The Heart Nonpareil by CatsEyes

Prologue

PROLOGUE

The moon hung low in the sky; its broad, silver face shining like a beacon as it cast its light upon the virgin forests below. Winter had come early that year, bringing with it the frigid winds of the north. The air was so cold it seemed as though time itself had frozen over. Within the comforting blanket of sleep, animals and humans alike waited for the sun and its promise of another, hopefully warmer day. Nothing cared to break the spell of silence night had cast over the land.

However, amidst the ice and elongated shadows, something other than the nocturnal predators moved.

It flew upon a swirling mass of demonic miasma, the fur of its pelt flapping gently in the wind. Half hidden under the faded blue mask it wore over its head, the demon's face was contorted in a tight grimace. It raised a hand to the bleeding wound in its chest. After a moment of seemingly excruciating pain, the creature pulled from its body the broken remains of an arrow.

Curse her, Naraku thought, glaring at the silver tip stained with his blood. His fist tightened, reducing the arrow to splinters in a matter of seconds. Crimson eyes darkened as the memory of what had happened assailed him.

He had become complacent, he realized now. Confident enough in his own power that he had believed it possible to destroy Inuyasha and his pathetic band of misfits without taking the usual precautions. This in itself went against the dark-hanyou's personality – a psychological fighter, Naraku delighted in trapping his enemies in webs of their own fear and doubt. With only half of the Shikon shards in his possession, facing Inuyasha alone was normally a risk he would not consider lightly.

Perhaps he had grown inebriated off the half-demon's pain. His judgment had certainly been impaired, of that Naraku was sure. Since his mindless rampage weeks before, Inuyasha had been in emotional turmoil. An easy target, Naraku had reasoned. In fact, had it not been for Kagome, he might have actually succeeded in disposing of him for good.

Kagome...

A low growl started from deep within his chest, rising until it sounded at the back of his throat and issued past his lips in a feral snarl. That bitch had shot him with one of her sacred arrows, the power infused within it purifying the demonic flesh and taking with it most of his right arm and shoulder. Not only that, she had managed to hold him off alone until the monk and exterminator arrived!

The strange girl – with her piercing, emotive gaze and faint resemblance to the late Kikyo – was too dangerous to ignore. She had far too much power in that misleadingly delicate body of hers than he thought she should have the right to. Either he found some way to control her (which was unlikely, as he had tried to do so before and failed), or he had to kill her. Those were the only options that seemed plausible at this point. Looking at the fingers covered in his own blood, he decided that killing her would be far more enjoyable. But how to do it?

A sharp change in altitude jerked Naraku out of his murderous thoughts. He blinked, a slight crease forming between his eyebrows. The air around him was shifting – bending and condensing as though something huge was pressing against it. Naraku glanced down, seeing the vaporous clouds that supported him were fading under the overwhelming demonic aura. The authority this youki radiated was absolute and undeniable.

It was also familiar.

Realizing just whom he was dealing with, Naraku's frown deepened into a scowl.

He came to a landing on the fringes of a vast marsh, his miasma swirling around him until it dissipated into nothing. Naraku's hand rose to pull back the hood of his disguise, revealing a darkly seductive man around thirty in appearance. He glared at the imposing figure standing before him a short distance away. "What do you want?" he demanded tersely.

The stranger regarded him with eyes as cold and merciless as the night surrounding them. He was tall in stature; his well defined, muscular body amplified by the armor he wore. Magenta stripes curved down from high cheekbones, accenting his pale complexion and near perfect face while the crescent moon on his brow marked him as nobility. Two swords were strapped to his side. Refined and sophisticated, Lord Sesshoumaru was the apotheosis of youkai perfection in both beauty and warrior prowess.

"The scent of my half-brother... It surrounds you like a cloud."

His deep, eloquent voice was of the finest steel, wrapped in silk.

Naraku eyed him cagily. He had come across this particular demon lord on several occasions, and did not fancy being caught injured in front of him. Out of all the enemies Naraku had amassed over the years, Sesshoumaru was by far the largest threat to his life. The taiyoukai could easily destroy him without batting an eyelash if it was in his interest to do so. And in this wounded state, Naraku could do little to stop him. But Sesshoumaru did not seem inclined to hurt him just now... Concerned for his little brother, was he? A malignant smirk curved Naraku's lips.

"For one who claims to despise Inuyasha, you show a surprising amount of interest in him, Lord Sesshoumaru," he drawled, ignoring the voice in his head that warned against speaking to the demon lord so flippantly. "I wouldn't have expected you of all people to question my motives."

"You are in my territory."

Naraku frowned at this. He had not meant to enter the Western Lands, preferring to avoid such confrontations with this man at all costs. "You are in my way," he retorted in reference to the impermeable youki field that hung in the air.

The taiyoukai narrowed his eyes. Disrespect was not something he took lightly – very few people had managed to insult him and escape unharmed. Even fewer survived. However, upon brief consideration, Sesshoumaru decided that Naraku was of little threat to him, and thus beneath notice. The crickets of the marsh began to chirp once more as the feel of his power receded, as though its very weight had kept them from singing.

Five quick strides and Naraku was level with him. Another and he was alongside the demon lord, nearly shoulder to shoulder. Still wary of the danger Sesshoumaru presented, Naraku kept the distance between them considerable. The moment he passed seemed to freeze, as though the world itself was holding its breath. And then, after what seemed like an eternity, he was past him. Sesshoumaru had not even spared him a glance.

Naraku's relief was short lived. He had not gone ten feet when the taiyoukai spoke again, his words bringing him to a dead halt.

"Wait."

The command was a dangerously low growl.

Naraku flinched.

Sesshoumaru did not move, or even turn to look at him. His attention was fixed on something far more important.

"You carry with you another scent..." he remarked slowly after a moment. His eyes narrowed in recognition. "......That of a maiden's blood."

Confused, it took Naraku a moment to realize what Sesshoumaru was talking about. He then smiled maliciously. "Ah. It is probably Kagome's blood you smell." He spat out the girl's name like he would foul wine. "I did not get the chance to finish her off, I'm afraid."

"You hurt her." The taiyoukai's voice had turned deadly soft.

Naraku frowned. He was keenly aware of the anger that had flared up in Sesshoumaru's aura, and the tension that now filled the air was nearly suffocating in its intensity. He wanted to get out of this situation as soon as possible.

"She'll live – unfortunately," he answered, frowning at Sesshoumaru's odd behavior. "A minor blow to the waist; nothing serious. Although I can't say it will remain so for l –"

The rest of his words choked and died on his lips as Sesshoumaru suddenly griped his throat from behind – his claws pressing threateningly against the two veins that pulsed on either side just centimeters below the skin. Although Naraku was taller by about a head, Sesshoumaru was undeniably stronger, and the danger of being killed by the now irate demon lord was very, very real. Naraku's eyes widened in incredulity.

The abhorrence burning in Sesshoumaru's eyes was enough to turn even his blood to ice. "Understand this," he growled, his voice unwavering in its severity. "I care not what you do with Inuyasha, but if you so much as touch the girl..." His claws began to hiss with poison as he squeezed his captive's throat for emphasis. "...I will see to it that nothing of you remains. She is mine to deal with."

Naraku snarled, twisting out of Sesshoumaru's hold and rounding on him. In an instant Toukijin was drawn and ready for battle, but the sword proved to be unnecessary. Before Sesshoumaru could strike, the virulent clouds that were the hanyou's miasma billowed around him, shielding him from view and preventing his opponent from attacking. When the dust finally cleared, Naraku was gone, leaving only a large crevice of charred earth behind. Sesshoumaru lowered his sword, his eyes narrowing as Naraku's voice echoed through his mind.

– Do not meddle in affairs that are none of your concern, Lord Sesshoumaru. In time, even your threats will mean nothing to me. The girl will die at my discretion. –

A strong breeze billowed through the marsh, tossing Sesshoumaru's hair back slightly in its wake as he stared up at the sky. For a few minutes the wind sang amongst the reeds and grass, and rippled briefly upon the moon's reflection in the water. Then, as if it had never existed, the wind receded, and everything was silent once more.

The muscles in Sesshoumaru's arms relaxed somewhat. Still frowning, he sheathed his sword with practiced ease, never averting his gaze from the sky. He seemed to be contemplating something. Finally, his eyes closed, an ironic smile curving his lips.

"Naraku..." he murmured, sounding amused. "You truly are a fool." He glanced back in the direction the hanyou had come from, where the trail of Inuyasha's scent – and that of Kagome's – was still fresh. An odd emotion flickered within the golden depths of his gaze, so faint it was practically nonexistent. Without so much as a sound, Sesshoumaru started for the distant mountains, following the scent of his mark's blood. As he left, the very marsh seemed to lighten, as if he had somehow taken the darkness with him. High above, the moon seemed to mimic the taiyoukai's departure as it disappeared behind the veil of clouds.

A silent witness to all.