InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ It Must Be Destiny ❯ Chapter 25

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

Chapter 25

Inusouta opened his eyes in the early morning light, smiling slightly as the memories of the night before crashed back into his sleepy brain. He glanced over at his new mate, who was sound asleep on her stomach, decorously covered with the blanket.

Carefully, so he wouldn't awaken her, he got up and stretched, pulling on his hakama. He winced when he saw the slashed ties- damn his impatience! Now he was going to have to use his haori as a belt. Sigh…

A flash of red and silver in the sunlight caught his eye and he immediately went on guard. The human-again-hanyou rolled his eyes as his father jumped down from his perch in a tree.

(“Tell me you weren't in that tree all night watching us.”)

Inuyasha turned scarlet. (“Don't be stupid. I have no interest in watching you and your mate. I just came to tell you we're heading home and if you and your girl wanted to come, you need to come now. Suki suddenly remembered some `home-work' she forgot to do and is frantic to get back.”)

Inusouta nodded. (“There are things we'll have to take care of in Okaasan's time as well now. Might as well get on with it.”)

The older hanyou turned around and bounded off, letting Inusouta awaken the golden-haired girl on his own.

Crouching down, he placed a loving hand on her bare shoulder and gently shook her awake. (“Amber… Kanojo, you need to get up. We have to go home now.”)

“Mmmmph,” was his only reply.

Grinning quite naughtily, he knelt over her, straddling her generous hips with his knees and leaned over, his warm breath tickling her neck. “Vixen… wake up…” he murmured, a mix between a purr and a low growl.

A noticeable shiver rippled through her body. “Bad dog,” she muttered.

“That's me. Now, you need to get up. Otousan and everyone are waiting for us by the well. We have to go back.”

She let out a groan and rolled over, the blanket slipping down to expose her round, tempting breasts, the nipples puckering as they were exposed to the cool morning air. Inusouta's gold eyes went wide and he swallowed as certain parts of his anatomy were waking up faster than she was.

“Kami, woman… you're going to kill me.”

Sapphire eyes opened sleepily and looked at him in confusion. “What did I do?” she yawned.

He realized, somewhat belatedly, that he was still straddling her hips and she was still delightfully naked under that blanket. Lowering his head, he nipped at one breast, making her yelp and sit up in shock. “Inusouta!”

Grinning, he grudgingly got off her so she could get dressed. “Stop being such a tease and get some clothes on before I take mine off again. I don't want Otousan coming back here to get us and find us in the middle of some delightful activities.”

Blushing, Amber pulled on her kimono and swiftly wrapped the dark purple cloth around her hips. “God knows I don't want him seeing that…” she muttered, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as she picked up the blanket and shook it out.

Inusouta did the same with the other blanket and Amber got a good look at her mate's bare back- his haori seemed to be wrapped around his waist like a belt- and her jaw dropped, her eyes wide. “Bloody hell! What happened to your back?”

Trying in vain to look at the body part in question, he voted to simply look at her in confusion. “You've got me. What's wrong with it? Am I sunburned or something?”

“You're sliced apart and bleeding!” she cried as if it should've been obvious. “Well, you were bleeding, and it looks like it's stopped now, but there are slash marks from your shoulders all the way down to your waist!”

He shrugged as if it didn't matter. “What can I say? You were wild last night.”

This time she turned absolutely tomato-red and threw the blanket at his head. “Baka! There's no way I could've done that to you! I'm just a human and you were hanyou last night!”

I see… so she didn't realize that she transformed for a second.

He picked up the other blanket and offered his new mate his arm. “Shall we go, vixen?” he drawled.

She growled but took his arm anyway. “Something's going on here and you're going to tell me what,” she grumped as they headed toward the well.

Inusouta chuckled. “You sound like my neesan,” he replied cheerfully.

.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.

Inusouta stood somewhat patiently in the living room waiting for his father to get done in the shower so he could talk to him privately. Amber, Izayoi and his mother had gone out shopping and Suki was up in her room, working fervently on the forgotten assignment.

He glanced at one of the many framed pictures on the wall- the one of his mother in her wedding kimono, the day she married his father. She looked so very young and absolutely lovely, her jet-black hair pulled up in a simple style: a bun and twin loops of hair with a single ornamental stick slid through it and holding the bun in place. Loose strands of black framed her face and she was smiling demurely although the happiness of the day was reflected in her brown eyes.

Her wedding kimono was white with red and silver embroidery on it, with the under-kimono being the same blood-red as his father's traditional fire-rat haori. A matching red obi, decorated with black embroidery and beading, was wrapped around her waist. She looked so happy, dressed in her mate's colors.

Inusouta smiled slightly, imagining Amber in a similar kimono on their wedding day. Somehow, it didn't look right to him- she'd probably want a Western traditional wedding, with a big fluffy gown and a Christian ceremony. Speaking of which…

Inuyasha finally descended the stairs, dressed in a red t-shirt and grey shorts. He had a white towel draped around his shoulders and he was flicking water from his ears. Droplets of water from the tips of his silver hair dripped on the carpet. (“What did you need, son?”) he asked as he twitched his left ear, trying to get the water out of it.

(“You don't happen to have any more diamond shards from a Kongousouha blast lying around, do you?”)

Inuyasha grinned, understanding at once. (“So you're gonna marry her right away, eh? Good boy.”)

His son rolled his eyes. (“Do you or not?”)

The older hanyou shrugged. (“I've got a few stashed away in case I needed to apologize for something to your okaasan. She sure loves getting those useless little jewels decorating some pointless piece of metal.”)

Inusouta raised an eyebrow. (“You don't happen to have a ring in there, do you?”)

(“Nope. But you can choose one you want and take it to the jeweler your obaasan always used for me. Just tell the guy what you want and he'll fix you up.”)

(“And the cost?”)

Inuyasha grinned. (“I've got a good working relationship with the guy. Just mention you're a Higurashi and he won't charge you. I've given him enough diamonds to keep him living in comfort for the rest of his ningen life.”)

(“Kami, Chichi. Since when are you the philanthropist?”)

Inuyasha eyed his son. (“What the hell did you just call me?”)

(“Philanthropist? It means that you're generous to people in need.”)

(“Not that. Did you just call me… Chichi?”)

Inusouta blinked. (“I guess I did. Gomen.”)

Inuyasha smiled, surprised and pleased at the same time, before he caught himself and returned to his normal burly expression. (“You don't need to be. It's… nicer than that damn formal `Otousan' you're always calling me.”)

(“Didn't like me sounding like Oji-sama Sesshoumaru, huh?”)

He visibly shuddered. (“Freaked me out every time you'd open your mouth. Now you're talking more normal.”)

Inusouta grinned happily. (“Must be Amber's influence.”)

(“Remind me to thank the wench.”)

.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.

The women still hadn't returned by the afternoon, and wouldn't you know it- a couple of tourists and their son showed up wanting a tour. Inusouta, dressed in his dark blue haori and a new pair of hakama, with his hair restrained in the usual ponytail at the nape of his neck, walked outside to greet them. His father disappeared, as was his wont when people came to tour the shrine. Suki remained in her bedroom, wholly absorbed by her homework.

(“Welcome to the Higurashi shrine,”) he began, bowing low in respect. (“Did you come for a tour of our historical shrine?”)

He straightened when the couple didn't answer. The woman, tall and of medium build, probably in her early forties with long brown hair that shone gold in the afternoon sunlight, stared at him with clear blue eyes. She was actually quite lovely for an older woman. The man, possibly mid-forties and taller than his wife, was of a thicker build, yet none of it seemed to be fat- rather, it was simply amassed muscle. He, had dark brown eyes, but his hair was a dark brown and appeared of a more Oriental descent. Their son, perhaps only six years old, stared up at Inusouta with bright sapphire eyes. His hair was brownish-gold like his mother's.

All three of them stared at him in confusion. Ah… American tourists. Figures. He switched to English, smiling benevolently.

“Forgive me. Do you speak only English?” he asked politely. The two adults nodded, still not speaking. “Welcome to Higurashi shrine. Did you come to take a tour?”

The couple exchanged a glance. “Actually,” the man said, his voice clear with a hint of a strange accent, “we're here looking for our daughter.”

The woman nodded. “The school she was attending listed this shrine as her last known address.”

Inusouta smiled compassionately. “I am sorry, but the only women here are my ma- my fiancée, my mother and my two sisters. I do not know of your daughter.”

“Please!” the mother pleaded, her eyes looking desperate. “Are you sure that she wasn't here for a short time? Can't you give us some clue as to where she is?”

The man placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. “Belle, that's enough. If he doesn't know her, there's nothing more we can do.”

Her shoulders slumped. “But Chris-“ she whispered as if she had lost all hope.

The names he had seen on Amber's family tree flickered across his mind. Anabelle Marie Travis, a.k.a. “Belle.” Christopher Alan Ryoushi. A line connecting the two that branched off, listing only one child: Kohaku (Amber) Ariana Hunter.

Belle. Chris. Horror and absolute terror clutched at his heart.

These were Amber's parents. They had come to Japan looking for her.

Kami, how much would thathurt her? Having to see them again? No, it's best to just let them believe she isn't here.

Pasting a sympathetic yet clueless smile on his face, he bowed again. “I'm so sorry we couldn't help you.”

The little boy spoke up, his voice full of awe. “You've got yellow eyes, mister,” he said, his own eyes wide.

Inusouta looked down at the lad as his parents- he assumed they were his parents- gasped in embarrassment. “Jared!” Belle admonished. “That was very rude! Apologize to the kind gentleman.”

Jared shuffled his feet and didn't look too terribly sorry at all. “I'm sorry, sir.”

Inusouta smiled slightly. “Do not worry about it. I get comments like that all the time.” He managed a smile at the couple. “Colored contacts are great conversation starters.”

“'Souta! 'Souta, we're back! And just wait till you see what I got you!”

He cringed as he turned. Shit, shit, shit… No! Amber, go away! Go into the house! Just do notcome over here!!

Of course, she was oblivious to his thoughts and ran right over, a bag from a local department store hung on her arm. Dressed quite fetchingly in a light yellow dress she had borrowed from Izayoi, she looked just like the ray of sunshine she was. Her bright smile indicated she hadn't seen the trio behind him.

However, they had seen her. The man- Chris- gasped in surprise. “Amber? Good God- Amber, is… is that really you?”

Belle's blue eyes lit up in extreme hope. “Amber?” She took a very hesitant step forward toward the young woman.

Amber's sapphire eyes froze in absolute fear when she saw the couple looking at her like she was their salvation.

She took a step to the side, closer to Inusouta, who put a protective arm around her. Even though he wasn't in hanyou form he could smell the fear and terror rolling off her skin.

Chris stepped forward slightly, unshed tears in his eyes. “Amber… we found you. After six years of searching, we finally found you.”