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Chapter 8: He's All Mine

"Good morning, darling!"

"Yaaarrgh!" The sudden loud voice, pouncing hug, and demon-aura assaulting his senses startled Inuyasha badly, making him leap straight up from his sleep--and, as a result, fall off his branch. Flailing madly, he managed to right himself in midair to land on all fours in a deep crouch, bristled, snarling, and surging with adrenaline. Fangs bared, he pinpointed the source of the aura and looked up.

A wide, concerned pair of dark amber eyes looked down at him. "Mashiro-Inu, are you alright? Oh, darling, I'm sorry!"

"Dammit--Ginnezu...!" Inuyasha growled, standing up and trying to get his body down off of full-alarm status.

On the branch above her, Shirokiba yawned in annoyance, baring long white wolf-fangs. "My Lady," he said with forced politeness, "you should recall that Lord Inuyasha has led a very feral lifestyle. Surprising him is not the best course of action to choose when waking him--especially if you're a demon."

"You could have gotten yourself killed, idiot!" Inuyasha snarled from the ground, some twenty feet below. "When some demon jumps me while I'm sleeping, I tend to shred first and ask questions later!"

Ginnezu clasped her hands and positively sparkled at him. "Ooooooh! How you must care for me, to hold back your natural instincts for my sake!"

Shirokiba flopped back on his branch and muffled chuckles behind one hand, while Inuyasha turned bright red with anger. "You're just damn lucky I fell out of the tree!" he shouted, furious.

"And just how coordinated was that, oh mighty son of Seibunishi?" Shirokiba leaned down to call.

"Shirokiba, for the last time..." Inuyasha growled and cracked his knuckles. "Just shut the hell up!"

"What's the matter now?"

Inuyasha flicked an ear and turned around, startled. "Kagome--am I glad to see you! At least there's one sane person around this morning. These two yahoos seem to get their thrills by..." He blinked at her. "Are you listening?"

"You're...actually glad to see me?" Kagome asked. "Are you okay?"

Inuyasha drew back and scowled, realizing he had said he was glad to see her. "I'm fine!" he barked shortly. "And nothing's the matter. Ginnezu's scaring the holy hell out of me first thing in the morning, and Shirokiba's got this insane urge to taunt me about everything!" He raised his voice during the last half of his sentence to make sure his companion heard it.

"But you're just such an easy target, little mutt!" called the wolf-dog.

"Moron," Inuyasha grumbled under his breath.

"So neither of them appreciate you, huh?" Kagome asked innocently. But he could see the hint of deviousness in her eyes. "Well, I do. I came to invite you to breakfast, my Lord Mashiro-Inu."

Inuyasha blinked at her in astonishment for a moment, then caught on to her hidden teasing. His previous temper hid quickly behind a facade of morning politeness. He knew full well both demons above could hear him quite well. "Shall we be off, my Lady Kagome?" he asked, offering her his arm.

Kagome's eyes were suddenly the size of tennis balls. He--he called me Lady...his Lady! And he's offering... She numbly took his arm and followed him away from the tree, relishing the calm, pleasant look on his face that was directed at her. But she felt Ginnezu's eyes burning into the back of her skull the whole time, until they were out of sight.

Once out of the forest, Inuyasha almost gently dislodged her hand and walked ahead of her. "Just did that to piss off Ginnezu," he explained roughly, catching a glance at her hurt, startled expression. "I wish she'd take a hint and get lost."

"Oh..." Kagome hugged her arms close to herself and followed him to Kaede's hut.

"You know, I don't think you'll have much success with him, Lady," Shirokiba commented while Ginnezu sat staring in astonishment after the pair. "He's quite attached to the little human."

Ginnezu snorted. "Don't be ridiculous. She's just his toy."

"If she was, he would have played with her by now," Shirokiba said, his voice firmer. "He hasn't touched her. She's more valuable to him than that. She's no plaything to him."

"Oh, really."

"I believe so." The wolf-dog demon leaned back against the trunk of the tree. "Actually, I think he's in love with the girl."

Ginnezu whirled on him, snarling. "Indeed! I'm sure he told you that during your fun little man-to-man talk last night!"

"He didn't say the words," Shirokiba replied, not yielding an inch before her wrath, meeting her amber eyes with his own blue-gold ones. "But he said enough. How else do you think she could walk right up behind him like that? She did the same thing you did, but his senses do not perceive her as a threat."

"He'll trust me soon enough," Ginnezu huffed, sitting down on her own branch.

"You are mistaken, Lady," Shirokiba retorted softly. "And you should not press him further. Go home and tell your father to wait until he is ready. As for your own interest in him...I must say it is ill-advised for you to pursue a relationship with him."

"I will have what I want!" Ginnezu snarled.

"Is a puppet plaything what you want?" Shirokiba demanded, suddenly on her branch, nose-to-nose with her. His expression was so furious that she almost drew back. "A token boyfriend, a toy for your own enjoyment? Is that what you want to make of him?"

"I want him to be mine!" Ginnezu hissed. "No weakling, worthless human hussy deserves such a wonderful creature as him! Can't you see how handsome he is? He's powerful as well--the half-human son of Lord Seibunishi is even more powerful than most full-blooded dog-demons! I am the daughter of the Silver Daimyo--only I am worthy of a demon like him! Am I wrong to seek such a prize? I want him!"

"You were not supposed to fall in love with him, Lady Ginnezu," Shirokiba said, his voice calm and even once more.

"I haven't!" the Silver dog-demon snorted. "But I can appreciate a handsome young male as much as the next she-dog!"

"He isn't yours to take," the wolf-dog told her quietly. "He has marked her, protected her, and chosen to go with her..."

"That doesn't matter! She's only a stupid human wench!"

"He will not choose you. What you're doing is wrong, Lady--in the eyes of our people, it is a sin. You're seeking after a male who has already chosen his mate, and even marked her as his own. You should go home before anything becomes worse."

Ginnezu stared at him through eyes glazed with hatred and rage. "None of that matters! She's only a human witch! He didn't know what he was doing! He's just a pup! I know more than he does! He'll choose me! My time is coming and he won't resist! He'll be mine before the moon vanishes! I know it! I'll show you! I'll show all of you!" With that, the female dog-demon turned and bounded away through the branches in the opposite direction of the village.

Shirokiba watched her until she vanished through the canopy. "What a spoiled, foolish child," he said softly, shaking his head. "It's such a shame, but he'll have to kill her."

It wasn't until very late that afternoon that Ginnezu had composed herself enough to approach Inuyasha. She waited until Kagome had gone in to see Kaede, then hopped up on the roof beside him.

Inuyasha gave no sign of acknowledging her presence other than a small twitch of one ear. Cautiously, she came close to his side and sat down. "Mashiro-Inu...I'm so very sorry I startled you this morning," she began, her voice soft, sad, and contrite. "I had no idea you'd react so strongly. I'm not used to such reactions in my own Clan. We..."

"You're all pampered house pets," Inuyasha growled, echoing a sentiment she'd shared a while back.

Ginnezu sighed, feigning wry acceptance. "Indeed, it seems that way at times. Which is why I still want you to come back with me, whether you want me or not. Your people need a strong leader."

"Your father can do what's needed. Been doing it long enough anyway."

"He keeps to the status quo, keeping things as they were when your father died," Ginnezu said. "We need a more powerful Daimyo who can lead us into battle against encroaching demons, and help us drive the humans out of what were once our lands."

"How can you ask me to do something like that?" he demanded suddenly, facing her. "My mother was human!"

"Don't you often regret your father's choice of a mate?" Ginnezu asked softly. "Don't you want to prevent that disaster from befalling some other innocent young dog-demon?"

"It wasn't what my father wanted!" Inuyasha snarled. "My father respected humans!"

"Whoever told you that nonsense?" Ginnezu chuckled.

"Shirokiba."

"Ah." Damn, there goes that little white lie...better think of something else. "I suppose he knew Lord Seibunishi better than I..."

"Probably."

"Mashiro-Inu...I have a request of you."

"What now?"

"Will you come to the Howl-Gathering this coming full moon eve?"

"What's that?" he grumped.

"It's a gathering festival held by the Dogs of the West each full moon night. We have the Council of Clan Daimyos, and while they're in meeting all the Clans come together at the High Stone to hunt, meet family, choose mates, have fun, play in the woods, and all manner of other things."

"So what?"

"If you'd only come and intermingle with your own kind, you might see that we are not all as horrible as your half-brother. His mother is a bad influence on him, as he never spent much time with Lord Seibunishi."

"His mother is...?" Inuyasha blinked at her. "I thought she was dead!"

"Lady Yukishima? Oh, no! She's alive and well, but she's old and she lives at the High Stone with what's left of the White Clan. She's a respectable she-demon, but she is quite vicious."

"Huh. If she's even half as vicious as Sesshomaru, I'm sorry for the White Clan." Inuyasha grunted and moved away from her. "I'm a half-breed, remember? I don't see why I should go hang out with a bunch of dog-demons. I don't want to take the crap they're going to throw at me."

"What if you weren't?"

"If I weren't a half-breed, I wouldn't even be here. I'd be sitting pretty in my father's den with my big brother, slaughtering humans as a hobby and helping him run the Western Lands." He sounded as though he wasn't sure that was a good thing or a bad thing, but he shrugged and got up to leave.

"What if you could be a true demon at the Howl-Gathering?"

Inuyasha whirled on her. "Don't even try to make light of it! Unless you know where all the other pieces of the Shikon Jewel are and you can gather them in less than a month!"

"I think I'd only need one piece." Ginnezu reached into her robe and took out a small golden amulet. "This amulet is very special in my family. It has the power to amplify the function of any magic centered upon it. For example, when I use this..." She held up a small blue jewel. "...I can amplify my ability to fly. Or this orange one--it helps me to use my power more efficiently in a single strike."

Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow. "I understand the function. I even think I've heard of the particular type of gold that they use to make the amulets."

"Good! Then my Amplifier Amulet can help you!" Ginnezu tucked it back inside the folds of her pale silver-blue robe, smiling enigmatically. "If you were to use a piece of the Shikon Jewel in the place of an ordinary Enhancement Jewel, I think you might be able to amplify yourself into a full demon."

Inuyasha stared at her, jaws agape for quite a while. Then, with a sharp grin, he jumped close to her. "Good! Then let's test it out!"

Ginnezu gasped and put a hand to her mouth. "Oh! Darling, I don't think it would work quite that easily. You would have to do it during the time when your demon blood is at its very strongest."

Inuyasha froze, eyes narrowed, looking at her coldly. "And how would you know about my blood?"

"Oh, everyone knows about half-demons and their peculiar little fluctuations," Ginnezu said, waving a hand with a sweet giggle. "So, when is the time you turn human?"

Inuyasha gaped at her. "You actually expect me to just tell you?"

"Why, of course!" Actually, she didn't, but a cute little show of faith never hurt anything. "You don't think I'd abuse the information, do you?"

"That's exactly what I think!" Inuyasha snarled, turning away. "My life depends on it! It's a secret I don't tell to anyone!"

"But you told the little human girl--Kagome--didn't you?"

"No, I didn't! She found out on her own!"

"I see. You don't trust anyone."

"Damn right."

"But you must trust her--or else you'd have killed her when she found out, right?" Ginnezu's voice, while innocent, was almost...pointed.

Inuyasha hunched his shoulders, unable to reply. It was true; if he hadn't trusted her to keep the secret of his demon blood's weak time, even her usefulness in gathering Shikon pieces would not have saved her. "Fine then. I trust her more than I trust you."

Ginnezu sighed. "I understand that you won't tell me. But there's nothing you can do about it."

Inuyasha turned slowly to her, eyes wide and almost betraying his dread. Did she...?

"It wouldn't happen to be the New Moon, would it?" she asked, carefully hiding any trace of smugness.

No, no...how could she know? Oh, no...I'm dead! "That's not...!"

"Darling, you can't deny it. It's the one night in the past few days I've been watching you that you completely disappeared without a trace." Ginnezu gazed at him earnestly. "That human girl did something to help you hide during the New Moon night, didn't she?"

Inuyasha was both frightened and enraged. He raised his claws, cracking his knuckles. "Demon, you just forfeited your life!" he hissed.

"Please, Mashiro-Inu, hear me out! I won't tell anyone!" Ginnezu stumbled back, amber eyes wide with fear. "In fact, this works out perfectly! Since your demon power is at its weakest during the eve of the New Moon, then it's at its strongest when the moon is full! You can become a full demon for the Howl-Gathering!"

Inuyasha paused. "'Zat so? And why wouldn't you tell anyone, huh? It's all to your advantage if you do."

Ginnezu dared to come close to him, within range of those deadly talons. "Darling...I don't want anything to harm you. Please listen. I...I haven't been completely honest with you..."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "Oh?"

"Mashiro-Inu...my original mission was to come here and bring you back to your people. I did offer myself in marriage, and I've tried to be affectionate to you so you would consider me, but I never thought..." She sniffled and wiped a tear from her eyes. Inching a bit closer, she let the setting sun give full effect to the sparkle of her brimming eyes. Delicately, she touched his cheek; he remained frozen so she moved in with a little more confidence. "My dearest Inuyasha, I never thought I'd truly fall in love with you..."

Inuyasha gulped. "Ah...G-Ginnezu..."

She'd thrown him! He was off-balance, still as stone, so she took the opportunity to press herself close to him. "Please don't be angry with me. I tried to stop it, so that if you said no, I could go home and not suffer for it. But you're so good and strong and handsome...I couldn't help myself. Now I know I could never leave you. Darling, I...I love you."

Inuyasha swallowed again, his eyes wide and staring. Ginnezu pressed her cheek to his chest and traced patterns with her fingers there, making him tremble ever so slightly. Slowly, she drew back a bit to look into his eyes. "My dearest Mashiro-Inu...can you ever forgive me? I've become...so caught up...in you..." With each phrase, her face moved nearer to his, and she continued her tickling patterns on his chest. Her lips were bare millimeters from his, his short breath tickling her nose. "Inuyasha..."

There was a soft, feminine gasp from somewhere near ground level.

She had no warning before she was suddenly thrown hard to the rooftop. She landed roughly with a short cry that was no act. When she looked up, Inuyasha was several feet back from his original position, his eyes wild and enraged, his teeth bared in a grimace that was terrible to behold. The human girl was on the ground below, staring at them, her mouth open in some sort of horror.

"Don't you ever do that again!" Inuyasha snarled, his voice low and rough. "Don't...don't ever!"

Ginnezu got shakily to her feet. "But...my darling--!"

"Shut up! Stay away from me!" Inuyasha whirled, his attention caught by Kagome's strange, sobbing sound. The human girl darted back into Kaede's house without a single word. "Kagome--!"

"Darling, please--"

"You witch!" He turned on her. "Shut up and get out of here!" Without a backward glance, he leaped down from the roof and followed after Kagome.

Ginnezu hopped to the crown of the roof and sat there, thinking. To her mind, the good done this evening outweighed the bad. I am too good at this, she thought smugly. A little simpering here, a few tears there--and voila! He's putty in my hands. Too bad that stupid little human had to ruin it all by spooking him. But...this will work wonders for my plans. If she thinks he likes me more, she'll give him up all the more easily. And if she's angry and turning him away, he'll come to me. I am just so damn good!

To be continued...