By My Mistress\'s Side

The lashes ceased, though she could only tell from the sudden quiet in the room. Her back was on fire. Her shoulders ached from supporting all of her weight but were she on her feet her legs would have ceased to support her. The muscles of her shoulders quivered from exhaustion and pain. Her head fell forward, chin against her chest. Akari did not feel her hair being pulled this time, it was a minor pain compared to the ones in her back. Her vision was blurred with pain and tears but she knew it was Nakago\'s face she looked into. One hand held her head up, while the other stroked her cheek, almost tenderly. \"Say you will sign the papers Akari. Your pain will end.\"

Akari could hear a woman\'s voice echoing in her head, telling her that she could not let the company fall into these men\'s hands. She could not let them win. They couldn\'t kill her. They needed her to sign the papers. If she died then the company would never be theirs. Someone had made certain of that. \"I will not sign,\" she panted.

Her eyes would not focus. She did not see the flash in Nakago\'s eye before his lips crashed to hers with bruising force, the metallic tast of blood filled her mouth as her teeth cut into her lips. She tried to pull away but his left hand held her head against his. His right traveled from her cheek, down her neck, to her breast, squeezing it painfully. Her lips parted in a cry, his tongue seizing the opportunity to plunge into her mouth, exploring it hungrily. She whimpered, trying again to pull away. The hand on her bosom, moved to her lower back, pressing her against him, against his arousal. She cried out again as his hand touched the wounds left by the whip, causing new pain to flare through her tortured body. He released her head to free his hand for other explorations, his lips traveling to her neck. \"Yusuke!\"

****

He had had enough. His chest heaved with the force of the anger flowing through his veins. When she called his name, Yusuke felt something snap within him. He answered her cry with one of his own.

****

Naraku turned to look at the boy beside him as he cried out, thinking to tell him that he had just earned his mistress even more pain but the words died on his lips. The young body guard was rimmed in an outline of white fire, even his eyes glowed with the eerie light. The hanyou watched with fascination as the chains of the shackles broke and with another primal cry, Yusuke formed the gun shape with his hand. Though this time the beam that shot forth was wider and brighter. The blast shattered the two way mirror and Naraku\'s shield with a delicate tinkling sound, continuing unhindered, slamming into Nakago\'s shoulder. Knocking his partner away from the girl, burning away the cloth of his suit, leaving only blackened and burnt flesh.

Nakago recovered his balance and wits quickly, turning to see the boy falling to one knee. A strange light fading quickly from the boy\'s aura. His shoulder ached painfully. How had Yusuke broken his restraint? How had his attack broken through both Naraku\'s shield and his personal one Narrowing lids obscured his azure orbs for a moment, then he turned to Narakau. \"Enough for today.\"

With that the two left the room, bolting it tightly.

***

Yusuke rose, his knees shaking. Nakago and Naraku were gone. He hurried to the crank and slowly lowered Akari to the ground. She crumbled to her knees. Yusuke rushed to her side, his stomach churning when he saw the deep bloody marks across her back. He knelt beside her, hand hovering over her shoulders as she began to tremble. What could he do? How could he touch her without hurting her? \"Akari?\" he whispered.

\"Can\'t have it...mine,\" he heard her pant. \"Mama told me...Papa.\"

She collapsed forward, turning to her side, curling into a fetal position. Her face was flushed, her teeth chattering. Her eyes were dull and glassy with pain and he thought he saw red creeping into her cheeks. \"Shit,\" he mumbled, looking around for something to cover her with. The only thing he could find was the thin blanket that had once covered the tray of surgical instruments. With a snarl, he kicked over the cart, the instruments clattering to the ground, and then picked up the blanket. He draped the blanket over Akari, then carefully slid his arm under her knees and shoulders, apologized through gritted teeth when she hissed in pain. Moving to the corner, he settled himself against the wall, with her in his lap, cradled against his chest. He could feel her body temperature rising as she shivered in his arms. Yusuke brushed the hair from her face, praying that she would be alright.