Title: Ambush
Author: Pip
Series: 3rd in "Collar" series
Pairing: Sanzo/Goku
Rating: NC-17
Series: Yes, follows directly on from A Fox In The Snow.
Warnings: slash, violence

Saiyuki is, unfortunately, not mine. It belongs to Minekura Kazuya.

Thankyou so much for the beta, Kelly, you were incredibly helpful!

Ambush

Chapter 1

The wolves returned from patrol with news. Bad news. Homura and his party were waiting at the mouth of the valley through which they were travelling, sheer cliffs rising on either side, no way around. They would have to face him. There was no alternative. The wolves drew close about them, protecting them, keeping them at the centre of the pack. They stepped out onto the scree covering the valley floor. Goku headed out first, making straight towards Homura, but the war god didn't even draw his sword. He merely stood and waited as Goku approached him. Sanzo followed a pace or two behind Goku. There was no way he wasn't going to be a party to this conversation.

"What are you going to do Son Goku?" Homura asked eventually, in cultured, sympathetic tones that were somehow far more frightening than any amount of invective. "As you can see, you're vastly outnumbered. I hold all the cards. If you come with me quietly, nobody will get hurt. Without you to protect them, taking the scripture will be a small matter that I can easily achieve another day. I swear you will be in no danger yourself. I need your help and I have so very much to offer you in return." He moved closer, well within Goku's range of attack, his shackles in sight, to remind Goku of having worn such shackles himself. His voice was soft and seductive. "We are so alike, you and I, both heretics and outcasts. Both having suffered at the hands of the gods. We owe them nothing. If we work together there's no limit as to what we might accomplish." His head dropped forward until he was whispering in Goku's ear. "Neither of us has ever truly belonged because there is nobody like us, but we could belong together, if that is your desire. People are deceived by your appearance and consider you a child but I know you are not. I alone appreciate your power and beauty."

Sanzo didn't like the way this was looking. It wasn't that he thought Goku could be convinced. The young man knew exactly what was going on, but Homura was close enough to grab Goku and disappear. He'd assumed that Homura would attack them, rather than go in for a persuasive approach. He looked daggers at the war god, like a dog guarding a bone. It had only been during the last few weeks that he'd realized how much Goku meant to him and there was no way he was going to lose him now.

Goku took two firm steps back, out of Homura's reach, towards Sanzo. He could see damned well where this was going. "We've had this discussion before and I told you then that I'm not interested. My loyalties lie with Sanzo and you can't take his place. There is nothing you can offer me that could tempt me." Sanzo positively glowed with pride, absurdly pleased to hear those words from Goku's lips. Especially when addressed to Homura. The monkey wasn't going to be moved by as much as a millimetre.

"Goku, you know that he doesn't need you, he considers you a child and a burden. No matter how much you love him he'll never love you the way you want him to. He may be the sun in your sky but you know that to him you'll never be more than a moon in his shadow. Why be content with that when you could have so much more?" He stepped forward again, one hand on Goku's shoulder and the other under his chin, turning up his face so he was forced to meet Homura's dissimilar eyes. Homura was using every seductive trick in the book but Goku wasn't buying it. Maybe the youth had a trick or two of his own. He gazed back at Homura, wide eyed, lips slightly parted, as if he might just be reconsidering. Sanzo knew very well what it felt like to on the receiving end of that powerful, innocent look. Homura thought he had an advantage and decided to press it. He swooped in and kissed Goku, tongue sliding past his lips. Goku bit. Hard. Holding on until Homura's blood flooded his mouth. Goku hung on until blood ran down his chin, then let Homura go, pushing him so violently that the war god sprawled on his back, several feet away. He gave Homura a frightening, Seiten Taisei kind of smile, licking the blood from his lips and wiping his chin with the back of his hand. Sanzo stepped up behind him and put his hands on Goku's shoulders. They steadied the youth and permitted him to answer with cold composure.

"When did I give you permission to touch me? Be thankful I didn't rip your tongue out and spit it back in your face." Sanzo's hands twitched. The scary smile broadened slightly, though Goku sighed with mock sadness. "You were deceived by my appearance and considered me a child. Your mistake. Don't make another."

Sanzo's mental voice sounded in his head. Shit, Saru! I don't know about him but you terrified me! Remind me never to kiss you without permission.

You're special, you always have permission. He looked up at Sanzo and smiled. Sanzo's answering smile showed Homura the extent of his mistake.

Sanzo spoke to Homura. "God, you talk crap, Homura! You really should be more careful with your intelligence gathering." An unpleasant smile twisted the priest's lip. "We're leaving now, and you're going to let us go. Goodbye." But Homura was already on his feet and leaping towards them, sword blazing in his hand. Sanzo moved swiftly, trying to protect Goku, Homura's blow catching him in the shoulder. He fell to his knees at Goku's feet without a sound. Goku heard Hakkai shouting, the wolves growling behind him and Gojyo's shakajou whirling but he didn't care about anything but the need to protect his injured lover. He stood protectively over Sanzo, pulled his limiter from his head and tossed it in Hakkai's general direction. He howled, wildly, terrifyingly as he transformed.

"That was the biggest mistake you ever made!" He hissed at Homura, launching himself at him so fast he seemed to teleport. Homura dodged, but not before Seiten Taisei had left four bloody claw marks across his chest. Homura attacked, his blade blazing, only to find Seiten Taisei, balancing on his sword, smiling his cruel, feral smile from within the flames. He slashed, hoping to dislodge the Sage, who somersaulted, twisting in the air, in a manner reminiscent of an eel on a hook, kicking Homura in the face as he did so. Homura was thrown back by the force of the kick, blood flooding into his eyes.

"Is that all you've got? Come and play, Homura!" The Sage's smile broadened, his beautiful, crazed eyes danced wildly as his loose, tawny hair lifted in the snowy breeze.

"So you're the Great Sage! Most impressive, I must say. Goku is very, very good, but you far outstrip him." Homura looked him up and down admiringly as he got to his feet. "You really are magnificent! My offer is still open, you know. For all you know Konzen is already dead. Why not throw in your lot with me and leave all of this behind you?"

"Too much talk. Save your breath!" Seiten Taisei flew towards him, slashing with his gleaming, razor-sharp claws, long hair streaming in his wake. Homura parried his attack, wounding the Sage's left arm but Seiten Taisei's right hand clawed at Homura's eyes, missing them by a mere hairsbreadth and laying open his cheek. The Sage hissed in irritation.

"Don't be foolish! You have so much to gain here...join me!" Homura's voice was steady. "Leave him."

"You injured him. You'll regret that!" The Sage teleported behind him but Homura's turn was as quick.

"Oh, don't tell me you're as infatuated with him as Goku is? He's far beneath your touch! He was a god once but now he's a mere mortal. You could have so much more. Be so much more!"

"You understand nothing. I want nothing. I need nothing. All I want is already mine. I cannot be corrupted. Save your breath!" The Sage bared his teeth, his golden eyes flashing.

He hurled himself at Homura again, snarling in fury, Homura swung and sent him skittering back, then advanced towards him.

"Do you know what happened, Sage? Do you know why you were buried under a mountain for five hundred years? Do you know the nature of your crime? Why Heaven punished you?" His voice became sympathetic and seductive again. "It was so unjust. You were just a child, caught up in events you couldn't possibly have controlled. Neither could your friends. You were framed and we all knew it. Yet the five of you were chosen as scapegoats. Kenren, Tenpou and your guardian, Konzen were expelled but you, you couldn't be killed so they buried you alive. But Prince Nataku's fate was just as cruel..."

"Shut up! I have no interest in your words. I will not break faith. Not with my other self, not with those he loves. All else is irrelevant." The Sage hissed.

"You may think that now, with battle heating your blood, but will Goku feel that way later, I wonder?"

The Sage roared and went for Homura's throat. "He won't care as long as Sanzo still lives." He bit hard into the war god's shoulder and held on like a limpet as Homura tried to dislodge him. One set of claws lodged itself in Homura's other shoulder and the other in his side, between his ribs. He smiled as he tasted Homura's blood for the second time. His teeth tore lose as Homura tried to pull him off but only for a moment. Next time they met in Homura's throat.

I do not care if you die or run but this ends now. I have no more time to play with you, War Prince, Sanzo needs me more than I need to drink you dry.

"You're very sure of yourself, Sage!" Homura's words were brave but blood gurgled in his voice.

I have reason to be. My fangs are locked in your throat. I'm drinking your blood like a pisaka. With every mouthful I become more powerful. Your own strength strengthens me. Make up your mind!

Homura did and in a heartbeat he was gone.

When the Sage turned back he saw that several of Homura's servants were facing off with a fierce and desperate Sanzo. Blood soaked the priest's robes, staining them deep red. He emptied his pistol and tipped out the spent cartridges so he could reload, but even with all his speed and dexterity he wasn't going to make it. The Sage leapt between Sanzo and his attackers, buying him some time as he reloaded. Sanzo shot four, the elemental decapitated two, disemboweled a third and three more fled.

A bloodied Hakkai went down as he watched, corpses piled about him. Gojyo was doing his best to protect him. Seiten Taisei finished the remainder off for him. The wolves worried those who remained and chased down survivors. Shien and Xenon had left with Homura.

"Hey, those were mine!" Gojyo said pugnaciously.

"Your boy is bleeding. Are you really going to argue? There isn't time." The Sage's voice was deeper than Goku's and husky. Gojyo looked stricken and dropped to his knees beside Hakkai, while Seiten Taisei was trying desperately to stem the blood flow. The Sage could do that much for him but no more. He was no healer; it simply wasn't in his gift.

He, Gojyo and the wolves were the only ones left standing on the battlefield. The Sage hastened back to Sanzo, who passed out in the interim, lifting him tenderly and trying to assess the extent of his wounds. The shoulder wound was severe but Sanzo would survive and keep the use of his arm if he stopped the bleeding. He did as he had for Hakkai, pinching the larger blood vessels together and fusing them. They would have to be re-opened later and stitched but neither Sanzo, nor Hakkai, would die today. These claws weren't helping, he was afraid of doing more damage now that the immediate problem was dealt with. He needed his limiter. Sanzo needed his partner and the Sage knew he was no substitute. Gently, he laid Sanzo down and hunted for the gold coronet.