InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Demon Choices ❯ Demon Choices Chapter One ( Chapter 1 )

Demon ChoicesR Chapter 1

The gray Mercedes Benz limousine moved silently through the streets. The sun had not risen yet and the only company the car had was that of low level executives trying to get into the office early and make a good impression on the boss.

The being in the back seat yawned and looked up at the sky, the sky he could see through the black tinted bulletproof glass. He had faced monsters that the modern world would say had never existed but his fear of guns, the one thing he knew could kill him made him travel this way.

Inu Yasha turned his golden eyes back to the scene around him as the car eased its way into a basement garage and into the space reserved for him. He adjusted his tie and opened the door himself, stepping out into the dimly lit area. A quick sniff told him they were alone here but that someone else, another member of the family, had already arrived.

"Will you be using the elevator sir?"

"Yes."

The serving demon walked slightly behind him its eyes fixed on the Demon Lord Inu Yasha. Most of the family had taken the name Higa, the name of a prosperous family from the North that they'd totally decimated except for two young children. Those children had intermarried with the demons and there was a strong, viable hanyou strain that represented the family to the outside world. The old ones, Inu Yasha, Sesshoumaru, Yukio, Taisho and Sakura used the name only when necessary leaving the public work to Inu Yasha's son and daughter, Aiko and Hideo, the ones who had married the original Higa family survivors. The serving demon knew it shouldn't be thinking about these things but it also knew that if Inu Yasha came into the city something important was about to happenand knowing all the players helped keep it alive.

The elevator opened onto the top floor of the building and the staff that was in bowed deeply as the Demon Lord passed. Here he could go without a head cover, no one could enter this floor without being able to pass through the protection spells and the kept miko who provided them. He had thought his brother insane to mark Kaede before she died but with her souls every rebirth they had been able to keep her in their employ.And with each rebirth her powers increased.

He stopped by to see her now and she smiled up at him. She was wearing a suit with a short skirt and silk stockings that made a delicious swish as she crossed her legs. Her hair was tinted red gold and her make up was exquisite. To look at her no one would think she was a virgin priestess, something that was sneered at in these daysof rampant promiscuity and pornography.

"Inu-san, how are you?" she bowed ashe sat down next to her.

"All right."

"I had a feeling you would be in today. Is Lord Sesshoumaru coming too?"

"No. Where is Aiko?"

"On the floor where else? She's watching the tape from Hong Kong very closely."

"Yeah. Jiro is here also."

Inu Yasha nodded and accepted the cup of tea Kaede offered him.

"How is Kagome?"

"She's fine thank you."

He sipped the tea and stood up.

"What time is the vote?"
"Ten. I think we're in a good position."
He nodded and made to leave. He knew Kaede would want to mate soon, that she had to in order to produce the daughter she would train to take her place. If the first one were born without the mark she would be given the best education possible and allowed to live a fairly normal human life. This Kaede had a sister who lived that life. She was a rock musician whose exploits were regularly chronicled in the press. She didn't use the name Higa though. Her name was Higurashi, the name of Kagome's family.This was another ploy they used to keep attention diverted from their doings.

"I'll be in my office," he said walking down the short hall to the space here that belonged to him. Sess's office was next door. Sesshoumaru did the spells here, binding his work with that of Kaede's so that the shield here was almost as solid as the one that protected the mountain fastness that they had lived in for hundreds of years beforetaking over the estates and land that had been the property of the human Higa familywhich were also very well shielded.

The door closed behind him Inu Yasha sat down and watched the electronic symbols of the ticker flow across the top of the walls, the symbols of stock markets all around the world. The United States was not open for business yet but it would be interesting to see how their markets reacted to the change in currency policy that would be voted on this morning.

"Lord Inu Yasha," a small voice said from his desk and he looked down at Myouga.

"Well?"

"The vote will be close, but we may lose my Lord."

"Why?"Myouga heard the coldness of his master's voice and hastened to give his two word explanation.

"Senator Tanaka."

Inu Yasha's eyes flashed red but Myouga stayed put.

"He says the legislation would benefit only one family in Japan and that all of his peers should reconsider their vote."

"Oh really?"Inu Yasha said sitting down and crossing his legs.

"He also said that he knows that people who oppose the Higa family have strange accidents or sudden changes of heart but that his love for Japan helps him overcome his fear."

"Bull shit."

"My sentiments exactly My Lord."

"But it's not a bad thing for us to suffer a setback. We can let this one go."

"But our shipping concerns…"
"We'll continue as we have Myouga. Get back there and let me know exactly who votes against us."

Myouga left and Inu Yasha stood at the window, his long white hair falling almost to the floor. It was a beautiful day he thought to himself even as he pressed a button hidden in the wall.

"Kaede, send for Jiro."

"Of course Lord Inu Yasha."

Jiro Higa, son of the Demon Lord of the South Yukio and Aihis human mate,had not gone through too much angst when he realized that his chances of taking over as Demon Lord for his father were slim and none. His father's heirs were being born to Chiyo, who seemed to be pregnant every time you turned around. Instead he would wanderthe world and bring back news of it to his father who in turn shared it with the other Lords, and of course his own father Sesshoumaru.In a way his position, hanyou public face of their holdings, was more powerful than any position Chiyo's offspring could hold. They were more demon than not, with only one child, Higa Chikao, able to move in human society. He was in London now attending their prestigious School of Economics, and would be back in two weeks. He would be the first of his half siblings to actually work in the human domain. Chiyo was very proud of him and talked about him incessantly.

The sound of his intercom surprised him and he hit the button on the phone listening to Kaede's voice. When she finished he took off his headset and headed for Lord Inu Yasha's office suite. Kaede smiled as he walked in. Inu Yasha was sitting staring at the television which was tuned into a station it shouldn't be. He was watching the live vote on the currency reforms the family was backing, his clawed hands resting on his legs which were crossed.

"Myouga says we may lose,"Inu Yasha said softly.

"Why?" Jiro said coming to stand next to Inu Yasha who had not taken his eyes from the screen.

"It seems that Senator Tanaka has managed to stir up a lot of anger towards our family and our interests."

"Enough people are beneficiaries of our largesse…"

"This is why I asked to see this one live.I want to see with my own eyes who votes against us."

Jiro was now fixated on the screen and the two demons watched as what Myouga had predicted came true. The votes of two key players cost them the reform and Jiro watched as Inu Yasha changed the channel to one provided by Japanese television. The newscaster was carrying on about the vote and saying that it signified the lessening of the power of the old families.

"Not only the Higa family, but several very old families lost this one. We have live interviews with the two men who seem to have dealt a blow to the Feudal Families as Senator Tanaka called them. Let's go to Ajibana Nobuo…"

The two men who had switched votes seemed very nervous but they said they had to vote for the good of the country not for the benefit of less than five families in Japan.

"Will you speak with the Higa family?"

"Of course. We are all modern men and we understand how things are done."

"Yes," his partner in crime continued.

"Japan is a modern country with a feudal mentality.These old families think they can send their modern day Samurai into battle and win like they did in the old days. The country of Japan and its needs have to be put above the needs of individual families."

Inu Yasha looked at Jiro who looked very calm.Over the years he'd come to know Jiro very well and knew that the calm look meant Jiro was already on to the next step in the game.Satisfied Inu Yasha yawned and stretched. Jiro was always amazed that it was little things that Inu Yasha did that showed his dog demon nature. When he'd yawned and stretched the only thing he hadn't done was scratch himselfwith his Gucci clad feet.

"I think theseexterminators need to be put in their place," Inu Yasha said picking up a Mont Blanc pen and idly drawing pictures on a piece of stationery.

"Of course my Lord," Jiro bowed.

"Cut the shit Jiro. Just make it so they know they take us on with dire consequences."

A grinning Jiro bowed respectfully.

Tanaka Oda sat in his office with the door closed and securely locked. The woman in the room spoke a few words and put a slip of paper on the door further securing it. The spell would never stop one of the Demon Lords or the Great Demon but it would slow any minion down.

"Well done."

"Yeah. Now I just have to worry about every demon family in Japan coming after me. You know some of them still have old currency…"

"Too bad. They have enough power and have enough hanyou in strategic places to use other means to launder their money," the woman said calmly accepting the tumbler Oda offered her.

"We've confined many of them already and are just looking for the big fish now so to speak," the woman said laughing at her own joke.

"You've been after them for hundreds of years and never got them. Why will it be different now?"

"Because now we can follow the money Oda-san. Now we can follow the money."

"The Higa's are no joke," Oda said scratching his shoulder.

Sanako looked at him and frowned.

"Itch?"

"Yeah. Had it most of the day. Oh well. You and your brother don't have to be concerned. We've set the Higa's back and they won't be able to do anything for a while now. That means humans get to take care of human business."

The scratching bothered Sanako.Masanobu Sanako walked to her car and got in, pensive. Something about the itching she should know and right now she couldn't put her finger on what it was. It was an old memory, one that probably came from her many times great ancestor, the exterminator Sango. She knew the story by heart, about how Sango and the monk Miroku's daughter Eiko had been seized from them and raised in what had become the new branch of the exterminators, one that existed up to today. Her father was descended from Namiyo and Kenzan, the old priestess and the young monkwho, once his older wife had died, had taken vows and never married again. These memories vexed her and meant she had to look up something when she got home. There was a large database on the founding demons of the Higa family, the name they'd taken after destroying a human family by that name and leaving the two human children alive in order to found the hanyou, now mostly human strain that was the visible face of the family in modern times. People today wouldn't believe how extensive the demon strain was in the ruling families, many of whom made deals with demons long ago and had reaped the benefits over many centuries. Many of these families promoted a return to the past, to the glory of pre Western Japan. That this meant thousands of warring families didn't seem to enter their thought process. Besides, they'd just moved the war to a new front, one that now spanned continents and culture. There were enforcers who thought that the demons had made international links among their kind as well but as of yet there was no proof of that. The old ones knew how to hide behind their still potent shields and spells and as humans it was hard to keep track of them. She scratched her neck and picked up her cell, calling Hiro who was waiting for her at a local restaurant.

"We won one," he said.
"Yeah, so why do I feel as if I'm about to get splattered all over the pavement?"Sanako replied rubbing her neck where she'd just been scratching and feeling a small welt rising.

"Are you on your way?"Hiro asked.

"Yes."

"Be careful."

Morimoto Aiko, daughter of Higa Jiro and the human Morimoto Tadako had finished her rounds and alone in the doctor's lounge leaned back against the wall. She'd decided to use her mother's maiden name instead of her father's name when she went into med school because all of her life she'd been a Higa with all the privileges that brought. She wanted to make it on her own merits and she had. She'd gone into the field of obstetrics and gynecology after ademonfriend of hers had suffered and almost died during a difficult pregnancy.

Looking at the clock she saw it was after midnight and sighed, deciding to sleep in the hospital tonight instead of going home. Her father had told her this was a bad habit but she had no choice.

She was glad the dorms were quiet and she slipped out of her clothes taking a shower in blessed solitude. She hated the mark on her back, the birthmark that was her curse and her blessing.She'd been teased about it in school so often she had made up her mind that no one would ever want her and with her schedule making it almost impossible to meet anyone outside of doctors at the age of twenty eight she'd decided she'd be an old maid. Finished her shower she dried off and pulled on fresh clothing before heading for a cot to lie down. Deciding she wanted tea before going to bed she went into the cafeteria and took down a Styrofoam cup, adding tea and water. She'd found the room empty and was startled when she saw a man come in she'd never seen before.He was dressed casually in what she knew were very expensive slacks and a plain black silk shirt. His complexion was dark, and his handsome face was topped by a head of luxurious thick black hair. His eyes were large and luminously brown. The shoes on his feet were obviously custom made, something she knew about from her father. The odd thing was that she felt as if she knew him, as if she'd been expecting him. The sensation wasn't pleasant and she pushed it aside.

"May I help you? Are you lost?"

"No, I'm where I want to be," he said softly.

"This is for doctors only," she said pulling herself up to her full height of five feet four. "You're not in the waiting…"

He was moving towards her and Aiko, afraid, knew that if he wanted to kill her he could do so and no one would know. How often had her father told her not to be alone late at night. Expecting the worst she closed her eyes and was totally surprised by what the man did. Instead of grabbing her he reached behind her and touched her back, touched her right on her birthmarks. Her body reacted as if someone had lit a fire inside of her even as her knees buckled and her eyes flew open.

"It's all right Ai. You know I won't hurt you," the man said softly even as he lifted her into his arms. Aiko put her arms around his neck and rested her head on his chest. His words resonated deep inside of her in a place she hadn't known existed until now. She knew they were true.

"You're tired. Come home with me and rest tonight and start fresh in the morning," he whispered. She felt as if she were flying, as if she was no longer bound by gravity and that somehow, this was right, that he was the one she'd been waiting for.

"Who are you?" she asked managing to lift her head and look up at him.

"Be quiet and rest. You'll know in the morning."

Hiro looked up as Sanako came in. She looked troubled but he waited until she'd ordered her food before asking what was bothering her.After he asked her she shrugged.

"I don't know. I was talking to Oda and he kept scratching his shoulder. It was as if that meant something but I don't know what it is. It's like the memory is right there and I can't get to it."

"What about word association? That usually does it for me."

"Not now. I'm getting a headache."

Hiro smiled.

"I think Yukio is in the city."

"He is? Why?"

"I don't know. It's why I was a little impatient for you to get here. I can't wait to get back to home base and discuss that with them."

"Do you think she's been reborn?"

"The question is is she old enough to become his mate.If she is maybe we can succeed where no one else has and get her."

Hiro's news made her feel better and their conversation turned to the normal topics for young people, clubs, clothes and fast cars.Hiro was descended from Hiromasu's sister who had married the son of Benjiro who had ended up marrying Yae. They had been raised together and saw each other more as brother and sister than anything else. From childhood they'd been told the stories of Inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru, storiesthey'd thought were fables until they'd found out they were real entities that still lived just below the radar of most humans.Both demons had human wives who they appeared to have found a way to keep alive through the centuries.

Each demon family had a team of exterminators assigned to it and the teams reported independently to Central Command which was located in Niigataon the Sea Coast.

"I wonder if Higa Jiro has reported to his masters that they lost the vote."

"I'm pretty sure he has. Inu Yasha…"

Sanako stopped in mid sentence and logged onto the exterminators secure internet site.

"What is it Sanako?"

"Inu Yasha had a familiar…"

"Myouga!!! He's a flea. The itching…"

Myouga knew it was time to leave and scooted away under the door just ahead of the spell the two exterminators began to intone which would've trapped him in their office. Hitching a ride on another exterminator he got downstairs and made his way back to the office tower where Inu Yasha was waiting for his report.

Inu Yasha was shooting pool with Kaede, who was very good at it and was right now gleefully beating Inu Yasha who had destroyed four cues already.

"My Lord," Myouga said hoping to distract the Demon Lord from his anger.

"Tell me something good Myouga."

"Well as usual Sanako and Hiro are behind our defeat. Sanako is working with Tanaka Oda."

"I knew there had to be a reason that wimp grew a set," Inu Yasha snapped. Kaede looked down at Myouga who smiled back at her.

"What would you like done Lord Inu Yasha?"

"How strong is her spell?"

"Outside of his office he's vulnerable."

"He doesn't travel with a Miko?"

"No. Not even a priest on the payroll."

"Where is Jaken?"

"He should be here My Lord."

"Get him."

Kaede smiled at Inu Yasha.

"Are we finished My Lord?"

"Yes Kaede, we're finished."

Kaede walked out chanting "I won," and laughed when she heard a Baccarat crystal bowl crash against the door.

No amount of fatigue could minimize the effect of the penthouse on Aiko. To say it was luxurious was putting it mildly. It was modern traditional and for some reason she felt right at home.

"Do you like it?"

"Yes. It's beautiful. It's as if I've been here before, as if I've met you before…"

Yukio stepped forward and once again touched her on her birthmark.

"Remember Ai, remember."

Aiko staggered as her mind seemed to open up and literally thousands of images flooded her mind. Central to all of them was the Demon Lord in front of her. She was exhausted and dizzy but before she collapsed she stammered out

"My Lord, I have missed you."

Yukio didn't let her fall and carried her into the bedroom where he gently lay her down on the European style bed. He'd been waiting for her for twenty eight human years. Another day wouldn't make that much difference.

Stripping he showered and shook himself damp in the oversized bathroom before picking up a towel and finished drying off. When Aiko woke up she would be ravenous and he had every intention of slaking her need.

The glamour wouldn't last long and Jaken watched as Ajibana Nobuo left the building. He was walking with his head down and didn't notice the kid standing in the shadows. Opening the door he got into his car and closed the door. The kid on the corner pointed what to human eyes appeared to be a baseball bat. The staff Jaken carried hadn't changed any over the centuries and Jaken watched as the car exploded into flame, incinerating the man inside. Jaken liked to admire his handiwork and stayed until the glamour began to fade watching as the human reporters bemoaned the Senator's fate.Sanako and Hiro had come as soon as they heard the newsflash and stood silently as the remains of Ajibana were swept from the car.

"Demon stink is all over this," Hiro said angrily. "Where is the security tape?" he demanded from the man in charge of security.

"I'll get it for you sir," the man bowed before running off and retrieving the tape. On first viewing there was nothing to see but a car exploding into flame.

"Okay, lets enhance it," Sanako said stifling a yawn.It was close to three in the morning and they'd been up almost all day between prepping for the vote and trying to offer protection to the senators. That they'd failed to provide adequate protection to Ajibana Nobuo would be scant comfort to his family who had been against his stance and told him to support the legislation.

The software they used had been specially developed for their purposes and they watched as the kid who had been shagging baseballs stopped and looked at Ajibana.

"You see that?"

"Yeah. Let's see if we can see behind the glamour."

"Glamour? What do you mean?" the guard asked not even trying to hide the fear in his voice. He was from the West and had grown up with tales of demons taking on other forms to fool and kill humans.

"You know what it is?"Sanako asked Hiro.

"Yeah. If I'm not mistaken that's Sesshoumaru's pal Jaken."

"Shit. That evil little toad…"

They watched as Jaken jumped in glee as the flames devoured the human and the car.

"I think he's worse than his master."

"No, the master is worse than the servant. A demon like Jaken wouldn't stay with Sesshoumaru if he didn't fear him."

The glamour began to visibly fade and Jaken took off out of camera range.

"I think we'd better find Tanaka, and fast," Hiro said picking up the phone.

Tanaka Oda had not seen the news. He'd gone to a club and passed the evening drinking scotch and enjoying the hospitalityof the young female hostesses who seemed to be impressed with his newfound status as a wheeler dealer in the world of politics. Even the owner of the club had sent over two of his finest treats, Veuve Cliquot champagne and the best sake in Japan. When last seen by other revelers Tanaka had been enjoying the charms of three women, one under the table who greedily sucked and liced at his penis making him cum in a flood while the other two used their skillful tongues on his chest and abdomen. Full of the power he now wielded he retired to one of the back rooms with his three new best friends, and that was where he was found by the clean up crew later in the morning. The mighty Senator Tanaka Oda was found gibbering in a corner fighting unseen demons that he said were torturing him. An ambulance was called and the doctors found his blood alcohol level to be somewhere in the stratosphere so they figured it was a case of the DT's and that he should sleep it off. When the august Senator was found tearing at his flesh naked from the waist down screaming at the doctors to make the bitches stop he was heavily sedated and placed in a room with softly padded walls. But even in his sleep the unseen by human eyes female demons tortured him, their red eyes fixed on his as they made his body react even though his mind was trying to deny their existence. The sedative made their job easier as a fourth demon sidled up the side of his body and shrieking her success entered the man's brain. By the end of the week Tanaka Oda was quietly admitted to a home for the hopelessly insane. His wife and children retired to their country estate where if anyone was paying attention several Shinto priests and miko's quietly visited the assembled family members.When Higa Jiro arrived at his office the following Monday he found a small package had been delivered. It was simply addressed to the Higa family. Kaede came at his call and the two of them scanned the package. Finding it nothing more than what it seemed they opened it. The Tanaka family had been thoughtful Jiro said to Kaede who smiled as Jiro held out the exquisite emerald and diamond necklace to her.

"Surely this is for the Lady Rin or Lady Kagome", Kaede said even as she held the necklace up to her neck.

"Both of them have trinkets like this but I'll make the TaiYoukai and Lord Inu Yasha aware of the Tanaka family's gift."

Kaede lay the necklace back in the silk velvet lined box and handed it to Jiro, who nonchalantly put the necklace in safe keeping. Sesshoumaru had created a special dimension that only he and Jiro could access to keep such tokens of gratitude from the powerful of Japan. Jaken ruled over the demons that toiled there, mindless drones who did only as they were commanded by Jaken, who made sure Sesshoumaru's wishes were carried out to the letter. Kaede went back to her office and closed the door behind her. Jiro went back to work which consisted right now of reading the paper. The Prime Minister who after the vote had seemed to be all powerful was now being said to be in political trouble with the fate of his party hanging in the balance.Jiro grinned allowing his long sharp fangs to show as he did.

Later that morning a second gift arrived, this one a necklace of rubies and diamonds. The Ajibana family gift was placed alongside the Tanaka gift. Jaken made a comment about humans thinking they ruled the world before Jiro closed off the entrance to the dimension. He sat down and was about to go back to reading the paper when his secretary came in. Kame, Taisho's daughter with Wattan, was a beautiful demoness with the mind of a viper Jiro thought to himself. Her naturally magenta hair was right in tune with the times as human girls were dying their hair all colors of the rainbow and beyond. Her lithe body had curves where it should although her height and carriage was that of her sire, Taisho. You could say what you wanted about Sesshoumaru Jiro thought to himself, but his progeny was among the most beautiful in DemonWorld not to mention the most deadly.

"My Lord, there is a call from the Prime Ministers Chief of Staff," she said in her melodic voice. "It seems they want a meeting with all the Old Families."

The two demons laughed.

"Two weeks from whenever," Jiro said. "Let the human scum beg. Have you contacted Chie?"

"She's already on it. Her brother Chomei is on his way here now."

"Excellent."

"Is there anything else My Lord?"

"No Kame. Thank you."

She left and Jiro sat back down looking into space. Chie and Chomei were the daughter and son of Chiyo, Lord Yukio's heirs. Yukio had recently killed their older brother for fomenting dissent among the wolf clans of the South causing yet another rift between Yukio and Chiyo.Chomei rivaled Sesshoumaru in beauty and evil, and had always been the one the older demons, Lord Inu Yasha and the TaiYoukai, had kept their eyes on. Sakura and Taisho had wanted to kill him several centuries ago but after a huge fight between Taisho, Sakura,and Yukio that had left the three demons bleeding and wounded Sesshoumaru had stepped into the fight between his now grown pupsand told them that Chomei would live at his pleasure. The younger demon had blanched at the conditions of his reprieve but had kept a very low profile since then, contenting himself with his usual pursuits, study and travel. That he was now coming to Tokyo meant Lord Yukio was giving his son another chance. Jiro wondered how Hotaru, Yukio's official wife, felt about Chomei being in her Lord's good graces again. Hotaru hated Chiyo and her children with a vengeance feeling it was Chiyo who had spelled her so that she couldn't conceive for Yukio and she loved it when the little bastards as she called them got out of line and in trouble.So far Yukio had killed two of them and Hotaru was hoping that he'd have to keep doing so until only the youngest Chinatsu survived. Chinatsu had gone to study with the current descendant of Renjiro, the scholar Sesshoumaru had captured centuries ago. Each of the scholars who descended from Renjiro had adopted his name as a title so that among the family they were all called Renjiro even though their given names were different.The current incarnation's name was Hokichi. Some of the offspring weren't scholars but had become nurses and doctors following in their mother's footsteps. They attended not only to the Higa's but to most if not all of the Old Families, something the enemies of the TaiYoukai often commented on. Any rival to their hegemony met an untimely death or was captured by Exterminators. All of this went through his head in a matter of seconds. He'd better let Inu Yasha know that Chomei was coming.

Aiko felt warmth next to her and sighed moving into it whilesighing into its embrace.

"Yukio," she sighed and she felt the tension in Yukio's body.

"What is it my love?" she said softly into his ear before inserting her tongueinto Yukio's very sensitive ear.

"I have to go Aiko," he said before kissing her.

"So soon?" Aiko responded, slipping her leg between Yukio's thighs and smiling at his body's reaction to her.

"Aiko you're still sore…"

"If you leave I may not see you for days. Please leave this human something of you to get her through the long night."

Yukio's claws raked down her body making Aiko shiver in pleasure and moan in anticipation, the moisture between her legs threatening to run down her thighs. As the only being she could ever love entered her body her bit down on her neck his fangs leaving small holes in their wake. Yukio loved the taste of Aiko's blood and while he gripped her hips he lapped it up his rough tongue making her body go into spasms as she came over him. Another orgasm followed hard on her first and Yukio knew this was indeed his beloved, the human he waited for century after century. When Aiko felt Yukio begin to expand inside of her she pulled her legs back so that her knees flattened her breasts opening herself even more to him. With a deep growl Yukio exploded inside of her, filling her, soothing her. As he came his growls lessened until with a whimper and a caress from his tongue he was spent.The vibrations from his throat soothed Aiko and she fell asleep in his arms.

Once Aiko was asleep Yukio slipped out of her arms. Showering he gave his body a light shake to get rid of the water that clung to him before taking a towel to finish drying off. Aiko had most if not all of her memories back he thought to himself while he dressed, but her feelings were totally back. Over dinner she'd asked him why he hadn't found a way to extend her life like his father and uncle had for their human wives. And once again he'd had to tell her the older demons wouldn't let go of the secret.

"And you're supposed to be a Demon Lord. Why can't you find out what they're hiding? You're the scholar, not those two. Someone alive knows the source of their power and why all youkai bow to them. It damn sure isn't their charm."

Yukio had to smile. Every incarnation of Aiko was different and this one was surely one for this time. She was sharp tongued and smart Yukio thought to himself as he buttoned his silk shirt. She was the one who every generation kept him in tune with what was going on with the world. It was why the Renjiro's came under his command despite their allegiance and living in the West under Sesshoumaru's sway. He was the educator of the family. And Aiko had a point. Inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru never talked about the source of their power. Their children had been raised to accept it as a given and their children's children had been raised the same way. Sakura wanted a sword like her sire and uncle had. Taisho wanted whatever it was that they kept so secret to be his. Yukio had just accepted the fact that he was Sesshoumaru's oldest son and as such could command his brother and sister. They fought him but in the end they did listen to him.

Finished dressing Yukio put on the television and headed for the kitchen to get something for breakfast. He'd learned tolerate human food and decided a drink of orange juice would hold him until he got real demon food.

"…reports are sketchy but Senator Ajibana Nobuo's death seems to have been the result of a gasoline leak in his car."

Yukio strolled back into the living room and stood watching the death scene. To his demon sight the outline of the human's body was seen twisting and turning in the flame and he smiled pushing his thick dark hair out of his face. He also saw Jaken trembling and jumping with delight at his handiwork. To humans he looked like a kid in a baseball outfit. To Yukio and any other demon watching he was Jaken.Yukio mumbled to himself about crossing his family as he pulled on his cashmere coat, slipped on his sunglasses and looking neither to the right or the left, stepped off of the balcony and with a twinkle disappeared into thin air.

Higa Chomei had not been to Tokyo in a long time and baseball cap firmly in placeand dressed in the worldwide uniform of jeans and a leather jacket with black sneakers he walked the streets of the Ginza and Shinjuku. He was the type of being everyone, human or demon, noticed. Some gazed longingly on the beautiful face he possessed, his complexion that of his father but his eyes those of his grandfather. His hair was his father's also, thick and black. He wore it in a long braid down his back. His body was that of his father and grandfather, long and slim, and he walked with the attitude that had been bred in his genes.

He'd decided to make his return to Japan's capital at night, his least favorite time of day, for a reason. By now that wuss brother of his Jiro should've told his uncle that he was coming back and knowing how Inu Yasha worked his son Higurashi Hideo already had people on the look out for him at his usual haunts, universities, libraries and old temples. The last place they'd look for him was on the stripso to enjoy his last few hours before his surveillance picked him up he had come here.

Chomei had the ears of his mother and like his Uncle Inu Yasha they were on top of his head, hence the base ball cap. It didn't bother him though and he smiled as two young human girls smiled at him but he kept walking. Not tonight he thought to himself. Two pretty young men tried their luck and got a less friendly reception than the two girls had gotten. His older brother, now deceased, had been into human boys and that had been why his death had gone unlamented by anyone including his parents. When you had sex with and then took a taste of your victims, a taste that resulted in their deaths, human authorities got interested. The other two who had been killed had just been plain stupid as far as Chomei was concerned. They'd shown their hands too soon. He wouldn't make that mistake.The thought of getting his revenge was exhilarating and he forced calm back into his being, his face becoming the bland mask he usually wore. By the time the sun was rising he had visited three clubs, had some beer, and now, bored, he stepped into an alley behind the last club he'd visited and thought about where he wanted to go. In the blink of an eye he appeared in the living room of the small apartment he kept on a quietly fashionable street in Tokyo. He met the eyes of the being sitting reading on the sofa and forced a smile into his eyes and voice.

"Father. What a surprise."

Yukio put the paper down and looked at his sonnot at all fooled by the sound of the younger demon's voice.

"How were the clubs?"he asked fixing his eyes on Chomei's.Chomei filed the information away. It seemed cousin Hideo had smartened up quite a bit.

"Boring."

"Jiro is expecting you tomorrow morning."

"I'll be dressed appropriately father."

"All eyes are on you Chomei. This is a sensitive time for the family."

"From what I see you reading we're doing fine," Chomei said. He'd also seen the headlines in the papers while he had taken his walk last night. Two prominent deaths and rumors of the Prime Minister fighting for his political life seemed business as usual for the family.Chomei felt his father's claws around his throat before he could blink.

"Fuck it up this time Chomei and nothing will save you."

"I'm not afraid of the TaiYoukai. He's too busy gallivanting around the world to care about what's happening back here."

"If you think that then maybe you're not ready for the responsibility of this job."

Yukio threw Chomei to the floor and met the young demon's red eyes with his own, his youkai markings deepening and his lips peeled back to reveal teeth and fangs capable of breaking bone.None of his sons had ever challenged him to a fight and won. Knowing this Chomei backed down.

"I know any shame I incur reflects on my Lady mother, so I will do everything I can to make you, and her, proud."

Blood trickled from the claw marks Yukio left on Chomei's neck and Yukio raked his eyes over his pup from top to bottom. He as getting tired of Chiyo and her offspring.

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