InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Moving Pictures ❯ Cat out of the Bag ( Chapter 20 )

A/N: Yes, two chapters in as many days! More adult themes in this one, it's rated `M' for a reason. Thanks for sticking with me!

 

FFnet: Gothic-Ember - your wish is my command…*evil grin*, Tora Delerium, Neisha

 

Disclaimer: I do not own any character created by Rumiko Takahashi.

 

 

 

Chapter 20 - The Cat out of the Bag

 

The field seemed to hold its breath as Charlotte faced Inuyasha, a plain wooden staff clenched in her hands. Feet apart, body in a defensive crouch, Inuyasha held a fully transformed Tetsusaiga at the ready. Only the wind seemed unconcerned by the two opponents, rushing through the long grasses and rippling them like water.

 

Charlotte's stomach rumbled noisily and she grimaced. Almost two months along and she had started to show, though not so much that she couldn't disguise it, and she was always hungry. Each day she got a little bigger and very soon, she wouldn't be able to brush it off as eating too much or bloating. Fortunately, in this era as in hers, when she said `women's problems', guys stopped asking questions and left her alone.

 

True to their words, Kaede and Kagome had kept her secret, but she knew that it was only a matter of time before the others began to suspect. Sango had started to ask her something the other day, a strange glint in her eye, but had stopped herself before any words had been spoken. For obvious reasons, Charlotte hadn't pursued it.

 

“Are you waiting for an invitation or what? Do it already, it's lunch time!” she shouted at the hesitating hanyou.

 

“Feh! Just make sure you don't lose it this time, fatty!” he yelled back, raising Tetsusaiga. Scowling, Charlotte took her cue and let her beast extend beyond her body, giving Inuyasha the demonic aura he needed to activate the windscar. Slamming the blade against the ground, he sent bolts of power toward her.

 

Charlotte stood her ground and concentrated, trying to guide the energy through her and into the staff she held. Knuckles whitening as her grip on the staff tightened, the windscar lashed around her, pulled into a swirling vortex with her at the center. Almost shaking with effort, she drew the energy into herself and then pushed it through her hands and into the wood. As it absorbed more power, the staff began to hum and heat up, but she held the channel open, forcing more and more energy into it.

 

The energy channel closed on its own as the last of the windscar entered the staff and Charlotte released the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, smiling triumphantly. She'd done it! She'd actually channeled a large amount of power into an inanimate object! Charged it, so to speak. Unlike lashing out blindly with surrounding energy or circulating youki, charging objects took a great deal of finesse and she'd been working on it for a couple of weeks. This was the first time she'd managed to prevent any of the energy from going wild or the object to explode.

 

“Great job, Charlotte!” Kagome called from the edge of the field, holding two bags of potato chips and several apples in her arms. “You guys want a snack?”

 

“Hell, yeah!” Inuyasha sheathed Tetsusaiga with a flourish.

 

Charlotte heartily seconded that motion, but found that the ground wasn't quite as steady as it had been a moment ago. The observation blandly intrigued her as gray began to creep around the edges of her vision and her ears were filled with a persistent humming. Even more interesting was how quickly the ground was rising up to meet her. It didn't usually do that, did it? At least the grass was soft…

 

Kagome gasped and dropped the bags of potato chips, running toward Charlotte's crumpled form. “Charlotte, are you okay?”

 

Dazed, Charlotte blinked at the sky spinning over her. “…yeah, I think so.” Well, she would be when everything stopped moving.

 

“We should get you to Kaede. The baby-“

 

“What baby?” Inuyasha snapped as he leapt toward them, his silver ears perked forward.

 

Charlotte groaned and covered her eyes with her arm. Eyes widening, Kagome slapped a hand over her mouth. “Nothing!” she mumbled around her fingers.

 

“What baby?” he repeated loudly, casting a suspicious glare at the two women.

 

“My baby, Inuyasha,” Charlotte said quietly, not moving from her prone position or meeting his eyes.

 

“Your WHAT?”

 

“Hey! It's not like I did it on purpose!”

 

“So that bastard took advantage of you! I knew it. I'll-“

 

“No, I didn't get pregnant on purpose.”

 

“I can't believe you… and my brother… ” Inuyasha finished the sentence with strangled bark, almost a howl, that scared a family of blue jays from a nearby tree.

 

Kagome's eyes widened in horror, “Inuyasha!” She didn't need to speak youkai to understand that last word.

 

“Did you think I was joking?” Charlotte snapped back.

 

“And you knew!” he pointed an accusing finger at the girl who was waving her hands as she tried to stop the argument.

 

“Don't yell at her! She promised me,” Charlotte growled, sitting up and bracing herself against the spinning in her head with two hands firmly planted behind her.

 

“Filthy bitch. I should take that pup and-“

 

Charlotte's snarl cut his suggestion short with its bloodthirsty rattle. Unsheathing her claws to their longest, she rolled into a crouch, her eyes red and wild. Her head cleared as the rage flooded her body at his threat to her young.

 

Belatedly realizing his mistake, Inuyasha took several hasty steps backwards. They insulted each other all the time, but he had apparently gone too far and everyone knew not to threaten a breeding female youkai; it was tantamount to a messy, painful suicide.

 

Disregarding the cat demon's bared fangs, Kagome grabbed Charlotte's arm, trying to drag her attention away from the hanyou. “He didn't mean it, Charlotte.”

 

“Kagome, get away from her!” he reached for her but held back at a firm shake of her head. His heart pounded with concern for Kagome, but Charlotte didn't appear to want to attack the girl. However, she tracked him with her red eyes, watching each move he made.

 

“He didn't mean it. Did you Inuyasha?” Kagome's dulcet tones had a calming affect on her, as did Inuyasha's slow shake of the head, and Charlotte felt the blood rage ebb away leaving her shaken and a little light headed. Had she really been about to tear into Inuyasha? Her youkai growled in affirmation; nothing was more important than the life growing inside her and she would kill to protect it.

 

“We heard shouting! What's going on?” Sango ran through the field, Hiraikotsu slung over her shoulder, Miroku racing by her side with Shippo on his shoulder. Kirara tailed the group by a few paces.

 

“Everything's fine,” Kagome assured them as she got to her feet. Charlotte hoisted herself up with the staff, the living feel of the wood comforting under her hands.

 

“Keh. Stupid cat got herself knocked up,” Inuyasha grumped and crossed his arms over his chest but was careful not to make any threatening gestures. It felt a little ashamed of what he just been about to say; his brother's pup or no, it was still family.

 

Miroku's mouth rounded into an `o', his eyebrows disappearing into his bangs. Sango pursed her lips as if she weren't surprised. “Sesshomaru?”

 

Charlotte nodded, chewing on her lip.

 

“I thought that demons knew when they were in heat. Surely, he must have smelled it,” Miroku remarked to no one in particular.

 

“They can,” Shippo assured him, looking as confused as the monk.

 

“I've never had to pay attention before,” Charlotte protested uncomfortably. “We've got stuff in my time to prevent all that. As for Sesshomaru… well, my human form masks my scent and he wasn't exactly in his right mind anyway…”

 

“What do you mean, he wasn't-“ Miroku asked

 

“I don't want to talk about this right now. I'm hungry,” she complained and turned away, striding toward the forest and the path toward the village.

 

“Wait!” Inuyasha barked to her in youkai. She stopped, head down with her back to him. In two quick bounds he was next to her.

 

“You're my brother's woman, and since he's as good as dead-“

 

Charlotte broke in with a raised eyebrows,” `cause you're gonna kill him?”

 

Inuyasha snorted, as if that should've been obvious, and continued as if she hadn't interrupted. “-you're my responsibility. I don't desert family.”

 

“Huh?” Charlotte had expected the ranting and raving, but this?

 

“My nephew,” he pointed a claw at her belly, then tapped her chest with it, “My sister.”

 

Touched, her heart warmed in her chest as moisture pricked her eyes, and for the first time in weeks, she thought things might turn out okay after all. Inuyasha's eyes widened in panic as the tang of salt hit his nose.

 

“Kagome!” On the verge of following them anyway, she hurried over. “We're done training for today. Go have lunch or something.”

 

“O-okay,” she stammered, the `osuwari' she had been ready to say fizzling on her tongue.

 

He stomped back over to Sango and Miroku, who were staring at him in frank curiosity. Shippo had seized his chance to horde the potato chips and was now polishing off the first bag. “Whadda ya looking at?”

 

Charlotte fixed Kagome with a stern look, “Don't let him get away. He's a keeper.”

 

Kagome nodded sagely. “I know.”

 

XxxxxxxxX

 

Kato saluted smartly as he waited for the bear general to acknowledge him. Dropping the scroll of reports from the border that had occupied his entire afternoon onto the low desk, Mamoru grunted and fixed the scout with a stern eye.

 

“Well?”

 

“No sign of her in the Southern Lands, though information there is hardly reliable due to the chaos there. Lord Yukio's tower still stands, as Lord Sesshomaru has said.”

 

“Did you have any doubt?” Mamoru asked him irritably.

 

“Of course not, General. The cat was seen in that region in the company of several others, one who matches the description of the lord's half-brother, but she is there no longer.”

 

Why would Lord Sesshomaru have left his concubine in the care of his half-brother? He hated the hanyou that tarnished his father's name, would never have allowed such a thing. In that case, did Inuyasha steal the woman? Perhaps she left of her own volition or they were separated during battle? Why had he brought the female to Yukio in the first place? Shaking his head against the barrage of questions, Mamoru gestured for the scout to continue.

 

“Next, I will go to the lands of Musashi, to the area called Inuyasha's Forest. If she were in his company once, then there is a good chance she is still with him. Few women prefer to travel alone.”

 

Nodding his head sharply, Mamoru rapped out, “Do it. I will expect your next direct report in a fortnight.” Kato spun smartly on his heel and was almost out the door when Mamoru's last orders stopped him.

 

“If you find her, bring her here, but do not hurt her.” Kato saluted again, and exited the room, closing the door softly behind him.

 

XxxxxxxxxxX

 

“I wish I could go with you guys,” Charlotte stood outside Kaede's hut and forlornly watched the group make its final preparations for leaving.

 

Kagome stopped rummaging through her bag and gave her a cheerful smile, completely missing Shippo sneaking up and nabbing a lollipop from one of the side pockets. “We'll be back before you know it.”

 

“I doubt it,” she mumbled and crossed her arms under her breasts and over her rounded tummy.

 

She'd taken to tying her sash at empire height, as did the other pregnant women of the village. Horrified by her expanding waistline, she checked her reflection in a local stream, hoping that the higher waistline would hide her girth. To her dismay, it didn't.

 

“What are you bitching about now?” Inuyasha asked as he walked up behind her, his gruff voice belying the gentleness with which he now treated her. She thought it had a lot to do with the fact that he would now have family that loved him, looked up to him.

 

“Look at me! I'm fat! My stomach sticks out as far as my boobs!” she wailed, checking her reflection to confirm her observation.

 

“Keh. All women in your condition blow up like that.” A tinge of pink touched his cheeks and he shifted uncomfortably.

 

“Oh, thanks, I've always wanted to be compared to a balloon.” She'd puffed out her cheeks, but caught another glimpse of herself in the water and immediately deflated them.

 

Inuyasha scowled at her pout. “Stay close to the village. I smelled a demon close by the other day, and I don't want to find you a mate only to find out that you got yourself killed.”

 

Charlotte rolled her eyes, “I will, and you don't have to find me a mate.” The dog demon had taken it upon himself to hook her up. He'd said that the only way to protect her pup from Sesshomaru was to find a mate who would adopt the pup as his own. A wolf demon by the name of Koga had come up, earning him a sitting from Kagome.

 

“It's a brother's duty to find his widowed sister a mate!”

 

“Aren't you counting dead brothers before they die?” but she couldn't put much rancor into the comment; he was simply looking out for her. Unfortunately, it was the best idea anyone had come up with, and if mating another meant that she got to keep her cub, then so be it.

 

“Don't worry,” Shippo piped up, pulling the sucker out of his mouth with a pop. “If Inuyasha can't find anyone, I'll mate you.”

 

“Thank you, Shippo, that's very kind.”

 

“Now Shippo, what would you do with a mate?” Miroku asked, a naughty glint in his eyes, his face schooled into an expression of indulgence.

 

Sango whacked the back of his head with her hand and Kagome cut in hurriedly, “You don't have to answer that, Shippo.”

 

“Lech,” Inuyasha muttered. “Come on, we're wasting time.”

 

With last waves and goodbyes, the group left without her, their silhouettes disappearing over a small hill, the sounds of their voices fading in the morning air.

 

“He's right, you know,” Kaede spoke behind her. “It's the only way to ensure that ye keep your child.”

 

Sighing sadly, Charlotte chewed on her lip. “I know, but I don't want just any mate, I want…”

 

“Of course ye do, child. Ye love him.”

 

Nodding sadly, she blinked away the moisture in her eyes. She was such an emotional wreck these days. She wanted to believe it was the hormones that were making her cry so often, but she couldn't lie to herself. She loved him and missed him with an aching that left her heart rent and bleeding.

 

She sniffed and turned to the miko. “Well, put me to work.” The old woman blinked at her. “Give me something to do, I like to feel useful.”

 

“Well, ye could gather some herbs for me, but don't stray too far from the village…”

 

“I know, I know. Just tell me what to look for.” Here she was, a highly trained programmer who had been groomed for management, reduced to picking flowers. Well, it was better than nothing.

 

XxxxxxxxX

 

Charlotte set down the basket full of plants and seated herself on a low boulder. The late summer sun beat down on her and she mopped at her brow, now thankful that she wasn't walking with the group. She was looking forward to a midday snack with Kaede and a relaxing soak in the stream. Chuckling, she realized how much she'd changed. Gone was the sophisticated city girl who had to have perfect hair and nails, purified water, and a bottle of wine with dinner. She hadn't had a drink since she left L.A., a good thing since she'd managed to get knocked up right after.

 

To be honest, she hadn't really missed the drinking and partying, commuting and working, the noise and bustle of the city. If she weren't quite so miserable without Sesshomaru, or so scared of having a child, she could be happy here. The air was clean and quiet, the water fresh and drinkable, right from the font. Her senses were sharpening as the over-stimulation of the city faded. She supposed that, in time, her heart would heal, and even Sesshomaru would just be a memory from another life. A cherished memory, forever reinforced by the face of her cub, but a memory nonetheless.

 

Picking several flowers that grew near the boulder, she tucked the stems into the two braids that started at her temples and met at the back of her head. Kagome had brought her a letter from Charlie, but she had yet to read it. Torn between her love for her brother and the desire to accept her new life and therefore the loss of him, she had tucked the folded paper into her kimono unopened.

 

So lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the demon approaching until he was standing in front of her.

 

“Kato!” she gasped, rearing back and almost losing her seat on the boulder.

 

“Yo,” the boar youkai leered at her, his tusks gleaming wetly as his tongue traced their lengths. “I'm to take you back to Lord Sesshomaru, whether you like it or not.” His eyes glittered, seeming to hope that she would not like it.

 

“No,” she stood and tried to edge away from him, but he had her trapped between herself and the boulder. A shudder crawled up her spine as she remembered how much she disliked this man.

 

“All alone, are we? No hanyou lover to come to your rescue?” he took a menacing step forward, his pig-like snout twitching in glee.

 

“My…?” Charlotte was baffled and scared. How had he found her? Her what? Did he mean Inuyasha?

 

“I knew you were an easy woman when I saw you, slut. The lord won't know if I sample the goods, since you've obviously been out and about yourself.” Faster than his bulk should have allowed, he lunged forward, grabbing her wrists in his gnarled hands. His breath hit her face like a gust of air from a port-a-potty.

 

She snarled, the rage rising in her as he pressed against her stomach, and aimed a kick at his crotch. Avoiding it with practiced ease, he wrenched her arms above her head and whipped her around, one hand claiming both wrists behind her back and forcing her face first against the boulder. Crying out in pain, as her knees were knocked apart with his two stout legs, she felt the life within her shift slightly, sensing her trauma.

 

Her vision went red as her beast took control and she locked onto his youkai, slamming open a channel even as he yanked up her kimono. His body went rigid as his energy was wrenched out of him through the hand that held her wrists. Struggling futilely, his erection withering against her thigh, he reared back and roared as she thrust his youkai into the boulder under her. His grip loosened as the last of him entered the stone, his body slumping on top of her.

 

With a heave, she pushed away from the boulder, closing the channel and baring her fangs at the living but empty body on the ground, his hakama around his ankles. No human though crossed her mind as she drove her claws into his stomach, eviscerating him. The scent of blood only egged on her beast, and she licked her claws before tearing into him again as if her were a deer she'd just caught while hunting.

 

It wasn't until hours later, very full and a little sleepy, that her beast receded, leaving a trembling Charlotte in its wake. She stared at the ravaged body and the gore that covered her skin and clothes, trying to feel bad about what she'd just done.

 

`I can't believe I just ate my ex-boyfriend's employee,' she thought as wiped blood off her face with the hem of her kimono. Her beast purred contentedly within her, `He deserved it.'

 

Charlotte couldn't argue with that, the guy was a rapist creep. `Still… maybe lions eat pigs in the wild,' she rationalized, finding that she just couldn't feel sorry for her meal. The important thing was: how much time did she have before she were found again?

 

She gathered up the herbs and headed toward her favorite bathing hole, leaving Kato's remains scattered in the dirt for the wolves and his youki ensconced in the boulder.

 

XxxxxxxxX

 

“Report, General,” Sesshomaru ordered the bear youkai standing in front of his desk.

 

Mamoru saluted, deciding to start with the good news. “The campaign for the Southern Lands is going better than we thought. Without Yukio to lead them, most of his generals deserted, leaving the armies without direction. Almost all of the soldiers have surrendered with oaths of fealty to you. The few that have resisted hoped to take the territory for themselves and were quickly routed.”

 

Sesshomaru nodded, satisfied that the battle for the Southern Lands would be quick and fairly bloodless. He had nothing against violence as a rule, but it was not worth the trouble to rebuild war-torn villages and crush peasant revolts.

 

“We have set up battalions of your soldiers in the larger towns to help keep the peace and we have not had dispose of many headsmen. Most remain under the same leadership as they did under Lord Yukio. We have taken his mansion and General Taro readies it for your arrival.”

 

“I will journey there in the fall after the first harvests.”

 

“Yes, my lord.” Mamoru recognized the dismissal but continued to stand there, resisting the urge to fidget or fling himself at his lord's feet.

 

“Was there something else, General?” Sesshomaru spoke with thinly disguised irritation.

 

“My lord, forgive an old bear his folly.” Without another word, he handed him Kato's last written report, which he'd received three weeks ago. The scout should have been back at the mansion by now and Mamoru suspected something had happened to him.

 

Snatching it out of his hand, Sesshomaru unrolled the scroll, his eyes widening as he read the contents, his claws digging into the brightly polished teak wood of his desk. He couldn't help the growl that rose out of his throat as his eyes re-read the letter and he only barely held in check the raging of his youkai.

 

“She's here. With Inuyasha.” Tetsusaiga wasn't enough? He had to take his woman, too? She could easily have obliterated him, just as she had done Yukio, which meant that she was with him by choice. Abstract, bloody images, pierced by tormented shrieks and slashing claws, filled his mind.

 

“As it says, my lord. She is also with child.”

 

His hand tightened reflexively on the paper, crumpling it into a ball. He'd seen that part, too, and though it did not name the father, he was fairly certain he knew whose it was. “Who wrote this report?” he ground out between clenched teeth. Only with his iron will did he prevent his body from taking his youkai form.

 

“Kato, my lord. He was supposed to have brought her back with him or reported in person to me but has failed to do either. This was the last missive I've received from him.”

 

“Ready Ah-Un and Jaken. I will take care of this myself.”

 

“And Rin, my lord?”

 

“She does not need to know about this.”