InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Purity 3: Forever ❯ Mad Skillz ( Chapter 26 )

~~Chapter 26~~

~Mad Skillz~

 

“Mark her, Ryomaru. Do it soon, for your own peace of mind as well as for her protection.”

 

Ryomaru snorted as he sprang from one building to another in the cold afternoon light. `Mark her . . . love to. If the thought of blood didn't make her panic so badly, I would . . .'

 

`Feh! You can't hurt her, and yet you know that she's at risk. Quite a problem, eh, Ryo?'

 

`Damn it . . .'

 

`I don't know what's worse: that you can't stand to mark your mate or that you're more worried about that than you are about doing your job.'

 

Gritting his teeth, he vaulted to the top of the next building. He couldn't afford to let this sidetrack him. Neko-youkai weren't exactly the toughest of enemies, but they were trouble enough, and if there were more than one of the bastards, then Ryomaru needed to concentrate.

 

They were close. He could smell their stench. `Fucking cats . . .'

 

Relatives of the ones that Toga took down years ago . . . That figured. Leave it to Toga to cause even more trouble for him.

 

`Ri-i-ight, Ryo . . . You really think that Toga was trying to cause trouble for you by killing the neko-youkai before?'

 

`Yes. Yes, I do.'

 

`. . . Baka.'

 

`Oi! Whose side are you on?'

 

`We've been over this, right? I ain't taking sides; I'm pointing out things you should already know.'

 

`Like what?'

 

`Uh-uh. That's not how the game's played. I can't answer the questions for you. You should know that by now.'

 

`Then what the hell good are you? Get outta my head, will you?'

 

`You really want I should do that? Do you really not know who I am?'

 

Ryomaru snorted and sprinted across the rooftops. `If I knew who you were, would I be asking?'

 

The voice sighed. `I'm you, Ryo . . . I'm a part of you that you can't recognize. Maybe I've just spoken to you too long . . .'

 

A yowl close by yanked him out of his distraction, and his head snapped to the side in the direction of the noise. Closer and closer, he could sense them, smell them, feel their youki. `Three of them,' he realized. `Damn . . .'

 

The hiss directly behind him sounded seconds before he felt the impact of claws on the leather jacket. The leather saved his skin from some of the damage despite the sting and burn as they cut through the thick hide.

 

“Go home, puppy,” a sing-song wail demanded as Ryomaru dropped to the ground in the darkened alley, glaring at the cat youkai who held a human woman in front of him like a shield. She wasn't dead but she was unconscious. The scent of blood and semen was strong. It turned Ryomaru's stomach as his anger spiraled higher and thicker, rising to choke him like toxic fumes. “You don't want to get hurt, do you?”

 

“Shut the hell up,” Ryomaru snarled as he cracked his knuckles. “Hiding in the shadows? Fucking cats . . .”

 

The apparent leader laughed carelessly and shoved the woman's body away. “Sent by the great Inu no Taisho? Pity . . . I was hoping he'd send his son . . . We've got a score to settle with him.”

 

The other two neko-youkai dropped down on either side. Ryomaru didn't take his eyes off the leader. “Don't flatter yourself. Sesshoumaru doesn't have the time to deal with insignificant vermin like you.”

 

“So you're the one they call the hunter.”

 

“Yeah . . . and you're at the top of my `to-do' list.”

 

“Don't be so cocky, pup.”

 

“And don't be so full of yourself, cat. It'll be the last mistake you ever make.”

 

The cats flanking him lunged. Ryomaru unsheathed his sword, twisting the hilts to separate Teishu and Seishu as he swung around. The cats screamed as the twin blades cut through their stomachs, the tearing burble of ripping flesh echoing in the shocked quiet of the alley. Eyes flashing red as blood sprayed out of the wounds, their bodies erupted in a haze seconds before a flash of light like a camera flash jarred the darkness. Blinding, brilliant, casting the narrow corridor in shades of white and gray the light blinked in a strobe effect. Ryomaru raised his swords to shield his face against the explosion as the youkais' bodies disintegrated. He barely had time to whip around to face the leader cat, barely had time to flip back out of the way as the youkai's claws descended toward him.

 

“You insolent whelp!” the cat hissed as he shot toward Ryomaru again.

 

Ryomaru spun the swords with a flick of his wrists and slammed them together into Ryoteishuseishu once more. The fissure of the blades unleashed a shower of yellow sparks that rained down around Ryomaru and faded out to nothing. “Come get some, cat.”

 

“You dare taunt me? You killed my brothers!”

 

“Yeah? Well, you're next!”

 

The youkai's screech cut through the air, reverberating off the walls, jarring through Ryomaru as he ground his teeth together and waited. Barreling forward with a vicious growl, the cat swiped at him as Ryomaru spun away. The youkai's claws caught his shoulder and cut deep, rending the flesh on his back as he hissed in pain and stumbled into the wall, wincing as he caught his breath while the cat's arrogant laughter filled his ears.

 

“What's the matter, pup? Cat got your tongue?”

 

“Damn you and your brothers. I liked this jacket!”

 

“Good, then you can be buried in it!”

 

With another vicious shriek, the youkai sprinted at him again. Ryomaru twisted the hilt again, separated the two blades once more, and with a fluid motion, a flash of the blades in a whirl of movement, the blades struck true, sliced into the youkai through the gut and the jugular. The warring scream was lost in the gurgle of blood and air. The hot, sticky spray splattered Ryomaru's cheek as he spun around, bringing both swords together with a grunt. The singular blade severed the youkai's head. The neko-youkai exploded in a rush of dust and light before the head hit the ground.

 

Wiping his face with the back of his hand, Ryomaru jammed Ryoteishuseishu into the scabbard, chest heaving as he winced again. His back felt like it was afire, but he shook his head and turned around and staggered over, dropping to his knees to check on the woman.

 

She was still alive, but barely. Her pulse was thin, weak, halting. Whatever she'd been forced to endure was almost beyond Ryomaru's imagination. His ears flattened as he hesitantly touched her sallow cheek.

 

He wasn't supposed to get involved. Take care of the youkai and get out of there. He'd never found a human victim before. She'd die if she didn't get help . . .

 

The click of a gun hammer being cocked back made Ryomaru stiffen.

 

“Hands up and step away from the woman,” the man's cold voice said behind him.

 

Ryomaru stifled a sigh and made a face as he slowly stood up and turned around, catching sight of the two police officers standing in the opening of the alley. `Fuck . . .'

 

The officers didn't lower their weapons as they cautiously moved into the narrow corridor. The woman moaned, and one of the men quickened his pace while the other closed in on Ryomaru.

 

“You're in a lot of trouble,” the officer said as the other knelt beside the unconscious woman. “Better keep your mouth shut.”

 

“You've made a mistake,” Ryomaru began as he lifted his hands in surrender. The other officer ran down the alley to call for an ambulance. “I didn't---”

 

“An illegal sword?” he said as he narrowed his gaze on Ryomaru's weapon. “You're going to have to come with us.”

 

 

-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-0-=-

 

 

Nezumi curled up on the sofa with the kitten in her lap and a magazine open. She'd reread the same paragraph a dozen times now, and she still couldn't remember what it said.

 

“Drop the towel, and I'll tell you . . .”

 

Rubbing her temple with a trembling hand, Nezumi sighed and closed her eyes. `Why does he have to make everything so difficult? Why can't he be serious for once?'

 

`You think he wasn't being serious? You're talking about Izayoi Ryomaru, the biggest man-whore in Japan . . .'

 

She winced. True, maybe, but . . .

 

`But there haven't been any other women, have there? Not since we . . .'

 

The voice in her mind begged her not to finish that thought. The kitten stretched out on her lap and kneaded her leg with tiny, sharp claws.

 

“The choice of whether or not you really wanted to be with me, to be my mate. Nez? Would it have made a difference to you?”

 

She bit her bottom lip, shook her head slowly as she willed his words away. `Be honest. The idea thrills you, doesn't it?'

 

`It doesn't matter what I want. It matters what he wants . . . and he never, ever wanted me . . . not like that.'

 

`He said he's never done that before, you know? Just with you . . . only you.'

 

`You want to believe him, Nez . . . You know you do.'

 

That was the trouble, wasn't it? She wanted to believe him, desperately wanted to. She just wasn't sure if she dared to do it. If she believed him, then she'd have to believe him about everything, and if she did that, then it really would be all her fault.

 

`He was drunk,' she thought with a wince. `He was drunk, and he doesn't remember.'

 

Tears stung the back of her eyes, and Nezumi blinked furiously. `Stupid! You don't want him to remember! If he did . . . If he did, he'd know, right? He'd realize how desperately you wanted him.'

 

The doorbell rang, breaking Nezumi out of her bleak thoughts. Yukitora arched her back and yawned before hopping off Nezumi's lap and curling up on the empty sofa cushion as Nezumi stood up and wandered toward the door.

 

“Izayoi-san,” she greeted, stepping back to allow Kagome to enter the house.

 

Kagome waved her hand as she hurried inside. “I've told you a million times, Deirdre, Kagome is fine. Or `Mama' will do, considering . . .”

 

Nezumi couldn't stop the blush that crept up her cheeks. “Ryo's not here.”

 

“I know,” she replied calmly. “I came to talk to you.”

 

For some reason, Nezumi felt like she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar as she followed Kagome into the living room.

 

The feeling didn't lessen as she cautiously sat down beside Kagome on the sofa. Kagome seemed surprised to see Yukitora but didn't remark as she shrugged off her coat and let it drop behind her. “I was meaning to come by yesterday, but InuYasha thought that you'd be busy putting things away,” she apologized. “I hope that your moving in with Ryomaru is a good sign?”

 

Nezumi couldn't bring herself to look Kagome in the eye as she shook her head in a jerky motion. “Uh, well . . . in separate rooms . . .”

 

“I understand. I didn't really think differently. Do you like the house?”

 

She nodded. “Yeah . . . sure.”

 

“That's not really why I came over.”

 

Nezumi nodded again but waited for Kagome to speak.

 

“Ryomaru's more like his father than the rest of my children. Gin's more like me . . . Kichiro is a good mix, but Ryomaru . . . It's always been easier to tell what he's feeling through his actions instead of his words . . . but I suppose you knew that already.”

 

Nezumi shrugged. “Sure, I guess.”

 

“A long time ago, InuYasha promised that he'd protect me, and though it seemed like a nice gesture, and he did everything in his power to do that, I never really understood what that meant until it was almost too late. Inu-youkai and hanyous . . . it's a huge promise to them---a vow, a creed, a way of life. Do you understand?”

 

“Yeah, but . . . well, Ryo's never said . . . He never promised me anything.”

 

Kagome smiled compassionately as she stroked the kitten's downy head. Yukitora purred loudly and leaned into Kagome's hand. “Hasn't he? My son's spent a lifetime protecting you, you know.”

 

“I don't think---”

 

Kagome reached over and patted Nezumi's hand to cut her off. “What you see in Ryomaru as a best friend is what I saw in InuYasha for a very long time. Sometimes the truth is hardest to see when you're that close to it. Would it be so hard to believe that he really did choose you?”

She shook her head slowly, unable to return Kagome's gaze. “But I've seen his girlfriends, and---”

 

“And his youkai blood didn't want any of them, did it? Deirdre, you are the one his blood chose, and youkai blood is never wrong.” She grimaced and shrugged. “I don't really know how to make you believe that. I really wish Ryomaru was more forthcoming with his feelings. If it helps, whenever he was upset or angry, he always turned to you. There were times when I was almost jealous. From the first time he brought you home, you see, you replaced me as the one he turned to, even the things he couldn't tell Kichiro. It didn't really surprise me that you were the one he chose, though I have to admit, I wish he hadn't bungled things to start with.”

 

Nezumi flinched and sighed. “He didn't . . . it wasn't his fault,” she made herself admit as her cheeks grew painfully hot. “I . . . I never . . . I didn't . . . I could've stopped him, and I didn't,” she blurted, staring miserably at her hands as she wished the floor would open under her feet and suck her into the hell that her skin was already experiencing.

 

To her amazement, Kagome laughed. An entirely pleasant sound full of amusement and nothing at all mean or snide behind it, it still managed to grate against Nezumi's nerves until she was digging her fingernails into her palms and gritting her teeth as she waited for Kagome to share the joke she didn't get. “I'm sorry,” she finally apologized as she wound down to giggles and tried to catch her breath. “Really, Deirdre . . . if there had been any reluctance on your part, Ryomaru would have stopped. Any youkai or hanyou would have. It's ingrained. He's told you, right? Taking a mate is serious business.”

 

Something Ryomaru had said early on echoed in her head, and Nezumi winced. “Fine, wench! The next time my damn youkai makes a choice for me, I hope it fucking asks me first!”

 

Still, did she dare believe Kagome? If she couldn't believe Ryomaru, could she believe his mother? “I don't know,” she said, unable to keep the hint of doubt out of her tone.

 

Kagome stood up and slipped on her coat with a sigh. “Listen, Deirdre, I want you both to be happy. I think you will be. I just hope it's sooner than later.” She bent down to hug Nezumi. “I'll let myself out, but one last thing before I go . . . Try not to overanalyze everything. Some of the most important things in life can't really be explained.”

 

Nezumi nodded and watched Kagome leave.

 

Was that what the problem was? Did she really overanalyze everything? `Caution is good, sure, but . . . maybe Ryomaru's mother has a point . . .'

 

What was the alternative? She'd never been one to do things on a whim. `Except sleep with Ryo, and you know how that turned out.'

 

Rubbing her temples fiercely, Nezumi sighed and grabbed the remote off the coffee table and stood up. Hitting the power button before dropping the controller back on the table, she shuffled off to get a bottle of water.

 

“We interrupt scheduled programming to bring you this late-breaking story. The Tokyo mugger has been apprehended. Authorities say that this man, caught at the scene of the latest incident, is to blame for the string of rapes and homicides in the downtown area . . .”

 

Morbid curiosity made Nezumi glance back, and when she did, she felt her heart stop then plummet to her feet as she whirled around and sank back down on the sofa. The face on television . . . She knew that face . . .

 

“. . . Arrested with an illegal sword, details are sketchy at best, and we are told that the latest victim is currently undergoing emergency surgery at Tokyo General Hospital. We'll bring you more updates as they are made available---”

 

Nezumi stared at the television without seeing as the scheduled programming resumed. `What in the world?'

 

“Human-youkai relations . . .”

 

Toga's words echoed through her head as pieces of a puzzle Nezumi didn't want to deal with came back to her. “You? The youkai exter---”

 

The television report seemed strangely skewed, twisted and convoluted into a gross sort of farce. She shook her head, unable to fully comprehend the situation, unable to concentrate on anything other than the voice in her mind, the reassurance that chanted over and over, `Not Ryo . . . he wouldn't . . . he couldn't . . . Not him . . .'

 

Ryomaru had been arrested? For rape?

 

 

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A/N:

Why I have to say this every single fic is beyond me, but here goes: Lemons don't magically appear because some reviewer wants one. Go read a PWP (Porn without Plot) if that's the case because they DON'T go into my stories without a really good reason. Blatantly begging for lemons is not `constructive criticism', nor is it anything but entirely insulting to me. I try to write stories with plot and with emotion. Writing pure porn has never, ever been my intention. If that's what one wants, then I highly suggest he or she look elsewhere, nasty little perverts … That said, I apologize for the vast majority of readers who read with the desire to hear the story, lemons aside. This rant isn't directed at you but at others who apparently care more about explicit sex than they do for the story I'm trying to tell. It takes a lot to tick me off to the point that I will state so bluntly that something HAS pissed me off. STOP ASKING FOR LEMONS OR THERE MAY NEVER BE ANOTHER ONE!!!

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Final Thought from Sesshoumaru:

…Does he ever follow orders … ?

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Blanket disclaimer for this fanfic (will apply to this and all other chapters in Forever): I do not claim any rights to InuYasha or the characters associated with the anime/manga. Those rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi, et al. I do offer my thanks to her for creating such vivid characters for me to terrorize.

 

~Sue~