InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Twilight's Embrace ❯ Kaname Revealed ( Chapter 4 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Just some random Trivias:
KuroHyou means black panther, where our OC's name "Kuruhyouga" was derived from.
I imagined Kaname to have the same hairstyle as "Teru Mikami" from Death Note. (His hair brought sexy back. lmao)
Happy Reading!
Sesshomaru watched her sleeping form surreptitiously as he sat on the edge of her futon. His armor and mokomoko was left in his chambers. The moonlight streaming from the open window was shining on her face, and the vision she made enticed him to touch her. She was breathing softly, her thick, brown hair fanned out around her. He could smell her sweet scent…jasmine…and it tantalized him. This woman had plagued his mind mercilessly. No matter what he does, he couldn't get her out of his head. He was gone for a while to take care of business, hoping to clear his head, and yet his every thought was consumed by her. He had fantasized about her, until the feeling of guilt crept up in his heart as he thought about the recent fight that they had. His mother's lecture made it even worse. He felt anxiety at the thought that she might completely hate him. And felt an all too powerful fury if she will prefer that…Kanameover him. He growled.
A feeling of possessiveness clouded his brain. He was battling with himself. He struggled for control. But what's the point? He knew there was no helping it in the end. Without thinking about it, he buried his face on her neck and inhaled deeply. He felt every nerve in his body come to life. Then he stiffened in surprise when he heard her giggle.
He looked at her and was relieved to see that she was still sleeping. Yet there was a glowing smile on her face. Curiosity got the better of him. With his thumb, careful with his claws, he traced her bottom lip.So soft.
"Why don't you lay next to me?" She asked, her voice heavy with sleep. Her voice stirred a deep hunger in him. He did what she asked, his hand gently caressing her face. Her eyelids opened, hazelnut eyes meeting the amber ones.
Rin threw an arm and a leg around him, snuggling closer. She buried her face on his chest. Sesshomaru froze, yet his other hand went automatically to rest on her leg.She had no idea what she's doing to him!He pressed his lips on her forehead and tried to control his breathing to prevent himself from doing anything rash. But her scent was tormenting him.
"This is one of the best dreams I've ever had about you. It almost feels so real." She chuckled.
A dream huh?He couldn't help but smile. So she had dreams about him in the past. It pleased him. "Rin, you are not dreaming. You are awake."
He watched her as different emotions flitted across her face. First was confusion, then speculation… then a look of utter shock and embarrassment.
"OH MY GO-" She made an attempt to jump out of bed, but Sesshomaru kept her down by keeping her leg wrapped around his own then pulling her entire body closer to him.
"Calm down. And stay."
She was far from calm! Her heart was racing and her brain was a jumbled mess. She couldn't even think straight being this close to Sesshomaru. She inhaled, her nose detecting the smell of trees and musk.
She gulped, their inappropriate position making her blush even more.
"Sesshomaru-sama?" She was confused. Wasn't he angry at her? Why was he here in her room… on her bed… wrapped around her? She swallowed.
"Hn?"
She pulled her head slightly away to look at his face. He gazed back at her serenely; his face was so close to her. She stopped breathing altogether. She couldn't get over how magnificent this creature was.
She decided she'll ask him about the irrelevant questions later. "Can I… touch your face?" She wouldn't want to miss the opportunity.
He blinked. "You may."
She carefully placed her fingers on his face. She traced the magenta stripes on his upper cheeks, then his eyelids when he closed his eyes upon her touch. She traced the crescent mark on his forehead, curious of what kind of texture it will have, but it felt the same as the rest of his skin. She traced the contour of his nose, then touched his pointy ears. This was when he grabbed her hand to stop her exploration. He was starting to breathe rather erratically, Rin noticed.
Her effect on him was too much, yet he kept it from showing. He wanted to make her feel what she made him feel. He curled his hand resting on her thigh, and gently traced her skin with a claw.
He smirked when he heard her gasp in surprise. Not seemingly to get enough, he buried his face on her neck once more.
She put her arms around him, not really caring anymore what brought his sudden show of affection, and the reason why he's being so close to her.Was this the same Sesshomaru?
"I thought you're still mad at me."
"I can never stay angry with you."
His hot breath on her neck sent shivers down her spine. He moved his head to lean against Rin's own and noticed the sudden acceleration of her heart beat. He found her reaction to him very appealing.
He lifted his head. "Have you ever kissed anyone?" Her heart palpitated in response.Interesting.
Why would he be asking ridiculous questions like that!"Of course not!"
To her surprise, he laughed.Did he really just… laughed?And the music of his laughter, hearing it for the first time melted her heart. She hoped she's not dreaming. And hoped that it doesn't mean she was going to die, remembering what it meant for Sesshomaru to smile according to Jaken.
"You really don't recall anything." He purred.
"I'm sorry but… what?"
"I stole a kiss from you, but you were too drunk to remember it." The bemused expression on her face, he found adorable.
Her eyebrows rose. Then, she started giggling.
"What is it?"
"It's funny, because IF what you're saying is true, then it sucks for me. I imagined my first kiss to be romantic and memorable, something I'll never forget for the rest of my life. But I never imagined that my first kiss would be… something I didn't even know that happened. I guess it's my fault." She laughed nervously.
"Rin, would you like to remember it then?" He whispered.
She was mesmerized by the depth and softness in his eyes. The way he said her name…Oh Kami!He was leaning closer to her, and her heart felt like it was stuck in her throat.
Then very lightly, he brushed his lips against hers. He's been imagining about this moment ever since he had first kissed her, but refused to accept it. Then he finally gave up at pretending and holding everything in when alone with her. If she lived here under his own roof, he couldn't possibly go through the torture of pretending that he only saw her as a ward, when everything inside him screamed something else. The foreign feelings he felt when he's with her, he wanted to learn what they mean and understand it with her. He had been with other demoness… but no other woman can make him feel like Rin does.
He noticed the dazed expression on her face, and those things on her hands (something humans had in place of claws),were digging in his back. Not that he minded. He actually liked it. Once again he kissed her, reveling in her softness. His tongue traced her bottom lip, and heard her stifle a moan. But he wanted her taste, yet she refused to open up for him.
Well, that won't do.He thought.
His hand tangled in her hair, and the other smoothly travelled from her leg, to her stomach, earning him a gasp from her.
He took advantage of her reaction and deepened the kiss, assaulting her mouth with his tongue. She tasted just as sweet as before, and just as addicting. When she began kissing him back, teasing or rathertesting, he almost lost it.Almost.His demon wanted nothing but to rip that puny kimono off of her, and bite her, but his newly acquired sense of righteousness was telling him something else. He growled in frustration.
They were both panting and breathless when he pulled away. She noticed that his eyes were slightly tinged with red.
"You remember now?"
She shook her head, biting her bottom lip.
She was being a temptress once again but she was oblivious to it, and it only intensified the effects on him. He buried his face on the pillow and groaned. Why was she so…irresistible?
"Well I doubt that you will ever remember. This is our first kiss then."
"Sesshomaru-sama… I thought… I thought you didn't want to get involved with a human?" She was afraid to hear his reply.
He didn't answer for a while. "This is the only time I'm going to repeat myself since you did not remember the first time I told you. You have no idea how much you mean to me. I do not care about your human nature."
"But what about what you told me the other day?"
He sighed. "Disregard what I said. That meant nothing."
"So you admit you only said those hurtful things out of jealousy?"
Sesshomaru turned his head away from her and faced the wall. He remained silent.
"Hey!" She raised her head to peek at him, but he wasn't letting her see him. But she did spot something…Was he blushing?
"I am not entitled to answer all of your questions. Be quiet and go back to sleep." He huffed.
"You're going to stay here?"
He turned around to look at her. "Would you like me to?"
"YES!" She answered so quickly and eagerly, which earned her another smile from him.
"Then I will stay." He wrapped his arms around her.
She snuggled comfortably against his chest.
He remained unmoving until he heard her breathing and heart began its relaxed pattern, indicating that she was asleep.
Rin, you are mine. Anyone who says otherwise will die.
o-o-o-o-o
"Lady Shirahime, I think I have reasons to believe that your son had inherited your bi-polar attitude." said Rin as she entered the Lady's chambers. She was carrying a bunch of fresh flowers, mostly hibiscus (the lady's favorite), and placed it in the vase next to the futon.
The Lady was sitting down, busy brushing her hair in front of a mirror. "And why do you say that?"
She blushed. Rin kneeled in front of the elegant vase, arranging the flowers and unsure of what to say.
Lady Shirahime sniffed the air. "You smell strongly of him than usual. Did something happen?"
"I don't know what happened, he was just suddenly so affectionate."
She smiled in satisfaction. So the talk with her stoic son actually got somewhere. "I think that is a good progress for him. About time he showed some emotions!"
She crawled towards Rin. "So… tell me exactly what happened!"
"I uhh, nothing much really." She reddened at the thought.
She pouted. "I guess you don't want to tell me. At least I want to knowhowhe asked you to go to the North with him!" She giggled like a teenager watching romance unfold before her.
Rin's brow furrowed. "Go to the North? What do you mean my lady?"
"Oh, he had not asked you yet. I will not tell you about it. But you will know soon enough." She winked.
She was curious, but decided not to inquire anymore. She could afford to be patient.
o-o-o-o-o-o
(Three days later)
Rin was sprawled on the ground next to the pond in the castle's garden. She thought about the other night, how Sesshomaru held her in his arms. She blushed. He really kissed her, and told her that she meant something to him. But after that night, he went back to his usual aloof self, treating her in the same way as before. She missed him in a sense.Maybe he wouldn't mind being hugged.She stood up quickly, decided that she wanted to give him a random embrace to surprise him. She giggled and headed towards the palace.
Sesshomaru stood in the great hall holding a sealed parchment in his hands. He knew it wastheinvitation. He wrinkled his nose knowing that his mother would no longer attend the Gathering of the Lord of the Lands as a stand-in for him, as she stated clearly a few years ago. Attending to that event which happens every two decades would be the first for him. He would have to go by himself,orbe accompanied by his mate/future mate. He did not understand the need to "socialize" with these other demons seeing himself as superior among them, but it was essential that he attended to remain on the good sides of each leader and prevent unnecessary conflicts. The Northern Lands were hosting the event this year.
The door slid open. Sakemaru entered the hall and bowed to Sesshomaru. "I bring you important news, my Lord."
He nodded for him to proceed.
Sakemaru cleared his throat. "The rumors were true. One of the generals serving under me confirmed that the Lord of the East, Akito-sama, was indeed overthrown by foreign demons only a few months ago. As a result, they lost the Eastern Lands to their conquerors, and a new Lord of the East had been appointed."
He scoffed at the weakness of the former Eastern Lord. He did not care about Akito, in fact he despised him. In his opinion, that Demon did not know how to run his own land, extremely greedy for riches and lacked the power to defend what was his. How that weakling came to be a Lord was beyond his comprehension. "How did a war happen against the eastwithoutour knowledge? Surely there is no such thing as a war going unnoticed. A rumor is not enough to justify such a great incident."
"That is the thing my Lord. Would you consider it a war if onlyone manhad singlehandedly claimed the Eastern Lands for himself? I heard that his followers only had to sit back and watch as their leader inflicted terror upon those who stood in his way. He was frighteningly powerful, that the former Eastern Lord gave up his Lands with no hesitation. Everything happened discreetly."
Sesshomaru's eyebrows shot up.Impressive.Only someone in his caliber would have been able to do something like that. He was intrigued.
"Did you manage to find out who this person is?"
"More or less. The foreigners wereblood-feedersDaiyoukai; demons that takes the form of a human, luring their unsuspecting victims and feeding off of their… blood. Kuruhyouga took it upon himself to gather more information about these demons. He had not returned yet."
Sesshomaru was reminded of the flea Myoga. And these blood-feeders were supposed to be strong?
"I do not know his name, but the new Eastern Lord had contacted the North. Perhaps if you attend the Gathering…?"
If he attended, he would undoubtedly meet the Demon who conquered the East. Sesshomaru handed Sakemaru the sealed parchment. He had afeelingthat if the new Lord of the East already contacted the North, then the invitation would be…
Sakemaru opened the parchment, cleared his throat and started reading. Only the last few paragraphs caught Sesshomaru's interest.
"…would greatly appreciate the attendance of the Great Dog Demon, Lord Sesshomaru. Also this year's gathering is to welcome the subjugator and New Lord of the East, The Full-blooded Prince,LordKaname of the Vampire Clan."
That he did not expect. He was surprised but his face, as always, revealed nothing. He grabbed the parchment from him and read. What are the odds of this demon being the same person that his Rin befriended? "Kaname."What exactly are you planning?
Rin was frozen in shock just outside the door. She's holding a struggling Jaken in her arms while covering its beaky mouth. Thetoadcaught her listening to the conversation on the other side of the wall, and she had to silence him before he could reveal her presence.
"I suggest that you attend the Gathering, Sesshomaru-sama. This Kaname might destroy the peace between other Lands."
Sesshomaru gazed at him, seemingly bored. "If Kaname contacted the North, he must have told them that he come in peace, in spite of defeating the East. The other Lords shared the same opinion as I have with Akito's incompetency; his lost was inevitable, being the weakling that he was. It's the reason why North welcomed the East conqueror with open arms."
"Do you consider forming an alliance with the East then, my Lord?"
His eyes narrowed. "That will depend, Sakemaru."
"Pardon my question, but depend on what?" Sakemaru's forehead creased.
"Rin." Sesshomaru called.
The door slid open and a very flustered Rin came in. She threw Jaken to the side.
"You audacious human!" Jaken spluttered on the ground.
"Y-yes my Lord?" Rin didn't know what to say.Howlong did he know that she was eavesdropping on them?
"Your friend Kaname, did he ever mention to you where he resided?" He asked calmly.
She swallowed. "He told me he was always travelling, but he did not tell me any specifics. He did mention though a few months ago, a week before I left Kaede's village… that he found settlement in theEast."
Sesshomaru's face was unreadable.
"Maybe they just have the same name!" Rin exclaimed nervously. Kaname couldn't be a vampire demon. For kami's sake, he doesn't have fangs! And he's a kind person, he wouldn't kill anyone…right?
"They are most likely the same person." He wanted to see and meet Kaname for himself. All the information unveiled to him only proved how dangerous this demon was. He probably would have to get rid of him, after learning the vampire's true intention. Having this demon around Rin without his knowledge was enough to cause him seething rage. He's convinced that Kaname knew about him as Lord of the West, thanks to Rin's big mouth. Was he planning to use Rin to his advantage, and try to take over the Western Lands as well?
Sakemaru watched them, confused.
She was feeling gloomy. She knew Kaname hid things from her, but not something outrageous as this. She swore next time she sees Kaname, he's got a LOT of explaining to do.
"Rin, seven days from now, you will travel with me to the North and I will present you to them as thefuture Lady of the West. I want you to spend some time with my mother before we depart so that she could teach you what to expect."
Rin, Jaken and Sakemaru's jaw fell open and exclaimed "WHAT?" in unison.
She stared at him incredulously, her face glowing red. Did he… did he justproposeto her?
"That joke is not funny my LORD!" Jaken exclaimed.
A flying vase hit Jaken and knocked him unconscious.
"Seriously Lord Sesshomaru, but she's only a HUMAN!" Sakemaru could not believe what he was hearing. All along he thought she was only a ward, a servant, much like that green imp.
Sesshomaru glared at him coldly. "It matters not. Do not question my decisions."
The inu-daiyoukai flinched. "I- I apologize."
"Rin you may leave now. I shall speak to you later." Sesshomaru eyed her guardedly.
"Okay!" Her voice quivered. Still blushing, she grabbed the still unconscious Jaken by his foot and dragged him out as well.
Today was certainly turning out to be a very interesting day.
o-o-o-o-o
Rin confined herself in her room still in astonishment. She busied herself by playing with her hair, braiding then letting it lose then braiding it all over again. The result was her tresses became extremely wavy. She was nervous and could not stop from fidgeting.Firstwas Kaname. She needed to talk to him and know if he really was the one who claimed the Eastern Lands and if he really was a… blood-feeding demon. She never would've imagined. Even if this was true, she knew in her heart that Kaname was not a bad person.Secondwas Sesshomaru's request,no, scratch that;Sesshomaru'scommandto have her accompany him to the North as the future Lady of the West. Her cheeks burned. Was he being serious?Thirdwas the visit to the North itself. She would have to "socialize" with demons that would probably hate her (and want toeather) because she's human. And the worst part of it all was the unavoidable encounter of Sesshomaru and Kaname. She prayed to the Gods that they get along, but knowing Sesshomaru… she shuddered. She shook her head vigorously, her braids loosening. She ran her fingers once through it then made a face in front of the mirror.
"May I come in?" A familiar voice asked through the door.
Rin quickly stood up and turned towards the door. "Yes, of course!"
The door slid open and Sesshomaru entered. He gazed at her thoughtfully, liking the soft curls on her hair. "I like your hair."
She was stumped. Yet she couldn't help asking as she smiled widely "Would you like me to do the same to your hair, my Lord?" She would love to get her hands on that long, silver hair of his.
Her childish simplicity made the corners of his mouth twitch, averting a smile. "You may not. I'm afraid I wouldn't look as good as you."
She sighed, disappointed. She sat on her futon and motioned for him to do the same. He followed and eyed her warily.
"You want to talk to me, I presume?"
Of course she does!"You just surprised me. I mean, did you really mean what you said? Me? Lady of the West?"
"I would not lie about things like that, of course I meant it." His eyes held hers solemnly.
"It's just… you didn'task.You just sort ofdeclaredit." She bit her lip to prevent herself from smiling. He was very unpredictable.
"If I asked, would you have said no to me?" He kept his blank demeanor yet he couldn't help but feel anxious. He couldn't tell her that he can't bear the thought of seeing her with another human male or demon, other than himself. He would tear the person to shreds.
She shook her head. "It's not that I'm going to say no, but its more polite toask.After all you just proposed that you want me to be your wife." She blushed.
He scoffed. Him? Politely ask? "I will not ask. You will be my mate, whether you like it or not." He already made up his mind. This weak human who stirred so much emotion in him and made him feel that his world revolves around her will be his.
"Well, I like it." She laughed. A mate. And he was serious. Suddenly tears sprung up in her eyes. She thought about this moment many times but believed it would never happen! She spent many days in Kaede's village wallowing in privacy, knowing what she wanted will never occur, but here she was, hearing everything she wanted to hear. She sobbed.
"What's the matter now?" His concerned voice made her look at him. He was patting her back in an attempt to comfort her.
"No, it's just that I'm so happy." She threw her arms around him. "I- I love you Sesshomaru-sama!" She confessed against his chest. She always did love him. It never changed.
His heart clenched. He returned her embrace and continued to rub her back.Love. That was probably the word for what he felt towards her, but of course, he was still too proud to admit it and say it out loud.
o-o-o-o-o-o
The days flew by quickly, and before Rin knew it, she was outside the castle saying farewell to Lady Shirahime.
"Don't forget everything I taught you. It shouldn't be hard, but still be careful. I never had to train a human on how to act around noble demons. Also keep practicing on walking your Juni Hitoe (12 layers of Kimono court-ladies wear). You are still horrible at it. You will reach the North two days before the actual Gathering, and the Lord of the North will accommodate you and Sesshomaru in their castle; use that time to practice in privacy." She twirled a ponytail with her finger.
Rin bowed. "Thank you for everything my Lady. I will do my best!" She smiled widely and headed towards Ah-Un.
The Lady turned towards her son, who stood not too far away and seemed bored. "Are you sure you don't want to take anyone else with you? Not even Sakemaru or Kuruhyouga? It's imperative that Rin have the protection she needs; she'll be surrounded by demons."
Sesshomaru sniffed the air disdainfully. "I am fully capable of protecting Rin, mother. I only need Jaken."
As if on cue, Jaken came out carrying a bundle of stuff and secured it on top of the two-headed dragon.
"Well, alright then you ungrateful dog." She turned away from him and returned inside the palace.
Sesshomaru walked towards the castle gate, Rin pulling Ah-Un's reins behind him.
"Have a safe journey, and enjoy your stay at the North, My Lord." Sakemaru stood near the gate, his short silver hair being ruffled in the wind.
"I will. I trust you to look over the palace while I am gone." Sesshomaru said as he passed by.
"Yes of course."
"Goodbye, Sakemaru-san!" Rin grinned at him.
His eyes widened. "Goodbye, Rin- 'he gulped'–sama. Safe travels to you also." Well, he needed some getting used to it.
Rin giggled.
Once they left the gate and passed the barrier, Rin couldn't help but feel unease settling in. Sensing Rin's sudden discomfort however, Sesshomaru held her hand briefly. "Everything will be fine." His expression was gentle. It was what she needed to hear.
o-o-o-o-o
That night, Lady Shirahime was preparing herself for bed. She was feeling a bit glum, not having the usual tea and talk with Rin before she retired for the night. Instead she occupied herself by reading the parchments that a servant dumped in her room.Sesshomaru is leaving me to do his responsibilities once again. She rolled her eyes.
With her sensitive hearing, she heard a loud crack.
She looked up, and saw that the ornate flower Vase, which Rin adorns with fresh hibiscus everyday to her delight, had fractured straight in the middle.
Her eyebrows furrowed.
Few seconds later, her eyes widened, her heart suddenly filled with unexplained dread.Was this an omen?
She shook her head and ran out her door. "Sakemaru! Brother!"
He appeared in front of her. "What is the matter?"
She exhaled forcefully. "I want you to follow Sesshomaru and Rin. Be discreet about it, and don't let him catch you. Keep an eye on them."
He was surprised. "But…why?"
"It's just that I have a bad feeling about this. Hopefully it's nothing but, please go just to soothe my nerves. Do not let Sesshomaru do anything… stupid or rash."
"Alright, sister. I will go." Sakemaru cannot disregard her intuition. He grew up with her and knew that her insights proved to be useful.
"Thank you. Now go!"