Word of Subjugation

By Tsutsuji

chapter 1 of ?

Date written: September 4, 2006

Fandom: Slayers

Rating: mature. Warning: explicit male/male sex; dom/sub, implied non-consensual sex.

Pairings: Zelgadis x Xelloss

In progress.

Disclaimer: I do not own the copyright to the characters of Xelloss and Zelgadis, who were created to Hajime Kanzaka. Some of the ideas in this story belong to Rumiko Takahashi, the creator of Inuyasha. I'm making no profit from this fic and intend no copyright infringement.

Summary: After Xelloss' casual seduction begins to drive Zelgadis to distraction, he finds a spell that might help him turn the tables - if it works.

Yes, I've started yet another ongoing story without finishing any of the ones I've got in progress. Sorry about that. I'm not giving up on the others, I just needed to take a break and write something without so darn much Plot.

This story drags a little bit of Inuyasha's world into the Slayers universe, but I wouldn't call it a crossover. I just had to borrow/steal this lovely little plot device. In fact it's so perfect and adaptable to so many pairings, I'm surprised more writers haven't made use of it. Call me woefully unoriginal if you like, but heck, I know a good thing when I see it!

I've had two ideas for seme-Zelgadis/uke-Xelloss stories hanging over me, one concensual and one not so much. This is not the not-so-consensual one.

Part One: Seduction

Zelgadis didn't really think the spell would work, but he figured he had little left to lose by trying it. He'd already lost his dignity, his virginity, and a large part of his sanity to Xelloss. Only the deceptively human-looking Mazoku and self-proclaimed Trickster Priest could have ruined his life more completely than it already was, although he'd done it in the last way Zelgadis would have expected. He was desperate enough to try anything - even a spell that came from a stupid, romantic, age-old fairy tale that couldn't possibly be true.

It began several long months after Zelgadis had left Lina and the others to continue his quest for a way to turn his body back from rock to human. Xelloss had found him sitting alone at a seedy tavern and had greeted him like an old friend. Discouraged, lonely, and surrounded by the bottles of wine that he'd already emptied, Zelgadis had actually been glad to see a familiar face. He even allowed Xelloss to buy him a few more drinks.

He should have known better, as he told himself many times after that night. But then, he'd only known that Xelloss was a liar, a schemer, and one of the most dangerously powerful demons who ever lived. What he didn't know was that a Mazoku could be so damn seductive.

He'd nearly given up wondering why Xelloss had lured him into bed, but he was still amazed that the demon had awakened such soul-wrenching pleasure in his body. Zelgadis hadn't even known that his rocky, chimera body could feel the sensations and pleasures Xelloss had been able to make him feel, or that he could do the things Xelloss convinced him to do. He didn't know an orgasm could build until it ripped through him like a Flare Arrow, or that his spine could melt at the touch of another man's hands and lips. He never imagined that he could feel such marvelous satiety, and then become aroused to urgent hardness again so soon. Through the long night and into the morning, each new thing that Xelloss did with him left him with an aching desire for more.

When he awoke late the next day he was lying alone and naked in a tangle of ripped sheets. Xelloss sat in the chair near the window, fully dressed and smiling blandly at him.

"Well, well, that was certainly easier than I expected," Xelloss said. He sat back and pressed his fingertips together as if he was discussing some abstract, philosophical question. "A pleasant enough diversion all the same, in spite of your surprising lack of resistance, Zelgadis-san. You must have been even more lonely than I realized to have given in to me so easily! But then, I suppose that's to be expected for a chimera who's part rock golem and part blow demon, isn't it?" he said pleasantly. "And you performed very well, in spite of your obvious lack of experience."

Zelgadis frowned; the words were so cool they burned like ice, compared to the fires Xelloss had stoked in him last night. He'd never spent so many hours in constant contact with another person, but now he felt empty and exposed alone in the bed like this, and vulnerable.

Xelloss barely glanced at him as he stood and stretched, then turned away to pick up his staff. Zelgadis pulled the torn sheets over himself and sat up, flushed with both humiliation and a new wave of arousal. After what Xelloss had done to him during the night, just watching him move was enough to stir his desire again, but the casual words set off a warning in his mind.

"Why did you do this?" he asked suspiciously. "Why did you come to me like this, Xelloss?"

Xelloss appeared surprised by the question, and paused to think about it for a minute. "Why? Hmm, I don't know, really. Only because I had nothing better to do at the moment, and because I could, I suppose!" He shrugged and turned away again, taking a step toward the door.

"You're leaving?" Zelgadis realized. He lurched to the edge of the bed, and barely quelled the urge to reach out and grab Xelloss to keep him there. "Where are you going?" he demanded, horrified at the desperation in his own voice.

Xelloss looked back over his shoulder with a grin. "Back to work, of course! I was just killing time with you while I waited for something to happen somewhere else. Now I do have something better to do," he said, and then he vanished.

More than a month later, just when Zelgadis had managed to clear his head of the memory of that night, Xelloss appeared in his room in the middle of the night. This time Zelgadis did resist, at least at first, but Xelloss' combination of force and seduction quickly overwhelmed him. Before the night was over he'd bit his own lip through to keep himself from calling out Xelloss' name or pleading with him to prolong the pleasure. Xelloss was already gone when he woke up the next morning.

Every time after that, Zelgadis had told himself he would not give the Mazoku the satisfaction of either his desire or his resistance when he appeared again, but every time, Xelloss managed to acquire both from him in increasingly large doses. He tried to remain passive and disinterested, but the trickster priest had quickly found ways to arouse his stone body that Zelgadis himself didn't know.

If he began by resisting instead, Xelloss was perfectly pleased to let him struggle uselessly for awhile before simply holding him down and taking him anyway. Afterward, though, he would trap Zelgadis and tease him back to arousal, in spite of himself and in spite of any pain Xelloss had caused him earlier, and then take him again, this time with Zelgadis' shamefully helpless compliance.

In the days that often ran into weeks in between Xelloss' visits, Zelgadis fought to forget and to return his mind to his own concerns, but his body and mind betrayed him with constant memories of Xelloss' erotic manipulation. He became half-hearted about his quest to restore his body to human form, and instead he began to look for a way to break Xelloss' hold over him.

He discovered that there were a lot more spells to cause lust and infatuation than there were spells to counteract them. No magic that he knew of would both keep Xelloss away and stifle his own erotic urges and loneliness. He might have been able to use a curse-breaking spell if Xelloss had actually used magic on him, but he knew that wasn't the case. He was simply and undeniably seduced.

He could see no reason for it, unless Xelloss was merely amusing himself by trying to drive him mad. If that was the case, Zelgadis thought, he'd nearly succeeded already. He would have to be mad to try to use a spell from the pages of a romantic fairy tale. It never would have occurred to him to try this particular spell, but he came across the old, familiar story in a bundle of books he'd bid on and won in the auction of a sorcerer's estate. The rest of the books turned out to be useless, but desperate for distraction one night when he found himself alone in yet another decrepit inn, Zelgadis picked up the tale of the Pearl and read it again.

"The Quest of the Shattered Pearl" told the story of a magical jewel that could grant any wish. The story was so old that no one even knew what land it had come from, but Zelgadis had heard that some scholars thought it contained a kernel of truth, even though most others said it was romantic nonsense. Zelgadis had read it once before, years ago, hoping to find some indication that the Pearl was real and still existed. He knew that the idea of a wish-granting jewel was probably too good to be true, but he'd been more disappointed to learn that the tale had no ending, and it never told what became of the sacred jewel. In fact, "The Quest of the Shattered Pearl" was really just the romantic story of a human girl who fell in love with a half-demon boy, and became caught up in his quest to recover the broken pieces of the jewel before they all fell into the hands of an ultimately evil demon.

As he half-heartedly read the story again, Zelgadis remembered another magical object it contained, besides great magical swords, mystical trees, sacred arrows, and the Pearl itself. Unlike the other mystical or demon-made objects in the story, Zelgadis realized excitedly that the spell that created this particular amulet might actually be real.

By the time Xelloss did appear again, he was ready to find out. The Mazoku appeared out of thin air in the clearing in the woods where Zelgadis had decided to stop for the night. His dark hair and cloak looked like deeper shadows in the dusk. His lips curled up in a smile when Zelgadis took an instinctive step backwards and hissed in surprise. Then Xelloss raised his head and opened his lavender eyes, and Zelgadis felt his breath catch in his throat.

"Aren't you ready for me tonight, Zelgadis-san?" Xelloss asked in a low voice as he came forward. "Should I go away and leave you alone, and come back another time? Or has your poor stone body had enough of me?"

Zelgadis swallowed with difficulty. "No," he whispered. "Don't go."

Xelloss smiled a cold smile and reached out to him. Zelgadis closed his eyes and shuddered from the force of need that shot through his body. The mere sound of Xelloss' voice was enough to make him hard now, and in just those few minutes he'd become so aroused that it was difficult to make the few steps across the clearing.

Even so, his heart was pounding with more than lust this time. He kept his anticipation hidden from Xelloss by reminding himself that his scheme was more likely to fail than to succeed. Even if the spell was real, something that had worked on a half-demon in a fairy tale was hardly likely to affect a high-ranking, pure Mazoku like Xelloss. Trying it could just get him killed, although given Xelloss' sense of humor it was more likely to amuse him with its stupidity.

Xelloss didn't seem at all surprised when Zelgadis came right over to him, not even when he grabbed Xelloss to himself and began to kiss him hungrily. He'd slipped his arms around Xelloss as soon as he was in reach, and now he twisted one hand in silky black hair while he held the other closed behind Xelloss' back.

"I guess I was wrong," Xelloss murmured, sounding amused. His mantle had fallen off his shoulders, and he chuckled as he undid Zelgadis' belt and let that fall as well, then ground their hips together. "You were quite ready enough for me after all, weren't you?"

"Very much so, damn you," Zelgadis muttered back, nipping his earlobe. "In fact I've been waiting for you - so that I could give you this!"

He pulled back suddenly, catching Xelloss by surprise. He drew the object he'd been hiding in his fist into both hands, and quickly slipped it up and over Xelloss' head. The rosary necklace of black onyx and dragons' teeth rattled softly as it settled around Xelloss' throat.

"Hm? What's this, Zelgadis-san? A gift for me? How unexpected!"

Xelloss sounded amused and delighted, but his face fell into a frown as he raised a hand and touched the beads. He lifted them up to try to get a look at them, but Zelgadis knew he could tell by the feel of it that they were charmed.

"A talisman?" Xelloss said wonderingly. He clicked his tongue. "You're not actually trying to put some kind of spell on me, are you? That would be a waste of magical energy, Zelgadis-san!"

Zelgadis pressed his own hand over Xelloss' on the beads and caught his eye. He gazed into lavender cat's-eye pupils as steadily as he could, given the pounding of his heart and the urgent swelling in his groin.

"Tell me, Xelloss, why should I want to put a spell on you? Is there a reason I should? Why are you doing this to me? What do you want from me, Mazoku?"

Xelloss frowned at him for a few heartbeats, and then slowly he smiled.

"Are you asking what my intentions are, Zelgadis-san, like some virginal maiden? I have no intentions. I'm simply using you for my pleasure, in odd moments when I have nothing better to do. I'm even giving you a little pleasure in return, which is actually quite generous of me considering what I could do to you if I wanted to. Were you expecting something more?"

Zelgadis stared hard at him, searching for the lie that might be hidden in his words. Was he expecting something more? That was the worst of it, he realized suddenly, the thing that was slowly driving him mad: he could have stood the seduction, but deep in his heart he wanted something more than sex from Xelloss. He wanted it to matter to the Mazoku, and of course it never would.

Xelloss cocked his head and then his smile grew wider.

"Don't tell me this is some kind of emblem of betrothal, or some foolish human custom of that kind! Oh, Zelgadis-san, I knew you were lonely, desperate, and inexperienced when I first took you, but I didn't think you were that naive!"

Zelgadis smiled back at him. "I might have been if you'd come to me years ago, before Rezzo destroyed my innocence; but no, Xelloss, I'm not that naive any longer. I only wanted to know if you have any ulterior motives beyond mere lust."

"None at all!" Xelloss said cheerfully. "Does that mean I don't get to keep your little gift?"

Zelgadis smiled. "Oh no; it's yours to keep, Xelloss. In fact, I insist you wear it, and never take it off again!"

Xelloss narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He shook Zelgadis' hand off his and tugged on the rosary again. His eyes widened. Zelgadis watched with held breath while Xelloss tried to pull it off and discovered he couldn't raise it past his chin. It was long enough, but some force held it in place even against his superhuman grip.

"What is this?" he demanded.

"Actually, you were right before. It is a talisman. A spell that you even you can't remove," Zelgadis said calmly, even though his heart was pounding with fear. He was amazed that this part of the spell worked, but that wasn't the important thing. The real power still had to be activated.

Zelgadis realized that he didn't know the word that would activate and seal the spell. The story only hinted that the word could be chosen by the spellcaster to suit the moment the spell was needed. The one the girl used on the half-demon in the story didn't seem powerful enough to put Xelloss in his place. He needed to think of something else, quickly, before Xelloss either found a way to tear the rosary off - or simply vanished.

"Do you mean to put a mark on me as your lover, for all the world to see? " Xelloss asked through a grim smile. "I can't allow that, I'm afraid! It wouldn't do at all for a Mazoku to be seen as the consort of some mere human, you know. I'd have to kill you for your arrogance, rather than let anyone think I'd willingly submit to wearing such a degrading symbol of connection to a mortal."

"Do you really think your kind are so far superior to us?" Zelgadis said. He grinned. Suddenly he knew the word he should use. It would be perfect - if it worked. If it didn't, he would probably be lucky if Xelloss only killed him.

"Xelloss," he said in a commanding tone. "Submit!"

Xelloss' eyes flew wide open even before Zelgadis had finished uttering the word. His hands fell to his side and his face froze with a look of horror as the rosary briefly glowed a bright pink. Disbelievingly, he glared at Zelgadis, but he didn't move. When he spoke, it seemed as if he had to force the words through unyielding lips.

"What... have... you... done?"

Zelgadis could hardly believe it himself, but clearly something had happened. Cautiously, he reached out and touched Xelloss' cheek. Xelloss blinked, but he didn't pull away or turn his head. Only his eyes seemed free to move, as if they were the only part of him still subject to his own will.

"I'm not quite certain," Zelgadis said softly in answer to his question, "but I think I've put you completely under my control. At least," he continued, barely breathing the words, "for the moment."

He didn't know how long the spell would last, or how strong it would be against Xelloss' will if it was severely strained. It also occurred to him with a jolt of fear that Xelloss might only be playing along, waiting to see what the spell was supposed to do. He stepped back and decided to test that theory.

"Xelloss, submit to me," he said quietly. "Kneel."

Instantly, Xelloss dropped to his knees. Finding himself there, he looked as shocked as Zelgadis felt, but not nearly as pleased.

"Impossible!" Xelloss croaked. "This can't... be..."

"Can't it?" Zelgadis echoed. He smiled down at Xelloss, whose face seemed locked in a grimace of horrified surprise. Zelgadis could barely see his eyes under his bangs, like glittering amethyst shards trying to stab upward at him.

How far would the spell hold? He'd only thought of getting free of Xelloss' erotic manipulation, but seeing Xelloss on his knees before him like this was far more arousing than he'd expected it would be. Having control of such a powerful - and sensual - being was as exciting as anything Xelloss had ever done to him. What else could he make Xelloss do? Just how submissive could he force Xelloss to be?

"Xelloss," he said, with a shiver of wicked anticipation, "down."

Xelloss lurched forward and down with a little gasp, until his forehead was nearly touching the ground right in front of Zelgadis' feet.

"No... "

Zelgadis barely heard the whisper from Xelloss' mouth, a horrified plea. The sound of Xelloss' voice had become an erotic beacon to him, but hearing it like that made him stiffen with desire even stronger than he'd felt before.

"Oh, yes," he said, smiling down at the Mazoku. "It's true, Xelloss. I have you completely under my control."

to be continued.

(Yeah, Zel and I slightly modified the effect of the Beads of Subjugation - or maybe, you know, that girl in the story just didn't figure out all the other things she could have done with that half-demon! Please review if you like and want to see more of seme-Zelgadis in this story - or let me know if you'd rather see a lighter, more consensual version of uke-Xelloss in a different story instead. )