Comments: Wow…the last chapter to my very first completed fanficton and I'm making it even specialler with this really fast update. ::sniff:: Well, make it really sentimental and review. Maybe it'll make me feel bad for the ending and write an sequel. And you never know…the ending for the sequel might be one you'll like. In any case, review and enjoy the story.
Disclaimer: Love him or fear him, he belongs Rumiko Takahashi. ::so sad::
Chapter Eight: Unrequited
By: taiyoukai_kai
"Will you be my mate?"
Kagome couldn't think. His mate? That would mean they would have to "—" and "—". Naked.
Or maybe not…its possible not, too. She shook her head. No! Stop thinking like that. She sweat dropped. But she had to think like that. The gorgeous hunk in front of her just asked her to be his mate! She closed her eyes. The fact that he was an emotionless cold-blooded killer didn't matter. For some reason it only made him all that more attractive.
Sesshoumaru, now that he asked her, was patiently waiting for her answer. He watched as a myriad of emotions crossed her face. What was she thinking? Should he be trying to influence her mind?
"Kagome?"
Her eyes flew open. "Yes!"
Sesshoumaru felt relief sweep through him. "Yes?"
Kagome twitched. "No!"
Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. "No?"
"No, yes." Kagome sighed. "Whatever."
Sesshoumaru patiently tried to reign in his temper. The fear was nonexistent he told himself. Nonexistent. Emotion…he thought…so annoying. They didn't know how to take orders. " Do you not like me?"
"No, I do." Kagome sighed again. "But your mate? Isn't that kind of drastic." She shrugged.
Sesshoumaru didn't know how to respond. "I do not consider it drastic." He flipped his hair back, nervous. "I…care for you."
Kagome know how hard it was for him to even admit that. And she melted at his effort. The guy was trying so hard. And, plus, she…cared for him, too. The feeling no longer raised the fear it used to.
She bit her lip and looked down at her feet. This was getting really awkward.
She took a deep breath. "I really like you, but I don't think that I'm ready to be your mate." She looked up form beneath her eyelashes, trying to determine his reactions to her words.
At first he didn't move. He stood there; disbelieving that everything could go so wrong. He had finally bared his hear, al least more than he has ever bared it before. And she rejected him. He was tempted to walk away, his tail between his legs.
But he couldn't. He would not let himself give up. Kagome deserved better. That said, Sesshoumaru regained his composure ad silently bowed to continue his pursuit.
He strode to stand right in front of her. He cupped her chin and raised her face so that he could look down upon it.
"You will be my mate." He smiled and felt a wave of satisfaction sweep through him at her sudden intake of breath. "It is inevitable." With that last parting shot, he dropped a quick kiss on her sweet lips and walked slowly away.
She looked on, unwilling to admit the longing that seemed to bog her down. How was she going to resist? She sighed and walked after him.
Naraku could all but taste the vitality that permeated off the young miko. It had been amusing to watch the taiyoukai lower himself to admit his feelings for the girl but amusement or not, it was a very handy weapon. He could kill two birds with one stone. Or rather three birds with one stone…
He licked his lips. Mm, he changed his mind. He could taste her. So sweet, so innocent.
So unlike that Kikyo. Although that girl had her uses. Even with her false body, her powers were still quite impressive. Perhaps not as impressive as Kagome's but that was expected. Kiyo had more experience.
He tapped a finger on his chin, thinking. What was it about Kikyo that made him forget himself? It must be her power. Her delectable, delicious power. It had to be.
He chuckled. After this was taken care of, he would take his pleasure with Kikyo. That should get her out of his system.
He reached up and grabbed a tree branch to lift himself up. He sighed and brushed off his baboon pelt. The pelt was beginning to get annoying. It was just too heavy, not to mention stuffy. How was he supposed to laugh evilly (*Ku, ku, ku*) if he could barely breathe. He sighed again. Oh, well. Sacrifices must be made for the sake of his appearance.
He turned with one last glance at Kagome. Before he melted into the surrounding darkness, he evilly chuckled. "Ku. Ku. Ku. Wait for me, pretty miko. Ku. Ku. *cough* *cough* *hack*." He cursed the baboon pelt. It ruined a perfectly good exit! "Dumb piece of monkey hair…"
He disappeared, still muttering.
(A/N: Sorry, it was getting a bit too gloomy, besides I always thought the pelt was ridiculous…)
Hot baths were definitely a miracle of the 21st century, Kagome thought as she gingerly stepped into the cold river. How could people bathe in there temperatures?
She held her breath, and quickly submerged herself. She struck out swimming, careful not to be pulled into the currents.
"You will be my mate. It is inevitable." Sesshoumaru's face flashed before her eyes, his lips set in a determined scowl. She sighed, only to remember that she was still underwater. All her air already expelled, she fought to surface. Her head exploded from the surface of the river, her lungs gasping for air.
Even as she settled back down, awareness pricked at the edge of her mind, causing the hair on her neck to tingle. She turned to look back at the back where she left her clothes and almost screamed when she saw Sesshoumaru sitting on a boulder, his eyes closed.
"HENTAI!! Sit, sit, sit!!" she shrieked. Her hands came up to cover her bare breasts.
Sesshoumaru opened his eyes in surprise. Then he narrowed them as her words registered.
Hentai, was he?
He considered leaving but his instincts wouldn't let him. She was his mate, whether she accepted it or not. She was his. And he was going to convince her, starting now, that she could only ever belong to him.
Kagome watched in confusion and alarm, her cheeks red with mortification, as she saw him smile predatorily. He stood up, his height impressive even from her position in the middle of the river. Slowly, his hands went to his sash, and undid it. His sword crashed into the sand, unheeded. Next, he removed his armor and set it on the riverbank. His eyes never left hers through out the process.
With only a kimono (is it? I don't know what he wears…) on, he gracefully stepped into the water. He continued walking, the water slowly creeping higher up his body. Kagome couldn't tear her eyes form the sight.
He looked so entirely and overwhelmingly male. Even with his almost feminine beauty. His muscles rippled with power, completely keeping Kagome in his thrall.
By the time, he reached her the water was hip high on him. He stood there, never releasing his gaze form her eyes.
Then slowly, ever so slowly, he reached up to softly skim his fingers across her collarbone.
His eyes left hers to follow the trail her fingers were taking across her skin. He tilted his head to the side, completely absorbed with what he was doing. His fingers gently skimmed lower to go over her breasts. Her hands still covered them, so he instead skimmed across her hands, indirectly touching the soft flesh underneath. His fingers continued, wandering up her arms and tracing her shoulders.
Kagome shivered as his fingers continued up he neck. Then, both his hands were cupping her face, bringing her closer to bliss. His head lowered, his lips settling onto hers.
She lost her wits in that first assault, clutched his arms and let reality slide. Her senses drowned in the sudden rush of desire, of hot, unmistakable, irresistible passion. His arms locked around her, a warm steel cage cradling her, holding her to him, safe and secure.
She stepped closer, and wound her hands around his neck, pressing her body to his, molding it. He lifted his head, ending the kiss.
"Why?" she whispered, their lips mere inches away from each other.
He didn't pretend to misunderstand her. "You are my mate." He lowered his head again to nuzzle her neck. "You are the one. The one who rules over my heart and soul." He whispered against her skin.
"You are my love."
She raised her eyes to meet his. "Your love." She sighed.
"Yes." He smiled, transforming the cold lines. "My heart, my dear, my beloved. You were fated to be mine."
She searched his eyes as if looking for the truth. "How could I have been fated to be yours. I met Inuyasha first." She looked a bit sad. "I loved Inuyasha first."
His face grew momentarily dark. "Yes, much to my regret. Nevertheless, you were fated to be mine. You came through time to meet Inuyasha and through him, me."
Her lips curved, her smile serene; mysterious, elementarily feminine, but she only leaned into him, letting her body sink against his--- a wordless acceptance of what was. "You…love me?" she asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yes."
Kagome smiled mistily, and traced his cheek, reverent of the knowledge. Then she drew his lips to hers, kissing him gently delicately, a caress as fragily beautiful as the moment.
And with that kiss, she knew that she never needed anything else.
All of a sudden, Sesshoumaru tensed, his muscles becoming rock hard. He tore his eyes form Kagome and looked over her shoulder to the far bank.
"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked searching his face for the cause of alarm.
He quietly shushed her. "Get behind me, love."
She hesitantly nodded, still searching for the cause. She quickly moved behind him and looked out from there.
Kikyo…
She was just standing there, her bow lax by her side.
Minutes dragged by. The slight breeze that was blowing through, caused Kagome to shiver, the chill becoming quite noticeable.
Then fire erupted through her body. A burning flame in her belly, and pulsing pain traveling to her finger tips. She slowly lowered her eyes to look down her body, and she felt dizzy. Out of her belly protruded a blade, its dull steel gleaming sickly with her blood.
"Sesshou…maru…" she whispered, her voiced laced with pain.
He stiffened, and slowly turned. His eyes showed his fear for what might be. He watched, stunned and frozen, as she tried to reach out to him. The effort was too much for her and she crumpled into the water, staining it a bright red.
Breaking his paralysis, he leapt forward to catch her, but an arrow embedded itself in his side, its purifying effect a painful reminder of his love.
He kept on going, until he managed to gather Kagome in his arms. Blood poured from his wound, its purifying poison sending waves of agony pounding through his body.
"Kagome…" he whispered. He shook her desperately.
She slowly opened her eyes. They were glazed over with pain. As she focused in on his face, clarity slowly returned to them.
"Sesshoumaru," she sighed. Her eyes hungrily ate up his face as if she knew she didn't have much longer. "Sesshou—" she coughed, blood bubbling out of the corner of her mouth. As the racking coughs eased off, she gasped for breath and fought to continue.
"Sesshoumaru…promise me." She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Promise me that you won't forget me."
Sesshoumaru gave a heart wrenching cry of despair. It was as if she had already given up. "Never, I will never forget you."
She smiled, her face suddenly serene. "Sesshoumaru." Her voice was a mere whisper. He could almost feel her vitality drain out.
Both ignored the water lapping at their bodies. Kagome was too far-gone to feel it and Sesshoumaru was to grief ridden to heed it. She reached out to touch the arrow embedded in his side. It disintegrated.
He watched in panic as her eyes, never wavering from his face, start to gradually glaze over once more. Her strength was almost depleted, and she felt the touch of the soothing darkness that waited just out of reach. No. She had to finish.
Kagome's mouth worked a couple times, no sound coming out. Sesshoumaru held her close to him, reminiscent of the first time he had found her, half drowned.
In fact, this could very well be the same river in which he found her. It didn't matter. All that mattered was the dying girl in his arms. His beloved.
Why? Why must she be taken away, just when he just found her. For, essentially, he had just found her. Had just found the bond that had forever connected them. He had just been to damn proud to admit it and tanks to that pride, his time with her was, oh so short.
Finally, a wretched sound passed her lips. Her eyes slowly losing the clarity and startling vividness that had previously inhabited them. She still fought to speak, her throat working furiously.
At last she managed three coherent words. Words that ripped him apart, never realizing that he needed to hear them so badly.
"I…love…you…"
Then she went limp, the film of death over her eyes. And as if that had not been bad enough for him, her body started to disappear.
Her inert form becoming more translucent and ghostly until she was entirely gone. With no trace of her to show that she had even existed except a bloody river and a thread of her hair that had caught on his hand.
He couldn't believe it. Wouldn't believe it. But he had to. She was gone. Forever.
His hands shook as he tried to cope with the grief. Gone. Forever. The words echoed endlessly in his mind, taunting him. Forever.
"No…" he cried out softly, under his breath. Disbelief still warred with reality. "No."
He slowly lifted his head from the sight of his empty arms. "Kagome?"
Then reality won, and the torment that had just a moment before kept in check, rushed out like a flood, tearing through his mind, his body. Tears slipped down form his eyes, their translucent beauty dropping into the murky redness of the blood stained river.
"Kagome." He couldn't stop. He chanted her name underneath his breath, gradually gaining in volume until he finally let it go, venting his immeasurable grief to the heavens above. "KA – GO – MEE!!"
He sobbed, hanging his head in defeat. Why? He felt as if his heart had been ripped out and ruthlessly crushed, leaving an aching emptiness in its place.
He picked up his head to look at Kikyo. Naraku stood close by, his smirk one of sick pleasure. "Why?" he asked, his voice soft.
Kikyo didn't pretend to not hear. "Because she did not belong."
He slowly shook his head from side to side. "I do not understand." He looked at Kikyo, her image a close replica of his beloved's.
She gave a small shrug. "That is understandable. Your grief has clouded your mind." She walked over to her quiver. She bent down to pick it up, her hands straightening up the remaining arrows. "It was not right, having my reincarnation in the same time period as I. And to share," she put so much loathing into that single word, "a soul. It is unheard of." She stood up straight. Her eyes looked directly into his. "She did not belong."
Suddenly, Naraku burst out laughing. "Oh, Kikyo dear. The poor taiyoukai is clearly distraught. Stop playing with him."
Kikyo brought her eyebrow close together. "I am not playing with him." She looked genuinely puzzled.
Naraku shook his head. "Tsk, tsk. You still lie." At her sharp glance, he shrugged, continuing without regard for anyone's feelings. "Well, it doesn't matter." His mouth stretched into a wide grin. "Time to pay up, miko." He leered.
Kikyo closed her eyes. She knew what she had asked for, what price she got it at. It was what she deserved.
Naraku chuckled. "Come now. What's with the face." He stuck his face close to hers and traced her mouth with the tip of his tongue. She shivered delicately.
"You asked, miko." With that he wrapped his baboon pelt tightly around her and they disappeared, leaving Sesshoumaru in the middle of the river, alone.
He wanted to kill himself, to join her in the afterworld. But he couldn't he had a kingdom to look after. He stared down at the water. It was barely red anymore.
A thought struck him. Kagome was from the furture.
He smiled, his grief abating a little, leaving a pulsing ache behind. He could wait until then. He walked out of the river and picked up his sword and armor. He will wait until then. He gradually disappeared into the darkness, the wind howling ominously behind him. His last thought lingered behind, worshipping the lightly blood stained water.
Wait for me…
My beloved…
Kagome…
The end.
How was it? Huh? Well, no matter. I fully intend to do a sequel, and after much contemplation, I have decided the plot. In a way, this was a cliffhanger, leading up to the continuation of the story… as you can probably tell from the end part. It was actually going to end earlier with Sesshoumaru screaming for Kagome…but I though…why end it there? Well, if you review enough…I just might write the sequel a bit faster *hint, hint*
Oh, and I was thinking about going back to fix up the beginning chapters. That might take some time, so bear with me, and you'll soon enjoy the next part of this story.
Kai
