InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Centre ❯ Good things come to those who wait ( Chapter 23 )

Sorry everyone! Laptop went caputs...grrr, in the middle of my thesis too. Three years of perfect compliance and it chooses now to go insane on me. Evil I tell you. Maybe it is getting back at me for naming my hard drive Da Little Big Shit. Anyway, now that my thesis is in I am writing more chapters, it just takes me a while to write cause I have to borrow a friend's computer to type it all...and my fingers are still sore from typing 33pg thesis draft twice (cause I lost it the first time on the crashing computer). Thank you for your patience. Here is my next installment. I had to post in a different format so I hope it doesn't look too funny. I'll play around with it if it ends up screwy.

And thank you all for the fabulous reviews...it gave me inspiration to search for good material rather than just ending the story after the first facility falling.

Chapter 22: Good things come to those who wait

"Two days?!!" Everyone asked in disbelief. Sesshoumaru calmly accepted the dumbfounded faces before him.

"You're woman is gone," Inuyasha said. "Or did you forget?"

"You'd think he'd be the first to bust down Naraku's front door," Miroku commented. "I would for Sango." Sango rolled her eyes in response.

Sesshoumaru's eye twitched.

"Maybe e thinks we shouldn't just charge in and botch the whole rescue," Kagome observed, crossing her arms in disgust. Before Sesshoumaru could comment Inuyasha cut in.

"Or maybe he doesn't care about his little human enough to bother."

Inuyasha quickly found himself being slammed against the wall, Sesshoumaru's claws wrapped around his throat and a deadly gleam in his eyes.

"Think before you speak," was all he said before he let go. Inuyasha hit the floor coughing and gasping. Kagome offered him a hand up with a scolding frown upon her face.

"You brought that upon yourself," she said in a flat voice.

"I don't mind another night," Miroku said with a knowing look in Sango's direction.

"I could do with the extra sleep," she replied with a fake smile. Miroku looked crushed. Kagome frowned. Was something really going on between those two or was it completely in Miroku's head?

"Keh, we should just go. Two days isn't going to prepare us anymore then we are now," Inuyasha argued grumpily, ever Mr. Impatient.

"Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru's baritone voice drawled out, sending a chill across the room. "Remember tonight." That said he made his exit, ending the conversation.

"Tonight?" Kagome asked, confused. "What's tonight?"

No one answered her.

Sango opened the door to her apartment with a sigh, leaving it open for Miroku to follow. They had not spoken a word since they left Kagome's new apartment.

"I'm taking a shower," Sango announced, dropping her purse on the couch. Miroku made no reply, picking up the remote and flipping on the TV, his mind running in circles.

She just likes to torment me, he thought. Or is she really this roller coaster of emotion? How the hell do I know when she is playing around or being serious? Hell, if it were up to her we'd probably only have sex every blue moon.

Miroku paled at that last thought. Blue moons happened once a year. He definitely would shrive up and die if he waited that long. But oh how he wanted her. No other woman had as much fire, passion and cool control...except maybe the two other women of the group, but he was neither attracted to them, nor did he wish to feel the wrath of a jealous youkai. No, Rin and Kagome were way off limits. And no one else would understand about being collared for decades....missing entire chunks of history because someone felt like keeping you for their own twisted experiment. Besides, it wasn't like Sango was totally against any relationship. She had jumped him in an elevator.

"Just what am I trying to convince myself?" Miroku asked himself, leaning back on the couch. He could hear her shower running. She wouldn't be out in the next half hour. If there was ever a woman who loved her showers it was Sango. He would have preferred a bath...much better ambush. Then again.....

Sango closed her eyes, relishing in the hot water cascading down her face. Eyes still closed she reached back for the shampoo, only her hand ran into something very solid...and it was not the wall. Startled her eyes flew open. There was Miroku, eyes smoldering, butt naked in front of her. She was way too shocked to do anything. She'd known he was a pervert, but he never did much beyond a grope or peek.

Water cascading down a shocked Sango was like a dream fantasy come true. He smirked, leaning forward to kiss her lips softly. Within seconds Sango went from shocked and stupefied to wrapping her arms around him and pulling herself against him. She practically purred into his kiss, her tongue pushing his right back into his mouth as she attempted to dominate.

Oh no you don't, he thought, releasing her and making her turn around.

Oh god, Sango thought. What does he want? Doggy style in the shower? Anal???

Shampoo hit the top of her head, causing Sango to startle. She tried to turn back around but he wouldn't let her. He leaned against her back, a firm part of him poking into her ass, but all he did was massage her scalp. Sango relaxed, her head falling back slightly as his fingers worked in small circles. When he was done his arm snaked around her waist and pulled her back under the spray, skillful fingers separating her hair to remove every bit of soap. Sango tilted her head back, her eyes begging for more. He gave her a confident smirk, his lips covering hers. His tongue brushed hers once, then he pulled back.

And then he left. Left her standing there half aroused in the shower. Sango blinked in surprise. What the hell was he playing at? Damn infuriating man!! First blackmail, now purposefully making her sexually frustrated.

<Kagome's apartment>

Souta, what would you like for dinner?" Kagome asked, opening her cupboard. The apartment was so much nicer than the last one. And Sesshoumaru was paying for it...he did wreak her last one. He still had not apologized, but Kagome wasn't going to hold her breath. At least one brother was responsible.

"I'm meeting some friends for pizza later," the teenager said, fingers flying on the current electronic game thingie attached to the TV. Kagome wasn't sure which one it was. She never bothered to keep track.

"Inuyasha?" she prompted, assuming since the Hanyou showed no signs of leaving he would stay for dinner. He'd probably stay all night if she didn't kick him out. He and Shippou seemed to be discussing something....privately. His ear twitched back at the sound of his name on her lips.

"Anything you make is good," he commented offhandedly. He missed the surprised look on her face and the flush of her cheeks. That giddy thought in hand, Kagome set about pulling all sorts of foods out of the cupboard, humming happily. Souta looked up, pausing his game for a brief moment, and gave her a strange look.

"Inu-niichan," Souta called out. Kagome and Inuyasha both gave him dear-in-the-headlights look, then quickly glanced at each other to see if the other objected. Souta tried not to laugh. "Dude, aren't you guys a couple? Or should I wait till you're married?" That earned a deeper blush from both. Souta 1; Kagome&Inuyasha 0.

"Keh, what is it kid?"

"I...need some advice. Man-to-man." Inuyasha's eyebrows lifted, confused. "I don't want my sister listening!" Souta said, his face becoming flushed. He suddenly had great difficulty meeting anyone's gaze.

"Kagome, we're gonna take a walk," Inuyasha said, standing up and giving her a kiss on the cheek before picking up Souta by the hood of his sweatshirt and exiting the apartment. Kagome's hand flew to the kiss he'd left on her, a bit dazed.

"How come you like him?" Shippou asked, hoping up on the counter. Kagome's eyes glazed over, her mind deep in thought.

"You know...I have no idea," she said. "But I do."

"And you let him mark you."

"It was him or Kouga," Kagome reminded the pup.

"Lesser of two evils....Kouga is stinky." Kagome laughed at the simplicity of his choice. Everything was so simple with kids.

"Shippou, how much did you know about what went on at the facility you were at?"

"I don't know. What do you want to know about?" He wiggled his tail, eyeing a slice of cheese.

"This happened before you were born, about 50 years ago," she began. Shippou went completely still.

"Kikyou?" Kagome nodded. "I don't know much. I know Naraku gave her to Inuyasha since Hanyous won't die from purification. She did something to make him mad and Naraku sent her to Sesshoumaru. She died trying to purify him."

"What about Inuyasha? Did he...love her?"

"The only person who can tell you that is Inuyasha." Shippou's eyes narrowed, looking at her like some sort of interrogation police officer. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know...I recently found out about the whole past relationship..." Kagome began, unable to put the rest into words.

"And now you want to make sure he'd not hung up on a dead girlfriend?" Kagome nodded. "I don't know....you should talk to him."

"Talk to who?" Inuyasha asked as the door opened, Souta following with a red tinge upon his face. Kagome's eyes narrowed at her brother, curious as to what had been so embarrassing.

"What'd you do, tell him the facts of life? I've never seen him so red," Kagome teased, a wicked grin on her face. The only person more naive than her in this world was her little brother. Souta was really red now and his mouth was opening and closing like a fish out of water. Souta 1; Kagome 1; Inuyasha 0.

"Souta, can I come with you while you get pizza?" Shippou asked, looking as cute as could be. Souta looked ready to say no but Inuyasha made a strange coughing sound that suggested otherwise.

"Chicks love cute kids," he said softly. Souta grinned, immediately understanding.

"Sure squirt, let's go. We'll be back in a few hours."

Inuyasha watched Kagome as she began setting the table. He took the silver ware from her and finished as she grabbed the good. A large bowl of something with noodles was set down and he closed his eyes as the mouth watering scent drifted into his nostrils.

"Glad to know you're easy to please," Kagome teased as he finished off a bowl before she managed to fill hers. His golden eyes looked up, charged with energy and life, laced with a bit of lust.

"You have no idea bitch," he growled low in his throat. It sent a shiver up Kagome's back and the mark on her shoulder pulsed. Inuyasha frowned, staring at her shoulder, noodles dripping halfway to his open mouth.

"What's wrong?" she asked, eyes blinking.

"The mark...did your shoulder just pulse...like a separate heartbeat?" he asked tentatively.

"Yes. It does that a lot....especially when you are a tease," she joked. He looked stunned. "What?"

"I didn't think the mark was that strong," he said absently. No point in embarrassing her by telling her the pulse was her body responding to him.

"Inuyasha...I wanted to ask you something...but I feel like I'm prying," Kagome said quietly, picking at her food.

"Woman, you can ask me anything. You're the one who is always blushing."

"So...uh, what did Souta want?"

"Don't change the subject," Inuyasha growled.

"How did you-"

"Your scent changed. Souta wanted girl advice. Don't tease him about it, he needs all the confidence he can get. Now what was the real question?"

Kagome took a deep breath, pushing her bowl away having not touched a bite. She tried to think of how to word it, what to say. Then she looked straight into impatient golden eyes.

"I...want to know...about Kikyou," she said calmly, expecting him to close off on her. That was it, she had pried into his past. A painful past. One he was less than proud of. Kagome's gaze dropped, now finding her fork extremely interesting.

"That's it?" she heard him ask. "All that fear I smelled...that was it?" She nodded. "Hmm. Well, the short and clean version is 50 years ago she and a team got into the facility. She was collared and given to me to break in....I won't elaborate on that meaning."

Inuyasha leaned back in his chair with a sigh, eyes still holding Kagome's in a steady gaze.

"She was unlike any woman I'd ever met. And there was always this deep, dark sadness in her eyes. I....I loved her," he said quietly. "But then she was taken to my brother and died."

"Ah," Kagome said, amazed he was so calm about it. The woman he'd loved murdered by his out-of-control brother. She felt a great sadness overcome her and had the great urge to cry. She heard Inuyasha curse as a tear slipped down her cheek, then the scrape of a chair. A firm, warm hand cupped her cheek, wiping the tears away.

"Why are you crying? It was a long time ago." His normally cocky and gruff voice was surprisingly gentle.

"I'm not sure. It just...makes me sad," she squeaked, trying to stop the tears. "And there was nothing you could have done. It must have torn you apart!"

"It was fifty years ago, Kagome," he said gently. "I rebelled for a year, living an inch from death. I'm not proud of what I did to all those women....in most cases it was outright rape. Look at Sesshoumaru. He fought too long and it drove him mad until Rin uncollared him." Kagome shivered at the thought, unconsciously pulling away from him.

Inuyasha suddenly felt very dirty...too dirty to touch her purity. What had he ever thought she would want to be with a guy like him? To know what he'd been forced to do was one thing, to hear him speak of it brought it to a harsh reality. She might be accepting enough to love a hanyou, but not one with a past like his.

Kagome blinked the tears out of her eyes, finally able to calm herself. Inuyasha was sitting on the couch, head bowed, staring at his hands. He was ashamed. So ashamed he was distancing himself from her. If she let him, he would hole himself up and wallow in self-pity for years. She couldn't do that. Her training had always been to help others, no matter what. And....she loved him. She didn't know when it started or the moment she first knew, but se knew without a doubt she loved him. She would forgive him for anything if he asked.

Inuyasha stiffened when he felt familiar fingers stroking his ears. The sensation was erotic and soothing, sending him into a relaxing blissfulness. Kagome giggled as he leaned back with a sigh, eyes closed in obvious content. She leaned down and gently kissed him, letting her tongue flick across his lips. His mouth opened, allowing her easy access. Kagome didn't know much about kissing so she moved slowly, caressing his tongue in a deliberate and enticing manner. A clawed hand wrapped around her neck, pulling her deeper as Inuyasha began to dominate, his stronger tongue battling hers.

Kagome finally had to break off. Between the blood rushing to her head and the breathlessness from the kiss, black spots lined her vision and she felt incredibly lightheaded. Inuyasha looked up at her with a smirk.

"Having trouble?" he asked, his voice dark and husky.

"You're sitting down, cheater," she argued. "I don't have enough blood to do that standing up."

"What makes you think I have any blood in my brain? Now my pants are cutting off circulation. Dammit woman, I've never had a woman do THAT!" Inuyasha looked a little shaky as he pushed himself off the couch. Kagome tried not to laugh. She knew the ears were a turn on, but her kiss? That certainly boosted her confidence! Also boosted the amount of blood collecting in her cheeks.

"Where are you going?" she asked as he headed for the door.

"Sweetheart, I am way too turned on right now," Inuyasha said. And your mark is calling me, he added silently. It was too. Pulsing tiny vibrations his sensitive ears picked up on. She had no idea what she was doing to him. And the sun was going down. He didn't want to be out when that happened...but neither could he stay here and keep his hands to himself.

Kagome's arms wrapped around his waist, her soft body pulled flush against his back. The remaining blood in his brain plummeted south.

"Stay? Please?" she begged softly. There was no way he could leave now. He turned, bringing her into his arms and kissed her forehead, not trusting himself farther.

"You shouldn't be left alone anyway. I don't want you kidnapped as well," he said, unwrapping her arms. "I'll just take a cold shower. A very cold shower." Her arms went back around him, tighter this time.

"How about something warmer?" she whispered, her voice low and sexy. Inuyasha found it extremely difficult to breath at that moment. Was it the mark talking or her? He hadn't touched the mark....even though it yearned for his touch.

<Back to Sango>

Sango stepped out in her towel, a glare at the man on her couch contenting himself to watch TV in his boxers. Purple silk boxers. For a man with no money he certainly had nice clothes.

Damn him! Now she wanted it. More than wanted it. She was so frustrated she wanted to break something and even then the tension would still be there. No wonder Roman empresses poisoned their men. Probably out of frustration when they were out screwing their mistresses!! She stalked off into the bedroom. How to get back at him?

She wrenched her closet door open, flipping through clothes. At last her eyes came to rest on something she hadn't seen in years. Her old school uniform.

Sango got a wicked grin in her face.

<Rin's apartment>

Sesshoumaru lay on the cold bed, eyes closed in thought. The thought of Rin in Naraku's hands made his blood boil, but she would be no random breeder. He knew Naraku wanted her to get to him. He'd finally found the woman Sesshoumaru would willingly mate with...and could never bring harmful claws against.....with the exception of when he was collared.

He flipped over, unable to contain the anger building in him. Rin's room was full of interesting things. Hell, she had an entire shelf of dildos. None as big as him, but it was obvious she had worked her way up with the intention of sheathing him one day. And so she had. Better than any partner he'd ever had. Of course she was the first partner he actually enjoyed being around for more than a quick fuck. Rin brought life to everything...even lifeless him. So opposite, yet so perfect.

Her bookshelf caught his eye. He honestly could not remember what sorts of things she liked to read....and when she'd been here he'd been too distracted by her to look around much. Some were adventures, others biographies and a couple of fictions. One in particular caught his eye. It had no title. Just what was that? Something naughty?

He pulled the book out and admired the smooth leather binding. It was old, smoothed over from years of being handled. She must really love this book in particular. Curious he opened it.

It wasn't a book. It was her journal...almost diary like. He began on the first page where there was a single three lined entry.

Sesshoumaru-sama was captured today. Something deep within me died. I think it was my innocence.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened as he flipped the page. Just what had she done in the years he was gone?