Chapter Two

"Demon Mark"

Mutt- A derogatory term for an individual who is not fully human and is seen as subhuman.

There was a disturbance in the air, and he could sense it. There were intruders on his land. Son of a bitch, whelp so much for a peaceful night's sleep, He yawned. Either these intruders were...

A.) Trying to be noisy on purpose to lure him out. or B.) They were incredibly stupid and failed to notice the bloody décor scattered throughout the forest.

He stirred from his den stretching similar to a lazy feline and preparing his body for another assault. Why couldn't they leave him alone? It was never-ending either there were shinobi after his power or out to capture, maim, or kill him. They saw how well that went the last time an entire village got leveled when they tried caging him. He stared at his mask, mentally he was drained physically he could go all night. Sliding his mask over his face he mentally sighed they were all the same...

He was exiled from his village because of fear and now they wanted him dead. Even then, all those bodies were taking a toll on his mind, but he had to kill because there was no other option. He was the last of his kind - the age of demons was coming to an end; there were no more Ork demons; The Oni, all of whom were wiped out by humans years ago... There were no more Kitsune fox-demons massacred. There were no more worshipers. The blood priest and priestesses were defeated. They were either exiled or murdered. And here he stood right smack in the middle he was both man and monster, but neither at the same time. They would never see him as half-human. He was a hybrid something that shouldn't have existed and yet he did.

He crawled outside his den sniffing the air. All he smelled was blood. "That won't do." He muttered. Instead, he used his sharp nails to climb up the tallest tree he could find. He listened intently and heard the footsteps of two Shinobi. They were close and they were scared.

He leaped from branch to branch following their voices until he stopped right across from the two. At first, they did not notice him as they stood back-to-back. However, they heard the jingle of two very small bells from the collar that was strapped to his neck. He tilted his head waiting to see if they would strike first. He had also cast Kage Bunshin no Jutsu making three other shadow clones of himself before his feet even touched the ground. Without warning the taller shinobi cried out, "Sakura, run!"

The pair took off, making him smirk behind his mask. He knew this game all too well. They were trying to lure him into a particular spot. He was much faster than the two. It only took two large strides to catch up. He threw his leg out knocking the feet out from underneath the Jonin. This Jonin rolled to the side avoiding his nails though he'd admit he held back. In fact, they didn't fight like Jonins. If anything their skills or lack thereof bothered him.

"Hey, you!" He heard the female call out. He decided to hold back were these really the finest Konoha had to offer? He grabbed the one on the ground and lifted him up. As the female tried to flee, he tossed her teammate at her and the pair collided. Why weren't they fighting him? He watched them jump to their feet and continue to run. He followed at a leisurely pace and paused when he noticed the pair had stopped running. So, this must be where the traps are... he rolled his eyes and continued forward that's when he felt the spike pit beneath his sandals however... his light footsteps did not bother the twigs or branches that lay above the trap.

"Awww, how cute... but you're gonna need more than cheap tricks..." He was smiling behind his mask. That's when he smelt a weak binding rune trying to work and it just might of if he wasn't part human.

"Ah ha ... nice one." This pair certainly got an A plus for effort. He wasn't expecting the rune.

"But you missed one thing little ones I am no mere low-class demon."

"H-how.." He heard the girl he assumed was Sakura strutter out her eyes bulged out of her skull and her body was shaking with paralyzing fear. These were no Jonin! These were a couple of kids who got way over their heads. At first, he did not understand but he realized he was still standing on the spike trap.

"Oh, you must mean the trap... heh I could see that coming from a mile away." He would show them what it's like to get over their heads. He stepped forward, swiping at the several shurikens tossed at him.

"Sakura run now!" The male put himself in the way of his path. He had his guard up using his kunai as a means to block any vital organs.

"I never thought your Hokage would stoop so low as to send a couple of kids after me." He swung but his nails were blocked by the kunai causing sparks to pop out this shinobi was keeping up but barely ever hit knocking him back but he would return back to his normal blocking stance. "Run!" He noticed this Sakura character still paralyzed with fear, but she seemed to snap out of it and rush over trying to join in the fun, keyword tried. "I'm not leaving you!" He slashed knocking the male back and decided to focus a small amount of chakra in his fist upper cutting her right smack in the spot where her ribs and stomach meet. She tumbled back embracing her stomach and spitting up some blood before dropping to her knees and passing out.

"Sakura!" He heard the urgency in the male's voice. Did he think she was dead? He grasped that soft neck lifting and then slamming the male hard on the ground. He was done playing games He straddled the male's waist clasping a hand around his throat slowly he began to squeeze.

"Any last words?"

"Who...uh... who are you." The raven griped as shaky digits reached out for the porcelain mask the pads of his index and middle finger brushed the bottom of the mask before the host rolled his head back from those prying digits.

"Ah Ah Ah, not yet you'll ruin all the fun." Just then the pale moonlight broke through the tree tops shining down on the pair giving them a clearer view of one another. With almond-shaped vermilion red pools glaring back at him and long raven bangs that frame a well-defined jawline, his skin was gorgeously translucent as the pale moonlight. My god! He's gorgeous! His head jerked back in shock as he lifted his mask until just his mouth and the tip of his nose slightly peeking from underneath were exposed to the elements. He leaned in sniffing the raven, "fresh linen and scandal wood." He said out loud this scent would be forever etched into his memory as it engulfed his senses, making his heart beat even harder as the heat started to pool itself in his nether region awakening something that hadn't been awakened in a long time.

"Oi, not now..." He said to himself that now was not the time to be turned on.

"What are you waiting for? Kill me!" He screamed. Even when he was angry and yelling he was absolutely breathtaking. As Kitsune spent centuries without finding a mate, but on this particular night, his mate just happened to be one of the shinobi attempting to kill him.

With a strong urge, he leaned down and watched those dark brows knit, not understanding what was happening, and tilting his head to the side, he took ownership of that kissable mouth that so enticed him. The raven's lips were soft. That pouty bottom lip felt amazing to him, it was so juicy. It was as if he had just been introduced to water for the first time. While the raven felt the ground beneath him tense up, he remained motionless. The demon broke the kiss he was his! He dipped back in again, this time biting down hard on the spot where the raven's neck and shoulder connected. This causes the raven to cry out. Satisfied with his claim he rose to take his leave.

Three Days Later

Sasuke grunted awake from the low hum of blinding lights hovering above his head. He knew this place all too well he was in the Konoha infirmary. He turned to see Sakura laying in the bed next to him. She was hooked up to an IV solution and an oxygen mask. He glanced down at his hand he also had an IV.

Just then he got a good view of a familiar chocolate chin-length bob, it was Shizune she was the apprentice to the brilliant medical-nin Senju Tsunade.

"Mm, how long was I out for?" He groaned as a sharp pain shot up his body, and very slowly he sat up on his hospital bed, glancing down and noticing the bandages wrapped around his ribcage.

"Three days... Your ribs are bruised so take it slow." She said this while checking Sakura's vitals.

"Is she okay?" His lips pressed as he turned to look worriedly at his rose-colored-haired friend.

"Barely... what were you two thinking? Actually, let me rephrase that because clearly, you two weren't thinking. Why? And to drag Sakura into this with you?" Sasuke should have seen this coming they automatically assumed it was his idea.

"I wanted to prove I was up for the field and ready to graduate from the academy." Now he knew that might be all at stake. He passed the last chunin exams so now graduation was at stake.

"We'll that's stupid... Have you two not noticed that whoever goes in that forest is doomed to never come back again? We haven't even recovered all the bodies. So many grieving families..." Her eyes darkened with sadness.

"I'm surprised you two survived." Her brown pools peered at the teeth mark on his left shoulder there were black, red, and purple veins spreading out from the bite like venom.

"We... Uh... survived because the demon had a hard-on for my teammate..." both Sasuke and Shizune jumped. Sakura's eyes were still closed but she had pulled her mask down. She had gauze and dressing covering her lower abdomen from the emergency surgery they had to do. They remove her gallbladder which had ruptured due to a blunt force and almost took her life in the process.

"What..." Shizune head jerked back to Sasuke.

"He erm kissed me..." He trailed off, it felt odd saying it out loud.

"Kissed you?" She echoed the confusion in her voice that had said it all.

"And he gave Sasuke that love bite on his shoulder."

Shizune appeared alarmed. "I have to go... I'll be back." She quickly ran out of the hospital room.

"So that wasn't a dream." He placed a hand on his head sliding two fingers down to his bottom lip, in an instant, the kiss flashed through his mind, why didn't he just kill me?

"Nope, I witness the whole thing. it was kinda gross like watching your parents kiss." She smirked though her eyes were still closed. She looked exhausted there were bags there and her face was gaunt like all life had been drained from it.

Just then Shizune busted back into their hospital room with a mad-looking honey-haired blonde with two long pigtails and large breasts came storming right behind her.

She said nothing as she examined his bite mark. "You see this." She pointed to the veins on his neck beckoning Shizune to have a closer look. "Yeah, I noticed it when Kakashi first brought him to me."

"It is called a demon mark I only read about it when I was studying as a medic-nin, but I never in a million years thought I would see one in person."

"Those exist?" Shizune eyes widen at Tsunade before she looked back at the bite.

"Apparently."

Sasuke who remained quiet during the exchange decided to speak up. "What is a demon mark?"

Both women look at him they had forgotten this mark was attached to a body. They were both quiet.

"Well?" He raised a brow.

"The demon has marked you as his mate. Usually, demons don't choose humans as their mates they see us as inferior, but something about you caught this demon's eye. It couldn't be just your good looks alone."

Ain't no way, he thought but then that kiss... "The binding scroll didn't work on the demon either why?" He wanted to know why the incantation didn't work.

"Either he's very strong or has a natural immunity, binding something can be tricky and it's never foolproof."

Well, he facepalmed of course why would binding be easy, now the pair knew their mistake it was a miracle they survived.

They heard a soft knock on the door before it was cracked open. "Sakura..." They heard a meek voice whisper as a kunoichi with long raven locks and curtain bangs peeked her head into the room.

Suddenly, Sakura's eyes shot open as she tried to sit up. "Hinata!" The raven burst into the room she ran into Sakura's open arms in a tight embrace but she quickly released her when Sakura cried out in pain.

"I heard you two went after that demon." She had tears in those pale milky orbs.

"I'm okay." She raised a shaky hand to caress the raven's hair gingerly.

"I told my family I needed to go grocery shopping." She sat at the edge of Sakura's hospital bed their fingers entwined.

Just then they heard loud approaching footsteps, and both Tsunade and Shizune's heads shot over to the door as two Jonin barged in.

"Uchiha Sasuke, we have orders to come and collect you."

Tsunade stepped in their path, "What's this all about?" She successfully blocked their way.

"Sorry, Senju-san but this is the Hokage orders."

"I'm not moving, he's my patient, now if you want to piss me off any further you better speak up now!" She clenched her fist.

The two Jonin glanced between themselves. "The demon is requesting his presents."

Three Days Prior

He was at the paramount, the same place where it had all begun. He had walked right up to the very large and looming front gates of Konoha. Bending his knees he focused all his chakra on his legs. In a single bound he cleared the gates landing on the other side, startling a couple of young kids that were playing a game of tag. They stared at him wide-eyed.

"Sup." He said before stretching his arms over his head like a lazy feline watching as the preteens he startled scurried away like frightened mice. He scanned his surroundings. It had been seventeen years since he had last been back here. He was an infant when they exiled him.

The demon strolled down the village streets, raising a few eyebrows as people stopped what they were doing curious about the lone ANBU in the kitsune mask. After slapping both his knees like a sumo wrestler, he dropped cross-legged in the middle of the road. He rested his masked chin in his palm, and sat and waited for his company.

He waited... and waited as a crowd began to circle him like hungry Purana. He heard the stampede of Shinobi coming in his direction as they broke through the crowd. Their Hokage shoved his way through Shimura Danzō who stood in front of the demon waiting for what he did not know. No words were exchanged between the pair until they heard snoring. Unsure if he was faking, they whispered among themselves until the demon jerked awake. His hands shot up in surrender. "Wha... I surrender!" He shouted.

No one was buying it he could tell. He barely moved his head and the entire crowd of shinobi jumped and drew their kunai. They were scared and rightfully so.

"Why are you here Mutt!"

"Uhhhh... to surrender. Did I not just say that?" He turned to get confirmation from his nearby audience they seemed stunned he was talking to them.

They turned to look at one another unsure of what to do. He commanded, "Bind his wrist!" There were two Jonin who rushed to the demon, sweating profusely as they bound his wrist behind his back and draped a blindfold over the slits on the demon's mask. He lifted the demon to his feet, standing above the pair as they shoved the demon in the direction of their prison.

Whether blindfolded or not, he could easily break free from his bindings and kill the first row of Shinobi.

Nevertheless, he jotted down every bend and turn he noticed as fifty Kunoichi and Shinobi escorted him to his newly acquired living quarters. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that no one would kill him their Hokage wanted to find a way to control him.

A/N: Our demon will do anything for his mate, even put his life in danger over it. Trust me, the meeting is gonna be fun =]