InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ It Must Be Destiny ❯ Chapter 3

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

Chapter 3

“Try me.” Inusouta leaned forward, gazing intently into her lovely sapphire eyes.

(“Oi, pup! Get your tail in the house! It's ramen night!”)

The young man rolled his eyes and turned toward the sound of the voice. His father was home, it seemed. (“We are studying!”)

(“Whatever! Get in here, pronto! The sun's almost down, and I'm sure your new friend won't be thrilled when it does!”) With those parting words, the sound of the sliding door whooshing shut signaled his father's retreat.

Thank Kami he chose not to bother to come over and meet Amber-san. Ramen takes precedence over everything else.

Inusouta looked at the confused girl. “I apologize- we will have to start tomorrow. May I give you a conveyance home?”

Amber looked slightly frightened at the thought of another ride on his motorcycle. “Um… no thanks. I'll just… take the bus.”

“You sure you know where you are going?” he asked as he led her to the steps to bid her goodbye.

“Well… I think so. I just need to get back to the school, and then I can walk to my apartment from there. It's just on the other side of the park.”

He knew the apartment buildings she was talking about. He blinked his golden eyes in surprise. “You live there?” It was one of the lowest rent districts around. Very seedy neighborhood.

She shrugged. “It's all I can afford- and not for too much longer anyway.”

He didn't like the thought of her, alone and unable to speak the language, walking by herself in the dark to her slummy apartment. Before he could say anything she bowed her thanks and left, waving cheerfully. “Bye, Higurashi-san! Maybe I'll see you tomorrow!”

He half-heartedly waved back. “Hai… perhaps…” He didn't like the idea of her alone at night in that neighborhood. She was just a ningen! She probably couldn't even protect herself...

Inusouta walked back to the house and stepped inside, kicking off his shoes as he slid the door shut. (“I am here,”) he called, making his way into the kitchen.

(“'Bout time, pup,”) his silver-haired hanyou father grumped around a mouthful of noodles. (“I was about to eat your share.”) The two white dog ears on top of his head twitched merrily as he ate.

(“Like hell,”) Inusouta replied as he snatched up a cup of his own.

Kagome scowled at her son. (“Inusouta, I'd appreciate if you wouldn't use language like that in the house. It's bad enough your otousan does it.”)

Suki giggled. (“Kami forbid 'Souta should start sounding like Chichi.”)

Inuyasha gave his youngest daughter an affectionate glare. (“Just eat your ramen, baby girl.”)

(“Yes, Chichi,”) came the innocent reply.

Moments passed in blissful silence as the family consumed the instant noodles that Inuyasha loved so much. Inusouta's mind remained on everything that Amber had revealed to him.

(“So where's your girlfriend, Inu?”) Izayoi asked sweetly as she set aside her empty cup.

Inuyasha choked on his second cup of noodles. (“Girlfriend?!”)

Inusouta glared at his sister. (“Silence, Izayoi. She is not my girlfriend.”)

Golden eyes went wide in mock amazement. (“You mean she's already your mate?”)

This time Kagome had to thwack Inuyasha on the back to help dislodge the ramen stuck in his throat. (“You mated that girl without even telling us?!”) the disgruntled hanyou roared.

The last light of the sun dipped beneath the horizon, creating a drastic change on Inusouta's pesky twin sister. Her hair changed from black to silver-white, like their father's, and her human ears disappeared to be replaced with two white dog ears perched on top of her head. Her fingers were now tipped with delicate claws and her incisors had lengthened into fangs.

Inusouta had changed as well, but on a much less obvious scale. His hair remained black, but his human ears had vanished, leaving two black dog ears on his head instead. He, too, had claws and fangs now, which he bared at his sister. (“Absolutely not! I only met her today!”) he growled as he shot his sister a glance that promised retribution, laying his black ears flat against his head. (“Cease spouting that nonsense!”)

Suki sighed dreamily. (“Ah… love at first sight…”) she breathed, batting long black eyelashes over golden eyes. Her hair was silver-white like their father's, only it remained that way all the time. Her eyes were normally brown, like her mother's, but now, with sunset, they shifted to gold. She also turned hanyou like her siblings.

No one took much notice of the transformation- it happened every night when the sun went down.

He set down his empty cup and chopsticks with a slam and stood quickly. (“I need to go.”)

(“Go? Where the hell to?”) Inuyasha eyed his son.

(“Out.”) With that, he went to his room, quickly changed into his dark blue haori and matching hakama, and hurried out of the house, leaving four very bemused family members.

Izayoi snorted. (“I bet he's going after that girl.”)

Kagome placed a hand on her mate's back. (“Follow him, Inuyasha. Make sure he doesn't get into trouble.”)

(“Keh! What kind of trouble can my pup get into?”) he growled as he finished off the last of his ramen. At his mate's pointed glance, he blanched. (“Ok, ok… I'm going.”)

Now that he was in his hanyou form, Inusouta was able to sniff out Amber's trail. She didn't go on the bus- why would she walk instead? He jumped from building to building, keeping out of sight of the ignorant ningens walking on the sidewalk. Baka female! I told her I would give her a ride home!

Hardly, a voice replied sagely. There was no way for you to have taken her home before you transformed.

He grunted. He followed her trail to the park, jumping from tree to tree looking for her.

The park was dark and deserted, perfect for members of the criminal class to carry out their vile deeds- at least after dark.

“Please… don't hurt me. I'm just trying to go home.”

Inusouta blinked. That was English- and he wagered that there weren't many girls walking through the park that spoke only English. He headed for the voice, leaping silently through the trees.

(“What the hell is she saying, Yoshi?”) came a gruff voice.

(“I don't know, but I'm not interested in having her talk,”) replied a sleazy, slightly excited voice. Inusouta finally caught up to them and regarded the situation from his perch in a nearby tree.

There were three men surrounding Amber, all filthy cretins that should've been purged from the planet long ago. They all carried a knife, and one- the leader, he supposed- stepped forward towards the frightened girl. (“Here now- we can do this the easy way or the hard way. Either way, we're in for a fine ride.”)

Amber's wide-eyed gaze flickered from one man to the next, finally landing on the one advancing on her. “Please… I don't understand you. I'm just trying to go home!”

Before she could blink, one of the men had pulled her books out of her arms to scatter on the ground and the one in front of her stepped close, the knife resting underneath the hem of her shirt. She trembled, fear radiating from her. “Don't… don't please…”

The greasy-looking guy grinned evilly and brought up the knife quickly, slicing her school uniform in two. She gasped out in fear as she brought her hands up to keep her shirt closed decently.

When she brought up her right hand, she accidentally slid it across the knife, slicing the back of her hand. She cried out in pain.

Inusouta dug his claws into the tree branch, growling softly. Damn- if I jump down there, she will see me as a hanyou! But if I don't, they will rape her or worse!

The man in front of her placed the tip of the blade against her pale throat. (“Any more strange protests, girl?”)

Amber whimpered again, her sapphire eyes wide with fright, her whole body shaking.

Inusouta growled, loudly enough for the four humans on the ground to glance around warily.

(“What are you waiting for, pup? Go save her.”)

Inusouta glanced over to see his father sitting on a nearby branch, clutching the hilt of Tetsusaiga with one hand.

The younger hanyou nodded, turned back to the still-wary humans, and jumped silently on the one nearest to him. The man went down with a strangled scream as Inusouta slammed his fist into his face, knocking him out cold.

Turning his glowing golden eyes to the other two men, he bared his fangs and cracked one hand. The two men froze in absolute terror for a moment, but the one with his knife to Amber's throat made a fatal mistake. He accidentally sliced the tender skin on the side of her neck, creating a thin streak of red that trickled slowly down her collarbone.

Amber's eyes remained locked on the wielder of the knife, wide with fear. They flickered strangely and he caught a whiff of a distantly familiar scent. Inusouta pushed it out of his mind for the moment and growled, deep and furious, at the one who had cut Amber.

The cowardly man jumped in terror, turned and tried to run away with his other cohort, tripping over their feet in their haste to try and escape.

Inusouta leapt into the air and brought down his claws on the two fleeing men. (“Sankon Tessou!”)

He straightened from the blow and turned back towards Amber, who was teetering precariously on the edge of hysteria. Closing his eyes briefly, he willed his body to change to human for the moment.

“Amber-san? Amber-san, look at me.” he said quietly, stepping closer to her. “Amber-san, are you all right? Speak to me…”

The poor girl's eyes were dim, lifeless, as she stared unseeing at the men who had almost accosted her. For a brief moment her gaze lifted to his and a spark of recognition flickered. “Hi-Hig...urashi...-san…” she whispered in a shaky voice.

She flung her self at him, wrapping her arms around his waist and holding him tightly as if afraid he would disappear. Even though he was in human form for the moment, he could smell her tears and her body was shaking uncontrollably.

He put his arms around her to comfort her- after all, she had almost been raped, perhaps even killed.

The voice snorted. You used your sire's Sankon Tessou attack on humans.

So? He cut her throat!

And your father told you to never use it on humans unless your life was in danger- your life or your mate's…

He mentally growled. She is not my mate! She is simply a naïve American girl in a foreign country!

Then why are you still holding her so tightly?

He blinked as he looked down at her. Her grip around his waist had loosened somewhat and her shaking had subsided. He released his arms and stepped back to look at her.

“Did they hurt you?” he asked softly, blushing slightly at her exposed torso.

Immediately her hand went to the cut on her throat, which was bleeding slightly. He could see the gash on her hand, which appeared to be deeper than the one on her neck.

Swearing in Japanese, he took her hand in his and examined the wound. “We have to get you home. My okaasan is one of the best when it comes to first aid.”

She blinked uncertainly up at him. “Oh, but I don't want to put her out…" she whispered, "or trouble you any more… I should just go home now.”

He gave an almost inaudible growl. “Under no circumstances are you going to come back to this area. You can stay with us until you find a nicer area to live in.”

“But- but I can't afford anything better,” she protested weakly. She was so tired and her head was swimming in fog.

“We are still going to find you something more satisfactory for the duration of your stay here,” he replied, glancing at the trees where his father remained hidden.

Any reply she would have made was lost as her eyes closed and she fell forward in a faint. Reflexively he caught her, looking down at her pale face. She has been through so much in such a short time.

Let us take her home, then.

Shifting back to hanyou now that she was unconscious, he nodded once to his father and took off, heading at swift speed back to the shrine.