InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Into the Fire ❯ Cry ( Chapter 17 )

Title: Into the Fire

Author: Chiaztolite

Rating: NC-17/M for lemon, rape, and violence

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Inuyasha

 

IMPORTANT WARNING: This chapter contains explicit sexual and violent contents. If you are underage, well… Sorry, you're going to miss a lot of stuff. Consider yourself warned…

 

 

Into the Fire

 

Chapter 17: Cry

 

 

The last day of their journey…

 

Shouri startled when a drop of snow fell onto the tip of her nose. She lifted her chin, letting her pair of bright green eyes watched those white flurries that descended from above. She did not realize when she halted her steps, only to watch thousands of star-shaped ice fell in slow motion. Alas, one brief moment was all that she was allowed, for her cousin quickly grabbed her by the elbow. His eyes made no effort to hide his suspicion when he stared at her, his face was filled with questions.

 

“What is the matter?” He asked.

 

She shook her head, returning his gaze rather confusedly. Ever since yesterday, his demeanor baffled her. He seemed restless, alert, almost too vigilant...

 

“Nothing…” She answered, yanking her elbow off his grip. She shot him a piercing glare, tired of his inexplicable conducts and gazes that stifled her so.

 

“That line should be mine.” She said before she asked him in return. “What is the matter with you?”

 

The corner of her vision saw her mate, walking at the front to lead the way while she was being held at the back, denied of her wish to be with him. “It is time for you to explain your strange behavior, dearest cousin…” She said. Her arms were folded in front of her bosom, making her appearance more stubborn than ever.

 

Her question caused Yuusou to sigh, for that was perhaps the tenth time she asked it in one day. Nine times had he tried to explain to her the source of his wariness, yet she could not understand him. She would not understand him, for she refused to listen. Like a deaf, her ears were closed to any explanation.

 

That was why this time, he chose to ignore her. He took her by the wrist and silently commanded her to follow him. Stubborn as she was, she refused his lead, pulling her hand out of his grip.

 

“You do not trust Ryoushin, still…?” She asked, purposely lowering her voice.

 

“No.” He answered sternly as he took her hand and with a sharp glare, forced her to follow his steps once again.

 

“I cannot believe you are acting like Sesshoumaru Nii-sama…” She muttered under her breath. There was a brief pause before Yuusou responded,

 

“Then he might be right to act that way…”

 

Shouri lowered her eyes to the ground as she unwillingly trailed after her cousin.

 

“…Ryoushin…He…” She started to say. “He is trying to protect me…”

 

“So do I…” Yuusou answered, his usually calm voice started to bear tone of impatience. “…If only you would let me do my job…” He grunted under his breath, yet still loud enough for her to hear. She did not respond to his slightly sarcastic remark, her eyes were still fixed on the ground as her cousin dragged her to follow the long procession.

 

“Yuusou Nii-sama…” Her quiet voice reached his ears. “Ryoushin promised to protect me, and I believe him…There is no need to worry…”

 

“What worries me the most is the faith you have in that tiger… You are too gullible, Shouri…” He said after a brief pause, causing her to lift her head and stare at his back. “Be careful with such emotion…Do not let it blind your sight…”

 

She remained quiet, her mind thought about what her cousin said. Was it so wrong to trust someone she loved so much? He was her companion, her mate, the father of her children. To love and trust him was something to be expected, right…? Shaking her head in desperation, she lowered her gaze back to the ground. Unfortunately, neither her brother nor her cousin could understand that. She lifted her head to see her mate. Even from the end of the long procession, she could still see his golden crown. She recalled their conversation by the river bank, that time when he asked her to trust him.

 

“…You know that I will protect you no matter what…?” He said to her… “You know that I will never let anything happen to you, or our children?”

“You should know the answer to that already…” She spoke gently. “I do trust you. Never doubt that...”

 

`Ryoushin…' Her heart whispered as her eyes glued on his shimmering golden tresses. She tried to reach him and yet, he could not hear her.

 

`…Never doubt that…'

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The sun was on its way to set once again when the tiger brought the pack at their unexpected destination. The trees were all around them, and the mountain was still nowhere to be seen. They all gazed at the tall wall of rock stood before them, its surface was covered in evergreen ivies. They all looked at him, confused as to where they were going. Yet the tiger kept his silence, ignoring all questions they had in their eyes. His hands started to peel those climbing plants and revealed what lay beneath the layers of leaves.

 

It was still there, the blood seal he made 300 years ago, though age had turned its previously red shade into black. With the tip of his fingers he traced the symbol, feeling his melancholy past started to emerge to the surface of his mind. Three hundred years was a long time ago, yet he still remembered the key to opening the path back to the palace, everything his mother had taught him before her death. Lifting his index finger to his lips, he sank a fang into his flesh. Using the new blood, he refreshed the seal, recreating the spell that held the key to his past.

 

He laid his palm on top of the renewed symbol, his eyes were staring at the black hole that appeared from underneath his hand. The dark circle gradually increased in size, until it was wide enough for all of them to enter. With a flick of his finger, a ball of fire appeared on the palm of his hand, something that would certainly be useful to light the dark tunnel lay ahead of them. The others stood there watching him, curious and intrigued by what he was doing. Where he was going to take them, no one could tell, for he provided no explanation whatsoever during their journey to the strange destination. He turned around and gazed at the pack standing behind him. With a blazing fire in one hand, he made a gesture towards the pitch-black path next to him.

 

“…After you…” He simply said.

 

So many pairs of eyes were staring at the darkness before them, yet no one moved a muscle. Inuyasha startled when his half brother stepped forward and walked towards the tunnel, his steps showed not even the slightest hint of hesitation.

 

`…Sesshoumaru…' He whispered inwardly, his eyes were following the taiyoukai's body that soon disappeared into shadows.

 

Soon after, the small green imp and the little girl Rin followed, chasing their master who had gone ahead of them. Inuyasha too, took his pack and entered the mysterious tunnel, followed by Kishi and the cubs. Only Yuusou and Shouri lingered in the light besides the tiger himself, who was obviously waiting for the remaining two to join the darkness.

 

She was the first one to initiate a move, taking a step towards the mouth of the passageway. Yet a strong hand pulled her back, preventing her from going any further. With confusion in her face, she gazed at her cousin, wondering why his hand gripped hers so tightly. Keeping his lips sealed, he fixed his eyes at the black shadows that awaited them. The blond tiger followed his stare, a smile appeared on his lips as he understood what caused the quiet male inu to remain in his place.

 

“…What is the matter, Yuusou?” He asked, shifting the dog's eyes towards him. “…What are you waiting for?”

 

The questioned one did not answer, yet his narrowed eyes were now glued to that sapphire gaze. As the heir to the eastern lands, he had familiarized himself with the neighboring lands, including the Forest of No Return. It was his playground during childhood, his training ground on his way to become the next lord. He had roamed many parts of the forest during the yearly hunting for Moudoku, the deadly venom that makes up the most poisonous needle of his lands. But this particular terrain, it was a stranger to him…

 

It all seemed so unfamiliar and knowing that Ryoushin, the one he considered as a threat, was gaining the complete control could only make the whole situation even more alarming. Though it could be assumed that the tiger was leading them to enter the Mountain of Gods, the darkness of the tunnel seemed too dangerous to be trusted. After all, he brought them there without any explanation, and suddenly expected them to walk down the dark path that could very well mean the end of their lives.

 

`A trap…?' He thought warily as he eyed the tiger, wondering what lies beneath that calm façade. `…Could it be…?'

 

“This is the way to the mountain, Master Yuusou…” Kishi's sudden voice startled him. Though the remainder of the pack had gone ahead, they were standing close to the mouth of the black hole, waiting impatiently to move on.

 

“This is the way to the mountain…” The elder youkai repeated, nodding his head as he spoke. “That, I can assure you…”

 

Moments passed before Yuusou decided to trust the faithful servant. As he remembered the time when Kishi came to warn him about the change in Ryoushin's behavior, he knew that there was no reason to do otherwise. Still in silence, he pulled Shouri's hand as a gesture for her to follow him. And on their way to enter the tunnel, when he gave Ryoushin a brief glance, his eyes narrowed as he saw the slightest trace of smile on the tiger's lips. Whatever that meant, no one could tell but the creature himself…

 

Sesshoumaru gave out a soft grunt when he saw Yuusou finally joined the rest of the pack. Trap or no trap, it did not matter to him. The tiger could try any filthy trick he could think of, yet a youkai lord of his caliber would not be captured so easily. He turned around and started walking down the dark path that revealed no ending, the rest trailed behind him.

 

Complete darkness surrounded them, the little light from the ball of fire did little to chase the shadows away. Though the tunnel was quite spacious at the mouth, it soon turned into a narrow path. Its width was no more than four steps, forcing them to form a long line of procession. Long had they been traveling down that path, and the end of the tunnel was yet to be seen. Yuusou started to feel the anxiety building within him, rising doubt to his own decision to trust Ryoushin. He listened to the calm steps behind him, keeping his guard for the moment when the tiger's true color would be revealed.

 

Far ahead, a dim light appeared at last, answering the anticipation that had risen for quite a while. As they approached the end of the tunnel, they saw that it was a portal that awaited them, a gateway that took form of a translucent mesh screen. With his narrowed eyes, Sesshoumaru observed the thin layer of shield. He felt a hint of curiosity arousing, causing him to wonder what lay beyond that entrance. He could see a room on the other side, that much he could tell. But where it was, to what sort of place the tiger had taken them, those questions were left to be answered.

 

He extended his arm, reaching out to touch the translucent mesh. As he had expected, the screen allowed him to pass. He took that one step that brought him to the other side, to that other dimension that was only slightly brighter than the dark tunnel they had traveled in. The smell of ancient dust welcomed him, his nose shriveled when he also smelled death. His sharp eyes scanned his surrounding, yet he saw nothing but an old, unused room. Though spacious, the chamber was completely bare.

 

There was no dead corpse wherever he looked, only a black patch on the creaky wooden floor that captured his attention. Even without a high degree of intellectual, anyone could guess what it was. He saw Shouri stepped forward and kneeled before the dark blob, her fingers grazed the tainted surface of the floor.

 

“…Somebody died here…” She whispered, so low as if to herself. As she had predicted, the stain on the planks of wood was, or used to be, a pool of blood. It was blood that had turned to black because of age, perhaps a few hundred years old.

 

“…My mother…”

 

The female inu startled when she heard the faint whisper behind her. When she turned around, a pair of sparkling blue eyes met her gaze. For a moment she was mute, her eyes stared blankly into his.

 

“…My mother…” He repeated. “It was her who died right on that spot…”

 

Slowly, she laid her hand on his arm, her lips curled into an apologetic smile.

 

“I am sorry, beloved…” She said, earning a soft smile from him. He grazed her cheek with the back of his hand, truly touched by her genuine sympathy. And for the first time since he stepped into the chamber, he dared himself to scan everything around him.

 

Everything stayed the same within that abandoned servant quarter. Nothing had changed since that cursed night, except the absence of decapitated limbs and headless bodies of his parents. But the reminder of the tragedy was still there, he thought as he fixed his eyes on that blackened patch of blood. It was as if he saw his mother's lifeless body on the floor, her blood pouring out of her chopped neck...

 

He turned away from the agonizing sight and walked towards the main door of the quarter. Carefully, he parted that old screen, just wide enough until he could peek outside the quarter. His eyes saw nothing outside, only the shadows of a dark night. Not even one creature roamed around there, for it was a deserted place after all. What could be a better place to hide?

 

“…I suggest we rest here for the night…” He heard himself say, his hand moved to close the screen before he turned around to face the pack. “It is safe here, no one had come here for hundreds of years…”

 

“Where are we?” He heard the hanyou asked. “Where is the mountain?”

 

“We already are on the mountain…” The tiger answered before he pointed his index finger at the portal that was still open. “…What we just went through is a secret tunnel that my mother created with her spell many years ago… It connects the Forest of No Return with this discarded quarter, allowing us to enter the mountain without having to break the barrier…”

 

He approached the wall where the black hole was and with a simple gesture of his hand, closed the path back to the forest. It would still be there, silently waiting until his blood summoned it.

 

“Where is our position on the mountain?” The hanyou asked again, shifting his attention away from what now appeared to be an ordinary wall.

 

“About halfway to the top…” He said. “We have to hike the rest of the mountain to get to the palace. Your enemy is there...and so is mine…”

 

He turned around to stare at the pack. With his everlasting calm demeanor, he spoke again,

 

“As I said, we shall rest here for the night and attack at dawn…”

 

For some, resting there for the night to gain strength for an attack seemed like the perfect idea. But for Yuusou, it sounded more like a trap than anything else. Shaking his head in disapproval, he said,

”…No, we shall attack now…”

 

Locking his gaze on the owner of the stern voice, Ryoushin observed that unusually tense, alert expression on the male inu's face.

 

“Why should we wait until dawn?” Yuusou repeated. “We have come so close… Why should we waste another night?”

 

The eastern prince knew too well that staying for another night could only prolong the danger that had lurked over his female cousin for quite a while. Though he had not known Ryoushin for a long time, he knew him well enough to tell that something was not right. That cold expression in the tiger's face, the eerie void in those blue eyes only strengthened his suspicion and at the same time, his wariness grew. It bothered him that Ryoushin wanted to wait for another night for a reason that he could not even guess. He could only hope that the female in peril also noticed the unusual behavior in her mate.

 

Moments passed and the only answer the tiger was willing to give was that unreadable stare. Just when Yuusou was about to speak again, the monk in the dark blue robe stepped in.

 

“If I may say something…” Miroku spoke. “I agree with Ryoushin-sama's suggestion.” He gave Inuyasha a quick glance before he continued. “Inuyasha and myself are still recovering from the effects of Moudoku, and a whole day of traveling to get to this place did not help our recovery much… True, we have come so close after spending so many days of traveling… But that is exactly why I think one more night of rest to ensure our victory is worth spending…”

 

Silence fell among them as they listened to the monk's words. Over and over again, Yuusou shook his head. As far as he was concerned, the purpose of his presence in the pack was to ensure Shouri's safety and not anyone's victory, the matters of those humans did not interest him even one bit. The idea of letting Shouri and her mate together for one more night troubled him greatly. The sooner they start, the sooner they would end the battle, and the sooner everything would go back to normal, hopefully…

 

And if Ryoushin defeated the dragon, perhaps… Perhaps he would stop nurturing his vengeance that gave life to what had possessed him for 300 years, he thought as he gazed at Shouri from the corner of his eye. And then, Shouri's happiness would not be something that was impossible...

 

“…As the monk said…” He heard Ryoushin said, causing a deep frown to appear on his forehead.

 

“Your enemy and their enemy…” He growled, feeling his patience growing thin, yet his suspicion towards the tiger grew stronger. “They are two different youkais… The outcome of your battle does not depend on theirs… What are you trying to pull here?”

 

“Do not forget that the dragon and Naraku are allies now…” Ryoushin said, returning Yuusou's glare unwaveringly. “...For sure, their battle will influence mine…”

 

“…What…” Just when the eastern prince felt his anger started to rise, Shouri came and pulled him to the side. With lowered voice to ensure no one could hear her, she whispered,

 

“…You know I will not leave without him…”

 

Staring at his cousin with blatant irritation in his eyes, Yuusou whispered back, his voice was just as low,

 

“Don't tell me that you think these all make sense…”

 

She was quiet, knowing that her cousin had a reason for his concern and suspicion. She knew that it was unusual that her mate would take humans into consideration, and even admitting that his victory lay in their hands. But she trusted him, and she wanted to keep trusting him…

 

“He just wants everything to go as planned…” She said to her cousin, praying that he would not notice the doubt in her own voice. “Only for one night… What difference could it make?”

 

Yuusou stared into her eyes, feeling almost desperate that she still refused to believe the shift in her mate's behavior. But it did not matter anymore, he thought as he heaved a deep sigh. If they were so determined to spend the night there and attack at dawn, he would just have to ensure Shouri's safety himself.

 

The U-shaped quarter was built around a small open square. The rim of the forest was just steps away, hiding the old, abandoned building underneath shadows of the tall trees. It was filled with spacious chambers, all dusty and discarded, yet they put roof over their heads nevertheless. With Shouri's wrist gripped within his hand, Yuusou dragged her along the veranda on one wing of the quarter, not stopping until he saw the door to a chamber. Sliding the door open, he revealed an empty space beyond the shoji.

 

`…Good enough…' He thought as he pushed her into the room, paying no heed to her squirms and complaints.

 

“What do you think you are doing?” She asked, her fiery green eyes glared at him angrily.

 

“Stay here for the night.” He told her with his unyielding tone of voice. “I will put a barrier around your chamber…”

 

“But…”

 

“Listen to me!” He almost snarled, turning her words of protest into silence. When he spoke again, his voice was softened. “This is for your own good. So please… Just for one night, stay away from your mate.”

 

She looked at him and saw his grim, unsmiling face. The calm and composure he always bore in his demeanor had diminished, exchanged with the uneasiness that tainted his fine features.

 

`Even though I am not really your sister, you are still protecting me…' She whispered inwardly, secretly touched by his care for her. At last, she smiled and nodded to assure him, which he responded with a brief nod of his own.

 

“Promise me one thing…” He said. “Do not open this door…Do not let anybody in, unless it is me or your brother…Do you hear me?”

 

Again, she nodded, earning a relief sigh from him. He gave her a tender smile and brushed his fingertips against her cheek.

 

“Now go and rest…” He told her. “But remember what I said… I will be close by if you need me. And I will come for you in the morning…”

 

With that said, he slid the shoji closed, still keeping his hand on top of the wood frame of the screen. He closed his eyes to concentrate on his next task. Soon after, a transparent blue light appeared from underneath his palm, covering the entire screen with its glow. When he opened his eyes, a barrier had been formed, protecting her chamber from anyone who tried to intrude.

 

“Is there really a need to do something like that…?”

 

Yuusou turned to the side when he heard the sudden voice, his eyes stared into a pair of pale indigo depth. Ryoushin was there, standing a few feet away with moonlight bouncing off his sparkling blue eyes.

 

“Is it truly necessary to lock her inside the chamber like that…?” Ryoushin asked again, taking two steps towards him. There was a brief silence before Yuusou answered,

 

“If you truly love her, you would agree with my decision… It is necessary, and you know why…”

 

The inu's answer startled him and quickly, his eyes shifted to the closed screen that separated him and his mate. Though he hated to admit, he knew that Yuusou was right. In his present condition, he would not even trust himself. There were too many strange dreams that he could not decipher… Too many times that he had lost himself, who could tell when it was going to happen again?

 

He could almost see the outline of her body through the thin paper, his beloved mate. It was better that way. Just one more night, and hopefully…

 

“…Yuusou…” He called the male inu who had started to leave, walking towards the adjacent chamber. The inu stopped to gaze at him over the shoulder, waiting for what more he wanted to say.

 

“…Thank you…” He muttered with his quiet voice before he turned around and walked away…

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~

 

Shouri sat alone on the tatami mat, her eyes were scanning the spacious chamber. Judging from the size of the room, it was undoubtedly used as the servant's bedroom, where the maids of the palace shared space for sleeping. It was nice to finally be able to sleep within a civilized enclosure, she thought. Throughout their journey so far, they had no choice but to rest underneath trees in the open air and if they were fortunate, within the shelter of some damp cave. She sighed and rose to her feet, her eyes were once again sweeping the emptiness of the chamber. Though grateful for the luxury in the form of privacy that had been scarce in her life lately, she could not help but feeling lonely.

 

She walked to the rows of closet on one side of the wall, her aim was to check whether any of them contained a futon her weary body could rest on. A smile appeared on her face when she found out that all the closets were filled with plush white mattresses. Yet her joy soon disappeared the moment she touched them for they turned into dust, every single one of them. They must be at least 300 years old, as old as the quarter itself. Time had corroded them to such state that they withered at the slightest touch.

 

Shouri slammed the closet door in disappointment, her eyes gazed at the hard floor in obvious lack of enthusiasm.

 

`The floor, it is…' She sighed to herself.

 

On with her little adventure, she approached the other side of the chamber, the side with a large wooden door. Her curiosity urged her to slide the door open, to find out where the opening would lead her to. She almost squealed with excitement when the door revealed a bath chamber. A stone well was situated in the center, no doubt as the source of water those servants in the olden days had used for ablutions. Although the chamber was not overly generous in size, it could easily fit 10 grown men.

 

She stepped into the empty space, the old wooden floor creaked underneath her bare feet. She brought herself closer to the well and leaned forward to observe the deep, seemingly never-ending darkness below. Her hand reached for the roped bucket lying on the floor and dropped it down the well, silently praying that the source of water had not dried yet. Seconds passed in silence as she waited, a proof that the unused shaft was built so deep into the ground. Finally, her ears caught the splashing sounds, signaling that the pail had reached the surface of water.

 

She pulled the rope, feeling the extra weight the container carried. Smiling in satisfaction, she dipped her hand into the bucket that was now filled with water, savoring the refreshing feeling of the cool fluid grazing her skin. She knew her sleep that night would not be most comfortable, yet the opportunity for a bath made it seem all the better. She turned around to close the door that was still wide open, not that anyone would be able to enter, thanks to Yuusou's protective barrier around the chamber.

 

Loosening the obi tied around her waist, she slowly bared her skin in preparation for her bathing. Fully undressed, she poured the content of the bucket on herself, letting each bead of water trailed down her smooth skin in clear, shiny rivulets. Her face relaxed, her eyes sealed to savor the exquisite feel of the water grazing her skin.

 

And inside another chamber, another pair of eyes shot open at the sound of water splashing against the floor…

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

 

“…Shouri…”

 

After the refreshing bath, she quickly fell into a deep sleep, the hard and cold floor did not even bother her anymore. Wrapped only in her white under kimono, curled up underneath her silk garb that protected her from the cold, she succumbed to the fatigue that had long waited to claim her. And yet the repeated, echoing whispers of her name called her back from the realm of her dream. Half asleep and half awake, she whimpered to the emptiness around her,

 

“…Who is it…?”

 

No one else answered but the owner of the disruptive voice, again and again calling her to return to reality. A smile appeared on her face when she recognized the soft whisper and immediately, she opened her eyes. Propping her upper body with her elbows, she gazed at the translucent shoji that did little to conceal the owner of the voice, the shadow of his body was vividly imprinted on the thin paper. Slowly, she rose from the floor and approached the sliding door, her hand extended to trace the outline of his figure. She could hear the rustles of his clothing, see him raising his hand to touch hers, feel the warmth of his body even through the paper that separated them. He missed her, she knew. It was the first time they were apart since the night they became mates, making the longing for the other half even more unbearable. She was about to slide the door open when she recalled what Yuusou had told her.

 

`…Do not open the door…' He had warned her. `…Do not let anybody in…'

 

She let out an inaudible sigh, contemplating whether she should follow her own wish and open the door for her mate, or listen to Yuusou's warning. She recalled the wariness in his eyes, the tension in his face, and just this once, decided to trust her cousin.

 

“Go back to sleep, Beloved…” She whispered lovingly. “I will see you in the morning…”

 

“I…” She heard the start of his words, spoken softly before he paused briefly. “…I cannot believe that I miss you already…”

 

What he said caused her smile to widen. And before she had a chance to respond to his yearning, he asked,

 

“…Would you open the door…? For me…?”

 

“I cannot, Beloved…” She told him, shaking her head sadly. “Yuusou strictly warned me not to open this door…”

 

She could hear him sighing in disappointment, her own sigh soon followed his. She let her fingertips brushed against the texture of the thin paper, wishing it was his skin… His warm, golden skin that she felt underneath her touch. Slightly, she leaned forward and pressed her cheek against the screen, sealing her eyes tight as she listened to his steady breathing.

 

“…Well…” He said, causing her eyes to flutter open in response. “…Can I at least see your face before you send me back to my chamber…?”

 

She could not deny the twinge of temptation she felt when she heard his plea. What was the harm of it, she thought, if it was only for a few minutes…?

 

Tempting it was, the thought of seeing his face, the thought of embracing him and comforting his needs along with hers even for a brief moments. She could see his smile already, feel the warmth that lay within the caress of his lean body. She felt the yearning of her own, the same longing that caused her hand to travel lower and touched the wooden frame of the screen. She could feel her cousin's stern warning began to fade in her mind, the sirens slowly diminished, her weakness starting to give in to temptation. And with one smooth movement, she slid the door open.

 

She saw red…

 

She had expected to see the calming sea of blue in his eyes, yet she saw red instead. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw those eyes, as crimson as two pools of blood that glittered viciously against the silver light of the full moon behind him. Her eyes widened, her lips parted for a sharp intake of breath. Knowing that she had opened the door to the darkness, her hand flew to slam the screen close. Yet, faster than her slender hand could move, he slipped his arm through the opening, his fingers were keeping the screens parted. Unable to keep the fear from clouding her face, she tottered backwards, her eyes were still fixed on those blood red orbs. She cursed herself inwardly, immediately regretting her decision to ignore Yuusou's warning and opened the door for this beast.

 

She opened her mouth to scream for help, images of her brother and Yuusou flashed in her mind. Yet before she had the chance to emit any noise, he disappeared, the sight of him was replaced by the yellowed paper of the closed screen. In a flash, he appeared behind her, so close that she could taste his dark presence, his warm breath on her neck seemed to stop her blood cold. Her eyes danced around nervously, trying to capture the sight of the male who was invisible to her.

 

“…I will not be so careless as to scream if I were you…” She heard his whisper. Her eyes widened when she felt his claws slid lower to her belly, carving a clear threat to the lives of her unborn pups. He pressed the tip of his sharp digits against the thin fabric of her under kimono, harder until he could feel the tenderness of her flesh.

 

She remained still, her fear for her future offspring prevented her from moving even one muscle. She knew that she could scream to alert her brother or Yuusou, and even if this monster killed her in an instant, she could not care less. Her brother's Tenseiga would revive her, but what about the pups, the unborn pups? Would the powerful sword be able to revive something that had not been born yet, a creature that had not even had the chance to breathe its first breath?

 

Unwilling to risk those two lives growing within her, she chose to keep quiet and prolonged her life, hoping that soon she would have the chance to escape. He smiled in silent satisfaction when he sensed her decision to yield. Still with the warm body wrapped within his arms, his mind worked to erect a layer of red youki around the room, a barrier within another barrier that would prevent any noise to leak out. That way Yuusou, or any other creature, would not be able to sense anything alarming from that one chamber, giving him enough time to execute what he had in mind.

 

“…What have you done to my mate…?” Her lips hardly moved when she uttered those words, yet he could still hear her faint whisper.

 

His immediate response was a chuckle, a mocking chuckle that did not fail to cause her blood to boil in anger.

 

“That stupid tiger, you mean…?” He asked her, still in the same husky tone that sent chill to every fiber of her being. He pressed his lips against her ear, causing her to gasp in a mixture of shock and disgust.

 

“Do not worry…” He hissed. “He is sleeping… He will not be coming anytime soon…”

 

The close distance between them allowed him to breathe in the sweet scent of apple blossoms that radiated from her hair and every inch of her fair skin. His crimson eyes were fixed on her, scanning the female from the top of that glorious silver head to the toes. Her body was wrapped in nothing but a piece of white under kimono, which thin fabric did little to conceal her nudity, allowing his eyes the chance to drink the sight of her beauty. He paid a particular interest in her breasts that rose and fell with every quickened breath she took, a smile quirked on his lips as he regarded those soft, delicious mounds. Once more, he inhaled the alluring scent that surrounded him like a sheer cloud, binding him within an invisible spell, rousing his lust to such an extent. Yet, no matter how intoxicating her scent was, he could smell him all over her, that tiger who had possessed her… The thought caused his nose to shrivel in disgust, though it did not tempt him to rethink what he planned to do to her.

 

Spinning the female held within his arms, he forced her to face him, the corner of his mouth curled into a grin at the sight of her fear. Though she strived to keep her emotion from scalding her facade, his nose told him no lie. The scent of her fear was too vivid to ignore. She reeked of fear…

 

Clutching her arms tightly, he lowered his head to force a kiss on those beautiful rosy lips. She struggled to free herself from his grip, her sharp claws waved in the air to drive him away from her. Snarling in anger, she bared her fangs at him. Laughing at her paltry tussle, he dodged each of her attack almost too easily. He shoved her towards the nearby wall, pinning her body against the hard, cold surface.

 

She growled in a mixture of pain and fury when her back was slammed against the solid wood. With all the strength stored within her willowy body, she trashed about to release her arms from him. Her legs managed to kick him away, allowing her the chance to swing her claws at him, ripping the skin on his chest. She stared at the work of her razor sharp claws in satisfaction, those four long gashes that ran from his left shoulder to the top of his right ribcage. Her victory did not last long as the creature, the beast in her mate's body, let out an enraged roar at her action. In a split second, the back of his hand struck her cheek, hurling her a few feet away from him.

 

Her writhing body sprawled on the floor, her head was dizzy from the powerful slap he gave her. She felt the throbs of pain on her lower lip, felt the warm blood trickled from the corner of her mouth down to her chin. Her heart was burning with rage when she realized what he had done to her. No one had ever struck her like that before. No one. Her grandfather, despite his strict and heartless appearance, had never laid a hand on her in violent manner. Sesshoumaru, though did slap her twice, he did not strike her with pure hatred. Unlike this devil towering before her fallen body, her brother never truly intended to hurt her.

 

Before she had her chance to squirm away, he twined his fist in her hair and yanked her head towards him, arching her body in the most uncomfortable way.

 

“…Such a feisty little dog…” He hissed in her ear. Though he was filled with rage, the scent of her blood did not fail to entice him. He forced her to face him, straining her neck even further, ripping a painful cry from the female inu. With his tongue he traced her lips, tasting the blood that gathered there, trailing the crimson path down to her chin. She tasted sweet and he liked it. The delicious taste of her blood left him hungry for more…

 

He pushed her down, pressing her back against the hard floor. Placing each of his thighs next to her waist, he straddled her. His hand gathered both of her wrists in his grip before he pulled her arms high above her head. Though he had rendered her in a helpless position, the anger in her eyes did not diminish. Her legs kicked the empty air frantically. Her back arched, striving to throw him off her body. Her effort was fruitless, for he remained still in his position. All she did was curled a mocking smile on his lips, pleased him with her furious green eyes.

 

Though the fighting spirit within her amused him to a great extent, this bitch was too unruly for his taste. He would teach her to be less defiant, less rebellious. He would make her submit, show her who the master was between the two of them.

 

He slid one hand lower to touch her belly, feeling the flutters of two unborn creatures, those two disgusting embryos conceived as the result of their mating. He felt her struggling ceased as she realized what he was doing, laying his palm on top of her abdomen. The fire in her eyes slowly faded, exchanged with undeniable fear. As much as he enjoyed her vigorous struggle, nothing pleased him more than the terror he saw within her widened eyes at that moment.

 

Slowly, he moved his hand in circular motions, just like what Ryoushin often did to her, the same gesture that never failed to calm her. Yet this time, it brought her nothing else but terror. She felt the heat building underneath his palm, seeping into her skin, into the depth of her womb where her children lay sleeping. It was as if he planted a fire inside of her, a heat that seemed to multiply with each passing second. Her body started to buck and trash, exerting all effort to push him away and end the torment, yet he refused to release her from his ruthless grip.

 

“…Stop it!” She screamed when the heat became unbearable, burning her from inside out. He built magma within her, each drop of blood that flowed through her veins became the lava, liquid fire that coursed through her body to circulate the pain from the crater that was called her womb. She feared for her pups more than anything else. Only a few days old, so fragile and helpless, what were the chances that they would be able to bear such painful torture?

 

“You will think twice the next time you plan to escape, dog…” He hissed. “Think if you would be willing to sacrifice the lives of your unborn mongrels…”

 

“…Stop…” She cried, almost pleading. “…Stop…”

 

Only when she truly pleaded, he granted her wish. He took his hand off her belly as he smiled in satisfaction at the sight of her current state. Her face was tainted by streams of tears, her whole body was shuddering violently, her fear almost ate her sanity…

 

Still trapping her wrists above her head, he lowered himself until he hovered above her. With the back of his other hand, he grazed her tear-streaked face, trailing the moist path with the tip of his index finger. His hand traveled lower to her neck, feeling the frantic pounding of her veins, those blood-filled veins hidden beneath her creamy skin. With the sharp tip of his claw, he scraped the side of her throat, his eyes beamed with delight as he watched red beads of her blood surged to the surface.

 

He lowered his head, his tongue lapping on the pooling blood, savoring the sweetness of her life. Hungrily, he sucked on her flesh, drinking the sweet wine that leaked out of her body. Sliding his fingers lower to rip the neckline of her kimono open, he bared her pair of breasts for his hand to plunder. He kneaded those soft mounds, his roughness marred her skin, causing more blood to spill for his own pleasure. His mouth now shifted to caress her bleeding flesh, his teeth nibbled on her nipple, ravaging those tender mounds like a starving male.

 

She strived to hold back her cries from escaping her lips. His teeth bleed her, adding more scars to what his claws had caused. His hand was now on her inner thigh, carving five red paths, smearing crimson blood on the white canvas of her garment. He pulled the skirt of her undergarment up her legs, gathering the fabric around her waist, his hungry eyes roamed over her half nude body.

 

She was beautiful, he could not blame that boy for falling in love with her. He only smiled when he saw her pressing those creamy thighs together, striving to hide her femininity from him. With a simple gesture of his knee, he nudged her legs open, forcing her to show him the center of her beauty. She was perfect, he had to admit. The sight of her plump nether lips aroused him even more, causing his swollen malehood to beg to be released.

 

Still searching for a way to escape, she turned her head to the side, towards where her pale blue silk kimono lay, where that wooden dagger awaited to be put into use. She recalled what he said back then, that time when he was still himself, when she did not believe that this could happen.

 

`If I ever come close to hurt you…or the child, you will use it to pierce my heart and purify the evil spirit…'

 

When her gaze returned to him, she saw him loosening the sash around his hakama. His eyes and focus were aimed at the knot that held his garb around his waist, granting her a golden opportunity to escape him. She pulled her knee upwards to give him a hard blow on his abdomen. The sudden attack caught him off guard, sending his unguarded body a few steps backwards. Not wanting to waste the chance, she rushed to the pile of garments and seized the dagger just when he grabbed a hold of her legs, bringing her down with him.

 

Her breathing labored and she was again trapped underneath his body, but this time with a dagger clutched tightly within her hand. She pressed the tip of the blade against his left chest, the exact spot where his heart resided. She strived to glare at him menacingly, which would have been much more convincing without those tears welling up within her eyes.

 

“…Stay away from me…” Her voice was nothing but a hoarse whisper.

 

Yet he only laughed at her words. Despite her command, he moved forward to press himself against the dagger even further.

 

“Go on…” He challenged her, a smug smile on his face. “Spear me with the blade… Though I must remind you, it is his heart that you are about to pierce and not mine… “

 

She froze with the dagger still clutched tightly within the palm of her hand. Again, Ryoushin's words echoed in her mind.

 

“If I ever come close to hurt you…or the child…” He continued as he wrapped her fingers around the hilt of the dagger, his hand moved hers to press the tip of the sharp blade onto his chest, right where his heart was. “You will use it to pierce my heart, and purify the evil spirit…Do you hear me?”

The burrow on her forehead deepened as she stared at him, wide-eyed.

“But what will happen to you…?” She asked.

He did not answer, only returned her gaze with hardened eyes and yet, his silence told her everything.

“…Why are you telling me this…?” Her voice sounded frail, and he could see the moist started gathering within her orbs. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Promise me…”

 

She gritted her teeth as she struggled to steady her shuddering hand. With the same hand she pressed the dagger closer to his skin, earning a small droplet of his blood. His face, it was still Ryoushin's face… Though the soul within was that of a devil, the sight, the feel of his body was too vivid to ignore. But no matter how hard she looked, Ryoushin was gone. Every bit of tenderness within him, his spirit, all those had disappeared. Those eyes were now cold and heartless, they resembled nothing but blood. Those lips offered neither loving smile nor comfort, they portrayed nothing but cruelty. Her mind screamed out for him, yet he was nowhere to answer her call.

 

Promise me…

 

She could still hear him, yet she could not bring herself to push the dagger all the way through, for slaying the evil spirit meant killing him too. She tried so hard to oppress her cries, and still a few desperate sobs escaped her, giving more satisfaction to the devil who was watching her mind battle. How he savored the sight of her lips trembling, and those tears that started rolling down her cheeks. Her whole body shuddered, the hand that held the wooden blade started to fail. She started to fail…

 

“…You said you would protect me…” She whispered, her weak voice slowly grew into a desperate cry. “…You promised to protect me no matter what!”

 

As the last sliver of strength she possessed slowly crumbled, the dagger slipped away from her loosened fingers. He grinned in smug pleasure as he watched her closing her eyes in defeat, tears kept flowing from the corners of her eyes.

 

“You cannot kill him…” He whispered in her ear. “…then you cannot kill me…”

 

He spread her legs wider, feeling impatient to bury himself within the heaven that lay between her thighs. His lust for her had long begged to be satisfied. And when he plunged into her depth with one violent thrust, her screams of pain reached his ears, increasing the immense pleasure her body had granted him…

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~

 

Hours had passed…

 

She lay still on the ground, her body curled up into a ball, her face was buried underneath layers of her tousled silver tresses. The scent of her blood was strong in the air. Crimson stains were splattered across the floor, smearing all over her body. Her wounds were still fresh, many of them were still leaking blood. He stood there in silence, fixing his eyes on her as his hands tied the sash around the waist of his hakama. She had pleased him greatly, he thought as he observed the work of his own body in satisfaction. Her shredded kimono could not conceal those deep wounds he had inflicted upon her skin, her drying blood appeared almost black on the white fabric of her kimono.

 

Soon, she heard the sound of the sliding screen being opened and closed, and for a moment, found it hard to believe that he had finally left her. Slowly, with a painful cringe on her face, she tried to lift her body off the floor. The stinging pain between her legs ripped a cry from her, causing her to almost loose her footings. With much struggle, she dragged her wounded body to the adjoining bath chamber, desperate to clean herself from the filth that had tainted her.

 

Using the wooden pail lay on the floor, she picked up some water from the bottom of the well. She winced when the cold fluid grazed her body, melting the caking blood away from her bruised skin. Almost angrily, she scrubbed herself, trying to rid the filth away from everywhere he had touched her. Her vigorous scrubbing had caused some of her drying wounds to reopen, leaking fresh blood that turned the clear rivulets of water into red. She could not care less, the pain had numbed her as shame took over. At that moment, all she wanted to do was to wash his filth, his release, all reminiscent of him off her body.

 

The thought of him caused her to drop on her knees, her arms lifted to wrap themselves around her shuddering body. She could still hear him, feel his hot breath on her cheek as he whispered cruel, wicked things into her ears. She rocked herself back and forth, her face was buried within the shield of her crossed arms. Though her eyes were shut tight, she could still see it… Her with her back on the ground… Him on top of her, jabbing himself in and out of her, both blind and deaf to her shame and suffering…

 

Blood, so much blood… Every time his claw sliced her tender flesh, his mouth was always there, pressed against her skin to capture every red bead that gushed out.

 

`Ryoushin…' Her mind was constantly screaming her mate's name as he raped her over and over again, pounding into her body with a force that was far from gentle. But he never came. No one did… After a while, her tears dried out and she stopped screaming. She lay still as he sated his carnal lust on top of her, using her body for his selfish pleasure. On her back, on his lap, on her knees, he took her in every way imaginable…She became a lifeless doll and he was the master who moved her, free to do anything as he wished to.

“…Why won't you beg…?” He hissed in her ear as he pushed her down, pressing her front against the hard floor. He positioned himself behind her, ready to take her from the rear. Twining his fingers in her hair, he yanked her head towards him, arching her body into an awkward bow. He mounted her, pushing his engorged male organ so deep into her sore, abused tunnel, ripping another heart-wrenching cry from her lips.

“…Didn't you beg him when he fucked you the last time…?” He hissed again, tightening his grip on her hair as he thrust harder against her rear. He reveled in the pleasure of her body, the tightness of her tunnel only multiplied the delicious sensation he was feeling.

“…Didn't you beg for more…?” He growled, almost laughing when he witnessed her suffering. His breathing quickened, harsh and grating.” Didn't you beg him to give it to you harder…?”

 

Enough, she had enough. She shook her head almost violently, wanting to rid the sight she kept seeing in her own mind. Unable to hold back her cry, she let those tears flowed freely down her cheeks. She laid her bleeding body on the floor and pulled her knees up against her chest, trying to suppress those sobs that escaped her mouth.

 

`…Ryoushin…' She whispered within, calling the one who was not there. `…How could you…?'

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

 

He woke up with a splitting headache, the world was spinning around him when he lifted his back off the floor. A hoarse moan escaped his lips for the back of his head throbbed in pain, as if someone had struck him with a great force. When he raised his hand to wipe his face, he startled for the vivid smell of blood assaulted his nose. The smell of her blood was mixed with the scent of his own release, sending shivers throughout his whole body, rousing fear from deep within. Almost frantically, he looked around, his restless eyes scanned the empty room he spent the night in. Everything seemed normal, exactly the way he remembered before he drifted off to sleep.

 

`…What happened…?' He asked himself.

 

Her blood in his hands, as well as the disturbing mystery of the cause did not let him sitting around any longer. Hastily, he rose to his feet and stepped into the hallway, almost breaking his chamber's shoji in the process. The hallway outside his room was empty still, for no one seemed to have awakened. The sky was painted in shades of purple and fiery orange, a sign that the sun had started to rise in the east horizon. He paid no heed to the beauty of the morning sky, his impatient legs rushed along the veranda to bring him closer and closer to his mate's chamber.

 

Her door was shut tight, giving him no choice but to stand there waiting as the barrier that Yuusou put up the night before stood still, untouched. He paced back and forth, his uneasiness grew with every second that passed. Just when he thought he could not take the silence any longer, he heard her stirred, causing his heart to jump in agonizing dread. The rustles of her kimono sounded loud in the silence of the morning. He waited in apprehension, watching her shadows appeared on the screen as she slowly approached the sliding shoji.

 

Little by little, the screen parted, revealing the female who was standing behind it. He gasped slightly when he saw her. She had always been fair-skinned, yes... But at that moment, she was as pale as a ghost. The dark rim underneath her eyes appeared so prominent over the strangely white canvas of her skin. Her usually bright green eyes were dim and shadowed. Though it was early dawn, she was already fully dressed in her pale blue kimono, her silver mane that flowed down her back seemed less groomed than usual. A cool wave of relief washed over him for she was at least alive, though her unusually forlorn appearance did not fail to concern him deeply.

 

“…Shouri…” He whispered, causing those gloomy eyes to lift up to gaze at him. He reached out to touch her arm, yet she flinched and took one step back, her sudden rejection stunned him. The female, herself, was surprised and dismayed by her reaction to her own mate's touch. For a brief moment, she did not know what to do. Her body was motionless, as if each and every one of her limbs had turned into stone, or melted into a pool of wax. She looked at him, this male before her, and saw the confusion that blanketed his blue eyes. Again, she flinched as what happened the night before flashed before her eyes.

 

His laughter, his evil laughter… His harsh voice, the sound of his hand slapping against her flesh, her own cries… And the blood, her blood, the searing and blinding pain she suffered between her legs and everywhere he had laid his hands on her… Even now, it was a struggle for her to stand straight, let alone move a muscle.

 

But when she stared into his face, she was reminded that he was her mate, looking completely oblivious to his own doing the night before. She dragged her feet to move closer to him, striving to hide her cringe when the scorching pain washed over her. And with great willpower, she forced herself to smile.

 

He murmured her name once more and slipped his arms behind her back, pulling her into his embrace. The moment he pressed her body against his, a harsh, painful cry escaped her lips. The pressure of his body tormented her, almost reopening her wounds, making the pain in her core even more unbearable. The sound of her cry caused him to release her at once, his eyes stared at her confusedly. His nose smelled the distinct scent of her blood, wafting off her body although her skin appeared clean and unspoiled. With his hands he clutched the neckline of her kimono, pulling the garment apart to bare the skin of her shoulder. She tried to resist and pushed him away, yet it was too late. He saw them, those wounds that marred her skin. Those long, deep gashes, those bite marks that covered her shoulder and the soft plane just above her breasts... He gripped her wrist and slid her sleeve up her arm and there they were again, long slashes that tainted her formerly smooth, unblemished skin. It was as if someone had dragged the sharp tip of his angry claws all over her body.

 

He felt his heart sank when his view was filled with those reddened wounds, cut so deep into the tenderness of her flesh that they would certainly take time to heal.

 

“…Who did this…?” His whisper was almost inaudible. Something inside told him that he knew the answer, something about the way the scent of her blood followed him into his own chamber. Something about how her scent clung onto his hands when he opened his eyes that very morning. He remembered the smell of his seed, his release… And yet, he refused to believe it.

 

He gripped her shoulders and shook her body almost furiously, not wanting to believe the clues leading to the undeniable truth.

 

“Who did this…? Tell me who did this?!” He asked her, again and again. His voice was harsh, filled with his own denial.

 

His angered eyes stared at her and she returned his gaze with a pair of eyes that were laced with thin sheen of tears. And he knew, he knew…

 

He took a few steps back, his trembling hands were covering his face.

 

“…But I promised to protect you…” His voice was nothing more but a husky whisper. “…I promised…”

 

She watched him tottered backwards, moving farther and farther away from her. Her vision blurred from her tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks.

 

“Ryoushin…” She called him as she extended her hand, reaching out to touch him. Whatever happened the night before, she could not deny the pain in her heart from watching him so tormented by guilt. But no matter how she tried to calm him, no matter how she tried to gather him into her arms, he refused her.

 

“…Ryoushin…” She called him again, almost pleading. “Please… I am fine… The children are fine…”

 

But he shoved her reaching hands away. Just like so many incidents he had experienced before, he was unable to remember what happened when he lost his consciousness. For now, the tiger could only imagine the worst. His own mind painted vivid pictures that tortured him more than any physical punishment ever could.

 

“…Stay away from me…” He writhed in a hoarse voice. “…Stay away from ME…!”

 

He turned around and ran along the veranda, ignoring her voice that called out to him. He ran towards the open ground, towards the small square outside the quarter. He did not care where he was going, his sole aim was to get himself away from her, for that was the only way he knew to keep her from harm. An effort in vain, it was, for she abruptly chased after him, calling his name, begging him to stop. She forgot that she was barefoot, sharp pebbles scraped the tender soles of her feet and she did not even care. The snow started falling from the sky, caressing the ground with a thin layer of ice and she did not even care. They were both out in the open, yet still trapped within anguish. He was running towards a patch of woods that was within their reach, the silent trees were calling him for a dark relief.

 

“Ryoushin…!” Her voice sounded shrill for her throat was exhausted from continuous shouting. “…Stop…Please…”

 

She raised her hand to touch the mating mark she bore on the nape of her neck, to open the connection between her and her mate. If her words failed to soothe him, she hoped that her heart could ease his torment, release him from his agony. Her trembling fingers rubbed those two round wounds, trying to reach him through the mental bond they created the moment they took each other as mates. Moments passed and her effort seemed fruitless, for he did not care to stop at her desperate calls.

 

He heard her, he felt her, yet he could not stop. He did not dare to stop. Knowing that he had harmed her, betrayed her trust in the worst way imaginable, he had no right to remain by her side. Forcing himself to ignore her heart-breaking cries, he ran towards the deep forest outside the quarter. And just when he thought things could not get any worse, the cruel hands of fate proved him wrong. A painful blow, greater than anything he had experienced before, attacked him, threatened to claim his sanity.

 

`…No…! Not again…!' He screamed inwardly, his hand was gripping each side of his head, trying to make the mind-numbing pain disappear.

 

He struggled to keep his existence, unwilling to once again let the evil spirit take hold of his consciousness. The corner of his vision saw her standing so close to him, too close to the danger that awaited her. With widened eyes, she watched him dropping his body to the ground, writhing in what seemed to be unbearable pain. The tattoo on his forehead glowed red, his eyes sealed tight, his teeth gritted to prevent himself from screaming out. She did not know what was happening to him, for it was the first time she saw him in such state. For a moment she stood there, scared and confused, her eyes could not leave the sight of her mate trashing on the ground and bellowing in pain.

 

She wanted to help him, to release him from the turmoil, and still he refused her. Yelling at her, he told her to leave. She shook her head, she refused to leave him alone in his suffering. Only seconds later, she understood what had given him such pain for she felt it too, the fierce pounding in her head that caused her to fall on her knees. The opened portal of their mating bond had allowed whatever sensation he felt to course through her body.

 

Writhing in pain, she wrapped her arms around her body, digging her own claws into her already-injured flesh. Moist gathered within her green orbs, those tears that appeared mostly due to his suffering rather than her own.

 

“Stop it…!” With her labored breathing she screamed, her eyes were fixed on the grey sky above them, as if begging the gods to hear her plead. “Stop torturing him…!!”

 

But the gods chose to keep their silence. The sky answered her call with those beads of snow that really started to fall, covering them with a thin white blanket.

 

Her cries had awakened the remainder of the pack, luring them out of their rooms, into the veranda that faced the small square. Sesshoumaru stood before the door to his chamber, his eyes widened when he caught the sight of Shouri, so close to the male he could only assumed as the tiger. They were quite a few feet away from the quarter, the forest was just within an arm's reach. She was on her knees, her head drooped low. He lay on the ground not far from her, bucking and trashing as if he had lost his mind. Sensing that his sister was in danger, the youkai lord did not waste more time to stand still. He raced towards her, calling her name to get her away from the source of the threat.

 

“Shouri!” He shouted, though she did not react to his call.

 

She sighed in relief when she felt the pain finally subsided, when she saw his struggling had finally ceased, leaving the tortured body squirmed slightly on the icy ground. She pulled herself up to approach her mate and kneeled before his quivering body. She laid her hand on his shoulder, yet his lowered head hid his face from her sight, showing no reaction to her touch.

 

“…Ryoushin…” She whispered softly as she slipped her hand underneath those locks of golden tresses to cup his face. Slowly, he lifted his head, a pair of tormented blue orbs stared into her misty eyes. She let her tears spilled onto her soft cheek, her hands were grazing his face, feeling so relieved now that he had returned to his normal-self.

 

“Shouri!” Again, the youkai lord shouted, this time in a more commanding tone. “Shouri, get away from him!”

 

She heard her brother calling out for her, but somehow the voice came from a faraway place. She did not turn around to answer his call and instead, her eyes were fixed on her mate. Ryoushin raised his hand, his fingertips brushed against the softness of her cheek, so lightly as if he was afraid to hurt her. Though tears were still staining her face, a smile graced her lips, so grateful was she to see him returned to the male she loved.

 

“…You know that I would never hurt you…?” He whispered, tears of regret were staining his blue eyes. “…I would never…”

 

She felt his arms reached out for her, gathering her into his embrace. Leaning her cheek against his chest, she let her tears flowed, staining the fabric of his kimono. She knew it, she knew… Whatever happened the night before, it was not him. It was not him who hurt her. He would not hurt her…

 

Then she felt it, a pain so sharp that she had to gasp for air, as if a demon had laid his hand on her heart. Uttering breathless moans, she strived to lift her quivered hand to touch the source of the throbbing pain, her left chest. Her fingers soon tasted the warm, moist blood that had gathered there, turning the pale fabric of her kimono into deep crimson. She startled when she touched something else: a hand, his hand, stabbed so deep into her heart that he had her limp body skewered in his arm.

 

Slowly, so slowly, she looked up. A pair of confused eyes stared at his face, his lips were stiff and ruthlessly cold as if he was made of ice and not flesh and blood. His blue eyes stared back into hers, yet nothing was there but pure void.

 

…You know that I will protect you no matter what…? You know that I will never let anything happen to you, or our children?

 

He had said that…

 

…I love you…I never told you that before…But I do…

 

Then why…?

 

“…Wha…” She tried to speak, yet her raspy voice was choked within her throat. “…Why…”

 

Her eyes widened when she saw those blue orbs swirled, gradually changing their pale indigo color into crimson, as red as her blood that was now dripping onto the icy ground.

 

“…How foolish…” She heard him whisper, saw the corners of his lips curled into a vile grin, saw the nightmare came to life before her eyes once again. “…You fell for such a pathetic lie…”

 

He pulled his arm and released her from his deathly grip, splattering her blood in the air. Like a wilted flower she fell forward, her long tresses swayed behind her back. There were no hands to catch her wasted body, only the hard and cold ground that awaited her. She lay there with her blood pooling beneath her, a weak arm reached out for him, for the hand that was not offered. It was the last thing she saw, him giving her one last cold glance before he went for the woods and disappeared beyond the awaiting trees.

 

When the last bit of her energy faded, her motionless body lay on a lake of red as the heart that loved him slowly died out…

 

 

To be Continued…

 

 

A fellow writer once said:

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