Red Dawn 27
a/n: Holy crap people this is the second to last chapter. I'm going to miss this story but here's to you my loyal readers.
Kakashi came awake with a groan. He clenched his eyes shut as an intruding light shown in his face. Cracking one eye open, he took in his surroundings. It was a cedar forest draped in the fine wintery snow. The last time he checked it was summer in England. In the center of the clearing he was in there was a white marble bench. Unsteadily he rose and looked around this cold, serene place. For a moment he could've sworn he could smell the scent of cedar and snow. A familiar form melted from the shadows. The huge cat looked like a phantom. Something inside of him curled viciously, but he bit back the snarl that threatened to burst from him. There was an almost grin like look escaped the big cat. Before he could blink the snow leopard stood in his humanoid form. His eyes were as cold and blue as the deepest glacier. Kakashi decided then and there that they would be enemies for the rest of their days.
"Where are we?" Kakashi snarled.
"In a place where we wait."
"Wait? Wait for what?"
The leopard just grinned. That made anger curl in his stomach and tension shoot straight down his spine. His hands fisted at his sides. That just made his smile wider. Everything inside of him was baying to get rid of this male that dared to even look at his mate the way he had. He shook himself to rid the thought from his mind. He'd realized that the lined of thinking made him almost sound like a demon. That disturbed him in more ways than one. He wondered if that was happening to Gaara and Sasuke. They were vampires mated to women that either were partly demon or raised by one.
"Why do you think I'd bring you here, vampire?"
"Because you're after my mate," he growled softly when realization hit him.
Nadare just grinned at him some more. Something wasn't right, he'd decided right then and there. This cat was baiting him, he could tell. Kakashi had a feeling he just stepped into something that was going to set him off. He was trying to calm himself down. There was no need to get riled up because of this arrogant cat.
"A mate you don't want."
He twitched at that statement. Uncertainty clawed at his stomach. If he were to be honest with himself he was starting to like the fierce shadow fox a bit and maybe one day could love her like she needed to be loved. These demons thought love could come instantaneously for all creatures, but that wasn't necessarily true.
"I didn't say I didn't want her."
"You're actions tell all those who know about the three stages of mating rituals that you don't want her."
Realization dawned on him. Most demons even after the council disaster gave him the cold shoulder. Even Kyouran's closest friends still didn't give him the time of day, especially Alexial. The tiger would heal him if he required it but she still didn't like him. Sakura was trying to soften things but even she the heart of the group still looked at him sadly. "But that's not exactly why I've brought you here, Kakashi."
"Then why did you?" he snapped.
Something was sparking his anger aside from this arrogant cat. He wanted to lash out at something to get rid of this sick feeling inside of him. The wind whipped around them stirring the snow up.
"There is a reason Kyouran kept calling me 'Ghost' even after we got past the language barrier."
"Are you an angel of death or something?"
The cat rolled his eyes before he shifted to his beast form and leapt up on the bench. His tail swished back and forth betraying his irritation. He sat there watching the vampire.
"Something like that, of a sorts. You know, had she not the gift she was given and hadn't known about you, she and I would've made a good pair. Even my clan was ready to welcome her into their folds."
Kakashi growled angrily. Then he stopped himself. There was a lingering hollow feeling inside of him when he thought about his mate. The leopard's words rang a bit of truth. She would've been better off as the cat's mate instead of his, but fate chose him to be her life partner. Though everyone found out that all he could offer the strong, proud queen was heartbreak and pain.
"Why did you bring me here, 'Ghost'?"
There was a condescending tone in his voice at that name. "To brag that I was a horrible mate and I ignored something that was supposed to be ingrained inside of me?"
"I wish that was the point of this little visit, but it is not."
"Then why…"
"IF you'd be so kind as to shut up I will tell you."
Kakashi snorted at his words. The Snow Leopard started to circle around him as if he were sizing him up. "The world needs Kyouran more than it needs you but in truth she needs you to continue to fight alongside the three Earthbound Ones. So Kakashi we're going to wait here. You have to make a decision right here and right now."
"I'll choose her because it's the right thing…"
A fist plowed into his cheek sending him flying over the bench and slamming into one of the trees. The tree groaned in protest at the abuse. He knew there should've been pain but there wasn't. The snow fell all around him but he wasn't cold. The guy's ice blue eyes turned crimson. His fangs bared in his face. Even now he flinched at his own words.
"Then let her go, you selfish bastard. She deserves so much more than you, in each and every life you've lived."
"What?" he asked in confusion.
"You honestly think souls as powerful as yours hasn't had previous lives? Strong souls get the chance to find what they'd missed out in their previous lives."
The leopard leapt and landed on top of Kakashi. Slamming him back against the tree making more snow fall. His paws pressed hard down on his chest and his claws dug deep. An angry snarl escaped him. "Every chance that you've had has ended in tragedy on your part. Can't you see past race and see the treasure that so many have wanted? Kyouran has always been the one to see the bonds between people. That makes her a pure soul, even though her hands are stained with the blood of evil."
"She kills vampires…"
"And in the last life she killed demons, but that didn't stop her from trying to lead soul mates to each other. It was the one thing her pure soul keeps longing for to finally have a chance with her other half, you."
A snort of disgust escaped the cat. He backed off then and looked towards a small opening in the cedars. A few more leopards stepped out. Their tails thrashed back and forth as they stared at the vampire. The amber eyes glowed with an eerie light. He stood there as if daring them to attack him. His back straitened and his hands clenched at his side as he rose to his feet unsteadily.
"Going to kill me here so you can take Kyouran?"
"I can't kill you here you stupid ass, you're already dead."
Kakashi froze just then. Memories hit his senses right then, Kyouran on her knees, with an arrow sticking out of her chest. Pain raced through him as he remembered her leaning over him as more arrows buried themselves in her back. He remembered nothing after that. His eyes darkened as sorrow washed through him. It was because of him once again she was suffering. Some part of him wished she'd let him go so someone that had the capability to love her could. "So is she. We wait here for her. Even in death her soul searches for you, her other half."
He realized something then. If he had to stay he would. As Nadare said she was needed more than he was.
"Is there a way to send her back?"
The cat turned his hardened gaze back to him. There was disbelief written in his eyes clearly.
"You honestly think she'd go back without you? I wish it were that easy, but she won't go without you."
Kakashi looked at the snow leopard. This creature actually loved Kyouran but because of him she would always over look him. A heavy sigh escaped Nadare. "Even if we could wipe her memories she would always know something was missing. That the one thing keeping her alive had been taken from her and she'd die again. As much as I care about her, nothing can compete with the bonding of souls."
"She deserves better."
"She does," he agreed.
"But neither of you can make the choice for me."
They turned to see the fox queen standing there. Her face was paler than normal. Blood still dribbled from the arrow punctures. Even in death she still suffered. Both males stepped forward as if to try and comfort her, to make her stop hurting.
"Kyouran…" Kakashi started.
She took a step back. Nadare moved towards her but the fox backed away from even him. She kind of reminded him of a wounded animal. The flight reflex was kicking in and the pain and suffering was making her afraid. Instincts were on overdrive. Kakashi started to say something again but her hand came up stopping his words. He'd hear what she had to say.
"No, I'm tired."
They both heard the underlying meaning in her words. "I'm tired of waiting for the one person I love to love me back. And you know I can't find it in myself to resent you for it Kakashi."
"Why? Why do you hold on so tight even if it costs you everything?"
She gave him one of the saddest smiles he'd ever seen. Then she turned her back on him. He could still see the blood dripping from her wounds sluggishly. The urge to lick the blood away hit him hard, but he held his ground.
"Because you're worth it in the end and you always have been."
Then something hit him physically and mentally making his breath catch painfully. Everything started going dark all around him.
The air around them was oppressive as the dagger laced emotions. Vaguely he could feel her emotions and it made him ache inwardly. She was standing there in all her glory. Her eyes flashing and the wind tossed her hair.
"When are you going to accept me for what I am?" she snapped softly.
Glancing down he tried to not look at her again. He recognized the tone in her voice in seconds. She was angrier than all hell. It made something inside of him twist when she was angry at him. This might be the point where she'd kill him, which in the end would've been counterproductive.
"We're too different," he tried softly.
"It's sad, you with the demon heart, that you are the one that ignores the bonding between us."
"I'm not…"
He finally looked up at her. A heavy sigh escapes her lips. Her shoulders sagged a bit. The weight of the world was on her shoulders and it was almost ready to break her back.
"I'll walk away; only because it's what you want, but know that I'll be waiting on the other side of that invisible line you've drawn between us."
Her long white hair swished softly in the breeze. Even at her lowest she stood proud and strong. "This is my last goodbye."
He watched her walk away. He almost called her back but he stayed his tongue. She vanished into the fading light.
Kakashi woke panting for air. Kyouran was leaning against the tree looking at him sadly. The leopards were gone, thankfully. She looked about ready to cry. He realized she must've gained those memories as well as him, or had them already.
"I never saw you again after that. I was cast from my clan and then killed by a rival one, for being a demon lover and for the half-breed I was carrying at the time."
"You…"
"We're two halves of a whole in a world where not much stays secret. As Nadare said you have to make a choice here Kakashi, but know this it has to be for the right reasons. I want a lot of things out of life still, but I will rest here until my time again if that's what you choose."
The tired vampire rose to his feet. Her eyes followed him, despite the weariness that still clung to her form even in this place of death. He knelt down in front of her. Everything inside of him was screaming to make amends to her.
"What do you want most out of life?" he finally say once his eyes soaked her tired form up.
She looked him in the eyes. His mismatched eyes bore into her blues. Every emotion from anger to hope swirled in her sapphire depths.
"Only two things," she said softly. "And I shouldn't have to tell you what they are."
"My love and kits," he said.
He moved forward and knelt down in front of the exhausted Shadow Fox. Then a moment of clarity hit him. He's been running from something that he should've known all along. What every single demon had been trying to get him to see. Looking down at his hand there was a navy blue string tied to his left hand ring finger that dropped to the ground made a few coils an trailed up to where her hand was resting over her heart. He understood now. "Now, forever, and always."
She looked up at him and hope sparkled in her eyes. He reached for her as she reached for him. Her hands yanked down the mask allowing her to see all of his face. His lips brushed hers softly. Her body sagged in relief at his words. Her arms wrapped around his neck bringing her flush against him. Her fingers tangled in his hair as they kissed. He pulled back and placed a soft kiss on her lips.
"Let's go home."
He rose and held his hand out to her. She smiled as she took his hand. Everything went white all around them.
Kakashi rose unsteadily. Looking around he tried to gauge where he was, and more importantly where was his mate. Whispering drew his gaze to a slumped figure leaning against a tree. Moving forward Nadare was leaning there. His aura was flickering and sputtering like a candle in a fierce wind storm. He didn't have much time left. Moving forward he knelt before the snow leopard.
"About damned time you stupid vampire," he groused.
"Why?" he asked.
"Because she needs you, and keeping her here for me would've killed her all over again."
Nadare smirked weakly at the vampire. "You're a lucky bastard you know that right?"
"More than you know."
"Good, don't let her ever be unhappy."
"I'll do what I can."
The weakening snow leopard nodded his head once. Before his eyes slid shut and his chin touched his chest. His aura flickered out. Something inside of him was grateful to the cat for what he'd sacrificed for his chance to be with Kyouran the right way. A hand on his shoulder startled him a bit. Looking over he saw Kyouran. Her eyes were sad as she looked at her dead friend. Snow leopards melted from the surrounding shadows and picked up their comrade and returned to the shadows. Kakashi rose slowly and enveloped his mate in a hug. Her head dropped to his shoulders as she cried out her sorrows for the loss of her friend so that she could finally be with her mate. He stroked her hair as she cried into his shoulder.
They were drawn from their mourning by whispers. Kakashi looked up to see their friends staring at them. Sakura was smiling happily. Sasuke just gave him that smug smirk that all Uchiha knew how to give. Takashi smiled towards the vampire that would soon be his brother in all senses of the word. Kyouran took his hand and led him away trusting Sakura to take care of the rest of this mess.
'I got this mom,' Sakura's soft voice echoed in her head.
Everything was being left in good hands.
Kyouran led the dazed vampire back to the master bedroom. They probably wouldn't leave the room till they bore the others mark. Kakashi looked up at his mate as she closed the door with a resounding thud. He was nervous and excited. Her fingers came to lace with his. He turned her around and pushed her back against the door. His lips claimed hers hotly.
-Lemon Removed-
Kyouran looked up at her mate as they lay there panting softly. Sweat beaded their forms from their love making. Kakashi laid his full weight on her body. Closing his eyes he took in her scent. It was sweeter than normal and muskier, and it made him wonder at that. Her hands were moving through his sweat soaked silver hair. It was turning his brain into mush but he had to ask about her changing scent.
'Kyouran?'
'Hm?'
'Your scent has started changing and getting stronger. Its sweeter and muskier.'
A bell-like sound echoed inside of his mind. He realized she was laughing.
"What?" He groused out loud.
"Now that we're bonded in every sense of the word your strength is mind and my strength yours. So my scent will become stronger to you. It'll tell other demons that I belong to you and you belong to me."
Kakashi hummed under his breath. He was a bit exhausted. Kyouran smiled against his silver hair taking in his scent. Her fingers absently traced the black paw print with the white crescent moon in the big pad that was her clan crest on her mate's neck where she'd bit him. He shivered under her touch. Nuzzling his hair she drifted to sleep surrounded by her mate's scent.
