InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Stealing Heaven ❯ All Things End ( Chapter 41 )

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

Kagome was overcome with a sharp, jarring sense of vertigo as she hurtled back toward her body. She wasn't certain if she was truly moving more quickly than she had went she'd jetted away from Myoga's apartment in the present, but it certainlyfeltfaster.

She slipped through the wall of old man's building, and across his apartment. There, Sesshomaru lay unconscious, still, in the center of the circle Myoga had cast. His face was so peaceful, so utterly worry-free that the sight strengthened her as much as it broke her heart.

As she neared her own still form, Nah Rah Ku's true name on her lips, she slammed into something and was hurtled backward, away from her body.

Startled, Kagome gave herself a shake and looked up. The first thing she noticed was Myoga's widened gaze darting about the cramped living space. Her mentor knew something was wrong, and the concern etching his weathered face alarmed her so deeply her stomach twisted in knots.

Looking toward her body, she found a tall, fair-skinned figure with long, dark hair standing before it."Oh no," she whispered, her eyes meeting Nah Rah Ku's blood-red ones.

He had managed to slip free of Myoga's circle. She realized with a sick dread that he must've separated himself from Sesshomaru's consciousness before the barrier had been completed,juststop her!

Frowning darkly, her hands balled into fists and took a step toward him, opening her mouth—

Sesshomaru's body convulsed and he started shaking, violently. Nah Rah Ku looked from Kagome to his host and back. The expression on his face was terrifyingly calm.

Kagome instinctively started to Sesshomaru's side, but Nah Rah Ku caught her by the shoulders.

"What are you doing to him?" she shrieked, struggling in his effortless hold.

"Oh, that," the Thief glanced at Sesshomaru once more before shrugging. "I may have restricted his air flow. . . . Oops."

Fear rocked through her, stealing her ability to think clearly. "Please,please, stop this! You'll kill him!"

"I know." Again the creature shrugged, tightening his grip on her as he dragged her spirit body back against his. "I can always find a new host. You will never find another Sesshomaru."

Her vision swam with tears, she could see Myoga scrambling around behind Nah Rah Ku as he tried to help Sesshomaru. Why was the demon's cruelty always such a shock for her?

Yet, that very question ringing through her head brought her to her senses. She whispered something and Nah Rah Ku tensed against her, instantly.

Meeting his gaze once more, she felt a strange, primal joy in the anger twisting his face.

"No," he said, growling the word. "You belong to me;heto me! Iforbidto do this!"

He swung her around bringing her back to his chest and swept a hand upward to cover her mouth. She struggled, a sad effort, but keeping her still stopped him from silencing her for a moment.

"B'al Tah-Nos," she screamed just as his fingers pressed over her lips.

The Thief froze, his breath erupted in short gasps as he turned his head to look down at her in his arms.

Myoga's frantic ramblings and scurrying motions seemed to deafen her. He was only so harried because he was scrambling to keep Sesshomaru alive.

She slid her hand up over the demon's and pulled it away from her mouth. "B'al Tah-Nos, release me."

His features contorted in anger, but he immediately opened his arms. The motion so fast, she stumbled forward, unaware she'd still been attempting to pull out of his grasp, all the while.

Shaking her head as she backpedaled toward her body, she couldn't help one last effort to justify her actions to him. To make him understand her perceived betrayal. "I tried," she whispered, sorrow edging her voice, "I tried to show you what it is to be human. You failed at every turn. If you could've . . ." again shaking her head, she realized the truth of her words, "If I could have saved you both, I would have tried for you."

The demon's face clouded in confusion. She'd have saved him?

"But you proved yourself beyond redemption," she said, her breathed words barely audible as she sank backward into her body.

She never saw the droplet trickle down the Thief's cheek. Never heard the scream of frustration that wrenched from his throat.


"He's loose!" Kagome bellowed before her eyes even opened, forcing herself to sit up. Her body ached as though she'd been in a car wreck. "B'al Tah-Nos! Let Sesshomaru breathe!"

Sesshomaru gasped, coughing and rasping as he drew in huge lungfuls of air. The relief washing through Kagome was so great she nearly collapsed backward again. Instead, she shifted onto her knees and crawled over the line of the circle, careful not to break it. Sitting on her heels, she pulled his head into her lap.

Myoga hurried from beside the circle to fetch the jar and container of salt. "How did he break free?" The sage demanded.

"Let's discuss that later," Kagome said, her tone frantic, though she nearly gave a laugh at the old man's ability to sidetrack during a time like this. "B'al Tah-Nos," she repeated, her voice as strong as she could manage as she smoothed strands of Sesshomaru's hair away from his damp forehead.

She waited until Myoga was back, the salt-rimmed jar pressed around Sesshomaru's third eye.

"B'al Tah-Nos, I banish you from Taisho Sesshomaru for all time!"

Myoga's body jerked with the effort to hold the jar in place as the demon's essence poured from Sesshomaru, so forceful he thought the glass might shatter in his fingers.

Worried by the strain in her mentor's face, Kagome rested her hand over his, steadying his hold, and helping him guide the jar down, into the salt.

She watched, dazed, as Myoga prepared the jar, just as he had with Lyka's, and set it in the sunlight. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked from the sick-looking black and red stained salt to her Myoga as her hobbled back to the circle.

Her lips trembled as she tried to speak, but nothing came. She forced a short breath and tried again, "Is it . . ." she wasn't certain she could manage the words. As if to even ask might somehow undo everything.

"Is it over?"

Myoga touched a gentle, wrinkled hand to her cheek as his old face scrunched in smile. "Yes. You did well. Of course, if it was me, I'd have done it much faster."

She couldn't help but laugh, all of her worry and burden from all these months evaporated in a heartbeat.

"Told you this little guy could be a handful," Sesshomaru's said softly, his voice creaking a little.

She gasped, dropping her gaze to find him staring up into her face. Before she even realized what she was doing, she curled around him, hugging him tightly.

He coughed, the sound shallow and awkward as he lightly patted her shoulder. "Gently, please, I feel like I was hit by a truck."

Myoga frowned, rising to his full, if meager, height above them. "Little guy? You will feel far worse when I'm through with you, my young friend."

Again, Kagome couldn't do anything but laugh as she tried to stop the old man from smacking Sesshomaru with his cane.

"How many times must I say it, Kagome?"

She shrugged as she set down two cups of tea and sat across from him on the sofa in his living room. Two days had passed. Two, and he'd been deep asleep nearly the entire forty-eight hours. Even today it appeared only he'd climbed out of bed and thrown on a robe to let her in.

Not that she could blame him. A demon attempted-suffocation from the spirit plane was likely to take a lot out of a person.

Kagome hid her face behind her cup, taking a sip before asking. "Just once more, please. You only said it the last time we spoke. Those words could have been the result of oxygen starvation, or whatever they call it."

The corners of his mouth lifted in a hint of a smile as he reached out, slipping his fingers over hers and moving her hand to set the mug back down. He tugged gently, pressing her palm over his heart.

She couldn't help a shiver, the feel of his heartbeat beneath her hand, of the warmth of his skin against hers through his robe making her aware of how very alone they were.

"Everything that happened was a lot to take in," he said, his voice soft, recalling the monotone he usually employed when lecturing a class. "But none of it changed my feelings."

Kagome grinned, shifting closer to him. "You know that's not what I was asking you to say."

"Higurashi Kagome, I am still in love with you."

How easily he said the words, how utterly without the slightest hint of hesitation made her breath catch in her throat. "I'm sorry," she said sniffling as she dropped her head. "That makes me really, really happy. Like you have no idea how happy."

Sesshomaru cupped his free hand beneath her chin and lifted her face, meeting her gaze. "Then why are you crying?"

Again, she sniffled, closing her eyes so the tears wouldn't break free. "Because we both know how this has to go. This moment is . . . so great, but it can't last. The next time I walk out your door—"

He pressed a finger to her lips. "I know. And I've made a decision. I'm going to transfer to another university."

Kagome swatted his hand away. "What? No! You can't do that because of me."

"I'm doing it for you. Forus. If I stay, eventually someone is going to notice something between us." He shook his head, reaching up to push her hair behind her ear. "I will not be the cause of your career being ruined before it even starts. It is easier for me to transfer than for you, so that's the only option I see."

He was right, she realized numbly. She was simply being selfish. She didn't want to think of not seeing him in class every day, didn't want to consider not speaking to him for who only knew how long.

"I understand," she admitted, her voice sad as she held his gaze. Even now, even after everything they'd been through, and how many different sides of him she'd seen, she was still caught off-guard by how handsome he was.

His amber eyes narrowed quizzically as he asked, "What is it?"

Kagome shook her head again, clearing her throat. "Nothing, I'm just . . . okay. So you transfer, and then what?"

Sighing, he shrugged lightly. "The transfer is the simple part. You focus on your studies, I on my career. And when you are officially Dr. Higurashi, when the academic world views us as equals . . . we see what happens, then."

She pulled her hands from him, wrapping her arms around herself. "So that's it? We just wait a few years and hope things work out?"

Sesshomaru forced a gulp, nodding. "I know it sounds terrible, but this is the only way. Secrets always come out and a relationship between us, now, couldruinfuture."

Propping her elbows on her knees, she buried her face in her hands and groaned. "I know," she said in a miserable murmur. "You're right. I don't see any other way, either. But I just . . ." she looked up at him.

Following a sudden impulse, she lurched forward, slipping her arms around his waist and resting her cheek against the hollow of his shoulder. "I need to know that if this works, I finish my education, I'm standing on my own two feet . . . I need to know I won't go looking for you only to find that you're . . . married. I think that would kill me."

His arms closed around her, holding her firmly, but gently. "I know that if I ever get married again, it will be because I've found someone I cannot imagine my life without. And there is only one person I've ever met who fits that description."

Kagome sat up, wiping the back of her hand against her cheeks as she watched his expression. "You can't imagine your life without me?"

He shook his head as he smoothed the wetness from her cheeks with gentle fingertips.

"Okay, then," she said, nodding and forcing herself to breath. "I guess that's it for us—fornow, then. Right?"

His eyebrows inched upward. "Well . . . as you said, we do have until you walk out my front door."

Something in the way he was looking at her, in the way his voice sounded as he said that made her pulse quicken, and she could feel warmth flood her face. "Oh, you mean . . . ."

"I refuse to let that demon's touch be the most potent memory you have of me."

Acting on impulse again, Kagome stood, clasping one of his hands between both of hers and tugging him to stand. She backpedaled in the direction of his bedroom, pulling Sesshomaru with her.

He undressed her slowly, and lifted her to lay her upon the bed. Everywhere the demon had ever touched her, he kissed—brushing his lips, swirling his tongue, grazing his teeth so that she laughed breathlessly and gasped, writing beneath his mouth.

Sesshomaru left his hands in hers, letting her guide his fingers wherever she wanted them. She shuddered and moaned, panting his name as her hips rocked beneath his ministrations, as she brought his hands up to cup her breasts.

He rose above her and she shook her head, biting her lip and grinning with deceptive innocence as she got up on her knees, patting the spot on the bed where she'd been laying.

She wasted no time, straddling him the moment he was on his back. Staring down into thoseamberseeing his unmarked skin, made the moment somehow more perfect. He was himself now, and he was all hers.

Positioning herself over him carefully, she moved her body delicately as she slid his length inside her. He was tense, watching he pained face worriedly for a moment.

He opened his mouth to ask if she was all right—to offer to stop, if she needed—but she reached up, covering his lips with her fingers.

"I'm okay," she said in a soft voice, smiling as she started rocking over him. She flinched a little, before leading his hands to clasp her hips. "But you can help."

"Oh," he said, a small grin lifting his lips as he guided her motions against him, thrusting upward into her gently at first. Until he was sure she was ready for harder strokes.

He didn't let her sleep until he'd brought her to orgasm so many times, he was positive he'dneverforget the sound of Higurashi Kagome's voice screaming his name in ecstasy.

He awoke, refusing to look toward the other side of the bed. Sesshomaru could tell before he'd even opened his eyes that she was already gone.

Forcing a sigh, he pressed the heels of his palms against his eyes, simply laying there for a long, quiet moment. He still believed everything he'd said, that his decision to leave the school was for the best.

But he'd not been prepared for the reality of not seeing her again.

Dropping his arms, he shook his head and pulled himself finally to sit up. As he threw back the blanket, the sound of paper rustling caught his attention.

Turning his head, he saw a note on the pillow. With a smirk he reached out, snatching up the page and unfolding it.

T.S.—
No matter how many years pass between last night and the next time we meet, I will still be in love with you.
—H.K.

A smile spread across his lips, seemingly of its own volition. "I'm going to hold you to this," he whispered.

"No, mom, I told you, I don't want you to fix me up with anyone," Kagome shrilled into her cell as her cab from the airport pulled around the corner of her block.

Every time she returned from a dig, her mother battered her with another attempt to introduce her to some wonderful young man or another.

Though none were quite as amusing the one immediately following receiving her doctorate, when she'd had to assure the woman she wasn't a lesbian.

"Are you sure, sweetheart?" Her mother sounded so sad all the time. Why couldn't she just focus on Souta? "I just . . . you're a grown woman, and I get that, I just think you're focusing too much on your career."

Kagome sighed, fidgeting with the last postcard Sesshomaru had sent her. Since walking away from him, this was the only way they'd communicated. Every few months, nothing more than a few lines to inquire about how the other was doing, to let her know he was safe, and vice-verse—addressed to initials, signed with initials.

This last one, he hadn't asked how she was. Hadn't assured her he had come home from his last excavation in one piece. He only asked if she still meant what she said in her note.

And she'd only replied back with a single word.Yes.

She hadn't heard from him since, leaving her to obsess over this last correspondence from him—over whether or not he'd even gotten her answer.

"Kagome, are you still there?"

"Hmm? Yeah, mom, I'm sorry, we just pulled up to the house. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

As the cab rolled to a stop, Miroku bounded down the steps to help the driver with all ofDr.luggage.

She climbed out of the back and gave a long stretch. Waiting until everything was in the house, she paid the driver and then spun to face the door as she refolded the postcard and stuffed it into her back pocket. Miroku and Sango stood in the entryway.

And Sango held out a fresh cup of coffee to her.

Kagome cracked a grin, dragging her feet up the porch and accepting the offering of sweetened caffeine. "Ah, thank you so much for house-sitting. Ya know, again."

Miroku smiled brightly, his arm slung around his wife's shoulders. "Well, you've got the big TV and the coffee maker of the gods, so it's not really a chore."

Sango elbowed him lightly in the ribs—he had the good grace to pretend it hurt. "He means you're welcome. We're going to go."

"Oh, no. C'mon guys," Kagome pleaded as she entered the house and rounded on them. "Please, stay for dinner."

"Sorry, sweetie, we have plans tonight." Sango rushed on before Kagome could show her disappointment. "Oh, something arrived for you. I put it upstairs, I hope that's okay."

Kagome's brow furrowed, but she only nodded. She was too relieved to be back home after a long, turbulence-ridden flight.

Once the door was closed behind them, she turned on heel and trudged up the stairs to her bedroom. She didn't want to do anything but sleep for a week, straight.

She paused, her hand gripping the doorknob. Why the hell would Sango put a delivery up here?

Opening the door cautiously, she poked her head into the room. And screamed.

Sesshomaru rose from where he'd been perched at the edge of the bed to stand, folding his arms across his chest. "I can't say that's the reaction I was expecting."

She pushed the door open and took a few steps closer. Her disbelieving eyes watered. "I'm going tokill

"Again with the crying," he said, feigning mild exasperation.

Kagome laughed, sniffling.

"As I recall," he reached back, pulling a folded, tattered piece of paper from his pocket, "You cried the night before you wrote this, too."

The tip of her nose stung as she watched him unfold the note. As she read the words she'd written to him in those early morning hours as she'd watched him sleeping.

As she'd left his house that morning, she'd been crying so hard she could barely walk upright. It felt like she'd left a piece of her heart on that page.

And he'd brought it back to her.

Letting her tears fall free, she inched closer to him, pulling his last postcard from her own pocket and holding it up. "I've meant those words every day since I left," she whispered, her voice thick.

"I know," he said softly, closing the distance between them and pulling her into his arms.

Kagome didn't cry in that moment. Instead, she breathed deeply, slipping her arms around his waist to cling to him. "Promise me I won't ever have to leave you again."

Neveragain, Kagome," he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I promise."

A shattering sound startled Myoga. Frowning curiously, he grabbed his cane and pulled himself to stand. The old man hobbled about the apartment, searching out the sound.

He stopped short as he reached the window through which the sunlight always streamed, so perfect and uninterrupted. The demon Jar—which had sat undisturbed for years since Kagome banished him from Sesshomaru's body—was broken.

The grains of black and red sand that had never lightened, or changed in even the faintest degree, spilled out. A few sullied crystals might've fallen out the window.

Muttering to himself, the old man scurried to create a new container for the demon's essence. He wouldtell Kagome and Sesshomaru.

Not unless he found reason to believe that infringing on their lives was an absolute necessity.