Alright, I know you have been waiting for a new chapter from me for so long. This past year or so has not been easy on me and writer's block was pestering me. I am sorry about that and I have not forgotten about my little children(Stories). I just haven't had time or ideas of where to go with them. I was final was able to think over this one for a time and came up with this chapter. I hope you enjoy it. So onto the story; tale of tellers…what...teller of tails…no, tails of tales…oh you know what I'm saying. Read and review, please.

Weak, that's all Rin knew. She could barely stand on her own as she used the wall to support her. Whoever had left the door open to her cell was her lifeline. Struggling through the halls, trying not to make a sound; she looked for the exit. She had heard them talking; the test results were too weak. They were going to extract more in the morning. She had to get away from them.

She leaned against a door, trying to catch her breath only to have it swing open. She fell face first into a pile of snow. She pulled herself up, looking around seeing she was an alley. Crying with happiness at the outside world, she crawled away, never paying attention to where she was going. She was free at last. That man wouldn't hurt her anymore.

…}{…

"So what's wrong with her?" Taisho asked as Tōtōsai finished examining Rin. After she had run away, she had never returned to the kitchen, worrying Taisho. He had gone looking for her, finding her unconscious in the bathroom.

"I don't really know." The old demon doctor explained, frowning at the girl.

"So she's not pregnant?"

"No, but I can tell she's a demon's mate. However, the scent is too weak for me to tell who."

"Her mate's scent is weak?" Taisho asked, frowning.

"It's strange. I can see the mark on her neck, but the scent is weak. It's like the pheromones have been depleted."

Taisho narrowed his eyes, "That's dangerous, isn't it?"

"Oh, yes, had she been completely drained she could have died, not to mention her mate would have felt the impact as well." Tōtōsai pulled the cover up over Rin, sighing. "I can't say what this girl has been through, but it must have been hell."

With a sad look towards her, Taisho followed Tōtōsai out of the room to the kitchen. "Why would someone what to remove the mate's smell?"

"There are only two reasons why anyone would want to do that; one to kill girl so her mate would go crazy and two…no one would dare to try it."

"Tōtōsai…"

The old demon sighed. "There's a rumor going around that people; humans and demons have been experimenting with the scents of demons and their mates."

"Naraku!"

"Huh?"

Taisho waved him off. "So what is happening to Rin right now?"

"Well, for whatever reason, her pheromones have lowered and has taken her mate's mark. Where is he anyway?"

Taisho chuckled. "Oh, well, that's a little hard to explain."

"Well, it better be easier to get him back here." Tōtōsai added. "Now that he's mated to her, he's the only one able to help her."

"That's easier said than done." He whispered, before turning back to the doc. "What is he to do?"

Tōtōsai narrowed his eyes at him. "Taisho, does her mate have anything to do with why the living room is a disaster?"

"Let's say he didn't like the attention I was giving her."

"The attention…you didn't try stealing her did you?"

"Why would…look Tōtōsai, when I first met Rin, I knew who's mate she was, but I also knew he wasn't going easily accept it either." He went on explaining how someone was after her.

"That doesn't tell me who her mate is?"

Taking a deep breath, knowing that Tōtōsai would be just the same as Inuyasha and Koga, "Sesshomaru."

(Crash followed by uncontrollable laughter.)

Taisho rolled his eyes and walked around the island to stare down at the old demon rolling on the floor. "When you're finished…"

Tōtōsai pulled himself up, trying to stifle the laughter. "Come on, Taisho, that's the best joke I heard; Sesshomaru is that girl's mate."

"I'm not joking. It's his mark on her."

The old demon was taken back. "But that's girl human!"

"Yes, I know."

"Sesshomaru hates humans!"

"He does."

"He would never mark a human, mate or not!"

"He did…well his beast did."

Tōtōsai stared at him, opened mouth. "I…" He sat back down on the stool. "Has he accepted her as his mate?"

"His beast has, but Sesshomaru is still on the ledge."

"This is not good."

"Now you understand."

"No, I mean this could cause problems in treating her." He went on explaining as the Lord of the West gave him a confused look. "She was marked while her pheromones were low; he's the only one able to restore the balance now."

"You said that already."

"Yes, but that also means he will have to be around her every day for a while."

"You mean they have to live together before he accepts her?"

"Either that or she will die."

…}{…

Sesshomaru frowned, trying to understand why he was even there again.

"Mate."

That's right because his demon refused to shut up until it has seen her. He leaned against the wall outside her door. A human was his mate. How could life be so cruel to him? What had he done that would give him a human as a mate? Though, thinking about earlier that day, he had to say she was passionate, warm, and sweet.

Kissing her had been like heaven, laying with her was beyond anything he could have hoped with. Normally, as soon as he was satisfied, he would leave, but with her, he had fallen asleep, holding her and it was the best rest he had years. His heart had been calmed and his soul relaxed; something he doubted had happened since he was a small child.

"Sesshomaru?"

He jerked, startled as his father poked his head out of the apartment. "Uh…hello, father." His demon growled, but he pushed it down. "I was just seeing if…the girl…if she was alright?"

His father stepped out, closing the door behind him. "Well, that depends, son. Do you plan on trying to kill me again?"

Sesshomaru glared at him. "Mine!" Furious, he shoved his demon back.

"I understand she's your mate, Sesshomaru," Taisho smirked, crossing his arms. "But that fit you threw will do more harm to her than any good right now."

"I just want to know if she's alright, father, then I'll leave."

"I don't think so, son." His father turned around, walking back into the apartment. "Come on in; we have a lot to talk about, and keep it quiet, I don't want to disturb Rin."

"Will you not say her name?" Sesshomaru growled as his demon raised his head again, barely being able to contain him.

"Upsets your demon does it?" His father asked, moving around the kitchen, cooking. "Understandable."

Sesshomaru sighed, sitting down at the island. "What's going on, Father?"

"I already explained it to you, son."

"Look, I understand that my beast has made her made her my mate, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

Taisho sighed. "Your demon may have something to say to that, especially after you hear what I have to say."

Both Sesshomaru and his demon too notice to the stress lacing the old demon's voice. "What happened?"

"Well, you already know that Naraku is after her…" his son nodded, waiting. "It would seem someone was extracting her pheromones, causing your scent on her to become weak."

"How is that…is it that your wrong and she's not…" Why did he feel sad at that thought?

"No, son, I'm not wrong."

"Then what are you getting at?"

"According to Tōtōsai, you mated her while they were low and it's causing it to drain her more, making her weak…it could…well, it's not good…Sesshomaru!" Taisho could only stare as his son stood from his stool to storm down the hall. Realizing that he was heading to Rin's room, he tore after him, worried that he would startle her.

"Sesshomaru!" He grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Calm down, son."

"Mine!"

"I know son, but she's resting."

"My Mate!"

Great his demon had taken control again. "Do you want to scare her?"

Growling, Sesshomaru turned back around, storming back into the living, taking note that his father hadn't replaced the furniture yet.

"Son, we need to finish talking."

"What is it you want from me?" He asked, trying to gain control of his demon once more. It was trying to pull him back towards the bedroom where he could catch her scent. "Did the mating mark do this?"

"Yes and no. Her pheromones were low before you marked her." Taisho explained, "The mark is now draining her trying to correct it, in turn,…it's killing her…whoa, hold on, son."

Sesshomaru snapped back to himself, finding he was standing in front of his father near the hall.

"Calm down, you can save her."

Sesshomaru turned away. "And why would I want to…" His demon growled at him. "Hmm."

"Son…"

"What do I have to do?"

"Well, it's easy really, nothing hard at all."

"Father…"

"You just have to be around her so your own pheromones will help replace what she lost."

"You want me to…what?"

"Look, son, you two are mates and you should live together."

"Hmm…"

"Mr. Taisho?"

The two men turned finding Rin leaning against the wall to support herself. Before Taisho could move towards her, Sesshomaru was at her side, scooping her into his arms and nuzzling her neck. She gasped, unsure what to do and too weak to fight.

"Calm down Rin," Taisho assured her. "He won't hurt you. Sesshomaru is just checking to make sure you are alright."

She froze, allowing him to sniff at her neck. It had a weird calming effect on her and she was soon relaxing in his arms. Was he purring?

Taisho smiled, "Sesshomaru?"

His son jerked his head, staring at him, confused. He looked down, seeing the girl in his arms. His demon wasn't going to give him a break, was it? It was insistent that this human was his mate and it didn't matter what he thought. If he was going to get any control over the demon, he was going to have listen.

"Fine! She's our mate."

"Good."

Cheeky shit.

…}{…

Alright, so another part of Rin's past is revealed. And we find out, Rin isn't pregnant after all, at least not yet. It would seem Naraku's little test is slowly killing her instead. Whatever will Sesshomaru do? Well, give into his demon of course. And I know, Nakuru wasn't in this chapter, being gone for so long, I seemed to have lost him, if you see him, send him back please; unharmed.

So, since it has been so long since I posted anything I'm not going to do a review corner, this time around. But please review and I will start up again in the next chapter.

*Waves*