It's aliiiiive! And kicking too…yes people, believe it or not, my laziness is finally taking the backseat and the muses are free to write the next chapter of this story. Yes, chapter. This is probably long past the stage of a collection of one shots. (Sniff) My first long story. I'm so proud! No beta reader and as usual I'm using spell-check to correct mistakes.
Disblaimer: I own Minako, Akio, Kioshi and Ayaka (the servant girl that will eventually become Sango's mop). I do not own the main characters unfortunately…then again I do own the plot! So I'm not totally poor.
Silk and Blood V
By Royal blueKitsune
1644 – Western Fortress
Blood Results
"Akio, beloved, you are my mate and have been so for the last two hundred and twenty eight years. I love you now as I loved you then, perhaps more, but…have you gone utterly insane?" Minako hissed those words under her breath, violet eyes flashing in the dim candlelight, wringing the damp cloth of water a little too forcefully.
How grateful he was to the Gods that it was not his neck currently receiving that brutal treatment.
"Perhaps," the male crossed his arms over his chest, feeling a mild headache coming on at the sight of his mistress's pale visage, "That does not change the fact that Lord Sesshoumaru must be informed of his mate's condition."
It was all in a day's work. But, honestly, why did it have to be his day? The morning had started out so well too…
"Yes it does! Do you want to be the one to tell him that Lady Kagome will not wake up?" Minako gently pushed Kagome's hair from her eyes, biting her lower lip as her hand came in contact with burning skin, and hoped that the cold water would help soothe the pain somewhat. Her human friend looked entirely too small and fragile on the large bedding.
"Don't get me wrong, Akio! I want to see her up and well also - she's my friend above all duties – but you can't possibly think that you'll be able to tell him this and escape unscathed. Especially not with his beast so close to the surface."
The eagle youkai clenched his jaw, duty and honor battling with the desire to make Minako happy, and tampered down the urge to just slump against a wall and let it all pass by him like it had never happened…or perhaps bang his head against something solid.
This was what he got for being commander of the palace guards. Decisions, decisions and more decisions. Oh, and the damnable paperwork and land treaties that were not deemed important enough for his Lord's notice.
"At least," these were the times that Akio wished for Sesshoumaru's impeccable control – currently missing, but that was beside the point, "call for a healer. A human or demon, I could care less, competent enough to take care of this sudden illness."
What was the point? Sesshoumaru was probably going to have both their heads for even breathing wrong around his mate and his pups and not telling him. Such was the way of Inuyoukai.
"We can't do that either!" Minako even had the gall to look horrified at the suggestion – Akio struggled not to roll his eyes…and then kill something. "What if the advisors find out that Kagome is ill and defenseless? They might consider this an opportunity to try and rid themselves of her…in their eyes she is only a human still."
Akio bristled visibly, the dark feathers on his broad shoulders standing up and turning a pale golden color. When he was finally able to reign in his anger enough to speak, his voice was rough and low in timbre, "Do you dare imply that I am unable to take care of those pampered simpletons and their lackeys? Choose your words carefully, Minako…you thread on thin ice."
Oh dear! She hadn't meant it to sound that way. To insult a powerful demon, mate or not, could prove to be a dangerous game. Besides, it was a well known, if unspoken, rule – never strike a man's ego. That was worse then physically wounding him!
"Forgive me," she lowered her eyes and swept her bright hair over her shoulder, a sign of submission, hoping that the symbols carved on her neck – a special testimony of their mating – would calm his instincts if only a little, "I never wanted it to sound that way. Worry makes me say foolish things."
She gave him - what he had affectionately named - 'the look' and he struggled not to show how much it melted him on the spot. Damn woman. Damn his treasonous flying beast and the reign Minako had on the both of them. His supposed fury had just died it's short, and not at all glorious, death in front of those pleading, peony eyes and there was nothing he could do about it.
Some powerful warrior he was. Akio snorted to himself and willed his feathers to return to their initial form, feeling the tension seep from his muscles to leave behind only weariness.
His light green eyes must've given that away, because in the next moment Minako was grinning widely and looking very pleased with herself.
For the sake of his tattered pride, the eagle busied himself with pulling the blankets higher up on Kagome. He would pretend he hadn't seen that triumphant gleam in her eyes.
"Should I get the healer then, beloved?"
If he had been a dog, he would've growled at the excited, almost obvious, tone of her voice. Like it had been her idea all along and he had been keeping her from seeing it done.
"Are you expecting me to say no, or is this a trick question?" Akio question dryly.
And they were debating this so serenely.
He could feel his skin stretching, his bones cracking and rearranging underneath tightly coiled muscles…the sensation of having his hair grow and his nails change, his poison being replaced with something infinitely more potent and dangerous, was an itch he couldn't get rid of no matter how hard he tried.
The demon inside him snarled and bared its teeth at the gnawing pain…and he willed it to stop making that infernal noise that rattled his sensitive hearing. His pointed ears were already stretching into a sensation that was borderline cold agony. The last thing he needed was a bloodbath…
…though he would've relished the feeling; for once unmindful of getting filthy blood on himself. For once unmindful of staying in this limited form to kill those that came in his path on the night of the Full Moon.
He growled in the back of his throat, feeling frustration acutely, and pivoted on his heel – grace and speed far beyond what he had known before – easily ripping through the reinforced shoji and double wood walls…like severing a thin piece of paper. Keenly felt the bolts of electricity dancing across his arm and trying to subdue him…immobilize him like a good puppy.
It was something that not even the animal in him could bear at the moment.
The floors were hard beneath his bare back – most of his clothes abandoned and ripped to shreds in the dark corners of the room – and he struggled to remember how he had gotten into this position in the first place. Such a small, insignificant, detail didn't matter one bit usually, but the youkai felt bothered by his sudden lack of concentration.
Shadows glided across his skin, his muscles burned with exertion and he felt the call of the animal inside him getting stronger and stronger. Self-control had always been his forte, but at the present moment Sesshoumaru felt like damning it to hell and just letting loose.
They had dared bring a miko in his house? To subdue him in such a lowly fashion, as one would a common mongrel out of control?
A flash of lengthening fangs in the darkness. A snarl of fury.
Kagome was sure that she had seen better days before. She was actually positive that she had; days when she hadn't woken up from her first faint – God, how embarrassing – and found Sango sitting next to her, looking for all the world like it was where she belonged. In a white void of nothingness that would've given even Kanna the creeps and made her look small and insignificant.
Then again, this was Sango. Kagome shouldn't have felt surprised that where she went, her blood sister followed without question.
Briefly, the miko wondered whether her slayer friend had taken the same embarrassing route towards this place – now that would be a first – and then quickly pushed it in the back of her mind. For further questioning, later, when they both weren't floating into space with nothing in sight and nothing to hold on to.
"Give me one good reason why you're here and oh so calm and maybe I'll consider not going into a fit of unruly panic." Yep, Kagome definitely felt like screaming today. Whether to rant angrily at the person, creature, thing, that had brought her here, or shout out profanities – angrier still – at her considerate mate, remained to be seen…as soon as she gathered her wits. Somehow.
Sango looked like she was discussing the weather, "I've had more time than you to come to grips with this." Winning smile and all taken into consideration.
Kagome sighed in relief, one hand over her chest to calm her beating heart. Thank God! She wasn't the only one who had felt like screaming during the first few moments here. Who knew? Maybe Sango had actually given into temptation and let loose some colorful words too – the idea made her feel less like a coward. Even if it was only an assumption.
"So what are we doing here?"
"I have no idea." A shrug.
"O-kay…why aren't we screaming again?" It sounded like such a silly question. The supposedly great Shikon no Miko and her guardian whimpering like children because of a shared dream. Both laughed softly.
"Excluding the possibility that something might suddenly materialize before us and try to pounce…do we have a plan?" Sango wanted to cross her legs and analyze that one closely, but she wasn't really taking chance with gravitation. Or the too obvious lack of one.
"Do we ever have one?" Kagome wrinkled her nose and tried to tame down her wild hair, not liking the way it flew in all directions, wishing she had a mirror so she would at least know if she looked like a mad witch. Or something similar. "Let me remind you that we've often gone into battle just like Inuyasha – with only a bloated ego and a bunch of weapons. And the outcome was usually healed in a bed somewhere for the following few weeks."
Both exchanged weary sighs, wearing similar expressions of embarrassment. All that time they had criticized poor Inuyasha too…
Kagome cleared her throat.
"I just remember Minako telling me about Sesshoumaru going through Progressive Metamorphosis and then feeling ill and twitchy."
She chewed on her lower lip, eyes bright and luminous. "I think I might've done the unthinkable and fainted on the spot…and I just know that Minako is going to alert the whole place about it." She groaned at Sango's unrepentant grin, "Don't you dare say anything about it. Or laugh. I'm already embarrassed for the rest of my immortal life."
Sango snorted and crossed her arms over her chest, "I wouldn't worry about that. I felt your pain loud and clear and fainted even before you did." Her eyes narrowed, "I'm holding you personally responsible for having a soul bound with me and making me faint in front of Kioshi – who will also never let me live it down – Shippou, Shiori and a bunch of innocent servants who were accidentally serving us tea."
No doubt, word would reach Ayaka's ears also. The cunning, little witch that she was. Sango huffed at the thought of having to guard her mate closer than before.
Was that even demonically – humanly – possible? She was practically forced to loom above - err, below – him wherever there were human women or demon females. Life could be so unjust sometimes.
"I've heard about that one - that Progressive Metamorphosis," Sango smiled grimly, feeling intense annoyance bloom in her chest, "Kioshi was trying to hide it from me so I wouldn't worry about you. Unfortunately, Shippou and Shiori didn't know about that particular deal and just spilled the beans." Yet another interesting expression she had learned from Kagome – Sango hadn't understood the first time she had heard her friend use it and had pointedly replied that it would be a waste of time and food. To which Kagome had laughed and proceeded to try to explain
She smiled to herself at the memory, even as Kagome made a soft noise of understanding in the back of her throat.
"No bruised knuckles, no bloody palms, rage is still simmering," the miko looked beyond puzzled, "Should I understand that you didn't pound him in the ground afterwards?"
Could it be that the world was ending? Sango hadn't tried to kill her mate slowly and painfully on the spot? It sounded so ludicrous that Kagome was almost loathe to disbelief it!
"I was too busy fainting at the moment."
"Ah, that explains it all. For a moment there I was afraid that you were starting to go soft on me. Try not to do anything too rash, okay? You might want to have children in the near future or so." Kagome liked Kioshi. She really did! He was one of those rare, very few left, unprejudiced demons out there. One that hadn't felt it beneath him to save a human woman or court and mate her for that fact.
And he'd even gone as far as to consult with her first and let her know of his intentions concerning Sango! Out of sheer courtesy. Not that Kagome had ever disapproved of being swept off her feet, made love to with what was probably the intensity of a firestorm and then given a happy second chance – that part had its own, male and possessive and overly protective, charm that made her toes curl every time she thought of it.
Still, Kioshi had, without a doubt, done the sweetest, most thoughtful thing she'd encountered in centuries…and Sesshoumaru wasn't exactly known to be the sweet and courteous type. Even if he did have many qualities which severely redeemed him in her eyes. Plus – going through Sesshoumaru to get to her gave the pantera demon points in her book.
One stubborn male pitted against another stubborn male for the sake of love. Kagome hid a smile. Definitely extra points.
"I thought," Sango chewed on her lower lip, seemingly reluctant to say whatever was bothering her, "Perhaps your reason for being here has something to do with Sesshoumaru's transformation? A sort of escape mechanism between mates."
Kagome blinked…and thought about it.
Minako had warned her that the process was painful. She hadn't specified exactly how much or how deep that pain ran, but Kagome had known the moment she'd heard about it – with a bone deep certainty – that it came close to being unbearable. Perhaps the subtle, strained inflection had given Minako away; perhaps her own blood, running in his veins as Sesshoumaru's ran through hers, had hummed with the knowledge of the consequences of such an ancient process.
Her heart skipped a beat and then sunk in desolation. Did this mean that Sesshoumaru had intentionally spared her the pain he was experiencing? Was he in agony at the moment while she was here feeling only the minutest of trepidation for him?
Kagome could've cried.
"That still doesn't explain what you're doing here…" Sango had always been more intuitive than her. If anyone had answers to questions, her friend had them.
"I'm your guardian…while also in a physical sense," against a powerful demon like Naraku for example, Sango was well aware that her guardianship would be pretty much useless. That was why she had tried her best to let Sesshoumaru handle it – tried being the key word, "the jewel chose me to guard your soul and mind from intrusions. You know that."
Sango prided herself as a force to be reckoned with at least in this department. After more than a hundred years of training herself in elusive arts that implied meditation and getting in touch with herself, she was positive that she could give someone a sound mental beating.
Kagome blanched. "Give me a moment. I'm assimilating the shock here." And what a shock it was too. She'd known all this – as Midoriko had been very helpful – but she hadn't really known what guardianship implied.
Good to know that she had a possessive mate and an overprotective friend.
And no privacy whatsoever.
The moon was in position.
Finally, it was the end. He could feel it acutely – in the air, in the way his beast's chaotic howling and growling were starting to diminish into mere vibrating rumbles that didn't damage his ears anymore. He took a moment – feeling more conscious of himself than he had in hours – to reach inside of himself and shut down the senses that had gone into overdrive earlier on.
Silence was bliss and colors no longer as blinding as before – he had never been able to see more than grays and blacks during nighttime, heavily relying on other senses, due to his legacy. He could currently see as well as if it had been high noon and the glare or the sun had blinded his sensitive eyes.
He could hear a mouse scurrying away in an underbrush several miles away and the predator that was stalking it. Felt every texture and fiber of the floor better than ever.
Sesshoumaru groaned and collapsed on the futon set especially in the corner for him…and urged himself to relax his taut muscles and stretches skin; fought to conquer the discomfort that ran through his blood. Struggled not to call for her to soothe his pain and…other hungers that had nothing to do with food he wasn't sure he could handle.
Still, he was ravenous. Sesshoumaru dug his claws in the bedding, feeling them rip effortlessly through the thin material. He ached and hurt in more ways than one…he was unfulfilled and felt the too powerful compulsion – from his own mind – to send the call.
To awake Kagome from the sleep he had put her in.
His powers were more developed now – his body stronger and more agile, like a cat's, though he hated the comparison, his mind working restlessly to link with hers and draw her to him. It had never before been possible to do such a thing – use his mind both as a weapon as well as a means to communicate – and, while the process was fascinating even for him, Sesshoumaru knew he was losing the battle with himself.
No matter how dangerous he was…
No matter if the beast still stirred inside him, freed of its temporary chains…
He would be selfish.
'Kagome. Wake up…'
Kagome didn't even see what hit her.
One moment she was struggling to understand the intricacies of the different types of – magical – bonds, trying very hard not to let herself overwhelmed by everything that had been suddenly dropped into her lap, and the next one she was shimmering and feeling herself being abruptly pulled out of her peaceful dream world. Feeling – what she instinctively knew – the call of her mate with the same clarity as if he had shouted it in her ear.
It wasn't likely to happen anytime soon but she still couldn't suppress the urgent desire to run towards where that compelling voice was telling her to go. Sesshoumaru. It was him but at the same time not. Deeper, sexier...
She woke up gasping and coughing, feeling the remnants of fading magic still in her blood. Her stomach roiled and turned on itself and Kagome swore that she was going to faint again. Like one of those theatrical females who often went into hysterics, rolled their eyes in the back of their heads and asked someone to catch them before pitching to the ground.
Just the visual image was enough to anchor Kagome safely into the living world. That or her pride was working overtime again.
"Kagome! You're awake." Minako fairly pounced on her, bubbling up with barely suppressed enthusiasm and happiness. Kagome thought of her more as a mother hen concerned about its chick. "You little idiot! Are you trying to shorten my life by a few good centuries? Akio was fairly starting to look like a chicken with its feathers ruffled – have you any idea how stressing it is to even think about telling Lord Sesshoumaru that you dropped dead out of nowhere?"
Kagome wanted to tell her that her husband already knew about her fainting spell – that it was his fault! – and that neither she nor Akio should worry about waking up one head shorter. She also wanted to add some not very ladylike expletives to express exactly how many ways to kill a dog she could conjure, but his voice echoed in her head again and Kagome barely caught herself from lunging for the door desperately.
'Come to me, little miko.' His voice held a hint of smoke and want and she hoped that he didn't feel her involuntary shudder. Instead, Kagome tried as best as possible to send him the mental feeling of haughtiness and the tightening of her jaw…that showed how much she was considering strangling him.
She hoped he got it in full. There was no way to ascertain if Sesshoumaru received her messages or if she could send anything.
'Do no believe that you can escape me, Kagome. Either you come to me, or I shall come to you. And Minako will not be able to stop me from throwing you over my shoulder and doing something about your sudden skittishness.'
Kagome irately realized that not only had he received her thoughts – no fainting, no fainting! Nope, she was not going to panic either! She was taking it all in stride like usual – but that those delightful sounds were also melting her resolve.
'You have a lot of explaining to do, buster! Like this mental link I seem to have developed with you. Or how you didn't even bother to tell me what to expect!' Or the sheer need to find him, forcefully strip him and then proceed to fulfill some of her fantasies. Oh yes, they had tons to talk about!
'I am not a buster.'
'Nope, but you're surely busted.' Apparently, men weren't that far from the caves yet. Throw her over his shoulder. Humph. Did she already look like a sack of potatoes?
"Let me up, Minako." She croaked pathetically, "Sesshoumaru is calling me. I must go to him." If not to pounce him in the nearest bed, then at least to kill him a little.
Minako's stare was almost weary. Like she expected Kagome to suddenly pull out of a hidden weapon and try to turn her into chicken breast.
Kagome giggled mentally, failing to sound serious to even herself.
"I was afraid you were going to say something like that. Progressive Metamorphosis has been known to have adverse effects. Though," she leaned closer, sharp violet peering into the blue of her eyes, "I've never heard of such drastic changes between mates."
'I've never heard of Progressive Metamorphosis between mates. Does that count?'
'You will surely like the changes. I do.' Low and full of promise...
"Kagome?"
Kagome was sure that she didn't want to know about the smug undertones in her mate's voice. The truth nagged at the back of her mind and brought with it some too intimate images of what Sesshoumaru might want to do to her.
Somehow, she didn't believe she was going to be able to get out of bed for the next few days. Or walk. Or twitch afterwards. Sesshoumaru could be quite focused when he wanted to and who knew what this process had done to his concentration and focus!
"Kagome!"
'Do not worry, little miko. I will make sure that you enjoy every moment – because neither of us will leave the room, or our bed, for the next week.' In her mind, Kagome had the impression of a large predator on the move – sleek, with a sort of flowing strength that belied how strong he had become. Even stronger than before if that was even possible. She saw a flash of fangs and heard his challenging growl and then something cracked and splintered…broke into tiny pieces.
She blanched, realizing that Sesshoumaru had just broken through whatever walls had been holding him back and that the brief swelling of triumph was directed towards her. Seeing her…
"Kagome!" Minako bellowed in her ear, close to shaking her pale friend. She hated being kept out of private conversations between her Lord and Lady – there was no way she could eavesdrop on this one. That was for sure!
"Sesshoumaru is coming…with less than pure intentions." Kagome blurted out the first thought that came to mind, then promptly slapped a hand over her mouth and turned the color of the fire burning in the hearth. "You need to go," her mouth was talking without her and she couldn't stop it, "now."
Open mouth, insert foot, and proceed to embarrass yourself thoroughly and for the rest of eternity.
Minako blanched, blinked once, then again, and promptly jumped to her feet. Like the sheep that knew the wolf was coming. "You don't need to tell me that twice. I don't want to know what he has in mind anyway," just trying to conceive the notion of Kagome doing that…sounded preposterous in a way. Was there any way to imagine your sister-like figure with a man? Minako blanched again, carefully not thinking about it anymore, "Have fun, experiment and tell me all about it in a week or two. I'll be sure to bring you food every day."
"Now wait a second here!" Kagome struggled not to let her jaw drop. How could she be so calm about it?
The blonde phoenix turned on her heel, blew a raspberry towards her, winked, and then opened the door, expertly grabbed her mate and the healer by the front of their clothes and dragged them both away. Ignoring the sputtering and overly loud complains coming her way.
Thus leaving Kagome to stare bemusedly in their wake. She stood up, with a slight wobble, and walked out in the hallway, vaguely hearing some very disturbing squawks and unmanly chims from where Minako had dissapeared around the corner...
Now there was something one didn't hear every day. Before, when she'd fallen for Sesshoumaru, she's wondered how on Earth could their relationship last – seeing how they were complete opposites, both in looks as well as in personality. After she'd met Akio and Minako, learned that theirs was a relationship that went way back, Kagome had actually felt the removal of a weight from her chest.
"It is your sworn duty as the Lady of the Western Lands, as my mate, to tell me all that bothers you. I find it displeasing that I have to wander through your head to discover this." Strong arms wrapped from behind her, circling her body and touching sensitive places shamelessly.
Sesshoumaru.
Kagome gasped and almost involuntarily placed her hands on his, leaned against him, and traced the dark blue stripes that now went extended from his hands to curve gracefully around his wrists. Tried to gawk – through the series of bites and kisses of the shell of her ear - at the light green glow that covered his nails…of course, it was normal that she would be just a bit distracted by him.
"Sesshoumaru…" Her arms wrapped awkwardly around his neck and she whimpered, anger forgotten, when his hand slipped beneath her obi to caress flesh and bunch the material uncaringly. "Bedroom. Now. Or I'll conveniently remember that I was supposed to be mad at you."
He growled softly to placate her and, without as much as a strain, lifted her up and carried her into their room. Into the firelight. Kagome thought that gasping would be too clichéd for her…instead she contended herself to just look and touch – observe the changes – while he settled them both on the futon. Sesshoumaru didn't push or hurry her, didn't rip off that offending kimono as was his desire, but let her look at him fully.
And she did.
Kagome traced the curved stripes - the same color as the ones on his arms - that disappeared behind his ear and marveled at their slight roughness, at the pleasure he seemed to derive from her mere touch. She combed her hands through his snow-white hair, wondering how it could've turned even whiter than before, and noticed that it was even longer now…perhaps closer to touching the ground.
He was beautiful. His appearance was still wholly male, strong and well defined, but he looked more boyish now…he possessed fewer round lines and more sharp angles and hard planes than any other being she had seen. The blue moon on his forehead almost seemed black, but that might as well have been a consequence of the dimmed lights.
His eyes were the same; still a light sherry that made her swoon, and his mouth was firm and tilted at the corners as if amused by her wide-eyed perusal. That mouth was as much capable of laughter as it was inclined to great cruelty…she'd seen more of the last and less of the first, but she still loved him.
And she definitely loved the more pronounced muscles – not bulky, but elegant and feline – of his chest, arms and stomach. Kagome had the feeling that if that hakama fell any lower on his hips, she would see the rest of him too.
She crooned at the thought.
"I didn't think you could get any more handsome, you arrogant dog." She was teasing him, trying to quell the blush that heated her cheeks unbearably…feeling as if this was their first night together all over again.
'The first of many.'
'Don't spoil the effect by burrowing into my head. I was just thinking good things about you, you know.' Kagome glared at him, trying not to notice that, somehow, he was even broader and taller than before and that she felt like a child compared to him. Had he grown a few inches? He had been tall enough before!
"I have changed," Sesshoumaru nibbled on her jaw with all the exquisite patience that Kagome felt she was currently lacking, "But so have you, little miko." 'Your hair is more blue than black and your eyes are two shades lighter.' He sounded pleased and, dare she think it, even surprised. Kagome pulled on her hair to wonder at her own changes…feeling her eyes widen even more when she discovered that her hair was indeed so blue it looked violet in the fire.
'I'm going to kill you. Cheerfully and slowly. I will. Then I will cheerfully kill Minako for letting you catch me unprepared with this thing!' It was strange how quickly she had accepted this method of communication. How easy it was to wield it.
The look in his eyes halted her mental tirade…and Kagome gulped at the heated flame burning there and thought that killing would probably come late. Much, much later. She scooted backwards and he crawled after her. It was obvious that he was in the mood for something else.
She was too, frankly.
'No pouncing on your pregnant wife!' She squeaked when he tangled his hand in her obi and slowly pulled her closer.
'I have much more pleasurable things in mind.'
And he did. Kagome couldn't really complain afterwards.
Far from it.
I have not seen Internet for a month and a week. Work with me here...hope you like. Kagome is not a demon and I didn't even want to turn her into one.
I don't want to see any 'OMG! Kagome a demon - don't like it!' Nope. Didn't happen. She's still very much a human...as human as an immortal Shikon wielding miko could be any way.