InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Phoenix Blade: Time Lapse ❯ To Err Is (Half) Human...(Lemon) ( Chapter 43 )

Disclaimer: Don't own…don't sue. Tormenting them purely for my own sadistic pleasure. All characters and most situations owned by Rumiko Takahashi and Shogakukan Publishing.

 

Bouquets: To Nokomarie the Snake for test-driving the lemon!

 

A/N: What's about to happen ain't even close to canon…hope you enjoy the twist!

 

A very large serving of lemon content in this chapter, and some fairly coarse language. No complaints that you weren't warned! Easily shocked readers should shut down about halfway through to avoid the naughty bits. It's rated `M' for a reason…

 

The Phoenix Blade: Time Lapse

Chapter 43: To Err is (Half) Human…

 

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Looking into the dark depths, weighed down by body armour, dragon-hide, weaponry, but significantly free of guilt over Yashita for the first time, she bit her lip, remembering the obvious agony the older hanyou was in over what was to come.

 

“What the hell…might as well get it over with…” she muttered, as she pushed herself over the rim into the blue void.

 

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Sengoku Jidai

Roughly tenminutes before Kagome jumped into the well on her side…

 

Inuyasha carefully stretched, wincing as his healing muscles complained loudly at the change in position, glancing around the darkening meadow, his ears rotating like radar dishes. Kaede had given him a couple of hells worth of trouble for even considering leaving the hut, pointing out that he was not fit to protect himself; he'd retorted that if anything too ugly showed up, he'd just hop over the side of the well and disappear.

 

He shifted again, trying to find a comfortable position against the ancient wood that didn't put too much pressure on his healing back. The hanyou hadn't been exactly truthful to the old miko about going straight to his destination. Before hauling himself up here to the well meadow, he'd detoured to the storage shed, and readied it for occupation that night. This was the first chance in a month to be alone with his mate, and he'd be damned if an injury was going to stop him. The brazier had been lit and was warming the room, the bed neatly turned down…he found his cheeks flaming nearly as red as his haori at the vivid memories of easing Kagome down into the nest of blankets and how sexily she had smiled up at him and welcomed him into her body… Dammit, wench…you told Kaede you'd be back by dark…

 

The stink of a demon slammed into his nostrils, and he was instantly on his feet, ignoring the twinge in his muscles, gripping Tetsusaiga's hilt, turning towards the far side of the meadow. What the fuck…? A massive, eel-like thing curled up over the tree line, accompanied by a sound akin to rolling thunder. A giant soul collector? Wha…? “Kikyo!” The name left his lips as the undead miko toppled into the meadow, her usually serene face blank with fear.

 

“Inuyasha…?” Her dark eyes rolled up into her head and he caught her in a dead faint. His arms full, Inuyasha was paralyzed by a rare moment of indecision, but the shadow and noise alerted him to the incoming strike in time to jump both of them out of the way. Kikyo was still down for the count, so he dropped her as gently as he could, wondering briefly if she would crack if handled too roughly, and then drew the Tetsusaiga.

 

Balancing the heavy blade with difficulty, he lined up the incoming demon as it rushed towards them, massive jaws agape. Gathering himself, gritting his teeth against the weight, the hanyou was startled by a disgruntled noise from the katana.

 

You seem a little reluctant to do this…

She's already dead. Ain't gonna break a sweat over it. Just watch yourself; I don't like the smell of this…

Am I talking to my sword…?

No, you idiot…it's me. However, the fang and I think quite a bit alike…and we both don't like the dead bitch.

 

He leapt upward, angling the Tetsusaiga and caught the enormous soul collector squarely in the back of the throat, right at the jaw hinge, slicing it cleanly in half as the creature's momentum carried it onto his blade. He finished the follow-through and landed clear of the carcass, in time to see dozens of glowing balls manifesting themselves in the smoking flesh and begin drifting upward…into the path of Kikyo's waiting familiars. Flicking the oily blood off the blade, he sheathed Tetsusaiga and turned back toward Kikyo. For a moment, he watched the slithery creatures bringing their mistress the gift of life…other women's lives, he reminded himself, who would never find peace themselves so long as they animated Kikyo's clay body.

 

Still…I can't just leave her to lie there…

Why not? She stinks!

 

Inuyasha knelt and lifted her into his arms. Kikyo's eyes fluttered open, and she sighed. “Naraku really hates to lose…”

 

“Did he send that thing after you?”

 

“Yes…his heart…Onigumo's heart…still yearns for me, much to his disgust…so he tried to kill me…thank you for being here for me…”

 

“I stand by my promise to protect you, but you've made it awfully difficult since you gave him the Jewel, Kikyo. Are you feeling stronger? Can you stand?” Inuyasha had to admit his youkai was right about her smell; he was also suddenly anxious to have her gone from the vicinity, so that she wouldn't see Kagome arriving through the well. If she possibly might be in league with Naraku, and this was actually a set-up, no telling what damage that information could do.

 

“Take me to the Goshinboku, please, Inuyasha?” He was startled by the request, but complied, lifting her easily and carrying her out of the meadow, towards the sentinel tree, too relieved to be putting distance between her and the well to attach any meaning to the small smile gracing her lips. Once at the base of the great tree, he was about to lower her to the ground when she caught him off-guard by fisting her hands in the front of his haori and tugging him so that he ended up half-falling against her, pinning her to the Goshinboku's rough bark…

 

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At nearly the same moment…

 

The unblinking stars blushed at the indelicate language emanating from the well, as Kagome heaved herself and the duffle bag out, her cheeks flushed very pink. Grumbling rather loudly, she adjusted the positions of all her weapons, slung the bag over her shoulder and sighed as she acknowledged that it was already rather dark, and she'd said she'd be back by sundown… crap.

 

The girl hitched the lumpy bag to a more comfortable angle, and pushed off to begin her walk to Kaede's hut. She hadn't taken more than two or three steps when her eye was caught by a faint bluish-white glow among the trees, over in the direction of the Goshinboku. Her heart stalled, then kick-started up into her throat as she recognized the source, and her legs began to carry her in that direction.

 

Damn, damned, damnable! Kikyo!

For a dead bitch, her timing is impeccable.

If she's harmed Inuyasha…

Move it, Nixie! Ya gotta protect what's yours…

Shouldn't he be back at Kaede's, instead of wandering around?

Demon-speed healing…

Oh, fuck…am I going to find him disappearing into a flaming hole in the ground?

Hurry!

 

She plunged deeper into the woods, heading towards the lights. A soul collector slithered airily past, carrying its precious cargo towards the sentinel tree. Moving as quickly and as stealthily as she could through the undergrowth, Kagome quietly placed the duffle bag at the base of a larger tree on the edge of the glade, fighting to keep her surging power under control so as to not alert Kikyo of her presence. Placing her back against the tree, she slowly edged her way around it to peer towards the base of the massive Goshinboku, where the glowing lights of the soul collectors and their ghostly burdens were brightest.

 

Kagome peered around the tree, tensing, ready to defend.

 

Her heart seemed to stop, again, and then the blood thundered in her ears.

 

Inuyasha didn't need defending from Kikyo. The undead miko was already inside his defences, and he was overwhelmed. The girl forced herself to look, to bear witness, as her world cracked and exploded into fine tinkling shards, just as the Jewel had been shattered all those months ago.

 

Inuyasha was holding…holding…Kikyo in his arms, pressing her against the tree, to all appearances lost in her embrace. Kagome reeled and slammed herself back against the sheltering tree, blackness threatening along the edges of her vision, her heart hammering irregularly. Inuyasha will feel that, for sure…maybe not. He's busy.

 

Kagome! Remember what Yashita told you!

What…?…Who's…Yashita..?

Oh, shit…

Fenik! Get back here!

 

The green-eyed creature roosting in her chest reared up and roared, its claws digging into her heart. Silver flames consumed her form, whirling wildly around her…and then her conscious mind buckled. Molten-eyed, predatory, the girl's most primal instincts decided for her. Kagome's bow and a sharp bolt found their way into her hands. Notching it to the bowstring, she pulled it all the way back, and flamed the bolt brilliant, scorching silver. Her mind was surreally blank despite her racing heart beat, the dark anger running wild through the wreckage of her control.

 

Swinging out from behind the tree, snapping the bow upright into firing position, the string taut with restrained destructive power against her cheek, Kagome sighted down the shaft. From behind the protection of Inuyasha's shoulder, Kikyo smirked triumphantly at her reincarnation…and then her jaw went slack in surprise.

 

Towering over the flashing-eyed girl was a huge, spectral, demonic dog limned in rippling silver flames. Fangs bared in a vicious snarl, its massive front paws bracketed the slender, incandescent figure aiming a burning arrow directly at the undead miko. Kikyo could only stare helplessly, curling away from the knowledge that she might, just might have gone too far in her game of using Inuyasha to bait Naraku.

 

A feral scream sliced open the moment of false stillness.

 

“SIIIIT!!”

 

Kagome paused the split second until the hanyou slid down Kikyo's body, trapping the undead miko against the trunk of the Goshinboku…then released her missile. It blazed across the clearing and buried itself with a distinct `crunch' into Kikyo's left shoulder. Kagome had another bolt notched, flared and on its way within a heartbeat, taking Kikyo in the right. Shoving her bow into the quiver, moving without truly conscious thought, obeying only the blazing anger coursing through her veins, Kagome released a vaporous Fenikkusuken from its sheath, and dropped into a crouch.

 

“This ends now, bitch. You touched what's mine.” Kagome gathered herself, her katana raised to deliver an overhand, downward slashing blow and sprang across the clearing in a fluid, feline leap. The blade began its deadly, destructive arc…only to connect in a shower of blazing sparks with something metallic and immoveable.

 

The recoil knocked Kagome backwards nearly to her starting point; she executed a perfect mid-air somersault, landing in a defensive stance, katana bleeding flames, ready to launch another strike. What she saw increased the whirling energy surrounding her to near-incendiary levels; the leaves and branches of the glade began to crackle even as they wildly tossed in the maelstrom of her power. Kikyo's jaw dropped open as the demonic dog rearing over Kagome pointed its muzzle to the sky and howled; leaves, branches and small rocks began randomly exploding.

 

All Kagome could focus on was Inuyasha… Inuyasha… hair billowing wildly in the updraft, standing between her and Kikyo, with his enchanted blade echoing the cry of the spectral dog. Oblivious to the fact that her power was arcing dangerously out of control, Kagome heard an enraged scream…and dimly realized it was hers.

 

“What the fuck are you doing?!”

 

“Not by your hand, Kagome!” Inuyasha thundered back, his entire being reacting to the frightening amount of lethally destructive energy flooding the small area. His youkai alternately cowered and snarled, torn between rolling over and begging for mercy and attacking his alpha female to show dominance; add in his sword roaring angrily at being turned against her, and he was in as much turmoil as Kagome. His internal combatants froze at the verbal live grenade she flung out.

 

“Traitor!” The word flared dangerously between them, then dampened the screaming winds into an uneasy lull.

 

The only sound then, besides the sharp `ping' of an occasional exploding chunk of rock, was Kagome's harsh breathing as they faced off across the space, the very air crackling with tension. Inuyasha stared into the face of the woman he thought of as his…and acknowledged what had cracked her control. She saw me embracing another…. By all rights, he should have stood aside and not interfered with her attack on Kikyo…but he could not, because he had vowed protection…to both. From a hole in my gut to a hole in my heart…yes, today surely is my lucky day…

 

They were standing in the eye of the hurricane, and Inuyasha was no longer confident that he could count on Kagome's instinctive protection if her power slipped the leash even further than it already had. Movement above him caught his eye; the ghostly dog lowered its muzzle to glare directly at him…and snarled. Inuyasha looked away, not willing to challenge the manifestation of Kagome's power; instead he watched her warily.

 

He had to admit, she was a magnificent, if somewhat terrifying sight, this dark goddess of destruction haloed in fire; glossy black hair twisting and twining in the rippling currents of her energy, eyes purest molten silver, glowing from an inner fire…her heart racing so fast they both should have been on the ground in matching dead faints. Instead, she stood, chest heaving, those unreadable eyes narrowed, glaring at him like he was something unpleasant stuck to the bottom of her boot.

 

“You'd better have a really good reason for stopping me, asshole…” Her voice was cold steel, icy with contempt.

 

He wiped his brow with the back of his shaking fist. “Not by your hand, Kagome.”

 

“What the fuck?…allow me to remind you…she's tried to kill you, tried to kill me, gave Naraku our Jewel shard so that he could create Kagura, Kanna,…Goshinki…the reason why Tetsusaiga was broken and released your demon blood…she is the enemy, dammit!” When the hanyou only looked at her in silence, not wanting to inflame her and send her further over the edge, Kagome's lip curled in a sneer, and she pulled back several steps, slamming her flaming katana into its sheath.

 

I can't stand it, Kagome…

 

She looked directly at Kikyo, who had a fearful expression, as if she finally realized what would happen if she poked the beast in the cage one too many times. A dark, bitter smile flitted across Kagome's face; the spectral dog shook itself, and vanished, the threatening winds dying down completely. She turned, stooped, grabbed the duffle bag from behind the tree, and despite its weight, effortlessly tossed it at Inuyasha's feet. “That bag contains about a month's supply of medical supplies. Make it last, because I'm done with this fucking shit….and you.”

 

For one moment in time…

 

The blistering anger cooled deceptively, like a thin crust over lava, and her throat closed when she looked at the hanyou, who had gone stock-still. Her voice was a harsh whisper when the anger and hurt found the words. “So Koga was right all along…what happened between us was just a plain old fuck, and nothing more… I was too blind to see the truth.” Kagome pitched her voice to carry across the clearing. “You were right, Kikyo; he was only after two things…and demons are very good liars.”

 

I saw it in your eyes…

 

Casting a black, condemnatory glare at very pale-faced Inuyasha, and tossing off a mocking salute to Kikyo, she executed a crisp right-wheel-march and strode briskly away. As soon as she was swallowed by the darkness, she clasped her sword tightly to her hip and bolted. Several strides in, she stumbled as her conscious mind stepped up its struggle for control with her instincts. Her legs kept moving, carrying her out of range, preventing her from doing something else that she really would regret, cringing at the shrill screaming inside her head demanding her mate be harshly punished for daring to touch another.

 

You hated me…

 

She hit the edge of the meadow, and flew straight for the well, driven by the need to put distance between them, struggling to think around the titanic battle for dominance being fought inside her mind.

 

Kagome…help me to restrain him…

I…can't breathe…can't think…

Fenik! Stop this at once!

Nixie…Riko…I'm sorry…

 

She launched upward and plunged in boots first, a crackling barrier already blossoming around her when the blue glow wrapped her in its shimmering embrace…

 

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The hanyou hesitated for only a stunned split second before taking off after Kagome.

 

“Inuyasha!” Kikyo's voice pulled him up at the edge of the clearing; he glanced over his shoulder, and turned slightly so that she could see his red-tinged eyes, and the faint blue stripes writhing into existence on his cheeks.

 

“I told Kagome she wasn't allowed to kill you, because I felt guilty about not being able to protect you from Naraku the first time. No more, bitch. You're going straight back to hell if you come anywhere near us again.” There was no mistaking the threat in his voice, and Kikyo's dark soul shivered.

 

When the hanyou was gone, she turned her energies to removing the projectiles pinioning her to the Goshinboku, wincing as powdered clay trickled down inside her clothing. Sparing a thought as to whether Kagome had deliberately used demonic power to attack her, knowing her spiritual abilities would protect her from complete destruction, Kikyo purified the bolts into dust. She absently wondered if Naraku had a good view of the proceedings; that, at least, would make the damage worthwhile. Her soul collectors twined around her, and began to lift. “Take me to the bandit's cave; I think it's time to return Naraku's social call of this afternoon…”

 

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Several leagues away, yellow eyes flashed in the moonlight, and Sesshomaru rose abruptly to his feet, nearly dislodging a soundly-sleeping child from where she snuggled in his pelt. Catching himself in time, he shrugged off the fur and gently draped another coil over her, so that the sudden absence of his warmth and presence wouldn't alarm her into wakefulness. He quietly commanded the unblinking Ah-Un to watch over both Rin and the loudly snoring Jaken.

 

Silently rising through the branches of the tree he had been seated against, he balanced lightly in the top-most limbs, searching out the location of the tremendous surge of all-too-familiar energy that had jerked him out of his deep contemplation of the information imparted to him earlier by Bokusen'o. The ancient magnolia tree had supplied the wood for the scabbards of both Tenseiga and Tetsusaiga, but had steadfastly refused him the material to have a sheath made for Tokijin. However, the story the tree-demon told, of Inuyasha's probable fate as the demon blood corroded his mind and body like acid had given Sesshomaru food for thought.

 

Hair whispering against silk in the mild breeze, the taiyoukai frowned as he locked on the direction. Due east…where the village Inuyasha inhabits is located…the sheer volume indicates something untoward has occurred…

 

He privately admitted to being very glad that he wasn't on the receiving end of the display, and felt a brief flash of what might have been pity for whomever or whatever had foolishly invited the miko's anger. What could have caused her to lose control…?

 

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Inuyasha homed in on the well, praying that Kagome hadn't sealed it after her. Reaching it, he was about to throw himself over the lip, when the shaft filled with the familiar shimmering blue light. She's coming back! He nervously retreated a few feet, bracing himself for the `sit' of his life. The light rose higher and higher, until the well was filled with fantastical glimmering blue `water' right up to the rim. Puzzled, he peered into the magic as it swirled and shifted, casting eerie blue flickers around the dark meadow.

 

He stumbled backwards with a yell, the Tetsusaiga in his hand, when a dark-haired woman rose from the blue light…and it wasn't Kagome. Dark eyes, long flowing hair, antique armour…and a formidable scowl. Inuyasha sniffed cautiously and peered at her from a safe distance before he realized who it was.

 

“Midoriko? Wh-what are you doing here? Fuck…is Kagome…?”

 

`She's fine, whelp…for someone who's had her heart torn out, shredded and stamped on for good measure.'

 

Inuyasha sheathed Tetsusaiga and took a step towards the well. “I need to get to her…” A sharp sword tip under his nose stopped him in his tracks.

 

`Kagome is sitting at the bottom of the well on her side, suffering from severe shock, with a barrier surrounding her set to `incinerate'. As big a fool as you have been, I do not particularly wish to see both of you die as a result of your idiocy.'

 

The hanyou bowed his silver head, ears drooping. “Kagome has every right to be furious…but not because she thinks she saw…”

 

Midoriko tapped her sword lightly against his shoulder. `You need to control your youkai…those stripes and fangs are not going to project a reassuring image…tell me what happened, whelp. I saw it through Kagome's eyes, and it looked pretty damning…'

 

“I was waiting by the well for Kagome…who the fuck are you?!” Another figure had risen out of the blue beside Midoriko. Inuyasha gaped. It was a tall male demon, with salt-and-pepper hair down to his waist, sharply pointed ears with a little tuft at each tip, a single smooth stripe blazoning each cheek…and molten silver eyes. The newcomer flicked a contemptuous glance at Inuyasha, and then addressed Midoriko.

 

`Barrier's now set to `roast', so she's calming down a bit…'

 

“Who…?” Inuyasha swallowed the rest of his demand when those penetrating eyes raked him with a searing look.

 

`Fenikkusuken's the name…you're a short little shit, ain't ya? For all the trouble you cause, thought you'd be more impressive-looking.'

 

“Why, you….”

 

`Stop growling, Inuyasha and finish your story. Fenik, you've wreaked enough havoc for one evening…be quiet.' Midoriko warningly elbowed the sword-demon, who was looking highly amused at the expression on Inuyasha's face. After wondering briefly what Tetsusaiga would look like if it took a form, the hanyou glared at the smirking embodiment of Kagome's katana before resuming his tale.

 

“Naraku sent a huge soul collector after Kikyo. She collapsed, I assumed because it had eaten most of her souls, and then I killed the thing. She asked me to take her to the Goshinboku, so I did, just to get her away from the well. I propped her up, and then she latched onto me, and right then Kagome showed up…well, I guess you know the rest.”

 

Fenik slouched; Inuyasha had the impression that he was leaning comfortably back against an imaginary wall. `You don't know how close Kagome came to losing it completely…the whole area would be a blast crater if she had. She's never released me so far before…'

 

“Are you her `inner demon'?”

 

Fenik arched an eyebrow before giving a sharp nod.

 

It was Inuyasha's turn to smirk. “Thought you'd be more impressive-looking…”

 

Midoriko snorted. `I'm going to check on her…play nice, you two.' The priestess abruptly vanished into the blue.

 

Fenik peered down into the shifting light, as if making sure Midoriko was out of range, then rounded on the hanyou. `Don't ever block me with Tetsusaiga again, Inuyasha. It's dangerous to both of us.'

 

“Why? You afraid my fang'll kick your ass?”

 

The demon went very still, his silver eyes darkening. `Would you wish to engage your own father in hand-to-hand combat?'

 

Inuyasha blinked rapidly, and then his amber eyes widened as he realized the implications of the demon's remark. His jaw dropped; Fenik's gaze turned fiery. `If you ever screw with Kagome like this again, next time she uses me to subdue you, I can guarantee you won't be moving for a very long time. That's a promise, not a threat.'

 

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Present Day

 

Kagome huddled in the cool depths of the well as the heat of the powerful anger finally drained away, leaving her shivering violently from shock.

 

M-Midoriko…what...what the hell was that?

I warned you against losing your temper so badly that the Jewel's power inside you lost its balance… the demon took control.

Was that…Fenik?

Yes…he became a little carried away…

That probably violated his warranty.

I'll deal with him.

What should I do?

Hear the hanyou out…listen to his side of the story…you owe that to him at least.

I-I know…shit, Yash warned me, and I still lost it…how do I fix this?

Show him that you really don't hate him…that final look you gave him has haunted him for centuries, remember.

I guess… I should… go back…

Wait right here…I'll send him along.

 

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Sengoku Jidai

 

The hanyou was still nicely imitating a carp when Midoriko reappeared out of the blue, glancing curiously between Inuyasha's stunned face and Fenik's too-innocent visage. She arched her eyebrows, but decided to say nothing. `It's relatively safe for you to proceed, Inuyasha…do not mess this up.'

 

Shaking himself, Inuyasha gave both of them a rather hairy eyeball. “You two gonna eavesdrop?”

 

`No…we will protect the well from this side, to make sure you are not disturbed.'

 

Fenik smirked `Good luck, whelp…you're going to need it.'

 

Inuyasha stifled the urge to stick out his tongue; as if he could read the hanyou's mind, the sword-demon snickered.

 

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Present Day

 

Despite the advance warning, she was still unprepared when the blue light deposited another figure in her space, who staggered when the scent of her emotions hit him like a slap. Inuyasha reached for her, but stopped when she ducked away, and hid herself behind a dark veil of hair, her arms wrapped tightly around her middle. The hanyou crouched just out of reach, in case she let loose at point-blank range, trying to see her face.

 

“Kagome…?”

 

Her heart rate increased dramatically; she fought silently against the impulse to throw herself into his arms, not until they had thrashed this out. Not quite trusting her voice, and trying to buy some time to compose herself, Kagome was barely able to whisper a single, loaded word. “Why?”

 

“She needed my protection.”

 

Her head snapped up; silver spiralled into storm-tossed grey eyes. “She needed protection? From what? Your hormones?” He tensed, ready to retreat, until he saw that the warning metallic streaks had disappeared as quickly as they had arrived; she clasped her hands together tightly around her drawn-up legs, bowing her head.

 

“From Naraku…and then you.”

 

He moved in and knelt so that he could have wrapped his arms around her, but instead took her cold, trembling hands into his own, kissing her knuckles and warming them between his palms. Kagome shivered, kept her eyes averted. “What do you want, Inuyasha?”

 

His voice was soft. “You. Always and only you.”

 

There was a very long pause while she organized her thoughts and beat them into a straight line; she finally ground out, “Then what the fuck was that all about?”

 

“Will you listen?”

 

Feeling completely and utterly drained, she tilted her head back against the wall, her face still hidden by her hair. “Sure….”

 

Inuyasha watched her intently, hyper-sensitive to her reactions. “I was at the well, waiting for you, when an enormous soul-collector showed up, and Kikyo stumbled into the clearing. Naraku had sent it after her, to kill her, so I destroyed it. You saw the big black smear in the meadow…didn't you?” Kagome shook her veiled head; Inuyasha cautiously reached, hesitated before releasing one hand, then stroked her hair away from her face with tender claws. “She appeared really weak…she wanted me to take her to the Goshinboku, which I did, mainly to get her away from the well, because I didn't want her to see you come through it. I was helping her to stand, when she suddenly leeched onto me…and the next thing I knew, the goddess of war had shown up.”

 

What you see is not what it appears…

 

Kagome drooped in reaction to that now-remembered conversation as she exhaled, and her resistance visibly crumbled. Inuyasha risked the first move, and gently gathered her into his arms. She allowed him to arrange her in his lap, but stayed tense while she wrestled with the guilt of what she could have done to him while in the grip of a blind fury. Sensing her distress, Inuyasha began purring quite loudly, and they were both startled when he was joined by a distinctive thrumming sound.

 

Tetsusaiga was adding its voice to the soothing chorus.

 

He and the sword kept up their reassuring noises, and soon she relaxed her body slightly against him. He tucked her dishevelled hair behind her ears and began raining little kisses across her brow, purring all the while, gently covering her with expressions of his love, and was finally rewarded when she spoke, the raw edge finally gone from her voice.

 

“Inuyasha, that may have been another of Naraku's set-ups… He may have used her as unwitting bait, but if she grabbed onto you…she may still be working with him. If you failed to kill his creature, then Kikyo would be dead within your sight…or if I'd killed her, then we'd be at odds.” She drew a deep, shaking breath. “He's a damn sneaky bastard, isn't he?”

 

“He is, Kagome…and he's going to die.”

 

“I really, really hate that fucker.”

 

“So do I, Kagome.” She slowly curled into his embrace, tears falling silently. Inuyasha kissed her softly on the temple, then pressed his cheek against her hair, cradling her tenderly. “I'm sorry, koishii…you've been far too patient with me and my thick-headed sense of honour. You told me that I needed to show you that I put you first…and instead I raised Tetsusaiga against you…I've been a total fucking idiot and you have every right to purify my ass into cinders.”

 

She rubbed her wet cheeks on his fire-rat. “The thought has crossed my mind…”

 

“I accept whatever punishment you think I deserve.” His tone was serious.

 

Cautiously, tentatively, a small calloused hand crept its way up to his cheek. “If you can forgive me, too…I didn't trust you…I'm sorry, Inuyasha…I jumped to conclusions and nearly fried you over something you didn't do.”

 

He caught her hand and brought it to his lips, turning it over to kiss the palm. She whimpered a bit, and reached for him; he gathered her close. Her hands flattened on his chest, slid up onto his shoulders, and then her soft mouth found his lips and he lost himself in the sweet taste of her forgiveness.

 

Breaking for air, he rubbed his cheek along hers, and whispered softly and tenderly, “I've taken you for granted, always expecting you to be at my side…when you threw down that bag…the look on your face…I knew I'd lost you. Kagome…let me win you back? I can't breathe without you, can't think without you…can't be happy without you. Please, Kagome…be mine again?”

 

She exhaled a sigh, and the rest of the tension evaporated from her body. Then, to his overwhelming relief and delight, her arms slid fully around his neck as she twisted her body in his lap and slowly pressed herself against him. Tangling a hand in her hair, he tilted her head back and poured all of his emotion into a kiss that began gently and innocently enough, but rapidly progressed to the other end of the spectrum at breathtaking speed.

 

Kagome surprised him by urgently tugging on his fire-rat, trying to wrestle him out of it without breaking contact with his lips, and as soon as he realized what she was about, other emotions pooled in his groin and he entered the fray with a will, unclipping her tunic and trouser legs with his clawtips, releasing the buckles on her armour. Kagome yanked off her quiver, struggled with the ties to his juban while he fumbled with her obi and then more weapons thudded to the ground as the fabric holding them gave way. A few more mutual contortions and armour thumped, fabric rustled…and then they were down on the pile of discarded fire-rat and dragon-hide in a tangle of limbs, devouring kisses and hungry caresses.

 

Kagome could hardly see in the darkness of the well, except for the glowing amber of Inuyasha's eyes, and the faintest glimmer of silver. She touched his face with her fingers, traced the same paths with her lips, exulting in the feel of his warm, muscled body conforming to every curve of hers, and when he began kissing her throat, she threw her head back, running her hands into his hair until she reached his ears.

 

Moaning into her skin at the erotic sensations of her naked fingers on his soft fur, he moved downwards and gently tasted her breasts, making her mewl and squirm suggestively against him. Sliding one hand down over her ribs, curving in at the waist, trailing over her hip, then carefully cupping her short curls, he hissed in anticipation at the heat radiating against his hand. The scent of her arousal nearly did him in, but he concentrated on her pleasure, using the pad of his thumb to rub until her heart rate and her scent spiked, and electric tremours rippled outward from her centre. Just as he put her over the edge, and she arched against his hand, gasping, he shifted his position and slid inside her with one long, slow motion, burying himself in her welcoming body, breathing deeply of the warm skin of her throat as she shuddered.

 

Kagome cried out at the overwhelming sensations assaulting her senses, and wrapped her long legs up over his hips; he became acutely aware that she was still wearing her combat boots, and those buckles were damn cold. However, that sure as hell wasn't going to stop him from pleasuring her until any lingering images of him and Kikyo were purged from her memory. His demonic senses were nearly overwhelmed from the heady scent of her arousal, the taste and feel of her velvety skin, the sound of her blood rushing through her veins as their hearts pumped together.

 

He was rather startled when she grasped a double handful of his hair and pulled him nose-to-nose. The light in her silver-rimmed eyes was fierce, and her grip was just as strong. “You are mine, Inuyasha…”

 

He smiled softly at the possessiveness in her manner and the intensity of her tone, then kissed her until she relaxed her fingers on his scalp, and her tongue danced with his. Nuzzling her cheek, he reached up to pull her hand out of his hair. Making sure he had her full attention, he pressed a kiss to the woven bracelets, then to her lips. “Yours forever, Kagome…what's wrong?

 

With a quiet sniffle, she pressed her face into the crook of his neck. He began to pull out; she stopped him with a muffled complaint and a tightening of her legs, gently twisting his hair to hold him close. “I'm crying because I'm happy…and so in love with you that I wonder if I'm still sane.”

 

Inuyasha could see her clearly, and watched in wonder as a sensuous smile curved her lips, and her eyes darkened even more. Her fingers found his ears again, and suggestively stroked them, her hips moving in sync with her caress. Groaning, he began to move inside her, and took her mouth in a searing kiss that culminated in surging and sighing, thrashing and moaning, finally screaming as they pushed each other up the slope of pleasure and tumbled over the edge together in a throbbing free fall.

 

Inuyasha surfaced with his face buried in her throat, one arm under her angling her hips up against his, and the other hand flexing on her shoulder. Her fingers were drawing little circles on his back; at the height of her orgasm, she had gripped his hair so fiercely, he was vaguely afraid he might have lost a handful or two…or maybe an ear. Now, he listened to her breathing become steady, and she began to hum. He nuzzled her pulse. “I'm the one who does the purring around here, aisai…did you like that?”

 

He loved the soft chuckle he got in response. “Very much, anata.” She wriggled a bit; he removed his arm from under her to make her more comfortable. He rose up over her on his elbows, his thumbs stroking the planes of her face, licked the warm, damp skin below her ear, traced the underside of her jaw to the point of her chin and then trailed down to daintily lap along her collarbone.

 

Kagome reached up for a kiss that started out soft and ended up re-kindling the fires within, until she was writhing under him and he was answering her stroke for stroke. Something seized his conscious thought, and before he could stop himself, he slid out of her, turned her over, re-entered her from behind, then pulled her upright back against his chest. Kagome gasped and gripped his hands where they splayed across her belly, her head tipping backwards against his shoulder. Nuzzling her hair out of the way, he kissed and nibbled his way across her shoulder, sliding his hands to cup her breasts. Her whole body arched, and her hands came up over his head to rub his ears, eliciting a deep groan of pure want from the hanyou.

 

“Uhhh…Kagome…” His lustful, gravely voice sent shivers down her spine. Kagome didn't think, just responded, gasping out inarticulate cries of pleasure when a long finger, the claw carefully curled away, pressed down at the apex of her thighs and rubbed until she screamed his name, her body convulsing hard around him. Her response ignited Inuyasha; with a roar, he pushed her forward onto hands and knees. She was aware of his hair swinging wildly along her sides, the pricking of his claws on her hips and the incredible sensations racing through her body as she braced herself against his powerful thrusts.

 

Inuyasha shook the walls of the well when he howled her name before collapsing against her back. Gasping, he gripped her before dropping them onto his fire-rat, keeping her tightly spooned against him. His hair spread over both of them, and its texture was…different. At that moment, his hand let go of her rib cage and spread itself flat right in front of her nose. The claws were twice as long…he's transformed! At that moment, she realized that the red mist of his swirling youkai illuminated the darkness and allowed her to clearly see him.

 

Instead of panicking, which was her first response, she thought for a moment, then slid her hand underneath his palm, and wove her fingers around his. The demon she loved, who at that moment was both behind her and inside her, began purring deep in his throat while he traced her shoulder and neck with his tongue, scraping her skin ever so lightly with his fang tips, snuffling the hair behind her ear. “My bitch,” he rumbled, and Kagome knew it for an expression of affection.

 

She pulled their interlaced hands closer and rested her cheek against his skin. “My dog,” she whispered back, and a definite bark of laughter gusted against her. Inuyasha raised himself on one elbow behind her and rolled her slightly towards him, without breaking their intimate contact. She caught her breath. His golden irises were gone, replaced by blue and scarlet intensity, and his fangs were impressively elongated. He bent towards her, and she brought up her free hand to slide along his cheek stripe and into his hair, raising her head slightly to touch his chin with a kiss.

 

Inuyasha studied her face for a moment, those blue pupils vivid against the red, and then bent down to lightly lick her lips. She flicked the tip of her tongue out and touched it to his; he jerked back. A quizzical look crossed his face, and then he let go of her hand, withdrew from her and rolled her completely under him, resting the weight of his upper body on his elbows as he settled his hips between her thighs. Claws lightly traced her cheekbones while he engaged in an intense examination of her features, focussing on her mouth. Finally, he lowered his head and carefully pressed his lips to hers, seemingly mindful of his sharp fangs. Kagome parted her lips and offered to deepen the kiss as her fingers found the base of his ears. Inuyasha emitted a purring growl into her mouth, and the tips of one set of razor-sharp talons prickled lightly as they trailed down her body to tentatively cup her breast, as if he wasn't quite sure how to proceed.

 

Kagome's power rose in response to the caress of his youkai…and she decided to try a little gentle persuasion to bring back her hanyou. She carefully released the energy, and felt it reach out to the demon. Inuyasha twitched slightly, probably from the sensation rippling over his skin, but that didn't stop him from continuing to lightly investigate her sweet mouth, instinctively keeping the dangerous points of his fangs away from her tender skin. Their energy wove together, surrounding them with shimmering red and silver flames…and when Inuyasha opened his eyes again, Kagome was looking into scarlet-rimmed molten amber pools.

 

Inuyasha smirked down at her, unaware his fangs were still slightly lengthened and his cheek markings just visible in the light of their joined energies. He stroked from her breast down to her thigh, and from there flicked the top buckle securing her combat boots.

 

“Oi, wench…that was pretty damn amazing. But next time, can you take off the boots?”

 

Kagome blinked. He didn't know that he transformed… She recovered, and grinned cheekily up at him. “I believe that some people find it arousing when their partner wears black leather boots during sex…”

 

“Not this hanyou, aisai. C'mon…don't want you catching cold down here.” He smiled at her small whimper of complaint as he pulled her up with him, shredding the misty light, and rummaged around until he found his haori, then wrapped her in it. A bit more digging, and he found both his hakama and her obi. After tying the sash at his waist, he wound the obi around hers and tied it neatly. He wondered when she patted the result, while looking straight ahead…then realized why she hadn't moved from her spot. “Can't see?”

 

She shook her head. “All I can see are your eyes, koibito…and a tiny bit of light reflecting off your hair.”

 

Inuyasha piled her clothing and armour in his juban, gave her both her quiver as well as Tetsusaiga to hold, then cautiously gripped Fenikkusuken. For a moment, nothing happened…and then there was the faintest little jolt, the equivalent of a tongue being stuck out. He smirked into the darkness, handed the weapon to her, wrapped his arm firmly around her waist and sprang them both out of the well in a smooth jump. He kept Kagome in his grip; the girl looked questioningly up at him when they didn't move towards the door. The hanyou leered suggestively. “I have the storage shed warmed up for us…as much as I like your mother, I don't want to wake her up.”

 

She'd barely snorted, thinking about that earth-shaking howl, before he plummeted both of them back into the well. The blue light cradled them, and then they were looking up at the stars overhead. With another leap, they were on the grass. Inuyasha thought she'd never looked so beautiful in the moonlight, and kissed her again. Kagome paused, her fingers wound in his sidelocks, her grey eyes shimmering black in the darkness, lips parted as if she was about to say something. He smirked crookedly at her, then tipped her face up to lightly kiss her chin. Her eyes fluttered closed for a moment; when she opened them again, he crouched and offered her his back. Without another word, they flashed into the night.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

Present Day

 

Up on the lee side of the well house roof, another silver-haired hanyou slumped against the roof tiles, exhaling slowly, and cursing both his uncomfortably tight motorcycle leathers as well as the fact that the conveniently cold river that used to run not far from his current location was now contained by a culvert and buried at least twenty feet underground.

 

He hadn't remembered how sexy Kagome sounded during love-making.

 

He also didn't recall being quite so loud.

 

“Explain your presence.”

 

Yashita spun around, nearly losing his balance. He'd been so preoccupied that he'd completely missed Sessaki's arrival not ten feet away on the ridgepole and now he was well and truly busted, without authorization in a restricted area, and by no less than his regulation-obsessed brother. Not to mention the fact he was sporting a rather obvious erection with nothing handy to disguise the fact.

 

It could have been worse; it might have been that stupid wolf. Yashita shuffled his feet a bit on the tiles. “It's a crucial night…”

 

“I realize that.”

 

The hanyou fidgeted under the taiyoukai's hard gaze. “I couldn't stay away; what if something went wrong?”

 

“Wrong…?”

 

“As in he didn't come through the well after her…”

 

“Highly unlikely.”

 

“She purified him…”

 

“Even more unlikely.”

 

“You didn't see her that night, Sess…she was downright scary…”

 

“Yet she forgave you, and you grew even closer.” Yashita shook his head, blew out his cheeks, and ran his claws through his hair, having run out of excuses. “You should not be alone tonight, brother. Come stay with us.” It was more of an order than an offer.

 

“I don't…ah, er… What I meant to say was, `meet you at the apartment'.”

 

The taiyoukai stepped off the roof and transformed into a streak of light. Yashita watched it fade into the distance before noiselessly making the leap to the ground, and then he vanished into the shadows of the shrine compound, leaving only a few scudding leaves in his wake.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

 

 

A/N: I have always had trouble with Inuyasha calling urgently after Kikyo in the `Back to Where We First Met' anime episode, especially since she's just held a knife to his throat and mocked his human feelings for her. The manga dispenses with the knife, and implies that Inuyasha feels he can't permit himself to want Kagome, since Kikyo needs his protection. Obviously, that attitude ain't gonna work in this fic's AR, so I've cheerfully twisted things to suit my own plotline.

 

My personal two-yen's worth: Kikyo is about as helpless as a newborn pit viper.