.:All of My Tomorrows:.
chapter thirteen : lurid eclipse
The beast watched the human man from a safe distance, its lips dripping with joy. The man stalked his prey as a lynx stalked a rabbit. The woman was completely unaware of the man's presence and intent, though had she been aware it would not have mattered. The man was determined to have her no matter what.
He stumbled out onto the path before her, clutching at his knee in mock injury. He apologized for his clumsiness with an embarrassed laugh while simultaneously complimenting her on her beauty. Cheeks flushed, she offered to help him up and he declined. Being the kind hearted woman that she was, she insisted and carefully bend down, reaching out to him with a shy smile lifting her features.
The man smiled at her warmly and her own expression grew in response. As the man rose to his feet, he struck, stabbing her deep in her belly. There was no time for sound as the man moved upon her. Eyes wide with shock and pain, the man suddenly wrapped himself around her and pulled her along with him. They stumbled off the main path together, heading toward a secret place where they would be alone.
Akuma grinned as it followed the human, excited at its successful find. The human male was beautiful, and surprisingly rare. Pleasing to the eyes and possessing a natural charm, the man was able to hide his inner darkness from friends and strangers alike.
He was perfect.
• • •
You crave blood and flesh.
The man's head shot up at the sound of the voice, his hands suddenly flying over his kimono as he sought to make himself look decent before the source of the voice made an appearance.
You lust for pain. Pleasure is pain.
The man whirled around in a circle, seeking out the source of the voice. "Who's there?!"
I can give you the flesh you want and the power to take it whenever you wish.
Raising his hand to his head, the man realized that the voice was coming from within his own mind. He wondered frantically if the voice was Kami-sama himself, taunting him for his sins. Anger flared up inside of him, "What is this?!"
A creature appeared before him with a face like a man and a body like a dragon. Its tail swished back and forth behind it as it approached the man. It smiled at him and the man winced, suddenly feeling terrified of the power radiating from the beast.
"Who… what--"
I am that which is known as Magatsuhi.
The man felt himself go rigid with fright as the beast reached out to him, touching his flesh most delicately as it examined him, Your heart is so beautiful.
The man tried to pull back from Magatsuhi, only to feel one of his claws suddenly wrap around his bicep and pull him closer. He immediately jerked from the touch, causing the beast to tighten its hold. The man cried out in pain as he felt his flesh tear and his bone break from the pressure. To his horror, the man watched his arm crumple in the beast's fist, crushed like leaf.
You are filled with darkness. I need your body. Give me your body and I will give you all the flesh, pain and pleasure you want.
"N-no."
Give me that which I desire, and I will grant you your most carnal desires and sadistic urgings…
• • •
"Sesshoumaru-samaaaa!" The little girl cried as she bounded happily into the room.
The youkai lord slowed his pace to allow the child to catch up to him with greater ease. She grinned at him happily as she caught up to him. "Sesshoumaru-sama, Kagome-oneesan taught Rin how to write haikus!" she exclaimed excitedly as she thrust a slightly crumpled page toward her guardian, "Look!"
Sesshoumaru paused in his walk and raised an eyebrow at his excited daughter as she grinned madly at him, the page still held out toward him.
"Kagome-oneesan said it was good for my first try. Rin wants you to read it, please!"
Taking the page from her hand, Sesshoumaru read the kanji aloud:
"Spring comes to find Rin
as youkai – Sesshoumaru
new life he gives her"
Rin smiled at her guardian and immediately filled his ears with her voice the moment he was finished reading. "Rin wrote it wrong the first time. Kagome-oneesan had to help Rin revise it, but she said Rin did well. She told Rin to show it to you! She said you would like it."
"I will keep it."
Rin beamed, "You will?"
"Yes," Sesshoumaru replied as he carefully folded the piece of paper and hid it within the pockets of his kimono. He motioned to Rin to follow him as he resumed his walk and she quickly fell into pace beside him. "What else is Kagome teaching you?"
"Oh, she's been helping Rin with calligraphy and reading and teaching mathematics. Rin and Shippou-chan do not like mathematics, but Kagome-oneesan says we should learn it. She says everyone from where she is from has to learn it. Sometimes she tells stories about her home and her family, too. Rin thinks she misses them."
"I see."
"Rin thinks Kagome is upset about something. Shippou-chan said she has had a lot of bad dreams. Rin used to have a lot of bad dreams before Rin met Sesshoumaru-sama."
"Do you know what kind of dreams she has been having?"
Rin scrunched her face up as she thought about her answer. "No, Shippou-chan didn't say and Kagome-oneesan doesn't talk about it." She smiled up at her guardian, "Rin is glad Kagome-oneesan is here… but Rin doesn't want her to leave."
"Has she said that she is going to leave?"
"No, but she misses her family and she seems sad sometimes. Rin thinks she will want to leave and go home someday."
Sesshoumaru glanced down at the girl, noting her downcast face. "Rin, she and the kitsune are only guests here."
"...yes."
"You would rather she lived here?"
Rin looked up at Sesshoumaru with hope in her eyes, "Yes!"
A slight smile formed on Sesshoumaru's face, "Do not get your hopes up, girl. I was merely asking. She is welcome to stay, but you should guard your heart more."
The girl turned her eyes away from the youkai lord, her face falling downcast once more.
Sesshoumaru stroked the top of her head gently, comforting the child. "Your haiku is very good, Rin."
• • •
Kagome awoke, her body slick with sweat. She shivered in the darkness as she tried to rid her mind of the images in her dream and calm her queasy stomach.
Strange dreams continued to stalk Kagome, making it increasingly difficult for her to get a full night's rest. Her dreams were primarily about Magatsuhi, occasionally she saw Naraku... but in each of her dreams, one way or another, they were trying to get inside of her.
Midoriko had all but disappeared from her mind. Kagome could feel her if she really concentrated, but she no longer answered to Kagome's calls. It was a strange sensation. Midoriko had been a constant presence since Inuyasha's death. She took care of Kagome when the girl was ready to give up on life, protecting her and Shippou from every threat against them. Over the past year, Kagome had grown so comfortable with Midoriko that it seemed almost unnatural to be without her.
She knew the reason why Midoriko was laying dormant was that she was preparing herself for Magatsuhi and the recent dreams about the beast meant that he was drawing near. It wouldn't be long before he gained enough strength to make an appearance.
That realization alone was enough to keep Kagome from sleeping soundly. She had not been able to sleep through the night since she dreamt of Sesshoumaru.
Kagome released a shaky breath as she rubbed her face. Sunrise was still another good three hours away and she knew she would not be able to get back to sleep while her skin felt sticky with sweat. A hot bath would relax her, soothe her flesh and hopefully distract her from her nightmares.
With that thought in mind, Kagome stood, careful not to disturb Shippou as she stepped around him and made her way out of their room and toward the furo. The room was dark and quiet when she stepped inside and she quickly light the candles in the room.
She scrubbed herself thoroughly before lowering herself into the furo. The water was not as warm as she would have liked, but it still felt good to be clean. Stretching out her legs and letting her head rest comfortably against the edge, she closed her eyes and called to Midoriko. Kagome knew she would not answer, but she kept calling to her. Exhaustion slowly overcame her as the warmth of the water lulled her to sleep.
• • •
"Girl."
She stirred, but did not wake.
He frowned and spoke her name while nudging the back of her shoulder. "Kagome, wake up."
Her eyes opened slowly and squinted against the morning light causing her to look down. She gasped in surprise as she realized she was up to her chest in water. Kagome sat up and looked around for her towel when a soft voice from behind filled her ears.
"Did you sleep here all night?"
Kagome felt her cheeks redden at the sound of Sesshoumaru's voice. Without a word, she immediately moved away from him and covered her chest with her arms. "What… what are you doing here?" she asked defensively as she pulled her legs up in front of her while keeping her back pointed toward the youkai lord.
"This is my bath."
"I—I'm sorry, I..."
"Did you sleep here all night?"
"I woke up from a bad dream and thought..."
"Do not speak to me with your back to me," he interrupted. "It is rude."
Kagome felt her embarrassment turn to anger at his reprimand. She slowly turned her head toward him, but did not look at him. "Fine. May I get out then?"
Sesshoumaru's lips twitched into a small smirk at the feistiness of her voice. She was embarrassed and annoyed. She was more fun to toy with when she was like that and it had been a long time since he had the pleasure of teasing her. Not one to miss an opportunity, he denied her request.
"No."
Her mouth dropped open in shock and anger causing her to turn around to face him completely. "What do you mean 'No'? I didn't mean to fall asleep in here, you jerk!"
A chuckle escaped his lips at her sudden outburst. She had completely forgotten her state of undress. "I would say you have been here all night. You are as wrinkled as a woman five times your age."
Kagome blushed hard and covered herself with her arms as best she could. Considering the fact that he wore only a towel, it was difficult for her to remain completely focused on her anger. Her eyes kept returning to his arm, which appeared to be almost completely healed.
"Stop playing with me," she said as she forced herself to look him in the eyes.
His infuriating smirk vanished and his face returned to the impassive look Kagome was most accustomed. "Are you well?" he asked seriously.
"Y-yes. I just couldn't sleep last night and thought a bath would make me feel better. I didn't think I would fall asleep here." She looked away from him, her face sheepish, "I'm sorry."
"You have had many bad dreams as of late."
Kagome raised her eyebrows at him, "How do you know that?"
"Rin told me." He turned his back to her and started to exit the room, "Hurry up and finish in here or else I will send Jaken in to chase you out."
Kagome humphed at his retreating back and grabbed the towel beside her. 'I really am a wrinkled mess,' she noted as she dried herself. A fresh blush crept across her cheeks as she remembered turning toward him in the furo to yell at Sesshoumaru. She had been tempted to stand and yell at him without a stitch of clothing. Thank goodness she didn't.
'I'm such an idiot.'
As she began to work some of the tangles out of her hair, she couldn't help but to think of Sesshoumaru's arm. It had healed very quickly from the last time she had seen it, though Kagome still could not explain what was causing his arm to heal so fast. She did recall Inuyasha saying that Sesshoumaru's arm would eventually grow back, but he seemed to have implied that it would take several years to regenerate, not months.
Kagome frowned, perhaps Midoriko had done something without her knowledge. Not that Kagome minded, she was glad his arm was healing… it just made her feel strange to know that Midoriko had acted without her knowledge, especially when she wasn't even responding to her calls anymore.
"Jaken!"
Kagome froze at the sound of Sesshoumaru's voice calling for his servant. The distant sound of rushing footsteps grew steadily louder until Kagome heard the familiar swoosh of the outer door being suddenly opened in haste.
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!"
"That woman-child, Kagome, is in my furo. Go chase her out."
Kagome's face twisted in anger, "Hey! I'll be out in a minute!" she yelled through the door. "You're so impatient!"
A muffled chuckle answered her and Kagome could not help but to laugh herself. In her mirth, she was surprised to learn that she actually liked the sound of his laugh and craved to hear it again.