InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fetch ❯ Risk (Part One) ( Chapter 13 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: You know, I really hate reality. In reality, I have to admit that I do not own the characters of Inuyasha. However, reality is for those who don't have dreams. Since I do, I can dream of a world where I do own. One, preferably, where there are no nasty lawyers in fancy suits with papers full of legalese. I also do not own the Parker Bros. game Risk.

A/N: These next three chapters are not going to follow the light-hearted romance of the rest of the story, for the simple reason that this chapter, and the next, are the set-up for the final battle, and then the third is the final battle. After that, though... the romance and lemons are on.

I know that this chapter was rather short, but if I'd written the whole thing in one chapter, it would have been too long, instead.

---oOo---

Kagome shivered. The Shikon was close... and it was tainted, horribly. This meant, of course, that Naraku was also close. That fact deeply bothered her. It was more than just the fact of what had happened last night, when Inuyasha had destroyed all of the saimyousho that were spying, and more than the fact that the battle with the dark hanyou was looming.

It was the undeniable fact that as soon as Naraku was defeated... she'd be immediately dragged off to warm her Lord's bed. Not that that was a bad thing: it was awesome. The problem came on because she was undeniably nervous of that simple fact. What virgin wouldn't be?

Now, if it were someone like Hojo that was going to be her husband, she wouldn't be nervous at all. The guy was sweet, but he was a mouse - timid and weak. Average.

Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, was not.

He was hundreds of years old, the most powerful and wealthy diayoukai in all of Nippon, and he was the single most gorgeous male that existed on the planet.

And Kagome was a tiny, insignificant ningen female with no more than passable looks. Her body was fairly decent, as far as ningens went, but she was like a brown wren compared to a peacock...

She was beginning to believe Kikyou's livid words... how in the hell could she ever hope to keep his attentions? He'd get bored with her almost immediately... she was sure of it.

With a heavy sigh, she glanced ahead at Inuyasha. He'd taken point position, and was leading the pack carefully in the direction she'd felt the jewel, while Sesshoumaru held the rear - leaving Sango to flank one side, and Miroku to take the other.

Leaving me all protected like the helpless child I am. If I were Kikyou, I'd be securing one of the flanks, not hiding with the children in the middle.

With a despairing glance at the hanyou ahead of her, and then one to the Inu Lord behind her, she looked away, shamed.

How did I ever think I could be of any value to these people...

Or Sesshoumaru?

---oOo---

Sesshoumaru was not happy right at this particular time. He could literally feel the despairing thoughts flooding his miko's mind, and wounding her heart, and it was aggravating his instinctual need to protect her. Most ningens didn't realize that a youkai's protective side was almost programmed to protect a mate from everything - including themselves, their doubts, emotional pain, anything that could harm them.

She was feeling unworthy right now... and that was completely unacceptable to him.

I need to finish this game of Naraku's soon - I have lost patience with this mess.

Sending his aura out in waves, he noted another aura's signature, and wondered if Inuyasha had yet realized that the clay miko was also in the area... and heading in the same direction they were. With an unnoticeable flick of his golden eyes, Sesshoumaru looked to his miko, and realized that she did know.

It seems that we all draw near to the low-level half-breed and his evil... but the clay miko, I do not trust her. She will attempt to harm my onna, and that, I will not tolerate. Perhaps I should have Kagome protect the rear for a few moments while I go take care of this threat...

But at the last minute, he decided against it. There was too much danger here, and he would not leave his miko's side. Too much could go wrong.

At that moment, Kagome gasped, her back arching as she cried out, and with a red-rimmed gaze, he leapt to her side, grabbing her and pulling her into a protective embrace. Enraged at the sight of his miko in pain, he growled out, "What is the matter, onna?!"

She gasped again, and her body convulsed, then slowly relaxed, and she opened eyes she hadn't even realized she'd closed.

"It was Naraku," she managed to get out. "He was attempting to get inside my mind - so he could force me to bring him the shards." She looked up hazily at Sesshoumaru's concerned eyes and finished, "He fears you... and even more he fears you and Inuyasha together. He wants to finish this without facing you until he has managed to take the jewel and make his wish."

Reaching out a shaking hand, she said, "We should stop here for the night. I was able to get enough out of his mind - he has no intentions of attacking until he has the jewel unless as a last resort, so we are safe for today and tonight at least." Just as Inuyasha started to disagree, she shook her head. "No, Inuyasha. Even if you keep going, he won't face us right now, so there's no point. And... I need to think about something. Something that came to me when he was in my head."

Sesshoumaru looked at her, then his brother, then let his gaze touch the other two adults, seeking agreement, then when he received it, grudgingly in Inuyasha's case, he nodded down at her.

"Very well, onna, we will stop here. But I will speak with you," here he eyed her with a no-nonsense gaze, "about whatever it is that is on your mind."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Wait just a minu--" she broke off as he growled at her.

"Mate, you will not argue with this Sesshoumaru. You will obey my words." As she once again opened her mouth, he finished, "This discussion is over, miko."

At that, she glared up at him, but then what he'd said kicked in, and her face went blank. He'd called her mate... he was calling rank when he did so, letting her know that her alpha was speaking, so she lowered her gaze, and biting her lip, simply nodded.

He let a pleased rumble exit from deep in his chest; she was responding as a mate should, knowing instinctively what he was saying with his words. That she gave him the respect due him as her mate and alpha pleased him even further - he was well aware that had anyone else said something like that to her, she'd have fought tooth and nail against them.

She was submitting... and only to him. That was as it should be - she out-ranked everyone else as his mate-to-be, so she should not submit to anyone elses will but his.

His gaze softening on her as the rest of the group moved off to set up camp, he asked, "Are you alright, Kagome?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I'm okay." With that, she smiled slightly at him, then moved away to help set up camp, and he continued to watch her for a moment, before turning to stare off into the distance... towards the dark hanyou's aura - and the clay miko's as well.

Kagome is planning something. I wonder...

---oOo---

That evening after dinner, Sesshoumaru stood and held out his hand for Kagome, not even needing to say a word. She already knew what he was after, and after thinking about what she had since they'd made camp early in the afternoon, she was ready to talk it out with him.

After all, a great deal of the fight would be on his shoulders if they went through with what she had planned.

The thing was, she really could not see what else they could do. At this point, Naraku's strength came from the unlimited energy that he received from the shards of the jewel he held. He could keep fighting indefinitely with that energy, regenerating himself an infinite number of times. Somehow, they needed to take that energy source away.

And she had figured out how to do it.

Following silently along behind her youkai Lord, she shivered as another thought, unrelated to her plan, arced through her consciousness like a comet through the night sky.

He had called her mate.

She knew that's what he wanted, of course, and that he was merely waiting for Naraku to be finished to claim her as such... in fact, she had the feeling that, provided they all survived the coming confrontation, she'd be mated before the week was out. But to hear him call her that out loud before the others... it struck her deep in the soul.

Finally... someone who wasn't ashamed to claim her - out loud.

Especially since she wasn't worth much, and certainly not worth his attentions.

Shaking herself of those thoughts as Sesshoumaru came to a halt at the edge of a small stream and sat down on a boulder at the edge of it, she sat down as well, taking off her shoes and socks and putting her feet into the cool water. It felt wonderful, and she leaned back with a contented sigh.

With a raised brow, Sesshoumaru turned and met her gaze. "Well?"

Kagome chuckled. "In my time, there is a board game, you know, like the game I played with Rin and Shippo yesterday," he nodded as he thought back to the odd sort of game she'd pulled from her pack to share with the children, "only this one is for adults. It is a game of strategy, mostly, but there is also a small element of chance, as well. It is called Risk, pretty much for that reason. To conquer the world..." she trailed off slowly, her thoughts going far away for a moment.

Sesshoumaru merely waited, not saying a word, and eventually, she continued.

"It seemed an appropriate name to apply to my plan, since there is a great deal of strategy in this... and a small amount of chance." She watched him with shadowed eyes, and he nodded, once again waiting for her to continue.

He was not, however, in any way prepared for what she said next.

"I'm going to let Naraku complete the jewel and make his wish - it's the only way to defeat him."

---oOo---

A/N: Shocking? Sorry about the cliffie, but I couldn't resist the dramatic pause. However, I won't make everyone wait long for the next chapter, where Kagome will outline her daring plan... I will probably be posting it tomorrow night, or monday morning.

Amber