InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Incomplete ❯ Chapter 28 ( Chapter 28 )

Inuyasha sat cradled in the branches of Goshinboku staring motionless at the moon on the horizon.

It'd been nearly half a year since Kagome first left and each day since had felt like Hell. Thumbing the smooth round beads that hung loosely from his neck he pictured the last few moments he'd had with her. It wasn't hard to do. Her words that day had a habit of playing continually through his mind.

She'd been crying when she left. He'd smelled her tears from the ground as Sesshomaru carried her away to the one place he couldn't follow. It didn't matter what she told him. He knew his brother and he knew what he'd seen on the battlefield. Sesshomaru had a way of getting what he wanted and he wanted Kagome. It was written all over his proud, unemotive face.

It made him sick to his stomach to think of his brother touching her in ways he'd always imagined himself touching her first. He still couldn't comprehend it. What kind of meaningful relationship could they possibly have together? His brother was cold and callous no matter what angle you looked at him from and yet somehow Kagome had found some good in him. Typical.

With a derisive snort Inuyasha retrived the completed Shikon Jewel from inside his sleeve and contemplated it the moonlight. He didn't know what to do. Should he use the jewel to become a full demon like he'd always dreamed, or use it to become human?

What if Kagome was truly happy with Sesshomaru? What then? All these months he'd been plotting and planning ways to get her back, but what if it was all for nothing? Could he ever feel satisfied knowing that he wasn't the one she wanted?

Whatever choice he planned to make he would have to make it soon. The sun would rise in a few hours and the villagers would notice the jewel was gone. Sango and Miroku had kept it under their protection, as they'd promised to do, while awaiting Kagome's eventual return. But he couldn't wait. It was now or never. Once the jewel was gone he'd be stuck and then it'd be too late.

Inuyasha clenched the orb tightly in his fist and felt the warmth of its power against his skin. If he became a full demon he would lose his heart and everyone he loved, but he would have what he'd always desired - the power to defend himself against anyone, even Sesshomaru. If he became human he would be weak and helpless but he would keep his human heart and his friends.

Human, he and Kagome might have a real chance at being happy together. Like he and Kikyo had once been destined to do, they could settle down and grow old together, companions and lovers until death tore them apart.

It was the greatest sort of irony that brought the dead miko to him then. He smelled her scent on the night air long before she emerged from the woods at his feet. His heart raced as it always did, but tonight his emotions were more anger than anticipation.

After that night they'd lain together she'd avoided him entirely. He'd tried to seek her out to demand why she'd come to him but never found her. After all the time that had passed, he wasn't sure how to feel about her anymore. Should he hate her for what she'd helped tear apart?

His body felt tired and his soul weak. He didn't have the strength to hate her.

Kikyo's expression was unreadable as she looked up at him in his perch on the tree, the same tree she'd pinned him to so many decades ago. He'd stopped hating her for it long ago. Kagome had helped him understand why she'd done what she'd done. If she hadn't stopped him that day he would've used the jewel to become a full demon. He would have lost himself to its power like Naraku and been destroyed by the next demon slayer or priestess to come along. He would have died alone, without ever learning a thing about true friendship, love or compassion. She'd saved his life that day and for a long time he'd been too blind to realize it.

Kikyo waited for him to speak first. He dropped soundlessly to the ground, keeping her and her swarm of soul catchers at a distance.

"So you've returned," he commented more to himself than to her.

Kikyo simply nodded and waited. She must have known on some level what he was planning to do. Wasting no time, he withdrew the Sacred Jewel from inside his haori and held it out to her. Kikyo stared at the glowing pink orb in his outstretched hand but made no move to take it.

"I need you to help me," he explained.

Kikyo considered him for a long moment before extending her hand. He delivered the jewel into it, thankful to be free of its oppressive weight. She closed her fingers over it and met his eyes with a questioning look.

"What do you want from me, Inuyasha?"

Desperate, he knelt at her feet and bowed his head low. If he was going to be reduced to begging he was at least going to do it right.

"I know I don't deserve to ask anything from you but I'm begging. Please Kikyo, help me just this once. I-I want you to use the Shikon Jewel to change me."

Kikyo couldn't keep the shocked expression from her face. "Do you know what you're asking?"

He nodded, determined to have his way.

"Do you know what you're asking of me?" she re-phrased and this time he hesitated before nodding. They both knew what would happen to her if she wished on the jewel. She would disappear along with it, her soul's work finally complete.

With a defeated sigh Kikyo laid her hand against his head and indulgently combed her fingers through his silver hair.

"I do not hate you Inuyasha."

He looked up at her with relief shining in his eyes. He'd never known for certain, but to hear those words from her lips made his heart feel lighter than he could ever remember it being.

"When I thought you betrayed me I was bitter towards you because I'd loved you with all of my heart. You should know that. Otherwise Naraku's scheme would have never succeeded. Your betrayal hurt because it was my heart that was betrayed and not my trust. I will do as you ask, Inuyasha, and then I will be gone from this world."

Standing up to his full height he pulled her into a tight embrace, crushing her body against his.

"Thank you," he whispered, burying his face against her neck. Holding her close like this it was impossible to ignore the stench of bones and graveyard soil that wafted off her skin, his constant reminder that the Kikyo he'd known and loved had long since been gone.

Kikyo closed her eyes and enjoyed the honesty of his embrace. It would be the last one they ever shared and she wanted to cherish it. With that final thought, the dead miko smiled and the warm pink light of the Shikon Jewel engulfed them both.

oOo

Letting out a contented sigh, Kagome turned on her side and fixed Sesshomaru with a wide grin. He smirked and tucked her body in closer to his.

"Satisfied?" she asked, watching her fingers walk their way up the muscles of his chest.

"For now," he answered, catching her chin and pulling her in for a lingering kiss.

It didn't matter how many times they made love or how many different ways he had her, his kiss still had the power to steal her breath away. She let out a sigh and ducked her head when he finally released her to hide the tell-tale redness in her cheeks. He didn't need anything else to stroke his ego right now.

"I am curious," he questioned, glancing down at her.

Kagome nodded and waited while he searched for the right words.

"How is it that you and Inuyasha never mated?"

Kagome blinked in surprise. It was so unlike him to ask something so personal. All the same, it was a good question. Why had she and Inuyasha never been intimate before? Was it just because of Kikyo or was it because Inuyasha wasn't as experienced?

With a sigh she laid her head in the crook of his shoulder.

"I don't know. I think it had a lot to do with Inuyasha's relationship to Kikyo. With her around I don't think he would've felt right being with me in that way. It might've happened eventually I suppose."

Grinning up at Sesshomaru like Alice's Cheshire Cat, she turned over onto her stomach and placed a quick peck against his lips.

"Now I have a question for you," she teased playfully. He nodded indulgently for her to go on.

"What's this mating business all about? More of what we've been doing perhaps?"

She ran her fingertips down his torso, her coy smile hinting at her impure thoughts.

The jovial atmosphere between them was abruptly cut short when he picked up her hands and held them away, all playfulness forgotten.

"You will not be a part of any of that," he insisted.

"Why not?" Kagome sat up, pulling the sheets around her naked body. "Am I not good enough to be your mate or something?"

"Don't be such a child," he snapped. Seeing the hurt look that flashed across her features he resigned himself and gently took her by the arm.

"Taking you as my mate would be a sort of marriage contract between us, except that it's more than that. It's a union with the expectation that you will bear children. Demons… Well… Let's just say that as a human it would be very easy for you to get with child if I allowed myself to..."

Swallowing hard, Kagome placed a self conscious hand on her stomach. There was no chance she was pregnant but the thought was scary nonetheless. She definitely wasn't ready to have kids! She still felt like a kid herself!

"Is there anything else to this union?" she asked quietly. Sesshomaru nodded.

"There is also a mating mark. It is a sign to all other demons of who you are joined to. It can protect you, but it can also make things more dangerous. Especially now that the Northern Tribes threatening war it would make you an easy mark for kidnap or assassination."

Kagome took her time mulling over all the different possibilities. Sensing reluctance in her silence, Sesshomaru placed a careful kiss against her temple.

"Minako became my mate and it killed her. I will not sentence you to the same fate."

Kagome shook her head and gently trace the indigo markings that cut across his cheek with her fingertips. He took hold of her hand and searched her eyes for understanding.

"I'm stronger than Minako was," she said finally, "and I know I'll always have you to protect me."

He stared at her uncomprehending of the words that she'd just spoken. Had she heard nothing that he'd said? Did she completely misunderstand what he'd been trying to tell her? Seeing the earnestness in her expression it finally sunk in what she was asking of him and he flatly refused.

Stubborn as always, Kagome refused to back down so easily.

"I want you to take me as your mate, Sesshomaru. We can worry about kids and all that other stuff later. Unless of course… Maybe this is just about sex to-"

A powerful growl sentenced the rest of her words to a quick death. She had been about to say that maybe it'd just been about the sex for him but judging by the aura of anger that poured off him now she'd been completely wrong.

"This Sesshomaru does not entice humans into his bed for sex. Is this what you think of me? That I'm some lecher who has been using you to satisfy my carnal need to rut?"

The harsh growl that underlined his words made his voice sound like gravel and Kagome cringed. Wearing an apologetic look she worked quickly to pacify him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I just… When you said you didn't want to make me your mate it was like you were rejecting me all over again. I don't think you're like that. I just want to be with you, that's all."

She looked at her demon with pleading eyes and he turned his back. The way his shoulders slumped it was as though the entire weight of the world rested upon them. When he said her name it was almost a whimper. It was as close as he would ever come to begging.

Putting her arms around his shoulders she held her lips close to his ear and pleaded with him, "Please Sesshomaru. I only want you. Forever."

Defeated, he turned his head to kiss her. Using a careful hand, he guided her onto her stomach and moved her hair aside. She waited expectantly for what would happen next. He took his time tracing his claws across her skin. Finally stopping at her shoulder he pulled in a deep breath and ordered her to relax.

"I should warn you, this is going to hurt," he said and sank a claw into the skin above her shoulder blade. Kagome buried her face in the pillow to muffle her scream and tried desperately to block out the sound of her own skin sizzling from the acid in his claws.

The pain was unbearable at first but eventually it subsided into a dull ache. Curious, she turned her head to watch him bite into his finger and draw blood. He smoothed the blood across the spot where he'd scarred her and she could feel a cooling sensation wherever it touched.

His expression was heavy as he handed her two mirrors so she could see the mark for herself. From the pain she'd expected it to be some huge heinous scar but was pleasantly surprised to see that it was a only a small white crescent moon, barely larger than a silver dollar.

Turning to Sesshomaru she hugged him wearing a grin that stretched from ear to ear.

"Thank you."

He held her close and breathed in her new scent. It was the same as before, uniquely her own, but now it mingled with his own as well. There could be no doubt that she belonged to him. Any demon with a nose would know it. He wanted to rejoice but could already feel the guilt slowly starting to consume him.

She doesn't know what she's asked this Sesshomaru to do.