Kagome awoke to the feeling of a warm embrace. Sweat clung to her body as the mysterious person tightened their hold on her. She was far too hot. The blanket that was wrapped around her trapped all of her body heat, and the person holding her so tightly was only compounding it. She squirmed, and when he didn't let go her tired eyes opened to be greeted with the unique red of Inuyasha's fire-rat haori. Her breath stilled.
Inuyasha…
Suddenly, the heat didn't bother her anymore. She closed her eyes and leaned into his chest. His arm tightened reflexively around her and he grumbled in his sleep. She smirked, and the slightly rough fabric of his haori rubbed against her lips. When was the last time that they had cuddled like this? It had to be sometime before Kaede had told them that they couldn't have pups… Kagome relished in the loving sensation of Inuyasha's embrace as her heart lurched at the memory of the past.
She had just wanted to be closer to him. Back then, when Kaede had given them the heartbreaking news, she had wanted to be near Inuyasha every second of the day. He hadn't felt the same. He had kept his distance from her. Often, refusing to even touch her. All that she had wanted was to feel his arms around her. All that she had wanted was for him to kiss her. All that she had wanted was to talk to him about something real, about the pain that they both felt.
She had wanted him, and he had wanted none of it.
He had gotten all wrapped up in his own head and stopped seeing the way that she had been hurting as well. His grief had led him to do stupid things. His grief had led him to betray her…
A decision that he clearly regretted now.
Forgiving him was who she was. She could never stay angry at him for long. She was so happy that he was alive… She sucked in a deep breath of his scent and snuggled in closer to him. She slid her leg between his, and the leg that was drooped over her tightened around her thighs to pull her closer. She smiled despite herself.
It was like he couldn't get enough.
He mumbled in his sleep and shoved his nose into her hair. His lips moved against her head and a tingle shot through her body. She didn't want to move. She didn't want to get up. But, she could hear muffled voices from the living area. Her heart clenched painfully as she remembered Tetsuya crumpled and broken on the forest floor.
She couldn't keep laying there with Inuyasha and being greedy. Her friend needed her.
With a resigned sigh, she gently pushed against Inuyasha's chest. He grumbled, louder than before, and tightened his steel embrace.
"Inuyasha…" She whispered his name softly and he snuggled his head against hers more. "Inuyasha, we need to get up."
His chest rumbled with a soft growl. "No…" The word was spoken so softly that Kagome barely heard it.
"Time to get up." She pushed a little more against his chest and his claws gently poked into her skin as he held her still.
His voice was louder this time. "No… That dumb Monk can be patient."
Kagome's heart lurched.
Slow realization dawned over him as his grip relaxed on her. She gently squirmed out of his embrace and looked up into his amber eyes. Sleep still hung heavily to him. She had never seen him look so exhausted before. She tentatively reached out a hand to trace the line of his jaw and he leaned into her soft touch.
"Time to get up." She repeated lovingly. She gulped down the painful memories of their friends as she saw recognition flash in his eyes.
"Shit!" He spat as he bolted up. His eyes widened as he realized what he had been doing. His ears flicked as he heard the voices in the next room as well. When he looked back at her, he looked nearly sheepish. "I didn't… 'Gome… Sorry." He tripped over his words as he became locked in her blue gaze.
She blushed and bowed her head slightly. "It's okay…" She bit her lip and forced herself to look up at him. A soft pink color was dusted across his face, highlighting his embarrassment. "Um, is Tetsuya okay?" Worry etched her voice.
Inuyasha scoffed and crossed his arms against his chest. "The pup is fine. Go ask him yourself, he's in the next room."
Kagome stood up slowly. Her entire body still felt drained, but her mind was restless. She simply couldn't stay in bed all day. An image of herself blasting one of the Monto flashed through her mind and she winced. She had… Her hands trembled as she began to head towards the shoji door. The man's still face haunted her. She had killed him…
"Kagome?" Inuyasha placed a clawed hand on her shoulder and she jumped slightly. "You just froze."
She had?
She shook her head and plastered on a fake smile. "I'm okay. Just tired still."
Inuyasha frowned slightly, clearly not believing her. "You did what had to be done. Don't beat yourself up about it."
She looked away from him, unable to meet his amber eyes. Before he could say anything else, she took two steps forward and slid open the door. Tetsuya and Shippo turned to look at her and quickly waved her over to the small table that sat in the middle of the room. She rushed over to Tetsuya and fell on her hands and knees beside him as she took in his bandaged appearance.
"I'm fine…" He whined as she reached out to run her fingers over the edges of the expertly applied bandage. He winced slightly at the soft pressure.
"No, you're not." Her face shifted in concern as she spotted where a nasty black color had seeped through his bandage. "This needs to be reapplied."
"I already sent down for Maeve." Shippo supplied.
Kagome's eyebrows knitted together as she leaned back from him. "Maeve?"
Shippo nodded. "She applied that one and cleaned the wound. She's quite talented. Plus, Tetsuya thinks she's dreamy." Shippo drew out the last word with a lavish flourish that made Tetsuya blush.
"No, I don't!" He quickly denied, but his denial was shrouded by Shippo's teasing laughter.
Kagome slid into the spot beside Tetsuya and reveled in the knowledge that he was right next to her, alive and breathing. For a moment, back in the forest, she had truly thought that he was gone… She had gone crazy because of that thought. She had lost herself to her powers, something that she hadn't even known was possible, because she was so overrun with emotions at his presumed death.
This was her family and she couldn't lose them.
Kagome smiled as she joined in on the fun. "You've got a little crush, huh?" She teased as she lightly jabbed him with her elbow. His entire face flushed.
"I… I… don't have a…" He sputtered.
Inuyasha sat down next to Shippo with a playful smirk plastered across his handsome face. "It's about damn time, pup."
Tetsuya was getting well and truly flustered now. His dog ears were twitching restlessly and his eyes were wide. His face was coated in an adorable pink hue that made his eyes seem to sparkle more in the early morning light. "I said, I don't have a…" A soft knock on their door interrupted his rebuttal and made his face brighten even more.
"May I come in?" Maeve's angelic voice called out.
Shippo wiggled his eyebrows at Tetsuya, who promptly threw a sloppy swing at him over the table. Shippo simply leaned back and forced words passed the laughter that was choking him. "Come on in!"
When Maeve entered the room, her large purple eyes soaking up the light, Tetsuya promptly spun his head away from her. She bowed to them before making her way over to her patient. She kneeled down on the tatami and placed a first aid kit, some water, and new bandages beside her. Her pale cheeks blushed as her eyes rose to examine where the edge of the bandage met Tetsuya's muscled chest. Kagome bit the inside of her cheek knowingly.
"I need to remove your bandage."
Tetsuya scoffed and crossed his arms against his chest, his eyes still averted from the pretty moth demon. "I don't need a new bandage, it'll be healed soon."
Maeve's soft gaze unexpectedly hardened. "The bandage needs to be changed. You will get an infection if you don't let me clean that wound, demon or not. That was some powerful stuff that you were hit with. It isn't like normal poison. Now, behave and let me help you."
Kagome had no idea how Maeve managed to sound so demanding and yet so kind at the same time. Her voice had remained soft, yet there was an added plea to it that apparently struck Tetsuya. He turned to look at her with wide eyes as his arms slowly fell down to his sides.
"Oh… Okay…" He mumbled. Inuyasha scoffed and Tetsuya immediately threw on the tough-guy act. "Keh, fine woman. Do what you wish." He jutted his head in the opposite direction and shoved his nose into the air.
Kagome couldn't help but roll her eyes.
Maeve quickly set to work. She gently pressed against Tetsuya's back so that he would lean forward. With a deft claw, she sliced the bandages away. As soon as they were gone, Kagome could see the intensity of the wound that marred his otherwise perfect skin. She sucked in a harsh breath as the reality of his near-death washed over her again.
Even now, with his enhanced healing powers, that wound looked life-threateningly dangerous. The black ooze glistened with a metallic sheen and his blood almost seemed to boil as it was slowly pushed out of his body in little bubbles. Maeve began to clean the wound. Tetsuya tried to hide his pain, but Kagome could still tell that it was hurting him a whole hell of a lot. She was used to reading the body language of stubborn dog demons after all.
Once the black ooze was cleared, Maeve covered the wound in a salve before rewrapping his bandages. Each time that her fingertips grazed his abs, Tetsuya's muscles involuntarily twitched. It wasn't long before Maeve was back at their door, bowing, and leaving them just as elegantly as she had come.
"Told ya." Were the first words that Shippo threw Tetsuya's direction; who immediately scoffed at his friend.
Inuyasha's eyes lit up with pleasure. Tetsuya noticed the look, and before Inuyasha had the chance to tease him as well, he spoke up and immediately squashed Inuyasha's playful demeanor. "I called Koki. Told him we could use some help."
Inuyasha blanched.
"You. Did. What?" He enunciated each word with terrifying ferocity.
Tetsuya shrugged nonchalantly. "I called my friend, Koki. He said he'd get the family to come." He glanced at the time on his phone quickly. "I imagine that they will be here by nightfall… Even faster if they decide to run. You know how they are."
Inuyasha's growl was half-menacing, half-annoyed.
"We need some help, so you're going to have to get over it." Shippo rolled his eyes at the frustrated hanyou.
Kagome couldn't help buy wonder who Koki and his family were. Inuyasha seemed so annoyed by the mere prospect of seeing them that she immediately wondered what the reason behind it was. She turned to sweetly smile at Tetsuya, who was still giving Inuyasha a shit-eating grin. "I can't wait to meet your friend and their family."
Tetsuya's eyes burned into her. "Well, you kind of already know Koki's parents."
She could literally hear Inuyasha's teeth grinding together.
She quirked her head. "I do?"
"Yep." Tetsuya gleamed, his eyes catching the rising light.
Her brow furrowed in slight frustration. "Are you going to tell me who they are?"
"Nope." He popped the 'p', only serving to further aggravate her. His expression softened somewhat before he spoke again. "It'll be a nice surprise though, I promise."
Inuyasha scoffed and rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed by the 'surprise'. Kagome looked at each of the three demons at the small table before she inwardly sighed and gave up prodding them for answers. A little surprise could be nice after all. They had a whole lot of bad that was going to be happening a whole hell of a lot sooner than she had anticipated. Something happy would be a good distraction.
"Fine, then." She stated with a determined grunt. She carefully stood up, still unsure of putting weight on her legs. She still felt a little wobbly, a little weak, like her legs might just give out underneath her. All of their eyes followed her, and she suddenly felt the intense need to be away from their gazes. "I'm gonna go clean up. I need a shower…" Her nose wrinkled up as she realized that little bits of dirt and twigs were still clinging to her body. She just had to smell like sweat. "I'll see you guys later, okay?"
Inuyasha's eyes followed her every step. His ears flinched slightly at her words and she quickly looked away from his smoldering amber eyes. A big part of her just wanted to melt when he looked at her. She quickly scrambled for the door and, with a quick wave, exited the room. As soon as she was outside, a longing ached in her heart. But, it wasn't a longing that she was expecting…
She spun on her heel and headed in the opposite direction of her room, towards the hot spring. All she wanted to do was lounge in the steamy water and let it soak all her worries away. She wasn't sure about the longing that she felt in her heart. She felt all kinds of confused and all that she wanted was a nice warm soak. It was still early, so by the time that she opened the shoji door to the woman's only side of the hot spring, there was no one else around yet. She heaved a heavy sigh and slid off her shoes and put them in the shoe cubby. She quickly scrambled out of her clothing and, after folding them carefully, she put them on a shelf above her shoes. She stepped carefully up onto the cold stone floor. Its coolness seeped into the soles of her feet as she plodded over to the washing area. She sat down on a stool and turned on the faucet. The cold water ran over her warm skin and she shivered slightly. She pumped some soap into her hands and scrubbed her hair before washing her body. As soon as she was clean, she twisted her hair up into a clip and sauntered towards the steamy waters of the hot spring.
As soon as her leg sunk into the volcanic water, a certain kind of peace washed over her that she hadn't truly experienced since being in the Feudal Era. She lowered herself down into the water until she was submerged up to her neck. With a heavy sigh, she leaned her head back against the natural stone edge of the spring.
Her thoughts wandered to Sango. She couldn't help but remember every single time that they had shared a bath together. All of their girl talk floated through her mind in a pleasant wave of nostalgia that, for the first time, she didn't shove away. She missed her friend… She missed the time that they had spent together… She missed their talks about Inuyasha and Miroku… She simply missed everything about the woman whom she had called her sister.
The sound of the shoji door sliding open startled her from her memories. When her eyes blinked open, she felt a cold tear slid down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away and looked up to see who had entered. Her eyes widened when she saw a very naked Hana walking over to the washing area. Hana nodded slightly at her and Kagome closed her eyes to once again lean against the stone. Several minutes later, there was a small splash when Hana stepped into the boiling water. For a while, it was quiet. Kagome's heart beat nervously. She didn't know why, but she got the feeling that Hana had something that she needed to say to her. It wasn't long before she was proven right.
"These hot springs are amazing, aren't they?" Hana's voice was gentle as it floated through the steam that separated them.
Kagome nodded and opened her eyes again. Hana was watching her carefully, almost like she was analyzing her. "Yea, it brings back some good memories."
Hana's eyes widened slightly. "It does?"
Kagome nodded and lowered herself in the water until the edges of its steamy surface tickled her bottom lip. "Yea, just some memories of a friend that I truly miss."
Hana nodded, as if she somehow understood. They sat in companionable silence for a bit longer before Hana spoke up again. "How do you feel about my son?"
Well, that was blunt.
Kagome blushed and was glad that she could blame the pink color on the heat. "Um…" She mumbled.
Hana's thin eyebrow rose elegantly. "Don't be shy about it. You know how he feels about you. Daichi… He loves you." The words hung between them like a heavy weight, and Kagome felt burdened by them. "I worry about him… I don't want to see him hurt. Not again. Not like before."
Kagome's heart quickened. "Like before?"
Hana shrunk back when she realized her slip-up. "Ugh…"
"What do you mean?"
With a heavy sigh, Hana's face softened. "He never told you about Kairi, did he?"
Kagome shook her head, her heart beating erratically in her chest. "Who is that?"
"I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but…" Hana groaned and sunk deeper into the water. "Kairi was a girl he met in college. They dated for three years. He brought her here over summer vacation several years ago and showed her what he really was…" Hana's face darkened and a threatening look took it over. Kagome gasped slightly at the terrifying protective demeanor that Hana was exuding. "She didn't… Take it too well. We had to have her memory wiped. Daichi, he was… It really hurt him." Hana sucked in a shaky breath before she continued her story. "He was never really himself again after that, not until he met you… Just, be careful with him, please… I can't see my baby boy be hurt like that again." Hana leveled her with a knowing look as Kagome's heart tightened painfully. "Kairi hurt him, bad… But, you have the power to destroy him. Just think carefully about your decision and, either way, make the decision that is best for you. I just beg of you to please, if you decide to re-join your mate, please let Daichi down as gently as you can."
Kagome's lips sunk into the water and she blew out a few bubbles as the weight of her upcoming decision crashed over her. She rose slightly so that she could reply. "I haven't made a decision yet…"
Hana smiled softly. "I know that. I know what I wish your decision would be, but I also believe that I know what it will be." Hana abruptly stood up and little clouds of steam lifted from her body as she exited the hot spring. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around herself before looking over her shoulder at Kagome one more time. "Just promise me that you'll think carefully. We have a war coming, you don't need to rush to a decision."
Kagome sat up a bit straighter, the tops of her breasts just cresting in the water. "I promise." As soon as the words left her mouth, Hana nodded and departed for the changing area. As soon as she was gone, Kagome sunk down in the water, up to her eyes.
Daichi… He was who she had longed to talk to earlier. A longing that still felt new, forbidden, and wrong…
With a frustrated groan her decision somersaulted in her head. Eventually, she would have to decide to listen to her heart or her head.
As soon as Kagome left the room, Tetsuya turned knowing eyes onto Inuyasha. Inuyasha stiffened underneath the pup's gaze. "You didn't need to involve the wolves."
Tetsuya's eyes narrowed. "Yes, I did. We have a war coming, a war that we can not win alone."
Inuyasha groaned and leaned back onto the palms of his hands. "That's not what I mean…"
Shippo smirked. "It's been over 500 years, you can't seriously think that Koga is still a threat, right? I mean, come on, he has been happily mated for centuries. He even has ten cubs! I mean seriously, Ayame and him can not keep their paws off of each other."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Whatever."
"Oh, let off it…" Tetsuya grinned and flashed Shippo a look that had the kit nearly glowing. "Seems like you and Kagome are getting pretty close again."
Inuyasha's ears shot up and he hoped that they couldn't see the flare of hope that he felt in his heart. "Keh, you're imagining things, pup."
"No, I'm not…" He whipped out his phone and turned it to face him. He was immediately confronted with an image of himself wrapped tightly around Kagome. She was smiling softly in her sleep, her head pressed against his chest, and her fingers were weaved into his fire-rat haori. He sucked in a sharp breath of air and, when he spoke again, his voice wasn't nearly as rough as he had hoped.
"Delete that!" His growl was half-hearted at best.
Tetsuya pulled the phone back and dangled his finger perilously over the picture. "Are you sure?" He drew out the words, teasing Inuyasha with his tone and eyes.
"Damn it, pup." Inuyasha tried to snatch away the phone and Tetsuya jerked it away, accidentally hitting a button as he did so. With a gentle swooshing noise, the picture was deleted.
Inuyasha's heart plummeted.
Shippo rolled his eyes at their actions and stood up. "I better go check on my mate." His eyes darkened. "I need to get to spend some time with her before…" His words trailed off, but they knew what he was thinking…
Before the war started. Before death surrounded them. Before his very life might be claimed in the battle.
Inuyasha was smart enough to realize that, as much as he wanted to, he would never be able to keep Shippo off of the battlefield. Revenge flickered in the darkness of Shippo's eyes, a revenge that Inuyasha wouldn't keep him from exacting.
Shippo spun and left the room. As soon as the door closed with a resounding click, Inuyasha's defensive glare softened. "Did you really delete it?" His voice was more timid than he had wanted it to be.
Tetsuya's playful expression fell and, in that moment, Inuyasha knew that the pup understood exactly how he felt. "Yea…"
"Oh…" Inuyasha's hands curled up. He knew that it was illogical, but he just wanted to keep staring at the photo. That picture gave him hope that maybe, just maybe, Kagome might choose to be with him again.
Tetsuya's lips curled up in a knowing smile. "Don't worry, I forwarded it to you hours ago."
With a soft blush Inuyasha bowed his head. "Thanks, pup."
It was hours later, just when the afternoon was fading into evening, when Kagome found Daichi. He was sitting in the sand by the ocean, his eyes lost over the horizon. She sat down beside him and his ears flickered towards her in a small form of acknowledgement. The waves crashed against the shore, but beside that, it was silent. None of the guests at the resort had ventured out to the sunny shore, all of them feeling the stress from the presence of the Monto the day before. By now, they had all been informed of what was happening. Honestly, Kagome was surprised that they hadn't simply packed up and left.
Daichi's hand inched towards hers, and she didn't pull away when his fingers wrapped gently around her own. "How are you?" He questioned softly, his eyes never leaving the distant horizon.
Kagome shrugged, her grip tightening around his clawed hand. "I'm fine."
He turned his yellow eyes onto her and it was like he could see into her soul. "Don't lie. I know you. I know that you're not okay."
Kagome's defenses fell beneath his searching gaze. "You're right, I'm not fine." She turned away from him to look out over the glistening sea.
"You killed someone." His voice was soft, hesitant. "I know you, I know that doing that must be eating you up inside."
"He was a bad man, he would have killed Tetsuya." Her voice shook.
"It doesn't matter that he was a bad man. It doesn't matter that you did what had to be done. I know who you are. I know that he had to be killed, and I can't imagine what doing that must have felt like…" His voice drifted slightly and his grip on her tightened. He lifted her hand to rest in his lap and wrapped his other hand around it lovingly as well. "Even though I know that I will find out soon enough what it feels like to kill someone… I know that, in the end, it doesn't matter that he was an evil man. It is still going to bother you that you killed a man, not a demon, but an actual human."
Kagome sucked in a deep breath and tried not to think about the crumpled body of the man she had killed. She had been blinded by her power, by her hate, by the all-consuming need to destroy those who had hurt her family. She knew that she had to kill him, that it was something that had to be done, but still… It hurt. There was a dull ache in her chest that served as a constant reminder that she had killed another human being. Regardless of how evil he was, he was still a person. He had still been someone's son, someone's friend, and maybe even someone's love.
With a resigned sigh, she leaned her head against his shoulder. "You're right… It still hurts."
He leaned his head on top of hers. "I know…" His hands tightened around hers. "I know." He kissed the top of her head and she let her emotions run through her. She felt completely vulnerable, and he shifted to wrap an arm around her waist. His hand lightly grabbed her side and she pinched her eyes shut. A tear slowly slipped down her cheek. Sometimes, Daichi said the exact right thing at the exact right time.
They stayed like that for a long time before the sound of approaching vehicles broke them from their bubble. "Looks like our new guests have arrived." Daichi's voice melded in with the crashing waves as he helped her to stand up.
"Apparently, I know who they are." She frowned. "Even though they wouldn't tell me, Tetsuya said he wanted it to be a surprise."
Daichi's eyebrow rose. "I see." He never let go of her hand as they walked back to the resort. Heat slowly slid up her arm at the contact. A soft blush coated her cheeks by the time they walked through the resort's entrance, only for her eyes to widen to the size of saucers.
An extremely familiar face smiled back at her. His pale blue eyes, his black hair tied back in a high pony-tail, his tanned skin, and the pelt wrapped around his shoulders harkened her back to the past.
"Koga?" She gasped.
His eyes darted to Kagome's and Daichi's clasped hands and his smile settled into a slightly irritated smirk. "Kagome, it's good to see you again. I hardly believed it when mutt-face told me that you were from the future."
Kagome dropped Daichi's hand and rushed her friend. She wrapped him in a hug and her face was immediately shoved into the burly fur that was wrapped around his shoulders. The rest of his outfit had been majorly updated. He donned a pair of jeans and T-shirt that oddly offset the regal fur. She heard a soft cough and immediately pulled away from him to be greeted by Ayame's red hair. Before Ayame could utter a word, Kagome had wrapped her up in a hug as well. When she was done, she leaned back with tears glistening in her eyes.
"Told ya it was a good surprise." Tetsuya laughed as he sauntered over.
Koga's eyes darted between her and Daichi again, and it was only then that she realized that Daichi was hovering behind her protectively. "How have you been?"
Koga's eyes leveled her as he smirked. "What, that shit didn't tell you?" He jerked his head in Inuyasha's direction, making Kagome notice that he was there. His eyes were somewhat downcast, but his ears perked up at the insult that Koga threw his way. He pushed through the impressive crowd of wolf demons to reach her side; his posture stiff and defensive.
"Like she needed to know about what was going on in your shit life." He scoffed.
"Oh, come on dog-turd, we were engaged after all."
Kagome rolled her eyes as their old arguments washed over her. Daichi stiffened behind her, clearly left out of the joke.
"No, she wasn't!" Inuyasha quickly rose to Koga's bait, his emotions in turmoil.
Ayame stepped between the two bickering demons. "Now, now…" She shot an angry glare at Koga and punched him in the stomach. He coughed as the pain from her punch wormed through him. "You know better than to go spouting that lie again. Chill out, Kagome is his mate after all."
Kagome stiffened…
Inuyasha froze…
… and the rest of the demons in the room shifted uncomfortably.
Koga wrapped an arm around Ayame's slightly swollen waist and pulled her back against his chest. "Dear, I know that your senses go a little wacky when you're pregnant, but can you really not smell that?"
Ayame took a big sniff and her eyes widened.
"That's right, that dog-shit let her go. Her mark is nearly gone."
Ayame gasped and her small hand shot up to cover her look of surprise. An awkward tension filled the room before a booming voice shattered through it.
"So, Dad, this is the human woman you were obsessed with." A wolf demon emerged from the crowd. He stood as tall as Koga, and was nearly his twin, except for the red hair that he had clearly inherited from Ayame. He wore a fur around his shoulders as well, furthering his likeness to his father. He placed his hands on his hips and leaned towards her, his nose mere inches from her face. She felt Inuyasha and Daichi bristle.
He leaned back onto one leg before the demons could pounce. "I'm Koki, Koga's firstborn." His eyebrow rose slightly. "I see the appeal."
"You fucking cub!" Inuyasha snapped. He took a threatening step towards Koki, his fist raised, and Kagome reacted on an old instinct.
"Sit boy."
The words left her mouth without her permission.
Inuyasha crashed to the floor with muffled shouts of discontent as the wolf demons around them tried not to laugh at his face-plant.
Koga smirked and shoved his son. "Stupid boy, Inuyasha could kill ya." Koga's eyes hardened slightly as he reproached his son. Inuyasha peeled his face off of the floor to glower at Koki, and Koga laughed. "Even though, it feels like old times seeing you plummet to the ground."
"Stupid wolf." Inuyasha growled.
"We should catch up, why don't you and Ayame come join me in my room?" Kagome lightheartedly questioned.
Koga nodded enthusiastically. His arm around Ayame's swollen middle tightened. "Let me get this crowd settled. Ayame, you go with Kagome." She nodded and he planted a soft kiss on her forehead before he loosened his grip on her. Kagome smiled warmly at the loving sight. She was glad to see how happy he was. She had always known that him and Ayame would be good for each other. "Plus, if Inuyasha will ever get off of his lazy ass…"
"Hey!" Inuyasha protested as he began to peel himself off of the floor.
"… then he could bring me to talk with the owners. We need to set up a meeting for tonight."
Daichi stepped forward so that he was by her side. "I'm their son, I can take you to them."
Koga analyzed him briefly before nodding his assent. "I'll meet you and Kagome upstairs later, okay?"
Ayame went up on her tip-toes and placed a chaste kiss upon his lips before she nodded at him. Kagome walked around Inuyasha and led a quiet Ayame upstairs. As soon as they were in her room, Kagome motioned for Ayame to sit down. They sat down on opposite sides of the small table.
"Congratulations, by the way."
Ayame's eyes widened before she placed a small hand on her slightly protruding belly. "Thanks… We weren't supposed to have another one. But, Koga… He is insatiable." She blushed as if she said more than she had planned to.
Kagome blushed as well. "How many cubs do you two have?"
Ayame's face softened as memories washed over her. "This one will make eleven."
"Eleven!" Kagome's jaw popped open in her surprise.
"Yea, Koki is the oldest. He was born shortly after you, well…"
"Disappeared?"
Ayame nodded. "We held off on having pups for a couple years at first. We needed to re-establish the territory and make the borders secure. Koga was gone a lot. By the time you appeared again he had only just secured his control over the region. You were gone again so fast that we didn't even get the chance to see you."
Kagome smiled sadly as she listened to Ayame's short story. She could still hardly believe that they had so many cubs. There was a soft knock on the door and Kagome quickly shouted for them to enter, thinking that it was Koga.
Instead, when the door opened, she was met by a green-eyed, brown-haired, angelic-looking wolf cub. She was small, maybe only around seven years old. She rushed towards Ayame and wrapped her little arms around her neck in a tight hug. Ayame smiled and ruffled the girls curly hair. The girl sat down beside her and Ayame pulled her close to her side.
"Kagome, this is Samura, our youngest. Well, at least until this little one is born."
"Hi, Samura." Kagome waggled her fingers at the little girl, who immediately ducked her head behind her mother's arm.
Ayame laughed. "She's a little shy."
Kagome's large smile fell somewhat as thoughts of war once again entered her brain. "Why did you…"
"Bring her here?" Ayame supplied the end of her question as she gently pushed Samura out from behind her arm. "We live on this island off of the coast of Japan. There are no humans there. There are only wolf demons. The humans think that the land in uninhabitable. We made the mountainous area our new home after the Monto forced us off of the mainland. Koga wouldn't risk his people. He wouldn't make the same mistakes that he did with Naraku. He would not see his people die. So, we moved to the island. No matter what happens here, I couldn't leave Koga's side. All of our children are coming. Nearly all of the remaining demons on the island are coming. There was no one left to watch her. Plus, I wouldn't know if she was safe. Here, I can keep her with me. Protected."
As her words faded the door was shoved open. Koga entered, followed closely by Inuyasha. Kagome looked to see if Daichi had tagged along as well, and was a bit disappointed when she didn't see him walk through the door. Koga immediately sat down beside his daughter and wrapped an arm around her. Inuyasha snagged the spot next to Kagome.
"I'm surprised that you brought your cub." Inuyasha stated.
Koga's arm tightened around Samura. Her big eyes were glued onto Inuyasha. "I didn't feel like I could leave her there, out of sight."
Inuyasha nodded, as if on some primal level he understood Koga's need to have his cubs within sight. After all, that was the only way to truly ensure that they were actually safe. "Ayame and the young ones should stay with Satori and Sayori."
"I heard that Shippo finally had a kit. Guess you're the odd man out."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes as Kagome looked away from all of them. Her hand came to rest upon her flat stomach and a familiar pain stormed up from her gut. It had been her fault, after all, that they hadn't been able to have pups.
Ayame whacked Koga upside the head.
"Hey, what was that for?" He cried as he rubbed the sore spot.
Ayame scoffed and shot Kagome a sympathetic look that made her heart ache.
Kagome cleared her throat. "So, are we all set up for tonight?"
Koga eyed her. "Yes, in an hour, at sunset, everyone at the resort will meet on the beach. Those who want to stay and fight, can. Otherwise, they will need to leave for their own safety."
"You're a doggy!" Samura suddenly cried out, pointing a clawed finger at Inuyasha's ears.
Inuyasha blushed and Kagome couldn't help but laugh. "Control your cub, you damn wolf!"
"Who you callin' a damn wolf?" Koga's hands slammed down onto the little table.
"You, ya filthy mongrel!"
"Ya damn mutt!"
Kagome sighed, but relaxed back into the familiar atmosphere of the two bickering demons. It was exactly like old times.
When the sun set, they were all gathered at the beach. There was an impressive number of demons there. Wolf demons crowded the area, while the guests at the resort mingled between them in mild awe. Daichi squirmed through the crowed to reach Kagome's side. She was standing by the water's edge with the leader of the wolf demon pack, Koga. His mate stood faithfully by his side as his cubs stood off to the side. Only five of them had arrived so far, but the others would be there within a day or two. The murmurings of the crowd were a dull roar. By the time that he had reached the front, Chokichi and Hana were already there waiting for him. When he took his place by Kagome's side, he didn't miss the threatening looks that Inuyasha and Koga threw his way.
Chokichi spoke in a booming voice to quell the crowd. "We have a decision to make!" The crowd hushed as he spoke, every ear attuned to his words. The stripes on his cheeks spoke of his heritage and demanded compliance. "A war is on the horizon. The Monto could show up any day. You have a decision to make. You can stay here and fight, or return home tonight."
The crowd's voice grew to a whisper as the guests began to talk once more. Koga stepped forward, his blue eyes glistening in the growing night. "I am the leader of the wolf demon tribe, and all of my able bodied warriors, even my own cubs, have come to fight! You have a decision to make. Just know that we will be here fighting, and even dying if necessary. It is time that we make a stand."
Inuyasha nodded gruffly in agreement and stepped forward. His hand rested on the hilt of his legendary blade and even Daichi marveled at the confidence that he exuded. Inuyasha was weathered by war and time. He knew what it was to fight. He knew what it meant to suffer. He knew the real weight of sacrifice.
He knew of things that Daichi had never experienced…
"My name is Inuyasha. You have heard of my brother, Lord Sesshomaru, Hero of Japan." The crowd murmured excitedly before he continued. "His son is here tonight. We will fight!" his hand tightened on the hilt of his sword, almost as if he wanted to draw it.
"You have a decision to make." Chokichi declared. "Make it soon. Think carefully, and decide your fate and possibly the fate of all demons. It is time that we stop the Monto."
The voices in the crowd rose to a mild roar. Daichi slid closer to Kagome and reflexively took her hand in his. She didn't pull away, and he took that as a good sign.
He was going to let himself hope for as long as possible.
After several tense minutes the crowd began to part as Hideaki Hashimoto, the head of the toad demon family, made his way to the front of the crowd. The wolf demons with their sensitive noses, shied away from the putrid stench that the toad demon created. When the old demon made his way to the front, he stopped squarely in front of Inuyasha as he revered him in silence. The crowd quieted down when he raised one boiled hand.
His voice was gravely when he spoke. "The toad demons will give you their assistance. We will stop bathing immediately." A globule of slime slid down his back as he talked, and the wolves backed a bit more away from him. At the moment, Koga was desperately trying to keep his composure as the uniquely disturbing scent of toad demon slime wafted over him. "Our mucus can be quite useful in battle. We will stay. We will fight. We will die."
The crowd roared with their approval as more and more of the toad demons made their way to the front. Suddenly, Daichi regretted ever bemoaning their disgusting excretions. They were offering to help. They were offering to fight. So what if they had messed up the bath? So what if they smelled like decaying garbage?
They were about to make a sacrifice that not many others would make.
His hand tightened around Kagome's as, one by one, every single guest at the resort volunteered to join their army. As each voice rose in answer to their call, Daichi felt pride swell within his chest.
They could do this. They would fight the Monto…
And they would win.
Wilhelm growled as the scouts quaked before him. Kagome, that bitch, was in Okinawa? He grabbed the lead scout by the scruff of his neck and yanked him into the Council's chamber. Wilhelm threw the man onto the ground and he coward before them.
"What is the meaning of this?" Ranvir snapped.
"The scouts have failed, but they have some interesting news." Wilhelm snarled. The Grandmaster leaned forward inquisitively, his chin resting upon his entwined fingers.
"What is this interesting news?" He inquired.
Wilhelm kicked the scout in the side. The man coughed up bile before he managed to wheeze out an answer. "We were attacked by a miko… There was a demon. There's a whole lot of demons there."
"Really?" The Grandmaster nearly purred.
Ciar leaned forward. "There's a whole resort of them…" His voice was barely more than a heated whisper.
Kane grunted. "Sounds like we're going to have a fight on our hands. You were spotted…" His eyes were like daggers as he stared down at the disgraced scout. "They know that we are coming, they are going to prepare."
Mora snickered. "They're going to be prepared for a war. They have that Miko on their side."
"She's on their side for now." Wilhelm supplied.
"Oh?" Mora's thin eyebrows rose questionably. "You want her?"
"Yes, I want her. I will change her. I will make her own of us."
The Grandmaster leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed in contemplation. "So, we have a war, do we? We will go and, when we win, you can have her."
Wilhelm nearly drooled at the thought.
"Grandfather, when you say that 'we' will go…" Mora's voice trailed off.
The Grandmaster nodded, excitement dripping from his features. "Yes, even the Council. We will all go. If they want a war, we will give them a war."
"Finally!" Ranvir cheered. "A chance to spill fresh blood."
Wilhelm couldn't help but agree. His mind was centered upon Kagome. He would take her. He would bind her. He would torture her. He would brand her with his cattle prod until she passed out from the pain, and then he would take everything that she had left…
He would own her.
~ Author's Note ~
I'm so sorry! I know that I got this out late. I'm working on moving countries and so life is really hectic. I should have the next chapter out Monday or Tuesday.
Only four more chapters left!
I have them all planned out, just not written yet.
What did you think of this chapter?
Thank you so much to all of my reviewers! We broke 200 reviews, can you believe that? I'm still in shock. Thank you so much for your support.
Please, let me know your thoughts with a review.
~ FeudalAi