InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Youkai and the Exterminator ❯ Chapter Five ( Chapter 5 )

Chapter Five

 

 

"I just want to go home; I don't care how we get there."

 

Kagome's face was stiff; her jaw locked and something dark was in her eyes. Sango didn't know what to think, something had obviously happened between her and Inuyasha and now Kagome was acting like she couldn't wait to get back to the village and the well that would take her home.

 

Sango reached out to her friend, touching her gently on the shoulder. "Did he give you a hard time about going home again? Do you want to talk about it?"

 

"No," Kagome muttered, turning her back on Sango's well-meaning attempts. "It's not that, I just miss my family."

 

She could sympathize, it was easy to understand. She sometimes forgot that Kagome had a whole other life beyond them. Sango imagined it must be peaceful not to worry about demons and jewel shards, evil and destruction. She half wished that she herself could drop into that well and see what kind of world Kagome lived in.

 

Sighing, she tried again. "I understand that, Kagome. Why won't you let Inuyasha carry you?"

 

The girl flinched and Sango leveled an icy glare at the hanyou. "What did you do this time, Inuyasha?"

 

He scowled at her, sitting up in a tree with his arms crossed and murder on his face. "None of your fucking business, Sango. If Kagome doesn't want me carrying her, fine. I'm not forcing her."

 

"Kirara can't carry four," she snapped, irritated by them both. "Unless you want to be walking back to the village, I don't see any way around it."

 

She looked around at her companions, her hands on her hips. Kirara gave a tiny mew, sitting placidly in Kohaku's lap. Four was just too many for the distance, not that Kagome or Kohaku weighed much, and it was a question of not making the cat into a pack mule. It wasn't fair to ask it of her.

 

"Fine," Sango said, looking up at Inuyasha perched in his tree. "You won't carry Kagome. What's it going to be, me or Miroku?" She could ask Kohaku, but the truth was she trusted Kirara just a bit more to be careful of her little brother. Inuyasha in a pissed off mood tended to bound roughly over the landscape at an alarming speed. Kirara would be the smoother and gentler ride of the two.

 

"I ain't letting that monk on me," Inuyasha growled.

 

Miroku raised his eyebrows. "What is that supposed to mean?"

 

"It means I don't fucking like you," the hanyou snarled. Okay, it just seemed a little wrong to him to have a guy riding on his back. Somehow he'd never minded when it was Kagome, or an emergency of some kind, but he'd be damned if he let Miroku sit on him like he was some kind of farm animal.

 

Sango threw her hands in the air. "I guess I'm the lucky one then. Let's just get this over with so we can all get some rest."

 

"Good, cause I'm sick of you all," Inuyasha said snottily. Kagome muttered something nasty under her breath and refused to look at him. Damn, she was pissed off. He knew it was his fault and figured that the only way to get around it was to give her some time to let it blow over. As usual, he only made things worse between them.

 

He jumped down from the tree and turned to Sango. "Just get the fuck on already, you're wasting daylight."

 

Kagome was settling herself behind Kohaku, sliding easily onto Kirara's now transformed back. She touched the boy's shoulder and frowned. "Kohaku, are you okay? You feel really hot."

 

The boy looked back at her listlessly. "I'm fine," he mumbled.

 

"No, you aren't," she said, concern puckering her brow. "You're burning up. Sango, did you know he had a fever?"

 

Sango hurried over to touch her brother. "Kohaku, why didn't you say anything, you are feverish." His skin was like fire under her hand and she looked at Kagome and Miroku with fear in her eyes. "He's really sick."

 

Miroku felt the boy's forehead. "We have to get back to the village as soon as possible," he said softly. "Kaede will know how to break this fever; her herb lore far surpasses any of ours."

 

The exterminator wiped Kohaku's sweaty brow with her hand. "Just hang on, little brother. We'll get you taken care of, it's a promise."

 

He smiled wanly. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I probably just caught a cold."

 

She didn't like the gleam in his eyes, not one bit. A fever was one thing; this seemed to be eating him from the inside. Sango cursed herself for being so preoccupied with her own thoughts; she should have noticed Kohaku was getting sick. She kept telling herself it was just normal for him to be weak after being enslaved for so long. She didn't know there might be a real physical illness behind his quiet, listless behavior.

 

oOo

 

Kohaku's fever had worsened by the time they reached the village. Sango sat beside her brother, as he lay in Kaede's hut, her face tense with worry. He was burning up, the fever seemed to be consuming him and he was delirious from it.

 

Kaede sat nearby, grinding herbs to steep and hoping they'd work on the boy. The young man was so ill and her heart went out to the exterminator and her sibling. They were both so young and had already lost so much. She couldn't stand to see further tragedy heaped upon Sango's shoulders.

 

This concoction she was going to try was the last combination she could think of, the previous three had little to no effect on the boy's illness. In fact, she'd almost swear they fanned the flames of the fever, rousing it to fight harder to claim the boy's life. His thin body shuddered with chills and for the first time in many a year, Kaede felt utterly useless in the face of illness.

 

Outside the hut, Kagome, Miroku, and Inuyasha sat feeling helpless. Kagome chewed her lower lip, wracking her brain. She'd already given Kohaku the medicine she'd been carrying. It had done nothing for his fever. She thought about all the things that could cause a raging firestorm in a human's body, infection, abscess, and disease.

 

Kagome shook her head, there had to be something. She stood up and looked at Miroku. "I'm going home," she announced. "I'll bring back medicine from my time, just because Kaede's herbs aren't working doesn't mean we can't try something else."

 

"I'll go with you," Inuyasha said quietly.

 

Kagome froze him to the spot with a look that stabbed right into him. "I'll go alone," she said, her eyes glinting dangerously. She flipped her hair back and stalked away from them, her back stiff, carrying her anger between her shoulder blades like a burden.

 

Miroku watched the girl walk away and whistled softly. "Inuyasha, what did you do?" It was obvious that this was not the usual spat; Kagome looked like she would have happily killed the hanyou.

 

"I don't want to talk about it," Inuyasha answered, picking at his claws. Shit, he thought to himself, if it wasn't for Kohaku I bet she wouldn't come back at all this time. You sure know how to mess things up, asshole.

 

Miroku sensed that something serious had happened between his hanyou friend and Kagome; he was curious but knew when not to press for details. If Sango weren't so worried over Kohaku, he'd have a quick chat with the exterminator. Kagome was more likely to confide in her than him. He cast a speculative look at Shippou, who was miserable when Kagome wasn't around. Did the fox know anything?

 

Casually, like he was just stretching his legs, Miroku got up and walked over to where Shippou was quietly playing by himself, a few kitsune toys scattered around him.

 

He knelt next to the fox demon, one hand ruffling the bushy hair on the kitsune's head. "So, Shippou. Did you happen to overhear anything about why Kagome is so mad at Inuyasha?"

 

Shippou shook his head. "No, she wouldn't tell me. She said it was between them and I shouldn't pry."

 

The monk frowned. "I think it's something serious. I've never seen her look that mad at him before."

 

The fox nodded. "I saw her in the woods and she was crying her heart out. I bet it had something to do with Kikyou, but we haven't seen her in weeks. And," the fox added quietly, "I found this."

 

He held up a piece of torn clothing, seemingly one of the undergarments from Kagome's time. Miroku looked at it thoughtfully. Something had happened between them all right. His mouth quirked in a smile. Kagome must have rejected his advances for some reason. No wonder there's so much tension in the air.

 

Movement from Kaede's hut caught all their attention. Sango was standing in the doorway, her face ashen.

 

Miroku hurried to her side. "Sango. Has there been any improvement?"

 

She shook her head, her hair falling sadly around her face. "No," she murmured, covering her face with her hands. "If anything he's getting worse. He doesn't recognize me at all, he raving about someone coming for him, begging them to save him. I don't know what he's talking about."

 

Miroku wanted to comfort her, but he didn't want her to think he was trying for a cheap feel at such a moment. Instead he put all the warmth and concern he could into his voice. "He'll be okay, Sango. Just keep positive, we must be strong for him."

 

"I can't lose him, Miroku. I just can't." She turned and went back into the hut. The monk looked at Inuyasha, his expression grave.

 

"If the worst does happen," he said quietly. "Do you think your brother would be willing to revive Kohaku a second time?"

 

Inuyasha pondered the question and absently blew his hair of his eyes. "Damn, I don't know. He might. Then again, I can't say I understand why he does anything these days."

 

Almost as if on cue, a cold wind blew through the village, scattering chickens and overturning household items. A cloud of dust choked Miroku's nose and he covered his mouth, looking for the source. Inuyasha jumped to his feet, one hand on Tessaiga's hilt, but he didn't draw the sword or look particularly alarmed when the dust cleared and Sesshomaru was standing there.

 

"I guess I don't have to ask why you're here," Inuyasha drawled. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed with dislike for his brother.

 

"It's no concern of yours," he said softly.

 

"Fuck if it ain't," the hanyou growled.

 

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes, his brother's crudeness never failed to offend him. If their father hadn't been nearly as foul-mouthed himself, Sesshomaru would have thought it came from Inuyasha's filthy human blood. Not that it mattered; he was not here to trade insults with the half-demon.

 

Tenseiga had compelled him here and now his nose told him exactly why. The stench of sickness lingered over the village, mixing with the other foul smells of human habitation. The demon lord's eyes flicked around, sensing the anxiety and fear of the villagers. And she was in that hut, with her dying brother. He knew why he was here now.

 

Sango and Kaede heard the commotion outside and rushed to the door of the hut. Sango's heart leapt inside her, filled with relief and pleasure at the sight of the youkai lord's face. "Sesshomaru-sama," she breathed.

 

Kaede looked askance at the young woman, sensing something unusual in the girl's tone. "You know this youkai?"

 

Sango nodded, unable to look away from Sesshomaru. "He's Inuyasha's older brother and the one who saved Kohaku from Naraku."

 

He's more than that to you, Kaede thought. Years had taught her the ability to read a person's body language and Sango's stance had nothing to do with gratefulness for a youkai's whim. This complicates matters, she thought, watching Sango's face. She greets the demon as a woman greets a lover, not an enemy or even an ally of uncertain loyalty. What a strange turn of events.

 

Sesshomaru looked up at her impassively. "The boy has taken ill," he said simply, his voice empty of emotion.

 

She nodded, coming closer. "He is out of his head with a fever. Have you come to help him?" Sango felt a soft smile breaking over her face, sure that there was nothing that her lover couldn't do, nothing he couldn't make right again. Hadn't he already taken Kohaku from the jaws of death once? Hadn't he taught her blood to burn for him?

 

"I have not come to heal him," Sesshomaru said in a dry, offhand tone. "I have come to take him."

 

"What?" Inuyasha demanded. Sango felt the blood drain out of her face.

 

"Take him?” she murmured hesitantly. “Why?"

 

"It is no concern of yours," the demon said, casting an icy look at his brother before turning back to Sango. "If you wish for him to die, I will leave him here. The choice is yours."

 

Actually it wasn't quite that simple and he felt a small pulse from Tenseiga to underline that. He wasn't about to confess that fact to Sango or anyone else, it was disturbing for him to be robbed of his own volition when it came to Tenseiga. It wanted Kohaku, it wanted Kohaku with him, with it and he was sure the boy's fever had something to do with Tenseiga's power. Once back at the fortress, he had every intention of finding out why, but he'd be damned if he'd admit the katana was making him a puppet for its own devices.

 

"Sister," a voice said weakly. Kohaku was standing in the doorway of the hut, swaying on his feet. She whirled around and looked at him.

 

"You shouldn't be up,” she told him. “Please Kohaku, I will handle this."

 

"No," he murmured, the fever gleam in his eyes dangerous. The boy staggered down the short stair, wobbling a bit. His bare feet dragged across the dirt, he seemed hardly conscious, moving like he was being pulled on strings. He reached Sesshomaru and dropped to his knees.

 

"Please, master," he murmured. "Take me with you."

 

"No!" Sango burst out. She was losing her brother again. "Why are you taking him, please don't take him!"

 

"I said, it is not your concern," Sesshomaru said fiercely, his eyes glinting slightly. "You forget your place, woman."

 

She dropped beside Kohaku, her arms going protectively around his shoulders. "Then take me with you," she begged. "I'll do whatever you want; I just don't want to lose my brother."

 

He glared at her. "I did not ask you what you wanted, exterminator. I will take your brother with me and you will stay here. That is my choice."

 

She shook her head, suddenly terrified for Kohaku. "I don't understand why you're doing this."

 

Sesshomaru looked away. "I do not explain my actions to anyone; it is simple enough for you to understand that is my will."

 

Sango stood up, dread covering her body. "No. Kohaku is my brother and where he goes, so will I."

 

"No."

 

"Damn you!" she screamed, launching herself at him. "You planned this from the beginning; I never should have trusted a youkai!"

 

He moved so fast that she never saw it. Sango found herself attacking empty air, tears running down her face. "You bastard."

 

"Pathetic mortal," Sesshomaru sneered, angry now at her accusations. As if he would stoop to play with humans if he had a choice about it. He could understand her anger, her mistrust. It mattered not, Tenseiga demanded this of him and he had no intention of bringing yet another human back to the fortress.

 

He gestured roughly at Kohaku. "On your feet, boy."

 

Sango hissed angrily and went to stand in front of her brother. A thin whip of green energy snapped and split the air in front of her face. She stopped, staring right into his implacable golden eyes. He'd do it, her body went cold with knowing, and he would kill her if she moved one more step.

 

"I see you comprehend," he murmured. The youkai lord made a single, graceful gesture and suddenly was gone, Kohaku gone too; both disappeared in a brief, intense flash of light.

 

Sango sank to her knees, shocked and wordless. He would have killed her if she'd made another move against him. She started to shake, realizing just how the demon lord had used her, toyed with her, taken her body for his own selfish pleasure and left her heart in shattered pieces.

 

Kohaku.

 

oOo

 

"Kohaku is gone? Sesshomaru took him away? Why?" Kagome was stunned, staring from Inuyasha to Miroku in surprise. "Neither of you tried to stop him?"

 

Miroku cleared his throat. "He said that if we wanted Kohaku dead, he'd leave him here. Kohaku seemed to want to go."

 

She shot an accusing glare at Inuyasha. "And that's it; he's just gone forever now? Why would Sesshomaru do that?"

 

He turned away. "I don't know. Maybe because he's a bastard. Why the fuck are you asking me?"

 

Sango listened to this exchange and wanted to run away. Her brother was gone, stolen by the same demon that she had offered herself to so shamefully. And he didn't want her anymore that was very clear also. His reasons, his purposes were unknown, she couldn't think of how she could go on. She couldn't sit there and listen to her friends anymore. The darkness that covered the village was like a burial shroud. Sango was suffocating.

 

"I'm going to take a walk," she muttered.

 

Kagome stared at her. "What? Alone? Sango, please, I'll go with you."

 

"I want to be by myself," she said, her breath coming out in stilted words. "Just leave me alone, okay? I need to think."

 

Kagome stood up to follow her and Inuyasha quickly reached up to stop her. She glared at the clawed hand on her arm. "Let her alone, Kagome,” he said quietly. “You don't understand."

 

"And I suppose you do?"

 

He shrugged and looked away. "Better than you."

 

oOo

 

Sango's footsteps rustled in the forest, kicking up leaves and dirt. Her mind was in turmoil but she couldn't stop thinking about Sesshomaru. His face, his eyes, the way that whip had come inches from her face. I'm a fool, she thought. I'm a fool who thought that son of a bitch might actually have a heart somewhere. He probably thought it was funny, see if he could get the stupid human to spread her legs and fall for a youkai.

 

She stopped, something whispering in the back of her mind. She felt rooted to the spot, the hair on her neck rising with a terrible fear.

 

Hard claws dug into her neck and yanked her back, twisting her head as she was lifted off her feet and held by an iron muscled arm. She struggled, trying to breathe but the grip was too tight, and the clawed fingers like bands of steel around her throat.

 

"You defied me," Sesshomaru hissed. "I will not forgive you for that."

 

oOo

 

Inuyasha walked into the dark forest, scratching his head and scowling ferociously. This had been one shitty day, it had been a couple of shitty days and he was beginning to get a little pissed off about the whole fucking thing. First had been the whole mess with Kagome, he'd lost control, and he'd known that this was going to happen someday. Knowing it was inevitable didn't make it any easier for him to deal with. He'd hurt her, hurt her rather profoundly as he realized now.

 

“You're such an idiot,” he muttered to himself. His nose continued to search the air, following Sango's scent. Kagome and Miroku were worried about her; she'd disappeared on her so-called walk a few hours ago and hadn't come back yet.

 

He snorted. Sango had a lot to think about; he tried to tell them to give her a little space, hoping when she came back she'd tell them in her own way what had really been going on.

 

“I can't just sit here, Inuyasha,” Kagome said, her hands on her hips and her eyes practically snapping with dislike. Gods, he hated seeing that look on her face, he wished she'd just shut up and sit him a few times already to get the anger out of her system. Actually, it worried him a little more than he wanted to admit, the fact that he hadn't eaten dirt over it yet. He'd expected a sit that would take him days to recover from. Kagome hadn't said it; he'd seen her visibly restrain herself from using it.

Come on, girl, he thought to himself. You know you're dying for a little payback.

 

Miroku hadn't said a word to him about it; he didn't know how much the monk might have figured out by now, how much he'd guessed or how much Kagome might have let slip. What was annoying was the fact that Miroku had been grinning at him, Inuyasha had to restrain himself from wiping that little smirk off Miroku's face. What did that stupid fuck think he was doing, leering at him like that? Damn humans, always up his ass about something.

 

“Inuyasha, we need to find Sango. She's been gone too long and I'm worried that she might have gotten into trouble.”

 

He glared at the monk. “You think she's trying to follow Sesshomaru? Alone and on foot? Get your head outta your ass, Miroku. Sango's upset, but she's not crazy.”

 

Kagome rubbed her face with her hands, looking tired and depressed. “I'm going after her. I'll find her myself if you won't help look for her.”

 

“I didn't say that,” he burst out, looking at their faces. “You think you can track her in the woods, in the dark?”

 

“What choice do we have?” Miroku said quietly. He reached down and picked up Shippou. The fox had been extremely quiet since they'd returned to the village, worried about Kohaku and now worried about Sango. He'd hid from sight when Sesshomaru had made his appearance; it was no secret that the youkai lord scared the daylights out of the tiny kitsune.

 

It was just natural and Inuyasha thought Shippou had nothing to be embarrassed about. That was survival instinct at its finest, a small demon like Shippou should have the instinct to run and flee from a daiyoukai. Shippou had learned survival at a young age, watching his father being butchered by stronger, sadistic demons.

 

As if he could read Inuyasha's mind, the kitsune twitched and jumped into Kagome's arms. “I don't want you to go alone,” he sniffed, holding tight to Kagome. “What if you don't come back?”

 

Her face softened. “I'm not going to go alone, Shippou. Nothing is going to happen to me.”

 

She could tell the kitsune was desperately upset over Kohaku. The girl looked at the ground; her face was still a little tense although she continued to stroke Shippou's hair in a soothing manner. “We can't find her in the dark,” she said slowly, raising her eyes to look at Miroku thoughtfully. “And we can't leave her out there. Inuyasha should go find her.”

 

“I should?” he asked suspiciously. Damn it, Kagome, look at me if you're talking to me. She decidedly wouldn't look at him and her voice was distant and chill.

 

“You can find her in the dark. I can't. Miroku can't. You should go find her.”

 

Damn you all to hell anyway, he thought, kicking a helpless tree root to vent a little anger. Order me around like I'm your fucking lap dog, I don't fucking think so! And here he was, in the woods and searching. Sango hadn't made any attempt to hide her trail at least. Inuyasha figured he'd find her sitting by herself, probably crying. Gods above, he hated it when they cried. Females that is, it made him uncomfortable as hell and he didn't know what to do and just had to stand there like a big stupid oaf and hope it ended soon.

 

It wasn't that he didn't feel sorry for Sango. Her little brother was the most important thing in the world to her; it would utterly destroy her to lose him again. You fucking prick, he swore at Sesshomaru. What kind of game are you playing with them? His brother was being a complete bastard…that much was obvious.

 

Maybe he should have tried to stop him from taking off with Kohaku. He would have, he almost did in fact, but he believed the son of a bitch when he said that Kohaku was going to die if he was left there. Believed it right down to his bones, he who didn't trust a freaking word that came out of Sesshomaru's mouth and didn't trust his intentions either.

 

As soon as his brother had shown up, Inuyasha had felt a strange pull, a weird alien longing. He paid it no attention, if an instinct wasn't telling him to fight or flee; he didn't give it much importance. Now in the dark and sniffing his way after a confused and hurting demon exterminator, he let himself think about it. It seemed to radiate from Sesshomaru, but it didn't have the bitter tang that he associated with his brother's power. It was familiar, that longing, and he shook his head violently to clear it.

 

Hell, it wasn't his job to figure it out. He had more important things to think about. When he caught up with Sango, he was going to chew her ass about the position she'd put herself in, and therefore him in, since he knew what was going on.

 

It would have been so simple to scream it at Kagome and Miroku. You nose-blind fools, she's been fucking Sesshomaru, that's why she's upset. He's been rutting her in the woods and now she's freaking out because he took her little brother away. That's why she needs some space to think, she let that bastard use her and now look what it got her.

 

Inuyasha felt a grin flash over his face when he thought about their shocked and disbelieving expressions. That would have been so satisfying; to watch their mouths drop open in surprise while he stood there with a smug look and told them about how he'd warned her not to do it, not to trust the fucking prick. And then Kagome would probably sit him right into hell itself for not telling them earlier, but at least she'd forget about why she was pissed off at him.

 

Or would she? Inuyasha hesitated, he wasn't entirely sure she would. The memory of her soft skin was nagging at him, the taste of her nipples as he'd run his tongue over them was going to keep him up at night, in more ways than one.

 

Stupid girl, he thought to himself. I didn't mean it that way; I should have just kept my fucking mouth shut.

 

Now she looked at him like he was some kind of animal. The looks she gave him were truly angry. Keep your filthy claws off of me, they seemed to say.

 

Fine, he thought back at her. It won't happen again.

 

He still wanted to say he was sorry. Sorry he lost control, sorry he threw himself all over her for those brief, hot moments of unthinking desire. Sorry he'd said the wrong thing, sorry she wanted him as badly as he wanted her. She wasn't Kikyou, he didn't want her to be Kikyou, but he could apologize until he was blue in the face and she'd still only hear what she wanted to hear.

 

How could he ever explain to her that it was his fault that Kikyou had gotten killed? That he'd known that she was starting to fall in love with him and he knew what was happening. Deep down in that dark demon soul of his he'd known all along that it was going to make her vulnerable. And still he hadn't gone away, he'd kept sniffing around that fucking village after Kikyou because it was the first time in a very, very long time that someone had looked at him without some kind of fear or threat.

 

And he'd decided that he wanted her. She was too powerful to steal the jewel from, but she was human and a desirable woman. When she'd started to make those first, hesitant overtures of friendship toward him, he'd jumped at the chance to get inside her defenses.

 

Inuyasha found he was purely disgusted with himself. His desire for Kikyou had been her undoing and his as well. He hated being reminded he had anything in common with Naraku, how was he any better when it came down to it? Not this time, he told himself sternly. Better that she was angry with him, better that she thought he was a bastard. He was safer that way and so was she.

 

His head snapped up, his mind pulled away from its dark distractions. He'd found Sango. The exterminator's scent drew the hanyou to a small clearing. The full moon had just risen over the treetops by now and the scene was clearly bathed in the soft radiant light. Sango was lying on the ground, curled into a small, defensive ball, shivering naked in the cool night air.

 

“Oh...shit,” he breathed, kneeling next to her. He touched her shoulder and she flinched slightly, unconscious. He didn't need her awake to tell him what had happened, his nose told him everything he needed to know and Inuyasha felt a cold fury rising in his chest.

 

“You heartless bastard,” he whispered. “Sango, can you hear me?”

 

She didn't respond, still shivering slightly. With gentleness he was not known for possessing, Inuyasha gathered the girl's body into his arms and lifted her. He forgot about his own problems for the moment, all thoughts of berating Sango for her stupidity vanished.

 

He'd wondered if Sesshomaru would have answered Sango's defiance. Inuyasha hadn't been sure, watching Sango fly at his brother in anger, trying to attack him. Sesshomaru was hard to read at the best of times, the icy mask he wore in place of normal expression always made it impossible to tell what the bastard was really thinking.

 

He had to get her cleaned up; she wouldn't want anyone to see her like this. He didn't think she was injured from the looks of it; his brother hadn't beaten or tortured her. Inuyasha's face flushed suddenly, whatever had happened, he didn't want the details. He knew where a small spring shot off from the nearby river that would be a good place to take her.

 

Sango's eyes opened when Inuyasha set her gently down on the grass. She was confused, she didn't know where she was and then a cool, wet touch on her forehead made her jerk in surprise. She looked over at him. “Inuyasha?”

 

“It's me,” he said softly. “Are you okay, did he hurt you?” She looked over at the hanyou and found that she could sit up on her own. Then she realized she was stark naked and covered her breasts with her arms. He didn't seem to notice her embarrassment and sat regarding her seriously.

 

“You…didn't happen to see my clothes, did you?”

 

He held a wad of fabric in his claws. “Yeah, here. Sorry they're wet, I didn't have anything else to use.”

 

She pulled her torn yukata around her shoulders. “You came looking for me.”

 

Inuyasha snorted. “Kagome insisted. She was worried about you. She was right to be worried.”

 

Sango felt tears welling up in her eyes. “It's all my fault,” she muttered. “I shouldn't have...”

 

Her voice trailed off and Inuyasha looked away, uncomfortable. “Sango, you don't have to tell me, I can guess.”

 

She shook her head. “You'd guess wrong.”

 

She'd been sure she was about to die, Sesshomaru's hand on her throat squeezed so tight that Sango saw stars. She could feel anger radiating off his body in a thick cloud of malice. Oh dear gods, she thought. What is he going to do to Kohaku?

 

Sesshomaru suddenly released her, sending her flying to the ground where she caught herself hard on her hands. She turned around and glared up at him. “Where is my brother? What have you done to him?”

 

His eyes glittered angrily at her. “You should be more concerned with what I'm going to do to you.” His annoyance was reaching a dangerous level, the look her turned on her was scalding. “How dare you question me?”

 

Sango grit her teeth as she stood up, facing Sesshomaru without a hint of the fear she felt clenched in her heart. “What am I supposed to think?” she spat back furiously. “My brother is sick, he needs me!”

 

Sesshomaru cocked his head to the side, an implacable look in his golden eyes. “You can do nothing for him. Kohaku's fate is not to be decided by you.”

 

Her heart filled with fury at his words. “He's my brother, you bastard. I know you don't feel emotions like love or compassion, I understand that all too well. Kohaku is all I have left of my family. I'm not going to lose him!”

 

Sango's feet left the ground at that moment and she felt herself propelled back into a tree. She struggled to free herself but Sesshomaru pinned her easily. His eyes bore into hers and she stopped fighting, feeling like a helpless creature caught in a snare. His voice was low, deadly, the threat as intimate and undeniable as the hard muscles of his body trapping hers.

 

“You belong to me. You have no say in the matter. I have chosen to take your brother under my protection for my own reasons.”

 

“Let me go,” she said in a tight voice, the strain almost palpable as she held her face away from his.

 

Smiling faintly, he was confident in his ability to quell her. “No.”

 

He buried his hand in her hair and forced his mouth over hers, kissing her hard. Sango fought to breathe as his tongue invaded her mouth, every inch of her will fighting off the immediate weakness she felt as her body delighted at his touch.

 

Sesshomaru almost started laughing as he felt her melt into him. Such a responsive woman, she could have no idea how much her defiance had aroused him. He had been quite angry, how dared she defy him, dare to attack him, accuse him? Brave of her, foolishly so maybe, but he thought he had chosen well when he decided to take her for his own. And he meant to show her that she was still his, even through her anger, her mistrust and her fear, she was his when he wanted, where he wanted and she had by the gods never forget that again.

 

Sango moaned as his lips released hers to move down her neck, his sharp teeth grazed her skin, made her gasp and clutch at him. “No,” she whispered as he lifted her up easily and braced her body against the tree. Her knees were clenched on either side of his hips and his breath came hot in her ear as he fumbled aside the clothing that separated them.

 

“You want this,” he hissed at her, lips sliding possessively over her jaw. “You can't hide anything from me, I can hear your heart racing, and I can feel your blood burning. Do you deny it?”

 

“No,” she answered, squeezing her eyes shut as the intensity of his gaze make her faint. His hand came up and clamped onto her chin, digging into the soft skin of her face.

 

“No, what?”

 

“No, Sesshomaru-sama,” she gasped, her hands digging into his long hair.

 

“Look at me,” he demanded.

 

She opened her eyes and became lost in him, feeling the hard pressure of him between her legs. He didn't drop his eyes from hers as he shoved her brutally against the tree, feeling the slick hotness of her taking him inside, welcoming him. She cried out as he threw himself into her with fierce, dominating thrusts that threatened to split her in two and tear the tree from the ground.

 

Her eyes fluttered shut as passion overwhelmed her and she felt his claws dig into her throat again. “Don't close your eyes,” he said roughly. “Look at me when I tell you to, don't close your eyes to me!”

 

He'd never felt such satisfaction with a woman before, the depth and honest response in her lovely eyes made him thoroughly lose control and Sesshomaru found himself growling like a common youkai as he held the girl, her sweet voice calling out to him like she was drowning and only he could save her.

 

He wanted her to look at him as he knew that his face was changing, his eyes starting to glow from within, the wild youki rising up in his body and his features shifted into the inhuman demon that lived within his usual icy countenance. He wanted her to see what really possessed her, what she was giving herself to so wantonly. She couldn't deny to herself that is was a demon that was driving himself between her legs so mercilessly. Her scent changed and Sesshomaru grinned at her, long fangs shining in the darkness.

 

Sango dug her hands into his shoulders, wild and feral herself and finally came with a scream. He shuddered, sinking into her, following her down to where the depths of passion had devastated her. Sweat was sticking them together, her hair was matted with it and tears were sliding down her face.

 

He held her tight around her waist with his arm as he backed them away from the tree, lowering a breathless Sango to the ground. She lay before him, panting, her body glowing with heat and sweat, her breasts heaving as she fought to get more oxygen into her lungs. Her legs were shaking and she couldn't have stood up if she'd tried. Sango put her trembling hands up to wipe the sweaty hair out of her eyes and looked up at her lord and lover.

 

Sesshomaru gazed down at her, his own pale skin flushed as he shrugged away the rest of his clothing. She stared at him as he came for her, grabbing her roughly and lifting her hips to meet his.

 

“Again.”