Chronicles of the West

Chapter Eighty

Sesshoumaru felt the pull of elemental power. Fourth night in a row. He rose from his bed and strode to the window. Ayeka sat up groggily, "Sessh?" she asked softly, still more asleep than awake. He went to the bed and pushed her back down, "Sleep Ayeka, I must go and speak with Ryu". She nodded as he brushed a kiss over her brow.

He strode down the long halls leading to his son's room. Ryu sensed his father and opened the door. "You felt her too?" he asked softly. Sesshoumaru nodded. "She is calling to you in the only way she is able". Ryu's ears drooped, "But I can never tell where she is. Only that she is in the east" he said softly.

Sesshoumaru's gaze became calculating. "There is one who knows" he said. Ryu blinked at him, golden eyes went wide. "That thing" he said. Sesshoumaru nodded, "Amari would know". Ryu growled softly, "I want to use him father, but can he be trusted?".

Sesshoumaru seemed to consider this for a long while. He'd seen Tohru talking the spirited kitsune. "He is coming of age Ryu" Sesshoumaru replied, "He was torn from his home and made into an abomination. He holds no loyalty to them". Ryu grunted, "That doesn't mean he holds any toward us".

Sesshoumaru nodded, "That is true. Come, we will speak with him". Ryu followed his father to the doors leading to the sealed creature. They heard muffled voices from within and paused in curiosity. "You don't have to be rude" came a feminine voice. Sesshoumaru arched a brow.

He opened the door to find Tohru attempting to comb the long silver locks. The kitsune looked thoroughly put out. "You can't sleep so wanna come and comb my hair?" he snapped at her. Before Sesshoumaru could say a word, his precious daughter had rapped the stubborn male smartly atop his head with her brush.

Ryu chuckled, "You better just accept that she is going to do it". Two sets of golden eyes fell on the door. Sesshoumaru frowned at his youngest. "It's rather late to be visiting Tohru" he said. She sighed and when the kitsune smirked, she frowned at him.

"Yes father" she replied quietly, "Don't think you are getting off you foxbat!". The kitsune grunted, "I take it that means I have to put up with you tomorrow too?" he shot back. She growled, he growled. Sesshoumaru sighed, "Good night Tohru". She looked up at her father and hurried from the room.

The Taiyoukai did not miss the small smile that curved the young male's mouth. Foxbat? How droll. He cleared his throat, bringing the full attention of the room back to him. "Amari I have come to ask you a question" he said bluntly.

Amari grunted, "You have felt it then" he said, "The power slipping from the east". Ryu approached the bed and glared at him, "What do you know about it?". The silver fox eyed him coolly, "Only that they are aware of her actions and it's only a matter of time before she is silenced".

Ryu snarled at him, "What is that supposed to mean?" he demanded. Sesshoumaru caught his eyes, the look there making him fall silent. "Where is this place?" he commanded Amari tell him. Amari sighed, "Eight days running to the east" he replied. Ryu moved toward the door, but the kitsune's next words stopped him.

"You'll not find it" he said shortly. Ryu's ear swiveled towards him. "What's that?". Sesshoumaru held up his hand for silence. Amari locked eyes with the demon lord. "There is a barrier that surrounds the palace, but you expected that". Sesshoumaru nodded. Amari gave a smirk, "You will pass it by if you do not know where to look".

Sesshoumaru glared at him, "And you are going to lead us there" he told him. Amari blinked, "Me? Why?". Sesshoumaru growled, it should have been obvious. "If I go there I will die" Amari said plainly. Sesshoumaru cracked his knuckles, his claws glowing a vicious green. "If you refuse me you will never see another dawn".

Amari was a clever boy, he knew his options were few. However the odds of surviving this were far greater with the help of the Taisho. He considered what he would need to accomplish this. "I might be inclined to lead you there" he said finally.

Sesshoumaru growled, "This is not a negotiation". Amari fought hard not to wither under that arctic stare. "If I lead you, will you end my life when all is said and done?" he asked. Sesshoumaru, "If that is your wish and you survive the coming battle, then yes" he replied, "However should you swear featly to me and my house I will extend your existence".

Amari sighed, "I had hoped that you could make me normal again" he admitted, his tender years seemed so apparent in that one statement. Sesshoumaru looked down on him, "No" he said honestly, "I cannot unmake the creature you have become".

Amari nodded, "I would have to be unsealed to lead you" he pointed out. Sesshoumaru growled, "Do not state the obvious to this Sesshoumaru. When you swear fealty to me I shall release you". Amari inwardly flinched, he knew that the Taisho would be a hard taskmaster. Hard but fair.

"I Amari, son of Matsuko, do swear my life and loyalty to Lord Sesshoumaru of the West. My fealty unwavering, my blood yours to command" he said. His choice made. Sesshoumaru nodded, "Betray me and you shall die". Amari nodded.

"Ryu" his father commanded, "Fetch Satoru from the library". Ryu nodded and bounded down the hallway. He threw the doors wide when he arrived. Satoru blinked up from his books, "What is it Ryu?" he asked. Ryu glared at his cousin, "Father needs you to unseal the foxbat".

Satoru blinked at him. Foxbat? He rose and strode past his hanyou cousin. "You will use the boy to find Reny?" he asked Ryu. Ryu nodded, "That's the plan". Satoru sighed, it was perhaps the best they had to go on at the moment.

From what Daishi had uncovered and Victor from his questioning of the monks and priestesses, it seemed that Reny's soul was in need. It had to be returned to the void at all costs.

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Silvana was exhausted. Even the smallest output of her power wearing on her. She was running out of time. It was only ten days until the full moon and Josin made certain she understood that the full moon was the time of the bonding.

She had tried again and again to send out just enough energy that Ryu or Sesshoumaru would feel it. She held no hopes that this was hidden from her captors. Still, they did not stop her and so she tried again and again.

She slumped against the wall from her efforts. Demonic energies activated her shackle but her heavenly powers did not. Of course her heavenly powers wouldn't free her, and should she choose to fight with them, she might take one of the bastards with her, before she fell under her own weariness. It was not a happy place she found herself in. Her own weakness mocked her. Powerful being? Ha! She couldn't even free herself.

She felt the moisture gather behind her lashes and squeezed her eyes tightly shut. She had tried everything. Searched every inch of her chambers to see if she could get out. Tried again and again to remove the damnable shackle. Nothing worked. And making it all the worse was the fact that she could come and go in the halls as she pleased. Fenced in by invisible walls.

"Why do you weep?" Josin asked from the doorway. She refused to acknowledge his presence, though his holy energy swirled around her. Josin disliked being ignored. He crossed the room to loom over her. "I asked a question" he snapped. She turned wet, angry eyes to him.

She was rather beautiful for a female. "You should thank me" he told her, "I have saved you from a worse fate". A pale brow rose in question. Josin nodded, "I have saved you from the hanyou". Silvana surprised him with a short burst of sharp laughter.

"Saved me?" she laughed, "You saved me?". Josin failed to see how it was amusing. Silvana forced herself to her feet, her limbs shaking with the effort. Josin noticed of course, "You call out every night to him and for what?" he asked, "So that you can languish here, waiting for a love that will not come".

She growled at him, eyes narrowing dangerously. "He will come" she told him, lifting her chin in defiance, "And when he does, he will tear your miserable hide apart". Josin glared down at her, her scent was rising, surprisingly sweet to him. He leaned closer, caging her against the wall, sniffing the long pale curls tumbling over her shoulders.

"I hope that he does come" he told her softly, his breath feathering over her ear. "And when he does, he will smell Sero and I all over you. What makes you think he will want you after that?" he asked, "How many times will he overlook the scent of another on you?".

She stiffened fractionally and he smirked, drawing his face back to look at her. His hand cupped her chin, thumb stroking her lower lip. "He can barely forgive you for touching his beloved brother, what will he think of his enemy?". She jerked her face away from him, growling. "You lie" she hissed.

Josin's expression was somber as he regarded her. "Do I?" he asked, "What will the hanyou's beast do when the scent of Sero lingers on you. Or mine? What will he do when the scent of our seed reaches his nose? When his eyes behold the marks? Knowing that we have had you? Hmmm? What then, will your precious hanyou do?"

His words were like barbed tentacles, finding their way into her brain, her heart. Paining her. In the back of her mind, a tiny voice screamed that he would come in time. Another part told her they would not arrive in time and it would be as Josin said.

Unbidden a tear slipped down her cheek. He caught that betraying droplet on his claw, lifting it to her face. "Your soul knows the truth of this" he whispered to her. She watched as he licked the tear from his deadly claw. Relishing her pain and her fear.

"You are complete bastard" she said, her voice an angry shiver. He leaned close again, "Now Silvana, you mustn't speak of your mate so" he taunted. She gathered her feeble strength and lunged at him. Claws ready, fangs bared. She would kill him. The shackle burned painfully against her flesh but she pressed on.

His hand shot out, his long fingers closing around her throat. Holy power searing the skin of that pale column. She felt the weight of his grip, slowly closing her windpipe. He held her off the floor, like a young pup who'd pushed it's elders too far.

She clawed at his hand, in an effort to get free from him. His grip only tightened on her more. She gasped and panted, but air would not come. There was nothing, but the burning of her lungs, the pounding of her heart and her own choking sounds…pitiful even to her ears.

He slowly backed her to the wall, her toes barely touching the floor. Pinning her there, he stood like some avenging angel that the human Christians spoke of. Her eyes fluttered, bright spots dancing across her vision. His face was so close, as though fascinated by her slow suffocation.

Josin loosened his grip, though only fractionally. Watching her reaction as air flooded into her lungs. Her breaths, he noticed were carefully measured. Making herself breathe slowly to take in more air. Her eyes were unfocused still, due to her recent lack of air.

He closed the distance, and pressed a kiss to her trembling top lip. Her lips were cool against his. Like night chilled silk. He watched her eyes as he pressed his kiss on her. His grip no longer choking her, but stroking the smooth flesh.

She tried to turn from him, but his fangs caught her full lower lip and bit down. She cried out at the small surge of pain. Josin thrilled to it however, and licked his way almost tenderly across the torn flesh. "I would be gentle" he murmured into her mouth, "If you'd only allow it". His tongue swept inside her mouth, tracing every line, touching every corner.

He stepped back from her then, watching her slide down the smooth wall to land in a crumpled heap on the floor. He smirked at her, "If a kiss can do that, imagine what else I might do to you". He chuckled at his small joke and left her there. His taste in her mouth, making her want to gag. Crying and very much afraid. He was strong....much too strong.