Chapter 6 – Happiness
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The faint sound of giggles and happy screams awoke her from her deep slumber, as her body jerked up in response to the surroundings. Hooded blue eyes scanned the room searching for whoever had made the noises that made her feel safe but alarmed her non the less. A deep growl rumbled through the walls as the still sleepy brunette turned on her side, closing her eyes once more. The people down stairs could wait a little longer for her, that is, if they were waiting for her.
Huffing, as she stretched on the soft pillows that covered the lush red silken bed, Kagome thought about the other day, trying to piece together the past events, her fogged up mind from sleep and exhaustion making it a tad difficult. Slowly, but surely, she remembered the way the 'damn demon' had treated her poor body in his try to discipline her. Her muscles still ached because of the gruesome training but she couldn't complain. Not to him at least. He was just kind enough to teach her something about her powers, though his way of doing was hard and not very satisfying with the immediate results. She was a very impulsive woman, so she wanted to see the fruits of her labor as soon as possible but this was beginning to turn into a very long journey and she was about to let everything she had made this past few years in search for that ultimate knowledge that could help her tame her powers turn to mush. Gods be damn, she wasn't interested much in living a long and very unsatisfactory life with a youkai that clearly disliked her. She for one, would have chosen another taiyoukai to help her in her quest but none wanted to offer expect the dog demon that now made her life impossibly hard. All the others were afraid of what could happen if she one day snapped and her reiki would turn wild on them. They all feared death, though they have lived more than anyone on the planet. It was ironic, the way things turned out. But she couldn't be quite so picky at the moment.
Maybe she didn't want to live a long life but she surely wanted to live as much as she could, while fulfilling her desires. And number one priority on her long list was sleeping till her body could take no more. But the damn laughter and growls of pleasure and amusement didn't let her. Squishing her eyes shut till little red and white dots appeared behind her eyelids, the miko tried her best to ignore the sounds. Just when she thought that she should just resign herself and get out of bed, a very vivid image of two pleasure darkened eyes emerged from her subconscious and made her mind function at top speed. Those weren't just any orbs that she was seeing in her mind and they definitely weren't the products of her imagination, she was sure of that. Those smothering pools she had remembered so clearly were golden, two rays of sun that pierced her body and send electric shocks down her spine. And those weren't Inuyasha's, she was more than sure, so that left only one man with eyes so scorching beautiful: Sesshomaru.
But when, in the name of the Almighty, did she see those eyes? They were usually cold and calculated, or just hard and uncaring, often turned into glares of annoyance and disgust. And that wasn't all! As she tried to focus one more time of the image, a pair of pinkish full lips appeared, making her mouth water and her lower region tighten, the heat that rose there making her blush. What on earth happened? She was sure that there were more chances for Hell to frieze over than Sesshomaru kissing or looking so passionately at her. So that meant that she had done something that made him look like that, or she had spied on him when he was doing something to someone else. But, as she pondered on the last choice, her tongue swiping over her lips, the taste that flooded her mouth made her moan a bit, the reddish color on her cheeks darkening. So it wasn't that! He would never allow a 'lowly human bitch' eavesdrop on him or see him in his most personal of times. The taste in her mouth was took over her body, demanding attention, demanding her senses to pay attention only at it's lush variety. It tasted as winter and autumn, of wild fires, commanding, sweet but a bit sour, rich, filling her own essence without giving her time to adjust.
Jumping out of bed, throwing the cover to the side, her face burning with embarrassment, Kagome slapped her cheeks and rushed to the bathroom, thinking that what she thought had happened couldn't be real. For one: the inu was much larger and beyond just being powerful so he could have ripped her throat out with one swing of his wrist if she even dared to do something like that. Second, he clearly disliked her for being human, though she thought it wasn't just her racial condition but more because she was who she was. So this wasn't possible!
'But it is! But it is! You kissed him and he kissed you back!' A voice mused in her head as she reached the bathroom, her first stop being the sink.
When her eyes rose to meet with her reflection, her rosy cheeks went pale, the realization that the mean voice in her head was right hitting her like a ton of bricks all of a sudden. Her lips were a bit swollen and red, as if someone had bitten them playfully but hard enough to make her want more. But that wasn't all: her body had reacted to the memory of only those eyes and lips, as if expecting something that the mind couldn't remember. Her nipples were perked up, hard and inviting and the heat between her legs had reached such intensity that she could only moan in frustration. She wasn't about to surrender to the want in her body so the ebony haired miko gripped the porcelain surface with as much force as she could, while trying to force her body into submission. Shaking with the restrain she had to put onto herself, Kagome, unconsciously, began to move her legs together, creating that delightful friction her core desired. Moaning softly, she realized too late that she had entertained the thought of those lips caressing her body in ways that only he knew about. Gasping, Kagome groaned something in her throat, the small climax washing over her at only the thought or the feel, as her body angrily suggested and sustained with images that couldn't be her creation alone, that his muscular body, hard and ready could rub against hers in the most sinful of ways.
When the effects died down, the brunette's mind came to a screeching stop, her eyes widening: she had just fantasized about her worst enemy, her tormentor, her vicious trainer! Shooting that thought and the rest that fallowed several times, satisfied when those 'things' were dead, the blue eyed beauty washed her face with cold water and took a very shot shower to clear out the smell and got out of the bathroom just in time to see the door of her destined room close behind someone. The long, blue tail of the inu maid made her stomach churn, her cheeks once more on fire. What did she want from her?
"Oh? Kagome-sama, I was looking around for you! Now come on, Sesshomaru-sama and Shinosamu-sama are waiting for you downstairs. My Lady Yukishio isn't around right now, not feeling well, so you won't be meeting the Lady of the house too soon, Kagome-sama! Now please, change fast into this and come down stairs so you can meet the rest of the InuTashio family that had arrived for the summer festival. Quickly!" The bubbly youkai female gestured, smiling all the time and making Kagome open and close her mouth a couple of times in the attempt to say something but without success.
Left alone with a colorful package in her arms, her door closing behind the spunky female, Kagome looked around her, only to realize that she was back in her room, her bed made and her two very big, yellow bags, that she carried around when she went away from home, were sitting right next to the bed, filled with clothes as she presumed. But the silken fabric that was now in her possession wasn't her own, so her brows furrowed, her eyes burning with something that resembled annoyance. This was yet another gift that she didn't really want to get. She never liked getting gifts, especially really expensive ones but she could never say no to them; and Sesshomaru was now forcing her to receive his without letting her decide or say if she liked them or not. As she shook the fabric to see what it was, a blue dress, knee high with this beautiful black sparrow design on it, shone brightly in the summer sun that got into the room through the wall to wall balcony windows. It was beautiful beyond compare and she liked it the moment she laid eyes on it.
Humming, her eyes softening, Kagome discarded her clothes and rummaged for a bra and fresh panties in her luggage, ready to try on the dress. As she tossed around a little, trying to make the dress go past her shoulders and breasts, the ebony haired miko giggled in satisfaction when the gorgeous piece was finally on her, fitting her like a glove. It hugged her curves just the right way, her long legs emerging beautifully from the fabric. It was a bit shorter than what she had previously presumed, being only about two palms away from her shapely rear but it was awesome non the less. Grabbing a pair of black high heels, the priestess rushed out of the room, ready to thank the block of ice named Sesshomaru for the present.
When she entered the kitchen, her joyous words died in her throat, her eyes widening minutely, as she gulped nervous. Sitting across from her at the black, marble table, was one of the most exquisite looking demons she had ever laid eyes on. It was clear who he was, the resemblance to his sons jumping at her without letting her adjust first; but she still found it hard to look at him straight in the eyes. It wasn't the first time she had seen him or talked to him for that matter but she found herself at a lost for words. And to make matters worse, Sesshomaru wasn't there, the laughter and screams of happiness coming from outside, the gardens that stretched from the house to the mountains having an opening right next to the kitchen door.
"Good morning, my dear! I hope you have slept well?" The deep rumble in his voice making her vibrate, as he got up to greet her.
Only a nod came from her side, her eyes fixed on the floor, a deep red blush adorning her face, out of the embarrassment of being so quite and out of place when dealing with this majestic inuyoukai.
'Well, you can always blame Inuyasha for this. He was the one that always told you that you were beneath his father so you could never look at him or he will feel disgusted by the mere presence of your kind being near him. Not that the stupid hanyo had a human mother and one far inferior to yourself, that didn't matter. So, when you will see that blasted hanyo be sure to vaporize his ass!' The menacing voice in her head made her eyes burn with hatred at the aforementioned name and existence of the hanyo.
"I see that you haven't change much, child. But can you please look at this old dog for once? You make me feel like I have done something to upset you..." the pleasant yet sad rumble that came from a foot in front of her made her head snap up, her mouth opening to retort.
"You are wrong, my Lord! I don't..." the ebony haired priestess tried to explain, her eyes sparkling with tears of frustration.
But a finger on her lips stopped her short, the tall, silver headed demon smiling at her gently as if he knew all she had suffered till that point.
"I am Shinosamu, your guardian not your lord, just like my son is your teacher and friend. We may be tai youkai by nature, more powerful than any other being on this planet but we are not superior to you, Kagome, in any way that you might think. Do not lower your value. You are worth much more than you think, child!" The soft voice, the pleasant hum of his tone made her soul calm down, the pain in her eyes vanishing.
So this was the powerful tai that Inuyasha respected so. This was the father of the Ice Prince, Sesshomaru, a man that found beauty and value wherever he went, not discarding any being just because of the race that he or she came from. He had been so nice to her, talking to her like they were equals, so Kagome found herself at piece being near him. Reaching out and gently grasping his right hand between her very small ones, Kagome smiled at him, a sad but beautiful smile and told him the only thing she knew how to say right, the only thing that made sense to her in her condition, though she thanked him silently for acting like he did towards her.
"Thank you, Shinosamu-sama, but to me you will remain a Lord for your existence is the cause of my teacher's existence. I thank you deeply for your want to make me your equal, though I am merely a lowly human girl. I am still not worthy to be called a friend of someone as great as my Lord, so until that time comes, I will think of you as my protector, my guardian Lord, just as precious to me like your own pup."
"You speak wisely for someone so young, though not completely correct. Your powers, you as a being, this way of life you live against the cruelest of faiths, this is what makes you worthy as my equal. I never once thought of you of anything else, though now I know why you always bowed your head so low to me. As flattering as that may have been, seeing my precious Kagome do so made my heart ache. Now child, raise your head and never look down on yourself the way you did until now." He interrupted her once again, making her blush furiously.
This male youkai would never accept her excuse of being a low class creature, making her stand above everyone else, though she never once sow herself as anything more than what she was: a human female capable of doing everything in her power for those she called friends and family. She wasn't special and her destiny didn't make her grow another head, or made her body be any different than those of her kind, or make her revel in knowledge that only the Gods possessed, so she had nothing to consider of value than her heart and mind. Though he did interrupt her, she knew why he thought of her like that. Shaking her head, her eyes filled with that sorrowful happiness that only she could muster, Kagome reached out and kissed the taiyoukai's cheeks, giggling happily when a pleased purr vibrated through the tai's chest. He sure was one of a kind.
As the two started to talk about past, present and future, Shinosamu amusing himself with her rapidly changing dispositions and laughing at her statements about his older son, never once letting go of her hands, the pup in question entered the kitchen, the expressionless mask safely plastered on. A deep, displeased growl shook the happy atmosphere of the room, drawing the attention of the pair to himself as he turned around, making room for a giddy young female that shone brightly, her miko powers still dormant, two hyperactive hanyo twins, a boy and a girl and their smiling father, that just shook his head. A happy family, that's what they were and Kagome found herself staring, a bit envious, at the young woman that smiled at her, her face almost splitting in half.
She had longed for such a long time for a family like that, for those happy feelings to fill the emptiness in her heart, the growing void making her unsteady. Her sore wounds in the heart made her cringe in pain as she smiled back, hiding her thoughts, hiding whatever knowledge of her condition behind a forced smile. It wasn't that hard to make one, because, in her short life, all she had done was with a smile on her face. She regretted nothing but it still hurt to watch something she could never have unfold in the most innocent ways the Gods could come up with, only to torment her. That was why she never thought of herself like an equal to the two tais in the room, that was why she was reluctant to give everything to someone that clearly didn't love her with all his heart. She feared that the void inside will grow stronger if she would let her defenses falter in hopes that the one she was leaning against would catch her and support her. She had tried to believe like Shinosamu had told her once before, she had tried to make his believes her own but she never managed to complete the task. Something in her called to the raw powers inside, to the being nurtured by her undisclosed feelings, making that creature steer to life in the most unpleasant ways, stopping her progress with hisses of anger and disgust, telling her over and over again about how weak she was, how useless that she couldn't even protect herself against her own heat, letting her emotion run wild the moment she thought that someone was ready to hear her out, how completely depended of those around her, how perverse and dark her heart really was and how she betrayed those around her time and time again. Why should she be equal to them when she couldn't even defeat her own demons? How could Shinosamu offer her support even though he felt the disrupter in her powers?
But all of this was confusing her. A part of her knew the truth already, all the feelings she had suppressed over the years making her statements even more clearer but, then there was another part of her that didn't want to admit that she had failed even before she had started. She wasn't about to go down without a fight. She was a miko, tainted as she was with sorrow and grieve but a miko non the less.
"Kagome, this is Rin, Shippo her mate and their two very lovely children Kai and Mika! Please welcome her as warmly as you can, because this little miko will be a part of our family from now on!" The great General announced, making the little priestess blush prettily as his son grunted something about how impossible the old dog was.
"Hello, Kagome-san! I am very pleased to finally meet you. " The fox youkai bowed to her, a very warm and gentle smile on his face, pointed, whole heartedly in her direction.
"As am I, Shippo-san, Rin-san!" Kagome retorted, looking at them through her bangs, analyzing them discretely.
Tall and handsome, though not as breath taking as the two dogs that now looked at her, one smiling and one barely noticing her, the fox boy brought, through his calm and pleased youki, the most wonderful feelings of home and safety. His brown eyes, sparkling with hues of gold due to his love and amusement of his children's antiques with new guests, were moving, languidly from his pretty mate to the newcomer. He just stood there, motionless but filling the room with that warmth at the same time, drawing the dormant feeling of security from the older male of the new pack out to the open, as the lopsided grin emerged fully on Shinosamu's face.
"Now, now, Kagome-ne, we shouldn't be that formal, right? Rin has a feeling that you and I are going to be the best of friends!" The happy chirp of the other female in the room made the young miko look at her puzzled.
Not much different from herself in figure and speech, the only visible difference between them were their eye color. While Kagome knew of hers to be brilliant blue, 'the color of the skies above that brighten even the most stoned hearts' as her new found father would tell her from time to time when her business would bring her to his company, Rin's were more like two pools o very sweet chocolate, rivaling with her mate's caramel hair. They sure were a great pair, both giddy and happy, surrounding everyone with a blanket of warmth.
"If you say so, then that means that it's true..." the seemingly older woman finally smiled from the heart, her gaze softening till the same warmth radiated from her gaze to those she was speaking too.
"We want to play! Lets play, Nee-chan! Lets play!" The children, finally sensing that their parents were now friends and seeing that the human miko had no intent to harm them, made their debut in the dialog, tugging playfully at their new toy's hands.
As beautiful as they may be, one with black and one with caramel eyes, the two were surely their parents children. Happy and carefree because of the protection that their great grandpa's and grandpa's warning barriers shone off into all directions, the boy and the girl were suddenly way too hyperactive for her to think about anything else. As Kagome was dragged away to play with them, a smile brightening her features till they made her shine like the sun itself, Rin's figure went from happy go lucky to the verge of sadness, her eyes never leaving the miko's back.
"She sucks away all the sorrow in the world, all the malice and the hate, all that could harm a soul and she disposes of it as quickly as she comes across it. But... I see the pain she puts herself through every time she stays too much near someone that is hurting from the heart's tiering games. She will not live for long if those around her continue to feel like she doesn't matter. " The young girl whispered, her eyes not seeing the world around her but that of her own, drawing her powers in swirls of light, unconsciously.
"Hn" the monosyllabic response from her protector drew her black gaze to him.
"You tell yourself that you feel nothing and yet you do. You want nothing to do to her and yet you seem to be attracted by her. You hurt her more than once and you will continue to bring her pain. You want to be unmovable, untouchable and yet you see and feel so much. Why can she be the same? Why do you redeem her unable of such thoughts and feelings? Has she not proven herself worthy of your full attention, my dear Lord?" her voice, barely a whisper of the wind was as clear as an yell to their sensitive ears.
Flinching, put in front of a truth he didn't want to see, a truth that he sow as useless to his person, something that offended him greatly with it's existence, Sesshomaru turned around, leaving the room. He didn't blame her for the power to see beyond the surface, surpassing even his sense of smell. Rin had always been a curious girl, someone that loved him dearly, he knew that and so he protected her as best as he could. But right now, he didn't want to see anyone. Those words were only partially true: he will train her, make her see that she needed no one to control her abilities and that will be all. He will not spend more time with her than it was necessary. Those feelings his ward had spoken about would be disposed of as soon as he figured out what to do about the damn priestess being a sponge that drew out all the negative emotions in a person. It was his duty as her teacher, as her protector, nothing more.
Snapping out of her trance with a huff, Rin crossed her arms under her chest but said nothing about her Lord's outburst. She had been around him long enough to see that he was lying to himself, that he was deluding himself in thinking that his destiny was of his own choosing. But the truth was that he couldn't control it, none could, though that would be a useless thing to say to the prideful dog. What hurt her most was the fact that Kagome, her new friend and future sister, or mother if she could put any base on her heart's feelings, was beginning to loose the frail control over her powers. She wasn't aware of what they were doing either and her mind probably fed her lies about other people's problems that seem to resonate with her case. She was growing dark, though her light shone even brighter in that darkness. But she was growing week with every passing minute. Her heart, her spirit, called out to those around her asking them for help but none seem to have responded so far. And what was worse was the fact that even if she didn't expect any, she longed for it. The person closest to her had betrayed her, had robbed her of her sanity and will to fight and now, when she found another source of light that called back to her, she was denied the satisfaction of always feeling that person close. Not only was fate cruel to them but it made her a sacrificial lamb that was going to tore up a path between the worlds. Or so the prophecy foretold.
"Now why are my Lady and Lords sitting here like the world has come to a screeching halt and there is no more hope for those that need it the most? Has someone died?" Bubbly as she might have wanted to be, Yoko bowed respectfully in front of her Lord, her eyes fixed on the young girl that played outside.
"No!" Rin giggled and dashed out, not wanting to feel the heavy air that now hung in the room like a doomful presence.
"I guess there is nothing more to do now... But I do hope my son will find the light I couldn't see." The Great Dog hummed, slumping back into a kitchen chair and resuming his watch on the four child-like creatures outside.
"Maybe... But, My Lord... You are one of the reasons she is restless. You are resentful to the past and can't seem to forgive yourself. She is not that miko and she will never be. Kagome found a way to live with the burden of her curse for as long as she did, bringing peace to those that were distressed, never once thinking about herself. She is no mere firefly in the night, she is a beacon! I know because I can feel it, my Lord, so you have to help her as much as you can." Yoko rumbled, lightly hitting the bigger dog's forehead with her knuckles.
"Hm..." was her only response.
'Cheh... Like father like son I suppose. Denying their feelings and hiding, hoping that they will pass by without affecting them... Well, sorry to say this to you, you retched dog but your last attempt to suppress your own feelings resulted with one hanyo pup. Don't tell me you never learn? ' the blue haired female huffed, closing one eye and glaring with the other at her superior.
But she feared for the young girl. She feared the darkness that was slithering itself into her soul. She feared that, if her pup wasn't going to act soon they will loose this battle. Kagome was fragile enough but to think that she openly, though subconsciously, tried to reach out for Sesshomaru, to tell him in the only way he could 'hear' that she needed his power to survive, that meant a lot to the feisty female dog. Why did they push their hatred for one another as far as they could, lashing out at each other's throats in an attempt to keep the other away?
'Unless this matter has another cause, just like in my Lord Shinosamu's case.' The older woman trailed off, her mind racing through the past with incredible speed.
If she was right, then the training should be different. Oh so much different. And she will be the one to make things right! She wasn't going to let her beloved pup and her new found joy of a girl be destroyed by fate. She knew how she should do things, though there was one thing she had to make sure of before they started. But first, she had to see if her presumptions were true. She could never bind Sesshomaru otherwise, that was clear.