InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ When The Darkness Howls ❯ Sir Coutrage ( Chapter 4 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own the Inuyasha characters and storyline.

 

 

 

 

 

ANSWER TO REVIEW(S):

 

Aka Oashisunoyume, Aibetsuriku , Hinote077, and Alex890 - Thank you for reviewing my story!

 

Chibi-Inu13-Mm..many questions. Should I answer them now…or later? Maybe now. Yes, Kagome is getting her senses from her marking with Inuyasha. And…er…that's all I can say for now, bye!

 

Son Lila -Yes, Kagome is taking on some of Inuyasha's abilities...though…she hasn't really noticed herself yet, has she? I mean, she knows her eyes were hurting, and she was able to hear things she shouldn't have been able to hear in the fist place. When is she herself going to figure it out? Darn it, she's so slow sometimes…

 

Inu Fan- If Kagome doesn't get with Inuyasha soon, I will also have to wring her neck. And I have the right, because I'm the author. Kagome better watch out, or move pretty damn fast.

 

Futekioosha-Sorry for being cruel to you. It's just that I have school and its been holding me up. Just a couple more months and it will be completely over.

 

Elementalobsession-Sorry for your messed up muse and everything. My muse is usually non stop. So much, in fact, it gets to the point I have dreams about my stories. Weird huh? It just takes a while to find the time to type them up.

 

 

 

 

QUOTE OF THE CHAPTER:

 

“For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack."
~ Rudyard Kipling

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHEN THE DARKNESS HOWLS

 

 

CHAPTER 4: SIR COUTRAGE

 

It was already getting dark when they reached the mansion.

 

 

The car pulled up silently in front of the gate, its automatic doors opening with a soft click. Inuyasha stepped out of the car first, the others followed behind him. Kagome was the last to step out, and the last to finally see the mansion they would be staying in until further notice. The first thing that came to Kagome's mind when she saw it was the old scary stories her father used to tell her when she was young. The house just astounded her. Everything about it just screamed that something was…unusual.

 

 

As soon as they were fully out of the vehicle, the doors closed, and the car was already going around the bend. Kagome watched it until it disappeared out of sight. She stood up fully; glad she could finally stretch out her legs from the long car ride. She glanced up at Inuyasha. He had been oddly quiet lately. In fact, ever since they found out they were heading to Romania to further research and help the other slayers, he'd barely spoken. In that short time, even when he blessed someone by talking to them, the remark was always caustic and snappish. All in all, he was acting like a bastard.

 

 

Her eyes traveled form the semi-werewolf to the house, once again. The mansion was built on top of a small hill, overlooking the rest of the city. At the entrance of the mansion, where the cement walkway began, stood two tall, thick pillars. At the top of each pillar, was a small statue of a gargoyle, its deformed body resting on top of each pillar, small stubby hands extended as its sharp claws sprang out of its hands. Their faces were twisted to something similar to smirk, though, with the sharp teeth protruding from its mouth, the smirk was anything but friendly

 

 

Kagome made a disgusted face at the grotesque figures, but said nothing. The house was all black, from the roof, all the way down to the ugly pillars that marked its entrance. The mansion had many different levels of towers, chained with various sizes of windows. One tower stood out in particular, dwarfing the others, with no windows, the roof was small and pointed.

 

 

“Are we going to just stand here all night, or are we going to walk in?”

 

 

Miroku always had to be the one to break the silence.

 

 

Inuyasha stepped up. “Com on,” he said in a gruff voice. “I'm not sleeping outside.”

 

 

“This house is…weird,” Sango stated.

 

 

“What did you want it to look like?” Kagome asked, knowing exactly what Sango was feeling.

 

 

“Come on!” Inuyasha snapped, already halfway up the cement path.

 

 

“What the hell is his problem?” Miroku asked no one in particular.

 

 

The three that were left behind began to walk up. Kagome was behind Sango and Miroku, walking slowly as she took in the mansion from afar. As she walked past the pillars, she took one last glance at the gargoyles and froze in shock. She turned, giving the statues her full attention. She peered closer, her eyes surprisingly better in the dark. When she saw nothing, she began to walk again, but, for some reason, it felt as if someone was watching her. She could have sworn that when she had glanced at the statues, their stone carved eyes had flashed, as if sensing her stares. But when she looked again, everything was how it should be.

 

 

She walked on, her hand instinctively going to her gun in her holster as she continued to feel the boring stare on the back of her head. Yes, she was sure of it now. Something was unusual about this mansion. She would have to keep her guard up. They reached the door, which was all metal, it seemed. It was huge, towering above them.

 

 

“There's…no doorknob, or a doorbell,” Miroku observed.

 

 

Inuyasha, who was closest to the door, banged his fist on the metal door. The sound was almost deafening, and Kagome once again felt the pounding of her ears. She covered her ears with her hands, glowering at Inuyasha. She saw that his ears were pressed to his head in order to muffle the sound. “Stop it,” she yelled, desperate for the sound to stop. In the end, it was Sango who stopped him, jerking his fist from the door.

 

 

“What the hell is the matter with you?” Sango screamed at him, efficiently pushing him aside and taking his position closest to the door. “You don't just go and bang on someone's door. It's completely rude!”

 

 

“Agreed, Inuyasha,” Miroku added. “How would it look if we were to bang on everyone's door wherever we go?”

 

 

“My…head…” Kagome muttered, hands still over her ears. She glared up at Inuyasha, “You idiot…”

 

 

A flash of concern filtered across Inuyasha face, before it disappeared as quickly as it came. “So-”

 

 

The door opened, catching all of their attentions. It opened slowly, as if not really wanting to allow them in. The metal hinges, screaming, as they were forced to move. Inuyasha's ears pressed against his scalp in an effort to banish the sound, and of course, Kagome's hands were pressed against her ears harder than before. The door opened, slowly, unwillingly, and a sense of anxiety bounced through Kagome's body as it opened wider, still, revealing only darkness to the inside. Her hand crawled to her hip, touching her gun lightly, as if reassured she had a weapon…just in case.

 

 

The door opened and a man was finally revealed.

 

 

Short, old and white as he was, his face was what got to the group. It was old, so very old; the wrinkles slashing lines across his face, drooping skin that folded over in some places, and the unforgettable paleness of his flesh. Stark white as if dead already, but having an astonishing green tinge to it, as if he was sick from food poisoning. His eyes were dark, watery pitiless pools that held no emotion-no life. Pointed, thin, pink lips were set in a tight straight line, his white, bald head being covered by a worn out brown cap. Dressed in black, loose pants and a white shirt with a bowtie, he was the image that greeted them at the door.

 

 

The group stared in a mixture of shock, disgust and astonishment.

 

 

Miroku spoke first.

 

 

“Excuse me; we are the visitors from Tokyo, sent by a Mr. Myoga.”

 

 

The man at the door nodded, his shape outlined by darkness still. The group didn't see a speck of light in the mansion. The short, ugly man stepped to the side. “Come in, please. I am the butler, Jaken.” His voice was like grated gravel. “Sir Coutrage has been waiting.”

 

 

As soon as they entered the mansion, still clouded in darkness, the metal door closing behind them, Kagome nearly dropped. Every single hair on her body stood on end, some internal instinct screaming at her that something wasn't right. A feeling of uneasiness crept along her spine like a spider, and she shuddered involuntary. Her eyes widened at the feeling, unconsciously taking in the dark mansion, catching glimpses of things in the dark. Her lungs worked, franticly bringing in shagged breaths. She heard someone take in a deep breath so fast; it made a small whistling sound. She assumed it to be Miroku. Her fingers found her gun at her hip, clutching it so tightly, she was half afraid she would set it off. Something wasn't right; something was so wrong with this place, that even an ignorant child could feel it.

 

 

She needed to leave; she needed to get out of this place fast. Now. And then, suddenly, she felt a presence behind her; a presence she knew. Quickly, she pressed her back against Inuyasha as tight and close as she possible could. In some part of her mind, she was angry that she was doing this-angry that she sought out Inuyasha for comfort so quickly. She shouldn't need him to be there for her, she shouldn't need him to protect her from danger. But she couldn't help it. Right then, her body was not her own. Some deep, internal instinct has taken her over and it wanted to be near Inuyasha. And she would let it…for now.

 

 

But though Inuyasha was there, Kagome couldn't help but still feel restless. She felt Inuyasha's strong arms wrap around her small waist and pull her closer, his thumb slowly stroking her stomach through her shirt for comfort. Even she-in this defrayed state-could feel his apprehension. She felt it in the tension of his arms and body, in the way his arms almost possessively held her close to him, as if fearing he would loose her to the darkness. She could even feel it in the way his warm breath was coming fast on her neck. She twitched in his hold, and his arms immediately tightened.

 

 

“L-Light!” One of them ordered. Kagome figured it was Sango. “Turn on the damn light-now!”

 

 

The light flickered on suddenly, causing Kagome to squint with the suddenly brightness. Kagome glanced around, finally able to see the inside of the mansion. To say that the inside was big was an understatement. It was huge. The floor was pure, solid marble, shiny and firm. To the left of them, was the longest staircase Kagome had ever seen. It was black marble, spiraling so high that Kagome had to crane her neck to see where it stopped. With a long, sleek banister following its lead, it was beautiful. On the walls, hung dozens of painted pictures. Kagome peered at them, wanting to get a closer look. She noticed that most of them were pictures of a city-probably of Romania itself. Some were pictures of men; men who were sitting casually around a table, while other pictures just showed them standing there, looking at something that no one could see but them.

 

 

Kagome's eyes moved from pictures on the walls, to the huge chandelier that was hanging above them. It was beautiful, also. Kagome could see that it was covered with pure crystals. Kagome glanced back at Miroku and Sango, wondering what they thought of all of this. She noticed-with a great surprise-that Sango was plastered so tightly against Miroku's side, that it was a wonder they weren't connected at the hip. Miroku's face was a mask of absolute caution. He still held the air of tranquility, but Kagome could see, from years of knowing him that his eyes were taking in every single thing around them, mentally storing in his head…just in case.

 

 

Sango, on the other hand, had a face of an angry woman-which wasn't very surprising. She was breathing hard, her chest heaving from yelling out the command to turn on the light. Her hand was fisted in the front of Miroku's shirt so tightly, that her knuckles were turning white. And, in the center of the grand hallway, stood the man who had let them into the mansion. He stood quietly: his pale, ugly face observing them all. When he spoke, Inuyasha's hands tightened slightly around Kagome, who was still trapped in his embrace.

 

 

“Sir Coutrage will be with us in a moment. Please, be patient.”

 

 

“Why did you have us standing there in the dark like that?” Sango demanded. “You scared the shit out of me!”

 

 

Inuyasha could have sworn he saw the old man's mouth twitch, as if it was the beginning of a smirk. “I am truly sorry for that, Miss Sango. Please, excuse me for my mistake.”

 

 

“How did you know my name was-?”

 

 

“Where is Sir Coutrage?” Inuyasha cut in. His voice was hard, demanding. It raked against Kagome's nerves, bringing her attention from the man to Inuyasha himself. She tried to subtly step out of his hold, not wanting the man to see them both that way. But Inuyasha had other plans. His arms turned into iron bands, not allowing her to move away from him. A soft growl rose in his throat, so soft in fact, that it could only be noticed by the vibrations coming from his chest. Kagome froze. Though the growl was low, she couldn't help but ignore the demanding command it held. Stay.

 

 

Kagome craned her neck to the side and back to see Inuyasha's face. She was shocked to find that his eyes were no longer midnight black, but the raging gold they turned when he was not in a good mood. She gasped, surprised by the sudden change. What caused him to turn like that? Her heart began to beat faster in slight panic. She didn't want to be near him when he was like this. In fact, she didn't want to be near him at all. Now that the light was on, she wasn't shaken anymore. There was no excuse to be plastered against his chest. Again, Kagome tried to be released from his hold, but this time, Inuyasha gave her a verbal command. Never taking is burning eyes away from the old man; Inuyasha dipped his head low enough that his lips just skimmed her ear. He growled three words, low enough for only her to hear. “Don't. Fucking. Move.”

 

 

Kagome froze.

 

 

She felt as if some part of her wanted to jump out and crush Inuyasha to the ground. The other part-the more reasonable part-wanted to obey him. It wanted to listen to him because somewhere, deep down, she knew something wasn't right. And even though Kagome wanted to seriously inflict pain on Inuyasha, she obeyed, waiting until they were alone so she could kill him. But that didn't stop the tension in her body at his rude command, or her fingernails digging into his arms, which were still wrapped tightly around her. She obeyed, her jaw tightened.

 

 

“Where is Sir Coutrage?” Inuyasha demanded again. “Don't you think it's rather rude to have his guest waiting?”

 

 

Kagome thought that she saw Jaken's eyes narrow-just a bit. She could have imagined it. “Sir Coutrage will be with us shortly, I assure you…Lord Inuyasha,” he said, his voice still reeking havoc on everyone's ears. Now, everyone straightened up-not missing the way Jaken said Inuyasha's name. Lord? Kagome could have laughed at the thought of talking to Inuyasha like that. That word, in no way, fit Inuyasha. He was no lord. An idiot, maybe, but no lord. At this, Inuyasha growled deeply, not even trying to hide it.

 

 

“Don't call me that,” Inuyasha spat. He voice held disgust. “Don't ever call me that.”

 

 

Jaken's eyes widened at the venom in Inuyasha's voice. He actually looked shocked. “Yes, well…I am very sorry for that, Inuyasha. It will not happen again.”

 

 

“What the heck is going on, here?” Sango asked, finally pulling herself free from Miroku's side. “Inuyasha, do you know him?”

 

 

“No,” was Inuyasha's snappish answer.

 

 

“Maybe you should go and get Sir Coutrage, Jaken,” Miroku said, trying to put a stop to the rising tension in the air.

 

 

Jaken turned his dark eyes to Miroku, his face holding a hint of annoyance. “Sir Coutrage is-”

 

 

“Right here.”

 

 

Everyone swallowed their next word and turned their attention towards the new voice. He stood at the top of the spiraling staircase looking down at them. Kagome's and Sango's eyes widen with silent appreciation. He was a good looking man, with looks that would rival even Inuyasha's. He stood still, one of his long, well muscled hands gripping the banister while the other hung casually by his side. He was a tall man, and looked to be about middle aged. He wore nice fitting black slacks with a black shirt. Over that, a loose, long cloak completed the assembly. His face, perfectly round, held the impression of a good tan. Long, light brown hair framed his face, the back of it held in a low ponytail, reaching his mid-back.

 

 

He slowly began to descend the stairs, his long, deft fingers running along the banister as he went. His eyes-the color of the sky after a thunder storm-examined them closely, his gaze sweeping over each of them equally. Kagome felt uncomfortable under his gaze, as if he knew something about them that they themselves didn't. Though, his presence wasn't hostile in the least, it still had every single nerve in Kagome's body freezing immediately. She didn't even know this man, but there was just something about him that she didn't like. Sir Coutrage reached the end of the stairs, a mask of slight confusion on his handsome face.

 

 

“I present to you, Sir Coutrage.” Jaken's voice rang through the silence like lightening in the night. “These people, Sir Coutrage, are the ones who were brought from the Dark Slayers Organization, stationed in Tokyo from a Mr. Myoga.”

 

 

The confusion vanished from Sir Coutrage's face, then a small smirk-which didn't last more than a millisecond- took its place. Kagome caught the quick gleam of his fangs. He was also a werewolf. Kagome's eyebrows rose at this new discovery. So they were to stay in the home of a wolf, which they knew nothing about, thanks to Myoga.

 

 

Kagome blinked, everyone blinked, not having any idea what to say. Sir Coutrage still stood in the same spot, his weird gaze still looking. Inuyasha let out a loud, hot breath, drawing Sir Coutrage's attention to him. Kagome could have imagined it, she could have just misread his eyes, but she saw a flash of hatred flash through his cold, gray gaze. The hatred was so cold, so deep that she almost whimpered at the sight of it. But quickly, it was gone, replaced by the impassive gray of his eyes. She froze in shock and then confusion when Inuyasha's arms suddenly went slack, his hold on her finally released. Kagome took the opportunity to step away from him, not wanting to be prisoner to his arms once again.

 

 

She stepped back, stepped back until she felt the reassured hand of Miroku on her shoulder. She had almost forgotten that he and Sango were still there! She turned her confused gaze to look at him and he sent her a small smile. Sango appeared by her shoulder, her fingers pressed against the side of her hip, ready to pull her gun out at any sign of trouble. “Something's wrong with him…” Sango muttered. “Look at Inuyasha.”

 

 

Kagome did look at him. He was stiff as a stone, his eyes still the blazing golden color it was before. But there was still something out of place about him. Still something that had them all baffled. He seemed…frightened, shocked….but why? He seemed to be in a battle with his feelings, a battle that he wasn't winning. His gaze was glued to Sir Coutrage, confusion written all over his face. Sir Coutrage returned the look, face expressionless.

 

 

Kagome took a step forward, close enough for Inuyasha to reach her. “Inuyasha.” The simple word seemed to snap him out of his stupor, and in a second, he regained his bearings. His eyes cleared, his body straightened, and his arms were crossed over his chest in an uncaring way.

 

 

“Would you like me to show them to their rooms now, Sir,” Said Jaken's voice. Everyone had completely forgotten about him.

 

 

Sir Coutrage's answer was to completely ignore him. His gaze was still locked with Inuyasha's. Sir Coutrage suddenly smiled. The movement was so unexpected, that it shocked everyone in the room. The smile appeared on his face suddenly. “Bun venit la spre Romania slayers. I hope that al tau calatorie aici was well. I trec de la will hate it pentru al tau primul couple de ora aici were dreadful.”

 

 

Kagome, Miroku, as well as Sango, stood in confusion, not understanding a single word he had just spoken. Sango, who felt like a child learning to speak, decided to tell him this. She cleared her throat politely, drawing his attention to her. She opened her mouth, praying that he was able to speak and understand Japanese. “It's an honor to meet you, Sir Courage,” she began, “But…you see, Sir Coutrage-” She felt as if she was a little girl again under his gaze, a little girl being scolded for marking on the walls. Something about this Sir Coutrage person made her feel a bit inferior, and that was something she did not stand well with. She opened her mouth with renewed confidence. She didn't appreciate this man that she knew nothing about, to suddenly show up and make her feel as if she was undergoing an analysis.

 

 

But she never got the chance to finish he sentence, because Inuyasha broke in.

 

 

“Our plimbare aici was fin.” His voice was snappish, annoyed. But not only that, his voice was perfect handling the language, much to Kagome's utter awe. Though what he said was short, his words and pronunciations were flawless, his letters coming together to form the perfect sounds, the exact tone that each word needed to be spoken properly. If Miroku, Sango and Kagome didn't know any better, they would have thought that Inuyasha spoke the language fluently, or better yet, contained some Romanian roots.

 

 

“You-you speak the Romanian language?” Sango asked, shocked. Inuyasha decided not to answer her.

 

 

“Tu speak art.hot. limbaj foarte well. I trec.de la will have thought that tu ai forgotten cum la spre,” was Sir Coutrage's reply to Inuyasha.

 

 

Inuyasha's eyes widened. “Ce esti tu implying?” he snarled. His emotions took over so fast, that even he was surprised by it. This stupid fuck! `Does he know', Inuyasha thought wildly. `Does he know about me?' Inuyasha narrowed his eyes suspiciously. `He can't know…he doesn't know me…he didn't know him…' But even as he told himself this, something deep inside of Inuyasha was in turmoil. Somewhere, deep inside he felt as if he knew this man, as if he had met him before. His scent…his cold, gray eyes…they seemed to pierce his very soul with recognition.

 

 

Sir Coutrage smirked at Inuyasha's loss of temper. “Tu mustata a fi Inuyasha. Myoga has told eu despre al tau temperat tantrums. Nothing I wont a fi capabil la spre miner.”

 

 

Inuyasha growled, his face showing pure evil. “Fucking bastard!” he swore.

 

 

Sango's eyes widened in shock, and then narrowed in anger. “I don't appreciate you two having a conversation, while we're standing here like idiots.”

 

 

Sir Coutrage's smirk vanished, and one again turned to Sango, taking in her vexed state. “Ce un loud unul , ea este. Ea mustata a fi Cintat I presume.” His eyes traveled to Miroku, who was desperately trying to calm down both Kagome and Sango. He didn't seem to be going far. Sir Coutrage raised an eyebrow. “UN Monk? Interesant.”

 

 

“Inuyasha!” Kagome's voice rang through the whole room. “You better tell him to speak Japanese. It's rude to leave us in the dark like that, and you damn well know better!”

 

 

Sir Coutrage's eyes widened and a small smirk crept on his face. “Si ea este…?

 

 

“MINE!” Inuyasha's roar was so loud, that all occupants of the room froze in surprise. “You even go close to her, I will kill you.” The threat hung thickly in the air; its ominous essence pressing down on everyone. Inuyasha's very temper had gone well beyond angry, well beyond pissed. His eyes held something that was wild and untamed; they had become dark with his growing anger. His fangs even seemed to grow longer, his claws digging into his palm so deep, a small trickle of blood ran down his clenched fingers and slowly dripped to the beautiful marble floor.

 

 

“Un deget mic overprotective, esti noi?” Sir Coutrage said, with show of clear disgust on his face. “Si la spre un human, nu mai mic. Well, sau nu surprising.…”

 

 

“Inu…Inuyasha…” Kagome's voice came out as a breathless whisper, not able to do much else. Kagome had never seen Inuyasha in such a state as he was in now. And to be honest, it scared the shit out of her. She had seen him overtaken with rage. She had seen him overtaken with want for her, but never had she seen him like this. Kagome turned accusing eyes to Sir Coutrage. She felt an enormous wave of possessiveness. She wasn't-at the moment-in her right mind to think about why or where it had come from, only that it was suddenly there fueling her. No one had the right to make Inuyasha that mad. No one except for her. What had he done to cause Inuyasha to act like this?

 

 

“I don't know who you think you are, and frankly, I don't give a shit. But you have no right to make Inuyasha angry like that! What did you do-”

 

 

Miroku cut her off before she could finish her sentence, doing his best to try and pull together any remaining dignity he had in the presence of his crazy friends. He sighed and said, “Sorry for their…weird behavior, Sir Coutrage. Everyone is just tired from the trip. Please excuse their language.” He prayed that the man understood, or at least that Inuyasha would translate for him. “Uh…do you speak Japanese?”

 

 

But Sir Coutrage was not even looking at him anymore. He was talking to Inuyasha again. “Tu mean la spre spune-mi cum that Myoga has trimis al tau prieten aici fara knowledge de la Roman limbaj?”

 

 

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. “Speak Japanese,” he growled. “I know that you can.” His body still shook with his rage. The man had the gall to play it off as if he didn't even do anything.

 

 

“Art.hot. monk seems la spre a fi art.hot. unic decently mannered unul.”

 

 

“Speak Japanese!”

 

 

Sir Coutrage's jaw twitch. “As tu dorinta.” He turned to address the rest of the group-in Japanese. “I am sorry for the miscommunication, but I assumed that you all were fluent in the language.”

 

 

Kagome said nothing; she only continued to stare, long and hard at this Sir Coutrage. The bastard. After all of that; after completely ignoring them, after being able to speak Japanese the whole time, after pissing Inuyasha off, as well as herself, he had the nerve to say it was all just a `miscommunication.' The fucker.

 

 

“Jaken.”

 

 

The butler seemed to appear out of no where, as if he belonged with the shadows himself. Kagome eyed his ugly face with pure disgust. “Yes, Sir Coutrage?”

 

 

Sir Coutrage waved a muscled, clawed hand in the air. “Take them to their room, Jaken. I am sure they are very tired from their travels.” His eyes did a quick scan of all of them. “I will see you in the morning. That is when you will meet the other slayers at the Romanian Head Quarters. I will leave you now. Good night.” His eyes lingered on Inuyasha a moment longer, before he was gone, disappearing down the hall way filled with pictures of men with no life in their eyes.

 

 

Jaken immediately took to his duty. Stepping in front of them, he said curtly, “Follow me, if you will.” He turned his old, frail body, and began to approach the stairs. Slightly hesitating, Sango was the first to follow, then Miroku. Kagome was right behind Miroku. But she paused and turned to take a look at Inuyasha, who still hadn't moved one inch. His fist was still clenched, and it was then that Kagome noticed the slightly dried blood on his hands. She sighed, shaking her head. Pivoting on her foot, she walked towards him and didn't stop until she was directly in front of him.

 

 

“You coming, or not?”

 

 

He didn't answer.

 

 

“How do you now how to speak Romanian?”

 

 

Again, no response. She took a glance behind her, and noticed that Miroku, Sango and Jaken were disappearing somewhere on the second floor. She turned her head to look back at him. His eyes were still gold, she noticed.

 

 

“If you're not going to answer me, just stay there and brood for all I care,” she snapped. She turned from him quickly, walking briskly to the stairs. All the way she could still feel his eyes boring into the back of her head. At some point when she was walking up the stairs, after what seemed like an eternity, she heard his movements as he too, began to walk up the stairs. He said nothing as he continued to walk and when Kagome finally reached the second floor, the floor she was sure that Miroku and Sango had disappeared on, she spotted Jaken waiting patiently against the wall. For a second, Kagome didn't even see him, what with his dark uniform blending into the wall. But his white-greenish face hardly blended in with the black colored wall.

 

 

“Are you ready for me to show you to your room?” he asked her, his hands crossed behind his back.

 

 

Kagome nodded quickly, just wanting for him to be out of her line of sight. Jaken peeled himself from the wall and began to walk down the hall, just as soon as Inuyasha made it to the top of the stairs. Kagome didn't even bother to look back at him. If he wasn't in the mood to talk, she wouldn't force him to, right? After all, she was the one who wanted to stay clear from him unless it was business. She faltered in her step. But this was business. This involved all of them and their job. She began walking again. But that didn't explain why Inuyasha knew how to speak the language fluently. Her eyes narrowed.

 

 

The bastard was hiding something.

 

 

And she would have to find out what he was keeping from her, as well as the rest of the group. As they passed two closed doors, Jaken informed her, “The door on your right is Miss Sango; the one on the left, Mr. Miroku.” Kagome made a mental note to remember that…just in case. As they continued on down the hallway, Kagome noticed that these walls were too, lined with pictures. Not only that, but on side tables, stood small antiques that looked priceless. The whole house just screamed money…as well as danger. And though Kagome knew that Inuyasha was somewhere behind her, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched…it was the same feeling she felt when she saw the gargoyles.

 

 

Kagome was so lost in thought and feeling, she nearly crashed into Jaken. She backed up quickly, not wanting to make bodily contact with him. She only ended up crashing into a firm chest. Surprised, she spun around, and wasn't to surprised to find that Inuyasha was standing there. She stumbled away from him, surprised that he had caught up so quickly. “So you've finally decided to join us,” she said annoyingly. “Took you long enough.” She wasn't surprised when he only glanced at her, before looking away, saying nothing. Her fingers twitched with the need to slap the shit out of him. He was acting so out of character, that it was scary. Biting her tongue, she turned and continued to follow Jaken around a bend in the hallway.

 

 

Jaken finally stopped in front of a door. “This is your room,” he said, addressing Kagome. He turned to Inuyasha and pointed to another door at the end of the hallway. “This is your room, Mr. Inuyasha.” He bowed, deeply. “Breakfast will be served at 8:00. Everything that you need is in your rooms already, and you will be brought to breakfast by the maid tomorrow morning. Have a good night sleep.” He turned and began to walk the way they had come, leaving the two alone in the hall.

 

 

When Inuyasha was sure he was gone, he turned to Kagome, his gaze narrowed. “Do not walk these hallways by yourself. You understand me?”

 

 

Kagome's face registered stubbornness. “We, Inuyasha are not back home in Japan. So in case you haven't noticed, you have no right to start ordering me around.” She paused. “And never had the right to try and order me around at home, either.” Another pause, this time waiting for him to say something to her-anything, instead of just stare at her like he was. “Good night.”

 

 

She turned and made for the bedroom door. A pair of quick, strong arms seized her waist and drew her back. “I'm dead serious, Kagome,” he growled into her ear. “You better not let me catch you in these halls by yourself. If you're smart, you'll listen to me.” Then, holding on to her waist with one hand, he opened her bedroom door and shoved her into the room. The door slammed in her face before she could even make a comment. A flush of anger rose to her cheeks. She opened her door again, ready to demand his apology, but the sound and sight of his door slamming closed stopped her. Pissed, she slammed her door closed, loudly. It was then that she finally saw the room she was going to be staying in until further notice.

 

 

The room was beautiful just like the rest of the house. The first thing she noticed was her bed. Positioned in the middle of the room, it drew her attention quickly. The covers, she noticed with shock and pleasure, was pure silk, and it was the color of a pale blue. It was a king sized bed, a size she wasn't used to sleeping in, but she knew she would enjoy it.

 

 

The color of the walls was a pure white. The carpet was so lush and soft, that she could even feel it through her shoes. She noticed that her suitcases were lined up against the walls. Walking toward it, she quickly went through everything, making sure that all of her possessions were there. When she was sure she had everything, she pulled out her sleep clothes, and walked towards the door she assumed was the bathroom.

 

 

When she was all washed up and dressed to sleep, she walked straight to the door. Opening her bedroom door, she paused in confusion when she noticed that the whole hallway was pitch black. Hesitantly, she stepped out, leaving her door open to allow the only source of light to guide her to Inuyasha's door. Stepping out into the hallway, she began her short journey to Inuyasha's room.

 

 

She should have stopped at her door. She should have just walked away from it at the moment and gone to bed. She shouldn't have been heading to Inuyasha's room. She saw for herself what kind of mood he was in. If anything, she should have been cautious. But she knew inside that he wouldn't hurt her-no matter what. So, she told herself that as she stepped out into the hallway. But what kept her going was the burning curiosity that was ignited inside of her. She had so many questions she needed to have answered.

 

 

She deserved them, as well as Miroku and Sango.

.

 

So what if he had warned her to stay in her bedroom. Was she ever one to listen to what he had to say? No. Her bare feet patted along the cold marble floor, the cold numbing her feet. A feeling of dread suddenly filled her. She stopped immediately, sensing the unwanted feeling in her very bones. Her instincts were screaming again, like when they had first entered the house. She turned around and started to head back to her room- thankful for the light. She needed to get her gun. But she stopped again, when she thought she felt the presence of someone behind her. She swung around, her body tight with expectation. Here eyes peered into the darkness. Nothing. The sudden loud creak-the sound that came from a door slowly closing, made her turn towards her bedroom door, just in time to see it slam closed.

 

 

And just like that, she was engulfed in darkness.

 

 

Her eyes automatically adjusted to the darkness, taking in the shadows of the furniture in the hall. Her heart pounded, her legs felt wobbly and her hands were shaking. On impulse, her hands went to her hip, but they dropped when she remembered she was going to go back in and get it when her door slammed close. For a second, she looked around wildly. Though her vision was somewhat clear for her to see, it still wasn't clear enough for her see every detail, such as a door. She began to walk slowly towards the direction she assumed held Inuyasha's room.

 

 

It was a small whisper that stopped her. It was so small, so far away that she was sure she herself shouldn't have been able to hear it. She knew she didn't imagine this. It was not some trick her ears were playing on her, because she heard it again, clearer this time. Her eyes groped the darkness blindly, trying to find the source of the sound. Suddenly, it seemed to be coming in from all around her-the front, back, the sides, even!

 

 

“I know you're there,” she whispered hoarsely. “You might as well show yourself.”

 

 

But nothing replied. Only the soft faraway hissing noise that she heard once in a while. Her eyes hurt with the strain of trying to see. The hissing noise suddenly sounded as if it were right by her ear. She swung around so fast, that she stumbled, before catching herself quickly. Her wide eyes caught what she thought was a shadow moving against a shadow-if that was possible. Turning the other way, Kagome ran right into the wall, her palms slapping flat against the cool surface. Keeping her hands on the wall, she quickly began to run sideways towards Inuyasha's door. Every few seconds she would rub her hands around, looking for a knob.

 

 

The sounds were getting close-too close. At some point, she thought she felt the small tug of a hand on her pants. Kagome's heart jumped when she felt a door. Praying that it was Inuyasha's she banged on it, cursing each and every second that it took. Maybe it wasn't his door. Maybe she was banging on a stupid closet for all she knew. Then, just when she felt a stronger tug of a piece of her clothing, the door flung open, and she was dragged inside.

 

 

~~~

 

 

Inuyasha stood, still as stone right in front of his closed door. His golden eyes were wide with rage and shock, his whole body trembled with an internal pain so deep and old, that he almost staggered standing there. Rage. That's all he knew at the moment. That's all he could feel. And also the most terrible fear he had felt in a while. When was the last time he saw it? When was the last time he had even touched it? But now, he couldn't even go near it, couldn't stand the sight of it. The thing just lay there silently. And that was the thing that made him angry. It was only an object, but how could such a thing cause so much inner turmoil inside of him?

 

 

His teeth were clamped together so tight that his jaw was aching badly by now. He quickly walked to the bed, scooping the long, slick, wooded box in his hands, and shoved it under his new bed. At least there he wouldn't have to see it. Next, he walked over to the phone stationed on his small desk, and dialed. Holding the phone awkwardly to the ears on top of his head, he waited until he heard a masculine voice he recognized.

 

 

“Hello?” the groggy man said, after he'd picked up the phone.

 

 

“Why did you send it?” Inuyasha didn't have time for pleasant greetings.

 

 

There was a pause on the other line, before the man answered. “Inuyasha? I figured you would call soon, but, Inuyasha, here, it's too damn early in the morning, and I would like to get some sleep.”

 

 

“Why did you send it? Did I ask you to send it, Myoga? In any point in time before we left for Romania, did I tell you that I wanted to bring that with me?” His voice was slowly rising in volume, and he lowered it before he lost total control. He didn't want the occupants of the house knowing his business...

 

 

“…no…But, Inuyasha, I just assumed that you would need it with all of the trouble down there. With the unanswered mysteries, you could use as much equipment as you possible need. I was only looking out for your well being.”

 

 

“Fuck my well being. And fuck you. I didn't want it over here, Myoga. What makes you think that I'll even use it?”

 

 

“It's there just in case, Inuyasha. I was only giving you options.”

 

 

“I said fuck your options. As soon as I get back to Japan, I'm going to-” A loud banging knock paused his conversation. “Myoga, I'll call you back” He hung up the phone quickly and eyed the door. With one long sniff, he had the door open and dragged Kagome inside. He slammed her against the wall, his fist gathered in the front of her shirt. “I told you,” he growled menacingly at her. “I fucking told you not to walk the hallways alone! You stupid-” He stopped, just now taking in her condition. She was breathing hard, her warm breath coming out ragged and shallow. Her hands gripped his arm that was holding her, her fingernails digging into his skin, her eyes wide and glassy. “What the hell happened?” he demanded.

 

 

Her hand slid from his arm to his chest, shoving him away. He backed away from her, giving her space. “Where's your fucking gun?”

 

 

“What? I said what happened-what's wrong with you?”

 

 

“Your gun, Inuyasha. I need it-something's out there in that damn hallway and I'm not going to bed until I kill it!”

 

 

Inuyasha approached her again, his face grim and fangs bearing. “What did you see?”

 

 

“I saw a shadow…but it was dark- I can't be sure. I heard this noise. It was there, Inuyasha, it touched me.”

 

 

“Where?” he snarled. He was suddenly pressed against her tightly, her body smashed between his chest and the wall. His nose was stuffed in the curve of her neck, sniffing vigorously. Kagome tried to squirm away from him, but it was in vain. “Where did it fucking touch you?”

 

 

“I just felt a tug on my clothing, that's all. Now go…away!” She finally managed to escape from his search and took a step back from him. “This house is not safe, Inuyasha. We can't stay here-I know Miroku and Sango will agree with me, too.”

 

 

“That's why I fucking told you to stay in your room!” he growled at her.

 

 

“You do not tell me what to do! I had a reason to be out of my room, you twit.”

 

 

“I don't give a damn what your reason is. You could have gotten yourself killed!” The sudden realization tore a menacing growl from his throat, and Kagome suddenly remembered her brief hesitation in coming over here. As his gold eyes bore into hers with rage, and his hands clenched tightly, reopening his previous wounds from his claws, she could only stand there, not knowing what to do. Her eyes drifted down to his bloody hands, and the only thing she was able to say was, “Your hands are bleeding.”

 

 

Inuyasha slowly released his clenched hands and turned away from her with a snarl. “Fuck it all!” Kagome watched as he stomped across the room to fling open the big window. The warm air rushed into the room, blowing back Inuyasha's bangs. He stood there, his bloody hands gripping the windowsill, his tall, stiff form blocking the whole window, his head staring straight ahead. Kagome tapped her foot and waited for him to say something-anything to her. She waited for him to try and order her around. She waited for him to growl at her again, to shove her to the wall and kiss her against her will. But he did nothing; all he did was look out the window into the night.

 

 

Eventually, Kagome grew tired of waiting. “What's wrong with you?”

 

 

“Nothing,” he replied. He didn't even turn around to look at her.

 

 

“Your hands are still bleeding.”

 

 

“Let them fucking bleed, then.”

 

 

“You're an asshole.”

 

 

“You're a stubborn wench.”

 

 

“Why, thank you. What are we going to do about what happened in the hallway?”

 

 

“You're not going back out there until the morning,”

 

 

“I don't think I can stand to be in a room with a wild wolf.” Her comment had the desired affect. His claws dug into the windowsill until gashes were left.

 

 

“You have no choice. If you would have listened to me, you could still be in your own room!” he yelled.

 

 

Happy that she was finally getting some form of emotion from him, she kept going. “You can't keep me here. I'm going right back out there to find out what the hell attacked me.”

 

 

This time, he turned his head, his golden eyes burning her skin. “You're lying. I can smell it.”

 

 

“You said yourself: I'm a stubborn wench. Who is to say I can't lie to myself?”

 

 

“I'll yank you back from that door before you can even reach it.” He turned to her fully, one bloody hand still holding the windowsill.

 

 

“Mm.” She walked past him to the bathroom. She came back out with a wet rag. She threw it at his head where it hung limply from one of his ears. She tried hard not to laugh at the sight. “Clean your hands up. They look disgusting.” Silently, she watched as he raised a hand and retrieved the rag from his ear and began to clean his hands. When he was done, she took a step back. “So, have you ever been to Romania before?” He didn't pause in his work, but she noticed the immediate tension in his body. “So, who taught you how to speak Romanian?”

 

 

“Enough of your questions, Bitch!”

 

 

“Why did Jaken call you `Lord'?”

 

 

“Mind your business!”

 

 

“And what did Sir Coutrage say to make you so pissed?”

 

 

He was on her before she could even blink, his lips crashing down with such intensity, her knees almost buckled under the pressure of his mouth. His strong arms encircled her small waist and had her pressed so tightly against his body, that she felt as if she was one with him. His tongue roughly peeled back her surprised lips and delved into her mouth. His tongue took everything from her, caressing ever single hidden cavern he could find, every dip and slide he could taste. His tongue ran sensually over her teeth before once again exploring her mouth.

 

 

Kagome was in a complete sense of shock, her eyes wide, her hands braced against his broad shoulders for balance. When he nipped harshly at her bottom lip, drawing blood, she gasped, trying to pull away. He allowed her to, but he never released his strong hold on her. Her head swam, her blood rushed to her face, and when her head was finally clear, she slapped him full across the face. His head didn't even move with the impact; his eyes stayed strained on the drop of blood on her bottom lip.

 

 

“How many times do I have to hurt you to make you understand!” she screamed at him. “Don't do that! It's not what I came over here for.”

 

 

“Well, what is a wild wolf supposed to think when a woman comes creeping in his room at night?”

 

 

“Bastard,” she spat “You know I just wanted to know what the hell is the matter with you.”

 

 

“Right.” His head dipped down quickly, and sucked the blood from her bottom lip. She jerked from him quickly, and struggled from his hold. His arms didn't drop from her waist. Ignoring her struggles and swears; he picked her up quickly, and tossed her carefully on the bed. “Get some sleep,” he muttered at her shock face. She blinked. Wasn't he going to jump her? Wasn't he going to rip her cloths to shreds?

 

 

At her confused look, Inuyasha smiled. “Expecting me?”

 

Her face flushed with anger and embarrassment. “Disgusting.”

 

 

His smile widened. “If you want me that badly, Kagome, all you need to do is ask.” He stalked up the bed, his eyes gleaming with a golden light. Kagome watched him cautiously. He stopped, crouched on all fours by her legs. “You want me, Kagome?”

 

 

She narrowed her gaze. “You just told me to go to sleep. The only thing I want is to see the back of my eyelids.”

 

 

He shook his head slowly, as he continued to approach her. “True. You do need your sleep.” He crawled over her, straddling her hips as he pushed her head down towards the pillow. “Go to sleep.”

 

 

“I will. In my own room.”

 

 

“Here.” He leaned in closer to her, their noses almost touching. “Sleep.”

 

 

“If I'm sleeping in here, I'm not tired,” she told him defiantly.

 

 

He growled at her slightly. He sighed. Sticking his nose in the curve of her neck once again, nuzzling her gently. “You're so tired, but you won't admit it. You were scared shitless out in that hallway.”

 

 

“I wasn't.”

 

“Don't bother to lie. I smelled fear all over you.”

 

 

Her eyes closed slightly, getting heavy. He nipped her neck gently, running his tongue over the abused flesh. She shuddered lightly, slowly drifting off to sleep. He pulled back slowly when he heard her even breathing. Planting a light kiss to her forehead, he rolled away from her, resuming his position by the window. Breathing in the night air, he blew out a frustrated breath. Running a clawed hand through his hair, he replayed what took place earlier.

 

 

He should have known this would have happened. He knew it was going to happen. But after all of these years, the pain still felt fresh, like it only happened yesterday. As soon as he'd gotten off of that plane, he knew that the past really did come back to bite you in the ass. And to top it all off, he had to stay in this mansion. This creepy mansion. As soon as he had stepped in, he knew something was terribly wrong. The very air that was in the mansion was, stagnant, unmoving. It seemed to press on him like weights. He knew for sure that Miroku and Sango had felt it too, even Kagome.

 

 

Even that wasn't the most pressing issue. It was the owner of the mansion that had his insides rattling. The man just seemed so…sinister under that pretty face. And Inuyasha wasn't fooled for a second. With his caustic remarks about his friends, he shouldn't have hesitated to rip his fucking head off. And those eyes of his. They were so gray and deep. He hated them. They were so familiar…he could have sworn he'd seen it before. But he didn't know where. Was it even possible…and did he know? Did he know that he was here before…? That too, was impossible. But his very scent and presence was familiar, and he needed to find out why that was.

 

 

He shook his head, “Sir Coutrage…who the hell are you?”

 

 

 

 

End When the Darkness Howls (For now.)

 

Sorry I took so long with the update. But you know, school does tend to hold you up.

 

 

 

 

 

Translations

 

Note: If there are any problems with the translations, please excuse me. I know there are probably some mistakes in there somewhere, so if there is, sorry about that.

 

Welcome to Romania, slayers. I hope that your travel here was well. I would hate it for your first couple of hours here to be dreadful-- Bun venit la spre Romania slayers. I hope that al tau calatorie aici was well. I trec.de la will hate it pentru al tau primul couple de ora aici were dreadful.

 

Our ride here was fine-- Our plimbare aici was fin.

 

You speak the language very well. I would have thought that you have forgotten how to--Tu speak art.hot. limbaj foarte well. I trec.de la will have thought that tu ai forgotten cum la spre.

 

What are you implying?— Ce esti tu implying?

 

You must be Inuyasha. Myoga has old me about your temper tantrums. Nothing I wont be able to handle--- Tu mustata a fi Inuyasha. Myoga has told eu despre al tau temperat tantrums. Nothing I wont a fi capabil la spre miner.

 

What a loud one, she is. She must be…Sango, I presume-- Ce un loud unul , ea este. Ea mustata a fi Cintat I presume.

 

A Monk? Interesting-- UN Monk? Interesant

 

And she is…?--Si ea este.?

 

A little overprotective, are we?-- UN deget mic overprotective , esti noi?

 

And to a human, no less…well, its not surprising…-- Si la spre un human , nu mai mic. well , sau nu surprising.

 

You mean to tell me that Myoga has sent your friends here without knowledge of the Romanian language?-- Tu mean la spre spune-mi cum that Myoga has trimis al tau prieten aici fara knowledge de la Roman limbaj?

 

The monk seems to be the only decently mannered one-- Art.hot. monk seems la spre a fi art.hot. unic decently mannered unul.

 

As you wish-- As tu dorinta