InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ In Death, Trust Me, as You Didn't in Life ❯ First Meetings ( Chapter 27 )

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

Chapter 27: First Meetings

Kagura eyed the so-called sorceress with a bit of disbelief. This was the woman that was supposed to be so powerful?! She looked to be no more than a normal human female - save for her eyes, which... come to think of it, didn't really look like normal human eyes.

But still!

Nyoko watched the wind demoness watch her with a great deal of amusement. She got this particular reaction a lot, if the truth were to be known, and she usually derived much pleasure (and laughter) from it.

"So, you mean to tell me that you are Nyoko, and you're a sorceress?" Kagura was highly suspicious of this woman - perhaps she was just a figurehead?

"Yes, girl, I am. Is there a problem with it? If you have something to ask, then do so, otherwise, stop wasting my time." She waved a hand dismissively. "I could be doing something useful, like finishing my nap."

Is she serious? Kagura was dumbfounded. She's naught but a child and a human one at that, and she tries to order me around!?

"I think it's you who's a waste of my time, little girl. There's no way you are who you say you are - you're just a human, and not even a miko, at that," she sneered. "You obviously haven't ever seen real power if you are claiming to have any." She flipped open her fan, and the breeze picked up obediently.

"Dance of Blades!" She flicked her wrist, and sent her cutting wind blades at the woman before her... and was totally caught off-guard when, with a roll of her eyes, the sorceress sent her attack back at her. She barely managed to dodge, and pale-faced, she stared down at Nyoko.

Nyoko, for her part, was busily examining a nail, a bored expression on her face. "Convinced yet? I really don't have all night, you know."

Kagura considered her options for all of half a minute, finally dropping down from her feather and bowing slightly before the sorceress.

"I apologize for my disbelief - you just seem so young - too young to be so powerful."

Nyoko laughed. "You really don't know anything about sorcery, then, do you? The fact that I look so young is a testament to my skills - were I not so skilled, I would look ancient beyond bearing."

The wind demoness blinked, a slight furrow appearing between her brows. "Ah. I see. Well, then, to my reason for approaching you. I wish to possess someone, and get them to do my bidding. What will your assistance cost me?"

Nyoko stared at her for several long moments, brow raised. "Right to the point, I see," she said softly. "Who is it that you wish to possess?"

"A miko by the name of Kagome."

"A miko. That increases the difficulty. Is she strong?" Nyoko was enjoying stringing her along - the woman was arrogant. Thinking she could harm me... what a laugh!

"She is."

"Hm." Nyoko continued to look at her, studying her closely. After a few minutes, she gestured to her hair. "My price... one of your feather's."

Kagura looked taken aback. "A feather?" She reached a hand up to her bun, and plucked one. "Why would you want one of these? It would only work for you once."

"Maybe for anyone else, but I can replicate it, once I've touched its energies. I'm always looking for easy, efficient ways to travel quickly." She beckoned her into the hut, then invited her to sit down.

A feather... well, it seems an easy price to pay - I was expecting her to ask for some horrible amount of gold.

"Very well, I will comply with that." She handed her the feather, watching as the woman held it gently and studied it, then tucked it into her kimono sleeve.

"This, then, is what you will need to do. I will make you a list of things that I will need for the spell, and you, since you are able to travel quickly, will track the items down. Meanwhile, I will begin to work with what I have here. Crafting a spell for a powerful miko will take a great deal of preparation."

Kagura sighed. Guess I don't get to be lazy... "Fine. Get me this list, and I will get you what you need. How long will it take once I have all the requested items?"

"For a miko, and one of power, it will take several weeks."

With a huff, the demoness nodded, and stood. "Then, give me your list, and let me get started. The sooner this is done, the better."

Nyoko began a soft chant, and within a few minutes, a rolled parchment took shape in her hand. Unrolling it, and checking it over carefully, she nodded to herself, and rolling it back up, handed it to Kagura.

"You must bring everything on that list, all the herbs, the different animal bloods," she reached over and grabbed several small glass vials with stoppers, "you can store the blood in these glass tubes. The blood must be gathered last, however, as it will not keep long. Are we clear?"

Kagura tucked the vials into her kimono and nodded. "Yeah, I got it. Herbs first, then blood. Is that all?"

"It is. Go then, demoness, and return swiftly."

Nyoko watched as the woman climbed onto another feather and darted off...

And then burst out laughing.

Jeez. That was like stealing milk from an infant. That woman is so naive it's scary...

Even Jaken is smarter than that.

---wWw---

Kagome threw herself backwards with a scream as the aura of the male demon surged over her, landing hard on her rear.

Wide-eyed, she stared up at him - unsure of what to think.

He was tall - though not so tall as Sesshoumaru, and his hair was blue-white, as well as his eyes, reminding Kagome of the hottest flames, for some reason.

His stare was piercing.

All of these things came to her within seconds, and then she pushed herself off the ground and narrowed her gaze on the male. Be damned if anyone was going to intimidate her.

"Was that sneak attack really necessary?" she snapped.

At that, the demon looked surprised. "Feisty, eh? I see... and a miko to boot." He bowed to her. "A most powerful miko - forgive this Kisho for the shock." He continued to stare at her as though mesmerized, and Kagome shifted uncomfortably.

"So, why are you here? Was there something you were looking for?"

"Ah, yes. I was looking for Sesshoumaru - do you travel with him, perhaps? I felt his aura in the area."

"Why then did you not come to me, Kisho?" Sesshoumaru stepped out from the trees, in front of Kagome, subtly removing her from the spellbound demon's line-of-sight. He'd come quickly when he'd felt the others aura - especially when he realized that the male had headed straight for Kagome.

"I felt her, that's why, Sesshoumaru. Human hater as you are, even you cannot be blind to the light that this woman's aura gives off - it is immense. She drew me in..." Kisho trailed off as he moved to stare at Kagome again.

Eyes narrowing, Sesshoumaru kept his gaze pinned to Kisho. "Kagome - go back to the village. This Sesshoumaru will deal with this demon."

Suddenly, Kagome remembered what had happened only a short time before between them, and flushed miserably, too upset to even argue with his high-handedness. She just turned and walked away, doing as she was asked.

Sesshoumaru hadn't expected that, and he frowned. Her aura is distorted and full of hurt. But why?

I will speak to her about it when I am done here... He turned his attention back on the fire elemental.

"What do you want, Kisho?"

As Kagome disappeared into the trees on the other side of the meadow, the male finally blinked, and then looked over at the Lord.

"That woman - she is fascinating. Her light... it... draws me; I will court her." Before he could even blink, he found himself pinned to the nearest tree by a clearly angered Sesshoumaru.

"The miko is mine, Kisho, never forget that, for if you do, it will mean your death. She is my mate-to-be, and I will not step aside," he said, ice in his voice.

Kisho laughed as Sesshoumaru released him, but it was a mocking laugh. "Even when declaring the woman yours, you are cold, demon Lord. There is no fire in you - and that woman deserves fire - heat and passion. You cannot give her that!"

Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed red, and a deep-toned growl burst from his throat. "You are a fool if you believe so, fire lord. Mark my words - to pursue her is to pursue your death. Push me even a little and you will find out the truth of my words all too quickly." He turned away, preparing to follow after Kagome, then paused.

"Why are you here?"

"These lands are not yours, Lord of the West, and therefore, you have no right to question me."

"These lands, however, are claimed by my half-brother - and he will not be best pleased to find you here." He had no qualms about bringing Inuyasha up - half-breed he might be, but he was still a son of the Inu no Taisho, and he would be respected in the lands he claimed as his - at least, by others.

"Be calm, Sesshoumaru. I came to get away from the upheaval further north. There is a growing group of monks and priestesses that have taken the uprisings of the lower-level demons as a chance to purge all demons - they are gathering quite the army. The head monk is called Ungai - perhaps you have heard of him?"

Sesshoumaru's face froze even more than usual, and his posture stiffened, the only outward signs of anger he showed; but it was enough for Kisho to know that he did, indeed, know of the monk.

"So, you are familiar with this monk. What did he do to you, hmmm, Sesshoumaru?"

"That is none of your concern, Kisho. Do not attempt to interfere in my business." Tilting his head down, he considered things for a few seconds, then said, "If you wish to stay away from the monk and his followers, you will take my advice and head south - the lands there still maintain a semblance of order. I myself leave tomorrow to take care of my own lands."

"Then I will simply travel with you." Kisho folded his hands in his haori, and grinned as he listened to Sesshoumaru's next words.

"Do as you will, however, remember my warning: stay away from my miko. And I would suggest staying out here 'til morning - I doubt my brother would find your presence in his village amusing."

With that, he walked off, intent on finding Kagome and speaking to her. Now that his libido had calmed down, he might actually be able to do so without losing all sense.

You make it a challenge to resist you, Kagome. A very great challenge.

---wWw---

"....I miss you so much, momma... and Sota and grampa, too. Life was so simple when I was little - I never in a million years ever expected it to get this complicated. And now I'll never see you again..."

Kagome let her voice die out, running a hand along the side of the well, as tears coursed silently down her cheeks. She was leaned sideways against one wall, hidden away from the side nearest the village - it was a false privacy, but it was about the only kind she was going to get with all the sensitive demon noses around.

"I finally managed to get over Inuyasha, momma," she choked out a twisted sort of laugh, "but then I went and fell for his older brother... Sesshoumaru. And at first I thought it would all work out, but... I guess it won't in the end. It seems he's just too repulsed by my pathetic ningen body. Do you know what it's like to be naked with the man of your dreams, and then he runs away?"

Sesshoumaru had come upon her hiding place easily, but had hidden his own aura from her, hoping to find out what was wrong.

Needless to say, what he heard was not what he'd expected.

Shocked at first that she could have misunderstood what had happened so thoroughly, he frowned, then sighed as the realization came to him as to why she'd gotten it so wrong.

I should have realized... with all the damage the years of Inuyasha's rough handling of her heart has caused - it's not really that surprising that she misread things so badly.

I most certainly need to stop such thoughts immediately - I can not have her believing something so ridiculous.

He opened his aura back up, and moved towards the well from his spot under the forest canopy, striding forward quickly so as to leave her no time to try to take off and coming to a halt in front of her.

"Is that truly what you thought, miko?" He jumped right in, not giving her any time to think up excuses or ways to avoid the conversation.

Kagome flushed crimson, first, then paled, humiliated and hurt. Looking down and away from him, she hunched in on herself.

"What else am I supposed to think?" she whispered, voice so low even he was barely able to hear her.

He studied her dejected form for several long moments, her words running through his mind - warming his heart. Man of her dreams, am I? I am... very glad to know this.

Kneeling before her, he tipped her head up with his fingers beneath her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes.

"You chose the wrong end, Kagome," he said, causing her to send him a confused look. "You took my withdrawal as rejection - and it was not. I left before I lost all control and took you then and there." As her eyes widened in astonished wonder, he moved to sit down, and pulled her into his lap.

Arranging her comfortably, legs across his and her head on his shoulder, he sighed, a bare exhalation, and continued speaking.

"You have always had the effect of pushing my limits - with anyone else, keeping my distance would occasion no hardship within me, but you..." he trailed off for a moment, tilting his head and looking up. "I told you that we would be mated once our lands were cleared and restored to order. if I had stayed with you earlier, I would not have been able to keep my word."

His arms tightened around her. "Do you understand?"

She lifted her eyes, wriggling around until he finally looked back down at her, and gasped; the passion and heat in his eyes was unmistakable.

"So... it wasn't because I'm... unattractive?" she asked softly, a spark of shamed fear in her gaze.

Sesshoumaru growled under his breath, anger flaring in his eyes. "You spent too much time listening to that fool of a half-breed, Kagome. He told you you were ugly, did he?" he questioned, and Kagome nodded. "And yet... he attempts to regain your heart and longs to keep you. Do you think he would do so were he not attracted to you?"

Kagome stared at him for a minute, truly startled; she'd never thought to question Inuyasha's words - nor the disparity between his words and his actions.

"But... why would he say it if it wasn't true?"

"Because he did not want you to know your true worth - if you felt you were unattractive, you would not leave him," he stated simply.

"Oh..." Kagome's gaze went far away, then, as she considered what he was telling her.

"You are a beautiful woman, miko, never doubt that. And I want you, probably more than you will ever be able to understand." He sighed, again, and shifted her, settling her comfortably against him.

"Do you remember when I found you being held captive by the poison master?" he asked.

Kagome nodded, and shivered. She remembered that repulsive man... he was going to rape her. "Yes." Her voice was cold with remembered fear. "You came... but you said it was just because you wanted to know where Naraku was."

He looked down, bending his head, he nuzzled his nose lightly along her forehead. "I did it to protect you - and because I was angered that the fool had the nerve to touch you," he said, a growl echoing in his chest with remembered rage. "That he would harbor such desires for the one I would claim as my own enraged me."

She remained silent for a while, comfortably cuddled into his warmth. Then her brow furrowed. "Wait... at that time, you already wanted to be with me?"

"Did you not pay attention when I was showing you our pasts? I wanted you long before then - but I had determined not to approach you, at first, because of your love for my brother, I will admit, but when I was witness to his dishonesty between you and the undead one, I decided that after Naraku, I would come to you. Then, the end came, before I could."

She grabbed one of his hands, then, as she remembered the day she'd found out he'd died.

"I was so upset the night it happened," she said softly, echoes of the past singing through her voice as she clutched at his hand. "I didn't know why I was so upset... just that I was."

"That is the past. It does not do to focus on it, my miko - look to the future, instead."

"The future..." she trailed off, a sadness permeating her aura as she thought of the future.

"The well no longer works, miko... and yet, I know your desire to see your family again." He looked down and met her gaze as she lifted her face to his. "Once we have secured our lands and I have claimed you, I will take you to see your family."

She gasped, shock striking her hard. "You... how?"

"The path between realms that we traveled on the other side. It is still open to one who knows how to find it." He watched her carefully. "Does this please you, wife?"

She smiled so brilliantly that he blinked. "Yes! Of course it does!" She flung herself up and locked her arms around his neck, hugging him hard, and he responded immediately, holding her to him firmly.

Pulling back just a little, she looked up at him. "When do we leave to the west?"

He cocked a slender, regal brow. "Tomorrow." Then he frowned. "The male that accosted you earlier - Kisho - he is a fire elemental," he said at her questioning glance, not even needing her to ask aloud, simply knowing what she wanted to know, "will be traveling with us. He is fascinated by you, miko, and claims that he will try to court you. If you do not want to see him dead, you will stay away from him and deny his advances."

Kagome choked, surprised. "He said what?" She shook her head, appalled. "Oh, no, no, no. Not another Kouga... I really don't think I can deal with that."

"You will not have to. I have already warned him that to press himself upon you is to seek his own death," he said haughtily. "I will not tolerate any attempts to take you from me."

She smiled up at him, happier in that moment than she had been in a long, long time. "You know what?" she asked spontaneously, eyes sparkling up at him. "I really do love you. And I'm so glad that you waited for me."

Sesshoumaru caught his breath at the total honesty in her voice, and the look of complete love and trust in her eyes.

It was something he'd never thought to see directed at himself by anyone... ever, in all his long, countless years.

But now that he had, he would never give it up.

Ever.

---wWw---

A/N: I am so sorry it took so long to get this chapter out, I've been gone most of this week getting ready for my move and dealing with the military end of things. The only reason I was able to post on The flower Girl every day is because I actually have a great deal of the chapters written ahead on that one. Anyway, hope everyone enjoys!

Amber