InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fateful Night ❯ Firelight Kisses ( Chapter 12 )

Disclaimer: Orion doest not ownith the Inuyasha.

A/N: Starting right into the next chapter no break. started out writing this chapter with a totally different outlook than what happened to get set to paper. Oh well guess you'll have to wait for the other part (one I intended to write in this chapter) next chapter. I hope u don't find this one too boring if u do please keep reading it I promise you'll like the ending ^__^ Ok bye read and PLEASE REVIEW. Reviews are what I feed my muse on.

Jinx: "And you wonder why I disappear so often."

Orion: ::tying jinx to a chair:: "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

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Chapter 12

Firelight Kisses

Blazing energy flew through the air focused in the shape of a simple arrow. Bitter cold burned excruciating pain through his heart. Icy fingers leeched the warmth from his body as they stole his life and thoughts. Brown eyes nearly black with hate glittered before him wrapping him in sorrow and fear.

A blinding flash of light snapped him back form the memory Kagome's fiery arrow had sent crashing down on him. Shaking the tattered remains of that vision from his mind he stared up at the Shikon No Tama as it fell from the man who was vanishing in Kagome's purification energy.

Light shone brightly within the tama glittering cracks crazed its surface spreading form the heart of the jewel wrapping around it in random patterns. Light flashed in pulsing beats and then the tama tore itself apart shattering into countless pieces that streaked across the darkening sky each a tiny path of streaming light.

Stunned Inuyasha stared at the dazzling display. The arcing paths of countless light shone brightly across the darkening sky for several minutes. A small noise beside him caught his attention. Glancing down he saw Kagome staring blindly up into the sky. Irrational anger clouded his mind and he crouched ears flat, "What have you done?" he demanded his voice choked with swirling emotions. Anger, confusion, pain, sorrow and even the desire to gather the blinking woman into his arms spun wildly through him.

All other thoughts and emotions drained out of him as her pain filled deep blue eyes turned to him leaving him with only the need to gather her safely into his arms. Shame and regret sang in his heart at the sound of her soft voice filled with such torment and pain as she blamed herself for her fiancé's fate. The self-condemning remark sapped what little strength she had left and Kagome fell forward into his chest surrendering to the painless void of unconsciousness.

Inuyasha lifted her into his arms. Cradling the woman gently he stood, turned and started towards the village. The others still stood silent in their shock barely noticing Inuyasha as he passed them on his way out of the clearing.

Old Kaede was the first to turn and follow the pair. The destruction of the jewel was a shock to her but she knew better than most that all things came to be for a reason. Sighing she wondered how troublesome this turn of events was likely to be. She was getting old and couldn't move around the countryside like she once had. She admitted to herself that she now had the strength to protect only her own village these days.

`I'll be needing more zel root." She muttered thinking about how drained she had been after holding the barrier around the village and healing Kagome the night before. Looking down the path she watched Inuyasha disappear around a bend in the path and sighed again.

"That boy, I wonder when he'll realize what is happening between the two of them?" Chuckling she shook her head.

Miroku stared at the spot the Shikon no Tama had been when it shattered. `How?' he thought over and over `How had it happened? How?' The image of the cracking jewel replayed in his head countless times and he watched fascinated and horrified at the same time. `How had she done that?'

The monk sank to the ground deep in thought pondering the possibilities, his trained mind finally pushing back the shock and slowly started arranging the events as they played out again in his memory. Calmly he sat laying out the day separating each sequence so that he could examine them carefully.

So absorbed in his contemplation Miroku didn't notice the darkness falling over the clearing until Sango lit a fire directly in front of him. Blearily looking up at her he smiled faintly before sinking deeper into his meditative state.

Fighting his rage Kouga slowly eased out of his crouch backing away from the siren song of anger that called to him, urging his youkai blood into violence. The sight of Kagome's guilt ridden eyes had sent him into such a rage it had nearly choked him with its intensity. The accusing and demeaning words of Naraku and the man she called Hojo rang in his ears feeding the fires of violent rage.

The image of Kagome trapped in the punishing arms of the cruel mockery of a man flickered before him. Clinching his fists Kouga ignored the bite of his sharp claws as they punctured his palms, until the smell of his own blood snapped him out of his blood lust. Staring down at his hands he watched the scarlet liquid well up from eight matching crescent shaped punctures and slide off his palms and drip to the ground.

The blood reminded him of Kagome's face smeared with her own blood spilt during the battle with Mistress Centipede. Kagome and Inuyasha hadn't even had time to wash the blood and dirt of that battle from themselves before Naraku had appeared bringing with him a pain far worse than that caused by physical wounds.

Remembering that Kagome had only been able to partially heal her own wounds before the demon's appearance Kouga searched the clearing for her. The only remaining members of their group, Sango and Miroku were sitting silently next to a fire that the taijiya was feeding. A pile of wood he had splintered earlier lay near her. Looking at the monk he noticed Miroku sat ramrod straight while every muscle was fully relaxed in a stance Kouga immediately recognized.

The houshi had placed himself in a trance. Curious he walked over to Sango, pausing beside her and gestured to the silent man opposite her.

"What is he doing?"

"Not sure. He slipped into the trance just after the jewel shattered." She looked up at him and Kouga could see the anger and worry mingled in her eyes.

"What happened Kouga? How…why, did the Shikon no Tama shatter like that?"

Laying his hand on her shoulder he squeezed gently before glancing back up at the starry sky. Each twinkling light reminded him of the brilliant paths caused by the shards of the jewel as they blazed their way across the sky.

"I don't know Sango. Where is Kagome?" he asked, again searching the clearing for Inuyasha. He knew that she would be wherever the silver haired hanyou was.

"They left a while ago. Kouga." When he looked back at her she continued. "She needs him. Don't let him leave her alone tonight." Nodding absently Kouga sped off towards the village.

Sango watched Kouga dash out of the clearing and then turned back to watch Miroku. He sat across from her oblivious to the world, his legs crossed hands resting lightly on his knees. His deep purple eyes were closed. Sango watched his face following the curve of his feathery dark lashes as they rested on his tan cheeks. Trailing her eyes over the high cheek bones to the strong line of his jaw she chuckled lightly when she noticed the smug little half smile ever present on his lips.

`Soft lips behind that smile.' She thought.

"Soft? Why did I just think that?" Shaking her head Sango directed her gaze to the fire ignoring the dark clad man across from her. Her mind distracted form her contemplation of the houshi turned once more to the shattering of he Shikon no Tama.

`What happened to it? Did Kagome do that? Why would she? How had she done it?' questions scuttled through her mind each chasing the next none of which she had answers for.

"Naraku!" she growled out as the demon's masked face flickered before her in the orange flames. Jabbing another log into the fire Sango bit back a curse. "Why must he bring nothing but sorrow to everyone I know?" she asked the crackling flames. Receiving no answer yet again she sighed and raised her eyes to the stars above her.

Remembering the cruelness of Hojo, Sango shuttered. If the man who had been Kagome's fiancé could become such a horrible hate filled monster that cared nothing for the pain and grief he inflicted on his love, what would Kohaku become under Naraku's influence?

The stars blurred behind her tears and she scrubbed furiously at her cheeks angry at herself for crying. Tossing more wood onto the fire Sango continued to dash the tears from her face. The fear the worry and the despair of the past few days closed around her tearing down her walls forcing her to express the repressed emotions she'd always kept hidden.

She didn't notice she had moved to the houshi's side until the scent of jasmine and cedar incense washed over her. Startled she started to back away already looking for the wandering hands of the monk. But he didn't even acknowledge her presence. His notoriously frisky hands still lay motionless on his knees.

Staring at him Sango watched his chest raise and fall in deep even breaths straining against the layered fabric of his indigo and purple robes. Corded muscle lay just under that home spun fabric. She had treated his wounds many times over the past two years and often seen his tone lean muscles. She remembered the feel of his golden brown skin, silky and warm under her fingers each time she nursed him. At those times it was hard for her to break her contact with him memories of liberties taken against her body faded from her mind and only the intoxicating charisma of the monk remained in her focus.

Of course he always ruined those moments by groping her. And that would make her angry. Angry that he had done it, angry that she hadn't noticed his reaching hands, angry at why she hadn't noticed. Which meant he soon bore a new injury. Sango sighed brokenly and leaned against Miroku's shoulder too weighed down by her own sorrow and worry to dwell on her feud with his wandering hands.

The warmth and incense laden scent emanating from him calmed her tears and she relaxed against him thinking she would savor his strength only for a few minutes and move away before he emerged from his trance.

Miroku's mind slowly surface from the depths of his contemplation. He had his answers and he believed they were reasonable ones, extraordinary, heart breaking and amazing but reasonable. Shifting his stiffened muscles he became aware of a light weight resting against him.

Frowning he probed the presence with his still heightened scenes and nearly fell over in surprise. Speeding up his assent from the trance Miroku opened his eyes and slowly turned his head to peer down at the woman sleeping against him. `Have I died and gone to nirvana?' he wondered briefly before he noticed wavering tracks streaking her dusty face. `She's been crying. Sango's been crying?' He had never seen her cry not once.

Even in the bunt out ruin of her village she hadn't cried as she said her goodbyes beside the freshly dug graves of her clan. Violet eyes softened as he gazed down at the woman leaning against him. A light breeze fluttered across them raising her ebony bangs away from her softly closed eyes.

Her porcelain smooth face gleamed in the firelight. Miroku's eyes were drawn to her full poutty lips as the firelight danced flickering shadows across them. He bit his own lips determined not to spoil this moment by waking her with his wandering hands. When she shivered against the cool breeze his endurance snapped and he eagerly took the opportunity to excuse himself from his actions.

`She's cold I'm just keeping her warm.' His mind supplied as he gently wrapped his arms around her drawing her closer to him. Giddy delight washed over him at the sound of her contented sigh as she rested her head on his chest. Leaning back Miroku nearly toppled them both over before he realized they were still in the middle of the clearing with nothing for him to rest against.

Chuckling softly he looked around the fire searching for Kirara. The tiny two tailed cat was grooming herself opposite him clearly unaffected by her companion's position in the arms of the man she so often attacked.

"Kirara." Miroku hissed quietly gaining the felines pink and amber gaze. "Could I impose upon your kindness?"

Miroku watched the youkai glance between him and the sleeping form of her mistress. He could have sworn he saw amusement shining in her intelligent eyes as she stood and paced over to them transforming into her true form as she came. Bumping her head gently into his back and giving a soft purr Kirara settled behind Miroku allowing him to lean back against her as he cradled her best friend and constant companion.

Sango woke to the feel of someone running their hand gently though her hair. Mumbling in half coherent pleasure she opened her sleep fogged eyes and froze. Her view was dominated by purple and indigo, a strongly muscled copper brown arm slanted across that field of cloth and draped lightly over her ribs. Beneath her cheek the tight woven robes rose and fell in deep even breaths and she could hear the strong and steady heart beat echoing in his chest.

Each sensation sent shivering trills along her skin heating her face and quickening her breath. Even as she savored the feel of the rough fabric on her face and the warm strong arm wrapped around her panic settled over. How had she wound up in his arms? A furious blush consumed her face, the thought of him waking to find her draped over him shamed her.

A low whimper escaped her despite her resolve to remain silent. The hand in her hair froze at the sound before it gently rested against her hip. An odd part of her brain noticed that for once he was not groping her butt before all such thoughts were wiped form her mind. She could hear his light baritone rumbling deep in his chest before the words even reached his lips.

"Are you awake Sango? Are you okay?" he asked softly

"How did I get here houshi sama?" she asked voice wavering.

"You were asleep when I came out of my trance." He soothed noticing her fear and worry. Trying not to spook her he continued. "You were shivering so I wrapped my arm around you. Sango I'm sorry I was playing with your hair it was just so soft."

Shocked Sango glanced up at him. The look in his eyes called to her heart wrapping her in warmth while her mind shied away from that intense amethyst gaze. Shivering with conflicting instincts one telling her to run while the other demanded she cling to this man with all her strength Sango froze and stared wide eyed up at Miroku.

Pain gripped his heart at the look of fear in her eyes. `Kami be dammed!' he mentally screamed hoping he hadn't ruined all hope for them by his impulsiveness. He had longed to hold her in his arms like this for a year and a half. He knew she was afraid. Afraid to grow too attached to anyone, afraid to lose someone else she cared for. So she refused to care too much. He believed half the reason she hit him so hard was because she was demanding her own heart not to care for him.

"Sango please don't look at me like that."

She looked away at his words and brought her hands up to rest on his chest. Miroku knew she was about to push away from him and he started to let her go disappointment and loss written plainly across his face had she turned to see it.

Behind him Kirara growled softly before shifting suddenly just as Sango pushed herself up out of his embrace. Losing her balance the taijiya fell forward and Miroku wrapped his arms around her once again. Propped against him her face inches from his Sango could barely breathe. She could feel his strong arms holding her loosely.

"Sango?" she watched his lips move as they spoke her name. Licking her lips she dragged her gaze back to his eyes. What she saw there stilled the breath in her lungs and sent a flock of eagles to flight in her stomach. Dark lashes lined his half open darkened violet eyes that shone pure emotion back at her. Licking her lips again Sango tried to restart her breathing, her mind screaming for her to run as her body rebelled and sank further into his arms.

Miroku moaned roughly as he watched her pink tongue dart out a second time moistening her full dark lips. When he felt her relax against him he couldn't hold himself back any longer. Dipping his head he captured her glistening lips in a hungry questioning kiss. Eyes open he stared at her begging for her acceptance. He watched her doe brown eyes widen in shock and then slowly black lashes slid over their wavering depths and she was responding to his kiss.

Sango hungrily pressed into his warm lips. They were softer than she had imagined, as they gently caressed her own. As Miroku lavished warm soft kisses against her lips she hungered to taste him. Reaching out her tongue she lightly ran the tip over the crease of his mouth as it rested against hers. Wanting more Sango slipped her tongue between his lips as they parted on a gasp. She nearly pulled away from him when she felt her tongue meet his, but his hand slid up her neck and cupped her head his fingers tangled in her hair. He held her there as he slowly slid his tongue across hers and into her mouth.

Moaning at the sensations Sango wrapped her arms around his neck and continued to explore his mouth as he did the same. Occasionally they pulled apart their kisses becoming light and quick as they stared into each others eyes. Each time the cooling passion of their kisses would fan into raging flames once more until they hungrily succumbed to the fiery dance of deep heartfelt kisses.

Kirara purred softly as the tension and repressed emotions spilled over normally iron clad barriers. She slowly drifted off to sleep as the two humans resting against her continued to cling together sharing and mingling their strength in frenzied kisses too long repressed.

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A/N: Well I thought I'd end on a slightly more positive note this chapter. I don't want to send anyone into a fit of depression. But don't get too use to it, Kagome has some major issues to work out next chappy and IT will not be a happy chapter (warning). Glares at Jinx who keeps insisting on running away from me in the middle of depressing and anguishing scenes that HE INSPIRED TO BEGING WITH! :: pants:: ^__^;; that the real reason you got a happy ended chapter today. :: runs off before readers assimilate that information::

PS I think I used "tongues" a lot in the end of this chapter sorry couldn't think of any other word for that appendage.