InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Across the Ages ❯ The outcome ( Chapter 12 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

TwelveAyeka felt childish after her outburst and was a little hesitant to leave the spring. How DID one explain to the most powerful demon exactly what she'd just said? She frowned down as she pruned further. Hell, she might as well climb out before she turned to mush. It wasn't like she'd never traded words with him before. Not like she'd never gone against his wishes before. Truth be told, it most likely would not be the last time.She recalled the night of the assassin operation. She'd looked down at the strangely cut kimono and then back up at her head scout. He'd been charged with making the arrangements to 'sell' her and gathering her some clothing that didn't scream...'look I lead men!'. "What is this?" she asked. He grinned, "That is the kimono of a courtesan, general. It was the best that I could procure without notice." He was right, it didn't matter that the thing was far too thin for winter travel or that it was cut revealingly, she was supposed to look like a bed warmer and she doubted they spent much time worrying about cold or covering up.She went behind a large rock and changed, her armor and weapons neatly propped against it. Sesshoumaru had gone ahead, his sensitive nose seeking any trace of the enemy. She hoped that he'd be back soon, his wards would block the scent of the hunting party.Her men said nothing as she stepped into view. She felt cold and ridiculous in the outfit but Kendi her scout had also taken a heavy yukata. It would keep her warm enough. "So then, tie me up and lets get this done." she ordered. Kendi did as she asked, coiling the rope around her and slinging her over his broad shoulder. "We should wait for lord Sesshoumaru." he offered, "He did tell you that." She shook her head, "We've no time. We must act quickly and be gone from this place. We know that he will be there today, any longer in this area and we might be detected. No we have to get him now." So they had rushed to the tea house and Kendi tossed her onto the floor. The transaction took only a few minutes. She was pretty enough and the lord was expected soon. He always paid well for new toys. "Take her in the back and see to her. she must be ready. Have Lina ready in case he doesn't like the pale ones." the older woman said. Her eyes were shrewd and Kendi didn't like her at all.Ayeka didn't struggle or fuss as they wiped her down with scented water. She didn't even seem to mind when they helped her into a sheer robe. She mildly grimaced when they piled her heavy hair atop her head and secured it with sharp lacquered sticks. Could they poke a little harder maybe?It seemed an eternity later that she was seated meekly in the firelight side room. A large bed against one wall. She toyed with the silver cuff at her wrist. A gift from her father she'd told them. Well, she qualified, he was SOMEONE'S father. She had to be ready. If her deed was discovered after he was dead it would mean only her life. If she failed to kill him, her army would suffer.Sesshoumaru had returned to the camp of snow dusted men, his nose telling him that Ayeka was not there. "Why did you not wait?" he demanded. The other men explained that she had not wanted to miss her chance. Kendi, they offered, had remained near in case of trouble.Trouble was exactly what the demon lord expected. He'd caught a lesser demon on his patrol and had forced it to talk before killing the miserable mole. The lord in question was not known to have gentle appetites. Ayeka might find herself in a very unwanted situation. He'd decided to follow her, stay close and get them all out alive. Her willing sacrifice of herself was admirable but pointless.He rallied the men to action, the camp site covered. No trace of the inu army was left as they sped across the mountain. The few humans on the group pushing hard to keep up. Sesshoumaru could keep them from being detected. "Get to peak, there is a cave. I'll be back shortly." He silently cursed that damnable woman all the way down the mountain. She took too many risks, she was after all only human. Her life was a brief flicker true, perhaps the thought of growing old in a realm of eternal beings didn't sit well. Either way, she was not allowed to die, not today at any rate.Ayeka looked up through her lashes as the door slid away. The tall demon before her was powerful but his looks were more frightening. The panther demon before her barely held onto human form. He was upright but he held the visage of a large ugly cat. She had been accustomed to the more powerful demons melding seamlessly into human bodies. His tawny fur matted in many places and he smelled as though he didn't know what hot water and soaps were. Inutaisho, Sesshoumaru and the men were far more clean."So little flower, you have been waiting for me." he said to her, his voice a rough rasp, like rusty sword on a cold morning. She suppressed the shiver that ran through her. She knew she had a small window of opportunity with this target. "Sake my lord?" she asked sweetly forcing her voice to steady. He nodded, closing the door and it seemed to her that the world narrowed at that moment into simple breaths. Her hands nearly shook when she poured his beverage and he chuckled obviously pleased by what he saw as fear. Little did he know that her whole body quivered in anticipation of leaping into action and ending his life. Muscles tensing, ready to fight.To do that she must get closer to him, much closer. That thought did not appeal to her. She'd never actually killed a man outright like this before. A blade or arrow seemed far more...brave. Honorable somehow. This was murder, political murder. She bowed her head and pretended to sip from her cup as he watched her. She could afford no second thoughts, her path was set. Inutaisho depended on this, she'd given her word."My name is Takenotsu." he told her at last, as though she really cared. His yellow eyes glowed down at her, "What shall I call you?" he asked as he lifted her into his arms. She shuddered against his bulk, his fur making her feel like a thousand fleas crawled on her.His yellowed fangs caught her attention as he lowered his nose to her throat. He inhaled deeply, rumbling in his chest. "You are a virgin!" he exclaimed from the hollows of her flesh. "Oh I must congratulate Madame Rozu on finding you. I have so wanted a human virgin. I hear that you bleed, and cry. I have to see that."She felt her spine stiffen even as he bent her back over his arm, his large head nuzzling against her chest. Wonderful, she thought vaguely, detachedly, he drools. Slowly, she moved her arms upwards to twine around his neck. He rumbled against her, his purr quite loud now.His hand wandered over her body, leaving a burning trail of disgust but she kept her eye on the target. When his lips descended towards hers, she unclasped the ornament at her wrist, the wire stretched loosely between and she steeled herself against what had to be done.With swift motions she coiled the wire around his heavy throat. "What is this?" he roared but she drew the wires tight. "You can call me death." she whispered, tugging hard. The flesh gave beneath her wires, slicing deep, his thick blood spattering over her, soaking into the robe. The pliable metal sang beneath her hands, cutting into the tender flesh.The scent was thick, metallic, choking. She pulled tighter and held on as he thrashed, she swallowed almost convulsively to keep from wretching. He landed several staggering blows on her but she refused to release him. The scuffle drew the attention of his guards. She squeezed her eyes shut at the gurgling sounds the demon made and tugged with all her might. Wire met bone and pulled tight.She felt his neck severe and with a sickening thud his big head fell to the floor. She felt the sting on her palms and fingers, the wire had bitten deeply into her as well. She looked down at the head at her feet and then her gaze flew upwards as the door splintered around the men who rushed inside.No weapon she thought dimly as two charged her. The guards were fast and strong and she barely ducked to the side to avoid a blow. She rolled through the growing puddle of blood. One had managed to strike her, his fist cuffing the side of her head. Stars exploded behind her eyes and she felt the wall rise up to meet her body.She tried to lift herself but her body would not listen, would not obey. She felt ill, the blood, the blow, the enormity of what she had done, of what would come seemed endless to her now. Her vision blurred and she struggled to focus. They were closing in on her, she hoped they'd make it quick but she doubted it. Before the world went black she saw a brilliant flash of green light and a splash of blood and innards. She managed to peer back at the large hole that manifested itself in the wall. Dust cleared and there he was.A tall white figure stood proud, arm lifted to his side. His power rolled over the scene like waves of the ocean. The glowing demon flared a moment before receding back into his fingertips. A graceful arching whiplash of pure energy. "Sessh..oumaru?" she whispered, her hand weakly lifted and then the blackness engulfed her completely. His eyes swept the room, taking in the wreckage. Half a dozen guards neatly sliced in half graced the floor. It looked better that way he thought. Then he heard her. Faint, almost far away and he saw her slip from him. She was bloodied and bruised. How badly he wasn't sure, most of the blood on her belonged to her victim.He stepped into the carnage he'd created and knelt beside her. He scooped her into his arms, standing straight when he heard rustling at the door. Geishas and village men crammed in the door, staring open mouthed at him. One woman sucked in breath to scream he supposed. "Do not." he ordered and silence reigned. "What is happening?" demanded the shrill voice of the Madame as she pushed through. Sesshoumaru eyed her coldly, "The west has declared war." he said simply. He leapt through the window and into the cold night, cradling the woman against his broad chest.He curled himself around her, focusing his energies and becoming a sphere or light. His fastest means of travel. The men were situated in a cave near the mountain's peak. It would provide shelter from the rising storm and would keep them from being found before dawn. By this time tomorrow they'd be heading back to the west and the relative safety of the border.So, she had succeeded. She'd killed the leader of the enemy army. Well, he deserved it. He should have been on the front lines marching his men instead of whoring. It wasn't a lesson he could ever learn now. Sesshoumaru had been worried that she wouldn't be strong enough, physically to take him down. His father had apparently seen to that too.He'd reached the base of the path that led to the cave when he paused at a small stream. Frozen over as it was he punched through the ice. He propped Ayeka against the bole of a large tree. He tapped her cheek lightly but she didn't wake. With a frown, he took in the thin material covering her. The scent of panther clung to her, abrading his nose. He refused to spend the night in a cave with anything that smelled like that. With that thought in mind he reached over and tore a section of the flimsy garment away. He set it aside and then divested her of the rest of the clothing.Cold. That was what she felt. Ayeka became aware of biting bitter cold. The sting of it against her flesh. This was what death felt like? She'd been sorely cheated. Then the wet brush of iciness swept over her again. She moaned and opened her eyes, flopping onto her stomach as dry heaves shot through her.Then she noticed it. Snow. Naked. Naked in the snow. When the hell had that happened? She turned back to find Sesshoumaru Rinsing the scrap of cloth in the water. "You stink." he said simply. Women no matter what species didn't like hearing that. Outrage filled her, even as she clasped her head in her hand. She noticed the bloodstains in the snow, the remainders on his clothing and the bloodied heap she'd been wearing not long ago.She crossed her arms over her chest as he handed the cloth to her. "Clean off the rest of the blood and we'll get back to the others." he said. She nodded as he turned away, standing a few feet off to give her privacy. She scrubbed viciously, breaking the ice further so that she could submerge an arm or leg."Is he dead?" she asked. She knew the answer, wanted to hear it anyway. "Yes," Sesshoumaru told her, "You did not fail. Hurry before you freeze.". She finished her task quickly and looked around, "Ummm, Sesshoumaru I have no clothes." she pointed out. Her voice sounded weak, exhausted. Her head swam.Sesshoumaru said nothing, merely unlatched his pelt from his shoulder and dropped it over her. She curled the fluff around her. His warmth still clung to it, and his scent. Clean and calming. She nosed deeper into it as he hefted her once more. He said nothing to the woman snuggling nude in his very personal possession. He merely let her rest against him, sleep overtaking her as he completed her journey.He woke her upon reaching the cave, setting her down in a dark corner away from the small controlled fire. He handed her clothes back to her and turned away. The men averted their eyes and she dressed as quickly as she could. She didn't want to eat that night and no one forced the issue.She drifted off against the stone wall, listening to her men speak. She barely woke when Sesshoumaru returned to her side and tucked his fluff over her.