A/N: Konnichi-wa, minna-san! Wow, has it really been that long since I talked to all of you? Not good. Not good at all. But anyway... Here is chapter eleven. And you would think that things would start happening already. I am sorry if this story is slow to all of you but I am trying to flesh it out to draw out the full potential. So far, none of you seem to have any complaints so I am glad. Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews and I really enjoyed reading them. Well... It has been awhile hasn't it? I deeply apologize for that. I did not mean to wait this long to write and post the chapter. Never my intent, believe me. There has been family troubles as well that I must deal with and it threatens to consume me. School has not been as easy as I thought that it would be. I mean, come on! Senior year is supposed to be easier than the rest but don't believe them! Not easy. Wow, I cannot believe that I am a senior. Pretty soon, I'll be going off to college and I am hoping that this story will be done by then. But if not, I will keep working at it. And hopefully, all of you will still be by my side. I have a lot of twists and turns in mind that will probably surprise you. I can't wait to write them. :smiles evilly:
Explanation: Anne79 and Ivy-Crystal submitted reviews and asked me why I gave Kagome six wings instead of the usual two. Well, possessing six wings is the ultimate show of power. Remember, Kagome is the Maiden of Twilight and she has the power to destroy or save Madrien. So it is only natural that she has three pairs of wings instead of just one. And yes, she will be able to call upon them when she wishes and be able to put them away as well. Thank you for asking because I always appreciate questions. Please feel free to ask them of me. It warms my heart to know that readers are so interested in my story that they ask questions and make comments. I love to read and answer them so thank you. And there is a much better explanation in the following paragraphs that make up this chapter so this is not a full explanation.
Another Explanation: I am so sorry! One of my readers asked me if Inuyasha had given Kagome back her locket back in chapter nine and I failed to answer her. I am so sorry! Please forgive me. No, Inuyasha did not give Kagome back her locket after Okinamaru fixed it. I apologize if I implied that. Even though I thought I had made that clear but I tend to overlook things like that at times... :sweat drop:
Thank You: A special thanks to the following people for reviewing thus far: angel-tears-16, Jen, jeeringsmiles, Selina, Wolf Girl, butterflywinds, Megan Consoer, Ivy-Crystal, Karen, Angel-Tears-16, Moongirlz, Vyx, Anne79, Forest Sentry Koneji, Ally Inu, PiperWolfBlossom, Moon-Miko-ashes, Insane-and-Psycho, Eri, Animefanatic1632, Apathy Angel, Raven657, Queen Tatooine, Danyu, marijang69, Jynx, Starr Stealer, Hand off the hanyou, a100rinchhead, Katie, MizuShoubai, Angel of Death 88, KougaDemonAddict, Lulu, Crystal, Sesshouismine, Lizz456, KatanaFox, Hanyou665, She-Demonstriss, none, short-tempered, twigy, ArtemisMoon, Hot Bitch (a.k.a. Celeste), Inuyasha-Is-My-Boyfriend, Crutches the Magic Hippie, Latinachica, Kagomeissosexy, Orlando-Inu-Lover, Hi, Annie, Tarzan, Kenshrix, Kinomoto, Dark Hanyou Lover, Shaq, InuFan4Life, AuronZs10, EarthQueen11492, LinaoftheLight, chickichicki, tomariella222, spotzplaya888, elementalobsession, Black Betty, InnocentDarkSassyCat, Dark Daimon Fate, Innocent Hope, dreamz-of-hope, azn-modern-miko, Lady Dark Angel, GohanzGirl, Schezerade7, Ria-chan, Shokora no Sakuhen, Embury, lyn, inuschopstiks, Silver Rain Drops, kawaii-arula, inu-kaglover45, Malitia, AzaraRubie, dragdr, and Alarnia. Thank you for sticking with me so far especially with my random updates and I sincerely hope that you continue to do so. Your words mean more to me than you -or I- may ever know.
"Kind words can be short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless." -Mother Theresa
Dedication: This fanfiction is dedicated to Ria-chan, my little sister and best friend. She proof read the first two chapters of this story and has given me the inspiration to begin my story anew. But most important of all, she believes in me, which is why I posted this fic and for that I am eternally grateful. She has been my constant anchor when my world seems like it is turning upside down and inside out. She has been there for me and listened to my complaints and I thank every star at night for leading me to her. Thank you, Ria-chan! Love you lots, sweetie!
Another Dedication: This chapter is dedicated to Inuyasha-Is-My-Boyfriend for the wonderful friend that she has been to me. We have really bonded over the past weeks and I would just like to thank her from the bottom of my heart for all the things she has done for me. For the listening, the talking, the laughs, the smiles that I know she has on her beautiful face. No matter what kind of day I am having, talking to her always brightens it with the light that only she possesses. Thank you, my dear friend. May God watch over you always and may angels sing you sweet lullabies in your dreams that I know will come true. I love you!
Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah. I bet that's all you readers hear and read when you see these disclaimers. They're the same every time. Inuyasha and the characters affiliated with him do not, in any way, belong to me. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shogakuken, etc.
"Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me." -Psalm 31: 2
Chapter 11: Challenges Issued and Met
Souta quietly walked through the front door of his home. He had been out late again, searching the city for Kagome or any trace of her. If he found something, anything, it might ease the torment ripping through his vulnerable mind. Souta did not dare reveal this to his mother though. He had suffered a lot over the past few days. He could not eat, could not sleep, could not hope to breathe with Kagome gone. She had been his anchor and the one person that he had loved above everyone else. Kagome knew everything; she could do no wrong. She was the only one willing to talk about his father.
Souta had never known his father, having been born months after his death. No information and no memories were forthcoming from his mother so he had to rely on Kagome to learn of him. Through her, Souta felt as if he had really known his father. That he had lived long enough to hear his laugh and see his smile. But now, even that light had faded away. Kagome had taken it with her when she disappeared. And now he was alone.
He wandered the house endlessly, looking from one corner to the other. He was tired, exhausted. Souta wanted nothing more than to lie down somewhere undisturbed. Then when the morning had come about once again, peeking out the horizon, he would be able to go outside and look for her once more. Even as he walked, Souta prayed. He prayed, pleaded, begged, anything that would help. He wanted someone to hear him and bring her home.
Where was Inuyasha? Why had he not found her yet! He promised him, he promised! Fury bubbled within Souta as he struggled to control the new emotion. He was rarely ever mad at anyone. That was an emotion that he had never experienced before. There had never been anger in his life, maybe disappointment. Disappointment at his mother for being the way she was. Because of her, Kagome had to suffer on his behalf for she was always trying to bring Hitomi's attention back to them. They wanted her love. She wanted her bottle. There seemed to be nothing more important to her than that. So Kagome had been his mother, sister, and father.
Souta placed one trembling hand upon the railing and started to ascend the long staircase to his room. His small body craved sleep and he wanted nothing more than to flop down upon the soft, comforting cushions and close his weary eyes. They burned with the lack of tears.
"Souta!" a voice cried from the living room. Mother. As always it was slurred and when she raced in to find him, the zigzagging steps screamed her condition. She was drunk, yet again. But this time it seemed much more than usual.
Hitomi looked at her youngest child and nearly wept with relief. She had not seen him all that day and she needed him around for her own sanity. If she lost another one of her loved ones... Hitomi raced to the place where Souta stood and instantly dragged him down onto the floor where she had collapsed to her knees. She was shaking violently as she pressed frantic kisses to his temple and cheek. Hitomi rarely showed such affection so it frightened Souta. He sat helplessly as his mother fussed and gushed over him as though he were a small boy once again, barely able to care for himself.
"Didn't I tell you not to go out at night like that!" she reprimanded sluggishly, but when her breath fanned over him he realized with some horror that she really was more drunk than usual. That was not like her. "You nearly gave me a heart attack, Souta!"
Hitomi's heart beat out a rhythm of anxiety to match the emotions curling inside of her slurred mind. She had waited hours for him to return, had bitten each one of her fingernails until they were nothing but stumps and even drank herself into a calmed stupor. But that did not last as long as she had hoped. Within the passing hours she had stayed by the door with the phone clutched fearfully in her lap as if it alone could anchor her to the ground. And she waited. She waited for any news of her daughter or maybe that her son had disappeared as well. She could not have been able to bear that.
But then he had come in. He had saved her by coming home though it had been far too late for her comfort and peace of mind. Hitomi was desperate to hold on to any shred of serenity that she could get and the only thing she had left now was Souta. First her husband, then her daughter, it could have been her son next so that she was alone but the fates had smiled down upon her for once. Someone had smiled down upon her.
"Mom, it's okay," Souta assured her nervously. All of a sudden she burst out crying in a great rush of tears that caused Souta's heart to twist painfully, feeling like an invisible hand was squeezing it without mercy. This was not helping the guilt that was weighing upon him at the moment. "Why are you crying? Mom, please stop. I'm okay." Souta was frantic now, his voice breaking slightly with his emotions. He tried to wipe away her tears but they continued to fall in long streaks that burned down his fingers in anguish. He felt his own eyes begin to prickle with newfound tears. Why was she crying?
Hitomi buried her head into his silky hair and inhaled. He smelled like a young boy should: like freshly cut grass and spring rain. But he was growing up too fast. She knew this, had known it for quite sometime because she had seen Kagome follow that path as well. Her daughter's eyes held too many secrets and had seen too many things. Mature. Old. Wise. Above all she had wisdom, that alone frightening Hitomi because she was supposed to be taking care of them. But what could she do? Nothing. She was still grieving. How could she, filled with torrents of her own bitterness, heal Kagome's scarred heart?
His mother shook her head, spilling her disheveled locks over Souta's shoulders like a veil, and her shoulders did the same, racked with tears that would not stop. "I don't want to lose you, too," she wailed pathetically. She clung to him because she could do little else. Hitomi was one that relied on others for comfort; it was never the other way around. She needed people. She needed Souta, now more than ever. She continued on, her sentences and words running into one another until Souta could barely make out what she was saying.
"I've lost Kagome. They've taken her like they took Alan and now she isn't coming back! Please stay with me, Souta. Never leave me..." Her voice ended in a hushed whisper but he heard it as clearly as a scream. And it sounded too harsh for his delicate ears. Souta had never heard his mother plead for anything but now she was down on her knees, begging him for the life of her. What was he to do?
Deep inside of his heart, something melted because of the tears rolling down his neck, the small sobs that shook not only her but him as well, and for the way that she held him. Hitomi never held Souta like this. She was always too busy and to make up for it was Kagome. She provided love for him that was equal to the love he should have been receiving from his parents. But being embraced by his mother for the first time in what felt like an eternity, he could sense that he was not the only one that needed Kagome. Hitomi did as well. She did not show it but in her soul she clung to Kagome because she was also her anchor, her support. Her strength.
Awkwardly, Souta's hands wrapped around his mother's form and placed small strokes upon her back to bring her peace, a calm. A serenity that she needed above all else right now. He rested his ebony hair upon her head and closed his eyes, his heart aching for her. For the poor woman in his arms that was afraid of losing anyone else from her life. "I'm not leaving, mom. I'll never leave you no matter what. I promise," he whispered tearfully, trying to hold back the urge to start crying along side of her. Right now, that was all that he wanted. But he had to be her strength now. For both of them. Kagome was not here to do it anymore.
Souta's eyes were pinched shut as he fell to his knees, his arms now clutching at his mother in the same manner that she did to him. They buried themselves in each other for the sake of comfort. They had to have one another's presence for their sanity until Kagome returned to them but the thought went unfinished in their minds. Their minds never added the fact that she may not return to them as they wished, prayed and pleaded.
"How is she doing?" Selena asked quietly, chewing on her fingernail in agitation. It had been hours since Inuyasha had returned from Okinamaru and when he walked into the mansion, all of them- except Sesshomaru and Miroku -had been standing by the door. They certainly did not expect to see the half demon with Kagome cradled in his arms, weak and pale with exhaustion. What surprised them even more were the wings that were draped over his arms, long and elegant as they glowed in the candlelight. It was almost a scene from a dream if the feathers had not been coated in her blood.
Inuyasha reassured them that she was all right and merely needed rest. Kagome turned her head away from them to bury her face into his shoulder because she was not in the mood to entertain anyone with answers to their questions. She was grateful for their obvious concern but she wanted to be alone for a while. That was all and, to Kagome, that was not much to ask. She thought herself to be extremely lenient on this when she wanted to snap at anyone that came near.
Sango sighed and shrugged her slender shoulders in defeat. She had been checking on the young woman from time to time but each visit was the same as the last. The plate of food had been left untouched by her bedside. Kagome merely sat on the window seat, her knees folded to her chest and her slender arms wrapped around them. Her head was turned until she was staring outside into the moonlit tress that reminded her of shadowed figures fleeing the land. It was something that she wanted to do as well. She had wings now, it would be possible. Kagome had learned to draw them back into her own body and bring them out as she wished to. All that she had to do was fold them around her body, then concentrate on her image without wings. That was not the only thing that was coming naturally to her.
But the sight of food sickened her for she was still digesting all that she had found out about her, her father, her destiny, what her future might hold for her. Kagome had pushed her food to the other side of the nightstand and turned her attention back to the world outside of her window. Her head swam with the infinite number of words and explanations that Okinamaru had given her about her people and her heritage.
It turned out, much to Kagome's relief, that she was the last of her race. Souta would not be included in the middle of this mess. But she had been puzzled to why. How could she be the last of her race when she had a younger brother? The males of their kind, of her father's people, could only pass their essence down to their first-born child. It was one of the reasons why their race had dwindled into almost nothing over the millennia and now she was the only one. In doing so, Souta was spared from ever having to face this and be as confused and frustrated as Kagome was at that moment.
The females of her race possessed wings, some more than others. It solely depended on the power that they possessed at birth, Okinamaru had told her. And six wings, three pairs of them, were only granted to those that had the strongest life forces and happened only once every one thousand years. She had been the "fortunate" one and had received them for being the daughter of Sariel. Somehow she was not as joyous as she knew her people probably would have been if she had been born among them. But Okinamaru had tried to figure out why they were given to one that was half mortal. It made no sense, seeing as she was not as strong then. Kagome's heart had secretly collapsed at that statement. So she was truly a half-breed after all...
Over the hours that she had returned to the mansion, Kagome's transformation had begun. Having been surprised all of these years, all of her powers had come full force to her. And in so, her physical appearance changed as well. Kagome's hair, waist length in itself, gained a new luster as it grew steadily, the waves doubling into an ebony sky of silk. The color had become even darker if that was at all possible. It pooled at her feet and tumbled off of the bench onto the floor, covering her in a blanket of the captivating scents of spring. Wisps of captivating silver etched themselves softly into the curled tresses to resemble the moonlight that cast an elegant sheen on the midnight sky. The azure brilliance that was her eyes became more luminous, almost glowing in the moon's light as it shined down upon her. The depths were now almost unfathomable if one were to stare directly into them and they would find themselves falling into her soft gaze. Her muscles gained new tone, a new resiliency as they strengthened as if she were an athlete, a warrior that had trained all of her life. She remained slender but not as willowy as she had been before.
But what surprised her the most were the thin, but bold, inscriptions that had swirled into her skin. They were a crimson red coloring that stood out from the smooth and slightly tan pallor of her flesh. What were they? Okinamaru had not explained what they were because even he did not know but he had warned her about them ahead of time. His theory was they might be a way to increase her powers and, thinking over it, Kagome decided that he might be right. She certainly did not know what they were and who was she to doubt that word when all she had ever believed in had been shattered in an instant? She had no answers for herself. The vine-like marks covered her back all the way down to her hips and then crossed her shoulders until the elbow of her arms. They were breath taking to look at and Kagome found that she was constantly standing in front of the mirror to study them. Now if only she knew what they were...
Okinamaru had gone on to state the prophecy as he knew it and as others knew it. The Maiden of Twilight would appear to save the world of Madrien or destroy it. But why she would choose to destroy it was something that was unclear to the many sages that had translated it over the centuries. But then again, they did not even have all of the prophecy. Okinamaru had shown her the scrolls that contained the words of the ancients, whispers that the land and trees told to those that were willing to listen.
But if there was anything that Kagome was grateful for, it was her locket. Before Inuyasha had taken her back the castle, the old sorcerer had handed it back to her in velvet-lined bag, the chain mended and the metal shining as if it had never been tainted with the hands of Shardul. Okinamaru had been very interested in the inscription her father had placed on the inside but he would not say why... Kagome unclasped her hands and stared down at the precious trinket. She swept a finger lovingly over the front before opening it and glancing at its content. That wonderful picture... She had seen him again.
Kagome had seen her father again when she had given up all hope, when she had believed that his spirit had ceased to exist. Her father- Sariel - remained with her every step of the way. A smile graced her lips as she closed it and looked back out to the shining world outside. Kagome was not certain that she knew exactly what she had sentenced herself to but she could do this. She had to. The fate of this world and all of its people rested on her shoulders.
"You really have to eat or you'll get sick," Shippo's voice brought her back to reality and away from her deep thoughts. He was sitting on her nightstand. His eyes were on her food bowls and he was clucking his tongue in clear disappointment. Even his tone clearly reprimanded her as if he were used to pointing out people's mistakes. He jumped down and walked to her side, looking up at her from his short stature.
He had breathed a sigh of relief when Kagome had returned unharmed. Shippo did not want Inuyasha to have harmed her. But he had decided that he would show her, just like the others, that he was not a little kid. He had made a total fool of himself the last time, when he had first met her. Shippo would not make that same mistake again. He was tough and he vowed to show her that. He crossed his arms and waited for her answer. But he could not help but stare at her transformation. She was beautiful, even more so than when he had met her that morning. The rumor was buzzing around the mansion and among the servants that she was the foretold Maiden.
"We also need to rest, especially growing fox demons," Kagome pointed out matter-of-factly. Apparently he had not expected her to retort, especially in reference to his appearance in her bedroom so late at night. Shippo had such a look of concentration on his face that Kagome could not help but giggle softly. The small fox demon was even cuter now than before, if that was at all possible. Kagome tucked her locket into the folds of her dress, moving to reach for his small body. Shippo found himself snuggled in her lap, so close to her warmth that his tough facade was melting away. But he tried his best to remain rigid, keep his resolve.
Kagome smiled down at him as she asked, "Did you have a nightmare? Is that why you are up, Shippo?"
He shook his head at her but the expression of hurt in his eyes spoke magnitudes. He wanted to cry out a yes to her simple question but found that his throat was locked tight with the memory. He had dreamed about the night his mother and father died. Kagome leaned her head back so that it rested on the wall behind her as she stroked his hair. The touch brought a calm to Shippo's spirit as he cautiously shifted. When his cheek was pressed to her heart, he could feel its strong beat and was instantly reminded of his mother. Once her heart had beat with the same rhythm, so strong, sure and full of life. Suddenly she was all around him while at the same time she was not and Shippo had to pinch his eyes closed to prevent his tears from spilling over. He missed her so much. It was a constant ache within him that threatened to consume his small heart except when he thought about Kagome. She made it go away for some reason.
"I had nightmares all the time when I was a little girl," Kagome told him, dropping the gaze of her azure eyes to stare at him. But she never recalled any of them because her mother and father were there to drive them away with the soft light that radiated from their souls.
Shippo did not meet her gaze. Instead he remained perfectly still until curiosity got the better of him. "You did?" he whispered. He could not imagine Kagome to have nightmares of any kind. She seemed too sweet for those things. Maybe there was more to her than he first realized.
Kagome nodded and continued, her voice soft like the breeze that rushed past her from outside. It fanned over her cheeks in a welcomed caress that was cool to the touch and kept her from capsizing under. "You know what my father used to do? He would sing to me and that would always make me feel better," Kagome mused with a soft smile of her own. She remembered every word that he had sang to her. Over the years, when his presence was no longer with her, she had taken the time to memorize every one of his songs so that she could sing them to Souta when he was upset.
"Fly, fly little wing, fly where only angels sing. Fly away, the time is right. Go now, find the light," Kagome sang softly. Each gentle swing of her voice was as heaven's light shining down upon the both of them. Her tone was pristine, the sound sweet and sorrowful at the same time. Shippo was enthralled as he listened to her. He could do little else. Her voice... Never had someone sang to him as she was doing, no one had ever held him like this and suddenly Shippo was falling into a place that he never wanted to leave.
Kagome knew now where the words had first come from. With her powers gradually revealing themselves, the original language that she would have known at birth was returning. Her father's barriers around her had effectively hidden them away but now Kagome could hear the foreign words in her head and could sing them just as easily. This song was from a race that had long been extinct. But she remained with the version she was singing now- the one her father had sung to her-instead of using the ancient tongue. This was new territory, unfamiliar, and she needed to hold on to something that was solid. Something that she knew.
"Fly, fly do not fear. Don't waste a breath, don't shed a tear. Your heart is pure, your soul is free. Be on your way, don't wait for me. Above the universe you'll climb, on beyond the hands of time. The moon will rise, the sun will set. But I won't forget," Kagome versed, the tone of her voice never changing. It was a constant shimmer of golden and silver hues in front of the both of them. It was a wonderful song that calmed the raging torrent of emotions inside Kagome's mind into mere trickling streams that could harm her no more.
The song was not over, but already Shippo had answered slumber's sweet call. His eyes were closed, his breathing steady and in tune with hers. He seemed to let down all barriers when he was around her, that much Inuyasha could see. He stood by the door watching when sleep had not called to him either. Too many things weighed on his mind and all of them had to do with Kagome on so many different levels. His once comfortable bed was no longer the haven that it had been. Inuyasha could only stay awake and imagine what Kagome would look like if she were to lay beside him, her hair sprawled out like the midnight sky, her cheeks rosy from a night of passion...
How irritating those thoughts were! What in all the seven hells was wrong with him? Inuyasha needed Kagome like he needed no other woman in his life and he did not understand why. Maybe it was because she was innocent, a virgin ripe for the taking. He pushed that thought out of his mind quickly. That could not be it. Inuyasha had had many virgins in the past and none of them excited him like Kagome did with just one smile. But why would he want someone so inexperienced when he had Kikyo? Granted that she was not talking to him at the moment, but that was beside the point. It had been a little mix up and she would come back to him.
But even as he thought that, Inuyasha's mind began to compare Kikyo to Kagome and- also to his increased agitation -Kikyo lost and did often now when before she was second to no one. It did not help him in the least. He could not become attracted to Kagome any deeper than he already was. Inuyasha was practically lost in her for his sensitive nose searched for her sweet scent anywhere that he went now. He craved it like a precious drug in his system, his high. Inuyasha had to keep a distance, which he vowed to himself.
Kagome's wings unfurled right before Inuyasha's eyes and she wrapped each one around Shippo's form in a tender manner. With the moonlight streaming down upon the two of them they could have been a scene from a Renaissance painting. Shippo, a vulnerable ward, and Kagome his angel guardian of lore. And the Gods knew that he needed one. Inuyasha's heart melted further when Kagome brushed a kiss on the top of Shippo's auburn hair and he found that his feet were leading him inside the one room that he vowed never to return to as long as she was there. And Inuyasha feared that it would be a long time indeed.
Kagome did not seem to notice him. She was too absorbed in the gentle song she hummed under her breath as her eyes were locked upon Shippo. He needed her as Souta needed her. Souta... Thoughts of her family flooded her, overwhelming. What were they doing at this moment? How was Souta holding up? Kagome's arms tightened around Shippo's small body as if he could be the one to save her from her thoughts and her fears. Her grief.
"I have never seen him act this way with anyone," Inuyasha murmured. Kagome had not sensed him come in and looked up at him quickly. She had not expected him to come into her room or even come near her for that matter. He had shunned her at Okinamaru's chambers because of her father. That action alone screamed his refusal of her, something that Kagome would not press. She did not want to become his little toy, even though her heart called out to him whenever he was near.
Inuyasha pulled up a chair and sat down. He did not bother to ask for permission as he saw that this was his very right. He needed to see Kagome, hear her voice because it had become so important to him. Yet, he knew not why. As always, that answer eluded his grasp and it proved to only infuriate him further but he would not show that side to Kagome. Though she had already seen most of it. But there were always other levels to his anger, ones that he had reached at very few times.
His silvery hair fell past his shoulders to glow brilliantly in the moonlight and he found himself just staring at Kagome as if he had never seen her before. She was completely different now that she had transformed, more breath taking when he never thought that would be possible. He remembered seeing the women of her race in his studies and that was why the wings were so familiar to him. Kagome was of the Lorellai race, a winged people that were both beautiful and capable of vast amounts of power. That was why it had been seen to that the last of them had been wiped out from existence. They were too powerful.
Kagome stared indifferently at him as though nothing of what passed between them since the day that they had met had ever existed. "What do you want, Inuyasha?" she asked coolly, not bothering to look at him. She chose, instead, to stare at the expanse of night outside of her window as though it had become the most fascinating thing. Trying to ignore the warmth that she could feel come from his body. It was so heated... as though he burned for something... Little did she know.
"I came to see how you were feeling," Inuyasha explained, shifting to make himself more comfortable. "And also to see that you have transformed like Okinamaru had said you would." His golden opticals studied Kagome's profile intently, finding that he was annoyed that she refused to look at his face. What was wrong with her this time? There was a stretch of silence that blanketed the air as a means of suffocating them fully. Kagome felt it acutely but the caress of wind was enough to help her through it as she shrugged nonchalantly, as though brushing him from her shoulders.
He talked as if nothing had happened! Kagome's anger swelled up within her as she turned her head to look at him, the smug expression that seemed to be permanently set into his face. But Kagome would not be pushed around anymore. Living here had taught her to survive because there would be no one to look after her and she hardened herself with that in mind. No one would dare to mess with her emotions anymore. Inuyasha had even gone so far as to judge her father before hearing his side of the story as well. "I am not a display in a freak show that you can look at, Inuyasha," she snapped. Her azure gaze burned brightly with his, almost luminously glowing in the surrounding darkness.
"I never said you were, Kagome," Inuyasha reasoned. He did not understand what had brought this mood swing on. What had he done?
Kagome snorted delicately at his words, unbelieving of them as she turned her head once again. He had implied it and Kagome could see it as clearly as day. Inuyasha was arrogant, smug, always smirking because he thought he could have his way with women. But the only expression that he carried now was annoyance.
A clawed hand reached out to grasp her chin firmly, careful that he not pierce her flesh with his nails. "You don't look at me," he observed. "Why?"
Kagome sucked in a quick breath at the contact and found that her resolve against him was melting. It irritated her that one touch could do that. How! Kagome bit the inside of her cheek hard, drawing the coppery taste of blood into her mouth so that the pain helped her surface from the small spark of desire that she had. And the one that she could so clearly see in Inuyasha's eyes. She jerked her head away, feeling as if his touch had branded her, heat collecting and pooling.
Though her anger seethed just beneath the creamy swell of her skin, Kagome replied to his question coolly. "I have no reason to. You mean nothing to me and I do believe you are far too close." Her words astonished even her. Kagome was not sure that she could have said those before all of this. Had she really grown that much stronger? The young woman's hand pushed at Inuyasha's chest when he dared to lean in closer. But that was like pushing back at a brick wall: he just did not budge.
His hand caught hers in his strong fingers and refused to relinquish them back to her. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed into deep amber slits, not at all amused by her statement. Who did she think she was? "I distinctly remember a time not too long ago when you had melted at my touch," he whispered sensually, drawing one of her fingers into the warmth of his mouth. He suckled on the tender flesh before scraping his teeth over it gently. Seductively. Suggestively.
Kagome swallowed heavily. Her pulse quickened with the closeness, the utter bliss of that simple ministration and from it she was suddenly craving his hands running over her body like that day... That day in the kitchen, her kitchen. Her nipples tightened in the thin material of her nightgown and ached to be caressed, but Kagome was grateful that her wings covered all of her body so that he could not see it. But Inuyasha smelled it. He smelled the musky scent of her arousal, heard the stunning beat of her heart, and saw the way that her eyes widened until they threatened to swallow him where he stood. He felt such power at that moment, continuing to even when Kagome tugged to signal that she wanted her hand back.
"That was before you dared to judge me based on the choices that my father made. You did not even bother to place yourself in his position," she accused harshly. Her eyes glinted a wicked sapphire to match his own furious ones. She was standing up to him and Kagome gathered that few people had done that to him before she came along. Well that was all going to change. She would make sure that she opposed him at every turn. "I suggest you go along your way and forget me, Inuyasha. I've already done that to you."
Her words were meant to hurt him, cause him pain but, to Kagome's dismay, his eyebrows only shot up in disbelief. It did hurt. Inuyasha had to admit that, though he kept the fact to himself. He hid it well. He made certain that Kagome only encountered cold, steely eyes. Unrelenting ones that challenged her in the same manner that she did him. Inuyasha was not one to be forgotten and especially by the woman that inflamed his body into a living fire. He would set her into the same madness, teach her body to crave his and then see how she would forget him.
Inuyasha smirked cruelly and Kagome did not have the chance to stop him before his lips crushed hers bruisingly. They held none of the gentleness of that day. Indeed now they demanded passion, hard and unrelenting. Determined to take what he wanted and thought rightfully his. He tasted a challenge and the pungency of blood. Just as quickly as he had initiated the kiss Inuyasha pulled back to study her, one hand fisted at the hair settled at the nape of her neck. It was meant so that he could see the swollen buds that were her lips, rosy and shining from what he had bestowed upon her, the slumberous and sleepy way that her eyes were falling though she tried desperately to stop them. It felt... hollow... That kiss lacked all of the warmth of their previous ones. Smooth and calculated, Kagome knew that Inuyasha had meant to leave her empty and bereft, quick enough to have her craving more and more until she thought her body might burst from the sheer power of her emotions.
Release. Inuyasha knew the emotion. He himself shared it as he bored his golden eyes into her defiant ones. "You try to deny it but I will never allow you to forget me, my sweetling." He purposely used the nickname he had given her, a reminder of what they had shared. And he meant it. Inuyasha would make sure that she would choke on those words. He pulled away after another lingering moment, their mouths hovering over each other's in mere inches so that all Inuyasha had to do was bend his head to the temptation that was Kagome.
Gods, how he wanted so fiercely to do that! To touch her lips, chase away the defiance and the anger. Inuyasha wanted her putty in his hands so that Kagome was his to mold and teach and caress. His to protect. His lips contorted into another smirk that had him shifting away from her, the moonlight playing over his hair as it rippled with his movements. A milky waterfall... That was what it reminded her of. Inuyasha slipped out of the doorway without a second glance to her, but little known was that his thoughts were focused fully upon her. He cursed himself for that weakness that she brought out in him.
As soon as the sound of the clicking door shut, Kagome slumped back into the wall's sturdiness. Her fingers found her lips to robe the swollen, tender flesh and tears welled up out of nowhere. She did not mean to weep like a lovesick girl but Inuyasha's actions pierced her and cut her to the quick. She wanted to forget him. Kagome's mind craved, screamed at her to condemn him for what he had done but she could no more do that than she could stop loving him. And Kagome did love him.
"Damn you, Inuyasha," she murmured beneath her breath.
Very carefully, she unwrapped her needy body from the window seat and picked her way to the canopy bed, cradling Shippo's sleeping body close to her frantically beating heart. She needed sleep more than anything. The covers were warm against the coolness of her skin but what she really desired was Inuyasha's arms- Kagome mentally slapped herself at the those thoughts. If she dared to think that, Inuyasha would win and Kagome would not stand for that. She was a rational young woman. She had lived without Inuyasha before all of this. Even she could not call that an existence, though, but she had survived. Kagome was confident that she could accomplish that once more.
The day outside dawned bright and early as the others had done before that. But Kagome did not see the outside world as much as she wished to. Training had begun as soon as she had begun to leave her room once more. As soon as the pain had stopped thrumming through her body, the transformation had stopped twisting her bones and muscles in breathless agony. Sango had taken her down to what she called the training grounds after she had come to her dressed in battle regalia. Kagome wore an outfit similar to Sango's, a one-piece black body suit trimmed in a powder blue to accent her eyes and they had managed to sweep her mane of hair into a tight bun atop her head.
Because of the amount of power that seemed to exist in her body Miroku had suggested that she train with him for the days that she spent in Madrien but Sango did not seem to be to keen on that. Kagome had thought it was because she did not trust her alone with the man that she loved but seeing the look on her face, Sango hastened to explain. "It is not you I do not trust, Kagome!" she exclaimed, wrapping the younger woman in a surprising embrace that had Kagome returning it. "Miroku, like I said, is a lecher and if he is not constantly supervised he will get to you. I can guarantee that."
And she had been right in every way. The first time that Kagome had sat upon the floor beside him to begin meditation, one of his hands had strayed "unknowingly" to her thighs and a small squeal had erupted from Kagome's mouth. Her fist wheeled back to connect with his jaw squarely, sending him to the ground just as Sango made her way to his side. Kagome thought that she had come to help him and that thought had angered her somewhat. He had been the one to touch her! Miroku had rubbed his head and jaw, trying to get up but Sango had sent him back to the ground with another stinging slap. Kagome applauded her methods.
Now he kept his hands mostly to himself, maybe because Inuyasha was now there in the same room with them. Sango had to attend to something that could not wait. Someone had to watch over their lesson. Who better than the half demon that had not spoken to her in days. Not that Kagome minded, of course! But she found it hard to concentrate when he was there watching and scrutinizing every movement that she made. Now if she made a mistake, red flush would heat her cheeks and it caused a more deep-rooted resentment to begin inside of her that was directed at him. How could he do this to her!
Inuyasha thought that it was the most amusing entertainment in the world at those moments. Kagome was a raging spitfire that was quick to anger now and that was the highlight of his day, second only to watching her beauty. Secretly he did it, looking on as Miroku's voice instructed her. "Your power is a net of energy that thrums in your veins as a living entity."
Kagome nodded with her brilliant eyes closed, all else blocked from her mind. "Imagine that net. Do you have it in your mind? Good. Now pluck a strand and begin to unweave it and create a small sphere in your finger," Miroku instructed as he moved around her like a hawk. He had been trained as a monk as well as a courtier, knew which patterns of energy belonged with each person. But that was not so easily told for Kagome. She seemed to be made up of many different ones that moved in a perfect harmony through her slender form that was now tightly hugged by the body suit she wore. Suddenly a need slammed into him that he stifled. He wanted to touch that small rounded bottom that seemed to just cry out to him like all of the other beautiful women. Inuyasha was here... And that would probably warrant him another beating that would be far worse than what the women could ever offer him. Or at least that was what he thought.
Kagome concentrated, a delicate frown folding across her features, imagining this net that Miroku spoke so confidently of. It did not come to her for long moments but that was what she expected. She had been at this particular exercise for two days now after she had mastered the rest immediately. It astonished Miroku and he had praised her with smiles and compliments. She was learning far faster than he had imagined her to, that fact pleasing him greatly. "Even Kikyo did not learn this fast or was so willing," he had revealed to her a few days before.
Subconsciously her hands reached out to the "net" and concentrated on taking it apart, throwing all of her being into the task. Inuyasha was there and that aided her determination, as much as that thought irritated her. His presence seemed to do that more and more as of late. Energy licked at her fingertips, surged up her skin so that she felt the power resist her pull. The frown deepened above her brows as she tried to force it to comply. She would not fail in this task. But the cuts wound up her arm from the inside out and bled almost immediately, a cry bursting from her to softly echo around the hall. But to Inuyasha it seemed to be louder than his own heartbeat.
His ears folded back to lay upon the crown of his head as he tried to block out the whimpers that came from her lips. He hated that sound more than anything. It reminded him too much of his mother's sobs the day the she took her life to be with his deceased father. It pierced him to his very core and brought the memories coming back full scale. He sucked in a quick breath through his teeth, letting it out in one long hiss.
Kagome gritted her teeth against the pain and concentrated harder so that all she could see was the energy lingering inside of her, the sparkling and crackling of her power that seemed to call out to be taken though it resisted her completely. But her fingers wrapped over a "strand" and tugged harder, pulling it toward her with a determination that was evident to the two men standing so close. Their skin prickled with the sudden increase and watched in disbelief as it began to create an arching spiral over her body. In the sunlight it glowed a soft sky blue that represented the power that lurked inside of her. It roared in their ears with ferocity, the sound of a crying animal, the sound of sheer power. And it was all Kagome's. Her six wings burst from her back to drift with the power back and forth elegantly. They glowed as well, each father alight in a powder blue sheen. Kagome's energy covered her from head to foot and had her hair whipping around her in intricate patterns that almost resembled the ancient writings of the past but faded just as quickly when Kagome collapsed onto her hands. Blood trickled slowly and surely down her arms, thick ribbons of crimson that stood out so starkly from the sudden paleness of her skin.
She had done more than create a small sphere. She had taken that net of power and unraveled it completely to soar around her. The force of it had had Inuyasha and Miroku stepping back. Soon it was easier to breathe again without the presence of such an overwhelming force and Miroku began to laugh nervously. Never had he seen such a power! It was too much for him to bear and he took one step back. But it was so fast that no noticed it. Fear stamped out a rhythm in his heart as he gazed down at Kagome with wide brown eyes. Was she really the one? Was she really the Maiden of Twilight?
"I think that is enough for today, Kagome," Miroku said softly, hiding his anxiety well behind a mask of amusement. He bent down and helped her to her feet, steadying her when she placed a hand to her forehead. The dizziness that ensued took her by surprise. And so had her abilities. She was powerful...
Kagome smiled up at him as she thanked him for the time that he devoted to training her. Miroku only waved her away with a pat on the head. She stepped to the side when he tried to do it again but she only shook her head in a clear reprimand. She did not like being treated as a child especially by someone that was old enough to be her eldest brother if she had ever had one. She was not that young. Kagome murmured a good bye to Miroku and did not even spare Inuyasha a glance before her slender body was disappearing around the corner of the door. She kept her gait steady so that it would not reveal the dizziness that was plaguing her so strongly. She did not want them to worry or try to help her when she clearly needed it.
Inuyasha's ears twitched, hearing her footsteps fade away before he ran a hand through his long, silver hair. The tresses tangled beneath the pressure of his fingers. Miroku stood silently watching him, his thoughts upon Kagome but for far different reasons than what they might think. She had surprised him over and over these past days and had him thoroughly believing that she was the Maiden even when it was clear. He had seen her transformation, saw the wings and the power. Today he had been convinced.
"She will thwart Naraku and his plans," Miroku noted with confidence. "Kagome is going to save Madrien from destruction. She is a fast learner. Within a few days' time she mastered what Kikyo had learned in a fortnight's time."
A growl reverberated around the room that startled the young man. He turned to see that it came from Inuyasha. His fingers had clenched into a fist, the claws biting into his flesh and causing the blood to drip to the floor in a steady beat. "You do not know that for sure. Remember that the Maiden of Twilight can also destroy Madrien as well, that thought had always come first in the legends or has that slipped your mind in her presence?" Inuyasha spat darkly, not bothering to face him. He had no idea where that outburst had come from. Inuyasha knew better than anyone that Kagome was the true Maiden. It had been proven.
But he still could not bring himself to believe that the daughter of a man like Sariel could ever save their land. Sariel had destroyed it in the first place. If it were not for him, they would be living in piece right now. Not fighting for their lives. Or having to rely on Kagome. But at the same time he would never have met Kagome... That mere thought struck a chord of protest inside of him. He hated it.
"If fallen in the wrong hands, the Maiden of Twilight could seek to destroy Madrien. She is not in the wrong hands," Miroku told him softly, walking toward the bay windows and gazing out at the expanse of green grass that resembled the finest emeralds. There was Kagome strolling along as though she had not just unleashed an enormous amount of power, as though she had not a care in the world. Her ebony hair swung in time to her swaying hips, glinting in the gentle beat of sunlight as though she was made to be out in the open.
Inuyasha said nothing to that. He did not know what to say. There was so much distance that he felt now, so many things working their way into his mind. They writhed within him as the most complicating thing that he had ever felt. What was happening to him? And more importantly, why could he not control it! He felt at a loss. He was going in a direction that he thought he would never travel and it partially frightened him because of it.
"What had happened between the two of you, Inuyasha?" Miroku wondered softly. But he did not turn around to face the half demon, unsure of how he would react to the question. There were very few who questioned Inuyasha about his life and his personal actions. "I mean, you are more distant from her than you were yesterday. I assume you said something foolish like you always do."
There was a trace of laughter in his voice that Inuyasha did not quite care for as he narrowed his eyes at Miroku. He saw the man as a brother to him and it was not just because he was Sango's fiancé. It was also because he had always been there for him but there were times when Miroku's mouth got the better of him. "Miroku, it would do you well to silence your words before I rip that voice box from your throat," Inuyasha warned quietly, his tone low and dangerous. As smooth as a snake and equally as lethal. It was then that Inuyasha was at his most angered. And unpredictable.
Such pretty hair... Rin watched the woman curiously, her four year old mind intrigued at the pool of ebony hair that seemed to spread like a halo onto the grass. Without a second thought she moved forward-clutching her bear and a crown in her hand- and collapsed to her knees silently by her and reached out a hand to stroke the shinning tresses. They were silken to the touch and a small giggle burst from her lips. Rin tangled her small fingers into Kagome's hair, tugging gently before she placed a small crown of flowers upon the top of her hair. It caused her eyes to snap open, the sapphire turning to the small child that knelt beside her, but there was a weight upon her head. The sight of this small girl, her dark hair and the brilliant maple eyes that seemed to transgress the soul relentlessly, had a small smile forming on her lips. Kagome sat up slowly, not wishing to startle her. But her hand shot up in a quick jerk to catch the falling wreath of fragrant roses.
"What's your name?" Rin asked sweetly. She truly saw this lady as a potential friend. She had been watching her lay down in the grass for quite sometime now and she could not resist any longer. This woman was so beautiful… And she had wings! Rin decided that she wanted to touch those as well as she came closer. To Kagome's surprise, the little girl folded herself into her lap and snuggled closer to the warmth that she provided. Kagome did not wish to push her away, this little girl that trusted her so fully.
"My name is Kagome," she said softly, wrapping her arms around her small body. "Are you going to tell me yours?" She rested her chin on the child's head and sighed. She seemed to take the stress away, the anxiety. All that plagued her just… melted away.
Rin did not answer for a long time, too concentrated on the task of playing with Kagome's silky strands of hair. She wanted so badly to just touch her wings as she snuck peeks at them. Maybe… "Rin!" she exclaimed enthusiastically. She threw her hands high above her head as though she was announcing it to the whole world. Kagome had to laugh at her antics because she was so light, so embedded within the innocence that every problem seemed to melt away in Kagome's countenance.
Kagome leaned back against the tree and watched her as she played, as she pulled small parts of her hair and placed them on top of the teddy bear's head. The ebony color contrasted sharply with the white fur of the toy. "That's a really cute bear. Did your mother give it to you?" Kagome asked softly.
Rin meticulously tended to the bright red bow around its neck before turning her head to smile up at Kagome. "Yes! She and Daddy gave him to me when I turned three!" For good measure she held up her fingers but there were only two fingers that she held up before she realized her mistake. She hurriedly switched her fingers until three of them were held up.
Kagome hugged her fully, laughing at how adorable she was. This must be the girl that Selena had talked of, their little girl. She looked to be the right age.
Rin looked up at the sky when a thought suddenly occurred to her. She had been sent here to do something… What was it? She pressed a fingertip to her small lips and thought hard, hard enough for a four year old to think at the very least. Mommy told her to do something but she could not remember. Rin shrugged, settling back against Kagome's soft chest with a sigh. It had been a long time since someone had played with her besides her mother and father. They were always busy with something and did not have time to play with her as much as she wanted.
"Will you be my friend, Kagome?" Rin's small voice was hesitant as she snuck a peek up at her from beneath startlingly long lashes.
Kagome smiled softly, reaching out with a slender hand to comb her fingers through the young girl's hair in a tender gesture. Her heart was continuing to melt at the sight of her. She was pure energy, pure sweetness. She had never met a more beautiful little girl. She had her mother's softly crimson eyes with flecks of amber to match her father's. Her hair was the softest of charcoal colors and streaked with silver wisps so that she appeared to be spun of moonlight and the midnight hours.
"Of course. But only if you will be my friend, too," Kagome said into her ear as though it was a secret. She poked Rin in the side to get her to smile and discovered that she was ticklish!
A squeal burst from Rin's lips as she tried her hardest to get away from Kagome's fingers only to see that there was no escape. It was futile. Her slender hands were far too swift for her. A swirl of giggles weaved themselves into the air as Kagome rolled with her new -found friend across the ground, feeling so wonderful at that moment. Her cheeks were flushed, her sapphire eyes sparkling with mirth and happiness. But Rin did not stay submissive for long. With her precious bear abandoned on the grass not too far away, the small child had climbed onto Kagome's chest and had found all of her vulnerable spots and was using them to her advantage.
"Rin!" Shippo's voice caused both of them to stop their small game and turn their heads in his direction.
His small body was stalking toward them, secretly jealous at how close Rin had already become to her. It was not fair. She already had a mother and father. He did not want her to take Kagome as well! He refused to let her.
"Lady Selena told you to tell Kagome about the ball that she is invited to!" he scolded her sternly. To Kagome he looked more like an adult than the boy that he was. She would have to change that, after she got over the shock of what he had just said.
Kagome frowned slightly as she sat up. Her fingers combed her thick tresses back from her hair, the sunlight dancing through her ebony strands to turn it a stunning shade of midnight. "A ball?"
A/N: Well, here it is! I have finally finished Chapter 11 and now it is posted! I apologize again for making you all wait so long. I know it was cruel of me but I hope you understand that life has become a bit hectic. :sweat drop: Thank you all for being so patient with me and I hope you continue to support me in my writings. But anyway there are a few things that I need to clarify. I hope that what I wrote about Kagome's people and race has solved any of the questions that you readers may have had. But if not, then email me or ask me a question in the review you leave me. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it! I love you all! Now please press the tempting purple button and review! It calls to you!
Explanation: The song that you heard here in this chapter does not belong to me. It is a song by Celine Dion and it fit so perfectly that I had to use it. So I do not own it, I do not make a profit from it.