InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ For The Love of An Enemy ❯ Tetsusagia: A Deal ( Chapter 11 )

Tetsusagia: A Deal

Yes, he had watched over her all night and day. He had cleaned the blood off her broken body and reset her arm, and he had done it with a gentleness that belied his strength and tendency for violence. Surprisingly that was all he had to do, her new demon powers allowing her to heal faster. He had done all this while she slept; he had preferred it that way. She turned restlessly in her sleep, her hair falling across her face with each movement. She murmured in her sleep, unintelligible words that he did not understand until she whispered his name.

"Sesshoumaru" she said on a breathy sigh, and then her movements ceased, and she slept peacefully. The sound of her name coming from her lips had on odd effect on him. Unable to resist the urge he had been suppressing all night, he reached over her and gently brushed the stray tendrils of silver and black off of her face, letting his fingers trail across her check, tracing the midnight blue streaks in a tender caress. It was then that Kagome woke up, with Sesshoumaru's face inches above her own and his hand lightly cupping her cheek.

~~

She drifted back into consciousness with a feathery touch and the smell of autumn. She opened her eyes slowly, reluctant to leave the dreamy haze, and found herself staring into the golden eyes of Sesshoumaru. Then it all came rushing back, the nightmare, the pain, the fear…Naraku. The she remembered the Lord's promise, looking into his eyes she realized he had kept it. Her heart warmed as she realized that this demon was not so evil after all.

She slowly brought her hand up to cover the one that still rested on her face, "Thank you Sesshoumaru" she whispered, not wanting to ruin the moment, "thank you for protecting me." She saw a spark of emotion briefly flash in eyes before he pulled his hand away from her face and stood up.

"I kept my promise, that is all." He said, the cold, impassive mask back in place.

"You didn't have to" she replied as she pushed herself into a sitting position, "and I thank you for that."

He stood there for a moment, unmoving, before a nodded his hand in a silent welcome. That was all she would get from Sesshoumaru, and it was all that she needed.

"Naraku is back" she said, her voice taking on a more serious tone.

"So you said."

"We have to kill him…again" she replied bitterly, "we have to destroy him before he destroys everybody, humans and youkai alike." We have to kill him before he destroys me she added in her head.

"We?" Sesshoumaru questioned. "Naraku is your problem, not mine. I do not involve myself in battles with inferior hanyous."

"He has gotten stronger, he's more powerful than even you."

"Nobody is stronger than me" he replied arrogantly.

"You're a fool" Kagome said angrily. The lord's haughty nature and extreme cockiness was irritating her. His life was in danger as well, not just hers.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed dangerously, he did not like being called a fool. "I have no reason to help you miko." And with that he began to walk out of the room.

"Tetsusagia" The one word stopped him in his tracks and made him turn around and face the woman who had pulled the sword into her lap.

"If you help me to defeat Naraku I will give you the Tetsusagia." Kagome hated to part with the sword that she knew was never meant to be in his hands. But Naraku was too powerful, he wanted the world, he wanted her, and she would not be able to stop him on her own. She needed help, she needed Sesshoumaru.

"The sword is not in your power to give to me woman"

"Is that so?" she replied "I am its master, do you really think I don't know how to break the bond I have formed with it and how to transfer it to the hand of another?" She watched surprise light his eyes at her revelation.

"I do not believe you" he said calmly, refusing to find hope in her words.

"This Kagome does not lie" she replied, mimicking Sesshoumaru's speech, earning a hard look from the demon.

"Very well" he replied, "I will help to destroy Naraku, and when he is dead Tetsusagia will be mine" At his words Kagome felt a wave of happiness and relief wash over her. With Sesshoumaru by her side there was hope.

"Thank you" she said as he walked out of the room, the only sign that he had heard was the slight hesitation in his step as he left. She didn't care, they were going to win. Pushing the covers aside she got out of bed, slowly, the pain a dull numb that went through her whole body, and got dressed. She was going to be prepared, this time when she killed Naraku he would not be able to come back.

~~

Sesshoumaru stood in his study, gazing at the portrait of the mother he still missed. She's so much like her he thought. The beauty, the unyielding strength, and the bright fire that fueled her spirit. She had touched him, as much as hated to admit it she had. He would fight Naraku, he would destroy him, and Tetsusagia would be his and the woman would be out of his life…forever. Leaving the study, he made his way to his room, hating himself more with each step knowing that his heart would be lonely without her touch.

~~

Naraku let an evil grin spill across his face. The time was coming. He could feel it, he yearned for it with every part of his black and twisted being. He had seen the great inu lord through Kagome's dream, he had recognized the emotion hiding behind the indifference and the coldness, he recognized the emotion Sesshoumaru had yet to acknowledge and he knew that he would have to deal with the lord as well as the woman. But it didn't matter, he was stronger and more powerful than either of them could even imagine. He would claim Kagome, ruthlessly and violently as Sesshoumaru watched, he would destroy them both, and then he would be the only one left. With no one to contest his power he would rule the pathetic world. Turbulent gray skies, black scorched earth, corpses of humans and youkai littering the land, this was his dream, his beautiful destruction.

The time was coming…soon.

A/N:

NightChild01: On your favorites list???...YAY!!!

Cleopatra VII: You know…I always though Naraku was more evil than he let on… (;

Sesshousbabe13: Thank you very much!!!!!!!!!!

Nankinmai: Grammar mistakes…me?...no way!!! (: