Maru was sleeping when he felt the aura. It was angry. For a moment, he forgot. He forgot what had happened to him. He forgot where he was. And he forgot he was safe.
His father was angry. And he was coming to his room!
He whined in his throat and his eyes shot open. Even as he scrambled back, stumbling over Kagome, who immediately woke up, her every sense alert for danger.
"Maru?"
The wide golden eyes were filled with terror and bone chilling fear. He stared at her, not recognizing her. Whimpering, he raised a small arm protectively, as she reached for him. She stopped.
Something was obviously wrong with him. Aside from the distress in his aura, he seemed physically fine. Maybe he had a nightmare. She reached out to him, and held him, even as he tried to fight back. The young miko ignored the cuts his sharp claws were inflicting on her arms and face. She ignored the painful tinge of his poison as it entered her system through his claws.
Seshoumaru's aura loomed over her and Maru grew more panicked. Kagome tried to calm the child down, "Maru. Maru, snap put of it! What's wrong?"
But the closer Seshoumaru got to the clearing, the harder he fought. Not knowing what to do, Kagome cast a strong barrier around her, but it didn't help. Although his eyes were wild, there was no spark of recognition in them. It was like fighting to survive.
"Release me! No!"
Tears filled Kagome's eyes, and she held him tighter, "Wake up, Maru! Please wake up!"
The pup was sobbing and struggling to get away from her, and she had this gut feeling inside her that if she let him go now, he would hurt himself.
"I can't! Don't make me! I won't!"
His sobs were hysterical and they ripped at her heart. By this time, Shippou and Rin had awoken along with Jaken who started screaming for his Seshoumaru sama.
When the daiyoukai entered the clearing, he paused. The girl was encased in a barrier, trying to restrain his past self. And she was bleeding. Cursing inwardly, he put a hand on the barrier, prepared to be burnt but to his surprise, he simply walked through it like the barrier never existed. Moving faster than the naked eyes could detect, he separated the two, pushing the miko behind him.
He didn't snarl at the pup, but growled something in what Kagome could only translate as 'doggy language'. He prowled around the pup who was still but would whimper every now and then. Finally, he blinked. And the smell of blood made his eyes grow wide. Scrambling onto his small legs, he tried to run towards Kagome, but Seshoumaru's snarl made him pause. The larger Inu's eyes were red.
Kagome tried to look from behind Seshoumaru but he was blocking her view. Her body was too heavy and her cuts were starting to throb. She opened her mouth to tell Seshoumaru to move aside, but she found herself unable to speak. Vision growing blurry, she groped at the grass,trying to communicate.
It was Rin who noticed, screaming her name. All eyes turned towards the weakened miko. She lay still on the grass, her eyes closed, unmoving. For a moment in time, Seshoumaru was unable to breathe.
He was besides her in a flash and the slow irregular beat of her heart made him want to sigh with relief. He quickly pushed that relief aside to study it later and studied the pale face of the girl with a sharp assessing gaze.
The poison was in her bloodstream. With quick prescision, he made tiny cuts over the previous injuries and poured in his youki, trying to diffuse the poison. However, to his shock, something pushed out his youki. Kagome's breathing turned harsh as her body started convulsing. Shippou and Rin rubbed their eyes trying not to cry, not understanding the situation, while Maru was oddly silent in the background.
Seshoumaru stared at the miko and his heart beat faster as he realized she was dying and he couldn't save her. He fingered Tensiaga, but the strange feeling in his chest was not going away and he found that he was unable to push it away either.
As her body started convulsing more harshly, Maru walked past the inuyoukai. Ignoring the growl, he curled up around Kagome's shaking body and wrapped his arms around her chest. It was then that everyone in the clearing noticed his eyes. They were red, and his hair was wild. As he turned his nose into Kagome's neck, he growled, and his body was enveloped in a red aura. It spread towards Kagome and it was his youki that entered her cuts.
Seshoumaru watched, his face blank. A part of him felt light and a part of him burned. He couldn't put a name to that emotion because he had never felt it before. But he could say that he was starting to dislike his past self.
It felt like hours and everyone was ilent, watching with trepidation. Shippou and Rin held each others hands and every now and then Rin would rub her eyes, trying to be brave like Shippou. She didn't know what was going on but when she had awoken to the cries of Maru she had panicked and had crept closer to the awake Shippou as well, as both children had watched silently, knowing that their interference would cause problems. But now, she drew a shuddering breath, was Maru healing Kagome? Why was Seshomaru-sama so angry? Although the daiyoukai betrayed nothing, his face impassive, Rin knew him like no other. And he was disturbed.
When Maru stopped glowing, when his youki finally receded, he gave a choked gasp before collapsing, his energy entirely drained. Kagome, however, was glowing with health. As she blinked awake, she pulled herself up into a sitting position. She was suddenly nose to nose with the silver haired inuyoukai, who didn't blink, just stared at her.
For a moment, she froze, unable to move away from the strange glint in those golden eyes. The spell was broken, the moment Shippou cried out her name in relief. Turning around, she opened her arms just in time to catch him as he flung himself into her arms, clinging onto her neck.
"What's wrong, Shippou?"
The tiny fox youkai blubbered in her neck and Rin jumped over to join him. Meanwhile, Maru opened his eyes slowly, his small body aching. As his eyes took in the scene before him, he clenched at the dirt and silently and with great difficulty, he pulled himself back and away.
He had nearly killed Kagome. He had nearly destroyed the only person who had ever showered him with affection. Both children were crying noisily, so none noticed his retreat except for Seshomaru. The golden eyes pinned him to the spot but the pup for the first time shook his head, and his eyes pleading, he silently asked his future self not to say anything. Seshoumaru tilted his head acquisence and let the pup move away from the scene.
He moved to the other side of the tree, so that he would not be detected. Closing his eyes, he leaned against the trunk and tried to ignore the throbbing in his chest. She would hate him, and even if she didn't, he hated himself. He tried to draw on his inner youkai to heal him but found himself unabe to do so. It was hard, and his body hurt. Vision blurring, he studied the moon with half masted eyes for the first time wishing he had no emotions. He wanted to be like his future self who didn't care about anyone or anything. Then maybe all this pain would go away. Slowly, black seeped into his vision, and he slipped into unconsciousness, slumping against the tree.
Kagome tried to calm the two hysterical children, unable to think. She remembered pain, unbearable pain but there wa s huge blank in her memory. As she murmured soothingly to Shippou, her eyes fell on the upturned blanket a few feet away, near Seshomaru.
A blanket?
Waves of memory came crashing over her and she craned her neck to look around for her pup. She met Seshoumaru's steady gaze with fear and worry, "Where's Maru?"
He merely blinked languidly, "The pup is resting."
Alpthough partially relieved, she persisted urgently, "But where is he?"
"That is none of your concern, miko."
She was silent for a moment and her eyes flashed dangerously. Her voice, almost a whisper, she asked, "Not my concern?"
He raised a brow, finding himself fascinated by the barely banked fire in her eyes. It was like she wanted to rip him to pieces, he noted, amused.
"I do not believe there is anything wrong with your hearing."
Kagome opened her mouth to retailiate but then snapped it shut as she realized something.
He was baiting her!
Looking determinedly into his eyes without flinching, she spread her aura around the clearing and expanded it. To her surprise, she pinpointed the location of the inuyoukai child, his youki barely distinguishable. He was barely holding on, it seemed.
Pulling away from the children, gently, she got to her feet and made her to the large tree. The poor child was slumped against the side, unconscious. Eyes welling with tears, she cradled him in her arms, and nestled him closed to her. He seemed so small, so fragile. And yet, he was so brave and alone.
As she re entered the clearing, she shot Seshomaru a contemptuous look, and bit out, "Not my concern, eh?"
The inyoukai narrowed his eyes, "The pup is the reason for your injuries, woman."
Kagome settled against a tree and both the children curled up next to her as she held Maru in her arms, not wanting to let him go. She studied him for a few seconds in silence and mused, "You do realize that he may be a pup but this pup is you, Seshomaru. You may not like him but by not liking him, you just show that you despise yourself."
The older inuyoukai stiffened and then forcibly relaxed his body. Putting on his mask of indifference, he simply raised a brow.
Kagome continued, "Nonetheless, he has to go home, and he has to go back soon. I don't want Naraku to find out about him. He'll want to get hold of Maru."
"Are you questioning my abilities, Miko?"
"What if I am?" Kagome retorted, challengingly.
Seshoumaru took a seat under a tree and pinned her with his brilliant golden gaze. He was feeling oddly unsettled, for his beast was intrigued by the challenge it could hear in the miko's tone and it wanted to come out and 'play' with her.
Struggling against his instincts was difficult, "Then maybe I should teach you your place, little miko."
His voice was silky yet held dark promise. Kagome felt trapped in that burning gaze. Something inside of her shifted and the words that came out of her mouth were something she would never have spoken, "I would like to see you try, puppy."
Everyone held their breath as Seshoumaru snarled, his eyes flashing red and Kagome allowed her power to form around her and the children, showing him that she was not to be underestimated. However, had she had known the consequences of her words, she probably would have thought twice before opening her mouth. Or then again, probably not.
Both children slowly fell asleep, as the nights events had tired them out. Kagome, however, remained awake and alert. The same was the case with Seshomaru. He stared at the miko who was avoiding hiis gaze, preferring to look at the trees or at the children surrounding her.
There was something off about the miko. She had always been brazen, fearless, brave. All qualities he could and had admired. But what he saw now was recklessness. It was like she kept putting her hand in the fire and didn't care if it got burnt. It was not like her, and she only acted this way around him. She was ifne with the children. A bit more protective, perhaps.
He tilted his head slightly, and without his knowing, a frown settled on his perfect features. Ever since the pup had showed up, it was like her entire personality had shifted and changed. She was so fiercely protective where he was concerned. The way she acted around him had changed as well. She taunted him whenever she got the opportunity.
His eyes narrowed. Her last remark, calling him a puppy. That girl was definitely playing with fire. His beast had even scowled at that remark, wanting to bite her. He couldn't understand why his beast wanted her, but it did. Recalling the first time he had laid eyes on the pup, he considered the girl's behavior. She had acted like an inu bitch.
Her scent. Had the pup…? His eyes widened fractionally and he got to his feet in a second and before Kagome could blink, the silver haired inuyoukai was leaning towards her, his hot breath on her neck.
"S-Sehomaru! What are you doing?"
Seshomaru's voice was velvet as he murmured in her ear, "Silence, miko. Be still."
Kagome froze, as he skimmed his nose along her neck. His breath, his touch was doing strange things to her and she stifled back a moan, biting her lip. Seshoumaru stiffened when he scented her arousal. However, instead of moving back, the inuyoukai decided to test the dangerous waters.
He had always been a sadist. Enjoying her discomfort and the heady potency of the musky scent, he moved his nose from her collar bone to her jawline. By this time, Kagome's eys were closed and it was obvious she was straining not to make a sound. It made him feel powerful, that he could make this woman lose control so easily. As he scented her, however, he realized that the girl's own scent was covered by a claiming mark by an inuyoukai.
He clenched his teeth and pulled back. Kagome's eyes opened and she stared at a pair of golden eyes, which were too close to her. He seemed mildly irrtated and as if he was contemplating a problem.
"Seshomaru, what are you -?"
"Silence."
She shut up, resisting the urge to growl. She didn't want to wake the children up. Seshomaru noted the fury in her eyes, amused. So th epup had claimed her, had he? Well, that could be remedied.
Without warning, he grabbed her neck in a possessive hold, and skimmed her jawline again. This time, Kagome couldn't help as a whine slipped out from between her lips. Although it was irrational, Seshomaru could not help but be pleased.
He scented the place where the pup's mark was the strongest, and he licked that area. Kagome opened her mouth to yell, scream, or something, but a strong hand was placed over her mouth. She was completely at the inuyoukai's mercy as he ravaged that spot to his satisfaction. Her arms were occupied, her neck was in a tight hold, and her mouth was clamped shut. Although that made her angry, it roused even more strange feelings within her. Unable to fight them any longer, she turned her head away, closing her eyes, not wanting them to betray her emotions.
Unbeknowst to her, her actions had made her bare her neck in a submissive position to the inuyoukai whose instincts went feral. The beast rose to the surface, and Seshoamru's eyes were red, his claws elongated.
It was his beast, that licked the area slowly, whose thumb began to rub over the miko's nape in a move that was both possessive and sensual. Kagome couldn't fight it and her arousal grew. When he finallly bit down on the spot and infused it with youki, she fought the instincts to fight back. If anyone woke up right now, this would make for a very awkward explanation.
Finally, Seshomaru released her. As he backed away, Kagome opened her eyes and stared into a pair of blood red eyes. She squeaked unintentionally and the rough voice that left Seshomaru's voicemade her shiver. He rubbed a sharp claw over her cheek, "This is what you get when you play with fire, little miko."
The feral grin that slid on his features made her want to hide somewhere. All of a sudden, the inuyoukai frowned, and grimaced. With a scowl, he closed his eyes and when they reopened, his eyes were once again, golden.
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
The inuyoukai shrugged and returned to his seat, "The pup had put a claiming mark on you, miko. I simply overrode it."
Kagoem gaped at him. Was he saying…?
"Did you put your claiming mark on me?"
Sesomaru raised a brow, "This Seshomaru is the Alpha, not the pup. He needs to learn his place." He paused and the purred, "As do you."
Kagome paled, but adamant on having the last word, she bit out, "Stupid dogs."
"Be very careful miko. Dogs are very possessive."
Kagome, very gingerly removed one hand from under Mru and rubbed her neck. It ached like hell. "Keep you mouth away from me, you – you jerk!" She hissed.
Seshomaru chose not to respond to that.
The miko's scent was very unique. And old. A part of him was satisfied. Of course he would have to talk to Bokuseno, but if what he scented was true then there was no reason to deny his beast what it wanted.
And besides, this way, the pup would learn to stay away from what was his.
AN: Long time. Papers, stuff. Gotta use the loo.
Review. Will be updating the other stories as soon as I can.
On a roll!