InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Angel ❯ Suspicious Salvation ( Chapter 76 )

Chapter Seventy-Six:

Suspicious Salvation

“Mama, I don't feel good,” Rikimaru mumbled, lying his hot forehead against his mother's soft skirts.

Kagome frowned, setting down the brown pants she had been scrubbing clean. Gentle hands smoothed the damp silver hair from his forehead.

Worry unfurled in her chest at the heat radiating from his little forehead.

Rikimaru had never gotten sick before. Though his still developing metabolism and healing capabilities were only a little better than the average human child, illness had never been a cause for concern.

Not even a cold.

Maybe she was being overly sensitive, but after losing her babies once, how could she not be more protective her son?

She felt Sesshomaru move, his warm presence behind her.

Silently, he knelt down, placing the back of his hand against his pup's cheek.

Silver brows turned down. Kagome felt her belly clench.

“Is this normal?” she demanded, her voice slightly shrill, “This isn't normal is it? He's never been sick before,”

Having never been a youkai child, Kagome was still learning about the care of her pup. Sesshomaru was a wealth of information, a life saver at explaining the various stages of youkai development. Sickness, he had explained, happened but was rare. Because of it unlikely occurrence, when it did happen, it could mean the illness was very serious.

Like life endangering serious.

Kagome bit her lip in anxiety.

She couldn't lose another child.

She'd die, she just knew she would.

Sesshomaru scooped up their pup. She watched, fingers clenching and twisting in her skirts while he scented his breath, checked his eyes and brought his head to their son's little chest.

His silence was driving her crazy.

“Well?” she burst out, “Do you know what's wrong?”

Serious golden eyes met her own.

“I am not certain-”

“Oh God!” Kagome cried, her breath hitching.

With sweaty palms, she collected their child, laid him in the soft grass and checked him over. Bring energy racing to her eyes, she stared hard into Rikimaru's body. His system working hard, fighting off some sort of toxin her eyes could not see.

A cough rattled from his lungs.

Loud and coarse, that even Kagome winced.

Rikimaru's little face scrunched in pain, curling into a ball.

“It's okay, honey,” Kagome soothed in a shaky voice, “Mama will make it better,”

Nearly tripping over her skirts, she hurried to the river, cloth in hand. She soaked it in cool water and returned to her overheated child.

“It's okay, it's okay, you'll be okay,” she chanted, unaware of her own words.

Her trembling hands worked to make her child more comfortable. Folding the cloth in half, she placed it on his forehead. Rikimaru tossed and turned fitfully, his soft whimpers of pain like bellows in her ears. He coughed again, his body clenching against the agony.

She turned to her mate.

“Sesshomaru, wha-”

“Hello there!” a voice called out, “Do you need some help?”

Kagome turned, her panicked eyes flickering to the young demon headed their way. He wore clothing of a poor farmer, his shirt in need of mending, brown pants faded from washing and rewashing. His green eyes and blue hair striking against his tan skin.

“It's my son, he's ill and we're not sure what's wrong with him,” she hurried out.

The male ventured closer, his face a mask of worried curiosity.

Sesshomaru tensed, flexing his aura. Instead of weariness, he could swear the stranger sent him a calculated glance.

Sesshomaru didn't like the smell of him.

It was almost too much of a coincidence that his son sickened and this stranger happened upon their misfortune.

Sesshomaru wasn't entirely comfortable with the chance encounter.

The stranger knelt next to his family.

“May I?” he asked.

His desperate mate offered little resistance. The male gave his son a standard examination, sharp eyes taking note of symptoms.

“I've seen this before,” he said after a moment, “It's an uncommon ailment that attacks the soft tissue of the heart. It has a very high fatality rate in this region,”

Kagome's eyes widened, tears glimmering in her eyes. She held their pup close to her chest. His little body shivering as though cold, though his skin burned as hot as the sun. Sesshomaru's fist clenched, his usually calm heart pounding hard in his chest.

“Can you help him?” she asked, shifting towards the man.

Ice blue brows lowered in seriousness.

“I can but...,”

“But what?!” Kagome blurted, nerves shot.

“The antidote is rare,” he stated, freeing a vial on a chain from the neckline of his shirt, “It cost me a fortune to acquire the little that I have,”

“Please, we have to have that!” Kagome pleaded, tears streaming, “I can't lose my child! I can't-”

Her words ended on a sob. Sesshomaru gathered his mate, his presence a solid comfort. Shrewd amber eyes sized up the newcomer.

“You will provide our pup with aide,”

The male's brows drew down at the command.

“Listen here, I had to go through hell and back for this. I can't just give it away like that for nothing in return,”

Sesshomaru's aura spiked, crimson bleeding into his eyes. He'd extract the vial from the male's dead body if he had to. His muscles tensed, preparing for battle. His eyes narrowed as the male's hand move to a sword at his side.

`So be it'

A blast of miko energy surrounded the area, chocking both silently feuding males. Sesshomaru winced at the burning, holy force.

“What the hell?!” the male cried from above.

Pink, shot through with crimson currents held him trapped and suspended. The scent of burning flesh turned Sesshomaru's stomach sour. His mate broke away from him. Kagome levitated to the floating male. Black hair dancing, eyes blood red, she growled at the trapped male.

“We need that medicine,” she snarled, “If I have to rip you apart to obtain it I will!”

The energy whipped through his body, tightening against his skin. The sensation akin to hot metal dipped in lava and acid blazing through him. The male screamed in pain.

“Take it!” he bellowed, “Please! Stop!”

Like water to a flame, the energy retracted. Kagome snagged the chain, letting the male crash painful to the ground in an agonizing heap.

Both males forgotten, Kagome floated home, administering the healing liquid as she moved.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Shiro quivered on the ground, trying hard to compose himself. The trauma quaked through him, aftershocks of pain sizzling over his flesh. His stomach soured, and he barely made on his side before he shamefully lost the contents of his belly.

Gritty teeth clenched against the pain.

His bones ached, his skin felt uncomfortably stretched and his head felt like he'd had nails driven into them.

He'd miscalculated.

Badly.

He'd had no idea the woman contain such power. She'd never displayed it or he'd never sensed it with the male's constant overwhelming presence.

He'd sorely underestimated her.

He clenched his eyes shut.

His stomach muscles tightened and heaved, spilling more of his meager meal into the grass.

An aftertaste of copper alarmed him. His nose scrunched in distaste.

“Dammit,”

Hakudoshi owed him big for this.

“No evil deed goes unpunished, brother,”

Shiro opened his eyes, taking in his eldest brother's fatigued countenance and rumpled clothes.

He sighed, rolling slowly onto his back.

“Aye,” he agreed.

Jikininki offered him a hand. Shiro reached out shakily, leaning on his brother for strength to pull himself into a seated position.

He clenched his eyes shut as his head swam and his stomach rebelled at the shifted position. He covered his mouth with a trembling, sweaty palm, brutally forcing back the bile threatening to burst free.

Long moments of in drawn breaths through his nose, quelled the nausea.

“A terrible miscalculation,”

He swallowed.

“Aye,” Shiro agreed again.

“Do we abort?”

Shiro shook his head softly, the action sending pinpricks of pain up his pine. With a soft groan, he clenched his head, fighting the agony. Long moments passed before he was able to speak.

“The situation can be salvaged. It may not be going according to plan but it is far from ruined,”

He took a shuddering breath in and out.

“Can you walk?”

Shiro just managed to stop himself from shaking his head and sending tendrils of pain through his body.

“Nay, you'll have to carry me back,”

Jikininki sighed.

“It's going to be a long way back,” he informed him, “I've not nearly recovered my strength,”

Shiro shrugged.

“It may be we go slow, swift movement exacerbates the side affects,”

Jikininki nodded. Bending with weak knees, he threw his brother's arm around his neck and slowly lifted him from the ground. He could feel Shiro's body tremble in an effort to bare the pain. A soft groan escaped his lips as the two stood.

“Okay?” Jikininki questioned.

Shiro breathed in and out, hard and fast. His teeth locked. Jikininki waited patiently. Moments passed before Shiro could pry his jaw apart.

“Let's go,” he whispered.

The first step saw both brothers staggering under pain and fatigue. It was another six steps before a comfortable rhythm was established. The two made the journey home a little after sunset.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Hours later, Kagome breathed a sigh of relief. Rikimaru was at last resting easy, his fever had broken and that awful rattle in his lungs had almost ceased completely. The medication had taken a while before any notable improvements had made itself known.

She'd half been tempted to return to the stranger and kill him for his deception.

Now, with their pup out of danger, she felt a little bashful about how everything had happened.

She didn't really recall what she had said or done and had how bad it had actually been but she knew she'd taken a page from her mate's book in acquiring what she wanted. It wasn't like her and she couldn't recall the last time she'd done anything so cruel, but she couldn't be sorry that she'd done what she had.

Her son had needed help, badly.

They didn't have time to negotiate payment and bartering.

Not with his life in danger as it had been.

She'd find the male tomorrow and explain the situation to him, offer payment and hope for the best. Far be it for her to take without payment.

Her eyes wandered over to the silent male in the room.

That was more his style than hers.

“He's okay now,” she informed him.

She felt the tension leave his body, and his silver head nodded at the news. He stood from his seated position against the wall. Kagome went willingly into the warm embrace he offered, his strong arms brought emotion to her throat. She gripped his arm tightly, lips tightly pressed, eyes glimmering with unshed tears.

“When will it end?” she questioned softly.

His body shifted, and a familiar nose nuzzled the soft skin at her nape. Her eyes closed, she leaned back into the soft caress.

“There is no end. We are strong, but not invincible,” Sesshomaru murmured against her skin, “Loss is something we must come to terms with,”

Her grip loosened, her eyes growing soft and weary.

“It'll kill me Sesshomaru, you know that right?”

His arms tightened, brows lowered. His own youkai heart was vulnerable and weak, the ice surrounding it long since melted. Their loss was still fresh in his mind. With their death would come his. He'd end himself in a heartbeat should he lose his family.

“I know no such thing, and I'll hear no more of death and dying,”

He swept her into his arms, carrying her to their bedroom. Kagome allowed herself to be carried.

“Of course my lord fluff,” she huffed at his declaration.

Amber eyes narrowed, brow twitching in agitation. Despite herself and their once serious situation, Kagome laughed at the look. He was so cute sometimes.

“You're funny Sesshomaru,” she said

Kagome squealed as she tumbled abruptly onto their bed. Pushing hair from her eyes, she glared up at the silent demon dispassionately removing his clothing.

“Geez, can't you take a compliment?”

Silver brows arched.

Kagome crossed her arms, nose in the air in mock indignation.

“Humph, don't you know a compliment when you hear it,”

A sly glance at his expression had her holding back giggles. What a hard ass. No bend in that tough guy demeanor. She shrugged mentally. She couldn't complain, it was part of his charm.

Kagome gripped the hem of her gown and brought it up and over head.

Wordlessly, Sesshomaru too the garment from her hand and tossed it into the hamper placed in a corner of the room. Naked, Kagome slipped under the furs. Sesshomaru dimmed the candles before joining her.

Their heated flesh touched, sending tingles up her spine.

He sensed what she needed. His arms wrapped around her, pressing her close. She listened to his calmly beating heart and even breaths. Sheltered in his arms, she felt safe and whole. Soft claws drifted up and down the flesh of her arm and back, the effect soothing.

Her lids lowered and as minutes ticked by, her eyes began to slide close.

“While I cannot promise I will always succeed, I vow to do everything in my power to protect our family,”

He whispered in the dead of the night.

Moisture burned her tired eyes. They slid shut, a single tear escaping.

“I vow the same. With the last breath in my body I vow it,”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Rikimaru kicked the covers from his body, listening and sniffing for breakfast. Silence and fresh morning air greeted his efforts. Opening his eyes he stared up at the brightened room.

Mama was usually up and making breakfast.

The events of yesterday came racing back to him. Silver brows drew down, and his little clawed hand moved to his chest.

The pain he'd felt had been horrible.

He'd never been sick before and was sure he never wanted to be again.

He only vaguely recalled mother feeding him medicine, the liquid instantly chasing away the agony.

He felt fine, normal, as though the whole thing had been a terrible nightmare.

He hopped from the bed and made his way down to his parents bedroom. He opened the door softly, feeling his father's aura awake and alert the instant the door clicked over. Father was impossible to sneak up on.

Hard as he tried, father always knew when he was coming.

Amber eyes clashed with his own.

His little chest puffed with pride. He was the spitting image of father, right down to the magenta markings and deep blue crescent moon.

He often emulated father, and daydreamed about the day he would be just as strong.

“Good morning father,” he greeted.

His father returned the greeting with a regal nod of the head as he moved into a sitting position.

Father was so cool!

“How are you feeling?” he questioned, his smooth baritone voice soothing his ears.

“I feel fine,” curious eyes shifted to mother, “is mama going to make breakfast?”

“Of course,” Kagome answered.

Her body shifted beneath the furs, turning to face him. Her soft brown eyes were gentle in the gleaming sunlight streaming through the window. She smiled at him, a familiar curling of the lips that showered unrestrained love.

“Can we have pancakes mama?”

“Pancakes it is,” she agreed.

“Play quietly in the den, your mother and I will be there momentarily,” came his father's soft command.

“Yes father,”

Rikimaru shuffled out, closing the door behind him.

Father was quite stern a lot of the time, and grew displeased when he disobeyed. Only once had he received a spanking for testing his sire's patience. Once had been enough. Stern but fair, his father was not hard to please. Nor was mother for that matter.

She doted on him, spoiled him father proclaimed.

Despite it, he often gave in to mother, unable and unwilling to bruise her tender heart.

Rikimaru understood the sentiment.

At times he sensed his mother was fragile, scarred in someway he had no knowledge of. When he asked about her bouts of sadness, he'd get the whole “when you're older” spiel.

He shrugged his shoulder as he picked up his ball.

Maybe it had something to do with the dreams he had at night. The visions of him surrounded by other little bodies. Of other babies that looked like him and father and mother.

A feeling of loss coiled in his little tummy.

Clawed hands gripped the ball.

Sometimes, when he thought about those dreams, when he attempted to replay details, his heart ached. As though he was missing something. The emotion left his little heart broken and confused.

He'd spoken to father about the feeling.

He had responded by telling him the emotion would loosen over time. It led him to believe father knew what ailed him, but his tight lipped parent had not elaborated, and his sharp golden eyes had discouraged further discussion.

As he dribbled the ball and bounced it against the wall and caught it, he couldn't help but feel that this was wrong.

That he shouldn't be here playing alone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The family three ate breaks as normal. Kagome and Rikimaru chattering, Sesshomaru adding to the lively conversation here and there. When the food was gone, and their bellies were full, Kagome cleared the table.

Sesshomaru and Rikimaru retired to the den to begin Rikimaru's studies for the day.

Their low voices caressed her ears as she washed the dishes and cleaned the kitchen. Kagome had been a bit hesitant with their son often rigorous curriculum, thinking him too young for a lot of the word problems, reading material and arithmetic Sesshomaru assigned him.

But after seeing first hand their son's skills of comprehension, she'd stepped back and allowed the studies continue.

Later, Sesshomaru had explained his own studies and how they'd been much the same at an even younger age. Heightened intelligence was a trait passed down from his purebred father and pure blood mother, and thus passed on to their pup.

The explanation made sense and their youngling did not seem to be suffering, nor dreading his daily studies.

He thrived under the mental stimulation and enjoyed the time he spent with his father.

Kagome couldn't help but giggle at the many memories she had of her child imitating his parent. Strutting around like the demon, mimicking that graceful flicking of the hair over his shoulder.

Her little mini Sesshomaru would make a fine and fierce young male.

His father would have nothing less.

Sesshomaru's aura cloaked the house, a warning that their little haven had been invaded.

Kagome put the dish she'd been washing back into the bubble filled sink.

Curious, she dried her hands on her apron. She made her way to the living room just as a knock on the door sounded. Sesshomaru was already at the door, opening the portal.

Kagome peeked around Sesshomaru's broad shoulder.

The green eyes and light blue haired male from yesterday stood on their doorstep. Kagome felt her neck heat in shame, the events of the day before rushing back in all it's unpleasant glory.

“Good morning,” the male bowed, “I came by to see if the child had gotten any better,”

Sesshomaru stared the male down, no doubt more than a little irritated that the male that had thought to bargain for the medicine at such a critical time had the gall to knock on their door.

Kagome moved around her silent mate to address the male.

“He's doing very well thanks to the medicine,” she admitted.

“That is good to hear,”

“Yeah,” Kagome agreed with an embarrassed laugh, “Uh, I'm really sorry about yesterday. I'm not normally like that,”

“I quite understand,” the male said, a flush making its way to his cheeks, “I came to apologize as well, I don't think I handled the situation very well. A child's life should never be put in jeopardy, no matter the cost of the medication,”

His blue head lowered, bowed low in contrition.

“I would beg your forgiveness for my deplorable actions,”

Kagome bowed just as low, her embarrassment increasing.

“Please excuse us as well. We certainly didn't handle the situation any better,”

Two pairs of amber eyes watched the exchange. One pair annoyed and exasperated, the other curious and confused.

By the time the two had come to a mutual agreement of equal fault, Sesshomaru had instructed Rikimaru to return to his studies in the privacy of his bedroom and Kagome was pouring tea for their unannounced guest.

Sesshomaru watched the male suspiciously.

“I do feel bad about taking your medicine without paying. I'm a bit over protective of my child,” her face turned pensive, and she lowered her voice to avoid curious ears from overhearing, “We lost three children before moving here,”

The male nodded solemnly.

“That explains a lot, and I can't began to express my regret in how I handled things yesterday,”

“It's alright, we were both out of line,” Kagome said with a smile, “By the way, I didn't quite get your name,”

“It's Shiro,”

“Nice to meet you Shiro. So what brought you to our neck of the woods? We rarely get any visitors and don't have any neighbors that we know of,”

Shiro frowned.

“I was searching for help for my brother,”

“Your brother?”

He nodded.

“My brother has been falsely accused and imprisoned by King Randolph and scheduled for execution if me and my elder brother Jikininki don't figure out how to get him out of the dungeon soon,”

“How horrible,”

“We're running out of time. We're too weak to bust him out on our own, we need help,” his hands clenched in distress, “but every powerful being in the region is working for the king,”

Kagome looked over at her mate, concern in her brown eyes. Had he been the type, Sesshomaru would have rolled his eyes at the pleading look. She was a bleeding heart, his woman. Ready and willing to help any in need.

He knew enough about her to know his cooperation was in no way request but rather a command wrapped in feathers.

She had him wrapped around her little finger and knew it.

“Sesshomaru?” she pleaded, her beautiful brown eyes imploring.

How could he refuse her?

He sighed lowly.

He couldn't.

She smiled at the sound, the expression more than making up for the situation. To see her smile, to see her happy after all the pain, it was not something he could deny her.

Kagome turned back to the male.

“We can help you with your brother,” Kagome said, seeing the exasperated but accepting look on Sesshomaru's face, “It's the least we can do for taking your medicine. You aren't hurt are you? I'm afraid I didn't retrain my energy in our scuffle,”

Shiro smiled.

“It was the worse pain I've ever felt in my entire life,” he admitted, “but I'm fine now,”

Kagome's cheeks colored.

“Ahhh, yeah, sorry about that,”

Shiro chuckled.

“It's okay, Kagome,” he turned serious, “I thank you for your offer to help my brother. It would mean the world to me to have him safe once more,”

Her brown eyes softened, no doubt thinking of her own loss.

“I can well understand your feelings,” she said softly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shiro waved goodbye to the young female and the brooding male standing in front of the house. They'd made plans to meet again soon to tackle logistics of freeing Hakudoshi. Nervous elation clawed at his belly.

If this went well, he'd have his brother and liberation.

The proud and terrible King would not let a slight such as an escape from prison go unpunished, and Sesshomaru would certainly not allow any harm to come to his family.

He'd kill the King, Shiro would bet his life on it.

Was staking his life on it.

His involvement would be glaringly clear to any and all when they rescued his brother and he hadn't really hidden his ties to the resistance well.

He tamped down on nerves.

This is what they had been fighting for. Years of planing, of chipping away daily at the King's defenses, it was all coming to a head.

Now was not the time to falter, to second guess.

Now was the time to be strong. To race forward and grasp their destiny with their bare hands.

Leaping forward, he raced through the forest, making sure to skirt around any wandering soldiers and suspicious characters. By the time he made his way to the old rickety village, the sun was descending, melting into the horizon.

He whistled low, the signal that one of their own had entered.

The old village came alive.

Rough looking men, weary and on edge stepped from crumbling huts and from behind aged buildings. The moved towards him, various expressions of curiosity and expectation on their faces.

They all started speaking at once, questions firing rapidly at him. He raised his hands, calling for peace.

“If I could get some food in my belly, I'll be happy to explain the situation to you all,” Shiro bargained.

Reluctantly, the group of me agreed, and within minutes, soup and venison sat in front of him as more people filled the tavern. Jikininki slid in the booth next to him as the men sat around in chairs to listen. Those unlucky to get here late, stood and leaned on tables and walls.

“The demon I told you guys about is willing to help rescue Hakudoshi,” Shiro began after filling his stomach.

“What about the resistance, will he help us?” One man questioned.

The men agreed, eager to hear the answer to the pressing question.

Shiro waited for quiet.

“He doesn't know anything about the resistance, but I have confidence that securing his strength for our cause will be simple enough,” he explained, “He is fiercely protective of his family. With his involvement in freeing my brother the King will certainly turn on him in revenge. In doing so, he'll be signing his own death warrant,”

“You really thing think that demon is strong enough to take care of the King and his goons?” another asked.

Shiro nodded.

“The woman herself is a force to be reckoned with, you all saw my condition when I returned yesterday. The male is much stronger,”

The agony he had suffered yesterday had left more than one of the men weary and afraid. They'd never seen the likes of it before. Shiro could take a hit as well as anyone else, but even he had screamed gruesomely all night long.

The memory sent chills up their spines.

If the female could do that, what was the male capable of?

It was horrifying to contemplate.

“So what is the plan?” Jikininki asked.

“I'll be going back in a few days to hash out the details. You're to come with me Jikininki, you're pretty well versed on stealth and the layout of the castle. We'll need your insight on this,”

Jikininki nodded.

As the night wore on, the low morale that had plagued this faction of the resistance had risen considerably.

Victory was on the horizon and with it, their long fought freedom.

~~~~~~~~~~

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Please review, I love hearing from you guys! Working on the next chapter now. I'm thinking about posting the new fanfic I've been working on but I'm not sure. I'd hate to have to do a juggling act on updating but I really think this new story should see the light of day. Thinking about it. Anyway...

Laters

~Sessakag