Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Black Widow Miko ❯ When Enough Isn't Enough ( Chapter 9 )

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

This chapter is a monster. It kept turning into something other than what I had planned. And as unbelievably long as it, it would have been almost twice this length if I had left in all of the other stuff that kept creeping onto my computer monitor. I was seriously considering taking all the crappy scenes I had to cut out and posting an “outtakes” chapter. Everyone *cough Hiei cough* kept saying and doing the wrong things! And Touya’s tiny, cameo appearance? He started out as Chuu. I felt like I was working with a room of unruly children, and much to my dismay, I realized I was the only one in the room! So, anyway, I hope what finally came out actually comes across the way I meant for it to. I’ll rely on you guys to let me know. Please check out my A/N at the end -- I’ve got extras to go with this chapter!! *wink wink*

DISCLAIMER: Unless Takahashi-san and Togashi-san have morphed into short, blonde, almost 40-ish American women, I don’t believe anyone will ever mistake them for madmiko-san. (And vice versa.) Their stuff: huge money-makers and beloved-around-the-world series “InuYasha” and “YuYu Hakusho.” My stuff: sad little fanfiction fantasy crossovers. *sigh*

talking
mental/telepathic conversations “Hiei” “Kurama” “Youko”
(thoughts to self)

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Last time:

He closed his eyes as she relaxed. Maybe now she’d actually get some rest. He knew she had barely slept the last two nights, and that it hadn’t been a restful kind of sleep. And she hadn’t slept at all the night before that. Thank goodness this was the last night, and she would be able to come to his room at the hot springs resort. Considering the fact that he was literally in hell right now with the way she was pressed up against him, she really needed to get some sleep, because he was going to make sure she “made it up to him” tomorrow.

When she began to shift against him, he gritted his teeth and tried to soothe her by gently rubbing her back. But instead of calming her, she started rubbing her leg along the outside of his, until she was practically lying on top of him. He was seriously starting to regret slipping into the role of one of her mates for her. The feel of her soft, warm lips trailing along his shoulder and up his neck nearly did him in. He could tell by her breathing that she was actually still asleep at the moment. But, whether she needed the sleep or not, he was going to have to get out of there. There was just no way he could hold out for long when she was doing that. It wouldn’t take much at all to make him throw caution to the winds and …
“I want you, … Hiei.”

His eyes flew open. (Well, … fuck me.)
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His hands, which he had moved to her shoulders to gently move her away, suddenly clutched her tightly. When he felt her hands tugging at the waist of his pants, he gave up, and rolled them over so she was lying on her back with him looking down on her. Seeing her body covered by the gray nightgown she was wearing, his eyes narrowed and a growl rumbled low in his throat. Sitting up on his knees, he extended the claws on one hand and ripped the offending material all the way from neckline to hem. Retracting the claws again, he pulled his shirt over his head and unbuckled his belts. She reached out for him restlessly, and he quickly shoved his pants down as far as he could before lowering himself over her.

The sound of her sharp intake of air as his chest pressed against her bare breasts had him groaning as much as the contact, and he closed his eyes. As he did, the image of her in the painting in her room came to him -- the way she stood, looking out at the clouds with one hand rested on the swell of her stomach, the hint of a smile playing about her lips, and the look of utter contentment on her face. And he knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that if they did this now, she was going to end up pregnant. His eyes snapped back open, and he stared down at her for a moment and frowned. Then her brow furrowed, and she shifted beneath him, tilting her hips up and pressing against his hardened length.

He could hear her heartbeat speeding up, and her breathing quicken. The intoxicating scent of musk mingled with her normal, enticing gardenia scent told him that she was every bit as aroused as he was. And as if that wasn’t enough, the way she moved against him, and ran her hands along his back and hips, left no question as to what she wanted. And she was becoming quite insistent, too. She had managed to move his pants the rest of the way down his legs with her feet. He would have laughed at his own predicament, but at the moment, it wasn’t a damn bit funny. And if he didn’t do something now, the whole situation was going to be taken out of his hands because if she moved just a little farther to the right, …

Letting his weight settle on her to hold her still, he rested his cheek against hers. “We can’t do this now.” (Damn it.) But in her semi-dream state, she wasn’t listening. All she was aware of was that she was in need of release and her lover was right there and for some reason, he wasn’t cooperating. Hiei blinked when she tightened her grip on him. (Did she just growl at me?)

“Kagome?”

He couldn’t help it. He started to laugh. The sweet, kind, graceful, elegant, diplomatic widow of three Taiyoukai was growling at him because he wouldn’t have sex with her! Oh, he was going to remind her of this for a long time to come. But for now, he chuckled softly as he nuzzled the side of her neck, and he felt her frustration ease, even as the tension in her muscles built when he began to slowly move down her body.

This was new territory for Hiei. Not once had he ever considered pleasuring a female in a way that was unconnected to his own pleasure. But he had to admit, ever since Youko had told him she tasted like honey, he had been curious. Thinking of Youko made him pause for a minute. (That damn fox has seen all of her, tasted her, and kissed her more than once. She said she’s not going to mate that blasted ookami, so there’s no need for Kurama to keep trying to seduce her. Maybe it’s time for him to back the hell off. Maybe I’ll suggest it. Tomorrow. First thing in the morning.)

Nodding to himself at his decision, he resumed his leisurely exploration of the curves and contours of her waist and hips with his hands and mouth. Her skin was so smooth and soft, yet he could feel the toned muscles beneath. He smiled to himself. He could feel the toned muscles in her thighs, too, as she squeezed them against his sides. She was actually rather strong considering she was such a small onna. It added greatly to his enjoyment of their being together -- knowing she could take what he could give. And he was going to have plenty to give her tomorrow night.

Moving further down, he closed his eyes and let himself just enjoy her appealing scent for a minute. Then he let him himself enjoy the sight of her. She was the very picture of sensual beauty, with her long, dark hair spread all around her on the bed, her lips slightly parted, and the rapid rise and fall of her breasts. Her skin seemed to glow lightly in the moonlight, and her movements, as she restlessly sought the brief relief his touch had given her, were mesmerizing. The onna was definitely a treat for the senses -- all of them, -- and he was ready to move on to taste.

Sliding a hand underneath her, he tilted her up to the angle he wanted. He ran his thumb down the seam of the delicate, petal-like folds that protected the entrance to her feminine center. She was already wet, but he couldn’t resist dipping a finger inside to further spread the moisture. As always, he was amazed at just how tightly she hugged a single digit and yet was able to take all of him into her warm, snug depths. Removing his finger, he lowered his head and slowly, lazily let his tongue explore her. The fox was right, damn him, -- she was sweet, like honey.

And as he probed and tasted, licked and suckled, familiarizing himself with every part of her, the air filled with the sounds of harsh breathing and soft moans. Hiei was vaguely aware of a continuous low growling reverberating in his own chest, and realized it must be some kind of instinctive reaction to his female’s scent and taste. He was also vaguely aware that he had had to shift himself to hold her hips down to keep her from bucking and disturbing his greedy lapping of her juices as he sought more and more. When this experience had turned from an attempt to soothe her restless sexual aggression to an exercise in seeking and enjoying the pleasures it brought him, he hadn’t a clue. But if he’d known he would enjoy it this much, he would have done it a long time ago. Then again, he had the disturbing thought that he might not have enjoyed it this much with another female.

With a strangled cry, Kagome’s back arched completely off the bed, and Hiei was rewarded with a fresh rush of the sweet essence he had been savoring, -- just slightly thicker and a tad sweeter. Interesting. He was tempted to start all over again, but as she settled back down, he looked up at her and saw that she was awake. And he was strangely curious to see exactly what shade of blue her eyes were right now. She usually kept them closed after she climaxed. So, he moved up her body and hovered over her for a minute, just staring down at her. Her eyes were a mixture of stormy blues and grays, clashing and swirling together as she looked up at him. Her brow was furrowed, and he could plainly read the slight confusion on her face. She reached out to him hesitantly, and for a second, when her hand touched his face, he thought she was going to kiss him. Instead, she pulled him down onto her and ran her hands slowly up and down his back, before encouraging him to roll over.

Hoping she would go back to sleep and actually sleep for a while, he was willing to lay there and hold her, but that wasn’t what she had in mind. She raised up so she could look down at him. As she studied his face, she touched him again, lightly running her fingertips across his cheek and down his jaw. She opened her mouth as if to speak, then closed it. Then she nuzzled her temple against his jaw for a few seconds before pressing her lips to his neck. He was startled when she began to blaze a trail slowly down his neck, and even more so when she kept going. “You don’t have to …”

“I want to.” And she paused to draw softly on a spot right above his collarbone. Hiei closed his eyes and focused on the various sensations she was producing. The touch of her fingers and lips were soothing, yet arousing. He was the fire demon, so why did she make him feel as if she was setting his skin ablaze? But her kind of fire was warm and comforting, not prickling and piercing. There was no denying he would welcome her attentions -- he was aching painfully, -- but in all the times they had been together, in all the different ways, she had never once made a move to satisfy him like this. Of course, he had never offered to satisfy her like he just had, either. So, was she just doing this because she felt obligated to him? Normally, he wouldn’t care as long as he was the one reaping the benefits, but for some reason, the idea didn’t sit well with him right now. He frowned. But as she continued to caress him with both light, teasing touches and slow, firm strokes that measured and memorized the feel of the various lines and planes of his chest and abdomen, while at the same testing the firmness of his muscles, he got the feeling that it wasn’t just a sense of obligation that drove her. Interspersed with the touch of her hands, he could feel the soft, warmth of her mouth as she brushed her lips over his skin, … caressing him, … tasting him. And as much as he was anticipating her reaching her destination, he would have gladly prolonged her trip.

She had been beside him as she started her downward journey, but now she straddled his legs. As she leaned over him, her long, dark hair hung down around her and him like a veil, separating her movements from the outside world and casting them into a private one all their own. He had raised up on his elbows to watch her, but he found himself closing his eyes again briefly, when she gently rubbed her cheek against his hardened length. She slowly explored him with her hands, carefully touching every part of him from base to tip. When she ran the pad of her thumb across him and smeared the drop of clear fluid that had gathered there, then put her thumb up to her mouth to taste it, he groaned and lay back down again. If she didn’t kill her mates, it wasn’t due to a lack of effort on her part -- she was certainly killing him.

She continued to explore him, letting her lips and tongue map and measure his entire length, up one side and down the other. When she finally took him in her mouth, it was all he could do not to jump off the bed. It took a lot of effort to keep his hips from jerking, and she must have realized that, because she placed a hand firmly on one. As she slowly took more of him in, she nudged his legs slightly apart with one knee, and with her other hand, she touched, caressed, and massaged his thigh. She let go of his hip to massage the base of his staff, while she worked up and down as much of his length as she could.

Hiei had had other females satisfy him this way, but not like this. Her movements were slow and precise, and in addition to the pressure of the suction, which was gentle but firm, her tongue circled him at intervals, and periodically, when she moved to the tip, she would release him and quickly stroke the sensitive underside from base to tip with her tongue, before taking him into that warm, moist haven again. He had no idea how he lasted as long as he did, -- maybe it was simply because he didn’t want it to end, but when she cupped and fondled his sac, he knew it was over. Surprisingly, he didn’t buck up as violently as he’d feared he would. He guessed his whole body had been hypnotized by the incredible pleasure she was giving him. And she drank him in, continuing to touch him the whole time. And when he was spent, the echoing sound in his ears let him know he had called out her name.

Kagome moved up alongside him and rested her head on his chest. She watched her hand as she continued to stroke and caress his chest, side, and abdomen. She was … disturbed … unsettled … uneasy. Something was happening to her nice, straightforward arrangement. This wasn’t what she had planned. When she had told Hiei that she would stay away from him during her fertile time, she had thought it wouldn’t be a problem. It was the simplest, most certain way to ensure they didn’t “get carried away” and accidentally end up doing more than just pleasuring each other. That was how she had ended up pregnant with Sassouta when she did. She and Kouga had planned to wait a few more months before conceiving a child, but, …

She had been afraid the dreams might return while she was staying away from Hiei, but she was sure she could handle them for a few days. But tonight, … tonight she had dreamed of him. And, he had disappeared, -- just like her mates. She gripped him tightly when she remembered, and he rubbed her back. (What is she thinking about that has her so unsettled?) If he had known that she was wondering if she had doomed him by taking him to her bed, he might have been unsettled, too.

“Hiei? Why are you here?”

“I was checking to make sure you were where you were supposed to be, and you were … restless. You need to sleep,” he told her gruffly.

“So you crawled into bed with me?” In her dream, after he had disappeared, he had come back, and he had held her. Had Hiei really done that just to help her sleep? (Why would he do that?)

“You still need to sleep.” He wasn’t about to explain what had driven him to try to comfort her when he didn’t understand it himself.

She didn’t say anything else, but he could tell she was still pondering things. He was doing some hard thinking, too. His first thought was if they could be together like this, then he wouldn’t have to go through all this torture the next time she was fertile. His second thought was to wonder why she hadn’t suggested it. But his third thought was he knew why -- it was because she hadn’t planned to do this with him. While a blowjob might cost a lot less from your average whore because it actually required a lot less than from them -- less contact, less risk, less time, less everything, -- that wasn’t what she had done, and he knew she didn’t see it that way, either. And damn if she wasn’t right. She hadn’t just ‘gotten him off,’ -- the way she did it was incredibly intimate, and the only way he could think of to describe it was that she had loved him with her hands and mouth. That’s how it made him feel. And the feeling didn’t end when he had come, either. He still felt that way with her lying there touching him. The really scary thing was he knew he should feel unsettled by it, too, but he didn’t. He felt … content. As a matter of fact, he felt so content that he wasn’t going to think about it anymore right now.

But Kagome couldn’t stop thinking about it. He was absolutely right. In addition to thinking that it wouldn’t be a problem to just stay away from each other when she was at her peak of fertility, and that it was the surest way to avoid a situation that might get out of hand, the plain truth was she had never considered pleasuring Hiei this way. She knew that most people, -- even her old school friends, -- considered this more of a preliminary event to having intercourse than a form of actual sex itself. They had always talked about it as if it were just “fooling around.” But it was a lot more than that to her. She had been mated to Inuyasha for over a month before she had ever touched him like this. Somehow, taking him into her mouth, swallowing his seed, tasting him, -- loving him in a way that was meant just for him, even though she had found out she enjoyed it, too, had always seemed so intensely personal and intimate. Two things she had meant to avoid in this relationship. It was supposed to be purely for physical gratification, nothing more, nothing less. But it was becoming more. And it was all his fault, damn him.

(Why did he come to check on me? And why did he try to comfort me?) Even now, he was rubbing her back to soothe her into sleep. (Why does he care if I sleep? He’s not supposed to care about me at all. And I …I can’t let myself care for him. Oh, … crap.) Since she had no idea what to do about things, she decided to take his advice and try to get some sleep. Actually, it was surprisingly easy with the way he was touching her, and the warmth of his skin under her cheek, and the rhythm of his heartbeat in her ears. She closed her eyes. “Arigatou, Hiei,” she said quietly.
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When they arrived at Kusatsu, located in the Gunma Prefecture of the Kanto region, after a 2-and-a-half hour trip by a direct limited express train from Ueno Station, followed by a short bus and shuttle ride, they checked into the Kusatsu Now Resort Hotel. The train station had been horribly crowded, but Kagome’s sons had been highly entertained at the thought that ningen traveled this way all the time. And their group was given a wide berth when the auras given off by some of the youkai reached a menacing level. Not wanting to have to deal with their luggage, they told Shuuichi and his friends they were having it “sent on,” but they simply had Botan direct some ogres to carry it all via portal, so it was waiting for them when they got there.

The rest of their group joining them for this leg of the trip were waiting for them in the lobby. Kurama introduced his mother and step-father after greeting them warmly. Yusuke introduced Genkai. And Kagome introduced Myouga and Jaken in the human forms they took as little old men, Master Zhang, and her jii-chan, Higarashi Hoshu. All four of the older gentlemen gravitated to Genkai, causing Yusuke to stand there with his mouth hanging open.

“What the hell? They’re not actually flirting with that old bat, are they? Ouch! Keiko!” He rubbed his head where she had hit him.

“You shut up, Yusuke. I think it’s cute.”

Hoshu stepped aside to talk to his granddaughter for a moment. “Kagome, your mother will meet us at the Gardens. She hoped you wouldn’t mind, but she’s taking the opportunity of our absence to spend a little time with her new beau.”

“Her what?!!?” Kagome couldn’t believe her ears. Her mother had a boyfriend?

“She said to tell you that you had inspired her and gave her the courage let love back into her life. He’s a very nice man and I’m sure she’ll tell you all about him when you see her,” Hoshu told her, before turning to go back to Genkai.

Daitano put an arm around her shoulders. “That’s good news, right, kaa- er, Kagome?”

“Hai,” she agreed, still a little shocked. “I’m just so surprised. After all this time, …”

“Hmph. You’ve waited even longer,” he whispered. “Maybe now you’ll seriously start thinking about finding someone else, too. If you haven’t already,” he added with a knowing look. Bending even closer to her ear, he told her, “I was up really early this morning, and apparently, so were you. I was in the room right next to yours, you know. I don’t know if it was the ookami or the avatar, and you don’t have to say anything until you’re ready to. It’s nobody’s business but yours, -- but if you want to keep it that way, I suggest you put up a barrier or something next time.” And with a wink, he went to join his brothers, leaving Kagome standing there with her mouth hanging open. Now she was even more shocked.

Hiei had been gone when she woke up, but apparently not for long, because the bed was still warm where he had been. She had lain there for a long time trying to figure out just what had changed, and how, and why. And she still didn’t know what in the world she was going to do about it. Maybe she was making too much of it. Just because things felt different to her didn’t mean they did to him. He probably had the same attitude about oral sex as most people, so he wouldn’t have read anything into it. And he probably just wanted to be sure she got some sleep so she wouldn’t be too tired tonight. And he had only been talking to her so much because they couldn’t do anything else. Hai, that was it. So, maybe if she just went on like they had been, it would be all right. Except now her son knew she had taken a lover. (Oh, … crap.) Well, she didn’t have time to worry about it now. But later, …

Shippou told everyone that they had a variety of room styles available -- European, Japanese, and some mixed -- with a European-style bedroom and a Japanese-style sitting area. Everyone voiced their preference and was handed a room key. After a quick look at the facilities, they all met in the lobby again to decide which kind of onsen they wanted to take advantage of first. They all agreed to walk out to Sainokawara Park to try their large rotemburos.

“There’s nothing quite like a good soak in the great outdoors,” Master Zhang remarked, as he walked alongside Genkai.

“Indeed,” Kagome’s grandfather agreed, as he walked along the other side of her. “It’s just what is needed to restore both body and soul.”

Eishumaru, who was walking beside Shizuru, leaned toward her and whispered loudly, “Ah, but both would be better restored in a traditional co-ed rotemburo. But, we’ll save that for tonight.” He winked at her.

“I couldn’t have said it better myself,” Kurama said to Kagome.

“Ah, but you forget, -- tonight she is my date,” Shippou reminded him. “You can spend some quality time with your family,” he grinned.

Kurama just arched a brow at him, but a slight smile curved his lips.

In the middle of Kusatsu, they paused to look at Yubatake, the huge field that boasts the largest output of natural thermal onsen water in Japan. They watched as the constantly overflowing scalding water went through a series of seven traditional wooden buckets to help cool it naturally before it flows on to the ryokan and spas of Kusatsu. All around the field, the streets were lined with shops, pubs, and restaurants, and they all spotted some places they wanted to check out later. Then they continued on through the town and onto the walkway for Sainokawara Park.

When they reached the huge outdoor bath at the end of the park’s walkway, the men and women separated to prepare for the hot spring. Removing their shoes at the genkan, they put them in the cabinet provided there. Then they proceeded into a locker room-type area where they placed their clothes in little cubbyholes and showered off. The women all pinned their hair up, then grabbing the small “modesty” towels, they stepped out of the small building into the large rotemburo. Although it used to be open as one large bath, it was now fenced off into two areas -- one for men and one for women, in deference to the immense popularity of this bath to both Japanese and foreigners alike. Although some co-ed hot springs can still be found, especially in the more rural areas, most are now sectioned off for same-sex bathing. Despite the fencing, the hot spring pool was situated among the huge rocks and trees of Sainokawara Park, giving a very natural feel to the setting.

Easing themselves slowly into the steaming hot water, the women gave collective sighs of relief, along with some grimacing and a few cries of “achee.” They all agreed there was nothing better for easing tensions and stress, and just generally making you feel good, than a nice, hot soak. Placing the modesty towels either on top of their heads or off to the side of the spring, the women talked quietly among themselves. Kagome set herself to getting to know Genkai and Shiori and making the group feel comfortable as a whole. They filled Shiori in on what Shuuichi and his friends had been up to at the Disney Parks and they all laughed over the way they, Sassouta, and Souta had been flirting with all the girls.

Genkai was particularly amused when they talked about Eishumaru’s obvious attraction to Shizuru. She knew a little about Kagome and her sons, having spoken with Koenma after Kagome had Shippou invite her along on this trip. She had been very interested in meeting the “Heirs to the Makai” and the “Black Widow Miko,” who had Koenma in such turmoil. On the one hand, he was feeling the need to mete out justice for the deaths of her mates, but on the other hand, he could see the value of her position as Celestial Liaison to the Three Realms. She couldn’t wait to see what the dimwit and the others had to say about her, but she would judge the woman’s worth for herself.

Even though she had her aura partially masked, it was obvious the miko was extremely powerful. And Genkai had noted two of the team members’ marked interest in her. This would be an interesting few days indeed. After 10 minutes, they all retrieved their tiny towels and went inside where they dressed in the yukatas that their hotel had provided, and headed to the kyukei to lounge a bit and have a drink of water. They would give their bodies a little while to adjust, then return for a longer soak, -- none of them having spent time in hot springs recently.

While Kagome had taken up the role of host for the women, Shippou and Daitano did the same for the men. Both of them conversed just as easily with Kurama’s step-father as they did with Shuuichi’s friends, a fact that Kurama noted with approval. Daitano might be young, but he had a definite maturity to him, and he had inherited some of his mother’s skills as a diplomatic host. Or perhaps Sesshoumaru’s. He really would make a good ruler in the Makai -- especially in those troublesome Eastern lands. Lord Tobikuma sure hadn’t managed to keep the peace there. Eishumaru and Sassouta both showed great promise, too, and he believed that with their power and skills they would be successful in reclaiming their lands, but he thought they would each need a well-known advisor to stand with them to counter their youth if they wanted to hold them for long. What they did not need was a mother with a suspicious and notorious reputation in the picture. They really needed to settle her situation, and soon. And he’d like to settle things with her himself. She’d held out against him for much longer than he’d thought she would. He needed to spend more time with her.

With that in mind, he motioned Yemon and Shippou aside, and spoke very quietly to them. “I agree that it was a good idea to get her to set up separate “dates” with each of us. It will give her a chance to get to know us individually, without distraction. However, it might also be a good idea to set up some times for the four of us together, away from the others. That way she can compare what she would actually be getting.”

Yemon looked at him suspiciously. Then he smiled. “Sure. Why not? Though truthfully, I think we all know it is just between the two of us.”

Shippou narrowed his eyes at him. “You are quick to discount me.”

The ookami glanced at him disdainfully. “Of course. You don’t really expect us to believe you are seriously courting her. I have yet to see you make a single move to seduce her. You are too much a part of her family to ever be considered a real suitor.”

Shippou laughed. “And you won’t SEE me do anything that might be considered inappropriate in public, -- unlike you two buffoons, I do my wooing in private, where it can be reciprocated,” he grinned wickedly. “And hai, I have been like a member of the family since before she had a family of her own. They all trust and respect me, and she has loved me all these hundreds of years. Don’t you think that gives me the inside track?” he said, with a smug smile.

Yemon frowned at that. He looked closely at Shippou, but he really couldn’t tell if the kitsune was bluffing or not. “Fine. Perhaps you are serious. But that won’t affect the outcome. We all know that she will choose to do what will benefit her son. And I will show her that it will be a sweet deal for her, too.”

Kurama also studied Shippou carefully. He hadn’t expected him to get so irritated with Yemon for dismissing him, and he wondered why he felt it was so important that the wolf look at him as a serious rival. Was he helping Kagome string the wolf along? What was her advantage in that? Unless she really had no intention of accepting him … He frowned at that thought.

“What is it, fox?” Hiei asked, when he saw the consternation on Kurama’s face.

“I was just wondering about our widow’s intentions. Yemon just called Shippou on his potential as a real suitor, and Shippou made a very convincing show that he is serious. And the only reason I can think of for him to go to that trouble is that he is helping her string the wolf along.”

“And?”

“And, why is she doing that? Unless she doesn’t plan to accept him, like we thought, and she is just buying time for her sons to prepare.”

Hiei couldn’t believe it. He had been trying all morning to think of a way to approach this very subject with Kurama. “I think that is exactly what she is doing. In which case, you needn’t bother trying to seduce her to keep her away from him.”

“Well, isn’t that interesting? I don’t think Hiei likes the idea of the lovely widow gracing our bed. Are you still concerned that she will murder us in our sleep? If so, you needn’t worry -- I don’t intend to sleep when we have her there,” Youko taunted.

Kurama looked over at the fire demon and caught the way his eyes narrowed in anger. “Hiei, it’s obvious you are attracted to her, too, and I don’t blame you -- she’s incredibly tempting. But I have to tell you that whether or not she actually intends to accept Lord Yemon as her mate, Youko is rather intent on having her, and we will continue to pursue her.”

“Hn. You may waste your time as you want, but don’t forget our primary purpose is to protect them.” He indicated the three young youkai.

“And to find out whether or not she murdered their fathers,” Kurama reminded him.

“Hn.”

“Come on, guys, let’s go join the ladies now. They’ve soaked long enough,” Eishumaru said, calling their attention back to the others.

“Yeah,” Yusuke agreed. “If they stay in any longer, they’ll all look like Genkai.” He and Kuwabara and the younger guys all snickered until Master Zhang, Hoshu, Myouga, and Jaken stood up and glared at them.

“Insolent whelps. Some day you may be old enough to appreciate the true beauty that only comes with age, experience, and wisdom, but I sincerely doubt it.” Zhang eyed Yusuke directly, “You look like the type to meet an early end through your own foolishness.”

“He’s got you pegged, Urameshi!”

And they all filed into the locker room to change and head back into town to get something to eat.
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They stopped at one of the small shops to purchase some onsen manju to snack on, and sat down on some benches to nibble a bit and decide where to go for lunch. They chose to go to Taketomo, a restaurant the hotel manager had suggested. He highly recommended the maitake mushroom pork cutlet and the kishimen noodle, which he said was cooked in the owner’s secret recipe soup. And of course, they could get Kusatsu Kogen Beer there.

Lunch was a boisterous affair, and their large group drew a lot of attention from the town’s residents and tourists alike. Because of Golden Week, the town was busy and the streets, restaurants, and shops were crowded. After they ate, they all went to watch the Yumomi and Dance Show at Netsunoyu, right next to Yubatake. Yumomi is the traditional way to control water temperature so the baths aren’t too hot without simply adding cold water, which would decrease the value and efficiency of the various minerals in the hotspring.

For the demonstration, several women lined the edge of a huge bath and stirred the steaming hot water rhythmically with long paddles to mix in the cold outside air. As the women stirred, on a small stage at the end of the bath, other women performed a traditional dance set to “Kusatsu-bushi,” -- a well-known folk song that tells the history of yumomi. Several women from the audience, including Keiko and Yukina, were invited up to try their hand at stirring. When they returned to their seats, Yusuke whispered loudly, “Finally! It’s about time you learned something that will benefit me, woman. Now you can fix me a proper bath.” For some strange reason, all of the men in the surrounding area chuckled, and Yusuke was still smiling when he got up off the floor.

When the show was over, and they were back outside, they began to make plans for the rest of the day. They would be splitting up to explore or try out some of the other baths as they wished for a few hours. Then they were all going to meet back at the hotel for dinner. Kurama walked along with his family and his step-brother’s friends. Daitano opted to go along with Zhang, Myouga, and Jaken to another of the baths to see if they had any news from the Makai. Kagome’s grandfather offered to escort Genkai to one of the co-ed baths. Ginta and Hakkaku promised to keep an eye on Sassouta and Souta.

That left Yusuke, Keiko, Kuwabara, Yukina, Eishumaru, Shizuru, Kagome, Shippou, Yemon, and Hiei. Kagome smiled and pointed at a little souvenir shop named Honda right in front of the Yubatake. When the girls went in, the guys grumbled a little before following them, but Hiei stood outside. After a minute, Kagome came out and touched his arm. “Hey, I stopped here for you,” she said quietly.

He looked at her like she’d lost her mind, and she smiled. “Seriously. The hotel manager recommended it to me.” And she tugged at his arm until he reluctantly followed her in. There at the back of the store was a small counter with a sign that said, “Homemade Chestnut Ice Cream.” His lips twitched just a bit before quirking up into a small smile as he nodded at her. She nodded back, and then wandered away to see what treasures the others had found.

At dinner that night, they compared the different kinds of baths they had tried, with the ladies rolling up their sleeves to feel how smooth their skin was, and the different sights and shops they had seen. Most of the younger ones in the group decided to go to Wing, a café and bar that had karaoke, when the meal was over, while the older ones opted for either just strolling around the town, or going for a private bath or massage at the hotel.

“What are you and Shippou going to do tonight, Kagome?” Eishumaru asked slyly.

“I have no idea. What do you have in mind, Shippou?” she asked him.

“We’re going to check out the lights at Yubatake, then take in a traditional spring I found at a little ryokan on the edge of town,” he said, with a smile.

“A traditional co-ed spring?” the inuyoukai asked, waggling his eyebrows.

“Hai. There’s nothing like a little naked communion,” the kitsune quipped, as he took Kagome’s hand to lead her away.

Yemon and Kurama both stared after them as they walked off. So did a certain fire apparition.


As Kagome eased into the hot water until it was up to her shoulders, she admired the setting of the spring Shippou had found. It was nestled away inside a ring of tall trees, with several torches set a little distance away so there was only some faint, flickering light over the water. There were several people there, and most of them appeared to be couples out to spend some quiet, relaxing time together, but everyone kept their distance and any talk was done in hushed whispers. Being a truly traditional co-ed spring, bathing suits were not allowed, since it was believed the material would affect the properties of the minerals in the water, and make the bath area hard to clean. So, nothing more than the traditional modesty towel was allowed outside the changing room. Kagome almost laughed, because oddly enough, she felt less conspicuous sitting there naked in the water with the steam-filled air all around her, among a group of strangers, than she had in a bathing suit at the pool with her friends. Of course, she had done a lot more “naked communing” in the hundred plus years before going into hiding than she had swimming in any type of “pool.” Maybe it was the steamy vapors in the air that lent her a sense of concealment, or perhaps it was just the different expectations associated with the two activities. Whatever it was, she was much more comfortable here.

Shippou sat down next to her just a few minutes later, and she giggled. “You’re purring like a cat.”

“It’s your fault -- you’re the one who got me addicted to these,” he teased her. “You and Sango.”

“Yeah, those were good times, weren’t they? I mean, in spite of everything.”

He laughed. “You mean, in spite of the whole chasing after and running from deadly youkai every minute of every day, while searching for impossibly tiny shards of a dangerous jewel? Yeah, they were good times, … because we weren’t facing them alone -- we had each other.”

She smiled at him. “You’re right about that. I don’t know what I would have done without all of you.” Then she grew quiet for a few minutes. “I miss them,” she whispered, so quietly he could barely hear her. “I never expected to outlive all of them, -- especially Inuyasha. And Sesshoumaru and Kouga.”

“I know.” He put an arm around her shoulders and gave her a brief hug. “But, you’ve done fine. You’ve raised three fine sons, and survived many, many more difficult times. And once they reclaim their lands, you’ll have a whole new life to look forward to -- with peace, and a new role to fulfill, and hopefully, you’ll be able to find some happiness for yourself.”

“Assuming I still have my head, and am not rotting in some cell in the Reikai,” she said wryly.

“That’s not going to happen. We won’t let it. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Shippou, … I …”

“Kagome, trust me, okay?”

She nodded.

“So, why don’t you tell me what you’re planning to do with Yemon and Kurama? The boys are afraid you’re going to accept one of them just to help them, -- either Yemon to give Sassouta his shot at a personal challenge, or Kurama to try to make the suspicions of you die down so they won’t affect their standing after they take over.”

She let out a long sigh. “I won’t take another mate. Not even for the Northern lands. Sure, it would be great if I could guarantee my son a one-on-one challenge, but not at that cost. Yemon is asking for two sons before he lets Sassouta challenge him. There’s no way I’d ever risk bringing up another fatherless child.”

Now Shippou sighed. “I’m glad you’re not planning to accept either of them, but not for that reason. Kagome, we want you to be happy. You can’t seriously plan on staying alone the rest of your life. You should have a mate.”

“Now you sound like Master Zhang,” she rolled her eyes at him.

Shippou chuckled. “Well, we are both extremely wise, you know.”

She gave his shoulder a little push. “Just because you’ve got a few hundred years on me now, don’t go thinking you’ve turned into my father.”

He gave a horrified gasp. “Your father?!!? Never! Don’t forget -- I’m one of your suitors. As a matter of fact, Yemon was so sure of himself today, that I intimated I am your favorite suitor to knock him back on his heels a bit. So, when the time comes, I expect you to be properly adoring -- you may call me Shippou-sama,” and he sat up very straight and looked down his nose at her.

She burst out in a fit of giggles. “Whatever you say, Shippou-sama. Of course, you are my favorite suitor. But shouldn’t you be bringing me flowers, like Kurama has started doing, or chocolates, like the ones Yemon gave me earlier?”

“Hmph. Now I see. You’re only after me for what I can give you. Well, never fear -- I shall outshine their petty offerings. I just haven’t found anything magnificent enough to offer as a token of my affection yet.”

“Why don’t you take my next sparring session with Zhang for me? -- Nothing says love like saving a girl from some cracked ribs,” she joked.

“Are you kidding? Do you know how long it’s been since I sparred with him? He’d probably reduce me to a little pile of red fur -- extremely handsome red fur, mind you,” he smiled wickedly.

Kagome laughed again, then reached over and patted his shoulder. “Arigatou, Shippou. This was just what I needed. It’s so nice to just get away from things for a while.”

“Anything for you. I aim to please. However, I think we’d better head back -- even exceptionally handsome red fur can be unappealing when the skin underneath is all pruney.”

She arched a brow at him suspiciously. “Is that your way of telling me I’m getting all wrinkly?”

“Not at all, Genkai-sama. Oops! I mean, Kagome,” and with a laugh, he quickly exited the water.

Muttering under her breath about people having no respect or appreciation for females in their preferred state -- steamed and wrinkled from a long soak in a hot bath -- Kagome picked up her little towel and headed back inside, too.

When they met up back outside, both wearing the royal blue yukatas provided by their hotel, they agreed to stop for something to drink to replenish their fluids on the way back to the hotel. Kagome complimented Shippou on finding the lovely little hotspring, mentioning how it reminded her of the one set right off of her bedroom at the Eastern palace, -- right down to the little stool and bucket of water and ladle provided to rinse off with in the changing area. Knowing of her love for the steaming hot baths, Inuyasha had purposely had that section of the palace built there so she would have access to one whenever she wanted.

Shippou walked Kagome to her room, since she was on a different floor than he was, being one of the five people who had chosen a European-style room with a Japanese-style sitting area. Her room was in-between Eishumaru’s and her jii-chan’s, with Hiei’s and Genkai’s being across the hall. Like most of the others, Shippou had taken a European-style room, and had situated himself next door to Sassouta and Souta . The only ones who had preferred a strictly Japanese-style room were Zhang, Myouga, Jaken, Ginta and Hakkaku, and Daitano. So, their group was split on three different floors. If Shippou hadn’t walked her up, a certain fire demon, who had been staring out of his window for the past 2 hours, would have opened his door and grabbed her the minute she stepped foot in the hallway.

Just as Shippou was leaving, Kurama came up to talk to her. He wanted to be sure she had agreed to spend a little time with all three of them tomorrow. He would have liked to try getting invited into her room, but he had promised his mother he’d make sure his step-brother and his friends didn’t drink too much at the bar, so he had to go back and make sure the three boys found their way back to hotel. When he left, Hiei waited for her to knock on his door. Ten minutes later, he was still waiting. Twenty minutes later, he was still waiting, and pacing around. Thirty minutes later, he was still waiting, still pacing, and had started cursing. Why didn’t she come? Was she regretting the way they had been together last night so much that she was going to stay away from him now? Because that wasn’t acceptable. He hadn’t had enough of her yet.

What the hell was her problem anyway? Was she actually afraid that the touching and him holding her meant something? He snorted and rolled his eyes. Stupid onna. He didn’t want or need that stuff, and if she’d get her ass over here, he’d show her, -- what he wanted was to plunder her body. He wanted sex, plain and simple, and lots of it. He sure wasn’t going to waste his time holding her when he could actually be satisfying his body with hers. Hell, he’d cut his own damn hands off before he did that again. Even if it was pleasant. But why would she be afraid of that anyway? Wouldn’t it be to her advantage to lead him around by the cock like she did her mates? Now that he thought about it, he was a little surprised she hadn’t tried to take advantage of their relationship to sway his sympathy for her. Or had she? He narrowed his eyes at the thought. Why had she asked the hotel manager where to find a good ice cream place for him? Maybe she was trying to soften him up. Well, she could forget that, -- it wasn’t going to happen. But, … if she was trying to get close to him, then last night wouldn’t bother her. And it definitely bothered her.

Damn onna. He growled in frustration. This was ridiculous. She wasn’t afraid she was going to develop feelings for him, was she? HA! Wouldn’t that be something? So, what was it? She had been distressed, she wasn’t sleeping, and he had tried to soothe her so she could get some rest. He could only assume she did feel obligated to him. And it made her uncomfortable. He could understand that. Maybe she felt like she had to ‘make it up to him’ again. (Then where the hell is she?!!?) Because she was going to make it up to him, only she was going to do it his way, and then she could stop worrying about the whole intimacy crap because she was going to be too busy trying to catch her breath by the time he was through to even notice if he was holding her or if she was touching him. He marched to the door.

A soft knock halted his hand on the doorknob momentarily, then he threw open the door, grabbed her arm, and pulled her into the room, closing and locking the door behind her. “Hiei?” Kagome turned startled eyes to him, and was even more surprised to find him standing there bare-chested with his pants undone. “Oh!” she gasped, as he backed her against the wall right next to the door. He ripped the yukata she was wearing all the way down the front and picked her up. He wasn’t about to have some damn material in-between them, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to stand around and wait for her to take it off.

“I hope you’re ready, onna, because you’ve kept me waiting too long.” Holding her against the wall by pressing his torso against her, he was somewhat gratified when she readily wrapped her legs around his waist. Quickly shoving his pants on down, he reached between them and almost gave a sigh of relief when he discovered she was already quite delightfully wet. Apparently, she was ready, -- either that or she liked being taken by surprise. Without a moment’s hesitation, he suddenly thrust quite forcefully into her, causing her to cry out. Another hard thrust, and he was completely sheathed inside her heated depths.

“Wait!” And she threw an arm out to the side and touched the wall, sending a barrier running all the way around the room. Frowning slightly at the delay, Hiei began a fast, driving rhythm the second her hand came back to rest on his shoulder. The tight, slick feel of her gripping his staff as he plunged in and out had him groaning right from the start. And he couldn’t go fast enough, hard enough, or deep enough to suit him.

All Kagome could do was hold on and feel. This reminded her of the very first time they were together, though if anything, he seemed even more intense, and rather determined. She wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders, and pressed herself into him, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

Hiei closed his eyes and blocked out everything but him and her and the raging need in his body. He could feel her breath, warm and rapid, against his skin, and he could hear every tiny sound she made -- from the slight hitch in her breathing when he drove in, to the soft moans that were broken by almost-surprised-sounding little cries. When he began to grind his pelvis into the cradle her thighs made each time he was fully encased in her sweet, hot sheathe, and she managed to say, “Hai! More!”, his thoughts completely shut down and he simply thrust into her over and over until her nails were embedded in his shoulders and she was convulsing violently around him. The viselike grip on his cock prevented any further movement on his part aside from the reflexive jerks and twitches going on inside as he spent himself in her depths. But it wasn’t enough.

Remembering his blasted pants as he started to carry her over to the bed, they went up in smoke. When her back was away from the wall, he pulled the sleeves of the ruined yukata off of her arms. A shiver went down his spine as a small wave of comforting warmth, that he recognized as her healing powers, spread through his body as she healed the tiny puncture wounds she had made. Not breaking contact with her, he stood at the edge of the bed and laid her down. She was a vision of sensual delights spread out before him, and he had every intention of enjoying them all before he was done tonight.

He ran his hands over her thighs and smiled when she tightened around him. He slowly pulled almost all the way out, watching the way her lips parted and her hands grasped the covers underneath her, before he grabbed her hips firmly and shoved all the way back in. He saw her eyelids flutter and close, shielding the darkened blue from his gaze. Deprived of that sight, he let his attention focus downward to one he found equally mesmerizing. He was endlessly fascinated by the way their bodies fitted together, and the sight of his thick, hard length, glistening with both of their juices as it slid in and out of her soft, pink feminine flesh set his blood aflame. For several long minutes, he held her hips still as he continued a series of long, hard strokes, -- pulling out until only the very tip of his cock remained inside, then rapidly plunging back in until his pelvis was pressed tightly into the apex of her thighs, and the contrast of his skin against hers provided a new fascinating sight for him to marvel at.

Shifting his gaze only slightly, he brushed the pad of his thumb over that small nub of sensitive flesh that sparked such intense reactions in her. He was rewarded by the immediate jerk of her hips and the simultaneous spasm of her inner muscles, as they clenched him even tighter than before. Rubbing it lightly again and again, he brought her to the very brink of climax, then let his hand fall away to hold her hip down again. Looking up, he saw her eyes were open now, and seemed full of violet-colored sparks of frustration. She tilted her hips and dug her knees into his back in an attempt to prod him into doing what she wanted. He would have smirked at her, if he could unclench his jaw enough, but it was tight with the effort and concentration of prolonging this long enough to reach the level of satisfaction he planned on having.

His pace remained steady and demanding. Then, he leaned forward slightly and reached up with one hand to knead a full, round breast, and she arched her back into this new touch. As he teased the tight, swollen nipple with light touches and tugs, she slowly ran her hands up his arm and squeezed his muscles for a few minutes, before he felt a gentle pull. A bead of sweat ran down the side of his face, and his thrusts were becoming rougher. He was halfway to heaven and halfway in hell at the moment. Then he looked into her eyes and he saw that mixed in with the want and the need was something else, and as she softly pulled on his arm again, he recognized it for what it was -- longing. He recognized it, because it had been plaguing him, too.

“Kagome.”

With a groan of acceptance, he pushed her body along the bed with his own as he crawled over her and lowered himself completely against her. With a sigh, she flung her arms tightly around him, and placing her feet flat against the bed, she lifted up with her hips as violently as he was pounding downward. As she lifted up, Hiei wrapped an arm behind her around her waist to hold her to him. The intensity and comfort of the full-body contact led both of them to push savagely toward that state of oblivion they both sought. Maintaining the contact, and pressing as if to meld their bodies together, the shallow thrusts reverberated through both of them. When the sensations became too great to bear, Kagome bucked wildly and clenched him almost as tightly with her legs as she did his member deep inside her core. They were consumed by the power of their release, and Hiei let his entire weight fall on her, but she was too out-of-breath to complain.

After a few minutes, Hiei raised up and looked down at her. She had her eyes closed again, damn it. And it still wasn’t enough. He felt himself stir and begin to thicken inside her. She felt it, too, and she opened her eyes. She looked at him for a minute, then she let go and slid up just enough to completely release him, causing him to frown. Then she turned over on her stomach underneath him and raised up on her hands and knees, pushing him up with her. He didn’t need an engraved invitation. He grasped her hips and entered her in one swift movement.

Even after two long, intensely satisfying rounds of mind-numbing sex, Hiei wasn’t going easy or slow this time, either. Like the last position, this one provided one of his favorite, incredibly erotic sights. And the sound of the harsh flesh-on-flesh contact was even more satisfying this way. He varied his thrusts between long, smooth, gliding ones, and short, sharp, rough ones, enjoying the way she either rotated her hips or thrust back against him. Her pale, milky-white skin seemed to glow softly, beckoning him to run his hands over her hips and up and down her back. Her long, pitch-black hair cascaded over her shoulders and fell in waves to the bed on both sides of her, with a few strands spilling down her back and sticking there in the dampness of her sweat. He picked up a handful of the dark, silky mass and rubbed it between his fingers. He thought it was a shame Sassouta was the only one of her sons to be blessed with hair like hers.

As lovely as the view was, Hiei soon gave it up to lean forward and cover her back with his chest. Rubbing his face in her hair at the side of her neck, he reached around her and filled his hands with her breasts. As he squeezed the ample mounds, he rubbed himself against her, and switched to short, rotating thrusts. In return, Kagome rolled her hips forward at the end of each rotation and deliberately clenched her muscles around him. His breath against her ear was sending shivers down her spine, and she swallowed thickly, trying to still her already-quaking limbs.

“So … good …” she said in a shaky voice.

And he responded with a growing growl and sharper thrusts. It didn’t take much of that before she shattered around him and her arms collapsed, causing her to pull him down with her as she lay flat on her stomach. While the body contact was fantastic, with her lying flat like that, Hiei was completely unable to move. And at that angle, she was so tight, he couldn’t even come. And at this point, that was not acceptable. Kagome was shocked and let out a little yell when she felt him bite the back of her shoulder and move his hands from her breasts to her pelvis and lift her up. After four or five rough, wild thrusts, with an animalistic snarl, he spilled his seed deep inside her.

When he was done, he collapsed to the side of her and rolled her so she was spooned up against him. As Kagome struggled to catch her breath, she blinked several times. “Hiei? Aren’t you an elemental youkai?”

He knew what she was asking, and he couldn’t believe he had done it, either. He had been completely out of control. Biting her on the back of the shoulder like that had been an instinctive reprimand in response to not being able to get the release he needed. “Hn. All males can turn into beasts when denied.”

Well, she guessed she could accept that answer. Sesshoumaru was the only one of her mates who had ever bit her like that before, and it had only happened once. Come to think of it, it was because the exact same thing had happened in the exact same position. It was why she usually lowered herself to rest her head on her arms after a bit, but she hadn’t wanted to give up the feeling of having Hiei surround her so completely like he was doing. Sesshoumaru had apologized afterwards, almost in shock himself that he had let his untamed side control him like that, and explained it as part of his animal nature, but she knew Hiei wasn’t going to apologize. He was probably cursing himself for responding like that, though. She knew his personal control was extremely important to him, too. “Gomen. I should have lowered my arms to rest when I felt them start to get shaky.”

(Oh, HELL no! She did NOT just apologize to me for me biting her.) He turned her over to face him and looked at her incredulously. “Onna, I don’t need you to take the blame for something I did. If you want to take the blame for something, then just realize I wouldn’t have had such an insatiable need if you hadn’t insisted on staying away for 3 nights unnecessarily.”

She blinked again, then her lips twitched. Then she grinned and chuckled, and her brilliant sapphire blue eyes twinkled in amusement. “So, … what you’re saying is that it was my fault.”

He stared at her. “Hn.”

“And are you satisfied now?” She was still grinning.

“It’s enough. For now. But you do know you don’t have to stay away next time,” he pressed.

She stopped smiling and looked away. “I … I don’t know …”

He tipped her chin up so she had to look at him. “Onna, don’t be foolish. We can work something out.” He stared intently into her eyes, willing her to agree with him.

Finally, she nodded. Then she looked at her hands resting on his chest. “I should go.” And she got up. He lay there on his side, with his elbow bent, propping his cheek up on his hand, and watched her. She arched a brow at him when she put on the yukata he had ripped and tried to wrap it across her front. He merely arched a brow right back at her, causing her to roll her eyes at him. Picking up the jar of oil he had set out on the night table, she got out a drop for herself and tossed the jar to him. “Arigatou,” she said quietly, and turned out the lights and left.

Hiei lay back and closed his eyes. It felt good to be tired. And to have his needs completely satisfied. After a while, he opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling in the darkness. It wasn’t enough. Damn it.

And it wasn’t sex he was craving now. (That damn onna! She did this.) She really was a witch. First she made his body act up by inciting unreasonable, unwanted desires for her. Then, when he actually got to have her, she made him completely lose control and transform, and incited the strange need to dominate her. And she was still causing him to lose control. He bit her! What the hell?!!? And now, even though he had had her just like he wanted to, which, by the way, now seemed to include the absolute need to have her against him at least part of the time while they coupled, she wouldn’t let him have any peace. No, he had to lie here and think about how pleasant it had been last night to hold her when she went to sleep. She had been all soft and warm against him, and he had let himself run his fingers through her hair while he just closed his eyes and enjoyed the exotic scent of gardenias. He had even dozed off for a while. She had left too soon tonight. He wanted the damn touching.


And in her room, Kagome was also staring at the ceiling after having taken a nice, hot bath. She was going to be sore again tomorrow. She had felt completely satisfied, too, so she knew it wasn’t physical need that was keeping her from sleeping. Along with the many thoughts whirling around in her head, she wanted … something more. She had worried about how the night might go, but when Hiei had been so intently focused on the sex, -- particularly the way he had gone about it, -- just like when they were first together, she had relaxed and thought things would continue just the way they had been. Then, she had been unable to keep herself from silently asking him for more -- for the contact, the closeness. And he had responded to her plea. It had been … incredible. And since he didn‘t seem to think it had been unreasonable of her to want to be close to him then, she had thought it was still going to work out all right. But he had insisted that she didn’t need to stay away from him the next time she was fertile. And, she had agreed. Because she knew she couldn’t stay away. She had had to get out of there. Because she wanted more.

And as she lay here thinking about it, she realized that she had thought of Sesshoumaru -- of an intimate moment with him, -- and it hadn’t been upsetting, or made her feel uncomfortable to have that thought while she was with Hiei. Not like before, when it had made her feel like she was doing something wrong. It had just been a memory. So, why did the fact that it didn’t bother her, bother her?

She groaned and turned over again. She had to see her sons settled, and soon, so she could walk away from this with no regrets. So she could walk away, period.
--------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------


When the group met for breakfast the next morning, they were greeted by the sight of a beaming Kuwabara holding hands with a blushing Yukina. “Guess what?” the tall detective announced happily. “Last night, my darling Yukina agreed to be my bride!” This proclamation set off a chorus of congratulations.

Yusuke stood up and slapped him on the back. “I can’t believe you got up the nerve to do it! At least Yukina won’t have to worry about receiving a bunch of orange lilies on her wedding day from any jealous ex-lovers,” he laughed, then ducked as Keiko swung a large plate at his head, but he dodged right into the path of Kuwabara’s fist.

Kagome smiled and gave the couple her sincere wishes for their future happiness, then glanced around surreptitiously. Hiei had left. Obviously, this was going to be really difficult for him. Why did relationships always have to be so complicated?

As they sat down and ate, they made their plans for the day. Some of them were going to go swimming, while others just wanted to explore the town and park more. Kagome would be going to a co-ed onsen with her three suitors, -- one that allowed people to wrap a towel around themselves to sit in the water. That afternoon, the ladies were going to meet in the hotel’s tea lounge while the guys took a tour of the local brewery. And that evening, they were all going to enjoy a soak in another large, outdoor co-ed spring to watch the sun go down. After that, Kagome had a date with Lord Yemon. She wasn’t sure what he had in mind, but she wouldn’t be surprised if he was wanting to try a little “naked communion,” too.

Settling into the wonderfully hot water in between Kurama and Yemon, with Shippou facing her, Kagome was thankful that the slight blush on her face could be attributed to the heat. The cause of the blush was her immense gratitude at being allowed to soak some more, -- she was more sore than she’d thought she would be today. Apparently, she had been too caught up in the sex to notice just how rough it was. Or maybe it had just been that last little bit, and she’d been too distracted by the bite on her shoulder to … Her eyes grew wide. (Oh, sweet kami!) She had forgotten about the bite mark. She knew it was probably healed by now, but there was a possibility that there still might be a faint mark there. If there was, Yemon would have a great view of it with her shoulders bare like they were. She closed her eyes. (I wish I hadn’t pinned my hair up. At least there are some loose strands hanging.) If he notices, and says something about it, she would just have to blame Shippou. Of course, then she’d have to explain it to him later. And she couldn’t risk Yemon giving up the courtship yet -- the boys needed at least another month before issuing their challenges, and they really didn’t need all three territories having time to prepare for war instead. So, she might actually have to be more than nice and polite, and play up to him a little so he’d think she still might accept him. (Crap.)

Yemon and Kurama were actually on their best behavior at the moment, seemingly content to let her see them in nothing more than their little towels wrapped around their waists so she could make a good comparison. Of course, both of them had plenty of reason to feel confident she would find them attractive, -- there was no denying their physical appeal. Both had strong, muscular bodies, though Yemon was a bit broader in the shoulders and burlier across the chest, and Kurama was leaner with more finely-chiseled pecs and abs. She noticed that Shippou, while built along leaner lines like Kurama for the most part, had bulkier biceps, and she wondered when he had gotten so strong. She had missed out on so much of his life while in hiding. She almost laughed when she noticed that the other women in the bath had moved closer, and that the three males sitting with her were the center of attention.

After all three had plied her with lavish compliments, they began to compare the kind of lifestyle they were offering her. Naturally, she knew about the Northern lands, but Yemon brought her up-to-date on the state of his properties outside of the palace, since if she accepted him, Sassouta would get a shot at that. Kurama told her that he held a little land in Yomi’s Southern territory, and of course, about his property in the Ningenkai. He played up the fact that with him, she would be able to choose where she wanted to live, or split time between the two realms as he had a life in both. Shippou chimed in with the fact that he owned land in the North, West, and East, and she could spend time with each of her sons once they had established their claims. Of course, it went without saying that obviously he also had some access to the Ningenkai, too, since he had done so much business here.

Yemon pointed out the dangers of Kurama’s job for the Reikai, and Youko’s notorious reputation as a thief. He warned her that Youko had many enemies in the Makai. Kurama countered with Yemon’s limited access to the Ningenkai, and how Kagome wouldn’t get to see her mother, brother, and grandfather as much, as well as his demand for two sons right off the bat. Shippou just sat back and smirked at both of them. This was the scene that Master Zhang and Genkai came across as they joined them. They were both very amused, as it was obvious what was going on.

Genkai hadn’t had a chance to talk with the boys yet, and she arched a questioning brow at Kurama. She hadn’t expected to find the avatar courting the woman they were investigating, but she was sure there was an interesting explanation behind it. She was positive he didn’t really intend to take her as his mate, but she had noted his interest in her. She studied the ookami and the kitsune. Both were powerful youkai. If they were seriously courting her, and Kurama was trying to fix her attention, he might actually have some competition for once. She grinned at the thought. Of course, she didn’t think any of them really had a chance of winning the young widow. She was looking forward to the tea that afternoon, so she could find out a little more about her.

When Kagome and Genkai went back to the changing room, the older woman commented on the miko’s admirers. “I see that you have captured the interest of three very eligible, very powerful males.”

With a polite smile, Kagome agreed. “Hai, I am indeed a very fortunate woman.”

“Feeling a bit hunted?”

Kagome’s smile grew. “Let’s say overwhelmed instead.”

Genkai cackled. “Very nicely put. I have known Kurama for some years now, -- he is a very persistent individual, when he has reason to be.” She studied Kagome sharply. “And, interestingly enough, he has his own rather highly developed sense of justice.”

Her features not betraying any concern, Kagome said, “Hai. I have sensed that about him.” Then, with a mischievous gleam in her eyes, she added, “It is but one of the reasons I find myself unable to turn him away.”

Genkai hooted with laughter at that. Whatever else she might be, the woman had a wicked and daring sense of humor, and she was excessively clever. She liked her.

As they all met in the hotel lobby so the men could go on their outing while the women got together, Genkai motioned a fiercely scowling Hiei aside. “If I were you, I would forgo the sulking and the angry, threatening glances in Kuwabara’s direction. Since you have refused to proclaim your kinship to Yukina, you are giving others, including your lover, the wrong impression. You don’t want her to be jealous, do you?” she gave him a shrewd look.

Hiei’s eyes widened, then he glared at her. “You should keep your mouth shut about things that don’t concern you.”

Smirking, she replied, “And you should take better care not to leave marks on her where others can see them, if you wish to keep your relationship a secret from them.” And with that, she turned and walked back to join the ladies.

(Shit!) He wasn’t worried that Genkai would say anything, but if that damn bite mark had still been visible when she went to the onsen with Kurama, Yemon, and Shippou …
--------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------


After the tour of the brewery, and the explanation of the brewing process, the men all sat down in the little restaurant attached to it to sample some more of the excellent local beer. Kurama and his step-father chuckled and shook their heads as Shuuichi and his friends tried to figure out how much of the stuff they could have shipped to their new apartment. They had just bought the place, pooling their savings, since they would be attending university together, and they thought having a huge party when they got back would be a great way to christen it.

Hiei noticed Yemon had been eying Shippou rather intently all afternoon, so he wasn’t surprised when the wolf leaned forward and spoke to him quietly, while the others were debating the merits of the beer versus other kinds they had tried. “I trust you enjoyed your ‘date’ last night.”

Shippou smiled at him lazily. “As a matter of fact, I did.”

“You two stayed out rather late.”

“Were you waiting up for us, too, like Kurama there?”

Yemon frowned and looked over at the avatar. “What do you mean?”

Now Shippou glanced in Kurama’s direction and narrowed his eyes. “I mean, he was waiting for us when we got back, and insisted on talking to Kagome.”

(Well, shit. It could have been either one of them, then. Damn kitsunes.) Yemon had seen the mark on Kagome’s shoulder, and he knew she must have slept with one of them. If not, she had at least been pretty close to it. There was no way he was going to lose her. He would have the sons he wanted. He had thought she would jump at his offer when he first proposed to take her as his mate. But, when she had suggested a courtship period, he hadn’t thought too much about it. It seemed reasonable since it had been so long since they had known each other. And even when the others had presented their suits, he had been confident he would have her. But, that had been before he found out that the avatar and Raizen’s heir were actually looking into her mates’ deaths.

The Mazoku had dropped out in favor of a ningen that he had apparently had a relationship with for some time. Stupid male. But the avatar, … She might actually choose him to try to save her neck. Hai, now that he thought about it, it probably was the avatar she was with. Shippou had made a convincing argument yesterday, and who knows? He might actually have the inside track to her heart. But with her son’s future and her own hide hanging in the balance, she sure wasn’t going to choose someone for such a petty reason as love. Perhaps it was time to let her know what her son would face if she didn’t accept him. He hadn’t wanted to resort to threats, preferring to trust his charm to win her over, but if it looked like she was slipping away, he wouldn’t hesitate. He would see how she responded to him tonight.

Seeing the speculation in the ookami’s eyes, Hiei was pretty certain he had seen the mark on Kagome’s shoulder. And apparently, he thought either Shippou or Kurama was responsible for it. What would he do? What would Kagome do if he withdrew his suit? (Damn it.) He would have to warn her. It really didn’t sit well with him that his loss of control may have caused serious problems for her.

Kurama looked over at Hiei in concern. The little fire youkai had been in a ferociously black mood ever since Kuwabara’s announcement that morning. “He will take good care of her, you know.”

Startled, Hiei looked up and stared at him. “What?”

“He will protect her and make sure she’s happy. He really does love her. I know he isn’t your favorite person, but you know him well enough by now to know that his feelings are sincere. You can give her to him and trust him to see to her needs.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” the apparition demanded. He certainly was not convinced the damn wolf had any real feelings for her. Not that that mattered -- he wasn’t about to give her to him, or anybody else. He would see to her needs himself.

“I’m talking about Kuwabara marrying Yukina,” Kurama told him with a curious look. “What else would have you brooding so fiercely?”

(Well, … shit.) “I do not brood. And the idiot can barely walk and talk at the same time, so your assurances of his capability to take care of Yukina sound hollow to my ears.”

“Well, since you never told her, or him, that she’s your sister, you will just have to get over it, because you have no say in the matter. And I know you want her to be happy, so even if you have your doubts about his strength, which are unfounded by the way, you need to stop being so obvious about your displeasure. You know how sensitive she is to others’ moods, and you will ruin this time for her,” the avatar admonished him.

“Hn. For her sake, I will try to ignore the fact that she is making a grave error in judgment.”

Kurama grinned. “That’s all anyone could ask of you, Hiei.”

“You know, Kuwabara? You should get some of this beer to serve at your wedding dinner,” Yusuke said.

Hiei just closed his eyes and clenched his fists.


The women spent the afternoon discussing men, marriage, and sex. Shizuru started it off by teasing Yukina that she had better know what to do or else she would spend her wedding night playing video games, because she was sure Kazuma didn’t have a clue. When the men came back to the hotel, they found them still sitting in the otherwise deserted tea lounge, laughing hysterically.

“You’re not serious! Can you really do that there? What if he had fallen backwards?” Keiko was asking, her cheeks bright red. Yukina was also sporting a vibrant red blush, while Shiori, Genkai, and Kagome all nodded their heads in agreement to whatever Shizuru had just said.

“Then you just hang on and hope for a soft landing,” Genkai answered. And they started laughing again.

“It appears you ladies have had a good time,” Shippou said, with a smile.

“Of course they have,” Kagome’s grandfather stepped up next to Genkai’s chair. “Obviously, they have been discussing us men.”

“Hmph. Or what you’re good for, anyway,” Genkai winked at him.

“Oh, holy crap! They’ve been talking about sex!” Yusuke yelled.

“You wish, Yusuke,” Keiko taunted, “Genkai said what you’re good for. Eeeeek!” And she dashed away from the table with him hot on her heels.

“I’ll show you what I’m good for,” he called after her, causing everyone to laugh again as they watched the two disappear up the hotel stairs.

Everyone agreed to meet back here for dinner in a couple of hours, so they could all go on to the rotemburo they had decided on for the evening. Kagome was going to spend some time with her sons and Souta, and asked them to wait while she ran up to her room to grab her purse. When she unlocked her door and went in, she was startled to find Hiei right behind her. He quickly closed the door.

“Hiei? What is it?”

He looked at her, and for a brief moment, considered telling her to throw up another barrier. She looked incredibly beautiful in a simple pair of black jeans with a plain, gray top, and he wondered how long it would take him to peel them off of her. But he knew they didn’t have time for that. Damn it. And he needed to tell her about Yemon. He considered telling her about Genkai, too, but decided there was no sense in getting her upset about that. “I think the ookami saw the mark on your shoulder. He seems to believe it is from either Shippou or Kurama, and strangely enough, I think he believes it is most likely Kurama.”

“Damn. I was afraid of that. I forgot all about it when I went to the onsen.” She sighed heavily and furrowed her brows in thought.

“What will you do?”

“I can’t let him get angry or feel slighted, -- he could go back and mobilize the Northern lands against us. And the rest of the Makai as well. I’ll have to show more interest in him.”

Hiei frowned. He didn’t like the sound of that.

“Oh. Um, we need to be more cautious. Daitano knows,” she fidgeted with her hands a bit. “Well, he knows I’ve taken a lover, anyway. He thinks it’s Yemon or Kurama.”

He was shocked for a minute, then he almost laughed. Apparently, it was much more difficult keeping a relationship secret than he’d thought.

She stared at him. He looked … amused. “It’s not funny. I really didn’t think it would be so difficult to keep it a secret. Perhaps for the rest of the trip we should …”

He reached out and grabbed her by the arms and pulled her up against him. “Don’t even think it.” He leaned closer and whispered, “And don’t stay out too late with that wolf tonight, either.” Then he let go of her and left without another word.
----------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------


That evening, as they all settled into the co-ed rotemburo they had chosen, -- one that actually required bathing suits, they all admired the lights set along the miniature waterfall that flowed into the pool they were sitting in. All was quiet for a few minutes, then Shuuichi’s friend Daichi spoke up, “You know, when I was little, my family used to meet once a year at an onsen resort, -- all the aunts, uncles, cousins, everybody. And we would always spend at least one evening with everyone together like this, telling old stories about the emperors and samurai and stuff like that.”

“That’s a nice idea. We could do that,” Keiko said encouragingly.

“Kagome’s a wonderful storyteller,” Sassouta chimed in.

“Oh, I wouldn’t know what to tell,” she protested.

“You could tell the Legend of the Great Quest,” her brother said, scooting closer to her. “You used to tell me about it, but I never heard the whole story.” He looked at her pleadingly.

“I … all right,” she nodded. She felt guilty for not sharing more with him about her travels and life in the Feudal Era. She had thought she was sparing him, and the rest of her family, from worrying about her, but she realized now that sometimes not knowing could be even worse. She hadn’t meant to exclude him from her life like that. “Shippou, will you help out with parts of it?”

“Sure,” he replied.

While most of them settled on down to enjoy the tale, Kurama, Hiei, and Yusuke all perked up and glanced at each other. “This should be interesting. I wonder what her version of the legend is,” Youko said, as he suddenly came alert, too.


“In a time long-forgotten, a beautiful and powerful warrior-priestess named Midoriko roamed the lands, protecting the humans from evil youkai. As her strength and reputation grew, youkai began to hunt her, just as she did them, because she was becoming such a threat to them. Soon, the youkai determined to work together to rid themselves of her, and of their other enemies, the taijiya. They gathered an immense army, led by an extremely powerful youkai, who had the ability to absorb lesser demons into his own body to increase his strength. They attacked the taijiya village, knowing Midoriko would come to aid them. When she did, she fought the demons for many days and nights, leading them off into a cave away from the village. The youkai who led the attack soon began absorbing the other demons in an attempt to defeat her, but they were locked in a battle that it seemed neither could win. However, Midoriko was human, and heavily injured, and she knew she could not hold out against the youkai forever. With the remainder of her strength, she forged a jewel, the Shikon no Tama, from inside her body, using her powers and her heart’s desire to protect others. She forced the jewel out through a hole in her chest, trapping her own soul and those of the youkai who were left struggling against her inside it.

The taijiya guarded the Shikon no Tama for many years, but they noticed that the jewel was becoming tainted, and realized they needed a powerful priestess to purify it and keep it that way. They called upon the most powerful miko they had heard of and she came to their village and accepted the duty. It was very dangerous, because youkai and humans alike lusted after the jewel for the power it could give them. It drew them to attempt to steal the jewel for themselves.

It even drew an inu hanyou, who had dreams of using it to become a full youkai. But, he was young, and though powerful, he was no match for the priestess, and she easily turned him aside. But because he was half-human, she could not bring herself to kill him. And day after day, week after week, the hanyou kept trying to take the jewel. Soon, he noticed that the priestess kept herself away from other people, for the most part, and he realized they had something in common, -- they were both lonely. But they had forged a relationship of sorts while they played their cat-and-mouse game over the jewel, and it soon turned to a companionship, which later blossomed into love.”

“This is different from the version I have always heard. She has left out some of it, like when her first mate was sealed to a tree by another miko, and skipped to her relationship with him. I was under the impression she didn’t have the jewel for long before she shattered it.” Kurama looked at Hiei out of the corner of his eye.

Hiei nodded. “And Mukuro said she wasn’t that powerful during the quest, so why did the taijiya choose her to give it to?”

“After a while, the priestess voiced her desire to the hanyou to be rid of her duty to guard the jewel and to be an ordinary woman. She suggested they use the jewel to make him fully human.”

“I definitely never heard that before. And somehow, I wouldn’t have thought it of her to think to use the jewel like that.”

“Something’s off. We’re missing something here,” the fire youkai frowned.

“He agreed, and they made plans to meet the next day so she could make the wish. But, they were never able to, for in the meantime, unknown to the hanyou, the priestess had been taking care of a thief, who was badly burned. He was hidden in a cave, and she brought him food and water and tended to him, though he was so badly injured, he would never recover. The thief fell in love with her, and gave his body up to a host of demons to devour in exchange for their power and mobility. But once he merged with the demons, their desire to have the jewel overpowered his own for the priestess, and taking the guise of the hanyou, he tricked her and fatally wounded her. Then he took her form and similarly tricked the hanyou, causing him to go on a rampage and steal the jewel. The priestess used the last of her strength to seal to him to a tree with an arrow, then told her sister to burn the jewel with her body.”

“I don’t believe it! She’s not talking about herself,” Kurama was stunned.

“The miko who sealed her mate to the Goshinboku was in love with him. It cannot be a coincidence,” Hiei agreed.

“Fifty years later, a young girl happened upon the body of the inu hanyou. She wasn’t from there, and had never seen a hanyou before. The villagers saw her and thought she must be a kitsune in disguise, but the village miko soon realized she wasn’t. And she saw a resemblance to her dead sister in the stranger. That evening, a centipede demon attacked the village, and it became apparent that her target was the girl. The girl didn’t know why a demon would be after her, but she ran off towards the forest where she had seen the hanyou to lead it away from the village. This time when she approached the tree, the hanyou was awake, though still trapped. Somehow, her cries, or the fact that she was in danger, had partially broken the spell on him. But, he mistook her for the miko who had sealed him there. He soon realized she wasn’t who he thought she was, but by then, they were both in danger of being killed by the centipede demon, who had wound her body around the tree and was squeezing the life out of them.

Suddenly, she bit into the girl’s side and freed a jewel from her body that the girl hadn’t even known was there, -- the Shikon no Tama. The hanyou offered to save her if she would release the arrow, and she grasped it tightly, and it disintegrated. He then killed the centipede demon, but wanted the jewel for himself, -- once again desiring to become a full youkai. With the help of the village miko, the girl was able to subdue him, using a necklace of subjugation beads the dead miko had woven. The older woman explained to her that she had to be the reincarnation of her sister. But, the girl was unaware of her powers and untrained in them, and the jewel was quickly stolen from her. The hanyou helped her try to get it back, thinking he would then steal it for himself, but in the process, the girl shattered the jewel. Thus the quest began.”

For the next hour, the group sat there, spellbound by the fascinating tale their host was weaving. Kurama, Hiei, Yusuke, and Kuwabara were all in shock as the story unfolded, and she revealed that the witch, Urasue, had ripped her soul from her body to animate the false body she had created for the dead priestess in an attempt to get the jewel for herself. They shook their heads in disbelief when she confirmed what the earlier part of the story had told them, -- that the body had been animated when Inuyasha had called out the other priestess’ name, “Kikyou.” Kuwabara turned and glared at his teammates.

“You realize this puts a completely different spin on things.”

“What were the odds that TWO ningen women, -- MIKOS, no less, would fall in love with a hanyou? In that day, it was absolutely unheard of for a miko to even tolerate youkai,” Youko said in amazement.

“Hn. But the other miko wanted him to give up his youkai half. It doesn’t sound to me like she truly loved him at all. He was her escape from a lifetime of duty she didn’t want.”

“Be that as it may, what we need to know is what happened to Kikyou. She must have still been around when Inuyasha was killed since Shippou said she was the one suspected of killing him. The question is, was she still around when the other two were killed? And is she still walking the earth? And where? The Reikai, the Makai, or the Ningenkai? Because honestly, I think in her state, she probably has access to all three realms.” Kurama rubbed his temples. He couldn’t believe it. There really was a very real possibility that Kagome did not kill her mates. How in the HELL did they not know in the Reikai that there was another powerful miko involved? One with a definite grudge against Inuyasha and Kagome. Why was there no mention of her resurrection in the legend? And if Kagome was innocent, … Well, he just couldn’t even process that thought right now. As soon as they get back to the hotel, he and the others had to have a loooong talk.

Hiei was also having trouble reconciling the new information with the thoughts he had been operating under. But what was troubling him the most was the idea that there was a dead miko walking around with a piece of Kagome’s soul. How was that possible? How did a person live, and function, and have such power, and compassion, when a part of their soul was missing? Who was this onna he had gotten involved with? Because it was becoming more apparent all the time that she wasn’t who he thought she was when this assignment began.

They listened to the rest of the story, -- about the companions who had joined together in the quest, of the enemies turned allies, of triumphs and tragedies. And when it came to the final battle, they all heard what she left unsaid -- how such an unlikely group of heroes came together through the efforts of one girl who had grown into a young woman during a dangerous and trying time, -- how when Naraku tracked down Kohaku and slew him to retrieve the last shard, she convinced a cold, uncaring Taiyoukai to revive the boy with his sword. Then together, two youkai and an hanyou who all had reason to hate each other, stood and fought alongside a kitsune kit, a demon slayer, a priest, and an untrained miko to defeat a great evil and complete the jewel.

Kagome faltered toward the end, and Shippou recounted the battle. He told of the efforts of each of the companions and allies, and of the injuries each received. And he told of the final face-off, -- how the hanyou, Taiyoukai, and ookami prince surrounded Naraku on three sides, with the miko behind him, and all four of them simultaneously unleashed their most powerful attacks to destroy him. Most of the audience, including at least a dozen other people who just happened to be in the rotemburo, were leaning forward to hear how it all ended. There were a few horrified gasps when he told them that as he was dying, Naraku sent a tentacle straight at the miko, and that the hanyou tried to shield her with his body, and they were both impaled as it traveled through his back and out his chest and into her chest and out her back, instantly killing the two who had fallen in love during their quest. Silence fell for a minute, and then Daichi said, “That can’t be the end, is it?”

“No,” Kagome assured him, with a smile. “The Taiyoukai drew his sword again, and was able to revive his brother. When he opened his eyes, he had a kaikyuushou stripe across each cheek, marking him as a true Taiyoukai in his own rite. The ookami prince also had them, and the inu Taiyoukai had gained new ones as proof of the power and control he had gained throughout the Great Quest.”

“But, … what about the miko?” another girl asked.

“When she died, her soul instantly ascended, which was why the Taiyoukai had been unable to revive her. But, the kami told her she could still be of use among the living, and they sent her back. And together, she and the hanyou made the wish on the complete Shikon no Tama for peace and rest for the souls within it, thereby releasing them from this life and rendering the jewel completely dormant. Soon after, the two of them were married and lived very happily together, close to the friends and family they had gained.”

The crowd applauded. “That was wonderful!” one woman said.

“Hai. I have heard the story before, but never the romantic aspects of it, and never in such detail. The way you two described the people and the action, -- it was almost as though I could see it,” an older man complimented them.

“Arigatou, Kagome, Shippou,” Daichi thanked them. “That was every bit as good as the tales I heard when I was younger.”

And as everyone got up to leave, Yusuke motioned his team over to the side. “Now I know we all understand what this means. If Kikyou was a powerful miko, then she could have killed the Taiyoukai, either by herself, or working with the other two women.”

“And Kagome is innocent, just like I’ve been saying all along,” Kuwabara said smugly.

“That is a definite possibility,” Kurama agreed. “It’s not the only possibility, but it certainly seems a lot more probable now.”

“We need to know what became of the dead miko, and Koenma needs to start tracking all three females’ movements,” Hiei stated. “And Kurama is right. We still have to keep all possibilities in mind. It is all too apparent that we have been operating in the dark all this time.”

“We need to discuss the various aspects of this case back at the hotel. We will be returning to the house in a couple of days, and no one has made any arrangements to move them yet,” Kurama pointed out.

“Crap, I forgot about that,” Yusuke complained. “I’m going to miss that house. But maybe we can get them a place closer to Kyoto.”

“You mean closer to Keiko,” Kuwabara said, poking him in the ribs.

“Oh, like you wouldn’t like to be closer to Yukina? -- Especially now that you’re engaged,” Yusuke shot back.

Hiei just glowered at the two of them.

“Come on,” Kurama sighed. “We’ll discuss it at the hotel.”


As everyone walked back to the hotel to change for whatever activities they had planned for the night, Kagome paused and looked around. There was another powerful youkai somewhere really close. Eishumaru noticed she seemed to be searching for something, and walked over to her. Bending down, he whispered, “What is it, kaa-chan?”

Then, for a second, all of the youkai in the group tensed, as they all felt the presence of another youkai coming towards them. A small, slim youkai with short blue hair and green spiked bangs walked out of the crowd and over to Kurama.

“Touya, what brings you here,” the avatar asked curiously. Seeing who it was, Yusuke and Hiei relaxed.

“I bring you greetings from a friend.”

“Uh, why don’t the rest of you guys go on? Kurama and I will catch up with Touya here, then join you in a few minutes,” Yusuke said, waving everyone on.

As everyone walked on, Kagome patted Eishumaru’s arm and whispered, “I guess it’s all right since they know him. Maybe he works for Prince Koenma, too.”

“Well, spit it out. Did Koenma send you?” Yusuke asked.

“Hai. Jin and I have spent the last couple of days in the Makai trailing the wind-user, Kagura, at his request.”

“And…?”

“Her oldest son is Ginjiro, and it’s quite obvious that he’s part inuyoukai. He is 514 years old. He’s tall and slim like that fellow,” he pointed to Eishumaru. “But, he looks more like that one, with the long, silver hair,” he pointed to Daitano, “only his is longer -- down to his knees. I would say he is B class in terms of power.”

“Well, Chuu has confirmed that Kagura’s other son is part inuyoukai, and apparently, he does resemble Sesshoumaru,” Kurama told Hiei.

“Did you find out anything else that might be of interest?” he asked the ice master.

“I didn’t think so until I saw your companions. Kagura met with a very beautiful women in the Eastern lands. But she didn’t seem to be very fond of the wind-user, and as soon as she heard what she had to say, she simply turned her back on her and left. I really never gave it another thought, but you will be interested to know that the other woman looked a bit like her,” he pointed at Kagome. “Only instead of seeming warm and approachable like she does, the other woman felt cold and distant. Frankly, despite her looks, she was about as appealing as a plateful of dirt.”

“Heh! Funny you should say that. She’s actually dead, -- her body is made from her bones and graveyard soil,” Yusuke told him.

A look of extreme distaste crept over Touya’s face.

“Did you happen to notice where the other woman went?” Kurama pressed.

He nodded. “She came here -- into the Ningenkai.”

“Crap! Do me a favor, Touya. Tell Koenma that Lady Kikyou is a dead -but-resurrected miko. And we need him to try to keep track of her, Kagura, and Princess Ayame of the Northern lands,” Yusuke said, running his hand through his hair.

Touya nodded, then turned to leave, but he paused and looked back at them. “The beautiful woman there, -- she’s the ‘Black Widow Miko,’ isn’t she? But these other females you are having us follow have something to do with your investigation of her. You think she is innocent.”

“Shit! Does everyone in the fucking Reikai know about her?!!? Her sons’ return is supposed to be kept secret,” Yusuke exploded.

“Only a handful of us know. Are the heirs as powerful as the legend claims?”

“Hai. I think they just might be,” Kurama said quietly.

“In that case, I hope you are right about her.” And with a nod, he disappeared back into the crowd.

“Hiei, Kikyou’s in the Ningenkai.”

Hiei’s eyes narrowed at the news. (This is just great. The dead miko is in this realm, and that blasted onna is going on a ‘date’ with the ookami. How the hell am I supposed to keep her safe if she’s out ‘showing interest’ in that damn wolf? She should just call it a night and come to my room where I can keep an eye on her.) He caught up with Daitano and quietly told him, “The dead miko is in the Ningenkai. You and your brothers should be alert.”

Daitano looked at him in surprise, then a thunderous expression darkened his face, and he nodded. Then he said, “She is the one Kikyou will come after.” And he quickly gathered his brothers to let them know.

When they reached the hotel, Kuwabara turned to Hiei and said, “Tell Urameshi and Kurama I’ll be there at Urameshi’s room in a little while. I’m going to spend a few minutes with my darling fiancé first.”

Kagome noticed the way Hiei’s fists clenched and the evil glare he directed at Kuwabara’s back. She didn’t know if she should try to say something to him or not. It was really difficult watching him pine after the pretty Koorime, and she felt really strange about it. On the one hand, she was happy for Kuwabara, -- she knew he loved Yukina, and she seemed to love him, too. But Hiei was taking it so hard. Why hadn’t he said anything to her about his feelings before it was too late? And a little voice inside her head reminded her that if he had, he wouldn’t have been available to become her lover. So, she had to confess that a part of her was kind of glad he had never spoken up, and that Kuwabara had proposed and taken the other woman out of his reach. Was that wrong? (What am I thinking?!!? Of course that’s wrong! How selfish can I be?)

“So, Kagome. Where are you and Yemon going tonight?” Eishumaru broke into her thoughts.

Giving herself a little mental shake, she turned to the ookami and smiled. “Where are we going?”

Taking her hand and tucking it around his arm, he grinned at her. “My room.”
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Giving her a minute to catch her breath, he rolled them over so she was on top of him. He had finally sated that damnably aching need, but there was no way he was going to let her leave yet. As he had hoped, he felt her fingers lightly trace unknowing designs along his ribs and up towards his chest as she rested there with her head on his shoulder. And he closed his eyes and buried one hand in her hair and let the other one slowly rub up and down her back for a few minutes, before letting it rest at her side. Suddenly his eyes opened as his fingers traced the odd scar there. Now he knew what it was. This was where the Shikon no Tama had been ripped from her body by a centipede demon. And she hadn’t even known it was there. She had just been a young, foolish ningen girl, who hadn’t even known that youkai were real until that day.

“Does it hurt?”

She lifted her head slightly to look at him. “What? The scar?” She glanced down at his hand, which was covering it. When she had felt him tracing along the slightly raised edged of the scar, she knew he was thinking about the story she had told.

“No. Does it hurt not being whole? -- Having a piece of your soul missing.”

Her fingers stilled on his skin. “Most of the time, I hardly notice it. I guess I’ve become used to it. And I don’t really think of it as not being ‘whole.’ That sounds like I am lacking something. I am still me. I can still do, say, think, and feel just like anyone else. I am a whole person.”

He heard the slight hesitation in her voice. “But …?”

“But, … sometimes, if I concentrate, I can feel that small part of myself. So, it’s not like it’s gone, it’s just … wandering. It’s as if it’s lost, and then hai, there is a faint, dull ache,” she confessed quietly. “But most of the time, I am too busy to notice.”

Moving the hand in her hair to the back of her head, he gently pulled her back down to rest on his shoulder. He would get her that piece of her soul back.

Covering her hand with his, he moved it slowly across his chest. He hadn’t had enough of the touching yet. Damn onna. Oh, she was most definitely a witch. And she had turned him into a damn pussycat, -- just like the one she’d told that idiot he was, -- that craved being petted. She must have done it on purpose. What the hell did he have to do to break this enchantment he was under?

Kagome stared at his hand moving hers across his chest. Was he not satisfied yet? She tilted her head up to look at him. His eyes were closed, and he wasn’t making any move to change their position, though there was a strange tension about him. Did he really just want her to touch him? Then it hit her. He was seeking comfort, and this was his way of asking for it. There was that uncomfortable twinge in the pit of her stomach again, when she realized he only wanted her caresses because he was regretting the loss of another woman. But she wasn’t going to deny him something she could give him when he had given her so much more than she had asked for, -- even if he was making things more complicated by doing so.

And so, she spent the next half hour just lying next to him and gently caressing his chest and side with soothing stokes, and lightly massaging his arm, shoulder, and neck. She even ran the back of her fingers up his jaw and across his cheek, before cupping the side of his face in her hand, causing him to lean into it and press a kiss into her palm. And that was her limit. “I should go.”

He opened his eyes and watched her as she as she picked up the two halves of the yukata and stared at them for a moment before giving him an exasperated look. “You’re too slow, onna. Get one out of the closet.” He smirked as she stomped over to the closet and pulled out another one of the hotel’s yukatas and put it on. When she turned around and saw the expression on his face, she marched back over to the bed and glared at him for a minute. Then, much to his surprise, the look in her eyes softened and the corners of her lips quirked upwards, and she reached out touched his cheek again lightly. “Arigatou, Hiei.” Using the oil, as usual, and handing it to him, she turned out the lights and left.

He still had a smile on his face as he crossed his hands behind his head. Now, he had had enough. Enough sex, and enough touching. His body was completely sated and soothed. And he wasn’t a bit sorry that he had started that small fire on the floor where the ookami’s room was. An hour and a half was way too long for ‘a late-night snack, some drinks, and conversation.’ Hell, he and the others had finished their discussion of the latest information they had discovered a long time ago.

The things they had learned tonight were slightly conflicting, though, and rather disturbing. As impossible as it seemed, there was now a reasonable argument that could be made to suggest that the three other females in her mates’ lives could have worked together to kill them and frame her. Or, it was possible that just the one female -- the dead miko -- could have killed them all. She was probably powerful enough, at least to kill Inuyasha and Kouga, and purify their souls. He wondered about Sesshoumaru, though. She was certainly proficient with the bow and arrow, but they didn’t know if she was skilled in any of the martial arts, let alone the snake style kung fu. Chuu had witnessed her meeting with the wind-witch just today. But he also said that her son really does look like Sesshoumaru, and there were still those damn scratches and claw marks that needed to be explained somehow. On top of all that, they needed to find a new place for Kagome and her sons to stay, and the dead miko was wandering around the Ningenkai. There was still an awful lot to do before this assignment would be over. But instead of irritating him, that thought just caused him to give a mental shrug, and settle down for some good sleep.

An hour later, he frowned and opened his eyes. He hadn’t used the oil yet, but the smell of gardenias had almost faded away, even from his skin. It wasn’t enough. Damn it.
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Higurashi Hoshu - Yeah, I NAMED Kagome’s grandfather -- it means ‘conservative.’
Onsen - literally ‘warm water’ -- refers to the natural hotsprings all across Japan
Rotemburo - an outdoor bath at an onsen
Genkan - the little entrance area where one’s shoes should be removed
“achee” - Apparently, it is customary as one slides into the nearly scalding hot water in an onsen to make horrible faces, like you are in pain, and say, “Hot!” (Or “Hoooooottttt!”)
Kyukei - a lounging or resting area usually provided at an onsen or public bathhouse, where people can recover from the heat and replenish their fluids
Onsen manju - a yummy treat sold in many shops in Kusatsu -- it’s sweet bean paste coated in soft mochi rice.
Ryokan - a traditional, family-run Japanese inn
“naked communion” - the Japanese prize the benefits of being able to get together, regardless of status, and relax in the comforting atmosphere of an onsen. (Makes sense to me -- nakedness is a great leveling field -- everybody’s vulnerable! Heh heh! Well, except the Yakuza -- you can spot them a mile away in the onsens or sentos -- they’re the guys with all the artwork showing.)

I have such a treat for you!! If you go to my profile page and click on my artwork section, you will find three, count them, THREE fabulous, incredible, amazing, awesomely-awesome pictures to go with this story.

My wonderful and talented friend, known as Sardave here on MM, drew the painting of Kouga and Kagome that Sassouta has hanging in his room. You’ve GOT to check it out! It’s called “His Woman.” AND, she drew an upcoming scene of Hiei and Kagome that is just too sexy for words, called “To Play With Fire.” She’s got so many fantastic things in her gallery that you should really go look at them all! (Especially if you like Youko -- you’ll be wiping the drool off your chin over her “The Predator’s Woman.”)

The other picture was drawn by another incredibly talented artist, known as sugerT on DeviantArt and Kasei-no-Magami on FanArt Central. Do you recognize it? It’s the lake scene where Kagome grabs ahold of him to take down him with her if he tries to drown her again. Heh heh! She named this one, “Heated,” and is it ever! Wowee! This lovely lady does some of the greatest Kagomes you’ve ever seen. (And some Kuramas to die for, too. Want to see the sexiest Miroku ever? Look at “Oh, houshi-sama.” I kid you not!)

If you’re writing a fanfic and would like to see one of your scenes come to life, these ladies both take commissions -- take my word for it, it’s a thrill!

What would I do without you reviewers? I need you guys to keep me on track. Obviously, this chapter was a relationship-mover, with some light-hearted interaction thrown in to highlight the fact that this trip is a break in routine for them all. The next chapter will finish up their travels and get back down to business -- think you have it all figured out? This story isn’t over yet! Heh heh!

Animeboysrock23 - Is Lord Yemon a bad guy? He’s starting to look a bit shadier, isn’t he?
Kawaii-KeKe-Chan - I’m glad you enjoyed their Disney adventures last time out. The hotsprings were a little tamer. I have to confess, I think more people should confront Hiei about the way he acts around Yukina and his hostility to Kuwabara -- it just makes sense that he has feelings for her, right? Heh heh! There will be more about Ginjiro soon.
Sardave - You just ROCK! Thanks for the drawings! If you like some fluff, there are a few fluffy moments and thoughts in this one. (Still not happy with it. Grrrr.)
PureMiko Kagome69ner - So, how does the case look now? It’s starting to look a whole lot different to the detectives, but there are still some problems they just can’t quite figure out yet. We’ll be seeing more of Kagura and both of her sons soon.
BrokenSouledPoetess - How do you like the way Hiei handled that situation? There’s nothing like a vision of impending fatherhood to put the brakes on! The guys finally know who Kikyou is, the question is: what is she up to now?
Seiteki Tenshi - NOW they know about Kikyou’s powers. Heh heh! Since you liked the ending of the last chapter, how’d you like the beginning of this one?
AnonymousO - Love all the questions! I’ll try to answer what I can. The detectives are going to discuss whether or not Ginjiro’s paternity can be determined -- I’m leaning towards youkai DNA not being able to be mapped yet. Yes, she was pregnant when all three of her mates were killed. (So glad you picked up on that. Heh heh!) The reason Kagura offered that deal to Kagome was because she wants her son to have some of the Western lands, and obviously he isn’t strong enough to get them on his own. Oh, and Ginjiro would be about 514 years old -- he wasn’t in stasis for 400 years like Eishumaru was. (And Kagura doesn’t know it yet! So, even though Eishumaru was born first, he isn’t the oldest anymore! Ha! And I probably shouldn’t have told you that yet, but I couldn’t help it.)
Ebi-chan - It’s always so great to have a new reviewer! Thanks so much for all the kind words! I hope this chapter was a decent addition to the story for you. To answer your question about whether or not Hiei could use the Jagan to help Kagome remember what happened the night Sess was killed, I have to say, you’re anticipating me -- Yes! Of course, she has to LET him, because when he tried to use the Jagan on her before, he got tossed back. And up until now, Hiei and Kurama were still pretty sure she was lying about not being able to remember because they thought she did it! (And they’re still ‘iffy’ when it comes to Sess’ murder.) But this issue and idea is going to come up.
Angelwings21 - Are you still feeling sorry for Hiei? Heh heh!
Purplebabe - Glad you enjoyed the theme park last time! The onsen resort wasn’t quite as eventful, -- unless your name was Hiei. Heh heh!
Hentai Vixen - So, did this chapter hit the spot? Heh heh!
SKnFS - Thanks so much for the kind words -- that’s high praise indeed! (Hope I don’t stumble too badly and wreck it!) And I’m definitely all for you pulling out your stories and working on them -- I need stuff to read!
Timmy24 - I’m glad I’m not bogging you down with the details. And I’ve got plenty more Hiei/Kag where this came from. Heh heh!
Youkos Kitsune - Hiei managed to dodge one bullet, but seems to have been hit by another one, ne?
Selenity potter - Kurama and Hiei are probably ready to wring Koenma’s neck right about now. Obviously, they know NOTHING in the Reikai. Heh heh! Now they know about Kikyou, and Kuwabara’s crowing.
Loveinuyahsa911 - Thanks so much for the comps! It must be the history prof in me, but I’m assembling binders full of the info I’ve been researching and gathering for this. Great theories! And the Reikai sure doesn’t seem to know anything else, do they?
Halfblackwolfdemon - Wow! Loved the fabulously long review! Let’s see if I can address your comments and questions. Well, Kag and Hiei are both seeing the changes looming on the horizon, but which one is more worried about it? Heh heh! And Kagura’s son Ginjiro is supposed to be Sess’, but her other son, Tobikuma, is by her rich and powerful lover that helped her stir up trouble in the Western lands 50 years after Sess was killed. Hiei is getting pretty annoyed with both Kurama and Yemon -- he’s getting seriously possessive now. Glad you liked Eishumaru’s hitting on Shizuru -- I figured he needs a tall woman, right? Oh, yeah -- about Shippou’s tail -- he’s still got it, but since they’re staying in the Ningenkai, he’s taken on a completely human-looking form. No bad cliffhanger this time! (But just wait for the next one! Heh heh!)
Bloodbunny - Um, well, sorry. *looks down and shuffles feet* I’m afraid my comment was misleading -- I didn’t mean Kagura really stabbed Kagome. I just meant she hit her where it hurts most by telling her Sess didn’t love her. Sorry for the confusion!
Drachegirl14 - Always happy to debate! Hmmm. About them trying to trace spells, -- um, I have to say I never really even thought about that. I don’t think there would be anything TO trace. I mean, if we’re not talking about a spell that is still in effect, then I would think the “magic” would be long gone. Maybe they could check out the arrow that killed Inuyasha and the dagger that stabbed Sess, but they don’t know where they are. The bodies are long gone -- they would have been burned on funeral pyres. As for checking out the scenes of the crimes -- that’s kind of difficult, too, because they took place before the realms were split -- so, the palaces are in the Makai, but the land is kind of in the Ningenkai and the Makai. You know, now that I think about it, splitting the realms would have pretty much screwed a LOT of stuff up. LOL!! Yes, I think Hiei’s Jagan could probably be used on Kagura if they captured her, but they don’t have any reason to do that yet. After all, Kagome’s been free all this time … I just let the cat out of the bag in this chapter about Kikyou’s current whereabouts -- at least, in a VERY general sense. Heh heh! As for Ayame, … They will discover more information about the poisonings later. And where WAS Kagome when her mates died? We know she was with Sess …And as you can see, yes, Kag does think Hiei is in love with Yukina, but this is a little more of a poignant situation than her thinking Hiei and Kurama were lovers in “Hentai Bets.” Heh heh! Whew! Did I do okay?
DYquem - You did it again!! LOL!! I was choking on my cola when I read your comments about being disappointed that Hiei and Kag are 284 and 134, respectively, and couldn’t figure out any way to please each other which doesn’t result in pregnancy. I kid you not, I had JUST finished writing their thoughts about that. I gotta say, I was sure somebody was going to call me on that. LOL!! But Hiei wasn’t into doing something that doesn’t directly benefit him when it comes to sex -- no time for that crap. Heh heh! And Kouga already blew the “we can just …” out of the water for Kagome. Heh heh! Quick: tell me what I’m going to do next! And give me some lottery numbers! I’m a believer in your psychic powers! And I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the kind words, though I beg to differ -- I just don’t see this fic being anywhere NEAR on par with “The Lucky Ones” -- that is an epic story. And you made me go read it again by mentioning it. (Thanks!)
Yue no Rei - Well, how did you like Hiei’s response to Kagome’s dream lover turning out to be HIM? At this point, I think they see the danger, but they just can’t avoid it. Heh heh!
Ness - Well, Kagura’s claim hasn’t been proven, but it looks possible. Want to see Ginjiro face off with Eishumaru?
TAJE - Thanks so much for checking out this story! I know your time is limited, and these chapters are pretty long. Of course, since they take me a while to write, you’ll probably catch up with me soon! I’m so glad you’re enjoying it so far!