InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Bloodlust ❯ Interludes of Paradise ( Chapter 16 )

Kagome's eyes glistened with tears and impossible hope.

"He is the only one who can wield the Tensaiga, Miroku."

But she lifted the pulsing sword from its sheath and stood over Sesshomaru's body, holding the blade gingerly in front of her. Her eyes widened in sudden shock.

"There are…creatures on his body! Ragged little creatures…that I couldn't see before. What powers does this sword have?"

Miroku looked at the throbbing blade, and the hopeful wonder trying to override the despair in her eyes.

"It is likely that they are soul gatherers from the otherworld. If Tensaiga destroys them, then it would explain the sword's ability to resurrect the dead. Kill them…it must be how it works. It appears as though the sword will let you wield it, Kagome, for whatever reason."

She took a deep breath and swept the blue-lit sword through the insubstantial grey creatures on his body, and watched a shuddering breath lift his chest. She sank to her knees in grateful tears, but Miroku called to her sharply.

"Kagome! The poison is still in his system! Use your miko, Kagome, or you are going to lose him again."

Her eyes burned fiercely and she dropped Tensaiga by her side, and lay her hands on his chest. She reached inside herself for the well of youkai power she had drawn on before to defeat the dragon youkai, and wove it tightly into her miko. A warm, hazy glow filled her eyes, and moved slowly to encompass her entire body. Miroku stepped backwards, and Sango in the children looked at her in awe. An odd wind twisted the bloodstained strands of her hair around her face, and her expression turned inward, lost in the weaving of her power.

Sesshomaru felt the pressure of her hands, knew he had been dead and wasn't now, and saw the light of her miko charge her eyes from a violet-streaked silver to a pure shining violet. Heat flushed through his body from the touch of her hands, and he felt sudden pain where there had been coldness. The pain washed away just as quickly, and he knew she had purged the poison from his body. He felt distantly the gaping wounds on his back close, and her skin flushed and her eyes fluttered shut, as though with sudden fever. The goddess-glow faded from her eyes and her skin, and her breath came in short, shallow pants as she looked down on him. The thrill of utter delight on her tired face returned the last of his strength, and he smiled up at her.

"Sess-chan…"

Sango caught Kagome as she toppled backwards, and looked at her with concern. Miroku bent over Sesshomaru and stood with a relieved grin.

"He's alright Sango! She did it, She and Tensaiga!"

He danced in a very undignified circle, and Sango snorted with laughter. Sesshomaru sat up slowly, and watched Miroku's odd victory dance with an amused expression. Sango called to Shippou and Rin.

"You two! Come welcome back your Otousan!"

Sesshomaru looked at her, surprised at the word, and she shrugged.

"They are your children…why not let them know it too."

She looked down at Kagome, whose eyes opened briefly, and Sesshomaru stood carefully and held out his arms for her. Despite bloodstains and the ravages of hopeless hours, when she smiled she was beautiful, and he held her tightly close. The Taiyoukai wiped the tears gently away from her face, and he turned to Miroku while Sango held the children back .

"How did she call me back?"

"Somehow, she was able to wield Tensaiga….it returned your life."

Sesshomaru looked at the exhausted, sleeping demoness in his arms, and spoke carefully.

"I will tell you a thing about Tensaiga, Houshi-Miroku. Tensaiga does not work only in my hands; it was made to work in the hands of any who feel a true bond of love for the one the would heal."

"If this is true, then why didn't you tell Kagome when you mated her? It would have saved her some hours of grief."

"When I mated her, I feared she was still in love with InuYasha. If she had been, I did not want to know…and I am not one to trade truth for uncertainties."

Miroku whacked Sesshomaru over the head with his staff, then nodded respectfully.

"Forgive me Lord Sesshomaru, but you deserved that more than InuYasha ever did."

Sesshomaru blinked in shocked surprised, and followed the retreating monk with his eyes. Sango giggled with giddy relief, and motioned the children towards him. Shippou leapt up onto his shoulder, careful not to disturb Kagome, and Rin attached herself to one of his legs, bouncing up and down excitedly.

"Lady Sango says the pretty sword brought Lord Sesshomaru back like Lord Sesshomaru brought Rin back! Rin is glad `Tousan is better! Will `Kaasan be better too?"

He nodded.

"She used a lot of her strength to help me Rin, all she needs now is a good nights sleep and she'll be fine."

Youkai mist gathered under his feet, and the children followed him onto the rapidly forming cloud. Kagome stirred slightly in his arms, and he held her closer, looking across at Sango and Miroku.

"You will follow on the fire-cat?

Sango nodded, and he moved off quickly. Miroku shook his head slowly and followed Sango to where Kirara waited, transformed.

"There goes one very lucky demon…"

Kirara leapt gracefully into the newly-black night and followed Sesshomaru back to the castle at a leisurely pace.

Sesshomaru left the children in the dining hall and took Kagome directly to the hot springs. He undressed her carefully, and left the remains of his haori and hakama with her blood saturated kimono on the floor. He waded slowly into the heat of the spring, soaking the blood out of her silver hair. She woke groggily, and blinked heavy eyelids to look up at his face, a drowsy smile tilting the corners of her lips.

"I was afraid I dreamed you back, Sess-chan."

He nuzzled her cheek.

"Rest, koi. You gave me back my life, now let me take care for yours."

She closed her eyes again and relaxed against his body and the steaming water. Carefully he rinsed the blood from her body, paying special attention to her claws. He frowned at a hitherto unnoticed wound down her left arm, and licked it gently clean, watching carefully until it began to close. More gently still he washed her hair, again and again until it no longer bore the scent of his blood, and rippled clean silver through the currents in the water. He wrapped her in thick fur, and lay her by the edge of the spring, close enough that he could watch her sleeping through the steam. He rinsed the blood from his body quickly, and washed his hair, truly noticing for the first time that she had not only removed the poison, but healed the wounds as well. He marveled at her strength of soul, remembering the blast that she had sent through tetsusaiga, and he carried her to their bed and smoothed her soft, damp hair away from her face.

*Crazy, beautiful miko….if you hadn't come back I'd be dead….and this perhaps the first time in my life I would truly have minded dying. Is it because of you?*

He slipped into the bed beside her, and she turned to snuggle his chest automatically, seeking his heartbeat for a lullaby. He breathed the sweet scent of her, and fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.

Sango fell asleep on the floor in the hallway, Shippou curled up in her lap. Miroku saw her half-laying, and lifted her and the kit both and moved her carefully into her room and onto her bed. She turned and squinted sleepily up at him in the darkness.

"M…Miroku?"

"You fell asleep in the hallway…I was just bringing you to bed."

She blinked sleep from her eyes and rolled on to her side.

"Did you put Rin to bed?"

"Yes, I managed to convince her that Sesshomaru was fine, and she went to sleep easily after that. But I will leave you to your rest. Goodnight, Sango."

She sat up slightly and blushed furiously into the darkness.

"Miroku, if you promise to keep your hands under control, you…you can stay."

He turned back with wide eyes, and removed his outer robe, climbing onto the bed beside her. She curled against him as if she had always been there, and Miroku slipped into his own small heaven with the woman who would be his wife.

Awwww they're all so CUTE…and forgive me fellow lovers of the almighty Sess-chan, but you will see why he had to die later…and now he is alive! So I can rejoice and write lemons! Hehe you know you want them! Yay for Orb who is my stalker/reviewer! I always wanted a nice, non-threatening stalker. Review and I'll love you!