InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Violation of Honor ❯ Chapter 12 - Intentions of Escape ( Chapter 12 )

Violation of Honor

By Rinseternalsoul

**Disclaimer: I do this for free. I'm not affiliated with Rumiko Takahashi's Inuyasha, and only write free fanfiction for my love of twisting her character's to my dark, demented will. May the smut live on.

Chapter 12 - Intentions of Escape

A/N: To all of my reviewers, thank you for the reviews! Some are funny, and some serious, while some simply feed my ego. I appreciate every single one.

To Risa, my beta: Thank you, dear, for the dedication and support. You are a gem!

I apologize for the lengthy spell between updates. Life at my place has been pretty crazy lately. That tends to leave me with writer's block. That's all the excuse that I have.  

Oda Nobunaga surveyed the death and destruction around him with a sense of accomplishment and no small amount of disgust. His path to greatness was taking a toll on the lives of all, both for and against him. Although he regretted the need to take the lives of so many, it was a necessary stepping stone in the grand scheme of things. His plans were made and his enemies molded. There was no turning back now.

With a heavy sigh he flicked his great sword sending a spray of discarded blood onto the face of the fallen General at his feat. His sudden heartfelt discouragement brought about a growl from his throat and he hocked up a good spit, which he added to the crimson carnage.

Damn it all, he was tired.

He sheathed his sword then turned to navigate his way through the bodies littering the battlefield. He peered around the edges of the forest, looking for his horse, which had been discarded in the heat of battle and an onslaught of foot soldiers pulling him down. The mighty warrior winced from the flash of pain from a shallow wound to his right leg, but shrugged off the burn as inconsequential. After all, victory was at hand.

The win should have revitalized him, but in truth, it was hard to push aside his weariness from the battle enough to enjoy it. Even his men seemed to be missing the thrill of conquest today. It had been a long hard fight.

And it was finally time to go home.

He missed his wife, demure and delicate, always polite and prim. He also missed his grandchildren - the devils - and a good home spun meal. His chef was a most talented man. Oda grunted at the thought and absently rubbed a callused dirty hand around on his grumbling stomach. Perhaps he missed the food most of all.

His outlook brightened when he considered that he had more awaiting his return than ever before. He now had a defiant little miko with a brilliant smile and fiery temper. She would add much spice to his home life and he looked forward to reining her in.

Kagome.

The woman would make a fine mistress, once she was trained. He had spent many recent nights dreaming of her unusual blue eyes and snappy wit. Oda was convinced that she would be a wildcat in his bed.

He was brought out of his reverie when a hand clasped his ankle nearly making him stumble. Nobunaga looked down to find a young man - an enemy - grasping him with pain and desperation in his eyes. The boy was half-dead from a gut wound and blood poured from his mouth when he coughed miserably. Oda curled his lip and drew his sword. He wasted no time dispatching the fallen soldier into the afterlife.

How dare the pitiful beggar touch his person!

Without another thought he cleaned his blade and re-sheathed it at his side. He continued to his steed, taking up the reins and pulling himself into the saddle. From atop his mount he looked around, surveying the damage and mentally tallying his losses. It was clear that his men had been the better fighters.

After a bath in the nearby stream he headed back to his tent. Once settled, Nobunaga made ready for his army to exit the area on the following morning. He hoped to arrive at his palace home within two days. There was much to be done, but his army was well versed in the tasks and would accomplish them with little input needed from him. The exhausted daimyo was just tossing his sharpening kit into his bag when he heard the fast beat of hooves approaching outside.

He looked up when his guard stepped in with another soldier bringing up the rear. The man looked travel weary, dusty and drained. He kept his eyes down then dropped to a respectable bow.

"Speak," Oda ordered, anxious to hear the reason for the disruption. He'd had a long day and was nearly ready to retire.

"My lord! I have come to deliver news of your personal guard, sir. My corporal and I were traveling with our battalion and found his body." He reached forward, wary of the feared ruler, and offered a single gold emblem that had been concealed in his palm.

Oda took the crest and looked it over with narrowed, angry eyes. It belonged to Satoru, Fourth of his personal guard. He looked up and barked out his question, "Was there a woman found... a priestess?"

The soldier shook his head negatively, "No, my lord. There was only the body of the guard, maybe dead two days before we found him. It looked like an ambush, Nobunaga-sama. There were signs of a battle, but clearly your honorable guardsman was outnumbered by the rebels."

With a heavy sigh, Nobunaga turned away from the prostrate soldier. He glared at the emblem as if it would give up its secrets to him. So, Satoru had failed to deliver his priestess. It was clear to him that the rebels had either taken her for themselves or released her. The thought of her ruin and possible death by their impure hands infuriated him, but the glimmer of hope that she had been merely set free gave him reason to search.

Yes. He would search for his miko. He wanted her, and what Oda Nobunaga wanted, he took.

Abruptly he turned, bellowing from deep within his chest, "I want her found! I want the miko, Kagome, sought for and returned to me at once!"

"B... but, sire, the woman could be dead," his guard inserted with no small amount of trepidation.

Oda refused to entertain the thought of that lovely smile gone forever. He refused to imagine the worms eating her creamy flesh. "Find her! Find her NOW!"  

Sesshomaru watched Kagome as she valiantly chipped away at a small stone set in the mud and mortar wall. Amazingly enough she had devised a brittle device to do so from the tiny studded baubles that she wore as adornments in her ears. She had pulled them out and blindly studied them with no small amount of regret. It seemed that she was reluctant to part with them.

"They were a gift from my friend Hojo," she had said.

He wondered what Hojo had been to Kagome, but was unable to ask. The normally talkative female had not offered any other insight to her relationship with the male, which only served to further fuel his curiosity. The trinkets themselves did not appear to be anything of value, and surely he was correct, for her captives would have relieved her of them earlier. So, was her reservations about using them purely sentimental?

Personally, Sesshomaru did not think that her plan would bear fruit anyway. The tiny little posts, so delicately glued to the blue orbs of glass, did not appear strong enough to dig the dirt from beneath his nails, much less mortar from between stone.

He had spent the good part of an hour simply watching her careful exploration of the old stones within her reach, searching for the perfect one to focus her attentions. Her dainty little fingers rubbed over the rough surfaces with careful consideration before she chose one an arms length away from where his rump sat.

He cursed the fact that she had chosen one so close. She smelled divine.

Kagome had then begun the tedious task of gouging out miniscule granules of dry mortar, carefully applying pressure without putting too much stress on the tiny, delicate tool held between her fingers. Her progress was slow, but amazingly enough, somewhat fruitful. The ancient grout sifted away nearly one grain at a time, but she did not give up in her quest. She continued her advance, slowly gouging a growing crevice from around that one small stone.

Sesshomaru began to wonder if he had been wrong. Perhaps the miko would find a way.

Kagome could feel his eyes on her. She knew that he was watching, even though she could not see. His actions were confusing. Why was he so quiet? Was he really mute? The truth ate at her. On one hand she wanted to be angry for his continued silence, on the other she was remorseful. He must have suffered something terrible either way.

"If I can just work this stone loose, then I can possibly use it to break through the metal link around your wrist." Kagome then shrugged her shoulders and added, "And if that doesn't work, well, maybe I can crack that rotten jailer over the head with it."

Sesshomaru turned to her sharply, amazed that she could be so feral, and she further astounded him by stopping to return his stare, though admittedly her aim was a little off - she was actually looking just over his shoulder.

"I will," Kagome insisted, as if he had questioned her resolve. "I will, and I won't be sorry about it. I will say a prayer for his soul, but I will not be sorry."

Oddly enough, he believed her. There was something in her expression; something deep in her eyes that spoke of her willingness to take that ultimate step in orchestrating their escape. She would kill to free them. Unbelievably, the knowledge made his manhood even harder.

"He's an evil man anyway. I fight evil. That's my job. It was what I was born to do," she continued. She sounded like she was attempting to validate her cold-hearted proclamation, and Sesshomaru wished that he could reassure her. Her statement had not been distasteful to his ears. On the contrary, it only made him want her that much more.

"Although, I haven't ever killed a human," she added with a frown. "It's not something that I want to do. I promise you that."

There was no need to convince him. Sesshomaru knew all too well this woman's penchant for saving lives in lieu of taking them. The frown she wore on her dirt-streaked face left him with an urge to smooth the fine lined wrinkle from her brow. He wanted to see her smiling, laughing, not this look of ill-fated acceptance. She deserved better.

Her efforts to free them were constant, but tediously slow. She persisted with the dedication of one who still held hope close within her heart. He never wanted to see the day that it was taken from her, but if they did not escape soon, he feared that day might arrive all too quickly. Asuza and her followers were ruthless scum. Kagome's safety here was precarious at best. Nobunaga's orders would not protect her long in a place as vile as this. It would only take one false move to end her fragile life. A cross word or a foul temper.

When Kagome could no longer feel her fingers and her knuckles refused to straighten, she finally settled down for a rest. Her shoulder ached from the constant position that she assumed in order to work. She groaned as she rolled first her neck and then her shoulders. The loose burn only brought fleeting relief and she knew that she would be sore there tomorrow.

After tucking the earring posts carefully into the folds of her shirt, Kagome scooted back to her meager bedding and settled down. She yawned widely, yet tried to hold on to polite behavior by covering her mouth, unfortunately, her curled hand was so stiff that the effort failed miserably. "Sorry," she mumbled, before lying down and resting her head on her slender forearm. "I guess all that digging has worn me out."

He watched her as thick, dark lashes fluttered closed, covering eyes so blue that they appeared unearthly. He was curious about that as well. How was it that a girl from Japan possessed eyes of such vivid blue? It was a trait that added considerably to her mystique.

The following morning, Kagome was brought to awareness by something disturbing that was penetrating through the thick fog of sleep. It was a noise that she wanted to ignore, but couldn't.

She had slept, but the ground was hard and left her body sore all over. She was also hungry, hungrier than she had ever been in her life. Thirst raged, her bladder was full, and the cramps were nearly unbearable.

Cramps...

Kagome groaned and rolled onto her back. She was rubbing her eyes with hands heavy from rest when the sound that disturbed her sleep grew in volume. Growling....

Kagome sat up fast and scooted against the bars of her cell. She couldn't see anything clearly, just shades of gray and darker gray. Immediately she identified the source as her normally silent cellmate.

Sesshomaru could hardly stand the torment anymore. Her menses had begun during the night and while she slept peacefully, he remained torturously awake while breathing in her essence. He inhaled deeply, amazed that he could still salivate while desperate of thirst.

Another growl rumbled from his chest when she came awake and he nearly ripped his arms from the sockets just to lean a little closer.

Blood. It was his divine salvation. The key to strength. He needed it. He wanted it.

His cock throbbed with longing.

"Um... what's going on?" Kagome asked. Her voice was husky from sleep and her dark hair tousled about her head.

He could have probably answered without her recognizing his voice, since his beast was stirred and hungry. He could have told her what he wanted, but couldn't bring himself to say the words. What would she think? Would his voice, more animal than man, scare her? Would his request disgust her?

"Mmmm.... something smells.... delicious."

The pained declaration brought out an 'eep' from Kagome, who wasn't expecting to hear an answer, but she quickly recovered and jumped to her feet. "Uchuu!"

Uchuu tried to move, but found it was just too damned difficult to pull off. He could hear a woman calling his name.... "Sumiho?"

"No, it's Kagome. Uchuu, I was so afraid for you. Are you alright?"

Uchuu managed to lift his head, turning it toward the feminine voice. Kagome? Who was.... Then he remembered. The miko, Kagome. He was in the dungeon again. He groaned from the pain shooting through his body. He hurt all over, but his tail was on fire. He needed to get up. He needed to seek out that wonderful, mouth watering, smell.

"I want.... Oh Gods.... blood. I smell blood," he managed to say.

Kagome turned five shades of red and automatically looked down when a tale-tell drop, hidden beneath her clothing, traced a meandering path down the inside of her thigh. She gasped so hard that she nearly sucked her tongue down her throat, then clamped her legs together. "Oh no," she whispered fretfully.

The growl she heard from her cellmate began to have meaning and Kagome could have died from embarrassment. She swiftly made her way to the loathsome bucket to take care of her morning needs. She gave a glare toward her companion, a clear sign to look the other way, then sat. Peeing in the bucket - in the presence of two males - had once been the most humiliating thing that she had ever done. That act had now taken second place.

While emptying her bladder, she brought up the loose leg of her hakama and ripped. The material had seen better days so it gave way without too much protest. She used one piece to clean herself up, and folded a longer piece that she would have to use as a makeshift pad.

Meanwhile, Uchuu was coming fast to full consciousness. His youkai body was horribly wounded and it called out to the scent that was driving him toward madness. Blood. He needed that blood. With an effort that would have staggered a lesser demon, he managed to pull himself to a sitting position. He forcefully relaxed his teeth, which were clenched so tightly that he thought they might splinter.

He peeled his eyelids open one at a time and looked down at his hands. His fingers were mutilated, swollen and angry, discolored by dark bruises of red, blue and black. His feet were in no better condition. Several toes were broken and two were missing completely. Faintly he wondered how long it would take to grow them back. He curled his neck to look at his chest and stomach, covered in cuts that stung like a bitch, but it was his tail that hurt so damned badly.

Kagome heard his panic. She heard the sound that could have come from a child, but was too masculine to mistake. The horror in Uchuu's voice sent goose flesh crawling over her arms and Kagome abandoned her efforts to tie the pad to her body in order to try and reassure him.

"Uchuu, calm down! You are injured badly. You must stay still or you will only make it worse!" Unfortunately the plea fell on deaf ears, for Uchuu was thrashing about wildly, but mewing like a hurt puppy. It was horrible and frightening. She wanted to help, but had to fight the urge to cover her ears and cry. "Please, Uchuu. You are scaring me!"

"My tail! Those mother-fucker's cut off my Gods-be-damned tail!" he screamed.

Kagome jerked away from the bars as if she had been bitten. She had no idea of how to comfort him. He had discovered the extent of their torture and nothing that she could say would make the revelation easier for her friend to bear. How do you console someone who suddenly woke up to discover they were missing a limb? She imagined that to Uchuu, his tail was as important as her right arm.

Tears began to fall.

She couldn't stop them from coming, even though it was waste of energy and body fluids that she needed desperately to preserve. Tears for a friend's pain were as natural to her as breathing.

It was sometime before the shock of his discovery lessened enough for Uchuu to recognize the scent of mortal tears. He had only smelled them a few times in his life, but the salty twang was not easily mistaken. With the revelation also came the recognition of the other scent permeating the musty dungeon air. Feminine blood.

Uchuu released the death grip that he had on his tail, wincing at the pain in his hands as the adrenaline born of desperation and fury began to fade from his system. He stumbled over the chain attached to his right leg, noticing for the first time that he had been left unbound save for that one restraint.

When he looked up he found the little miko in her cell, crouched into a huddle of dirty red and white fabric. Her black hair, matted and filthy with bits of straw clinging to the mess, was fallen in a spread that covered her face from his view. He could just see the small tremor of her shoulders brought about by her sobs, and wondered at the cause. Was she afraid of him, or maybe she was scared that the ones who had tortured him would do the same to her?

"Why are you crying priestess?" Uchuu asked.

Kagome lifted her head, wiping roughly at her tears as if she were disappointed in her own weakness. Uchuu found it beautiful that her blue eyes could shine so brightly though they were filled with sadness. He waited for her to answer, and while doing so lowered himself to the floor. His legs could no longer hold him.

Kagome sniffed and dabbed at her nose with the once white sleeve of her kimono. He wanted to know why she was crying. "Because it hurts me when my friends are in pain."

Friend? Uchuu cocked his head to the side and considered her further. He was feeling dizzy and his stomach growled for sustenance. He tried to ignore the failings of his body and focus on the miko's words. She thought of him as a friend?

"I am honored, miko Kagome, to be your friend," Uchuu managed to reply, though his mind was torn between conversation and shouting agony.

His answer obviously stirred the consideration of the inu, because the demon turned intense, red eyes on him. Uchuu felt his insides flinch, but he pushed away the urge to shrink back. His injuries were too great to win a fight, and the instinct to flee harm was fully ingrained in his mind, however, logic told him that he was in no real danger from the inu.

It took only a moment to realize that the demon was only interested in his answer, not angry. That left him to wonder why the youkai's eyes had turned red. The crimson shine was made all the more eerie by the turquoise slivers of the iris. Those predatory eyes held Uchuu in a trance until the white dog blinked and looked away. Unconsciously, Uchuu released a breath of relief.

Uchuu continued to study the dog that was now studying the miko. He watched as the demon's nostrils flared while he sniffed the air and swallowed - as if scenting a giant ham. Uchuu turned his attention to Kagome, who was unaware of the white inu's intense scrutiny. She had managed to dry her tears, and was now smiling toward him. Uchuu thought of her smile as a bright, clean, spot on the stain of darkness that surrounded him.

Vaguely in the background Uchuu heard her thank him for his kindness. He did not respond, since he was fading in and out, hovering just on the edge of awareness, and couldn't seem to focus on more than one thing at a time. While the miko was talking to him, he was busy trying to figure out the clues to a puzzle that was slowly becoming clearer.

The inu was nearly insane from the scent of Kagome's womanly bleeding.

Amazingly, Uchuu managed a sad, half-hearted laugh. Here they were, two youkai -injured and malnourished - desperately in need of blood, yet the stuff may as well have been just a dream. Unfortunately this was no dream and the blood was so close that they could nearly taste it. The scent was powerfully alluring and stirred his instincts, making his staff swell between his legs. Unfortunately the sudden rise was violently cut short by his discovery of the latest addition to his list of maladies.

The bastard's had burned his dick.

Uchuu bit his lip and reached down to grasp his genitals protectively. He sucked in a breath and moved his fingers so that he could inspect the damage. Not too bad, really. A mark two fingers wide on the tender underside. It would heal once he had... blood.

No. He must not allow his mind to dwell on his youkai needs - needs that could not be met. It was useless and would only frighten Kagome. He was, at the very least, thankful that he was not in the same cell with the miko. The scent of blood so near would be dizzying.

Uchuu attempted to distract himself from his pain by thinking thoughts of Sumiho. He wondered if she missed him and if her father was treating her well. He wondered if he would ever see her again, and if she could stand the sight of his abused - now disfigured - body.

The stump of his once long and agile tail hung limply by his side, tormenting him with further proof of the insults made against his person. Not only had they drawn blood and brought breath-stealing pain, but also they left him a deformed prince. Nothing would ever be the same.

His tail was one of the things that set him apart. It was the gift of his royal lineage. Only the king and his kin were blessed with the powerful snake-like tails. It was not only a useful appendage, but a sign of his royal blood. Without it, he was less than a prince. He was broken and shamed. Nothing could have marred his existence more.

How would his brother's see him now? Before, he was never taken seriously. He was the rogue son, bearing little responsibility and much mischievous intent, yet he was respected for his rightful place in the royal household. He was the fifth brother in the line of princes eligible to become king of the Snow Monkey Clan.

No one would accept a king without a tail. It was unheard of.

He would become a joke. The tail-less prince.

Strangely, Uchuu found the cruel image less disturbing than the thought of Sumiho turning away from him in disgust. How would he ever be able to face her again? Following that depressing question was the concern that he may never get the chance to try. He could actually die in this place and Sumiho might never know how deeply he had grown to care for her.

The hours passed. Occasionally Kagome would ask how he was holding up. Uchuu found it was easiest to lie. Her tears were wasted and her worry useless. He was weak and suffering both mentally and physically, but there was no reason to upset her further. She accepted his response, but he suspected that she knew he was making light of his condition.

It was after a lengthy silence that the miko's angry voice once more cut through Uchuu's despairing thoughts.

"... I don't know what your problem is today. You didn't make all this noise about it yesterday."

Uchuu curiously looked up to discover Kagome arguing with her silent cellmate. The inu looked ready to chew through the steel holding him captive and out of reach of the miko. Kagome thought that his growls were from anger, not desperation. Not lust. By the Gods, the dog had a hard-on the size of his forearm. It looked like the demon was suffering much worse than he was, not only from the smell of blood, but from the call of mating.

Kagome, of course, was blind and persistent. She was completely oblivious to the reasons behind her cellmate's suddenly odd behavior. She stopped and turned toward Uchuu with a frustrated human growl.

"Uchuu, tell him that he's being unreasonable. Yesterday, we decided - well, actually I decided and he didn't argue - that we would escape. You're badly wounded. We need to get out of here and get help." She then lowered her voice conspiratorially and continued, "I've been working on loosening a rock. It's slow going, but I really think that I can get it." She again raised her voice to continue, making Uchuu feel the urge to smile despite his pain.

"That rock could be our ticket to freedom, but HE is being a jerk and won't let me near him! I can't help it if he's moody and the only stone loose enough to try and dig free is right by his side!" Kagome slapped her hand over her mouth and looked guiltily toward the door of the dungeon complex.

"Relax Kagome," Uchuu said with a grunt. He moved over a little and carefully lowered himself to a lying position where he could stare at the stony ceiling until the darkness consumed him again. Finally he could breathe through the pain and continued his explanation. "Your cell mate isn't angry with you, miko. You can trust me on that."

Sesshomaru snarled toward the monkey. Yes, he was angry, but only at himself for the lapse in his restraint. He didn't need Uchuu's input on this. He just needed Kagome to stay away.... or perhaps stand over him and spread her creamy thighs.

He groaned and shifted his weight, pushing his hips upward with lean powerful hips. He wanted to sink into her - feel her slick heat. Oh yes, he wanted to do so many things to her sweet human body.

"Well then?" Kagome further prompted. "What's his problem?"

Uchuu ignored the warning growl the inu interjected and began to explain - as delicately as possible - the current torment of her cellmate. "Blood is his problem, Kagome. Blood... and you."

"Oh," she murmured, then, "Oh!" as she realized the full extent of Uchuu's explanation.

"You can say that again," Uchuu agreed with a discouraging laugh. "Normally male youkai wouldn't be so affected by your feminine time, but we are both injured and starved. Our youkai bodies cry out for the blood that we smell. Amongst other things," he added under his breath. He didn't think that it would help to tell Kagome of the sexual responses that her ripening caused, especially in the inu. The dog's reaction was much more severe than his own, but that was probably because he had a giant blister on his dick.

"It's just a nuisance really," Uchuu said. "There's barely enough blood in your entire body to feed either one of us." With a crooked smile that flashed one fang, he tossed out crudely, "What you've got dripping between your legs wouldn't amount to an appetizer."

"Gee thanks!" Kagome snapped with indignation. She didn't need a mirror to know that her face was doing a great impression of a tomato. How could he possibly discuss her period so... so... openly? It was bad enough that she had cramps, no tampons or pads, no Midol, no warm bath, and no chocolate! Now she was stuck with two male youkai who thought of her 'monthly visitor' as a fountain drink!

Kagome turned her attention to her cellmate. Now the low-pitched growls and almost unnoticeable grunts made sense, but with a darker meaning than mere irritability. It was both gross and intriguing, but mostly irritating. She had work to do, and she couldn't let it get in her way.

With a sigh of acceptance, Kagome firmed her shoulders and steadied her resolve. She was sure that she could get the stone loose. She just needed time to work it free. If she went too fast, she could break the delicate little earring posts. She had to work steady and slowly to free it from its resting-place. She couldn't give up now.

"Okay, Kagome began, I understand that you are under pressure because of hunger. I realize that you need blood and that you can smell mine. I'm really sorry to put you through this and I wish that there was another way, but I still need to get that stone loose and the only way to do that is by getting close to you. The sooner I get it free, the sooner we get out of here."

Whatever caused his perpetual silence was really aggravating. Being blind was driving her stir crazy and together their maladies were making her want to pull her hair in frustration. If she could only see, then she would be able to watch his face. Hidden from her were all the things that she needed in order to really understand her ill-fated companion.

She would surely be able to read his eyes, or see a smile... or a frown. If she could see his mouth, then there would be tiny clues to the emotions that obviously consumed him. He was unstable, and dangerous, but she sensed that he really did not wish to harm her, yet he would not speak to her. The blindness was blocking her from seeing his reactions and responses... the answer to why he would not speak to her.

How could she live like this? It was chilling to consider. If her vision were to stay forever impaired she would have to adjust or perish. The feudal era was no place for the weak. Blindness was a potentially lethal handicap for a miko. She would have to hone her other senses. Hearing, smell, touch and taste. She grimaced, thinking of actually having to taste something gross, just to figure out a needed detail. She would do it, though. Whatever it took to survive.

With a heavy sigh, she turned her full attention back onto her cellmate. He was such a mystery to Kagome. She was consumed with questions. What did he look like? Was his hair black, or possibly some outlandish color like green? Were his eyes dark or brilliantly light in some strange color unique to youkai? What was his name? And where had he come from? There was so much that she wanted to know.

Maybe one day, she would get her answers. For now, she would have to resign herself to the task at hand; getting that dang rock loose from that stupid wall.

Through the fog of longing and starvation, Sesshomaru heard her brave words. She was determined to pursue her plan of escape, which was admirable, but he could hardly ignore the torment of restricted proximity, giving her a chance to further entice him with that deep, rich, scent.

He growled his refusal.

She ignored him.

Which, oddly enough, was not surprising.

By the Gods, she was so close now that he could feel her heat caressing gently against his side. Her hair brushed lightly over his extended, bound arm. The gentle caress set off a wildfire of lust and his hunger suddenly became inseparable with his desire. Sesshomaru groaned and clamped his mouth shut for fear he would further debase himself by drooling like a hungry pup.

He turned his head and tried to think on other things, but time and again his mind came back to the beautiful and brave little human female by his side. As she worked, she seemed to be disregarding him in her quest to break the stone free from the wall. He wondered if she was truly oblivious to his presence, but found his answer once he focused on her breathing and heart pattern. It satisfied him in many ways to hear her pure, mortal heart pounding such a fierce rhythm. Her breathing was faster too, and somewhat shallow. He doubted that it was from working the tiny metal post between her fingers. She was obviously quite nervous.

Yet she held her ground.

Sesshomaru was reluctantly impressed and intensely aroused.

He watched her face, while she focused on her task. There was a determined set to her soft jaw, and a slight narrowing of her blue eyes. Her full lips were pressed into a line of concentration and every once in awhile they would part just a bit before she whispered something beneath her breath. Her eyes, unseeing and useless to her, were locked onto an uninteresting square of the ancient stone wall.

For some uncanny reason, he wanted her to look at him with those impossibly blue eyes. The urge made him restless and he shifted his weight, which caused her the turn toward the sound. He was shamed to admit the satisfaction that he felt from her reaction.

Sesshomaru longed to be free of this place, to take Kagome away with him where they could be together and he could openly show her how badly he wanted her. Would she accept him? Could she care for him, though he had never spoken a word to her? The biggest question that played through his mind was how long would it be before Kagome's eyes could see again?

It was hardly noticeable, but he could tell that she was already regaining her sight. When she first arrived, unceremoniously in his midst, there was no response in their depths to anything they passed over, but now she was different. He had noticed that she was moving her eyes more often now, sweeping over objects in her path with more certainty. It was obvious that nothing was clear to her, but for how long?

How much longer could he keep his identity a secret from her?

Would he see pity in her eyes?

The thought sickened him. He willed the mortar to crumble more readily beneath her persistent scratching. If she could free him with that stone, then he felt certain that escape would be within their grasp. He had come to this place with arrogant assurance of his supreme victory, eagerly looking for a fight. He'd had no idea of the fate in store for him. He was confident in his prowess as a warrior, and had underestimated the deviant nature of his enemy. Now that he was fully aware of their power he would waste no time trying to fight them alone. He would flee, and return to fight another day.

He would escape with Kagome... and possibly the monkey, depending on time and circumstance.

Sesshomaru groaned as his meaty staff gave an especially painful throb. The bewitching woman turned her head slightly, considering the sound, and he couldn't tear his eyes away from her lovely face. He imagined that her skin was rose petal soft. He longed to touch it, to rub himself against her until his heart was content.

In the back of his mind there was a small voice that chastised his growing obsession with the miko. He was using her to focus on, in lieu of the horrors that lay ready to pounce without warning from the depths of his mind. Her caring face and pure intentions served to wash away the memories of torture and torment. In her blue eyes he saw clear skies instead of dank dungeon walls. He could disappear into their kindness and leave fear behind.

The problems, unfortunately, were still very real, and the salvation offered in those blue eyes could only bring temporary solace. There would come a time when he would be forced to deal with what had been done to him. He would have to let the nauseating memories come, but for now he could not - would not - let them eat him alive. That tiny voice was not strong enough to fight its way through the screams of fury and despair drowning it out, and Sesshomaru was not inclined to remove the blockade of sweet smiles and kindness that Kagome's presence offered. He needed her, in more ways than one, and that was all that he cared about on this day.  

A shiver of unease raced up Shippo's spine when he got his first good look at the witch's manor. Her home told him many things that he wanted to know about his enemy, things that frightened him to the core.

It was a dark place, and by 'dark' he certainly didn't mean from the shade of trees overhead. That would probably be because there were no trees overhead. Where huge blooming trees had once grown full and tall, now there was only decay. The trees had been rendered lifeless by the evil of the witch. It was everywhere here. In the air it hung like a foul invisible fog.

Creepy.

The manor itself was impressive in stature, but lacking entirely of warmth. It reeked of powerful runes - erected by a very skilled sorceress - designed to turn trespassers away. Had he not been skilled in the art of magic himself there would have been no way to penetrate them at all. It had taken more hours than he wanted to waste disassembling the intricate spell without triggering a warning that would alert the witch to his presence. The one who wove that rune was a powerful opponent and Shippo knew that he had best take care.

He had been watching the forbidding structure for some time now while hidden within the forest just beyond the ring of evil. It struck him as strange that the old bat could afford such a large home, for a witch's pay couldn't be all that much. Most villages and rural folk alike were scared stupid around anything with magical abilities. He would know. As he grew older and his cuteness faded with his maturing physique, Shippo was often confronted with fear and distrust by humans. He tried not to let it bother him, but secretly it did.

The old hag shuffled out of a back entrance to the manor and Shippo watched her closely as she made her way into a separate, smaller building out back. He assumed, by the smoking chimney, that the cooking was done there, but he couldn't tell for certain. All of the windows were shuttered closed except for a row of shorter openings designed as ventilation for the smoke.

He needed to get closer and take a look inside.

Rin was here. He was certain of it, but the smoke in the air, combined with the heavy choke of evil, made it tough to pinpoint her exact location. Shippo made the decision to scout around the perimeter. He would have to get closer, and he hoped that somewhere he would find a little cover that would suit his camouflage technique.

The young fox narrowed his shimmering green eyes with determination. 'I will get Rin back from you hag, and when I do, you're going down.'  

Inside the smokehouse, Rin sat, hunched in the corner of a large cage. She had awoken a few hours ago to find herself in one seriously bad predicament. Somehow, she had been captured by a very mean old woman. Before she could even get her heavy eyelids open the miserable witch had barked out the proclamation that she was her prisoner to be used as a sacrifice to the dark gods.

Rin had found it odd how the witch seemed a little disappointed when she didn't collapse in tears. She hated to be the one to break it to the old hag, but this wasn't the first time she had been kidnapped by some loony, power hungry, cretin. Nope, if anything, this was pretty lame compared to the other times.

With a sigh of boredom Rin shifted on the mat of hay and turned her interest to the only other living creature stuck in the stifling heat of the cookhouse. A dragon. The smallest dragon that she had ever seen. Truthfully, she had no idea they came so small. She was sure that it would fit into the palm of her hand. It was kind of cute, for a dragon, and it returned her gaze with a look that spoke of intelligence.

It had been studying her for some time now, and it was beginning to make her a little nervous. She told herself that she was being silly, but darn if it didn't seem to be assessing her, or sizing her up. It was almost as if it were determining her worth.

"Konnichiwa. My name is Rin," she greeted the pixie-like dragon.

"I am called Shin," the little dragon replied in a definitely masculine voice.

Rin's eyes shot open wide in shock! It spoke! How amazing! For the moment her fear was forgotten and she scooted up to the edge of the cage on her bare knees. Absently she pulled at the hem of her kimono before grabbing the metal bars with both hands. She smiled brightly at the tiny little dragon, hardly believing such a miracle as this.

"So you talk," Rin breathed excitedly. "I had no idea. You see, my dragon friend, Ah-Un, is much larger than you, and he can't speak at all."

Shin had been enjoying the new captive very much until that moment. He hated to be reminded of his small size. With a huff of irritation, he gave a dragon-like imitation of a shrug then settled down on the bamboo limb, curling his tail around it for support. "Well, we can't all be as big as a house, now can we - and twice as dumb, I'd suspect?"

Rin's broad grin fell just a bit when the dragon responded rather snidely. She had not meant to hurt his feelings. She bowed her head and replied, "Please forgive me. I did not mean to offend you, dragon. I think it is amazing that you are... well, the size you are." 'Oops, I don't want to call him small again!'

Shin was intrigued. "How so?" He was curious to see what she had to say.

"Why, I have seen many youkai - and dragons as well - but none were so well adjusted to their surroundings. You blend in perfectly with the leaves! Had I not seen you move, I would have thought you part of that plant."

"How is it that you, a human girl, have seen so many youkai and dragons? Don't you have a village?"

Rin shook her head emphatically 'no'. "I serve my Lord Sesshomaru and follow him wherever he goes. He is a powerful youkai and often we cross paths with other, lesser beings."

"You, follow a youkai?" Shin asked sarcastically. "No human girl travels with youkai." It was nearly unheard of.

Rin became a little perturbed with the small dragon that obviously did not believe her. She had no reason to lie! "I do so travel with a youkai. Two in fact, counting Master Jaken, and I know many more. Lord Sesshomaru's brother is a half-demon, and that's how I met....," Rin trailed off. Should she mention Shippo to Shin? Shippo was most likely scouring the area for her this very moment and she didn't know for sure if she could trust Shin, just yet. She decided to keep the topic of Shippo out of their conversation until she was sure. It wouldn't do to warn the witch of her possible rescuer.

Reluctantly, Shin was inclined to believe the girl named Rin. She traveled with youkai, even serving one who called himself Lord. He found that idea rather distasteful, but figured the girl must have her reasons. Perhaps she was forced by the youkai to his bidding? That would be just like a demon, to enslave a beautiful young girl.

A very beautiful young girl.

Shin had to admit that this sacrifice was very different from all the rest. She was much prettier than the other girls, and vastly more tolerable. She had not shed the first tear since waking up, and that in itself was enough for him to sing her praises. Usually the captives had gone into a fit of hysterics by now, but not this girl. She was as calm as she could be, sitting on her legs demurely, and politely carrying on an intelligent conversation.

She also had a lovely smile.

He had never spoken to any of the others. Not after the first one. She had screamed for her father and mother for hours before Shin had gone quite mad and told her to calm down. Unfortunately, that only served to send her into a fit of alternating screams and bouts of loud hiccups. It was impossible to deal with and had left him feeling wretched about the whole situation.

He couldn't help them, so why add to their terror?

In a way, he supposed that it was also his own selfish desire to remain detached from the succession of innocent maidens whose lives were marked for a sacrificial death. There was no reason for him to bleed with them, if only through heartache and despair.

Rin, unexpectedly, had stirred something within him that pressed him to speak to her. Shin decided that it had to be her calm demeanor in the face of danger and her ability to smile - though the coming day would herald her death.

"Why aren't you afraid?" Shin asked, with great interest.

Rin considered his question carefully before answering. "I suppose I am, just a little, afraid, but I've gotten through some very tough scrapes and I have faith that I will manage to get out of this one somehow."

"That's very brave of you, but no one has escaped before. Believe me, I wish it were not so."

Rin believed that he really did not wish for her to suffer the same fate as the girls before her. She was grateful for that, and saddened to think that there were others who were once in the same situation as herself. They must have felt alone and very frightened. "Does the witch really sacrifice girls to the dark gods?" she asked.

Shin shifted his tiny frame, sending the delicate membranes on his tail, neck, and back - that perfectly mimicked the backdrop of green leaves - swaying gently around him. His tail loosened then readjusted to a more comfortable position, then he replied, "Sadly, it is so. She is disgustingly evil and knows no moral values at all. I have been witness to the last days of many innocent lives." His voice sounded defeated and drained. "It is taxing on a man."

"A man?" Rin asked. She thought it strange for a dragon to refer to himself in such a manner.

A deep, heartfelt sigh left the little dragon's long, narrow snout. Rin watched with fascination as a tiny puff of smoke escaped from two flared nostrils at the tip.

"Aye. A man. I was one... once, but that was before I had the unfortunate pleasure of angering Hazuki. That bitch," he added with a disgusted snort, which resulted in yet another gray puff of smoke.

"She turned you into a dragon?" Rin asked in disbelief. Was such a thing possible? The witch was indeed very powerful if she could perform such spells.

"That is exactly what she did," Shin growled angrily. "I have been her pet ever since. I can't even remember how long ago that was, now. Several years, I guess. She keeps me here, in this place because it is warm and I do not shiver." Shin turned his head and looked out of the vents placed high in the walls. "I wonder if I will ever see freedom again."

"Is there a way to change you back?"

"I do not know," Shin answered with a slight shake of his mini-horned head and a blink of yellow eyes. "I am not a witch."

"That's pretty obvious," Rin replied smartly. It was clear that Shin was somewhat on the arrogant side. He reminded her just a little of Lord Sesshomaru in that sense. She had plenty of experience dealing with arrogant males, and this was one she owed no allegiance to.

Shin slid the girl a look that clearly reported his disapproval of her comment, but chose not to argue. There were things that he had to consider that he had never had to consider before. The girl, Rin, was interesting and she had a fighting spirit. It made him feel unusually disconcerted that she would not live beyond the morrow. It was hard to imagine those huge brown eyes losing their laughing light forever.

Both Rin and the distracted dragon were suddenly aware of a visitor pushing through the door. The witch had returned, and she was wearing a wicked smile on her old gnarled face.

"Heh, heh, heh! Look at what I have here, Shin! A fine new ladle with which to stir my brew!"

Shin refused to respond to her prompting. He would not enter a useless debate on her morals - or lack thereof.

Rin watched the witch closely, just as she had before. Somewhere there was a clue to the hag's downfall, and that would be her pleasure to bring about. Someone had to stop that hateful old crow from killing innocent girls, and that someone would be her.  

A/N: I will try my very best to be a little faster getting this next chapter written. In fact, as I post this I have already written three-quarters of chpt. 13. Just remember, that since I now have a beta checking over everything, it takes about a week longer to get the chapter out.

In chapter 13 There will be a surprise to greet them when Rin, Shippo and Shin arrive at the wolves den ready to plead for Kouga's help in saving Kagome. Inuyasha pushes his friends past their limits and Kagome struggles in her plan to escape, while Sesshomaru's senses are tormented by the miko. Asuza returns to her lair and anxiously calls for her pleasure slave, and Iku hopes that his mistress will include him in their steamy reunion. Sorry about telling you Chisumi would appear in this chapter. Next one, I promise. Until then...

Ja ne