Captured Soul

Untitled


Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of it's characters.


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chapter 14: Nightmare


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Liana sniffled wearily.

Looking around, she spotted the wooden bucket which she had dropped when Shi'an
had.....hurt her.


Standing up shakily, she walked over to the bucket. Bending down, she grabbed it's
handle.


Liana went to the well.


With some effort, she carried the heavy bucket of water into the kitchen and
set it down by the fireplace.


Hopelessness blanketed her heart. Looking down at her flat stomach, she
rubbed it lightly with her hand. A life was growing inside of her. A very
beautiful life: one created by desperation and compassion.


Several warm, wet tears fell on her hand as she blinked at the blurriness. No
hope. For Sesshomaru's safety, she would mate with Shi'an. And he would kill
her baby. Even if she tried to run, Shi'an would catch her before
she made it to the mountains. He would take her anyway.
Then two lives would be taken. Maybe three. And if Her Lady decided not to
kill Sesshomaru, she would......hurt him.



She moved to her bed, pulled out the scrap of fluff and hugged it
tight. Laying down on her covers, she burried her face in her pillow and
grieved: Silent, aching tears for the life inside of her: her baby.




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




Sesshomaru paced in his room, waiting on Liana. Afternoon sunlight
beamed in from the window. He wished to tell her goodbye before she left.

The sooner she brought the evening meal, the sooner she would be away from
this place and their pup would be out of danger.


So deep in his inner musings, he had not detected Liana's quiet steps.

A faint knock rapped once.

He looked at the door. "Yes?"

Liana opened the door and stepped in the room. In her hands, she held a tray.

She did not look at him. Immediately, he could tell by her scent there was something
wrong: Sadness, nervousness, apprehension and fear.


A very bad feabbeabbeabbed for his heart.

For some reason he did not speak, only watched as the young female entered and
placed the tray on the table by the bed. Something inside told him to wait.


After setting the tray on the table, the young girl sat down on his bed.

Slowly her eyes rose up to meet him. Unshed tears glistened in the green pools,
making them shimmer with color. Moments passed and she did not utter one word.


Finally, she swallowed then spoke. Her voice rasped out in a choking whisper.
"I cannot leave."


He fell on his knees before her and cupped her face in both of his clawed hands.
"Why?"

With a quiet sob, she gazed into his face. "Shi'an will not let me."

Fear gripped him in it's sharp tallons. "Shi'an?"

Hot tears fell on his thumbs as she nodded.

Dropping his hands, he lightly clasped her small ones in both of his.
"Tell me, Liana. What is Shi'an and how can he keep you from leaving?"


Liana clenched her eyes shut and shook her head, the droplets falling steadily
off of her reddened cheeks. "I do not know what Shi'an is but I know he can change
shape at will. Sometimes he appears human. Sometimes he is a big black cat.
Sometimes he reaches the treetops like a monster. I once heard My Lady call him
a changling. But he always has a tail and some cat like feature. Shi'an would track
and catch me before I got very far."

She opened her eyes some, staring at his hands which still held hers.
"He said he smelled.....the baby. He wants.....me....as payment for his silence."

Sesshomaru could not speak; Rage, fear, despair and hopelessness
tearing his spirit to shreds. For the second time in his life, he shed a tear,
falling unnoticed in the grief.

Mentally pushing all of it away, he leaned forwards and held Liana close.
"I am....sorry, forgive me."


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

That night, he went to his Mistress.


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The next morning he woke early, silently hoping to see Liana before his
Mistress came for him. She did not come that morning. Worried, he sat down by the
door and leaned against the cold wood. Closing his eyes, he whispered her name under
his breath.


Soon he sensed Liana as sharedared the room.
Standing up, Sesshomaru waited.

The faintest rap sounded on the old wood.

Sesshomaru opened the door. He backed up, letting the small female in.
The first thing he noticed were her green eyes. They were dull, void of anything.

His heart began to pound, she smelled of pain and blood, her blood.

He watched as she slowly carried a tray to his table then turned to leave.

By the way she walked, slow and slightly hunched over, he knew..........

The dog demon stepped in front of her, barring the way while reaching out to her. "Liana?"

A horrible ache pulled at him when she flinched but the
motion died as soon as it appeared. Liana only stood there, her eyes never
wavering from their dulled and lifeless expression.


Cautiously, he eased closer. As he slid his arms around the young girl, he
heard her sharp gasp.

Her pain invaded his sense of smell. Instantly, he jerked away from her. "Liana.......?"


Agony crossed her young features. She looked to the floor as her
mouth opened, trying to form words. "I.......hurt."


His hands were shaking, yearning to hold her. ".......where?"

She did not speak again, keeping her eyes downcast.

"Show me....please."


The girl turned around slowly. Her hand shook as it carefully slid
the dress off one shoulder then another. The garment fell, crumpling at the
base of her back.


Sesshomaru reached out with his hand and pushed aside her long, straight brown
hair. Everything became quiet. Inside, he ached with a pain that could not
even compare to what His Mistress had done to him. For a second, scarlet
flashed in his vision. He wanted to kill, kill that damn cat. His demon
blood entertained the idea of ripping the male apart until his entrails
spilled across the ground.


Her fair skin had been slashed. Deep jagged claw marks along with dark
bruises marred the flesh; bright crimson carved into ivory, black and blue muddled
against milky white. Dark brown blood crusted in and around the deep cuts.


That damn animal had done this when he.....

With great effort, he squashed the overwhelming urge to kill.

Liana was in pain. And for once he did not feel helpless in this matter.
He could help ease the hurt.

Sesshomaru spoke in a comforting tone. "Liana, I want you to take off your
clothes and lay on the bed but do not lay on your back."


The girl began to tremble. "Please.....not now......I feel so.....dirty."

Cautiously, he eased closer to her, his words were soft and honest.
"I will not touch you in that way.....I will not hurt you....Trust me."

She seemed to hear his honest plea and complied with his request, stripping
with jerky, painful movements before laying down on the futon.

Kneeling by the bed, he surveyed the damange. The inu youkai inhaled deeply,
trying to determine the extent of her injuries. No bones were broken.
He started. Their pup had survived.

"Liana, our pup lives."

At his words, the young girl began to cry quietly.

He stroked her hair and caressed her face. "Shhhhh, I will make the pain go away..."

Leaning over her shaking form, he sniffed some before tenderly running
his tongue over one gash.

Liana sucked in a breath.

As he repeated the action, the dog demon swallowed the coppery sweetness.

One by one the lacerations sealed while his saliva numbed the wounds.
Be
Before long, her trembling ebbed away to be replaced by even breathing.

Muscles relaxed, the shaking diminshed gradually until it stopped altogether.

By the time he had finished, every cut had been tended to.

He looked over to find that Liana had fallen asleep.

Gently, he covered the sleeping female with a light sheet.

Letting out a long breath, he sat on the floor, leaning his back against the
bed and praying that His Mistress did not come to him this day.


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Thankfully His Mistress did not come for him. Liana woke a while later.
She sat up with dazed, half lidded eyes that looked around wearily.

Her sights stopped on him as he sat looking up to her.

Clutching the sheet to her chest, she blinked. "Thank you."

Liana glanced at her clothes. "I want to get dressed."

He nodded in understanding, grabbed her clothes, handed them to her, then turned
around, giving her some privacy.

"I am done."

Sesshomaru turned back around to face the petite female.

He reached for her once more. "Can I hold you?"

Her eyes watched his hand warily but then softened and looked down. "I think I
would like that."


Delicately, he embraced her for a moment, laying his cheek on the top of her head.


With reluctance, Sesshomaru released the young girl and watched her leave the
room.


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The next morning he did not see Liana, but his Mistress appeared in the door
way.

He kneeled at her feet. "Mistress."

She sniffed impatiently. "Time to leave, demon."

Hurriedly, he attached his weapons and followed his Mistress.

As they went down the long hallway, he stole glances about, wishing to see Liana
nearby. But he never did.

He trailed behind his Mistress in their travels. This time she allowed him to
hunt and rest.


Only once did she need his services as a guard dog. They had come across
a wolf. In it's savage need for food, it attacked. Effortlessly, he
killed the beast.

For one moon's cy the they traversed far and abroad. All demons ensnared were
evil to the core. She had not needed him to kill any of th

They began traveling back. Soon, the path to her home came into sight.


His Mistress opened ther anr and stepped across the threshold.
She waited.

Several moments passed.


Pulling back her hood, she looked in the direction of the kitchen.
The direction Liana always came from when they returned.

Still they waited.

Sesshomaru could not help the sick knot in his stomach turning to ice.
He reached out desperately with his senses, searching for her.

He breathed a small sigh. She was here, and coming closer, but.......her
scent.......she smelled different.

Liana appeared in the doorway. Her movements were steady, not hurried, not slow.

She bowed low, letting both knees hit the floor at His Mistress's feet.
Liana's voice rasped out her greeting as her eyes remained on the
floor. "My Lady."

His Mistress looked down at the girl with a guarded expression. "Liana, I have
noticed that you have become somewhat lax in your duties. What is the reason
for this?"


The kneeling girl hesitated. "I.....My Lady....Shi'an has chosen me as his mate.
He is........When he touches me....he is not very......gentle.....Unknowingly, he
injures me when we mate. I am having some trouble moving after our coupling.
Forgive me, My Lady. I will try to do better."

Sesshomaru could barely contain his demon blood that screamed for vengence.
His fists shook. A warm wetness filled his palms.


"Did he mark you?"

Liana nodded. "Yes, My Lady." The young girl pushed the garment off of her left shoulder,
revealing two very deep fang markings, crusty red and brown holes marring the
white skin at the base of her neck.

"I see."

A crimson sea blanketed his mind. Right then, he made a promise to himself to kill the
bastard.

As Liana covered up the mark, his Mistress let out an exasperated sigh. "What
Shi'an does in my absense is none of my concern. I will speak with him about
his misjudgement in the way he mates with you. I will tell him that I need
your services and he must take care from now on and not to injure you."
she paused. "Are you with child?"

Sesshomaru's heart froze.

He could tell Liana's had speeded up dramatically. Fear rose in waves
off of the girl. "Yes, My Lady."


His Mistress shook her head. "This changes things. I do not want children here.
Shi'an has acted thoughtlessly. After giving birth, you may leave. I believe there
is a human village beyond the mountains. I will have Shi'an take you there after
you have birthed. When I do not need him, he will be able to visit you there.
You will be compensated for your years of faithful service."


Liana nodded. "Thyou,you, My Lady."

His Mistress gestured to him as Liana stood. "Go get him cleaned up and fed.
I am tired. I do not wished to be disturbed tonight."


He followed Liana to the heated bathing pool.

When she shut the door, he ignored her, slipping out of his soiled clothes and
into the bath.


She did not speak, only washed him.

As he watched the swirling bubbles die in the ripples, he spoke. "Did you enjoy it?
Letting him mark you?"

Liana paused in her task but then continued. Her voice trembled slightly. "No."

"I cannot smell our pup but you are with child."

His voice choked from him. "You smell like him. Your scent has changed. You
have changed."

Sesshomaru had not intended to speak so harshly with her. Sadness and despair
floated from the young girl, making his heart sink with the shame of his
words.


Her soft, quiet whimpers seared his spirit. "I......"

He bowed his head and touched her hand that was resting on his shoulder.
"I should not have said those things. Forgive me, Liana.....Please."

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The days rolled on into months. In the few times Liana came to his room, he
could see a little of what most of her servants dress hid from him.

He did not touch her again, fearful that her animal mate would smell his scent on
her skin.

Sesshomaru didn't want to see Liana hurt.

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They stepped through the dark forest and into a clearing.

He sniffed once and opened his mouth to warn of the impending threat.


Before he could speak one word, a crackling lit the air. A demon flew
at them in a rage, screaming something about his brother and that he knew they had
killed him.

It was an elemental demon: the same one that he had encountered at the stream.

The youkai's long braid whipped about behind him as a static fire blazed in
his red eyes.

Sesshomaru drew Toujkin. A fight ensued.

The demon had speed and the use of flight. All he had was demon speed and
his sword.

Lightning cracked from the powerful bladed staff the thunder demon carried.

Sesshomaru dodged the attacks easily but soon he slowed.

The inu youkai was unprepared for the shock of
the staff's blades as they plunged into his back.


He howled in agony, the flesh on his back melting with the contact.


With all of his demon energy gone, he was no match for the raven haired thunder youkai
and fell to the ground.

His Mistress became angry. Energy poured from her fingertips, cutting the youkai
in half. It vanished in a puff of sparkling mist.

She looked down at him with fire in her . "W. "Worthless beast!"

He crawled toward her, stopping at her feet. "Forgive me, Mistress."


With a hand she waved at him and spoke in an irritated tone. "Come."

As he coughed up blood and spit it out, he rose from his kneeled postion then
followed her, sheathing his sword.

Sesshomaru trailed behind his cloaked Mistress, holding his hand
over his cracked ribs, a light groan escaping from him.


When they returned to his Mistress's dwelling, she motioned for him to follow
her to the back of the house.


His heart raced. "Mistress?.....Forgive me Mistress......for being unable to
kill the youkai. Please.....I beg of you...."


She raised a hand while walking along the path. "Be silent."

As his heart pounded in his chest, his vision blurred with panic.

But His Mistress did not venture towards the tree line, instead she walked
over to a worn circle behind the stable.

They stopped near the small dusty circle. he mhe middle of the circle was an iron
ring with a chain attached to it; at the end of the chain, a shackle.

She pointed to a spot near the ring. "Stand there."

He complied and stood by the iron ring.

Bending down, she grabbed the shackle and clasped it on his right ankle.

She stood up and frowned at him from under her hood.
"Do not break my chain. Do not try to get out of it. You are to stay here until
I come and unlock the shackle. Now hand me wea weapons."

He complied with her command and handed his swords over to her.

She strolled toward the house. "Be a good boy, my pet."

Sesshomaru stood there for a long time. The sun set. When night came, he sat down on
the cold earth and looked up at the twinkling stars.

Soon, his ears picked up small steps. Several paces away, Liana opened
a door. It was dark and he could not see very well.
Undoubtably, Liana could not see him either for she looked around in the
dark a moment before cautiously walking toward the tree line.

He raised his hand, her name on the tip of his tongue.

No.

A thought struck him. She was going to see her animal lover.

Looking down, he swallowed and clenched his eyes shut.

A while later, he heard a panther's scream.

The moon rose above the treetops, giving light to the surroundings.

Leaves rustled, he looked to thee lie line and sniffed the air.

Liana.

Her form appeared out of the shadowed wood. The potent odor of mating sickened
him. Shi'an's scent overpowered the smell of her salty tears.

He ached to call out to her. But did not.

From his line of sight, he could see Liana slowly walk back to the stone cottage.


Light sniffles mixed with her heavy breathing.

He did not sleep that night.


When the sun rose he looked around. His ears twitched. Something or someone
was slinking out of the cover of the treeline.

A man emerged: one almost as tall as he. Long black hair cascaded down his back.

Dressed in a simple leather hunting outfit, the large muscled male shouldered
a small dead boar.

Something long and black swished behind him.

The male had a tail: A long.....black.....tail....


Shi'an.


He growled low in his throat and crouched on his feet.


The dog demon watched as the changling hung the kill on an iron hook
near the door.

Red flashed in his vision, he growled louder, wanting very much to
get the bastard's attention.

If he could get the damn animal within reach.......he cracked his knuckles
and flexed his claws.


The tall male stretched like a waking cat, his claws reaching to the sky.

Dropping out of the stretch, he turned in his direction and began walking
toward him.

The dog demon noticed immediately the graceful feline manner of stealth in
his steps.

With a cocky grin, the dark haired male stopped some paces away him him.

Sesshomaru eyed the distance and thought of the length of the chain.
He would not be able to reach the damn bastard.

If he could anger the male, he may slip up and attack.

He smirked to himself and glared at the animal.

Shi'an's tail swished back and forth lazily. "Greetings dog, did you sleep well?"


Sesshomaru said nothing and waited.

With a short bow and a wicked smile, he purred. "Forgive me...my manners. I
am Shi'an."

He straightened and crosses ars arms. "I am sure that Liana has told you all
about me."

The inu youkai kept his preditory stare locked on his intended prey.

Tilting his head, he regarded him with an apathetic look. "No? She must
have said something about my mating talents. The way she screams every time
I take her would make any male shiver with pleasure."


His demon blood demanded justice. Demanded death. Every part of him
wanted to kill the damn cat.

Nothing mattered anymorhe phe punishment, the chain, the pain of disobeying.

He was going to kill and kill now.

In a blink, he lunged for the male only to come up an inch shy of clawing
his guts out.

Desperately, he grasped the chain at his ankle and pulled.


The collar closed around his throat, crushing it. Clenching
his eyes shut, he scratched at the metal restraint as a powerful
current slashed through him.


Shi'an only shook his head and mocked. "Poor mutt can't even reach. Did you
want to kill me?" He growled out a laugh. "Damn dog. I don't know what Liana
ever saw in you. She's mine now. My maty kiy kit. Your are nothing but a worthless
dog....even to her."


He spat out the coppery slickness choking him while shaking from the collar's
punishment. The dog demon gurgled out a warning promise. "Someday...I....will...kill...you."

Shi'an shrugged his shoulders. "Empty threat."


The tall, dark male prowled away. "Remember dog......keep in mind.....Liana
calls my name out every time she reaches her pleasure."


Sesshomaru shuddered with the rage and pain.

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Sesshomaru stared out at the rain. It pelted him mercilessly, dripping
from his bangs. Lightning flashed overhead. Thunder rumbled.
His wet clothes clung to his skin.

The dog demon shook headhead once in a while to shed the water, but it
was no use. It showered him, soaking his hair and skin.

He had been chained out here for many days.

Every night, he would see Liana go to her mate.

Every morning, Shi'an would taunt him.

Liana had not come to him, not once.


He licked the water from his lips.


Opening his mouth, he drank from the sky's torent.

He had not been fed since his Mistress had chained him.

No one had brought any water to him.

So he was thankful for what was given to him now, even if it did
drench him to the bone.


The rains finally stopped.

He sat despondently in the mud as the sun shed light through the clouds.

Day ebbed into night.

That night, Liana did not come out.

He waited. He always waited to get a glimpse of her.

But tonight he waited in vain.

She did not come.

----------------------------------------------------------------


Several days passed, Liana did not come out again.

Shi'an did not appear in the mornings either.

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Sesshomaru woke to the light of sunrise and the blue sky.

The earth had finally dried from the rains. But he missed the drinking water.

Licking his dry lips, he sat up and looked around weakly.

The shackle and chain clinked as he tried to stand. He could not.

He had been here over one moon's cycle with no food and very little
water.

It had taken it's toll. His stomach protested, burning beyond hunger.

He laid back down on the earth and closed his eyes.

His mind fell into darkness.


--------------------------------------------------------------

Evening came and he forced himself to sit up.
He tried to swallow the dryness away.


Sesshomaru believed he was going mad. He could see his Mistress's cloaked form
walking toward him.

But even if it were a mere image of his mind, he bowed at the apparition's feet
anyway. "Mistress. I have been good Mistress."

A hand stroked his hair. He thought it felt heavenly. "Yes, you have been a good boy,
my pet. And I think you deserve a reward. Hungry?"

Still on his hands and knees he nodded once. "Yes, Mistress."


A cold chill ran up his spine when she called out. "Shi'an!"

She bent down and whispered close to his ear. "Sit up, my pet. Your
meal is coming. Shi'an hunted it for only you."


Sitting up, he stared in a daze toward the sound of padding feline feet.

The dog demon despaired. The cat approached up wind. He could not smell
what the cat was bringing.

His vision blurred for a moment then came slowly into focus.

The outline of the cat came into the fading evening light.

Finally, his sight cleared completely.

A sickening knot welled up in his stomach.


What he saw nearly caused him to purge.


In the panther's jaws was an infant.


It's snow white body dangled limply from the bloody fangs.

Two small white furry ears twitched ever so slightly amongst a head full of
scarlet streaked, silvery hair.


It was his pup. His son.


A hand stroked his hair. "Do you want it?"


Shocked and horrified, Sesshomaru nodded his head, never taking his eyes off of
the quiet, twitching pup. "Yes.....Mistress."


Her smooth voice questioned with an airy tone. "Are you going to eat it?"


Bitter bile coated his tongue at the thought of consuming his own pup.
"I.......yes."

S
She chuckled low. "I don't believe you my pet."


With a weak growl, he reached for the pup. "No....Mistress.....Please...no....
I will do anything if you spare my pup. Please......"

Walking a few steps away, she smiled at him. "I have changed my mind."


His Mistress gestured to the panther. "I think Shi'an deserves your little
treat."

Sesshomaru watched in horror as the large black cat snarled then prowled
off into the growing darkness of evening with his son in it's jaws.

A long grieving whimper ripped from his thoat as he crawled toward the retreating
cat. The chain pulled taught. He reached out. "Please....No......I am begging you
for the life of my son. Mistress.....Please."


For a long moment he stared into the shadowed darkness that had taken his son.

Then..... a panther's scream sounded in the distance.

Closing his eyes tightly, his forehead hit the ground. He moaned. "Noooo...."

the the third time in his life, hot tears fell, wetting the sand below him.

His Mistress sighed. "Imagine my surprise when the child turned out
to be an inu youkai child with your markings. Liana must have been busy. That is
with pleasing Shi'an as well. I had hoped the infant would be a kitten. But
that's life. Can't always get what you want."


He choked while sitting up. "Mistress.....please....where is Liana?"

Her voice became cold. "Liana is dead. The birthing killed."
."

A tinge of emotion edged it's way into her tone of ice. "At my request,
Shi'an carried her to a large field nearby and buried her........She always
did like flowers."

With that, his Mistress turned and walked back toward the stone cottage.


Sesshomaru grieved for days, laying on his side, chained to the iron ring.

The rain and fall wind chilled him....He welcomed it.

Pain of despair threatened to kill his soul. He wanted to die.

Self preservation took hold. With every ounce of resolve he grasped all that
he had left: Liana's memory, his pup's image, and finally, his honor.


He embraced them all for a long time before locking them all away in a room in the
back of his mind to keep them safe. Promising himself, vowing to himself to open
the locked room on the day he was set free or in the moment of his death.


After that........he thought nothing.........he felt nothing.......


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.Boy was that hard! One more chapter folks. hope all don't want
to flame me for this one but I wouldn't be surprised if I did get one
or two. One of my readers
asked how did Liana get pregnant. Well I know about female sexual anatomy
To put it simply, Liana went into heat the next day. A man's seed can
stay alive in a woman for three days. For a demon maybe longer. Liana
dropped her egg the next day, therefore, she became pregnant. Now
I did not explain this in the story but Sesshomaru is a dog demon. Their
females go into heat in summer, once a year. Sesshomaru probably felt confident
about Liana not coming into heat anytime soon. What he didn't know
was that human females go into heat once a month. Ooops. Thanks to all who read
and reviewed.


Danni
Mija
SanosLilRebelGurl