InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Purity Redux: Metempsychosis ❯ Turmoil ( Chapter 85 )

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

Letting out a soft sigh as she snuggled closer against Ashur's chest, Jessa savored the stillness, the quiet, the overwhelming sense of peace that only existed at this time of morning, well before the rest of the house came to life.  Two days until the wedding, and she'd be lying if she were to try to say that she wasn't starting to feel the stress of it all, and even though she was looking forward to the big day, she also had to admit, at least to herself, that she also couldn't quite wait until it was over.

'You realize, don't you, that insisting that Kells come with you on your honeymoon isn't exactly traditional.'

'But he should come along, especially since we're going back to Ireland—especially since he's going to be created as the Earl of Cantaven . . .'

'And he's ridiculously excited about that.'

She giggled to herself, at her youkai-voice's observation.  To be truthful, she'd had to do some convincing to get Ashur to agree to it, but when she'd suggested that they take a slightly prolonged trip and reminded him that Kells really ought to be there, then he'd decided that it would be all right.  After all, she wasn't just marrying Ashur: she was also solidifying her relationship with Kells, too, and he deserved to be a part of it.  In fact, when they'd decided to write their own vows, she'd made a point to write down her promises to Kells as a part of hers.

Now, the only thing left was the final fitting of her gown in a couple hours and then, the girls had planned a bachelorette party, overnight trip to a very exclusive spa in Greenland for pampering and relaxation before the wedding on Saturday . . .

Savoring the feeling of just being close to Ashur, she sighed and bit her lip, wondering idly if she had enough time to wake him, to pick up where they'd ended last night . . .

'You're turning into an absolute pariah, my lass . . .'

She blushed a little bit and giggled to herself.  'It's his fault,' she thought.  'It's some kind of  . . . animal magnetism . . . They should bottle it—whatever it is . . . Bet they'd make a mint of money off of it . . .'

'Yes, well, do remember that you're a lady, won't you?  A little decorum goes a long way . . .'

Again, she giggled, mostly because her youkai was taking a very obvious shot at the way Jessa had pinched Ashur's rear after dinner last night.  She couldn't help it, though.  She had been walking through the living room to grab her notepad with all of her wedding plans in it to tell the ladies about it, and he'd been there, filling a snifter of cognac, and, well . . .

"Do you really have to go to that spa?"

Rolling her eyes as she broke into a little smile and leaned up on her elbow to peer down at him, Jessa quickly kissed Ashur's cheek.  "You all insisted that you could take care of the children for one night," she reminded him.

He slipped his arms around her and sighed.  "That's not the issue," he told her.  "Who's going to keep me up at night if you're there, and I'm here?"

She couldn’t quite contain the blush that rose in her cheeks at his very blatant reminder that their bedroom hijinks were most certainly her idea last night . . . For some reason, she couldn’t seem to help herself. The last couple weeks, all it took was one look, one smile, one cocked eyebrow, and she was more than ready to grab Ashur and drag him off for a few hours behind closed doors . . .

"What are the odds that no one will miss us if we just stay in here all day today?"

Letting out a wistful sigh, Jessa snuggled against him, burrowing her head under his chin.  "That sounds good," she breathed.  "I wouldn't mind, but I swear, your man-friends?  They're worse than women."

He snorted.  "Unlike you ladies, who can sit around all day and drink tea and gossip, we men are busy doing man-things and discussing important man-business."

She snorted.  "That is the most sexist things you've ever said."

He chuckled, but didn't deny it.

"Are you having a bachelor party?"

He grunted.  "God, no," he muttered.  "Considering Ben's ended with us all in lockdown?  A repeat of that is just not necessary, thanks."

"You were arrested?" Jessa said.

"Someone started a fight," he replied.  "I don't remember who, and I don't care.  All I know is that I'd rather avoid that, if at all possible, this time around.".

"Hmm . . ."

"Promise me something?"

She blinked at the sudden seriousness that had crept into his voice, tilting her head back so that she could see his face.  "What's that?"

He let out a deep breath, staring at her with a seriousness that she hadn't seen in his gaze in quite some time while he traced small circles on her bare shoulder in an idle sort of way.  "Every morning should start like this, don't you think?"

She smiled and wiggled up to kiss him—a long, slow, sweet kiss that instantly ignited the blood that surged through her veins.  "I promise," she murmured between kisses.  "Every morning . . ."

He seemed to relax, twining his fingers in with hers, reaching up with his other hand, sinking it deep in her hair.  "Can we just skip the next few days and get going on the honeymoon?"

"You're the one who wanted to have a planned wedding," she reminded him.

"I realize," he grumbled.  "I'm really stupid sometimes . . ."

"Oh, I wouldn’t go that far," she told him.

He kissed her fingers, intertwined with his.  "You're very magnanimous, Mrs-Almost-Philips."

"I'll miss you at the spa . . ."

"Okay, now you're just being mean," he grumbled.

The door opened, and Jessa giggled as Kells scooted into the room with Puff-Puff in tow.  Seeing that they were already awake, he uttered a little shriek of laughter and launched himself onto the bed, landing on his knees, seconds before Jessa pulled him over between them.

"Morning, Mommy!" he exclaimed.

Ashur shorted.  "What about me?" he asked pointedly.

Kells shot him a cursory glance before cuddling up on Jessa's lap so that Puff-Puff could climb onto his lap, in turn.  "Oh, morning, Daddy."

Ashur rolled his eyes and heaved a sigh as he rolled out of bed.  "Come on, Kells," he called, heading toward the bathroom.

"But I took a shower yesterday!" Kells complained.

Ashur grunted and shook his head, but didn't stop moving.  "And you take one every day, so, let's go."

Kells pinned Jessa with a 'Do-I-Have-To' look, and she laughed and kissed him on the cheek.  "Go on, lad," she told him.

He didn't look very pleased, but he did scoot off the bed to follow his father into the bathroom with Puff-Puff, fast on his heels.

"So much for that morning quiet," she murmured to herself as she reached for her robe.  Then she giggled and stood up, figuring that she might as well get moving, too.  After all, the sooner she jumped in, the sooner Saturday would get here . . .


"There's been no more talk of the dissidents, creeping around?"

Sesshoumaru adjusted his napping daughter in his arms and shook his head.  "Not even a whisper," he said.

"Which isn't nearly as reassuring as it should be," Gunnar mumbled, scowling at the slim-file open in his hands.

"You're such a fatalist," Bas remarked dryly.

Gunnar grunted.  "I'd prefer 'realist'.  To think that they were subdued that easily would be entirely arrogant, don't you think?"

"Unfortunately, I'm inclined to agree with Gunnar," Ben said.  "The only question is, when they'll try again."

Ashur rubbed his forehead and slowly shook his head.  "Without knowing who's taken otou-san's place, it's hard to predict what they may do—or when."

"Zelig tells me that a couple of them came after you.  Have you heard of any more threats?" Sesshoumaru asked, leveling a pointed look at Ashur.

"Both alluded to the idea that there were more than just the two of them who know where I am," Ashur admitted.  "I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary lately, but I'll admit, I'll be relieved once the fence is done and the barrier is in place."

Sesshoumaru nodded.  "And you feel confident enough to spend your honeymoon in Europe?"

"Dunborough is isolated enough that I believe we can stay there for the duration without drawing undue attention."

"Provided that MacDonnough doesn't let it accidentally slip that you're there," Cain grumbled.

"I think that he's willing to leave us alone as long as we don't press the question of what really happened to Orlaith O'Shea."

Sesshoumaru's gaze narrowed.  "He had something to do with her death?"

Ashur shook his head.  "I'm sure he did, though I doubt he did anything directly.  Manami told us that he . . . suggested that she do something about the O'Sheas.  It was an ultimatum: she either did what he wanted, even if he was careful not to issue it as a formal order, or she was fired.  She opted to walk away.  There's reason to believe that the actual tampering with her car was the work of Carl Kingston since he would do anything to have Jessa marry Devlin, but there's not a doubt in my mind that MacDonnough knew and gave his blessing."

"And yet, you did not press this?"

"Jessa's been through enough, don't you think?" Ashur countered evenly.  "Even if the MacDonnough did have something to do with it, what would be done?  The only one—the only one—who could lawfully and rightfully punish him would be you, Sesshoumaru, and I daresay you would rather not interfere.  Nothing is going to bring her parents back, and she knows that, too.  Is it worse to suspect, but never verify, or is it worse to know for certain and never be able to do a thing about it?  If she doesn't wish to pursue it any further, then I am not going to make her do so—not when there is zero chance that she'll ever really see him receive any kind of justice."

Sesshoumaru didn't confirm or deny Ashur's statement, and that was fine, as far as Ashur was concerned.  He could completely appreciate Jessa's desire to just let it alone.  In her mind, there wasn't anything that could bring her parents back, no way to bring a dead man to justice, no way to convict a tai-youkai . . . It was her choice to let it all go.  Ashur, however, would be lying if he didn't wish, on some level, that there was a way to hold MacDonnough responsible.

"Hardly seems fair," Devlin mumbled, letting out a deep breath as he wandered over to the wetbar to grab a bottle of water.  "Father got what he had coming, but . . . But Irish is getting married, and she's doing it without the support of her parents, and that . . . that's unforgivable . . ."

"How's your mother holding up?" Cain asked, leaning against the fireplace mantle where he had been staring into the flames.

Devlin made a face.  "They . . . They weren't true mates," he admitted.  "I don't look for her to suffer for his death."

"And it's . . . safe for you to be working in such a high-profile office as the youkai special crimes?" Sesshoumaru asked.  He didn't sound as though he were trying to second guess anything.  He actually sounded genuinely concerned.

Devlin shrugged almost offhandedly.  "I've been . . . I've been learning how to shoot a gun," he said. "I will not be left helpless, ever again."

Ashur wasn't surprised to see the slight light of understanding in the Inu no Taisho's gaze.  Despite the general misgivings, in a situation like Devlin's, where the youkai simply did not possess the offensive capability to fight, the question became, was it worse to allow someone to be unprotected because of that stigma? Judging from the understated emotion on the hard-to-read youkai's face, Sesshoumaru agreed . . .

The French doors slammed open as Bailey dashed into the living room, his face pale, eyes wide, almost frightened, and he dashed over to his father. "Daddy!"

"You know you're not supposed to be tearing around the house in your snow boots, Bailey," Bas remarked mildly.

Bailey winced but grabbed Bas' arm.  "Daddy, but he's got Kells!  We were building a fort, an' he ran up an' grabbed Kells!"

Ashur shot to his feet at the mention of his son's name.  "Who?" he demanded, striding toward the doors.

"Who does?" Bas demanded.

"The stranger!"

That was all Ashur waited to hear as he slammed the door open and sprinted outside.  The panic in his child's youki hit him, full-on, and he ignored the burn of the snow under his bare feet, spotting the huge and hulking youkai, taking in the agitation in his youki as his rage spiraled higher.

"Stop!"

Skidding to a halt just off the veranda, Ashur scowled at the youkai he didn't recognize, gritting his teeth hard as an overwhelming sense of complete and utter helplessness surged over him, thick and hot and seething, but the man held Kells, suspended off the ground, his arm around the boy's neck, although Kells was growling and struggling enough to reassure Ashur that he wasn't being hurt too badly—yet.  Massive, hulking—not as big as Bas, but what did that matter when he held onto the very small child?—unmistakable despite the knowledge that he had never seen this particular man before, ever.  That didn't matter, not when . . .

"Let him go," Ashur yelled, very aware that the other children were cowering behind the youkai, and they were scared.  The cloying feel of their collective fear was enough to nearly choke him.  "Put him down now."

"Daddy!" Kells squeaked, renewing his struggle against the man's grip.  Raking his tiny claws against the man's arms but doing nothing in the way of true damage, given that his claws were covered in the silicone safety tips, the boy fought hard.  The man flexed his arm, squeezing a small yelp out of Kells and escalating Ashur's overall rage as the others drew up beside Ashur, not one of them daring to pass—not one of them willing to put Kells in any more danger than he was already in, not to mention the children behind the man, too.

"I don't think so . . . I'm not that dumb."

"Dumber than you think you are," Gunnar said.  "Put him down."

"Are you really fool enough to challenge us?" Cain demanded.

The man chuckled rather nastily.  "Not all of you—just him.  I just want him," he said, jerking his head toward Ashur.

"Who are you?" Ashur growled, starting to step forward again.  Kells yelped when the man's grip tightened, and he stopped.  He couldn't open up a fissure under him, couldn't do much of anything as long as he held onto Kells.  He'd never felt quite so helpless before in his life, even when Hana had immobilized him with her senbon—not even as he'd been forced to watch Hana kill his mother . . . His eyes widened suddenly as understanding came to him.  The same muddy brown eyes, the same shaggy, frizzy black hair . . . the same swarthy skin . . . "You're Ray Johnston's brother."

"So, you know him.  He was my younger brother.  You killed him, didn't you?"

It was less of a question and more of a statement.  "He attacked me," Ashur said.  "Yes, I killed him."

A flicker of rage crossed the man's features.  "Is that right?"

"Let my son go," Ashur ground out, racking his brain as he struggled to find a plan—some way to get Kells and the rest of the children away from him—he couldn't think of a thing that wouldn't end up, hurting his son, and the realization was enough to choke him.

The man's eyebrows shot up in feigned innocence.  "But he attacked me—is attacking me now.  Can't you see it, Lord General?" he goaded, the jagged edges of his youki, spiking in the winter air.

"Kells!" Ashur barked tersely.  Immediately, the boy stilled in the bison-youkai's arms, though his fear didn't lessen.  Fighting valiantly against the consuming urge to lose control, Ashur ground his teeth together hard.  "Your issue is with me.  Let him go."

"You killed my brother and his mate, left my nephew without parents, and you have the balls to demand that I let your precious child go?"  Uttering a terse and harsh laugh that was full of irony and devoid of humor, the bison unleashed a sound unlike anything that he'd ever heard before—almost enough to make him clap his hands over his ears as the reverberation rattled through him.

A flick of a hand beside him, a flash of light, like a crack of lightning, and Ashur blinked as Johnston's body still, paled, and, in the space of a breath, he seemed to crystallize.  For a brief moment, Ashur thought that maybe he'd been encased in a crystalline covering, but no, it wasn't like a cocoon or anything of the sort.  It was his entire body, the crystal, glowing a soft blue in the afternoon sunshine—weak and watery, as the light slipped through it with a horrifying kind of beauty—not unlike the tragic wilting of a dying rose.

Ashur didn't stop to ask questions.  Sprinting forward, he grabbed Kells, breaking away the crystal arm that held him, closing his eyes as late panic gripped him tight.  The boy sniffled and broke into a loud wail as he held onto Ashur, burying his face in his neck, his tiny body shaking, quivering as he clung to him . . .

Sesshoumaru strode past him as the children darted around them, seeking out the comfort of their respective parents.  The bright green ribbon of the Inu no Taisho's energy whip flicked out, shattering the bison-youkai's crystallized body in a flash of light, in an explosion of dust that sparkled in an entirely appalling way in the frigid sunshine.

Ashur turned to face Sesshoumaru, noticing only then that he still held his daughter in one arm, but it was the strange expression in the depths of his gaze that gave him pause.  A profound sense of bewilderment—so out of place on the man's usually impassive countenance . . . As though he were as surprised by what he'd just done as the rest of them were . . .

"I think it's time to bring the children in for the day," Sesshoumaru said, voice smooth, even, as though nothing out of the ordinary had just happened.

"Ojii-sama?" Gunnar called after him.

"Olivia hasn't moved.  I daresay she is still frightened."

Gunnar scowled at his grandfather's back but turned and strode over to retrieve the little girl, still rooted on the spot.

"Sesshoumaru, what . . . was that . . .?" Cain asked, arms full of two of the triplets—Hayden and Connor.  Their sister, Daniella, along with Evan's son, Jack, were nestled securely in Evan's arms.  The North American tai-youkai looked just as confused as everyone else, as though he wasn't sure what to make of what he'd just witnessed, either.

At first, Ashur thought that Sesshoumaru wasn't going to answer.  Turning back toward the house, he paused long enough to scoop up Koujizen in his free arm.  "That was one of chichiue's attacks.  He called it Crystal Oblivion . . . I'd forgotten it . . . until now . . ."