Author's Note: OK, so I'm so on a roll now ladies and gents'! As so promised and warned, there is character death in this chapter *dum dum dum*. So, lets see if your guesses are right shall we? ENJOY!
Ch. 25
Death of a Prince
The fire between them seemed to burn a hot, blue flame as their lips met and skin meshed, but within Kikyo's soul, she knew that this was not right; he loved her, that much was true. His love was not what it once was; he loved her memory and the mingling of their bodies was nothing more than an act of redemption for him. Kissing his sweet lips hard once more, Kikyo grabbed a fistful of his hair and pulled his head back sharply. His hazy gilded eyes searched her for an explanation and as she looked at him, she felt tears in her eyes; he made to wipe them from her face, but she just twisted the hair in her grasp harder, jerking his head back with more force than before.
"When you look at me InuYasha, who are you really seeing? Who are you really tasting when your lips touch my skin? Who are you really thinking about when your fingers trace the outline of me?" she said, tears now running free flow down her pale, cold cheeks. He looked at her, stunned and confused by her words.
"I see, taste and feel you Kikyo," he answered thinking that it was obvious enough, but she just tightened her grip on him and he thought that he never remembered her being this strong as a burning ran through his scalp as her nails dug in and his hair pulled free.
"No InuYasha, you don't. You feel my memory, taste what my skin did taste like and you smell what you remember my scent being. When you look at me you see my memory and you cannot love a memory InuYasha," she said as she let him go and he stumbled back from the force. He watched as she repositioned her kimono to cover her still burning adobe shell and then realized that although tears fell from her eyes, they gave no scent; she also gave no scent, had no taste and the warmth he felt under his fingertips and lips was nothing more than the memory of what she once felt of. Thinking harder back, he realized that when he breathed in the scent of her hair, she smelled of soft jasmine and wintergreen and her skin tasted of cinnamon and rain; he had mingled his faded memories of Kikyo with those of Kagome. Upon thinking of Kagome, InuYasha's heart sank and guilt seeped into him, filling him like poisonous miasma. He felt sick and at once hated himself for what he had done and what he had almost done. Looking back at Kikyo as she walked up to his side, he saw the old sparkle of love that resided in her lingering soul and smiled; she was right, he could not love a memory, but that didn't mean he had to forgot it. Smiling up at him, Kikyo placed one last lingering kiss upon his lips, leaving no wetness of taste as her lips met his.
"Take this; it is a gift for the sisters. It will help in prolonging their lives until you can finally send Naraku back to hell. Give it to the houshi, he will know what to do with it," she said as she slipped two vials into InuYasha's hand. He held the vials tightly in his fists and did not turn as he heard her footsteps cease as the door creaked open and felt her eyes linger on him one last time.
"Love her InuYasha; love her like I know you do. She is more precious to you than I ever was and I think you know that. Go to her, she needs you more than anyone else; and you need her more than anything else," and with those words, Kikyo disappeared into the darkened halls and into the silent, still night.
"InuYasha, where have you been? Taiyo said you weren't at your post and I never saw you or Kikyo leave Kagome's room. You didn't…did you?" Miroku asked as InuYasha came stalking towards him; the look that the new youkia gave him silenced him and the vials that InuYasha handed to him intrigued the houshi.
"Kikyo says that they will help prolong the sisters' lives. Figure it out; now monk," InuYasha said sending Miroku hurrying down the stairs, vials clenched tightly in his fist; the houshi knew what the vials contained. Somehow Kikyo had gotten her hands on a significant amount of each sisters ashes and with them, Miroku could partially resurrect them enough to stop Kagome from devouring them, per say. InuYasha heard the monk crash into the kitchen and begin rummaging through cabinets and drawers looking for the supplies he would need and so the youkia focused his gaze on the door and the girl that lay behind it.
Standing outside of the door Miroku had been "guarding," InuYasha could hear Sango and Ely trying to comfort the stifled sniffs and sobs of Kagome; hearing her in such pain and smelling the tears that endlessly fell from her hazelnut eyes only caused his guilt to fill him, suffocating him under its weight. Entering the room, all of the girls looked up at him; Sango and Ely made to tell him to leave, but one nod of his head in the direction of the door told them to leave the two alone. As Sango brushed past him, he grabbed her arm and pulled her close to him.
"Go to Miroku, he may need your help. We will be down in time," he whispered into her ear and then let her go. Sango looked up at him and watched as he stood there, his eyes never leaving the girl who sat hunched over on the bed, fresh tears still streaming down her red flushed face. Closing the door behind her, Sango did as she was instructed and made her way towards Miroku and the commotion coming from downstairs.
"Kagome, look at me," InuYasha said as he knelt by her side and tucked her long raven hair behind her ear. He saw that her eyes glistened with tears and that her skin was puffy and red from those tears falling without restraint. He knew that her tears and the anger she felt towards him held strong merit, but he would not loose her this way. Knowing that she would not look at him on her own, he roughly grabbed her chin and turned her head towards him; her now deep chestnut eyes bore into him angrily and tried to look away, but he would not allow it. Jerking her head back towards him he forced her to look at him; he was growing angry and impatient at her resistance.
"What, did Kikyo have to go already? I expected you to last longer than that InuYasha, and I guess she did too," she hissed, her words cutting him deeply. He growled viciously and shoved her backwards onto the bed roughly; as she tried to sit up, he pinned down her wrists and glared down at her with anger and venom in his eyes. She stared straight back up at him with equal hate and venom swimming in her eyes.
"Don't start with me you damned wench. We both know that she couldn't handle me," he growled lowly, baring his fangs at her as the spite behind those words drenched her to the core. She fought and bucked against him but he just reacted by squeezing her wrists tighter, his talons biting into her skin; her blood and body blazed under his equally burning skin.
"You damned filthy, pompous, lecherous, two timing, bastard youkia; God I hate you!" she spat as she stopped struggling and glared hotly into his fiercely glowing eyes. He just growled loudly and met her lips as she pushed up against him to meet his. Their kiss was hot and filled with anger, guilt, lust, and undying love and devotion. Once again, Kagome found herself bare underneath a hovering InuYasha and a malicious smile broke the surface of her face.
"I hope you told Sango we would be down soon, because I'm sure this won't take long," she said, her voice low and daring. He ground his teeth together in anger and defiance; he lowered himself against her and she could feel the heat and smooth surface of his skin as it came in contact with hers. She had to bite her lip in order to keep from crying out and letting him know that she was on the verge of giving in. InuYasha on the other hand let out a lust filled sigh as he felt her skin on his; he nipped her ear and neck gently, making sure he heard the little gasp escape her lips before he met them with his own.
"I love you InuYasha, you pig-headed, arrogant miscreant," Kagome whispered into his ear as she freed her hands and entwined them in his hair; her lips traced the curve of his neck and she reveled in the sounds he made softly as his sweet, peach taste met her each time.
"And I love you Kagome, you contemptible plain wench," InuYasha replied as he in turn explored the curves of her body, the taste of spicy cinnamon tingling his lips. There was no one to interrupt them this time and so they passed and accepted apologies in the form of flesh and whispers; they did not hear the click of the lock as it was engaged and neither sensed the dark barrier that now encased the door, baring their exit. None saw the ruby eyes that bled hate and contempt either as they dissipated from the dark and beyond the barrier to the group that was gathered downstairs.
"OK everyone, if I've got this right then prepare to meet the Youkia Goddesses in person; or as much of a person that they can be at this point," Miroku said as he cracked his fingers, gripped his staff tightly and turned towards the table that had been set out in front of the full length mirror that Sango had found. In it the two sisters looked on; Tsuki looked both nervous and elated, Taiyo on the other hand looked much like Sesshomaru on any given day; quiet, reserved and overall indifferent.
Taking a deep breath, the houshi opened each vial and poured the contents onto its own plate that was already covered in basil, lavender, parsley, sage, ground ginseng, powdered black liquorice, liquid saiko and bitter black tea leaves. The ashes mixed with the other herbs as Miroku stood above them, one hand clenching his staff while the other hovered above the plates as he chanted ancient sutras; as the words left his lips, the ingredients began to smoke, bubble, and fill the plates, spilling over the edges and then off the table. Either ignoring or completely oblivious to the dark liquid that now seemed to slither across his feet, Miroku continued to chant, though he began to chant faster and louder, seeming to keep pace with the thick substances that now shot across the floor and into the mirror; each thick fluid strand hit its respective sister straight in the forehead where their Triquetra's rested. Taiyo's eyes grew wide and blank as the fluid seeped into her and could be seen flowing through her veins as long black ribbons formed on her face and wound down to her neck, and the same could be seen on Tsuki. As the ugly black veins that marred her skin dissipated, Taiyo swayed where she stood before she fell forward through the surface of the mirror and straight into Sesshomaru's waiting arms; he could feel her cold skin under his fingers and he could smell her sweet juniper scent as held her in his arms. Her eyes opened and their stunning argent color seemed to melt the ice around his heart and the smile she flashed up at him incinerated it completely. He could hear Tsuki shivering in Miroku's arms and he knew that they needed to get both sisters warmed up quickly; picking Taiyo up as if she weighed nothing more than Rin did when she was a child, Sesshomaru nodded to Miroku and Sango as they propped Tsuki up between them and made to carry her off to a warmer area. Everything seemed to stop though as an all too familiar stench and darkness, accompanied by a pair of unwelcome crimson eyes, appeared before them. Sesshomaru placed Taiyo behind him and stepped forward accompanied by Sango and Miroku, both of whom were ready for a fight.
"I'm not here for you three. I've only come to eradicate a small problem," Naraku's voice spoke to them from somewhere within the unnatural shadows and inky blackness that now engulfed them. Sesshomaru could barely see the houshi and slayer beside him as the darkness swam across his feet and brushed along his face; he growled lowly at the wet feel and smell of decay that accompanied the black fog. He was tense and focused, ready to kill Naraku be rid of him once and for all.
"Sesshomaru!" Taiyo cried out from behind him and as he turned he saw that she was fighting against coils of shadows that wound around her legs and began to drag her into their impenetrable depths. Her eyes were narrowed in anger as she tore at the coils that bind her and dragged her deeper in the murk and Sesshomaru felt his beast rumble in pride at the site; ignoring the odd timing and feeling that was spreading through him he made for Taiyo. Grabbing the sun goddess, Sesshomaru pulled her from within the inky grasp and held her close against him; he knew she was not afraid, but was instead weary and as tense as he, for he could feel her muscles coiled tight and ready for another attack.
"Ah, so the great Sesshomaru has a heart after all, and to think, I thought we had something in common. Oh well, she will be the first problem eradicated then," Naraku spoke, his voice filled with a sadistic laughter. The suffocating haze around them blocked out all the senses and made it nearly impossible to judge his whereabouts making his threat even more sinister.
"Boo," Naraku said as he appeared behind the two and with a single blow of his rotting breath, Sesshomaru and Taiyo were sent flying from one another sides and across the room. Sesshomaru hit the wall with incredible force and he could see that Taiyo had landed not far from him; in her weakened state, the force in which she hit the wall dazed her and she was slow to regain her composure. Looking upside down into the mirror she had appeared to Sesshomaru in just hours earlier, she saw Naraku above her, one of spidery appendages poised and ready to absorb her and all her power. Closing her eyes tight and thanking the gods that she was able to feel Sesshomaru's skin and breathe in his scent before she died, she readied herself for the strike, but it never came; she instead felt a heavy pressure on her chest and an inviting warmth that smelled of nutmeg and ginger, but was mixed with the heavy iron smell of blood.
"Sesshomaru," Taiyo whispered meekly, her heart and stoic facade breaking down as she opened her eyes and was met with a soft tawny glow. His eyes smiled at her and she could see the same smile on his face; his long white mane of hair blocked out her view of the unrelenting dark around them and left only his handsome and sharp face. She raised a shaky hand to that face and rested it on his cheek, tracing the light burgundy stripes that ran across them.
"How sickening Sesshomaru. I would expect this kind of moronic display of affection from your half-breed brother, not you. It is such a waste to see you die," Naraku said as he pulled his sharp tipped appendage from within Sesshomaru's body. Taiyo saw pain glaze over his features as his body lifted from her momentarily before it came down heavily upon her. She wrapped her arms around him as tears seeped down her cheeks as she felt his warm blood stain the blue of her robes a deeper red than she dared imagine. Opening her eyes she stared at the demented monster before her and watched as a wicked fanged smile spread across the length of his face, ripping it open from ear; if she had been able to, she would have tore off his face with the snap of her fingers, but now she was at his mercy and all of her begged him silently to kill her. Raising his arm like appendage, he thrust it down upon Taiyo, but just as the tip touched her forehead, a brilliant violet light filled the space and seared away the darkness and the obvious Naraku clone.
As soon as the monstrous creature above her disappeared within the light, Taiyo gently rolled Sesshomaru off of her and sat up; pulling him into her arms, she lay his body across her legs and rested his heavy head within the crook of her arm. Wiping off a trickle of blood that had escaped his slightly parted lips, Taiyo let her tears come to her again as she surveyed the damage the clone had done to the youkia in her arms. The hole in his chest was gaping and blood poured freely from it; that within itself would not have killed him, but what would was the amount of miasma he had flowing through him. Opening his eyes, Sesshomaru was greeted by large, teary mercury eyes and he just smirked as he felt her fingers weave through his own.
"Do not cry, it is a sign of weakness and it does not suite your fair features" he said and the blush that colored her cheeks made the pain that flowed through him subside if but for a moment. He heard a commotion and saw Sango and Tsuki kneeling at his feet; they were holding hands tight enough to cause their knuckles and fingers to turn white and he now understand the need for companionship and friends. They shared in each others pain, fear, happiness and comfort for no one wanted to be alone, not even him. He could saw Miroku speaking with Kikyo and he knew that was who had saved Taiyo from a fate like his and he was thankful and nodded in the miko's direction; she nodded in return and turned back towards the houshi, her expression never changing. Sesshomaru no longer felt the need or want to hide or stopped his emotions and gratitude; life was too short to be so prideful as he had found out to late.
Looking back up into Taiyo's now calm seas of silver, he saw love behind them, an emotion he thought impossible for anyone to feel towards him, or for him to feel towards anyone or anything. Now as he locked eyes with her, he let the warmth and happiness that he felt when in her presence fill him and he knew that this is what love must be like.
"Take care of InuYasha Sango; Kagome cannot do it by herself. Tsuki, you need to be ever more aware now, Naraku will not stop until you die and that cannot happen," he said to them, his voice low and filled with pain, but still had an urgent and no nonsense undertone. The girls nodded and stood, leaving Taiyo and Sesshomaru to their goodbyes. Taiyo refused to believe that this was the last time she would ever see her Prince and once again, tears rained down her cheeks and fell upon his bloodied chest. He raised a hand to her face and wiped them away; seizing his hand in hers, Taiyo held it in place, never wanting to let him go.
"Taiyo, do you remember what we spoke of in the early night?" he said to her and she nodded, her eyes never leaving his. He nodded once and continued.
"I know what I feel now; every time I look upon you, I feel a warmth and peace that I have never experienced before. I feel love for you Taiyo; this Sesshomaru loves you," he said, his voice gargled as more blood drained from his mouth. Taiyo smiled sadly and wiped the blood from his chin; he felt the warmth of her skin on his and wished deep in his heart that he had more time to enjoy everything that was her. Lowering her face to his, he could smell her unique juniper scent and allowed it to filter through the pain.
"I love you too, my prince," she whispered to him as their lips met. He lifted the hand that rested on her face and wound his talons through her pale silver hair and she felt his grip on her hand tighten as their lips met; but the kiss did not linger as his grip went limp and the fingers that had weaved through her hair fell limply to his side. Taiyo did not raise her head, but instead buried her face in his long hair and sobbed; how many more trials would she have to endure before she would be able to have him by her side once again is all she thought as she cradled his lifeless body in her arms. Her sobs echoed off the walls and filled the fragile silence.
Within the Sun Goddess, a small seed of untapped power was blossoming; nourished by pain, blood and tears.