My Boyfriend's Brother

*
*
*
*
This is my longest chapter yet. I couldn't believe when I saw how big it was! I hope that you guys enjoy it. If you're not into hot, sweaty men running around the battlefield than look away now! As always thanks for continuing to read and review my work. I couldn't continue without your support.

Naomi
I’m glad that my writing is having such an impact on you Naomi and that you find it credible. Thank you. Writing the last few chapters has been the most challenging to date. Sexy and sweet is what I was going for in that last chapter. I’m glad I succeeded on that front. Hey! You know things are all right if Inuyasha can get into bed with them at the end of the night, right?

Cocoke5
Thanks for your review. New chapter just up! Making Sessh cry was a challenge. Glad you liked it.

Tana-san
I’m glad you like the Inu/Sessh relationship. I made the decision early on to make Inuyasha softer and sweeter than other authors make him because that’s how I see him… I was afraid that I was compromising his manliness at times but I’m so glad it’s working out! They should have told the truth I know but to lie… That’s human. The word douche, not something that comes up in conversation very often, is it? I actually had to look it up! Hmm… While Sessh was doing his “guy stuff” Kagome couldn’t persuade him to work on the water delivery system to make Mr Bob (the shower head) more efficient. She has to make do with long soaks… I’d forgotten about Ayumi to be honest. Like you say she’s not really an issue…

Alatera
Glad you like it! Yuki? You could say she’s my pet. She’s the interested observer. She’s involved in their daily lives but not really a part of it. I suppose I should have done more on the relationship between her, Kagome and Rin but I’m not so good with girly chats. Not my forte. Perhaps Inuyasha did get off easy but he had his share of pain… The betrayal on Kagome’s part affected him more deeply.

Lala_land
Glad you like the story but what can I say… My characters are all freaks!

Raysha
Thanks for your review. Glad you found the fight scene interesting. Yup! Twins… Two pups for the price of one!

Madmiko
Whew! Thanks for a great review. Your words are always so heartfelt. I’m glad that Sesshomaru loosing his head was credible but at the same time if things had progressed beyond a certain point I think there would have been no going back. Certainly not for Kagome. If she survived… Sometimes I have to remind myself that he is a demon and he’s not going to react like a man. He does feel things deeply but at the end of the day he does not have a human heart.

I always think that anger is a valuable tool. At the end of the day is it not better to get angry at somebody and voice what you’ve been feeling? Then you can begin to put things back together… They were both reminded of what they could have lost. The way I have depicted Kagome perhaps it did not always show how unworthy she felt of somebody who is stronger, older, wiser, who always knows what to do… Perhaps it is a little silly of me to keep what Sesshomaru feels secret until he chooses to reveal it… This broke new ground for me. That for once the hero of the piece doesn’t know what to do and that the end of the day somebody he secretly thought of as being weaker than him, emerges as his equal.

I’m so glad the Inuyasha angle is still real for you. I always feel like he’s slightly on the outside and that he needs to be brought into the inner circle. The birth of the twins… Hmm… Well I’m not going to kill her if that’s what you mean? That would be too painful. I’m going to build on the healing thing. It’s new and kind of precious. I think you can probably guess what I’m going to do with it… I’m really glad you like Kagome’s place in all of this. I was afraid that I had made her too weak, too accepting of her situation. Thank you!



Chapter Thirteen


First, later know as Miyuki and Second/Kiyoshi were born in late evening on a cool March day. Outside, late snow already lay thick on the ground. It was still coming down. The silence all around the mansion was eerie. So while Kagome was in labour, the louder screams could be clearly heard in the servants’ quarters. It was only when the second child’s head emerged and his tiny body followed that the snow stopped falling.

The male infant did not cry, unlike the firstborn female who had come wailing into the world. The human midwife, stranded by the snow, put him into her embrace. She coaxed the nipple into his mouth and instinctively he began to suckle. His sister was already nursing.

The girl child had a mop of white hair, delicately pointed ears and golden eyes. Three dainty, lavender stripes graced her right cheek. Beneath the swaddling blanket, amid the usual appendages was a long, fluffy white tail. The boy was smaller, dark-haired with the same pointed pixie ears and delicate markings, except that his were magenta coloured and on his left cheek. His eyes were liquid brown and his tail was the same dark colour as the hair on his head.

The midwife finished up and opened the door of the room, allowing her concerned family to crowd in. Yuki lingered awhile, making sure Kagome had everything she needed, before leading the midwife, her maternal aunt, away to eat and wash up. Tonight she would sleep in the servants’ quarters. Makoto, Rin and Shippo were chased out of the room and off to bed by Inuyasha.

Sesshomaru sat on the bed beside her and gazed down at his newborn pups suckling at his mate’s breasts. He put his arm around her and pressed his lips to her hair. She leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed contentedly. She was too tired to speak.

Inuyasha re-entered the room with Kyoko in his arms. He carried her to her cot and put her down to sleep. He drew the blankets up and laid a gentle kiss on her forehead. Sesshomaru’s eyes were drawn once again to the soft tails protruding from the ends of the baby blankets. He smiled.

“Once Kyoko is old enough to notice her absence of tail, she will be envious…”

Kagome gave him a half-smile. He kissed her temple. Inuyasha snorted as he walked towards the foot of the bed.

“Hardly!”, he said, “I imagine she’ll be relieved… Third time around will be the charm so far as you’re concerned!”

He glanced at Kagome.

“Can you imagine it? A perfect miniature version of Sessh running around the mansion in pup’s clothing… Yeeeeaagh!”

He shuddered. His brother frowned at him. The half-demon smirked and turned to Kagome. Her eyes were a little wide.

“Of course he’ll have to wait his turn… You’ll be birthing my child next!”

She stared at him in disbelief.

“Inuyasha! I’ve just given birth, for god sakes! I was in horrible pain for hours and you’re already talking about having another child?!”

Her voice was shrill. A furrow appeared between Sesshomaru’s eyebrows. Inuyasha’s ears flattened against his head. For a few moments his expression was pained.

“Really Inuyasha…”, the demon lord said, shaking his head.

One corner of his mouth twitched. His younger brother held up his hands.

“Hey! I’m talking about sometime in the future… Not right away! You’ve had four pups in a short space of time. I think your body should rest for a while. Then we can try again…”

She raised her eyebrows.

“I’m so glad you think so…”, she said.

He ignored the sarcasm in her voice. He walked around the bed and climbed aboard. He crawled across the bed. He settled next to her and gazed down at his brother’s children at her breasts.

“I’ll be patient”, he said, “I’m very good at that…”

He ignored his older brother’s raised eyebrow. She met the half-demon’s eyes. She swallowed her sarcastic retort when she saw the look in his soulful eyes. It was too hard to stay angry with him when he looked like that. She offered him a smile. He smiled back at her but some of the sadness still lingered.

“Oh, Yasha…”, she said.

“Hey, I’m happy for you and Sessh! Really, I am…”

“Thank you. That means a lot…”

He kissed her cheek, warm lips lingering. She closed her eyes, savouring the caress, not seeing the sympathetic look in Sesshomaru’s eyes. Inuyasha leaned back against the pillows and put his arms behind his head.

“So…”, he said, “What are we calling these pups? Did you decide?”

We? Kagome looked at Sesshomaru and smiled.

“Not yet”, she said, “We decided to wait until they were born… I was thinking… How about something with the Kanji for “snow” and “quiet” in it? Or is it too obvious?”

The demon lord grunted softly.

“It is a good place to start…”

“How about Strife and Trouble?”, Inuyasha said.

He was looking at the sweet faces of infants as he said this. The girl infant’s hunger was sated and she was falling asleep at her breast. The boy child was still suckling. Personally, Inuyasha was a little envious. Is it wrong to still find the sight of her naked breasts so erotic when there’s a pup at each one?

A furrow appeared between Kagome’s eyebrows.

“That’s a little dramatic, don’t you think?”, she said, entertaining the flippant remark.

“And the name Sesshomaru isn’t?”

The owner of said name gave a sigh.

“Mother does have a flair for drama…”, he said, “I think First and Second would be more appropriate until we settle on suitable names. It is certainly better than Left and Right… Agreed?”

“Agreed…”, she said softly.

She stared at him as he leaned over her and took First out of her embrace. He cradled the infant to his chest and rubbed her back gently to bring up any wind. Kagome did not cover herself. She was still slightly stunned. He never talked about his mother so she thought it taboo.

Following his older brother’s lead, Inuyasha sat up and took Second, now that he too had stopped suckling. She felt a breeze. She glanced down at her bared breasts and saw gooseflesh. She wiped away the milk stains and closed her the front of her yukata.

“Why do you never talk about your mother?”, she said.

Sesshomaru met her eyes, face impassive. Inuyasha went very still beside her.

“We do not see eye to eye”, the demon lord said.

“Why not?”

“Her personality is at odds with my own…”

“Okay…”

The half-demon relaxed beside her. His older brother turned his attention back to his newborn daughter. He soon realised his mate was still staring at him. He looked at her.

“Yes, my sweet?”, he said.

“How come you’ve never brought us to visit her?”

She felt Inuyasha tense again. Second began to whimper, making his voice heard for the first time. Then those soft sounds became full-throated cries. For a few moments Kagome let it go on, as if it was the most beautiful sound in the world. She stared at his tiny face, contorted in anguish. Then she took him out of Inuyasha’s arms as his twin sister began to whimper in sympathy.

She cradled him to her bosom and rocked him gently. Sesshomaru put First back into her embrace to allow her to commiserate with her younger brother. He watched his mate struggle momentarily to find a comfortable hold for both of them, scrutinizing her face, searching for that accusatory something contained in her previous expression. The cries of the babies slowed, tiny pink feet gently kicking one another.

“Ah!”, he said softly, “You think that I am ashamed of you?”

She met his eyes. Her face flushed.

“The thought had crossed my mind…”

He shook his head.

“No, Kagome, I could never be ashamed of you or Inuyasha or our pups…”

At this his younger brother’s eyes widened.

“I have put off a meeting between us because our home life, until recently has been tenuous. I wanted to be sure that we were solid before I introduced another variable… Do you understand?”

A furrow appeared between her eyebrows.

“I think so…” , she said.

He turned to Inuyasha.

“I know that meeting Mother will be stressful to say the least…”

The half-demon nodded, eyes wide. The corners of his older brother’s mouth turned up.

“Hopefully it will not be as stressful as our meetings Kagome’s mother…”

His younger brother rolled his eyes.

“Yeah”, he said, “At least if we piss your mother off enough she’ll just kill us! She won’t shout and throw heavy objects at us…”

Kagome frowned.

“Hey!”, she said, “Don’t talk about Mama like that. She was just looking out for me…”

“Like any good mother should…”, Sesshomaru said.

Inuyasha scowled.

“Sorry!”, he said, not really meaning it.

She gave him a look. She mentally reviewed what he had said about her primary mate’s mother moments before. Her eyes went wide as she thought about the possibilities. She looked at the Sesshomaru.

“Would she really kill us?”, she said.

The corners of his mouth twitched.

“Not intentionally… Or not… It is hard to say. A demon mother’s ways are not the ways of a human mother…”

He sighed.

“Perhaps I should tell you about the day Mother sent me to Hell?”

Kagome’s eyebrows threatened to shoot into her hair.

“She did what now?!”

Inuyasha’s ears twitched. He sat up a little straighter and looked at his older brother with rapt attention.

“She really sent you to Hell?!”, he said.

The demon lord took a moment to reflect.

“Yes, but it was not all bad…”, he said.

“Go on. I’m listening…”

Kagome smiled. She could feel her eyes grow heavy listening to the brothers’ talk. She closed her eyes as sleep beckoned, her babies clutched to her chest. Things can only get better…


After supper Rin helped Kagome bath Miyuki, Kiyoshi, Kyoko and Makoto. After eight weeks she almost had the bedtime routine down. Almost being the operative word. Every so often when the little Kitsune felt he was still clean enough from the night before not to have a bath, they would be drawn into a game of hide and seek.

Sometimes when he was found and made to sit in the living area with Inuyasha and Sesshomaru to wait for his turn in the tub, he would escape and hide again. Drawn by the bustle, Kyoko would climb out of her cot, rouse Makoto and with much giggling they would join in the fun. Miyuki and Kiyoshi would wake up and start crying disturbed by the chaos…

Tonight had been one of those nights. By the time all the children were bathed and tucked up in bed, Kagome was exhausted. She asked Rin to sit with her while she bathed in case she should fall asleep in the tub. Then she went to bed early. Her mates could join her later.

Kagome awoke in the night. Her eyes flashed open. She lay still and listened hard, trying to distinguish the sound that had woken her. She could hear nothing but her own heightened breathing, that of the males on either side of her and the children in their respective cots.

Sesshomaru jerked awake. She felt his aura flare. She looked towards him and saw his eyes flash in the semi-darkness of the room. Before she could speak, he jumped off the bed and took off running, not waiting to slide back the shoji. He crashed through it as if it was not there. The sound woke Inuyasha.

“Whaaa…”, he said, stupidly.

Then his body went stiff. He was suddenly alert and fully awake. She felt the bed shift beneath her as he leapt in the air. Then he landed in front of the bed and charged after his older brother.

“Inuyasha!”, she cried, “What the hell is going on?”

He skidded to a halt in front of the ruined door.

“Stay here”, he said, his voice a growl.

Her eyebrows threatened to shoot into her hair. Then he whirled around and crashed through the ruined door, making the hole wider. She stared after him. Miyuki started wailing first. Then Kiyoshi began whimpering. Kyoko awoke and joined the symphony. Kagome made a sound that was a cross between a sigh and a groan. She got off the bed and padded towards them.

The twins shared a cradle. They were smaller than Makoto and Kyoko had been as newborns and so they both fitted easily into it at first. At eight weeks old they were threatening to outgrow it. Kyoko was standing up in her cot holding her arms out to her mother.

She was torn, not knowing whom to comfort first. She looked down at the twins, little bodies rolling together, feet kicking each other, hands grasping each other’s or touching each other’s faces. She made a mental note to keep their claws clipped for the foreseeable future.

Miyuki’s wails lessened to a whimper and Kiyoshi was making very few sounds. Kyoko was still jumping up and down in her cot. She was red-faced and crying. Decision made, Kagome went to her and picked her up. She cradled her to her chest, gently bouncing her up and down and making soothing noises. She walked back to the crib. Holding Kyoko in a one-armed grip, she began to rock the cradle.

“Gome!”, Inuyasha cried, “Bring the pups to the other room.”

She started at the sound of his voice, wondering why she had not at least heard him coming or felt the brush of his ki. It was noticeable enough at the moment, even from the other side of the room. Perhaps it was the overwhelming power of the children’s ki? She knew already that the twins were going to be powerful force to be reckoned with and they were only weeks old. They would be more powerful than Makoto.

The stronger ki came from Miyuki’s tiny body, something Sesshomaru had remarked upon himself with surprise. What kind of power Kyoko would have, she did not know. Most of the time she was no different from an ordinary human, but when she was frightened or agitated as she was now, her aura flared. It was like nothing Kagome had ever felt before. It did not feel human or demonic.

She whirled around as Inuyasha moved the ruined shoji aside and rushed into the room, the transformed Tetsusaiga drawn. He was sweating and breathing hard. He had retrieved his fire rat robe at some point but his shirt and haori were swinging open. He grabbed the cradle and began to hurry out of the room, expecting her to follow. He looked back at her as he reached the door. She stood, rooted to the spot. A deep furrow appeared between his dark eyebrows.

“Come on, Gome”, he urged her, “Time is pushing on…”

“What is going on?”

He stared at her.

“Didn’t I say?”

She shook her head. His face flushed.

“We’re under attack…”

Her eyes went wide.

“What?!”

She was addressing empty air. Inuyasha was gone. She hurried after him, hearing the sounds of battle and feeling the clamour of the many gathered demonic auras outside in the grounds. Her fear spiked, wondering why she had not felt or heard anything before. The failure could potentially have been fatal.

The door of the room Rin, Shippo and Makoto shared was open. She hurried inside, closing the door behind her. Inuyasha put the cradle down on an empty bed. Makoto and Shippo were still in their respective beds. If there was one empty bed, that meant Rin was missing.

Panic gripped her heart. Her chest heaved. Where the hell is she? Now is not the time to go missing! Inuyasha walked towards her. Shippo was awake and sleepily demanding to know what was going on. He was just background noise compared to the thundering of her blood in her ears. She knew her eyes were wide.

“I’ll find her”, he reassured her, “I suggest you huddle together and raise a shield. Hopefully you will not need to keep it up for very long…”

She nodded dumbly. Gently, he pushed her aside. The door opened and slid shut behind her as he exited.


He found Yuki in the kitchen fending off armed attackers with a broom and her claws. For a moment he stared, transfixed by the sight of the normally placid half cat demon spitting and growling. Her eyes met his across the kitchen and he rushed forward to help her. He pushed her behind him and soon the home invaders lay dead. She began to offer her thanks but he brushed it off. He grabbed her shoulders a little harder than necessary, claws digging into her flesh. Her eyes widened, startled to be treated in such a rough manner.

“Where’s Rin?”, he demanded, “Have you seen her at all…”

She saw the worry in his eyes so she quelled her instincts to scratch his eyes out and pointed.

“In the cold storage…”

She saw the relief on his face. His death grip eased. He kissed her full on the lips before releasing her. The half-cat’s face flushed. She stared after him as he crossed the kitchen. Then he dropped his knees and ripped the cover off the cold storage. He pulled the struggling, screaming girl out of her hiding place.

“Hey Rin! It’s me. Stop kicking and scratching…”

The girl ceased her struggles and instead came close to cutting off his air supply as she wound her arms tightly around his throat.

“Urk!”, he exclaimed.

“Inu-san! I told Yuki-chan you’d come for us…”

She looked at the startled half-cat.

“Didn’t I?!”

Yuki nodded, unable to speak. He got to his feet, the girl still clinging to his throat as more demons came through the back door. The half-cat made a small sound of alarm and ran towards him, just in time to evade a halberd. The strangest thing was they were weaker, lesser demons; Kitsunes, Tanukis, Rats, Ookamis, Nekos, Monkeys etc. Why would they be working together? He managed to unwind Rin from around his neck and pushed her into Yuki’s arms.

“Get her to the pup’s room”, he cried, “Kagome is already there. She should have a shield up. Even if this whole place comes down it will hold…”

She nodded her understanding, eyes wide. He turned away from her.

“Hurry Yuki-san. Your fear is delicious. To my demon half you smell like food…”

She gasped. He spared her a glance before he darted forward. She swept Rin up into her arms and ran.


The ground was already thick with bodies. Sesshomaru and his remaining retainers had been engaged in battle the moment they had coming running out of their respective shelters. He tried to focus as more and more demons, eager to die, threw themselves on his claws. He knew that if he was distracted by his worry for his family’s safety he too would fall. He drew his sword, eliminating a large number in one sweep.

From the right came the sound of a female’s cries. It drew his attention long enough for the wolf in front of him to launch itself at him. He sensed movement out the corner of his eye and threw his arm up to shield himself. The wolf yelped as it was hit with unexpected force. It fell short of his target, the demon lord’s delicate-looking throat, but that did not stop it from raking its claws down his body from mid chest to the top of his thigh.

The demon lord grunted in pain but otherwise showed no other outward expression as he kicked the lesser demon away from him. His face was set in impassive lines. His gaze was steely. His yukata swirled around his lower body and legs as he jumped backwards. Underneath it was a pair of hastily tied hakama he had pulled off the washing line. He had not taken the time to don his armour. He was also barefoot. He had already decided that if he was going to die tonight, he would make sure he took enough of his enemies with him.

Growling, the wolf charged him again. This time it was not allowed to touch him before it was cleaved it in two. The screaming sound was heard again. This time he pinpointed its location before charging off in pursuit. It was coming from the home of one of his retainers. It made him think of Kagome but he knew she could not possibly be outside. He had trusted the half-breed to guard her. If the distracting sound was not quieted he would not be able to concentrate again.

The door of the shelter was open, hanging off its hinges. He stumbled over the first bodies until he had the presence of mind to levitate. Among them his retainer, Akemi, lay dead. The blade pulsed in his hand. It glowed faintly. Yet the ghoulish otherworldly messengers that clambered over the bodies of dead were strangely absent. Perhaps it had been too long? He was not allowed a moment to reflect upon the demon’s death or to thank him for his sacrifice, because the distressing sound was heard again. Then he remembered that the retainer had taken a mate, only weeks before.

The smell of sex and blood was thick on the air. On the bedroom floor he found her beneath the eager body of her attacker. A growl escaped his lips and the rapist stilled.

“Sorry, friend you’re going to have to wait your turn…”

Then he began his furious work again without even turning to see look over his shoulder. Assorted demons ringed around them jumped to attention and rushed at him. He despatched them quickly. He walked over the bodies and further into the room. The rapist had been roused by the fighting and was frantically trying to remove his swollen organ from his unwilling sexual partner.

“Here, let me help you”, he snarled, grabbing him under the arm and hurling him across the room.

The she-demon made a cry of pain as her attacker was ripped from her torn and bloodied vagina. His head exploded like a melon against the supporting beam of the house. The demon lord noted with some satisfaction the brain matter splatter on the walls. The wolf demon had not had time to cry out.

The she-demon lay where she had fallen, not understanding what had happened. When her mind turned over it concluded that this new demon was here to claim her as his own. Whimpering, she began to inch away from him. She did not recognise her lord and master without his usual armour, clothing and boots. Blood splatter almost completely concealed his cheek markings and the crescent moon was covered by sweat soaked hair. His narrow golden eyes had bled to red.

He stared down at her, not quite comprehending her behaviour at first. Her pale skin looked like it was barely holding the web of bruising and wounds together. One eye was swollen shut. She was small, maybe slightly smaller than Kagome, which made her tiny for a dog demon bitch. He winced when his eyes fell upon her bloodied thighs. She had closed her legs but not squeezed them together which meant the internal damage was probably so much worse than the blood on her legs suggested. She would heal but it would be slow.

She was trying to drag her body backwards on one hand and the elbow of the other arm. The wrist was broken and one of her legs was turned at an awkward angle. Her progress was slow. He decided that he should not try to touch her yet. He was surprised that if she had the power to hold human form that she had not the strength to transform and defend herself. Perhaps her demon self had retreated and left in its place a frightened animal? He did not know or care. He had to get her to the safety of the main house.

He dropped to his knees in front of her and pressed his hand into the ground. A tiny whimper escaped her lips. Her whole body was shaking. He swallowed hard, chest overflowing with strong emotion. To think I was going to subject my own mate to this only weeks before… He struggled to remember her name. Mitsuko! That was it…

“Mitsuko?”, he said.

At the sound of his voice she went still. She knew that sensual voice. It was the reassuring voice of her lord and master. The demon before her was large with long, silver hair and only one arm, just like her master. There the resemblance seemed to end. His attire was wrong. He was also barefoot. The muscled chest showing through the upset neckline of his yukata would ordinarily have made her blush, but today was slightly different from every other day…

“Mitsuko, do you know me?”

Her eyes focused on his face. She stared at him, trying to find the familiar under the gore and sweat. She discerned the shape of his face and the delicacy of his features. Vivid flecks of colour showed through the blood splatter. She took in the pixie ears sticking out of the tangle of his hair. His eyes were red, when normally they were golden. She realised it was a partial transformation.

“Sesshomaru-sama?”

Her voice was a scratch.

“Yes. It is I…”

She stared at him.

“Is Akemi alright?”

He was silent, watching her with those strange red eyes. Slowly he shook his head. Fresh tears clouded her vision. He sighed. He knew he was not going to get much more sense out of her. Her mind had retreated inwards. The demon lord stood. He walked towards the bed and stripped a bed sheet off it. She did not resist as he wrapped her in it, except to whimper when he aggravated an injury. Moving with speed, he exited the house and crossed the yard. He met Inuyasha coming out the back door. He thrust the delicate bundle into his arms.

“Get her to Kagome”, he ordered the surprised half-demon, “Then we will finish this…”

He had not noticed that his mouth could no longer contain his teeth and his fingers and toes were elongated claws.



He re-emerged from the mansion and threw himself into the thick of the fighting, cutting through bodies to find his half-brother. He touched his shoulder, startling him and found himself parrying a blow from the Tenseiga. His eyebrows threatened to shoot into his hair. The look in the demon lord’s eyes was feral.

“Brother…”, Sesshomaru said.

He bowed his head by way of apology.

“Your sudden appearance startled me.”

He withdrew his sword. The half-demon stared at him. At least he still recognises me!

“That’s okay…”, he said, “Maybe I should have found another way to alert you to my presence…”

His older brother calmly kicked aside a Kitsune attacking with a club weapon.

“Let us consider the matter closed. Come!”

He stabbed the unfortunate fox demon as it came back for a second try.

“Kyoko…”, Inuyasha said.

The demon lord turned his head sharply. He fixed his eyes on his face, concerned for the child’s welfare as if she was his own.

“What is it?”, he said, “Is the girl child hurt?”

Inuyasha considered his answer. He punched a monkey demon as it leapt towards him. It fell back with a groan. I hate freakin’ monkeys! Bastard things…

“No, she’s fine”, he said, “What I have to say will keep until the battle is over...”

The demon lord frowned.

“Very well… Stay with me.”

He led the charge towards the ruined walls at the bottom of the grounds.



Together they fought side by side. Inuyasha did not really have a goal. He was just following his brother into battle, defending their home. He did not really care who was behind it, so long as they found whoever it was soon and dispatched them to hell. It could not come soon enough for him. For this gross violation he wanted justice. He realised that the bodies were thinning out and when his gaze was drawn downwards he could actually see the grass under his feet.

Looking behind him, he could see that the battle was far from over. They had only a small battalion of well-armed, well-trained retainers while their attackers were many. It would all be over if they could use their most powerful attacks, but to do so could mean the deaths of their own men. It was something of a dilemma.

Standing just on the threshold between the grounds and the forest was the largest male dog demon in human form Inuyasha had ever seen. At first he thought his calf-length hair pulled into a high ponytail, was black but the sheen on it showed it to be steel grey. There were indigo markings on each cheek. He wore dark coloured short-sleeved haori and hakama and similar armour to Sesshomaru’s usual. There was a heavy pelt over one shoulder. What’s with this big dead animal on the shoulder and full-blooded dog demons? I never really asked Sessh what that’s all about…

In his hand he held what appeared to be a spear with a long head. It took him a moment to realise it was a naginata. On either hip he wore a full-sized sword. Now that’s ridiculous! Who can fight and fight well with two swords at once, without loosing time in the spin, having to compensate for the clumsier left side? Anybody I’ve ever met who wore his swords like that was only doing it for show. There was no real skill. I know I’d really like to see this!

The dog demon walked towards them. He bowed to Sesshomaru.

“Sesshomaru…”

The demon lord bowed his head.

“Daisuke…”

Hey! What am I chopped liver? The half-demon grunted. He raised his sword ready to strike. His older brother’s voice sounded on the air and he started. Sometimes he forgot how deep and wonderful it was. It did not go with his partially transformed face any better than it went with the prettier version.

“This is my fight, little brother…”

He made a series of dramatic, elegant swipes with the sword in the air, shaking much of the blood off the blade before sheathing it. Inuyasha watched the display in something resembling awe. Then he scowled.

“Fine!”, he said.

He glared at Daisuke as if it was somehow his fault. The larger, older dog demon made a low growl in his throat. Inuyashsa was just about to respond when Sesshomaru made an answering growl. Startled by the sound he looked back to his older brother. He noticed there was something odd about the demon lord’s stance. Are his legs injured? I can’t say I noticed in the clamour… His gaze was drawn downwards.

If any of the blood on his clothes was his he could not tell. They were both covered in minor wounds and the blood that plastered their clothes to their sweating bodies was certainly not all their own. His legs seemed a strange shape in his hakama. He realised his brother had adopted a proper fighting stance, hand hovering over the hilt of his sword. Usually it was not something he bothered with. He just levitated. Huh!? There must be more to this Daisuke guy than meets the eye! Sessh must be feeling vulnerable without his armour…

His gaze flickered upwards towards his face again. It was then he noticed that there was a fine silver coating of fur on his lower arm and upper chest. Again…Huh!? His gaze travelled upwards to see if anything else was odd. His pointed pixie ears were gone. In their place were floppy, silver dog ears, nestled in the matted tangle of his hair. His eyes went wide.

Freakin’ hell! That’s top of the list of things I thought I’d never see! He’s got to be resisting the change pretty furiously. It must be taking a lot of control to keep his hand the right shape to hold his sword. If he transforms and vomits poison on the battlefield he’ll take out all our own fighters. Now that’s a steaming pile of crap! Then he smirked. I wonder if he’s got a tail?!

Meanwhile the demon lord and the larger dog demon stared at each other across the expanse of battlefield between them. Neither of them moved, each trying to intimidate the other into making the first move. His older brother’s gaze flickered to his face and then back to his opponent.

“Why are you still here, Inuyasha?”, he said, “Your opponent is over there…”

He nodded beyond the large dog demon. Leaning against the boundary wall was a female dog demon. She had long, golden hair and the ever-present boa. She wore substantial armour including a breastplate, back plate and shoulder guard. Additionally she also wore leather guards on her lower arms, shins and wrists. It all looked so wrong with the gold, flower patterned kimono. On her hip was a whip and she held a large metal fan in her hand. He looked at his older brother’s impassive face.

“A female?”, he said questioningly.

The demon lord met his eyes.

“That is Akane of the territory to the east… Do not under estimate her because of her sex, little brother. She is a very powerful she-demon. Do not hold back, but do not kill her...”

He leapt backwards as the older dog demon charged him.

“Go! Capture her!”

He nodded. He zigzagged around the fighting demons. Then he began to run towards the female. She stood in one easy motion. She stepped out of her sandals and made an elegant pose, flourishing the fan in front of her and throwing the empty hand out behind her. Then she dropped into a crouch. One leg was bent. The other was splayed to the side. She smiled at him and it was a thing of terrifying beauty. He stopped a respectful distance from her.

Naturally curious about what females did and did not wear under their attire, his eyes were drawn to the pale limbs that thrust from between the layers of her kimono. Unlike his mate, the she-demon did not wear a half-slip under her kimono to spare the blushes when the layers moved apart or flapped open.

As well as the frightening futuristic contraption Kagome called a “bra”, she also wore tall stockings called “hold-ups” in winter. Sesshomaru had outlawed the wearing of that strange undergarment she called “underwear” long ago. She grumbled about the deal on particularly cold days, but her complaints fell upon deaf, pointed ears. The owner of the soft, white dog ears had cheekily offered more than once to warm up the affected area.

Grateful for the shadows pooling around the underside of that firm, milk white thigh where it curved into her buttock, he surmised that Akane also went au naturel. He concentrated on her face again. When he met her eyes, she raised an elegant, arched golden eyebrow and gave him a knowing look. Glad that his face was already flushed from his exertions, he blushed a little harder. As a distraction technique it was certainly somewhat effective, if not a little crass.

“Ah!”, she said, “The Hanyou half-brother… I am disappointed that Sesshomaru himself did not come forward to fight me but no matter! You will do…”

Her voice was amazing, a perfect mezzo-soprano. It made him think of the luxurious feel of fur rubbing against bare skin. She looked him up and down. Again, she smiled.

“Mmm…You are indeed fairer of face than I expected... The body under that strange clothing and your big, big sword… Mmmph mmm… I am impressed, Inuyasha!”

Her golden eyes glittered with amusement. He tried not to let the sound of her voice, her compliments and her smile throw him. His eyes kept trying to look back to that shadowed area again. He could feel powerful energy rolling off her body in waves. Quite a display she was putting on! Did she really think that all she had to do was show a little flesh, smile and compliment him, let her the power of her aura wash over him and he would fall at her feet?

She did not have to try so hard. This female was beautiful and powerful, but she still had no idea what sexy and dangerous meant. Sango did a much better job it than she did. He was aware of the former Taijia’s physical charms, yet, Inuyasha never found her near as sexually appealing as Kagome. He was drawn to a female who had strength of mind and heart, but who needed his physical protection. He was old-fashioned that way.

He began to circle her, forcing her to straighten up and move with him or risk turning her back to him. As confident as she seemed she was not stupid.

“Why do you not compliment me back, half-breed?”, she said.

“I would, but you’re not my type…”

She raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, I have heard rumours that both you and your half-brother share a taste for squirming human female flesh… Is it also true that you share a mate and through your exertions, between you have produced more abominations? I am almost envious of the ngingen, getting to copulate with both of you… Do both of you pound her flesh at once or do you take it in turns to jump up and down on her?”

She gave him an expectant look. He growled.

How the hell did you do that, reduce the love we have for her to something crude and nasty in seconds?! You insult our mate, our pups, our whole way of life! Bitch! You’re really asking for it!

He took a breath.

Calm yourself, Inuyasha. She’s just trying to rattle you and get you to make the first move...

He continued to circle her, waiting for her to make her move. She stared at him.

“No answer? You are not much of a conversationalist…”

“Shut it bitch!

Her elegant eyebrows lifted.

“I am hurt Inu-kun! I thought you would want to get to know me a little better before we become bed mates…”

He scowled, continuing to circle her.

“What are you talking about, female?”, he glowered.

“Don’t you know?”

She giggled. He wondered if it was meant to be coquettish. It had the effect of raising the small hairs on the back of his neck and along his lower arms. He shivered as if she had physically touched him.

“What?!”, he demanded.

The irritating, spine tingling sound came again.

“Ah! Then your full blooded Inuyoukai half-brother, Sesshomaru, has not told you about me?”

His interest peaked at the mention of his older brother. It was heard in his voice when he replied.

“No…”, he said.

“Then you know nothing of the carnal delights that await you when we are done here… Never mind! You shall have such an exquisite time finding out!”

“Huh!”

He stared at her. She smiled.

“When we are done with this sham of a battle”, she said, “I shall claim you as my own spoil of war…”

She looked him up and down with lust-filled eyes. He resisted the urge to shudder. She tilted her head to the side and looked at him appraisingly.

“Hmm… I think the first thing I shall do is fit you with a little, studded leather collar… And rings through those adorable pup ears… Perhaps some nipple rings and oh! A navel ring! I shall decide later if your organ needs any enhancement… That boyish face and grown-up body of yours… Oooo! What a combination! I just want to tie you up and do bad, bad things to you, just to watch that hard, little body writhe and sweet face contort in agonised ecstasy! Tell me, Inu-kun, do you like pain? Do you? I shall invent whole new tortures just for you!”

His eyes went wide under her interested gaze. He had to admit he was curious as to what the rings would be for and how his penis could be further “enhanced”, as she put it. However the thought of being captured, collared, tied up, tortured and raped by some sexual deviant, simultaneously enraged and filled him with dread. Kagome’s role playing games suddenly seem so innocent. When she had him collared with those subjugation beads, it was for her safety, not for dominance games. Even if she had abused the privilege over and over…

The she-demon was as tall, maybe taller than he was. Judging from the way she moved, there were sleek muscles as well as curves under those silks and armour. He had no doubt she really possessed the physical strength to dominate him. If he were to be a willing participant in her games, physical strength would be wholly unnecessary. This she knew. If she really knew him and knew him well, she would know that was not how he liked to be dominated. He growled. She caught her breath.

“Oh Inu-kun, I just love it when you growl”, she purred, “Do it again!”

“My name is not Inu-kun! Stop calling me that!”

“But it suits you so well…”

She smiled. With a wordless roar he lunged at her, seeking to separate her neck from her shoulders. The blow never connected because she interrupted his swing with a sweep of her fan. The harsh clang of metal upon metal rend the air. He stared at her in amazement. She smiled at him.

“You did not think it would be that easy, did you, little puppy?”, she said.

He growled. She made a show of trembling.

“Ohhh! Thank you Inu-kun… I hope it was as good for you as it was for me?”

He glared at her. Gome shakes like that if I growl against her flesh when I’m holding her. Don’t you dare ruin it for me, you Hentai bitch! He aimed low, trying to sweep her feet out from under her. He expected her to leap in the air but instead metal struck metal again as she skimmed the fan downward through the air between them. He struck again, this time aiming for her midsection. Again, she parried the blow with her fan. Her body turned, moving her lower body and legs with it.

He sensed movement from above and flicked his eyes upwards. Her fingers poised in the two-finger position his elder brother often assumed, the left hand came down. He jumped backwards too late to avoid the blow. Her claws scored his cheek, slicing the flesh open. He rolled clear and came up in a crouch, sword ready. She assumed her original pose. Blood dripped on to the chest of his haori. She smiled at him.

“You are lucky that was only my left hand…”

He snorted.

“Really?!”

“Yes! Did nobody warn you? Us full blooded Inu bitches bite!”

“So I found out…”

He stared at her. She’s strong, far stronger than I could have imagined. It was foolish to attack her first, but at least I got to see her technique, so I think I can suffer a scar or two… The she-demon also looked thoughtful. He wondered what she planned to do or say next.

“Mmm… Maybe I shall claim your human wench too… It has been quite a while since I had a female in my possession to toy with... Yes, what other kinds of abominations could she give birth to? Half-monkeys, half-nekos, half-kitsunes… Oh! It will be so much fun finding out!”

She smiled at him, eyes glittering. Inuyasha snarled, showing his teeth. He readied his sword to strike.

“You will not lay a finger on her while there is breath in my body! I shall see you dead before that happens!”

The she-demon raised her eyebrows, serious for a moment.

“Your drive to protect your mate is admirable, whelp, but talk is not enough. First of all you must find a way to stop me. Can you do that without using your ultimate technique and taking out the battlefield behind you?”

Damn it! She’s right. I can’t use the Wind Scar! Now that I think about it, she hasn’t used any specific technique I could use the Reversing Wave on either. I’m guessing her intelligence is pretty good… And since she’s deliberately turned towards the battlefield, even if I tried I couldn’t use either of them, because I’ll take out Sessh, our own fighters and possibly the mansion with Gome, Yuki and the pups in it! God, she’s a crafty bitch! Weighing the personal risk to himself against their lives, he threw down his sword, intending to snatch it up again when it reverted, and lunged towards her.

“Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!”

His claws caught her across the face and chest, tearing her clothing and rending her skin. Her weapon caught him across the chest. He felt the pain of cracked ribs but the fire rat robe stopped her from slicing his flesh too deeply with the sharp edges. It gave him a strange sense of satisfaction to hear her cry out in pain. If his blade was ineffective against her, he could certainly make a run at beating her into submission. He landed in a crouch to her left. She stared at him, clutching a gaping face wound.

“You cut me!”, she cried in amazement, “You actually cut me! My breasts… My beautiful face!”

“Big whoop! You’ll heal…”

Her eyebrows knit together and her forehead furrowed into a frown.

“You will pay dearly for this…”

The fan moved to her left hand. With trembling fingers she reached across her body to retrieve and unfurl her whip. When she met his eyes again she had regained her composure. She smiled and a shiver ran down his spine. It did not reach her eyes. They were cold and utterly impassive.

“Come and get your medicine little doggy. Mommy is waiting…”



Daisuke sped towards him. Sesshomaru back flipped, once, twice, three times avoiding blows from his weapon. The bigger dog demon raced after him. The blunt end of the naginata struck the forearm he threw up to defend his chest and face as he came up again. He quickly reversed his weapon, striking the demon lord’s wrist and adding a third stripe. He growled in pain. His flew at him, hand out to claim the weapon and break it over his knee but his opponent was too fast. He jumped backwards out of reach.

The dog demons smiled at each other. Anyone standing near would have remarked that the sudden chill on the air and the energy that crackled upon it was eerie. Sesshomaru pushed the hilt of his sword upwards with his thumb. A metallic screech rend the night air as he drew. Then he ran forward. His opponent rushed to meet him. Their weapons screamed as they met and locked. Teeth were bared as growls erupted from the throats of their owners.

The demon lord pulled his weapon free and went on the attack, raining blow upon blow down on his opponent. The naginata became shorter and shorter as more of its length was sacrificed before Sesshomaru’s sword. Daisuke retreated temporarily, throwing the damaged weapon aside with a snarl. His hands went to his sides and drew twin swords. They began to circle each other like dogs do in such a situation, each trying to spur the other into action with growls and threatening behaviours.

The older dog demon attacked first, moving in a spinning fury of hair, steel and muscle. The demon lord jumped backwards, moving from side to side to avoid the blows as the assault continued. He found himself on the defensive, parrying blows, while he learned his opponent’s rhythm. He was quietly impressed. Daisuke appeared to have perfect control over the left side, forming a near impenetrable defence and offence. I believe he may truly be ambidextrous. A pity that such a useful demon as this may have to die…

His lips curled into a faint smile. Then he shot into the air. The larger dog demon snarled in rage. Then he followed. The demon lord moved faster. The higher he travelled into the sky, the colder the air became. He noticed with a rush of surprise that it was daylight. Still, Daisuke followed. The cold was merely an inconvenience. His harsh tones sounded on the air.

“Trying to run from me, Sesshomaru? I expected better of you!”

Again the demon lord smiled. The larger demon’s puzzlement showed on his face. Then all became clear as the younger, partially transformed demon lord performed a somersault in mid air. His body began to fall, hair and yukata whipping around behind him, blade held before him. Daisuke braced himself, charging upwards to meet him. When he was almost upon him, with a flick of his wrist, Sesshomaru tossed his blade in the midair. He caught on the half-turn.

He grasped the hilt, blade turned towards him. His body arced to avoid the steel of his opponent’s blades as he sought to cleave him in two. They came within a hairs breath of his temporarily bared abdomen as he threw himself over his head. With a dull sound the blunt end of the sword struck the larger demon’s head. Temporarily stunned by the force, his body began to fall. The demon lord came right, hovered a moment, then dived after him.

Twenty feet above the ground the large dog demon was coming back to himself, but not before the younger, faster demon lord was upon him. As his blades began to move they were quickly struck with enough force to make his arms tingle. Claws scraped against metal, as he was kicked full force in the chest, knocking him backwards and forcing the air out of his lungs. His body made a crater as it impacted with the ground. He did not allow himself time to lie and moan.

Immediately he tried to move but the force pressing through two long, white feet on his chest impeded his progress, keeping his body to the ground. Sesshomaru sensed movement. He leapt clear as Daisuke swung his blades from a prone position. He performed a back flip and landed in a crouch, ten feet from the larger demon. He realised with a jolt that he was tiring, much faster than he would have if he did not have to struggle against the rage that threatened to overwhelm him.

He pressed his sword into the scrubby grass and came to his feet. He took a fighting stance ready to do battle all over again. Daisuke took seconds longer. The larger demon’s eyes were solid blue but for a slit of pupil. He held out his arms. The muscles in his bare arms stood out preternaturally. He threw back his head and howled. A blue haze formed in the air around him. He felt his energy rise.

“Resist the change Daisuke”, Sesshomaru cried, “If you change now you forfeit the battle!”

The larger demon snarled. His eyes focused.

“Not before I take your head!”

With a wordless roar he charged him. Sesshomaru stood unmoving. Then, when he was upon him, he shot into the air, arced over his head and thrust the blade home before his feet touched the ground behind him. The larger demon’s eyes were wide.

“Oh! Seems like you got me…”

Sesshomaru’s blade was angled upwards through his body. The entry point was his lower back. The tip of the blade exited through his middle chest. A steady stream of warm blood trickled down the few remaining inches of steel, over the hilt of the blade and finally its owner’s fingers.

“I have only grazed the heart, Daisuke. If I withdraw the blade now, you will bleed but you will heal. If I finish the thrust, I will destroy the organ and you will surely die.”

The larger demon’s mouth curved into a sardonic smile.

“You almost make it sound like I have a choice, Sesshomaru…”

It hurt to talk.

“You do. You may choose to serve me…”

“Or?”

He choked on the word. He spat blood on the ground. The demon lord made no answer.

“You would have me serve you, like I once served your father? You would trust me when I am found fighting on the side of your foe? How do you know I will not turn on you?”

The younger demon lord was silent again for a time. Eventually he spoke.

“That, I do not know, but I do know this… When I was a whelp I was privileged to know a great warrior, spoken of for his honour rather than his impressive fighting skill… I should like to meet that demon again.”

The older demon grunted. He laughed softly.

“You are still but a whelp. Pull it clear. You shall know him again…”


He wondered how it had happened. One moment ago he had the upper hand. The next moment she had him pinned with her superior strength. When he pounced on her in a bid to finally capture her, she fell with him and used the momentum to kick him over her head. Then she was on him. She threw down her weapons to hold him. She pulled his sword out of the side of his hakama and flung it clear. One knee pressed painfully into his middle chest, keeping his body to the ground. The other knee pinned his left leg. Her right hand grasped his right wrist, releasing poison into his flesh. He growled, teeth snapping at her smiling face.

Holding off a whip with claws, fists and feet was harder than he imagined. He had lost count of the number of times her whip had scored his flesh or curled around a limb in mid charge, pulling him off balance and throwing him to the ground. This time he had waited patiently for the whip to fall and let it curl around his wrist. In that split-second before she pulled him to the ground, he coiled it around his hand and jerked her towards him. He punched her in the jaw and she went down. Then he was on her. He thought he had her beaten. Then she reversed their positions.

“Oh, Inu-kun! I am so happy that we should have become intimate so soon…”

Her voice had an annoying high-pitched, singsong quality. Her left hand began its slow descent down his body. Again he growled, struggling beneath her. Beneath the surface he could feel his youkai rouse itself, as though awakening from a long, deep sleep. He pushed at her shoulder with his left hand but she could not be moved.

“Oh, that growling is so nice. Do it again! Keep struggling... That’s it, that’s it… I like it when you struggle. It makes it so exciting!”

Immediately he went still, staring up at her, eyes slightly wide. He looked so innocent; she just wanted to corrupt him. She threw back her head and laughed, baring a long line of throat. To those who were consentual, he was sure it was an arousing sight but he just wanted to tear it out. The sound of her laughter raised all the small hairs on his body. Her hand continued over his abdominals.

“Oh, such nice definition. You are strong for a Hanyou… I cannot wait to see your dusky naked flesh in all its glory!”

Her hand moved toward the tie holding his the waist of his hakama taut. He growled and began to struggle anew.

“Good boy! That’s it! Struggle and growl for Mommy…”

He swiped at her face with a clawed hand. She moved her head, easily avoiding the blow. Again she laughed.

“Oh, you’re so cute! This vain attempt at struggle is so arousing!”

She sighed. The moment she said the word “arousing” he became very aware of the scent of her arousal on the air. It simultaneously panicked him and perversely, excited him. Instinct? He did not know. He could not help but look towards the parted layers of her kimono. The area between her legs was hidden from his view, even if her scent was freely wafting toward his sensitive nose. He sensed movement and his head jerked to look at her hand as she took her hand away from the tie of his hakama.

“Damned knot! You tied it too tight. Alas I cannot wait to find out… I must know now!”

His scowled, trying to anticipate her next move. Simultaneously, his brain was trying to formulate a method of escape. He reached towards her waist, thinking it might be easier to dislodge her if he could unsteady her from there. Before he could connect, she grasped his penis through the cloth of his hakama. He yelped in surprise at the violation. A vicelike hand squeezed along his length.

“Ohhhh lovely! Nice and long, plenty of girth… I wonder… Uhhh!”

Such rage! It coursed through his veins. She cried out in pain as his left fist connected painfully with her jaw.

“What!? Hands off bitch!”

His voice was a growl. Her grip on his right hand loosened enough for him to free it. He wrenched her hand away from his penis and quickly reversed the hold on her. Remembering that a woman’s centre of gravity is lower, he straddled her lower body, buttocks coming to rest on her stomach. He contracted the muscles in his legs, holding them tight against her sides.

He pressed down with his weight. Though she was taller and stronger, he was heavier. He held a wrist in each hand. She did not even try to struggle. She stared up at him, eyes wide. His eyes were solid red but for a slit of pupil. A jagged purple marking graced each cheek. His lips were peeled back over teeth too large to be contained within in them. Her eyes narrowed. A smile crossed her lips.

“Now this is an interesting turn of events! What happened to you little puppy? Did Mommy make you very, very angry?”

“Shut it bitch!”

His voice was a snarl. His youkai wanted taste her blood. He had to physically fight the overwhelming urge to tear her throat out. He took a breath and tried to calm himself. Without the protection of Tetsusaiga he was on his own.

“It’s over Akane-sama. Do you concede defeat?”

He was relieved that his voice at least sounded normal. She smiled up at him.

“So formal! Really Inu-kun… Now if you could just move a few inches lower…”

He resisted the urge to growl.

“Do you concede defeat or not?!”

She pouted.

“Honestly…”

He scowled at her.

“Say it!”

She rolled her eyes.

“Very well… I concede defeat.”

For a moment he closed his eyes. It’s over… It’s really over. Thank the gods. Red reverted to golden. Purple markings faded. Teeth slid behind soft, pink lips. Beneath him Akane made a show of catching her breath, then releasing it again. He opened his eyes and met her gaze.

“You are lovely, Inu-kun. I almost forgive you for being a Hanyou…”

Her voice and expression had a soft, dreamy quality. He scowled at her. She was not looking at his face any longer. She was looking down at his body.

“I care very little for your…”

He followed the direction of her gaze. His words became strangled in his throat when he saw what she was looking at. He wondered vaguely how he had not felt a breeze. He had been too intent on securing her capture. In the struggle the loosened hakama tie had come undone. His open shirt and haori gaped, showing much of his upper body from convulsing throat to waist. His hakama was sitting on his upper thighs, exposing his stomach, hips and groin. Only the lower part of his genitalia was hidden by the cloth.

His eyes went wide. She laughed softly. He met her eyes and she smiled at him predatorily. He opened his mouth to speak but only a whimper came out. He released her wrists. The pressure on her body eased as he sprang to his feet. He struggled to adjust his clothing with trembling hands, not wanting her to look upon his nakedness anymore. So intent was he on his task, he did not notice the silent danger behind him. She rose in a whisper of silk. Her bare feet lifted off the ground.

“That’s enough, Akane!”

Daisuke’s voice sounded on the air. Inuyasha raised his head. He looked at the large dog demon. Then he looked back at the she-demon, eyes wide, as her feet sank to the ground again. Again he looked towards the older dog demon standing slightly behind his brother, armour removed, hand pressed to a wound on his chest. He had to assume the exit wound was on the back because he was clutching his lower back as well. He met Sesshomaru’s eyes not quite comprehending the situation.

“Daisuke-san, please raise a shield”, the demon lord said.

“Yes, Sesshomaru-dono.”

Sesshomaru spared him a surprised glance at so formal a title but he made no comment. Inuyasha retrieved his sword and pushed it into the tie on his hakama. He watched the shimmering blue shield rise around the mansion and the grounds. The sounds of battle ceased.

“Akane of the territory to the east concedes defeat to Sesshomaru, demon lord of this territory and his Hanyou brother, Inuyasha. I recommend you cease and desist your attempts at fighting and tend to your wounded. My retainers and servants, pleased come forward. Pack leaders, I will deal with later…”

He did not raise his voice but it still carried. He walked towards Inuyasha, blatantly ignoring, Akane. She huffed in annoyance. She stared after him angrily. He reached his younger brother’s side.

“I see you’re still alive!”, Inuyasha said, brightly, trying to smile but not quite managing it.

The demon lord commandeered control of his face, turning it from side to side to inspect the injuries. There was even a small tear in one of his ears. At that, a furrow appeared between his eyebrows. He released the half-demon’s face. He dropped his voice. It would still carry but there was nothing he could do about that.

“You should not have turned your back on her, even though she had conceded defeat”, he said, “Akane is not exactly honourable. She would have no qualms about stabbing you in the back…”

The she-demon grunted at the implication of his words. He spared her a glance. His younger brother’s eyes went wide. His face flushed at the rebuke. He dropped his gaze and examined his right palm, torn by Akane’s whip. There were other wounds around both wrists and along his forearms. He did not want to look too closely at the rest of his body. Otherwise he would start to feel the pain of the assorted wounds, cuts and bruises.

“I know…”, he said.

He had no excuses. It was an amateur mistake, even if there had been circumstances.

“I saw...”

He jerked his head up to meet his older brother’s sympathetic gaze.

“I did not interfere because I had set you a task and I knew you would endeavour to complete it.”

He turned his head away as their crew of retainers and servants arrived. The younger male stared after his older brother as he walked towards them. Thank you for saying so older brother, but we both know she was just toying with me… He followed.



There were three Inuyoukai, two Kitsunes, a Neko and a human male. A motley crew by all accounts but it worked. Toshiro and Hiroshi were the sons of one of his father’s former retainers. They were identical twins. Keitaro had been a retainer to his father towards the end of his life. The Kitsunes Shinichi and Seiji, had been a pair of roving bandits in another life. Inuyasha and Shippo had captured them and Sesshomaru had been persuaded them to work with him instead of against him. They were his eyes and ears, reporting back on the unsavoury element within his territory. For this they were handsomely rewarded. He would have many questions for them later…

The Neko, Kaemon, surprisingly enough was journeyman with a talent for gardening. He was also very adept with a halberd. This, Sesshomaru had found out when he came upon him sparring with Inuyasha in the area of the grounds reserved for training. The demon lord encouraged all of his retainers and servants to train on a regular basis. The Neko was related by blood to the half-cat Yuki, the only female on his staff besides, the murdered Akemi’s mate, Mitsuko. He also had two human males on his staff, Jun and Natsu but sadly Natsu appeared to be dead. He felt a slight pang at his loss but he was already thinking of asking the remaining human servant if he could find a replacement. That is, if the man decided to stay on.

There was a human village about ten miles beyond the forest. The first occasion Sesshomaru had condescended to make himself known to the headman was when he had needed the skills of human artisans and manual labourers to level the site and build the mansion. He had also need expertise to sink a well. Demons with such knowledge did exist, but the demon lord’s clever brain was looking ahead. He would need servants, human, as well as youkai to maintain the mansion.

Not surprisingly no females came forward. This was something of a problem, even if Rin, though small at the time, was adept at taking care of her own needs. He was looking ahead to her impending adolescence. Something he was not looking forward to if he had to guide her through it alone. So, the need to find female companionship for her was still an issue. When he had happened upon Yuki in her distressed state, the thought crossed his mind but he did not like to press the issue. When she called out to him as he was leaving, it was like a bounty from Providence.

Not wanting to sour relations with the village, he freely admitted to the headman that he had been responsible for the killing of the men. Knowing something of the circumstances of their demise and sympathetic to Yuki’s plight, he had accepted monetary compensation and Sesshomaru’s assurance that he would prevent youkai from attacking the village. Human invasion was not his problem.

Today the shield around the mansion and the grounds served a dual purpose. As well as keeping the youkai in, it would keep an unsavoury human element out. Yes, human. If the youkai had declared war on humans, what kind of havoc had they wreaked on the path to the mansion? Relations with the village, if there was a village left, were probably going to be strained for a while.

Inuyasha touched his arm lightly bringing him out of his reverie. The retainers and servants were waiting for him to address them. He pushed his sweat soaked hair out of his eyes and resisted the urge to rub his temples. He had a thumping headache.

“My apologies for keeping you waiting”, he said, “My brother and I must deal with Akane. Please tend to yourselves and to the injured. Then worry about the dead…”

The corners of his mouth turned up.

“You fought valiantly and survived. For this I thank you. Let us take a moment to reflect upon the sacrifices of Akemi and Natsu. Then let us move on…”

Inuyasha cast his eyes to the ground. Now that the danger was past his adrenaline levels were dropping and fatigue was beginning to set in. He swayed on his feet. He dropped into a crouch before he fell down.

“Very well”, Sesshomaru said, “Dismissed!”

He opened his eyes as his older brother walked away. The eyes of the retainers and servants were upon him, faces expectant. His eyes went a little wide. Do they expect me to say something? He got to his feet. He crossed his arms, putting them into the sleeves of his haori. He cleared his throat.

“Making speeches isn’t really my thing. Sesshomaru is better with words…”

He stared down at his feet. They were absolutely filthy. Then he raised his eyes to look at the individual faces of the men.

“But what matters is we survived another day and I’m thankful to all of you for what you did, fighting to keep my family safe…”

A lump threatened to form in his throat. He swallowed. His face flushed, conscious of their eyes on him. Respectful silence was something Inuyasha never had to deal with in his previous life.

“That’s all I really wanted to say...”

He bowed. All of the men returned his bow in some form, even Toshiro who still regarded him and Kagome with suspicion.

“Go! Do whatever you have to do. I won’t keep you an longer…”
He turned and hurried after his brother, leaving them to talk among themselves.



He reached his brother’s side. He was standing a few feet away from the she-demon, staring impassively as she removed her armour. The last piece hit the ground with a soft thud.

“The arm and leg guards too”, the demon lord said.

“Would you like me to remove my clothing as well?”, Akane said.

“No thank you. That will not be necessary. After all the carnage on the battlefield that is a sight I could do without!”

She loosened the arm guards. Then she squatted down to remove the leg guards. She looked up at him from her prone position.

“Ah! So rude… You wound me with your rebuff. I am only trying to ease the tension with a little idle chatter.”

“So chatter away, Akane. I will just close my ears…. I am curious, what did you promise my own subjects to make them fight against me?”

She stared at him.

“Is it not obvious, my darling?”

His anger rose. It showed in a slight flaring of his nostrils.

“I am not your darling! Not for a long time…”

She turned her head to the side.

“That could be remedied…”

“I do not think so.”

She dropped the guards on the ground. She pulled away the obi holding her damaged kimono together. A furrow appeared between his eyebrows.

“What are you doing?”, he said, “Did I not tell you to keep your clothing on?”

The cloth slipped off her shoulders and caught on the elbows. Despite himself he cast a glance downwards to look upon the offering. Her body was pale, slender, muscular but not lacking in feminine curves. Lavender markings curled across her upper chest and around the outer contours of her firm, well-shaped breasts. Pale pink nipples, exposed to the cooler air stood up like small hard peaks. As she breathed, sleek, defined muscle moved beneath the smooth skin of her abdomen. Her narrow waist flared outwards to meet the sudden breadth of her hips.

Similar lavender markings to those on her chest wound themselves around firm, but slightly rounded, muscular thighs. He could not help but notice the golden curls between her legs were damp. The familiar scent of her arousal hung on the air like an exotic perfume. He caught his breath, trying not to let overpowering sense memory bring forth a tangle of long suppressed images. With them came the hurt he thought he had buried long ago. He took a step backwards.

“Is that not obvious?”, she said, “I am offering myself as restitution.”

He shook his head, face impassive.

“That will not be necessary…”

He looked at his younger brother, who despite his best efforts to avert his gaze, his eyes were also drawn to look upon the pale flesh before him. The corners of the demon lord’s mouth twitched.

“Unless…”

“Yes?”, Akane said.

He stared at Inuyasha. The half-demon felt his older brother’s eyes on him. He met his gaze, cheeks flushing. There was no judgement in the scheming demon lord’s eyes.

“Inuyasha…”

“Yes, Sessh, uh, Sesshomaru?”

His older brother rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“Would you like to take Akane as restitution?”, he said.

His younger brother’s eyes went wide. His lips parted and soft sound like a gasp escaped them.

“What are you talking about?”, he cried.
“Well… Though you are mated to Kagome you are entitled to take lovers periodically…”

“I am?”

“Yes, so long as you have the agreement of your mate. Otherwise she is within her rights to challenge and kill her…”

The half-demon’s eyes were wide.

“She is?! What else is in those scrolls in your office? Never mind! It’s irrelevant. I don’t want Akane.”

His brother raised an eyebrow. In the background Akane grunted and covered herself.

“Why not, little brother? I see you looking at her naked flesh… Think of it as an opportunity to exact revenge for your humiliation. You may do anything you like with her…”

“Really?! I’m not so sure she would see it as revenge… Looking at her and wanting her are two different things… Believe me! I can live with fact that she scares the crap out of me. Most females do… But the things she said when we were battling one another… When she held me down and put her hands on me… Damn it! She grabbed my penis! She saw me naked when I didn’t want her to!”

He shuddered. A small sound resembling a whimper slid from between his lips. His eyes squeezed shut for a moment before they met his brother’s again.

“I don’t want her near me.”

The demon lord’s wide eyes were a little wider. He reached out a hand to cup his younger brother’s face.

“Then I shall speak of it no more…”

His fingers caressed his cheek.

“Ahhh! What a charming scene!”

Both brothers looked at the she-demon sharply. She smiled wide enough to show fang.

“Do you know what would be even better than that tender caress?”, she said, “If you leaned in for a kiss…”

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha exchanged a look. The younger male flushed. The demon lord released the half-demon’s face, one corner of his mouth twitching. He turned back to Akane again.

“So tell me, Akane, what did you promise my subjects?”

She stared at him a moment. A furrow appeared between his eyebrows.

“Answer”, he said.

His voice was even. His face was impassive. She grunted softly.

“What else?! Freedom from you tyranny!”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Could you be a little more specific?”, he said, “Freedom and tyranny are such a vague terms…”

She snorted.

“You are a harder taskmaster than even I am in my territory. Whoever heard of restricting the rights of those outside your pack from taking a mate without approval?! That you should declare interspecies fighting illegal within your territory! You do not even let them hunt humans or go within sight of a human village unless it is to buy or sell goods! How ridiculous is that?! That is no kind of life… We are demons Sesshomaru! Demons! Not the lackeys of humans! Has your human wench twisted your morality so much?”

He snorted.

“Are you finished?”, he said.

She stared at him.

“For now…”

“And I suppose once I was eliminated you would let them carry on as they please?”

“Of course…”

“Pah! Even within my territory you are notorious for your cruel, perverse nature. Rumours of your behaviour have reached me even here… How lucky you are that Inuyoukai females only go into heat once every five and score years otherwise you might find yourself pregnant with abominations of your own!”

She grunted softly.

“Jealous?”, she said.

He grimaced.

“No.”

He glanced at Inuyasha. He was staring at Akane. He sensed his brother’s eyes on him. He met his gaze.

“I think I can guess at some of it… But I don’t want to know, do I?”, Inuyasha said.

His older brother shook his head. He turned his attention back to Akane.

“So… Just how long do you think it would have lasted?”, he said.

She raised her eyebrows.

“Just what exactly are you referring to?”, she said.

“What ever it was you hoped to achieve by ousting me and putting yourself in my place?”

Her eyebrows inched a little higher.

“Who says I wanted to achieve anything?”, she said, “How do you know I did wanted nothing more than to see you and yours humiliated and destroyed and chaos reign in your territory once again?”

He raised an eyebrow.

“So there was no goal?”, he said, “You have no interest in progress?”

“If by progress you mean the subjugation of all demons within your territory and this laughable attempt at peace with the humans? No. There is nothing like a little death and destruction to get the juices flowing and if I pick up a few new playthings along the way… So be it!”

He snarled at her, surprising Inuyasha with the loss of control.

“Worthless female! I thought even you were not this inane! Our various species are already felled enough in number without waging petty wars among ourselves and giving humans justification to kill us on sight!”

Inuyasha’s eyes went a little wide, remembering the warning from the future Kagome had once given Sesshomaru in anger: In my time this is not a territory patrolled by a petty demon lord. I do not have to call anybody lord and master… The extinction of demon kind... Had he never thought in terms of his mortality? He must fear it so…

She stared at him, doing a very good impression of his usual bored expression. She grunted softly.

“You think too much Sesshomaru. You always have… It is one of your biggest and worst faults.”

His calm returned. It sat strangely upon his partially transformed features.

“Daisuke will escort you to my borders. There he will return your weapons and armour. I suggest you do not try to attack him or escape. He has my authority to kill you… I will release your people later. They may choose to follow you if they so wish…”

He turned and walked towards Daisuke. Now that the bleeding had stopped the larger dog demon was putting his damaged armour back on.

“Daisuke-san, rest a while. Then please escort Akane.”

The older demon bowed.

“Yes, Sesshomaru-sama.”

The demon lord raised an eyebrow.

“I suppose it is an improvement on Sesshomaru-dono!”

The corner of his mouth twitched. The larger demon smiled back at him. He began to walk towards the mansion. Inuyasha fell into step with him.

“Do you not miss it, Sesshomaru?”, Akane called after him, “Mating in full dog form? I do…”

Sesshomaru halted, wide eyes slightly wider than usual. He glanced at his younger brother before he half-turned his body to look at the she-demon. Inuyasha’s eyes were very wide. His lips were parted in shock. He looked at Akane’s face. He was expecting narrowed eyes and sneering lips. The open, vulnerable, eager expression on her face surprised him. He stared at her.

“Don’t you?”, she said.

He was silent.

“The time I had with you…”, she said, “If I could have appreciated you more when you were mine, I never would have let you go... Those days and nights… They were the most fulfilling of my entire life.”

Again he was silent, staring at her, face impassive. Eventually he spoke.

“If you see my mother on your travels”, he said, “Tell her… I hope she is well.”

His voice was quiet. His eyes remained red and unfeeling. Her eyes went wide. Then she nodded. A sad smiled crossed her face.

“So this is goodbye?”, she said.

“Yes… Goodbye Akane. Be well.”

He turned away from her.

“Goodbye, Sesshomaru…”

He met Inuyasha’s eyes. They were still a little wide. He looked away quickly, cheeks flaming. One corner of the demon lord’s mouth twitched. He walked on. Inuyasha looked back at the she-demon. Her eyes narrowed. Her mouth curled into a sardonic smile. Then she puckered her lips at him and made a kissing gesture. Daisuke paused in the act of gathering up her weapons and armour to frown at her. He glanced behind him and saw his master’s younger half-brother standing there, eyes wide.

“Do you not think you have tortured the pup enough, Akane-dono?”, he said.

She looked at him in annoyance. Then she looked back to the object of her lust. He had taken the opportunity to break eye contact and hurry after his retreating brother. A furrow appeared between her eyebrows. She stared after him. Just what did happen when I was held beneath him? His appearance changed and his scent changed with it. For a moment I felt a smidgeon of fear. That, is something that has not happened for a long, long time… Yet he fears me! Intriguing… She met the large demon’s eyes again.

“All this time and you know nothing about me, Daisuke-kun!”, she huffed, “Do you not know? Once is never enough…”

Her nostrils flared. He reached for her arm to lead her away. He had originally been in her mate’s employ. He was one of the few had ever refused her bed, preferring to play the part of father figure. The idea that he was abandoning her to play the part to Sesshomaru irked her. He had been against this campaign but he had come along out of a sense of duty and honour. As if I ever had need or want his guidance and his so-called honour when he was in my employ!

She watched as his shimmering blue barrier recede and they stepped outside the grounds. She felt rather that saw Sesshomaru’s barrier take its place. That was the difference between a warrior of Daisuke’s calibre and a Taiyoukai like Sesshomaru. It had taken their combined might to breach it. She walked ahead of Daisuke towards the winged, fire-breathing demonic horses that had transported them. Sighing softly she realised that once he escorted her back to her territory, gave her back her armour and weapons and sent her on her way, she would miss his aggravating ways.




It did not take Inuyasha long to catch up to his older brother.

“What of the pack leaders?”, he said.

His brother grunted. He spared him a glance.

“They can wait. Our mate and pups come first.”

The half-demon’s eyes widened slightly. He nodded.

“Of course…”

The ground between the wall at the end of the grounds and the mansion was thick with bodies, living and dead. Inuyasha wondered how they would plough through. Sesshomaru simply cut a path through them, not even acknowledging the bows of the living either side of them. His younger brother followed, a determined look on his face. He fell into step with his older brother realising that the huddled masses were moving aside for him also. Now and then he nodded when he saw a familiar face not caring for the apprehensive look or waiting for the hesitant bow he received in return. His mind kept returning to the exchange between himself and Akane.

“What is Akane’s special attack technique anyway?”, he said.

The demon lord spared him a glance.

“Rapid energy missiles, sometimes poisonous... It depends on the opponent… She uses the fan as a medium. I believe she calls it She-demon’s Kiss…”

The half-demon’s eyes went wide.

“Oh!”

The corners of the demon lord’s mouth twitched.

“Yes, little brother, I do not imagine you would have liked it very much… I believe she also performs some other kind of energy attack called Lightening Strike…”

A furrow appeared between his eyebrows.

“Though I have never seen it for myself…”

Inuyasha raised his eyebrows.

“I’d say I’d like to fight her for real, but if I never see that she-demon bitch again it will be too soon!”

His eyes went a little wide when he saw his older brother scowl.

“I know you loved her and all but that doesn’t stop her being a bitch…”

The demon lord looked thoughtful. Did I? Did I ever really love her? A strong gust of wind blew across him, ruffling his hair and clothes. With it came the perfume of one long dead. His wide eyes opened wider. Kagura! It has been sometime… Carried on the winds, you still watch over me. How could I forget you, the first female I ever truly loved? Forgive me…

As if in answer, softer gusts washed over him. Sakura petals carried on the wind retreated higher into the sky. The scent of her lingered, gradually growing fainter as they moved further and further away. He raised his eyes to look at the sky, following their progress. He smiled faintly. Thank you…

“Yes, she is a bitch”, he said, turning to his surprised-looking younger brother.

He realised that they had stopped walking. On his hip, Tenseiga pulsed. A furrow appeared between his brows. He drew the sword. It was glowing faintly. You want me to revive the dead? Of course he was not really expecting a spoken answer. The pulsing grew stronger. Very well… He swung the sword in broad arc, falling into a crouch at the end of the motion.

Inuyasha literally felt the earth tremble and the air ripple around him as an unseen energy force moved through the air and ground beneath his feet. The recent dead began to rise. Among them was the felled human servant Natsu. The demon lord straightened up. He turned to his brother. Feeling his gaze on him, the half-demon met his eyes. They were slightly wide. For a moment he stared at him. Then his eyes drifted over his face and ears. His younger brother smiled.

“Do you have a tail, as well?”, he said.

The demon lord raised his eyebrows. Automatically he reached a hand up to touch a floppy, silver dog ear.

“I do not know…”

He took his hand away from the transformed extremity. Gingerly, he reached behind him to touch the space above his buttocks. His hand touched something bony, yet soft. His wide eyes opened a little wider. His fingers investigated further. It was definitely a tail. He met his younger brother’s curious gaze.

“Yes”, he said.

Inuyasha’s eyes went wide. He stared at him for a long moment.

“Seriously?!”

He did not wait for an answer. He threw back his head and laughed. The demon lord frowned. The corners of his mouth twitched despite himself.

“Inuyasha! Stop laughing this instant!”

His younger brother’s face sobered. An errant sound slipped out. He put his hand to his mouth the smother any further laughter. His eyes danced and his face reddened with the effort. His older brother’s frown deepened. He cleared his throat.

“Sorry, Sessh. This is just too good… Can I see it?”

The demon lord growled.

“No!”

In his frustration he reverted to childish insults.

“Ahhh! Meanie! You see my tail every time I get into bed with you and Kagome. You’ve even touched it a few times…”

“That is slightly different…”

“How is it different?! Just because we’re not in bed…”

“It just is…”

He opened his mouth to protest further but was summarily interrupted. His older brother smirked.

“Race you back to the house!”

He sped off. Inuyasha stared after him, open-mouthed. He frowned.

“Hey! No fair! You had a head start!”

His brother’s laughter floated back to caress his ears. His frown turned into a scowl.

“Bastard!”

He bounded after him.


I hoped you enjoyed this last chapter. I'm still working on the next one but I will update as soon as humanly possible. Until then...
*
*
*
*
*