Torn
Chapter Eleven: The Truth About Sesshomaru

Ayame's eyes fluttered open to the morning sunlight shinning in through the open window.

She smiled, turning and looking at Kouga, who was still sleeping peacefully beside her, one of his arms was beneath her neck, the other comfortably around her waist.

He looks so peaceful when he's asleep. Ayame thought, stroking a bit of hair from his eyes.

Carefully, she pulled his arm from her waist and crawled out of the bed, grabbing a fresh pair of clothes from her bag, then slipping from the room.

In no time at all, Ayame was in the kitchen, pouring some juice into a cup, fully dressed in a short white skirt and a red tank top. She'd tied her hair up into two pig tails and pinned a purple flower in her hair. It was a childish hairstyle, but she loved it.

"Morning Ayame." Ginta said groggily, walking into the room. "What are you doing awake so early?"

Ayame smiled and checked her watch, eight a.m. "I should be asking you the same thing."

"Good thing it's a day off." Ginta sighed.

"It is?" Ayame asked, surprised. She'd been ready to go to school…

Ginta nodded. "Yeah. All the teachers are having this staff meeting. Didn't you get the memo?"

"Nope." Ayame smiled. "But this is great, since our projects are due tomorrow, I can use today to finish it up."

Ginta smiled and nodded, grabbing the glass of juice that Ayame had just poured. "Thanks."

"Why you little-" Ayame laughed, but her words were cut off when the phone suddenly rang.

"Hello?" Ayame sighed, picking up the phone.

"Hey Ayame." Inuyasha's voice said. "Wanna come over? We can work on the project."

"Isn't it a little early?"

"I didn't mean now." Inuyasha snickered. "Come over around noon, okay?"

"Sure thing Inuyasha." Ayame smiled. "I'll be there, bye."

She hung up just as Kouga walked in, looking rather groggy. "Who was that?"

"Inuyasha." Ayame said. "I'm going over to his house to work on the project at noon."

"Okay." Kouga shrugged, walking over to Ayame, planting a kiss on her cheek. "How did you sleep?"

"Just fine, thanks." Ayame smirked as Ginta stared, shocked, at the two.

"What the-" he gasped. "When did this-"

"So, anyone hungry?" Kouga asked, cutting him off. "I say we make breakfast."

XxXxX

Ayame walked slowly down the streets of Tokyo, enjoying the cool breeze that brushed her hair from her face.

Maybe everything can stay like this. She thought, smiling slightly. Maybe I can stay here with Kouga…I mean, Naraku hasn't shown himself in so long and Sesshomaru doesn't seem like he's going to come after me either…so maybe something happened…and I'm off the hook.

She smiled at the possibility of not having to live on the run, not having to worry about Naraku coming after her.

And being able to stay with Kouga, because she loved him.

Ayame walked up the path to Inuyasha's house and knocked on the door.

At first, no one came to the door, so she knocked again.

"Where is he?" she sighed turning from the door and looking around at the yard.

She loved Inuyasha's house, it was so cute and calm. Hard to believe that an assassin lived there.

I still can't believe that Inuyasha doesn't know about Sesshomaru. Ayame thought with a sigh. Unless he's just not letting on…and maybe Sesshomaru is teaching him…

She hoped not. The life of an assassin was not a good one.

Ayame remembered what Kagome's brother, Souta, had said…that he wanted to be just like Akki one day.

I hope you change your mind Souta. Ayame thought sadly. Suddenly, a hand slapped itself over Ayame's mouth, a sharp blade pressing against her neck.

"You didn't think I'd forgotten about you, did you Akki?" Sesshomaru's cold voice hissed in her ear.

Ayame squeaked as Sesshomaru pulled her into the house, kicking the door shut behind them.

"Naraku wants you dead, and I cannot disobey him again." Sesshomaru said, his blade pressing more tightly against her neck.

Ayame winced slightly as the blade cut her skin, and the warm feeling of fear shot through her.

Why is he doing this now? Where is Inuyasha? His parents?

Sesshomaru let go of her mouth and held something in front of her to see.

A small box.

"A voice changer!" Ayame gasped. "So it was you on the phone."

"No one's here but us Akki." Sesshomaru said, amusement jolting through his voice. "Or should I say, Ayame."

"Ayame is fine." Ayame growled.

Sesshomaru led her through the house, out to the backyard.

"What are you doing?" Ayame growled, struggling against his strong grasp. "Sesshomaru what are you doing?"

"Giving you a present." Sesshomaru smirked, his breath warm against her neck.

Ayame gasped when they stepped into the backyard, and she saw just what her present was.

Naraku.

He was standing there with two men behind him, a wicked smile cast across his face.

"Long time no see, Ayame." Naraku said.

"Sesshomaru you bastard." Ayame snarled. "You couldn't just kill me, could you?"

"Naraku gave me new orders, to deliver you." Sesshomaru answered.

"Good work Sesshomaru." Naraku smirked. "Now hand the girl over."

Sesshomaru nodded and leaned forward, planting a rough kiss on Ayame's lips.

Ayame gasped for breath. "You're disgusting!"

"But you like it." Sesshomaru smirked, shoving her forwards, right into Naraku's arms.

"Let go of me!" Ayame shrieked, Naraku's grip on her firm. "Somebody help me!"

"This is hardly honorable." Naraku smirked. "An assassin crying out for help? Take your fate in pride, Ayame."

"I'm not an assassin anymore." Ayame hissed. "So you can go to hell you sick bastard!"

Naraku smirked. "I won't miss that attitude of yours." he turned to the two men behind him. "Get her into the car."

The men nodded and took hold of the Ayame's arms, pulling her from Naraku's grasp.

"No!" Ayame screamed. "Let me go! Let me go you bastards!"

"Shut up Ayame." Naraku hissed, turning to Sesshomaru. "Fine work Sesshomaru. Are you sure you don't want to come along to see her death?"

"Yes." Sesshomaru said coldly. "But tell me, Naraku…why so keen on killing her? Who is this girl to you?"

"That matter is none of your business." Naraku growled. "All you need to know is that she betrayed me, and those who betray me wind up dead. Now, go after Kouga, I want his blood by nightfall."

Then Naraku turned, and walked away.

XxXxX

"Hey Kouga." Inuyasha smiled, standing in the doorway. "Is Ayame there? We should get working on our project."

"Are you insane?" Kouga gaped at him. "She already left for your house, at noon. You called this morning."

"No I didn't." Inuyasha said, confused. "I was out of town last night for a short family reunion. I just got back now."

"What?" Kouga gasped. "Then…who called Ayame?"

"I don't know." Inuyasha shrugged. "What's going on Kouga? You look freaked out..."

"No shit!" Kouga growled, running past the silver-haired boy, onto the street.

No! Ayame. Kouga thought frantically, his feet pounding on the ground, carrying his quickly through the streets. Please…be okay!

"Kouga!" Inuyasha shouted, running after him. "What's going on?"

"Ayame's in trouble!" Kouga shouted over his shoulder, turning the corner that led to Inuyasha's house. "We have to find her!"

The two boy continued to run, pushing past people walking in the streets, darting across cars and the like.

"Ayame!" Kouga shouted, rushing up the steps to Inuyasha's house, pounding on the door. "Ayame!"

"Chill out Kouga." Inuyasha snapped, slipping his key into the lock. "A key would work better."

As soon as the door was unlocked, Kouga burst through the door, his blue eyes frantically searching for the brown-haired girl.

"Ayame? Ayame where are you?" Kouga shouted.

"Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha shouted. "Get down here now!"

The two boys walked cautiously through the house, no sigh of a struggle, no sign of a fight.

What's going on here? Kouga thought. Ayame was here…I'm sure she was…

"What are you shouting about little brother?" a cold voice said from behind them.

Kouga gasped, he and Inuyasha spinning around to face Sesshomaru.

"Sesshomaru, do you know where Ayame is?" Inuyasha asked. "You know, the girl who was here yesterday?"

"Why are you looking for her?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Someone, supposedly Inuyasha, called the house this morning." Kouga said impatiently. "And she came here. Where is she?"

"She's not here, not anymore." Sesshomaru said tonelessly.

"So you know where she is?" Inuyasha asked. "Sesshomaru tell us!"

Kouga stared blankly at Sesshomaru, realization dawning.

"It's you." he breathed.

Sesshomaru's cold eyes fixed themselves on Kouga. "What?"

"It was you, wasn't it?" Kouga growled. "You called the house!"

"It was." Sesshomaru said.

"What?" Inuyasha gaped at his older brother. "Sesshomaru, you hated her! She hated you! Why call her!"

"Because Naraku told you to, didn't he?" Kouga snarled.

Sesshomaru's eyes never left Kouga's, never faltered. "You know?"

"Ayame didn't tell me who attacked her, she wouldn't. But from the way she was acting last night after I picked her up, and the way you're acting now…I'd say that I'm right."

"Right?" Inuyasha gaped at his friend. "Right about what?"

"You're the one who attacked Ayame, aren't you?" Kouga shouted, his fists clenching tightly at his sides. "You bastard! What did you do to her?"

"Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha gasped. "What's he talking about?"

Sesshomaru frowned, glaring at Kouga. "I told Ayame not to speak of what she knew, because I didn't want my family to know. But you had to go and screw that up."

"You work for Naraku." Kouga growled. "Tell me what you did to Ayame!"

"Don't you mean, Akki?" Sesshomaru smirked.

"A-Akki?" Inuyasha gasped. "The assassin? Sesshomaru…you can't be saying that Ayame…is Akki."

"Yes, I work for Naraku." Sesshomaru said, ignoring his brother's comments. "And yes I am the one who came after her. But I promise you, I did nothing to the girl."

"Then where is she?" Kouga said darkly.

"Can you not guess?"

Kouga's heart sunk, a cold feeling rushing through him. "You mean…she's with Naraku..."

Sesshomaru nodded.

"That's it!" Inuyasha shouted. "Someone had better explain what the fuck is going on! Who is Naraku? How can Ayame be Akki? What the hell is going on!"

Kouga sighed. "Naraku is a gang leader, you may have heard of him. He kidnaps kids when they're very young and turns them into assassins. A few years ago he kidnapped Ayame when she was only eight…she escaped from her capturers when she was twelve and-"

"That was her?" Inuyasha gasped. "The little girl who killed all those people? Akki?"

Kouga nodded. "Yes. Naraku…he also tried to turn me into an assassin."

"What?" Inuyasha shouted.

"Shut up." Kouga snapped. "Anyways, I ended up working for him for a while, but one night I decided to turn him in…and because I betrayed him, he killed my family."

"What?" Sesshomaru said.

Kouga turned to him. "What? You mean you didn't know any of this?"

"No." Sesshomaru said flatly. "I thought…I was the only one, and that Akki was an assassin by will."

"Well she's not!" Kouga growled. "God Sesshomaru, how dense can you get?"

"Sesshomaru….you're an assassin, too?" Inuyasha breathed.

Sesshomaru nodded. "Do you remember those years I went missing?"

Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah, everyone was really freaked out, they thought you were dead…but then you just showed up one day..."

"I wasn't missing." Sesshomaru frowned. "Naraku and his men kidnapped me. I…I am an assassin…but I never wanted to be."

"Sesshomaru," Kouga smirked. "Will you help me get Ayame back? You can get revenge on Naraku…you can help me stop this from ever happening again!"

Sesshomaru looked at Kouga, his eyes clouded with thought.

"I still can't believe this." Inuyasha groaned.

Sesshomaru sighed and nodded. "Yes. I will help you, but only because of what Naraku has done. I'm not helping to help the girl."

"Sure Sesshomaru, sure." Kouga smirked. "Now, where did they go?"

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