InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Malice ❯ First Blood: Kagome's Rage ( Chapter 25 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: kanna37 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Romance / Angst | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 10.15.2009 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.0K | Visits: 1.0K | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Romance / Angst | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 10.15.2009 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.0K | Visits: 1.0K | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter 25: First Blood: Kagome's Rage
Inuyasha woke slowly, awareness returning in easy increments, and smiled softly as he realized where, exactly, he was. He had Kagome, his other half, tightly cradled in his arms, her back to his front, and he had never been so relaxed, or happy in his life.
Ever.
Holding her this way was a joy, his entire being suffused with contentment and peace, and he never wanted to move. He could stay here forever.
Too bad reality wanted to intrude.
With a sigh, he thought back to what he had learned last night, and his mind's eye flashed with the unbound rage he held for Naraku. He knew exactly what he was going to do to him, knew just where to strike. The bastard was about to find himself in the most humiliating, painful position a male could find himself in - one where all his precious, much vaunted control, was taken completely away.
He would be the one being controlled this time - he would be the bitch.
It was horrible, it was disgusting, and it was definitely a low blow... but what he had planned for the dark hanyou was straight justice as far as he was concerned. After all, for it to truly be justice, the person being punished had to have the same level of damage done to himself as that which he had inflicted on his victim. What Naraku had done to Kagome was something that would affect her for the rest of her life... it had changed her irrevocably, and so it had to be something that would do the same to Naraku.
And with the dark hanyou being that 'sociopath' thing like that book Kagome had found said he was, this would probably mess his mind up even more than someone who was say, sane. That was good, as far as Inuyasha was concerned, since he was after maximum damage. Naraku had blown it this time. At first, for Kikyou, and for himself, he had merely planned to kill the bastard. But now... oh, no. Death was far too easy.
Now, he would suffer before dying. After all, there really are things worse than death - and Naraku was going to meet one of those things - tonight.
This night would just be the beginning of the nightmare for the bastard. One that he'd not awaken from...
Ever again.
Reluctantly, she decided to see where this was going. She would only blow things if she was truly in danger. Until then...
She looked around, wondering what kind of place he'd conjured. It was cold, and an arctic wind was blowing down from jagged peaks that reared themselves high above the frozen earth. There was nothing, as far as the eye could see, save those mountains - no trees, no valleys, no nothing. Just the mountains, and the cold.
Suddenly, above the cold, above the wind, she could feel his aura pounding against her, and she hastily erected a barrier around herself, shaking her head at his tactics. He was using his aura like a battering ram... no subtlety at all. It made her wonder what he was after.
"Well, Kagome... here we are again. Just you and I, no interference from outside, no one to save you. Tell me, how do you plan to escape me, hmmm?" he purred, obviously pleased with himself.
Kagome whirled around, pinning him with angry eyes. "The same way I did last time, you son of a bitch. I didn't have any outside help then, either... or have you forgotten?"
He snarled at her, moving closer to her in his rage, not realizing that there was a barrier in the way, and she laughed outright at his stunned incredulity when he was thrown back from her.
"I'm not quite the weak little girl that you almost killed before, you bastard. If you come against me now, be prepared to get hurt - badly," she sneered at him.
"So the bitch is going to try to bite back, is she?" Naraku glared angrily, hissing at her in disdain. "Maybe if you'd fought back the first time, instead of letting me fuck you, you'd still be worthy of Inuyasha's love... but now, all you are is used goods."
She shook her head, tensing, unsure now, but determined to fight him anyway. "No! That's not true! You're a liar, Naraku. Just a filthy liar!"
He smirked at her knowingly. "Really? Then tell me, has he touched you at all since then? Has he tried to kiss you, or take you? I bet that he has not - and he won't, because deep inside, he is disgusted by you. The thought of touching something tainted - and especially, something tainted by me - is more than he can stomach the thought of. Face it, bitch... you belong to me now - because no one else will ever touch you."
The words he was saying were hitting her like knives being thrown at her, piercing her with insidious doubts. Is he right? Am I doomed to forever be untouched? Is... Inuyasha... really, deep down where it counts, too disgusted by Naraku's taint in me to ever really love me? Tears ran down her face as he laughed at her, and suddenly the fear overwhelmed her - the fear of forever losing Inuyasha.
With a scream of devastation and hatred she launched herself towards the dark hanyou, reveling in his scream of agony as her barrier hit him and began purifying him, and she grinned with feral rage as he started to dissipate.
"Maybe you're right, Naraku, but if I'm cursed to be alone because of what you did to me, then I'm going to make sure you suffer far more than me, you hell-born bastard! Feel my anger and know that this is only the beginning!"
And as he dissipated, Naraku felt a part of himself, true, only a small part, but still a part, drift away beyond his grasp, leaving him just that tiny bit weaker...
One down.
---cCc---
Inuyasha was pulled out of his introspection when Kagome thrashed wildly in her sleep, and then sat up with an enraged scream, jerking out of his arms with strength he never knew she possessed.
"Kagome!" He sat up quickly and grabbed her arms that were flailing wildly, trying to calm her down. "What the hell!? It's okay, wench, you're safe! Calm down now," he crooned to her as she realized where she was and collapsed tearfully into his arms, burying her head in his chest.
He held her, rumbling soothingly in his chest, as she sobbed into him for several minutes before she finally began to settle down to occasional sniffles. After a while, he nudged her face up with his chin, trying to get her to meet his eyes, and when she did, he asked, "What was that all about, K'gome?" As her eyes fell away, he growled lightly.
"No. Don't look away, wench. Talk to me. You need to tell me what got you so upset."
With a shudder, more tears began to spill silently down her cheeks, and she turned her face down, staring into her lap at her desperately twisting hands.
"I-it was an-another dream," she sighed, voice quiet and full of pain. "He came and, s-said some things..." she trailed of, not really wanting to finish. She was afraid to tell him what had been said, and see his face as he withdrew from her. She didn't think she could bear it if he did... all that was left that was Kagome would probably wither and die in that moment.
Inuyasha pulled back and grabbed her upper arms, shaking her just slightly. "Out with it, Kagome. What the hell did that fucker say to you, and why are you even listening to anything he said?"
She sobbed, head still low in shame, then burst out, "He said that you can't stand to touch me anymore because of his taint, that that's why you haven't tried anything with me in all this time. I..." her voice choked off into deeper sobs, and she didn't even notice the horrified look on his face.
How can she believe something like that? I want her so much it hurts, but I can't let myself touch her until she's ready... but maybe, maybe I should have started touching her - in little ways, maybe a little kissing. Have I really waited too long...?
He shook her again, before making her raise her face up to his. "Kagome," he sighed. "Do you really believe that?" With a shake of his head, he let his eyes meet her drowned, saddened gaze, and whimpered at her. "I just didn't want to push you into anything you weren't ready for, Kagome, that's all. I do want you, never think otherwise. I want you so much it hurts - all the time."
She latched onto his gaze desperately. "T-then why...? I-its not like I flinch from your touch, Inuyasha. I mean... I don't know if I'm ready to go all the way yet... but I don't know if I'm not, either. We won't know until we try, Inu," she looked sadly at him, "but if you can't..."
She was cut off by Inuyasha's mouth capturing hers in a kiss to end all kisses, and with a whimper, she collapsed into the suddenly possessive and desirous embrace of a very turned on hanyou.
Inuyasha couldn't even think, when the pain of what Kagome was suggesting broke into his mind, something inside him shattered, and he couldn't hold back any longer. With every part of himself, he wanted her, and suddenly, he knew that he had been holding back a bit too much.
At that point, all restraint went out the window... and he grabbed his woman and pulled her to him, taking her lips in a passionate and primal tasting that held all of himself, all of his love within its confines.
Kagome gasped, eyes going wide for just a moment before fluttering closed, and he took that opportunity to slip inside her mouth and finally, truly taste her as he'd wanted to do for so long. He moaned into her, actually in pain as so much pent-up feeling released into the kiss, and he tilted his head, grabbing her face with one clawed hand as he moved... he wanted to taste everything, every tiny place in her, leaving behind only himself, and no memory of any other.
And she responded, her tongue battling his, wanting to taste him as much as he wanted to taste her, and finally managed to get him back into his own mouth, she purred, joy seeping into her mind as she felt his reaction to her. She ran her tongue over his fangs, shivering at the excitement that feeling something so potentially deadly to everyone but her shafted through her, and the tears running down her face began to mix into his taste in her mouth.
As Inuyasha tasted her tears, he pulled back just a bit, and staring into her opening eyes, let every last thing he felt for her lace his gaze, then whispered brokenly, "Never, ever, listen to that kind of shit again, wench. It's not true, none of it. I live for you, I love you more than anything in this world and the next, and I want you now, and will until the day we die."
He sighed deeply, then, and closing his eyes, he touched his head to hers. With tender fingers, he wiped away the evidence of her tears, gently kissing her cheeks as he did so, and chuckling softly at the slight hitch in her breath as she sighed into his skin.
"No more tears, my K'gome. It hurts me when you cry. From here on out, I will not refrain from touching you, kissing you, and holding you. If you aren't ready for something - you'll have to tell me as it happens, okay?" As she nodded shakily, he smiled slightly, and then took a deep breath, before letting it out, and all the tension crawling through him with it.
"Aishiteru, Kagome. Never, ever, forget that. No matter what happens. I will always love you."
As Kagome smiled shyly, and returned the words, his thoughts turned to vengeance once again.
Trust me, Naraku. After tonight, what I do to you is gonna echo for a thousand years. For every drop of pain you've caused my Kagome, I'm going to destroy your very soul. There will be nothing left of your arrogance when I'm done - for you, there will only be eternal pain.
---cCc---
The rest of the day passed uneventfully, with Inuyasha visibly preoccupied, and once Kagome gave it a little thought, she was pretty sure it had to do with his planned dream attack on Naraku.
After lunch, he disappeared out into the goshinboku, telling her only that he needed a little time to meditate, and not to worry. He wasn't thinking when he said it, though, because that particular group of words in conjunction with him was bound to get Kagome's attention... and make her worry that he was going to get himself into something bad.
Truthfully, he would never, ever tell Kagome what he was about to do. She didn't need to know what his vengeance against Naraku would entail - it would only set her recovery back and probably make her have flashbacks. In no way, shape, or form, was he about to allow something like that to happen. So Kagome would have to be kept ignorant about his plan.
Far as he was concerned, as Kagome's mate-to-be, it was his place and his right to gain vengeance and justice for the assault on her, and he was going to make it the most horrible thing he could ever imagine. While he wouldn't ever want Kagome to know, and he knew she might not approve, that wasn't going to stop him. He felt no qualms about it, and no guilt.
None whatsoever.
Hopping up onto his favorite branch, he closed his eyes, and lost himself in his thoughts and plans, his heart filled with hatred...
And Wrath.
---cCc---
"I don't like this night, Sango," Miroku said quietly, staring out into the darkness beyond the village confines. "Something wicked is coming."
Sango shivered as she moved up to stand next to him, and nodded, reluctantly agreeing. "I know. The air is so heavy, and still... like before a great storm. Do you think Naraku means to move against us now?"
"I do not know... but I do feel as though we are moving into the last days of the battle with him. For good or ill... it will end soon." He lifted his cursed hand and stared at it for a moment, then clenched it.
"Hopefully, Lord Sesshoumaru will be able to find some information soon about where the bastard hides," Sango whispered, watching her beloved as he stared at his hand, pain in her eyes at the knowledge of what that cursed flesh could mean to her in the end.
The loss of her heart - the loss of her home.
With a sigh, Miroku dropped his hand and gestured into the night. "Maybe we should check the village perimeters - just to make sure. Would you walk with me, Sango?"
She nodded, moving forward with him, matching his stride easily. "Hai, Miroku, always. If the fight with Naraku comes, I will stand with you... and if kami-sama will it, I will fall with you."
He started to deny that, but she held up a hand, and he subsided with a soft exhalation.
"You know why I say that, Miroku. Do not fight me on it, especially when I know you feel the same way." She smiled at him then, and reached out and grabbed his hand. "Whatever is the will of kami-sama, will be. I do not fear death, Miroku, as long as you are at my side. Do not deny me this... I would rather die together than die later, alone."
He gripped her hand, squeezing it firmly. "But then, my Sango, mayhap the buddha and the kami have other than death in their plans. You say you will die with me... but will you also live with me?"
She turned her head and met his gaze with a bright smile. "Hai, Miroku. I will."
Lightening flashed suddenly on the distant horizon, and they both fell silent as the crack of thunder reached their ears, rolling from horizon to horizon in great sheets of sound.
It would be a deadly storm when it reached them.
Inuyasha woke slowly, awareness returning in easy increments, and smiled softly as he realized where, exactly, he was. He had Kagome, his other half, tightly cradled in his arms, her back to his front, and he had never been so relaxed, or happy in his life.
Ever.
Holding her this way was a joy, his entire being suffused with contentment and peace, and he never wanted to move. He could stay here forever.
Too bad reality wanted to intrude.
With a sigh, he thought back to what he had learned last night, and his mind's eye flashed with the unbound rage he held for Naraku. He knew exactly what he was going to do to him, knew just where to strike. The bastard was about to find himself in the most humiliating, painful position a male could find himself in - one where all his precious, much vaunted control, was taken completely away.
He would be the one being controlled this time - he would be the bitch.
It was horrible, it was disgusting, and it was definitely a low blow... but what he had planned for the dark hanyou was straight justice as far as he was concerned. After all, for it to truly be justice, the person being punished had to have the same level of damage done to himself as that which he had inflicted on his victim. What Naraku had done to Kagome was something that would affect her for the rest of her life... it had changed her irrevocably, and so it had to be something that would do the same to Naraku.
And with the dark hanyou being that 'sociopath' thing like that book Kagome had found said he was, this would probably mess his mind up even more than someone who was say, sane. That was good, as far as Inuyasha was concerned, since he was after maximum damage. Naraku had blown it this time. At first, for Kikyou, and for himself, he had merely planned to kill the bastard. But now... oh, no. Death was far too easy.
Now, he would suffer before dying. After all, there really are things worse than death - and Naraku was going to meet one of those things - tonight.
This night would just be the beginning of the nightmare for the bastard. One that he'd not awaken from...
Ever again.
zZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZz
Kagome shivered in her sleep, a chill, cold wind blowing through her dreams. She felt trapped, unable to wake, and knew that once again, Naraku was playing with her mind. Apparently, he wasn't aware that she could control that now... and maybe it was better that he didn't find out yet.Reluctantly, she decided to see where this was going. She would only blow things if she was truly in danger. Until then...
She looked around, wondering what kind of place he'd conjured. It was cold, and an arctic wind was blowing down from jagged peaks that reared themselves high above the frozen earth. There was nothing, as far as the eye could see, save those mountains - no trees, no valleys, no nothing. Just the mountains, and the cold.
Suddenly, above the cold, above the wind, she could feel his aura pounding against her, and she hastily erected a barrier around herself, shaking her head at his tactics. He was using his aura like a battering ram... no subtlety at all. It made her wonder what he was after.
"Well, Kagome... here we are again. Just you and I, no interference from outside, no one to save you. Tell me, how do you plan to escape me, hmmm?" he purred, obviously pleased with himself.
Kagome whirled around, pinning him with angry eyes. "The same way I did last time, you son of a bitch. I didn't have any outside help then, either... or have you forgotten?"
He snarled at her, moving closer to her in his rage, not realizing that there was a barrier in the way, and she laughed outright at his stunned incredulity when he was thrown back from her.
"I'm not quite the weak little girl that you almost killed before, you bastard. If you come against me now, be prepared to get hurt - badly," she sneered at him.
"So the bitch is going to try to bite back, is she?" Naraku glared angrily, hissing at her in disdain. "Maybe if you'd fought back the first time, instead of letting me fuck you, you'd still be worthy of Inuyasha's love... but now, all you are is used goods."
She shook her head, tensing, unsure now, but determined to fight him anyway. "No! That's not true! You're a liar, Naraku. Just a filthy liar!"
He smirked at her knowingly. "Really? Then tell me, has he touched you at all since then? Has he tried to kiss you, or take you? I bet that he has not - and he won't, because deep inside, he is disgusted by you. The thought of touching something tainted - and especially, something tainted by me - is more than he can stomach the thought of. Face it, bitch... you belong to me now - because no one else will ever touch you."
The words he was saying were hitting her like knives being thrown at her, piercing her with insidious doubts. Is he right? Am I doomed to forever be untouched? Is... Inuyasha... really, deep down where it counts, too disgusted by Naraku's taint in me to ever really love me? Tears ran down her face as he laughed at her, and suddenly the fear overwhelmed her - the fear of forever losing Inuyasha.
With a scream of devastation and hatred she launched herself towards the dark hanyou, reveling in his scream of agony as her barrier hit him and began purifying him, and she grinned with feral rage as he started to dissipate.
"Maybe you're right, Naraku, but if I'm cursed to be alone because of what you did to me, then I'm going to make sure you suffer far more than me, you hell-born bastard! Feel my anger and know that this is only the beginning!"
And as he dissipated, Naraku felt a part of himself, true, only a small part, but still a part, drift away beyond his grasp, leaving him just that tiny bit weaker...
One down.
---cCc---
Inuyasha was pulled out of his introspection when Kagome thrashed wildly in her sleep, and then sat up with an enraged scream, jerking out of his arms with strength he never knew she possessed.
"Kagome!" He sat up quickly and grabbed her arms that were flailing wildly, trying to calm her down. "What the hell!? It's okay, wench, you're safe! Calm down now," he crooned to her as she realized where she was and collapsed tearfully into his arms, burying her head in his chest.
He held her, rumbling soothingly in his chest, as she sobbed into him for several minutes before she finally began to settle down to occasional sniffles. After a while, he nudged her face up with his chin, trying to get her to meet his eyes, and when she did, he asked, "What was that all about, K'gome?" As her eyes fell away, he growled lightly.
"No. Don't look away, wench. Talk to me. You need to tell me what got you so upset."
With a shudder, more tears began to spill silently down her cheeks, and she turned her face down, staring into her lap at her desperately twisting hands.
"I-it was an-another dream," she sighed, voice quiet and full of pain. "He came and, s-said some things..." she trailed of, not really wanting to finish. She was afraid to tell him what had been said, and see his face as he withdrew from her. She didn't think she could bear it if he did... all that was left that was Kagome would probably wither and die in that moment.
Inuyasha pulled back and grabbed her upper arms, shaking her just slightly. "Out with it, Kagome. What the hell did that fucker say to you, and why are you even listening to anything he said?"
She sobbed, head still low in shame, then burst out, "He said that you can't stand to touch me anymore because of his taint, that that's why you haven't tried anything with me in all this time. I..." her voice choked off into deeper sobs, and she didn't even notice the horrified look on his face.
How can she believe something like that? I want her so much it hurts, but I can't let myself touch her until she's ready... but maybe, maybe I should have started touching her - in little ways, maybe a little kissing. Have I really waited too long...?
He shook her again, before making her raise her face up to his. "Kagome," he sighed. "Do you really believe that?" With a shake of his head, he let his eyes meet her drowned, saddened gaze, and whimpered at her. "I just didn't want to push you into anything you weren't ready for, Kagome, that's all. I do want you, never think otherwise. I want you so much it hurts - all the time."
She latched onto his gaze desperately. "T-then why...? I-its not like I flinch from your touch, Inuyasha. I mean... I don't know if I'm ready to go all the way yet... but I don't know if I'm not, either. We won't know until we try, Inu," she looked sadly at him, "but if you can't..."
She was cut off by Inuyasha's mouth capturing hers in a kiss to end all kisses, and with a whimper, she collapsed into the suddenly possessive and desirous embrace of a very turned on hanyou.
Inuyasha couldn't even think, when the pain of what Kagome was suggesting broke into his mind, something inside him shattered, and he couldn't hold back any longer. With every part of himself, he wanted her, and suddenly, he knew that he had been holding back a bit too much.
At that point, all restraint went out the window... and he grabbed his woman and pulled her to him, taking her lips in a passionate and primal tasting that held all of himself, all of his love within its confines.
Kagome gasped, eyes going wide for just a moment before fluttering closed, and he took that opportunity to slip inside her mouth and finally, truly taste her as he'd wanted to do for so long. He moaned into her, actually in pain as so much pent-up feeling released into the kiss, and he tilted his head, grabbing her face with one clawed hand as he moved... he wanted to taste everything, every tiny place in her, leaving behind only himself, and no memory of any other.
And she responded, her tongue battling his, wanting to taste him as much as he wanted to taste her, and finally managed to get him back into his own mouth, she purred, joy seeping into her mind as she felt his reaction to her. She ran her tongue over his fangs, shivering at the excitement that feeling something so potentially deadly to everyone but her shafted through her, and the tears running down her face began to mix into his taste in her mouth.
As Inuyasha tasted her tears, he pulled back just a bit, and staring into her opening eyes, let every last thing he felt for her lace his gaze, then whispered brokenly, "Never, ever, listen to that kind of shit again, wench. It's not true, none of it. I live for you, I love you more than anything in this world and the next, and I want you now, and will until the day we die."
He sighed deeply, then, and closing his eyes, he touched his head to hers. With tender fingers, he wiped away the evidence of her tears, gently kissing her cheeks as he did so, and chuckling softly at the slight hitch in her breath as she sighed into his skin.
"No more tears, my K'gome. It hurts me when you cry. From here on out, I will not refrain from touching you, kissing you, and holding you. If you aren't ready for something - you'll have to tell me as it happens, okay?" As she nodded shakily, he smiled slightly, and then took a deep breath, before letting it out, and all the tension crawling through him with it.
"Aishiteru, Kagome. Never, ever, forget that. No matter what happens. I will always love you."
As Kagome smiled shyly, and returned the words, his thoughts turned to vengeance once again.
Trust me, Naraku. After tonight, what I do to you is gonna echo for a thousand years. For every drop of pain you've caused my Kagome, I'm going to destroy your very soul. There will be nothing left of your arrogance when I'm done - for you, there will only be eternal pain.
---cCc---
The rest of the day passed uneventfully, with Inuyasha visibly preoccupied, and once Kagome gave it a little thought, she was pretty sure it had to do with his planned dream attack on Naraku.
After lunch, he disappeared out into the goshinboku, telling her only that he needed a little time to meditate, and not to worry. He wasn't thinking when he said it, though, because that particular group of words in conjunction with him was bound to get Kagome's attention... and make her worry that he was going to get himself into something bad.
Truthfully, he would never, ever tell Kagome what he was about to do. She didn't need to know what his vengeance against Naraku would entail - it would only set her recovery back and probably make her have flashbacks. In no way, shape, or form, was he about to allow something like that to happen. So Kagome would have to be kept ignorant about his plan.
Far as he was concerned, as Kagome's mate-to-be, it was his place and his right to gain vengeance and justice for the assault on her, and he was going to make it the most horrible thing he could ever imagine. While he wouldn't ever want Kagome to know, and he knew she might not approve, that wasn't going to stop him. He felt no qualms about it, and no guilt.
None whatsoever.
Hopping up onto his favorite branch, he closed his eyes, and lost himself in his thoughts and plans, his heart filled with hatred...
And Wrath.
---cCc---
"I don't like this night, Sango," Miroku said quietly, staring out into the darkness beyond the village confines. "Something wicked is coming."
Sango shivered as she moved up to stand next to him, and nodded, reluctantly agreeing. "I know. The air is so heavy, and still... like before a great storm. Do you think Naraku means to move against us now?"
"I do not know... but I do feel as though we are moving into the last days of the battle with him. For good or ill... it will end soon." He lifted his cursed hand and stared at it for a moment, then clenched it.
"Hopefully, Lord Sesshoumaru will be able to find some information soon about where the bastard hides," Sango whispered, watching her beloved as he stared at his hand, pain in her eyes at the knowledge of what that cursed flesh could mean to her in the end.
The loss of her heart - the loss of her home.
With a sigh, Miroku dropped his hand and gestured into the night. "Maybe we should check the village perimeters - just to make sure. Would you walk with me, Sango?"
She nodded, moving forward with him, matching his stride easily. "Hai, Miroku, always. If the fight with Naraku comes, I will stand with you... and if kami-sama will it, I will fall with you."
He started to deny that, but she held up a hand, and he subsided with a soft exhalation.
"You know why I say that, Miroku. Do not fight me on it, especially when I know you feel the same way." She smiled at him then, and reached out and grabbed his hand. "Whatever is the will of kami-sama, will be. I do not fear death, Miroku, as long as you are at my side. Do not deny me this... I would rather die together than die later, alone."
He gripped her hand, squeezing it firmly. "But then, my Sango, mayhap the buddha and the kami have other than death in their plans. You say you will die with me... but will you also live with me?"
She turned her head and met his gaze with a bright smile. "Hai, Miroku. I will."
Lightening flashed suddenly on the distant horizon, and they both fell silent as the crack of thunder reached their ears, rolling from horizon to horizon in great sheets of sound.
It would be a deadly storm when it reached them.