Chapter 28

The unfortunate meeting




"Left!" Inuyasha shouted and Kirara changed the direction. The whole group was crammed on the back of the cat demon, following Sesshomaru's scent.

"Look!" shouted Sango, pointing the shape ahead of them. "Kirara, get close!"

The cat demon roared and picked up speed. It turned out, that it was Sesshomaru's dragon, with Jaken and Rin on his back. The child looked back.

"Inuyasha-sama!" she exclaimed, waving to them. Kirara found herself next to the Ah-Un.

"Jaken, where's Sesshomaru?!" Inuyasha demanded. The green imp pouted.

"You stupid…" he started, but was interrupted by Rin.

"Inuyasha-sama!" said the child with pleading look in her eyes. "Sesshomaru-sama went after Mai and he wants to hurt her! Please help her!"

Kagome gasped and tugged the hanyou's fire rat.

"Inuyasha, we must hurry." She said firmly. The half-demon nodded and Kirara leapt forward, followed by Ah-Un.

Kagome prayed, that they would get in time to see her friend alive.




Elsewhere…
 
Mai stumbled and fell on her knees in the mud, not having any strength left. The rain was stopping and she saw the glimpse of the setting sun. She was almost sure, that she was on the right way and most of the distance was already covered. When she was about to give up, she reminded herself, that she passed the point of no return – now she could only go forward. With all the willpower, she forced her body to get up, her knees trembling from exhaustion. Slowly, she made her way along the path, step by step, but forward.

It took a lot of effort, not to stray from the path in the night. The forest was dark, the light of moon and stars couldn't penetrate the shadow cast by the trees. From time to time she heard rustling and all kind of noises made by animals. Every time, she flinched, thinking it was Sesshomaru, who would want to murder her. And that will probably happen, if I don't get to Inuyasha soon. - She thought, speeding up despite her sore legs.

"Dad, mum, I will get out of this alive." She muttered, encouraging herself. With a newfound determination, she marched to her destination.



Sesshomaru was circling over the forest. The heavy rain made following the woman's scent difficult, so he had to blindly search for any trace of her, hoping, that he will find it by accident.

The demon gritted his teeth, as he thought, what his servant hid from him. She was an acquaintance of the miko, his despicable hanyou brother's woman. He entrusted his ward to her and she kept something like that secret. The whole time he let her travel with him, he kept her safe and fed and now she dared to escape from him! He couldn't forgive her such ingratitude.

Sesshomaru growled with fury and changed the direction of the flight. Then he smiled evilly, as he picked up a familiar scent. The trail was fresh.

Woman, you will be punished for disrespecting this Sesshomaru. – he thought.



Mai tripped and fell, when her legs refused to move properly. Slowly, she pulled herself back up and looked around. She was standing on the edge of a small clearing. Right in the middle there was a huge tree. The girl thought, that its shape was strangely familiar, as though she saw it before somewhere.

"Is this… Goshinboku?" Mai wondered if it was the same tree, the miko told her about. She approached it and saw the arrows stuck in the trunk. The bark in the one place was missing. There was no doubt, it had to be it! She made it! Behind the trees she saw a temple. Gathering her strength, Mai made her way towards the buildings.

"Hello, Mai." The deep voice sent chills down her spine, as her greatest fears came true. Slowly, she turned around, mortified. A few meters from her stood no one other than Sesshomaru, glaring at her with raw fury. Mai was paralyzed. She felt like a deer in the headlights. The demon sent her predatory look and flexed his clawed fingers. That was enough for the girl to figure out, what would happen next. Desperate, she whirled around and darted towards the shrine with all the speed, she could manage.

She made only a few steps, when she felt something grabbing her shoulder and slamming her into the nearest tree. Mai screamed, when the demon roughly pinned her to the tree, nearly crushing her small frame. He was gripping her shoulder, tightening the grip of his fingers. On her white kimono red stains began appearing, as the youkai punctured her delicate skin with his claws. He was so close to her, that Mai's any movement would be blocked. The girl couldn't breathe, as her ribcage was squished between the tree and Sesshomaru's armor.

The demon leaned to the terrified girl and inhaled her scent. The girl trembled, when she felt his lips brushing against her earlobe, his hot breath on her neck. The demon slowly slid his hand from her shoulder to the neck, tracing her artery with his clawed thumb.

"I told you not to escape from me." he whispered to Mai's ear, before pulling back to look at her. Mai's eyes met his cold gaze.

"Sesshomaru, I'm…" she stuttered, trying to defend herself, but stopped, when she saw the expression of rage showing on the demon's face.

"This Sesshomaru will not forgive you!" the youkai growled and clutched Mai's throat. The girl choked and desperately gripped his wrist, digging her nails in it in a failed attempt to make him release her. She struggled, as the demon's fingers were slowly tightening and crushing her windpipe. Mai's vision blurred, her movements became weaker.

Then the youkai released her, throwing the girl to the forest floor. The girl gasped, sharply inhaling the air. After the first shock, when the oxygen filled her lungs again, she pulled herself to the sitting position and looked at the demon. Sesshomaru towered over her and made no move, as though he was waiting for some kind of reaction from her.

"What do you want from me?!" Mai spoke, her voice shaking, as the tears began to well in her eyes. She didn't understand, why he didn't finish her just now. Did he change his mind about killing her?
The demon smirked at her.

"It would be not amusing, if I take your life swiftly and easily, would it?" he responded. Mai opened her eyes wider, realizing what did he just say. The demon wanted her to suffer before she dies – and he will enjoy that. The girl couldn't see another option than fight. She won't give up her life easily, even if it meant doing exactly what he wanted.

The girl quickly jumped back on her feet and ran. Sesshomaru only waited for that. The youkai leaped after her and knocked her down, sending her to the ground. The girl rolled several meters and crashed into a tree. She gritted her teeth and got up, ignoring the pain. She darted off.

The youkai rushed after her. Mai gasped, as he appeared in front of her and pinned her to a tree again. Sesshomaru brought his face so close to hers, that their noses were nearly touching.

"Ready to beg me for your life?" he asked, smiling cruelly. Mai sent him an angry glare and started to struggle. He pinned her right arm above her head, twisting it painfully. Mai hissed.

"Well?" asked the demon with a sickening grin plastered across his face. Knowing, that she will be dead soon anyway, Mai spitted in his face.

"Never!" she screamed at him. His grip tightened, as he returned glare.

Mai slowly reached with her free hand inside her kimono and grabbed the hilt of her knife. Carefully, she pulled it out of the sheath, not averting her eyes from Sesshomaru's golden ones.
He growled and was about to make a move, when the girl moved her arm with all the speed and accuracy she could manage and stabbed the demon in his chest, right above the armor, hoping, the blade would reach his heart.

The demon let go of her arm and jumped back, the shock on his face, as he stared at the knife sticking out of his body. He grabbed the hilt and pulled it out, letting the blade fall to the ground. Then, he looked at the girl, who was still standing in place, unable to move. When their eyes met, Mai could see his golden eyes reflect surprise, that gradually was changing into animalistic rage. The stripes on his cheeks jagged and Mai could feel his powerful youki swirling around his large frame. She made a desperate attempt to flee, but he was on her in a heartbeat, painfully pressing her back to the trunk.
He grabbed her throat and started squeezing it.

"Die!" he growled, about to snap her neck. Mai closed her eyes, praying for the death to come quickly.

Suddenly, the girl heard a strange sound. She opened her eyes and saw something flying swiftly towards them. Sesshomaru released her throat, when his armor got cracked and something pierced the tree, right next to Mai's cheek. Mai turned her head to see what it was.

An arrow.