InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Price of Vengeance ❯ Chapter Thirty-Two ( Chapter 33 )

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own any of Rumiko Takahashi's characters or stories. This story is for private entertainment purposes only.

WARNING: LIMEY LEMON IN THIS CHAPTER! NO ONE UNDER 17 PLEASE!

Chapter Thirty-Two (Gift)

"Do you really have to go?" The heated whisper was warm against his neck, and her arms were loosely wrapped around his waist as she snuggled against him.

"Um...yes..." Miroku was distracted by her very naked body being plastered against his. He had just put on his first robe---after dusting the various grass stems from the indigo cloth---and had been reaching for the outer, when she had tugged on his arm, making him stand so that she could snuggle into his arms.

"I miss you already." Koharu's warm breath was tickling his ear, and he smiled, and then shuddered, as a small tongue peeked out to lick on the lobe and nibble suggestively.

"Emmm." One strong hand came up to slip through the silky tangles of her black hair, while the other turned her closer to him so that he could give her a good, proper kiss on those busy little lips.

She was like melting butter in his hands, and he could feel the sudden flare of heat that spun through them both. He couldn't get enough of her...

Groaning, he allowed her to push his blue robes back off of his sturdy frame, and his desire was more than evident. She giggled---ah, that giggle---and pushed him backwards, half-playfully, half-determined.

Ever willing, he allowed her to take the lead.

They made quick love, her gasps matching his groans as she took him inside of her. His fingers found the special, particular spots over her body that made her squirm and cry in reaction, and she used her body to wring the pleasure from him in a blinding burst of brilliance that left him gasping and sweaty in a heap beneath her.

She slumped against him, and his hands came up to hug her lightly, the bare one, free of blue cloth and prayer-beads, rubbing soft circles along her spine.

"Ooohhh...I love that..." She whispered against his chest, and a slight smile curved his mouth as his deep blue eyes took in her flushed face with its tousled black locks.

"I can agree." He leaned his head up to kiss her cheek lightly before lying back down with a groan.

"Woman! You are going to wear me out!" He scolded lightly when she giggled.

"Good." She poked a finger in his chest. "If you're too worn out, you won't leave me for another woman."

A black brow rose, and Miroku gave her a mock-innocent look. "You don't trust me?"

"Who would?" Koharu snorted, and rolled off of him. "Oooh..." She groaned, getting to her feet with some shaking movements and a couple of good winces added in for emphasis.

Miroku turned on his side, propping his head on one bent arm, and watched her with amusement as she stretched lazily and searched through their piled clothing for her own.

*Sometimes watching a woman dress is just as sexy as watching her undress...*

He got a good look at that cute, saucy little bottom as she bent away from him, pulling her hakama up. His manhood stirred a bit with interest, and he shook his head, combing the sweat-dampened black tendrils from off of his forehead. With a mock-groan of his own, he rolled to his feet, and pulled his dark blue robes up from their impromptu bed.

With an amused shrug, he shook the grass stems once more out of the thick fabric. He was about to pull the cloth over his head, when Koharu's low comment stopped him.

"You are so sexy."

Her brown eyes were dark with admiration, her lips curved in a soft smile, as her gaze traveled over his lean, muscular frame. With a wicked grin, Miroku swirled the dark blue robes up and over him, hiding his body from her wanton view.

She pouted prettily, and he winked, grabbing up his purple over-robe.

Koharu finished putting her own clothing in order, and her hands brushed through her tangled hair with a sigh. Finished tying his own robes in place, Miroku came to help her tie her long silky hair back with the provided white ribbon. She sighed as his fingers took over, pulling the midnight hair into a loose tail behind her.

Bending, he placed a light kiss on her neck, and patted her bottom with familiar delight.

She giggled, and turned to kiss him fully.

"You're never going to allow me to leave, are you?" He asked, a pleased gleam in his blue eyes.

"If I can help it." She smiled, eyes bright. Her arms wrapped around his waist once more, and hugged him slightly, which he started to return, before her next comment had him stop in stunned surprise.

"Not that I trust you."

*What?*

"Excuse me?" He blinked at her, even as she snuggled closer to him, her head buried just beneath his chin. Her hair smelled of grass and earth and herbs and sex.

"You could never be satisfied with just one woman, Miroku." Koharu said, her arms tightening when he tried to move away.

Slightly hurt, he used his bead-wrapped hand to pull her chin up so that he could look into her eyes. Her love for him was shining in there, but there was a bit of amused irony as well.

"What are you saying?" He demanded.

"I love you, Miroku." Koharu whispered, turning her cheek so that she could kiss the tips of his fingers. "I have always loved you."

"But---"

"Shhh...just listen..." She shook her head at him, making her black hair rustle. One of her hands slipped free from his waist and she caressed his own cheek, her fingertips lightly touching across the deep frown.

"I love you...but I know you. You love ALL women...you could never love just one."

Miroku stiffened, a protest muffled behind her fingers on his lips.

"Houshi-sama...I do not care. I love you, and that is enough." Her fingers traveled over his puzzled face, caressing the long arch of his brows, flicking over the strong bones of his cheeks.

"Koharu..." He said, at a loss for words.

She just gave him an enigmatic cat-eyed glance. "I enjoy it, and I know you do, too."

"Koharu...I..."

She kissed him, cutting off his train of thought.

And then dropped a tree-trunk on his toe with her next words.

"I just hope I am carrying your child now."

*WHAT?*

"Koharu!" He gasped, his blue eyes widening in shock. She tried to kiss him again, but his hands firmed on her upper arms and he pushed her away slightly to stare at her.

Koharu just smiled, somewhat hopefully. His eyes traveled over her small body to rest on the red bow that rested across her flat waist.

"I want to give you a child." Koharu whispered, her hands coming up to rest on his where they gripped her arms. "I have always wanted to give you a child."

"Koharu---" He could only repeat her name, at a loss for what to say.

She giggled. "Why so shocked, houshi-sama? For untold years, you have been asking every pretty woman you come across to bear you a son."

He blinked, and a slow smile curved across his mouth. Shaking his head, he pulled the girl into his arms, letting his body tell her what he could not.

"Mmm..." She lifted her head from his heated kiss, and snuggled back into the crook of his shoulder. Her eyes danced, and her fingers played with the purple knot that tied his over-robes in place. "I certainly enjoy the getting of it, and just imagine how beautiful your son will be."

"My son..." Miroku's eyes darkened, and he hugged her tighter.

"There is so much pain in your life, Miroku." Koharu turned to gaze up at him, serious once more. "Let me...allow me...to at least give you...THIS." Her small hands grasped his, and pulled them to lie against her flat belly. "It is what I have always wanted."

His hands smoothed over the red fabric of her hakama with growing wonder, and he shook his head at her. "Koharu...I..."

"Shhh..." She kissed him again, distracting him with her hot mouth. The girl was good at that.

She was also good at making him stop in shock.

"Besides, I already have our daughter's name picked out."

*Daughter?*

"D..."

She giggled (oh, that sexy giggle!), and lightly pushed against him, laughter warming her husky voice. "We could always have twins."

*Twins?*

She stepped away from him, still giggling, and picked up his staff from where it leaned against a neighborly tree. The rings chimed slightly as she offered it to him. When he still stood there, blinking in shock, she pulled one hand up to wrap it firmly around the wooden shaft. She left a trailing kiss across his cheek, and whispered hot in his ear.

"At least we can have fun trying..."

Perking up, the curve of his smile was back, and his blue eyes darkened with anticipation. Her fingers entwined with his, and he allowed her to tug him after her, dreamily thinking of new ways in which he might try Koharu's version of "fun".

With a start, he realized that she was holding his bead-wrapped hand, and his dreamy smile turned thoughtful as she led him back to the village and Kaede's.

Did she truly know what gift she was offering him?

*~*~*~*~*

Kagome paced back and forth in front of the hut. Shippo watched her with wide green eyes, though he didn't venture to say anything; she was too distracted.

Kagome was rarely in such an impatient mood.

"Where is he? What is taking him so long?" Kagome fumed. The red hakama and white kimono of a miko looked very pretty on her, and Shippo admired his pretty Kagome with fierce pride.

She was such a beautiful woman...plenty of youkai and ningen had said so, and just look at how many of them were always chasing after her to be their mate! First InuYasha---though Shippo had no patience himself with InuYasha's dilemma over her and Kikyo, in his little mind there was definitely no comparison between his adopted okaa-san and that walking mud-pie---and then there was, of course, Koga. Even SesshouMaru...that stiff youkai had to have been taken with Kagome to have stolen her...though nobody brought THAT obvious conclusion up, and Shippo wasn't too dumb to actually SAY anything about it.

He DEFINITELY didn't want a whole set of lumps and bumps all over his poor little head from InuYasha's reaction to THAT idea.

He sucked on the honey-treat Lady Kaede had given him, and watched his Kagome with adoring eyes.

"Miroku!" Kagome quit pacing, and bound over to the blue-robed monk, stopping suddenly when she saw whose hand he was holding.

*Why is Miroku holding Koharu's hand?* Shippo wondered, his treat forgotten as his eyes boggled.

*Uh-oh!*

It was one thing for them to be playing hide-and-seek in the forest---well, that was what Miroku had told him they were doing---but quite another for the two of them to be HOLDING HANDS!

One of Kagome's hands came up to rest on her heart, and her wide brown eyes passed from Miroku to Koharu, who was slightly blushing under the girl's astonishment.

The rings on Miroku's staff jangled as he shifted his weight on nervous feet. Shippo could smell the nervousness on the houshi, even though the hentai tried to give Kagome a chagrined smile, and dropped Koharu's hand to scratch the back of his neck.

"Eh...Kagome...were you waiting for me?"

"Waiting---" Kagome's hands dropped to her sides to curl into fists, and she looked ready to blow.

Shippo shook his little head, his fluffy tail twitching. *Not smart, Miroku!*

Kirara was suddenly there, interrupting them with an impatient mew of demand.

They all jumped, and both Miroku and Kagome looked guilty as they stared at the red-eyed neko.

Kirara huffed at them, and transformed into her larger form with a swirl of dust and red-orange flames. She bared her fangs at the houshi, and jerked her head to her back, twin tails flicking with impatience.

"Uh...Kagome...Kirara calls..." Miroku edged past the startled girl, and toward the impatient youkai.

Kagome twitched, before turning and marching after him. Koharu had discretely disappeared, and she wanted some answers...and NOW!

"Don't think you're getting out of this, Miroku!" She said, making a good imitation of a stomp in soft, woven sandals. "I'm going with you, and you have A LOT of explaining to do!"

Shippo felt a slight breeze behind him, and he turned to look over his fox-furred shoulder, green eyes smiling at the old miko who had parted the bamboo curtain that covered the entrance to her hut.

"Kagome." Lady Kaede fully emerged, and Kagome stopped, blinking.

"Yes, Lady?" She asked, her lightening-quick smile coming back and warming her eyes. Shippo was always surprised at just how suddenly Kagome could go from angry and mad to smiling and happy.

"You are not to go with Kirara and Miroku." Lady Kaede folded her hands behind her back, her careworn features impassive.

"But..." Kagome blinked.

Miroku heaved a long sigh of gratitude, though Kirara rumbled at him, her glowing red eyes narrowing. The neko youkai allowed him to mount, however, and she turned around as Miroku's hand dug into the creamy fur of her neck.

"It is too dangerous, child." Lady Kaede said, a strange look passing between the two mikos. Shippo almost fell over in surprise when Kagome bowed her head in acquiescence.

*What was THAT all about?*

"I will return soon." Miroku reassured Kagome, though he was in no hurry to do so. Shippo could smell the weak lie on the guilty houshi, and rolled his eyes at the obvious falsehood.

Kagome turned back to Miroku, her expression oddly sad. Shippo wanted to comfort her, though he didn't know what was wrong. His green eyes grew troubled, and his treat was abandoned on the wood planking beside him as he jumped down the steps and bound over to Kagome's red-wrapped leg. Pushing at the draping cloth, Shippo found her leg finally and hugged it fiercely in his paws.

"Don't worry, Kagome! I'm here!" He said.

Kagome bent over to pat his rusty-orange head even as she told Miroku, "Be safe, and bring them back---quickly."

"I will, Kagome-sama." Miroku was suddenly serious, his blue eyes dark. With a jangle of his ringed staff, the neko's paws roared to fiery life, and they were up and away with a powerful leap. Shippo lifted his green eyes to follow the blazing trail of the cat's flight, and hugged Kagome's leg with all the fierceness he could muster in his little body. He could tell that Kagome was somehow both hopeful and sad, impatient and reluctant---all at the same time.

"They're okay, right, Kagome?" Shippo wanted reassurance.

Kagome knelt down, untangling him from her leg and hugging him to her. Shippo liked that, and hugged her back, nestling into her comforting embrace. "Yes, Shippo. They're all right. Miroku is just going to make sure."

"Good." Shippo snuggled, before a thought had him sit back in Kagome's arms with a big, pleady-eyed look that had never failed him in the past.

"Ooh...Kagome...I dropped my treat...the one with honey all over it...the one Lady Kaede gave me...do you...do you think I could have another?"

*~*~*~*~*

A clawed hand reached out towards her. "Sango? What's going on?"

The taijiya's brown eyes closed, and tears mingled in the dark feathers of her lashes, but did not fall down her pale cheeks. She shuddered, her hands closing over the lightly glowing Jewel shard she held in her palms.

InuYasha regarded the proud slayer with confusion. *What the hell is going on? Where's...*

He froze, looking around him with shock. Even though it was dark, rolling storm clouds obscuring the full moon, the rain had stopped, and he could see the wreckage around him. He sniffed lightly, his senses telling him that there was blood---youkai blood, and plenty of it, spilled everywhere. The rain had soaked it into the ground, but not cleared the deforested clearing of the stench of it.

There was more...

His ears flattened as he regarded his hands in shock. There was blood covering them from wrist to nail-edge, and he growled low in his throat in confused anger.

*What the hell HAPPENED?*

Sango shied away from him at his growl, and his head whipped up to look at her. His amber eyes focused on the slight glow in her hands.

*A Jewel shard?*

Other smells distracted him, and he could smell the blood of ningen. There was a body somewhere to the left, but the wounds seemed cold. There was more, closer to him.

His amber eyes lighted back on Sango, and he saw the faint blood-streaks on one wrist.

"Sango?" He asked tentatively. Something had happened, something really bad. He extended a bloody hand. "You're hurt..."

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" The taijiya screamed, whirling away from him with a broken cry.

InuYasha's eyes widened in shock, his hand falling to dig in the dirt beneath him.

*Sango...?*

***********************************

A/N: A few notes, I'm in a hurry to post this chappie, so I'll write more in the next one. Special note to Terri Botta, who wrote "The Lucky Ones", an awesome I/K fic on ff.net that has provided me with a LOT of information regarding inu youkai behavior. Special thanks to reviewers such as Feminafures (WOW, thanks for the VOC on aff.net), Kilala81, and AmyFushigiyugi. Kilala81 has an awesome fic on mm.org and A Single Spark called "Secrets of the Shinju" (4 part series), and AmyFushigiyugi, besides many inspiring fics, has a way-cool website animedefiance.com. Angelcutie, I'll plug your fic in the next chappie-I love it, and am running out of time to post! Other thanks go to Wicca and Fyyrrose for having me fall out of my chair laffing...THANK YOU! And to all else, continued thanks for all the reviews and encouragement!