InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Thirst of Darkness ❯ Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

 

He woke with a growl. Something didn't feel right. He could not pinpoint exactly what it was, but he stood from his bed to investigate. He walked out of his quarters and listened for anything that indicated others being awake. When he heard nothing, he proceeded down the corridor to his mate's room. He slid open the door to find her fast asleep. He closed the door with a scowl and walked down to the servant's quarters. He walked into to medium sized room and counted all thirty six of them asleep. He left the servant's quarters and proceeded down the hall to the door to the dungeon to check on the slaves.

 

The door was ajar, causing him to growl. The odor of blood and filth reached his nose, but he ignored it as he stomped down the stairs, displaying his anger. Gasps were heard at his presence. He glared with cold eyes that promised death to those who attempted to speak out of line. He walked around the room where hundreds of humans were shackled along the walls by their wrist. They all had shackles on their feet, which were connected from one foot to another with a chain. He was checking to make sure all of them were there. He stopped short when he noticed that the spot where Sango, his most valued slave, was empty. He screamed in frustration, startling the slaves. As much as he would love to slaughter some slaves to appease his anger, he needed to find the missing one.

 

He heard movement when he left the dungeon. He was too mad to care that he had woken up almost everyone in the castle with his scream. He sniffed the air a couple of times to realize that Sango's scent was in the hallway. How had he missed it when he was in the hallway just moments earlier? He scowled at the thought of her escaping.

 

“What is with the commotion?” a cold voice reached his ears. The lord was not happy. He could tell that much, yet at this point, what did it matter? His important slave was gone. The male turned to meet the lord's glare with one of his own.

 

“My fucking slave escaped! That's the commotion!” he yelled, not caring about the obvious disrespect. Servants and other occupants of the castle began to stick their heads out of doorways to listen in on the heated discussion.

 

“You disturbed me for such a trivial matter? You have hundreds of slaves, why should you care if one got away?” His brother spoke in the same impassive voice.

 

“Because it was Sango!” he yelled back as if the name gave a full explanation as to why he was so worked up.

 

“Sango…?” The demon lord's eyes widen ever so slightly. However, it did not last for even a second. “Find another whore to fuck. As much as I detest the union with your mate, maybe you should go to her when your needs demand it.”

 

“I don't want that bitch!” the younger brother hissed. The lord almost produced a flat look.

 

“Then why, pray tell, did you mate with her?” he asked.

 

“That is completely irrelevant to this conversation! I'm going to get Sango back,” the younger demon yelled dismissively.

 

“If you start a war with the other lords and lady, I will not hesitate to kill you,” the lord threatened, causing him to stop in mid stride and smirk.

 

“Oh, yeah, I live to piss you off,” the younger brother teased to turn the tables.

 

“I believe you are doing very well at that ever since you were born. Do not push your luck. I can make your death look like an accident, little brother,” the lord sneered.

 

“Whatever, bye,” he said before running off. The lord looked at the many people peeking out from doors and glared at them. They scurried back into their rooms immediately. The demon lord narrowed his eyes before turning on his heel.

 

“So you have finally left?”

 

0-0

 

Naraku set the woman down beside him after she had exhausted herself by yelling. She gripped the haori and pulled it tighter around herself. She scooted away from him. The demon only sat there, staring at her with an impassive expression. She ignored him completely and stared into the dancing flames. She was silent for some time. Naraku wondered what she could be thinking.

 

“Am I free to leave…?” she finally asked in a harsh tone as though she already knew the answer. Naraku chuckled, causing Sango to glare at him. She really thought that he would just let her go.

 

“No,” he answered smoothly. Sango shivered, causing Naraku to smirk. “I will not let you go.”

 

“I'm not your slave! I'm not anyone's slave!” she yelled. The woman—she was oddly attractive, despite her appearance. Naraku suddenly scowled at the thought of someone holding her as a slave. He knew that there were three demon territories, including his own. In the demon territories, humans were killed, or captured and used as slaves. There was a fourth territory. However, this territory was ruled by a human—a powerful human at that. Only in that human territory were humans not captured as slaves. In fact, that human territory was demon and slavery free. Why out of all people had she been so unfortunate to be in one of the opposing lord's territories and which lord held her captive?

 

“You are no longer a slave. You will not ever return to your former master. If he steps one foot in my territory, looking for you, I will kill him,” Naraku replied, causing the woman to look at him questionably.

 

“Your territory…? You are one of the three demon lords?” she asked. Naraku nodded at her and she averted her gaze back to the fire. It was just her luck… To escape one demon lord only to run into the territory of another—it was all a cruel hand fate had dealt. It was only a matter of time before her life as a slave would repeat itself.

 

“You said that I wasn't a slave, right?” she asked, biting her lip nervously.

 

“I did,” he confirmed her question. His body stiffened, watching her nibble on her lip. It was very sensual even though he was sure she hadn't meant for the gesture to seem that way. She noticed him staring at her, so Sango turned back to the fire. He didn't make sense to her. He said that he said that she was no longer a slave, but she was not free to leave. The bastard was toying with her and she didn't like it one bit.

 

“I don't understand! First you say that I am not free to leave, and then you say that I am not a slave? What do you want from me?!” Sango erupted.

 

Naraku looked thoughtful at her words. What was she to him? He didn't know. He shrugged in response and the woman got up.

 

Sango removed his haori from her body and threw it at him. Naraku looked at her questionably. She refused to stay with this demon. She attempted to walk off only to be hit by another wave of vertigo. She was still weak from her massive loss of blood and swayed.

 

Immediately, Naraku was by her side, holding onto her. Sango tried pushing him away, but she was just too weak. Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to fall. She would not become captive after gaining freedom. She could not handle another minute of rape or beating. Her tears spilled over at that thought, causing Naraku to frown.

 

He didn't know how to deal with humans. The woman had begun to cry, and although he seemed calm on the outside, he was becoming anxious on the inside. Her tears caused him to experience something he hadn't in years. His heart was being dug out of his chest. She had to stop crying before he broke. He embraced her and began to pet her hair.

 

“Calm down. Everything is going to be okay. Don't cry,” he ordered. Perhaps his voice was a bit harsher than he intended.

 

She started to bang on his chest with small weak fist. She was too malnourished. Everything would not be okay. Sango shook her head in denial. For as long as she lived, misery would follow. She would always be a slave. Her body was weak. The only thing she was good for was sex. That's what she was always used for. Sure, it was only her master that touched her, but that did not change the fact that she was dirty. The abhorrence that she felt for him reignited. He should have never saved her. If he hadn't then maybe she would be reincarnated as a simple leaf. But no… This demon had once again condemned her to a life long sentence of pain.

 

“I HATE YOU!” Sango screamed and snatched away from him. She crumbled to her knees unable to stand anymore and put her hands over her face. She was expecting to be kicked or hit, like her old master used to do. She flinched violently when his hand touched her back. However, it was gentle.

 

“I know you do,” Naraku said. It was the only thing he could think of. She appeared fragile and broken. However, she was not dead inside yet. Deep inside, there lived a fiery spirit. He began to rub her back in a soothing manner while wondering why he should even care in the first place. Perhaps he wanted to see a different side to her?

 

Her tears did not cease or slow. His intentions may be good, but she didn't care. She detested him. Sango detested all demons and all males. She would never find salvation or escape from them. She was a weak human.

 

“You are exhausted,” Naraku stated. His red eyes narrowed. Without knowing him, he despised her former master for doing this to her.

 

“I will run,” she said between sobs. He tilted his head to the side puzzled at her choice of words.

 

“You will run?”

 

“Yes, if you insist that I stay with you, I will run. You can't keep me… you won't keep me from freedom.” His heart constricted at her words. He would not let her leave. He couldn't let her leave. He needed an alternative. She had to stay.

 

“Compromise…?” Naraku blunted out an offering, hoping to stop her tears. She turned to look at him with brown puffy eyes that continued to leak tears. His heart constricted again. He reached out towards her and she flinched away, closing her eyes. It was hard to breathe for a moment. Still, he reached to wipe her tears. His touch—he could tell that she loathed it. That would have to change. She cracked her eyes open. In her eyes, there was fear and disbelief. She snapped her head away and slapped his hand. Naraku found himself smirking. Her spirit was broken at all.

 

“Yeah right…! A demon offering me a compromise…? Don't make me laugh!” she murmured.

 

“I'm serious… You must first become healthy. In your condition, you will not get far.”

 

Sango stared at him before laughing again. She stopped crying and started holding her now hurting stomach. Was he really serious? It was too good to be true. She eyed him wearily after containing herself. She didn't know what to think of the situation, but what could she possibly do about it?

 

“Why do you care?” Sango asked.

 

Naraku could not answer.

 

“I will clean you, dress you nicely, and make sure you are fed. I will also protect you from your former master. In exchange, you will stay by my side,” he avoided answering. “You will be… relatively free.”

 

“I'd rather die than be partially free!”

 

“… I will also train you,” Naraku said. Sango's eyebrows furrowed. “You will become strong, confident, and fierce. You will live as a demon. Everyone will fear you, including your former master. You will no longer have to live in fear.” When the woman did not respond, he continued. “You will be your own master. You will grant yourself your own freedom—no one else.”

 

Still, Sango remained quiet. She could not believe this man—no, demon—was offering her a thing like this. Really, this was an opportunity that did not come around ever. She couldn't, for the life of her, wrap her brain around why he was doing it. He… didn't even know her. His last words echoed in her mind. “My own master…” Admittedly, the words sounded great. “Are you saying… that through power, I will become free?”

 

“It is possible,” Naraku answered.

 

“Then…” she replied hesitantly. Then she glared. “This doesn't mean I consider you anything!” He smirked.

 

“You will not go back on your word—you cannot once you have decided. Is this what you want?” he asked. She stared at him for a few minutes. Her head nodded once. “Then from this point forward, you belong to me.” She clenched her fists. “What is your name?”

 

“… It's Sango,” she bit out. The woman bared her teeth. “Will you be changing it now since you own me?!”

 

“Do not be so quick to distrust me. You will keep your name. It is… a beautiful thing to have,” Naraku said. Sango shuddered again. “I am known as Naraku. In the presence of others, you cannot say it. However, when we're alone, which will be often, you may refer to me by name. Although you are not my slave, we must put on the roles of master and slave. Do you understand?” Again, Sango nodded her head. “Say it clearly then.”

 

“I understand… I will stay by your side, Naraku.” His name rolled off of her tongue. His red eyes grew wide. He heard and felt his name, said by her, echoing in his mind.

 

A jolt coursed through the demon's body.

 

0-0

 

He ran through the forest, following her scent. He was surprised at the distance that she covered, considering that she was only human. His momentary state of surprise was replaced by annoyance. The bitch would pay for daring to escape from him. What could she possibly accomplish this time? Out of all of her previous escapes why did she think that could get away now? She is going to either end up dead or in the hands of the other two demon lords because she most certainly would not get so far as making it to Midoriko's land. He scowled at the thought.

 

After a few more moments of running he came across a river. Confused he stopped. There was a puddle of blood that belonged to her and her shackles, nothing more. He sniffed around the area. Her scent ended here. Had she been devoured by another demon? He sniffed around again, trying to solve the puzzle, and then he came across it. Another demon's scent filled his nostrils and he growled. The scent began where hers ended then went into Naraku's land. Who would dare take what belonged to him?

 

“So the trail ends here,” the familiar impassive voice stated, causing him to glare at his brother.

 

“Why the hell did you follow me?!”

 

“I do wonder…”

 

“Whatever, I don't care! Do you know this scent?” he asked, knowing his brother had come in contact with way more demons than he had and that his nose was stronger. His brother looked thoughtful for a moment. His nostrils flared, eyes widening slightly. “Well…?!”

 

“This smell belongs to Naraku.”

 

“Naraku…?! That is who took my fucking slave? I'm going to rip him a new one!” He yelled with premature triumph.

 

“I'm leaving. His scent goes into his lands. You may not start a war, but please do your best to die for running your mouth,” his brother said dismissively before disappearing in the forest.

 

He glared at the direction that his brother went before following Naraku's scent. He ran as fast as he could to go. With each running step his anger intensified. Nobody took what was his and this other lord was no exception.

 

The scent was getting stronger so he had to be close. It didn't take long for him to break through the trees to a clearing. He paused at the sight before him. Naraku was standing in a defensive position in front of a stunned Sango who was gripping his arm standing slightly beside him.

 

“For what honor do I owe this visit?” Naraku's voice chilled him. Sango fell to her knees and began to sob uncontrollably after recovering from the shock of seeing her former master. Naraku glanced down at the woman with a questioning look.

 

“I'm here to get back my fucking slave!” he yelled. Naraku's gaze turned into an icy glare. He put a hand on Sango's head in comfort. His aura flared and immediately his demeanor changed. He was more lethal, more threatening, and fiercer.

 

“Stay strong,” Sango's father's voice echoed in her head. She wiped her tears. With a sudden boost of courage, she stopped shaking at the sight of her former master. Sango stood in front of Naraku. Swallowing hard, she put her faith in the demon behind her. No matter what happened here, he would protect her. He promised.

 

“I am not your slave! I swear to you… One day, I will end you for the things you've done to me!” Sango threatened. Because her back to facing Naraku, she did not see the smirk on his face. All she needed was confidence. She would become a strong force under his tutelage. Her previous owner growled, drawing his attention back to the opposing demon.

 

“Interesting,” thought an unknown onlooker who was hidden within the forest. He too wore a smirk.

 

“How dare you talk that way to me? You are mine until you die!”

 

Sango flinched and took a couple of steps back. A hand touched her shoulder, causing her brown eyes to look up. However, Naraku's red eyes focused on her previous master. “Watch what you say about what is mine, half-breed. I cannot kill you, because your life hers to take. However, if you refuse to leave my land, then I'm afraid that I will take Sango's kill,” Naraku said. More growls erupted from the half demon.

 

“That's enough, little brother.” The attention was instantly shifted to the newcomer. He stepped out of the cover of the trees. Naraku narrowed his eyes and frowned. “Lord Naraku,” he greeted.

 

“Lord Sesshomaru, you should keep your insolent sibling contained.”

 

“Yes, he is a bit hard to… keep quiet.”

 

“Hey!”

 

“Silence, Inuyasha…!”

 

A/N: Reviews are greatly appreciated