Dogs

Sesshoumaru couldn’t find a second to settle down as his hormones were being complete assholes. They wouldn’t listen to reason. There was no female he wanted and half of the little Japanese women he was surrounded by were much too tiny for him. Sango could have handled him since she was rather strong for a human. These little things he would break.

“Sorry Ladies, I have to go.”

Sesshoumaru got up from the table at the bar after paying for their drinks. The girls were really upset, but Sesshoumaru ignored their whimpering. Where in the hell was he going to find at least a woman he could rut without completely killing her? His demon wanted out and Sesshoumaru hadn’t let it out in years. It was pissed off too.

“Settle down or we are not even going to get to rut beast.”

Sesshoumaru mentally told his demon. Looking around there at least had to be a decent meal to be found in this city. Wandering around the park he found a few trouble makers, but they didn’t fill him up at all. America was full of fat fresh meat and they were fed so much better even if they had given him indigestion once in a while. Serial killers always seemed to be the best, but tracking them wasn’t always what he planned on doing when the hunger came like it was this day.

Running until he once again became the ball of light he landed before the hotel he bought last week. It was suitable, not open for business yet though. It stood like a towering glass castle in the middle of town in the best area where patrons would pay top dollar for the things he had to offer. It was even better than the Trump Towers which annoyed the hell out of him. How dare a human think he was better than Lord Sesshoumaru? He would pay for his insolence when all his customers were taken from him and Sesshoumaru was a shrewd enough business man now that he had learned all he needed to that he could just do such a thing.

“I just hope the damn electricity is on like I told them to do and my water. It had better be fully functional or someone will die.”

Sesshoumaru went into the building pleased that the electricity indeed was on. Going up to the suite on the top floor which seemed miles above the city in a pure glass room that was only visible from the inside due to the advances of technology with solar panels it was perfect for a temporary home.

The room was filled with things from his homeland and a few new things. The couch in the center of the room was plush suede leather in a cream white with a roaring fire in the center. A Japanese garden surrounded the outside representing the power of Buddha since Miroku insisted that this would be an excellent touch plus a good place for meditation. Sesshoumaru wanted that since as an assassin and King he would purify himself many times through meditation. It was natural for a son of a great samurai warrior to do so.

Sesshoumaru also had a vault filled with weaponry. He had studied all the martial arts to prepare to be the perfect killer as his name stated and just below this room was a secret panel that led to an exercise room where he and Inuyasha would continue their arts like they had in the old days. The spells in the room would allow the wind scar and backlash wave to engulf the area without destroying anything. With the two swords together it was not going to be as powerful if they were fighting each other. All their weapons would be placed here and they could train in any fashion they saw fit.

The Monk and wolf could also use this place if they became worthy of such a thing. Sesshoumaru being a rather private person felt it intrusive enough having his brother in his home. It would be even harder to have Kagome and their child here. As much as Akiyoshi had become Sesshoumaru’s sunshine, he was also not his own child.

Sitting down on the couch Sesshoumaru held his head in his hands. He didn’t know what to do or where he wanted to go. This time alone was what he had right now and his body was on fire with mating season. He wanted to kill, than rut with blood on his body as his ancestors had done when they had met their mates. Sesshoumaru wanted the demon women who lived for such a thing and came to them when they called out into the night. They didn’t exist anymore.

Rushing outside Sesshoumaru tore off his shirt and howled to the moon. He wanted it to listen to his call, to hear his sad song that was a lonely cry to any demon who could hear him. He felt like a coyote or lone wolf stuck out in the darkness with no mate to call him home. No pups to feed and care for. His pack was no more than a past dream.
The wind blew upon him as Kagura always whispered in her spirit form over him. The one woman he had indeed loved.

“Kagura, you are free. Can I ever be such? Your heart returned to you, but mine is with yours upon the wind.”

This was the only response he received in the night. Going back inside Sesshoumaru stripped and then went into his spacious shower. He had to feel something and so he let the hot water roll over him. It felt good, but it was temporary. As usual everything was soaked when he got out, but this time he had a plan. There was a drain in the bathroom and when he shook off the fan dried the water. There was a mirror, but it was outside of this room. The maids would come clean later and Sesshoumaru frowned a bit as he noticed all the damn dog fur he shredded was clogging the drain. That would have to be fixed.

Smiling at his little soaps that he had several of now Sesshoumaru was glad that they had such things and instead of using them he collected them. There was a special storage that seemed rather large for his strange new collection he set up in the hallway.
Humans amazed him since they were not as idiotic as he once believed. It was wonderful all of these things, but even though the fridge was filled with wonderful little plates of steak, it wasn’t the same as a good hunt.

Looking in his closet he found what he was looking for. It was an old ninjitsu uniform he had once worn when he was younger. It still fit as always since everything always did including his old armor. However instead of using that, he found something new.
Pulling his hair back, Sesshoumaru put his hair in a low ponytail. Then he put on the under clothing that Inuyasha insisted was necessary for this time. It wasn’t uncomfortable, it was just very strange. He was used to not bothering with such things. Being a dog, it wasn’t necessary.

The black leather pants felt strange when he was going to buy them for this event since he had planned everything out. So he instead put them back even though they had smelled wonderful. They made too much noise. Instead he found some nice black slacks and this elegant business suit that would do well for assassinations. It would help him blend in.
The pants were dark enough to cover any signs of blood, plus the spells on these cloths would keep them from becoming a burden in that event. The steel toed boots also seemed to click too much on the sidewalk so levitation would be necessary during the hunt. Sesshoumaru practiced enough to make it so that he could silently attack his prey while still walking a fairly natural gait after leaving the scene.

A silk black shirt and tie with the black blazer finished it off. His silver buckle was also jet black with a pure black onyx stone. The only things that really would bring attention were the silver tie clip and the silver cufflinks. Other than that even the buttons were jet black. Hiding in the shadows would not be a problem. The only problem was convincing his stupid brother not to call him a bloody vampire. Now that he looked at himself in the mirror, Inuyasha was right. The asshole was indeed right about him looking like a fucking vampire with his fangs. Still, he would not be insulted by the title. He could live with Goth however and there seemed to be a lot of them that would get into trouble so feasting would not be an issue. It was just a matter of finding the right club and insuring that he find others as not to leave a trail for himself.

Inuyasha also mentioned that pools of bubbling acid would be noticed so he would have to find another way of dispatching the body parts or what was left of them. Sesshoumaru found it distasteful, but he would have to swallow the bastards whole or find a way to make it look like they were attacked by a wild animal. The other option was of course moving to someplace like New Orleans where the alligators could eat the rest of them. Swamps were famous for such things and bodies were just not searched for much in such an area. After all, who wanted to wrangle an alligator for a part of a person no one would miss anyway other than their family who most of these jerks hadn’t seen in years anyway.
Sesshoumaru sighed once again as his hair was pissing him off. It kept falling out of the band he put it in. His demon didn’t want it pulled back. It was natural when it was rutting season to have it flowing and the demon broke three different bands three times now. It was also getting pissed that he was turning his hair black. It could live with the faded markings, but it seemed like it would be damned if it was going to hide the Inu trademark. Sesshoumaru gave up.

“Fine you jerk, we will stay this way. Do not make my eyes look more like you though or we will not fit in although I know you don’t care about such things. We are still demon even if I must play human a bit to get what we want.”

Sesshoumaru’s aura seemed to fade a bit since the demon was now content. It would relax as long as they at least rutted and killed this night.

“You know I won’t just choose any bitch or are you going to be a pain about this otherwise I am going to refuse to leave.”

The demon sighed again inside of him. Dogs were not this fucking picky. Dogs rut, they wander, they don’t stay with one damn mate. Sesshoumaru wanted one mate and such things. His demon didn’t give a rat’s ass as long as it was happy. It was fucking selfish and whimpered like a child.

“Promise me or I will not leave.”

The demon finally relented. It would behave.

Sesshoumaru debated on the hat. No it wouldn’t do. He had never worn one before and was not about to now. His pointed ears were hidden in his long hair although not completely since he always trimmed it the same way. However with the long strands flowing in the breeze it was a bit hard to hide. They seemed more like small elf ears. Most humans rarely noticed such things so it wasn’t something he worried about too much either.
Smelling the wonderful leather trench coat Sesshoumaru pulled it over his clothing to complete the image and put on a pair of leather gloves sporting the pure white mokomoko making it look like a scarf for images. If the public knew the full size of his tail they would be in shock. Instead it looked like a long simple white scarf. It had taken to the spell rather well.

“So here we go again except this time we shall be modern. We will fit in and be accepted.”

Sesshoumaru smiled a fanged grin and then walked out with his normal bored expression as anyone who looked at him now would just see him as a young 19 year old wealthy man.
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Stepping onto the sidewalk, Sesshoumaru’s boots clicked along the pavement until he reached his jet black sleek Lamborghini Diablo. The car suited the man driving it with the plate mentioning his favorite person, RIN7721 on the license. Sesshoumaru had learned everything he needed to know about driving such a machine and had destroyed the one before it until he got it right. Now this one purred for him. He also had a black luxury Lincoln Continental for his family to travel in when they were not using the limousine service he had hired on.

It didn’t take long to find the parking lot of the finest Goth club in town. Sesshoumaru was rather disappointed with the area and placed numerous spells on his car to insure no one took it. If they did they would be vaporized. He had an uncomfortable sense he would be finding a lot of dust by his car with the way some young punks were looking at him. Sighing he knew feeding time was at hand.

“Hey, what are you doing in our neighborhood homes? You don’t belong here. You should leave before something bad happens to you.”

Sesshoumaru smiled.

“I would say the same to you, but I don’t think you can run fast enough little boy.”

The kid turned white as he and his friends watched the demon’s eyes turn red. Then they stopped. This was just one of those Goth freaks. Nothing more and Sesshoumaru stopped for a moment in shock at their lack of fear.

“We know you are just tricking us.”

The leader said.

“You’re just one of those freaks over at the club. We are going to cut you now.”

The switch blades came out and Sesshoumaru smiled.

“What you smiling about? You are going to die homes…… you should have taken our advice. This is our territory and we ain’t gonna let anymore of you freaks around our turf.”

Sesshoumaru started laughing. This was funny as hell. His laugh got deeper and more sinister kind of freaking the kids out. It was definitely not human in the slightest.

“You are all going to make quite the feast. Nice fat kill for my beast tonight. Now run………”

The kids just stood there and then the leader lunged only to be caught in the air by the throat. Sesshoumaru broke his neck like he was nothing but a rag doll in his claws.

“What the fuck are you? He’s a fucking vampire! Run!”

That was not the best thing for that kid to say at that moment. Sesshoumaru’s eyes glowed redder and his voice became even more vehement in his feral rage as his beast was hungry for blood.

Sesshoumaru dropped the boy and put his gloves in his pocket casually shaking his head in disgust.

“You have no idea how badly you are all going to hurt tonight for that insult.”

Lifting the dead boy by his hair he threw the body over his shoulder and started to walk across the street into the alley the young kids took off in. Transforming in seconds the first body was gone only to be followed by three more as they had no time to scream except for the one who dared call him a vampire. That one he took his time with playing a bit letting the kid run into a wall on his own. That had been amusing. Then the kid jumped the fence only to trip over his own feet. Sesshoumaru stood over the boy.

“Now do you think I am a vampire? Just because I associate with humans who wish to be such a foul creature does not mean I am one of them. I am a demon. There is a difference child.”

The boy sat crying and trembling on the ground. He was an idiot, nothing more. Not even evil in the slightest and Sesshoumaru looked down at the child.

“Why were you hanging out with ruffians such as those? You do not smell of death or evil. They did and so they deserved their fate. If you wish to live I suggest you go back to school and behave. If not I will be forced to kill you. Now go home and if you tell anyone about what you have seen tonight I will rip off your limbs. Believe me I can find you and I will.”

Sesshoumaru turned away as the boy finally passed out cold. Then he started laughing since this had been fun.
*************************************************************************************
Walking towards the club the door man had the nerve to stop him.

“Kid you can’t go in there. It is 21 and older.”

Sesshoumaru looked completely insulted and showed the man his driver’s license.

“Just turned 21, I see. All you kids look younger and younger to me. Just don’t get caught with this fake ID or it is my ass.”

At that Sesshoumaru wasn’t sure if he should let the door man live.

“I had gone to a school to earn that I will have you know. Here is my degree and my teacher’s number. How insulting, as if I were just a mere child.”

After giving the man the business card and showing off the diploma he was so proud of Sesshoumaru walked in with the door man laughing a bit shaking his head. He had not dealt with a kid with this many balls in a long time.

“Whatever you say kid, just take my advice and have fun.”

Sesshoumaru sighed. Being immortal really did have its bad moments. This was the second damn club that had done this to him.

Walking inside he was also insulted they had no place for his jacket. This was unacceptable. However the young girl behind the counter at the bar took his things with a wink and a phone number for later if he was interested. Sesshoumaru smiled at what he saw as a kindergartener and walked around. They were all just a bunch of children. None more then maybe 16 who did have fake ID cards. A few were of age, but no one was near old enough for his interest here in this club. The last club had the same problem. All children, what the hell was wrong with this place?

This time Sesshoumaru did indeed drink a bit more. He was completely depressed. Then a few young women more his type came in. A little older, but not any differently dressed then the rest of the undead menagerie that pretended to be something they were not.

“You are so hot. My name is Windy and this is Randy. We hang out here all the time, but you are new.”

Randy was older and she seemed to have several friends at the club clamoring for her attention. They were interesting. She wasn’t really his type, but she seemed fun. She would be useful for finding out about others.

“I am Stephan Tashio.”

Sesshoumaru introduced himself and the throng of children gathered at his table. It seemed so annoying at first, but the music was pleasant enough. Then they danced while Sesshoumaru watched since most of them didn’t seem to like to dance with each other. They had some strange trance like dance they would do and it was somewhat fluent. It was much more like the past then the crazy dancing that some of the humans did at the clubs he had been to with Kouga and Inuyasha.

Windy sat next to him and Sesshoumaru knew he was getting lucky with her that night. She was easy enough and would also be easy enough to leave in the morning. He allowed her to run her long fingers over his leg and smiled at her. She would be entertaining for tonight.

“Do you want to stay Windy?”

Sesshoumaru whispered suggestively into her ear. Windy sighed at his voice and gladly followed him out only to be stopped by Randy.

“Windy you don’t even know this guy! What the hell are you thinking?”

Randy grabbed Windy from Sesshoumaru giving him a dirty look as they went back into the club. Sesshoumaru frowned. This wasn’t acceptable. Still he had the number of the girl behind the damn bar. Fucking teenagers made him feel old. Oh well, she would have to do since his demon would be a jerk if he didn’t. A promise was a promise.

Sesshoumaru went back in as the bar closed taking the young woman behind the bar to his car to notice not only dust, but rings, some other jewelry of various sizes, and other nonsense by his car. There was a lot of it too. The girl watched as he kicked it all away in annoyance and opened the door for her.

“You have a Diablo! How cool is this! I can’t wait to tell my friends.”

Sesshoumaru closed the door, rolling his eyes.

“Oh joy, I have a feeling you are a virgin too. This is going to be a good night……not………… as Inuyasha would say. I am going to have another child in love with me.”

Sesshoumaru tried to be as pleasant as possible while the girl bounced around the leather seats of his car. She was interesting, but that was about it. When they came to his room he took off his jacket and hung it up offering to do the same for her.

“My name is Pandora or that is what my friends call me. So you are Stephen Tashio, are you like foreign or something?”

The girl stated as she flopped on his couch.

“Yes, you could say that Pandora.”

Sesshoumaru stated as he went to his bar and poured himself a very strong drink. Then Sesshoumaru brought a drink to her as she sat by the fire warming her hands.

“Oh, I just serve drinks. I don’t drink myself, but thanks.”

Pandora said. Then she eyed the hot tub.

“Oh wow, you have a hot tub. Can we use it?”

Sesshoumaru sighed.

“I do not have a suit for you dear. So you may have to take everything off if that is your plan.”

He had this feeling he would have to seduce this one and then maybe she would cave in. If not then he would have to pull out one hell of a charm spell. It would have been ten times easier if she would have taken the drink.

“Well, I just so happen to have one with me in my back pack. At college I am on the swim team and diving team so we just got done before I had to go to work so do you mind? Where is the bathroom?”

Sesshoumaru smiled and showed her the way. Then sat on the couch wishing to God he could get through this night without feeling like a dirty old man. This girl was an innocent, he could feel it. It would be best to tell her to leave, but his fucking demon was happy as hell. It had been a long time and she was attractive.

“You are an asshole Sesshoumaru, a total asshole.”

The girl came out with a towel wrapped around her waist in a blue suit. She got into the hot tub and Sesshoumaru smelled fresh young virgin. It wasn’t fair damn it all. This isn’t what he wanted. He was going to have to drive her home and tell his demon to take a damn rain check.

“Well are you coming in or not?”

Sesshoumaru tried to find his voice again.

“Yes of course. Give me a minute.”

Sesshoumaru went into the bedroom and took off his clothing. Putting his swimming trunks on that looked a hell of a lot like his boxer shorts in his mind he wondered how in the hell could people bother swimming with clothing on if they were just going to put these on wet under their clothing? He would have to ask Inuyasha about that later since that was one area he hadn’t studied upon. Clothing in this era was strange enough and his interest had been money as well as politics.

“Wow, you look great. I guess you work out a lot huh…….”

Pandora stated and Sesshoumaru slid into the hot tub across from her.

“You could say that. How old are you really Pandora?”

Pandora blushed and smiled.

“Well don’t tell anyone, because I really need this job to help take care of my Mom, but I am only 15.”

Sesshoumaru ran his hand across his face. This was bad. This was really bad.

“Why did you come with me?”

Pandora blushed even more.

“Isn’t it obvious? You are gorgeous and everyone wanted you.”

Sesshoumaru sighed and took the girl’s hand.

“Look sweetheart. I like you a lot, a lot, but you shouldn’t just get into a car with a strange man you do not know. I am taking you home after this. I don’t want to hurt you.”

Pandora looked sad.

“Am I not pretty enough?”

Tears started coming. Sesshoumaru knew this shit was going to happen. He expected the day after, but this was not his planning.

“Look, you are a very pretty girl. You are very sweet and I am not. I am an asshole. There are a lot of guys like me out there who would take advantage of a sweet girl like you. You know why I brought you here don’t you?”

Pandora looked at Sesshoumaru and swallowed hard.

“Yeah………I knew………I hoped you would want to be my boyfriend.”

Sesshoumaru smiled and pulled Pandora into his arms.

“That would be great if I was not a man. If I was a boy I would be flattered and I am.”

Lifting the girl’s chin he gave her a chaste kiss.

“I don’t want to take advantage of you like a man would. I want more then what you can give and I will break your heart. I have no interest in a girlfriend. I am sorry if I mislead you and you really need to find another job. I will need someone here at this hotel and if you would like to work here that would be better for you. Also it is legal. I think I also know the right boy who would really like you and that kid needs a job too.”

Sesshoumaru stepped out of the water heading to the bedroom as Pandora dressed and tried to dry her tears. It wasn’t going to be a fun evening for her tonight because Sesshoumaru was going to have a talk with her Mother and Father when he dropped her off about what she had been doing.

“Please don’t tell my parents.”

Pandora cried in the car as they drove to her house.

“I have to for your safety. Do you know I almost was stabbed? To think about you being raped in such an area would not do for my new employee at all.”

Sesshoumaru walked with her up to the door. Knocking on the door a worried woman answered.

“Pauline! Where in the world have you been and who is this!”

Sesshoumaru smiled.

“So your name is Pauline and not Pandora.”

Pauline wiped her eyes that were blackened with the massive amounts of mascara and black eyeliner she used to fit into the Goth club.

“Mom, this is Stephen Tashio. He offered me a job at that fancy hotel in town. He wanted to meet you and tell you where I was working.”

With that Pauline ran to her room slamming the door sobbing on her bed.

“Please Mr. Tashio come in and thank you for bringing her home safely.”

Sesshoumaru stepped into the rather small home that seemed very bare for a family. There were three other small children in the home huddled on an old worn couch. It was not acceptable for Pauline to live like this. He would also find that boy and make him help this woman out a bit.

“Yes, thank you. I cannot stay. I have to say I was in a very bad part of town since I got lost and I was unable to find my way back had it not been for your daughter. She was working at some club trying to help your family out. I am sure her intentions were good, but that area is very bad. I wish for her to work someplace much safer.”

Pauline’s Mother turned white.

“She was working for that damn Goth club again! I told her I wanted her to quit! That place is full of gangs and violence. Thank you for bringing her home. Pauline! Get out here now young lady! Sorry, I have to ask you to leave, but thank you so much. I am sure we will see you again. Pauline!”

Sesshoumaru left with a wry smile. Pauline was going to have a rough night, but it could have been much worse. He would have made it so if he hadn’t seen the truth and quelled his demon.

Smelling the air his beast was still not going to let him sleep until he found someone to take Pauline’s place damn it all.

“You bastard, it is three am. No one is up right now and we are not going to find anyone tonight.”

Of course Sesshoumaru was wrong, his beast knew there were others as they headed out further into daybreak in another part of the world where another club just so happened to be open and unfortunately it just so happened to be the same damn club Inuyasha took him to before.
*************************************************************************************
Waking up in bed, Sesshoumaru looked at the three girls he picked up last night. His demon was happy, but he had to get rid of them now. This was always the worst part. Still might as well take advantage of a good thing. So he slept in and enjoyed the warm bodies for a while.

After sending three teary eyed girls home after being called an asshole several times Sesshoumaru got dressed. He didn’t care and this was getting on his nerves. He had not promised more than he had given and hell he had given a lot last night.

Looking in the mirror his hair was wild and a mess. He looked terrible as far as he was concerned trying to get the static out since his damn tail always seemed to cause him this stress lately since he washed daily now. There had to be a way to fix it besides wetting it all the damn time.

Calling Inuyasha on the phone, Sesshoumaru suddenly realized Inuyasha wasn’t there. Fuck! He was still in the caves and it hadn’t even been a week yet. His mating time was at its worst right now and Sango was looking so much better every day. Sesshoumaru kept having fantasies about her even with those three beauties last night. It wasn’t fair. The monk had to die, that was all there was to it.

“Miroku, I love you like a brother, but if you don’t marry that bitch you are going to be lunch.”

Sesshoumaru growled out as he got his hair to finally work for him and put on another suit. It was lighter than the others and this time no blazer. He wore just a pair of silvery grey slacks, a periwinkle blue cotton shirt, and a tie that matched his pants. The comfortable black dress shoes finished the look and then went on the leather jacket with his tail as his scarf again with the thin black gloves. This time his beast was decent enough to let him change his hair for a whole five minutes. Then it was back to silver again. Sesshoumaru gave up sighing as he walked out the front door.

Today his goal was to find that punk kid and scare him into working for him. That way he could keep an eye on the kid to make sure his secret didn’t get out and he could hook that boy up with Pauline. They were about the same age. It was annoying to make an innocent child cry and he had a soft spot for young girls like Pauline. She needed a friend and heaven knew that boy did too. The kid was going to get himself killed at the rate he was going. Plus this would make Kagome think he wasn’t such a bad guy and perhaps even Sango would leave that idiot for him. Not that it would ever happen, but he could hope.

Finding the kid wasn’t the problem, the problem was that when he found him the kid was surrounded by more punks. This was going to be another bloody mess.

“Why must you always invite trouble?”

Sesshoumaru stated after he beat up and ate every single one of the boys who had been causing his new project a problem.

“You aren’t going to kill me are you?”

The boy whimpered as he actually wet himself this time. Sesshoumaru wrinkled his nose in disgust.

“First off you will not do that again. Secondly, we will buy you new clothing. You are my slave now and I will let you live only if you do as I tell you.”

Sesshoumaru smirked since this was just part of the game and it was kind of fun tormenting this boy. It was like having Jaken around again. If the kid got out of line he would just knock him in the head or throw a rock at him.

“What is your name boy?”

Sesshoumaru asked the boy he had by the scruff of the neck.

“Keith Hollikins.”

The boy said timidly as soon he followed Sesshoumaru too terrified to run. He saw what happened to the kids when they ran and he didn’t want that.

“Keith, well you are now my property and you will do as you are told. You will come here and we will dress you more appropriately. You look like a heathen who has rolled in the dirt one too many times.”

Keith’s eyes about bugged out of his head when he was taken to a fancy store that he once wanted to just look in since he hadn’t been to such a place before. Someplace he would not ever be allowed in.

“They will throw me out of there. They did it before and they will do it again.”

Sesshoumaru sighed and pushed him in as people looked at them funny and a Manager came forward.

“Did this boy steal something from you Sir? I can have the police called immediately.”

The boy looked terrified trying to run until Sesshoumaru grabbed his collar.

“No, he is my new employee and I need him dressed appropriately. I have an account here and I expect this to be done.”

The Manager nodded and people rushed over as the boy looked at Sesshoumaru in fear.

“You will let them dress you child or you will deal with me. Understand?”

The boy let the people take him away, but he wasn’t sure if he was more terrified of them or Sesshoumaru.

“Sir, is there anything else you require?”

The Manager asked clearing his throat not wishing to anger one of his newest and best customers.

“Yes, where is a place that I can find this child a suitable hair cutter? His appearance is disturbing and I wish to make it not so.”

Sesshoumaru asked politely as he had his coat removed by some people working for the store and sat back on the nice couch they had in the store as they brought him a drink. This after all was one of the more posh shops in Las Vegas since he wanted to be close to everything.

“There are a few places, let me call ahead for you. He will indeed need a lot of work; you are generous to take such a child under your wing. I know just the place in fact.”

The manager called ahead to one of the finer barber’s in town. One he used personally. The appointment was set up and when the boy came out he did look much better.

“We will take that and another ten like it. Of course you pick the styles and the colors for him as you do for me. I will send my driver to pick it up later.”

Sesshoumaru stated escorting the boy out of the store after having his jacket placed back on him.

Walking out the boy was shivering and Sesshoumaru sighed.

“Damn it, did I not mention the jacket? Come on Keith, we must improve this.”

Going back into the store the Manger feeling very embarrassed insured not only a coat, but gloves, and gave the boy the scarf free of charge.

Keith walked out looking up in awe at Sesshoumaru.

“You aren’t gay or going to like rape me or anything right? I can’t afford to pay you back……..”

Sesshoumaru stopped and growled low scaring Keith again.

“Don’t wet yourself……….and no I am not gay. I have no interest in touching you in such a way. I do not fornicate with children.”

Keith sighed and was able to breathe again.

“So why are you doing all this for me?”

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes again.

“Because child, I own you. You are my servant for as long as I see fit since I spared your miserable life.”

Keith pouted.

“You know they abolished slavery here don’t you?”

Sesshoumaru smiled.

“Yes Keith, you are well educated. However, they didn’t say demons ever let go of their rights to own people. Do you wish to live?”

Keith nodded and swallowed hard.

“Good answer, now come along. Being my slave is not that bad and there are benefits.”

Heading over to the barber’s shop Sesshoumaru waited for Keith and snapped at anyone who wanted to cut his own hair. Barbers were too fond of their scissors.

Keith came out looking like a boy rather than a punk. The ‘Caesar’ cut as they called it suited him well.

“Can I ask where we are going?”

Sesshoumaru looked at the boy finally just expecting the child to follow him as his pack used to. He was of his pack now and he would mind.

“You follow I lead, that is how this works. Just keep up.”

Keith grumbled a bit under his breath about tyrants. Sesshoumaru smirked a bit since he was hoping eventually the kid would get over some of his fear or this would be no fun at all.

“We are here. Now knock on the door Keith and introduce yourself.”

It was a rather small run down home. Keith looked at Sesshoumaru warily.

“No one is going to stab me all of a sudden right?”

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes and walked up to the door knocking.

“You are pathetic.”

Sesshoumaru stated firmly waiting for the woman to answer. Pauline’s Mother looked tired.

“Oh, Stephen, it is good to see you. I am sorry, but Pauline ran away from home after you left. We have been searching for her for days now.”

Pauline’s Mother then broke down in tears. Sesshoumaru handed her a handkerchief and bid her good day.

“Do not worry, we shall find her.”

With that Sesshoumaru grasped Keith by the scruff of his neck again.

“You need to hang onto me boy.”

Keith grasped the demon’s arm tightly as they flew toward the smell that Sesshoumaru knew was Pauline’s scent.

When they arrived there were police cars everywhere. The police were looking at a body and unfortunately it was Pauline. The club had closed down due to underage minors working and drinking there. She didn’t know and had been attacked.

Keith looked at the girl.

“Poor kid.”

Sesshoumaru growled. This would not do. It totally messed up his plans.

“Keith, where do they take the bodies when a person dies around here?”

Keith looked disgusted at Sesshoumaru.

“You want to eat dead people?”

Sesshoumaru sighed and tried to not get angry. Running a hand over his face he then looked at Keith as though talking to a two year old.

“No, I need to know where they are taking this girl either that or we take her………..yes…………”

Keith was wrapped in Sesshoumaru’s scarf as Sesshoumaru grabbed the body in a speed faster than light. The police had no idea what the hell happened and since there was no body no one could be tagged for this crime. They searched for the evidence everywhere, but there was now only blood. It wasn’t enough.

Taking the body of the girl to his hotel Keith checked the place out trying to avoid both the demon and the dead girl. It was bad enough he was this guy’s new slave, but to bring a dead body here was just gross. Was this guy trying to scar him for life more then he already had?

“Stay here, don’t touch anything.”

Sesshoumaru stated as he disappeared behind a sliding wall. Of course Keith picked up the remote to the TV and turned it on sitting on the couch after taking his jacket off. Sesshoumaru came back up with a sword and Keith freaked turning off the TV moving far away from the couch.

“I swear I didn’t do anything to your stuff man!”

Sesshoumaru stood over Pauline’s body ignoring Keith.

“The emissaries of the dead, I see them. It is not too late.”

With a look of anger Sesshoumaru cut through something and Keith covered his face terrified Sesshoumaru was going to cut up that girl’s body then eat it in front of him.

“Keith, open your damn eyes and look. I can read your mind and I wasn’t going to cut anything off of you for watching TV. I know you children cannot live without the blasted thing.”

Keith looked through his fingers.

“You didn’t eat her?”

Sesshoumaru laughed.

“No, she will come to life now.”

Keith shaking looked at the girl who was no longer bloody, in face she was all cleaned up.

“What did you do? Make her a vampire? Is that how it works? Are you going to do that……….”

Sesshoumaru gave Keith a stern look.

“One rule in this home, do not ever compare me to a filthy undead being like a vampire. I might have to hurt you if you say that again. No I cannot turn you into anything little human boy. You will always be a pain in my ass and now Pauline will live being a pain in yours. You are responsible for her.”

Keith frowned and crossed his arms over his chest.

“I don’t want a slave especially not some girl I don’t even know.”

Sesshoumaru couldn’t help it as he sat on the couch laughing.

“She isn’t your slave you idiot. You are hers and you will cater to her whims or I will hurt you.”

Keith frowned.

“This sucks.”

Pauline got up from the floor and looked around in fear.

“How did I get here again?”

Sesshoumaru walked over to her and pulled back her hair roughly.

“You are in big trouble young lady! When I get you back home not only will you work for me, you are going to leave and live with me until you can be trustworthy again.”

Pauline smiled with tears in her eyes.

“So you will be my boyfriend Stephen!”

Sesshoumaru wanted to figure out how the hell he was going to get out of that one as he let her go trying not to roll his eyes at her since he had been doing that with Keith all day long. It felt like he had two Inuyasha's in his living space.

“No, Keith might be though.”

Pauline and Keith looked at each other.

“The hell if I will.”

Keith stated firmly and Pauline frowned at him.

“You are a big jerk. I go to school with you and you are always hanging out with those jerks who don’t like us.”

Sesshoumaru smiled. This was going to work out quite well. Inuyasha and Kagome were just like this so it would work. It had to.

“Shut up both of you. You will both be working for me and living in this building. Not in my home or I will have to move myself someplace else possibly putting you two in prison so I can keep you safe.”

Both kid’s eyes about bugged out of their heads.

“You wouldn’t!”

Pauline sobbed and Keith was on his knees.

“My parents will kill me!”

Sesshoumaru looked at them both.

“I will kill you if either one of you cause me problems understand? Pauline your family is moving here to help. I have quarters here for my staff. You will mind your Mother, go to school, and I will be checking both of your grades since that is something important apparently to parents. If you do not do as I tell you I will send both of you to prison. Do you understand?”

Both kids nodded and Sesshoumaru felt very old. He was now a parent again and he hadn’t even had one of his own yet.
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Walking both kids back to Pauline’s house at first there were hugs, then tears, then yelling, then more hugs, and finally they got packed as Sesshoumaru sent a car for them. Then it was to Keith’s house.

When Sesshoumaru got there he was not happy. Keith’s Mother was on some kind of drugs and his Father hit Keith twice making Sesshoumaru kill him. Keith freaked out at first, but Sesshoumaru dragged him kicking and screaming back to his place.

“That is not a home Keith. You are not going back there.”

Keith yelled at him.

“You asshole! You killed my Dad! You killed him and you said you ain’t bringing him back!”

Sesshoumaru growled.

“Yes that is right! How many times has he hit you child! How many!”

Keith fell to the floor once they got back to the suite. Taking off his shirt there were bruises everywhere.

“Your Father is not ever coming back son. You are mine now, deal with it. I have to.”

Sesshoumaru stated and then made Keith get up from the floor.

“Come, it won’t be that bad. Pauline’s family can help you and you can help her.”

Sesshoumaru frowned though since now he would have to go get legal papers and adopt the child. He couldn’t just let Keith go back and no damn legal person was going to take Keith back. This felt right and wrong at the same damn time.

“We are taking you to a human hospital tonight. Then I am adopting you. End of discussion. It will not be like I have not done this before.”

Keith looked at the demon and put his shirt back on. Sesshoumaru ruffled the kid’s hair and told him to go to bed. Sesshoumaru rarely slept and someone should use the bed that his maids were now caring for since he had officially opened the place. The staff was hired before the building opened so it wasn’t difficult to get them to show up. People seemed to really need work in this place. Inuyasha would have a field day calling him a damn philanthropist. It wasn’t right for a demon King to be so soft hearted, but hell when was the last time he had a pack of his own? It was time to start again.
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Going to the hospital had been an adventure as it was. Sesshoumaru was able to claim being a friend of the family finding out about Keith’s Father through noticing the marks on the boy’s lower arms. The doctor had seen Keith before apparently when his arm was ‘accidently’ broken when falling down a flight of stairs. The boy had been a runaway.

“So young man, how are you feeling?”

The doctor asked warily. He was very tired and had seen too many cases like Keith’s.

“Better doc, thanks. Got any more needles I think you missed a spot.”

Keith grumbled frowning since he was covered in gauze in some places and had damn IV’s going through him like it was a new fashion statement.

“Keith you need to sleep, we are going to give you a sedative and then I am going to talk to Mr. Tashio.”

A nurse came in and started the medication through Keith’s IV. The kid was out in seconds.

“Mr. Tashio, this was no accident. It was his Father wasn’t it?”

The doctor stated and Sesshoumaru nodded yes.

“I took him away from that home and I don’t want him to go back. Does Keith have any other family?”

The doctor shook his head.

“None that we know of, his Father was an orphan and his Mother is from outside of the United States.”

Sesshoumaru shook his head with the usual ‘hn’ sound.

“I want to adopt Keith, how do I go about it? I don’t wish for him to leave this hospital until he is fully recovered and I have the money to fund any care he requires.”

The doctor was shocked, but also wasn’t sure how this would work out for the man.

“Well, you’re generous, but adopting a child is a lot of legal work. There is more to it than just signing a few papers and you are awfully young for one who wishes to take on such responsibility. How would your wife or girlfriend feel about it?”

Sesshoumaru smiled.

“I have neither a girlfriend nor wife so I would be raising the boy on my own.”

The doctor laughed.

“Son, you can’t raise a child on your own and it would be hell to try to win a case like his with no wife. Keith needs a lot of mental therapy for all he has been through not to mention all the other problems on top of it.”

Sesshoumaru nodded. Not having a mate would be a problem, but he did know someone who did have one. Inuyasha owed him big time too.

“What if I know a couple? One that already has a child? Would that suffice?”

The doctor thought about it for a moment.

“It would depend on the couple.”

Sesshoumaru smiled after he thought about it.

“What if the wife just happened to be a nurse who worked for a hospital?”

The doctor smiled.

“That may just be the medicine this boy needs if you can pull it off. Good luck and we will watch over Keith until you can pull this miracle of yours off. I will pray for you.”

With that Sesshoumaru walked over to Keith’s bed. Sesshoumaru connected his mind to the boy.

“Keith, I am not abandoning you. I will be back with help, just don’t run away and piss me off. I don’t wish to chase around town for you again.”

Sesshoumaru had to get back to the caves, but that also meant during rutting season. Fuck! How was he going to do all of this! Still he had his project and he wasn’t about to let mating season stop him from getting what he wanted. Inuyasha and Kagome had to come. Besides, Kagome shouldn’t be in a damn cave during her pregnancy and with her smothering Motherhood instincts she would be great for this boy. This would work.

With that in mind Sesshoumaru took off to the caves and if Miroku was lucky Sango would not be crying or God help that pervert.
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