Hey, my faithful three readers have demanded a new chappie, so here it is, fresh from my mind to your eyes!
Deds: BoundxByxDeath, Das Moen, and Water Kunoichi, you guys are great, I love ya's! Your reviews make me want to finish this behemoth even faster than I'm able! Keep 'em coming, it inspires me!
Disclaimer: Don't like me, lawyers? Then sue me! Oh, that's it! My cheerios are soggy now, you're sooo gonna pay!
Every Time We Touch
Sango rolled over; something was burning. Looking up, she saw a blackened deer thigh hanging over the fire, inches from the flames, and smoking profusely.
She wondered for only a second why none of the demons had smelled it, but the wind was not in their direction, and they were all asleep. She rotated the meat and inspected it closely. Only the top few layers of meat were burned; the thigh was salvageable.
She sat down to keep an eye on it, now that she'd been scared awake and was no longer tired.
Miroku hadn't even awoken when she'd thrown him off; in fact her butt was still numb, and she wondered just how it had come to feel that way, casting a dangerous glance in the monk's direction, which only resulted in a snore from the man so loud it choked him and he coughed, but still didn't wake up. Sango reached over and poked him with a finger, but received no response.
Looking around, she noticed a giant bump in Kagome's sleeping bag. Both of them must be inside, she thought, and smiled, but then frowned when she thought of them doing it not three feet away from her head.
Eww, she thought, and snapped her head around when she heard a twig snap.
Her face was a mask of terror as she spotted slanted, glowing red eyes in the bushes to her right, and she grabbed Miroku's thigh in fear, digging her nails into his muscle frantically, her voice abandoning her.
A loud, manic howl was released from the demon, and in the next instant, every single person in that clearing was awake, and all the women were shaking in fear.
Kouga, his eyes red, and filled with lust, lifted his nose to the air; he smelled a female in heat, and his demon had taken over.
A few hours earlier, he'd been sitting on the coast feeling sorry for himself, when he'd decided to return to the group and put his feelings for Kagome aside, and concentrate on helping them find and kill Naraku.
When he had gotten within a mile of them, a scent had hit his nose like a lead bullet, and his eyes had glazed over, his claws lengthened, and his eyeteeth grew; his demon demanded he find the female - now.
Sesshoumaru stood and drew Tokijin. The wolf was not himself, and, sniffing the air, he immediately knew why. His own eyes flickered red, but unlike Kouga, he had some semblance of control over his demon, which he kept in check…for now.
Sango clutched Hiraikotsu in a panic. Kouga was their friend, why was he acting this way
Miroku reached for his staff and tucked a hand inside his robes, seeking a strong spell scroll in case binding the wolf became necessary.
Shippo and Rin hugged each other in fear atop Ah-Un, who lumbered to its feet and moved the children slowly away from the adults, for their own safety, should the demon males come to blows; it, too, smelled a ready female, but being as she was not an animal youkai, it had no interest in her whatsoever.
Jaken stood next to his Lord, and was almost appalled when he witnessed the indecision in his Master's flickering irises, for Sesshoumaru was vainly trying to contain his own demon while he protected everyone from another demon, whom they knew and trusted, but were now wary of.
Inuyasha glanced from his brother to his archrival in love, and knew in an instant what was wrong with them. He clutched Kagome to him tightly as he reached for his haori, and, unzipping the sleeping bag slowly, told her to wear it, and get away as fast as she could.
Kagome, panicking, whispered, "I won't leave you," and he smiled, but pushed her toward Sango and Miroku, saying, "Yes, you will. Don't worry about me."
Sango grabbed Kagome's hand, understanding dawning on her as she watched the scene before her. Kagome must be in heat, she thought, to attract all these male's inner demons to make themselves known.
Miroku had instinctively assumed that this was the case when he'd awoken, but did not bother to ask Inuyasha and confirm his suspicions, he only steered the women away and summoned Kirara to transform, bringing up the rear.
Kagome, Sango, and Miroku all climbed atop the firecat and took to the skies, Kouga's howl following their exodus.
Kagome's shuddered. She was afraid; she was shaking in her fear. She'd left her bow and arrows behind, again. So she had nothing to defend herself, should any of the demons in the clearing come after her.
Sango could feel her friend shaking, and said, "It's okay, Kagome, we won't let them have you."
She looked over her shoulder and gave Sango a shaky smile, and whispered, "Thanks, you guys."
Inuyasha pulled Tetsusaiga from its sheath and held it before him, in Kouga's direction. The wolf was suffering from acute lust, and Inuyasha could sympathise; Kagome's scent drove him wild, too, but he wasn't about to let anyone else touch a hair on her head; she belonged to him now, and that was that.
Sesshoumaru's flashing eyes darted between Inuyasha and Kouga; he was wrestling with his demon, trying to decide whom he should kill first, before going after the girl. His eyes remained red with this thought, and Jaken, his own eyes opening wide, knew his Master had let the demon take over; there would be no going back, now.
Kouga had one thought and one thought only: mate. But now that said female was gone, he howled his frustration, and made to follow her, but was blocked by two white-haired men that he vaguely remembered from yesterday. One was missing his armour and the other only wore red hakama, and nothing else. He growled at them, his intentions clear. If they didn't move out of his way, he would remove them forcefully.
Kouga began to circle Inuyasha, who glared and said, "Get lost wolf, she's mine, I claimed her, and she claimed me. You have no stake on her anymore."
Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed to Inuyasha when he said this. He'd claimed her? And she him? No, he thought, remembering that he'd been thinking of that very topic before falling asleep a while ago.
Oddly, the thought of her being out of his reach outraged him, and he growled out loud, baring his teeth at his little brother.
He remembered suddenly about what had transpired between he and the girl before he'd fallen asleep, and his bared teeth disappeared behind a smile as he faced Inuyasha.
"She is very special, Inuyasha," he drawled, moving to side with Kouga, who eyed him warily for only a moment before returning his gaze to the hanyou, "can you really blame us for wanting her? By the way," he chuckled, knowing how much Inuyasha would hate him for what he was about to say to him, "she's an excellent kisser, your Kagome. I was most impressed with her."
Inuyasha lost it, he ran at them both and screamed, "Wind Scar!" knowing full well that in his rage he would likely miss them, which he did, for after the dust cleared, both came striding back, unharmed.
Inuyasha was in a mental turmoil. Had Kagome really kissed Sesshoumaru? He remembered the tears in her eyes when he'd awoken. She had looked so guilty, now that he thought about it…but guilt indicated regret, and he made a mental note to ask her about Sesshoumaru's claim later.
"You two just can't take a hint, can you? I'm surprised at you, Sesshoumaru, usually you're all ice, and have no emotions at all. Falling for a human girl would be the last thing I'd think you'd want to do."
"Who said anything about love?" he asked, smiling maliciously. "Sometimes a guy just needs a good screw!"
Inuyasha gritted his teeth as Kouga smacked Sesshoumaru encouragingly on his shoulder, earning himself a growl and a glare.
Inuyasha was struck with inspiration; as he watched Sesshoumaru snap at Kouga, he realised that both of them might have the same objective, and appeared to be helping each other, but neither of them really gave a rat's ass about the other; right now, an alliance between them was necessary in order to defeat Inuyasha himself, but as soon as he was out of the way, Inuyasha could see that they would turn on each other until only one was left standing. Their alliance now was very unstable, for neither of them cared about anything but satisfying his own needs. He tried to think of a way he could use this against them.
Kouga withdrew his hand, and snarled at Sesshoumaru's back; he didn't think that had been called for. Glaring at the other demon, he too returned his attention to the large fang in Inuyasha's hand.
Rin pointed into the sky as she yelled, "There's Kagome and Sango! Ah-Un, follow them!"
Shippo clung tight to the little girl as the dragon took to the air, following the three riders on the firecat. Catching up, Miroku looked back to see two little hands waving and their voices shouting, "Wait for us!"
Kirara slowed, and the dragon came abreast, so the riders could speak without yelling, and giving away their position.
"Kagome," Shippo whined, "what's going on? Why are we running away from Inuyasha and Kouga and Sesshoumaru? What's wrong with them?"
Embarrassed, Kagome shrugged and said, "I don't know, sweetheart." Sango and Miroku said nothing.
Rin began to cry. "Why was Lord Sesshoumaru so different? He scared me," she whimpered, and Kagome reached out to her, and she climbed into Kagome's lap, wrapping her arms about her neck.
Shippo reached into his plastic bag for a lollipop; they always made him feel better. Kagome, seeing this reached over and said, "Gimme one of those, please, Shippo."
Handing her a big one, she smiled her thanks and broke off a chunk for Rin, while she jammed the rest into her own mouth. She was nervous, really nervous. She was strung tighter than a violin string, and anything traumatizing would snap her like that.
She fingered the sleeve of Inuyasha's haori as they flew along in silence; she hoped against hope that he would be all right.
Kouga charged Inuyasha, flying at him with a speed that was surreal. Inuyasha sliced at him, but Kouga, just as he'd expected, jumped away, out of Tetsusaiga's reach. Turning swiftly, so his back was to the wolf, he hoped that by leaving himself exposed Kouga would seize the moment and attack him. His patience paid off as Kouga did just that, and at the last second, he spun, and brought the broad side of Tetsusaiga down on the wolf's head with a solid thump!
Kouga collapsed on the ground, unconscious. Inuyasha breathed hard, and muttered, "And stay down there, wolf!"
He turned to locate his brother, but could see him nowhere. An unpleasant tingle travelled the length of his spine; Sesshoumaru was here somewhere, and was just awaiting a perfect chance to kill him.
He spun around, again and again, when he felt the sting of a lash across his bare back, and looked behind him to see Sesshoumaru sitting on the lower branch of a nearby tree, one knee propped up idly, his fingers aglow with the green poison whip they produced.
He growled, and Sesshoumaru launched himself off the branch, his speed twice that of Kouga's.
In an instant he was in Inuyasha's face, sneering, "Too slow!" as he brought his striped wrist up, slashing Inuyasha's bicep, blood spurting all over his white haori as he sped away.
Inuyasha cried out, and clutched his sword arm, blood seeping through between his clawed fingers. He glared at Sesshoumaru as he confidently approached again, a smirk on his blood-spattered face.
Inuyasha knew he had no other alternative; in his state, Sesshoumaru was invincible, and Inuyasha knew he didn't have a chance in hell of subduing him without letting his own demon out.
Dropping Tetsusaiga in the dirt, it transformed into a thin, rusty, battered katana, now that Inuyasha's demonic power was no longer supporting it.
As Sesshoumaru approached, Inuyasha felt his blood heat up; soon it felt like it was boiling inside his veins. When he looked up from underneath his bangs, his eyes were stained red, his irises an ocean blue.
Sesshoumaru saw this, but unlike the last time he'd witnessed his brother's transformation, he was not afraid. His demon was fearless, and he continued to approach Inuyasha, undeterred, and cracking the knuckles of his only hand.
"Time's up, little brother," he sneered, and stood over Inuyasha, glaring down on his long silver hair. "She will be mine, now, as soon as I finish you off."
Inuyasha chuckled, deep and melodic, just like their Father used to. Sesshoumaru was assaulted by memories as he listened to Inuyasha laugh, too caught up in his flashbacks to inquire what was so funny.
"You'd never go back on a promise, Sesshoumaru. It's dishonourable, and that's the last thing you want to be," Inuyasha's voice was gravelly, and sounded not at all like it normally did. It brought Sesshoumaru back to the present, and just as he made to swipe at Inuyasha with his glowing fingers, the hanyou disappeared, sneering, "it would be a pity to start dishonouring yourself now."
Latching onto Sesshoumaru from behind, Inuyasha gripped his brother's neck with his bloody arm and tightened his muscles, choking Sesshoumaru.
Gasping, Sesshoumaru tried to claw him off with his one arm, but Inuyasha quickly grabbed his wrist and squeezed, hearing the bones cracking within, and Sesshoumaru tried to transform. He howled in frustration when it didn't work; he couldn't transform when his vision was swimming, and he could feel unconsciousness hovering close by. Everything before him began to fade, and soon his head lolled, and Inuyasha released him, poking him to make sure he was out.
Peeling back and eyelid, he was pleased to find his brother's eyes had returned to their normal colour, and he was breathing normally. Leaving Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha went to check Kouga. His eyes, too, had returned to their original ocean blue when his eyelid was pried back, and Inuyasha picked up Tetsusaiga, satisfied with his handy work.
His own eyes faded to gold and his stripes disappeared as he hefted Tetsusaiga up, which transformed at his first touch. Sheathing it, he walked through the dusty air, surveying his destructiveness. The deer thigh roasting over the now out fire had blackened to a crisp, and he picked it up, hocking it over the edge of the escarpment into the canyon below.
Taking off, he ran to locate the rest of their group and bring them back, now that everyone had been subdued.
Stopping along the way, he plucked a rose from amongst a thorny bush, scratching his hand up, but he barely felt the pain. Twisting the red flower thoughtfully between his fingers, he sprinted away, following her beautiful scent.
Wow, intense. Dinna worry, she'll tell him soon, probably in the next chapter. Maybe there'll be some lemony freshness too, but...I don't know. I guess we'll find out! Review, and see you next chappie, babes!