AN: Well guys... Here's my reason for taking a million years to update. Congratulate me. It took me a long time, but I got a new computer. And it even works! happy smile my old one died and recovering the lost harddisk information was a pain in the royal... Yep.
So after a nice long relaxing afternoon of dipping Inu in Chocolate, I decided "hey, it's all up and running at last - time to update!" So here is an extra fun chapter (NC-17 not recommended for those who are underage) and some heartbreaking developments.
Hope you enjoy this chapter, the next update will be soon I promise! Please remember to review! We need your feedback!
Arigato to all those who reviewed so far, you will all recieve your holiday gift wrapped Inus and Yasha's in the mail :)
Miroku leapt out from around the corner right in front of the girls and held out his palm, Buddha beads aside, he released his wind funnel sucking everything before him in, including Kagura's winds before they hit the girls. By the look of it, Kagura herself would fly in. Holding his hand at the wrist to steady it, Miroku gritted his teeth, his eyes burning a deadly jade. Looking over his shoulders, he saw both women, after the second of pure relief, he yelled at them to run and get back.
Kagura frowned. "Damn wind funnel..." Kagura hissed trying to control his winds but to no avail. "One who runs, lives to fight another day." Kagura conjured a tornado aimed for him, while she used the opportunity of the clash of the winds to run.
If Miroku was here, it meant Inuyasha had to be close. They always fought together and if Miroku was here it meant Sango was safe. Miroku was better then Inuyasha, he'd never hurt Sango. He loved her. He never broke her wrist, caused her pain, ignored her pleas... Running along Sango, Kagome glanced at her friend and stopped. "I'm going now. Stick to Miroku, he'll protect you," Kagome whispered hurriedly then ran down a different hall from Sango, using an arrow to shoot at the floor right before Sango, so that she wouldn't think of following.
Kagome had to get away from them all. She had to go somewhere safe, where he wouldn't find her. Oddly enough, the only person she could figure to go to was Sesshomaru, the same man who gave her nightmares. "I wish I had never met him."
Sango backed up when the arrow struck the floor, but arms steadied her. She ignored them a moment, wounded that Kagome hadn't given her an answer and that Kagome had said that Miroku would protect her. Protect her from what? From Inuyasha? Is that what Kagome had meant? But she couldn't ignore the feel of Miroku's hands on her arms for very long. She turned back around, and stared up at him with her blood already beginning to burn now that she saw he was alive.
Hey, his eyes were glowing green, but he was still alive. "Miroku...." She grabbed him and brought his lips down to her own, kissing him fiercely.
Miroku was going to urge her on ahead, he was going to check her out, make sure it was really her, but he forgot all those when she kissed him. Only Sango could kiss like that. Groaning into her mouth, he collected her close to him and crushed her frame against his. "Sango..." Miroku whispered into her mouth, moving her back against the wall. His hands on either side of her against the wall, Miroku pulled away and stared at her.
His eyes ravished her. As though she was the only creature capable of calming the raging beast inside of him, his eyes slowly ebbed, stopped glowing and returned to their natural blue. He looked human. The emotion showing in his eyes put into words all he could not. He sought out her mouth again, this time for simple reassurance that he had her back. He had sworn he would've torn this world apart had she never been returned to him or hurt, and he would've. But now she was with him, and he calmed.
Hands lowering to her hips, Miroku leaned his forehead against hers, breathing in her scent, unbathed as it was, but then again with all the running he had been doing, he doubted he smelled that great either. "Are you alright? What happened? Did they hurt you?" he demanded at once and then saw the shackles on her. His eyes slowly beginning to blaze again, Miroku closed his hands over the shackles about her wrists, pulling back there were Buddha runes upon them and then their locks burst, causing them to fall to the floor. Crouching down before her, Miroku pulled a wire out of his pouch and worked the locks there, ripping them off of her, unwinding the chains that came along with them. His Sango was strong, if she managed to move around with those. His Sango, Miroku stood up and glared at the marks on her wrists. Backing away, he pulled out of the pouch as his side a small bottle of salve and took her hand in his and carefully began applying the medicine.
"This will help." Miroku promised, feeling the demon rearing up in him again at the sign of the burn marks upon his beloved's body. Finishing tending to her wrists, Miroku fell to his knees and began applying the ointment to her ankles and legs, where he could see the marks of the chains. "Where does it hurt, Sango?" Miroku asked softly, his first priority now to tend to his beloved wife.
Disregarding all the things she could have said, Sango simply let herself enjoy his ministrations, feeling tears in her eyes as she stared down at him. Her demon monk, her precious husband who had crossed worlds to come and save her and now sat on his knees before her. She smiled down at him, still breathless at the speed with which he had kissed her back, and the passion in his touch. Which had now vanished to be replaced with earnest concern. She hadn't thought she could love him anymore than when he had promised to stay with her, but he was proving her wrong every time he could.
"I'm fine Miroku," she said, slowly kneeling down in front of him so she could see his face. "I got thrown up on a wall by a huge gust of wind, but it doesn't hurt anymore. I didn't even bleed." Her fingers tip traced the features of his face as her eyes searched his body for injuries, easier to do now that he wasn't wearing his robes, she found. Her smile grew, and she laughed softly. "I was saved by a pirate then, was I? Are you okay, Miroku? They didn't hurt you when they took you, did they? I was so worried that they had hurt you, but I couldn't get a straight answer out of them...."
Miroku stared at her for a moment, before shaking his head. "They never caught me," he said and granted her a roguish grin. "They can't take a pirate down that easily." Miroku promised her, his hands still on her skin marveling at how soft she felt. But no matter how soft she felt, he knew how strong she was. The most addictive blend of woman there was, a strong powerful woman who was feminine and delicate at the same time. Placing the salve back in his pouch, Miroku took Sango into his arms and kissed her cheek. Just holding her close, proving to himself she was real, not just a dream.
Leaning her away from him, he stood her up and looked over her. Examining her for any dry bruises. "That damn bitch threw you, didn't she?" Miroku gritted from between clenched teeth. "I should've sucked her into my kazaana," Miroku insisted his hands finally finding a nice place to rest when he finished checking her over. On the true proof that it was his wife and she was well. "No one has a butt quite as magnificent as yours, Sango," Miroku told her, receiving a light slap for his groping.
In return he kissed her solidly. "Are you sure you aren't hurt?" Miroku asked, the concern in his voice true. "You don't always bleed outside if you are wounded, are you sure? Sango, don't play it brave, tell me," he demanded, though his tone sounded almost pleading. Reaching up one hand away from her rear to her cheek he kissed her again. "I was so worried." He whispered and then returned his hand to its favorite place.
"Pervert!" Her slap was even lighter this time, and she leaned against the wall, letting her leg slide up so that her knee hovered at his knee. Sango leaned against the wall, her smile gone in her lips only. Her eyes still carried it proudly. She tried again, her voice less convincing. Her body was fine, but her heart wasn't. It threatened to break down and cry. "Miroku, just kiss me again. Make this dungeon go away. Make me think that I never left your side."
He knew he shouldn't. Oh, he wanted to. Badly. But he knew this wasn't the right time, or place for it, and yet.. Miroku found himself cupping her legs beneath the knees and bringing her up around his waist. His upper half pressing her gently against the wall. Kissing her with all the emotions he had in him, worry, concern, devotion, love, lust, Miroku found himself breathless as his tongue teased her lips apart.
"It won't ever happen again." Miroku swore to her, as he edged her dress up and crushed her to him, holding her tight, needing to feel her. Even though he knew this was real, still unable to get over it. Holding her close to him, Miroku kissed her until he lost track of the kisses. "We'll go back, I'll build you a home to your liking. I'll make us a grand bed, you'll have everything you desire... I'll make up for your time spent here." Miroku swore to her. Kneading the flesh of her legs, Miroku kissed her eyes. "It's alright to cry," he told her in low tones, "I won't tell anyone," He promised.
Her breath became ragged as he touched her, kissed her. "I'm not going to cry," she told him, even as she felt the tears run down her cheeks. Damn it! Why was she crying! All Sango knew was that she had never been so glad to see Miroku before. Her lips found his again and she clung to him, exploring his mouth until she was satisfied that her tears had stopped and she could speak again in her jarred voice. But what else could be said that hadn't already been said? "Miroku... I missed you. Only apart for a day, but, I missed you so much..."
Her hands fumbled for his belt. Her breath returned, if only for a brief moment. "But not for this Miroku. I missed you like I missed a part of myself. I didn't have your face to wake up to, or your hands to swat away, or your laughter to pass the time.... Yes, damn it, I even missed those lecherous hands of yours!" She finally managed to get the accursed belt off of his waist, and kissed him gently, her mouth moving from his to his chin and neck, feeling the heat, the pulse, and the smell that could only belong to her husband. Her wedding ring felt cold against her hot skin as she let his rattail roam between her fingers. "I missed you."
Miroku's breath hardly came to him. "You shouldn't be..." He never really got to finish that sentence because the belt was off by the time he at all managed to form it into words and utter it. Groaning, Miroku rolled his eyes back and kissed her possessively. As though that alone could heal everything. "I missed you as well." Miroku whispered, hiking up her skirt more and readjusting her in his arms, to the most comfortable position for her.
Just as he was about to prove to her, how much of a part of him she was... A sudden meow came.
Miroku looked at her shoulder, and for the first time realized there was a small cat demon perched there, watching him curiously. The glance down at where his pants were held up a minute ago, didn't quite help either. Miroku's laughter was genuine though, and when he turned to look at Sango, there was no memory of the demon within, just a man completely in love with his wife.
"I think my worry might've out done my missing... Or perhaps they fueled each other. Whatever the case, I was willing to pass heaven and hell, to get to you and be with you," Miroku said clearing his throat. "I'd like to show you also just how serious about the subject I am, however... A kitty crowd, I can not get use to." Miroku admitted through gritted teeth. The timing was less then perfect, and if Sango kept breathing the way she was, causing his very heart to beat...
Miroku once again groaned deep in his throat, working his way into her shirt teasing her as much as he dared, pulling away before he pushed her over the edge. His mouth moving back up to her lips. "Send her off to catch a mouse." Miroku murmured to her in the back of his throat, shifting her in his arms to free one hand and delight her as they waited for the audience to take a time out.
The cat rubbed her head and jumped off, trotting away to go and find a private place to bathe or do some other demon cat business. Sango might have smiled, but her neck was arched back in a moan as she tried not to dig her nails into Miroku's back. 'She can understand you,' Sango thought before a wave of pleasure pulsed over her body and the thought disappeared. Miroku might just have to get used to a feline audience. Sango rather liked the demon kitten.
She knew the cat as gone when his hand slipped further into her and her knees began to feel weak. "Okay," Sango agreed. "I think you missed me more." She shuddered with pleasure as he eagerly repeated the action and a tremor ran up her back, inciting her to moan his name and ask for more in between telling Miroku that she loved him.
Miroku closed his eyes and leaned against her, pinning her against the wall. "I was so worried... Sango... If anything were to have happened to you..." Miroku didn't dare finish that sentence. He couldn't. Swallowing harshly, he caused her to moan again. He was a man desperately in love, and insane with the need to ease her torment now, to erase all that had happened. He had to make it up to her. Moving his fingers away, Miroku turned his attention back to her chest. "If they harmed you... I would've killed them all, Sango. All of them." Miroku swore, and added to himself that he still would, just because she was fairly well, did not mean he forgave the fact that she was kidnapped and held prisoner. Miroku might be a monk, but he could still wash the entire castle with the blood of those responsible. Let them next time put him on trial! Finally, Miroku relied back onto the oldest comforting known to man. "I love you." Miroku gasped out, watching her transfixed as finally he did what his body was begging of him to do, he didn't think he could take anymore of her trembling body and moans without sharing in her pleasure fully.
Sango gasped as she felt him enter her, tightening the grip around his neck, the sound turning into a purr of pleasure as he moved against her. Sango felt like waves were crashing over her, stronger each and every time she and Miroku proved their love for each other. Her poor heart felt like it was going to burst. Sometimes, she thought, sex just wasn't enough to show Miroku how much she really did care for him.
His lips silenced her with a kiss as she felt her body practically go numb, to keep her from crying out his name in the dripping hallways of the dungeon. She moaned it into his mouth, muffled as his tongue ran over the roof of her mouth, the sensation almost enough to push her over the edge again as his grip on her tightened and he matched her again, the final wave of pleasure bearing down on them as they ended together.
Her kisses slowly ebbed in their passion, but never their warmth as their bodies calmed, their hearts returning to beat in a normal pattern. Sango sucked on his bottom lip playfully, fixing the shoulders of his shirt for him, amazed that he been able to do that standing. Oh her back was going to be sore later on! "So... did I miss anything spectacular when I was away, Miroku?" she teased, her lips still darting here and there at his skin and her chest still rapid as her breathing was the last thing to return to normal.
Miroku really didn't feel like sharing gossip right now. But then again, what he wanted to do right now was hard to do since they were in a dungeon hallway. "One day, we are going to have to do this on a normal bed," Miroku concluded. "With a door," he muttered when a questioning meow came from around the corner.
Smiling at her, Miroku regretfully left the place he most wanted to be right now, inside her. Gently and carefully bringing her legs down, Miroku stepped back and rearranged his clothing and stared at his buckle. "How did you undo it that I can't redo it?" Miroku muttered, struggling with the belt and winking at the kitten who came back.
"New things? Well, I can only think of one. Kagome is pregnant." Miroku said, his grin less then holy. "Apparently Yasha wasn't shooting duds." He joked and turned serious. "I've learned something from her short experience though, we need to plant a lemon tree for when you get nauseous. And buy a barf bucket."
She had shared a wall with them. She knew how things were when they really got going, but still... "Kagome's pregnant?!"
Inuyasha could smell her. He could smell Miroku and Sango too, but they were unimportant. Kagome was the one who was important. Kikyo's scent drifted by him once or twice, but he willed himself to ignore it. He could find out, learn, about that later on, after he was certain that Kagome was safe. And right now, he wasn't certain she was safe. He could smell her tears, and each one made his heart shake as if it had been cut. Had he been there, to protect her like he had promised, then she wouldn't have gotten hurt.
Every fiber of his being feeling like his senses were set on ultra high, he followed, and found her heading back outside. The castle melted into forest, and he barely noticed, consumed with the need to find Kagome, to hold her in his arms and apologize, to make sure she wasn't hurt. The wounds of his wounded flesh scratched and itched as he ran. His ears twitched as he grew close enough to hear her. She sounded like she was running for her life. Pouring on his speed, he felt his joy at seeing her again emerge as her name, gleefully given life by Inuyasha's lips. He slid beside her, his face a happy smile and his eyes radiant. "Kagome, where are you running off to?"
Kagome whirled on her heels, and with uncanny speed strung her bow, the arrow head glistening with unused power. She aimed for his chest this time, instead of his shoulder as she had times before. "Stay away from me!" Kagome yelled, her finger tips trembling over the arrow. "Why do you always come!? Don't you realize that I don't want you? I don't want to see you! I divorce you Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed, her panic building in her, though she tried to calm it. With all of her power, Kagome tried to settle her outside facade. "Stay away from me Inuyasha, or I swear I will shoot!" Kagome yelled, her voice taking on a pleading note, even as she braced her feet farther apart for a better fighting stance.
Needless to say, Inuyasha was shocked. He managed to keep his jaw from dropping, but he couldn't stop the confusion that swamped his brain, or the feeling of need he had in his hands to take his wife into his arms and tell her that everything was going to be okay. Even if it was a lie, a bigger lie than any of the ones he had ever told her. Her words hurt him more than that her arrowheads ever could.
"Divorce me? But why, Kagome?" He gulped, shaking away thoughts of hearing her bones snap. His white ears twitched as he thought about all the times he had failed her: fighting Sesshomaru when he had promised her he wouldn't, forgetting to tell her he turned human, letting Jakotsu hurt her or Miroku grope her. Inuyasha knew he was a shitty husband, but he was trying! Besides, it had only been a month. It took some getting used to! His heart seemed to sigh as he tried to come up with something to say. "Kagome...."
"Don't!... Just... Don't say my name, Inuyasha," Kagome said, her stance softening a bit as pain swarmed through her senses. "This is the last time I will say yours," Kagome promised him and stepped back, away from him. "How can you stand there and... You're one screwed up puppy, you know that?!" Kagome shouted, her whole body trembling. "Why!? Because you hurt me! You'll kill me! You'll kill the babe... What is it? My fear doesn't turn you on now?" Kagome spat at him, feeling as though her lungs were crushing and trying to stop the burning she felt as she attempted to breathe. "You like pain, well I am not going to let you cause me any more!" Kagome told him and drew her arrow back even more, showing her intent to be serious.
"But, I never... Kagome..." Her name was only a whisper. His shoulders slumped, and he looked like a man defeated, even though there had never been a shot fired. The urge to take her into his arms was almost unbearable now, every part of him telling him to just grab her and hold her, to give her a shoulder to cry on and pour his heart out to show her just how much he really did love her. But that would have been stupid. Inuyasha took a tentative step forward. "You're going to have to shoot me, Kagome. You don't belong here. Let me take you back home, give me the chance to apologize for whatever it is I've done. Let me banish these fears, just let me know what you're safe, and then I'll gladly go, if you really want me to."
"Stop lying!" Kagome screamed, her voice sounding shrill with desperation.
Let him take you, he loves you... Look at him, that is not the same person who had clawed your side. He loves you, you're causing him pain. Pain that you don't want to cause him. Hearing her own thoughts, Kagome was so close to the temptation of dropping her bow and falling into his arms. Being embraced by his warmth and protected by his strength.
He's doing it again, whispered the other, darker voice inside her head. He makes you think you'll be safe with him, loved, comforted... Shown bliss, but once he has you where he wants you he'll break your bones again, don't you remember the ache? He'll force himself upon you, making you claim how much you want it when in fact, your mouth still utters 'no'. He'll kill your child. Then he'll do to you what he did to Kikyo, rape and murder her. Not necessarily by that order. Don't be fooled! You've been fooled enough!
"I do belong here... I can't go back. You've ruined me. I don't want to go back with you. I don't want to be around you," Kagome told him, tears coursing down her cheeks. "As long as I'm away from you, Inuyasha. I'll be safe."
So that was how she felt. She had grown disgusted by the rumors of the villagers, and must have let them convince her that their love wasn't natural. He hid the tears in his eyes behind his pure bangs, his fists shaking slightly. "If this is how I knew it would end up, I would have let you kill me when I burst into your house. Or jumped into the portal after my brother. But now that we've come this far... just shoot me, Kagome! Damn it, shoot me! Tell our child that you pulled the string of your bow and slew me by your own hand, because I couldn't live here knowing that I had a little child growing up without a father all because I fucked up. So just put me out of my fucking misery and shoot me!"
Kagome just didn't want to. She couldn't bring herself to kill him. Instead, she lowered her bow and pushed he arrow back into the quiver. "You'll just have to learn to live and deal with all of your mistakes. Raping and killing has a price, I won't shorten your life and thus excuse you from it," Kagome said and placed a protective hand over her stomach. If he knew now... She would still have a chance of getting away before he killed her and her baby.
"What 'our' child? It's not our anything! It's mine! The baby is mine, don't worry yourself with him! He's not even yours!" Kagome yelled, remembering a flash of pain and then Sesshomaru's face. "Your brother was at least honest in his intent," Kagome said and moved her arrow aside showing him her blood stained side, the slashes running down her shirt. "He didn't speak sweetly when doing these things. No, that is a cruel art only you are good at." Kagome spat at him. "I wonder who was more fortunate in their time with you, Kikyo who died under you or me left to live in fear of you."
'Not mine...' Even the demon brought up by being back in the cold world could hide his tears. Inuyasha's senses were bombarded with the memory of smelling her blood as he ran down the corridor, bursting into his bedroom to find Kagome bleeding and naked on the floor, while his half dressed brother tried to pull out Inuyasha's teeth marks from her neck. He had never asked Kagome about what happened that night, simply tried to show her how much he loved her.
But apparently he had been right all along....
'But I never clawed you!' his mind protested in blind rage and burning tears. 'But I told you that I don't care who the father is, because they are still half you. You're the part I care about, Kagome...' His head shot up when he heard Kikyo's name. "What do you mean when Kikyo died under me?" he asked softly, wondering if it was a metaphor or if she was.... If she was something!
"You're sick..." Kagome hissed backing away from him, feeling dizzy again and cursing this land for draining her energy the way it was. She couldn't fight.. What was it? Fatigue? Was that why she couldn't think clearly?
Shaking, Kagome stumbled and fell back onto the ground, clawing away from him, Kagome backed up until she found a tree she could use to help her stand. The tree too sucked off of her energy, but it didn't give green leaves, just livened the bark. Kagome's eyes narrowed as she glared at him, wiping her forehead from where droplets of sweat collected. A fever? Kagome wondered and ignored the thought, as she kept backing away from him.
"You actually want me to go over the details? You sick bastard... Raping her senseless wasn't enough, slitting her throat and raping her...? And you want me to tell you...? Your memories are better then that, rely on them for your knowledge!" Kagome shouted at him, remembering the cold lies he spun to her heart about how she was his first. There was only one virtue taken from between both of them, and child or not... Kagome wished he never had done that. She wished he never pleasured himself in her, or that her body ever enjoyed it... It was all lies. "Leave me and my child alone. You have nothing to do with either of us!" Kagome screamed and began to run.
"But I...." All the sadness was pushed out of his mind as he thought of the stench he had found in the clearing. Kikyo had been the one to kidnap Kagome. Kikyo was the one living in his brother's old castle. Follow that throught another step, and Kikyo was the one who had toyed with his precious Kagome. He had never touched Kikyo, at least, not in the way that Kagome was suggesting.
He let her run off. She had her bow and arrow to protect herself, and Inuyasha wouldn't rest until he found a way to change her back to the Kagome that he had fallen in love with when she stared at him down in the hallway, looking like a warrior of ancient legend. Inuyasha's legs couldn't carry him back to the castle fast enough.
This time, he looked for Kikyo's scent, and found the stench all too easily. He stalked it down the hallways, dodging shadows and other demons until he pinned her stench to a single room, one that seeped of her scent. Surely, this was her room....
He slashed the door down as he had long ago to Kagome's door. His anger controlled him now, held in check by only the hope of returning Kagome to herself. But some dark part of him couldn't help but wonder if that really was Kagome...
"Kikyo!"