Chappie numbahh eleven! Double ones, babeh!
Sorry this one took some time. Usual busy stuffs. Not much to say, so enjoy the chapter and pleasepleaseplease review!
Before eating, always take time to thank the food. – Arapaho proverb
DISCLAIMER: I own absolutely nothing. All I have left are my senseless fantasies and broken dreams… and my stories that enable me to manipulate teh Sessheh!
….
Kagome woke once again, aching in places she didn't know could ache. The musty smell reminded her of where she was and the panic instantly overrode any thoughts she had at all of pain.
You certainly seem to be sleeping an awful lot for someone so scared.
She couldn't help the sarcastic little voice in her head from making itself heard. Not amused by her own wit, she tried to shuffle herself into a position that would relieve the pressure on her shoulder.
Hearing the door once again, she started and her head snapped into position. Her body went completely still, her pain and her mission to relieve it completely forgotten.
The large door opened once again and another figure entered the room. The torch he carried allowed her to see his face more clearly than that of her previous visitor. She took in all the features of his face and was reminded of nothing so much as the werewolves of modern-day stories. His body was small and compact and the ruff around his neck was fluffy and shaggy in texture.
Seeing that he was the object of her scrutiny, he grinned an evil grin and she found herself disgusted by the grime she saw caked and crusted between his neglected dentition. Not wanting to imagine what it was – Oh, my God, it's dried blood, he's gonna eat me, OHMYGOD – she shut her eyes tight as if she could just ignore him, as if she could make him go away.
He approached her small, vulnerable form. He reached her side… and did nothing. He stood over her and stared for a long while.
Unaware of what had happened due to her self-induced blindness and wondering why she hadn't been consumed yet, the miko opened one eye just enough to see him next to her. Discomfitted by his lingering gaze, Kagome began shivering.
The youkai knelt by her side and gripped her shoulders. Her muscles locked and she did not move. Her lids glued shut once again.
The demon did nothing but move her body so that she was sitting on the stone slab that had caused her so much pain. A claw was placed underneath her chin, pushing so as to angle her face into the light.
Surprised by his actions (or lack thereof) the miko opened her eyes and immediately met his frosty blue ones. She was held captive by his gaze, just as much as she was held tight by the bonds around her wrists and ankles.
Well aware of her inability to move, the youkai reached around and untied the gag still in her mouth. He let the dirty rag fall, still staring into her eyes.
Finishing his evaluation, he tipped his head and spoke.
"Hello, miko. I am Usotsuki. How are you feeling?"
She sat there, completely stunned. Here she was, bruised and aching, held captive in a freaking dungeon, and this psychopath was making light conversation?
Still, she didn't want to push his buttons. He was obviously crazy and she didn't want to push him over the edge.
"I'm, err, fine. Um… why am I here? If you don't mind me asking…" Her voice trailed off. She was trying to be polite, but she didn't really know how to talk to a crazy.
He chuckled lightly, sending shivers down her spine. His voice wrapped around her like smooth silk against her abused skin.
"Well, my lady, you are here because I had you brought here."
She opened her mouth after a moment, thinking that he was done speaking. Sure, he had answered her question. He just hadn't done it very well.
Before she could speak again he continued.
"And I had you brought here because you, little miko, are just that. My… colleagues and myself have long disliked the situation that we have been put in by your, shall we say, interfering. Being rid of one more priestess will only make it easier for youkai to exterminate the human race.
"But now, imagine my surprise when I come to find that you, my little pet, you! are currently in possession of multiple shards of the ever-elusive Shikon no Tama. Ah! What a wonderful day it was that I came upon you, dear. And now, I will be relieving you of these pretty little trinkets, ridding myself of you, and continuing on my way a bit more powerful than I previously was. How lovely does that sound?"
The miko couldn't help but go a little slackjawed. He said it all so politely, so completely gentlemanly, that she couldn't help but think her mind was playing tricks on her.
She knew it wasn't when his hand stretched out towards her and the bottle that held the shards.
He was rather peeved.
The miko had arrived and no one had felt it necessary to alert him to her presence in his home.
Just as he felt the poison reach the tips of his claws, he realized that something was wrong. The miko was not near the entrance. Her aura placed her far from the entrance gates.
And she was scared.
The miko held her breath as the youkai's claws neared her throat. Her eyes were squeezed shut for the umpteenth time and she readied herself to be torn to shreds.
What she didn't expect was the sudden gust of air against her cheek and the thud against the wall to her left.
Turning her head and opening her eyes, the miko was very surprised by what she saw.
Sesshoumaru held Usotsuki by throat and pressed him high against the wall. The youkai's short stature assured that his feet couldn't touch the ground and he began to struggle as the breath was squeezed from his throat.
Sesshoumaru's face was a mask of cool rage as he watched Usotsuki flop like a fish out of water. He held the smaller demon firmly against the wall and proceeded to ignore his victim as he turned to the miko.
"You have sustained no injuries."
It wasn't a question, but she thought that it should be one. Her mouth a small 'o' of amazement, she slowly shook her head left to right.
"Hn."
He turned back to Usotsuki upon her confirmation and watched for another moment, seeming to enjoy the fuzzy one's struggling.
Reaching up with his other hand – Where'd he get that? – he gave his victim's head a quick wrench to the side and let him drop. The demon slipped to the floor, rendered unconscious by the demon lord's quick action.
Sesshoumaru pulled his eyes from the demon's crumpled form and looked back to the shell-shocked miko. He made his way over to her.
He stared at her with one eyebrow raised and wondered when she would close her mouth.
Returning to reality at last, the miko straightened as well as she could, closed her mouth, and met Sesshoumaru's gaze.
Deciding that her brain hadn't completely melted and left her even more useless than she already was, Sesshoumaru knelt and cut her bonds.
She found herself surprised by his actions yet again.
Should probably thank him now, stupid.
Shut up, you! she yelled at her inner self. She was just getting to that.
"Thank you, Sessh- um, Lord Sesshoumaru. I don't know who that guy was exactly, but he said he was going to kill me..."
"Hn."
She never knew exactly what to say to that.
"Yeah… so thanks." Then she realized that this gleaming demon lord did not belong in such a dingy place as this. Why had he suddenly appeared then? "So, um, Lord Sesshoumaru? Not to sound rude or anything, but why are you here?"
That one made him smirk. He supposed she would be confused.
"You, miko, have inadvertently made your way into my home.
"Welcome to the Western Palace."
…
Phew! I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru, but I didn't know if you would make it in time!
Thank you for reading and please review :)
~Siki
P.S. – I have been informed by the all-knowing interwebs that Usotsuki means 'a liar.'
Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but it doesn't really matter, does it. His ass is grass.
