A/N: Hey hey! Look who finally got their act together and didn't wait for a month to post! Hehe…actually there is a reason behind the quick update…due to the scary fact that I will be starting my first year of university in about five days, I really want to get this story finished…it may not happen until a little later, but due to the demands I will no doubt be facing in my program, the key here is sooner rather than later (that's good for all my lovely readers at least : )) Anyway, enjoy and thanks once again to all of you who reviewed…you guys make the day brighter…: )
Chapter 18: My Saving Grace
The smell.
It was back. But now it was stronger than ever.
Tentatively, Inuyasha opened a window, jabbed his nose outside, and inhaled.
God, it was strong. Too strong really, to be brushed off as a passing breeze.
Narrowing his eyes, the hanyou took another sniff, and was rewarded with an overpowering cloud of the stuff. Coughing, he hurtled back into the room, trying—for the life of him—to figure out just what the hell was out there.
As he recovered from the blast his nose had just received, Inuyasha perused his faded memories, hoping to find a place where he could connect the smell and an image together. After all, some human had once said that scent was the strongest memory someone could have, and apparently it applied to hanyou as well.
Images of different kinds of demons flashed in his mind—many from years back when he had aided his father in dealing with the various other businessmen and women out there. But none seemed to have this particular scent, at least not that he could remember.
Out of nowhere, an old memory of a dark night in the back alleyway of a pub suddenly came to mind. Furrowing his brow, he tried his hardest to remember what had happened. It had something to do with his father, and an angry English gangster who had believed he had been cheated out of a fair payment for a suspicious shipment of crates. Normally, Inuyasha hadn't been apart of his father's shadier dealings, but the trip to England had been a sort of birthday present for him. A present that—as usual—had gone terribly wrong.
Inuyasha could remember the gangster clearly, all six foot something of him, but he had been only a human who had had the gall to stand up to his father. Yet there was something else, something that the gangster had brought with him…
A cry drifted through the open window, tearing the hanyou from his disturbed thoughts, and making his ears stand on end.
That hadn't been just any cry—it had been Kagome's.
Thoughts of the previous fight that he had just instigated flew from his head, as all he could suddenly concentrate on was the fear he had heard in her voice.
A knot of terror rose in his own throat, but he fought back. Instead, he flew out of his door and ignored the steps, choosing instead to fly off the loft and down to the floor below—panic in his every move.
"Inuyasha, quiet! We can't be heard!" A voice demanded in a harsh whisper.
Startled, the hanyou turned and found Sango crouched behind the back of the couch. Her face was drawn, and worry clearly dimmed her eyes.
"What's going on?" He hissed as quietly as he could manage, lowering himself into a crouch as well. The scent was stronger down on the bottom floor, drifting in from what seemed to be an open window in the kitchen. "What the hell is happening? Where's Kagome?"
"I didn't think you cared," Sango shot back, her own voice quiet. Yet despite the low sound level, Inuyasha heard the irritation in it.
He let out a low growl. "It's none of your business. Now what's going on out there?"
"I don't know yet. I sent Kirara out to investigate through the window. Whatever it is though, it can't be good."
"Why don't you just go outside yourself?" He demanded, frustrated with the lack of action that the exterminator seemed to be doing. "Hell, I'll do it myself."
He stood up, and found a strong hand on his shoulder pull him down again.
"Stay down. Our shadows can be seen through the window. The last thing we need is an ambush inside such a tiny space."
Bearing sharp teeth, Inuyasha was about to give Sango an idea as to why he might as well do it himself--shadows or no shadows--when a soft mew could be heard behind him.
Turning, he stared at the demon cat who sat placidly behind him. In her mouth, she held a dark green scale that was reeking of that same damned scent.
It didn't take Inuyasha very long to remember now, what with the tendrils of the horrible smell sweeping up into his nose and digging away at the fuzzy memory.
He glanced back at Sango and noticed her grim expression. So he wasn't the only one who knew what the scale meant.
Another yell echoed through the house--this time male and most likely Miroku--and both exterminator and demon stood up. Shadows be damned.
Sango took the scale from Kirara, and placed it in a pocket. "There's a window in my room that we could fit through. Come on, we've delayed enough already."
Inuyasha hesitated a moment, eyes fixed on her as he tried to decide whether or not she was trustworthy. Sure, she hadn't tried to kill him again--and she'd had plenty of chances--but that might not mean a thing.
Sango noticed his hesitation and with a sigh, grabbed the sleeve of his shirt, proceeding to drag him towards the room. "Now is not the time to have trust issues. Look, I may not be your biggest fan, but I care about the two people out there just as much as you do. And if that scale is from the thing that I think it is, you're going to need all the help you can get fighting it."
Muttering something incomprehensible, Inuyasha followed her through the door and into the dark room. Neither of them made any move to turn a light on--it would only attract the monsters outside. Instead, Inuyasha worked on opening the surprisingly stubborn window whilst Sango tried to dig her weapons out of her bag without impaling herself on them first.
With a soft clunk, the window shot open, and the cold winter air seeped into the room, bringing with it the smell of monsters and--even more disturbing--the faint smell of human blood.
Flexing his claws, Inuyasha didn't wait for the demon exterminator and leapt through the open window, narrowly missing a nasty bump on the head. But the scent he had picked up mattered more than anything, as he knew just to who it was connected to.
With thoughts of the dark-haired veterinarian running rampant in his mind, the hanyou summoned up all the power in his blood and shot forward. A bulging lump was in front of him, swinging its bony tail. The thing barely had time to blink before Inuyasha was on it, swiping at the rough hide and letting the poison in his outstretched claws seep into every wound he caused.
The thing wailed--using its high-pitched tone to signal to its comrades that it needed help--and for an instant Inuyasha's hearing was overloaded with the sound. The creature took the moment to its advantage, and used its own claws to take a scrape at the hanyou.
Silver hair flew as Inuyasha managed to leap away just as the edge of one razor tipped claw found purchase in his sweater.
Swearing at himself for being so stupid, he skirted a cluster of trees and came out on the other side. He had to do another small hop to avoid running smack dab into Miroku.
The smell of blood was too much to bear, and it was all the hanyou could do to keep his head from drifting into a disoriented state.
"Inuyasha, thank the heavens. I was wondering what had happened to the two sole people in the house that knew something about fighting," Miroku said, his breathe coming in shallow gasps.
"Are you hurt?" The hanyou had to ask, since his senses were still of kilter and Kagome's blood seemed to dominate everything.
"I'm not, thanks to this trusty stick I found. But Kagome is--badly. I haven't been able to reach her though, because of those…those things. " Miroku pointed to a spot not more than a foot away. Inuyasha could see a body lying there, dark hair spilling into the white snow.
Something tight took over his chest, and for an instant Inuyasha couldn't see anything but the still body of Kagome, nestled there in the cold, her life slowly seeping away.
He hadn't noticed he had drawn his own blood until he opened a clenched fist and saw the specks staining the white palm. His face contorted into a snarl, and wiped the blood off on his shirt.
Another whine cut through the cold air, and Inuyasha knew that Sango had finally gotten her act together.
"Miroku, go over to Kagome, stay there and keep still. Their sight isn't the greatest, but they can still pick up on movement. And keep that stick with you--you may be needing it if they come back to finish the job."
Miroku glanced at his friend, worry edging into his face. "Try not to get hurt. I need someone to protect me."
"You can protect yourself just fine, idiot. Now wait until I've left before going."
Inuyasha didn't wait for a response, but strode over to where Kagome lay. Although the blood stench was playing havoc with his head, he checked for a pulse. When the steady but faint beat met his fingertips, he let out a small sigh of relief. She was okay, for now. At least he could find some peace with that.
Now all that was left was the bunch of lizard-things that were no doubt giving the exterminator some trouble.
His muscles bunched up and he sprung forward, taking two leaps before falling into the mess of a fight that the woman and her cat were trying to win. With a loud growl, Inuyasha let his claws fly, and smiled with grim satisfaction as he felt them tear into the protective layer of scales of the monsters around him.
Sango merely nodded when he flew by her, and aimed a sharp knife at the soft underbelly of a rearing reptile. It found its mark swiftly, and the creature dropped to the floor without another sound.
As the hanyou tossed and scratched whatever came near him, he tried to count the number. So far four had attacked him, add to that the one Sango just did away with, and that meant there were five in total. A surprisingly large number, since one or two of the creatures was usually good enough to do the job. Whoever had sent them had wanted to take no chances.
Quick thinking was a must in battles, and unfortunately, Inuyasha had not always succeeded in that particular area of expertise. A large silver claw found its way into his shin, and Inuyasha darted away before the other claws could follow. Cursing at everything and anything, he felt the first flames of pain rise up from the wound.
With a grimace, he launched himself at the first lizard in his way and attacked with all his might. He heard a triumphant meow, and hoped that meant the number of monsters had just diminished again.
When he felt the body beneath him collapse, he moved on to the next one, rage and anger building up as the strains of an injury started taking its toll. Normally a leg wound was nothing, but their claws were specifically designed to slice whatever they came in contact with. In his case, he knew they had found a muscle.
"Inuyasha! Behind you!"
Sango's warning came just in time. Inuyasha ducked and rolled as a large bony tail went swinging over the space where his skull would have been. He'd completely forgotten about that maneuver…
The creature suddenly dropped, and the faded moonlight just managed to reflect off of the metal that was embedded in its head. The lizard he had been currently trying to do away with stood still, as though it realized that its comrades had all fallen. It didn't even flinch when Kirara's claws found their home in its throat--it had seemingly resigned itself to its fate.
Even though Inuyasha counted five distinct bodies, he kept his ears attuned to the nighttime sounds and his nose carefully trained on the passing winds. Only when he was absolutely sure that there were no more of the creatures did he bring his attention back to the situation.
Sango was wiping down her daggers in a clean patch of snow. Kirara was currently nowhere to be seen--probably off on her mistress's orders to search the perimeter woods for any more surprises.
The smell rising from the dead bodies was surprisingly less potent than when they were alive, and it was with some curiosity that he approached one of the corpses. He had seen them from a distance before, but never had been up close to the strange creation.
As his hand tentatively reached out to touch the strange green scales, a shimmer of light suddenly enveloped the body. With a sound that sounded like a candle being extinguished, the body dissolved under his hand, falling into a murky pile on the snow.
Startled, he took a step back, then another one, before whirling around to face the demon exterminator. "What the hell happened?"
She glanced over to where the bodies were supposed to have been, and gave a shake of her head. Obviously rather unfazed by the whole event, she went back to cleaning her weapons. "Haven't you ever seen them do that before?"
A little miffed that the woman wasn't having the same reaction he was having, Inuyasha gave a one-shouldered shrug. He'd heard something about them doing that, but he hadn't imagined it would look quite so strange. Still, there was no way he was about to admit that to anyone if he could help it.
"Maybe. Maybe not."
"Well, if the answer's yes, then you wouldn't have been so surprised. As a matter of fact, they always do that. After all, they aren't exactly a natural occurrence in this world," She informed him, scraping at a stubborn spot on the blade she was currently working on. Inuyasha kept his mouth shut before he point out that he already knew all of that. "At least it takes care of the messy factor. By tomorrow, most of these ashes will have been blown away in this wind. They thought of everything when they designed those things. And it looks like one of them got you pretty badly."
Inuyasha was about to argue that he was perfectly fine and the wound was nothing compared to what he given the creatures when another smell stopped him in his tracks. Feeling like an absolute idiot for his lack of memory, he turned just in time to see Miroku stumble into the little gathering, a figure cushioned carefully in his arms.
"Kirara came by and seemed to give me the okay to move around. Do any of you two know first aid? Kagome needs help, now."
"No one told me she was hurt!" Sango exclaimed, tossing her knives into their sheaths on the belt that Inuyasha suddenly noticed buckled around her waist.
When he felt her eyes pin him down, the hanyou held his chin higher and crossed his arms in an act of pure stubbornness. "Well, gee, I guess I kind of got distracted with the Trackers and all that."
"Trackers?" Miroku asked, and then gave a shake of his head before the other two could answer. "No, the story can wait. Right now, Kagome needs some medical attention. Think you can help?"
Sango gave him a short nod. "Get inside the house, where it's warm. I may not be an expert at this stuff, but I know the basics."
Feeling a tad helpless, Inuyasha sidled up to Miroku, trying his best to appear nonchalant about it all. "Here, you're tired. Let…let me carry her."
Miroku's eyes widened as he took in the bloody leg the hanyou was sporting. Then upon meeting Inuyasha's glare, his face broke into a wry grin. "You heartless old fool. Just be careful with her--I think she got a pretty bad knock from that lizard-thing's tail."
He didn't hesitate to slip the unconscious form into waiting arms--but whether it was due to tiring arms or simply to torture the hanyou a little longer , the reason would forever be a mystery. As soon as Kagome was tucked safely into Inuyasha's hold, the young man dashed around to the front door to follow in Sango's tracks.
It took the hanyou a moment to collect himself when the first whiff of blood came to his nose. It wasn't as though blood was such an overpowering smell really, but the fact that this time it was Kagome's seemed to do something to his head that had never happened before. It made him want to rip something to pieces--or beat someone to a pulp.
It made him want to gather her closer, keep her tight in his arms, and then never, ever let go.
And it was that last particular realization that shook him to the core.
Careful not to jostle her around too much--and checking to see if his leg would hold--he made sure her head was tucked neatly into the folds of his sweater, before following in Miroku's footsteps. Even with the layers of winter clothes, Kagome's form seemed as cold as the night air around her. How long had she been lying there in the snow anyway?
If only he had warned everyone about the scent yesterday. Then maybe they would have taken more precautions, and Kagome wouldn't have gone running so carelessly out of the house like that. If he hadn't been so stubborn and stupid, then she might still be sitting across from him at the kitchen table, glowering over the latest word he had spelled out on the game board.
The warm blast of air that greeted him upon his entry to the house was a welcome relief from the icy chill that had been setting in. Sango ushered him over to the couch--which had been pulled out and burdened with pillows and blankets galore.
He didn't really want to let go of the woman in his arms, but he knew he'd just look more foolish if he held on to her. But it was with obvious reluctance--which did not go unnoticed by two particular humans--that he finally set her down.
Gently, Sango pried open the winter jacket, and managed to peel it away from the still form despite the sticky blood acting as a form of morbid glue. Miroku took it wordlessly, tossing it into a garbage bag that was left in the kitchen, no doubt meant for the other items of ruined clothing as well.
The wounded arm lay at Kagome's side, red staining the blue fabric of the sweater, and creeping down her side. The strange combination of colours only made the hue of her skin look even more ghostly white than it already was.
Sango sighed, eyes never leaving her friend's wound. "I'm going to need to take off the sweater if I want to get a good clean look at it. All right, I'm putting you men to work to get some privacy as well as to use the extra hands. That is, if Inuyasha doesn't need to rest first."
The silver-haired hanyou's only reply was a pointed glare aimed at the exterminator. She took that as a no, and continued on. "We need bandages, and one of you can fetch my first aid kit in my black bag. You can get some Tylenol while you're at it--Kagome's going to have one hell of a headache when she wakes up. Also, get some dry wood and start building a fire in that pathetic excuse for a fireplace. The more heat the better."
It was always a mystery as to how Miroku managed to keep a bright outlook on life, but he never ceased to fail no matter what the circumstances. The forlorn look that marred his face was now replaced by a quick--but tired--grin. "Anything else, your Majesty?"
Unperturbed by his address, the young woman gave the question some thought. "Hmm…brew some coffee too. I think we're going to need all the caffeine we can get."
"Aye, aye." With a small salute, Miroku grasped Inuyasha's arm and shoved him in the direction of the linen closet. "Unless Sango needs Band-Aids, we're not going to have much luck finding those bandages. So torn sheets will just have to suffice for now."
When he noticed Inuyasha's quiet nature, and the worried glances he kept sending discreetly over to Kagome's form, Miroku took a hold of his arm more firmly. "I happen to trust Sango, and she seems to know more about this kind of thing than we do. So let's give her that privacy she needs, and get cracking. The faster we work, the better Kagome's chances will be. And the easier your leg will heal, no matter how stubborn you are about it."
It was with a reluctant sigh that Inuyasha gave in--much to Miroku's surprise--and began to tear long strips off of the various sheets that were stowed away. Usually destroying things gave Inuyasha a sense of release, but this time was different. This time someone he cared about was hurt, and nothing would be able to take his mind away from that particular fact.
This time his heart was involved, and he had discovered that nothing was easy when those kinds of emotions got in the way. Especially when they clouded your every thought and move.
He only hoped that his stroke of bad luck wouldn't show its ugly head again, because this time his heart lay somewhere in this mess that he had created, and if anything happened to it--or to her--he wasn't too sure he'd ever be able to live with himself.
"So you're saying these Truckers…"
"Trackers," Sango corrected him over the rim of a multi-coloured mug.
"Right. So these Trackers are not some new breed of demon, but rather a concoction created by a human scientist as a weapon against other humans and demons?"
"You've got it."
Miroku furrowed his brow, and took a long sip of his coffee. His head felt full, and he hadn't even begun sorting out the information yet. "Let me get this straight. Those lizard things that attacked us weren't really lizards, but some strange hybrid of various animals--including demonic influences--hence why they didn't curl up in the snow and go to sleep like most normal reptiles would. In fact, they aren't really animals, but a creation made in some high-tech lab, specifically engineered to obey its master's every command, and disintegrates when its purpose is complete or when it dies so as to save everyone the trouble of cleaning up after it."
"And that's only the beginning," Inuyasha told him, fingering the rim of his half-empty coffee cup. His leg throbbed slightly under the pressure of the bandages that Nazi exterminator had forced on him, but the pain had already lost most of its edge. Now, clothed in clean, blood-free pants and sweater, Inuyasha felt ready to take on ten more of the unearthly creatures. "No one's sure as to how a bunch of miserable human scientists got a hold of the DNA that's used or the technology for it, let alone how they got demon magic to work in the body of a mutant lizard."
"Sounds like some sort of bizarre sci-fi movie," Miroku commented carefully, his brain melting into mush even as he tried his best to stay alert. "All we need is a bunch of scantily clad women who shoot lasers out of their eyes, and I think we have a plot line."
"It's probably been done," Sango pointed out. "Besides, we have a lot more to worry about. Whoever sent the monsters knew where we are, and they weren't taking any chances." When Miroku shot her another confused look, she sighed. "Usually it only takes one or two Trackers to do a job, and do it right. They were not only engineered to be adaptable to different kinds of climate, but they're also highly skilled in tracking by scent, incredibly agile, and possess some of the sharpest claws I've ever known. The only reason we managed to do away with them so quickly was because there were too many of them, and I think they started to get confused with each other."
"They can't see very well, but movement sets them off," Inuyasha added. He too had noticed Miroku's permanent perturbed expression, and thought that it would be best to help the man understand just what they had gone up against. If anymore decided to show up at the doorstep, at least then he would know how to handle it. "With all of them attacking at once, they had to make sure that they really were attacking us, and not one of their kin. Despite being monsters, they seem to respect their other monster friends just fine."
Miroku tried to give his head a shake to wake it up, but only succeeded in creating little lights at the corners of his vision. Obviously no amount of caffeine would be able to save him now. Resigning himself to his fate, the young man snuggled closer to the crackling fire that he and Inuyasha had managed to cook up. In your face Boy Scouts!
"You'd think they'd attack in waves or something, so as to avoid that problem then," Miroku mentioned, as much to himself as to the others.
Sango merely shook her head, and Miroku wondered just how she could stay so freaking awake at one a.m. in the morning. "They may have been designed to be killing machines, but they weren't given a brain cell in their silly heads. They know only what their master has put into their mind, and nothing else. Maybe that's why they didn't try to kill you off first; their master gave them orders to go for those who proved a real threat to them."
"Hey! I'm not exactly helpless," The businessman protested, "I would have gotten my black belt in judo if I hadn't needed to pay for university too."
The young woman who sat across from him held up a hand. "I'm not saying you're helpless. I'm saying that whoever sent them knew that Inuyasha and I posed a threat. That means they probably had no idea you even knew how to throw a punch."
Miroku set his lukewarm coffee down, and gave up trying to think. It wasn't getting him anywhere--except maybe closer to a headache. "Neither of you has outwardly said who sent them, but I thought we already knew. Isn't the answer obvious?"
Inuyasha followed Miroku's motions, and put away his own cup. The caffeine had no effect on him, and he was too worried about Kagome to need any other kind of wake-up call. "Although I hate my brother's guts, it doesn't mean I don't know him. He does his research thoroughly before every taking on an assignment, and when finally gets around to doing it, he's not one to make too many mistakes. Besides, he's got it in for all of us, so it makes no sense as to why he wouldn't order those things to attack you just as enthusiastically too."
"Trackers are used by sneaks and cheats, and people who don't want to get their hands dirty at all," Sango added, downing the remnants of her coffee. " For some reason, I don't think Sesshomaru falls under any of those categories. Sure, he hires people to do his dirty work, but you need to pay them, and sometimes they aren't always trustworthy. Trackers on the other hand are always at your beck and call, and require nothing except a meal now and then before you put them to their task. My father calls them the coward's way out of a bad situation."
Inuyasha looked a little surprised at her analogy of his brother--he hadn't thought she would have such a clear view of his brother's personality. "You've run into them, I suppose?"
Nodding, Sango gave her arms a stretch while trying to stifle a yawn. Miroku had to fight to stop from yawning as well. "Here and there, especially when I'm dealing with the seedier side of the world."
"Wait, backtrack a little here." Miroku paused, waiting for his friends' attention. There was still something that neither of them had clarified, and frankly, it was probably the most important fact right now. "So if it isn't Sesshomaru who sent those things after us, then who the hell could it be? Don't tell me we made another enemy along the way."
Inuyasha and Sango traded a glance. They had reached a silent agreement of sorts to cease their enmity--at least, they didn't seem to mind each other's company as much any more. Miroku only hoped that it was a good turn of events, and not one that would backfire somehow.
The hanyou was the one who eventually spoke. "It might be someone who works for him, or someone who's taken it upon themselves to be a crusader in my brother's name. Until the asshole shows him or herself, we won't really know."
Miroku let out a sigh, then gave his sleepy head another shake. "Well, then that's settled for now. There's nothing we can do in the middle of the night that we can't do tomorrow morning. And I need some serious shut-eye if I'm going to function properly. Shall we call it a night?"
"Sounds good to me. But someone will have to keep an eye on our patient," Sango put in, and gestured towards the pull out couch. All eyes looked to the sleeping figure of Kagome, her bandaged arm nestled under blankets and her head cushioned by soft pillows. Kirara was curled up on her moving chest, acting as a weight to keep the veterinarian down if she started to struggle, as well as another heat source. Kagome had stirred just after Sango had finished stitching her up but had dozed off in a fit of confusion and pain seconds later. If they hadn't been so worried about moving her, or attracting more attention to themselves, then she would have been put into a nice little sterile hospital room hours ago.
But nurses and doctors would ask awkward questions, and it wouldn't do if more creatures showed up at the hospital, lured by their scent. In the end Sango had set her foot down, stating that unless Kagome showed signs of infection or fever, she would be perfectly fine in the cottage for one night. Or, at least, until the coast was clear.
Both humans were spared a sleepless night when Inuyasha shuffled over to the couch and sat down on the edge of the flimsy mattress. With his golden gaze never leaving the vet's pale face, he quietly agreed to take the duty.
"Humans can't deal with sleepless nights as well as demons," He stated, trying to make up for the soft side that was peeking out of his usual crusty layer.
The comment only made Miroku and Sango hide their smiles more carefully as they bid him good night. Kirara followed close on her mistress's heels as she retired to her own chambers, despite Miroku's offer of company and his bed that he had claimed from the hanyou..
Inuyasha ignored them, waiting until he heard their respective doors close to touch the woman that was lying so calmly next to him. His hand caressed her cheek, and he noted that it was warm--much warmer than it had been when she had first been brought inside. Even with such a tiny fireplace, the fire they had built still kept the room in a decent blanket of heat.
He hadn't dared to go near her since that incident in her room almost two days ago. Everything about her had been driving him crazy--her smell, her actions, even her mere presence had driven him to well beyond distraction. And there wasn't another female in this world that could lay claim to that particular fact.
But now…now, she needed the care that he had been so unwilling to give.
It could be worse, he thought as his hand trailed up her cheek, and into her thick, silky hair. She could be on the brink of life and death--or at the very least short one limb.
She could have been killed.
It was that last thought that drove Inuyasha to take his hand away from her soft strands and keep it curled around the blankets instead. If she had died, then it would have been his fault. His stubbornness would have been the reason for Kagome's downfall. Normally, he wasn't one to liberally pile insults on himself, but this time it seemed like the only thing he could do.
Idiot, Inuyasha mentally cursed, Stupid baka. I shouldn't have let her go outside at all. I should have told them all about the stupid smell by the stupid resort. I should have remembered faster. I should have--
His long list of things to be blamed for was cut short by the sudden shifting of the same woman who was causing him so much mental anguish. He watched as her eyelids fluttered, and finally opened to the outside world.
It didn't take very long for Kagome to find and then focus on the hanyou who was sulking at the edge of her bed. Not her bed, she realized, but the one in the living room. The one inside the couch that should have been occupied by Miroku.
In the next instant, the dizziness that threatened to take over turned into an all out pounding headache that reverberated throughout her entire fragile skull. Wincing, she tried to bring her hands up to hide her eyes from the glare of the room when she realized that the pain wasn't all in her head.
Now she started to struggle against the restraints of the blankets covering her, and it was with some care that Inuyasha eased her into a sitting position. Kagome would wonder about the sudden gentleness in the hanyou's gesture later. Right now, there were other things to worry about--including the ragged bandages covering her arm…well, if they could be called bandages. They looked more like strips from some unfortunate blanket that had gotten in the way of a pair of scissors. Or claws.
But her head wasn't going to play along with her willingness to shift around. Instead, it protested her every thought and move with a new wave of pain.
"Open your mouth."
Unable to truly protest at the undignified request, Kagome thought about retaliating for an instant before another wave of pain crested inside of her brain.
Grimacing, she did as she was told, and found two pills dropped into her mouth. A glass of water was placed in her good hand, and the young woman swallowed it all in one big gulp.
With some help from clawed hands, her head was placed back on the pillow. Sighing gratefully at the softness that surrounded her, she found herself looking back to the eerily silent hanyou.
Typical moron, she thought, can't say a thing to me even after all of this happened.
Well, she wanted some damn answers and, pain or no pain, she was going to get them.
"What…what happened?"
Inuyasha's eyes widened slightly as he heard her voice. It sounded a little underused, but it grew in its strength as Kagome continued bravely on. "What happened to my arm? Why am I out here? And what the hell were those--those things out there?"
"It's a long story," He said gruffly, suddenly finding his pants extremely fascinating. "You're head's probably not up to hearing it."
Maybe it was the pain getting to her, but Kagome was sick and tired of him treating her like a dimwit. If her head weren't swimming around, she would have sat up and gave him a piece of her mind. She had to settle for a minor statement. "Screw my head. I want to know what happened to me now."
Inuyasha wasn't one to argue with a hurt woman. Okay, maybe he would argue sometimes, but there was something in that tone of voice that prompted him into re-telling the events of the night. Using the simplest terms possible, he explained the Trackers, the situation, and--using Miroku's addition to the events--explained how she had hurt her arm. Secretly, he wondered just how much she really truly understood, but the determination in her eyes kept him going despite the doubts.
He finished by mentioning that they suspected someone else was also after them, and then went to refill her water glass while she mulled things over. Or at least while her head tried to process the story whilst trying to fight the headache at the same time. He was surprised she had managed to actually look like she was listening to him during that whole little story-telling session.
Either the Tylenol 3 Miroku had left for her was kicking in, or she was just being a stubborn ass.
Betting on the latter, the hanyou made his way back to the young woman, and was a little surprised to find her sitting up and attempting to rub her shoulders with her one hand. Maybe that Tylenol 3 really was working its magic…
Rolling his eyes, he set the glass down, took her firmly by the shoulders and shifted until he sat a little ways behind her. Then, ever so slowly, his fingers found the soft skin at the base of her neck and proceeded to work some magic of their own.
He felt her stiffen as he began kneading the knots that had formed in her shoulders but he continued with the unexpected action. Let her throw something at me, or try to hurt me in some way. After all, I kind of deserve it.
With images of the glass of water making its long awaited journey to his face, he was instead surprised once again as Kagome relaxed ever so slightly. He noted, with some shock, that she even leaned back into his hands as he worked his way along her shoulder blades.
"Mmmm…that feels good. Don't get me wrong, I'm still pissed off at you for being a jerk. But still…still…a little lower…"
Her voice trailed off as she let out a sigh filled with relief. Inuyasha traced the delicate curve of her back through the thing fabric of the shirt Sango had dressed her in, down to the base of the spine. He then worked his fingers up the ridges as he rubbed in small circles all the way. It had been an old girlfriend that had discovered this particular talent of his, and he had come to realize it was a true "babe magnet" as Miroku liked to put it.
Frankly, it really was of no use to him, since he couldn't exactly do it to himself. But now--now it was coming in handy. As much as to give Kagome some relief as to give him the chance to touch her without her fingernails aimed for his eyeballs.
He heard her moan ever so quietly, and gave her shoulders one last good rub. Then his mind suddenly let its control of his limbs go, and he watched as two arms snaked around Kagome's waist and pulled her tightly to his chest.
She gave a squeak of surprise--something which Inuyasha nearly mirrored. But he found that he rather enjoyed having his arms around her waist, and discovered that having her body so willingly close to his was a pleasant experience.
This was definitely different than the kiss. The kiss had been driven partly by his demon blood. This…this moment had come from all of him. It was touching a part of him that wasn't exactly charted territory.
With a tenderness that knocked both of their minds off kilter, Inuyasha buried his nose into the crook of her neck, tightening his hold on her waist. The hanyou found her scent didn't send him into an insane fit anymore. Heck, her scent was more than alluring and frustrating. It was comforting and Inuyasha realized that it was her scent that gave him the realization that Kagome--his Kagome--was well and truly alive.
All the self-pity he had been harboring started to fall apart as a gentle hand carefully found one of his. Rather than pry his callused palm away from her sides, her soft one wrapped around it and held it there.
"I thought you were gone," Inuyasha murmured into her ear, his warm breath tickling the edges of her cheek. "I thought you were gone and it was all my fault."
Kagome felt her insides twist as his voice echoed in her ear. His usual pride and snippiness was replaced by a kindness she hadn't realized he possessed. Hand tightening on his, she closed her eyes and wondered if those pills he had put in her mouth were causing some kind of bizarre hallucinations. At the very least, they had alleviated all the pain that had plagued her only moments ago.
But his hands seemed so real; the arms around her waist so warm and strong and sure. If this was a hallucination, well it was pretty darn convincing. And it wasn't really that bad of one either. Her deep-set beliefs that he was an asshole were beginning to fade as he nuzzled the side of her neck.
"I can't be gone. I still have to hurt your for being such an insensitive ass."
He chuckled against her skin, sending small chills curling down into her toes. "You don't seem to be trying too hard."
"I'm going to wait until my arm's healed up. Then I can pummel you with two fists instead of one."
"You're tensing up again, Kagome. Just relax."
Easy for him to say, she thought sourly as another chill danced down her spine. His chest felt solid and muscular as it shifted behind her back, and Kagome desperately tried to ignore the small tugs of pleasure that were forming in her gut. She tried to remember exactly why she hated him, but the images were getting a little blurry. In fact, they were nothing but blurs now.
"You smell good. You smell…alive."
"I am alive, you dolt," Kagome replied, trying not to let her desperation leak into her voice. There was a battle forming in her body, and she was pretty sure what the outcome would be. But that didn't stop her from fighting it .
Inuyasha stopped his exploration of her neck and rested his chin on her shoulder, his lips mere inches from hers. Her traitorous cheeks were rising in temperature with every breath he took.
"You just can't take anything for what it is, can you?" He growled, the rumbling in his chest sending vibrations up her back and she felt her skin tingle. This wasn't like the last time. This wasn't fire and passion and lust. This was…it was…
…could it actually be romance?
Kagome turned her head ever so slightly towards his, trying to get a glimpse at his eyes. She firmly held up the fact that eyes were the windows to the soul, and she felt that if she could only see his then maybe all her unanswered questions would find their solutions.
He shifted his chin on her shoulder, and Kagome got her wish. Two dark amber eyes fixed on her, swirling with so many emotions that she had to blink before she could look into them. The vet realized that she had never seen his eyes that colour before. They were usually golden or tinged with a yellowish gleam when he was pissed off. But never such a warm colour as they were now.
Her breath caught in her throat, and she felt her cheeks hit an all new record for temperature. "Your eyes…they're different than usual."
"Really?"
If she didn't know any better she could have sworn that his lips had come closer. His breath tickled her nose, and suddenly she felt his chin shift closer from its place on her shoulder. So I wasn't imagining things after all! Take that hallucinogens!
"Inuyasha…"
Her voice trailed off as those enticing lips inched over that final distance and found her mouth. Kagome's mind buzzed, and every nerve ending began to hum pleasantly as the hanyou showed her just how many magic tricks he had up his sleeve.
Closing her eyes, she let his warm mouth slide over hers, nipping playfully at her bottom lip, and teasing her every last breath into oblivion. This was definitely not like last time.
If the last kiss had been full of fire, then this one was chock full of honey and sweetness. He can be sweet! She realized with a jolt, The idiot can actually manage to be a nice guy!
Her hand flexed over his, then left its place and found its way up to his face. There was the barest hint of stubble on his cheeks, and she couldn't help but enjoy the sensation against her palm.
Tilting her head to give him better access, she did what she'd wanted to do for a long time. Her hand found its way across his cheek and slid carefully into his silver hair, caressing the strands as her fingertips explored the sheer wonder of it. It looked just as smooth as it felt, and Kagome couldn't suppress the happy moan from escaping her occupied lips.
So he was still a jackass. But no man--or hanyou--who could melt her insides like this deserved such a harsh label. Dolt wasn't such a bad term…maybe that one would work better…
Suddenly, Inuyasha pried her mouth open fully and Kagome forgot anything and everything she was about think or say.
A rush of heat and emotion swamped her body and mind as she leaned further into the kiss that was quickly becoming one of the most memorable ones she had ever had. Even that first kiss they had shared was nothing compared to the power and the tenderness that this one held. Kagome floated dreamily in the sensations plaguing her senses as she matched Inuyasha's sweetness with some of her own.
It took a while before they could bring themselves to part. When they did, their breathing was labored, and Kagome still clung to him as much as he did to her.
"Kagome," He murmured quietly, testing each syllable on his tongue as if it were some strange new language he was only just beginning to learn. "I'm glad you're alive."
Grinning stupidly, Kagome brought her forehead to his. "So am I."
For the first time since she had met him, Kagome saw a peaceful smile cross his features and light up the dark corners that hid in his eyes. It gave him a new, softer appearance--one that made her heart ache for him.
A little afraid at the storm that had followed the battle inside her injured form, Kagome buried her face into his chest, her good arm wrapped tightly around his neck. Her eyelids felt heavy, as though they were going to fall down and stick shut. Blinking seemed to be a wasted effort, and she barely managed to suppress a yawn.
Inuyasha drew her away and she found those amber eyes studying hers carefully--as though they were absorbing every last centimeter of her blushing face.
"You're tired. I completely forgot--"
"Stop worrying. I'm fine, just sleepy." She really did yawn this time, and soon found her body being shift until she was laying down on the lumpy mattress. Despite the fogginess in her brain, she came to the realization that she wasn't alone.
She glanced up at the hanyou who had let go of his hold on her, and noticed the slight, stubborn expression taking over.
"Don't even think about arguing," He warned her, dragging a pillow off of the floor and putting it next to hers. "Unless you don't want me here…"
"I do want you here," She assured him, acutely aware of the new shade of red her cheeks were reaching. "And I'm too sleep-deprived to argue."
"Good."
He plunked his head down on the pillow and for the first time, Kagome noticed the way the firelight danced in his silver hair, and the shadows it threw across his handsome face. His eyes narrowed at her--a little playfully, a little bewildered--as she continued her examination.
"Everything all right?"
Smiling sleepily, she nodded, and shifted closer to the warmth his chest was emanating. Her nose found its way into the folds of his sweater, and she inhaled his scent with a mixture of pleasure and peace. He smelled like musk and the outdoors and something vaguely spicy that couldn't be placed in her mind. Still smiling, Kagome finally closed her eyes and let her mind drift back to its fuzzy obscurity.
It was only seconds after she dozed off that two muscled arms came around her form, and held her tightly--careful to keep her injured arm out of the embrace.
Burying his nose deep into her hair, Inuyasha took one last breath and came to the conclusion that the smell of Kagome would never recede into a faded memory.
His breathing slowing, he too let his eyes shut, and let the world of sleep take over--feeling a sense of happiness he hadn't felt in quite some time well up inside.
And for once, his sleep was undisturbed by nightmares or horrific images or anxiety.
For once, he dreamed of nothing at all.
Chapter 19 will be finding its way to a screen near you…
Countdown to the End: Two More Chapters To Go