

"No more than any other day," Kouga mumbled as the doors to the elevator opened.

Wasting no time, Sesshomaru strode from the small compartment, eager to be away from the idiotic wolf, but as he moved further into his home, the DaiYoukai stopped, his mind forming a single sentence, the Hanyou is gone.

With head bent down, Kouga nearly ran into the rigid back of his Lord. "Fuck me, Sesshomaru, what the hell did ya just stop like – " but Kouga's words dried up in his mouth. All around him, the room quivered with the Lord of all Asia's Youkai. If he'd thought the elevator had been bad, it was nothing compared to this. And not only was the air now oppressive with Sesshomaru's Youkai, but the DaiYoukai himself had started changing form.

Opening his mouth to ask what the hell had happened to make Sesshomaru so incredibly pissed, Kouga suddenly dropped to his hands and knees, struggling for breath as the Lord of all Asia's Youkai slammed into the small room.

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Seeing just how exhausted Shippo really was, Inuyasha decided a little snack was in order. After all, food normally went a long way in recharging his own batteries. "Hey, brat. I'm gonna go get somethin' to eat, you want me to bring ya back somethin'?"

Nodding his head, Shippo answered, "Yeah, some meat would be great."

"'Kay, be back in a sec."

Never once considering that he hadn't dropped his human façade, Inuyasha began making his way towards the kitchen. He was just in the process of digging through the refrigerator when he felt Sesshomaru's Youkai getting closer and closer. "Meetin' must be over," the Hanyou muttered while grabbing a plate of fresh meat.

Turning from the fridge, Inuyasha had just released the door when he felt his brother's massive Youkai explode in a fit of rage. Instantly, his stomach clenched as wave after wave of nausea swept through his body. He knew this anger, this blind fury and more importantly, Inuyasha knew he was in for a world of blood and pain. Crouched low and in agony, he pushed through his fear, all the while chanting in his head, I have to get out . . . have to get away . . . and so, with great effort, Inuyasha began making his way from the kitchen, grabbing onto walls and furniture alike in an effort to hold himself upright.

His first thought had been to try the rooftop garden, but there was no way down from that, in the end, making it a deathtrap. And so, Inuyasha started for the only exit he knew of – the elevator. Staggering into the hall, the Hanyou managed to somehow make it to the entryway before falling to the floor in complete terror. There, crouched before him was the partially transformed body of his elder brother - eyes blood red, fangs and claws dripping poison, Sesshomaru stood as an almost mindless beast of prey. "Oh . . . god's . . . " was all Inuyasha could say before curling into the wall behind him, his body a shivering mess of fear. Every memory of every time the DaiYoukai had tortured him, every vile word, every rent of tissue and drop of blood – everything hit the Hanyou in one tortuous barrage of Technicolor.

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Staring through a crimson veil, Sesshomaru saw the cowering human before him – a human that looked like his intended mate, but smelled nothing like the sweet scent he'd smelled the night of the new moon. What kind of a trick was this? Where was his Hanyou? So used to deceit and trickery, Sesshomaru lost all sense of control, his rational mind gone with the scent of his Hanyou.

Claws still hissing of poison, Sesshomaru roughly picked the false human up, slamming the small figure against the wall. Deadly fangs dangerously close to the pretender's face, Sesshomaru growled, "You will tell me where the Hanyou is. You will tell this Sesshomaru what you have done with his brother."

Terror coursing through his veins, Inuyasha could only stare, his violet appearing eyes wide and stricken. "I-I d-don't – "

Pulling his arm back, Sesshomaru slammed the figure in his hold back against the wall, hearing both a crack in the structure and the imposter's head. "Insignificant human! You will tell me where my mate is. NOW!"

What? Now Inuyasha was both terrified and confused. Hadn't Sesshomaru just been asking where he was? That he didn't recognize him? But Inuyasha wasn't his mate? As far as he knew, his brother didn't have a mate. "S-Sessh . . . I d-don't – "

"I will kill you for this treachery!"

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Staggering from the study, Shippo crawled his way towards the hall, barely getting far enough to take in the situation before him. Evidently, he'd done his job too well. As far as the Lord of the West was concerned, only very powerful, pure-blooded Youkai could suppress their Youkai. And although pure Youkai could suppress their scents, none could change it outright. To Sesshomaru's knowledge, Inuyasha wouldn't be able to do that, even with his spelled ring. Shippo had meant it to be a surprise . . . well, he'd definitely succeeded there. Inuyasha smelled nothing like a Hanyou, nor did he smell like his normal human scent – at least, not yet. On top of that, the spell was masking the Hanyou's Youkai. I'm such a damn idiot! Shippo ranted in his head. "Ses-sshomaru . . . don't h-hurt him."

But Sesshomaru couldn't hear Shippo. In fact, the DaiYoukai couldn't hear anything but the thrumming of his own blood as it pounded through his veins. The feeling of utter loss was all consuming. His Hanyou, his Inuyasha – was gone. It was a loss the powerful Lord could not bear and Sesshomaru felt himself suffocating under the weight of his own pain.

Eyes still wide, Inuyasha hadn't heard Shippo either. Instead, all the Hanyou could do was stare into the face of his own impending death as Sesshomaru continued morphing and changing into his feral side. Soon enough, there would be absolutely no reasoning with the wildly dangerous creature before him.

Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck . . . Shippo couldn't believe the unraveling situation before him. Inuyasha didn't understand, didn't know that he needed to consciously release the spell on the ring to both make him look and smell like the Hanyou he really was. If he couldn't reach Sesshomaru, then Shippo had to try and get Inuyasha to understand. And, given how scared the Hanyou currently was, that was near to impossible.

Squaring up his jaw, Shippo knew what he had to do. He would absolutely not lose his adoptive father a second time. Crawling on hands and knees, the fox Youkai pushed down his own overwhelming fear of the dangerous creature Sesshomaru had become and moved even closer to the DaiYoukai. Shippo was counting on the fact that Sesshomaru seemed all consumed with the being he held in his hand and wouldn't notice a lesser threat approaching.

Finally reaching Inuyasha's dangling feet, Shippo used the Hanyou's legs to pull himself up, just enough that he could feel the cool metal of the ring wrapped around tender, quivering flesh. Saying a quick mental apology, Shippo grasped the ring in his hand while releasing his hold on the Hanyou's leg, thus bringing all his weight to bear on the metal jewelry behind this mess. Although it didn't budge at first, eventually the silver began to slip until Shippo landed harshly on his tails, bruising at least one or two of them as he fell to the marble tiles below.

Hands poised, Sesshomaru saw the being grasped within his claws as responsible for the Hanyou's disappearance. He had to be, otherwise, the creature would not look like his little brother. It had all been some kind of plot, some kind of plan – as if Sesshomaru wouldn't recognize the false scent radiating from the human looking thing before him. It was a lie, another treacherous plan, another . . . in an instant, the black haired, violet eyed human before him changed, and in its place laid silvery-white hair with flattened puppy dog ears buried deep within. Frightened amber eyes blown wide and unseeing stared blankly forward while the scent of sweet, but terrified InuHanyou assaulted Sesshomaru's keen nose.

Blinking once, the feral look on Sesshomaru's face softened for an instant before he curled his lips back, sinking his nose into the crook of the Hanyou's neck, Inuyasha's bounding pulse radiating his Youkai and scent into the air. Breathing deeply, some of the red began leaking away from Sesshomaru's eyes as he spoke Inuyasha's name as if it were a prayer.

Finally convinced the Hanyou was really his brother, Sesshomaru pulled back, the horror of what he'd both done and almost done hitting the DaiYoukai in the chest. "Inuyasha?"

But the Hanyou wouldn't respond, instead, Inuyasha's eyes remained fixed ahead unable to comprehend the fact that he was no longer in danger. For Sesshomaru, the lack of response was worse than any tirade Inuyasha could have thrown at him. Softening his hold on his younger brother's freshly bruised neck, Sesshomaru allowed the Hanyou's clawed toes to touch the ground only to have Inuyasha's knees instantly give out, pitching him onto the floor near where Shippo already laid sprawled.

As Sesshomaru spoke, Inuyasha's mind remained fixed. This was all his fault – his own stupidity for actually letting his guard down, for being stupid enough to trust his older brother. Just a few days of kindness couldn't possibly dispel centuries of torture, of . . . but from deep within his mind, the Hanyou heard another voice, a voice that was normally muted; the voice of his Youkai berating him for his lack of faith, for his misunderstanding his brother's anger . . . foolish human, our brother did not recognize us, he thought we had vanished from his home, from his care. Sesshomaru was ready to rend someone he thought sought to impersonate us limb from limb, he did not seek to harm or destroy us.

Not at all willing to accept Sesshomaru's innocence, Inuyasha argued back, but does it matter? Either way, he almost killed us. Once again we are damaged and he is the cause.

Of course it matters! He would not willingly harm us any longer. Sesshomaru values our existence now.

How in the hell can you be so sure about that? You've seen what he's capable of . . . what kind of pain he can inflict –

Are your senses so dull and weak that you did not hear what he said? Our brother views us as his mate, as such, we are his most precious possession.

Sucking in a deep breath, Inuyasha's mind replayed what he'd heard his brother growl, something about Sesshomaru demanding where his mate was, but just before, he'd also been demanding to know where he was . . . that hadn't really made sense at the time. It had sounded like the DaiYoukai was talking about the same person, that Inuyasha was his mate . . . "No. No, no, no, no, no . . . "

In an instant of clarity, Inuyasha's senses returned, only to feel Sesshomaru's hands as they rubbed along his cheeks, down his jaw and neck. Above him, the Lord of the West was mumbling some kind of apology, but that's not what Inuyasha paid attention to. Instead, all the Hanyou could think was that his Youkai was right, that the bastard wanted something so much more than brotherly love. In short, Sesshomaru had lied to him. Lied and deceived him.

"Get your fuckin' hands off me!" Inuyasha growled while throwing his body into the wall behind him. "You sick, perverted excuse for family! What in the hell is wrong with you?"

Pulling his hands back to his body, the worry lacing Sesshomaru's face vanished into an icy mask. Truly, the DaiYoukai was having difficulty remembering everything he'd said to his little brother while his own Youkai had been in control, but given the disgusted face the Hanyou was making, Sesshomaru thought he had a fairly decent idea and this was not a discussion to have in front of others. "Lord Kouga, Shippo, you will both leave us."

With Sesshomaru having moved back a bit, Inuyasha found he could move and shifted to the side, using the wall for support as he pushed himself into an upright position. His legs might have been shaking thunderously, but at least he was standing. "They ain't goin' anywhere, jackass!"

Standing to his full height, Sesshomaru squared his shoulders, mokomoko flowing dangerously behind him. "They do not answer to you, Hanyou. I am the Lord of the Asian Lands and they obey my command."

"They don't gotta do shit – " but Kouga was already moving closer, his hands going down to help Shippo stand. "Kouga, what in the hell do you think you're doin'?"

Taking a quick glance in Sesshomaru's direction, Kouga bowed his head, shaking it sadly from side to side. "Whether you believe it or not, mutt, you're not in any danger right now, at least not from Sesshomaru. If you were, neither of us would leave, but the ice-prick is right and this ain't somethin' either Shippo or myself can help ya with."

"You sorry ass excuse for a – "

"I know you're pissed, but that's the way it is. Just . . . just try and keep an open mind, okay." With nothing further to say, Kouga pulled up a shaking fox Youkai, throwing Shippo over his shoulder as the fox had not an ounce of energy to even begin attempting to walk on his own. Seeing past his own anger, Inuyasha had a moment of worry as he saw Shippo's limp body being carried from the room.

"The fox will be fine, he needs only time to rest."

Glaring up at his brother's impassive face, Inuyasha yelled, "You think I don't know that! Shippo's one tough little fucker, there's no way somethin' like this could really hurt him."

"I know, I only sought to aleve the concern I saw in your eyes."

God's damnit! That jackass still sounded cool as a cucumber. "Don't talk like you know a god's be damned thing about me, cause you obviously don't know shit. And what's with you? One minute you're about to go dog feral on my ass and the next you're talkin' like it's just another Tuesday afternoon."

Ignoring Inuyasha's comments regarding his calm exterior, Sesshomaru simply stated, "You are wrong to assume I know nothing of you, Hanyou. There are none who know you better than this Sesshomaru."

"Bullshit! All you know is how you can fuck with me. How to hurt me in the worst possible ways. That's about the fuckin' extent of what you know."

Cocking his head to the side, Sesshomaru's silvery strands of hair silkily shifted over one shoulder. "And how, pray tell, do you think I am using that knowledge right now, little brother?"

Oh, Inuyasha felt as if his head was about to explode as frustrated anger seeped into every single pore of his body. "You are the biggest ass ever to be born! You make me believe . . . " here, Inuyasha pushed down the choking sob threatening to overtake him. "You make me believe you actually want me as your brother, as family, but that's not really what you want, is it?"

"It would be incorrect to say I do not wish to have a brotherly relationship with you, but it would be more correct to say I want this in addition to other things."

Sneering, Inuyasha placed one hand on his hip while the other pointed an accusing claw in his brother's direction. "Yeah? And just what else do you want, Sesshomaru? You wanna use me as some kind of perverse fuck toy? Play with the Hanyou's disgusting body just to hear me scream your name? Are you really that fucked up?" Straightening up and rocking back on his heels, Inuyasha's mouth turned into a sneer. "What's the matter? The other Youkai all used up? Five hundred years is an awfully long time to run through the available fare. Everybody else already knows what a fucked up pervert you are and ya can't get anybody to put out anymore?"

No longer able to keep up the pretense of aloofness, Sesshomaru's face turned thunderous. "Enough! I will not tolerate you speaking of yourself in such a manner." Moving closer to his Hanyou, Sesshomaru leaned down, his golden eyes glinting with fire. "If you must know, this Sesshomaru has not bedded a male or female in well over two hundred years and it is not due to lack of supply nor lack of offers."

As the DaiYoukai moved closer, Inuyasha felt his heart rate skyrocket and was dismayed to realize it wasn't totally due to fear alone. "If you got so many Youkai wantin' to get in your pants, then what in the seven hells do ya want with me, your own fuckin' brother?"

With the intense smell of InuHanyou far too tempting, Sesshomaru moved further away from his prey. "Is this what you find so detestable? That we are half-brothers? Inuyasha, truly, you have spent far too much time with humans."

"Yeah? And just whose fuckin' fault was that?"

"Mine. And now it appears as if I am to be punished for my own actions."

Hearing the frustration in Sesshomaru's voice deflated some of Inuyasha's anger and with the rage fading, a deep and bone weary exhaustion began settling in, carrying a haunting sadness into his soul. Dropping his hands to his sides, he stared at his clawed toes, shoulders slumped. "That's what all that possession talk was about earlier – about how you owned me and I owned you, wasn't it." With the palm of his hand now rubbing against his forehead, Inuyasha felt truly lost. "You lied to me, Sesshomaru, plain and simple. You, Kouga, hell, most likely Shippo too – you all lied to me."

Both seeing and hearing the change in his little brother's voice, Sesshomaru's own intensified emotional state eased down. "I never intended to deceive you, and in the beginning it was not so. Truly, when Bakusen'O released you into my care, I had no idea I desired anything more than to have you stand at my side as a brother. But, it quickly became clear to me that this is what my Youkai always wanted from you, a mate."

"So, at the beginnin', it wasn't a lie, but for most of the time it has been? How in the hell is that supposed to make this better?"

Taking slow, and steady steps so as not to frighten his little brother any further, Sesshomaru cupped Inuyasha's cheek in his hand, raising the Hanyou's head enough to see the deep shades of purple and black coloring his neck. "And if I had told you, admitted my desires, what would you have done?"

Opening his mouth, Inuyasha started to answer, but found he had none, or, at least none he wanted to share. What would he have done? The Hanyou knew damn well, he'd have moved heaven and hell to get the fuck outta there, that's what he'd have done. And, given how damn weak he'd been, most likely he'd of killed himself in the process.

Grabbing Sesshomaru's wrist, Inuyasha pushed the DaiYoukai's hand away from his flesh, instantly missing the warm security that simple touch brought. "I can't listen to this anymore. I just can't."

"This Sesshomaru shall respect your privacy, for now."

"-Keh, don't push me, Sesshomaru. Just . . . just leave me the fuck alone." And with that, Inuyasha turned from the room, passing his own bedroom and heading for the sanctuary of nature. Bursting through the door to the rooftop, the Hanyou bounded up into the nearest tree, running from limb to limb as he zig-zagged his way across the entire expanse of the structure. Panting and out of breath, Inuyasha finally settled on a limb at the farthest edge of the garden, overlooking the city as he let loose a mournful howl into the dark night.

Unbeknownst to Inuyasha, Sesshomaru felt that cry like an arrow through the heart. Now in his study, the DaiYoukai went down on one knee, his breath shallow and limbs shaking while the pain in that singular sound echoed through the deepest part of his soul, right down into the pit of his Youkai. In so many ways, the great Lord of the West had fucked up, once again. He'd caused Inuyasha both physical and emotional pain. All of his efforts to protect the one he cherished above all others, the one he could no longer live without, had been futile. Even after five hundred years, the DaiYoukai found he truly was his own brother's worst enemy. It was amazing how time had done little to change the outcome, only the method of its delivery.

Now, you all didn't really expect that to go smoothly, did you? :-)

As always, thank you all for continuing to read this story and for your reviews. The next chapter will be longer and will consist of a lot of wolf intervention (never thought of Kouga as a shrink, but hey, Inuyasha needs somebody to talk to). Don't worry too much, all will start getting straightened out soon, after all, I love a happy ending!

Thanks again and until next time . . . lunamist