InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Pride (In the Name of Love) ❯ Chapter 46

Pride (In the Name of Love) 46 / ??
Written by Jezz-Ra
Warnings - Not all warnings apply to all chapters. Yaoi, Het, Rape, Lemon, Violence, Language, Torture, Angst, Incest, Dark (at times). It's a massive story, folks, it's got a little bit of everything.
Disclaimer - I don't own Inuyasha, don't make money off it. Wish I did.

Sidestories can be found under my author profile at any of my archive sites.
Archived at - inu.adultfanfiction.net, fanfiction.net, and mediaminer.org ::: Anywhere else, ask!
Questions or Comments? - Email me at megami_no_remon@hotmail.com
Update List - If you wish for new chapters of this story to be e-mailed to you directly, please send me an email and I'll add you to my update list! Chapters will be mailed as soon as they're ready to go! If you are on my update list, I still appreciate reviews at any of the usual sites I post to!

// blah // indicates thoughts.

A/N - Um...this chapter has happy-amusing and sickly-dark-evil. All in one. The plot thickens, as it were.
----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------

Kouga's faithful lieutenants, Ginta and Hakkaku, arrived just before dawn to inform him that the pack was on its way. Kouga thanked them for the message and showed them to the rooms Inuyasha had told him were designated for his pack.

The wolf prince finished getting dressed and prepared for his dragon-hunt. Just as the sun appeared over the horizon, there was a sharp rap on his door. Kouga had no doubt it was Sesshoumaru, punctual as always. He greeted the taiyoukai with a polite nod.

"You will come with this Sesshoumaru to Rin's room. I intend to introduce her to you. Please remain outside her door until I call you in.""Yeah, sure. Don't worry, I have no intention of scaring the kid."

"You best not."

Sesshoumaru led Kouga to Rin's room and quietly entered. "Rin." Rin blinked her eyes open slowly and sat up. "Lord Sesshoumaru?" She yawned sleepily.

"Rin. I have not seen you much as of late and am taking the day to spend time with you. I wish to learn more of the things you brought from the miko's time."

Rin lit up and beamed at him. Sesshoumaru was taking a whole day just for her!

"But I do need you to do something for me."

"Of course, Sesshoumaru-sama. What do you need?""I have someone for you to meet. He is the prince of the wolf demons. You need not fear him or his pack. You will see that he is just like the rest of us. And he is my brother's...friend. You know Inuyasha would not wish you harm."
Rin swallowed hard, but managed a tiny nod. Sesshoumaru signaled by the door and Kouga came into the room. The girl tried hard to be brave like Sesshoumaru wanted, but couldn't help clutching her blanket tightly and staring wide-eyed at the wolf prince.

Kouga walked over slowly towards her and then took a knee, bowing his head politely. "Lady Rin, it is a pleasure to meet you in person. I am Kouga, Prince of the Northern Wolf Tribe."

"Rin is happy to meet you..." Rin managed, offering Kouga a feeble smile.

Kouga flashed her his most charming grin. "I came to apologize for what happened before. My wolves were very bad, and I promise that they'll be on their best behavior from now on."

Rin nodded and her smile grew a bit - now that she was talking to Kouga, he certainly seemed to be...alright. He was nowhere near as scary as she had thought he would be. He really was a lot like the other nice demons she knew. "So...you are a wolf demon?"The wolf prince nodded and flashed her a grin. "Yep. We're a lot like these dog demons you hang out with..." Here he leaned in conspiratorily. "But better."

Sesshoumaru arched an eyebrow. "Hn. You wish, wolf."

"Pfft. There are lots of things wolves do better than dogs. Hell, I bet half of us wolves can do dog things better than you dogs." Kouga winked at Rin to show he was teasing.

Rin blinked. Dog things? Wolves were better...? What sort of things did dogs do well? "Can you play fetch?" she asked hesitantly.

"Probably better than any of your dog friends." Kouga smirked. "When was the last time you saw Lord Sesshoumaru here chase a stick, eh?"

Rin blinked, then gasped in shock. She had NEVER seen her lord chase a stick! Was it true then?

Sesshoumaru stared at Kouga as if trying to melt him with his eyes. "If I were so inclined to run after a tossed tree limb.." Here he paused. For some reason that he couldn't fathom, the idea seemed to appeal to him on some base, instinctual level. With a dark mental scowl, he kicked that thought into a corner. "I could do it far better than you could, wolf."

Rin was reassured. If Sesshoumaru said he could do it, then Kouga was simply wrong and that was all there was to it. But her smile now was genuine - Kouga seemed friendly enough, and Sesshoumaru had said he was ok...so perhaps wolves weren't so bad after all. And Kouga HAD promised they would all be good.

Kouga chuckled. "Keep telling yourself that, my lord."

Sesshoumaru glanced at Rin, then growled in response. "Wolf...I knew I should have gotten rid of you..."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Inuyasha found his father standing stock-still in the garden, staring in bewilderment at something going on across the way. "Hey...what's up?"Toga's tone was that of someone who had just had the foundation of his world and all he believed to be good and true shaken up and turned upside down. "Come look at this."

Inuyasha blinked, somewhat concerned, then peered across the courtyard to see what his father was staring at. His own eyes went wide and he stared slack-jawed. "Is that..."

"Are they..."

"But...."

Both of them watched, flabbergasted, at the scene unfolding before them. Rin was sitting on the edge of a fountain next to Hakkaku. Ginta was looking between Sesshoumaru and Kouga before hauling back his arm and letting fly...a stick.

The stick shot out across the courtyard. Sesshoumaru and Kouga spared each other a glance, growling, before taking off after it. Rin started cheering for Sesshoumaru, and Hakkaku was cheering on Kouga. As 'moderator' of the stick-chasing contest, Ginta kept his mouth shut.

Sesshoumaru was fast, but Kouga proved the faster. He leapt into the air, intent on snagging his wooden prize, when a sizzling crack erupted directly in front of him. Sesshoumaru's light whip coiled around the stick and snagged it out of the air, hauling it to the triumphant taiyoukai's hand. Kouga yelped, barely avoiding contact with the glowing lash. Rin cheered happily, clapping.

"That was cheating!" Kouga growled angrily, tail lashing.

"This Sesshoumaru does not cheat. If you are allowed the use of your demonic powers of unnatural speed, I too should be allowed my natural talents. The stick is mine."

"Gimme that stick! I had it fair and square!"

"No."

"I challenge you to a rematch! No tricks this time.""Very well. I will enjoy trouncing you a second time."

Toga rubbed the back of his neck slowly, trying to reconcile the fact that yes, his eldest pup, his Sesshoumaru, was chasing a stick through his garden with a wolf. Inuyasha slumped back against the wall in disbelief. He had seen some strange things in his day, sure....but this?

A slow, impish grin spread across the elder taiyoukai's face as he watched Sesshoumaru and Kouga retake their positions.

Ginta made sure the two contestants were ready before whipping the stick again. Sesshoumaru and Kouga both took off.

A blur of white suddenly shot between them, snatching the stick from the air before either of them could touch it.

Toga landed well ahead of them from his leap and sat back on his haunches - he was in his true form - tail swishing back and forth and his prize in his jaws. Kouga simply stared and Sesshoumaru blinked before slowly and progressively turning almost every shade of red in the visible spectrum. Inuyasha walked over with a chuckle, throwing an arm around the shoulders of each of the former contestants.

"Well, I for one am TERRIBLY interested in hearing the story behind this..."

"Don't you have a dragon to be hunting?" Sesshoumaru muttered with a scowl, ducking Inuyasha's arm and hurrying over to Rin. "Come, Rin."

Rin waved as she was hastily escorted back inside.

Inuyasha burst out laughing and Kouga blushed, jerking away from the hanyou.

Toga dropped the stick and assumed his humanoid form, trying not to laugh himself. "I'm sure your friend will enlighten us on the way. It may take a while for us to find a suitable dragon youkai, we should get on with things."

Kouga agreed gratefully and the three of them set off on their search.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"It is done?"Karalichala sneered at Jormandar and beckoned for him to follow her. She pointed to the pool. Much of the blood had boiled away, leaving the bare bones of Tsetsukosei's skeleton. With a low murmur, the sorceress pressed a small red gem to the center of the beast's skull.

With a great groaning and creaking, the dragon skeleton took to its feet.

"He lives?"Karalichala shook her head. The skeleton was animated by her will - it was easier than dragging the massive thing about. She closed her eyes, smirking slightly at Jormandar's pained hiss a moment later. The red gem flared blindingly. The thick reddish-brown substance left behind in the bottom of the pool began to slither up the skeletal frame, oozing around bones, forming a gooey network of tendon and muscle.

The dragon did not move further.

Karalichala looked to Jormandar before speaking. "I need a few items to complete it before I can recall and bind it's essence."

Jormandar smiled wickedly. "It shall be done immediately, let my minion know what you require."

"I depart for my own ends. I return tomorrow."

Jormandar scowled. "And if you fail, if you are discovered? You will be destroyed."Karalichala smirked. She cared little what happened to Jormandar or his plots should she be killed. The sorceress turned her back to Jormandar and then was gone.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Karalichala had to wait out the better part of the day, but gaining entry was easier than she had expected. The guard was light, almost nonexistent. She did not question her good fortune in this and simply insinuated herself into the walls of the building itself, flowing like smoke through stone, mortar, and wood.

She came from the floor, melting slowly into the room. Her movements were precise and efficient. It was a matter of only a few moments to inject the sleeping male with the paralytic poison she'd brought. It took effect almost instantly. Startled, sleepy eyes opened, but already he was paralyzed, unable to move, his vocal cords frozen.

Karalichala nodded to herself as she injected a series of unidentified substances into the other sleeping male. Satisfied that was done, she produced a series of heavily spelled chains, lashing him in place. He never woke fully - the drugs were working beautifully. Wide eyes watched every one of Karalichala's movements as the sorceress silently went about her business.

She could not help but smirk as she began pulling the clothing off of her victim. He WAS a beautiful creature, a prime specimen. Yes, the child he would give her would suit her purposes well. She had prepared for this....so many spells to ensure that she would conceive, would not have to so open herself again...and Jormandar had been so confident with his answer. Yes, he had said. Yes. It would work.

It had to.

She disrobed unhurriedly, setting her expensive dress down carefully on a chair. She walked back to her victim and ran her fingers longingly down his lithe frame before curling them around his shaft and stroking him firmly. It didn't take long for his body, lost somewhere in a haze between sleeping and waking, to respond to the stimulation. Satisfied that he was thoroughly aroused, she straddled his hips and thrust herself down on him with a low moan.

She spared a glance for her captive's ...what, mate? lover? close friend?...laying next to them. If looks could kill...yes, it must be his mate. She wondered with sincere amusement what he would do were he free of his paralysis. The sight of her raping his mate looked to be driving him quite mad. Solely to spite the man she raked her talons down his mate's chest, drawing deep bloody lines in his flesh.

She sighed in pleasure, her back arching. Oh, he felt good inside her... she could imagine him being a hell of a lover, but didn't dare risk waking him to find out if that theory was correct. Tears wound down his frustrated, crazed mate's face, but he could do nothing else, make no sound.

Soon the act was done and she sighed blissfully. She remained where she was for a long moment before standing and stretching, then redressing. With an inward sigh, she pulled her small, hooked dagger from her sleeve. Oh, how she wished she were better at divination...it would make things so much simpler.

However, she was a relatively poor hand at it and knew she was as likely to fail as she was to succeed - but it mattered little. She calmly walked over to her paralyzed victim and rolled him so he was flat on his back. When she was satisfied with his positioning, she dug her dagger deeply into his belly and slit him open. She lamented being unable to spare the time to study the stunned pain in his eyes, but she needed to concentrate.

Using the hook of her dagger she slowly began pulling out his internal organs, murmuring the ritual chant and studying them intently. She felt him die, but paid it no heed.

Her face lit up as the answer was revealed to her. So her spells had worked. She had conceived a child from this. Wonderful! It seems Jormandar wasn't entirely useless after all, and his information was good.

Humming softly to herself, she widened the slit and tore the heart free of the corpse. She raised it to her lips and took a bite, feeling the warm, sweet blood pour down her face. Delicious...but his energy was not something she could use. A pity.

She looked back to her bound captive and frowned, considering. She would so love to take him back with her...or kill him. His role in this was done for now. Alas, no. She might have need of him in the future.

Karalichala dropped the heart regretfully and let her body fade out of the room. The blood would soon attract unwelcome attention, and she wished to be long gone.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Sesshoumaru found that he very much enjoyed card games. Too much of this yellow drink Rin referred to as "Mountain Dew" was making him feel unusually...hyper. Despite it getting late, Sesshoumaru felt he could easily stay awake for the next three days! Oh, and this cheesecake was divine...and didn't taste anything like any sort of cheese he knew of. Nor did it look much like a cake. People in Kagome's time surely named things inappropriately.

Rin giggled as she saw Sesshoumaru savoring another bite of his treat. Her lord had more of a sweet tooth than she had thought...of course, the things she had brought WERE inexplicably good. She fumbled with her hand of cards before grinning. It had been a wonderful day, even if Sesshoumaru had been a bit...prickly...after the stick incident.

Sesshoumaru was about to triumphantly proclaim his victory in this latest game when Tenseiga pulsed at his side.