Chapter 31: Love is a Battlefield
Touga leaned back on his cushion and growled, annoyed yet again with the dithering his Generals were engaging in.
They had been arguing over tactics for the last hour, and yet nothing had been accomplished so far except more arguing.
It had been several days now since Kenichi had appeared back in the West, and time was running short – too short for this kind of ridiculousness.
He knew that Ryukotsussei was still trying to find the location of the Shikon no Tama, and that was why he hadn't so far attacked. Touga was certain that the dragon's plan had been to find the jewel's location and then march on the West in order to defeat him and take possession of it, and Kenichi had confirmed it, as had Arata.
Things weren't working out for the bastard so well, however.
The thing was, Touga had long ago decided that he was not going to wait around for that fool to march into his lands and attack – nor was he going to give him the chance to find the jewel. He was going to attack first, especially as he really didn't want to be in the middle of a war when winter fully hit. Even for youkai, fighting in the midst of a blinding snowstorm was suicide, and Yuki Onna* didn't care if a potential victim was ningen or youkai – if she caught you out in a storm she would take you, and only those strong enough to resist her would survive. Even amongst youkai, there were only a few that were powerful enough to resist her lure for any length of time. That wasn't even mentioning what the cold would do to his delicate-seeming wife – she wouldn't withstand the icy cold for very long.
It was already autumn with the season inexorably marching on, which meant that they needed to get their battle plan together and prepare to march on the North. And they had to do it fast – he didn't want Ryukotsussei to find out they were coming and intercept them too soon. He wanted most of the fighting, if not all of it, done in the Northern lands – why let his own people suffer through a winter with damaged lands and no food? No... Ryukotsussei was the greedy bastard wanting to start this war, so it would be his lands that would pay the price.
Tomorrow he would be leaving to go speak to the Eastern Lord, hoping that he would join with he and the Southern Lord, who would be arriving in just four days, in the attempt to destroy Ryukotsussei – or at least his armies. He was fairly certain that the Lord of the Wolves would do so, if only to gain vengeance on the dragons for their attack on his young son and heir, Kouga.
If the Eastern Lord did join them, then that would actually change their plans somewhat, since the wolves weren't really warriors in a true sense, they were more hunters that could fight well on an individual basis, but weren't trained in army tactics. They could only be used effectively in certain very specific ways.
He held up his hand for silence.
"Enough! There is little point in arguing over what to do with the wolves if we do not know for certain that they will even be joining us. Yes, they most likely will, but there are no guarantees until I speak with their Lord and gain an answer from him," he said curtly. "For now, concentrate on battle plans that can be utilized without them. If they do join us, then we can add them into the mix as we see fit at that time."
Mixed bows and murmurs of, "Yes, Touga-sama," met his ears, and he flicked a hand, dismissing his Generals to go to their beds or pleasures – or both. War was, after all, coming soon, and when battle loomed, every warrior knew the chance of death was high. For that reason many actually sought their particular vices much more readily before battle, and he would be no different.
He turned his head to look at his wife as the room emptied, a small smile crossing his lips as he took in her preoccupied expression. No, he would be no different in pursuing his pleasures – the only difference between he and most of his Generals was that he now had a wife to seek his pleasure with, and they did not. Most of them didn't even have a set lover, simply seeking a warm bed where they could find it. He knew that if he were of the same mind he could find many, many beds that would be open to him, but he no longer cared to seek out any other female but the one that belonged to him.
Izayoi.
His hime, his lover... his beloved wife.
She was everything he could want and more; though she wasn't perfect, her imperfections only served to endear her to him more, and he found it difficult to keep his hands from her at any time. He was always in a state of semi-arousal, and all it took was a look, a touch, to set him afire and incite his passion. Like now.
She was not even looking at him at the moment, obviously lost in thought, but the lamplight hitting her delicate profile and gilding her perfect skin made him ache, and his ardor surged, a heavy-lidded look on his face that no one could mistake for anything other than the desire that it was.
"Izayoi," he called softly, his silky baritone rumbling with his want of her, and he knew she'd picked up on his need when the air around them suddenly flooded with her mouthwatering scent of arousal.
Jerked from serious thoughts to reality by the sound of her husband's beautiful voice, Izayoi knew immediately what he wanted just by the way he sounded; she couldn't help her body's instinctive response as desire flooded through her and she went weak in the knees. It was a good thing she was sitting down...
A chuckle rippled through the air as she flushed; Kirara had climbed to her feet at the first scent of arousal and pheromones in the air and taken herself off with a half-hearted grumble in his direction, her, 'Is that all you can think about?' making him laugh. Izayoi's blush deepened to scalding as the firecat made mention of a certain hentai monk of their mutual acquaintance in that long-gone future, and how he had nothing on the dog in the room. She moseyed through the door with a haughty sniff for Touga and his lecherous behavior and into the hall with a sassy twitch of her tails, finally leaving her mistress alone in the room with the aforementioned lecherous 'dog'.
"Kirara!" Izayoi exclaimed, her hands covering her burning cheeks as she stared with shocked eyes at the open shoji the neko had just passed through, before turning a quelling glance on her husband, who was now laughing openly at them both. "Touga, really! Stop it!"
He shook his head with a chuckle at her blushing countenance, his eyes once again going hot and desirous as he stood and began stalking her around the long table he had been seated at while in conference. She had been sitting quietly near an open window just looking out into the night and listening to the discussion.
"Ah, but what if I don't want to stop, little mate, eh? What are you going to do, Izayoi? Will you run?" he asked, his voice deepening impossibly on the last word as her eyes widened and she tensed in delicious anticipation.
She shook her head tentatively, mesmerized by the predatory look that washed over his face even as his eyes flashed redly. "I don't think it w-would be a good idea for me to run, here - it might be d-dangerous," she stuttered, her scent thickening with nervousness.
Touga blinked languorously at her at that; a frown creased his brow as he realized she was right. She didn't know the way to their rooms yet, and for her to just run randomly through the citadel at this point was too dangerous, even with him hot on her heels.
But there was another option... one she didn't yet know about.
There was another valley on this same mountain, just a few ri away, that was basically a private preserve of his family. Only he and his son could even enter the barrier that was around it. It was a place that he could freely take his true form and hunt, relax, or do anything else he felt like doing. Like... chase down his little wife and then have his way with her. And she would be safe there, as there were no other predators that were allowed through the barrier. The largest thing in that valley were deer, so she could run anywhere she wanted and be in absolutely no danger, and the barrier kept the temperature there comfortable year-round, with no snow.
He knew for a fact that his parents had mated there many times... now it was his turn.
Izayoi swallowed heavily at the sudden glint in his eye and knew that she would not be getting much rest this night. Not that she'd gotten all that much since her arrival here several days ago. She could only be glad that Touga had promised her that she would be allowed to sleep in somewhat on the following morning, because she was absolutely positive she was going to need every bit of restorative sleep he would allow her to get.
"Come, my lovely wife," he said, holding out his hand for her to take. "I have something for you, and then I wish to take you somewhere; there is a part of my home that you have not yet seen, and I wish to show it to you tonight."
Izayoi took her husband's hand and let him pull her up, inwardly eager for what she knew was coming.
~oOo~
Masao left the conference room last of all Touga's Generals, and had to smile slightly at what he could scent Touga's mind had turned to.
He couldn't say that his mind had really been on that meeting, either, despite the seriousness of the topic. No, his mind had mostly been on the fact that he and Satori needed to talk and settle what was between them.
With what had been happening in the last few days and Satori's preoccupation with her son and his little problem with the new Lady here, they hadn't had that chance, yet – but tonight he was determined that they would. Sesshoumaru was busy apparently thinking things over at this point, which was why he hadn't sat in on that meeting. Though he certainly hadn't liked his mother taking him to task over his behavior towards Izayoi-sama; they, he and she, owed so much to the new Lady, and Satori had been determined to make that point to her son.
After all, she was the one that had freed he, Masao, from his hated wife, which would now allow he and Satori to be together. After centuries of being trapped by that horrid bitch, he'd spent most of the last several days simply enjoying his freedom, while allowing Satori the space she needed to see to her son.
Turning down a specific corridor he headed for her quarters here in the palace, which were much nicer than his own fairly splendid quarters, what with her status as mother to the heir.
Tonight, the years of want would finally come to an end.
He wouldn't take no for an answer. He'd given her the time she needed to deal with Sesshoumaru, and now it was time for her to deal with him. He'd been waiting much, much longer, after all, and would be put off no more. He ached for her, his body in pain with his desire, and he knew she felt the same.
Her door was open when he arrived and she was standing there looking at him, an odd light in her beautiful golden eyes that he recognized; after all, it had been in his own eyes often enough in the last few days as well. Hope.
They stared at each other hungrily for several long seconds, and then she stepped aside for him to enter, and still, no words were spoken. The door being slid shut and the barrier going back up actually sounded loud in the room as he turned to look at her as she moved away from it.
"I wondered how long you would wait before coming to me," she finally said, absently brushing several strands of her hair over her shoulder where they lay like sheets of liquid silver, glinting beautifully in the bright lamplight.
"We both needed time to take in what has happened; as well, I knew you were preoccupied with your son," he replied quietly, his heart quickening as he looked at her. He'd loved her for so long. He'd wanted her for so long. But his honor would not allow him to kill the bitch he'd been forced to wed simply because he wanted another, and so he'd been trapped in a hell of his family's making.
She made a sound of amusement. "Sesshoumaru is so straitlaced – I have no idea where he came by his hatred of humans – though I do plan to find out. While I normally have no use for the creatures, sometime their race produces an extraordinary being, and Izayoi is just that. More extraordinary than any one of the examples of such her race has ever thrown. The boy has yet to learn this, but I think he will, and at her hands, no less." She chuckled as she turned away to go to her dressing table and remove her earbobs, setting them down with nary a sound. "I have spent a great deal of time with her, and I really do like her. She is intelligent and fiery and a force to be reckoned with – I'm positive Sesshoumaru isn't the only one she will change in this dusty old mausoleum. In fact, I do think she is almost more youkai in some ways than most youkai. Perhaps the truth is that she has a youkai soul."
Masao pondered that, and had to agree. In many ways, Touga's bride was just as fiery and passionate as a youkai. Maybe she really did carry a youkai soul. But there were differences...
"She does not like the kill," he said, watching her move with spellbinding grace, most of his mind not on their conversation.
At that, Satori laughed. "No, she does not like the kill. That is the one thing I have seen in her that marks her as not youkai besides her form. At least, not a predator youkai. In every other way..." she trailed off and then looked over at him out of the corner of her eye. "But Izayoi-sama is not why you have come tonight, Masao," she said almost flirtatiously, "and neither is my recalcitrant son. I can see your thoughts in your eyes."
"While that is true, I am still curious as to what happened in your meetings with the heir," he returned, and Satori knew why he was pushing for an answer to something that would not usually be his concern; he wanted to know just how much of a danger the boy was going to be to the new Lady. Not only was it his duty to his Lord to protect his Lord's wife, but he now owed a debt to the woman for freeing him from the hell he'd been bound to for so long. It was a gift that could only be repaid with devotion.
Satori turned away from his piercing gaze and moved slowly towards the shoji into the garden, pulling it open and gazing out as she gave herself a little time to think it over. Her son was, indeed, a most stubborn little brat, and she was proud of him. Usually. But in this instance, she too, also owed Izayoi a great debt and liked the girl besides, and she wouldn't allow her headstrong pup to harm the new Lady.
She chuckled. "Sesshoumaru is going to be a trial in this matter, I will not deny. But I would not worry too much, Masao – Izayoi is more than a match for him, as she has already proven. Actually, a great deal of his anger and hatred is actually more fear and confusion – he does not know what to make of her, and after all, he is still a young pup. In time he will come around. But he also knows that I will not tolerate him attacking her, and that not only would he have to deal with his father's wrath if he were to try, but my own – and all of that after she has spanked him for trying his hand against her."
"I think he hopes she will die in the coming war, since it is obvious that she will be participating, just as any youkai female would," Masao replied. He scowled, then. "As is Teruko. I am positive she is hoping for the same – that some filthy dragon will do her dirty work for her."
Satori smirked dangerously as she lifted a hand to run her fingers through her pelt, her claws glinting dangerously in the candlelight as she removed it and placed it atop a low tansu. "I would gladly take care of that bitch myself," she practically purred. "And I just might. If I catch her eyeing the Lady in a hostile manner and gut her, no one will really care save her family – and what can they say? She annoyed me and paid the price," she shrugged as she turned away nonchalantly. "She won't be the first irritating wench to fall to my claws for such a thing."
He couldn't help the chuckle that came, then. She could be such a bitch at times, and that had nothing to do with her species. But he'd been captivated by her from almost the moment he'd seen her, and proximity and time had only deepened that attraction. He loved her, bitchiness included. He stepped forward, drawing her eyes.
"And she won't be the last, I'm sure," he murmured, affection warming his crimson eyes and deepening the color until they resembled blood rubies. Satori was caught and held by that look. "But enough about such things... those subjects can be spoken of another time. The moment we've hoped for and waited for - so many years we've waited, Satori - it's finally come. You know why I'm here. All that's left is for you to accept me."
A thrill ghosted over the female inu's skin as his words stroked her need. She didn't say anything, just savoring the moment he'd spoken of. Because it was true – they'd been waiting for years, and she wanted to remember this one moment, this instant in time with crystal clarity for the rest of her almost immortal existence.
But... time does not wait for anyone, not even she; the moment slipped through her fingers and faded, and she smiled almost sadly as it did, and met his gaze.
"Did you really think I would turn you away? Despite that heinous bitch, Masao, I've always seen you as my husband, my mate, my other half. We will join as one tonight, and Touga can announce our union tomorrow, making it official. Then everyone else will know what I always have... that we belong together."
An approving growl was wrenched from his throat, and Masao moved so fast he was merely a blur, pulling Satori to him as he bent to take her lips with his.
No more words were spoken as the night fell prey to two lovers who had been denied each others touch for so many years...
But would be no longer.
~oOo~
Izayoi looked at her husband questioningly as he slid the shoji leading into their rooms shut.
A shiver went down her spine at the hot look he shot her and she waited patiently for him to show her whatever it was he had for her.
She was surprised, however, when he went to one of his tansu and opened it before taking out some cloth in a beautiful shade of twilight blue, and then beckoned her over.
When she reached his side and knelt next to him, he said, "I commissioned this a few days ago – the first day we arrived." He set the cloth down and that was when she realized that there were two pieces. He held up one piece and shook it out gently, and she saw that it was almost like an early form of a Chinese qipao tunic, with the leggings still folded on her husband's lap.
She reached out and took it with a smile. "Ohhh... it's so soft," she said quietly, looking at him with wondering eyes. "What is this material?"
"It's silk from a spider-youkai," he said, smiling back at her. "This particular spider youkai is very rare, and the silk they spin is softer than any other. Because of that, it is extremely expensive, though well worth the cost – it's virtually indestructible and it heals itself. It would have to be almost totally destroyed before it would be left unusable again." He presented her the beautiful tunic and then passed her the leggings. "Try it on, my love," he urged when she didn't move, staring at the cloth with wide eyes.
She couldn't deny she wanted to; she'd never felt anything softer, and just feeling it slide against the skin of her hands was making her want to feel it caressing her body. "It's so light, though... surely I would be better served wearing this in warmer weather?"
Touga shook his head. "This silk has many magical properties. It responds to the needs of its wearer, which is why it cannot be worn by another after being given – if you are cold, it will warm you, and if you are hot, it will help cool you. Come, my dear, put it on – I wish to see how it looks on you."
Izayoi nodded jerkily as she stood and moved to her side of the room and began removing her kimono, gently folding it up as she purposely refused to look at her husband. She could feel his eyes on her, feel his desire, but she was so overwhelmed at the moment with the gift he'd just given her that she didn't even know what to say. As little as she knew about such matters, even she could tell that this was a princely gift. She was almost afraid to put it on, though she knew that there was little she could do to damage such cloth, still, she couldn't help the thought – it felt so delicate and light, as though it would tear at the slightest movement.
It didn't take long for her to finish dressing, and she moved to the wall where the full-length mirror stood, taking in her appearance. The outfit was beautiful; waves of silver shimmered throughout the silk, and it felt so light and silky against her skin that she never wanted to take it off again.
She turned and met Touga's gaze, then. "It's beautiful. Thank you."
He smiled, obviously pleased that she enjoyed his gift. She looked devastatingly beautiful in it, and he made a mental note to commission a few more garments in the spidersilks for her. Though she didn't know it, he had already commissioned her a set of miko robes made from the same stuff, though those would serve a different purpose and would be what she wore when they went into battle. They would be better than any kind of armor she could wear, and he was taking no chances with this woman – he didn't care about the cost as long as she was kept safe.
"You are beautiful. The silks merely frame your beauty, Izayoi." His smile widened, enchanted, at her shy blush, and he held out his hand to her. It was time to take her to his private preserve – he could wait no longer. Now that she was attired suitably in something that would allow her to stretch her legs and run, he could take her there and they could spend the rest of the night indulging in each other. But first...
Her hair slid softly against the silk as he removed the jeweled sticks holding her bun in place, and then he led her from the room and out of the palace.
"Where are we going?" she asked breathlessly as he pulled her into his arms and took to the air.
"Someplace private. There's a valley here on the mountain that is protected by a barrier. There are no predators – except me-" he grinned dangerously, fangs glinting in the moonlight, "-and the temperature is always comfortable. No one can enter but me and those I allow in, so we will not be disturbed there."
"But why are we going at night?" she asked, having forgotten her husband's words of earlier. "Would it not be better to see it during the day?"
A deep growl rumbled through his chest, instantly setting her on fire; he tightened his hold on her and the hand that was around her waist slowly caressed its way upwards to cup a suddenly aching breast. "Did you forget, Izayoi? I want you to run... and there, you can. You will run, and I will pursue you. I do so enjoy the chase..." he trailed off as he ran the tips of his fangs up her neck.
Beginning to lightly sweat, Izayoi's entire body tensed at what Touga's thickened voice was promising. She could feel the excitement taking her over, and could hardly wait to reach this valley he'd mentioned as he flicked a finger over her now tight nipple; she flinched at the feel, and he withdrew, teasing her.
She whimpered, and he rumbled, pleased at her vocalization.
"Be patient, my love, we will arrive momentarily," he said, nuzzling her ear and kissing the soft and tender flesh behind it. He could feel her go limp and smiled to himself.
"I don't know how you expect me to run when you've already weakened me," she retorted breathlessly, clutching on to him for support.
A slow chuckle met her ears only making her weaker with want. "Don't worry, Izayoi – you will find that your strength will return to you when it's needed." He tapped on her shoulder and then pointed when she looked up. "See there? That is our destination."
He waited silently while she took in what she could see of it – the moon was still full enough to give plenty of light, and even with human eyes there was much to see.
Eyes roaming the valley he was pointing out, Izayoi couldn't help the gasp that escaped. "It's beautiful," she whispered. And indeed, it was.
It was a true valley, surrounded by peaks on all sides and undoubtedly carved out by glaciers thousands of years ago. Thickly forested along the sides and fed by a shimmering river that drained into a deep, glimmering lake, it was a jewel, and she couldn't help the ache that settled in her heart as they began their descent, Touga aiming for a spot near the lake on its northern shore. In Kagome's time such places were rare, and to see it as it was now, untouched by humans, really touched something inside her. She hoped with all her heart that this place would remain pristine, even into that distant future. For it to be tainted would break her heart.
Coming in low over the water, Touga skimmed the lake with his youki cloud, allowing a little of the cool – though not truly cold – water to splash and fling little fingers of water up at them, smiling when Izayoi giggled and reached out to catch the glimmering drops with tiny hands.
"Oh, it's not cold!" she gasped, wide-eyed. "It feels good!"
"As I mentioned before, the barrier keeps the temperatures here much more temperate than they would otherwise be," he replied as the finally came in to land on the little sandy beach at the edge of the lake.
"It's just the most beautiful place I've ever seen," she sighed, back on her own feet and turning in a wide circle to look at all of the valley. It was a great vantage point – you could see the whole area from this one point; as it was the lowest point in the valley, the rest of it unfolded up and away from the lakeshore. Surely a place such as this in that future era would have been a popular tourist resort, and I don't remember such. Of course, in that life she'd only been a fifteen year old middle school student, but she had been very well acquainted with her homeland's geography – she'd aced that class, and she didn't remember anything in these mountains that had drawn development. Please let it be because Touga is still protecting it in the future... as well as the citadel. Let that be the reason youkai are mere legends in that time – because they hide in plain sight.
"What has brought that frown to your face, my love?" Touga asked, pulling her to him and holding her gaze.
"I was just... hoping that the world that I came from, that future world, doesn't destroy any of this. That youkai are still around, merely hiding their true forms, and that this place and the citadel are still thriving. That world I came from... so much has been lost and destroyed. It would hurt to see this go the same way," she admitted solemnly.
He knew that she wasn't just speaking of the valley when she said 'this', and he smiled at her. "As long as I am alive, Izayoi, Kangetsu, her people, and this valley will always be protected. All of the Western Lands will be. But do not think on such things tonight, little one. Tomorrow can take care of itself – at this point, I've other things on my mind," he said, a jagged rumble breaking from his chest at the thought of what was to come. "This valley is free of predators, and as long as you stay within the borders, it will remain this same temperature. The barrier ends at the top of the valley along the ridges, so stay below the snow line and you'll be fine."
Shivering once more at the tone of her husband's voice and his words, Izayoi nodded, knowing exactly what he wanted of her. "Will you take your true form?" she asked, her voice wavering in excitement.
"Perhaps, with some modifications," he said, his voice deepening and red beginning to leach into the whites of his eyes.
"Modifications?" she asked, mystified.
"It would defeat the purpose if I were my normal size, my dear. You would see me coming too easily."
"Oh!" she gasped. "Yes... yes, I understand. I didn't realize you could make yourself smaller."
"It is not something I do very often, for there is usually little need," he said, though Izayoi could tell his mind was not on their words, but had already shifted to what was to come. She swallowed hard and tensed.
"Run, Izayoi," he growled as his nostrils flared; he'd caught her aroused scent once again.
Without another word, she took off running for the trees, determined to do whatever she could to keep him guessing.
She could feel her adrenaline kick in, flooding her body with energy and even encouraging her reiki to spill to the surface, which she allowed so that it would spread her scent out over the area, making it more difficult for Touga to track her, at least by scent.
Breaking into the treeline, she glanced back over her shoulder to see Touga watching her with eyes glowing red in the darkness. He was completely still, the perfect predator just waiting to pounce, and she turned back to pay attention to where she was going, knowing that she only had so much time before he'd be after her.
Think, think, Kagome... what can I do to make it harder for him to find me? As much as she wanted what would happen when he finally did catch her, she wanted just as much to make him work for it. She wanted to see just how long she could evade him.
Water! I can use water to dissipate my heat signature and scent!
Fortunately, she'd headed for the side of the valley that the river she'd seen from the air was in, and with determination nipping at her heels, she went straight for it. She could hear it, up ahead, deep and slow-moving, meaning she would be able to swim against the current easily enough, heading away from the lake – and Touga.
She wasn't worried about the new clothes she was wearing – if they could repair damage to themselves she was certain cold water wouldn't bother them at all. But as light as they were, it would almost be like swimming nude, there would be so little weight and drag.
With as warm as she was already getting, the water would feel good, and she was pretty sure she wouldn't be cold even after getting out.
Seconds later she burst out of the trees and found herself on the bank of the river. She paused for a moment, but when a sudden noise burst out in the distance behind her she started and waded into the water, relishing the cool feel of it as she made her way into the middle of the river before taking a deep breath and then going under completely.
Pushing forward strongly, she swam for as long as she could stay under, and then when she needed to take a good breath, she stopped and tilted her head back so that just a little of her face and her nose broke the surface and inhaled deeply again before going back under and kicking off. In this way, there would not be enough of her scent left behind to give her away.
She swam like that for several minutes, making good headway – she'd always been a strong swimmer, and she had no qualms with using her abilities to give her extra energy and even augment her speed – after all, Touga certainly would be using his own abilities to track her. This just evened the odds a little. She was well aware that she couldn't elude him forever – he would catch her sooner or later. But she wanted it to be later, rather than sooner.
After a while she came to an area where the forest was thick, trees large and relatively close together. Looking around carefully, she noted that there were limbs close to the ground that would make it easy for her to climb up and into the canopy, making her way from tree to tree all while moving above the forest floor. She was certain Touga wouldn't be expecting that, and if she hid her scent then it would make it harder for him to figure out. Still pushing strongly against the current, she moved slowly until she found what she was looking for – a strong tree limb that came out over the water and that she could reach even with her short height.
Swimming over to it, she reached up and tested it, making sure it could hold her sodden weight. It didn't even budge, and with a thrilled grin she began the task of hauling herself up it and out of the water, shimmying along until she could pull herself up into a sitting position, and then a crouch as she moved from over the water back into the trees.
Reaching the trunk of the tree, she began making her way along the limbs, moving from one tree to another carefully, yet making good progress. She was careful to keep her body heat and scent as close to herself as possible by wrapping her reiki around her in a barrier that lay just over the top of her skin. It was a handy trick she'd figured out one day, and now she was putting it to the test – Touga shouldn't be able to smell her unless he was literally right on top of her position.
After spending about half an hour in the tree tops, stopping every few minutes for a moment or two to listen and search for Touga's own aura, which she was certain he was keeping subdued, she began looking for a good tree to once more climb down – it was time to go back to the ground. It only took a few minutes to find a good one, and she was quickly back on solid ground. Running once more, she tried to put as much space as she could between her husband and herself without leaving too much of a back trail.
Nonplussed for a moment when she came across a mid-sized rocky ravine, she began making her way down carefully – it wouldn't do to fall and get hurt now. It was a bit of a challenge, and she worried that she had lost time to Touga due to this setback, but eventually she reached the bottom and decided to follow it for a little while before climbing up and taking off again.
Nimble fingers brushed a damp lock of hair back over her shoulder as she hurried through the rocky canyon, though always careful for holes, not wanting to twist an ankle. It was a little difficult with the low light, but she managed, determined not to use her reiki to light the way, since that would just pinpoint her location for her pursuer. Moving far more silently than most humans and especially females could, she followed the winding path with almost grim determination.
She would make him work hard for this particular catch. She was no game animal to be hunted down swiftly and easily – but she was positive that her determination was providence for him, and that was fine with her – she wanted him to enjoy this chase as much as she was.
Touga watched his little wife take off running, and was surprised at first at her speed – he'd not really seen her run until just this moment, and she was quite swift for a human. A fanged grin split his face as she disappeared, his vision hazing red as her actions spoke to his instincts, subduing the more logical part of his mind beneath the pull of the wildness within him.
If she keeps running in such a manner, I will catch her easily, he thought, and the thought both pleased and disappointed. Pleased, because he definitely wanted to catch her, and yet disappointed because he didn't want to catch her too soon. He was inu, and inu loved the chase. He was no different despite his humanoid skin.
He waited for some time, to give her a chance to get further and hopefully to lull her into a false sense of security before starting after her. Heading for the trees at a nice lope, he breached the line of evergreen sentinels and slowed, scenting the air around him to make sure she hadn't headed off in some other direction once hidden by the dense forest. His eyes narrowed and he came to a slightly confused halt, however, at what his nose was telling him – her scent was everywhere, seeming to come from and go in all directions, leaving him with no hope of being able to track her by scent.
Grinning again as his blood sped up and heated in his veins, he realized that she was most certainly going to make this harder than he'd first thought. The idea pleased him, and after taking a few moments to decide on a course of action, he began tracking her in the human way. Crouching low to the ground, he looked for signs of her passage – footprints in the loamy soil, bent blades of grass and broken twigs marking her path where scent did not. It was much slower going than it would have been if he'd been able to use his nose, but in this case he liked that, and his eyes only reddened more, glowing in the dark like crimson beacons.
I have to give it to her, he thought as he came to yet another halt. She was fleet of foot, obviously, but she was also seemingly lighter of foot than most humans – signs of her passage had faded, and he had to search in a wide perimeter to finally pick up her trail again. It didn't take him long to realize she'd gone straight for the river, and he wondered who had taught her about evading capture in such a way. If he were merely a mortal predator after her, that move would have saved her life, as a mortal predator could not really think. It would have lost her trail the moment she went into the water and began swimming.
Moving slowly now, he stepped out of the trees and directly on to the bank of the river. He looked to the north, then south, trying to decide which way she had most likely gone. After a few moments spent pondering on the matter, he decided that she had most likely headed south – because they were already at the northern end of the valley, and she wouldn't have much room if she were to go much further north. But the entire valley lay open to the south, providing many ri of open space and dense forest for her to hide in.
Taking to the air directly over the middle of the river, Touga followed it for a little while, every sense open to the world around him looking for any trace of his little wife.
It took some time, and he almost missed it, but just as he reached a much denser section of forest, he caught just a tiny hint of her scent on a branch that hung well out over the water.
So... this is where she left the water...
Following suit, he landed on the bank and once more paused to try to catch a hint of her unique personal scent. He was surprised not to find any hint of her scent anywhere, and moving slowly in tight arcs, he moved through the woods searching for any trace of her.
After many minutes of finding no sign of her, he came to a halt and frowned, wondering how she'd managed to totally disappear. Had that trace of her scent on that limb been a false trail? Had she continued on in the water?
Frustrated suddenly with trying to make his way through the dense underbrush, he floated himself into the trees and landed on a branch. Sitting down for a moment, he mentally ran the terrain of the valley through his mind, trying to perhaps find a clue as to where she had gone in that. He was so deep in thought that it took a moment for what his nose was telling him to kick in. He blinked, startled, then laughed aloud, surprised and pleased with her ingenuity – if he hadn't gotten tired of lurking on the ground she would have evaded him.
I can't believe she took to the trees and used them to move above that mess down there!
But even now her scent was barely there, and he knew he would have to be careful not to move too fast, or he'd miss her trail. "She's slowing me down purposely – she knows that sooner or later I will catch her, but she's making it very difficult and time consuming," he murmured to himself, more and more pleased with her choices.
Every sense on high alert, Touga followed her dissipating trail, leaping nimbly from tree to tree. There were several times that he lost the scent and had to search again, putting him further and further behind her. Still, slow and patient would definitely win this chase, and he'd had centuries of practice at being patient.
Once more catching the merest trace of her, he threw back his head and howled, long and loud, knowing that it would alert her to his nearness, and not caring. He would catch her, no matter what trick she used!
Head whipping up, Izayoi came to a halt at the sound of her husband's howl. By the sound of it, he was indeed on her trail – but not even close to catching her. She grinned; it was time to do something new – something that he wouldn't be expecting.
Climbing back up the northern rim of the canyon, the same side she'd entered on, she reached the rim and crouched carefully to check out the terrain. From here, it was open grassland, the grasses about chest high on her if she were standing. It'll be tiring, but if I crouch and stay low, I should be able to make it back to the lake. I bet he's not expecting me to double back... She looked back into the ravine, if I go back down and lay a false trail back up on to the south rim, Touga will think I'm still heading south.
Decided, even though it would cost her some time, she descended carefully back into the ravine and moved back a good twenty feet from where she'd climbed up, then climbed up the southern rim, careful to leave just a little bit of her scent, and then continued into the scraggly trees that lined this side of the ravine for just a few moments before backtracking and going back to her original point on the north rim. That way, when Touga followed her trail in the ravine, he would reach the false trail before her true one and would follow that, not even realizing that she'd even tried to go any other way.
Feeling a little tired by now, but nowhere near ready to give up, she crouched down somewhat and took off running as fast as she could. At this point, there was no point in worrying about trying to leave no trail – there was no way she could avoid trampling the grasses, though she did her best to keep it minimal so that it would be harder to pinpoint from the air. She wanted to make him follow her on the ground – that would make it infinitely harder than if he could just fly the entire time.
Slowing, Izayoi paused, breathing deeply but not heavily; cautiously, she lifted her head a little and looked behind, but thankfully, she saw nothing and heard nothing. There was no sign of Touga. Looking ahead once again, she could see the glint of moonlight on the lake, and in another quick decision, she decided to make straight for it.
It took a little while, but finally, the grasses began fading as sand took over, and she looked behind again, still seeing and hearing no sign of the predator on her trail. Good! Stepping right up to the lake, she waded in a little, trying to see how clear the water was.
Surprisingly, or perhaps not, the water was clear and beautiful, no algae or debris choking it, and with a smile of pure pleasure, she breathed in – it even smelled clean; unlike any lake of her time, it didn't even have a fishy smell to it at all. Smile widening, she pushed off and dove down, down into the depths. When she reached the other side of the lake, she would stop and run no further. It was time to let him find her.
Touga was in heaven – but he was also getting impatient. When he'd challenged her to run, he'd never expected her elude him for so long. He wanted her, and the longer it took to find her the more he wanted. He'd tracked her through the ravine for some time, already, and he was beginning to wonder if she'd followed it all the way out...
Just about ready to give it up and take to the air, he caught her scent just faintly leading up the southern wall of the canyon, and once again he was almost awed at her strength – this side of the ravine was almost straight up and down – she'd had a hell of a climb. He wondered why she'd chosen to go up such a difficult part of it. There had been several areas that would have been much easier to climb...
Hurrying now, wanting nothing more than to get his hands on her, Touga folded himself into his true form in a smaller size and howled again, trailing her into the few trees that were on this side of the ravine. Her scent was faint and spotty, large gaps in between, and so it took quite a while before he realized that he hadn't scented her or found any other sign of her passage for some time.
Damn! She laid a false trail and I fell for it in my impatience! But where did she go? Did she double back, or did she continue on this side, just in a different spot?
Fangs flashing in the moonlight, Touga sat down on his haunches and surveyed the valley, looking for anything off... instead of using his nose or ears, or even his eyes, he used his aura. Spreading his terrible and powerful spirit over several ri, his tongue fell out of his mouth as he panted, a silent dog laugh at himself. She had truly fooled him – she had doubled back, dropping back into the arroyo and making her way back up the north side, after all.
Leaping into the air, Touga flashed across the sky, not landing until he'd found the spot she'd climbed out over the rim. He growled in satisfaction as he got a whiff of her scent and found her path through the prairie grasses. Propelling himself into a slow run, he tracked her back towards the lake, his excitement beginning to overwhelm him as his arousal made it painful to hold back from just locating her through their bond.
He was determined, however, to find her this way, so that she could not say he'd cheated in order to be able to find her.
At the pace he'd set, it didn't take long for him to reach the lake once more, and he slowed, padding silently up to the very edge of the water before sitting down once more, his tongue lolling out as he narrowed his eyes on the calm lake.
She'd entered the water right at this point... and once more vanished from his senses, leaving no trail for him to find.
Left with no recourse, he stood up, determined to circle the lake. It was his only remaining option, so he took it, though his pace was much swifter now. He was gaining on her; her last little remaining scent at the spot she'd gone into the water was not very old.
He would never forget the vision he came upon when he finally found her, no matter how many centuries separated him from this moment.
In that instant, she looked like a wild water tennyo, his perfect vision clearly able to make out the drops of water sliding down her skin and glimmering like precious diamonds. Her eyes were glowing as her ebony tresses ran down her back in a sheet of wet black silk, her cheeks were flushed with color and her lips pursed as she turned her head to look at him in a very sultry manner, her entirely nude form looking almost unreal – nothing that beautiful could truly exist in this world.
"It took you long enough," she said huskily, her voice sending shivers down his back. Without a sound he flowed back into his human form and wasted no time in disrobing, flinging his own clothes to land atop the rock where she'd placed hers to dry.
They came together with equal wildness, both of them lost to their blood and totally without thought. Touga, finding himself more thirsty than he'd ever been decided to lick every bit of water off Izayoi's perfect skin, and as he hit his knees following the trails of liquid, his wife cried out, the feel of his tongue on her just there feeling better than it ever had before.
Touga, now completely feral, literally devoured his wife, her cries and pleas only egging him on, inducing him to take her higher than he ever had. Unable to truly taste her as fully as he needed to with her still on her feet, he scooped her up and laid her out atop his fur. His eyes narrowed as an idea came to him, then, and within seconds, he'd surged his will into the soft fur and it was slithering around both of her legs, pulling them wide and leaving her totally at his mercy. Pleased and excited at the visual, he growled heatedly and drove his tongue once more into her secret places, hungry to taste her – hungry to taste her satisfaction.
Over and over he drove her up the precipice of passion, then knocked her over, relishing in the taste and scent of her pleasure. It was a godly ambrosia to him, whipping his need to dangerous heights as she writhed beneath him and called to him, begging him to join with her, to conquer her body and soul with his own flesh and powerful, powerful soul.
"Please, Touga," she pleaded, her voice aching with her want of him, "come into me. I need to feel you!"
Her words tugged at his consciousness, and he raised his head to meet her fathomless blue eyes with his own crimson-stained ones. Completely unable to deny her, he licked the remainder of her satisfaction from his lips and surged up her body, his own painful need of her obvious in the steely tension of his member as it lay across her feminine mound. He growled seductively as Izayoi tilted her hips into him, opening herself as much as possible for him and still pleading desperately with him to just take her. Obliging her with a long, powerful thrust, his eyes brightened as she arched into his hips with a delicious inhaling gasp that had him panting as he took in the visual of his beautiful wife spread out in utter abandon beneath him.
"That's it, Kagome, my love," he growled as he thrust into her again with jarring impact, deliberately using her true name as her dazed eyes met his in recognition, "give me all of yourself! Open your soul to me as you have opened your beautiful body and let me in!"
Recognizing his deliberate use of her name even in the state she was in, Kagome did as he'd commanded, opening her soul, her aura, every part of herself to her husband, barely able to contain her excitement at the knowledge of what she would feel once opened to him.
She wasn't disappointed. As he drove himself into her, over and over, penetrating deeply and striking that kernal of nerves hidden inside with every thrust, he enfolded her soul with his, twining his aura around her and drowning her in his love, his need of her. There was nothing else like this, nothing that could ever compare to the feel of being joined with this male, and heart almost overflowing with love for him, Kagome began to cry, staring up into his burning gaze with adoration in her eyes.
"I... I love you, Touga," she panted, one hand moving from his back to touch his cheek tenderly. "So, so much. There are no words..."
He almost came undone, her vocalizations, the touch of her soul against his, and her body clenching tighter and tighter around his making his heart explode with his own desperate love and need of her.
"My Kagome," he purred, his own hands cupping her face as he drastically slowed the pace and stared with burning eyes into hers. "You will never know just how much I love you, my sweet little miko. There are no words in any language that could ever tell the tale. Even the words 'I love you' do not begin to scratch the surface." He stopped and wiped a tear that slid down her cheek, then lowered his mouth to hers, tenderly nipping her swollen lower lip, pleading for entrance. When she parted her lips, granting him access, he slipped inside slowly, languorously sliding his tongue along hers and twining it around her own before licking along her palette. The slow, deep strokes of his tongue matched perfectly the now slow thrusts into her body as his earlier frenzy drifted into a slow sensuality that only drew more tears from his now erotically and emotionally intoxicated wife.
"You feel so good to me, my adored one, no one has ever felt so good," he rasped. "There is no need for you to ever be jealous of another, for you have wiped all others from my mind, and I can remember none but you, nor do I wish to." He brushed yet more tears from her cheeks tenderly, a light in his eyes that held Kagome spellbound. "I wish that I could crawl inside you and live there forever, that I could always be joined thusly to you, never to be separated. You... are my world." He punctuated each word with a slow, deep thrust, rotating his hips against hers each time, which caused his little mate's eyes to finally roll closed and left her unable to even speak.
Inarticulate by this time with the unspeakable pleasure Touga was heaping on her willing body, Kagome's fingers tightened against his back, echoing the tightening in her belly as she arched helplessly into him. As her hips tilted up further, he hit that spot inside her even harder, and she gasped brokenly, tensing and holding in that position as white light flooded her mind and her husband thrust even harder into her. Between one second and the next, her world fragmented and she went over the precipice, a broken cry ripping from her throat as she held desperately to her lover even as he roared and pounded into her clenching body mercilessly as he chased her over the edge and into oblivion.
It took some minutes for the both of them to recover from such an intense coupling, even Touga's youkai stamina drained. He breathed her in, nuzzling against her shoulder where his head had come to rest, shivering as her hands swept delicately against his back.
"You've never demanded so much, Touga," Kagome said softly, still shuddering with aftershocks and her muscles still clenched tightly around his member as she continued to ripple around him. "I could feel you... your soul. What was that?" What had just happened between them was not normal copulation such as most people experienced, and her knowledge as Kagome told her that quite emphatically.
"That, my love, is how true love is made. With our bond, making love is more than just a pretty phrase," he said after a moment, raising his head finally to look directly into her eyes. "With this bond, not just our bodies are involved. Our souls, are, also. Remember, our wedding night was almost the same."
"But not quite," she returned shyly. "This was... deeper. More consuming."
He smiled at her, stealing her breath away. "Yes. And it will get even deeper and stronger as time goes by and our bond deepens and strengthens. We become closer every day, Kagome, our feelings for each other growing and developing. Our encounters will reflect that, becoming more consuming as our bonds bring us closer."
Eyes widening, Kagome gasped. "How could anything be any stronger than what we just experienced? If it had been any more consuming, I think I would have passed out!" she exclaimed incredulously, unable to take in what he was saying.
"It has been called 'the little death' for just that reason, beloved. For those who are bound so strongly, making love is an experience that is truly beyond any other, and its intensity only induces even more closeness in the couple." He lowered his head and nipped her earlobe, enjoying her shivery moan at his action. "It is a circle, love bringing physical intimacy, and physical intimacy bringing more love. Do you see, little one?"
"Surely," she started, having to pause and clear her throat as it locked up with emotion, "such intensity is reserved for the gods, for nothing so perfect could possibly exist in this realm."
"Do you doubt my love for you, Kagome?" he rumbled, peering at her with sated eyes.
"No. But you are also too perfect to exist on the mortal plain – this all must be but a dream, a precious dream. I almost fear I will wake to find myself back on the shrine training and wishing to avoid some cold political marriage such as most hime are subject to," she replied almost sadly.
Sliding himself carefully from within her, Touga wrapped his arms around her and stood up easily, then walked into the cool water of the lake and set her gently on her feet. Tilting her chin up with one hand, he looked intently at her for some time, not saying a word. Just as she began to shift nervously, he finally spoke.
"I am nowhere near perfect, Kagome, and this is very real. But whether I am perfect or not, my love for you is, and you should never doubt either yourself or me. We are together because we were meant to be so. Remember this night, hold it in your heart, my love, and remember what I have said to you-" he smiled at her, "-for it will bring you strength in dark times, as the knowledge of your love does the same for me, shoring up my will when I might otherwise falter."
Searching his eyes intently, Kagome nodded after a moment, and accepted his chaste but loving kiss. She opened her eyes when he pulled away and blushed as he winked at her. "Come, let me bathe you, my lady, so that we may return home and go to our rest."
And as they rinsed each other playfully and then exited the water and redressed, then flew home, his words echoed in Kagome's conscious mind, filling her with serenity even in the face of the coming war.
Their love would conquer Ryukotsussei's hate, no question.
It would.
~oOo~
*Yuki Onna-Literally, Snow Woman. In Japanese folklore, she was the personification of winter, supposedly a beautiful woman that would waylay travelers and those lost in the wilds during storms, freezing them to death.
Edited 12/31/13
