InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Someone To Watch Over Me ❯ Danger on the Horizon ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter 6

*~*~*~Danger on the Horizon*~*~*~

 

 

=-=-=-AN: Hopefully this will answer those questions that I know some of you must have concerning Shiro=-=-=-

 

 

The azurite sky of the early predawn morning began to lighten slowly; the brilliance of the stars receding from view beyond the Tokyo skyline as the once dark sky became infused with the burnt orange, fire gold, and salmon pink colors of the morning light. The colors came upon the clouds as beautiful and innocent as an artist's brushstrokes, so gentle, so inviting that it left one helpless but to stare out into it as the molten copper disk that was the sun rose slowly over the horizon. It's blindingly beautiful light reflected off the glass of the crowded buildings in the business district like so many mirror balls. Across the already bustling city, the Higurashi Shrine stood strangely quiet, almost as though it were lost in time.

 

The light from the sun bled across the ground, lighting the concrete and grass like light escaping through an opening door. It rose slowly over the house, sneaking up the walls only to peak in through the upstairs bedroom window. It lit upon the wooden floor covered by tatami mats and crept across to the bed illuminating the adolescent boy lying buried within the blankets. With a deep reluctant groan, Souta pulled the top blanket up over his head if only to hide for a few more moments before the day came to claim him. Curling the blanket around his clenched fist, he tucked it under his chin and lay quietly, staring out across his room. The look on his face was forlorn; a sad loneliness deep within his eyes, haunting the dark depths.

 

“Kagome,” the boy whispered her name, almost afraid to say it any louder, “where are you?”

 

There was no one to answer his question, and the only person who could answer it he knew would not be there. It had been months since his sister had been home, and he missed her terribly. Of course she had been gone many times before this, but this was the longest she had ever stayed away. Curling his legs up to his chest, the boy bent his head, and his eyes saddened just a bit more; he wasn't suppose to have heard the conversation but he had and he was beginning to understand, even if he still had too many questions left unanswered.

 

He had been on the stairs a few weeks ago when he had heard Inuyasha's voice in the kitchen talking with his mother. He had hoped, prayed actually, that his sister had come through the well with the hanyou, but had opted to sit on the stairs and listen in to the conversation rather than search out his sibling. He had heard them talking about his uncle Shiro, about Kagome's reaction to the man. Souta wished he could understand his sister on this. Whatever it was about the man that she saw and no one else did - it frightened her beyond all reason, didn't it?

 

Kicking the covers off of his body, the boy stood and began to get ready for school. Violently tugging off his sleep shirt and replacing it quickly with the top to his school uniform, he fairly growled. He knew why Kagome wouldn't come home anymore; hell, he'd been home to see her upset at the knowledge that their Uncle Shiro had moved in with them. He'd secretly witnessed her reaction when the man had touched her shoulder and his look of almost triumph when Kagome had paled and fled from the house without a word to anyone. It angered him that the man scared her so much - nothing scared his fearless sister, not like that. It bothered him that she wouldn't tell him why their uncle frightened her so much, always saying that no one believed her, and that she didn't want to be sent back to that place again - wherever that place happened to be. She wouldn't talk about that either.

 

The boy slowed his movements, pulling on his socks as he became lost in thought; a slow realization dawned that hadn't occurred to him before now. It had to do with their father, didn't it? Shaking his head as he straightened, Souta sighed, checking his backpack to make sure he had everything he would need before leaving his room. He'd only been fifteen months old when their father had died, too young to have any memories at all of the man that his sister had treasured, cherished above all others. But it was worse for Kagome, wasn't it? His sister had been with their father when he had died. The way his uncle had told the story, finding Kagome passed out on top of their father, it was strange. Kagome had always insisted that Shiro had been there the entire time, that it in fact was he who had killed their father, no matter that all official reports said that he'd died from a heart attack.

 

The earliest memory he had was one that to this day still bothered him, scared him almost. Kagome had been seven, almost eight at the time, and having just turned three, Souta had been just old enough to remember their uncle convinced his mother to send Kagome away for counseling. He had remembered the months without her; his uncle insisting that it would help Kagome understand what had happened and better deal with her grief and the misplaced anger that she had directed at him. When she had come back nearly four months later she was vastly different. He could remember her disturbing silence, the way she would sit and simply stare at the walls, refusing to talk unless it was absolutely necessary. He remembered his mother's nearly constant tears that lasted over the next year as she tried to get Kagome to talk, to eat, to even sleep normally again. His sister had been so guarded, so afraid, so…broken.

 

Souta was halfway down the stairs leading into the front room just off of the kitchen when he heard Shiro and his mother arguing. He could tell that they were in the kitchen; his mother sounded angry, defensive, protective, where his uncle instead sounded demanding and almost threatening. Crouching low on the stairs, he gripped the wooden rails in his hands and listened intently to the voice emanating from the kitchen.

 

“I will not send my daughter back to that center, Shiro! I did that once; I listened to you once about that, and they sent her back to me broken, afraid even to speak!”

 

“Perhaps so, Kina,” Shiro argued his voice low, dangerous, “but now your precious daughter has run away. Tell me why it is you haven't called the police yet, or even started a search for her?”

 

“Because I know where she is and who she's with,” his mother said, and Souta suddenly wished Inuyasha was there now. “My daughter is safe, and that is all that matters to me.”

 

“She's safe from me you mean.”

 

Souta could hear the sneer in the man's voice and recoiled in fear. He'd never truly taken note of the man's anger and hostility toward his sister before. Why was their uncle so afraid of Kagome? What was it about her that threatened him so much? Inuyasha had told him once in confidence that Kagome was the strongest and purest miko he'd ever met, stronger even then Kikyou. The hanyou had told him, in a moment of pride, that Kagome could slay a youkai practically just by looking at it. Was that it? Was that why Shiro was so threatened? But then, how could he even know about anything like that regarding his sister?

 

“Go to work, Shiro,” his mother said in a deadly quiet voice.

 

“We'll talk about this later, little sister,” the man returned.

 

Souta scurried up the stairs to the top landing as the man thudded forcefully out of the house, slamming the front door in his wake. It worried Souta beyond the telling of it that his mother had been threatened. Running down the stairs, he skidded into the kitchen to find his mother sitting at the kitchen table, her face pale and tears glistening in her eyes.

 

“Mom?” Souta moved close enough to her to put his hand on her shoulder.

 

The woman looked up at him, not even attempting a smile for his benefit, and Souta was fairly certain he wouldn't have wanted her to even try. Standing from the table, she took Souta's school bag from his shoulder and sat it on the table as she opened it and began to methodically empty it of its contents.

 

“Mom…what are you doing?” Souta asked, thoroughly confused as he watched the woman.

 

“Go get changed, Souta,” she told him softly, unable to hide the tremor in her voice. “You're going to stay with a friend of your father's and mine for a few days.”

 

“Who?” Souta asked; she had never mentioned a friend of their father's to him before, so why now?

 

“Ginta…and his sister Ayame.”

 

 

 

 

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

 

 

Jade green eyes flared wide for an instant as a sharp breath was hissed in through clenched teeth. Eyes narrowing angrily, the tall kitsune youkai slipped back into the cover of the trees he was standing near, disappearing easily into the shadows. He waited a moment, listening for anything more of what he'd heard before turning and speeding off through the cover of the dense forest.

 

Red orange hair streaked throughout with golden highlights looked like so much fire as the kitsune ran through the trees, pushing himself harder and faster than he ever had before. Nearly a year ago his lord had charged him with the task of following the hanyou and the miko that traveled with him and keeping him up to date on any and all news concerning the two. It was only a simple rumor that had made him travel far away from the hanyou and his pack.

 

Kanaye was still in a state of disbelief over what he had heard. What he found to be even stranger still was that he had heard the exact same thing from the golden lion tai youkai, ruler of the eastern lands, as well as from the human prince whose castle resided in the lion's lands. Realizing that he was far enough away, the kitsune closed his eyes, his body dissolving into a ball of light that moved faster than any eye could see.

 

He returned to his lord's castle in record time; his form reappearing just inside the stone walls. Breathing deeply to steady himself, Kanaye followed his lord's scent until he came upon him. Standing just outside the open doorway to the child's room, the kitsune watched as his proud stoic lord tucked his adopted daughter into her bed and bid her sweet dreams before rising and leaving the room. Closing the door quietly behind him, the tai youkai pinned the kitsune with his cold golden stare.

 

“I trust you have news, Kanaye.”

 

“Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama.”

 

 

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

 

 

 

“Mamma,” Souta looked out the window watching the passing traffic as they drove down the busy highway, “why have you never mentioned Ginta-san and Ayame-san before?”

 

Kina's lips curled up into a gentle smile as she thought about her treasured friends. She saw them once a week for lunch or coffee, but Souta was right; she'd never mentioned them to her family before. Perhaps it was just selfishness on her part, wanting to keep them to herself, but it had never seemed quite right to talk about them before. Benjiro had met them briefly at their wedding, but he too had felt that same sense of secrecy, almost like they were a special treasure that was not meant to be shared.

 

“Neither of them truly cares for formality, Souta,” she said, her son turning his head to look at her. “As for my not mentioning them before…you'll understand once you meet them.”

 

Taking an unmarked exit, Kina followed a winding dirt road through an old city that was little more than ghost town now. Souta stared out his window once more in wonder as he looked at the empty buildings and quiet streets.

 

“Where are all the people, Mamma?” Souta asked quietly.

 

“Nearly fifty years ago an epidemic of influenza swept through here. Back then, just like now, it was pretty much unheard of for anyone to die of the flu, but people did. Young, old, healthy, sickly, it didn't matter. Within two months eighty percent of this town's once thriving population was dead and buried. Those that were left called this place cursed and abandoned it. Rumor has it that within five weeks of leaving the town, all of its survivors were dead too.”

 

“No one ever resettled it?” Souta asked, his face screwed up in a disbelieving expression. “Bakas.”

 

Kina laughed warmly at her son's response to the story as she turned onto a bumpy, rarely used country path.

 

“Why do your friends live so far away?” the boy asked as he stared in awe at the natural beauty of the untouched wilderness.

 

“They like it out here. Ayame has the room she needs for her animal rescue, and Ginta is a novelist who also teaches judo and karate. Maybe he'll teach you some while you're here with them.”

 

Winking at her son's hopeful expression, she smiled even brighter when he saw the house up ahead and stared in awe. Built by hand, it was a three story, twenty room mansion made out of woods and large stones found in the surrounding forest. It was elegantly rustic and majestic as though nature herself had built this house and invited those within to stay.

 

Kina knew that as big, as the house looked now, it would be that much bigger when they actually pulled into the drive. The river that ran beside the house came slowly into view as did the woman standing on the third story balcony. Kina laughed silently, almost able to hear her friend's excited shriek in her head as the woman disappeared from view.

 

Stopping the car just before the narrow bamboo walk that was feathered along its sides by billowing grasses, Kina turned off the engine and looked at her son. “Grab your bag, Souta.”

 

Following his mother's direction, the boy unbuckled and turned around in his seat. Reaching behind his seat, he snatched the backpack from the floor of the car and turned back around in time to see his mother exit the car only to be gathered up in the twin embrace of her friends. Looking closer, he was stunned to see tears on his mother's face as she clung to the man with the two toned hair.

 

Jumping when his car door opened, Souta stared unblinking at the red haired woman. His eyes widened when she smiled at him. Did she have fangs?! Ayame chuckled softly, warmly, the sound putting Souta instantly at ease.

 

“Your father could see them too,” she whispered to him and winked as she helped him out of the car, closing the door behind him. “I'm Ayame. You must be Souta.”

 

“If you and my mother are such good friends,” Souta began, his tone suspicious as he walked along the bamboo path next to Ayame. “Why is it that I've never met or heard of you before?”

 

“Your mother and sister had journeys they needed to take, journeys that Ginta and I couldn't interfere with.”

 

Kina stood within the comforting warmth of Ginta's welcome embrace; her face hidden against his shoulder. It had been too long since she had last seen him; too long since she had lest felt the all encompassing safety of his protection, his love. He held her, soothed her, balanced her spirit and calmed the furious storm of her raging emotions. She felt his strength and his gentleness. He had promised her years ago that he would always protect her, always love her, but told her that it wasn't their time yet to be together. He had never explained his reasoning to her, and though she had loved her husband dearly, it had broken her heart when Ginta had stood aside and blessed their union.

 

“Stay with us here tonight, Kina,” Ginta begged her, his voice little more than a rough whisper. His breath warm upon her ear. “Stay with me.”

 

She spoke no words. Her arms tightened around him, her body pressing against and into his as she nodded against his chest. Kissing her bowed head, he held her tight and petted her short hair.

 

“You cut your hair again,” he observed, feeling the recently cut ends. “Whatever happened to you liking it long? When we were first together it used to be down to your hips.”

 

She pulled back slightly to see his face and smiled. “When the kids were small it was easier to keep it short. I guess I just got use to it.”

 

She saw his pout and nearly laughed. Back when she was younger and had been in college the first time was when she had met Ginta. She could remember all the times that they would sit together, and he would wrap her hair around his hand only to let the strands slip away, always saying that it felt like the finest silk. Perhaps she'd grow it out again; she missed the feeling of his hands in her hair.

 

“Are you two coming inside?” Ayame called to them across the yard.

 

Ginta and Kina looked over at the wolf princess, their faces heating and sporting identical blushes. Offering his hand, Ginta smiled shyly when Kina put her palm in his hand, her own hand so small compared to his own. They walked up the bamboo path to the house and stepped inside, the door closing behind them.

 

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

 

 

Standing at the bottom of the half flight of concrete steps looking up, the man studied the name of the high school that was imprinted in the stone above the doors. To those who saw him from inside the building he appeared to be smiling - perhaps wistfully. To those that passed by him, however, they shied away, able to feel the malice in his deceptive expression, the carefully constructed mask hiding the darkness within. Walking up the steps he entered the building and strode purposefully toward the administration office as if he belonged there.

 

The secretary looked up as the outer office door opened. Her eyes widened upon seeing the man that entered, and she stood quickly, bowing low in respect to the man that she met briefly only once but had seen so many time in magazines.

 

“Takaida-san, welcome,” she greeted, still bent low.

 

“Please…Sato-san,” he said, reading the name plate that sat on her desk, “Shiro is fine.”

 

The woman blushed and nodded as she retook her seat at his request. He leaned his hip casually against her desk and conversed idly with her about nothing in particular. Flirting with the woman and charming her senseless, he gained what he'd wanted and slipped past her to the principal's private office. He didn't bother knocking as he walked easily inside as if he owned the building.

 

“Takaida-san,” the principal stood and bowed low, “to what do we owe the honor?”

 

“Unfortunately, Morimoto-san, there is little honor and even less pleasantry involved in my reason for being here,” Shiro said, his face serious even as he laughed with triumph on the inside and silently cursed the man for his stupidity.

 

“I'm sorry to hear that, Takaida-san,” Morimoto said adopting the man's serious demeanor as he waived a hand at the chairs across from his desk. “Please have a seat and tell me what is going on.”

 

Shiro sat slowly, looking for all the world as though he truly regretted what he was about to say. Resting his elbows on the wooden arms of the chair, he steepled his fingers together and touched the tips to his lips before raising his bowed head and staring the man across from him in the eyes.

 

“I am here about Kagome,” Shiro began slowly.

 

“Higurashi Kagome?” Morimoto questioned. “I did not know you knew her.”

 

“She is my niece,” he said watching as the other man's eyes widened. “What has her family told you in regards to her absences?”

 

“She is a sickly girl.”

 

Shiro snorted indelicately, a harsh bark of a laugh breaking free. Shaking his head he mumbled to himself. I should've been an actor, not an architect, he thought humorously.

 

“Kagome is not sickly,” he explained to the man. “She has been in and out of substance abuse rehabilitation programs.”

 

“Surely you must be mistaken,” Morimoto replied aghast.

 

“I wish it were so,” Shiro said as he fine-tuned his act. “Kagome fell in with the wrong crowd and began experimenting with drugs and alcohol, and as we have only recently discovered, sex as well. My sister hid this all from me as well, not wanting the dishonor that Kagome's actions would bring upon her family. I would not even have known now had my nephew not called me during his mother's psychotic break. Apparently the stress that Kagome's problems put on my sister was too much for her to handle. All that aside,” Shiro breathed a deep sigh, “I came here to inform you that Kagome will not be returning to school. We, well I, have decided that it is in her best interests to send Kagome to a substance abuse and behavioral reform school in the United States as their schools are far better equipped to handle those with Kagome's…problems.”

 

Morimoto sat back in his chair, completely flabbergasted by what he was hearing.

 

“I simply just cannot believe it, not about Kagome-san.”

 

“Believe me, Morimoto-san. Even I am still coming to terms with all of this myself.”

 

“When will Kagome be leaving for this school?” the man asked.

 

“Two weeks…The school requires that she have no contact with friends or family for the first year that she is there.”

 

“Isn't that a bit harsh?” the man said, alarmed.

 

“Perhaps. But the school holds a ninety-eight percent success rate,” Shiro looked down at his watch. “I do apologize, Morimoto-san, but I must leave.”

 

The men stood up together and once again bowed to each other. Watching as the man left, Morimoto stood by the window and watched the human get into his car and drive away. Striding to his open office door, he closed it after leaving strict instructions not to be disturbed. Reaching into his pants pocket, he retrieved his cell phone and flipped it open. Not bothering to look at the device as he punched in a series of digits and brought the phone to his ear, listening impatiently as it rang on the other end.

 

“Mother,” he spoke, foregoing any kind of greeting, “its Kenji. Tell Uncle that Kagome is in danger.”

 

 

 

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

 

 

 

Sesshoumaru stared at Kanaye; his golden eyes fierce, angry.

 

“You are certain of this?” Sesshoumaru asked.

 

“Yes my lord. Both Akira-sama and the human prince have issued orders for the hanyou's miko to be brought to them.”

 

“What do they want with her?” Sesshoumaru inquired as he paced to the window of his study and looked out over the castle grounds.

 

Kanaye's eyes followed the inu youkai. He had suspected privately for a while now that Sesshoumaru wasn't trying to kill his younger half brother so much as he was trying to train him. His constant threats, promises that it would be him and he alone who would kill the hanyou - that was more a statement of protection. With a flick of his eyebrow, almost like a shrug, Kanaye supposed he could always be wrong. Though, in all the fights that the kitsune had witnessed the taiyoukai had never truly come close to killing the hanyou.

 

“Akira-sama has issued his orders with a decree: `The miko Kagome will become his mate, or she will die'.”

 

Sesshoumaru looked down at his claws, only the stiffening of his back attesting to his rising temper.

 

“Inuyasha may be little more than an ignorant half breed, but none who have directly threatened the miko have ever survived.” Aside from Naraku, that is, he thought. “He will not stand for this.”

 

“Nor will you, I suspect,” Kanaye offered sagely.

 

“You step too far, Kanaye,” Sesshoumaru warned as he narrowed his eyes, glaring coldly at the kitsune from over his shoulder.

 

“My apologies.” Kanaye bowed low.

 

“The human prince?” Sesshoumaru turned around feeling infinitely restless. “What does he want with her?”

 

“All I was able to gather is that he intends for her to be a gift.”

 

“A gift?” the taiyoukai repeated, his lip curling up in a silent snarl of disgust.

 

“Yes. Although who he intends her for, I do not know.”

 

Sesshoumaru was silent for a while, his thoughts whirling, digesting the news. Kagome was by far the only human to gain his respect and in doing so, his protection - though he'd never tell anyone that nor let them see it. His brother and his pack of misfits seemed oddly well matched. How many times had he seen Kagome fight for them all when it was beyond hope that they could ever win the battle, only to come out the victor in the end? That girl had a fool's courage and the determination to back it up.

 

“Alert Kouga to this news,” Sesshoumaru commanded.

 

“Kouga?” the kitsune was stunned. “The prince of wolves?”

 

“Is there another? …He fancies himself the miko's mate, though I believe this to be in an effort to irritate the hanyou more than anything else. He will make certain that she has the extra protection needed.”

 

“And you, my lord?” Kanaye asked.

 

“This Sesshoumaru will deal with Akira-sama.”

 

A knock at the closed door ended their conversation, and Sesshoumaru bid the person to enter. A beautiful rabbit youkai bowed low with some difficulty as she entered the room.

 

“Sesshoumaru-sama,” she spoke, her voice soft, and though she tried to hide it, both could hear the exhaustion in her tone. “Rin is asking for you.”

 

Sesshoumaru was silent as he stepped up to her. Lifting his hand to her face he gently cupped her jaw in his palm, his long fingers fanning across the soft skin of her cheek. She would have blushed at the way he was staring at her had she not been so tired.

 

“Hana, you are not yet fully recovered. You should be resting,” Sesshoumaru admonished her gently, his thumb slipping over the curve of her chin as he slid his hand up to pillow her cheek in his palm. “Why is Suki not tending to Rin?”

 

Neither Sesshoumaru's voice nor his eyes showed any concern, any emotion. It was the gentleness of his touch, the hard to hear barely there rumbling of his low soothing growl that told the story. His actions put Hana at ease and held the girl teetering on a razor's edge of sleep. Though he was loathe to admit it, it was the one trait that he shared with his little brother - their actions spoke far louder than their words.

 

“Rin-chan won't tell me why, but Suki frightens her.”

 

Turning his golden eyes on Kanaye for a short moment, his eyes spoke his commands and he watched as Kanaye nodded and stepped quietly across the room, moving to stand behind Hana, his body nearly touching hers. Stepping closer to her, Sesshoumaru silently encouraged her to lean back against Kanaye. Her eyes falling closed as the kitsune's arms wrapped around her, sleep claiming her mercilessly. Sesshoumaru's hand fell from her face as he slowly stepped back from the pair.

 

“Take her to her chambers,” Sesshoumaru said, watching as Kanaye lifted the sleeping rabbit youkai into his arms.

 

Sesshoumaru stood silently watching as Kanaye carried the sleeping youkai down the hall. It had been barely a week since Hana had bravely protected Rin from a dark miko, the young human having been seduced by Naraku's empty promises. Hana had fought hard, the fight lasting longer than it should have. He had been drawn by Rin's screams and the too strong scent of the child's fear and tears. He had found Hana half dead and unconscious on the ground, the dark miko readying an arrow to fire into the youkai to purify her. Sesshoumaru had killed the human without even sparing her a glance. He could still remember the unsettling feeling of holding Hana to his body as he'd sped her to the palace's chief healer. Ever since that day he'd become extremely protective of Hana, watching over her like a brother, like a best friend. Releasing a deep breath through his nose he turned and left the study, and made his way to Rin's chambers.

 

 

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

 

 

Kina moaned softly as awareness slowly returned to her. She felt warm, cosseted with a beautiful feeling of safety and love that she hadn't felt in years. Turning her face into the pillow beneath her head, she breathed in the welcome scents of earth, forest, rain and spice: Ginta's scent. Feeling the mattress dip beside her, she smiled as she felt a warm hand brush up over her cheek and temple to smooth her hair.

 

“Ginta,” she breathed his name, her voice holding a dreamy quality.

 

Leaning down over her, Ginta touched his lips to her temple, lying stretched out on his side next to her. He watched her as she turned her face to him, her eyes opening slowly. Her lips curved up slowly in a dreamy sleep teased smile as she touched her hand to his cheek, her fingertips touching the ends of the hair at his temple.

 

“You're wearing your furs,” Kina observed, running her hand through the furs covering his chest.

 

He captured her hand in his their fingers twining together. Holding their hands to his heart, he breathed in deeply of her scent.

 

“I need to hear you say it, Kina,” he said, his gaze serious.

 

“Say what?” she asked, desperately wanting to soothe away the worried frown on his brow as she fell even deeper into his eyes.

 

“What I am. I revealed myself to you years ago. Do you still accept me as I am?”

 

“A wolf youkai? I'd want you no other way,” she told him honestly. “Why do you hide yourself when you live so far out here?”

 

“It is our way. It is the only way that youkai and hanyou can coexist with humans peacefully. There is so much I have to tell you, so much you need to know.”

 

“I love you Ginta, I always have. I trust you,” she told him.

 

His smile was soft; his eyes alight with a warmth that was as inviting and arousing as it was soothing.

 

“There are some things I need to show you and a story that I need to tell you,” he said softly, “about an adventure, a journey…and a miko.”

 

 

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

 

 

Shiro stood inside the empty house. His sister hand taken Souta and run. He shook his head and chuckled darkly. So this latest development put a kink in his plans, a minor setback, but nothing to be concerned about. After all, it was Kagome he was really after. She was far too much like her father. It was alright though; the pureness of her spirit, the beauty of the love she gave so freely - it would make it all so much stronger when he finally shed her blood. And then he would have all the power he'd always desired…and more.