Chapter Twenty-five
Arashi's eyes fluttered open as the sunlight touched her face. She slowly sat up and ran her hand across her face. She paused at her chin before letting her fingers trail down her neck to stop at her new mate mark. She smiled slightly as she gently traced it. This would be a scar that she would be proud to bare. 'Mate. That's a new word. I like it. ' she thought with a smile. She turned and looked over her shoulder at her new ' mate ' with a smile. He was still asleep and he looked so relaxed. One of his hands was resting beside her hip, where it had probably been resting across her waist. His other was laying across the pillow she had been and she knew that her head had been resting comfortably. She smiled and turned back to the window letting her head rest on her knees that were drawn up to her chest. Her finger gently traced her new mark as she gently smiled looking out the window.
Sessho-maru's eyes slowly opened and the first thing that he saw was the scarred back of his new mate. He had noticed the scars on her back the night before but had been slightly occupied to ask about them. Now he lay there just looking at them. He could tell that a couple were claw marks and one on her shoulder blade he recognized that it was from the time when his armor spike had pierced her skin. He winced slightly but was careful not to let her notice wanting to watch her a little longer. His gaze traveled across her back. Some scars he could not tell where they were from, but others he did. Like the long whip scars that stretched from her shoulders to both of her waists. But as his eyes followed one, his attention was drawn to an extremely large one. It looked like a fancy cross. He couldn't take the silence anymore and he could see that she was gently tracing her new mate mark with her finger tips. " Do you regret it aisei ?" he asked softly as he slowly sat up. Arashi didn't even jump as she heard his voice. Instead she turned her head so that it was resting on her knees looking at him.
" Iie. I would never regret it...danna. " she said with a smile that made her eyes glow. Sessho-maru smiled as he shifted himself so that he could look at her face to face. He was propped on his elbow half curled around her. His tail curled around his hip and then wrapped around her lower half the tip gently stroking her other thigh.
" You have many scars my love. Why ?" he asked gently as he stroked a loose strand of hair out of her face gazing at her tenderly. Arashi looked at him as her hand came up to gently hold his clawed hand to her cheek before softly kissing the palm.
" The long thin ones are from my mother and a couple of cults that have caught me. " she said softly.
" Cults ?" Sessho-maru asked testing the word.
" It's where a group of people get together and they do only one thing. Worship something. I was to take them out. I got caught at one point and tortured for information. Someone had to come in a get me out. " she said softly as she looked at him sadly.
"And this one ?" he asked as his hand traveled down to gently trace the cross scar. Arashi's hand joined his.
" Vampire fighters. A church. I was tried as a witch and they marked me. Branded me with iron. " she said. Sessho-maru raised an eyebrow in question. Arashi took a shaky breath. " They tied me to a stake. Heated a piece of metal in the shape of this scar. They ripped the back of my uniform off. Threw ' holy ' water on me and chanted some fake holy text. And then they pressed the heated metal to my skin pressing it as deep into me as they could. " she said softly. She was slightly surprised when Sessho-maru gave a small whine and gently nuzzled her cheek. " It does not hurt anymore husband. " she said softly as she leaned into his loving touch.
" You lie. I can see the pain in your eyes when you even speak of it. I know that it hurts you much. " he whispered as his lips brushed her jaw. Slowly his lips traveled back up to her lips catching them in a loving kiss.
" I love you. " she murmured through his lips as her hand came up to gently tangle in his hair.
" As do I. " he replied as his own hand gently fisted in her hair. He pulled his mouth from hers to gently tug her head to the side. " This, " he started as his lips just barely brushed her mark. " is proof of my love. This is a mark that only you will carry and no other shall have. " he said softly as he nuzzled and kissed her neck. Arashi smiled.
" I will bear it with pride and love. " she said as her fingers started to gently trace circles on his back. A purr escaped his chest as his hand released her head and his head moved so that he was gently kissing and nuzzling the other side. Arashi opened her eyes to come face to face with his own neck. " Sessho-maru ! Did I ?" she asked as she reached a hand up and gently touched the small bite mark there.
A shiver of pleasure rippled through him. " Hai you did. " he said softly as he pulled back to look her in the eyes.
" Gomen. " she said as she gently kissed the mark. Sessho-maru couldn't help but groan as he held her closer.
" There is no reason. It only means that you have accepted myself as your mate. It did not hurt. " he said as he ran his fingers through her hair. Arashi looked at him and smiled.
" Good. " she said as she gently nuzzled the side of his face. Sesssho-maru smiled as he held her close.
" I need you aisei. " he whispered into her ear as he gently nibbled it. Arashi couldn't help the small blush that spread across her cheeks.
" Shouldn't we be getting up ?" she asked as his kisses moved to her shoulder.
" Iie, we have all day. This is our mating week. No one will bother us. " he said gently. Arashi smiled. " And if I am lucky, I will have you pupped by the end of the week. " he said softly. His eyes snapped open as he froze and thought of Temear's words. ' No pups. '
Arashi paused as she let his words sink in. " Sessho-maru I need to tell you something. " she said softly as she pulled back slightly.
" I need to inform you of something as well aisei. " Sessho-maru said gently as he looked at her. Arashi's brow furrowed.
" You first. " she said. Sessho-maru took a deep breath.
" When Temear was examining you, she found much stress to your body. I could see why. But she said as an effect of this stress on your body, that you would be unable to bear pups. " he said gently as ran a finger down her arm. Arashi blinked in surprise.
" I healed that wound. " she said bluntly. Sessho-maru's eyes snapped to hers.
" What ?" he asked in question.
" I healed that wound. The scar tissue that is there, is gone. " she said. Sessho-maru smiled and opened his mouth to speak when she place her finger tips to his lips. " Do not celebrate just yet, I need to tell you my news. " she said softly. Sessho-maru looked at her worried. Now is was her turn to be nervous and take a deep breath. " We still might not be able to have children Sessho-maru. " she said sadly.
" Why ?" he asked. She took another deep breath.
" Because where I am from, there aren't any children born to the parents of a witch and youkai. I don't know why, but so many mates can not have children just because of what they are. " she said looking at him teary eyed. Sessho-maru's eyes widened.
" Shh. It'll be alright. We'll be fine. Its alright. " he said softly as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close.
"Aisei, look at me please. " Sessho-maru cooed gently as he nuzzled the side of her cheek. Arashi lifted her eyes to look up at him tears still filling them. " Please, do not cry. It breaks my heart to see you cry. You have already had too much sadness. Its alright. " he said softly as he lovingly kissed her ear. Arashi's eyes closed as she leaned into his touch.
" Thank you. I am sorry to make you sad danna. " she said gently.
" Iie, just please do not cry anymore. " he said as his lips moved to her own.
" I need you again my love. " Sessho-maru said through her lips as his hand gently stroked her bare back.
" As do I. " she replied. Sessho-maru smiled as he caught her lips in a hungry kiss.
Sessho-maru was just about to lay her back on the bed, when the door was flung open. A growl so loud that it shook the room slightly came from Sessho-maru's throat as his arm went around Arashi's waist as he pulled her to his chest so that her body was blocked from view. He looked over his shoulder to see a stunned Jaken at the door. Jaken took a slight step back as his master's eyes bled red. " Jaken, if you do not have a good enough reason for coming into my room, I will kill you now. " Sessho-maru growled as his grip tightened around Arashi's waist. Arashi huddled into Sessho-maru's chest as his tail came up to wrap fully around her.
" H-Hai Sessho-maru-sama, Kagome-sama and Koga-sama have arrived and I was asked to find you. " the frightened toad said as stood there shaking. Sessho-maru's eyes returned to normal.
" Very well, you will live. Now, leave. Take Kagome and Koga to the first meeting room and make sure that they have food and water. " he said calming down slightly.
" Hai. " Jaken squeaked as he ran out of the room not even bothering to bow.
"Kagome and Koga's here ?" Arashi asked with a smile as Sessho-maru looked back at her.
" Hai, I sent for them yesterday. We will go to them now if you wish. " he said gently as he brushed her cheek with his knuckles.
" Hai, I would like to see them. " she said with a smile. Sessho-maru nodded.
" Very well. Come let us get cleaned. " he said as he slid off the bed and held his hand out to her. Arashi took his hand and let him lead her to the bathroom.