InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Across the Ages ❯ Planning ( Chapter 23 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: inuyoukai8 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 03.19.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.8K | Visits: 358 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 03.19.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.8K | Visits: 358 | Status: Completed
Chapter Twenty Three
The world seemed to fall silent in the moments after the words left her lips. They seemed to fall from her like deadly drops of heavy poison. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and took a step back from her, putting much needed distance between them.
His demon boiled just beneath the surface. His face was like carved stone. Cold and unmoving. Ayeka pondered if she'd made the right decision to ask this. She had pure intentions in this endeavor. Lulled the by the happiness of weeks spent in his arms, she'd forgotten one important truth, until tonight. A part of them still harbored doubts of the other. Serious doubts, rooted in painful truths.
She suddenly felt cold and it seemed that all the hot water in Japan would not be able to warm her. Before her very eyes, his mask fell firmly into place. Unable to stand the crushing silence anymore she spoke, her tone soft, pleading, "Sesshoumaru?"
His snarl caused her to fall silent, "Be silent!" She covered herself with her arms and waited. Not sure what she waited for. His attack, a chance to explain herself further, his denial, being locked in a room again?...well the options were just endless with him.
"You just shouted across my fortress that you love me," he growled out, "And yet you ask to use the cursed mirror? The very one that ripped you from my life?". Her response seemed to be what he wanted, so she nodded slowly. He bared one fang at her, in a mocking charade of a smile. "So you would run from me…again. Truly, I must be a terrible creature indeed". His demon was speaking now and she knew that.
She shook her head at him, reached a hand out to him, not entirely certain that his angry beast wouldn't just bite it off. "No Sesshoumaru, it isn't like that" she told him. Pink tinged eyes were growing darker as she spoke. Taking a step toward him, she spoke on, "I DO love you. More than I want to admit, even to myself. I hate the years that have been wasted in mistrust and wounded pride".
He did not look appeased but the red seemed to linger rather than increase. She hung her head, "I know that it is wrong to ask such a thing of you, that trust is new and fragile between us, but I am not running from you. I merely want to try and save a few lives. Ensure that your enemy, MY enemy falls. I would not leave you".
He growled in warning, "And you believe that I should allow this?". His hand made a jerky gesture. She nodded, "You gave your word" she reminded him, "Any boon". He snorted, "My word" he bit out, "And that should bind me?". She nodded. He snorted again, stepping closer, "Like your word bound you?" he asked in a hard voice, "Bound you to me as mate and wife…yet still you ran….as you wish to now".
She shook her head slowly, not looking up, "No" she whispered to him, a shiver of sound filled with regret and tears. "I will not run. I only wish to help in this war. To save lives, so that the wasted years between us aren't that….wasted".
He blinked down at the bowed crown of her head. Inside he felt the turmoil of his logical mind insisting that she was a fighter, this was what she was supposed to do...strategize. As his general and his father's before, this was what she had been expected to do. Minimize loss of life on their side.
His beast however howled in indignation that his bitch would leave him. She had before it reminded him. Besides there was no guarantee that the damnable dragon mirror would not seal them away from each other and thus begin the cycle anew.
Ayeka didn't know what else to do, or to say to him. "If it's possible I would wish to take you with me". His ears twitched at that. Slowly, his own logic began to return to him. "The barrier will not allow us to pass at the same time," he told her. She almost sighed with relief that he was speaking again, his voice almost back to normal.
"Only the Tetsusaiga would break the barrier on the other side and render the cursed conditions null" he went on. The Tetsusaiga glowed red in his mind's eye, bursting through any barrier his half breed brother wished entry to. Save his own of course. The pieces began to move themselves around, the puzzle taking shape.
How dare she ask to leave him, yet again! His mind was firmly set against her use of the mirror. He seriously considered flinging it from the tower he'd locked it in. Then he could stomp on the broken pieces until they were nothing more than harmless shining dust.
Ayeka gazed at the pink that ruled his eyes at the moment. "I need only one day and a night to get what is needed and return" she told him. He grunted, "That is IF you return at all, forgive me wife if I am not exactly trusting of your movements within the mirror".
She wanted to slap him, but held herself in check, "I deserve that" she whispered, "But you won't be saying that to me ever again". Her eyes like green fire captivated him, even as her blasphemous request made him want to lock her away forever. He sniffed imperceptibly, and caught no scent of a lie on her.
"I WILL return Sesshoumaru. Give me the one day and night and if the Tetsusaiga will break the barrier and weaken the mirror, then I will ask Inuyasha to come with me" she coaxed. He growled softly, gazing at her frostily. He had given his word, damn her, she knew that he would not break it. "One day and a night. No more. If you do not return by dawn tomorrow I will not come and seek you out. If you run, these vows are broken between us, and you will die".
She gazed up at him, hurt in her eyes. Then she took a deep breath and nodded, since she wasn't running from him, she saw no problem with what he asked. "I understand" she replied softly. So, she'd won. He'd kept his word, given her the desired boon. Why then did her victory feel so hollow?
The bitch had tricked him, he was aware of that now. She'd known that to ask him for a boon she would gain his agreement. He'd given it of course, there were precious few things he would deny her and of course the boon she'd demanded was one of those things. Well, now she was going and that was that.
He turned to leave the bath, but paused when he felt her small body press against his back. Wet flesh pressed to wet flesh. Her arms encircling him from behind, her small hands gripping him. She was fire and summer rain, strength of steel and frailty of glass. She was his love and his vulnerability. He didn't like admitting that, not even to himself.
He closed his eyes. He'd backed himself into this corner. He'd have to trust that she would indeed return to his arms. He had told her that he would not come to her if she didn't but he wasn't certain that was true. If she ran from him, his demon would not endure the insult, he might kill her. He didn't want that. demon law was strange like that.
The time between them seemed so small compared to the centuries of fighting between them. Did she really love him that much? Would she come back? Or would the question of her loyalty and her place in his life always be in question? Trust was not something that came to him easily and something he never felt he wanted or needed. Except from her.
Ayeka moved around so that she stood before him. His face betrayed nothing of his thoughts, but she could guess. And in those thoughts she did not look good. He looked down at her from his height and wondered if this tiny human woman was about to tear his world asunder.
She put her arms around him once more, hugging him tightly to herself. Willing her love for him to manifest itself, to melt his icy shields. He remained stiff and unmoving in her arms, she might as well have been holding stone. After what seemed to be an eternity passed, his arms closed around her. In that moment she was only a woman, not the great general of a demon army and he was just a man, not the most powerful creature in creation.
His head dropped to rest against hers. His demon was still on edge and his body remained tensed with it. Ayeka, wishing to soothe him further, pressed her face beneath his chin. It was a purely submissive gesture but it warmed his inner beast.
"Tomorrow," he said in a quiet tone, "You and Inuyasha will leave just after dawn". She nodded against him, "Then love me tonight?". In answer he scooped her up into his arms and carried her still wet to the bed. Love her? He intended to thoroughly ravage her. That is exactly what he did, and many hours later he let her drift into sleep cradled in the circle of his arms. Her place.
Dawn came far too quickly for the dog prince and he bared his fangs at the encroaching glow that signaled the departure of his brother and wife. Ayeka stirred against him, slowly coming awake. She peered up at him, her demon lover. His eyes were fixed on the tall windows, the glow of the rising sun filling his eyes, making them gleam like burnished gold.
Lightly she raised her hand to trace over his magenta stripes, bringing his eyes to her. He'd not slept, she knew that. No one could look that intent upon first waking. No one. He dropped a chaste kiss to her brow and rose. Better to be done with this. "I must go and wake the half demon" he announced and tugging his clothing into place, he left the room.
Ayeka dug through the wardrobes until she found her uniform and put it on. Less than a minute later she stood in the fatigues, boots laced. She hadn't lost her touch. She grimaced over how coarse it felt compared to her silks. It felt stiff, must be all that starch.
She mentally made a list of everything that she had to get done and everything that had to be gathered and brought back. This was no small feat, she had alot to do and it was just her and Inuyasha. She brightened, he was funny at least. They'd manage. Somehow.
While she went about preparing to leave a million scenarios played in her mind. All the things that could go wrong did go wrong in her mind's eye. She had no right endanger Inuyasha by taking him into her world, but did she really have a choice? He could always say no, but she knew that he wouldn't do that. She was tempted to run after Sesshoumaru, tell him she was wrong and that she changed her mind.
An image of dead men rose before her and she cursed her own fears. "Stop being a coward," she muttered at herself, "You owe this to your men. If you do nothing and they die then it's your fault and all the wasted years are for nothing. Some protector you are".
She took a deep calming breath and pushed the doors open. She would see this through to the end, and she'd keep Inuyasha out of trouble while she was at it. Things would be fine because she said so - period. Ready or not, here she went.
Inuyasha was not pleased to wake to the pounding on his door. When the door swung open to reveal his brother, he was even less pleased. He tugged the quilts up over Kagome. She could sleep through anything he supposed. For she slumbered on, unaffected by the demon lord's pounding or the mutterings of her mate.
Inuyasha got out of bed and turned his back on Sesshoumaru. If his brother was determined to BE an ass, then he could SEE his ass for all he cared. Sesshoumaru growled at the disrespectful display and moved into the hall. Once Inuyasha had his hakamas on he strode into the corridor. Sesshoumaru noted with a small smirk that he shut the door quietly.
"What's the big idea barging in like that?" Inuyasha demanded. Sesshoumaru glared at him, "Certainly not to see your bare ass". Inuyasha grunted, which was answered by one from his sibling. Obviously, this conversation was going nowhere fast. He folded his arms across his chest and glared. "Ayeka is leaving in one hour" Sesshoumaru stated coolly, "You are going with her".
Inuyasha just stared, waiting for his brain to start functioning. Pieces clicked into place, "She's going through the mirror isn't she?" he asked. Sesshoumaru felt his hackles rise that she'd confided in his brother, but he bit back his growls. "Since you already know, that leaves nothing left for you ask" Sesshoumaru said then, "Inuyasha if she doesn't want to come back, you will make her. To remain there is to die.".
Inuyasha understood his brother's feelings but he felt the need to defend her. "She's coming back ya know" he muttered, "Cause she cares about you. Keh. Can't see why". Despite their delivery his words calmed Sesshoumaru a bit. "You must return by dawn tomorrow. Tetsusaiga will break the barrier of the mirror and keep her from forgetting on the other side. I will hold the gate open from this end".
An hour later he led them both up the narrow stone stairs to the topmost tower of his castle. This was where he'd locked it away. He pushed the door opened and let them enter the small circular room. The mirror stood in the center of the room, glimmering malevolently. He clenched his fists to keep from shattering it.
Inuyasha approached the mirror cautiously. It felt almost alive, as though it watched them, waited. he didn't like it. What was Kagome's term for something like this? Freak me out? Yeah that covered it. Ayeka's eyes landed on it and she glanced up at her mate. He stood tall, expression unreadable.
She moved to him as the mirror began to spark with crackling light. It was beginning. She reached up and pressed a kiss to his lips, "See you soon" she whispered. The demon wind whipped around the tower and the center of the mirror glowed eerily. He met her eyes. Soon? He certainly hoped so.
The glass pulsed and she stepped back towards Inuyasha. "Hang onto each other…tightly" Sesshoumaru commanded. Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her and she hugged him. The wind swirled around them, the light filling the room, silver and red hair was whipped up and swirled in the wind.
Then Inuyasha stepped backwards into the mirror, "Tell Kagome!" he called and then Sesshoumaru was gone from his sight and they were falling. Falling through time, pummeled by powerful winds that threatened to tear them from one another. Inuyasha gritted his teeth and held tighter. Ayeka buried her face in his clothing. The sound was awful, a high pitched wailing. This was not like the gentle well he knew.
Centuries spun past them, flashes of images and light that made him sick. He could be in bed curled around Kagome, but was he? No! He was here doing this. Just what the hell had he gotten himself into this time?
The light grew impossibly bright and he closed his eyes against it. When he opened them again, they were being spat out in the middle of a snow covered field. They landed hard, him on top. He was still dazed from the trip and barely registered the jarring impact or the small "oof!" that erupted from beneath him.
He lifted his head looking around. Vast forests surrounded them, dotted with pristine fields, little villages. He glanced behind them and saw the air move, a slight shimmer. That was the barrier, that was the way home. He'd remember that.
"Urmm nnu Rasha?" came a smothered voice and he looked down. He was straddling Ayeka in the snow, she was face down. He quickly got off of her and helped her up. "You ok?" he asked, eyeing the bits of twig poking up from her hair. She nodded, spitting snow and leaves from her mouth. "Mmm hmmm".
He looked around again, "So where are we?" he asked her. She focused on the sight before her. "Near Amberg, that's the town I live in" she explained. It was just dawning here, and most of the German countryside was still asleep. "How far?" Inuyasha asked her. She shrugged, "Not too far. Maybe two, three miles that way" she pointed for him. He nodded and knelt. "What are you doing?" she asked. He rolled his eyes, "Get on, it's faster this way". She laughed, "Are you serious?" Inuyasha growled at her, "Would ya hurry up, I am not exactly easy to miss if you know what I mean". Right! The ears. The hair, the outfit - well those could probably pass around here. German kids wore some strange stuff. It was why she liked them.
She settled herself against his back and he rose into the air. "Keep to the trees Inuyasha" she told him. He nodded and they were off in a blur of white and passing trees. She buried her face against his shoulder to avoid the bite of winter air.
The sleepy little town was silent as he touched down on the cobbled streets. Before he could manage to say anything, she grabbed his hand and pulled him along. Through the narrow streets they raced. She was pretty fast he conceded. She certainly knew her way around this place, it was like a maze. He was about to ask how far it was when she shoved him into a dark alcove.
He heard the metallic jingling a second before she fitted her key into the lock of her front door. "In here" she said and tugged him inside her cozy little apartment. He looked around in wonder. "You got alot of shit" he blurted out. She laughed, "Yeah I've heard that before. Come on in, relax Inuyasha. It will be a little while before we can go get the weapons".
He wandered all over her apartment, sniffing. He liked this place, it smelled nice. Like warmth and kitchen spices and leather bound books. Below that was the underlying scent of Ayeka. Warm and soft, soothing. It was a scent that he liked. It was more spice to Kagome's floral but that didn't matter to him.
Ayeka poked her head around the corner to peek at him, "Hungry?" she asked. He smiled, when was he ever not hungry? "Whatcha got?" he asked in turn. She wandered into the little kitchen and peered into her freezer, "Umm lets see. Well we have cow, cow, and oh look more cow" she replied from the chilly box.
He nodded, "Cow sounds great". He watched her take the ice covered package down and pop it in the microwave. Then she walked to the bedroom. He was right behind her, she pulled open the closet and began dragging out large bags and gear. She made a pile of what she called 'go'.
He became aware of a scent in her bedroom. One that shouldn't have been there. She looked up to see the look of consternation on his face, "What's the matter Inuyasha?". He stared at her, "Your bed...." he told her, "It smells like.....". She cocked her head at him, "Like what?" she pressed. He blushed, "Well, men".
She laughed at him. "Oh, I forgot about your nose". He looked confused. She hurried to explain, "Inuyasha I have alot of friends in this time and most of them are men. Sometimes they drink too much and need a place to sleep". He looked shocked, "You let them sleep in here? With you?" She nodded, reaching over to flip on her stereo. Ah, there was nothing like a little trance in the morning.
"With you?" he asked again and she nodded. He frowned, "Sesshoumaru is your mate and husband and there should be no other man in your room" he told her. She quirked an eyebrow at him, "Is that so?" He nodded, "Yes it is". She sighed, "Uh huh, and you are in here, sitting on my bed because?" she asked sweetly.
His brows shot up, "Keh.That's different. We are family" he informed her. She smiled at him and reached up to pat his leg. "Inuyasha, remember I didn't know who your brother was in these lives, until he came to fight. I have been in love with other people. Hell I was about to get married before Sesshoumaru showed up" she said with a small bitter laugh.
He'd forgotten that. Was she mad at him now? She didn't seem to be. She kept digging through closets and drawers and what the hell was she listening to? It was a strange kind of music that he'd heard once before in Kagome's home. Kagome had danced in a most provocative way to it. Kinda like Ayeka was doing now. She didn't seem to realize that she was dancing around. She just moved. It was nice. It looked like it was fun. He wondered what his uptight brother would do if she ever moved like that in front of him.
"Here Inuyasha," she said as she tossed a handful of clothing at him, "You can wear these until tonight. They should fit". He looked down at the baggy jeans and the dark red sweater, she even had socks and black boots. He stared at them and then at her, "Well what? Everyone likes Docs" she said and shooed him toward the little bathroom.
Inuyasha changed clothes and looked at his reflection. These would do, he still didn't like shoes but no human would be walking in the snow barefoot. He came out to find her putting the steaks in a flat pan and into the little box he knew was an oven.
She looked up at him and smiled. "You look good" she told him. She had put a large tablet of paper on the table and was drawing. He of course had to see what it was. "This is the base, it's not far from here" she was saying, "We will take my car tonight. You can hide in the trunk, they never search me. Everyone knows me. I will use my id to get us in. This is the where the company weapons are kept". He watched her mark the spot with a little X.
"Soldiers live on the floors above but that won't be a problem, we'll use the backdoor. It will put us directly in front of the arms room. We'll have to make sure that no one sees us, that could cause a problem. I'll think of something" she told him. He nodded, "If these weapons are so important won't they be guarded?" he asked. She smiled, "Oh they are. There is a huge lock on the door and there is also an alarm that goes off if the room is breached".
Inuyasha's ears drooped, "So how the hell are we suppose to get this done?" he demanded. She laughed and jangled her keys at him. "I have the keys and the access code. We can walk right in". Her confident smile bolstered his spirits. "We won't have a lot of time so we need to decide what to grab".
She handed him a book on weapons and explosives explaining those thing that he didn't understand. He came to the conclusion that there were two types. The kind that went bang and the kind that went boom. Apparently booms were more impressive and did more damage. "So it's settled," she chirped dishing the steak and newly made instant mashed potatoes on to plates, "We take back booms". They went over the plan of action a few more times until she was certain he was comfortable with it.
She stood and left him sitting on the couch, then came back with a small sock looking hat in her hands. "To hide your ears" she told him, "We are going shopping". He blanched, shopping with Kagome usually meant alot oof time walking around without buying. It was a girl thing she'd told him.
"What are we shoppin for?" he asked, tugging the hat onto his head. She smiled at him, "I am never coming back to this time, there a few things that I just can't NOT have". With that cryptic answer she dragged him out into the cold morning.
She didn't take long, he was happy about that. She did manage to pile a large cart sky high with bottles and boxes and baggies. He was amazed by the speed with which she could spend money. She even bought everyone a small gift to take back. He looked at the two girly pink boxes adorned with black ribbons. "Those are supposed to be for me and Miroku?" he asked.
She nodded happily. "Go ahead and groan, but you'll thank me later". He wasn't so sure about that. A few hours later they arrived back at her apartment, arms aching from lugging her purchases back. Ayeka made sure to get plenty of toiletries, chocolate, medicines, and of course a hand cranked battery charger and a ton of batteries. She just couldn't go without her music for long. There were also a few bottles of German schnapps to pass around. That should be funny.
Inuyasha watched in amazement as she managed to fit every bit of it into large duffle bags. She was very good at packing things he decided. Kagome's tactic was stuff and shove until the seams groaned. "It's gonna be a while until the sun sets and we have to wait for full dark before we go, try and get some rest" she told him. He nodded but had no intention of sleeping.
Ayeka missed Sesshoumaru already. She shook her head, now was not the time to be thinking about personal things, she needed to focus and find anything wrong with her plan. Inuyasha had commented that it sounded almost too easy and she'd laughed, because chances are it just might be. If they would slip in and out with out being seen it would be perfect.
The world seemed to fall silent in the moments after the words left her lips. They seemed to fall from her like deadly drops of heavy poison. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and took a step back from her, putting much needed distance between them.
His demon boiled just beneath the surface. His face was like carved stone. Cold and unmoving. Ayeka pondered if she'd made the right decision to ask this. She had pure intentions in this endeavor. Lulled the by the happiness of weeks spent in his arms, she'd forgotten one important truth, until tonight. A part of them still harbored doubts of the other. Serious doubts, rooted in painful truths.
She suddenly felt cold and it seemed that all the hot water in Japan would not be able to warm her. Before her very eyes, his mask fell firmly into place. Unable to stand the crushing silence anymore she spoke, her tone soft, pleading, "Sesshoumaru?"
His snarl caused her to fall silent, "Be silent!" She covered herself with her arms and waited. Not sure what she waited for. His attack, a chance to explain herself further, his denial, being locked in a room again?...well the options were just endless with him.
"You just shouted across my fortress that you love me," he growled out, "And yet you ask to use the cursed mirror? The very one that ripped you from my life?". Her response seemed to be what he wanted, so she nodded slowly. He bared one fang at her, in a mocking charade of a smile. "So you would run from me…again. Truly, I must be a terrible creature indeed". His demon was speaking now and she knew that.
She shook her head at him, reached a hand out to him, not entirely certain that his angry beast wouldn't just bite it off. "No Sesshoumaru, it isn't like that" she told him. Pink tinged eyes were growing darker as she spoke. Taking a step toward him, she spoke on, "I DO love you. More than I want to admit, even to myself. I hate the years that have been wasted in mistrust and wounded pride".
He did not look appeased but the red seemed to linger rather than increase. She hung her head, "I know that it is wrong to ask such a thing of you, that trust is new and fragile between us, but I am not running from you. I merely want to try and save a few lives. Ensure that your enemy, MY enemy falls. I would not leave you".
He growled in warning, "And you believe that I should allow this?". His hand made a jerky gesture. She nodded, "You gave your word" she reminded him, "Any boon". He snorted, "My word" he bit out, "And that should bind me?". She nodded. He snorted again, stepping closer, "Like your word bound you?" he asked in a hard voice, "Bound you to me as mate and wife…yet still you ran….as you wish to now".
She shook her head slowly, not looking up, "No" she whispered to him, a shiver of sound filled with regret and tears. "I will not run. I only wish to help in this war. To save lives, so that the wasted years between us aren't that….wasted".
He blinked down at the bowed crown of her head. Inside he felt the turmoil of his logical mind insisting that she was a fighter, this was what she was supposed to do...strategize. As his general and his father's before, this was what she had been expected to do. Minimize loss of life on their side.
His beast however howled in indignation that his bitch would leave him. She had before it reminded him. Besides there was no guarantee that the damnable dragon mirror would not seal them away from each other and thus begin the cycle anew.
Ayeka didn't know what else to do, or to say to him. "If it's possible I would wish to take you with me". His ears twitched at that. Slowly, his own logic began to return to him. "The barrier will not allow us to pass at the same time," he told her. She almost sighed with relief that he was speaking again, his voice almost back to normal.
"Only the Tetsusaiga would break the barrier on the other side and render the cursed conditions null" he went on. The Tetsusaiga glowed red in his mind's eye, bursting through any barrier his half breed brother wished entry to. Save his own of course. The pieces began to move themselves around, the puzzle taking shape.
How dare she ask to leave him, yet again! His mind was firmly set against her use of the mirror. He seriously considered flinging it from the tower he'd locked it in. Then he could stomp on the broken pieces until they were nothing more than harmless shining dust.
Ayeka gazed at the pink that ruled his eyes at the moment. "I need only one day and a night to get what is needed and return" she told him. He grunted, "That is IF you return at all, forgive me wife if I am not exactly trusting of your movements within the mirror".
She wanted to slap him, but held herself in check, "I deserve that" she whispered, "But you won't be saying that to me ever again". Her eyes like green fire captivated him, even as her blasphemous request made him want to lock her away forever. He sniffed imperceptibly, and caught no scent of a lie on her.
"I WILL return Sesshoumaru. Give me the one day and night and if the Tetsusaiga will break the barrier and weaken the mirror, then I will ask Inuyasha to come with me" she coaxed. He growled softly, gazing at her frostily. He had given his word, damn her, she knew that he would not break it. "One day and a night. No more. If you do not return by dawn tomorrow I will not come and seek you out. If you run, these vows are broken between us, and you will die".
She gazed up at him, hurt in her eyes. Then she took a deep breath and nodded, since she wasn't running from him, she saw no problem with what he asked. "I understand" she replied softly. So, she'd won. He'd kept his word, given her the desired boon. Why then did her victory feel so hollow?
The bitch had tricked him, he was aware of that now. She'd known that to ask him for a boon she would gain his agreement. He'd given it of course, there were precious few things he would deny her and of course the boon she'd demanded was one of those things. Well, now she was going and that was that.
He turned to leave the bath, but paused when he felt her small body press against his back. Wet flesh pressed to wet flesh. Her arms encircling him from behind, her small hands gripping him. She was fire and summer rain, strength of steel and frailty of glass. She was his love and his vulnerability. He didn't like admitting that, not even to himself.
He closed his eyes. He'd backed himself into this corner. He'd have to trust that she would indeed return to his arms. He had told her that he would not come to her if she didn't but he wasn't certain that was true. If she ran from him, his demon would not endure the insult, he might kill her. He didn't want that. demon law was strange like that.
The time between them seemed so small compared to the centuries of fighting between them. Did she really love him that much? Would she come back? Or would the question of her loyalty and her place in his life always be in question? Trust was not something that came to him easily and something he never felt he wanted or needed. Except from her.
Ayeka moved around so that she stood before him. His face betrayed nothing of his thoughts, but she could guess. And in those thoughts she did not look good. He looked down at her from his height and wondered if this tiny human woman was about to tear his world asunder.
She put her arms around him once more, hugging him tightly to herself. Willing her love for him to manifest itself, to melt his icy shields. He remained stiff and unmoving in her arms, she might as well have been holding stone. After what seemed to be an eternity passed, his arms closed around her. In that moment she was only a woman, not the great general of a demon army and he was just a man, not the most powerful creature in creation.
His head dropped to rest against hers. His demon was still on edge and his body remained tensed with it. Ayeka, wishing to soothe him further, pressed her face beneath his chin. It was a purely submissive gesture but it warmed his inner beast.
"Tomorrow," he said in a quiet tone, "You and Inuyasha will leave just after dawn". She nodded against him, "Then love me tonight?". In answer he scooped her up into his arms and carried her still wet to the bed. Love her? He intended to thoroughly ravage her. That is exactly what he did, and many hours later he let her drift into sleep cradled in the circle of his arms. Her place.
Dawn came far too quickly for the dog prince and he bared his fangs at the encroaching glow that signaled the departure of his brother and wife. Ayeka stirred against him, slowly coming awake. She peered up at him, her demon lover. His eyes were fixed on the tall windows, the glow of the rising sun filling his eyes, making them gleam like burnished gold.
Lightly she raised her hand to trace over his magenta stripes, bringing his eyes to her. He'd not slept, she knew that. No one could look that intent upon first waking. No one. He dropped a chaste kiss to her brow and rose. Better to be done with this. "I must go and wake the half demon" he announced and tugging his clothing into place, he left the room.
Ayeka dug through the wardrobes until she found her uniform and put it on. Less than a minute later she stood in the fatigues, boots laced. She hadn't lost her touch. She grimaced over how coarse it felt compared to her silks. It felt stiff, must be all that starch.
She mentally made a list of everything that she had to get done and everything that had to be gathered and brought back. This was no small feat, she had alot to do and it was just her and Inuyasha. She brightened, he was funny at least. They'd manage. Somehow.
While she went about preparing to leave a million scenarios played in her mind. All the things that could go wrong did go wrong in her mind's eye. She had no right endanger Inuyasha by taking him into her world, but did she really have a choice? He could always say no, but she knew that he wouldn't do that. She was tempted to run after Sesshoumaru, tell him she was wrong and that she changed her mind.
An image of dead men rose before her and she cursed her own fears. "Stop being a coward," she muttered at herself, "You owe this to your men. If you do nothing and they die then it's your fault and all the wasted years are for nothing. Some protector you are".
She took a deep calming breath and pushed the doors open. She would see this through to the end, and she'd keep Inuyasha out of trouble while she was at it. Things would be fine because she said so - period. Ready or not, here she went.
Inuyasha was not pleased to wake to the pounding on his door. When the door swung open to reveal his brother, he was even less pleased. He tugged the quilts up over Kagome. She could sleep through anything he supposed. For she slumbered on, unaffected by the demon lord's pounding or the mutterings of her mate.
Inuyasha got out of bed and turned his back on Sesshoumaru. If his brother was determined to BE an ass, then he could SEE his ass for all he cared. Sesshoumaru growled at the disrespectful display and moved into the hall. Once Inuyasha had his hakamas on he strode into the corridor. Sesshoumaru noted with a small smirk that he shut the door quietly.
"What's the big idea barging in like that?" Inuyasha demanded. Sesshoumaru glared at him, "Certainly not to see your bare ass". Inuyasha grunted, which was answered by one from his sibling. Obviously, this conversation was going nowhere fast. He folded his arms across his chest and glared. "Ayeka is leaving in one hour" Sesshoumaru stated coolly, "You are going with her".
Inuyasha just stared, waiting for his brain to start functioning. Pieces clicked into place, "She's going through the mirror isn't she?" he asked. Sesshoumaru felt his hackles rise that she'd confided in his brother, but he bit back his growls. "Since you already know, that leaves nothing left for you ask" Sesshoumaru said then, "Inuyasha if she doesn't want to come back, you will make her. To remain there is to die.".
Inuyasha understood his brother's feelings but he felt the need to defend her. "She's coming back ya know" he muttered, "Cause she cares about you. Keh. Can't see why". Despite their delivery his words calmed Sesshoumaru a bit. "You must return by dawn tomorrow. Tetsusaiga will break the barrier of the mirror and keep her from forgetting on the other side. I will hold the gate open from this end".
An hour later he led them both up the narrow stone stairs to the topmost tower of his castle. This was where he'd locked it away. He pushed the door opened and let them enter the small circular room. The mirror stood in the center of the room, glimmering malevolently. He clenched his fists to keep from shattering it.
Inuyasha approached the mirror cautiously. It felt almost alive, as though it watched them, waited. he didn't like it. What was Kagome's term for something like this? Freak me out? Yeah that covered it. Ayeka's eyes landed on it and she glanced up at her mate. He stood tall, expression unreadable.
She moved to him as the mirror began to spark with crackling light. It was beginning. She reached up and pressed a kiss to his lips, "See you soon" she whispered. The demon wind whipped around the tower and the center of the mirror glowed eerily. He met her eyes. Soon? He certainly hoped so.
The glass pulsed and she stepped back towards Inuyasha. "Hang onto each other…tightly" Sesshoumaru commanded. Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her and she hugged him. The wind swirled around them, the light filling the room, silver and red hair was whipped up and swirled in the wind.
Then Inuyasha stepped backwards into the mirror, "Tell Kagome!" he called and then Sesshoumaru was gone from his sight and they were falling. Falling through time, pummeled by powerful winds that threatened to tear them from one another. Inuyasha gritted his teeth and held tighter. Ayeka buried her face in his clothing. The sound was awful, a high pitched wailing. This was not like the gentle well he knew.
Centuries spun past them, flashes of images and light that made him sick. He could be in bed curled around Kagome, but was he? No! He was here doing this. Just what the hell had he gotten himself into this time?
The light grew impossibly bright and he closed his eyes against it. When he opened them again, they were being spat out in the middle of a snow covered field. They landed hard, him on top. He was still dazed from the trip and barely registered the jarring impact or the small "oof!" that erupted from beneath him.
He lifted his head looking around. Vast forests surrounded them, dotted with pristine fields, little villages. He glanced behind them and saw the air move, a slight shimmer. That was the barrier, that was the way home. He'd remember that.
"Urmm nnu Rasha?" came a smothered voice and he looked down. He was straddling Ayeka in the snow, she was face down. He quickly got off of her and helped her up. "You ok?" he asked, eyeing the bits of twig poking up from her hair. She nodded, spitting snow and leaves from her mouth. "Mmm hmmm".
He looked around again, "So where are we?" he asked her. She focused on the sight before her. "Near Amberg, that's the town I live in" she explained. It was just dawning here, and most of the German countryside was still asleep. "How far?" Inuyasha asked her. She shrugged, "Not too far. Maybe two, three miles that way" she pointed for him. He nodded and knelt. "What are you doing?" she asked. He rolled his eyes, "Get on, it's faster this way". She laughed, "Are you serious?" Inuyasha growled at her, "Would ya hurry up, I am not exactly easy to miss if you know what I mean". Right! The ears. The hair, the outfit - well those could probably pass around here. German kids wore some strange stuff. It was why she liked them.
She settled herself against his back and he rose into the air. "Keep to the trees Inuyasha" she told him. He nodded and they were off in a blur of white and passing trees. She buried her face against his shoulder to avoid the bite of winter air.
The sleepy little town was silent as he touched down on the cobbled streets. Before he could manage to say anything, she grabbed his hand and pulled him along. Through the narrow streets they raced. She was pretty fast he conceded. She certainly knew her way around this place, it was like a maze. He was about to ask how far it was when she shoved him into a dark alcove.
He heard the metallic jingling a second before she fitted her key into the lock of her front door. "In here" she said and tugged him inside her cozy little apartment. He looked around in wonder. "You got alot of shit" he blurted out. She laughed, "Yeah I've heard that before. Come on in, relax Inuyasha. It will be a little while before we can go get the weapons".
He wandered all over her apartment, sniffing. He liked this place, it smelled nice. Like warmth and kitchen spices and leather bound books. Below that was the underlying scent of Ayeka. Warm and soft, soothing. It was a scent that he liked. It was more spice to Kagome's floral but that didn't matter to him.
Ayeka poked her head around the corner to peek at him, "Hungry?" she asked. He smiled, when was he ever not hungry? "Whatcha got?" he asked in turn. She wandered into the little kitchen and peered into her freezer, "Umm lets see. Well we have cow, cow, and oh look more cow" she replied from the chilly box.
He nodded, "Cow sounds great". He watched her take the ice covered package down and pop it in the microwave. Then she walked to the bedroom. He was right behind her, she pulled open the closet and began dragging out large bags and gear. She made a pile of what she called 'go'.
He became aware of a scent in her bedroom. One that shouldn't have been there. She looked up to see the look of consternation on his face, "What's the matter Inuyasha?". He stared at her, "Your bed...." he told her, "It smells like.....". She cocked her head at him, "Like what?" she pressed. He blushed, "Well, men".
She laughed at him. "Oh, I forgot about your nose". He looked confused. She hurried to explain, "Inuyasha I have alot of friends in this time and most of them are men. Sometimes they drink too much and need a place to sleep". He looked shocked, "You let them sleep in here? With you?" She nodded, reaching over to flip on her stereo. Ah, there was nothing like a little trance in the morning.
"With you?" he asked again and she nodded. He frowned, "Sesshoumaru is your mate and husband and there should be no other man in your room" he told her. She quirked an eyebrow at him, "Is that so?" He nodded, "Yes it is". She sighed, "Uh huh, and you are in here, sitting on my bed because?" she asked sweetly.
His brows shot up, "Keh.That's different. We are family" he informed her. She smiled at him and reached up to pat his leg. "Inuyasha, remember I didn't know who your brother was in these lives, until he came to fight. I have been in love with other people. Hell I was about to get married before Sesshoumaru showed up" she said with a small bitter laugh.
He'd forgotten that. Was she mad at him now? She didn't seem to be. She kept digging through closets and drawers and what the hell was she listening to? It was a strange kind of music that he'd heard once before in Kagome's home. Kagome had danced in a most provocative way to it. Kinda like Ayeka was doing now. She didn't seem to realize that she was dancing around. She just moved. It was nice. It looked like it was fun. He wondered what his uptight brother would do if she ever moved like that in front of him.
"Here Inuyasha," she said as she tossed a handful of clothing at him, "You can wear these until tonight. They should fit". He looked down at the baggy jeans and the dark red sweater, she even had socks and black boots. He stared at them and then at her, "Well what? Everyone likes Docs" she said and shooed him toward the little bathroom.
Inuyasha changed clothes and looked at his reflection. These would do, he still didn't like shoes but no human would be walking in the snow barefoot. He came out to find her putting the steaks in a flat pan and into the little box he knew was an oven.
She looked up at him and smiled. "You look good" she told him. She had put a large tablet of paper on the table and was drawing. He of course had to see what it was. "This is the base, it's not far from here" she was saying, "We will take my car tonight. You can hide in the trunk, they never search me. Everyone knows me. I will use my id to get us in. This is the where the company weapons are kept". He watched her mark the spot with a little X.
"Soldiers live on the floors above but that won't be a problem, we'll use the backdoor. It will put us directly in front of the arms room. We'll have to make sure that no one sees us, that could cause a problem. I'll think of something" she told him. He nodded, "If these weapons are so important won't they be guarded?" he asked. She smiled, "Oh they are. There is a huge lock on the door and there is also an alarm that goes off if the room is breached".
Inuyasha's ears drooped, "So how the hell are we suppose to get this done?" he demanded. She laughed and jangled her keys at him. "I have the keys and the access code. We can walk right in". Her confident smile bolstered his spirits. "We won't have a lot of time so we need to decide what to grab".
She handed him a book on weapons and explosives explaining those thing that he didn't understand. He came to the conclusion that there were two types. The kind that went bang and the kind that went boom. Apparently booms were more impressive and did more damage. "So it's settled," she chirped dishing the steak and newly made instant mashed potatoes on to plates, "We take back booms". They went over the plan of action a few more times until she was certain he was comfortable with it.
She stood and left him sitting on the couch, then came back with a small sock looking hat in her hands. "To hide your ears" she told him, "We are going shopping". He blanched, shopping with Kagome usually meant alot oof time walking around without buying. It was a girl thing she'd told him.
"What are we shoppin for?" he asked, tugging the hat onto his head. She smiled at him, "I am never coming back to this time, there a few things that I just can't NOT have". With that cryptic answer she dragged him out into the cold morning.
She didn't take long, he was happy about that. She did manage to pile a large cart sky high with bottles and boxes and baggies. He was amazed by the speed with which she could spend money. She even bought everyone a small gift to take back. He looked at the two girly pink boxes adorned with black ribbons. "Those are supposed to be for me and Miroku?" he asked.
She nodded happily. "Go ahead and groan, but you'll thank me later". He wasn't so sure about that. A few hours later they arrived back at her apartment, arms aching from lugging her purchases back. Ayeka made sure to get plenty of toiletries, chocolate, medicines, and of course a hand cranked battery charger and a ton of batteries. She just couldn't go without her music for long. There were also a few bottles of German schnapps to pass around. That should be funny.
Inuyasha watched in amazement as she managed to fit every bit of it into large duffle bags. She was very good at packing things he decided. Kagome's tactic was stuff and shove until the seams groaned. "It's gonna be a while until the sun sets and we have to wait for full dark before we go, try and get some rest" she told him. He nodded but had no intention of sleeping.
Ayeka missed Sesshoumaru already. She shook her head, now was not the time to be thinking about personal things, she needed to focus and find anything wrong with her plan. Inuyasha had commented that it sounded almost too easy and she'd laughed, because chances are it just might be. If they would slip in and out with out being seen it would be perfect.