A/N: Woo!! See I told you I would get a few of those things out of the way. I don't think that the lemon was all of what it could be but it works. I hope you enjoyed it and the Inu bashing. The idea of an ass-kicking Kagome it so awesome. Girls should be able to stand up for themselves after all. And Kagome now has an idea for killing Zakhra. Talk about a nice day. You'll see that in this chapter too, we'll get to the thing about the ring soon and keep your eyes wide (not too wide you'll get a bug) open for Drizzt/Artemis goodness.
Disclaimer: I do not own Drizzt or any of Mr. Salvatore's characters they belong to him. Kagome and anyone from Inuyasha belong to Rumiko Takahashi. Anyone else is most likely mine unless otherwise claimed. I have no intentions to steal any characters that are not mine and I don't have a penny to my name so please don't sue me.
Violence! Yay violence!!
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Chapter Twenty-four: Missing
Everyone,
I'm sorry I left without telling any of you. I know by now you must all be terribly worried about me. I know it must not seem wise to any of you that I left alone, truth be told I don't like the idea much either but I fear it is the only way at the moment. This is something I have to do before we face Zakhra, I'm sure now that I know how to defeat him and why we could not before. I have something now that I didn't the other times I fought him.
Artemis, I'm sorry that I took the Charon's Claw. I need it. In case I fail, I have enchanted your sheath to return with the sword to you. The Charon's Claw I have learned, will be crucial to killing Zakhra. Paired with my sword Radiant Death they create a sort of flux in his energy. Shanali hit him with it before he was able to take it from her and the wound has had a still lasting effect. When I attacked him the last time with Radiant Death I sent a form of over pure energy into him, it reacted with the residual energy from the Charon's Claw giving the spell a vampiric property. I think that is why I healed so fast and he still grows weaker. Radiant Death is absorbing his power I think, and giving me access to his mind. I intend to use this against him. Radiant Death will neutralize the rest of his power. The Charon's Claw will devour him.
Nira, I'm sorry I went through your belongings and took some of Shanali's things. I cannot yet fully explain why I did, only that I know I will need them. I enchanted them to come back to you if I can't bring them back myself.
I wish I knew more about what I'm doing. I feel like someone else is guiding me through this and even though it goes against my better judgment I am going with it. I feel the most guilt for you Drizzt, I know I should not have left you the way I did last night but I felt I had to. If you must know, I am writing this as you are walking down the hall to Artemis. I want you to be happy. I want you to be able to move on without me if I don't come back. Be with him. You two need each other more than I think either of you realize. Remember that I love you. I will always love you. If I hadn't started dreaming about you I don't know what I would have done with myself. I probably wouldn't have even left Shiara's house again. I'm sorry that I've done this to you and I hope that you will forgive me.
Hitori, you're the best friend anyone could want. You've always been there for me and have never judged me unfairly. I love you. Don't get too mad at me for this okay? I'm sorry if I disappoint you, but you know how I am. I want to see this through to the end and I feel that the end is almost upon us. Zakhra has gone back to his former castle on the eastern side of the main island.
I know that a letter is a sad way to say good-bye. It's the only thing I could think of doing it though. Please forgive me everyone. I've left you my crystal so you can find me.
Kagome
Entreri and Drizzt looked up at exactly the same time completely mortified. Kagome was gone. Entreri had known that already but he had not known that it would be like this. He looked under his bed only to find the Charon's Claw gone as Kagome had mentioned in the letter. He quickly returned to the bed when he heard Drizzt let out a strangled sob. The drow ranger had burst into tears for his missing love. Entreri wrapped his arms tightly around him in an effort of comfort, Drizzt cried heavily into his chest.
"What are we going to do!" Drizzt cried. "We have to go get her!"
Entreri held him tighter to try to get him to calm down. When Drizzt began to cry harder he forced himself on top of the drow and held him still. Drizzt managed to calm himself down but tears still streamed down his face. Artemis gently began to stroke the ranger's cheek. "Calm down, we'll find a way to go after her. But we have to tell the others first. They need to know."
Drizzt nodded dumbly against him. Artemis was right. Artemis was always right. He let himself be lifted by the assassin and together they went to the others.
The others were no happier about her being gone either. though their reactions were not nearly as emotional as Drizzt's, they were upset and demanded that they go after. Shortly after they tracked down Hitori to make him tell them where she was only to have him not know the location of Zakhra's castle.
"But I think I know who does!" the half drow pleaded with his friends. They let go of his hair and waited for him to explain. "Yuri usually keeps records of those things. Kagome has always reported Zakhra's locations after she battled him. I have an idea of the one she mentioned in her letter but Yuri would be the one to know for sure."
They let him go and ran off in search of the elfmaid who was conveniently nowhere to be found within the temple.
"Great!" Drizzt yelled in anger. "Now what are we going to do? Anybody else have a fucking plan!" He let out a feral sounding growl and went about muttering to himself. The remaining companions knew tha they needed to do something to placate him somehow. His anger was well founded but it would not be good for anyone. Entreri once again wrapped the ranger in a tight embrace, Drizzt tried to get away but lost to the assassins new strength.
"We'll either go find Yuri or we'll wait for her to get back. That's all we can do unless someone else knows where to find that castle." Entreri said to him firmly. On cue everyone turned again to Hitori. The half drow merely shrugged. He didn't know anyone else who would know about Zakhra's castle. "Don't worry, we'll find her." Entreri whispered gently into Drizzt's ear. He led the drow away and back to their shared room. Drizzt needed to be away from the others for a little while.
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"I don't care if you haven't fully examined it yet. I need that ring." Kagome calmly said to the demoness.
"Kagome, you know that this is a bad idea. Where are you even getting your information?" Kitana asked with equal calm.
Seemingly a bit deflated Kagome thought it over for a few moments. "I don't entirely know." she confessed. "I just know that it's right. Now please, give me that ring." Kitana reached into her pocket but did not take out the ring in question. Her eyes narrowed for a second but then her expression softened. She had been thinking about giving the ring to Kagome anyway. Kitana withdrew her hand containing the ring and deposited it in Kagome's hand. The young woman placed it in her own pocket.
"Just make sure you at least take a look at it." Kitana suggested. Kagome nodded her agreement. She couldn't be too careful. She left silently without offering a parting word to Kitana. She had work to do.
The Charon's Claw brooded at her hip. It didn't like being at her side. It told her so constantly, she was weak it said. Pathetic in her feelings. She silenced it like she had before. The sword recoiled just as it had every time before. It feared her, that was why it wanted to get away. She reminded it of its former mistress. 'If I remind you of her so much then why don't you like me?' The sword replied with its version of a growl. She was nothing like Shanali it said. Shanali was far better than her. Far stronger. Kagome had heard all of these insults before. She shut them all out completely and the sword gave up.
She ran for miles without stopping. Before she even realized how much time had passd she was at her campsite. Only within twenty miles of Zakhra's castle, she had to be careful while she was so close. She entered the cave she had taken over. It wasn't overly deep, but it was enough to hide what she was doing. Te deep orange glow signaled to her that her work was still in progress. Next came the thick smell of clay. It was working alright. It wasn't something she enjoyed but it as necessary. Not wanting to think about that she took out the ring she had just gotten from Kitana and a few stones in a small leather pouch.
Calmly, Kagome drew a circle around herself and placed a stone in each of the four cardinal directions. She put the ring in the center of the circle and then stepped it out sealing it behind herself. A series of small pulses came from the hole she dug in the far side of the cave. She walked slowly towards it and looked in. The clay sarcophagus pulsed again and flared. It would be done soon, she didn't have much more time to wait. She hoped that the others had gotten the note by now.
Thinking about the others only made her even more upset. She wasn't happy about leaving them the way she did. Kagome took out a small mirror and cast a simple scrying spell to look in on her friends.
None of them were happy that she was gone. She could see that easily from how they were acting. Drizzt was especially angry. Kagome let out a small sigh of dismay, he was only angry because she was gone. He was upset. Entreri was doing the best he could to keep him calm. She watched as the assassin brought the ranger to bed and forced him to go to sleep. Kagome shifted the view to Hitori. He sat at a table in his bedroom drinking his favorite tea. Even through the mirror she could see the tear streaks on his face. She had known that everyone would be upset that she was gone but she had no idea hat it would be like this. A stronger pulse came from the kiln drawing her attention. They were coming at the same rate as a heartbeat.
"Soon." she said to herself.
"Just a little more time..." a soft voice came from somewhere in the cave. Kagome remained unstartled. She had been expecting it and took it as a good sign.
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Drizzt woke up after a few hours of the sleep Artemis had forced him to take. The assassin had been right about one thing though, it had helped and he felt much calmer than he had before. He felt the warm body of the assassin behind him as was their usual arrangement. Drizzt was somewhat surprised that Artemis was still sleeping, normally he was the one to wake first. When had he fallen asleep?
As if sensing the thought question, Artemis opened one eye then yawned profoundly. "Are you feeling any better?" he asked. Drizzt rolled over to be face to face with him then gently slipped his arms around the man's body. Artemis could tell that Drizzt was enjoying the shared warmth more than usual.
"How come you always ask me that?" Drizzt asked as he brushed his lips against Artemis' throat. He felt himself shiver, suddenly he needed more of the warmth from Entreri's body. Without waiting for the assassin to reply he started to gently nip at his throat. Then he rolled over on top of him and started biting his neck. Artemis smiled as Drizzt began to get more and more insistent. Eager hands found their way into his pants and began to stroke him. Drizzt moaned hungrily as Artemis grinded his body into his hand. He moaned again as his lover's strong arms wrapped around him and switched their positions.
Drizzt easily removed the assassin's shirt with one hand then explored the rest of his lean muscled chest. Artemis removed Drizzt's hand from his pants and fully pinned the drow onto the bed even though he knew that Drizzt was not about to go anywhere. The ranger, already topless sighed deeply as Artemis began to lick his way up his neck and then slipped down between his legs, biting up the edge of his pants and letting them snap back down onto his bare skin. Drizzt bit his lip eagerly and shyly asked, "Are you going to do it now?"
"Shhh..." Artemis hushed him and his slender hands danced across the ranger's beltline, tickling and teasing him. He gently untied the laces to the pants and slid them off of the drow's small body, fully admiring his beautiful figure. Smiling evilly he brushed the tip of his tongue over the slit in the drow's weeping sex earning a small, delighted sound of approval from Drizzt who was by now ready to do anything Artemis wanted. "Spread your legs." Artemis whispered softly. He let out a smooth chuckle as Drizzt instantly complied. "Do you want me?" he asked teasing the drow further and then slipping a moistened finger into the drow's tight entrance.
"Yes!" Drizzt moaned. This feeling was entirely new. It hurt slightly but he found that it was only adding to his pleasure. Pleasure that increased as Artemis moved it in and out of him and then added another one. His hips bucked in pure bliss as the assassin continued to play with him. "More!" he begged. "I want more!"
More than ready to comply, Entreri freed himself of his pants and prepared himself to enter the drow. He held in a low groan as his oil slicked hand stroked his erection. He put Drizzt's legs up on his shoulders and entered him in one swift motion. Drizzt first cried out in pain but it lessoned as he grew accustomed to the feeling of a hard cock inside him. "More, More!" he screamed in ecstasy. Artemis thrust harder in response, then to the drow's brief disappointment he pulled out and flipped him over. Drizzt was about to protest the action but his lover thrust back in hard as before, renewing both of their cries of passion. From this new angle, Artemis was directly hitting his sweet spot. And he never even knew he had it!
Drizzt bit into his pillow as the assassin began to stroke his hard length. Behind him, Entreri grasped is hips tightly with one hand and forcing him down harder. He knew that Drizzt was about to cum. He wanted it and he could feel it in the way the drow's smooth inner walls gripped him tightly. He leaned over Drizzt's back to whisper in his ear. "Come on, cum for me." Drizzt moaned his name in response. All at once everything became blindingly bright. Drizzt's hot essence covered his hand and the drow came again right after. Not ready to stop yet Artemis aimed another thrust at his sweet spot causing Drizzt to cum for a third time. He came right after that, the two climaxed together crying out the other's name in his moment of the purest ecstasy.
"That was amazing..." Drizzt breathed contently. "I love you."
On the other side of the bed Artemis smiled back at him. "I love you too." he whispered. "Ready to go back to sleep?" he asked with a chuckle. Drizzt snuggled back into his embrace and quickly fell into an easy sleep. Kagome was out of his reach for some reason. But for some reason this did not bother him as much as it should have. Right now he was safe with Artemis and that was all that mattered. He did not remain awake long enough to find those thoughts baffling.
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It was almost midnight. That made it a full day she had been gone.
Kagome chanted softly within her circle. The stones glowed one at a time with each different arcane phrase she used. Each word was long dawn, calling out to a being she had yet to really know. All she knew was that this being would not hurt her even though it most likely could. She knew it was powerful even though she did not know who it was. It had explained some of itself that morning when she was shaping the figure in the clay sarcophagus. It said it was female, she had not detected a lie. No name had yet been offered but she had a small idea as to who it was. After all, why had it asked her to take those specific clothes from Nira?
She still had no idea what she was going to do with the ring. It had remained in her pouch since she had retrieved it from Kitana. Zakhra had indeed wanted it before and had used the guildmaster the demoness had killed as a way to get it. He had not been expecting the guildmaster to hire Kitana, who in return pilfered the item and killed him.
Kagome entered the second phase of her casting easily. It was mostly a lot of meditation now. She had to wait for the being to be able to fully come to her. Then she had to make herself compatible with it. The sarcophagus could not be opened for another day or so but she felt that there would be a battle later today. She needed the being in order to win this battle.
Within her meditation a few spirits pointed out to Kagome that her friends were on the way. They had discovered the teleportation spell in her amulet and intended to use it to get to her. They told her that they would get to her early in the afternoon and before the battle. They also warned her that they must not see what she was working on in the cave. They would not like it if they found out before the battle and the information could be garnered from them by the enemy and used against her. Kagome told the spirits not to worry, she would keep her work well hidden. She would seal the cave after she was done with this part of the spell and come back when it was safe. The being that had been speaking to her agreed that this was the best plan of action.
The entire outer ring of the circle glowed a deep purple. This part was now complete and she could leave. Another figure in the cave stepped out from behind a rock. "You are serious about doing this." she stated calmly.
"I am." Kagome answered even though it was not a question. "Will you stay here and guard over the place?"
"I will. I at least owe that much to you."
"You'll be sealed in after I leave." Kagome said to the figure who just nodded. She wasn't concerned about being stuck in the cave for a while. "Thank you Kikyo."