InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Ushiro Kugishime ❯ The Fever in Me ( Chapter 7 )

The Fever in Me Chapter 7



Kagome walked into the cave. She immediately looked to the rear. Kouga was indeed awake and, stubborn person that he was, he tried to stand up.

"Kouga! Lie still. You are wounded badly."

Kagome ran to the unwilling patient and tried to hold him down. During that task their eyes found each other. At first, Kagome thought he was happy, but shortly the shine in his eyes paled and he looked emotionless.

"I never let anyone order me around. At the very least a human," was his derogatory remark. Kagome twitched back a look at him with hurt in her eyes. She hadn’t known he had this side to him. While they were still looking at each other it seemed that Kouga regretted his words, but then he just turned his head away. But at least he had lain down. He moaned in pain and Kagome took his hand to hold it and to encourage him. Her behaviour was confusing him.

Then he directed a question at Hakaku. "Did you kill that Bainoakuma?"

The addressed wolf looked away in shame. "No, Kouga, we didn't."

"Therefore, no jewel shard. What about Inuyasha? Did he appear here?"

Hakaku shook his head. Kagome noticed that Kouga was staring at her thoughtfully while he had asked this question.

After that he laid his hand on his forehead. “What happened? I feel dizzy.” With pain on his face he closed his eyes.

“You wonder why you feel so bad? You lost a lot of blood, it’s a miracle that you are still alive. Hakaku, get fresh water from the river, fast.”

Hakaku left the cave immediately. Kouga opened his eyes again. “Why are you commanding my people like they were yours? I’m the pack leader.”

He gave a load moan and closed his lids again. Kagome slid closer to him and touched his forehead. He was hot as hell. But why did his moaning now seem to be a good sign? Confused, she took her hand away.

"You’re dehydrated. You need to drink a lot of water so you’ll stabilize."

He didn't answer. But when Hakaku came back with the water he followed Kagome's instruction and drank all the water. Then he let himself fall back. Kagome touched his head again. It seemed like it became even hotter.

"Kouga, look at me."

Kouga slowly opened his eyes again and looked at her with vitreous eyes. He blinked rapidly. Soothingly, Kagome stroked his cheek.

"It's ok. You should sleep now."

"Will you stay with me, Kagome? You won't go away while I sleep, will you?" Kouga held Kagome's wrist in a painful grip and didn't let her go until she had promised him to stay by him. Satisfied with her promise, he fell into a turbulent sleep.

Hakaku had stood a bit near them, waiting for their conversation to end and his leader to fall asleep. After that he quietly asked Kagome, "How is he?"

Kagome was still looking after the sleeping Kouga. "His fever is very high. If his temperature doesn’t lower soon, we might have a problem."

Hakaku nodded understanding and sat down beside Kagome. "You will stay by him? Then you wouldn't mind some diversion, right?"

Kagome smiled at him. "What happened during the fight?"

Hakaku was nervously drawing symbols in the sand while he told Kagome what had happened.

"Well, there was this white demon. He said his name was Bainoakuma, and that we couldn't match him. Kouga asked him if he had a shard of the Shikon no Tama and the demon laughed and told us that he was in possession of a jewel shard but that we would never get it. Kouga was behaving strangely. He looked at the demon like he was searching for something he couldn’t find. And suddenly Kouga attacked the demon and killed him with one stroke."

"Kouga killed him?"

"Yes. At least we thought so. But when Kouga turned around this thing stood up and attacked again. And like the previous time Kouga killed him easily. This continued a few times but then the last time the demon was regenerating faster and attacked again... but this time not Kouga but us. As Kouga saw this he jumped in the way between us and the demon and got hit. He nearly slit his whole chest open. We took Kouga and ran home as fast as we could. But Kouga didn't want to go. He even smacked at us. Always muttering: 'We can't go. We must get the shard.' Well then he went unconscious and you know the rest of the story."

"Yes, I know the rest." Suddenly she remembered something else. Sango. Miroku. They had gone as well to kill the regenerating demon. She had to prevent a fight. They couldn't beat him. But how should she stop them? She couldn't leave Kouga alone. Moreover she wasn't fast enough to get to them in time.

"Hakaku?"

"Yes."

"Do you remember my friends who had gone away today?"

"Yes, of course. What is the matter with them?"

"You need to send someone after them. They are gone to kill the devil-demon."

Hakaku jumped up. "They will be killed. Not even Kouga could..."

"I know, I know" Kagome interrupted him. "That is why someone must stop them. Shippo?"

While Hakaku was going after Miroku and Sango the little fox jumped at Kagome's lap and looked at her puzzled.

"Shippo, listen. You have to find Inuyasha as fast as you can. Tell him Miroku and Sango are in big danger and that he has to help them. But Shippo: Don't tell him I'm still here, ok?"

The kitzune nodded. He realized this wasn't the time to ask questions and ran away shouting 'Alright' over his shoulder.

"Please kami, don't let it be too late" Kagome told herself.

Everything possible to save her friends was being done, so Kagome abided at Kouga's sickbed. He spent his day sleeping more or less calmly, and Kagome thought he was out of danger. But after darkness came the fever rose dramatically. Kouga rolled from side to side on the fur bathed in sweat. From time to time he muttered incomprehensible words. His pack stood around him looking shamefaced at their chief who was fighting for his life, knowing he was in this situation because he had saved them.

After some time, Kagome was able to persuade them to go sleep. But they didn't want to leave him. It was not that they didn't trust Kagome, but when they couldn't do anything for him, they wanted to stay with him at least. The crowd diminished slowly as more and more of Kouga's pack went to sleep.

After a while Kagome was alone with Kouga. He was drenched in sweat and threw his head from side to side. Kagome laid cold cloths on his forehead but he just shook them off.

Suddenly his eyes flew open and he looked at Kagome with clear eyes.

"Kagome?" His voice sounded odd.

"Yes, Kouga?"

"You won't go again, will you? You will stay with me, won't you? I waited for Inuyasha but he didn't come. He doesn’t deserve you." He was holding Kagome's wrist painfully.

"Kouga, you are hurting me." But he didn't loose his grip, nor did it seem to Kagome that he was even listening.

"Because I love you. But Inuyasha is just taking advantage of your abilities - you mean nothing to him. Someday he will leave you for someone else. I would never do such a thing."

Kagome was petrified [petrified means scared…is that what you mean here?] when the young wolf began to talk. Was it so obvious that Inuyasha didn't love her? Did she love him? Yes, she loved him - at least she did. But now? And how did Kouga fit in this picture? Were his feelings authentic? Why would he lie to her?

Distracted by her thoughts, she hadn't noticed that he had loosened his grip His face was still, and she guessed that he was asleep again. And shortly it was plain that he couldn’t be awake; he mumbled unintelligibly but it was possible to hear him say her name. Kagome tried to pull her arm away so she could dunk the cloth back into the cold water but he didn't let go. Instead, delirious, he asked her not to leave him. Because she couldn't do anything else, Kagome laid her hand on his cheek to calm him down, and whispered in his ear.
"I'm here, Kouga. I won't leave you. I promise."

And then, he calmed down and slept peacefully. But the moment she tried to take her hand away he became agitated again.

Kagome was exhausted, but she couldn’t leave him alone to go sleep somewhere else. The big fur Kouga was lying on was too alluring. Without taking her hand away she lay down beside him. He remained calm. Kagome used a finger to wipe away a drop of sweat on his forehead and followed a wet path down to his neck. From there she ran her fingers lightly over the thick bandages on his cheek. Along his right arm she stroked up to his scapula. She could feel his skin contract and how his little hairs stood up. She continued her exciting journey. Brushing over his shoulder-blade, to his small pit under his neck. His skin was so soft and tender and she just liked to touch it.

She took her hand away, sighed quietly and laid her head on his right shoulder, careful not to touch his injuries. It was a comfortable feeling to be this close to him, and enjoying this she snuggled even closer to him. She tried to tell herself she was just doing this so she would immediately notice when he became restless again.

She couldn't finish this thought before restful slumber took over her.

Dawn came silently. When Kagome awoke she was still alone with Kouga in the cave. During the night she must have snuggled even closer to him; her hand lay on his chest and somehow Kouga had managed to get an arm around her to hold her securely. Kagome breathed in strongly and smelled his masculine odor before she looked at his face. Was he still asleep?

With a relieved sigh she saw his closed eyes. He was still asleep. She enjoyed the situation for a few more seconds before she slowly disengaged from him and felt his forehead. It wasn't hot. One inquiring look convinced her that he was sleeping deeply and calmly. He would be ok better soon.

As if he had felt her gaze he opened his eyes. She could see him looking at her questioningly.

"You were sick. You had a really high fever. We all were very worried about you." Kagome was just happy that he was ok.

They were still staring into each others eyes when Kouga took her hand and laid it on his heart. "Kagome, you are the only fever which burns inside me."

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"I can understand why Kagome doesn't want to see Inuyasha again. Why did he have to behave so stupid in the first place?"

Miroku didn't answer. He was absorbed by the view he had. Sango was sitting across from him and brushed her slim fingers through her full, wet hair. She had just come back from a bath in a hot spring nearby; Miroku had to sit with his back to her, a proper distance away Kirara had stood watch so that he wouldn't spy.

It was evening now and they hadn't found the demon or any trace of him.

Miroku sighed. "Sango? It will be very cold during the night. We should snuggle together to keep warm."

Before he could react Sango had hit him with Hiraikotsu her boomerang over the head. " In your dreams houshi-sama."

While he was rubbing the sore spot on his head he thanked Buddha that she didn't know how close she had been to the truth. He had indeed been dreaming about it. She by his side, leaning against him, her hand on his chest going lower and lower... suddenly he became hot - very hot. To drive his thoughts away from this fantasy he stood up and walked away from the clearing into the forest nearby. He would patrol the area again. Better safe then sorry.

A shrill scream made him turn after just a few steps and he ran back to the camp. What he saw there was one of the most awful scenes he could imagine. A black - devil like - demon was holding an unconscious Sango in his claws. Miroku wanted to attack the demon, to save the woman he liked [‘liked’ seems so weak–doesn’t he love her? If you don’t want to put ‘love’ how about ‘admired’ instead.] so much but what sounded like a warning growl made him stop before he could take another step.

Miroku thought it might be better not to provoke him as long he had Sango in his hands. From the corners of his eyes he searched for Kirara. He found her between two trees, unconscious too. The devil demon must have thrown her there.

"I was eavesdropping on your little conversation a few minutes ago." The demon was breaking the silence between them. With a lustful expression - that made even Miroku nervous - he leered at the girl in his arms. "And so I thought I should help you to win her heart."

Miroku was frozen. What did this beast mean? "I thank you but I think I don't need your help."

"Now, now, don’t be so impolite. However, I will help you anyway. You must know that I'm able to cast mighty spells."

"That is very interesting. But if it doesn't disturb you we would rather be alone." Miroku interrupted him. And slowly he walked toward the demon. Because the demon was holding Sango in his hands Miroku couldn't use his kazaana, so he had to trick him.

"I will be gone in a few seconds. Your little friend," he looked at Sango, "is now under the influence of a love spell. She will love you, Monk, and she will never reject you again."

Miroku stopped, confused. What was this damned demon aiming to do with this?

"But this spell will only last until you grant her this wish. As soon as you make her your mate - or like you humans call it, your wife - the spell will turn around and she will hate you. She will hate you from the bottom of her soul. Therefore monk, you should choose carefully what you want to do. Will you use the power of the spell and take her to share hours of passion you might never experience otherwise and sacrifice your friendship or will you stay virtuous? I think the second option will be hard for you."

The demon let Sango fall to the ground and turned around to leave, but Miroku's desperate yell made him stop. "Wait! How can I take this spell away from her?"

"You, Monk, can't lift the spell off of her. The only one who could do this is me and I won't do it. So you have to kill me if you want to free her."

"Why are you doing this?" Miroku wanted to know.

"Why? I'm evil. That is reason enough. I like it and I think it is amusing to torture your pathetic humans." With a devilish laugh the demon was gone.