InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Centre ❯ Demon Tamer ( Chapter 33 )

Chapter 32: To Tame a Demon

Kagome froze like a deer in headlights. The demon gave her a scary, dark and murderous grin, razor sharp teeth promising a rather painful end to her short life. She couldn't feel her power. It was like a wall was there, keeping her from acting or responding. All she could do was look into the demon's hideous eyes; her death coming straight at her.

"HIRAIKOTSU!"

The demon snarled and leaped to the side as the large boomerang hummed within inches of his snout. It circled back and a human woman caught it with relative ease, sliding back a few feet to absorb the shock.

"Sango!" Kagome managed to yell. "Watch out! He can read your mind!"

"Do what?" the woman replied only to be yanked aside by Miroku as the demon's claws came crashing toward her.

"Yes, demon slayer," the demon said with a chuckle. "No use thinking. I hear it before your muscles even twitch."

"Miroku," Sango said, looking back. She tried not to think anything…a feat not easily accomplished.

"Ahhh, yes," came a dark chuckle. "The Air Rip. Tell me, demon slayer. Has your lover told you it was Naraku himself who gave him that hole? As punishment for extreme disobedience… Not only is it linked to him, it is linked to his children and his children's children. Not only do you have to watch your husband die from it, but everyone else you hold dear as well."

Sango looked unfazed.

"And this affects us killing you because why?" she asked, throwing the boomerang as Miroku unleashed the Air Rip. The demon hissed, blinded by the double attack. He was not, however, defenseless or alone.

Sango cursed as the demon easily evaded the large flying weapon and batted it aside with a swipe of his hand. Miroku's hand began pulling the demon in, but soon the sound of wind being sucked inward was drowned out by the drone of several large insects. Sango watched in horror as large hornet like bugs began flying into the Air Rip, willingly being absorbed. Miroku's face suddenly contorted in pain and he quickly flicked the rosary to close his hand.

"Nii-san!" Kohaku called out, catching Miroku as he fell. A sheen of sweat covered Miroku's face; his eyes screwed shut as he gave a strangled cry and clutched his arm.

`Poison' Sango thought.

"That's right, slayer. Lethal insects from Hell. Only Naraku has a nest. Your lover won't last the night," the demon laughed. Anger built in Sango, mounting to levels she'd never reached. First her brother, now Miroku. How many other lives would Naraku seek to ruin? Was he simply incapable of seeing other people happy or something? What sort of sick twisted person did this?

Hiraikotsu was only a few yards away, but as she moved a foot in its direction the demon intercepted her.

"Go ahead. You'll never make it," it sneered. Sango looked at Kagome who was still laying on the ground, the bow broken in two. They were defenseless. The sword at her hip was no match for the reach and deadly claws of this demon. Kagome could do nothing. There was little hope of getting out of this alive.

"Hey asshole," a familiar voice broke through the tense silence. "You're opponent is me."

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Rin stopped as Sesshoumaru slowed. They hadn't come across anything as they made their way through the many corridors and passageways. The fortress was huge, but fairly empty; wasted empty space. Deep gouges and claw marks were all along the walls, some newer than others. Darker spots were probably blood…she assumed. She wasn't about to test and find out. Some things were better left a mystery.

"It stops here," Sesshoumaru mused aloud.

"What does?"

"The scent. Naraku is through these doors." Rin looked up…and up and up.

Two massive doors faced them, cold and impassive. They had to be at least five stories, Rin estimated, and looked to be made of some sort of hard stone material. How the hell did you open doors like that? Two large statues guarded the door, their stone faces as impassive as the stone they were against, their faces chiseled smooth with the perfection of centuries old craftsmanship.

"Bastard," Sesshoumaru snarled. Rin looked up at him in confusion. His eyes were flashing red and his claws were clenching, but he was holding off his transformation. Something pissed him off beyond reason. Sesshoumaru was always in control of his emotions. Whatever it was, this was pulling him from the edge of his control.

"Sess," she said softly, placing an arm on his. The muscles in his arms twitched on contact, but slowly relaxed. Running her hand down his arm she carefully slipped her hand into the deadly claws. If he clenched it now he'd pierce her fragile skin.

"These doors were the gates to my father's hall," Sesshoumaru explained, his eyes still flashing red. "When he captured father he burned the hall…and took these doors. To disgrace them with his foul stench… I'll see him roast in hell if I have to take him there myself," the full youkai snarled, his eyes a steady red now.

"Sess!" Rin snapped, whirling around to face the demon on the verge of transforming. She reached up, pulling his head down to look at her. "Think, Sess. How was your father captured?" she asked, her fear creeping into her voice. The demon blinked, and looked down at the human holding onto his face, trying to pull away until her words sunk in.

"He transformed…" Sesshoumaru answered in a low growl.

"Right. And how were you captured before?" she demanded, her brown eyes holding his in a steady gaze, forcing him to think, to calm, to bring his mind back to a more rational side.

"After transformation," the demon answered. The red in his eyes died out, golden orbs looking down at her again. He bowed his head, touching his forehead to hers as he exhaled a rather ragged breath.

"Naraku is smart, he knows how to capture you. We have to get around that. No matter what, you need to stay untransformed!" Rin stressed, her face tense in seriousness. He'd never seen her so intense about anything before. He could see the fear in her eyes. The fear of losing him again. Of being alone.

"I promise you," he said quietly. She gave a bright smile in reply, gratitude shining in her eyes. "We have far bigger problems though."

"What's that?"

"The gate keepers," he said. "They won't let us pass."

"Gate keepers? Can't we just kill them?" Sesshoumaru let out a low chuckle. Trust his Rin to want to go in, guns blazing after allies of the enemy.

"Do you know how to kill stone statues?" he asked bemused.

"You mean those statues are the guards?" she asked, looking up at the tall statues. She peered close and just when she was about to hit Sesshoumaru for pulling her leg the statue's eyes shifted to meet hers. They were stone alright. And just as live and mobile as any other creature.

Rin screamed and jumped into Sesshoumaru's arms, clutching him in utter terror.

"How did a jumpy human like you become Weaponsmaster?" he asked dryly.

"It….m-m-moved!" she stuttered. One of the statues shifted forward.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," it said slowly. "Be warned. These gates are no longer open to you or any other mortal."

"Not even for pizza delivery?" Rin wondered. The statue did not even blink in her direction. Obviously they had not been made with a sense of humor.

"They do not talk to people they do not know," Sesshoumaru supplied. "The only people left they would recognize would be myself, Jaken and Myoga…if he's still alive."

"How come Jaken didn't come with us?" she asked as she inched behind Sesshoumaru, the statues still freaking her out a bit.

"He is still busy shopping."

"How many clothes do you need?" Rin asked.

"This Sesshoumaru requires an extensive wardrobe." Rin giggled as her beloved youkai's nose lifted a bit as he spoke. Once a lord, always a lord. If his blood were any bluer it might start coloring his tanned skin.

"So how do we get in?" she asked.

"I'm trying to remember," he replied. "There was another way….Inuyasha knew, but I only heard it in passing one day."

`I hope Kagome is fairing better than us. If Inuyasha wakes up maybe they will come here,' she thought optimistically. `Sesshoumaru won't admit it, but he needs his brother for more than just a claw sharpener.'

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"Inuyasha!" Kagome gasped. The Hanyou was awake, hanging from the tree with a confident smirk on his face.

"I'll deal with you, Hanyou, once the humans are dead," the demon replied, turning to Kagome. "Starting with this one. Is she yours?"

Senseless rage filled Inuyasha along with a desperate desire to protect his future mate. His claws unconsciously sharpened. He dug them into his shoulder, coating them with his own blood. Snarling he sent them flying out toward the demon heading for Kagome.

Kagome watched in amazement as bright blood red slashes of power came flying toward the demon looming over her. It howled in pain as a few managed to hit him. Using the distraction she scrambled up, running for all she was worth toward the still pinned Hanyou. She only made it a few feet before she tripped, coming to a sliding stop under the tree.

"Kagome, get me off this damn tree!" Inuyasha ordered. "Hurry!"

Before Kagome could rise a demon claw slammed itself against the tree right where Inuyasha was. Horrified Kagome let out a scream, convinced she was going to see the demon lift its claw away from a bloody mess once known as Inuyasha.

"Idiot," came the Hanyou's voice and the demon shrieked, its claw thrown back from a barrier. Tetsusaiga pulsed at his hip, the barrier reverberating before dissipating. Inuyasha reached down to pull the sword, still sheathed, out of his belt, looking down at her.

"No…Inuyasha….don't!" Kagome cried out but the Hanyou ignored her, tossing the sword down. It landed right in front of her and she grabbed it as the demon reached for her, snarling in rage.

The barrier reacted, pushing the demon back. The evil grin was gone now, replaced by a deadly snarl upon its lips.

"Why don't you damn humans just DIE!?" it howled. Kagome watched in horror as the demon grabbed a nearby tree, wrapped his massive arms around it and yanked upward, uprooting the entire plant.

"Kagome! Hurry up!" Inuyasha yelled. "Get the fuck over here and get this damn arrow out of me!"

Kagome's eyebrow twitched a bit as she turned to face him. He was a demanding one, wasn't he?

"What do you think I've been trying to do?" she demanded. "I can't even touch it! Kikyou's power rejected mine."

"Just try it again- LOOK OUT!" Inuyasha shouted as the tree came hurling toward Kagome. Screaming she jumped onto the extended roots of the large tree holding Inuyasha, pulling on his pants to keep herself up. Inuyasha's face began to turn a light red as he realized where her head was…strategically placed. Right next to his crotch….

`I am not Miroku. I am not Miroku,' he chanted in his head. `Think of someone unattractive dancing naked…..aw fuck, too late.'

"Pull me up," Kagome said, breaking Inuyasha's train of thought. Without argument he reached his arm down, linked with hers and easily lifted her up so they were nose to nose. He had to wrap an arm around her to keep her from sliding back down which put her uncomfortably close to him. Kagome wrapped an arm around his neck as his arm tightened, but suddenly stiffened. Inuyasha silently cursed. Sensitive parts of her were pressed into sensitive and rather firm parts of him…which no amount of clothing could conceal. Her jaw dropped and she looked at him in totally amazement.

"How could you….be like THAT at a time like THIS!?" she demanded, grabbing the two shorter locks of hair that were usually hanging over his shoulders. His ears flattened in response.

"Hey! It's a natural reaction to an attractive female!" he protested. Before he could elaborate sharp needle vines were wrapped around them, squeezing them impossibly close to the tree and each other. Kagome cried out as the needles dug into her skin, blood dripping down. She heard Inuyasha curse abominably, but his arms were too occupied with holding her to do anything. The demon laughed as he tightened the vines again.

"Oi," Inuyasha said, shaking her a bit. "Don't pass out on me bitch. I need you to pull out this arrow."

"I can't," she choked. "I don't have enough power!"

"Kagome, listen to me. If you don't, we die. Would you rather die trying or die after giving up?" he asked. Her eyes opened and met his intense gaze. He would go down kicking, even under impossible odds. Why was she giving up? Determination settled in her heart and she pulled an arm up, wincing as the needle vines tore through her skin. Her hand slowly closed around the glowing arrow, the barrier burning her skin as she tried to pull it out.

`Oh no you don't!' she thought as she pulled harder, deeper, willing every bit of herself into that arrow. `I am not going to die like this!'

The arrow flashed a bright light and Kagome felt something snap. Suddenly the arrow pulled out, once again an ordinary arrow, all evidence of its previous power vanished in an eyeblink. Amazed she sat there holding it.

Beneath her Inuyasha's heart beat reverberated so loud she felt the vibration. The seal from the arrow shattered, shattering into a million pieces that dissipated into thin air. His eyes opened back up and looked down at her.

Red. His eyes were glowing a deep blood red. Purple stripes appeared on his cheeks and she could feel the strength within him increase. A deep, dark power had just awakened in him. A much sharper claw reached down and roughly pulled her chin up. Kagome gasped as he gave a fierce kiss. It had been possessive, demanding and dominating. He expected her to yield to him completely.

And his aura was dangerously similar to a full youkai.

The rest was a blur to her. Once second she was pinned with him against the tree, the next her butt hit the ground in a painful thump and the scent of youkai blood hit her nostrils.

Inuyasha threw his head back and laughed as the other demon howled, it's arm now laying severed at its side. Demon blood coated the grass, wilting plants with a hideous hissing sound.

"What's a matter?" Inuyasha growled, his fangs giving his smile a sadistic and evil look. "Can't read my mind?"

The demon took a hesitant step back, snarling in reply. Kagome watched in wonder as Inuyasha became an unrecognizable blur of motion, tearing through the other demon with incredible speed and deadly accuracy. Now the demon had a hole through his stomach and his left leg was sporting five slash marks across it. Inuyasha wasn't in it just for the kill. He wanted to make this demon suffer….and was reveling in the blood.

"Not again," Sango said quietly behind her.

"What's wrong? What's happened to him?" Kagome asked, tears filling her eyes.

"Without Tetsusaiga to hold down his youkai blood he's turned full demon. He'll be out for blood…any blood. We need to get out of here before he loses interest in that demon."

"But-"

"Kagome! Listen to me! No matter how he is as a Hanyou, this is different. When he turns back he won't remember a thing! Even if he recognizes you as mate rather than sport he would rape you without a second thought. It's all blood to him now. A youkai bitch could withstand that sort of treatment, but there's no way a human can. Hold on to Tetsusaiga and run!"

Kagome didn't move, looking up at the older women with tears in her eyes.

"I don't care. All he has to do is touch Tetsusaiga right?" Sango nodded. "Then I'll wait. You guys go ahead."

"Kagome…." Sango began. Miroku groaned behind her and Kagome smiled as the demon slayer's face softened in concern.

"Get Miroku out of here. Kaede will know of a cure if there is one."

Sango reluctantly nodded and went back to help her brother carry the groaning monk out of the garden. Kagome took a deep breath and turned her attention back to the demons fighting.

Inuyasha was licking blood from his claws, looking down at the nearly dead youkai who had no more limbs attached. The demon made one last snarl before Inuyasha lifted extended claws in a bored-like fashion, severing the large head from its body in one stroke. The collar fell to the grass in a dull thud. Kagome fought down the revulsion she felt at the sight of all the blood and pure torturous methods of the man she'd become so close to so quickly.

Thoughts of rape, pain and everything else Sango had warned were running through her head as she tried to make herself get up. He would come for her next. Just as she thought of it his head turned to her and the red eyes narrowed ever so slightly as if identifying her…or what to do with her. As a full demon he could probably see that she was a miko and would have an overwhelming desire to kill her. But she was also marked as a mate…if ever so slightly.

"Bitch," he snarled, his decision made. "Come."

`What am I? His lapdog?' she thought, but obeyed as she stood on shaky legs. He seemed annoyed at her lack of speed, a quick frown promising either punishment or death for disobedience.

`Wait…didn't Rin once say inu-youkai are like dogs? That the female was the head of the pack? How come I'm going to him? Who am I kidding? I'm not half as brave as Sango or Rin…and Sesshoumaru is a full demon all the time, in full control of his emotions. Inuyasha is well beyond control….'

Claws grabbed her arm, pulling her roughly to him when she neared. She clutched Tetsusaiga to her chest, trembling as she met his gaze. His eyes were diverted to her injured arm, claws none to gently lifting it up to his nose for inspection.

Kagome let out a gasp as his rough tongue lapped out, running from her elbow to her fingertips and back down, cleaning the blood off. Her arm began to tingle lightly, the pain receding. Whatever healing power he had, he was somehow transferring it to her. Once the arm was done he tried to pull her closer, his nose settling over the nearly faded mark.

Except Tetsusaiga was in his way, obstructing him from comfortably holding his mate. Snarling, he reached to rip it from her clenched hands. Kagome's breath caught in her throat as his claws closed around the hilt and sheath, pulling it from her grasp. At first nothing happened.

Then all hell broke loose.