InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Youkai and the Exterminator ❯ Chapter FortyFive ( Chapter 45 )

Chapter FortyFive

 

 

Many years ago…

 

The rain had been falling steadily for three days and Izayoi was getting tired of it. She was grateful that Naota had found this place; it was certainly better than sitting cold and wet in the forest. But it was boring and isolated, it seemed like she was always so exhausted. Being cold and hungry was not how she had been raised.

 

The baby sleeping next to her gurgled and cooed, coming awake with a singular happiness that was as much a part of him as his golden eyes and soft white ears. Izayoi smiled and reached over to tuck the firerat robe tighter around his small body. He was so precious to her, the only precious thing left to her, this small part of the demon that she had fallen so in love with.

 

She missed him, missed him more than she'd thought was possible. And, she admitted to herself, she hadn't even really known the man that had fathered this child. Inutaisho had been mysterious, beautiful and compelling, but as much as he'd laughed and spoken freely, she'd known there were parts of him that he'd never share. She'd sensed a sadness lurking under that smile, a bitterness that ran as deep as the eastern sea.

 

And…he hadn't loved her. He'd treated her with gentleness and care, absentminded affection, but she'd known from the beginning that his wild heart wouldn't belong to her. Strangely enough, the knowledge hadn't made her bitter or jealous; it had only brought her a sense of longing and quiet peace. It was enough for her, who counted her lifetime in short numbered summers, to have captured even a little bit of his attention. And maybe, just maybe, his time with her had granted him a tiny portion of solace.

 

And he had given her a beautiful child. Fair enough trade.

 

The thunder suddenly boomed and Izayoi jumped, droplets of water splashing her face as Naota entered the hut. He was soaked to the skin and smiling that happy, infectious smile that made her heart lighten no matter how desperate their circumstances.

 

“There's a village not far from here,” he said happily, plopping down next to her. His hair dripped in his face and the water ran off his shoulders, but Naota didn't seem to notice or care. “I was able to trade for some rice, a few things that you've been needing, and…” Naota paused for dramatic emphasis before pulling out a small package. “This is for you!”

 

Izayoi leaned closer and looked, letting out her breath in an excited gasp as she saw the lacquered wooden comb. “Oh,” she said, reaching for the pretty thing. “It's beautiful, Naota!”

 

He beamed at her. “It cost me the last of our currency,” he admitted, admiring the way her eyes were shining. “But I knew I had to buy it for you.”

 

“The last of our currency?” she asked uncertainly. “Oh, Naota, you shouldn't have. We might have needed that money, we have nothing left!”

 

His smile dimmed a little, sensing her reproach for his impractical purchase. Izayoi bit her lip, realizing how ungrateful she sounded. She was deeply indebted to Naota for coming after her; there was no way she could have survived in the snowbound mountains with a newborn baby. She didn't even have shoes, warm clothing, or supplies. He'd found her huddled on the ground with her feet half frozen and a screaming baby at her breast. She was so scared that she'd burst into tears when she'd recognized him.

 

“I've come to protect you,” Naota had said, kneeling in the snow to rub her cold hands. “Don't be afraid, Izayoi.”

 

“Inu…Inutaisho-sama,” she gasped out, trying to tell him the last thing her husband had told her. She was shaking too hard, her body convulsing from both shock and the icy winds. He had told her to tell them…

 

“Shhh,” Naota said, reaching out to stroke her wet hair from her eyes. “I know, I know. He's dead, but you aren't. And I'm going to make sure that you and your baby are taken care of. Just leave it to me, I will protect you.”

 

Smiling faintly, Izayoi reached up and twisted her hair back, inserting the wooden comb. Naota's expression lightened immediately at her smile and she saw that she had done the right thing. “Forgive me, Naota,” she whispered. “I have been ungrateful and I owe everything to you.”

 

What else could she do? Izayoi knew that she needed his help to survive, if she made him angry, perhaps he would just abandon her. His eyes were kind, but there was more to it than that. As much as she trusted him, she knew that Naota was still more demon than human. She couldn't rely on his compassion to preserve her, not if she drove him away with her rejection.

 

“I'm glad you like it,” he said happily, turning away to stoke the meager fire. It was difficult finding enough dry wood to keep her warm, but so far they'd managed. Izayoi was a bit ashamed to discover how inept she was at taking care of herself. While he'd been gone, she'd managed to ruin the last of their food in trying to cook for herself. The rice had burned when she'd been distracted by Inuyasha, trying to keep her baby clean, warm and fed.

 

“I do like it,” she said shyly. “You're very good to me, Naota.”

 

He grinned again at that, busying himself by starting a meal for her. Soon the hut was filled with the aroma of cooking food, dried meat and vegetables combined to make a simple stew. She watched him carefully, noticing how he set the rice to simmer while he cut up the withered vegetables, scraping and dicing them so they'd cook easier.

 

It wasn't her fault that she didn't know these things; she had grown up in a wealthy house where servants had tended her needs. It had been assumed that she would marry well, that she'd need her education in calligraphy and embroidery, but not how to forage for herself or cook raw foods.

 

Inuyasha cooed and she laughed at the sound, reaching for her child. It astonished her how quickly he'd grown. A human infant would still be unable to do more than just eat and sleep, this one was already trying to roll over and make urgent noises when his little arms and legs couldn't support him. He was so alive, so vibrant, and made little sounds that she realized would one day emerge into playful growls.

 

“He sure is a cute little shit,” Naota commented affectionately, watching her play with her baby. “Other than the ears, he probably looks just like my uncle did at that age.”

 

She smiled, rolling the happy baby in her lap until he crowed with laughter. “He's such a good baby,” she said, admiring the soft white hair. “I can't believe how fast he's growing; he's twice the size a human baby would be at this age.”

 

Naota snorted, shaking his head. “Inuyoukai babies are like that," he said easily as he filled a bowl for her. Izayoi's mouth was watering at the smell, but she still took the meal from him with a dainty grace. She could remember her nurses saying that a lady didn't rush her meal, taking small bites of the same precise size. She wanted to tip the bowl to her mouth and swallow in big gulps, but she was afraid that Naota would see her as less than gracious.

 

“You said there was a village not far from here,” she said, looking at him as she ate. He grinned, his long braid of dark hair falling over his shoulder when he leaned over to touch her cheek.

 

“They weren't particularly friendly,” he told her. “I think they sensed there was something unusual about me. Twice they asked if I knew anyone in the area, and acted suspicious when I didn't. I had to tell them I was just passed through to the south.”

 

Izayoi sighed, realizing that they probably wouldn't welcome a woman and a newborn baby, especially a half-demon baby. That helped her in making the hard decision. There was only one place for her to go. Back to her father. The same man that had sent her away for choosing a youkai as her husband.

 

And she knew better than to ask Naota that she and Inuyasha be taken to her husband's people. He didn't tell her anything, but there was finality about the way he moved himself, a serious darkness that had taken hold over his happy soul. It was the face of a young man who knew that he could never go home again.

 

Izayoi looked into Inuyasha's sleeping face and sighed. She could do it; she could swallow her pride and her grief at the same time, and ask her father for help. She was his only child now that her brother had died, this little one, half demon that he was, the only grandchild her father would know.

 

“I have made a decision,” she said quietly, folding her hands in her lap. Naota looked up from the fire to meet her gaze. He sat back on his knees, his expression very serious and troubled.

 

“Your family?” he asked, knowing it was her best chance. He hated it, but he knew that she was right. Just as he knew he didn't dare stay with her much longer. She nodded quietly.

 

Naota sighed, the sound escaping from him like he'd just given away his last dream. It made her sorrowful, but she understood that once she'd gone back to her own people, it was unlikely she'd ever meet her husband's strange nephew again. He pushed his dark hair back from his forehead and astonished her with a happy grin.

 

“If little Inu takes after his father or brother, your family is in for an interesting time. But you're a strong girl, Izayoi. I know you can do it, I know you can raise him just fine.”

 

Her heart filled with warmth at his kind words and Izayoi impulsively reached for his hand. “I will do my best,” she said solemnly. “One day, when he's older, I want him to meet his brother and…”

 

Izayoi's voice trailed off when Naota jerked his hand away from hers. “Don't waste your time thinking about it,” he said, more harshly than he meant to. “Your baby will be lucky to live if Sesshomaru comes looking for him.”

 

She was quite frankly shocked, feeling the blood drain from her cheeks and leave them pale. “I…I know he despises humans,” she whispered. “Despises me. But his own brother?”

 

Naota's silence was all the answer she needed. Izayoi felt her shoulders sag; realizing what kind of life was waiting for her beloved son. Rejected by both races, hated and hunted by those who saw his demon blood as a curse, dismissed as something that didn't deserve to live by those who saw his human blood as an impurity. She hated to cry, she really did, but Izayoi felt the first hot tear slip down her cheek only to be followed by another.

 

“Hey,” he said gently, reaching around to hug her shoulders. Izayoi continued to sob silently, unwilling to be comforted. “It's not that bad,” Naota said desperately. “Sessh probably won't even bother, he doesn't care if you live or die.”

 

Her tear-streaked face tore at his heart. “Really,” he said, wiping her wet cheeks. “He won't come after the baby, that's why it's best if you go to your family. Then I'll be away from you and he won't have any reason to bother.”

 

Izayoi's expression was sad. “You really can't go home, can you, Naota? He's going to kill you if you don't keep moving.”

 

Naota's eyes twinkled. “Sesshomaru has to catch me first,” he said lightly. “And I've always been better at hiding than he is at finding. When we were kids, the daimyo used to say that…”

 

He trailed off and his expression grew bleak. Izayoi saw the sadness flicker across the young man's face and her heart went out to him. The Daimyo had been her husband, but she knew that to Naota, he'd been the only father he'd ever known. Briefly, she felt a stab of jealousy for that, even when she'd shared his bed, she'd never breached the walls that surrounded the man.

 

“I'm sorry,” she whispered, wondering if she should tell him now. Inutaisho had told her to wait, make sure that she was safe and her son safe before telling anyone about what had happened between him and Takemaru. But still, she wished there was some way to ease Naota's pain.

 

“I can't believe he's gone,” Naota said roughly, wiping at his eyes with the heel of his hand. “I always thought there was nothing that could kill him, you know. He was just too tough, too smart…” He looked up and grinned with a watery smile. “And to get taken down by a damn dragon like that, it doesn't make sense.”

 

“It's my fault,” Izayoi said, feeling her guilt keenly. She had told Inutaisho that he was a fool for answering that dragon's challenge, but she felt even worse knowing how desperate the fight had been. Ryuukossei hadn't wanted to give up his secrets, not without a bitter fight.

 

A hand brushed her cheek, brought her away from the sad memory. Naota's expression was tender; his fingers warm as he ran them down her cheek. “Don't blame yourself, Izayoi. That man wouldn't be talked out of anything. Stubbornness is a family trait, I'm sure you'll see it in Inuyasha soon enough.”

 

She suddenly realized how close he was, the way his breath warmed the air between them. Naota's eyes seemed to be unfocused; he was staring at her mouth as if he'd expected to find answers lurking behind her lips. She knew her cheeks were flushed; she could feel the blood rushing to warm them. “Naota,” she said, pulling away from him.

 

“Ever since I first met you,” he whispered, his thumb rubbing lightly over her lower lip. “Since that first day, I thought you were the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen.”

 

“Oh stop,” she chided, twisting her face away from his seeking hand. “I know there are youkai women that make me seem dull as clay.”

 

He shook his head slowly. “Different, but not like that,” he muttered, almost to himself. “You're special; I could feel it from the beginning. My uncle must have too.”

 

Izayoi decided that he was making her nervous and she jumped when his hand touched her leg. He was so close now, so…lost…she decided. “Naota,” she said, speaking his name so he wouldn't forget it. “I'm not special; I'm just an ordinary woman.”

 

“Not to me,” he murmured. Then his hands were on her shoulders, gently pressing her back until her hips slid out from under her and she found herself looking up at the ceiling. Confusion set in, followed by a strange floating sensation as he started to touch her. Izayoi closed her eyes then, not having been touched like this in several months…not since the night Inutaisho had told her that she'd conceived his child.

 

Her body was trembling as he carefully parted her yukata, a plain, sturdy garment that was nothing like the silks and heavy linens she'd worn most of her life. It was functional; it was drab and boring, a harbinger of the life she was going to lead. She caught her breath, her eyes snapping open to stare at the patched ceiling again as Naota began to be a little rougher in his urgent exploration of her body.

 

“Izayoi,” he whispered her name like a prayer and she couldn't tell if it was panic or excitement that made her heart race. The truth was that Inutaisho had only lain with her once, only once and only for the purpose of creating his son. She declared her love openly, but he'd smiled sadly all the same. Inexperienced, she'd tried everything to make him see her, knowing that all the time there was another woman whose presence would never leave his mind.

 

“Wait,” she whispered, reaching up to bury her fingers in his dark hair. She hissed when his lips pressed against her swollen nipples and she flushed with embarrassment that he might taste her milk. Her breasts were too sore to bring her pleasure anyway. She clenched her fist in his hair and yanked his head up with all of her meager strength, meeting a pair of dark eyes that fairly burned with desire.

 

“Please,” he whispered, begging her. “I know…I know you don't love me. I know you can't love me. But please, Izayoi…just once…will you let me?”

 

Her lips trembled slightly, partly because she knew that she couldn't very well stop him if he wanted to force her. And partly because the naked grief in his voice made her heart twist in her chest with sympathy. Naota had thrown away his life to save hers, save her little boy. What kind of woman would she be if she denied him now? She'd be selfish and ungrateful, unworthy of the kind of sacrifice he'd offered her.

 

And if Inutaisho, a youkai lord of immeasurable power, could have sympathy for her and treat her love with gentle acceptance, would she do less for his nephew that had meant as much as a son to him?

 

“All right,” she murmured, relaxing and closing her eyes again. And she held him tightly as he rocked against her and cried out her name. She stroked his hair as he shuddered inside her; she ran her hands over his shoulders as if she wanted to memorize the texture of his skin. His mouth was rough against hers, but Izayoi didn't care, losing herself again and again as she pulled memories of other kisses and pretended that the dark eyes that gazed so lovingly at her were actually golden.

 

Golden like the sun.

 

oOo

 

Kagome was dozing, falling asleep where she sat with Kohaku's head pillowed on her lap. She was utterly exhausted, partly from fear, partly from being too scared to sleep. She kept trying to wake herself up to keep watch over Kohaku, but she was failing miserably. At last, she gave up and closed her eyes. It wasn't like she could do anything against Naraku anyway.

 

Kohaku twitched and whimpered in his sleep, bringing her out of her fitful doze. She laid her hand on the boy's head and stroked his filthy hair. The poor kid, he'd been through more than any of them at Naraku's hands. Kagome's lips set into a grim line, knowing that the torment of having been used against his will yet again might break the boy's spirit. For Sango's sake, she hoped not. She had to stay strong for them both and hope that rescue would be coming soon. Kohaku needed help; she could feel how hard he was trying to withdraw from the world.

 

Just as she was trying to force her body to relax, there was a loud, booming sound that made the wall behind her tremble. Frightened, Kagome sat up and pulled Kohaku closer, shaking the boy until his eyes slowly opened. There were more loud sounds, bangs and shouts, and she thought she heard a dull roar of rage.

 

Inuyasha, she thought, excited. He must have found Naraku's stronghold, he must have come to rescue them.

 

“Kohaku,” she whispered, turning his face upwards to look into his glazed eyes. “Just hold on, they're coming for us. I can feel it.”

 

He just looked at her; so heartbroken and hurt that he couldn't even find the strength to hope along with her. Kagome sighed, brushing his hair back and gave him a little shake as she sat him up and let him lean on her arm.

 

“Just hold on,” she muttered, staring at the door. “They'll come for us, they always do.”

 

The sounds of destruction were growing louder, more intense. Kagome chewed her lower lip, her fingers tightening on Kohaku's shoulder. It did sound like there was some kind of commotion, but it didn't sound like Inuyasha. She shut her eyes and listened hard, hoping she'd hear him cursing or maybe shouting the Kaze no Kizu.

 

Then it seemed like the floor was going to shake apart underneath them, dust and insects fell from the dilapidated ceiling and Kagome put her arms protectively around Kohaku. She wasn't sure if she was protecting the boy or just desperate to cling to another warm human body. Kohaku made no comment, his head resting on her shoulder and his breathing shallow, listless.

 

She flinched when the door slammed open, light pouring into the dim confines of the room where they'd been imprisoned. The shadow of the creature loomed over her like death itself and Kagome's face was pale as she stared up at him.

 

“Well, little priestess,” the dark monster murmured, his voice a chill running down her back. “It seems like you're going to be of some use to me after all.”

 

oOo

 

“My mother?” Inuyasha shouted, ready to tear Naota's head off. “You raped my mother?”

 

Naota reached up and took the human's wrists, pulling them easily away from his throat. “It wasn't like that,” he muttered, glaring over Inuyasha's shoulder at Sesshomaru. “Your brother thinks the worst of everyone.”

 

“Then why don't you explain it to him, Naota?” Sesshomaru's light sneer cut the cool air like a lash. “Why don't you tell him your version of the truth? I for one would be fascinated.”

 

“Your mother was the kindest woman I've ever known,” Naota said, holding Inuyasha's eyes with his own. “Yes, she was alone and scared, and yes, I did want her. But I never forced her into anything; it was…it wasn't like he says.”

 

Over the years, he'd tried to forget about it, forget about her. He'd tried to absolve himself of the guilt he'd felt, telling himself it was mutual comfort that had driven her into his arms. He'd only stayed with her for a few brief weeks, making sure that he found a safe place for Izayoi and her baby. During that time, she'd let him make love to her, let him touch her and whisper her name in the night. But Sesshomaru was dead wrong; he'd never made it a condition of his protection.

 

She already knew he'd given up everything for her.

 

“Go on,” Inuyasha rasped, his voice bitter. “Tell me about how you didn't rape my mother.”

 

Naota flinched, knowing that Inuyasha could easily believe such a thing. After all, who was he to this hanyou, Izayoi's son by his uncle? A long lost cousin, one of the many relatives that hadn't been there for him when he was growing up, a lone hanyou among humans that feared and reviled him. Inuyasha's accusing glare said it all…if you weren't guilty, why did you abandon her?

 

“The truth,” he said quietly, his shame evident, “is that she felt sorry for me.”

 

Sesshomaru's laugh was dry and brief, like it had surprised him. “Pity?” he sneered. “Naota, that is most pathetic.”

 

He didn't care what Sesshomaru thought of him, he'd long since stopped caring about what his cold cousin might say. “Yes,” he said, hoping that Inuyasha at least could look past his contempt and hear the truth. “It was nothing but pity. I'd confessed my feelings for her before your father died and she'd politely rejected them. I already knew that she couldn't love me.”

 

Naota took a deep breath and turned to glare at Sesshomaru. “I still couldn't just abandon them. Gods above, Sessh! You can hate me all you want, but I thought you knew me better than that. I'd never take advantage of a helpless woman with a newborn baby.”

 

His cousin's gaze was ice. “I had no idea what you were capable of,” he said with cool disdain. “You betrayed me, Naota, and all the people who trusted you. You plunged this country into civil war and cost thousands of lives because of your impulsive behavior. Your selfishness was boundless; I have no problem believing you to be guilty of any crime.”

 

“Fuck,” Naota muttered, turning away. “I can't make either of you believe me and I'm not going to apologize. I've had a lot to live with, but I did what I had to do.”

 

He could remember crying, his head in her lap. He'd thrown away the only home he'd ever had, shamed the man who'd taken him in and treated him as a son. Or maybe the shame was all in Sesshomaru's eyes; to this day he couldn't think that Inutaisho would have agreed. Certainly, he'd desired Izayoi; he would have done anything to stay with her, even when he'd known that she wouldn't have loved him. But he'd also feared that by staying with her, he'd destroy any chance of her having a better life with her son.

 

“Would you have hunted me down?” he asked quietly. “If I'd stayed in these territories, not gotten as far away from you as possible? Would you have killed me, would you have killed them?”

 

Sesshomaru's eyes softened slightly, but it might have been only his wishful thinking. Then his cousin turned away, letting the wind pick up his silvery hair and make it flutter in the darkness. “Perhaps,” Sesshomaru muttered. “Perhaps not.”

 

A loud crash drew both of their attention. Inuyasha glared at them, standing near the wreckage of what had once been a large, ornate ceramic vase. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed in anger.

 

“You are clumsy as ever, Inuyasha.”

 

His younger brother, his human younger brother, grimaced at him. “It wasn't an accident,” he said, his voice rough with anger. “I just can't stand here and listen to you two pissing about the past when Kagome and Sango are out there with that monster.”

 

Furious, he lifted a large chunk of pottery and heaved it off the top of the tower. It fell with a resounding crash to the courtyard below and even from the distance he could hear shouts of alarm. Sesshomaru growled softly, all the fury of frustration in his eyes as he advanced on the unrepentant Inuyasha. “How dare you destroy…” he began.

 

Inuyasha spit at him and seized another large piece and threw it. “Fuck you,” he shouted. “This is all your fault, you bastard! Haven't you figured it out yet?”

 

“My fault?” Sesshomaru snarled. “You miserable whelp, it is your fault for letting them be lost to Naraku.”

 

Naota jumped for Inuyasha when he would have run at Sesshomaru, quite oblivious to the fact that his body was mortal and no match for his brother. The young hanyou shrugged him off, slapping away Naota's hand before turning to fix him with a belligerent scowl.

 

“You tracked that bastard,” he said accusingly as if Naota had somehow been an ally of what he'd sought. “You're gonna tell me how to find him.”

 

“I can't.”

 

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha stared at their cousin, disbelieving. For a quick moment, the brothers exchanged a glance and then Inuyasha nodded decisively and folded his arms over his chest. Sesshomaru took a step forward, green energy glittering from his fingertips and a sadistic light glittered in his icy golden eyes.

 

“I think you will.”

 

oOo

 

The priestess was whimpering, he supposed it was due to him. Her small body was slung over his shoulder like a bag of grain, his long claws rested on the back of her bare legs. He sniffed the air, frankly enjoying the scent of her terror.

 

It would have been nice to play with her; he could tell that although she was young, she'd been had by a man before. That left anticipation as her greatest enemy; fear of the known could be every bit as powerful as fear of the unknown. The girl thought he was taking her away to defile her and if the gods had been kinder, he might have had the time.

 

But he still savored her fear, the way her skin crawled at his touch. Her entire body and spirit were rebelling at being touched by something as corrupted as himself. It amused him and he slid his hand up her leg a little more, squeezing the firm, delicious flesh just so that he could hear her whimper again and choke back a sob.

 

“I'm not going to touch you, child,” he rumbled, knowing that she didn't believe him. “I have no use for you and no time to play.”

 

The boy was strangely silent, had been silent but for his screams when Naraku had questioned him. He supposed that his former ally was quite busy at the moment, trying to repel an attack that had come not from his enemies, but from the very monsters he had enslaved. The darkest monster of them all grinned, stalking deep into the forest with his prize. He wondered if Naraku realized that the attack was not unprovoked.

 

It had been a simple thing for him, just to influence the kind of mindless horde that was attracted to Naraku's spell. They were a mass, almost shapeless with their variety, a filthy mass of lower demons and wretched half formed evil. Some might have been innocent once, just existing on the fringes of awareness, feeding and moving where they pleased. Once touched by Naraku's influence, they became angry and easily compelled, and it was a simple thing for their master to send them to do his will.

 

Until something stronger entered their mass, until darkness so absolute and corrupt overwhelmed the spells that Naraku had bound them with. Then, whipped into a screaming frenzy, they'd attacked their master's stronghold. In the confusion, it was simple thing for him to steal away these two creatures.

 

He considered their freedom to be a wedding gift.

 

The priestess shrieked when he suddenly dropped her to ground without warning. The boy…the boy was still quiet and curiosity again overtook him as he leaned down to examine Kohaku's pallid face. There no fear in those blank eyes, the boy was too far gone to even be afraid. He wondered whether or not it could even be lifted and smiled to himself at the thought it might not.

 

Her brother. Better for her to forget she had one. Soon other things would occupy the exterminator and he would make sure that she learned to forget her life among humans. She would belong to him, only to him and he knew that in good time, she would accept his will as her own.

 

Even now his blood hungered to return to her and the darkness that had once been a demon licked his lips.

 

“Why?” a small voice cut through his anticipation.

 

Yes, the girl. He stared down at her, those large and fearful eyes, and the way her small hands pulled the unresponsive boy to her chest. The priestess was hardly more than a child, but even in her stark revulsion, she was desperately trying to understand what had happened.

 

“You want to know why I have freed you?” he hissed, smiling a little at her horror, the way she could barely look at him. Bending down, he traced his finger along the side of her face just to watch her flinch away. “Go on, little girl. Ask me then.”

 

Kagome swallowed hard. Something was wrong with this thing, this monster. She could feel his insanity radiating from his body like the stench of a charnel house, rotten and corrupted. But there was more than that, the sheer power of him overwhelmed even his madness, she'd never seen anything like it.

 

“What are you really?” she whispered. “Naraku didn't create you…where did you come from?”

 

He considered the question and then smiled down at her. “I don't know what I was in life, or who I was, but I know who I am in death. My body was dismembered and the pieces buried under a mountain. I was sealed there and my soul bound to my rotting corpse. For how long…I do not know. Long enough to forget my name, but not my nature.”

 

Kagome licked her lips, watching as his pitch-dark eyes simmered with the pain of memory. She suddenly realized that each breath was agony to him, but that he was feeding off the viciousness of his own torment. “Did Naraku…” she murmured.

 

“Naraku is the one who broke the seal, resurrected my corpse into the form you see now. He does not presume to control me, but he was not expecting me to be more powerful than himself.”

 

She sat up a little straighter, beating back the fear with her curiosity. She had to know as much about this monster as possible, his motivations, and his desires. It wasn't her that he wanted and suddenly she realized that there was a reason behind his strange actions.

 

“Why did you turn on Naraku?” she demanded. Kagome cast a frantic glance back at the nearly comatose Kohaku and shivered. “Where…what have you done with Sango?”

 

At the name, his eyes glimmered and his expression eased. “She is mine,” he said, gloating now. “Her and her half-demon child. She has pledged herself to me, in exchange for your freedom.”

 

Kagome shook her head, trying to deny his words. “I don't believe you,” she hissed. “Sango would never…”

 

Behind her, she heard the sound of trees being crushed and a low roar. He heard it too and smiled wickedly at her. “It seems that Naraku's demons have followed us,” he murmured. “They will most likely tear you to pieces in their frenzy. I doubt if he has regained control over them.”

 

“But…” she stammered. “You said…you promised Sango…”

 

His smile was cold and filled with a malice that had extended from beyond his grave. “I promised your freedom, little priestess. I never promised your survival. I would suggest that if you wish to live…you had better run.”

 

oOo

 

“I can't tell you because I'm not sure myself,” Naota said, his voice flat and unafraid even as Sesshomaru's tone became threatening. His cousin's eyes grew narrow with suspicion, his doubts naked. Naota flushed suddenly, feeling caught between the two of them.

 

“I'm not lying!” he shouted, spinning around on his heel and stalking over to Inuyasha. Giving the hanyou turned human a disgusted look; he bent over and grabbed another big chunk of broken ceramic, hurling it over the side so that the satisfying sound of a crash echoed up to their ears.

 

Meeting his angry gaze, Inuyasha just picked up another piece of the shattered vase and hurled it as if he were competing with Naota. This time shouts and curses echoed up the ancient walls and they met each other with bitter smiles.

 

“Maybe we should throw your brother over the side,” Naota said, not taking his eyes from Inuyasha's. “I don't know about you, but I'd like to see if the ice lord might break apart when he hit the ground.”

 

“I don't give a damn,” Inuyasha hissed, his dark eyes sparkling with fury. “He can rot inside that shell of his, but I'm going to find Kagome if I have to kill every last dog demon in this territory. I'm going to start with you, cousin.”

 

“Enough,” Sesshomaru snarled, driven beyond his composure. Angrily he reached out and grabbed Naota's shoulder, roughly shoving his cousin against the wall. “Explain,” he said tersely.

 

At least they were both listening to him now, Naota thought wryly. He pushed Sesshomaru's hand away from him. As he studied his cousins, he found himself looking not at their faces, but instead at the matched weapons they carried. His brows knit in a frown, reaching up a hand to scratch at the back of his hair, a gesture he often made when confused or embarrassed.

 

“Might not be the best time to ask,” he muttered, his eyes flicking up to meet Sesshomaru's, “but I've wondered. Why do you have Tenseiga? I would have thought you'd be the last person he'd let wield that sword.”

 

“Naota,” Sesshomaru said in a dangerous voice. “You're trying my patience.”

 

“It was never one of your strengths,” Naota snapped back peevishly. He turned to look at Inuyasha, finally pointing a finger. “That's Tessaiga; I recognized it when I first met you. You're human right now so you couldn't use it if you wanted to, but I had thought…”

 

It was like a flash went off in his mind and Naota turned, a wicked smirk on his face. “Kept his word about that, didn't he, cousin?” he sneered, watching as Sesshomaru's face darkened. “Uncle said you'd never understand either sword, not unless you were forced to think of them as more than just fangs.”

 

“Can we just beat him until he talks?” Inuyasha asked seriously. His human form did nothing to dull his stubbornness or his resolve and he cracked his knuckles, wishing it wasn't hours away from his claws. “I can't take much more of his bullshit.”

 

“Tell me,” Naota said, ignoring Inuyasha's threat and focusing on Sesshomaru's silence. “It will be a trade; you tell me what I want to know. I'll tell you what I can.”

 

“My wife is out there,” Sesshomaru whispered, fury he couldn't resolve pounding in his veins. “In the company of a monster. And you stand there and play games with her life. I should kill you slowly, Naota. I should have killed you long ago.”

 

“He's not a monster,” Naota said, surprising them both. “He's dead, but he's been brought back from the grave.”

 

Inuyasha looked startled, but there was no surprise in Sesshomaru's expression. “You tell me nothing of use and call that fair trade?” he asked. “I knew the beast was undead.”

 

“How?” Naota pursued. He glanced at the slim blade his cousin was wearing and smiled humorlessly. “I'll be damned; you can use it, can't you?”

 

“Of course,” Sesshomaru hissed.

 

Naota shrugged, turning away from him. “I guess Uncle wasn't a fool for letting you have the more powerful sword. I would have guessed that you'd have thrown it away when you realized it wouldn't kill anyone.”

 

Inuyasha snorted and shook his head. “Throw it away? Not fucking likely. He says he hates the damn thing, but he's lying. It's Tessaiga he wanted, but when he figured out he can't use the thing…”

 

“Can't use it?” Naota looked befuddled. “Since when? I was there when your father taught him how to use Kaze no Kizu, he was able to use then.”

 

Sesshomaru hissed, turning away to stare out into the darkness. Sango, his heart was crying. I will not fail you!

 

“I have no use for Tessaiga,” he said coldly. “It does not concern me.”

 

His brother laughed harshly. “It doesn't concern you because you can't have it,” he sneered angrily. “Didn't stop you from trying to kill me for it!” He turned to look at Naota. “There's a ward placed on the Tessaiga,” he explained, enjoying the way the words must be grinding into Sesshomaru. “It burns the shit out of him if he even touches it.”

 

“Burns him?” Naota asked, his eyes widening. “That's…that's…” He found himself going weak from holding in laughter and leaned heavily against the wall, suddenly shouting his mirth in a loud, infectious laugh that rang across the stones of the fortress.

“Burns him! Gods, I love it! That is just like Inutaisho; put a damn ward on his own blade to keep Sessh from…I love it!”

 

“Damn you!” Sesshomaru's shout was loud enough to very nearly crack the stones under their feet and Naota was thrown hard against the wall. Claws dug into his throat and Naota winced when he felt the corrosive, poisonous youki start to seep into his flesh. The smell of it, sulfuric and rich, filled his nostrils and made his eyes water.

 

“Is this your revenge, Naota?” Sesshomaru hissed. “To stand by and let my wife die because refused to save that woman? That I banished you from these lands and let you throw away your loyalty? You understand nothing! You are as selfish and childish as you were back then!”

 

The smell…he knew it.

 

Naota coughed, sickened by the realization. He'd been fighting the knowledge from the beginning, pretending it was his superior woodscraft that let him track the undead demon. In fact, it had been something much stronger, a bond that must have endured across the years, drawing him back to the land of his birth.

 

He'd felt the pull. He was shocked that Sesshomaru hadn't figured it out by now. Inuyasha…he could understand how his hanyou cousin hadn't known what they were facing.

 

Inuyasha had never known his father.

 

Slowly, he reached up and wrapped his hand around Sesshomaru's wrist. “I might hate you, cousin,” he said thickly. “But I'd never play games with Sango's life. In fact, I'm happy that you have finally found one living person who means so much to you. Your father…your father would be happy for you too.”

 

“This has nothing to do with my father,” Sesshomaru said in a dangerous voice. “He is long dead and…”

 

Naota stared at him, still not releasing Sesshomaru's wrist. “Are you sure?” he whispered. “You saw Barou's wounds; you smelled the poison that almost killed Jano. You know this enemy moves like a fucking ghost in your territory, a creature that you can't track and you can't beat. Have you asked yourself why he's stalking you?” His voice suddenly broke and Naota sagged, his hands clinging desperately to Sesshomaru's sleeves.

 

“Have you asked yourself,” he said, his heart feeling like it had been shattered. “Sesshomaru, have you asked yourself why he'd take an interest in human woman who is carrying your baby?”

 

Horrified, Sesshomaru shoved his cousin so hard that Naota stumbled and fell to his knees. “He's come back, Sesshomaru. I don't know how but…”

 

He looked up, looked first into the younger brother's dark, human eyes and then to the older brother's golden gaze. “The Daimyo Inutaisho has returned from the grave. And I'd say he's angry with his sons.”

 

“You won't be able to defeat him.”