Chapter 11
Unleashed
The urge to strangle the demons in front of him was strong, but he kept a blank face and kept his demonic energy retained. He sat at the head of the large oval table, surrounded by his council. To his left, his financial adviser, Takashi; a bear demon with large side burns, and massive hands. Beside him, the public relations manger, Susumu; a white fox, with a lithe frame, and mischievous orange eyes.
To his right sat Hiroto, picking at his talons, exuding boredom. He occasionally gave a glance to Sesshomaru, nearly pleading for this long meeting to conclude. Lastly, beside Hiroto, sat Masaru, the dungeon keeper. He was a crotchety old badger, with a bent spine, and trailing, white and black hair; one of his father's previous advisers.
"She needs to leave. She is much too dangerous." The old man grumbled. Hiroto sighed, leaning forward on the table.
"I rather like the little miko. You should have seen it! All the enemies gone in an instant... poof!" Hiroto touched his fingers together and expanded them like an explosion. Sesshomaru found it hard to believe his friend was 100 years older. Masaru rolled his eyes.
"You're much too young to understand why that is a bad thing." Hiroto smirked at the old man.
"I'd much rather be young and adaptable, than old and stuck in the past, Masaru." The old badger grumbled, about to hurl another string of insults at the hawk before Susumu chimed in with a mellow voice.
"My Lord, perhaps the small trinket you mentioned before will help us control the girl's powers for our own use. How does it work?" Sesshomaru was thankful at least one level headed demon was on his council. He held up the glimmering necklace, it contained several small purple beads, growing from the size of a pea to slightly larger than his fingertips. At even intervals, small fangs decorated the necklace, at the center of the necklace hung a crescent moon.
"This will control her powers, much like it has for my idiotic halfing of a brother. However, she will be completely under my control when I speak the incantation." His council stared at him warily, carefully sidestepping the mention of his half-brother. Takashi cleared his throat.
"I do not mean to question your judgment, Lord Sesshomaru, but won't many of the demons in our court believe this to be a mating gift? Why should a human wear the emblem of the west?" Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, putting the beads of subjugation back into the folds of his haori.
"If anyone has any concerns about the girl and her place, they will answer to me. Understood?" Takashi, despite being much larger than Sesshomaru, blanched and gave a quick nod.
"I meant no harm, my lord." Sesshomaru turned to sweep his gaze over his council members. Masaru scoffed, and rolled his eyes. "And, if she manages to break through this... jewelry?"
Sesshomaru eyes narrowed once more, he could feel a headache coming on. "What do you suggest, Masaru?"
The old man rubbed his bearded chin slowly, a small smirk on his face. "If she manages to break through the beads, I will see to her death." Sesshomaru growled, cracking the arm rests of his chair.
"No."
Masaru's smirk widened. "Why, Lord Sesshomaru, you don't actually have feelings for this human, do you?" Sesshomaru's beast was at the front of his mind, ready to be unleashed. He held it back, but released the demonic energy to fill the room. All but Masaru leaned back in their chairs, suppressed by the overwhelming aura. "Much like your father."
The rest of the council made small gasps at the mention of the previous lord, and sunk even further into their chairs. Aside from his brother, they knew any mention of Lord Taisho was a death wish. Sesshomaru's eyes tinged with red.
"If my power is not enough to contain the Miko, I will place her back where I have found her. If any harm that comes to her, you will pay with your life. This meeting is over." Sesshomaru stood completely, moving to the wide double doors of the large conference room. Stopping when he heard Masaru chuckled behind him.
"As you wish, my lord." Sesshomaru growled and moved through the doors, nearly splintering them as he slammed them shut. That insubordinate old fool. He dare doubt his strength? He doubt his ability to control a mere human! How dare he mention his father. It was ridiculous, it was bordering treason. He made his way to his study, attempting to control his anger.
Masaru had threatened to kill her, and he had lost control. He growled at his weakness. Was Masaru right? Did he have feelings for this girl? He sat on the couch by the fireplace, covering his face with his hands, digging his nails deep into his scalp. The pain brought him back from the anger. He was no better than his father. His father who left him as a young pup for the sake of a human. He grabbed an old vase, which rested on the side table beside him, shattering it against the wall. It did little to soothe him.
He would not stoop to his father's level. He would resist these ridiculous feelings. Feelings only got in the way, only made him weaker. He took in a deep breath, and leaned back. He would protect her until they defeated Naraku, and then he would remove her from his life. She was a means to an end. She would not disrupt his life by hypnotizing him.
He would ignore the delicious way she smelled. The black silk of her hair, the glistening pink lips that parted when she was flustered. He would forget the way she said his name that night, forget her chameleon grey eyes. Forget her heart that raced when he was near. He would use her, and forget her. All of her. He stared blankly at the ceiling, as his beast called him a fool.
-K-
Kagome was wandering the halls of the castle, after Kaede gave her a clean bill of health. She was humming once again, admiring the beautiful artwork that was etched into every last inch of the castle. Even the wall trimmings were delicately carved. Her attention was ripped from the beauty, when she heard shouting.
"Oh, not again..." She grumbled, she always managed to find a way into trouble. She saw a white haired demon slide into the hallway she was in. Her eyes widened. He looked so much like Sesshomaru. The demon in front of her had pointed white ears, and was wearing a bright red outfit. Odd for someone in the castle, most wore subtle colors.
"Where the fuck is that fucker!?" Her face drooped. He wasn't very elegant with his words, maybe he had no relation to Sesshomaru at all. He was running towards her, and she pressed herself against the wall. "Hey, wench! Where the fuck is my brother!?" He moved in front of her, pressing a clawed hand against the wall. His eyes, which were narrowed at her suspiciously, were the same gold as Sesshomaru's.
"Who's your brother?" She asked, not wanting to make a simple mistake which could cost her life. His face fell in disbelief before howling with laughter. She crossed her arms, glaring at him. "What's so funny!" He held his gut, attempting to... poorly control his laughter.
"Let's see, little girl." Her anger jumped a few notches. "He's about this high," He held his hand about two feet above her head, "He's about as cuddly as an icicle, and rules the western lands."
"So you are Sesshomaru's brother!" He gave her a weird look, moving in closer to examine her.
"Are you one of his concubines?" He sniffed her and her face grew hot. She slapped him across the face, but he barely flinched. Growling he grabbed her wrist. "The fuck was that for, wench!" She felt the sting of his claws prick her hand but she was blinded by anger.
"You are the most insufferable demon I have ever met, and I've only known you for all of thirty seconds! I am not a concubine, and I never will be!" She felt the urge to slap him with her other hand, but thought better of it.
"Oh yeah, then why is his scent all over you!" She flushed and stammered a little.
"W-what? That's not true!" She couldn't help but replaying her dream, and last night when he called her by her name. The man, if you could even call him that, smirked at her.
"The nose doesn't lie, girlie. You're covered in his scent, and you like it." She could barely contain her embarrassment. Her knee jerked as a reaction, right into his groin. He fell over, the wind wheezing out of him. "Y-you bitch!" She made a run for it, not fully knowing where she was going. She heard several steps behind her before she plummeted into the ground, a heavy weight on her back. She felt the skin on her hands and knees scrape open against the shined wooden floor.
"It's not my fault you're just another whore." She was flipped over, and glared at the filthy mouthed jerk in front of her. She was pinned, and released her powers into his hands with a quick burst. "Fuck!" She kicked him over, making sure to fill her feet with a blast of energy. He flew back. They both sat up and glared at each other.
"I am not a whore, and you will remember that you, you idiot!" He was rubbing his hands together, soothing the burns before his ears flattened against his head and he looked up behind her. Curious, she looked up, blinking at Sesshomaru. He did not seem happy, in fact, he was down right enraged. "...Hi." She whispered, and he only glared at her. She did her best to look as small as possible.
"Listen, Sesshomaru, I didn't mean anything, she just-" Before the red-clad demon could finish his sentence, his wind pipe was being crushed by Sesshomaru's hands. Kagome felt badly, despite him being such a rude jerk.
"Inuyasha, I told you if you could not behave like a normal demon, to not return to this castle." His name was Inuyasha? Her eyes widened.
"Wait! Inuyasha? Like Inuyasha's forest?" Inuyasha looked at her with a curious glare, and Sesshomaru turned to look at her with red eyes.
"Stay out of this, girl." She felt a little pang in her heart. What happened to calling her Kagome? She ignored the throbbing of her heart, and moved towards the two brothers.
"You are no better than your brother, Sesshomaru." He might not use her name, but she would use his. "Both of you assuming to be so much better because of your royal demon heritage!" She glared at them, and Sesshomaru dropped his brother who gasped for air, before walking slowly to her.
"I am tired of your defiance, Miko. You act like you belong here, but you don't." Her heart tore a little. He really didn't want her here. He reached into his haori, pulling out a necklace. "I was going to give this to you in private, but I think now is more than perfect." She backed up, but he had already cornered her, and placed the weighted beads around her.
"Since you can't even control your own energy, like the pathetic human that you are, I will help you control it, Kagome." Her eyes welled with tears, and she grabbed the beads, trying to tear them from her neck, but they only shocked her violently. She cried out with pain, both physical and emotional. She tried to shock him with her powers, hitting his chest with all her might but nothing happened.
She looked to her hands, mortified. She willed forth her energy but there was nothing more than a fizzle. Frustrated tears ran down her face, and she tried over and over. Her powers were gone! Her screams pierced the air, as if to call them back to her. She fell to the floor, covering her eyes as she sobbed heavily.
He said he liked her powers, and now he took them from her. Her only gift from her mother. The only thing she had left of her, and they were gone. She looked through blurred eyes at the demon Lord, and with gritted teeth she spat out, " I hate you, you monster!" She got up, running to her room, trying to breathe through her broken heart.
-S-
His heart felt a stab of pain at her words, and his ears rang with her cries. His beast was angry and howling for him to fix the mess he created. It snarled at the back of his mind, and scratched crippling wounds into his mind. Flashes of light burned his eyes, and his head throbbed in pain. His beast was trying to defy him.
"That seemed like a bit much." Inuyasha stated behind him. He turned to glare at him, but could barely see through the crack that distorted his vision.
"Silence, you mutt." He staggered to his room, trying to hide the fact that he was unable to see properly, or even focus on the sounds and smells around him. He laid on the bed, fighting his beast back into it's place. His claws tore through the bedding, and he snarled into the air.
"Submit! I am in control!" He shouted into the air, his beast was nearly to the surface. It growled in his mind, partially speaking through his voice.
'If you will not comfort our mate, then I will do what needs to be done.' Sesshomaru was shocked that the beast had called her their mate, and even more shocked that his beast had spoken. He could always feel it's intentions, but never before had it spoken to him. Before he could ponder too much on what that would mean, darkness consumed him.