InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Twilight's Embrace ❯ Disastrous Gathering ( Chapter 6 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: DestinyRose09 
~Twilight's Embrace is also available at Fanfiction.net
Author's name is DestinyRose09
~Story is finished, ended at Chapter 10 -Epilogue
Thank you!
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 10.29.2012 | Pages: 4 | Words: 7.8K | Visits: 2.2K | Status: Completed
~Twilight's Embrace is also available at Fanfiction.net
Author's name is DestinyRose09
~Story is finished, ended at Chapter 10 -Epilogue
Thank you!
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 10.29.2012 | Pages: 4 | Words: 7.8K | Visits: 2.2K | Status: Completed
A/N: TWILIGHT’S EMBRACE is also available at FANFICTION.NET. Story is finished and ENDED at CHAPTER 10- EPILOGUE.
Love, DestinyRose09
"UGH!"Okay, remember Lady Shirahime's lessons. Walk with small steps, so I don't fall on my face. Also straighten my back… and uhh… oh yea the fan.
She covered half of her face with the ornate fan and batted her eyelashes. Rin grimaced, then sighed.This is really not my thing.
Suddenly two hands came out from behind her and covered her mouth, muffling her scream. She was in a panic as she struggled against her assailant, and managed to step on its foot.
"Ouch! Calm down! It's me."
Rin immediately stopped, recognizing the voice. He released her sensing that she was pacified.
She whirled around and looked at him in alarm. "Kaname-san!" She half-expected to see him here in the North, but it was still a shock to her otherwise.
"What was that for? You scared me half to death!"
He smirked but tried to look guilty. "I'm sorry. Thought I'd see how you'll react."
She tilted her head and thought about chewing him out, but it was hard since she missed him… and there were so many questions she wanted to ask.
His brown eyes gazed at her with warmth. "You look stunning in the dress. Aristocracy fits you."
She blushed. "Not really."
He laughed. Kaname decided to sit on the window sill, one foot touching the ground and the other was bent against the wall.
She gasped. "Kaname-san, Sesshomaru-sama might hurt you if he finds out that you're here."
He scoffed. "He won't." He could easily conceal his scent and his aura from anyone.
She thought about his confident answer and decided to let it go. Rin dropped her head and stared pointedly at the ground. "Is it true?" She whispered.
"What is?" Kaname's voice turned velvet.
"Everything that I heard. That you're a… vampire demon. You never told me. And then something about taking over the Eastern Lands." She couldn't look at Kaname in the face.
He closed his eyes. "I'm afraid it's all true. Although taking the East was an impulsive decision, but a necessary one."
She sat on the cushion and fixed her dress. "So… you drink blood to survive?"
He chuckled. "Iusedto. But I am so old now, that I barely require blood sustenance. If I wanted blood right now it wouldn't be for survival. It would be for mere pleasure."
Rin was quiet as she tried to imagine Kaname drinking blood. She shuddered.
Kaname laughed again. The things she was picturing in her head… was hilarious.
"What's so funny?" She asked suspiciously.
He decided not to tell her about reading her mind. "It's just that I can't believe that three centuries from now, people are going to make up some ridiculous weaknesses of my clan, such as getting burned by the sun, that we sleep in grave soil, fears garlic and that we are frightened by a cross. None of it is true of course, but I wonder how the next generation came up with that."
"I KNEW IT! I knew you're not from this time era! You're just like KAGOME-CHAN!" She half-screamed in excitement.
He sighed sadly. "No, you are mistaken. I am not bound by time, Rin. I am in the past, present and future."
Kaname sensed her confusion and decided to change the subject. "I never told you what I really was because I was afraid you might be frightened."
She made a face. "I told you stories about me being abducted by demons and how I handled it pretty well. You knew I travelled with demons, and yet you were scared of telling me that you are one? That doesn't make sense."
Rin didn't expect the sad look that crossed his face. "I know you trusted me. But I'm a demon born to hunt humans, wherein Sesshomaru and your other companions were not. They had a choice, and from the beginning I did not. You believed I was human and I didn't have any reason to tell you otherwise. It's not only because I was… afraid you would be scared of me when you find out what I truly am; it was also how I wanted to keep deluding myself that I believed I am ahuman,because that's how being around you felt like." It was her smile and her laughter. No one ever treated him so compassionately and equally as Rin did. She was his save haven, away from the followers who worshipped him and from the people who feared him. She made him feel…himselfonce again.
Rin was speechless. She could see the unmasked pain in his eyes. Then he buried his face on one hand. She stood up and slowly moved towards him. "You should've told me anyway, becausenothingwould've changed. I will treat you the same. You are my friend, I do not fear you, no matter what you are." She watched him carefully, waiting for his reaction.
But she didn't expect him to suddenly pin her against the wall, his hands on the either side of her head rendering escape impossible. She was shocked to see the pupils of his usually warm brown eyes glowing red instead. Two protruding fangs were poking out in his mouth. Was this his true form? Her heart accelerated but not because of fear; it was more from surprise.
"You do not… fear me?" He repeated, threat coating his voice. His face was also moving closer to hers.
She shook her head nervously.
Kaname's red eyes gazed at her for a moment until a sly smile crept up in his mouth and he leaned closer to her… neck.
She swallowed loudly and shut her eyes tightly.Is he going to bite me?
After what seemed like an eternity to her, she didn't feel any pain. She opened her eyes to see him staring at her intently, and his eyes were back to its normal hue once again. He was smiling at her, and she couldn't help but be fascinated by how remarkably beautiful he was.
Her mental flattery of him made the vampire smile. "It's part of the charm… as a predator. For catching preys like you."
Rin, unaware of Kaname's ability to read mind, only thought that her face might have given him a hint of what she was thinking and she blushed.
Kaname released her from the cage that was his arms and gave her some space. He was quite impressed that she didn't fear at all. Her heart was too filled with trust and love. It's no surprise that everyone adored her. No one, who knew Rin, can possibly bring themselves to hate the girl. She was too kind and…she deserved a better life than what awaits her.
He looked into her eyes solemnly. "I am too late to tell you this but it can't be helped. Rin, humans and demons are not meant for each other. Call it fate or the work of a God, but that kind of relationship will never work as it always ends in tragedy."
She was taken aback.Where was this coming from?"What are you talking about? I'm perfectly happy. I am extremely thankful because my Lord finally accepted me even though I'm only a human."
"That's not the point Rin. No matter how happy you are right now or how much he cares for you, it's not going to end well."
Her mouth fell open. "How can you say such a thing?"
Kaname sighed. "I have never seen nor heard a demon and human live a happy and full life together. It's as if the relationship itself iscursed."
She glared at him. "You can't just say something like that without back up!"
His expression was bitter as he rubbed his temples. There was no way to convince her until he gives her some facts. "You are familiar with your half-demon friend Jinenji, right?"
She nodded.
"Remember how Jinenji's father was killed, and he and his mother suffered because of the unwelcoming villagers. Even though Inuyasha and Kagome helped them, it doesn't erase the fact that the memory still haunts them and the horrible things they had to go through for years. You saw Jinenji's scarred body for yourself."
Rin opened her mouth to speak, but Kaname raised his hand to silence her.
"Did Inuyasha ever tell you how he obtained the Red tetsusaiga?"
Her eyes widened. "Kagome did, as one of my bedtime stories back then."
"Then you remember Shiori, the half demon girl. You are wondering how I knew, it's because I met her."
"…when Shiori's bat-demon father was killed by her own grandfather, everything spiraled out of control. The villagers mistreated both the mother and child, and the bat demons took advantage of them as well, forcing the girl to hold the barrier and be separated from her mother."
"But Inuyasha helped them!" Rin interjected.
"He did. But again, the point is about what they had suffered and went through. Shiori told me that she still have nightmares about the bat-demons and the abusive villagers."
Rin fidgeted. "I guess… but that's not enough to…"
"Rin, are you familiar with the Horai Island?" He asked.
She bit her lip. He knew where he was going with this. This was another story she heard from Kagome and she called it theFire on the Mystic Island. "Long ago, some demons and humans wanted to live together in peace. They couldn't live in the mainland because they were always being attacked and judged by those who are against their beliefs. And so those demons and humans who mated and wanted peace created Horai Island to seclude themselves from the rest of the world, and also to protect their… half-demon children."
Kaname nodded. "Their peace was not long lived however. Because thefour war godsinvaded and killed most of them. These so called gods used the half-demons as a sacrifice to sustain themselves. In the end, once again, Inuyasha helped but the Island sank to be lost forever. Those half-demon children… they were left with scars and bad memories from years of suffering just like Jinenji and Shiori."
Her hands were balled into fists as she struggled to remain calm. "Sesshomaru-sama is the strongest demon in all of the Lands! He can't be compared to those other demons. He will live a long demon life, even longer than I am since I'm only a human, and he will protect whatever children we have from danger and suffering even after I am gone."
"Which brings us… to Sesshomaru's father and Inuyasha's mother. This is a story you know so well. The InuTaisho was deemed as the strongest Demon back then, but in the end he died protecting Inuyasha and his mother. His strength was not good enough. Would you be happy if one day, Sesshomaru sacrificed himself for…"
"STOP!" Rin covered her ears and shut her eyes tightly. She didn't want to hear anymore. Her heart felt like it was going to burst. These were the things she never actually thought about. She thought she was finally happy being with her Lord, and she couldn't help but think… did she just doom him and their future children because of her selfishness to be with him? Was human-demon relationship reallycursed?
Kaname moved closer to Rin and held her shoulders. "I apologize. I did not mean to upset you. But I am telling you the truth. I can tell you more stories similar to what I already told you, but you won't be familiar with them. Most of them ended tragically, as they didn't have the luxury of having a savior like your friend Inuyasha in the end."
"How did you know… about all of these? About what my friends did." She asked.
"Like I said before I do a lot of travelling. I met people whom your friends also met and helped…" He wasn't exactly being truthful, but it was all he could say.
Rin took a few minutes to calm herself, wiping her tears away. She breathed deeply and after putting herself together once again, she gazed at Kaname deeply. "I know you're only concerned about me. And thank you for that. But even if this Rin is only human, I will use all of my power to fight thiscurseand will protect Sesshomaru even from himself. I will not let him get hurt by anything, and I will not let our future children and I suffer. I will prove that this curse doesn't exist." Her voice was firm and strong.
Rin's determination and the passion in her eyes did not surprise Kaname. In fact he expected it from her knowing the girl's personality. He smiled a sad smile that Rin knew so well. "I see. You are such a brave woman."Unfortunately I can't let you doom yourself because of your blind resolve.
Kaname froze, all of his senses on alert.
Rin noticed the change in him but before she could ask…
"I must go now. Your Lord approaches."
She quickly panicked.
Kaname covered her eyes with a hand. "I shall see you at the gathering tomorrow night." He whispered.
When his hand vanished, he was also gone. She scanned the chambers but he was nowhere to be found.
Few minutes later, the door slid open and Sesshomaru entered. He was surprised to smell salty tears in the air and saw that Rin's eyes were rather red.
He was instantly in front of her in a second, same place where Kaname stood few minutes ago. "Are you alright? What happened?" He demanded, holding her face gently.
"Nothing. I'm just... nervous. That's all. For the gathering, I mean."
He cocked an eyebrow and looked at her from head to toe. He felt his chest swell up with pride at this absolutely beautiful human that was his mate. He will let no one in the gathering lay a hand on her or so god forbids he'd kill.
He put a distance between them and started removing his mokomoko and then his armor. He flung it carelessly aside.
Rin stared at him, puzzled.
When he pulled his obi and removed the top part of his kimono, exposing his chest and his well toned stomach, Rin's jaw drop and felt a fierce blush rising on her face.
"Er, what are you doing?" She squeaked.
He stared at her stoically. "This Sesshomaru wishes to make you forget about your worries." He kicked his boots aside and started to remove his hakama when he noticed Rin backing away from him slightly, her expression was a mixture of embarrassment and shock.
He took her reaction differently though. He sighed. "I swear to you I'd begentlethis time. If the first time was… too rough on you."
Rin felt as if someone shoved a blazing torch on her face and left it there. Not only that, but his boldness was driving her hormones into an overdrive.
Still quite nervous and unsure, she removed her first Kimono and let it pool on the floor.
A completely naked Sesshomaru now stood before her, and she couldn't help but think about how ungodly sexy he was!
He removed the next layer of her dress, and the next… Sesshomaru felt the act enjoyable as if he was picking on a flower and removing its petals slowly.
Rin however was still feeling bashful but wanted nothing more than to please her Lord.
Twelve layers of Kimono on the floor later, she was completely nude to his sight. The other night he didn't get to appreciate her and delve in her naked beauty, but he planned to change all of that. Her blush was absolutely adorable and the passion he ignited in her eyes made his demon want to go back against his recently made promise.
She embraced him, skin to skin. Her head laid on his chest as she listened to his heartbeat. Sesshomaru took a deep breath, and buried his hands in her brown tresses. Her scent was intoxicating to him. He captured her mouth in a searing kiss and lifted her off the ground to lay her on the wide futon.
She looked at him lovingly and traced the wonderful features on his face. "I'll never let you do something stupid to protect me. Don't you everdie! Your mate commands you to." She fiercely said.
He was surprised at her random declaration. Andcommanding him?He held her dearly and ran a claw on her spine, making her shiver. "You have nothing to worry about. Don't you believe in my strength being the strongest demon warrior in the Lands?"
She thought about what he said. "I believe in you." No curse will be strong enough to break them.
He smiled. "Then cease this talking because I want you now." And once again he kissed her fervently, erasing any doubts she may had.
o-o-o-o-o
The night of the Gathering arrived, and Rin was on the edge. She looked magnificent in her thick layers of kimonos. Half of her lush, brown hair were tied in a bun on both sides of her head and a trail of red ribbon hanging loosely on each. The rest of her long hair cascaded behind her back. Only for this event, she painted a magenta line on her top eyelid, matching her ruby lips.
She gulped. She was clutching Sesshomaru's arm next to her as they stood in front of a wide tatami door.
Sesshomaru sensed her panic. "Do not fret. You are so very lovely tonight."
Pull it together Rin! You're with Sesshomaru-sama. Everything will be fine."Thank you my Lord. I'm alright. Let's go." She smiled up at up him.
The door slid open and they both entered the grand castle hall. The hall was well lit and lavishly decorated. There was a bunch of Karp demons on a small stage playing harps. Rin saw many noble demons walking and socializing, but they all stopped to look at the duo who just entered. Having these many eyes on them, Rin couldn't help but flush red.Oh God let this be over soon.
Sesshomaru led her further into the hall until two old wolf demons approached them.
"Ah, so you are Sesshomaru's mate? It is very nice to meet you! I am the Lady of the North, Kotoko." The old-demon lady said. Rin was reminded of Ayame. Her hair was slowly turning orange, proof that it used to be red just like her daughter. There were many lines on her face, but she was reminded of Kaede. She seemed to be a kind hearted woman.
Rin curtsied. "It is an honor to meet you. My name is Rin." She smiled widely, completely forgetting to address herself as'Lady Rin of the West'as Sesshomaru's mother taught her.
The other old demon wolf spoke to her. "Ah. Lady Rin, I am Lord Seijuro and I'm glad to meet you as well." He turned to look at Sesshomaru. "What a beautiful human. You sure have fine taste." He laughed. Sesshomaru only blinked at him.
Seijuro cleared his throat. "We will be back with you in a moment. As host and hostess we have to attend to the other guests also. Feel free to do as you like and eat." He waved his hand towards a long table filled with… unfamiliar dishes to Rin.
When both of them were gone, Rin whispered "By any chance, are humans on the menu…?" She eyed the table suspiciously.
Sesshomaru suppressed the urge to laugh. "No Rin."
Few minutes later while Sesshomaru was speaking to the Lord of the South named Hayato, she thought she was finally starting to get comfortable in the gathering. Until she noticed that most of the demons were looking at her strangely. Some were openly glaring at her, and some were trying to be more discreet about their hatred. Rin lowered her gaze to look on the ground feeling uninvited.
Lady Kotoko appeared. "Lady Rin, would you like to join me and the other women for tea?" She waved her hand towards a room with a wide open door, where some demon women were seated on cushion and seemed to be having a good time.
"Ah, that is a good idea! I wish not to bore the Lady with my talk with Lord Sesshomaru." Hayato smiled at her, though Rin felt it was forced. As if the snake demon lord didn't like her presence…
"I will be glad to join you." Rin replied to the old woman.
Sesshomaru stared at Rin and gave him a reassuring smile. She didn't want to hold him back by hanging around him all the time.
He nodded as Lady Kotoko whisked Rin away, holding an arm. "I'm afraid my daughter Ayame will not be in the tea room with us, for she is with Koga. Koga is… a bit unaccustomed with Gatherings like this."
As she led her in to the tea room, Rin glimpsed Kaname and saw that he was surrounded with people who were dressed strangely as him. He seemed to be on the edge, his eyes darting left and right. His lips were clenched tightly. She wondered what was bothering him. They made brief eye contact to each other before she lost sight of him.
Rin entered the tea room and sat on a cushion, facing the other demon women who were staring at her in awe. Lady Kotoko poured her a cup of tea before she sat as well.
"Uhm, hi." Rin said awkwardly, breaking the silence.
"How did you do it? Tame the Lord of the West? You, a human?" A woman with electric blue eyes and fins for ears asked. She held no contempt in her voice, only curiosity.
"I… don't know. But I knew him for quite a long time now. He saved me." She smiled at the curious girl.
"Do you have any special powers? Some humans have powers. Are you a priestess?" This time, a gorgeous fox demon asked. She was reminded of Shippo.
"How come you're so beautiful? Are you sure you're just a human?" A lion demoness leaned forward expecting an answer.
Rin was surprised at the amount of questions, and they kept asking. She answered them nicely, enjoying their reaction. They weren't so bad after all.
~o~
"Sesshomaru, I will still stand by my offer to remind you that my daughter Naemi, will remain faithful to you. I hope you consider taking her as your mate in the future." Lord Hayato, the Lord of the South told him quietly.
"This Sesshomaru already has a mate." He coolly replied. He was getting irritated with Hayato's company, as well as the swarm of demon women standing closely behind him and was trying to get close with the handsome Lord of the West.
Hayato laughed. "Yes, but she is only a human, limited by her human lifespan. What I am saying is once you tire of her or once her life is taken away due to… human illnesses and aging, my daughter is willing to wait. A hundred years or less is not too much."
Sesshomaru's teeth gnashed together. He suppressed the blood thirst rising in him, wanting to slay the worthless snake demon in front of him for talking about Rin that way. "Do not speak about Rin any longer, or I am afraid this will not end well for you." He warned dangerously.
Hayato took a step back. "Of course."
Thankfully both their attention was brought somewhere else, when their host, Lord Seijuro of the North spoke loudly to all of his guests. "Now I know every one of you have heard the rumors even before you received my invitation for the gathering. The downfall of Akito. I'm pleased to introduce to you however, the new Lord of the East, Lord Kaname! Let this be the beginning of forming new alliances, friendship and as such with the Vampire Clan."
Sesshomaru saw the vampire stood beside Seijuro. "Indeed. I look forward to peace for all of the Lands." He bowed. When he stood straight once again, Sesshomaru and Kaname gazed at each other across the room passively yet both knew the underlying aggression behind the simple act.
o-o-o-o-o
[Tea Room]
The demon women were all engrossed with the human Rin. She was being her usual self, chatting away and giggling with the girls. A fish demon woman was peering towards the grand hall, watching the introduction of the Lord of the East.
"My, my. He's a handsome one!" She blushed as she returned to her seat.
"Who is?" The fox demoness asked.
"The new Lord of the East! He looks friendly and approachable too. Unlike…"The Lord of the West.She finished inside her head.
"Yes you're right, Kaname is friendly and someone you can trust." Rin agreed.
The demon women gasped. "You know him?"
"Yea, for a few years now."
"Oh KAMI! REALLY? Tell us about HIM! He's so dreamy." The Lioness-youkai asked.
Rin thought about it, and figured that there was no harm in doing so. But just when she was about to speak, they heard someone scoff derisively.
The girls and Rin turned towards the sound, to the snake-demoness who remained quiet throughout the conversation.
"Tell me, how is it that you seem to have these powerful demon Lords wrapped around your little finger, human?" She didn't even bother to conceal her malice towards Rin.
Rin raised an eyebrow at her.
"Are you Naemi? Daughter of the Lord of the South?" The fish-demon asked.
"And so? What of it?" Naemi smirked arrogantly, seemingly content that she was a daughter of a powerful demon.
No one answered her.
She inspected her nails. "You know, human, you don'tbelongwith the demon Lord, or even fit to socialize with us demons. You should go back to whatever village you came from and stay in that hole."
"Don't belong? I am the Lady of the West, and Lord Sesshomaru had taken me for his mate. I belong in the West, withhim." Rin replied smoothly.
Naemi rolled her eyes. "Please, do not brag as if you hold yourself high in the demon society. You're nothing but a stupid human whore that the Lord is using to satisfy his own desires. I don't understand why he chose a human when a demoness can offer so much more… but it is probably an acquired taste since his dog demon father took in a mistress and fathered a hanyou. How pathetic."
Everyone's jaw drop to stare at her in disbelief after hearing her harsh words. Rin's hands were balled into a fist.
"Naemi, enough! You will respect your fellow guest." The Lady of the North chastised.
She crossed her arms angrily. "I will offer no respect to that human slut, Lady Kotoko. She is probably doing the same thing to the Lord of the East seeing that they seem to be acquainted."
"I am not a whore! How dare you judge me." Rin almost yelled. She did not wish to attract attention from the demons outside the tea room. She felt angry and frustrated, and tears were starting to form in her eyes. She refused to cry even though this was what she was afraid of,rejectionfrom people who barely knew her.
"Pathetic, weak humans such as yourself should stay with your own kind. Stop trying to achieve something you cannot." She flipped her hair and glared at Rin.
Rin stood up, already fed up with the rude demoness. "Lady Kotoko, thank you for the tea. I must take my leave now. Girls, thank you for your company." She said, addressing all the shocked demoness who were actually enjoying being with Rin.
Rin left all of them. Once in the Great Hall, she ran around, avoiding the demons that were in her way while searching for her Lord. Unexpectedly she bumped into someone.
"I'm.. so sorry!" She bowed and hid her face.
The person held her arm tightly. "Follow me."
She looked up, and it wasKaname. "Huh?" He pulled her quickly towards the door and they left unnoticeably.
o-o-o-o-o
They were running in the hallway.
"Kaname-san, where are we going?" She panted behind him, as she held the skirt of her dresses to her knees. Kaname was holding her other hand.
"You couldn't stand being in there, am I right?"
She watched his billowing brown hair behind him. "Y-yes."
"Well, the same goes for me." He declared. They stopped running and now stood in front of a balcony. Kaname suddenly scooped her in his arms, bridal style.
"What are you doing?" She blushed.
"I'm going to show you something." He smiled down at her, then jumped off the balcony his coat flapping behind him. Rin automatically wrapped her arms around his neck in fear. The balcony washigh.But she felt Kaname land softly on the ground and he set her down as well.
"Do you want to run like old times? Before we reach our destination?" He asked her. His eyes sparkled under the moonlight.
She couldn't understand what was making Kaname act like this, but she needed it to calm her mental strain from the event earlier. It seemed as if… he knew what happened and was, as always, trying to lift her crushed spirits. "But… Sesshomaru-sama will surely notice my absence."
He smirked. "I'll return you to him even before he notices you're gone." With that, he turned around andrantowards the forest laughing.
"Hey!" Rin yelled, running after him. She felt exhilarated and couldn't help feeling comforted by the wind against her face. Few seconds later she couldn't help but laugh also, seeing Kaname jumping branches to branches pretending to be a monkey.
As she ran, she started removing and throwing the thick layers of garments hindering most of her movements, until only one kimono was left. With this, she was able to run faster. She was being a child once again, happy, wild and uncaring. But this is who she truly was. She did not wish to be forced to act as a Lady, socializing with those noble demons who looked down upon her humanity.
Rin reached a wide clearing, and she stopped. There was a calm and wide lake in the field, but it looked like a giant mirror. The lake reflected the night sky, the stars and the moon. But what captured Rin the most was the colorful lights which looked like a curtain falling down from heaven. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever saw in her life. She walked closer to the lake marveling at the light's reflection, then looking up at the sky still in awe.
"It's called anAurora Borealis.Or the Northern lights. Beautiful, isn't it." He stood next to her observing.
"I've never seen anything like it. Is this… demon magic?" She was entranced.
"No it is not. It's nature's own magic."
They both stood in front of the lake in silence for quite a while.
"Rin, I will never let you suffer. You are too important to me." He suddenly said.This is it. Before this night is over, his plan will be set into motion.
When Rin looked at him, he was gazing at her rather fiercely.
Her eyebrows furrowed. "Kaname-san, why are you acting so strangely?"
"You've always trusted me Rin. It's time… that you take that trust back. You will hate me with all of your being." He calmly said.
She put her hands in her hips. "What are you saying? I can never hate you."
The handsome vampire smirked. "Too bad. You will." And with that, Kaname pulled Rin closer to him, one hand buried in her hair and the other wrapped around her waist. Before Rin could protest, he crushed her lips with his and kissed her passionately.
Rin's mind went completely blank in shock at his action. Her hands pushed at his chest but he didn't budge.WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING?She was extremely confused. Was this… the same Kaname she knew?
Kaname suddenly let go of her and jumped backwards far away, avoiding a green whip of light that made the ground where Kaname stood a moment before, explode. Rin fell on her butt.
She was horrified as she looked to her left and saw an extremely pissed Sesshomaru.OH MY GOD DID HE SEE… ME AND KANAME…?
Sesshomaru drew Bakusaiga from its sheath. "Vampire, draw what weapon you have and fight this Sesshomaru. I will NOT let you live after you touched my mate." He growled.
Kaname pulled a thin Katana from his waist. "Defeat me if you can. If you don't… I'm afraid I will be taking someone very precious from you."
In a flash Sesshomaru jumped towards him. Kaname met him halfway in midair, and their swords loudly clashed. Their faces were inches from each other, the swords between them and it vibrated in undulating force. "Silence worthless blood-sucker." Sesshomaru swiped at him with his free hand, claws dripping with poison. Kaname leaped above him to avoid it, then brought his katana down aiming at his enemy's neck. Instead, he hacked some of Sesshomaru's silver hair when he stooped to avoid him. Sesshomaru retaliated with the Bakusaiga, pushing Kaname backwards.
"STOP IT! STOP FIGHTING!" Rin yelled in desperation. They both ignored her. She was chewing on her nails nervously, almost unable to watch. She couldn't… stand them…
Jaken came out from the forest and ran towards the shaking girl. "Rin! Let's go back to the Northern Castle now!" He could feel both Sesshomaru and Kaname's angry demonic aura, and it made him tense.
"Are you insane? I can't let Sesshomaru-sama and Kaname-san try to KILL EACH OTHER!" She winced when she saw Sesshomaru, narrowly missing Kaname with his poison claws. They both fought gracefully and equally, it was hard to know who was dominating the fight.
Rin attempted to run between them, but Jaken held her skirt to stop her. "Are you crazy? You can't just stop them, you're just a human! Look at them, they are too focused in their fight, you will end up getting hurt! Or worse, you might make Lord Sesshomaru's guard go down and he can get badly hurt!"
She watched them in anguish.What can she do?
Sesshomaru jumped in an arc above Kaname and spun, bringing down Bakusaiga and ripping the end of Kaname's coat.
"What's going on here?" Koga appeared and was surprised to see the two fighting.
"KOGA-KUN!" Rin ran towards him. "Please, can you intervene and make them stop! They mustn't hurt each other!" She was crying.
Koga scratched his head. "A-re you sure?" Koga felt dread; he didn't want to get in the bad side of Sesshomaru, plus the aura the combatants were emitting was near terrifying.
"If not you, then FIND SOMEONE WHO CAN! PLEASE!" She begged.
Koga felt a little insulted.Hey, I'm a powerful demon also!"Alright, Rin. I'll try to stop them."
He pushed Rin lightly aside as he summoned Goraishi, the powerful claw weapon his ancestors bestowed upon him.
He looked at Kaname and Sesshomaru. "You two! Stop fighting!"
Unexpectedly, two individuals appeared in front of Koga. "You not allowed interrupt Lord Kaname!" A tiny girl yelled, dressed in a chinese warrior dress. She spun a spear and pointed it at Koga. Her eyes were glowing red, and her fangs were protruding. "I am Ching Lan, you fight me!"
"Puny wolf demon no place here. Fight me, Baojia." A man, identical to the girl in some facial features said.
Koga blinked and glared at them. "I knew you weird, Eastern demons are up to no good. I'll take you BOTH on!" Koga charged, and another battle ensued.
Rin held her face in disbelief. Sesshomaru was still fighting Kaname, and now Koga was fighting some of Kaname's companions.
She hated being a weak human who can't do anything. Rin glanced to the side and saw someone leaped out of the forest. It was…
"SAKEMARU!" Rin screamed.Finally!Someone who could possibly help stop this useless… Her hope died, when more of the vampires showed up and blocked Sakemaru.
The Inu-daiyoukai glared at them. "What do you want demons?"
"You will not interfere. I, Toshida will stop you." A strange man said. His black hair was covering half of his face, but his eyes were glowing red. He swiftly appeared in front of Sakemaru and threw a punch, which grazed the side of his face. Sakemaru held his arm and threw him to the other vampire demons. Toshida flipped in the air and landed on his feet, not at all intimidated.
Rin swallowed as she looked away and focused on Kaname and Sesshomaru. They were still going at it. She suddenly noticed a woman with blonde hair standing on the other side. She looked as worried as she was, watching Kaname and Sesshomaru fight.
Kaname avoided the Bakusaiga's electric green energy force everytime Sesshomaru wielded it in thin air.
"You can't avoid it forever." Sesshomaru said as he continuously assaulted him with the deadly blade.
Kaname's eyes glowed red, as he bit his palm drawing blood then slamming it on the ground.
"Come forth."
Monstrous demons erupted from the ground and ran towards Sesshomaru. But they received the full force of Bakusaiga, and were shred into hundreds of pieces in mere seconds. Sesshomaru dashed forward in full speed, and saw Kaname from the corner of his eyes attempting to attack him from behind. Sesshomaru turned in midair, slashed the sword, and was satisfied when the blade made contact with his chest.
Kaname landed on his feet despite his injury.
Sesshomaru waited for the wound to spread and slowly hack him to pieces, but was annoyed when Kaname's wound healed quickly, leaving only his blood stained clothes with a diagonal cut on his chest.
Kaname was now aware that the field was slowly turning into a battlefield.I must end this quickly.He didn't want anymore unnecessary people to get involved.
Sesshomaru rushed towards him once again.
Kaname closed his eyes, took a deep breath and withdrew a handful of daggers from the inside of his coat.
"Forgive me." He said as he threw the daggers to Sesshomaru.
"LORD KANAME, NOO!" The blonde-haired girl named Yumi screamed.
The Dog-demon easily deflected the daggers with his sword and continued towards Kaname. He swung his sword, which Kaname parried with his Katana.
"Do you underestimate me so much that you think those simple daggers will even scratch me?" Sesshomaru stared into his hardened red eyes unemotionally while pushing his sword against his katana.
"No, I did not think those daggers will hit you at all." He replied rather softly.
Sesshomaru was perplexed. A wind blew on their faces, and the inu-daiyoukai froze in horror when he caught the familiar scent of…Rin's blood.
Jaken stared at Rin open mouthed in shock and fright. The daggers aimed at Sesshomaru were a ruse, to conceal the real target which was Rin. The girl was staring at the hilt sticking out from her chest right above her heart.
Time seemed to slow down for her. She touched the hilt of the dagger, as if making sure that it was really there. Rin felt something rising from her throat and coughed out blood. Strange, she felt no pain from her wound; only pressure that prevented her from breathing. Maybe when you're dying, you're not supposed to feel pain. She couldn't help the feeling of betrayal.Kaname… killed her.
She didn't notice that she was falling backwards untilsomeonecaught her. She looked upon the most handsome face she ever laid her eyes on, and felt an ache. She couldn't stand seeing his beautiful face twisted in what could only mean sorrow. It didn't match his feature… where was his stoic mask? It was better to look at than seeing him like this…
"Rin? Stay with me." His voice was barely a whisper. He looked at the sick dagger embedded on his mate's chest, but he dared not to pull it out. He knew she would bleed to death, and as much as he hated to admit it, the blade undoubtedly pierced her precious heart. All the thoughts running in his mind was towards how to save Rin dying in his arms.The Tensaiga can't save her any longer.An all too familiar grief started to envelop his whole being, but he refused to accept it.No. Not today. NOT NOW!
The two were unaware that all the battle had ceased when everyone caught the scent of human blood.
Sesshomaru felt a hand cupping his cheek comfortingly, and his hand automatically went to press it to his face. His other hand wiped the blood trickling down from the corner of her mouth.
"Don't… look… so sad."She smiled at him weakly.
"You will not abandon this Sesshomaru. I command you to stay with me! You promised… this Sesshomaru to give him a huge family. Remember?" His voice cracked and his hands were shaking.
Rin's tears ran down from her face."I'm so… sorry."Her breath suddenly hitched.
"Don't talk anymore." His eyes burned. He could hear her heartbeat struggling and weakening.
"Kiss me."If this was the end, she wanted nothing but to feel his love one last time.
"You will not die on me, do you hear me Rin!" Her broken will to live made him want to rip his own heart out at the pain of losing her.
Rin's eyes closed. He gazed at her, then Sesshomaru leaned forward to kiss her just as she wished.
Before their lips met however, a wind suddenly engulfed Rin and a shadow erupted from the blade on her chest. Her eyes were still closed when it covered her whole body, then when the shadow vanished, she was…gone.
Sesshomaru stared at his empty arms in shock and despair. The only thing she left was a small pool of blood on the ground.
Every other vampire in the vicinity also disappeared in the same manner; a shadow engulfing them until Kaname was the only one left.
Kaname stared at the unmoving Sesshomaru. He was still kneeling on the ground and his arms remained in the same position, as if expecting Rin to reappear. A shadow began to wrap around Kaname's legs. "Remember this pain, Sesshomaru. Know this pain unlike any other.And avenge her." He said before he vanished.
Koga, Sakemaru and Jaken stared at Sesshomaru in uncertainly.
"Sesshomaru-sama." Jaken said, his eyes brimming with tears.
He failed her. He let his guard down and let Rin…diefor the third time.The demon Lord stood up and he shook in anger. His eyes turned blood red and the corners of his mouth lengthened. Sesshomaru's grief swiftly turned into unbridled fury, transforming himself into his true form, a huge dog demon. Bloodlust filled his head as he roared deafeningly and leaped into the air in pursuit.
Sakemaru tensed. "Jaken! If I die, tell my sister I am sorry."
Jaken stared at him dumbly as Sakemaru also assumed his true demon form. His mission was to prevent Sesshomaru from doing anything reckless, since Sakemaru had failed to protect the human girl. He growled loudly towards Sesshomaru and body slammed the demon dog to the side.
Sesshomaru bared his fangs at Sakemaru and snarled.
I might have just signed my death warrant, but I have to drag him back to the West and have this Rin predicament be sorted out.Sakemaru thought, as he bared his fangs at Sesshomaru in return.
o-o
"Rin…" Back at the West, Lady Shirahime whispered in the wind while staring at the shattered vase of hibiscus.
Next Chapter: Chapter 7: The War
Kuruhyouga returns with vital information to tell the grieving Lord who's bent on revenge.
Love, DestinyRose09
~oOo~
I'll keep you companyIn one glorious harmonyWaltzing with destiny foreverDance me into the nightUnderneath the moon shining so brightTurning me into the light
-Dark Waltz
~oOo~
Chapter 6 Disastrous Gathering
"How can ANYONE walk in these?" Rin fumed. She wore the 12 layers kimono called Juni Hitoe, and was practicing to walk inside her chambers in preparation for the gathering tomorrow night. The outer design matches that of Sesshomaru's Kimono; white with red honeycomb patterns, and the yellow and purple design of his obi. The garment was heavy and she kept tripping over the dress when she walks.I'll keep you companyIn one glorious harmonyWaltzing with destiny foreverDance me into the nightUnderneath the moon shining so brightTurning me into the light
-Dark Waltz
~oOo~
Chapter 6 Disastrous Gathering
"UGH!"Okay, remember Lady Shirahime's lessons. Walk with small steps, so I don't fall on my face. Also straighten my back… and uhh… oh yea the fan.
She covered half of her face with the ornate fan and batted her eyelashes. Rin grimaced, then sighed.This is really not my thing.
Suddenly two hands came out from behind her and covered her mouth, muffling her scream. She was in a panic as she struggled against her assailant, and managed to step on its foot.
"Ouch! Calm down! It's me."
Rin immediately stopped, recognizing the voice. He released her sensing that she was pacified.
She whirled around and looked at him in alarm. "Kaname-san!" She half-expected to see him here in the North, but it was still a shock to her otherwise.
"What was that for? You scared me half to death!"
He smirked but tried to look guilty. "I'm sorry. Thought I'd see how you'll react."
She tilted her head and thought about chewing him out, but it was hard since she missed him… and there were so many questions she wanted to ask.
His brown eyes gazed at her with warmth. "You look stunning in the dress. Aristocracy fits you."
She blushed. "Not really."
He laughed. Kaname decided to sit on the window sill, one foot touching the ground and the other was bent against the wall.
She gasped. "Kaname-san, Sesshomaru-sama might hurt you if he finds out that you're here."
He scoffed. "He won't." He could easily conceal his scent and his aura from anyone.
She thought about his confident answer and decided to let it go. Rin dropped her head and stared pointedly at the ground. "Is it true?" She whispered.
"What is?" Kaname's voice turned velvet.
"Everything that I heard. That you're a… vampire demon. You never told me. And then something about taking over the Eastern Lands." She couldn't look at Kaname in the face.
He closed his eyes. "I'm afraid it's all true. Although taking the East was an impulsive decision, but a necessary one."
She sat on the cushion and fixed her dress. "So… you drink blood to survive?"
He chuckled. "Iusedto. But I am so old now, that I barely require blood sustenance. If I wanted blood right now it wouldn't be for survival. It would be for mere pleasure."
Rin was quiet as she tried to imagine Kaname drinking blood. She shuddered.
Kaname laughed again. The things she was picturing in her head… was hilarious.
"What's so funny?" She asked suspiciously.
He decided not to tell her about reading her mind. "It's just that I can't believe that three centuries from now, people are going to make up some ridiculous weaknesses of my clan, such as getting burned by the sun, that we sleep in grave soil, fears garlic and that we are frightened by a cross. None of it is true of course, but I wonder how the next generation came up with that."
"I KNEW IT! I knew you're not from this time era! You're just like KAGOME-CHAN!" She half-screamed in excitement.
He sighed sadly. "No, you are mistaken. I am not bound by time, Rin. I am in the past, present and future."
Kaname sensed her confusion and decided to change the subject. "I never told you what I really was because I was afraid you might be frightened."
She made a face. "I told you stories about me being abducted by demons and how I handled it pretty well. You knew I travelled with demons, and yet you were scared of telling me that you are one? That doesn't make sense."
Rin didn't expect the sad look that crossed his face. "I know you trusted me. But I'm a demon born to hunt humans, wherein Sesshomaru and your other companions were not. They had a choice, and from the beginning I did not. You believed I was human and I didn't have any reason to tell you otherwise. It's not only because I was… afraid you would be scared of me when you find out what I truly am; it was also how I wanted to keep deluding myself that I believed I am ahuman,because that's how being around you felt like." It was her smile and her laughter. No one ever treated him so compassionately and equally as Rin did. She was his save haven, away from the followers who worshipped him and from the people who feared him. She made him feel…himselfonce again.
Rin was speechless. She could see the unmasked pain in his eyes. Then he buried his face on one hand. She stood up and slowly moved towards him. "You should've told me anyway, becausenothingwould've changed. I will treat you the same. You are my friend, I do not fear you, no matter what you are." She watched him carefully, waiting for his reaction.
But she didn't expect him to suddenly pin her against the wall, his hands on the either side of her head rendering escape impossible. She was shocked to see the pupils of his usually warm brown eyes glowing red instead. Two protruding fangs were poking out in his mouth. Was this his true form? Her heart accelerated but not because of fear; it was more from surprise.
"You do not… fear me?" He repeated, threat coating his voice. His face was also moving closer to hers.
She shook her head nervously.
Kaname's red eyes gazed at her for a moment until a sly smile crept up in his mouth and he leaned closer to her… neck.
She swallowed loudly and shut her eyes tightly.Is he going to bite me?
After what seemed like an eternity to her, she didn't feel any pain. She opened her eyes to see him staring at her intently, and his eyes were back to its normal hue once again. He was smiling at her, and she couldn't help but be fascinated by how remarkably beautiful he was.
Her mental flattery of him made the vampire smile. "It's part of the charm… as a predator. For catching preys like you."
Rin, unaware of Kaname's ability to read mind, only thought that her face might have given him a hint of what she was thinking and she blushed.
Kaname released her from the cage that was his arms and gave her some space. He was quite impressed that she didn't fear at all. Her heart was too filled with trust and love. It's no surprise that everyone adored her. No one, who knew Rin, can possibly bring themselves to hate the girl. She was too kind and…she deserved a better life than what awaits her.
He looked into her eyes solemnly. "I am too late to tell you this but it can't be helped. Rin, humans and demons are not meant for each other. Call it fate or the work of a God, but that kind of relationship will never work as it always ends in tragedy."
She was taken aback.Where was this coming from?"What are you talking about? I'm perfectly happy. I am extremely thankful because my Lord finally accepted me even though I'm only a human."
"That's not the point Rin. No matter how happy you are right now or how much he cares for you, it's not going to end well."
Her mouth fell open. "How can you say such a thing?"
Kaname sighed. "I have never seen nor heard a demon and human live a happy and full life together. It's as if the relationship itself iscursed."
She glared at him. "You can't just say something like that without back up!"
His expression was bitter as he rubbed his temples. There was no way to convince her until he gives her some facts. "You are familiar with your half-demon friend Jinenji, right?"
She nodded.
"Remember how Jinenji's father was killed, and he and his mother suffered because of the unwelcoming villagers. Even though Inuyasha and Kagome helped them, it doesn't erase the fact that the memory still haunts them and the horrible things they had to go through for years. You saw Jinenji's scarred body for yourself."
Rin opened her mouth to speak, but Kaname raised his hand to silence her.
"Did Inuyasha ever tell you how he obtained the Red tetsusaiga?"
Her eyes widened. "Kagome did, as one of my bedtime stories back then."
"Then you remember Shiori, the half demon girl. You are wondering how I knew, it's because I met her."
"…when Shiori's bat-demon father was killed by her own grandfather, everything spiraled out of control. The villagers mistreated both the mother and child, and the bat demons took advantage of them as well, forcing the girl to hold the barrier and be separated from her mother."
"But Inuyasha helped them!" Rin interjected.
"He did. But again, the point is about what they had suffered and went through. Shiori told me that she still have nightmares about the bat-demons and the abusive villagers."
Rin fidgeted. "I guess… but that's not enough to…"
"Rin, are you familiar with the Horai Island?" He asked.
She bit her lip. He knew where he was going with this. This was another story she heard from Kagome and she called it theFire on the Mystic Island. "Long ago, some demons and humans wanted to live together in peace. They couldn't live in the mainland because they were always being attacked and judged by those who are against their beliefs. And so those demons and humans who mated and wanted peace created Horai Island to seclude themselves from the rest of the world, and also to protect their… half-demon children."
Kaname nodded. "Their peace was not long lived however. Because thefour war godsinvaded and killed most of them. These so called gods used the half-demons as a sacrifice to sustain themselves. In the end, once again, Inuyasha helped but the Island sank to be lost forever. Those half-demon children… they were left with scars and bad memories from years of suffering just like Jinenji and Shiori."
Her hands were balled into fists as she struggled to remain calm. "Sesshomaru-sama is the strongest demon in all of the Lands! He can't be compared to those other demons. He will live a long demon life, even longer than I am since I'm only a human, and he will protect whatever children we have from danger and suffering even after I am gone."
"Which brings us… to Sesshomaru's father and Inuyasha's mother. This is a story you know so well. The InuTaisho was deemed as the strongest Demon back then, but in the end he died protecting Inuyasha and his mother. His strength was not good enough. Would you be happy if one day, Sesshomaru sacrificed himself for…"
"STOP!" Rin covered her ears and shut her eyes tightly. She didn't want to hear anymore. Her heart felt like it was going to burst. These were the things she never actually thought about. She thought she was finally happy being with her Lord, and she couldn't help but think… did she just doom him and their future children because of her selfishness to be with him? Was human-demon relationship reallycursed?
Kaname moved closer to Rin and held her shoulders. "I apologize. I did not mean to upset you. But I am telling you the truth. I can tell you more stories similar to what I already told you, but you won't be familiar with them. Most of them ended tragically, as they didn't have the luxury of having a savior like your friend Inuyasha in the end."
"How did you know… about all of these? About what my friends did." She asked.
"Like I said before I do a lot of travelling. I met people whom your friends also met and helped…" He wasn't exactly being truthful, but it was all he could say.
Rin took a few minutes to calm herself, wiping her tears away. She breathed deeply and after putting herself together once again, she gazed at Kaname deeply. "I know you're only concerned about me. And thank you for that. But even if this Rin is only human, I will use all of my power to fight thiscurseand will protect Sesshomaru even from himself. I will not let him get hurt by anything, and I will not let our future children and I suffer. I will prove that this curse doesn't exist." Her voice was firm and strong.
Rin's determination and the passion in her eyes did not surprise Kaname. In fact he expected it from her knowing the girl's personality. He smiled a sad smile that Rin knew so well. "I see. You are such a brave woman."Unfortunately I can't let you doom yourself because of your blind resolve.
Kaname froze, all of his senses on alert.
Rin noticed the change in him but before she could ask…
"I must go now. Your Lord approaches."
She quickly panicked.
Kaname covered her eyes with a hand. "I shall see you at the gathering tomorrow night." He whispered.
When his hand vanished, he was also gone. She scanned the chambers but he was nowhere to be found.
Few minutes later, the door slid open and Sesshomaru entered. He was surprised to smell salty tears in the air and saw that Rin's eyes were rather red.
He was instantly in front of her in a second, same place where Kaname stood few minutes ago. "Are you alright? What happened?" He demanded, holding her face gently.
"Nothing. I'm just... nervous. That's all. For the gathering, I mean."
He cocked an eyebrow and looked at her from head to toe. He felt his chest swell up with pride at this absolutely beautiful human that was his mate. He will let no one in the gathering lay a hand on her or so god forbids he'd kill.
He put a distance between them and started removing his mokomoko and then his armor. He flung it carelessly aside.
Rin stared at him, puzzled.
When he pulled his obi and removed the top part of his kimono, exposing his chest and his well toned stomach, Rin's jaw drop and felt a fierce blush rising on her face.
"Er, what are you doing?" She squeaked.
He stared at her stoically. "This Sesshomaru wishes to make you forget about your worries." He kicked his boots aside and started to remove his hakama when he noticed Rin backing away from him slightly, her expression was a mixture of embarrassment and shock.
He took her reaction differently though. He sighed. "I swear to you I'd begentlethis time. If the first time was… too rough on you."
Rin felt as if someone shoved a blazing torch on her face and left it there. Not only that, but his boldness was driving her hormones into an overdrive.
Still quite nervous and unsure, she removed her first Kimono and let it pool on the floor.
A completely naked Sesshomaru now stood before her, and she couldn't help but think about how ungodly sexy he was!
He removed the next layer of her dress, and the next… Sesshomaru felt the act enjoyable as if he was picking on a flower and removing its petals slowly.
Rin however was still feeling bashful but wanted nothing more than to please her Lord.
Twelve layers of Kimono on the floor later, she was completely nude to his sight. The other night he didn't get to appreciate her and delve in her naked beauty, but he planned to change all of that. Her blush was absolutely adorable and the passion he ignited in her eyes made his demon want to go back against his recently made promise.
She embraced him, skin to skin. Her head laid on his chest as she listened to his heartbeat. Sesshomaru took a deep breath, and buried his hands in her brown tresses. Her scent was intoxicating to him. He captured her mouth in a searing kiss and lifted her off the ground to lay her on the wide futon.
She looked at him lovingly and traced the wonderful features on his face. "I'll never let you do something stupid to protect me. Don't you everdie! Your mate commands you to." She fiercely said.
He was surprised at her random declaration. Andcommanding him?He held her dearly and ran a claw on her spine, making her shiver. "You have nothing to worry about. Don't you believe in my strength being the strongest demon warrior in the Lands?"
She thought about what he said. "I believe in you." No curse will be strong enough to break them.
He smiled. "Then cease this talking because I want you now." And once again he kissed her fervently, erasing any doubts she may had.
o-o-o-o-o
The night of the Gathering arrived, and Rin was on the edge. She looked magnificent in her thick layers of kimonos. Half of her lush, brown hair were tied in a bun on both sides of her head and a trail of red ribbon hanging loosely on each. The rest of her long hair cascaded behind her back. Only for this event, she painted a magenta line on her top eyelid, matching her ruby lips.
She gulped. She was clutching Sesshomaru's arm next to her as they stood in front of a wide tatami door.
Sesshomaru sensed her panic. "Do not fret. You are so very lovely tonight."
Pull it together Rin! You're with Sesshomaru-sama. Everything will be fine."Thank you my Lord. I'm alright. Let's go." She smiled up at up him.
The door slid open and they both entered the grand castle hall. The hall was well lit and lavishly decorated. There was a bunch of Karp demons on a small stage playing harps. Rin saw many noble demons walking and socializing, but they all stopped to look at the duo who just entered. Having these many eyes on them, Rin couldn't help but flush red.Oh God let this be over soon.
Sesshomaru led her further into the hall until two old wolf demons approached them.
"Ah, so you are Sesshomaru's mate? It is very nice to meet you! I am the Lady of the North, Kotoko." The old-demon lady said. Rin was reminded of Ayame. Her hair was slowly turning orange, proof that it used to be red just like her daughter. There were many lines on her face, but she was reminded of Kaede. She seemed to be a kind hearted woman.
Rin curtsied. "It is an honor to meet you. My name is Rin." She smiled widely, completely forgetting to address herself as'Lady Rin of the West'as Sesshomaru's mother taught her.
The other old demon wolf spoke to her. "Ah. Lady Rin, I am Lord Seijuro and I'm glad to meet you as well." He turned to look at Sesshomaru. "What a beautiful human. You sure have fine taste." He laughed. Sesshomaru only blinked at him.
Seijuro cleared his throat. "We will be back with you in a moment. As host and hostess we have to attend to the other guests also. Feel free to do as you like and eat." He waved his hand towards a long table filled with… unfamiliar dishes to Rin.
When both of them were gone, Rin whispered "By any chance, are humans on the menu…?" She eyed the table suspiciously.
Sesshomaru suppressed the urge to laugh. "No Rin."
Few minutes later while Sesshomaru was speaking to the Lord of the South named Hayato, she thought she was finally starting to get comfortable in the gathering. Until she noticed that most of the demons were looking at her strangely. Some were openly glaring at her, and some were trying to be more discreet about their hatred. Rin lowered her gaze to look on the ground feeling uninvited.
Lady Kotoko appeared. "Lady Rin, would you like to join me and the other women for tea?" She waved her hand towards a room with a wide open door, where some demon women were seated on cushion and seemed to be having a good time.
"Ah, that is a good idea! I wish not to bore the Lady with my talk with Lord Sesshomaru." Hayato smiled at her, though Rin felt it was forced. As if the snake demon lord didn't like her presence…
"I will be glad to join you." Rin replied to the old woman.
Sesshomaru stared at Rin and gave him a reassuring smile. She didn't want to hold him back by hanging around him all the time.
He nodded as Lady Kotoko whisked Rin away, holding an arm. "I'm afraid my daughter Ayame will not be in the tea room with us, for she is with Koga. Koga is… a bit unaccustomed with Gatherings like this."
As she led her in to the tea room, Rin glimpsed Kaname and saw that he was surrounded with people who were dressed strangely as him. He seemed to be on the edge, his eyes darting left and right. His lips were clenched tightly. She wondered what was bothering him. They made brief eye contact to each other before she lost sight of him.
Rin entered the tea room and sat on a cushion, facing the other demon women who were staring at her in awe. Lady Kotoko poured her a cup of tea before she sat as well.
"Uhm, hi." Rin said awkwardly, breaking the silence.
"How did you do it? Tame the Lord of the West? You, a human?" A woman with electric blue eyes and fins for ears asked. She held no contempt in her voice, only curiosity.
"I… don't know. But I knew him for quite a long time now. He saved me." She smiled at the curious girl.
"Do you have any special powers? Some humans have powers. Are you a priestess?" This time, a gorgeous fox demon asked. She was reminded of Shippo.
"How come you're so beautiful? Are you sure you're just a human?" A lion demoness leaned forward expecting an answer.
Rin was surprised at the amount of questions, and they kept asking. She answered them nicely, enjoying their reaction. They weren't so bad after all.
~o~
"Sesshomaru, I will still stand by my offer to remind you that my daughter Naemi, will remain faithful to you. I hope you consider taking her as your mate in the future." Lord Hayato, the Lord of the South told him quietly.
"This Sesshomaru already has a mate." He coolly replied. He was getting irritated with Hayato's company, as well as the swarm of demon women standing closely behind him and was trying to get close with the handsome Lord of the West.
Hayato laughed. "Yes, but she is only a human, limited by her human lifespan. What I am saying is once you tire of her or once her life is taken away due to… human illnesses and aging, my daughter is willing to wait. A hundred years or less is not too much."
Sesshomaru's teeth gnashed together. He suppressed the blood thirst rising in him, wanting to slay the worthless snake demon in front of him for talking about Rin that way. "Do not speak about Rin any longer, or I am afraid this will not end well for you." He warned dangerously.
Hayato took a step back. "Of course."
Thankfully both their attention was brought somewhere else, when their host, Lord Seijuro of the North spoke loudly to all of his guests. "Now I know every one of you have heard the rumors even before you received my invitation for the gathering. The downfall of Akito. I'm pleased to introduce to you however, the new Lord of the East, Lord Kaname! Let this be the beginning of forming new alliances, friendship and as such with the Vampire Clan."
Sesshomaru saw the vampire stood beside Seijuro. "Indeed. I look forward to peace for all of the Lands." He bowed. When he stood straight once again, Sesshomaru and Kaname gazed at each other across the room passively yet both knew the underlying aggression behind the simple act.
o-o-o-o-o
[Tea Room]
The demon women were all engrossed with the human Rin. She was being her usual self, chatting away and giggling with the girls. A fish demon woman was peering towards the grand hall, watching the introduction of the Lord of the East.
"My, my. He's a handsome one!" She blushed as she returned to her seat.
"Who is?" The fox demoness asked.
"The new Lord of the East! He looks friendly and approachable too. Unlike…"The Lord of the West.She finished inside her head.
"Yes you're right, Kaname is friendly and someone you can trust." Rin agreed.
The demon women gasped. "You know him?"
"Yea, for a few years now."
"Oh KAMI! REALLY? Tell us about HIM! He's so dreamy." The Lioness-youkai asked.
Rin thought about it, and figured that there was no harm in doing so. But just when she was about to speak, they heard someone scoff derisively.
The girls and Rin turned towards the sound, to the snake-demoness who remained quiet throughout the conversation.
"Tell me, how is it that you seem to have these powerful demon Lords wrapped around your little finger, human?" She didn't even bother to conceal her malice towards Rin.
Rin raised an eyebrow at her.
"Are you Naemi? Daughter of the Lord of the South?" The fish-demon asked.
"And so? What of it?" Naemi smirked arrogantly, seemingly content that she was a daughter of a powerful demon.
No one answered her.
She inspected her nails. "You know, human, you don'tbelongwith the demon Lord, or even fit to socialize with us demons. You should go back to whatever village you came from and stay in that hole."
"Don't belong? I am the Lady of the West, and Lord Sesshomaru had taken me for his mate. I belong in the West, withhim." Rin replied smoothly.
Naemi rolled her eyes. "Please, do not brag as if you hold yourself high in the demon society. You're nothing but a stupid human whore that the Lord is using to satisfy his own desires. I don't understand why he chose a human when a demoness can offer so much more… but it is probably an acquired taste since his dog demon father took in a mistress and fathered a hanyou. How pathetic."
Everyone's jaw drop to stare at her in disbelief after hearing her harsh words. Rin's hands were balled into a fist.
"Naemi, enough! You will respect your fellow guest." The Lady of the North chastised.
She crossed her arms angrily. "I will offer no respect to that human slut, Lady Kotoko. She is probably doing the same thing to the Lord of the East seeing that they seem to be acquainted."
"I am not a whore! How dare you judge me." Rin almost yelled. She did not wish to attract attention from the demons outside the tea room. She felt angry and frustrated, and tears were starting to form in her eyes. She refused to cry even though this was what she was afraid of,rejectionfrom people who barely knew her.
"Pathetic, weak humans such as yourself should stay with your own kind. Stop trying to achieve something you cannot." She flipped her hair and glared at Rin.
Rin stood up, already fed up with the rude demoness. "Lady Kotoko, thank you for the tea. I must take my leave now. Girls, thank you for your company." She said, addressing all the shocked demoness who were actually enjoying being with Rin.
Rin left all of them. Once in the Great Hall, she ran around, avoiding the demons that were in her way while searching for her Lord. Unexpectedly she bumped into someone.
"I'm.. so sorry!" She bowed and hid her face.
The person held her arm tightly. "Follow me."
She looked up, and it wasKaname. "Huh?" He pulled her quickly towards the door and they left unnoticeably.
o-o-o-o-o
They were running in the hallway.
"Kaname-san, where are we going?" She panted behind him, as she held the skirt of her dresses to her knees. Kaname was holding her other hand.
"You couldn't stand being in there, am I right?"
She watched his billowing brown hair behind him. "Y-yes."
"Well, the same goes for me." He declared. They stopped running and now stood in front of a balcony. Kaname suddenly scooped her in his arms, bridal style.
"What are you doing?" She blushed.
"I'm going to show you something." He smiled down at her, then jumped off the balcony his coat flapping behind him. Rin automatically wrapped her arms around his neck in fear. The balcony washigh.But she felt Kaname land softly on the ground and he set her down as well.
"Do you want to run like old times? Before we reach our destination?" He asked her. His eyes sparkled under the moonlight.
She couldn't understand what was making Kaname act like this, but she needed it to calm her mental strain from the event earlier. It seemed as if… he knew what happened and was, as always, trying to lift her crushed spirits. "But… Sesshomaru-sama will surely notice my absence."
He smirked. "I'll return you to him even before he notices you're gone." With that, he turned around andrantowards the forest laughing.
"Hey!" Rin yelled, running after him. She felt exhilarated and couldn't help feeling comforted by the wind against her face. Few seconds later she couldn't help but laugh also, seeing Kaname jumping branches to branches pretending to be a monkey.
As she ran, she started removing and throwing the thick layers of garments hindering most of her movements, until only one kimono was left. With this, she was able to run faster. She was being a child once again, happy, wild and uncaring. But this is who she truly was. She did not wish to be forced to act as a Lady, socializing with those noble demons who looked down upon her humanity.
Rin reached a wide clearing, and she stopped. There was a calm and wide lake in the field, but it looked like a giant mirror. The lake reflected the night sky, the stars and the moon. But what captured Rin the most was the colorful lights which looked like a curtain falling down from heaven. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever saw in her life. She walked closer to the lake marveling at the light's reflection, then looking up at the sky still in awe.
"It's called anAurora Borealis.Or the Northern lights. Beautiful, isn't it." He stood next to her observing.
"I've never seen anything like it. Is this… demon magic?" She was entranced.
"No it is not. It's nature's own magic."
They both stood in front of the lake in silence for quite a while.
"Rin, I will never let you suffer. You are too important to me." He suddenly said.This is it. Before this night is over, his plan will be set into motion.
When Rin looked at him, he was gazing at her rather fiercely.
Her eyebrows furrowed. "Kaname-san, why are you acting so strangely?"
"You've always trusted me Rin. It's time… that you take that trust back. You will hate me with all of your being." He calmly said.
She put her hands in her hips. "What are you saying? I can never hate you."
The handsome vampire smirked. "Too bad. You will." And with that, Kaname pulled Rin closer to him, one hand buried in her hair and the other wrapped around her waist. Before Rin could protest, he crushed her lips with his and kissed her passionately.
Rin's mind went completely blank in shock at his action. Her hands pushed at his chest but he didn't budge.WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING?She was extremely confused. Was this… the same Kaname she knew?
Kaname suddenly let go of her and jumped backwards far away, avoiding a green whip of light that made the ground where Kaname stood a moment before, explode. Rin fell on her butt.
She was horrified as she looked to her left and saw an extremely pissed Sesshomaru.OH MY GOD DID HE SEE… ME AND KANAME…?
Sesshomaru drew Bakusaiga from its sheath. "Vampire, draw what weapon you have and fight this Sesshomaru. I will NOT let you live after you touched my mate." He growled.
Kaname pulled a thin Katana from his waist. "Defeat me if you can. If you don't… I'm afraid I will be taking someone very precious from you."
In a flash Sesshomaru jumped towards him. Kaname met him halfway in midair, and their swords loudly clashed. Their faces were inches from each other, the swords between them and it vibrated in undulating force. "Silence worthless blood-sucker." Sesshomaru swiped at him with his free hand, claws dripping with poison. Kaname leaped above him to avoid it, then brought his katana down aiming at his enemy's neck. Instead, he hacked some of Sesshomaru's silver hair when he stooped to avoid him. Sesshomaru retaliated with the Bakusaiga, pushing Kaname backwards.
"STOP IT! STOP FIGHTING!" Rin yelled in desperation. They both ignored her. She was chewing on her nails nervously, almost unable to watch. She couldn't… stand them…
Jaken came out from the forest and ran towards the shaking girl. "Rin! Let's go back to the Northern Castle now!" He could feel both Sesshomaru and Kaname's angry demonic aura, and it made him tense.
"Are you insane? I can't let Sesshomaru-sama and Kaname-san try to KILL EACH OTHER!" She winced when she saw Sesshomaru, narrowly missing Kaname with his poison claws. They both fought gracefully and equally, it was hard to know who was dominating the fight.
Rin attempted to run between them, but Jaken held her skirt to stop her. "Are you crazy? You can't just stop them, you're just a human! Look at them, they are too focused in their fight, you will end up getting hurt! Or worse, you might make Lord Sesshomaru's guard go down and he can get badly hurt!"
She watched them in anguish.What can she do?
Sesshomaru jumped in an arc above Kaname and spun, bringing down Bakusaiga and ripping the end of Kaname's coat.
"What's going on here?" Koga appeared and was surprised to see the two fighting.
"KOGA-KUN!" Rin ran towards him. "Please, can you intervene and make them stop! They mustn't hurt each other!" She was crying.
Koga scratched his head. "A-re you sure?" Koga felt dread; he didn't want to get in the bad side of Sesshomaru, plus the aura the combatants were emitting was near terrifying.
"If not you, then FIND SOMEONE WHO CAN! PLEASE!" She begged.
Koga felt a little insulted.Hey, I'm a powerful demon also!"Alright, Rin. I'll try to stop them."
He pushed Rin lightly aside as he summoned Goraishi, the powerful claw weapon his ancestors bestowed upon him.
He looked at Kaname and Sesshomaru. "You two! Stop fighting!"
Unexpectedly, two individuals appeared in front of Koga. "You not allowed interrupt Lord Kaname!" A tiny girl yelled, dressed in a chinese warrior dress. She spun a spear and pointed it at Koga. Her eyes were glowing red, and her fangs were protruding. "I am Ching Lan, you fight me!"
"Puny wolf demon no place here. Fight me, Baojia." A man, identical to the girl in some facial features said.
Koga blinked and glared at them. "I knew you weird, Eastern demons are up to no good. I'll take you BOTH on!" Koga charged, and another battle ensued.
Rin held her face in disbelief. Sesshomaru was still fighting Kaname, and now Koga was fighting some of Kaname's companions.
She hated being a weak human who can't do anything. Rin glanced to the side and saw someone leaped out of the forest. It was…
"SAKEMARU!" Rin screamed.Finally!Someone who could possibly help stop this useless… Her hope died, when more of the vampires showed up and blocked Sakemaru.
The Inu-daiyoukai glared at them. "What do you want demons?"
"You will not interfere. I, Toshida will stop you." A strange man said. His black hair was covering half of his face, but his eyes were glowing red. He swiftly appeared in front of Sakemaru and threw a punch, which grazed the side of his face. Sakemaru held his arm and threw him to the other vampire demons. Toshida flipped in the air and landed on his feet, not at all intimidated.
Rin swallowed as she looked away and focused on Kaname and Sesshomaru. They were still going at it. She suddenly noticed a woman with blonde hair standing on the other side. She looked as worried as she was, watching Kaname and Sesshomaru fight.
Kaname avoided the Bakusaiga's electric green energy force everytime Sesshomaru wielded it in thin air.
"You can't avoid it forever." Sesshomaru said as he continuously assaulted him with the deadly blade.
Kaname's eyes glowed red, as he bit his palm drawing blood then slamming it on the ground.
"Come forth."
Monstrous demons erupted from the ground and ran towards Sesshomaru. But they received the full force of Bakusaiga, and were shred into hundreds of pieces in mere seconds. Sesshomaru dashed forward in full speed, and saw Kaname from the corner of his eyes attempting to attack him from behind. Sesshomaru turned in midair, slashed the sword, and was satisfied when the blade made contact with his chest.
Kaname landed on his feet despite his injury.
Sesshomaru waited for the wound to spread and slowly hack him to pieces, but was annoyed when Kaname's wound healed quickly, leaving only his blood stained clothes with a diagonal cut on his chest.
Kaname was now aware that the field was slowly turning into a battlefield.I must end this quickly.He didn't want anymore unnecessary people to get involved.
Sesshomaru rushed towards him once again.
Kaname closed his eyes, took a deep breath and withdrew a handful of daggers from the inside of his coat.
"Forgive me." He said as he threw the daggers to Sesshomaru.
"LORD KANAME, NOO!" The blonde-haired girl named Yumi screamed.
The Dog-demon easily deflected the daggers with his sword and continued towards Kaname. He swung his sword, which Kaname parried with his Katana.
"Do you underestimate me so much that you think those simple daggers will even scratch me?" Sesshomaru stared into his hardened red eyes unemotionally while pushing his sword against his katana.
"No, I did not think those daggers will hit you at all." He replied rather softly.
Sesshomaru was perplexed. A wind blew on their faces, and the inu-daiyoukai froze in horror when he caught the familiar scent of…Rin's blood.
Jaken stared at Rin open mouthed in shock and fright. The daggers aimed at Sesshomaru were a ruse, to conceal the real target which was Rin. The girl was staring at the hilt sticking out from her chest right above her heart.
Time seemed to slow down for her. She touched the hilt of the dagger, as if making sure that it was really there. Rin felt something rising from her throat and coughed out blood. Strange, she felt no pain from her wound; only pressure that prevented her from breathing. Maybe when you're dying, you're not supposed to feel pain. She couldn't help the feeling of betrayal.Kaname… killed her.
She didn't notice that she was falling backwards untilsomeonecaught her. She looked upon the most handsome face she ever laid her eyes on, and felt an ache. She couldn't stand seeing his beautiful face twisted in what could only mean sorrow. It didn't match his feature… where was his stoic mask? It was better to look at than seeing him like this…
"Rin? Stay with me." His voice was barely a whisper. He looked at the sick dagger embedded on his mate's chest, but he dared not to pull it out. He knew she would bleed to death, and as much as he hated to admit it, the blade undoubtedly pierced her precious heart. All the thoughts running in his mind was towards how to save Rin dying in his arms.The Tensaiga can't save her any longer.An all too familiar grief started to envelop his whole being, but he refused to accept it.No. Not today. NOT NOW!
The two were unaware that all the battle had ceased when everyone caught the scent of human blood.
Sesshomaru felt a hand cupping his cheek comfortingly, and his hand automatically went to press it to his face. His other hand wiped the blood trickling down from the corner of her mouth.
"Don't… look… so sad."She smiled at him weakly.
"You will not abandon this Sesshomaru. I command you to stay with me! You promised… this Sesshomaru to give him a huge family. Remember?" His voice cracked and his hands were shaking.
Rin's tears ran down from her face."I'm so… sorry."Her breath suddenly hitched.
"Don't talk anymore." His eyes burned. He could hear her heartbeat struggling and weakening.
"Kiss me."If this was the end, she wanted nothing but to feel his love one last time.
"You will not die on me, do you hear me Rin!" Her broken will to live made him want to rip his own heart out at the pain of losing her.
Rin's eyes closed. He gazed at her, then Sesshomaru leaned forward to kiss her just as she wished.
Before their lips met however, a wind suddenly engulfed Rin and a shadow erupted from the blade on her chest. Her eyes were still closed when it covered her whole body, then when the shadow vanished, she was…gone.
Sesshomaru stared at his empty arms in shock and despair. The only thing she left was a small pool of blood on the ground.
Every other vampire in the vicinity also disappeared in the same manner; a shadow engulfing them until Kaname was the only one left.
Kaname stared at the unmoving Sesshomaru. He was still kneeling on the ground and his arms remained in the same position, as if expecting Rin to reappear. A shadow began to wrap around Kaname's legs. "Remember this pain, Sesshomaru. Know this pain unlike any other.And avenge her." He said before he vanished.
Koga, Sakemaru and Jaken stared at Sesshomaru in uncertainly.
"Sesshomaru-sama." Jaken said, his eyes brimming with tears.
He failed her. He let his guard down and let Rin…diefor the third time.The demon Lord stood up and he shook in anger. His eyes turned blood red and the corners of his mouth lengthened. Sesshomaru's grief swiftly turned into unbridled fury, transforming himself into his true form, a huge dog demon. Bloodlust filled his head as he roared deafeningly and leaped into the air in pursuit.
Sakemaru tensed. "Jaken! If I die, tell my sister I am sorry."
Jaken stared at him dumbly as Sakemaru also assumed his true demon form. His mission was to prevent Sesshomaru from doing anything reckless, since Sakemaru had failed to protect the human girl. He growled loudly towards Sesshomaru and body slammed the demon dog to the side.
Sesshomaru bared his fangs at Sakemaru and snarled.
I might have just signed my death warrant, but I have to drag him back to the West and have this Rin predicament be sorted out.Sakemaru thought, as he bared his fangs at Sesshomaru in return.
o-o
"Rin…" Back at the West, Lady Shirahime whispered in the wind while staring at the shattered vase of hibiscus.
o-o-o-o-o
Yep, my first cliffy. Don't hate me I still love you all! Lol.Next Chapter: Chapter 7: The War
Kuruhyouga returns with vital information to tell the grieving Lord who's bent on revenge.