InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Facets of the Living Jewel ❯ Cave canem, te necet lingendo! ( Chapter 25 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters. Ms. Takahashi does.

 

Fonts:

Inuyoukai [thoughts]

Inuhuman (thoughts)

 

Cave canem, te necet lingendo!

By Licentia poetica

 

Inuyasha allowed himself a relieved sigh as Kagome's eyes opened.

 

`Thank the gods, she's back.' He pulled her closer as he felt the burn of repressed tears in his nose. `Shit, not again! After she recovered from Mukotsu's poison I swore I wouldn't do this again.'

 

“Gods, Kagome, you scared me.”

 

`Baka! Why'd you blurt that out?'

 

(What? You're the baka.)

 

[It is not a weakness to acknowledge our need for the alpha female.]

 

Before he could react further, she reached up for him. “I scared myself! I couldn't get back to you.”

 

He frowned as her hand froze in place on his forehead and her face went still. `Gods, is she lost in that time shit again?' He gripped her arms more tightly and almost shook her. “Kagome! What's wrong?”

 

She shook her head slightly, giving him a brief, tentative smile as her fingers gently stroked a curving path in the center of his forehead. “Inuyasha? How long have you had this?” Her voice and face were curious, not frightened.

 

“Had what?”

 

“There is the mark of a…a moon on your forehead. Only it's not quite a full moon; there's a curved yellow part that's a bit darker.”

 

`Oh, it's not enough to make me sound like the bastard; you've got to make me look like him, too?'

 

[It is not of my doing!]

 

“I don't fucking believe it,” he muttered disgustedly, but immediately winced as he felt Kagome stiffen in his arms. `Oh shit. She thinks I'm talking to her.'

 

“Gaah! Why don't you believe me?” She sat up abruptly, jerking away from his arms, and he let her go reluctantly. “You have a moon symbol in the middle of your forehead and part of it's darker! You baka! Why do you always have to argue with me?”

 

Trying to ignore her irritated glare, he gingerly felt his forehead. `The skin doesn't feel any different, but that doesn't mean the mark isn't there. A moon?'

 

(Why the hell would part of it be yellow?)

 

[Your brother's symbol is blue.]

 

“Fuck, I can't believe you. Quit yammering at me!” He belatedly realized he was speaking aloud again and braced for a `sit' as Kagome narrowed her eyes and inhaled. Just as she began to speak, Kaede's gnarled hand patted her on the shoulder, startling her into changing the dreaded word into a hissing gasp.

 

[Perhaps it would be best to keep our conversations solely to ourselves.]

 

`Fuck. Shut up, both of you!'

 

The old miko peered at his forehead. “Kagome speaks the truth, Inuyasha. `Tis like the mark of your brother but…`tis almost…,” Kaede hesitated and intently studied his forehead.

 

The elderly miko frowned as she inspected the mark; from her vantage point the faint circle bisected by a dark line seemed to be dimly glowing. `The yellow color on the one side...'tis pulling power from his chakras, but the symbol…should I tell him that it appears incomplete? The moon symbol makes sense with his brother's markings, but the lower portion of the moon is bulging. It reminds me of another symbol. `Tis almost….' She was startled from her musings by a fierce growl from Inuyasha. Glancing down, she realized that she had unknowingly reached out to touch his forehead and abruptly withdrew her hand. Swallowing against the sudden dryness in her mouth as he continued to growl, she hurriedly began to explain her thoughts. “It seems as if your brother's symbol—”

 

“Keh!” Inuyasha interrupted Kaede's explanation. “My half brother.” He glanced at Kagome. `Oh shit. She's still mad at me and we're gonna have another fight. Damnit!' Anticipating the “s” word, he surreptitiously eased into a position that would allow him to be brought down away from the iron-hard roots of the Goshinboku. `She'll say it and then try to run away, but this time…this time you're not gettin' anywhere near the well, Kagome. It's too dangerous.' As she glared at him, he started to smirk as he remembered how he had stopped her the last time she had been angry enough to say the spell. `Better yet, I'll kiss you first and, if you try to “sit” me, this time you're goin' down with me. I should've done that a long time ago.' He gave a snort of laughter as he imagined her reaction.

 

Kagome made an irritated face at him and crossed her arms. “It's not funny! You never had a mark on your forehead before.” She turned away from him and looked up at the older miko, who was still peering at Inuyasha's forehead. “What do you think it means, Kaede?”

 

Kaede jumped a bit as if startled out of deep thought. Shaking her head, she answered, “I am not sure, Kagome, but it is not the only thing that has changed about Inuyasha.” She backed up and eyed them both speculatively. “Ye are changing, as well…your aura is blending with Inuyasha's as if you have shared...,” her voice trailed off as they both blushed scarlet. `I wonder.' She met Inuyasha's gaze and he stared at her unblinkingly, refusing to look away. `Hhmmm. So that is the way the wind blows. And about time, too.' Trying to hide a smile, she looked away first and had to suppress a laugh as Inuyasha smirked triumphantly.

 

`Oh gods,' Kagome thought, embarrassed and totally at a loss for words, `she must know that we've kissed and that I want…that he…oh gods, I can't even look at her!' She reached up and pulled her hair to one side, nervously twisting it in a knot and turning her head to avoid looking straight at Kaede.

 

She was seated inches from Inuyasha and had unknowingly but effectively bared her neck in submission to him.

 

`Gods, this is worse than a “sit”!'

 

(She…must not realize…the effect on us.)

 

The youkai stayed silent as Inuyasha focused on Kagome, his clawed hands curling into fists as he resisted the urge to grab her. `Not in front of Kaede. Control.' Unconsciously he began a subtle, subsonic version of the Mate Call as his youki responded to her submission, his breathing shallow and fast as he watched her intently.

 

Kagome's response was immediate. `Why am I suddenly thinking about Inuyasha's fangs on my shoulder yesterday?' Her breathing sped up and, though she was unaware of it, her pupils dilated. She became very aware of the heat emanating from Inuyasha's body, so close to her own. 'Gods what is wrong with me? Kaede is standing right there, and I can't stop wishing he would touch me again.' She glanced at him, only to have her gaze arrested by the predatory expression on his face. His youkai stripes were beginning to appear and his eyes had changed color. He met her look, then his heated gaze roamed down to her exposed neck and slowly back up to her face again. The desire in his copper-colored eyes was palpable.

 

`Ohhh….' Kagome slowly let go of her hair, allowing it to cover her neck, all the while watching Inuyasha's face. His tongue stole out to moisten his lips, but his mouth remained slightly open as he held her gaze.

 

As her pulse quickened in response to the signals he was sending, his lips slowly curved up in a cocky grin. `Gods, I can hear her heart beat.'

 

Kaede turned away and allowed herself to smile as soon as the two could not see her face. `Well…it's obvious from the looks passing between them and the rise of youki and houriki that I'm in the way.' She began to walk toward the village, commenting over her shoulder, “Well, Inuyasha, now that Kagome is back to normal, ye will not mind if I return to my duties. I will leave ye both here.”

 

Kagome, flustered and suddenly nervous about being left alone, tried to get up to follow, but Inuyasha intensified the Mate Call just enough so that she could hear him. She abruptly sat down, her limbs refusing to obey her wishes. `What? Why don't my legs work? Is it that growl that Inuyasha is making? Is it some kind of spell? What kind of control does he have over me?' Irritated, she turned to him and hissed “We should help her get home, Inuyasha!”

 

`It is time you dealt with him by yourself, Kagome.' Kaede smiled broadly and waved the young miko off as she continued to walk toward the village. “Oh, do not bother about me, Kagome. I know that ye and Inuyasha have a few things to…talk about. I will enjoy the walk through the forest.” As Kagome opened her mouth to protest Inuyasha reached around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Glancing back at the sound of Kagome's startled gasp, Kaede chuckled softly and continued on. `Courage, young one!'

 

Kagome, mouth agape, fought her conflicting emotions as Inuyasha's arm held her possessively in place. `Kaede's leaving and there's no one to interfere now. No Mama, no Miroku, no Sango, no Shippo.' She felt her body respond to the throb of Inuyasha's growl and the heat of his body at her back, but she stiffened against the desire to melt into his embrace. `I want some explanations before his kiss turns me mindless again!'

 

Inuyasha felt Kagome stiffen and glanced over to the path where Kaede was hobbling away. `Damn! Can't she move any faster?' He gently pushed Kagome's hair to one side and increased the rumble of his Mate Call.

 

Kagome cleared her throat. “Inuyasha. We need to talk.”

 

`Damnit! Hurry up, old hag!' Kaede was still visible on the path to the village, but he gently ran his claws over Kagome's skin, pushing the flimsy material of her strange shirt off of her shoulder.

 

“No, I mean it! Inuyasha!” Kagome began to squirm in his grasp as he stroked one claw back up towards her neck. `Oh, my legs feel like jelly! Why can't I move away? It's got to be that sound Inuyasha is making!' She struggled against the enervation of her limbs. “Inuyasha! Stop that!”

 

He stopped stroking for a moment. “Stop what?”

 

“That…that growl. It makes me…I can't get up!”

 

His claw began a slow path back down her neck, lightly tracing the path of her rapid pulse. “Hhmmph. Maybe it's time you had a taste of your own medicine, wench.” He increased the volume of his Mate Call as Kaede finally disappeared over a rise.

 

“I'll `it' you!” Faster than she thought possible, she was flipped on her back so that she was staring up into Inuyasha's flushed face. His body weight held her in place as he gave her a self-satisfied smile.

 

“Go ahead, wench. “Sit” me! But don't expect an apology when I squash you and it hurts.”

 

Beginning to get angry, she hissed at him, “Get off me! I want some answers, and I want them now!” She pushed him away, but her strength was no match for his.

 

[She is the alpha female. Back off. We must…persuade her.]

 

“Gods, Kagome. You always have to talk!” He eased his weight off her but did not let her up. Keeping one arm over her stomach, he braced his chin against the fisted hand of the other arm and smirked at her. “I'm gonna stay right here. That way you can't “sit” me. What do ya' wanna talk about?” He grinned as anger made her eyes snap. `I should've done this a long, long time ago.'

 

She smacked his shoulder awkwardly, the blow carrying almost no force because of her position. “You baka! You stubborn…ooh!” She was silent for a moment, lips pressed together, glaring at him.

 

He cocked his head to the side and smirked at her. “Well? Talk!”

 

Sighing in irritation, she finally gave in. “Jerk! You win for now. Why were you using the Wind Scar back home?”

 

Startled by her request when he was expecting more questions about the symbol on his forehead, he raised his eyebrows but then gave a genuine smile as he thought of his practice session in Tokyo. “The Wind Scar's changed. I think working with that Taisei bastard has helped me get more control over the Tessaiga.” He couldn't resist turning his smile cocky again. “Why, were ya' worried about me?”

 

“You weren't attacked?” Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “You were just…playing?”

 

Her tone of voice irritated him. “I was practicing! Gods, wench, it's not as if you haven't seen the Wind Scar before!”

 

“You baka!” she hissed furiously. “Don't you know that they have a picture of you now? Do you know that the police are looking for you?” She raised her head off of the ground so that they were nose to nose and her voice went up in pitch and volume. “Did you ever think that I might be worried about you? And you were going to attack Miroku! What's the matter with you? You…you…baka!” She let her head flop back to the ground and stared up at the sky, huffing out an angry breath.

 

“Keh. Who cares about the police? They can't find me here, and I wasn't going to attack Miroku.” His voice gentled as he pushed a stray piece of hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. “I'm sorry I worried you, though.”

 

The tone of his voice disarmed her. `It's easy to fight with him; we've been practicing for years! But this new Inuyasha takes away my defenses.' Her heart seemed to twist in her chest and she quivered at her sudden sense of exposure; the way he was lying over her made it impossible to turn away and protect herself physically. Her feelings of vulnerability gave her an almost panicked desire to yell `sit' and she had to take a deep breath. `I still don't…there's still Kikyou and I don't know what all this is about. I don't care what Mama said.' Gathering her courage, she asked, “Umm…Inuyasha? What about…Kikyou?”

 

His body stiffened against hers and she thought she knew the answer. Biting her lower lip to stop the tears from coming, she turned her head to the side and closed her eyes. `She still has his heart. His body responds to mine, but he doesn't really want me.' She fought against tears as her heart twisted unmercifully in her chest.

 

Inuyasha had not been expecting her question and had been caught by surprise with his youkai's visceral reaction to Kikyou's name: anger.

 

[Kikyou was never our mate. We have wasted enough time on that bitch.]

 

(You must explain about our promise. We have to keep our promise to Kikyou.)

 

He stiffened even more as he smelled Kagome's tears. “Gods, Kagome, don't cry. Kagome, look at me.” Her lower lip trembled and she stifled a sob as she struggled to pull away from him. “Kagome, I gave my word to protect Kikyou from Naraku, and I will keep it. But I don't…I need…Kagome?” She still hadn't looked at him but her body had gone still underneath him. Clasping her to his chest, he rolled back and sat up, tucking her head under his chin. She was trembling as she crossed her arms over her stomach, so he began the Pack Call, holding her and trying to explain, to soothe her as her scent changed. “Kagome. I stay with you. I guard you. I watch over you in the night, when you're asleep.” He thrummed the Call, willing her to understand. `Gods, I'm no good with words.'

 

Kagome, trembling with anger that she could barely contain, hissed “You just need to protect your shard detector.” She swallowed hard against the bitter feelings of betrayal that gripped her. `That jerk! He's just playing with me—he still loves Kikyou! I'm so stupid!' She began to push against him. “You just want to finish the jewel.”

 

As the scent of her anger increased, he gaped and leaned away from her. “What? Kagome, you baka! Aren't you listening to me?”

 

She sprang to her feet, placed her hands on her hips, and leaned over him to glare into his face. “Oh, I'm listening all right! And what you're telling me is that you'll keep your word to Kikyou. To go to hell with her!” She stood back up and furiously swiped away a tear with a fisted hand, looking away from him. “But all the while you're…kissing me, and holding me, and making me feel like you…that you….” She fisted both hands and held them up by her head, her arms trembling with anger. “Gaah! You jerk! Quit playing with my emotions!”

 

`Oh shit, here it comes!' He reached out to grab her before she could say the word.

 

She brought both fists down and screamed, “Sit, boy!”

 

`Damnit!' Already moving toward her, he was caught by the spell and couldn't stop his momentum from carrying her to the ground underneath him. With what control he could muster, he tried to cushion her landing with his arms but she still fell hard and he heard her give a startled gasp. He could feel her body twisting underneath his as the spell wore off. Afraid that she would say the word again, he yelled, “Kagome! Damnit! Stop it! You aren't listening to me!” When the spell finally wore off, he pushed off and looked down at her.

 

She immediately curled into a fetal position on the ground, clutching her stomach and writhing; unable to breathe. He had knocked the wind out of her.

 

“Gods, Kagome! I didn't mean to hurt you! I just wanted you to listen to me!” He lifted her by the hips, trying to straighten her out and help her breathe again. “You baka wench! Why do you always have to say that stupid word? It doesn't make it any easier to talk to you, ya' know!” He pulled her out of her fetal curl and she finally began to breathe in long, shuddering gasps.

 

“Put…me…down…Inuyasha!” Kagome struggled with her emotions, blushing fiercely. Her backside was held firmly against Inuyasha's hard stomach muscles as he tried to help her, but it was both uncomfortably sensual and incredibly embarrassing. `Oh, hopefully he just thinks I'm red from trying to breathe!' She struggled in his grip and he pulled her hips a bit higher, obviously still unaware of her arousal and trying to help her get her breath. “Let me go!” she yelled.

 

“No. You'll just run to the well or sit me again.” Carefully, he turned her around in midair so that she was facing him. “I won't let you near that well right now, not after what just happened.” As she opened her mouth to respond, he narrowed his eyes and said sternly, “You will stay right here, far enough away from it so that you're safe, until you get trained by your teacher and can handle it.”

 

Ignoring the increasing color of his facial stripes, she narrowed her eyes back at him and leaned forward so that they were both nose to nose, glaring at each other. “Are you ordering me?”

 

He didn't move an inch. “Yup. And you will obey me in this.”

 

Kagome blinked at the change in the timbre of his voice, but her unresolved fury made her ignore it. “Obey you? OBEY YOU! You…arrogant…” she stopped, completely at a loss to express her indignation, her eyes sparkling with anger, her cheekbones flushed, and her whole body vibrating with emotion.

 

“You are a magnificent bitch.”

 

(Shit! Now you've done it, you baka youkai! She's gonna purify us!)

 

She stared at him, absolutely stunned. “What did you call me?”

 

“Uhh…it was a compliment?”

 

`Just shut up, both of you, until we get more control! You're not helping!' Inuyasha resisted the urge to drop Kagome and run as her houriki swelled with her anger. “Kagome! Uhhh…I'm a dog youkai! So…uhhh.”

 

“What…did you call me?” she asked through clenched teeth.

 

`You assholes! How am I going to salvage this one?'

 

(Tell her you love her.)

 

`Oh, shit.'

 

“Kagome, just listen. I…I know it doesn't…I'm not good at this, damnit!”

 

“WHAT DID YOU CALL ME!” she yelled, her hands fisting on his chest as her eyes flashed with anger.

 

[Magnificent. Why should we not acknowledge that she is our bitch? Let me speak with her again.]

 

`No way in all the hells.'

 

[Then use my power. If we are to find control you must allow me more freedom.]

 

(You'd better use me, too, unless you want to terrify her. Tell her we love her!)

 

“Oh, hell! Kagome, I love you.” The Mate Call rumbled through his words as he spoke. `Gods, I won't have to let Kikyou take me to hell. Here come a thousand sits.'

 

“I SAID, WHAT….” Her eyes widened and her fists opened as she grabbed the front of his suikan. “What…what did you just say?”

 

“I said I love you.” He closed his eyes and stopped the Mate Call, waiting for the inevitable rejection. `This is not going to work. Why would she want a hanyou's love?'

 

“You love me?” Giving a cry that was half laughter, half a sob, she flung her arms around his neck and kissed him hard on the mouth.

 

Pleasantly surprised, he tightened his arms. `Wow.'

 

(That worked out well.)

 

[Perhaps we both have our uses, human. If this is how our bitch wants her alpha, I have no complaints.]

 

He began the Mate Call again and started to deepen the kiss, but she pushed back away from him.

 

“But you just called me a bitch and you're ordering me around!” She glared at him in spite of the turmoil in her emotions. `He loves me? Wait, his eyes and his cheek stripes are…but…he said he loves me!'

“A magnificent bitch.” He tightened his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. “And I know what's best for you right now, so you'd better listen to me.”

 

She bristled a bit at his tone and held him off by pushing against his chest, trying to ignore the feel of his muscled arms as they wrapped around her. “You are the most…arrogant…I can't believe you!” She looked down, confused by her body's response to the youki she could feel emanating from him. `What has gotten in to him? What has gotten into me?'

 

(She's as red as a beet. It's kind of cute.)

 

[It is more than the anger from our fight. Can you not tell from her scent and the elevation of her houriki? She is aroused.]

 

`Aroused, huh?' He let her go gently and leaned casually back against the Goshinboku, one foot on the ground and the other pressed back against a root. He placed his hands behind his back, fingers pressing lightly against the bark. He willed his body to look relaxed and at ease, as if he had all the time in the world, but in reality he had just placed himself in the perfect position to pounce. He could not see the prominent stripes of his youkai on his face or the darkened, copper color of his eyes. “Keh. I know what you need right now.” he purred, grinning as her heart rate increased and her eyes dilated. “You can't tell me that you don't want me…you can't hide your scent. And I do know what's best for you.”

 

`Gaah! The conceited…he knows I'm aroused? His stripes are…but he loves me.' Confused by the mixture of emotions that he had stirred in her, she began to circle sideways, trying to gain the side of the tree closer to the well. “Baka! It's unfair that you can use my scent against me! What makes you think you know what I want?”

 

A grin crept up one side of his mouth while his red-gold eyes assessed her, gauging the distance between them. “Oh, I know, my jigokuneko, and I think it's time I showed you,” he threatened, his voice rumbling with the Mate Call.

 

Kagome froze, big-eyed, feeling the throb of the Mate Call in every wary nerve of her body. The urge to run away to the well and the urge to run into his arms fought for supremacy.

 

“Do you know what we're doing, Kagome?” he asked, his voice persuasive and seductive with his Call. “This is our mating ritual, jigokuneko. We fight with each other, we argue, we get under each other's skin. But this is no real fight, you magnificent bitch, because you want me.” He brought his shoulders away from the tree slowly, stalking her, tensing his thigh muscles for a spring.

 

`Gods help me…he's right. I do want him. But…he's being such a…a…gaah! I can't think!' She waited, her eyes sparking with desire even as she remained tense and wary, watching his subtle movements and knowing that he was coming for her. “I ought to `it' you! You think I'm your bitch and you can order me around?”

 

He smirked and increased the power of the Mate Call. “Damn right.”

 

“Oh, you…you baka!” She tensed to run away as she felt a power in her rise to meet his increased youki. `Why do I feel like a rabbit staring at a hunting dog?'

 

He could feel her aroused response to his Call, as if her houriki was intertwining with his youki. “I'll only hunt you for so long, Kagome,…” He bared his fangs in a dominance gesture and growled “…before I pounce.”

 

Springing forward, he caught her with ease before she even had a chance to leap away. He spun around and pinned her against the Tree, holding her up at his level effortlessly, demanding her submission with a deep kiss. His roughened thumbs stroked the sides of her breasts while his lips controlled hers and he intensified the Mate Call. In an unconscious mimicry of his own imprisonment, he held her captive against the Goshinboku, his tongue fierce and probing as he tasted her.

 

At last he freed her mouth, gazing with fierce copper eyes into her face.

 

“Be my mate, Kagome.”

 

She gasped and stared at him, her eyes glazed. “What? I…your…how can I think when you're holding me this way?” They both seemed to realize at the same time that he had her pinned to the tree. “Let me down, Inuyasha!”

 

Gazing into her face, he lowered his arms and let her touch the ground but kept his hands on her ribs, running his thumbs along the lower sides of her breasts. His touch swept up and nearly reached her taut nipples before teasingly sliding away again. She shivered at the sensation, wincing as the tree bark scraped her skin.

 

“Oh gods, I didn't…did I hurt you, Kagome? I didn't mean to hurt you.” He continued to voice the Mate Call and arched an eyebrow. As she shook her head and let out a small moan in response to his thumb's teasing caresses, he bent down and kissed her lips, suckling on the lower lip to draw it between his fangs, tasting gently with the tip of his tongue. Her mouth fell open with a sigh of desire, but he did not take the invitation. He began to take little tastes of her skin, following the soft line of her jaw to the pulse point near her ear. He breathed on her there, rumbling his Call, letting the combined effect of the warmth of his kisses and the cool of his breath assert his dominance. He was rewarded with a soft moan, and a cocky grin spread across his face.

 

`Damn if this alpha male thing isn't fun.'

 

For the second time in as many days, they were interrupted by an unwelcome intruder.

 

He lifted his head, testing the air. The familiar scent was growing stronger, coming their way, and even more faintly behind it was the scent of his sensei, Yourei Taisei.

 

[This will cause trouble.] The youkai changed the Mate Call to a challenging rumble.

 

(Well, we've made our choice, but we still have a promise to keep.)

 

[Protect our chosen Mate. The other has tried to harm her in the past.]

 

Inuyasha turned to face the path to the village, pulling Kagome behind his back. “Damnit! Stay behind me, Kagome. Kikyou is coming.”

 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Translation:

Cave canem, te necet lingendo! Latin; Beware of the dog, he may lick you to death!

 

Jigokuneko: Japanese; hell cat, (special thanks to Fenikkusuken for the translation)

 

Yellow color: representative of the power chakra; greater mental and emotional control.