InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Lifetime Loving You Part 1; Seasons in Owari ❯ Demons of the West ( Chapter 13 )

Chapter 13; Demons of the West

(Inu-yasha POV)

In the weeks that progressed, the journey into the western lands became more difficult for Kagome. The evidence of what was holding her back was now beginning to show just slightly. Often I caught myself staring at the little slight protrusion in her belly, which I could only find every now and then. I found it something that constantly reminded me that things had changed suddenly, but at the same time I found it an odd new curve to her shape. My examinations soon became moments when I would simply let my hands run over the slight bubble. I guess the slight arch of flesh became something that demanded my attention, and I must have wondered when my hand would finally feel the life inside of her begin to move. I was fascinated by it.

Still, the knowledge that it was Sesshoumaru's child haunted me and it seemed to make me want to put distance between Kagome and me. I didn't know why I felt this way. Kagome didn't ask for this to happen to her. I was scared, I guess. I didn't know what role I could play in her life, and the life of her child's. It wasn't proper to be the father of a child that wasn't yours in the world of demons. In all honesty, if your mate were to deceive you and bare a child that was not yours, you had the right to kill the child right after it was born. However, I wanted no part of this. The child was a part of Kagome, and after all, I wasn't Kagome's mate.

This particular night, however, was far different than the nights Kagome and I had traveled before. This night became the marker of Kagome's seven to eighth week, and I was able to keep count because I was human that night. We would arrive in Owari any day now, and I kept up to date with my examinations now.

Yet, when I made my examination that night, the touch of Kagome's soft skin was different under my fingertips. She was so soft that night, and I couldn't help myself when I was under all those emotions. The idea alone that there was life inside of her made my heart pound.

"Is everything okay?" she whispered to me in the darkness of another mountain cave we decided to take shelter in for the night.

My hands continued to wander her middle. "You're fine, why?"

I looked up into Kagome's soft brown eyes as they looked into my violet ones. My chest felt like it had caved in just looking into her eyes. Kagome looked down at my hands. "You've been 'examining' me longer than usual."

I looked down at my hands and slowly pulled my fingertips away from her soft skin. My heart ached when I wasn't in contact with it anymore. I looked into her eyes again and found her staring back at me, and somehow the message seemed mixed as if part of her was telling me "turn around so I can get dressed" and the other part was saying, "I didn't say stop, I just wanted to know if something was wrong."

I pulled away though and turned around so she could dress. However, the slight smell of Kagome's skin didn't leave my fingertips even now. Even though it was summer, I felt cold. I longed for the nights when Kagome was recovering from the wounds Sesshoumaru had inflicted on her. I wanted a reason to be close to her, and now more than ever because my human blood wasn't making me feel any warmer that night.

Kagome put her robes on and secured them around her middle. "You can turn around now."

I did and looked at Kagome as she began to secure her hair. She played with the hair band differently this time, and secured her hair in a tight bun in the back of her hair, however, stray hairs fell around her face. It wasn't her face I was looking at though, but the curve in her neck. The last time I had seen it was the night of her dance, and how I missed it.

This all happened so sudden. When did I start to reminisce so much about Kagome? I never felt this way. I wasn't alone; Kagome was right beside me within sight. Yet, every lonely emotion was crushing through my body and making me long for her. I was with her, so why my body fall in on itself was like there was was a black hole forming in my heart didn't seem to make sense. It wasn't there before during the first few months I was with Kagome.

In the first three months I was with Kagome I never felt this way. I didn't feel like there was something between us. Kagome changed suddenly after that. I couldn't get close to her, and now it seemed as though it had grown stronger.

I remembered finding her after I had promised to protect Kikyo from Naraku. She told me she would stay beside me regardless of that, and my heart was grateful for it. I could still remember the heat of her hand in mine. Kagome had sworn to never leave my side. I wanted that, I wanted her near me.

Then, her first flesh wound came. Kohaku had injured her when he was under Naraku's possession. I remember after Kohaku disappeared finding Kagome by a river's edge. I wanted to examine her wound, and she didn't let me. Kagome pulled her arm away from me and it led to an argument for a moment before Sango came to thank us for staying beside her.

I knew Kagome's wound had healed now. It had healed long ago, but the wounds from that one moment remained. She comforted me still with simple touches, but nothing more. Kagome never let me care for her, and now more than ever she began to push me away.

My human emotions were at a peek that night and the one moment I would have longed to hold her close to me had come. It was the dead of night and a thunderstorm had formed in the sky. Rain leaked into the cave and pooled around where I lay. I couldn't sleep. My eyes watched Kagome from afar, and all I could feel was how cold my body felt and wonder if she was cold too. If she was I would have tried to warm her in no time. I wanted to wrap myself around her and keep her body heat at a norm that was comfortable. More than anything though, I wanted to be close to her and even though she was not far, I wanted to feel my body heat mix with hers.

I had become so concerned for her safety and health now. I wanted her to stay that way. Being pregnant meant that she could become ill more easily and there was little to do if she became ill. The cold wouldn't help.

I wanted to hold her. I never knew that being near Kagome meant that I could only look at her. Now, more than ever, I seemed that Kagome was pushing me away from her. I wanted her close by, closer than she was now.

I watched her sleep, and the look on her face was so sad. My heart wrenched, and my eyes could pull away form the sight. Why did I feel this way? Why, when she was only feet away, did I feel like there was an ocean between us? I never knew that to have Kagome at my side meant this much pain. I swore never to leave Kagome's side for Kikyo again, and yet she never believed me. She forced me to go after Kikyo, to leave her side. Now, I didn't see why. I wanted to protect Kagome more than anything now, but it seemed there was one thing in my way from doing that; Kagome, herself.

My eyes swelled from the cold and the pain that crushed through my body. Nothing was worth this much pain. I knew Kagome's touch could heal it. I knew the feeling of having her close to my heart could heal the broken feeling in my body.

Suddenly, through the pitter patter of rain and the damps of the cave, Kagome shivered and her hand fell in my direction. I saw it and reached for it, but found it just out of my reach. I couldn't take it and I crawled over to her and took comfort in lying above her head. I gently took hold of her hand and encased her fingers on my hand. Her fingers were like ice...and yet, just holding a part of her made the pain go down a little.

I still would have done anything to throw my arms around her. I wanted her to stay warm though, and once again I sacrificed my kimono to keep her warm. I didn't care if I was cold anymore. I just wanted to know she was warm.

~~~~

I was shivering. That was the extent of my knowledge. I was now physically cold and more than anything I would have killed for a nice bowl of ramen at that point. It felt like I had fallen into a river of cold, ice water, and the cold rain that was leaking into the cave wasn't helping. All I could do was shiver and watch my breath form puffs of moisture before me.

Suddenly, I heard something shift. I opened my eyes, even thought I really wasn't sleeping and found Kagome's warm brown eyes staring back at me. I took a hard gulp and closed my eyes. "What?"

Kagome merely looked at me and shook her head. "You really are pathetic."

I wanted to start a fight with her about that, but was over come when Kagome curled up under my chin and pressed her form slightly to mine. Even though she didn't hold me, I felt her warmth radiate into my body. My heart melted and my eyes rolled back into my head at the over coming feeling of Kagome's sweet warmth. Gods, just stop time now. This is enough, this is all I could ever want, just please don't take this one moment from me.

I didn't care if Kagome was pregnant at that moment, even though when the moment was over it would haunt me again. I just wanted her back in my arms. Knowing that I couldn't hold her was killing me still, and I wondered if embracing her would keep her warm. It was then that I found myself asking for more of this. I could live like this. I found myself longing to be human, because I wanted to be human for her. Kagome never asked me to be human. She didn't care what I looked like.

I didn't want the sun to come up. I wanted her warmth, her embrace, and more than anything...her kiss.

My heart was breaking, and I was discovering I felt so alone. I wanted her near, but not this way. I wanted her heart to be close to mine. I wanted to make the fingers holding my heart, the fingers of a promise made long ago, to just let go. I wanted my freedom. I wanted to be with her. My Kagome...I wanted her to be mine.

~~~~

When you're engulfed in the warmth of person your human heart can bare to be without, you loose your senses completely of the environment you're in. You can't think about anything else, but how warm you feel being so close to them.

The hard thud of a foot and the sound of a low growl is what snapped me back into reality. I opened my eyes and shot up out of my rock bedding and looked around the dews of the cave. I couldn't see a thing in the dark, but I knew the feeling in my gut wasn't wrong. I pushed myself to my knees and waited in pitch black while the thunderstorm began to continue its incoming rage.

Kagome stirred and her eyes fluttered open before landing on me. She sat up and got close to my side before looking in the same direction my violet eyes were looking. Something was in the cave, and whether or not it had been in the back of the cave all night was beyond me, but all I cared about was what was in the shadows of the cave.

Kagome's hand clutched my arm and I felt my body surge with strength. "Something's in here!"

I felt Kagome's body come closer and press against my back. I made my first motion for the cave opening, pushing Kagome toward it so she could get away while I gave her time.

I waited and pulled Tetsusaiga from its scabbard and waited. Its aura would work, luckily. I held it steady in my hand and across my chest to wait it out a moment, but constantly moving us both toward the opening.

If I had my dog ears I would have caught the sound of heavy breathing earlier. Then, the sound of growling continued as we got closer to the opening. If that wasn't enough a flash confirmed that Kagome and I were not alone in the cave.

Large teeth that gleamed like white daggers were the first thing I could see, and then the white fur that covered its body along with the two large green eyes staring back at me. "A Western Mountain Bagger, and a big one too!"

The beast snarled and drooled as its claws dug into the ground and scared the earth beneath its claws. It's amazing how your heartbeat increases just looking at something you haven't seen since you were young. Nor will you ever forget what that kind of creature leaves in your memory.

I finally pushed Kagome into the rain and held my sword at the ready even though I knew it wouldn't protect us worth a damn at this point, and dawn was still hours away. Still, the only thing that was on my mind was Kagome's safety, and the fact I wasn't protecting my life and hers, but a third as well.

"Kagome, we've got to get to a secluded area where this thing can't get at us. When I pick you up, don't let go."

Kagome's hand gripped my shoulder fro behind. "I can run if you need me to."

I narrowed my brow but remained focused on the demon. "I want to keep an eye on you. Stay beside me. You're carrying something of much more value than my life."

Kagome's body was suddenly against my back and her lips were by my ear. "Don't set yourself short. I won't let you die because of me and the baby."

I didn't give her a chance to fight me. Instantly, I turned around and sheathed the Tetsusaiga, and once it was in place my arms grabbed Kagome and ran down the mountain side to find any form of protection. Kagome watched me run for merely a second before tightening her grip around my neck and her nose pressed between the crook in my chin and neck. I jumped and dodged rocks and puddles where I could. The sound of thunder couldn't hide the sound of pounding paws and snarls from the demon bagger behind us and gaining.

'Don't look back! You've got Kagome and her baby's lives in your hands now, Inu-yasha. You can't look back.'

A second later I felt something rip the skin on my back. Sharp claws made three cuts in my back and the thrust from the blow knocked me off of my feet. I groaned in agony as Kagome and I tumbled into the cold stone and muddy earth and began rolling down the mountain side.

I couldn't let go of Kagome. I had to stay awake. The pain though was unbearable and the fact that my injuries were making contact with the earth didn't make it any better. I was in so much pain, and slowly I began to feel my grip on Kagome loosen. No! I had to hold on!

A moment later my back came in contact with cold wet stone and Kagome lay at my side. I opened my eyes, and found her unconscious. I crawled to her side and held her face.

"Kagome!" I muttered with clear evidence that I was in pain. She moaned, but didn't really respond. I felt my heart go weak and spread my body over her. If I was going to die, I wanted to be like this. I wanted her close by. I wanted my heart to bleed all the love I wanted to give her, the love that I couldn't give her.

My mind faded, and the last thing I remembered was the sound of the bagger approaching

...and the sound of wolves...