Authors Notes: Oh yeah, I feel like crap. Too many bad things in the last twenty four hours. But that's okay. I will survive it, because Im strong like that. Well, I'm making plans for my future people. One of those plans has to do with dance. I love dance, and since I'm getting back into it, I'm going to be honest, I might not update once or twice a week. It might be longer. But I will update and see this story out to it's end. And even I have no clue how it's going to end yet. So expect some curveballs in the near future, because they are coming. In the meantime however, enjoy the newest installment of Falls On Me.
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN INU YASHA! goes off crying in a corner However, I do own Airon, Anei and all the other original characters. No stealing, I worked very hard to come up with them and spent hours finding the right names for them on FreeDict. Com.
So please, once again, do not steal the OC's.
Falls On Me
Chapter 18
Kagome felt her fear almost stop her heart before jump starting it again as she watched Okibi sit above her as she lay on her futon. The miko and youkai were alone in the room, and about to get rid of the mating mark.
"This is going to hurt Kagome. I won't lie and say it might hurt, I know it will. This is going to be tricky. Inu Yasha didn't do it right it seems, though how he could have mucked up something so simple as a mating bite I don't know," Okibi muttered.
"What do you mean? Isn't it just a bite?" Kagome asked.
"Well, it's a bite, but there's more to it. When you are bitten by your mate, be it hanyou or youkai, they transfer part of themselves into you, and while doing so, take a part of you. It's sort of like a statement of who you are mated to, and can protect some people. For instance, in you situation, if Inu Yasha had done this right, his bite would proclaim to any youkai that he was your mate and thus you were under his protection. But unfortunately, he messed up somehow, though I can't figure out how. It's instinctive," Okibi told her.
"How did he mess up?" Kagome asked.
"He only gave part of his essence to you. You see, there's other nuances of the mating bite that I haven't explained. One of the more noticeable things about the bite is that it let's your mate know when you're in trouble and how to find you. Unfortunately, when he took nothing of you, that effect was disabled. It's less complicated than it sounds. Think of it this way, he gave you a part of his spirit, which as a human, wouldn't affect you much. But as a miko, it affected you more than it normally would, and you were probably able to read his emotions very easily, perhaps even a few of his thoughts, am I correct?" Okibi asked.
"Well, I guess. Inu Yasha was always really easy to read," Kagome told her.
"I see. But like I said, you were basically a closed book to him because he had nothing of your spirit," Okibi told her. "If you had conceived a child, Inu Yasha would not have had the link to know when his child is in danger either," Okibi added as an afterthought.
"Huh?" Kagome asked. With every word Okibi said the miko got more confused.
"Nothing you need to worry about anyway Kagome. I'll be removing the mark. Be happy, I very rarely do this, and it means that you'll never have to worry about him again. In essence, you'll be a free woman," Okibi chuckled. The phoenix wasn't about to tell her just how much pain this was going to involve, nor did she mention the fact she had never dealt with a miko's energies in this situation and it could be potentially dangerous.
"Now close you eyes Kagome, that's it," Okibi said in a soothing tone. She began to chant some weird language, and Kagome felt herself floating for several moments. It was like being asleep, she supposed, or something similar. There was quite simply, nothing around her. It was like she was floating in a void.
Before she could think further on her surroundings, she was pulled back to her body as a sharp pain hit the juncture of her shoulders and neck. Wave after wave of pain rolled through her body. Her back arched and she felt sweat pouring down her skin, mixing with tears. Vaguely, as if from a distance, she heard herself begging for Okibi to stop. But the pain continued and Okibi never moved her hands away from where the mark was, she never stopped chanting in that weird language.
Cold. Her blood seemed to freeze up within her. Was she going into shock? Before she could finish the thought, her blood seemed to turn into molten lava, scorching her from the inside out. It went back and forth like some sort of torture as she writhed in pain, crying out time and again. The blades of a thousand swords seemed to stab into her, shredding her skin. At some point she even thought her sweat and tears were actually blood. She began to become delirious and tried to get away from Okibi, who only held her in place.
An eternity passed, she was sure of it, before Okibi pulled her hands away. Kagome opened her eyes and turned her head to look at the woman who had hurt her with only the intention to save. Okibi had collapsed. Kagome tried to move her arm, but it didn't seem to be working.
After trying several more times, she managed to get her arm to move up to her neck and check the spot where Inu Yasha had bitten her. There had always been a difference in the way her skin felt where he had bitten her. It's texture had been almost like a healed over burn. Now it felt the same as the rest of her body. Smooth and soft.
"You're going to be okay," Okibi chuckled as she sat upright, her body trembling.
"I didn't know it would take so much out of you. I'm sorry if I hurt you," Kagome said when she noticed a mark on Okibi's cheek.
"Don't worry about it. I expected it. In fact, the other woman I did it to tried to choke me, and she was much stronger than you, so don't worry," Okibi joked in a weak voice.
Kagome wiped her face clean of the sweat and tears and tried to call out for Anei. However, only a slight rasping noise came out.
But her prayer seemed to be answered anyway, except it was Sesshoumaru who came into the room with a tray of tea, much to her surprise.
"It was brought to my attention Anei was trying to break down the door after about five minutes. Yotogi actually had to knock him out. You guard is very dedicated to you," Sesshoumaru smirked as he set the tray down carefully on the futon.
"Will he be alright?" Kagome asked.
"Should be up soon, it's been close to an hour since Yotogi struck him," Sesshoumaru stated offhandedly as he handed Okibi a cup of tea.
"An hour?" Kagome croaked.
"Yes, you endured that much pain for an hour Kagome. It probably would have driven most people mad," Okibi told her after sipping the tea.
"No wonder my body hurts so much," Kagome murmured as she accepted a glass of warm tea. She gently sipped on it, her stomach still uneasy.
"Yes, you almost scared me a few times. I thought you'd break in two," Okibi chuckled, seeming a little better. Kagome blushed and continued to sip the tea. When she was done with that cup, Sesshoumaru poured her another.
"I'm not sure I can drink all this," Kagome sighed.
"You'd better. Ferimaru went through Airon to make that special tea. And believe me, it was not a fun thing to watch. It was only after she mentioned the tea was to help you that Airon even let her work with the herbs."
"Oh, in that case," Kagome said as she lifted her cup and then began to drink it.
Sango and Miroku came in a few minutes later to see if Kagome was okay. They nodded their approval. The tea really did help, her muscles didn't feel quite as sore, and her stomach had settled for the most part.
"How is Inu Yasha?" Kagome asked.
"He's alive, just sleeping for the moment," Sesshoumaru told her in a cold voice, as if offended by the hanyou's name being mentioned.
"For now Kagome, you have to concentrate on you and healing yourself," Okibi told her.
"I know," Kagome sighed as she let herself lean back against the pillows on the futon.
"I'm going to bed. But first I'm going to ask Airon for a large meal. I'll have her send you some food Kagome. You might not want to try walking the rest of today," Okibi warned as she stood and cracked her neck. Kagome nodded in gratitude.
"Thank you Okibi, for everything," Kagome told the phoenix just before she left the room.
"You're welcome Kagome," Okibi murmured just as she disappeared out the door.
"Well, the mark is gone. Okibi succeeded, very good," Sesshoumaru stated lamely.
"Yeah. It's weird, I feel a little different. I feel, well, natural now," Kagome mumbled in response.
"I see. It's good you came out of it okay," Sesshoumaru told her.
"Yeah."
Okay, so neither of them really knew what to say at this point. Sesshoumaru had been going over several different things to say, but not a single one of them seemed appropriate or relevant at this point. Not that he could really remember much of them anyway.
Kagome was simply tired and wanted some food and then sleep. Lots of it.
Her prayers were answered as Anei walked through the doors wearing a bashful smile and carrying a tray of hearty foods from the kitchen. Kagome listened to him chatter on about absolutely nothing, watching Sesshoumaru as he left. She finished off some fish and more of the tea Ferimaru had made, then some rice and even some shu cream. Then she promptly passed out.
Kagome awoke with a groan. Her muscles may not be as sore as they would have been thanks to Ferimaru's tea, but her entire body still ached more than a little, and Kagome wanted to desperately sink into one of the baths. She opened her eyes and stretched her sore body, then looked around. The lack of light filtering through the sliding windows told her it was late. She tried to stand and wobbled, almost as if she was drunk. After gaining a sense of balance, she moved over to where her yukata hung and removed her clothing, then donned the bathrobe.
Moving carefully, she opened the door to her room and was surprised by the sight of a sleeping Anei. She didn't want to wake him, instead tip toeing past him and down the hall towards the bath house.
"My Lady?" A voice asked. Kagome turned towards the source of the voice and saw Mako standing there. How often did people sleep in this place?
"Yes Mako?" Kagome asked.
"Where are you going My Lady? It's late," Mako stated.
"I'm going to go take a bath," Kagome told her simply. Mako looked almost relieved. Kagome wondered why.
"My Lady, the servants are currently bathing," Mako stated.
"Oh."
"But there is another bathhouse," Mako said suddenly. "It's Lord Sesshoumaru's but he's busy with the other council members right now, he won't mind you using it I'm sure!" Mako exclaimed as she practically dragged Kagome down the halls and outside, towards Sesshoumaru's private bathhouse. Kagome had no choice but to follow the kitsune, smiling gently.
It seemed that she was appearing there all the time now. Fate had a screwy way of working. That or a really weird sense of humor. Kagome murmured a polite thank you and Mako was gone, leaving Kagome to her bath.
The miko stepped in a closed the door after her. She slipped out of her yukata, letting it fall to the floor, and slid into the spring, then leaned her head back and relaxed, dozing slightly.
"Sesshoumaru, really, you should find a mate soon," Okibi slurred. The four council members were in a small room, drinking. Yes, drinking. They didn't do it often, but sometimes, just to relieve the stress of their duties, they got together and drank. Of course Sesshoumaru rarely participated, but tonight he seemed to take exception and join them.
"I'll find one," He growled. He was not nearly as drunk as the rest of them. In fact he had only had three glasses of sake, and his youkai blood wouldn't get drunk off just that. He had lost track of how many glasses the others had consumed.
Suddenly the door opened and Mako slipped in. Sesshoumaru watched as the kitsune walked over to Okibi and whispered something in the woman's ear. Okibi giggled slightly and smiled. Sesshoumaru strained to hear what was being said, but it proved to be a fruitless task because of Okibi's loud giggles.
Mako left as quickly as she came.
"What was all that about?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"Oh nothing. Say Sesshoumaru, do you want to participate in a game with us?" Okibi asked sweetly.
Suddenly he noticed the other two council members were looking extremely disinterested. Odd.
"No Okibi," he muttered.
"Oh, you're no fun at all," Okibi laughed as she poured herself another glass of sake. Sesshoumaru accepted a refill of his glass and sipped on it.
"Well, I need to get up," Okibi said. She tried to stand while holding the full glass of sake and only managed to fall over and spill sake all over Sesshoumaru. He growled as she laughed. It was like she found the entire thing hysterical!
"I'm going to go take a bath," He muttered, leaving the room. Okibi stopped laughing as soon as he left the room, suddenly very sober, but smirking mischievously.
"It worked," She said with a grin.
"Care to fill me in?" Ferimaru asked.
"Kagome's in his bathhouse right now," Jinchi responded.
"You recruited the servants too I suppose?" Ferimaru asked.
"Only a few. Not that guard of hers though. He's going to try and become her mate, just you watch. No guard would try to batter down the door when he knew full and well what was going on unless he had feelings for her," Okibi said in a matter of fact tone.
"You're right, I noticed how he looked at her when I first saw her," Jinchi told the phoenix.
"Well, that might throw a wrench into our plans," Ferimaru muttered sullenly.
"Don't worry. I have it on good authority that Kagome and Sesshoumaru are very close to mating," Okibi said with a giggle. Though she had faked being drunk enough to fall over, she was still feeling more than a little tipsy.
"You would. You ought to be ashamed for putting that spell on him Okibi," Jinchi muttered. "You had better hope he never finds out about that."
"One day he'll thank me," Okibi smirked.
"That day will be very long in coming," Jinchi replied.
Sesshoumaru refrained from muttering about drunk youkai as he donned a yukata. However, he was doing so only because he was musing over ways to pay the phoenix back. After all, he couldn't let her actions go unpunished. Not that he would do anything too harmful. But she had gotten sake all over him somehow, even in his hair. The stuff smelled sweet and bitter at the same time, and having the scent covering him nauseated him.
Before anything else bad could happen, he swiftly made his way for the bathhouse, thanking the gods he hadn't encountered a soul as he opened the door. Steam poured out like a cloud and he resolved to clean himself and then relax as long as possible.
However, he was stopped short by the sounds of a female's appreciative moans. Kagome's moans to be exact.
'I'll kill them for this,' He inwardly muttered when he realized he had been set up. Right now was not a good time for Kagome most likely, at least if her reaction this afternoon had been anything to judge by.
However, there was the beast within urging him to at least take in her delicious scent. And he wasn't going to deny himself that. When he got close enough to her, he noticed she was rubbing her shoulders, trying to give herself a massage. He knelt down behind her and got close to her ear.
"Let me do that," He whispered in a silken purr. Kagome jerked in surprise and her head hit his nose. Her jerked backwards, checking to make sure she hadn't broken it.
"What are you doing in here?" Kagome hissed.
"I had the intention of getting clean. But I noticed you and thought maybe you could use some help," He muttered. She had just effectively destroyed the arousal that had slammed into him the minute he heard her moans.
"Oh," Kagome whispered.
"Move forward," He told her a few minutes later, after his nose had stopped smarting. She obeyed his command, somewhat confused. However, any questions were answered when he slipped in behind her and pulled her into his lap. She blushed as she felt his body pressed up against her so intimately, but soon forgot that as he began to massage her shoulders gently.
"Today must have been very hard," He murmured.
"Kind of. I knew a little of what to expect, so I was semi-prepared. I just didn't know that removing the mark would hurt that much," Kagome replied. Her entire body was becoming as limp as a wet rag under his careful (and tender!) motions. He worked down her shoulders and over her back, relaxing muscles that had been tense and knotted.
"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked after a while. He had reached the lower part of her back at that point.
"Yes?" He asked, distracted. It wasn't easy to control himself when she moved against him like that! He was trying to be somewhat gentlemanly at least! But fate (and three drunk council members) seemed to be laughing at him.
"Where's all of this going?" Kagome asked him.
'Oh wonderful. She asks the same thing I've been asking myself. And expects an answer when I still have no idea.' Cursing the ironic sense of humor fate had, he sighed and stopped massaging her back.
"I don't know," He answered truthfully after a long pause. It wasn't easy to admit he didn't know. But she deserved an honest answer, and that was the only honest thing he could tell her.
"Why do you do this then?"
Another simple question without an easy answer. He searched his mind long and hard to find something she would find acceptable while still being honest. The reality of his situation hit him hard when he realized the simple truth.
"I can't stop," He admitted. That was harder to admit than not knowing was. It implied she had power over him, something he never, ever wanted to admit to anyone. Not when he knew what happened when someone let another have power over them. Those people ended up like his mother.
Without saying anything else he stood abruptly, ignoring the raging beast within that demanded he stay next to Kagome, her naked flesh pressed to his.
"Sesshoumaru, wait!" Kagome cried out, feeling bereft with his sudden withdrawal from her.
"Go back to bed Kagome," He told her bluntly, in a cold voice, right before he left the bathhouse.
Kagome felt tears well up in her eyes and spill over her cheeks. Holding in the sobs that threatened to choke her, she got out of the spring and pulled on her yukata, then quickly left the bathhouse, intending to never return.
She didn't notice Sesshoumaru watching from a perch in the trees. He sighed and went back into the bathhouse, resolving to bathe and leave as quickly as possible.
Authors End Notes: Its only gonna get worse before it gets better, you know that right? Because Im just unusually cruel to my characters. I'm thinking of putting up a very short, angsty piece about the two soon, in fact, I think I'll post it after I'm done with this, because I'm just in the mood to post.