InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Written in the Stars ❯ Chapter 7

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Chapter 7

“Ishimaru? What's going on?” The two hanyous turned to see Izayoi sitting up now, looking tired and worn. Ishimaru moved over to her side, putting his arms around her, concerned about her reaction to seeing the brother she didn't remember.

“Oi!” the inu-hanyou growled. “Leave my sister alone...”

Izayoi cringed at the anger in his voice, trying to move closer to Ishimaru, her only source of comfort.

“Izayoi!” Inusouta barked. Surely she would remember him- he was her brother, her twin for Kami's sake. “Pest, don't you know me? These damn cats did this to you, didn't they?”

Izayoi cowered away from the black-haired hanyou, afraid that he would hurt her if he got too close- even though he was still bound. She could tell just by listening to him that he was lethal when he was angry- and she wanted no part of that. “I don't know you,” she whispered. “Don't... don't talk to me. Just leave me alone...” She turned to Ishimaru and hid her face in his bare chest, seeking comfort from what she felt was the only gentle soul in the cave. His arms folded around her protectively as Inusouta stared in absolute shock.

Inusouta growled again, wishing he could rip the neko's throat out with his claws. “You have exactly five seconds to get your paws off my sister.”

This threat was greeted by a very bored look. “In case your eyes are going bad, she came to me. I did not force her, nor did I coerce her. She came to me of her own free will.”

Inusouta growled and Izayoi whimpered, hugging Ishimaru's naked waist tighter. “I'm not leaving you,” she whispered against his skin, her hot breath sending shivers all over his body. “I won't go with him!”

He stroked her silky silver tresses a bit to try to comfort her as she tried to tuck herself in his chest. “It's ok,” he murmured to her, which got him another growl from Inusouta.

“Lost her memory? How? What did you do to her?"

Ishimaru gave a sigh as he regarded the inu flatly. “I have done nothing to her and I have to comfort her because you are too stupid to realize you are scaring the hell out of her." Perhaps if he was brash and blunt like this baka dog, Inusouta would finally understand.

The inu's ears drooped a bit more and she whimpered. “Ishi… help me…”

Ishimaru looked down at Izayoi, who stared back up at him. Emotional agony and fear was clear in her eyes, even if her memory was still muddled. She looked absolutely scared and breathtakingly lovely. He couldn't have her… The ultimate forbidden fruit- his boss's imminent bride. Yet… I may die for it… but before I go… I want to taste heaven.

He stood, pulling Izayoi up with him. Her arms were still around his bare waist and his right arm encircled her shoulder and rested against the nape of her neck. He lifted her chin with his left hand. “Tenchi,” he whispered, ignoring everything else around him. For once, he was going to take what he wanted- even though it might mean his death.

Quick as a flash, he lowered his mouth to hers and captured her lips in a gentle yet firm kiss. Inusouta strained against his bonds, his eyes blazing in fury. “You just signed your death warrant, cat…”

Ishimaru grudgingly broke off the kiss, noting that Izayoi's eyes no longer held the pain and fear from before. Instead, another emotion seemed to have taken over the golden orbs. He didn't dare hope…

“I'm going to fucking kill you, you damn bastard,” Inusouta growled, giving into his usually well-restrained temper.

“Just leave him alone!” Izayoi cried, surprising Ishimaru with her defense. “I'm not your property! I would never want to be around someone as violent and foul-mouthed as you!”

Inusouta looked at her as if she were completely nuts. “Izayoi... you are ten times as foul-mouthed as I am...”

“I don't know you!” she replied, tears in her eyes as she turned and fled to the side of the cave, attempting to stay as far away from the irate inu as possible.

Ishimaru glared at Inusouta. “Why can't you keep your mouth shut?” he demanded, his eyes narrowed and his tail fur standing on end. “Can't you see that every time you speak, you scare her?”

“She is my sister, feline. I will speak to her however I choose.”

The boss's two lackeys appeared, intent on giving their prisoners a hard time. They chortled when they saw Ishimaru half-dressed and his tail fur still partially on end. “What's wrong, half-shit? Dog got your fur in a knot?”

“Why are you here again?” Ishimaru replied, ignoring the barb.

They smirked. “Boss says for you to stay here. You're not allowed to leave.”

“Huh?” He looked utterly confused. “Why?”

“To be with your new mate, of course!” they laughed maliciously. One guard grabbed Ishimaru and forced him to his knees, holding his hands behind his back with one hand and the other crushing his windpipe as he struggled, while the other grabbed the bound Inusouta and brought him forward. They pushed the two males' struggling faces together so that they were mushed together, trying to force them to kiss.

“Go on, half-shit! Kiss your new mate!” They roared and laughed in cruel delight.

They are dead, came the identical thoughts in both males' minds.

Izayoi gasped from her position against the far wall. She stared in horror at the scene before her.

The guards released their victims and sauntered over to the frightened girl. “So… she's awake,” one purred. Ishimaru coughed and spluttered, fighting to get his breath back.

“Think we should try her out before the boss gets her? Make sure she's a good ride?”

The other nodded. “She may be a bitch, but I'm sure she'll learn new tricks fast. If we're lucky, she'll end up with our kittens instead of the boss's. Youkai like him shouldn't breed anyway.”

“You probably mean can't, right?” They roared with laughter again. One stepped forward, his hand going to the front of her haori and tearing it open. She whimpered, her eyes full of fear as he pulled her to her feet, ripping off the rest of the purple haori in the process. She tried pull away and cover her bare breasts when the neko pulled back a hand and slapped her, hard, across the cheek, leaving four slashes on her cheek from his claws.

“Bitch! You'll get fucked and you'll like it!”

In a flash of blue light, the shirtless Ishimaru had swung his sword, which no one had seen him draw, effectively silencing the would-be rapist. His body disintegrated before it even hit the floor. The other gazed in shock and fear at the tip of Ishimaru's blade, now pointed at his throat.

“Tell Maomorin that I'm challenging him. Bring his sniveling tail here immediately or I will obliterate you as well.”

The remaining lackey nodded slightly, not taking his eyes off the blade. He turned tail, as it were, and fled out of the cave.

As soon as the other neko was out of sight, he moved over to Izayoi, retrieving his shirt and handing it to her to cover her nakedness. She was shaking and her ears were completely flat against her head.

Amber called out to the neko. “Please, Ishimaru… let us loose! We need to see if she's okay!”

Ishimaru turned and stared at them, his eyes cold. Two pairs of eyes- one gold and one sapphire- stared back at him.

“I just did. She is fine.”

“Set us loose and we will assist you.” Inusouta looked rather irritated.

“This fight with Maomorin is to be fought between him and I- you two cannot interfere.”

“Baka!” Amber muttered. “My mate and I are nigh on unbeatable when we fight together!”

His eyes grew cold. “I told you. This fight is between him and me. Stay out of it. You would have to promise to not get in the way.”

“Just free us already!”

“Promise, or you can stay tied for all I care.”

Inusouta sighed and Amber managed to thwap him with her tail. “We swear.”

Ishimaru moved over to the couple. He cut their ties and watched emotionlessly as Inusouta pulled off the newly-cut bonds so he could scurry over to his mate. Amber tossed her own to the floor and flung herself into her mate's arms. Inusouta ignored the neko for the moment- his time would come later- and kissed his kitsune, thankful that she was okay. He turned back to his sister, crouched on the floor in uncharacteristic fear.

“Iza? Izayoi, it is I- Inusouta. Do... do you not remember me? Your brother? Your twin?” Her gold eyes went wide in shock as she tried to back away from him. Her eyes held no recognition.

“Get away,” she whispered, barely loud enough for him to hear even with his hanyou hearing. “Don't come near me…”

His black dog ears twitched. He gave her a Look. “Cease looking at me as if you wish to Kaze no Kizu my tail back to Mother's era.”

Izayoi blinked. “What… what's a Kaze no Kizu?” She looked at Ishimaru.

The neko's face was carefully neutral but she could see the concern in the topaz depths. “It doesn't matter,” he murmured, moving closer and running his hand lightly over the cuts on her lovely cheek. How in Kami's name they could mar a perfect face like this… ”Are… are you okay? Did he hurt you?” he asked as he moved over by her side, ignoring the death-glare from the black-haired inu.

Izayoi's gaze flickered back to the hanyou claiming to be her brother. Her eyes still held a great amount of fear as she looked at him. He reached out to touch her- and she whimpered and threw herself into Ishimaru's protective embrace.

“Ishi… don't let him take me…”

“Mrowr… what is the meaning of this?”

The four looked over to see the large white cat youkai standing in the entrance to the cave, the lone lackey standing next to him. Several neko guards stood behind them, blocking the exit.

Before anyone could react, he pulled away and handed Izayoi over to Amber. “Take care of her,” he said as he pulled out his sword once more.

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A/N: To those who forgot: Tenchi = heavenly gift, angel