By My Mistress\'s Side

A/N: Thanks again to my wonderful beta-ers and bouncers. I couldnt do this without ya!

Chapter 10 -- In Nakago\'s Hands

Chichiri followed silently, along with Sesshomaru as the miko moved throughout the house, searching for clues. Chichiri was lost in his own thoughts, however. He was worried for Akari. She had not seemed herself this morning. Indeed she had been acting quite strange since her mother died, two weeks ago. She would all of a sudden seem surprised to see him and the others, as if they had not been by her side since she was a babe. Shido, the one who typically guarded her nightly rest, had told him that she had been having strange dreams and fevers during the night. She had become so feverish in fact that the vampire had to strip her of her clothes and bathe her in cool water. Shido said she had been awake and speaking to him of strange things but it seemed that she recalled none of this in the morning. He was jolted from his thoughts by a hand on his arm. He shook his head and looked into the statue-like face of Kikyou. She was looking at him expectantly. \"I\'m sorry, did you say something?\"

\"I asked if there were anywhere she might go if upset. The security said that she had an argument with the newest member of the household.\"

\"Ah yes...the gardens, she would go to the gardens.\" Kikyou nodded and Sesshomaru led the outsoutside to the gardens. Chichiri turned his attentions to this Kikyou. He didn\'t like her. He watched her carefully as they moved outside and around the house. As soon as they had turned the corner he thought he saw a flash of something in her face but it was gone before he could identify it. He lingered behind as he felt Kenshin\'s approach.

\"I do not trust that woman,\" the swordsman said, voice low.

Chichiri shook his head, \"Neither do I Kenshin, neither do I.\"

******

\'Call to her and you condemn her to even more pain,\' Naraku\'s warning echoed through his mind as Yusuke watched Nakago remove Akari shoes and hose. His hands were once again balled into fists in their chained position above his head. How dare he touch her like that? There was a barrier now between them and though he could see everything that was happening in the part of the room, Akari could not see him. Nakago picked up a pair of scissors from the tray and began to cut the blouse from her. Yusuke heard Naraku inhale deeply and turned to look at the dark hair man. Naraku\'s eyes flicked to him a moment. \"Can you smell it Yusuke? Of course you can not. If only could, there is no sweeter scent than a woman\'s fear. It is intoxicating.\"

With a snort of disgust, Yusuke turned back to see Nakago standing behind Akari, who had her eyes shut tightly. Nakago grabbed a handful of her hair, yanking her head back, eliciting a small yelp. He bent his head close to her ear, though in the silence of the room, Yusuke could clearly hear what the blonde said, \"You will watch what I do to you, Akari. If you do not then it will be your body guard that suffers.\"

Yusuke saw the concern in her eyes. He wanted to cry out to her then, tell her not to worry about him but he managed to keep his silence. Nakago\'s hand released her hair, traveling down her neck, drifting along her rib cage, coming to rest on her smooth flat stomach. His finger\'s traced lazy circles across her stomach, as Akari\'s terror glazed eyes stared forward. Yusuke felt that she was looking right at him and he felt his chest constrict. Nakago\'s other hand moved into view, this one held a scalpel. A fresh wave of anger gripped Yusuke as the blade traced a thin red line across her flesh and he heard her gasp, biting her lip in an attempt to remain silent. The wound was not deep, making it hurt all the more. \"Do you wish to turn the company over now?\"

\"No,\" she said, through gritted teeth.

Nakago\'s free hand pushed the hair from her shoulder; the other dragged the sharp blade across her collar bone, slowly, as a painter perfecting the lines on a treasured painting. \"Now?\" She shook her head, a flick of his wrist and she felt the blade bite into her skin, another bloody line appeared on the other shoulder, \"Now?\"

\"Never!\" she screamed. Again and again the blade bit into her flesh.

\'Give him the damned company!\' his mind screamed at her, as Nakago\'s scalpel opened more wounds on her shoulders and stomach. She refused to give in and though part of him admired her conviction, the other part of him begged her silently to cave, to give in, to end the pain. Again Naraku\'s voice rose from his side, \"Have you ever seen anything more erotic, Yusuke?\"

Yusuke ignored Naraku, sighing with relief as Nakago replaced the scalpel on the tray. To his surprise Nakago began to move toward the door. Naraku too left his side with a warning that they were being watched and should he make a sound Akari would suffer the consequences. Hs les left to watch Akari dangle in the center of the room, her breath coming in hiccups as she attempted to hold back tears, his head hung in shame as he realized there was nothing he could do help her. Even reassuring her that he had not left her would only cause her more pain.

****

Many hours later Naraku and Nakago returned. Nakago held something in his hand but Yusuke could not see what it was. Nakago\'s long stride brought him to stand in front of Akari. \"We have given you time to think Akari. Will you turn over the company to Seto Kaiba?\"

Yusuke held his breath, waiting for her reply. She raised her head, defiance clear in her eyes. \"I\'ve already told you Nakago...never,\" she hissed. He both wanted to applaud her and scream at her. Nakago\'s laugh made him shake his head, though he knew not why until the item in his hand was revealed.

\"No,\" he whispered, horror chilling his blood, as the leather whip unwound, coiling like a snake as Nakago\'s feet. His own eyes squeezed shut when the crack of the whip split the air, followed by her cry. \"Why do you look away Yusuke? You miss such and exquisite sight. There is nothing more beautiful than a woman\'s face when she is being tortured. See the way her mouth opens as she screams, the tracks of tears down her face. Ahh, look at the way she trembles in anticipation of the next lash. Do you not wish you could make her quiver so?\"

Yusuke lunged at the dark hair man, unable to stay quiet any longer, \"You sick goddamn bastard!\" He was yanked backwards as he reached the end of his short chain, \"Get over here so I can kick your twisted ass!\"

Naraku merely laughed, as the crack of the whip continued to cut the air.