Kiss of the Sea

By: Marishka Valentine

Chapter 1

They followed the ship at a distance, far enough back to stay safely out of sight, but close enough that they could reach the ship if it got in trouble. Which, with the course the ship was currently on, they would be in very soon if she did not turn in another direction quickly. It was headed straight for the Foaming Isles, a cluster of six small, heavy vegetated islands teaming with food, water…and magic. None dared venture towards them. Those who knew of them warned would-be adventurers off. Those that knew nothing of them usually died. The magic of the isles simply didn't allow for intruders.

Which was exactly why the five mermaids, their powerful tails propelling them swiftly through the water, were following the ship. It was bound for danger and it was their duty to try and help the doomed sailors. Because no ship sailed near the Foaming Isles and survived.

] In the water… [

"The Storm is almost upon us," murmured one of the mermaids as she and her companions continued to follow the ship at a distance. "And night is falling as well. It is going to be harder to see them from such a distance. Should we move closer?" Turning her head she watched her leader and added, "Or are we to give this ship up to Poseidon?"

"No," said the leader, shaking her head. "No, we are honor bound to protect all ships in out waters. Even if we can't protect her, then we can at least give her crew a gentle death."

"And this is a style we've never seen before," added another mermaid, his voice a little eager. "If she does go down, she might have something valuable on her."

"Don't say things like that," snapped the leader. "You sound like you want this ship to sink. Thoughts like that are the very reason we are here in the first place."

"I'm sorry, Lady Kagome" Said the chastised mermaid, tilting his head down in apology. "That isn't how I meant it to sound…"

"It doesn't matter, it's been said now." Said the mermaid who had spoken first, scowling slightly. "At least we know how you feel about your duty now."

"Settle, Sango," said Kagome. "We're all just a little anxious. Let's just hurry. I can feel the Storm growing. It might erupt any time, and we need to be as close as possible before it destroys that ship."

Kagome glanced around, making sure her team was ready. Then, with a silent signal, she whipped her tail harder through the water, pushing herself to her limits, praying that Poseidon would decide to be merciful today and either spar the ship, or at least give the sailors a peaceful death. All she could do, however, was hope.

] A few hours later… Upon the sea… [

The Shark, the fastest ship upon the seas (or so her crew had always boasted) was currently being pushed to her limits as her crew scurried about her deck, tying down anything loose or valuable, moving things into the lower decks, and generally getting ready to face one hell of a night. Because, though they might not yet know they were doomed to sleep upon the waves forever, they did know that the storm currently brewing ahead of them was going to be one tough monster to battle. It had almost seemed to spring out of no where. Where once the sky had been slowly turning pink and orange as the sun set, it was now an angry bruised looking purple-black, roiling and billowing with dark clouds. None of them had seen it coming, which was why they were currently tying down almost everything that moved.

Only two figures stood almost completely still upon The Shark: the helmsman Miroku, a dark haired man, roughly twenty-eight years of age, who wore the v of his dark purple shirt unlaced and flapping in the wind, even though the evening wind was picking up. He was a rough, pure and simple, and, though there were no women around, the habits of a rogue were hard to forget, even at sea.

And Captain Inuyasha, the White Fang, who's face was set with eager determination as he faced the deadly storm ahead of his ship. His hair was a brilliant sliver that, even in the dim light that the fading sun provided, still shown brightly. He wore a deep red shirt, the neck open like Miroku's, though he wore a white shirt underneath which hid what the opening would have exposed.

Miroku, holding the wheel steady as he looked out over the water to the gathering storm, sighed heavily as his captain suddenly started to pace again, but didn't say anything.

"I heard that," growled Inuyasha as he passed behind Miroku. "Sigh all you want, we're not changing course. We'll drop anchor as soon as the men finish and ride this out like we always do."

Because he knew his captain couldn't see him, Miroku frowned and shook his head. This was the trouble with having such a young captain, one of only twenty-three years: he simply didn't know the deadly power that even a small storm could inflict upon even the strongest vessel. It was the storm you really had to worry about, it was the sea. The ocean was a hard mistress, and any false stem a ship in her waters made could instantly mean death.

But still, Miroku thought, eyeing his captain. He's gotten us through everything else, why not this?

The silver haired captain turned as he came upon the side of the ship, and passed behind Miroku once more.

Laughing softly, Miroku gently pat the wheel of the ship and said, "It's alright, old girl. Captain's just in a mood, but I won't let him walk a rut into your pretty planks."

"Shut up," growled Inuyasha, though he came to a stop only a few feet from Miroku, and turned himself foreword. He glanced down at his crew then back at the clouds and snapped, "Where the hell did it come from? We've had clean skies and waters all damn day."

"Ah, Inuyasha," Miroku said, his face serious. "A storm is like a woman: you can see the nice, pretty ones a mile away. It's the ugly ones that catch you off guard."

Inuyasha gave him an annoyed look. The man really was a womanizer of the worst sort. He might not get anywhere most of the time, what with his bold, direct words putting the ladies off, but dammit if the man didn't try. Still, Inuyasha couldn't really blame him. The sea was lonely, and Miroku was in the prime of his life. Who, at his age, wouldn't be lonely and in search of a warm bed and a soft embrace?

That doesn't mean it's not annoying as hell, though, thought Inuyasha, once again glancing down to the deck below, squinting in the dim light. Lanterns had been lit all along the deck, as the sun was now only a tiny sliver on the horizon, about to slip over its edge at any second.

One of his men caught his eye and flashed him the 'alls ready' sign, indicating that his crew had finished with the preparations and they could drop anchor any time. Flashing a sign back to let the man know he had seen, Inuyasha turn to Miroku and told him to turn the ship, making it ready to ride out the storm, before again turning toward the deck.

"Drop anchor! Bring in the sails!" Inuyasha called, just as the sun dipped below the horizon and they were left in only lantern light. "Make sure the ship is-"

CRAAACK!

A bolt of lightning suddenly split the sky and instantly charged the air. Before The Shark's knew had even started to react to that first bolt, another torn across the sky, lighting up the sea around her before plunging them into almost total blackness once more. The waters around them had transformed. Where before there had only been gently rolling waves, there was now black, angry water, splashing against The Shark's hull, the waves growing bigger with every second.

"Drop anchor!" Inuyasha yelled over the suddenly screaming wind. "Drop the damn anchor!"

He couldn't tell if his men obeyed him, or even heard him for the matter. Rain was now coming down in sheets, the wind was howling, and the lanterns were spluttering and dancing so badly they threw strange, distorted shadows everywhere. All across the deck, his men, what he could see of them, were running, slipping, and banging into each other.

Another flash split the sky and Inuyasha turned to Miroku, about to shout for him to turn the ship, only to realize Miroku was struggling and fighting the wheel to much to concentrate on much else. Inuyasha threw himself the few feet to the wheel and grabbed it.

"Move!" he cried, wedging himself next to Miroku so he could hold the wheel and be heard. "Get to the men! We have to get the sails down or they'll be ripped to shreds, if they haven't already been!" Miroku opened his mouth to protest, but Inuyasha cut him off. "I'll steer, just get those damn sails down!"

Miroku only hesitated a second, giving Inuyasha time to get into a better position behind the wheel, before he slipped and slid his way to the stairs, and Inuyasha lost sight of him and he went down. His back and arms straining, he held the wheel steady, though it fought him. But this was no worse then some other storms he had been through, though those he had actually been prepared for. He simply needed to hold the ship until the sails were down and he could afford to have someone relive him…

Then the ship pitched to the side and Inuyasha's grip slipped for a moment. The wheel suddenly jerked towards him, almost throwing him off balance, but he caught himself at the last second, quickly enough to again hold the wheel steady. But it jerked once more, in the opposite direction and Inuyasha completely lost his hold. The wheel slipped from his hands, slamming one of them, though he couldn't tell if it broke anything, and he fell to his knees.

The wheel spun crazily, fist one way, and then another, throwing her crew from side to side, and Inuyasha knew, even without being able to hear the cries of "man overboard" that, when this was over, some of his crew would be missing. But he had no time to think about that. The wheel was spinning faster and faster, then jerking to a stop for a few moments, only to start spinning the other way.

'What the hell is happening?' Inuyasha thought as he tried to stand, only to be tossed onto his backside. 'The currents can't be this crazy! What's happening!'

Bracing his legs under himself once more, Inuyasha pushed himself up and, balancing as best he could, waited for the moment when the wheel jerked to another sudden stop before taking hold of it once more. It shuddered under his hands, vibrating so hard he didn't know how long he'd be able to hold on. Then it started moving again, to his right, but Inuyasha was able to hold it steady this time. But he knew he couldn't last long. The strain was too much and, in only a few minutes, he knew his strength would give way and he would once again lose control of his ship. But hopefully, hopefully, in those few minutes that he had a hold on his ship, his crew would be able to drop anchor and get the sails down. Then, and only then, might they have a chance. It all depended on how long Inuyasha could keep the wheel under his command and, as it was, his strength was already fading.

Then, over the pounding rain and wind, Inuyasha heard his name being called. His damp hair obscured some of his vision but, looking over at where he knew the stairs to be (though he was practically unable to see them though the sheets of rain) he could just make out the form of a man coming towards him. Whoever it was called to him again, and swayed closer, jerking slightly as the wheel tried again to spin in another direction and the ship gave a shudder.

"Captain!" cried the voice of Miroku, and Inuyasha was able to make out the drenched form of his helmsman. "Captain? Is that you?"

"Yes!" Inuyasha called back. "Get over here! Help me with the wheel!"

Miroku signaled that he had heard and continued towards Inuyasha. But he had gone no more then a few feet before another bolt of lightning lit up the sky…and struck their mast. It splintered crazily, sending chunks of heavy wood flying everywhere while part of its top exploded. The sails, which Inuyasha had seen, in that second of so the lighting had lit everything up, were still unfurled. Now, with the mast that held them up weakened and split, they sagged then billowed strangely, twisting to the side. The strain was too much for the mast to hold and, with an almighty SNAP! it broke near its bottom and started to fall. Straight towards Inuyasha and Miroku, slowed only slightly by ropes that snapped under its sudden weight.

With barely enough time to think, let alone react, Inuyasha jerked back from the wheel and rushed towards Miroku, intending to throw them both back down the stairs and, hopefully, to safety. Unfortunately, the ship was struck by a wave and dipped, sweeping both Inuyasha and Miroku off their feet. They slammed into the railing at the side of the ship and lights exploded behind their eyes. The ship righted itself, only to be slammed by another wave from the opposite direction. The wave washed over the ship, rolling it, and the two men were swept up in it. They were pushed to the other side of the deck, just missing being hit by the mast which slammed down only inches behind them, and were tossed into the sea…

] In the sea… [

"Two more have fallen!" called Sango as she circled around the ship. "On the west side. I think…" she hesitated a moment as she watched the two people who had just fallen into the water. When they started to struggle she cried, "I think they're still alive! I need another set of fins!"

"Everyone is busy. Hannah is marking the ship and the others are seeing the men to the Afterlife. Most of this crew seems to have washed over on the other side of the ship." Kagome said, swimming to Songo's side.

"Then it's just you and me, My Lady." Sango said, swishing her long tail and heading for the men she had spotted.

Kagome followed, her own tail whipping through the water as both she and Songo raced towards the two fallen men. Already she could see that their struggles had subsided somewhat as the icy water took their strength. There would be no saving these men, Kagome knew. Although debris was floating all across and the water around them, they were small pieces, nothing large enough to fit a man onto to float him to safety. No, there would be no saving these men…only giving them the gift of a swift and painless death. It was one of the many gifts, and curses, of the mer-people. Their magic allowed them to see sailors into the Afterlife calmly and gently, taking them quickly away from the pain and fear of drowning.

They came upon the men just as their bodies started to sink, unable to fight the waves and water anymore. They only sank a few feet below the surface, however, before they were caught up into the arms of the waiting mermaids. Kagome caught the men closest to her and, flicking her tail slightly, she circled around the man to face him. Her arms gently supporting his sinking body, she looked into his face and felt her heart skip a beat.

He was the most handsome man she had ever seen. And that was saying something, as all mer-people were blessed with superior looks and beauty. His eyes, which were slit against the salt of the sea, were a brilliant golden brown, a color she had never seen before. His hair, now that she was concentrating on the man, was silver, or white, she wasn't able to tell. It shimmered whenever a bolt of lighting flashed above them, and she wondered, insanely, if he had stolen the light of the stars and out it in his hair. Her arms tightened of their own accord around him and she could feel hard muscles, no doubt gotten from a long life at sea. Her mouth opened slightly and she felt as though she wanted to say something, anything, to this hauntingly beautiful man…but then his own mouth opened, and a stream of bubbles issued forth.

] Inuyasha… [

He was sinking. He was sinking, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. He was just so tired. His muscles felt weak and stiff, his lungs already burned from the effort to stay afloat, and his throat stung from all of his gasping. And so he started to sink.

'So this is how it ends,' he thought. 'My whole life devoted to the sea, and it's where I get to die. But I guess…it's just what a pirate deserves…'

His thoughts were oddly calm. But then, he supposed, if he was going to die, why not die peacefully, and not with his mind screaming in panic? Why not just float to the very bottom of the ocean, and sleep there forever? Why not just let the gentle arms of the sea take him down, down, down…

But the ocean didn't have arms…and those were defiantly real arms that he was suddenly feeling grab hold of him. Someone, (one of his crew, it had to be, Inuyasha thought) was wrapping their arms around him and moving. He slit his eyes open, wondering who the hell, in this damn cold ocean, still head the strength to swim close enough to grab hold. But the face that appeared before his was a woman's and therefore defiantly not one of his crew.

Though it was incredibly dark, he knew she was beautiful. Her hair, as black as the deepest shadows, floated around her shoulders and moved softly with the water. It was to dark for him to see her eyes, so he couldn't tell their color. Lightning flashed above them, lighting her face for an instant, and he was surprised to see what appeared to be dark tattoos along her dark and lighter ones upon her face. He had never seen a woman with tattoos before. But she was still beautiful. He wanted to just keep looking at her, even if it meant his eyes stung from sea salt and his heart hammered painfully.

His chest felt tight and he suddenly remembered that he was under the waves, unable to breath, and he desperately needed some air. His chest constricted and his mouth opened automatically, his lungs desperate for oxygen, even a little bit, but of course all he sucked in was water. He choked and started to struggle even as the woman's arms suddenly tightened around him and started to pull him deeper into the black depths of the ocean.

] Kagome… [

He started to struggle in her arms, a last ditch effort on his part to reach the surface and claim a gasp of air. Automatically she held him tighter and swished her tail, sending them father under the waves. It was how her people calmed their children since most mer-people, especially the young ones, felt safer away from the surface and closer to the ocean floor. When he didn't calm and only strained to struggle more, his eyes widening, she realized her mistake.

'Of course,' she thought, feeling stupid. 'Of course, of course! He wants air, not the sea bed. I have to get him to the surface.'

But she couldn't. There would be no help for him there, and going to the surface would only prolong the time before his inevitable death. She was forbidden by her oath as a Valkyrie to prolong the suffering of a doomed man. If there was no way he could be saved, even above the waves, then it was her duty to help him into the Afterlife. To let him have a breath of air, only to have him sink below and start drowning again…she would be a monster. But still. She didn't want this man to die. There was something about him that called to a part of her, a deep, almost forgotten part of her soul, and demanded that she do what she could to save him. She didn't know if she could live with herself if she didn't.

Her face hardening, she whipped her tail quickly and they rose through the water to the surface. What she was about to do was dangerous, almost forbidden, and she knew she would be in deep trouble if things didn't go right. But she was determined and when they broke the surface, she gave a mental sigh of relief.

The man spluttered and coughed and she turned him slightly away from her so she wouldn't be hit by the water that was coming up. When he started gasping in great gulps of air she spoke to him.

"Can you understand me?" She said, shouting to be heard over the roaring of The Storm around them. The man's eyes slid to hers without recognition, and he shook his head weakly. She kept asking the same thing until he finally nodded in understanding. It was one of the older languages that her people knew, but rarely spoke.

Thunder growled loudly overhead and lighting tore across the sky. The storm was getting worse, the waves buffeting them this way and that. But Kagome was a mermaid, a lady of the sea, and she knew all about The Storm. She kept them above the water, though her gills burned and fluttered weakly. She could breathe both air and water, but being half in, half out of the sea was difficult and painful. She needed to get this done, and get it done now.

"I can save you," she said, hoping the man could hear her, or at least read her lips, though she doubted that was possible in this dim light. "But you have to ask me. You must ask me to help you. I cannot save you otherwise."

He seemed confused by her words and shook his head at her, mouthing something silently. She shook him hard, trying to keep him with her, away from the darkness of Beyond. Her mind was racing and frustrated. If he understood her, why wasn't he asking for help?

"Dammit, human!" she cried loudly, shaking him again. "Tell me you need my help! I can save you if you ask me!"

He shook his head again and gasped. She panicked slightly, wondering if the man was mute and unable to speak. If he was, she would be able to do nothing for him.

Then he gasped again and mouthed something. She leaned in close, trying to catch what he was saying.

"Help…" he said, his voice hoarse and almost lost to the din around them.

But it was all she needed. She drew herself closer to him and pushed his hair back behind his shoulders.

"This might hurt." She said loudly. "I've never done this to a human before." He seemed confused by her words, but didn't fight her. Maybe he didn't have any fight left in him.

Shifting even closer, Kagome tilted the man's head…and bit him. The naturally occurring paralyzing agent she produced in a usually hidden pair of teeth shot into the man's blood stream. He stiffened, probably in fear, and she regretted that this was causing him pain, but knew it was the only way to save him. After only a few seconds of letting the paralyzing agent flow, she released his neck and spat out the blood that had managed to get into her mouth.

The paralyzing agent was a throw back to the first mer-people, who had less knowledge and tools then the current generation did and usually had to rely on paralyzing their food to keep it from getting away from them. Now they rarely used it, as there really weren't many times when their mouths were close enough to bite anything.

The paralyzing agent worked quickly and soon the silver haired man's body was relaxing, going limp in her arms. Now she would have to be quick. She didn't know how long the effect would last, or if the paralysis would be harmful to him. She needed his body calm and sedate if she was going to get him back to her people's home unharmed and alive. There were only two more things to do.

Every Valkyrie wore pearl pouch upon their hips or across their chest. They were crafted from rather large pearls, hollowed out and reinforced by magic. They were enchanted to contain everlasting bubbles, which simply meant that anything stored in them would remain dry, even if the pearl pouch was opened underwater. It was a simple enchantment, and one of the only spells that her people still remembered.

Kagome opened one now, her hand shaking with her eagerness, and she pulled out what appeared to be an ordinary looking, very round and smooth, pebble. But, like most things the Valkyrie called, it was far from normal.

"I'm going to place this in your mouth," Kagome explained, though she now highly doubted the man could hear her. The Storm was so loud, the thunder over them almost constant now, that she could barely hear herself. But she wanted to reassure the man, and herself, that she spoke anyways. "It's a pressure pebble. It'll keep you from being crushed in the Depths."

She pushed the pebble against his lips and then gently used her fingers to open his teeth enough to slip the pebble under his tongue. She wasn't concerned about him swallowing it, as it had no other enchantment then to keep a person from being crushed. She didn't know where the pebbles came from, none of her people did, and they didn't even remember the spell that would allow them to enchantment more pebbles. Not that they needed any. Their ancestor had stockpiled the things in one of the old storage caves and, even all these generations later, they still had probably millions of the things. Why their ancestors had made and kept so many was no mystery, since ever mermaids were effected by the pressure in the Depths.

Even though only a few minutes had passed since she had grabbed the man as he sank through the water, she felt as if it had been hours. The howling of the wind and the rain whipping against her face was distressing her. She was naturally afraid of The Storm and being in it, out in it, was making her tense and a tense mermaid was an accident prone mermaid. But she would be home soon and, though she knew she was going to be in a massive pile of trouble, she wasn't going to give up.

"I'm sorry about this…" Kagome said, now totally unable to hear herself. It didn't matter though. She had to say it.

She slid her hand to his chin and, pulling slightly so his mouth was partially open, she pressed her mouth to his. He tasted of salt, which she expected, but he always tasted of something sweet and cool, something she had only ever seen an smelled, but never felt. He tasted of the earth and land. She would later think herself a fool, wondering how she could think someone tasted of the earth, something composed of dirt and such, but it was the word that came to her mind in that instant. He simply tasted of things unknown, of a world apart from hers, one that she could only watch but never be apart of.

It wasn't really a kiss, not exactly, but that would always be how Kagome thought of it. He was paralyzed, yes, and she was trying to save him, but that didn't mean that their lips weren't pressed together and that it didn't feel nice. She breathed out through her mouth, feeling his lungs expand against her chest and she broke the contact, only to take another breath and press her lips against his once more. This, to, like the injecting of the paralyzing agent, was new to her. She had never given anyone the Witch's Kiss, a 'kiss' which, when given to a human, let them breath underwater for an hour, let alone thought she would ever need to. She had never needed to. No one had, not for generations.

She pulled back again and let her hand drop from his chin. She couldn't tell if he was still awake, as his eyes had dropped shut when he had been paralyzed, but she was a little grateful that she didn't have to see the accusing glare that she no doubt knew he would have given her. If someone had bitten, paralyzed, kissed, and roughly handled her, she would have been glaring to. But, as it was, she only saw his relaxed face, and was glad of it.

Another flash of lightning above her sent her into action. She wrapped her arms securely around the man and dove, her tail slashing the water of the surface as she quickly flipped her tail and sped down, heading home and, possibly, to punishment.