Diclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.
A/N: Sorry for the late post. This story will be ending soon so I've been thinking of other concepts for my next story.
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Chapter 22: Object of my obsession.
"Arrgghkkkkkkk."
"Where is he you little green f'ck." Snarled Inuyasha holding the choking Jaken by his throat. The fire neko transformed back to it's smaller form and perched on Shippo's shoulder.
Jaken looks at the limp and bloodied body of Kagome.
"Ok-Okusama!" He wheezed out. Inuyasha let him drop to the floor.
"Get that bastard out here or I'll tear this entire palace stone by f'cking stone!" He growled.
"Yasha Toosan!" Laughed an ecstatic Nadeshiko. A teenaged Rin followed closely behind.
"Nadeshiko..wait st.."
"Hahaue?... HAHAUE!"
Nadeshiko launched herself to Kagome crying uncontrollably. Rin placed a comforting hand on the pup's shoulder.
"What happened to Kaa-chan, Shippo? Inuyasha?" Rin's chocolate eyes searched deep within his amber depths. Inuyasha turned away.
"Where's Sesshoumaru?" Demanded Inuyasha facing Jaken. "We need tenseiga so she could be revived before her soul is taken."
"He and Akemi-hime took Akihito to the Southern Land's capital for a Taiyoukai gathering. They left as soon as the pups got here. They took Akihitio because he is the heir and is being instructed regarding court proceedings. Nadeshiko remains here because she requested to stay with me. But Sesshoumaru-dono will not be back for a week."
Inuyasha's face contorted to one of fear. 'No. I will not lose her like this.' He bent down and touched Kagome's face tenderly with one hand feeling the coldness seep deeper into her flesh. His eyes glowed redder still. The single jagged line on each of his cheeks became more pronounced as his fangs elongated. "If they cannot come back here then we will take her to them."
"Hanyou! You utter foolishness! Oku-sama is too weak from blood loss. Before you reach the capital's gates, she would have passed onto the next life and her soul taken, rendering tenseiga useless."
"Watch your tongue toad or I might just engage in the sadistic pleasure of ripping it off from your flapping mouth." He snarled.
Jaken eeped then hid behind the sobbing forms of Rin and Nadeshiko.
"There must be a way! We can't let Kaa-san die!" Wailed Shippo.
"Shut up runt! She won't die! I will not let her die!" Thundered Inuyasha clutching Kagome's hand in his claws and bringing it on the side of his face. He was slowly reverberating back to his normal hanyou self. Kagome's scent always had that calming effect on him. He felt his chest heave and constrict painfully. His tears fell on Kagome's hand.
Nadeshiko pulled back suddenly from her mother. A hiss escaping her rosy little lips.
"A a ..a spell." She stammered incoherently.
"Wha...?"
"A spell. Nadeshiko sure of it."
She placed her hands over Kagome's wound. A pulse of power was felt.
"Kuso! I knew this was some fucked up shit when I couldn't find the sword she stabbed herself with."
"A sword?..You say the sword was missing?" Asked Jaken.
"You know of this spell Master Jaken?" Inquired Rin, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Hai, I have heard of it. It works quickly we must make haste to Sesshoumaru-dono."
"Stupid wart covered toad! How the hell do you suppose we could fly our asses over there in a blink of an eye."
"That's it!" Snapped Rin. "Nadeshiko-chibi, remember what you and Rin-neechan was playing earlier?"
"Hide n go seek?" Sniffed Nadeshiko.
"Right! We need to find Chichiue."
Nadeshiko shook her small head. "No find Chichiue... demo, Nadeshiko find Aniki!"
"Akihito? Hai we need to find him. Do you think you can take us to where he is hiding?"
"No leave Hahaue!" Cried the pup.
"We'll bring her with us. Please Nadeshiko. Your Chichiue is the only one who can make Hahaue better, he's with Akihito now. Concentrate on Akihito." Pleaded Rin.
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"Huh!" Akihito stood up.
All eyes looked towards him.
"Son. What ails you?"
"Nadeshiko... She's coming. Something not right Chichiue."
A black mist appears above their heads.
Youkai noses twitch as the distinct scent of blood flood their sensitive noses.
"That can't be!" Sesshoumaru's eyes lit scarlet, recognizing the smell.
"Hahaue!" Cried Akihito.
Almost painfully the group descended onto the center of the meeting. All males sat gaping and red eyed at the sight in front of them. Akemi alone remained unmoved. She looked toward her Lord and then at the newly appeared group in their midst.
"Get the healers in here NOW!" Barked out Iesu. Matsu and Mushira move toward the center of the room where Inuyasha holds the pallid form of Kagome. Kagome shallow breathing had stopped well before Nadeshiko transported them in the Southern Taiyoukai's palance. Her lips were blue, her face ashen and her warmth had dissipated.
Sesshoumaru appearing next to the kneeling Inuyasha intent on cradling Kagome to himself, growls low in rage.
"Hanyou! What have you done?" He snarled.
"Bastard! It was your selfish ass that did this! I should have known, but I had hoped that perhaps you would have considered her feelings better this time around." Spat Inuyasha.
Sesshoumaru glared at his half brother coldly. "I would never hurt her."
"Yea, well why did she spill her own blood? She was fine all through today until you showed your god damn frozen ass."
The Western Lord disregarded his last remark and unsheathed Tenseiga. Taking one swipe he stood back awaiting Kagome's revival. Her eyes remained closed but she started breathing again and her color resurfaced fanning her cheeks with pink highlights and reddening her rose bud lips. Her distinct scent of ylang ylang, jasmine and sakura blossoms permeated the whole room. Her sweet face shone in warmth and as her aura surged forth clothing her with power.
All stood aghast, beholding her form, all silently inferred her beauty to remain unmatched in all four lands. And all admitted that her powers though still untrained remain the strongest in all females. Still however, her eyes remained closed. Inuyasha relented his tight grip on her body, feeling her form warm up. He allows a sigh of relief to escape his lips.
"The blade she used was forged with a spell Milord. Even now it hampers her recovery." Informed Jaken. Sesshoumaru remained unreadable. But his eyes still showed his concern and worry.
"Aniki, what's happen to Hahaue?" Sobbed Akihito hugging the crying Nadeshiko.
"I found her in the hhhut..(sniff).. all covered in blood. I didn't know what to do."
Rin covered his form with hers patting his back and cooing words of comfort in his ears.
"Allow the Lady to rest. She will regain her strength in due time. But we must ponder this matter carefully." remarked the Northern Dragon Lord.
Akemi motioned to one of the servants.
"Ready the room adjacent to mine." She instructed.
"No." Said the Western Lord. "She will staying in my chambers." Akemi's eyes flashed with hidden anger but bit her tongue and said nothing.
"The hell she will!" Fumed Inuyasha. "Haven't you broken her enough? As soon as she wakes up I'll take her back to Kaede's village along with the pups. Unless of course you want another repeat of this fuckin nightmare!"
"You will do no such thing hanyou! The fact remains she is my mate and she has given me my heirs! She is still Lady of the Western Lands and will remain as such. Her condition attest to your lack of vigilance and it could very well have ended in her death!" Barked Sesshoumaru.
"I too remain shaken by this turn of events. I care deeply for Kagome and am concerned for her well being yet I must side with Sesshoumaru-dono on this issue." murmured Mushira. "He is the only one that can put back her broken soul. It is obvious that much hurt remains between the them. Allow them this time to talk." He continued placing a hand on the hanyou's shoulder.
Inuyasha's ears drooped. He lifted his gaze to Kagome and swallowed the lump in his throat. Leaving her in brother's care is the last thing that he wanted to do but deep inside he knew all too well that what the Ookami said was true.
"Keh! Fine. But you hurt her anymore than she is already, I'll screw tetsusaiga up you narrow ass! Slowly I might add!"
He relinquished his hold on the miko-demoness and gently put her in his half brother's arms. They walked to the Western Lord's chamber where the rest were ushered out by Akemi.
"Leave for now Akemi."
"My Lord perhaps I can.."
"That won't be necessary." Cut in the Inu Lord not looking in her direction. Akemi bit her lip then bowed deeply before exiting the room. Sesshoumaru laid down Kagome on futon then sat himself down next to her body.
Sesshoumaru felt his beast stir at having her body so near to his own. Truth be told, he was ready to pull off the hanyou's arms for touching her. But the sight of her ashen form and bloodied clothes made him buckle at the knees with fear and worry. He would not voice out such weakness but he knew that he would have been totally lost, had they arrived too late and her soul was already taken away in the afterlife. Losing her once tore him apart but seeing her die before him would have destroyed him completely.
He considered her carefully. He had wronged her twice. How could he make her see that it was she that he cared about? He wished even if briefly she would sit up and reprimand him. For years he had missed their verbal sparring. He smiled sadly, reminiscing to a time when their argument bordered on madness over trivial matters.
He stroked her lips.
True Akemi was kind and polite. Well versed in court etiquette, but there was something odd about her that he couldn't put his finger on. Often he dismissed it as nothing but as the years went by, and she kept pressuring him to mark her as mate his suspicions grew. She had been the exact opposite of Kagome. Kagome may have been defiant at times, but she had never cared about his title.
"Hmphh..." Moaned Kagome.
The Western Lord nuzzled his face on the crook of her neck, purring slightly. Kagome's eyes widened.
"You! What the hell are you doing here? Even in my death must you torment me?"
"You are not yet dead Kagome, Nadeshiko brought you here just in time. This Sesshoumaru was able to revive you with tenseiga. However, the spell you cast in the sword you had intended to do your life away with remains quite potent. The wound remains open and even with your youkai healing you must rest and recuperate."
"The last thing I want to do, is lay down beside you, twiddling my tyhumbs and pretending to be bum-chums!" She retorted angrily. She struggled against his hold. Sesshoumaru's eyes tinted red when the metallic smell of her blood permeated the air. He growled out a warning, but still Kagome persisted. The tell tale signs of her wounds reopening came all suddenly.
Kagome slumped forward holding her side. The Inu Lord pressed a nerve in her neck making her body numb and rendering her immobile, while allowing for her to be conscious.
"What did you freakin do?" She fumed.
"I have been very patient with you and held my peace even though you chose to follow your stubborn ways. You will lay there and listen and not utter a word until asked, for once." Gritted out Sesshoumaru between clenched teeth.
Kagome opened her mouth to say something, but a heated glance from her mate made her close her mouth.
"Good. Kagome, this Sesshoumaru has wronged you and the pups greatly. But taking your own life will not resolve anything."
Kagome looked away. "You don't understand. I'm in the way. I've always been in the way." She whispered.
"Who dared say you were?" Thundered Sesshoumaru.
Kagome met his eyes, "you did the day you took her as concubine. How could you love me then turn to her?"
"It was you who betrayed me Kagome. That day when I returned to our chambers she told me that Iesu had been in you chambers with you."
"And rather than ask me about it you chose to believe her words than your own mate?"
Sesshoumaru took up her hands into his. "For that this Sesshoumaru petitions you for forgiveness.
Her cousin Tsubame had also backed up her claim. We had been drinking during the meeting earlier that day. My mind was clouded with jealousy and sake. When she led me to her chambers I did not resist because even within myself this Sesshoumaru was denying all the feelings that I had for you. To have one female invoke such strong passion within any male was catastrophic. I cannot be seen as .."
"Being weak.. I remember."
Sesshoumaru nodded. Kagome slumped her head towards her hands.
"It is not you who wronged the pups or I. It was me. I should not have run away. I should have stayed and talked to you about it."
"Koi, that is not important. You are restored to me, that is all that matters."
"What of Akemi? Why did she do this? When I first met her I thought she was so nice. She stood up for me when practically all of court ladies insulted me."
"Why have you not told me of this before? They will pay for affronting you." Snarled the Western Lord.
"Let them be. It was a long time ago."
"Akemi could not have thought of this herself."
"What? You just said that she told you Iesu was with me, so that she can seduce you and now she's not at fault?"
"Hai Lady mate. She is far too 'delicate' and 'noble' to concoct such travesty."
"You are implying that someone else is actually behind of this plot?"
"Most certainly Lady mate. Ever since that day at the Ookami's keep I have long harbored suspicions that there is someone trying to oust me from my title, lands and most recently of you."
"How are we getting to the bottom of this?"
"This Sesshoumaru will remain cold towards you."
"That shouldn't be hard to do..."
Sesshoumaru sends her a cold glare.
"Now see that's what I'm talking about. Did you know you could freeze hell with just one look?"
The Western Lord sighed heavily.
"We must not attract anyone's attention. You will be with me always but we must constantly appear cold and aloof toward each other."
"Right! So that's the master plan."
Sesshoumaru nods.
"Um.. you think you can do the nerve thingy now so the feeling comes back to my body? This numbness is kinda creeping me out."
"You need your rest Lady mate."
"And sleep like a vegetable? Do I look like a freakin carrot to you?"
Sesshoumaru smirks at her taunts.
"This Sesshoumaru is pleased to have you back, I have longed to hear to your disrespectful, argumentative voice for a long time. Everyone else it seems fears my person too much to issue any form of challenge."
Kagome smiled warmly, her cheeks burning. "This Kagome missed your pompous, over-bearing, arrogant ass as well. I'm glad to be some form of entertainment for your own private pleasure."
Sesshoumaru grinned then kissed her on her forehead at same time pressing the nerve to re-anime her limbs. She flung her hands around his neck drawing him deeper into their kiss. His tongue explored her hungrily. Thrusting in and around then sucking at her lower lip, tugging at it playfully.
She moaned as he cupped her heated core. His senses being bombarded relentlessly by the explosion that was her arousal. He eagerly wrapped her legs around his waist not wanting her to disappear on him again. He pushed forward feeling the tight confines of his hakama restraining him painfully as his own heat engulfs him. Feeling Kagome's wetness and heat exuding from core, he groaned and stopped their kissing.
"Kagome it pains me to not be inside of you now, but for your sake this Sesshoumaru must postpone our love making until you are fully healed. I wish to vent out my longing for you, for the six years you have eluded this Sesshoumaru. I will pleasure you and reclaim your body, I will lavish my desire upon you. Then I will not stop until you are again brimming with my seed. Then there will be no further questions regarding who you belong to and who has conquered this Sesshoumaru." He purred huskily.
Kagome shivered in delight.
"What makes you think that I will surrender without a fight." She replied sucking at his neck.
"This Sesshoumaru will not have it otherwise, you arouse me with your fiery spirit. However, let me make this clear, I will contend with no other. I am yours as you are mine."
"Stay here with me then, even as I sleep." She whispered in his ear licking it.
Sesshoumaru's eyes bled scarlet as he took his mate in his arms. He waited until she was asleep before exiting the room, his Inu was still in control. He must talk with Matsu about the current situation.
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Thud.
"You bitch! She nearly died!" Snarled a raging Iesu. "You were meant only to seduce him away from her so that I can later get her. Now she is with him again! By now that bastard would have some idea that you have lied to him about myself and Kagome."
Akemi whimpered. "Why do you desire her? Am I not enough?" Iesu turns away from her.
"I am your true intended and would have been your mate had not seen her. Why does she still hold your heart. Let them be. I love you not Sesshoumaru! I die each time he takes me into his arms. Why can you not just turn yourself from this and return to me? Your path leads to your own demise. Please, koishii, ask Sesshoumaru-dono for me. Now that Kagome is back he will release me to you."
Iesu eyes tinting crimson slams her on the wall with his claws, digging in her left shoulder. "You will refrain from further stating that that mutt owns Kagome. She belongs to me. Do not forget that."
Iesu releases her and Akemi crumples in heap. Tears streaming continuously.
"Go back to him. I will not have you in my bed tonight."
Akemi looks up at him sorrowfully. "Wwhat do you intend to do Iesu?"
"I will elope with her when Sesshoumaru least expects it."
"You would throw away your title and lands for her? She does not love you, not like I. She will fight you to be with him. They are still very much in love even after all that's happened. She will refuse you. Iesu what insanity has afflicted you that pursue this? Have you lost your senses completely? I have seen how ruthless Sesshoumaru is first hand. You talk of suicide, should you take her away from him. Iesu, he is so very strong. You have not seen him fight. I have, his power is unsurpassed. I fear much for you."
"Wench you will not touch me with you filthy hands! Nor will I tolerate listening to your lies." He roared. "If she does not agree to be with me then no other will have her!" He barked.
"Iesu! This is madness."
"No Akemi, this is love. As is the reason why I must do this." He moved quickly only to appear with his sword protruding on her upper back. "This will not kill you my sweet. But it will hinder you enough for me to abduct Kagome." He pulled out his sword as Akemi staggered forward falling on the tatami floor.
As Iesu exits the room he places a barrier around the room. Masking his scent, he pulls out a vial from his pocket then proceeds to head towards Sesshoumaru and Kagome's room.