Wicked

chapter 8: lightning

by Kayla Chavi

rating: R

email: kayla@wishing-blue.net

website:

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Seven fucking puppets. Seven. Puppets. Of Naraku. I dusted one with my first attack, destroying the doll inside. This had been the one to hurt Kagome. I don't remember how the sword got in my hand. It just appeared there.

"Hiraikotsu!" Sango was locked in her own battle with Naraku's drones. In the back of my head, I was just grateful that Kohaku wasn't anywhere near to complicate things. Hell, I didn't even know if Naraku was really here or far away and safe.

"Kaza Ana!" Miroku was ignoring the effect of the poison youkai. I briefly wondered if he would even survive this.

But Kagome was on the ground, laying there, vulnerable. I realized how often I had come to depend on her shard detection abilities. Damn Naraku. Then there was laughter and I knew that he was here. I scented the air, picking through the death and earth and sorrow.

Then I found him, the unnatural conglomeration of the bits and pieces of youkai fused together in a way that nature never intended. He was moving closer to Kagome and I had to stop him. With all my might, I threw Tetsaiga at him, roaring my attack again. It was imbedded in his chest a moment later.

He laughed through the explosion of power. He pulled it out of himself and tossed it aside. The puppets stilled and simply disappeared. He ran a hand over my mark along her side before briefly cupping one of her breasts.

"Such a beautiful little girl," he murmured, his red eyes gleaming. "Once she is dead, then there is no one alive to purify the Shikon no Tama. And I'll have you to thank for it, Inuyasha." He let the implication hang between us. I growled, not hiding my anger as I took several steps closer to my mate. "She will hate you now," he continued. "Can you handle it in this girls eyes?"

"You're not some fucking monk to tell guilt me into this," I snarled. "Get away from her or I'll--"

"What? Kill me?" He laughed again and it echoed over the dead bodies around us. "That threat is useless, pup." He smirked and slowly stood. "There is no power on this earth that can--"

Both of us were surprised that he stopped his ridiculous speech on his invincibility. Fisted in the front of his kimono was Kagome's small hand. Her eyes were wide and completely black as the tainted tama fell into her hands.

"First and last," she murmured and began to glow a faint blue. "The beginning and end. To die, to sleep, to dream."

Then she began to talk in another language, one that I didn't recognize. The wind grew and her voice carried through the gale that came up around us.

The ground began to shake and move. It was only a tremor and not catastrophic, but it made Naraku lose his balance. I crouched near the earth and smirked at the way our enemy seemed to lose his composure of a little earthquake.

I heard Sango give a shout at the sudden warmth of the air. Out of Kagome's mouth came light, continuing to speak in words and phrases that had no meaning to me. Naraku looked just as confused and again that was oddly satisfying. The heat grew and I had to pull off what was left of my haori so it wouldn't burst into flame.

Then it began to rain.

"To dream, to sleep, to die!" Kagome voice rose over the elements that were converging around us. "The end and the beginning. Last and First!"

Then there was a crash of lightning and the shikon no tama broke into more pieces than ever before. They settled over Kagome's body and slowly sank beneath her skin.

Guess I won't be getting that wish after all.

Now, Inuyasha. Kill him now.

I didn't question. I lifted the sheath to my sword and it came flying back to me. "Bakuryuuha!"

"Kaza Ana!"

Not even the dust remained.

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There is something I wanted to ask you.

The blood was black against the ivory of her skin. Ivory. I had never called it that before, but now as she lay there, it was ivory. Wet and warm. The blood trickled over her like oil, never sticking or drying, always sluggishly moving.

I heard her breathe once more, I felt the press of her ribcage against my fingers. I don't remember moving to touch her, just that she was suddenly there. Missing time. Shit, I'm missing time. The air was suddenly cold, the heat of whatever magic had gone through her, just gone. She was shivering.

I pulled my haori out of the dirt and wrapped it tightly around her nude body. I clenched my fingers against the crimson cloth. My hands actually trembled when I saw her blood on them, staining my claws.

I have to know.

She turned her head and pressed her face against my chest. The next breath was cold against the nakedness of my own skim. I wrapped her more tightly, held her more closely.

"Open your eyes," I demanded. An order. She would obey it--she couldn't disobey. She was my bitch. Mine. She never really ever fully defied me. "Now!"

I growled when she refused to move.

Tell me.

I shook her once, hard, and her head fell back. Her neck laid in the crook of my elbow, arched, her lips slightly parted. They were pale, barely pink, but not blue.

"Open your eyes, Bitch!"

Are we friends?

Another growl, this one louder, rumbling out of my chest and sending vibrations through her. I laid her back on the ground, arranging her neatly before straddling her hips. I stripped the red cloth away from her. The dark liquid blood was still, unmoving.

I pressed my ear to her breast, listening for the thump of her heart. It was faint, but I felt the steady beat of her pulse. I laid there on top of her, careful with my weight. She was weak, fragile, and small.

I have to know.

A sigh, no louder than the mewl of a pup passed her lips. It rushed past my ears, which twitched and swiveled towards the sound. I looked down at her, intent of her face. Her eyes were still closed. I wanted to see the pale silvery gray, the laughter. I wanted her laughter.

"Open your eyes." My demand was gentler this time, coaxing. I nipped at her cheek once, her jaw next, and then her lower lip. The third drew blood and it made me hiss.

Mikoblood.

Please, just tell me.

I licked the blood away and tried to coax her into a kiss. The dampness of her blood stuck to my chest and arms. When she didn't respond, I pulled back to see her. Her blood was smeared over her breasts, her belly, even over her thighs. My fingers had spread it over her hips.

The youkai in me wanted to fuck her. Kagome was beautiful. Half dead, but beautiful. Even with the blood, her skin was smooth.

Slowly, almost reverently, I began to bathe her. My tongue brushed over the skin between her breasts. It wasn't long until the crimson stain was gone and I had to shift my weight so my next action wouldn't hurt her.

Lovers?

I carefully cleaned her chest, taking extra care with her nipple. She gasped, only a small movement as her lungs expanded and gave rise to her torso. It was enough to alert me.

I pulled back and looked down at her, afraid that I had hurt her. Sometimes I forget I have teeth in this form. Her eyes were still closed, but her lips were parted. Curious, I took her nipple back into my mouth.

She made the sound again and my fingers curled. I nipped a few times and was once more surprised to feel a new heat start to come from her. It was nice against me, coming from between her legs. I wouldn't fuck her in the middle of a battlefield with our friends watching, but grinding--that I could do.

There is something that I wanted to ask you.

She mewled again and her cold fingers griped at my shoulders. The sound encouraged me, but it was her movement, her strength coming back to her, that meant even more. I continued to rub against her as I bathed her other breast.

As her sounds became louder, more alive, my own breath became shorter. Her scent was changing, becoming alive. The stink of death left her.

I hauled her into my lap, making her straddle me. Her legs were around my waist, arms around my neck. I clenched at her ass, locking the heat between us.

What are we?

Kagome's face took on intense concentration, frowning as I pushed us closer together. Her cries grew louder and I yipped at her softly, telling her that it was alright. I used lips, teeth, tongue, and hands to bring her closer to life, closer to being safe.

Suddenly her cries rose to a scream, then to silence as her body collapsed against mine.

Friends?

Her eyes opened.

Lovers?

"Inuyasha?"

"Yes."

She began to tremble, suddenly cold again as her slick skin met the cool night air. I rewrapped her in my haori. She shivered for a few moments, weak, invigorated, and then still."

"What--"

"Mates. We're mates."

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