InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Two Princes ❯ A Cruel Mistress ( Chapter 4 )

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

Kagome arrived home about twenty minutes after dealing with an emergency meeting called on by her board of designers and her very irritably assistant, whom did nothing but vaguely insult her throughout the meeting. Her mother had driven home after she'd arrived at VIZ Towers, telling her she'd had work in the morning. Kagome'd wished her all the best, but knew she should problably call her as soon as she arrived home and assure her that all was still well. As of the current moment, she was sitting in a private office with her irritable assistant. Kagome had never felt more like a 10 year old in her life, sitting there trying to explain to mother why she told the little white lie.
"First not telling me about the boyfriend, and NOW you go off thinking you can have panic attacks in the middle of the day, admit yourself to the hospital and leave without telling anyone. What the HECK, Kagome?!" Mia raged, her hands all akimbo as she circled the front of her with no particular direction in mind. "Since when do friends do this to one another?!"
"I'm sorry.." Kagome mumbled.
"No! You aren't, otherwise it wouldn't be happening anymore!" Mita continued, leaning against the desk. "You've been doing this for years, since I've even known you! And I'm sick of it! Not only am I sick of it, but I'm sure that Yuka and Eri are tired of it too! You don't make us apart of anything anymore, you avoid us whenever you can, and we have to drag you somewhere to get you away from work as a fantasy writer!"
She paused for a breath, her gaze not meeting Kagome's watering eyes.
"Well guess what. I've scheduled a meeting with this guy's Publicist, and we'll be going head to head with him together, and we'll be making statements. Tonight. So you are going to get on your usual jeans and shirt and I'll haul you over there to make your statements, like it or not."
Mia turned on her heel and opened the door, blowing papers off of Viz's borrowed desk and slamming the door in her face.
Kagome stared after her, trying not to let the tears fall. What she was even crying about, she really wasn't sure. Was it possibly that it was because every word of it was true? Was it the fact a big piece of the past had suddenly blown up in her face, ripping every wound she'd tried desperately to heal to shreds again? Maybe it was the possibility of failing again that scared her so much, the possibility that if this were to go wrong again, there would be no well to escape to?
Kagome's heart ached with the what-if's and could-be's, and as she stood, she felt her legs shake a mite.
'I didn't used to be like this...'
Even as she thought it, striding for the door as she wiped away the traces of wetness from the sides of her eyes, she wondered if it were at all possible to change again.

Sesshoumaru strode purposefully toward the door of his appartment complex with a single goal in mind: Find Sensigushi and beat him to a bloody pulp. Ishin Sensigushi was the Northern Demon Lord, his territories being well distinguished as the 'Party Hub' of Japan. Good things tended to happen there more often than naught. Lucky people left with fortunes, and even luckier left in love. Seeing as love and luck were not part of Sesshoumaru's particular conquests this particular day, his presence would be well noted by the third party controlling the luck and love. Each Demon Lord had his own way of governing the demons within his territory, and Ishi had almost a mafia of demons that watched the borders of the territory. His presence would be watched, and accepted as a potentially hostile movement.
As he crossed into the Northern territories, he'd already felt more than one demon presence beginning to close in on him, watching him from a distance to discern his actions. Hostile? The word had some very good terms for Sesshoumaru, as he breezed down the sidewalk for the eagle-demon's regular hangout with a paper clutched murderously in one hand. His self-control was admirable in such a situation. He rounded the corner to Beautiful Soundo, a CD shop that Ishi owned on the side of ruling the Northern Territory. To each demon his own hobby.
The tinted glass didn't hide the powerful demon's unusually soothing presence, and Sesshoumaru pushed the door open with more force than necessary. Two demons of average strength followed him, like bouncers to a club, as Sesshoumaru headed for the swaying straight hair of a very young looking man. He had his back turned to the Sesshoumaru as he swayed in time with the faint beat of a song that was thrumming through the headphones pressed into his sensitive ears before a rack of popular generation CDs.
"Ishi....!" A low growl bubbled up from Sesshoumaru's chest, his body tensing to make a leap at the smaller demon. Both of Sensigushi's body guards hastened forward as another closing the door and locked it to customers, moving to intercept a possible attack on their territory's Keeper. The sudden motion of Ishi's arm stopped them, a clawed hand held up as he lifted one finger.
"Just a sec, Sessh, lemme finish this demo for Gazette's newest..." He hummed before going quiet again. Sesshoumaru flashed forward and ripped the headphones off the demon's ears, spinning him around via one of his shoulders.
The demon before him appeared to be late teens, early twenties, with straight, honey-brown hair that was layered in the popular style. It framed his face, nearly hiding the vibrant red irises of his eyes. Ishi had also had his nose and ear peirced, to better blend in with the humans of this era, and the tiny blood-red drop on his nose made his eyes scream their colour.
"Heeeyy, what was that for?!" Ishi complained, grabbing Sesshoumaru's larger hand and twisting it around with a satisfying crunch before snatching the headphones back.
"When I need help with any kind of social life within my domain, I'll notify you, Ishin. Until then stay out of personal afairs." Sesshoumaru growled, working the shattered bone in his wrist back into place to heal properly. Ishi turned away and hit the stop button on the demo-rack before continuing his conversation, arms draping over a shirt that read NO NONSENSE: ADMIT TO PERFECTION in bright orange.
"C'mon Sessh, y'know I only meant it all in fair play." Ishin's voice was smoothe, high and clear. "Besides, you might as well get something out of being mistaken for Higurashi Kagome's boyfriend."
Ishi reached around Sesshoumaru to grab another CD off the large, wide rack behind him, never letting his eyes leave Sesshoumaru's.
"There is no kind of political gain-"
"Who's been sayin' political?" Ishi interrupted with a charming grin. "MEHbe, you could try 'n earn a bit of a reputation in the human world and work up, like Tazuna did."
The Tazuna Ishi referred to was a demon who had started work in the 80s for a music revolution. Too much popularity nearly did the demon in, but he learned to make use of it and was now a valued patron to society's music listenings.
"I haven't the patience, nor the want for human flings and nonsense." Sesshoumaru responded with a flick of claws waving irritably in the air. He turned and paced the floor of store.
"Its bad enough to have to try to disappear, blend in with the native humans when you never really try. If you are gonna be so deffiant about conforming, Sessh, just make a splash by being famous. It couldn't hurt."
"I haven't the want for fame." Sesshoumaru replied bitterly. Ishi sighed.
"Then what do you want, Sessh? To waste away? To be the unmoving rock in the middle of a constantly moving stream?" Ishi paused to let his words sink in. "Even your father knew when it was time to change, Sessh. Reputation by Force means nothing in a world where demons no longer rule. We are barely making it as it is."
The plastic wrapping of the CD crackled as Ishi removed it and put the CD into the demo machine.
"Besides, isn't that the one you fought with your little brother about?"
A loud crack ripped through the air, Ishi's guards not even seeing Sesshoumaru move. He had Ishin in one clawed hand, the full four-plus-feet off the ground, blood running right side of his mouth where Sesshoumaru had struck him with the clenched fist that was lingering at his side, ready for another blow.
"She has nothing to do with this, Ishin. Silence your tongue and respect the dead."
Ishi's eyes went dark.
"I am respecting he dead by bringing it back up. It was an unresolved tension between you two, and I was both of your guys' friend. He wanted you to take care of this, and here is the chance to make that little voice go away." He spat the blood in his mouth on Sesshoumaru's clean white dress shirt. "You don't need to go off and be an ass about it. Besides, we can't cancel it now that everyone is expecting you there!"
Sesshoumaru turned on one heel before swinging the door open.

"And now, I bring you Higurashi Kagome! She wants to clarify a few things as far as the rumors going around that she's hooked up with a platinum blond hottie!" The hostess giggled, waltzing to the side of the two tables where she would be mediator between the two guests. Two seats were set up on the one to the left, and two on the one to the right. Kagome walked around the large screen seperating her from the audience and was greeted with a roar of applause and shouts from her fans. Her jeans were tailored to her long legs, her shirt, an exotic gift from a designer to better advertise his line, was bright pink with gold splashed across the right side and intricate neon green initials of the designer's name. The only accessory Kagome wore was a brightly coloured knit scarf. She sat as Mita followed her in a much more business formal skirt-suit, with a black pressed skirt that went to her thighs and a matching blazer with a bright pink dress-shirt underneat it. Soft pink-coloured pearls encircled her neck and a pair of black high-back peep-toe stillettos with pink ribbons on them made her look every bit of the aggressive, yet very attractive publicist she was. The tension was screaming in both of them.
"Now introducing the platninum blond hottie's publicist, Ishin Sensigushi!" the Hostess squealled.
A small young man with dyed, honey brown coloured hair spiked stylishly walked around the corner in a snazy vertical-striped suit with hazy silver sunglasses covering his eyes. He smiled charmingly at the crowd as he pocketted the sunglasses to reveal blue eyes, drawing a coo from all the ladies in the audience.
"I'm here representing the infamous Taishou Sesshoumaru, of the Inu Building industries. Sessh has a previous engagement, so I'm afraid he won't be able to attend tonight."
It surprised both Kagome and Mita how deep his voice was for how tiny the man was. The crowd seemed a bit taken aback by it as well, because noone uttered a sound as he sat at one of the seats.
"And now, bring on the questions! Please be courteous and respectful to those speaking with silence with each question!"
The shouting began, each screaming his own question until finally Mita waved for silence and pointed to one of the columnists from the National.
"You there. From the National. Go ahead."
"This is for Miss Kagome! Miss Kagome, please, what is your relationship to Mister Taishou?! How do you know one another?!"
Kagome gave him a thoughtful look.
"Like how did we meet?"
"Yes!"
"Well... It was along time ago, actually. I can't believe I'd run into him after all this time. Just an old aqcuantance to an old friend."
"An old friend like girl-friend or boyfriend?"
Kagome tried not to stutter, but failed miserably until Mita intervened.
"One question a person please. Now the young blond girl, third to right."
"I want to ask what he just asked!"
"......... Just a friend. An old male friend."
Mita leaned into Kagome with a fake smile on for the crowd.
"That was the worst answer I've ever heard. Now they'll assume it was a boyfriend, you idiot."
"...."
"Now, from the back. The one with the lolita dress on." the Hostess pointed.
"Kagome, Kagome! I love you! Thats all!"
Kagome nodded with a sympathetic smile. "Thank you. Really, thank you! I appreciate your support."
Screams erupted from the audience to support her acknowledgement of her fandom.
"Now now now, lets continue with the questions! The Representative from the Mega Sweet magazine!"
"Miss Kagome, we realize that your relationships have been very short in the past few years since your debut, if at all exhistant because they were all simply rumors. Will this be your first official relationship as a successful writer?"
"Y'know what? Why don't we start off with a statement first from both parties." Mita interrupted. "To better understand the circumstances, I think we need a little bit of explanation! So, Kagome, go ahead and let them know about your relationship with Taishou-san."
Kagome tried not to pale at the limelight she'd been thrust into. As it was, she had become used to constant attention that came from having a wildly succesful book series, but this was completely different.
"Well, Taishou and I met a long time ago, back when I had a bit of a boyfriend. Taishou was my boyfriend's..." She paused, not wanting to say brother, lest they explore their relationship even further. "Friend. I only met Taishou once or twice before, and we never really got along well. To be completely honest, I'm not sure how it turned into the relationship that everyone thinks it is."
Despite her incredible resistance to public humiliation, she blushed hard as questions began to explode from the excited crowd.
"Hush hush!" The hostess shouted above the noise. "We still need to hear from Sensigushi-san!"
The screams began to erupt as the young man gave another charming smile and ruffled his hair a bit before patting the air, and quieting the crowd.
"I was never fully informed as to how Taishou-sama and Kagome-san met. Taishou never really talks much about his past, so when I learned my client had a girlfriend, I was about as surprised as you guys." His startling blue eyes drifted over towards Kagome, whom hesitantly met his gaze. "I suppose that Kagome-san speaks for their relationship, but I'm sure that Sesshoumaru-sama would object, and tell you how much he loves you."
There was a gasp that went up, sucking the oxygen out of the room. Kagome's mind went blank for a moment, then flushed red.
"My apologies, but Sesshoumaru would sooner tell me he loved me then tell another man." Kagome shot back without a thought. Not only did the girls scream with the outrage of it, but Ishin looked completely stunned.
"W-well, I wouldn't say he's gay-"
"You may consider asking this Sesshoumaru before assuming any of Lady Kagome's accusations are true."
The deep, rich bass of his familiar voice filled the smalll auditorium and completely silenced the crowd as even the stunned hostess turned to acknowledge him. Kagome's head snapped up to see him, standing at the doorway of the auditorium in the middle of the aisle seperating the two sides. He wore a pair of faded, designer jeans, a lax white collar shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and a pair of gold sunglasses, which he removed in favor of turning his golden eyes towards both parties. And his expression for both of them was far from friendly.
"First of all, it is rude to put words in the mouths of those that will likely bite at the hand that feeds it to them. Secondly, it is shameful to bear one's private life and spatter it all over the pages of news articles without knowing the whole truth of the story. And thirdly, if this Sesshoumaru wanted you to know how he enjoyed his sex, he'd be sure to let you know." He paused, giving what could be called a scowl to both parties on the stage. "Seeing as that is not the case here, this Sesshoumaru does not understand the purpose and point of this press conferance when there is nothing for to explain, nor a point or purpose to the argument."
A young woman jumped up and flailed her hand in the air, unawares of the danger in attracting the attention of the beautiful, white-haired man.
"Can you prove you aren't gay?"
Kagome was alarmed at the sudden burst of anger she saw eminating from his aura as he whipped his head away from the dark haired woman to stride towards the stage. In a four strides, he was there, and with one bound, he'd made his way towards her table. Kagome jumped up and meant to move back if it hadn't been for a long arm encircling her waist and pulling her nearly over the table. Her eyes widened at the feel of warm lips pressing quietly into her own, and gold eyes that watched her intensely as he deepened the kiss she hadn't expected. She sucked in a breath when he nipped at her lower lip and whimpered when a warm, pliant muscle invaded her mouth with lustful purpose. And all at once it was over and Sesshoumaru turned his back to her.
"Any other questions regarding this Sesshoumaru's sexuality?" He all but growled. A thousand hands shot up and the roaring crowd began to press forward. "Then we are done here."
She heard him murmur. Still in a slight state of shock, and a bit brave in the wake of building rage from the stolen kiss, she ran after him.
It took a few minutes for the anger to come through, but when it did, Kagome yelled after him in the corridor of the hotel they'd scheduled their press conferance.
"Hey! Get back here, I'm not done with you yet you thieving bastard!" She screamed with a raised fist. Sesshoumaru appeared suddenly before her and looked down on her with a dark frown as the paparazzi outside began its fit.
"What else is it that you wish to destroy in my peaceful life, Higurashi-san? You've already trampled all over my privacy, my sexuality, and introduced my home as a place for the bloodhounds of news reporters to call a living. Shall we elope to seal this process, make it newsworthy?" He spat, his features in a perma-frown. Kagome felt a bit shocked by his outburst of angry emotion. She'd last remembered him wearing a blank face, stained with the blood of an imposter and no signs of remorse, and here he was standing before her in a rage that was completely justified, yet to be covered with the blood of a kill.
"I-I-I just w-wanted to take back the Shikon you took from me!" She protested weakly. His golden eyes made a round in their sockets and he grabbed her by wrist and dragged her after him, ignoring the cameras as the sunglasses went back on.
"Very well, but after this you will vow never to invade my privacy again with your meaningless paprazzi and needless fuss. Fame does not suit this Sesshoumaru."

They had managed to wade through the cameras, reporters, and fans sitting outside the hotel's rear entrance to get into a small car. It wasn't new by any means, and certainly didn't bear a millionare's signature, but when Sesshoumaru jammed the key in and commanded her to go around to the passenger's door, she made no complaints.
Sesshoumaru grabbed a handful of her hair before thrusting her head between her knees as the road made it's way back out toward traffic, weary of the crowd filing out of the hotel's complex. Kagome breathed heavy for a long minute, trying to bite back the reflex panic that'd jumped up again. As his fingers relaxed, and soon oozed away from her head, she came up slow and peered out the window then back at the white-haired Dog Demon. Inside, the miko was shaking at the building youkai aura in the car. The markings that had been hidden on his face were re-emmerging, dark purple slashes and crimson splashed eyes boldly re-claiming the heritage of an InuYoukai.
Not once on the quiet half-hour trip did he say a word, if not more than stew in his own anger. Kagome truly didn't want to try and make conversation. After tonight, their association would be over.
A large part of her heart let out an almost audible crack at the revelation. During the silent remainder of her trip she contemplated it. Chance? Was it really chance that brought her to see him again. In her remembrance of Sesshoumaru, there was no real relationship that they could claim to have with the minor admittances of unwanted family aquantance. She went through every story she could have remembered where Sesshoumaru had unwittingly appeared and saw no significance. Nothing. So why was that small portion of Kagome's soul breaking in light of losing him?
The car stopped and jolted her out of thought.
"Come." Was his only word. She followed meekly after him, through the swinging door and into the elevator.
It was still silent on their way up, even more awkwardly so when another tenant joined them in the elevator. Sesshoumaru strode purposefully to his door and opened it with a sharp jerk, admitting her.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, I've-" came an elderly woman's voice.
"Get out."
"You've no need to speak to me-"
"OUT WOMAN. OUT." There was a loud clatter and a gasp. Kagome stood in the doorway, her anger steadily building over the years of hurt as Old Lady Suzuki quickly came around the kitchenette's archway. She snatched the old woman's kimono and escorted her down the hall to the door.
"Don't take it personally. He's angry with me, not you, Suzuki-san." She reassured the trembling old woman. Suzuki's eyes flared.
"Well if it weren't for my graceful temper with men, I'd be dead about now. You tell him that, next time he comes to himself that he owes his obaa-san an apology." She nagged as she closed the door behind her. Kagome chuckled at the old vixen's spirit, but quickly gathered herself and went to face the still demon.
He was on his way through the kitchenette with a glowing pink ball in hand.
"Take it and get out."
Kagome scowled, feeling herself rise to the challenge as one hand raised and slapped him hard across one sculpted cheek. He didn't even move. But Kagome felt her spirit continue to come up, welling over her and returning her to a former self she'd forgotten about.
"How dare you speak to an elder like that? Even you have more respect than that." She scolded. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"You would do well to watch your tongue, Miko. If This Sesshoumaru were any semblance of his old self, you'd be dead by now for wagging your tongue more than necessary." He growled. Kagome didn't even see his hand coming, and was almost dazzed to find herself planted on her rump. Fear coursed through her, locking up her.
"So help me, I will purify you if you come any closer." She warned shakily, edging around the Inu-Youkai towards the sword that was resting on his desk. It was whipped up in a second as she clammored forward for it and aimed it at a demon that was no longer before her, but behind her.

He could smell her sweat, hear her pulse pound, and the decades of discipline and self-control were beginning to slip away.
"You couldn't stop me from killing you even if you tried." He sneered, one hand grabbing a fistful of her hair and jerking her head back. Sesshoumaru didn't even wince at the painful cry, but snatched the stolen Tensaiga from her hand and throwing it back onto the desk.
"You owe me your life, miko. If not for me you'd be dead. At least remember this and leave things as they are in an attempt clear your debt."
He didn't say any more as he dragged her up over his shoulder kicking and shouting something about 'manhandling'. Only a foot away was the table. He dropped her onto the table with a resounding thud, and reveled in the way she gasped to suck in the lost breath. Before she knew what was happening, he pushed her pink shirt up to her ribcage. His claws ghosted over her skin, gooseflesh raising along his trail.
"W-whu?!" Kagome cried out in surprise, only to scream a second later. Sesshoumaru had wearily cut the sensitive flesh open, pushing two fingers slowly in first before adding a third to make room behind her ribs without nicking her lungs.
"Ahh! Hahhhaaahhh......"
Her heartbeat was beating irregularly as her body attempted to deal with the pain, her lungs fluttering to try to keep time. He did not retreat, even as her pupils dilated and rolled back into her head.
"Uhhnnn...." She moaned, and screamed when he had to push further up in her ribs. Now she was beginning to protest, pushing at the hand stuck into her body with a mite of her power pushed into her hands. He nearly yanked his hand out of her when he scented and felt the skin of his hand begin to burn. She was purifying his hand! Taking that hand into one of his own, he pinned it with her other hand and held her down with his torso. After he had her secured, he got ready for the main event: the Shikon in his pocket. He pulled his fingers out of her ribs and reached beside her head.
"Please....!..Oh......" She was beginning to fade, her racing heartbeat jumping in her throat. The blood coated hand held the Shikon in its palm, two of his fingers brushing a bead of sweat away from her forehead and stroking her cheek.
"Hush, miko.. Its almost over..." His hand drew a steady path down her neck, over her collarbones and breast, back down to her ribs. "This Sesshoumaru will leave you in peace soon enough, little miko.."
Without another word, he carefully pushed the Shikon-no-Tama up into the abused flesh until he was certain it would be secure. The poison in his claws lit up as he seared the wound closed. He surveyed his work before walking into the kitchen and grabbing a towel hanging over the dishwasher to run under hot water. He carefully rinsed and washed his hands, removing burnt flesh and blood. Then he turned back to the table with the towel in hand. The miko had long since passed out due to his rough handling, her face white and already drenched in sweat. It would take forever to get the smell out, part of him thought. The other half watched with conflicted thought. She was struggling so hard not to let anyone see she was fighting her past. The miko she once was disapated under the onslaught of the cameras, he'd seen it. There was no more firey, kick-you-in-the-face, purify-your-ass attitude left.
Timidity and hesitation came with every decision and she wasn't quite as clear cut. Jaded, his brain supplied. An odd urge swelled beneath his exterior, watching her sleep. Strolling forward, he put on hand on her hip, the other beneath her spine to draw her to the other side of the table. Her legs came off the edge, hair splayed in a sweaty mess on the cherrywood table and her ribs bloodied and bruised. The towel dabbed at the blood, mopping up the brilliant red mess he'd made on her chest until it was no more.
Almost as if it were habit, he smoothed his hand out from under her back over her hip, stroking with his knuckles around his work as if to shoo away the pain.
"We'll forget one another soon enough, Kagome.."

"You don't understand, he is powerful enough without the Shikon!" She protested hotly, pleading boiling beneath the anger. "He doesn't need to turn into you to be powerful!"
He'd grabbed one of her wrists jerked her forward only to backhand her.
"You insult my kind?" He asked coldy. "He is his own master, my opinion of him is not heightened nor lowered any more than it is with his blood. He will always be impure, thus that rock of yours matters not to this Sesshoumaru.""Please, Lord Sesshoumaru..." She said again, wiping the blood away from her mouth, her eyes beginning to go red. "Persuade him otherwise."
He turned tail and didn't look back as he replied.
"This Sesshoumaru's decision is final. That dog isn't a pup to be coddled, Miko. Learn your lesson now, before it becomes regret."
"I'll do anything!"
He paused at this statement, but made no move to face her and continued a moment later.
"You cannot persuade this Sesshoumaru any further. I refuse."
"Sesshoumaru..."
Even her soft voice, the one she'd only used twice before, could not change his mind this time. She'd made her choice. It was high time she'd dealt with it.

He sighed and breathed her name. Oh, why was fate such a cruel mistress? Dealing him cards one moment to fold the next and recieve the winning hand a thousand years in the future.
Fate is truly a bitch, one with far too many mood swings. We told you this long before our death, baka inu.
Sesshoumaru huffed as he pulled her fragile body up and off the table.
"I haven't anything to say to you, teme inu." He replied.